NCIS began with Tim at his typewriter writing a letter to his father on Christmas Eve about a case the team had the week before. A flashback shows Gibbs watching a western when a news broadcast interrupts with news of an Internet shutdown in Washington D.C. and the broadcaster announcing the federal authorities were looking into it since it could be the result of coordinated hackings. In his writings, Tim mentions Gibbs’ Rule 39: No such thing as coincidences.
After the credits, we hear Tim’s voiceover as he writes, talking about his father “ruling the house with an Iron fist” and how Tony compared him to The Great Santini. He also talks about how his dad respected Gibbs for his rules, such as Rule 3: Never be unreachable. A flashback shows Tony and Ziva talking about where McGee is as a younger Tim rushes into Abby’s lab.
Tony walks into the squad room where Ellie is at her desk in her pajamas. Gibbs comes in and they talk about how only the community can’t get on the Internet, but the federal governments still have their computer access. Ellie tries to explain to Gibbs about the coordinated hackings, but when he doesn’t understand, she uses the filing cabinet to explain how hackers can interrupt your computer access. They don’t know what the reason is for the hacking, but one possibility is a data breach.
Abby calls Tony just in time just as Tim comes up to see her. They both found information on a hacker named Krampus, who was involved in different hackings for the last three years. She gives Tim an image of a postcard, showing Krampus as the anti-St. Nicholas who steals children’s toys. Abby mentions looking into Krampus’ history and found three people who were connected to Krampus. IT Kevin, Heidi Partridge, Ajay Khan, all inmates they put into jail. Tim isn’t happy because he’ll be sent to talk to them. He asks her not to tell the team, but she already told Tony.
Tim goes to Gibbs and tries to talk him out of talking to the criminals. Gibbs reveals they are coming via prison transport. He tells Tim it was Tony’s idea and that Tim is in charge. Tim mentions Rule One: Never put your suspects together and never screw over your partner. Tony only responds, “Merry Krampus.”
Tim stands at his window as his voiceover talks about their parents and how the team finds influence by their fathers. He tells his father on paper that he had to play the parent and he could feel how own father coming through in him.
Meanwhile, back during the case, Tim and Tony go down to the garage where the prison transport arrives. The three prisoners aren’t happy about missing Christmas gift exchanges. Tim tries to remain stern, but Ajay mocks him about being a nerd. The next rule mentioned is Rule 10: Never get personally involved on a case. Flashbacks show Gibbs with Mike Franks and Tim during the time when he covered for his sister during a murder investigation.
Ellie gives the prisoners clothes, but they aren’t too thrilled. Tony comes in with a note saying ‘Prisoners will be expelled.’ He makes a Breakfast Club reference as the prisoners tell them they can’t help them and Heidi and Ajay get Kevin to side with them. Tony gets a call from Gibbs to let him know the attack is over.
Tim is in the lab reading about Krampus as Abby comes in. He hadn’t done anything to bring the Internet back and that it’s great news since they can get rid of the prisoners. Abby is suspicious since nothing bad was left behind but Tim is checking servers. He gets a call from his sister and tells Abby the whole family has plans, including his father. She asks if his chemo is working, but Tim doesn’t answer since they find out one server is still breached. An area in Anacostia is still being hacked. Rule 36 and 40: If you feel like you’re being played, you probably are and If you think someone’s out to get you, they probably are. Flashbacks include scenes from Tony opening an envelope full of bubonic plague and the bombing of NCIS headquarters.
In his home, Tim talks about being punished as a kid and how his mom would come up later with a sandwich if he didn’t eat dinner. He mentions that he never knew how tough it was to have to enforce the rules, but that it was necessary.
Abby and Tim rush back to Gibbs to let him know what happened and he concludes he went after Congressional e-mails. The prisoners come down, who still think they are on their way back to prison. But Gibbs tells Ellie not to bring them down and Tim asks how they will help them. Gibbs tells him to “figure it out.” He mentions Rule 5: Don’t waste good.
The prisoners talk amongst themselves as Tim looks over a file silently. They go back and forth about needing a computer to figure out what to do or letting the hacker release the e-mails. Tim gets a message from Ellie about a body and gets up to leave.
Tim is once again seen writing and talking about how rules were good for both professional and personal safety. Back at NCIS, Gibbs and Tim discuss the body being found at the server farm. Tim is asked if he recognizes the hacker and after making a quip about how anonymous web sites don’t work that way, he tells Gibbs he doesn’t. The prisoners make their appearance. Gibbs wants them to go down to see the dead body in autopsy.
In autopsy, the hackers looked grossed out as Ducky pulls out the victim’s organs and talks about Krampus. The hackers realize that the dead man is not Krampus and figure they can use the computer since he was a lackey and could identify him. Rule 15: Always work as a team. Flashbacks show Gibbs with Jenny Shepard, Kate and Tim at a suspect’s house, Tony and Gibbs in the wrestling ring, and Tim saving Tony.
