NCIS has thwarted some of the most potentially catastrophic threats, but when they solve one problem, another rises to take its place. After solving the squatter situation in NCIS Season 22, Episode 3, "The Trouble with Hal," the team next tackles something with the potential of causing a war in Episode 4, "Sticks & Stones." Per the official logline below, the team jumps into action when intelligence reveals multiple deadly threats. CBS released a sneak peek from the November 4 episode that finds Parker and Torres learning how perilous this situation is after coordinating with several United States officials.
"After receiving intelligence on deadly threats to multiple locations that could lead to a catastrophic war, NCIS is called in to try to neutralize the danger."
Russia Plots in 'NCIS' Season 22, Episode 4.
The sneak peek above begins with a call between NCIS and several other United States agencies. A map shown on a screen teases trouble in multiple European countries apart from Russia and one of its biggest allies, Belarus. "We have to assume some kind of Russian cyberattack to degrade our command and control capabilities before Belarus launches those missiles," a General informs Parker and Torres, teasing loss of control for US-operated missiles in the region.
A US senator joins the call and informs them that time is of the essence, even though Air Force One is unreachable. He reminds them the Florida NCIS branch has important intelligence. "Didn't NCIS: Naples intercept the original transmission?" the senator asks. Parker and Torres are confused because while Naples is a city in Florida, the most well-known Naples is the Italian city where a branch of NCIS operates. It turns out the senator is just like many Americans who struggle with geography outside the fifty states.
"Who is this idiot?" Torres thinks out loud. The senator says he's the next person in the line of succession because the president and speaker of the House are both on Air Force One. That makes him the senior person on the call. They also learn that the Vice President is having an emergency medical procedure. While a lot of what is said is comical, the implications of having the entire senior US leadership indisposed when there are major threats don't escape Parker or Torres. They think something else must be going on.
Who has taken control of US weapons? Is this something small in a much bigger event? Find out when "Stick & Stones" airs on CBS on Monday, November 4 at 9 p.m. Catch up with past episodes on Paramount+.
