Doppelgänger is the twelfth episode in NCIS Season 2 as well as the 35th episode of the entire NCIS series.
Synopsis
The NCIS team investigate the death of a Petty Officer but they soon discover that the Officer faked his own death and that he was involved in an illegal drug prescription ring, having originally used the Navy computer system in the office for his own personal and financial gain. The team work alongside a local civilian law enforcement team whose personalities are an exact match of their own but things take a turn when the Petty Officer they've been looking for is actually found dead, having shot in the back of the head at close range and as such, the team seek to find who was responsible for his murder.
Prologue
The scene opens on a telemarketing center where numerous people are trying to sell certain items to various people.
One young man, Roland Kesta introduces himself and tells Petty Officer Dion Lambert about his job while plugging a new product he's trying to sell, only to stop when he hears the Petty Officer screaming.
He calls Lambert's name but there's no answer.
It then cuts to Kesta who looks concerned.
Act One
In the bullpen, Caitlin Todd is busy berating her partner, Anthony DiNozzo Junior over his inability to respect her privacy.
She warns him against ever answering her phone, using her computer, reading her mail, looking through her purse, scanning her PDA and even declares her cellphone off limits.
DiNozzo adds an extra slice of hash browns before hanging up and telling Kate he's innocent.
When Kate asks how Tony knows where she went to break, Timothy McGee tells her that it was from the logo on the coffee cup in her wastebasket.
Tony wonders if anyone invited McGee into the talk while Kate is disgusted upon realizing that Tony looked through her trash.
She wonders why DiNozzo does those things.
Tony insists he's sharpening his investigative skills.
The arguing is interrupted by their boss, Leroy Jethro Gibbs who tells them to grab their gear because there's a dead sailor.
Kate tells Gibbs that they didn't get any calls but Tony realizes it was on the news.
Gibbs tells DiNozzo that for once, he's right.
Once they've grabbed their stuff, they leave the bullpen, heading for the elevator.
A while later, they arrive at the crime scene where Gibbs meets McGee's counterpart, Todd Miller. who tells them that Lt. Cheney is in charge.
As Gibbs and Cheney talk, Kate, Tony and McGee pass, nodding in greeting to Miller who nods back.
Cheney tells Gibbs that he must be psychic but Gibbs admits that he watches the news.
Cheney states that their chief told him to cooperate with the media because it's budget-hearings time, Gibbs realizes.
When Gibbs asks Cheney what they've got, Cheney admits that he isn't sure. He then tells Gibbs that the kitchen door's broken in and judging from the blood, it could be murder but there's no body on the scene.
Cheney then calls for Miller who grabs the coffee cups and goes to get a refill for the two men.
As he heads off, McGee, Kate and Tony are dumbstruck.
In the meantime, Cheney and Gibbs are heading for the house as Cheney relays what happened.
Inside, there's blood on the wall and everything has been completely tossed and turned over and aside.
Rachel Rapp, Kate's counterpart emerges, telling Cheney that one of his ex-wives just called.
Cheney asks which one.
Rapp tells him the nasty one.
Cheney asks her to be more specific.
While this goes on, Kate and McGee agree that it's weird but DiNozzo believes it's good weird.
Rapp asks Cheney if he wants to call the woman back, but Cheney tells her no and that next time one of his exes calls, Rapp should get her name.
Miller returns with the coffee and gives it to Cheney and Gibbs who both sip them at the same time. Cheney tells Gibbs that unless he objects, it's an NCIS case.
"No objection", Gibbs announces.
Cheney beckons Miller and Rapp, ordering them to join and the three then leave as their NCIS counterparts look on, stunned. DiNozzo then gets Rapp just before she leaves and tries to charm her but it's clear she isn't buying the whole thing and she simply leaves.
Once Rapp's gone, Gibbs then gives out the assignments. DiNozzo is to bag and tag the trace evidence, Kate is to sketch and shoot while McGee is to tackle the laptop and answering machine.
As they get down to work, Kate stops, hoping Gibbs has picked up on the fact that the other team who have just left were exactly like them in terms of personalities but Gibbs either ignores it or doesn't care about it.
Kate tells him she'll get down to work and searches for her sketch pad. She asks Tony where it is and he tells her it's in the truck, under his seat.
Kate is furious and heads out but not before Tony tells her that he likes her pants.
