NCIS: Hawai'i (2021) s01e05 Episode Script
Gaijin
1
SAILORS: Your love
is like a shadow on me
All of the time
I don't know what to do
And I'm always in the dark
We're living in a powder
keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight
Once upon a time, I
was falling in love
Now I'm only falling apart
A total eclipse of the heart.
(LIVELY CHATTER) Shogo? (WAVES CRASHING) Shogo? Shogo? Shogo! Yes, Captain, I'm arriving now.
I'm fully aware of how sensitive it Right.
Okay.
As soon as I know anything.
(QUIET CHATTER) Fun morning? PACOM reminding me this is a delicate situation that requires a thoughtful resolution.
Fourth call this morning, and I'm barely at the crime scene.
Oh, I guess we won't phone it in, then.
- So, who's our victim? - Victim is Shogo Oda.
He's an Isso with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
Isso? Petty Officer? Oh, you know your Japanese ranks.
Worked a couple cases out of the Yokosuka Field Office.
COD appears to be multiple stab wounds.
Wallet and phone's missing.
It's pretty vicious for a mugging, though.
HPD find any similar MOs? No.
Nothing like this.
Whoever did it got up close and personal.
Has he had any problems since he's been here? Not sure.
Kai's inside talking to his buddies.
They're all in town this week for some field training exercise.
Operation Iron Cloud.
Computer-based drills focused on ballistic missile defense.
Think this could be connected? We need to find out.
Give Commander Chase a heads-up.
Tell her the body's on the way.
Yeah, I'll make sure the autopsy moves to the top of her list.
- (DANCE MUSIC PLAYING OVER HEADPHONES) - (DOOR LOCK BEEPS) (CLEARS THROAT) (CLEARS THROAT) Quick: Favorite go-to karaoke song? Ah, none.
I don't believe in karaoke.
It isn't something to believe in or not.
It-it just exists, like science.
I skipped my sister's bachelorette party because they went to a karaoke club.
Wow.
Nerves? Principle.
I don't like singing.
I'm not good at it.
And I-I refuse to be peer-pressured.
Well, i-it's not about being good or not.
It's about having fun and-and letting go, you know? (HUMS) Yeah, one man's letting go is another woman's embarrassing public spectacle.
Were you able to find any information on our victim? Yeah, well, I'm working on it.
His, uh, cell phone and personnel records were stored in Japan, so my normal databases aren't any use.
Which also eliminates social media.
Uh, not entirely.
I can't access Shogo's accounts without permission from the Japanese companies, but I ran a geotag search on the karaoke bar, and I got a lot of hits.
All the photos his friends posted.
- Yeah, and Shogo's in several of them.
- See? He never sang, either.
Yeah, and look what happened to him.
Sorry.
He seems distracted by his phone.
Maybe he was texting with someone? Yeah, looks like it.
There was no phone with his body.
Could you get access to those text messages? Not until we get some cooperation from the Japanese.
(QUIET CHATTER) We've got company.
JESSE: That the Japanese commander? And everyone determined to keep him happy.
- Captain Milius.
- Allow me to introduce Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant.
She'll be handling the investigation.
Nisa Tanaka, allow me to express my deepest condolences for your loss.
Thank you.
This has been devastating for us.
Isso Oda was much respected.
We're doing everything we can to find out who did this.
- But we could use your help.
- Of course.
Whatever you require.
The first thing is that we need to speak to the men who were there last night.
We'll make them available immediately.
(SPEAKING JAPANESE) I need a word.
It's important.
Can you settle everyone in the conference room? - I'll be right in.
- Gentlemen.
I cannot stress enough how delicate this is.
So I've been told.
A lot.
Secretary of the Navy called me himself.
Wants me to stay on top of the situation.
Solving homicides is suddenly under your purview? I'm just here to help however I can.
The thing is this isn't the first murder associated with Iron Cloud.
Operation Iron Cloud changes locations each year.
Last year, exercises were set in Okinawa.
Someone was killed? A Japanese woman named Yuki Sawa.
She was a translator at the JMSDF.
You think the two cases are connected? (SCOFFS) I know they are.
The sailor killed last night was Yuki Sawa's boyfriend.
And Yuki was murdered in the exact same manner stabbed in the heart.
Did the Okinawa investigation come up with any suspects? Only one: Abby Nelson, an American working for a Navy contractor called Translation Nexus.
Nelson was living in Okinawa with Yuki at the time, but guess where she's living now.
KAI: Honolulu.
She's been there since she left Japan.
If Nelson was such a good suspect, why isn't she behind bars? Didn't have enough evidence to convict.
Did they have motive? Stabbing someone like that is intense.
I wouldn't call it intense.
I'd call it efficient.
With a sharp blade and enough velocity, you don't need much force to pierce clothes, skin and organ tissue.
Massive internal damage with a minimum of fuss.
Mr.
Oda's COD was traumatic injury to the thoracic aorta.
Strikes were deep and swift, no evidence of hesitation.
I'm not seeing any defensive wounds.
No.
I don't think he ever saw it coming.
Means the killer got close without arousing suspicion.
Could a woman do this? I think a woman could do anything.
Right.
Me, too.
This is a gender-neutral killing.
Trace indicates the weapon: Damascus stainless steel.
Too common to be much help.
- Foreign DNA? - No, Special Agent.
No foreign DNA or fingerprints.
No confession secreted in the body.
His aura is green, but I don't put that in the report.
Only other detail your victim's last meal was Japanese noodles.
- What kind? - Hoto.
Does it matter? Depends how much you value precision.
In forensic medicine, we value it above all else.
In Japanese cooking, a chef often holds his or her noodle recipe to the same standard.
Yeah.
The broth can be incredibly specific, not just to the region but to the individual restaurant.
So, we-we figure out where he ate, we can track his movements.
Bon appétit.
As part of the training exercise in Japan, Yuki invited Nelson to stay with her for a few weeks.
ERNIE: Best way to improve language skills is to immerse yourself in the culture.
Probably works better if you don't stab your host to death.
Sorry.
Don't mind me.
He's helping.
Why did the investigation focus on Nelson? She was in the apartment when Yuki was killed.
Said she was asleep and didn't hear anything until she found the body in the morning.
JESSE: She didn't call the police until almost an hour later.
Why the delay? Cops figure she was getting rid of evidence.
Nelson insisted she was just in shock.
I heard her story kept changing.
Yeah.
Local investigators were convinced she did it.
They were trying to gather enough evidence to charge her.
Yeah, well, lots of outrage and finger-pointing by the locals.
Got even worse for a few weeks after Nelson fled the country.
Yeah.
We heard American authorities just put her on a plane in the middle of the night.
You know who gave that order? That seems to be something of a mystery.
TENNANT: We should find out.
Maybe you could look into that? I'm on it.
We need to talk to Abby Nelson.
We know her location? HPD checked her work and her apartment.
No sign of her.
Think she's running? I got 20 bucks says "no".
Any takers? Looking for me? ABBY: I can't believe this is happening again.
You don't seem that shocked.
Isn't an abnormal reaction the definition of shock? Are you sure you wouldn't prefer to have an attorney present? I have nothing to hide.
