FADE IN:

EXT. CLEARING - NIGHT

DONNY: You have entered the circle. You have felt the flames. You have suffered the seven trials. You have reached the moment of your final test! Are you prepared?!

GROUP: Yes, Sir!

DONNY: Then let's do it. Go!

(MUSIC OVER ACTION/GROUP RUNS INTO THE BUSHES)

DONNY: Last one to the house drinks the keg dregs! I love hell week! Did you see their faces?

CUT TO:

INT. BUSHES - NIGHT

(FREDERICK STUMBLES THROUGH THE BUSHES)

(FREDERICK SCREAMS)

(CUT TO BLACK)

(THEME MUSIC UP OVER OPENING TITLE/SCENES/ CREDITS AND OUT)

FADE IN:

INT. MCGEE'S LIVING ROOM - DAY

"RED CELL"

LEADER: (V.O.) Strike Force Command, this is Red Leader. Alpha Team is in play.

MCGEE: (INTO PHONE) Roger that, Red Leader. Have visual. You've got hostiles on both the north and east quadrants of the building. All teams prepare for entry. Our target is located on the--

LEADER: (V.O.) Say again, Strike Force Command. Did not copy your last.

MCGEE: (INTO PHONE) Uh... wait one, Red Leader.

LEADER: (V.O./FILTERED) Copy that. Red Unit, hold your positions.

(DOOR OPENS)

TONY: Hi, Probie!

MCGEE: (INTO PHONE) Uh... David, I have to call you back.

(HANGS UP PHONE)

TONY: Told you he was a boxer's guy.

KATE: Gee, McGee. I thought for sure you were a tighty whitey man!

TONY: Come on, let's get dressed. You don't want to keep Gibbs waiting.

MCGEE: You said zero nine hundred. It's only seven thirty.

KATE: Oh, we thought we'd observe you in your natural environment.

TONY: Kind of like watching National Geographic. We watch as the McGee moves slowly from the watering hole trailed by hyenas. Is this the History Channel room? Ah, this is where you do your writing thing, huh?

(SFX: TYPING)

TONY: Look at this! (READS) "The Continuing Adventures of L.J. Tibbs..."

MCGEE: It's personal.

TONY: I wonder who L.J. Tibbs could be?

KATE: Check it out. He eats dinosaur cereal!

(SFX: TONY MAKES DINOSAUR NOISES)

MCGEE: Okay, would you both please just wait by the door... by the door, please.

TONY: Got any Macy Gray in here?

MCGEE: Tony, don't touch those! Those are collectables! They're very valuable.

TONY: Oh, gosh! Sorry! I just thought they were musty old records.

MCGEE: It's bad enough having to work on Sundays without you guys ransacking my apartment.

TONY: Yeah, it was very inconsiderate of that Marine Sergeant to die on a weekend.

MCGEE: I'm getting my w*apon! Don't touch anything else!

KATE: Hey!

TONY: George Cloony could not get laid in this place.

KATE: Your place needs a lot of help, McGee.

TONY: At least you're not building a boat in your basement.

MCGEE: Come on.(DOOR CLOSES)

SARAH: Tim?

RED LEADER: (V.O./FILTERED) Strike Force Command, this is Red Leader. McGee, are you there?

SARAH: (INTO PHONE) This is Strike Force Command. Do you copy?

CUT TO:

EXT. CLEARING - DAY

DUCKY: Based on the rigor resolving itself, I'd say our Sergeant's been d*ad for at least thirty six hours.

GIBBS: I'm more concerned with how it happened, Duck.

DUCKY: Well, apart from the obvious, he took a tumble down the hill. Neck's probably broken. Yeah, but then we never do put too much emphasis on the obvious. Do we, Sergeant?

GIBBS: Look out!

DUCKY: It's remarkable how these college hangouts all smell the same. Stale beer, tobacco, vomit.

GIBBS: It's from the kid that found him.

DUCKY: Any idea why the young man is half-naked?

GIBBS: Must be a college thing. Hey, where've you been?

TONY: Stopped for coffee. Got here - you are welcome.

GIBBS: Marine Sergeant Joseph Aaron Turner. Found d*ad at oh-two hundred by a drunk college student.

TONY: Sounds like hell week.

GIBBS: Hell week?

TONY: Yeah, the fraternal right of passage. Worst week of my life. Followed by the best four years.

GIBBS: Yeah, you were running around in your skivvies, DiNozzo?

TONY: Technically. Well, back then they made us wear them on our heads. I think it was -- a sort of character building thing.

KATE: It certainly explains a lot.

GIBBS: Uh-huh. Hey McGee.

MCGEE: Yeah.

GIBBS: Find out what Turner was doing on campus.

MCGEE: On it.

BELLO: Excuse me, Special Agent Gibbs? I wonder if we could let Mister Pippin go home and dress more appropriately.

GIBBS: Sure. After one of my agents interviews him. DiNozzo.

TONY: Uh, you know, I think that's really more up Kate's alley.

GIBBS: Well, maybe, but you two have so much in common. Go. (TO BELLO) This area popular with students?

BELLO: For all sorts of extracurricular activities. Bonfires, fraternity pranks.

KATE: Hazing?

BELLO: We've had our share of incidents. Broken bones, alcohol poisoning. And this isn't the first accidental death we've seen.

GIBBS: Who said anything about an accident?

BELLO: You think this is a homicide?

GIBBS: Until I find out it wasn't.

MCGEE: Boss, I had Turner's SRB pulled. He's an NROTC student attached to the Waverly University campus. Lives in the dorms.

GIBBS: Do you have an address?

MCGEE: Uh... just getting on that. I'll radio his unit.

