For the last couple of seasons, the team’s Operations Manager has been AWOL after embarking on a top secret mission in Syria.

Although she was confirmed to still be alive, agents G Callen (Chris O’Donnell) and Sam Hanna (LL Cool J) are still no closer to locating her position.

Meanwhile, Admiral Hollace Kilbride (Gerald McRaney) has been filling in for Hetty and NCIS HQ.

Some fans have predicted the final season will culminate with the agents going on a rescue mission to the Middle East, but the showrunner urged them to manage their expectations.

“We don’t get to that point,” he revealed. “But it’s put in motion. Let’s put it that way.”

Gemmill’s cryptic response to fans’ demands neither confirms or denies an actual appearance from Hunt in the upcoming episodes.

He seems to suggest the team will at least plan an operation to recover their boss before something interrupts them.

The series could simply close with the beginning of their mission just before the credits roll, with no actual appearance from the missing OM.

Alternatively, Hetty could come back to HQ alive and well, surprising the agents who were just about to set off in search for her.

Whatever the case, Gemmill promised: “We are going to have steps taken to resolve Hetty’s storyline in a way that I hope leaves fans feeling excited.”

In reality, Hunt, 77, took a step back from the series to keep herself safe during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-21.

However, she has since made brief appearances on the series, either in the office or via a video link, potentially setting up one final visit for season 14.

On a more positive note, Gemmill had an exciting update for fans hoping to see Callen finally getting married to his girlfriend Anna Kolcheck (Bar Paly).

“That’s quite possible,” he teased in Parade. “There are a few surprises.

“We try to put everyone in a really good place and Callen and Anna are two of them.”

“Part of what happens in the finale is Callen getting to a point of contentment and I think that’s why he’s asked Anna to marry him.

“He’s gotten to a point where he’s much more present and looking to the future, where for 14 seasons, we’ve seen him trying to learn about his past and figure it out. I think he’s in a good place. They both are.”

As for viewers’ hopes the team could eventually reunite for an NCIS: LA movie, he added: “When you see the end, you’ll understand. We left it open to a next chapter … maybe.”

In the meantime, there is still plenty of NCIS action for fans to enjoy, with new episodes of NCIS: Hawaii and the flagship show in the works for later this year.