An Eye for an Eye is the seventeenth episode in NCIS Season 2 as well as the 40th episode of the entire NCIS series.
Synopsis
When pair of cobalt blue eyeballs are accidentally delivered to a young woman, NCIS investigate and discover that they were originally intended for a Petty Officer who works in Intelligence with the team suspecting he might be involved. However, the Officer commits suicide during the investigation and the team realize that the dead Officer's lecturer might be responsible, forcing Tony and Kate to head to Paraguay where they soon discover some horrifying secrets concerning the lecturer in question.
Prologue
The scene opens on an apartment complex where a postman is busy delivering letters to the local residents by placing them in various boxes.
As he does that, a resident, Allison Donovan walks up to the box while greeting the postman.
She's currently on the phone to one of her female friends and as she opens the box to collect her mail, is going on about a male colleague or friend of hers.
She collects some advert sheets and then produces a box.
As she heads off away from the box, Allison begins unwrapping while telling her friend to meet her somewhere in half an hour.
She then states that someone sent her a package but that she doesn't know who except for the fact that it's cold.
However, once she gets a glimpse of what's inside, Allison freaks out, dropping the box to the ground while taking a few steps back, obviously disgusted at the sight.
It then cuts to the box where it shows that there are a pair of blue-colored human eyeballs that are being kept cold by the ice inside the box.
Act One
In the morgue, Donald Mallard and James Palmer are busy examining the eyeballs when Leroy Jethro Gibbs comes in, wanting to know what they've gotten.
Ducky tells Gibbs that they've only just started and wonders how the eyeballs came into NCIS's possession.
Gibbs explains that they were in a package delivered to a petty officer but the mailman put them in the wrong box. A neighbor accidentally opened the box and according to Gibbs, "it scared the Hell out of her".
Ducky agrees and tells Gibbs that it looks like the eyes have enucleated and then been perfectly preserved with skill and care by a surgeon.
Ducky also believes that while they're healthy, transplant would be the possible option. He then tells the eyes that they don't the necessary body to discover what happened to the person.
Gibbs, obviously freaked leaves rather abruptly just as Ducky continues on, stating "They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul".
As he holds it in his hands, the eyes goes from being blue to the hazel ones that belong to NCIS Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo Junior who's sitting at his desk.
His partner, Caitlin Todd waves her hand back and forth, sarcastically commenting that the fact that Tony can sleep with his eyes is impressive.
Tony tells her he's meditating but Kate disagrees, stating that he's probably thinking about how much he drank or trying to remember some girl's name.
As she sits back down at her desk, Tony remarks that he doesn't kiss and tell. Timothy McGee then states that he knows more about Tony's sex life than of his own.
Tony remarks that that's not hard to believe considering McGee doesn't have one.
McGee looks over at Tony, pulls a painful face before resuming his work.
Kate tells Tony that Gibbs wants everything there is to know about the package sent to the petty officer and that if she was in DiNozzo's shoes, she wouldn't want Gibbs to catch her napping.
Tony thanks her for the advice and assures her that he's got it covered just as Gibbs comes in, demanding to know what they've got.
Kate and McGee spring up from their desks with Kate telling Gibbs she's checking with eye banks and the MTC's that handle tissue and organ donation.
Gibbs wants to know if any of them are missing a pair of blue eyes.
Kate admits that she hasn't heard back from them yet with Kate silently gesturing that she's going to go back to work.
McGee picks up by telling Gibbs that there was no return address on the package but he contacted the post office and that they're currently running the tracking number from the barcode.
McGee then leaves to resume his work too.
Gibbs then sees DiNozzo lying and gets up, only for DiNozzo to tell him and everyone in earshot that the package was delivered to a petty officer named Benjamin Horlacher and that Horlacher's currently on a 72-hour leave and that he isn't due back until the next day.
Unsurprisingly, DiNozzo rubs Kate's face in it much to her annoyance.
DiNozzo then tells them that Horlacher is a student at the Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Training Centre and as DiNozzo sits up, he announces that Horlacher's been living there since last September.
As this goes on, Gibbs quietly smiles to himself, amused.
DiNozzo points out that Horlacher's military records are clear and as he heads for Gibbs's desk, he finishes off by pointing out that the only things that stand out in regards to Horlacher are a speeding ticket issued two months ago and the fact that he didn't pay his cable bill last week.
"Good to know someone is working around here", Gibbs says, clearly impressed.
DiNozzo yawns just as Kate ends her call and hangs up.
She informs them that so far, no one's reported a missing set of cobalt blues.
McGee then joins in by announcing that the package was shipped two days ago from Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, with Tony realizing that there's the TBA (Tri-Border Area) is and it's where Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil meet before pointing out that the area happens to be a base of operations for smugglers, drug trafficking, illegal organ trading.
"And Hezbollah and al-Qaeda cells", Gibbs snaps, grabbing his gun.
Tony then remarks that they'll meet him out front before stating they're going to Dam Neck.
Kate jumps to her feet, demanding to know how Tony knew such things when he barely even moved this morning and as he gears up, Tony tells her to work smarter, not harder and that she'll live longer because of that which pisses Kate off again.
Tony then rounds on McGee by stating that McGee is to find out who shipped that package from Paraguay by the time Tony gets back.
McGee tells the boss or Tony that he's got it.
As he heads off, Tony yells at Kate to move it while Kate just stands there, still in disbelief.
A while later, Gibbs, Tony and Kate are at the apartment building where the package was found, talking to the building manager, Della Robinson who tells them that this isn't the first time that the fool mailman put stuff in the wrong box and that only last week, she got a video of some college girls flashing.
