NCIS s15e05 Episode Script
Fake It 'Til You Make It
1 WOMAN: Okay, everybody, here we go.
Meeting time.
Melissa, whenever you're ready to start.
(exhales) My sponsor says that this program is simple.
"Just let go and let God.
" But since she's not here this morning, I'll have to be honest and tell you that I have no idea what that means.
(laughter) You know, when I let go, it usually involves a bottle of Jack and a jail cell.
God has yet to bail me out.
But I'm sober today, a month and some change (chuckles) And I owe it all to the people that I've met in these rooms.
(applause) Clay? Would you like to share? (clears throat) Pass.
Hey.
Hey.
Great share today.
Oh.
Thanks.
You know, I've been coming to this meeting for over a month, and I don't think I've heard you share even once.
I'm not judging, by the way.
You learn as much from others.
Well, I got some good news I think you're gonna like.
I finally did it.
I dumped my boyfriend.
I packed a bag and I-I bailed late last night.
And I'm officially homeless.
(chuckles softly) Sometimes homeless is an upgrade.
He was about to do something really stupid, and he thought I'd go along with it.
He thought wrong.
Good for you.
He didn't take it too well.
Well, that's not your concern, is it? He made it my concern.
Why don't you just finally turn that bastard in, Melissa? I can't do that.
Well, at least let me have a little word to the bloke.
It's over, Clay.
Now I got to run.
I've got a friend who's picking me up.
She's taking me apartment hunting before I head to work.
(chuckles) No, no, let go of me! (screams) Melissa! Melissa! NCIS 15x05 Fake It 'Til You Make It Rough morning, McGee? Terrible.
It's Delilah, isn't it? She's leaving you for somebody else? No, Delilah is not leaving me.
Not yet, at least.
She may run for the hills when she sees this.
Whoa! (Torres laughing) Wow.
Where-Where'd you find this? It was in my in-box this morning.
Came from a fake e-mail account.
Hmm.
That is one perfectly coiffed perm you got there, McGee.
It's just a thing of beauty.
Forget the hair, someone turned me into a damn meme.
I got memed.
What the hell's a meme? Oh, they're basically shared images on social networks, and the funniest photos get shared the most.
The more you know, the less you understand.
McGEE: Boss, I never meant for this photo to ever be seen, let alone turned into a meme.
I can see why, McGee.
Hey, you're late-- you better have a good excuse.
I just watched one of my friends get snatched off the damn street.
Where? Across from the navy yard outside St.
Peter's.
I phoned Metro and made a statement, but there wasn't much I could do because it all happened so quickly.
You get a make on the car? Nissan Altima, black.
I didn't get eyes on the plate.
You said the victim's a friend? Melissa's a good mate of mine.
Last name? I wish I knew.
I've got a pretty good idea who did it, though.
Her ex.
There a history of abuse? I knew she needed me.
I could have saved her.
You still can.
It doesn't fall under NCIS jurisdiction, Gibbs.
And you don't care.
That's good to know.
So, I took the liberty of texting a selfie of Melissa and me down to Abby.
She's running it through facial recognition as we speak.
Go.
Uh, Clay, wait up.
Don't you think it's kind of strange not to know your friend's last name? I think it's a little strange to go to church on Tuesday mornings.
Well Might be a British thing.
Still no match? Uh, no.
And I don't expect one anytime soon.
I mean, I am fishing in a vast ocean here.
Well, how do we make the ocean a pond? By only searching Web sites and networks that are connected to Melissa.
Like, what type of work does she do? She's a secretary.
Works for the government, I think.
Well, a government job in D.
C.
, imagine that.
And she talks a lot about her childhood dachshund, uh, Theodore.
Does Theodore have a Facebook page? No, he's a dog, Abby.
No thumbs.
Owners who build pages about their pets are, like, a dime a dozen.
You got to get with the times, Clay.
I know she likes to play old-school arcade games, like Ms.
Pac-Man.
She rides a bike at the weekend, even joined some club.
Like a Hells Angels-type club? No, like a ten-speed-type club.
Oh, too bad.
I was picturing little Theodore in, like, a tiny, badass leather vest.
Okay, I got a match.
REEVES: That's her.
Melissa Goodman.
I'll see what I can find on her.
Hey, can I ask you a question? And-and you don't have to answer.
Are you a, um a friend of Bill's? Yes.
I knew it.
I mean, church on a Tuesday morning.
Most priests aren't even that godly.
Does anyone else know? Just Bishop.
We traveled through Scotland together last year, and she'd see me go off to these meetings.
Well, if you ever need to talk, the Sciutos descend from a long line of over-indulgers.
I know what a struggle it is.
And I'm really proud of you.
Uh, Melissa Goodman's apartment is co-leased with an Edward Holdren.
REEVES: Has to be the boyfriend.
BISHOP: He drives a black Altima and is a civilian engineer who works for the Office of Naval Intelligence REEVES: Thanks, Abby.
We have the address for Melissa's apartment in Anacostia.
Up until yesterday, she lived there with her boyfriend, who works for the ONI.
File's been flagged.
Flagged for what? That's a good question.
Bishop, take Reeves.
Check out her place.
Nick, come on.
Let's go.
REDDING: Doing everything I can.
Yeah, I know.
(knock on door) I'll call you back.
Captain Redding? Special Agents Gibbs and Torres, NCIS.
We're looking for Edward Holdren.
Well, join the club.
I was just about to call NCIS.
Eddie Holdren's a chief engineer on one of our classified projects.
He's been U.
A.
for the last two days.
Well, that explains why his file was flagged.
This isn't just about his little disappearing act.
Would you shut that? He has a laptop, and it is loaded with some of our most sensitive Intel.
Concerning what? Sorry, that's "need to know.
" I gave some thought to becoming a cop.
It wasn't in the cards, though.
- You want to know why? - Mm.
I've got flat feet.
Okay, here we are, this is Melissa and Eddie's place.
Before I let you in, can you clue me in on what you're? Can you step away from the door? (sighing): All right.
Thank you.
REEVES: NCIS! (pulls back curtain) Clear.
Clear.
Well it seems like he left in a hurry.
The place is a mess.
Newspaper's two days old.
BISHOP: Melissa and Eddie in happier times.
I've got something.
Hmm? Broken lamp.
Eddie threw it at Melissa during a fight last week.
She shared about it the next day.
Looks like blood.
REEVES: Found some more.
(sighs) Melissa needed me.
(sighs) And I dropped the ball.
(dog barking) Will you look at this moron? Hey.
Don't you think it's time you told Gibbs how you know Melissa? I mean, now that this is officially our case? Our case, my life.
Yeah, but what are you afraid of, Clay? I mean, you really think Gibbs, or anyone else for that matter, is gonna judge you? Can you, um, get those to Abby? Where are you going? We're gonna need all the help we can get.
(clears throat) Agent Sloane? Yep? Clayton Reeves, MI6.
Well, hello there, Clayton Reeves, MI6, What can I do for you? I want some advice.
We're investigating an abduction.
Victim, Melissa Goodman.
Suspect, Eddie Holdren.
Only witness, you.
I just filled her in on the case.
He asked me to build a profile of Eddie Holdren.
Great.
And I told him it would take me some time, which, unfortunately, you don't have.
First 24 hours in an abduction is critical.
I know.
We don't even have a lead on where Holdren's taken Melissa.
You'll find one-- that's what you do best.
