Original subtitles

Agent torres, would you mind staying behind for a moment?

- Director? - You got your wish, agent knight.

Elite just got orders.

There's a wanted fugitive you'll be tracking.

Finally.

This one hits a little close to home.

Details to follow from your C.O.

Until then, this stays between us.

Do you know what's dumber than running ops

from a bombed-out basement?

Don't say "two people typing on the same keyboard."

Two people typing on the same keyboard.

I warned you that book would melt your frontal lobe.

It's the only thing down here that isn't classified.

The author has two characters practically holding hands

while hacking a missile silo.

How could the boss read this unrealistic crap?

Okay, rude, and... It is technically possible.

Remap the macros, assign key clusters...

left side, right side. Perfect for emergencies.

What kind of nerd would do that?

Only the best.

At your service.

Is that the last klowny kake?

Could've been.

Those are the boss's favorite.

When she finds out, we're all dead.

We're already in a war zone.

- Exactly. No need to escalate. - Heads up.

Shut it down. We need to move.

- Let's get to the Van. - Why? What happened, boss?

We've been burned. Let's go. Come on.

Before they find us.

Wait. Does this classify as an emergency?

Let's dance.

Come on, let's go.

Get down.

Shut it down!

Patricia, let's go! Come on!

Patricia.

Where is it?

Yes.

That's so good.

Come on.

Sup, Carl?

Chairman meow.

You don't live here, man.

How'd you get in?

Eleanor bishop vanished almost

five years ago, after she was found

to have leaked classified intel.

Bishop disgraced herself and the badge.

I hate to interrupt, Ms. Marsh,

but I think the DoD is leaving out a few details.

Agent bishop burned her identity on purpose

to go deep cover on a U.S. black ops unit.

You're well-informed, agent knight.

For five years, bishop was one of our best assets.

Ran a covert cyber team in regions

the military can't officially operate.

Until six months ago,

when their field base was ambushed in Ukraine.

Team went dark, no contact since.

- Casualties? - Unconfirmed, agent Amari.

But soon after, highly targeted data breaches began.

Classified intel tied to U.S.-Russia relations

was stolen, all traced back

- to bishop. - Agent bishop is a covert operative.

There must be protocols.

- A way to get in touch with her. - There are.

- She's ignored them all. - You think

bishop was captured?

Forced to steal that intel?

Or she's doing it willingly because bishop's been turned.

DoD has proof that she's a traitor?

We have proof that she's now back on U.S. soil.

Bishop must be found and apprehended.

Knowing bishop is targeting classified intel,

DoD has deployed digital bait.

Decoy files loaded with tracking software.

She opens one, we get a ping.

And when that happens, we move.

Any questions?

We'll be in touch.

Dismissed.

Agent knight.

- Something to add? - You could say that.

I already spoke to your director.

He's expressed your doubt about elite's target.

Agent bishop isn't just a target.

- She's family. - Former agent bishop.

And from what I hear, you barely knew her.

True.

But some of my team worked with her for eight years.

I'm aware.

Keeping this mission from them won't be easy.

And frankly, I assumed you'd want me off.

On the contrary.

I'm the one who fought to make you mission leader.

Who better to keep eyes on agents McGee and torres?

You think she'll make contact.

You said it yourself. She's family.

And when she makes contact, it's your duty to report it.

Perfect timing.

DoD cyber just confirmed

one of our decoy files was downloaded tonight.

Now it's just a matter of time.

Bishop will be caught.

The only question is whether you'll be

leading the charge or updating your résumé.

Okay, I am literally not even in the building yet.

Which is why I'm calling now, to get ahead of the game.

Parker's been dodging my supply order

for two fiscal quarters.

Yeah, because it costs more than my car.

All right, look, Parker just buried his mom, all right?

He's taking a few days off.

I said that I would cover for him,

not green-light enough funding for you

to build a second lab.

So that's a maybe?

Kasie, I got to go.

Looks like Nick is having a weird morning.

