Original subtitles

Carla Marino, matriarch

of the biggest organized crime family in the Midwest.

If you ever go anywhere near Melinda

or her daughter again, I will

personally see to it that

that is the last thing that you ever do.

Carla is the head of Nexus.

You killed my son.

Killing me isn't gonna change anything.

I'm not gonna kill you, Alden.

That'd be too easy.

Come on.

No!

His dad was shot with a nine-millimeter SIG Sauer.

She used Parker's own gun against his dad?

Where is she?

She mentioned a boat called the Quentin.

Currently docked outside Baltimore.

Ship's already left port.

Either Parker's learned to walk on water...

Or he is already on that ship.

Parker alone with the woman who murdered his father.

Speed and course are steady. No radio chatter.

Parker's running out of time.

Oh, crap.

Command and control is being relinquished

to Navy Special Operations. Vice Admiral Parker.

Confirmed. Yankee One is go for strike.

Yankee Two is go for strike.

The Quentin has been confirmed a threat to national security.

My orders are clear...

disable or destroy before it clears U.S. waters.

What, you're gonna blow it out of the water?

Carla may be on that ship, but so is your brother.

- Admiral, please. - Yankee One and Two,

you are cleared hot.

Fire.

Confirmed.

Yankee One. Weapons hot.

Confirmed. Yankee Two...

God help you.

Director, that... was not us.

What?

Yankee One, we've lost visual.

Request after action sitrep.

Negative. No action taken. No weapons released.

Target appears to have... imploded.

Imploded? By itself?

How bad is it? What's the damage?

Yankee One, do you have eyes on target?

Affirmative. Target destroyed.

Repeat, target destroyed.

Parker.

Synced & corrected by -robtor- www.addic7ed.com

Rescue and recovery operations

have been nonstop since we brought this vessel on scene.

Prelim confirms traces

of tactical ordnance aboard the Quentin.

Appears a weapons malfunction triggered a cook-off.

It's an accident.

Survivors?

So far, only partial remains have been recovered.

None intact enough to ID.

12 crew on the manifest,

not counting Carla Marino or my brother.

Divers are still in the water.

I think we both know the odds.

I'm sorry.

If you're looking for an explanation, Director...

No, I know better.

Higher the ladder, harder the choices.

Wasn't a choice. It was an order.

That's what we tell ourselves.

Can't believe this is real.

It's real. DOJ's already closing the book.

Carla is presumed dead, along with everyone else on that ship.

Hey, guys.

Hey, Jimmy. If you need a safe space, join us.

Yeah, wish I could. DOJ may be shutting

things down around here, but my work's just beginning.

The Navy's sending over all the remains for formal ID.

What is this, a funeral? No body? There's still hope.

You've got proof that Parker's still alive?

Uh, no. I have got data, and that's better.

Almost.

Okay, so a ship like the Quentin always carries a RHIB.

A rigid-hull inflatable boat.

Now, a blast that size? The debris field

should be littered with pieces.

Coast Guard report doesn't show anything.

Exactly. No hull. No rubber. Not a trace.

- So...? - So I put out a BOLO.

On a RHIB?

Because that's like trying to find a kayak in a hurricane.

Hey, positive thoughts fuel faster pings.

- Oh, I told you so. - You've got to be kidding me.

An abandoned RHIB was found

in a private marina outside Virginia Beach.

Any serial numbers or markings?

No, but take a look at this.

What is that? Is... is that a boat number?

No, it feels more like a calling card,

a message.

Coordinates? Code?

It's a rule.

- It's Gibbs' rule. - Sometimes you're wrong.

Parker's trying to tell us something.

He's alive.

And he doesn't want anyone else to know it.

Appreciate the ride.

You sure you want to get out here?

Ain't nothing out this way.

Exactly.

Suit yourself, buddy.

Hello?

Gibbs?

It's about time.

I take back everything I ever said about microwave food.

Open flame wasn't part of the cooking instructions.

What the hell were you thinking?

I mean, first you vanish,

survive an explosion,

you let everyone think that you're dead. What for?

"Sometimes you're wrong."

So you admit sneaking on that ship was a bad idea?

You left your team behind.

If I hadn't gotten on that ship when I did,

Carla's plan would've worked.

What plan?

This was a setup.

