NCIS (2003–…): Season 14, Episode 15 - Pandora's Box, Part I - full transcript

(loud heavy metal music playing)

(audience cheering)

* One knock, one spill,
one look and it's on *

* Half cut, half thrill,
don't care if you're wrong *

* You're standing heart is
beating over shouting *

* Blood boiling
whatcha gonna do about it? *

* Go, go, you say
you want to go? *

* Outside, yeah,
this place is ready to blow *

* Fight, fight, put your money
where your mouth is *

* Hear you talking, bro, you
gonna do something about it? *

(music fades)

(music gets louder)

* They're leaving,
whatcha gonna do about it? *

* Go, go, you say
you want to go? *

* Outside, yeah, this place
is ready to blow *

* Fight, put your money
where your mouth is... *

Freeze! Metro police.

Oh, my God.

Get the bomb squad
down here.

MAN:
Yes, sir.
Dispatch, this is Metro...

Release the balloon.

Turn around,

terrorist bastard.

Aristotle banana split.

*

I would never release

a deadly gas
into a crowded arena.

Actually, it's just
the VIP suites.

What? You would be planning
and executing

a sarin gas attack
on the VIP suites.

That's the game.

You're not
helping yourself here, Earl.

I-It's a simulation.
A-A test of security.

Intelligence chatter
mentioned something about

terror groups with sarin.

So I hire thinkers

to brainstorm
and carry out plans

to identify our weaknesses.

You'll be providing
a great service

to the Department
of Homeland Security.

Earl, how many
think tank operations

have you executed in
the past few years?

20-ish.

And I've turned you
down 20-ish times.

You're one of the best minds
in criminology.

You're perfect.

And I never get tired
of hearing that.

I'll see you...

...at church.

Oh...

Abby, please.

My first two thinkers have
confirmed, but my third--

she called me this morning
and-and canceled.

She got stuck in the Himalayas

researching superhuman monks.

Really. She's a Harvard
divinity professor.

Brilliant.

But she's nothing
compared to you.

See, you have fought terror.

Who better to create it?

You're gonna have to
find someone else.

It's too late.
Why?

The concert's in two days
and we've hit a dead end.

Without you...

I'm gonna have to scrap
the whole thing.

Earl, I can't be a bad guy.

Even if it's just pretend.

Sorry.

That's Earl Goddard.

QUINN:
Friend of yours?

BISHOP:
No, I wish. I...

I've written him,
like, a dozen essays

trying to get his attention.

We really should have a talk.

He's with
Homeland Investigations.

Runs their think tank
operations.

They get the best
good guys to figure out

what the best bad guys would do.

It's like
the ultimate chess game.

I-I'd kill to join.
You know,

Abby gets recruited
for those all the time.

She what?

Yep.
I mean,

yeah, no, that makes,
that makes perfect sense.

Don't worry, I-I
always turn him down.

You what?
I could put a good
word in for you...

Really?

Thanks. Wait,
why would you turn him down?

I mean, wouldn't you want
to help save the world?

TORRES:
Abby, don't give in.

Living on the dark side's
not for everybody.

It can get to you.

Especially when you realize
how easy it is to be bad.

Oh, man, it's depressing.

Exhausting.
But wickedly exciting.

I miss it so much.

ABBY:
And therein lies the problem.

What if I enjoyed it?

Well, you should.
I mean,

what's more exciting
than a terror attack?

We really should have a talk.

A fake terror attack.

I would still feel guilty.

But the danger's not real.

It is.

To Abby.
REEVES: Right.

A jumpy security guard
sees Abby with a bomb,

she might not have time
to explain that it's fake.

Yeah, but they use
safety protocols.

Look, it takes a certain
twisted personality

to think like a killer.
Abby doesn't have it.

Excuse me?
No, I mean it as a compliment.

Unless...
Evil Abby really exists?

I would rather not find out.

Good work requires good people.

VANCE:
Yeah, that's what Homeland said.

Director.

They called you?

Begged is more like it.

My NCIS caseload is...

Is now empty.

These operations are very
important to the higher-ups.

Including me.

Wait, wait.

Is that an order?

Yes. Go be a bad guy.

Lucky.

