NCIS (2003–…): Season 19, Episode 14 - First Steps - full transcript

Are you sure
you're not in the mood

for something
a little more up-tempo?

Dr. Novak, did you know

that classical music
increases life expectancy?

Could I have the
muscle retractor, please?

You find me a study

that proves Taylor Swift
does the same,

and I'll happily retire Bach.

I warned you.

Never get Dr. Masuda
started on his music.

All I said was,
let's change it up.

'Cause Bach's gonna knock me out

faster than the cocktail
I gave our patient here.

Damn it.

I nicked a vessel.

Give me some irrigation.

Pressure's dropping.

Whole field's obscured. Suction.

Give him two units
of blood.

Clamp.

I've got it.

There.

Try doing that
with Taylor Swift on.

Dr. Masuda!

He's having a seizure!

Get me four
milligrams lorazepam.

Turn him over!
He's not breathing.

No pulse.

Tom, can you hear me?

Tom! Tom!

♪

Director.

Thank you for waiting,
Agent Torres.

Absolutely. Not a problem, sir.

What is this?

It's your new assignment.
Ooh.

Must be important if you're
calling me in solo.

Am I going undercover?

Kayla just returned from FLETC.

She's beginning
her field training,

and I want you to be her FTA.

Oh, so babysitting
your daughter?

My daughter just graduated
Basic Agent Training

with flying colors, but still,

I would like someone
to keep an eye on her.

Of course.

But why me?

I've already selected
her first assignment.

A reservist Navy surgeon

suffered a heart attack
mid-operation.

Mm, a heart attack, of course.

Sir, uh, we don't
investigate those.

Today you do.
Should be simple enough.

Yeah, simple. Right.

My daughter,

she's smart,

she's resourceful, and she
wants to prove herself here.

Well, sounds like she's
gonna make a great agent, sir.

Yeah, but she can
also be impulsive.

You and I are both
well aware of the dangers

that NCIS agents
face here daily.

And you don't want her, uh,
anywhere near that danger.

No father would,
which is why, Agent Torres,

I'm trusting you
with my daughter.

I bet you haven't
heard that before.

I can't believe Barnsway
still teaches at FLETC.

The man used to drink a full
carton of milk every class.

Still does. The man put me off
dairy for at least six months.

Do you have an active case?

If not, I can check in
with the tip line.

Oh, look at her, just chomping
at the bit to get started.

You got that
first-day glow.

I miss that.
I don't.

Being a first-year's
all about being saddled

with extra paperwork,

lot of practical jokes.

I'm telling you,
being a probie is-is rough.

Actually, I want all of that.
Well,

don't expect
anything too exciting

on your first assignment.

Yeah, you'll
probably get

what we call
a "toolbox" case.

It's basic, simple.
Boring.

Kleicha, anyone?
National cookie of Iraq.

Dig in, Kayla.

So, uh, what're we
talking about?

Our first times.

Please tell me yours
was actually interesting.

Our first times
in the field.

Did I not say that?
Ah.

Okay, I got two words
for you: "Killer zebras."

You say zebras?

I got to hear this.

No time. We got our case.

Let's go, Kayla.

So, he just
collapsed suddenly?

He just started
convulsing.

We did what we could,
but...

Any signs that he wasn't
feeling well beforehand?

He was fine,

making jokes.

Then you had a complication

with the patient?
Yes.

A bleeder.

We thought we were
going to lose him, but...

...Dr. Masuda
saved his life.

I was in the next OR

when I heard
the shouts.

By the time I came in,
they were already

performing CPR.

Masuda seems a little on the
young side for a heart attack.

It's rare, but it happens.

Your staff seems
pretty shook up.

Dr. Masuda is...

was one of our
best surgeons.

We deal with death every day,

but it's always a shock
when you lose one of your own.

Dr. Roth, we're ready for you.

Patient's ready.

I apologize, but I've got

an emergency CES surgery
to attend.

I have to go now.

My dad asked you to keep
an eye on me, didn't he?

I saw you coming down
from his office earlier.

You got a pretty
good eye, probie.

I don't want any special
treatment because of my father.

Well, he's
the boss, so...Agent Torres.

Sorry, but you're not getting as
much as a paper cut on my watch.

Look, you want to be
a good agent?

