NCIS: Origins (2024) s01e12 Episode Script
Touchstones
1
I got a boyfriend.
Come and find me when you don't.
KOWALSKI: Make sure you're
writing legibly, or I'll whip your ass.
VERA: Didn't Kowalski used to be
a priest way back in the day?
Army chaplain.
FRANKS: Kowalski,
you're the man of the cloth.
Not anymore.
MORRIS: Girl's name is Mildred Jones.
She didn't show up
to school this morning.
HATCHER:
That little girl saw his face.
KENNY: He's a fixer.
Goes by the name of Hatcher.
[GUNSHOTS]
FRANKS: Not many folks knew
that we had her, Mr. Hatcher.
How did you know that she was here?
I don't know.
["I'M BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHT" BY
THE INK SPOTS & ELLA FITZGERALD PLAYS]
OLDER GIBBS:
My mom told me a story once.
It was about a little mouse
that woke up every morning
and couldn't wait to get
to his fort in the woods.
- [ALARM BUZZES]
- He'd jump out of bed,
he'd throw on some mouse clothes,
get halfway out the door,
and then he'd remember
that he should probably
bring some food with him.
The mouse could
go without lunch, easy,
but he'd like to have
something to give
- [TIMER DINGS]
- to the other animals
he'd see along the way.
So, he'd wrap a crust of
bread or two in a napkin
and race out into the woods.
His fort was just
a couple of branches
over a patch of grass.
But to this mouse,
it was everything.
He built it, he'd fixed it up.
It was his.
And when he saw the rays of sun
shining on it through the tree,
he felt happy.
A four-alarm fire now ♪
Like there was one small corner
where things were right
and the world was as kind
as it should be.
I never saw rainbows ♪
But then one day,
something happened.
But now that your lips ♪
Are burning mine, I'm beginning ♪
One day, the mouse
raced through the woods
and up to his fort
and something was very wrong.
♪
Kowalksi?
You see anyone?
No.
Stay here till I get back.
OLDER GIBBS: The mouse
couldn't believe his eyes.
[WIND WHISTLING]
Someone had trampled
his fort to the ground
in the night, and he realized
that even
in his own small corner
the world wasn't as kind
as it should be.
Now that your lips,
they are burning on mine ♪
I'm beginning to see the light. ♪
Morning, Mary Jo.
Look at this. Look.
Millie's birthday was last week
and she framed it for me.
Oh, my God, she's so sweet
- I could eat her up.
- [LAUGHS]
VERA: Hey, Mary J.
Look at this.
Oh, seriously? Frigging adorable. Oh.
Hey, did you hear what
happened last night?
What?
Evidence room got broken into.
- What?
- Yeah,
the whole place got trashed.
You didn't think to tell me that
when I walked in?
Well, you were showing me your picture.
Okay. All right, Gail,
you just keep living life
with zero common sense,
see how that goes.
Oh, you got to be kidding me.
Where the heck was JJ?
Guys who did this broke in
through the locker room window.
Gibbs and Randy are down there now.
And JJ slept through it?
He was on overnight, wasn't he?
FRANKS: He was out on a call.
Missing persons.
Turned out to be nothing.
He just got back now.
Oh. Kowalski, honey, how you holding up?
I got to do morning roll call,
inventory.
They tore up my logbook.
MARY JO: Why would they do that?
What were they doing,
stealing some kind of evidence
before it gets to court?
Nope. They were just
looking for a payday.
They tossed all the shelves,
then they realized
there was a lockbox, cracked it open,
walked away with 41 grand.
Dick, what can I do to help you?
- Damn it, Franks.
- What? What'd I do?
You're stepping on my damn logbook.
Cut me some slack.
Wheeler wants a detailed sketch,
and our sketch guy ain't here yet.
Whoa! The hell is this?
MARY JO: Guy broke in,
stole 41K from your safe.
I'll be right back. I can hear Gail
messing stuff up out there. Gail!
Damn, K, this is messed up.
All our stuff.
They trashed the logbook?
How we gonna do morning call?
Look, we got to get this
all back where it goes.
We got to get it back.
Kowalski?
♪
HERM: Kowalski?
[PHONE RINGING]
Where you want me to start?
Well, I-I I need the room.
I-I need to do inventory.
I'm almost done with the prints.
Be out of your hair
as soon as we're done.
- No. You've had your time.
- [GARY BARKS]
Hey! Gary!
I'm sorry. We-we just
got back from the vet.
- No, no.
- I asked Gail to keep an eye on him
- for a minute.
- Watch it.
The log You're stepping on the log.
The logs. You're stepping on the logs!
Gary, as much as I love you,
buddy, you can't be in here.
Enough!
Get out! All of you!
Don't get bent out of shape.
I told you, we just need
to finish processing.
And I told you you're done!
This is my place!
You hear me?
And you will respect that!
Just give me the damn room.
Let's go, Gary. Come on.
♪
Why are you showing me this?
Those are pictures
of the money that was stolen.
We always make copies
of any cash in evidence.
How is this helping us?
Be nice, Cliff. Kid's having a day.
Where's Kowalski?
He needed a minute.
He was all broke up
about his room getting trashed.
Okay, well, I'm glad
everyone's taking it
to heart. That's great.
You want to know
what I'm broken up about?
All the cases
that were set to go to trial
that now have a broken
chain of evidence.
The D.A. starts crying,
it'll make its way
up to regional quicker than a
[CLEARS THROAT]
We need that room back in order.
What are you looking at me for?
- I asked you to run point.
- Point,
yeah, I'm investigating
the hell out of it.
That room it's out
of my sphere of knowledge.
And Kowalski's what, too busy
sulking to put it back?
Too old to lift the boxes
back on the shelf? What?
He just needed a minute.
Sir.
Special Agent Daniels,
you had an incident out
in the field, we pulled you out.
We put you in Evidence, you did well.
We gave you a vote of confidence
by adding K-9 unit
to your plate. Is that right?
Yes, sir.
I am assuming you want to
make your way back into the field?
Can you get that room
back in order quickly?
Yeah.
Then go.
Daniels.
Take these with you.
- [DOOR OPENS]
- All right.
- [DOOR CLOSES]
- How much was stolen
and who knew we had it?
Damn, that got nasty.
Too old to lift the boxes?
They took 41 grand.
It was seized from
a cocaine sting op last week.
And we really think
these guys have the balls
to steal their money back?
They're dope dealers, Cliff.
I wouldn't put anything past 'em.
- [SIGHS]
- [DOOR OPENS]
Okay, drug dealers coming back
to steal their cash.
Let's Agatha Christie this thing.
What are we thinking?
Well, MPs didn't see anything unusual,
but anybody could have snuck onto base.
Timeline anywhere between what,
um, 3:00 a.m. and 7:00?
Yup. JJ left on the call at 3:00.
Kowalski and I got here at 6:00.
6:00?
That's legit crack of dawn, man.
Wow. Lucky you were here.
Can you imagine Kowalski having
to go around clearing the place?
[SCOFFS] I think he's got it in him.
What were you doing here that early?
Wh Hey.
Hey.
Confirmed point of entry and exit?
Yeah.
Grating's cut through. They
must have brought wire cutters,
used them to bust out the window.
But no usable prints up there.
- Gloves, huh?
- We think
they used the urinal
as a stool to get in and out,
but if they had gloves,
all these prints
I'm pulling are probably ours.
