NCIS (2003–…): Season 10, Episode 23 - Double Blind - full transcript

ANNOUNCER:
Previously on NCIS:

[SOBBING
AND SPEAKING IN HEBREW]

Jackie wouldn't have wanted war
breaking out over this either.

And if we let that happen,
she dies in vain.

- What do you need?
- Revenge.

I'd like your permission
to travel to Europe to find Bodnar.

What are you waiting for?
Take DiNozzo.

Bodnar's on Ziva's laptop.
Trace it like the wind.

I know you blame me
for your father's death, Ziva.

Is there anyone else to blame?

Told you I would find you, llan.

[BODNAR SCREAMS]

- Is it over?
- It's over.

WOMAN 1:
Oh, I hate it when they cry.

- What did you say to him?
WOMAN 2: It wasn't him, it was me.

- That's original.
- Well, it's true.

Me didn't like him.
What was I supposed to say?

I prefer something
a bit more subtle like,

"I hate the way you chew."

- I did hate the way he chewed.
- Mm.

And if they don't take the hint, then...

MAN: Get the hell away from me!
- Sounds about right.

- I saw you!
- Get away from me!

MAN 1: Stop!
MAN 2: Aah!

[BOTH GRUNTING]

- Hey!
MAN 2: Get off of me!

- Get down!
MAN 2: Who are you?

WOMAN 2: Take him down!
- I saw him! I saw him!

[MAN SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY]

CAMERAMAN:
What do you want me to do?

WOMAN 2:
You need to back up.

Nothing.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC
PLAYING OVER RADIO]

[TIRES SCREECHING]

Hey!

TONY: Well, hey there.
Speedy Gonzales, huh?

You almost killed Marlon
from Accounting.

Sorry, I'm still getting used
to how this thing drives.

The world is still getting used
to how you drive.

Where's the Mini?

Thought it was time to make a change.
You know, put the past behind.

Oh, well, that's gonna be harder
than just buying a new car, you know.

Yes, I noticed.

- So, what's the plan with the Mini?
- I sold it.

What? I told you if you ever
wanted to get rid of it

- that I would take it.
- I didn't think you were serious.

What part of "I'm totally serious"
made you think that?

I'm sorry, Tony.
I know you wanted the car.

I just didn't think it was a good idea
to sell it to you.

- Why not?
- Because I really liked my Mini.

- Me too.
- I didn't want anything to happen to it.

- What are you saying?
- She's saying you're a car killer.

- What?
ZIVA: A car killer.

GIBBS:
Everybody needs a hobby.

- Your new ride, Ziver?
- Uh-huh.

- Nice.
ZIVA: Thanks.

Oh, by the way, my friend Terry,
loving your Mini.

- Oh.
- Hey, get in the car.

- Where to, boss?
GIBBS: You and Ziva go to the office.

We got it covered.

TONY:
Huh.

McGEE: Base security responded
to the assault.

ID'd the attacker as Petty Officer
Third Class Evan Lowry.

He was raving like a madman
when they arrived.

- Demanded to speak with NCIS.
- About?

He said national security.

That guy was following me.
That's why I was chasing him.

- Oh, you did more than chase him.
- Heh.

And how do you know
he was following you?

Because everywhere I go,
there he is.

When I finally confronted the guy,
he ran.

Got away when the two
leatherneck chicks pulled me off him.

But it's not just him.

Someone's been going through
my e-mail too.

And how do you know that?

Because they're marking messages
as "read" that I didn't read.

I think they've even
been in my house, in my car.

I can smell the cologne.
They've even been in my trunk.

You have to help me. I tried the cops.
They thought I was crazy.

- You said it's about national security?
LOWRY: That's right.

- I work on a Navy destroyer.
- Yes, as a cook.

Culinary specialist.

Do you have any idea
what would happen

if E. Coli broke out in my galley?

It could disable the entire ship.

What if they infect me with something
so that I infect the crew?

- "They"?
- The people following me.

I think that maybe they're
North Korean.

