NCIS s18e07 Episode Script
The First Day
You know what 4:00 a.
m.
in February feels like, Ronnie? And I'm out here chasing a cat in a coal mine.
RONNIE: All I do is take the info down, pass it along.
Well, next time, verify the GPS.
Driving in circles like this is messing with my chi.
- Your what? - My chi.
My energy.
Hold on.
I think I found the car.
Thought you said flat tire.
Yeah, caller said they pulled into an empty lot.
Something tells me this isn't the right car.
I think the COVID tester, uh, is crushing on you.
Every day with this guy.
[CHUCKLES.]
: You got that from a tonsil swab? Hey, I'm a detective.
- I detect a COVID crush.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- Okay, I don't think, that's a thing.
- MCGEE: Sweetheart, your bathroom break is private.
Okay? You don't bring your computer equipment in with you.
- All right.
- Daddy loves you.
[SIGHS.]
Parenting looks easy until you try it.
BISHOP: Ooh.
Yeah, I, uh, I babysat my nephews once.
Two kids and a dog.
That was a handful.
Yeah, it sounds like punishment to me.
Let's just say I have not been invited back.
That is exactly why I live by myself, because keeping one person alive and fed, it's hella plenty.
Yeah, I'd offer to help you, Tim, but, uh Oh, believe me, Delilah and I love our kids, but we love them even more when they're going to school.
JIMMY: Good morning, work family.
Who needs a refill on some surface wipes? Just got a fresh batch in, and they are going fast.
Seriously, Jimmy? Whoa.
You're doing the homeschool thing, too, aren't you? - Yes, yeah.
- MCGEE: So, you're doing everything here at work, and then you're doing everything at home solo? - Where do you getthe energy? - Oh, not solo anymore.
No.
Guys, my, uh, my mom moved in with us.
Oh, wow.
That's like, uh That's like free childcare.
I mean, that's genius.
Does she cook for you? - She does, yeah.
- She makes a mean chicken potpie.
You know, I'm gonna bring you some.
Wait, so, Jimmy, is this, uh, is this move permanent? It is for now, yeah.
Look, you guys, you guys were so great when, you know I lost Breena.
But, uh, between, uh, work, single parenting, school, it just got to be too much, so I called in a lifeline.
You know, it's the weirdest thing.
I woke up with a kink in my backthis morning, and - I must've slept on it funny.
- Uh, you guys know where I might be able to get a-a good quarantine massage? Oh, I got a really great chiropractor.
And he makes house calls, too, so TORRES: Yeah, and you know what? A little workout, a little exercise, that's the best medicine, bro.
Mm, a weighted blanket is where it's at.
Um, you should just try it for a night.
It'll get you hooked.
Even Gibbs uses it.
Come on, Gibbs doesn't use a weighted blanket.
Yes, Gibbs does.
Let's go.
Got a body.
- Elevator.
- Elevator.
Wait, hold on.
Hey.
You guys call that every time.
For the last month, I've been taking the stairs.
You got to be quick to the draw there, T-Money.
Max capacity: Three.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
Our victim's Petty Officer Second Class David Avila.
27.
Stationed in Quantico.
Time of death? Uh, based on lividity, I'd say between, uh, midnight and 2:00 a.
m.
He bled out pretty quickly.
Motorcycle did a burnout here.
Whoever it was came and went fast.
- GIBBS: Shooter.
- BISHOP: Looks like he emptied an entire magazine.
You think this is a robbery or a hit? JIMMY: My vote would be for a hit.
Talk about overkill.
You know, any one of these wounds would have been fa Oh.
Ah, blocked caller.
Classic Mama Palmer.
Yeah, she thinks that if, uh, you don't know who's calling, you're more likely to pick You know, uh, I'll-I'll let it go to voice mail.
Uh, as I was saying, uh, any one of these wounds would have been fatal, and - GIBBS: Palmer? - Yeah.
Talk to your mom.
Uh Body's not going anywhere.
Hey, Mom? Oh.
Oh, hello, Dr.
Greenberg.
Yes.
Well, actually, it's a kind of pain radiating down my left arm.
- Hey! - Be just one minute.
Hey, Gibbs? Look at this.
Two-for-one special? McGee.
Victim wasn't alone.
Yeah, we got footprints here leaving from the car.
Our mystery passenger's on the run.
TORRES: And possibly wounded.
Hey, Kase.
Trophy wall's looking good.
Ah, thanks.
I've been really into patterns lately.
I'm a sucker for tie-dye.
But the flannel ones do double duty.
Warmth and protection.
Mm.
That's good to know.
Update? Oh.
Uh, first, motorcycle tire tracks.
I've been trying to pull a make, but no luck.
GIBBS: Soda cup? Our missing passenger left prints.
Meet Luis Carter, who, as it turns out, was released from prison just last night.
What was he in for? Larceny.
21-year sentence.
Whoa.
Serious time.
Mm-hmm.
And getting shot up his first day out probably wasn't what he had in mind.
But the good news blood results from the scene.
It all belonged to our victim.
Avila.
Passenger wasn't hit? Mm, not unless he bleeds air.
That's lucky.
Maybe a little too lucky.
Our victim gets multiple hits in this crazy bullet spray and this ex-con bounces completely unscathed? How does that happen? It happens when he's in on the hit.
BISHOP: All right, Luis Carter.
First offense was robbery with a deadly weapon.
Uh, he went clean for a bit, and then he got life for shoplifting socks.
Socks? Third strike.
Small mistake, big punishment.
Parents are deceased.
No next of kin.
The only person we could tie him to was, uh, our victim.
What is an ex-con doing with a decorated petty officer? Think I might have an answer for that.
Found these online.
It's a group called The First Day Program.
They tagged Petty Officer Avila - in a number of photos here.
- BISHOP: Huh.
BISHOP: What's The First Day Program? Uh, looks like some kind of nonprofit group that works with ex-cons.
Maybe Avila volunteered there.
- Check it out.
- On our way.
- McGee.
Running - Carter's prison visitor logs.
What do you got, Kase? Nothing.
As in there was something and now there's nothing.
Look, there's blood on the seats and dash except for here, creating what's commonly known as a void pattern, aka an absence of blood where it should be.
- Something was on the console.
- And now it's not.
Which means Carter must have taken it.
You seem unimpressed.
- Yep.
- Gibbs.
Carter was coming off a 20-year prison stint.
I checked the release records.
He had the clothes on his back and that's it.
Whatever he took Belonged to Petty Officer Avila.
Okay.
Pretty impressed now, aren't you? No.
No, not really.
Okay, but Petty Officer Avila still had both his wallet and cell phone on him at the crime scene, so whatever Carter took from Avila, it was more valuable than a wallet full of cash.
See, Kase? Now I'm impressed.
Get the photo to Bishop.
Hey, Gibbs, can I talk to you about something personal? How personal? Oh, it's not about me, it's Jimmy.
Oh.
Yeah? Losing Breena had to be the worst hit of his life.
And instead of taking a breath these last two months, he's literally tripled his workload.
He's overly cheerful.
It's unsettling.
Almost as unsettling as that look.
You want my advice, Kase? Give him space.
NELLIE: First Day is a nonprofit providing reentry services for people just getting out of prison.
David was one of our star volunteers.
BISHOP: What does that mean, exactly? NELLIE: He would meet new releases at the prison gate and give them a ride to their halfway house, parole officer, wherever they need to go.
