(thunder crashes)
(”Toccata and Fugue in D minor” playing)
Hmm.
I'm not sure.
What do you think?
- He was stabbed, genius. - No, it can't be.
That's too obvious.
This is so boring. Can we please go?
We just got here. Stop being a killjoy.
(sighs)
(upbeat hip-hop music playing)
♪ Yeah... ♪
I bet he was poisoned by some rare flower extract,
but the killer stabbed him to throw us off the scent.
I have read enough Agatha Christie novels to know
that the simplest explanation is never the right one.
Wow. You cracked the case.
Fifth year of college is really paying off.
(grunting)
Yes!
Another one bites the dust.
See, this is why you're single.
Can't believe how cheesy this is.
That blood looks totally fake.
He's not faking, Sarah.
This isn't part of the show.
♪ NCIS 15x04 ♪ Skeleton Crew Original Air Date on October 17, 2017
== sync, corrected by elderman == @elder_man
♪ ♪
ROSS (over TV): And on to weather, Hurricane Molly
has been upgraded to a Category 3 storm,
with winds reaching up to 125 miles an hour.
Molly is expected to make landfall
within the next 48 hours,
as local businesses and residents
continue to make preparations.
The military has also begun hurricane sortie operations,
with ships departing Norfolk naval base
and Little Creek today and tomorrow.
(TV clicks off)
(urgent knocking)
(doorbell ringing)
Yeah!
I hear you! Hey, hold on.
Holy cow, you're a sight for sore eyes.
I went to five other houses on the block.
No one was home.
Thanks for letting me in.
I didn't.
Boy, it's really coming down out there.
We don't have many hurricanes in California.
Earthquakes, but... You know what I mean?
No. (chuckles)
Who are you?
Oh, sorry about that.
Uh, Jacqueline Sloane.
Don't worry. I'm not a weirdo.
My car broke down
around the corner, and my cell died,
and it's a whole thing.
Uh, maybe I can fix your car. Let me get my tools.
Oh, no, no, no. Please. That's not necessary at all.
It's a rental, so they'll... they'll just take care of it.
I just need a phone to call a tow truck,
and I'll be out of your hair.
D-Do you drink coffee?
Uh, yes. By the gallon.
Well, come on in. Take a load off.
Thank you.
Very much.
How long do you think it'll take them to get here?
MAN: It's backed up. Maybe two hours.
Great. Thanks so much.
You're welcome.
Looks like I'm not the only one stranded in this storm.
They're gonna take over two hours to get here.
Could always be worse.
Could still be outside.
Ah, I see you're a glass half full kind of guy.
It depends what's in the glass.
(chuckles)
Here you go.
What?
People usually comment on it.
Your flip phone?
I love it.
It's vintage.
Goes with your style.
The decor, the brick TV.
It's all kind of retro-chic.
It's very in right now.
I didn't know it went out.
Well, style is cyclical.
I have to notice these things in my job.
Are you some kind of decorator?
No. I wish.
Maybe in a past life.
In this life, I'm a doctor.
Mmm.
And what do you do?
No, wait, wait, wait, let me guess.
You are a...
carpenter.
No, no, I got it.
You...
are a cowboy.
(chuckling) (phone ringing)
Yeah, it's Gibbs.
Sure. On my way.
I got to go.
No problem. I'll just wait outside
till a tow truck comes. Why?
Stay as long as you need to.
You're gonna leave a complete stranger
alone in your house?
Yes.
I could rob you blind.
Lock up when you're done.
Thanks for the coffee.
(camera clicking)
TORRES: All right. Well, thank you.
We'll, uh, we'll stay in touch.
Okay.
That was crazy.
Butler give you anything? No. No, but, uh...
you know, he stayed in character the entire time.
(chuckles): You got to admire that kind of discipline.
This place is amazing.
Delilah and I came here last month
for their Game of Thrones theme night.
I went as Ser Jorah,
she went as Khaleesi,
Mother of Dragons.
Mother of Dragons-- mother. Get it?
What the hell did he just say?
I'm not your nerd whisperer, Nick.
Okay, look, I can get behind the whole murder mystery thing,
but the masquerade?
I just... I don't like that.
You know? I don't like when people wear masks
and they pretend to be somebody else. That's just...
that's just weird.
