BLACK SCREEN
GUARD ONE: (V.O.) On your knees!
(LIGHT CLICKS ON)
INT. INTERROGATION CHAMBER – NIGHT
INTERROGATOR: (V.O.) Colonel Ryan, where is our money?
RYAN: Where you bastards will never find it.
INTERROGATOR: (V.O.) I wouldn’t count on that.
RYAN: How long do you think you can keep this thing a secret? If I found out, so will others.
INTERROGATOR: (V.O.) Then it’s a good thing we’re in Iraq. People like you get killed here all the time.
RYAN: Maybe you’re the one who shouldn’t count on that.
INTERROGATOR: (V.O.) If you’re referring to the Marines you were traveling with, they’re dead. We also intercepted the three packages you attempted to mail stateside. It’s over.
RYAN: Then at least tell me why.
INTERROGATOR: (V.O.) We all have our orders. Unfortunately for you, we kill anyone who learns about ours.
RYAN: Well, I was kind of hoping for a little more than that.
(MUSIC OVER ACTION/RYAN ATTACKS THE GUARDS)
INTERROGATOR: Don’t just stand there! Shoot him!
CAMERON: Sir! It’s clear all the way back to the entrance.
RYAN: By the way, it was four packages, not three.
(MUSIC OUT)
(THEME MUSIC UP OVER OPENING TITLE/SCENES / CREDITS AND OUT)
MUSIC IN:
INT. SQUAD ROOM – DAY
“ENIGMA”
TONY: This is my favorite part of the day. Oh Debbie, and Lisa, Lisa, Lisa.
KATE: Since when did you start giving women your work address?
TONY: Oh, since I broke up with Michelle.
KATE: The social worker?
TONY: Yeah, we had a little misunderstanding.
KATE: Like what?
TONY: Well, she was under the impression that we were in an exclusive relationship.
KATE: Imagine that! So what happened?
TONY: She broke into my apartment and filled my closet with dog crap.
(KATE LAUGHS)
KATE: Really? I knew there was a reason I liked her.
TONY: I still have her number. Maybe you two could get together and boil rabbits or something.
KATE: Not my style, Tony. I would just shoot you.
GIBBS: And that would be the reason for rule number twelve.
KATE: Rule twelve?
GIBBS: Never date a co-worker. Come on. The director wants to see us. Now!
CUT TO:
INT. MTAC ROOM – DAY
MORROW: Three weeks ago a Marine officer transporting two million dollars of Saddam Hussein’s cash was ambushed in Iraq. His driver was found dead on the scene. The officer and the cash were MIA. The officer was Colonel Lou Ryan, Agent Gibbs.
GIBBS: What?
MORROW: The FBI sent this footage of the main terminal at Washington Dulles Airport. Two days ago he was spotted re-entering the country under an assumed name. The question is why.
KATE: Some kind of classified op, Sir?
MORROW: Well, if it is, no one at the Pentagon knows anything about it, Agent Todd. The FBI believes he may have staged the ambush and taken the money for himself.
GIBBS: That’s not possible, Sir. If he’s back in the States, I guarantee he’s got a damn good reason.
MORROW: If so, it’s what I’m looking forward to hearing. You need to find him and bring him in. If he’s turned on us, it could compromise half our operations in Iraq.
GIBBS: The Colonel would rather die than betray our country, Sir.
MORROW: Oh let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. As of today, he just made the FBI’s most wanted list.
CUT TO:
INT. LAB – DAY
ABBY: (V.O.) He’s kind of cute.
TONY: So you’re into older guys, Abby?
ABBY: Sure. Dating older is a sign of maturity.
TONY: Oh. What’s the oldest you’ve gone?
ABBY: Sixty five. My biology professor. You?
TONY: Twenty six. My dry cleaner.
ABBY: Ha ha. I rest my case.
GIBBS: What do you got, Abs?
ABBY: This is from the airport surveillance video. It looks like Colonel Ryan is talking to someone, but I can’t tell who.
GIBBS: Pull all the airport tapes that match our time frame.
ABBY: I’m already on it.
GIBBS: Tony?
TONY: Ah, yeah. What’s left of Colonel Ryan’s Hummer was shipped back to Camp Lejeune last week, I can have it here tomorrow.
GIBBS: His personal effects?
TONY: Yeah, I’m checking on that.
GIBBS: Meaning you forgot. Excellent work, Abs.
(GIBBS WALKS O.S.)
ABBY: I just realized something.
TONY: Gibbs never gives me any compliments?
ABBY: No. Maybe it’s not that you’re dating younger women but that they’re dating an older man.
CUT TO:
INT. SQUAD ROOM – DAY
KATE: What’s SERE school?
TONY: Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape. Why?
KATE: Ryan served as an instructor there for three years. His O.Q.R. reads like something out of Soldier of Fortune.
(TONY SHAKES THE BOX)
TONY: What do you think is in here?
KATE: Probably some part for his boat.
TONY: No, I don’t think so. The postage is from overseas.
(TONY SHAKES THE BOX)
KATE: Tony.
TONY: He’s standing right behind me, isn’t he? (TO GIBBS) Do you want me to open this for you, boss?
GIBBS: No.
TONY: Ah, the Colonel’s personal effects are en route from Iraq. They’ll be here in forty-eight hours.
GIBBS: Anything interesting in his jacket, Kate?
