05x04 - Mockingbird

All episode transcripts for the TV show "Alias". Aired: September 2001 to May 2006*
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Sydney Bristow is an international spy recruited out of college and trained for espionage and self-defense.
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05x04 - Mockingbird

Post by bunniefuu »

(EXT. MONTE CARLO CASINO – NIGHT)

Sydney pulls up to a casino in a silver Jaguar and gets out. She is wearing a dark brown wig with reddish highlights and a turquoise and black dress with a matching jacket. Thomas Grace, dressed as a parking valet, gives Sydney her ticket and takes the car. Sydney walks into the casino. She walks up to a craps table and lays down a stack of money. One of the dealers hands Sydney three trays of chips in exchange.

SYDNEY: (Southern accent) Thank you. Can I have the dice?

Everyone seems to be looking at Sydney strangely. The croupier pushes the dice to Sydney.

SYDNEY: You guys seem a little wound up. Let’s loosen it a lil’ bit. Come on! (claps) Loosen it up! Get out the kinks. (rolls the dice in her hands)

A security guard waves Thomas Grace into the garage to park Sydney’s car. Back inside the casino, Sydney’s table has drawn a crowd, which cheers for Sydney.

CROUPIER: Gagnant. (Winner.)

SYDNEY: It’s that easy - it’s that easy! I can’t even help it. Bring ’em back!

The croupier pushes the dice back to Sydney.

SYDNEY: (takes dice) That’s right. There we go! Come on! (rolling dice around in her hands and rubbing them on her chest along the top of her dress) Mama would love a new pair of shoes!

She kisses the dice before rolling them down the table. Meanwhile, Grace parks the car in the garage and gets out. Back at the craps table, Sydney rolls again.

CROUPIER: Huit. Elle a gagné. [Eight. She wins.]

SYDNEY: (putting more chips down) Tell your pit boss we need more money. We’re feeling lucky tonight. (rubs dice on her belly)

The croupier glances over at the pit boss, who looks suspicious. Meanwhile, Grace picks a lock to a room and goes inside. He heads to a panel on the wall.

SYDNEY: Ready? (rolls dice)

The crowd cheers.

SYDNEY: How did I win? I wasn’t paying attention. I can’t even help it - I can’t help it!

The croupier doesn’t look too happy. Grace opens the panel and examines it.

SYDNEY: (rolls again) And it is that easy.

The crowd claps and cheers, but is silenced by Dixon.

DIXON: (French accent) This is disgusting.

SYDNEY: Can I help you with something, Frenchman?

DIXON: You’re pregnant. You should not be a casino. You should be at home.

SYDNEY: (to her belly) Do you feel home, Baby? (to Dixon) We feel at home.

The croupier pushes the dice to Sydney once again.

SYDNEY: Thank you.

Dixon puts some chips down.

SYDNEY: Oh, you’re gonna bet against me? Good luck with that. (kisses dice)

Grace goes back to the car and opens the trunk. Sydney rolls again and wins.

DIXON: (in French) Bon Sang…! [Holy Crap...!*] (looks at Sydney in disbelief)

SYDNEY: Don’t give me that look, Frenchie. I warned you.

DIXON: (to Stickman) C’est pas possible! Pas trop de chance. [No woman is that lucky.] (literally, It's not possible! Not that lucky.)

The croupier examines the dice. Immediately, Sydney grabs her chips and leaves the table.

SYDNEY: This table’s gone cold.

Sydney walks through the casino with her trays of chips when she is surrounded by casino security, led by the pit boss.

PIT BOSS: Madame, could we please have a word with you?

Sydney looks surprised. The guards lead her into an office.

SYDNEY: Sir, this is insane. Do you have any idea who I am?

PIT BOSS: Sit down.

SYDNEY: (indignant) I will not! I've done nothin’ wrong.

The pit boss reaches over and pulls something from Sydney’s cleavage. Sydney exaggerates a gasp at the offense. The pit boss holds up the real dice for emphasis.

PIT BOSS: Sit down.

As Sydney sits down, she readies her g*n, hidden under her jacket draped across her arm.

PIT BOSS: I have seen some despicable acts of cheating in my time. But a pregnant woman using her own baby to escape suspicion… I don’t know how you live with yourself.

SYDNEY: What can I say, sir? (drops act) I’m not like other moms.

Sydney draws her g*n and sh**t the pit boss with a tranquilizer g*n, then turns and sh**t the other guard behind her. She opens door and sh**t the guard outside the room.

SYDNEY: (comms) Outrigger, I’m on my way to the vault.

Sydney makes her way down a hallway into a room.

SYDNEY: (comms) Sidewinder, I’m approaching the vault. What’s your status?

Sydney takes out her combination laser glass cutter and vacuum lifter tool and attaches it to the glass door to the vault. There is no response from Sidewinder.

SYDNEY: Sidewinder?

GRACE: (comms) …Sidewinder’s gonna need a little more time.

Sydney cuts a hole in the glass door above the knob and removes the cut piece of glass. She reaches through the hole and pushes down the knob from the inside, opening the door. She steps inside the vault and finds the deposit box she is looking for.

