Original subtitles

We'll cut you down the way you stand

Hit with the game we're in

That cold ground is where it's at

Jess, I'm telling you, it is the way to go.

It's just a... I think we can do better.

What's going on?

We're discussing what we should put into the time capsule.

The what now?

You didn't read the memo the PR sent out yesterday?

Supposed to read those?

As part of the 250th anniversary for the Navy, the department has decided to put

together a time capsule to be opened in 100 years.

And they have asked us to contribute one item that best represents who...

And what NCIS is, like a computer or hardware? No, Mickey.

Just think about it. We use computers and technology for everything we do. We

couldn't get work done without them. I get that, but computers are just so

impersonal and boring.

No offense.

Yeah, no, that's fine. It's just my life's passion, but whatever. I was

that we go more emotional, something that really details NCIS and the

like a commemorative blast.

That's super boring.

Nick, what about you? What do you think should go into the capsule?

Look, I want to celebrate the Navy just like anybody else, okay? But a time

capsule? Not your thing, huh?

Well, I don't believe in thinking about the future or the past. I live in the

moment, baby.

So you don't care what people 100 years from now will think of us?

No, because I won't even be here, all right?

And whoever opens this time capsule might not even be human anyways.

That's right. Could be talking apes. If we're lucky.

Talking apes? Never gonna happen.

It's the insects we gotta worry about, especially roaches.

They're gonna outlive us all.

This conversation got weird fast.

You two gear up. Taurus, you're with me and Emtech. I just got a call from the U

.S. Marshal's office. Inmate escaped from Morris Federal Prison.

In Maryland?

It's not a military prison.

Why are the Marshals calling us?

Because the convict, Thomas Mulligan, killed a chief petty officer 30 years

It's actually one of Gibbs' first cases.

First prison break in my 20 years here.

It's the day every warden fears.

Two of our agents are en route to your facility now, Warden Tully. In the

meantime, maybe you can fill us in on the details.

Well, it wasn't easy. They used some tools from the machine shop and removed

toilet from the wall. And then they squeezed through the narrow hole behind

and both stowed away on the outgoing laundry truck.

They? You mean two inmates escaped?

Unfortunately, yes. The second wasn't flagged until we did the final morning

count.

Luther Stokes, former hitman for the Baltimore mob.

Serving life without parole.

He has real bad news.

Were he and Mulligan tight?

Not that I know of. They ran in different circles.

Stokes was a hard case.

He got into a lot of fights.

And Mulligan?

We never had any problem with him. He was a recent transfer from California.

He kept to himself.

He was reserved, quiet.

Uh, not so quiet.

State police found Stokes' body in a ravine 10 miles from the prison.

My guess is Mulligan thought he was slowing him down, so he killed him.

Looks like Mr. Mulligan will do anything for his freedom.

That's the funny thing.

Mulligan just had his parole commission review a few weeks back. It was

approved. He was set to be released soon. How soon?

Three weeks.

Why would you risk an escape when three weeks later you can just walk out the

front door?

No, I understand.

Yeah, please keep me in the loop.

All right, thank you, Senator.

Problems up on the hill?

No, just more rumors about budget cuts coming down the line.

Usual.

Okay, so, um, where are we at with our escaped inmate, Mulligan? One of the

prison guards reported her cell phone missing, so Casey is monitoring it now

the off chance that Mulligan took it. McGee and I did find something

when we were searching his cell.

Mulligan drew dozens of pictures, all of the same woman.

Wrote her name underneath.

Lainey Sims.

She was from Mulligan's hometown, Serenity, California.

Same place where he murdered that man 33 years ago.

Dispatch told us that the case was connected to Gibbs, but we never got the

details.

Chief Petty Officer Lewis Burke was shot dead and his body thrown in front of an

oncoming train to make it look like suicide.

The crime happened in broad daylight.

But when Gibbs and his team went to investigate, no one said a thing.

Were they afraid?

Were they protecting somebody?

Burke was a bad seed.

Nasty drinking habit, got into fights a lot, destroyed property.

Town bully.

