Alias s02e07 Episode Script

The Counteragent

CIA profile: Agent Sydney Bristow.
Okay.
I'm in.
Agent Bristow works undercover with her father, Jack Bristow.
Also a double agent with CIA.
Get down! I guess we'II have to Iearn to trust each other.
Bristow's CIA contact: Michael Vaughn.
My guardian angel.
Her current assignment: to infiltrate and destroy SD-6.
A secret organization dealing in espionage, extortion, weapons sales, posing as the CIA.
SD-6 has made over $400 million in arms sales alone.
SD-6 director: Arvin Sloane.
The sanctity of this agency requires the sacrifice of some personal freedoms.
This is not about cutting off an arm of the monster.
This is about killing the monster.
Bristow's mother, formerly Russian intelligence, recently turned herself in to the CIA.
Mom? Intel indicates she may still be an enemy of the United States.
The true loyalty of Agent Bristow's mother remains unknown.
Previously on "Alias" I could pay you to do research.
All I need you to do is find out if any of these questions ever appeared on a standardized test in the United States over the last twenty years.
-Thank you -You are welcome Five weeks ago you infiltrated one of your mother's labratories in Taipei where you discovered a Rambaldi device.
We believe the device is the source of the virus Unfortunately, you and Agent Vaughn may have been exposed.
We'd like to draw some blood and keep you under observation.
Agent Bristow, your tests came back negative for antibodies,you're free to go.
Agent Vaughn, your tests at this point are inconclusive.
You said Sark tested patient's blood at the first sign of infection.
What was the sign? Hemorrhaging from the fingernails.
This is Dr.
Nicholas calling.
Thanks for getting back to me so soon.
Uh, the thing is, I think I have a problem.
I know you're worried, but we ran every available diagnostic test for viral infections.
Everything that could be related to your exposure to the fluid inside the Rambaldi device.
They all came back negative.
Yes, I know.
Under my fingernails, there's blood.
Okay, here's what we're going to do.
The virus isn't airborne, but as a precaution I'm going to send an isolation unit to bring you in.
Don't send anyone.
I'll come to you.
But first, there's someone I need to see.
See them later! Right now, you stay put! I know what you did for me.
Proving Sydney's father betrayed her in Madagascar.
I would have been executed for that.
Thank you.
I didn't do it for you.
While that might be true, I owe you my life.
You owe me my father's life.
In Cap Ferrat, I saw Khasinau experiment on people who had been exposed to the liquid from inside the red ball.
I want to know what he learned from doing that.
If he found a cure? Yes.
I know the terms are you only cooperate with Sydney, but this disease, it works quickly.
I don't have much time.
You're the one who's sick.
Yes.
Tell me how you feel about my daughter.
That's none of your business.
Are you in love with her? I don't know why that matters to you.
I don't have the advantage of observing casual behavior.
I'm curious.
Help me, and I'll tell you what you want to know.
Okay, tell me if this sounds weird.
I mean, can we talk here? Hang on.
Bug killer.
In case anyone's listening.
Seriously? In a lipstick? What were you going to say? I looked up twenty years of standardized tests to see if any of those IQ-type questions Vaughn's interested in were ever used.
And? They weren't.
At least in none of the tests I looked up.
But there was a year missing and the educational testing service didn't have a hard copy or a disk.
I mean, it is like 1982 never existed.
Maybe someone had a reason to make it disappear.
You've got to try this bouillabaisse that I'm making.
Here.
What do you think?Too spicy, too salty? Perfect.
I'll be done in, like, two minutes.
Okay, great.
So it's weird, right? There was an operation called Project Christmas.
My father developed it.
It used standardized tests, asking specific questions to identify children the agency could later recruit.
Children? It was an experiment.
The KGB sent my mother here to steal details about the program.
About that time, the CIA stopped the operation.
Vaughn thinks maybe Russian intelligence is still running it to recruit Americans.
Hello? We need you at operations.
I'll tell Francie you said good-bye.
Hey, what's up? It's Vaughn.
He's developed symptoms.
What symptoms? The doctor said we were fine.
Yes, but his exposure was far more extensive.
He's developed some kind of a blood coagulation disorder.
Do we-- are you sure that it-- We're sure.
Where is he? He came to see your mother about an antidote.
Shortly after leaving the facility, he collapsed.
Is there an antidote? Yes.
It can be found in Paldiski.
It's a former Soviet training base for nuclear submarine personnel.
Who operates the base now? When Estonia gained independence, the local authorities graciously accepted our offer to take over the facility.
I can tell you were it is in the facility, but even if you can get it, I can't guarantee anything.