SYDNEY: I’m at the vault. I need that key code.

Grace has the code written on a newspaper.

GRACE: Got it. Ready when you are.

SYDNEY: Go.

GRACE: 9-7-3-2-6-3-4-7.

Sydney enters the numbers. The keypad beeps and turns from red to yellow. She opens the deposit box and retrieves a small device. She checks it over, satisfied.

SYDNEY: I’ve got the package. I’ll meet you at the front.

GRACE: All right.

Grace goes back into the car and takes it to the front of the casino. Sydney steps out of the front doors. Grace gets out of the car, allowing Sydney to take the car and escape. Sydney drives off and pulls off her wig.

(INT. APO – DAY)

SYDNEY: (on phone) This is Phoenix. We have the archive.

JACK: Any complications?

SYDNEY: Well, I think I lost us about $900,000, depending on the exchange rate.

JACK: Copy that. What’s your location?

SYDNEY: I’m approaching the ferry now.

JACK: Have a safe trip. (disconnects call)

She approaches some sort of checkpoint. A guard stops her and takes out a pen and begins jotting something down. Sydney notices something in her rearview mirror. A large truck pulls up behind her. Suddenly, an electromagnet comes down on the car and pulls the car up with Sydney in it. Sydney looks out the window. A crane is hanging the car high off the ground. Sydney’s cell phone rings.

SYDNEY: Hello?

VOICE: You have something of mine.

SYDNEY: Who is this?

VOICE: I want my property back. I want Mockingbird.

SYDNEY: What?

VOICE: You will have your people deliver Mockingbird to me within the hour, or I will drop you.

SYDNEY: There must be some kind of mistake. I don’t know what Mockingbird is.

VOICE: You’re wasting time.

SYDNEY: Please, what is Mockingbird?

LOS ANGELES – DAY

72 HOURS EARLIER

(INT. APO – DAY)

Rachel Gibson writes her statement in an APO office. Sydney comes into the room and brings Rachel a sandwich and a glass of water.

SYDNEY: Rachel… you should eat something.

Sydney sets the food down and sits across from Rachel.

SYDNEY: You need to eat, you need to rest. The debriefing can wait.

RACHEL: No, it can’t.

SYDNEY: I know what you’re going through. You need to give yourself time –

RACHEL: It can’t wait.

Rachel continues writing, then stops, feeling the need to explain herself.

RACHEL: I’m held together by a string right now, Ms. Bristow. A week ago, I had a good job working for the CIA. Now I have the truth. My job was a front for a mercenary organization, and my boss is a criminal, and my coworkers are all dead - because I got them k*lled.

SYDNEY: It wasn’t your fault.

RACHEL: They’d all still be alive if I hadn’t walked into that building.

SYDNEY: Your boss, Gordon Dean – he k*lled them, not you.

RACHEL: It doesn’t change the fact that every time I close my eyes, I see their faces. So I need to give you everything I have - right now, because the sooner I’m finished, the sooner this is over.

SYDNEY: Rachel, first of all, just - don’t call me “Ms. Bristow.” It’s Sydney. Secondly, your information will go a long way towards helping us find Gordon Dean. We will get the people responsible for this.

RACHEL: (looks hopeful) Then I’d better get back to work.

SYDNEY: (turns to leave, but stops) Oh, by the way, uh, a name keeps coming up in your data – “Mockingbird.” We don’t have a base reference for it.

RACHEL: Oh. Sorry. It’s a briefing habit. I take it for granted. It’s, um, my agency call sign. It’s me. I’m Mockingbird.

ALIAS Intro

(INT. DEAN’S BASE OF OPERATIONS – DAY)

DEAN: I have an assignment suited to your abilities. I’ll leave the approach to your discretion. I assume you’re familiar with the target.

The man peeks inside a folder and closes it.

MAN: I am.

DEAN: You’ll have our full resources at your disposal.

MAN: (looks around Dean’s office, unconvinced) You have resources?

DEAN: Don’t let the appearance fool you. We’re in the midst of a relocation.

MAN: I’ll keep you updated.

The man gets up and leaves. Peyton sees that Dean is free and comes over with a laptop.

PEYTON: I need money.

DEAN: Where do we stand on the satellite offices?

PEYTON: Cleveland, Seattle, Chicago – they’ve all been abandoned. We b*at the CIA by about an hour at the St. Louis office.

DEAN: They find anything?

PEYTON: Just extension cords and surge protectors. Alternate location should be set up by day’s end. We’ve got the account transfers ready across the board. I just need your passcode for the withdrawals.

Peyton remains standing at Dean’s desk. Dean pulls the laptop closer to him so that Peyton cannot see him enter the passcode.

PEYTON: (rolls her eyes) God, you’re paranoid.

DEAN: That’s why I’m still alive.

(INT. APO – DAY)

A computer beeps an alert. Marshall is briefing Jack, Sydney, and Rachel.

MARSHALL: I got him. I’ve been monitoring Dean’s bank accounts based on your intel. Thirty minutes ago, he liquidated every single one of them.

