A critic of the NCIS has severely complained about an alleged cover-up of the death of a Naval officer; the griper falls to his death; both the NCIS and the Metro PD investigate; the Gibbs team figure it out. Ziva seeks Gibbs's signature.

The body of a Navy petty officer, shot and drowned, washes up on a beach; while Gibbs and company investigate, another body, wrapped in chain, turns up. The FBI becomes involved, the gang find clues, and Fornell and Gibbs find a leak.

Someone shoots and kills the executive officer (XO) of a Naval vessel, a commander, in his own stateroom; Gibbs and company investigate. However, a shrink (a persistent and presumptuous one) arrives to conduct mandatory psychologic evaluations for all members of the gang, and she accompanies them aboard the ship. Ziva recognizes the spent brass as Russian. Word of the murder spreads fast, for seven international journalists are aboard as guests; one reporter makes a confession and reveals a potential powder keg. The team continue, and they eventually find the solution. Meanwhile, the shrink also continues, eliciting a number of flashbacks, mostly related to Kate Todd, a former member and special agent. Eventually Tony and Gibbs realize who the shrink is, then she submits her report to the director.

Gibbs and company investigate the death of a woman with an ID card of a sergeant in the US Marine Corps; McGee finds that the real sergeant died in Afghanistan three years ago. Gibbs and McGee go to Kabul, sort things out, and do some good.