ABBY:
Aristotle banana split.

Stop saying that.

Gibbs. NCIS.

Listen, the only reason
you and I are still talking

is because the bomb squad
said that your little bomb

was clock timers stuck
in modeling clay.

So you want to tell me
what the hell's going on?

Aristotle banana split.

Hey, Abbs.

Gibbs. NCIS.

See, now those are the only two
words that this woman has said

that make any sense.

So I called you
here to explain.

Okay.

Why hasn't she?

Because in the event
that I got caught,

I'm only supposed to use
the safety phrase,

"Aristotle banana split."

MCGINLEY: Except
nobody in the arena,

or human history,
has ever heard that before.

It's supposed to prove that
I'm working with Homeland

to test the arena security.

This is a simulation.
Is that true?

Mm-hmm.
Well, somebody screwed up.

This is the first I'm hearing
of this. We had to evacuate

the whole damn building.

How'd you get caught?

She tripped a motion sensor.

No way.

I studied the blueprints.

I didn't fail.

Well, I think you're missing
the bigger problem here.

What exactly was this,
uh, simulated plan?

Detonate balloons

that are supposedly
full of deadly gas

into the air vents.

But it was all fake.

And pretty damn evil.

I was ordered to do it.

I need to make
a phone call.

Can you take off my handcuffs?

MAN:
Live ordinates coming through!

Open buffer...

Lock it down!

Move!
Pressurizing!

(Abby gasps)

All clear!

OFFICER:
What the hell?

Your fake bomb

just made a real explosion.

I'm not a terrorist.

I don't think.

Abby.
McGee, finally.

What is happening?
They won't tell me anything.

It's not good.
This is my nightmare.

The only thing missing is Vance
riding in on demon wings

to fire me.
Well, that makes sense.

I usually wake up
when his moustache

turns into a snake.
Well, this ain't a dream.

McGEE: When the bomb squad
removed the third explosive,

they found C-4 hidden inside.

What about the balloons?

They all contained several drops

of liquid sarin.

Hardly noticeable.

But enough to kill hundreds

of people if it was
exposed to air.

Hence the biohazard team.

We've been double-crossed.

Someone used the think tank.

And I plan to find out who.

Director, is this our case?

It is now.

We'll coordinate with Homeland.

I just fought with Metro
for custody of Miss Sciuto.

Custody, like...

Guantanamo?
No, Hardly.

I'm the one that told you to
do this in the first place.

Could we please remove
these handcuffs?

Where the hell
is Earl Goddard?

I have no idea.

Still hasn't
answered our calls.

We were gonna
search the arena.

Go.

Wait, what time is it?

The team

was supposed to meet
Earl back at his hotel room

to debrief after the operation.

BISHOP:
Your team stayed here?

No, we all had own rooms,

but Earl's room was like
our base of operations.

While you planned
the attack?

We had no idea someone was gonna
try to make it real.

Think that was the point?
Take back my excitement.

We trusted each other.

Sarin is so unrealistic.

Will you stop pacing
and enjoy the food?

Our records don't show you
as a vegetarian, Mr. Axiom.

Well, I just started
this morning.

I woke up with a vision and gas.

That's why I picked you.
'Cause I have acid reflux?

No, you're the
wild card. Abby?

Meet John James Axiom,
film director.

We met when he was
researching a spy thriller.

He's really good with story,
sees the whole picture.

Even if no one
goes to see his.

How much did your
last movie make?
EARL: Greta "Fensternackt."

Fensternacht.
She's a researcher
with the CDC.

If there's any fault in
our plan, she will find it.

Like bringing in a new recruit
in the middle of an operation?

And without
the proper paperwork.

Earl, I'm assuming she signed
our non-disclosure agreement.

Homeland Logistics Manager,
Phil Kurjak.

My right hand.

He's in charge of, uh,

anything the three
of you may need.

KURJAK:
Within a government budget.

This isn't Pacific Clash 2.

Inflated budget
is the only reason

that movie didn't make money.

It exploited gender stereotypes.

The lead female
killed the bad guy!

With a lap dance.
GODDARD: Enough!

I'd like for you all to meet
NCIS Forensic Scientist

Abby Sciuto.
Crime-fighter

and positive thinker
extraordinaire.

