Given how telling his teammates that he is leaving is going, Tony decides to send Ziva an e-mail. Maybe he's a coward, but he'd rather not see how she reacts. She doesn't bother to reply.
In the end, the only tell Ziva even read t is a passing expression in the bullpen. A raised chin, a sad smile and something Tony can't quite place in her eyes.
A goodbye and good luck all rolled into one.
-oooooooo-ooooooooo-ooooooooo-
It's a Tuesday mid-morning less than a week until transfer day—or T-Day as Tony calls it now. Tony is still wondering whether it will happen on time. Anything involving the government tends to move at its own glacial pace, setting land speed records for the slowest changes in modern history. He never even received that computer Tim requested for him two years ago.
This morning, the air around the bullpen is tense enough to cut with a knife. Everyone knows they're whistling past the graveyard with Tony. They go through their well-rehearsed motions work their cases as if there isn't an expiration date looming. No one brings up that he's leaving. They just focus on their current case, a drug running petty officer found dead in his bunk.
Gibbs was just about to send Tony and Ziva to run down a lead when Vance appears on the landing like a lost ghost. He crooks his finger at Tony, commanding and controlling. Tony feels almost as though he has been called to the principal's office. And he had more than enough experience with that in school.
Gibbs pretends not to see it.
Knowing Tony was summoned for a meeting, Tim jumps to his feet. He is already grabbing his gear, shuffling for his weapon and creds.
Instead, Gibbs grabs his own gear. "Ziva, with me."
Gibbs strides out of the bullpen without looking at his male agents.
Tim's expression looks as though he's been slapped. He drops into his chair, turns back to his computer.
Tony should say something to the younger man, do something, try something. Except it isn't his place anymore. Whatever is going on between Tim and Gibbs is just that: between Tim and Gibbs. If they can't figure it out while Tony was still a buffer, they'll never be able to figure it out when he is gone. Anything Tony does now will only make things messier for Tim.
Tony pauses to rap on Tim's desk. The younger man glances up, cheeks a sickening shade of red and grim-faced. Tony forces a smile, but it's hollow. Like there isn't anything behind it.
"It'll blow over," Tony says.
One side of Tim's mouth rises. "Sure, it will."
Tony wants to say more, but he can't think of the right words. Nothing he says here will fix the situation. Placate, maybe. Smooth ruffled feathers, probably. But nothing he does will truly fix the problem. If anyone asked Tony, he wouldn't be able to guess what Gibbs is even doing.
Up on the landing, Vance clears his throat. Tony jumps as though he's been shocked.
Tony has a new boss now and if he wants to keep it that way, he needs to make Vance happy. The last thing Tony wants is for Vance to pull the plug before everything even starts. Vance doesn't seem like the petty and backstabbing type, but Tony would rather not find out. Who knows how far egos reach until they're challenged.
After giving Tim another half-smile, Tony heads up the stairs to where Vance waits for him. Tony feels Tim's steady eyes follow him into the office. Surprisingly, Vance's secretary treats Tony a little differently. Where she used to roll her eyes, she now nods and smiles politely.
By the time Tony heads into the office, Vance is already at his desk. Seated and hands clasped.
"Close the door, Agent DiNozzo," he says.
There's a seriousness to his voice that sends Tony's heart straight to the floor. If Vance is going to fire him before he even starts, Tony might as well make it as painful as possible.
He plasters a bright smile on his face. Plays the good little agent. Tries to think of an appropriate movie quote for the situation, but he comes up surprisingly blank. He slumps into one of those torturous chairs in front of Vance's desk.
If Vance lost funding, I guess I'm moving to Newport…yay.
Vance steeples his hands against his lips. "I just received the finalized report from IA. You were cleared of any wrongdoing in the death of Petty Officer Simmons."
"I was aware when they cleared me for field duty a few weeks ago. Though, I appreciate the update. Has it changed anything…" Tony can't bring himself to say, with the new team.
Vance's eyes widen, just a little. "No, not at all. In fact, I brought you up here to discuss the new team. I'd like to review my choices."
"Your choices?" Tony repeats, sounding insulted.
Leaning back in his chair, Vance's eyebrows raise slowly. His gaze slides over Tony as if he didn't expect the new team leader to voice his own opinion. As if he expected Tony just to follow blindly.
Tony pivots for damage control. "I was under the impression that staffing choices were left up to the team leader. Gibbs has always chosen his agents."
Vance smiles thinly. "They are, usually. As much as this team will be yours, it's also my biggest contribution to this branch to date. I'm under a lot of scrutiny to get it just right."
When he lasers his eyes on Tony, the and I will not let you fuck it up goes unspoken. Tony leans back in his chair, not surprised at how this is all playing out.
"I took the liberty of narrowing down the applicants for you." Vance gestures at two small piles of manila folders. "If it makes it easier to swallow, think about it that way. I chose the ones I think will work best with your…" His smile quickly falls as he settles on the word "…unconventional style."
