NCIS Los Angeles s11e22 Episode Script

Looks like the strike missed the building.
Just took off the top.
You know, there could be live ones in there.
Stevens, Garcia, Levine, post up and watch our six.
Everyone else, move in with me.
Copy that.
Building's clear.
No intel.
Let's take a deer photo.
Everybody in.
I'm good, Chief.
I said everybody! Move it, Kendricks.
All right.
I'm buried.
DTS forms, incident reports, expenses.
Mm.
You let the paperwork pile up.
I guess you have something else taking up your time.
So now I get to endure constant teasing because I have a girlfriend? - Is that it? - Of course.
What'd you expect? A little birdie told me you bought a salad spinner.
I like clean lettuce.
What's your point? You're becoming domesticated.
In other words, you're in love.
- Okay - Next thing you know, you'll be buying duvets - and going to wine tastings.
- Uh-huh.
Rountree.
You have saved me.
When I come here, it still feels like I should be meeting Q - from James Bond.
- Hate to burst your bubble, but today is gonna be about as exciting as eating rice cakes.
Or as painful as a root canal.
Today's paperwork day.
As a matter of fact, I should probably get you set up at a workstation Oh, so now you gonna make him do your paperwork? I got to see what he's made of, I got to test his mettle.
I don't need my mettle tested.
I-I hate paperwork.
I'm good.
We got a case.
And, no, I've neither seen or spoken to Nell, thank you very much.
Uh just Callen and Sam on this one.
Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie.
This is a surprise.
Good to see you, Callen, Sam.
I wish it was under better circumstances.
What's going on? Please secure the room.
All right, everyone, let's clear out.
We're secure.
Two days ago, SECNAV ordered me to run point on a very delicate and disturbing case.
And this delicate case was assigned to The NCIS Office of Special Projects.
Your team is being ordered to investigate some serious allegations by two Navy SEALs against Special Warfare Chief Petty Officer Thomas Argento.
Argento's SEALs are in Los Angeles specifically to speak to you, Sam.
'Cause I'm a retired SEAL? Well, within the teams, you're a b b of a legend, Before my partner's head explodes, would you mind telling us what the allegations are? Operators First Class Kendricks and Barr claim Chief Argento murdered an unarmed, unconscious and injured Taliban prisoner in cold blood.
This clearly violates the Uniform Code of Military Justice, but it's also an international war crime.
Kendricks and Barr are accusing another SEAL of murder? Yes.
All right, send us the location of Kendricks and Barr and keep us posted on any updates.
Let me know what they tell you.
You okay? It's kind of hard to swallow, given the character of the men on the teams, that one of them would execute a prisoner Taliban or not.
Well, if it is true, are you prepared to go after one of your own? Kensi, Deeks, I need you to escort two Navy SEALs, Special Operators First Class Kendricks and Barr, to the boat shed.
Their photos and address are in your phone.
Anything we should know? They are witnesses to a sensitive case, who want to give statements.
All right.
You got it.
So, what do you want to do now? I need to understand the man we're investigating.
Married, three tours in Syria, Afghanistan.
This guy's a war hero.
Wife's related to a senator from Virginia.
He's connected to Washington.
That's atypical for a SEAL.
After action report says that a lot of his kills came as a sniper.
But he was never trained as a sniper.
That's also unusual.
From the reports, he was always positioned alone.
No spotter.
No witnesses to his kills.
But still, Argento was a warrior that was willing to give his life for his country.
Yeah and so are his accusers.
Kendricks upstairs? No, Kendricks left the hotel.
Barr didn't know where he went.
Barr also made it perfectly clear that he'll only talk to Senior Chief Petty Officer Sam Hanna.
Special Operator First Class Adam Barr.
Senior Chief Hanna.
Agent Hanna.
Sit.
Where's Special Warfare Operator First Class Kendricks? I don't know.
I woke up and he was gone.
You know why he left? Look, I'm sure you know that what happens in the teams stays in the teams.
We are breaking a code by coming forward.
This goes against everything that I was taught and believe.
Accusing a fellow SEAL of murder? Yes.
Wait.