The first 24 hours out can be very overwhelming for parolees.
But a friendly face like David's can make all the difference in the world.
I got worried when he didn't check in.
What do you know about this guy that David picked up, Luis Carter? COREY: There's nothing more than that.
When an inmate gets released, we only get a name.
We don't ask questions at the pickup.
It's none of our business.
This is Corey, one of our success stories turned volunteer.
Well, it looks like this Carter guy did a little bit more than share.
You think he had something to do with David's death? Yeah, I can't believe he's actually gone.
Sounds like you guys spent some time together.
Rode along with him whenever I could.
But not yesterday? I had night school.
I'm two credits away from my associates degree David, too.
Why would somebody want to do this to a guy like him? When we find this missing ex-con, we'll make sure we ask him.
How can we help? BISHOP: Well, we think he took something from Petty Officer Avila's car.
About this size.
Any idea what that could be? It's got to be David's reentry book.
He always kept it right there on the console.
- His what book? - NELLIE: David made a list of places to take guys on their first day out.
He was big on tattoo removal.
But only businesses that were run by ex-cons.
A business run by an ex-con could also hide an ex-con.
BISHOP: Who's next on the list? TORRES: Stylin' Cutz.
Barbershop.
You know, I could use a new cut.
Really? I thought you cut it yourself.
- How dare you? - [LAUGHS.]
Hey, yo.
You work here? Actually, I own it.
But I'm heading out to lunch.
Come back later? NCIS.
We got a few questions for you.
Have you seen this guy? - Nope.
- Where'd you say you were going? Lunch.
Jamaican food truck around the corner, best jerk chicken.
Yum.
Are you, uh you sure no one else is in there? Nope.
Had to let my guys go during quarantine.
Couldn't pay 'em.
Sucked, but you know the drill.
So you're heading out to lunch.
Why didn't you lock up? Um Are you sure there's no one in there? BISHOP: Yeah, hot tip.
Lying to federal agents It's a crime.
Luis Carter! NCIS! - You got me? - Mm-hmm.
[FAINT CLANGING.]
TORRES: Yo, buddy.
We just want to talk.
I'm telling you right now, I'm not going back to prison.
Drop it! BISHOP: Get on your knees! [CLANGING.]
I've told you already.
One minute David and me are talking, the next, this motorcycle pulls up and opens fire.
And somehow, you were not hit? I must have got lucky.
Or you set David up, you knew it was coming? I had nothing to do with his murder, okay? Oh.
Okay.
Guess we're done here.
I barely knew this guy! But there he was, the moment I got out of prison.
When most people would be locking their door.
He wasn't my victim.
He was my saint.
A saint you left on the side of the road to die.
David wanted me to leave! He told me, "Go to the barbershop and get some help," so I went to the barbershop.
Phone log.
You called the same number from prison every day.
Who? The lawyer working my parole.
Fancy firm.
It's pro bono.
He's hiding something.
Jack? Uh [CLEARS THROAT.]
Not necessarily.
The hostility could also be the natural instinct of the fight-or-flight response.
Or he could be hiding something.
Something on your mind, Jack? No.
I'm good.
CARTER: I know what I am to you.
Less than dirt.
Barely out of prison, and you're ready to put me back in.
But the one thing I would never do is kill the only guy who's ever shown up for me.
So have a nice day and screw you! Okay.
How about this? I'll show up for you.
Huh? GIBBS: Yeah, I show up, right here, right now, just like David did.
But you have to trust me first.
Lincoln Street Saints, Princesa.
Keep talking.
Before the shooter fired, he yelled "Lincoln Street Saints, Princesa.
" Lincoln Street Saints are a street gang.
I used to roll with 'em.
Cut ties when I went up for parole.
Why would they want to kill Petty Officer Avila? They didn't.
They were after me.
I'm guessing they think that I gave someone up to get myself out of prison.
And calling me "princess," that's just another way of saying I'm KOS.
Kill on sight.
David was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
And I'm the one with his blood on my hands.
Palmer, what do you got? Ah That Uttanasana really fires up the hamstrings.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- What are you doing? Oh, I'm squeezing in a quick yoga class.
Gibbs, I am discovering extra muscles I didn't know I had.
- What about these extra bodies? - Oh, right.
No, those aren't ours, no, no.
The D.
C.
coroner was at capacity because, uh 'Cause, you know.
Uh, so, we're all in this together, so I said yes, of course we will handle your overflow.
What about our body? Right, yes, uh, Petty Officer Avila died of hypovolemic shock courtesy of eight bullets that entered the thoracic cavity.
He bled to death.
Any broken ribs? Well, you know just about everything, don't you? Yes.
In fact, there are two fractured ribs, - probably from a CPR attempt.
- Carter.
Yeah, someone tried to save him.
Yeah.
Their technique could use some work.
I could actually give them some pointers if they came in.
- Gibbs, are we trying to - Jimmy.
Yes, Gibbs? - Jimmy - [DOOR OPENS.]
Ah, never mind.
Hey, Gibbs.
Just the man I was looking for.
So, still no hits on the motorcycle BOLO, but, uh, Kasie's done with ballistics.
What'd she find? Well, the bullets that killed Petty Officer Avila match the kind that were used in a bunch of unsolved gang homicides.
Not surprising.
So our ex-con should probably go in protective custody.
'Cause once the gang finds out that he's still alive, they're gonna try again.
Yeah, that's a good idea.
He's been tested.
Have McGee let his lawyer know, he's staying with you.
What?! Wait, I wasn't volun I wasn't volunteering.
I only have one bed and one bathroom.
I hear you.
Let's just take a deep breath together.
Okay? From the abdomen, diaphragm and chest.
[BREATHES DEEP.]
: And let it go.
Okay, I He was breathing.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
Well, it's not much, but I call it home.
Well, it's a hell of a step up from what I've been calling home the past 21 years.
Couple of house rules: No shoes, wash your hands Like, a lot And no loud noises.
Okay.
You hungry? As long as the food isn't gray.
Though, apparently, it only comes in boxes now? Here's something homemade.
My sister made these arepas.
You know, I don't know, it eases her mind to think that she's feeding me, yeah? Mmm Mmm.
So, uh Do you like puzzles? What I'd really like is to shower in private.
Ain't had one of those in since '99.
Oh, for sure, for sure.
So the shower is just down the hall.
The towels are in the cabinet.
And, uh, don't even think about using my shower puff.
And also don't think about leaving out the window.
All right.
[FAINT CLICKING.]
[FAINT CLICKING.]
Can you show me how to turn this thing on? Uh, it's hands-free.
So I don't wash my hands in here? It's, um, motion detected.
Dr.
Palmer.
I-Is everything all right? Oh, absolutely, yes.
Yeah, I'm just working late.
I had a professional question.
Ah.
Of course.
So, what's your question, before my tea gets any colder? Yeah, right.
Sorry.
Of course.
Um I have a question about a cause of death.
I have a victim who was in a drive-by shooting.
He had a myocardial rupture, which, of course, caused a massive blood loss.
Now, would I classify that death as, um, hypovolemic shock or cardiac trauma? You knew the answer to that question when you were in diapers, or close enough.
Are you sure that you're all right? Of course.
A little review never hurt anyone, right? All right, then.
Cardiac trauma is grouped by the type of injury, blunt or penetrating.
And there are a number of ways that you can approach it.
Talk to me.
