ncis
jeopardy (22/24)

Continuing this evening is the third season of the hitdrama series following a team of special agents who investigate Navy and Marine Corps-related crimes. In tonight’s instalment, Ziva is criticised for her tactics when a suspect dies in her custody. But the situation worsens when the suspect’s brother, unaware of his sibling’s death, kidnaps the NCIS director and demands the release of the suspect.

Brian Dempsey is not making life easy for Ziva and Tony, who have had just about enough of the belligerent suspect mouthing off at them as he is brought in on drugs charges, having been caught with $5 million-worth of heroin. When Brian refusesto get into the lift with Ziva, she manhandles him inside – but when the door opens at the next floor, Gibbs is shocked to see his agent bending over Brian’s lifeless body.

Ducky arrives on the scene, shaking his head at the short “commute” from his lab downstairs, and begins examining the body. Meanwhile, Gibbs forbids any of the other agents from speaking to Ziva until she is cleared of any involvement in Brian’sdeath, reminding them that for now she is a suspect, not an investigator. “We all know that Ziva’s got some crazy ninja skills,” says Tony, reluctant to believe that Ziva could have done this, “but she’s got some self-control, right?” Unfortunately, while he wants to agree with Tony, Gibbs cannot rule anything out just yet...

When Gibbs talks to Ziva about what happened, she explains that she struck him in the throat but did not administer a fatal blow. She offers to resign,acknowledging that Brian’s death has also ruined the whole case against his drug-dealing brother James, but Gibbs refuses to let her go and places her on desk duty for the meantime. Ducky’s autopsy tallies with Ziva’s story, but he cannot confirm whether the blow to the throat was the cause of death. “I know what you want to hear, Jethro,” he tells a frustrated Gibbs, “but Officer David is not off the hook yet.” Is Ziva’s career over?

Later, Gibbs heads over to speak to NCIS Director Jenny Shepard but is perplexed to hear that she has not shown up for a meeting. Wondering what is behind this uncharacteristic behaviour, he calls her mobile – and finds out that she has been kidnapped by James Dempsey (Connor Trinneer, ‘Enterprise’), Brian’s brother. “You’re holding my heroin and my little brother,” he reminds Gibbs. “If I don’t get both back in two hours – she dies”.

There is one small problem with this request: James Dempsey has no idea that his brother is dead. And with the race on to find out where James has taken the director, Gibbs and the team have no time to waste. While a disgruntled Ziva is forced to stay working at her desk, the rest of the team get to work. But even when they do find the director, how are they going to get round the fact that James is expecting his brother to be driving the car delivering the drugs?