The NCIS team, still trying to find a replacement following the departure of Tony DiNozzo, investigates an explosion of a car with the help of Agent Quinn, an instructor from FLETC who is trying to find the perfect fit for Gibbs's team.

They learn that one of the victims of the explosion, Lucia Campbell, is a JAG lawyer. After meeting with Captain Bud Roberts from JAG, the team discovers that she was investigating the disappearance of her brother, a deep-cover NCIS agent, Nick Torres, who went missing some months prior.

Torres turns up in Washington, revealing that he had been infiltrating a mercenary group and that Lucia's investigation had unfortunately blown his cover with the Silvas, who now wanted to kill him and all his family.  Unfortunately, Torres only has evidence of the Silvas' wrongdoings in South America, nothing in the United States.

After the Silvas attempt to blow Torres up, the team foils their mission to assassinate a judge, capture Silva's son, and turn Silva's daughter against him by revealing that the patriarch was willing to let her get blown up right along with Torres.

After the dust settles, Gibbs offers both Agents Quinn and Torres positions on his team.