NCIS: Origins (2024) s01e04 Episode Script

All's Not Lost

1
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

OLDER GIBBS: Letters from home.
When you're a world away
Sir?
they mean everything.
A word, a phrase.
A reminder that
there's something else.
Something worth fighting for.
Something better.
Something to come home to
when all this is done.
A reason to live.
Gunny.
Rest of you, clear out.
OLDER GIBBS: Shannon
and Kelly wrote me letters.
All hearts and "I love yous."
Shannon and Kelly
were my reason.
I'm sorry, Gibbs.
(GIGGLING)
I couldn't imagine
a world without them.
Until I had to.
(GASPING)
After that,
the letters were over.
It was only me.
The ambush was coming.
The sky would turn orange.
The sun would go black.
And there would only be me.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
(CAR DOORS CLOSE)
Neighborhood folks
are always in your business,
even after you're dead.
Place kind of reminds me
of where I grew up.
Tell me something.
They big on manners where you're from?
Dinner, probie.
Can't keep ducking me
'cause I can't keep ducking my lady.
I wouldn't duck you, boss.
And I wouldn't even think
of ducking Tish.
Look, she ain't gonna quit asking.
It's a whole thing.
Hey.
Likes to break bread with
the people who got my back.
Rando, Mary Jo they all done it
and then they come back
and they do it again.
Hell
even Dominguez.
Agent Franks.
I already let a couple of yours back.
Delivery guy found the body an hour ago.
Victim's Briana Davis.
She's an eighth grade science teacher
over at Hillside Elementary.
She's the girlfriend
of Staff Sergeant Derek Jones.
- Where's he at?
- He's deployed.
Your office is working on notifying him.
But gets worse.
- Victim's daughter?
- No.
Daughter of Staff Sergeant Jones.
Now, the victim was taking care
of her while Dad's overseas.
Girl's name is Mildred Jones.
She didn't show up
to school this morning.
We haven't been able to locate her.
What are we doing about it?
You got people out looking for her
or are we just standing
around wagging our johnsons?
Already on it.
My men have been
canvassing the neighborhood,
making calls, but no luck so far.
Double up the search party.
Victim was Briana Davis. She was
I know all that, Randy.
There was a guy on the porch, come on.
Right, I'll go
do some other stuff.
Chief, how you doing?
You disrespect your own people,
it only reflects on you.
(CHUCKLES): Who, Randy?
He's used to it. He's a redhead.
(LAUGHS)
What do we know?
Gunshot wound to the back,
one to the head.
TANGO: Chest came first, then the head.
Shooter knew how to make it quick.
- FRANKS: The guy got in how?
- No sign of forced entry.
Based on the positioning,
I'd say he walks in
through the side door
while she's making breakfast.
First shot came from there.
The second one, close range
when she's on the floor.
Then turns around, walks back out
- the way he came.
- FRANKS: What about the girl?
We know for sure she was here?
Maybe she was at her mama's house?
Mother's deceased.
The girl's only family is her father.
We're trying to make contact.
His squad is on an op in Ethiopia.
She was here.
LALA: Her little hand.
Looks like she was trying to hide.
RANDY: Boss.
You're gonna want to hear this.
MAN:
(SIGHS) I can't believe this.
I just If if I'd known,
I-I would've done something.
He lives two houses down.
Tell him what you told me.
I was driving home from the store
and I saw this blue Ford Explorer
pull onto the highway.
Uh, it was going fast.
I saw a little girl in the back.
She looked familiar, but
I didn't really think
about it until I pulled
in the driveway and saw you guys
out here, and then I realized.
It was little Mildred in that car.
- It was her.
- You sure?
Hundred percent.
You see who was driving?
No. Uh, there was a glare.
And I-I feel horrible.
I-If I'd known, I would've
followed them.
RANDY: Mr. Miller,
can we have you circle back?
Can you give us all the
details that you remember
- about the car?
- Sure.


