Original subtitles

OLDER GIBBS: My dad used to say,

"Wherever you go, there you are."

I guess he was right.

No matter how hard you try--

or in my case,

how far you go...

...you can't ever leave it all behind.

(blows softly)

There is no such thing

as a clean slate.

They're always there.

They're always with you.

The stories you've told.

Hell, even worse--

the ones you never could.

This is a story I don't tell.

♪

("Porch" by Pearl Jam playing)

(laughter)

♪ All the bills go by and initiatives are taken up ♪

♪ By the middle

♪ There ain't gonna be any middle anymore ♪

♪ And the cross I'm bearing home ain't indicative of my place ♪

♪ Left the porch, left the porch ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh

♪ Oh

♪ Hear my name, take a good look ♪

♪ This could be the day

♪ Hold my hand...

Gibbs.

Heard you had another rough night at Daly's.

They call you in to press charges?

No.

Reporting to work.

What the hell, man?

Okay.

(song fades)

(soldiers chanting cadence indistinctly)

(birds squawking)

There he is,

the newly minted Special Agent Gibbs.

I'm on your squad. I'm Bernard Randolf,

but folks call me Randy.

Good to meet you, Randy.

I'm trying to quit.

You ready to catch some bad guys?

♪ Hey, Saint Peter, give me cloud number nine ♪

♪ And tell my daddy that Junior's on the line ♪

♪ Oh, sweet Lord, someday I'll be talking to you ♪

♪ Yeah, I wanna speak man-to-man ♪

♪ With the man that used to moan the blues ♪

(pager beeping)

MAN (chuckling): I miss you, too.

(banging)

Mind if I cut in, fella? Huh?

I got me an urgent call to make.

Promise it won't take but a minute.

Sorry, baby. Some jagoff's breathing down my neck.

(scoffs)

What, are you gonna fight me over a pay phone?

No, I'm gonna fight you 'cause I don't like you.

Phone's a bonus.

You some kind of cop?

Pretend you didn't see that.

Hey, baby, I got to call you back, okay?

Thank you kindly, pal.

(tires squealing, vehicle departing)

Yeah, it's Franks.

Here we are.

That's JJ. That's Roger, Artie, Carl.

Leroy Gibbs. How you doing?

Good. Hey, you guys still think

I'm the number-one looker around here, right?

(laughter) They like you already.

Evidence locker is down and to the left.

Custodian is Kowalski.

Hey, how'd you like FLETC? Better than boot camp.

And how long did you...? Darn it.

Here's the kitchen.

They spray for roaches.

Eat at your own risk.

You see them Nets last night?

Coleman-- he's a beast, man.

How long you put in?

Huh? Marines.

Uh, in at 18, out right before this.

Scout sniper? Mm.

Wow. Remind me not to piss you off.

Um, locker room's downstairs. Oh, we have a gym down there.

Well, by gym, I mean a bench press

and a VCR with a couple of those Jane Fonda tapes.

I think those are your tapes, aren't they, Agent Strickland?

Oh, bite me, Randy. Love you, too, Vera.

Rec room.

Looking like Pelé over here. (laughter)

And here we have the infamous Mary Jo Hayes.

If you want to know where the bodies are buried

around here, she's the gal to ask.

Head secretary in charge.

Welcome to the nuthouse, sweetie.

SAC's office-- it's right up there. Wheeler.

He's top dog around here. Honestly, he's fine

as long as you don't have to talk to him.

And here we are. This is home sweet home.

This is you right here.

That bad boy just arrived last week.

IBM PC 3340,

12-inch color display. (whistles)

Hey, I basically peed myself my first day.

Not even basically.

There was just a little bit running down my leg.

(laughs)

So, if you need anything, I'm here.

You want me to get you a copy of the manual?

I'm sure it's easy enough. I'll figure it out.

Damn thing will probably be in the trash in a month.

At ease, Marine. You ain't in the muck no more.

I ain't your commanding officer. I'm just your boss.

Yes, sir... boss.

I didn't say "sit."

Got a burned-up body out in Fallbrook waiting for us.

Dominguez ain't in? Where is she?

RANDY: Where she always is, I guessing.

Already at the scene. I just got the call

15 minutes ago, so who the hell's calling her?

Gear up, damn it!

Uh...

Where's my gear?

Sir? Boss?

♪

Damn, Pete,

you bring the whole county?

DEPUTY SHERIFF JONES: Minute we I.D.'d the girl

as military spouse, I pulled my guys out.

FRANKS: Nice it didn't have to come to blows this time.

JONES: Couple of hikers saw the smoke a little

after 7:00 this morning, called it in.

FRANKS: You figure what started it?

JONES: Your Agent Dominguez located the ignition point

ten minutes after she got here.

Girl got herself a drive, doesn't she?

And when exactly did she get here?

The hell did she do now?

It's not her.

Look,

what's in that house--

it ain't godly.

(water dripping, bones clinking)

WOMAN: Reminds me of when I was little.

There was this garter snake in the ditch by our house.

Our mom said, "Snakes are cursed."

She said, "Stay away from it."

Of course, then I was adamant I was gonna catch the thing.

I would try grabbing it,

but it would slip through my hands every time.

Then one day, I go out,

and it's lying there dead.

Coyote just ripped the skin clean off.

And the bones.

They were smiling at me like a row of teeth.

All I could think was...

...that snake wasn't cursed.

It was just a pile of bones

trying to get by like the rest of us.

You got any thoughts on that?

The snake?

These bones?

What the hell they're doing here?

Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

Lala.

So, you're on my squad, then?

Nope. You're on mine.

Just watch your step, Marine.

Scene's already been contaminated enough.

♪

(camera shutter clicks)

RANDY: Melanie Hewitt, 33.

Husband was Sergeant Lance Hewitt,

KIA in Kuwait nine months ago.

LALA: Fire started in the stove.

FRANKS: You don't say?

You know, good thing you got here so early

to figure that out.

It wasn't an accident.

I thought I caught a whiff of acetone,

so I did a little digging,

and I found this.

It's from a big-ass bottle of nail polish remover.

Must have made for quite the accelerant.

Doc Tango wants us to get her clear.

Rando.

RANDY: Okay.

FRANKS: On three. One, two, three.

(straining)

(grunting, panting)

(gasping breaths)

You okay, man?

Good start.