KATE: Iraq hasn’t caught up with his records yet, but judging by his background, he won’t be easy to find.
GIBBS: Unless you happen to know the man. I have a pretty good idea where to look.
KATE: Where?
GIBBS: Check the sedan out of the motor pool. I’ll tell you on the way.
(KATE AND TONY WALK O.S.)
(MUSIC OVER ACTION/GIBBS OPENS THE BOX)
ON NOTE: MILLIONS BEING
SMUGGLED OUT OF
IRAQ. USED TO FUND
COVERT OPERATIONS
OUTSIDE MILITARY AND
GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT.
I’LL CONTACT WHEN I KNOW MORE.
ON FLASK:
TO LIEUTENANT COLONEL W.D. RYAN
“SEMPER FI”
GUNNERY SERGEANT L.J. GIBBS
1991
CUT TO:
EXT. CABIN – DAY
(CAR BRAKES TO A STOP/CAR DOORS OPEN/CLOSE)
GIBBS: Anytime the Colonel took leave, he’d come here.
KATE: Not exactly my idea of a vacation.
GIBBS: You should see it in the summertime.
KATE: Do all Marines build boats?
TONY: Just the ones that have been married a few times.
KATE: Why’s that?
TONY: The other ones can afford to buy one. (MUSIC OVER ACTION/GIBBS RUSHES TO THE CABIN)
(GIBBS KICKS IN THE FRONT DOOR)
(MUSIC OVER ACTION)
CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM – DAY
(SFX: DOOR BURSTS OPEN)
TONY: Clear!
KATE: We’ve got a body in here.
TONY: Blood’s not fully clotted. This is recent – three, maybe four hours.
KATE: It looks like your Colonel was interrogating this guy.
TONY: Guess he didn’t like what he had to say.
GIBBS: Colonel Ryan didn’t do this.
KATE: How can you tell?
GIBBS: Somebody stormed this place. He wouldn’t shoot the lock off his own door.
TONY: Any idea who, boss?
GIBBS: Not yet. (GIBBS WALKS O.S.)
KATE: Do you think he knows more than he’s telling us?
TONY: Come on, Kate, this is Gibbs we’re talking about. Of course he does.
CUT TO:
INT. MAIN ROOM – DAY
GIBBS: (INTO PHONE) No, that’s right. We need the MCRT vehicle and the M.E. Oh, yeah, and I’m also going to need a dog. Well then find me one. Right. We’ll be here. (SHOUTS) DiNozzo! What do you make of this?
TONY: Ooh. So you think it’s Ryan that’s wounded? That makes sense if he was in the bedroom when his company arrived. They blast the lock. Ryan pops out of the bedroom. He starts to run, takes a hit, and keeps on going out the back door.
KATE: That still doesn’t explain our body in there. Either he was already here or your shooter stopped to tie him in the chair.
GIBBS: (OVERLAP) Do you hear that?
KATE: Hear what?
GIBBS: Sounds like a… like a beeper.
TONY: It’s probably the guy’s watch.
KATE: I checked his wrists, Tony. He wasn’t wearing one.
(SFX: LOUDER BEEP TONES)
(GIBBS LOOKS UNDER THE BED)
CUT TO:
EXT. CABIN – DAY
(MUSIC OVER ACTION/GIBBS/ KATE AND TONY RUN FROM THE CABIN)
TONY: (SHOUTS) Yah! Yah!
(GIBBS/ KATE AND TONY LEAP OVER THE CAR/HIDE BEHIND THE CAR)
TONY: Are you sure it was a bomb, Gibbs?
GIBBS: Yes, DiNozzo! For the last time yes, I’m sure it was a bomb.
TONY: If you say so. D.O.D. is sure taking their sweet time getting here.
(SFX: VAN BRAKES TO A STOP/ DOORS OPEN/CLOSE)
DUCKY: Sorry we’re late. Gerald got us lost several times.
GERALD: Me?! You had the map.
GIBBS: We have our own problems here, Ducky.
DUCKY: Yeah, I can see that. The FBI take over our crime scene again?
KATE: Gibbs thought he saw a bomb.
GIBBS: What do you mean thought?
KATE: Do I really have to say it?
GIBBS: Say what?
DUCKY: Yes, Kate. Say what?
KATE: You need glasses, Gibbs. Are you happy?
(SFX: HUGE EXPLOSION)
(SFX: DEBRIS DROPS TO THE GROUND)
GIBBS: I’m sorry. I didn’t quite catch that last part.
(MUSIC OUT)
FADE IN:
INT. AUTOPSY ROOM – NIGHT
DUCKY: Oh. Well, I must say you seem to have a remarkably fine set of teeth.
TONY: Yeah, for an extra from Pirates of the Caribbean.
DUCKY: I heard that was very good.
GIBBS: The ride?
DUCKY: The movie.
KATE: You know, Johnny Depp? (BEAT) Wow. Tony’s right. You really need to get out more, Gibbs.
GIBBS: Duck, this is my only link to Colonel Ryan. I need to know who he is.
DUCKY: That’s understandable, but I’m afraid it’s going to take some time.
GIBBS: How much?
DUCKY: Well, ah… fingerprints are certainly out of the question. It would, of course, be a simple matter to match him to his dental records. Assuming we knew where they were located.
GIBBS: We don’t.
DUCKY: Is there any reason to suppose he was associated with the Armed Forces or a Federal Agency?
