NCIS (2003–…): Season 8, Episode 24 - Pyramid - full transcript

Previously on NCIS:

Called the port-to-port killer.
MO's the same every time.

My killer, my case.

This is for you.
- I didn't order that.

No, you do it.

Your eyeball, how come it opens
up restricted areas at NCIS?

The port-to-port killer,
as you've dubbed him, has a name.

Lieutenant Jonas Cobb.

Oh, Mike.

Be on high alert.

Cobb is armed
and likely anticipates your arrival.

I got it, Cade. Lie still.

Levin.

- Where's E. J?
- Cobb took her.

DiNozzo, come back here.
Stay with him.

- Keep pressure on it.
I got it.

Just hang in there.
You're gonna be all right.

Drink this.

Boss, I adjusted
the BOLO on the P2P

based on Agent Barrett's
latest description.

Got an update on Cade?

He's in surgery.
Abby's at the hospital, waiting.

Levin's next of kin.

Agents from Great Lakes field office
are with his family in Chicago.

Ducky and Palmer are
on their way up with the remains now.

I ran the phone number
that Cobb keyed into the sedan.

ID's blocked.
It's a secure government line.

Well, unsecure it, McGee.

Whoever it belongs to
has a significant clearance level.

I'm having trouble cracking it.

That's Ray's cell phone number.

Where is he?

I'm not sure. We have not spoken.

Well, find him. Warn him.
Tell him to protect his ass.

Cobb became a monster.

Yes, director?

- Get me SECNAV.
- Right away, sir.

He used a marker instead of a blade.
It'll come off.

Come on.
You're gonna hurt yourself.

Why didn't he kill me?

I fought like hell,
but why didn't he do it right there?

You were a message, not a victim.

Consider yourself lucky.

Levin's dead.

Cade may not make it.
They were my responsibility.

Where exactly is the luck in that?

You think Gibbs would've
let Cobb leave Europe?

You think
any of this would've happened

if anybody else had been
leading the case?

Stop beating yourself up.

We've all lost people in the field.

- You're a good agent.
- Am I?

You're letting Cobb
get inside your head, E.J.,

and that's exactly what he wants.
You gotta stop.

Tony, he's not doing this
because he wants to.

Cobb's doing this because he has to.

Okay, Duck.

Based on Agent Barrett's
detailed description of the gun

and the shell casings
retrieved at the scene,

Cobb was almost certainly using
Mike Franks' sidearm.

Precision shot.

Port-to-port killer is proving
as accomplished with a gun

as he is with a surgical blade.

- Why the change in method?
- Because it's no longer about method

or clue trail or gamesmanship,
Mr. Palmer.

It's about hurting those responsible
for putting him in this situation.

- Situation?
- Operation Frankenstein.

Set aside your preconceived notions
about what drives a serial killer.

What was once about profiling Cobb,

his training as a medic,
his mastery of the scalpel,

his dressing his younger victims
as older officers,

all that has evolved
into clearheaded self-awareness.

Those who created him
must now pay.

Hi.

Oh. Agent Barrett.

Please, come in.

I didn't mean to interrupt.
I just keep thinking about Levin.

You want someone
to drive you home, Barrett?

Maybe you can get some rest.

I'm fine, really.

But before Dr. Mallard begins
the autopsy,

I'd like a moment
to pay my respects.

Mr. Palmer.

I've tried everything.

- Ray's not answering.
- Did you talk to his boss?

He said he was working
and the assignment is classified.

Well, they must be able
to get in touch with him.

I don't like this. I mean, Cobb knows
that Ray is on this case.

He blames the Navy and the CIA
for what has happened.

I blame the one-eyed tea bag.
He's the one who screwed this up.

I'm worried.

We'll find him.

Good morning, Mr. Secretary.
- Like hell it is, Leon.

This better be damn important.

Agent's dead, Mr. Secretary.
Another critical.

I don't know
how much more important it could get.

Right this way, sir.

McGee, what are you doing here?

Waiting for you. How's Cade?

Stable, sort of.

I mean, he's lost a lot of blood.

Well, he's a big guy.
He's got a lot of blood to lose.

Did you stay with him all night?