KELLY: Listen, Daddy.
I have a new favorite song.
(POP MUSIC PLAYING)
Come on, Daddy, dance.
(GIGGLING) Dance.
Come on, Daddy.
LALA: Gibbs.
BOLO's out on a blue Ford Explorer
heading south on I-15,
possibly toward the border.
Guy said Mildred was in
the back, looking distraught.
Maybe Briana Davis
was collateral damage.
Yeah, looks that way.
Killer's real goal was to take Mildred.
The hell's going on out there?
There's a damn Toyota parked in my spot.
The whole neighborhood
showed up to help find Mildred.
It's nice, but, you know.
(INHALES DEEPLY)
Lot of personalities.
Hey, uh, you got an extra notepad?
Hey.
Oh, uh, Strickland's looking for you.
Where's she at? Her desk, I think.
Hey.
This missing girl
probably not the best case
for Gibbs to be working.
What do you want me to do, re-bench him?
Strickland gets mean
if you keep her waiting.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
MARY JO: Listen, listen.
I know you all want to lend a hand,
but unless you have
something relevant, I need you
to make your way on home, all right?
Miss, I told those kids not
to play outside after dark.
Creeps are always prowling around
Folks, folks. Cliff Wheeler,
special agent in charge.
We appreciate you coming
together to help Mildred,
especially with her father overseas.
But we have a job to do here, so
unless you have something relevant,
we ask that you return home.
Thank you.
(QUIETLY): Is he deaf?
That's what I just said.
(REGULAR VOLUME): Okay, relevant info,
form an orderly line and talk to me
or Agent Randolf over there
or Agent Gibbs
or Agent Dominguez or Agent Franks.
Nope, not me. I'm just passing through.
Uh, sir.
Sir. Uh hi.
I'm-I'm Sarah Walsh, I own
the dairy off Old River Road.
I mocked these up. We can get
it on our milk cartons pretty quick.
I just need a signature.
I can help out with a tip line, too.
That's good, ma'am. Gibbs.
- Set this lady up.
- You bet, boss.
WITNESS: That's when
I knew it was little Millie.
Dang, Jim. Did you follow the car?
Yeah, I followed it. Course I did.
VERA: Hey, Franks,
I've been looking for you.
Yeah.
- Blue folder.
- What?
Blue folder. The hell you talking about?
You said to be covert, dumbass.
The profile? The stuff I gave you
inside the blue folder I told
you I need those pictures back.
Uh, yeah, I'll-I'll get 'em to you.
It was a blue Explorer, and
when he turned to look at me,
it was like ice in my veins, you know?
It just You could
see just how evil
Hey.
Take a walk.
I thought you said
you didn't see the guy.
I actually, uh
I-I think I caught a glimpse of
(GRUNTS)
Out!
(DOOR CLOSES)
This is how this is gonna go.
I'm gonna toss some questions
at you and you're gonna speak the truth,
else we're gonna have
ourselves a problem, okay?
Okay.
Did you follow that Explorer or no?
- No.
- No.
Did you see the guy driving or no?
- No.
- No.
Then why are you telling stories
to those nice people, Jim?!
I I don't know. I I wanted
I wanted to matter.
You wanted to matter?
Well, think real hard on this one.
Did you ever
see a blue Explorer
going south on the highway
with that little girl in it?
No.
(PANTING)
What's this?
My star witness is a fraud.
I need to go back to the girl's house
and start from scratch.
I need you to sign the form.
Mike, he's way past his prime.
Cliff. This world is packed to the brim
with a bunch of no-good sons of bitches.
I'm asking you to give me
the one guy I can trust.
("BOYZ-N-THE-HOOD" BY EAZY-E PLAYING)
A car pulls up, who can it be? ♪
A fresh El Camino rollin' Kilo G ♪
He rolls down his window
and he started to say ♪
It's all about makin' that GTA ♪
'Cause the boyz in the hood
are always hard ♪
You come talkin' that trash,
we'll pull your card ♪
Yo, man. ♪
HERM: Hey, y'all.
Back in the field. (LAUGHING)
Just me and my boy.
How you doing, buddy?
There you are.
You two look good together.
I don't know, I think
he's missing Artie.
- What's his name?
- FRANKS: Special Agent
Gary Callahan.
Oh, he's got a last name.
Don't you?
Fair enough.
All right. There you are.
Ready? Okay, come on, boy,
you got it. Sniff it.
- Got it?
- (LOW GROWL)
- Okay, let's go. Let's go.
- FRANKS: All right, he's got it.
HERM: Yeah, boy. Good boy.
(GARY BARKING)
HERM: Okay, boy, yeah, you go.
He's digging.
Mike.
FRANKS: Probie, hang back,
fend off any of them neighbors,
would you?
Pull him back.
Backpack.
(TWIG SNAPS)
(LEAVES RUSTLE)
(DOOR OPENS)
Gibbs.
Agent Franks asked me to speak with you,
but your door was closed.
The girl give you a description
of your killer?
Not that I know of.
Agent Dominguez
has been in there with her.
Franks is requesting that
we hold off on calling in CPS.
He also wants me to proceed
with putting Mildred's picture
on that milk carton.
- Why?
- Until we know what's what,
it's safer to have people think
she's still missing.
Fine. Keep me in the loop.
Yes, sir.

