NCIS (2003–…): Season 12, Episode 16 - Blast from the Past - full transcript
A man is killed and NCIS is called. They learn the man was not in the Navy or Marines so why were they called. The police ran the man's name and they were told to call them. When Gibbs arrives, and when he's told the man's name, he says it was the name he used when he went undercover over 20 years ago. They try to find out how the man got the identity. Gibbs talks to former Director Morrow for help.
Navigation voice:
Proceed straight
on seventh street.
Are you sure you gave me
the correct address?
All I see are warehouses.
Hmm.
Navigation voice:
In 200 feet,
Your destination will be
on the left.
Well, I don't get it.
My gps says I'm pulling up
right now,
And I haven't seen a house
for a few miles...
(gunshots)
Navigation voice:
You have reached
your final destination.
Tony:
No, you didn't cry?
Nope.
Not a single tear?
Bishop:
Nada.
¿por qué?
We're talking top gun.
I just saw it.
Her virgin viewing.
Tony's frustrated
I didn't cry.
And you were
speaking spanish why?
Oh. No lo sé.
Tony:
Okay, ignoring the fact
That you spent your entire life
without seeing
1986's undisputed
Action masterpiece, let me
just ask you one question:
What took you so long?
Busy, I guess.
"busy, I guess."
What-what?
I bet she carved out a little
time to see frozen last year.
Ooh, great film.
Classic film.
You can't miss
with a singing snowman.
(laughs)
everybody loves olaf.
Stay in your lane, mcgee.
No problemo, senor.
Why are you talking
bad spanish, mcgee?
Uh, not sure, boss.
Got your new smartphone
almost ready to go.
Yeah, it's gibbs.
Smartphone?
Gibbs?
Yeah. I talked him into trying
out this bad boy
For a couple days.
All the latest technology,
top of the line.
I'm telling you,
he's going to love it.
Cool.
You've met gibbs, right?
Gibbs:
Come on, let's go.
We got a dead civilian
in the warehouse district.
Civilian?
Why us?
'cause metro asked for us.
Hey, boss,
if we rode together,
We could do
a short phone tutorial.
Not going to be in spanish,
is it?
Not to beat a dead horse,
(sighs): Too late.
But how did you feel when
goose's jet went down
And maverick is holding
dead goose in his arms?
Goose died?
Yes, goose died!
What do you think
the point of the movie is?!
Didn't you watch it?
Yeah, I did,
most of it.
I got bored.
Oh, great balls of fire.
Lieutenant cody oaks.
You must be agent gibbs.
(chuckles)
no. Dinozzo.
I understand the deceased
isn't military,
So what are we doing here,
lieutenant?
Uh, the victim, leland spears,
was found by a passerby.
Wallet's intact,
but his id was flagged.
By who?
You.
Said, "if arrested, immobilized,
or deceased,
Notify nis immediately."
"nis"?
Our agency
Changed its name to ncis
way back in '94.
'92, actually.
Why was it flagged?
I was hoping y'all
could tell me.
Tony:
What, did you come by way
of the panama canal?
Ye olde dragons.
Looks like something from your
online computer gaming world.
Mcgee:
Could be a gamer.
First person's sweeping
the country. In fact,
Robert morris university
has an e-sports varsity squad...
Focus, mcgee.
Why did metro call us?
It's got something to do
with nis.
Hey, you guys stop
somewhere?
Well, I wanted to show boss
His new smartphone's
built-in navigation system.
Mm. Didn't work out?
You think?
Gibbs:
Two to the heart.
Tony:
Yeah, we didn't find
any shell casings.
I don't think you will.
Trained shooter.
Who's the victim?
Leland robert spears.
Spears?
Born 3 March 1959?
Uh... Yeah.
That's his birth date.
How could you possibly
know that?
Mcgee,
Tell metro this is now
an ncis crime scene.
Call ducky down here.
You know this guy, boss?
Leland robert spears...
That's me.
Gibbs:
Back in the nis days,
Director morrow formed
a small undercover unit.
As part of that, I was issued
a backstopped identity.
Leland spears.
Mcgee:
Well, this new leland spears
has no arrest record.
Not much of a record at all.
Living under
a stolen identity,
Not surprised
he laid low.
What was your
case, boss?
Cases.
Worked at least a dozen,
Everything from drug trafficking
to a double homicide.
I was told
That the origin of the identity
was untraceable.
It probably was back then.
With the online landscape
The way it is nowadays,
Hackers can access
just about anything.
You think cyber-geeks
did this?
Definitely.
Any physical files would've
been destroyed years ago.
Whoever it was went to a lot
of trouble to secure the id.
Well, let's find out why.
Spears' apartment--
you and mcgee, go.
Abby find anything on the
car or on the cell phone?
I don't know.
That's my cue to find out.
Where's gibbs?
Well, he sent me.
Are you disappointed?
Never.
Something different about you?
Well, I got a new tattoo,
but it's strategically placed
Somewhere that you
can't see, so...
Oh, these? Yeah.
They're old nis coveralls,
They belonged to the guy that
came before me, doc ward.
He was like a legend--
one of the main reasons
But they've been in the
closet forever, so I
figured I'd wear 'em
Since we're working
on an old nis case.
Excellent choice.
Did you find anything?
Yes.
Doc's glasses.
It's like I'm seeing
through his eyes.
Though I... I can't really
see anything.
Did you find anything
in the car?
Oh. I'm getting there.
Whoa, whoa.
Take it easy, magoo.
Um...
Doc was almost blind.
So, spears was talking
to someone on the phone
When he got shot.
Unfortunately,
he was talking on a burn phone
As was the person
he was talking to.
But save that frown,
Because I found this puppy
buried underneath the hood.
What kind of puppy is it?
It's a very sophisticated and
expensive gps tracking puppy.
It's not even available
to the public.
It's used by
government agencies,
Foreign and domestic.
But someone planted it
on spears.
But someone planted
it on spears.
Precisely.
Who the hell is this guy?
Ducky:
Well, leland robert spears.
Although no one should die
in this manner,
I'm glad that it's you
and not your predecessor.
That makes
two of us, duck.
You find out who he really is?
No. Fingerprints came back
"no-hit."
We'll have to rely on dna.
Do you think this
could be connected
With one of your old cases?
Anything's possible.
Do you ever miss
your undercover days?
The adrenalin rush,
The unrelenting fear of
suddenly being exposed?
The real danger, duck?
Losing focus of what matters,
Being buried deep undercover
for too long.
Losing focus of what
or whom, jethro?
I recall one case
when you had no choice
But to run off to prague
with a gorgeous redhead.
(laughs)
You were clearly forced
To go above and beyond.
Ah, no such thing.
Why do you think this fellow
went to so much trouble
To resurrect
your former identity?
(glove snaps)
(sighs)
I don't know if I could ever
go deep undercover.
Have you ever done it?
Not really. I mean,
not with a backstopped id.
Tony did once,
as tony dinardo.
He doesn't like
to talk about it,
But he actually fell in love.
"love"?
Did he get... Intimate?
No. Tony dinozzo didn't.
Tony dinardo did.
Oh.
What's this guy doing
with a black light?
He's got sports memorabilia,
video games.
He's like a teenage boy
Living in a
50-something-year-old's body.
Hmm. Tom hanks in big.
Hah. Tony would be proud
you actually saw that one.
Well, half of it.
Well, I got something.
A security access card?
Maybe abby can figure out
what he used it for.
(door rattles)
Whoa!
Who the hell are you?
Ncis special agent
timothy mcgee.
Who are you?
Robbie hale.
I live across the hall.
Is, uh, is leland here?
When's the last time
you saw him?
Last night.