This antidote sounds almost as dangerous as the infection.
If Derevko is telling us the truth Which is a valid question.
Then the serum is a blood derivative.
Meaning you just can't get the medecine and inject it into the sick patient.
How would something like this work? You need blood from the patient.
In this case, Vaughn.
The equipment that manufactures the serum reads the blood and creates a custom genetic-specific antidote for that particular patient.
I'll need to take some of Vaughn's blood with me.
Yes.
This is Agent Chapman, he'll be running the op from here while your father leads the team into Paldiski.
According to Derevko, the antidote is located at three separate decontamination stations within the former nuclear facility.
We'll launch a zodiac a couple miles up the coast and drop you in as close as we can.
The plane's ready.
You can spec out the mission in flight.
You've got thirty minutes with Vaughn, maybe less.
How much time does Vaughn have? There doesn't seem to be a consistent pattern, but the virus could act quickly.
Are we talking weeks, days? Just tell me.
Given his level of exposure, three days would be my guess.
I'll buy time for us with Sloane.
Go.
U.
S.
NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER Hi.
I talked to my mother, there's an antidote.
I'm going to go get it.
How dangerous? Getting the serum? Nah, it'll be easy.
But I need to take some of your blood with me, okay? Couple of days, you'll be doing wind sprints.
Be careful.
Syd sorry I'm so tired.
Vaughn! Vaughn! He's bleeding internally! Shall we prepare for a lavage? Yes, have you called the blood bank? They've already typed and crossed for six units of packed RBCs.
Have you reached Dr.
Simon? He's not on call, but Dr.
Carlson is on his way in-- Wait, wait, wait! Wait a minute, what's going on? Is he going to be all right? We don't know, but you have to wait here.
Your designated cover -- you're with the state department bureau of arms control.
Your name is Rita Stevens, give no details about his illness.
Excuse me, did they tell you anything? No.
The paramedics called.
"What was his last meal? Is he allergic to any medication?" I got to the hospital as fast as I could So you work with Michael? Yeah.
We're in the same bureau at state.
I'm Rita.
I'm Alice.
I'm listed as his emergency contact.
I'm Michael's girlfriend.
Excuse me.
I was contacted by an informant in Baku.
He indicated that the triad has set up a listening post near the Armenian border.
I took the liberty of assigning the recon op to Sydney.
I'll be on the next plane myself.
I went ahead with the exhumation.
I opened Emily's grave.
It was empty.
Have you checked with the funeral home? Detailed a forensics unit to the gravesite? I saw her, Jack.
Maybe.
You can't be sure.
Emily's alive.
And she knows what I did.
So I am dead to her.
If the Alliance finds out about this from another source-- I just got off the phone with Christophe.
I told him that someone was trying to make it look like I faked Emily's death in order to secure my position.
It was the smart play.
I'm not so sure.
Even if they believe me, the timing might make it seem like I was looking for an excuse for my recent performance.
Are there concerns? Since I was made a partner in the Alliance, SD-6 has consistently stumbled in its operations.
We lost the terahertz wave camera.
We failed to retrieve the formula for zero-point energy.
We didn't acquire Derevko's operations manual.
The situation regarding Emily has been a distraction.
Informing them puts these setbacks in context.
Christophe wnat sme to meet with him in Tokyo.
I need a victory, Jack.
I need to bring something tangible to the organization.
We have an asset in custody downstairs who is familiar with Derevko's operation.
I suggest we take advantage of that.
As the virus progresses, it causes something called ascending paralysis.
Your nervous system is being poisoned from your feet up.
You see, the paralysis is affecting the nerves that control your ability to breathe.
Soon, you will suffocate.
Interestingly, you still have feeling, but you're paralyzed.
You can still feel both pleasure and pain.
Tell me where is Derevko's base of operations, hmm? Please I want a location.
Smila.
Smila.
Hey.
Thanks for meeting me.
So I did the work you asked me to do, but please don't tell me you're chasing some alleged CIA conspiracy again.
No.
I'm just helping out a friend, that's all.
Well, you can tell your friend the questions he's interested in weren't on the test in '82.
Are you sure? Those ridiculously difficult spatial relationship questions? The ones about why rainbows occur and why you have to be standing behind the sun to see them? Yeah.
Not on there.
Sorry.
Huh.
Come on, off the record.
What's this all about? These are propulsion boots.
You can do five knots with them.
We drop you a hundred yards offshore.
You should be at the pier in under two minutes.
Heckler & Koch P-11 underwater pistol.
Holds five rounds of tranq darts.
Thing's virtually silent.
Good luck.
Paldiski, Estonia I'm at stage one, outside the facility.