Hey.
I saw you liked Trotter Trio,
so I made a little pit stop at Kmart.
You can take it. It's yours.
No, thank you.
You buried your backpack
in the woods, huh?
So I wouldn't lose it.
It was hard to hide with it.
One time,
when I was little,
I got mad at my mom.
I ran away from home,
and I spent the night
in the woods by my house.
It was scary as heck.
But that was different.
That was my fault.
None of this is yours.
My dad?
Well
There aren't many phones where he is,
but we are gonna get word to him.
Hey.
He's gonna come home.
Millie.
Could you tell me about
what happened yesterday?
Last night,
I had a bad dream about a bear.
Briana let me sleep with her,
but I was still tired in the morning.
She let me keep sleeping.
She was gonna take you to school late?
She was making breakfast.
I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth.
There were two big bangs.
I looked out.
She was on the floor.
There was a man with a gun.
He was looking down at her.
Did he see you?
No.
He left the house.
Then I went to Briana.
I tried to wake her up.
I started to hide.
My dad said if anything bad
ever happens,
I should run.
So I ran.
Millie.
You think you could tell me
what he looked like?
The man you saw?
Okay.
It's okay.
I spoke to the principal at Hillside.
Briana Davis did not
teach on Wednesdays.
Killer knew she'd be home.
But we've got nothing to
tell us why she was targeted.
Well-loved at school, no known enemies.
She had at least one, that's for sure.
Hey.
Gary seem thin to you?
- Sorry?
- Gary Callahan.
His fur wasn't as shiny as it usually is
and when I was petting him,
I swear I felt ribs.
No, he don't eat so good
when we haven't had
a sleepover in a while. It affects him.
(DOOR OPENS)
You two have sleepovers?
The hell?
This stuff all from our scene?
- Phil, where's Curly at?
- No idea.
You work here, don't you?
Oh, Michael Franks.
Thank God it's you and
not that new guy again.
- Gibbs was here? Yeah.
- Yeah, a couple times yesterday.
Dropped off all this stuff.
Someone needs to tell that guy
what qualifies for evidence.
Hey, Phil,
can you just give me a hand with this,
will you?
Look, Gibbs might've been
a little overzealous.
This case ain't exactly easy on him.
Yeah, well, he brings in a cabinet door,
we got to process it.
Brings in a lake water
science experiment,
we got to process it.
Brings in the California Raisins
board game,
and I got to spend the rest of my life
trying to figure out why they made
a California Raisins board game.
(CHUCKLES) Well, I-I
sent him on an errand
to make sure the milk
cartons are printed right.
He should stay out of your hair now.
We're a go for striations.
Thanks, Phil.
Okay, so this is the bullet
that we extracted
from Briana Davis' chest.
The-the one from her head
had the same markings.
Fired from the same weapon.
Same weapon, yeah. If you'll
focus on this area here
all the way to this area here,
you will notice
that it looks exactly like
my Grandpa Marv's combover.
- Like, exactly. (CLEARS THROAT)
- You driving toward a point here?
Point is, I've seen this pattern before.
I don't know what case it was,
but there's no mistaking Grandpa.
The same weapon was used
in a different case?
Yeah, and all I got to do is find
the match in this pile right here.
You guys want to
hang out while I look, or
Why don't you give us a buzz.
Well, if you want to hang out,
we'll be here.
LALA:
PE-20, this is Pendleton. Over.
This is PE-20. Go.
It's Lala.
Yeah, I know.
So, yeah, Mildred saw the
shooter, but she won't engage.
Maybe I should try the Dec-I-Pher-Kit.
You ever seen one of those?
It has drawings of different features.
You pick the right ones,
you end up with a composite.
Like Mr. Potato Head, you know?
Anyway, how are you?
Franks ask you to check in on me?
Yeah.
Tell him the milk cartons
are done. Over.
(HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING)