Right. Are you on any medications?

No, I'm not on medications. Would you
stop scribbling in that notepad?

Hey.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

These people are driving me crazy.

But I am not crazy.
You have to believe me.

It all started two weeks ago
after I got mugged.

I see the same people
everywhere I go.

- I'm telling you, they're following me...
- Boss?

- What the hell is that?
- It's a GPS tracking device.

He's not crazy.
Someone is following him.

- Let's go.
- Petty Officer Evan Lowry, 24,

just returned from a six-month
deployment on the USS Fitzgerald.

Where he worked as a cook.

- Culinary specialist.
- TDY?

Mess duty at Quantico
pending his next assignment.

He has no access
to any sensitive material.

And no unusual activity
in his bank account.

Nothing worth mentioning,

unless a sailor drinking like a sailor
is worth mentioning.

So why is he being followed?

Okay, then who is following him?

Lowry is in the conference room
working with a sketch artist.

Abby is taking
the GPS tracker apart.

Hopefully she can pull prints.
Then there's the mugging.

Lowry said that it all started
after he was attacked.

Maybe the mugger's following him.

TONY: Eyewitnesses only gave
a rough description.

ZIVA: And Lowry barely remembers
the assault.

Police report says he got a concussion
from a tire iron to the head.

TONY: Also says his backpack
and cell phone were stolen.

The mugger would know
where he lived.

- Think it's connected?
- It's our best lead.

Ziver, check out that sketch.

McGee, stolen cell phone.
See if you can trace it.

Thieves usually wipe stolen
cell phones to make it harder to trace.

[GROANS]

- Can you trace it?
- I can try.

Thank you.

If he's taken a photo
and e-mailed it to anybody,

I can use the GPS coordinates
from the EXIF data to...

Did you realize if you keep telling us
how you do your job,

then we're not gonna
need you anymore?

Oh, got a hit.

- Northwest D.C.
- Go.

LEON:
No, this is totally unacceptable.

How long do we have to wait for
the inquiry into llan Bodnar's death?

- We'd like to get started
WOMAN: Sir...

LEON:
With the debriefing.

So get someone from DoD-IG
down here

so we can close the book
on this damn thing.

- When? Where the hell is he?
MAN: Ahem!

Never mind, I found him.

I hope it's okay that your assistant
told me to wait in your office.

Richard Parsons, independent counsel
retained by the inspector general.

- I'm here for the...
- I know why you're here,

so get started.

Actually, I just got back
on the red-eye.

I was gonna go home, shower,
have some breakfast.

Have you eaten yet?

I'll send for a sandwich.

- Lot of paperwork to do.
- Oh, great.

Most people don't like it,
but without paperwork,

- the world would be...
- So you'll get started, then?

Lmmediately, if you want.

- Just inform the team that I'm here.
WOMAN: Yes, director.

Yes, uh, find Agents DiNozzo
and McGee, please.

Yeah, thank you.
You can start with them.

Relax, director. I'm just here
to cross some T's and dot some I's.

I'll be as quick and painless
as possible.

[PARSONS SIGHS]

I've never been on an actual
D.C. Stakeout before. This is fun.

They don't let me out of the office
very much.

Really? Could have fooled me.

- Thanks for letting me tag along.
- Well, we didn't.

Director Vance insisted you join us.

- So, what does that do?
- We traced a stolen cell phone

to this complex.

Now we just need somebody to use it
to pinpoint its exact location.

- And then you bust them...
- Hey, can we just get this over with?

- Yeah.
- Thanks.

Ah. Let me just get my briefcase open.

Double-oh-seven.

All right, so let's set
the Wayback Time Machine

to the beginning, shall we?
So that's what, January?

When did you first become aware
that, uh, Eli David was in town?

Gibbs told us that Friday morning.

Oh, someone's coming.
Someone's coming.

No, wrong sex.

TONY:
Ah. Right sex.

Wrong time.

Well, speaking of time,
what time did Agent David say

that she was going to meet her father
for Shabbat dinner?