Kate wants to know where was the last time Ms. Robinson saw Petty Officer Horlacher.
Ms. Robinson tells her that it was a couple of days ago and that Horlacher's a quiet man who keeps to himself and he supposedly has a girlfriend. Gibbs wants to know if they live together.
Ms. Robinson admits that she doesn't know but believes that Horlacher made her a key which is a violation of the lease agreement but Robinson looked the other way.
Gibbs asks her if they can look at Horlacher's apartment and wonders that's going to be a problem.
"Considering what was in that package, please do", Ms. Robinson replies. She then tells Gibbs she notices that he's not wearing a wedding ring which leaves him stunned and unsurprisingly, she flirts with him by asking him if he'd like to inspect that video with her when he's finished.
Gibbs and Kate then head inside with Tony helpfully telling Ms. Robinson that Gibbs is single.
Ms. Robinson then lets them into Horlacher's apartment and while Gibbs and Tony begin exploring the area, Ms. Robinson asks how a fine man like Gibbs can stay single.
Kate tells her that Gibbs isn't single and that he's been married three times which leaves Ms. Robinson impressed.
As she heads inside to join the others, Kate tells Ms. Robinson she'll let the other woman know when they're finished.
Once the door's closed, Kate remarks, "Wow" before stating that she'll take the bedroom.
Gibbs remarks that the guy's in trouble because his girlfriend has already taken over.
Tony disagrees, stating that he's found some video games that would suggest otherwise.
Kate emerges, telling them that there's makeup in the bathroom and women's clothes in the closest although she sarcastically states that she can't say much for the supposed girlfriend's taste in fashion.
Gibbs wonders if they can find out her name but then the door opens and Petty Officer Horlacher arrives in, demanding to know who Tony is.
Gibbs emerges from behind the door, identifying himself, Tony and Kate as NCIS.
Horlacher wants to know what's going on with Gibbs telling him that they're here to investigate a package delivered to him which a neighbor of his accidentally opened with the package having originally been sent from Ciudad del Este.
Tony tells Horlacher that the package had human organs, most notably a pair of human eyes which leaves Horlacher disgusted.
Gibbs, on the other hand wants to know where Horlacher's been the last few days.
Horlacher tells him that he's been on a 72, visiting his family in New Jersey.
Tony wonders if Horlacher's training to be an intel analyst at Dam Neck which Horlacher confirms.
Tony wants to know what area Horlacher's covering.
"Central and South America", Horlacher replies.
Kate wants to know if Horlacher has ever been to Paraguay but Horlacher insists that he hasn't and isn't sure what's going on.
Gibbs wants to talk to the girlfriend but Horlacher tells them that he doesn't have a girlfriend.
Kate wants to know what women is keeping her clothes in Horlacher's bedroom.
Horlacher then admits that they broke up a month ago and that she hasn't come back to pick up her stuff but it's clear that Gibbs and the others aren't convinced.
Horlacher insists yet again that he doesn't know anything about a pair of eyes before wondering if they need a warrant to be in here.
Gibbs tells Horlacher to keep himself available as NCIS will have more questions for the Petty Officer.
And with that, the three agents leave.
Outside, Kate tells them that there was an open lipstick in the bathroom which means that the girlfriend's still living there.
Tony believes that Horlacher's hiding something to which Gibbs agrees.
Tony wants to know why they're letting Horlacher walk but Gibbs states that they aren't and that Tony and Kate are staying here and that they're to watch him.
Gibbs then answers his cellphone.
It's Abigail Sciuto.
She and Ducky then tell Gibbs what they've found so far.
Abby tells Gibbs that she ran the DNA through AFDIL (Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory) but she didn't get a match.
However, they can start calling old blue eyes "Jane Doe" because they're female.
Ducky then states that Ms. Doe gave up her eyes unwillingly and that the person who originally owned the eyes died of cardiac arrest which was caused by abnormally high levels of potassium and he's determined that "Jane Doe" died of poisoning before her eyes were removed. He then starts rambling on again, causing Gibbs to hang up.
In the lab, Ducky stops, having realized that Gibbs has hung up on them and Abby tries to urge Ducky to tell her the rest of the story.
A few hours later, darkness has descended on the apartment building and in the car, Kate wipes at the window, struggling to get grips with the freezing temperatures.
She then studies Horlacher's apartment with a pair of binoculars and sees that a light is still on. She then hits Tony, telling him to wake up but Tony assures her that he's awake.
Kate wants him to turn up the heat but Tony refuses, stating that smoke from the tailpipe will give away their position. Kate's not impressed, stating that she can't feel her legs.
Tony then opens his eyes, sits up, and suggests that they get warm by pressing their bodies together and even suggests that they get naked.
Kate refuses, stating that there isn't enough liquor on the planet to make that happen.
"I wasn't suggesting the naked part", Tony says. "But if you want to freeze, freeze".
Kate then starts grumbling about how she needs a vacation and when Tony suggests the tropics, Kate agrees. She then stops and notices that Horlacher's light just went off. Tony dismisses it, telling her he's probably going to bed given that it's midnight.
Kate sarcastically snaps that she's glad and wonders if they're going to have to stay here all night.
Tony suggests that she calls Gibbs and find out while Kate recommends that Tony does it.
However, the moment is shattered when they heard the sound of a gun being fired and as such, the two spring out of the car, heading straight for Horlacher's apartment, their guns drawn.
