NCIS features major events in season 22, including a case that calls back one of the agency’s biggest mistakes. The team has taken on some significant cases, even averting World War III in NCIS season 22, episode 4. They are also navigating shifting relationships. Jessica Knight (Katrina Law) rejoined the Major Case Response Team (MCRT) after accepting a promotion that took her to California. Now that she’s back, Jess, McGee (Sean Murray), Torres (Wilmer Valderrama), and Parker (Gary Cole) can keep catching bad guys. Still, one almost gets away in episode 5.
In “In From the Cold,” the NCIS season 22 team investigates a hostage situation at a hospital that turns into a murder. Strange things happen when they look up the numbers recited by Thomas Butler (John Getz), who allegedly committed the crime. CIA Officer Conrad (Tom Achanley) arrives at NCIS to clear up the confusion, telling the team that Butler is a Russian spy. However, Conrad ends up being a dirty CIA agent, and the MCRT catches him before Conrad hurts Butler or any of their agents. Thus, NCIS season 22 narrowly avoided a mistake it made 17 years ago.
Gibbs’ MCRT Dealt With A Rogue CIA Agent In Trent Kort
Trent Kort Was A Deceptive CIA Operative
NCIS season 22 isn’t the first time the MCRT has dealt with a rogue CIA agent. The agency constantly works with other government agencies, like the FBI and the Secret Service, on investigations — but it has a significantly checkered history with the CIA. The most infamous NCIS run-in with a rogue CIA agent is Trent Kort (David Dayan Fisher), who similarly interfered with NCIS cases. The main difference between Kort and Conrad is that NCIS catches Conrad after working on him just once. By contrast, the former CIA operative interfered with cases from NCIS seasons 4 to 13.
When the team was investigating the arms dealer René Benoit, known as La Grenouille, Kort blew up Tony DiNozzo’s car. Luckily, Tony (Michael Weatherly) narrowly escaped an ill fate, as he wasn’t in the vehicle, but Kort reared his head again when he returned years later. Kort’s antagonizing of the MCRT came to a head when he reappeared in season 13, blowing up the family home of Ziva David (Cote de Pablo), with the fire allegedly killing her. While NCIS revealed that Ziva was alive in hiding, the team didn’t catch Kort in time to neutralize a near-fatal attack.
Luckily, NCIS Season 22, Episode 5 Catches Conrad During The First Case
MCRT Knows Conrad Is Dirty In A Twist Ending
In NCIS season 22, episode 5, it isn’t initially clear that Conrad is dirty or that the MCRT is onto him. Still, the CIA agent acts suspiciously from the beginning. He arrives at NCIS after Kasie (Diona Reasonover) engineers a program to counterattack whoever is blocking their search for Thomas Butler. The counterattack tips off the CIA, and Conrad arrives to do damage control. Despite appearing concerned for national security, Conrad is hesitant to hand over information but eventually tells Parker and Vance (Rocky Carroll) that Butler is a Russian spy who the CIA allowed to live out his disguise.
With Conrad’s link to Kort, it reminds us just how dangerous an unchecked NCIS villain can be. Kort almost killed Ziva David.
Still, Conrad’s explanation doesn’t add up. His involvement in the case expands when he learns that Butler has gained access to a file called Project Laurel, and NCIS brings Butler in for questioning with his son’s help. Back at NCIS Headquarters, Parker questions Butler and the team discovers that he thinks it’s the 1970s. While it appears that they can’t shake him from it, Parker is actually working with Butler to catch Conrad after learning that Project Laurel is a list of CIA crimes with Conrad’s name all over it. Thus, Parker’s team was able to prevent another long-term villain.
How Conrad’s Case Highlights The Danger Brought By LaRoche In NCIS Season 22
MCRT Isn’t Out Of The Woods Yet
While the team has officially steered clear of another rogue CIA agent, they aren’t out of the woods yet. We still don’t know what will happen with NCIS season 22’s villain, Gabriel LaRoche (Seamus Dever). NCIS introduces LaRoche in the NCIS season 22 premiere. He is the Department of Defense (DOD) Inspector General, and McGee contacts him regarding information on Nick’s undercover operation. The IJ is rude, calling NCIS a lesser agency. However, NCIS reveals that LaRoche beat McGee for the NCIS Deputy Director position despite his comments. The promotion puts LaRoche in a significant position of power at NCIS.
Despite NCIS season 22 ignoring its most dangerous case in episode 2, LaRoche is mentioned again at the end of episode 3, when it’s revealed that McGee is covertly investigating the new deputy director. LaRoche poses a massive threat to the team since they uncover reason to believe that he is a mole leaking information before his promotion to deputy director. With Conrad’s link to Kort, it reminds us just how dangerous an unchecked NCIS villain can be. Kort almost killed Ziva David. If left unchecked, Gabrielle LaRoche could similarly take out one of MCRT’s most valuable members.