As she heads out to the truck, Kate meets the fourth and final member of the team, DiNozzo's counterpart, Primo Monteleone who begins charming Kate and even invites her out for dinner.
Kate wonders why should they bother with preliminaries? Monteleone's stunned, wondering if she's joking.
"You serious?", he asks.
"She's not but I am", Cheney announces, giving Monteleone the trademark headslap with Rapp and Miller walking behind him. Monteleone smiles again and rejoins his boss.
As she watches the other team get into their car, complete with Monteleone headslapping Miller and calling him probie, similar to how DiNozzo headslaps McGee and calls him probie, Kate realises it's déjà vu.
A few hours later, Gibbs and Kate are talking to Roland who tells them that he couldn't stop because his boss has the compassion of a cluster bomb.
Roland tells them about how Lambert's name got into the system, a few methods that Kate believes are probably illegal.
Roland then gives Kate his work, cell and home numbers before ordering them not to call between six and eight, although he quickly stops himself from revealing what he does during that time.
Kate gets his card and smiles.
As he leaves, Gibbs smiles a little too.
Back in the bullpen, Gibbs drops the tape, telling McGee that Abby is to do a full acoustical analysis on the tape.
McGee tells Gibbs that Abby already has her hands full given that she's examining Petty Officer Lambert's hard drive, his answering machine and all the evidence from the crime scene.
Gibbs orders McGee to help her, which McGee leaves to do while grinning.
DiNozzo gets up and starts wondering if it's a good idea for McGee to be alone with the... but a single glance from Gibbs has him changing his tune and while Kate's on her phone, he tells them that he was going through Lambert's papers. Kate sarcastically tells him that it's something he's very good at.
DiNozzo states that there's a second name on the lease: George Mansur.
Abandoning her phone, Kate tells Tony that there was no sign of a roommate in that house. Tony then starts rambling over how Kate had a roommate sixteen months ago but a punch from her stops him.
Gibbs announces that Kate's with him to which she replies, "Gladly," before Gibbs orders Tony to find Mansur.
"On it, boss", DiNozzo replies, but as he heads to his desk, he tries to get a sneak glimpse of Kate's cellphone, only for her to make a surprise reappearance and grab it back, although Tony smiles. She had someone called David B. visible on the screen.
In the lab, Abigail Sciuto informs Gibbs, Kate and McGee that the only blood type was O positive which also happens to be the same type as Petty Officer Lambert's.
She's also determined that the missing body is that of Lambert himself but when Gibbs asks about the unidentified prints and blood spatter analysis, Abby admits she hasn't had time to go through those yet but she and Kate get distracted by talking about female superheroes, namely Supergirl, Xena, Wonderful Women or the Powerpuff Girls.
They get back on track when McGee discovers that Lambert erased his hard drive but he tells Abby Lambert used a DOD-certified wipe program which means that the program not only deletes but it overrides seven times which means that all the information's gone.
Gibbs then realizes that the only reason Lambert would use is if he's hiding something.
McGee soon tells them that Lambert's answering machine was left untouched and that there are two messages.
One's from Blockbuster concerning the late return of Happy Gilmore and one is from Thrifty Phone Services.
Gibbs wants to hear the call but not before ordering Abby to do the blood-spatter analysis.
Abby returns to her desk, singing, "Yo ho. Heave ho" which has Gibbs smirking. McGee then plays the call and a man identifying himself as Dennis Brough from Thrifty Phone Services is heard talking to Lambert but the message ends abruptly with McGee realizing that Lambert must have answered the call.
Gibbs tasks Kate to find Dennis Brough and she leaves the lab to do just that. McGee is then tasked with doing acoustic analysis and begins working on it.
For the next minutes, Gibbs drifts back and forth between Abby and McGee, watching as they work.
He even leaves to get some coffee yet after a while, Abby reveals that she's finished and that Gibbs was right. McGee and Kate announce that they're right before a fight to see who Gibbs should hear first breaks out.
Abby raises her hand and unsurprisingly, Gibbs chooses Abby much to McGee and Kate's disappointment.
Abby then tells Gibbs that the blood drops they found in Lambert's house were all arranged and that someone took a step and dropped some blood.
McGee is Gibbs's next port of call and McGee has determined that the supposed screaming were actually sound effects from Lambert's computer.
Kate's last and she tells Gibbs that she spoke to Dennis Brough who's at home with the flu and that his supervisor gave Dennis's lead to Roland Kesta.
