♪ NCIS:New Orleans 3x17 ♪ Swift, Silent, Deadly Original Air Date on March 14,
(rock music playing)
(rock music continues)
All right, boys, here you go.
(door bangs open)
Is that your blue van out front?
Kick him out!
(men grunting)
(shouts)
(screams)
I asked if that was your van.
(bones crunch, man screaming)
Talk or die.
♪ Boom, boom, boom, boom ♪
♪ Bang, bang, bang, bang ♪
♪ Boom, boom, boom, boom ♪
♪ How, how, how, how ♪
♪ Hey, hey ♪
== sync, corrected by elderman == @elder_man
♪ You gotta come on. ♪
GREGORIO: Come on, we've all noticed the change in Pride.
He's got a little extra bounce in his step,
few more smiles, a little cologne.
I'm pretty sure that cologne is Sebastian's.
It's part of his new agent makeover.
Pride's been different, ever since Rita got back--
who, by the way, calls him all the time now.
Well, she is a JAG Reservist and an A.D.A.,
so it's just probably business.
See, now that's your problem, Lasalle.
If you can't see the obvious romance in the world,
how do you expect to ever get it for yourself?
Gregorio, Gregorio.
I don't need any help finding "romance," all right?
I'm doing just fine, thank you.
You're doing just great, knucklehead.
(exhales)
LASALLE: Looks like one heck of a bar fight.
PRIDE: More like an assault.
One of the victims recognized a Marine Corps tattoo
on the attacker, so NOPD called us in.
We get an I.D.?
Sebastian's working on it.
Assailant left one dead,
three in the hospital.
Two more ran off as NOPD arrived.
One marine took out six guys?
Without firing a shot.
Only weapon discharged
apparently belongs to the victim.
Morning, team.
(sniffs, groans)
What?
What do you got, Sebastian?
Uh, I got a blood trail that indicates
the victim might've shot our suspect before being killed.
Sergeant John Brossette, U.S. Marine Corps.
I didn't even need his blood to I.D. him;
he left plenty of prints.
Think he'd be a little more careful than that.
Well, either that or he didn't care for some reason.
Anyway, I got a local address,
but anything past that, I need security clearance.
Could be Special Ops.
Yeah. Look, Percy's back at the squad room.
Get her what you know.
Tell her to contact MARSOC to get clearance.
GREGORIO: There are three security cameras
on both sides of the bar.
You think we could get something from the feeds?
Yeah, I was just about to check. Okay, cool.
Our victim is Terrence Hayes...
(camera clicking)
...owner of the bar.
Prelim background check shows
he's got a long history of felony convictions.
Yeah, unfortunately for Mr. Hayes,
he also has a recent history
of being tortured.
Has bruising, compound fracture in the arm,
broken fingers,
looks like one at a time, too.
And based on the severed spinal cord,
likely cause of death was asphyxia.
Suspect broke his neck.
GREGORIO: So, what is this, revenge
or payback for something?
Could be a dirty marine.
They were in a deal together that went sideways.
Well, whatever it is, Brossette's dangerous.
We need to get him off the street and into custody fast.
Get a warrant.
Check his house.
I'll work with Percy.
We'll look into Brossette and Hayes both.
Best way to find our marine
is to figure out what the hell happened here.
SEBASTIAN: I got their surveillance feed.
And I got to say, aside from the fact that, you know,
somebody's dead, this is pretty badass.
Damn, that guy's got some serious skill.
Wow, so... (chuckles)
he gets shot, barely bats an eye, and just like that,
kills a man.
PRIDE: Well, doesn't look like that was
his intention.
He was walking away.
Still don't know what he was doing there. What'd you find?
Not much, just that Sergeant Brossette's
as highly trained as they come.
He's a Force Recon team leader.
So what's he doing going after a small-time felon in Clearwater?
And why do it like that?
Force Recon's trained in stealth tactics.
Brossette could've taken them out
without anybody ever finding out.
PTSD?
PRIDE: Looked pretty in control to me.
Plus, he clearly went after Hayes.
You find any connection there?
No, I checked NOPD, FBI, NCIC,
nothing, other than the fact
that they both live in Clearwater.
And Brossette... is originally from Haiti.
He met the marines doing disaster relief there,
emigrated to the U.S. with his wife, Amelia,
and then enlisted.
You talk to his wife?
I left her a message, but she hasn't responded yet.
(cell phone ringing)
Not much to go on.
Yeah, Chris.
LASALLE: I'm leaving Brossette's house now, King.
PRIDE: Any sign of trouble?
The door locked when you got there?
Yeah, we had to bust in.
Everything inside was normal, though.
Any sign of him or his wife?
No, none. Looks like Amelia Brossette
works with an advocacy group that helps immigrants.
Her calendar says she's at a federal detention center
in Oakdale today with clients.
(whispers): I'm on it.
Yeah, Gregorio's
talking to neighbors now.
Maybe she found something.
All right, well, sooner the better.
Keep digging, but be careful.
Don't want you running into Brossette without backup.
Copy that.
Hey.
I've seen some struggling neighborhoods since I got back,
but nothing like this one. It's sad.
Yeah, Clearwater got hit pretty hard by Katrina,
never recovered. Doesn't make sense, though.
It's right by the river. You'd think this would be
one of the first places to bounce back.
Yeah, I had three NOPD buddies that used to work the area,
and they all got reassigned to The Quarter.
Got to protect the tourists, right?
Hey, did you find anything on Brossette?
'Cause I sure didn't, and King, he seems a little nervous.
I don't blame him.
Only thing I got was good.
Neighbors sing the Brossettes' praises
like they're some kind of saints.
Woman over there, she says that
if it wasn't for him,
Clearwater would be overrun by crime.
He does what the cops don't.
So, what? He's some kind of guardian angel?
I mean, doesn't exactly jibe with taking out six guys
at a bar and killing a man, does it?
(groans)
(panting)
(cell phone ringing)
(Pride sighs)
I let Oakdale know we wanted
to talk to Brossette's wife when she showed,
but I did find something that might help.
Two days ago, bar owner, Hayes,
deposited almost ten grand, all in cash,
three times more than any deposit he'd made all year.
Find out how he got the money,
might give us a reason for Brossette's attack. Good work.
Thanks. Let's go to the hospital,
find out what the other victims know.
(cell phone ringing)
Um...
you not gonna answer that?
Nope. Mayor's called three times already this morning.
God, what does he want? Who knows?
Could be something about this case,
could be he's nervous 'cause I'm coming after him
for the murder of Javier Garcia.
Right now, all I care about is finding Sergeant Brossette
before he hurts anyone else.
SEBASTIAN: Hey, Pride. We might have a lead on Brossette,
and I think it's pretty cool.
And by "we," cowboy means me,
the one who actually found the lead.
See? You are upset, just admit it.
You don't want me sharing your office.
I have no trouble sharing, but I do have trouble
with you disinfecting my desk all the time.
Smell like bad cologne.
That actually is a-a cologne.
Is it too much, you think?
The lead, fellas.
PATTON: Okay, check it out.
I took a closer look at the surveillance footage,
zooming in on the victim's face.
Yeah, watch what happens when Patton enhances it.
I'm sorry, what exactly are we looking at?
We're looking at his lips.
PATTON: And we're using cutting-edge software
used by the CIA to read said lips.
COMPUTERIZED VOICE (distorted): Er-Oh-Emer-Emerald Paw-Pawn.
There-ee-that a-all I know.
Emerald Pawn, that's all I know.
Emerald Pawn? Where is that?
It's in Clearwater. It's right near the bar.
PATTON: That must be important,
'cause Brossette took off as soon as he heard that.
Not before Hayes took another shot at him.
That's when Brossette killed him.
All right, call Lasalle and Gregorio.
Tell them we will meet them at the pawn shop,
but to wait for us, in case Brossette's there.
Any sign of Brossette?
LASALLE: Not yet,
but the owner just opened up the shop.
Vadim Reznik.
Record's clean.
How you want to play this?
Let's talk to Reznik,
see if he has any idea why Brossette's so interested...
(gunshots in distance)
(panting)
Hayes is already dead.