GIBBS: Possible.
DUCKY: Then we can run his DNA. I should be able to get a sample for analysis even from this. Although, I do remember one case in Malaysia.
GIBBS: Ducky, how long?
DUCKY: Uh… ten days. Perhaps, nine.
GIBBS: No. No. That’s not good enough.
DUCKY: Well, I don’t suppose any of you bothered to take his photograph before you ran screaming from the place.
TONY: Hey, that was not screaming. That was yelling… loudly.
GIBBS: Kate, can you sketch him?
KATE: I can try, but I didn’t get a really good look at his face.
GIBBS: Tony can help you with the recall. Nobody talks about this case unless it’s with me.
(GIBBS WALKS O.S.)
KATE: Ducky?
DUCKY: Yeah?
KATE: Did you know… Colonel Ryan?
DUCKY: Only by reputation.
KATE: Which was?
DUCKY: Professional. Driven. His work was his life.
TONY: So he was pretty much Gibbs?
CUT TO:
INT. SQUAD ROOM – NIGHT
(SFX: CELL PHONE RINGS)
GIBBS: (INTO PHONE) Gibbs. Sir, what the hell is going on?
(BEGIN TELEPHONE INTERCUTS)
(SCENE CUT)
RYAN: (V.O.) Did you get my package?
GIBBS: (V.O./FILTERED) Yes, Sir.
(SCENE CUT)
GIBBS: (INTO PHONE) I was also at your cabin.
(SCENE CUT)
RYAN: (INTO PHONE) Look, Gunny, I don’t have much time. They could be tracing this call. I have to meet with you.
GIBBS: (V.O./FILTERED) Considering you just made…
(SCENE CUT)
GIBBS: (INTO PHONE) … the FBI’s most wanted list, I agree. You need to get to NCIS as fast as possible, Sir.
(SCENE CUT)
RYAN: (INTO PHONE) Negative. That’s the first place they’ll try to require me.
(SCENE CUT)
GIBBS: (INTO PHONE) Who?
(SCENE CUT)
RYAN: (INTO PHONE) That’s kind of what I’m trying to find out, Gunny.
(SCENE CUT)
GIBBS: (INTO PHONE) You’ve got to trust me. We can protect you, Sir.
(SCENE CUT)
RYAN: (INTO PHONE) They’ve already tried to kill me twice. I don’t intend on giving them another chance.
(SCENE CUT)
GIBBS: (INTO PHONE) Where, then?
(SCENE CUT)
RYAN: (INTO PHONE) The bar where you bought that flask.
GIBBS: (V.O./FILTERED) When?
RYAN: (INTO PHONE) Tonight. Twenty one hundred hours.
(SCENE CUT)
GIBBS: (INTO PHONE) I’ll be there.
RYAN: (V.O./FILTERED) Make sure you’re not followed.
(SCENE CUT)
RYAN: (INTO PHONE) I don’t know how high this thing goes, but trust no one, Gunny.
(HANGS UP PHONE)
(END TELEPHONE INTERCUTS)
CAMERON: Do you think he’ll show, Sir?
RYAN: He’ll show, Lieutenant.
CAMERON: People change, Sir. How do we know we can trust him?
RYAN: Call it a gut feeling.
CAMERON: Permission to speak freely?
RYAN: When has that ever stopped you?
CAMERON: What if you’re wrong, Sir?
(RYAN TAKES OUT HIS GUN)
RYAN: There’s a first time for everything.
CUT TO:
INT. SQUAD ROOM – NIGHT
(KATE SKETCHES)
KATE: Damn it! I’m going to start over. (CRUMPLES THE PAPER)
TONY: Oh, god. You’re killing me, Kate. Not again.
KATE: You think it’s easy sketching from memory? I need a break.
TONY: I took an art class once.
KATE: Let me guess, it involved nude female models?
TONY: Yeah, but that wasn’t the only reason I took the class. We drew fruits or something, too.
KATE: This I’ve got to see.
TONY: I thought you’d never ask. So are you going to take off your clothes or do I just draw you like that? Ha. Kidding. One dead guy coming up. Eyes are always the hardest part for me.
KATE: Me, too.
TONY: The nose was kind of angular, right?
KATE: And flat on the top.
TONY: All right. There we go. Done.
(KATE LAUGHS)
KATE: You are so pathetic.
TONY: I never said I passed the class.
GIBBS: Done yet, Kate?
KATE: Oh. Um… I was drawing and then Tony asked if I uh… you know, I don’t think I can sketch him.
GIBBS: Yeah, I can see that. I want both of you to start trying to find out who Colonel Ryan was working with in Iraq. Concentrate on anyone responsible for finding or shipping U.S. currency in-country.
TONY: Where are you going?
GIBBS: Tracking down another lead.
TONY: Where?
GIBBS: Not here.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET – NIGHT
(MUSIC OVER ACTION/GIBBS WALKS DOWN THE SIDEWALK)
(AGENTS FOLLOW GIBBS)
CUT TO:
INT. MALL – NIGHT
(MUSIC OVER ACTION/GIBBS SELECTS AN UMBRELLA)
GIBBS: Thank you.
(GIBBS WALKS THROUGH THE DOORS)
(MEN BANG ON THE BLOCKED DOORS
CUT TO:
INT. BAR – NIGHT
CAMERON: I don’t think Gibbs should know I’m working with you, Sir.
