Sister City, Part I

(indistinct radio chatter)

Where are we?

FAA handed over radio control on November-zero-five-Julia-Papa-Zulu.

Privately operated jet took off from New Orleans approximately 90 minutes ago, bound for Washington-Reagan.

ATC has reported no radio contact for the last 37 minutes.

Comms failure?

Radio works, Captain.

Either they don't want to talk or can't.

Keep trying.

My eyes in the sky.

Two Hornets on the horizon.

Should have visual in less than five.

Private jet is outside restricted airspace, but not for long.

Over metro D.C. in less than 30.

Captain: Damn.

Hell of a day to quit smoking.

Didn't know you smoked, ma'am.

I don't. I just imagine it's true.

Zero-five-J-P-Z, this is Naval Air Station Pax River.

Come in. Over.

Man: Pax River, this is Gator-one-one.

I have visual on our bogey.

Put me through to NORAD.

It's gonna be all hands on deck for this one.

Female officer: November-zero- five-Julia-Papa-Zulu.

This is Naval Air Station Pax River.

Naval aircraft on approach, north-northeast. Over. Zero-five-J-P-Z, this is Naval Air Station Pax River. Please respond. Over.

♪ NCIS 13x12 ♪ Sister City, Part I Original Air Date on January 5, 2016

♪ ♪

So what happened?

I don't know.

Tony, come on.

All Bishop said was MTAC in five.

No, I'm not talking about MTAC.

I'm talking about what happened over New Year's.

You and Zoe broke up?

(chuckles dryly) You heard.

Why didn't you tell me?

Well, the break-up bug's going around.

Didn't want you to catch it.

Hey, be careful-- you know what happens if Bishop hears you joking around like that.

I jest to comfort.

So the breakup, you and Zoe, it was messy?

No, we agreed it wasn't working out, so we ended on a good note.

Amicable, very adult.

Oh, no, no, no.

See, you and Zoe Keates do not do "adult."

You both have tact issues-- you verbally, her physically.

Is this because she tackled you the first time you met?

Hey, she thought I was a hermit bomb-maker.

(sighs) Miss that about her.

(scoffs) There you go, more jokes.

Must be pretty bad, so you want to talk about it?

Who's paying you for the details, McGossip?

Well, Abby and I do have a bet on who throws the first punch.

Hey, there were no punches thrown.

But it was physical, right?

We're about to go live.

What are you guys talking about?

Star Wars. Star Wars.

Hmm.

(Gibbs speaks indistinctly over radio)

Captain: Negative, Agent Gibbs.

After multiple passes, there are no signs of life on that plane.

A rapid depressurization is likely.

Causes a lack of oxygen to the brain and death by hypoxia.

How many?

Four bodies that we can count, including the pilot and the copilot.

Bishop: Jet's registered to Blye Industries.

Military tech developer.

McGee: Among other things.

Blye Industries was started by Jenner Blye.

He's a pioneer in tech design.

Exosuits, robotic prosthetics.

(chuckles) They make jet packs.

Yes, and jet packs.

Thank you.

What's your point, McGee?

You cut your hair?

I didn't need it anymore.

I believe Agent McGee's point was that this is a PR nightmare.

Captain Bloom.

Director.

Does NCIS know who's on that plane?

Naval Intelligence Officer Commander Gil Lively informed his CO of the flight at 0600 this morning, but that's all we know.

Flight manifest would have been filed at the airfield of departure.

Special Agent Pride and his team are following up in New Orleans.

He'll be joining the conversation.

We've got even bigger problems at cruising altitude.

The flight plan shows that bird took off with a full tank.

Given headwinds and weather conditions, it won't go down for another 400 to 600 miles.

Does that get it to the ocean?

No. Puts us over three metro areas in the meantime.

Philadelphia, New York and Boston.

Bishop: It's currently over unpopulated Virginia countryside.

I've spoken to NORAD.

We are prepared to take down the target.

Air strike on a civilian plane.

No better than it sounds, and even harder to control.

Yeah, media and falling debris alike.

Aircraft is is only over wilderness for another ten minutes.

Now, unless you have a safer way to bring it down, I've got my orders.

We'll find a way.

Abby: I already pulled the flight manuals, acquired the jet's radio frequency, and I tapped into the onboard navigation computer.

