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Transmissão .::. Transcripts .::. Terceira Temporada .::. #3.05 Repercussions

Thanks to RocknVaughn at SD-1.

Fade to black. THREE HOURS LATER. Cut to a daytime scene of Syd (still in Julia disguise) running full out through what seems to be a park. She reaches a telephone and dials a number. The line rings, then is answered. The camera pans around Syd and keeps cutting to different angles.)

Voice: This line is secure.

Sydney (panting): Mountaineer, day code 87865, requesting patch-thru…

Voice: Connected.

Sydney: This is the first time I could call…I just got away…

(Cut to the Ops Center…sliding pan to Jack. Scene keeps cutting back and forth between Jack and Sydney, the camera still pans in circles around them in a frantic manner.)

Jack: Sydney…where are you?

Sydney: I’m in Spain. Dad, listen to me…they have to activate the transmitter now! I put it on Vaughn…he’s on a road outside of Ibiza…

Jack: On Vaughn!? We’re supposed to be tracking the biological weapons…

Sydney: Dad, Vaughn is bleeding to death right now! You have to move!

Jack: Hold on…

(Jack pushes a button on his phone. Cut to Marshall in his office.)

Marshall: Flinkman!

(Cut to Jack.)

Jack: Trigger Sydney’s transmitter now!

(Cut back to Marshall)

Marshall: Yes, sir.

(Marshall types furiously at his keyboard. Cut back to Jack.)

Jack: And send Weiss after the signal…

(Cut to Marshall.)

Marshall: Okay, I’m on it…

(Cut back to Jack.)

Jack: Marshall’s activating it…Tell me what happened.

(Cut to Sydney.)

Sydney: They found Vaughn. They grabbed him. They were gonna put a bullet in his head, so I offered to do it…Dad, I stabbed him myself…

(Cut to Jack.)

Jack: Sydney…

(Cut to Syd, very distressed.)

Sydney: I had to! I didn’t have any choice! They were gonna kill him!

(Cut to Jack.)

Jack: I understand. We’re tracking the signal now…Tell me what happened with the package.

(Cut to Sydney.)

Sydney: The biological weapons are in a case in Simon’s room.

(Cut to Jack.)

Sydney (voiceover): He told me he was going somewhere with Javier to celebrate the job.

(Cut to Sydney.)

Sydney: I’m going to break into his room and grab the weapons…

Jack (voiceover): Sweetheart…

(Cut to Jack.)

Jack: We’ll find Vaughn.

(Cut to Sydney.)

Sydney: Thank you…

(She hangs up and starts to walk away.)

(Cut to a brown van driving up an alley. The camera pans down and we see Sark waiting for the van to stop. It does, and Simon and Javier exit the van. As Simon and Sark approach Sark, Simon asks…)

Simon: What’s the rush?

Sark: Timetable’s moved up. That’s all you need to know.

(Sark turns and opens a briefcase full of money.)

Simon: Now, look at that…hmm? Now what’s more beautiful than that…

Sark: Perhaps what it pays for…

(Simon hands Sark a bottle of wine he was carrying.)

Simon: Here. Cheers!

(Sark opens the bottle and takes a long swig of the red wine.)

Sark: Excellent. Biological weapons, please.

(Simon hands Javier the case full of money, Javier hands Simon another briefcase. Laying it on the hood of Sark’s car, he opens it to expose the canister of the agent.)

Sark: You know, it’s rare to find people who do their job well.

Simon: Well…even a thief can take pride in his work, Mr. Sark…

(Simon closes the suitcase again.)

Simon: Hmmm, here…

(Sark takes the handle of the briefcase.)

Sark: Thank you.

(Sark turns and goes toward his car. Simon and Javier turn and go toward theirs.)

(Cut to Sydney, exiting the elevator on the 22nd floor. She hurries to Simon’s door and uses a code scanner to break into his room. She looks around and finds a suitcase sitting under a desk. She takes a pick out of her bracelet and begins to pick the lock on the suitcase. Cut to Simon getting off the elevator and starting to walk toward his room. Cut back to Syd as she continues to pick the lock. Cut back to Simon, in the same hallway as his room. Cut back to Syd as she opens the briefcase to find it empty. She slams the case shut, her eyes wide. Simon walks up to his door and inserts the keycard upside down. The door beeps, doesn’t open. Cut to Syd, who looks up the door in a panic. Cut back to Simon as he puts the key card in correctly. As he opens the door and enters the room, we hear water running. The camera pans along the tile floor as we see it littered with black clothing and underwear, to reveal Sydney in the shower, behind a clear but frosted shower curtain. Simon appears slightly surprised, but pleased.)

Simon (teasing): You know this is trespassing…

(Syd sticks her head out the side of the curtain with a smile.)

Sydney: Surprise…

(She sticks her head back inside the shower, turning off the water.)

Simon: I was looking for you before…where’d you go?

(Sydney wraps a towel around herself and exits the shower.)

Sydney: Took a walk…needed some air. It’s not every night I kill someone in the CIA…

Simon: You know, if he was CIA…he certainly wasn’t doing his job very well…We already made the exchange.

(Cut to Sydney’s face. She’s clearly disappointed.)

Sydney: The Covenant already picked up the weapons?

(Simon puts down the briefcase and pulls out some of the money.)

Simon: And... They made payment…

(Simon hands three or four packs of bills to Sydney. She takes them and smiles. Simon looks at her longingly as she stands there dripping wet in only a towel.)

Simon (not looking up from her body): This is horrible…

Sydney: What?

Simon (meeting her eyes): Well, we’re flying later in the morning…I never wanted to leave a place less, you know that, don’t you?

Sydney: I thought the exchange was tomorrow.

Simon: They moved up their schedule.

(Simon relatches the briefcase of money while Sydney, behind him, looks very unhappy. He goes to the closet to grab his bag.)

Sydney: When am I going to see you again? I have so many questions…

Simon: ‘Bout what?