RYAN: There was a time when you would have trusted Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs with your life, Lieutenant.
CAMERON: What if he’s followed, Sir? If we’re both compromised, who’s left to stop them?
RYAN: Okay, we split up but stay close.
CAMERON: Always, Sir.
(GIBBS WALKS TO THE TABLE)
GIBBS: Colonel.
RYAN: Gunny, it’s been too long. Here, give an old man a hand up.
GIBBS: We need to talk, Sir.
RYAN: Let’s talk while we play some pool.
GIBBS: You’re wounded.
RYAN: Not badly.
GIBBS: I need some answers.
RYAN: Yeah, so do I.
GIBBS: What happened in Iraq?
RYAN: My task force was charged with recovering money Saddam had stashed around the country. We did a damn good job. We found close to thirty million in U.S. currency.
GIBBS: A lot of cash.
RYAN: A lot of temptation. I started noticing irregularities in the accounting. And when I investigated, strange things started to happen.
GIBBS: Like what?
RYAN: My reports to higher headquarters would disappear, or be ignored. Shipments would be redirected or cancelled last minute.
GIBBS: That still doesn’t explain your disappearing act. Why didn’t you go directly to CENTCOM?
RYAN: Because someone a hell of a lot higher up the chain of command was behind it. I set up a decoy. One vehicle with two million in cash to draw them out and it worked, just not the way I intended. They killed my men and captured me
GIBBS: Who?
RYAN: The CIA? NSA? Hell, NCIS for all I know. These guys had black ops stamped all over them. They’re stealing money to fund something and they’re killing anyone who finds out about it.
GIBBS: What about the man I found in your cabin?
RYAN: Do you have him in custody?
GIBBS: He’s dead. A bullet in the forehead execution style.
RYAN: And you think I killed him?
GIBBS: Why don’t we start with who he was?
RYAN: I was trying to find out. I caught him following me two days ago.
GIBBS: How long exactly have you been in the States, Colonel?
RYAN: A week and a half. I’ve stayed one step ahead of them until today when they tried to kill me.
GIBBS: We’ve got to get you to NCIS – get this figured out.
RYAN: Have you been listening to me?! These people are on the inside. This could be anyone.
GIBBS: With all due respect, it’s not a request. We can protect you.
RYAN: I’m sorry, Gunny, but I can’t take that chance. Someone has to stop these people.
GIBBS: Colonel, you’re wounded. You’re alone – you look like hell. You’re not going to be able to stay one step ahead for very much longer.
RYAN: Who says I’m alone?
GIBBS: Give me something to work with at least. There was a video tripod in your cabin. Did you tape the interrogation?
RYAN: Yes, I did.
GIBBS: Get me the tape.
RYAN: It was damaged when they shot my place up.
GIBBS: You will be amazed what my people can do with technology.
RYAN: If you can fix this, you can prove that I didn’t shoot that man. You might find a shot of the men who attacked me. I’ll be in touch.
GIBBS: When?
RYAN: When I find out more about the people behind this conspiracy.
CUT TO:
INT. NCIS LAB - NIGHT
ABBY: We have a bit of an enigma here, Gibbs. I spent all day scanning tapes from the airport looking for Colonel Ryan. And I mean all day. And guess what?
GIBBS: He wasn’t on any of them.
ABBY: Uh-yeah.
GIBBS: Lucky guess.
ABBY: Okay, would you like to guess what I found out from the original tapes the FBI sent us?
GIBBS: It was from more than two days ago.
ABBY: Right. But can you tell me where they were from?
GIBBS: A week and a half ago.
ABBY: Did I mention that I spent all day doing this?
TONY: Do you want to tell us how you knew all this, boss?
GIBBS: The FBI lied to us. They’ve been using us to find Ryan this whole time.
(MUSIC OUT)
MUSIC IN:
INT. SQUAD ROOM – DAY
KATE: Do you think Colonel Ryan’s innocent?
TONY: Gibbs seems to think so.
KATE: The man disappears from a war zone with two million dollars. Ends up in the states under an assumed name. What’s that tell you?
TONY: He leads an interesting life?
KATE: What about the dead body we found in his cabin?
TONY: Like I said, Gibbs thinks um…
KATE: You don’t always have to follow his lead, you know.
TONY: I don’t always follow his lead.
KATE: Like when?
TONY: Like… remember that girl Michelle I told you about?
KATE: The one with the dog?
TONY: Yeah. Gibbs met her once, told me to run while I still had the chance.
FORNELL: Agent DiNozzo. Agent Todd.
KATE: Agent Fornell. Why am I not surprised to see you?
FORNELL: For the heck of it, I thought you might enjoy some coffee.
KATE: Is this the FBI’s idea of an apology?
FORNELL: Think of it more as a peace offering.
TONY: It’s going to take more than your house special blend after the stunt you pulled.
FORNELL: I thought as much. Croissant?
TONY: It’s a start.
FORNELL: Where’s Gibbs? We have a lot to talk about.
GIBBS: You’ve got that right, Fornell.
FORNELL: Do you mind telling me what you were doing in Georgetown last night?
GIBBS: Why don’t you ask your men?
FORNELL: The Colonel’s in a lot of trouble, Gibbs. Level with me and I might be able to help.
GIBBS: I have a better idea. You level with me and I’ll decide if I need your help.
