"It's bad, Director." Anthony DiNozzo Jr had spent seven years as a homicide detective, and a further seven as part of the MCRT Team, Washington DC and Navy Yard. "Two men dead, one in serious condition, and not expected to survive the next few hours. The room is sealed off, but I'm going to need help getting statements and on the forensics side of things, Sir." Tony DiNozzo was reporting in from the USS Saratoga, currently holding station at United States Fleet Activities, Yokosuka, where the carrier group was restocking and refueling, as well as the crew enjoying forty eight hours of liberty after four months of deployment.

"How long for the tox screens to get back?" Special Agent Karen Willoughby asked, marching into the room, glancing at Gibbs, wondering what he was doing in MTAC.

"Approximately six hours, and the official autopsies will take longer. One cause of death is blunt force trauma to the skull. Whoever killed him, literally bashed his head in. Sir, Ma'am, not to sound selfish, but I have never conducted a double homicide on my own, and I don't think I want to. Is it possible to get an MCRT out here?" Tony knew the longer he waited for help to arrive, the more chance the killer or killers would get away.

"Well, as your leave has just been cancelled, Agent DiNozzo, I'm going to cancel Agent McGees as well, he can help you on this. Once concluded, the two of you can enjoy your holiday, again. I'll try and get someone assigned from the Singapore field office or the Far East office, but neither office has an MCRT attached to it," Vance knew this was something his agent would not like.

"With respect, Sir, neither myself nor Agent McGee will have the time to shephard someone around on this one. Between us, and some help from HQ, we should get it sorted," Tony hoped he wasn't assigned Abby or Jimmy to help.

"Forensic Specialist Justin Parker is available for all agents afloat, I'll get him on this, right away," Willoughby told him. "I'll head up the investigation, stateside, leaving you and Agent McGee to focus on the shipside."

"DiNozzo, do what you can, and I'll have Agent McGee helo'ed out to you, when he lands," Vance ordered, slicing his hand across his throat to cut the transmission. "Agent Timothy McGee is currently on a flight from Washington DC to Tokyo, I want to speak to him within the next five minutes. He needs to be picked up from the airport, and be on the Saratoga as soon as. Make it happen, people," Vance ordered to the three people in the Multi Threat Assessment Centre.

Timothy McGee was enjoying his holiday so far. While most people worried about long haul flights, Tim looked forward to them. Nine hours into the flight now, Tim had watched a movie and read six issues of New Scientist. The rest were for the flight back, as this was precious alone time he had rarely managed to give himself over the past year.

Tim felt the tap on his shoulder, and looked up to see one of the flight attendants standing over him. Tim took his headphones off, expecting to be told the noise had interrupted someone.

"Agent McGee, you have a call from Director Vance. Follow me, please," Tonya Lewis had done this many times in her sixteen career with United Airlines, and she always knew she was stopping someones holiday. Waiting for the good looking man to follow her, Tonya eyed him up, knowing he would be soon be working and not staying in Tokyo. All of the girls on the flight had spotted him in the first class lounge, but it was Tonya who had managed to get to serve him the most. Tonya walked ahead of him, stopping at the secluded section of the aeroplane which contained the inflight telephone. Lifting the receiver, she pressed a button and handed the NCIS agent the receiver. "Please, place the phone down and return to your seat once done, Agent McGee." This was one of her worst duties, and she would not hang around to see the young mans face once he realised his holiday had been cancelled.

"Thank you," Tim said. While Tonya worried about his holiday being cancelled, Tim was more worried about his family, and his friends back in DC. "Director, is my family ok?" were the first words Tim spoke.

"They're fine, Tim. The reason for the call is that Agent DiNozzos leave has been cancelled." Tim hated this call already, a holiday four months in the planning was ruined before it had properly started. "There has been a double murder aboard the Saratoga, and DiNozzo will be leading the investigation. You will assisting him in the investigation, Agent McGee. You will be helo'ed to Yokosuka upon landing, and your leave will resume upon completion of the investigation. Is this understood, Agent McGee?" Vance knew that both men had earned their respective holiday, but this was just unavoidable.

"Yes, Sir," Tim was relieved that his family was just fine, everything else was second to that. "I will need credentials and a firearm upon reporting for duty, Sir. I only have my ID card with me, everything else has been stored correctly." Tim knew he had to be careful what he said, but Vance understood the references.

"Understood, Tim, I'll have it waiting for you before you board the Saratoga," Vance paused, McGee unaware that Gibbs was listening to the conversation. "I am sorry about this, Tim, but it can't be helped."

"It's not your fault, Director, but we'll find the person or people who are, you have my word," Tim promised the man who had begun to respect greatly, especially after their very rocky start of a working relationship.

"Thank you, Agent McGee." With that, the conversation was over, and Tim put the phone down. Before heading to his seat, Tim took a few deep breaths, wondering what Tony was thinking at that moment.

Seven hours later, NCIS Special Agent Timothy McGee was escorted onto the USS Saratoga by the Destroyers executive officer, Commander Bruce Draper, who, in Tims eyes, seemed to be nothing more than a working muscle man, his uniform stretching over biceps and triceps that Tim had only ever seen on bodybuilders.

"Special Agent McGee, have you taken your dramamine?"

"Special Agent DiNozzo, shut up!" Both sentences were said with a smile.

"Commander, can you have Agent McGees belongings taken to my cabin, he can bunk with me while he is here. We need to get to work," Tony told the XO.

"Sure thing, DiNozzo, welcome aboard, Agent McGee," Commander Draper said, moving away to carry on with his duties.

"Tony, this is not how I imagined seeing Japan on my holiday," Tim grumbled.

"Me neither, Probie, me neither," Tony agreed.