Alphas s01e07 Episode Script

Catch and Release

Run, idiots! Don't say no for an answer and there's no telling where we've been 'cause people don't understand understand, understand people don't understand people like me You know, some of these expenses look really high.
Travel This meal budget? Well, it's mostly take-out.
"Take-out" doesn't mean on budget.
Though I will say this looks pretty tasty.
It is.
It's from the little Moroccan place around the corner.
I'd go easy on that sauce.
It's pretty spicy.
- Thanks for the warning.
- It's called harissa.
First time I experienced it was in the hotel Saint George in Algiers.
It was so hot, just a few drops rendered the entire meal practically inedible.
I love the harissa at the Saint George.
You've been to the Saint George? Don't look so surprised.
What'd you think, I was just some faceless pencil pusher? No, I just wouldn't expect what you do to allow you much time to world travel.
Yeah, well, I was an army brat.
So I grew up in some very strange places.
Pakistan, Philippines, Bolivia.
And I still like to go native when I get the chance.
I like to veer off the beaten path myself.
There's lessons in thinking outside the box.
When I hiked across Borneo, they told me to stick to the map.
I threw it away after 15 minutes.
That was probably stupid.
Well, clearly I have put you in the wrong box.
Well, you're a psychiatrist.
You're not supposed to do that.
Well, the doctor's not in just now.
But I'm delighted to have been proven wrong.
Gotta love the high hopes of New York sports fans, but this is a team that just can't seem to catch a break.
I spoke with Cheryl this morning.
I mean, can you believe these guys? They play no defense, no offense.
Why am I still a fan? She told me some really big news.
- She's pregnant.
- That's good, right? Yeah, for her it is.
Jeannie You told me you wanted kids, Bill.
You know that's a very big decision, right? So what, you've changed your mind? No, that's not what I said, but-- We've been thinking about this for years.
We don't have forever.
I don't have forever.
Jeannie.
Jeannie.
Gary's sick? What's he got? It's that flu that's going around, I think.
I could come by and take a look at him if you'd like.
No.
It's nothing serious.
He's gonna have to stay home, though.
Well, just tell him we hope he feels better, and that we're gonna miss him.
Yeah.
Good-bye.
I want to go to work.
You can't.
Dr.
Rosen says you have the day off.
No, I have to put my lunch in the refrigerator.
And then I have to greet my co-workers appropriately.
And then--then I have my morning therapy session.
Gary, not today, please.
That's cute.
Trying to fix it? Hey, this thing burns my toast every time.
I turn my back for a second, it's charred.
You know you can buy another one for, like, 20 bucks.
Yeah.
I fix lots of things, thanks.
Men and their tools.
You'll see.
Perfect toast every time.
Nina, could I see you? Hey.
So you and Cameron, is something going on? You know, flirtations? Did Rachel say something? No.
I'm sure it's perfectly innocent.
I just want to make sure it stays that way.
- It's nothing.
- Good.
Hello, Kathy.
Yes, good morning.
I thought you might find this interesting.
Beautiful little piece of toast--golden brown.
Perfect little crust.
Just like I said it was gonna be.
Agent Sullivan just called.
Apparently we have an Alpha missing.
Skylar Adams.
It was someone who's smarter than me.
Skylar's smarter than just about anyone.
She was always inventing things, even when we met her.
That's her special ability-- creating things people have never seen before.
Taking things apart, putting them together.
Yeah, well, she should have learned to invent a better door, I'll tell you that much.
Five tactical assault boots and some blood, but not a lot.
There are two wounded, but not fatally.
Well, the question is who the hell were they? Whoever they were, she was ready.
Kept the prototype in this cabinet, had the entire thing ready to blow.
Bad guys come through the front door, she's out that window in ten seconds.
She was always good at getting herself out of sticky situations.
She's what you call your classic catch-and-release Alpha, huh? The usual tests and interviews.
Posed no threat to society, so back to the wild.
So you guys were friends? Skylar never really had friends.
She was always more interested in things than people.
So when's the last time you spoke to her? We haven't spoken in years.