The thinking was the town was happy to see him go, and they didn't want to turn

in the person that did them a favor, so they all clammed up.

Until Mulligan, who was the town sheriff at the time, miraculously came forward

and confessed to the killing.

But Gibbs didn't believe it. No, Gibbs always thought that the woman in those

sketches, Lainey Sims, committed the murder and that Mulligan took the fall

her. The problem was Gibbs couldn't prove it, so the case was closed.

But it was Gibbs' boss, Mike Franks, who took it the hardest.

He called it the one that got away.

He never got over it.

Apparently, neither did Mulligan.

So you think his breakout is connected to Lainey Sims?

Doesn't explain why he escaped so soon.

Before his release, but it's a good place to start, but we need to get

before Mulligan does. He already killed one man during his escape.

Who knows what he's capable of?

Multiple contusions all over his body. Defensive wounds suggest a struggle.

Cause of death was severe trauma to the cervical spine.

Mulligan broke his neck and snapped it like a twig. Plus, Mulligan's DNA was

under his fingernails, so it was definitely him.

Not bad for a man Mulligan's age.

And Gibbs thought that Mulligan wasn't capable of murder.

Maybe he wasn't back then.

30 years in prison, that much time can change a man.

Oh, speaking of time, I came up with the perfect item for the Navy time capsule.

Okay, Jimmy, you know, I'm not really into this thing.

Oh, whoa. Okay, what the hell is that?

Is that a toe?

This toe belonged to one of the victims of the Bone Man. Remember the infamous

serial killer that we put away a few years ago?

Yeah, I remember.

At the start, this toe was the only clue we had. This toe represents teamwork.

This toe is a symbol of what makes NCIS great.

It's also disgusting.

Have you thought this through, Jimmy?

Well, I... Hey, do you want children 100 years from now to open a time capsule

and find a wrinkly, nasty -ass toe?

Yeah, no, no.

You're right. I guess I...

Got carried away.

I guess I got excited when I saw the memo and... Oh, it's Jeff. I gotta go.

We're gonna be late to the airport.

Where are you two going?

We're going to Mulligan's hometown in California.

We're having problems tracking down his crush, Lainey.

Plus, Parker wants us in in case Mulligan shows up.

Okay, well, travel safe.

And you won't tell anybody about the toad thing, right?

Right?

Hey, Keith.

You look tracking that cell phone Mulligan stole?

Yeah, and I kind of got flammed with all this last minute.

What is all this stuff? You're looking to put something in the time capsule?

No, although this whole box is practically a time capsule.

It is Gibbs' original case box from 33 years ago. It has everything related to

Mulligan's murder charge.

Oh, anything good?

Maybe it was good back in the 90s, but it's a museum piece now. Nothing

It's just tons and tons of paperwork, like on physical paper.

Ew. Oh, and get this.

The interrogation tape?

VHF. Do we even own a VCR?

No! I don't know how people solved crimes in the 90s. I don't know how they

anything done.

Ah, sweet technology.

Mute to my ears.

Oh, please tell me that music includes a hit on Mulligan's phone.

Yep. Looks like he ordered an Uber to take him somewhere in D .C.

Ordered an Uber during a prison escape?

Well, that's a first.

Okay, according to the account, the car took him to a residential address.

It belongs to someone named Vera Strickland.

Vera?

You know her?

Yeah.

Vera was an NCIS agent back in the day. She used to work with Gibbs and Mike

Franks.

You know what I wonder?

What?

Yeah, here it is.

Vera worked a murder case 33 years ago.

Why is Mulligan headed to her now?

I don't know.

But he's desperate and he's on the run and that's not good.

Next case.

Federal agents!

Haven't you heard of a doorbell?

What the hell?

Uh, Ms. Strickland, my name is Special Agent Parker.

This is Special Agent... Oh, I know who he is.

McGee.

Hi, Barry.

Um, are you okay, Ms. Strickland?

We have reason to believe an escaped convict was headed here to your home.

An escaped convict? Here.

So you're alone?

Me? I'm alone with them.