Robinson emerges, demanding to know what's going on with Kate ordering her to get back into her apartment.
Kate and Tony stand outside the entrance to Horlacher's apartment and manage to get in after Tony breaks down the door. They then sweep into the apartment, wielding their guns and flashlights as they check for the area for any sign of danger while in the background, the TV blares, showing the 1950 movie, "No Man Of Her Own" featuring Stephen 'Steve' Morley and Helen Ferguson/Patrice Harkness.
Once they're certain there's no danger, the two turn their attention to the body lying on the bed.
Tony gingerly lifts up the head and it's revealed that it's none other than Petty Officer Horlacher.
Tony then grimly remarks that Horlacher had a secret all right.
Kate in Navy Petty Officer Benjamin Horlacher's bedroom.
It then cuts to Kate who glances around the room, stunned.
Act Two
Petty Officer Horlacher's apartment has now become a crime scene and the team are busy processing.
From a quick glance, Ducky determines that Petty Officer Horlacher committed suicide by shooting himself in the heart with the gun found at the scene and due to that, death was instantaneous.
McGee's puzzled and voices his belief that most suicides usually shoot themselves in the head.
Gibbs corrects him by stating that men shoot themselves in the head, not women.
McGee then realizes that Horlacher probably didn't think of himself as a man while Kate starts referring to Horlacher as a woman, a statement Tony disagrees on.
Kate stops dusting the mirror for prints and tells Tony that psychosexually speaking, Horlacher was a woman trapped in a man's body and when she committed suicide, she freed herself.
To back up her point, Kate points towards the suicide note on the bed which says "I am free".
McGee then joins them and tells them that this reminds him of what happened when they stalked out the person who killed Christopher Pacci.
Kate gleefully remembers and for the next few minutes, she and McGee begin talking about it at Tony's expense until an extremely-pissed Tony approaches McGee, causing the younger Agent to accidentally knock over Gibbs's coffee which has everyone staring at the scene.
McGee apologizes and leaves to go get Gibbs a fresh cup.
Gibbs then asks Kate if she and Tony saw anyone enter or leave the apartment.
Kate states that they didn't and that it looks like Horlacher was here all alone. Gibbs wants Horlacher's phone records checked as he believes that Horlacher was making some other calls just before he killed himself.
Tony tells him that he's on it and they'll have them by tomorrow.
Kate then theories that Horlacher's girlfriend never even existed in the first place and that Horlacher himself was leading a double life.
Tony remarks that it puts a whole new spin on "Don't ask, don't tell".
Gibbs, on the other hand is more concerned about the cross-dressing sailor getting body parts in the mail before ordering that Horlacher's laptop be brought to Abby.
The next morning, just as Abby's getting ready to access Horlacher's laptop, Gibbs arrives in.
She and McGee then show Gibbs what they've found.
From the outside, it appears to be a normal laptop but when she accesses it, it's shown that the laptop's been sealed with the kind of data encryption that only someone who would have something to hide would use.
McGee remarks that it's far more sophisticated than any PGP or DES software he's ever seen.
The two then remark that the stuff is very hardcore but Gibbs simply wants to know if they got in or not.
The two then tell him that they did and didn't.
Abby reveals that there's just one layer that they haven't cracked yet but McGee informs Gibbs that they've found Horlacher's blog. Abby tries to explain the term but it somehow goes over Gibbs's head who demands a translation in Pig Latin.
Gibbs is not impressed and begins examining the evidence on the table before asking if the blob (blog) had anything useful.
Abby tells him that it had stuff from Men Are From Mars and she remarks that Horlacher was very interested in the differences between both men and women.
The Men Are From Mars reference goes over Gibbs's head again so Abby and McGee does their best to explain it to him.
Gibbs reacts rather hostile when Abby brings up the fact that he's been married three times.
Abby then shows him the blog and Gibbs reads a passage, "Inside every good man, there is a better woman" and he's left confused by the term LOL.
McGee explains that it means "Laughing Out Loud" which can be topped by "ROTFLOL" which Abby supplies. McGee translates that as being "Rolling on the floor laughing out loud".
Gibbs then tells them to keep out looking, that Horlacher was leading two different lives and that Gibbs himself wants to know everything about them ASAP—(as soon as possible).
"Onway itway, Ibbsgay", Abby calls out in Pig Latin and smiles before going back to work.
Up in the bullpen, while Tony studies the eyes on the plasma, Kate remarks that there was a time she would killed for a pair of eyes like that.
Tony, on the other hand wonders if the victim was a blonde or brunette.
Kate doesn't see the point.
Tony remarks that he loves brunettes and he'll bet that the victim was beautiful.
"Are you're telling me you're attracted to a pair of disembodied set of eyeballs?", Kate asks.
"Weird, huh?", Tony replies.
"More like disturbing", Kate snaps.
As he heads back to his desk, Tony tells the story of a movie named "Laura" where a cop fell in love with the painting of a girl whose head was blown off by a shotgun.
Kate sarcastically remarks that it sounds romantic while Tony tells her that she has no idea and remarks that Gene Tierney was a goddess.
Gibbs comes in and asks what they've got so far.
Kate tells him that she called Petty Officer Horlacher's family about paying them a visit over the weekend.
As it turns out, Horlacher was lying as his family hadn't heard from him in over a year.
Tony remarks that they still can't find a connection to Paraguay because Horlacher was never deployed overseas and didn't even have a passport.
Kate wants to know how a suicidal transvestite attended a top-secret intel school without anyone noticing.