All right, don't worry We're gonna find her.
Bill, I think I found something.
- Skylar Adams.
- Yeah, Skylar Adams.
No, doesn't ring a bell.
Yeah, well, she buys your customized parts.
Many people do.
We have reason to believe that she might be in trouble.
Oh, I'm sure she might be.
You know, with people like you chasing her down.
We're trying to help her.
You're from the government.
You don't want to help her.
You know, you want to control her.
You want to control everyone Rachel, look at this.
Cuts up their credit cards, who won't buy your mass-produced garbage.
You might want to step into that.
Let me see you and your friends survive one day without the government.
Of course you think that.
They want you to.
They trained you to in their schools and in the corporate-run media.
It is all a part of the plan.
Yeah, got the message.
Down with the man.
Now be a sweetheart and tell us exactly where we can find Skylar Adams.
She stopped by last night, looking to sell off some of her work.
She needed to make some extra cash.
Said she was meeting a buyer at the Brooklyn Heights Farmers Market.
Come on, let's go.
You got the money? You got the product? So just ten minutes a night? You'll feel like you slept eight hours.
Satisfaction guaranteed.
I'm in kind of a hurry.
Needle in a haystack.
Yeah.
I hear something.
Footsteps running.
Female.
Three men in pursuit.
Assault boots.
This way.
- Okay, let's split up.
- I'll follow Rachel.
Dr.
Rosen, go get the car.
Nina, with me.
We'll cut her off at the exit.
Hold it right there! Ohh! Aah! Agh! Come on! Come on! Come on! - Let's go.
- Everyone in? Let's go.
You were following me? Skylar, for some reason, I thought you'd be more pleased to see me.
Gum? You promised you'd leave me alone.
We have left you alone for five years.
We heard that you were in trouble.
That you'd been attacked.
It's nothing I can't handle.
You blew up your apartment.
These people who are after you, who are they? Skylar, you have to have some idea.
I make things.
People like them.
They make an offer.
I turn them down.
They tend to get upset.
That sound familiar? Yes, it does.
Yes, I made you an offer.
I wanted you to work with me.
But I wasn't upset when you said no.
I respected your decision.
What do you want from me? Skylar, you're in danger.
Right? That's why we brought you here, where you'd be safe.
We want to help you.
But in order to do that, we need to know the truth.
Who these people are who are after you, and how do they keep finding you? Well, I told you I have no idea.
Skylar, who are you talking to? Look at your hands, the way you're sitting.
I know you're holding something back.
This is the part where you push me, right? Skylar No-- We're on your side.
No one is gonna make you do anything against your will.
So then I guess I'm free to go? Well, there's a few things we need to tend to first.
You know, you might want to take it easy on this thing, especially with our guest over there.
I think she's on their side.
- Thanks.
- Yeah.
You know, that was a That was a hell of a bottle toss you threw today, man.
I think I pulled something.
Your son he plays baseball too? Tyler? Oh, yeah.
How's his arm? Oh, not like mine.
Then again, you know, I didn't really notice anything special till I was in high school, so So he's just a normal kid, like-- Yeah.
I mean, he's not like you and me, if that's what you mean.
Why you asking? Just-- I was just curious.
Just wondering.
Gary.
Lunch.
It's Monday.
I have my lunch in the break room.
Mondays I usually do the shipping invoices, but not today.
Everyone else is at work except me.
And Dr.
Rosen never said that I had a day off.
You lied to me.
Yeah, you lied to me.
And Dr.
Rosen lied to me for a long time.
You're not working there anymore.
I have to.
That's my job.
- You've got another job.
- No-- Yeah, I talked to Uncle Alan, and he said he has a position for you in data entry.
I don't work for Uncle Alan.
I work for Dr.
Rosen.
Yeah, well, it's not safe for you, Gary.
That--that stuff that I told you, that's top secret.
And I wasn't even supposed to tell you.
Well, you did tell me, and I'm not gonna let him endanger you ever again.
- End of story.
- No, it's not! You can't-- look, I'm an adult, and you can't tell me what to do.