Reading a book, having a cup of tea.

Would you boys like some?

Caffeinated or decaf?

Whatever's fine.

So you've been here the whole time?

Yeah. I'm retired.

Where the hell else am I going to go?

Oh, no tea.

Do you mind if we look around a little bit? Make sure this guy didn't try to

break in.

Knock yourself out.

Okay, I'm afraid it's going to have to be water.

Tap. I don't spring for that bottle crap.

Who is this convict, anyway?

Thomas Mulligan.

You put him away on a murder charge 33 years ago.

Thought you said you were alone.

You got me, Columbo.

Mulligan was here.

McGee? He just took some money, clothing, a few other things. What other

My Harley.

You lied to us, Miss Strickland.

You just aided and abetted a fugitive. Don't get so dramatic.

I was going to call the authorities after he left. He only asked for a five

-minute head start. That's all. Well, at least tell me you were coerced, that he

put a gun to your head.

I know that I might have crossed the line a little, but I have my reason.

Vera, you didn't just cross the line. What you did was reckless.

Watch it!

Goatee, you're in no position to lecture me. I seem to remember the last time we

met, you recklessly lost your gun and your badge.

It was my credentials. It's because of you that I had to go in the field.

I got a sprained ankle.

Okay, you know that wasn't my fault. And I couldn't ride my bike. Can we

please try to get back on track?

Why did you help Mulligan?

Because he is innocent.

We put away the wrong man 30 years ago.

Gibbs knew it, Frank knew it, and I knew it.

We might have been innocent back then, but he just killed his fellow inmate.

You know, that wasn't self -defense.

Mulligan told me the guy wanted to kill a gas station owner for the cash in the

register. Mulligan had no choice.

Maybe. Or maybe he just said that so you'd help him.

Did Mulligan tell you where he was headed?

Or why he broke out three weeks before his release?

No. All he said was he had a right or wrong.

That's it for now. We'll be in touch.

I know we will.

Because I want in on this case.

Excuse me?

You? I know the original murder case.

I was there. I know all the players.

You're lucky I don't throw your ass in jail.

But I can help!

Okay, here.

Have you talked to Jimmy Wallace in D .C. yet?

You mean Congressman James Wallace?

He's from Mulligan's hometown.

He was called Jimmy back then. He goes way back with Mulligan.

Maybe he could give you some insight.

See?

I'm helping already.

Thanks, but no thanks.

No, wait. Wait! Wait!

The fact of the matter is, I need this.

Retirement is boring as hell.

Working on this case would not only give me my groove back, it would give me

closure on something that's been hanging over my head for 33 years.

Please, please let me help.

Well, this town has seen better days.

Yeah, it's kind of depressing.

Something I can help you with?

Agents Knight, Torres, we called earlier about Laney Sims.

He didn't get my message.

Damn it, Delroy.

My deputy, he was supposed to ring you, but he must have forgot.

Laney Sims is not here.

She and her husband split up about eight years ago.

Took their son, moved up north.

Any idea where?

No. But her ex, Mack, lives in town.

Willing to help you in any way he can. Well, that's good to hear.

Since the last time NCIS was here.

You weren't too cooperative.

Read somewhere you trashed one of our cars?

Hey! Stop it! Put it down!

Put it down!

I was a messed up kid back then.

I cleaned myself up, straightened myself out.

More than I could say about most things around here.

What happened to this place?

If you ask the state, they'll say it was climate change.

Serenity used to be a big farming town. We lived off our own water.

But then we had a few bad drought years. The aquifer dried up.

We were forced to make deals we couldn't afford for outside water.

Now this is what's left.

All because of a drought.

If you believe the state.

But you don't?

Ask anyone around here, they'll tell you the same thing. The murder's what did

this town end.

All our bad luck started when Lewis Burke was killed 33 years ago.

This town is cursed.

There's no way around it.

Burke wasn't the only thing that died that day.

Find anything yet?

I've got a CD player, I've got a fax machine, but so far no VCR.

Case, I should have come down here a long time ago. I'm getting so many good

ideas for the Navy time capsule.