Well, I've been working with some contacts at Vice, and they're gonna hopefully hook me up with a Saints informant to tell us who put the hit on Carter.
Torres check in? Yeah, it sounds like his houseguest - might like puzzles, as much as he does.
- Oh, yeah? I hope they haven't bonded too hard.
I called Carter's law firm to tell them we had their client in protective custody.
They've never heard of him.
Well, the prison call log said that he's been calling every week.
Well, he was talking to somebody there.
Yeah, no one knows who, though.
The main switchboard doesn't log where calls are transferred.
But I double-checked the time stamps, and most of the calls were placed after hours.
Well, who calls a law firm when it's closed? That is not what I am wondering.
Why was he lying to us about it? Damn, what am I smelling? We got eggs, ham and hash, on top of those homemade arepas.
Hey, that works for me.
Missing my special ingredient, though.
Where's the grape jelly? Oh, that does not work for me.
Trust me, it makes the meal.
I put this on everything when I was on the inside.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
All right, man, I-I-I'm down to try new things, but this is a little too new for me.
Alexa, any places for breakfast open now? ALEXA: There's District Diner, 1.
2 miles away on Beckett Street.
- What the hell was that? - Alexa.
A what? You-you ever see The Jetsons? Check this.
Alexa, what's on my calendar for today? ALEXA: At 12:30 p.
m.
, - there is a lunch session, with the trainer.
- Oh, crap.
- I got to cancel that.
- At 6:00 p.
m.
, there is: Watch Ice Road Truckers.
You won't believe what they can do with a big rig.
- And at 8:00 p.
m.
, there is - Alexa, cancel.
[CHUCKLES.]
So, what's at 8:00 p.
m.
? Oh, noneya.
Noneya business, son.
All right, all right, okay.
So she knows your calendar, but does she know Ghostbusters? Alexa, what happens if you cross the streams? ALEXA: If you cross the streams, you get total protonic reversal.
Nice.
[PHONE RINGS.]
Hi, McGee.
Really? Thanks.
Everything okay? No.
You lied to us.
- Huh? - About the law firm.
They've never heard of you.
M-My lawyer must've just been out the office.
Oh, really? What is his name? Are you playing me? This ain't got nothing to do with you.
It has everything to do with me.
I bring you into my home.
I risk my life to protect you.
Who were you calling? All right.
Let's go.
Where are we going? You want to play games? Well, maybe you want to play games with your little gang buddies.
I'm taking you back to the Saints.
[HIP-HOP PLAYING.]
CARTER: You drop me in Saints territory and they gonna kill me.
I'm just dropping you off at your last address.
If you have a problem with it, then start talking.
Who'd you call at the law firm? I told you.
My lawyer.
Well, that's a lie.
Which makes me wonder what else you're lying about.
Maybe you never even left the Saints.
I dropped the gang.
That's the truth.
What's the truth about the calls? You just got to trust me.
You know, I spent ten years undercover.
I know what it's like to be cut off from everyone you love, not knowing who to trust.
But at some point, you got to take the leap.
You don't know who I am.
Or what it's been like to be me these last 20 years.
I know that isolation can push you to the edge.
But if you ain't gonna be straight with me, then your protection detail is over.
I was calling my daughter.
She's 26 years old.
She works nights at the law firm.
I was calling her.
Then why lie to us? I've been thinking about seeing my baby in the real world for the last 20 years.
She just had a baby of her own.
A little girl.
I don't want to bring this mess around them.
Not on my first day out.
She doesn't know you got parole? CARTER: I might be out of prison, but until this is over, I won't be free.
All right, I got it.
But, damn, man, you made me work for that.
[ENGINE STARTS.]
Carter's story checks out.
His daughter works the night crew.
Well, there goes the one lead we had on our shooter.
What about the other homicides? Well, there's a reason they're unsolved.
Same untraceable bullets.
Tire tracks? Kasie's still working on it, but she thinks they're a dead end.
- [PHONE CHIMES.]
- Well, your chiropractor wasn't, McGee.
He had an opening.
He squeezed me in.
His hands, I oh, I have never felt better.
Oh, it is gonna be a great day, I can feel it.
Can you feel it? Hmm.
[LAUGHS.]
Seriously, I'm-I'm getting worried about him.
BISHOP: Yeah, same.
Uh, the Saints informant agreed to talk.
A sailor was killed by your gang.
Didn't have nothing to do with me.
And if they find out we're talking, I'm next on the list.
So, then why meet up? I want my drug charges reduced.
I give you intel, you talk to my parole officer.
We're all happy.
Luis Carter.
What do you know about the hit on him? BISHOP: We think it's 'cause he left your gang.
[LAUGHS.]
Yeah, he pissed off some guys when he turned his back on us, but no one's taking out an old man for that.
What makes you so sure? I know how the Saints work.
You're gonna have to do better than that.
I've been in since I was 14.
Not many girls get initiated.
These guys ain't what you call "woke.
" But they liked my hustle, used me to smuggle drugs and some cell phones to the top dogs in prison.
I know their business inside out.
And that helps us find our shooter how? The only ones they're taking out these days is competition to their new operation.
If they went after your boy, then he must've gotten between the Saints and their green.
What's the new operation? [LAUGHS.]
Ever heard of ghost guns? Ghost guns are privately made firearms, shipped in pieces and assembled by the user.
No serial number, no registration.
Near impossible to trace.
- Lovely.
- Hence the scary name.
These are the bullets I extracted from Petty Officer Avila.
The reason I wasn't able to match the rifling pattern to any guns in my database is because The gun that fired it didn't exist until it was assembled.
All right, well, whoever makes these may be able to lead us to the shooter.
Well, either way, you need to get these off the street, and fast.
I hear that.
So, uh, why are you still standing here? Well, I I need to know where to start here.
I mean, am I looking for, what, factories or industrial spaces? Not necessarily.
All you need is some basic tools, a small tool bench.
So They could be built anywhere.
Which is Scary.
[KNOCKS.]
New informant.
I need a profile.
Sure.
Uh anything in particular you're looking for? No.
I just want to know who she is.
Okay.
It's gonna take some time.
Okay.
Um [BOTH LAUGHING.]
You want to have a seat? Maybe tell me why you're really here.
You noticed, uh, Jimmy acting different lately? Well, the man lost his wife, had to grieve alone.
He couldn't even give Breena a real memorial.
Yeah, I thought in the beginning, just leave him alone, everybody just should leave him alone.
And now I'm thinking you should talk to him.
But maybe you need to talk to him, Gibbs.
If anyone understands what he's going through right now, it's you.
You planning a trip? Yeah, I guess you could say that.
Hmm.
Uh, been weighing some things Like? [EXHALES.]
Leaving.
Leaving what? NCIS.
The last ten months really have me rethinking what's important.
Well, what's important, Jack? I think it's time I slowed my life down a bit.
Got out of the city.
Maybe, uh, go to Costa Rica, open a bar on the beach, and just, uh be.
Costa Rica.
I What do you think? Um mm-hmm.
Hmm.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS.]
Yeah, we're digging into this ghost gun thing.
Hopefully it will lead us to the shooter.
You sure Carter doesn't know anything about them? Not a thing.
And I believe him, too.
He's still trying to wrap his brain around YouTube, much less do-it-yourself murder guns.
Oh, I bet.
So how's it going over there? I think Carter has discovered his inner Martha Stewart.
I'm making doughnuts.
[CHUCKLES.]
Well, if he's taking requests, I like glazed.