I make--I make my own life choices.
Not this time you don't, kiddo.
Yeah, I-- yeah, get out! - Gary - I said get out! A few more tweaks, you could probably turn that into a time machine.
I already did.
I'm visiting you from the future.
Yeah, but the future you would have even more tattoos.
You have a lot more since the last time I saw you.
And you are still a blank canvas.
That time we went bar-hopping in Soho was the closest I ever got.
One more Cosmopolitan and you would have got that devil on your thigh.
And a lifetime of regret.
How much longer am I gonna be in here? Nice work, Lee.
Well, we're not quite finished.
And I don't think it would be a good idea to let her go until we know who's after her.
I have no intention of releasing her.
Cley's on his way to collect her right now.
Cley? When did you decide to bring Cley in on this? Hours ago, Lee.
He'll be here any minute.
Skylar, you can trust me.
You can trust Rosen.
Tell us who's after you.
Rosen is a government flunky.
You all are.
He's in his office with them right now taking orders.
Rosen's no pushover, believe me.
Yeah, I'm sure that's what he tells himself.
But he's part of the system, and so are you.
You know that better than me.
Her abilities are extremely valuable, Lee.
If we don't take her, someone else will.
Someone else is already trying to.
I'm aware of that, but-- hmm, if you don't mind me asking, what do you intend to do with her? Place her in protective custody, where she'll be free to develop her technology and be compensated very generously.
Do you really think Skylar is going to go along with that? It's not her choice.
It's not ours, either.
Well, whose choice is it then? There's a chain of command that we all have to follow.
Hmm.
Oh.
What happened to the woman who throws away the map? Hmm? Forges her own path? That's on vacation, Lee.
This is work.
Did you really think some take-out Moroccan was gonna change all that? You guys get this text? There's men coming up here with guns.
- How many we got it.
- What's going on? - I have no idea.
- Three men Heading to the elevators.
Assault boots.
Get in here now.
How did they know where she is? On the security cameras.
I don't know.
Don't move! Cley, where are you? I need you here now.
There they are.
Same guys from the marketplace.
- D.
O.
D.
stand down! - Get down on the ground now.
I said stand down, damn it.
D.
O.
D.
NSA! NSA? What the hell you guys doing here? What a mess.
I gotta get out there.
Wait.
Hold on.
That's Skylar.
- What is that? - I don't know.
She's getting out of here.
Later, flunkies! Thank you, so much Alan.
Um, you know what, he can start whenever you want him to.
And I will carpool him from work.
How's that? Yeah, you know what, and I'm also gonna send you a list of things he needs, 'cause he's very particular.
This ringing in my ear just won't stop.
Well, Sullivan's got it worse than you do, and now she's at the NSA dealing with this bureaucratic meltdown.
I don't envy her.
Rachel, I thought you'd have a coma or something.
Yeah, well, I shut everything down except for my sense of taste the minute Skylar set this thing off.
It's a stun device, using sound and light.
All these components were taken from things right here in our offices.
Nina's tablet.
Even wires from our surveillance cameras.
What? She constructed this thing right under our noses.
In under ten minutes, no less.
That is some serious talent.
Yeah, I thought she was a friendly.
- What happened to that? - She was Until Cley showed up with his goons.
Of course she took off.
What do you expect? A little appreciation.
We did save her ass.
You promised her this wouldn't happen.
Yes, Nina, and I did everything I could do to fulfill it.
- But she-- - So what? We ship her off to Binghamton, let them do experiments on her and turn her into some psychopath, like Marcus Ayers? - She harmed federal agents.
- In self-defense.
All right, this was not self-defense.
This is not up to us, Nina.
You know, she's right.
We do exactly what they tell us to.
We're flunkies.
Queens.
But you can't take any streets starting with the letters "L" or "B," or the numbers 9, 5, or 4.
Whatever.
And hurry! What am I looking at? Turns out Skylar was working for the NSA on various classified projects, meanwhile sending encrypted messages back and forth to a contact with the call name "Z.
