A manhunt ensues when Victor Paul Gitano, a recently released sex offender, kidnaps two children after killing the rest of their family. Benson and Stabler pursue Gitano only to find their own relationship challenged as both experience opportunities where they put their personal relationship ahead of their job. After having her throat slashed, Benson requests for a new partner when she hears what Stabler has to say about their relationship and their job.
Gibbs and the team are called in when a couple of kids stumble upon the body of a missing Marine in a frozen lake. As the NCIS team searches the frozen lake bed for clues, they come across three more bullet-ridden bodies. During the autopsies, Ducky and Gibbs discover that the three additional victims had gang tattoos. With this crucial piece of information, the team works to uncover the Marine's connection with a deadly street gang.
Jonas and the team carry out an assasination of a terrorist in Spain. However, they soon find out that the government called off the mission and will now not protect them in the country which means there only hope is to escape. Back at the base, Molly learns that her daughter Betsy wants to drop out of college and Kim thinks about taking a college course herself.