Episode begins with a recap: NCIS LA has the lead. They specialize in undercover and surveillance. Gibbs asks if Macy is still in charge and is shown talking with Callen, in a close friendship manner. Macy tells Gibbs to let her do her job. To which he replies "Like you did the first time we met?" implying negativity. Michael Rivkin's picture is shown followed by Tony and Ziva talking about him in the elevator. Flash to the meeting with Liam being shot by Gibbs, the hotel room containing weapons and Callen (posing as Liam) opening the door for Michael. (end of recap)

Callen confirms he has the passports and everything Michael wants right here. LA NCIS does a face search on Michael, but before they get the results Michael pulls a gun on Callen, demanding "who are you?" Macy panics and sends in the support agents. Callen is frustrated because he knows Michael was not going to shoot, which Michael confirms. Gibbs just smiles (like he knew Macy would screw up). The on-site psych, Nate, confirms Michael was "probably" not going to shoot. McGee is surprised when the ID of Michael pops up in 6 seconds. Michael is cocky and announces he is Mossad. Shoulders and faces fall all around in the OSP bullpen. Michael states Ziva David can verify him. (Episode credits play)

Tony enters the DC bullpen and is told by Ziva that Gibbs wants them in MTAC. Ziva identifies Michael as Mossad but denies having any other information on him. Michael's cover is as an Isreali banker. He supposedly arrived 3 days ago to track down a terrorist cell. Michael is posing as Nick Quaderi, who is in bed - killed by Michael before he said any more than the weapons are here. One of the others is named Haziq, address unknown. Macy reminds Michael that foreign intel agencies are not authorized to act within US borders - go home! With a GPS tracker on his rental, Michael is sent on his way - with agent Renko (spelling?) tailing.

Gibbs tells Macy he trusts Ziva with his life. She tells Gibbs not to judge on 18 years ago. He asks her quietly "what'd you find?" She looks him straight on but does not answer. He walks away and we see Nate watching the interaction. Before Nate can follow her, McGee stops him to summarize: Mossad gets a lead in Yemen about a cell in LA, sends Michael to eliminate, kills Quaderi after he learns he is meeting with an arms dealer named Liam - the only problem is that we are hunting the same terrorist cell. Nate advises that terrorist cells are like families: close knit, always checking on each other. If they lose contact with one of their own, it may trigger them to step up the attack. Next move is to find Haziq - before he panics. Nate thinks Michael knows the IDs of the rest of the cell. (We don't.)

Nate follows Macy, who tells him no one knows him but he knows everyone. "Not Gibbs"' is his reply. "So you go back 18 years?" he asks. She turns and looks at him, to which he replies, "I wasn't listening." Pause. "Odd word, occasional phrase." She almost smiles, then begins: Gibbs was a gunnery seargant. She was a green, Lt MP working a JAG man murder investigation. She was lead investigator. Gibbs was the suspect.

Search finds apartment (apt) rental agreement for Quaderi, no photo, no ID. Gibbs reads McGee as having a concern ("You got something else?"), but McGee says no. He returns to the Michael database hit and finds that Abby did the last search. Gibbs meets up at the marina with Renko, watching Michael having coffee on a restaurant terrace. Gibbs tells Renko to sand with the grain of the wood.
Sam and Callen are approaching Nick Quaderi's apt. Sure 'nuf he's dead in bed. Stabbed. Sam downloads from Quaderi's laptop. He steps into the bedroom and closes the door when they hear keys in the door. Callen immediately acts like he is on his cell phone with someone. Quaderi's girlfriend ("sort of"), Shakira, enters and demans to know who Callen is. He introduces himself as Liam, a friend of Nick who gave him a key and is supposed to meet him here. Sam calls Callen's cell. Callen pretends it's Nick. She tells him them are to meet him at Haziq's. She knows where it is and will drive. Sam let's Macy know Callen is back in the game.

At Haziq's autobody shop, Haziq is suspicious but lets them in. Sam has followed and calls for backup. Cameron busts her front headlight so she can plant a camera at the shop. Callen hands over his gun and cell, which Haziq tosses aside (it just happens to land face out). Haziq asks where Rafi is, but Shakira does not know. Meanwhile at OSP McGee handles the high-tech display like a pro: "sweet", he declares. OSP activates the cell and has instant camera and audio (with Sam interpreting what Haziq is saying on his cell phone conversation. McKenzie shows up and plants the camera just inside the door.