(camera whirring)

(sighs)

(indistinct radio chatter)

Seeing a body like that,

don't matter what you saw in war.

That's war.

I don't know why, but it's different seeing it at home.

(exhales sharply)

You're doing fine, probie.

What is this?

Hell if I know.

Must have been dozens of them things in her house,

all shapes and sizes.

WHEELER: Any idea what this, uh, Melanie Hewitt was into?

I think it's safe to say it wasn't church on Sundays.

You're thinking satanic?

I'm thinking somebody wanted her dead.

Hell, maybe the devil told 'em to go buy a boatload

of accelerant to burn her up.

That's your theory?

(chuckles) That's what we got till we got more.

Not so fast, Mike.

How'd your boy do out there?

Who, Gibbs?

Did great. Duck on a pond.

He and Randy are headed to talk

to the vic's grandma right now.

If he is not up to snuff,

I want your word you're gonna cut him loose.

Sure thing. But you ain't got to worry about Gibbs.

He's capable. He's crazy.

Oh, stop. He ain't...

He failed his psych eval.

That is the definition of crazy.

And if my wife and daughter were murdered,

I would be crazy, too.

We've been over this, Cliff.

The new version of that test is

about as dependable as a two-dollar watch.

Standards were raised for a reason.

Benny was licking the damn bodies.

(laughs)

Mike, you've got us both out on a limb here.

And for what?

Why'd you make it your business to bring this guy in?

If Agent Gibbs tongue-bathes even one corpse,

we'll give him his walking papers.

You got my word.

(door opens and closes)

♪

Whole family's got a dark side, huh?

Pentagram.

That ain't no pentagram out there.

And I ain't no devil worshipper.

And neither was my granddaughter.

I'm sorry, ma'am.

I misspoke.

Truth is, when I saw those things for the first time,

I thought about splashing them with holy water myself.

What exactly are they?

Art, stupid.

Might not be your cup of tea,

but that was my baby's passion, and... (sighs)

I was so proud of her.

She read a book on some ancient Asians

that built those totems for protection.

And she brought a few here to me.

She said, "Grandma, they'll keep you safe."

Lot of good they did her.

What'd you do?

Get into a fight?

Should take off that ring.

The swelling, it'll cut off your circulation.

It's fine. I'm okay.

MARIA: I used to be an RN.

Trust me, take it off while you still can.

Your wife, she'll understand.

Those are all of M-Melanie?

MARIA: Yeah. My Mellie.

She loved working with her hands.

I raised her since she was a baby.

Yeah.

That was Mother's Day.

I still remember her

bursting through that door to give it to me.

MARIA: After her husband died,

she lost her way.

KELLY: Smiley face.

No, Kelly, don't you do it.

Don't you dare.

Then some lowlife got her hooked

into that, uh, methamphetamine.

You want to know who burned down

my baby's house?

You find that son of a bitch.

Can you give us his name?

I heard folks call him Bugs.

(Maria whimpers softly)

All right, boys, look alive.

Jamison "Bugs" Boyd.

Narcotics distribution, '88.

B and E, resisting, '89.

Since then, he's been on the milk carton.

Probably off doing charity work somewhere.

Make-A-Wish or something.

Grandma said he got Melanie hooked on meth.

Maybe she OD'd,

dummy panicked and lit up the place.

Last known address?

His mom's house, '82.

What about our CIs?

If we're gonna catch this prick,

we're gonna need some other pricks to help.

Yes.

Already started working our phone log...

I wasn't asking you.

He a mute at the grandma's house, too?

Probie! You know, this job sometimes involves talking.

I know, boss. FRANKS: Good.

Informants. Talk.

Well, these guys put out feelers to all of them.

A couple said that Bugs is still in the area.

One guy, Kenny, thinks he can get us a location.

White Kenny or Black Kenny? Black Kenny.

White Kenny is dead.

He took a header off Coronado Bridge

last Christmas. (groans)

I'll try digging up more info on this Bugs guy,

see if I can't find out where he's staying.

That's not the move tonight, probie.

We best do some percolating.

(whoops)

(laughter)

FRANKS: Giddyap.

♪

So, we're done?

FRANKS: Oh!

Hey! (others exclaiming)

Oh, my God!

(laughs)

RANDY: Double or nothing.

Double or nothing. Again? How drunk are you?

(Randy laughs) SMITTY: Hey, Randy.

Your wife is on the phone.

Smitty, tell Junie to come get his ass

before he loses the rest of Junior's college fund.

Uh-uh. You tell her. She scares me.

Oh, hell no.

(laughter)

(lively chatter)

MAN: Come on. Take one shot with us.

Semper fi, bitches.

Excuse me.

You lost?

Boys club's over there.

I thought "percolating" meant talking about the case.

You can't do this job without taking the edge off.

One thing Franks and I actually agree on.

Bourbon. You like?

Never had it. Hmm.

To percolating.

It's an acquired taste.

Ooh. (laughs)

So, uh...

...why'd you go all "Iron Mike" on that bouncer last night?

According to the 2B, you just

lost it, started swinging

for no reason, but I bet you had a reason.

You read my incident report, you know more than I do.

You were that wasted?

Well, no wonder Franks loves you so much.

You two are cut from the same cloth.

Well, that and you've been bear-hugging his leg

like a stripper on a pole since you got here, so...

I respect authority.

Means a lot where I come from.

You mean the Corps?

Four years active, current reservist.

You want to explain it to me some more, gunny?

Why'd you give that guy a beatdown?

Why does it matter?

Something you want to say to me?

(cheering nearby)

Bottoms up.

LALA: Shots on me, boys.

(men cheering)

FRANKS: We get inside,

some days smell worse than others.

You brace yourself, you'll be good.

Morning, Angie.

Yes, Dr. Téngalkat submitted the autopsy report yesterday.

Where the hell's Geronimo?

Off getting drunk at some bingo parlor somewhere?

I heard that.

(laughing): Hey. (laughs)

Barn door's open, Ace.

(zipper zips) TANGO: Melanie, uh, Hewitt.

Tox report just came in.

She had 100 milligrams

of methamphetamine in her system.

FRANKS: Her grandma said some bastard

got her hooked on crank.

We got eyes out there looking for him now.

Okay, chief, guess you're gonna make me ask,

where's the head?

(chuckles)

Dr. Friedman spent the last 24 hours

completing the reconstruction.