" Z? Nathan, I'm not a cryptologist.
I can't read this.
Neither could the NSA.
Couldn't break the code.
The Agent I spoke with said they'd never run into an algorithm this complex.
Well, Skylar was never big on sharing.
They think she's been sharing information with a foreign intelligence agency.
Chinese, Mossad, I.
S.
I.
That's a big leap.
I got a bigger one for you.
Encryptions like this I think she could be communicating with an Alpha.
Even Red Flag.
Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves here.
I get it.
You're a psychiatrist.
You like to put your patients on the couch, talk things out.
But we don't have time for that.
If you can't handle this, step aside.
I'll take care of it myself.
What are you doing here? I needed a few things.
I'll mail you the check.
So you came all this way just to raid my apartment.
Not exactly.
So officially, this is a joint operation with the NSA, but truth be told-- It's more like finders keepers, huh? Exactly.
That's why we have to find her first.
Well, it's transmitting a signal, but to what, I wonder? Still no Gary.
She could use him right now.
I know.
I'm a little concerned.
I've sent three messages to Sandra.
And, you know, Gary doesn't do well with illness, not to mention breaks in his routine.
Listen, guys--guys, I just got off the phone with NYPD.
Right after Skylar pulled her little sound and light show, a car was hotwired a block away.
So I had 'em put a BOLO on it, patrol unit just found it right outside of Nina's apartment.
I can't believe I'm doing this.
I'm kinda surprised myself.
Well, if Rosen's not gonna keep his promise, then I'll do it for him.
- You better toss your phone.
- What? They're probably tracking you already.
Yeah, but it's got all my photos.
Okay, you're either in or you're out.
Okay, fine.
Congratulations, you're free! It actually felt pretty good.
Okay, so Where am I taking you? Off the map.
We're gonna make a quick stop first.
I need to kill Bob.
I don't want to kill Bob.
Sounds like you don't have much of a choice.
He's the only reason they keep finding me.
Well, you gotta do what you gotta do.
There's a two-foot gap between the sensors.
It's a tight squeeze.
How do you know so much about this place? I designed the security.
And what about him? You ladies lost? I'm gonna take a wild guess and say Skylar was here.
Well, she's not upstairs.
Our espresso machine? It took me weeks to figure this thing out.
She's not answering her phone.
Guys, I just talked to the parking attendant next door.
He says Nina left a few hours ago In her car with some chick.
So what are we saying, Skylar kidnapped her now? Cameron, you and I both know Nina never does anything she doesn't want to.
Let's go.
Open the door.
Good.
And stand here count to a million.
- 2345 - Slowly.
Hello, Bob.
So this is Bob.
The one and only.
And he can track down anyone on Earth? Using their unique bio-electric signature and existing satellite technology.
Seemed like a fun project at the time, but lately, he hasn't been playing for the right team.
Well, if the NSA has been following your every move, then how come they don't know where you are right now? Processing lag.
Spent months trying to fix it.
Good thing I didn't.
They'll be here soon.
That's pretty cool.
Bob's brain.
Most advanced processor in the world.
Rest in peace.
No streets with "B," "L," 4, 5, or 9.
Hey, where you going? Stay here.
Hey! I'll be right back.
Really? Seriously? I'll wait here.
I can find you.
All right, where we going? Okay, we have to go this way.
You have to follow the bug.
- The bug? - Yeah.
Go forward.
Follow the bug forward.
The bug better have money, my friend.
No, stop.
It's the other way.
We have to go this way.
- What, reverse? - Yeah.
Follow the bug.
Follow the bug.
Back it up.
Back it up.
All right, all right, I'm backing up.
- Back it up.
Back it up.
- I am backing it up.
What the hell was that thing? Well, according to these, it's an "incremental bio-electrical parser.
" Of course it is.
Gary ran away? Sandra, I thought he was home sick.
What's going on there? Look.
No, I'm just asking.
Well, I find it very hard to believe that he-- Sandra, I'm gonna have to call you back.
I'm right in the middle of something.
Yes, well, tell me as soon as he gets there or he gets in contact with you at all.
