Split Decision (episode)

Split Decision is the twenty-first episode in NCIS Season 1 and the 21st episode of the entire NCIS series.
This episode also marks the debut appearance of James Palmer, Ducky's temporary Medical Examiner Assistant who replaces the injured Gerald Jackson.
==Synopsis==
While filming a stunt, a group of teenagers discover the body of a dead Marine and the team's investigation leads them to the realization that weapons that were supposed to have been destroyed at a Marine are being smuggled out and then illegally sold on the black market. With the help of an ATF agent, Gibbs sets out to uncover the truth and find the one responsible for the Marine's death. In the meantime, Ducky meets his new Medical Examiner assistant.
==Prologue==
The scene opens with three teenagers helping one boy get ready for a stunt which is being filmed on another camera that Zack (Split Decision) is manning.
Once the main teenager, Chuck Mannis is wearing protection, he gets on his skateboard and braces himself for the stunt.
He's then thrown a good few feet into the air before crash-landing in a tree.
His other friends rush to help him and they soon discover a Marine lying on the ground, dead, having been impaled in the stomach with a tree stump.
It then cuts to an overhead shot as the group stand there, stunned.
==Act One==
The forest area has become a crime scene and for once, Donald Mallard, NCIS's Medical Examiner is first on scene.
He wastes no time in studying the body and begins talking to the corpse.
Seconds later, NCIS Special Agents Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Caitlin Todd and Anthony DiNozzo Junior arrive on scene with Gibbs asking Ducky what he sees.
Kate realizes that the victim had the tree stump in his body before he landed there which causes Tony to remark that the plain old ring toss doesn't cut it for some people.
When Gibbs asks about the hole, Ducky tells him that it's eight inches in diameter, metallic shrapnel residue and the organ and tissue damage marks that of contact with a high-velocity object. He then goes on to say that he's seen this before in a Somali village called M'butatu and begins recounting a story of how a local sheperder got the daughters of a local warlord pregnant.
When Tony jokingly asks him if they cored the guy out like an apple, Ducky grimly assures him that they take things very seriously in Somalia.
Ducky then tells Gibbs that the weapon is from the Soviet era and that it's a shoulder-fired anti-tank missile at 20 paces.
"It's what they use to shoot our helicopters down in Iraq", Kate agrees.
Tony states that the red, white and blue version is called a S.M.A.W which stands for "Shoulder-launched multi-purpose assault weapon".
Gibbs adds that the safety back-blast on the weapon is 100 meters before he heads over to a tree where he spots some markings and realizes that whoever killed the victim fired from someplace right there.
He then correctly guesses that the victim was right in the line of fire and that the warhead damage should be somewhere in the area too.
Tony then goes to study the scene.
When Kate asks Gibbs what he's looking for, he finds a small object and then tells Kate that it's an igniter cap because when the S.M.A.W is fired, the cap is ejected out the back. He then orders her to get some scrapings off the tree for Abby before heading back to Ducky where he asks for a time of death.
Ducky tells him that because of the massive loss of blood, the body temp, lividity and rigor aren't going to be much help when it comes to establishing a PMI- (presumably point of maximal intensity).
Ducky then tells Gibbs that after someone has died, the red blood cells in their eyes break down, forming potassium and that the cloudiness in the victim's eyes is a product of that. He also states that he'll be able to get an accurate time when he tests it in the lab but the best he can do for now is to guess that the victim died within the past 24 hours.
Tony calls that he's got something which brings Kate and Gibbs over to him. Once Gibbs has gone after ordering for some samples to be taken from the crater, Kate asks for a translation.
Tony tells her that the S.M.A.W fires two types of warheads: one is HEDP or High Explosive Dual Purpose and HEAA or High-Explosive Anti-Armor. DP leaves a crater while AA leaves a hole.
Kate then remarks impressive.
Tony believes she's referring to his knowledge of the weapons, only for Kate to tell him that she was talking about the crater.
In the morgue, Ducky and his temporary assistant, James Palmer are examining the body.