(whistles)

FRIEDMAN: Yes, yes, yes.

(chuckles)

193 separate pieces.

That is why you get paid the big bucks, Doc.

That's right.

Incredible.

You were right, Lenora.

Right about what?

Entry and exit wounds.

She was shot to death, Mike.

FRIEDMAN: Now, the degree of damage makes

the details fuzzy, but I think it's a small to medium caliber.

Most likely close range.

We swept her house, didn't find any bullets or casings.

Killer must have policed his brass.

Shoots her in the head,

then torches the place to cover it up.

I'll be a son of a bitch.

RANDY: Boss, I got something new.

Got a call from a CI, said he saw Bugs less than an hour ago.

Who? Black Kenny? No, Twitchy Tony.

You think we can trust him? He sound sober?

Not at all.

Then we can trust him. Where'd he bump into Bugs?

Give you two guesses.

The tunnels? Mm-hmm.

Damn it, Randolf.

LALA: "Penetrated deeper

and deeper into the heart of darkness."

FRANKS: Can we cool it on the Shakespeare?

Rando, you post up out here. No one in or out.

RANDY: Gotcha, boss. FRANKS: Women and children first.

I'm gonna clear the south access.

Then we meet at the chairs.

At the chairs, señorita.

LALA: Yeah, copy.

♪

♪

(groans)

LALA: Mike!

Lala, where are you?

LALA: The chairs.

(coughing)

Lala?

That him?

LALA: Nothing to worry about, Bugs.

It's like I said, I just want to talk.

Where's Mike?

Haven't seen him.

Oh, man. (groans, mutters)

You got me, then?

I'm just gonna come and sit with you, all right, Bugs?

(muttering) Just for a minute.

No, no.

LALA: Hi.

I need to touch you, okay?

Make sure you don't have anything on you

that could get you hurt.

(sighs, mutters)

You got to hide me. I'm in the oven.

I know, but you're good.

You're good.

Listen. Bugs?

You know Melanie?

Melanie, she, uh...

She's, uh, uh, I-I don't know.

I don't know.

You heard she's gone, huh?

(sobs) She passed away?

(sniffles)

Sorry, Bugs.

Hey. Let it out.

(Bugs sobbing)

It's not just you, Bugs.

We all got a great sorrow inside.

All of us.

All of us.

I'm in... Get off.

...the oven!

GIBBS: Get your hands on your head. Gibbs, stand down.

Get your hands on your head! Stand down.

Stand down!

Stop, stop. Hey.

You're just gonna let him go?

What are you gonna do? Bring him in?

Based on what?

We bring him in when we got the evidence to hold him.

I could've got something if you would've stood down.

You asked for cover. That's what I gave you.

I had him.

He had his hands on you!

I said I had him.

Hey, guy puts his hands on you, Gibbs did it by the book.

The book?

Mike, you never even read the book.

And you went past the chairs when I told you to wait.

That's right, go take some pictures.

Find us some evidence.

I got to get those chairs back up

before all hell breaks loose down here.

(door opens)

If this is an apology...

It's not.

(scoffs)

You've got a problem with me. I want to know why.

Could be Melanie was in the tunnels with him at some point

if we can I.D. any of this junk as hers.

I asked you a question. Hey. Hey.

Keep it down.

Those vents are a direct line into Wheeler's office.

I'm not looking to disrespect you, Lala,

but I'm not some kid off the street.

You don't think I know that?

I was on your family's case.

Franks was your front man, yeah,

but I'm on his team, and that was my case, too.

Your wife and daughter...

I know what you've been through.

You don't know anything about me.

I know you failed your psych eval.

Franks didn't tell you?

You want to know my problem with you?

Your head's not ready for this job.

That's my problem.

What?

What? (door opens)

(door closes)

♪

(wind chime rattling)

♪

♪

(laughter)

(moaning)

Stop going easy on me.

(both chuckle)

(knocking at door)

(knocking continues)

Whoever it is, they're not here for me.

(chuckles)

(both panting)

(urgent knocking)

What?

It's a sniper.

♪

♪

(grunts)

(laughing)

I'll be damned.

That's good work, probie.

Unbelievable. How the hell did you...

Did I fail my eval?

What?

My psych eval. Did I fail it?

The hell told you that?

Damn her.

You vouched for me to Wheeler?

Why?

Saddle up.

We're moving out.

(animal growling)

♪

(helicopter whirring)

("Kickstart My Heart" by Mötley Crüe playing)

(song continues over car stereo)

Impressive investigating.

Thanks.

♪ Yeah

♪ When I get high, I get high on speed ♪

(volume increases)

♪ Top fuel funny car's a drug for me ♪

♪ My heart, my heart

♪ Kick-start my heart

(volume increases) ♪ Always got the cops

♪ Coming after me

♪ Custom-built bike doing 103

♪ My heart, my heart

♪ Kick-start my heart

♪ Ooh, are you ready, girls?

♪ Ooh, are you ready now?

♪ Whoa, yeah

♪ Kick-start my heart, hope it never stops ♪

♪ Whoa, yeah

♪ Baby.

(song ends)

LALA: Woody.

It's from the Hewitt case.

Bullet, along with the house fire?

He started the fire, we think, to cover his tracks.

Sniper. WOODY: Sniper?

No kidding? From where? LALA: Hide was on base.

You know where the bison are, up in Echo area?

I-I heard about them being up there.

Are they a docile creature, or...?

I probably wouldn't try petting them.

(sighs)

If you could, uh, put a rush on ballistics...

Wheeler's losing his mind.

Bad PR, no suspect, you know.

I thought you already had a guy you liked for this.

We did, but it's not him. Dude's a meth head.

The guy who did this made the shot clean

from 1,300 yards away.

He's got some serious skills.

Well, I'll tell you one thing: an angry Wheeler is sure as crap

not a docile creature, am I right? (laughs)

I'll put a rush on ballistics.

Give you guys a buzz this week.

Anything on the other stuff?

The bones, VHS tapes

from the crime scene?

You mean the stuff she dropped off two days ago?

He's new.

I'm getting that.

You find the right paperwork and fill it out.

With a pen.

Thank you, Woody.

Thank you, Woody. Nice to meet you.

WOODY: Nice to meet you.

LALA: Probie, why don't you, uh, fill this out.

♪

The heck were you?