Hey. You know we, we got a lobby

- right there with heat. - Yeah.

But this couldn't wait, okay? This is, sensitive.

Have you seen this before?

- The hell am I looking at? - I mean, it's fake, right?

I mean, I've never touched a doughnut in my life.

Well, technically, that's a fritter.

And if I remember correctly, you were hypnotized.

What now?

Y-Yeah, we had the murder case with the hypnotist,

you were the test subject, and allegedly,

you demolished an entire apple fritter.

- Allegedly. - In three bites.

I wasn't there, but bishop told me the story.

- Bishop? - Yeah.

She told me she had taken a picture.

Never seen it till now, though.

Where'd you, where'd you find it?

Hey.

- Hey. - Been looking for the two of you.

Hey, just in time for Nick's doughnut dilemma.

- It's nothing. - Good, because

what I have to say isn't.

As of last night, NCIS: Elite has orders

to arrest Eleanor bishop.

Bishop? You serious?

I wish I wasn't. DoD's labeled her as a wanted cyberterrorist.

- Based on what? - Can't share any specifics.

Technically, I'm not even supposed to be saying this much.

Whole op is classified.

You're risking your spot in elite?

I have a feeling I'm risking a lot more than that.

But I wanted you to hear it from me

and not read it on the arrest report.

And I'd rather you keep your job.

If someone's gonna go after bishop,

better it be someone that we can trust.

Right?

You and bishop were close.

Hey. Do what you have to do, Jess.

Well, that was brief.

Nick's having a weird morning.

Six months ago, you brought me in and told me that

bishop's team was hit in Ukraine.

No one had heard from them.

I knew that you and bishop were close.

So were McGee, kasie and Jimmy.

You didn't call them in.

You think I was fishing.

Trying to find out if you and bishop had been in contact.

I wasn't.

But now that you've brought it up...

- are you? - If I was?

Well, it would certainly complicate things.

As a federal agent, you're obligated

to report any contact with a wanted fugitive.

But as a former teammate and a friend,

seeing her again would stir up things

that you thought were buried.

Not buried.

Gone.

Sounds like you've already made your choice.

- Director Vance. - Thank you.

And not a moment too soon.

A decoy file was just opened.

Elite has bishop's location. They're mobilizing.

I could make a call, agent torres.

Get you looped in.

Don't bother, sir.

We're no longer partners.

I'm done.

I know that look.

Nick.

What's wrong?

There's nothing's wrong.

It's just that everything is very...

very right.

What about rule 12?

"Never date a coworker"?

I can keep a secret.

From Gibbs and everyone else but never from each other.

Never from each other.

- What the hell, Ellie? - I mean, if we worked, like,

regular nine-to-five jobs, things could be different.

I get that.

What I don't get is why would you leave

without saying a word?

I didn't mean for us to happen.

Goodbye, Nick.

Hey, Nick, wait up.

Thank you. Hey.

- Hey. - I don't know if you heard.

Elite has got a lead on bishop's location.

Hey, McGee, I'm gonna head home, man.

Not feeling well.

All right, well, feel better, man.

Yeah. Thanks.

Decoy file still active. Go.

Fan out.

- Holding. - Moving.

Bishop was here.

One casualty.

Unidentified female.

All's clear. No sign of bishop.

We adding murder to her rap sheet?

What up, Carl?

Last night all I got was a photo.

I wasn't sure you were ready to see me.

I'm not.

Hey, Nick.

You shouldn't be here.

I was hoping we could talk.

We can't. You're wanted.

I have to report you.

Hey, we've been through a lot.

Okay, just let me say one thing, okay?

Your neighbor's cat is about to eat Carl.

What?

Really?

Get off me.

Sorry, Nick.

Okay.

Before you say anything, this was not plan a,

but you weren't exactly open to a conversation.

Now you don't have to choose between trusting me

or betraying the badge.

Now you have to listen.

I'm not working for the Russians.

Yes, I have been stealing DoD data

but not for the reason that they think.

You broke into my place twice.

