NCIS (2003–…): Season 7, Episode 24 - Rule Fifty-One - full transcript

The evidence in my report says
that you killed Pedro Hernandez.

People around me are dying;
People I care about.

Bell is after me.

Because you threw him in a Mexican jail.

He's a criminal!

First Macy...

then you kill Mike Franks.

- That ain't Franks.
- Who is it?

Colonel Merton Bell.

Who do you really work for?

Thank you, Lieutenant.

You know who I am?

Paloma Reynosa.

Head of the Reynosa Cartel.

What else do you know?

That the drug trade is recession-proof.

Tennessee Williams said,
"We are all sentenced

to solitary confinement inside
our own skins for life."

Surrounded by men with guns,
I think of this often.

Beautiful, sad, but frank.

Do you consider yourself a frank man?

He also said all cruel
people describe themselves

as paragons of frankness.

I would expect nothing less

from the man who murdered my father.

I see you choose your words
carefully, Agent Gibbs.

That is good.

Your life depends on them.

I don't usually drink scotch.

This can't be happening.

It cannot be happening.

- How could they let you in?
- I passed the exams.

I will officially become a
citizen of the United States

- of America.
- I've never been more disappointed in my government.

Hey! That is my government now.

Not till Friday.

And I expect to see you there, and...

you, too, McGee.

Ziva, of course I'm gonna be there.

Everyone is gonna be there.

Even, uh,

Gibbs, I bet, once he
comes back from his...

Let's call it a vacation.

It is not the first time
he has run off on his own.

Hey, not the first time
he's run off to Mexico.

Certainly not the first time he's gone

without telling us anything.

Nope, nothing new to see here.

Not a poker player among you.

Terrible, terrible bluffs.

We're all used to how Gibbs operates,
for better, for worse.

Let's just stay focused on
what we're good at without him.

What would that be, Director?

If you don't know, Agent DiNozzo,
I'm not gonna tell you.

Agent McGee, I need you.

On my way, Director.

That was a pretty tasty and cryptic
bit of rejection right there.

Did you see that?
The director just slammed me.

I saw.

You must be feeling like
the redheaded stepchild.

Now, how would you get that idiom right?

Because I'm an American now.

Not yet.

I think I'm gonna call my congressman.

You were friendly with Alejandro Rivera

when you and Ms.
Sciuto were in Mexico, right?

Well, in the broadest
definition, I suppose.

We have an awkward
situation brewing already.

You want to complicate it further?

I want all his information going through
this office directly, not to Ms. Hart.

I've asked him to enlist the Federales
in tracking down Colonel Bell

and his men south of the border.

And Margaret Allison Hart, Esq.

Is under the employ of Colonel Bell.

All right, I won't let you down.

Bring him on line, please.

Yes, Director.

Señor Rivera, any update on Bell's plane?

No, Director Vance, but we may
have found Colonel Bell himself.

My men recovered a partially dismembered
body fitting his description.

It was not far from the massacre

at the home of an American expatriate

by the name of Mike Franks.

Technicians are still
processing that scene,

employing lessons learned from Ms. Sciuto.

Well, they learned well.

We received the fingerprint scans.

Already identified several of the deceased

from military databases as known
associates of Colonel Bell.

The others are suspected
members of the Reynosa Cartel.

A laundry list of charges
against each of them.

I'm tasking my agents
from the San Diego office

to assist you on the ground.

If you have no objections,
our Navy transport

will retrieve the evidence and the bodies.

I believe the presence of American
agents may help calm the violence,

because... this cartel is
afraid of nothing in Mexico.

If I'm unavailable,

you'll communicate directly
with Special Agent McGee.

Understood.

All yours.

Questions for me, Agent McGee?

Sir, any sign of Gibbs
or Franks on that beach?

No.

Of Gibbs?

He's in Mexico?

You solve crimes for a living.

Is there such a thing as a perfect murder?

I've never seen one.

But how would it work?

It's not the method, it's the victim.

Kill someone no one will miss.

You don't need tips on how to kill me.

I am not opposed to killing or
torture when it suits my needs.

That is part of my business.