We had a big party come in. (scoffs)

My agents turn into a bunch of animals when they're hungry,

and you know that, Sam.

Where's the egg foo yong at?

(grunts)

I swear to God, this fool and his parties.

Soy sauce?

Food's here. Coming in hot.

Mmm! (claps)

They forgot the egg foo yong.

(sighs) Oh, come on, Mary Jo.

Mary Jo's name ain't on The Bamboo Palace. Thank you.

I ain't got nothing to do with it.

Thank you, Mary Jo.

MARY JO: Mm-hmm.

So, what, I'm supposed to fill up on rice?

(Mary Jo sighs, scoffs)

Look at this.

Do we like any of these guys?

Mm, all scout snipers.

This Grayson's got the highest

skill level, but he's also a Boy Scout.

Other four, more write-ups,

less talent.

Strap on your tighty-whities.

I think I got us a winner.

Staff Sergeant Kevin Maloney,

1st Battalion, 1st Marines.

Tip-top of his sniper class.

It's not him.

(sniffs) RANDY: What?

What did I miss? Is he dead or something?

I served with him. He's not capable.

Mm... It says he's in base housing. Mm-hmm.

He's been drawing a lot of ammunition lately.

He's not our guy. LALA: Gibbs, he got

a parking ticket outside of base maintenance

on Fallbrook Road two days ago.

It's uncannily close

to our sniper's hide, don't you think?

He's the best suspect we got.

We question him first.

We did two hitches together.

Yeah, I get it. Foxhole bros for life.

I'm warning you... You're warning me?

I'm telling you...

I'm telling you, he's clean.

Damn it, what the hell is the problem here?

Like a couple of bucktooth chinchillas

squawking each other to death.

(Randy laughs)

(clears throat)

Sorry. Y-You made me picture it.

Randy, probie, hit up Maloney

first thing in the morning.

Now, get out of here.

Go home, 'cause I will be damned

if I'm gonna fill up on rice.

Franks, let me talk to him alone first.

I owe him that much.

Probie, I don't care what kind of IOUs you got floating where.

We go where the evidence takes us. You hear me?

Do your damn job.

Yes, sir. (door opens)

(door opens and closes)

(rock music playing over car stereo)

♪ I don't know you, but I want to know you... ♪

RANDY: When the suspect is someone you know,

you got to think of it like clearing the deck.

This one time, we had to question

my wife's lady-parts doctor.

(whistles)

I tell you what, we cleared the deck quick.

He delivered my boy, only charged us half price.

Junior's a big kid, too.

And I'm only five-nine in boots.

Glad he had red hair.

Otherwise I would've been second-guessing

my whole situation.

♪ Floating in paradise...

I'll do the talking again, okay?

Let me be the bad guy.

♪ Paradise

(jet engine whooshing)

♪ Hey.

(song fades)

Are you boys hungry?

I can put some sandwiches together.

Happy you stopped, gunny. Real happy.

Yeah, I meant to send a card or something

about your family, but...

You know me. I just... Where were you Monday?

I thought...

Thought you were just stopping to say hey.

We're investigating the death of Melanie Hewitt.

That fire in Fallbrook? I-I-I saw it on the news.

KEVIN: What's that got to do with me? Where were you Monday?

Uh, last Monday?

Would've been...

I was visiting my ma down in Chula Vista.

Got a couple days leave, left the night before.

You know, a sandwich actually sounds great, Mrs. Maloney.

(stammers softly)

You weren't visiting your mom on Monday.

You were on base.

(scoffs) You got a parking ticket

outside base maintenance on Fallbrook Road.

You want to try again, Staff Sergeant?

I took the motorcycle to see my ma.

Jess had my car.

Couple months ago, I caught her with this douchebag.

He works at base maintenance.

She said it was over. RANDY: Aw, man.

I'm sorry.

Why you been drawing so much ammo?

What? What do you...

Last two months, you've been drawing ammo,

signing in at the ranges, running your shot.

Why?

Why? (hits table)

I was training for re-qual.

(sighs)

Gibbs.

KEVIN: She said it was over with that dude.

She said it was done.

(crying)

Hey, babe.

Stopped on the way home. Thought I'd save you the trip.

Tish?

(shower running)

Tish?

(crying)

♪

OLDER GIBBS: It's hard not to bring them home with you.

(door opens)

It's hard not to bring them everywhere with you.

The stories go where you go.

Stories that got cut short.

(pager beeping)

(siren wailing) (sniffles softly)

OLDER GIBBS: It was our job to tell those stories.

(camera clicking)

No matter how much they took from us.

Witnesses never saw a shooter.

Said the bullets came from nowhere.

Gibbs,

this is our sniper.

♪

♪

OLDER GIBBS: It was our job to get to an end we could live with.

To tell an ending of justice,

no matter the cost.

But this one wasn't like the others.

This is a story I don't tell.

This is the story...

...of her.

OLDER GIBBS: It kept me up.

A voice.

A scream.

The kind you feel instead of hear.

My gut...

It wanted me to stop.

I told myself everything would be okay.

Same as I told her.

And her.

(TV playing indistinctly)

(sighs) I love you.

Don't walk me to the door.

I know you hate watching me drive off.

OLDER GIBBS: My gut screamed louder.

It begged me to stop.

It said if I drove off,

I'd never see them again.

I hit the gas anyway.

And I drove away.

I drove away from them.

It cost me everything.

I told myself I'd never make the same mistake again.

(grunts)

But old habits die hard.

Franks said to bring you this.

♪ ♪

OLDER GIBBS: I still didn't know how to listen over all the noise.

I still couldn't face the truth,

and the truth was the same then as always.

The louder my gut screams,

the bigger the monster that's lying in wait.

♪ ♪

REPORTER 1: Melanie Hewitt's murder was covered up by the fire.

Can you comment on the fact that the sniper is now

announcing himself out in the open?

REPORTER 2: When will the Sheriff's Department

issue another statement?

They talked to you once already?

You're not with the sheriff?

Boss man. Who are you with?

Sniper's hide is a hotel room across the way.

Randy and Gibbs are sweeping it for evidence.

Sure it's the same guy?

Two unrelated snipers in one week?

Bastard shot right into the middle of a bonfire party.

Three dead,

all civilians.

Sheriff will pull rank,

but with all we did on the Hewitt case,

there's a good chance we'll get a joint investigation.