Gibbs realizes that Petty Officer Lambert asked Kesta to call him back. Kate then adds, "Between eight and ten last night".
Once the facts are in, Gibbs comes to one conclusion: Petty Officer Lambert faked his own murder.
Gibbs after coming to the realization that Petty Officer Dion Lambert faked his own murder.
It then cuts to Gibbs who stares at the screen.
Act Two
The next day, Gibbs realizes that they've got an advantage over Petty Officer Lambert because Lambert doesn't know that NCIS knows that he's still alive.
Kate announces she'll flag his accounts: his bank credit, ATM, email but Tony doesn't see the point, telling her that Lambert faked his death and left his laptop, wallet, cellphone and car behind and does she really think he's going to swipe the old charge card at the local Jugs-Are-Us?
Gibbs remarks that Tony's right (again) and DiNozzo can't help rubbing it in much to Kate's dismay.
Gibbs tells her to do just to be on the safe side and that Tony finds Lambert's ex roommate, that his accounts ought to get checked too.
Tony announces that he's zooming in on him but he hasn't find Mansur although he's in awe at the fact that for a computer geek, Mansur made six figures last year.
"Wishing you were a computer geek, Tony?", McGee pipes up.
"I'd rather be homeless than be you, Probie", Tony retorts.
Gibbs looks at the address and realizes it's the same as Petty Officer Lambert's. Tony realizes that Mansur's choice of car is a 93 Hyundai. McGee wonders how could someone depreciate a car that old? Tony wonders how someone making six figures would even drive a car that old.
Gibbs tells Tony there's only one way which Tony guesses is to find Mansur which he is trying or rather going to do. Gibbs then gets up and suddenly announces that McGee's with him.
As they grab their guns and coats and head for the lift, McGee asks Gibbs where they're going.
Gibbs tells him they're going to talk to Lambert's shipmates but McGee realizes that Gibbs was using a military euphemism.
"You think?", Gibbs asks sarcastically.
McGee then figures out it's really the Bethesda Hospital Computer Center and Gibbs tells McGee that he speaks their language.
McGee wonders if he's going to interview them but Gibbs tells the younger man that he will be interviewing them while McGee translates for him before beckoning McGee into the lift.
They soon get to the computer center and begin interviewing Petty Officer Niles Wilson who's stunned at the fact that because Lambert's been U.A. (unauthorized absence) for just a single day, NCIS is already investigating.
Wilson doesn't have a problem and tells Gibbs what Lambert's job. When Gibbs is lost, McGee translates by stating that Lambert was writing a program as part of an overhaul and update the Naval medical computer system.
Gibbs asks about sensitive information with Wilson telling him that a person's medical information is very sensitive.
Gibbs wants to know about anything national security sensitive and Wilson goes into another long-winded explanation although McGee tells Gibbs that there's nothing national security sensitive involved at all.
Wilson then states that Lambert's Definition of Fitness Report or FITREPs were above standard and that he was a regular guy although Gibbs states that their definition of regular might be different.
Wilson then recalls how he wanted to talk to Lambert about something and when he tapped the man, Lambert jumped out of his chair with McGee translating for him although Gibbs tells McGee that he gets it.
Gibbs then announces he'll need copies of all the stuff in the office and McGee gives Wilson a technical translation with Wilson agreeing to it.
The supervisor, Karen Wilkerson then arrives in and introduces herself to Gibbs who tells her she's late.
Wilkerson admits that they've been making a software changeover and that it's been crazy recently.
Gibbs orders McGee to help with gathering the copies and then takes Wilkerson out into the corridor so that they can discuss Petty Officer Lambert. She tells him Lambert's a good guy and a hard worker.
In the corridor, it's obvious that Gibbs and Wilkerson are attracted to one another. Wilkerson, like Petty Officer Wilson wants to know why NCIS is investigating Lambert who's missed just one day of work. She then leaves, telling Gibbs she can work weekends. Gibbs is just amazed by her, muttering "Wow!" in appreciation before he walks off.
Back at the bullpen, Kate's insisting she's got nothing to hide.
Tony disagrees and wonders if Kate's in a slump.
Thankfully, it's interrupted by Gibbs's appearance.
Kate tells him that Mansur withdrew six thousand dollars from his bank account the weekend before he moved out.
Tony pipes up that Mansur has moved three times in the last six years and that at the last address, he didn't file a forwarding address.