Down near Abby’s lab, Tim waits with the hackers, who are confused on why they are down there. Abby compares them to A Christmas Carol and how they can be given facts and decide what to do. Heidi is trying to look around as Abby asks Tim about his dad. He admits the chemo stopped working and his dad is having surgery. Abby realizes that’s the reason he never wanted the case. Heidi interrupts them after she finds computer monitors that have been stashed away.
As they look at the monitors, Ellie runs by, telling Tim she can’t talk. His voiceover mentions Rule 3 and Rule 8: Don’t believe what you read, always double check and Never take anything for granted. As Tim writes, he realizes how similar the rules are and ponders the idea that Gibbs and parents could just make up the rules as they are going.
Tony tells Gibbs that Heidi had unsupervised computer time and Ellie has information that Heidi had used an anonymous message board to give Krampus access to her contacts.
The prisoners are in the elevator where Tony arrives and tells Ajay he has a call. They take him to the interrogation room and Gibbs comes in. He and Tim want to bring Ajay in and they try to use money to bring him in. He agrees and Tim tells him to continue flirting with Heidi and to use Ellie’s cell phone, that he stole, so she can contact Krampus and they will see it online. But then Tim gets a note that Abby told them to wait. He mentions Rule 22: Never, ever bother Gibbs during interrogation unless it’s for a good reason.
Ducky tells Gibbs he died due to fatal familial insomia, in which he couldn’t sleep. The hacker’s name is Lyle Triggett. They already got local police on tap to get his cell phones and computers to try to connect him to Krampus. Abby tells him Krampus is trying to sell the Intel so it means the deal with Ajay Khan will stick.
Tim takes the time to mention Rule 12: Never date a co-worker since he had dated Abby earlier. In the squad room, Tim is visibly annoyed as they try to work. The team is trying to infiltrate the message boards,. Tim gets a call from Sarah, informing him their dad canceled his surgery. When the prisoners make fun of him, Tim lashes out and tells them they are the reason he’s not with his father to convince him to go ahead with the surgery. Heidi takes this time to mention a bathroom break. When she leaves, Khan tells Gibbs he can help.
Khan goes into the bathroom and at first, it looks like he will do what they asked. But then the screen comes up on Tim’s computer, showing Heidi and Ajay kissing. They realize Khan set them up. Tim and Gibbs go into the bathroom and Tim is aghast that Ajay told Heidi. She tells them she wants a lawyer. Time for Rule 13: Never involve lawyers.
Tim texts his sister asking if she spoke to dad. He looks frustrated at the reply and Ajay asks if he’s mad. He replies, “I’m disappointed” and tells them he’s done. A voiceover discusses how no matter what you do as a parent, kids may never follow. He says he owes his dad an apology and mentions this is breaking another rule.
Ellie tells Gibbs Krampus is Douglas Vondorothy. He had messages with Lyle that led to information to indicate where he was. Using social media, Ellie found him in Wisconsin. While the team prepares to get him, Tim looks unsure. He tells Gibbs that the case feels like it is way too easy. He’s worried if they arrive and Krampus isn’t even in Wisconsin, the information will be sold. Gibbs decides to bring Heidi in. Tim is still set on not dealing with them. Gibbs brings up Rule 51 but none of them have ever heard it. The rule is Sometimes you’re wrong.
Tim goes in the room with the hackers and has Kevin read Vondorothy’s file. He has been charged with revenge porn and hackings of photos of teen girls. Kevin is disgusted while Ajay thinks it’s a fake. Kevin feels it is real, though. Kevin is perturbed as Ajay reminds him that he is also a criminal, but Kevin points out he wants to make up for his crimes. As Tim admits to Heidi he was wrong, she eventually confesses that Vondorothy is not in Wisconsin. She talks about having to clean up his mess and Tim’s voiceover mentions this is Rule 45.
He is writing and talking about how the rules are there to protect the people who are following the rules. Flashbacks show Kate sitting with Tony during his illness, Tony rescuing Gibbs from the ocean, and Tony, Ziva, and Tim being rescued by Gibbs.
In MTAC, the hackers watch Vondorothy being arrested. In the present, Tim is dressed up and reading what he wrote as he talks about how Gibbs’ rules just helped to enhance the rules he grew up with.
Tim is walking through the halls insisting to his dad that he will come see him. He sits down and sees the new computer monitors on his desk and he begins moving them back the way he had them before. Tony leads the prisoners away while Gibbs gets Tim to leave. A voiceover shows Tim realized his dad postponed his surgery so his family could have that last holiday together.
Tim is sitting in a room speaking out loud, somberly. A man in a priest’s uniform comes in to tell Tim people are coming. He asks for another minute and we see his dad in a casket. Tim walks over and tearfully speaks to his father about how he helped him to grow and be a man. He thanks his father and places the letter in his casket before kissing his forehead.
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