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Need to Know Recap
Downtown, Washington DC. Gibbs approaches a local courthouse. Standing on the steps is Navy Chief Petty Officer Leyland Wiley and his lawyer. The lawyer intercepts Gibbs and makes his offer. The CPO is about to be arraigned for possession of narcotics. He's willing to offer sensitive information related to national security as part of a plea bargain. "All I know," the lawyer says, "Is that it involves an arms dealer named Agah Bayar." The name catches Gibbs' interest, and the lawyer signals CPO Wiley to join them. Wiley is nervous, flushed and panting. "I don't think I can do this," he gasps just before clutching his chest and falling to the ground. Gibbs administers CPR, but Wiley is dead.
Roll the opening credits.
In Autopsy, Ducky reports that CPO Wiley died of a very rapid heartbeat. Ironically, two years earlier Wiley had been diagnosed with just the opposite problem: his heart was beating too slowly. A pacemaker was implanted to help regulate his heart's rhythms. Ducky will have Abby test the pacemaker to see if it malfunctioned.
Upstairs, a cheerful Tony arrives to begin the day. He spies Ziva reading a paper and pacing near the stairwell. Intrigued, he asks McGee about it. McGee explains that Director Vance has asked Ziva to speak at a local high school career day. She's memorizing the speech that she has written for the occasion. She's uncharacteristically nervous about the assignment: "Public speaking is not my thing." Probationary Agent Ned Dorneget arrives in the squadroom. When asked by Tony, he tells them that he's been assigned to work in the evidence locker and hates it. He's looking for advice about how to get transferred to a field assignment. Meanwhile, Dorneget tells Tony that Evidence is missing his signature card and that he needs to sign a new one. Tony refuses, and tells Dorneget to go find the card he signed years ago. McGee interrupts, takes the card from Dorneget, signs Tony's name and hands it back. Tony is startled to see that McGee can perfectly forge his signature, and more surprised when Ziva says that McGee's been doing it for years.
Gibbs arrives. Because the dead CPO had top-secret clearance, his CO has locked down Wiley's computer and is conducting a 'damage assessment'. Abby calls Gibbs down, and impatiently waits for him at the elevator door. She's discovered that Wiley's pacemaker was Internet-addressable (so that doctor's can monitor and control his heart rhythms remotely). Someone hacked into his pacemaker and set it to run at 400 beats per minute. CPO Wiley was murdered by remote control. Phoof!
In the squadroom, the team reviews Wiley's background. He had enlisted after completing high school and trained as a specialist for a nuclear submarine. When his heart condition was diagnosed, he was disqualified from sea duty and transferred to the Naval Research Laboratory. DiNozzo has interviewed Wiley's cardiologist -- Wiley had been seen just two weeks earlier and no problems were apparent, no-one at the cardiologist's office had accessed Wiley's pacemaker at the time of death.
In Director Vance's office, Vance is staring at images of Agah Bayar. He would really like to take Bayar out of circulation. Gibbs tells him that Wiley's lawyer will be arriving for questioning, and Vance offers to help put pressure on him for information. Vance has called his counterparts in the FBI, CIA and DIA to see if anyone was tracking Agah Bayar. Vance thought that the other directors were avoiding his questions; DIA didn't even return the phone call. Vance isn't happy about the amount of politics involved in his position, and worries that he's working too hard and missing out on his children's childhood. Gibbs tells him that Vance should listen to his wife and schedule time for a vacation.
In Forensics, McGee has partially back-traced the signal that triggered the pacemaker, but it's going to take quite a bit more work to find the source. Dorneget arrives. He's there to pick up a pair of gloves that he left at Abby's house the night before. McGee's jealous streak triggers. "What was he doing there?" he asks, but Abby just smirks and ignores the question. As he leaves, Dorneget asks for advice on how to get on "Gibbs' good side". McGee suggests that Gibbs expects agents to be "one step ahead" -- to anticipate what he wants before he asks.