And?

And remotely crashing an airplane is difficult.

It's impossible, actually.

For good reason.

Not to mention my misgivings.

About what, crashing a plane?

Crashing anything.

Fast.

Six minutes left.

Okay, it's not New Year's, so cool it with the countdown, please.

Hey, have you tried accessing the mechanical functions, tricking the computer into dumping its fuel?

Can't access it wirelessly.

Navigation?

I can't override the autopilot.

It's a closed system.

Right, a plane only does what it's told.

Okay, then crash, plane, crash.

Well, unfortunately, you're not the pilot, autopilot or GPS system.

But I could be.

You just said it was a closed system.

All aircraft get their directional data via GPS satellite.

Right, location, speed, altitude.

GPS tells the plane where it is.

So if we can't hack the plane...

We hack the satellite.

We send false data to the aircraft, we make it think it's way off course.

And the autopilot should correct accordingly.

Right.

No, I just... I don't want to know that.

Flight took off from Lakefront Airport.

Lasalle and Brody are there now.

Flight manifest, Agent Pride.

Coming through.

Agent Gibbs, Director Vance, we're out of time.

You gave us ten minutes, Captain.

We've still got 40 seconds.

My pilots are in position, and my orders have not changed.

(alarm sounds)

Captain?

Altitude alert.

Bloom: The plane thinks it's too high, and it's started a steep descent.

It appears to be... crashing itself.

Vance: Where?

Given it's current angle, a remote corner of the CJ Brown State Forest and Reservoir.

Nice job, gentlemen.

It was a team effort.

(cell phone rings)

Hey. Where'd you go?

Need to talk privately.

(door opens)

Alert all the wildlife.

(alarm sounds)

Ground avoidance systems.

Dwayne, what's going on?

Flight manifest just came through.

Pilot: Pax River, Gator-one-two, we have visual confirmation of impact.

Hang on.

(crashing)

Pax River, Gator-one-two, the aircraft has crash-landed.

Repeat, aircraft is on the ground.

Pride: Gibbs, we... we got a problem.

Fifth name on the list: Luca Sciuto.

Abby's brother was on that plane.

Luca?

I know you're not dead, okay?

So call me back.

Abby...

Gibbs, this doesn't make any sense.

Luca is a chef, and he's a really successful one.

Recently hired by Jenner Blye.

Yeah.

The-the tech billionaire. I know.

It's, like, Luca's dream job.

But, you know, it's not like he's cooking on, like, private jets.

Luca never leaves NOLA.

He doesn't like to fly.

Are you sure about this?

Luca... he's my brother.

Not the brother I just found out I have, but the-the brother that I grew up with.

I talk to him every day.

If he was coming to D.C., he would have told me.

I mean, unless he was gonna try to surprise me.

Stop putting thoughts in my head.

Luca and I, we don't get to see each other in person that much, you know, 'cause we're both super dedicated to our jobs.

But if Luca were dead...

I would feel a disturbance in the Force.

You know, that's very strong in my family.

I know that.

Do you?

Lasalle, Brody, Percy, Pride, they're all following up in NOLA.

Okay. Good.

That's good, 'cause they're gonna... they're gonna find him there.

Abby.

You should come to the crash site.

No.

'Cause...

Luca is not there.

(camera shutter clicking)

(siren whoops)

(indistinct radio chatter)

(helicopter whirring)

NTSB said autopilot kept the plane level on impact.

If anybody aboard had been alive, they actually could have survived the crash.

Ironic, tragic.

Tony: Manifest?

McGee: Five souls aboard.

Pilot, copilot, Blye Industries senior VP, Commander Lively and Luca Sciuto.

Mmm.

You guys ever met him?

No. Gibbs has, though.

This will be our first time.

NTSB is still securing the wreckage.

Tony: No sense going in yet, then.

I think we have to wait for Gibbs anyway.

Gibbs: No, you don't.

No more excuses.

Let's go.

♪ ♪

McGee: Oxygen masks didn't deploy.

That's odd.

Must be our Blye Industries senior VP.

Hypoxia usually shows wrinkled discoloration in the fingers, but no signs of it here.

Yeah, or here.

Commander.

McGee: No outward signs of hypoxia.

Doesn't mean it didn't happen, but you know Ducky's mantra.

"We won't know more until autopsy."

