NCIS New Orleans (2014) s05e13 Episode Script
X
1 ("Symphony No.
9, Molto vivace" by Beethoven plays) (silenced gunshots) (grunts) (silenced gunshots, body thudding) (silenced gunshot, man grunts) (silenced gunshot) (lock beeps, clicks) (gasps) NCIS:New Orleans 5x13 X Boom, boom, boom, boom Bang, bang, bang, bang Boom, boom, boom, boom How, how, how, how Hey, hey You gotta come on.
PATTON: Oh, baby.
(chuckles) What's that smell? That is grits.
And Mama Pride's grillades.
Been 197 days since you fixed them.
(chuckles) Not that I'm counting.
Ooh, all I need now is the white pepper.
And we're out? - Spice drawer.
- Spice drawer? Reorganized the kitchen.
- Sorry, boss.
- Oh, no need.
Huh.
I'm just a guest these days.
Yeah, and a welcome one as long as you keep cooking like that.
Hey, don't take this the wrong way.
We're really happy you're back, but have you heard from Hannah? Nothing.
I'm assuming she's making the most of her time off.
Yeah, I guess.
Reconnecting with her daughter and dealing with her ex-husband.
I just feel we need to be there for her, you know? Best way we can help is to give her some space.
GREGORIO: Agreed.
Can you explain that concept to Mr.
Grabby here while you're at it? Mr.
Grabby? That sounds What? No, she had clothes everywhere, so I did some laundry.
Oh, no, you didn't just do "some laundry.
" You fluffed, folded and ironed, separated each piece of clothing with a tissue, including my underwear.
Yeah, thought that was a nice touch.
No, it's a creepy touch, Sebastian.
Breakfast anyone? Mama's grillades.
I'm down, as long as someone doesn't think it's creepy.
GREGORIO: Don't.
(cell phone ringing) Oh, man.
Hang on.
Hello.
Tell me I'm not wrong here.
Number one rule: When living with a lady, unless specifically asked, never, ever touch the lingerie.
PRIDE: That was Christopher.
We just caught a shooting at a research lab.
Really? Really.
Multiple victims.
Let's go.
More for P.
Thank you, Mr.
Grabby.
(laughs) (camera shutter clicking) Two male victims in the first lab.
Three victims in here.
Ordinary night shift gone haywire? Loretta.
Rough way to start the morning.
With five victims, yes.
My final prelim is microbiology tech Steven Bennecker.
- Random mass shooting? - Don't think so.
Each victim was killed with a double tap.
Suggests a trained shooter.
Lab is privately owned.
Civilians are our victims.
Why are we here? 'Cause it's a good chance our suspect is Navy.
Why's that, Christopher? Well, security system is state of the art.
Biometric fingerprint scanner.
And according to the system, there were six people here last night.
Well, who's missing? Navy microbiologist Lieutenant Ella Ford.
GREGORIO: Well, if she survived and was here, she would've gone to the cops.
Yeah, but there's no sign of her.
Phone's off-line.
No record of where she's living.
It's like she disappeared.
She's more than a biologist.
Combat trained.
Two tours in war zones.
What, she just snapped? Well, workplace shootings are usually male-perpetrated.
Unless this was about something else.
High-tech, secure vaults, climate-controlled, multiple fail-safes.
Whatever they were keeping in there, they were carefully curating it.
Until somebody pried this door open and took it.
Well, this place is a commercial pharmaceutical lab.
Supposedly working on vitamin supplements.
What could they be storing here? Something worth killing for.
Christopher, you and Sebastian, turn the lab upside down, find out what's missing.
You got it.
Gregorio, you and I need to find Lieutenant Ford.
Got it.
(scoffs) Man.
Finding Lieutenant Ford is easier said than done.
Why? That girl somehow got out that lab and ghosted.
She's got to be somewhere, P.
No, I got eyes all over the town.
Transportation hubs, airports.
No sign.
Well, according to what I've seen of her record, she's got counter-Intel training.
That's strange for a lab rat.
(cell phone beeps) Oh, you can't be serious.
Oh, baby, I'm serious as a heart attack.
No, it's not you.
My new roommate thought it was the perfect time to send me an interactive chore app.
(laughs) Sebastian love his apps, and he love his chores.
Yeah, well, he should be more focused on the five murders we're trying to solve.
(cell phone beeps) Oh, Sebastian's multitasking.
He just sent me a list of the projects that Linnaeous Labs was working on.
Various unpronounceable pharmaceutical patents.
Can't imagine they'd rate mass killing.
These patents go like hotcakes on the black market.
I'm thinking corporate espionage.
Still doesn't explain why a Navy biologist was working at a commercial lab.
According to Lieutenant Ford's C.
O.
, she wasn't.
Currently stationed at a research facility in Siberia.
- Has been for seven months.
GREGORIO: How is that possible? Lieutenant Ford's prints were all over that lab.
Exactly.
Sounds like you got a paradox.
Hey.
Hannah, you're back.
Yeah, sorry I'm late, but I just spoke to Linnaeous Labs.
They confirmed Lieutenant Ford as an employee, but wouldn't confirm what she was doing there.
No, I mean, you're back early.
Well, five victims-- seemed like you needed all hands on deck.
- You okay? - Yeah.
Why? You were supposed to be on a two-week personal leave for your family.
Yeah, turns out I only needed one.
Family's good.
Should we talk about the case? - Yeah, we should.
- Yeah, team's yours.
Actually, I would love it if you'd stick around, Dwayne.
Got a tight-lipped lab, Navy biologist on dubious assignment.
SAC privileges could really come in handy.
Okay.
Of course.
Oh.
(cell phone beeping) This is Loretta.
She's done with the autopsies.
I'll go see her? Great.
Yeah.
I'll dig deeper on Lieutenant Ford.
- Okay.
You buying that whole "family good" line? Not in the least.
Can I help you? I'm not the one in need.
Doctor Wade? Yes.
And you are? Inspector Nero.
Louisiana Department of Health.
Oh.
Went through assessment last month.
Frank Connish was the inspector.
Yes, he was.
That's why I'm here.
Frank found some abnormalities, which required further review.
He didn't alert me.
Consider this your alert.
I've been here five minutes.
I've seen five different code violations, including overcrowding.
I'm filing form F-95B in compliance with emergency protocol.
Key word "filing.
" Present tense, as in, you haven't been authorized.
No.
Key word "emergency.
" Mm-hmm.
Autopsy reports, please.
Public Health has the prelim.
Whatever you think you've found, it's a mistake.
I don't make those.
Unlike you.
Physical evaluation vague.
Handwriting is sloppy.
In my 25 years, I've never Met a health inspector like me.
It's not the first time I've heard that.
This lab is subpar at best.
Here is a notice of failure to comply to code.
Please address these issues before re-inspection.
Have a nice day.
(door opens) Excuse me.
(door opens) (door closes) - Everything all right, Loretta? - No, Dwayne.
According to the Health Department, at best, it's subpar.
You are the finest medical examiner in the Southeast.
With the sloppiest penmanship.
(sighs) Anyway the victims, I pulled nine-millimeter slugs from each one of them.
Ballistics is running a search for the weapon.
- Find anything else? - Yes.
Traces of a chemical coating on all the bullets.
- You get an analysis? - Mm-hmm.
It's a mixture of airborne contaminants and toxins.
Elements of chromium, lead, ferric oxide.
