NCIS (2003–…): Season 15, Episode 22 - Two Steps Back - full transcript

I just got an e-mail saying
that I was randomly selected

to have dinner for two
at The Cooler this weekend.

You know about the volunteer
work I've been doing.

Yeah. Charity for homeless vets.

ABBY:
Aw, is that you?

I was three years old
when she died.So you

volunteer to honor her?

Cheers to you.

For what?

Choosing me to
come with you.

Spare some change?

Oh, yeah, man. Absolutely.

You, too.
Give me your wallet. Now.

ABBY: Maybe
if we could talk,

um, I could help you.

Just take it, yeah?

You want to help me?

Say it. You want to help me?

Yes, I want to help you!You can't!

REEVES: Stop! [gunshot]

VANCE:
Well,

what is your
professional opinion, Jack?

Honestly, I'm stumped.

Gibbs has the best poker
face I've ever seen.

It's like trying
to read a statue.

Mm, that's
his normal state.

Ain't that right, Popeye?

VANCE: There's
no way he can have

five winning hands in a row.

He's got to be bluffing.

I'm not so sure.

He had that same glint in his
eye back when I married Diane

and he no longer
had to pay alimony.

[laughter]

I'm with Tobias on this one.

SLOANE:
All right.

I'll call you, Gibbs.

Let's see 'em!

Oh!

Oh...What did I tell you?!

[all shouting][laughing]

Ridiculous![phone rings]

Why do I get the feeling
we're being bamboozled?

[laughs] Gibbs. Yeah.[chatter continues]

Whoa, McGee.

Slow down.
Tell me what happened.

What do we have?

Single GSW
to the left anterior chest.

BP's dropping fast.
Possible hemothorax.

Open thoracotomy
and chest tube.

[flatlining]She's coding!

Prep for it. Let's
go. Crash cart.

Come on, we're losing her.

♪

I came as soon as I heard.

Come on!

How can this happen?

Huh?

Can anyone explain that to me?

Losing anyone you know
is always difficult.

But all we can do
now is our jobs.

Ducky's right.

We have work to do. Let's go.

Dr. Palmer,

performing an autopsy on
a colleague is not an easy task.

So if you prefer
to sit this one out...

Thank you, Doctor.

This is the only way I can help,

and I'm not going anywhere.

Good.

So let us begin.

Any word on Abby?

Nothing yet.

I don't think I can handle

losing another family member
today.

Nor I, Dr. Palmer.

Nor I.

[quietly]:
Don't worry, Clay.

You're in good hands.

What do we know?

Abby's stable but critical.

The bullet pierced an artery,

but the doctors were able
to stop the bleeding in time.

So she's out of the woods?

Well, it's too
soon to tell.

They said if Abby
doesn't regain consciousness

within the next 48 hours,

the outlook's not so good.

She will. She will, Tim.

MPD find the shooter?

Not yet.

Metro's calling it
a mugging gone wrong,

and the details are limited.

Gibbs isn't gonna like that.

How's he holding up?

[sighs]

He hasn't said a word
since he got here.

I know I let you down, Abbs.

I told you
not to worry.

I said that
I would always keep you safe.

ABBY:
Ari didn't shoot at you

and hit Kate by mistake,
did he?

He's after me now.

I was walking by that window
when he fired.

You're just saying that
to make me feel safe.

I'll keep you safe, Abby.

I promise.

Gibbs?

Hey, boss, where you going?

Keep a promise.

[crunching]

Hi.

Ketchup and prawn?

Reeves knew
they were my favorite.

He, uh...

he special-ordered them
from England.

Kept a stash in his desk for me.

They don't

quite taste the same.

I'm gonna miss him, too.

He was like a brother to me,

and I never got
to tell him that.

Hey, you didn't have to.

Yes.

Yes, I did.

Clay didn't have any family,
Torres.

Us-- we were it.

I mean, he...

he was here, and now he's gone.

Over what, like,
60 bucks in cash?

I mean, does-does that make
any sense to you?

GIBBS:
No.

No, it doesn't.

Any word on Abby?

No, there's no change.

What did MPD say?

The officers on the scene,

uh, they confirmed
that Reeves' wallet

and Abby's purse

were missing,
which supports

the "mugging gone bad" theory.