You want to be next?
Federal agents! Don't move!
Get your hands in the air!
Drop the knife!
LASALLE: Drop the knife and raise your hands!
Let's go, get them up!
SONJA: Come on, Reznik.
Move, move, move!
PRIDE: Sergeant Brossette, NCIS!
Get on your knees now.
Gregorio, cuff him.
(grunts)
(groans)
(groaning)
(panting)
Everybody... all right?
Define "all right."
Reznik got away, too.
Who is that guy?
(sniffs)
(exhales)
Oh. Might need stitches.
Maybe you ought to go to the E.R.
I'm too humiliated to go to the E.R.
I don't want anybody else knowing that one guy
kicked all our asses.
Yeah, I'm feeling a little déjà vu.
It's not the first time we've been in here licking our wounds.
Lucky none of y'all got killed.
PRIDE: Yeah, don't think it was luck, Loretta.
Brossette had a chance, held back instead.
Yeah, and he didn't have to; he already killed a guy.
Well, the bar owner could've been self-defense.
I mean, think about it.
He took us out just enough so he could get away.
Hindsight, probably good
we didn't get a shot off.
Question is: what's he want so bad?
Whatever it is, Reznik must know.
Brossette was obviously pissed that the guy got away.
Which means he'll be going after him again.
But if we can find Reznik first...
He'll lead us right to Brossette.
You sure you really want to find Brossette again?
That's a good point, Doc.
(cell phone ringing) We're not gonna underestimate him again.
Next time, we'll be prepared.
Ah.
Hey, Rita.
RITA: Dwayne, we need to talk.
Can you hold a sec?
Of course.
Gregorio,
you and Sonja see if you can find anything
to connect Reznik to Brossette or the bar owner.
Chris, take Sebastian back to the pawn shop.
We need to find something to help us locate Reznik.
You got it. Sorry about that, Rita.
Okay, I give. Who's Rita?
Well, that's the million-dollar question, ain't it?
Anybody seen Sebastian?
In his office. In my office.
Thanks.
Any luck on seeing where Brossette ran off to?
Nope. That marine managed to avoid every security camera
anywhere around that pawn shop; the man is a ghost.
We still can't find his wife, either; never showed up to work.
PATTON: I couldn't get a GPS
on her cell phone; could be she turned it off.
She doesn't want to be found no more than her hubby does.
All right, try going back and looking through
the security cams, see if you can find Reznik instead.
Find Reznik, find Brossette.
Exactly.
Everything all right?
Rita just called as an A.D.A.
Says that Hamilton just held a press conference.
Threw me and NCIS under the bus
for not catching
Sergeant Brossette fast enough.
Rita says that Hamilton
wants the D.A.'s office to investigate.
What? That's not fair.
Why would Hamilton do that?
Only one reason:
to get my attention.
Now he's got it.
I'm so sorry, Mr. Mayor. I couldn't stop him.
HAMILTON: Oh, that's all right, I'm used to it.
I'll call you back.
Oh, a-a return phone call would've sufficed, Dwayne.
That's all I'm saying.
- What do you want? - Should I call security?
Nah, he ain't gonna hurt me.
You know, whether you like it or not, Dwayne,
I'm the mayor. (door closes)
And that means when I call you, you damn well better
pick up that phone next time, you understand?
Or, what, you're gonna hold another press conference?
Try and blame me for your screwups?
My screwups?
There's a maniac marine running loose in the city.
How is that my fault?
He's not loose in the city,
he's in Clearwater.
No excuse for what he did,
but if you hadn't pulled basic resources,
like police... Oh, man,
that's just media crap, and you know it.
They're just trying to put a spin on everything...
Not spin, it's real.
You've left Clearwater high and dry for far too long,
and this is what happens. You don't know.
This whole city has no resources.
I had to make some choices.
Choices which benefit you more than the city.
Benefits like the ones Javier Garcia was gonna share
with the FBI... Ah, no! No, no, no!
That's it. ...before he was killed.
I'm tired, I'm tired
of your insinuations and your implications.
And if you think I have something to do
with Garcia's death, then you put up or you shut up!
Now, in the meantime, you do your damn job.
You catch this marine,
and you keep him and Clearwater off of the news,
or I'll make sure you stay on it.
(intercom beeps)
You can call security now.
(door closes)
You know, it'd be a lot easier to find
a connection to Brossette
if Reznik was a little bit more organized.
Look at this.
You think even a pawn shop would use a computer these days,
at least a stolen one.
Yeah, a lot of what draws folks to these kind of places
is things aren't tracked as easily.
Lot of cash transactions.
Yeah, that might explain where the bar victim
got his ten grand from.
Still, doesn't connect Reznik to Charles Bronson.
Charles who?
Come on, man, really?
Charles Bronson? You know?
Death Wish?
It's a morally questionable film
about vigilantism?
Guardian angel, just like Sergeant Brossette?
First one was a huge hit, but the sequels
just got ridiculous. Sebastian...
Although, in the third one,
Bronson shoots a bad guy with a rocket launcher.
- That's actually pretty sweet. - Sebastian.
What's “acepero...”
Acepromazine? That's it.
An animal tranquilizer.
It's usually used for dogs and horses. Why?
Well, I just found a bunch of it in here.
Why does a pawn shop have animal tranquilizer?
Any progress finding Reznik?
SONJA: Maybe.
Just got off the phone with Lasalle and Sebastian.
They found a stash of animal tranquilizers
hidden in Reznik's shop.
Animal tranquilizers?
Yeah, turns out, Reznik's brother-in-law
works at a vet hospital.
Yeah, and Patton tapped into Reznik's cell.
Turns out, Reznik's been making a lot of late-night visits
to the vet hospital.
Doesn't give us a connection to Brossette, but...
But it could give us Reznik if he's going back to the hospital.
Which is where Brossette might be waiting for him, too.
Worth a shot.
Good work.
Have Sebastian and Christopher
meet us back here so we can game plan.
Where you going?
Borrow a few things from the sheriff's office,
so Brossette doesn't catch us off guard again.
♪ ♪
(dog barking in distance)
There's Reznik.
Brossette's got to be close.
LASALLE: Copy that, King.
In position, and ready for your go.
Let's move.
(grunts)
No, please don't kill me.
(gun cocks) Where is she?
(explosions popping)
(both coughing)
PRIDE: Federal agents! Freeze!
NCIS!
(Brossette grunting, Taser crackling)
(men coughing)
PRIDE: All right, just breathe.
Be all right in a minute.
Please, this isn't what you think.
Yeah, tell it to the judge.
They've taken my wife!
That's why I went after them.
That's why I'm doing this.
If we don't catch them in time, I may never see her again.
(door opens)
EMS is coming to check your wound.
It's fine.
Triaged. I only care about Amelia.
We're wasting time.
SONJA: Breaking and entering,
aggravated assault, assault on a federal officer,
murder...
Murder? No way.
Hayes shot at me, twice.
It was self-defense.
Open to interpretation.
You attacked him first, with lethal force.
I only wanted to find my wife.
You got to believe me.
If we don't find
Amelia soon, I may never see her again!
PRIDE: All right,
calm down, Sergeant Brossette.
You need to talk to us.
We may not be able to help you, but if you're telling the truth,
we may be able to help your wife.
Night before last,
when I came home, Amelia wasn't there.
I assumed she was with a client.
She helps new immigrants,
people like we once were.
Helps them find jobs, places to live.
She work late a lot?
Never.
I called her, but it went to voice mail.
Called her friends, too,
people she works with, nothing.
I knew something was wrong.
Why didn't you just call the cops?
I did.
But they wouldn't do anything for 48 hours,
and I knew I couldn't wait that long.
Amelia isn't the first person to disappear from Clearwater.
And what does that mean?
There have been whispers on the streets.
Stories of immigrants who arrived all alone,
young women with no families, suddenly vanish.
NOPD look into it?
Said they did,
but the women aren't citizens,
so there's nothing they could do.
The police hardly come around
Clearwater anymore, anyway.
So, you decided to take matters
into your own hands. I had no choice!
I wasn't going to let them take my wife!
Calm down, Brossette.