Ziva and DiNozzo search CPO Wiley's apartment. It's a mess; things scattered everywhere. Tony admires a particularly expensive wristwatch that they find. Ziva gets a phone call confirming her participation in the career day, and wishes that she had never accepted the assignment. Tony tries to be helpful. "Montgomery Prep is all boys. You'll be standing in front of pubescent males with raging hormones. Wear something tight, and they won't hear a word you say." Meanwhile, Ziva has found something significant: An envelope filled with bundles of hundred-dollar bills.
In Vance's office, Wiley's lawyer sits at the conference table while Vance and Gibbs stand over him. He says that Wiley wouldn't tell him any details about his information because it was classified, and that he didn't want to break any more laws. The lawyer is disconcerted when Gibbs correctly guesses that Wiley paid him in cash, $100 bills, but has no more information to add.
In the squadroom, Dorneget is trying to be proactive. He brings a cup of coffee from the break room and sets it on Gibbs' desk. "I understand Agent Gibbs enjoys an afternoon cup of coffee." He's in the squadroom to pick up the money found in Wiley's apartment (all $43,600 of it). Gibbs arrives and notices the coffee on his desk. "What is this?" he asks. "I got you a cup of coffee," Dorneget tells him, "I understand you take it black?" "Where'd you get it?" "Break room, sir." Gibbs throws the full cup into his wastebasket ("That's not coffee.") and waves Dorneget away. McGee has found records of Agah Bayar entering the country three days earlier. Vance joins them: Wiley's CO has learned that Wiley downloaded schematics and plans for advanced stealth communications used by our intelligence drones. Wiley wasn't involved in that project, so his access to that information is highly suggestive. It looks like he copied it all to a USB disk drive. McGee recognizes the seriousness of the problem. "In enemy hands, that information would make our multi-billion dollar stealth inventory worthless." Phoof!
In the squadroom, the team reviews surveillance video of Agah Bayar's travels within Washington DC. They have found fourteen images of him in the past three days -- entering his hotel, then leaving it shortly afterwards, stopping at a restaurant, etc. In six of the fourteen images, Bayar is accompanied by a very attractive young woman. Ziva believes the woman is an expensive "escort", while Tony believes that she is Bayar's girlfriend, and is fascinated by the woman's appearance. Ziva is assigned to identify and interview the woman. McGee has made more progress in back-tracing the internet signal that triggered Wiley's pacemaker. He's followed it back to a NASA ground antenna in the Mohave Desert. Abby has a friend in NASA that may be able to help work it backwards from there. DiNozzo reports that Bayar is currently inside the Turkish embassy. Gibbs asks McGee to "call Fletcher down in Tech Services; tell him I'm on my way to see him." Gibbs leaves.
Agah Bayar walks out of the Turkish Embassy and sees Gibbs leaning against Bayar's expensive rented car. "What do you want, Gibbs?" "Just letting you know that we're watching you, that we have you on our radar. Some of your 'customers are on our 'unfriendly' list. Get a lock on you, and we're going to take you down." Bayar isn't intimidated and drives away. Gibbs phones McGee and confirms that he put a tracking device on Bayar's car. McGee can follow Bayar's car wherever it goes.
In Forensics, Abby has identified the mystery woman. She is Eva Baransky, a citizen of the United Kingdom. She's a successful fashion model and aspiring actress; has been rumored to be friends with people as varied as George Clooney and Prince Andrew. Tony continues to be fascinated by her looks, and even more by her presumed British accent. Ziva learns that she has been staying in the Westcott hotel -- the same hotel as Agah Bayar. She and Tony head to the hotel to pick up Baransky.
In the NCIS hallway, Dorneget leaves the men's restroom, carefully opening the door with a paper towel, and using the same towel to press the elevator button. He spots a smudge on the stainless steel elevator door and begins brushing at it just as the door opens. Gibbs is inside the elevator, and Dornegut is embarrassed to be found with his hand apparently wiping in mid-air. He puts the towel in his pocket and stands straight, nearly at attention. Gibbs looks at him. "You going up, Dorneget?" "Yes sir," Dorneget replies and hastens to join Gibbs in the elevator. The door closes, and they stand side by side.