Gibbs then realizes whatever Lambert was working on, he's certain that the Petty Officer and Mansur were in together although Kate believes that Lambert faked his death to get out of the Navy because he wanted to make some money like Mansur.
Gibbs doesn't buy it, stating that Lambert's enlistment was up in five months before he orders McGee to go check on Abby and see how she's getting on with the stuff they brought back from the Bethesda Hospital Computer Center.
McGee does just that.
In the lab, Abby's been looking through codes and she's yawning. McGee arrives in with a Caf-Pow, stating the caffeine should help keep her awake which she thanks him for.
She then remarks that she's looked at a hundred thousand lines of code and is wondering if it's possible to die of boredom.
McGee assures her it isn't and with that, the two spend the next few minutes comparing the worst jobs they've ever done but Abby stops McGee by telling him she's found why Petty Officer Lambert faked his own murder.
It then cuts to the lift where McGee is telling Gibbs what he knows so far.
In the lab, Abby reveals that Lambert inserted a simple command in the program that would automatically send him drugs and that for every 337 prescriptions, one was for him.
When Gibbs asks about the drugs, Abby tells him that it was painkillers, Percocet, Vicodin and Oxycontin with Abby revealing that Oxycontin is twice as addictive as heroin.
Unfortunately, the word, "pistachios" gets them off track and Gibbs headslaps McGee who gets right back on topic by telling him that the Navy writes a lot of prescriptions and that given the amount of drugs Lambert was getting, there's no way it was personal use.
Abby reveals that in the last month, Lambert has gotten 18,000 Oxycontin, 12,000 Percocet, 9,000 Vicodin.
McGee reveals that the legal price for 80 milligrams of Oxycontin is six dollars.
Gibbs figures out that the street price is sixty to eighty dollars with Abby revealing that Lambert made a million dollars on the Oxycontin alone.
"Cash", McGee states.
Gibbs then realizes that Petty Officer Lambert is long gone with Abby stating that she would be.
It then cuts to Gibbs and McGee who are staring at the plasma screen.
Act Three
The next morning, Wilkerson is amazed at what they've uncovered in regards to the illegal drugs ring.
McGee tells her that Abby Sciuto, their scientist who's a whiz at codes, found out.
Gibbs then comes in and tells Wilkerson that she never even suspected that Lambert was abusing his access to the Navy's drug systems.
Wilkerson admits she wasn't and that it didn't happen until NCIS walked in while stating that after that they left, she had Petty Officer Wilson run a check on Lambert's computer.
Wilson even admits that Sciuto must be hot which leaves McGee speechless for once.
Wilkerson then asks Gibbs what made him so suspicious.
While grabbing some coffee, Gibbs admits that he was convinced when he discovered that Lambert had faked his own death.
Wilkerson's stunned.
Gibbs tells her Lambert wanted them looking for his body instead of him.
Wilson then wonders about meeting Abby Sciuto but McGee tells him she's probably not his type. Unfortunately, his plan hits a snag when Wilson reveals that he has a thing for Goths which has McGee disappointed.
Gibbs tells Wilkerson that thieves are like gamblers and that they never quit, even when they're ahead.
Wilkerson figures out that the new software goes online in five days and that Lambert was probably afraid the system would pick up his scam.
Wilson who's been working announces that he's gotten the address which is box 781, Mail Boxes Etc., 14th Street.
Gibbs then orders McGee and Wilson to keep on pulling the prescriptions and see if anything else is in the pipeline.
He then dials a number and requests Lt. Cheney before ordering Wilkerson to join him in the other room.
Wilson wants to know more about Abby but a pissed McGee tells him he's not capable of working and talking at the same time which promptly shuts Wilson up.
In the office, Wilkerson wants to know if he'll find Lambert.
Gibbs assures her he usually does before Cheney comes on the line. Gibbs tells the other man what he's found and request Cheney and his team arrive at NCIS in one hour before hanging up and he resumes flirting with Wilkerson once more.
An hour later, Cheney and Miller are at NCIS where after a mishap involving coffee, Cheney tells Gibbs that one suspect has popped up: a guy named Aaron Alan Wright who got probation after being caught dealing to his frat brothers at Syracuse and when Gibbs asks why Cheney hasn't busted Wright, Cheney admits that he's interested in the other end of the pipeline that Wright's supplying.
Cheney tells Miller to call Rapp and Monteleone and have Wright brought to NCIS for questioning.
