NCIS (2003–…): Season 14, Episode 22 - Beastmaster - full transcript

*

(rock music playing faintly
over speakers)

(horse neighs)

DAWSON:
Let me guess.

"Fun"?

(music stops)

You like this place so much,
you just had to tell the world.

I get it. I like it here, too.

This is Sergeant Dawson
calling in

vandalism on Pine Trail.

Suspect fleeing north
on foot.

DISPATCHER:
Copy that, Sergeant.

Told you, Jasper.
This place is fun.

(clicks tongue)

Give it up, kid,
before you get hurt!

(groans)

(Jasper neighs)

DAWSON:
Jasper, what's wrong?

(Jasper neighing)

Easy, boy. Easy.

Whoa, buddy. What's up?

(snorting)

(man screams in distance)

Good ear, Jasper.
We better check that out.

Park police!
Anybody out here?

This is Dawson. Hold me out
at East Portico Stones.

Got a possible disturbance.

DISPATCHER:
Copy that, Dawson.

State the nature
of the disturbance.

Whoa.

Steady.

Sergeant Dawson,
do you require assistance?

Dawson, do you copy?

Sergeant Dawson,
do you need backup?

Sergeant?

*

First aid.

Report writing.

And sexual harassment.

QUINN: Sexual harassment
training, really?

Did you even learn anything?

"If you make a pass,
never harass."

That is not a thing.

Did you even take the class?

Please. I taught the class.

Oh, right. Yeah.

No, he actually got up
in front of the room.

The instructor lost her voice
and asked for volunteers.

Was she hot?

Case closed.

McGEE: All right,
we are almost done

with these
in-service training reports.

Almost?

Uh, we just did
six classes in three days.

Yeah, because
our senior field agent

screwed the pooch.

Look, I'm sorry; human resources

used to keep track
of all the scheduling.

It's not my fault
that they changed the system

and made it my responsibility.

So, we're pretty much
saving your job.

Well, point is,

we're getting caught up.

And?

And we won't have to
face any penalties.

And?

And thank you for
saving my job.

Seriously. But...

Nope. No buts.

We still have to do the O-CAT.

Mm!
(Quinn groans)

What is that, like,
animal safety?

No, it's pepper spray training.

Every couple years,
we all have to get recertified.

Yeah, which includes
getting sprayed.

Yeah, I'm sorry. I'll
go easy on you guys.

Oh, no, no.
No, this is your fault.

No, you don't get
to spray on us.

Who else is
gonna do it?

You want help?

Uh, we're okay.
No way. What?

Suit yourself. Grab your gear.

We got a body?

In Rock Creek Park.

(camera clicking)

BISHOP:
Gunnery Sergeant Remi Tanner.

We've seen a lot in this park,
but this marble thing...

that's a first.

Crushed by an ancient temple?

DUCKY: Well, that is
technically correct, Alex.

While not religious in nature
and certainly not ancient,

these stones were once
part of a temple

built to honor democracy:

the United States Capitol.

In 1958,
the East Portico

was remodeled and the
leftover stones stacked here.

BISHOP: Hmm.
This far off the beaten path?

I've never heard of this place.

DUCKY:
It's a forgotten legacy.

Ah, but these stones
witnessed the inauguration

of every president
from, oh, Andrew Jackson

to Dwight D. Eisenhower.

They also witnessed the final
moments of our Marine's life.

Killed by a little piece
of history.

DUCKY:
Yes, but look here.

Yeah, this man
put up quite a fight

before being crushed
by government waste.

DAWSON:
If there was a fight,

Jasper heard it first.

That's the only reason
I stopped to listen.

We trust each
other's instincts.
(pats Jasper)

TORRES: Does that include
finding dead bodies?

DAWSON:
For everything.

Trust makes mounted
police work possible.

They're flight animals.
They run when they're scared.

How does that work
in the big city?

Well, it doesn't.
Right.

We train them to
follow their riders.

It could take years.

But a mounted officer can
do more than ten on foot.

From crowd
control to P.R.

People are more willing to
approach someone on a horse.

How does the horse feel
about that?

(Dawson chuckles)
Well, they're social animals.

