"Was that McGee shooting?" Ziva asked, breathing hard as she and Gibbs stood up after diving out of the way of the bullets that had been fired through the door.
"It wasn't Vance," Gibbs said.
"We cannot know for certain. Perhaps there is a third person in the room?"
"That was McGee's voice."
"Yes, but..."
"But nothing, Ziva. Something's going on in there, and trying to pretend that McGee isn't a part of it won't help us end it."
"There is no camera in the Director's office. We cannot find out what is happening."
"Unless we call. McGee must have his phone with him. Vance will as well."
"He did not react so well to a knock on the door."
"True."
"Gibbs! Gibbs! Are you okay?" Abby's voice grew louder as she approached.
"Stay out there, Abby! Don't come in!" Gibbs ordered.
He gestured to Ziva and they both went out to the balcony.
"What's going on? We heard the shots from downstairs!"
"And you ran toward them?" Ziva asked.
"I had to make sure you two weren't broken and bleeding...so soon after being saved from certain death!"
Ziva sighed. "We were not injured. ...but it appears that McGee is the one shooting."
"What? No! Tim wouldn't!"
"He also would not threaten Pamela with a gun and would not punch Tony hard enough to knock him out. Something has happened to McGee and he is not acting like himself."
"What are you going to do?" Abby asked.
"Figure out what's going on and try to stop him."
"Stop him...how?"
Gibbs looked at Abby. "If we can't talk him down..."
"No! No, Gibbs! You can't! You can't do that!"
"It's not the first choice, but just trying to open the door made McGee shoot at us."
Abby continued to shake her head.
"We need to figure out what's going on in there, Abbs. We need eyes in the office."
"We have the snake camera like we used to spy on Ari in Autopsy," Abby said reluctantly.
"We could slide that under the door into Vance's office," Ziva said. "That would let us know what is really going on in there."
"Ziva, you stay here and keep me apprised about anything that happens."
"Yes, Gibbs."
Gibbs grabbed Abby by the arm and directed her back down the stairs.
"Did you see McGee after they got back?"
"No. Tony brought down the evidence. I assumed Tim was working on other stuff."
"Okay. You go and get the camera ready."
"Okay." Abby headed out while Gibbs crouched down beside Tony and Ducky. Tony was looking much better but still seem uninclined to stand.
"Well?" Tony asked.
"McGee tried to shoot us through the door...although I'm sure he didn't know it was us. ...but he probably wouldn't have cared based on what it sounded like."