Ah, what happened? You're not going with your severed toe idea anymore?

It was a bad idea, I admit it.

That is putting it lightly.

Okay, all right, fine. What would you put inside the time capsule?

Easy, a glitter bomb. That way whoever opens it gets a fabulous surprise.

I can't tell if you're joking. Casey, Jimmy, I'd like you to meet retired

Special Agent Vera Strickland. She'll be assisting us in a limited capacity.

Very limited.

Pleasure to meet you.

This pleasure is all mine.

I Googled you after your name came up yesterday.

You're a legend. The profiling program you created is still gold standard

Legend's a little strong.

Let's go trailblazer.

I remember this.

Gibbs notepad.

Frank's old files. Oh, I could never read his handwriting.

It was like chicken scratch.

If I knew you had this, I would have brought my VCR.

You're my new best friend.

Congressman Wallace is waiting in the conference room.

Okay, let's hit it. No, you're staying here where they can watch you.

Don't let her out of your sight.

No. Hey!

I am not a child, Parker. I don't need babysitting.

Do you hear me?

Oh, he's irritating.

Oh, handsome, but irritating.

Well, thanks for coming in, Congressman Wallace. We know election season's been

keeping you busy.

What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment.

I take it you know about Thomas Mulligan escaping?

Yeah, such a shock.

But I'm not sure how I can help.

How well did you know him?

Pretty well.

Tom was a good guy.

I was floored when he confessed to killing that man.

The whole ordeal tore the town apart. It was awful.

Especially on the heels of what had just happened.

What do you mean?

The victim, Lewis Burke, he beat up my grandpa a week earlier.

My grandpa, Dominic.

I took this yesterday.

Died later from his injuries.

Rumor was that Burke's killing was revenge for what he'd done to my

Eye for an eye.

Yeah, but I didn't ask for that.

I was raised to believe in the rule of law, not this frontier justice crap.

That whole mess is why I got into politics to begin with, to fight for

justice.

Sorry.

Time escaping, it brings up old memories. We understand.

Congressman, we checked Mulligan's visitor prison logs, and your name came

few times.

Why did you visit him?

He wrote to me, asked to help with his parole.

I did.

Something I now regret.

Why is that?

Because he changed.

The last time I saw him, he was more aggressive, edgy, like something had set

him off.

It scared me, to be honest.

What do you think set him off?

I don't know.

But I'll tell you this, wherever Mulligan is headed, I sure as hell

want to be there when he shows up.

Mr. Sims, NCIS.

Your neighbor said we'd find you here.

I heard you guys were in town, but waiting for you to show up.

We're looking for your ex -wife, Lainey.

We're thinking that Tom Mulligan might try to contact her.

It was my husband, Max.

Yeah, well, he ain't gonna find her.

Neither are you.

Blaine, he, uh, died three years ago.

They said the Smokin's what did it, but I know it was a guilt

over what happened to Lewis Burke.

Guilt.

Because she killed him?

Because we all did.

She didn't plan on killing him.

It was one of those spur -of -the -moment things.

She was just so filled up with rage over what he'd done to old man Wallace.

Laney loved him like a father.

So she just snapped.

She'd come to me afterwards.

She wanted to do the right thing. She wanted to turn herself in.

But you had other plans?

I buried the gun out in the field.

Then me and a few others put Burke in his car, pushed him on the tracks, and

let the train do the rest.

Burke was no good. He had to go.

Laney couldn't go to prison. She was pregnant.

So everyone just kept a secret.

Till you all showed up asking questions.

Which forced Mulligan to step forward and confide?

Did they fall for your wife?

And you let them?

Doesn't matter now, though, I guess.

Lady's gone, my son won't talk to me, the hotel's falling apart, and we all

thought we got away with murder.

Mr. Sims, we're going to need you to come with us so we can take a written

statement.

If Mulligan is innocent, we're going to need to know.

You know, funny thing is, we all thought it was Burke who beat up Wallace.

But now, I'm not so sure.

He might have been set up.

And everything we did?

Might have been for nothing.