Ugh.
I'm gonna go talk to Dalton Basement.
He's the one that
headed up the sting op.
- Where the money was seized?
- Yeah.
He's giving us a file on the specifics.
I'll come with you.
I'll still get these prints
to Woody, just in case.
The guy's last name is Basement?
I thought it was Dalton.
No, his first name is Dalton.
I started calling him Basement
when he moved his desk down here.
It's kind of catching on.
I didn't even know
there were offices down here.
There aren't, really. He was
in the next Quonset over.
He didn't like all the laughing
and joking around, so he moved.
He's a pretty serious dude.
[KNOCKING]
What's up, Dalton?
Place is looking sweet.
I told Roger to get you the file.
Why would Roger have the file?
He was on the op.
"Roger that works here" Roger?
He was part of a sting drug bust?
I needed someone
who knows poker to play a patsy.
Op netted 41K, 1.6 kilos
of coke, and we arrested
four members of the 63rd Street
"Cuhvowos."
Chacales.
What else?
You let anybody go?
Anyone who might know about the money?
Let 'em go?
No.
A guy they call Flaco was a no-show.
Well, who's he?
Flaco is a key player
in their organization.
We missed him in the bust.
Only choice now is to lay off
so he feels safe enough to rebuild.
You know where we can find him?
Look, you find him, you spook him,
it sets me back three months.
Or we nab him for this.
You can get his location from our CI.
Pretty sure he's in your
stable, too. Kenneth Simmons.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Black Kenny?
Yeah, I don't call him that.
How's he in on this?
63rd Street "Cavahos"
Chacales.
launder through the illegal
gambling operation that Kenneth
is involved with.
We done?
Appreciate the helping hand, Dalton.
Shut the door!
Hey, I got your file.
I put some color-coded
tabs in here for you.
Appreciate the helping hand, Roger.
Yeah.
HERM: Kowalski,
Wheeler said we got to get the room
back together fast, man.
Listen, I know you need your space,
but we got to get the inventory going.
Yo, Herman. What's going on?
Old man lock you out?
Nah, man. We-we good.
We good.
Oh, yeah. Hey, walk with me.
Listen, just so you know,
whatever's going on,
you are too tall to sneak.
[KNOCKS]
Come on, K, my ass is on the line here.
K.
Thank you. Where you going?
Sorry I got heated, kid.
It wasn't aimed at you.
We missed morning roll call today.
Make sure you do it.
Cliff!
You want him down here,
I'll get him on the intercom.
Cliff!
All right.
Make sure he gets that, would you?
And so you all
don't waste good working hours
gossiping about this later
I've written a very thoughtful
letter of resignation
on that yellow pad.
And I didn't mean for this
to be so dramatic, either.
I just didn't feel like
climbing the stairs.
[GROANS] Mamma mia.
What is this?
The lockbox 41 grand was stolen out of.
I know what it is. I meant
why did you haul it in here?
Didn't you lift
the prints off it already?
- Mm-hmm.
- Yeah, figured it couldn't hurt for you
to look at it through those
fancy glasses of yours.
[MOCKINGLY]: Oh, your fancy glasses.
Sure.
Uh, hold on.
Give me a second.
We're understaffed today.
Phil's out sick.
Fingerprints.
We're think the intruder
was wearing gloves,
so pretty likely those are all ours,
but you never know.
You'll take a look at the lockbox,
give us a call, won't you?
This is a shocking turn.
Dick Kowalski resigned.
FRANKS: Yeah, I know.
Someone faxed you his letter?
Yeah. Gail. It's beautifully written.
She says it's a whole history
of the office
since he started. 25 years.
Tell you what, though.
I don't know how Herm survived
working with him this last year.
Kowalski does this "morning roll call"
every day with the evidence.
I'd kill myself if I had
to be that detail-oriented.
You know Kowalski pretty well,
then, huh? From all the
- From all the drop-offs.
- Yeah.
Yeah. He ever tell you
he was a POW in Korea?
Thought he was an Army chaplain.
He was all of it. Man's a hero.
Well,
that being said, 41 grand goes missing
and the guy guarding it quits?
It's a little
Are you implying Dick Kowalski
trashed his own room
and lifted the cash
to fund his retirement?
I'm sorry. I am not myself today.
I'm really worried about Phil.
[PHONE RINGS]
Phil?
Oh. Yeah, hey.
One sec.
It's Lala.
Mm.
Yeah, so I think it's, like,
flu-like symptoms.
Hello.
- Phil?
- Yeah.
He's he's not staying hydrated.
- All right. Yeah.
- I keep telling him,
"You got to stay hydrated, buddy."
He doesn't listen.
Think I should call him again?
All right. Rando, let's move out.
Lala and Gibbs tracked down Black Kenny.
He moved to a new place
without telling us.
- [FANFARE PLAYING ON TV]
- Look, I'm gonna have the money
back to you Monday, all right?
Promise, every cent, plus the vig.
- All right.
- [KNOCKING ON DOOR]
I love you too, Ma.
LALA: Kenny, it's Lala. We can hear you.
[SIGHS]
Franks and I have a deal.
Y'all never come to my crib.
That is between you and Franks.
You're supposed to tell us if you move.
Top of my to-do list, La.
Uh-huh.
Can I get you anything?
A water would be great.
Sparkling or still?
Sparkling.
I'm good.
The drug bust that
you helped Agent Dalton on.
There was a guy from
the crew who was a no-show.
Goes by Flaco.
Yeah, I know him.
We need his real name,
address and phone number.
That's it?
Who this fool think I am,
the yellow pages?
You know how to find Flaco or not?
Look, I don't know where he staying,
but he do be
knockin' bones in Lyons' Park.
That's dominoes, white boy.
There's a lot of money in those games,
so he'll be there most days.
Appreciate the hospitality, Kenny.
Hey, don't forget
to come in and fill out
your change of address form.
- Yo, La.
- Mm?
Be careful with this dude.
I heard some things about him.
He's not one to play with.
Good Lord, Roger, you're not
the only car on the road.
Sorry.
Hey. I snagged you
the last piece of Kowalski's sourdough.
Aw, that's what I needed.
Mary J, thank you.
How's it going in there good?
You know, just
working out this log book.
Well, you keep it going.
You're doing it, baby.
Oh, yeah, I'm doing it.
Yeah, you're doing it.
Franks, hold up. I need to talk to you.
That young man's gonna implode in there.
Who?
Randy, baby, could you give us a minute?
Yeah, copy that. Sure.
There's no way Herm is gonna be able
to get that room
back in order by himself.
No one could.
He's getting set up to fail
without Kowalski helping him.
That room is outside
of my sphere of knowledge.
Listen, Herm has already
been through enough on this job.
You need to get on the phone,
tell Kowalski
to get his butt back in here.
- Why don't you call him?
- Because, honey,
it's gonna get mean,
and I ain't mean.
KOWALSKI: 14, October, 1953.
Chaplain Richard Kowalski.
This is, uh
this is my report of two years spent
as a prisoner of war at Pak's Palace
outside Pyongyang, North Korea.
They took everything from me.
My faith. I
I tried.
I really tried, but I
couldn't see God in that place.
I had one small corner.
That's where I lived.
That corner was my whole world.
During sweeps one day,
a stone got pushed into my corner.
It was small. It wasn't anything.
They didn't think it was
important enough to take away.