I didn't kill anyone.
Not here and not in Okinawa.
Duffel bag you were carrying looked like you packed for a long trip.
And yet I came directly to you.
I'll admit my first instinct was to take off.
But then I realized, I haven't done anything wrong.
So you wouldn't mind telling us where you were last night, around midnight? In my apartment, sleeping.
Same alibi you gave when Yuki Sawa was murdered.
Sleeping? Yes.
I do it every night.
Look, this has been hard on me.
I had a great job.
I got to travel all over.
But after what happened in Japan, they have me translating manuals in a basement.
Does sound hard.
Though maybe not as hard as what happened to the two people who were murdered.
Yuki's death was very upsetting for me.
- Of course.
- Were you close? We were friends.
What about Yuki's boyfriend? Shogo Oda? You know him well? A little.
He seemed nice.
JESSE: When was the last time you saw him? Last year in Okinawa.
A few days before Yuki was killed.
I actually felt bad for him.
Because his girlfriend was murdered.
Because she was having an affair.
She was seeing another man? She wouldn't admit it, but I knew.
I overheard them once.
Can you describe this man? I never actually saw him, but I think she was scared of him.
Do you think he might be responsible for killing Yuki and Shogo? (DOOR CLOSES) Every single word out of her mouth's a lie.
- What makes you think that? - Instinct.
She wants us to believe she's like Amanda Knox, you know, an innocent caught up in a bad situation.
But every answer feels calculated.
Nothing she's offered can be easily disproven.
So let's go at her harder.
Wear her down till she makes a mistake.
Right now, we don't have much leverage.
But Nelson's connection to both these cases should be enough to get warrants for her home and office.
So let's start there, see if we can find anything we can use.
Building manager really doesn't like Nelson.
Said the power went out once, and she yelled at him so much, it made him cry.
Mm, that's harsh.
You know, I bet she's one of those weird people who hates karaoke.
- Hilarious.
- (CHUCKLES) You know Ernie's determined to get you up on a stage, right? Never gonna happen.
Federal agents! LUCY: Hands up! Please.
My credentials are in my coat pocket.
May I? No, we got it.
Okinawa Prefectural Police.
Inspector Kento Mori.
What are you doing here? Trying to catch a killer.
TENNANT: You work for the Criminal Investigations Department? KENTO: Yes.
I led the investigation into Yuki Sawa's murder.
You're a long way from home.
I promised Yuki's family I would bring her killer to justice.
It doesn't matter if that's here or in Japan.
Doesn't excuse breaking and entering.
My apologies.
I should have come to you first.
Your investigation zeroed in on Abby Nelson very quickly.
Only after we found inconsistencies in her story.
She admitted she discovered Yuki an hour before calling the authorities.
We learned she had, in fact, had breakfast in the room next to Yuki's body.
This woman found her roommate murdered and then ate breakfast? She claimed she was in a daze.
Didn't know what she was doing.
Nelson said Yuki was having an affair with another man.
Did you look into him? She says a lot of things.
Most are untrue.
There was no evidence that any such man existed.
So, why kill Shogo Oda now? Seems like she'd basically gotten away with it.
Because Shogo rejected her.
He was on assignment at the time of Yuki's murder.
But when he returned, he told me Abby had been inappropriate.
She came onto him? But he refused.
He never imagined Abby was dangerous.
So, you think she was jealous.
Killed Yuki to get her out of the way.
And given time I would have proven it.
But your government interfered and slipped her out of the country.
Special Agent Tennant, I know I overstepped.
My experience with American authorities has been disappointing.
But I would like to help with this investigation.
- I'm sure that - No, absolutely not.
We have to ensure this investigation remains impartial.
Of course, that's Agent Tennant's call.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of eyes on this case, Inspector.
But thank you for this.
And I promise, I will let you know if we make any progress.
- (STEPS DEPARTING) - (DOOR OPENS) I know, I know.
This is my investigation, Captain.
You're a guest.
Sorry, habit.
I'm used to giving orders.
You really don't need to be here all the time.
I'll call if there's new information.
That's your subtle way of getting rid of me? I wasn't actually going for subtle.
I don't suppose you know who gave the order to get Abby Nelson out of Japan last year? (SIGHS) Not exactly.
Order came from the State Department, - but nobody's taking responsibility.
- I'm not surprised.
It was a terrible decision.
I imagine they thought they were avoiding a diplomatic crisis.
By letting a suspected killer walk free? (PHONE VIBRATING) Medical examiner may have something.
We got a lead? - We did.
- Great.
What is it? Noodles.
KAI: Dango-jiru.
It's a noodle soup from Oita, Japan.
How do you know this is where Shogo Oda ate it? Oh, Dango-jiru is a regional specialty.
Only a couple places make it on the island, but this one's best.
Lot of shin-issei here.
Shin-issei? First-generation immigrants.
Yeah.
You ever tried any, like, truly, truly authentic Japanese food? Do sake bombs count? The Japanese don't do them, and it's, uh - it's not food, so no.
- (CHUCKLES) - Sumimasen.
- (SPEAKING JAPANESE) Do you recognize this man? He would've been in, like, - a couple of days ago.
- Ah Hai, the soldier.
From Oita, where I was born.
Said my food tasted like home.
Was he alone? No, with-with a woman.
Gaijin.
Uh Is this her? Yeah.
Not very nice.
She make him upset.
Could you, uh, hear what they were talking about? No.
But he lost his appetite after she walked away.
He left half his lunch behind.
Thank you.
Welcome.
Nelson said she hadn't seen Shogo Oda since last year.
Yeah.
Can't wait to hear how she talks her way out of this.
And you maintain you had nothing to do with Yuki Sawa's death? No.
I didn't kill her or Shogo Oda.
- Decided to do a polygraph, huh? - Yeah.
But so far, she's showing no indications of deception.
Probably why she agreed to it.
Think we'll get better results than just going at her? We need to catch her in a lie.
Did you ever make advances of a sexual nature to Shogo? No.
But I'm pretty sure he was in love with me.
According to this, she's telling the truth.
But Shogo told the inspector that Abby came onto him.
Ask her about meeting Shogo the other day.
KAI: Ms.
Nelson, when was the last time you saw Shogo Oda? Last year, like I told you.
But we have a witness who states you met Shogo two days ago.
Got her.
Yeah, I guess I did.
But you should also know that Shogo told me he believes I'm innocent.
I don't get it.
There's no difference in her reading whether she's telling the truth or the lie.
Because she doesn't care about the truth.
What matters most to Abby is looking out for herself.
She's superficially charming but lies without compunction.
Believes everyone adores her, but doesn't display signs of empathy or remorse.
So, did she kill them or not? I don't know.
- So we got nothing.
- Not exactly.
Can't say if she's a murderer, but I think she might very well be a psychopath.
Medically speaking, there's no actual diagnosis - for psychopath.
- (SPUTTERS) I feel like I locked up plenty of them in D.
C.
Psychiatrists label it antisocial personality disorder.
You can have psychopathic traits, like compulsive lying or being unable to connect emotionally, but those traits exist along a spectrum.
Is violence on that spectrum? Many do have violent impulses.
But some are able to successfully control them.