TORRES:
Damn, Gibbs.

Seems like
opposites attract, huh?

(chuckles)
You bring treats, Agent Gibbs?

TORRES:
What's in your pocket?

Just leftover breakfast,
but it's not vegetarian, Jasper.

I am sorry about that.

(chuckles)
Thanks, Dawson.

Come on, Jasper.
Let's go.

Well, now we know that horses
don't like jacket jerky.

(horse neighs)
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Whoa, whoa.

It's okay.
Jody only attacks criminals.

Yeah, I always knew the ladies
always loved the bad boys.

Uh, actually, Jody's male.

He's named after one of
our fallen park police officers.

What are you doing, checking?

(laughs) No, I'm just
not a horse person, okay?

COLE:
That's all right.

They're not horses.
They're cops.

Okay, what do we have?

Well, there's footprints
around the body.

McGEE: Untraceable, but it shows
there was two attackers.

Found a cell phone
case, but no phone,

and $500 cash in
the victim's wallet.

Mugging interrupted
by Mister Ed?

Well, it was late
and the park was closed.

Exactly, so what was our Marine
doing here in the first place?

DAWSON:
Agent Gibbs, over here!

Let's widen the search area.

Sorry, I thought Jasper

was nosing after some
crab apples, until I saw

this burlap stuck in here.

Looks like blood, so I
thought it might be evidence.

Let's see.

(grunts)

DAWSON:
Animal skulls.

What the hell?

BISHOP: The lesser
spot-nosed monkey,

native to West African forests.

(laughs)
Now, that's a cute animal.

BISHOP: They were the
source of the skulls

found at the crime scene.

Not so cute.

Our victim,
Gunnery Sergeant Tanner,

was single and had
a spotless record.

He was part of
Marine Corps Forces Africa.

Just spent three
months in Liberia,

where his unit was sent
to train wildlife rangers.

BISHOP:
I've heard of that.

U.S. Marines teach
non-lethal raid tactics--

flash-bangs, rubber bullets.

Apprehending poachers
is dangerous business.

BISHOP: Well, these monkeys
aren't endangered,

but they're part of the illegal
animal trade and sold as pets.

Not dead ones.

Why the skulls?

Maybe they're a message.

Revenge for Marine involvement
in Africa?

Well, that still doesn't
explain why the guy

was in the park
with a wallet full of cash.

Maybe the skulls were his.

What? Why?

McGEE:
Skulls are valuable.

There's an entire
American subculture

obsessed with
bone collecting.

How do you know that?

He dated Abby.

Ah.

I'm not saying the guy
killed the monkeys himself,

but maybe he brought home
some souvenirs to sell.

And then things went bad.

Phone records
night of the murder.

Uh, victim's
missing cell phone

has since been turned
off or destroyed,

but the last three calls

were from the same
person: Phoebe Spitz.

Pick her up.
Well, Abby says

Miss Spitz is already
on her way in.

Abby?
McGEE:
Yeah, apparently,
she and Miss Spitz

are friends;
they spoke this morning.

About what, skulls?

I have no idea, boss.
Abby said she'll explain later.

Tim, got your message and
picked up those pepper sprays.

I'll have everybody sprayed
and done by the week's end.

You're a lifesaver, Clayton.
Thank you.

Wait. What's happening?

He put Reeves in charge? Why?

Well, McGee claims that

as British MI6, Clayton
is an independent party.

Oh, I'm not giving
either one of them the pleasure.

Look, we'll spray
each other.

Huh? You trust me.

Hey, sorry I'm late.
I had to update my presentation.

What presentation?

Veterans Animal
Patrol United.

It's an organization
of U.S. military veterans

who are dedicated to protecting
wildlife around the world.

Oh, cool.
That's what I said.

So then I joined the board
of directors last year

and I met the founder,
Miss Phoebe Spitz.

Doesn't she look awesome?

I love the camo.

Abby, I hate that picture.

I know, but it gets
everybody's attention.

The photo helps with awareness,

but it doesn't exactly
capture our values.

You mean like
death from above?

Peaceful conservation.

When I retired
from the Marine Corps,

I made it my life's work.

