superintelligentone
Cadet
Season 4: Episode 14 - "Nightingale"
4/6//2005
Summary by superintelligentone aka SIO
Sorry that I can't keep up with writing my episode summaries. As you can imagine, it is a huge effort. Since it will take me a few weeks rather than days to come up with my Descriptive Summary, I'm going to have this medium sized one up for discussion for now.
Vaughn is at the CIA memorial wall for dead CIA agents. He is watching a worker install a new star and has memories of hearing the tribute to his dad, Bill. Vaughn notices something unusual about the star. The star is wet, so he digs into the wall with a knife and opens a hole. Some arm comes out and choke him. He is having a nightmare in bed. Syd is sleeping beside him.
In a Siberian nuclear power plant, an unconscious man gets put into a technical looking room behind a glass observation window. He gets injected in the neck by a hypodermic injection gun and revives. A scientist in a lab coat and a man in a business suit look on. The man begs for his life, but the scientist ignores his cries and pushes buttons to activate the test. The label on the control screen is written in Cyrillic letters that says Nightingale. The man’s skin begins to melt. The man in the suit looks disgusted at the results. The scientist tells him that his investment could prove quite lucrative.
Morning in Sydney’s kitchen. Vaughn tells her that Laughton from CIA Archives had contacted him about Bill yesterday morning. Syd wonders he didn’t tell her then. He says he was going to, but they didn’t find anything. Syd consoles him “We’ll keep looking” but Vaughn gives a little smirk and then says that he should get dressed for work. Syd tell him “There could be a hundred reasons your father didn’t register Nightingale with the CIA..” Syd says that they’ve had a setback, but there are other people that they can talk to. Vaughn says there aren’t. So Syd says that they can bring the matter to APO, but he says that they won’t because he doesn’t want Sloane to use his father’s death against him. Syd points out that they don’t know he’s dead. Vaughn is irritable and says that they only have some journals written in his father’s handwriting that shouldn’t exist. They only have one word “Nightingale” from some woman to go on. Syd points out that woman raised Nadia. Syd says that she wants to get to the bottom of this as much as he does since her mother was supposed to have killed Bill. Syd says what if they were wrong and there was some other plan.
Syd goes to Jack’s office APO and asks him for a favour. She wants Jack’s level 6 clearance for checking files. Jack asks for what so Syd reluctantly tells him that it is for Vaughn. She confides that a month ago, Vaughn found Bill's journal that had entries up to 1982 yet her mom was supposed to have killed him 1979. Jack says that the handwriting doesn’t prove anything because counterfeiters are experts. Sydney says that doesn’t explain “Nightingale”. Jack asks for an explanation, so Syd says that the journal led to a woman in Lisbon who knew about Bill and his rescue of Nadia when she was a baby. Bill left her to find Nightingale, but she doesn’t know if its a code name or an operation. Syd sasy that she knows that she is asking a big favour of him, but she knows what Vaughn is going through. Jack warns her that the search is dangerous, but Syd says she knows. Jack types in his Level 6 Clearance into his computer and lets Sydney use it. He thanks her for trusting him. Jack says “It seems like we haven’t really talked since...” Syd completes his sentence “Mom died.” Jack pauses and then says “Feel free to come to me anytime.” He leaves the room to let Sydney search the computer in private. She enters the word “Nightingale” to the search engine.
Vaughn and Dixon are wearing headgear, boxing gloves and foot padding, sparring at kick boxing inside a training room. Syd comes to the door with a smile on her face and waves at Dixon to stop.
Syd and Vaughn are alone in the training room when she shows and explains what she’s learned. Project Nightingale is the brainchild of Dr. Josef Vlachko (the scientist seen at the lab), a Russian emigre that they recruited into the DARPA. He disappeared 25 years ago after being caught running human experiments. He took all of his records with him. DARPA had to cover up the security breach. Vaughn says that if they find Vlachko, then they might find something on Bill. Syd shows him the section about Hans Dietrich, German money launderer (the man watching the experiment). He is involved in high risk investments, mainly in new weapons systems. They discovered that he has deposited a million Euros into an encrypted account labelled Nachtigall - Nightingale. Dietrich’s office is in a Munich beer hall he owns. If they can get his records, they might be able to find a lead on Bill. Vaughn questions her about how she found all this, so Syd tells her that she went to Jack and told him all that they knew. Vaughn is unhappy and frustrated about that.
Meanwhile Jack goes to Sloane’s office, who asks him “How much do they know?” Jack says “Uncertain. Apparently there were journals that we couldn’t account for.” Jack points out that they could use this to their advantage by letting Sydney and Vaughn obtain intelligence for them. Sloane wonders how Jack has no problems about using Syd like that. Jack says he does have problems with it, but given their current obstacles, they might provide a lead that they can’t obtain on their own. Sloane approves, but emphasises that they can’t afford to be compromised even by Syd. Jack says it won’t come to that.
