NCIS (2003–…): Season 13, Episode 8 - Saviors - full transcript

DiNozzo is reunited with his ex-girlfriend, Jeanne Benoit, when insurgents in South Sudan attack a group of volunteer doctors, including her husband. DiNozzo and McGee travel to the crime scene for the joint murder and kidnapping case and join the search for the missing doctors. Jon Cryer and Scottie Thompson return.

(Child crying, dogs barking)

(Child continues crying)

Anybody got a spare ampicillin?

Yeah.
How can we be

out of gauze?
We're not.
Check my duffel.

Thank you.
You got it.

And how long
has she had the rash?

(Speaking juba arabic)

She say itching start four days.

Lizzie, you are a lifesaver.

Yeah, right. Not lately.

(Child crying)
Kidding, bahar.
Tell zayah she'll be fine.

It's infected, but we've got
medicine that'll help.

(Women speaking juba arabic)

Dave, I don't suppose
we can expect

the lights back on
any time soon?

Not unless you stashed a new
generator in your duffel, too.

Oh, well, then where would
i keep all my extra gauze?

(Vehicle approaching)
I knew I underpacked.

(Vehicle doors closing,
men shouting)

(Rapid gunfire)
Everybody down!

(Panicked screams, shouts)

Lizzie:
Medical to NCIS.

Stan, can you hear me?!
It's Liz. I...

I am in togu, south Sudan!

Mayday! Mayday!

Stan, send help!

Send help! Help us!

I honestly haven't
noticed, McGee.

He seems the
same to me.

He's not,
I'm telling you.

Hey, bishop,
have you noticed...?

Hey, uh, I've got
to get to work.

Yes, they are.

Okay.

Love you.

Jake?

Jake says hi.

How is tropical storm
Jake this morning?

Tropical storm?
Yeah, as in

unpredictable, given
your daily forecasts

since he cheated
death in Dubai.
Well,

today I'd say
Jake is more partly sunny

with a slight chance of rain.

And you with no umbrella.

Bishop, have you not noticed

how extra quiet
Gibbs has been lately?

See, he's on about this.

I don't agree with you.
Lately?

Thank you.

When you normally get two words,
now you get just one.

I'm telling you,
something's up.

Now that you mention it,
i guess,

yeah, he didn't say a word
in yesterday's interrogation.

Just a bunch of
grunts and shrugs.

Grunts and shrugs
that had the bad guy

confessing
from a fetal position?

Ixnay.

Morning, boss.
Hey, Gibbs!

Beautiful Autumn morning.
Looking wonderful in that suit.

And there you have it.

Point, a shrug, no grunt.

The man has not changed.

I'm glad I could reach you guys.

Tony:
It's been a long time, Stan.

I'd ask how
you're doing, but...

Yeah, not-not great.
I'm in south Sudan.

Little village called togu.
McGee:
And what brings you there?

Been stationed at camp lemonnier

in Djibouti
for the last several months.

And I got a mayday call
last night from a good friend.

Navy doctor,
lieutenant Liz cortland.

She okay?
I found her right...
Right there.

Along with, uh...

Along with two others
in the back room.

I already sent the bodies
to you guys on a rush

for ducky to autopsy.
Who are the other two?

I can't ID them here, Gibbs.
They were all burned up.

Look, if I can... if I can find
some paperwork in all this mess,

there should be a list of
doctors that idg sent over here.

Idg, agent burley?

International doctors group.

It's kind of a doctors without
borders-type outfit

based out of DC
that Liz had been

volunteering with for a while.

We'll find it
and head over.

I'd appreciate it. See what
they know about all this.

And I'm, uh... I'm gonna see

what I can get
out of the locals.

Hang in there, Stan.

You need anything else
right now?

How about a time machine?

Burley out.

Idg. Please hold.

She's gonna have
to call you back.

Yes, we need
to cancel all of those.

(Phones ringing)
Yes, can I help you?

Tony:
NCIS special agents
DiNozzo and bishop.

We'd like to speak
with Dr. woods.

Is this about togu?
Bishop:
It is, yes.