Do you?
Mm-hmm.

Then pay attention.

We're gonna teach you
to be better than good.

Tell me.

What do you see?

Highly contaminated crime scene.

Hard to tell what's relevant
to the victim's death,

so we collect
everything.

Kasie's gonna love hearing that.

Eyewitness accounts
match up.

They were two hours into the
surgery when Masuda went down.

What do you got in here, Kayla?

Body was disturbed.

They tried CPR
to resuscitate the victim.

Broke his ribs in the process,

likely causing the red marks
on his chest.

A-plus, Agent Vance.

Every body
tells a story,

and you just read
its final chapter.

As for the rest of the book,
we now know that time of death

was 9:47,
roughly two hours ago,

so rigor mortis should be
minimal at this point,

but look at this. Masuda's
muscles are completely rigid.

That is definitely not
consistent with a heart attack.

So, what killed him?

Well, we got
frothing the mouth,

cyanotic lips.

I'll have to run blood work
to identify the toxin,

but I would say

Dr. Masuda
was poisoned.

Murder? Great!

I mean, it's no
boring toolbox case.

Neurosurgeon Tom Masuda,

38, Navy Reserve commander,
Medical Corps.

No living family.

Multiple deployments
to Iraq.

He was awarded the
Meritorious Service Medal

for saving
American lives abroad.

Then, two years ago,
Masuda

settled down
at Shoreside Memorial.

He was the golden boy.

Staff, patients,

everyone loved him.
Not everyone.

Who wanted him dead?

No one is that perfect.

Masuda must have
an enemy.

Maybe... an ex-girlfriend
or an old patient?

I'd start the
interrogations there.

Oh, patience,
young Padawan.

We just began the investigation.
We don't go

busting down doors quite yet.

First, we
collect evidence.

And then we go busting doors.

Dug up some
deleted voice mails

from Masuda's phone.
Listen to this.

Doc, you got 24 hours.
Don't make me

come after you.

I'm done playing nice, Doc.
This is the last

time I warn you.

That's it, when I find you,
you're gonna wish you were dead.

Sounds angry all right,
zebra-angry.

That's the guy
who left the messages?

Yup. Pulled the
phone records.

Meet Smitty Hastings.

He goes by "The Barracuda."
He's a seedy fellow.

Been accused of fraud,
stalking, extortion,

but nobody ever got
a conviction.

We know where to find him?
He owns a bar downtown.

Now we go busting doors.

Hey, uh, Parker.
The zebra thing, you got to

tell me about that.Oh.

My first year, we were based
in California...

San Simeon has those
wild zebras.

Yeah. Yeah, so these zebras
wind up storming

a winery like
a couple of bandits,

and before we--

Oh, hang on.

Parker.

Yeah, yeah.
No, no, go ahead.

No, no, I got a minute.
Uh-huh.

Okay.

Kayla, you're staying
in the car.

What? But I...

Look, we don't know
what we're gonna find inside.

I'll be careful.

I know how to question
a suspect.

Barnsway doesn't pass anyone who
doesn't. Right, Agent Knight?

Well, the real world
isn't quite the same

as a FLETC classroom.

That's why I'm on
a field assignment.

You promised you'd teach me.

How am I gonna learn anything
waiting in the car?

You're staying in the car.

Taking care of
Jimmy's daughter,

now watching over
the director's...

Yeah, it's like "bring your
daughter to Torres" season.

Never would've
pegged you for it.

What?
Fatherhood.

Suits you.

You're protective,
you care.

Cut it out.
No, it's a compliment.

No. A compliment is like,
"Hey, Torres,

you look so good
in that leather jacket."

Not, "Torres, you look
like somebody's father."

Hmm. I see you having
five daughters.

What?

Smitty Hastings?

I'd bet on that horse.

Smitty Hastings.

NCIS Special Agents
Knight, Torres.

We want to talk to you
about Tom Masuda.

Yeah, what about him?
He's dead.

Excuse me. Pardon me.

It takes three of you
to tell me that?

Got quiet out there.

Hmm.
Thought something was up.

You might need backup.

Let me spell it out for you.

You threatened to kill Masuda,
and now, well, you know,

he's dead.

I've got nothing
to do with that.

Tell us about the voice mails.

Courtesy calls.
Doc owed me money.