Gibbs wants to know if she's spoken to his facility advisor yet. Kate informs him that she was about to.
Tony then states that the advisor's name is Guyman Purcell who's a retired Lt and that he got his PhD in South American Studies before voicing his belief that they should interview him.
Gibbs wants to know why they should do that.
Tony then reveals that Horlacher's phone records show that Purcell was the last person Horlacher spoke to before Horlacher committed suicide.
Gibbs tells Tony that it's a good job before ordering Kate to get the car which leaves the two Agents stunned and Gibbs smiling.
A while later, Gibbs, Tony and Kate are sitting in on one of Purcell's military lectures where Purcell is telling them that now that they've learnt a bit about recruiting double agents, the class ought to take a moment to consider some of the risks involved in doing so and begins asking for volunteers.
Tony tries to get involved but Gibbs asks Tony if he'd like to become left-handed, forcing Tony to back down.
Kate wonders if Tony's going for his brown-nose badge this week.
Tony simply tells her that she's jealous because it's working. Meanwhile, Susan Ellsworth raises her hands and tells Purcell that the target could double-cross them back.
Purcell agrees, stating that they've just convinced someone to betray that which they hold dearest, their country, their family or perhaps even themselves.
As Gibbs looks on, Purcell reveals that the people are weak-minded individuals and that if the recruit proves untrustworthy, then they must either be coerced or abandoned but nothing can jeopardize the mission.
Outside, after the lecture's ended, Gibbs, Kate and Tony talk to Purcell who tells them that Horlacher's a decent student and that's all he knows.
Gibbs wants to know if Purcell ever covered Ciudad del Este in his class.
Purcell admits that he did and wants to know why.
Tony informs Purcell that Horlacher got a package from there.
Kate then reveals that a pair of human eyes were inside with Tony stating that they'd been cut out of some poor woman's head.
Purcell states that it's horrible.
Gibbs wants to know what Horlacher said but Purcell tells them that Horlacher claims not to know anything about it.
Kate wants to know if Purcell spend any personal time with Horlacher outside of class.
Purcell shakes his head and tells them that in his field, the students tend to see their instructors as being larger than life and that it's best not to get too attached but then realizes he's being interrogated for some reason.
Gibbs admits that it depends and then wants to know why Horlacher called Purcell the previous night.
Purcell states that many of his students called him at home and that Horlacher wanted to know if Purcell would give him an extension on a paper that is due this week.
Gibbs wants to know if Purcell gave the extension.
Purcell tells him that he did.
The team then tell Purcell that Horlacher's dead, having committed suicide the previous night.
This revelation has Purcell stunned.
Gibbs, on the other hand wants to know what Purcell said to Horlacher.
Purcell admits that this wasn't the first time Horlacher had asked for an extension, that he was hard on the Petty Officer and even told Horlacher that if he couldn't keep, then Purcell would drop him from the course which would ruin Horlacher's career but Purcell insists that he was trying to motivate Horlacher, hold his feet to the fire.
"I never thought he'd..", the other man begins.
"Jump in?", Gibbs finishes.
Purcell nods and then shakes his head.
Back in the bullpen, Gibbs is now examining the eyeballs while Kate and Tony both battle to tell him what they've found.
Apparently, Purcell's got his own consulting business called Purcell Security Group, a group specializing in intelligence work and that they've got several high-paying government contracts with the biggest one being Southcon.
Kate then states that Purcell's traveled back and forth to Paraguay ten times in the last six months and as it turns out, Purcell's been working in Ciudad del Este.
The two then gang up on one another, stating that they think Purcell is either a spook or working for spooks.
Kate finishes by stating that everything concerning Purcell's intel work has been flagged way above her clearance level.
"Great because I hate spooks", Gibbs snarls just as his phone rings.
He answers it and then hangs up before telling Tony and Kate that it was Abby and it looks like she might have finally found the body that the pair of blue eyeballs belonged to.
As he leaves, Tony and Kate hiss at each other before joining him.
In the lab, everyone's watching a promotional video of Purcell advertising for his security group.
The clip then ends with Purcell heading to the camera and informing whoever's watching that his course can make the difference between success and failure, life and death.
As the video ends, McGee notes that there was about four hours of online instruction classes associated with the website in question and that they were bookmarked on Petty Horlacher's hard drive.
Abby then tells them after watching them, she believes Purcell needs a charisma bypass which has Gibbs smirking in amusement.
Kate wants to know what this has to do with the eyeballs.
McGee types on the keyboard while telling them that Horlacher accessed this JPEG file 22 times last week.
It then shows a young brown-haired woman standing with Purcell.
Abby wants to know if she looks familiar.
Tony remarks that he was right and that she is beautiful.
Gibbs, on the other hand wants to know how they can be certain it's her.
Abby then points out that iris patterns are more distinctive than fingerprints.
Tony agrees, stating that it's more accurate too.
As Kate and Tony gesture at each other with Kate silently mouthing, "Brown-noser", Abby gets into a long explanation but Gibbs cuts her off by asking if the girl is the victim or not.
Abby states that it's an eighty-percent match and she believes that they've got their girl.
It then cuts to the photo of the woman and the camera then focuses on her blue eyes.
Act Three
In the bullpen, Tony's comparing what they know so far before making a joke out of the whole thing. He asks Kate what the punchline is but she tells him that whatever it is, it involves the girl in the photo and Paraguay.
Realizing that he's not going to anything from Kate, Tony selects McGee as his target.