Not sure exactly. Before sundown.

Well, how do you know
if you're not sure exactly?

- Because I've seen Yentl.
- Heh.

Well played.

Well, this matches up with everything
I got, so T's are being crossed.

- Just one more question for you guys.
- Yeah?

How does one go to the bathroom
on a stakeout?

[CHUCKLES]

I can get into this.

[DEVICE BEEPS]

McGEE:
Hold off, I got something.

- Someone's making a call.
- Where?

Northeast corner.

TONY:
Oh, there we go.

All right, listen, be a dear
and finish that before we get back.

- Yeah.
- Thanks.

TONY: He had your cell phone on him.
Your backpack was in his car.

- He look familiar?
LOWRY: I think that's the guy.

Maybe. I don't really remember
the attack, to be honest.

Question is, does he know anything
about who's been following you?

[DOOR OPENS]

Hey, I found that cell phone
in the trash, man.

Somebody must have
thrown it away.

- Really?
- Yeah.

Okay. Thanks for coming.

Sit down.

You're doing two to 15
for armed robbery,

so make some peace with that
and let's move on.

- Armed robbery, man? I didn't rob no...
GIBBS: Two to 15.

And another 20 in a federal prison
for illegal surveillance.

Say what?

GIBBS:
You tell me about this,

and who's been following
Petty Officer Lowry,

and I'll make sure that both your
sentences are served concurrently.

Yeah, sure.

I know where that came from,
but if you want me to talk,

I want the assault charges
dropped first, in writing.

- You'll tell me where the girl is?
- Girl? There's no girl.

He doesn't know that.

I'll take you right to her.

Only I know where she's at,
so, heh, you need me. Heh.

You know,
lead you right to her, man.

- You got a day job?
- No.

GIBBS:
Get one.

- And don't quit it.
ARCHER: What?

What's happening?

He doesn't know
who's been following you.

- How can you be sure?
- Because Gibbs is sure.

And I'm definitely sure,
about whatever it is we're sure about.

I'm sure we hit a dead end.

Well, then I'm right on time,
because I have found intrigue.

I was processing your stolen backpack
and there was nothing left except this.

It was smooshed up in the corner.

It looks like the last page
of some legal disclaimer.

It's signed by Petty Officer Lowry.

And note that
it's signed on the same day

that he started living out his own
personal Nineteen Eighty-four.

- Legal disclaimer? For what?
- Well, that part's missing.

But this releases someone
from all liability

- for your...
- Physical and mental trauma.

Yeah. Disability, destruction
of personal property,

mental anguish,
dismemberment, death.

What exactly did you sign up for?

I have no idea.

- I don't remember.
- Try again.

Fix your gaze on your signature.

Remember the feeling
of signing your name.

Where you were.

Sorry, I got nothing.
Why can't I remember?

Well, the time-stamp
on this document

indicates that you signed it
a few hours before your assault,

in which you suffered
a serious concussion.

I don't remember that either.

The only thing I remember
from that day is my best friend.

She picked me up from the hospital.

You know, it's not unusual
for head-trauma victims

to lose their memory for the entire day
prior to their injuries.

- How's it going?
LOWRY: Not well.

I can't remember what
I signed up for

or if it has to do
with the people following me.

Let's try another approach.

Try to recall any sights or sounds
from the day you signed this.

Odors, even.

The only thing I'm smelling is bleach
and isopropyl alcohol

and a hint of citrus.

PALMER: That's our autopsy
disinfectant. Good nose.

Then again, you are a cook.

BOTH:
Culinary specialist.

- Sorry.
- Wait a minute.

I'm smelling something else too.

[SNIFFS]

Something familiar.

Smell is remarkably powerful
at evoking memories.

- Yes?
- Paprika,

- coriander, nutmeg.
- Ah.

You're smelling the contents
of our prior occupant's stomach.

Pickled fennel? Very rare.

Our John Doe's last meal consisted
of an impressive amount of...

- Bratwurst.
- That's correct.

Whatever I signed up for
had something to do with bratwurst.