I was trying to
make it Tanner's, too.

I called last night
to recruit him.

Three times?

Tanner kept
hanging up on me.

I thought it was
a bad connection.

Then Abby told me
what happened.

It's horrible.
He was a good guy.

Was he an animal lover,
as well?

Not at first, you know.

When Tanner's unit was
first stationed in Liberia,

he thought it was some kind of
hippie-dippie P.R. stunt.

But then he was
able to witness

these animals
in their natural habitat.

He was amazed to find out
that elephants mourn their dead

and rhinos dance
before they mate.

Just like humans.

PHOEBE: He was also
amazed at how easy it is

for poachers
to kill these animals

for their skins and ivory.

That was done with a chainsaw.

Oh, that's awful.

So, did he tell you

why he was in Rock Creek Park
last night?

Yeah, with monkey skulls?

No. Our conversations
were short.

He's been playing
hard to get.

Is it possible maybe he was
trying to sell them, the skulls?

No way.

Tanner may not have
committed to my organization,

but he was committed
to these animals.

I thought you said
this was about revenge.

Well, I... possibly,

if we knew who might
have a reason.

Oh, I-I do. Here.

Ousmane Best.

He's a big-time poacher,
arrested last month.

So, he's in prison?

Yes, and Tanner's unit
put him there.

Look, Best has
a network of smugglers

all around the world.

I wouldn't put it past him
to put out some kind of bounty.

Did Tanner tell you
that last night?

No.

Like I told you,

I have no idea
what was going on in that park.

(horse neighs)

(trash can lids banging)

That's it. Good boy.

TORRES:
All right. Thank you.

MAN: Whoa, whoa.
(horse neighs)

Bishop and McGee went
to the victim's apartment.

All they found was his laptop.

(horse snorting)

I'm assuming this only
makes sense to horse people?

Police horses have to train.

Pushing the ball teaches them
to push a crowd,

and the banging gets them
used to city sounds.

You off duty?
Yeah, but I
usually stick around

to help train the horses.

And I heard you wanted to talk
about recent park activity.

Yeah, crime patterns.

Anything new? Unusual?

Like animal trafficking?

It's looking that way.
Disgusting.

Can't say we find a lot of tusks
and furs laying around,

but I would gladly sift
through crime reports

if it helps catch them.

Yeah, great.

Yeah, that's it.
That's it.

Horses are not dogs, man.

You don't miss a thing.

No, I'm saying,
cats and dogs I understand,

but anything bigger
than a person,

I mean, it's just not a pet.

That's right.
They're livestock.

COLE (over radio):
This is Officer Cole.

Hold me out at Bingham Road
and Fern Trail.

Suspicious activity.

One suspect in custody.

That's near your crime scene.

Backup en route.
You drive, I'll point the way.

Cole, copy.

NELSON:
Um, I think they left.

Who the hell are you?

Under arrest, I think.

One minute this officer
busts me for smoking a joint,

the next he handcuffs me
to this bench

and takes off on his horse.

Why?

I'm pretty sure
they were chasing someone,

but I am kind of high.

(gunfire in distance)

Shots fired, shots fired.

Stay here with him.

DAWSON: Backup required
at Fern Trail.

Cole. Cole.

Oh, my God.

Officer down, officer down.

We need immediate medical
assistance at Bingham and Fern.

Whoa, boy.
(neighing)

Whoa, Jody.
Whoa.

DISPATCHER: Dispatching EMT
to Bingham and Fern.

(neighing continues)

Okay, all right, Cole.

I'm gonna apply some pressure.

This may hurt.

Gibbs, grab his bridal.

Hold on, Cole.

Whoa, whoa, Jody, whoa.
Help is coming.

You're gonna be okay.

(neighs softly)

Uh, Dawson.

Yeah?

Call the vet, too.

It's okay.

Easy, now.

I appreciate the update. Okay.

Officer Cole is at Washington
General with two chest wounds.

Doctors have
their hands full.

(sighs)

Any word on the horse?

Yeah, he's being treated
at the stable.

I don't understand how you guys
are so emotional over a horse.

"A," I grew up on a farm and
horses are beautiful animals.

