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Thought you were
making him a Christmas cake.
Well, who says Christmas
can't be patriotic?
Besides, they were
all out of green hey!
Is that a clean shirt?
Clean enough.
The man's flying
over 6,000 miles to be home
for the holidays, Tommy.
I think we can do better
than "clean enough.
"
Ho, ho, ho!
Hello?
Oh, my God.
Dad?
There's my big man.
You're early.
You complaining?
No.
Mom made
all your favorites, Dad.
She made you a meatloaf
and some mashed potatoes
and a weird Christmas cake and
And your kid sister.
Where's Emma?
Oh, that sweet baby wanted to
wait up for her daddy so bad,
but she had to come home
from school with a low fever.
Oh, poor peanut.
Let me see that kid.
Aw.
Okay, help me get supper on the table.
Okay.
Hi, honey.
It's Daddy.
Damn.
How low was
that fever, babe?
It was less than 100
about an hour ago.
Oh, my God.
She's burning up.
Emma, kid, hey, wake up.
Daddy's home.
She's barely breathing.
Emma? Emma?
Call 911.
Emma.
Please, baby, breathe.
Emma!
Original air date on December 17, 2013
Christmas in Jamaica.
Nice.
- Nice?
- No, mon.
After the year I've had,
a little sun, sand
and sipping cold comfort
from a coconut
is gonna be spectacular.
Though not terribly
Christmassy.
I'll pack some mistletoe.
How you gonna
spend yours?
With my family in Oklahoma.
My mom cooking,
my husband and brothers
arguing football,
snowshoe hikes with my dad.
It's gonna be so
Terribly Christmassy.
Yes.
Wow.
Look at you, Abby.
So festive.
Well, it is, after all, the most
wonderful time of the year.
Thank you.
Time.
Wonderful time.
So what do
we have here? An engraved Rolex?
No.
They're my wonderful lab-baked
holiday cookies.
Ginger spice chip.
Did you say "lab-baked"?
Yes.
I wield a very
merry Bunsen burner.
Mmm
Why the long face
on McGee?
Dial-A-Fruitcake mess up
his order again?
I don't know.
Something's wrong.
He gave me the finger
when I came in.
The-the "one-minute" finger,
not the bad one.
It might be Delilah.
Mmm.
Trouble in paradise,
Tiny Tim?
Well, not for us.
A friend of ours, the Dalys.
Kevin gets home from Afghanistan
last night and the first thing
he and Audrey have to do is rush
their five-year-old daughter
to the ER.
Why? What happened?
They don't know.
Out of the blue, it's just
fever spiked,
windpipe swelled shut.
She's in the ICU now.
That is so weird.
Weird
and horrible.
Yeah.
No, but, I mean,
I-I have a Marine friend going
through the exact same thing.
Her perfectly
healthy son,
suddenly struck down
and on a respirator.
Just yesterday.
That is weird.
Yeah.
What's worse than two sick kids
during the holidays?
Eight sick kids.
Carol.
Wow, what are you doing here?
I wish it was
a social call, Abby.
Oh It's never good
when you say that.
Mm-mm.
Um, Bishop,
this is Carol.
Um, she works at
the Naval Medical
Research Center now
and she's my
oldest friend.
I prefer "long-time" friend.
Boss, did you say
eight sick kids?
All with the same
mystery illness,
all within 30 miles of DC.
Start of an epidemic?
Or worse-- all are
from military families,
living in military housing.
No.
No.
Nobody say it.
Bioterror.
Except Abby.
Abby can say it
but nobody else.
Uh, I-I just read a study
last month
that weighed this possibility.
I mean, what better way
to terrorize military personnel
than through their kids?
There's nothing
"better" about it.
I know enough about bioterror
as it is, thank you.
All we need to know in
this case is what it is,
where it started
and how to stop it.
You said "we.
"
It's not our usual case,
but it is Navy and
Marine Corps families.