Let me worry about the mindset of her boyfriend-- that's what I do best.
You know, I still can't believe I let this happen.
She's your friend.
Keep your focus.
Keep your emotions out of it.
It's not your fault.
I know.
You say that, but I don't think you completely believe it, do you? Hey, was Melissa pretty open with you about things? Yes.
Was there anyone else she might have been more open with? I think so.
GIBBS: Her sponsor? Gibbs, I was gonna Reeves, go.
Still no transactions on Melissa or Eddie Holdren's credit cards.
I tried triangulating their locations again, but both their cell phones are shut off.
Abby said the blood we found in the apartment is a match for Melissa.
Apartment's clear, no sign of the ONI laptop Holdren stole.
Can I help you? You know, Bishop, a wise man once said, "Do not keep secrets from people who make a living being human lie detectors.
" You just made that up.
Well, even if I did, a, a wise man could have said that.
Honesty is the cornerstone of any great team.
Don't you think, Bishop? I honestly wish you two would just man up and say what's on your minds.
All right, Reeves.
We don't think he's telling the full story about this morning.
And we don't think he's the only one playing fast and loose with the truth.
You guys think I'm lying to you? We think that if there was an honest police force, you'd be the chief.
Yeah, but you haven't even questioned Reeves' story once.
And you know what I think? I think that you don't need to ask questions, because you already know the answers.
I mean, come on, he doesn't know his friend's last name? And who goes to church on Tuesdays? An alcoholic.
I was there for a 12-step meeting.
That's how I know Melissa.
We're both in recovery.
Gibbs figured it out.
What took you two so long? It's not a big deal, Clay.
Why didn't you just tell us? It's not something I like to talk about.
So I don't.
Well, I respect that.
And you.
Me, too, Clay.
Yeah, I was telling McGee we should just mind our own business.
Need to take a ride.
You sure we're gonna find Melissa's sponsor here? Her name's Nancy D.
Her home group throws a social here once a week.
Melissa wouldn't miss it.
Hey, uh, are all these people really sober? Yes, Nick.
It's a sober party.
It's a sober party.
Isn't that an oxymoron? I party sober all the time.
Here comes Scrabble night.
Yeah, once a week Delilah and I get together with some couples, do competitive Scrabble.
It's so crazy, we stick to Diet Cokes.
Dude.
This is you, right? It is you.
Ah, looks like you chopped your lettuce.
That's a shame, man.
What, my meme has over 120,000 shares? Why are you smiling? Huh? I'm not.
Nancy D? Yes.
Officer Reeves, NCIS.
I need to talk about one of your sponsees.
Melissa Goodman.
Oh, God, did something happen? She usually checks in at night, but I haven't heard from her in a couple of days.
She's been abducted.
What? When? Earlier this morning, after our step-study meeting at St.
Peter's.
You were there? Melissa's a friend.
Was it Eddie? I knew something like this was gonna happen.
I begged Melissa to break up with him, but she just she couldn't do it.
The more that he would hit her, the more she would cover for him.
Last week she had to hide out at his cabin for a couple of days just waiting for her bruises to heal.
What cabin? What the hell is this? Can't be good.
Black Altima.
That's the car that I saw.
Federal agents! He killed her.
Clay? (gasps) (Melissa sobbing) I killed him.
I had to.
(takes deep breath) I can't stop shaking.
Here, you want some water? How about a vodka neat? How about a double? Just some recovery humor.
Thank God the girl made it out alive.
Must've put up a hell of a fight.
Any leads on the stolen laptop? Yeah, we're working on it, Leon.
Well, work faster-- the undersecretary of the Navy just called to read me in on Holdren's project.
His team was working on Airtime Delta.
That's the DoD's latest unmanned aerial vehicle.
That laptop houses the operating system and the design plans.
Well, yeah, that's definitely a problem.
(phone rings) Yeah, it's Gibbs.
I'm on my way.
Palmer.
How you doing? Good.
How we doing here? (crying): I can't believe Eddie's dead.
I know you think I'm crazy, but I loved him.
Leaving Eddie was the hardest thing I've ever done.
How long were you two together? Two long years for Eddie.
(sniffles) He saw me at my worst.
When-when I'd pass out in-in-in the kitchen, he would pick me up and he would bring me to bed.
And when I was sick, he'd hold my hair back, It was Eddie who got me sober.
Only you could do that.
Eddie knew I was sick, and-and he-he refused to give up on me.
(sniffles) He believed in me.
He beat you.
You leaving him was the best decision you ever made.
I didn't leave him because we fought, Clay.
You know how I said he was planning on doing something stupid? E-Eddie's team, they created some groundbreaking drone, and Eddie thought it was, like, a good opportunity to take the Intel and sell it to the highest bidder.
And he thought you'd go along with it.
I flipped out.
I-I told him, I told him, I want no part of this.
And I left but I think he panicked.
He must have thought that I wanted to turn him in or The next morning he he grabbed me and he, he drove us straight to the cabin.
How'd you get the gun away from him? He was wobbling and s-slurring like, like he'd been drinking.
And I knew why.
He needed the liquid courage to kill you.
When he made his move I made mine.
And we-we fell to the ground, and we wrestled for a bit, and then Bam.
(sobs) The gun just went off.
Okay, listen.
Okay, listen, Melissa.
You're doing great, okay? We're nearly done here.
I just need you to help us figure out where Eddie has stashed the stolen laptop.
Do you think you can do that for me? I'm sorry, Clay.
I-I don't think I can.
I told you everything I know.
VANCE: Well, I've seen that look before.
Talk to me, Jack.
Intensive, sustained fear is often directly tethered to the suppression of relevant memories.
Are you saying that she might know more than she realizes? Given the profound trauma that she endured, it's only reasonable to assume that her fear of Eddie is paralyzing.
Was paralyzing.
Eddie's dead.
She should know that, she killed him.
Yes, and on a cerebral level, she is aware that he's no longer a threat, but in order to access those suppressed memories, she needs to feel it, too.
So what exactly are you suggesting? It was a quick, clean death.
Single shot.
Bullet through the heart.
But, judging by the skinned knuckles, the scraped knees, the claw marks on his neck, I would say that the fight that preceded the death was no holds barred.
Down and dirty.
Got a tox report? Abby just sent it down, so I'm still reviewing it, but Eddie Holdren had 80 milligrams of the opioid oxycodone in his system.
That a lot? Gibbs, even if he was a heavy user, and there's no indication that he was, that would be enough to severely effect his equilibrium.
Probably made it much easier for his victim to wrestle the gun away from him.
Dr.
Palmer.
Do you mind giving us a moment with the deceased, please? Do I mind, Agent Gibbs? No.
No, I don't mind.
(whispers): Well, this is, uh, different.
Yeah, well, new agents means new ideas.
It's okay, he can't hurt you anymore.
All right.
I'm so sorry, Eddie.
I want you to know, I'll always remember the good times.
But no matter what, I'll never forget the bad ones.
Hey.
It's hard.
Why did you stay? I thought if I tried hard enough, I could help him.
Help him how? I guess, help him to control his temper, but he'd just control me more.
He was so insecure.
He'd freak out if I didn't answer my phone by the second ring.
I know the type.
MELISSA: And it only got worse.
He started tagging along on my bike club.
Wanted to keep an eye on who I was talking to.
So he was pretty obsessive.
MELISSA: Humiliating.
I tried to sneak out last weekend.
Without him.
And when I got to our storage unit to get my bike, he'd changed the lock.