Probably came from wherever the suspect loaded the weapon.
Some kind of hideout? Yeah.
All the chemicals seem to be present in ship manufacturing.
Ferric oxide suggests rust.
There's an old shipyard about two miles from Linnaeous Labs.
It's worth checking it out.
Yeah, okay.
Listen, Loretta, whatever that inspector said to you, forget about it.
You're the best.
(door closes) (chuckles) Entrances are located on the east, west and north side of the shipyard.
Split up, work our way backwards? - Yeah.
I'll take the north.
- Let's go.
(clattering) East storage.
Looks like (grunts) (panting) Suspect's fleeing west! I lost visual.
I got nothing.
Pride? NCIS! Hands where I can see them.
Drop the container.
If I do that, we all die.
HANNAH: What's going on? GREGORIO: Hands up! NERO: Like I told Special Agent Pride, I strongly recommend against that suggestion.
But you didn't explain why.
You know him, Dwayne? Not really.
Met him at Loretta's morgue.
Health inspector.
But I got a feeling he's not.
Apologies for the duplicity, but it was warranted.
Who are you? Commander Rufus Nero, Naval Intelligence.
Yeah, right.
Naval Intelligence shares leads with NCIS.
Ordinarily, yes, Special Agent Khoury.
Current circumstances demand discretion.
Who talks like that? I do, Gregorio.
Now you all need to let me deal with a very delicate situation.
Five people are dead, and Navy biologist Ella Ford is probably responsible.
Lieutenant Ford was working for me.
You need to start explaining yourself.
You need to put the container down and show us some I.
D.
Do it! Please don't shoot.
You might hit what's in this container, and none of us want that.
What's in there? Does Virus-X mean anything to you? Largely unknown disease discovered in the melting Arctic caps.
It's so powerful, it could be the world's next pandemic.
NERO: That's right.
What I'm holding here is nothing short of a biological nuclear weapon.
What do you got, Ebola in a box? What's in here makes Ebola look like the hiccups.
Okay, I'll let you all see for yourselves, all right? Okay.
Put it down.
Slowly.
It's gone.
Well, I guess we know what Lieutenant Ford was after.
(jet passing overhead) PARKER: Somebody help me understand how a virus as dangerous as this can be stolen from a supposedly highly secure and clandestine laboratory.
- Which is why we have to GRASSLEY: If you recall, CDC wanted to handle Virus-X in its own facility.
Where word would have spread so fast The same damn thing would have happened, Commander.
Look, let's just take a beat here, all right? Look, none of this would have happened had I been given operational control.
You do appreciate the irony of that statement, right? Considering the fact it was your operative who was compromised.
All we can confirm is that Lieutenant Ford recovered the virus in Siberia and studied it in the lab as a preventative measure.
Sh-She's the only one who may be actually working her mission here.
GRASSLEY: Well, if her mission was to steal the virus and do God-knows-what with it.
Look, lot at stake, yes.
Which is why we need to focus on finding Lieutenant Ford.
See? At least NCIS gets it.
Let me tell you what I get, Nero.
Virus-X has the capacity to decimate a third of the world's population.
Worse than smallpox and yellow fever wrapped up in a bubonic plague sandwich.
And Navy Intel is being smug.
Sticks and stones, Samantha.
What's the score? Eighth round, no punches pulled.
DHS ran Linnaeous Labs as deep cover for cross-agency Operation-X, but now they're mad at CDC for exposing the op, and everyone's mad at Navy Intel for bringing in Lieutenant Ford on the mission in the first place.
(exhales) Nothing but chaos.
Plus, this virus gets out, we're looking at a pandemic.
How are Pride and Hannah holding up? Way more patient than I would be.
(clamoring in other room) Okay, everyone needs to just calm down for a second.
- Take a breath.
- What's CDC doing in all this? Other than pointing fingers.
We provided a thorough risk assessment that specifically warned of this exact situation.
(cell phone ringing) Oh.
So basically your argument is "I told you so"? (overlapping arguing) (whistles) (arguing stops) Thank you.
There will be plenty of time to share the blame.
After we catch up to Lieutenant Ford.
Secure the virus before it gets out.
But we're gonna need some cooperation.
Access to DHS's full surveillance package, to begin with.
And NCIS needs to be read in on all the operations.
We need to find Lieutenant Ford before she sets the virus free or sells it or drops it on the ground by mistake.
Prevent the worst-case scenario.
(cell phone chimes) Now, we got a BOLO out, but we need extra manpower.
Full cooperation across all agencies, agreed, all right? - Ooh, ooh, apologies.
- You're leaving? Got to go deliver my own head on a platter.
My C.
O.
wants to debrief ASAP.
- Keep me in the loop? - Of course.
PRIDE: we might just be able to contain the virus.
Now, Grassley, how many men do y'all have on the ground? We have 283 in town (sighs) How bad is it? "End of the world" bad if we don't find Lieutenant Ford pronto.
Really? Yeah, 'cause my tonsils are starting to get swollen, I think.
You and Patton find anything that could help? Well, we dumped Lieutenant Ford's phone, which has been off-line for 36 hours.
Um, she was in touch with an unlisted number in the days leading up to the shooting, but no trace yet.
Well, it could be an accomplice.
Or a handler if she's a spy, or a buyer if she's trying to make a buck.
That's a lot of "or's" in that sentence.
Well, the only guy that can clear it up just walked out the door.
Think this guy Nero has something to do with it? Well, he did trick Wade into stealing forensic evidence.
And he tried to walk out with the Virus-X himself.
And he just walked out of his own meeting, just when we were discussing finding Lieutenant Ford.
- Well, we should go follow him.
- No rush, Gregorio.
I slipped a GPS tracker in his pocket.
Where'd you get the tracker? Oh, I got a lot of interesting things in my bag.
- That's pretty badass.
- Mm-hmm.
Looks like Nero's on the move.
You think he's going after Lieutenant Ford? Only one way to find out.
Sebastian, Gregorio, you're with me.
Lasalle I'll get with Patton, run a deep background check on this Nero dude.
Okay, you're gonna be taking a right.
When, Sebastian? Right about now, now! Do it now! (tires screeching) You got to give me advance warning.
(horn honks) Maybe if you weren't speeding I'm doing 40 in a 35 zone.
- That's technically speeding - You're the one with the GPS.
- Do you want to switch? - You know what, why don't you check the chore app to see if we can.
Okay, you know what? I-I knew you were gonna make a big deal about the chore app.
It's not Yeah, because I'm a grown woman and I've been taking care of myself without the benefit of an app for the last 20 years.
(scoffs) Yeah, that's debatable.
HANNAH: Hey, guys? You know I can hear you, right? - Sorry.
- (sighs) Yeah, just some, uh, roommate stuff.
Yeah, okay, well, can we get back to "tracking the suspect" stuff, huh? Where's Nero? Uh, he pulled off the main road.
Some sort of container depot.
A half a mile behind us.
Yeah.
'Cause again, you weren't paying attention.
- You - Yeah, yeah, it's all right.
I'm at the depot, entering now.
I'll take position at the west end of the yard.
You guys back me up.
SEBASTIAN: Copy.
We're right behind you.
He's on the phone.
And he's on the move.
GREGORIO: Could be making contact with Lieutenant Ford.
- (sighs) We got your six.
(quiet chatter) Nero's made contact with Lieutenant Ford.