The two geeks (Miller and McGee) of their respective teams begin drooling over new technology while the technophobes (Cheney and Gibbs) shake their heads in disbelief.
A while later, Wright's in Interrogation, having brought his lawyer, Arthur Gruden while Gibbs and Cheney tag-team Wright.
In Observation, DiNozzo and Monteleone are drooling over the watch Gruden's wearing which causes Kate and Rapp to shake their heads in disbelief.
While this goes on, Cheney and Gibbs get rough, threatening Wright with hard time if he doesn't play ball with them. Cheney and Gibbs then make a bet on how long Wright's going to stay in jail which causes Wright and Gruden to leave.
In Observation, DiNozzo and Monteleone are having a good laugh about what happened although Gibbs and Cheney soon berate them, stating that they didn't break him although Cheney remarks that they probably made Wright wet himself.
Gibbs agrees and laughs at that.
Wright's storming the bullpen and produces a cigarette despite Gruden telling him to wait until they've gotten outside. Wright ignores him, lighting up in the lift and then blows out a puff of smoke into the squad room which has Gruden sighing and rolling his eyes in dismay.
In the hall, Gibbs and Cheney with Miller and McGee have left Interrogation and Observation. Tony and Monteleone hang back with Kate and Rapp.
Tony tries to charm Rapp in going out with him by promising some Chinese food but Rapp blows him off, stating that DiNozzo's almost good-looking as he thinks he is.
With that, Rapp leaves and Kate goes in the opposite direction with Monteleone going in the same way as Rapp but not before he gives DiNozzo something of a comforting or reassuring pat on the shoulder.
As the team head into the bullpen, Abby rushes in with the news that Lambert's ex room-mate, George Lambert is now online at the Key Bridge Cybercafe in Georgetown.
Gibbs grabs his gun and orders DiNozzo and McGee to join him while Kate's tasked with the phones and Abby is to keep tabs on Mansur's computer.
As they rush out, Kate's dismayed at being left behind, remarking that it's a boy's night out although Abby states it's a girl's night in and suggests transferring the phones to her lab which Kate does.
The two then head off down to the lab for a girly-girly night in.
In Georgetown, DiNozzo and Gibbs drag a protesting Mansur out of the cyber cafe while McGee's inside, going through the computer.
Mansur then tells them that he moved out because Lambert bought the place two weeks ago and that he didn't want a room-mate anymore.
Gibbs then questions Mansur about the change of address but Mansur tells him he sent it in yesterday.
DiNozzo wonders if Mansur and Lambert are partners. Mansur disagrees, stating that "Dion"/Petty Officer Lambert works his own trades.
Gibbs is interrupted by his cellphone ringing and heads off to answer while DiNozzo finally gets to grills Mansur about his choice of car with Mansur admitting that although he likes girls, he's not a car guy.
Gibbs ends the call and that DiNozzo to have McGee and Abby do what they do when they hook up which DiNozzo smirks about but Gibbs stops him by giving him a head-slap.
DiNozzo asks Gibbs what's going on.
Gibbs then grimly tells him and Mansur that Lt. Cheney found Petty Officer Lambert in a ravine in Rock Creek Park.
It then cuts to the park and the ravine where Cheney and Monteleone are examining the scene.
It then pans down to reveal that Petty Officer Lambert who faked his death is actually dead for real this time, having been shot in the back of the head.
Act Four
Both the local civilian and NCIS teams are now at the crime scene with Donald Mallard, NCIS's Medical Examiner having arrived to bring the body back for autopsy.
As he gets ready to take a liver temp, Ducky wonders if this is the Petty Officer who faked his death. Gibbs tells it is unless DNA says otherwise.
Ducky admits that Lambert isn't faking now and while he takes a liver temp, Gibbs states that the shooter put one round in the back of Lambert's head.
Ducky then realizes that Lambert's hair is burned and guesses the muzzle of the gun that killed the Petty Officer was within two inches of his skull.
Cheney and Gibbs rule out Wright and Mansur, stating that neither have the guts to pull the trigger.
Gibbs wants to know what time Lambert died but Ducky urges him to be patient given that his Assistant, James Palmer is at home with the flu.
A few seconds later, Ducky gets a reading and confirms that Lambert was killed between 1800 and 2100 hours.
"How does that jive with your gut?", he asks.