- You got a reason for that? - The first time

was for your laptop.

I needed your clearance to pull files quietly.

Well, it didn't work. The file was a decoy.

I passed that to one of my teammates.

- Sucks for them. - They're good people.

W-We were doing good work

until six months ago when we were ambushed.

Well, I know what that's like.

Look, no one knew where we were.

No one.

Only our DoD handlers, so someone sold us out.

- Then blow the whistle. - I can't.

Not until I know who I can trust.

That is why I came back a second time, Nick.

I trust you.

You have a funny way of showing it.

And now... I'm tied to a chair.

You're bleeding.

Annie polk.

Ex-analyst at CIA. Disavowed four years ago.

Dropped off the map only to join a covert cyber team.

Our dead body has a familiar story.

Repeat of bishop's.

- Turns out, they were teammates. - Never easy losing one of those.

Poor Ellie.

Well, for now let's just focus on poor Annie.

Poor Annie indeed.

Cause of death was a cervical fracture.

Her neck snapped clean, but as you can see,

there's no bruising, there's no defensive wounds.

- She never saw it coming. - Odd, considering that she had

the same covert ops training as bishop.

Which means the killer was likely someone Annie trusted.

A friend. Colleague.

A teammate?

You don't think that bishop... No, of course not.

- But... - But maybe don't finish that thought?

Yeah.

Okay. New thought.

You were around back then.

Was ellick real?

Ellick. Or was it Nellie?

You know.

Nick/ellie?

That-that is really not my place to say.

So that's a yes.

Why does everybody come to me for the gossip?

Because you always know the gossip.

And, look, I get it. I'm not judging.

Lines blur. Partners become... partners.

Are we still talking about torres and bishop?

Obviously.

But it's complicated, right?

Someone you once cared about suddenly shows up with a...

Body count?

Yeah. Poor Nick.

He's having a really weird day.

Yeah. I keep hearing that.

You wouldn't happen to know any gossip

about Nick and a, doughnut dilemma?

Okay, just hold still.

It's just rubbing alcohol.

This might sting.

You know, I got sober three years ago.

Figure you'd be the one to get me back on the bottle.

I know that look. What's wrong?

What's wrong?

No, everything's great. Look at this.

Look at this.

Peachy.

You're not angry I'm here.

You're still angry I left.

- You don't know that. - Well, I know you,

and you were always really bad at hiding your feelings.

You really are a romantic, aren't you?

Still looking for closure.

All done.

I'm not looking for anything.

I want my freedom.

- And some cashews. - My god.

Still with the cashews?

You? You're gonna judge my-my snack choices?

Okay, well, I left because I had a chance to push myself.

To matter in a different way.

- Well, that was clear five years ago. - Because it's true.

Yeah, but it's not the whole truth. It's an excuse.

- You don't know that. - I know you.

And I know when you're holding back.

Fine. Then tell me what you want.

I want you to be honest with me!

I want you to tell me why you really left.

I have to take this.

And you need to stop working those zip ties.

Jonathan lin,

cybersecurity expert, part of bishop's team,

now missing.

Patricia kovach, Ukrainian intel,

was killed in the ambush six months ago.

- And you know this one. - Annie polk.

- The woman in autopsy. - This is bishop's entire team.

Three names, three faces, all gone.

- It's like they're being hunted. - Exactly.

No-no hits on the who, but I might know the why.

Bishop's team made waves.

Took down disinformation networks,

rebuilt digital infrastructures, saved countless lives.

So, bishop's team were the good guys.-

speaking of good guys, I need one to sign that supply form.

Very routine, wildly boring.

Quantum optics conference?

Kasie, this isn't a supply form, this is a travel request.

Light. Matter. Reykjavík.

Wait, the conference is in Iceland?

Well, I would be the only U.S. representative there.

Think of the optics.

You know, I'm pretty sure Vance is,

focused on other optics.

You know, like bishop's manhunt.

My manhunt.

Erin marsh, DoD.

This case may now be a homicide investigation,

but bishop is still the target.