The commander's body makes four, so maybe the manifest was wrong.

Five.

Come here, McGee.

Tail caught fire from the crash.

Body's too damaged to I.D.

Chef Luca.

Well, we've prepped all five bodies for autopsy.

Abby is officially stalling.

Yes, well, I promised I wouldn't start any autopsy until she's had a chance to I.D. her brother.

I know you prefer to wait until the autopsy to actually talk about the bodies, Doctor, but can we talk about the bodies, Doctor?

No.

I just couldn't help but notice the absence of any cyanosis on any of the fingers or any of the toes of any of the bodies.

Mr. Palmer.

At least some sign of hypoxia.

I mean, it's weird.

We won't know what it is until...

Until we do the autopsy. Right, right.

Yes.

But if I didn't know any better...

(laughs): Well, clearly you don't.

...I would say that these people did not die from depressurization.

Yeah, well, there's nothing to be gained by guessing.

Can we at least agree that there appears to be a hint of a suggestion of foul play?

(elevator bell dings)

Hey, guys.

Sorry I'm late.

I was, um, sketching my brother's dental records for a proper I.D.

You know your brother's teeth from memory?

We're super close.

And I also wrote down his measurements and... a description of his birthmarks.

Really?

So I'm ready.

That's enough.

I understand, Abby, that this is hard, but we need you to take a good look.

No.

I don't have to.

It's not him.

The face is badly burned.

I know.

But that body has attached earlobes, and Luca-- he's free, like me.

She right, Doctor?

Yes.

I knew it.

The Sciuto Force was right again.

But if Luca's not in this drawer, then...

Where is he?

Lasalle: I would think Luca was cooking meth if he didn't have every book ever written on molecular gastronomy.

Sonja: Found every photo he's ever taken with his sister.

Why are they all on Halloween?

Tony: That's just how she dresses.

Did you find anything on Luca?

Lasalle: Closets are full, nothing was packed.

Either he's still in town or skipped it fast.

And he's still not answering his cell.

You know, Tony DiNozzo-- why does your name ring a bell?

Kind of a legend in the NCIS world.

Oh, I don't know anything about that.

I transferred from ATF.

ATF?

You ever work with Zoe Keates?

Yeah.

Training exercises in Georgia.

You two are dating.

Ah. Well, that's over now.

Oh.

Well, I hope for your sake she ended it, 'cause that girl was mean on the jujitsu mat.

I'll miss that.

Found the mother lode.

What'd you get?

Bag hidden behind a false wall in the closet.

Uh, hello.

Flying blind. Narration, please.

About ten grand in cash, Tony.

And two nine-millimeters, fully loaded.

A little, uh, high-tech listening device.

What's a chef doing with a bug?

Seems like we got a fly in the soup, Tony.

McGee: Got you. Okay, thank you.

Boss, O.N.I. says Commander Lively was flying to D.C. to meet with the Secretary of Defense.

About what?

Well, they either couldn't or wouldn't say, but Blye Industries has no current business with the U.S. military.

SecDef's office?

Yeah, they sent over his schedule.

Redacted everything except for the meeting with Lively.

Gibbs: It wasn't set until late last night.

Short notice.

But, uh, must have been pretty important.

Yeah, well, someone thought so.

Killing everyone on that plane would insure that that meeting would never happen.

Find out what the commander knew.

Hey, Abbs. Go-bag?

Yeah.

Didn't you get my e-mail?

Luca's in trouble.

He texted me.

What? When?

Abby: He must've removed the battery, 'cause I can't trace it.

I think he's on the run.

"Conniption."

Abby: It's code for where to find him.

Redbird Bolt, North Carolina.

What's in Redbird Bolt?

The Colossal Fun Amusement Park.

And, hopefully, Luca in one piece.

Gibbs, please, can I go rescue my brother?

Yeah. Yeah, Abbs, go.

DiNozzo drives, Abbs.

(people screaming playfully)

We drove overnight because your brother is hiding here?

Yeah. Thank goodness they're open for the New Year's Eve Festival.

Luca's text said "Conniption"?

It's a reference to the roller coaster from vacation.

The movie?

No, the Sciuto family vacation.

He knew I'd get the reference.

Oh. Fond memories?

Unspeakable horrors of screaming and vomit, and that was just the car ride.