Sydney: Everything…

(Syd gives Simon a little seductive smile.)

Simon: Oh, yeah…well…we work well together, and I have your number; there’s always going to be another job coming up…I’ll call you.

(Simon leans in to kiss her. It takes a split second, and then Sydney smiles back.)

Simon: Feel free to use the room…

(As he turns to go.)

Sydney: Thanks…

(Off Sydney’s look of disappointment and shock, to… Aerial scene of barren mountains. Cut to two Chevy Blazers skidding to a halt on a dirt road.)

Weiss: We’re on the signal; we’re tracking him now.

(Weiss gets out of the Blazer and starts making his way up a hill. The beeper buzzes quickly.)

Weiss: Vaughn!

(Cut to Vaughn’s body, lying motionless a short distance away.)

Weiss: Oh, God…! I got him! I need a medic!

(Weiss races up the hill and skids to his knees beside Vaughn.)

Another Agent: Medic!

Weiss (more urgent now): I need a medic!

(The medic runs toward Weiss and Vaughn. The medic starts cutting away Vaughn’s bloody shirt.)

Weiss: We found him. He’s in bad shape. They’re working on him now…

(Cut back to medic applying a bandage to Vaughn’s stab wound and feeling his jugular for a pulse. The whole side of Vaughn’s face is bloody. Cut to Black. End of Act One.)

(Scene opens with Vaughn in a hospital bed, breathing tube sticking out of his mouth. Lauren sits on a chair next to him, waiting. Cut to several scenes of her pacing, soothing his brow, holding his hand. Vaughn is still unconscious.)

(Cut to an elevator door opening. It’s Sydney. She steps out and starts walking just as Lauren rounds the corner.)

Sydney: How is he?

Lauren: I don’t know. No one does. Critical, but stable is the official term.

Sydney: Is he awake?

Lauren: No. He was hypoxic. He lost oxygen when the stab wound collapsed his lung. They call it tension pneumothorax, which means…they don’t know if he’s suffered brain damage.

(Lauren looks as if she’s holding back tears. Cut to Sydney. She doesn’t look much better. A look comes over her face; she knows she has to tell Lauren the truth.)

Sydney: Lauren? I know that you’ve been generally briefed, but I need to explain the details myself so that…you’ll know how this happened.

(Lauren nods, grief evident on her face. Her eyes are watery. Cut back to Sydney, who looks so very sorry for what she is about to tell Lauren.)

Sydney: A member of Walker’s team…caught Michael…I still don’t know how. Walker ID’d him as CIA…

(Cut to Lauren)

Lauren (cutting Sydney off): …and stabbed him and left him for dead… I already know all this; it’s in the briefing. Thank you.

(Cut to Sydney)

Sydney: Lauren…(almost a whisper now)…that’s not…(She shakes her head, pursing her lips to hold back her emotions) Walker had a gun to Michael’s head. He was about to pull the trigger. I took his knife…(grief is written all over Sydney’s face)…I stabbed him myself.

(Cut to Lauren)

Lauren (her face goes from stunned disbelief to horror): You!?

(Cut to Sydney)

Sydney (her eyes begging Lauren to understand): Yes, Walker was gonna murder him…

(Cut to Lauren)

Lauren (horrified and disbelieving): …so you stabbed him!?

(Cut to Sydney)

Sydney (looks away for a moment and then back): I had no choice. It was the only thing I could do to save Michael’s life…

(Cut to Lauren)

Lauren (sarcastically): Really…

(Cut to Sydney)

Sydney (looks hurt, she thought Lauren would believe her, would understand): You can not think that I would have chosen to hurt him…ever…

(Cut to Lauren)

Lauren (tears still in her eyes, bitter): Michael…might never wake up from this!

(Cut to Sydney. She’s trying to hold back her emotion. She can’t believe Lauren thinks she hurt Vaughn on purpose. The pain reflects in her eyes. Cut to Lauren. She is shocked, and looks betrayed, also tears cling to her lashes. Before either of them can say anything else, both their beepers go off. We see each of them has gotten the same message: 47911.)

(Cut to JTF Conference Room. We see a close up of a satellite photograph.)

Dixon: At 4:30 GMT, an imaging satellite picked up the heat signature of a small aircraft flying a tactical profile. (Cut to Lauren. She’s looking off to the side in thought, apparently about Vaughn, and then shoots a hurtful, angry look at Sydney. Cut to Sydney. At first, she doesn’t realize Lauren’s looking at her, but as the stare continues, Sydney makes eye contact. She sees Lauren’s expression and gets a closed ‘I don’t care what you think’ look on her face. Cut back to Dixon talking) The national reconnaissance office tracked it to a maximum security facility in the Ural Mountains, where it flew multiple passes, deploying some kind of a biological weapon.

Sydney: The weapon Sark picked up in Spain?

Dixon: Most likely.

(Cut to Sydney’s reaction to this news. She’s not happy, looks down at her lap.)

Dixon: Echelon intercepts between the responding emergency teams indicate that the entire prison population…300 guards…500 prisoners…died within minutes.

Lauren: There were no survivors?

Weiss: No, there was one.

Sydney: One!?

Weiss: Yeah.

(Dixon puts up a photo of a black man dressed in military garb.)

Lauren (recognizes him): Abasi Bomani.

Weiss: Right. And as we all know, Bomani’s become the largest arms dealer in Africa.

Dixon: When authorities realized a biological weapon had been deployed, they called in the HAZMAT team to secure the facility.

(Dixon shows a photo of two men dressed in HAZMAT suits on either side of Bomani. Dixon focuses in on the face of one of the HAZMAT men. It’s Sark.)

Sydney: Sark.

Weiss: Bomani was last seen being escorted to a decontamination unit. That’s all we know.

Sydney: How did Bomani survive?

Marshall: Actually…If I may…I could, uh, shed some light on the situation…as usual…

Dixon (reproachful): Marshall?