CAPTAIN: Correspondence says
they won't have the funeral without you.
We'll get you on
the next transport home.
(ALL EXCLAIMING)
(HIGH-PITCHED RINGING)
(MUFFLED EXPLOSIONS)
(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)
(EXPLOSIONS CONTINUING)
SOLIDER: Corpsman!
(GRUNTS)
- (SHOUTING CONTINUING)
- (EXPLOSIONS CONTINUING)
SOLDIER: Corpsman!
Get down!
(CAPTAIN SHOUTS)
Gunny, get down.
Gibbs!
Get down!
Gibbs!
Get down, Gibbs!
(SOLDIERS EXCLAIMING, SCREAMING)
CAPTAIN: What are you doing?!
Gibbs!
Get down!
MARY JO: Gail.
Where's the Dec-I-Pher-Kit?
I put it back.
MARY JO: She says she put it back.
Five minutes later, she waltzes over,
"Oh, it was in my bottom drawer."
Huh. Nice.
You know what? When you get that kit,
take Mary Jo in with you.
She's the one most likely
to get through to the girl.
You mean because
I'm a multitalented individual?
No, because you're both Black.
And the other thing, too.
Forgot I put it in my drawer.
Mm-hmm.
- MARY JO: What did I tell you?
- (LALA CHUCKLES)
Okay. Let's go, lady. Bring me to her.
Okay
MARY JO: No, I'm gonna do it,
I'm gonna do it.
(SHRIEKS)
(GASPS) Goal!
You did it, baby girl!
(LAUGHS) Say it with me.
- Goal!
- Goal!
Can we play again?
MARY JO: Heck yeah. Rematch city.
Then we get something to eat.
You ready?
- (BALL CLATTER)
- Go.
Uh-uh. Uh-uh.
(LAUGHS) Oh.
Oh, you're good at this.
Franks, I'm tapping out. You're up.
What happened?
She loved Mary Jo.
She won't even look at the thing.
Tell Mary Jo to tell her to look.
She tried.
We can't force the kid
to describe the guy, Mike.
She's scared.
She's a little girl.
(SIGHS)
Think Randy would want this for Junior?
No, donkeys unnerve him.
You tried to give that to Mildred?
She didn't want it.
'Cause that one sucks.
Well, it was the only Trotter Trio
- that they had at the store.
- 'Cause Donna Donkey sucks.
She doesn't even have any powers.
Give me the kit.
- Nah, I'm gonna give it a go.
- No.
I'm gonna give it a go.
Just 'cause I lost my little girl
doesn't mean I can't go
in there and talk to that one.
I'm sorry there's no jelly, sweetie.
This kitchen is a disgrace.
You want crust or no crust?
One of each, please.
Oh, one of each?
Okay, I like your style.
Hi.
Hi.
You busy?
I saw you have a boom box in your room.
You have a favorite song?
My favorite song?
Yeah.
Whitney Houston.
"How Will I Know?"
"Greatest Love of All."
Okay, wow. That's a big one.
My dad says it's about me.
I have to love me first,
then I can love others, too.
Maybe you can sing it with me.
Can I move this?
I'm gonna turn these pages.
And when you stop singing,
I'll stop turning, okay?
I believe the children
are our future ♪
Teach them well
and let them lead the way ♪
Show them all the beauty
they possess inside ♪
Give them a sense of pride ♪
- To ♪
- To make it easier ♪
Let the ♪
Give them a sense of pride ♪
To make it easier ♪
Let the children's ♪
Laughter ♪
Remind us ♪
- How we used ♪
- How we ♪
- We used to be ♪
- To be ♪
Everybody's searching for a hero. ♪
Wheeler just got word.
Girl's daddy was located outside Gondar.
He'll be on the next flight home.
- Oh, that's great.
- Got it.
You're the best, Wood-man. Later.
So, couple things from Woody.
The stuff from Briana Davis' house.
Cabinet doors:
no unknown prints.
Water in jars was some kind
of chemical lake water,
science experiment.
Board game:
there were a few missing
California Raisins,
but likely not taken by the shooter
Let me skip to the striations.
GIBBS: Here's our guy.
I made copies.
How'd you get her to do it?
That's good work, probie.
Permission to go home.
FRANKS: Little early, ain't it?
Permission to go home, boss.
Go.
So, uh, back to Woody, he
had a hit on the striations.
He matched the combover thing
to another bullet.
- Another case, same gun?
- Yeah.
The head of a gambling ring
was murdered two weeks ago.
Davidson. Shots to the head and chest.
Theory was a competing ring
hired a hit man to take him out.
Hit man for a gambling ring.
Black Kenny might know something.
Mm. This time of day,
he won't be hard to find.
MARY JO: Black Kenny?
Maybe you can take Millie
along with you,
see if the two of them can bond.
Don't be ridiculous, Mary Jo.
Black Kenny is
a career criminal, man's a CI,
not a multitalented individual.
I'm taking her home.
The girl needs a real bed
and a home-cooked meal.
Carl's gonna post outside my house.
You two dig up the latest on Kenny.
Radio it in. Mary Jo.
I appreciate you.
Yeah, yeah.