What are you talking about?

Hey, my son.

Tell him I love him.

No!

Maxence was declared dead at the scene.

Honestly, the guy seemed kind of haunted, like he was Don Kerry in the

At least his confession tells us one thing.

Tom Mulligan was innocent.

He didn't kill Chief Burke. Gibbs was right.

That wouldn't be the first time.

Vera, it's a restricted area. How'd you get in here?

Oh, don't get your panties in a bunch.

I still have some friends in the building.

What, do you want to throw me out, McGee?

Try it. Vera, you are supposed to be working on the old case files

In the dust trap?

Uh -uh.

This is where the action is.

And who are they?

The new Tony and Ziva?

What? I've been here for nine years.

What do we got?

Okay. With Mac's confession, that's one mystery solved. We still have a fugitive

on the loose.

Any idea where he might be headed?

Uh, possibly.

We think it might be connected to this man, Dominic Wallace.

That's Congressman Wallace's grandpa.

The man Burke assaulted.

Well, maybe not. Max said that Berg didn't do it, that he was set up.

Well, he was a town bully.

Be easy to do.

Our fugitive might have learned the real identity of the attacker, and he's

going after them now for revenge.

Find out who this person is, we'll find Mulligan. Who else had motive to attack

Grandpa Wallace?

Well, see, that's the thing. I mean, we asked around town, and we can't find

anyone who wanted to hurt him.

Is there anything in the original report about his attack?

Sheriff is having problems finding it.

What about you?

What about me? What?

You were there, remember?

I know all the players. What can you tell us?

Hey, I only worked on the Burke murder case.

This guy Wallace wasn't military, wasn't our case. So you can't help us. I

didn't say that.

I know two people who might have some info for you in their neck of the woods.

But I warn you, these guys, these guys can be prickly.

Agent Knight, Torres.

How's it going? Hey. How you doing? Woody Brown.

Good. This is my assistant.

Former assistant, Sel Hallertson.

Oh, thanks for taking the time. Well, we're retired, so what else are we going

to do?

He's retired. I am still working.

I'm the assistant professor of chemistry at the local college.

All these years, you're still somebody's assistant. How is that even possible?

Okay. You know, Vera said that the two of you used to work forensics for NIS

back in the day. Can you tell us what you remember about the Dominic Wallace

case?

Quite a lot, actually.

It wasn't even technically our case, but Michael Franks asked us to take a look

at it on the side.

Over time, of course.

Dominic Wallace was leaving his favorite restaurant at 10 p .m. when he was

beaten within an inch of his life with a baseball bat.

Elm Royal brand, 34 -inch, solid wood. No witnesses, but everybody in town just

assumed Burke did it.

Because it was the town's booze?

That and because the Elm Royal bat was Burke's favorite item. Carried it around

all the time. It was like his good luck charm.

Also, he had no alibi.

Yeah, I was just about to say that, Phil.

However, Burke did dislocate his shoulder a few months earlier, which

doubts he could have swung the baseball bat that violent.

Is it okay for me to speak now? Do I get a second now to speak? Do you ever not

speak? No, ladies and gentlemen. Okay, okay, guys, this is all great, but

without any solid evidence, it's going to be very hard to prove that Burke was

framed. Yeah, we can't even find the murder weapon. The sheriff thinks it's

lost. Oh, it's not lost. We have it.

What? Yeah, no, we got it.

No, when the Burke murder case was closed, Franks asked us to hold on to

we did.

I can't believe you guys still have it. We got an old storage unit filled with

all kinds of crap from old cases. You never know when it's going to come in

handy, right?

Did you analyze this?

Yeah, we had it analyzed right away when Franks gave it to us. We had two

different sets of DNA.

One was from our victim, Wallace, and the other was not enough to produce a

proper ID.

It was the 90s. We needed big DNA samples to get anything done.

But now, with modern technology, you could reanalyze the bat, maybe run it

through one of the... Probably identify Wallace's killer.

Seriously? That one just felt on purpose.

