While Jane is questioned following Maggie Shaw’s arrest, the rest of the team investigates a mysterious case of Marines with damaged ear canals from a weapon that emits ultrasonic waves. Also, Ernie visits his friend, Dr. Tony Lee (Alec Mapa), to identify possible suspects who had access to his classified weapon.
When NCIS investigates the mysterious death of a Navy engineer, Joseph Chan, they learn the last person he met with was his colleague, Maggie Shaw, Jane’s mentor and friend, who’s been kidnapped. Also, David Sola, a New Zealand intelligence service case officer arrives in Hawai’i, following a lead that connects Joseph’s death to a Chinese black op secret agent.
When a marine is shot, the team investigates. They start by talking to him, he tells them that he went riding and he got shot probably by a hunter. They check out his story and learn he wasn't telling the truth. They go back to see him but he left the hospital, not fully healed. They learn a relative came and helped him. They see the relative, who doesn't know much but they find a bag filled with drugs. They think the bag belongs to his son. So they try to talk to him but he disappeared. They think the boy was asked by a drug ring to deliver the drugs but he changed his mind which means his father is trying to protect him. But the gang will stop at nothing to get them, so they try to find them. When Kai's father doesn't see his doctor, Kai needs to put aside his feelings to help his father.
Tennant and NCIS must take down a notorious team of international thieves using WWII explosives on armored trucks before they complete their final big job and disappear. Also, Kai searches for a new place to live; Lucy and Whistler have a standoff about their previous encounter; and Ernie's mission in the field is more alarming than he expected.