Having psychopathic traits doesn't make someone a murderer.
So, you said psychopaths have a hard time connecting emotionally, right? So does it make sense Nelson killed Yuki 'cause she was jealous? I mean, it does if she's cold-blooded and wanted Yuki's boyfriend for herself.
I'm still not sure why Inspector Mori was convinced that jealousy was the motive.
Nothing in his interview with Abby indicated that.
You think he knows more than he's telling us? I do.
Want me to talk to him? Sure.
Cop to cop might work.
So, we just let her go? Not quite yet.
You seem relaxed.
A lot of people are scared of polygraphs.
I don't really do fear.
I see that.
I imagine it's probably even hard for you to comprehend on some level.
It can be.
Other emotions, too? Joy? Love? You sound like my old shrink.
Is this an interrogation or a session? I just want to understand.
You're right.
I don't experience love or joy like most people.
But that's not always such a bad thing.
I also don't struggle that much with pain and grief.
Heartbreak? I hear people talk about it.
I see it in the movies.
But caring that much just seems exhausting.
And I'm fine with that.
I've learned to live with it.
You must have to wear a lot of masks just to get through a day.
Don't you? Sometimes.
It comes with the job.
I'm not stupid.
I know you're just trying to get me to talk by being sympathetic or something.
I do need you to be honest with me.
You lied the last time we spoke about seeing Shogo.
I knew you'd just suspect me like the cops did before.
If you're innocent, catching the killer is in your best interest.
What did Shogo say to you? Am I under arrest? Abby.
Because otherwise, I'm free to go, right? For now.
The tea was a nice touch.
This chef is shin-issei.
He moved from Japan a couple years ago.
Shin-issei? You know much about Japanese culture.
I love it.
We should order fugu, then.
Fugu? Pufferfish, a delicacy.
Though the toxin it contains can poison and kill if not prepared correctly.
Uh, two of your finest fugu, my friend.
Think you've been holding out on us.
I gave you our murder file.
But both of us know that's not everything.
I mean, no seasoned cop lays all their cards on the table up front.
It eats away at you, doesn't it? (SMACKS LIPS) Not being able to bring justice for Yuki Sawa and her family? I haven't given up.
Yeah, I got my own case like that.
Jessica Gains.
She was a senior at Georgetown University.
Strangled a week before her graduation.
Found DNA but didn't get a match.
I ask the lab to run it once a year.
Hope to find a hit.
Americans stole Yuki's killer before.
Why should I trust you? Because we want the same thing.
Do we? Trust.
We held this back from the media.
It belongs to Abby Nelson.
And it's why I know she killed Yuki Sawa.
JESSE: I mean, Nelson wasn't just jealous of Yuki.
She was obsessed with her.
She wrote down everywhere they went together, everybody Yuki talked to.
Even small things, like what she ate, what movie she was watching.
Anything on the man she was supposedly having an affair with? Not that I can find.
Yeah, which probably means Abby made him up.
Not necessarily.
I mean, if she thought this guy was dangerous, she would've mentioned him somewhere.
Well, we can't know that because we don't know why Abby kept the journal in the first place.
JESSE: Well, like Inspector Mori said, because she was jealous.
But just because you guys might consider it important enough to include, doesn't mean Abby would.
That's, uh (CHUCKLES) It's very neurotypical thinking.
TENNANT: Ernie's right.
We know that Abby thinks differently than most people.
- Do we have access to Yuki's social media yet? - Yeah.
The Japanese government came through, got us permission.
Okay, let's compare these dates and times in this journal to Yuki's posts.
See if we can find any connections to the mystery man.
I'll help.
I love a good Insta-snoop.
MILIUS: Well finally made some headway.
We've been making some progress ourselves.
- (SIGHS) - Saved you a seat, Captain.
Make yourself at home.
Appreciate that, Boone.
But I think we'll be taking a field trip.
I figured out who wanted Abby Nelson out of Japan.
Did the State Department finally come clean? They were just doing what they were asked.
The request to remove her actually came from the Japanese themselves.
She was accused of killing one of their own citizens.
Why would they want her sent away? Excellent question.
Why don't we go ask them? (INDISTINCT CHATTER) Commander.
You have news? Actually, we have questions.
We're in the middle of a simulation.
I will make my men available as soon as we're done.
Our question is for you.
What do you need? Your government had Abby Nelson removed from Japan in the middle of a murder investigation.
We'd like to know why.
I'm sorry.
I know nothing about this.
Commander, two members of your unit have been killed.
We can't help if we don't have all the information.
People I answer to wanted the American woman gone.
The publicity around the murder was on the verge of exploding, possibly harming the cooperation between our two countries irreversibly.
Wasn't the publicity worse when she got away with it? For a short time, but then it blew over, as they knew it would.
It would not have been necessary if the investigation had not been so badly mishandled.
You think the Okinawa detectives made mistakes? They failed Yuki, and now Shogo has paid the price.
I'm ashamed of the choices my countrymen made.
We should never have allowed her to leave.
(DOOR LOCK BEEPS) You two get anything useful off Yuki's social media? No sign of her mystery boyfriend.
But we did find something else.
Yes.
Yuki's feeds are mostly filled with friends from her unit.
But look at Abby's posts from last year around the time of the murder.
TENNANT: They're almost identical.
And that's no accident.
LUCY: Abby was imitating her.
Which is also what her journal was really for.
She wasn't jealous of Yuki.
She was studying her.
Trying to figure out how to fit in and appear more normal.
Well, though normal's highly overrated.
It seems like they got along well.
And if Abby wasn't jealous of Yuki, - it pretty much eliminates motive.
- And the truth is, no one has found any real evidence against her, either here or in Okinawa.
What if she's actually innocent? Well, Inspector Mori's team focused on Abby so early, they didn't even look at other suspects.
But if Abby didn't commit either murder, who did? (ENTRY BELLS JINGLE) From the dent in that bottle, I'm guessing you got my message.
You believe Abby Nelson is innocent? Still just a theory, but yeah, we think it's pretty likely.
Whiskey, rocks.
Thanks.
I was so sure Nelson was guilty.
Menboku mo nai.
I've lost face.
Let down my country, Yuki's family, myself.
Look, I'm not actually that knowledgeable about Japanese culture.
- Thank you.
- Here you go.
But isn't there a saying? Something about falling down seven times, and getting up eight? Come work with us.
Help us figure out who the suspects should've been.
Special Agent Tennant will not allow it.
She sent me.
We got to start at the beginning, and you know your case better than anyone.
Otsukaresama.
I'm just gonna assume that's yes.
All right.
(SIGHS) (SPUTTERS) (KAI GASPS) - Look who's rolling in.
- (GROANS) Ah, bro, it was a long night.
Taking care of international relations.
So I heard.
Hey, I got aspirin in my top drawer if you need it.
No, I'm good.
But Inspector Mori might need some.
That dude can put away shochu, man.
No, I think he's fine.
(QUIET CHATTER) He's been here an hour already.
(MUTTERS QUIETLY) I'm still not convinced Abby Nelson is not the killer.
But we're being open-minded, right? Yes.
Good morning.
Morning.
Yuki and Shogo were in the same unit.
Not that many other friends.