We take them now.
FORD: I have to explain.
I'm coming in from behind.
We got you covered.
(quiet chatter continues) NCIS! Don't move! What the hell? Ella, run! Run! I'll hold them off.
Get out of here.
NCIS! Nero, put the gun down! - They're getting away! - Now! (sighs) You happy? (panting) Lieutenant Ford! Don't shoot! I won't if you don't give me a reason to.
Tell me where you took the virus.
I didn't take the virus anywhere.
I am the virus.
Loretta.
What's so important you couldn't explain it to me on the phone? We need to get Lieutenant Ford contained now.
What's wrong with her? She didn't steal the virus.
She injected herself with it.
- She injected herself? - Where can we bring her? A hospital.
- We can't do that.
- I need to sit down.
Okay, the lab, I guess.
But somebody needs to explain to me why you brought her here.
Hospital personnel get wind of a Virus-X patient, there'll be mass panic.
Not to mention, somebody tried to abduct her.
- She's a target.
- Okay, go on.
But the lab isn't even remotely equipped for the care she needs.
It'll do for now.
We need a safe, secure and quiet place to care for her until I can make arrangements.
What is the health inspector doing here? He's no health inspector.
Rufus Nero, Naval Intelligence.
I'll get back to that tidbit after I've called the CDC.
Already called them.
Please, just check on Lieutenant Ford.
(scoffs) I should go, too.
Not till we get something straight.
You're upset because I didn't tell you I was meeting Lieutenant Ford.
Which is the second time you lied to us in one day.
- I was trying to protect my colleague.
- By deceiving NCIS? Somebody got into Linnaeous Labs and killed five people.
Think we can agree it was an inside job.
I don't know who to trust.
You'd have done the same.
Maybe.
Which is why I haven't arrested you.
But the day's not over.
Watch your step, Nero.
Dwayne, get the respirators.
On it.
Your temperature's high.
Pupils are dilated.
Severe headaches? Uh, muscle pain, stomach cramping? - All of it.
- Okay.
Let's get her hydrated.
Mr.
Nero, or whoever you are, you can be of use.
There is an isolation tent in the utility storage.
I'll find it.
You're wondering if I'm contagious.
I've been told it's the deadliest virus in the world.
Once it's incubated.
Based on my research, it'll infect my respiratory tract first, then go airborne.
We've got about ten hours until that happens.
Well, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Lieutenant Ford, I have to ask you, why did you inject yourself? I was in the vault last night when I heard gunshots.
Someone was coming for the virus.
Didn't have time to destroy it safely.
My mission was to contain it.
Her bloodstream was the one place the sample was safe.
I slipped out through Hazmat disposal, waited until I could make contact with you, sir.
You did the right thing, Ella.
In what world is this the right thing? I weighed the risks, knew what I had to do, just like Commander Nero taught me.
Well done.
Well, she's a brave girl.
She just needs to learn to sit still.
(phone beeps) All right, this is Christopher.
Says they might have a lead on the suspects who tried to grab Lieutenant Ford.
Let's go.
I'll stay and assist Dr.
Wade.
Loretta? I'm fine.
We'll make do.
(door opens, closes) Patton was able to pull traffic cam video of the SUV as it fled.
I pulled a photo of this man in the passenger seat.
Ran facial recognition, and it came back as Peter Lankmire.
Dishonorably discharged from the military.
Spent five years in Angola for extortion and assault.
Good chance we can add multiple murders and attempted kidnapping.
He looks good for the lab shooting, but trying to steal a virus from a secret government facility? No, this guy's muscle, not strategy.
Someone told him where to find Linnaeous Labs, what to take, and where to find Lieutenant Ford today.
We need to locate Lankmire and whoever's pulling the strings.
WADE: There's no change in temperature.
I'm not sure whether that's good news or bad.
I would like you to reconsider antibiotics.
There's no point.
It's useless.
Acetaminophen, then? It could help with the myalgia at least.
That'll only mask some of the symptoms for a little while.
But that would give us the opportunity to figure out how to treat you properly.
You're very kind, but no matter what you do, Doctor, the pulmonary inflammation is spreading.
There are experiments with antivirals that could help.
We've studied all the trials.
They only make the virus more resistant.
(sharp breaths) I'll die, and if you don't contain me, the virus will live to spread.
Don't be so eager to accept a death sentence.
I'm not eager.
I'm resolved.
It was my choice not to let them weaponize it, even at the risk of my own life.
Rest it is.
Doctor's orders.
How is she? Stubborn.
She's refusing treatment for fear the virus grows stronger.
She wants to honor her mission.
Assuming that's your influence.
Mission first.
- Look, if-if it could have been me, I - But it wasn't.
X-rays and lab results suggest seven hours until the virus goes airborne.
Less without proper care.
We need to rush a medevac.
GRASSLEY: That won't be necessary.
- And you are? - Jeff Grassley.
CDC, but how Dr.
Wade, I cannot thank you enough for the marvelous work you've done.
But we'll, uh we'll take it from here.
They've cleared Ella for evac? D.
C.
wants her in Atlanta so they can isolate the virus, and then they'll get the top people working on her.
Oh, well, that's a relief.
But is it safe to move her? Safer than treating her here.
Maybe you can show us the way, Dr.
Wade? Yeah.
Just spoke to Gregorio and Sebastian.
They're interviewing everybody with clearance to Virus-X.
No suspects yet.
And I'm poring over these personnel files.
Nothing.
That's what I said-- reading files take too long.
Which is why I connect the dots using my own binary overlap intervals.
Go on, but in English.
I ran a full digital background check on everybody who had clearance to Virus-X, including whoever they dated in high school.
And? I cross-referenced with Lankmire's history.
And? And, obviously, I must have got a hit, or I wouldn't be here.
Before he went to prison, Lankmire did security for CDC.
LASALLE: He worked a relief project here in New Orleans.
CDC built three emergency shelters, and one guy ran point.
HANNAH: Jeff Grassley, who's now supervising the Virus-X project.
Looks like we got ourselves a mole.
I'll tell Pride.
I don't like this.
I know you're concerned about Ella's well-being, but this transport is NERO: A vulnerability.
What's to say the evac won't be compromised, like the lab was? With a security detail? That's a risk worth taking.
This is Ella's life at stake.
Look, I know that I haven't given you much reason to trust me, but something is off here.
Will you back my play? Will I what, now? All right, Lieutenant Ford's secure.
We are on the move.
I am afraid that I cannot let you leave.
Quit fooling around, Nero.
We're medevacing her to the CDC.
Nope, sorry, she stays here.
Dr.
Wade, can you explain to him that we're trying to save Lieutenant Ford's life? Uh, Nero We can't risk her being compromised again.
Not with this virus.
Enough.
My orders are from D.
C.
This is not a debate.
Let's go.
All right, then, fine.
I-I'm coming with you.
There is no room for you, Nero.
And, honestly, with everything we've been through, I don't think I trust you.
Yeah, well, I don't think I trust you, either.
Gentlemen, let's take a breath.
All right.
You're right.
You're right, Dr.
Wade.
There's no need to argue.
Peter, do it now.
(grunts) He's coming this way.
Do you have a weapon? I'm a medical examiner.
So? I'm a scientist.
So where's your weapon? Okay, I'll draw his fire.
What? And get shot in the process? No, thanks.