Terrific.

Well, this group could use
some positive energy.

Unless, while I was gone,
you found a way to release

sarin into that arena
without getting caught.

It's impossible. I've done
enough of your think tank ops

to know. Security measures
are too tight.

Especially
on the VIP suite level.

What about the ventilation
system? It looks vulnerable.

We killed that idea
two hours ago.

It's too complicated.

We'll get caught.

No.

Not if we trust each other.

(scoffs)
I'm serious.

I'm not gonna go into
the arena with a fake bomb

unless I know
my team has my back.

Who said anything about bombs?

A synchronized release?

Small explosives.

Just enough to propel
the gas into the arena.

FENSTERNACHT:
That's...

pretty evil.

I like it.

So how do we get
past security?

ABBY:
That...

I don't know.

Yet.

Don't worry.
I'm sure Earl will explain...

everything.

Earl?

Hello? Earl?

Empty. No suitcases.

Did you check the-the bathroom
or...?

(exhales) Well, the hotel
said Earl checked out.

All right, well, give me
the names of your team, Abby.

I'll get started
on the BOLOs.

That won't be necessary.

ABBY:
Hey, guys.

Abby,

what the hell happened?
We did our jobs

and came back here
to wait for you.

It's been two hours.
I got caught.

I knew this wouldn't work.
QUINN: No, it did work.

Too well.
Yeah, the sarin

and one of your
bombs was real.

What?
That's impossible.

We got played.
Where is Earl?

Nobody's seen him
since the operation began.

When he went
to the arena.

To do what?
Let the head
of security know

the operation was happening
tonight and give them

the safe phrase.

Well, that never happened.

He set us up.

Earl would never do that.
(phone ringing)

QUINN:
Yeah, Gibbs.

Yeah. Okay.

Well, uh, we found Earl Goddard.

Oh, good. (exhales)
What did Earl say?

TORRES:
Arena security found the van

and saw the body
through the window.

Are these suits
really necessary?

Yes.

Unless you want
to risk instant death

by exposure to sarin.

Sarin?

The suits are awesome.

The vehicle and body have been
cleared for active sarin.

Well, until we can find
the source, I will arrange

a biohazard tent
in the evidence garage.

Why don't you go home,
get a couple hours' sleep.

Got coffee, Leon.
Who needs sleep?

Well, here's somebody
who's had a full night's rest.

Director Vance.

Good morning.
Knox, I was
expecting you sooner.

I talked to your director
last night.
So was I.

But he gave NCIS the lead,

and I was told to stand down.

Special Agent Gibbs,

Knox Ellicott,
Homeland Operations.

(scoffs)
This is crazy.

Earl's been reporting to me
for ten years without a problem.

Now it's looking
like he was the problem.

Earl? Target an arena?
No. No way.

Somebody just piggybacked on
our op to make a statement.

Then Earl
missed something.

Namely real explosives
and real sarin.

It's easy to blame the dead.

Somebody put one of my people
in danger.

And Earl was one of my people.

Look elsewhere.

While he was always a good judge
of talent, he could be

a little too forgiving
when it came to character.

Gibbs, this coffee
is a little too hot.

Your agents should question
his think tank team.

We are.

QUINN:
Logistics manager.

What is that?

I facilitate the team.

Research, supplies, payment.

But I don't go on the actual
field exercise itself.

So where were you last night
then?

I stayed behind
to pack up the hotel room.

Is that why it was empty?

Earl and I both live locally.

No need for another night.
Frugal.

I'm good at my job.

MBA from Missouri.
Average GPA.

No prior career experience.

Yet Earl recruited you.

Why?

We met at a job fair.

He has a knack for people,
and we clicked.

My parents were killed
in Bosnia in '93.

I grew up in St. Louis
with my grandmother.

And I'm telling you this,

because Earl was the closest
thing I had to a father.

He didn't do it.

Well, Earl

was ultimately responsible
for their safety.

So let's start
with the explosives.

They only had to look real
for the war game to be fair.

Otherwise, we might as well be
smuggling fruitcake.

But Earl never had any real
bomb parts at the hotel.

But he was in charge
of making them, huh?