By the time I got out
my faith was gone.
My humanity was all but lost.
That stone was the one thing I had.
But they took everything else.
It was the one thing I had.
[PHONE RINGING]
Yeah.
FRANKS: Kowalski.
Yeah.
Look, it ain't my place to stop you
from walking away, but Herm
needs help getting that room up.
Kowalski.
The kid's fine.
He can do it.
It sounds to me like you're
selling yourself a load of B.S.
Your letter, too.
I read it, it's going around.
Pretty words, but
not a whole lot of reason.
Next time Mary Jo
puts you up to calling me,
it's best you say no.
GIBBS: How long before we give up?
You doubting Kenny?
Flaco will show.
The time goes faster if you talk.
Randy's really good at stakeouts.
Is he?
Mm-hmm.
You finish your paperwork?
What paperwork?
Yesterday. You said you were
coming in early to do paperwork.
Oh, my reports.
I ended up staying late instead.
Is that why you were there
early this morning?
To do paperwork?
No, I just
I thought I'd come in early.
It's him.
Stay here.
I'll look your way if I need you.
Lala.
Is that you? Hey.
Make contact with Flaco.
I'll be right there.
What are the chances?
I'm glad I ran into you.
Hey.
Damn, I'm sorry. I was
just I'm sor
- I was just jogging by.
- I can't talk to you right now.
Okay? You need to go.
I didn't see your boyfriend
- in the car.
- LALA: No, he's not. I'm working.
You need to go, okay?
Wait, I I-I'm going,
I just I've been thinking about you.
You know?
Flaco, we needto chat.
Since that night outside the club.
I tried to find your number,
but you're not in the book.
- What have you been up to?
- Okay, listen to me.
I need you to walk away.
- Flaco, really?
- I was right here playing dominoes.
- Yeah?
- Okay? Yeah.
Come on, man, I ain't that stupid.
It's not safe for you here.
I need you to go.
That girl you eyeing over there
she with you?
Yeah.
Well, you can tell her the same thing.
Busting into
a federal building for 40K
that wouldn't be too smart, would it?
Me and everyone I know was here
playing dominoes last night.
The rest of the people I know,
you all locked up last week.
But not me. I was at home, thinking.
About what?
World domination
through distro and laundering?
You got anything on me,
where the cuffs at, mama?
Careful what you wish for.
You're on my radar now.
Not a fun place to be.
I do know of some people, though.
They don't do too much thinking.
Sometimes, their business
gets in the way of mine.
It's a problem.
Maybe if you help me with my problem,
I could help you with yours.
Maybe.
There's more than one
gambling ring in this town.
The one I don't do business
with, I don't really care for.
Word is,
they use a guy to clean up messes.
And that guy has something
to do with your 40K.
- Who is he?
- While back,
there was a missing Black girl.
Military family.
He was supposed to take her out.
Mildred.
Guy was a hit man.
He's dead. I killed him.
I heard he had something
to do with your money.
Look around, friends.
The world is a mysterious place.
Hatcher the hit man. First name Jesse.
Dairy lady's contaminating the water.
She hires a hit man
to take out Briana Davis
for knowing too much.
Hit man goes after little
Mildred for seeing too much.
Gibbs shoots hit man
in Mary Jo's basement.
The hell's that got to do
with our 41 grand?
When you say it like that,
it makes zero sense.
Are we sure the guy's dead?
I shot him in the head, boss.
Hatcher's father.
Hatcher's daddy.
What'd he have to say about it?
He's deceased. He had
a heart attack last month.
Okay.
What else do we know about this guy?
He's a clean-up man, a fixer.
What else he do?
He was likely responsible,
but never pinned,
for the hit of a guy named Davidson.
It was another gambling ring,
war-type thing. What else?
Black Kenny originally put us on to him.
All right. I'll swing by his place.
- I'll get you his new address.
- FRANKS: Rando.
Check in with Herm.
Find out what other evidence
- we pulled off the hit man's body.
- Copy.
- FRANKS: Probie.
- Yeah.
Get down to the locker room.
Make sure the breach is sealed properly.
I can't trust maintenance
far as I can throw 'em.
Find out where
the dairy lady's locked up
- and look into the D
- Davidson thing, I got it.
The heck's going on?
Randy said it's something
to do with Millie.
She's good. She's with her daddy.
I got ten guys outside her place.
She don't know nothing's going on.
Are you sure?
Mary Jo, this don't seem
to be about her.
It's something bigger.
Hit man's name is Hatcher, right?
RANDY: Yeah. Would have just
been whatever
we took off his body at
the scene about ten weeks ago.
Um, if you need me
to come back, I could
No, I-I got you.
It is looking good in here.
- What'd you do with all the stuff?
- What stuff?
Stuff you're still figuring
out where it goes?
Oh, i-it's all there. It's I did it.
- All of it?
- Yup.
You fixed the logbook, too.
Oh, that part was easy.
That was just tape.
You know, the other stuff that
was that was a little tricky,
- you know what I mean?
- Up high. You're amazing, man.
- [GRUNTS]
- You tell Kowalski you got it done?
Way he left, um
pretty sure he doesn't
want to be bothered.
You got to tell him, right?
Here it is.
Jesse Hatcher.
One Colt 1911.45,
one pack of cigarettes, destroyed.
- Cigarettes were destroyed?
- Yeah. Weapons, too.
That's typical stuff.
Destruction of evidence
- when the case is over.
- Mm.
But look at this. Kowalski made a note.
RNF. What does that mean?
Mm-mm.
Kowalski makes notes sometimes, but
I've never seen that before.
[SIGHS]
[KNOCKING]
See? Right here, Jesse Hatcher.
"One Colt 1911.45,
- one pack of cigarettes.
- RNF."
Yeah. RNF. Rolled, no filters.
Huh?
The cigarettes were rolled.
They didn't have any filters.
You thought that was the clue
that was gonna crack the case?
There's an abbreviation key
on the side of the bottom desk drawer.
Next time, check that out
before you waste the gas coming over.
Okay.
I could have just called.
Why didn't you?
Everybody loved your letter.
They're saying how you
told the whole story
from the day you started.
That was old news to me, though.
You'd already told me all that.
Letter didn't say why you left.
You remember the stone I found in Korea?
This is the one.
The day of the ceasefire,
they released me
and I walked outside the wire,
I looked out,
and this stone
I knew that this stone
was gonna be only the beginning
of what I was gonna have.
I was gonna have a second chance.
I was gonna have a whole life
that meant something.
You do.
[SCOFFS]
You're too young to know.
And you're too old not to know better.
[CHUCKLES] Stuff you're pulling,
feeling sorry for yourself,
walking away without telling me.
I love you, man. That ain't right.
Did you get the room back together?
What's that got to do with anything?
- Did you get the room back together?
- Who the hell cares, man?
Did you get the room back together?!
Yeah, I did.
I didn't think I could,
but I-I guess I, you know,
I figured it out, you know?
I-I got lucky.
It wasn't luck, Herm.
You learned because you watched me,
and you listened.
Most young folks they don't listen.
But you do.
Okay, so I did it. What's it matter?
Wheeler gonna give me a prize,
put me back in the field?
I don't even know if I want
to be back in the field.
I-I screwed up in the field.
I-I asked to go to Evidence,
you know that?
I wanted to work with you.
You don't get it, kid.
My whole life was that room.