How much does
a neurosurgeon make?

I'd say about six figures.
Yeah.

Well, the good doctor

also loved his ponies.

Masuda liked to gamble?

Masuda liked
to gamble?

Liked?

That man was addicted.

Look,

I am just the idiot
who loaned him some cash

when he ran dry,

and I should be
the last person you suspect.

How's that?

'Cause if I killed him,

I wouldn't get my money back,
would I, Einstein?

Well, maybe you were making
an example of him.

You know, like a barracuda.

Look... when did
you say he died?

This morning.

I've been out of town all week.

I just got back an hour ago.
You have an alibi?

It was my great-aunt's
funeral in Dorset,

so yeah, I've got
at least 40 witnesses.

Look, you speak to that
tart Doc was seeing?

I don't know
her name,

but the doc says she was into

"extreme sports."

I told him to shake that tail.

Why?The woman was crazy obsessed.

Wouldn't let him break it off.

I knew she was bad news.
Looks like I was right.

Don't let it go
to your head.

What were you thinking,

walking into that bar?

You disobeyed a direct order.

An order no other probie
would've received.

Doesn't matter
what the order is, Kayla.

There's a chain of command.
Your job is to follow it.

I understand,

but how am I supposed to get
any field experience

sitting in a car?
The point is,

you endangered
not only yourself,

but your fellow agents
with your recklessness.

Recklessness?

Agent Torres can tell you
it wasn't...

I'm reassigning you to the lab.

What?
Forensics is a very

important part
to every agent's training.

But we just got a new lead.

Our victim was dating
some crazy stalker.

We're close to ID'ing her.

I don't want
to leave the case now.

I'm sure the others can manage
without you, Kayla.

Ms. Hines needs
your assistance

with the evidence
that you collected.

So... you're grounding me.

I'm gonna let that go.

You're pulling me out
of the field.

What else would you call it?
I can see

that you're passionate
about this case...
This isn't about the case!

Why did you even
let me go to FLETC?

You never wanted me
to be an agent.

That's not true.

You tried to talk me out of it,

and you didn't tell anyone
when I got in.

Because you're my dad,
I had to work twice as hard

as everyone else to prove
I even deserved that spot.

All I want to do
is show that I can do this.

You'll get your chance, Kayla.

Will I, Dad?

Or is it Director?

Report to Ms. Hines.

That's an order,

Agent Vance.

Whoa.

Did I just step back
into the '90s?

Yeah, I overheard you guys
talking about your first cases,

so I broke out this bad boy.

Got a little nostalgic?

My very first Dictaphone.

I used him to record all
my cases, including my first.

♪ Never gonna give you up

♪ Never gonna let you down

♪ Never gonna run around

♪ Desert you, whoo!

That wasn't-- Uh...
I-I don't remember,

uh, recording that, so, uh...

Can we keep this between us?

My lips are sealed.
Thank you.

You got the tox screen results?

Yes, yes, um,

Masuda had, uh,
massive levels

of batrachotoxin
in his system.

It's an organic poison

that's found in the coating
of the skin

of the golden
dart frog,

which is native to Colombia.

I'll cross that off
my travel list.
Mm-hmm.

How did the poison end up
in Masuda's body?

He certainly didn't ingest it,

and I combed every
square inch of his body.

I did not find
an injection site,

so, unfortunately,

that is still a mystery.
Not anymore.

My new partner
in crime-solving and I

have been going through
the hundreds

of pieces
of evidence.

As usual, the smallest
had the most to offer.

Must've fallen off Masuda when
the staff tried to save him.

The killer applied
a transdermal patch

called "DMSO"
or dimethyl sulfoxide.

Doctors use it to ferry drugs
into a patient's bloodstream.

Like a nicotine patch?
But much smaller.

And DMSO can
permeate through

surgical gloves and be
completely absorbed

into the skin.
Clever.

Doesn't leave a trace.
Good work, Kayla.

All right,
so we're looking for

somebody with
a medical background.

Masuda might've had an enemy
at the hospital after all.

Considering the amount
of poison in Masuda's body

and the speed at which
it was absorbed...

You could determine
when the killer

administered the DMSO patch.

Had to be within
two hours of his death.

Masuda was in surgery by then,

so whoever killed him
wasn't just at the hospital...

They were in the operating room.