ABBY: Remember, the
explosives should not

be large.
FENSTERNACHT: Right.

If a terrorist is smart enough
to get their hands on sarin--

which is very unrealistic--
Tell that
to our security analysts.

then they're
smart enough

not to destroy it
in the explosion.

GODDARD: I'll worry
about the props.

You just worry
about getting past security.

In order to minimize
our individual exposure,

I think we should each be
responsible for one task.

It's clean, easy to follow.

Unlike the plot
of Alien Carnival.

Watch the director's cut.

JJ is right, okay?

And I've been working on a plan.

An Evil Abby plan.

Ta-da!

It requires

balloons

and makeup and Caf-POW!

Lots and lots
and lots of Caf-POW!

What kind of terrorist are you?

ABBY:
The kind

that doesn't get caught.

McGEE: So this whole thing
was Abby's idea?

No. We should all get credit.

And can we wrap this up?

I have a meeting
in L.A. tomorrow.

I'd rather not
cancel on Johnny.

Depp.
He starred in my first film.

Yes. The only one that saw
critical and financial success.

But what was that,
ten years ago?

Look, you write
great concepts, okay?

I mean,
that's why Earl recruited you

in the first place. But...

your films fail to connect
with audiences.

Okay, Siskel,
so what's your point?

Do you have
money troubles?

Someone pay you to sabotage
the think tank operation?

(chuckles) And people say
my plots are dense.

All right, look,
everyone was given a task

the night of the attack.
What was yours?

To get the explosives into the
arena after the concert started.

Who gave 'em to you?
Earl.

Sure, it was Abby's idea
to use the Caf-POW!,

but the plan only worked because
my performance was Oscar-worthy.

Or at least a Golden Globe.

Hey, mate.

Can I help you?

Yeah. I messed up. Bad.

I made a delivery this morning
and I shorted you three cases.

And you want me to call who?
Oh, no, I just need

to get this stuff inside.

See, your concessions
manager is gonna do a count

at the end of the night.

Every one of these bottles
not in that arena

is a bottle they can't sell.

And they're gonna charge me.

I mean, eight bucks a pop
times three cases.

That's enough to keep
my daughter in preschool

for a month.

You like this stuff?

Here, take a few.
My treat.

Trying to bribe your way
into a free concert?

Come on, mate.

I'll be in and out
in two minutes. I promise.

Please,

for me daughter.

Hey. Took you long enough.
Greta?

(chuckling):
Oh, you look amazing.

I feel stupid.

I got to get back
to the loading dock.

See you at the hotel.

All right.

That outfit was hideous.

But that was part
of Abby's plan.

Whoa. Our plan.

My job was to plant the bomb.
Abby just came up with the idea

of making me a lost groupie.
But that wasn't good enough.

So I went on eBay

and found
a backstage pass.

It only worked because of me.

You?

Wearing Abby's boots?

I prefer comfort over style.

And why not?
We're all gonna die anyway.

Exactly.

Wait, what?

Your words.

I read some of your, uh,
research papers.

Dark stuff.
Working with the world's
most heinous diseases

has shown me the futility
of life's struggles.

So maybe you wanted
to end it all.

Take a few hundred people
with you.

I didn't make the attack real.

I'm pessimistic, not homicidal.

Well, you say "tomato,"
I say "terrorist."

Your work gives you access
to sarin.

Yes.

But Homeland oversees
a dozen lab facilities.

Earl had access.

And what about Abby?

Evil Abby?

Her security clearance
is high enough.

She's the one
who labeled the bombs.

I was just following
her instructions.

You know,
if she's gonna take the credit,

she should take the blame.

FYI, I think
her whole Goth thing

is really just a cry for help.

ABBY:
Greta said what?

I'm... I'm not a Goth.

I am feeling a little bit
naked without my choker on.

Can I go home and change
after this?

Are you sure you don't want

to do this
in the conference room?

No. No!

No special treatment.

I am just as guilty.

No.

So this whole thing
was your idea?

Evil Abby was smart, Gibbs.

I'm not proud of it.
Someone used you.

It was not Earl.

He gave you the balloons.
Yes.

He left them for me
in the hotel room.