(gunshots) Stay down.
(yells) WADE: Let's get out of here.
(gunshots) Loretta? I'm okay.
- Lieutenant Ford? - Gone.
Grassley's got her.
- What could he want from her? - The virus.
He's behind the whole plot.
We just got to figure out why.
And where he's taking Lieutenant Ford.
Dwayne says Wade's rattled but safe and sound.
Nero, too.
That's gonna change soon if we don't catch up to Grassley.
Yeah, like 180 minutes soon.
I was looking at Wade's lab tests.
The virus is gonna be airborne in, like, three hours.
Well, DHS and FBI are covering the city.
Patton's doing his magic.
We need to get into Grassley's head.
If we can anticipate his plan, we can end it.
So, is he a terrorist or an opportunist? Well, targeted terrorist attacks are usually chosen by ideology.
All right, figure out what Grassley believes, that could give us a clue to where he's going to unleash the virus.
If he's acting on ideology.
He could be looking for a payday.
Which means we should look into financial weaknesses, debts, bad investments.
Ask, and you shall receive.
I just did a deep dive on this joker, and it seems that his heart is serving the wrong master.
2010, he jacked up the pharmaceutical prices at his privately held company.
A year later, he files for bankruptcy, losing a couple other companies before ending up at CDC, making a fraction of what he used to.
- He wants to get rich.
That means selling the virus to the highest bidder.
And there's a number of bad agents who'll pay a mint for it.
Dwayne.
Yeah, Hannah? Yeah, hold on.
Dr.
Wade.
Dr.
Wade.
Let's take care of you before you take care of your lab.
- I don't need - Look.
You're bleeding.
Huh? Come on, you're a doctor.
You know the risks of infection.
In you go.
Have a seat.
First aid kit? Upper drawer.
(sighs) I owe you an apology.
Oh, for applying too much pressure to my wound or getting my lab shot up or calling my morgue subpar? Touché.
For the record, Dr.
Wade, I have never seen a morgue this well-cared-for.
And I have never met an M.
E.
who takes better care of the living.
Is that another one of your deceptions? Hand to God.
You are one of a kind.
Oh.
Well, you are, too.
- In a good way or bad? - The jury's still out.
(door opens) PRIDE: Team seems to think that Grassley is out to sell the virus.
- Sell it? - Well, there are plenty of bad actors out there who would want to weaponize it.
The virus is in Lieutenant Ford at the moment.
How would Grassley extract it from her bloodstream? He'd need to keep her in a contained environment.
NERO: He'd want the strain at its maximum bacterial load.
The more advanced the virus, the more powerful the sample.
The shape Lieutenant Ford is in, he can't have moved her far.
Well, he needs a sterile medical facility, away from prying eyes.
He'd need more than that.
He'd need a clinical microbiology lab to make sure that he kept the virus pure.
Any location in New Orleans is strictly regulated.
- It's too public.
- Unless Medical supplies, machinery, microbiology lab.
Would a dormant CDC shelter hold all of that? Yeah, that would do.
Grassley oversaw construction of three of them around the Gulf.
Might have a lead on where he's at.
Lasalle said no sign of Grassley or the lieutenant at the Gulfport shelter.
Yeah, and we're reaching the 11th hour here, too.
Virus could be strong and airborne by now.
Well, then, you better hold your breath.
- Gregorio? - What?! What now? What'd I do? If we go in there a-d something goes wrong and we contract a deadly virus, I just I want you to know that I appreciate you.
Same here, baby.
Let's go.
- I'll zig.
- I'll zag.
(gun clicks) I wouldn't.
(exhales) Thanks.
(handcuffs clicking) All right.
You're gonna tell us where Lieutenant Ford is.
He doesn't have to.
I already found her.
We're too late.
(flatline beeping) Lieutenant Ford is dead.
We have to assume that Grassley's in possession of the virus now and that he's willing to sell it.
Well, FBI, NOPD and JPSO and the state troopers have the city on lockdown.
There's no way he's getting out of here by air or land.
Yeah, but that still leaves waterways, passenger cars.
It's way too many exit points.
Plus, Sebastian and Gregorio can't get the muscle to talk.
Lieutenant Ford gave up her life to protect that virus.
We're not gonna let her die in vain.
We'll check every car, boat, bicycle and pedestrian heading out of New Orleans until we find him.
Or you can hitch a ride on a riverboat.
You theorizing with us, P, or you got a lead? Your man bought a ticket a few days ago.
Paid cash, but we caught him on a security camera.
Hurricane Debbie, scheduled to leave out of the terminal on Poydras in about 30 minutes.
Riverboat going upstream.
He can slip out at any point.
Yeah, no way anyone's gonna look for him amongst all those tourists.
- It's the perfect way out.
- Let's go.
Good work, P.
I'll check the terminal, verify who's boarding.
Take the riverwalk, double back.
Let's all be careful.
I got eyes on Grassley.
Moving in.
Grassley, wait! Headed into the aquarium.
Watch out, watch out! Cover both exits.
Coming through! Out of the way! Excuse me.
Get out of the way, out of the way.
(both grunting) Grassley! It's over.
There's nowhere else to go.
Here.
Come get it.
(yelling) (people screaming) Get back.
Get back.
(bystanders murmuring) (both exhale) - Stay back.
- Back up.
Back up.
Back up.
Stay back.
Stay back.
Back up.
Please back up.
I had to.
I know.
I was in quarantine.
No.
No, not for me.
It was someone else.
Yeah, it's a long story.
Everything is okay.
I know.
I Uh, I'll-I'll call you later.
Okay, Ryan? Sorry to interrupt.
No, you didn't.
It's just Family.
I understand.
(chuckling): Yeah, well, that makes one of us.
Ryan having a hard time coming to grips with everything? I-I just I don't blame him.
It's kind of hard to explain the last 48 hours that we've had.
That why you came back early? Too much explaining? Dwayne, I just spent the last week explaining and apologizing and reasoning, and it's just.
.
(sighs) It's just exhausting.
You know, it's not Ryan's fault.
We just keep missing each other.
I've been there, Hannah.
How about I buy you a drink, we talk about it? (laughs) How about I buy you a drink, we talk about anything else? Deal.
(laughs): Okay.
Can't believe you made a sandwich.
I'm hungry.
I thought I was making dinner, though.
Well, how about this? You eat the dinner you're making, and I'll eat my sandwich.
Everybody wins.
I spent all morning braising that chicken.
But I didn't ask you to, did I? Just like I didn't ask you to wash my laundry or organize my drawers-- again, creepy.
All right, listen.
I-I love living with you.
I do.
But I need a little personal space.
Just a little bit.
You got it.
Good.
So is that a hard no on the ballroom dancing classes, or? (sighs) I also put us into a bridge tournament, but I need you to teach me how to play bridge.
Commander Nero.
Call me Rufus.
I am so sorry about Lieutenant Ford.
As am I.
She was a very talented officer.
She's a hero.
Sacrificed herself to save so many others.
I feel responsible.
Well, she knew the risks.
You can be angry about it, you can be sad about it, but, uh, you shouldn't be self-indulgent.
Not now that I'm finally warming to you.
To be honest, Ella was a friend, and believe it or not, I don't make many of those.
Oh, I believe it.
But play your cards right, and you may make a new one.
May I take you to dinner? No.
We could go Dutch.
I'd like that very much.