I'll let him know.
Hey, now that Carter's broken you in to having some houseguests, when do I get to see your apartment? Uh, hello? Oh, you're breaking up.
[IMITATES STATIC.]
Oh, man.
Uh, call me back.
Hmm.
Uh, I miss anything? [SIGHS.]
He's been like this all morning.
JIMMY: Hey, guys.
I think I have something.
Your order of extra-strength hand sanitizer arrive? You joke about that now, you just wait until you're in a strange bathroom with no soap.
No, I-I was working on the, uh, paperwork for Petty Officer Avila's murder and I found something.
It was info from his, uh, recruitment file.
Because you don't have enough to do? Uh, David had tattoos.
He had it removed before he went into basic training.
But, I mean, they made a note of it right here in his files.
And? What kind of tattoos? Right, yes, uh, thank you.
Uh, they are Saints tattoos, guys.
As in the gang.
So you're, you're saying David was a member of the Saints? Yeah, and get this: His gang alias is inked just below the tattoo.
"Princesa.
" That's what the shooter yelled before he opened fire.
They weren't aiming for Carter.
Petty Officer Avila was the target.
MCGEE: Well, looks like our golden boy wasn't so golden after all.
We spoke to a cousin who recently got back from deployment; He said Avila ran with the wrong crowd in high school.
Then fell in with the Saints, got involved in a check-writing scam, and went to juvie.
Records were sealed.
That's how we missed it.
His cousin said juvie really changed him.
And when he got out, joined the Navy, never looked back.
Saints never got the memo.
Or maybe Avila never really left the gang.
Or maybe he went into business for himself.
The informants did say the only ones the Saints were taking out is the competition.
First Day.
- The charity.
- BISHOP: You think Avila was using it as a cover to sell ghost guns? It-it would put him in touch with a lot of ex-cons.
No.
I want to talk to that volunteer.
Which volunteer? The one who was supposed to be with Avila the night he was killed.
And wasn't in the car.
Look, y'all barking up the wrong tree here.
David was like my brother.
BISHOP: Well, only a handful of people knew he was doing a pickup that night, and you were one of them.
GIBBS: Why weren't you with him, brother? COREY: I told you, I had school.
No, you didn't.
You flunked out two weeks ago.
Okay, look, I know I shouldn't have lied to y'all about this, but I know how it looks and I know how y'all roll.
David was like a brother to me.
I would never hurt him.
Multiple assault charges.
Carjacking.
You had no problem hurting those people.
Is that the guy on the motorcycle? I don't know.
He was wearing a helmet, I couldn't see his face.
What about his voice? - COREY: Look, I did my time.
- Maybe.
And David was my hero.
So if y'all think I got anything to do with his murder, you're way off base.
I'll answer any of y'all questions, but I didn't do it.
Did Petty Officer Avila have any contact with the Saints? I mean, it's kind of hard not to.
Half the business we deal with employs ex-offenders.
Any Saint in particular? Yeah.
A while ago he got into it with Marcus.
- BISHOP: When? - About a month ago.
He had just got back in from getting a haircut.
Wait a second.
You remember when I tried to smash your brains open? Yeah, good times.
Why? That metal thing I was holding.
It was a gun barrel.
I grabbed it from a pile of tools inside the barbershop.
Seemed kind of out of place next to the scissors and mousse, but I was too busy wetting myself to overthink it.
Are you saying the barbershop is the gun shop? David's last words.
I don't think he was telling me to go to the barbershop.
He was telling me who killed him.
BISHOP: Federal agents! - GIBBS: Hands! - TORRES: Well, if it isn't Mr.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken gun runner.
Don't know what you talking about.
Ain't nothing in there.
Yeah? Well, what are these? Move.
Move! You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
BISHOP: Apparently Petty Officer Avila stumbled upon the illegal gun factory during one of his First Day visits.
The barber warned him to keep quiet.
Or else.
So let me guess, Marcus decided to go for the "or else" option? Pretty much.
Kasie was able to match the motorcycle prints to his bike.
He's our shooter.
At least those weapons are off the street.
Good job, everybody.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Okay.
So, Nick, you gonna be lonely without your roommate? Gonna say, I'm not gonna lie, kind of got used to somebody else doing the cooking, but if I ever have to share my bathroom with another dude Seriously, though, I mean, it made me, um, it made me think.
I'm always so focused about, you know, trying to catch the bad guy, I never think about the other side.
Um, who are you and what have you done with the real Nick Torres? TORRES: No, I'm just saying, I mean, it's not easy to get through the tough transitions on your own.
Hmm.
BISHOP: Hey, you, uh, you want to grab a bite? There's something I need to take care of.
Rain check? Okay.
Yeah, sure.
Night.
Gibbs, you are just in time to feast your eyes on 15 pounds of weighted bliss.
I'm about to have my first good night's sleep in months.
It's not gonna help.
What are you talking about? I Y-You said you loved yours.
It's not about the blanket.
You think it's, like, the mattress? I mean, well, I-I was about to get one of those, maybe, - Sleep Number deals - Enough, okay? Enough.
Look, we both know a chiropractor or a bed is not gonna fix this, Jim.
- Look, the problem's here.
- Uh And here.
You know the stages of grieving? Yes, I know the stages of grieving.
Okay.
Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance.
Yeah.
You're stuck.
Really? How far did I make it? Denial? No way.
Or am I denying that I'm in denial? You ever get stuck? Yep.
Anger.
How long? I'll let you know when I'm past it.
[LAUGHS SOFTLY.]
So, you're telling me I only have a couple more decades of feeling like this? Feeling, feeling.
Okay, that's good.
Feeling like what? I feel like I'm going through the motions.
I feel like I'm in a nightmare.
At any moment I'm gonna wake up, and my wife is gonna be right there.
I understand that.
I mean, you know what You know There's so much that I wanted to say to her, and I couldn't the the hospital wouldn't let me see her.
So that's why I-I wrote her a letter.
[LAUGHS.]
: Good.
I listed everything that I love about her.
I mean, everything, and it was a long letter.
She never woke up.
It's good.
I never got to say goodbye.
[CRYING.]
It's okay.
She expecting you? Yeah.
Said I could stay here until I get my own place.
I'm starting my life completely over at 47 years old.
Hey, you got this.
Doesn't feel that way.
You know, sometimes you got to, you got to hit that reset button.
You ever do that? Well, I have the opposite problem.
I need to stop hitting it.
For your breakfast sandwiches.
[CHUCKLES.]
Wow.
It looks like you have someone you need to meet.
Be easy.
You, too.
Papa? - Baby.
- [CRYING.]
[PHONE RINGS.]
Hey, McGee, what's going on? Everything okay? MCGEE: Hey, Gibbs wants us back at the office A.
S.
A.
P.
Tonight? Yep.
Oh, and, uh, wear a suit.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS.]
Sorry.
Couldn't find my damn tie.
Might help if you had more than one.
Yeah, one is already one too many.
Thank you, guys.
I appreciate you coming.
- More than you know.
- SLOANE: You've been so strong.
You don't have to do it alone, Jimmy.
I don't know where to start.
[WHISPERS.]
: Read your letter, Jim.
Dear Breena, I'll never forget the first time we met.
I heard your laugh from across the room and I knew.
I never felt anything like it before, to hear a laugh and know that your life will change forever.
And then I saw you.
I was stunned.
[CRYING.]
: B-Baby, they wouldn't let me see you.