McGee then takes the bait by telling a rather insensitive joke about the eyes which has Gibbs rounding on him, asking McGee if Gibbs finds this funny.
McGee tells him that he doesn't.
Gibbs agrees and orders Tony to join him in MTAC while Kate is to go bring Purcell into NCIS for interrogation.
McGee realizes that Gibbs hates him but Tony and Kate tell him that hate's a strong word before suggesting that it's quite possible that Gibbs dislikes him given that McGee did spill Gibbs's coffee.
From his position on the staircase, Gibbs hollers for DiNozzo who scrambles to join Gibbs, leaving McGee and Kate in the bullpen.
McGee is still dumbstruck with Kate stating that Gibbs will go over it.
When McGee asks when that's going to happen, Kate tells that last year, Tony spilled Gibbs's coffee and judging by the fact that Gibbs warmed up to Tony an hour ago, she's guessing that Gibbs is going to give McGee the cold shoulder for eight to ten months which leaves McGee annoyed.
In MTAC, Gibbs and Tony are having a conference call with Colonel Bushnell who tells them everything Bushnell and his people have on Purcell.
Bushnell wants to know what the interest is.
Gibbs tells him that one of Purcell's students committed suicide after receiving a pair of female eyeballs in the mail from TBA and he voices his belief that Purcell knew the female victim.
Bushnell states that body parts in the mail generally denote kidnapping with Gibbs remarking that the eyes means that someone's putting pressure on Purcell for some reason.
Bushnell tells them that he'll get on it before ending the call.
Tony, on the other hand wants to know what Bushnell and Gibbs were talking about but Gibbs reminds Tony to ask him again in seven years—2012.
When Tony wonders why, Gibbs tells him that seven years will be the time when the Freedom of Information Act kicks in.
Abby's working in her lab and senses Gibbs behind her but there's nothing there.
She then turns back and sees Gibbs at her computer console. He gives her a Caf-Pow and she tells him that she's still going through Horlacher's files but she's found some emails that Gibbs might be very interested in.
Once she's given Gibbs the emails, Abby then reveals that she backtracked the ISP they were sent from and as it turns out, they came from the Tri-Border Area.
Up in the bullpen, McGee and Tony are going over the emails with McGee telling Gibbs that Escopeta 794 is the originator in Argentina with Tony stating that the word, "Escopeta" means rifle in Spanish.
McGee then explains that Shadegirl is one of Petty Officer Horlacher's email addresses.
Tony then orders McGee to be the transsexual while Tony will be the rifle.
McGee then reveals that the first exchange was three weeks ago with Tony revealing that the rifle wants $100,000 for the girl.
McGee then picks up by stating that Shadegirl tells him that her controller will only pay 60 and wants proof. Tony's acting gets on Gibbs's nerves so much so that Tony unsurprisingly gets a headslap for his childish acting.
Tony then reveals the rifle has repeated his demand for 100 and there's a lot of swearing of Spanish.
McGee reveals that Shadegirl insists on 60 and proof with Tony revealing that there's a mixture of swearing and threatening in the next message.
McGee states that Shadegirl goes up to 75 and says that his controller wants proof before the money's sent.
Tony then reveals that the other person expressed their displeasure rather colorfully before slipping up.
The message is: "Hundred was the price. Tell Purcell his proof is on the way".
McGee realizes that Horlacher was boarding for Purcell.
Tony's stunned by that response.
Gibbs, on the other hand doesn't buy that proof of life comes from removing someone's eyeballs.
Tony then tells Gibbs that "Escopeta" is running a kidnapping ring and that the person is supposed to meet the price or the other person dies as an example.
Gibbs's cellphone rings.
It's Kate.
She's at the military school with Ellsworth beside her where Kate informs Gibbs that Purcell's gone and that it looks like Purcell was recalled back to Paraguay.
She then tells Gibbs that she's already checked the flights and reveals that Purcell's flight landed at the Guarani International Airport twenty minutes ago.
Gibbs then hangs up and tells Tony to pack his gear because he's going to Paraguay.
Tony wonders if he's going along but Gibbs tells him to bring either Kate or McGee with him while telling them he'll start preparing the operation from MTAC.
McGee leaps up and states that he's always wanted to go to Paraguay.
Tony grabs him by the shoulders and hollers in Spanish.
A few hours later, a US cargo flight arrives in Paraguay.
It then cuts to Tony who's busy looking for directions to the TAT headquarters.
His passenger then puts down the map, revealing that it's none other than Kate.
She tells him it's right and with that, they set off, driving through the streets.
Kate then reveals that they're in the Tropic of Capricorn before she tells Tony that the smell is actually that of human waste much to his disgust.
As they drive on, unknowingly passing the TAT headquarters in the process, Tony wonders why they never get sent to Paris or Hawaii.
Kate assures him that it'll be fun and the best part is no Gibbs checking up on them as they continue heading through the street.
Back in MTAC, Gibbs and McGee are actually keeping tabs on Tony and Kate thanks to a GPS chip in one of the cell-phones.
Gibbs approaches the screen, wondering what they're doing.
McGee realizes that they've stopped about 50 feet from the TAT building.
"Yeah, I can see that, McGee!", Gibbs snaps, pissed off. "Get them on the satellite phone!".
McGee leaves to do just that.
Meanwhile, having left the car for the time being, Tony and Kate are enjoying the local market but the moment's interrupted by Tony's phone ringing.
As he answers it, back in MTAC and as McGee listens, Gibbs asks Tony what their location is. Tony tells them that they're looking for the TAT building although the town's kind of hard to navigate
Gibbs then states that it's fifty feet in front of them.