"Well, let us see", Gibbs replies, dialing a number.
In the lab, McGee's amazed at the progress Mansur went in regards to buying various companies with Abby remarking that it must have happened when the FDA approved androgen lipstick.
McGee's in disbelief over that which pisses Abby off to no end so much so that when the phone rings, she angrily yells, "What?!".
Gibbs holds the phone away before wondering what McGee did this time.
"He put his size 10 shoe in his size 12 mouth", Abby snaps.
Gibbs wants to know when Mansur logged onto the cybercafé. Abby checks and informs him that it was at 16:56, four minutes before the Tokyo market opened and that the longest trading gap was six minutes before Neanderthal boy (McGee) took over.
"Once you're done with Neanderthal boy, tell him to release Mansur", Gibbs states.
"That might be a while, Gibbs", Abby replies.
Up at the car, Kate and Monteleone are flirting again until Kate finds several cigarettes.
She then realizes that someone's been chain-smoking. Cheney and Gibbs have dragged Aaron Wright back in but they drag him to the morgue when he witnesses Ducky autopsying Lambert's body.
Unfortunately, the sight proves too much for Wright who throws up into a single bowl and once Ducky's gotten the bullet and placed it into a bowl, Cheney sarcastically remarks that Ducky's storytelling is "fascinating".
After recovering, Wright tells them that someone else was involved and tells them that if they find Lambert's partner, then they'll find who killed him.
Back at the Computer Center, McGee searches Niles Wilson's computer with DiNozzo and Wilson looking on and as she and Gibbs enter the office, Wilkerson admits that if two of her people were ripping off the system, then she should be fired for incompetence. Gibbs tells her that Petty Wilson was in on the scam too.
McGee then reveals that there's a Trojan horse on Wilson's computer and with that, Wilson's arrested although he protests that he loves the Navy and that he'd never steal from it.
DiNozzo then finds a packet of Marlboro cigarettes which he hands to Gibbs.
In the lab, Abby is taking samples from each cigarette and once she's placed them into the machine, tells McGee that no-one gets everything right the first time except Gibbs.
McGee can't believe that Wilson's responsible and Abby tells him that while trusting is a good quality in a relationship, it sucks during an investigation.
Realizing McGee's down, Abby gives him a kiss on the head while perks McGee up and adds a smile to his face.
Wilkerson and Gibbs are in the basement, working on another boat where Gibbs shows her that sanding a boat is a feeling you can't get from the modern power tools.
In the lab, after running some tests, Abby realizes that something's up. She's found that the cigarettes on Wright and Wilson's packets are twins but they're not identical because they came from different packets.
Abby states that it's correct but it's not the point she was going for.
McGee then realizes that whoever killed Lambert didn't smoke Marlboro cigarettes and Abby tells him that the butts Kate found at the scene were Llamas which has McGee stating he's got to call Gibbs because Abby proved that Petty Officer Wilson isn't the killer.
"Or Aaron Wright", Abby adds.
McGee believes that Abby's ruled out both suspects but Abby admits that she didn't and that either one could still be the murderer.
She also tells McGee that the only thing she proved was that someone was smoking Llamas at Rock Creek Park but McGee calls Gibbs anyway.
In the basement, Gibbs's cellphone is ringing and it's shown that Gibbs and Wilkerson are now leaning against the boat, kissing one another.
Eventually, Gibbs pulls away and goes to answer it, telling McGee that this had better the most important call he's ever made.
In the lab, McGee tries to pass to Abby but she rushes away, maintaining a safe distance, forcing him to talk to Gibbs alone.
In the basement, Wilkerson's found some alcohol. She sets two mugs down on the table and pours alcohol into both.
In the corner, Gibbs ends his call with McGee and hangs up. Wilkerson asks if everything's alright. Gibbs assures that it is but judging by his face, it's clear that something's off.
Wilkerson notices and Gibbs tells her Petty Officer won't cope to anything before changing the subject. He then asks her if she's got some cigarettes.
Wilkerson's surprised by that and produces some Llamas which proves to Gibbs that she's the one who murdered Petty Officer Lambert although Gibbs pretends he doesn't know.
As he lights a cigarette for Wilkerson, Gibbs asks her if she's ever been to Sicily. She remarks it's an interesting segue.
Gibbs then reveals that Capaci is a town outside Palermo and that in 1991, there was a Mafia don in a hillside orchard, chain-smoking, watching the road below.