I used my training,
tracked down leads,
learned a blue van had been hanging around
where Amelia was last seen.
And that blue van led you to Hayes.
Who led me to Reznik.
REZNIK: All I do is clean them up.
I take photos, that's it.
Clean them up?
What kind of scumbag are you?
These are women we're talking about, not animals.
Yeah, well, apparently he treats them like animals.
Sedates them like animals, too.
Is that so they don't fight back?
Huh, is that it?
I swear to God, I don't hurt them.
These men, they're selling them.
They're shipping them out of the country.
Human trafficking.
You got any idea how many years that gets you in federal prison?
GREGORIO: You better start talking, Reznik.
You better tell us who you hand those girls off to,
or you'll never see the outside of a jail cell again.
REZNIK: I don't know who.
They don't want me to know who, in case I get caught.
I get them from Hayes.
When I'm done, I make a call on a burner cell and I leave.
When I go back,
the women are gone and my cash is there.
I just wait for the next batch.
Batch?
You're disgusting.
PRIDE: Did you get anything out of Reznik?
Just enough to make me sick to my stomach.
I can't believe this has been going on
for as long as it has without anybody finding out.
Hey, but if it wasn't for Brossette,
they'd still be getting away with it.
Obviously,
they took his wife by mistake.
Didn't realize who they were going up against.
Yeah, question is: who are they?
According to Reznik, the trafficking ring
is compartmentalized; nobody knows who's next up
on the food chain. We got to hurry up
before they get her out of the country.
But it's only been 36 hours since she was taken.
And it's not just Amelia they're trying to get out.
There's got to be others.
And that takes time.
That means we still have a chance.
Whoa, are we allowed to go at it alone?
We're NCIS; we caught our marine.
Shouldn't we loop in NOPD, FBI?
By the time we get through all that bureaucracy,
she'll be gone,
and we can't let that happen.
RITA: Dwayne?
Rita, what...
what's going on?
Hamilton sent me.
Hamilton? What do you mean? Why?
Because I'm both JAG and A.D.A.,
and Sergeant Brossette's case could be heard in either court.
GREGORIO: Hold up,
what case?
Marine killed a civilian, right?
And word is, you have him in custody, Dwayne,
so I'm here to take him in.
And Hamilton sent you?
He called the D.A. and was pretty insistent.
He already has a press conference set up
to announce the arrest.
Why am I not surprised?
I know how you feel about Hamilton,
but I have to do my job.
So, do you have Brossette or don't you?
Just give me a minute.
What?
Yeah, we'll be right back.
Wait. Well, Dwayne...
Patton, Sebastian? RITA: Hello?
Hey, wait, wait, whoa, I know all of y'all
are not moving in here, man. Come on.
Look, never mind that.
Did you get anything off of Reznik's burner?
Nothing on it, except for one number.
It's the same number Reznik been calling every week or so.
It's got to be the next link on the trafficking chain.
So we are gonna help Brossette find his wife.
We're gonna try, but we got to move fast.
Might need Brossette to help us, though.
Wait here.
I... Hold that thought.
I got an idea,
but here's the deal.
NOPD's waiting outside that door to take you downtown,
but I'm willing to try and hold them and the A.D.A. off
if you help me find your wife.
So we're clear,
probably won't help you avoid charges, and it's dangerous.
Tell me what I have to do.
RITA: Are you out of your mind, Dwayne?
I'm telling you, it's not as simple as you think.
Pretty simple from my point of view.
I'm under strict orders.
And I'm not asking you to disobey them.
All we want is a little more time.
12 hours, that's all.
12 hours for what?
To try and catch the traffickers,
get Brossette's wife back.
Rita, listen, despite what the mayor
wants it to look like, this isn't just about
a maniac marine on the loose.
Brossette's wife was taken.
He's just trying to save her, to save others.
But if you take him now, we may lose our only chance.
Clearwater is an immigrant neighborhood, all but ignored.
That's why the traffickers
target the women there-- because they don't think anybody cares.
Trying to guilt me into this? Is that your best pitch?
So far.
I just don't see how we can walk away from this, Rita.
Well, you can't walk away from anything.
That a bad thing?
Was for us.
Even though,
I have to admit, I always admired that about you.
The fight for right.
You had the fight back then, too.
- (chuckles) - Still do, as far as I can tell.
JAG, A.D.A.-- you're not doing it for the money.
(chuckles): That's for sure.
You're gonna say yes, aren't you?
I was from the beginning.
I just wanted to watch you work for it a little.
12 hours,
not a minute more.
You got it.
Thanks.
(door opens)
Bought us some time, but not much.
Means we got to move fast. How bad you hurt?
Don't worry about me. What's the plan?
We found a way to contact the traffickers,
but you're the only one who can make them meet.
How so?
They got to know who you are, what you've been doing.
Explain to them
you don't want any trouble,
you don't care about the others.
Just want to get Amelia back and that you're willing to pay.
What if they don't bite?
Then you tell them you won't stop,
you'll keep coming after them.
Doubt they want publicity
any more than Mayor Hamilton does.
Even if they agree to meet,
they'll try to kill me.
Me and my team will be right there backing you up.
Moment we see Amelia, we move in.
You're right, though.
No guarantees this'll work, but it's all we got.
It's up to you.
♪ ♪
Showtime.
Copy that. Standing by.
Brave man.
You must really love your wife.
Where is she?
First thing first.
You understand, this is all unfortunate mistake.
Your wife was never meant to be taken.
Any sign of Amelia?
GREGORIO: Can't see. Windows are tinted.
Let's see the money.
Not until I see my wife.
It's a setup. It's a setup! Federal agents! Freeze!
(grunts)
Amelia!
Where's my wife?!
She's not in there!
The wave of violence in the Clearwater area
continued until early this morning,
leaving three dead and one critical.
But with Marine Sergeant John Brossette
finally in police custody,
the mayor hopes things can return to normal.
“Return to normal.” Is that some kind of joke?
Brossette was the only one who was keeping Clearwater
from getting out of control.
Yeah, and trying to stop the traffickers.
Just talked to NOPD.
Brossette's at the hospital jail ward.
He lost lots of blood, but he should be okay.
Yeah, until they try him for murder.
Well, I mean, he did kill a man.
Whose side are you on?
I'm just saying that if the mayor wants
to pin all this on Brossette, then he's screwed.
No, King won't let that happen.
We need to focus on getting these traffickers.
Yeah, and what we need is a lead.
GREGORIO: May have one.
NOPD found port parking stubs from three of the guys
that tried to kill Brossette.
Okay, the port makes sense; that's the best way to get
kidnapped women shipped out.
Right, but the question is: are we too late?
What do you got on the bad guys?
Just that they're all connected to Bulgarian organized crime.
We just don't know which networks.
I got ATF working on it.
GREGORIO: All right, I'll check with FBI, too.
Maybe I can identify which syndicate we're dealing with,
and then we'll make the connections
that they have at the docks. Yeah, and hopefully
we can narrow down which ship or ships they're using.
Yeah. All right,
Sebastian and I will head down to the docks,
see what we can find.
Now, when King gets done with the mayor,
he's gonna want to know if we learned things.
Let's have answers. Okay.
(exhales)
HAMILTON: None of this would've happened
if you'd just simply done what you were told
and handed Brossette over.
I gave strict orders to the D.A.
Has nothing to do with the D.A. This is my decision.
Oh, y-your decision wouldn't have anything to do
with that little ex-girlfriend of yours, would it?
Rita had nothing to do with... Oh, that's right.
Yeah, I forgot she was back in New Orleans.
Yeah, I won't make that mistake again. Don't worry.
Listen to me, Hamilton.
The only thing we need to be worried about right now
is trying to save not just Brossette's wife,
but all the other women who were taken, too.
Yeah, that's my job, not yours.
Which is why I'm in the process
of assembling a joint task force right now...
Damn it, we don't have time for that!
They'll be long gone by then, if they're not already.
Well, it ain't your problem anymore, or your case, Dwayne,
so drop it.
Bottom line: you don't,
I promise I'll have a judge hold you in contempt
for not handing Brossette over in the first place.
(door closes)
Hey. Hey.