CUT TO:

INT. TURNER'S ROOM - DAY

GIBBS: I thought college students were supposed to be poor?

LEMAY: Most of my midshipmen wouldn't know how to survive without at least two hundred channels and a DSL hook-up, Agent Gibbs.

GIBBS: How long have you been Turner's Marine Officer Instructor, Captain Lemay?

LEMAY: Since he enrolled last year. You expect to lose men in combat, not on a college campus. What the hell happened to my Marine?

GIBBS: I'm working on it, Captain.

LEMAY: What can I do to help?

GIBBS: You can start by telling us about him.

LEMAY: He was one of my best Midshipmen. Came to us straight from fleet after two combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

GIBBS: How was he taking to college life?

LEMAY: There was a fair amount of culture shock. But like any good Marine, he adapted.

GIBBS: Any personal problems or issues?

LEMAY: We had a few incidents with student activists on campus.

GIBBS: Protesting the w*r?

LEMAY: Protesting anything military. Our unit was vandalized, rallies outside our offices. When word got out that Turner was a vet, he took some heat.

GIBBS: What kind of heat?

LEMAY: Name-calling, mostly. Turner handled it like most Marines.

GIBBS: Not well.

LEMAY: He lost five Marines in his squad in Iraq. He handled it as best he could, Agent Gibbs. He was a damn fine Marine.

MCGEE: And intelligent too, Boss. These are graduate level mathematics. Theoretical calculus.

LEMAY: He was on the advanced track in math and physics. He was a real asset to the Corps.

CUT TO:

INT. AUTOPSY ROOM - DAY

DUCKY: You're bl*wing in my ear, Mister Palmer.

JIMMY: Sorry, Doctor.

DUCKY: Something piqued your interest?

JIMMY: It seems this break is too clean to be the result of a fall.

DUCKY: Correct. If he landed on his neck, this would be jagged here. But this? This is too precise. Do you notice anything else?

JIMMY: Well, he took a beating.

DUCKY: Yes, bruises around the eyes, knuckles grazed. But what captured my attention most were these. This coloration suggests they were recent. Inflicted on our poor Marine just before his death.

JIMMY: Do we know what caused them?

DUCKY: We do not yet. Yes, but it reminds me of an English Earl who was abducted and asphyxiated. Every bone in his body was broken.

JIMMY: What happened to him?

DUCKY: Well, it was on a moonlit night...

GIBBS: Do we know what k*lled him yet?

DUCKY: Sergeant Turner was involved in a nasty fight that resulted in a broken neck.

GIBBS: He was m*rder?

DUCKY: Yeah.

GIBBS: What about these welts?

DUCKY: Certainly painful, but they didn't do any internal damage. Mostly surface.

GIBBS: Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Duck?

DUCKY: I'm afraid so, Jethro.

GIBBS: Call me when you find out.

(GIBBS WALKS O.S.)

(SFX: DOORS SLIDE OPEN)

JIMMY: Find out what, Doctor?

DUCKY: Sergeant Turner may have been tortured before his death.

JIMMY: Whoa!

DUCKY: Yeah.

JIMMY: So that's what happened to the English Earl.

DUCKY: What English Earl?

CUT TO:

INT. LAB - NIGHT

ABBY: You said Turner was smart, McGee, when in fact, you should have said he was brilliant. These equations rock! It's h*m*.

MCGEE: Close. h*m*.

ABBY: I think it's h*m*.

MCGEE: No, it's h*m*. I did my independent study on advanced String Theory, so I think I would know.

ABBY: I see you are playing the M-I-T card again.

MCGEE: No, I just happened to go to school there.

ABBY: And you just happened to talk about it a lot.

GIBBS: Oh, so glad to see you two don't need adult supervision.

ABBY: McGee was annoying me again.

GIBBS: Don't. What do we have from the crime scene?

ABBY: Oh, um... I got Turner's toxicology report back. His blood alcohol level was point oh seven. Not drunk.

GIBBS: Not sober either. What else?

ABBY: There were foreign blood samples found on his face and his knuckles.

GIBBS: Yeah, and?

ABBY: And a Chinese menu of chemicals found on his skin. He's dried paint, turpentine, bleach. It's like he was partying in a janitor's closet.

GIBBS: What about Turner's laptop?

MCGEE: Well, I completely underestimated the depth of his mathematics ability. I thought that he was concentrating on numerical analysis, but it turns out he was also working on fiber bundles. The work's a little rough.

GIBBS: Anything connected to his death, McGee?

MCGEE: Not yet.

ABBY: Um... I didn't go to M-I-T, but I think I found something. Turner had a private container. It's like a vault inside the hard drive where you can hide files. Very sophisticated.

GIBBS: Can you open it?

ABBY: They don't call me "Five Fingers Sciuto" for nothing. Actually, nobody calls me that. My nickname is actually Vamperstein, but I never really liked the sound of it.

GIBBS: Abby!

ABBY: Right. Too much caffeine. Sorry. In just a second... and we... are... in. It's an encrypted e-mail. He received it on Friday.(SFX: KEYBOARDING B.G.)

GIBBS: The same day he was k*lled.

EMAIL ON SCREEN: Today is the day you die.

(MUSIC OUT)

MUSIC IN:

EXT. STADIUM FIELD - DAY

(SFX: MIDSHIPMEN EXERCISE B.G.) "One, Two, Three"...

LEEKA: Maybe I should give you a break, you know, because you're college girls. What do you think, Simmons?

SIMMONS: No, g*n Sergeant?

LEEKA: (SHOUTS) Damn straight! To me you're midshipmen! Barely! Understood?!

SIMMONS AND TAYLOR: Yes, g*n Sergeant!