Why would he change the lock? Figured he just did not want me to go to my bike club.
Hey.
Here you go.
Let me just give you a second alone.
Or maybe he was hiding something? You get that? Well, if someone wanted to hide a laptop, this would be a prime spot.
Hey.
You okay? You've only said, like, two words since we left the office.
Yeah, I'm fine.
Are you upset your anonymity was broken? Because nobody judges you.
I mean, who would, considering Considering what? You know, just, what you've been through.
Oh, you mean foster care? You think that's why I'm an alcoholic? That is not what I said.
I was only acknowledging the fact that, you know, you-you've, you've been through a lot.
But you know what? I don't know, Clay.
I don't know because you're so damn bottled up, you won't tell me, so Tell you what? About the late night beatings from Daddy Dearest? Clay Or how about the cigarettes that used to get put out on my body? What do you want to know exactly? Why didn't someone help you? Like, move you to a new family? This was the new family.
I I-I can't imagine how you must feel.
But we're all as sick as our secrets, Clay, and we all need someone to talk to.
Even you.
I'm just saying I'm-I'm here for you if you need me.
I know that, Ellie.
(sighs) Well, that's odd.
Hmm? The Christmas decorations are on top of the Easter box.
The Easter box should've been put away last.
And why is the Christmas box the only one taped shut? Probably because of this.
I'll get it to Abby.
Surprise.
I just thought I'd check in on you.
I could use the company.
Did you guys find what you were looking for? Possibly.
I got some good news for you.
We just got word back from the Virginia state police captain.
You're in the clear.
Remember what they say.
Pain is a touchstone for spiritual growth.
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
There is no chemical solution for a spiritual problem.
Just keep first things first And this, too, shall pass.
(laughs) (chuckles) When I was new, all these damn clichés would drive me crazy.
Five years later, they all make sense.
You gonna be okay? Yeah, I think so.
There's this meditation meeting around the corner.
If you want to go with.
That's so sweet.
(clicks tongue) Got to finish up these pies before the women's meeting tonight.
It's a potluck.
What kind of pies? Chicken pot.
It's my family's special recipe.
The ladies love them.
Not just the ladies.
Us men have to eat, too, you know.
And nothing tastes better than free food.
You could stop by, if you want.
For some reason, I don't think the girls are gonna kick you out.
(both laugh) (sighs) Hang in there.
BISHOP: Holdren's drone is dubbed "Airtime.
" But he'd obviously have to be pretty stupid to not disguise the name of the file.
Well, when it comes to stupidity, I would not underestimate this guy.
Yeah, Abby's right.
This guy did steal classified Navy material, and confessed to his battered girlfriend.
ABBY: Keeping that in mind, where's the most obvious place to hide a metadata file? The cache.
The cache.
McGEE: Well, this is definitely the stolen ONI file, but where's the schematics and software? There's only headers left.
All the data's been transferred.
Well, let's hope Holdren didn't have a chance to sell it.
VANCE: Clock's ticking, Gibbs.
We need to recover the stolen software while we still can.
Running through all of Holdren's contacts, building a list of possible buyers.
Situation's even worse than the Navy led us to believe.
I thought we were all on the same side.
The project is need-to-know because of the potential implications.
Navy's plan was for Airtime to eventually replace their entire fleet of UAVs.
If this Intel lands in the wrong hands, every drone that's currently in the air will soon be grounded.
It's really nice of them to let us know.
Since it's on us to find the damn thing.
BISHOP: Eddie may not have had many friends, but he had a lot of associates.
Several dozen had contact with him just last week.
Could any of them be, uh, any possible buyers? Well, it's gonna take us time to tick all these names off the list.
GIBBS: Well, then stop wasting it.
I need a lead now! What? Hello, folks.
I had a thought.
Permission to come aboard? So you're searching for potential buyers by probing Eddie's cell phone and e-mail, correct? BISHOP: Along with all his landline calls, credit card records and online search history.
That's a hell of a paper trail.
And a whole lot of ground to cover.
Especially if you consider that the best criminals don't leave trails.
McGEE: Eddie Holdren hardly seems like a seasoned criminal.
No.
But anyone looking to buy stolen Navy software probably is.
Exactly.
They'd make sure there was nothing on Eddie's records that could lead us to them.
Well, if we nix Eddie's paper trail, then what do you suggest we follow? His footprints.
Not digital, but physical.
We shift our focus to his real life movements.
I know who can help with that.
Melissa.
Gibbs, I'm pretty sure I know where I can find her.
Yeah, let's go.
(drawer closes) Hey, new game plan, less paper cuts.
You're welcome to the bullpen anytime, Agent Sloane.
You can call me Jack.
Thanks, Nick.
Oh, come on, you got to be kidding me.
Something wrong, McGee? You tell me.
Oh, yeah.
Wow.
Um, McGee got memed.
He's a McMeme.
That's really unfortunate.
Well, he hasn't even noticed the worst part.
What? 60,000 more shares? (Torres laughs) Welcome to NCIS.
(both laugh) Especially what she said at the end.
Oh, when she said thanks, thank you to all those nice people.
I know.
It was good.
I'm glad we came.
Clay.
Hey.
What are you doing here? We came for the free food.
Oh.
I don't believe we've met.
Special Agent Gibbs.
I bet you are.
Oh, my God.
Nancy, please.
Okay, okay, I'm-I'm going.
Lord, have mercy.
(laughs) That's so embarrassing.
With her as my sponsor, it's a miracle I've stayed sober.
I took my 30-day chip last week.
I know it doesn't probably sound like such a big deal It does to me.
You doing a 30 in 30? 30 meetings in 30 days? Sponsor's orders.
Are you in the program, Agent Gibbs? No.
No, a friend.
Well, I know you didn't come all this way to bum a free meal.
How can I help you? Did you notice any changes in Eddie's routine recently? No.
He was always either at home with me or at work.
Are you sure? There was one night, a couple weeks ago, he was acting kind of strange.
Strange how? I caught him sneaking out in the middle of the night.
He said he had to go back to the office to catch up on some work, but You didn't believe him? I wasn't sure what to believe.
The thought even crossed my mind that he might've been cheating on me.
Especially since his phone was turned off.
Okay.
Anything? Nope, not yet.
Are you sure extracting these locations is even possible, Abby? Have a little faith, Reeves.
Aha! Ha! Not my first day.
And we're lucky that Eddie Holdren's ride came equipped with EDR.
Event Data Recorder.
This baby recorded everywhere the car went.
It's a comprehensive, time-stamped log of all of his travels.
REEVES: Punch up all his destinations from two weeks ago.
McGEE: Two minutes, three tops.
Hey, uh, did either of you know Gibbs has a friend in recovery? Gibbs has friends? Well, at least one.
Must be a close mate, too.
'Cause Gibbs was well-versed.
He even knows the lingo.
Well, did he say who it is? Right, anonymous.
Okay, eyes on the prize, McGee.
You're moving slower than a herd full of snails traveling through peanut butter.
Okay, let me just bypass this final finicky little firewall, and there we go.
REEVES: Nice work.
Can you confine the search to show only trips made between midnight and 5:00 a.
m.
? McGEE: Only one.
Two Saturdays ago, he drove to 976 Rosewood Drive at 2:17 a.
m.
It's in Alexandria.
ABBY: Four Score Café? The food can't be so good that he's driving all the way across town in the middle of the night.