We swore we'd never mention it again, so if he's here, it's bad.

Okay, big park-- where do we start?

At the Conniption.

We don't have to ride that thing, do we?

Yeah. It gives us the best view of the park.

Now I know why McGee didn't come.

(buzzing, beeping)

Oh, screw you.

Are you kidding? Come on!

(beeping continues)

(elevator bell dings)

Okay, I am sorry.

I didn't mean it.

Boss, these... this thing is sentient, and it's only loyal to its master.

Or the plug was loose.

Um, the NOLA team processed the items found in Luca's apartment.

No prints.

Bug?

They actually found a second one in Luca's knife case.

Both are customizable and untraceable.

Cause of death?

Surprise, surprise.

Blood work came back showing signs of poison.

What kind?

Don't know yet.

Well, how were they poisoned?

We don't know that, either.

Mass spectrometer is being particularly stubborn with me.

But I will know more later.

I hope.

Gibbs: Poison.

What kind? From where?

Leon, we're lucky we got that much.

Agent McGee is playing the part of Miss Sciuto?

Yeah, and it's a hard role to fill.

Mm.

SecDef?

Has no idea why Commander Lively was coming to see him.

Only that it concerned a matter of national security.

What was he doing on Jenner Blye's plane?

SecDef called Blye Industries to ask that same question.

They've got corporate offices in Anacostia.

Yeah? And?

Mr. Blye has been ducking SecDef's calls.

That's a bad idea.

Yeah, even for a big shot.

I'm thinking it's time we bring Tony Stark in for questioning.

Iron Man.

Smug.

Tech mogul/superhero.

My son collects them.

I guess now so do I.

Mm-hmm.

(door closes)

(lively chatter, carnival music playing)

There you go, baby.

(groans) Going crazy.

We've been looking for Luca for hours, and nothing.

You're sure he sent the text?

Who else would be hiding here and have me go through a roller coaster nightmare in order to find him?

You're right.

It's silly, but very Sciuto.

I knew it.

What?

We're being followed.

Scary guy with an earpiece.

Are you armed?

Yes.

And don't worry, we're safe.

How do you know?

Because that is a park security guard.

I called ahead, told them we were gonna be here and to keep an eye out for Luca.

Well, I didn't know that.

And Luca doesn't know that.

That's why he's hiding.

Hiding where?

Someplace scarier than the Conniption.

Oh, wait.

That a headless hippo?

It's a clue! From Luca.

Is there still a haunted house here?

You'd think an award for global design would be... cooler.

(door opens)

Agent Gibbs and Bishop.

Sorry for the wait.

As you can imagine, we're all still in shock here.

Dalton Greenbrick, chief financial officer at Blye Industries.

This is our head of security, Blake Huxley.

Do you think this was an attempt on Mr. Blye's life?

(chuckles): Of course not.

And please, lower your voice.

Gibbs: Okay.

Let's talk inside.

I'm afraid Mr. Blye is on an overseas call.

He asked us to come out and answer your questions.

We asked to talk to Blye.

Of course.

But I'm afraid he wouldn't be any help.

Huxley: Look, you should know, Mr. Blye has gone missing.

Blake.

He was meeting with Navy Commander Gil Lively in New Orleans.

About?

We're hoping you could tell us.

Because it was the last time anyone saw him.

So you do think he's dead.

Okay, that's enough.

I'm sure he's fine.

In the meantime...

You'll be reporting a missing person.

(beeping)

(elevator bell dings)

(mouthing)

Boss, I.D.'d the poison.

Uh, it is called batrachotoxin.

Secreted from a South American poison dart frog.

Causes paralysis and/or death just by touching it, let alone ingesting it.

It was in the airplane food?

Actually, on the utensils.

It's laced with a unique aerosol form I can't trace.

Well, the silverware points to the chef-- whoever took Luca's place.

Still no I.D., and it would've meant poisoning themselves.

So why all the secrecy if it was a suicide mission?

Who else had access to the food?

Well, the NOLA team sent over security footage from the hangar.

It's dated the night before the flight.

Shows the last living person seen with the poisoned silverware.

Luca.

(metal clangs)

Tony: "Colossal Fun."

(grunting)

(grunts)

Oh...

All right, Abby.

Come on over.

There was a gate just back there.