I mean, I didn't
actually see him,
I heard him.
He was in here
playing, uh,
Dragon age.
My... My walls were shaking.
How well do
you know him?
Is leland in some kind
of trouble?
Yeah, he's dead.
Wow, that's ultimate trouble.
We need to ask you
some questions.
Are you usually around?
Yeah, man.
I work out of my pad,
when I work.
I'm a day-trader.
Buy low, sell high.
It looks like, uh, spears
lived here alone?
During the days,
at least.
At night lately,
he's had what I called
A barrage of bunnies.
They all seemed
really smart.
Do you know
where spears worked?
No, he isn't a talker.
But I don't think
he was working much lately.
He's been home a lot.
Doing?
Mostly playing
video games and
Listening to terrible
top-40 pop music.
Miley cyrus, one direction,
Flo-rida.
I'm, like, "dude,
"try the doobie brothers,
Bob dylan,
anyone who owns a guitar."
(laughs)
(phone beeps)
Oh, man. Nasdaq--
it is dropping like a rock.
I got to scoot, brother,
but, um, I'll be next door
If you need me.
Stock trader? Really?
The times, they are a-changing.
Abby:
These are the 5.56
by 45 slugs
That ducky pulled
from spears' body.
Um, most likely
from a sniper's rifle.
I ran them through nibin,
And they don't match
any weapon anywhere.
Gps tracker you found hidden
on his car tell you anything?
Oh, yes, sir.
It was installed a week ago,
And I can tell you everywhere
that he's been.
Other than his apartment,
He's been to two
washington wizards games,
Three strip clubs,
and several visits
To the beltway burger
on phoenix boulevard.
That it?
That is not it.
On Monday morning,
He drove from his apartment
To a remote area,
32 miles away.
He stayed there
for precisely 56 minutes.
Oh, what's
way out there?
Trees and leaves...
And trees and leaves.
Yeah, yeah,
abbs, I get it.
Pull up a satellite image.
Push in on that right here.
Huh. That looks like a cabin.
I will have mcgee
and bishop check it out.
Do you know mcgee's cell number?
So, I'm married.
Do you think
gibbs would still ask me
To go deep undercover
for months at a time?
You know, I learned
a long time ago
Not to try and guess
what gibbs is gonna do.
Mm.
All right, should be about
a hundred yard this way.
So, hypothetically,
I'm undercover.
Everything is going fine,
But then, the mark hits on me.
I have to make a decision.
Think the key word
is "hypothetically."
Gibbs hasn't asked
you to do anything.
I wouldn't
worry about it.
There it is.
Let me try this scenario.
What if...?
(explosion)
If a dead dude's shed
explodes in the woods,
And there's no one around
to hear it,
Did it make a sound?
Mcgee:
Bishop, you realize
if we'd arrived
15 seconds earlier,
we'd both be dead.
Now, aren't you glad I made you
stop for coffee, mcgee?
Gibbs:
Got a dc chronicle
sports section.
September 13 last year.
Hmm. Spears must have been
trekking out here for months.
Maybe it's his man cave.
A place
to get away from the wife.
(laughing):
In the middle of the woods?
Uh, anyway, you haven't
seen his apartment.
That's his man cave.
And there was no evidence
of a wife.
Well, spears wasn't just
kicking it back here.
He was working.
Tony:
Yeah.
I got a computer.
What's left of one.
What do you think, mcgee?
Looks like this was shoved
in between the cushions
On the couch before
the explosion.
Oh.
(camera shutter clicking)
he was hiding it.
From whoever left this.
Mcgee, come here.
(clearing his throat)
Here's the trigger.
(door opens)
I know, I know.
I'm late.
Punctuality was never
your main event, tom.
Punctuality is the
great thief of time.
Oscar wilde said that.
Waste your time, not mine.
Jackson gibbs said that.
Ah. (laughs)
I liked him a lot better.
(laughs)
Think maybe it's time to
upgrade to a smartphone?
Yeah.
You know what? I just did.
Turns out, it's not
smart enough.
Ah.
Good to see you, gibbs.
Or should I be
calling you spears?
Yeah. It's a flash
from the past, huh?
Yeah.
A whole different life.
Those early, uh,
nis years, tom--
You sure threw us
to the wolves.
Ah, but those wolves are all in
prison or dead, aren't they?
What the hell's going on?
I wish I knew.
I'm pooling homeland's resources
to get answers, but
As of now, I'm as in
the dark as you are.
What I can tell you is,
Someone went
to a great deal of effort
To unearth your ghost.
You forged
my covert identity-- spears.
When we cleared
our last investigation,
You told me you burned it.
Well, you're half right.
I didn't invent
leland robert spears.
He was delivered to me.
By who?
Michelle stark.
She was also known in
the spook community as
"the architect,"
because, for decades,
She built these intricate,
Untraceable
identities for the...
Cia.
Yeah.
Stark created
your spears identity,
Along with a whole slew
of other backstopped
Nis ids for me
back in those days.
She was the best.
Well, she was because...
She retired a few years ago.
You got an address?
I'll text it to you
as soon as I get it.
Thanks.
That phone of yours is capable
of receiving texts, right?
Oh, yeah.
(chuckles)
This is a vintage,
late-'30s parking timer.
Swiss made, reliable.
What were they for?
Well, originally,
To remind you to put money in
your parking meter, usually
Attached to a keychain,
and they could be set
For up to 60 minutes.
But, then, in the
'70s, terrorists
From northern ireland
started using them
As triggering
devices for ieds.
Gave the bomber time
to get away safely.
Yes.
This one was connected to a
classic, black-powder pipe bomb.
I can tell from
the blast pattern
That the bomb was placed three
feet inside the front door.
And I found traces
of alkylbenzene
Used as an accelerant.
That's kerosene.
I know.
I feel like I'm
channeling doc ward.
Maybe it's 'cause I'm
wearing his coveralls.
And he was the fire and bomb
investigative specialist.
He investigated the fire
on the uss forrestal.
Really?
Mm-hmm.
Oh, my father used
to talk about that all the time.
So, do you think
you can channel doc
And find out
who rigged the cabin?
I can certainly try.
Gibbs:
Thanks for seeing us, ms. Stark.
Call me michelle.
And please, you've
made my day.
Since I retired,
I've got nothing but time.
You know, I thought I would do
so much, change so much.
But, then, one
day I blinked,
My career was winding down,
And I had become the
neighborhood cat lady.
Is theodore bothering
you, agent gibbs?
No.
Come here.
Come here.
Come to mama. Yeah,
that's a good boy.
Come on, sit down.
Now, listen,
You're gonna be nice to those
visitors, you promise me?
So, how long were you
with the cia, miss stark?
30 years. A lot of hard work,
made a lot of sacrifices,
But loved
every minute of it.
Just didn't have a lot of time
for a personal life.
Don't you make that mistake,
young lady.
Okay?
Oh, already taken care of.
(laughs)
good for you.
So, you said on the phone
You wanted to talk
about a burn identity
I created 20-some years ago?
Leland robert spears?
I knew you looked familiar.
Remember those blue eyes
from the photo ids I whipped up.
I used to keep
the undercover persona
As close as possible
to the agent adopting it.
That's why spears
was a former marine
From... Stillwater,
Pennsylvania.
How do you remember that?
They were my creations.
Does an artist forget
the details in her paintings?
Certainly hope not.
Well, someone's been using
my old backstopped identity.
We're trying to find out
how they got it.
He was murdered last night,
And we have no idea
who he really is.
What happens to an identity
when it's no longer being used?
It's burned.
Removed from everywhere
Except the cia's classified,
secure network.
So, it shouldn't be able
to be retrieved easily?