Maybe it was a late-night meeting with his buyer.
Let's see if there's video surveillance.
REEVES: Surprised how many people are still coming in after 2:00 a.
m.
Sunday morning.
Bars just closed.
Can't go to the after-party without getting yourself some chicken and waffles.
That's just irresponsible, man.
McGEE: Well, there's our boy Eddie, right on time.
TORRES: Why is he not going in? He's waiting on the buyer.
McGEE: Wait, that's Nancy, Melissa's sponsor.
TORRES: What is Nancy doing meeting Eddie at 2:00 in the morning? Good question.
What's this all about? The software you helped steal.
It belongs to the Navy.
They'd like it back.
I've never stolen anything in my life.
Call Melissa, she'll tell you how ridiculous this is.
You sure you want us to do that? 'Cause if we call her, we're gonna have to tell her about your late-night rendezvous with Eddie.
Eddie? Melissa's boyfriend? I would never do that.
She's my sponsee.
That relationship is sacred.
Besides, I've never even met Eddie.
Well, I'd say Melissa needs a new sponsor.
Well, why is that? Last I checked, sponsors are still allowed to date.
You said you and Eddie never met.
Because we haven't.
That's you with Eddie.
Melissa's boyfriend.
No, this is me with Austin.
My boyfriend.
We met on an online dating site a couple months ago.
(clears throat) (quietly): Oh, my God.
Does Melissa know? (sighs) Palmer, you called me.
Yeah, like, 15 minutes ago.
Could've been less.
Uh, not that there's a specific amount of time for you to respond when I call with something urgent.
But Do you got something? God, I hope so.
Uh, Abby and I revisited Holdren's test results.
We found that the oxycodone had metabolized in an abnormal fashion.
Abnormal how? Well, the drug's chemical compound had already been altered prior to coming into contact with the hydrochloric acid in his stomach.
So, after further testing, Abby and I concluded that the oxycodone had been altered by a very specific acid typically found in cayenne pepper.
So, Eddie either mixed the drug with his own food or He was drugged.
McGEE: Drugged by who? Melissa? I mean, she she was the only one that was with him.
She said so herself.
Yeah, it's difficult to drug someone when you've got a gun pointed to your head.
Besides, I watched Eddie kidnap her.
No, you saw someone kidnap her.
Don't tell me you believe this rubbish, too, McGee? TORRES: Hey, listen, I understand that she's your friend, all right, but this is a theory.
It's not rubbish.
Stop arguing.
Start digging.
I didn't know we stopped.
I completed my profile on Eddie Holdren.
To my surprise, there was no evidence of trauma in his adolescence.
No history of abuse.
Prior to Melissa, his relationships with women were not only cordial, but loving.
I actually spoke to his college girlfriend, who refused to believe that Eddie would ever be capable of violence against anyone.
People change.
SLOANE: True, but a radical shift in psyche almost always occurs as the result of a traumatic event in one's formative years.
Holdren had none.
Doesn't mean he's not the monster Melissa says.
It's possible but not probable.
When we factor in the credibility of our source, everything we've been told about Eddie and his temper comes from the same person, Melissa Goodman.
You saying she's a liar, yeah? SLOANE: When my profile on Eddie didn't match the picture that Melissa painted, I focused my attention on her and I'm sorry to say, Reeves, what I found was a cunning, vindictive narcissist.
She checked all the boxes for antisocial personality disorder, Gibbs.
She also had motive.
She found out that Eddie was cheating on her.
And this would've been her chance to get revenge on him and make a small fortune doing it.
Yeah, by stealing Intel from Eddie's laptop and selling it to the highest bidder.
All theory, no real evidence here.
Yeah, Bishop.
Yeah.
I'll be right up.
Melissa Goodman.
I want to know everything there is about her.
Keep digging.
Found the laptop, but the design plans and operating system data for Airtime were removed.
I can't believe how far this has gone.
With Holdren going missing to being accused of kidnapping and then turning up dead.
Captain Redding.
Gibbs.
What do we have? Picked up chatter on the Dark Web.
Airtime is being put up for sale to the highest bidder.
With Holdren dead, then who's doing this? I think we may have an idea.
We do? Yeah, Dark Web.
How do we know they really have it? They offered a preview, a few lines of coding.
We analyzed it.
Unfortunately, it's ours.
Torres, I got something here.
Oh, good, 'cause I got nothing.
The day before Melissa Goodman was abducted, she transferred $10,000 to an Andrew Lewis.
Ten grand? That's interesting.
What's really interesting is when I tracked his address through his bank account, he lives in the same building as Melissa.
TORRES: Really? Why are you looking at that twit? What, you know him? Yeah, that's the manager of Melissa's apartment building.
He was snooping around when Bishop and I was having a look.
Why would she give him ten grand? Who knows? Maybe she was prepaying her rent.
Come on, Reeves.
McGEE: Jimmy, hey, you got something? JIMMY: Yes.
I just catalogued Eddie Holdren's stomach content and found out what dish the cayenne pepper was sprinkled on to drug him His last meal: chicken pot pie.
REEVES: Pot pies.
Something we should know, Reeves? Hey.
No, I'm still waiting for the buyer.
I'll call you back in a few.
Okay.
(beeps) Hello, Melissa.
Clay.
(chuckles nervously) What a surprise.
What are you, uh, waiting on a date? No, no, God, it's way too soon for that.
I, uh, waiting for a friend for dinner.
Might as well keep each other company while we wait, eh? (chuckles) (sighs) Something wrong? No, of course not.
Would you excuse me for a second while I make a phone call? Sure.
(dialing) (phone ringing) Hello, Melissa.
Calling your buyer? You set me up? Please, take a seat.
I said sit down! We know you transferred ten grand to your building manager's checking account the day before you were supposably kidnapped.
You paid him to fake the kidnapping.
In fact, you've been faking a lot of things.
(sniffs) Whiskey and Coke.
You didn't come into the program for help.
You joined because you found out your boyfriend was cheating on you.
He got what he deserved.
You asked Nancy to be your sponsor because you found out she was the other woman.
And you targeted me for your insurance policy.
Who better to corroborate your story than a fed? See, I was your key witness.
(sighs) And now I'm your worst nightmare.
On your feet.
Let's go.
Hey, you want a to-go cup for that cocktail? Liquor is not quite the same where we're taking you.
Probably because they make it in a toilet.
TORRES: Still trying to figure out who memed you, bud? Nope.
Put all my hacking skills to work, and I am proud to say, I now know exactly who it was.
BISHOP: Torres.
What? I didn't even know what a meme was until McGee's extremely humiliating experience.
No, it wasn't Torres.
Not unless he posted it from the Bastille quarter in Paris earlier this week.
Ol' Paree, huh? Mysterious.
Hey, who memed you, buddy? Someone who is about to be very, very sorry.
'Cause when you mess with the bull you get the horns.
Oh my God.
Tony? TORRES: Who's Tony? An old friend.
TORRES: What, you were friends with the bass player from Flock of Seagulls? (whistles) Got a lot to catch up on, Gibbs.
MAN: So, I sat down last night and wrote a thorough inventory for the first time since I was a newcomer, and, (laughs): I got to tell you, I mean Rachel? REEVES: Clay.
Alcoholic.
(sighs) I've been coming to this meeting for months.
All you know about me is my name.
And my disease.
A good friend recently told me that we're as sick as our secrets.
And I think she's right.
And I'm sick of paying for other people's sins.