The late Colonel Bell wanted to
prove he was a better man than you.

He and his men made for
a useful ally, but...

They were a means to an end.

Namely you.

I don't know what you're after,

but you might as well put a
bullet in my head right now,

because you're not gonna get anything.

It's never easy to turn someone,
to change them.

A federal agent in Washington, DC?

You have value.

I don't want your death.

I want your life.

You gonna make me suffer?

Threat of a murder charge

force me to work with you?

Thing about being a cop

called burden of proof.

You want evidence?

An investigation performed
by your own people

that conclusively puts your
signature on the crime.

Show me.

Prove to me I'm guilty of a crime.

Bring it out in the open.

I know something about convictions.

I get 'em and I got 'em.

I don't care to put you on trial, Gibbs.

It may not suit my needs to kill you.

But it might be useful to
kill everyone you ever met.

Starting with your friend Mike.

Your former mother-in-law comes next.

Doing me favors now?

And then your coworkers.

If I must,

I promise to personally visit Pennsylvania

and shoot your father in the head.

That would complete the circle.

We will start small.

Just make sure this package is delivered.

How many more lives are
your convictions worth?

Thank you, Captain. They're on their way.

G-5 out of Dulles?

C-130 fueling at Pax River.

- I want you two on board.
- Where is it going?

Ride-along to Mexico.

Ms. Sciuto and Dr. Mallard
are done with the cold case.

Return Hernandez's body,

escort the new bodies back
to Andrews and then here.

Assure an unbroken chain of evidence.

- McGee, tell Rivera the airlift is en route.
- Uh, he's got news, too...

no word on Franks, but apparently,

he thinks they have
tracked Gibbs' location.

I never mentioned Gibbs to them.

Who told them to look for Gibbs?

Well, I may have mentioned it.

Was that not supposed to happen?

You want us to bring Gibbs back,
too, Director?

Plane's only gonna be on the
ground long enough to load...

couple of hours, tops.

You really think you can locate and
retrieve Gibbs in that period of time?

Did you see that?

See what?

The wink.

- Director Vance winked?
- I think he winked.

Unless he was prepping his
eye for the scanner, but...

Why would it matter if he winked?

'Cause that's what he and Gibbs do.

They have this whole
wink-wink-nudge- nudge language.

If Vance can't green-light an op,

he expects us to pick up
the slack when we see it.

- You see slack?
- I don't know.

Did you see a wink?

Very well.

Buenos dias, Señor Rivera.

Es policia.

Es Americano!

Es Una problema?

We are just having a drink.

Agent Gibbs,

has this woman made threats against you?

Do you want to file charges for abduction?

Remember my advice.

Choose your words carefully.

No threat...

against me personally.

You are reaching.

So are you.

Sí, Señor Rivera.

Come with me.

Say adios.

How'd you find me?

I follow her moves very closely.

She is never reckless.

Difficult, almost impossible to prosecute.

I nearly had her when
a private investigator

from America came digging
into her father's death.

She had the PI killed.

You had your task force
investigate the cold case.

Pedro Hernandez.

Or was that just coincidence?

The report Ms. Sciuto prepared?

I still have not seen it.

Paloma must have someone on the inside.

No, she hadn't seen it yet, either.

What happened to it?
Someone must have stopped it.

Ms. Sciuto?

No.

You are certain?

Yeah.

I'm dead certain.

I wouldn't allow it.

I believe this.

That's all I needed to know.

Someone took a bullet for you, Gibbs,

but you will take the next one.

Surprise.

Well, hermano,

does he have your precious report?

No.

Hermano.

Brother and sister.

I guess she never had to turn you.

You should hear the words
to the oath I have to take.

I basically have to renounce
all my ties to Israel.

Well, you will still be you, Ziva,

and I'll be there to hear it, I promise.

You guys are going to Mexico.

What's the plan?

What do you know, Abbs?

Gibbs mentioned rule 40.

If you think someone's
out to get you, they are?

I have never heard a rule in the 40s.

They don't come up very often.

And that's a good thing.

How many times have I told Gibbs
to write these things down?

You don't have to write 'em down,
they're for daily use...

most of the rules... but the 40s...