JACK: Our infiltration in Prague must have him concerned. He’s closing ranks, covering his tracks.

MARSHALL: Right, but not to worry, because I’m a bit of a master tracker myself. I’m kind of like a Comanche Indian - (chuckles) uh, Comanche Indian who - who tracks data. Anyway, he consolidated all of his funds. He deposited them into one account designated –

RACHEL: 1017. It’s the agency fail-safe account in the Cayman Islands. I set it up. 10/17 is my birthday.

SYDNEY: Wait. Dean’s money is all in one place? If we seize his funds, we can cr*pple his operation.

RACHEL: You won’t be able to do it. It’s a trapdoor account. It can’t be hacked. You have to be at the bank to access it, and you need the pre-arranged responses to Dean’s protocol questions. The only answer set is on Dean’s server in the Prague office - which he destroyed. I know how he works. The only copy of his protocol was in that building when he blew it up. There’s nothing left.

Sydney looks at Jack, who grimaces. Rachel notices the look.

Rachel: What?

SYDNEY: Czech authorities have begun their investigations into the bombings. We’ve accessed their site inventories, and they have catalogued already several BR-46 servers. (shows Rachel photos of the inventory)

RACHEL: (nods) That’s them

SYDNEY: Marshall’s designed EM recovery software.

RACHEL: We can reconstruct the protocol.

SYDNEY: …Here’s the problem. The BIS won’t release their evidence until they finish their investigation. So… I’m going back to Prague. I need you to come with me.

RACHEL: No. (voice breaking) Absolutely not.

SYDNEY: Rachel –

RACHEL: You want me to dig through that building…

SYDNEY: If Dean transfers his assets before we can access his account, we lose him entirely.

RACHEL: I’m not going back there. Those people are all dead because of me. I’m not going to search through their remains.

SYDNEY: I wouldn’t ask you to do this if there was another way. Believe me. We need you to do this. (pauses) We need you to go back into that building.

(INT. HEARING ROOM – DAY)

Arvin Sloane looks pensive as he waits in the hearing room. Jack walks in, touches Sloane on the shoulder to let him know he’s there, and takes a seat on the right side of the room. Three men walk into the room and take their seats at the panel in the front of the room. The man seated in the middle addresses Sloane.

HARKIN: Mr. Sloane, my name is Boyd Harkin. I’m Special Prosecutor to your case. I’m required to inform you that under National Security Directive 115B, you do not quality for legal counsel.

SLOANE: I understand.

HARKIN: (nods to the man on his right) This is Deputy Director Miller, (nods to the man on his left) Undersecretary Reeves. We’ve spent the last few months reviewing your case. The Justice Department is prepared to accept our recommendation for your sentencing. Before we rule, however, we have a few questions for you.

SLOANE: I’m prepared to cooperate.

HARKIN: Good. Mr. Sloane, a little over a year ago, you signed a pardon agreement with the Justice Department. What were the terms of that agreement?

SLOANE: I was asked to oversee a black ops unit for the CIA. In exchange for my participation, I received a pardon for my crimes.

HARKIN: Let’s talk about those crimes. (opens Sloane’s file) Your record reads like a veritable catalog of illegal activity – multiple counts of m*rder, conspiracy, treason… I have trouble understanding how any pardon agreement resulting in your freedom could be justified.

SLOANE: If you will examine the record of the previous proceedings, you will find the charges against me were carefully considered before they were dismissed. As to whether the pardon itself was justified… I suppose that’s a question for the Justice Department.

HARKIN: Perhaps. But since I have you in front of me right now, why don’t we see if we can suss it out?

SLOANE: Of course.

EXT. GEORGE TOWN, CAYMAN ISLANDS – DAY)

Dixon and Grace are dressed in suits without ties. They walk along the beach.

DIXON: We’re scheduled to meet the emissary at 3. Sydney should have touched down in Prague by now. Give her two hours in and out of the site. Should have plenty of time to spare.

GRACE: We know what this emissary looks like?

DIXON: No. He’s got our descriptions. He’ll escort us from the beach. Helps keep the bank’s location a secret.

GRACE: If he tries to blindfold us, he may have a problem - I’m not in the mood for blindfolds today.

DIXON: Noted.

GRACE: What do we do till 3?

DIXON: We wait.

The two sit down on lounge chairs under a straw umbrella.

(INT. THE SHED’S PRAGUE OFFICE – DAY)

Sydney and Rachel walk into the building. They pass a covered body being wheeled out. Rachel immediately gets nervous. She grips the strap of her bag tightly as they walk to The Shed’s office.

RACHEL: I can’t do this.

SYDNEY: Well, you’ve got the easy job. Once we access the protocol, we feed it to Tom and Dixon - they handle the heavy stuff, we’re out of there.

RACHEL: There’s a reason I wanted to work at a desk. I don’t like pressure… or death, for that matter.

SYDNEY: Listen to me. (stops walking and turns to Rachel) I have to do unpleasant tasks all the time - and the best way to do it is to become someone else. Where are the BIS badges?