My name is Clayton Dante Reeves.
And I have a story to tell.
Meeting time.
Melissa, whenever you're ready to start.
(exhales) My sponsor says that this program is simple.
"Just let go and let God.
" But since she's not here this morning, I'll have to be honest and tell you that I have no idea what that means.
(laughter) You know, when I let go, it usually involves a bottle of Jack and a jail cell.
God has yet to bail me out.
But I'm sober today, a month and some change (chuckles) And I owe it all to the people that I've met in these rooms.
(applause) Clay? Would you like to share? (clears throat) Pass.
Hey.
Hey.
Great share today.
Oh.
Thanks.
You know, I've been coming to this meeting for over a month, and I don't think I've heard you share even once.
I'm not judging, by the way.
You learn as much from others.
Well, I got some good news I think you're gonna like.
I finally did it.
I dumped my boyfriend.
I packed a bag and I-I bailed late last night.
And I'm officially homeless.
(chuckles softly) Sometimes homeless is an upgrade.
He was about to do something really stupid, and he thought I'd go along with it.
He thought wrong.
Good for you.
He didn't take it too well.
Well, that's not your concern, is it? He made it my concern.
Why don't you just finally turn that bastard in, Melissa? I can't do that.
Well, at least let me have a little word to the bloke.
It's over, Clay.
Now I got to run.
I've got a friend who's picking me up.
She's taking me apartment hunting before I head to work.
(chuckles) No, no, let go of me! (screams) Melissa! Melissa! NCIS 15x05 Fake It 'Til You Make It Rough morning, McGee? Terrible.
It's Delilah, isn't it? She's leaving you for somebody else? No, Delilah is not leaving me.
Not yet, at least.
She may run for the hills when she sees this.
Whoa! (Torres laughing) Wow.
Where-Where'd you find this? It was in my in-box this morning.
Came from a fake e-mail account.
Hmm.
That is one perfectly coiffed perm you got there, McGee.
It's just a thing of beauty.
Forget the hair, someone turned me into a damn meme.
I got memed.
What the hell's a meme? Oh, they're basically shared images on social networks, and the funniest photos get shared the most.
The more you know, the less you understand.
McGEE: Boss, I never meant for this photo to ever be seen, let alone turned into a meme.
I can see why, McGee.
Hey, you're late-- you better have a good excuse.
I just watched one of my friends get snatched off the damn street.
Where? Across from the navy yard outside St.
Peter's.
I phoned Metro and made a statement, but there wasn't much I could do because it all happened so quickly.
You get a make on the car? Nissan Altima, black.
I didn't get eyes on the plate.
You said the victim's a friend? Melissa's a good mate of mine.
Last name? I wish I knew.
I've got a pretty good idea who did it, though.
Her ex.
There a history of abuse? I knew she needed me.
I could have saved her.
You still can.
It doesn't fall under NCIS jurisdiction, Gibbs.
And you don't care.
That's good to know.
So, I took the liberty of texting a selfie of Melissa and me down to Abby.
She's running it through facial recognition as we speak.
Go.
Uh, Clay, wait up.
Don't you think it's kind of strange not to know your friend's last name? I think it's a little strange to go to church on Tuesday mornings.
Well Might be a British thing.
Still no match? Uh, no.
And I don't expect one anytime soon.
I mean, I am fishing in a vast ocean here.
Well, how do we make the ocean a pond? By only searching Web sites and networks that are connected to Melissa.
Like, what type of work does she do? She's a secretary.
Works for the government, I think.
Well, a government job in D.
C.
, imagine that.
And she talks a lot about her childhood dachshund, uh, Theodore.
Does Theodore have a Facebook page? No, he's a dog, Abby.
No thumbs.
Owners who build pages about their pets are, like, a dime a dozen.
You got to get with the times, Clay.
I know she likes to play old-school arcade games, like Ms.
Pac-Man.
She rides a bike at the weekend, even joined some club.
Like a Hells Angels-type club? No, like a ten-speed-type club.
Oh, too bad.
I was picturing little Theodore in, like, a tiny, badass leather vest.
Okay, I got a match.
REEVES: That's her.
Melissa Goodman.
I'll see what I can find on her.
Hey, can I ask you a question? And-and you don't have to answer.
Are you a, um a friend of Bill's? Yes.
I knew it.
I mean, church on a Tuesday morning.
Most priests aren't even that godly.
Does anyone else know? Just Bishop.
We traveled through Scotland together last year, and she'd see me go off to these meetings.
Well, if you ever need to talk, the Sciutos descend from a long line of over-indulgers.
I know what a struggle it is.
And I'm really proud of you.
Uh, Melissa Goodman's apartment is co-leased with an Edward Holdren.
REEVES: Has to be the boyfriend.
BISHOP: He drives a black Altima and is a civilian engineer who works for the Office of Naval Intelligence REEVES: Thanks, Abby.
We have the address for Melissa's apartment in Anacostia.
Up until yesterday, she lived there with her boyfriend, who works for the ONI.
File's been flagged.
Flagged for what? That's a good question.
Bishop, take Reeves.
Check out her place.
Nick, come on.
Let's go.
REDDING: Doing everything I can.
Yeah, I know.
(knock on door) I'll call you back.
Captain Redding? Special Agents Gibbs and Torres, NCIS.
We're looking for Edward Holdren.
Well, join the club.
I was just about to call NCIS.
Eddie Holdren's a chief engineer on one of our classified projects.
He's been U.
A.
for the last two days.
Well, that explains why his file was flagged.
This isn't just about his little disappearing act.
Would you shut that? He has a laptop, and it is loaded with some of our most sensitive Intel.
Concerning what? Sorry, that's "need to know.
" I gave some thought to becoming a cop.
It wasn't in the cards, though.
- You want to know why? - Mm.
I've got flat feet.
Okay, here we are, this is Melissa and Eddie's place.
Before I let you in, can you clue me in on what you're? Can you step away from the door? (sighing): All right.
Thank you.
REEVES: NCIS! (pulls back curtain) Clear.
Clear.
Well it seems like he left in a hurry.
The place is a mess.
Newspaper's two days old.
BISHOP: Melissa and Eddie in happier times.
I've got something.
Hmm? Broken lamp.
Eddie threw it at Melissa during a fight last week.
She shared about it the next day.
Looks like blood.
REEVES: Found some more.
(sighs) Melissa needed me.
(sighs) And I dropped the ball.
(dog barking) Will you look at this moron? Hey.
Don't you think it's time you told Gibbs how you know Melissa? I mean, now that this is officially our case? Our case, my life.
Yeah, but what are you afraid of, Clay? I mean, you really think Gibbs, or anyone else for that matter, is gonna judge you? Can you, um, get those to Abby? Where are you going? We're gonna need all the help we can get.
(clears throat) Agent Sloane? Yep? Clayton Reeves, MI6.
Well, hello there, Clayton Reeves, MI6, What can I do for you? I want some advice.
We're investigating an abduction.
Victim, Melissa Goodman.
Suspect, Eddie Holdren.
Only witness, you.
I just filled her in on the case.
He asked me to build a profile of Eddie Holdren.
Great.
And I told him it would take me some time, which, unfortunately, you don't have.
First 24 hours in an abduction is critical.
I know.
We don't even have a lead on where Holdren's taken Melissa.
You'll find one-- that's what you do best.
Let me worry about the mindset of her boyfriend-- that's what I do best.
You know, I still can't believe I let this happen.