That's just creepy, man.
You're kidding, right?
You were an undercover agent.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
(chuckles): Okay.
It's different, guys.
'Kay? I'm not pretending to be someone.
I'm embodying someone.
It's a big difference.
You guys want to see a little demonstration?
GIBBS: No.
- Okay, maybe later. - What do we know?
Victim is Marine First Lieutenant Ethan Wynn.
25. Stationed out of Dam Neck.
He was stabbed twice in the abdomen
in the service hallway.
Stumbled into the dining room, where he lost consciousness.
TORRES: Two partygoers found him, and they called 911.
He was taken to a local hospital,
and he remains in the ICU.
The local LEOs are trying to contact the wife.
Okay. McGee, Torres, get to the hospital.
See what he knows.
Bishop, witnesses?
Well, most were wearing masks,
so no one recalls seeing Ethan beforehand.
A few guests report hearing screams,
but it was part of the show. (floorboards creaking above)
TORRES: To be undercover is like being a chameleon.
You know? You have to connect
with the character you're portraying.
You have to understand what drives them.
That's what keeps them authentic.
Know what I mean?
I stopped listening a while ago.
(scoffs) Excuse me.
Uh, we're looking for Ethan Wynn's room.
ETHAN: Get off me! (grunts) NURSE: Calm down, M
We found him. ETHAN: Let me go!
I can't stay here. Please, sir!
(grunting)
Lieutenant, relax.
I can't! I need to call the police.
We are the police.
(grunting)
Thank God.
You have to help me. I was attacked.
Yeah, we know. That's why we're here.
No. You don't understand.
The guy who did this to me took my wife.
Please. You have to find her.
Okay, guys. Go ahead.
Somebody ask me what I did last night.
Abby, what'd you do last night?
McGee, so sweet of you to ask.
So, there was a zombie movie marathon last night,
and I realized how unprepared we are.
Unprepared for what?
The zombiepocalypse.
The what now?
ABBY: I mean, think about it.
We're doing all this emergency response for Hurricane Molly
because that's what we're trained to do.
But none of us are trained
for the zombiepocalypse.
Because it's not a thing.
Not yet.
But fear not, because I have taken matters
into my own hands.
I've made you all an emergency kit,
in case the undead decide to rise, and I've put one
in each one of your go bags.
Yes! Check it out.
Hmm. What's in them?
Oh, you know, the essentials,
like a compact mirror for signaling,
and, um, a makeup palette
for any kind of camouflage needs,
and a beeper for communication.
McGEE: A beeper?
BISHOP: Like an old-fashioned beeper?
Well... yeah.
Okay, no need to thank me.
You guys enjoy.
GIBBS: Come on.
Give me an update.
Right. Our missing sailor is Lieutenant J.G. Helen Wynn.
26. A supply officer stationed
on the USS Ewing out of Norfolk.
BISHOP: According to her husband First Lieutenant Ethan Wynn,
the two were cornered
at the murder mystery dinner by a man in a devil costume.
He stabbed Ethan,
took Helen, fled in the Wynns' car.
BOLO's already out on him.
What's the condition of the husband?
Both stab wounds missed any vital organs.
Yeah, Helen's mother has been notified.
She's on her way in now.
Bishop, Torres, get on board her ship.
See what you can find out.
Uh, Gibbs, the USS Ewing
left Norfolk early this morning 'cause of the-the hurricane.
Take a helo. Go on. Get out there.
Flying to a ship at sea in the middle of a hurricane.
(scoffs): Yeah. What could go wrong?
I don't care that you're doing everything in your power.
It's not good enough.
My daughter's missing.
- Call the FBI. - We've done that.
Mrs. Belmont, I promise you all available agencies
are looking for Helen.
I told her something like this would happen,
but she just didn't listen.
You're saying you know why Helen was taken?
Of course I do.
Someone's obviously after her money.
What money?
We're Belmonts.
As in the Belmont soap empire.
My daughter is a very wealthy young woman.
Helen went against my wishes by joining the military.
I don't know what she was thinking.
She wanted to serve her country.
Oh, please.
Save it for the recruitment video.
This is not the future I envisioned for her.
Did many know about Helen's money?
I can't imagine so.
She didn't like to talk about it.
She didn't want people to treat her differently.