LUCY: All of those men were in Okinawa last year and are here now.
Makes them the most likely suspects.
Did Yuki have any problems with anyone from her unit? Not that we discovered.
Well, whoever it was, she trusted them enough to let them into her apartment.
It's been a year since Yuki's murder.
Why kill Shogo? Maybe Abby was telling the truth about what he said.
- That he believed she was innocent.
- And Shogo was getting too close to identifying the real killer? LUCY: Well, if it's one of these guys, we don't have that much time to figure it out.
Iron Cloud wraps up tomorrow.
The whole unit will be on a plane home right after the farewell party.
- Let's go over all their statements again.
- (PHONE VIBRATES) Chase just got the autopsy photos from Okinawa.
She's got questions for you, Inspector.
- Okay.
- I'll take him.
Thanks.
Yeah.
Try not to look quite so chipper.
Were you able to determine whether the victim was sitting or standing? According to our forensics, standing.
That makes depth and placement of the wounds extremely similar.
So, same killer? Despite the whispers in the hallways, I'm not actually a psychic.
"Similar" is as far as I can go.
This is my fault.
Hey, you know that's not true.
My own people believe I failed at the job I was entrusted with.
Hey, you didn't fail.
You just haven't succeeded yet.
I've seen this before.
What is this? A military award.
These things were all found with Shogo Oda? Yes.
They'll be returned to his family as soon as possible.
This commemorates Operation Kagemusha.
But that was over ten years ago.
Shogo's too young to have participated.
Wait.
I know where I saw this.
Yeah.
There.
Nisa Tanaka.
Why would Shogo have his medal? Not sure, but I know who we should ask.
(DOOR OPENS) Abby.
Thanks so much for coming back.
This is getting tiresome.
I already told you everything I know.
I'm hoping that's not true.
What is he doing here? Abby, take a breath.
Have a seat.
Please.
(EXHALES SHAKILY) I know that was hard.
Inspector Mori has something he wants to say.
Nelson-san (SPEAKING JAPANESE) I have done you a great disservice.
(SPEAKING JAPANESE) What is this? - Some kind of trick? - No tricks.
We don't believe you killed Yuki Sawa or Shogo Oda.
I told you I didn't.
We need to know what Shogo said to you when you met him at the noodle place.
Did he know who Yuki's killer was? No, but he thought it was someone in the Japanese military.
Why did he think that? Last month, he received a box from Yuki's parents.
Personal items they thought belonged to him.
He found some kind of medal inside.
But it wasn't his.
Shogo thought it might belong to whoever killed Yuki.
We believe it belonged to this man.
That's it.
That's the medal that Shogo showed me.
Did this guy kill Yuki and Shogo? We think it's possible.
But just like in Japan, there's no hard evidence.
So, what happens now? You can't just let him get away with it.
We're hoping he doesn't.
Not if you agree to help us.
Me? There's a chance we can take him down.
But it's risky.
And it all depends on you.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER) (TENNANT SIGHS) Tanaka.
Eleven o'clock.
You think Abby can pull this off? TENNANT: Let's hope so.
She's the only person Tanaka might actually believe.
If she can't get a confession out of him, he's on a plane out of here.
We close? JESSE: Almost.
Don't let Tanaka get you alone.
If we're not alone, he won't talk.
We'll be close, but he's proven he's handy with a blade.
I'm not worried.
But you should be, at least a little.
We're counting on your fearlessness, but a little fear's a good thing.
Keeps you breathing.
Fine.
I'll be careful.
You got this.
I'll cover the far path.
So, we're really gonna do this here? I think it's our best chance.
Do you trust me? Absolutely.
Doesn't mean I have to like it, though.
All right, let's do this.
Send her in.
Wish us luck.
Next year, we should consider expanding the exercise.
Commander Tanaka, right? Shogo told me so much about you.
You.
What are you doing here? Oh, good.
You know who I am.
That makes this so much easier.
We have a lot to talk about.
Do you mind if I steal him for a second? We have some unfinished business from Okinawa.
Excuse me.
Be right back.
(QUIET CHATTER) Lucy, Kai, (OVER COMM): give them room but stay close.
He'll never talk.
Hey, never underestimate the neuro-divergent.
(QUIET CHATTER, LAUGHTER) How dare you threaten me.
Shogo told me that you killed Yuki.
(SCOFFS) Ridiculous.
This belongs to you.
Shogo gave it to me for safekeeping.
- Said he was scared of you.
- Give me that.
Maybe, after you wire me 50 grand.
Or maybe we should go back and continue the discussion with your friends.
He might be going for a weapon.
Gonna stab me the way you did Yuki? TANAKA: I did no such thing.
ABBY: What happened? Did she reject you? Tell you how much better in bed Shogo was than you? I mean, he was so much younger.
Shut your mouth.
Never meant to kill her.
ABBY: I know how hard it can be to control those violent impulses.
But Shogo was no impulse.
- You executed him to save yourself.
- Yes.
- That's it, we got him.
- And if you don't give me that medal, I'll do the same to you.
Federal agents! Hands in the air! (PANICKED CHATTER) What is this? Commander, you're under arrest for the murder of Shogo Oda.
And the murder of Yuki Sawa.
Wait! This is outrageous! No! Nice job.
I knew you could do it.
I did it for Yuki.
She was my friend.
I don't have many of those.
Oshoko.
A purification ritual.
Ah, we could probably all use one of those every once in a while.
Thank you for allowing me to work with you.
Next round of drinks are in Okinawa.
You're paying this time.
(CHUCKLES) (INSECTS TRILLING) Heading out? (CHUCKLES) Trying.
There's always one thing left to do, right? Well, congratulations on the most memorable farewell party in Iron Cloud history.
Phone's been ringing off the hook with JMSDF brass who want to drop the hammer on Tanaka.
(CHUCKLES) I'm glad it's your job and not mine.
I liked working together on this.
We make a good team.
Agreed.
Let's not make it a habit.
- Actually, I thought maybe - (KEYS JINGLE) I mean, if you're free I was wondering if I could buy you dinner.
I can't.
Right.
Of course.
Probably need to get home to your kids.
I do, but that's not it.
And it's not that I wouldn't like to.
Then what is it? I'm NCIS Hawai'i's first female SAC.
You're Deputy Chief of Staff at Pacific Fleet.
- And that's a problem? - It is.
A lot of people think I was given this job only because I'm a woman.
- Which isn't true.
- It's not.
But the optics of it are challenging.
It's just dinner.
Is it? But thank you.
It's nice to be asked.
("SHAMBALA" BY THREE DOG NIGHT PLAYING) Wash away my troubles, wash away my pain With the rain in Shambala Wash away my sorrow, wash away my shame With the rain in Shambala Come on, Luce, everybody knows this one.
I told you all a million times, no.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Here we go, liquid courage.
What is it? It's, uh, shochu and oolong tea.
It's a Japanese cure for karaoke nerves.
(CHANTING): Lucy! Lucy! Lucy! Lucy! You all know this is my worst nightmare! What, says the woman who's game for everything? Come on.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Oh! I hate you all! In the halls of Shambala? - How does your light shine - I hate you all! I hate you all! (OFF-KEY): How does your light shine In the halls of Shambala? I did tell her that karaoke wasn't about being good.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Shambala How does your light shine In the halls of Shambala?