That exact blend.

My favorite thing about my job
is the mystery.

"Abby, figure out where this
bratwurst came from."

Ask me why, I don't know.

Ask me how this fits into the case,
I don't know.

- It's just...
- A mystery.

- Yes.
- So, what's the plan here?

Well, first I will simulate
the effects of digestive juices

on a typical bratwurst protein.

Then I use my mass spectrometer
to ID the proteins

in the sample I was given.

Then I can match that
to a known brand.

- And the rest is Gibbstory.
- Hmm.

How do you account
for instrument drift?

Oh, I just... I tee in
a reference compound

into the main analyte flow,
and then...

Hey, wait a minute.

Ah. I minored in forensic science
in college.

I like to keep up with the field.
I'm surprised you don't.

Excuse me?

It's just that you're teeing in
an internal reference

when you can get
much better results

by using an external
electrospray probe.

Don't you have some questions that
you need to ask me, or something?

Oh, uh, okay. Right.

Uh, five months ago
you processed a memory card

that had a photo of the man
who killed Tyler Wilkes.

- Yes.
- And that man was

Mossad Director Eli David.

Well, we didn't know
that at the time

because the photos only showed
the back of his head.

Oh, and I used two separate analyte
streams for redundancy, Dick.

For what that's worth.

- And my name is Richard.
- Do you wanna fight?

Because I will fist-fight you
in your head right now.

- I'm just saying...
- In your head. I'll...

How could you tell it was Eli David
if you only saw the back of his head?

Because Ziva told us
it was her father.

- She told you?
- Well, she told Gibbs.

Right before Eli was killed.

- That must have been difficult for her.
- Ziva is loyal to a fault.

No doubt.

"To a fault" is exactly how I'd put it.

That's it. Thank you.

Seems like something
one of your agents would do.

Well, can use the fresh air.

Or you're avoiding that guy
who's been poking around

asking all those questions.

So any of it ring a bell?

Sorry, I got nothing.

The more I smell
this number five special,

the more I know
it's got something to do with all this.

- Three down...
- Six more to go.

What? What? What?

B-12. It's a water-soluble vitamin
commonly found in poultry and fish.

That looks familiar.

I think I've been here before.

Definitely been here before.

- This is it. For sure.
- Shh. Shh.

- That guy's been following me.
- Hey.

- There's the bratwurst. I told you.
- Hey, knock it off.

- What do you mean? Arrest him.
WOMAN: Petty officer, calm down.

- Evan.
- You know him?

Yeah, of course.
He's one of our test subjects.

Test subjects?

Evan volunteered to be part
of the Helping Eyes Initiative,

a two-week study examining the
psychological effects of surveillance.

Between traffic cams, drones,
smartphones,

we're a surveillance society now.

And the government wants to know
how people react to being watched.

- So they can get better at it.
RAY: Terrorists are getting better

at hiding too, so we need to
up our game as well.

You need to avoid looking at me.

We recruited people like Evan here
who agreed to be watched,

to have their mail opened, etcetera,
while we documented the whole thing.

- You recorded the mugging?
- No, we hadn't started yet.

Evan was attacked a few hours
after he signed up.

Something I don't remember doing.

That eventually became
clear to us, yes.

- Why didn't you call off the test?
- Are you kidding?

His ignorance of our experiment
made him the perfect test subject.

Glad you got your kicks while I was
tearing my house apart looking for bugs.

- You wanna press charges?
- Charges? For what?

Following someone
with a video camera?

- Reckless endangerment.
- You do that, we'll be shut down.

All our work gets confiscated,
and good luck getting your check.

- Check?
HALE: Yes, this is a paid study.

Well, now that I think about it,
it does sound kind of interesting.

HALE: You were quite excited
when you signed up.

And now that you're done,
we owe you some money.

TONY:
Fifteen hundred bucks? Wow.

So is Lowry pressing charges?
More importantly, can I sign up?

He is not, and Gibbs is not happy.

He wants us to look into the doctor
running the experiment.

