NCIS (2003–…): Season 7, Episode 14 - Masquerade - full transcript

(music playing,
indistinct conversation)

Okay, I came to a bar with you.

Now let's go.

No. No way.

I've been listening to you
complain the entire year

you don't have
a girlfriend, okay?

All right, well,
here they all are.

Yeah, l-I'm not very good
at picking up girls.

Look, even the worst
pickup lines are better

than not trying.

Now, come on.
Give me something.

So, is it hot in here
or is it just you?

Give me something else.

You Jamaican?

'Cause you Jamaican me crazy.

I stand corrected.

That's absolutely worse
than not trying.

Maybe you should
just try being yourself.

(whispers):
Just be cool.

(chuckles)

Yeah, well, if I was being
myself, I wouldn't be here.

Yeah, I know how you feel.

My name's Lynne.

Alfonso.

If you don't want
to be here, how come, uh...

Don't have a TV at home?

(clears throat)
Not being cool.

That's, uh,
that's my brother's car.

(cell phone ringing)

Roman, what the hell's
going on, man?!

ROMAN: Alfonso, listen
carefully. It's happening.

Wherever you are,
you've got to run! Now!

(laughs):
Dancing lessons?

You cannot be serious.

May 25, National Tap Dance Day.

I want to be prepared.

What if you're unprepared?

Well, the unprepared do not
get invited to the National

Tap Dance parties,
and I want to go.

I got a tweet to go to this blog

that linked me
to this holiday site.

Do you know
how many holidays there are

that fly underneath the radar?

It's astonishing.

Lot of ladies at those parties.

I went to an International

Talk Like a Pirate Day party
last year.

You did not. Excellent.

Argh!

Let me hear some pirate speak.

Why is McGee wearing
a tuxedo jacket?

(McGee chuckles)

Yes.

Tuxedo.

It's a bold fashion choice
for a young investigator.

Shh.

Watch Someone
Get Married at Work Day?

(quietly):
It's an online wedding.

(laughs):
Of course it is.

Look, it's a gamer buddy
from Spain.

He set this up for people
that couldn't make it, okay?

I would be laughing if

I weren't on the edge
of tears. This is sad.

GIBBS: Grab your gear.
We got a...

He's at a wedding.

In Spain.

Uh, boss, it's almost done.

Take your time.

I think McGee is taking
this technology thing

a little too far.

And this is coming from the man

who follows tweets
to blogs to Web sites.

All done, boss. Thanks.

Let's go.

Grab your gear.
Got an exploding car.

Got a dead Marine.

Uh...

could I just have a minute to...

Nope. You've had
your minute, McGee.

(camera shutter clicking)

ZIVA:
Lucky the blast was isolated.

Considering the debris radius,
this could have been much worse.

Not for this guy.

TONY:
Boss, the car was registered to

a Lance Corporal Roman Vega,
stationed at Quantico,

just back
from his second tour in Iraq.

The chase started at Olive

and 29th when Vega
ran a stop sign.

About a half mile later, the car
hit a pothole and kaboom.

Acetone hydroxide.

Bless you.

It is an explosive, Tony.

It was in the trunk.

Has a very distinctive odor,
highly volatile.

Given the lack
of any discernible trigger

and timing of detonation,

the explosion was likely
an accident.

Why would a Marine be driving
around with explosives

in his trunk?

- We found the torso.
- DUCKY: Yes.

It's resting in peace
around the corner there

by that Dumpster.

Matches Corporal Vega's
general build,

but, uh, the burns
are extensive.

We will probably need

DNA for a positive
identification.

In the meantime, uh,
he's ready for his close-up.

We're still missing

several major body parts.

Ah. Yeah, sorry.

I forgot about this.

It's the head. Yeah.

- What's left of it.
- DNA.

Yeah, landed, uh,

back behind an old
bowling alley, of all places.

I do hope, if the time comes,

when your head finds itself
removed from your body,

it is treated with more respect.

Ducky, I...

- Mr. Palmer!
- Yes, sir?

We are still missing
two patellas and a shin bone.

- McGee! - Boss, you know I didn't
mean to be disrespectful.

Get a tow truck.

Right.

(cell phone chimes)

That's weird.

Weirder than you carrying
a head around in a bag

and forgetting about it?