But I know that you can hear me now.
m.
in February feels like, Ronnie? And I'm out here chasing a cat in a coal mine.
RONNIE: All I do is take the info down, pass it along.
Well, next time, verify the GPS.
Driving in circles like this is messing with my chi.
- Your what? - My chi.
My energy.
Hold on.
I think I found the car.
Thought you said flat tire.
Yeah, caller said they pulled into an empty lot.
Something tells me this isn't the right car.
I think the COVID tester, uh, is crushing on you.
Every day with this guy.
[CHUCKLES.]
: You got that from a tonsil swab? Hey, I'm a detective.
- I detect a COVID crush.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- Okay, I don't think, that's a thing.
- MCGEE: Sweetheart, your bathroom break is private.
Okay? You don't bring your computer equipment in with you.
- All right.
- Daddy loves you.
[SIGHS.]
Parenting looks easy until you try it.
BISHOP: Ooh.
Yeah, I, uh, I babysat my nephews once.
Two kids and a dog.
That was a handful.
Yeah, it sounds like punishment to me.
Let's just say I have not been invited back.
That is exactly why I live by myself, because keeping one person alive and fed, it's hella plenty.
Yeah, I'd offer to help you, Tim, but, uh Oh, believe me, Delilah and I love our kids, but we love them even more when they're going to school.
JIMMY: Good morning, work family.
Who needs a refill on some surface wipes? Just got a fresh batch in, and they are going fast.
Seriously, Jimmy? Whoa.
You're doing the homeschool thing, too, aren't you? - Yes, yeah.
- MCGEE: So, you're doing everything here at work, and then you're doing everything at home solo? - Where do you getthe energy? - Oh, not solo anymore.
No.
Guys, my, uh, my mom moved in with us.
Oh, wow.
That's like, uh That's like free childcare.
I mean, that's genius.
Does she cook for you? - She does, yeah.
- She makes a mean chicken potpie.
You know, I'm gonna bring you some.
Wait, so, Jimmy, is this, uh, is this move permanent? It is for now, yeah.
Look, you guys, you guys were so great when, you know I lost Breena.
But, uh, between, uh, work, single parenting, school, it just got to be too much, so I called in a lifeline.
You know, it's the weirdest thing.
I woke up with a kink in my backthis morning, and - I must've slept on it funny.
- Uh, you guys know where I might be able to get a-a good quarantine massage? Oh, I got a really great chiropractor.
And he makes house calls, too, so TORRES: Yeah, and you know what? A little workout, a little exercise, that's the best medicine, bro.
Mm, a weighted blanket is where it's at.
Um, you should just try it for a night.
It'll get you hooked.
Even Gibbs uses it.
Come on, Gibbs doesn't use a weighted blanket.
Yes, Gibbs does.
Let's go.
Got a body.
- Elevator.
- Elevator.
Wait, hold on.
Hey.
You guys call that every time.
For the last month, I've been taking the stairs.
You got to be quick to the draw there, T-Money.
Max capacity: Three.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
Our victim's Petty Officer Second Class David Avila.
27.
Stationed in Quantico.
Time of death? Uh, based on lividity, I'd say between, uh, midnight and 2:00 a.
m.
He bled out pretty quickly.
Motorcycle did a burnout here.
Whoever it was came and went fast.
- GIBBS: Shooter.
- BISHOP: Looks like he emptied an entire magazine.
You think this is a robbery or a hit? JIMMY: My vote would be for a hit.
Talk about overkill.
You know, any one of these wounds would have been fa Oh.
Ah, blocked caller.
Classic Mama Palmer.
Yeah, she thinks that if, uh, you don't know who's calling, you're more likely to pick You know, uh, I'll-I'll let it go to voice mail.
Uh, as I was saying, uh, any one of these wounds would have been fatal, and - GIBBS: Palmer? - Yeah.
Talk to your mom.
Uh Body's not going anywhere.
Hey, Mom? Oh.
Oh, hello, Dr.
Greenberg.
Yes.
Well, actually, it's a kind of pain radiating down my left arm.
- Hey! - Be just one minute.
Hey, Gibbs? Look at this.
Two-for-one special? McGee.
Victim wasn't alone.
Yeah, we got footprints here leaving from the car.
Our mystery passenger's on the run.
TORRES: And possibly wounded.
Hey, Kase.
Trophy wall's looking good.
Ah, thanks.
I've been really into patterns lately.
I'm a sucker for tie-dye.
But the flannel ones do double duty.
Warmth and protection.
Mm.
That's good to know.
Update? Oh.
Uh, first, motorcycle tire tracks.
I've been trying to pull a make, but no luck.
GIBBS: Soda cup? Our missing passenger left prints.
Meet Luis Carter, who, as it turns out, was released from prison just last night.
What was he in for? Larceny.
21-year sentence.
Whoa.
Serious time.
Mm-hmm.
And getting shot up his first day out probably wasn't what he had in mind.
But the good news blood results from the scene.
It all belonged to our victim.
Avila.
Passenger wasn't hit? Mm, not unless he bleeds air.
That's lucky.
Maybe a little too lucky.
Our victim gets multiple hits in this crazy bullet spray and this ex-con bounces completely unscathed? How does that happen? It happens when he's in on the hit.
BISHOP: All right, Luis Carter.
First offense was robbery with a deadly weapon.
Uh, he went clean for a bit, and then he got life for shoplifting socks.
Socks? Third strike.
Small mistake, big punishment.
Parents are deceased.
No next of kin.
The only person we could tie him to was, uh, our victim.
What is an ex-con doing with a decorated petty officer? Think I might have an answer for that.
Found these online.
It's a group called The First Day Program.
They tagged Petty Officer Avila - in a number of photos here.
- BISHOP: Huh.
BISHOP: What's The First Day Program? Uh, looks like some kind of nonprofit group that works with ex-cons.
Maybe Avila volunteered there.
- Check it out.
- On our way.
- McGee.
Running - Carter's prison visitor logs.
What do you got, Kase? Nothing.
As in there was something and now there's nothing.
Look, there's blood on the seats and dash except for here, creating what's commonly known as a void pattern, aka an absence of blood where it should be.
- Something was on the console.
- And now it's not.
Which means Carter must have taken it.
You seem unimpressed.
- Yep.
- Gibbs.
Carter was coming off a 20-year prison stint.
I checked the release records.
He had the clothes on his back and that's it.
Whatever he took Belonged to Petty Officer Avila.
Okay.
Pretty impressed now, aren't you? No.
No, not really.
Okay, but Petty Officer Avila still had both his wallet and cell phone on him at the crime scene, so whatever Carter took from Avila, it was more valuable than a wallet full of cash.
See, Kase? Now I'm impressed.
Get the photo to Bishop.
Hey, Gibbs, can I talk to you about something personal? How personal? Oh, it's not about me, it's Jimmy.
Oh.
Yeah? Losing Breena had to be the worst hit of his life.
And instead of taking a breath these last two months, he's literally tripled his workload.
He's overly cheerful.
It's unsettling.
Almost as unsettling as that look.
You want my advice, Kase? Give him space.
NELLIE: First Day is a nonprofit providing reentry services for people just getting out of prison.
David was one of our star volunteers.
BISHOP: What does that mean, exactly? NELLIE: He would meet new releases at the prison gate and give them a ride to their halfway house, parole officer, wherever they need to go.
The first 24 hours out can be very overwhelming for parolees.