(LIVELY CHATTER) Shogo? (WAVES CRASHING) Shogo? Shogo? Shogo! Yes, Captain, I'm arriving now.
I'm fully aware of how sensitive it Right.
Okay.
As soon as I know anything.
(QUIET CHATTER) Fun morning? PACOM reminding me this is a delicate situation that requires a thoughtful resolution.
Fourth call this morning, and I'm barely at the crime scene.
Oh, I guess we won't phone it in, then.
- So, who's our victim? - Victim is Shogo Oda.
He's an Isso with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
Isso? Petty Officer? Oh, you know your Japanese ranks.
Worked a couple cases out of the Yokosuka Field Office.
COD appears to be multiple stab wounds.
Wallet and phone's missing.
It's pretty vicious for a mugging, though.
HPD find any similar MOs? No.
Nothing like this.
Whoever did it got up close and personal.
Has he had any problems since he's been here? Not sure.
Kai's inside talking to his buddies.
They're all in town this week for some field training exercise.
Operation Iron Cloud.
Computer-based drills focused on ballistic missile defense.
Think this could be connected? We need to find out.
Give Commander Chase a heads-up.
Tell her the body's on the way.
Yeah, I'll make sure the autopsy moves to the top of her list.
- (DANCE MUSIC PLAYING OVER HEADPHONES) - (DOOR LOCK BEEPS) (CLEARS THROAT) (CLEARS THROAT) Quick: Favorite go-to karaoke song? Ah, none.
I don't believe in karaoke.
It isn't something to believe in or not.
It-it just exists, like science.
I skipped my sister's bachelorette party because they went to a karaoke club.
Wow.
Nerves? Principle.
I don't like singing.
I'm not good at it.
And I-I refuse to be peer-pressured.
Well, i-it's not about being good or not.
It's about having fun and-and letting go, you know? (HUMS) Yeah, one man's letting go is another woman's embarrassing public spectacle.
Were you able to find any information on our victim? Yeah, well, I'm working on it.
His, uh, cell phone and personnel records were stored in Japan, so my normal databases aren't any use.
Which also eliminates social media.
Uh, not entirely.
I can't access Shogo's accounts without permission from the Japanese companies, but I ran a geotag search on the karaoke bar, and I got a lot of hits.
All the photos his friends posted.
- Yeah, and Shogo's in several of them.
- See? He never sang, either.
Yeah, and look what happened to him.
Sorry.
He seems distracted by his phone.
Maybe he was texting with someone? Yeah, looks like it.
There was no phone with his body.
Could you get access to those text messages? Not until we get some cooperation from the Japanese.
(QUIET CHATTER) We've got company.
JESSE: That the Japanese commander? And everyone determined to keep him happy.
- Captain Milius.
- Allow me to introduce Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant.
She'll be handling the investigation.
Nisa Tanaka, allow me to express my deepest condolences for your loss.
Thank you.
This has been devastating for us.
Isso Oda was much respected.
We're doing everything we can to find out who did this.
- But we could use your help.
- Of course.
Whatever you require.
The first thing is that we need to speak to the men who were there last night.
We'll make them available immediately.
(SPEAKING JAPANESE) I need a word.
It's important.
Can you settle everyone in the conference room? - I'll be right in.
- Gentlemen.
I cannot stress enough how delicate this is.
So I've been told.
A lot.
Secretary of the Navy called me himself.
Wants me to stay on top of the situation.
Solving homicides is suddenly under your purview? I'm just here to help however I can.
The thing is this isn't the first murder associated with Iron Cloud.
Operation Iron Cloud changes locations each year.
Last year, exercises were set in Okinawa.
Someone was killed? A Japanese woman named Yuki Sawa.
She was a translator at the JMSDF.
You think the two cases are connected? (SCOFFS) I know they are.
The sailor killed last night was Yuki Sawa's boyfriend.
And Yuki was murdered in the exact same manner stabbed in the heart.
Did the Okinawa investigation come up with any suspects? Only one: Abby Nelson, an American working for a Navy contractor called Translation Nexus.
Nelson was living in Okinawa with Yuki at the time, but guess where she's living now.
KAI: Honolulu.
She's been there since she left Japan.
If Nelson was such a good suspect, why isn't she behind bars? Didn't have enough evidence to convict.
Did they have motive? Stabbing someone like that is intense.
I wouldn't call it intense.
I'd call it efficient.
With a sharp blade and enough velocity, you don't need much force to pierce clothes, skin and organ tissue.
Massive internal damage with a minimum of fuss.
Mr.
Oda's COD was traumatic injury to the thoracic aorta.
Strikes were deep and swift, no evidence of hesitation.
I'm not seeing any defensive wounds.
No.
I don't think he ever saw it coming.
Means the killer got close without arousing suspicion.
Could a woman do this? I think a woman could do anything.
Right.
Me, too.
This is a gender-neutral killing.
Trace indicates the weapon: Damascus stainless steel.
Too common to be much help.
- Foreign DNA? - No, Special Agent.
No foreign DNA or fingerprints.
No confession secreted in the body.
His aura is green, but I don't put that in the report.
Only other detail your victim's last meal was Japanese noodles.
- What kind? - Hoto.
Does it matter? Depends how much you value precision.
In forensic medicine, we value it above all else.
In Japanese cooking, a chef often holds his or her noodle recipe to the same standard.
Yeah.
The broth can be incredibly specific, not just to the region but to the individual restaurant.
So, we-we figure out where he ate, we can track his movements.
Bon appétit.
As part of the training exercise in Japan, Yuki invited Nelson to stay with her for a few weeks.
ERNIE: Best way to improve language skills is to immerse yourself in the culture.
Probably works better if you don't stab your host to death.
Sorry.
Don't mind me.
He's helping.
Why did the investigation focus on Nelson? She was in the apartment when Yuki was killed.
Said she was asleep and didn't hear anything until she found the body in the morning.
JESSE: She didn't call the police until almost an hour later.
Why the delay? Cops figure she was getting rid of evidence.
Nelson insisted she was just in shock.
I heard her story kept changing.
Yeah.
Local investigators were convinced she did it.
They were trying to gather enough evidence to charge her.
Yeah, well, lots of outrage and finger-pointing by the locals.
Got even worse for a few weeks after Nelson fled the country.
Yeah.
We heard American authorities just put her on a plane in the middle of the night.
You know who gave that order? That seems to be something of a mystery.
TENNANT: We should find out.
Maybe you could look into that? I'm on it.
We need to talk to Abby Nelson.
We know her location? HPD checked her work and her apartment.
No sign of her.
Think she's running? I got 20 bucks says "no".
Any takers? Looking for me? ABBY: I can't believe this is happening again.
You don't seem that shocked.
Isn't an abnormal reaction the definition of shock? Are you sure you wouldn't prefer to have an attorney present? I have nothing to hide.
I didn't kill anyone.
Not here and not in Okinawa.
Duffel bag you were carrying looked like you packed for a long trip.
And yet I came directly to you.
I'll admit my first instinct was to take off.