Marshall (gulps): Basically, uh, Sark was able to combine an Ebola strain with the bioweapon that he’d had stolen from Spain. Now we believe that the Covenant tailored the bioweapon to kill everybody except the person whose genetic profile was encoded into the virus.

Sydney: In this case, Bomani.

Marshall (excited and impressed): Yeah. I mean the whole thing’s pretty cool…

(Dixon gives Marshall a look)

Marshall (abashed): …in a sick…horrible…way.

Lauren: Sloane is attending an NPO conference in Mexico City. I have a briefing scheduled with him the day after tomorrow.

Sydney: I’m still catching up… What did Sloane have to do with this?

(She asked the question to Dixon, but Lauren answers.)

Lauren: Sloane gave us the intel that led to Bomani’s arrest. The subsequent dismantling of his terror network wasn’t simply one of the reasons we agreed to pardon Sloane… it was the predominant reason. He might have a lead.

Dixon: Sydney, you’ll accompany Lauren to Mexico. That’s it.

(Lauren is still giving Sydney dirty looks. She’s very unthrilled about the prospect of spending time alone with her.)

(Cut to Sydney, talking to Jack in a corner of the JTF.)

Sydney: She thinks I stabbed Vaughn by choice…that I could have done something else; that it was payback…

Jack: When someone’s spouse is critically hurt or killed, rational thought takes time.

Sydney: I know…

Jack: Tell me about Simon Walker. At the moment, he’s the only connection we have to your missing two years. We can’t squander this opportunity. Did he say anything else to explain how he knew you as Julia?

Sydney: When he caught me in his room, he just gave me the money and left. He didn’t say where he was going, just that he’d call me when another job came up.

Jack: Another job…I’ll contact Walker myself, posing as a client. I’ll spec out a job. He’ll assemble his team…and we’ll take them into custody. Once we have them, you and I will have a face to face with Mr. Walker and find out everything he knows about Julia. Sydney…about Vaughn…you know you did the right thing.

Sydney: Thanks.

(Cut jet flying at night. Sydney walks up the aisle to sit across from Lauren. Both are uncomfortable, not wanting to look at the other. Finally, Sydney braves a look and says…)

Sydney (carefully conciliatory): Dixon told me about Michael…that he’s off the ventilator. That’s important.

Lauren (still not looking at Sydney, her voice is filled with anguish): They’re keeping him in an induced coma for 36 hours to minimize the chance of brain damage.

(Sydney looks aghast. Lauren finally looks at her, still pained, angry, anguished.)

Lauren: Look obviously…it was your intention to save Michael’s life. I understand that.

(Cut to Sydney’s reaction and then back to Lauren.)

Lauren: But I’m gonna be honest with you…When I heard you were back, I felt threatened…and I hated myself for that because I sympathize with you…with everything you’ve gone through. But working together like this…the stakes of this job is just too high and…I don’t know about you, but I can’t work to the best of my abilities while wondering whether or not I’m being polite enough to my husband’s ex-girlfriend.

(Cut to Sydney)

Sydney (earnestly): You don’t need to be polite with me. We’re both past formalities…

(Cut to Lauren)

Lauren (a hardness creeps into her features now…she’s allowing more of her anger to show): Then I’ll be blunt. I want you to request a transfer to another field office.

(Cut to Sydney. This “suggestion” wounds her; it shows in her eyes and face.)

Sydney: Lauren, everyone I know…all of the people I have left in my life, my friends, my (it almost looks as if she’s thinking of Vaughn here before she says)…father…work at that office.

(Cut to Lauren. For a moment, it seems as if the appeal has touched her, but then she steels herself. She doesn’t want to sympathize with Sydney at the moment. She wants her peace of mind more.)

Lauren (slightly snippy): I thought it best if the request came from you. (she looks away, lips pursed.)

(Cut to Sydney. Her eyes widen. She can’t believe what she’s hearing.)

Sydney: I know we’re being blunt…but was that a threat!?

(Lauren turns back to make eye contact, but doesn’t answer. Sydney’s features harden and her voice hardens, too.)

Sydney: You don’t have the authority to have me transferred.

(Cut to Lauren)

Lauren: The NSC will support me…when they learn that our working together is compromising their fight against the Covenant.

(Cut to Sydney’s reaction. She raises her chin slightly, defiant. Cut back to an intense looking Lauren.)

Lauren: If you don’t make the call; I will.

(Cut to Sydney’s reaction…pain, mixed with stubbornness. Cut to black.)

(PARIS. Push through the A. Pan to a walking bridge over a street at night. Simon Walker leans against the handrail, waiting. Jack, dressed in all black, a black peacoat and rimless classes (which make him look studious), approaches. This scene cuts back and forth between the two as they talk.)

Walker: ‘Scuse me, mate… You got the time?

Jack (in a German accent): My watch is broken; never buy American.

Walker: So tell me Mr. Warner, how’d you learn to contact me?

Jack: We have a mutual acquaintance…Julia Thorne.

Walker: Really? Oh, I love her…

Jack: Yes.

Walker: So, what’s the gig?

Jack: A fuel cell automobile has been designed in Japan. The prototype was placed in a cargo freighter it left Niigata this morning, bound for Hong Kong. I want you to steal it.

Walker: Sexy.

Jack: How long will it take you to put your team together?

Walker: Well…the question is, can you afford for me to put my team together?

Jack: Don’t concern yourself with my finances. I wouldn’t have come to you if I couldn’t overpay…

Walker: Nobody ever overpays with me.

Jack: Yes. Julia says you’re the best.

Walker: I’ll contact you regarding the price and the location of our next meeting. And well, you know, I’ll need all the specs regarding the shipment…

Jack: Naturally…

Walker: Cheers.

Jack: Good night.