The 40s. The 40s are
for emergency use only.

If the 40s are in play,
something unspeakably bad is going down.

We have to get him back.

Your sister wants to make me her pet.

And you?

What do you want?

You want to put me on trial?

I cannot.

Without that report, it will be her way.

Or she kills everyone you love.

There is no other option.

I've had this before.

There's no way out.

And that riddle.

Guy trapped in a room...

no doors, no windows.

Then how did he get there?

Was built around him, but there's nothing
there except a mirror and a table.

How does he get out?

Here's a hint.

It won't work in Spanish.

Look in the mirror,

see what you saw,

take the saw,

cut the table in half,

two halves make a whole,

climb out the hole.

Most retarded riddle I've ever heard.

My father told it to me.

My dad.

Never an easy guy.

But it takes a man to make a man, right?

Hermano.

When things get rough,

I can still go talk to him.

You know so much, Gibbs.

Well, tell me this.

How will this feel to me?

What will it feel like
to pull this trigger?

Alejandro...

don't let him make you into a killer.

You are more powerful in the government.

Bastante, Paloma!

I'm gonna shoot him with his own gun.

You've never done this before.

I have.

I've killed men and women

in combat, in the line, and in life,

and some of them still haunt me.

But I never lost a night's
sleep over your father.

You want to know what it feels
like to be the hand of justice?

Then pull the damn trigger
yourself and find out. Go on.

Do it!

All right, we gotta move fast.

And quietly.

No authority, no jurisdiction, no time.

We do not get back on
this plane without Gibbs.

Agreed.

You didn't find Franks?

I said, you didn't find Mike Franks?

I heard you. So you just
don't want to talk about it?

Bartender said that Franks'
family left town the day before.

So he knew something was coming.

What else did you find out?

Federales got tired of
me asking questions.

Why didn't you just tell them
you were with the task force?

Because I wasn't!

Still, I would've thought it'd take

the whole Mexican army to kick you out.

MAN Hey, back there,

we got some turbulence coming up.

Still a couple hours
from Andrews... hang on.

You get held up at customs, use my name.

Where are you gonna be?

Left a mess I got to clean up.

That's 45.

Basically.

This one. That's the right model.

You picked up an extra passenger.

Yeah. Funny that.

Gibbs was just waiting
for us at the airport.

Well, Alejandro called us
while you were in the air.

Your new best buddy?

You said he had to run Gibbs out of town.

Tempers running high already.

Last thing you needed was another cowboy.

Maybe he should've asked your
permission before he went down there.

He doesn't need my permission.

But without it,
he doesn't get your protection.

Fit it for a GPS and a bug.

Yeah.

Where's Gibbs?

Uh, he went home for a
shower and change of clothes.

Got some enchilada and dust on his shirt.

When he gets in,
tell him I'd like to see him.

Mr. Palmer,

do you mind doing that
a little more quietly?

I can hardly hear myself think.

Sorry, Doctor.

What are you thinking about?

My God.

What is it?

My mind's a complete blank.

Has that ever happened before?

Well...

Ah, perhaps this reminds
you of a time when y...

or... or maybe you were just a lad, and...

What is it you're doing, Mr. Palmer?

I thought maybe if I teed
the ball up properly...

I might find the fairway.

Mm-hmm.

Yes, that does remind me of a caddy

on a golf course just north of Glasgow.

He kept giving me unasked-for tips.

Every time I'd hit the ball,
he'd say, "No, no, no."

He drove me crazy.

Finally, on the 18th,
I am sitting 218 from the pin.

He hands me a five iron.

"Layup," he says,
"and you'll be on in two."

I stared at the man,
and then, for a moment,

my mind went completely blank.

Then I held out my hand.

"Three wood," I said calmly.

"I'm going for it."

"You," he says.

"Impossible."

So, I take my stance...

yeah... a day's frustration behind me.

And I uncork the shot of a lifetime.

As the ball flew away, I screamed out

a dreadful obscenity at the man.

Yeah, but you made the green.

No, no, I overshot it by 15 yards.

Took a triple bogey.

But, Mr. Palmer, I learned a lesson.