I guess I don't need to ask how it went in there.
I didn't get you in trouble with the D.A., did I?
Nothing I can't handle. Look...
Don't apologize, Dwayne. It was the right thing to do.
Just because it didn't work out...
Yet. It will.
Just got to figure out how.
I'm not giving up on Brossette's wife
or the traffickers.
What?
(chuckles): Nothing. It's just...
some things never change.
I can't figure
Hamilton out.
Why stonewall me on this? Right?
Innocent lives are at stake.
It has nothing to do with me or Garcia's murder.
What am I missing? I was trying to figure out
the same thing, so I did some checking.
HAMILTON: Call and tell him I'm on my way.
I've got a friend in Planning and Development
who says the mayor shelved a couple of housing projects
in Clearwater.
So, I got curious, I started asking around.
And apparently, Hamilton has quietly...
...has quietly derailed every proposal there,
not just a couple.
So, it's not about lack of resources.
No, it's willful intent.
And I don't know why he's doing it,
but obviously there's a reason.
One that he doesn't want anybody figuring out.
Well, explains why he wants the media
focusing on something else.
Yeah, and why he was in such a hurry to catch Brossette,
get Clearwater out of the news.
(phone beeping)
Still got some fight in you.
Might have something on the traffickers. I got to go.
I'll keep digging. Okay.
Rita.
Watch your back.
I don't trust Hamilton.
Talked to a forklift operator
over at the docks who saw a ship late last night.
Loaded cargo in the dark and headed out.
Get the ship's name?
No, but Percy traced the dock's lessee
to a Micha Draganov.
He's got ties to a Bulgarian crime syndicate
operating throughout the South.
And that links him to the men who attacked Brossette.
Yeah. Problem is, Draganov took off in a cigarette boat
over a half hour ago.
Eh, doesn't like publicity. Making a run for it.
SEBASTIAN: Hey, guys. Good news.
The Coast Guard activated the Helicopter Interdiction
Tactical Squadron, and they spotted the boat.
Captain Larrabee, this is Special Agent Pride, NCIS.
Nice to meet you. HITRON fired warning shots,
stopped your suspect's boat, but not before
he made it to international waters.
Yeah, and since Draganov's boat has a Bulgarian registration,
we need permission before we can even board.
LASALLE: What are you saying? We got to wait?
No, we're not waiting.
Every minute that passes,
that cargo ship gets farther away.
Sebastian, you stay here,
work with Sonja
and Gregorio.
Find that ship.
You got it.
Let's go!
(engine revving)
(indistinct radio chatter)
(ship horn blows)
(siren wailing)
MAN (over speakers): This is the U.S. Coast Guard.
Keep your engine secured.
We're coming alongside.
(siren continues wailing)
(siren stops)
PRIDE: Micha Draganov.
Federal agents. We need to talk.
Yeah? About what?
About your involvement in human trafficking.
Hands on your head. Turn around slow.
(gun clicks)
It's clear.
PRIDE: Make it easier on yourself
if you just gave us the name
and destination of the cargo ship
that left port last night with the kidnapped women on board.
No idea what you're talking about.
Besides,
we are in international waters.
I doubt my government gave you authority.
Wave off the Coast Guard.
All right, we'll take it from here, fellas.
Thank you. Call off the helo, too.
What do you think you're doing?
Looking to motivate you.
(engine revving)
(gasps)
Hey!
Come back here!
Hey! Hey!
Hey! Come back here!
Hey!
You do know there are sharks in the Gulf.
Fully aware.
Hey!
Come back here!
No disrespect, King,
but you sure you know what you're doing?
We don't have time to make him tell us where the ship's headed.
I understand, but you know
that coercion doesn't hold up in court.
Not worried about court.
Just finding Amelia and the others.
All right.
Well, how's letting him drown accomplish that?
You think I'm gonna let him drown?
Thought did cross my mind.
Well, good.
Means it's crossed his mind, too. Hold on.
(engine revving)
Hey!
(Draganov gasping)
Let's try this again.
Ship name and destination.
It's the Nikolina.
Headed for Aruba.
Aruba.
(coughing)
Just that easy.
(coughing)
(doors creaking)
(women crying, whimpering)
U.S. Coast Guard. It's okay.
You're safe now. Estás seguro.
Come on.
Come on, ladies.
Está bien. Estás seguro.
Okay.
You're safe.
Are you Mrs. Brossette?
Amelia?
Yes.
Your husband's gonna be very happy to see you.
(sobbing softly)
♪ ♪
No, Pride did not toss him overboard.
Oh, yes, he did.
He didn't even hesitate, either. Ah.
You should've seen the look on Draganov's face.
I am so not at the FBI anymore.
So what did you do?
Well, I really didn't know what to do.
I was just kind of going along with the flow.
It worked well, though, didn't it?
Yeah, I'll say. We took down
a slave trafficking ring,
we saved Brossette's wife, busted the ringleader.
Not bad, considering how it all went down.
Think there'll be any blowback?
SONJA: (scoffs) I don't think so.
Draganov confessed; it doesn't matter why.
No one would believe him anyway.
What about Sergeant Brossette?
You think the fact that he was right all along
will help him out?
I think Pride's talking to Rita
about that very subject as we speak.
Oh, any excuse to talk to Rita.
Oh, here we go. Profiler at work again.
Doesn't take a profiler to see the obvious, knucklehead.
Mm-mm. Neanderthal.
Ah. That's a better word.
Whoa. That's a sick burn. See what I have to put up with?
SEBASTIAN: They got you.
(laughter)
(romantic jazz music playing)
If I remember right, you used to like it spicy.
You still do?
I... don't know. (laughs)
Uh, it's been a while since I've had shrimp Creole.
What the hell.
Ah. Attagirl.
By the way, if you think you're gonna butter me up
by wining and dining me, it's not gonna work.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Liar.
Sergeant Brossette's still in a lot of trouble.
Understood.
Mmm.
Mm-hmm.
Mmm.
He broke into two places, hurt a lot of people.
A lot of bad people.
Killed one.
Self-defense. Man shot him from behind.
Plus, if he hadn't, the trafficking ring...
Means justifies the end? Is that how you see it, Dwayne?
Like I said,
some things don't change.
Hmm.
I should be able to get his charges reduced.
Thank you.
You hungry?
Starving.
(clears throat)
I am worried about you, though. How so?
Well, you said that you think Mayor Hamilton
had something to do with Javier Garcia's murder.
I know that he did.
Just have to find a way to prove it.
Well, and then what?
You go after him,
or try to take him down? Is that it?
I'm gonna do what I have to do, Rita.
Mayor's corrupt. Known it for a long time.
With whatever Garcia had on him,
whatever he's doing with Clearwater,
it's different now.
And you think you can stop him?
Somebody has to.
The mayor's not under NCIS's jurisdiction, Dwayne.
And the end doesn't always justify the means,
especially if it ends up getting you killed.
That's not gonna happen.
♪ I'm losing my mind ♪
♪ Over you. ♪
(jazz/pop music playing)
♪ ♪
GREGORIO: It's Tuesday night.
Don't any of these people have work tomorrow?
Uh, it's also New Orleans.
We work hard, and we party harder.
That's why you should come out with me.
No.
Me and some friends, we're going to a club...
I'm good.
Got room service and a nice hot bath
calling my name. (Sonja gags)
What? What's the problem, Purce?
Well, all right, name one friend you've made,
other than the team, since you've been back.
Hi, babe.
George and I are very close.
The doorman is paid to be nice to you.
Come out, unwind.
We just “unwound” at Pride's bar.
That was a drink after work.
This is dancing. We're gonna have fun.
- Fun? - Yeah.
You know I don't have fun.
Stop it.
Well, you're gonna have to stop hiding sometime.
All right, Dr. Phil, relent.
If you change your mind, you know where to find me.
All right. ♪ Do it. ♪
Be careful. ♪ Do it, do it. ♪
Good night.
(exhales)
That's one way to greet your husband.
Ex-husband.