But then I realized, I haven't done anything wrong.
So you wouldn't mind telling us where you were last night, around midnight? In my apartment, sleeping.
Same alibi you gave when Yuki Sawa was murdered.
Sleeping? Yes.
I do it every night.
Look, this has been hard on me.
I had a great job.
I got to travel all over.
But after what happened in Japan, they have me translating manuals in a basement.
Does sound hard.
Though maybe not as hard as what happened to the two people who were murdered.
Yuki's death was very upsetting for me.
- Of course.
- Were you close? We were friends.
What about Yuki's boyfriend? Shogo Oda? You know him well? A little.
He seemed nice.
JESSE: When was the last time you saw him? Last year in Okinawa.
A few days before Yuki was killed.
I actually felt bad for him.
Because his girlfriend was murdered.
Because she was having an affair.
She was seeing another man? She wouldn't admit it, but I knew.
I overheard them once.
Can you describe this man? I never actually saw him, but I think she was scared of him.
Do you think he might be responsible for killing Yuki and Shogo? (DOOR CLOSES) Every single word out of her mouth's a lie.
- What makes you think that? - Instinct.
She wants us to believe she's like Amanda Knox, you know, an innocent caught up in a bad situation.
But every answer feels calculated.
Nothing she's offered can be easily disproven.
So let's go at her harder.
Wear her down till she makes a mistake.
Right now, we don't have much leverage.
But Nelson's connection to both these cases should be enough to get warrants for her home and office.
So let's start there, see if we can find anything we can use.
Building manager really doesn't like Nelson.
Said the power went out once, and she yelled at him so much, it made him cry.
Mm, that's harsh.
You know, I bet she's one of those weird people who hates karaoke.
- Hilarious.
- (CHUCKLES) You know Ernie's determined to get you up on a stage, right? Never gonna happen.
Federal agents! LUCY: Hands up! Please.
My credentials are in my coat pocket.
May I? No, we got it.
Okinawa Prefectural Police.
Inspector Kento Mori.
What are you doing here? Trying to catch a killer.
TENNANT: You work for the Criminal Investigations Department? KENTO: Yes.
I led the investigation into Yuki Sawa's murder.
You're a long way from home.
I promised Yuki's family I would bring her killer to justice.
It doesn't matter if that's here or in Japan.
Doesn't excuse breaking and entering.
My apologies.
I should have come to you first.
Your investigation zeroed in on Abby Nelson very quickly.
Only after we found inconsistencies in her story.
She admitted she discovered Yuki an hour before calling the authorities.
We learned she had, in fact, had breakfast in the room next to Yuki's body.
This woman found her roommate murdered and then ate breakfast? She claimed she was in a daze.
Didn't know what she was doing.
Nelson said Yuki was having an affair with another man.
Did you look into him? She says a lot of things.
Most are untrue.
There was no evidence that any such man existed.
So, why kill Shogo Oda now? Seems like she'd basically gotten away with it.
Because Shogo rejected her.
He was on assignment at the time of Yuki's murder.
But when he returned, he told me Abby had been inappropriate.
She came onto him? But he refused.
He never imagined Abby was dangerous.
So, you think she was jealous.
Killed Yuki to get her out of the way.
And given time I would have proven it.
But your government interfered and slipped her out of the country.
Special Agent Tennant, I know I overstepped.
My experience with American authorities has been disappointing.
But I would like to help with this investigation.
- I'm sure that - No, absolutely not.
We have to ensure this investigation remains impartial.
Of course, that's Agent Tennant's call.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of eyes on this case, Inspector.
But thank you for this.
And I promise, I will let you know if we make any progress.
- (STEPS DEPARTING) - (DOOR OPENS) I know, I know.
This is my investigation, Captain.
You're a guest.
Sorry, habit.
I'm used to giving orders.
You really don't need to be here all the time.
I'll call if there's new information.
That's your subtle way of getting rid of me? I wasn't actually going for subtle.
I don't suppose you know who gave the order to get Abby Nelson out of Japan last year? (SIGHS) Not exactly.
Order came from the State Department, - but nobody's taking responsibility.
- I'm not surprised.
It was a terrible decision.
I imagine they thought they were avoiding a diplomatic crisis.
By letting a suspected killer walk free? (PHONE VIBRATING) Medical examiner may have something.
We got a lead? - We did.
- Great.
What is it? Noodles.
KAI: Dango-jiru.
It's a noodle soup from Oita, Japan.
How do you know this is where Shogo Oda ate it? Oh, Dango-jiru is a regional specialty.
Only a couple places make it on the island, but this one's best.
Lot of shin-issei here.
Shin-issei? First-generation immigrants.
Yeah.
You ever tried any, like, truly, truly authentic Japanese food? Do sake bombs count? The Japanese don't do them, and it's, uh - it's not food, so no.
- (CHUCKLES) - Sumimasen.
- (SPEAKING JAPANESE) Do you recognize this man? He would've been in, like, - a couple of days ago.
- Ah Hai, the soldier.
From Oita, where I was born.
Said my food tasted like home.
Was he alone? No, with-with a woman.
Gaijin.
Uh Is this her? Yeah.
Not very nice.
She make him upset.
Could you, uh, hear what they were talking about? No.
But he lost his appetite after she walked away.
He left half his lunch behind.
Thank you.
Welcome.
Nelson said she hadn't seen Shogo Oda since last year.
Yeah.
Can't wait to hear how she talks her way out of this.
And you maintain you had nothing to do with Yuki Sawa's death? No.
I didn't kill her or Shogo Oda.
- Decided to do a polygraph, huh? - Yeah.
But so far, she's showing no indications of deception.
Probably why she agreed to it.
Think we'll get better results than just going at her? We need to catch her in a lie.
Did you ever make advances of a sexual nature to Shogo? No.
But I'm pretty sure he was in love with me.
According to this, she's telling the truth.
But Shogo told the inspector that Abby came onto him.
Ask her about meeting Shogo the other day.
KAI: Ms.
Nelson, when was the last time you saw Shogo Oda? Last year, like I told you.
But we have a witness who states you met Shogo two days ago.
Got her.
Yeah, I guess I did.
But you should also know that Shogo told me he believes I'm innocent.
I don't get it.
There's no difference in her reading whether she's telling the truth or the lie.
Because she doesn't care about the truth.
What matters most to Abby is looking out for herself.
She's superficially charming but lies without compunction.
Believes everyone adores her, but doesn't display signs of empathy or remorse.
So, did she kill them or not? I don't know.
- So we got nothing.
- Not exactly.
Can't say if she's a murderer, but I think she might very well be a psychopath.
Medically speaking, there's no actual diagnosis - for psychopath.
- (SPUTTERS) I feel like I locked up plenty of them in D.
C.
Psychiatrists label it antisocial personality disorder.
You can have psychopathic traits, like compulsive lying or being unable to connect emotionally, but those traits exist along a spectrum.
Is violence on that spectrum? Many do have violent impulses.
But some are able to successfully control them.
Having psychopathic traits doesn't make someone a murderer.
So, you said psychopaths have a hard time connecting emotionally, right? So does it make sense Nelson killed Yuki 'cause she was jealous? I mean, it does if she's cold-blooded and wanted Yuki's boyfriend for herself.