He's a friend, McGee.

I would do that for any friend.
For you or for Tony, for Gibbs.

I know you would.

And listen, it's okay
if you two are more than friends.

I understand, seriously.
I really like Cade,

and I can understand
how a man of his stature

could be intriguing to a woman.

Are you for real
right now, McGee? Really?

Because I am, like,
over-the-top tired

and I'm hoping
this is all some sort of weird dream.

I'm not a dream.

Well, that's too bad because right now
I'd like to just roll over

and dream about purple kittens

or flying elephants or just...

Never mind.

I need to go home.

- Where are you going?
- Going with you.

As long as Cobb is still on the loose,
we're not taking any chances.

No, McGee, shoo.
I can take care of myself.

Abby, this is not just
another random suspect.

This guy is very bad news.

And if something ever happened
to you, I would...

You'd what, McGee?

I know what it's like
to lose a team member.

Especially one you care deeply for.

You learn
there is no rhyme or reason to dying.

Good or bad,
it's just completely out of your hands.

Agent Levin died
because I screwed up.

No, Agent Levin died
because it was his time.

There was nothing
you could do about it.

Excuse me.

David. Yes, Tony.

Where?

Can you please send it over?
No, I'm not gonna wait for you.

Ray's apparently at a hotel in D.C.
Kort gave us the address.

- I'll come with you.
- That's not a good idea.

I could use the fresh air.

E.J., I'm going to see my boyfriend.
Can you please tell McGee

that Agent Cruz will not be needing
the safe house after all?

He will be staying with me instead.

Ray, it's me. Open up.

Ray, come on, we need to talk.

- I was beginning to think you... Unh.
- Unh.

Look, I'm as unhappy
about what's happened as you are,

but you can manage this.

- Can I?
- Damn right.

How many years we been
doing this together?

Too long.

Before you, Jenny had to clean up
messes a lot worse than this one.

Director Shepard had
her share of problems, sir,

but one thing
has nothing to do with the other.

My point is
it comes with the territory.

Now, if you're reaching
your saturation level,

well, that's a bigger conversation.

- This isn't just about me, sir.
- Then what are we talking about?

Mr. Secretary,

year after year, I've caught
whatever was thrown my way.

But since Eli David was here,
since I got hurt,

things have been different.

Different how?
You need time, Leon?

For God's sake,
take all the time you need.

I'm not talking about time, sir,
I'm talking about mistakes.

Now, you learn to accept
a lot with this job.

Resolutions that I knew were wrong.

And now we're facing
the consequences.

We can't talk about this here.
You know that.

We need a SCIF. It's a black op.

Modifications were made, sir.

We can talk all we want.
The room's tight as a drum.

Too many years of lighting up

finally caught up with me, probie.

For three decades,
I outran every bullet aimed at me.

Can't outrun this.

Not with these lungs.

Only got a few months left to go,
and I plan to live them.

Never one to disappoint,
were you, Mike?

- Yeah, it's Gibbs.
Boss, it's me.

DiNozzo, slow down.

DiNozzo, talk to me.

Ziva went to find Ray.

I got a 20 on Cruz
from Agent Eye-Patch.

- Well, he should know.
- That's what I thought.

Location?

Northrop Hotel, 27th and M.

She went there to bring Ray
to her place. Thought it would be safer.

- Is there a problem?
- Problem is, I haven't checked in yet.

I was on assignment.
I just got back to D.C. an hour ago.

- Where is Ziva?
- I don't know.

We can't find her.
Tried her home and cell.

- I shouldn't have let her go alone.
- This isn't your responsibility.

- Kort lied.
- No, he didn't.

His information was accurate.

Who else had access
to your travel plans, Cruz?

My itinerary's classified, sir.

Classified never stopped
Cobb before.

What if he got there first?

DiNozzo, BOLO out on Ziva.
McGee, get me Kort.

Boss, he's already in the building.

It's been a long time, Mr. Secretary.

We weren't supposed
to see each other again.

Per your request.

I certainly wish that were the case.

Oh, Leon, do we have
to talk about this again?

Am I boring you, Kort?

You know I have
a limited attention span.

Well, let me see
if I can keep it interesting for you.