Anyone besides these four

enter the OR
before or during surgery?

Not according
to hospital records.

So, one of them
is the killer.

Two nurses,

an anesthesiologist,
and a resident.

Any criminal history?
Anesthesiologist.

Shoplifted when
she was a minor,

but nothing since then,
and the rest are clean.

But they all
had opportunity.

They work
in close proximity.

Maybe in the heat of surgery,

not too big a stretch
to stick

a patch on Masuda
while he's distracted.

I got something.

Surgical resident
Sierra Krueger.

She looks like an ad
for an energy drink.

Smitty said that Masuda
was dating

a woman who was into
extreme sports.

I mean, could she
be our killer?

Skydiving,
mountain climbing, skiing.

Looks extreme enough to me.
What about motive?

Masuda wanted to end things,
so maybe she wouldn't let him.

Could be a case
of fatal attraction.

Let's bring in the resident.

What did I miss?

I'm gonna go grab,
uh, some snacks.

Oh, can I get a bag
of pretzels?
M&M's.

Peanuts.

How are things
in the lab?

Great. I was dropping off
some lab reports from Kasie.

She's gonna give me
a crash course on ballistics.

Learning so much.

I know how hard it is
being a legacy hire.

You do?
My dad works out of
the Far East office.

He wasn't too thrilled
when I got my badge.

He didn't want you
to be an agent?

Oh, still doesn't.

Every Christmas
we get together,

he tries talking me
into teaching.

Dads can't help themselves.

It's in their DNA
to protect their kids.

So, just give it time.

Director Vance is gonna see
that you can protect yourself.

I can't wait that long.

In the words
of our resident dad,

"Patience, young Padawan."

Yes,

Dr. Masuda and I
were seeing each other.

You neglected to, uh,
tell us that

when we first questioned you.

Because everyone I work with
would've heard

that I slept with the boss.

Besides, we ended it weeks ago.

We?

Okay, he did.

And I admit, I was upset.

Upset enough
to want to kill him?

No.

I loved him.

He just didn't understand
that we were better together.

If we were together,

that surgery yesterday
never would've happened.

Go on.
The patient,

Ethan Geller, he has stage four
terminal spinal cancer.

Best case,
six months to live.

With the operation,
maybe one month more.

But this surgery came with
a huge risk of paralysis,

and the patient didn't think
it was worth the risk.

And what made Geller
change his mind?

I don't know.

Something was off.

And when I recommended he have

a pre-op psych eval,
he freaked out.

He was worried that the surgery
would be delayed.

Said it had to happen on Monday.

He was very specific
about the day, which is...

Weird.
Yes.

But Dr. Masuda

overruled my psych eval request.

Was Geller placed
under anesthesia

before Dr. Masuda
came into the OR?

No. Dr. Masuda

liked to reassure his patients
before they went under.

That makes him a suspect.

First time I heard
bedside manner

getting someone killed.

You're heading out, sir?

Yeah, I have a meeting
with SECNAV.

Did you need something,
Agent Torres?

Well, you know,
I'm heading down to the lab,

the faraway place where you
sent Kayla to, uh, exile.

I understand why you pulled
Kayla from the field.

The case got a little more
complicated than you expected.

No, that's not why.

She disobeyed your order
to stay in the car.

Yeah, but you can't
fault her for that

because, sir, to be frank,
I...

I would've done the same thing.

If...

I knew the order
didn't make sense.

But NCIS agents
have to deal with danger.

That's the job.

Point taken.

All right.

You're the field training agent.

Tell me,

is Kayla ready for that?

If we keep handling her
with kid gloves,

she's never gonna be ready.

The real question here is,

do you want her to be?

Well, I thought
you'd all like to know

that we looked into
Masuda's patient, Ethan Geller.

We found he had $100,000
deposited into his bank account.

Let me guess,

the day after Masuda was killed.

You think Geller was hired
to put the poison patch

on the doctor?

Well, makes sense
why he would suddenly

change his mind
about the surgery.

He needed to get close
to the doctor.

Like, really close.

Were you able
to trace the funds?
No,

but Geller is in recovery.

He just woke up.

Let's go.

Come on, probie.

The director wants you
back in the field.

Ethan Geller's room is at
the end of the hall, 314.