That's what this is about? Wow.
Kendricks backed out, but you're sure of these charges that you feel absolutely compelled to do this? Destroy the character and career of Chief Petty Officer Argento, possibly put him in the brig for life? No.
No, I'm not.
- Excuse me? - Without Kendricks, I-I'm not making a statement.
So now you'll let a murderer go free? Coming forward alone, that is career suicide.
I mean, even with the two of us testifying, Argento, he would never be convicted.
We assumed, when we made this decision, that other men on the team, they would follow.
And now you're alone.
No, I'm not.
'Cause like I said, I don't have anything to say.
What do you want to do? We don't have anything if he doesn't talk to us.
This is your call.
But if you ever wanted this to go away, now is the time.
I know this isn't my place, but if the truth is what matters The truth is all that matters.
I'm not dropping this that fast.
Kensi, Deeks, find Kendricks.
- Good call.
- Yeah.
Barr is right.
The word of two team members is not enough for me or a military court-martial.
Argento's team is still in the field.
So what do we do now? We're going to Afghanistan.
Af-Afghanistan Afghanistan? There's only one.
So, uh, not a paperwork day.
No.
We're gonna need someone on the inside over there.
I'm already working on it.
Thank you.
- I got it.
- Room? Room 201.
It's open.
Special Warfare Operator First Class Malcolm Kendricks, this is NCIS, we just wanted to ask Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Easy.
Easy's right.
What are you doing? You tell me.
As he said, we're NCIS.
We've been talking to Special Operator Barr.
We want to talk to you, - you've been missing.
- So you can let go of my arm now.
Come in.
You want to explain what the hell that was? - You know why we're out here? - Yes, we do.
There's an accusation against your team leader.
Chief Petty Officer Argento found out what we were doing, and he began sending threatening texts.
He said he was sending people to kill me.
We're gonna need to see those texts.
Do you want to come in and give a statement? Listen, if Argento killed a prisoner, you got to say something.
You don't get it.
Of course we get it.
The code of silence.
That's not what I'm talking about.
It's not just the prisoner.
Chief Petty Officer Argento also killed civilians.
The prisoner's just the tip of the iceberg.
Listen, what's important for both of you to understand is you'll both be completely protected.
Where's Agent Hanna? Agent Hanna is on his way to Afghanistan to talk to the rest of your team.
That at least should give you faith in his commitment to the truth.
But this start with you, and it starts now.
Well, we're gonna need immunity.
Why would you need immunity? Chief Argento has murdered other civilians.
This has gone on for a while.
And we're not saying anything unless we can protect ourselves and our team from being prosecuted for this.
How long has this been going on? My point exactly.
We're not saying anything unless we have immunity from prosecution.
Frank.
FBI Special Agent Devin Rountree.
Welcome to Kandahar.
- Ah, thanks.
- I was in Kabul when I got your text.
Got down here a few hours ago.
You find anything? Not here.
Follow me.
Chief Petty Officer Argento has already been made aware that NCIS is coming to question him and his team.
How did that happen? Argento has connections to DIA, JAG, everywhere.
He's got personnel in all branches of the military that are loyal to him.
So as of right now, these allegations Are just allegations.
Exactly.
Have a seat.
Argento took his team into the field.
Command here at Kandahar doesn't have a location for them.
What, does he think if we can't find him, - we're just gonna leave? - Maybe.
He's arrogant.
Word is, even if you find his team, they aren't gonna answer your questions.
Well, they're either loyal to Argento, which makes them complicit, - or they're - They're afraid.
Look, we already got word that Argento threatened the first two SEALs that came forward.
Let's pull him out of the field and take him into custody.
Young man, slow your roll.
The teams are my family.
And mine.
SEALs are men of the highest character.
And right now we don't have a sworn statement.
On this one, we look before we leap.
- You understand? - Understood.
I've spoken to some of my Afghan intelligence contacts down in Kandahar.
They told me about an Afghan civilian, a kid.
Jawan Yusufi.
Jawan claims to have seen Argento kill the prisoner.
He works in the market selling leather goods.
All right, let's find him.
Talk to him.
