'NCIS: New Orleans' Season 6 Episode 7 features close calls as team neutralizes bomber threatening to blow up buildings
The episode seven of ‘NCIS: New Orleans’ Season 6 was an explosive one -- quite literally. The episode titled ‘Boom-Boom-Boom-Boom’ followed the story of a terrorist scenario in New Orleans where a man named “Spartacus” held the city under hostage with the threat of fatal gas explosions.
The episode begins with an explosion at a movie theater, that took place out of the blue. Two men -- a popcorn seller and an audience member -- died on the spot. The latter turned out to be a sailor and thus the case was assigned to special agent Dwayne Pride (Scott Bakula) and his team.
What seemed like a case of natural gas explosion in the beginning, however, soon turned out to be something a lot more sinister. Sebastian Lund (Rob Kerkovich) soon found evidence contradicting the preliminary findings -- neither were the pipes corroded, nor could this have happened without gross negligence because the gas company had safeguards.
In addition, the team realized that there was no stench of natural gas in the area, something that would usually be found even after a massive explosion. The team immediately notified the mayor, Zahra Taylor (Amanda Warren).
Pride and special agent Tammy Gregorio (Vanessa Ferlito) were in the process of informing the mayor of the scenario when she received a call on her private line -- from the bomber. His voice masked by an electronic cloaking device, the bomber told them he caused the movie theater explosion by rerouting the gas company’s low-pressure system.
He identified himself as "Spartacus" and demanded a ransom of $5 million. Even as Gregorio tried to profile him and understand him better, they were at a loss. They only had seven hours to meet the man's demands and any kind of evacuation effort would require at least 12 hours.
Spartacus also led them on a false goose chase. The man they caught, it transpired, had nothing to do with the bombing. During another call with Tammy, however, Spartacus let slip a vital clue.
He made the NCIS team realize they were under surveillance, even in the mayor's office, something that led them to realize the man was a tech expert. In the meantime, Patton Plame (Daryl Mitchell), the NCIS computer expert, figured out a way to monitor the pipelines for increased pressure.
They would now know exactly where the next explosion was likely to happen. As it turned out, it was at a 911-response office. Special agent Hannah Khoury (Necar Zadegan) and Sebastian reached the spot to evacuate the building. And they almost did, when the explosion happened.
Luckily for Hannah, she was barely hurt, even though the situation could have easily proven to be a fatal one. Dor Loretta Wade (C. C. H. Pounder) gave her an earful about being reckless. She didn’t want to lose more of her NCIS family (after Lasalle's death) and Sebastian promised her he would be more careful going forward.
Gregorio, Patton and Pride, at the Mayor's office, suddenly realized the bomber might actually still be in the building premises. And that he might be a member of the IT staff in the office.
When they asked the mayor if there had been any disgruntled employees, she told them she had privatized several departments in New Orleans to save money -- a move that would lead to job cuts. Patton began investigating everyone who would be losing their jobs.
He quickly came across a Steven Marx and realized they had found their bomber. Marx, in the meanwhile, began raising the pressure in the pipelines under City Hall, where Gregorio and Patton were stationed.
Now that they had managed to track down the bomber, Pride and Sebastian were on his pursuit. Marx had by now realized that the game was up. He threatened to blow up City Hall right that instant.
Gregorio, who was still trying to negotiate with him, refused to leave the building. Pride found Marx and told him to lower the cell phone. When he tried to detonate the building, Pride shot him. The day was thus saved.
'NCIS: New Orleans' Season 6 airs on Tuesdays at 10 pm only on CBS.