DiNozzo then looks at the two gun-wielding bodyguards outside a building and adds that they've found it before wondering if the GPS chip in the phone is working well.
Gibbs angrily tells him that it is and would they quit screwing around and get moving because they're not on vacation.
"On it, Boss", Tony says and hangs up.
Once the call's ended, Gibbs orders McGee to patch them into Bushnell. McGee orders a tech to do just that and Bushnell's work station pops up on screen.
Gibbs informs Bushnell that his team are at the link-up point. Bushnell informs him that their in-country guide is Joe Tabarez who Bushnell describes as being a good man and a former Marine.
Gibbs wants an update on Purcell but Bushnell tells him there hasn't been anything since Purcell cleared Customs and tells them that Purcell hasn't checked in with any of their people, leading Bushnell to suspect that Purcell isn't in Paraguay on Southcom business.
"What about someone else's business, Colonel?", Gibbs asks.
Bushnell agrees that it's possible, that he's checking it right now before telling Gibbs that someone higher up the chain of command isn't making this easy. Gibbs agrees and shakes his head, obviously annoyed.
In the town, Tony and Kate have finally arrived outside TAT and they meet Joe Tabarez who welcomes them to the "middle of nowhere".
They exchange greetings but Tony's more interested in the chain Tabarez is clamping around the car.
Tabarez tells him it's an anti-theft device and ushers them inside, stating that they wouldn't want to get shot on their first day before cursing in Spanish.
A few minutes later, they arrive in the TAT HQ where Tabarez tells them the place is known as the Wild West, informing them that if there's a profit in something, it's for sale. Bootlegs, drugs, guns. Tabarez also mentions that it's al-Qaeda's front line in South America.
Kate wants to know about body parts.
As Tony sits down, relieved, Tabarez tells her that there are most people around here who would sell Kate a kidney if it meant putting food on the table but that there are those who would gladly take hers for the same reason.
As Kate removes her jacket, Tony asks Tabarez about Purcell.
Tabarez admits that Purcell's intel work is first rate and that the guy's developed a lot of first-rate contacts in the area.
Kate, however wants to know what Tabarez wants to think of Purcell personally.
Tabarez tells her to call him Joe and that he tries not to because off the record, Tabarez believes that Purcell's one creepy son of a bitch before asking what Purcell's supposed to have done.
Tony informs him about the pair of eyeballs which were sent to a transsexual sailor who then committed suicide.
"And here I thought I'd seen it all", Tabarez remarks.
Kate produces a folder from her bag and takes out a photograph before asking Tabarez if he recognizes the girl on the right.
Tabarez examines the photo more closely and admits that he does before revealing that the girl in question is actually Purcell's wife.
It then cuts to Tony who looks stunned.
Act Four
A while later, Kate and Tony are holding a video-conference with Gibbs and McGee where they grimly inform them that they've ID'd the girl in the photo.
Her name is Anna Real and apparently, Purcell married her the previous year while in Paraguay.
As Gibbs struggles to control his anger, he asks them how old Real is.
"Seventeen", Kate replies, disgusted.
"And he's been "dating" her for about three years", Tony replies, using air quotes for the "dating" word.
Kate angrily snaps that Purcell's a pedophile. Gibbs wants to know if Tabarez knew this.
Tony admits that Tabarez was the one who told them in the first place.
Gibbs demands to talk to Tabarez but Kate believes he's out trying to find Purcell.
"Or he's having coffee with him", Gibbs snaps before stating that Tabarez looked the other way while Purcell molested a fourteen year old girl, his words leaving Tony and Kate stunned.
Gibbs then orders McGee to patch him into Colonel Bushnell.
As McGee does that, an angry Gibbs rounds on Kate and Tony, ordering them to find Purcell.
With the link having ended, Tony and Kate look at each other, unsure of what to do before Tabarez interrupts them, hinting that he overheard everything.
As Tabarez grabs a beer, an annoyed Kate gets in his face, wondering if they reported Purcell to Southern Command.
Tabarez admits that he did and that if he'd had his way, Purcell would be lying in the garbage on the street but he's being protected for some reason.
Tony wants to know who.
Tabarez tells him it's need to know and no, he doesn't know who before welcoming them to the world of spooks.
Tony wants to know who Purcell was having coffee with.
Tabarez then looks away from the window and wonders if they're ready to see the seedy underside of Ciudad del Este.
Kate just wonders if it can get any worse.
Tabarez just smiles.
In MTAC, Bushnell is wondering if Gibbs really thought that Bushell would look the other way. Gibbs disagrees, stating that someone else did.
Bushnell tells them he'll find who and he'll get back to them.
Gibbs then states he's going to take Bushnell down with Bushnell hoping that Gibbs doesn't get taken down.
Gibbs tells him that McGee's got his back but it's clear that Bushnell doesn't buy that for a second and then ends the call.
Gibbs then gives McGee his coffee cup and is outraged when McGee starts drinking from it.
McGee then stops and voices that he thought that Gibbs was giving to him to drink from it.
"To refill it, McGee", Gibbs snaps.
McGee apologizes and promises to go get Gibbs another one.
As he leaves, Gibbs just smiles in amusement.
Back in downtown Ciudad del Este, Tony, Kate and Tabarez meet Ignacio Mejia aka "Iggy". Tabarez introduces him to Tony and Kate.
Unsurprisingly, Tabarez tries to pawn some of his goods off to Kate and Tony with the two getting a little bit distracted before they get back on topic.