They want us in
on the investigation.
While I work the
scientific end with Abby.
We're coordinating with the CDC.
My office is sending
all our data here.
Well, what are we waiting for?
Let's go.
All right,
split up.
Hit the hospitals,
interview the parents,
talk to the kids,
retrace their steps.
Let's go.
Absolutely, Gibbs,
whatever manpower we can spare.
Yeah, well, let's find out
what's making these kids
Let's do what we can.
These kids what?
You said,
"What's making these kids"
and then stopped.
Daddy doesn't bring work home
anymore, Jared.
You know that.
So?
He can tell me in the car.
How have you guys
been feeling lately?
What? Like, health-wise?
Mm-hmm.
We're fine.
No coughs? No headaches?
No.
All good here.
Why?
Let's go to school.
Is that Jared
and Kayla?
Kids, go wait
in the car.
And you would be
Leon Vance?
Lamar Addison.
I know who you are.
What I don't know is
how you found my home.
You're not the only one
with resources, Director.
You have no business
coming here.
Oh, but I do.
And there's no need
for that confrontational tone.
I'm certainly not looking
for trouble.
Then I suggest you go back to
New York, before it finds you.
I only want to say hello.
Well, then, hello.
And good-bye.
Who was that guy, Dad?
Nobody, Jared.
He's nobody.
Worst part's not being able
to do anything to help her.
All anyone can tell us is
that Emma's now one of 14 kids
going through the same thing.
And not one of them
is responding to treatment.
Doctors still have no idea
what they're dealing with here.
McGee.
Well, don't worry, Kev.
They will.
Uh, just hang tight.
Give me one second.
I'll be right back.
Did you know the number's
up to 14 kids?
Did you know that rate of
reproduction puts it on par
with the SARS virus?
You think it's SARS?
I don't think anything-- I mean,
SARS has never been contracted
inside the U.
S.
There's
a better chance of a targeted
chemical attack than that.
A chemical attack?
Uh, I'm sorry.
I-I didn't mean to
Pure speculation, Audrey.
Yeah, and not
all that likely.
I was just speaking
statistically,
comparing it to the SARS virus.
Oh, my God,
i-it's SARS?
- No, no
No, no, no, no.
I was only
Could you maybe do your comparing
somewhere else, please?
Yeah.
Sorry, guys.
Come on.
Guess you're gonna have
to work on that stage whisper.
Like I don't
feel bad enough?
Tony, hey.
Uh, pretty awful.
How 'bout you?
No, Bishop, let it go.
Wait, what?
19 sick kids.
five more cases
over here in the last hour.
There's five more cases
at Washington General
in the last hour.
Does Tony have their locations?
I'm putting
together a map.
Tony, send Bishop
their locations.
We gotta stop this.
Yeah, I know.
What the hell is this thing?
The last infectious
disease I recall
that primarily
affected children was
poliomyelitis, which, of course,
was eradicated
in this country decades ago.
You know, while it was
mostly children, Dr.
Mallard,
polio afflicts more adults
than people think.
Most recently during a pretty
nasty outbreak in Namibia,
Really? Namibia.
Interesting.
I took a few
epidemiology classes
after Agent DiNozzo's
Y.
pestis scare years ago.
Ah.
Yeah, we studied
quite a few maps
looked just
like this one.
There anything
familiar?
Well, the pattern
is reminiscent of the
cholera outbreak of 1961
which devastated
Indonesia.
That, or the early stages
of Montreal's smallpox epidemic
of 1885.
That one left
over 3,000 dd.
Abby to Gibbs.
Come in, Gibbs.
Abby to Gi Oh, hey, guys.
Did I hit my Ducky button
by accident?
- Hey, Abbs.
What do you got?
- Oh, there you are.
You would not believe
the mountains of medical data
that the NMRC sent over.
Carol and I could be days
combing through it.
Give me an early guess.
Too early, Gibbs.
I mean, it's obviously
respiratory, bronchial.