It shouldn't be able
to be retrieved period.
Tony:
No, I don't think I can, zoe.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
No, I just don't think I can
'cause-cause we...
'cause we got a case?
No, it's just
that the... The case
That we're working on
is heating up,
And I am probably working
tonight and tomorrow night?
Yeah. You know
how it is. It's just...
Yeah. Listen, I'd love to talk,
But I got to go
'cause I got a thing. Mm-hmm.
Yeah. Me, too. Bye.
You know something
I don't?
"working tonight
and tomorrow night"?
No, tim. It's just
that zoe's parents are in town,
And they want to have dinner.
I'm not ready for all that.
So you deceived her?
I was put on the spot.
I was not prepared.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Hey. What are you afraid of?
I don't know.
They're probably really nice.
I'm sure
they are.
I've just...
I've just never had dinner
With the parents of a woman
I'm seriously involved with.
That is not true.
What about jeanne benoit's?
No, technically that wasn't me
because I was undercover
As tony dinardo,
professor of film studies.
I wasn't myself
back then.
Meeting the parents
for dinner.
That could trigger
a whole chain of events.
It's just dinner, tony.
You have dinner yet
with ranger burt's parents?
I didn't think so.
Then put down the gavel,
Take off the robe,
and stop judging, both of yous.
Okay. Where's gibbs?
He's on his way back with
bishop. Why? You got something?
Yep. Finally broke
into a partition
On spears' laptop hard
drive. Found that he was
Gathering intel
on a semiconductor
Called gallium nitride.
Mm.
Gallium nitride. Science-y.
It's used in aerospace.
Everything from anti-radar
To missile applications.
It's bad.
It's, like,
really bad.
Coveted by
militaries worldwide.
Information you do not want
in the wrong hands.
Sounds like it already is.
Stolen undercover aliases
from 20 years ago
I can sell to secdef
over the phone,
But advanced gallium
nitride in enemy hands
Is a different beast.
Requires a house call.
One that I'm not prepared
to make until we know
That this is what it's about.
Okay. Let's go.
Uh, gallium nitride--
or "gan," for short--
Is a highly dangerous compound
originally developed...
To brighten leds
In prototype electronics.
Plasma tvs, phones.
Uh... Yeah.
Yeah, all the electronics
we now take for granted.
But the navy...
Knew that it
could have
Other uses.
Deadly, military
uses like...
Radar, anti-radar
Or missile applications.
(chuckles)
what?
Nothing. Except that that was...
That's a lot of technobabble,
And, generally, people
with your particular hairstyle
In this room don't...
D-don't...
Correct babble. How?
I was investigating a company
doing that kind of research.
Back when you were undercover
as leland spears.
The theft of that
particular alias
Was intentional.
This is all about
gallium nitride.
Spears is already
in that world.
Even 20 years later, it could
make intel easier to access.
Depending on how deep your cover
was back then, gibbs.
Morrow:
Deep enough.
Maybe it's time to pay that
visit to secdef, director.
Yeah.
Excuse me.
Good to see you, sir.
So what exactly
Was your cover on
that case, boss?
Who was leland spears?
Black market
gallium nitride dealer?
Hit man?
I.T. Guy.
As in "information
technology"?
You-you went undercover
as a...
You were a computer nerd?
Computer technician.
(chuckles) right.
Of course. Technician.
(chuckles, clears throat)
(snorts)
There a problem?
No, the politically correct term
no, I just had a thing
Would be "computer technician."
with my...
How 'bout an update from abby.
Still with mcgee pulling intel
from the burned drive.
Maybe you could lend
a little I.T. Finger.
A-a hand. I meant,
like, a computer...
Huh.
Hmm.
Mcgee:
I.T.?
As in "information technology"?
Yeah. Those two words aren't
really gibbs-compatible.
Do you think he's just been
putting us on this whole time?
What, you mean
gibbs' techno-aversion is fake
And he's secretly known
about computers all this time?
No. No way.
Well, he had to know
about computers back then.
What makes you say that?
Gibbs:
I didn't blow my cover.
Uh, of course you didn't, boss.
I'm-I'm sure you made
a very convincing computer nerd.
Computer technician.
Okay. Moving on.
We found
your former undercover id
On the burned-out hard drive.
Spears was using your old name
And background info to pose
as a seasoned I.T. Guy.
He took a part-time
tech support job
At longview technics.
It's an advanced
research company.
Which just happens
to use gallium nitride.
Spears wasn't fixing computers.
No. He was using
them to steal data.
Could be what got him killed.
Find out.
Well, we'd have
to access longview's
Network file storage,
Something they're not
gonna be eager to share.
So how do we see
what spears was accessing
Without raising any eyebrows?
We show up to work.
You mean we pose as spears?
Company doesn't know
he's dead.
So we can go in
during the night shift--
After-hours, less people,
Hopefully no familiar faces.
We can access their network
And find out
what spears was downloading.
In and out.
15 minutes tops.
I already have
Spears' access card scanned
on my computer.
Mcgee:
All right,
all we need is a photo.
My ncis id should be
scanned into the system,
So you can just
copy and paste.
Nope. I don't need yours.
W-we're not sending
gibbs undercover.
No offense, boss.
No, none taken, mcgee. I agree.
We send mcgee.
No.
If we send in mcgee, names,
dates, nothing will match.
I'll have to change everything.
This is faster and smarter.
It was your identity
in the first place, gibbs.
You made it work
back then.
I studied.
Perfect.
Technology may be faster
and smaller,
But, in truth,
nothing's changed that much.
You don't need mcgee.
C-colon-slashback still apply?
Mcgee:
Okay, we've got good video.
Testing. Testing. Come in, boss.
Relax, mcgee. It's not nasa.
Mcgee (over earpiece):
Okay, the night staff should be
the only ones in the building.
You have spears' badge,
which should give you access
To the lobby elevators.
Can I help you?
Let's just hope
that security guard doesn't know
Spears personally.
I.T. Guy.
Got to go up to my office.
Fifth floor.
Uh, maybe the card has
to touch the sensor.
Having trouble?
I thought you were supposed
to be fixing these things.
Okay, tell him that there's
probably a malfunction
With the proximity sensor and
that you'll have to come back
Tomorrow with a new
rfid reader.
Not my department.
Mind if I ask
what you're doing here then?
You're here to reboot
network protocols,
Which will shut the internet
access off completely.
That's why you have to come
during off-hours.
Not a clue.
My boss e-mails me
in the middle of the night,
I shut up and I show up.
He's not saying
anything that I'm saying.
Mind if I see that e-mail?
No, boss, we don't have that.
We don't have the e-mail.
What's he gonna show him?
I don't know. His gun?
His badge? Worse? I don't know.
Sure. No problem. You're welcome
to anything on there.
Wh...
Did I mention that
my boss woke me up?
(chuckles)
you're telling me.
(chuckles)
They say, "jump."
you say, "how high?"
I'm right there with you.
(sighs)
Don't work too hard now.
(chuckles)
yeah. Maybe in another life.
(sighs)
Mcgee:
Well, at least the card reader
problem wasn't system-wide.
Does it matter which computer?
Well, you have spears'
username and password,
So you should be able to sign in
using any networked computer.
Okay, so, uh,
open the log-in menu.
Okay. How?
Uh, tap the keyboard.
Then say that, mcgee.
Uh, sorry, boss. You weren't
listening to me in the lobby.
I figured you knew
what you were doing.
With people, mcgee.
Not computers.
Okay. Go slowly.
Enter the username and password.
You still think this was faster?
All we have to do is walk him
through accessing
Spears' log-in history,
recording the download records,
And mirroring
the files.
It'll be a piece of cake.
Where the hell is
the caps lock?