Palmer is recording everything into a tape recorder although Ducky eventually tells him to leave the recorder down by the slab that he can say everything into it without Palmer repeating him.
Ducky and Palmer soon guess that the victim was a boxer but Palmer's cell-phone interrupts the talk.
Palmer answers it and begins talking to his mother with Ducky mumbling, "Please" under his breath.
Tony answers in the bullpen and gets a shock when he sees Norfolk Special Agent Timothy McGee sitting at Gibbs's desk, using the boss man's computer.
McGee assures him that Gibbs knows that McGee's using his computer.
Tony remarks that when his computer fried, Gibbs wouldn't let him use his.
"Because your fingers are always greasy from fried chicken and pizza", Gibbs announces, coming into the bullpen.
Kate, on the other hand walks past them and heads straight for her desk.
Gibbs then asks McGee for a report and McGee tells him he's bringing it online.
When Tony asks, McGee tells him that he's uploading yearbook photos from every British university onto Gibbs's hard-drive, photos that were taken between 1987 and 1997 but Tony's confused about the terrorist being British.
Gibbs tells him that Ducky believes that the terrorist's syntax suggested higher education in the British Isles.
Tony doesn't buy it, stating that maybe the terrorist grew watching tons of Cary Grant movies which unsurprisingly gets him a headslap from Gibbs.
Tony wants to know why they're choosing that decade. Kate tells him that she guesses the terrorist's age is 33 and that she's added five years on either side for safety.
When Tony begins grilling her on the subject, Kate tells him she's always been good at guessing ages. She also correctly guesses that Tony is thirty-two years old much to his shock.
Tony then asks her how old Gibbs is but she doesn't say.
It then cuts to Gibbs giving McGee a pat on the head much to Tony's dismay and unsurprisingly, he begins complaining about how unfair it is. She then tells Gibbs that a fax from AFIS—(Automated Fingerprint Identification System)—has come in and that the victim has been identified as Staff Sergeant Thomas Grimm, an armorer attached to the Ordnance Maintenance Center at Quantico and that he was also responsible for weapons inventory and custody cards.
Gibbs states that it makes sense given the way he died.
Kate also tells them that Ducky was right because Grimm was a boxer after all and he was a top-middleweight in the Quantico boxing team.
It then cuts to the Quantico Base gym where numerous Marines are working out.
Kate and Tony are busy interviewing Staff Sergeant Steven Washington who tells them that Grimm was a great fighter and one Hell of a Marine. Kate tells him that she saw Grimm's record and she's impressed.
Washington remarks that it was 170-0 since Grimm joined the Corps but that every last one was a battle.
Washington then yells at the two Marines inside the boxing ring that he wants to see some action in there unless the two Marines want to join the Air Force.
Tony requests a list of Grimm's opponents and tells Washington everything's on the table until they rule it out.
While Washington and Tony go to get the list, Kate talks to Corporal Patricia McClain who tells her she didn't know Grimm on a personal level but that she saw him at the gym.
In the lab, Abigail Sciuto is preparing to study the igniter cap and from a glance, she tells Gibbs that the weapon that killed Grimm came from the armory at Quantico.
Tony and Kate arrive at Grimm's house and begin searching it in hopes of finding anything useful.
Kate then checks Grimm's computer and upon discovering that it doesn't work properly to which Tony guesses it might be busted, realizes that someone reformatted the hard-drive.
In Abby's lab, she tells the team that Kate was right about the hard-drive being reformatted.
Abby brings up the last file, a JPEG which shows a weapon which Gibbs remarks is a lot of firepower.
Tony then tells him that the area surrounding the weapon is that of Grimm's living room.
It then cuts to the monitor which is showing the image of the weapons.
==Act Two==
The next morning, Kate arrives in with the news that she ran the LUDs (Local Usage Details) from Grimm's phone and found that he made seven calls to Abe's Pawn Shop with none of the calls lasting for more than a minute.
Gibbs and Tony realize that he was setting up a meet.
Kate continues on, telling them that the pawnshop's local and that the LEOs said that the previous owner, Abe Hargrove is currently doing three to five at the FCI (Federal Correctional Institute) in Butner for interstate trafficking and that his daughter is running it now.