♪ NCIS:New Orleans 3x18 ♪ Slay the Dragon Original Air Date on March 14, 2017
♪ Boom, boom, boom, boom ♪
♪ Bang, bang, bang, bang ♪
♪ Boom, boom, boom, boom ♪
♪ How, how, how, how ♪
♪ Hey, hey ♪
== sync, corrected by elderman == @elder_man
♪ You gotta come on. ♪
How'd you get that cut over your eye?
Rogue marine tried messing with me.
How'd you find me?
Uh, your mom told me where you were.
She always had a soft spot for me.
She's old and easily confused.
Just give me a chance to explain.
Preferably without a gun pointed at my chest.
An FBI agent? I did not see that one coming.
She told you that, too?
Well, she's behind the times, 'cause I'm NCIS now.
Back in New Orleans? You hate it here.
It's much better without you being here.
I got to admit, you're really sexy with that gun.
Terrifying, but sexy.
Okay, it's been peachy catching up,
but I'm gonna call the cops now.
Wait, hold on a second. Wait, wait, wait, wait.
I'm in trouble here. You think?
Look, just give me two minutes to explain.
And if you still feel it, you can shoot me.
The Aufieros want me dead.
You stole $80 million from the FEMA funds
that were for New Orleans after Katrina.
The whole city wants you dead, including me.
Look, there might have been a little bit of embezzlement...
Followed by ten years of you living high on the hog
in a tropical paradise.
Des Moines is many things. Paradise is is not.
Des Moines, Iowa?
Ten years ago, Joe Aufiero forced me to steal that money.
He said he'd kill me if I didn't.
And you, too, for that matter.
So I did the only thing I could...
became an informant for the FBI
to help take Joe down.
Bull.
It all happened right after you left me.
I gave the Feds everything I had,
and they put me in WITSEC-- I couldn't tell anybody.
I can make one call to the FBI right now
and verify your story. Do it.
If you were in WITSEC,
why would you come back to New Orleans?
There's a target the size of Louisiana on you right now.
The Aufieros figured out where I was.
Sent someone to kill me.
I'm a marked man.
And you are the only person I can trust.
(knock on door) SONJA: Hey, Gregorio, bath time's over.
We caught a case.
I'll be right there, Percy.
Shh, shh, shh.
What are you doing? Shut up.
Securing a fugitive until I verify your story.
Then I'll throw you to the wolves.
Last time we did this, (knock on door) way more fun.
SONJA: Let's go, Gregorio. Be quiet.
Don't move.
Coming.
SONJA: About time. Sorry.
Hello, ladies. So much for a night off.
SONJA: Ho, no rest for the wicked.
Are there more NOPD here than usual?
Yeah, well, we wanted extra manpower
to protect the crime scene,
considering who the victim is.
Alex Aufiero. Joe's youngest son.
As in the Aufiero crime family?
You know this kid, Gregorio?
What do we know?
I'd know more if Forensic Agent Lund
would give me a little room.
I'm sorry, there's just this substance
on the victim's jacket-- it's fascinating.
Well, you'll get your chance. First things first.
Lieutenant Aufiero, he was shot three times,
point-blank range in the chest.
Bled out before EMTs could arrive.
Can I... can I go now? Yes.
I think that the killer left this trace evidence behind.
SONJA: We talking fingerprints, biologicals?
Right now I'd classify it as schmutz,
but I'm gonna bring it back to the lab
and get a more detailed explanation.
Witnesses?
Gas station attendant
came right out that door after the shots were fired,
and filmed a man fleeing the scene in Alex's car.
Oh, no.
Well, it's sad, right? Young kid.
Could be our shooter
that used Alex's car to get away.
I'll put a BOLO out.
So last year, Joe Aufiero died in prison.
But his family's still active in organized crime.
We don't need another gang war on our hands.
Alex joined the navy after his father was convicted,
became a war hero.
Wanted nothing to do with the family business.
Why do you know so much about him?
Because my ex-husband worked with the Aufieros.
Took Alex under his wing.
I don't know what was harder for him,
his father's guilt or McKinley's disappearance.
Well, it wasn't easy for either one of you.
Look, bottom line, this kid had nothing to do
with organized crime.
Well, it doesn't mean he wasn't targeted
to send a message to his family.
All right, I'll check with the FBI,
see if they have any Intel on the Aufieros
Be right back. Hey.
You okay?
Never better.
You knew the victim personally?
All the more reason to get cracking
on finding out who did this.
GREGORIO: Don't worry about me.
You've got to be kidding me.
Picked the lock? Is that a new skill?
A man's got to grow.
Food just arrived.
I have been dreaming about this spread.
You know how pissed off I am right now?
Have a glass of Brézé. Make you feel better.
Same one from our fifth anniversary.
Alex Aufiero was murdered.
But you know that since you fled the crime scene
in his car.
I was gonna tell you
right before your friend interrupted us.
My friend, the NCIS agent, who was coming to take me
to investigate the homicide you're involved in!
Alex was a good kid. I didn't kill him.
Every cop in the city is after you right now.
No more lies, Ethan.
I haven't lied. Call the FBI.
They'll tell you I was in WITSEC,
and that someone tried to attack me.
I called, and they confirmed it.
So, see? I'm in danger.
Okay, and you thought it was a good idea
to escape my hotel room and come here and have dinner
in the middle of a restaurant?
Nobody's gonna shoot me here. And I was hungry.
Oh... Besides, I left a note.
It's not like I'm a flight risk.
You are the definition of a flight risk,
and maybe a murderer.
Come on, baby, let me explain.
Do not “baby” me.
You have 30 seconds. You better start talking.
I've never explained anything in 30 seconds.
25 seconds.
T, relax. We've got plenty of time to sort this out.
Don't tell me to relax. LASALLE: Ethan McKinley.
NCIS. Get your hands up.
Gregorio?
Oh, this just got awkward.
GREGORIO: Wait, guys, I know this looks bad.
You were having a bottle of wine with a wanted fugitive,
who happens to be your ex-husband.
So, yeah, it doesn't look good.
Chris, let her talk.
What more do we need to know?
All right, this bastard stole $80 million
from New Orleans, and is the prime suspect
in Alex Aufiero's murder.
“Bastard's” a strong word.
He said he didn't kill Alex.
We tracked Alex's stolen car
to around the corner.
McKinley's fingerprints were all over it.
Not my smartest move.
Look, I'm the first one that wants
to see him locked up, okay?
I was gonna arrest him.
Why didn't you?
Look, he may be a bastard,
but he's an FBI informant whose life is in danger.
He's the reason Joe Aufiero's in prison.
Someone took a shot at him while he was in WITSEC.
Multiple shots, actually.
I would describe it as a hail of bullets.
None of what you just said
clears him of Alex's murder.
I was trying to get the full story, Percy.
Look, I got your back, but Pride...
he's gonna want a better explanation.
PRIDE: Don't know whether to be furious with you
or worried.
You knew McKinley was in New Orleans,
connected to Alex's murder,
but you said nothing. He's my ex-husband.
He claims his life was in danger.
I was just trying to sort it out.
Alone? Without your team?
Trust works both ways.
Okay, it was a bad judgment call.
Yes, it was.
And you need to take a step back.
Let the rest of us handle the case.
Whoa, I grew up with this guy.
I know him better than anyone.
And he knows you.
Ethan McKinley can't be trusted.
He'll take advantage of every angle
to get out of this mess, especially his ex-wife.
You're not gonna let me be a part of this case?
Haven't decided yet. Take five.
Get your head on straight.
I'll talk to the man of the hour.
Oh, good, the boss is here.
I was wondering if we could get something to snack on.
You guys interrupted my dinner.
Ten years ago, New Orleans was on its knees,
devastated.
A lot of good people worked hard to bring it back.
You took advantage of them.
Used them to make a profit.
You're angry.
I understand. I was used, too.
If you talk to T...
We did.
Well, then, she told you.
I'm one of the good guys.
Just because you informed on Joe Aufiero
doesn't mean you're good.
It means you got caught.
Cooperating with the FBI was an act of self-preservation,
not altruism.
You're a thief and a parasite.
Wow.
Tough room.
This is us being nice.
You don't want to see tough.
Look...
I am flawed.
I have made some huge mistakes.