That was your task?
Yes.

A flower delivery
to the band's dressing room.

I had this-this logo made

And I'm friends with
the Sterile Puppets' drummer,

and he said that,
that bands get gifts

delivered from-from fans and
local businesses all the time.

Yes. Security scans packages.
Yes, and then they,

they swab them for anything
that's illegal or dangerous,

so I had to think
outside the box, you know?

Balloons.
They don't set off

metal detectors.

If someone were
to X-ray them, then...

the small amount of liquid
would never show up.

Security didn't suspect
anything.

(sighs)

Forgive me, Gibbs. I've sinned.

It's not your fault.

Yeah, but, you know,
at the time,

it was, like, fun, you know?

I had fun.

Maybe 'cause of that,
I-I missed something.

(takes deep breath)

I could've killed
so many people.

The chemicals used
to make liquid sarin

are arguably more dangerous
than the final product.

Not to mention the considerable
cost of manufacture.

In 1995, in Japan,

a cult spent millions
on a facility.

You mind if I join you,
Dr. Ducky?

Oh, by all means, Agent Reeves.

Yeah, I was just explaining
to our friend here

that despite the claims
of certain foreign powers,

liquid sarin cannot be made
in the kitchen.

Abby says mere drops
can be deadly.

Yeah, the liquid evaporates
when it's exposed to the air.

Direct inhalation
can cause a buildup

of acetylcholine
in the nervous system.

The body can shut down,

mm, in under a minute.

Nasty business.
Yeah.

Do you come from Brumarket?

Uh, your accent.

Did you grow up in Birmingham?

That sounds like judgment.

No, no, no.
I thought your last
name was Mallard,

not Higgins.
Shaw's Pygmalion.

You know it?

Practically my biography.

Although I do prefer
My Fair Lady.

(chuckles)
Are you a fan of musicals?

No, no. Audrey Hepburn.

Mm.
Although I think

we should stick
to the case at hand.

Yes, let's.

I can confirm

the cause of death.

Sarin poisoning.
Yes.

But the only sarin residue
is around his mouth.

Did he drink it? Suicide?

We found fibers in his throat,

and there are these bruises
around his neck.

Well, if the fibers
are from a towel or rag,

it could mean
he was grabbed by the neck

and sarin held in his mouth.

Well, final analysis will have
to wait till Ms. Sciuto

returns to her lab.

But if this was murder,

Earl could be innocent.

Or he wasn't working alone.

Right.

Ta-ra, then, Doctor.

T.T.F.N.

To the uninitiated,
that means

Ta-Ta For Now.

(chuckles)

Ellie. You called me.

Yeah. Uh,
I finished with the van

and found Earl's laptop.

It's password-protected,
but McGee can handle it.

Okay. What's the problem?

Well, it's what
I didn't find.

No more sarin.

What, that's a bad thing?
Yes. Because of this.

Looks like it was peeled
off of a lab container.

15 cc's is like

a bottle of nail
polish, but...

it's enough sarin
to fill this room.

How much was in the balloons?

Drops. And it wouldn't have
taken much to kill Earl.

That's a lot left over.

Enough to kill hundreds.

Update on our
current case?

Right. Yes.

A Homeland think tank was asked
to execute a fake terror attack.

To test security.
Except the attack
wasn't so fake.

REEVES: Someone switched out
a bomb, put real sarin

in the balloons and killed
Special Agent Earl Goddard.

Yeah, they used the think tank
to do all the planning

and the dirty work.
Like cheating off the smart girl
during a math exam.

But why?

Because she's cute
and I hate math.

No. I mean why
a sarin attack?

Who stood to gain?
Well, whoever it is

still has a vial
of the stuff.

I doubt they'll
let it go to waste.

Been coordinating with the NSA
and Homeland all day.

Uh, Bishop.

Turns out you're
on Earl's short list after all.

What?
McGEE: Yep.

I got into Earl's laptop--
he's got files

on potential recruits, including
one Bishop, Eleanor Raye.

Well, a few days ago
I would've been thrilled, but...

now that he's a suspected
terrorist, not so much.

Find anything else?
McGEE: It turns out Earl used
Homeland resources

to tap into
the arena security network.