Oh, crap.

That's him.

Don't move!

Where'd he go?

Oh, crap.

Made it to a lower launch platform, found the RHIB.

Explosion did me a favor. Might've given me a little push.

Reports said there was a weapons malfunction,

but you're saying that the ship was rigged?

It was wired to blow?

Doomed before it ever left port.

Carla faked it all. Fur coat, luggage...

The woman that boarded the ship?

A look-alike. Just close enough to pass.

So, when the ship went up,

everyone assumes that Carla went with it.

How can you be sure that it was Carla

that planted the explosives? She's got plenty of enemies.

It wasn't a hit job. She staged it.

Bought herself a clean slate.

She's setting the table for something else. I can feel it.

Gut feeling?

Well, I hear that still counts for something out here.

Out here, yeah, but if you roll into NCIS with

a gut and no proof...

That's why you came out here, right?

To buy time to investigate?

Without interference. No red tape. No higher-ups pulling the plug.

And Vance can't fire a dead man.

Forget about Vance.

I'd be more worried about your sister if I were you.

Harriet? She's involved?

You could say that.

Whoa.

That bad, huh?

Yeah, the meat puzzle 2.0.

Thousand pieces and no picture on the box.

But I do have a femur here.

Female.

About the same size and build as Carla Marino.

Doesn't exactly help with Parker's theory

that Carla's still alive.

But, hey, at least he's still in one piece.

I thought we were doing puzzle puns.

No, apparently, what we're doing is keeping more secrets.

First Mama Parker's death, now Parker's "death."

Jess, I'm not cut out for all this cloak-and-dagger stuff.

You're fine. You're hiding out down here.

No one will lie to you but me.

Admiral.

Uh, Vice Admiral. Vice...

Ma'am.

Vice Admiral Parker,

we are still cataloging the remains from the Quentin.

No firm ID on Carla Marino.

I'm not here for her. I came to ask about my brother.

Your brother, right.

Uh, is he here?

No, not here. Definitely not.

Uh, what Dr. Palmer means

is, nothing is confirmed.

We haven't matched any of the remains to your brother.

Right.

I meant that.

Well, I'd like that moment now to, uh, to mourn.

Your father. Right.

And my brother.

Oh, ma'am, there's no need.

To... uh... rush anything.

Obviously.

We're gonna give you some space.

Carla's greatest trick is disappearing.

She fakes her death, the world moves on.

And no one's looking for her.

- Except for us. - Well, then let's find her.

I can't even prove she's alive.

All we've got is this female femur

from the wreckage, and Carla's not in the system.

No way to match.

What about the wine glass at Parker's?

There was lipstick.

There was,

and the DNA doesn't match the femur,

but it doesn't actually mean anything

without a confirmed sample from Carla.

Try family. What about, uh, Carla's granddaughter?

Lauren Jacobs.

- All right, bring her in. - Been trying.

The FBI pulled her protection after Carla's death,

and she's not answering her phone.

- Ping it. - It's off.

And she didn't show up for work today.

Call the FBI?

I did.

Lauren's car is still in the driveway.

Nobody's seen her since last night.

Carla's not just disappearing.

She's taking family with her.

I can feel that look from here.

More bad news.

One of these days we're gonna surprise you.

Today is not that day.

We found female remains from the wreck

but no DNA to match Carla.

And her granddaughter Lauren just went missing.

And you think that's because...?

Carla's still alive.

Ah. There's the knockout.

Carla fakes her death, NCIS stops looking,

five families stop hunting,

the FBI eases up on Lauren.

Perfect time to make a move.

And you think this is her move? Taking her granddaughter?

She's tried once before.

Lauren's mother risked everything

to keep her away from Carla.

She knew how dangerous it was to have someone like that

whispering into her daughter's ear.

She's trying again.

And your proof is...?

- Coming soon. - We came to you first.

Nice change of pace.

I know what it looks like when agents

bury themselves in work to dodge grief.

This feels like something else.

"Devoted to duty.

"Fiercely loyal to the truth

and to his team."

Parker's obituary. Or it's supposed to be.

I'm having trouble finishing it. Maybe you can tell me why.

Sir?

First, I thought it was just the job.

Writing these is the worst part.

But maybe

it's because I don't believe that he's really gone.