LEEKA: (SHOUTS) You pull a stunt like that again with me, and you can both kiss your scholarships goodbye! Go! Away!

GIBBS: g*n Sergeant Leeka? Special Agents Gibbs and Todd, NCIS.

LEEKA: Sorry you had to hear all that.

KATE: What did they do?

LEEKA: Notice the hair, Ma'am?

KATE: Not regulation?

GIBBS: No.

LEEKA: Purple and orange?

KATE: Oh.

LEEKA: Sometimes I feel like I'm a kindergarten teacher.

GIBBS: Oh yeah, I'm familiar with the sentiment.

LEEKA: So Captain Lemay said you wanted to talk to me about Sergeant Turner?

GIBBS: What kind of Midshipman was he, g*n?

LEEKA: He put most of those kids to shame, Sir. He would have made one hell of a Marine officer.

KATE: The Captain said that he had problems with w*r protesters.

LEEKA: You could say that, Ma'am. One of them spit on his uniform. Turner cleaned his clock.

KATE: Well, do you think this protester was the type to look for revenge?

LEEKA: Are you saying Turner was m*rder?

KATE: We are.

GIBBS: I want to know why.

LEEKA: Simmons!

SIMMONS: (SHOUTS) Sir!

LEEKA: Get me Midshipman Blake! Doubletime!

SIMMONS: (SHOUTS) Yes, g*n!

LEEKA: Blake's a Petty Officer. He was tight with Turner. He was also the one that pulled him off the protester before the campus cops arrived.

GIBBS: Who else was Turner tight with?

LEEKA: Well, Blake will know. They're the only two enlisted men in the unit.

SIMMONS: Excuse me, g*n Sergeant!

LEEKA: What, Simmons?

SIMMONS: Midshipman Blake didn't report to formation this morning.

LEEKA: Blake's never been U.A. Not since I started here.

GIBBS: Are you telling me Petty Officer Blake is missing?

LEMAY: No, I'm telling you that he is, Agent Gibbs. No one's seen Blake since Friday night.

CUT TO:

INT. CORRIDOR - DAY

TONY: Oh, hi, ladies. Oh God, I miss college. Find the room yet, Probie?

MCGEE: Right here.

FRANKEL: Yeah, Blake's not there.

TONY: You never told me you had a brother.

MCGEE: Any idea when he's coming back?

FRANKEL: I haven't seen him for a couple days.

CUT TO:

INT. DORM ROOM - DAY

(DOOR OPENS)

FRANKEL: You guys are definitely not campus cops. I make you for FBI.

TONY: Wrong. NCIS.

MCGEE: That stands for...

FRANKEL: Yeah, I know what it stands for. You're here because of Turner, right?

MCGEE: Did you know him?

FRANKEL: I was in his NROTC unit.

MCGEE: Oh, wow! These are the new docking stations for...

FRANKEL: Yeah, yeah. He just got that. It's the new Axim X-Five hand held computer. It's sweet, right?

MCGEE: Yeah.

TONY: Sweet!

FRANKEL: Shouldn't you guys be wearing rubber gloves? You're completely compromising the integrity of the crime scene.

TONY: It's not a crime scene. It's a dorm room.

FRANKEL: You totally think Finnegan had something to do with Turner's death. Why else would you be here?

TONY: You got us, Sherlock!

FRANKEL: Maybe they were partners in some kind of illicit business. Like they dealt drugs on campus.

TONY: Well, now did they?

FRANKEL: No, I was being hypothetical. Do you guys have a warrant? Because if you don't, then nothing you find here will be admissible in court. Unless, of course, you have probable cause.

TONY: That is exactly what we have.

FRANKEL: I don't know. Just because he wasn't home?

TONY: Little girl, what's your name?

FRANKEL: Simon Frankel.

TONY: Okay listen, Urkel, we're here on official business, so why don't you go back to your dorm room and play Dungeon Master and let professionals do their work.

FRANKEL: I'm just trying to help.

TONY: Do you want to be a big help?

FRANKEL: Yeah, definitely.

TONY: Okay, put your hands in the air. There's nothing to be worried about. Spread your legs. Okay, stick out your tongue. You're the gargoyle. Now guard this door!

(DOOR CLOSES)

MCGEE: That was nice.

TONY: But they don't pay us to be nice, McGee! Hey, put on some gloves! There is definitely something wrong with this guy.

MCGEE: Why?

TONY: He listens to folk music.

MCGEE: Oh, there's something else wrong with this guy, too, Tony.

TONY: A bloody rag. Nice work, McGee.

MCGEE: That's a lot of blood loss. Injured?

TONY: Or d*ad.

CUT TO:

INT. SQUAD ROOM - DAY

TONY: Message on the left was on Turner's laptop. The message on the right was found on Blake's. He received it on Saturday, Boss.

GIBBS: Who sent them?

TONY: McGee's working on it.

GIBBS: What else do we know?

TONY: No one on campus has heard from Blake since Friday.

KATE: And Abby says that the blood on the rag and bed matches Blake's type.

GIBBS: Two enlisted men. One missing. One d*ad. What do they have in common?

KATE: The resentment of The Coalition Alliance Team for Peace, Gibbs.

TONY: CAT-Pee. Not a very attractive acronym.

KATE: Their leader's a Waverly senior, Hunter Huxley. He's been arrested five times for disturbing the peace. He's majoring in political science.

TONY: Minoring in anti-government subversion and sticking it to the man. I dated a girl like that in college once, Boss. Wasn't bad until she stopped shaving her armpits and her - she owns a car dealership now in case you're looking for a good deal.

KATE: Huxley's been leading the anti-w*r protests on campus. And last month at a peace demonstration in front of the ROTC building, we know that he started spitting on Midshipman.