- Target? - Where are we?

The recovered laptop belongs to Annie polk,

former CIA encryption specialist.

Which means I can't crack it yet.

But we are working on it.

Is that your whole update?

No. No. Certainly not all.

Okay, toxicology came back on Annie's blood work.

Look at that right there. Succinylcholine.

Surgical paralytic. Fast-acting, usually injected.

But there were no injection marks on Annie's body.

Well, however it was delivered, it would explain the lack

of struggle before her neck was snapped.

The killer had covert ops training.

Like bishop.

Excuse me?

What kasie meant to say was:

Bishop is not a cold-blooded killer.

But I might be if people keep trash-talking my bish.

That's sweet.

But five years is a long time.

People change.

Sometimes into someone you don't recognize.

You should leave.

Get a head start.

Disappear.

You're good at that.

You hear me?

I was scared.

What?

Back then I didn't tell you I was leaving

because I was afraid.

I was afraid you'd ask me to stay.

And I was afraid I'd say yes.

That's the whole truth.

That call.

What was it?

Annie's dead.

One of my team. And it's my fault.

No, you were right. I-I gave her the decoy file.

I put her in danger.

I lost Patricia six months ago.

Now Annie.

Jonathan's the last one, and...

He won't even tell me where he is.

I brought them together. They were my team,

my responsibility, and now they're all being hunted.

I already lost one team when I left NCIS.

I can't lose another.

I need your help.

Hold that thought.

Someone's here.

Hey, quick. Uncuff me.

There's no time.

What do you mean there's no time? Wait.

Jess?

Nick?

I can explain.

Boy.

No, no, no, stop, stop, stop.

Watch out for Carl!

Knight! Bishop!

Stop it. Stop it!

What are you doing here?

I came to talk to Nick.

So you tied him to a chair?

Stop.

He was being difficult.

Yeah. That tracks.

We done?

Yes, we are done.

Can you uncuff me now?

I hope that chair wasn't a gift, Nick.

You didn't tell me Jess was coming.

I didn't know Jess was coming.

I only came because I found out about the fritter photo.

When were you gonna mention who left it?

Look who's keeping secrets now.

- Hey, this is not about me. - No, it's about her.

Your team's being hunted, which means you're next.

Come in and we can help you.

There's a mole. I show my face now,

we lose any shot at finding them.

Yeah, that tracks, too.

Guess you're the swing vote.

Bishop is right.

If we come in, we don't know who to trust.

And I trust her.

That's good enough for me.

Really? Just like that?

He trusts you, I trust him.

That's how teams work.

What do you need?

If the files I downloaded were a decoy,

then I still need the real thing.

Which means I'll need a scif and a computer genius.

Really?

Bishop called me a genius?

She needs access to MTAC,

to download intel that could possibly expose the mole.

Well, why didn't she come to me first?

Because you and bishop didn't date.

- As far as I know. - What surprises me is torres.

I mean, he seemed ready to walk this morning.

Well, maybe they talked it out.

Nick? Talk?

Handcuffing him to a chair probably helped.

That tracks.

Well, MTAC's one thing, but...

How are we gonna sneak bishop into the building

without triggering alarms?

I'm open to suggestions.

Genius.

Really committing to the bit.

Sorry. I thought I'd get a nap in while I had the chance.

Welcome home.

Thanks.

McGee. Your idea worked.

- Was there ever any doubt? - No.

Don't mind me, I just missed my b.

Missed you too, kasie. My gosh.

Please don't let go. You're so warm.

I forgot this place is like a meat locker.

Okay. Figured you'd say that.

You left this in my lab years ago.

Thank you. I promise I will give it back.

Okay, so, I assume you've all been briefed?

You need access to a DoD server.

To ID the mole before elite arrests you.

Problem is, the files are triple-locked.

- DoD's is defcon paranoid. - Even logging in

from MTAC could trip a dozen different alarms.

Which is why I brought... This. Wraithroot.

Next-gen cloaking software. Totally untraceable.