Here's what your boy Cobb
just did to one of my men.

I trained him to kill, director.

Selection is entirely his decision.

Do you remember
when this operation was conceived?

Like it was yesterday.

Your clever notion, I believe.

Scribbled on a note pad
during your days at the war college.

Who knew it would become
a joint venture

between the Navy and the CIA?

It was flawed from the get-go.
It should've been aborted.

It was conceptually brilliant.
The results were generally positive.

Except Kort lost control
of one of his men.

It wasn't from lack of trying.

Cobb was strong-willed.

- Got a taste for killing.
You pushed him.

You used him on assignments
outside of the program.

With approval.

Those who needed to know did.

And now somebody
has to take the heat.

Special Agents Barrett and Gibbs
have failed to stop him.

You can't blame them.

Mr. Secretary,

for once, the weight does not fall
on the bottom of the pyramid.

This operation was your call.
Accept it.

Pam, is he in here?

Sir, we're in SCIF mode.
You don't have clearance.

- Excuse me.
- Uh...

- Leon. We need to talk.
- Not now, Gibbs.

Is Trent Kort in there?

Agent Gibbs,

this meeting requires access
beyond your need to know.

I need to know if he sent
one of my people into a trap.

Ziva went to meet Ray Cruz
at his hotel

and he wasn't there yet.
And now she's missing.

Gibbs, all I did was provide your team
with Cruz's location.

Well, we think Cobb got her.

You think
I sent her in there on purpose?

- To gain what, exactly?
- If she gets hurt, you answer to me.

Is he threatening me, director?

If he wasn't, I am.

What do you mean,
the security camera's not working?

I told you, Tony,
the system's down all over the hotel.

- It has been for days.
- Isn't that illegal?

Same MO. No fingerprints.
The place has been wiped clean.

How could she just walk out of here
and nobody notices?

- Tony.
- Sorry.

- We're all worried about Ziva.
- I know.

It's just different for some of us.

I think you people are looking for me.

This isn't right. It's too easy.

He knows where Ziva is.
There's nothing easy about it.

Cobb's playing us.

Playing Leroy Jethro Gibbs?
Guy must have a death wish.

- What does he want?
- Rule 16:

If someone thinks
they have the upper hand, break it.

Something funny?

I mean, you're so confident.
So proud.

Nothing to be proud of.
You gave yourself up.

Why?

Well, because most
of my work is done.

Most?

Agent Gibbs, are you incapable
of savoring a moment?

Nothing to savor. Yet.

One of my team is still missing.

Where is she?

It's time to put Samson down.

You don't know
about Samson, do you?

Surely Agent Barrett
wrote about him in

that psych profile she
holds so near and dear?

I'm listening.

Once there was a boy
whose father was in the Navy.

He was a captain,

with enough bravery
and determination

to make up
for his son's obvious shortcomings.

One day, the young man
turned to the captain for help.

You see, his aging horse, Samson,
was sick,

and a decision needed to be made.

Now, the boy knew
that a visit from the vet

meant putting the animal down.

Which was the right
and humane thing to do.

But what kind of lesson
would that be for the boy to learn?

So the captain drew his sidearm.

Fired

point-blank.

Put poor Samson out of his misery.

Would you like me to put you
out of your misery, Cobb?

Your agent is still out there, Gibbs.

Now, what kind of lesson
would you learn

if my actions were humane?

You failed as a Navy officer.

You were an embarrassment
to the CIA.

A disappointment to your Dad.

And you wanna teach me a lesson?

Where is she?

Who's holding the sidearm now?

Tell me what you know.

Kort oversaw two divisions.

The first one
was a legitimate covert squad

operating under
the auspices of the agency.

Operation Frankenstein.

Now, the second one was a team
designed for, uh, the private sector.

Hit men.

Guns for hire.

Used mostly by rich, foreign politicos

with targets on their backs,
you understand?

- Who collected the profits?
- I can't tell you that.

What I will tell you is that Kort
skimmed enough off the top to retire.

And do you think Cobb would've
turned himself in the way he did

unless he was after
something very specific?

Something he could only find
right here at NCIS?

Have you gone bloody mad?

What does Cobb really want?