They stand a moment, and Gibbs looks over at him. "You going to the squadroom?" Gibbs asks. "No," Dorneget assures him, "third floor." Dorneget suddenly realizes he hasn't pressed the button for his floor, and corrects his oversight. They stand again as the elevator starts moving, Dorneget showing his discomfort and embarrassment. Finally, mercifully, the door opens and Gibbs walks out, saying "Buick's out of the garage, Dorneget." Oops! His fly has been unzipped the entire time. Dorneget's face shows his inner dismay: yet another stupid error in front of the boss.
McGee has found something significant in surveillance video: Thirty seconds after Bayar and the mystery woman leave a restaurant, CPO Wiley leaves as well. He had met with them! Gibbs takes McGee and they move out to find Bayar.
As Gibbs and McGee approach Bayar's car, an agent with the Defense Intelligence Agency intercepts them. DIA had watched Gibbs meet Bayar outside the Turkish Embassy that morning, and doesn't want them to interfere with Bayar again. "You have him under surveillance?" Gibbs asks, "Why?" The agent ducks his question. "Just back off," he says. Gibbs tells him that they're investigating a murder. "Our operation trumps that," says the DIA agent, then continues "You don't have the 'need to know'." He excuses himself and leaves Gibbs and McGee alone on the street. Phoof!
Back in the squadroom, Ziva has located Eva Baransky. She was trying to leave the country from Philadelphia, but TSA is holding her. Gibbs wants to send Ziva and McGee to pick her up, but Ziva has to speak to the high school prep class. Gibbs ponders for a moment, looks around. "Dorneget! Come here." Head down, Dorneget walks around the partitions to face Gibbs. "Gear up. You're going with McGee." Dorneget can't believe what he's hearing. "I think you're ready," Gibbs assures him. Director Vance arrives (and, of course, Dorneget bumps into him before rushing away in jubilation). Per SecNav, NCIS will not be read into the DIA operation. "Does he know what's going on?" Gibbs wonders. Vance doesn't know either. "If so, he's not telling us."
In the car driving to Philadelphia, McGee offers advice to Dorneget. He begins to tell Dorneget about Gibbs' rules, and suggests that Dorneget should write them down. Of course, Dorneget doesn't have a pen and must borrow McGee's. Dorneget also realizes that he forgot his sidearm, even though there's a rule that all agents must be armed when they leave the building -- but at least he has his handcuffs.
In Forensics, Abby thanks Gibbs for bringing down an NCIS ball cap. She'll give it to her NASA contact, Colin Fisker, that tracked the signal that induced the CPO Wiley's pacemaker to give him the heart attack. (Colin also wants to fire a weapon at the shooting range and ride in the MCRT van with the sirens blowing. He's sixteen, graduated from Cal Tech when he was twelve, and doesn't yet have his driver's license. Abby met him last year at a Mensa retreat in Santa Fe, where Colin was presenting a paper.) Colin has traced the hacker's signal all the way back to a cell phone in Washington DC. The phone is registered to Mickey Reardon. Reardon was a high-school dropout with a bad-conduct discharge from the army. After that, he joined a private military company and was fired again. He now freelances out of his house in suburban Herndon, Virginia.
At the Philadelphia airport, the TSA agent isn't impressed when Dorneget shows his ID upside down. The TSA guy applied twice to NCIS and was rejected, and here he sees "two kids" that made it where he couldn't. Meanwhile, leggy Eva Baransky walks down the staircase and joins them. She's nervous about Agah Bayar, would prefer to talk there in Philadelphia then fly home to London. Bayar told her that his business deal had "gone bad", didn't want her to get involved, and suggested that she leave the country at once. His behavior scared her, and she wants to leave. She left her luggage at the hotel, intending to send for it when she reached London. TSA has her confirm that her personal belonging are all there -- passport, wallet, lipstick, cell phone -- yes, it's all there. McGee reaches for his pen to sign over Eva's custody, but Dorneget still has his pen.