What?

No, no, no, no, no.

See, I get a signal over here.

Closer to the car,
drops off in inches.

Yeah, I got a dead spot like
that in my therapist's office.

Well, dead zones
are common inside, but out...

Therapist?

Physical therapist.

Why are you seeing
a physical therapist?

(chuckles)
Hurt my knee.

How'd you do that?

Kneeling.

I don't believe you.

(chuckles):
Come on.

(grunts)

What's that, a lie detector?

No. It's a Geiger counter.

Just thought of something
that could

cause localized RF interference.

(clicking rapidly)

(clicking intensifies)

Whoa.

Ooh.

Radiation.

First, uh, plague,
now radiation poisoning.

I'm starting to think
someone really has it in for me.

I was there, too,
near the car, you know.

We all were.

But don't let that stop you
from thinking about yourself.

This isn't about me.

It's about my little
DiNozzo makers.

They've been nuked.

- I know.
- Do you?

I mean, sure, Tim,
your kids are gonna be smart,

but mine had a shot
at being really beautiful.

Well, hopefully, Gibbs will
bring us some good news.

Oh, that doesn't look
like good news.

Oh!

ABBY:
I was so worried!

Abby?

I hitched a ride

with the Emergency
Response Team when I heard.

You guys okay?

You tell us.

Yeah, you're okay.

They only found minute traces
of radiation on the car.

You guys could even get
your clothes back.

Nice work, McPanic.

What was the source
of the radiation?

Well, the good news is

that it wasn't
from the explosion.

But the vehicle...
it had been used

to transport something
called cobalt-60.

It's a byproduct
of nuclear reactors.

It's used for, like, industrial
mining and X-ray machines.

Dirty bombs.

And why was Lance Corporal Vega

transporting
radioactive material?

If it can be used
to make a dirty bomb,

the more pressing question is:
where is it now?

(all talking at once)

...all ATM footage
from the terminal, okay?

All the information regarding
international travel...

All right, and nobody
talks to the press.

- And do not talk to the press!
- And don't talk to the press!

REPORTER (over TV):
This just in.

Actually, I think
it's a little too late for that.

...concerns that a radiological
dispersal device,

commonly known as
a dirty bomb...

"Dirty bomb loose in D.C."?

We don't even know there is
a dirty bomb out there.

Nope, but it's good for ratings.

Okay, Corporal Vega...
Gibbs is gonna want

a full briefing when
he gets done talking to Vance.

What do we got?

Well, we did
a preliminary workup

while you were showering
for the third time.

(computer chimes)

Lance Corporal Roman Vega.

Born in Lima, Peru, 1981.

He and his younger brother
Alfonso went to live

with their aunt in Maryland
after their parents were killed.

Cell records show

that Roman placed
a call to his brother

during the police chase.

Well, let's bring him in.

No one knows where he is.

Well, then find him!

Kind of busy, Leon.

You're gonna want to hear this.

Special Agent Gibbs,
meet Walter Kane.

I'm glad to
finally meet you, Gunny.

Been following you
for some time.

Yeah? Really?

What, on my blog?

Not exactly,
but I do my own research.

I knew we'd be meeting up
eventually.

How's that?

Lance Corporal Roman Vega.

Mr. Kane runs
a private intelligence firm.

They do work for the Pentagon.

Yeah, between Iraq
and Afghanistan,

our country's own intel services
are stretched thin, so...

So we outsource firms
like Mr. Kane's

for countries
that we're not at war with.

- Like Peru.
- Good guess.

We handle it exclusively.

Currently, we're tracking
a group out of Lima

called Libertad Nueva.

Means...

New Liberty?

They claim to be
a grassroots organization,

formed to protest U.S.
anti-drug policies in Peru.

Which they say have caused
civilian casualties.

It's a lie.

They're not freedom fighters.

They're drug dealers who just
want the U.S. out of their hair.

We think
they're planning an attack,

hoping to weaken our resolve.

What do you got on Vega?

Well, he's been seen
with suspected

LN members in Lima.

And for a man
with no family in Peru,

he travels there quite a bit.

That's it?

That and the fact
that his car glows in the dark.

l-I don't deny

our intelligence linking Vega
to these terrorists is slim.