And "B", these tears are
the end of pepper spray.

Boom.
(chuckles)

Wait, you guys let Reeves do it?

Hell no.
(sniffles)

I was merely a witness

to a whole new universe
of foul language.

Oh, yeah.
Quinn has a potty mouth.

REEVES:
No, it was Ellie

who raised the bar
to Olympic heights.

QUINN:
Ah.

Even I blushed.

Well, I know six languages.
It's easy to get creative.

REEVES:
Thank you.

The international desk
keeps getting calls

from the Liberian embassy.

The ambassador wants to
meet with Director Vance.

Uh, what for?

They haven't
given me a reason.

Just keeps
telling me it's urgent.

Huh.

Well, what happened
at the park?

Well, Gibbs is talking
to the only guy

who might be able
to tell us something.

NELSON:
Well, I was kind of high.

Things are a bit blurry.

Yeah, like your
criminal record.

Nelson, you were
arrested six years ago

for airport drug
trafficking.

You did prison time.

I've changed now.

So, what were you doing
near a murder scene?

Murder?

Whoa. Now, I mean, yes, I had
pot, but that's legal in D.C.

And you'll find that bag weighs
exactly 1.9 ounces,

so you can't arrest me.

Unless we can prove
intent to sell.

Even if I was selling--

and that's not an admission--
I'm not getting rich.

When I got out of prison,
I downsized.

Ever hear of minimalism?

I cut my dreadlocks and
got rid of everything I own.

I only buy
what I need to live.

I don't even have
a bank account. You can check.

We did.

Where were you last night?

I was alone all night
in my tiny house.

I park it all over.

My carbon footprint is very low.

Aside from smoking
like a chimney.

That's the only reason
I got busted.

McGEE: You lit up
in a public place.

It's against the law.

Apparently, horses can smell

prime Kush for miles;
they caught me.

And left you.
Oh, yeah.

As he was writing me a ticket,

the horse heard someone
in the bushes.

It stopped and got real quiet.

He. Horse is a he.

Okay. He seemed to recognize
a scent or something

and got fidgety.

So, the officer
cuffed me to the bench

and let the horse
lead the way.

Then you guys showed up
and the gunshots started.

Did you see the person?

All I saw was a shadow.

It happened real fast.

That horse was
like a Scud missile.

A stud missile.

(laughing)

Director Vance,

Liberian Ambassador
Gabriel Moore.

Ambassador Moore,
it's a pleasure.

You are dismissed.

Ambassador,
would you like to sit...

Director Vance, my country was
in the news this morning,

and the only reason I found out
was because I was watching.

Why was my embassy
not first informed?

The news reported the murder
of a decorated Marine.

Who was working
with my government

in Gola National Forest.

Training wildlife rangers, yes,

but he was killed
here in D.C.

Ambassador, forgive me, but
your embassy was not very clear

as to the nature
of this meeting.

You have information
to help our case?

I do not.

Then I'm confused.
About what?

About why you're angry
with NCIS.

The victim was found
with animal skulls, huh?

That was not reported
in the news.

You will keep me informed
before anything is made public.

Well...

I report to
the Secretary of the Navy,

but as a courtesy,

I'll be happy to keep you
in the loop.

I will keep you updated.

It is my duty to make sure
my country and its people

are fairly represented
on the world stage.

What exactly are you expecting?

I won't take up
any more of your time.

Director.

Agent Gibbs.

Dawson. How you holding up?

Cole just got out of surgery,
so it's... touch and go.

But the doctors thought it
went better than expected.

I know him, he's strong.
He'll make it through.

Which is why he's gonna
need those riding boots back

as soon as you finish
processing them.

I also have Jody's tack
out in my truck.

This is a joint
investigation now, right?

Have a seat.

I prefer an outdoor office.

I meant to say
nice work with Jody.

You didn't tell me
you were a horse guy.

Yeah, that makes two of us.

Something about you
standing next to a horse,

that does seem symmetrical.

Jody seemed to think so, too.

That horse doesn't usually
take so easily to strangers.

Was just following orders.

Oh, I have this.

The vet found this
in Jody's mouth.

Hey, Quinn.