Being correct does not
excuse a violation of form.

Now... take those slugs from Bell's body

up to Abby, and then
finish opening your crates,

as quietly as possible.

Hey, Dad.

How you feeling?

No. I'm good. I'm good. Um...

Listen, is there anybody you
could stay with for a few days?

What's the status on the evidence?

I'm running the slug
through the system now

that came from Bell's body,
but I don't expect to get a...

Match. Weird. Okay.

That means the murder weapon's
already in the system.

Oh, no. Not again.

What again?

Do you think there's any chance

that's Gibbs went down
to Mexico to kill Bell?

Why would you think something like that?

Because...

the slugs came from Gibbs' SIG.

What would you say if we told you

that the slugs removed from
Bell's torso came

from Gibbs' gun?

I would say that someone
is trying to present Gibbs

as a... well, as a murderer.

When he clearly is not?

Well, as friend and a colleague,
I think the best of Jethro,

so, yes, I would like to believe
that he did not kill this man.

But as a scientist,

I know that he did not.

How can you be certain?

Well, the fatal injury was to the head,

and I would speculate that there
are defensive wounds to the hands.

This dismemberment was intended
to cloud not only the identity

of the victim, but also of his killer.

Additionally,

Gibbs has always told us not
to believe in coincidence,

so when I see this serrated pattern,

so similar to the KA-BAR nick

on Agent Macy's neck...

It's the same knife.

- Same killer.
- Most likely.

Bell's lieutenant turned on him.

And we know where Dean is.

He's with the cartel.

How did he get Gibbs' gun?

Gibbs has always said there's
only one way to do that.

Pry it from his dead, cold hand.

Since Gibbs is not dead,

then we have to assume
he met Dean... in Mexico.

I am busy here, tracking Dean.

Tony, why would Gibbs ever
let him walk away alive?

I mean, I'm tracing cell phones, e-mails,

credit card transactions...
this is McGeek work.

- He's still in MTAC.
- Yeah. Gleefully chasing scraps

of opportunity that Director
Vance drops in front of him.

He's like one of those fish that swims
around inside of a shark's mouth,

- picking stuff out of their teeth.
- Pilot.

- Yeah, pilot fish.
- No! The pilot.

Bell's corporate jet.

This charge at the Hacienda Grotto...

he has checked out.

Plane's gonna be moving soon.

And here, Bell's personal cell phone.

Look at the time stamps on these calls.

Dead men don't make phone calls.

Someone else is using his phone...

perhaps the, uh, elusive J.P. Dean.

I will do that McGee thing
to make sure it is active.

Look at us... doing it without him.

- Without who?
- Hey, boss.

I mean, not you, boss... I mean, not that

we would ever do anything
without you, because...

well, within you or without you...
it's like a U2 song.

- How are you?
- I'm fine.

Director Vance would like to see you.

I did it! The phone is active.

Dean is making a call right now.

Can you find out who he's calling?

Mm-hmm. I think so. Just a...

He's calling Gibbs.

You need to get that?

It's a voice mail.
What are the chances it's a message

from Lieutenant J.P. Dean...

The man who murdered Agent Macy

and possibly his own boss, Colonel Bell?

I don't know. I'd have to check.

I spent a lot of time in
Los Angeles this year,

getting that office up and running.

I noticed.

Hetty Lange, out there,

she's got a friend at Warner Bros.

Took us on an inside studio tour.

Lot of old props, costumes,
all the way back to Casablanca.

You should tell DiNozzo.

When I started here,

with our different philosophies,

it took me a minute to figure out

how we were going to get along, Gibbs.

I thought about Rick and
Louis from Casablanca.

What, and I'm Rick?

Oh, in so many ways.

The problem's me.

I'm sick of being Louis.

I'm sick of having to look the other way

when I know you're sneaking
around behind my back.

That doesn't work for me.

Well, maybe I shouldn't work for you.

You tell me what the hell
you're into right now.

That's an order.

No.

You're benched.

Took you long enough, Leon.

You want to try me? Come on.

What stopped you day one?

My job, my life,
does not revolve around you,

you egocentric son of a bitch.