GIBBS: Witnesses?Uh, several reported hearing
three gunshots,

but no one actually saw
the shooter.

No security cameras in the area.

The only people who know
exactly what happened are...

Reeves, Abby,

and our unidentified mugger.

Right.

Let's get to it.

[door opens]

All right.

Doctor's orders, McGee.

Come on.

You need sustenance.

I'm not hungry.

Well, then at least go outside
and get some fresh air.

Come on, you've been in here
all night.

I'll watch over Abby.

I'm not going anywhere until
I know Abby's gonna be okay.

JIMMY:
That could be days.

Maybe weeks, even.

Then I'll wait.

She is gonna get better, right?

Oh, come on.

This is the indomitable
Abby Sciuto we're talking about.

I don't care what the odds are.

You never
count her out.

Look, I'm scared,
too, but...

she is gonna
pull through this.

Just wish I could help her.

You can.

Just because she's unconscious
doesn't mean she can't hear us.

Isn't that
right, Abby?

Just talk
to her, pal.

Tell her how you feel.

I wouldn't know
where to start.

There you are.

I've been looking
for you all day.

I've been busy.

More like purposely avoiding me.

Reeves was a member
of your team, Gibbs.

You should, uh...
you should talk about it.

Talk?

That gonna help him?

No, but it might help you.

You want to help me, Jack?

Get me some answers.[door opens]

DUCKY:
I have some.

They may not be the answers
for which

you are looking, but
they could prove useful.

Cause of death was
punctured aorta inflicted by

one of two bullets
to the chest.

We also found bruising
on his hands,

consistent with a struggle.

Kid had a hard life.

Deserved better than this.Dr. Palmer

took the slugs in his clothing
out to the lab for analysis.

Analysis by whom?

Ugh! What is this even saying?

I-I can't understand
a single word.

I thought all you brainy types

would understand
that kind of stuff.

[sighs] My background
is in analytics,

not molecular science.

It all sounds
like nerd to me.

This thing. Come on. Work!

[beeps]That's got to be
the blood analysis report

from Reeves' clothes.

Well, this says
there were

two different blood profiles
on Clay's shirt.

Reeves' and Abby's?
No.

One was a match to Clay,
the other's a match to...

former Army Specialist

Kent Marshall,

dishonorably discharged
in 2008.

That's got to be our mugger.

NCIS!

Uh, Gibbs.

I've got an M9 Beretta,

Reeves's wallet, Abby's purse.

Marshall's
definitely our guy.

Bishop.

Huh?

Oof.

Someone got to
Marshall first.

Yeah. Who?

The person who hired him.

It's a dossier on Abby.

This wasn't a random mugging.
This was a hit.

Abby's the target.

BISHOP:
Our dead shooter is

former Army Specialist
Kent Marshall.

Dishonorably discharged in 2010
for disorderly conduct

Ballistics on his Beretta
match the slugs

taken from Reeves and Abby.

It's also a match
to six unsolved shootings

in the tristate area.

All right, if Marshall is a gun
for hire, then who hired him?

BISHOP: Well, Abby's
forensics has convicted

hundreds over the years,
but so far, our top suspect

is this guy,
Terry Spooner.

GIBBS: Spooner embezzled
millions in '06.

He hired a hit man to stop Abby
from testifying at his trial.

He was released six months ago
and has been on probation

at a halfway house
in Silver Springs.

Bring him in.

In one piece, Gibbs.

We'll see.

Well, the hospital's on alert

and I've got
Abby's room secured.

I know.

Thanks, Tony. I will.

Well, why do I need
to say it back to you?

All right, fine.
I love you, too.

I'll keep you posted.

Bye.

That was Tony

checking in.

You know, he didn't even
call me a McNickname,

so I know he's really
worried about you.

We all are, Abby.

Abby, do you understand
how serious this is?

Someone wants you dead.

Now, if you
were awake,

you'd probably act like
you weren't scared,

but you know what?

[voice breaking]:
It scares me, okay?

It really scares me.

So what I need you to do
is to stop sleeping and wake up.

Abby, please wake up.
Wake up.

Never thought
I'd be back at NCIS.