Copy that, Mountaineer.
We're standing by.
I just spotted Sark.
I don't need to remind you to stay out of sight.
Our intel indicates that to use the serum generator, you need the security pass code.
The jack in this computer, it's got a satellite link that will let us get into the system and provide us with the code you need.
I've got sat link.
You should be receiving data now.
Roger, Mountaineer.
Stand by for the pass code.
Wait.
What? The generators are peripheral to the main system.
I don't understand.
The machine is connected to their central security systems.
If you try to generate the serum, their security system will be alerted.
Can we circumvent the system? Not from here.
Mountaineer, abort the op and head back.
We'll find another way to-- Abort? We don't have time to find something else! If you use the machine, they'll know you're there.
Then I'll run fast.
You've been ordered to abort, Mountaineer, do you copy? Sir, someone has accessed the decontamination room.
Agent Bristow.
Those pipes are rigged to disperse ammonia flurochloride.
Wonderful for decontaminating metals and concrete.
Not so good on organic materials, such as your suit.
Or your skin.
You and I, we're destined to work together.
I truly believe that.
Of course, any future collaboration requires my turning the sprinkler system off.
Notice your suit is already being eaten away.
I'd give it another forty seconds.
I could use your help.
I need access to Arvin Sloane.
Why? Because I intend to kill him.
I can get you to Sloane, but only if you promise to let me keep the antidote.
No.
Sloane first.
Then you'll get back your precious antidote.
Sark had me taken to the decontamination room.
He let me go.
I came back here to Los Angeles.
And Sark never asked you who the antidote was for? No.
He didn't seem to care.
What exactly did you promise Sark? That I would render Sloane unconscious, and deliver him to Sark.
So he could kill him.
Yes.
There are just so many problems with this that I don't even know where to begin.
How about we start with Vaughn? Do I need to remind you that the American intelligence, Agent Bristow-- You said yourself that Vaughn is in critical condition! --Are not in the business of committing murder! Arvin Sloane killed my fiance.
I have had plently of opportunities to return the favor, but I have chosen not to because, yes, I know, it's not what we do.
It's what he does and it's reprehensible! But we have no choice here! Vaughn could be dead in two days! Well, we'll do our best to prevent that.
-What the hell would you have done?! Agent Bristow, you don't collaborate with the enemy like this! -There is NO choice here! Sydney-- I am NOT going to do nothing! Give us a minute, would you? Don't try and convince me not to work with Sark! That's not what I'm doing.
I'm on your side here.
We can't lose Vaughn.
So what do we do? We don't go through Kendall.
Push him, and he'll run it through channels.
This needs to be handled quietly.
Sloane is scheduled to attend an Alliance meeting in Tokyo.
I'll find out the details of his itinerary.
My S.
T.
U.
is not recognizing my crypto-ignition key.
I need it fixed.
Fine.
Do you know that polar bears can't be detected by infrared photography? Their fur emits no heat.
Nothing.
Nada.
Zip.
I guess I thought maybe it would be applicable to something,I-- Crypto-ignition key.
I got to do that from the server room.
Excuse me.
What's that? Oh, it's one of those standardized tests kids take.
A friend from the newspaper is interested in me maybe tutoring his kid.
"Reading comprehension essay.
Based on our invasion of Grenada"? Yeah.
You know, it was weird.
The only test I could download was from 1982.
Sort of the height of the Reagan ear, Cold War indoctrination.
Well, back when I was listening to Duran Duran every single day my uncle was one of the marines Reagan sent into Grenada.
The invasion was in 1983.
I mean, why would the Department of Education give you a fake test? How can I get a hold of a copy of the original test? For the love of God, Will, have you lost your mind? I mean, the whole test is a fake.
I got it from the Department of Education.
Abby, Abby, look, I don't know exactly what this means but it could be important.
I spoke to our man in custody.
All he gave us was a province in the Ukraine.
Smila.
I sent a team there to search for Derevko's headquarters.
So far they've found nothing.
When do you leave for Tokyo? I leave in one hour.
I need you to help me, Jack.
I need you to get Richter to talk, to tell us exactly where in Smila we could find Derevko's center of operations.
If I go to Japan without something tangible, something valuable, I don't know what the Alliance might do.
It doesn't have to end this way.
You could be made very comfortable.
All you have to do is give us an address.
Smila Yes, in the Ukraine.
Where in Smila? All we need is an address.
Just tell me where the hell Derevko's operation is! You give me an address now, you son of a bitch! Where in Smila do we look?! Smila Smila is my wife.
And I love her.
I love her so much.
Just kill him.
You said 1982, right? There's a serial number.
FYB55L.