(Walker turns and walks off. Jack watches him for a moment before turning to leave also. Suddenly, the screen turns black and white as a still photo is taken of him. Cut to Javier, hidden in the shadows, taking pictures. The first picture has half Jack’s face in shadow. Javier watches Jack walk and takes a closer shot of his face. Cut to black.)

(MEXICO CITY. Push through the X. A daytime scene of the city. Cut to front desk of an office building.)

Clerk: Sign in please.

(She slides a sign in book across the desk toward Sydney and Lauren, both still looking tense. Sydney signs in, then slides the book to Lauren.)

Lauren: We’re here to see Arvin Sloane.

(Signs the book, slides it back to the clerk.)

Clerk: Oh! Perfect timing…he’s just arriving.

(Cut to view through the front plate glass window of the building. We see Sloane and bodyguard approaching. Behind Sloane’s Mercedes on the other side of the street, a silver van is parked. Cut to Lauren and Sydney. They turn and watch Sloane’s approach. Cut back to Sloane. He does this little salute with his hand as he sees them. A man walks into the frame. Cut to the man. He’s large, wearing a trenchcoat. He pulls out a rifle and shoots out the glass window, then shoots Sloane’s bodyguard. Lauren ducks down while Sydney watches. Sark climbs out of the silver van and shoots Sloane’s driver. The first gunman runs to Sloane.)

Gunman: Get in the van!

(Cut to Sydney. She starts running after them. Cut back to Sloane as he’s hurried into the van. Cut back to Sydney running toward the blown out window, gun drawn. Cut to the inside of the van as Sloane is seated. He looks to his right: it’s Bomani, and he doesn’t look happy. Sloane sighs as he’s buckled in. The gunman slides the van’s door shut and starts to climb into the front passenger side. Cut to Sydney. She takes aim and shoots him. The van drives off without him. Sydney runs into the street, shooting at the van as it drives away. She bends over, catching her breath, disappointed they’re getting away. Suddenly, the black Mercedes screeches to a halt next to her. The passenger door is flung open. It’s Lauren in the driver’s seat.)

Lauren: Get in!

(Sydney does a double take and then gets in and slams the door shut as Lauren screeches off in pursuit of the van. Cut to street chase. Cut to Lauren’s determined face, full of concentration as she weaves through the traffic at a high rate of speed. Cut to Sydney, she doesn’t take her eyes off their prey.)

Sydney: Have you done this before?

(Cut to a side shot of both of them. Lauren is still fully focused on her task.)

Lauren: I cross-trained at the Farm.

Sydney (looking at her): Are you field-rated?

Lauren (a split second pause, and then): No.

(Sydney gives Lauren a worried glance. Cut to view out of their car at the van they’re pursuing as it swerves around traffic in front of them. Cut to Sydney’s face the look she’s wearing is very reminiscent of the one Vaughn wore during Sydney’s high speed drive through Zurich to get to the bank in A Free Agent. Cut back to van and then the car in pursuit. Cut to the interior of the van…to Bomani’s face. Pan over to Sloane.)

Sloane: Azari…you’re thinking that I’m responsible for your imprisonment, but…

(Bomani viciously elbows Sloane in the head and then goes back to sitting as he never moved. Scary-looking look on his face. Cut back to the van and the Mercedes in pursuit. Sydney’s cell phone rings. She answers it.)

Walker (voiceover): Julia!

(Sydney is surprised.)

Sydney: Simon!

(Cut to Simon Walker.)

Walker: I’ve got another job for us…

(Cut back to Sydney in the middle of the car chase.)

Sydney: That’s great.

(Sydney gives Lauren a sideways glance. Lauren does the same to Sydney. Cut back to Simon.)

Walker (laughing): You sound distracted…

(Cut back to Sydney.)

Sydney: I’m kind of in the middle of something…

(Cut to the van and the car chasing it, then back to Simon.)

Walker: Look, are you available for another job?

(Cut back to Sydney.)

Sydney: For you, I am always available…

Lauren (indignant): Excuse me! Can’t that wait!?

Sydney: Simon, can I call you back?

(Cut to Simon.)

Walker: Sure, baby…okay. (He hangs up.)

(Cut back to Sydney and Lauren. Cut to the interior of the van. The driver looks in the rearview mirror.)

Driver: They’re gaining on us…

Sark: Tell the chase car to take them out.

(Cut to the van screeching around a corner, the Mercedes following them. Another black car is following Lauren and Sydney’s car. Cut to interior of Sydney and Lauren’s car. Lauren is looking in the rearview mirror.)

Sydney: Don’t look in the mirror. All that matters is what’s directly in front of us!

Lauren: I think there’s somebody back there…

(Both women react as the rear window blows out. Both women look back for a moment, and then Lauren has to make a quick swerve around some traffic as they screech around a corner. The tail car is close behind, the man in the passenger’s side is firing a pistol out the window at them. Cut to the three cars as they screech onto a side street. The man in the trailing car shoots at Sydney and Lauren again. They duck. Sitting up, Sydney puts a new clip in her pistol and says urgently…)

Sydney: Put on the brakes!

Lauren: What!?

Sydney: Hit the brakes and cut right, now!

(Cut to the car as it swerves in a circle. Sydney shoots at the trailing car as their car spins, taking out the driver of the other car. The other car crashes into a parked car on the street.)

Sydney (to Lauren as their car stops spinning): Go! Go! Go! Go!

(Cut to Lauren’s face. She’s getting a huge charge out of this car chase. The excitement shows on her face as she bites her lip. Cut to the van, followed by the Mercedes. Cut back to the driver of the van in the mirror.)

Driver: They’re still coming…

Bomani: Through the alley…go!

(Cut to the van as it swerves toward the alley. A delivery truck is backing up, partially blocking their way. Cut to Sydney and Lauren.)

Sydney: There’s no room…

Lauren: We can make it…

Sydney: We’re blocked off!

Lauren: No.

Sydney: We’re blocked… Go around!