Haunted house used to be here?

Yeah, there was a headless skeleton outside and it scared Luca really bad, but Mom and Dad made him go on the ride anyway.

He didn't say a word to them for weeks.

Weren't your parents deaf?

Yeah, he would just keep his hands in his pockets.

Well, you are the only Sciuto I see around here.

Right.

Okay.

Let's split up.

You go that way.

Abby: Luca?

Luca!

Luca?

Luca.

Man: Abby?

Luca? Luca.

(phone ringing)

Yeah, boss.

Oh, my God.

(panting)

Hey.

Oh...

Oh, my God.

Are you okay?

What is going on?

I don't know.

I woke up yesterday in a motel with no idea how I got there.

Then I saw on TV that the plane I was supposed to be on crashed, and my apartment has been ransacked...

I don't know who to trust except you.

(exhales)

But I knew you'd come, Abby.

(sighs)

Ton... Tony!

Tony!

We're over here!

You brought the cops?

Abby: He's not a... he's...

Tony's... a friend, with a badge.

Yeah. All right, boss, will do.

Luca, this is Very Special Agent Tony DiNozzo.

Tony, this... is my little brother, Luca.

It's nice to meet you, Luca.

You're under arrest.

What?

Luca, what did you do?

McGee: So Navy Commander Lively met with Jenner Blye in New Orleans.

We have no idea why.

And afterwards, the commander flew to D.C. to meet with the Secretary of Defense.

About national security.

Ominous, if not a little broad.

Except everyone on that plane was killed with a powerful neurotoxin, including the mystery man who took Luca's place as chef.

Still no I.D. on that body, by the way.

It's not looking good for Jenner Blye, either.

Is he a suspect?

No, another victim.

Louisiana State Police just I.D.'d his car.

They're dragging the river for a body.

Everyone connected to the secret meeting in NOLA is being targeted.

So our only living clue is the real chef.

Maybe Luca knows what this is all about.

What is this all about?

Abby, hey.

How-how was...

How was my car ride?

It was awful.

Tony wouldn't even let me speak to my own brother.

Is Luca really a murder suspect?

We're about to find out.

He's in interrogation now.

Who's questioning him?

Abby: Gibbs!

No, wait!

Don't hurt Luca!

Abbs...

I'm just gonna talk to him.

Yeah, but...

Luca's really fragile, and-and you're really... you.

What's your point?

He's not a killer.

He's... he's innocent and he's sweet.

And... and he's a Sciuto.

And did I mention he's-he's innocent?

Then we shouldn't have a problem.

I'm sure he'll tell you everything he knows.

Luca: I'm not saying anything without a lawyer.

Sorry, Agent Gibbs.

Is my sister watching this?

(rapid knocking at door)

(exhales)

Luca!

Abby, I can handle myself.

I told you that Gibbs hates lawyers.

Let me break him.

Abbs, either you do this, or I will.

What are you doing?

You told me what cops do to people without lawyers and that I should always ask for one.

True.

But this is different.

How?

This is... family.

Luca, you're suspected of poisoning everyone on that plane.

That wasn't my fault.

It was last-minute.

I used what I had.

But I knew that the artichoke wouldn't keep overnight and that the beet puree wouldn't reheat well...

Luca, I'm not talking about food poisoning.

I'm talking about batrachotoxin poisoning.

Is that a preservative?

They told me to prep the food to fly to D.C. the next day.

You hate to fly.

I wanted to surprise you.

Next thing I know, I woke up dumped in a motel with a hangover.

You don't drink!

Someone drugged me.

And now everyone on that plane is dead and I'm scared.

That's all I know!

Oh...

Okay.

That's what you used to say to Mom and Dad when you weren't telling the whole truth.

What?

"That's all I know."

You lie better with your hands than you do your mouth.

Are you protecting someone?

Wait. Wait, wait, wait.

He knows sign?

Yeah.

Luca is drawn to... strays.

Anyone with a hard-luck case and a sob story.

He wants to help them.

Isn't that what you do, Abby?

Abby: I look on the bright side.

That's the same thing, Abby.

No, it's not.

I look on the bright side, but I acknowledge the fact that there is a dark side.

You are just... all... all... all sunshine.

I didn't realize there was someone more positive than Abby.

And it gets him in trouble.