Tribune gave the sniper a name.

They're calling him "Sandman."

Because it happened on the beach at night. Get it?

It's clever as hell,

and it's gonna catch on. (siren wailing)

You got to be kidding me.

Forget about your joint investigation.

They're starting up a task force.

Shuffle on over there, Cliff, and get us on it. Get us on?

(scoffs) No one knows what the hell NIS even stands for.

All right. Wait, wait, Mike.

They're gonna take the Hewitt files,

and they're gonna shut the door in our face.

I said, "All right." No. Listen to me.

This started on base, Mike.

Okay? Regional's gonna string me up

unless we get a win here.

Why don't you let me go get some statements

before they kick my ass off the beach.

♪

WHEELER: Gentlemen.

You seeing this? Yep.

WHEELER: Cliff Wheeler, NIS.

Special agent in charge.

Dr. Tango?

Give me a hand with that zipper, will you?

It's all jammed up with sand.

They're starting up a task force out there.

You mind talking fast?

Unsubstantiated theory:

The forehead shot came first.

Everyone starts running,

so center mass was the cleanest shot

he could get for these second two.

Bullets went through and through.

All three were recovered and couriered to Forensics.

What about the shooter's M.O.?

(sighs) Franks says your new kid was a sniper.

He must be shedding some light.

He's... (chuckles) Yeah.

Staunch opinions.

But, you know, he's like,

"Get mad, duke it out, move on."

(chuckles) Sounds like you.

Excuse me, miss, we need this area clear.

I'm just helping him with this.

AGENT: You with the Coroner's Office?

No. I'm NIS.

All nonessential personnel need to leave the cordoned area.

J-Just let me...

Hey. Hey. Get off. Get off!

Hey, take it easy.

We've got it from here, miss.

You know what?

I hope you all have sand caught in your junk for days.

Not you, Dr. Tango, but the rest of you.

(indistinct chatter)

LALA: So, the task force is taking the Hewitt case files, then?

FRANKS: Yeah, but they can't stop us from doing our own digging.

For crying out loud. The only thing I got

from the hotel is that he had brown hair

and paid in cash.

The hell is that?

Where's my board at?

It got swiped by the Game Warden's Office.

I lifted this one from the mess hall.

You're trying to tell me

the board that I went to Office Depot

and bought with my own money's now got

koala bears on it?

There are no koala bears in this area, Mike.

FRANKS: It's not about the bears.

Koalas aren't actually even bears.

FRANKS: Damn it, Mary Jo!

(exasperated sigh) You're welcome, honey.

When you make that copy of the Hewitt file

for the task force, that's about as fast

as you should move, all right? No faster than that.

MARY JO: Ugh. RANDY: Curtis Martin.

21-year-old college student.

He was at the beach for the bonfire party.

Elizabeth Adams. Elizabeth Adams.

22, Martin's girlfriend.

Third victim was Dustin Cruz. He wasn't there for the party.

He just happened to be walking by. FRANKS: So, to recap,

I talked to the families, you all just read my notes.

The hell's he been doing on the horn

for the past 25 minutes?

RANDY: He's on with Forensics.

Woody said ballistics won't be done till next week.

FRANKS: So, what?

Probie's talking dirty to him

till he gets a different answer?

It doesn't make sense.

He kills Melanie Hewitt, and then he sets a fire

to cover it up, and then he goes

and shoots up a beach from a hotel window.

Why hide and then go public? (sighs)

Maybe the first one's practice, now he wants the glory.

(sighs) What?

When I was looking out the sniper's hide,

I got a feeling.

Prelim and off-the-record,

Woody said that bullets from Martin and Adams were damaged.

Traces of glass fiber.

Martin and Adams were the ones shot at center mass.

Sniper wouldn't fire on a target through a window.

The glass would throw off the trajectory.

First two shots were to break the glass.

Lovebirds were collateral damage.

That's our real target.

His daddy said he walked the beach every night.

Sniper knew his routine.

RANDY: Did he say he had any enemies? FRANKS: Couldn't think of none.

Said he was single, no kids,

he was a numbers guy that worked at some plant

that's been shut down for remodeling.

So... what's the connection?

Why would anybody want these two dead?

Have a think on it. Make it good.

Probie.

You get a gut feeling, you share it with the group.

Or you could try to prove it first

with Forensics and whatnot,

but that's a lot to sit on, ain't it?

Just 'cause you're scared of being wrong?

You and Dominguez, head to Melanie's

grandma's house first thing.

See if Melanie ever said anything

about this Dustin Cruz fella.

(grunts, sighs)

(breath trembling)

(ring clinking)

(groans, pants)

(groans)

♪

GIBBS (echoing): Don't you do it. Don't you dare.

(Kelly laughing)

GIBBS: Don't walk me to the door.

I know you hate watching me drive off.

Don't you do it. Don't you dare.

Don't you dare.

You're early.

Franks and Randy took a ride to Cruz's.

He was, uh, pretty into death metal,

existentially, but nothing to tell us

why he had a target on his back.

Nothing to connect him with Melanie.

We're waiting on a warrant

to search the plant where he worked.

She's around back.

You stalked her before I got here?

Snipers are sneaky as hell, man.

(knock at fence)

MARIA: You arrest Bugs?

No, ma'am.

Special Agent Dominguez.

I told you to arrest him.

LALA: Ma'am, did you see anything on the news

a couple nights ago about a shooting?

Happened on the beach?

TV blew out last Christmas.

Ms. Perez, Melanie was shot by a sniper.

You said it was a fire.

He set the fire after, we think to cover his tracks.

LALA: This man is another victim of the same shooter.

We're trying to find a connection

between him and Melanie.

Hopefully, that will help us

figure out who did this.

Never seen him.

His name is Dustin Cruz.

What is he, Mexican?

Nah. Never saw my Mellie hang around with them.

Stupid clothesline.

Squirrel got itself all tangled up in it.

Might be easier to get a new one.

I can fix it.

Oh, it would be no trouble. I could bring you one.

No.

I said I don't want one.

Mellie hung this one.

I don't want a new one.

(sighs)

(crying): I don't know how to be without her.

(Maria sniffling)

GIBBS: Ms. Perez.

We're gonna get the guy who did this.

You have my word.

Oh, your ring.

It's okay.

In a couple of days, you can put it back on.

(sniffles)

I put a few pictures together for you.