Two cars came around the corner in a tight formation and once the don hit a switch, the road exploded.
As Gibbs tells this, he lights his own cigarette, stating that the bomb killed the chief magistrate prosecuting the Sicilian Mafia, his wife and three bodyguards.
The Carabinieri (the national military police of Italy) found the cigarette butts in the orchard which they sent to the FBI crime lab who matched the DNA to the don whose saliva was on the filters of the butts and that it was the first time that DNA had ever been used to successfully prosecute a killer.
Once that's over, Wilkerson remarks that Gibbs is a very strange man and he tells her it's about to get stranger.
Gibbs then turns around, revealing he's putting some gloves.
Once they're on, he then calmly plucks the cigarette out of Wilkerson's hand and while bagging it, tells her that he's hoping that the DNA on her cigarette doesn't match the butts they found where Lambert was executed.
She just stares at him.
"Oh, I really do", Gibbs states and without another word, leans to kiss her.
It then cuts to Wilkerson's face where it's shown that she's stunned by what's happened while hinting that she also knows that she's done for.
Trivia
- When the first Investigative team leave the crime scene as Kate goes to get her sketch pad out of the truck, you can hear that the editors have duped previous DiNozzo dialogue over Monteleone ("Get in the car Probie!") while Gibbs/Lt. Cheney slaps him on the back of the head. Not only can you hear the difference in voices but it is clear that Detective Monteleone isn't even saying the words.
- The first murderer prosecuted through use of DNA was Colin Pitchfork. He was an English rapist and killer caught by the British police. The FBI had no part in the investigation.
- The title of this episode, as well as the in-joke on the episode, is the doppelganger team, which is made up of four investigators who are exact copies of the team in terms of personalities and appearances. There is the coffee-loving lead Lt.Cheney/Gibbs, the strong female Detective Rachel Rapp/Kate Todd, the flirtatious Italian who will hit on anything including the women who don't want him Detective Primo Monteleone/Tony DiNozzo and the probie Detective Todd Miller/Tim McGee.
- While Tony is busy searching Petty Officer Niles, the first closeup as he hands Niles's wallet has him with no gloves and during the second closeup when he finds the cigarette box inside Niles's shoe, he is seen wearing gloves yet when he hands the box to Gibbs, the gloves have magically disappeared.
- The name that Petty Officer Dion Lambert uses to send drugs to his P.O is "Chad Murray". In real life, Chad Murray is a former crew member of NCIS who now works on NCIS's spin-off series, NCIS: Los Angeles and is also the real-life brother of Sean Murray who plays Timothy McGee. Chad also played the murder victim in the Season 1 episode, The Curse (episode).
- Sasha Alexander (Kate Todd) and John Doman (Cheney) would later work alongside each other again in the TV series, "Rizzoli and Isles" with Alexander playing Medical Examiner Maura Isles and Doman playing Paddy Doyle, a gangster and the biological father of Maura Isles.
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. |
Guest Cast
| Name | Portrayed by | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Cheney | John Doman | The head of a civilian law enforcement team located in around Washington D.C. and Leroy Jethro Gibbs's counterpart. |
| Primo Monteleone | Chad Willett | Anthony DiNozzo's counterpart and a member of the civilian law enforcement team by Lt. Cheney. |
| Rachel Rapp | Rebecca McFarland | Another member of the civilian law enforcement team and Caitlin Todd's counterpart. |
| Todd Miller | Will Burke | The fourth and final member of the civilian law enforcement team and also Timothy McGee's counterpart. |
| Karen Wilkerson | Kimberly Oja | A supervisor at a Navy facility and also the one responsible for killing Petty Officer Dion Lambert. |
| Aaron Alan Wright | Rob Benedict | A suspect who is later found innocent. |
| Arthur Gruden | Willie C. Carpenter | Aaron Alan Wright's lawyer. |
| Niles Wilson | Grant Garrison | Petty Officer in the United States Navy. |
| Dion Lambert | Bryan Irzyk | Petty Officer in the United States Navy and the main murder victim. Uncredited role. |
| George Mansur | Craig Welzbacher | Dion Lambert's former room-mate. |
| Roland Kesta | Jeremy Guskin | A telemarketer. |
| Salesperson 1 | Michael Archer | A man who appears in the episode. |
| Salesperson 2 | Ange Billman | A woman who appears in the episode. Uncredited role. |