(Sydney braces as Lauren squeezes the Mercedes into the alley past the truck. Sydney is flinching, closing her eyes…she can’t look. Cut to Lauren. She’s pumped up. One could say she was enjoying this. Sydney looks at her like, Holy crap! Cut to in front of the van. It pulls through another tight spot and a Blazer pulls in the other direction, blocking the street. Cut to Sydney and Lauren’s reaction as they have to screech to a halt. Sydney lets out a deep breath. Lauren is pissed that they got away.)

Lauren: Damn it!

(Sydney looks at her, a bit surprised at her outburst (personally, I thought it sounded just like something Sydney would do), then looks out the window as the dust swirls around them. Cut to black. End of Act Two.)

(Black screen.)

Bomani (voiceover): I thought we were partners.

(Cut to Sark as he turns on a lightswitch and the room is bathed in light. Stay on Sark as he crosses his arms and listens.)

Bomani (voiceover): I thought we had an association.

(Cut to Bomani, his face in shadow. He walks forward so that the light cascades over his face.)

Bomani: I was wrong.

(Cut to Sloane shackled to a “torture” chair. He has two cuts on his forehead and one on his cheek from where Bomani cuffed him in the van. He looks wrinkled, but he still has the signature poker face as he listens to Bomani talk. Cut back to Bomani.)

Bomani: One day, when I was a boy in Juha Town, the tanks came. The soldiers rounded up and killed all the men, raped the women. My mother, Mr. Sloane, was raped…and then she was killed…in front of me…in front of my brothers. My oldest brother threatened me…insisted I do nothing, but he…he couldn’t help himself. He tried to fight them. The soldiers, they cut off his arm. Imagine it for me, watching your mother get raped, watching her cut…screaming… Can you even begin to do that?

(Cut to Sloane, still looking up at Bomani with the same inscrutable look on his face.)

Bomani (voiceover): I swore that I would never be powerless again.

(Behind Sloane, we hear Bomani pick up some kind of sword. Sloane’s expression seems to increasingly become one of sorrow, whether for Bomani’s story or otherwise, we cannot tell.)

Bomani (voiceover): That I would do anything to protect my family.

(Cut to Sark, still standing against the wall next to the lightswitch, arms crossed, listening. He looks over at Bomani, and the camera pans over to him. He’s holding a machete in his hands, fingering the blade.)

Bomani: And that anyone who got in the way of that, would suffer the same fate as my brother.

(A henchman pushes up the sleeve of Sloane’s right arm, exposing his forearm. Pan up to Sloane’s face.)

Sloane: Yes, I turned you in, as y

(Aerial shot of LA by day. Cut to JTF. Marshall jogs up behind Sydney.)

Marshall: Hey, Syd!

(Sydney looks over her shoulder and then slows down, allowing Marshall to catch up with her.)

Sydney: Marshall! Hey…

Marshall: Hi…

Sydney: I’m going to the hospital. Vaughn’s awake.

Marshall: I know…It’s best news ever…Listen, I was hoping you could tell him that the topical application of magnets can influence the electrochemical processes of the human body…

Sydney: And he needs to know this now…why?

Marshall: Ooh, sorry…(pokes himself in the head)…duh doi…varied belief…Well, it’s for pain relief. Having a collapsed lung really can’t be the most comfortable sit…

(From another hallway, Weiss approaches them, interrupting, handing Sydney a folder)

Weiss: Syd, you’re not going to believe this… They found Sloane; his plane just landed in Van Nuys. They’ve taken him to our facility in Riverside. He’s…asking to speak with you.

(Sydney gives Marshall a look and then starts to leave.)

Marshall (as if he’s keeping some big secret): Oh, uh…let’s not tell Mr. Sloane about the magnets…?

(Weiss and Sydney turn to look at Marshall as if he’s lost his mind and then continue on. Cut back to Marshall, who looks like he thinks he’s just put something big over on Sloane.)

(Cut to the battered Sloane sitting at a black conference table. He looks up as he hears the door to the room open. Cut to Sydney stalking in. She takes several steps into the room before she even gives a passing glance to Sloane. She keeps walking, saying to Lauren as she passes her to sit down…)

Sydney: What have I missed?

(Cut to Sloane.)

Sloane: I was just thanking Ms. Reed for the attempted rescue. I appreciate your efforts a great deal.

(Cut to Sydney, now sitting next to Lauren across the conference table from Sloane.)

Sydney: Did you escape?

(Cut to Sloane.)

Sloane (slightly amused): No, Mr. Bumani let me go.

(Cut to Sydney and Lauren. Lauren gives Sydney a sideways glance that says, “Are you buying this crap?”)

Sydney (unbelieving, sarcastic): He let you go…? He just…let you walk right out the door?

(Lauren looks from Sydney to Sloane, as if waiting to assess his response. Cut to Sloane.)

Sloane: Yes.

(Cut to Sydney. She doesn’t get it. But then her expression changes slightly…hardens.)

Sydney: What did you offer him?

(Cut to Sloane.)

Sloane: Well, I gave him information that eventually I was going to share with you… (This is directed at Sydney; he’s looking right at her.)

(Cut to Lauren. She seems slightly startled and then gives Sydney a sideways glance. Cut to Sydney’s face, which is unchanged..disbelieving, skeptical.)

Sloane (voiceover): My contacts within the Japanese mob…

(Cut to Sloane.)

Sloane: …the Yakuza, have developed the first AI computer virus. It probes networks, analyzes systems, and then writes itself, creates its own subviruses. In the wrong hands, it can crash markets, destroy banks, shut down transportation, bring military installations to a halt.

(Cut to Sydney.)

Sloane: You’re telling us…you gave this information to a man who is working with the Covenant.

(Cut to Sloane)

Sloane: That’s right…and now I’m giving it to you. So that you…you can disable it before the Covenant gets it.

(Cut to Sydney and Lauren. The camera first focuses on Sydney and then on Lauren.)