Hopefully it's bacterial, not viral.
Ms.
Sciuto,
would an extra pair of hands
be useful
with all this data?
Well, always, Ducky.
You offering?
Not me.
But Mr.
Palmer has
become an expert in the field.
I-I don't know about expert,
but, uh
Come on down, Jimmy.
Let's kick some epidemic butt.
You sure, Dr.
Mallard?
You wouldn't mind?
Why would I mind
my own idea?
You.
Don't look at me, Palmer.
Go.
You can count on us, Gibbs.
Cabby out.
Hmm
Namibia.
More kids, more military bases.
It's hard to look at this
and not think bioterror, Gibbs.
Pursuing every angle, yeah.
Well, keep the updates coming.
SECNAV wants in the loop.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Figured.
You all right?
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm fine.
You sure?
Kids?
Mmm.
Yeah.
I had a visitor.
So did Jackie's brother Michael,
in prison the other day.
Who?
Lamar Addison.
Owns a chain of car dealerships
up in New York.
Michael said he had a lot
of questions about Jackie,
about the kids.
Well, who is he to Jackie?
Her father.
Jackie
and Michael's both.
He walked out when they
were kids and never came back.
Talking to Jackie, I always got
the impression he was dead.
Only to us.
Anything I can do?
It's a personal matter, Gibbs.
Okay.
Anything I can do?
Thanks Gibbs,
but I got this.
Wow.
These kids are
really sick.
Well, not for long, Jimmy,
'cause we're gonna
lick this thing.
I mean, not
not literally lick it.
That's just gross.
Excuse me, Abby?
Hey.
Breena!
Breena, so good
to see you!
Um, this is Carol.
Pleasure.
Hi.
I'm sorry to bother
you at work, Jimmy,
but Ducky said you'd be here.
Oh, it's fine.
Is everything okay?
Yeah.
Great, actually.
The agency may have
found us a birth mother.
What?! Really?!
They want to meet with us soon.
Like day after tomorrow.
A baby!
That's-that's great!
It's-it's-it's
it's amazing.
Um, let's not
celebrate, okay?
Not yet.
Not yet.
We still have so much work
to do here.
Um, Breena, just
find out what time
they want to meet,
and, um, we will be
there with bells on.
Christmas bells?
You bet, you bet.
I'll call you later Daddy.
Okay.
Okay.
Wow.
Um okay.
I'm so happy for both of you!
Yeah.
Guys?
I'm really happy, too,
but I'll be a lot happier
when one of us can figure out
what that is.
Never seen anything like it.
We have a lot
of work ahead of us.
Wait, back up.
You really had the plague?
Like, the actual plague, plague?
Pneumonic plague.
We were on a
first-name basis.
And here I thought that you
were just being paranoid.
One too many cheesy
outbreak movies.
Oh, no.
It's the real deal.
Wow.
Of course, I could site,
you know, Contagion
or 28 Days Later
as major influences.
Isn't that last one
a zombie flick?
Oh, come on.
Like there's a difference?
The difference,
DiNozzo,
is that nobody's
been eaten yet.
Let's go.
Number is up
to 23 afflicted kids, boss.
Bishop, are you
joining us?
Oh, actually,
I'm chasing a lead here.
Abby's a genius
with ginger, by the way.
My mom made me
a batch like these
for my first-grade graduation.
These are right up there.
Your lead good enough to share?
What? Uh, no.
Uh, not yet.
Um
very soon.
Do-do you want Are you sure
you don't want any?
I don't like ginger.
- Okay.
- Not in your cookies, anyway.
You're a cinnamon man.
Like the cinnamon girl.
Neil Young,
and it's just an analogy.
Sort of a redheaded
metaphor.
What?
McGee was saying something
important.
What was it?
being from military families,
there's just not much
common ground.
Only nine kids crossed
paths at these four schools.
We're still tracking
extracurricular activities--
play dates, sports teams.
