Chapter 61

It was rare that the directors of the FBI, CIA and NSA got together, even remotely as they were doing now. Roy had considered inviting Jenny to be part of it as well but had decided against it in the end. This was about Tim, but it was not about NCIS at all and she really had no say in whatever was decided. This was about international movements. It was about politics. It was about the things that happened around Tim McGee but not necessarily to him. That being the case, it was better than she wasn't involved.

The faces of Director Norton and Director Liu appeared on the screen.

"Are you alone, Director Morgan?" Director Liu asked with no preamble.

"No, I'm not," Roy said.

"This conversation needs no witnesses."

Roy nodded and looked over at the technicians.

"I'll call you back in."

They said nothing. Instead, they just got up and left the room. Then, Roy walked over to one of the computers and typed in a code that would basically guarantee that there would be no record made of this meeting.

"All right."

"Director Norton?"

"Already done," Director Norton said.

"Good."

"What do you have?" Roy asked.

"We have been tracking the movements of those involved in the attempted abduction of Agent McGee. Most have already been taken care of."

There was a brief pause and Director Liu looked at them both. Director Norton's expression didn't even flicker and Roy showed nothing.

"The three at the top are still alive. We need to make a decision about what we are going to do. There's nothing to stop them from trying again except for the complete failure this time."

Roy looked at Director Norton. "What do you know?"

"They managed to escape notice within the Russian government. It is being quietly swept under the rug. They may want to avoid another attempt with the evidence of failure."

"Or they may decide that they have to try again to mitigate that failure," Director Liu said.

"How would a...warning be taken?" Roy asked.

"A warning? Or a threat?" Director Norton asked.

"Either."

"These are important people. Killing them is extremely risky and a threat of violence could be taken as a reason to talk about it or as a reason not to talk about it."

"Which is more dangerous? Letting them try for Agent McGee again or killing them and the knowledge of who did it getting out?"

"The latter," Director Norton said, "but not by much. It might be an even split."

"What if we could deliver a pointed warning without it getting back to us?" Director Liu asked.

"Can we do that? Realistically?"

"Yes."

That was it. A simple assent.

"No second chances," Roy said. "They have to understand that this is the only warning they get. If they give up this chance, I don't care how important they are."

Director Liu looked at Director Norton.

"I agree with that," Director Liu said. "Norton?"

Director Norton took a breath and considered. He had a lot of Russian contacts from previous career experience. However, Roy was not willing to let it be known that a country could get it into their heads to try to get control of Tim McGee. They had to understand that this was absolutely non-negotiable. There was a hard line that must be drawn.

"Agreed," Director Norton said, finally. "I assume you'll be watching more closely for a while."

"Yes," Roy said.

"Good. I'll get some information out in the right ears, beyond the governments."

"The message will be delivered," Director Liu said tersely.

"Good. Anything else needing addressing?"

"What about the brother-in-law?" Director Norton asked.

"Still in the hospital. No decision has been made as yet, but he'll have to choose. Soon."

No verbal response, just a nod and then Director Liu's face disappeared, replaced by the colored bars.

"Darius?"

"I don't know how Liu'll do it, but I'm sure he'll manage."

"Regrets?"

"Only that I can't go back and stop this before it even started."

"Agreed."

Director Norton's face was also replaced by the colored bars. Roy stood alone in the room and shook his head slightly. It was true. This was irritating and difficult and should not be necessary. However, it was what they had and he was irritated enough to be willing to just kill them and get them out of the way. Remove the known threat because the unknown threats were hard enough.

"One chance," he said softly. "No more."

Then, he went out to let the technicians get back to their jobs. Besides, he had a meeting with Tim soon.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

The pain was finally manageable and the doctors had begun to discuss releasing Ahmed from the hospital. The problem was that this meant there was a decision to make and Ahmed wasn't sure he was ready to make it. No one had talked about it yet, but it was there.

What would happen to him now? Could he go back to Egypt and go back to his life or would he have to stay here?

There was a soft knock on the door and Ahmed tensed for a moment before the door opened and Tim came in. As always, Ahmed felt a little ambivalent about Tim. He accepted that Zahara loved him. He knew that Tim had been there to help rescue him. ...but it still remained that Tim's life was one of inescapable chaos and Ahmed wished that there was a way to change the situation. He couldn't blame Tim for something he obviously hated but it was definitely frustrating.

"We need to talk, if you can," Tim said.

Ahmed nodded and gestured for Tim to sit.

"About what will happen to me," he said.

"Yes," Tim said. "Do you want to go back to Egypt?"

"Yes, I do. It has become my home. After leaving Melilla, it is the only place I have been," Ahmed said. "But I must ask if I should."

"You don't want to be in the U.S.," Tim said. It wasn't a question.

"No. I do not hate America as some do, but I do not want to stay here."

"Do you want to hear the options?"

"Yes."

Tim nodded. "Okay. The first is that you go back to Egypt. If you do, you won't have any protection. The CIA can't do that and it's clear that you're known to be connected to me. What's unknown is if anyone else would try what was tried this time. The second option is that you stay here, become a permanent resident of the U.S. like Zahara did, and eventually a citizen if you wanted to. If you did that, you would be protected like we are as a part of my family. A third option would be to not stay in the U.S. but to go somewhere else and set up a new life there. Again, you wouldn't be protected, but you wouldn't be in the same place, meaning that people who might look for you wouldn't know where to look, and the CIA would help you get established." Then, there was a fleeting smile. "But no matter which you choose, Zahara is going to make you stay with us for a while after you get released from the hospital."