We're victims of budget cuts

like everyone else,
but we're sure

there's a cell here.

And Vega was our only link
to them.

Well, thank you.
We'll take it from here.

Thank you, sir.

I have to testify
before the Senate.

An upcoming
defense contractor bill.

Reason we don't have money
for real intelligence is,

the boys on the Hill
love to spend money

on toys that
we don't really need.

(cell phone ringing)

- Yeah. Gibbs.
- McGEE: Vega just checked

his e-mail at the Belmont Hotel.

I'll be right down.

Got a lead on Roman's brother.

He just logged on
to his e-mail account.

Belmont Hotel.

Hotel manager said Vega came
into the lobby two hours ago,

used the guest computer...

Then checked into Room 102.

People have been coming
and going ever since.

What kind of people?

He said the kind of people
he wouldn't want

to mess with.

- We knocking?
- No.

(TV playing quietly inside)

Would you like the honors?

(whispers):
Oh, yeah. I forgot.

NCIS! Federal agents!

REPORTER (over TV):
Authorities believe a Peruvian

terrorist organization called...

- What the?
- Put them down!

You put them down!
Federal agents.

Don't see any I.D.

That won't be necessary.

Put your weapons down.

Hello, Mr. Gibbs.

You know each other?

He's my client.

Your client?

That's right.

Since when, Alfonso?

Don't answer that.

This is going to get ugly.

I hope so.

Go on. Get out of here.

(reporter continues talking
over TV)

- Will you turn that thing off?
- Give us a minute.

Don't worry, it'll be okay.

Come on.

You seen the news lately?

I have.

We don't have time for this.

For what? The rule of law?

I don't have a problem
with the law.

Roman Vega was
a new client of mine.

He contacted me a few weeks ago.

About?

Sorry, attorney-client
privilege.

After Mr. Vega was killed,
his brother called me.

He was scared.

He wanted to talk.

Don't bother asking
me about... what.

As a precaution,
I told him to meet me here,

and I arranged
for private security.

Colonel Bell's men?

Colonel Bell owed me a favor
after I rescued him

from that Mexican hellhole
you sent him to.

Not me, the rule of law.

Which also says I have
the right to talk to Alfonso.

Yes, it does.

And you're more than welcome.

As long as I'm in the room.

Did I miss it?

Nope, just starting.

Where's Ziva?

Bringing the popcorn.

Mr. Gibbs is trying
to make you nervous.

Don't let him.

Special Agent.

Excuse me?

Special Agent Gibbs.

And I'm not trying
to make you nervous.

I just need answers.

And I think
you want answers, too,

considering your brother
is dead.

Now he's trying
to piss you off.

Just ask the questions.

You talked to
your brother, right,

before the explosion?

Yeah.

What did he say?

He told me to run.

Why?

Don't answer that.

Did he tell you
why he was transporting

radioactive material?

Don't answer that.

Did you know
that he was a member

of Libertad Nueva?

Looks like you didn't.

Nicely done.

Ziva better hurry
or she is going to miss it.

Would you like to confer
with your client?

Because I think he knows
something you don't know.

Look, Roman didn't
do anything wrong.

- We need a moment alone.
- No.

Yes!

He's fishing,
and that's dangerous.

Mr. Gibbs has put
plenty of guilty men

behind bars, but he's also
put some innocent ones away.

What's Libertad Nueva?

They're drug dealers,
terrorists.

No.

Roman would never be involved
in either one of those.

But he was involved
with something.

Don't answer that.

I want answers, too.

I don't know what
Roman was messed up in,

but whatever it was...

had him really freaked out.

He wouldn't give me
any details, but...

He wanted you to do something.

I work for a cell phone company.

He asked me to back-trace

some calls to a warehouse
in Virginia.

He wouldn't tell me why.

He just told me
not to trust anybody.

I hope I'm not making
a mistake trusting you.

(scoffs)

(clears throat)

Think he's telling the truth?

He's telling a story...
not sure whose.

The popcorn!

I burnt the first batch, but...

(paper bag rustling)

DiNozzo, take Ziva
and check out that warehouse.

Taking Ziva.

Checking out the warehouse.

(door closes)

Well, I'm sure you're
feeling pretty satisfied.

I am going to go
get a haircut.