What is that?

It looks like bone or ivory.
(phone ringing)

Did the horse eat anything
at the crime scene?

That's why I thought
it would help.

GIBBS:
Abbs, yeah.

I'm on the way down.

Right now.

Dawson, you waiting
for an invitation?

Well, the park is my office.
This is yours.

Joint investigation.

Come on, let's go.

(elevator bell dings)

Marine gunny's car.

It was found parked in a lot
outside Rock Creek Park.

So, he entered on foot.

Dawson, park police.

Abby, science police.

Anything tell you why
he entered the park?

I'm still working on it,
but this parking stub was found

underneath one of
the windshield wiper blades.

It's dated the night
that he died,

but there's no address,

so still trying to track
down where that came from.

That why you called?

Nope.
Then what do you got?

Evidence of a genocide.

Animal or human?

Insect.

The southern pine beetle.

DAWSON:
Tree killer.
Yep.

That's why the Forest Service
sprays infested areas

with a poison
called permethrin.

Guess what else had traces
of permethrin on it.

How?

So glad you asked.

So the only local area
that's recently been dusted

is a remote stretch of land
outside of Alexandria.

That's a national forest.
The bag was there?

Mm-hmm. Two days ago,

when it was sprayed.

The only structure
in the spray zone

is an old ranger shack.

Thanks, Abbs.

DAWSON:
Did you try carrots?

What about his treats?

Well, then I'm out of ideas,
but I'll visit tomorrow.

Thanks.

Sorry. Jody.

Bullet wound?

Just a graze, no tissue damage.

The horse could gallop tomorrow,
but Jody won't eat.

Well, he's used to the same
person, riding him, feeding him,

putting him away.

He knows something's wrong.

So you know your horses.

Got tire tracks.

Looks like a dually.

(camera clicks)

Box truck, maybe.

So you know
your trucks.

I own trucks.

Got them and the horses
in the divorce.

He got everything else.

What else is there?

His 23-year-old
assistant.

You got the better part
of that deal.

Damn right, I don't
have to have dinner

with the horses'
sorority sisters.

That's a new lock.

DAWSON:
About as secure as a screen door

on a submarine.

Whoa. Whatever's inside
might need to stay in there.

(clears throat)

Only one thing
smells like that.

Dead body.

I was hoping for something
different this time.

Mind if I get this over with?

(flies buzzing)

Well, that's different.

It's called bushmeat.

Derived from animals
native to Africa.

Bat, monkey, lion--

whatever the local
population hunts for protein.

In Liberia.

Oh, in many countries
all over Africa.

It's outlawed by
their governments

because it destroys
the ecosystems.

Duck, this case isn't about
rhino horns or elephant tusks.

No, it's about food.

So what's it doing
in the U.S.?

Jethro, illegal bushmeat
is a worldwide,

billion-dollar business.

It's smoked,
smuggled into the country,

and then sold on the street
to expatriate communities.

Taste of home.

Well, never underestimate
the power of nostalgia.

Mere pounds can go for
hundreds of dollars.

It's a health risk.

Well, the greatest fear
is of an unknown

and catastrophic disease.

You see, smoking the meat does
not kill off all the bacteria.

Sounds like nightmare soup.

It's a shame.
I used to like soup.

What do you have?
Uh, maybe a little good news.

That's a welcome change.

I know why our killer stole
our victim's cell phone:

he was taking
pictures of them.

But our dead Marine

had a cloud account
that automatically uploads

any cell phone pictures.

No clear faces,
but they tell a story.

The bushmeat must be
in those bags.

Including the skulls.
Well, they're used

to prove the meat's
origin and worth.

BISHOP:
Either way,

I think these guys were headed
to the park to sell it.

Our Marine followed them.
Mm-hmm.

He hid in the bushes,

but they must have
seen him and attacked.

When Dawson showed up,

the killers ditched
the monkey skulls.

They came back yesterday.

Which is when they shot
Officer Cole and his horse.

But it is looking like our dead
Marine was one of the good guys.

An animal lover to the last.

VANCE: This is what
you wouldn't say,

what you thought this
case was leading to.

My apologies,
Director Vance.