I'm still not sure why Inspector Mori was convinced that jealousy was the motive.
Nothing in his interview with Abby indicated that.
You think he knows more than he's telling us? I do.
Want me to talk to him? Sure.
Cop to cop might work.
So, we just let her go? Not quite yet.
You seem relaxed.
A lot of people are scared of polygraphs.
I don't really do fear.
I see that.
I imagine it's probably even hard for you to comprehend on some level.
It can be.
Other emotions, too? Joy? Love? You sound like my old shrink.
Is this an interrogation or a session? I just want to understand.
You're right.
I don't experience love or joy like most people.
But that's not always such a bad thing.
I also don't struggle that much with pain and grief.
Heartbreak? I hear people talk about it.
I see it in the movies.
But caring that much just seems exhausting.
And I'm fine with that.
I've learned to live with it.
You must have to wear a lot of masks just to get through a day.
Don't you? Sometimes.
It comes with the job.
I'm not stupid.
I know you're just trying to get me to talk by being sympathetic or something.
I do need you to be honest with me.
You lied the last time we spoke about seeing Shogo.
I knew you'd just suspect me like the cops did before.
If you're innocent, catching the killer is in your best interest.
What did Shogo say to you? Am I under arrest? Abby.
Because otherwise, I'm free to go, right? For now.
The tea was a nice touch.
This chef is shin-issei.
He moved from Japan a couple years ago.
Shin-issei? You know much about Japanese culture.
I love it.
We should order fugu, then.
Fugu? Pufferfish, a delicacy.
Though the toxin it contains can poison and kill if not prepared correctly.
Uh, two of your finest fugu, my friend.
Think you've been holding out on us.
I gave you our murder file.
But both of us know that's not everything.
I mean, no seasoned cop lays all their cards on the table up front.
It eats away at you, doesn't it? (SMACKS LIPS) Not being able to bring justice for Yuki Sawa and her family? I haven't given up.
Yeah, I got my own case like that.
Jessica Gains.
She was a senior at Georgetown University.
Strangled a week before her graduation.
Found DNA but didn't get a match.
I ask the lab to run it once a year.
Hope to find a hit.
Americans stole Yuki's killer before.
Why should I trust you? Because we want the same thing.
Do we? Trust.
We held this back from the media.
It belongs to Abby Nelson.
And it's why I know she killed Yuki Sawa.
JESSE: I mean, Nelson wasn't just jealous of Yuki.
She was obsessed with her.
She wrote down everywhere they went together, everybody Yuki talked to.
Even small things, like what she ate, what movie she was watching.
Anything on the man she was supposedly having an affair with? Not that I can find.
Yeah, which probably means Abby made him up.
Not necessarily.
I mean, if she thought this guy was dangerous, she would've mentioned him somewhere.
Well, we can't know that because we don't know why Abby kept the journal in the first place.
JESSE: Well, like Inspector Mori said, because she was jealous.
But just because you guys might consider it important enough to include, doesn't mean Abby would.
That's, uh (CHUCKLES) It's very neurotypical thinking.
TENNANT: Ernie's right.
We know that Abby thinks differently than most people.
- Do we have access to Yuki's social media yet? - Yeah.
The Japanese government came through, got us permission.
Okay, let's compare these dates and times in this journal to Yuki's posts.
See if we can find any connections to the mystery man.
I'll help.
I love a good Insta-snoop.
MILIUS: Well finally made some headway.
We've been making some progress ourselves.
- (SIGHS) - Saved you a seat, Captain.
Make yourself at home.
Appreciate that, Boone.
But I think we'll be taking a field trip.
I figured out who wanted Abby Nelson out of Japan.
Did the State Department finally come clean? They were just doing what they were asked.
The request to remove her actually came from the Japanese themselves.
She was accused of killing one of their own citizens.
Why would they want her sent away? Excellent question.
Why don't we go ask them? (INDISTINCT CHATTER) Commander.
You have news? Actually, we have questions.
We're in the middle of a simulation.
I will make my men available as soon as we're done.
Our question is for you.
What do you need? Your government had Abby Nelson removed from Japan in the middle of a murder investigation.
We'd like to know why.
I'm sorry.
I know nothing about this.
Commander, two members of your unit have been killed.
We can't help if we don't have all the information.
People I answer to wanted the American woman gone.
The publicity around the murder was on the verge of exploding, possibly harming the cooperation between our two countries irreversibly.
Wasn't the publicity worse when she got away with it? For a short time, but then it blew over, as they knew it would.
It would not have been necessary if the investigation had not been so badly mishandled.
You think the Okinawa detectives made mistakes? They failed Yuki, and now Shogo has paid the price.
I'm ashamed of the choices my countrymen made.
We should never have allowed her to leave.
(DOOR LOCK BEEPS) You two get anything useful off Yuki's social media? No sign of her mystery boyfriend.
But we did find something else.
Yes.
Yuki's feeds are mostly filled with friends from her unit.
But look at Abby's posts from last year around the time of the murder.
TENNANT: They're almost identical.
And that's no accident.
LUCY: Abby was imitating her.
Which is also what her journal was really for.
She wasn't jealous of Yuki.
She was studying her.
Trying to figure out how to fit in and appear more normal.
Well, though normal's highly overrated.
It seems like they got along well.
And if Abby wasn't jealous of Yuki, - it pretty much eliminates motive.
- And the truth is, no one has found any real evidence against her, either here or in Okinawa.
What if she's actually innocent? Well, Inspector Mori's team focused on Abby so early, they didn't even look at other suspects.
But if Abby didn't commit either murder, who did? (ENTRY BELLS JINGLE) From the dent in that bottle, I'm guessing you got my message.
You believe Abby Nelson is innocent? Still just a theory, but yeah, we think it's pretty likely.
Whiskey, rocks.
Thanks.
I was so sure Nelson was guilty.
Menboku mo nai.
I've lost face.
Let down my country, Yuki's family, myself.
Look, I'm not actually that knowledgeable about Japanese culture.
- Thank you.
- Here you go.
But isn't there a saying? Something about falling down seven times, and getting up eight? Come work with us.
Help us figure out who the suspects should've been.
Special Agent Tennant will not allow it.
She sent me.
We got to start at the beginning, and you know your case better than anyone.
Otsukaresama.
I'm just gonna assume that's yes.
All right.
(SIGHS) (SPUTTERS) (KAI GASPS) - Look who's rolling in.
- (GROANS) Ah, bro, it was a long night.
Taking care of international relations.
So I heard.
Hey, I got aspirin in my top drawer if you need it.
No, I'm good.
But Inspector Mori might need some.
That dude can put away shochu, man.
No, I think he's fine.
(QUIET CHATTER) He's been here an hour already.
(MUTTERS QUIETLY) I'm still not convinced Abby Nelson is not the killer.
But we're being open-minded, right? Yes.
Good morning.
Morning.
Yuki and Shogo were in the same unit.
Not that many other friends.
LUCY: All of those men were in Okinawa last year and are here now.
Makes them the most likely suspects.
Did Yuki have any problems with anyone from her unit? Not that we discovered.