And you can tear it down
and build it up in one day.
I was supposed to be more than that.
I don't know what to tell you
other than you're way more than that.
You saved me.
Besides, you ain't dead yet.
You don't like
what that rock is telling you,
get rid of it.
[DOOR OPENS]
[DOOR CLOSES]
Franks radioed in.
I need to call him back
with an update on maintenance.
Uh, he was right to doubt 'em.
They never even showed up.
I got a call in to get the grate back up
and see about a security system.
Franks get anything from Kenny?
He said all he knows about Hatcher
is what he already told us.
I'm trying to get in contact
with the dairy lady in prison.
I should actually get back upstairs
so I don't miss the call.
Oh, before you
Should I put Eddie in the file?
What?
Sorry. I was gonna write up our talk
with Flaco for the file,
and I didn't know if you seeing Eddie
was relevant since Flaco saw him, too.
I heard you and Eddie
were taking a break,
but I know we're supposed to
write everything in the file, so
I'll write it up.
That wasn't Eddie.
I, uh
I did some pretty awful things to Eddie.
And he was amazing.
And the stuff in Mexico
what you did
I'm still trying to work through that.
And I'm sure you are, too.
So, it's probably better
if we don't come in early
on the same days.
If you miss Eddie
you should tell him.
- What?
- Did you move the ladder?
Before just now, I mean.
No. Why?
Scuff marks.
They're faint, but look.
This is where you had the ladder.
Same exact one here.
They're fresh.
Someone else must have
brought the ladder down here.
Wasn't to fix the window.
Maybe it was to bust it.
What if they were trying to make
it look like it was a break-in?
That's why the MPs patrolling
outside never saw anyone.
This was an inside job.
All right, let's go, people.
I want these doors secured behind me.
Somebody please tell me
we are officially on lockdown.
We're officially on lockdown, boss.
We got MPs stationed
at all points of entry and exit.
Dominguez, what do we know?
Franks, what's the sitrep?
Dominguez?
Physical evidence at the
breach point in the locker room
suggests that a ladder
from inside the building
was used to open the window.
We're generating a
list of all personnel,
support staff, maintenance,
visitors anybody
who could have had access
to the building last night.
We know which one of 'em
knew about the 41K?
I sent out an office-wide memo
on the sting
the day after it happened.
Nobody reads those.
What does any of this
have to do with a hit man?
Maybe nothing.
It's possible Flaco just wanted
to cause trouble
for a competing gambling ring.
Or maybe he just didn't know
what the hell he was talking about.
[PHONE CLATTERS IN RECEIVER]
Okay, so, that was Woody.
First off, he wants me to tell you all
that Phil is feeling better. He was able
to keep some crackers down.
He tried soup, but, uh
[CLICKS TONGUE] And I will
finish that sentence later
for anyone who wants to hear it.
Um, the lockbox.
Uh, only prints on it
were Kowalski's and Herm's.
You're telling me it was one of them?
Or it just confirms our theory that
- whoever did this was wearing gloves.
- Yep.
Woody said gloves were likely.
And he also found traces
of cocaine inside the box.
It makes sense. The money
was seized from coke dealers.
Coke on the money.
That's the only break we need.
Where's my boy at?
["THE HEAT IS ON"
BY GLORIA GAYNOR PLAYING]
Okay, Gary, let's do it.
Search, narcotics.
Search.
The heat is on ♪
It's on the street ♪
Ah, ah, ah, ah.
Inside your head ♪
With every beat ♪
The pressure's high ♪
Just to stay alive ♪
'Cause the heat is on ♪
Tell me can you feel it,
tell me can you feel it ♪
Tell me can you feel it? ♪
The heat is on. ♪
Whose cabinet?
Community.
Open it up.
[DRAWER SHUTS]
Son of a bitch, Roger.
[DOOR OPENS]
Gonna go ahead
and start this easy, okay?
Randolf, you're crowding me.
Oh, sorry.
Why'd you keep the money here?
I was
I was scared to take it home.
I wanted to think about
if I should really do it.
Little late to be hemmin'
and hawin', wasn't it?
Here's the thing.
You been NIS for, what, seven years?
- Eight.
- Eight.
Eight years you've running alongside
all the good folks
who work in this building,
drinking coffee out of the same pot.
Hell, eating the bread
that Kowalski bakes.
Why'd you betray us, Roger?
- Ask him why he trashed our room.
- Patience, Herm.
No, he knew where the safe was.
Why'd he have to trash the room?
I, uh, have a problem.
I gamble.
I tried to stop, but
I can't.
I started to owe money.
A lot of it.
And there was this bookie.
He said that if I didn't
pay him what I owe him,
he would hurt me.
He said he would hurt my mother.
So I had to get the money.
And I knew that we had 41,000 in there
from Dalton's sting.
I feel responsible.
Shouldn't have let him in on the op.
Man's a mess.
This is not your fault, Dalton Basement.
FRANKS: And you did what?
Roger?
I made it look like a break-in
and I took the money.
I
messed up the room and the logbook
to make chaos, make it look like
they didn't know
what they were looking for.
Tell Kowalski and Herm that I'm sorry.
Is this dude serious?
He's a traitor.
Well.
You're gonna have a lot of days
to think about what you've done
to the good folks at this office.
Let me ask you this.
This have anything to do with a hit man?
I I-I don-I don't know.
You can't toss a lie to me and
expect me to walk out that door.
You know me better than that, Roger.
I got in this kind of trouble
one time before.
This guy came to me, he
he tracked me down.
He heard I was desperate.
The guy said what?
He said that he would pay me 25 grand
for the location
of that little girl we had.
I'm gonna kill the son of a bitch.
ROGER: He promised me that nothing bad
was gonna happen and I didn't know
that he was a hit man.
I just I needed the money!
I needed the money and I
couldn't let 'em hurt my mom!
Just
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Sorry.
- [POUNDING ON DOOR]
- I'm sorry, sorry.
May I have a word
with him alone, Agent Franks?
Course.
[DOOR CLOSES]
[LINE RINGING]
MAN: Hello?
Hi, Eddie.
["I'M BEGINNING TO SEE THE
LIGHT" BY BOBBY DARIN PLAYING]
[ALARM BUZZES]
OLDER GIBBS: I don't
think I understood that story
back when my mom told it to me.
The story of the mouse
and his fort in the woods.
Okay, Gary, I'm up, I'm up, I'm up.
I was so upset about
the fort getting trampled
I didn't pay attention
to the ending.
The end was that
all the crumbs of bread
the mouse had shared
with the animals along the way
made them want to help him.
So, together,
they rebuilt the fort.
It was just a couple of branchs
over a patch of grass
but to them, it was everything.
And when they saw the rays of sun
shining on it through the tree,
they felt happy.
'Cause even if the fort
got trampled in the night,
they knew they had created
something indestructible.
See the light ♪
They knew they had created
one small corner
where things were right.
And where the world was
as kind as it should be.
KOWALSKI: Morning, kid.
I'm beginning to see the light ♪
Thought about what you said.
I left another letter for Wheeler
at the bottom of the stairs.
Then you came and lit ♪
Said to put a hold on the previous one.
Fire now ♪
I never made love by lantern ♪
I got something for you.
Never saw rainbows in my wine ♪
Now that your lips are burning mine ♪
I'm beginning ♪
What the hell
are you standing there for?