You have no idea
how high this goes.

I know all about
Operation Frankenstein.

You don't know anything.

Certain people had a lot to gain
from this project.

I need to find Ziva.

Stop looking
for a straight line, DiNozzo.

If this were a chess game,
think four moves ahead.

It's all about the checkmate.
He's clever that way.

Abs? You okay?

The blood on Cobb's hands,

it's Ziva's.

It does not mean that she's gone.

You find anything
on Cobb's clothes?

Um...

There was concrete dust
from the ground

where Cade and Levin were shot,
that's no big surprise.

But I found some weird
trace elements on his pants.

There was dead bluegrass
and sheet-metal rust

and some homeopathic oils.

It was arnica
and butcher's broom and bitterwort.

- Bitterwort?
- Yeah. Also known as gentian.

It aids in muscle aches
in older people.

What if they weren't people?

Remember, positive.

Start talking, McGee.

Abby forwarded
the chemical breakdowns

she found on Cobb's clothing.

Any link to a horse named Samson?

All the oils are used in
over-the-counter liniments for horses

- to keep their muscles limber...
- Yeah, McGee. I know what they are.

Pull up location
of the Cobb family farm in Maryland.

Captain Lowell Cobb

bought the horse farm in Burtonsville
22 years ago.

And when he died,
he and Jonas hadn't spoken in years.

The land fell into disarray
and was auctioned off later.

Go. Find DiNozzo. And Ray Cruz.

- You think Ziva's there?
Yeah.

You can bet the farm on it. Road trip.

If you don't mind, I'd like to come.

Got orders from upstairs.
They want you benched.

Who?

- I'm not supposed to talk about it.
- Talk about what, Gibbs?

I know that your uncle is SECNAV.

I have since day one.

That's supposed to be confidential.

I gotta know my team, Barrett.

There anything else
you wanna tell me?

With all due respect,
I've worked hard to get here.

I earned Rota.

And my personal relationship
to the secretary

had nothing to do with it.

I never said it did.

- All clear.
- Nothing here, boss.

Looks totally abandoned.

Heads up.

Ziva, you all right?

Unh. I'm all right.

Unh. Hiding me is a decoy, Gibbs.

Get her up.
It's a distraction.

- Cobb needed to keep you occupied.
- Why?

He surrendered
because he needed to get inside NCIS.

It is the only way he can get close
to the man he holds responsible.

- Close to who? Vance?
- SECNAV.

Davenport's got 24-hour security.

Yeah, well, his niece,
Special Agent Barrett, doesn't.

Uh... Agent Barrett, I was just, uh...
Just coming up to see you.

Beat you to it, Palmer.

We were on our way down
before taking Cobb to lockup.

Get B2.

Yeah, I'll be real quick.

Fastest DNA swab in the east.
Ha, ha.

- Did I hear you're getting married?
- Yes. In the spring.

Her name is Breena. Yeah. Yeah.

Round two, Barrett.

We're going to the ME van.

We're taking a drive.

- Update?
- Cameras showed

Cobb forced E.J. and Palmer
to take him to the autopsy garage.

Security said
that Palmer signed out the ME van.

The guards
didn't think twice about checking it.

Agent was rushed to the ER,

but he's all right.

Both Palmer and E.J.'s cell phones
have been disabled,

so GPS tracking is inoperable.

- BOLOs?
- Went out to the FBI and Metro P.D.

And the agency's on it too.

Davenport?

SECNAV's been called
and is on his way.

Uncle SECNAV.
She could've mentioned that.

Maybe she did not want you
to think less of her.

I know what it's like to have
a relative in a place of power.

It can influence things.

We'll find them.

How do we know this plan
is gonna work?

We don't, Mr. Secretary.

Cobb had the chance to hurt
Special Agent Barrett once, sir.

He didn't, as a message to you.

He wanted to show
how humane he could be.

He had to get your attention.

He used E.J. as bait.

Found this in autopsy.

"We'll be waiting at home."

- At home, Leon.
- The building.

Where Cade and Levin were hit.

It's where
the Frankenstein training occurred.

- But there's nothing left of it.
There is for Cobb, sir.

He's going back
to where it all started.