What?
What? Uh oh, nothing.
getting closer.
Close enough.
Spit it out.
Uh, not until I verify
a connection.
Spit, Bishop.
Okay.
Well, I was checking
the government watch list,
and came across a recent
addition named Max Comey.
On it.
Recently fired from Labsynthe,
a chemical
research facility in Burke.
He was accused of taking
a variety of toxic mold spores
he was supposed to dispose of.
Taking it to do what?
It doesn't say.
I mean,
while not exactly a crime,
it was grounds enough
for a dismissal
and his placement
on the government watch list.
All right,
I got him.
Current address is
on Harwood Place in Pax River.
Wait a second.
Harwood Place.
It's the same street
as one of these schools.
Coincidence?
I don't think so.
Comey was also red-flagged
last week
for fighting
with a Marine Corps recruiter
after he was refused
an application.
Yeah, because he was
on the watch list.
It's motive.
McGee,
keep working it from here.
DiNozzo, Bishop, come on,
let's go.
You're with me.
Oh.
Leaves his front
door open.
Remind you of anyone?
NCIS!
Closet's empty.
Drawers, too.
Moved out in a hurry.
Where would I keep
toxic mold spores
at my house?
Hmm?
Ew.
Some pretty toxic leftovers.
I got something here.
So, whatever Comey stole
from the lab, he either
used or took with him?
Yeah, Duck.
I'm afraid our mystery illness
has claimed its first fatality.
- It's not one of the kids.
- No.
But it may just be
a matter of time.
When it comes
to infectious diseases,
the old are just as vulnerable
as the young.
I'm afraid
things may be getting worse
before they get better.
Victim is Lloyd Grunfeld, 71,
recently widowed,
Vietnam vet.
The last 31 years,
he's managed an on-base
dry cleaning shop at Quantico.
District Hospital says
he checked in last night
with the same symptoms
as our 23 afflicted children.
Twenty-eight.
Uh, sky-high fever,
respiratory distress, but
before they could
get him to a bed,
he collapsed and died
on the ER floor.
All right, we've got his home
quarantined
until we know what killed him.
What about the BOLO on Comey?
No hits yet.
The landlord said
he was close to eviction, but
moved out on his own.
We spoke to some
of his former co-workers
at the research lab.
Sounds like Dr.
Max
was a pretty odd guy.
- Doctor?
- Doctor, Doctor.
That's what
he called himself.
Took his job as a lab assistant
a little too seriously.
Boastful,
self-important.
Especially around
the ladies,
who considered him more
annoying than dangerous.
That is, until the mold spores
went bye-bye.
How toxic are these things?
ll, not
exactly anthrax,
but they could certainly
make a person sick
if ingested or
inhaled over time.
It's got to be connected.
Well, we've
requisitioned surveillance
on Grunfeld
and some of the kids.
See if they crossed paths.
Yeah, Duck.
Jethro, can you come down?
Yeah.
Be right down.
That's it?
No "Nice job,"
or "Good idea, guys"?
No?
It's a nice jacket.
Okay.
Hate to admit it,
Dr.
Mallard,
but I was pretty relieved when
you called me in to assist.
All those infection
cases in Abby's lab.
Those poor kids.
It's pretty
overwhelming.
Elderly and deceased is
a far easier concept to confront
than young and suffering.
And now, with this adoption
becoming a real possibility,
it's got me wondering
if I'm even ready.
Ready?
To be a father.
Consigned
to a lifetime of worry.
There are so many things
that can go wrong.
Well, that may be true,
but with the rewards
far outweighing the risks,
I'm sure you're up to the task.
I'm glad one of us is sure.
Agent Gibbs.
Hey, Duck!
What's the word?
Retired First Lieutenant
Grunfeld's misfortune
may well be the savior
to many children.
What's the cause of death?
An extremely aggressive strain
of pneumonia.
Yeah, his trachea and lungs
were besieged by it.