We got work to do.
Morning roll call, let's go.
I got a boyfriend.
Come and find me when you don't.
KOWALSKI: Make sure you're
writing legibly, or I'll whip your ass.
VERA: Didn't Kowalski used to be
a priest way back in the day?
Army chaplain.
FRANKS: Kowalski,
you're the man of the cloth.
Not anymore.
MORRIS: Girl's name is Mildred Jones.
She didn't show up
to school this morning.
HATCHER:
That little girl saw his face.
KENNY: He's a fixer.
Goes by the name of Hatcher.
[GUNSHOTS]
FRANKS: Not many folks knew
that we had her, Mr. Hatcher.
How did you know that she was here?
I don't know.
["I'M BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHT" BY
THE INK SPOTS & ELLA FITZGERALD PLAYS]
OLDER GIBBS:
My mom told me a story once.
It was about a little mouse
that woke up every morning
and couldn't wait to get
to his fort in the woods.
- [ALARM BUZZES]
- He'd jump out of bed,
he'd throw on some mouse clothes,
get halfway out the door,
and then he'd remember
that he should probably
bring some food with him.
The mouse could
go without lunch, easy,
but he'd like to have
something to give
- [TIMER DINGS]
- to the other animals
he'd see along the way.
So, he'd wrap a crust of
bread or two in a napkin
and race out into the woods.
His fort was just
a couple of branches
over a patch of grass.
But to this mouse,
it was everything.
He built it, he'd fixed it up.
It was his.
And when he saw the rays of sun
shining on it through the tree,
he felt happy.
A four-alarm fire now ♪
Like there was one small corner
where things were right
and the world was as kind
as it should be.
I never saw rainbows ♪
But then one day,
something happened.
But now that your lips ♪
Are burning mine, I'm beginning ♪
One day, the mouse
raced through the woods
and up to his fort
and something was very wrong.
♪
Kowalksi?
You see anyone?
No.
Stay here till I get back.
OLDER GIBBS: The mouse
couldn't believe his eyes.
[WIND WHISTLING]
Someone had trampled
his fort to the ground
in the night, and he realized
that even
in his own small corner
the world wasn't as kind
as it should be.
Now that your lips,
they are burning on mine ♪
I'm beginning to see the light. ♪
Morning, Mary Jo.
Look at this. Look.
Millie's birthday was last week
and she framed it for me.
Oh, my God, she's so sweet
- I could eat her up.
- [LAUGHS]
VERA: Hey, Mary J.
Look at this.
Oh, seriously? Frigging adorable. Oh.
Hey, did you hear what
happened last night?
What?
Evidence room got broken into.
- What?
- Yeah,
the whole place got trashed.
You didn't think to tell me that
when I walked in?
Well, you were showing me your picture.
Okay. All right, Gail,
you just keep living life
with zero common sense,
see how that goes.
Oh, you got to be kidding me.
Where the heck was JJ?
Guys who did this broke in
through the locker room window.
Gibbs and Randy are down there now.
And JJ slept through it?
He was on overnight, wasn't he?
FRANKS: He was out on a call.
Missing persons.
Turned out to be nothing.
He just got back now.
Oh. Kowalski, honey, how you holding up?
I got to do morning roll call,
inventory.
They tore up my logbook.
MARY JO: Why would they do that?
What were they doing,
stealing some kind of evidence
before it gets to court?
Nope. They were just
looking for a payday.
They tossed all the shelves,
then they realized
there was a lockbox, cracked it open,
walked away with 41 grand.
Dick, what can I do to help you?
- Damn it, Franks.
- What? What'd I do?
You're stepping on my damn logbook.
Cut me some slack.
Wheeler wants a detailed sketch,
and our sketch guy ain't here yet.
Whoa! The hell is this?
MARY JO: Guy broke in,
stole 41K from your safe.
I'll be right back. I can hear Gail
messing stuff up out there. Gail!
Damn, K, this is messed up.
All our stuff.
They trashed the logbook?
How we gonna do morning call?
Look, we got to get this
all back where it goes.
We got to get it back.
Kowalski?
♪
HERM: Kowalski?
[PHONE RINGING]
Where you want me to start?
Well, I-I I need the room.
I-I need to do inventory.
I'm almost done with the prints.
Be out of your hair
as soon as we're done.
- No. You've had your time.
- [GARY BARKS]
Hey! Gary!
I'm sorry. We-we just
got back from the vet.
- No, no.
- I asked Gail to keep an eye on him
- for a minute.
- Watch it.
The log You're stepping on the log.
The logs. You're stepping on the logs!
Gary, as much as I love you,
buddy, you can't be in here.
Enough!
Get out! All of you!
Don't get bent out of shape.
I told you, we just need
to finish processing.
And I told you you're done!
This is my place!
You hear me?
And you will respect that!
Just give me the damn room.
Let's go, Gary. Come on.
♪
Why are you showing me this?
Those are pictures
of the money that was stolen.
We always make copies
of any cash in evidence.
How is this helping us?
Be nice, Cliff. Kid's having a day.
Where's Kowalski?
He needed a minute.
He was all broke up
about his room getting trashed.
Okay, well, I'm glad
everyone's taking it
to heart. That's great.
You want to know
what I'm broken up about?
All the cases
that were set to go to trial
that now have a broken
chain of evidence.
The D.A. starts crying,
it'll make its way
up to regional quicker than a
[CLEARS THROAT]
We need that room back in order.
What are you looking at me for?
- I asked you to run point.
- Point,
yeah, I'm investigating
the hell out of it.
That room it's out
of my sphere of knowledge.
And Kowalski's what, too busy
sulking to put it back?
Too old to lift the boxes
back on the shelf? What?
He just needed a minute.
Sir.
Special Agent Daniels,
you had an incident out
in the field, we pulled you out.
We put you in Evidence, you did well.
We gave you a vote of confidence
by adding K-9 unit
to your plate. Is that right?
Yes, sir.
I am assuming you want to
make your way back into the field?
Can you get that room
back in order quickly?
Yeah.
Then go.
Daniels.
Take these with you.
- [DOOR OPENS]
- All right.
- [DOOR CLOSES]
- How much was stolen
and who knew we had it?
Damn, that got nasty.
Too old to lift the boxes?
They took 41 grand.
It was seized from
a cocaine sting op last week.
And we really think
these guys have the balls
to steal their money back?
They're dope dealers, Cliff.
I wouldn't put anything past 'em.
- [SIGHS]
- [DOOR OPENS]
Okay, drug dealers coming back
to steal their cash.
Let's Agatha Christie this thing.
What are we thinking?
Well, MPs didn't see anything unusual,
but anybody could have snuck onto base.
Timeline anywhere between what,
um, 3:00 a.m. and 7:00?
Yup. JJ left on the call at 3:00.
Kowalski and I got here at 6:00.
6:00?
That's legit crack of dawn, man.
Wow. Lucky you were here.
Can you imagine Kowalski having
to go around clearing the place?
[SCOFFS] I think he's got it in him.
What were you doing here that early?
Wh Hey.
Hey.
Confirmed point of entry and exit?
Yeah.
Grating's cut through. They
must have brought wire cutters,
used them to bust out the window.
But no usable prints up there.
- Gloves, huh?
- We think
they used the urinal
as a stool to get in and out,
but if they had gloves,
all these prints
I'm pulling are probably ours.
Ugh.