(sighs)
(elevator doors opening)
Morning, sunshine.
You been up there a while.
Everything all right?
(chuckles)
Oh, I hate computers.
(chuckles)
you're a funny guy.
I hear you.
It took you four hours?
Yeah. Gibbs is
a hunt-and-pecker.
Bishop:
Anything stand out?
Confirmation that spears did
steal data on gallium nitride.
Bishop:
Mmm. Bad but not surprising.
Mcgee:
This is.
According to the user log gibbs
downloaded-- that's just odd--
Spears used company computers
to transfer several documents
To a second party
using ftp software.
Tony:
Name?
No names. Just an ftp site.
A traceable one?
It's secured,
But now that I'm
on the keyboard, yes.
Federal agents!
Ncis!
Tony:
Clear.
Mcgee: Clear.
And clean.
Too clean.
Like it hasn't
even been lived in.
Dead end?
Another safe house?
Gibbs:
Both.
Call ducky.
Another execution?
Bishop:
Another spy?
I wonder who this john doe is.
Got junk mail.
Name's not john.
It's edgar.
Edgar bron?
Another
undercover alias?
Spears was created
for you, gibbs.
Who used that name?
Mike franks.
No hits on any
facial-recognition databases.
Fingerprints?
Nothing.
Spears was sending this guy
information on gallium nitride.
Were they spies?
They were using fake ids.
Well, these two don't have much
in common, boss.
Bron's place appears to have
Hardly been lived in,
practically staged.
Whereas spears' apartment looks
Like an overgrown
frat boy's man cave.
Tony:
All the makings of a cover.
Wait. Stop. Go back.
There.
Spears had tattoo magazines
all over the place.
He had dozens of books
marked on the subject,
Yet he didn't have
a tattoo himself.
That's weird.
Bishop, go get
your bluestar kit.
What are you thinking?
Mcgee, find out everything
you can on a miranda flemming.
Who's that?
Just do it, huh?
Anyone have a clue?
Nada.
No sé. Hmm.
Hey, duck?
Spears-- I need to see him.
Yes. (chuckles)
I can see you do.
Gibbs:
No tattoos.
Correct.
What about the other side?
No, none
there, either.
Maybe.
Maybe? Is your gut telling
you something, jethro?
Ultraviolet tattoo.
Well, that explains why we found
a black light in his apartment.
(ducky speaking serbian)
That's serbian.
Gibbs:
"for king and fatherland."
yeah.
"freedom or death."
Michelle:
So another identity
has been compromised?
We have reason to believe both
spears and bron were serbian.
What was franks' role
in the original mission?
I seem to recall
backstopping him as a...
Bartender.
He was identifying
possible suspects we thought
Were trying to sell intel
to the serbians.
Can't be a coincidence.
Serbians then, serbians now.
Oh, it was all smoke,
No fire then, so
we closed it down.
Someone reopened it.
These victims have
real identities.
We need to find
out who they were.
(knocking)
yeah?
Boss.
Got something?
There was another agent
working undercover
With mike franks and me.
Jenny shepard.
Yeah.
Yeah, her backstopped name
was miranda flemming.
You remember that
name, michelle?
Yes, I do.
I asked mcgee to find out
If there were any
current hits on her.
Tim, why don't you
tell them
What she's been doing?
Well, miranda flemming
is alive and well.
In fact, she has
a flight booked
To buenos aires
tomorrow morning.
Morrow:
So,
We pick her up at the airport.
I don't think we're gonna
have to wait that long.
Morrow:
But you were so good
at what you did.
Worked so hard
with such dedication.
Why would you turn
on the agency?
I didn't turn on the agency.
I gave my life to it.
And I was pushed out.
Mandatory retirement.
What else was I gonna do?
There's not much use
for my unique talents
In the private sector.
Did you approach the serbians?
No.
They approached me.
Who?
An attaché from
their embassy.
He offered me a lot of money
for two backstopped ids.
Did they say what
they wanted them for?
They were trying to get
information on gallium nitride.
That's old stuff.
What could it hurt?
Guys you backstopped
are dead.
Did you deal
with either of them?
No. Only their handler.
Okay. Who?
I have no idea.
We communicated
by encrypted mail.
Last time I heard
from him... Or her,
They were shutting
the operation down.
Leland spears
was getting sloppy.
We saw his apartment.
He was going american
on them.
They probably thought
he was going to defect.
So, they killed him.
Believe me,
I didn't know that.
What happens next?
You help us, and
you help yourself.
What do you want me to do?
E-mail the handler.
Tell them
That edgar bron didn't die, that
He's on life support
at washington general,
And he's expected
to pull through.
My, grandma,
What big eyes you have.
Mcgee:
Tony, cut it out,
Or I'll strangle you
with my big hands.
You're grouchy.
Well,
What do you expect?
This is a waste of time.
No one's coming here, and I have
to go to the bathroom.
Oh, okay, I'll get you a nurse.
She'll put a catheter in you.
Hey!
Get back here!
Get that stuff off of me!
The patient's getting restless.
I don't blame him.
How much longer
are we gonna do this?
I'll find out. Hey, boss?
Yes, I heard.
Mcgee is getting restless.
He'll be fine, but...
Ah, let's give him a break.
Your turn, dinozzo.
Go, get in bed.
Go on.
(fire alarm sounding)
What's going on?
Fire alarm, this floor,
other end of the corridor.
Check out the alarm.
Bishop, stay there with him.
Uh... What are you doing?
Uh, prepping the
patient for evacuation.
You need to get back
to your station.
It's hale.
Spears' neighbor.
Freeze!
(grunting)
(loud grunting)
(grunting, panting)
(door closing)
Who is this guy?
Name is robbie hale.
He's the serbian handler?
Yup.
Morrow:
Just showed up at the hospital.
With a hypodermic needle.
He was gonna jab it
into my little buddy.
We haven't tested
the hypodermic yet, but...
Hale (groaning):
You can't just keep me in here!
...Hale says that it was full
of potassium chloride.
Would have given me
a heart attack.
How did you get him
to offer that up?
We beat it out of him.
No, we didn't.
No, we didn't.
He talked freely.
He doesn't care what we know.
He claims
that he has diplomatic immunity.
Where is gibbs?
He's in mtac,
Talking to the state
department's operations desk.
So, was this guy on your radar?
Bishop and I questioned him.
He lived next door to spears.
Once we got
him back here,
He told us he moved
in a few weeks ago
To keep tabs on him,
and he admitted
To putting the bug
on spears' car.
So, did hale confess
to the murders?
He did.
What was his motive?
That they finished their mission
And were supposed
to return home to serbia.
Hale:
Is anybody in there?
Anybody at all? Huh?
Tom?
What did
state say?
They have no record of hale
being registered as a member
Of the republic of serbia's
diplomatic mission.
He may be working for them,
But he has no right
to diplomatic immunity.
Hale:
Are you deaf?!
I know you can see me!
Morrow: We'll take care
of him from here.
Been a long day, folks.
Get some sleep. We'll do
the paperwork in the morning.
Great! Ah, fantastic. You know,
there's a midnight showing
Of one of my favorite films
over at the art house.
Huh? What's that?
(a lá don lafontaine):
In a world weary of war,
There was one man
who didn't care.
He was a soldier
of glory.
Oh, I'm in. I am in.
Hmm. Don't rush.
First half sucks.
Huh.
All right, we'll see you
tomorrow, film critic.
Huh.
You need something, bishop.
Nope, I'm all good.
Wasn't a question.
Deep undercover work,
like tony did years ago,
Hypothetically, would you ever
put me in that position?
That's tough to answer.
I'm only saying, I...