That gave him access
to surveillance cameras.

So he could observe the team
as they carry out the attack.

JJ:
He was recording us.

Oh, this just gets
better and better.

Thanks to you,
I missed my meeting.

We need you
to stay here in DC

until the investigation's
complete.

Well, I'm not gonna
leave the country.

But Johnny rescheduled
for tomorrow,

and I've got to be
at that meeting.

Can't you just talk
over the phone?

Actors need handholding,
all right?

I'm sorry, but we need you here.

Oh, this is turning
into a movie plot.

Recruited
for a government operation,

now a suspected criminal,
and to top it off,

when I called to complain,

Homeland said
they'd never heard of me.

Don't they have
Earl's records?
No.

I don't know if this is Alfred
Hitchcock or Howard Hawks.

It's been ten minutes.

Safe to come in yet?
I am... so...

Mad. Yeah, you mentioned that.

Super mad.

I am mad at the killer
for killing my friend.

And I'm mad at Director Vance
for making me join a think tank.

Mostly, I'm just,
I'm mad at...

me.

For what, being too good?

For being so good at being bad.

And now I-I'm
being punished

by the whole universe.

I'll come back.

Evil Abby was on fire!

And now I'm back in my lab,
and Good Abby has

nothing...
to-to solve Earl's murder

or even prove
that he's innocent.

We should talk later.

No, I-I'm fine.

What did you find?

The source of the sarin.

Yes!

Earl stole it.

No.

Homeland Security report.

Earl used his key card
to enter a chemical lab

two days ago at 2:00 a.m.

Nobody noticed
it was missing

until I started
asking questions.

Okay, I get that
this looks bad.

Abby, this is bad.

Earl was used.

And Good Abby is
gonna prove that.

(sighing):
I hope.

Gibbs?

JJ Axiom wants me
to do a screen test.

(chuckles)

Which is not important.

Tell me what is.

Homeland performed
a system wipe.

It means everybody working
in Earl's department

had to erase their computers.

On purpose?
Yes.

That's why
there's no record of JJ.

A data wipe is serious and
I don't know why they did it.

Ask Homeland.

I tried.

But the wipe was ordered

by Operations Director
Knox Ellicott,

but he's been dodging my calls.

When did he order it?

Last night.
After the murder?

Get him in here.

ELLICOTT: I'm sorry
about the missed calls.

I've been in meetings all day,
as you can imagine.

Yeah, you had an excuse
last night, too.

The boss told you
to stay home?

I wasn't gonna argue.

It was Valentine's Day.

A little nookie, then?

(Ellicott clears throat)

A data wipe is a security
precaution that I take

every six months.
It's standard procedure

to rid the system
of any bugs or viruses.

REEVES: So the fact
you ordered the wipe

the night of the murder was...
A fluke.

I'm thinking
of another word.

A happenstance.

No.
Coincidence?

Yeah.

And why is that important?

'Cause there's no such thing.

REEVES: You ordered the wipe
to erase your connection.

We spoke to your wife.

She said you was
at the office all night.

(honks)
No nookie.

ELLICOTT:
That's-- Now, wait.

I... I had nothing to do
with any of this.

Why lie?

Because I was hacked.

When?

Last night.

I was using a personal computer
at home,

trying to do some
work so that

I could spend the
evening with my wife.

And I got an alert

that someone was remotely
accessing my hard drive.

Using a personal computer
for government business?

GIBBS:
Even I know

that's bad.

That's why I went
to the office last night

and I ordered a data wipe.

To stop the spread.

And to cover your ass.

I could get fired.

Or indicted.

But it had nothing to do
with Earl's murder, I swear.

QUINN: Ellicott handed over
his computer.

Where's McGee?
Already doing his thing.

Yeah, good.
Bomb squad report.

Well, they found prints from
the entire think tank, no help.

Only one bomb
was real. Why?

Deadly enough
to make a statement,

but less chance
of getting caught.

Potential targets
in the VIP suites?

The, uh,
arena security records,

they list a few
wealthy concert-goers,

but no names of interest

and none that connect
to the think tank.

All right, keep digging.

Yeah. That's all it's been
so far is guesswork.

Hey.

What?