Rachel reaches inside her bag and pulls them out.

SYDNEY: I’m not Sydney Bristow, you’re not Rachel Gibson - we’re Czech Intelligence, Terrorism Unit. (clips badge to Rachel’s jacket) When we walk on that floor, we outrank everyone else in the room. Act like it. Nothing in there can rattle us because we see this type of thing every day.

Sydney turns and continues walking. Rachel looks unsure. They reach The Shed’s office. The office is destroyed – heaps of twisted metal are strewn about the room. Sydney and Rachel stop near the entrance to the office. Rachel stares at the destruction

RACHEL: (voice shaking) We see this every day.

Sydney looks over at Rachel. Rachel squeezes her eyes shut for a moment and opens them again.

RACHEL: (emphatically) We see this - every day.

SYDNEY: (pulls out some papers) According to the building’s floor plan, everything in the office should be where it was. You know, more or less.

Rachel looks at the destroyed office. A vision of the office as it existed when she worked there flashes before her.

SYDNEY: Which way do we go?

RACHEL: Follow me.

Rachel leads Sydney through the office toward Dean’s office at the far end. As she walks through the main room, she envisions the room as it used to be – a furnished office with desks, computers, and her coworkers. Her coworkers stare at her as she walks past. Rachel stops and looks around at Sydney, and her vision fades back to reality. She nods to Sydney and continues leading her to Dean’s office.

RACHEL: It should be right here.

SYDNEY: Let’s get to work.

CUT TO The Cayman Islands

A woman with a briefcase walks up to Dixon and Grace.

WOMAN: Excuse me. Misters Taldash and White?

Dixon sits up and nods.

WOMAN: My name is Pierpont. I’m here to escort you to the bank.

DIXON: You’re early.

PIERPONT: (surprised) I’m merely following your account’s protocol. Is there a problem?

Dixon turns to Grace.

DIXON: Of course not. Excuse me. (makes a call on his cell phone)

CUT TO Prague

Rachel brushes debris off the case of the server and checks it.

RACHEL: Yeah, this is it.

Sydney’s cell phone rings. She answers it. It’s Dixon.

CUT TO The Cayman Islands

DIXON: This is Mr. Taldash, Room 440. I’m going to have to cancel my massage this afternoon. I’m afraid I got my times mixed up. Thank you.

PIERPONT: (smiles) Shall we?

DIXON: Yeah.

CUT TO Prague

SYDNEY: That was Dixon. We don’t have as much time as we thought.

Rachel turns the server case over and finds biological matter splattered on the inside.

RACHEL: Oh, God. (stands up) Oh, God.

SYDNEY: It’s okay. It’s okay. I’ll just – I’ll deal with the server. (pushes Rachel away) Go on.

RACHEL: I have to get out of here. (starts leaving)

SYDNEY: Rachel.

Rachel stops.

SYDNEY: Rachel, look at me. I’ll handle the server, but you have to tell me what to do.

RACHEL: You need the hard drive.

SYDNEY: Which one?

RACHEL: Fifth. Fifth one down.

SYDNEY: Get the computer ready.

Rachel nods but breathes nervously.

SYDNEY: Rachel. (turns to get the hard drive from the server.)

Rachel knocks some equipment off a table to clear space for them to work. She opens up the laptop and gets it ready.

CUT TO The Cayman Islands

GRACE: So how far is the bank?

PIERPONT: You’ve never been here before?

DIXON: This is our first time in the Caymans.

PIERPONT: Ah. Well, you’re lucky. The bank’s not far today.

The three approach a white tent set up on the beach. Two guards are waiting for their arrival.

PIERPONT: We gave up our fixed location years ago.

Grace and Dixon exchange glances before going inside the tent. The two guards close the flaps to the tent.

PIERPONT: Technology allows us a certain fluidity. We find our clients prefer our business remain mobile.

Pierpont sits down behind a desk, while Dixon and Grace take their seats in front of the desk.

PIERPONT: Our clients, as I’m sure you’re aware, are highly security-conscious.

The two guards draw their g*ns with silencers and point them each at Dixon and Grace.

PIRPONT: Welcome to First Cayman Trust. (smiles)

CUT TO Prague

Sydney works through the computer and removes some bloodied fabric that is stuck to one of the drive bays of the server. She takes out the hard drive. There is some blood on it. Sydney walks over to Rachel with the hard drive and hands it to her.

SYDNEY: Hook it up.

CUT TO The Cayman Islands

DIXON: Are the weapons necessary?

PIERPONT: They certainly won’t be if you know your account’s protocol. (smiles)

Dixon and Grace share a forced laugh.

CUT TO Prague

SYDNEY: Give me your hand.

Rachel stares at the bloodied hard drive and finally holds out her hand. Sydney places the hard drive in her hand.

SYDNEY: Hook it up.

Rachel places the hard drive next to the computer and begins to set it up.

CUT TO The Cayman Islands

PIERPONT: Gentlemen, there are over 300 possible questions.

DIXON: We’ve… committed the answers to memory.