There are two Dr. woods listed
as founders here.

Is either one of them available?

I'll see.
It's a really bad time.

Thank you.

Wonder what constitutes a good
time at a place like this?

What do you mean?

Places like this
do so much good in the world.

Of course they do, bishop.

I'm just saying, being
a doctor's hard enough.

What kind of doctor
would sign up

to get dropped
into a war zone?

A very noble one.
Or a crazy one.
I'm just saying.

When we get dropped into a war
zone, might have a gun, so...

Excuse me, you know
something about togu?

Who did you
say you were?

Jeanne.

Tony.

It's been a long time.

Very.

What can you tell us
about togu?

What?

Oh.

We sent five volunteers
there last month.

We were in contact every
day until yesterday

when we received
this 911 text.

We haven't heard
from anyone since.

We've reached out to other
relief organizations,

and what passes for law
enforcement over there,

but no one's getting back to us.

Just 911? Nothing else?

We only use it in emergencies,
and it's never good,

especially in south Sudan.

What do you know about all this?

We know
there's been an attack,

and, unfortunately,
some fatalities.

Who?

Three are confirmed dead.

Navy lieutenant
Elizabeth cortland.

Lizzie?
Two more we have
yet to identify.

What do you mean
"yet to identify"?

Is David one of them?

Who's David?
My husband.

Dr. David woods.
He's the team leader.

Bishop:
Uh, we don't know at this point.

The bodies are en route
to NCIS now.

(Line ringing)
You sent five
volunteers, Jeanne.

Chances are good...
Well, then where is he?

The chances are two-in-five,
and he isn't picking up!

We'll need any names or
information you have on them.

Rose, can you help them
with this?

Yes, Dr. woods.

I'll pull them up.

Jeanne benoit? Really?

Oh, wow.
All I got out
of Tony was

"good friends,"
but I know there's more.

Oh, there's more, believe me.

There's so much more, I don't
even know where to start.

Just nutshell it.
Who is she?

Okay. Jeanne is...
Was...

The daughter of an arms dealer
named la grenouille.

Now, she didn't know that
her father was an arms dealer,

and he's dead now,
but back then, he was alive.

And Jenny Shepard--

she's the director

we had before Vance-- came in.

Jenny Shepard sent Tony
to date Jeanne

as a way to gather intel.

Wait. Forget nutshelling.
Just bottom-line it for me?

Bottom line is,
Tony got too close.

He fell pretty hard for Jeanne,

and apparently, it was mutual.

It was definitely mutual.

But the entire relationship
was built on a lie

about who Tony was,

so, it ended badly.

And I mean super-beyond badly.

Tony's hated himself ever since.

He told you that?

No, he doesn't have to.

Anytime that you bring up Jeanne
with him, he won't discuss it.

Not with me, not with anyone.

Tony:
Nothing to discuss,

mcgossip girl.

Really, Tony? Jeanne benoit?

So much
for old friends.

Old friend,
girlfriends,

whatever,
mcbishy-body.

(Chuckles)

You know how many I run
into on a regular basis?

I saw your face, Tony.

There was nothing
regular about it.

The woman just lost friends

and maybe a husband.

And that is what
you saw on my face.

She's married now?

She's the other
Dr. woods.

Okay, you know what?
You two have fun.

I'm done talking about it.
Gibbs:
Not me.

Update.

Of the five medical
volunteers...
Stop.

Jeanne benoit?

Really?

Go.

...sent by idg into
togu last month,

two are Navy. One dead--
lieutenant Elizabeth cortland.

The other--
ensign joni Ryan.

Both volunteer
when not on active duty.

Dr. David woods,

team leader and co-founder
of idg, along with his...

Wife.

She maintains
the headquarters,

and she, of course,
is also a doctor.

Why togu?

McGee:
Village has zero
access to health care.

About 100 miles away

from the closest
thing to a city, juba.

It's the capital
of south Sudan.

Which became
an independent country in 2011,

leaving a whole bunch
of ethnic groups

to beat each other
bloody over territory.

And burley's
in the middle of all of it.