Especially with women.

Well, I don't need your help.

Pet shelter owner.

Oh. She said they'd have to put down all of the animals if I didn't get six of my friends to invest.

It was a Ponzi scheme.

I try to help people.

And, like I've told Agent Gibbs, Eva's different.

She's running away from an abusive husband, and we connected in a prayer group at church.

She's honest.

So the guns, the money, listening device found in your apartment...

Not mine and not hers.

Someone's setting me up, and it's putting her in danger.

That's why you wouldn't talk?

Look, I cook for Jenner Blye, the most innovative man in the world.

He's constantly under public scrutiny, corporate espionage.

I serve dinner, but I have no idea what Mr. Blye discusses over it.

Now, will you help me find Eva and protect her?

Have you tried calling her?

She mostly calls me.

She changes cell phones a lot.

Do you have a picture?

She won't let me take pictures.

Just in case her ex ever comes around.

Okay, so does she have, um, say, a... last name?

Sonja: Yeah, she definitely took advantage of him.

Sounds like it.

Someone wants to steal tech secrets from Jenner Blye, and they bug his personal chef.

Yeah. The chef may not be in the meeting, but he's in the house.

Poor Luca.

Oh.

You, uh, been used in a relationship, there, Tony?

Or vice versa?

No comment.

Wounds are still fresh?

You follow up on the rest of little brother's story?

Yes, and it checks out.

Motel owner said he saw him leave the place.

Seemed out of it.

He was missing a shoe.

Sonja: We figure Eva took out Luca and then put the mystery man in his place.

Are we sure this woman stayed at Luca's place?

Said she's been crashing for the last two weeks.

Who stays at someone's house for two weeks and doesn't leave any fingerprints or hair?

This woman didn't want to be identified.

I don't know why.

She cute.

You found a picture?

Not exactly.

Hmm.

You can use this?

We use artist sketches all the time.

And those are just from witnesses' memories.

This artist had the subject right in front of him.

It's a cartoon, Abby.

Yeah, it exaggerates key features.

I just have to pull them back.

And because I know what Luca actually looks like, I have a baseline for how the artist exaggerates.

Abby: Ah.

It works.

Of course it works.

Well, who is she?

I'm looking for database matches right now.

That was fast.

That was, like, super fast.

Well, that's good, right?

Not really.

Eva's in four different agency databases.

Make that five.

Including ours.

Why?

Vance: Because Eva Azarova works for Russian Diplomatic Counselor Anton Pavlenko.

Are you sure?

She doesn't have an accent.

CIA, NSA, Homeland and Interpol all have aliases matching her description.

They can't confirm it, but it's pretty clear she's a sleeper agent and she's using you.

Well, she must have a good reason.

Abby: Luca, we've worked with her boss before.

So he's a good guy, then.

Only when it suits him.

Gibbs, you think Pavlenko's behind all this?

We're gonna find out.

By finding Eva.

I'm sure she'll explain everything.

And I'm sure she is long gone by now.

She would've called me first.

(phone ringing)

Hello?

Eva.

You okay?

What's going...

I'm fine, Luca.

(Eva continues indistinctly)

She's calling for you.

Yeah, it's Gibbs.

Agent Gibbs, hello.

Now that NCIS is involved, no doubt you've found out who I am and who I work for.

Yeah. You planning on using me like you're using Luca?

Now, wait a minute.

Anton told me you aren't one for small talk.

No. Or cryptic phone calls.

Things are not always as they seem.

(chuckles): Really?

Okay.

Tony! Move!

Gibbs told me to arrest Luca.

It's not about that, yet.

Gibbs is on the phone with our Russian spy, and I need to run a trace, fast.

First, her name is Eva.

Second, you can really do that?

If you didn't think I could do it, Luca, then why'd you disconnect your phone while you were in hiding?

You told me the government can track it.

I didn't know you could.

I am the government.

Mm.

(computer trilling)

Wow. Cool.

But what happens when you find her?

Gibbs happens.

Oh, no.

It's not like he just goes out and shoots spies on the spot.

I haven't heard from Trent Kort lately.

I'm calling to ask that you not contact Counselor Pavlenko via official channels.

(Gibbs laughs)

That's kind of funny.

It's never official with him.

Lives depend on it, Agent Gibbs.

Then tell me how to contact him.