I know the big picture,
And eventually,
everyone's time comes,
And I understand
and accept that.
Forget the big picture.
Look at everything close up.
Do you think
that working undercover
For so long
affected your marriage?
Go home to jake, bishop.
Captioning sponsored by
cbs
Proceed straight
on seventh street.
Are you sure you gave me
the correct address?
All I see are warehouses.
Hmm.
Navigation voice:
In 200 feet,
Your destination will be
on the left.
Well, I don't get it.
My gps says I'm pulling up
right now,
And I haven't seen a house
for a few miles...
(gunshots)
Navigation voice:
You have reached
your final destination.
Tony:
No, you didn't cry?
Nope.
Not a single tear?
Bishop:
Nada.
¿por qué?
We're talking top gun.
I just saw it.
Her virgin viewing.
Tony's frustrated
I didn't cry.
And you were
speaking spanish why?
Oh. No lo sé.
Tony:
Okay, ignoring the fact
That you spent your entire life
without seeing
1986's undisputed
Action masterpiece, let me
just ask you one question:
What took you so long?
Busy, I guess.
"busy, I guess."
What-what?
I bet she carved out a little
time to see frozen last year.
Ooh, great film.
Classic film.
You can't miss
with a singing snowman.
(laughs)
everybody loves olaf.
Stay in your lane, mcgee.
No problemo, senor.
Why are you talking
bad spanish, mcgee?
Uh, not sure, boss.
Got your new smartphone
almost ready to go.
Yeah, it's gibbs.
Smartphone?
Gibbs?
Yeah. I talked him into trying
out this bad boy
For a couple days.
All the latest technology,
top of the line.
I'm telling you,
he's going to love it.
Cool.
You've met gibbs, right?
Gibbs:
Come on, let's go.
We got a dead civilian
in the warehouse district.
Civilian?
Why us?
'cause metro asked for us.
Hey, boss,
if we rode together,
We could do
a short phone tutorial.
Not going to be in spanish,
is it?
Not to beat a dead horse,
(sighs): Too late.
But how did you feel when
goose's jet went down
And maverick is holding
dead goose in his arms?
Goose died?
Yes, goose died!
What do you think
the point of the movie is?!
Didn't you watch it?
Yeah, I did,
most of it.
I got bored.
Oh, great balls of fire.
Lieutenant cody oaks.
You must be agent gibbs.
(chuckles)
no. Dinozzo.
I understand the deceased
isn't military,
So what are we doing here,
lieutenant?
Uh, the victim, leland spears,
was found by a passerby.
Wallet's intact,
but his id was flagged.
By who?
You.
Said, "if arrested, immobilized,
or deceased,
Notify nis immediately."
"nis"?
Our agency
Changed its name to ncis
way back in '94.
'92, actually.
Why was it flagged?
I was hoping y'all
could tell me.
Tony:
What, did you come by way
of the panama canal?
Ye olde dragons.
Looks like something from your
online computer gaming world.
Mcgee:
Could be a gamer.
First person's sweeping
the country. In fact,
Robert morris university
has an e-sports varsity squad...
Focus, mcgee.
Why did metro call us?
It's got something to do
with nis.
Hey, you guys stop
somewhere?
Well, I wanted to show boss
His new smartphone's
built-in navigation system.
Mm. Didn't work out?
You think?
Gibbs:
Two to the heart.
Tony:
Yeah, we didn't find
any shell casings.
I don't think you will.
Trained shooter.
Who's the victim?
Leland robert spears.
Spears?
Born 3 March 1959?
Uh... Yeah.
That's his birth date.
How could you possibly
know that?
Mcgee,
Tell metro this is now
an ncis crime scene.
Call ducky down here.
You know this guy, boss?
Leland robert spears...
That's me.
Gibbs:
Back in the nis days,
Director morrow formed
a small undercover unit.
As part of that, I was issued
a backstopped identity.
Leland spears.
Mcgee:
Well, this new leland spears
has no arrest record.
Not much of a record at all.
Living under
a stolen identity,
Not surprised
he laid low.
What was your
case, boss?
Cases.
Worked at least a dozen,
Everything from drug trafficking
to a double homicide.
I was told
That the origin of the identity
was untraceable.
It probably was back then.
With the online landscape
The way it is nowadays,
Hackers can access
just about anything.
You think cyber-geeks
did this?
Definitely.
Any physical files would've
been destroyed years ago.
Whoever it was went to a lot
of trouble to secure the id.
Well, let's find out why.
Spears' apartment--
you and mcgee, go.
Abby find anything on the
car or on the cell phone?
I don't know.
That's my cue to find out.
Where's gibbs?
Well, he sent me.
Are you disappointed?
Never.
Something different about you?
Well, I got a new tattoo,
but it's strategically placed
Somewhere that you
can't see, so...
Oh, these? Yeah.
They're old nis coveralls,
They belonged to the guy that
came before me, doc ward.
He was like a legend--
one of the main reasons
But they've been in the
closet forever, so I
figured I'd wear 'em
Since we're working
on an old nis case.
Excellent choice.
Did you find anything?
Yes.
Doc's glasses.
It's like I'm seeing
through his eyes.
Though I... I can't really
see anything.
Did you find anything
in the car?
Oh. I'm getting there.
Whoa, whoa.
Take it easy, magoo.
Um...
Doc was almost blind.
So, spears was talking
to someone on the phone
When he got shot.
Unfortunately,
he was talking on a burn phone
As was the person
he was talking to.
But save that frown,
Because I found this puppy
buried underneath the hood.
What kind of puppy is it?
It's a very sophisticated and
expensive gps tracking puppy.
It's not even available
to the public.
It's used by
government agencies,
Foreign and domestic.
But someone planted it
on spears.
But someone planted
it on spears.
Precisely.
Who the hell is this guy?
Ducky:
Well, leland robert spears.
Although no one should die
in this manner,
I'm glad that it's you
and not your predecessor.
That makes
two of us, duck.
You find out who he really is?
No. Fingerprints came back
"no-hit."
We'll have to rely on dna.
Do you think this
could be connected
With one of your old cases?
Anything's possible.
Do you ever miss
your undercover days?
The adrenalin rush,
The unrelenting fear of
suddenly being exposed?
The real danger, duck?
Losing focus of what matters,
Being buried deep undercover
for too long.
Losing focus of what
or whom, jethro?
I recall one case
when you had no choice
But to run off to prague
with a gorgeous redhead.
(laughs)
You were clearly forced
To go above and beyond.
Ah, no such thing.
Why do you think this fellow
went to so much trouble
To resurrect
your former identity?
(glove snaps)
(sighs)
I don't know if I could ever
go deep undercover.
Have you ever done it?
Not really. I mean,
not with a backstopped id.
Tony did once,
as tony dinardo.
He doesn't like
to talk about it,
But he actually fell in love.
"love"?
Did he get... Intimate?
No. Tony dinozzo didn't.
Tony dinardo did.
Oh.
What's this guy doing
with a black light?
He's got sports memorabilia,
video games.
He's like a teenage boy
Living in a
50-something-year-old's body.
Hmm. Tom hanks in big.
Hah. Tony would be proud
you actually saw that one.
Well, half of it.
Well, I got something.
A security access card?
Maybe abby can figure out
what he used it for.
(door rattles)
Whoa!
Who the hell are you?
Ncis special agent
timothy mcgee.
Who are you?
Robbie hale.
I live across the hall.
Is, uh, is leland here?
When's the last time
you saw him?
Last night.
I mean, I didn't
actually see him,
I heard him.
He was in here
playing, uh,
Dragon age.
My... My walls were shaking.
How well do
you know him?
Is leland in some kind
of trouble?
Yeah, he's dead.