All right, you two,

keeps these doctors'
families in the loop.

McGee, you're with me.

Burley:
I wish I could say
I had more luck with

these villagers. The few that
are left are too afraid to talk.

Well, we got a call
into special ops.

We're gonna see if we can't
get you some backup, burley.

I could really use it, Gibbs.

And we're coming, too, burley.
We are?

We got a missing
Navy officer.

Get us two seats
on the first transport out.

That's great, Gibbs.

Just be sure you're up-to-date
on your vaccines.
(Phone rings)

Boss, who exactly do you have
in mind for those seats?

Yeah, on my way down, duck.

Malaria, Tim. Seriously.

Be sure.

Angels on earth,
Mr. Palmer.

Volunteers
who risk life and limb

to help those in dire need
or in the worst

possible conditions.

"Humanitarian" is
a woefully inadequate word.

Do I detect a hint of
pride in your voice, doctor?

Yes, I'm very proud to have been
part of the first groups sent

into biafra in 1971

by the original
médecins sans frontières.

Doctors without borders.

Who do we have, duck?

This is agent burley's friend,

lieutenant cortland.

And we're definitely going to
need dental x-rays, DNA samples.

Boss.
What is it,
DiNozzo?

Um...

Ducky:
Jeanne benoit?

Really?
Yes, really.

Ducky. So, she's outside
the door, and she

does not want to wait.

Hello, agent Gibbs.

Ducky:
Doctor, does your husband

have any defining
characteristics?

Uh, broken bones,
surgical scars?

No surgeries, but he did break
his left collarbone

skiing last winter.

Well, still hard to say
without x-rays.

Ducky:
Indeed. You get 'em started.

What about braces?

Did your husband
have orthodontia?

No, David's teeth are...

Oh, god. Felix.

Dr. pitts wore braces.

And this? Is your husband,
by any chance, an amputee?

No, that's Dr. norm. James.

He lost his leg during
the first Gulf war.

And Liz.

Oh, Lizzie,

I'm so sorry.

This just doesn't make
any sense.

Warring tribes rarely
target outside doctors.

If ever.
Tony:
Well, that's good news, right?

For David
and the other volunteer?

Joni?

Then where are they?

Doc?

What are you doing here?

Joni Ryan.
Is she alive?

What?
Ensign joni Ryan.

She's a surgical tech?
Is she in autopsy, or not?

Uh... no. No, she's not.

You're certain?
Well, yeah. Why? Is
she a friend of yours?

A good one.

We served together
on the Daniel Webster.

Matter of fact,
she assisted on your surgery.

(Beeping and whooshing)

(Echoing):
You comfortable, agent Gibbs?

Bishop:
Tony, you remember Dr. taft.

Mm, the man, the myth,

the legend.
Nice work, doc.

Well, thank you.
Gibbs did his part.

Not that he's done much since.

Skips a lot of check-ups.
Busy.

Are you Dr. cyril taft?

Joni was recruiting you
for our relief mission.

I'm Dr. woods.
We spoke on the phone.

Oh. Hi. Um, of course.

Your husband was leading
the trip, wasn't he?

Is he all right?
We don't know.

David woods and joni Ryan
are still unaccounted for.

Gibbs:
Not for long.

McGee?
McGee:
Secured some seats for us

on a cargo plane headed

for juba, south
Sudan in two hours?

Okay. DiNozzo and I will meet up
with burley in south Sudan.

McGee, you and bishop,
provide support from here.
Tony: Good to go, boss.

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. South Sudan?
That's-that's rugged country for

anybody, much less a guy
six months out of major surgery.

Funny, I don't recall asking.

Send me a postcard.

What about me?

I'm not staying.

I can't help that.

No room.

Look, I've been
to south Sudan many times.

I know the region, the people,

the dialects
better than any of you.

I'll fly myself there
whether you take me or not.

Having an experienced doctor
come along

could be
to your advantage, Gibbs.

Tony: Might not hurt, boss.
McGee:
Plus, boss, it is a cargo plane.

I mean, there's plenty
of seats.
Okay, fine!