But I spent ten years flipping burgers in a diner
after helping take down the most dangerous man in New Orleans.
That should buy me some consideration.
Alex Aufiero
was murdered tonight.
You were with him. And fled the scene.
Which makes you our prime suspect.
I had to run.
If I hadn't, I would have been dead, too.
Alex saved my life.
That bullet that killed him was meant for me.
You can spin anything.
It's not spin.
All right, I went to Alex tonight out of desperation.
His brothers have a vendetta against me.
They already tried
to kill me once.
I was hoping Alex could reason with them, but...
(sighs) ...he never got the chance.
After everything you've done in your life,
why should we believe you?
Because I can identify Alex's killer.
GREGORIO: I was just a child when I met Ethan.
He took care of me. You know, he was--
my everything.
I even believed his lies. (scoffs)
Been there.
And then, I learned
he was conning people our whole marriage.
He embezzled
that FEMA money right under my nose.
And that's when I left him.
And I decided I'd never let anyone
deceive me the way he did ever again.
And so, you joined the FBI to put people like him away. Right?
And everything I've done in the last ten years
has been motivated by that man's betrayal.
Yet here I am again.
No.
No, now this time,
you get to confront your demon.
Beat him down once and for all.
Finally move on.
I hope so.
We got something, ladies.
Got to start somewhere.
SONJA: Okay, who are we looking at?
Vincenzo Moretti.
It's the button man for the Aufiero family
from way back.
He's connected to a dozen or so contract murders.
Including Alex Aufiero's.
At least, according to McKinley.
Why would the Aufieros put a hit out on one of their own?
Well, McKinley claims he was the target.
Retribution for informing.
Alex played the hero, took a bullet to save him.
Question is, do we believe him?
Well, Alex got a Silver Star for doing the same thing.
If Ethan identified Vincenzo, you can bet he has an angle.
Yeah, self-preservation.
SONJA: Well, there's a warrant out
for Vincenzo's arrest for two years.
The cops can't find him.
Well, that's convenient.
The suspect McKinley feeds us is hard to find.
Well, the best con men always stick to the truth,
except for one detail.
Just got to figure out what that detail is.
We find Vincenzo Moretti, we figure it out.
Oh, looks like someone's
enjoying their night.
What? Oh, the rum.
Uh, that's, uh, that's not for drinking.
It's for analysis.
You guys remember that schmutz that I found on the victim
at the crime scene? Well, I was able to get
a little bit more specific,
and I found molasses, caramel and coconut.
Yeah, we get it. It's rum.
Well, it's not just any rum.
It's a special proprietary blend
called Vieux Carré Gold.
And it is distilled
by Old New Orleans Louisiana Rum.
Distillery was shut down over a year ago.
It's been abandoned ever since.
Great hideout for a wanted killer.
Sebastian, get Patton. Let's find out.
PRIDE: Open comms, everyone.
We're moving.
Got eyes on the front of the building.
No vantage to see inside.
Yeah, same here, King.
There's multiple doors, but only one looks viable.
Yeah, and Vincenzo's a wanted fugitive.
If he's in there, he won't come easily.
We need to take him alive to confirm McKinley's story.
We breach the building, we may be walking into an ambush.
Yeah, might need backup.
Should we wait for NOPD?
PATTON: Backup's already here, baby.
What are you talking about, Patton?
PATTON: You need eyes in an abandoned building
with no cameras.
That's why Triple P is on the case.
Yo, dude, you're stepping on my pitch, man.
PRIDE: Well, let's get to it.
I got to go.
(van door opens)
SEBASTIAN: Pride?
Thermal camera sends images
back to Patton in the van.
He'll be able to tell us if Vincenzo's inside.
PRIDE: You see anything, Patton?
Nope. Nothing, but empty space so far.
Wait a minute, I think I got your target.
How do you know it's him?
There's a glowing blue area on his hip.
That would be a gun.
Vincenzo's in a storage room along the riverside wall.
All right, Chris, Sonja,
come in through the back.
Flush him out to me and Gregorio in the front.
LASALLE: You got it.
What about me?
You keep monitoring their movements.
You're our eyes, Sebastian.
All right, Patton, we're in position.
Give us the exact location of the suspect.
PATTON: He's left the storage room.
You should have eyes on him.
LASALLE: I got him.
NCIS, get your hands up!
SONJA: Suspect's fled!
Patton, can you see him?
He's moving north towards the front exit.
In pursuit.
He's running up the stairs.
(gunshots)
Drop the gun now!
(body thuds on floor)
You okay?
So much for taking him alive.
I just ran initial ballistics.
Vincenzo's gun matches the one used to shoot Alex Aufiero.
Confirms McKinley's story that Vincenzo's our murderer.
Still doesn't tell us why.
McKinley claims he was Vincenzo's target.
Alex took a bullet for him in some sort of act of heroism.
See, I just-- I don't think that that's true.
I think Alex was always the target.
I found this envelope addressed to Alex
in Vincenzo's jacket. I think he took it off the body.
What's inside? It's empty.
About to take it down to the lab right now to analyze it.
Just don't know why Vincenzo would take it.
Look, I know my ex is a compulsive liar,
but his story checks out so far.
Someone tried to kill him while he was in WITSEC in Iowa.
PRIDE: Agreed.
Not sure an empty envelope's
enough to contradict his story.
Well, it's not just an empty envelope
that contradicts his story. Vincenzo's phone does, too.
I saw Alex get killed.
I don't need to see the crime scene photos.
Not a crime scene photo.
Found it on Vincenzo's phone.
Proof of death for whoever hired him.
If you were his target,
why would he take Alex's photo?
Must have made a mistake.
He shot Alex at point-blank range.
Then stopped long enough to take a photo...
and search the body for this envelope.
Alex...
was always his target.
I want to know why.
You should ask Vincenzo.
Vincenzo's dead.
What?
How'd that happen?
Tried to shoot Gregorio. She had to take him out.
She's fine, by the way.
(chuckling): Yeah, I have no doubt.
She's always been able to take care of herself.
Even if she wasn't so sure of it.
PRIDE: I'm trying very hard
to understand what happened here.
You claim the Aufieros
made an attempt on your life while you were in hiding.
Not a claim, wasn't hiding-- Witness Security.
You came back to New Orleans
to ask for Alex Aufiero's help making peace.
Just before a hit man kills him.
We must have both been targets.
Well, I understand why the Aufieros would want you dead.
You helped send their father away
for stealing $80 million in FEMA funds, but...
why would they want to kill their little brother, too?
Something else you should have asked Vincenzo
before you shot him.
That's not the tone you want to take
with the only man standing between you
and another Aufiero hit man.
There's a piece you're not telling me.
And it's not doing you any favors.
I've been honest.
I'm slightly offended you keep suggesting otherwise.
There's still plenty of time to get you transferred
to a federal cell until we can figure this all out.
On what charges?
Let's keep in mind, I haven't done anything.
The Aufieros are out for my blood.
I have no idea what was in that envelope
or why Alex was killed.
But I'm as good as dead.
I need your help.
(door opens)
He's lying. How can you tell?
His lips are moving.
(chuckles)
He's right about one thing.
We don't have anything to charge him with.
The FBI's waiting to take him back into WITSEC.
No, we need more time with him. Ethan McKinley didn't come
all the way back to New Orleans 'cause he was afraid.
Fear was never a motivation for him.
Well, whatever his angle,
you got to figure it out quick.
I'll focus on Alex. (phone beeps)
Try to learn why his family
would want to have him killed.
How you gonna do that?
Guess I'm gonna have a chat with Alex's older brothers.
(sighs)
(door closes)
That's our baby brother in there.
We'd like to bring him home.
WADE: Of course you would.
But his murder is still
an open investigation.
MATT: Well, that's not what we heard.
Yeah, we heard you got the killer and he's dead.
That's case closed, as far as I'm concerned.
It's a little more complicated than that.
Well, we're here to make it simple for you.
Give us some papers to sign, let us have our brother,
and there won't be any problems.
Didn't realize there were problems.
You the man in charge?
Special Agent Pride.
So, Matt and Theo Aufiero,
Joe's other sons.