FORNELL: No, it’s not going to work that way.
GIBBS: Tony, Kate, entertain our guests. Agent Fornell and I are going to have a little chat in private.
(FORNELL AND GIBBS WALK O.S.)
AGENT: I feel sorry for your boss.
KATE: And why is that?
AGENT: You obviously don’t know Fornell very well.
KATE: We’ve worked with him before.
TONY: We just don’t particularly like him.
AGENT: So you do know him.
CUT TO:
INT. ELEVATOR – DAY
(SFX: ELEVATOR DOORS CLOSE)
(SFX: ELEVATOR STOPS)
GIBBS: Tobias, you lied to me.
FORNELL: Don’t take it personally. I’d lie to my own mother if I thought it’d help solve a case.
GIBBS: Are you going to lie to me now?
FORNELL: That depends on what you were doing in Georgetown last night.
GIBBS: Colonel Ryan is not a thief.
FORNELL: I don’t really care one way or the other. My job is to find him.
GIBBS: Then that’s a problem because I do care.
FORNELL: I know you and Ryan served together. I can appreciate that. But innocent people usually don’t run.
GIBBS: They do if someone’s trying to kill them.
FORNELL: And just who is it that’s trying to kill him?
GIBBS: At this point? Maybe you.
FORNELL: Come on, Gibbs.
(SFX: ELEVATOR STARTS)
GIBBS: You had to know we’d check the tape and figure out that it’s more than two days old.
FORNELL: Sure. I just didn’t think you’d get it done that fast.
(SFX: ELEVATOR STOPS)
GIBBS: What changed? Why the rush to find him right now?
FORNELL: One of my men disappeared two days ago, just after he reported sighting the Colonel.
GIBBS: Oh. And you put me on the trail and hoped that I’d lead you right to him.
FORNELL: If it was your man, are you telling me you wouldn’t do the same?
(SFX: ELEVATOR STARTS)
GIBBS: Next time just ask for our help.
FORNELL: You don’t exactly have a reputation for playing well with others, Gibbs.
GIBBS: Well, maybe I might have been able to help save him.
FORNELL: What do you mean save him?
CUT TO:
INT. AUTOPSY LAB – DAY
AGENT: He was getting married next month.
FORNELL: We don’t know it’s Agent Carlson yet.
DUCKY: I’m sorry but I’m afraid it is. The dental records are conclusive. Our John Doe is your missing agent.
FORNELL: Now your Colonel is a murderer.
RYAN: Colonel Ryan didn’t do this.
FORNELL: And how could you possibly know that?
KATE: There was evidence of a break in and a gun battle at his cabin.
AGENT: We need to see it.
TONY: So do we. Unfortunately it was incinerated in the explosion.
AGENT: That’s pretty convenient.
KATE: Hey, all this started because you people lied to us.
FORNELL: Agent Todd, if Ryan’s innocent, how did my men end up handcuffed to this cabinet in the first place?
GIBBS: I’ll get you your evidence.
FORNELL: How?
GIBBS: Any way I can.
(GIBBS WALKS O.S.)
AGENT: Your boss is playing a dangerous game.
TONY: He doesn’t play games.
FORNELL: Well neither do we. If I find Gibbs is helping Ryan, I’ll have him charged as an accessory to murder. Let’s go.
(FORNELL AND AGENTS WALK O.S.)
KATE: He’s right. We have to do something.
TONY: Like what? Gibbs obviously doesn’t trust us enough to tell us what’s going on.
DUCKY: You don’t honestly believe that, do you? Don’t you see? Gibbs is doing his very best to protect you.
TONY: From what?
DUCKY: From being accessories yourselves. He’s willing to risk his own life and reputation for a friend, but he’s not going to risk yours.
KATE: So what do we do, Ducky?
DUCKY: You let him know that he’s not alone in his conviction.
CUT TO:
INT. WAREHOUSE – NIGHT
(SFX: ELEVATOR DOORS SLIDE OPEN)
GIBBS: Abby?
ABBY: (V.O.) Hey Gibbs.
GIBBS: What did you want to see me about?
ABBY: I’m retesting Colonel Ryan’s vehicle to make sure, but I don’t think this damage came from an Iraqi weapon system.
GIBBS: What then?
ABBY: Well, the chemical signatures are matched to an American AT-Four. It’s a light anti-tank weapon. It looks like friendly fire.
GIBBS: I don’t know if friendly had anything to do with it. Thanks, Abs.
ABBY: Uh… Gibbs?
GIBBS: Hmm?
ABBY: Actually, we asked you to come down here for another reason.
GIBBS: We?
KATE: She means us.
TONY: We need to talk to you, boss.
GIBBS: About what?
KATE: About what you’re not telling us.
TONY: We know you made contact with Colonel Ryan.
KATE: Tony lifted your cell phone while you were charging it today. You received a phone call last night around nineteen hundred from a bar payphone in Georgetown, McPhinley’s Pub.
GIBBS: You lifted my cell phone?
TONY: Borrowed. But uh… we showed your photo and Ryan’s to the bartender this afternoon…
KATE: He remembered seeing the both of you between twenty one hundred and twenty one thirty.
ABBY: Which explains why you knew Ryan had been in the country more than two days.
GIBBS: You borrowed my cell phone?!
KATE: Look, we understand the situation and we just want to help.
TONY: We can’t back your play if we don’t know what it is.