"Maybe the daughter is following in Daddy's footsteps", Gibbs states.
Tony then picks up on the possibility that it might be time to go undercover.
Gibbs suggests it's for him but Tony disagrees, stating that the only option is to go in as a complete and total sleaze which is pawnshop material and that he's a much more believable scumbag than Gibbs.
"No argument here", Kate says, raising her hand in agreement.
Gibbs eventually relents and orders Tony to go see Abby when she's going to give him a full background and ID to back up his undercover identity.
Tony's confused for a few seconds but once reality hits in, he leaves the bullpen but not before whooping with delight.
Gibbs then asks Kate what she got from Grimm's C.O. She tells him that Grimm's job was to evaluate weapons and that if they were beyond repair, he would transport them to a facility to be destroyed but once they were out of Quantico, they were essentially out of the system.
"Out of the Quantico system", Gibbs states, correcting her. "They still have been signed into wherever they were going".
Kate tells him she has Grimm's SRB and duty records and that she's going to go through everything.
When Gibbs tells her that she will, Kate turns around, pissed but keeping her cool, tells him that she knows she's bothered the terrorist got away because she is too. She also tells him that he might want to think less about being a gloomy Gus.
"Gloomy Gus", Gibbs repeats.
Down in the lab, Tony remarks that he loves the name, "Gus", regarding it as a very strong name and asks Abby what she has to go with it. She tells him, "Louie".
Tony then spends the next few minutes comparing the name, "Gus Louie" but then comes to the impression that it sounds like a salad.
Abby agrees and gives him the name, "Bricker".
Tony then agrees that the name, "Gus Bricker" sounds tough and they both agree that the name will done for his undercover alias. Tony then tells Abby that Gibbs wants some military in the background.
Abby adds in an dishonorable discharge and Tony suggests some time in Leavenworth.
"What's the crime?", Abby asks.
"Something that fits my persona", Tony tells her.
"How about violation of federal obscenity laws?", Abby suggests.
Tony remarks that is funny but he wants something that fits his new sleazy gun-running profile.
Abby then suggests drugs and puts down that Tony's undercover alias got three to five but was out on parole in two.
As she types that in, Tony tells her that there's no justice in this world.
Abby sniggers.
Back in the bullpen, Kate's still going through the list and when she finds Corporal McClain's name on it, she grabs her things and leaves to investigate.
Tony, having gone undercover arrives in the pawnshop where a customer, Dillon is trying to pawn some jewelry to the owner's daughter.
After getting some money, Dillon leaves while Tony and the daughter begin flirting with one another.
Tony soon brings her outside where Gibbs, watching from a distance takes photographs of the deal.
However, inside, the daughter suddenly changes her mind, produces a gun from a drawer and aims it at Tony. She tells him that the deal is not an option.
Back in Abby's lab, she's still going through numerous websites, hoping to get some information. Ducky then arrives in and she informs him that she's trying to narrow down buyers for Staff Sergeant Grimm's "Guns R Us" operation.
Ducky suggests gangs but the two realize that the weapons including shoulder-fired anti-tank and aircraft weapons would be overkill for the gangs.
Abby then thought of terrorists but they wouldn't risk a military connection because there's too many outsiders involved. She has found that the militia might be involved given that most militia groups are made up of former Marines.
Ducky even realizes that it's so "The Song Remains the Same" before leaving.
Back at the base gym, Corporal McClain is practicing her boxing technique as Kate arrives.
Washington's there too and Kate tells him McClain's got skills.
Washington then tells her that McClain likes to be the one giving the orders before he goes to help and give some advice to a man who's struggling against a boxing bag.
Kate heads up to the ring and tells McClain she has to speak with her.
McClain refuses, stating that she's got fifteen more minutes with the pads but Kate tells her it will have to wait.
Realizing it's serious, McClain ends her training session and once she's left the ring, Kate begins grilling her over the fact that she gave the impression that she barely knew Grimm.
McClain tells her she said what she said and that Kate drew her conclusions.