GRACE: Our boss is highly security-conscious.

PIERPONT: Of course.

Rachel has set up the laptop and it tries to recover the data from the hard drive.

PIERPONT: Here we go. “The select blood runs through…”

The guards stand ready with their g*ns trained on Dixon and Grace. Sydney listens in on her comms with Dixon. Rachel is just getting the hard drive up

PIERPONT: Do you need me to repeat the question?

DIXON: No. The select blood runs through…

Rachel searches for the answer to the question. The answer displays on her screen.

SYDNEY: (comms) Roquet’s Heart.

DIXON: …Roquet’s Heart.

PIERPONT: (pulling up next question) “The future’s history is written in…”

Rachel finds the answer to the question, which displays on her screen.

SYDNEY: “The ink of the past.” (to Rachel, puzzled) What are these questions?

DIXON: The ink of the past.

PIERPONT: “What the mirror reflects…”

SYDNEY: (comms) Lives eternal.

GRACE: Lives eternal.

PIERPONT: “If there was never a one, there was ever…”

Rachel tries to search for the answer. Dixon and Grace are silent. Rachel gets a CORRUPT DATA message from the computer.

RACHEL: Oh, no.

SYDNEY: What?

RACHEL: The data’s corrupt.

PIERPONT: “If there was never a one, there was ever…”

Dixon looks over at Grace.

DIXON: This was yours.

GRACE: No. No, no. This – this was yours.

RACHEL: I’ve heard Dean say this before.

GRACE: You had all the questions that rhymed, remember?

DIXON: Yes. (apologetically mutters to Pierpont)

PIERPONT: Gentlemen, I need an answer.

RACHEL: (whispers) If there was never a one, there was ever… (aloud) The Twelve.

SYDNEY: The twelve.

DIXON: The twelve. (to Grace) I’m sorry.

PIERPONT: Gentlemen, we’re at your service.

Pierpont turns around the laptop to face Dixon and Grace. There is a list of transactions totaling $541,378,284.88. At the bottom of the screen, it says ACCESS GRANTED. Dixon leans forward to use the laptop. The guards put their g*ns away.

Sydney closes the laptop Rachel was using.

SYDNEY: Come on. Let’s get out of here.

Rachel blinks, looking disoriented.

SYDNEY: It’s over. Come on.

Dixon is accessing the 1017 account on Pierpont’s laptop.

PIERPONT: Can I get you something to drink, a cigar?

GRACE: You know what? I’d love a drink.
(INT. DEAN’S BASE OF OPERATIONS – DAY)

Peyton notices that someone withdrawn all the money from the account. She reports the loss to Dean.

PEYTON: Someone accessed the 1017 account. They cleaned us out. We lost everything.

DEAN: That’s impossible.

PEYTON: They were on-site, transferred from the Caymans.

DEAN: No one can do that. I am the only one with… (realizes) She’s still alive. Rachel Gibson’s still alive.

PEYTON: And they’ve got her in custody.

DEAN: We need to get her back.

(INT. HEARING ROOM – DAY)

HARKIN: I’d like to turn our attention to Omnifam.

SLOANE: For three years, I ran a world relief organization dedicated to humanitarian causes.

HARKIN: Which you used as a cover for a genetic engineering project that almost caused a global genocide.

SLOANE: Yes.

HARKIN: Yes? Mr. Sloane, I just accused you of attempting to m*rder millions of people. I was hoping for a bit more than a “yes.”

SLOANE: For years, I was driven by a misguided attempt to pursue… a higher power. I will not attempt to deny my wrongdoings. There is no reason to. The government has pardoned me for those actions. However, I am reformed. (pauses) Two years ago, I learned I had a daughter. She has changed by life. Since the moment I met her, I have dedicated my every moment, every action, to atoning for my sins.

HARKIN: Mr. Sloane, four months ago, you betrayed your agency and participated in a conspiracy that caused the deaths of thousands of people in Sovogda. How exactly is that atoning for your sins?

SLOANE: I did not betray my agency. I was forced to go undercover to establish credentials with Elena Derevko, and you should have in front of you corresponding statements from the agents involved.

HARKIN: Yes, I have the statements. Your colleagues seem to have bought your hollow justifications, but I find your actions fit a pattern of criminal behavior you have demonstrated your entire life. Time and again, you explain away your crimes as some sort of necessary evil. I find it shocking people continue to believe your lies. In truth, these proceedings are a mere formality. You will atone for your sins, Mr. Sloane. Only you don’t get to decide the punishment – we do.

Sloane closes his eyes and considers what Harkin just said.

(INT. PRISON – DAY)

Sloane is being led down a hallway back to his cell.

JACK: (voiceover) Assuming the worst, it will happen fast. You’ll be immediately transferred to a federal penitentiary.

Jack is speaking with Arvin in his cell.

JACK: It’s doubtful we’ll have a chance to go over your affairs, assuming they rule against you.

SLOANE: They’re going to rule against me.

Jack is silent.

SLOANE: Thank you for getting Sydney and Marcus to write statements on my behalf. I’m sure that must have been very difficult.