This place hasn't changed much
in 12 years, has it?

Neither have you.

Um...

You're gonna have to
help me out here

because I have no idea
who this is.

It was the hit man you hired
to kill Abby Sciuto.

BISHOP: You remember
her, right?

Her testimony got you
convicted in 2006.

TORRES: Yeah, the first one
you hired to kill her

couldn't get
the job done,

so you decided
to give it another go.

BISHOP:
Except he failed, too.

So you're oh-for-two, Spooner.

Well, wait a minute.

I admit I've done
some questionable things,

but that's all in the past.

Really?

I spent the last decade
reflecting on all my mistakes.

I have no interest
in repeating them.

Right. So you're making
all new ones,

like killing MI6 Officer
Clayton Reeves.

I have no idea who this is

or what you're talking about.

I have six months left
on my probation.

I wouldn't risk that
for anything.

All I want is to be a free man
and to start over.

As you can see,

my life is
an open book.

Look into me
all you want.

I've got nothing
to hide.

As much as I'd love to say
that we caught the guy

responsible for
Reeves's death...

It's not Spooner.

I-I can't say
he's reformed,

but Spooner's defining
trait is his greed.

What he wants more than anything
right now is his freedom,

not revenge.

Gibbs, this attempt on Abby
wasn't just business.

Whoever is behind this
is someone who is calculating,

connected, and is holding
a serious grudge.

You know anyone
like that?

Yeah, I do.

[sighs]

We meet again, Gibbs.

To what do I owe this...
pleasure?

Sit down, Alejandro.

See, that's the difference
between you and me.

I was always raised

to be polite to guests.

My father taught me
that as a child,

before he was murdered
by a coward.

Just like Paloma.

Do not mention
my sister's name again.

Gladly.

You did not come all
this way to provoke me.

You want something.

Judging by your expression,
it must be rather serious.

What? Did someone die?

Hmm?

[laughs]

[clears throat]

[whispering]:
Was it you?

And if it was?

Reeves is dead.

Your hit man is dead.

And if Abby does not
pull through,

you will be next.

[winces]

Abby?

You know me better than that.
If I was gonna order

a hit on anyone,
it'd be you, not Abby.

You threatened her before.

Oh, again, you misunderstand me.

I did not threaten her
back then.

I was trying to warn her.

Warn her about what?

You.

There's a...

cloud of death
that follows you, Gibbs.

Only, it's the ones closest to
you who end up paying the price.

Tell me,

how many have made the mistake

of trusting you
with their lives?

McGEE:
I got one terrorist inside.

I don't know if I got him,
but he stopped shooting.

Shooter!

[grunts]

[winces]

Protection detail's
over, Kate.

You did good.

For once, DiNozzo's right.

[laughs]

Wow, I thought I'd die before
I ever heard a compl...[gunshot]

NEWSCASTER:
Previously belonged to

former Mossad director,
Eli David.

Isn't that...Where Ziva's
supposed to be staying.

TONY:
Do we know she's dead?

'Cause if we know she's dead,
we're gonna get him.

Yeah, she's dead,
and we will get Kort.

Us, not you.

Oh, yes, me.

We've lost agents before,
haven't we? And when we do,

it's all hands on deck!

Oh, Mike.

[thunder crashes]

REEVES:
Stop!

McGEE:
Abby?

Abby, can you hear me?
It's Tim. Can you hear me?

Listen, you're in
the hospital, okay?

But don't worry,
you're gonna be fine.

[weakly]:
Reeves...

Is Reeves okay?

SLOANE:
[sighs] Never seen Torres

so peaceful.

Yeah, I don't know what to do
first, wake him or fire him.

Poor guy,
no one on Gibbs' team

has taken a break
since the shooting.

Okay, give me an update.Update, on it.

Since Abby still can't remember
anything from the shooting,

Bishop and I are looking
at every single one

of the cases she's worked on,

but no one matches
Sloane's profile so far.

That's all you got?

It's a long list, Gibbs.
We're talking 16 years worth.

Do better.

Uh, a little rest might help.

Your team could use a break,
Gibbs, they're running on fumes.

Looks fine to me.

I moisturize.

Gibbs, found something.