Well, hurry up, now, before I change my mind, Rufus.
9, Molto vivace" by Beethoven plays) (silenced gunshots) (grunts) (silenced gunshots, body thudding) (silenced gunshot, man grunts) (silenced gunshot) (lock beeps, clicks) (gasps) NCIS:New Orleans 5x13 X Boom, boom, boom, boom Bang, bang, bang, bang Boom, boom, boom, boom How, how, how, how Hey, hey You gotta come on.
PATTON: Oh, baby.
(chuckles) What's that smell? That is grits.
And Mama Pride's grillades.
Been 197 days since you fixed them.
(chuckles) Not that I'm counting.
Ooh, all I need now is the white pepper.
And we're out? - Spice drawer.
- Spice drawer? Reorganized the kitchen.
- Sorry, boss.
- Oh, no need.
Huh.
I'm just a guest these days.
Yeah, and a welcome one as long as you keep cooking like that.
Hey, don't take this the wrong way.
We're really happy you're back, but have you heard from Hannah? Nothing.
I'm assuming she's making the most of her time off.
Yeah, I guess.
Reconnecting with her daughter and dealing with her ex-husband.
I just feel we need to be there for her, you know? Best way we can help is to give her some space.
GREGORIO: Agreed.
Can you explain that concept to Mr.
Grabby here while you're at it? Mr.
Grabby? That sounds What? No, she had clothes everywhere, so I did some laundry.
Oh, no, you didn't just do "some laundry.
" You fluffed, folded and ironed, separated each piece of clothing with a tissue, including my underwear.
Yeah, thought that was a nice touch.
No, it's a creepy touch, Sebastian.
Breakfast anyone? Mama's grillades.
I'm down, as long as someone doesn't think it's creepy.
GREGORIO: Don't.
(cell phone ringing) Oh, man.
Hang on.
Hello.
Tell me I'm not wrong here.
Number one rule: When living with a lady, unless specifically asked, never, ever touch the lingerie.
PRIDE: That was Christopher.
We just caught a shooting at a research lab.
Really? Really.
Multiple victims.
Let's go.
More for P.
Thank you, Mr.
Grabby.
(laughs) (camera shutter clicking) Two male victims in the first lab.
Three victims in here.
Ordinary night shift gone haywire? Loretta.
Rough way to start the morning.
With five victims, yes.
My final prelim is microbiology tech Steven Bennecker.
- Random mass shooting? - Don't think so.
Each victim was killed with a double tap.
Suggests a trained shooter.
Lab is privately owned.
Civilians are our victims.
Why are we here? 'Cause it's a good chance our suspect is Navy.
Why's that, Christopher? Well, security system is state of the art.
Biometric fingerprint scanner.
And according to the system, there were six people here last night.
Well, who's missing? Navy microbiologist Lieutenant Ella Ford.
GREGORIO: Well, if she survived and was here, she would've gone to the cops.
Yeah, but there's no sign of her.
Phone's off-line.
No record of where she's living.
It's like she disappeared.
She's more than a biologist.
Combat trained.
Two tours in war zones.
What, she just snapped? Well, workplace shootings are usually male-perpetrated.
Unless this was about something else.
High-tech, secure vaults, climate-controlled, multiple fail-safes.
Whatever they were keeping in there, they were carefully curating it.
Until somebody pried this door open and took it.
Well, this place is a commercial pharmaceutical lab.
Supposedly working on vitamin supplements.
What could they be storing here? Something worth killing for.
Christopher, you and Sebastian, turn the lab upside down, find out what's missing.
You got it.
Gregorio, you and I need to find Lieutenant Ford.
Got it.
(scoffs) Man.
Finding Lieutenant Ford is easier said than done.
Why? That girl somehow got out that lab and ghosted.
She's got to be somewhere, P.
No, I got eyes all over the town.
Transportation hubs, airports.
No sign.
Well, according to what I've seen of her record, she's got counter-Intel training.
That's strange for a lab rat.
(cell phone beeps) Oh, you can't be serious.
Oh, baby, I'm serious as a heart attack.
No, it's not you.
My new roommate thought it was the perfect time to send me an interactive chore app.
(laughs) Sebastian love his apps, and he love his chores.
Yeah, well, he should be more focused on the five murders we're trying to solve.
(cell phone beeps) Oh, Sebastian's multitasking.
He just sent me a list of the projects that Linnaeous Labs was working on.
Various unpronounceable pharmaceutical patents.
Can't imagine they'd rate mass killing.
These patents go like hotcakes on the black market.
I'm thinking corporate espionage.
Still doesn't explain why a Navy biologist was working at a commercial lab.
According to Lieutenant Ford's C.
O.
, she wasn't.
Currently stationed at a research facility in Siberia.
- Has been for seven months.
GREGORIO: How is that possible? Lieutenant Ford's prints were all over that lab.
Exactly.
Sounds like you got a paradox.
Hey.
Hannah, you're back.
Yeah, sorry I'm late, but I just spoke to Linnaeous Labs.
They confirmed Lieutenant Ford as an employee, but wouldn't confirm what she was doing there.
No, I mean, you're back early.
Well, five victims-- seemed like you needed all hands on deck.
- You okay? - Yeah.
Why? You were supposed to be on a two-week personal leave for your family.
Yeah, turns out I only needed one.
Family's good.
Should we talk about the case? - Yeah, we should.
- Yeah, team's yours.
Actually, I would love it if you'd stick around, Dwayne.
Got a tight-lipped lab, Navy biologist on dubious assignment.
SAC privileges could really come in handy.
Okay.
Of course.
Oh.
(cell phone beeping) This is Loretta.
She's done with the autopsies.
I'll go see her? Great.
Yeah.
I'll dig deeper on Lieutenant Ford.
- Okay.
You buying that whole "family good" line? Not in the least.
Can I help you? I'm not the one in need.
Doctor Wade? Yes.
And you are? Inspector Nero.
Louisiana Department of Health.
Oh.
Went through assessment last month.
Frank Connish was the inspector.
Yes, he was.
That's why I'm here.
Frank found some abnormalities, which required further review.
He didn't alert me.
Consider this your alert.
I've been here five minutes.
I've seen five different code violations, including overcrowding.
I'm filing form F-95B in compliance with emergency protocol.
Key word "filing.
" Present tense, as in, you haven't been authorized.
No.
Key word "emergency.
" Mm-hmm.
Autopsy reports, please.
Public Health has the prelim.
Whatever you think you've found, it's a mistake.
I don't make those.
Unlike you.
Physical evaluation vague.
Handwriting is sloppy.
In my 25 years, I've never Met a health inspector like me.
It's not the first time I've heard that.
This lab is subpar at best.
Here is a notice of failure to comply to code.
Please address these issues before re-inspection.
Have a nice day.
(door opens) Excuse me.
(door opens) (door closes) - Everything all right, Loretta? - No, Dwayne.
According to the Health Department, at best, it's subpar.
You are the finest medical examiner in the Southeast.
With the sloppiest penmanship.
(sighs) Anyway the victims, I pulled nine-millimeter slugs from each one of them.
Ballistics is running a search for the weapon.
- Find anything else? - Yes.
Traces of a chemical coating on all the bullets.
- You get an analysis? - Mm-hmm.
It's a mixture of airborne contaminants and toxins.
Elements of chromium, lead, ferric oxide.