Treatable?
Not to a man of his advanced
years and diabetic condition.
But, uh, previously
healthy children,
yes, it should be
quite treatable.
Really, Doctor?
That's-that's wonderful!
Hey, Palmer?
Things do go right sometimes.
Oh, you-you heard that earlier?
Yeah.
That is, provided
that Abby and Carol
can identify the specific strain
of pneumonia
from those cultures.
I will get these up to them
right away.
Yeah.
Good.
Come in.
I appreciate
the invitation,
but you didn't have
to send your henchmen.
Those henchmen
are federal agents.
Sent after a phone call
from my children's nanny
concerned about a man
stalking my home.
A knock on a door
is hardly stalking, Leon.
My compliments,
by the way.
That nanny--
she's a very charming woman.
And that's
important.
It's good to move on.
Move on?
Did you just say "move on"?
You mean, like you moved on from
your wife and kids, Addison?
Is that what you mean?
Millie and I were never married.
So it's all good then?
You making judgments about
things you know nothing about?
Do you realize the mess
that you left behind, Addison?
The mess that Jackie and I were
left to clean up
where your son is concerned?
Considering
I found Michael in prison,
you did a real fine job.
And here all this time,
I thought
Jackie was exaggerating
when it came to you.
No.
That was me.
Regretfully.
Somehow digging all this up
has me reverting back
to some old, bad habits.
And you had quite a few of 'em.
Had.
Had, Leon.
I had a few.
But people change.
And my only hope now is
to make up for lost time
and show my grandkids
I'm not the villain
they may have heard about.
There's no need.
Jackie was too good
to speak ill of you.
Never spoke of you
at all, in fact.
As far as my children
are concerned,
their mother's father
is long dead.
Out of respect to Jackie,
I intend to keep it that way.
I suppose all I can ask is,
any way I can change your mind?
I could pay
for their college tuition
if you would reconsider.
My children are not for sale.
Agent Kurtwell, would you
kindly escort Mr.
Addison
to his car, please?
Leon that's not what I meant.
You darken my door again,
old man,
my agents will not be
bringing you here,
I can promise you that.
Gibbs!
Got news for me, Abbs?
Yup.
Looks like
old man Grunfeld died of
Streptococcus
pneumoniae.
Didn't look like
strep before,
but the cultures came back positive.
And it's the same bacterium
that's been infecting the kids?
So, what now?
Just called the hospitals,
and they're administering the
correct antibiotics as we speak.
Should just be
a matter of time,
and the kids will be
right as rain.
Here's to healthy kids,
and Jimmy being a daddy!
Whoa, whoa, but,
uh, that's still just
potentially, Abby.
Don't want to get
ahead of ourselves.
For once, I'm with Palmer.
Wait.
You are?
Looks like Grunfeld
hardly ever left his store.
He did handle an awful
lot of dirty clothes.
Nothing compared to this kid.
Patient number 18,
Josh Baker.
Kid's a walking Petri dish.
Same with little Emma Daly here.
It's nothing short of a miracle
these kids don't get sick
more often.
Okay, what are we looking at?
Surveillance and home videos
of Grunfeld
and some of the kids.
Looking to see where
they may have crossed paths,
or picked up whatever
they picked up.
They seem to pick up everything.
It's strep pneumonia.
Wait.
What?
What they picked up.
Abby thinks it's
strep pneumonia.
The hospitals are already
treating the kids.
Streeumonia?
That's it?
It, as in cured?
Oh, my God, that's great!
No, it's good.
Great'll be
when we find Patient Zero
and shut down the source.
Right.
Okay, Mr.
Scrooge.
Not that you're stingy
or cheap in any way.
I was just
because of the Christmas.
This is
a relief.
Good job, everybody.
Are you okay, McGee?
Yeah, yeah.
I was just thinking
about little Emma here,
and the Dalys--
they must be so happy.
Yeah.
Them and me both.