Fine. Book her a seat.

It's okay. You can come.

Just make sure that...

McGee (Distantly):
Boss?

Gibbs?
Just-just... just as...

Gibbs? Gibbs?!

Gibbs, look at me.
Look at me. Look at me.

Call 911!

Gibbs, look at me.
Look at me.

Bishop:
We need an ambulance...

I know you dig
the sporty gown, Gibbs.

There's no need to keep pulling
stunts like this to get one.

Just get me unhooked
so I can get out of here.

Maybe. After a few more tests.

(Sighs)

You know, I was fine
until you showed up.
Oh, is that right?

Uh, 'cause your
team seem to think

that you've been a
little too quiet lately.

Like John Wayne
biting-the-bullet quiet.

So?

So, I called
director Vance

at his conference
in Geneva,

and he has agreed to put you
on limited duty from home.

Pending my discretion.

Where's my phone?

Mm, you can call,
but he won't budge.

Does he know about south Sudan?

Does he know about
your missing friend?

We want Ryan found,

but right now,
you're in no condition.

(Curtain sliding open)

You forget about
south Sudan, mister.

You're not going
anywhere.
Abby...

Don't "Abby" me.

You collapsed in the
squad room, Gibbs.

What part of that is okay
with you?
Were you there?

I did not collapse.

Yeah, you kind
of did, Gibbs.
Aw, swell.

Where-where's DiNozzo?
Where-where's McGee?

Let's bring the whole gang
in here.

Actually, they're... somewhere
over the Atlantic about now.

What?!

Next flight to south Sudan
wasn't for another two days,

so they made
an executive decision, knowing

that you were
in good hands.

Abby:
So you

listen to Dr. taft and let them
worry about burley

and...

Jeanne benoit. Really?

Wow.

Tony:
Thanks.

They say Gibbs
is recovering.

He's in recovery.

How crazy was that?

How crazy is this?

So, when are you
gonna go talk to her?

(Sighs)

There's nothing
to talk about.

I'm sorry about what happened,

(whispering):
But I was doing my job.

That's it.

Of course it bothered me
that I lied to her.

I was in love with her.

But it was a long time ago,
and her husband is missing,

and there's nothing
to talk about.

So when are you gonna
go talk to her?

(Sighs)

Hey. They just told
me Gibbs is, uh...

I heard. Good news.

So, how did you meet--
you and David?

I had just finished
a six-month fellowship in Gabon.

Oh, right.

I remember that.

It was around the
last time we spoke.

I'm sorry you got caught
in the middle of all this.
Was any of it real?

No.

I wish I'd never met you.

Right before, yeah.

After that, I joined
doctors without borders.

Spent a few years
in Indonesia, Bolivia,

the Congo, and that's
where I met David.

The Congo. Wow.

There was a cholera
outbreak there.

We helped stop it.

Got married a year later.

Started idg
a few months after that.

It's impressive.

Well, he sounds like
a... like a good man.

The best I've ever known.

Okay. Well...

I, uh...

(Sighs)

I think we got about
ten more hours.

I'm gonna grab a
little shut-eye.

(Sighs)

Thanks, McGee.
That was a good call.

Morning, guys.

Got your message.

You've been
working all night?

Yeah, yeah,
we kind of got on a roll.

Any news of our patient?

Dr. taft had him spend
the night for more tests.

I know that.

Jethro was not a happy
man when I spoke with him.

I know he's overdoing it.

Uh, is that all you needed?

Not remotely.

Causes of death
were as expected.

High-caliber gunshot
wounds at close range.

Jimmy:
That's not the weird part.

Well, I prefer "intriguing."

Come here. It's these

posthumous puncture wounds
to each of the victims' feet.

Punctured after they were dead?

All three.

But in the cases
of the other two doctors,

before they were left
to burn in the back room.

And since they were
delivered posthumously,

one can assume that they may
have been ceremonial in nature.

Jimmy:
Like some kind of
tradition or superstition

that we could maybe link to a
specific tribe or ethnic group?

Which could definitely help
Tony and McGee. Nice.