There are a number of Navy
personnel in the study.

Ah. Gotcha.

So, Lowry's not the only one
getting the shaft.

Excuse me, Agent David.
You got a minute?

You're next on my list.

Conference room busy?

Uh, unfortunately it is. It was either
this or the parking garage. Heh.

- This will be fine.
- I'll get started on the doc.

[DOOR CLOSES]

PARSONS: After spending
a few hours in the car with him,

I can say that Agent DiNozzo
is a capable investigator.

More than capable. Unfortunately
he can also be quite a child.

PARSONS: Heh-heh.
- This was a mistake.

ZIVA:
The conference room is not busy.

I was just there.

PARSONS:
No, it's not busy.

ZIVA:
So why did you choose this room?

Are you trying to make me
uncomfortable for some reason?

Are you uncomfortable
for some reason?

I have nothing to hide.

- I also do not have a lot of time.
- Time.

Time, time, time.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Abby Sciuto recovered photos
that indicated your father

- was guilty of murder.
- Yes.

And according to Agent DiNozzo,
you saw those photos before sundown.

It's all in my report.

Yet you waited three hours
before you told Agent Gibbs anything.

- That is a lot of time.
- Trust me.

It was better for everyone
that I speak to my father first.

It was better for everyone.

It certainly wasn't better
for llan Bodnar

that you spoke with him first.

According to your official report,

he lost his footing during your fight
and then fell to his death.

- I tried to save him.
PARSONS: You tried to save him?

You tried to save the man
that killed your father?

Yes, so he could answer
for his crimes.

What about yours?

Adam Eshel. Shin Bet.
Israeli Security Agency.

ZIVA: Yes, is it a crime
to have friends now?

It depends.

- Did you sleep with your friend?
- I beg your pardon.

Did you sleep with him?

He is a foreign national.
You are a federal agent.

That is a threat to national security.

- Have you been following me?
PARSONS: Answer the question.

- Did you sleep with him?
- Go to hell!

Interview is over.

- You don't have the authority.
- It's over. Two seconds ago. Door.

[PARSONS CLEARS THROAT]

You can keep the photo
of your boyfriend.

So...

Over. Ten seconds ago.

MAN [ON TV]: Tonight the D.C.
Fire Department responded

to a three-alarm blaze after a...

- Gibbs, we may have a problem.
- We do.

McGEE: There was an explosion
at the office

running the experiment Lowry
had signed up for.

That's a hell of a coincidence.

Yeah, isn't it?

[SIRENS WAILING]

[DISPATCH RADIOS
CHATTERING]

TONY: You talk to Gibbs yet?
ZIVA: About what?

TONY:
About your interrogation.

There's nothing to talk about.

Parsons is simply conducting
a routine investigation.

- You told him to go to hell.
- Does not mean I like it.

But I have nothing to hide.

So then national security
isn't threatened by you and...?

Adam?
Now you're asking the questions?

That was merely a statement

with the possibility
of a question mark at the end.

I went to Israel to bury my father.

It was a moment of weakness.

I felt alone.

- You need to talk to Legal.
- No, I don't.

My Hebrew must not be
as good as I thought,

because I could've sworn that
when I dropped you off at the airport,

I told you, you were not alone.

Yes, you did.

Well, then we must have
different interpretations.

TONY:
What's cooking?

Fuse box. Chief said
that's where the fire started.

Someone was messing with the
breaker panel feeding into the office.

It caused every computer
in the suite to blow out.

All Dr. Hale's data, all of her
video surveillance, it's all gone.

Interesting.

- Where's Hale?
ZIVA: According to first responders,

she was the only one in the building,
taken to the hospital with minor burns.

Lucky. And by that,
I mean convenient.

- Find out which.
- I'll talk to her.

GIBBS: Ziva, McGee, background
on the doctor's test subjects.

Everybody she was following.

[CELL PHONE RINGS]

- Yeah, Duck.
DUCKY: I apologize for the timing,

but I just completed my interview
with Mr. Parsons.