She's your friend.
Keep your focus.
Keep your emotions out of it.
It's not your fault.
I know.
You say that, but I don't think you completely believe it, do you? Hey, was Melissa pretty open with you about things? Yes.
Was there anyone else she might have been more open with? I think so.
GIBBS: Her sponsor? Gibbs, I was gonna Reeves, go.
Still no transactions on Melissa or Eddie Holdren's credit cards.
I tried triangulating their locations again, but both their cell phones are shut off.
Abby said the blood we found in the apartment is a match for Melissa.
Apartment's clear, no sign of the ONI laptop Holdren stole.
Can I help you? You know, Bishop, a wise man once said, "Do not keep secrets from people who make a living being human lie detectors.
" You just made that up.
Well, even if I did, a, a wise man could have said that.
Honesty is the cornerstone of any great team.
Don't you think, Bishop? I honestly wish you two would just man up and say what's on your minds.
All right, Reeves.
We don't think he's telling the full story about this morning.
And we don't think he's the only one playing fast and loose with the truth.
You guys think I'm lying to you? We think that if there was an honest police force, you'd be the chief.
Yeah, but you haven't even questioned Reeves' story once.
And you know what I think? I think that you don't need to ask questions, because you already know the answers.
I mean, come on, he doesn't know his friend's last name? And who goes to church on Tuesdays? An alcoholic.
I was there for a 12-step meeting.
That's how I know Melissa.
We're both in recovery.
Gibbs figured it out.
What took you two so long? It's not a big deal, Clay.
Why didn't you just tell us? It's not something I like to talk about.
So I don't.
Well, I respect that.
And you.
Me, too, Clay.
Yeah, I was telling McGee we should just mind our own business.
Need to take a ride.
You sure we're gonna find Melissa's sponsor here? Her name's Nancy D.
Her home group throws a social here once a week.
Melissa wouldn't miss it.
Hey, uh, are all these people really sober? Yes, Nick.
It's a sober party.
It's a sober party.
Isn't that an oxymoron? I party sober all the time.
Here comes Scrabble night.
Yeah, once a week Delilah and I get together with some couples, do competitive Scrabble.
It's so crazy, we stick to Diet Cokes.
Dude.
This is you, right? It is you.
Ah, looks like you chopped your lettuce.
That's a shame, man.
What, my meme has over 120,000 shares? Why are you smiling? Huh? I'm not.
Nancy D? Yes.
Officer Reeves, NCIS.
I need to talk about one of your sponsees.
Melissa Goodman.
Oh, God, did something happen? She usually checks in at night, but I haven't heard from her in a couple of days.
She's been abducted.
What? When? Earlier this morning, after our step-study meeting at St.
Peter's.
You were there? Melissa's a friend.
Was it Eddie? I knew something like this was gonna happen.
I begged Melissa to break up with him, but she just she couldn't do it.
The more that he would hit her, the more she would cover for him.
Last week she had to hide out at his cabin for a couple of days just waiting for her bruises to heal.
What cabin? What the hell is this? Can't be good.
Black Altima.
That's the car that I saw.
Federal agents! He killed her.
Clay? (gasps) (Melissa sobbing) I killed him.
I had to.
(takes deep breath) I can't stop shaking.
Here, you want some water? How about a vodka neat? How about a double? Just some recovery humor.
Thank God the girl made it out alive.
Must've put up a hell of a fight.
Any leads on the stolen laptop? Yeah, we're working on it, Leon.
Well, work faster-- the undersecretary of the Navy just called to read me in on Holdren's project.
His team was working on Airtime Delta.
That's the DoD's latest unmanned aerial vehicle.
That laptop houses the operating system and the design plans.
Well, yeah, that's definitely a problem.
(phone rings) Yeah, it's Gibbs.
I'm on my way.
Palmer.
How you doing? Good.
How we doing here? (crying): I can't believe Eddie's dead.
I know you think I'm crazy, but I loved him.
Leaving Eddie was the hardest thing I've ever done.
How long were you two together? Two long years for Eddie.
(sniffles) He saw me at my worst.
When-when I'd pass out in-in-in the kitchen, he would pick me up and he would bring me to bed.
And when I was sick, he'd hold my hair back, It was Eddie who got me sober.
Only you could do that.
Eddie knew I was sick, and-and he-he refused to give up on me.
(sniffles) He believed in me.
He beat you.
You leaving him was the best decision you ever made.
I didn't leave him because we fought, Clay.
You know how I said he was planning on doing something stupid? E-Eddie's team, they created some groundbreaking drone, and Eddie thought it was, like, a good opportunity to take the Intel and sell it to the highest bidder.
And he thought you'd go along with it.
I flipped out.
I-I told him, I told him, I want no part of this.
And I left but I think he panicked.
He must have thought that I wanted to turn him in or The next morning he he grabbed me and he, he drove us straight to the cabin.
How'd you get the gun away from him? He was wobbling and s-slurring like, like he'd been drinking.
And I knew why.
He needed the liquid courage to kill you.
When he made his move I made mine.
And we-we fell to the ground, and we wrestled for a bit, and then Bam.
(sobs) The gun just went off.
Okay, listen.
Okay, listen, Melissa.
You're doing great, okay? We're nearly done here.
I just need you to help us figure out where Eddie has stashed the stolen laptop.
Do you think you can do that for me? I'm sorry, Clay.
I-I don't think I can.
I told you everything I know.
VANCE: Well, I've seen that look before.
Talk to me, Jack.
Intensive, sustained fear is often directly tethered to the suppression of relevant memories.
Are you saying that she might know more than she realizes? Given the profound trauma that she endured, it's only reasonable to assume that her fear of Eddie is paralyzing.
Was paralyzing.
Eddie's dead.
She should know that, she killed him.
Yes, and on a cerebral level, she is aware that he's no longer a threat, but in order to access those suppressed memories, she needs to feel it, too.
So what exactly are you suggesting? It was a quick, clean death.
Single shot.
Bullet through the heart.
But, judging by the skinned knuckles, the scraped knees, the claw marks on his neck, I would say that the fight that preceded the death was no holds barred.
Down and dirty.
Got a tox report? Abby just sent it down, so I'm still reviewing it, but Eddie Holdren had 80 milligrams of the opioid oxycodone in his system.
That a lot? Gibbs, even if he was a heavy user, and there's no indication that he was, that would be enough to severely effect his equilibrium.
Probably made it much easier for his victim to wrestle the gun away from him.
Dr.
Palmer.
Do you mind giving us a moment with the deceased, please? Do I mind, Agent Gibbs? No.
No, I don't mind.
(whispers): Well, this is, uh, different.
Yeah, well, new agents means new ideas.
It's okay, he can't hurt you anymore.
All right.
I'm so sorry, Eddie.
I want you to know, I'll always remember the good times.
But no matter what, I'll never forget the bad ones.
Hey.
It's hard.
Why did you stay? I thought if I tried hard enough, I could help him.
Help him how? I guess, help him to control his temper, but he'd just control me more.
He was so insecure.
He'd freak out if I didn't answer my phone by the second ring.
I know the type.
MELISSA: And it only got worse.
He started tagging along on my bike club.
Wanted to keep an eye on who I was talking to.
So he was pretty obsessive.
MELISSA: Humiliating.
I tried to sneak out last weekend.
Without him.
And when I got to our storage unit to get my bike, he'd changed the lock.