314.
I don't get it.

Why would a dying patient
agree to kill his doctor?

He wouldn't live long enough
to enjoy the money.

Code Blue. 314.

Code Blue. 314.
Isn't that...

It's Geller.
Code Blue. 314.

Stop! NCIS!

Federal agents!

Stairs!

Kayla!

Over here.

Stay close.

Kayla.
Kayla!

Let her go!
Drop it!

You drop it!
Drop it now!

Stay back!
Drop the gun.

Okay, okay, okay.

Look, I'm doing it
your way.

It's all good.
I'm dropping the gun.

Him, too.
Not a chance.

Forget about him. Listen.
I know you feel trapped,

but you can still
walk out of here.

You just need to let her go.

Let her go!
No!

Go!

They're setting up roadblocks

over a five-mile radius.

The van didn't have
a license plate,

but Kasie got a make
and model off the tire tracks.

We've got a BOLO out.
No hits yet.

McGee's coordinating
with highway patrol.

Agent Torres,

tell me you found a lead
on our suspect.

We found the kidnapper's badge
in the parking lot.

Only prints were, uh, Kayla's.

She must have pulled that off
of him when, uh...

...when he grabbed her.
Clever girl.

We're running facial rec
on the photo now, sir.

What about the hospital?

Talked to the medical staff,
and nobody recognizes the guy.

Do we know
what he was doing there?

We assume visiting

Masuda's patient,
who's now dead.

He must've come back
to tie up loose ends.

And took Kayla
to escape the hospital.

So what are they doing
with her now?

This is obviously tied up
in Masuda's murder.

We, uh... we go over every piece
of the investigation.

We find out who wanted him dead,

we find out who has Kayla.

Just find her.

Sir.

Don't bother.

You're not getting
out of those.

So, um, let's
have a chat.

I ask questions.

You answer.

I don't like
your answers,

you die.

Deal?

Pedro, don't.

Shh! Don't what?!

Isaac? You don't
want me to hurt her?

He doesn't want me
to hurt you.

So let me ask again.

Do we have a deal?

Good.

Let's start simple.

What is your name?

Maddie. Maddie Adams.

That wasn't so hard, was it?

Now, what does
NCIS know

about me?
I don't know.

I swear. I'm new.

I finished my training
last week.

They don't tell me anything.

Okay.

Okay.

Well, that makes you
kind of useless,

doesn't it?

Pedro, wait.

She must know something.

She just said she didn't.
She was

at the hospital
with the other agents.

She could have heard something.

Pedro, need you out here.

I'm coming.

You keep an eye on her
while I'm gone.

Thank you.

I'm not sure
I did you any favors.

He's not done with you yet.

I heard you got a hit

off facial rec.

Pedro Rodriguez.
He's a lieutenant

for the Emberá Cartel.
The Emberá were one

of the biggest drug syndicates
in South America.

Came out of Colombia
in the '90s.

Infamous for recruiting minors,
killing police,

wiping out their competition.

Their weapon of
choice was poison

from the golden dart frog.
So our doctor was killed

by the cartel.
Who's running it now?

José Ortiz,
goes by the name "El Santo,"

"The Saint,"
but he's a leader-in-exile.

He was caught by the FBI
during a sting operation.

El Santo was sentenced
to life in prison.

That was four years ago, and
they've been silent ever since.

So, what brought them out
of the shadows?

Got to have something
to do with Dr. Masuda.

It does.

That was the deputy director

at the Federal Bureau
of Prisons.

Masuda was planning
on visiting him next week.

So our dead surgeon worked
for the cartel?
Well, not exactly.

He was going in to give El Santo
a second opinion

on a surgical procedure
he needed.

For what?
Peripheral nerve damage.

So why kill the doctor
who's gonna operate on you?

Because Masuda wasn't scheduled
to operate.

Right.

He was the second opinion.

Who gave the first?

You visited José Ortiz,

also known as El Santo,
last week at the prison,

recommended
that he have surgery.

Doctor-patient confidentiality
prevents me from discussing...

Your supervisor,
Dr. Masuda,

checked El Santo's
medical records,

and he came to a
different conclusion.

He didn't think that
El Santo needed surgery.

I wasn't aware of that,

but doctors often
have differing opinions.

We're not getting anywhere.

Push any harder,
and he'll lawyer up.