They then talk to Iggy about Anna Real but Iggy isn't interested. Kate's cellphone rings and it's McGee who tells her that he's found them a hotel.
Once she's hung up, Iggy displays an interest in the phone despite Kate claiming that the phone is government property and therefore isn't for sale.
Tony simply grabs it from her and gives it to Iggy with the promise that if Iggy sees Purcell again, then he's going to contact them.
Back in MTAC, McGee compliments Tony on his idea and promises to call when Iggy begins moving. Tony thanks McGee and hangs up as Gibbs silently looks on.
In the TAT HQ, Kate rounds on Tony who insists that as lead agent, he should never give up his lead communication, simply because as he's the senior agent.
Kate voices her disbelief and believes that she thought that they were the team. Tony replies that they are but he's the team leader.
As he leaves, Kate demands to know if she's the follower before stating that she doesn't think so.
With that, she grabs her bag and rushes after Tony.
In MTAC, Bushell is looking grim-faced. Gibbs remarks that the last time he saw his former C.O look like that when they were serving in Bosnia.
Gibbs also remembers that it was the same look Bushnell had after they'd returned to Brčko, two days after NATO had ordered them out.
Bushnell remarks that he can still the town burning and grimly remarks that he has been given a direct order to protect Purcell as a valuable Intelligence asset.
Gibbs is outraged at the news and starts to say something but Bushnell states that he already knows and that there are only two things a Marine can do upon being given a direct order: obey or resign.
Gibbs is stunned by Bushnell choosing to resign but Bushnell tells him that he will never ever have another Brčko on his conscience.
Gibbs just hangs his head before asking Bushnell if the Colonel can find out who's protecting Purcell.
Bushnell tells him that it's someone from the Farm but he has no way of knowing who it is.
McGee wants to know how Bushnell contacts him. Bushnell tells McGee that it's an encrypted teleconference just like this one.
As McGee nods, putting a plan together in his mind, Gibbs wants to know if Bushnell has ever seen the guy in question with Bushnell admitting that he hasn't given how the mysterious person always appears in shadow and regard it as very corny, like some Cold War film.
"That's corny but it's effective", Gibbs replies.
McGee then tells Gibbs that if Bushnell can get the guy on a teleconference, then there's a chance that the mysterious guy can be patched through to them.
Gibbs nods and finally agrees with the plan before calling Bushnell's name.
Back in Ciudad del Este, Iggy's heading off somewhere as Kate and Tony follow from a distance.
As this goes on, Tony's on the phone to MTAC, asking McGee where they are.
Back in MTAC, as Gibbs silently looks on, McGee tells them that they're on San Gusta Street near the heart of the city before informing them that Iggy's turning left. Tony snaps that he can see that because he's looking right at Iggy.
Kate then realizes that Iggy's stopping up ahead for some reason.
In MTAC, Gibbs prepares to sip his coffee.
Back in the city, Tony wants to know who he's with. Kate then digs into her bag, producing a pair of binoculars which she looks through before realizing with surprise that Iggy's meeting Purcell.
Tony confirms that and wants to know if they should bring Purcell in but Gibbs refuses.
When Tony begins questioning why, Gibbs gets up from the chair and joins McGee at the screen.
Gibbs then orders both Tony and Kate to tail Purcell.
Tony repeats this to Kate who's just as confused as Tony is.
A few seconds later, Purcell and Iggy leave the table together.
In MTAC, Tony tells them that the two men are heading for a hotel. Gibbs orders Tony and Kate to follow them and not to engage unless they have to.
McGee realizes that Iggy's altitude is increasing, causing Gibbs to realize that Iggy's in an elevator and informs Tony that it's heading for the third floor.
In the hotel, Kate leaves the lift and meets Iggy who attempts to go back down the hall, only for Tony to intercept Iggy and drag him back into the hall.
Iggy gets all tongue-tied and stammers about Purcell being in the hotel, only for Kate to draw her gun and aim it at Iggy's crotch while stating, "Wrong answer".
In a hotel room, Purcell throws his hat on the bed and is busy applying a silencer to a gun while remarking that he loved his wife, even if he couldn't trust her.
He then remarks that he paid $75,000 American dollars which is a fortune down here before turning to the girl who is none other than Anna Real herself before asking her why she isn't dead.
Real admits that "Escopeta" confused her with her little sister and that he killed her sister instead of her.
Purcell remarks that Real's sister would still be alive if Real hadn't threatened to betray him.
Purcell then bids Real farewell and she screams at him to shoot her, stating she'd rather be dead than spend another day with a monster like him.
Purcell tells her to close her eyes just as Real begins crying.
However, Kate and Tony crash into the room, startling both Purcell and Real.
Kate orders Purcell to drop the gun but Tony soon realizes that Purcell's actually considering killing Real despite having two armed American agents who have their guns trained on him.
Kate tells Tony to double-tap the head while she'll gladly double-tap Purcell's heart with Tony agreeing.
Purcell then finally drops the weapon.
In MTAC, Bushnell has managed to get his mysterious contact online and thanks to McGee, the farm contact is uploaded to MTAC instead.
It then shows that the contact is a man whose entire face and body is covered in shadow.
Gibbs identifies himself as NCIS and tells the contact to give up Purcell or else he will personally compromise the identity of the terrorist: Ari Haswari.
Gibbs states what's more important: their link to Al-Qaeda or a child molester?
The choice leaves the man unsettled.
Gibbs then tells the man that it's his call before hanging up.