It is both a source
of great pride

and embarrassment.

Have a seat.

We... are a nation
of survivors.

Slavery, civil wars.

We strive for progress,
but many are still poor,

and cattle production
is difficult and costly.

Bushmeat has been a way of life
for generations.

Which is why it can wipe
out animal populations.

It is unsustainable
and a health risk.

My government desperately tries
to teach this to the public.

But food is also
a cultural touchstone.

Used for celebrations,
weddings, christenings.

More reasons it's smuggled
into our country.

Old habits die hard.

Sorry, that's another
turn of phrase.

It's difficult
to change minds.

Even more so to change hearts.

Ah.

Many Liberian citizens

believe the government
to be weak or corrupt.

Sometimes it is true.

But I am here

to offer any assistance
you may require.

Anything, please.

I appreciate that.

And I just might have
something in mind.

Undercover?

Ambassador Moore
has agreed to lead you

through a local street market

where he believes
bushmeat is being sold.

Market vendors can lead
us to the smugglers.

Yeah, and the killers,
I get it.

Why did he ask for me?

Said he liked you.
He liked me?

The man said two things to me:

"Hello," and then
"Get out of the room."

I'm pretty sure he thought
I was the butler.

So did I at first.

Reeves, Jeeves.

So confusing.

That's funny.

I can also think of something
that rhymes with "Nick."

Slick?
Try again.

Quinn, everything okay?

Uh, no, just got off
the phone with the hospital.

It seems that Officer Cole's
internal bleeding didn't stop,

so he died an hour ago.

Looks like we've got
two murders on our hands.

Boss, did you hear about this?

Find the source of that meat.

(elevator bell dings)

(elevator bell dings)

(upbeat African music playing,
food sizzling)

(lively crowd chatter)

(bleating)

WOMAN:
Gentlemen, come, come.

You need spices?

I have spices.

Tsire has a lovely flavor.

Peanuts and spices,
perfect for meat.

MOORE:
That is the problem.

We have no meat.

Perhaps you
can help us?

This is a market.

There is plenty
of meat.

You pick something.

I have spices
to make it delicious.

MOORE:
Uh, no, no, no, no.

I want to cook my friend
a piece of home.

Mm-hmm.
I need bushmeat.

What is the word you said?

Bushmeat, please.

This is America.

I am an American.

I don't know about that.

Now, go.

Go!

(sighs)

No one's willing
to talk to us.

Patience. The
word will spread.

Someone always wants
to make money, huh?

Is it odd this is
making me hungry?

Everyone gets hungry.

Even butlers.

MAN:
Fresh veggies, gentlemen!

Come try some.

No, thanks.

One taste can change your mind.

You did say you were hungry.

Wait, I know you.
MOORE: I...

I don't think so.
Yes, yes, yes,

You are a government man.

Please, keep your
voice down, huh?
Oh, I will.

If the rich government man
donates to the knife show.

Knife show?

You've got a long way
before you turn pro.

I am flawless.
Hardly.

Look at your ear.
Practice makes perfect.

Yeah, clearly you need
lots of it.
Hey, Clayton,

pay the man and let it be, huh?

We do not want trouble.

WOMAN:
Let go of me!

She did not pay
for that! I saw you!

Who do you think
you are?

You cannot come to our market
and just think you can take...

All right, all right,
break it up!

That's enough!

Break it up!
Hey, that's enough!

Or I start spraying!
Get off her!

I've recently seen
how nasty this stuff is.

I really don't want to use it.

Okay? So stop.
Please.

Who the hell are you?
She was stealing from us!

I can explain.

DAWSON: Thanks for
returning Cole's boots.

The familiar scent and visual
can help them understand.

Help them...
grieve and move on.

Worth a shot.

I agree.

Question is: how did you
know to bring the boots?

(chuckles)

I know that you'd
want Cole's badge.

We're finished
with processing.

Thank you.
(softly): Yeah.

Really thought
that he'd pull through.

You two were close.

Yeah, I trained him.

And right now I'm wondering
if I did a good enough job.

This place,
these people,

they're family.

I think you did
everything right.

Jody still won't eat.