Then we find Chief Argento.
Okay, but just be aware.
Argento knows you're here.
The streets of Kandahar are his territory.
So you're telling us we got to watch our backs? Argento has access to a network of military intel.
He probably tracked your flight here.
He might even know we're talking to each other right now.
I don't want him finding us or knowing who we're talking to or where we've gone.
We should turn our trackers off.
Let's do it.
I'll notify Ops.
We are off the grid.
We're on our own now.
So, the opposite of a paperwork day.
Looks that way.
Thanks.
What did they say? - Nothing much.
- They asked for immunity in exchange for their statements.
And do we know if they were involved? - We do not know.
- So they could have been party to the killing and are now trying to save themselves.
Yes, they could be, but one of them said that he was receiving threatening texts.
He even considered not giving a statement.
We had to track him down just to get him to tell us that.
Yes, which leads us to believe that Kendricks and Barr are both on the right side of this.
They also said that Argent killed civilians.
Really? We need to follow through with this.
We believe the immunity should be granted.
Because of the gravely serious nature of this case, I'm gonna need to consult with the General Counsel of the Department of the Navy and the Judge Advocate General before immunity is even considered.
- Right.
Okay.
- Okay.
Thanks.
There he is.
I got this.
Jawan! Jawan! Move, move, move! Watch out.
Move.
Hey-hey-hey, easy, Jawan.
Easy, Jawan.
Easy, easy, easy.
Give up your weapons or he dies.
We just want to talk to Jawan.
He's not in any trouble.
The next one I put in his knee.
We understand.
And the sidearms.
I told you to look before you leap.
You have to understand that there is s lot of pressure from higher-ups to squash this investigation before it starts.
Pressure from who, from SECNAV? Let's just say it's way above her pay grade.
Murder charges against a Navy SEAL are big headlines, the kind of thing that could change the outcome of an election.
I'm gonna try to shield your office from this so that you can do your jobs.
That is much appreciated, thank you.
Yeah, we're in this foxhole together.
And to that end, I spoke to general counsel.
What'd they say? There will be no grants of immunity at this time.
It's too risky.
Listen, if we do not grant immunity, they're not gonna talk.
I need to know they're telling the truth before I give them a "get out of jail free" card.
Yeah.
O-Okay.
- I will see you in three hours.
- Yep, see you then.
See you.
So, listen, right now Barr and Kendricks are this entire case.
We got to get them to talk off the record, determine if they're lying, or We have no case.
- Kensi? Deeks? - Hey.
I need to speak to both of you right away.
We're on our way.
Hey.
Callen and Sam turned off their trackers - almost as soon as they landed.
- Why? They figured Chief Petty Officer Argento might somehow find a way to access their location.
And they were supposed to check in every three hours.
They just missed their second window.
So what you're saying is, we have no idea where they are.
They were heading into Kandahar, into a marketplace here.
Where's Argento's team now? Command in Kandahar hasn't heard from them in over 36 hours.
Wait a minute.
Are-are we saying that, that Argento could have located Sam and Callen? They routinely hunt down Taliban insurgents; a group of NCIS agents would probably be easier.
I mean, anything can happen in the middle of Kandahar, it's the freakin' Wild West over there.
Look, just find Argento's SEAL team, do whatever it takes.
Do you think they would go after our guys? Honestly, I have no idea.
We'll be in the boat shed.
What's he saying? That's the father of the prisoner Argento killed.
Jawan is telling the father he saw the American kill his son.
You want to turn us over to Taliban? Most likely.
Paperwork sounds really dope right about now.
We came here to hear Jawan's story.
We want to know what happened to this man's son.
An American killed him.
But which American? What difference does it make? All the difference in the world.
We are trying to find the truth.
Please let us speak with Jawan.
Tell it to the Taliban.
If we're killed, there'll be no justice for this man or his son.
You're gonna have to trust us.
When we say it's off the record, that is exactly what we mean.
Nothing is recorded, nothing is admissible in court.
- Okay.
- All right.
Let's do it.
All right, we got to separate you two.
- Why? - Why? Because we have to make sure that your story tracks.
There can't be any discrepancies.