I'm gonna go talk to Dalton Basement.
He's the one that
headed up the sting op.
- Where the money was seized?
- Yeah.
He's giving us a file on the specifics.
I'll come with you.
I'll still get these prints
to Woody, just in case.
The guy's last name is Basement?
I thought it was Dalton.
No, his first name is Dalton.
I started calling him Basement
when he moved his desk down here.
It's kind of catching on.
I didn't even know
there were offices down here.
There aren't, really. He was
in the next Quonset over.
He didn't like all the laughing
and joking around, so he moved.
He's a pretty serious dude.
[KNOCKING]
What's up, Dalton?
Place is looking sweet.
I told Roger to get you the file.
Why would Roger have the file?
He was on the op.
"Roger that works here" Roger?
He was part of a sting drug bust?
I needed someone
who knows poker to play a patsy.
Op netted 41K, 1.6 kilos
of coke, and we arrested
four members of the 63rd Street
"Cuhvowos."
Chacales.
What else?
You let anybody go?
Anyone who might know about the money?
Let 'em go?
No.
A guy they call Flaco was a no-show.
Well, who's he?
Flaco is a key player
in their organization.
We missed him in the bust.
Only choice now is to lay off
so he feels safe enough to rebuild.
You know where we can find him?
Look, you find him, you spook him,
it sets me back three months.
Or we nab him for this.
You can get his location from our CI.
Pretty sure he's in your
stable, too. Kenneth Simmons.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Black Kenny?
Yeah, I don't call him that.
How's he in on this?
63rd Street "Cavahos"
Chacales.
launder through the illegal
gambling operation that Kenneth
is involved with.
We done?
Appreciate the helping hand, Dalton.
Shut the door!
Hey, I got your file.
I put some color-coded
tabs in here for you.
Appreciate the helping hand, Roger.
Yeah.
HERM: Kowalski,
Wheeler said we got to get the room
back together fast, man.
Listen, I know you need your space,
but we got to get the inventory going.
Yo, Herman. What's going on?
Old man lock you out?
Nah, man. We-we good.
We good.
Oh, yeah. Hey, walk with me.
Listen, just so you know,
whatever's going on,
you are too tall to sneak.
[KNOCKS]
Come on, K, my ass is on the line here.
K.
Thank you. Where you going?
Sorry I got heated, kid.
It wasn't aimed at you.
We missed morning roll call today.
Make sure you do it.
Cliff!
You want him down here,
I'll get him on the intercom.
Cliff!
All right.
Make sure he gets that, would you?
And so you all
don't waste good working hours
gossiping about this later
I've written a very thoughtful
letter of resignation
on that yellow pad.
And I didn't mean for this
to be so dramatic, either.
I just didn't feel like
climbing the stairs.
[GROANS] Mamma mia.
What is this?
The lockbox 41 grand was stolen out of.
I know what it is. I meant
why did you haul it in here?
Didn't you lift
the prints off it already?
- Mm-hmm.
- Yeah, figured it couldn't hurt for you
to look at it through those
fancy glasses of yours.
[MOCKINGLY]: Oh, your fancy glasses.
Sure.
Uh, hold on.
Give me a second.
We're understaffed today.
Phil's out sick.
Fingerprints.
We're think the intruder
was wearing gloves,
so pretty likely those are all ours,
but you never know.
You'll take a look at the lockbox,
give us a call, won't you?
This is a shocking turn.
Dick Kowalski resigned.
FRANKS: Yeah, I know.
Someone faxed you his letter?
Yeah. Gail. It's beautifully written.
She says it's a whole history
of the office
since he started. 25 years.
Tell you what, though.
I don't know how Herm survived
working with him this last year.
Kowalski does this "morning roll call"
every day with the evidence.
I'd kill myself if I had
to be that detail-oriented.
You know Kowalski pretty well,
then, huh? From all the
- From all the drop-offs.
- Yeah.
Yeah. He ever tell you
he was a POW in Korea?
Thought he was an Army chaplain.
He was all of it. Man's a hero.
Well,
that being said, 41 grand goes missing
and the guy guarding it quits?
It's a little
Are you implying Dick Kowalski
trashed his own room
and lifted the cash
to fund his retirement?
I'm sorry. I am not myself today.
I'm really worried about Phil.
[PHONE RINGS]
Phil?
Oh. Yeah, hey.
One sec.
It's Lala.
Mm.
Yeah, so I think it's, like,
flu-like symptoms.
Hello.
- Phil?
- Yeah.
He's he's not staying hydrated.
- All right. Yeah.
- I keep telling him,
"You got to stay hydrated, buddy."
He doesn't listen.
Think I should call him again?
All right. Rando, let's move out.
Lala and Gibbs tracked down Black Kenny.
He moved to a new place
without telling us.
- [FANFARE PLAYING ON TV]
- Look, I'm gonna have the money
back to you Monday, all right?
Promise, every cent, plus the vig.
- All right.
- [KNOCKING ON DOOR]
I love you too, Ma.
LALA: Kenny, it's Lala. We can hear you.
[SIGHS]
Franks and I have a deal.
Y'all never come to my crib.
That is between you and Franks.
You're supposed to tell us if you move.
Top of my to-do list, La.
Uh-huh.
Can I get you anything?
A water would be great.
Sparkling or still?
Sparkling.
I'm good.
The drug bust that
you helped Agent Dalton on.
There was a guy from
the crew who was a no-show.
Goes by Flaco.
Yeah, I know him.
We need his real name,
address and phone number.
That's it?
Who this fool think I am,
the yellow pages?
You know how to find Flaco or not?
Look, I don't know where he staying,
but he do be
knockin' bones in Lyons' Park.
That's dominoes, white boy.
There's a lot of money in those games,
so he'll be there most days.
Appreciate the hospitality, Kenny.
Hey, don't forget
to come in and fill out
your change of address form.
- Yo, La.
- Mm?
Be careful with this dude.
I heard some things about him.
He's not one to play with.
Good Lord, Roger, you're not
the only car on the road.
Sorry.
Hey. I snagged you
the last piece of Kowalski's sourdough.
Aw, that's what I needed.
Mary J, thank you.
How's it going in there good?
You know, just
working out this log book.
Well, you keep it going.
You're doing it, baby.
Oh, yeah, I'm doing it.
Yeah, you're doing it.
Franks, hold up. I need to talk to you.
That young man's gonna implode in there.
Who?
Randy, baby, could you give us a minute?
Yeah, copy that. Sure.
There's no way Herm is gonna be able
to get that room
back in order by himself.
No one could.
He's getting set up to fail
without Kowalski helping him.
That room is outside
of my sphere of knowledge.
Listen, Herm has already
been through enough on this job.
You need to get on the phone,
tell Kowalski
to get his butt back in here.
- Why don't you call him?
- Because, honey,
it's gonna get mean,
and I ain't mean.
KOWALSKI: 14, October, 1953.
Chaplain Richard Kowalski.
This is, uh
this is my report of two years spent
as a prisoner of war at Pak's Palace
outside Pyongyang, North Korea.
They took everything from me.
My faith. I
I tried.
I really tried, but I
couldn't see God in that place.
I had one small corner.
That's where I lived.
That corner was my whole world.
During sweeps one day,
a stone got pushed into my corner.
It was small. It wasn't anything.
They didn't think it was
important enough to take away.
By the time I got out
my faith was gone.