Sloane (voiceover): And I mean disable it, not destroy it…

(Cut to Sloane)

Sloane: Because if Bomani comes to the Yakuza facility in Osaka and finds the virus has been destroyed, he will know I tipped you off and have me killed. Sydney…Lauren…my life is in your hands… (Sloane almost looks as if he’s playing a game of chess here…like he’s already six plays ahead in his head.)

(Cut to Sydney. She looks down. She can’t believe Sloane’s nerve. Cut to Lauren.)

Lauren: You’ve told Bomani you’d work for the Covenant?

(Cut to Sloane. He’s enjoying this.)

Sloane: Yes… And now I’m telling you that I’m in the position to be a double agent. Working for the Covenant…but loyal to the CIA…What is it, Sydney?

(Cut to Sydney. She has a sarcastic smile on her face.)

Sydney: This is classic…

(Cut to Sloane, grinning across the table at Sydney, amused with her response.)

Sloane: Don’t take my word for it… Let Marshall analyze the video he’s making of me right now…Why don’t you…

(Cut to a strangely colored, almost heat-signature colored video. Sloane’s voice sounds tinny and metallic.)

Sloane: …examine the lie detector that you’re running on my voice. I’m telling you…he’ll verify that I am telling the God’s honest truth.

(Pan from Sloane’s weirdly colored image to Marshall, who puts the video on hold. They are in the JTF conference room.)

Marshall: Now as far as our technology can detect…and these are Next Gen tests, as high-end as it gets…he’s…not lyin’, folks.

Sydney: If there’s someone who can fool those tests, it’s Sloane.

Marshall: Yeah, well…in theory yes…but in practice, he’d really have to be using the Next Gen’s Next Gen lie detector defeating tech, which frankly, even I can’t imagine.

Weiss: So, what do we do here? We trust Sloane on this or what?

Lauren: The position of the NSC is that we accept Sloane’s proposal and use him as a double agent within the Covenant.

Sydney: Okay…just so someone has said it…In the past two years, Sloane has obtained a pardon based mainly on the capture of a criminal who is now free. In addition, Sloane will be allowed to openly participate in Covenant activities, based on the promise that he will inform us of those activities. One could argue that he’s just pulled off the con job of the century.

Lauren: It also appears that Bomani will kill Sloane if we interfere with his plans…

Sydney: And who here would lose sleep over that!?

Lauren: The US Government would then have lost its most valuable source of underworld intelligence.

Sydney: The fact that Arvin Sloane holds all the cards in this scenario is giving me a migraine.

(Cut to Weiss. He snorts a little at Sydney’s response.)

Dixon: According to Sloane, Sark and Bomani are on their way to a Yakuza run casino in Osaka, where they will download the virus from a secure server. (Looking at Sydney) Marshall will provide you with a program that will rewrite the virus, and render it unuseful.

(Cut to Marshall, raising his hand to interrupt.)

Marshall: I…sorry, uh, to interrupt…I did say that I could that…but not if I haven’t seen the code, which means I’m…goin’ on another mission! (He grins widely at Dixon, then recovers.) Uh, if you…sanction it, that is.

Dixon: I’ll have Strategic Services devise a scenario for you both to access the server.

Marshall: Uh, actually…another…suggestion for the…(imitates putting a slip of paper in a drop box) CIA Suggestion Box…which, I uh…is a great idea…

Dixon: Marshall.

Marshall: Sorry. Um…(clears throat) What I was thinking is a sure fire way to get invited into the back room of a Yakuza casino…? Get caught cheating at gambling… Now I have a little something here…(he pulls a deck of cards out of his blazer pocket)…This’ll give us an example… (Dixon is getting impatient.)…of what I mean. Now, (Cut to Lauren, she appears amused with Marshall.)…In high school…(Marshall displays a picture of himself in high school on the monitor sporting a horrifically large mullet haircut)…by applying the methodology of statistical probability (Marshall shuffles the cards and starts laying out blackjack hands on the table), accounting of course for the continuous random variable of luck, to come up with a fairly effective card-counting technique. (Turning to Weiss) Now, you know…how to deal a hand of…blackjack?

Weiss (a bit sarcastically): Yes…Marshall.

Marshall: Go ahead and deal one…for yourself. Okay, (raising hand, joking) can I get a cocktail? Uh…hit there, hit me there, stick there, uh, hit me twice here, double down there (louder in announcement voice) Double down! (back to normal voice), stick…hit me once there. Okay, now you’re gonna have a face card under there…go ahead and turn that over. Yep…that gives you seventeen… Look at that! I’ve won nine times…

Weiss (impressed): Heh…wow.

Marshall: I…had a lot of…free time in high school. (Looks around, embarrassed.)

(Cut to Lauren and Sydney exiting the conference room together.)

Lauren: Michael’s doctor’s expecting he’ll be released tomorrow…if there’s time before you go, you should go and see him. I know he’d like that.

Sydney: Thank you. I don’t know if there will be, but thank you.

Lauren: When you get back then. (She nods and gives Sydney a little smile before walking away. Pan to Sydney, watching her walk away.)

(Cut to Javier Perez rounding a corner, removing his sunglasses.)

Javier: Thank you for meeting me.

(Cut to Sark, his back to Javier, looking out a doorway. Sark turns as Javier addresses him.)

Sark: Please…after your excellent work in Spain, you more than deserve the courtesy. Unfortunately, we have to be brief. I’m catching a plane to Osaka.

Javier: We’ve taken on a new client. He says his name is Gilbert Warner. Corporate and personal tax returns confirm he’s the CEO of Rogers Automotive… (Hands Sark a folder.)…but he knows how to lose a tail. I think he’s a pro. I’d like some more detailed background. Would you mind running a check?

(Sark opens the folder to the black and white photograph of Jack.)

Sark: I don’t believe I have to…

(Sark looks up at Javier. Javier looks back at him, confused. Cut back to Sark.)

Sark: His name is Jack Bristow. He’s CIA.