Back in Herndon, Gibbs, DiNozzo and Ziva approach Reardon's house. Ziva's presentation went very well -- the students were genuinely interested in the agency, asked intelligent questions, and were well-informed about world events. She "totally enjoyed" the day, and volunteered to return again next year. Gibbs has DiNozzo take the back while he and Ziva knock on the front door. They ring the bell, and Reardon slips out the back and runs away. DiNozzo and Ziva take chase. Reardon's athleticism is amazing -- he runs very fast, leaps tall fences, hurdles barriers. Reardon turns back and grins at how far he's pulled in front of Tony and Ziva just as Gibbs intercepts him with the car. The car bumps Reardon to the ground; Gibbs carefully gets out and trains his weapon on the runner, then nods at Ziva and Tony as they catch their breath. Phoof!
In the car returning from Philadelphia, Dorneget asks Eva about Agah Bayar. She answers him, then smiles. "How long have you been doing this?" she asks. Dorneget tells her that he's been an agent about six months and that this is his first field assignment. She smiles again. "Can't say I'm enjoying this, but I'm glad to be your first." Dorneget is flattered by the attention, until McGee leans over. "Rule number ten: never get personally involved in a case."
Down in Autopsy, Reardon is in pain. Ducky confirms that he has a broken collarbone. Gibbs doesn't have time for Reardon to go to the hospital, and "introduces him to the man he killed by remote control", forcing Reardon to look at CPO Wiley's body. Reardon claims never to have heard of Agah Bayar. Gibbs and DiNozzo threaten him, and Reardon finally says that he was paid by a Russian -- a "great looking chick." Gibbs eases up on Reardon. "Baransky is a Russian name..." he muses.
Dorneget and McGee pull into a gas station to refuel; Eva needs to use the restroom. McGee details Dorneget to escort her, confirm that the restroom doesn't have alternate exists, and ensure that she doesn't escape.
In MTAC, Gibbs and Vance speak to Inspector Challis of the U.K.'s MI-5 division. Challis says they've been aware of Eva Baransky for years. She had a British mother and a Russian father. After one year of post-graduate work, Baransky dropped out of school and went to Moscow to visit her father. They believe she was 'turned' by her father (who holds a high position in the Russian intelligence service), and became a Russian agent, and MI-5 has been watching her ever since. "Why wasn't her passport flagged? Why weren't we told?" Gibbs asks. Challis is surprised at the question. "Don't you Americans talk to each other? Your DIA instructed us to make sure she got through Customs without a hitch. We removed all notations from her file. Wasn't NCIS read in?" Vance thanks Challis for the briefing and prepares to cut the call. Challis has one last thought: "Don't be taken in by the young girl's good looks. She's a skilled martial artist and weapons expert." Vance cuts the call. He and Gibbs realize that Baransky isn't Bayar's girlfriend -- she's the customer purchasing the stolen information from Bayar. Vance will talk directly to the DIA Director about the situation. As Vance calls DIA, Gibbs calls McGee to warn him about Eva.
At the gas station, McGee gets the word from Gibbs -- Baransky is no longer a witness, she's a suspect and should be considered dangerous. McGee hangs up, and runs to check on Dorneget and Eva. No-one is in sight, and Dorneget is trapped inside the women's restroom. Baransky jumped him from behind, choked him to unconsciousness, and handcuffed him to a handrail in the restroom. McGee releases Dorneget; they run outside but there is no sign of Eva.
McGee is furious. "If you hadn't been so distracted by her beauty, none of this would have happened!" Dorneget says that he wasn't attracted to Baransky, but McGee can't believe that until Dorneget finally explains the reason. "McGee, I'm not attracted to any woman! I'm gay."
