A Department of Defense investigator scrutinizes the NCIS team’s response to the Bodnar case involving the murder of Ziva’s father and Vance’s wife. Meanwhile, the team examines whether a Petty Officer is suffering from paranoia or if his claims of being followed are tied to a matter of national security.

The international manhunt for Eli David's killer turns into a federal witch hunt against Gibbs and the team, which questions their unconventional methods and threatens their future at the agency.

An explosion at a D.C. event that results in a casualty connected to the agency changes Parsons’ perspective on Gibbs and the NCIS team. Meanwhile, without badges, DiNozzo and McGee investigate the case as civilians, despite the case’s dangerous ties to each of them.