Tom Zill was a Navy Captain who was present on the multi-teleconference call which had NCIS Director Jennifer Shepard attempting to stop Deputy Director Dean Welsh from sending a Navy team to the Cape Fear which PinPin Pula, a member of the terrorist group, Abu Sayyaf, had rigged with explosives. Unfortunately, despite Shepard's best attempts, they failed as PinPin ultimately went ahead with the attack and succeeded in blowing up the Cape Fear, resulting in NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs quitting NCIS for good.