(Cut to black. End of Act Four.)

(Open to a night scene with a large building by a river. LE HAVRE, FRANCE. Cut to inside an empty building with square columns and spotlights illuminating the floor here and there. There is a small table in the middle of the room and two men standing on either side of it. Jack turns a small laptop to face Simon Walker on the other side of the table. Jack is back in his German carmaker’s alias.)

Jack: Type in your account password and within 90 seconds you will receive confirmation of an electronic transfer in the amount of three million dollars…

Simon: Heh.

(Simon bends down and begins to type but then looks back up. Jack is staring at him.)

Simon: You don’t mind if I ask you to look away…

Jack: Of course not…

(He turns his head. We focus in on the computer screen. Simon types in his password to transfer the $3 million and hits enter. The transfer begins. Just then, Simon’s phone starts to ring. He looks up at Jack and smiles. Putting a hand inside his jacket, he says…)

Simon: Excuse me.

(Jack smiles and nods accommodatingly. Simon puts in an earpiece and answers the phone.)

Simon: Yeah.

(Cut and pan to Javier, sitting in a car talking on his cell phone.)

Javier: The man you’re standing with is a CIA operative. His name is Jack Bristow, and I hope you appreciate

(Cut to Simon listening. His expression hasn’t changed)

Javier (voiceover): …hearing this as much as I do telling you…

(Cut to Jack, starting to get nervous but trying not to show it.)

Javier (voiceover): …his daughter Sydney Bristow, also CIA,

(Cut back to Javier in the car.)

Javier: …goes by an alias…Julia Thorne.

(Cut back to Simon. He’s playing along for Jack’s benefit.)

Simon: Great news, mate! Mr. Warner will be happy to hear it!

(Simon turns off his phone and takes out his earpiece. Cut to Jack.)

Jack: Hear what?

Simon: The team’s been assembled.

Jack: Ah.

Simon: As soon the money’s transferred, we’re in business.

(Simon smiles at him, Jack smiles back, albeit uncomfortably. He’s thinking something is up, but he’s not sure what yet.)

Simon: While we’re waiting…You haven’t told me how you met Julia. Were you like, uh…like lovers or something?

(Jack pauses for a moment. There is just the slightest clenching of his jaw.)

Jack: No, not exactly…

Simon: I asked if you were lovers, because if you ever get the chance… I highly recommend it. (Just a touch of hardness drips into his voice here. The look on his face is slightly steelier, as if he’s testing Jack.)

Jack: Do you?

Simon (trying to keep his voice light, but still playing with Jack, taunting him): Oh yeah, man…On a scale of one to ten, ten being the most degenerate displays of sexual theater known to man? (sucks in his breath as if savoring the thought) Huh…Julia’s like a 17!

(Jack keeps the polite smile on his face, but we see him swallow painfully, as if trying to keep from snapping this guy’s neck. His eyes are harder now, though.)

Jack: You have your money.

(He closes the laptop and picks it up. Simon puts out a hand.)

Simon: As soon as the job’s done, we’ll be in contact.

(They shake hands. Jack turns to walk toward his car, parked about 20 feet away. Simon turns to walk away also. He unbuttons his blazer, pulling a gun out of his waistband. He turns around to fire at Jack but finds that Jack was ready for him. Jack shoots Simon in the chest and he collapses to the ground. Simon writhes on the ground, blood dripping from his mouth and his wound. He looks at his bloody hand in disbelief.)

Simon (in disbelief): You shot me… You shot me? You bastard!

(Jack puts the laptop back on the desk and walks closer to him.)

Jack: Listen to me very closely. You’re dying. Right now, I’m the only one who can get you to a hospital in time. Tell me about Julia…where you met her, how you knew her.

Simon: I wasn't kidding...‘bout screwing your daughter… She’s the wildest girl I ever had…

Jack: Tell me about Julia if you want to live.

Simon: You want to know….how she likes it!?

(Simon turns over suddenly with the intention of shooting Jack, but Jack beats him to it, shooting him again. Simon’s dead. Jack stares down at the body, working his jaw furiously. Cut to black.)

(OSAKA. Push through the first A. Aerial night scene of the city. Cut to scenes of slot machines, craps tables, cards, a roulette wheel, an Asian man wearing sunglasses, an Asian woman dealing cards, blackjack, chips. The camera slides along the floor, showing us different tables in a smoky, dimly lit room. Pan to the entrance. Marshall and Sydney make their entrance. Marshall is dressed in black jeans, a black shirt with a bolo tie, a large belt buckle, cowboy boots, a black blazer, a black Stetson and a thick mustache. Sydney is dressed in a knee length black dress with a magenta feather boa wrapped around her elbows. She has shortish spiky black hair and sunglasses on. Cut to several faces across the room as they stare at the newcomers. Sydney stands there cool and aloof, as if she’s used to the attention. Marshall nods his head a little and tips his hat slightly.)

Marshall (in Texan drawl): Howdy.

(People in the crowd go back to what they were doing, no longer finding them interesting.)

Marshall (quietly, aside to Sydney): Okay, if I were any more nervous, I’d need new underpants right about now…

Sydney (still standing as if she were a decoration for a rich man’s arm): Hmmm…

(Marshall sneezes violently.)

Marshall (to Sydney): I…think I’m allergic to this …(whispering)… mustache…You think it’s cat fur…?

(Sydney turns toward him, playing with his bolo and straightening his shirt collar.)

Sydney: Juuuussst relax, honey…

Marshall (half whispering): Okay…I’m just about to cheat at cards in a casino run by gangsters…I just wanna keep my pinky fingers, that’s all…

Sydney: We talked about this on the plane…

(Sydney takes a finger to Marshall’s chin and turns his head so that he’s looking right into her eyes.)

Sydney: I need to know you can do this.

(Marshall takes a toothpick out of his pocket and puts it into his mouth. His game face slides into place.)