My humanity was all but lost.
That stone was the one thing I had.
But they took everything else.
It was the one thing I had.
[PHONE RINGING]
Yeah.
FRANKS: Kowalski.
Yeah.
Look, it ain't my place to stop you
from walking away, but Herm
needs help getting that room up.
Kowalski.
The kid's fine.
He can do it.
It sounds to me like you're
selling yourself a load of B.S.
Your letter, too.
I read it, it's going around.
Pretty words, but
not a whole lot of reason.
Next time Mary Jo
puts you up to calling me,
it's best you say no.
GIBBS: How long before we give up?
You doubting Kenny?
Flaco will show.
The time goes faster if you talk.
Randy's really good at stakeouts.
Is he?
Mm-hmm.
You finish your paperwork?
What paperwork?
Yesterday. You said you were
coming in early to do paperwork.
Oh, my reports.
I ended up staying late instead.
Is that why you were there
early this morning?
To do paperwork?
No, I just
I thought I'd come in early.
It's him.
Stay here.
I'll look your way if I need you.
Lala.
Is that you? Hey.
Make contact with Flaco.
I'll be right there.
What are the chances?
I'm glad I ran into you.
Hey.
Damn, I'm sorry. I was
just I'm sor
- I was just jogging by.
- I can't talk to you right now.
Okay? You need to go.
I didn't see your boyfriend
- in the car.
- LALA: No, he's not. I'm working.
You need to go, okay?
Wait, I I-I'm going,
I just I've been thinking about you.
You know?
Flaco, we needto chat.
Since that night outside the club.
I tried to find your number,
but you're not in the book.
- What have you been up to?
- Okay, listen to me.
I need you to walk away.
- Flaco, really?
- I was right here playing dominoes.
- Yeah?
- Okay? Yeah.
Come on, man, I ain't that stupid.
It's not safe for you here.
I need you to go.
That girl you eyeing over there
she with you?
Yeah.
Well, you can tell her the same thing.
Busting into
a federal building for 40K
that wouldn't be too smart, would it?
Me and everyone I know was here
playing dominoes last night.
The rest of the people I know,
you all locked up last week.
But not me. I was at home, thinking.
About what?
World domination
through distro and laundering?
You got anything on me,
where the cuffs at, mama?
Careful what you wish for.
You're on my radar now.
Not a fun place to be.
I do know of some people, though.
They don't do too much thinking.
Sometimes, their business
gets in the way of mine.
It's a problem.
Maybe if you help me with my problem,
I could help you with yours.
Maybe.
There's more than one
gambling ring in this town.
The one I don't do business
with, I don't really care for.
Word is,
they use a guy to clean up messes.
And that guy has something
to do with your 40K.
- Who is he?
- While back,
there was a missing Black girl.
Military family.
He was supposed to take her out.
Mildred.
Guy was a hit man.
He's dead. I killed him.
I heard he had something
to do with your money.
Look around, friends.
The world is a mysterious place.
Hatcher the hit man. First name Jesse.
Dairy lady's contaminating the water.
She hires a hit man
to take out Briana Davis
for knowing too much.
Hit man goes after little
Mildred for seeing too much.
Gibbs shoots hit man
in Mary Jo's basement.
The hell's that got to do
with our 41 grand?
When you say it like that,
it makes zero sense.
Are we sure the guy's dead?
I shot him in the head, boss.
Hatcher's father.
Hatcher's daddy.
What'd he have to say about it?
He's deceased. He had
a heart attack last month.
Okay.
What else do we know about this guy?
He's a clean-up man, a fixer.
What else he do?
He was likely responsible,
but never pinned,
for the hit of a guy named Davidson.
It was another gambling ring,
war-type thing. What else?
Black Kenny originally put us on to him.
All right. I'll swing by his place.
- I'll get you his new address.
- FRANKS: Rando.
Check in with Herm.
Find out what other evidence
- we pulled off the hit man's body.
- Copy.
- FRANKS: Probie.
- Yeah.
Get down to the locker room.
Make sure the breach is sealed properly.
I can't trust maintenance
far as I can throw 'em.
Find out where
the dairy lady's locked up
- and look into the D
- Davidson thing, I got it.
The heck's going on?
Randy said it's something
to do with Millie.
She's good. She's with her daddy.
I got ten guys outside her place.
She don't know nothing's going on.
Are you sure?
Mary Jo, this don't seem
to be about her.
It's something bigger.
Hit man's name is Hatcher, right?
RANDY: Yeah. Would have just
been whatever
we took off his body at
the scene about ten weeks ago.
Um, if you need me
to come back, I could
No, I-I got you.
It is looking good in here.
- What'd you do with all the stuff?
- What stuff?
Stuff you're still figuring
out where it goes?
Oh, i-it's all there. It's I did it.
- All of it?
- Yup.
You fixed the logbook, too.
Oh, that part was easy.
That was just tape.
You know, the other stuff that
was that was a little tricky,
- you know what I mean?
- Up high. You're amazing, man.
- [GRUNTS]
- You tell Kowalski you got it done?
Way he left, um
pretty sure he doesn't
want to be bothered.
You got to tell him, right?
Here it is.
Jesse Hatcher.
One Colt 1911.45,
one pack of cigarettes, destroyed.
- Cigarettes were destroyed?
- Yeah. Weapons, too.
That's typical stuff.
Destruction of evidence
- when the case is over.
- Mm.
But look at this. Kowalski made a note.
RNF. What does that mean?
Mm-mm.
Kowalski makes notes sometimes, but
I've never seen that before.
[SIGHS]
[KNOCKING]
See? Right here, Jesse Hatcher.
"One Colt 1911.45,
- one pack of cigarettes.
- RNF."
Yeah. RNF. Rolled, no filters.
Huh?
The cigarettes were rolled.
They didn't have any filters.
You thought that was the clue
that was gonna crack the case?
There's an abbreviation key
on the side of the bottom desk drawer.
Next time, check that out
before you waste the gas coming over.
Okay.
I could have just called.
Why didn't you?
Everybody loved your letter.
They're saying how you
told the whole story
from the day you started.
That was old news to me, though.
You'd already told me all that.
Letter didn't say why you left.
You remember the stone I found in Korea?
This is the one.
The day of the ceasefire,
they released me
and I walked outside the wire,
I looked out,
and this stone
I knew that this stone
was gonna be only the beginning
of what I was gonna have.
I was gonna have a second chance.
I was gonna have a whole life
that meant something.
You do.
[SCOFFS]
You're too young to know.
And you're too old not to know better.
[CHUCKLES] Stuff you're pulling,
feeling sorry for yourself,
walking away without telling me.
I love you, man. That ain't right.
Did you get the room back together?
What's that got to do with anything?
- Did you get the room back together?
- Who the hell cares, man?
Did you get the room back together?!
Yeah, I did.
I didn't think I could,
but I-I guess I, you know,
I figured it out, you know?
I-I got lucky.
It wasn't luck, Herm.
You learned because you watched me,
and you listened.
Most young folks they don't listen.
But you do.
Okay, so I did it. What's it matter?
Wheeler gonna give me a prize,
put me back in the field?
I don't even know if I want
to be back in the field.
I-I screwed up in the field.
I-I asked to go to Evidence,
you know that?
I wanted to work with you.
You don't get it, kid.
My whole life was that room.
And you can tear it down
and build it up in one day.