When she goes for a drink of water, Kate angrily grabs the water out of her hand before asking McClain if she thinks this whole thing is a game.
McClain states that it isn't and Kate states that three days, the Corporal and Grimm took a shipment of weapons from Quantico to be destroyed.
McClain agrees but Kate tells her that one of the weapons didn't make it. McClain snidely insists she doesn't know. Kate then attempts to arrest McClain but McClain refuses, stating that she doesn't really know.
They then head over to the lockers where Kate tells McClain that her name's on the log given that she signed the weapons out at 1400 hours on the sixth.
McClain tells her that she and Grimm got the weapons from the armory but that he dropped her off as soon as they got to base.
When Kate ponders further, McClain tells her that her boyfriend who's in the Army dropped her off. She also reveals that he's third division out of Fort Bragg and that he was leaving for Iraq the next day.
Kate isn't convinced and McClain states that it was all Grimm's idea.
Back at the gun shop, the daughter's still holding Tony at gunpoint and as they talk, Gibbs listens in while sipping coffee.
Suddenly, a computer beeps and she looks at it to see that Tony's alias, "Gus Bricker" is in the system.
However, while it looks all good, Gibbs then abruptly exits the car, convinced something's not right.
His gut feeling is correct as the daughter heads to the locker and begins opening it.
Behind her, Tony draws his gun too, having caught onto the sense that something's off.
Meanwhile, Gibbs approaches the pawnshop, his own gun drawn.
The daughter looks in the mirror and sees Tony aiming a gun at her. He then identifies himself as NCIS.
She responds by drawing her own gun again and then in a surprise move, identifies herself as ATF- (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives).
Tony's stunned by the information.It then cuts to an overhead shot of Tony and the daughter locked in a stand-off.
==Act Three==
Gibbs enters the shop, ordering the daughter to drop the gun. She tells him to drop it but Gibbs tells her that she's outnumbered.
She then tells him she can still kill DiNozzo and Gibbs urges her to go ahead much to DiNozzo's surprise. However, she soon relents and places her gun down on the table, ending the stand-off.
While Gibbs keeps his gun trained on her, Tony searches her and reveals his true name.
She reveals her true identity is Melinda Stone and that her ID is under the stereo.
DiNozzo believes that Gibbs wasn't going to let Stone shoot him.
Gibbs states no and DiNozzo, once he's gotten the ID, asks Gibbs if he had a plan.
Gibbs assures him he did but DiNozzo's not convinced, instead choosing to glance at the ATF ID and once he remarks it's the real deal, Gibbs puts his gun away before asking Stone about the operation she's running.
Stone tells them that ATF knew that they were moving a lot of illegal weapons and that they figured if they left it open, they would see what crawled through. They put her in as Abe Hardgrove's daughter.
Gibbs checks her gun and asks about her back-up. Stone tells him he's looking at it and that ever since 9/11, ATF like all the other agencies has been stretched thin.
Gibbs wants to know about Staff Sergeant Grimm but Stone doesn't know who that is and when Gibbs asks further, Stone assures them she's never heard of him.
DiNozzo tells her that Grimm placed seven calls at the pawnshop two days ago before giving her back her ID. Stone now remembers but tells them that his name was Jeff Conklin and that he said he had access to high-powered weapons.
When Gibbs asks about the weapons, Stone tells him she was working with one of Abe Hardgrove's former buyers but she doesn't have a name because there was only ever a phone number and a voice. She also states that as soon as the armory set her the digital stills, she set up the buy.
But he never showed and Stone reckons he got cold feet. DiNozzo then tells her that thanks to a S.M.A.W, Grimm/Conklin has a cold everything now.
At a firing range, Kate arrives to interview Staff Sergeant Rafael but the noise makes it impossible for him to hear her so she instead taps him on the shoulder and shows him her ID.
The two then leave as the firing continues. Outside, Rafael tells her that once the request is approved from Division, all non-operative weapons are reported to Demil Centre in Crane, Indiana on a NAVMC 1048.