- Yeah, and?
- We have a problem.

GIBBS: Let's hear it.
DUCKY: I do not believe

that our seemingly innocent
interrogator is here

simply to dot the I's
and cross the T's.

I got that impression too.
What do you think, Ziva?

Okay, let's hear it.

It is nothing.

Parsons just got a little aggressive
with me during the interview.

It is not nothing, Ziva.

Given the interview I just had,
I believe the man is out for blood.

- Yours.
ABBY: I knew that guy was trouble.

He's like an evil McGee.

He left this photograph.

Do you recognize that man, Ziva?

ZIVA: No.
- Michael Fassbender?

Shmeil Pinkhas.

ZIVA:
Oh, I can see it in his eyes.

Were you aware that Mr. Pinkhas
once worked

for the Israeli government?

Shmeil? No, that's impossible.

Well, according to Parsons,
he was briefly in their employ

for an operation that began in 1972.

September, to be precise.

Munich?

TONY:
Mm. Just like the movie.

Shmeil, played by Eric Bana.

What does that have
to do with Ziva?

Well, Parsons was interested
in her repeated contact

with a former Israeli
black-bag operative.

He also wanted to know if I was aware
of her relationship with Adam Eshel.

He's fishing.
He's questioning her loyalty.

DUCKY: Yes.
- To what?

NCIS and her adopted country.

Does he think
I'm a spy or something?

I have no idea what his end game is,
nor what is motivating him.

But it is clear, this is a witch hunt.

Well, what the hell
are we gonna do about this?

I'm miffed.

Well, I fear we just have to wait
until the dealer shows his full hand.

Waiting isn't even one of the top
hundred things I'm good at.

No, we're not gonna wait.

We're gonna count.

Cards. See what's left
in Parsons' deck.

I love watching you hack.

- Don't tell anyone I said that.
- Don't worry, I won't.

But technically
I haven't hacked anything yet.

NCIS already has access to the
DoD database with Parsons' case files.

- What have you got?
- It looks a collection

of all the paperwork
on Eli David and Bodnar.

That tells us nothing.
We wrote most of it.

McGEE:
Hold on a minute.

There's a locked file here
from the U.S. Justice Department.

Is Parsons actually going
for an indictment?

- Who's he talking to at Justice?
- That may be a tough hack.

I'd have to bypass
the external firewall by...

[WHISTLES]

Investigators believe that while
the power surge in Doctor Hale's office

was intentional,
the resulting fire was not.

We followed up on her test subjects.
All accounted for but one.

Simon Gravy, a civilian.

Manages a shoe store.

Where is he?

He disappeared after the explosion.
I'm gonna go with "suspicious."

There's no activity from his cell phone.
Checking his bank account.

We'll put out a BOLO, but we may
have a better way to track him.

Hale told me she made weekly
backups of her video surveillance.

They were recording Simon for a while.
There might be something there

- that'll tell us where he's hiding.
- Go.

Ziva, get that lead from McGee.

On it. I have some friends
I can talk to.

You wanna talk?

Ready when you are.

That's good to know.

But I'm afraid you're gonna
have to wait your turn.

What did I miss?

- You were only gone two minutes.
- Felt like two hours.

God, this is so addicting.

Does he floss?

He seems like a flosser.

What are those meds he's taking?

[TONY SIGHS]

I like moving images.

And I could use
the diversion right now.

McGEE: When the cereal's gone,
he doesn't drink the rest of the milk.

- Pfft. That's such a Simon move.
- If you know him so well,

how about figuring out where
he's hiding, assuming he's not dead?

Bite your tongue.

Tony, the problem
with a study like this is

Simon may have signed up
to be followed,

but doesn't mean everyone he met
wanted to be filmed.

What's your point?

Well, he could have a buddy
who's a drug dealer.

Drug dealers tend to not like
being recorded.

Simon doesn't have any buddies.

He has a cat. Heh-heh.
He spends all of his time by himself.

At the aquarium.
Did we mark that down?

Yep, I already expanded the BOLO.