Probably came from wherever the suspect loaded the weapon.
Some kind of hideout? Yeah.
All the chemicals seem to be present in ship manufacturing.
Ferric oxide suggests rust.
There's an old shipyard about two miles from Linnaeous Labs.
It's worth checking it out.
Yeah, okay.
Listen, Loretta, whatever that inspector said to you, forget about it.
You're the best.
(door closes) (chuckles) Entrances are located on the east, west and north side of the shipyard.
Split up, work our way backwards? - Yeah.
I'll take the north.
- Let's go.
(clattering) East storage.
Looks like (grunts) (panting) Suspect's fleeing west! I lost visual.
I got nothing.
Pride? NCIS! Hands where I can see them.
Drop the container.
If I do that, we all die.
HANNAH: What's going on? GREGORIO: Hands up! NERO: Like I told Special Agent Pride, I strongly recommend against that suggestion.
But you didn't explain why.
You know him, Dwayne? Not really.
Met him at Loretta's morgue.
Health inspector.
But I got a feeling he's not.
Apologies for the duplicity, but it was warranted.
Who are you? Commander Rufus Nero, Naval Intelligence.
Yeah, right.
Naval Intelligence shares leads with NCIS.
Ordinarily, yes, Special Agent Khoury.
Current circumstances demand discretion.
Who talks like that? I do, Gregorio.
Now you all need to let me deal with a very delicate situation.
Five people are dead, and Navy biologist Ella Ford is probably responsible.
Lieutenant Ford was working for me.
You need to start explaining yourself.
You need to put the container down and show us some I.
D.
Do it! Please don't shoot.
You might hit what's in this container, and none of us want that.
What's in there? Does Virus-X mean anything to you? Largely unknown disease discovered in the melting Arctic caps.
It's so powerful, it could be the world's next pandemic.
NERO: That's right.
What I'm holding here is nothing short of a biological nuclear weapon.
What do you got, Ebola in a box? What's in here makes Ebola look like the hiccups.
Okay, I'll let you all see for yourselves, all right? Okay.
Put it down.
Slowly.
It's gone.
Well, I guess we know what Lieutenant Ford was after.
(jet passing overhead) PARKER: Somebody help me understand how a virus as dangerous as this can be stolen from a supposedly highly secure and clandestine laboratory.
- Which is why we have to GRASSLEY: If you recall, CDC wanted to handle Virus-X in its own facility.
Where word would have spread so fast The same damn thing would have happened, Commander.
Look, let's just take a beat here, all right? Look, none of this would have happened had I been given operational control.
You do appreciate the irony of that statement, right? Considering the fact it was your operative who was compromised.
All we can confirm is that Lieutenant Ford recovered the virus in Siberia and studied it in the lab as a preventative measure.
Sh-She's the only one who may be actually working her mission here.
GRASSLEY: Well, if her mission was to steal the virus and do God-knows-what with it.
Look, lot at stake, yes.
Which is why we need to focus on finding Lieutenant Ford.
See? At least NCIS gets it.
Let me tell you what I get, Nero.
Virus-X has the capacity to decimate a third of the world's population.
Worse than smallpox and yellow fever wrapped up in a bubonic plague sandwich.
And Navy Intel is being smug.
Sticks and stones, Samantha.
What's the score? Eighth round, no punches pulled.
DHS ran Linnaeous Labs as deep cover for cross-agency Operation-X, but now they're mad at CDC for exposing the op, and everyone's mad at Navy Intel for bringing in Lieutenant Ford on the mission in the first place.
(exhales) Nothing but chaos.
Plus, this virus gets out, we're looking at a pandemic.
How are Pride and Hannah holding up? Way more patient than I would be.
(clamoring in other room) Okay, everyone needs to just calm down for a second.
- Take a breath.
- What's CDC doing in all this? Other than pointing fingers.
We provided a thorough risk assessment that specifically warned of this exact situation.
(cell phone ringing) Oh.
So basically your argument is "I told you so"? (overlapping arguing) (whistles) (arguing stops) Thank you.
There will be plenty of time to share the blame.
After we catch up to Lieutenant Ford.
Secure the virus before it gets out.
But we're gonna need some cooperation.
Access to DHS's full surveillance package, to begin with.
And NCIS needs to be read in on all the operations.
We need to find Lieutenant Ford before she sets the virus free or sells it or drops it on the ground by mistake.
Prevent the worst-case scenario.
(cell phone chimes) Now, we got a BOLO out, but we need extra manpower.
Full cooperation across all agencies, agreed, all right? - Ooh, ooh, apologies.
- You're leaving? Got to go deliver my own head on a platter.
My C.
O.
wants to debrief ASAP.
- Keep me in the loop? - Of course.
PRIDE: we might just be able to contain the virus.
Now, Grassley, how many men do y'all have on the ground? We have 283 in town (sighs) How bad is it? "End of the world" bad if we don't find Lieutenant Ford pronto.
Really? Yeah, 'cause my tonsils are starting to get swollen, I think.
You and Patton find anything that could help? Well, we dumped Lieutenant Ford's phone, which has been off-line for 36 hours.
Um, she was in touch with an unlisted number in the days leading up to the shooting, but no trace yet.
Well, it could be an accomplice.
Or a handler if she's a spy, or a buyer if she's trying to make a buck.
That's a lot of "or's" in that sentence.
Well, the only guy that can clear it up just walked out the door.
Think this guy Nero has something to do with it? Well, he did trick Wade into stealing forensic evidence.
And he tried to walk out with the Virus-X himself.
And he just walked out of his own meeting, just when we were discussing finding Lieutenant Ford.
- Well, we should go follow him.
- No rush, Gregorio.
I slipped a GPS tracker in his pocket.
Where'd you get the tracker? Oh, I got a lot of interesting things in my bag.
- That's pretty badass.
- Mm-hmm.
Looks like Nero's on the move.
You think he's going after Lieutenant Ford? Only one way to find out.
Sebastian, Gregorio, you're with me.
Lasalle I'll get with Patton, run a deep background check on this Nero dude.
Okay, you're gonna be taking a right.
When, Sebastian? Right about now, now! Do it now! (tires screeching) You got to give me advance warning.
(horn honks) Maybe if you weren't speeding I'm doing 40 in a 35 zone.
- That's technically speeding - You're the one with the GPS.
- Do you want to switch? - You know what, why don't you check the chore app to see if we can.
Okay, you know what? I-I knew you were gonna make a big deal about the chore app.
It's not Yeah, because I'm a grown woman and I've been taking care of myself without the benefit of an app for the last 20 years.
(scoffs) Yeah, that's debatable.
HANNAH: Hey, guys? You know I can hear you, right? - Sorry.
- (sighs) Yeah, just some, uh, roommate stuff.
Yeah, okay, well, can we get back to "tracking the suspect" stuff, huh? Where's Nero? Uh, he pulled off the main road.
Some sort of container depot.
A half a mile behind us.
Yeah.
'Cause again, you weren't paying attention.
- You - Yeah, yeah, it's all right.
I'm at the depot, entering now.
I'll take position at the west end of the yard.
You guys back me up.
SEBASTIAN: Copy.
We're right behind you.
He's on the phone.
And he's on the move.
GREGORIO: Could be making contact with Lieutenant Ford.
- (sighs) We got your six.
(quiet chatter) Nero's made contact with Lieutenant Ford.
We take them now.
