'NCIS LA' season 8 spoilers: Anna Kolcheck returns for a mission and a holiday celebration

A still from "NCIS: LA" season 8 episode 5, "Ghost Gun," where Bar Paly last returned as Anna Kolcheck CBS

"NCIS: Los Angeles" season 8 will be on a three-week hiatus, but the show will be back with a holiday special, "Tidings We Bring," a week before Christmas.

The installment will see the return of Bar Paly as Anna Kolcheck, who was last seen working with her ex-boyfriend Callen (Chris O'Donnell) in episode 5, "Ghost Gun."

Anna will be back in "NCIS: LA" season 8 episode 11 to help the team investigate the disappearance of a navy lieutenant commander, which appears to have resulted in foreign cyber threats.

She will not be working with Callen, though. Anna will instead team up with Sam (LL Cool J) while Callen goes with Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen).

Anna's work in "Ghost Gun" had Granger (Michael Ferrer) impressed. He described the stint a "good first day" and leaned towards a "maybe" with the idea of bringing her back.

It turns out that Anna will indeed be back, and it is happening in the upcoming episode. It will be interesting to see the interaction between her and Callen.

Although a relationship between them is already considered to have an expiration date should they try it again, they still flirted in "Ghost Gun." Whether this will be the case in the episode remains to be seen.

Interestingly, it looks like Anna will be around for the team's holiday celebration, which might give way to her and Callen to talk things out.

Meanwhile, the previous "NCIS: LA" season 8 episode brought the team closer to learning the identity of the mole. They got a name from one of the infiltrator's cohorts before she was shot.

The name was Ray, and with a little digging, the team realizes they are dealing with a woman and one who hit on Granger at a bar. Of course, there is more to discover about this.

"NCIS: LA" executive producer R. Scott Gemmill told TV Guide that the team will uncover the mole mystery by the end of the season, but with "catastrophic results."

"NCIS: LA" season 8 will be back with episode 11, "Tidings We Bring," on Sunday, Dec. 18, at 8:30 p.m. EST on CBS.

News
Nigeria: all Christians kidnapped by bandits now free
Nigeria: all Christians kidnapped by bandits now free

They are said to be in generally good condition.

Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in prison
Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in prison

The 78-year-old Catholic and founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper was convicted in December on two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious articles.

Archbishop Mullally uses maiden presidential address to re-commit to better safeguarding standards
Archbishop Mullally uses maiden presidential address to re-commit to better safeguarding standards

Dame Sarah Mullally has used her maiden presidential address to Synod as Archbishop of Canterbury to lament the Church of England's past failings on safeguarding and double down on raising standards. 

Cuban bishops warn oil sanctions could deepen hardship and unrest
Cuban bishops warn oil sanctions could deepen hardship and unrest

The message, read in Catholic parishes nationwide, warned that further pressure on fuel access would fall most heavily on vulnerable families already struggling to survive.