NCIS recap: NCIS makes a deal with the demon to catch the devil

After a two-week break, NCIS Season 15 returns. It’s time to focus on Gabriel Hicks and find a way to bring him down. Can the team manage it?

After two weeks, new NCIS makes a return to our screens. We were left with an explosion that killed Jessica, Gabriel Hicks’ lawyer who had helped to get him released from prison. Jessica had previously told Jack that there was something about Hicks and to keep digging, but couldn’t give any more information due to everything Hicks had said to her being privileged information.

Of course, the decision to end her professional relationship with Hicks led to her death. It also almost led to the death of Jack, but the newest NCIS episode quickly confirms that Jack has made it out alive.

Torres knows it was a car bomb

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“Keep Your Enemies Closer” picks up where “Keep Your Friends Close” left off. NCIS makes it to the site of the explosion, where Torres figures out it was a car bomb. How does he know? Well, he made them while undercover. However, there are other things that Abby can work out, so the car and everything in it are sent to her.

Meanwhile, Jack is certain Hicks was behind the explosion. The problem is going to be proving it. NCIS bring him in for questioning anyway, but Hicks is adamant that he couldn’t have done it. He also—in a very monotonous tone—states that he was the one who fired Jessica, so she could get on with her other clients.

Unfortunately, the questioning doesn’t quite go to plan. NCIS doesn’t have enough evidence to hold Hicks, so Vance makes it clear that Hicks has to be allowed to leave. Nobody is happy about it, but they have absolutely no choice at all.

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Abby finds a bug

While Jessica’s car and cell would have been demolished in the bombing, enough of the battery was saved for Abby. Our perfect forensic scientist finds a bug on the battery, which means someone heard all the calls Jessica made. One of those calls happened to be to a prison to arrange a visit with Hicks’ previous cellmate, who just happens to have a direct connection to McGee. So, off McGee and Jack go to question the special cellmate.

Yes, Paul Triff was Hicks’ cellmate and they shared a lot of information. Triff is willing to share it all, but for a price. He shares one piece of information for free: Hicks is tying up a loose end by getting rid of a certain witness, Mary. NCIS get to Mary too late, as Hicks has already taken her.

Meanwhile, Gibbs and Fornell attempt to get one over on Hicks, by allowing Fornell to punch Hicks to plant a bug on him. Of course, it doesn’t quite work out as planned, as Hicks is always one step ahead. They didn’t need to track him to find Mary, anyway. Hicks had delivered Mary back home with his cellphone and a special instruction: turn the phone on when she was back to her room.

As for Triff, NCIS decides to give him his requests for the information. Triff is allowed 48 hours out of prison, with McGee looking after him and in his last known residence. That means at McGee’s apartment. Of course, McGee wants to make sure Triff learns nothing about him by removing all signs of the twins, but Triff is able to work it all out by smell and appearance, eventually leading to McGee talking about the problems with the twins on different sleep schedules.

The deal does help NCIS get some information. Triff tells them to search “inside” Hicks’ old van, which clearly wasn’t searched enough by the FBI in the first place. Gibbs takes off a panel and finds a pole with dried blood and it’s back to Abby. She finds traces of five victims’ blood on the pole, all linking to the victims with the same driving license calling card. It’s enough to help link Hicks to the crimes.

Hicks works on splitting everyone up

Gibbs realizes that Hicks has always had a plan, with the help of Jack who shares that Hicks is no longer killing to replace the idea of killing his dad but is killing with an agenda. Getting Mary back to the nursing home was a way to force NCIS and Fornell to split up. Hicks is after Fornell for revenge, but NCIS don’t get to Fornell’s in time.

With Fornell in the trunk of his car, he’s able to get to McGee’s apartment. Triff was a loose end for talking to the police. Hicks is about to shoot McGee, but Triff is able to get out of his cage (it’s been unlocked for a while) and take the bullet instead. He makes it out of the situation alive, complaining about McGee shooting the wall.

Gibbs takes off after Hicks. Getting out of his restraints, Fornell is able to attack Hicks from behind and cause Hicks to crash the car. As the two fight on the ground, Gibbs comes up behind Hicks and shoots him with the taser. Hicks is caught and put back behind bars and everyone makes it out alive. It’s a happy ending for NCIS. Well, all except for McGee, who now has to find a way to tell Delilah that Triff is the godfather to the twins.

With Hicks back behind bars, Fornell gets the offer to be reinstated in the FBI. However, Fornell is happy where he is now and decides to turn it down. Since he’s now a small business owner, he hands Gibbs an invoice for his expenses on the case, including the dry cleaning bill!

Next: NCIS recap: A hit and run uncovers a 15-year-old secret

What did you think about using wrapping the storyline involving Hicks? Did you enjoy seeing Triff return? Did Fornell make the right choice in the end? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

NCIS Season 15 continues on Tuesdays at 8/7c on CBS.