GIBBS: Let me get this straight. What you’re saying is you stole my cell phone.
TONY: I think next time we can skip the cell phone part, Kate.
GIBBS: This tape could prove that Colonel Ryan did not kill Fornell’s agent. Do you think you can find out what’s on that for me?
ABBY: All you had to do was ask, Gibbs.
GIBBS: Okay. Okay, I will try to remember that for next time.
(DOORS SLIDE OPEN)
GIBBS: Tony, touch my cell phone again, I’ll break your fingers.
(DOORS SLIDE SHUT)
KATE: You know, he really does like you.
CUT TO:
INT. LABORATORY – DAY
FBI AGENT: (ON TAPE) I don’t know anything about a conspiracy. I told you. I’m an FBI agent. I’ve never even been to Iraq.
RYAN: (ON TAPE) What about you, Lieutenant Cameron. Do you believe him? Neither do I.
FBI AGENT: (ON TAPE) Who the hell are you?
RYAN: (SHOUTS ON TAPE) We’re asking the questions! What is the money being used for?! Who is running your unit?
(SFX: EXPLOSION B.G.)
RYAN: (ON TAPE) Josh, grab the camera!
ABBY: The end of the tape received the most damage. I haven’t been able to pull much info from it. The video processing lab would probably have better luck.
GIBBS: I’d like to keep this in-house. See what you can do.
TONY: Anyone catch a glimpse of the person he was talking to off camera?
KATE: No, but he called him Lieutenant Cameron. Did you ever hear of him, Gibbs?
GIBBS: The Colonel and I used to work with a Lieutenant Cameron.
TONY: Do you think it’s him?
GIBBS: Nope.
TONY: Why not?
GIBBS: Because he died fourteen years ago.
TONY: Was there anyone in the bar with him last night?
GIBBS: Not that I could tell. Kate, run down every Cameron you can find in the Pentagon database.
KATE: You got it.
GIBBS: Abby, you and Tony transfer out the tape. I had a tough time following his line of questioning.
TONY: Where are you going?
GIBBS: Home. To think.
CUT TO:
INT. BASEMENT – NIGHT
(MUSIC OVER GIBBS LOOKING AT THE FLASKS)
(GIBBS DRAWS HIS GUN)
RYAN: There’s no need for that, Gunny.
GIBBS: You’re not looking too good, Sir.
RYAN: Looks can be deceiving.
GIBBS: I watched the tape. The man following you is FBI.
RYAN: Now you know what I’m up against. I told you, they’re everywhere.
GIBBS: Who are you talking to off camera?
RYAN: You didn’t recognize his voice?
GIBBS: Whose voice?
RYAN: Your company X.O.
GIBBS: You’re working with Lieutenant Cameron?
RYAN: Just like old times, Gunny.
GIBBS: Sir, Lieutenant Cameron is dead.
RYAN: Yeah. Yeah, I thought so too. This group has been active since Desert Storm. They tried to recruit him but he fooled them.
GIBBS: He died in my arms, Sir. You were standing right there.
RYAN: You saw what they wanted us to see. When are you going to get it?
GIBBS: I get it. You need help. I’m taking you in, Sir.
RYAN: Put the gun down.
GIBBS: No. No, I can’t do that!
RYAN: It was the second place I looked. I know it’s a shock, Jethro, but maybe you’ll believe your own eyes. Lieutenant?
CAMERON: He doesn’t look happy to see me, Colonel.
(MUSIC OUT)
FADE IN:
INT. BASEMENT – DAY
RYAN: This proof has been influencing national policy for years, Gunny, the bad intel we were fed on Iraq, the breakdown on the info prior to Nine Eleven.
GIBBS: Lieutenant Cameron was working with them?
CAMERON: More like infiltrating.
RYAN: It’s part of a small cell. We’ve been trying to trace the organization and find out who’s at the top.
GIBBS: Well, then we need help. We should go to my office.
CAMERON: Negative!
RYAN: They’d kill us before we even got close to the building.
CAMERON: The way I see it, Colonel, we’re a little outgunned here.
RYAN: Well, we’ve made some preparations.
GIBBS: What kind?
RYAN: Oh, you’d be amazed at what you can get your hands on these days.
GIBBS: Is that why you needed the two million you took from Iraq?
RYAN: What makes you think we have it?
GIBBS: They tore your cabin apart looking for something.
RYAN: Then they must have been pretty upset when they didn’t find it.
GIBBS: Well, yeah. Yeah, they were. They blew it up. Where’s the money?
CAMERON: Some place safe.
RYAN: We need to tell him.
CAMERON: I don’t know, Sir. What if he doesn’t believe us?
GIBBS: Colonel, look, you contacted me. You want my help, you have to level with me.
RYAN: No, it’s not that we don’t trust you, Gunny. The question is, are you prepared to believe it?
CUT TO:
INT. SQUAD ROOM – DAY
TONY: Gibbs is two hours late.
KATE: And he’s not answering his cell. Should we swing by his house?
FORNELL: No need. I’ve already been there.
TONY: Did you order coffee, Kate?
FORNELL: Your boss has crossed the line.
KATE: We’ll be sure to let him know the next time we see him.
FORNELL: If I were you, I’d start looking.
TONY: Why is that?
FORNELL: Because this is a warrant for his arrest.
