Check is the eleventh episode of NCIS Season 12 and the 269th episode of the entire NCIS series.
Synopsis
The NCIS team investigate two crime scenes, both of which appear to be copycats of two previous cases while two of Gibbs's ex-wives show up at a crime scene to discuss something important with him. Tragedy later strikes when someone with a close connection to Gibbs is murdered by an old enemy.
Prologue
With R&B music playing in the background, a lone car arrives at a diner.
As the boot of the car opens, the driver, Mike Batowski gets out.
"You're late", one female worker, Alice says.
"And we're dying", her female colleague, Vera complains as she also states that someone should shoot her.
The driver then takes out a packet of beers from the boot and remarks if it was a girl's night before asking them to let him guess.
He takes a sniff and then says "Vermouth" before placing the packet down onto the steps.
As the two refuse to answer, the driver states that they should know that the stuff isn't supposed to be guzzled and that it's an aperitif.
"A what?", Alice wonders, puzzled.
Mike then goes on to explain that aperitif is an alcoholic beverage served before the meal to stimulate the appetite.
As Mike puts another box, Vera remarks that it's pretty fancy talk for a guy carrying a box of stolen pickles much to Alice's own amusement.
Mike states that they're not stolen and that the distributor over-ordered and that Mike's cousin did some "creative inventory management".
As this goes on, Alice hands Vera the keys.
As Vera unlocks the door, Alice removes her sunglasses and remarks that Mike's pickle-thief cousin is going to get him into trouble.
Once the door's opened, Alice heads in first followed by Mike who complains that they're just pickles with Vera last.
As they head into the main area of the diner, Mike keeps wondering how some pickles are going to get him into trouble?
Suddenly, Alice gasps.
Seconds later, Vera gasps.
The three then stop, staring at the scene before them.
It then shows that five people, four men and a single woman are all lying on the floor, dead, pools of blood near the woman, all five having apparently shot each other.
It then cuts to Alice, Mike and Vera, all of whom look completely stunned at what they're seeing.
Act One
Act Two
Act Three
Act Four
A while later, Gibbs arrives at the parking lot and sees Diane there, standing at the railings just a few inches away from her parked car.
"Hey", Gibbs calls.
Upon hearing that, Diane turns around and wonders what the Hell took Gibbs so long.
As she approaches Gibbs, she sarcastically remarks that thank goodness she had this lovely view to enjoy.
As he gets closer, Gibbs wonders what's going on.
"What do you mean?", Diane asks.
Gibbs tells Diane that she said she knew what was going on.
"When?", Diane says, puzzled.
Impatient, Gibbs asks Diane why they're here.
Diane remarks that Gibbs should tell her before stating that she was getting a manicure and then she gets this cryptic text from Gibbs telling her to meet him at the top of this parking lot.
Almost instantly, Gibbs looks around, having sensed that something isn't right.
Having caught onto the gut feeling, Gibbs grabs Diane and tells her that that they gotta go right now. Unsurprisingly, Diane demands answers.
Holding onto Diane, Gibbs brings her across the car park despite Diane protesting.
Just as they reach the car, though, a single gunshot echoes through the area, sending Diane flying backwards although Gibbs is still holding onto her.
Almost immediately, Diane goes limp and Gibbs lies her down on the floor where it's shown that Diane is dead, having been shot in the head with blood also oozing from her fatal head wound.
Gibbs just stares at Diane's lifeless body in disbelief, the left side of his face and neck stained with blood.
It then cuts to an overhead shot showing Diane lying on the floor, blood now seeping on the concrete floor of the car park.
Gibbs then turns around and looks up.
Meanwhile, at a small area, Sergei Mishnev looks through a sniper rifle and remarks, "Only the beginning, my friend" while the sniper scope shows that Gibbs has gotten to his feet and is reaching for his SIG-Sauer although he stops, having realized that it's too far to get a shot off.
Gibbs soaked with Diane Sterling's blood after Sergei Mishnov shot her dead.
It then cuts to show Gibbs through the sniper scope, his features now full of intense determination and hatred.
Act Five
Cast
Series Regulars
| Name | Portrayed by | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Leroy Jethro Gibbs | Mark Harmon | Special Agent in charge of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Anthony DiNozzo Junior | Michael Weatherly | Senior Special Agent and second-in-command of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Timothy McGee | Sean Murray (actor) | Special Agent of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Abigail Sciuto | Pauley Perrette | Chief Forensic Specialist for the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| James Palmer | Brian Dietzen | Assistant Medical Examiner for the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Eleanor Bishop | Emily Wickersham | NCIS Probationary Agent. |
| Leon Vance | Rocky Carroll | Director of NCIS. |
| Donald Mallard | David McCallum | Chief Medical Examiner for the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
Recurring Cast
| Name | Portrayed by | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Diane Sterling | Melinda McGraw | Gibbs's first ex-wife. |
| Sergei Mishnev | Alex Veadov | International Mercenary. |
Other Cast
| Name | Portrayed by | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Rebecca Chase | Jeri Ryan | Gibbs's second ex-wife. |
| Gene Isaacson | Andy Milder | A man who appears in the episode. |
| Mike Batowski | Reggie Hayes | A man who appears in the episode. |
| Vera | Cesili Williams | A woman who appears in the episode. |
| Alice | Lucy Walsh | A woman who appears in the episode. |
| Unnamed Metro Police Department Officer | Alvin Cowan | A police officer with the Metro Police Department. |
| Angela Meryl | Herself | Uncredited role. |
| Lookie Loo | Margaret Newborn | Uncredited role. |