Even that...
husband of hers didn't find out about it
until after the wedding.
You had issues with Ethan Wynn?
He robbed me
of giving my baby a wedding.
Instead of an elegant ceremony,
they eloped at the county courthouse.
You're married; you understand.
I got married, uh, in my apartment, actually.
Rent or own?
Rent.
Dear God.
Let me make this very simple.
Whatever ransom her captor is demanding, I will pay it.
A ransom hasn't been asked.
It will.
And when it does, I will get you the money,
but I want you to bring my daughter back unscathed.
Dr. Mallard pulls these off so well,
but I don't think I have the right neck for it.
Guy at the zoo did say I have giraffe-like features.
What's wrong with how you usually dress?
This week is my first official week flying solo.
I thought that wearing one of the doctor's bowties
would make me feel less anxious about filling his shoes.
You have handled things by yourself before.
You're gonna be great.
You don't have to be an imitation of Ducky.
You just have to be Jimmy.
You know, you're right.
I am a fully capable medical examiner.
This is my opportunity. This is my chance.
This is my shot. No!
No! Please don't start singing Hamilton again, okay?
'Cause it gets stuck in my head, like, all day.
I can't help it.
It's educational and it's entertaining.
Speaking of educational,
I'm trying to learn more about Helen Wynn's abductor.
Yeah? What do you got?
Well, since there were
no cameras at the murder-mystery dinner,
I started searching through Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook
to find any posts that were taken there that night,
and I found this video.
That's Ethan and Helen Wynn at the top of the stairs.
And there, in the background, is our suspect
dressed in a devil's costume.
Now watch what devil man does.
He waits for Helen and Ethan Wynn to walk by,
and then he follows them.
And he was prepared.
That is a compact river knife.
The size of the blade matches the injuries
that Ethan sustained.
(thunder rumbling)
That's rather ominous.
(people murmuring)
VANCE: Everyone, may I have your attention?
Due to the worsening weather conditions,
I'm ordering all nonessential NCIS personnel
to evacuate the Navy Yard until further notice. Thank you.
McGEE: Boss, what do we...?
We're not going anywhere. What do you got?
I went through Helen Wynn's cell phone records.
Now, the final call she made yesterday was
to this man: Mitch Greyson.
He's a civilian employee
at the National Armed Forces Credit Union.
Logs indicate that they exchanged
a few calls over the past few weeks.
Yeah, go, check him out.
Hey, cowboy. Catch.
Boss, you know her?
Apparently not.
Congratulations. How are you?
Hi, Jack. How are you?
Were those your house keys that she just gave you?
Sorry. Norfolk. On it.
Oh. Very nice.
Thank you.
Very good to see you, Special Agent Sloane.
Can I make you some coffee?
- Yes, thank you. - You still take it the same way?
Black, three sugars, more sugar, then coffee.
Got it. You know, I got to say,
I never thought I'd live to see the day
that you would relocate to the East Coast.
Well, you shouldn't be that surprised. It was your idea.
I was always under the impression
that you would rather quit than leave California.
Oh, believe, me, I thought about it.
Well, I'm very glad that you reconsidered.
Headquarters can certainly benefit
from a skilled forensic psychologist such as yourself.
Well, I go where I'm needed.
But I have to say, I was hesitant at first.
This office does have quite the reputation.
Oh, really?
Yes. Every week, I would hear a new story
about a certain hard-to-handle agent who crossed some line,
but I'm sure that's just pure urban legend.
I'd say it's 50-50.
Yikes.
Mm. I wasn't sure
how our personalities would mesh together.
So, what changed your mind?
Like any agent worth their salt,
I did a little recon on my subject.
Really? What did you deduce?
Let's just say I'm looking forward to a new challenge.
Well, you certainly
picked one hell of a day to start.
(thunder rumbling)
Big storm coming.
You have no idea.
Jack, I know you took this assignment as a favor to me.
I appreciate it.
It's the least I could do, Leon.
I owe you.
No. That was a long time ago, Jack.
That debt's been paid.
No, it hasn't. Not even close.
Welcome to your new home, Agent Sloane.
Thank you, Director Vance.
I am looking forward to it.
(helicopter blades whirring)
(thunder crashing)
TORRES: Hey.