Marshall (determined): Let’s play cards.

(Cut to a hand placing four green chips in a betting square. A dealer’s hand putting down blackjack hands. Slide up to Sydney, standing over Marshall’s shoulder, who is seated at the table. The dealer turns over a seventeen. Marshall rakes in a large stack of chips. The dealer dealing again. Cut to Marshall, chewing on his toothpick, totally in character. More chips being placed down. Marshall raking in more chips. Pan up to Sydney clasping her arms around Marshall’s head as if excited about his winnings. Cut to an Asian man watching them surreptitiously. Marshall taps the table to have the dealer hit him. More chips are placed in front of him. Cut to Sydney, standing behind Marshall put her hands up in victory, her boa in hand. Marshall rakes in more chips. Cut to another Asian man watching them. Cut back to the table. Marshall has a large pile of chips in front of him. It appears he’s the only one playing the dealer now, running several hands at once. A large crowd has gathered, watching him. He asks to hit a hand in front of him by pointing at it. He rakes in more chips. Cut to Marshall taking a sip from (one assumes) a complimentary beer, toothpick still hanging out of the side of his mouth. Sydney stands next to him, giggly and excited at his winnings. Cut to a huge pile of multicolored chips in front of Marshall.)

Marshall: I’ll tell you somethin’… Can you get someone to help me with all this? ‘Cause I can’t carry all this on my own…

Sydney (in semi-West Virginia like accent): Yes we can! (laughs)

(Sydney and Marshall start collecting up the chips.)

Voice (voiceover): You’re very lucky.

(Marshall looks over his shoulder. The camera pans to an unsmiling Asian man dressed in a pinstripe suit. Marshall tips his hat to him.)

Marshall: Oh, you talkin’ to me? Well, thank you very much. I am lucky…I’m lucky to be born in Texas… and I’m rich enough that a woman this beautiful is willin’ ta share my bed! Gawd!

(Marshall slaps Sydney on the butt. She turns her head to give Marshall a death look. He was smiling but sobers after seeing the look on her face.)

Man: Perhaps you might come into the back? I can convert your winnings into…diamonds (he looks at Sydney as he says this and she responds by making an excited “ooh!” face) …or simply make an electronic transfer to the bank of your choice.

Marshall: That’ll be might hospitable of ya… Domo Arigato, Mr. Uh… (Leaning closer to read the man’s name badge) Tom-oh-sa-ka.

Tomosaka (waving toward the table of chips): Please…we’ll take care of that.

Marshall: Oh, you’ll take care of that? Thank ya so much. (Marshall sneezes.)

(Cut to the back room.)

Sydney (in pleading voice): Mr. Tomosaka…we weren’t cheating…

Marshall: Nah, we weren’t cheatin… (Marshall tugs on his hat politely.)

(Tomosaka reaches behind him and pulls down a Samurai sword from its display behind the desk.)

Tomosaka: You were counting cards…

(Marshall gives Sydney a nervous sideways glance.)

Marshall: Are you gonna…cut off your own finger with that? ‘Cause that looks mighty big to take off a pinky…

(Tomosaka walks toward Marshall menacingly.)

Tomosaka: I thought I would take…your hand!

(He grabs Marshall’s hand and holds it down on the desk. Sydney throws her arms around Marshall worriedly.)

Sydney: No! Don’t hurt him!

(Marshall grabs his bolo tie with his other hand and pulls, shooting two small tranq darts out of the eyes of the bull’s head clasp holding the tie together. Tomosaka begins to collapse backward. The guard grabs Sydney and she takes him out with a kick and an elbow to the head. Cut back to Tomosaka sliding down the wall.)

Sydney: Put him in the closet.

(Marshall looks down at Tomasaka worriedly. He grabs a few of his winning chips and stuffs them into his pocket and then bends down to grab Tomosaka. Cut to Marshall sitting in front of the computer behind the desk, typing furiously.)

Marshall: What was the password Sloane gave you?

Sydney: Ravenson 327.

(Marshall types in the password and then the program’s code flashes up on the screen. Cut to Sydney watching Marshall’s progress. Cut back to Marshall.)

Marshall: Okay, okay…I found the virus. Oh my God…the code on this thing…All right, um…it’s gonna take me a second to download a copy before I can render the virus unusable.

(As Marshall works, Sydney looks at the security camera feeds and sees Sark and Bomani enter the club.)

Sydney: You’re gonna have to hurry. Sark’s here.

(Cut to Marshall glancing at the feed as Bomani takes down a guard. He continues to work furiously as Sydney watches. Cut back to the feed as Sark takes out a guard watching the entrance to the private wing.)

Marshall: Come on! Come on!

(Sark and Bomani are walking toward the door to the suite. The computer beeps.)

Marshall: It’s disabled!

(Marshall grabs a device he was using as we watch the computer feed of Sark beginning to open the door. Cut to Sark and Bomani as they enter the suite. It appears empty. Sark sits down at the computer. The camera slowly pans down from the computer screen as he talks.)

Sark: It’ll take me a second to transfer a copy to our server.

(Camera pan is complete. We see Sydney and Marshall hiding underneath the desk, inches from Sark’s legs. Cut back to Sark typing. Cut back to Sydney and Marshall. Marshall’s nose starts to twitch as if he may sneeze. Sydney holds his nose to keep him from doing it. Cut back to Sark. The computer is beeping.)

Sark: Done.

(He stands up and crosses the room to leave with Bomani. Once they leave, Sydney lets go of Marshall’s nose. He promptly sneezes.)

(Cut to a night aerial scene of LA. Cut to a heartbeat monitor. A catchy, upbeat rendition of “Ooh, Child” plays.)

Weiss (voiceover): Vaughn’ll back me up on this on this one.

(Camera pans from the monitor across the room to Vaughn, still in bed, to Weiss, sitting in a chair next to Vaughn’s head, and then to Sydney and Lauren, in chairs on either side