When Kate asks, "Then what?", Rafael tells her that the inventory is transferred, to Camp Geiger and stored, pending orders for destruction.
Kate wants to know if he contacted Indiana when he got the weapons.
Rafael tells her that he did because it's procedure and insists that he followed everything to the latter because he's a Marine.
Kate ends the interview and tells him that she wants to see him in Washington.
Rafael is stunned and Kate informs him that she'll call his C.O and find out what the procedures are before leaving.
In the bullpen, Tony and Agent Stone are flirting yet again. Gibbs interrupts them with the news about Grimm putting his weapons for sale on the Internet and orders DiNozzo to find them some weapons to sell.
With that, Gibbs then drags Agent Stone with him out of the bullpen before telling her to call her buyer and inform him that she's found a new supplier. Stone agrees but only if her boss can verify that they're working together.
As they head to the lift, Gibbs tells Stone that DiNozzo doesn't fit the profile given that he's more scumbag.
As they're waiting, Kate arrives and meets Agent Stone. She and Gibbs then head over for a little private talk where she tells him that McGee checked out McClain's alibi and that the boyfriend did ship to Iraq just like she had said.
When Grimm died, they were both in a motel.
Also, Kate believes that Rafael is holding something from her and she can feel it in her gut. She tells him that Rafael's having a little time-out in Interrogation and that when he's ready, Kate plans on going over her notes with Gibbs but Gibbs tells her that he's working up an ID with Abby and that Kate is to handle Rafael by herself.
"You always do the interrogations, Gibbs", Kate says.
"Not this one", Gibbs replies and leaves.
Kate then takes a deep breath before she too heads off in the opposite direction.
Down in the lab, Gibbs and Stone arrive with Gibbs asking for an ID.
Abby tells him there's a lot of that going around and she also meets Stone who remarks that news travels fast around NCIS.
Gibbs tells her that she has no idea.
The three then head into the minor area of the lab where Abby begins working on Gibbs's ID. She puts in "Arms dealer. Ex-military" and also adds an honorable discharge. She then adds Gibbs's photo, gives him a bronze medal although Abby insists silver would be more because Gibbs is a winter guy.
"Never had yours colors done, did you?", she asks.
"Not unless I was unconscious", Gibbs replies.
Abby then asks for work history and Gibbs tells her his undercover alias is a civilian contractor with his various destinations being Nicaragua, Nepal and Greece.
Abby adds in Kazakhstan as well.
Gibbs then looks at the ID and urges her to leave a few gaps and not too make it so neat.
"Please, Gibbs. I've been making fake IDs since I was 15", Abby tells him before asking him what kind of name he wants.
Gibbs tells her anything but Gus.
Abby just smiles.
In Interrogation, Kate is pacing back and forth with Rafael asking her if they're going to do this. She then begins listing off things in his profile including the fact that he was paired with Grimm at the armorer's school in Aberdeen.
Rafael states that the information is correct and that they started their four months of training in June 2002. They spent ten hours a day learning maintenance, repair and evaluation.
When Kate asks if they were close outside school, Rafael tells her that they had a few beers over the weekend and Kate asks him about now. Rafael tells her no to the beers and no to talking to anyone on the phone at the weekends.
Kate places the folder on the desk and dials a number. She then requests the last three months of Rafael's phone records be faxed over from Camp Geiger before hanging up.
Rafael then tells her that they do talk about sports, girls and that they talk about work too.
Kate sits down opposite him and tells Rafael that they found Grimm's body yesterday. She also informs him that he had been blown apart by a S.M.A.W. and the serial number on the weapon that killed Grimm matches the inventory on his NAVMC 1048 before telling Rafael that he signed and sent a copy to Grimm.
She wants to know how can the weapon be at Camp Geiger but not be there?
Rafael refuses to answer, stating that he stands by his report and that he has no reason not to.
In the lab, Gibbs's undercover ID is being scanned and printed out. Abby shows it to Gibbs who then orders Stone to make the call which she does while also leaving the lab.
In the bullpen, Stone tells them that the meet's going to be held in an abandoned factory in the middle of nowhere. Tony's impressed, calling it "smart".