I'm sorry, it's just-- nothing.

It's just family stuff.

Gibbs? MTAC.

McGee's got something.

You've never been
to New Orleans?

We got to get you down here.

Well, I'd rather it be
for fun than, uh, work.

Oh, it's always fun.

Especially
since Mardi Gras is coming up.

Hey, tell Gibbs
you need a little vacation.

We all do,
Christopher.

And what happened to Alabama?

Oh, man, why are you hitting me
below the belt?

That's a long conversation.

I look forward to it.

Agent Lasalle,
it's good to see you.

Yes, sir, but I think you're
gonna be taking that back.

I traced the hack on Ellicott.

Came from an I.P. address
in the French Quarter.

Yeah, empty apartment
above a voodoo shop.

But this one's just
a tourist trap.

As opposed to?

Well, that's a good point.

We really got
to get you down here, McGee.

The apartment's last occupant?

Well, in jail
going on two years.

He was running a brothel
out of the place,

and it's been vacant ever since.
It's a dead end.

McGee, what did the hackers
get away with?

Well, that's the
problem, Director.

It's why I called the
NOLA offices right away.

Lawrence, bring it up.

Somebody downloaded the files

on every Homeland
think tank operation

from the last two years.

Dozens of simulated
attack scenarios.

Simulated but successful?

The team pointed
out weaknesses from

airports and train stations
to government buildings.

Yeah, blueprints
on how to attack us.

McGEE:
Yeah, the stolen files

also detailed how Homeland would
respond to such attacks.

Offense and defense.

Someone has our entire
terror playbook.

VANCE:
I already spoke with SecDef.

Someone is selling
our entire terrorist playbook.

We will follow up here

while our agents in New Orleans
are following up with their...

I will keep you updated.

National Security Advisor.

He's looking to blame someone
for the stolen playbook.

He should be looking
to get it back.

Terror alert's been
raised until we do.

I was hoping maybe
you had a plan.

That's why I'm here, Leon.

Oh. You were gonna run the idea
by the director

before I came in?

Well, somebody start talking.

Sir, I worked several
undercover investigations,

including stolen
government intel.

We now have that in spades.
Exactly.

But something this big
will cause ripples.

I put my pole in the
water, wait for nibbles,

maybe a bite.
I get the metaphor.

One of your old contacts
could be connected.

It's a long shot.

It's the only shot we got.

It's the playbook.

Phone calls only, Agent Torres.

You are not undercover.

Sir.

Doesn't help
our murder case, Gibbs,

or find that missing sarin.

I'm gonna go back
to the beginning.

Meaning?

The war game.
Why do it?
That's what we've been trying

to figure out, boss.
Who gains from the attack?

No. Homeland.

Why choose this operation?
Why this arena?

Well, there'd been
intelligence chatter

about terror groups
getting sarin.

What groups?
Bishop's finding that out now.

In order to fund a field
exercise, Homeland had

to submit detailed
security reports.

I want to see 'em.

No need, Gibbs.
Thanks, Tommy.

The chatter was fake.
I got the intelligence file

from Homeland and sent it
to the NSA for verification.

There are no terror groups
with sarin.

Someone altered the report.
McGEE:
Tricking Earl into

creating this whole operation.

The question is why.

(sighs)

Hey.
Hey. So, the real bomb was

planted in the duct
that fed the VIP suites

in the northwest corner.

Including Suite 11?

(keyboard keys clicking)
Yeah.

11 through 20. Why?

Well, the arena record shows

suite 11 had private bodyguards.

Who were they protecting?
Uh, "Dexter Highland"?

Never heard of him.
Well, that's why it didn't flag.

But we found out
it was a cover name.

Somebody famous?

The security records
don't say,

but they do say
the guards were armed.

Which means

I can pull
conceal-and-carry permits,

and find out who they were
really working for.

QUINN: Jovan Dezic,

Bosnian foreign affairs
minister.

He was at the concert
with his 16-year-old son

And you knew that
because he had to

register his travel
plans with Homeland.

That's, uh, standard
procedure for diplomats.

So are pseudonyms.

But he wasn't always

a respected politician.
No.

Dezic was part of
the Bosnian-Serb army

during the genocide.

