DEP CTLR TOLD RPTR EXPEDITE CLB THROUGH 7000 FT (SID 8000 FT); TURN HDG 110 DEGS; AND URGENTLY; MAINTAIN PRESENT ALT. THE RPTR WAS AT 4300 FT AND OBSERVED TFC ON TCASII 3 MI AHEAD AND 600 FT ABOVE.

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CAPT FLYING DEPARTED RWY 18L CLT. CONTACTED CLT DEP. INITIAL SID ALT IS 8000 FT. DEP CTL TOLD US TO EXPEDITE CLB THROUGH 7000 FT TO MAINTAIN 8000 FT. I ACKNOWLEDGED. SHORTLY AFTER CTLR TURNED US L FROM RWY HDG TO HDG 110 DEGS; WHICH I READ BACK. PASSING 4300 MSL; CTLR ASKED US WHAT OUR HDG WAS. I ANSWERED THAT WE WERE ON 110 DEGS ASSIGNED. HE SAID TO MAINTAIN OUR PRESENT ALT; WITH SOME SENSE OF URGENCY IN HIS VOICE. CAPT LEVELED ACFT AT 4400- 4500 FT AND WE NOTED AN ACFT ON TCASII 600 FT ABOVE US AND ABOUT 3 MI AHEAD. I LOOKED OUT AND NOTED A JET WHICH I BELIEVE WAS COMING OUT FROM BEHIND A CLOUD AND CROSSED OUR PATH FROM R TO L AT ALMOST A 90 DEG ANGLE. I ASKED CTLR IF HE WANTED US TO MAINTAIN 4500 FT OR RETURN TO 4000 FT. I GOT NO RESPONSE. SHORTLY AFTER; CTLR CLRED US TO CLB TO 12000 FT AND TURNED US FURTHER L AND CLRED US TO INTERCEPT THE TRANSITION OF DEP. WE (CAPT AND I) FOUND IT INTERESTING THAT WE DID NOT GET A TCASII TA OR RA AT ANY POINT IN THE EVOLUTION. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN WITHIN THE PARAMETERS TO AT LEAST GET A TA. THE CTLR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY. I WONDERED IF I COULD HAVE BEEN OF HELP TO THE CTLR IF I HAD BEEN PAYING MORE ATTN TO THE TCASII. MANY TIMES TFC IS NOT DISPLAYED ON TCASII AND THEN JUST POPS UP ON THE SCREEN WHEN IT IS RELATIVELY CLOSE. I HAVE COME TO DISTRUST THAT TCASII IS GIVING ME THE WHOLE PICTURE AT ALL TIMES. I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE WHETHER THE 5000 FT TFC WAS ON SCREEN FOR A WHILE OR IF HE 'POPPED' UP. BUT IF I HAD SEEN HIM ON TCASII; I COULD HAVE AT LEAST ATTEMPTED TO QUESTION THE CTLR'S DIRECTIONS OF AN EXPEDITED CLB.