Built by my teammate Annie.

Well, perfect. Then we're good.

Mostly, but the program is biometrically locked,

so only Annie can activate it.

And Annie is extremely unavailable.

Yeah.

That's the good news.

We don't need all of her.

This Annie was your partner?

I'd hate to see what you'd do to your enemies.

All right. Thanks, Annie.

We'll finish what you started.

All right.

Okay, I am seeing asset locations, mission logs...

- Anything here jump out at you? - Not yet.

- But it's in here. Somewhere. - Good.

Torres and knight can only keep this room clear for so long.

You're really sticking your necks out.

Technically, we're not breaking the law.

NCIS has clearance, we're just using it quietly.

I meant working with me.

Yeah, that part's definitely illegal.

I've missed you, McGee.

How's Delilah? And the twins?

- Chaos. - Yeah?

Yeah. Good chaos.

Hey.

About me leaving NCIS.

I never explained why.

You don't owe me that.

Yeah, I think maybe I do.

Ellie, I always understood.

I've been here 20 years.

Takes guts to walk into the unknown like that.

But you did it.

I mean, do I wish that you had said goodbye to me?

Sure.

But I never blamed you.

Yes, ma'am.

That was awkward.

Marsh is calling me directly now.

As elite leader, I have been ordered to be your shadow.

In case bishop makes contact.

Well...

has she?

Depends on how you define "contact."

As far as marsh knows, elite is hot on the trail.

Thank you.

Just hoping if roles were reversed, you'd do the same.

Are you kidding?

I'd write your alibi in my own blood.

Agents knight, torres. You burning the midnight oil?

Just following up on a lead from DoD.

Unconfirmed bishop sighting. Could be nothing.

Well, we're here. Let's go find out.

- In MTAC? - Actually, there is something else, sir.

Something you need to see.

The hell am I looking at?

I think we'd better talk in your office.

I'll call if that lead checks out.

I got your messages.

Kase? You good?

Yeah, well... desperate times, et cetera.

I think we've been in that zone since breakfast.

Tell me about it.

While bishop and McGee have been joyriding

through DoD back channels in MTAC,

I took another stab at Annie's laptop.

Cracked her additional layer of security.

That's when things got really weird.

You know that's not a stylus, right?

I do now.

Annie was running covert audits.

Cross-checking mission logs.

The kinds of things you do

when you think someone's been compromised.

We figured Annie was betrayed by someone she trusted.

So did she.

That's why she was spying on her own team.

- She thought one of them was the mole. - Except,

bishop's team only had three members:

Patricia, Annie and Jonathan.

- And two of them are dead. - Which means Jonathan's not hiding

- from the mole... - Jonathan is the mole.

Bishop was betrayed by one of her own.

In more ways than one.

It gets worse, because I found this

buried in a locked permissions folder.

A marriage certificate?

For Jonathan lin and Eleanor bishop.

He's her husband?

I checked the metadata and the records.

It's legit. They were legally hitched.

A small detail that bishop somehow forgot to mention.

Yeah, I'd leave that out, too, if I were asking my ex for help.

McGee?

McGee?

Are you okay?

- I've been better. - What happened?

- Where's bishop? - Not sure.

We found the files she needed.

The next thing I know, I'm face down on the floor.

Well, looks like she drugged you.

Yeah, and played us all.

Bishop knew how to disappear.

Which doors to use, which cameras to avoid.

Yeah, she ghosted us,

- without a word, again. - Unless you count a needle in the neck.

- You sure she didn't say anything? - I'm positive.

We got the files, she got a text and then

- I was lights out. - If she ran, there was a reason.

- She's protecting someone. - Yeah.

- Herself. - Or the mole,

because, you know, she's married to him.

It doesn't change anything.

- Nick, she lied. - Okay.

She didn't tell me everything. I admit that.

But what she did say about trying to protect her team, I...

That was real, man.

- I felt it. - Okay. Nick?

I hate to say this,

but I think maybe bishop wanted you to feel that way.

