Agenti vyšetřují pumový útok na bývalou elitní pilotku, které už dlouhou dobu vyhrožuje Al Kajda za její údajné zabití deseti civilistů v Afghánistánu. Gibbs se svým týmem je však v poněkud nevýhodné situaci. Je rozhodnuto, že vyšetřování případu povede hlavně FBI a oni mají ženě zajistit bezpečnost. Spolupráce je poněkud problematická, a tak Gibbs musí vyšetřovatelku FBI výhrůžkou o předání informací tisku donutit k vydání podezřelého. Poté už není problém zadržet ostatní členy teroristické skupiny. Jenomže teprve pak Gibbs pochopí, že ženu se vedle profesionálních vrahů snažil zabít i nějaký amatér.

Miki's car is being hosed down as the NCIS truck pulls up. Gibbs gets out with his coffee and cap in hand. An FBI agent tries to stop Gibbs from entering the crime scene. He gives her the stare, and the agent says "Gibbs. You must be Gibbs. Fornell's mentioned you." "Did he?" Gibbs says, and they discuss the possibility of a terrorist attack. Lina (the FBI agent) points towards Lt. Cmdr. Miki Shields, who is getting patched up by an ambulance officer. It turns out Miki was cleared after a hearing for accidentally bombing Iraqi civilians. Lina says that FBI handles the investigation, and NCIS protects the intended target.

Gibbs tells Kate to track down Miki's family, Tony to secure Miki's home and McGee to coordinate feeds with MTAC. Miki is talking on the phone as Kate comes up to her. They talk until Miki's husband runs over and hugs Miki. It turns out that Libby, the family dog was in the car and was killed.

Gibbs tell Lina that Miki is on terminal leave, and that in 4 days she will be a civilian and he will no longer be able to protect her, so that's how long the FBI has to solve the case.
Gibbs is helping Abby, he manages to see the bomber in the grainy picture. Ducky autopsies the dog and finds evidence he sends to Abby . The team has been assigned protection detail, McGee is the eyes in MTAC. Tony tries to bond, not good with kids. Abby calls Gibbs to tell him the evidence proves it was a bomb with the same signature as an Al Qaeda bombing.

At the bullpen Lina tells Gibbs that the FBI has identified 3 possible suspects with Al Qaeda ties. Khalib Hassan is a suspect in 3 other bombings. Roland Moore was a petty officer but is now on the NCIS most wanted wall. He lost 2 fingers as a marine, then blew up a recruiting office and escaped from prison. He is posting threats. An ice-cream store owner who really launders money for Al Qeada.

The next morning Tony invades Kate’s space by brushing his teeth while she is in the shower. She throws a wet sponge at his head when she realizes he is there. That day Kate shadows the temperamental teenage daughter at high school. While the bratty son kicks a soccer ball at Tony’s head, Tony later taunts him for not making a goal. During the game the parents squabble and Gibbs spots a groundskeeper it doesn’t feel right, zoom in to see 2 missing fingers. That night the kid plays an online game with McGee, who worries that this is not what MTAC was intended for. Gibbs catches him and the kid wins.

The FBI has collected photos from the ice-cream suspect’s computer. They are of Cmdr Shields and her house. They wont pick him up though because they don’t want to tip him off. They are hoping they will lead them to the rest of his cell. Gibbs worries about the FBI taking over the protection detail when the four days are up.

Later in the night Tony and Kate move in on someone in the backyard. But then hear a thud from the daughter’s room. Her boyfriend has snuck in and is almost shot by Kate, Tony, and her mom. The parents have a “chat” with their daughter while Kate and Tony have their ears pressed against the door. Her daughter is upset that mom has been away, doesn’t even know the boyfriend’s name. Her dad jumps to mom’s defense but the daughter wants to know why he cares about mom’s feelings all of a sudden.

Abby and Gibbs are able to pull a reflected picture of the bombers hand off the car. A hand with only 3 fingers. The Cmdr. wants to go on a run, it brings up some tension with the husband, Kate and Tony are to go with her. Gibbs confronts Lina about not picking up the suspect, saying it is putting his agents at risk. Tony notices a white van is following them on the run, they break from the path just before a car bomb goes off. The vans turn out to be FBI, they did not notify NCIS that they are using the Cmdr. as bait. A family friend shows up to find out if the Cmdr. is OK, wants to visit her.

Gibbs threatens to tell the news about the FBI’s tactics if he is not allowed to interview Moore. Lina caves. She arrives to observe the interrogation but Gibbs is “prepping” the suspect. Gibbs has taken Moore down to autopsy. He and Ducky discuss and demonstrate how he will be autopsied after he “hangs” himself. Gibbs gets the names of the rest of the cell.

As the team is driving away from the house Abby calls to say that the second bomb’s ID is not the same as the first, its amateur. Cut to the husband ending his affair with his neighbor. The Cmdr. arrives and the neighbor draws a gun on her. The Cmdr then draws her gun with the team at the door the Cmdr shoots the neighbor in self defense.