Gibbs tells them that the cell-phones have GPS technology and that the group's going to be checking them to make sure they're not wired.
Gibbs then pulls out a replacement watch, telling Stone that it goes online when it's removed. Tony does his best Sean Connery accent again, calling the watch very James Bond while wondering if it tells time too. He then tells DiNozzo to keep a safe distance and all three leave.
Later, Gibbs and Stone arrive at the abandoned factory while DiNozzo watches a few meters away. With the headlights still on, Stone and Gibbs get out of the van and pace the area.
Stone's cell phone rings.
It's DiNozzo who wants to go over the whole plan yet again.
While DiNozzo keeps rambling, Stone gives the phone to Gibbs who orders DiNozzo to get off the line.
DiNozzo does just that but not before wishing Gibbs good luck.
Suddenly, a single flashlight appears and it's shown that the lights are coming from two heavily armed men. Two Humvee then arrive on the scene and the men begin frisking Gibbs and Stone.
The lead man wants to know if they've got his package.
Gibbs tells him they do and gives him the keys to the van.
Stone wants the money but the man tells her they get it when they've tested the weapons.
The man then orders them to move.
As Gibbs and Stone approach the car, a man orders them to put in all the stuff they have into a single plastic bag he's holding.
Gibbs puts the watch it but not before triggering its online sensor.
The man then orders them to get in which they both do and it's shown the bag in question has been left on the ground.
With that, the two Humvees drive off into the night.
It then cuts to the bag full of Gibbs and Stone's items.
==Act Four==
The Humvees drive through the dark area.
Unsurprisingly, it's a silent trip except for the fact that Gibbs can't keep his mouth shut and begins talking which eventually causes the lead man to stop driving. He puts the brakes on, turns around and aims his gun at Gibbs who after a second gets the whole idea and then shuts up.
With that in mind, they continue on driving.
Back in Interrogation, Kate's telling Rafael what she thinks.
She believes that Grimm called Rafael with an offer too good to refuse and that the only thing he had to do was sign for weapons that were useless and that were going to be destroyed.
She tells him that the length of time he does depends on the level of co-operation Rafael gave her, one that she's going to tell the JAG prosecutor about.
Rafael still remains silent.
Kate then shows him a photo of Grimm's body which leaves Rafael shaken and it's obvious that he's struggling not to retch at seeing the grisly sight in the photo but he still doesn't say anything.
Kate tells him she'll be back to read Rafael his charges and the Article 31 rights. Just as she leaves, though, Rafael finally begins talking, stating that no-one was supposed to get hurt and he's shaken after seeing the photo.
Kate closes the door and Rafael tells her that it was only going to be a one-time thing and that they were never going to do it again.
When Kate asks if Grimm approached him, Rafael agrees, stating that he had a buyer in mind and the only thing he had to do was sign the weapons in and make some cash.
"It was a good deal for both of you", Kate states.
"It was a good deal for all three of us", Rafael replies.
Kate's stunned by that revelation.
With that, she then storms into the bullpen and asks McGee about McClain's alibi as well as the photo of her boyfriend, Corporal Thomas McKenzie but McGee admits he got sidetracked looking for the rogue terrorist.
Meanwhile, the two Humvees have arrived at their destination.
The leader orders Gibbs and Stone to get out while his men focus on bringing the boxes containing the weapons out of the Humvees.
Back in the bullpen, Kate hangs up and tells McGee that the hotel clerk told her that Corporal McClain is not the one that Corporal McKenzie checked in with.
McGee agrees, stating that he just talked to McKenzie who told him that he and Corporal McClain broke up a month ago.
She and McGee then grab their weapons and belongings and leave although McGee wonders what Gibbs and DiNozzo are going to think about his actions.
Kate shakes her head and goes into the lift with McGee following her.
In the warehouse, the militia leader is preparing to test a weapon from the boxes. He produces a weapon and examines it thoroughly but then dismisses the gun, stating he could get it at Wal-Mart.
Gibbs tells him if he doesn't want it, that's fine.
The militia leader states that the gun's a single one and that he was told the weapon would be full-auto.