McGee traces Haziq's call. It is from Nasim Boutros at the marina hotel Michael is staking out. Nasim is on his way home, where Michael awaits him. Alert Gibbs, who is watching Michael spot somone and get up from his table. Macy tells Gibbs Vance has cleared a Visa warrant against Michael - get him. They get upstairs too late. Michael is gone and Nasim is shot dead.

Back at the shop, the boys are panicking. Callen is on the couch talking with Shakira, who knows nothing. Haziq demands delivery in 1 hour and gives Collen his cell. He tells Sam to bring the suitcases in 1 hour. Nothing on finding Michael again yet.

McGee calls Abby, who panics that he wil know she is at his desk and what she has done. (She has overly decorated his desk with "miss you" items, since she can't do Gibbs' desk?) Tony assures her, "McGenious is smart, but he doesn't know everything." Abby gives herself away immediately, but he gets down to business immediately. She gives the phone to Tony, who updates Tony about Rifkin. He cuts Tim off about probing Ziva, but clearly intends to do so himself. Deep contemplation moment with Tony.

Macy sums it up: Nick Quaderi dead, killed by Rifkin; only know he has a girlfriend, Shakira, who has a brother Rafi Zayd (no photo or info). Nasim Boutros, stabbed by Rifkin. Jumah, who works at the body shop. And Haziq Khaleel, who owns the body shop. men born outside the US, no criminal records, on no watch lists. "A classic sleeper cell", pipes Nate, "Rifkin's making sure none of them wake up." Gibbs adds, "5 people. 4 passports. 4 suitcases. Something's missing." "No. 5 is the handler" opines Macy. We're missing something or someone.

Ziva enters the bullpen she and Tony exchange terse conversation. She is made at him for not believing she would tell the truth. "Maybe you should have told them more? Like how well you know him?" he asks. He lets her know she saw him 3 days ago in DC and wonders why she did not tell that. He denies being jealous and gets angry while explaining Rifkin's interference with NCIS doing their job. She defends Rifkin. She denies knowing where to find him, admits she would not tell Tony, but would tell Gibbs.

Back on the couch, Shakira indicates that Rafi dragged Nick into it. She shows a cell phone picture of Rafi - that is who they thought was Nick, dead in bed. She shows the only photo she has of Nick, who is Michael. Callen tries to convince Shaqira to call Nick at an alternative number. She declares she is leaving but Haziq slaps her back to the couch. She gives Callen "Nick's" alternate cell number. Callen yells the info to Haziq so OSP gets the info. They immediately trace the cell to find Michael is almost at the shop. Macy, nervous, orders Sam in with his team. She wants Haziq alive, so even though Sam is shot at by Haziq, Sam only shots Haziq arm and leg. Rifkin is met in the alley by Gibbs, who tells him to leave. Gibbs states that Ziva works for him, to which Michael only says "Shalom."

Back at the OSP bullpen everyone is saying their good-bys to Gibbs and McGee. Macy is watching from above. Callen passes McGee a Sniper Monthly magazine indicating "it always works for me." Macy walks back into her office. Nate follows them down in the elevator and asks to speak privately with Gibbs. He tells Gibbs "a story: about a young Lt 18 years ago, who investigated a murder. A marine gunnery Sgt had taken out a Mexican drug dealer had killed the Sgt's family. The Lt did not hold back; stated he just wanted closure for his wife and daughter to rest in peace. She got all the evidence together and buried it. Decided it was a just killing. Nate guesses that the guy never knew she had been protecting him all of these years. (Part of this story is told in 6.15 Deliverance. Now we know the "why" of Columbia.) Gibbs says nothing, but pauses at the car, nods at the camera, smiles and look away, knowing Macy is watching him. Macy is pleased.

Sam and Callen are in a car. Callen is contemplative. He feels like someone is watching him. He gets out of the car, exchanges looks with the Russian girl, who looks up the street. A van pulls through the corner and guns Callen down as he and the girl are smiling at each other. She just turns and walks away while Sam runs to him. Callen is sll alive, barely.

At the DC bullpen, Abby tells Tony that Rifkin flew out of LA today, unescorted. Destination: Tel Aviv, with a stopover in DC. Cut to him sleeping in bed next to Ziva, who is wide awake and worrying.