Let's do it.
Come on.
"After the explosion, I went to the building.
"I looked in "through the window.
"I saw Samer.
His leg was injured, but he said he was okay.
" "Then I heard the Americans coming.
" On December 19, our team ordered an air strike on a building that was as spected Taliban location.
Minutes after the strike, Chief Petty Officer Argento led us inside the targeted building.
And who's "us"? Kendricks, myself, Moffet, Owens, Cole, Peters and Chief Argento.
"Two soldiers were on the ground next to him, giving him medical aid.
" We met a man still alive inside.
He admitted to being a member of the Taliban.
Said he was a cleric.
He told us his name was Samer.
I needed to place a tourniquet and pack off an artery in his thigh.
- You administer the morphine.
- I got to pack off his wound.
Barr told me to sedate him so that he could pack the bleeding artery deep in his leg.
- To clarify, he was sedated.
- Yes.
Big dose of morphine.
Like a twilight sleep.
So I secured the tourniquet and I packed off the wound.
And he was going to be okay? I told Chief Petty Officer Argento the prisoner was going to be fine.
We were about to take him back to the Humvee when Chief Petty Officer Argento - Told Kendricks to stand up.
- Stand up.
Get out of here.
"The American leader went on the floor, kneeled down right next to him.
" And told me to turn off my vest camera.
Shut off the cam.
Everybody, cameras off.
And then Argento took out his hunting knife.
"He stabbed him in the chest over and over.
" It was like a sewing machine.
Maybe, uh, eight times.
How many times? I need an estimate.
Six or eight.
It was crazy.
"Was terrible.
" - I said, "What the hell are you doing?" - What are you doing? Doing what we do.
He told me "Doing what we do.
" And the prisoner was gonna be fine.
He had intel that we could've gotten from him, but Argento Just wanted the kill.
One more body for his tally.
"I couldn't believe "what I saw.
"In the past, when I spoke with Americans, they were good to me.
" "Once, two soldiers "helped my father with his truck when it broke down.
Samer was just lying down.
.
" "and he killed him.
" And then what happened? Argento, he dragged the prisoner's body outside.
He wanted to get a photo.
None of us wanted to be in that, but he demanded that we were.
He told one of the team members who wasn't inside that he got a good story with this kill.
He got him with a hunting knife.
Like it was some kind of fight.
When he was a prisoner who was sedated.
Thing is, this wasn't the first time.
Cole had talked about seeing Argento taking out an old man.
He shot the guy in the back while he was running.
Several members of the team saw it from their sniper's nest.
And he shot a young woman.
A girl.
She was with her friends.
I saw that with my own eyes.
He just shot her for no reason.
Why would somebody do that? Why'd he do any of it? I don't know.
- Hey.
- Did they speak to you? Yes, but it's all off the record.
- And? - Story tracks.
Dates, times, everything lines up.
It's not just the Taliban prisoner.
Argento killed a young woman and an old man.
And there was no strategic or tactical motivation.
They were just civilians.
- And you believed them? - Every word of it.
This is just like the case against Chief Petty Officer Eddie Gallagher.
Pretty much.
I was hoping this one wasn't true.
Look, if we're hesitating because Argento's a SEAL, then we need to get that out of our heads.
As far as I'm concerned, after everything he's done, he's lost his trident.
We're dealing with a serial killer, plain and simple.
- I understand.
- And he's obstructed this investigation by threatening the lives of other SEALs.
The pressure coming from above is immense.
Pressure from who? Argento's wife is the cousin of a senator.
You can imagine how far up this goes.
So you're saying we're not gonna do our jobs over fear of reprisal.
I didn't say that.
You need to know what we're up against.
Okay.
Then noted.
Let's give Barr and Kendricks immunity.
Let's get their statements on record.
These men were courageous.
They stood up.
As should we.
We're about to cross a minefield, Agent Blye.
We can't make a misstep on this.
It is your career, my career possibly the future of the Office of Special Projects.
Was there a reason he stabbed Samer? No.
Samer didn't try to take the leader's weapon and run? He was unconscious.
The other Americans asked the leader why he did it.