I was digging more

into our shooter Kent Marshall,
and discovered

he was deployed
to a security post

in Afghanistan in 2008,

the same time

as Tom Reese, aka
Marine Sergeant Robert King.

Who the hell's he?

Black ops soldier
that tricked Ms. Sciuto

into developing a bioweapon.

She tracked King down
before he could sell it.

Well, he fits our profile.Where's King now?

Serving a life sentence
at Danville Correctional

since 2009.

Bishop, you are with me.

Torres, you're on protection
detail, get over to Abby's,

relieve McGee.

Hey, I've never been there.

What's it like?

Uh, there are no words.

ABBY:
How's it looking?

One second, almost got it.

All right.

There we go.

What do you think?

Not bad.

I guess the tenth time
is the charm.

Getting pigtails
to be symmetrical

is harder than it looks.

You make it look easy.

Well, not anymore.

What's wrong?

I just hate
feeling helpless, McGee.

How are we supposed
to solve this case

when I can't even fix
my own hair?

Look, you just need
to give yourself more time.

You know who doesn't have time?

Reeves.

I was the target, McGee.

Me.

I'm the one

that should be dead, not him.

Abby...[knocking on door]

You expecting someone?

Just a delivery,

of a customized
studded arm sling.

TORRES: Hey,
McGee? Torres.

Hey.
Hey.

TORRES: Gibbs wants you
back at headquarters.

All right,
just stay alert.

Okay? Sergeant King
has a rolodex

full of black ops
killers at his disposal.

No such thing as
being too careful.

You don't have to remind me
how ruthless King is.

You're under arrest
for the murder

of Nurse Hannah Dunstan.

That is correct, and many,
many more bad things.

Little tip: next time
you're playing chess

with a forensic
specialist...

Wear gloves.

Why?

Kept you from asking
too many questions.

[exhales]

Why can I remember
everything about King,

and nothing about the shooting?

I mean, there could be
a vital clue hidden in there.

And I don't know it.

I have to remember.

I have to.

King's been a problem inmate
since he arrived.

Always causing
some sort of trouble.

Just last week, he started
a brawl in the yard.

Is that why
he's in solitary confinement?

Yes, ma'am.

Going on a week now, which
is why I doubt he's your man.

Yeah, why is that?

We monitor all inmate
communication with the outside.

Since King's
been in the SHU,

he hasn't been in
contact with anyone.

I'd rather ask him myself.

[chuckles]
Have at it.

Open 12.

[lock buzzes]

King, front and center.

Now.

Don't make me ask you again.

Uh, Gibbs?

That's not Sergeant King.

GIBBS:
Brendan Denridge.

You're a night-shift guard
in the solitary wing.

Until you swapped places
with King to help him escape.

And you thought
that was a good plan?

I had no choice.

He threatened my family.

Said if I didn't go
along with it, he'd kill them.

You're the guard,
King was the inmate.

I mean, you're the one
with all the power.

Are you kidding?

His black op connections are
legendary inside that prison.

He had photos of
my grandkids at school.

What would you have done?

That fight that King started
in the yard.

That was a setup.

He wanted to get
sent to the SHU.

Yeah.

Okay, why now?

All King talked about

was leaving the country once
he had a few loose ends tied up.

That's a coffin.

Like-like, that's, like,
a real coffin.

I thought McGee
was messing with me, man.

Wow.

Hey, this place is awesome.

How come you never
invited me over?

[grunts]

You got to give me the number
of whoever designed this closet.

It is legit.

Later, Torres, I'm trying

to go back through
everything that happened

leading up to the shooting, and
see if it will jog my memory.

Nothing yet?

No, but, uh,
come here, check this out.

Remember that e-mail

that I got, saying I had been
randomly selected for the dinner

at The Cooler?
Yeah.

Well, it didn't come
from the restaurant.

Someone hacked into their
online booking system,

created a reservation
and sent it to me.

It was a setup,
to try to get me there.

You think it was King?

I'm not sure.

But I do have
the hacker's I.P. address.

So if he uses public Wi-Fi
anywhere in the city,

I'm gonna find him.

He messed with
the wrong forensic scientist.

Yep. Never want to
get on your bad side.

I got him.

Where?
Arlington Heights.