Kind of sad. What a waste of an 802.11
enabled Trojan Horse Code Planter.

What a waste of words.

- What?
- It's from Abby.

It survived the fire in Dr. Hale's lab.

It remotely installs an application
on smartphones

that turns the cell into a bug.

- That could come in handy.
- Right?

Instead of having to plant
an actual bug,

all you need to do is get close
and hit that button.

- Oh, keep it away from me.
- Don't flatter yourself.

Last thing I wanna do is hear you.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Ugh! If this is Dorneget,
I swear to God...

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

- Oh, what's wrong?
ZIVA: I was locked out.

That's what's wrong.
I was coming to brief you

on what I learned from my contact
at Justice,

but when I tried to open the door,
my retina scan was denied.

Hmm.

Your security clearance
has been suspended.

Parsons. You brief McGee.
I'll go tell Gibbs.

[TONY SIGHS]

Almost missed it.

Ah. Going down.

Were you able to find out anything
on that locked file?

Ah. Not specifically,
but my contact at Justice

gave me this list of all the files
Parsons has been accessing,

most of them
from the NCIS archives.

What's he doing
going through our archives?

TONY: You must have a pretty
warped sense of humor.

Probably the kind of guy that thinks

the laugh track on Sports Night
made it funnier.

So this is how you do it, huh?
I got you.

Just play it cool, wait for a reaction.

Hey, I got one for you.

[ELEVATOR STOPS]

What's that tell you?

That you're afraid.

Parsons has been pulling
hundreds of case files.

Some of these files
are from before you even got here.

TONY: You're messing
with the wrong federal agents.

You can question how we do things,

but don't ever question
the loyalty of Ziva David.

Even if she dissed you
and slept with some stranger?

[LAUGHS]

- You're gonna poke the bear, huh?
- It's effective.

- Until the bear eats you.
- For doing my job?

For going after the bear's best friend.

What makes you think
I'm going after Ziva?

[ELEVATOR STARTS]

McGee, there's only one person
these files have in common.

Vance.

Parsons is not after me.

He's going after the director.

If Parsons is compiling
my greatest hits,

- then why put the screws to David?
- Leverage.

We believe he's hoping
to get me to flip.

Perhaps to bring to light some aspects
of our hunt for Bodnar that were icy.

Dicey.

- We had our reasons.
- Yes, we did.

As director, though, it's only right
that this should fall on me.

I've been doing some checking.

Parsons is a rising star
in the D.C. Private legal sector.

- Trying to make a name for himself.
- Not if we can help it.

TONY:
We'll know if he makes a move.

We've got ears to the ground
and, maybe accidentally,

Trojan-horse-style listening apps
on his phone.

You bugged Parsons?

We shared an elevator.
I forgot it was in my pocket.

LEON: I appreciate that
you've got my back,

but there are some things, uh,
you should keep me in the dark about.

- Sorry I'm late.
- Did you get my text?

Just now. There's no personal
cell phones in MTAC, remember?

Am I the only one
that follows that rule?

- You got something?
McGEE: Yeah.

BOLO came back on Simon Gravy,
our suspected arsonist.

- Aquarium?
- Yep, we got him.

Bring him in.

[DOOR OPENS THEN CLOSES]

Best way to stay under Parsons' radar
is to keep working.

Keep me informed.

Meantime, I'm gonna call in
some favors.

That's about how I feel right now.

The Simon Show
seem different to you?

Is he on new meds or something?

Looks more like he's off his meds.

Hey, hey, personal space, McGrope.

- Oh, sorry. Only available outlet.
- In the building?

McGEE: The server in here
is on its own network.

I do not want the signal from Parsons'
phone being traced to my desk.

Don't worry, I'll be quiet.

You signed up for a study
that watches you 24/7.

And then you fell off the grid.

No cell, no credit cards.

Emptied your bank account an hour
ago. You going somewhere, Simon?

[LAUGHS]

Somebody cares.

- Definitely off his meds.
- Not exactly Gibbs' specialty.