CUT TO:
INT. WAREHOUSE – DAY
RYAN: The perfect base of operations. It’s in my aunt’s name. Nobody’s used it for years.
GIBBS: Base for what?
RYAN: To fight a war. They’re not the only ones who know how to smuggle things out of Iraq.
GIBBS: What exactly are you planning, Colonel?
RYAN: I’m planning on exposing them… by force if necessary.
GIBBS: What about the missing money?
RYAN: Half of it’s here, half at another location with the Lieutenant.
GIBBS: How long have you known he was still alive?
RYAN: Almost two years now.
GIBBS: Where is he now?
RYAN: He’s close.
(SFX: TELEPHONE BEEP TONE)
RYAN: Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Who are you calling?
GIBBS: I need to contact my team, see if they got any information out of that video tape you gave me.
(SFX: TELEPHONE BEEP TONES)
(BEGIN TELEPHONE INTERCUTS)
(SCENE CUT)
TONY: (INTO PHONE) Where the hell are you? Fornell is here with a warrant for your arrest.
(SCENE CUT)
GIBBS: (INTO PHONE) Well, that’s a good thing I’m not there then.
(SCENE CUT)
TONY: (INTO PHONE) This is serious. He thinks you’re with Colonel Ryan.
(SCENE CUT)
GIBBS: (INTO PHONE) Well, he’s smarter than he looks. (V.O./FILTERED) See if you can get Abby to pull (INTO PHONE) whatever she can off that video tape for me.
(SCENE CUT)
TONY: (INTO PHONE) What are we looking for?
GIBBS: (V.O./FILTERED) Anything…
(SCENE CUT)
TONY: (INTO PHONE) …that’ll prove that Colonel Ryan did not kill that FBI agent.
(SCENE CUT)
TECHNICIAN: (V.O.) We’ve got a solid contact.
TONY: (V.O./FILTERED) Whatever you do, don’t come back here.
GIBBS: (V.O./FILTERED) I wasn’t planning on it.
(SCENE CUT)
GIBBS: (INTO PHONE) I’ll be in touch.
(SCENE CUT)
TONY: (INTO PHONE) I just hope you know what you’re--
(END TELEPHONE INTERCUTS)
CUT TO:
INT. VAN – DAY
TECHNICIAN: We’ve got a location. It originated from the warehouse district in Fairfax, Virginia.
MAN: All teams stand by to receive intercept orders.
FIELD AGENT: (V.O./FILTERED) Roger that.
MAN: We got him.
CUT TO:
INT. NCIS LAB – DAY
ABBY: It’s not much. Most of the data was corrupt.
KATE: For all we know it could be Ryan.
TONY: If we’re going to get Gibbs out of this, we need more than a shadow puppet, Abby.
ABBY: I’ve been rendering several frames over the past hour, using a modified algorithm I snuck out of NASA on my last visit. It’s based on the Mars Global Surveyor’s ability to interpolate information from corresponding pixels so you can build a composite.
TONY: Today, Abs?
ABBY: That is very Gibbs of you, Tony.
TONY: Thanks, I’ve been practicing.
ABBY: It looks like we have a face on Mars.
KATE: I’ve seen this guy before. In the files Gibbs had us run down on units responsible for transferring money in Iraq. I think he’s a Reserve Army Colonel. Let’s roll.
(KATE WALKS O.S.)
ABBY: Looks like Kate’s been practicing too.
TONY: Let’s just hope we get the real one back when this is over.
CUT TO:
INT. WAREHOUSE – DAY
GIBBS: I need to know what Cameron’s been telling you.
RYAN: Enough to convince me that they have people in every branch of our government.
GIBBS: How do you know you can believe him?
RYAN: He saved my life in Iraq. He has no reason to lie.
CUT TO:
EXT. WAREHOUSE – DAY
(VAN BRAKES TO A STOP/UNIFORMED MEN JUMP FROM THE VAN)
CUT TO:
INT. WAREHOUSE – DAY
GIBBS: (INTO PHONE) Yeah. (BEGIN TELEPHONE INTERCUTS)
(SCENE CUT)
KATE: (INTO PHONE) We’ve got a positive ID on one of the shooters at the cabin. Reserve Army Colonel Mike Granger.
(SCENE CUT)
KATE: (V.O./FILTERED) He rotated out of Iraq two weeks ago.
GIBBS: (INTO PHONE) To where?
(SCENE CUT)
KATE: (INTO PHONE) Uh, Virginia. He owns a small business in Fairfax and he’s there now. Are you ready to write down the address?
(INTERCUT OUTDOOR WAREHOUSE SCENE)
(SCENE CUT)
GIBBS: Got it. (END TELEPHONE INTERCUTS)
GIBBS: I know who’s behind your conspiracy. We I.D.ed him off the tape.
RYAN: That his address?
GIBBS: Yeah, it is. We can pick him up for questioning.
RYAN: No, no. You don’t cut off conspiracy by taking out foot soldiers. You strike at the head.
GIBBS: No, you’ve got to trust me on this.
RYAN: Trust you? Trust you like the Lieutenant trusted you? Or have you forgotten about Lieutenant Cameron?
GIBBS: No, Sir! I have not forgotten him. I think about him every night! Have you forgotten him, Sir?!
(SFX: DOOR SLIDES OPEN)
(VOICE: “Go go go!”)
(UNIFORMED AGENTS RUSH INTO THE WAREHOUSE)
CHARLES: (SHOUTS) It’s the FBI! Put your hands in the air!
