Christopher B. Duncan

In the aftermath of a deadly plane crash, Bobby and team race to help the survivors, while Athena deals with panic and chaos at the airport. Bobby confronts his past demons; Athena is out for revenge against a group of teen bullies; and Abby delivers an important message from a 9-1-1 caller.

The daughter of high-powered diplomats, Special Agent Emily Prentiss joins the team, and she must convince Gideon and Hotchner she deserves the job based on merit and not on her family connections.

Brennan and Booth investigate the body of a man murdered for the undisclosed contents of a briefcase. Early evidence leads the team to suspect secret operatives are at work, and their theories are supported when the liquefied remains of a CIA agent are discovered in the trunk of a car. When Brennan and Booth interrogate the CIA's Assistant Director of Intelligence, they are left unsure of his allegiance to the U.S. Meanwhile, Brennan's best-selling book leads to financial success and serves as a point of contention with Booth, and Jeffersonian intern Wendell (guest star Michael Grant Terry) loses his scholarship, leaving the team to look for alternative funding to keep him around.

Castle finally gets his day in court when he takes the stand as the key witness to a murder from five months ago. But when new information suddenly arises, he and Beckett must race against the clock to prevent a miscarriage of justice.

Following an emotional reunion with her mother, Veronica is hired to track down Neptune High's beloved mascot, Polly the Parrot, which was apparently kidnapped by a rival school on the eve of a big basketball game. Meanwhile, with her suspicions about the Kane family rekindled, Veronica attempts to gain access to her father's original interrogation tapes. Later, Veronica's relationship with Deputy Leo (recurring guest star MAX GREENFIELD) intensifies, as does Meg's (recurring guest star ALONA TAL) relationship with Duncan.