And if I asked,

flat-out,

if you knew Parker was alive,

you'd either have to lie

or tell me something that I would be obligated to report.

Which would only slow us down.

And none of us want that.

Keep digging.

And this time, keep me in the loop before the final bell,

or you won't like how this round ends.

♪ When I step in the room... ♪

Look, I'm just her roommate.

I never signed up for government surveillance.

Janice, we appreciate your cooperation.

First, the FBI raids our fridge. Now, NCIS

is tearing apart our living room.

What's next... the CIA clogging our toilet?

We're just trying to find Lauren.

We believe that she may have been taken.

Taken? Like... the movie?

Did she ever mention anything about feeling threatened?

Not in so many words, but

she got super private.

Wouldn't let me near her mail.

Started whispering on phone calls.

She said it was so I couldn't listen through the wall,

but how did she know I do that?

I found this under the bed.

Locked?

Locked and heavy.

You guys can open it, right?

Like, legally?

If she's hiding something,

the roommate has a right to know.

Does the roommate know the code?

Lauren is entitled to her privacy. I'm not a monster.

Oh, and listening through the walls?

That's different.

Okay, we're wasting time.

Uh, yeah, you're right. Let's get it back to NCIS.

Kasie can get a warrant.

That would also take time.

Wait, can't you guys just

break it open here?

Break it open? And violate Lauren's privacy?

No. You were right, she deserves better.

I mean, we don't know what's inside.

Yeah, no, it could be filled with secrets.

What kind of secrets? Pervy secrets?

The only way that we can know is, uh, with consent

from somebody with lawful and reasonable access.

Mm-hmm. Like a...

roommate.

Try her birthday. Or her cat's name,

Mitzy. She uses that for everything.

Oh, no, wait. Use her grandma's birthday.

Are you sure?

Pretty sure. She mentioned it once,

said Grandma Carla always picked it as her lotto numbers.

Grandma Carla?

I know. Who brags about their grandma?

Especially that one.

All right, solar power.

Satellite Internet.

And moose-enhanced Wi-Fi.

I'm telling you, Gibbs would hate this.

And you couldn't be prouder.

I really couldn't.

And just in time.

Turns out that lockbox was full of letters.

Every one from Carla.

- They were writing each other? - For months.

I warned Carla... no contact, ever.

Didn't stick.

No wonder Lauren knows her grandma's lotto numbers.

Let me guess, fugitive crime boss

acting like they're grandma of the year?

Oh, she's good. Plays the part.

Lonely widow, grieving mother. "My son is gone.

Lauren's my last chance to connect with family."

Carla's grooming her.

Yeah, to use Lauren as a front.

Clean face, clean record.

Cover for Carla's dirty deeds,

exactly what Lauren's mother was afraid of.

What's this bit about a locket?

Yeah.

Yeah, split in two. Carla always talked about

giving her son half when he was a kid

and then keeping the other half for herself.

Every time she was arrested,

that locket was in her pocket.

So, she's mixing fact with fiction.

I... I should've seen this coming, man.

Look at that connection, McGee.

Latency under 40 milliseconds?

- Long live MooseNet. - Patent pending.

Look at Parker in the wild.

- Being alive suits you. - What do you got, Kase?

Oh, uh, warrant came through on Lauren's credit cards.

Last charge was a café outside Arlington.

Café have cameras?

Yep. I found Lauren.

And she wasn't alone.

I am used to summons, Director,

just not from your side of the Potomac.

I trust there is a good reason.

Carla Marino. Who's the girl?

Lauren Jacobs. Carla's granddaughter.

Only child to her late son

and, as far as we know, last living relative.

The footage is from an hour ago.

Carla is alive.

She faked the blast? Used it to disappear?

Yes, ma'am. And she took Lauren with her.

They left that café together.

No sign since.

We're scrubbing cell towers, traffic cams, satellite...

No, we need to loop in Homeland, FBI counterintelligence.

Already in motion.

But there's more.

Some good news.

Carla is not the only one who still alive.

So is your brother.

He made it off that ship.

Is he okay?

Yes.

And how long have you been working with him in secret?

That issue will be addressed, Admiral,

I assure you, but right now,

priority's Carla.

Yeah, it's hard to walk away from technological perfection.