Is it safe for a ship to be out
at sea in the middle of a hurricane?
Safer than being in port, sir.
Feels like a ghost ship. Where's everybody else?
We operate with a small skeleton crew during sorties like this.
How many on board?
40. This way if the ship sinks,
we don't lose the entire crew.
(laughs) Got a weird sense of humor there, Smiddy.
Wasn't a joke, sir. This way.
BISHOP: Is Helen Wynn's department head standing by?
No, ma'am. Lieutenant Simoni is on leave in Japan
right now, but our X.O. is waiting to assist you.
Commander Thomas Buckner. Oh.
I knew a Tommy Buckner back in Oklahoma.
An ex-boyfriend of yours? (chuckles) Hardly.
He was one of the popular kids who made my life miserable.
I figured you more for a, uh, homecoming queen.
Far from.
I was all knees and elbows.
I spent most of my time in the computer lab trying
to avoid Buckner and his friends.
God, I hated that guy.
Well, let's not hold it against this guy
because he has the same name.
Sir, NCIS Agents Torres and Bishop.
Ellie Bishop? Is that you?
You've got to be kidding me.
No.
Now, okay, this just got really interesting.
I cannot believe it. What a small world it is.
(chuckles)
Yeah, it's something.
So, uh, how long has it been, huh,
since you two crazy kids have seen each other?
Not since high school. I mean, Scarecrow here
never showed up to any of our reunions, so...
And there's why.
So, how've you been?
I mean, you-you look great.
Being an agent certainly agrees with you.
Well, we're here on business, Buckner,
not a trip down memory lane.
(clears throat)
Of course.
Roger that.
So, how can I help NCIS today?
Well, you can tell us about Lieutenant J.G. Wynn.
Helen? Mm.
Well, she's been our services officer for the past 18 months.
She's hardworking, dedicated,
never had any disciplinary issues.
Does she have any problems with anyone on board?
No, not that I'm aware of.
Why didn't you report her U.A. this morning?
'Cause she's not U.A.
Lieutenant Wynn
wasn't slated to be a part of the skeleton crew.
What's all this about?
Helen was abducted last night.
Abducted?
Oh, my God.
I mean, you think someone on board was involved?
Well, we're looking into everything.
Time's a factor.
Yeah, I-I understand.
Um... (clears throat)
How can I help?
Uh, well, we'll need Helen's files,
crew evals and access to her stateroom.
Absolutely. Follow me.
(thunder rumbling)
Hey. Scarecrow?
(scoffs) Don't ask.
(siren wailing in distance)
Mitch Greyson?
I'm so sorry. We're closing.
NCIS. I'd like to ask you a couple questions.
Okay, yeah. Uh, you mind if we make it quick?
Base commander ordered us
to shut down operations and evacuate.
How do you know this woman?
Helen Wynn.
She handles the USS Ewing's bank account.
I'm her financial liaison.
And the multiple calls
you two exchanged over the last two weeks--
those were all banking related?
We normally speak only once a week
to schedule times for Helen to come in
and make deposits and withdrawals.
But with the ship set to deploy in the next ten days,
there's more business she needed to take care of.
So, when was the last time
you were in contact with Lieutenant Wynn?
We spoke late yesterday afternoon.
She was supposed to come by this morning to pick up some checks,
but she never showed.
I mean, who can blame her with this weather?
Why are you asking?
Is Helen okay?
BUCKNER: No way.
So you were a striker, too, huh? Oh, yeah, all-state
my senior year.
What about you?
Can't complain.
Full athletic scholarship to Syracuse.
Whoa.
Most impressive.
Yeah. No, I don't like to brag or anything.
Since when?
TORRES: Okay, so,
I-I have to know.
What was teenage Bishop like?
She was an individual.
Never really followed the crowd. Didn't really seem to care
what other people thought. It was, uh... it was refreshing.
Oh, yeah? What's up with that nickname?
Scarecrow.
Well, Bishop used to wear these,
um, oversized patchwork overalls,
and had this straw-like blonde hair.
She was never really around a group of friends,
kind of always on her own, so,
thinking back, I guess that wasn't a really nice nickname.
You think?
Look, I get it. I mean, high school kids can be cruel.
They gave me a nickname, and I hated it.
Uh... they called you “Thomas the Adonis.”