I felt terrible about
scaring them the way I did.
You still haven't
gotten over that?
Well, like
they didn't have enough
on their plates
without me suggesting
a targeted chemical attack.
I've done worse,
and McGee
Well, he's Remember
the time with the?
I'm not gonna talk about it,
but it's it's been done.
You just have to move on.
You made a mistake.
A big mistake.
Learn from it, move on.
I will, Gibbs,
eventually.
Soon Bishop.
For your own good.
Leroy Ebenezer Gibbs,
did we just agree on something?
Hey, Bob Cratchit,
find Patient Zero, huh?
And a playful
movie reference.
It really is starting
to feel like Christmas.
More like
Christmas morning.
Just got a hit on the BOLO.
Max Comey's been located.
Let's go.
Hang on.
You said this guy likes
the ladies, right?
What?
Hey.
Hey.
Could you tell me about
this tree over here?
Um, pretty sure it's green
like the rest of 'em.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's, uh it's this
one right over here.
Hmm.
Didn't you used to
work at Labsynthe?
I-I temped there
last month.
You're Dr.
Max, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's right.
Yeah, you were
you were one of
the smart ones.
What are you what are
you doing working here?
Long story.
They, uh, let me go.
What?
Seriously?
They've got me living out of my van.
A guy like me, reduced
to selling trees.
Can you believe that?
No, I can't.
That is
That's so unfair.
I know, right?
But, uh, they'll know they've
made a mistake soon enough.
I'll show them.
Them?
So, who's "them""
Max?
Show them what exactly?
Let's start with
the van, huh?
I got nothing to hide.
What do we have here?
Nothing to hide, huh?
That's not mine.
I-I-I've never seen that
before in my life.
Really.
That-that
I didn't steal anything.
The lab was throwing
that stuff away.
Perfectly good
toxic mold spores.
Why take them?
Maybe I like to do
my own experiments.
A guy doesn't have
to be, like, an actual doctor
in order to save the world.
Is that your plan?
To save the world?
But in order to do that,
you'd have
to make
the whole world sick, right?
Not the whole world, no.
Then who, Max?
The Marines after
they rejected you?
Maybe the kids.
Not kids.
Never.
Do you promise not
to tell her?
We promise.
Bernadette.
My girlfriend.
How do we find her?
Well, she's the cashier
over at the Megamart.
You want to make her sick?
It's stupid, I know, but
I figured if I helped her
feel better again,
she might appreciate me more.
That's not stupid at all.
Thing is, I'm still working
on the whole cure part.
I didn't want
to get her sick without that.
I'm not a monster, after all.
I beg to differ.
This man is delusional
and potentially dangerous.
Better go find this Bernadette.
If she exists, I doubt
that she's aware
that he does.
Their relationship,
I'm sure,
is entirely
in his mind.
And the mold spores
he possesses,
while they might make
someone quite sick,
I'm not convinced they'd
turn into strep pneumonia.
It's not strep pneumonia.
What is it?
Well, all the doctors agreed
with our initial findings,
but the kids aren't responding
to the antibiotics for strep.
And it seems like the
bacterium is mutating
into something
else-- something
way, way, worse,
and I'm really, really bummed.
That makes two of us.
So we're back to not knowing?
Right.
You'll keep this Comey
fellow in custody till we do?
I'll get it.
All right, Gibbs.
Keep me posted.
Did you think
I was kidding?
Are you really
calling my bluff?
Please, Leon.
I have just one thing I want
to get off my chest before I go.
Please.
Two minutes.
Looking back, I had my reasons
for leaving Jackie's mother--
reasons that made sense
to me at the time.
You thought she was beneath you.
Is that what Jackie thought?
No, it wasn't Millie's
shortcomings, it was mine.
Being too young and foolish
to face up to them, I took off.
New family,
new woman.
A do-over.
Most folks don't get one.
I made the best of mine.
I built a good business,
and raised three great kids.
