A tourist yacht cruising the coast of Somalia opens fire on an unarmed boat, killing a sheikh and his wife. The incident sets in play an international grab for power, an illegal arms deal and a hunt for terrorists. Captain Ross finds himself at the tragic center of the conflict, galvanizing the assistance of Major Case detectives Goren, Eames and Nichols.

• Last appearance of Eric Bogosian as Captain Daniel Ross.

With an illegal arms deal and a hunt for Somali terrorists hanging in the balance, Detectives Goren, Eames, Nichols and newcomer Stevens combine resources. The heart of their investigation aims to bring to justice the murderer of Captain Ross. This is part 2 of the season premiere.

• Vincent D'Onofrio (Detective Robert Goren) and Kathryn Erbe (Detective Alexandra Eames) left cast for the duration of season 9 after this episode.

Detective Nichols matches wits with an Irish crime boss from his past after a police officer is killed on the island community of Broad Channel.

• First appearance of Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Captain Zoe Callas.
• The song played at the beginning and end of the episode is "Middle of Nowhere" written by Mike Post and Alan Doyle, and performed by Alan Doyle. After the original airing subsequent episodes removed the song and replaced it with the show's regular background music and removed the information from the credits.
• Guest star Kevin Conway.

Nichols and Stevens investigate a murdered ballerina, whose killer may be a member of her elite school community.

• Guest Star: Melissa Benoist

Rachel, a young girl from the midwest who moved to NYC, is murdered after visiting a medical center to receive treatment for an assault. Maya, a nurse's aid from the medical center and her boyfriend Damon, engage in a series of sexual assaults and murders. They are responsible for Rachel's death among others. Nichols and Stevens must figure out if Randall, another nurse's aid or Maya and Damon are the killers before there is another murder. The crux of the investigation lies in uncovering the psyches of Maya and Randall as individuals and as a couple.

• Guest Stars: Dash Mihok, Caroline Dhavernas.

A mid-level government official decides to blackmail two doctors who have been overcharging their clients. The doctors are terrified that the scandal will lead to the retired mobsters who financed their practice. Their fears are seemingly put to rest when the official turns up dead – until Nichols and Stevens' investigation leads right back to their door.

• Guest Stars Vincent Curatola, Peter Appel, Joseph Siravo, Lenny Venito, and Cathy Moriarty.

Nichols and Stevens must solve an old fashioned murder mystery.

• Guest Star Geraldine Hughes.

The career of a promising young boxer is derailed when authorities discover he's at the center of a dog fighting ring. Things go from bad to worse when one of his partners turns up dead.

• Partially inspired by the Michael Vick dog fighting incident.
• Guest Stars Dan Lauria, Ralph Macchio, Michael B. Jordan, Terri Garber

The body of successful real estate agent Hildy Glazer is discovered bled out in the basement of an empty building. The odd assortment of clues point Nichols and Stevens in several different directions. A painter's truck was spotted at the scene of the abduction, belonging to a man named Andy Quinn. Before Hildy's disappearance, she was examined by an abrasive doctor, Maynard Curtis. But most disturbing are the images on the walls – images painted in blood that forensics claim were drawn by a young child. Driven by that terrible implication, Nichols develops a theory of how these three seemingly unrelated people are connected. But to prove it, he's forced to consult with the most unlikely expert: Doctor Theodore Nichols, his father. Their relationship is shaky at best, but they'll have to work fast - another innocent has just been kidnapped.

• Special Guest Star: F. Murray Abraham as Dr. Theodore Nichols
• This season finale episode is the lowest rated episode of all the franchise's season finales.
• This is the only appearance of Nichols' father.
• Last appearances of Jeff Goldblum as Detective Zack Nichols, Saffron Burrows as Detective Serena Stevens, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Captain Zoe Callas.