Why would he change the lock? Figured he just did not want me to go to my bike club.
Hey.
Here you go.
Let me just give you a second alone.
Or maybe he was hiding something? You get that? Well, if someone wanted to hide a laptop, this would be a prime spot.
Hey.
You okay? You've only said, like, two words since we left the office.
Yeah, I'm fine.
Are you upset your anonymity was broken? Because nobody judges you.
I mean, who would, considering Considering what? You know, just, what you've been through.
Oh, you mean foster care? You think that's why I'm an alcoholic? That is not what I said.
I was only acknowledging the fact that, you know, you-you've, you've been through a lot.
But you know what? I don't know, Clay.
I don't know because you're so damn bottled up, you won't tell me, so Tell you what? About the late night beatings from Daddy Dearest? Clay Or how about the cigarettes that used to get put out on my body? What do you want to know exactly? Why didn't someone help you? Like, move you to a new family? This was the new family.
I I-I can't imagine how you must feel.
But we're all as sick as our secrets, Clay, and we all need someone to talk to.
Even you.
I'm just saying I'm-I'm here for you if you need me.
I know that, Ellie.
(sighs) Well, that's odd.
Hmm? The Christmas decorations are on top of the Easter box.
The Easter box should've been put away last.
And why is the Christmas box the only one taped shut? Probably because of this.
I'll get it to Abby.
Surprise.
I just thought I'd check in on you.
I could use the company.
Did you guys find what you were looking for? Possibly.
I got some good news for you.
We just got word back from the Virginia state police captain.
You're in the clear.
Remember what they say.
Pain is a touchstone for spiritual growth.
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
There is no chemical solution for a spiritual problem.
Just keep first things first And this, too, shall pass.
(laughs) (chuckles) When I was new, all these damn clichés would drive me crazy.
Five years later, they all make sense.
You gonna be okay? Yeah, I think so.
There's this meditation meeting around the corner.
If you want to go with.
That's so sweet.
(clicks tongue) Got to finish up these pies before the women's meeting tonight.
It's a potluck.
What kind of pies? Chicken pot.
It's my family's special recipe.
The ladies love them.
Not just the ladies.
Us men have to eat, too, you know.
And nothing tastes better than free food.
You could stop by, if you want.
For some reason, I don't think the girls are gonna kick you out.
(both laugh) (sighs) Hang in there.
BISHOP: Holdren's drone is dubbed "Airtime.
" But he'd obviously have to be pretty stupid to not disguise the name of the file.
Well, when it comes to stupidity, I would not underestimate this guy.
Yeah, Abby's right.
This guy did steal classified Navy material, and confessed to his battered girlfriend.
ABBY: Keeping that in mind, where's the most obvious place to hide a metadata file? The cache.
The cache.
McGEE: Well, this is definitely the stolen ONI file, but where's the schematics and software? There's only headers left.
All the data's been transferred.
Well, let's hope Holdren didn't have a chance to sell it.
VANCE: Clock's ticking, Gibbs.
We need to recover the stolen software while we still can.
Running through all of Holdren's contacts, building a list of possible buyers.
Situation's even worse than the Navy led us to believe.
I thought we were all on the same side.
The project is need-to-know because of the potential implications.
Navy's plan was for Airtime to eventually replace their entire fleet of UAVs.
If this Intel lands in the wrong hands, every drone that's currently in the air will soon be grounded.
It's really nice of them to let us know.
Since it's on us to find the damn thing.
BISHOP: Eddie may not have had many friends, but he had a lot of associates.
Several dozen had contact with him just last week.
Could any of them be, uh, any possible buyers? Well, it's gonna take us time to tick all these names off the list.
GIBBS: Well, then stop wasting it.
I need a lead now! What? Hello, folks.
I had a thought.
Permission to come aboard? So you're searching for potential buyers by probing Eddie's cell phone and e-mail, correct? BISHOP: Along with all his landline calls, credit card records and online search history.
That's a hell of a paper trail.
And a whole lot of ground to cover.
Especially if you consider that the best criminals don't leave trails.
McGEE: Eddie Holdren hardly seems like a seasoned criminal.
No.
But anyone looking to buy stolen Navy software probably is.
Exactly.
They'd make sure there was nothing on Eddie's records that could lead us to them.
Well, if we nix Eddie's paper trail, then what do you suggest we follow? His footprints.
Not digital, but physical.
We shift our focus to his real life movements.
I know who can help with that.
Melissa.
Gibbs, I'm pretty sure I know where I can find her.
Yeah, let's go.
(drawer closes) Hey, new game plan, less paper cuts.
You're welcome to the bullpen anytime, Agent Sloane.
You can call me Jack.
Thanks, Nick.
Oh, come on, you got to be kidding me.
Something wrong, McGee? You tell me.
Oh, yeah.
Wow.
Um, McGee got memed.
He's a McMeme.
That's really unfortunate.
Well, he hasn't even noticed the worst part.
What? 60,000 more shares? (Torres laughs) Welcome to NCIS.
(both laugh) Especially what she said at the end.
Oh, when she said thanks, thank you to all those nice people.
I know.
It was good.
I'm glad we came.
Clay.
Hey.
What are you doing here? We came for the free food.
Oh.
I don't believe we've met.
Special Agent Gibbs.
I bet you are.
Oh, my God.
Nancy, please.
Okay, okay, I'm-I'm going.
Lord, have mercy.
(laughs) That's so embarrassing.
With her as my sponsor, it's a miracle I've stayed sober.
I took my 30-day chip last week.
I know it doesn't probably sound like such a big deal It does to me.
You doing a 30 in 30? 30 meetings in 30 days? Sponsor's orders.
Are you in the program, Agent Gibbs? No.
No, a friend.
Well, I know you didn't come all this way to bum a free meal.
How can I help you? Did you notice any changes in Eddie's routine recently? No.
He was always either at home with me or at work.
Are you sure? There was one night, a couple weeks ago, he was acting kind of strange.
Strange how? I caught him sneaking out in the middle of the night.
He said he had to go back to the office to catch up on some work, but You didn't believe him? I wasn't sure what to believe.
The thought even crossed my mind that he might've been cheating on me.
Especially since his phone was turned off.
Okay.
Anything? Nope, not yet.
Are you sure extracting these locations is even possible, Abby? Have a little faith, Reeves.
Aha! Ha! Not my first day.
And we're lucky that Eddie Holdren's ride came equipped with EDR.
Event Data Recorder.
This baby recorded everywhere the car went.
It's a comprehensive, time-stamped log of all of his travels.
REEVES: Punch up all his destinations from two weeks ago.
McGEE: Two minutes, three tops.
Hey, uh, did either of you know Gibbs has a friend in recovery? Gibbs has friends? Well, at least one.
Must be a close mate, too.
'Cause Gibbs was well-versed.
He even knows the lingo.
Well, did he say who it is? Right, anonymous.
Okay, eyes on the prize, McGee.
You're moving slower than a herd full of snails traveling through peanut butter.
Okay, let me just bypass this final finicky little firewall, and there we go.
REEVES: Nice work.
Can you confine the search to show only trips made between midnight and 5:00 a.
m.
? McGEE: Only one.
Two Saturdays ago, he drove to 976 Rosewood Drive at 2:17 a.
m.
It's in Alexandria.
ABBY: Four Score Café? The food can't be so good that he's driving all the way across town in the middle of the night.
Maybe it was a late-night meeting with his buyer.
Let's see if there's video surveillance.