Forgetting about the two
that you left behind.
They reminded me too much
of my failures, Leon.
Only realized
after Jackie wrote me, that
here I was, this
big success, who
never truly felt successful.
What do you mean,
she wrote to you?
Last Christmas.
I didn't write back.
Couldn't.
And then, a month later, I saw
on TV that she was killed.
Why would that little
girl write this old man
after so much time?
Heart.
Jackie was all heart.
You know, um, some
years ago when I heard
that she was marrying
a man of your position,
I felt so relieved
to think that,
well, if nothing else,
she would be safe.
Don't get me wrong.
I don't blame you.
But at the same time,
you can't blame me
for wondering about her kids
and about
their safety.
You hear what I'm saying?
Loud and clear.
But you don't have to worry
about anything, Addison.
Don't have to worry
about a thing.
Not now, not ever.
You just take care of you,
like always.
And Jackie didn't write to you,
by the way--
let's get that straight.
Jackie would write notes
on those cards
to old friends,
to people that she cared about,
but not to you.
Hell, even our trash collector
got a more personal card
than you got.
It still came.
She reached out.
Maybe because
she wanted you to see
what she accomplished
without you, in spite of you.
You got regrets,
that's on you.
But it's not up to me
and my kids to make 'em go away.
Ain't that the truth.
I apologize, Leon.
You have yourself
a happy holiday.
I don't get it.
Now the bacterium is causing
lesions on the kids' skin.
Obviously, Grunfeld died
before they could form on him.
'Cause Ducky only found
the early stages.
Haven't pulled an all-nighter
since college, Abby.
You up for it?
It's not like we have a choice.
But you do.
Go home.
You have a meeting
with your birth mother tomorrow.
No, not anymore.
I'm canceling.
What?! No!
We've been rushing things
anyway.
No, you haven't.
Forget about my kid, Abby.
All right,
what about these kids?
I'm not leaving.
Not till we figure this out.
Okay
All right
Okay
Thanks.
Boss, number's up
to 34 sick kids
at eight different hospitals
from Portsmouth to Baltimore.
And they're all
getting worse.
These families had
to have come in contact
with each other at some point.
We followed up
with everyone here.
Uh, some acquaintances
but no close friends.
Most of the kids
attend different schools.
There's barely any crossover.
Any word from DiNozzo?
He's still at
Washington General.
Let me check in with him.
I'll be right back.
Excuse me, uh, Lieutenant?
Mrs.
Daly?
I wanted to apologize
for yesterday.
I I didn't mean
to make matters worse.
You didn't.
Tim told us how badly
you felt, and please, we
we know everyone is just doing
the best that they can.
Well, in that case,
uh, do you mind
if I tell you something?
It's about smallpox.
Are you sure we want to hear this?
And, uh,
measles and polio,
diphtheria,
rinderpest, hookworm,
rubella and probably
a few others I'm forgetting.
What about them?
These are all diseases
that no one knew
how to cure at one time.
But now
they're gone
eradicated, just like
this thing's gonna be.
Statistics are on Emma's side.
Thank you.
Feel better?
Yeah.
Where's everybody going?
I believe they're sending
nonmedical personnel home.
Friends of Abby's?
I think the technical term
is Santa's Helpers.
Candy stripers.
Volunteers.
We saw them here yesterday.
Oh, I know that look.
Have you been working all night?
Yes, Director.
Morning.
Morning, sir.
I've got Navy Ensign
Dorothy Williams.
Volunteered at the Annapolis
party four days ago.
Williams at Annapolis.
Check.
Hey.
You're in early.
Yeah.
Couldn't sleep.
What's all this?
Looking for patient zero.
We're cross-checking
volunteers
at all military base
holiday parties.
Turns out 27
of our afflicted kids
attended at least one of them
in the last week.
I got Petty Officer
Mike Russo.
Volunteered at the Navy Yard
party three days ago.
Russo at the Navy Yard.