Don't get misty on me, McGee. Time to rejoin the living.

Have a little chat with my sister.

Yeah, maybe, uh,

save any righteous monologues, huh?

I mean, she just found out you're alive.

Bank the goodwill.

Where's the fun in that?

Looks like your reunion's ahead of schedule.

Agent Parker.

Admiral.

Vance filled you in?

Told me what I needed to know.

Are you serious? You're gonna arrest me?

It's for your own good.

"Willful conveyance

"of false information involving an explosive threat.

"Unauthorized transfer of classified evidence.

Interfering with an ongoing investigation."

Makes bending the rules sound like a crime spree.

It's enough to hold Parker in federal lockup

- pending arraignment. - Why?

'Cause this isn't just procedure. It's personal.

Sibling rivalry.

- Never boring. - Amen.

And who's gonna challenge a vice admiral?

Uh, not us.

I'm telling you, I saw her when she had him cuffed.

She was smiling.

And that was her brother. Imagine what she'd do to us.

Yeah, rather not.

Well, at least not until we find Carla.

Okay.

Last confirmed sighting,

Arlington café. Two hours ago.

They left together?

Almost like Lauren went willingly.

If she did, it won't last.

Grooming's isn't love, it's manipulation.

Yeah, if Lauren thinks she's safe now...

As soon as that Hallmark moment fades,

all that's left is a kidnapping.

All right, I'm gonna pull traffic cams,

- cell activity here. - And I'll refresh the BOLO.

Agent Parker.

I guess your sister did what I should've done two days ago.

I always knew you two would get along.

I gave you space.

Gave you time. Hell, I gave you cover.

No, you didn't, Director. You sent me home.

You're not angry at me.

Or your sister. Or even Carla.

You're angry at yourself.

I carried that same weight

after Jackie died.

Kept it tucked in my pocket like a badge.

Hell, a hammer.

Didn't help.

You want to keep swinging that hammer, you go right ahead,

but when you're ready to put it down, I'll still be here,

as a friend.

Being friends with you hasn't done me any favors.

I'm sitting here.

You think I can fix that?

Clearly, you don't know your sister.

Admiral.

Aldie.

Harry.

Still the same.

Reckless. Insubordinate.

Always dragging people down with you.

Wow. Barely in the room,

and already at cruising altitude.

You keep lighting fires

and acting surprised when things burn.

Yeah, you know, it's funny.

I think I just figured out who lit the first one.

Back in juvie, when I boosted that car,

wasn't Dad

that narced on me.

It was you.

You were spiraling. Fast.

So, I did what Dad couldn't.

I made sure you survived.

By stabbing me in the back?

I pulled you back from the edge.

Then and now.

And that missile strike, what was that?

Tough love in Tomahawk form?

You think I wanted to do that?

Well, it doesn't matter. You did.

I had orders.

You have never understood what that means.

I'm not that kid anymore. I'm not acting out.

I'm trying to make things right.

And that's the problem.

You still can't see the damage you cause.

I see it, okay? I see it.

Every day. Every time I close my eyes. I know what I did.

I put Carla into his orbit.

I put her in his path. I did this to Dad.

I don't need another lesson.

I need a sister.

Instead, I got you.

Kase. Hey. Got your call.

Why'd you come in the back way?

Oh, because Vance is back in the building.

I thought he was back on our side.

Hard to say. I figure it's best to stay off his radar.

In that case, you're gonna love what's on mine.

NOAA weather satellite.

I widened the net after Carla's café footage went cold.

Started with nearby transit hubs and caught this.

Private airfield outside Leesburg.

Is that Carla?

And Lauren. Except this time,

one of Carla's armed goons has her in a death grip.

She's a prisoner.

Jet had no flight plan and a fake tail number. Untraceable.

But even ghost planes burn fuel.

Well, jet that size has limited range.

My best guess, it's headed for southern Canada,

northern Mexico, or my personal favorite...

a remote airstrip outside Havana.

Why Cuba?

Oh, the airstrip's privately owned.

The deed is buried under two shell corporations

and one very familiar alias.

- Carla's? - It's one of her old ones,

but where there's enough smoke, there's fire.

Great, so Carla's made it out of the country.

Somebody's got to tell Vance and the admiral.

They already know.

I flagged all incoming network data to this lab.