You sure make it sound like it does.

One word and you're done.

And you hate me because
I can make that call.

Right, because my life
revolves around you.

What?

Director, uh, Bell's jet just
cleared Mexican airspace.

Alejandro couldn't stop it.

Filed a flight plan for Virginia.

- How long?
- Five hours.

And since the entire case
seems to be headed here,

Alejandro's gonna follow on
the next available flight.

I'll be taking that.

Gibbs, have you met Darren?

Darren's an armed security guard.

He's recently been reassigned to guard me.

Although I have no idea why that might be.

Except when I look at you,
I know exactly why.

Abby, I'm sorry... Gibbs,

why would you say that to me?

It terrifies me when you
break your own rules.

You see what I'm doing there?

Wagging my finger to
stop you from talking?

It's something that Mike Franks is

probably never going
to be able to do again.

It is his finger, right?

Right index, to be specific.

Also known as the forefinger,
the digitus secundus,

pointer finger and the trigger finger.

It's something else Mike Franks

will probably never be able to do again.

He was alive when it was severed, though?

Ducky thinks so.

And it was shot off.

For whatever it's worth.

Gibbs, do they have him?

D... do they have Mike?

Can you, can you at least
tell me who they are?

I guess that's why superheroes
have secret identities.

Despite his reputation in this building,

I considered Bell a good man.

I imagine you wouldn't have worked
for him if you'd believed otherwise.

Thank you, Doctor, for that consideration.

Forgive me. I forget sometimes

the effect this room has on people.

It does lend itself to a
measure of introspection.

What is it you want to know, Dr. Mallard?

It was the colonel who had an Axe
to grind with Gibbs, not you.

You were carrying out orders.

It was a request.

One I was free to decline.

But you were interested in
learning more about Gibbs.

Yes, I was.

And now you're feeling
you backed the wrong man.

Now...

I'm remembering you have some
sort of psychological degree.

It's a small airfield not
far from Bell's residence.

Keeps a hanger here.

Alejandro's sure Dean is on board?

Eyewitness confirms Dean was traveling
with at least four other men.

Including the pilot and copilot.

You three meet the plane.

Grab Dean as soon as he steps off.
Bring him back.

Any questions?

One.

Who's gonna lead?

Agent DiNozzo's got point.

All right, this is our bird.

McGee?

In position.

Ziva?

Set.

You got a visual on our guy?

Target acquired.

Let's go.

Ziva, switch out of night vision,

this is gonna get bright.

Copy.

TONY NCIS. Put down your weapons.

J.P. Dean, you are under arrest.

Double-crossing son of a...!

So what do you think, Director?

Dean here killed Macy, killed Bell,

played some part in the shootout

between the cartel members and Bell's men.

Maybe killed Mike Franks.

Dead or alive, are his
whereabouts still undetermined?

I did retrieve .45 caliber slugs
from that shootout in Mexico.

It's Mike Franks' weapon of choice.

Yeah, I'm gonna go
double stack the drawers.

I fly out to resolve the situation,

only to find it already resolved.

You tell Dean he was in the clear?

You tell him that your guy in
DC is going to take care of him?

Turns out to be true.

If you have bad intentions,

Washington airspace certainly
becomes treacherous.

All those bodies.

Dean takes the fall...

smart.

You thought me otherwise?

Never underestimate your opponent.

Should write that down.

Except you and I are on the same side.

You hold the cards.

You and Paloma have Frank, so...

you have your delivery.

You didn't open it?

I didn't need to.

"We have to distrust each other

as our only defense against betrayal."

My sister and her quotes.

You guys have a way of
making a man feel left out.

Director Vance.

Just trying to soothe some fractured egos.

With Agent Gibbs, that could be dangerous.

Always a politician, huh?

You, of all people, would understand.

That something from home?

Yes, to sweeten any sour feelings.

What is this?

Candy.

Handmade.

Well..

I'll be on my way.

Unless you have that report for me.

You should already have it.

Ms. Sciuto sent it
straight to the task force.

Mm-hmm.

If you have bad intentions,

Washington airspace certainly
becomes treacherous.

