Delilah finds a clue, which may help to solve the alleged death of a US Navy lieutenant, Kit, two weeks ago in Budapest, Hungary; then her boss orders her that she has never seen it; however, she surreptitiously speaks with Tony, McGee, and Gibbs, who sends Tony and McGee to check for chinchillas and to find evidence. Then Tony and McGee meet a man who claims to be an agent of the CIA, who tells a wild story to Vance and Gibbs, and who asks them to back off; still, though, Vance tells Gibbs and Ellie to continue pushing quietly. Abby and Jimmy, interpreting the evidence from the chinchilla hunt, paint a picture of Kit, who appears to be alive. The director of the CIA backs out and leaves the case to the NCIS. Delilah finds that Kit has left breadcrumbs; Kit encounters Gibbs and Ellie, and Tony joins them. Kit provides illuminating answers, and the gang finish putting the pieces together, so Tony and McGee grab the bad guy, and McGee and Delilah give Kit a ride.

Tis the season to be hacking. In a Christmas letter to his father, McGee describes in detail a case in which he, Gibbs and the rest of the NCIS team investigate the hackers who are responsible for the Internet going down in the D.C. area.