After a moment, Dorneget continues. "My first assignment as an agent, and I lose the suspect! Gibbs is going to kill me!" McGee agrees, "We're both dead meat." McGee's phone rings -- it's Gibbs calling back. "What are you going to tell him?" Dorneget asks. "The truth," McGee says, "That's my rule number one: Never lie to Gibbs." As Dorneget winces, McGee answers the phone.
In MTAC, Gibbs asks Vance if he's really sure, and Vance (still on the phone with DIA) nods agreement. Gibbs turns back to his phone. "McGee. Let her go." McGee is stunned. "Excuse me?" Gibbs repeats himself. "Eva Baransky. Tell her we no longer need to interview her. Apologize for the inconvenience, and tell her that you'll take her anywhere she wants to go." "What happened?" McGee asks. Gibbs still doesn't know. "I'm trying to find that out." He hangs up, and an amazed McGee turns back to Dorneget, speechless.
In MTAC, Vance excuses the operators and speaks to Gibbs in private. The stealth technology stolen by Wiley, brokered by Bayar and sold to Baransky was all part of a DIA sting operation. It's all fake, intended to sabotage Russian stealth communications research. Baransky has the data on a flash drive disguised as a lipstick container. DIA realized that Wiley was vulnerable because of his drug habit and dangled bait. When the Russians found out that Wiley had been arrested, they became concerned that he would sell them out and hired Reardon to kill Wiley. Case solved. "Leon, what do I tell my team?" "Tell them nothing. It's still 'Need to Know'." But one other question puzzles Vance: "How in the world do Wiley and Agah Bayar know each other?"
In the car returning from Philadelphia, McGee and Dorneget still don't understand what could have happened. McGee isn't going to volunteer information, but won't lie if Gibbs asks. "About the other thing I mentioned," Dorneget says. "What, that you're gay? That's cool." McGee says. Dorneget says he doesn't advertise it, and that not many people at the agency know it. But he's curious how DiNozzo will react. "Oh, he'll be happy," McGee tells him. "Really?" "Yeah. Less competition."
In the squadroom, Tony is pacing up and down the floor. He doesn't understand why Baransky was released.
"Why are you so obsessed?" Ziva asks.
"I really wanted to meet her," Tony says while still pacing and twisting his fingers.
"Well, she's completely out of your ballpark."
"League."
"She's a successful British model; dates princes, movie stars and millionaires -- what could you possibly offer her?"
"Ah," Tony says, "The 'DiNozzo charm'?" He strikes a pose.
Ziva looks at him in surprise, then says (half to herself) "That charm ended with the last generation."
Just then, McGee and Dorneget arrive in the elevator. Tony is eager to hear anything Dorneget has to say about Eva. When pressed, Ned admits "She was beautiful, stunning in fact, sexier in person and with a British accent." Tony gasps at the confirmation of his dreams. McGee smiles at the exchange, then notices that Gibbs is gone. "Where's Gibbs?" he asks.
Cut to downtown Washington DC at night. Agah Bayer is dining along at an upscale restaurant, sipping a glass of wine when Gibbs approaches. "I did not think I'd see you so soon, Agent Gibbs," Bayar says without looking up. He lifts his glass. "Care for a glass of wine?"
Gibbs shakes his head. "I'm working."
"I take it you still have your 'radars' locked on me."
GIbbs joins Bayar at the table. "How'd you know that Chief Petty Officer Wiley was approachable and would sell information? Who are you working for?"
"Well, in my profession, I walk a very fine line. I usually work with whoever pays me the most."
"In this case?"
"Sometimes you get lucky. I got paid from both sides."
Gibbs considers the implications of that statement. "The Russians wanted the information, and US Intelligence wanted them to have a version of it, and you were the perfect middle-man to make it all seem legit."
"Correct," Bayar agrees, "So we're playing for the same team."
"This time."
"How would you say it. Let me buy you a drink."
Cut to an outside view of the restaurant window, with Gibbs stonily looking at Bayar. Phoof!
Roll the closing credits.
◄ Back to 9.17 Need to Know
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