Dr. Masuda disagreed
with your medical opinion.

I don't like
what you're insinuating.

And two days later, he's dead.

You have to
admit that's...

Director?

Dr. Roth, I don't
have time to waste.

Good. Because I've got
back-to-back surgeries

to get ready for.

El Santo's men have my daughter.

I need you to tell me
everything you know about them.

Like I said, I, uh...

can't talk about a patient
without violating...

They've got my daughter!

I don't give a damn

about your patient
confidentiality!

She's my baby.

I am supposed to keep her safe.

Someone contacted me last month.

Said he was El Santo's
right-hand man.

This the guy?

He blackmailed me.

You see, I...
I have a small problem.

We saw the check that you wrote
to the five-star rehab center.

What are you using?

Cocaine.

My dealer... I found out
he works for El Santo.

Then he shows up on my doorstep.

Threatens to ruin my career,
everything I worked for,

if I don't do what he wants.

And what did he want?

To set up a fake surgery
at my hospital.

Before El Santo

even made it to the OR,
they were gonna get him out.

It's a jailbreak.

Can't bust a convict out
of supermax.

But getting him out
of a low-security hospital--

piece of cake.

Until the deputy director
called Masuda in

for a second opinion.
That's what got you scared.

And then you warned
El Santo's people

that Masuda was gonna
deny the surgery.

I didn't know they'd kill him.

How do I find
El Santo's men?

I-I don't know.
They always contacted me.

I swear. I don't know.

Can I get some water?

Thank you.

You know,
you're not like Pedro.

I used to make those
when I was a kid.

All rainbow colors.

I'd make my dad wear them.

Thought I'd keep him safe.

That's what my daughter says.

She did a great job.

I could never get mine
to look that neat.

What's her name?

Sophia.

It's a beautiful name.

How old is she?

Eight.

She just had a birthday
yesterday.

The prison transport has been

cancelled. El Santo's surgery
has been called off.

Why?
Why?

Because this little bitch lied.

NCIS must have known
more than what she told us.

And now...

...I'm gonna make her pay.

I swear I don't know
what you're talking about.

I've never even heard
of this El Santo.

Pedro, she might be telling...

How about Kayla Vance?

Do you know that name?

Huh?!

Daniel found it in the van
before he dumped it.

I told you she lied.

Why?
He was threatening to kill me.

I swear, that's
the only reason.

I'm nobody.

What are you doing?
She went out of her way

to hide her name.

You may be a nobody,

but your father's the director

of NCIS.

They won't talk

to anybody but you.

Still working on a trace.

Let's hear it.

Pedro Rodriguez.

Director Leon Vance.

Looks like
we've both done our homework.

You have one of our agents.
I have to admit

I was upset when you cancelled
the prison transport.

My boss is
a very frightening man.

I knew he would not be happy.

I don't give a damn
about El Santo's feelings.

But you do care
about your daughter's.

Shh, shh, shh, shh.

Yes?

Unlike you,

I care very much
about El Santo's feelings.

But I think he will enjoy
the creative solution

that I came up with.

A prisoner exchange--
your daughter for my boss.

You want me to what?

You want me to walk El Santo

out of his
maximum security cell?

If anyone can do it,
it's the director of NCIS.

The United States government
does not do prisoner exchanges

with criminals.

Then you'll have
to get creative.

You have exactly
three hours from now,

or the next time
you see your daughter,

she'll have a bullet
in her head.

Kayla, I'm not gonna let
anything happen to you.

Shh, shh, shh.
Kayla, you're gonna...

They used a public VPN.

We couldn't trace the link.
What do you want to do?

Whatever it takes
to get my daughter back.
Okay.

I'll contact

the deputy director
of prison.

He will answer
to a discreet request

from the director of NCIS.

Parker...We can use back channels

to have El Santo released

into our custody. Okay.
Stop. Stop right there.

We caught him once before.
We can catch him again.

Kayla's one of ours.

Thank you.

But I don't trust that
that son of a bitch

will hold up his end
of the bargain.

We have to find another way.

FBI sent over a list
of El Santo's distribution cells

and all known associates.

His operation stretches
all across the country.

We're concentrating

on the cells in D.C.
We got Knight and Torres working

with local LEOs
to start a search.

