Masquerade is the fourteenth episode in NCIS Season 7 and the 152nd episode of the entire NCIS series.
Synopsis
After a car explodes during a chase in downtown D.C, the NCIS team discover that it contains radioactive material that a lone terrorist group called Libertad Nueva is using the material to create dirty bombs. With time of the essence, the team attempt to solve the case but all is not what it seems.
Prologue
In a bar as Sharon Little's "In My Dreams" plays in the background, Roy and his friend, Alfonso Vega arrive in.
Seconds later, Alfonso remarks that he came to a bar with Roy before suggesting that they go.
Roy, however puts his foot down, stating that he's listened to Alfonso complain the entire year about how Alfonso doesn't have a girlfriend before Roy tells Alfonso "Here they all are".
Alfonso states that he's not very good at picking up girls.
Roy states that even the worst pick-up lines are better than not trying. He tells Alfonso to come on and give him something.
"So is it hot in here or is it just you?", Alfonso wonders.
At the bar, a girl smiles, obviously impressed.
Roy then tells Alfonso to give him something else.
"Are you Jamaican?", Alfonso wonders. "Because you're Jamaican me crazy".
Roy, however, pulls a face, clearly disgusted at the dreadful pick-up lines before he tells Alfonso that he stands corrected with Roy also saying that's absolutely worse than not trying.
"Maybe you should just try being yourself", the girl at the bar says.
Alfonso and Roy look at each other with Roy telling Alfonso "Just be cool".
The girl then turns back, chuckling.
Alfonso approaches her, stating well if he was being himself, he wouldn't be here.
The girl remarks that she knows how he feels before introducing herself as Lynne.
"Alfonso", comes the reply.
The two shake hands with Lynne even waving to Roy who nods back, smiling.
Alfonso wonders if Lynne doesn't want to be here, then how come...
However, his eyes dart to something on the TV which has him stopping.
It then cuts to the TV screen which is showing a live car chase going on with the caption "Breaking News: Police Pursuit in D.C." while revealing that the channel is ZNN.
Alfonso stares at the screen, horrified.
"Don't have a TV at home?", Lynne wonders.
"Ahem", Roy chimes in. "Not being cool".
Alfonso then states that...that's his brother's car.
Seconds later, Alfonso's cell phone rings.
He answers it, asking his brother Roman what the hell's going on.
Over the phone, Roman tells his brother to listen carefully, that it's happening and wherever Alfonso is, he's got to run, now.
Seconds later, the car blows up live on the TV screen.
It cuts to Alfonso who's still on his cell phone while staring at the TV, stunned.
Act One
McGee and Tony after the Geiger counter McGee was holding detects radiation.
Act Two
Act Three
Act Four
In Vance's office, Vance is stunned at the fact that the victim isn't Corporal Vega before wondering who it is.
Gibbs tells Vance that the guy's name is John Cook with McGee explaining that Cook was a former staff sergeant who served briefly in the second Gulf War before being dishonorably discharged for looting.
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 | Michael Weatherly | Senior Agent and second-in-command of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Ziva David | Cote de Pablo | NCIS Probationary Agent and also a member of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Timothy McGee | Sean Murray (actor) | Junior Special Agent of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Abigail Sciuto | Pauley Perrette | Chief Forensic Specialist of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
| Leon Vance | Rocky Carroll | Director of NCIS. |
| Donald Mallard | David McCallum | Chief Medical Examiner of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. |
Recurring Cast
| Name | Portrayed by | Role |
|---|---|---|
| James Palmer | Brian Dietzen | Assistant Medical Examiner. |
| Guy Ross | Kent Shocknek | Reporter. |
| Margaret Allison Hart | Rena Sofer | Attorney who has been seen in earlier episodes, now defending suspects in Gibbs's investigations on orders from her client, Colonel Merton Bell. |
Other Cast
| Name | Portrayed by | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Walter Kane | John Getz | Owns a private investigation company that works for the Pentagon. |
| Damon Shore | Brad Greenquist | Dentist and a Doctor. |
| Alfonso Vega | Jeremy Ray Valdez | Younger brother of Ramon Vega who works at a phone company. |
| Ramon Vega | Yorlin Madera | Lance Corporal in the United States Marine Corps. |
| Roy (Masquerade) | Arjay Smith | A friend of Alfonso. |
| Lynne | Ginny Weirick | A patron at the bar Alfonso and Roy go to. |
| Guard | Marlon John | A man who appears in the episode. |