McGee comes over to Gibbs and asks what they're supposed to do.
Gibbs tells him that they wait.
Back at the TAT HQ, Tony and Kate are grilling Purcell while informing them that according to his wife, Purcell is not only getting intel from the rackets in Ciudad del Este, Purcell also runs some of them too.
Kate, disgusted tells Purcell that the rings are drugs, organ harvesting and even child prostitution rings.
Purcell tells them that it's his mission to infiltrate those groups and that he's very good at it.
Kate then asks him about sleeping with underage children.
Tony then states that once Real's testified, then Purcell will be spending the rest of his life in Leavenworth. Purcell then tells Tony that he's got it all wrong.
Apparently, Real wasn't threatening to tell the U.S Government. She was going to tell her own people.
"What difference does that make?", Tony asks.
Purcell just laughs.
The door opens and Tabarez comes in, uncuffing Purcell while remarking that Tony should have shot him when he had the chance.
Kate is outraged at what's going on and rounds on Tabarez who simply tells her that he's following orders.
Purcell then excuses himself, stating that he has a job to do before leaving.
In MTAC, McGee announces that there's another encrypted transmission coming through.
Gibbs tells McGee to put it up and as McGee does, the screen shows Purcell walking down the street, singing to himself.
It then reveals that it's not only a camera but also a sniper rifle and with one shot, Purcell hits the ground, dead, having been shot in the head.
The farm contact then appears and looks at them silently before signing off for good.
Gibbs removes his headset and tells McGee to bring Tony and Kate home before leaving MTAC.
It then cuts to McGee who's stunned at having witnessed a live feed of someone getting executed.
Trivia
- This is one of the episodes where Kate and McGee continue their ribbing of Tony for the events of Dead Man Talking (episode).
- When Tony and Kate enter Horlacher's apartment, the 1950 film No Man of Her Own starring Barbara Stanwyck, John Lund and Lyle Bettger can be seen on the TV. In the film, Stanwyck's character lives a secret life after she assumes the identity of a dead woman.
- The team, when they discover the body, immediately describe him as a 'transsexual'. The only information they have at that time is a man dressed as a woman, which strictly speaking is a 'transvestite'. They continue to mix up the two throughout. A transvestite just enjoys cross dressing. Many have no desire to change sex or have any gender dysphoria.
- Purcell is criticized for being married to a 17-year-old woman; the agents are apparently unaware that the age of consent for sex between men and women in Paraguay is 16 outside of marriage, 14 within marriage. This implies that the marriageable age is 14, so the relationship is completely legal under local law.
- "An Eye For An Eye" is a quotation used in the Hebrew Bible, in that if a person injured the eye of the victim, they are to give their own eye as compensation. In today's language, it usually refers to revenge, or payback of any means. i.e. "He killed my brother, I want him dead. An eye for an eye."
- While Tony and Kate are up in the squad room, talking about the eyes as well as the movie, a mike attached to the left side of Sasha Alexander's back can be seen when the camera focuses on her. This is presumably a microphone that the actors use to talk to one another during filming.
- Similarly to The Bone Yard (episode), the main criminal isn't shot dead by members of the main NCIS team. Instead, the main criminal here is shot dead by an unidentified sniper.
Cast
Series Regulars
| Name | Portrayed by | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Leroy Jethro Gibbs | Mark Harmon | An NCIS Special Agent in charge of the main NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Caitlin Todd | Sasha Alexander | A Secret Service Agent previously assigned to the Presidential Protection Detail on Air Force One and who is now an NCIS Special Agent as well as Tony DiNozzo's partner. |
| Anthony DiNozzo Junior | Michael Weatherly | The Senior Agent of the main NCIS Major Case Response Team and also the second-in-command. |
| Abigail Sciuto | Pauley Perette | A Goth who is also the Chief Forensic Scientist and who also works for the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Timothy McGee | Sean Murray (actor) | An NCIS Special Agent previously assigned to the Norfolk Naval Base who is now the Junior Agent of the main NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Donald Mallard | David McCallum | NCIS's Chief Medical Examiner. |
Recurring Cast
| Name | Portrayed by | Role |
|---|---|---|
| James Palmer | Brian Dietzen | Gerald Jackson's temporary replacement as the Assistant Medical Examiner. |
Guest Cast
| Name | Portrayed by | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Guyman Purcell | Anthony Heald | An intelligence analyst who is also a paedophile. |
| Joe Tabarez | Carlos Lacámara | A TAT contact. |
| Bushnell | Madison Mason | Colonel in the United States Marine Corps. |
| Ignacio Mejia | Mark Adair-Rios | AKA Iggy, he is a street vendor who has regular contact with Joe Tabarez. |
| Della Robinson | Cleo King | The manager of the building where Petty Officer Benjamin Horlacher lived. |
| Benjamin Horlacher | Daniel Jay Shore | Petty Officer in the United States Navy. |
| Anna Real | Tania Raymonde | Guyman Purcell's wife. |
| Allison Donovan | Virginia Reece | A woman who lives in the same apartment building as Petty Officer Benjamin Horlacher. |
| Susan Ellsworth | Kristin Proctor | First Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. |
| US Intelligence Agent | Gorja Max | |
| Stephen Morley | Lyle Bettger | Character from the 1950 movie, "No Man of Her Own". Archive footage. Uncredited role. |
| Helen Ferguson | Barbara Stanwyck | AKA "Patrice Harkness", she is also a character from the 1950 movie, "No Man of Her Own". Archive footage. Uncredited role. |