LALA: Gibbs.

You can't make promises like that.

I'll see you back at the office.

Cliff, all I need is for you to ask

your guy at the FBI to release the information.

Look, task force isn't going to agree to any of this.

No, no, no, this has nothing to do with that. Sir.

This has nothing to do with the task force.

This is about the personal matter I asked you about.

Oh, you mean the thing I said no to four times already?

Okay, listen. Just so you know,

the task force is putting the word out, all right?

They had an incident up at that sniper's nest.

Cliff, I wouldn't ask if I didn't need it.

They're calling it a safety hazard.

A safety hazard? I'm not asking for a buzz saw here.

No, the nest. The task force, okay?

One of their boys almost fell out of that hotel window.

They had to seal the place off.

Not even their own people are allowed in and out

till they get the glass back in and up to code.

FRANKS: Oof.

Sounds like a scary situation.

HERM: Kowalski. Sorry, sir. Excuse me. Kowalski.

Listen, you call your guy at the FBI,

you get the go-ahead, then it is 100% outside the job,

non-interference, hand to God, please.

(groans)

Look, task force doesn't care if we investigate

as long as we stay out of their way.

I need this done, Mike.

Yeah, I'll get it done.

And then you call your FBI guy on my thing.

This isn't about quid pro quo.

I can't keep calling in favors on things that are outside of...

Hello, sir. Good... greetings.

Boss, just to let you know, the warrant came through.

We can search Cruz's place of work.

But I-I'm sure you'll find me when you're ready.

Hey.

I'm late for lunch. Shelly's gonna kill me.

(car door closes)

(sighs) (car engine starts)

(car departing)

Tuck 'em away, boys.

Coming through.

Geez.

Hey, Strickland.

Hey.

(sighs)

(grunts): Oh, God.

These apes put all the small lockers on our side.

You ever notice that? Uh-huh.

So, I went to Daly's last night, and I talked to that bouncer.

Oh, the one Gibbs threw down with? Mm-hmm.

Bouncer said that the fight started because he accidentally

bumped into Gibbs and didn't say "excuse me."

Oh, that's freaking hot.

Ooh.

No. Yes, it is.

LALA: No, no.

Yes, it is. Listen. (chuckles)

That happened the night before he started here.

Self-sabotage?

Oh, that's hot as hell.

I know, a recent widower and all that,

but my God, one bat from those baby blues

and my panties, they would be on the floor.

(laughing)

Wait, were you down here waiting for me?

What's going on?

He's like a raw nerve out there.

He blames himself for what happened to his family.

He's blaming himself right to the edge of a cliff.

You worried he's gonna get you killed?

You're worried he's gonna get himself killed.

My God, Dominguez,

you really do take on everyone's crap.

No. Oh, yeah.

Yeah, you take on everyone else's crap,

and you miss...

the-the, you...

(sighs)

Okay.

You've been here working your ass off for what, two years now?

You're due for a promotion.

And... (chuckles)

Franks goes and recruits some war hero cowboy

with nothing to go home to

and nothing but time on his hands

to work all hours and get in good with the boys

faster than you can say "sausage fest."

And the next thing you know, bam,

Franks will promote him over you.

And no one will bat an eye.

Thing about Franks is misogyny is about

the only two-dollar word he can get behind.

Is that why you asked off his team?

Ooh.

(chuckling): Okay.

All right, I'm gonna hit the showers

and get something to eat before I get cranky.

(chuckles)

♪ ♪

RANDY: The plant is called Isan Manufacturing.

Dustin Cruz has been the CFO there for the last three years.

The place closed down two months ago

to transition from manufacturing Walkmen

to Discmen type stuff.

The hell's a Disc-med?

It's, like, the latest technology.

Location manager is meeting us there to show us around.

Boss, just so you know, I didn't hear anything

when I was by the door, you and Wheeler.

Nothing to hear.

Right, but... but even if I did...

Yeah, you didn't.

I'm just saying, even if there was anything to hear

in-in any doorway, I'm-I'm the type...

Randy, one more word out of you,

I'm gonna shove you out that door,

and I ain't stopping the car to do it.

Now, one of you idiots better tell me what a damn Disc-med is.

It's a prototype.

We call it the SpinMax-Pro.

Guaranteed not to skip.

I couldn't believe it when I heard Dustin's name on the news.

He was supposed to come back to oversee the reopening next year.

His office was on this floor? Yes.

I'll show you there, then I can grab you his personnel file.

Hey, probie.

Listen, I know how you get.

I need you to keep away from that sniper's hide.

The hotel? Yeah.

Task force sealed it off for safety.

Last thing we need is to give them a reason to come at us.

RANDY: Take your time, guys.

(powering up)

I got a computer in here!

It's gonna take a bit to get her cooking!

Oh.

Sorry.

I said it's gonna be a while, so...

What's wrong with it?

I guess it needs to warm up.

(tapping keys)

Thought you knew about these things.

I read the manual for the one at the office, but...

...boss said I couldn't turn it on.

I'll be damned.

One of Melanie Hewitt's?

Got ourselves a connection, boys.

I took another run at Dustin Cruz's dad and friends.

They were all shocked he had one of Melanie's totems.

Said he never once mentioned her.

None of his coworkers remember Melanie coming in, either.

FRANKS: Maybe the two of them were banging

and wanted to keep it secret. LALA: Uh-uh.

Maria Perez said her granddaughter

wouldn't associate with a guy who's Mexican.

Ain't she Mexican?

Puerto Rican.

Splitting hairs, ain't it?

Okay, Mike.

Probie, what'd I say about sharing with the group?

Melanie's grandma said that the totems were for protection.

Said Melanie got the idea from a book about Asian tribes.

There were no books like that in evidence,

but there was this one.

RANDY: The Power of the Dark Deceiver:

Flesh, Bones and the Occult.

What if her and Cruz were both mixed up

in this black magic stuff

and that's what got them both killed?

Existential death metal.

See what happens when you let it out?

You got to quit stifling the gut.

Old habits. FRANKS: Old habits, my ass.

Now we got a working theory

instead of yapping ourselves in circles.

Damn it, Mary Jo!

It's not her fault our board got swiped, Mike.

Oh, this new one sucks. It don't hold tacks with the same gusto.

So call the game warden. They're the ones that took it.

FRANKS: It's Mary Jo's problem to fix.

