While Deeks follows his morning routine, during what appears to be a holdup of a convenience store, a gunman shoots him twice in the chest with a pistol; Deeks goes into surgery; G and Sam investigate at the scene; Kensi waits at the hospital; Eric and Nell prompt their computer. The team realize that two bad guys had staged the supposed robbery as a deliberate ambush; Eric traces the suspects' car to the hospital, where G and Sam see it and engage them; the driver dies, and the other man escapes but winds up at the boat shed. The team set up G for an undercover meet; while talking with Kensi, Deeks suggests a dangerous idea; Kensi tells Eric that G's walking into a trap; Kensi dashes off to the trap, and Deeks suddenly figures out who's the real target; G and Sam tear back to the hospital, but they arrive late, for the party has already ended. The team put all the pieces together. Hetty brings Deeks up to date on his next of kin.

NCIS investigates an arson attack at Global West Ventures Corp, a naval defense contractor. Rountree connects with an ex and Kilbride gives Callen files on Pembrook.