I may have conceived of this project,

but the secretary dictated its actions.

Certain jobs were accepted

that neither the CIA
nor the Navy officially authorized.

Then why order them?

Off-the-record political favors.

I was smart enough to steer clear.

Kort handled the private jobs.

- Well, who's handling Kort?
Mistakes were made.

Doesn't mean
more people have to die.

I'm giving my resignation
to the president

as soon as this is over.

Let's take care of this son of a bitch.

Cobb?

Cobb, you hear me?

What the hell
are you doing, lieutenant?

Training.

To do what, exactly?

Well, as my teacher,
Officer Kort, once said,

we had to maintain composure
under the most arduous situations.

I tried to kill him, sir.

Agent Kort made the mistake
of trying to stop me himself.

Those who can't do teach.

You know,

I've actually admired
your niece's tenacity for some time.

She's a good agent.

Beautiful girl.

Of course, her connection to you
is why I started in Rota.

To make sure we ended together.

Tsk. Well, surely,
you didn't come alone, Mr. Secretary?

- We came to arrest you, Cobb.
Drop the weapon.

It's not that easy, Gibbs.

Don't do it.

You know,

I thought I was being trained
to do what was right.

Drop the gun, lieutenant.

We can talk about this.

We wanna help you.

Liar.

So, what's next? Rota?

Cade's been reassigned stateside.

Oh, "stateside" as in "local," Simon?

No, McGee.

"Stateside" as in
"Bremerton, Washington."

I'm gonna spend some time
with my family while things heal.

That's good.

Very sorry to see you go, of course.

Yeah, right.

So you're putting together
a new team or what?

I'm giving up my post too, Tony.

Need some time
to decide what's next.

Oh.

You can have Rota if you want.

I think I'll stay put.

No sense walking away
from a good thing.

- That a compliment, DiNozzo?
- No, boss. Sorry. Never.

I'm thinking about
sticking around D.C. for a while.

Really? Were you?

It's a real small town, you know.

Maybe, uh, we'll bump
into each other sometime.

It's possible.

Thank you, Erica Jane Barrett.

For everything.

See you, Gibbs.

It's been real.

Come back any time,
Special Agent Barrett.

Maybe I will.

- It's empty.
- You disappointed?

Well, I know what I would like better.

Consider it a promise.

What kind of promise?

That we have
lots to talk about when I get back.

I have to work outside of the country.

- For how long?
- It could take a while.

Then don't go. Stay.

I can't.

Well, tell them
that I threatened to divorce you.

They know I'm not married.

Well, if you keep doing this,
you'll never be.

Hey. Come here.

Is this goodbye?

For now.

How do I know?

- You gave me an empty box.
- Mm-mm.

I gave you a promise.

- What is it?
- Nothing.

Ready! Aim! Fire!

Ready! Aim! Fire!

Ready! Aim! Fire!

Having you here as the new SECNAV,
Clay, is a heck of a surprise.

When the president called to offer me
the job, I was convinced it was a prank.

People are excited to have you.

Well, I'm happy to be here.
You still box?

Oh, once in a while.
I can't take a beating the way I used to.

Huh. Try working on the Hill
as a lobbyist 24/7.

That wasn't a beating,
it was a massacre.

So, what can I do for you?

What's our first order of business?

First, promise to protect my ass

as long as it's your sworn duty
as NCIS director.

Easy enough. What else?

Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo.

I've already been in touch with him.
Mind if I bring him in?

- You've spoken to Agent DiNozzo?
- Twice, I think. May I?

- Agent DiNozzo, sit down.
- Sir. Director.

Director Vance, I'm authorizing
Agent DiNozzo access

to sensitive
compartmented information

commensurate with
the Black Program.

None of your other team
members need to know. Is that clear?

Actually, Clay, I'm a little concerned.

Secretary Jarvis
when we're talking shop.

So an agent
somewhere in your organization

is selling top-secret information,
and they need to be dealt with.

Mr. Secretary,
I'd like to discuss this first.

There's nothing else to talk about.

If you're uncomfortable with this,

Agent DiNozzo and I
can do it without you.

Take a look.

That's who you're handling.

Do whatever it takes.

Any questions?