Yeah, I signed up for that study.

I needed the cash.

Then you changed your mind.
Why did you disappear?

It's none of your business.

Actually, yeah, it is my business.

The building with your
surveillance tapes was torched.

Ha, ha! Well, isn't that just the icing
on the cake?

- You know who did this?
SIMON: Yeah.

But it doesn't really matter.
You're never gonna find him.

It does matter.

Talk or it's accessory-after-the-fact.

God.

- God burned down that building.
- Why were you running?

To let me know
just how worthless I really am.

- Why were you running?
- Because I hate my life.

It's like an episode
of Bipolar Intervention.

SIMON: I haven't had a job in years.
- See?

I don't have any friends,
let alone a girlfriend.

Driving my '99 Miata to
Beltway Burgers on Wednesday night

is what passes for my social life.
I needed a fresh start, okay?

Yeah, I met someone
who didn't like being recorded.

It was me.

Before, I could pretend that
I wasn't worthless.

But once the cameras started rolling,
I realized how I must look on tape.

- You destroyed the footage.
SIMON: God, you're not listening.

It wasn't me.

Yesterday was Wednesday.

I was at Beltway Burgers
all night, remember?

Go ahead and check.

I'm sorry, I don't know who did this,

but I doubt
it was someone in the study.

What kind of an idiot
would get into trouble

knowing there was a camera crew
following him around?

Someone who didn't remember.

- Petty Officer Lowry.
LOWRY: Agent Gibbs.

Uh, you should've called.
I'm kind of in the middle of lunch.

[BABY BABBLES]

Are you gonna introduce me?

Uh...

Sure. Agent Gibbs, this is Stella.

- And Abner.
- He's a cutie.

And he has his mother's eyes.

Agent Gibbs, is it?

- Nice to meet you.
- Likewise.

Corporal.

We went through all your tapes.

We ran facial recognition on everyone
you met while you were being followed.

She popped up.

- You're UA, corporal.
ZIVA: You've been helping her hide.

Which is why you caused that fire.
To protect her.

Fire? What's going on, Evan?

Petty Officer Lowry signed up
to be followed for a psych experiment.

You only had to remember
one thing.

To stay away from your oldest friend
in the world until it was done.

But I didn't remember.

When we found Dr. Hale, I realized
I led the cameras right to Stella.

Then got NCIS involved.

- If her face flagged in the system...
- She would have been caught.

What did you do, Evan?

She didn't know, Agent Gibbs,
about any of it.

The fire wasn't supposed to happen.

I was just trying to wipe any record
of Stella from the servers.

I was trying to make it right.

Yeah, I know.

[HANDCUFFS CLICK]

LOWRY:
I'm so sorry, Stella.

I'm a dedicated Marine, sir.

As dedicated as they come.
I read your file.

But after I had Abner,
things changed.

Last month I got orders
for a third tour. Afghanistan.

Evan was just trying to protect us.

Haven't you ever bent the rules
to protect a friend?

[JAZZ MUSIC
PLAYING IN DISTANCE]

[JAZZ MUSIC
PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]

[MUSIC STOPS]

- Like having your own office?
- A little.

- Heh.
- Okay, a lot.

I love it. I never get to listen
to my own music out loud.

Or live in your own filth.

[SNIFFS]

So, what's the scoop with Parsons?

Well, I've been listening all day.

He, uh, had a few meetings
at the Pentagon,

made some calls,
but nothing revealing.

- Where is he now?
- He's down in the lobby.

He's making a phone call.

What?

What did he say?

Boss, we got a problem.

- What's the matter now, McGee?
McGEE: We had it wrong.

Bodnar's only part of this.

Parsons isn't after Ziva
or Vance. He...

That's a lot of manpower.

Your reputation precedes you.

Don't act too surprised.

Or did I not give you enough time
to prepare?

You got something to say, say it.

Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs,

you have manipulated evidence
and you have obstructed justice.

Do you take full responsibility
for the actions of your team?

What do you think?
Ripped By mstoll