Yeah. I'm feeling
pretty satisfied.

Good.

Then you can release my client.

I can.

You have no right to hold him.

You haven't charged him
with anything.

Terrorism. Don't need to.

Spoken like
a Third World dictator.

Hey, I don't make the rules.

He's telling the truth,
he's better off here.

Oh, how noble of you.

Fine!

Well, then if he's staying,
I'm staying.

Fine.

Just past the door
to the vending machines.

Gun battle?

Gibbs.

Hand-to-hand?

Gibbs.

- Knife fight?
- Ooh.

Right?

Something about our friendly
neighborhood counselor

makes you think she might
be good with a blade.

(gate creaking and rattling)

Well, she is tenacious.

And training is important
in a knife fight,

but not as important as spirit.

(rapid clicking)

What is that?

It's a Geiger counter.

Can't be too careful.

What do you think Corporal Vega
was doing at an empty warehouse?

I don't know. Why don't you
pick the lock and find out?

We do not have a warrant.

This building is foreclosed,

which means it's owned
by the banks, and since

the people own the banks,

I think technically
we own the building.

Wow.

Lock picked.

I do not think our friendly
neighborhood counselor

- would approve.
- Yeah.

Well, let her spend a night
working a homicide.

Tell ya...

things aren't so
black-and-white when the walls

are all splattered
with red, are they?

Or when your way of life
is threatened.

Exactly.

Wait a second.
Are you mocking me?

No, Tony,
I was not mocking you.

It's just that, uh...
when I was

held hostage in Somalia,
Saleem used

similar justifications
for his actions.

Saleem.

Caf-POW! -swilling sociopath
was a terrorist, Ziva.

(chuckles)
I'm sure he would say

he was just protecting
his way of life.

You're not seriously
defending him, are you?

No, Tony. His actions
were indefensible,

regardless of his reasons.

And that is my point.

This country holds itself
to a higher standard.

It is a nation of laws,
which are to be followed

not only when it is
convenient or easy.

I have seen firsthand
what happens

when convenience wins out.

You never talk about it.

(sighs)

What is there to talk about?

Come on, Ziva.

What Saleem did was bad enough.

Becoming like him
would be worse.

The food is fresh.

Whoever was here
left in a hurry.

They had a little
bonfire before they split.

Acetone hydroxide.

Lots of wires.

Couple of timers.

They were building a bomb.

It's definitely the dirty kind.

I found traces of cobalt-60

on all the evidence
that Tony and Ziva brought in.

Is it safe?

Oh!

Yeah, totally.

This was just way
too cool to take off.

And I like the sound
it makes when I move.

(swishing, crinkling)

So did Tony and Ziva
get any prints?

Oh, hundreds.

But judging by
the decomposition of skin oil,

I'm thinking that they belong

to the building's old occupants.
I'm running them now.

Any idea how big a bomb
could be out there?

It looks like they mixed
enough acetone hydroxide

to blow up Roman Vega's car,
like, five times over.

So most of it is
still out there.

Tony and Ziva
also found an old laptop.

It's burnt to a crisp,

but I still think I can get
something off the hard drive.

All right, well, let me know.

I got to report back to Gibbs.

Wait, wait, wait!

What?

I can't believe this.

I had my whole presentation
timed out perfectly.

So when I said, "I can still

pull something
off the hard drive,"

my decryption algorithm
was supposed to...

(computer beeping)

Better late than never.

- Hmm.
- (typing)

Okay, so there's only two things
on the laptop:

an encrypted video file
and solitaire.

I guess terrorists
get bored, too.

Here's the file.

Hola, mis hermanos.

Get the package in position.

Wait for my order to detonate.

I repeat:

Do not detonate
until you hear from me.

Buena suerte.

I'm guessing by "package,"
he means "bomb."

Yeah.

Well, look at the bright side.

If there's a bomb out there,

with Corporal Vega dead,
we've bought some time.

DUCKY: I'm afraid not as much
as you might think.

Here.

Uh, l-I need to talk to Gibbs.

DUCKY:
The cause of death

was as we expected.

Multiple traumas
caused by the...

(laughing)

Uh, uh, sorry, um...

Agent DiNozzo actually
invited me to, to, um...

It's not important.