It's not exactly the same thing.
Look, that was all a long time ago, right?
I mean, look at you now. You're a kick-ass federal agent.
Very cool.
I am glad you're impressed.
Uh, look, I need to search Helen's disbursing office.
No can do. I don't have access.
You're the X.O. of the ship.
Well, disbursing is a secure space.
And DoD regulations stipulate that only Helen and her clerk
are allowed the keys, and neither are on board.
(knocking)
Excuse me, sir, there's an Agent Gibbs calling on the sat phone.
Uh, thanks.
Gibbs.
Uh, no, we haven't found anything on board.
Any word from Helen's captor? No, negative.
I mean, it's been 24 hours since she was taken.
Shouldn't a ransom have been made by now?
I don't think this is about ransom.
Boss, BOLO came back on Helen's car.
Park ranger spotted it near Lake Drummond.
Okay. Get the first helo out.
I want you and Torres
back in D.C., ASAP.
Agents McGee and Gibbs, I'd like to introduce you to...
Special Agent Jack Sloane. Yeah, we know.
We do?
Uh, nice to meet you.
McGEE: Hi.
Nice to meet y-you, officially.
You have a minute?
Nope.
Ouch.
Looks like a “fool me once” kind of guy.
This way.
Thank you.
Here you go. Put your gear on.
What are you waiting for? Let's go. Chop, chop. Come on.
Why? Are you flying the helo?
No. Just... Then chill the hell out.
Oh, my God. I just want to get off of this ship
and as far away from Buckner as possible, so...
Yeah, you know what? I meant to talk to you about that.
You're being kind of rude to the guy.
(laughs) I was rude to him?
Yeah! He's kind of a cool dude, man.
You know, he's saying the nicest things about you.
I think you got the guy all wrong.
Okay, “man.” The guy is playing you.
Believe me, it is all an act.
Okay, maybe he was an ass as a kid.
High school was a long time ago.
You got to get over it.
You know, that is easy for you to say.
Y-You were a-a popular jock, like Buckner, okay?
You have no idea what it was like to be mocked
and laughed at every day. A-And the only reason
Buckner even let up was because of my brothers, so...
What'd they do, break his leg?
No, two of his fingers.
Wish they were here now.
Hey, look, Bishop, I'm sorry.
I'm not trying to be insensitive about it, okay?
It's just, I can tell that he bothers you.
Why don't you go up to him, go talk to him.
Tell him. Tell him how you feel.
I don't want to talk about this anymore, okay?
Just want to get off of this ship!
(door opens)
(thunder crashing)
Hey. Uh, is the helo ready yet?
Uh, I'm sorry, ma'am.
Sea conditions have deteriorated.
All flight ops have been cancelled.
For how long? Until the storm passes.
I'm afraid you're both stuck on board for the time being.
McGEE: Deputies secured the area.
No one's been in or out since we got the call.
It's a closed access road, very off the beaten path.
Not a lot of foot traffic.
Whoever dumped the car knew the area.
Yeah, I used to come here as a Webelos, boss.
There's a, uh, a weather station about a half mile up the ridge.
Maybe we'll find Helen there.
We already did!
JIMMY: I might not wax poetic as well as Dr. Mallard,
but I can assure you my work is just as thorough.
(knock on door)
Ah, Agent Gibbs. Right on time.
I don't mean to disappoint you.
Sorry to interrupt.
I'm Special Agent Jack Sloane.
As in Jack Sloane, doctor of forensic psychology?
- Mm-hmm. - Oh, Dr. Mallard's talked about you.
He's a big fan of your work.
Ah, you must be Dr. Palmer. From what I hear,
he's a big fan of your work, as well. Me?
(chuckles) I don't know about that.
Well, think about it.
Would Dr. Mallard entrust his job with just anyone?
Point taken, yeah.
Care to show me what you got?
Certainly, yes.
Our victim here is Lieutenant...
Agent Gibbs,
I was just about to go over my findings.
By all means.
Awkward silences make me extremely uncomfortable,
so I'm just gonna keep talking.
Lieutenant Wynn's cause of death
was blunt force trauma to the head.
Now, judging by the size of the wound
and the moss-like debris inside of it,
I would say she was hit with a large rock.