(SFX: GUNFIRE)
GIBBS: (SHOUTS) NCIS!! Cease fire!
RYAN: You set me up!
GIBBS: Then why are they shooting at me?! Stay down and let me do the talking. Hold your fire! NCIS! Cease fire!
(RYAN RUNS)
VOICE: We’ve got a runner!
(SFX: PROLONGED GUNFIRE)
GIBBS: (SHOUTS) Cease fire!!! Cease fire! Damn it! Stop shooting! We need to talk.
CHARLES: You’re under arrest.
GIBBS: For what?
CHARLES: For pissing off the FBI.
GIBBS: Get used to it.
CUT TO:
EXT. WAREHOUSE – DAY
FORNELL: Give me one reason I don’t charge you with aiding and abetting a suspected murderer right now.
GIBBS: I know where Colonel Ryan is headed.
FORNELL: Where?
GIBBS: Your men are trigger-happy, Fornell. Let me bring him in.
FORNELL: You’re not exactly in a position to be making demands, Gibbs.
GIBBS: Do you want him or not?
FORNELL: If you screw me on this…
GIBBS: I’ll consider it a bonus.
CUT TO:
INT. OFFICE BUILDING – DAY
FORNELL: What makes you think he’s coming here?
GIBBS: Granger tried to kill the Colonel. Your agent got caught in the middle.
FORNELL: Your Colonel had enough weapons and explosives in that warehouse to take out half of D.C. How high does he think this conspiracy goes?
GIBBS: That’s what he’s trying to find out.
(SFX: WOMAN SCREAMS O.S.)
GIBBS: You take a shot at him, you answer to me.
FORNELL: I can live with that.
CUT TO:
INT. GRANGER’S OFFICE – DAY
RYAN: This is the last time I’m going to ask. Who are you working for? The CIA? The FBI?
GRANGER: For ourselves.
RYAN: No! It goes higher than just your greed!
GRANGER: We risked our lives bringing down Saddam. Why shouldn’t we take a little of his money?
(SFX: GUNSHOT)
RYAN: Do you think he’ll talk if I blow his kneecap off next, Lieutenant?
FORNELL: Who is in there with him?
GIBBS: An old friend. Stay here. I’ll bring him out.
RYAN: Last chance. Who’s behind it?
GRANGER: The FBI, CIA – whoever you want. Please don’t shoot me.
GIBBS: I wouldn’t waste the bullet.
(SFX: RYAN HITS GRANGER WITH HIS PISTOL)
CUT TO:
INT. HALLWAY – DAY
CAMERON: Colonel, I told you we couldn’t trust the Gunny.
GIBBS: Put the gun down, Sir. There is no conspiracy.
CAMERON: He led them to the warehouse. You can’t believe a thing he says, Sir.
RYAN: The Lieutenant is right.
CAMERON: Thank you, Sir.
FORNELL: (SHOUTS) Put the gun down!
GIBBS: I told you to wait in the hall.
FORNELL: As much as I’d like to, I’m not going to let him shoot you, Gibbs. (TO RYAN) Drop it now!
CAMERON: This whole thing was a set up!
RYAN: But why? Why would you do that? I don’t understand.
GIBBS: Neither did Lieutenant Cameron when he died, Sir.
CAMERON: I’m not dead, Sir! I’m right here!
RYAN: I can see that, Lieutenant!
GIBBS: Lieutenant Cameron bled out in my arms, Sir. I couldn’t save him.
CAMERON: Shut up, Gunny!
GIBBS: Where is the Lieutenant, Colonel? Is he behind me?
CAMERON: I said shut up! (BEAT) Don’t do this to me. Not again.
GIBBS: The Lieutenant died a long time ago, Sir. There’s a part of you that I know remembers that.
RYAN: That’s not… no, that’s not true. That can’t be true.
GIBBS: Give me the gun, Colonel. Let me get you some help. Sir?
(VISION OF CAMERON SLOWLY DISAPPEARS)
GIBBS: Colonel! Colonel! If you want to shoot somebody, shoot me! Lieutenant Cameron died saving my life!
(RYAN COLLAPSES)
GIBBS: Colonel.
RYAN: (SOBS) I… I don’t understand what happened.
GIBBS: That’s okay. None of us ever do.
CUT TO:
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM – DAY
TOLLIN: Though it’s rare for paranoid schizophrenia to strike a man this late in life, it’s not unheard of. I’m hoping that with the right medication he can return to a relatively normal life.
FORNELL: Just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean people aren’t out to get you.
KATE: Any idea why he fixated on Lieutenant Cameron, Gibbs?
GIBBS: Yeah. Some.
(BEGIN AUDIO FLASHBACK SCENE)
(SFX: MUFFLED GUNFIRE B.G.)
GIBBS: (V.O./SHOUTS) Corpsman! Hold on, Lieutenant Cameron! You’ve got to hold on!
CAMERON: (V.O.) I can’t, Gunny. Oh, Colonel, I don’t understand…
RYAN: (WHISPERS) I don’t understand…I don’t understand… I don’t understand… I don’t understand…
(FADE TO BLACK)
(ENDING CREDITS UP AND OUT)
(ENDING CREDITS UP AND OUT)
* * * * * * * *
Prepared by C.C. Printed in USA
Calvert Continuities Aired 2/24/04