Thank you.
According to my NSA contact, this machine could track down anyone on Earth.
And if coordinated with a predator drone Looking at Skylar's notes, the processor should be right in here.
She took it with her.
Yeah, but for what? Her encrypted messages have increased with this contact Z.
She's stolen this device.
She's planning something.
Apparently so.
Misjudged another patient, Doc.
Gotta work on that.
We need to make one more stop.
What is it now? You'll see when we get there.
Enough with the games.
I want answers.
It's not something that I can talk about.
You're gonna tell me where we're going, why we took Bob's brain, what you've been hiding.
You're gonna tell me everything.
Are you pushing me? Modified contact lenses.
I came prepared.
I knew I could find you.
- Gary? - Nina, what are you doing here? Who's this? - How did you find us? - This.
It's exchanging emf signals with her phone at 81 megahertz.
Nina, you have to pay the cab driver.
I don't have $812.
90.
Gary, you shouldn't be here.
No, it's okay.
I called Dr.
Rosen, and he's coming here right now.
And the cab driver said he deserves a big tip.
This was a mistake.
Thanks for helping.
And then, and I couldn't open my hand.
And then-- then everything was tingly, and so then I closed my eyes.
And then-- then you were here.
You had a mild electrical shock, Gary, but it's gonna be all right.
Yeah.
Just relax, take a few deep breaths.
Okay, I need something else to drink, though.
I want something purple.
- I got you, partner.
- Thanks, Bill.
You have to recycle that.
- You're gonna be all right.
- Okay.
All right, Nina, about this stop she's making before Canada-- She wouldn't tell me anything.
I know you want to protect her.
So do I.
But you're not thinking clearly.
She is desperate, she's dangerous.
She may even be involved with Red Flag, for all we know.
Is that what Cley's been saying? Nina, I know why you're doing this.
When you first came to me, you'd been doing pretty much whatever you wanted in your life.
And it got you into some difficult situations.
We helped you to control those impulses.
And I know it wasn't easy.
You often felt that you were sacrificing your true identity.
But running away with Skylar is not the way to reclaim your old self.
I didn't help Skylar because I wanted to be reckless.
I did it because we promised her we'd help her.
Because it was the right thing to do, and it felt good.
Maybe you should try it sometime.
Nina, I need your help.
Gary, any luck? No.
She must have cut the link.
So we lost her again.
Well, you know she had some help from your girl.
Gary, I got the slushy thing This one.
I want this one.
PomegranateYou sure? I swear, the car was right here.
- What kind of car? - It's a Volvo station wagon.
Did you see it? I just went in for 15 minutes Rachel? It's bio-diesel.
We can track that.
- You know it's gotta be her.
- Yeah.
All right, come on.
Doc, we gotta leave.
You made it.
I was worried.
We've gotta move quick.
Where's Z? Upstairs.
Take this next right.
The diesel scent goes that way.
I hear three heartbeats.
Two on the second-floor bedroom facing south.
And another one on the ground floor.
All right, folks, we should assume this Z is armed and dangerous.
I wouldn't underestimate Skylar, either.
- I should talk to her her.
- Uh, maybe you shouldn't.
Think you might want to sit this one out.
Okay? Okay, fine.
Everything okay? Ah, it was Sullivan.
Cley is on his way, but we need to move in now.
Are you ready, Gary? Yeah, it's showtime.
You have to put this in your ear.
- Yeah, it's uncomfortable.
- Go.
Now, keep it there, okay? Yeah.
Hicks! I said go right.
You have to listen to me.
I'm calling the shots here.
Calm down.
It's showtime.
Yeah, you said that already.
Yeah, I know.
All right, Gary, where are we? Okay, coast is clear.
Go right now.
And who the hell are you? I'm a Secret Agent.
Not so fast.
You have some things you wanna tell us.
Are you looking for my mommy? This is incredible, I mean I've never seen anything like this.
I mean, this is, what, way past calculus at least, right? Oh, yes.
How long has Zoe been doing this? Since she was three.
First, it was just numbers.