But a friendly face like David's can make all the difference in the world.
I got worried when he didn't check in.
What do you know about this guy that David picked up, Luis Carter? COREY: There's nothing more than that.
When an inmate gets released, we only get a name.
We don't ask questions at the pickup.
It's none of our business.
This is Corey, one of our success stories turned volunteer.
Well, it looks like this Carter guy did a little bit more than share.
You think he had something to do with David's death? Yeah, I can't believe he's actually gone.
Sounds like you guys spent some time together.
Rode along with him whenever I could.
But not yesterday? I had night school.
I'm two credits away from my associates degree David, too.
Why would somebody want to do this to a guy like him? When we find this missing ex-con, we'll make sure we ask him.
How can we help? BISHOP: Well, we think he took something from Petty Officer Avila's car.
About this size.
Any idea what that could be? It's got to be David's reentry book.
He always kept it right there on the console.
- His what book? - NELLIE: David made a list of places to take guys on their first day out.
He was big on tattoo removal.
But only businesses that were run by ex-cons.
A business run by an ex-con could also hide an ex-con.
BISHOP: Who's next on the list? TORRES: Stylin' Cutz.
Barbershop.
You know, I could use a new cut.
Really? I thought you cut it yourself.
- How dare you? - [LAUGHS.]
Hey, yo.
You work here? Actually, I own it.
But I'm heading out to lunch.
Come back later? NCIS.
We got a few questions for you.
Have you seen this guy? - Nope.
- Where'd you say you were going? Lunch.
Jamaican food truck around the corner, best jerk chicken.
Yum.
Are you, uh you sure no one else is in there? Nope.
Had to let my guys go during quarantine.
Couldn't pay 'em.
Sucked, but you know the drill.
So you're heading out to lunch.
Why didn't you lock up? Um Are you sure there's no one in there? BISHOP: Yeah, hot tip.
Lying to federal agents It's a crime.
Luis Carter! NCIS! - You got me? - Mm-hmm.
[FAINT CLANGING.]
TORRES: Yo, buddy.
We just want to talk.
I'm telling you right now, I'm not going back to prison.
Drop it! BISHOP: Get on your knees! [CLANGING.]
I've told you already.
One minute David and me are talking, the next, this motorcycle pulls up and opens fire.
And somehow, you were not hit? I must have got lucky.
Or you set David up, you knew it was coming? I had nothing to do with his murder, okay? Oh.
Okay.
Guess we're done here.
I barely knew this guy! But there he was, the moment I got out of prison.
When most people would be locking their door.
He wasn't my victim.
He was my saint.
A saint you left on the side of the road to die.
David wanted me to leave! He told me, "Go to the barbershop and get some help," so I went to the barbershop.
Phone log.
You called the same number from prison every day.
Who? The lawyer working my parole.
Fancy firm.
It's pro bono.
He's hiding something.
Jack? Uh [CLEARS THROAT.]
Not necessarily.
The hostility could also be the natural instinct of the fight-or-flight response.
Or he could be hiding something.
Something on your mind, Jack? No.
I'm good.
CARTER: I know what I am to you.
Less than dirt.
Barely out of prison, and you're ready to put me back in.
But the one thing I would never do is kill the only guy who's ever shown up for me.
So have a nice day and screw you! Okay.
How about this? I'll show up for you.
Huh? GIBBS: Yeah, I show up, right here, right now, just like David did.
But you have to trust me first.
Lincoln Street Saints, Princesa.
Keep talking.
Before the shooter fired, he yelled "Lincoln Street Saints, Princesa.
" Lincoln Street Saints are a street gang.
I used to roll with 'em.
Cut ties when I went up for parole.
Why would they want to kill Petty Officer Avila? They didn't.
They were after me.
I'm guessing they think that I gave someone up to get myself out of prison.
And calling me "princess," that's just another way of saying I'm KOS.
Kill on sight.
David was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
And I'm the one with his blood on my hands.
Palmer, what do you got? Ah That Uttanasana really fires up the hamstrings.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- What are you doing? Oh, I'm squeezing in a quick yoga class.
Gibbs, I am discovering extra muscles I didn't know I had.
- What about these extra bodies? - Oh, right.
No, those aren't ours, no, no.
The D.
C.
coroner was at capacity because, uh 'Cause, you know.
Uh, so, we're all in this together, so I said yes, of course we will handle your overflow.
What about our body? Right, yes, uh, Petty Officer Avila died of hypovolemic shock courtesy of eight bullets that entered the thoracic cavity.
He bled to death.
Any broken ribs? Well, you know just about everything, don't you? Yes.
In fact, there are two fractured ribs, - probably from a CPR attempt.
- Carter.
Yeah, someone tried to save him.
Yeah.
Their technique could use some work.
I could actually give them some pointers if they came in.
- Gibbs, are we trying to - Jimmy.
Yes, Gibbs? - Jimmy - [DOOR OPENS.]
Ah, never mind.
Hey, Gibbs.
Just the man I was looking for.
So, still no hits on the motorcycle BOLO, but, uh, Kasie's done with ballistics.
What'd she find? Well, the bullets that killed Petty Officer Avila match the kind that were used in a bunch of unsolved gang homicides.
Not surprising.
So our ex-con should probably go in protective custody.
'Cause once the gang finds out that he's still alive, they're gonna try again.
Yeah, that's a good idea.
He's been tested.
Have McGee let his lawyer know, he's staying with you.
What?! Wait, I wasn't volun I wasn't volunteering.
I only have one bed and one bathroom.
I hear you.
Let's just take a deep breath together.
Okay? From the abdomen, diaphragm and chest.
[BREATHES DEEP.]
: And let it go.
Okay, I He was breathing.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
Well, it's not much, but I call it home.
Well, it's a hell of a step up from what I've been calling home the past 21 years.
Couple of house rules: No shoes, wash your hands Like, a lot And no loud noises.
Okay.
You hungry? As long as the food isn't gray.
Though, apparently, it only comes in boxes now? Here's something homemade.
My sister made these arepas.
You know, I don't know, it eases her mind to think that she's feeding me, yeah? Mmm Mmm.
So, uh Do you like puzzles? What I'd really like is to shower in private.
Ain't had one of those in since '99.
Oh, for sure, for sure.
So the shower is just down the hall.
The towels are in the cabinet.
And, uh, don't even think about using my shower puff.
And also don't think about leaving out the window.
All right.
[FAINT CLICKING.]
[FAINT CLICKING.]
Can you show me how to turn this thing on? Uh, it's hands-free.
So I don't wash my hands in here? It's, um, motion detected.
Dr.
Palmer.
I-Is everything all right? Oh, absolutely, yes.
Yeah, I'm just working late.
I had a professional question.
Ah.
Of course.
So, what's your question, before my tea gets any colder? Yeah, right.
Sorry.
Of course.
Um I have a question about a cause of death.
I have a victim who was in a drive-by shooting.
He had a myocardial rupture, which, of course, caused a massive blood loss.
Now, would I classify that death as, um, hypovolemic shock or cardiac trauma? You knew the answer to that question when you were in diapers, or close enough.
Are you sure that you're all right? Of course.
A little review never hurt anyone, right? All right, then.
Cardiac trauma is grouped by the type of injury, blunt or penetrating.
And there are a number of ways that you can approach it.
Talk to me.
Well, I've been working with some contacts at Vice, and they're gonna hopefully hook me up with a Saints informant to tell us who put the hit on Carter.