Time of death? Between 3:00 and 4:00 a.m.
the night she was abducted.
(clears throat)
Sorry. Tickle in my throat.
What else?
I found some fibers under her fingernails.
Now, Abby has since confirmed that it's red nylon,
probably from the killer's devil costume.
GIBBS: She fought back.
(clears throat)
Anything you'd like to add, Jack?
No. It's your... rodeo.
But if you really did want to hear my professional opinion,
I'd say that murder wasn't the killer's original intent.
If so, he would have used the knife
he stabbed her husband with; instead, he uses a rock.
Look at this. See how he ties her hands?
They're bound in front, not in the back,
which is a better stress position.
And he ties a cloth around the rope?
He wanted to make her comfortable.
Pretty considerate for a killer, wouldn't you say?
Okay, so if he didn't want to kill her, why did he?
Something must have happened and he panicked.
Maybe Helen figured out who her captor was.
You think they knew each other?
I think it was more than that.
Your suspect had feelings for her.
Maybe even loved her.
Know anyone who fits that bill?
ETHAN: What is wrong with you people?
First you tell me my wife is dead,
and then you accuse me of killing her?
You don't even have an alibi.
I was in the ho... (groans) I was in the hospital.
No, you weren't.
You signed an A.M.A. and you left at midnight,
giving yourself plenty of time to kill your wife
and dump the car.
I left the hospital that night to go out and look for Helen.
You have to believe me.
Oh, no, we don't.
Not if you keep lying.
Divorce papers your wife had her attorney draw up.
Oops. Bet that slipped your mind.
ETHAN: Look, six months ago,
we decided to take some time apart.
We both started seeing other people,
but we soon realized how much we still loved each other.
We got back together two weeks ago.
Okay. So Helen postpones the divorce, she dies.
You inherit her millions; that's convenient.
Give me a polygraph, take my DNA, do whatever you want.
I didn't kill my wife, and whoever did is still out there.
McGEE: You said you were seeing other people.
Who was Helen dating?
One of her coworkers.
She said things got a little uncomfortable at work
when she broke things off with him.
She wouldn't tell me who it was, but I had my suspicions.
Who?
Her X.O.
Commander Buckner.
That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.
That's not an answer, Commander.
No, I'm not dating Lieutenant Wynn.
Why would the husband think you were?
I have no idea. Ask him.
TORRES: Did. He said you spent a lot of time together.
We did. We were on the same ship.
Okay, enough! I'm sick of your crap, Buckner.
Just stop lying to us.
I'm not lying to you, okay? Helen and I were just friends.
Executive officers aren't friends
with their junior officers.
You were her boss.
So what was going on between you?!
Nothing!
(man speaking indistinctly over P.A.)
(thunder rumbling)
You really haven't changed at all.
You were a bully in high school, and you still are.
So, tell me, what's the matter?
Your-your fragile ego couldn't handle getting dumped?
Hmm? Helen used you, rejected you,
and you had to do something about it, didn't you?
That's why you killed her.
Killed her?
Helen's dead?
Um... (clears throat)
Uh, I don't know what to say.
We need details, Commander.
After, uh...
After Helen and her husband separated,
I could see she was going through a tough time, so...
I just wanted to give her some guidance.
Because you're so wise?
Because I've been in her shoes.
Mm.
I went through a divorce last year,
and I know how tough it can be.
Ten years of marriage,
and then it just... all fell apart.
I didn't want Helen to make the same mistakes I did.
Were the two of you ever romantically involved?
No.
I would never
cross that line.
You must really despise me
to think that I'm capable of murder.
You know, whatever it is I did to you in high school,
I'm truly sorry.
But I'm not that guy anymore.
Any word from Bishop or Torres?
Radio silence.
The storm's knocked out all lines of communication
with the USS Ewing.
I've been hailing the sat phone,
but there's no answer.
All right, keep trying.
Yes, sir.
Why is it that everywhere I go, you go?
Must be a coincidence.
Rule 39: there's no such thing as coincidence.
I don't believe in absolutes.
Something I can do for you?
Yeah. Stop following me.
You have a rule about being paranoid, too?
I was here first, so if anything, you're following me.
But I'll let it slide this time, 'cause I'm nice like that.
What about your stunt at my house?
Oh, well, that's a different story.