I was supposed to be more than that.
I don't know what to tell you
other than you're way more than that.
You saved me.
Besides, you ain't dead yet.
You don't like
what that rock is telling you,
get rid of it.
[DOOR OPENS]
[DOOR CLOSES]
Franks radioed in.
I need to call him back
with an update on maintenance.
Uh, he was right to doubt 'em.
They never even showed up.
I got a call in to get the grate back up
and see about a security system.
Franks get anything from Kenny?
He said all he knows about Hatcher
is what he already told us.
I'm trying to get in contact
with the dairy lady in prison.
I should actually get back upstairs
so I don't miss the call.
Oh, before you
Should I put Eddie in the file?
What?
Sorry. I was gonna write up our talk
with Flaco for the file,
and I didn't know if you seeing Eddie
was relevant since Flaco saw him, too.
I heard you and Eddie
were taking a break,
but I know we're supposed to
write everything in the file, so
I'll write it up.
That wasn't Eddie.
I, uh
I did some pretty awful things to Eddie.
And he was amazing.
And the stuff in Mexico
what you did
I'm still trying to work through that.
And I'm sure you are, too.
So, it's probably better
if we don't come in early
on the same days.
If you miss Eddie
you should tell him.
- What?
- Did you move the ladder?
Before just now, I mean.
No. Why?
Scuff marks.
They're faint, but look.
This is where you had the ladder.
Same exact one here.
They're fresh.
Someone else must have
brought the ladder down here.
Wasn't to fix the window.
Maybe it was to bust it.
What if they were trying to make
it look like it was a break-in?
That's why the MPs patrolling
outside never saw anyone.
This was an inside job.
All right, let's go, people.
I want these doors secured behind me.
Somebody please tell me
we are officially on lockdown.
We're officially on lockdown, boss.
We got MPs stationed
at all points of entry and exit.
Dominguez, what do we know?
Franks, what's the sitrep?
Dominguez?
Physical evidence at the
breach point in the locker room
suggests that a ladder
from inside the building
was used to open the window.
We're generating a
list of all personnel,
support staff, maintenance,
visitors anybody
who could have had access
to the building last night.
We know which one of 'em
knew about the 41K?
I sent out an office-wide memo
on the sting
the day after it happened.
Nobody reads those.
What does any of this
have to do with a hit man?
Maybe nothing.
It's possible Flaco just wanted
to cause trouble
for a competing gambling ring.
Or maybe he just didn't know
what the hell he was talking about.
[PHONE CLATTERS IN RECEIVER]
Okay, so, that was Woody.
First off, he wants me to tell you all
that Phil is feeling better. He was able
to keep some crackers down.
He tried soup, but, uh
[CLICKS TONGUE] And I will
finish that sentence later
for anyone who wants to hear it.
Um, the lockbox.
Uh, only prints on it
were Kowalski's and Herm's.
You're telling me it was one of them?
Or it just confirms our theory that
- whoever did this was wearing gloves.
- Yep.
Woody said gloves were likely.
And he also found traces
of cocaine inside the box.
It makes sense. The money
was seized from coke dealers.
Coke on the money.
That's the only break we need.
Where's my boy at?
["THE HEAT IS ON"
BY GLORIA GAYNOR PLAYING]
Okay, Gary, let's do it.
Search, narcotics.
Search.
The heat is on ♪
It's on the street ♪
Ah, ah, ah, ah.
Inside your head ♪
With every beat ♪
The pressure's high ♪
Just to stay alive ♪
'Cause the heat is on ♪
Tell me can you feel it,
tell me can you feel it ♪
Tell me can you feel it? ♪
The heat is on. ♪
Whose cabinet?
Community.
Open it up.
[DRAWER SHUTS]
Son of a bitch, Roger.
[DOOR OPENS]
Gonna go ahead
and start this easy, okay?
Randolf, you're crowding me.
Oh, sorry.
Why'd you keep the money here?
I was
I was scared to take it home.
I wanted to think about
if I should really do it.
Little late to be hemmin'
and hawin', wasn't it?
Here's the thing.
You been NIS for, what, seven years?
- Eight.
- Eight.
Eight years you've running alongside
all the good folks
who work in this building,
drinking coffee out of the same pot.
Hell, eating the bread
that Kowalski bakes.
Why'd you betray us, Roger?
- Ask him why he trashed our room.
- Patience, Herm.
No, he knew where the safe was.
Why'd he have to trash the room?
I, uh, have a problem.
I gamble.
I tried to stop, but
I can't.
I started to owe money.
A lot of it.
And there was this bookie.
He said that if I didn't
pay him what I owe him,
he would hurt me.
He said he would hurt my mother.
So I had to get the money.
And I knew that we had 41,000 in there
from Dalton's sting.
I feel responsible.
Shouldn't have let him in on the op.
Man's a mess.
This is not your fault, Dalton Basement.
FRANKS: And you did what?
Roger?
I made it look like a break-in
and I took the money.
I
messed up the room and the logbook
to make chaos, make it look like
they didn't know
what they were looking for.
Tell Kowalski and Herm that I'm sorry.
Is this dude serious?
He's a traitor.
Well.
You're gonna have a lot of days
to think about what you've done
to the good folks at this office.
Let me ask you this.
This have anything to do with a hit man?
I I-I don-I don't know.
You can't toss a lie to me and
expect me to walk out that door.
You know me better than that, Roger.
I got in this kind of trouble
one time before.
This guy came to me, he
he tracked me down.
He heard I was desperate.
The guy said what?
He said that he would pay me 25 grand
for the location
of that little girl we had.
I'm gonna kill the son of a bitch.
ROGER: He promised me that nothing bad
was gonna happen and I didn't know
that he was a hit man.
I just I needed the money!
I needed the money and I
couldn't let 'em hurt my mom!
Just
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Sorry.
- [POUNDING ON DOOR]
- I'm sorry, sorry.
May I have a word
with him alone, Agent Franks?
Course.
[DOOR CLOSES]
[LINE RINGING]
MAN: Hello?
Hi, Eddie.
["I'M BEGINNING TO SEE THE
LIGHT" BY BOBBY DARIN PLAYING]
[ALARM BUZZES]
OLDER GIBBS: I don't
think I understood that story
back when my mom told it to me.
The story of the mouse
and his fort in the woods.
Okay, Gary, I'm up, I'm up, I'm up.
I was so upset about
the fort getting trampled
I didn't pay attention
to the ending.
The end was that
all the crumbs of bread
the mouse had shared
with the animals along the way
made them want to help him.
So, together,
they rebuilt the fort.
It was just a couple of branchs
over a patch of grass
but to them, it was everything.
And when they saw the rays of sun
shining on it through the tree,
they felt happy.
'Cause even if the fort
got trampled in the night,
they knew they had created
something indestructible.
See the light ♪
They knew they had created
one small corner
where things were right.
And where the world was
as kind as it should be.
KOWALSKI: Morning, kid.
I'm beginning to see the light ♪
Thought about what you said.
I left another letter for Wheeler
at the bottom of the stairs.
Then you came and lit ♪
Said to put a hold on the previous one.
Fire now ♪
I never made love by lantern ♪
I got something for you.
Never saw rainbows in my wine ♪
Now that your lips are burning mine ♪
I'm beginning ♪
What the hell
are you standing there for?
We got work to do.
Morning roll call, let's go.