They were upset with him.
So the others weren't a party to it.
What did he say? He said they were party to it because they didn't try to stop it.
It happened very quickly.
They were surprised.
There was nothing they could do.
You really believe that? Tell him we can convict the man who did this to his son.
We can put his son's killer behind bars the rest of his life.
We will have a meeting to decide your fate.
That's the building.
Stay here.
Copy that.
They still in there? - This whole time.
- How many? What do they look like? Four.
Three black, one white.
That's them.
I believe they're being held prisoner in the basement.
You don't know me.
You never told me - about the Americans.
- And you don't know him Everything works both ways.
See you.
Let's huddle up.
Bring it in, come on.
We got eight to 12 possible Taliban insurgents in the basement.
Heavily armed: AKs, rocket-propelled grenades.
Let's hit 'em hard, smoke 'em out.
They hunker down, I'll call in a strike.
Sounds beautiful.
Shoot first, ask questions later.
No one gets out alive.
Get in position.
Hey.
Team just missed their third check-in.
Should we start searching for them? No.
It'll go wide.
Argento will know where they are.
You guys need to see this right now.
I think I found Argento's SEAL team.
It's the only one of seven units this size operating in the streets of Kandahar right now.
I've identified six of them.
This is the only one that's operating black.
Looks like they're positioning themselves to attack that building.
It's only two blocks away from where Callen and Sam were headed.
That's not good.
Argento may have tracked them there.
I think you need to Order a Marine quick reaction force to that location.
And get Argento's team out of the field now.
This is Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie.
Connect me to SECNAV now.
Can anybody figure out what they're saying? I can't hear 'em.
How you enjoying NCIS Office of Special Projects so far? Well, first day, I almost got blown up.
Yeah, you're welcome.
Second day looks like I'm about to be beheaded.
Beats paperwork.
I don't know, I kind of like my head.
Come on, man, this kicks the FBI's ass.
We have Americans! We have American prisoners! We have Americans! Hold your fire! - He said he's got Americans! - Hold your fire! Hold your fire! He said he's got Americans! Hold your fire.
I say again: hold your fire.
We have Americans! Hold your fire! He said he's got Americans! Hold your fire! We have Americans! And we will kill them if you continue to fire on us! What do you think, Chief? He's bluffing.
- There's no Americans - Yeah, true that.
Copy that, Chief.
What do you want to do? Blow 'em to hell comes to mind.
Yeah I like the sound of that.
Let me talk to them.
If you don't, they won't believe there are any Americans inside here.
I recognize one of the men.
It's Argento's team.
- They found us.
- That's not good.
We're in a really dangerous position here.
His men could claim they didn't know we were in here.
Then call in an air strike.
Yeah, we become another friendly-fire statistic.
Investigation closed.
I need these guys to take me outside I can negotiate with the team.
Yeah? What if the teams are in on it? You'll be a sitting duck! You heard the kid say the members of the team don't agree with Argento.
Argento's men might think they're complicit because they haven't come forward.
Well, then, it becomes a choice between them killing us or Them going to prison for the rest of their lives.
That might not work out so well for us.
Look, I believe with all my heart in the character of the men in these teams.
I'm going to do this.
Take me outside! These men know me.
They'll listen to me.
You can have a gun on me the whole time.
I can stop this attack! Cease fire! Cease fire! Cease fire! Cease fire.
Cease fire.
Cease fire.
- Cease fire.
- Cease fire! Cease fire! I'm Agent Sam Hanna.
- Cease fire! - I heard of Chief Hanna.
There are three other Americans inside.
An NCIS agent, an FBI agent, and Chief Petty Officer Frank Wallace.
I'm retired Senior Chief Petty Officer Sam Hanna of SEAL Team Six.
The Afghan men inside have done nothing wrong.
- This can end peacefully.
- This could be anything.
- They're just scared.
- They could have this guy wired with C-4.
If this is the same Chief Hanna, he's a serious badass.
The guy's like a legend.
Yeah, I heard of him, too.
Hell of a team member.
We're gonna get him out of there.
We take out these insurgents.