To really understand what makes a person tick,
you have to interact with them on their home turf.
Yeah, or you could just ask.
What's the fun in that?
I don't like games.
And I don't like people lying to me.
Then we are off to a bad start.
You want in on my cases, you need to come through me.
No, actually, I don't.
I answer to Director Vance, not to you.
Hey, look,
I'm not...
trying to step on any toes here.
My job is to provide insight to help solve cases.
Whether you decide to utilize my expertise
or not is up to you.
You may not understand my methods,
but they work.
I wanted to see what kind of man you are.
And what I saw is someone who is driven to help people,
even at the expense of himself.
And I asked myself,
“Is this a person I can work with?”
And the answer was, “Hell yes.”
So, give it a chance, Gibbs.
You'll like having me around, I think.
Why is that?
'Cause you enjoy a good fight.
(door opens, closes)
Abby, hey, got your message.
(whispers): Be very quiet.
What are we whispering about?
(thunder rumbling)
I don't want to disturb the power gods
while I'm running a database search.
You found DNA?
Well, yes and no.
The fibers that Jimmy pulled from underneath
the victim's fingernails, they had trace amounts of DNA.
But I ran it through the system, and I got nothing.
So that rules out the husband.
The juicy stuff ended up being from the vehicle.
Exhibit A,
her car key.
It was left in the ignition.
Exhibit B...
...my keys.
Notice a difference?
You're a key hoarder.
Each one of them has a purpose.
You know? Like your car and home and office,
church, bike, coffin.
I could go on.
The point is, no one has just one key.
Killer must've taken it off the ring.
Which would be pretty much impossible
if you were wearing gloves.
So, I dusted the key for prints,
and that is what I'm running through the system right now.
Okay, how long until...
(beep) ABBY: Oh!
I'm so good.
Okay.
So, the print belongs to
Petty Officer Third Class Joe Smiddy,
and he is on board the USS Ewing.
Isn't that... That's the same ship
that Bishop and Torres are on.
They're on board with the murderer,
and they don't know it.
What are you waiting for, McGee? Call them.
I can't.
The hurricane has knocked out all the ship's comms.
And with no answer on the sat phone,
I can't get in contact with anyone
until the storm blows over.
That could... be hours.
That could be days.
(thunder rumbling)
Still no answer from the USS Ewing.
Sat phone signal's strong, but no one's responding.
Call base ops. We're flying out there.
The storm's starting to pass, but, boss, we can't.
Air traffic's grounded. No one's getting on board
until it's moved farther away.
Well, that's just not good enough, McGee.
I know. So I think I figured out a way
to get word to Bishop and Torres.
The zombiepocalypse.
What is that?
It's a survival kit
that Abby packed in our go bags.
Each one contains a beeper.
Now, beepers work off satellites.
Don't know if they're powered on or not, but it's worth a try.
Yeah, go, go.
Hey, Buckner, have you seen the sat phone?
Torres and I have been looking for it everywhere.
Buckner?
Uh... (clears throat)
No, I, uh... I haven't seen it.
You okay?
(sighs)
You seriously just ask me that?
Look, I'm...
I'm sorry for how I broke the news about Helen.
I know it was harsh, but I just...
I had to see if you were telling the truth.
I trained for a lot of things.
This was not one of 'em.
Death is... never easy.
Death is one thing,
murder is... quite another.
How do you let that go and move on?
(sighs)
I had a...
a friend who was killed a few months back.
And, uh... getting through it wasn't easy.
Force yourself to get up in the morning,
get through the day, and...
eventually, life starts to suck a little less.
You know, I miss being a kid
and not knowing how screwed up the world really is.
Yep, there is a lot of bad out there.
It's why I do what I do.
I wanted to be a part of making things right.
Sounds like why I joined the military.
You know, I-I don't blame you
for holding a grudge.
I was an ass in high school.
You know, the truth is, you, uh...
you always kind of intimidated me.
Still do.
Bishop. Just got word from McGee.
You found the sat phone?
(beep) No, he sent a message on this.
Hmm.
They found Petty Officer Smiddy's print
at the crime scene.
Smiddy? That doesn't make any sense.
He's an engineer. He hardly had any contact with Helen.
Why-why would he want to kill her?
Well, let's find him and ask.