Torres check in? Yeah, it sounds like his houseguest - might like puzzles, as much as he does.
- Oh, yeah? I hope they haven't bonded too hard.
I called Carter's law firm to tell them we had their client in protective custody.
They've never heard of him.
Well, the prison call log said that he's been calling every week.
Well, he was talking to somebody there.
Yeah, no one knows who, though.
The main switchboard doesn't log where calls are transferred.
But I double-checked the time stamps, and most of the calls were placed after hours.
Well, who calls a law firm when it's closed? That is not what I am wondering.
Why was he lying to us about it? Damn, what am I smelling? We got eggs, ham and hash, on top of those homemade arepas.
Hey, that works for me.
Missing my special ingredient, though.
Where's the grape jelly? Oh, that does not work for me.
Trust me, it makes the meal.
I put this on everything when I was on the inside.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
All right, man, I-I-I'm down to try new things, but this is a little too new for me.
Alexa, any places for breakfast open now? ALEXA: There's District Diner, 1.
2 miles away on Beckett Street.
- What the hell was that? - Alexa.
A what? You-you ever see The Jetsons? Check this.
Alexa, what's on my calendar for today? ALEXA: At 12:30 p.
m.
, - there is a lunch session, with the trainer.
- Oh, crap.
- I got to cancel that.
- At 6:00 p.
m.
, there is: Watch Ice Road Truckers.
You won't believe what they can do with a big rig.
- And at 8:00 p.
m.
, there is - Alexa, cancel.
[CHUCKLES.]
So, what's at 8:00 p.
m.
? Oh, noneya.
Noneya business, son.
All right, all right, okay.
So she knows your calendar, but does she know Ghostbusters? Alexa, what happens if you cross the streams? ALEXA: If you cross the streams, you get total protonic reversal.
Nice.
[PHONE RINGS.]
Hi, McGee.
Really? Thanks.
Everything okay? No.
You lied to us.
- Huh? - About the law firm.
They've never heard of you.
M-My lawyer must've just been out the office.
Oh, really? What is his name? Are you playing me? This ain't got nothing to do with you.
It has everything to do with me.
I bring you into my home.
I risk my life to protect you.
Who were you calling? All right.
Let's go.
Where are we going? You want to play games? Well, maybe you want to play games with your little gang buddies.
I'm taking you back to the Saints.
[HIP-HOP PLAYING.]
CARTER: You drop me in Saints territory and they gonna kill me.
I'm just dropping you off at your last address.
If you have a problem with it, then start talking.
Who'd you call at the law firm? I told you.
My lawyer.
Well, that's a lie.
Which makes me wonder what else you're lying about.
Maybe you never even left the Saints.
I dropped the gang.
That's the truth.
What's the truth about the calls? You just got to trust me.
You know, I spent ten years undercover.
I know what it's like to be cut off from everyone you love, not knowing who to trust.
But at some point, you got to take the leap.
You don't know who I am.
Or what it's been like to be me these last 20 years.
I know that isolation can push you to the edge.
But if you ain't gonna be straight with me, then your protection detail is over.
I was calling my daughter.
She's 26 years old.
She works nights at the law firm.
I was calling her.
Then why lie to us? I've been thinking about seeing my baby in the real world for the last 20 years.
She just had a baby of her own.
A little girl.
I don't want to bring this mess around them.
Not on my first day out.
She doesn't know you got parole? CARTER: I might be out of prison, but until this is over, I won't be free.
All right, I got it.
But, damn, man, you made me work for that.
[ENGINE STARTS.]
Carter's story checks out.
His daughter works the night crew.
Well, there goes the one lead we had on our shooter.
What about the other homicides? Well, there's a reason they're unsolved.
Same untraceable bullets.
Tire tracks? Kasie's still working on it, but she thinks they're a dead end.
- [PHONE CHIMES.]
- Well, your chiropractor wasn't, McGee.
He had an opening.
He squeezed me in.
His hands, I oh, I have never felt better.
Oh, it is gonna be a great day, I can feel it.
Can you feel it? Hmm.
[LAUGHS.]
Seriously, I'm-I'm getting worried about him.
BISHOP: Yeah, same.
Uh, the Saints informant agreed to talk.
A sailor was killed by your gang.
Didn't have nothing to do with me.
And if they find out we're talking, I'm next on the list.
So, then why meet up? I want my drug charges reduced.
I give you intel, you talk to my parole officer.
We're all happy.
Luis Carter.
What do you know about the hit on him? BISHOP: We think it's 'cause he left your gang.
[LAUGHS.]
Yeah, he pissed off some guys when he turned his back on us, but no one's taking out an old man for that.
What makes you so sure? I know how the Saints work.
You're gonna have to do better than that.
I've been in since I was 14.
Not many girls get initiated.
These guys ain't what you call "woke.
" But they liked my hustle, used me to smuggle drugs and some cell phones to the top dogs in prison.
I know their business inside out.
And that helps us find our shooter how? The only ones they're taking out these days is competition to their new operation.
If they went after your boy, then he must've gotten between the Saints and their green.
What's the new operation? [LAUGHS.]
Ever heard of ghost guns? Ghost guns are privately made firearms, shipped in pieces and assembled by the user.
No serial number, no registration.
Near impossible to trace.
- Lovely.
- Hence the scary name.
These are the bullets I extracted from Petty Officer Avila.
The reason I wasn't able to match the rifling pattern to any guns in my database is because The gun that fired it didn't exist until it was assembled.
All right, well, whoever makes these may be able to lead us to the shooter.
Well, either way, you need to get these off the street, and fast.
I hear that.
So, uh, why are you still standing here? Well, I I need to know where to start here.
I mean, am I looking for, what, factories or industrial spaces? Not necessarily.
All you need is some basic tools, a small tool bench.
So They could be built anywhere.
Which is Scary.
[KNOCKS.]
New informant.
I need a profile.
Sure.
Uh anything in particular you're looking for? No.
I just want to know who she is.
Okay.
It's gonna take some time.
Okay.
Um [BOTH LAUGHING.]
You want to have a seat? Maybe tell me why you're really here.
You noticed, uh, Jimmy acting different lately? Well, the man lost his wife, had to grieve alone.
He couldn't even give Breena a real memorial.
Yeah, I thought in the beginning, just leave him alone, everybody just should leave him alone.
And now I'm thinking you should talk to him.
But maybe you need to talk to him, Gibbs.
If anyone understands what he's going through right now, it's you.
You planning a trip? Yeah, I guess you could say that.
Hmm.
Uh, been weighing some things Like? [EXHALES.]
Leaving.
Leaving what? NCIS.
The last ten months really have me rethinking what's important.
Well, what's important, Jack? I think it's time I slowed my life down a bit.
Got out of the city.
Maybe, uh, go to Costa Rica, open a bar on the beach, and just, uh be.
Costa Rica.
I What do you think? Um mm-hmm.
Hmm.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS.]
Yeah, we're digging into this ghost gun thing.
Hopefully it will lead us to the shooter.
You sure Carter doesn't know anything about them? Not a thing.
And I believe him, too.
He's still trying to wrap his brain around YouTube, much less do-it-yourself murder guns.
Oh, I bet.
So how's it going over there? I think Carter has discovered his inner Martha Stewart.
I'm making doughnuts.
[CHUCKLES.]
Well, if he's taking requests, I like glazed.
I'll let him know.