Um, call Gibbs, and tell him
I'm gonna send him an address.

The place looks like it hasn't
been opened in years, boss.

BISHOP:
Nothing in the back, either.

Abby must've gotten
the address wrong.

When has that
ever happened?

She sent us to the wrong
location on purpose.

Why would she do that?

Boss, you don't think that...

Hey, Tom.

Or Robert.

Or whatever you're calling
yourself these days.

Surprised to see me?

No backup?

Nope.

Not this time.

I came alone.

I'm impressed.

Impressed that I'm still alive?

Or impressed that I tracked
you down a second time?

That you have the guts
to face me yourself.

Don't think for a second
you intimidate me.

Well, if you're not gonna
arrest me, uh, why are you here?

Rule 45.

What does that mean?

You'll find out soon enough.

Well, in that case, have a seat.

Nothing. I mean,
Torres and Abby are gone.

You really think Abby
went to confront King?

"Rule 45."

"Clean up your mess."

There's no way Torres
would've gone along with this.

I mean, something
must've happened.

Call him. McGee?

Get over here,
find out where she went.

[phone ringing nearby]

Do you hear that?

That's Torres's cell phone.

What?

What is this doing here?TORRES [muffled]: Hello?

[pounding on coffin]Is anybody out there?

Torres?

Get me out of here.Yep.

[grunts]

It's locked.

Get me out of here.

[Bishop grunts][shudders]

You okay?Am I okay?

What is wrong with you, Bishop?

[panting]

You know what goes
through a person's head

when they're locked
into a coffin?!

W-Wait, Abby did this?

She played me, Gibbs.

She played me, man.

She bet me that
I couldn't get in there,

'cause I was too afraid.

I get in and then
she locks me inside.

I don't like this new Abby.

Did she tell you
where she was going?

Yeah, she's confronting King.

[taps keys]

She said she didn't want anybody
else to die because of her.

Boss, I think I found her.

She tracked King

to a café in Georgetown.

If you've got something
to say, now's the time.

After all the horrible things
you've done,

how can you live with yourself?

Well, what you call "horrible,"
I call "necessary."

You can't justify murder.

My friend is dead
because of you.

Your hands aren't clean,
either, sunshine.

You know, hundreds of soldiers
are dead because of you.

What are you talking about?

Every troop that died overseas
while I was locked up?

My work could've
prevented it all.

No, their blood's on your hands.

You think
you're some kind of savior?

You're a bioweapons terrorist.

I'm the kind of patriot
this country needs.

Someone who's not afraid
to get his hands dirty

to get the job done.

"The job."

Okay, that's why
you're out now.

What kind of weapon
are you developing now?

I wouldn't
concern yourself

with the details.

Don't make the same mistake
as your friend.

Know when you're beaten.

Move, and she dies.All right, man, look,
just take it easy.

You're not here for money.

Who sent you?

Stop!

[gunshots]

[siren wailing in distance]

Clay.

Clay?

Reeves saved me.

Casualty of war.

He hadn't interfered,
he might still be alive.

I've spent my whole life
putting bad guys behind bars.

And every time we stop one,

someone else
just takes their place.

You can't change human nature.

Well, I have a
flight to catch.

Looks like our rematch
will have to wait.

Oh, we're not finished here.

It's a stalemate.

You haven't got a move to make.

I made my move
before I sat down.

Slipped some cyanide
into your coffee

before the waitress
gave it to you.

Enough to kill you.

I mean, not immediately.

But within the hour.

"A" for effort, sunshine.

Now, you're not capable
of killing anyone.

Kate. Jenny.

Dorneget. Ziva. Reeves.

I am tired
of my hero friends dying

while villains
like you get to live.

Everyone has their breaking
point, and this was mine.

[groans softly]

Airway constriction.

It's one of the first symptoms.

[clearing throat]Shortness of breath,

dizziness,
chest pains.

You'll be in full cardiac arrest
in, like, ten minutes.

[coughing]

I mean,

unless you happen
to have some hydrocobalamin

on you.

Like this.

Confess and you get to live.

[coughs]

You're insane.

Sometimes you have to get your
hands dirty to get the job done.

[coughs] Fine.

I hired Marshall
to take you out,

but just you.