Gibbs insists that they are and produces another gun which causes the other militia members to aim their guns at him. He then offers to demonstrate but the head militia tells him he doesn't have the guts.
Gibbs just drops the gun, stating, "Suit yourself".
It then cuts to the militia leader who's test-firing the gun by shooting it at a dummy which leaves it a wreck.
Once he's finished, he remarks that it's 3.50 per unit.
Stone approaches, telling him it's five but the militia leader wants Gibbs to get paid less for his actions in delivering the weapons. She then suggests 4.50 but the militia leader suggests a compromise.
He then selects another weapon and begins requesting another, possibly armor-piercing bullets.
Gibbs tells him he'll see what he can do it about that.
The leader wants to do a test-drive and then they'll talk about a deal.
Gibbs tells him he didn't bring any ammo.
"Not a problem", the leader said. "We did. You'd be surprised at how much we have in common with the Boy Scouts".
As Gibbs and Stone look on, the leader and another associate set up the gun, loading a single long round of bullets into the magazine but it soon becomes clear that the ammo doesn't fit with the gun all because there's no firing pin with the chosen weapon.
Enraged, the militia leader abandons his gun and responds by slamming Gibbs over into the circle where his militia members are.
Gibbs tells him he knows that the guy is pissed because Gibbs is too.
The militia leader aims his gun at Gibbs who tries to buy time, stating that the supplier ripped him off.
Gibbs insists that he didn't know and tells him to keep the other weapons so that they can call it a night. He tells them that considering the circumstances, they own Stone the price.
But Gibbs's offer is rejected and the militia leader tells him, "How about free?" before shooting Gibbs, causing him to fall to the ground as Stone looks on in horror.
The militia leader then rounds on Stone who tries to put the blame on Gibbs.
Stone assures the militia leader she can get the weapons he needs and the leader tells her he wants them now. 
She then gets a cell phone, dialing the number and listens to it ring.
On the ground, Gibbs coughs weakly.
Stone tells the caller she's got a buyer but they've got to do it tonight.
It then cuts to a car pulling into a space where there's a trailer sitting there, vacant.
The person gets out and it's none other than Corporal McClain who heads for the locker but just as she begins dragging out the boxes, McGee and Kate ambush her, their guns trained on her.
Kate tells her that the saying is that when you're about to die, your life flashes before your eyes and is like that when she's been arrested for murder?
"What murder?", McClain snidely asks.
Kate orders McGee to cuff her which he does.
Back at the warehouse, Gibbs is still struggling to hold on and the militia leader is getting increasingly impatient despite Stone assuring that the weapons will be here. He tells her that he hopes so for Gibbs's sake.
Suddenly, the leader's phone rings and he answers it before hanging up and heading over to Gibbs.
"Time for NCIS to stop laying down on the job", he says.
The militia leader, really ATF Agent Roger Cooke helps Gibbs get to his feet with Gibbs stating that he learned everything from ATF.
It's then revealed that the supposed injuries Gibbs sustained when he fell along with his broken teeth after being "shot" are fake.
Cooke then tells the group that Agent Todd has informed him that Corporal McClain and the weapons are in custody.
DiNozzo soon joins them and Cooke tells Stone as she's being arrested that they've been watching her since her last op and that too many things didn't add up.
Stone tries to assure them that McClain was the one who killed Grimm but Gibbs has his doubts, believing that McClain will say that it was Stone who killed Grimm.
"Doesn't really matter. I'm screwed either way", Stone says.
Back at the bullpen, Kate and Tony are talking about how Stone was involved in illegal weapons and murder.
Tony tells her that she's quick to Stone despite the fact that the other woman has flaws and that she's going to go to prison but she has good qualities.
"Two of them wouldn't happen to live under her shirt, would they?", Kate asks.
"You're not gonna believe this but when it comes to women, I actually look for complex things under the surface", Tony states.
"Like when you were tonguing that he-she a week ago? Lots of complex things under that surface", Kate says.
With that, Tony abruptly leaves, slamming into Gibbs who's coming in, armed with a coffee.