Hey, now that Carter's broken you in to having some houseguests, when do I get to see your apartment? Uh, hello? Oh, you're breaking up.
[IMITATES STATIC.]
Oh, man.
Uh, call me back.
Hmm.
Uh, I miss anything? [SIGHS.]
He's been like this all morning.
JIMMY: Hey, guys.
I think I have something.
Your order of extra-strength hand sanitizer arrive? You joke about that now, you just wait until you're in a strange bathroom with no soap.
No, I-I was working on the, uh, paperwork for Petty Officer Avila's murder and I found something.
It was info from his, uh, recruitment file.
Because you don't have enough to do? Uh, David had tattoos.
He had it removed before he went into basic training.
But, I mean, they made a note of it right here in his files.
And? What kind of tattoos? Right, yes, uh, thank you.
Uh, they are Saints tattoos, guys.
As in the gang.
So you're, you're saying David was a member of the Saints? Yeah, and get this: His gang alias is inked just below the tattoo.
"Princesa.
" That's what the shooter yelled before he opened fire.
They weren't aiming for Carter.
Petty Officer Avila was the target.
MCGEE: Well, looks like our golden boy wasn't so golden after all.
We spoke to a cousin who recently got back from deployment; He said Avila ran with the wrong crowd in high school.
Then fell in with the Saints, got involved in a check-writing scam, and went to juvie.
Records were sealed.
That's how we missed it.
His cousin said juvie really changed him.
And when he got out, joined the Navy, never looked back.
Saints never got the memo.
Or maybe Avila never really left the gang.
Or maybe he went into business for himself.
The informants did say the only ones the Saints were taking out is the competition.
First Day.
- The charity.
- BISHOP: You think Avila was using it as a cover to sell ghost guns? It-it would put him in touch with a lot of ex-cons.
No.
I want to talk to that volunteer.
Which volunteer? The one who was supposed to be with Avila the night he was killed.
And wasn't in the car.
Look, y'all barking up the wrong tree here.
David was like my brother.
BISHOP: Well, only a handful of people knew he was doing a pickup that night, and you were one of them.
GIBBS: Why weren't you with him, brother? COREY: I told you, I had school.
No, you didn't.
You flunked out two weeks ago.
Okay, look, I know I shouldn't have lied to y'all about this, but I know how it looks and I know how y'all roll.
David was like a brother to me.
I would never hurt him.
Multiple assault charges.
Carjacking.
You had no problem hurting those people.
Is that the guy on the motorcycle? I don't know.
He was wearing a helmet, I couldn't see his face.
What about his voice? - COREY: Look, I did my time.
- Maybe.
And David was my hero.
So if y'all think I got anything to do with his murder, you're way off base.
I'll answer any of y'all questions, but I didn't do it.
Did Petty Officer Avila have any contact with the Saints? I mean, it's kind of hard not to.
Half the business we deal with employs ex-offenders.
Any Saint in particular? Yeah.
A while ago he got into it with Marcus.
- BISHOP: When? - About a month ago.
He had just got back in from getting a haircut.
Wait a second.
You remember when I tried to smash your brains open? Yeah, good times.
Why? That metal thing I was holding.
It was a gun barrel.
I grabbed it from a pile of tools inside the barbershop.
Seemed kind of out of place next to the scissors and mousse, but I was too busy wetting myself to overthink it.
Are you saying the barbershop is the gun shop? David's last words.
I don't think he was telling me to go to the barbershop.
He was telling me who killed him.
BISHOP: Federal agents! - GIBBS: Hands! - TORRES: Well, if it isn't Mr.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken gun runner.
Don't know what you talking about.
Ain't nothing in there.
Yeah? Well, what are these? Move.
Move! You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
BISHOP: Apparently Petty Officer Avila stumbled upon the illegal gun factory during one of his First Day visits.
The barber warned him to keep quiet.
Or else.
So let me guess, Marcus decided to go for the "or else" option? Pretty much.
Kasie was able to match the motorcycle prints to his bike.
He's our shooter.
At least those weapons are off the street.
Good job, everybody.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Okay.
So, Nick, you gonna be lonely without your roommate? Gonna say, I'm not gonna lie, kind of got used to somebody else doing the cooking, but if I ever have to share my bathroom with another dude Seriously, though, I mean, it made me, um, it made me think.
I'm always so focused about, you know, trying to catch the bad guy, I never think about the other side.
Um, who are you and what have you done with the real Nick Torres? TORRES: No, I'm just saying, I mean, it's not easy to get through the tough transitions on your own.
Hmm.
BISHOP: Hey, you, uh, you want to grab a bite? There's something I need to take care of.
Rain check? Okay.
Yeah, sure.
Night.
Gibbs, you are just in time to feast your eyes on 15 pounds of weighted bliss.
I'm about to have my first good night's sleep in months.
It's not gonna help.
What are you talking about? I Y-You said you loved yours.
It's not about the blanket.
You think it's, like, the mattress? I mean, well, I-I was about to get one of those, maybe, - Sleep Number deals - Enough, okay? Enough.
Look, we both know a chiropractor or a bed is not gonna fix this, Jim.
- Look, the problem's here.
- Uh And here.
You know the stages of grieving? Yes, I know the stages of grieving.
Okay.
Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance.
Yeah.
You're stuck.
Really? How far did I make it? Denial? No way.
Or am I denying that I'm in denial? You ever get stuck? Yep.
Anger.
How long? I'll let you know when I'm past it.
[LAUGHS SOFTLY.]
So, you're telling me I only have a couple more decades of feeling like this? Feeling, feeling.
Okay, that's good.
Feeling like what? I feel like I'm going through the motions.
I feel like I'm in a nightmare.
At any moment I'm gonna wake up, and my wife is gonna be right there.
I understand that.
I mean, you know what You know There's so much that I wanted to say to her, and I couldn't the the hospital wouldn't let me see her.
So that's why I-I wrote her a letter.
[LAUGHS.]
: Good.
I listed everything that I love about her.
I mean, everything, and it was a long letter.
She never woke up.
It's good.
I never got to say goodbye.
[CRYING.]
It's okay.
She expecting you? Yeah.
Said I could stay here until I get my own place.
I'm starting my life completely over at 47 years old.
Hey, you got this.
Doesn't feel that way.
You know, sometimes you got to, you got to hit that reset button.
You ever do that? Well, I have the opposite problem.
I need to stop hitting it.
For your breakfast sandwiches.
[CHUCKLES.]
Wow.
It looks like you have someone you need to meet.
Be easy.
You, too.
Papa? - Baby.
- [CRYING.]
[PHONE RINGS.]
Hey, McGee, what's going on? Everything okay? MCGEE: Hey, Gibbs wants us back at the office A.
S.
A.
P.
Tonight? Yep.
Oh, and, uh, wear a suit.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS.]
Sorry.
Couldn't find my damn tie.
Might help if you had more than one.
Yeah, one is already one too many.
Thank you, guys.
I appreciate you coming.
- More than you know.
- SLOANE: You've been so strong.
You don't have to do it alone, Jimmy.
I don't know where to start.
[WHISPERS.]
: Read your letter, Jim.
Dear Breena, I'll never forget the first time we met.
I heard your laugh from across the room and I knew.
I never felt anything like it before, to hear a laugh and know that your life will change forever.
And then I saw you.
I was stunned.
[CRYING.]
: B-Baby, they wouldn't let me see you.
But I know that you can hear me now.