Your friend wasn't part
of the plan.

Satisfied?

You may not
deserve to live,

but I will never stoop
to your level.

I'll be seeing you.

Checkmate.

Hey, you going somewhere?

Should've learned your lesson
the first time.

Don't mess with Abby.

[laughing]:
You really think this is over?

Go on. Lock me up.
I'll find a way to escape.

Oh, that was good.

I got him, Clay.

Sorry it took so long.

I'll never forget
what you did for me.

Oh.

We got your wallet back.

[sniffles]

I know how much this picture
meant to you.

I just thought...
you'd want it close by.

[sniffles]

I remember what you said about
wanting to honor your mother...

...and I'm gonna
make that happen.

I promise.

I'm not gonna let you down,
Clay.

So, Abby didn't slip cyanide
into King's drink?

Nope. She laced his coffee
with crushed up Caf-Pow! pills.

And the surge of caffeine
jolted his heart rate

to mimic some of the symptoms.

The rest was brought up purely
by the power of suggestion.

It's genius.

It's Abby.

Well, does anyone know

what this big announcement
of hers is?

I don't know.
Maybe it's apologizing

for locking me in a coffin!

[both laugh]

Not exactly.

But... I am sorry
about that, Nick.

JIMMY:
All right, so...

what is the big announcement?

Well...
Reeves wanted to be buried

next to his mother in London,

so... I'm gonna escort
his body there tomorrow

and make the arrangements.

I know he would like that, Abbs.

And when are you coming back?

Um, I'm not coming back.

Wh... you mean not till
after the funeral, right?

I-I mean...

I'm leaving NCIS.

Leaving?

Clay died saving my life
and I owe him a debt,

and I intend to
see it through.

What do you mean by that?

Clay always wanted to start
a charity in honor of his mom.

And since he's not here
to make that happen,

um... I will.

I know you may
not understand,

but it's something
that I have to do.

And not just for him,
but for me.

BISHOP:
Well...

if that's what you want,
Abbs, we...

we will support you 100%.

Well said.

Dr. Palmer,
isn't that so?

Uh, yes, of course.

Um, Abby, of course
we support you.

It's just... I'm sorry.

The-the thought of you
not being here...

just can't imagine it.

It wasn't an easy decision.

I mean, you guys are my family
and this is my home.

But you have to
go with your gut

and my gut is telling me
that I have to go.

McGee?

[exhales]

I have never been so proud
to call you my friend

than I am now.

I just don't think I can
say good-bye to you.

It's-it's not
good-bye for good.

It's just good-bye for now.

I'm gonna miss you.

I'll miss you more.

[sniffles]

Ducky.

[doorbell rings]

ABBY:
"Hey, Gibbs.

"You're probably wondering

"what's with
the retro communication.

"Truth is, I chickened out.

"I was afraid that if you asked me to stay, I might waiver

"because there's nothing
I wouldn't do for you.

"When I think back

"on when things in my life
got difficult,

"you were always there to tell
me that it would be okay.

"And it would be because
you would make it okay.

"But Gibbs, Reeves is gone

"and it's not something
anyone can fix,

"not even you.

"I hope you know
what you mean to me, Gibbs.

"Every moment, every lesson,
every hug.

"I'm thankful for it all.

"No matter what we faced
over the years,

there was only ever one thing
I needed to hear from you."

Tell me that I made a mistake.

No, I can't say that.

Then...

tell me how much I've been
like a daughter to you

and how much you love me.

Will that help?

No.

What I really need
to know, Gibbs...

is if you're
gonna love me...

no matter what.

♪

♪ Be still and know

♪ That I'm with you

♪ Be still and know

♪ That I am here

♪ Be still and know

♪ That I'm with you

♪ Be still, be still

♪ And know

♪ When darkness comes upon you

♪ And colors you
with fear and shame ♪

♪ Be still and know

♪ That I'm with you

♪ And I will say your name

♪ If terror falls
upon your bed ♪

♪ And sleep no longer comes

♪ Remember all the words
I said ♪

♪ Be still, be still

♪ And know

♪ If you forget the way to go

♪ And lose where you came from

♪ If no one is standing
beside you ♪

♪ Be still and know I am

♪ Be still and know I am.

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