FORD: I have to explain.
I'm coming in from behind.
We got you covered.
(quiet chatter continues) NCIS! Don't move! What the hell? Ella, run! Run! I'll hold them off.
Get out of here.
NCIS! Nero, put the gun down! - They're getting away! - Now! (sighs) You happy? (panting) Lieutenant Ford! Don't shoot! I won't if you don't give me a reason to.
Tell me where you took the virus.
I didn't take the virus anywhere.
I am the virus.
Loretta.
What's so important you couldn't explain it to me on the phone? We need to get Lieutenant Ford contained now.
What's wrong with her? She didn't steal the virus.
She injected herself with it.
- She injected herself? - Where can we bring her? A hospital.
- We can't do that.
- I need to sit down.
Okay, the lab, I guess.
But somebody needs to explain to me why you brought her here.
Hospital personnel get wind of a Virus-X patient, there'll be mass panic.
Not to mention, somebody tried to abduct her.
- She's a target.
- Okay, go on.
But the lab isn't even remotely equipped for the care she needs.
It'll do for now.
We need a safe, secure and quiet place to care for her until I can make arrangements.
What is the health inspector doing here? He's no health inspector.
Rufus Nero, Naval Intelligence.
I'll get back to that tidbit after I've called the CDC.
Already called them.
Please, just check on Lieutenant Ford.
(scoffs) I should go, too.
Not till we get something straight.
You're upset because I didn't tell you I was meeting Lieutenant Ford.
Which is the second time you lied to us in one day.
- I was trying to protect my colleague.
- By deceiving NCIS? Somebody got into Linnaeous Labs and killed five people.
Think we can agree it was an inside job.
I don't know who to trust.
You'd have done the same.
Maybe.
Which is why I haven't arrested you.
But the day's not over.
Watch your step, Nero.
Dwayne, get the respirators.
On it.
Your temperature's high.
Pupils are dilated.
Severe headaches? Uh, muscle pain, stomach cramping? - All of it.
- Okay.
Let's get her hydrated.
Mr.
Nero, or whoever you are, you can be of use.
There is an isolation tent in the utility storage.
I'll find it.
You're wondering if I'm contagious.
I've been told it's the deadliest virus in the world.
Once it's incubated.
Based on my research, it'll infect my respiratory tract first, then go airborne.
We've got about ten hours until that happens.
Well, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Lieutenant Ford, I have to ask you, why did you inject yourself? I was in the vault last night when I heard gunshots.
Someone was coming for the virus.
Didn't have time to destroy it safely.
My mission was to contain it.
Her bloodstream was the one place the sample was safe.
I slipped out through Hazmat disposal, waited until I could make contact with you, sir.
You did the right thing, Ella.
In what world is this the right thing? I weighed the risks, knew what I had to do, just like Commander Nero taught me.
Well done.
Well, she's a brave girl.
She just needs to learn to sit still.
(phone beeps) All right, this is Christopher.
Says they might have a lead on the suspects who tried to grab Lieutenant Ford.
Let's go.
I'll stay and assist Dr.
Wade.
Loretta? I'm fine.
We'll make do.
(door opens, closes) Patton was able to pull traffic cam video of the SUV as it fled.
I pulled a photo of this man in the passenger seat.
Ran facial recognition, and it came back as Peter Lankmire.
Dishonorably discharged from the military.
Spent five years in Angola for extortion and assault.
Good chance we can add multiple murders and attempted kidnapping.
He looks good for the lab shooting, but trying to steal a virus from a secret government facility? No, this guy's muscle, not strategy.
Someone told him where to find Linnaeous Labs, what to take, and where to find Lieutenant Ford today.
We need to locate Lankmire and whoever's pulling the strings.
WADE: There's no change in temperature.
I'm not sure whether that's good news or bad.
I would like you to reconsider antibiotics.
There's no point.
It's useless.
Acetaminophen, then? It could help with the myalgia at least.
That'll only mask some of the symptoms for a little while.
But that would give us the opportunity to figure out how to treat you properly.
You're very kind, but no matter what you do, Doctor, the pulmonary inflammation is spreading.
There are experiments with antivirals that could help.
We've studied all the trials.
They only make the virus more resistant.
(sharp breaths) I'll die, and if you don't contain me, the virus will live to spread.
Don't be so eager to accept a death sentence.
I'm not eager.
I'm resolved.
It was my choice not to let them weaponize it, even at the risk of my own life.
Rest it is.
Doctor's orders.
How is she? Stubborn.
She's refusing treatment for fear the virus grows stronger.
She wants to honor her mission.
Assuming that's your influence.
Mission first.
- Look, if-if it could have been me, I - But it wasn't.
X-rays and lab results suggest seven hours until the virus goes airborne.
Less without proper care.
We need to rush a medevac.
GRASSLEY: That won't be necessary.
- And you are? - Jeff Grassley.
CDC, but how Dr.
Wade, I cannot thank you enough for the marvelous work you've done.
But we'll, uh we'll take it from here.
They've cleared Ella for evac? D.
C.
wants her in Atlanta so they can isolate the virus, and then they'll get the top people working on her.
Oh, well, that's a relief.
But is it safe to move her? Safer than treating her here.
Maybe you can show us the way, Dr.
Wade? Yeah.
Just spoke to Gregorio and Sebastian.
They're interviewing everybody with clearance to Virus-X.
No suspects yet.
And I'm poring over these personnel files.
Nothing.
That's what I said-- reading files take too long.
Which is why I connect the dots using my own binary overlap intervals.
Go on, but in English.
I ran a full digital background check on everybody who had clearance to Virus-X, including whoever they dated in high school.
And? I cross-referenced with Lankmire's history.
And? And, obviously, I must have got a hit, or I wouldn't be here.
Before he went to prison, Lankmire did security for CDC.
LASALLE: He worked a relief project here in New Orleans.
CDC built three emergency shelters, and one guy ran point.
HANNAH: Jeff Grassley, who's now supervising the Virus-X project.
Looks like we got ourselves a mole.
I'll tell Pride.
I don't like this.
I know you're concerned about Ella's well-being, but this transport is NERO: A vulnerability.
What's to say the evac won't be compromised, like the lab was? With a security detail? That's a risk worth taking.
This is Ella's life at stake.
Look, I know that I haven't given you much reason to trust me, but something is off here.
Will you back my play? Will I what, now? All right, Lieutenant Ford's secure.
We are on the move.
I am afraid that I cannot let you leave.
Quit fooling around, Nero.
We're medevacing her to the CDC.
Nope, sorry, she stays here.
Dr.
Wade, can you explain to him that we're trying to save Lieutenant Ford's life? Uh, Nero We can't risk her being compromised again.
Not with this virus.
Enough.
My orders are from D.
C.
This is not a debate.
Let's go.
All right, then, fine.
I-I'm coming with you.
There is no room for you, Nero.
And, honestly, with everything we've been through, I don't think I trust you.
Yeah, well, I don't think I trust you, either.
Gentlemen, let's take a breath.
All right.
You're right.
You're right, Dr.
Wade.
There's no need to argue.
Peter, do it now.
(grunts) He's coming this way.
Do you have a weapon? I'm a medical examiner.
So? I'm a scientist.
So where's your weapon? Okay, I'll draw his fire.
What? And get shot in the process? No, thanks.
(gunshots) Stay down.
(yells) WADE: Let's get out of here.