JACK: They volunteered. I didn’t have to ask.

SLOANE: Well, thank them for me. (pauses) I want to give you power of attorney over Nadia.

JACK: Of course.

SLOANE: Promise me you’ll do everything you can to save her, Jack – as if she were your own daughter.

JACK: You have my word.

SLOANE: (whispers) Thank you.

(INT. APO – DAY)

DIXON: He’s scared. The Cayman transfer was a success. We were able to take full control of Dean’s finances. As a result, he’s getting sloppy, making uncharacteristic mistakes. An hour ago, Echelon intercepted a call Dean placed to Laurent Moreau, a business associate Ms. Gibson flagged in her debriefings.

Dixon nods to Marshall to play the audio recording of the conversation.

Moreau: You lost everything.

Dean: It’s a setback. We’re moving forward as scheduled, but I need to retrieve my operations archives.

Moreau: You’re planning on blackmailing yourself out of the red?

Dean: Where are the archives, Laurent?

Laurent: Relax. They’re safe at Rue L’Or.

Dean: I’ll contact you Thursday to arrange transfer.

SYDNEY: Dean’s going after his archives.

DIXON: If we can b*at him to it, we’d have access to Dean’s entire operation.

GRACE: They said they’re being held at Rue L’Or. What’s that?

MARSHALL: Well, looks like it’s in Monte Carlo. One of Moreau’s fronts. Hey, it’s a casino.

SYDNEY: What did we do with all that money we seized?

(INT. PRISON – DAY)

Sloane is writing a letter to Nadia. A man interrupts him. It’s Dean’s man.

MAN: Having trouble sleeping, Mr. Sloane? I don’t blame you. You’d have to count a lot of sheep to erase today’s proceedings, that’s for sure. I’m guessing they’re gonna put you away for a long time – which is just too bad, really, ‘cause… (walks up to the bars) It’ll be awful hard to help that daughter of yours from inside a federal penitentiary.

Sloane looks up at the man.

MAN: Of course, it doesn’t have to be that way. Huh, Mr. Sloane? I work for some very powerful people. My benefactors may be able to help sway the committee’s decision tomorrow.

SLOANE: I see. And I suppose that these benefactors of yours want something in return for their help.

MAN: They would at that.

SLOANE: Ah.

(INT. APO – DAY)

Sydney, Dixon, and Grace are planning the operation to Rue L’Or. They pour over the blueprints and other information they’ve gathered on the casino.

SYDNEY: We need to tap into the fiber optics. There’s a maintenance station in the parking garage.

DIXON: Guard checkpoints are here and here (points on blueprints). They’ve got the garage locked down.

GRACE: I can get into the parking garage.

MARSHALL: (excited) Hey, guys. Check this out. (drops a pair of dice) Winner – seven! Every time. (drops dice) Seven!

SYDNEY: Marshall, you’re not supposed to hit seven.

MARSHALL: No, no, it’s – it – it’s supposed to hit seven, right? I mean… see? Winner - seven. (smiles)

DIXON: You’ve got it backwards. She’s right.

MARSHALL: Really? (takes dice back)

SYDNEY: Talk to me about this vault.

DIXON: The deposit boxes are in electromagnetic tumblers.

SYDNEY: Can we get around it?

DIXON: It’s on a systemic system. The mainframe resets the passcodes daily.

RACHEL: I can get around it.

Dixon and Sydney turn and look at Rachel.

RACHEL: If… it’s an EM system, I can decrypt the algorithm. I just need access to the building’s network.

SYDNEY: Can we do it from a remote location?

Rachel walks over and looks over the information they have.

RACHEL: (shakes head) It’s a segregated network. I’d have to be there. But... I’ll go.

Sydney looks at Rachel, concerned.

RACHEL: (nods) I’ll do it.

SYDNEY: It’s okay.

RACHEL: No, I – I mean, I want to. (pauses) I had to dig… through my friends yesterday because of Gordon Dean. If I can help you stop him, then that’s what I need to do. There’s not a whole lot that’ll scare me. Not anymore.

Sydney nods.

MONTE CARLO

Sydney pulls up to a casino in a silver Jaguar and gets out. Thomas Grace, dressed as a parking valet, gives Sydney her ticket and takes the car. A security guard waves Thomas Grace into the garage to park Sydney’s car.

SYDNEY: (putting more chips down) Tell your pit boss we need more money. We’re feeling lucky tonight. (rubs dice on her belly)

Grace opens the panel and examines it. Sydney is rolling and winning. Grace runs back to the car and opens the trunk. Rachel is hiding inside the trunk. Grace takes her hand and helps her out of the trunk. Meanwhile, Sydney is getting stopped by casino security.

PIT BOSS: Madame, could we please have a word with you?

Rachel and Grace go into the room with the panel. Rachel attaches a PDA to the panel. Numbers flash on the screen.

RACHEL: I need a piece of paper.

Grace goes to find some paper. Meanwhile, Sydney sh**t the pit boss with a tranquilizer g*n, then turns and sh**t the other guard behind her. Grace finds a newspaper on a desk in the room and brings it to Rachel.

