When McGee kills a man while on assignment, the NCIS team steps in to back him when they discover the man was an undercover police officer.

Gibbs is furious when Director Shepard overrules him and allows the police to run their own investigation on McGee. Determined to clear McGee's name and prove his actions were justified, the NCIS team bands together to protect one of their own. Meanwhile, Tony gets a troublesome phone call from his past.