You here to arrest us, too?

That depends.

How fast can you package this intel for a briefing?

Uh, define "briefing."

Did we miss a calendar invite?

I am updating DoD.

Plan is simple: do what my brother couldn't.

Bring down the woman that killed our father,

the right way.

We can be ready in five minutes.

Make that three and a half.

Thermal recon confirms Carla Marino has taken refuge

in a private compound in southeast Cuba.

No flag, no legal standing.

And she's not alone.

Marino is holding an American citizen hostage,

Lauren Jacobs, her granddaughter.

We've been briefed on the granddaughter. However...

Marino's holed up with limited protection.

She's vulnerable.

I can have an extraction team wheels-up in an hour.

We're aware of the situation, admiral.

We've been in contact with the Cuban government.

They reached out an hour ago.

Because they've granted Carla Marino asylum.

- Cuba's protecting her? - She cut a deal.

No extradition. No interference.

And what did Carla give them in return?

Everything.

The entire Nexus infrastructure.

Comms, accounts, routing systems.

She offered the entire kingdom.

And they took it.

Gives Cuba leverage in talks with the U.S.

Carla Marino is obsessed with control.

If she gave it up, it's not peace. It's a ploy.

It's not a con. It's survival.

And it's all thanks to NCIS.

You stopped Carla's bombing attempt on the five families.

The families then turned on Nexus,

so Nexus turned on Carla.

Cut her loose,

torched her contacts and froze her assets.

Intelligence chatter now says she's on the run,

low on cash, short on muscle,

and hunted by the people she once commanded.

She gave up what she had left out of desperation.

Desperate or not, she's a wanted terrorist

and she is holding a U.S. civilian.

That girl is 19.

Caught between a cartel

and the woman who murdered my father.

With respect, Admiral,

we may have just secured

the biggest intelligence windfall in a decade.

That's the priority.

We were willing to sacrifice one of our own

to stop this woman.

And now we're just supposed to walk away?

We have no choice.

Tell that to Lauren's mother.

You're toeing the line, Admiral Parker.

These are orders, not options.

Understood?

Understood.

You did everything that you could.

No, director.

I did everything I was told.

I still failed.

You always made things look easier than this, Dad.

Oh...

Wish you were here.

How'd you know I was here?

Been here myself a few times.

Also,

your entire entourage is outside the door.

Well, an admiral's rarely alone.

Should I go?

Said you've been here before. When?

When the compartments that I thought were watertight,

uh...

...weren't.

The naval metaphors those for my benefit?

I'm a hostage negotiator.

Well, I'm...

I'm-I'm not making any demands.

Battle's over.

My brother broke the rules,

failed.

And I followed them.

Got the same result.

Then maybe it's not about the rules.

Maybe it's about...

who you answer to and...

what matters when it's over.

Don't say family.

All I know

is that there is a young woman out there,

and she is alone and she is scared.

And my team can bring her home.

Look, if you're asking my permission, I can't give it.

I have orders.

But we don't.

Then why come to me?

Because we're down an agent.

And your orders don't include keeping him in a cage.

You came to ask for my brother?

He knows Carla better than anyone.

And he needs to save someone.

To make up for those that he couldn't.

Alden.

Look, Harry.

I've been replaying what I said.

Maybe I went too far.

What are you doing?

Probably making a huge mistake.

Go get her.

Her?

The only one who matters.

Picking up chatter.

Headed this way. DoD was right.

We're not the only ones hunting Carla.

If we want to keep this off the books,

we need to move.

All right, the guard patterns are light. Two in the back gate,

two in the front.

Northeast wall has blind spots

and no patrols near the house itself.

Draw the guards out, away from the house.

No casualties.

NCIS was never here.

Parker, you can't be serious.

It's the only way this works.

No. What about Carla?

She's not who matters.

Maybe not, but the gun she's probably holding matters.

What if she pulls the trigger?

She started this. She decides how it ends.

Let's move.

You should eat. You'll feel better.

You said we'd talk. I talked.

Now I just want to go home.

This is home, dear.

You won't need that.

I brought you here to protect you.

You're all I have left.

Greed. Nature's GPS.

Worked for E.T.

Let's hope his friends are just as predictable.

Relax!

It's just a drill.

It's not a drill, Carla.