GIBBS: And Sergeant Turner dropped him.

KATE: After that, Huxley made Turner his personal target. Harassed him regularly.

TONY: You think he could have taken it to the next level?

GIBBS: I think you and Kate are going to go find out.

TONY: Hey, turn that frown upside down, sweetie! We're going back to college!

KATE: Tony, your problem is you've never left.

CUT TO:

EXT. STUDENT UNION - DAY

TONY: This is what I'm talking about. It's like I'm having flashbacks or something.

KATE: I'm surprised you even remember college. You spent most of it throwing up in a urinal.

TONY: Well, I'm pretty sure you spent your Saturday nights alone in your P.J.s watching Julia Roberts videos.

KATE: Oh, you don't know what I did in college.

TONY: Mmm, but I do know what you did on your spring break.

KATE: I knew it! You still have that wet t-shirt photo, don't you!?

TONY: I don't.

KATE: You swear?

TONY: Well, I don't have it on me. Hey, A-Chi! Way to go!

KATE: God, you're pathetic. Gotta move on, DiNozzo. They're over.

TONY: What's over?

KATE: Your glory years. They've passed you by. It's time you retired the beer bong.

TONY: Ouch, Kate. Ouch.

KATE: Oh, there's our budding anarchist.

(SFX: PROTESTERS B.G.)

HUXLEY: Wake up, Corporate America! This is an immoral act! No more w*r! No more w*r!

CHANTING: No more w*r! (SHOUTS) No more w*r!

HUXLEY: Learn the truth about this w*r! If your Government doesn't trust you, don't trust your Government! Hey man, help us defeat Big Brother.

TONY: Well, we kind of work for him. Agents Todd and DiNozzo, NCIS.

HUXLEY: I got a permit to be here.

KATE: I'm sure you do. That's not the reason we're here, Mister Huxley.

TONY: Sergeant Joseph Turner.

HUXLEY: Oh, if he's pressing charges on me, then I'm pressing charges on him. That fascist nearly broke my jaw.

TONY: I'd hold off on the charges.

KATE: He's d*ad.

HUXLEY: What?!

TONY: His body was found on campus Saturday night. You hadn't heard about that?

HUXLEY: Nah. I've uh - I've been out of town. I just got back today.

TONY: Well, that's convenient.

HUXLEY: Hold on a second. You think I did it?

TONY: Well, you two didn't exactly get along.

HUXLEY: Well, yeah because he tried to b*at the crap out of me!

KATE: After you spit on him!

HUXLEY: You do realize I'm a peace activist, right? Anti-v*olence?

TONY: Maybe you knew his friend, too. Petty Officer Finnegan Blake?

KATE: He was a Midshipman. Been missing since Friday.

HUXLEY: I get it! This is how it happens, huh? They send their Gestapo g*ons to try and quiet the movement. You planning on arresting me?

KATE: It's crossed our minds.

HUXLEY: Do it. I'm not afraid of you. I'm not afraid of your tactics.

TONY: You should really meet our boss. He'd like you.

HUXLEY: And you should really meet my lawyers. They'd love you!

CUT TO:

INT. ABBY'S LAB - NIGHT

MCGEE: The student organizations alone are mind-bl*wing. Did you know that there are seven online mystery writer workshops on campus?

GIBBS: No, I didn't. But I'm sure you're going to tell me what this has to do with our d*ad Marine.

MCGEE: I thought that whoever was involved in Turner's death might have a campus web account. So I hacked into the servers looking for any mention of Turner or Blake.

GIBBS: Any hits?

MCGEE: No, the servers have been pretty quiet.

(SFX: EMAIL BEEP TONES)

GIBBS: What is that?

MCGEE: Someone's IMing Sergeant Turner.

ABBY: It's an instant message, Gibbs.

MCGEE: It's like an email but live.

GIBBS: Just put it up on the plasma.

CREEPY VOICE: Hello, NCIS.

ABBY: He's not on Turner's buddy list. He's probably using an alias.

GIBBS: Can you trace it, McGee?

MCGEE: If we can keep him online.

GIBBS: Abby, talk to him.

ABBY: Okay. Hello, Creepy Voice.

CREEPY VOICE: You're looking in the wrong places.

MCGEE: He's diverting his connection through half a dozen servers. We've got the Baltimore Public Library by way of a public server in Buffalo.

GIBBS: That's it. Get him. Get him, McGee.

ABBY: Where should we be looking?

CREEPY VOICE: Deeper.

ABBY: Oh, come on. How's that going to help us?

MCGEE: I've back-traced him to the Waverly University campus.

GIBBS: Where on campus?

MCGEE: I'm almost there.

CREEPY VOICE: Look beyond the surface.

ABBY: Oh, that's a really sucky clue. When you say beyond the surface, are you being literal or metaphorical. I'm just trying to clarify!

CREEPY VOICE: They're everywhere.

MCGEE: Okay, I've got it down to one city block right off of campus. Just one more second.

CREEPY VOICE: Goodbye.

MCGEE: Got him, Boss.

GIBBS: Yeah.

CUT TO:

EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT

GIBBS: You are sure about this, right?(BEGIN TELEPHONE INTERCUTS)

MCGEE: (V.O.) I was able to--

(SCENE CUT)

MCGEE: ...Triangulate the connection to the campus servers.

(SCENE CUT)

MCGEE: (V.O.) And then reran the back trace...

GIBBS: Just answer the question, McGee.

(SCENE CUT)

MCGEE: Yes, I'm sure, Boss.

(SCENE CUT)

GIBBS: Let's do this. Kate, cover the back.