I'm off to Abby.
I'll be happy to research

African tribal traditions
for you, too, agent bishop.

That'd be great, Jimmy.

Thanks, but...

Uh... for me?

Eleanor, has it
not occurred to you

that you are now running point?

Well... maybe by default.

Uh, only until Gibbs
gets back.

(Phone ringing)

Which might not be long.
Morning, Gibbs.

Bishop, sitrep.
What's going on?

Ducky found something that...
No, I didn't.

There's nothing to report,
Jethro. Go take a nap.

You take a nap.

Why aren't McGee and DiNozzo
answering my calls?

Bishop:
Well, their flight should be
landing just about now.

No cell reception?
And it's not much better here.

You're-you're breaking up,
Jethro.

We'll call you
later. Bye!

Burley:
I know Gibbs reached out
to special ops to send backup,

but so far, you guys are it.

We'll try to be
just as special.

Jeanne:
Have you talked
to any village elders,

agent burley?

A man named abdel?

His wife is minoo?

No, if they've stayed,
i haven't seen them.

There's not many
locals left.

Where'd they all go?

After the attack, most
ran off to a refugee camp

in mambe. Others are
said to be hiding in the bush,

wherever that is.
It's nowhere.

"In the bush" means
a nomadic existence.

Anywhere but here.

Where is "here" exactly?

It's a few more miles.

There's not much there.

(Knocking on door)

You don't answer your phone?

I didn't hear it.

Right. Oh.

What a lovely brunch.

Very healthy.

Look, I'm at home, doc,
doing what you said.

Isn't that enough?

Forgive me for caring.

And you're right.

It should be enough,

since all your tests
turned out normal.

Blood work, EKG,

pet scan, cat scan,

everywhere a man
can be scanned,

you're humming
like a turbojet.
Okay then.

Want to share the steak?

I got to get to work.

No, thanks.

Uh, and no, you don't.

Or rather, you can't... work.

Not yet.
Why not?

I saw you go down, Gibbs.

You did collapse.

The pain you felt
was very real,

and it quite literally
knocked you on your ass.

You just said
you didn't find anything.

Which leads me to believe
that what you were experiencing

was likely stress-related.

A, uh... a physical
manifestation

of an emotional
response.

So you think this is in my head?

Not exactly.

"In your head" suggests
that you imagined it.

It's more... cellular

than that.

It was real.
Cellular?

Your body has a memory, Gibbs.

And people who've been shot
and nearly died

don't get to just
go on with their lives

like nothing ever happened.

You have to
talk about it.

Go to therapy
or group counseling.

Yeah.

No.

That's it?
"Yeah. No."?

The only therapy I need
is my job.

Mm, be sure to put that
on your tombstone.

So you're not even
gonna entertain

the possibility
that the psychological toll

of what you went through might
be bigger than you're aware of?

Or are willing to admit?

Doc, do you want
some of this steak or not?

I'm gonna take that as a no.

People who've been shot
don't eat

like nothing happened, either.

As your doctor, I'm not gonna
watch you kill yourself.

Burley:
They molotoved what used to be
a room back there.

It's where I found
the other two bodies.

And your friend Liz was here?

Yeah.

She, uh...

She loved working with you guys.

I seem to recall her

saying nice things
about you, too.

I'm gonna go take a look outside
for anyone I might know.

Uh, I'm not sure
I'd recommend that.

Yeah, I can't let you do that.
Excuse me?

You're telling me I can't?

I know you know your
way around here,

but you're
my responsibility now.

Well then maybe can go
take a look around together.

Get away, do not touch me!

Jeanne:
Don't shoot!

I know her.

I was here three years ago
with Dr. David.

You were
much smaller then.

Your mother--
her name is nefy.

Nefy is dead.

Like everyone.

(Machete clatters)

(Crying)

I run when bad men come.

Only come
back now.

When I hear
voice, I hide.

I do not know it is you.

When the bad men
came, bahar,

you were here?
I helping
Dr. Liz.

No lights to see.

She fight bad men
and they shoot.

Shoot more, take others.

They took David?

Dr. David and joni--
they took them?