Um, won't happen again.

Yes, well...

dismemberment was
the cause of death.

I found a wound
that-that predates the blast.

It's a cigarette lighter?

Yeah.

It's the one from the car.

And the angle suggests that
it was not self-inflicted.

Oh, he wasn't
in the car alone, then?

Well, whoever was there with him

apparently got out of
the car at some point

during the police chase.

But that's not why
I called you down here.

Mr. Palmer.

l-I just sent some DNA
up to Abby

for positive identification,

but before that,
we made a dental impression

of the most perfect set
of teeth I've ever seen.

Not a single cavity.

No rotations.

Had all of his wisdom teeth.

Something Corporal Vega
did not have.

This isn't Vega.

Yeah, the corporal is alive

to give whatever orders
he wishes,

whenever he wishes.

VANCE:
This isn't Corporal Vega?

Then who is it?

His name's John Cook.

He's a former sergeant.

Served briefly in the Second
Gulf War before being

dishonorably discharged
for looting.

Ducky finally found intact DNA.

- Victim or involved?
- Involved.

Abby lifted his prints off
of one of the bomb timers

Tony and Ziva found
in the warehouse.

So Cook makes the bombs, and
Vega gives the when and where.

So, when and where?

We're working on it.

Unfortunately,
Cook was our best link to Vega.

We've been doing
deep background,

going through
credit card statements.

So far,
nothing unusual shows up.

- Back it up.
- Back it up.

(computer beeps)

Dr. Mallard's report said
Cook had perfect teeth, right?

That's right.

These right here.

(computer beeps)

Well, then why was he going
to a new dentist every two days?

That does qualify as unusual.

I'm gonna go find out.

I have to brief
the Joint Chiefs.

You have any idea

how Vega plans
to relay the detonation orders?

- Take your choice.
- Then we prepare for the worst.

I've been told that the risk
of radiation exposure

from a dirty bomb
is fairly negligible.

Most of the injuries will be
from the explosion itself.

But the real threat
to the city is panic.

That's why they call
the dirty bombs

weapons of mass disruption.

When people get scared,
it gets deadly.

Well, they are scared, Leon.

Been having second thoughts

about my testimony against
the defense contractor bill.

Seemed like overkill...
yesterday.

Oh, yes, I remember him.

A walk-in.

Showed up,
wanted his teeth cleaned.

Then he left.

Did you notice anything unusual?

Only that he had
about the most perfect teeth

I'd ever seen.

We heard, from the last two
dentists we visited.

Yeah.

Well, working on him was...
almost orgasmic.

Didn't really need to hear that.

His retromolar pad was shaped
just like a Renaissance bosom.

Okay. Uh...

We're gonna go. Thank you.

You think he had something to do
with the robbery?

Robbery?

Isn't that why you're here?

Couple days later,
someone broke in.

Thieves cleaned out
all our X-ray machines.

How many exactly?

Well, in the entire

practice, uh... 15.

And these weren't those cheap

tube machines.

These were top-of-the-line
cobalt-based units.

(intercom beeps)

WOMAN (over intercom):
Excuse me, Dr. Shore,

you're needed in Room 1.

Yes, I'm-I'm on my way.
Thank you.

Uh... I have a patient waiting.

Uh, is that all?

No, that's all for now.
Thanks.

Thank you.

Well, that explains
the credit card charges.

Cook was casing
dentists' offices,

looking for
radioactive material.

At the dentist?

It's a dirty secret
about dirty bombs.

Sources are everywhere.

Oil platforms,
medical equipment.

There's too many
to keep track of.

Is the cobalt of 15 machines
enough to make a dirty bomb?

Once the material's powderized,
it's enough to make five.

- (news broadcast playing)
- Five.

TONY:
Fantastic.

You tell Gibbs.

Okay, well, get back here.

There's computery stuff
for you to do.

REPORTER: and is set to
address the nation tonight.

- (TV continues indistinctly)
- Tell Gibbs about what?

You're still here. How nice.

Told you I'm not leaving
until my client is released.

Well, we could always have
security escort you out.

REPORTER: The Transit Authority
is reporting gridlock

- throughout the D.C. area...
- I was just

playing with words... putting
them together in random orders.

Uh, that is Gibbs' desk.