REEVES: Surprised how many people are still coming in after 2:00 a.
m.
Sunday morning.
Bars just closed.
Can't go to the after-party without getting yourself some chicken and waffles.
That's just irresponsible, man.
McGEE: Well, there's our boy Eddie, right on time.
TORRES: Why is he not going in? He's waiting on the buyer.
McGEE: Wait, that's Nancy, Melissa's sponsor.
TORRES: What is Nancy doing meeting Eddie at 2:00 in the morning? Good question.
What's this all about? The software you helped steal.
It belongs to the Navy.
They'd like it back.
I've never stolen anything in my life.
Call Melissa, she'll tell you how ridiculous this is.
You sure you want us to do that? 'Cause if we call her, we're gonna have to tell her about your late-night rendezvous with Eddie.
Eddie? Melissa's boyfriend? I would never do that.
She's my sponsee.
That relationship is sacred.
Besides, I've never even met Eddie.
Well, I'd say Melissa needs a new sponsor.
Well, why is that? Last I checked, sponsors are still allowed to date.
You said you and Eddie never met.
Because we haven't.
That's you with Eddie.
Melissa's boyfriend.
No, this is me with Austin.
My boyfriend.
We met on an online dating site a couple months ago.
(clears throat) (quietly): Oh, my God.
Does Melissa know? (sighs) Palmer, you called me.
Yeah, like, 15 minutes ago.
Could've been less.
Uh, not that there's a specific amount of time for you to respond when I call with something urgent.
But Do you got something? God, I hope so.
Uh, Abby and I revisited Holdren's test results.
We found that the oxycodone had metabolized in an abnormal fashion.
Abnormal how? Well, the drug's chemical compound had already been altered prior to coming into contact with the hydrochloric acid in his stomach.
So, after further testing, Abby and I concluded that the oxycodone had been altered by a very specific acid typically found in cayenne pepper.
So, Eddie either mixed the drug with his own food or He was drugged.
McGEE: Drugged by who? Melissa? I mean, she she was the only one that was with him.
She said so herself.
Yeah, it's difficult to drug someone when you've got a gun pointed to your head.
Besides, I watched Eddie kidnap her.
No, you saw someone kidnap her.
Don't tell me you believe this rubbish, too, McGee? TORRES: Hey, listen, I understand that she's your friend, all right, but this is a theory.
It's not rubbish.
Stop arguing.
Start digging.
I didn't know we stopped.
I completed my profile on Eddie Holdren.
To my surprise, there was no evidence of trauma in his adolescence.
No history of abuse.
Prior to Melissa, his relationships with women were not only cordial, but loving.
I actually spoke to his college girlfriend, who refused to believe that Eddie would ever be capable of violence against anyone.
People change.
SLOANE: True, but a radical shift in psyche almost always occurs as the result of a traumatic event in one's formative years.
Holdren had none.
Doesn't mean he's not the monster Melissa says.
It's possible but not probable.
When we factor in the credibility of our source, everything we've been told about Eddie and his temper comes from the same person, Melissa Goodman.
You saying she's a liar, yeah? SLOANE: When my profile on Eddie didn't match the picture that Melissa painted, I focused my attention on her and I'm sorry to say, Reeves, what I found was a cunning, vindictive narcissist.
She checked all the boxes for antisocial personality disorder, Gibbs.
She also had motive.
She found out that Eddie was cheating on her.
And this would've been her chance to get revenge on him and make a small fortune doing it.
Yeah, by stealing Intel from Eddie's laptop and selling it to the highest bidder.
All theory, no real evidence here.
Yeah, Bishop.
Yeah.
I'll be right up.
Melissa Goodman.
I want to know everything there is about her.
Keep digging.
Found the laptop, but the design plans and operating system data for Airtime were removed.
I can't believe how far this has gone.
With Holdren going missing to being accused of kidnapping and then turning up dead.
Captain Redding.
Gibbs.
What do we have? Picked up chatter on the Dark Web.
Airtime is being put up for sale to the highest bidder.
With Holdren dead, then who's doing this? I think we may have an idea.
We do? Yeah, Dark Web.
How do we know they really have it? They offered a preview, a few lines of coding.
We analyzed it.
Unfortunately, it's ours.
Torres, I got something here.
Oh, good, 'cause I got nothing.
The day before Melissa Goodman was abducted, she transferred $10,000 to an Andrew Lewis.
Ten grand? That's interesting.
What's really interesting is when I tracked his address through his bank account, he lives in the same building as Melissa.
TORRES: Really? Why are you looking at that twit? What, you know him? Yeah, that's the manager of Melissa's apartment building.
He was snooping around when Bishop and I was having a look.
Why would she give him ten grand? Who knows? Maybe she was prepaying her rent.
Come on, Reeves.
McGEE: Jimmy, hey, you got something? JIMMY: Yes.
I just catalogued Eddie Holdren's stomach content and found out what dish the cayenne pepper was sprinkled on to drug him His last meal: chicken pot pie.
REEVES: Pot pies.
Something we should know, Reeves? Hey.
No, I'm still waiting for the buyer.
I'll call you back in a few.
Okay.
(beeps) Hello, Melissa.
Clay.
(chuckles nervously) What a surprise.
What are you, uh, waiting on a date? No, no, God, it's way too soon for that.
I, uh, waiting for a friend for dinner.
Might as well keep each other company while we wait, eh? (chuckles) (sighs) Something wrong? No, of course not.
Would you excuse me for a second while I make a phone call? Sure.
(dialing) (phone ringing) Hello, Melissa.
Calling your buyer? You set me up? Please, take a seat.
I said sit down! We know you transferred ten grand to your building manager's checking account the day before you were supposably kidnapped.
You paid him to fake the kidnapping.
In fact, you've been faking a lot of things.
(sniffs) Whiskey and Coke.
You didn't come into the program for help.
You joined because you found out your boyfriend was cheating on you.
He got what he deserved.
You asked Nancy to be your sponsor because you found out she was the other woman.
And you targeted me for your insurance policy.
Who better to corroborate your story than a fed? See, I was your key witness.
(sighs) And now I'm your worst nightmare.
On your feet.
Let's go.
Hey, you want a to-go cup for that cocktail? Liquor is not quite the same where we're taking you.
Probably because they make it in a toilet.
TORRES: Still trying to figure out who memed you, bud? Nope.
Put all my hacking skills to work, and I am proud to say, I now know exactly who it was.
BISHOP: Torres.
What? I didn't even know what a meme was until McGee's extremely humiliating experience.
No, it wasn't Torres.
Not unless he posted it from the Bastille quarter in Paris earlier this week.
Ol' Paree, huh? Mysterious.
Hey, who memed you, buddy? Someone who is about to be very, very sorry.
'Cause when you mess with the bull you get the horns.
Oh my God.
Tony? TORRES: Who's Tony? An old friend.
TORRES: What, you were friends with the bass player from Flock of Seagulls? (whistles) Got a lot to catch up on, Gibbs.
MAN: So, I sat down last night and wrote a thorough inventory for the first time since I was a newcomer, and, (laughs): I got to tell you, I mean Rachel? REEVES: Clay.
Alcoholic.
(sighs) I've been coming to this meeting for months.
All you know about me is my name.
And my disease.
A good friend recently told me that we're as sick as our secrets.
And I think she's right.
And I'm sick of paying for other people's sins.
My name is Clayton Dante Reeves.
And I have a story to tell.