Wow, that's ultimate trouble.
We need to ask you
some questions.
Are you usually around?
Yeah, man.
I work out of my pad,
when I work.
I'm a day-trader.
Buy low, sell high.
It looks like, uh, spears
lived here alone?
During the days,
at least.
At night lately,
he's had what I called
A barrage of bunnies.
They all seemed
really smart.
Do you know
where spears worked?
No, he isn't a talker.
But I don't think
he was working much lately.
He's been home a lot.
Doing?
Mostly playing
video games and
Listening to terrible
top-40 pop music.
Miley cyrus, one direction,
Flo-rida.
I'm, like, "dude,
"try the doobie brothers,
Bob dylan,
anyone who owns a guitar."
(laughs)
(phone beeps)
Oh, man. Nasdaq--
it is dropping like a rock.
I got to scoot, brother,
but, um, I'll be next door
If you need me.
Stock trader? Really?
The times, they are a-changing.
Abby:
These are the 5.56
by 45 slugs
That ducky pulled
from spears' body.
Um, most likely
from a sniper's rifle.
I ran them through nibin,
And they don't match
any weapon anywhere.
Gps tracker you found hidden
on his car tell you anything?
Oh, yes, sir.
It was installed a week ago,
And I can tell you everywhere
that he's been.
Other than his apartment,
He's been to two
washington wizards games,
Three strip clubs,
and several visits
To the beltway burger
on phoenix boulevard.
That it?
That is not it.
On Monday morning,
He drove from his apartment
To a remote area,
32 miles away.
He stayed there
for precisely 56 minutes.
Oh, what's
way out there?
Trees and leaves...
And trees and leaves.
Yeah, yeah,
abbs, I get it.
Pull up a satellite image.
Push in on that right here.
Huh. That looks like a cabin.
I will have mcgee
and bishop check it out.
Do you know mcgee's cell number?
So, I'm married.
Do you think
gibbs would still ask me
To go deep undercover
for months at a time?
You know, I learned
a long time ago
Not to try and guess
what gibbs is gonna do.
Mm.
All right, should be about
a hundred yard this way.
So, hypothetically,
I'm undercover.
Everything is going fine,
But then, the mark hits on me.
I have to make a decision.
Think the key word
is "hypothetically."
Gibbs hasn't asked
you to do anything.
I wouldn't
worry about it.
There it is.
Let me try this scenario.
What if...?
(explosion)
If a dead dude's shed
explodes in the woods,
And there's no one around
to hear it,
Did it make a sound?
Mcgee:
Bishop, you realize
if we'd arrived
15 seconds earlier,
we'd both be dead.
Now, aren't you glad I made you
stop for coffee, mcgee?
Gibbs:
Got a dc chronicle
sports section.
September 13 last year.
Hmm. Spears must have been
trekking out here for months.
Maybe it's his man cave.
A place
to get away from the wife.
(laughing):
In the middle of the woods?
Uh, anyway, you haven't
seen his apartment.
That's his man cave.
And there was no evidence
of a wife.
Well, spears wasn't just
kicking it back here.
He was working.
Tony:
Yeah.
I got a computer.
What's left of one.
What do you think, mcgee?
Looks like this was shoved
in between the cushions
On the couch before
the explosion.
Oh.
(camera shutter clicking)
he was hiding it.
From whoever left this.
Mcgee, come here.
(clearing his throat)
Here's the trigger.
(door opens)
I know, I know.
I'm late.
Punctuality was never
your main event, tom.
Punctuality is the
great thief of time.
Oscar wilde said that.
Waste your time, not mine.
Jackson gibbs said that.
Ah. (laughs)
I liked him a lot better.
(laughs)
Think maybe it's time to
upgrade to a smartphone?
Yeah.
You know what? I just did.
Turns out, it's not
smart enough.
Ah.
Good to see you, gibbs.
Or should I be
calling you spears?
Yeah. It's a flash
from the past, huh?
Yeah.
A whole different life.
Those early, uh,
nis years, tom--
You sure threw us
to the wolves.
Ah, but those wolves are all in
prison or dead, aren't they?
What the hell's going on?
I wish I knew.
I'm pooling homeland's resources
to get answers, but
As of now, I'm as in
the dark as you are.
What I can tell you is,
Someone went
to a great deal of effort
To unearth your ghost.
You forged
my covert identity-- spears.
When we cleared
our last investigation,
You told me you burned it.
Well, you're half right.
I didn't invent
leland robert spears.
He was delivered to me.
By who?
Michelle stark.
She was also known in
the spook community as
"the architect,"
because, for decades,
She built these intricate,
Untraceable
identities for the...
Cia.
Yeah.
Stark created
your spears identity,
Along with a whole slew
of other backstopped
Nis ids for me
back in those days.
She was the best.
Well, she was because...
She retired a few years ago.
You got an address?
I'll text it to you
as soon as I get it.
Thanks.
That phone of yours is capable
of receiving texts, right?
Oh, yeah.
(chuckles)
This is a vintage,
late-'30s parking timer.
Swiss made, reliable.
What were they for?
Well, originally,
To remind you to put money in
your parking meter, usually
Attached to a keychain,
and they could be set
For up to 60 minutes.
But, then, in the
'70s, terrorists
From northern ireland
started using them
As triggering
devices for ieds.
Gave the bomber time
to get away safely.
Yes.
This one was connected to a
classic, black-powder pipe bomb.
I can tell from
the blast pattern
That the bomb was placed three
feet inside the front door.
And I found traces
of alkylbenzene
Used as an accelerant.
That's kerosene.
I know.
I feel like I'm
channeling doc ward.
Maybe it's 'cause I'm
wearing his coveralls.
And he was the fire and bomb
investigative specialist.
He investigated the fire
on the uss forrestal.
Really?
Mm-hmm.
Oh, my father used
to talk about that all the time.
So, do you think
you can channel doc
And find out
who rigged the cabin?
I can certainly try.
Gibbs:
Thanks for seeing us, ms. Stark.
Call me michelle.
And please, you've
made my day.
Since I retired,
I've got nothing but time.
You know, I thought I would do
so much, change so much.
But, then, one
day I blinked,
My career was winding down,
And I had become the
neighborhood cat lady.
Is theodore bothering
you, agent gibbs?
No.
Come here.
Come here.
Come to mama. Yeah,
that's a good boy.
Come on, sit down.
Now, listen,
You're gonna be nice to those
visitors, you promise me?
So, how long were you
with the cia, miss stark?
30 years. A lot of hard work,
made a lot of sacrifices,
But loved
every minute of it.
Just didn't have a lot of time
for a personal life.
Don't you make that mistake,
young lady.
Okay?
Oh, already taken care of.
(laughs)
good for you.
So, you said on the phone
You wanted to talk
about a burn identity
I created 20-some years ago?
Leland robert spears?
I knew you looked familiar.
Remember those blue eyes
from the photo ids I whipped up.
I used to keep
the undercover persona
As close as possible
to the agent adopting it.
That's why spears
was a former marine
From... Stillwater,
Pennsylvania.
How do you remember that?
They were my creations.
Does an artist forget
the details in her paintings?
Certainly hope not.
Well, someone's been using
my old backstopped identity.
We're trying to find out
how they got it.
He was murdered last night,
And we have no idea
who he really is.
What happens to an identity
when it's no longer being used?
It's burned.
Removed from everywhere
Except the cia's classified,
secure network.
So, it shouldn't be able
to be retrieved easily?
It shouldn't be able
to be retrieved period.
Tony:
No, I don't think I can, zoe.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
No, I just don't think I can
'cause-cause we...
'cause we got a case?