You'll figure something out.

(phone beeps)

Did you get that trace?

Kinda. The call was digitally rerouted and then terminated before I got all the details, but Eva is definitely somewhere on the 700 block of K Street.

That's a lot of doors to knock on.

Yeah, and it's not like one of them's gonna have a sign outside that says "Russian hangout."

Actually, there is.

Tusovka.

It's a four-star restaurant known for borsch with caviar and sour cream, and for refusing service to anyone who doesn't speak Russian.

"Tusovka" is actually Russian for, uh...

Hangout.

It's probably just a coincidence.

Or it's a trap.

Eva wouldn't do that.

But if she is there, b-be nice!

(elevator bell dings)

Please!

Federal agents.

Agent Gibbs.

I am honored you could join me.

Agent DiNozzo.

Tony: Eva-- where is she?

In New Orleans, where I want her.

This was a technological ruse.

Clearly my time with NCIS has rubbed off.

Have a seat.

Please.

Drink?

Talk.

The last time we talked, I helped you find a killer.

You're looking for repayment?

Hardly.

I'm helping yet again.

That is why we must meet in secret.

I'm going against my government and risking my life.

Perhaps when we are finished here, you'll believe me.

Try me.

The man who took Luca Sciuto's place on that plane was one of my agents.

He was going to represent me in the meeting with your Secretary of Defense.

The commander knew there was a Russian operative on board?

It was his idea.

I can't very well be seen at the Pentagon these days.

Whoa. Back up.

The murders on the plane.

Not my doing.

Quite the opposite.

I want to save lives.

The meeting in New Orleans.

I arranged it.

Bull.

I'm trying to prevent war.

No matter what you think of me personally, don't question that!

That was a gift.

Don't spill.

You need it more than me.

I found out my government was planning to steal technology that Mr. Blye had developed for the American military.

I spent two days in New Orleans, and what I saw... confirmed everything.

The commander was flying to D.C. to go public.

Ever heard of... project Manta Ray?

Its theft could start a war.

We must prevent that, together.

(gasps)

Counselor?

Call an ambulance.

(wheezing)

Counselor.

(wheezing)

(camera clicking)

McGee: Well, the swabs show that the vodka bottle was laced with the neurotoxin.

Gibbs touched that bottle.

Luckily, it was only on the cap, waiting for someone to open it.

He said he got it as a gift.

From who?

This means he was telling the truth about risking his life.

The Russians behind this?

Great. It's the '80s all over again.

You're right, he jokes when under stress.

That supposed to be about Zoe?

I heard it got physical.

Yes, it did.

We went to dinner, decided things really weren't working out, agreed to end it and, uh, say our good-byes.

The next morning.

Hmm.

Consulate's already on their way to collect the body.

Yes.

Except it's our only clue as to where Pavlenko's been and what Manta Ray actually is.

Yes.

Okay. Good talk.

I told you Eva was good.

We don't know that for sure.

You just said the guy she was working with was helping.

Yeah, but she could've killed him.

The case is still open.

You're going after her.

We are going after whoever murdered these people.

It wasn't her.

After the last two days, how can you say that?

Innocent until proven guilty.

You taught me that.

Mom and Dad, too.

Yeah, three years ago, when you told me we were adopted, it all made sense.

It's why we are who we are, you and me.

Our family takes people in, helps them, sight unseen.

And I need you to accept me.

Sunshine, unicorn farts and all.

This place has good fries, but the coffee's crap.

Do not say that to Gibbs. (chuckles)

Stop trying to protect me.

I'm getting on a plane back home first thing tomorrow.

What?

Why?

You could still be in danger.

Luca?

Are you in love with Eva?

Please stay out of it.

And please stop worrying.

Want answers.

Body's our best bet.

Can't ever be easy, can it?

(chuckles): No.

Well, then I guess... bring it on.

Van's already on the way to you.

Think we better stick to country roads, Doctor.

Yeah, well, we may have to take a couple of freeways.

This is so exciting!

Absconding to New Orleans under the cover of night.

(laughs)

Yeah, the only thing we have to decide is when to stop for tea.

(tires screeching, engine revving)

Whoa!

(tires screeching)

(guns clicking)

Doctor.

NCIS: New Orleans - 02x12 - Sister City, Part II (crossover)