Playing with them.
Talking about them.
Then she was solving equations and proving formulas.
I've never encountered quantitative aptitude on this level before in a child or in an adult.
I knew, eventually, people would come after her.
Like they did with you.
If the NSA found out about Zoe, do you think they'd let me keep her? They'd turn her into a lab rat or worse.
So I gave her to my Uncle Wesley to take care of.
So it was Zoe who created the super inscription and enabled you to talk back and forth without anybody else knowing, hmm? That's astonishing.
She's a second generation Alpha.
You gonna answer that? No.
It's Sullivan.
So what happens now? Ah, this isn't our choice to make, Nina.
There's always a choice.
If we let them take Skylar and Zoe, then who's next.
Bill, Rachel? Cameron, me? It'd be nice if we could do exactly as we pleased, but life doesn't work like that.
She's gone, Cley.
She was in the house.
She was under surveillance, butshe's gone.
Let me guess.
She just disappeared into thin air? She was able to put together a device that distracted everyone.
You think I'm gonna let this slide then you've really misjudged me too.
No, they-- they just called.
No, Alan He's okay, thank God.
I don't know what I would have done-- Hi, Mom.
Uh, I gotta go.
I was so worried about you.
Don't you ever do that to me again.
Okay.
I'm not gonna work for Uncle Alan.
I work for Dr.
Rosen.
- No! - Ow.
Gary, it's not safe, and I am just trying to look out for you.
Mom, li-- you listenokay? I look out for me.
And--and the team looks out for me.
They do.
And the only reason that I told you what I do is because you made me.
But I shouldn't have, because it's classified, and you don't tell your mom classified stuff.
And you've always said to me Gary.
That you want me to grow up and to be more normal.
- No, no.
No.
- And to have I never said that.
I never would say that.
I said I wanted you to be happy and safe.
Yeah, to be happy.
Well, Mom I'm a Secret Agent now.
Okay? And I am happy.
Okay? Good night, mom.
Good night.
I love you.
Yeah, I love you too, Mom.
Great report.
If you like fiction.
It's all true.
It's what you left out, Lee.
Well, I'm sure Agent Nathan Cley will be more than happy to fill in the blanks.
I'm sure he will too, considering he's already raising hell over at the D.
O.
D.
He does his job and I do mine.
And, as far as I'm concerned, my team takes precedent.
And I make all my decisions accordingly.
Well, I guess that just leaves me in the middle.
You know what the hardest part of my job is? Protecting your ass.
And you don't make it any easier.
Ah, quantum physics and lollipops.
What could be better, hmm? - Did they buy your story? - Uh, not really.
But it all worked out.
More or less.
So you're dropping off the map? As far as I can go.
Oh.
I made something for Gary to make up for zapping him.
It's just a normal phone with the extra bells and whistles.
I'm sure Gary'll be thrilled.
Push the red button six times, you'll get a direct line to me.
Hopefully, we'll talk more than every five years.
So, our agreement It's pretty much the coolest thing I ever built.
Ah.
A few modifications, I could find every Alpha on the planet.
And serve them up to your bosses on a platter.
Right.
You're right.
That felt good.
Cappuccino machine.
Where did this thing come from? There's no return address.
It's even more complicated than the one she broke.
I'm pretty handy with these things.
Hang on.
Here we go.
Excuse me, ladies.
Give me a little room here.
There's no buttons.
All right, hang on.
UmAll right, hang on, just-- I got this.
Can't push machines, Nina.
Venti nonfat double macchiato, half-caf, extra foam.
Enjoy your beverage, Nina.
- Thank you very much.
- Mm-hmm.
Bye.
I wonder if it could give me advice on men.
Oh! There's a joke.
Bill said, you like your coffee like you like your-- your-- - mm.
Men.
- Men.
It's an inappropriate joke, Gary.
Bill said women.
Hey, you-- do you know it's rude to read other people's mail? - Thank you.
- Bill No.
I'm not promising anything.
"P" equals "X" minus one over PX minus one if each coefficient is an integer where P's not divisible by "X"
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