No, it's just
that the... The case
That we're working on
is heating up,
And I am probably working
tonight and tomorrow night?
Yeah. You know
how it is. It's just...
Yeah. Listen, I'd love to talk,
But I got to go
'cause I got a thing. Mm-hmm.
Yeah. Me, too. Bye.
You know something
I don't?
"working tonight
and tomorrow night"?
No, tim. It's just
that zoe's parents are in town,
And they want to have dinner.
I'm not ready for all that.
So you deceived her?
I was put on the spot.
I was not prepared.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Hey. What are you afraid of?
I don't know.
They're probably really nice.
I'm sure
they are.
I've just...
I've just never had dinner
With the parents of a woman
I'm seriously involved with.
That is not true.
What about jeanne benoit's?
No, technically that wasn't me
because I was undercover
As tony dinardo,
professor of film studies.
I wasn't myself
back then.
Meeting the parents
for dinner.
That could trigger
a whole chain of events.
It's just dinner, tony.
You have dinner yet
with ranger burt's parents?
I didn't think so.
Then put down the gavel,
Take off the robe,
and stop judging, both of yous.
Okay. Where's gibbs?
He's on his way back with
bishop. Why? You got something?
Yep. Finally broke
into a partition
On spears' laptop hard
drive. Found that he was
Gathering intel
on a semiconductor
Called gallium nitride.
Mm.
Gallium nitride. Science-y.
It's used in aerospace.
Everything from anti-radar
To missile applications.
It's bad.
It's, like,
really bad.
Coveted by
militaries worldwide.
Information you do not want
in the wrong hands.
Sounds like it already is.
Stolen undercover aliases
from 20 years ago
I can sell to secdef
over the phone,
But advanced gallium
nitride in enemy hands
Is a different beast.
Requires a house call.
One that I'm not prepared
to make until we know
That this is what it's about.
Okay. Let's go.
Uh, gallium nitride--
or "gan," for short--
Is a highly dangerous compound
originally developed...
To brighten leds
In prototype electronics.
Plasma tvs, phones.
Uh... Yeah.
Yeah, all the electronics
we now take for granted.
But the navy...
Knew that it
could have
Other uses.
Deadly, military
uses like...
Radar, anti-radar
Or missile applications.
(chuckles)
what?
Nothing. Except that that was...
That's a lot of technobabble,
And, generally, people
with your particular hairstyle
In this room don't...
D-don't...
Correct babble. How?
I was investigating a company
doing that kind of research.
Back when you were undercover
as leland spears.
The theft of that
particular alias
Was intentional.
This is all about
gallium nitride.
Spears is already
in that world.
Even 20 years later, it could
make intel easier to access.
Depending on how deep your cover
was back then, gibbs.
Morrow:
Deep enough.
Maybe it's time to pay that
visit to secdef, director.
Yeah.
Excuse me.
Good to see you, sir.
So what exactly
Was your cover on
that case, boss?
Who was leland spears?
Black market
gallium nitride dealer?
Hit man?
I.T. Guy.
As in "information
technology"?
You-you went undercover
as a...
You were a computer nerd?
Computer technician.
(chuckles) right.
Of course. Technician.
(chuckles, clears throat)
(snorts)
There a problem?
No, the politically correct term
no, I just had a thing
Would be "computer technician."
with my...
How 'bout an update from abby.
Still with mcgee pulling intel
from the burned drive.
Maybe you could lend
a little I.T. Finger.
A-a hand. I meant,
like, a computer...
Huh.
Hmm.
Mcgee:
I.T.?
As in "information technology"?
Yeah. Those two words aren't
really gibbs-compatible.
Do you think he's just been
putting us on this whole time?
What, you mean
gibbs' techno-aversion is fake
And he's secretly known
about computers all this time?
No. No way.
Well, he had to know
about computers back then.
What makes you say that?
Gibbs:
I didn't blow my cover.
Uh, of course you didn't, boss.
I'm-I'm sure you made
a very convincing computer nerd.
Computer technician.
Okay. Moving on.
We found
your former undercover id
On the burned-out hard drive.
Spears was using your old name
And background info to pose
as a seasoned I.T. Guy.
He took a part-time
tech support job
At longview technics.
It's an advanced
research company.
Which just happens
to use gallium nitride.
Spears wasn't fixing computers.
No. He was using
them to steal data.
Could be what got him killed.
Find out.
Well, we'd have
to access longview's
Network file storage,
Something they're not
gonna be eager to share.
So how do we see
what spears was accessing
Without raising any eyebrows?
We show up to work.
You mean we pose as spears?
Company doesn't know
he's dead.
So we can go in
during the night shift--
After-hours, less people,
Hopefully no familiar faces.
We can access their network
And find out
what spears was downloading.
In and out.
15 minutes tops.
I already have
Spears' access card scanned
on my computer.
Mcgee:
All right,
all we need is a photo.
My ncis id should be
scanned into the system,
So you can just
copy and paste.
Nope. I don't need yours.
W-we're not sending
gibbs undercover.
No offense, boss.
No, none taken, mcgee. I agree.
We send mcgee.
No.
If we send in mcgee, names,
dates, nothing will match.
I'll have to change everything.
This is faster and smarter.
It was your identity
in the first place, gibbs.
You made it work
back then.
I studied.
Perfect.
Technology may be faster
and smaller,
But, in truth,
nothing's changed that much.
You don't need mcgee.
C-colon-slashback still apply?
Mcgee:
Okay, we've got good video.
Testing. Testing. Come in, boss.
Relax, mcgee. It's not nasa.
Mcgee (over earpiece):
Okay, the night staff should be
the only ones in the building.
You have spears' badge,
which should give you access
To the lobby elevators.
Can I help you?
Let's just hope
that security guard doesn't know
Spears personally.
I.T. Guy.
Got to go up to my office.
Fifth floor.
Uh, maybe the card has
to touch the sensor.
Having trouble?
I thought you were supposed
to be fixing these things.
Okay, tell him that there's
probably a malfunction
With the proximity sensor and
that you'll have to come back
Tomorrow with a new
rfid reader.
Not my department.
Mind if I ask
what you're doing here then?
You're here to reboot
network protocols,
Which will shut the internet
access off completely.
That's why you have to come
during off-hours.
Not a clue.
My boss e-mails me
in the middle of the night,
I shut up and I show up.
He's not saying
anything that I'm saying.
Mind if I see that e-mail?
No, boss, we don't have that.
We don't have the e-mail.
What's he gonna show him?
I don't know. His gun?
His badge? Worse? I don't know.
Sure. No problem. You're welcome
to anything on there.
Wh...
Did I mention that
my boss woke me up?
(chuckles)
you're telling me.
(chuckles)
They say, "jump."
you say, "how high?"
I'm right there with you.
(sighs)
Don't work too hard now.
(chuckles)
yeah. Maybe in another life.
(sighs)
Mcgee:
Well, at least the card reader
problem wasn't system-wide.
Does it matter which computer?
Well, you have spears'
username and password,
So you should be able to sign in
using any networked computer.
Okay, so, uh,
open the log-in menu.
Okay. How?
Uh, tap the keyboard.
Then say that, mcgee.
Uh, sorry, boss. You weren't
listening to me in the lobby.
I figured you knew
what you were doing.
With people, mcgee.
Not computers.
Okay. Go slowly.
Enter the username and password.
You still think this was faster?
All we have to do is walk him
through accessing
Spears' log-in history,
recording the download records,
And mirroring
the files.
It'll be a piece of cake.
Where the hell is
the caps lock?
(sighs)
(elevator doors opening)
Morning, sunshine.
You been up there a while.
Everything all right?
(chuckles)
Oh, I hate computers.
(chuckles)
you're a funny guy.