Who took them--
what bad men?

I do not know.

Sure you do.

What tribe, bahar?

Was it the murle?

Nuer?

Azande?

I do not know.

We'll protect you, bahar.

No.

You leave.

Always leave.

We stay.

They kill me for
talk to you.

Like they maybe kill
Dr. David and joni by now.

I'm sorry.

You are too late.

You go now.

Is better for
you, you go.

Better for me.

It is too late.

Hey, Jeanne,
let me give you a hand.

No.

Come on.
Hey...

Hey, Jeanne...

The symbol on this handle--

any idea
what that means?

No idea.

It's not a local dialect.

And there are a lot of them.

Bahar said one of the bad men

dropped it during the attack.

Maybe Abby
can figure it out.

(Vehicles approaching)

Where's burley?

He was outside.

(Men shouting)

It's okay. The cavalry
has arrived.

Man:
I don't know about that.

Commander Pete Grady,
seal team bravo.

That's enough cavalry
for us.

Your boss Gibbs must have some
friends in pretty high places

or we would've
passed you folks right by.

McGee:
So you know our situation.

Grady:
Uh-huh.

No sign of your missing doctors?

Not yet.

Planning on expanding
the search tomorrow morning.

McGee: Now that you're here,
we'll gladly follow your lead.

Yeah, well, you could
if we were staying, but, uh,

unfortunately this is
just a courtesy call.

We're headed to juba now
to be airlifted to Rwanda

by morning.
Priority orders.

Missing doctors
aren't a priority?

Well, that's not my call, ma'am.
It's a very large continent

and we're spread thin as it is.

Now, if you can wait a
few days, we may be able

to swing back around and
help you with your search.

We don't have a couple days.

Copy that.

We'll secure the perimeter
before we go.

Let's go.

(Indistinct chatter)

(Vehicle engines starting)

Abby:
This is so something
Gibbs should know,

but not in his condition.

And I already
hung up on him once today,

so I'm not telling him.
Tell me what?

Gibbs?
What are you doing here?

No, no, no.

You can't be here.

You looked terrible
yesterday.

Well, today I got
a clean bill of health.

What can I say?

Uh, hey, listen,
about that phone call...

What was it
you didn't want to tell me?

Um, the seals-- they
got sent elsewhere.

Our guys are getting
no love in south Sudan.

Nice triglycerides,
by the way.

Yeah, I heard
all about the seals.
Heard how?

What's with the machete?

McGee sent it
a little while ago.

It was used
in the attack, though

it doesn't match
the puncture wounds

in any of the victims' feet.

Puncture wounds?

Yeah, and each wound

contained a dose
of diamphotoxin.

It's an organic poison
derived from beetle larvae.

Bishop:
Once commonly used for hunting
by African bushmen, it's now

considered
pretty old-school.

Abby:
And if we could find

the old-school tribe
that likes to

poison their victims
after they're dead,

then it would probably point
to who took our doctors.

Hey, any luck
with that, Jimmy?

Agent Gibbs, welcome back.

(Quietly):
Should I not be talking to him?

He's fine. Look.

Nice triglycerides.

Any luck with what?

Uh, beetle-larvae poison.

And no luck yet.
It's nearly impossible

to trace it to a specific tribe.

Did you know that
there are over

60 indigenous ethnic
groups in south Sudan?

Over 80 different dialects?

Keep digging.
I'll be back.

I'll bet he knew that.

Hey.

You okay?

After I found out the truth

about my father--

and about you--

all I could do was...

Look for something
that made me feel good.

And I found that in work.

And in David.

I know there's nothing
i could ever say or do...

To make you forgive me.

I won't rest until we find him.

You have my word.

Ducky:
A doctor of taft's caliber

would at the very least
have prescribed

a day of bed rest
following a collapse.

I didn't collapse, duck.

Anything else
about the case or not?

Yes, this
lieutenant cortland

reminds me of a young nurse
i met in biafra.

Her name was Claire.

As I recall,
she had a difficult home life,

from which
she required distance.

Helping those in need

provided that distance.