GRACE: Here, have this.

SYDNEY: (comms) Sidewinder, I’m approaching the vault. What’s your status?

Grace is waiting for Rachel to finish her calculations on the newspaper.

GRACE: They’re waiting for us.

SYDNEY: Sidewinder?

GRACE: We gotta go.

RACHEL: Do you wanna come over here and do the advanced binomial calculus? ‘Cause… I’d be more than happy to stand there and watch.

GRACE: (comms) …Sidewinder’s gonna need a little more time.

Sydney cuts a hole in the glass door above the knob and removes the cut piece of glass.

SYDNEY: I’m at the vault. I need that key code.

Rachel hands the newspaper to Grace.

GRACE: Got it.

She opens the deposit box and retrieves a small device. She checks it over, satisfied.

SYDNEY: I’ve got the package.

Rachel and Grace go back into the car. Rachel gets back into the trunk of the car. Grace takes the car to the front of the casino, and Sydney takes the car and drives off. Inside the trunk, Rachel turns on the light.

SYDNEY: This is Phoenix. We have the archive.

JACK: What’s your location?

SYDNEY: I’m approaching the ferry now.

JACK: Copy that. Have a safe trip.

She approaches the checkpoint. A guard stops her and takes out a pen and begins jotting something down. Sydney notices something in her rearview mirror. A large truck pulls up behind her. Suddenly, an electromagnet pulls the car up with Sydney and Rachel in it. Rachel has no idea what is happening from inside the trunk. Sydney’s cell phone rings.

SYDNEY: …I don’t know what Mockingbird is! Please - what is Mockingbird?

Inside the trunk, Rachel is scared.

SYDNEY: I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what you want.

Suddenly, the car shakes. Rachel screams from inside the trunk. Dean and Peyton are on the end of the line with Sydney.

DEAN: Ms. Bristow, you’re not exactly in the position to play coy. You know who I am.

SYDNEY: Yes.

DEAN: You know what I want.

Sydney glances over at the archive she retrieved.

SYDNEY: You’re not thinking this through, Dean. If you drop me, you destroy your archive.

DEAN: The laptop’s a fake. There’s nothing on it. Where’s Mockingbird now? Ms. Bristow…

SYDNEY: All right - all right, you win. Listen… The CIA has her in protective custody. She’s… in a safe –

A ship horn sounds loudly in the distance and interrupts her.

DEAN: What?

SYDNEY: She’s in a safe house in Philadelphia.

DEAN: Listen carefully. Tell your people to deliver her to the 30th Street Train Station. They have exactly thirty minutes. (hangs up phone)

RACHEL: Sydney… what’s happening?

SYDNEY: Rachel, hang on a sec. I gotta call my dad.

(INT. APO – DAY)

JACK: (on phone with Sydney) Dean doesn’t know Rachel’s with you?

SYDNEY: No. He’s expecting the CIA to deliver her in exactly… 26 minutes.

Jack walks into a room with Marshall.

JACK: (to Marshall) Task the satellites. I want full coverage of the area. Sydney, if Dean calls again, route it through us. Don’t worry, we’ll get you down.

SYDNEY: You’d better.

JACK: (on phone) Dixon, where are you?

DIXON: We’re en route. Five minutes away.

JACK: Approach carefully. We don’t know who’s on the ground – but get to that crane. Rules of engagement are at your discretion.

DIXON: Copy that. Almost there.

(INT. MONTE CARLO – NIGHT)

Inside Sydney’s car…

SYDNEY: Rachel, how you doing?

RACHEL: I’ve been better. How are you?

Sydney is going through her stuff to look for useful items.

SYDNEY: Oh, you know. Just another day at the office. Hey, Rachel, look around back there. Is there anything that might be useful?

Rachel takes a look around in the trunk.

RACHE: Uh, well, there’s a - a tire… and - a crowbar, and I – and I have my purse. Are those helpful?

SYDNEY: No, not really.

RACHEL: Uh… how high up are we?

SYDNEY: Oh, just… (looks out window) couple hundred feet. Don’t worry, I’ve been in much worse situations than this.

RACHEL: You have?

On the ground near the crane’s control cab…

DIXON: Area’s clear so far. We’re approaching the cab now. (climbs up) It’s empty.

JACK: (on phone) Can you get to the controls?

Dixon checks the controls.

DIXON: Hang on… it’s got some sort of… (looks up and sees a camera) Uh-oh.

Dean and Peyton see Dixon through the camera.

DEAN: (checks his watch) That was fast. Do it.

Peyton presses a button on her screen that says RELEASE. The car drops suddenly. Sydney and Rachel scream.

JACK: Sydney…

Just as suddenly, the car stops falling. Sydney gasps. The car dangles precariously in the air.

DEAN: (on phone with Sydney) Pull your agents off-site. Right now.

JACK: Outrigger, get out of there!

Dixon and Grace climb down from the cab of the electromagnetic crane.

DEAN: You’re trying my patience, Ms. Bristow. Any further deviations, and I will drop you. I want confirmation that Mockingbird’s en route.

