It's three months later, and Gibbs hasn't been able to locate Fornell. SecNav pulls the plug on his investigation and orders the evidence be turned over to the DEA. Gibbs returns to the airport pictured in a photo he found in Fornell's garage. He tackles a man leaving a plane there. It's Fornell. Because of cameras there, he resists against Gibbs. They stage a gun battle. Gibbs finds a new suspect, Petty Officer Marcus Rico, to keep the investigation alive. Vance gives him his team and 72 hours. Gibbs reads in the team. Their target, Merriweather, has multiple identities. Torres and Bishop interrogate Petty Officer Samuel Miles, who was selling Merriweather's opiates to his fellow sailors. Rico is found dead. Merriweather is a terrorist looking to kill military personnel with biotoxins, using Beltway Burgers as distribution centers. The link between them is Chad Hamilton, aka Vladimir Ivinov. Torres sees Fornell inside. Fornell shoots Chad when he comes after Torres, who is pretending to be an exterminator. Bishop is missing when they return to the van. Gibbs sends Fornell and Torres to the warehouse known as Rosewood. Merriweather calls Chad's phone looking for Fornell. Merriweather wants to trade Bishop for Chad. Torres and Fornell capture henchmen Viktor and Ivan. Gibbs plans to have McGee pose as Fornell. They arrive late. McGee cuts off Merriweather's plane, which has a bomb on it. With comms out, Gibbs shoots McGee twice to stop him. The plane blows up. But Bishop was hiding in the hanger. McGee undergoes surgery. Merriweather wired millions to his daughter Sasha. It's her 21st birthday. They bust Merriweather, aka Alexi Myshkin, at her party. Sasha reveals the money is stashed offshore. Emily gives Fornell her six-month coin. Gibbs goes to the hospital to check on McGee. Delilah tells him he saved McGee's life.