Wait, why would Smiddy come to the ship after killing Helen?
There has to be a reason.
I mean, he must be after something on board.
You said Helen was one of two people
who had the keys to the disbursing office.
What if this was about getting access to the ship's safe?
Yeah, and with a skeleton crew on board,
that's fewer witnesses.
How much money's in there?
Pre-deployment?
Close to $300,000.
I was just, uh...
What, sleepwalking?
Drop that.
Should've stuck with robbery, Smiddy.
You'd be looking at 15 years in prison
instead of a life sentence for Helen Wynn's murder.
Whoa, I didn't kill anybody. (handcuffs click)
Okay, my job was just to break into the safe
and get the money-- that's it.
Then how did Helen end up dead?
I don't know.
M-My buddy's the one who planned this whole thing, okay?
He was supposed to hold Lieutenant Wynn
until I got back with the cash, and then,
once we got out of town, he was gonna call the cops
and tell them where she was.
He promised me no one would get hurt.
He lied.
Does your friend have a name?
(helicopter blades whirring)
(grunts)
McGEE: Morning.
Agent McGee.
Much better weather today.
Looks like we're through the worst of it.
Uh, you're not.
Excuse me?
You were dating Helen Wynn.
(chuckles) We went out to dinner a couple times
during her separation.
It was no big deal.
Ah, it was more than that, Greyson.
You were in love with her.
But then she dropped you and went back to her husband.
You found a way to get even
and make a whole lot of money in the process.
You didn't anticipate Helen figuring it out.
That's when you panicked. That's when you killed her.
Look, I'm not saying another word without a lawyer.
See, that's the best part, actually.
We don't need a confession, 'cause Petty Officer Smiddy
already gave you up.
And there's the killer's DNA
that we found underneath Helen's fingernails.
You want to bet that that matches yours?
(man speaking indistinctly over P.A.)
Helo's fueled and ready. You're good to go.
All right, thanks.
Let's go.
Hey, uh, thanks again for your help.
I should be thanking you.
You guys got Helen justice.
I'm extremely grateful for that.
Well, she was lucky to have you looking out for her.
Yeah, well, I'm not sure it did any good.
Believe me, it did.
(helicopter blades whirring)
I wish it was under very different circumstances, but...
I'm glad our paths crossed again.
You know what, me, too.
(chuckles)
Take care of yourself, Eleanor.
Keep fighting the good fight.
You, too.
Hey, uh, Thomas.
Drop me a line when you get back from deployment.
Can grab a coffee, catch up.
Count on it.
(phones ringing)
(elevator bell dings)
Ha.
What were you saying about coincidences?
(exhales)
I'm not stalking you, by the way.
Just headed down to the gym.
Care to join me? No.
Mm-mm.
(chuckles)
(elevator stops)
Something I said?
When I showed up at your house the other day,
you knew who I was the whole time, didn't you?
Not the whole time.
How long did it take?
About 30 seconds. Ouch.
What gave me away?
Flashed your license like a cop does a badge.
Mm.
(elevator starts)
And Ducky mentioned there was a new forensic psychologist
coming in from California.
So why didn't you call me out right then?
I wanted to know what kind of person you are.
Gonna take you a long time to figure that out.
Yeah. We'll see.
We'll see. (elevator bell dings)
(doors open)
Special Agent Sloane.
Special Agent Gibbs.
♪ I'll smile, I know what it takes to fool this town ♪
♪ I'll do it till the sun goes down ♪
♪ And all through the nighttime ♪
♪ Oh, yeah ♪
♪ Oh, yeah, I'll tell you what you want to hear ♪
♪ Keep my sunglasses on while I shed a tear ♪
♪ It's never the right time ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
♪ I'll put my armor on ♪
♪ Show you how strong I am ♪
♪ I'll put my armor on ♪
♪ I'll show you that I am ♪
♪ I'm unstoppable ♪
♪ I'm a Porsche with no brakes ♪
♪ I'm invincible ♪
♪ Yeah, I win every single game ♪
♪ I'm so powerful ♪
♪ I don't need batteries to play ♪
♪ I'm so confident ♪
♪ I'm unstoppable today ♪
♪ Unstoppable today ♪
♪ I'm unstoppable today. ♪
== sync, corrected by elderman == @elder_man