- (LAUGHING)
- (RADIO PLAYING)
KELLY: Come on, Daddy.
Dance.
Dance.
(LAUGHING)

- (CARDS SHUFFLING)
- MAN: I don't want to hear none of that.
Tito, you're not shuffling
these cards right, man.
Okay.
All right, let's do this.
Tito, get your ass ready.
Kenny's gonna sit this one out, boys.
What you want now, man?
Quick chat.
I'm gonna go handle
some business, fellas.
What's up with you?
What the hell are you doing?
- You know this guy? Man,
- you can't bring paper like that, man.
Do you know him?
- I'm not doing
- Look.
I'm hearing a keg of beer
got lifted from the liquor store
down the way from your house.
Couple witnesses said they saw a guy
looked just like you rolling
that barrel down the street.
Now, you want me to call the cops?
Tell them to search your house,
see what other goodies they find?
Or you want to look at my paper?
- Give me the paper.
- Huh?
Give me the paper.
- I don't know him.
- Look again.
He got paid to take a guy out
two weeks ago.
Davidson. Head of a ring.
(SCOFFS QUIETLY)
I ain't gonna ask nice again.
Dude's a fixer, all right?
Goes by the name Hatcher.
He lives in Oceanside with his old man.
Oceanside, where?
(KNOCKING)
- RANDY: Federal agents!
- Open up.
(POUNDING AT DOOR)
Two doors on the right.
LALA: Clear. Clear.
Got him.
Sir, where's your son?
RANDY: Clear.
LALA: Mr. Hatcher, where is your son?
He found something out.
That little girl
saw his face.
He knows where she is, God help her.
(WHIMPERS) He knows.
He knows.
Agent Gibbs. What are you doing here?
Come on in.
I know Carl's posted up out front,
- and I didn't want to
- (DOOR CLOSES)
I just figured I'd come around this way.
What are you doing here, honey?
Here. Uh, uh, she doesn't need
She doesn't want the bag.
That's Harlo Horse.
She has special powers.
She's the only one that glows.
That's why she's always sold out.
Looks like she was loved.
You want to come in and give it to her?
You know
you're not alone.
- I have my own, um
- (PHONE RINGING)
I should grab that.
(DOOR OPENS)
Millie, go wash your hands.
- (CRASHING, GLASS BREAKING)
- (MILRED SCREAMING)