GIRL: (SHOUTS) No! No! Stop!(SFX: GIRL SCREAMS B.G.)

CUT TO:

INT. HOUSE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

(DOOR OPENS)

GIBBS: Federal Agents! Don't move! (b*at) I am going to k*ll McGee.(SFX: GIRLS SCREAM)

TONY: We've got it covered, Kate.

(FADE OUT)

FADE IN:

INT. LAB - DAY

MCGEE: (V.O.) So is Gibbs still mad at me?

TONY: About what, Probie? d*ad Marine on campus? Missing Petty Officer? Computer hacker who might be part of a radical peace movement? None of these things are your fault, really. But sending Gibbs on a panty raid?

KATE: He's going to k*ll you.

GIBBS: Hey! I want answers. Where is Abby?

MCGEE: Ah, she's on a run to the evidence garage, Boss.

TONY: She's on a run to the evidence garage, Boss.

GIBBS: Anything on the hacker?

MCGEE: Um... he was on a wireless connection. The house you h*t was set up for WiFi. He was probably sitting somewhere outside on the street. I'm working on tracing it right now.

GIBBS: You tell Abby I want her.

ABBY: Oh Gibbs, I never knew! Ducky asked me to help him figure out where the welts came from. I think I'm gonna start with the ball peen hammer. I don't know why. I just like the way it sounds... ball peen, ball peen, ball peen, ball peen.

GIBBS: What else?

ABBY: Um... probably go with the stun g*n and then the garden weasel. And someone's in a really bad mood.

GIBBS: Spending the night in a room full of crying women tends to do that to me.

ABBY: Well this will cheer you up. I got the analysis back from the blood found on Turner's body. It belongs to your missing Petty Officer.

TONY: Blake? You're kidding?

ABBY: I also ran the bloody rag from Blake's house. Most of it's his and some of it is not.

KATE: Sergeant Turner's?

ABBY: Bingo.

TONY: Was his name-o. Blake and Turner were in a fight.

KATE: One turns up d*ad and the other hits the road.

GIBBS: Or they were k*lled together at the same location, Kate.

(SFX: IM BEEP TONES)

MCGEE: It's the hacker! He's sending us another instant message.

CREEPY VOICE: N.C.I.S., if you want the truth, be at Unity Quad, ten hundred hours today.

MCGEE: He's somewhere on campus right now.

GIBBS: Tony, Kate, you're with me. And you get me an exact location this time!

ABBY: Are you sure you can do it?

MCGEE: Positive. I think.

CUT TO:

EXT. QUAD - DAY

TONY: Excuse me. (INTO PHONE) How can we be sure Creepy Voice is even here, McGee?

MCGEE: (V.O./FILTERED) Because Tony, the campus WiFi system is broken down...(BEGIN TELEPHONE INTERCUTS)

(SCENE CUT)

MCGEE: (INTO PHONE) ...into nodes. And our hacker's signal is coming from Node Five.

(SCENE CUT)

TONY: (INTO PHONE) Yeah? And what does that mean?

MCGEE: (V.O./FILTERED) It means he's somewhere...

(SCENE CUT)

MCGEE: (INTO PHONE) ...In the quad right now so look for somebody with a...

(SCENE CUT)

MCGEE: (V.O./FILTERED) ...Laptop or a wireless device.

TONY: (INTO PHONE) You're not real helpful, Probie.

GIBBS: (V.O./FILTERED) Less chatter. (INTO PHONE) Keep your eyes open. Find him or her.

TONY: (INTO PHONE) Boss, your one o'clock. Red hat, sunglasses. Looking real suspicious. That's what I'm talking about.

KATE: Don't you get enough of that at home?

TONY: My Internet connection's down.

KATE: Yeah. (INTO PHONE) Ten forty five. The hacker is...

(SCENE CUT)

KATE: (V.O./FILTERED) ...playing with us again.

MCGEE: No, Kate. I'm telling you, he's here.

(SCENE CUT)

MCGEE: (V.O./FILTERED) Look for something abnormal.

KATE: You're going to have to be more specific, McGee.

KYLE: Look out! Move! Out of the way!

STUDENT: Hey, watch it!(MUSIC OVER ACTION)

KYLE: Move it!

TONY: I'd say that's abnormal.

CUT TO:

INT. CORRIDOR - DAY

TONY: (V.O./FILTERED) We've got two suspects, one in a black ski mask.

GIBBS: Moving to intercept.

TONY: They're coming out of the tunnel! Okay! Get down! Get out of the way! Hey! Move out of the way! Get out of the way! (MUSIC OVER ACTION/ TONY CHASES THE STUDENTS)

(SFX: PAINTBALL BLAST)

KYLE: You're d*ad!

KATE: He's got a g*n!

TONY: NCIS! Federal agents! Drop the w*apon!

KATE: Put down your w*apon!

TONY: Drop the w*apon!

GIBBS: Hold your f*re!!

STUDENT: What's going on?

GIBBS: Shut up, dumb ass.

TONY: Does that hurt?

STUDENT: Yeah.

TONY: Does that hurt right there?

STUDENT: Yeah.

KATE: Kyle Zolin. He's a Midshipman.(PHONE RINGS)

GIBBS: (INTO PHONE) Yeah, Gibbs.(BEGIN TELEPHONE INTERCUTS)

(SCENE CUT)

ABBY: (INTO PHONE) Gibbs! Gibbs, I figured it out. I know what caused the welts on Turner's body.

GIBBS: (V.O./FILTERED) We know.

(SCENE CUT)

GIBBS: (INTO PHONE) The paint ball g*n.

(SCENE CUT)

INT. LAB - DAY

(END TELEPHONE INTERCUTS)

ABBY: I really, really hate it when he does that.