Popular test.
Popular? I got a call once from someone at ETS.
Said they were centralizing their files.
They wanted any originals.
Can you remember if you put any questions in about spatial reasoning? Why would I do that? There's no statistical utility in asking questions maybe one in ten thousand first graders could answer.
Well, how would you explain a question like this, then? "How can rainbows be seen? Only when the sun is behind the observer.
" This wasn't in the test I sent to ETS.
I designe the questions, I proof the test booklets they print up, and then when they send the final corrected copies, I put them on file.
About how many first graders took this test? They administered this in thirty-three states.
That's over five million children.
Sloane's on his way to Japan.
He plans to stay at a Yakuza-run Ryokan, the Nyoshi Ginza.
Use the numbers he gave you and contact Sark.
Tell him we will hand him Sloane the night before his Alliance meeting.
Tell me you agree with me, that we have no choice in this.
Of course we have a choice, and it's a moment I never wanted you to face.
To kill someone.
I'm not talking about self-defence, I'm talking about premeditated murder.
To be there when the door closes on him for the last time.
Knowing you are responsible.
That is something you never came close to considering before getting to know your mother.
Tokyo I'm on the grounds.
Good.
My associate just arrived to meet your father.
U.
S.
Naval Medical CEnter Is that the antidote? Yes.
However, the briefcase is security coded with a secondary system wired to a remote detonator.
As I expected.
Only Mr.
Sark has the security code.
Until I receive word from him to release the serum, the case remains closed.
Reaching the building Good luck, Sydney.
I don't need you to wish me luck, you son of a bitch.
That's a wonderful attitude.
Oh God, I'm tense.
Not a big surprise.
I saw a man die yesterday.
Do you understand? Yeah.
He was in incredible pain, but it was the love he had for his wife that sustained him.
I loved my wife, too.
But I had to take action.
No You are so good, do you know that? Send the ambulance.
It went well.
Look, when I said "Good luck" before, I wasn't mocking you.
Call in for your man to release the serum.
Hand over the antidote.
The security code is 10-11-92.
You'll stay here until we've tested it.
It was nice working with you.
Los Angeles What's happening? You've been asleep for forty hours.
Am I dying? Almost.
Sydney got the antidote.
The doctors say your blood levels are looking good.
How did she do it? She had Sloane killed.
Sydney.
Good morning.
You know Mr.
Sark.
I don't think we've ever been officially introduced.
Mr.
Sark is now cooperating with us in our ongoing search for Derevko and the remains of her company.
He's cooperating.
This is a strategic alliance, Agent Bristow.
Debrief him.
Take down everything he knows about Derevko and we'll see and decide about what goes on after that.
Agent Bristow, working with you-- Don't worry.
I pulsed the bugs.
We can reminisce.
What are you doing here? How? I took the ambulance to a remote location.
And then I revived him.
Here's the situation.
Rambaldi's true aim is a puzzle.
I have certain pieces, you have others.
We'll never solve his mystery, but together -- together, we cannot fail.
How do I know you have anything real to offer? I can prove myself in two ways.
The first is obvious.
I intercepted communications indicating that there would be an assassination attempt on your life.
Now as this conversation proves, I've prevented that.
How do I know you didn't plan the attempt in the first place? Which brings me to my second piece of information.
What was on the piece of paper? I'm afraid that's need-to-know.
I got it from here, thanks.
You asked me some questions.
I told you I'd answer them if you helped me.
You did help me and I thank you for that.
I didn't do it for you.
I'm trying to live a normal life, which was always hard given what I do but it's gotten harder since I met your daughter.
It's not that knowing her hasn't made my life better.
It has.
But it's also made it that much worse.
I think I've said enough.
The problem, Mr.
Vaughn, is that to the one person who matters, you haven't said anything.
Listen, this may not mean anything to you.
This may not be something you can understand or appreciate, but we have rules.
Very clear and important rules that govern the relationship between a handler and his asset.
And between a man and a woman? Hi.
Thank you.
I heard about Sark.
Sloane actually brought Sark to the Alliance and presented him as their new ally.
How did that go over? Apparently, Sark was a big hit.
And thanks to me, Sloane's standing has never been higher.
I understand you met Alice.
She seems nice.
Yeah, she is.
She's a good person.
We have a lot of history, we're trying to You know we broke up.
Yeah, you mentioned that.
Yeah.
A couple of months later, we saw each other at a friend's and-- You don't have to explain.
No, I know, but I want to.
Because, if things were the other way around Seriously don't explain.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Jack briefed me.
He and Sydney broke protocol but I'm glad it worked out.
Excuse me.

Previous EpisodeNext Episode