(gunshots) Loretta? I'm okay.
- Lieutenant Ford? - Gone.
Grassley's got her.
- What could he want from her? - The virus.
He's behind the whole plot.
We just got to figure out why.
And where he's taking Lieutenant Ford.
Dwayne says Wade's rattled but safe and sound.
Nero, too.
That's gonna change soon if we don't catch up to Grassley.
Yeah, like 180 minutes soon.
I was looking at Wade's lab tests.
The virus is gonna be airborne in, like, three hours.
Well, DHS and FBI are covering the city.
Patton's doing his magic.
We need to get into Grassley's head.
If we can anticipate his plan, we can end it.
So, is he a terrorist or an opportunist? Well, targeted terrorist attacks are usually chosen by ideology.
All right, figure out what Grassley believes, that could give us a clue to where he's going to unleash the virus.
If he's acting on ideology.
He could be looking for a payday.
Which means we should look into financial weaknesses, debts, bad investments.
Ask, and you shall receive.
I just did a deep dive on this joker, and it seems that his heart is serving the wrong master.
2010, he jacked up the pharmaceutical prices at his privately held company.
A year later, he files for bankruptcy, losing a couple other companies before ending up at CDC, making a fraction of what he used to.
- He wants to get rich.
That means selling the virus to the highest bidder.
And there's a number of bad agents who'll pay a mint for it.
Dwayne.
Yeah, Hannah? Yeah, hold on.
Dr.
Wade.
Dr.
Wade.
Let's take care of you before you take care of your lab.
- I don't need - Look.
You're bleeding.
Huh? Come on, you're a doctor.
You know the risks of infection.
In you go.
Have a seat.
First aid kit? Upper drawer.
(sighs) I owe you an apology.
Oh, for applying too much pressure to my wound or getting my lab shot up or calling my morgue subpar? Touché.
For the record, Dr.
Wade, I have never seen a morgue this well-cared-for.
And I have never met an M.
E.
who takes better care of the living.
Is that another one of your deceptions? Hand to God.
You are one of a kind.
Oh.
Well, you are, too.
- In a good way or bad? - The jury's still out.
(door opens) PRIDE: Team seems to think that Grassley is out to sell the virus.
- Sell it? - Well, there are plenty of bad actors out there who would want to weaponize it.
The virus is in Lieutenant Ford at the moment.
How would Grassley extract it from her bloodstream? He'd need to keep her in a contained environment.
NERO: He'd want the strain at its maximum bacterial load.
The more advanced the virus, the more powerful the sample.
The shape Lieutenant Ford is in, he can't have moved her far.
Well, he needs a sterile medical facility, away from prying eyes.
He'd need more than that.
He'd need a clinical microbiology lab to make sure that he kept the virus pure.
Any location in New Orleans is strictly regulated.
- It's too public.
- Unless Medical supplies, machinery, microbiology lab.
Would a dormant CDC shelter hold all of that? Yeah, that would do.
Grassley oversaw construction of three of them around the Gulf.
Might have a lead on where he's at.
Lasalle said no sign of Grassley or the lieutenant at the Gulfport shelter.
Yeah, and we're reaching the 11th hour here, too.
Virus could be strong and airborne by now.
Well, then, you better hold your breath.
- Gregorio? - What?! What now? What'd I do? If we go in there a-d something goes wrong and we contract a deadly virus, I just I want you to know that I appreciate you.
Same here, baby.
Let's go.
- I'll zig.
- I'll zag.
(gun clicks) I wouldn't.
(exhales) Thanks.
(handcuffs clicking) All right.
You're gonna tell us where Lieutenant Ford is.
He doesn't have to.
I already found her.
We're too late.
(flatline beeping) Lieutenant Ford is dead.
We have to assume that Grassley's in possession of the virus now and that he's willing to sell it.
Well, FBI, NOPD and JPSO and the state troopers have the city on lockdown.
There's no way he's getting out of here by air or land.
Yeah, but that still leaves waterways, passenger cars.
It's way too many exit points.
Plus, Sebastian and Gregorio can't get the muscle to talk.
Lieutenant Ford gave up her life to protect that virus.
We're not gonna let her die in vain.
We'll check every car, boat, bicycle and pedestrian heading out of New Orleans until we find him.
Or you can hitch a ride on a riverboat.
You theorizing with us, P, or you got a lead? Your man bought a ticket a few days ago.
Paid cash, but we caught him on a security camera.
Hurricane Debbie, scheduled to leave out of the terminal on Poydras in about 30 minutes.
Riverboat going upstream.
He can slip out at any point.
Yeah, no way anyone's gonna look for him amongst all those tourists.
- It's the perfect way out.
- Let's go.
Good work, P.
I'll check the terminal, verify who's boarding.
Take the riverwalk, double back.
Let's all be careful.
I got eyes on Grassley.
Moving in.
Grassley, wait! Headed into the aquarium.
Watch out, watch out! Cover both exits.
Coming through! Out of the way! Excuse me.
Get out of the way, out of the way.
(both grunting) Grassley! It's over.
There's nowhere else to go.
Here.
Come get it.
(yelling) (people screaming) Get back.
Get back.
(bystanders murmuring) (both exhale) - Stay back.
- Back up.
Back up.
Back up.
Stay back.
Stay back.
Back up.
Please back up.
I had to.
I know.
I was in quarantine.
No.
No, not for me.
It was someone else.
Yeah, it's a long story.
Everything is okay.
I know.
I Uh, I'll-I'll call you later.
Okay, Ryan? Sorry to interrupt.
No, you didn't.
It's just Family.
I understand.
(chuckling): Yeah, well, that makes one of us.
Ryan having a hard time coming to grips with everything? I-I just I don't blame him.
It's kind of hard to explain the last 48 hours that we've had.
That why you came back early? Too much explaining? Dwayne, I just spent the last week explaining and apologizing and reasoning, and it's just.
.
(sighs) It's just exhausting.
You know, it's not Ryan's fault.
We just keep missing each other.
I've been there, Hannah.
How about I buy you a drink, we talk about it? (laughs) How about I buy you a drink, we talk about anything else? Deal.
(laughs): Okay.
Can't believe you made a sandwich.
I'm hungry.
I thought I was making dinner, though.
Well, how about this? You eat the dinner you're making, and I'll eat my sandwich.
Everybody wins.
I spent all morning braising that chicken.
But I didn't ask you to, did I? Just like I didn't ask you to wash my laundry or organize my drawers-- again, creepy.
All right, listen.
I-I love living with you.
I do.
But I need a little personal space.
Just a little bit.
You got it.
Good.
So is that a hard no on the ballroom dancing classes, or? (sighs) I also put us into a bridge tournament, but I need you to teach me how to play bridge.
Commander Nero.
Call me Rufus.
I am so sorry about Lieutenant Ford.
As am I.
She was a very talented officer.
She's a hero.
Sacrificed herself to save so many others.
I feel responsible.
Well, she knew the risks.
You can be angry about it, you can be sad about it, but, uh, you shouldn't be self-indulgent.
Not now that I'm finally warming to you.
To be honest, Ella was a friend, and believe it or not, I don't make many of those.
Oh, I believe it.
But play your cards right, and you may make a new one.
May I take you to dinner? No.
We could go Dutch.
I'd like that very much.
Well, hurry up, now, before I change my mind, Rufus.