Sounds funny, but you know,
they get depressed.

Yeah, I've seen that before.

My daughter, Kelly, she used
to ride down by the beach.

There was this stable
near the water,

owned by an old Korean War vet.

He started calling her
Sergeant Reckless.

After the war horse, why?

One summer, his wife died,

and her horse wouldn't ride,
wouldn't eat.

Kelly noticed that,
and she made it her project.

Horse ignored her.

But she kept going back.

Every day.

Until the horse started eating.

Mm-hmm.

She knew that that horse
just needed a buddy.

Sergeant Reckless,
because like the war horse,

your daughter was a lifesaver.

(chuckles)

So horse sense
runs in the family.

No. Uh, that was all her.

I saw the way that you
were with Jody yesterday.

You're just what he
needs to break his funk.

Funk?
Everybody here has
already tried everything;

this horse is as
stubborn as they come,

and I think he's finally met
his match, Gibbs.

At least, I hope so,
anyways, if you're willing.

A horse that doesn't eat, dies.

I was only trying to help.

Okay, last time
I was here,

NCIS thought
my friend was guilty,

so I wanted to clear his name.

I was there,
asking questions about bushmeat.

No one would answer me,
so I started poking around.

They thought you were stealing.

Because they're hiding
something.

I didn't find anything
to prove that, but I can tell.

Wait a minute.

Who told you the murder
had to do with bushmeat?

Abby.

Okay. What else do we have?

Nothing. We've
hit a dead end.

No leads on the bushmeat
or the smuggling pipeline.

(door opens, closes)

Okay, first thing.

I only talked to Phoebe
because she knew the victim.

I didn't know
she was gonna go commando.
What's the second thing?

Okay, the second thing
should be the first thing.

I used the wildlife
DNA database

to track all the animals
from the meat shack.

They all came from
the Gbarma District of Liberia.

Is that good or bad?

It's a bad thing.

A small village
in Gbarma

just reported an Ebola outbreak.

All the meat

downstairs was clear.

Next shipment won't be.

No. We have to cut off
this pipeline, now.

Okay, CDC, FDA and the FAA
have all been notified.

FAA?
According to
the USDA,

bushmeat gets into the country
via airports.

How many different agencies
are involved with this stuff?

Well, I left out FWS,

who said the meat can be hidden

in shipments of fish
or other legal foods.

But mostly,
it's just smuggled in suitcases.

Well, you won't find that
in the food court.

Point is, a shipment
tainted with Ebola

has its way of
getting here.

We're gonna stop them.

McGEE: Yeah, we're
trying, boss.

We've been through
all the Liberian intel.

Government surveillance
on poachers

and known players
in the animal trade.

McGEE:
A lot of suspects.

BISHOP:
But none in the U.S.

Dead end.

Whoa, wait. Stop. Go back.

Right there.
Who's that?

BISHOP:
Ousmane Best.

He's a big-time poacher,
but he's in prison in Liberia.

Who's that with him?

The dreadlock guy?
Uh, I can't tell.

You know what?
Our Marine has more photos

from that same batch
on his laptop.

Boss, is that...?

ABBY:
Nelson, our park stoner.

He said he quit trafficking
illegal drugs, which was true.

Yeah, well,
he got into bushmeat.

Different product,
same illegal pipeline.

Airport connections.
Guy was broke.

If he's a kingpin,
where's the money?

He was never
a kingpin.

He was an avenue to
get to U.S. soil.

He's getting the meat
from someplace overseas,

so I'm betting that
that's where the money is, too.

It's an offshore account.
Yeah. Still raises
a lot of questions.

TORRES:
And I got answers.

And maracas.
(maracas shaking)

Ah! They had them
at the pawn shop.

TORRES:
Oh, you owe me $10.

Oh, Abby will explain.

Oh, I gave, uh, my maracas
to a friend of mine.

No, uh, explain
the other thing.

Right. So, I finally tracked
down the parking stub

from the Marine's car

to a parking garage

by a pawn shop downtown.

Here.

I checked it out.

Tanner pawned a guitar
the night he died.

Deposit for
a new apartment.

Explains the cash in his wallet.