I hear you.
It took you four hours?
Yeah. Gibbs is
a hunt-and-pecker.
Bishop:
Anything stand out?
Confirmation that spears did
steal data on gallium nitride.
Bishop:
Mmm. Bad but not surprising.
Mcgee:
This is.
According to the user log gibbs
downloaded-- that's just odd--
Spears used company computers
to transfer several documents
To a second party
using ftp software.
Tony:
Name?
No names. Just an ftp site.
A traceable one?
It's secured,
But now that I'm
on the keyboard, yes.
Federal agents!
Ncis!
Tony:
Clear.
Mcgee: Clear.
And clean.
Too clean.
Like it hasn't
even been lived in.
Dead end?
Another safe house?
Gibbs:
Both.
Call ducky.
Another execution?
Bishop:
Another spy?
I wonder who this john doe is.
Got junk mail.
Name's not john.
It's edgar.
Edgar bron?
Another
undercover alias?
Spears was created
for you, gibbs.
Who used that name?
Mike franks.
No hits on any
facial-recognition databases.
Fingerprints?
Nothing.
Spears was sending this guy
information on gallium nitride.
Were they spies?
They were using fake ids.
Well, these two don't have much
in common, boss.
Bron's place appears to have
Hardly been lived in,
practically staged.
Whereas spears' apartment looks
Like an overgrown
frat boy's man cave.
Tony:
All the makings of a cover.
Wait. Stop. Go back.
There.
Spears had tattoo magazines
all over the place.
He had dozens of books
marked on the subject,
Yet he didn't have
a tattoo himself.
That's weird.
Bishop, go get
your bluestar kit.
What are you thinking?
Mcgee, find out everything
you can on a miranda flemming.
Who's that?
Just do it, huh?
Anyone have a clue?
Nada.
No sé. Hmm.
Hey, duck?
Spears-- I need to see him.
Yes. (chuckles)
I can see you do.
Gibbs:
No tattoos.
Correct.
What about the other side?
No, none
there, either.
Maybe.
Maybe? Is your gut telling
you something, jethro?
Ultraviolet tattoo.
Well, that explains why we found
a black light in his apartment.
(ducky speaking serbian)
That's serbian.
Gibbs:
"for king and fatherland."
yeah.
"freedom or death."
Michelle:
So another identity
has been compromised?
We have reason to believe both
spears and bron were serbian.
What was franks' role
in the original mission?
I seem to recall
backstopping him as a...
Bartender.
He was identifying
possible suspects we thought
Were trying to sell intel
to the serbians.
Can't be a coincidence.
Serbians then, serbians now.
Oh, it was all smoke,
No fire then, so
we closed it down.
Someone reopened it.
These victims have
real identities.
We need to find
out who they were.
(knocking)
yeah?
Boss.
Got something?
There was another agent
working undercover
With mike franks and me.
Jenny shepard.
Yeah.
Yeah, her backstopped name
was miranda flemming.
You remember that
name, michelle?
Yes, I do.
I asked mcgee to find out
If there were any
current hits on her.
Tim, why don't you
tell them
What she's been doing?
Well, miranda flemming
is alive and well.
In fact, she has
a flight booked
To buenos aires
tomorrow morning.
Morrow:
So,
We pick her up at the airport.
I don't think we're gonna
have to wait that long.
Morrow:
But you were so good
at what you did.
Worked so hard
with such dedication.
Why would you turn
on the agency?
I didn't turn on the agency.
I gave my life to it.
And I was pushed out.
Mandatory retirement.
What else was I gonna do?
There's not much use
for my unique talents
In the private sector.
Did you approach the serbians?
No.
They approached me.
Who?
An attaché from
their embassy.
He offered me a lot of money
for two backstopped ids.
Did they say what
they wanted them for?
They were trying to get
information on gallium nitride.
That's old stuff.
What could it hurt?
Guys you backstopped
are dead.
Did you deal
with either of them?
No. Only their handler.
Okay. Who?
I have no idea.
We communicated
by encrypted mail.
Last time I heard
from him... Or her,
They were shutting
the operation down.
Leland spears
was getting sloppy.
We saw his apartment.
He was going american
on them.
They probably thought
he was going to defect.
So, they killed him.
Believe me,
I didn't know that.
What happens next?
You help us, and
you help yourself.
What do you want me to do?
E-mail the handler.
Tell them
That edgar bron didn't die, that
He's on life support
at washington general,
And he's expected
to pull through.
My, grandma,
What big eyes you have.
Mcgee:
Tony, cut it out,
Or I'll strangle you
with my big hands.
You're grouchy.
Well,
What do you expect?
This is a waste of time.
No one's coming here, and I have
to go to the bathroom.
Oh, okay, I'll get you a nurse.
She'll put a catheter in you.
Hey!
Get back here!
Get that stuff off of me!
The patient's getting restless.
I don't blame him.
How much longer
are we gonna do this?
I'll find out. Hey, boss?
Yes, I heard.
Mcgee is getting restless.
He'll be fine, but...
Ah, let's give him a break.
Your turn, dinozzo.
Go, get in bed.
Go on.
(fire alarm sounding)
What's going on?
Fire alarm, this floor,
other end of the corridor.
Check out the alarm.
Bishop, stay there with him.
Uh... What are you doing?
Uh, prepping the
patient for evacuation.
You need to get back
to your station.
It's hale.
Spears' neighbor.
Freeze!
(grunting)
(loud grunting)
(grunting, panting)
(door closing)
Who is this guy?
Name is robbie hale.
He's the serbian handler?
Yup.
Morrow:
Just showed up at the hospital.
With a hypodermic needle.
He was gonna jab it
into my little buddy.
We haven't tested
the hypodermic yet, but...
Hale (groaning):
You can't just keep me in here!
...Hale says that it was full
of potassium chloride.
Would have given me
a heart attack.
How did you get him
to offer that up?
We beat it out of him.
No, we didn't.
No, we didn't.
He talked freely.
He doesn't care what we know.
He claims
that he has diplomatic immunity.
Where is gibbs?
He's in mtac,
Talking to the state
department's operations desk.
So, was this guy on your radar?
Bishop and I questioned him.
He lived next door to spears.
Once we got
him back here,
He told us he moved
in a few weeks ago
To keep tabs on him,
and he admitted
To putting the bug
on spears' car.
So, did hale confess
to the murders?
He did.
What was his motive?
That they finished their mission
And were supposed
to return home to serbia.
Hale:
Is anybody in there?
Anybody at all? Huh?
Tom?
What did
state say?
They have no record of hale
being registered as a member
Of the republic of serbia's
diplomatic mission.
He may be working for them,
But he has no right
to diplomatic immunity.
Hale:
Are you deaf?!
I know you can see me!
Morrow: We'll take care
of him from here.
Been a long day, folks.
Get some sleep. We'll do
the paperwork in the morning.
Great! Ah, fantastic. You know,
there's a midnight showing
Of one of my favorite films
over at the art house.
Huh? What's that?
(a lá don lafontaine):
In a world weary of war,
There was one man
who didn't care.
He was a soldier
of glory.
Oh, I'm in. I am in.
Hmm. Don't rush.
First half sucks.
Huh.
All right, we'll see you
tomorrow, film critic.
Huh.
You need something, bishop.
Nope, I'm all good.
Wasn't a question.
Deep undercover work,
like tony did years ago,
Hypothetically, would you ever
put me in that position?
That's tough to answer.
I'm only saying, I...
I know the big picture,
And eventually,
everyone's time comes,
And I understand
and accept that.
Forget the big picture.
Look at everything close up.
Do you think
that working undercover
For so long
affected your marriage?
Go home to jake, bishop.
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