Cole, you secure Agent Hanna.
The rest of us will push forward and assault the building.
That's going to be a bloodbath.
I'm giving you a direct order, Petty Officer Cole.
Let me know it was received.
Copy that, Chief.
Pick a man.
I've got the one directly left of Hanna.
Chief, just see if they'll release them first.
On my command.
Hanna said they aren't Taliban.
Cole, they said they will execute the American prisoners.
We need to take them out now and assault the building.
I've got the one to the right of the prisoner.
I'll take the one to the far right.
Thank you, ma'am.
SECNAV is personally into it.
The quick reaction force is rolling, but it's gonna take 20 minutes to get them there.
That's too long.
If you let them walk, we'll be released, I promise you.
Are we doing this, Chief? What's going on? Khalil, tell them.
On my command.
Tell them.
Three, two You are not gonna kill any Americans.
Put down your weapons, let the American prisoners walk away, and you will be released.
Take them out.
Now, now, now, now.
Disregard that command.
Do not fire.
This is a direct order.
Disregard.
Do not fire.
The offer doesn't get any better than that.
I'll vouch for you.
You have my word.
Go, go, go.
You're free.
Go.
They are surrendering.
Do not fire.
Your career is over, Moffet.
And stay out of the streets at night, 'cause one day I will find you and put you in the ground.
Bring it.
Hands in the air! Put your hands in the air! Stay where you are! Don't move! Hands in the air! - Hands up! Hands! - They're not Taliban.
They're not Taliban.
Let 'em go.
Listen to him.
Listen to him.
Let 'em go.
Go ahead.
You're free to go.
Go, go.
Get out of here.
You and your men all right? We're fine.
Glad you're okay.
Chief Petty Officer Argento? You're welcome.
Yeah.
Get this guy off me! You're now in the custody of NCIS.
That's an order.
- I said let him off me! - Now let me remind you of your Article 31 rights.
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court-martial.
Please stand.
Raise your right hand.
Do you swear that this statement you have provided is true and accurate to the best of your beliefs, so help you God? I do.
Thank you.
Please raise your right hand.
Do you swear that this statement you've provided is true and accurate to the best of your knowledge, so help you God? Yes, ma'am.
I do.
Do you swear this statement you've provided is true and accurate to the best of your belief, so help you God? I do.
Do you swear that the statement you've provided is true and accurate to the best of your belief, so help you God? I do.
That's not easy to do.
No, it's not But it's the right thing to do.
Yes, it is.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Sam, Callen.
How'd it go? Five members of Argento's team made statements incriminating him.
Good.
The only easy day Was yesterday.
Hey.
Take care.
- All right.
- Keep safe out here.
Yeah, we got a nice little bar in L.
A.
You find yourself in town, we're gonna buy you a drink to thank you.
Gonna need a lot more than one.
Look forward to it.
Flight's ready.
Wheels up in ten.
We wanted to talk to you.
Come here.
Yeah.
Running into that building wasn't the smartest thing I've ever seen.
No, it wasn't.
Today could have ended very differently.
Yeah, I know.
I'm sorry.
The thing is, we run into a lot of buildings like that.
We worry about what's right before we worry about what's safe.
That makes us think you just might fit into the Office of Special Projects.
We want you to be a part of this team.
I'm-I'm honored that you guys would think I could measure up to the both of you.
You'll never measure up to both of us.
- Yeah.
- Get that out of your head.
The phrase "pale imitation" comes to mind.
Wow, uh, okay, uh Thanks for the encouragement, uh, but - I - But what? I need to think about it.
Um You know, this, this team, it moves as a family.
It has a very "all in" vibe, and I don't take joining a family too lightly.
Neither do we.
For a lot of reasons.
Thank you.
And just so you know, if you decide to join, you won't be immediate family.
More like a second cousin.
Yeah, once removed.
All right.
Hey.
I'll take it from here.
I got him.
It's just me and you now.
You know you're going down, right? Off the record, nothing you've done here has anything to do with being a warrior, a SEAL or an American.
You've betrayed everything that the military and the teams stand for.
You're never gonna convict me.
We'll talk after the trial.