I was in the middle of talking. You're old. I'm trying to keep you back on your

thoughts. I'm not. Oh, and you're some kind of spring chicken, Phil?

Yes. I disagree completely.

What are you doing?

You better not be messing around with my VCR.

I'm reviewing Mulligan's interrogation tapes from 92.

Going over Gibbs' notes here.

Seeing if there's anything we missed.

Oh, look at me.

I was a fox.

What are we going to do about it? Oh, there's Roy.

I guess we're so young.

We all were.

Time is a bitch.

You know, he talks about you.

Yes.

You talk to him?

Would he call you? Well, not exactly.

But it's not important how I talk to him.

What is important is that he's proud of you.

He told me that you are a better agent at your age than he ever was.

The job is done, Broby.

You gotta walk away.

Rule 11.

That's where he got it from.

The irony.

Frank's never followed his own rule.

Did he?

I mean, this case bothered him until the day he died.

Because the job wasn't done.

Right.

Now it's our turn to finish it for him.

Huh?

Any case?

Got anything for me?

DNA results on the baseball bat.

We had the office in San Diego run the test.

And? The DNA did not belong to Burke.

He's not our killer.

Great. That means he was definitely framed. Whose DNA is it?

I don't know. They're not in the system.

So we're back to square one.

Not necessarily.

I think Gibbs just handed us a piece we've been missing.

Wait till you hear this.

I was going through Gibbs' case notes, and on the days leading up to the

Grandpa Wallace called the San Diego County office dozens of times.

He even set up a meeting with them on the actual morning he was attacked.

Gibbs tried to follow up with the county, but they never called him back.

The case was closed before he could do any more.

I called the county archive department. Wallace had filed dozens of documents

with them.

That disappeared shortly after his death.

Whoever killed Wallace must have taken him to destroy evidence.

But we know something that the killer didn't know. The county made copies of

the originals.

Apparently someone requested to see them just three weeks ago.

Who?

Jason Cross, lived alone, worked for the vet assistant.

What's up, man? It's Tim, the one with 30 -year -old papers.

Blake, I'm not the only one that's interested in this case.

I'll take the back.

Copy.

Let me see your hands, Mulligan.

Hey, I heard a noise. I didn't know who you were.

Step back.

It's not what you think.

I'm not here to hurt anyone.

Then what are you doing here?

I'm trying to save my son.

Lainey and I had been having an affair for over four years.

No one knew.

Not even her husband.

Jason Cross is your and Lainey's son?

Cross was his mother's name.

And that's why you went to prison for her.

She was carrying your child.

Lainey didn't want me to do it. Of course, she hated the thought of me

punished for something that she'd done.

But...

I convinced her that it was the right thing to do, you know,

for Jason.

So I went away, and we kept our secret.

I shot Louis Burke with the gun I used to do it.

But Jason found out.

Yeah.

A few weeks ago, um, he...

He visited me in prison for the first time.

He said that Laney had told him everything on her deathbed.

About me being his dad.

About the murders.

Somehow, he figured out who really killed old man Wallace.

Did he tell you who he was?

No.

He said he wanted to make them pay.

Why?

Jason wasn't even born when any of this happened.

You don't understand.

You see, in Jason's mind, every bad thing that's ever happened to our

I mean, to this town, all started with Wallace's murder.

I mean, that's like the original sin.

To him, the man who killed Wallace just cursed us.

He's to blame for everything.

So now he's out for revenge.

I tried to talk him out of it, but he...

You couldn't listen to me.

That's why I broke out of prison. I couldn't wait for my release. The damage

could already be done. I have to stop my son from making the same mistake that

Laney did.

Where's Jason now?

I don't know.

I got here not long before you did, and this car's gone. It looks like he's

packed. Any idea where he might be headed?

Who he might be targeting?

No.

Whoever it is, I think you'll find the answer in here.

Thanks so much.

So where are we at? We've revised the BOLO, so it's now for Jason Cross.

The FBI set up a tip line.

Calls have come in that have placed him in Colorado and then in Chicago as

recently as two days ago. Then he's heading east.