When Gibbs asks what's up with DiNozzo, Kate tells him he's conflicted.
It then cuts to Gibbs who's still glancing at the photos running against the snapshot of the rogue terrorist.
==Major Events==
*James Palmer, Ducky's temporary Medical Assistant is introduced for the first time.
==Trivia==
*This is the second time in the series that Michael Weatherly's character, Tony has gone undercover with the name "Gus". This might be a reference to the fact that Michael Weatherly has a son named August who is nicknamed "Gus".
*Melinda Stone mentions that Gus Bricker, Tony's undercover alter ego celebrates his birthday on July 8. In real life, Michael Weatherly's and Rocky Carroll's birthday is July 8th.
==Cast==
===Series Regulars===
Name 	Portrayed by 	Role
Leroy Jethro Gibbs 	Mark Harmon 	An NCIS Special Agent in charge of the main NCIS Major Case Response Team.
Caitlin Todd 	Sasha Alexander 	A Secret Service Agent previously assigned to the Presidential Protection Detail on Air Force One and who is now an NCIS Special Agent as well as Tony DiNozzo's partner.
Anthony DiNozzo Junior	Michael Weatherly	The Senior Agent of the main NCIS Major Case Response Team and also the second-in-command.
Abigail Sciuto 	Pauley Perrette 	A Goth who is also the Chief Forensic Scientist for the NCIS Major Case Response Team.
Donald Mallard 	David McCallum 	NCIS's Chief Medical Examiner.
===Recurring Cast===
Name 	Portrayed by 	Role
Timothy McGee	Sean Murray (actor)	NCIS Agent stationed at the Norfolk Naval Base who helps the team.
===Guest Cast===
Name 	Portrayed by 	Role
James Palmer 	Brian Dietzen 	A young medical school student who is Gerald Jackson's temporary replacement as the Assistant Medical Examiner.
Melinda Stone 	Bellamy Young 	An Agent with the ATF.
Roger Cooke 	Scott MacDonald 	A Militia Member who's actually an undercover ATF agent.
Steven Washington 	Laz Alonso 	Staff Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and Corporal McClain's C.O.
Rafael 	Sam Witwer 	Staff Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps.
Patricia McClain 	Erin Leshawn Wiley	Corporal in the United States Marine Corps.
Chuck Mannis 	Michael Graziadei 	A man seen at the beginning of the episode.
Josh 	Adam Hendershott 	A man seen at the beginning of the episode.
Dillon 	Stuart Stone 	A man in the Stone pawn shop.
Scott (Split Decision)	Laurence Cohen 	A man seen at the beginning of the episode. Uncredited role.
Militia Member 	Brant Cotton 	A member of the militia group but it's presumed that he's an undercover agent for ATF. Uncredited role.
William Moore 	Kevin Sizemore 	Marine Sergeant. Uncredited role.
  v - [ e] - dNCIS Season 1
♦ Ice Queen (episode) ♦ Meltdown (episode) ♦ NCIS: The Beginning (episode) ♦ Yankee White (episode) ♦ Hung Out to Dry (episode) ♦ Seadog (episode) ♦ The Immortals (episode) ♦ The Curse (episode) ♦ High Seas (episode) ♦ Sub Rosa (episode) ♦ Minimum Security (episode) ♦ Marine Down (episode) ♦ Left for Dead (episode) ♦ Eye Spy (episode) ♦ My Other Left Foot (episode) ♦ One Shot, One Kill (episode) ♦ The Good Samaritan (episode) ♦ Enigma (episode) ♦ Bête Noire (episode) ♦ The Truth Is Out There (episode) ♦ UnSEALeD (episode) ♦ Dead Man Talking (episode) ♦ Missing (episode) ♦ Split Decision (episode) ♦ A Weak Link (episode) ♦ Reveille (episode)
Category:NCIS Episodes
Category:NCIS Season 1 Episodes
Category:NCIS Episodes written by Bob Gookin
Category:NCIS Episodes directed by Terrence O'Hara
Category:NCIS Episodes featuring Timothy McGee