SYDNEY: What sort of confirmation?

DEAN: Have her call me.

RACHEL: (whispers) What?

(INT. APO – DAY)

MARSHALL: Dean’s got the place wired. It’s all on remote. If I can isolate the frequency, I might be able to override the crane’s controls.

JACK: What do you need from us?

MARSHALL: Just time - just time.

(EXT. MONTE CARLO – NIGHT)

RACHEL: Sydney. I can’t do that. I can’t call him. He’ll know. I’m a terrible liar. That’s why he wants me to call.

SYDNEY: Rachel, this is easy. This is just like in Prague. You have to become someone else. You have to become the person you used to be. All you have to do is act helpless and scared.

RACHEL: I am scared.

SYDNEY: Yeah, but you’re not helpless. Not anymore. Look… I’ve spent my life dealing with men like Gordon Dean. They all have a fatal flaw. They always want power – so you just fool ’em into thinking they have it. And you hit ’em when they’re not looking.

RACHEL: So what do I do?

SYDNEY: Act terrified. Keep him on the phone. We’ll do the rest.

Rachel takes out her phone and makes the call. Dean answers.

DEAN: Hello.

RACHEL: They told me to call you.

DEAN: Rachel. Where are you?

RACHEL: I’m in a van. I don’t know. They wanted me… they wanted me to tell you that they’re doing everything you asked. They’re turning me over to you. They won’t tell me anything else.

Meanwhile, Marshall is trying to pinpoint the frequency of the signal.

RACHEL: What are you gonna do to me?

DEAN: Just come in, Rachel. We need to talk to you.

RACHEL: I didn’t tell them anything. I swear, I didn’t tell them anything.

DEAN: I believe you.

Back at APO…

JACK: Marshall?

MARSHALL: I’m almost there, almost there. Just give me a sec. Give me a sec. Almost there.

Back in the car…

RACHEL: What are you gonna do to me?

DEAN: That depends on how cooperative you are.

RACHEL: I’ll do anything you want. Please, Mrs. Dean. Please. I don’t wanna die.

A ship horn sounds loudly and rattles Rachel. She tries to cover the phone.

SYDNEY: Rachel, Plan B.

Rachel quickly hangs up the phone.

DEAN: What was that?

SYDNEY: Kick the backseat as hard as you can.

Rachel tries to kick the seat, but nothing happens.

SYDNEY: Now! Do it right now!

Rachel kicks harder and folds the seat down, allowing her to crawl through.

SYDNEY: Crowbar!

DEAN: She’s in the car.

Sydney takes the crowbar and breaks the moonroof window.

SYDNEY: Give me your hand.

DEAN: Drop ’em!

Sydney takes the vacuum lifter and attaches it to the electromagnet through the moon roof. The car drops down around them as they emerge through the roof, with Sydney hanging on to the lifter attached to the magnet and Rachel hanging on to Sydney. The car crashes down.

(INT. HEARING ROOM – DAY)

Sloane stands to be accept the committee’s decision at his hearing.

HARKIN: Mr. Sloane, this committee has reviewed your case and is prepared to render its ruling. Before we do so, I’d like to reiterate for the record my extreme disapproval for tactics you have employed while working under the auspices of the United States Government. Your compromised methodology sullies the name of every man and woman who serves this country honorably. (pauses) However, while I may detest your methods, I cannot deny your results.

Slone seems to look pleased. Jack looks surprised and glances over at Sloane.

HARKIN: After careful examination of the facts, this committee is forced to conclude your recent actions fall within the guidelines of your pardon agreement, and that, in truth, (pauses and looks to his right before continuing) you have this country’s best interests in mind. I find no cause for violation. Arvin Sloane, I hereby order your release, effective immediately.

Jack looks at Sloane with suspicion. Sloane closes his eyes. It’s over.

(INT. PLANE – DUSK)

The camera goes down the aisle as we see the team going home after the operation. Dixon is sleeping in his seat. Grace is in the next row sleeping with headphones on. Sydney and Rachel are sitting together behind Grace. Sydney has her eyes closed. Rachel is still awake and looks over at Sydney.

RACHE: How can you people sleep after something like this?

SYDNEY: (with her eyes closed) You just learn to take it where you can get it, I guess.

RACHEL: It’s never gonna be over, is it? I’m gonna be with you a while.

Sydney opens her eyes and looks over at Rachel.

RACHEL: In custody, I mean.

SYDNEY: You’ll be with us until it’s safe for you to go home.

RACHEL: When will that be?

SYDNEY: I honestly don’t know… Dean knows how dangerous you are to him. We can’t release you until we’ve brought him in.

RACHEL: …But it doesn’t end with Dean.

SYDNEY: No, it doesn’t.

RACHEL: It’s never gonna be safe.

SYDNEY: I guess we’ll have to bring ’em all down - every single one of ’em.

In Washington, D.C., Sloane leaves his hearing. As he leaves, Sloane walks past the man possibly responsible for swaying the committee’s decision. Sloane continues on, a free man.
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