Ever heard of
"Sniper Alley," Gibbs?

Sarajevo.

Civilians murdered
in cold blood.

Including your parents.

Dezic was suspected
of being there,

though it was
never proven.

This was revenge.

You altered the report

before you gave it
to Earl.

And you took his security
clearance to steal the sarin.

And it was you who switched
the bomb and the balloons.

Did I miss anything?

Yeah, he was with Earl
that night.

Right, you were with Earl
when he watched

on the security cameras,

and those balloons were not
the balloons that Earl filled.

Nope. These were.
They had lettering
on them.

Found 'em in the hotel Dumpster.

Your fingerprints on 'em.

Earl suspected
something was going on.

He wanted to abort the mission.

You couldn't let that happen,
could you?

You sat here and
told me that

Earl was like your father.

But you killed him.

In avenging
your parents,

you lost another one.

Dezic deserves to die.

For what he did to my country,

uh, what he did to me.

Except you failed.

GIBBS:
McGee.

Dezic, where is he?

Just spoke with his
security detail.

Where is he?
He is recovering
from heart surgery

(phone ringing)
at Washington General--

it's why he was here in the U.S.

What, do you think
he's still in danger?

Yeah, Reeves, go.

We've tossed Phil's flat,

and we found
the missing sarin bottle.

The problem is he's been
using it; we're thinking

he might have
something else planned.

We're already on it.
Another ventilation attack

at the hospital?
ABBY: No way.

He doesn't have a team

doing his dirty work.

This is plan B.
Last ditch-- he is desperate.

He's got no balloons.
He knows we're looking for him.

Balloons were just one
of a dozen ideas

I pitched the team.

Abby.

I was told to be evil.

And be good now.

How does Phil get sarin
into the hospital room?

(door opens)

A fruit bowl.

Wow.

Your diplomat friends
are too classy, Dad.

Why can't they just send pizza?

(bag pops)

Stop. Federal agents.
Don't pop that.

Okay.

This one has sarin.
What's going on?

Good just triumphed over evil.

I mean,

who can resist popping?

You got me a gift.

(gasps)
Tickets to The Sterile Puppets.

We all chipped in.

Figured after all
you'd been through,

you deserve a break.

Well, now we can all go.

Director Vance got me tickets
as a peace offering,

and the band lets me in
for free, so...

So everything's good.
Yeah.

Almost.

There's still something
really bothering me.

How you got caught
in the first place.

Yeah. How'd you know?

Well, I figured that Evil Abby
was also a perfectionist,

so I kept digging
into Earl's laptop.

And?

When Earl was killed,

his computer was connected
to the arena network.

Right.

Abby, you didn't trigger
anything.

He did.

When Phil poisoned him
and left him for dead,

Earl set off a silent alarm.

That is good over evil.
(phone ringing)

Let's hope that
trend continues.

The playbook's
still out there.

Yeah, boss?
Yeah, on my way.

Ferdinand Pisco.
Doesn't ring a bell, Gibbs.

He'd like to keep it that way.

He deals with
stolen information,

and keeps his own hidden,
moves in the shadow,

which is where I live.

What Agent Torres means is
he used to live in shadow.

Undercover.

Working for Pisco. Got it.

You recall Special Agent Jones,
Wichita?

(chuckles) Yeah.

Eager. Reckless.

Effective.

Are you guys judging me?

How's Pisco connected
to the missing terror playbook?

It was hacked from New Orleans.

He's headed your way.

TORRES: I shook a few
trees and found out

that he booked a last-minute
trip from Venezuela.

He's coming to buy the playbook.

We don't know who stole it,

so at this point
it's all conjecture.

Sir, with all due respect,

this guy doesn't travel
unless it's something big.

It's the playbook.

If I make contact,
I can prove it.

Director...
send me undercover.

Gibbs, I'm ready.
Pack your bag.

You will report to Agent Pride
the second you arrive.

Roger that.

I'll be waiting
for his call, Director.

Gibbs, be in touch.
Yeah, count on that.

Torres is going to NOLA?

Yeah. So are you.

Don't let him out
of your sight.

You understand?

You got it.
When do we leave?

Now. Go.

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