Check.
Are they all military personnel?
Don't have to be.
Could be anyone.
Caterers, Santa's Helpers,
guy blowing up the balloons.
Any progress on the diagnosis?
About to check with Abby.
No, that's okay.
I'll go.
You keep at it.
Can't say
you're not thorough, Gibbs.
Hey, Leon.
You ever heard of a Hail Mary?
Morning.
How's everybody holding up?
My office just sent these.
The lesions have started turning
purple, which narrows down
the search a bit but not enough.
Not yet anyways
'cause we're not done.
I am so not having kids.
Okay, Jimmy, that does it.
Excuse us, Director,
but something has gotten
into Mr.
Palmer,
and I would like
to get it out now.
Well, don't
let me interfere.
Abby, listen
No, you listen.
You know
what's infectious
during the holidays?
Optimism.
Optimism is infectious.
Optimism and
joy uh, joy and-and
Kindness.
kindness.
Courtesy.
And charity.
Generosity.
And gratitude.
Selflessness.
Compassion.
Forgiveness.
Oh, forgiveness is huge.
Kindness.
You already said kindness.
I like kindness.
And faith,
Jimmy.
Faith.
Faith is infectious.
Life isn't
always perfect,
you know?
But sometimes things
work out for the best
if you just have faith.
Okay, Abby.
Okay.
Okay.
Where were we?
We were Well, you were
As you were.
I'll have some fresh
coffee sent down.
And some no-bean caffeine,
please?
Abby.
Gibbs, don't sneak up on me
like that.
Is there any chance
that this bacteria
came from Africa?
Africa?
If it's specific
to Africa,
that would help explain
why we're having
so much trouble
finding it.
Why, Gibbs? Who's from Africa?
Possible patient zero.
Otherwise known as Santa Claus.
Santa Claus? - Santa Claus?
Santa Claus?
Also otherwise known
as Marine Captain Louis Boggs.
Guy's played Santa Claus at
military base parties for years.
Recently returned from a
special operation in the Congo.
The Congo?
And he's the only person
who's been to every
military holiday party
in the last few weeks.
Which means he's come in contact
with nearly every kid
at every party.
What we don't know is how he
came in contact with Grunfeld.
Yes, we do.
I knew I'd seen a red suit
go over Grunfeld's counter.
This is from a week ago.
Isn't that Boggs?
Yeah.
All right, find him.
Get him quarantined
till somebody figures out
what he's got.
That somebody is about
to be us, Gibbs.
Abbs, the Congo gets us closer?
Congo gets us
there, Gibbs.
I got it.
Meningococcal A.
"A" as in Africa.
See?
You'd never find that here.
Which is why
we couldn't find it before.
Can it be treated?
Yeah, with the right
antibiotic, sure.
Call the hospitals.
Call everybody!
Great job, everybody.
Hi, Daddy.
Hi, honey.
so excited about it.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
Jared, Kayla,
this is the man
that I told you about.
Mr.
Addison.
Your mother's father.
Your grandfather.
Thank you.
Time for a long winter's nap.
I'll grab mine
on the red-eye.
Oh, that's right.
Oklahoma time.
Family time.
Amen to that.
My husband's meeting me
at the airport.
You need a ride?
Oh, no, I'll just
I was gonna grab a cab.
Nonsense.
Me and Mr.
McGee
are just heading out
for a little cocktail.
We'll drop you off on the way.
I never agreed to a cocktail.
I never asked.
Eggnog, Ebenezer?
No.
Go on.
See you tomorrow.
Bah, humbug.
Night, boss.
What part of "long winter's
nap" do you not understand?
One little McToddy
won't hurt you.
I, uh I almost forgot.
Since Tony said
you like cinnamon,
I thought
you might want
to try my mom's coffee cake.
It always makes me
so happy and, well,
we all deserve
to be happy, Gibbs.
Especially
this time of year.
Anyway
merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you, Bishop.