Tony's eyebrows peak. "Thanks, I think."
"Look, Agent DiNozzo, you are a good agent. One of the best, in fact. But some of your methods rub people the wrong way and after your time with Gibbs, I'd like to keep turnover to a minimum."
Tony just stares at Vance. How did he manage to make a compliment sound so bad?
Vance is still talking. "This is your pool to choose from."
"And if I don't like them?"
Vance's silence speaks for him. Take it or leave it, he seems to say.
Of course, there was a catch. There's always a freaking catch.
After Vance slides over the stacks, Tony skims through the meager offerings. Four files for the junior agent position and three for the senior agent position. Each one has the agent's personnel reviews and current assignments, scores from the shooting range and FLETC rank, and pre-NCIS careers. Nothing that, if you ask Tony, is the true measure of a person and how they'll function as an agent. As a team. He prefers to meet someone and get to know them. If they are good enough to get hired by NCIS and make it through FLETC, Tony could train almost anyone into the type of agent he could utilize. But he wanted someone with that something he was lacking, someone who filled in the gaps he couldn't.
Vance leans back in his chair. A self-satisfied smirk is strewn across his face. He is probably patting himself on the back for doing most of the work for Tony, but it doesn't help when Tony would've preferred to review the applications himself.
Should I just tell Vance where to shove it?
Instead, Tony looks at Vance. "Is this everyone?"
Vance narrows his eyes. "That I would approve of, yes."
And that's when Tony notices the single personnel file still on Vance's desk. Stuck in that no-man's land between the computer monitor and the keyboard. It's as if Vance is hiding it in plain sight, not expecting Tony to notice or be fearless enough to ask about it. If there's someone Vance had second thoughts about, that's the first one Tony wants to look at.
Especially after this.
Tony jabs his finger at it. "What about that one?"
"I changed my mind," Vance says flatly.
Tony tilts his head, trying to read the name.
"Why?" he asks.
"Because I'm not about to incite a turf war." Vance snatches up the file. "I thought it might be a good fit for you, but I have since decided against it."
Tony squares his shoulders. Leans back in his seat. Stares right at Vance, who seems to be expecting Tony to blink. They glare at each other for a long moment.
"With all due respect, Director," Tony says. "You want me to set up a team, but you don't let me choose my own people and then you say there's someone I should, but shouldn't have. How do you expect me to do this right if you're hamstringing me out of the gate? "
Vance's face pinches as though he just ate a lemon. "I thought you'd be grateful that I offered you the job without making you apply. I know you're good and you, usually, play well with others, but I expect you to make me look good. I don't need a ragtag bunch of agents on my team."
"Your team, Director?" Tony repeats.
When Vance doesn't say anything, Tony climbs to his feet. He is halfway to the door when Vance calls him back. He hangs by the door until Vance sighs.
"Your team, DiNozzo," he says.
Tony turns around. "You really think I'd set up a team like The Usual Suspects?"
Vance rises from his chair. "Quite frankly, I don't know what you'll do. I think you're a loose cannon after those years with Gibbs. I'm taking a chance on you, Agent DiNozzo. A huge chance. I think you've been stifled over the years. Now, I want to see what you can do on your own, but you need the right people."
"The people you pick?"
Vance's silence speaks for him.
Tony laughs mirthlessly. "Then they won't be the right people for me."
Anger flashes through Vance's eyes, there and gone before it had a chance to truly take hold. His entire body is tight, muscles taut. He works his jaw. Anger in a politician is reserved and held back, anger light.
Vance slams the file on his desk. "Agent McGee applied for the senior agent position."
At the news, Tony's mouth drops open. He knows the relationship between Tim and Gibbs wasn't great, but he didn't think it devolved to the point where Tim is looking for another job. Tony doesn't want to get between them, let alone be accused of trying to poach Tim from Gibbs' team. Maybe, in his own messed up way, Vance is trying to protect him.
Tony doesn't move.
Vance points at the file. "Did you know about this?"
"I had no idea," Tony says honestly. "When did he apply?"
Vance meets Tony's gaze. "Last night. Five minutes before the application closed."
Nodding, Tony breaks eye contact first. He drops his gaze to the file, but he can't bring himself to return to Vance's desk to pick it up. Sure, he knows Tim should be a senior agent, but Tony can't do that to Gibbs. Not after everything they've been through over the years.
Tony turns on his heel, ready to leave.
Vance clears his throat. "I believe you forgot something, Agent DiNozzo."
Tony shakes his head. "No, I didn't."
"You wanted it." Vance's tone is accusing. "You told me you needed to choose your own people. Take Agent McGee's file and think about it. If you're going to hire him, I expect you and Gibbs to figure it out like adults. I will not have a turf war on my hands."
Tony sighs. "Right."
"I expect your decision in 48 hours." Vance sets his jaw. "A minute late and I choose for you."