She's not doing her job.

So why don't you hire one of your guys to replace her?

I'm sure you could circumvent the typing eval.

Wait, what are we talking about?

It's getting late.

Let's call it.

♪

(door opens and closes)

(keys clinking)

(coughing in next room)

♪ ♪

GIBBS: Don't move! (trickling)

(exasperated sigh)

Dad. What the hell are you doing?

Taking a leak. You mind?

Oh, God.

(sighs)

Late night, huh?

(grunts)

Where have you been, son?

Dad, why are you here?

Well, I tried calling, but...

you don't answer, so...

I've been busy. Well, I've been worried.

You've been hiking in Nepal.

I asked you if I should still go. You said yes.

Now, if you wanted me to stay, you should've said that.

What happened to your face?

(sighs)

Did they catch the guy?

Who's taking care of the store?

I'm asking you, did they catch him?

There's no one to catch.

It was a bar fight.

How long are you staying?

(grunts)

I'm asking about Shannon and Kelly, damn it.

Now, did they catch the guy who did it?

He disappeared.

Mexico, they think.

♪ ♪

I'll make up the couch.

NIS?

Mike Franks recruited me.

You're a Navy cop now?

Mm.

What are you doing, Leroy?

You're not built for that, son.

(pager beeping)

(sighs)

(indistinct chatter over monitor)

MELANIE (over monitor): I am working right now.

Come on. I have to show you guys.

Please don't overreact.

She shot all these herself?

Month's worth.

All documenting her process.

Videos were damaged pretty badly in the fire,

but a little Windex and superglue,

and I was able to do a little resurrecting.

This guy here is the main event.

Looks pretty bad. Yeah.

This one was burnt worse than the rest.

I finally got it working about an hour ago,

but I put it in the machine and the machine ate it,

so I had to start over again.

Here we go.

(sighs)

Say a prayer to the VCR gods.

(static crackling)

(breath trembles) It-it's happening again.

They're watching.

I can feel their eyes.

I'm not paranoid.

I'm not.

What I'm feeling...

...it's real.

It's four days before she was killed.

They're not gonna stop.

They want me gone.

Abuela, I hope you never see this, but if you do,

know that I love you.

(speaking Spanish)

(crying, speaking Spanish)

Abuela...

(speaking Spanish)

WOODY: That's it.

She knew someone wanted her dead.

And I think she knew who.

Look.

The sniper's hide.

The room was sealed by the task force.

What's the light doing on?

Holy mother!

That place is totally haunted.

Someone broke in.

Or that.

Call Franks.

Tell him to meet us there.

(elevator bell dings)

♪ ♪

(clattering inside room)

Federal agents! Freeze! Door!

Clear.

BUGS: Stay back.

He saw it, he saw it.

Bugs?

Stay away!

LALA: Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.

Bugs, it's okay, man.

BUGS: I can't. I ain't in it.

LALA: Bugs. Bugs.

Look at me.

You remember me from the tunnels?

Let's talk.

I saw it on the news.

This is where I got to do it.

He was angry.

He was watching her.

LALA: You mean Melanie?

Who was watching her?

This is where I got to do it.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. We're here, man.

RANDY (distorted): We're with you. We can talk this through, okay?

It's gonna be okay. LALA: Bugs?

RANDY: It's gonna be okay.

BUGS: I got to do it.

I got to do it. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

RANDY: We're here, man. We're here with you.

We can talk this through, okay? It's gonna be okay.

LALA: Bugs. (lighter flickering)

LALA: Step to me. Let's talk.

Boy, you ain't jumping.

You said someone was watching Melanie.

You ain't tapping out until I get a name.

What?

Guy wants to jump.

If that's what was staring me back in the mirror,

I might feel the same.

Matter a fact, if I'm being honest,

I probably would've jumped sooner.

Look, son, I ain't asking.

You're gonna tell me who was watching her.

I said...

you're gonna tell me who was watching her.

Then you can take flight.

LALA: Bugs. Bugs.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. RANDY: We're here.

We're... (grunts, yells)

(groans)

(Bugs sobbing)

LALA: Come on, come on.

Come on. Give me your arm.

(Bugs shouts) (handcuffs fastening)

How do you like that, probie?

Saved his ass.

(Bugs coughs)

LALA: You're okay.

(Bugs coughing)

♪ Close your eyes ♪

♪ Give me your hand, darling ♪

♪ Do you feel my heart beating? ♪

♪ Do you understand? ♪

♪ Do you feel the same? ♪

♪ Am I only dreaming? ♪

♪ Is this burning ♪

♪ An eternal flame? ♪

You've got to be kidding me.

♪ I believe... ♪

Randolf.

Randolf!

The task force is demanding custody of Bugs.

The clock is ticking.

When is Franks starting the interrogation?

♪ You belong with me ♪

♪ Do you feel the same? ♪

♪ Am I only dreaming? ♪

♪ Or is this burning ♪ Burning ♪

♪ An eternal flame? ♪

(over headphones): ♪ Say my name... ♪

Pregame ritual.

Any time there's a major interrogation,

he pops in some tunes,

puts on his headphones.

GIBBS: "Eye of the Tiger" type stuff?

LALA: Word on the street?

Soft rock power ballads.

Hey, listen, that, uh, typing eval thing.

I was gunning for Franks. I shouldn't have...

Don't worry about it.

(Franks slams on desk)

(door opens)

(door closes)

You want the crackers this time?

No, thank you, Mary Jo.

♪ ♪

Is there someplace we can watch?

Withdrawal.

Ain't no joke.

Promise this will make you feel better.

(spoon clatters, clangs)

Nancy's right.

Just say no, kids.

That is the best chicken soup on the entire West Coast.

Trina's Southern Soul Food.

I know I might have been brash back at the hotel.

It's a scary thing,

seeing you knocking on death's door, son.

You ain't my dad.

Why you got me in here?

I... I didn't do nothing wrong.

But you know who did.

Go on.

He says to listen to my gut,

but this and back at the hotel...

I would've done different.

Hey, I need you guys upstairs right now.

It's his first time watching.

No, right now. Come on.

Task force is going nuts

over us removing a suspect

from their crime scene.

Sheriff's Department is on the way over right now

to take custody of Bugs.

We got to connect him to the military.

Wheeler's orders.

Connect him how? Any way we can.