Ahmed smiled for a moment as well. The third option was not one he had considered. The other two were not a surprise, but the third was.

"I cannot decide right now."

"I understand, but I knew that you'd be leaving the hospital soon and I figured you should know what your choices were. ...without Zahara here to try to tell you what to choose."

Another slight smile.

"How are your children?"

"Jonathan is mostly okay. He didn't really understand what was happening so he mostly was afraid when he could tell that we were. He's had his moments, but he's going to get beyond it pretty quickly. Salma is struggling more, but she's improving as well and the longer we go without problems, the better off she'll be."

Ahmed nodded.

"And you? How are you?" he asked.

Tim took a breath. "Jury's still out on that one."

Ahmed's brow furrowed slightly. He wasn't sure he understood the idiom. Tim smiled a little although he didn't look particularly happy this time.

"I'm not sure yet. I'm working on being okay."

"Does that help?"

"It does. It doesn't fix everything, but it helps... because I'm doing something."

"These men who came after you, who took me..."

"They're dead."

Ahmed raised an eyebrow in a silent question. Tim again smiled without looking happy.

"Really. Except for the ones at the top, they were all killed. Maybe someone else will try... but they won't."

"You are not happy about that."

"No. I accept that it's probably necessary, but... when I'm in my right mind, people dying for me is always hard, even when I know they brought it on themselves."

Then, Tim sighed loudly and stood up.

"I won't bother you. I just wanted to stop in on my way home."

"Thank you."

Tim nodded and then walked toward the door. He pulled it open and then stopped and looked back.

"I never wanted to be important. When all this started, I was nobody special. Just a guy who could use computers. There are times when I wish I could have that back, but even if I don't know what my life holds in the future, I know that will never happen." He laughed shortly and shook his head. "Can't ever go back to how it was."

Then, he left and Ahmed watched the door close. Had that been a veiled message about what choice he should make? Ahmed wasn't sure, but he'd always been much more straightforward. He didn't make statements that weren't clear. He preferred there to be no mistake as to what he meant.

Regardless, could he just go back to Egypt and pretend that he wouldn't be worried about someone trying hurt him because his sister was married to an important man?

That was the question.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Tony thought it was unfair that work should pile up when he was gone and it wasn't for a fun reason. For some reason, it made sense that work didn't stop when he was on vacation, but when he was gone for unfun things, work should stop. He wasn't gone because he was enjoying himself. He was already miserable so, in Tony's opinion, the scales of the universe should balance by having no work build up. It just didn't work like that. Paperwork was never-ending. Sometimes, he felt like HR just made up the forms to justify their existence.

Still, at least it was normal. He would take any normalcy he could get. Even if it meant filling out hated forms. So he was doing that and was glad that he could do it in solitude. Muna was still overtly fretting about Tim's absence. Lara was trying to be comforting without really having the inside understanding of the situation. Better that they had gone home while he stayed a little later to finish a few things and get himself closer to caught up. For now, he had one more form to finish today and the rest could wait until tomorrow.

Then, his phone started ringing. He groaned and was tempted not to answer. He just wanted to finish this. But no, he should answer.

"Agent DiNozzo."

"Hey, Tony."

"Tim! ...uh, why are you calling my work phone?"

"Because I have a work question for you."

"Okay. What?"

"Would you mind if I came back to work next week? Maybe?"

"Of course not. Are you ready?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Just desk duty for now."

"Muna will be fretting over you, just so you know."

"As long as she's not like Abby will be."

"Well, she's not as flamboyant as Abby. She just worries more. She's been asking about when you'll be back."

"Oh. Okay."

Tim wasn't really sharing anything. Tony wasn't sure how to take it. Should he be glad or worried?

"Tim... can I ask?"

"Well, I don't know what question you might be wanting to ask at this moment. If it's how I'm doing, the answer...I might be okay."

"Well, you know we want you back if you're ready for it."

"I know."

Ziva walked over and raised an eyebrow.

Tony mouthed, Tim.

She nodded and settled down to wait.

"Anything that you can tell me about what brought this on?"

"Not at the moment. Just some... thinking I've been doing, but I have some things I need to do before I'm back on the schedule so Monday."

"That's fine. Full or part?"

"Might be ready for full. Do you mind if I wait and see on Monday?"

"Nope. That's fine."

"Thanks."

"And Tim?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad you're coming back."

"Not tired of me yet?"

"Nope."

"Thanks. Bye, Tony."

"Bye."

Tony hung up.

"Well?" Ziva asked.

"Tim was asking about coming back to work on Monday."

"Really. What changed?"

"I don't know," Tony said. "From the way he was talking, it sounds like it might be him who's changed."

"I hope so."

"Me, too." Tony took a breath. "Well, I'm ready to go home. How about you?"

"Yes."

"How do you feel about fighting about where we're going to live?"

Ziva smiled. "I think I could do that."

"Good. Let's go."

They left NCIS together.