That's far enough.

Parker.

You just couldn't stay away, could you?

Come here, Lauren. This man's dangerous.

Came to kill me.

I'm unarmed, Carla. I'm not here for you.

Don't insult us both. Where's your gun?

That's my gun. I know what you did with it.

But I'm not here to take a life. I'm here to save one.

I can take care of my family.

Like you took care of Jason?

Don't you dare talk about my son.

He died trying to escape your world. And what did you do?

You dragged all that's left of him right back in.

I'm protecting my granddaughter.

You don't know what you're talking about!

Really?

I got in unarmed.

And worse than me are coming. Nexus.

The five families.

Cuba's deal bought you some time...

days, maybe hours.

No. You're lying.

Whatever fantasy that you are clinging to,

it ends in blood. You have to let her go.

- Please. - Don't listen to him.

You recognize this?

What is it? Is that my locket?

Jason's half?

Where'd you get that?

He gave it to me, back then.

He said it reminded him of the good that was still there.

And he wanted somebody else to believe it, but I couldn't.

But she needs to.

Show her your son was right about you.

No!

P-Please. Don't.

Family sees everything, Carla.

Even the parts we try to bury.

Let me go. Please, Grandma.

I was just trying to protect you.

Then do what you never could for Jason.

Go.

I'm so sorry.

Parker!

Drop your weapon!

Was any of it true?

It can be.

It's up to you.

Carla Marino's dead.

The five families are lining up to take the credit.

And Cuba is not complaining.

They are too busy trading intel.

The Nexus cartel is coming apart,

for good.

And Lauren Jacobs is home, safe, with her mother.

Then it's done.

What about Parker?

Does he still have a badge?

I had an academy instructor once say...

"You can patch a hull,

"you can replace an engine,

"but once the compass goes bad,

"whole ship is lost.

"It's still moving.

Just in the wrong direction."

I won't let that happen.

Not to this team. Not to this agency.

And that will be made clear to Agent Parker.

But for now,

his father deserves a proper sendoff.

It's not every day a retired enlisted man

gets full honors at sea.

And who's going to challenge a vice admiral?

Actually, Agent Torres.

Would you mind staying behind for a moment?

Final casework from Justice.

If this one's not officially closed,

it is at least on the shelf.

Unless you're about to yank it back down again.

I uploaded Lauren's DNA when she came back.

Just routine,

till routine got weird.

Remember this glass from Parker's apartment?

We assumed the lipstick was Carla's,

but it's not her DNA.

Are you sure?

I triple-checked. No familial markers.

Not a Marino.

But Carla confessed.

- She killed Roman. - She definitely did.

That much we know. That part still holds.

I'm just saying,

she wasn't the only woman at Parker's apartment that night.

So, someone else was there before Carla even showed up.

Roman was a social guy.

- Neighbors, poker friends... - Lady friends.

Exactly. Could be nothing.

But you don't think it's nothing.

I don't know what I think.

- But until we find out more... - Don't say it.

...I don't think we should tell Parker.

Look at you.

Braving your two greatest fears:

ships and closure.

I figured you wouldn't blow one up with both of us on it.

Don't test me.

He'd be proud.

There's so much I never said to him.

Mostly I'm sorry.

For all of it.

Open it.

Behind his ID.

He carried that everywhere.

He knew, Alden.

He always knew.

Oh...

You think he'd, uh...

he'd want a, uh, a prayer?

I don't know, a speech?

Well, you're the talker. Knock yourself out.

Your ship. Your lead.

- Chicken. - Am not.

- Are too. - Am not.

Are too.

Almost heaven.

♪ West Virginia ♪

♪ Blue Ridge Mountains ♪

♪ Shenandoah River ♪

♪ Life is old there ♪

♪ Older than the trees ♪

♪ Younger than the mountains ♪

♪ Growing like a breeze ♪

♪ Country roads ♪

♪ Take me home ♪

♪ To the place ♪

♪ I belong ♪

♪ West Virginia ♪

♪ Mountain mama ♪

♪ Take me home ♪

♪ Country roads ♪

♪ Take me home ♪

♪ To the place ♪

♪ I belong ♪

♪ West Virginia ♪

♪ Mountain mama ♪

♪ Take me home ♪

♪ Country roads. ♪