Maybe bishop only told you

- what you wanted to hear. - No, no.

- We're missing something. - Besides the feeling

- in my neck? - Look, if Jonathan lin

is the mole, then bishop is not the threat.

She's the target.

And I'm not letting that happen.

Nick.

I trust her. You don't have to.

Hello?

Jonathan?

I have the files.

Is it working?

- Where is she? - Somewhere

in Fairfax. Still narrowing the signal.

All right, when you get it, you send it to me.

Yeah.

You put a tracker on bishop?

In the jacket I gave her.

It was his idea.

- Thought you trusted her. - I do.

Trust but verify.

You still planning on playing lone wolf here?

- Didn't think I had a choice. - You don't.

Because we're coming with you.

That's how teams work.

Aww, you guys are adorable.

And while the group-hug energy is strong,

maybe sign my travel form?

- Location? - No, not yet.

But I've also been pulling comms data from MTAC.

Every inbound signal gets logged.

You know what? Bishop got a text right before

- I blacked out. - Yep, from a burner phone.

I traced the number, pulled the message.

"Change of plan. New location.

Come alone or not at all."

That sounds like a threat.

- Bishop didn't run. - She was lured.

By her own husband?

Where?

We had a deal.

I hand over the files, you hand over Jonathan.

I burnt every bridge I had left.

I hurt people I care about.

I did my part. Where is he?

Patricia?

- I thought you were... - Dead?

Yeah.

The mole. It was you.

But you were one of us.

Was.

Then I got tired of risking my life

for a cause that couldn't win.

Someone else offered more.

More money, more power.

Cute. You left the encryption.

If I hadn't, I'd already be dead.

- Give me the code. - Not until I see him. Alive.

He's right down the hall.

And still breathing.

For now.

But the longer he inhales that gas,

the more permanent the damage.

- No, please. - The code.

The hell?

Someone hacked the system.

Stay put.

- Hey. - You good?

Yeah, yeah. Jonathan... he's down the hall.

- Please, go. - You want me to get him?

No. I got him.

No!

Federal agents! Freeze!

Don't move. Get her out of here.

Call a medic, now.

Nick? Jonathan?

Jonathan is not hit.

Torres? Are you with us?

Ouchie.

She ruined my favorite vest.

You saved his life.

You took a bullet for my teammate.

Well, he's more than that, Ellie.

What are you talking about?

He's your husband.

See? You really are a romantic.

Even if my vows were strictly business.

So, the marriage isn't real?

Real enough, on paper.

A handy cover to cross borders and stay off radars.

Something I could've told you if DoD had been in the loop.

Consider yourself looped.

Patricia kovach set up her own team,

faked her death, tried to finish the job last night?

She pulled the trigger, but someone else pulled the strings.

- Funded her, fed her intel. - Maybe.

We'll round up the usual suspects.

Let's talk bishop.

Technically, no longer a suspect,

but the DoD still has questions,

especially about the missing files.

Files?

Classified DoD intel was accessed last night.

- Curious timing. - Curious indeed.

It's a shame that former agent bishop

vanished after the takedown.

In the wind.

Again.

If she turns up, we'll be in touch.

Sorry again about your neck, McGee.

Asking for help was one thing,

but asking you to risk your life for me and my team?

- Couldn't do that. - Now you know better.

And hey, this time, I get a goodbye.

And a thank-you.

To both of you.

From both of us.

So, back into the storm?

Yeah, well, Patricia wasn't working alone,

and there are other teams like ours out there

who have no idea that they're targets.

- You're gonna warn them. - Yeah, and find

whoever's behind this and stop them.

Well, if you ever need any backup,

you know where to find us.

Maybe just call or text first.

No promises.

Thank you.

Nick.

- You didn't have to come. - Yeah, I did.

We made a promise to each other a long time ago.

No secrets.

I used to think goodbye was easier if I didn't say it.

And now?

Now I'll save us both the trouble.

Come with me.

For now, my place is here.

And mine's out there.

I know.

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