He's cagey... Alejandro.

Doesn't give anything away.

Well, neither did you.

New battery.

Here you go.

You made it obvious that your
hands were tied without saying.

Well...

couldn't.

I knew this delivery was just a test.

I figured I could buy time.

Put a lot of trust to that
follow-your-lead, Gibbs.

Every day, Leon.

You think Mike Franks is still alive?

I think Mike Franks left that
beach shootout in pieces.

Alejandro's lying about something,

I just don't know what.

He showed his hand.

I've seen enemies with vendettas, Leon.

Seen people lose their lives to them.

People that matter.

Worst enemies are the ones
that hide in plain sight.

The ones we can't arrest.

You know, there's a story about
Humphrey Bogart on that tour.

Might be apocryphal, but I hope it's true.

So he finishes early,
he walks across the street to a bar,

still wearing his costume and his makeup.

Couple hours later, the director realizes

he needs Bogie for one more shot,

so he sends a production assistant.

Sends a kid to drag Bogie
back onto the cafe set.

The director somehow gets him to
the top of the stairs and says,

"All I need you to do is
look over here and nod."

That's it?

That's it.

Bogie nods. One take, he's done.

It's in the movie.

When Victor Laszlo wants the
bandleader to play "La Marseillaise,"

he looks to Rick for the okay.

It's only the turning point
for the entire character,

where he actually makes a commitment.

He joins the cause.

All he had to do was nod.

And that started everything.

You didn't get a copy of Abby's report.

I never saw it.

Decades-old cold case in Mexico...

that's not really my business, is it?

Gibbs, if something has to
happen with Alejandro...

you don't have to say a word.

Your ceremony?

First thing in the morning.

Then we'll debrief second thing.

It's late. Go get some rest.

Agent DiNozzo?

I need a minute.

Sharp suit.

You're clearly supposed to be
somewhere in that sharp suit.

It's all right.

Never known you to hang around
the house dressed like that,

Special Agent Gibbs.

What's on your mind?

Do you really believe in right and wrong?

And enforcing the law?

Putting the bad guys behind bars?

Protecting and serving?

Why, of all things...

are you a cop?

ZIVA I hereby...

declare on oath, that I absolutely

and entirely renounce and abjure
all allegiance and fidelity

to any foreign prince, potentate,

State or sovereignty...

We're both sworn
representatives of the law.

And we're both supposed
to uphold the code.

ZIVA... The Constitution

and laws of the United States of America,

against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

That I will bear true faith
and allegiance to the same.

That I will bear arms on behalf

of the United States when
required by the law.

That I will perform
noncombatant service

in the Armed Forces of the
United States...

I've got my own code.

No. That doesn't work.

This is the bullet that should end you.

Do you think I want that?

I didn't ask you to stop it.

What do you want, Allison?

Thank you?

An apology?

Why the hell not?

Because I've got a...

rule against it.

Well, it's a stupid rule.

Maybe it is.

ZIVA And that I take
this obligation

freely, without any mental reservation

or purpose of evasion, so help me God.

I wanted to know who you were.

Who you are.

As a person.

Speaking as an officer of the law...

I think we could beat it.

Hola.

Franks.

What's your assignment here?

Director's orders... observe and report.

I'll take it from here, probie.

I can pull the trigger with my thumb.

"Number 44.

"First things first.

Hide the women and children."

What is this?

YOUNG GIBBS: Your idea.

You're actually writing them down?

Why didn't you start with number one?

YOUNG GIBBS: Can't I get anything right?

Sometimes. I guess.

Back again, Marine?

YOUNG GIBBS: Not anymore.

It's done.

Not what I heard.

No such thing as an ex-Marine.

That's forever.

Right.

Not even gonna ask where you've been.

Guess the question is: Where you going?

I don't know.

Look at you...

all self-loathing and misery.

You make me sick.

Come here to mope?

Nope. Came for a job.

My God.

You really want to be a cop,

you got to let a lot of old stuff go,

learn a lot of new stuff
to take its place.

Think you can do that?

I think I'd be a good cop.

Can I help you?

Yes, Mr. Gibbs.

I think you can.