Any Marine or Navy tie

that we can find to argue custody

and finish the interrogation.

Okay.

Jamison, tell me who he is.

You said somebody was watching Melanie.

I need a name, son.

I didn't say that.

Yeah, but you did.

MARY JO: I'm looking for information on Jamison Boyd.

NIS.

Naval Investigative Service.

Sir, don't get snippy with me.

We're a federal agency, just like you.

Tony, Tony, no, no, no, no, no.

I-I need anything military.

Has he ever worked on a base?

Okay, then did he ever get fried next to a base?

Give me something.

Hey, sheriff is ten minutes out.

We got to move.

Ms. Perez?

MARIA: Yeah, I'm here. I'm thinking.

One time, Mellie said

that Bugs had a cousin that was Navy.

But I guess that was her trying to convince me that Bugs

was a good guy, from a good family.

She wanted me to think that he was her friend,

not her dealer.

She ever say this cousin's name?

Uh, Howie? Harold?

Something like that.

What did Melanie tell you?

What was she into,

some kind of Satan worship?

I can't be in here. Please.

Please? You know a guy

named Dustin Cruz?

Was Melanie seeing him?

Hey.

I need you to sit back down, son.

You ain't my dad. No, I'm not.

No, I am not.

Whatever your daddy did to you, I am not that.

Look at me.

I'm the good guys.

I want to take care of you.

Have a seat.

I saw it.

I saw it.

(crying)

You saw what?

I saw Melanie get killed.

I was at her house.

She was walking to her room,

and then...

she was just dead on the floor.

And I'm all hyped up on crank, you know, and...

I was the only person there,

and no one would believe I didn't kill her.

(crying)

You set the fire to cover it up?

(continues crying)

So you'd think it was an accident.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

But you know who it was, though,

don't you?

You knew who was watching her.

Bugs, you know who was watching her. Who was it?

(knock on door)

You know who was watching her.

(knock on door)

I'm in there working this guy's daddy issues,

and you two are gonna cut in?

Task force en route to take custody of Bugs.

Son of a bitch.

We were trying to look for

a military connection to keep him here.

Maria Perez told Gibbs

about a cousin of Bugs being Navy.

We tracked him down.

His name is Hershel Boyd.

Read it.

Read it! (bangs table)

You enlisted illegally at 16

under your cousin's name, Hershel Boyd.

You were a Navy SEAL,

on track to becoming a SEAL sniper.

That's you, ain't it?

You saw Melanie get killed. Yeah, you did.

You saw her through the scope of your M40

right before you pulled the trigger.

You were the one that was watching Melanie.

You were the one that killed her!

No, no, no.

Then you went and shot up the beach.

When we found you at that hotel,

you were getting high, reliving your glory.

Whatever your daddy done to you,

you got a whole lot worse coming.

You want to get up out of this room, don't you, son?

You want to leave?

Hmm?

Look at me.

You ain't never getting out, not until you talk.

I said talk, boy.

I said talk! Talk!

I said talk!

I said talk! I said talk!

I did it. I did it! Talk!

Talk! I did it!

Huh? Say it so I can hear you.

I killed them. I killed them both.

Why?

Melanie and me were together.

I loved her so much,

but she didn't want me no more.

She wanted Cruz.

(crying)

I loved her so much.

(sobbing)

I loved her so much!

I loved her so much...

(door opens and closes over monitor)

That's it?

Yeah, we got him.

(Bugs sobbing)

ARTIE: There he is.

Biggest knockout of your career, no?

Jealous boyfriend every time.

Every time, am I right?

I'm right.

LALA: Hey.

I got some icing on the cake for you.

After your win in there,

I ran Bugs' boots over to the game warden.

He confirmed it. They were covered in dried crap.

Excrement is 100% bison.

Side note,

warden claims they weren't

the ones who swiped our board.

Hey. Hey.

Write clear numbers this time,

not the scribble you normally leave here.

Anyway, bison crap places Bugs

near the first sniper's hide.

It'll hold up in court, thanks to your confession.

Like I said, icing.

HERM: Yo, Franks, I heard your new boy

knocked some sense into that bouncer at Daly's.

(laughs)

Kowalski.

Look how pretty.

Whoa.

What a miracle.

I heard Wheeler's over the moon.

I'm sure he will release doves for the press.

Balloons, maybe. Hey.

Hey.

Hey, where you going?

I'm trying to pat you on the back here.

I'm trying to get out of here

before I do something to you I might get fired for.

Excuse me?

You tell Gibbs he failed his psych eval, I let that slide,

but you bring that BS into the bullpen?

Yeah, okay. That was a slipup.

Yeah, you're damn right it was a slipup.

You're out here throwing stones.

Let's not forget what was on your psych eval.

So, that's it, then?

You bring in your new boy, now you're ready,

gloves come off, you put me in my place?

(chuckles)

I hope you're not implying I don't like women.

Honey, I love women.

What I don't like are workplace distractions.

Now, you beat me to crime scenes,

you got a line on evals.

I don't know who you're screwing for your intel,

but Gibbs, he's all kind of messed up.

And I see you scratching him up

and then licking his wounds like a dog in heat,

so, lady, if you're gonna bang him,

you get it over with so we can get back to our damn jobs.

You talk to me like that again,

and I'm going straight to Wheeler.

(chuckles)

Yeah, you do that.

Thing about Wheeler, though,

he don't like distractions, either.

(door closes)

♪ ♪

VERA: You're late.

Here.

Wheeler did what you asked.

FBI gave me what I needed

to do my thing.

OLD GIBBS: I told myself it would be okay.

WHEELER: On behalf of the Naval Investigative Service,

I am proud to say that San Diego can finally

breathe a sigh of relief tonight.

Due to the tireless work of our special agents and staff,

NIS has arrested the sniper known as Sandman.

OLD GIBBS: I told myself I'd never make

the same mistake again.

Hey.

Look at that.

You did that.

OLD GIBBS: I swore if the scream came back...

...I wouldn't just hear it.

I would listen to it.

But old habits die hard.

People, well, they die easier.

Sometimes a lot of them have to die

for you to learn to trust your gut,

and I was only just starting to.

(Kelly laughing)

I was only just starting to listen to the scream

that said the worst monsters lie in wait.

The worst monsters let you breathe.

They let you think it's over.

They lull you to sleep, and then...

...enter Sandman.