(SFX: PAINT BALL g*n FIRES)

ABBY: Oops.

CUT TO:

INT. NROTC WARD ROOM - DAY

LEEKA: (SHOUTS) You retreads think you deserve to be officers? Do you!? Playing illegal games on campus!? You're lucky I don't rip your heads off and stomp on them!

(DOOR OPENS)

LEMAY: Agent Gibbs will take it from here, g*n.

LEEKA: Yes, Sir.

LEMAY: I expect you gentlemen to answer his questions truthfully.

GIBBS: Sit down. Where's Finnigan Blake?(SFX: LOUD HEARTBEAT B.G.)

KYLE: We don't know, Sir.

GIBBS: How many Midshipman in this little paintball club of yours? Uh, yeah. That's right. If you turn them in they'll probably be kicked out of school just like you. It's admirable, protecting your friends. Turner does not need protection. He's lying d*ad on a slap with a broken neck. I think Blake is the one who put him there.

SMITH: No. No, not possible, Sir. They were best friends.

GIBBS: Yeah? Then why were they beating the crap out of each other Friday night? (SHOUTS) You were there!!

KYLE: Yes, Sir, but it's not what you think.

SMITH: They tossed a couple punches, we broke it up.

KYLE: An hour later, they were drinking beer and laughing about it.

GIBBS: Does that look like a couple of punches to you, Midshipman? His neck is snapped in half.

SMITH: He didn't look like that when he left...

GIBBS: What was the fight about?

KYLE: Turner never lost a paintball game, so Blake decided to change the rules.

GIBBS: By k*lling him?

KYLE: No, Sir. We played one on one. But Friday morning we all got Turner's target photo in our e-mail, and we ambushed him.

SMITH: It was supposed to be funny...

GIBBS: I want the names of everyone in your club. You do that and we can talk about your futures.

SMITH: And if we don't?

GIBBS: Son, you trust me. You will not do well in prison.

CUT TO:

INT. NCIS SQUAD ROOM - DAY

KATE: (V.O.) They called themselves "The Red Cell." They all claim the last time they saw Blake was on Friday night, right after the fight.

TONY: We think they were protecting him.

GIBBS: Who else knew about the group?

KATE: According to them, no one. Only the Red Cell members.

TONY: First rule of Fight Club. Never talk about Fight Club. That's a great movie. Brad Pitt, Edward Norton. It's like the greatest guy movie ever. I'm going to rent that for you.

KATE: They're either lying, or one of them is the hacker that led us to the group.

GIBBS: Find him.

MCGEE: Boss!

GIBBS: You find my hacker yet?

MCGEE: Uh, no? But...

TONY: Poor Probie.

KATE: You think he needs a group hug?

TONY: Oh...

MCGEE: I found Blake.

MCGEE: (V.O.) I've been monitoring the campus WiFi...

CUT TO:

INT. LAB - DAY

MCGEE: ...And I was waiting for the hacker to come back online and that's when I thought of it. When we searched Blake's room, he had the docking station for an Axim X Five handheld computer. But the unit itself was not in his room.

ABBY: And they're like two thousand bucks. He probably took it with him when he pulled his disappearing act.

GIBBS: Why does this matter?

MCGEE: Because it has wireless built-in. It automatically connects to the nearest network. He is online right now.

GIBBS: Where?

MCGEE: Waverly University, node three. And according to the network logs, he's been hiding out there since Saturday morning.

GIBBS: Not bad, McGee. Let's roll!

ABBY: See? I told you he likes you.

CUT TO:

EXT. CAMPUS - DAY

KATE: Are you sure about this, Tim?

MCGEE: I'm sure. He's here, or at least his computer is.

KATE: Well, I hope for your sake that you're right.

MCGEE: I'm right, okay?

(SFX: BEEP TONES)

MCGEE: Wait. He's in the building right behind this one.

CUT TO:

EXT. EXCAVATION SITE - DAY

TONY: I've got some bad news for you, Probie.

MCGEE: I don't understand. He should be here.

TONY: Maybe he disappeared with the building.

MCGEE: I'm telling you, he's here.(MCGEE OPENS THE GATE AND WALKS TO THE CLEARING)

MCGEE: Signal's getting stronger. It's here!(SFX: BEEP TONES CONTINUE)

GIBBS: Where?

MCGEE: It's right below me. He must have buried it.

TONY: We're being screwed with again.

KATE: It's the hacker, McGee.

MCGEE: (SHOUTS) I found something! It's a body. It's lying face down. This is where the head should be. He's wearing a hood.

GIBBS: This is now a crime scene.

MCGEE: It's Blake.

GIBBS: He's not lying face down.

(FADE OUT)

FADE IN:

INT. AUTOPSY ROOM - DAY

DUCKY: Petty Officer Blake was k*lled early Saturday morning, just hours after Sergeant Turner's death. Now, we're dealing with a k*ller who is not only extremely powerful, but methodical. Each of these young men had their necks broken in a violent and identical fashion, I think by someone using their bare hands.

JIMMY: Well, how's that?

DUCKY: Ah, well it's a very specific technique. May I demonstrate, Mister Palmer?

JIMMY: Of course, Doctor.

DUCKY: One hand is placed firmly on the jaw here, and the other hand ...

GIBBS: Yeah, I'll do it, Duck.

DUCKY: Oh. Thank you, Jethro.

TONY: This ought to be good.

GIBBS: No, on you.

TONY: Do you think that's really necessary?

GIBBS:

GIBBS: Yeah, it'll be fun. You can either lie on the floor or I'll drop you to the floor. We used it to silence enemy sentries.