Where is Mr. Gibbs?

He hasn't left MTAC all day.

I hope it's not because of me.

It's probably more to do with
the impending terrorist attack

your client is planning.

Allegedly planning.

And I was as surprised
as you were

that he was still alive.

Tell me something.

Who cuts Mr. Gibbs' hair?

Excuse me?

I think you can tell
a lot about a man

by who cuts his hair.

Who cuts your hair?

My sister.

Oh.

She has for years.

I imagine you spend
more on your hair

than it'd cost to feed
a Third World family for a year.

(chuckles)

How much does that cost?

And Mr. Gibbs... well, I see him
getting his hair cut

at the same mom-and-pop shop
he's been going to for years.

Hey, get out of my chair.

You talk to McGee?

Uh, I... Yes.

Um...

Five.

What's the plan?

Oh, I would be
happy to leave...

as soon as you
release my client.

Like I said before,
he's better off here.

Is that how you justify
denying him

his right of habeas corpus?

That what I'm doing?

You know what I can justify?

(line ringing)

Filing suit against NCIS
and you personally

for violating over ten federal

and state
constitutional protections.

DiNozzo.

Uh, calling security, yeah.

Let him go.

Let him go?

You heard him.

Release my client.

Uh, releasing the client.

(wind whistling softly)

I have a visual on the target.

He's being cautious.

This is the third place
he stopped

after his lawyer
dropped him off at home.

(camera shutter clicks)

But the first time
he has sent his taxi away.

Why do I get a funny feeling
Gibbs planned

on using this guy as bait
from the beginning?

Because he is Gibbs.

Well, I sure hope I'm not around

when Ms. Hart finds out
he used her client as bait.

Or maybe I do.

ZIVA (over radio): This is
all assuming the brothers had

a prearranged meeting place.

He's here.

Mm-hmm, yes,
we should think positive.

No. I mean, he's here.

Right in front of me,
coming out the door.

All right, let's take him.

- I screwed up; it's my fault.
- All right...

NCIS! Freeze!

He said freeze!

You're making a mistake.

Really? Good.

I know someplace quaint
we can talk.

I told your agents

I want to talk to my lawyer.

Yeah.

She's on her way.

So you can't ask me
any questions.

That is right.

You know you got the wrong guy.

I am not a terrorist.

(monitor beeps on)

ROMAN (over monitor):
Hola, mis hermanos.

Get the package in position.

Wait for my order to detonate.

(monitor beeps off)

I can explain that.

I can't wait.

All right,
screw the lawyer. I...

Ah.

What is that?

An attorney waiver.

(pen clicking, scribbling)

What is the matter
with you, Marine?!

- I'm being set up.
- By who?

Look, I don't know
his real name.

He said he worked
for the Department of Defense.

Said they needed native
Spanish speakers to perform

in a top secret training video.

That him?

That's him.

Well, he does not
work for the DOD.

He had all the credentials.

He took me to this building.

It was set up to look
like a terrorist hideout.

I recorded all kinds of messages
for the video.

Uh, bioterror,
dirty bomb attacks.

Hell, I even did
a militia insurrection.

- It was all fake.
- Not all.

- It was supposed to be!
- Well, it wasn't!

A few days later, I noticed
somebody was following me.

So I got suspicious,

and I started asking around
about the training program.

No one had heard about it.

I knew I was in trouble.

And you go hire a lawyer

instead of going
to your superior?

Look, I didn't know
who to trust.

I read an article
about this woman.

Heard that she helps people
like me.

We played phone tag
for a while,

but before we could talk,
my recruiter shows up,

and he sticks a gun in my back,
and he says, "Drive."

Luckily, I saw a cop.

I blew a stop sign
to get his attention.

I bailed in an alley
during the chase.

My recruiter had no choice
but to keep on going.

I called my brother,

and then I heard the explosion
right after.

And then what,
you just play dead

until you figure out
what else to do?

Do you believe me?

Well, you better.

Because whatever terrorist
attack they're planning,

I don't know a thing about it.

- (elevator bell dings)
- Yeah, well,

the cell records do confirm

the game of phone tag
with the lawyer,

and, uh, we found traces
of blood on the street

where Vega said
he leapt from the car.

His blood?