Well, whoever it was, she trusted them enough to let them into her apartment.
It's been a year since Yuki's murder.
Why kill Shogo? Maybe Abby was telling the truth about what he said.
- That he believed she was innocent.
- And Shogo was getting too close to identifying the real killer? LUCY: Well, if it's one of these guys, we don't have that much time to figure it out.
Iron Cloud wraps up tomorrow.
The whole unit will be on a plane home right after the farewell party.
- Let's go over all their statements again.
- (PHONE VIBRATES) Chase just got the autopsy photos from Okinawa.
She's got questions for you, Inspector.
- Okay.
- I'll take him.
Thanks.
Yeah.
Try not to look quite so chipper.
Were you able to determine whether the victim was sitting or standing? According to our forensics, standing.
That makes depth and placement of the wounds extremely similar.
So, same killer? Despite the whispers in the hallways, I'm not actually a psychic.
"Similar" is as far as I can go.
This is my fault.
Hey, you know that's not true.
My own people believe I failed at the job I was entrusted with.
Hey, you didn't fail.
You just haven't succeeded yet.
I've seen this before.
What is this? A military award.
These things were all found with Shogo Oda? Yes.
They'll be returned to his family as soon as possible.
This commemorates Operation Kagemusha.
But that was over ten years ago.
Shogo's too young to have participated.
Wait.
I know where I saw this.
Yeah.
There.
Nisa Tanaka.
Why would Shogo have his medal? Not sure, but I know who we should ask.
(DOOR OPENS) Abby.
Thanks so much for coming back.
This is getting tiresome.
I already told you everything I know.
I'm hoping that's not true.
What is he doing here? Abby, take a breath.
Have a seat.
Please.
(EXHALES SHAKILY) I know that was hard.
Inspector Mori has something he wants to say.
Nelson-san (SPEAKING JAPANESE) I have done you a great disservice.
(SPEAKING JAPANESE) What is this? - Some kind of trick? - No tricks.
We don't believe you killed Yuki Sawa or Shogo Oda.
I told you I didn't.
We need to know what Shogo said to you when you met him at the noodle place.
Did he know who Yuki's killer was? No, but he thought it was someone in the Japanese military.
Why did he think that? Last month, he received a box from Yuki's parents.
Personal items they thought belonged to him.
He found some kind of medal inside.
But it wasn't his.
Shogo thought it might belong to whoever killed Yuki.
We believe it belonged to this man.
That's it.
That's the medal that Shogo showed me.
Did this guy kill Yuki and Shogo? We think it's possible.
But just like in Japan, there's no hard evidence.
So, what happens now? You can't just let him get away with it.
We're hoping he doesn't.
Not if you agree to help us.
Me? There's a chance we can take him down.
But it's risky.
And it all depends on you.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER) (TENNANT SIGHS) Tanaka.
Eleven o'clock.
You think Abby can pull this off? TENNANT: Let's hope so.
She's the only person Tanaka might actually believe.
If she can't get a confession out of him, he's on a plane out of here.
We close? JESSE: Almost.
Don't let Tanaka get you alone.
If we're not alone, he won't talk.
We'll be close, but he's proven he's handy with a blade.
I'm not worried.
But you should be, at least a little.
We're counting on your fearlessness, but a little fear's a good thing.
Keeps you breathing.
Fine.
I'll be careful.
You got this.
I'll cover the far path.
So, we're really gonna do this here? I think it's our best chance.
Do you trust me? Absolutely.
Doesn't mean I have to like it, though.
All right, let's do this.
Send her in.
Wish us luck.
Next year, we should consider expanding the exercise.
Commander Tanaka, right? Shogo told me so much about you.
You.
What are you doing here? Oh, good.
You know who I am.
That makes this so much easier.
We have a lot to talk about.
Do you mind if I steal him for a second? We have some unfinished business from Okinawa.
Excuse me.
Be right back.
(QUIET CHATTER) Lucy, Kai, (OVER COMM): give them room but stay close.
He'll never talk.
Hey, never underestimate the neuro-divergent.
(QUIET CHATTER, LAUGHTER) How dare you threaten me.
Shogo told me that you killed Yuki.
(SCOFFS) Ridiculous.
This belongs to you.
Shogo gave it to me for safekeeping.
- Said he was scared of you.
- Give me that.
Maybe, after you wire me 50 grand.
Or maybe we should go back and continue the discussion with your friends.
He might be going for a weapon.
Gonna stab me the way you did Yuki? TANAKA: I did no such thing.
ABBY: What happened? Did she reject you? Tell you how much better in bed Shogo was than you? I mean, he was so much younger.
Shut your mouth.
Never meant to kill her.
ABBY: I know how hard it can be to control those violent impulses.
But Shogo was no impulse.
- You executed him to save yourself.
- Yes.
- That's it, we got him.
- And if you don't give me that medal, I'll do the same to you.
Federal agents! Hands in the air! (PANICKED CHATTER) What is this? Commander, you're under arrest for the murder of Shogo Oda.
And the murder of Yuki Sawa.
Wait! This is outrageous! No! Nice job.
I knew you could do it.
I did it for Yuki.
She was my friend.
I don't have many of those.
Oshoko.
A purification ritual.
Ah, we could probably all use one of those every once in a while.
Thank you for allowing me to work with you.
Next round of drinks are in Okinawa.
You're paying this time.
(CHUCKLES) (INSECTS TRILLING) Heading out? (CHUCKLES) Trying.
There's always one thing left to do, right? Well, congratulations on the most memorable farewell party in Iron Cloud history.
Phone's been ringing off the hook with JMSDF brass who want to drop the hammer on Tanaka.
(CHUCKLES) I'm glad it's your job and not mine.
I liked working together on this.
We make a good team.
Agreed.
Let's not make it a habit.
- Actually, I thought maybe - (KEYS JINGLE) I mean, if you're free I was wondering if I could buy you dinner.
I can't.
Right.
Of course.
Probably need to get home to your kids.
I do, but that's not it.
And it's not that I wouldn't like to.
Then what is it? I'm NCIS Hawai'i's first female SAC.
You're Deputy Chief of Staff at Pacific Fleet.
- And that's a problem? - It is.
A lot of people think I was given this job only because I'm a woman.
- Which isn't true.
- It's not.
But the optics of it are challenging.
It's just dinner.
Is it? But thank you.
It's nice to be asked.
("SHAMBALA" BY THREE DOG NIGHT PLAYING) Wash away my troubles, wash away my pain With the rain in Shambala Wash away my sorrow, wash away my shame With the rain in Shambala Come on, Luce, everybody knows this one.
I told you all a million times, no.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Here we go, liquid courage.
What is it? It's, uh, shochu and oolong tea.
It's a Japanese cure for karaoke nerves.
(CHANTING): Lucy! Lucy! Lucy! Lucy! You all know this is my worst nightmare! What, says the woman who's game for everything? Come on.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Oh! I hate you all! In the halls of Shambala? - How does your light shine - I hate you all! I hate you all! (OFF-KEY): How does your light shine In the halls of Shambala? I did tell her that karaoke wasn't about being good.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Shambala How does your light shine In the halls of Shambala?