(CONT.) One hand on the jaw, the other behind the head of the individual. Sixty-six pounds of torque and snap! Your eyes are on the back of your head. Dinozzo - any questions?

TONY: No, I think I got it, Boss! You missed your calling, Boss. You could have been a chiropractor.

GIBBS: We're looking for someone who knows how to k*ll.

DUCKY: Yes, what troubles me is our Midshipmen, in order to receive such a k*lling blow, would have to have been face to face with their assailants. Which means either they were ambushed or...

GIBBS: They knew him.

TONY: Hey, another Midshipman? They teach combat courses at the NROTC unit.

GIBBS: Maybe. You find my hacker yet?

TONY: McGee's upstairs working on it.

GIBBS: I didn't ask McGee. I asked my Senior Field Agent. I want that damn hacker!

TONY: Did you hear that, Palmer?

JIMMY: He sounded pretty upset.

TONY: Yeah. He called me his Senior Field Agent. Finally!

CUT TO:

INT. ABBY'S LAB - DAY

MCGEE: This guy's good, Abby. Too good.

ABBY: Yeah, but we are better! I thought you went to M.I.T?

MCGEE: Abby, I don't think I can track this guy.

TONY: Don't let Gibbs hear you talking like that, Probie.

ABBY: You guys are just in time for McGee's crisis of faith. He's starting to realize that there may be someone on the planet that's smarter than him.

KATE: Oh, I'm looking at one right now.

TONY: Well, Kate, in all fairness, I am the Senior Field Agent, but I think it's an experience --

KATE: I was talking about Abby, DoDo Head.

ABBY: Thank you, Kate.

MCGEE: Okay, the only chance we have of finding this guy is if he contacts us again. I can embed a virus in the IM software and use it to tag his computer and hope that it leads...

TONY: (OVERLAP) Viruses, tracking software? You guys are going about this the wrong way. What is the first rule of Fight Club, Probie?

MCGEE: Okay Tony, you can barely turn your computer on. So no offense...

TONY: (SHOUTS) You do not talk (WHISPERS) about Fight Club! And what is the second rule of Fight Club? Abs?

ABBY: (SHOUTS) Do not talk about Fight Club!

(SFX: TONY CLEARS HIS THROAT)

ABBY: Sir!

TONY: Exactly! And Creepy Voice is the guy who led us to Red Cell.

ABBY: So he's either a member or he knows a member.

KATE: And they're all Midshipmen.

TONY: Of course, if the guy's giving McGeek a run for his money, he's got to be pretty smart. McGee, what was your GPA in college?

MCGEE: Three point nine. I failed a fencing class in h*m* year.

TONY: So I'm sure you already checked the NROTC records to make sure there's no... computer genius in the unit.

CUT TO:

INT. SQUAD ROOM - DAY

KATE: (V.O.) I hate to say it but that was actually smart, Tony.

GIBBS: What was, Kate?

KATE: Tony might have figured out how to find the hacker.

GIBBS: It's his job. You think I keep him around for his personality?

MCGEE: There are twenty two Midshipmen in the unit with computer science majors. Only one of them has a four point oh. Look familiar?

TONY: You want to bring him in with me?

MCGEE: Considering he embarrassed me, almost got me fired and ruined my weekend? What do you think?

(TONY AND MCGEE WALK O.S.)

(SFX: IM BEEP TONES)

CREEPY VOICE: Hello N.C.I.S.

ABBY: You might be smart, but my geek carries a g*n. Hello, you twisted piece of...

SWISH PAN TO:

INT. STUDENT UNION - DAY

ON COMPUTER SCREEN: Red Cell is just the beginning. You have to ask why?

Knock knock

Who's there?

I'm right behind you dirtbag.

Turn around

TONY: Howdy, Urkel.

FRANKEL: Ow! You're hurting me! Ow!

MCGEE: You hear something, Tony?

TONY: No.

MCGEE: Me either.

TONY: No need to worry. Federal Agents. Have a nice day.

CUT TO:

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY

(DOOR OPENS)

FRANKEL: Hey, so what do they call it? The box? The coffin? The sweat shop?

TONY: We just call it interrogation.

FRANKEL: What's the deal? You lean on me first...

CUT TO:

INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - DAY

FRANKEL: Then bring your partner in? Get me blabbering? Are you the good cop or the bad cop?

TONY: Sit.

CUT TO:

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY

TONY: Okay, I'm going to be honest with you. This is a major waste of time. You clearly didn't do this.

FRANKEL: Reverse psychology.

TONY: But my boss, he needs to close the case.

FRANKEL: Brass wants answers.

CUT TO:

INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - DAY

TONY: There is this other agent... Kate. Severe looking thing. No sense of humor. She built the profile on you.

MCGEE: What kind of interrogation technique is that?

GIBBS: The DiNozzo method. Not pretty, but it's effective.

TONY: (V.O.) It turns out...

CUT TO:

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY

TONY: ...you're the geek's geek. The last one to be picked for the team.

FRANKEL: That's not true.

TONY: This isn't me, Urkel, okay? I think you're great. Sure you broke a few ...

CUT TO:

INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - DAY

TONY: ...Federal laws interfering with an ongoing m*rder investigation.

CUT TO:

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY

FRANKEL: I was trying to help you.

TONY: Right. It's the way you did it that's suspicious.

FRANKEL: Look at me. The last thing I need is to be pegged as a rat in the unit. Those guys would have k*lled me.

TONY: Maybe you were looking for payback? They wouldn't let you into their little club?

FRANKEL: That's crazy.

TONY: You know what's crazy? Me almost putting a b*llet in a kid's head 'cause he's playing paintball. That's a little crazy.

FRANKEL: I didn't... I didn't want anyone to get hurt. I was just trying to help. Turner was a friend.