That's-that's gonna
take too long.

Maybe not.

Kasie's got something.

As noted,

there are no fingerprints
on the hospital badge. However,

I was able to lift
trace amounts of PGMs,

also known
as Platinum Group Metals.

They're highly durable metals
with catalytic properties.

Meaning?

Very rare and very expensive.
So, not easy to find.

Especially in this
combination of metals.

The only place they'd
exist together would be

a platinum recycling center.

Pedro must've spent a lot
of time near one for it

to leave residue
on the badge.

How many recycling centers
are in that area there?

Just the one.
What do you think,
Director?

Looks like a place El Santo's
men could be keeping her.

They could be holding Kayla
in any of these buildings.

There's no way we can go
in there without alerting them.

Don't need to.

I pulled satellite imagery
of the area for the past

36 hours.
We already know

they used a Ford-model
black van.

If we run it through
A.I. object recognition...

Gotcha.

There's a chain-link fence

surrounding the
entire property.

Security cams
in every corner.

Single entrance here.
Gate, guards posted out front.

Good news is
they are not expecting us.

We're going in blind,
so be prepared for the worst.

Director?

You sure?

Do you remember

when your kids first started
walking, Agent McGee?

Kayla had just turned one.

I came home from work,
and there she was.

My little girl.

She took one step toward me

and then another,

and I caught her on the last one
just before she could fall.

And I promised myself then

that I would never let her fall.

This is my daughter.

It's my little girl.

So you can think twice

if you're gonna ask me
to sit this one out.

All right, let's move.

Turn around.
We're closed.

I got a delivery scheduled.
You're in the wrong place, pal.

Oh, man. That damn dispatch.

That's the second time
this month they made a mistake.

Last time, they sent me
to the wrong address.

I get there, I finish unloading,
and then I see it.

Clipboard says one thing,
cargo slip says another.

Hey, get back in the truck!
Hey, keep your shirt on.

I'll check the cargo slip.

I'll get it sorted out.

I said get back
in the truck. Whoa!

Yup, definitely the right place.

Daniel, give me an update.

Something is wrong.

Untie her.

We're moving out.
Daniel?

Daniel?! What is going on?

Isaac? Be careful.

You can't trust him.
He's gonna get you killed.
Shut up.

Let's go. Time's up!

You got that right.
Drop it! It's over.

Drop the gun!

Oh.

Keep away!

I'll-I'll...
I'll kill her.

Let her go!

Isaac.

I know you feel trapped.

But you can walk out of here.

All you have to do
is let me go.

Just shut up!

I got to think.

Then think about Sophia.

If you do this, you'll never
see your daughter again.

Put it down slow.

Slow.

Kayla?

Are you okay?
I'm good. I'm fine.

Turn around.

Kayla. Kayla.

Oh, my God.

You okay?
Mm-hmm.

That's a hell of a first case,

Kayla.
Oh, easily one
of the craziest I've ever heard.

Not every new agent
could get themselves

out of that situation.

You have a knack for
hostage negotiation.

You should consider
joining REACT.

Baby steps. I don't want
to give my dad a heart attack.

All right, all right.

Don't let their compliments get
to your head, probie.

I'm your training agent.

And you want a passing grade,
you want me to be impressed.

How do I do that?
Case report.

My desk first thing.

Hey, you wanted the, uh,

full probie experience, Kayla.

Oh, good luck.

Took me 16 hours

to get my first
case report right.

Hey, Parker, you never finished
that thing about the zebra.

All right, okay, there's
no time like the present.

Now, you all heard about the
zebras storming the winery.

Turns out that the winery was
a front for a PCP

distribution center, and that's
what the zebras were after.

They were hooked on PCP?

Hang on. Parker.

We're never gonna hear the end
of this story.

All right, yeah, but
I'm-I'm in some...

I'm right in the
middle of something.

Yeah, it's important. Okay.

Thought I'd find you out here.

You were right.

I never wanted you
to follow in my footsteps.

I thought you might
change your mind

once you went through FLETC.

I'm not gonna
change my mind.

I know.

Which is why I decided to assign
you to another field office.

Okay.

You're on your way to becoming
an excellent NCIS agent, Kayla.

Can't do that with me
looking over your shoulder.

Thank you.

You better go
do me proud out there.

You bet I will.

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