Call Torres and I. Tell them to get their butts back. Already done. They're

the plane with Mulligan now.

Let's leak to the press that we're looking for Cross. Maybe if he catches

and we're on to him, he'll back off, whatever he's planning.

Hey, you guys need to see this.

Case, what you got?

Wallace's county documents.

Knight and Torres scanned them for me before they left. Listen to this.

Before he died, Wallace was in the process of gifting his property to the

of Serenity. Why?

I thought it was worthless.

He was sitting on a gold mine.

Wallace's property is situated above a huge aquifer. There's enough water in

there to supply a whole city for decades.

And no one knew?

Wallace didn't even know until an outside water company approached him to

his water rights. Jason looked up the original offer. It was huge.

Wallace could have made a fortune, but instead he decided to gift it to the

he loved.

Somebody killed him before he could do it. That same somebody who inherited his

water rights upon his death.

His next of kin, Congressman James Wallace.

I looked up the congressman's bank account going back decades. He came into

huge amount of cash months after his grandfather's death.

He must have learned about his grandfather's decision to donate the

then he killed him. So he could sell the rights himself.

The congressman has to be Jason's target. We need to warn him.

Where's the congressman now?

So then after the music, I'll say it's good to see so many hardworking folks

here today.

You think Jason's here? I don't think he's planning on killing the

This is as good a place as any. All right, let's split up. Search windows.

Any high vantage point?

Jason?

Put the gun down, Jason. Stay away from me.

Jason, put the gun down.

Stay away.

Don't do this. Stop it. I need it. Get back. We can help you.

Hal. Hal, I've got nothing. Wallace destroyed everything.

We know.

We know. We're going to make him pay.

But don't let him destroy you.

No, no.

My team, they knew your mother.

And she wouldn't want this, Jason.

And your biological father?

He spent 30 years in prison to protect you.

And he broke out to do it again.

If you do this now, all that sacrifice is for nothing.

I can't thank you enough, Agents Parker, McGee.

You saved my life.

Well, you may not want to thank us just yet.

So the congressman confessed to killing his grandfather.

He didn't need to.

He took his DNA from the water mug he used when he was here.

Compared to the killers on the murder weapon, it's a perfect match.

The congressman's gone away for a long, long time.

Well, then there's just one last thing left.

What about my... father?

Is he going to be charged for breaking out of prison?

No. We spoke to a federal judge who agreed that 33 years for a crime he

commit counts as time served.

And the other convict that he killed was in self -defense.

Your dad's a free man.

But unfortunately, I can't say the same for you.

With a weapon card and intent to commit murder, you're going to have to do some

time, Jason.

Sorry.

Yeah.

But luckily, you won't have to face this alone.

There'll be somebody pulling for you, waiting on the other side when you get

out.

Jason.

able to be in your life before.

I'm here now.

It's going to be sad to see you go, Vera.

Thanks for all your help.

Oh, no, thank you, guys.

This case was the little pickup I needed.

And I didn't even sprain my ankle this time. No.

No, seriously, though.

Working here the past few days, it reminded me why I love this job so much.

Does that mean you're thinking about coming out of retirement?

Hell no.

I'm going to leave all the agenting of you young pups.

You, not so much.

Yeah. Don't be a stranger, Vera.

I'll see you, Clark.

And you.

See you, Vera.

Uh -huh.

Oh, good. You're all here.

Jimmy, what's going on, bro?

I finally came up with the perfect item to put in the time capsule for the Navy

celebration. Oh, gosh.

Jimmy, we're so over this. Please don't tell me there's another toe.

No, hear me out. So I've been working this case. I've been going through a ton

of old photos and videos.

It made me realize how much history we have together. Now, who has all that

history in one place?

Oh. Oh, my God.

Not only does it have a lot of great stories about our cases, but the revised

edition actually has photos of all of us from past and present.

This is what people should remember about NCIS.

What we meant to each other.

Wow. That we were family. Look, a young kid.

Oh, yeah. Oh, my gosh.

Oh, look at this one on us. Look at that.

Oh, I think of them, too.

Jerry, thanks.