Down to the last chromosome.

What about the trips to Peru?

(computer beeping)

Hmm.

Looks like pleasure,
not business.

Her name is...

Gloria García Ramírez
de Arroyo Fuentes.

She's a nurse in Lima.

There's no way he's our guy.

Not a suicide bomber
in the world

who'd have a girlfriend
looks like that.

(chuckles)

Unless, you know,
your gut says otherwise.

He said he was set up.

Libertad Nueva needed
a fall guy.

And Corporal Vega
fit the profile.

Well, I guess we can assume
the upcoming attack's real.

It's too bad we lost
our number one suspect.

But we do have a number two:
the dentist.

I sent a forensic team
to his place.

Assistant said he left
for lunch after our visit,

never returned.

- Get a BOLO.
- Already out.

That's not why I came down here.

You have to see this.

TV REPORTER:
...received verification

from several sources,

and now ZNN can confirm

the message was e-mailed
to our Washington bureau chief.

It warns that,
unless the U.S. agrees

to halt its anti-drug operations
in Peru,

Libertad Nueva is going to blow

one dirty bomb per day
in the DC metro area,

starting in one hour.

Homeland Security is advising
people to stay home.

Panic is the greater threat
at this time.

Ziva, I need a copy
of that e-mail now.

- On it.
- DiNozzo...

You need to talk
to the Metro PD chief.

Hey, McGee, find the dentist.

Already on it.

Gibbs, tell me
you got something.

Joint Chiefs want a sit-rep now.

What can I give them?

Not Roman Vega.

I heard. What can I give you?

Lawyer.

Already banned her
from the building,

but she's the least
of our concerns.

We've already had
two traffic fatalities

in the rush to get
out of the city.

Do you have any leads
on the target?

Boss, I think
I got something here.

Our dentist may be MIA,

but there's activity
on a site he belongs to

called OralHappiness. com,

a social networking site
for oral care providers.

Anyway, uploaded photos

of a bus station off G Street.

Either this guy has
a serious Greyhound fetish...

Anybody else looking at these?

Well, the photos
were recently viewed.

It was from behind a firewall,

but the IP address
is out of Peru.

Must be how they're relaying
information on the target.

Let's go. We're moving.

(sirens wailing,
tires screeching)

Bomb squad's on their way.

They're not going to make it.

DiNozzo, Ziva,
coordinate with local LEOs.

Evacuate the building,
but nobody leaves!

All right, Gibbs.

Radiation sensors.

They only work
if the bomb's unshielded,

but it's better than nothing.

Hey, McGee,

- come on, you're with me!
- Where we going?

To find the bomb!

(people clamoring)

Don't make me say it, McGee.

We'll be careful, Tony.

- Let's go!
- Move it!

Move it!

(panicked shouting)

Hey, how much time?

Less than five.

What are we looking for?

Uh... in a inside setting

like this, something small.

How small?

Uh, briefcase, maybe smaller.

(sensor trilling)

Boss, it's somewhere over here,

but something's
blocking the sensor.

(radio static crackles)

TONY (over radio):
Boss, evacuation is complete.

You want us to hold
our positions out here?

Yeah, you stay outside.

Gives a whole new spin
to "dirty bomb."

(sensor beeping, trilling)

Oh, boss?

(sensor clicking,
beeping rapidly)

(sighs)

Lead-lined.

That's why it was
blocking our sensor.

You recognize the design?

Not really, I mean,
I know the good old

black and red wires...
probably supplies the power.

We're going to have to do better
than a probably.

Well, we definitely have
time to run.

Then run.

Well, the building's
been evacuated.

We just let it blow.

Go. Leave.

Boss, the-the threat

of contamination is minimal.

Go! That's an order.
Now, leave.

It's an order I'm disobeying.

Okay, if it's a tamper-resistant
circuit, we're dead,

but I'd say cut the black...

Oh.

Well, I was going
to say black, but...

guess red works.

Actually, no, it didn't.

McGee was right.

There's a tamper-resistant
circuit.

As soon as you cut
any of the wires,

the bomb should
have detonated.

I'm still here, Abbs.

The explosive
was mixed incorrectly.

The first batch was
made too unstable,

so it blew up
Roman Vega's trunk.