TORRES: Also explains
how he found Nelson.

Got security footage
from the parking garage.

Can you fast forward
to 9:47 p.m., please?

Yep.

And there's our stoner.

And Gunnery Sergeant Tanner
walked right by him.

Yeah, he bumped into him
in the parking lot.

Purely by chance.

GIBBS:
He recognized him.

ABBY: Probably from the
same photo you did, Gibbs.

Also, Tanner's been studying
those poacher files

for at least three months.

ABBY: He must have followed
Nelson all the way to the park.

Where is he now?
No permanent address.

He does live
in a mobile tiny house.

What about his accomplice?

The guy who shot Officer
Cole and the horse

does not show up
on the video.

But I might have a lead,

and straight from
the horse's mouth.

Someone had to say it.

MCGEE: So how much jewelry
did you have to go through

before you found a match?

A lot. Ivory's still
way too popular.

Uh, the piece from Jody's mouth
was from a spiral taper earring.

Thought horses were vegetarians.

Well, they are,
but this one was smart enough

to take a bite
out of the shooter.

REEVES: Yeah. His bloody ear
wasn't from his knife act.

Oh, he's on
the move. Look.

GIBBS:
Heads up, gang. We got a truck.

(horn honks)

McGee, you three
have the street.

It's a busy place.

Not ideal for a takedown.

Wait on my signal.

Hurry up.

Come on, I called
you two hours ago.

Between the park yesterday
and the market today,

police are too close.

Then forget your stuff so we
can get the hell out of here.

If we can get
out of the country,

my uncle will hide us
in Monrovia.

I don't need your uncle.
Let's go.

GIBBS:
Bishop, Torres, move.

Federal agents!

The police, they're here!

Then you better
get out of the way.

McGEE:
Gun!

NCIS!

(coughing)

It's over!
Put your hands in the air!

(coughing)

Don't shoot!

(handcuffs clicking)

This is exactly how they train
rangers to take down poachers.

NEWSCASTER: Two arrests
have been made in connection

with the smuggling of illegal
bushmeat into the United States.

Meat tainted with
the Ebola virus...

Congratulations, Director.

Two smugglers gave up their
airport contacts pretty fast.

Be assured, my government
is following up in Liberia.

This will not end here.

Ball's in your court now.

That idiom I know.

(laughs)

Press conference is in an hour.

Director.

Please be mindful in your media
portrayal of my government.

It is a powerful tool
that could help build trust.

This press conference
will be seen back home.

Which is why you're giving
the opening statement.

I beg your pardon?

I can't think of anything
more powerful

than your country seeing a proud
and committed public servant.

(laughs)

Thank you.

Now, that's just, um...
that's just beautiful.

Park police said he
was born this morning

and that they named him

after fallen officer Cole.

Mm. Cole the foal.

(chuckles) Just...

Who's crying over a horse now?

Oh, come on.
It's pepper spray, come on.

Nick, that was
three hours ago.

(laughs)

McGEE:
Nick.

Got great news.
What's up, Tim?

Um...

You know what, never mind.

Come on, tell me.
What's up?

Okay, um...
(chuckles)

It's a, it's kind of
a funny story, really.

The, uh, the OCAT training.

I just came from HR.

Turns out they, uh,
they mixed up the dates.

We're not due until next year.

We didn't have to get sprayed?

Oops.

"Oops"?

Okay, Reeves, hand it over.

I'm sorry, Tim,
but I am an independent party.

What? What are you doing?

No. Oh, come on. That's funny.

Very funny, very funny.

Any last words before
we take this outside?

Whoa, whoa, whoa,
come on.

This-this is
not my fault.

(rooster crowing)

DAWSON:
Hey, buddy.

Yeah.

Well, what do you know?

Good to have you back, pal.

What changed, huh?

Gibbs, you've been here
all night?

What did you do?

What?
He's eating.

Tell me what you did.

I could get you
a coffee or an aspirin.

That's a mighty hard floor.

No.

We don't mind.

Do we, Jody?

(chuckles)

He just needed a buddy.

Well, you know, Jody could also
use a ride, if you're up for it.

What do you think?

(laughs)
Okay.

*

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