TONY: So you thought sending cryptic emails was going to help us find his k*ller?

FRANKEL: I think I know who k*lled him.

TONY: Who?

FRANKEL: Petty Officer Blake.

TONY: Yeah? Why'd he do it?

FRANKEL: There's this girl in the unit. Ashley Simmons. She used to date Blake but they broke up.

TONY: She started dating Turner?

FRANKEL: I'm not sure. I know he liked her.

TONY: He liked her? Not a real strong motive for m*rder, Urkel.

FRANKEL: Well, last week I saw all three of them together in the quad. Ashley was crying. Turner and Blake started arguing with each other.

TONY: About what?

FRANKEL: I... I couldn't hear, but I saw Blake push him.

TONY: So they fought?

FRANKEL: No. Turner just left with Ashley. When I asked him about it later, he said it was personal, something between the three of them.

TONY: Well that's a real interesting theory, Matlock. One problem.

FRANKEL: What?

TONY: Blake's d*ad. He was m*rder a few hours after Turner.

FRANKEL: But by who?

TONY: Someone who wanted to frame him for the m*rder of his best friend.

(DOOR CLOSES)

CUT TO:

INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - DAY

GIBBS: Find Midshipman Ashley Simmons now.

CUT TO:

INT. WARD ROOM - DAY

LEEKA: Why is your hair still purple, Simmons?

SIMMONS: It takes a few days to wash out, g*n.

LEEKA: I hope the time you've spent field-daying is starting to sink in. I own you until the day you graduate.

SIMMONS: Yes, g*n. It won't happen again.

LEEKA: Do you want to give people orders someday? You need to learn how to follow them.

GIBBS: Sounds like pretty good advice, g*n.

LEEKA: Good evening, Sir. Any luck finding Blake?

GIBBS: That's why we're here.

LEEKA: We can talk about this in my office. You missed a spot over there, Simmons.

KATE: Actually, we're here for her, g*n.

LEEKA: Simmons? For what?

GIBBS: We found Blake.

LEEKA: Where?

GIBBS: He's d*ad.

TONY: We think she knows why.

SIMMONS: I don't know anything about it.

KATE: Then you won't mind answering a few questions.

GIBBS: Take her out to the sedan. I'll be right out.

SIMMONS: But I don't know anything!

(SIMMONS WALKS O.S.)

GIBBS: Tell me everything you know about her, g*n.

LEEKA: Simmons?

(DOOR CLOSES)

LEEKA: Kind of a screw up, but not a bad kid. Do you think she's involved in this?

SIMMONS: (V.O.) I don't understand.

CUT TO:

EXT. BUILDING - DAY

SIMMONS: Blake didn't k*ll Turner.

KATE: No, they were both m*rder.

TONY: Not pretty. Almost twisted his head clean off.

SIMMONS: Oh my god, he did it.

LEEKA: (V.O.) I'm getting too old for this crap.

CUT TO:

INT. WARD ROOM - DAY

LEEKA: ROTC was supposed to be an easy tour. You want a cup?

GIBBS: Uh, no. No, thanks. I'll pass.

LEEKA: Mm, good call. So just how was Blake m*rder?

CUT TO:

EXT. ROTC BUILDING - DAY

SIMMONS: I went to them for help last week. He wouldn't leave me alone.

CUT TO:

INT. WARDROOM - DAY

LEEKA: Wow. Two identical neck-breaks.

GIBBS: Yeah. We think the k*ller has military training.

CUT TO:

EXT. BUILDING - DAY

SIMMONS: He was forcing me to sleep with him! Blake and Turner were going to go talk to him, make him stop. And he k*lled them!

KATE: Who, Midshipman?

CUT TO:

INT. WARD ROOM - DAY

LEEKA: I'll have everyone in this unit standing by tomorrow. You can question them all at the same time.

GIBBS: Thanks, g*n. I appreciate it. Just one thing.

LEEKA: What, Sir?

GIBBS: I said that Blake had been found d*ad. You said m*rder.

(SFX: LEEKA LOCKS THE DOOR)

(SFX: PHONE RINGS)

LEEKA: Are you gonna answer that?

GIBBS: No. No, I'm pretty sure I know what it is they want to tell me. Put your hands up.

(SFX: LEEKA FIGHTS GIBBS)

(SFX: GLASS BREAKS)

LEEKA: Not bad, Agent Gibbs.

GIBBS: I'd give up now. It's only going to get worse.(SFX: FIGHTING CONTINUES)

CUT TO:

INT. NROTC HALLWAY - DAY

(SFX: FIGHTING B.G.)

TONY: I think he knows.

KATE: You think?

CUT TO:

INT. WARDROOM - DAY

(SFX: LEEKA FIGHTS GIBBS B.G.)

(SFX: TONY POUNDS ON THE DOOR B.G.)

LEEKA: You should have stayed out of this, old man.

CUT TO:

INT. CORRIDOR - DAY

TONY: Okay, stand back.

(SFX: g*n)

CUT TO:

INT. WARD ROOM - DAY

(DOOR OPENS)

GIBBS: Cuff him.

TONY: Sure thing, Boss.

KATE: Somehow I don't remember college being quite like this.

TONY: It reminds me of this time at Ohio State. We had this frat guy...

GIBBS: The next person who mentions a Spring Break, or a frat party, or college, is fired! Are we clear!?

KATE: Yes.

TONY: Yes.

GIBBS: Good.(MUSIC OUT)

(ENDING CREDITS UP AND OUT)

(MUSIC UP OVER ENDING CREDITS AND OUT)
{"type": "series", "show": "NCIS", "episode": "02x20 - Red Cell"}