None of us is immune, Jethro.

We're all running

to or from something
at various times in our lives.

But no matter your speed,

the truth is always
just that bit faster.

Gibbs, Gibbs,
i think we have it.

Tell me what you got.

The tribe that took the doctors.

It's the engraving
on the machete handle.

Jimmy:
Uh, the dialect is juba arabic.
That's one of five dialects

used by
the shilluk ethnic tribe.

Well, however you pronounce it,

this roughly translates

to "ferocious animal."

Which is interesting,
because the shilluk

are generally
a peaceful people,

known mostly
for their cattle herding.

Abby: Except there's these
old-school shilluks

that have this odd custom of
poisoning the feet of their dead

so they can't walk the earth
again like zombies.

I mean,
how crazy is that?

And the tribal infighting
over there has created

several violent subgroups
of shilluk, one of which

is led by...

Abby:
General ajak gadet.

He likes to refer to himself
as ferocious animal.

He's got a small rebel army of
outcasts with no home village.

Though bishop's been trying
to find their last location.

Which I think I have,

and something more.

So according
to NSA intel,

general gadet was critically
injured just three days ago

in a battle
with a rival ethnic group,

the tunjur people.

Did the shilluks take our
doctors to save their general?

This general's earned his
nickname, and his soldiers

have a pretty ferocious
track record themselves.

Location?
After the battle,

the shilluk
reportedly escaped

to a village
called lenka,

about 40 miles east of togu.

Tell DiNozzo and McGee.
Call 'em.

Where you going, Gibbs?

Tell 'em.

Gibbs:
Hey, let me call you back.

(Phone beeps off)

Oh, no.

Is it ensign Ryan?

No. No, we're still looking.

I wanted to ask you
something, though, doc, um,

kind of personal.
It's about your son.

If that's all right.

Paul.

His name was Paul.

So, uh...

When you lost Paul,

doc, did you go
right back to work

on the hospital ship?

Uh, not right back.
Uh, it was, uh...

After almost a year.

And lots of talk.

My tests results--

you're sure they're right.

Right? I mean, I'm good?

Are you thinking that
maybe you're not?

No. No, I don't know...

I'm thinking, um...

If, uh, talking...

Helps...

Why not?

Good.

Great. Uh...

Really, Gibbs, uh...

You know, I know
a very good therapist...

No. No, I, uh...
Not...

Not that.
I... I'll talk.

I don't need my head examined.

Oh, no. Uh...

Perish the thought.

(Chuckles)

In which case, that leaves...

...me?

Burley:
After my fiancée split,
there was...

There was Liz.

We could only get together
every few months.

I should've made
more of an effort.

You know, guys like us, Tony,

we can't play the field
forever, you know.

I'm not really
playing the field, Stan.

Like your
friend here.

This one? You know,
Liz had that same spark.

And I never
told her enough

how I felt.

This husband we're looking for,

he knew he had a gem
and he jumped.

He's a smart man.

Could that be
what I think it is?

Gadet's men were here,
all right.
Yeah,

leaving scorched
earth in their wake.

Literally.

(Dog whimpering, barks)

This has to be one of ours.

David was here.

It might be a message.

I think the message is
they're still alive.

So we keep looking.

Bishop:
McGee sent them an
hour after you left.

He and Tony
are sure the shilluk

were with
the missing doctors, but

there's nothing to indicate
where they went next.

What are they running from?

Who-- the shilluk?

Well, they shot up one village,
they burned down another.

They left nothing behind
for whoever's trailing them.

We're the only ones
trailing them.

Yeah, but they
don't know that.

Who-who was it that
wounded their general?

What tribe? Where?

It was a firefight
with the tunjur

in a village called kala, about
60 miles southeast of togu.

Okay, so they take doctors
to save their general.

And they keep moving.
They go from here

to here.
And now to here.

I'm starting to wonder
if bahar was right.

What if we are too late?
What if they're already dead?

No. They're not dead. Look,

the glove means
they're still alive.

They're alive
as long as they're useful.

Sorry, that kind of
came out wrong.

At least you're being honest.