(DISCONNECT TONE BEEPING)
(GROANS)
(PANTING)
(EXCLAIMS) Ah. I did it.
I stabbed him.
Mil-Mildred ran to the basement.
- Is he alone?
- Yeah.
Where is he?
- He was there.
- Basement?
(PANTING)
Go out the back. Call it in.
Shh.
- (MEN GRUNTING)
- (GUNSHOTS)
(GUNSHOTS)
(BLOWS LANDING)
(MEN GRUNTING)
(GUNSHOTS)
(GRUNTS SOFTLY)
It's okay.
Come here. It's okay.
(PANTING)
It's okay.
You're okay. I got you.
I got you.
WHEELER: I know there's
been some concerns raised
about Special Agent Gibbs.
But as far as last night is concerned,
we're lucky he was there.
What would you call that kismet?
I'd call it a damn holy intervention.
All right, what's the sitrep?
Took Mary Jo and Mildred
to a secure hotel
while we process the scene.
Agent Loughlin is still at the hospital.
Concussion, stitches,
but doctor should
release him this morning.
Told Gibbs to take the day off.
- Kid's been through it.
- And the hit man?
Hatcher the hit man is deader
- than a strip club on Mother's Day.
- Yeah, I'm aware.
What I want to know is how the hell
he found out we had the girl.
No CPS, the milk carton's out there,
press wasn't tipped.
How did he know
he'd find her at Mary Jo's?
(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)
Excuse me, sir.
Mr. Hatcher's here.
- Mr. Hatcher?
- LALA: Father of the hit man.
We're hoping he can tell
us who hired him.
Um, who hired the hit man,
I mean, not who hired the father.
One too many pronouns in that sentence.
WHEELER: Yeah. I got it, Randolf.
Boss.
(DOOR CLOSES)
What are you doing?
I told you to take the day.
Is the father up there?
Probie, I'll be up there
pulling stuff out.
When you're done,
I'll tell him what happened.
I should be the one to tell
him that his son is gone.
It should come from me.
I told you to take the day.
You bench me.
You send me across town on that thing.
You think you're protecting me.
This is the job.
You ever known someone that
tried to take himself out?
You never know how close they are
to going back down that road.
It's a scary thing.
I'm okay.
Did you stop him from
hurting that little girl?
Do you have him here?
Why was he after her?
Is it 'cause he knew she could ID him?
How did he know that?
How did he know that she was here?
I don't know.
Not many folks knew
that we had her, Mr. Hatcher.
Was he ever talking to someone here,
here at NIS?
Maybe
someone saw when you found her.
I don't know.
He knows lots of people,
lots of places.
Mr. Hatcher, who hired him
to do the job?
Who hired him to kill Briana Davis?
That lady he killed
she was a teacher.
She was taking samples
from the lake for her class.
She realized something was wrong
with the water.
Some company was dumping
chemicals into it.
And she was gonna make a stink
about it, is that right?
I think so.
What was the company?
Mr. Hatcher, what was the
company that she was going to rat on?
I think it was
that dairy
off Old River Road.
My son never had it easy.
I should have been better.
Can I see him, please?
Can I?
Please.

(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
(BIRDSONG)
Milk carton was smart.
You wanted to find her
just as much as we did.
Turn around.
(HANDCUFFS JANGLING)
(DOOR OPENS)
Daddy!
Baby girl.
I missed you so much.
DEREK: Oh. I missed you, too.

OLDER GIBBS:
The letters were over.
It was only me.
(EXPLOSIONS)
The ambush came.
The sky turned orange.
The sun went black,
and there was only me
without my reason.
Without a reason to live.
It was only me.
(LAUGHING)
Can't believe my damn eyes.
Come on in, probie.
(LAUGHING)
Tish.
You're so sweet.
Hey! Gary!
Buddy. Yeah.
- (LAUGHS)
- Oh, yeah.
Gary's sleeping over.
Is he?
Don't worry.
He'll split his steak with you.
Hope you like it rare.
OLDER GIBBS: It was only me.
Until it wasn't.
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