I don't know,
I guess they overcompensated

for the second batch,
made it too lean.

These terrorists...
they get an A for terrorizing,

but, gratefully,
an F in chemistry.

TONY: Been over
the security tapes, boss.

Whoever planted the bomb
knew to avoid the cameras.

I vote for the dentist.

Ever since Marathon Man,
I always vote for the dentist.

Well, if it was him,

that'll be the last bomb
he was planting.

Look at this, boss.

BOLO came back.

Metro PD found his body
under the McGregor Bridge.

They're calling it a suicide.

Yep, left a note.

Took credit for everything.

Did he now?

Guy disappears suspiciously.

Then plants a bomb
for a terrorist group

he has no connection to.

Yeah, and then kills himself.

I usually like things
all nice and tidy.

It does not add up.

Libertad Nueva has been
very careful up until now.

Corporal Vega was
their original fall guy.

Maybe they're improvising now.

(TV beeps)

REPORTER:
Despite calls for calm

from several
government agencies,

panic has engulfed the city.

What about the other four bombs?

...traffic through
the entire tristate area.

Gibbs, if you're wrong
about this,

we're putting a lot
of lives in jeopardy.

I'm not.

I got here as quick as I could.

Thank you.

As our resident
Libertad Nueva expert,

I wanted to get your take
on something before I went

to the Joint Chiefs.

Next bomb's set to go off
in 12 hours.

To prepare, Agent Gibbs thinks
that we should do nothing.

Nothing?

Not gonna be another bomb.

Yeah, he says it's all for show.

LN isn't given
to making idle threats.

What's the endgame?

The Senate is set

to vote on
a new defense bill tonight.

It's a terrible bill;
it was never going to pass.

Gave away billions in pork
to defense contractors.

But now, after the attacks,

looks like it might go through.

What, you think
Libertad Nueva is trying

to influence the Senate vote?

No, you are.

Did some checking.
Your company stands to

make tens of millions of dollars
if that bill should pass.

You know, the funny thing
about all the intel we got

on Libertad Nueva is
it comes from your company.

All we could verify
independently of the group

was a kid with a Web site.

13-year-old kid.

You know, it's not unheard of
for somebody in your position to

amplify things
for their own personal gain.

People get scared,
they make bad decisions.

You were counting on it.

You cooked the intelligence.

You created a fake sleeper cell.

No senator would ever vote

against any defense bill
at threat level red.

Oh, this is ridiculous.

Sit down.

Our people traced the IP address

that uploaded
the bus station photos.

Came from a computer
in your office.

You did your best
to camouflage it.

Well, I guess we just have
better nerds than you do.

You cop to it now, right now,

you let me get
this city off alert,

I'll ask the attorney general
to waive the death penalty.

You got ten seconds.

After that, you can start
thinking about which vein

you want us
to shut you off with.

Five seconds.

I'll need to talk
to my lawyers first.

Oh, yeah, I bet you do.

We finally traced the photos
from the bus station.

They came from a computer
in Kane's office.

You were bluffing.

Cuff him.

(handcuffs rattling)

Am I the only one
who needs a warrant?

Door was unlocked.

Well, that's going to end soon.

How dare you use
my client as bait.

Your client was lying to me.

He knew how to find his brother.

He was protecting his brother.

Roman was innocent,
in case you didn't notice.

Well, then he didn't
need protection.

Oh, is that how it works?

You never put
the wrong guy away?

And you've never helped
the wrong guy get away?

That's a very nice suit
you're wearing.

Roman Vega isn't going
to pay for that.

It's scum like
Colonel Bell that do.

Everyone is entitled
to a defense.

Yeah, but you don't have
to be the one to do it.

I guess with rates like yours,

you don't ask
too many questions.

I do plenty of pro bono work.

Yeah, you know what?
I checked into that.

You get... oh, I don't know...
maybe five requests a week,

but the only ones you seem to do

are the ones that take you
across my path.

Are you really that conceited?

You're standing in my house!

You didn't know anything
about Roman Vega's case,

but you took him on
as a client anyway.

He needed help.

You knew that it was
going to land you...

in front of me.

Don't flatter yourself.

Yet here you are... again.

I have my reasons.

Yeah?

And I have a job to do.

And you keep getting
in the way.