- A woman Marine sergeant, who's a bomb-disposal tech, shoots to death an intruder in her pad; Gibbs and company investigate; Fornell and another FBI member become involved. The gang find everyone and figure out everything; it all works out.
- While an intruder starts to prowl through a home, the resident, a woman Marine, Sergeant Dempsey, who's a bomb-disposal tech, shoots him to death; Gibbs and company investigate; Tony notices an inconsistency, and Abby confirms it. A phone call warns of a bomb aboard a decommissioned destroyer on display at the Navy Yard; Dempsey and others check it out; the bomb explodes and injures her slightly. McGee runs into trouble with a cellphone; Fornell and another member of the FBI become involved. Abby gives the name of the intruder, and the gang discover his background; Gibbs says that he was not a burglar. McGee and Ziva meet Dempsey's brother. Dempsey drops out of sight, but the gang find her on a farm, working with a device and a former drug dealer. Everything works out. Tony almost becomes a poster boy.—DocRushing
- A half-dressed man tries to make plans for another rendezvous with his younger lover. They hear noises downstairs. Heather grabs a gun and goes downstairs. She shoots the intruder.
In the office, Tony tries to look natural for a photo shoot for the new NCIS recruiting brochure. He doesn't exactly turn out photogenic. Gibbs comes to announces the murder of the week: a Marine shot an intruder. The PR people snap away at Gibbs as the team leaves.
At the house, Ziva learns Heather is a bomb tech (think "Hurt Locker"). Her phone rings, she's on call. There's a bomb threat on the Navy base.
Tony comes downstairs, announcing that Heather's bed looked slept in on both sides and her toilet seat was up. The intruder's finger prints have been removed - from his hands, not the surfaces.
In the lab, Abby works on lifting the serial number off the intruder's gun. There's nothing on facial recognition. They listen to Heather's 911 call. She's very calm, saying she shot someone who broke into her house. They find a man's voice talking on the phone in the background, confirming Tony's theory.
They get background on Sgt Heather Dempsey, who filed a lawsuit against the board of ed in high school when they wouldn't let her play football. She's done two tours in Iraq and has never been married. She has a brother. They don't know who the guy was.
McGee tracks cell phone calls in the area.
Ron the PR guy tells Tony he needs the cover by tomorrow but doesn't have the shot. Tony and Ziva go to find Heather at the bomb threat on the base. Tony lets the PR people tag along.
In the morgue, Duckie tells Gibbs the intruder had a liver transplant 20 years ago.
On the ship, Heather watches the bomb-sniffing robot two decks down. Tony tells her they know she wasn't alone. Heather wants to go diffuse the bomb manually and tells her guys to get the robot out. She suits up.
The bomb is in a backpack, tangled on something. She untangles it. She ignores warnings and opens it. It doesn't explode but she sees it's on a timer -- with 5 seconds left. She turns to leave. Then it explodes. She's stunned but OK.
McGee tells Gibbs the bomb was more flash than bang and Gibbs thinks it was someone wanting to make a statement.
McGee tells Gibbs he's eliminated every cell phone in the area that night but one. It's registered to the FBI.
Agent Fornell drops by Gibbs' as he irons. He brought lamb curry, which neither of them like. But he had a coupon. Gibbs asks about the cell phone. He takes one bite of the curry and throws it out. He gets cereal instead. Fornell tells Gibbs the guy is way up in the bureau, above both of them: Gary Tolan, executive assistant director of the criminal investigations division.
Fornell tries the curry. He'll be having cereal, too.
In the lab, Abby is stumped by the gun. Palmer comes for help with the body. He wants a computer search of the transplant list from 15 to 20 years ago.
Tony brings in Tolan to watch as Gibbs talks to Heather. She says she met Tolan that night as a speaking engagement and he told her he was married after she shot the guy. Tolan panicked and left.
Tolan tells Fornell he hopes no one will tell the bureau or his wife. He says he'll cooperate.
Abby reports her transplant results, narrowed down to one guy: Glover Reese. He spent 10 years in prison for attempted murder, where he got his transplant. His prints were found at the scene of two unsolved murders, both suspected to be contracts. He was a hit man.
Gibbs and Fornell go to Tolan's house. Fornell hasn't been able to reach him. His wife says he packed a bag and left a few hours ago, citing business. She has no idea where he is. She's a little concerned the FBI doesn't know where he is either.
Tony waits for Heather at her house, breaking the news that she shot a hit man. He tells her they might have to put her under protective custody. He wants to know what she saw in Tolan. She claims father complex.
The next day, Fornell brings in the cases Tolan supervised in the last five years. Police found an abandoned stolen car near Heather's house and it's in the lab. Fornell has been able to confirm Tolan didn't leave on FBI business.
Ron the PR guy brings in his handiwork, a giant cut out of Tony with a cheese-eating grin, holding up a badge.
Gibbs goes to check on the car. They found surveillance photos of Heather -- she was the target. When McGee calls her, she turns off her cell phone.
They track her to Howard rehab center.
Gibbs tells Fornell that Heather was the target, which doesn't explain why Tolan bailed. Tony still thinks they're up to something.
At the rehab center, McGee and Ziva meet Heather's brother Judd, who's in a wheelchair after getting shot in the back. He says he got caught in the crossfire of a drug war in DC. He's paralyzed from the chest down. They caught the guy, Gene Abbott, and he was given immunity for testifying against the gang. Tolan approved his deal and relocation.
Tony busts out a "Body Heat" revenge reference.
McGee has been able to confirm by cell records that Tolan had been to Heather's before. Tony thinks Heather seduced Abbott's new name and identity out of Tolan. They think she plans to kill him.
They think Abbott could have hired the hit man after learning she was after him.
In MTAC, Gibbs goes to talk to Fornell, who has Tolan with him. He tells them Heather used him and he's resigning.
Gibbs and the team go to Abbott's new home on a farm in Maryland. Heather's truck is already there. They find her standing over him in the barn. He has a bomb strapped to his leg.
Gibbs and Ziva go in. There's a motion sensor on the bomb, which has been strapped to him for a couple days, Heather explains.
Taking his time, Gibbs doesn't think they need to call the bomb squad, since Heather is there. Gibbs wants to know if Abbott put out a contract on Heather. He admits it, saying it was self-defense. A neighbor saw her snooping and got her license.
Gibbs tells Heather she doesn't want to ruin her life for Abbott. She gives Gibbs the detonator and then tells them they can remove the bomb themselves -- it's fake. She wanted Abbott to feel what her brother does every day.
Gibbs comes home to find Fornell cooking pasta puttanesca. He says he's trying to "curry favor." (Har har.) Abbott was charged with conspiracy to commit -- not covered by his immunity. Gibbs isn't inclined to charge Heather and thinks no jury will convict.
The next day, Tony's in work early, waiting to see the final brochure. Ron tells him the director's happy with it. The director wanted the imagine of NCIS to be one of authority. He takes out the picture -- it's Gibbs.
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