You knew our dad?
Used to see him around the yard
when I'd visit my old man in prison.
Well, then you should get it.
Our father makes some mistakes and we pay the price.
You won't let us have Alex
because you assume that we're criminals.
It's discrimination.
Is that what it is?
Don't assume you're criminals.
We know you run your family's business.
We run a music club.
And Vincenzo Moretti,
the man who murdered your brother,
he's been doing your dirty work for years.
If we had our own brother murdered,
why would we come into a building full of cops
to collect his body?
(chuckles) Well, that...
(clears throat) ...that's a good question.
You're gonna be hearing from our lawyer.
(Wade scoffs)
That display of bravado
is about more than brotherly love.
They want Alex's body for some reason. Why?
I might be able to answer that.
I analyzed the empty envelope
we got from Vincenzo's body.
What I found is pretty explosive.
It looks like a magnification of a white envelope.
An envelope with the faintest of logos embossed in it:
two Hs intertwined.
And what's it a logo for?
Holden and Holden law firm,
but that's not the explosive part.
They've been representing the Aufieros for years.
It's not a surprise that Alex would have an envelope
from the family's firm.
Still doesn't tell us what was inside.
Well, Lasalle and Percy are on their way
to the law firm now to try to find out.
Well, they'll get hit with client confidentiality.
Won't get far.
They might not need to.
See, I found something else
on the inside of the envelope.
Is this the explosive part?
SEBASTIAN: It is.
Magnetized ink containing iron oxide.
(Sebastian chuckles)
I oversold the explosive part.
I get it, okay?
It's just that forensic material analysis,
it's a, it's a real subtle science.
(Pride clears throat) Anyway, the point is,
at the bottom of every check or bank record,
there's a code with account and routing numbers.
They're printed with the same kind of ink.
You're saying that bank documents
were inside this envelope.
Yeah, and a bank card.
I was able to reconstruct the routing number
based on the pattern of the ink residue.
It belongs to Cayman Limited Trust.
They do a pretty brisk business
in offshore, anonymous accounts.
It's where all the biggest thieves
hide their money these days.
Any idea how much money?
No, but it's got to be a lot.
I mean, Cayman Limited won't even open up
one of these accounts with a deposit
of less than ten million dollars.
(whistles)
Now I'm starting to understand
why the Aufieros had their brother killed.
We struck out at the Aufieros' law firm,
dropped the iron curtain the minute they heard we were feds.
But a paralegal admitted Alex
had an appointment there the day he died
to collect his portion of his father's will.
That's all I need to do my magic.
Tapped into the law firm's security cam feed, found this.
SONJA: Now, this is two hours before Alex's murder.
20 minutes later...
...he came back out.
PRIDE: That's the envelope he was killed for.
Wait for it.
Boom. McKinley was waiting in his car.
Something he conveniently left out of his story.
That's not all he was lying about.
Des Moines PD sent me crime scene photos
from the attempt on Ethan's life.
SONJA: Whoa, it looks like it was an epic gun battle.
Too epic. Vincenzo Moretti is connected
to a dozen contract killings,
all murdered like Alex, up close and in public.
Why change his M.O.?
You think this was staged?
I know it was.
Like I said, Ethan was never motivated by fear.
Money, on the other hand...
A whole lot of money.
Seems to be motivating Theo and Matt Aufiero, too.
And Ethan came back to New Orleans
to con Alex out of his inheritance.
But Alex's brothers had him killed
before McKinley could succeed, took the bank documents.
So when McKinley's plan “A” didn't work out...
He came running to me for a plan “B”.
Figured our little investigation
would lead him to the Aufieros and the money.
Must be a hell of a lot of dough in that account.
Yeah. About $80 million.
The FEMA funds.
Stolen by Joe Aufiero
with McKinley's help and never recovered.
That money's been sitting in that account all these years
until Alex was ready to collect it.
But why wouldn't Joe split it amongst all three of his sons?
'Cause Alex was his favorite,
the one he was hoping would carry on his legacy.
Yeah, but Navy hero Alex seems like the type
who would return the money when he realized it was stolen.
That's 80 million reasons why his brothers want him dead.
And based on their desperate behavior,
trying to get Alex's body at the morgue,
they haven't gotten access to the money yet,
which means we have a chance to return it to New Orleans,
take down what's left of the Aufieros.
And we figure out the piece that they're missing,
and get to it before they do...
Ethan's the only one that could fill in the blanks.
Interrogation's all yours.
No, I'm playing it his way this time.
I'm gonna con him.
McKINLEY: Where are you taking me?
Safe house.
Safe house in the Ninth?
Kind of a contradiction, isn't it?
Look at this place, they haven't even rebuilt.
Someone stole their money.
Look, T, I know I did wrong.
I had a lot of time to think,
all those lonely, winter nights in Iowa.
I learned humility.
And if I could fix it all...
Maybe you can.
What if you helped return the $80 million?
Took the Aufieros down, got your life back.
My life means nothing to me.
But our life,
what we had,
I'd do it in a nanosecond.
Ethan.
Remember that first trip we made? Anguilla.
Just you, me and umbrella drinks.
(sighs) No lies, no resentment, not a care in the world.
You know I've always loved you, T.
(sighs)
I'm gay.
Not the response I was expecting.
Yeah, well, there's a lot about me you don't know.
(sighs) Gay, huh?
So, in a way,
my betrayal kind of gave you a chance to find yourself.
Wow. How does my personal revelation become your victory?
I'm just saying.
I've always been good for you.
You do know what gay means, right?
Can we just focus on the case?
Excuse me.
I-I wish I knew where the money was.
It's in an offshore account under Alex's name.
That's why his brothers killed him.
Probably why they tried to kill you.
Yeah, they thought I knew about the account.
Yeah, I wish I did, but...
it's too late now. They got the money.
They haven't accessed it yet.
They tried to get Alex's body.
I'm figuring they needed a fingerprint or eye scan.
Hey, listen.
We got a chance, with your help, to stop them.
Please.
(sighs)
I want to help you, T.
I-I want to spend the rest of my life making up for what I did,
but I have no idea how to get that money.
(scoffs)
Let me sweep the house. Stay here.
(sighs)
(car beeps)
(car dinging)
GREGORIO: Some people never change.
You hotwire cars now, too?
Not very well, apparently.
That was all me.
See, I have an app on my phone that remotely shuts my car off
because I knew you'd try to escape.
Come on, what did you expect?
$80 million is a lot of money, T.
Can't blame me for trying.
Oh, I blame you for a lot of things.
And I know you have some kind of devious plan to get that money.
Doesn't matter now, because I am going to jail.
Sure your little team is waiting in the bushes
ready to arrest me.
No, you're not going anywhere, Ethan.
You're gonna help the Aufieros steal that money
or I will throw your sorry ass in jail.
♪ Standing at that bus stop... ♪
McKINLEY: Hey, boys.
Long time no see.
Nice joint.
Classy.
♪ Waiting for the driver... ♪
Unbelievable.
You got nerve showing your face here.
What I got is a business opportunity.
How would you two like to be $80 million richer?
MATT: No idea what you're talking about.
McKINLEY: Alex's inheritance.
You stole a bank card and the account number,
but you can't access the money without him,
which I bet you wish you had known before you had him killed.
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Oh, come on.
Everybody just calm down.
(laughing): God. Wha... hey, hey, hey.
MATT: Hey, shut up! THEO: Hold still.
This is a $400 shirt.
You ratted on our dad.
We're not taking any chances. You hold still.
It's a good thing we didn't give him a wire.
All I need is some Wi-Fi access, a few keystrokes,
I turned his cell phone into a mic
and their security camera into my private screening room.
Clever.
Frightening, but clever.
Oh, don't worry.
Big Brother Patton only uses his power for good.
Yeah, well, the jury's still out
on whether saving Ethan's an act of goodness.
All right, I'm clean.
Look, look! I'm clean.
Why should we trust you?
I'm not asking for trust.
Trust is overrated in business.
Need, on the other hand, very useful.
We need each other to get that money.
No one can access the account without the other.
Yeah, well, unless you can bring Alex back from the dead,
I believe that ship has sailed.