It's your DC office.
Special agent burley.

Gibbs:
Talk to me, burley.
Boss, you're back?

You still in lenka?
We are, Gibbs.
Did you hear about the seals?

Yeah, I'm working on that.
Right now it's time for you to

move on.
We're ready to move on, we just
don't know where to move to.

There's a town called pehtok

about 35 klicks northwest.

It's barely a town.

And you sure the
shilluk are there?

Got a feeling.
I'll explain later.

He's got a feeling?
Never doubt the Gibbs gut.

Burley:
We'll leave right away, Gibbs.

We'll be watching.

It may take some time
to get a satellite link.

How much time?
They're leaving now.

(Line ringing)
In that case, I'll be back.

Come on, come on, come on,
come on. Pick up, pick up.

(Men shouting in distance)

(Man shouting)

I love the smell
of pehtok in the fall.

I count eight.

Who knows how many more inside.

This is suicide
without backup.

Well, whatever Gibbs
is working on,

now would be a good time.

What are they doing?

McGee:
Guessing that's the general.

Looks like
he's still alive.

(Truck engine starts)
Oh, my god, that's David.

And joni.

All right,
what do you say, guys?
Well, we've come this far.

It's just us, isn't it?

It seems to me a diversion never
hurts when you're outnumbered.

You still a good shot, burley?

Better than most. Why?

Gas cans.

(Ryan whimpering)

You fix general.

You fix him.
We will, we will, ramses.

We've been fixing
him for days.

He just...

He needs more.

No more. You fix.

He needs surgery,
you understand?

An operation.

We need other instruments.

(Grunts)

He live or you die.

(Gunshots)

(Explosion)

(Men shouting in juba arabic)

(Speaking juba arabic)

(Speaking juba arabic)

All right. Keep going, move.
David: Where we going?

Tony: Just keep moving,
keep going!

(Speaks juba arabic)

Talk to me, bishop.
I got them on satellite.

It's not good.
They're in real trouble.

Get in the Humvee.
Come on, keep moving!

(Shouts in juba arabic)

Come on, come on,
get there, get there.

(Shouting)

David!

Grady: Continue to engage.
Admiral. Yes, sir.

Cover for that Humvee.
We're watching now.

All targets facing east.

Perfect timing.

Thank you, boss!

(Indistinct radio transmission)

This has got to be weird
for you on some level.

Yeah.

I think the word
is "totally surreal."

All of it.

The truly weird
part is...

I'm happy for her.

You should be happy
for yourself, too.

You don't have to carry around
all that guilt anymore.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

It's all been such a blur,

I haven't had a chance
to say thank you.

Yes, you have.

And you're welcome.

Thank you, Tony.

I owe you.

No, you don't.

We're good.

Taft:
Why do I concern myself

with the health
of someone

who does not even bother
to lock his door?

Well, then quit
concerning yourself.

Ensign Ryan sends her
undying gratitude.

And I put a replacement steak
in your fridge.

Nice New York strip, actually.

Didn't have to do that.

Yeah, I kind of did.

Not only is your
cholesterol crazy low

for your caveman diet,

but I got some more of
your tests back today.

Yeah, and?

Turns out, uh, you have
a tiny patch of scar tissue

in your chest cavity that

just might be causing you
some discomfort.

No bigger than
the size of a dime.

Some people refer
to it as ghosting.

A cough, a sneeze,
even the slightest aggravation

can feel like you might
be having a heart attack.

But it's not.

So it's not in my head?

Ah, I didn't
say that.

No, this, uh,
will heal, eventually.

The, uh, the scar tissue
will fade with time.

But this-- the stress,

the panic, the uncertainty?

Yeah, that'll fade, too,
with time.

And with talk.

You're gonna start now?

Doc, I'm right in the middle
of something here.

What are you
afraid of, Gibbs?

Nothing.

Cut the crap.

Life threw you

a major-league
curve.

You have a lot of support,
but at the end of the day,

when your head
hits the pillow,

it's just you.

Admitting at
least that much

might be half
the battle.

Everybody's afraid of something.

Even the great
Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

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