I can do better.
I can be the dead.
Whoa, whoa!
Oh, I am more than happy to help with that.
McKINLEY: Theo, that's my jugular.
Think he's in over his head?
Nah, Ethan's always liked a close shave.
Look, you guys, I know your brother better than anybody.
I know his favorite color. I know his first girlfriend.
I know the name of every sailor in his basic training class.
Without his fingerprints or his eyes, you can't get the money.
Actually, I got both.
Ten years ago,
your dad sent me to set up that account for Alex.
Instead of bringing him along, I became him.
Went to the bank, gave them my biometrics.
And now I am the only one that can access that account.
All I need is that bank card.
That is genius.
Mm-hmm. He's always 12 chess moves ahead.
McKinley's counting on the fact
that greed outweighs anger.
Okay.
So what's the plan?
You believe this is gonna work?
I don't know we got a lot of options.
We want the money returned to the city.
We want Matt and Theo Aufiero behind bars.
Yeah, but how can we trust McKinley will stay on script?
Simple. We can't.
Come on.
I look good, right?
You look fine.
At least admit this is the perfect con.
It's a sting operation, not a con.
Yeah, but really, what's the difference?
Handcuffs and prison sentences.
And if it's not the Aufieros going away, it'll be you.
PRIDE: We need every penny of the $80 million dollars
transferred into the Aufiero account.
That's how we're gonna make our case against them.
Patton and I will monitor the transaction.
And we're arresting the brothers
as soon as the money is deposited.
Piece of cake.
You deviate one inch from the plan
and you're done. Understood?
We are all part of the same team.
Don't worry.
You can trust me.
SONJA: McKinley's here.
God, he's enjoying this way too much.
Hi.
I would like to access my account and make a transfer.
Of course. And how much were you planning on transferring today?
The entire balance.
(gasps)
$80 million?
Please wait here, Lt. Aufiero.
What do you think that's about?
Can't just transfer $80 million
without jumping through some hoops.
Uh, Lt. Aufiero?
Lloyd Williams.
I was your father's banker for years.
Of course, Mr. Williams.
Uh, right this way, please.
WILLIAMS: I just wanted to give you my condolences
on your father's passing last year.
I'm surprised you weren't at the funeral.
Oh, I was overseas. I would love to catch up,
but I have to complete my business and get back to base.
Uh, we met before.
You were in high school,
playing basketball against my son's team.
Ha. Yeah, you were point guard.
McKINLEY: Yeah, well, long time ago.
Well, I mean, my boy towered over you,
and he's barely six feet.
This isn't good.
I had a growth spurt in college.
You know how it is.
Actually, I don't.
Lt. Aufiero. Is that...
Yes, it is. Oh, my goodness.
Hi, uh, I'm sorry to interrupt.
Dwayne Pride, NCIS.
So, you know Lt. Aufiero?
Yes, sir. I, uh, I watched him
receive a Silver Star for bravery.
He pulled three marines out of a burning Humvee
under enemy fire.
Including a close friend.
Wow, that's an incredible story.
PRIDE: Incredible man.
I'm sorry, I-I just, I just had to say hello and say thank you.
All right, Lt. Aufiero, let's access your account, shall we?
Okay.
Now, first, I'll need your fingerprint there.
(beeping)
And now an ocular scan.
All right. Everything seems to be in order.
Uh, to what account would you like the balance transferred?
Here you go.
All done.
Thank you for your business.
No. Thank you.
SONJA: Patton confirmed the money's been transferred.
I'm heading out.
I just made a career case for you
and you can't trust me to walk 50 feet to the SUV?
You really want me to answer that?
(laughs)
Hey. All joking aside,
I want to thank you for giving me another chance.
For, um, I don't know, believing in me, when...
I didn't give you any reason to.
(tires screeching)
Ethan, get down.
Get your hands up!
Gun on the ground.
- Gun on the ground, slow. - Okay.
Okay.
SONJA: His brother's unconscious.
I'm calling 911.
Where the hell is McKinley?
He can't have gotten far.
(phone chimes)
We got a bigger problem. Patton just texted.
The money's not in Aufieros' account.
What do you mean?
Somehow McKinley transferred it
back to Alex's Cayman account.
So he's the only one who has access to it?
That son of a bitch played us.
THEO: So you want to tell me how my brother's doing,
or what? Matt's fine.
He's got a broken wrist and a couple bruised ribs.
The two of you got bigger problems, Theo.
Like colluding with Ethan McKinley
to steal $80 million.
Attempting to kill a federal agent?
We didn't know she was a cop.
Oh, and that makes it so much better?
And we weren't trying to kill anyone.
We were trying to stop McKinley
from taking our dead brother's money.
That money doesn't belong to you,
and it didn't belong to your brother, either.
All right? It belongs to the city of New Orleans.
And you hired a hit man to kill your brother,
probably because he was an upstanding citizen
and would've returned the money.
Then we got you on tape agreeing
to commit bank fraud with McKinley.
You might want to check the tape.
'Cause I don't remember
agreeing to anything.
See, the first rule of surviving as an Aufiero
is you need to always assume you're being recorded.
Oh, yeah.
And that's gotten you so far.
SONJA: We questioned both Matt and Theo.
Neither one of them will confess.
We still can't connect them to the hit on their brother.
And we reviewed the tapes of the meeting with McKinley,
and they never actually agreed
to helping him steal the $80 million.
And since the $80 million is no longer in their account,
they are looking at a few years in prison,
not the 30 to life they deserve.
McKinley planned the whole thing.
Figured out a way to transfer the money
back into Alex's account, and then used the Aufieros
as a diversion to escape custody.
Yeah, but how'd he know Matt and Theo would show up
at the exact moment he left the bank?
Simple. Found a warning text from Ethan on Theo's phone.
He knew they'd try to kill him,
and he knew I'd protect him no matter what.
Hey, don't beat yourself up, Gregorio.
He played us all.
No, I'm not beating up on myself,
I'm just trying to figure out his next move.
Well, he doesn't have many. I mean, you steal $80,000,
you might be able to slip away, but $80 million?
He'll be flagged at every border,
airport, train station, hotel around the world.
It's just a matter of time.
No, not Ethan. If he doesn't want to be found,
he'll just disappear.
Without a care in the world.
Can't believe you left without saying good-bye to me.
I hate good-byes, T.
Yet you came to the one place you knew I'd find you.
(sighs)
I am a hopeless romantic.
But I figured, if you showed up,
we'd have a second chance.
Mm.
Just you, me, our happy place.
You should tell that to the flight attendant
currently residing in your suite.
You know what's really bothering me?
The fact that you were so confident
that you thought I'd put my life on the line
to save yours at that bank.
That's love, T.
It's okay to admit it.
It's why I waited here for you.
We are meant for each other.
God, back in the day, I would've done anything for you.
Followed you anywhere.
Well, that's 'cause I was yours and you were mine.
Yeah, not anymore.
I didn't jump in front of that car out of love,
I did it because it's my job.
Just like this is my job.
Ethan McKinley, you're under arrest.
You are truly the only person in this world
who can still surprise me.
(handcuffs click)
(jazz playing loudly)
Hey! Hey.
How was your trip?
Well, it was...
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, hang on.
(music quiets)
Sorry. Go ahead.
Island is still as beautiful as I remember.
Company was lacking.
How about a drink?
Please.
Thank you.
Mm.
You might want to just leave that.
Right there.
Thank you.
Aufiero brothers and McKinley are behind bars.
We recovered money that's gonna make a difference
in a lot of people's lives.
All because of you.
Yeah, well.
I spent a lot of years chasing Ethan's ghost.
Changed who I am as a person.
Now that I caught him, I just don't know
who I'm gonna be, you know?
Time to find out.
SONJA: No more excuses. I know you just
got off the plane, but...
We're going dancing.
Oh, yeah? I don't know if you can keep up with me, though.
Oh-- that is some tough talk
coming from someone who's been a shut-in for six months.
GREGORIO: Yeah, well, maybe...
but I'm not the same girl I used to be, so...
♪ I'm just killing time. ♪
== sync, corrected by elderman == @elder_man