Vaughn is at Sydney’s house carrying luggage and criticises Weiss for not helping out. Weiss pretends to be sad that Vaughn’s going North on vacation with Sydney while everyone else works. Vaughn explains his cover story as needing to use his vacation time otherwise he’ll forfeit it. Weiss says that he and Nadia could meet them during the “vacation”, but Vaughn and Syd say that they’ll be busy. Weiss says they have to eat (at least) one meal (on vacation), so Syd cuddles up to Vaughn as he says they be using only room service. Nadia tells them to enjoy the vacation. Weis pretends that he and Nadia have plans anyway
In Dietrich’s Munich beer hall, Sydney and Vaughn are seated at a table watching Hans drinking with two of his men. Looking in her makeup mirror, Syd identifies the man to right as his second-in-command, Carl Goedde. Syd mentions ironically that this mission will be fun since they won’t have any of Marshall’s toys and will be using cellphones rather than com-links (since they are doing this mission on their own). Syd notices Dietrich flirting with a barmaid, so she tells Vaughn that she’s come up with a way to get Hans alone. Vaughn smirks knowingly. Syd enters the women employee’s preparation room and checks the lockers. A blonde barmaid enters and asks her in German if she can help her. Syd replies in German asking her where the uniforms are because she’s a new employee. The woman asks her if she is the cousin of Klaus, so Syd says that she is. The woman slaps Syd with the back of her hand in the jaw and says that she owes her an apology. Vaughn cellphones Sydney and warns her that Dietrich is getting his check and is about to leave. Syd standing over the unconscious barmaid, wearing a uniform and blonde braided wig, tells him that she’s on the way. Syd places a glass of beer in front of Hans and tells him that it is from a friend, her. Syd introduces herself as Olga and invites him to go with her. Just then, Weiss calls to ask a question, but Vaughn says that it is a bad time. Weiss overhears the bar noise and asks if they are at a party. Vaughn gets rid of him, by describing Syd is wearing “Braids, fishnets; it's spectacular.” Weiss comments “Someone's getting lucky tonight. Bye!” and hangs up.
Syd leads Dietrich to his office and after flirting with him, she flips Hans onto his desk chair and jams her high heel against his throat. She demands that he show her where he keeps his financial records. He tells her that it is on his computer and that he’ll show her. Dietrich reaches over to the computer keyboard and accesses the file called Nightingale. Syd knocks him out with a kick and looks at the computer files. Dietrich’s men are getting concerned so Vaughn phones Syd a warning. Seeing Dietrich’s men headed for the office, Vaughn approaches them and says to Goedde that he is with Europol police to stall them. Sydney yanks out the computer removable hard drive and starts to leave when a man enters the office and asks what she is doing there. Remembering the name that the barmaid used, Sydney replies with a smile “I’m Klaus’ cousin. He asked me to come back here.” The man replies “I am Klaus.” Syd smile drops and she wacks him in the face with the hard drive twice, knocking him out. Sydney comes running out of the office and drives on the bar, slides the length of it. Vaughn punches Goedde and Syd knocks him out with a kick to the head. She grabs a glass from a customer and smashes it against the back of a second henchman’s head. Vaughn knocks out the remaining henchman with a back hand from his left arm. As they are leaving, Sydney calls out to the startled patrons “Auf Wiedersehen.” The patrons raise their glasses and cheer.
Back at Syd’s house she and Vaughn find the Nightingale file is still on the drive, but it is encrypted. Syd says that it will take a while for her to decrypt the file. Vaughn gets a cellphone call from a stranger who tells him to act as if he is Weiss if he wants to learn about his father, Bill. The mystery man tells him Nightingale won’t answer his question, but he can. He tells Vaughn to meet him in the Sherwood Library at the UCLA Campus in an hour. The caller warns Vaughn that the information is for him alone. If he tells Syd, she be killed. Syd has been suspiciously looking at Vaughn all during the call because of his unusual silence. When he finishes the call, Syd asks him what is going on. Vaughn covers that Weiss wants to go out for a burger with him. Syd says that he should go so Weiss won’t get suspicious.
Vaughn is walking inside the library when gets another cellphone call from the stranger who tells him to look for “Through The Looking Glass”, illustrated edition. Vaughn goes to the children’s section and finds the book. Inside a hollowed out section is a syringe with a blue ribbon labelled “Inject Me”. Vaughn comments to himself “You’ve got to be kidding me!” and dumps the syringe into a trash can. The stranger phones him back and says that if he wanted Vaughn dead he’d kill him now. The man tells him that if he wants to know about his father, he’ll give him two minutes to do the right thing. Vaughn seats himself on a couch and after considerable agonising about what to do, he reluctantly injects himself with the syringe.
Nighttime at the APO, Jack tells Sloane that he’s tracked Sydney and Vaughn to Munich but doesn’t know what they’ve found. Jack says that he can convince Syd to bring the case to APO. Sloane worries that Sydney is too intuitive so she’ll see through Jack, and then him. Jack says that he knows exactly how to approach her. Jack phones Syd and asks her if she’d join him for dinner at Micheli’s (her favourite restaurant from her childhood) that evening. Syd is surprised and can’t resist Jack’s manipulation, so she tells him that she’ll meet him in thirty minutes. Her decryption finishes and the files to Nightingale display. She sees a blueprint, a aerial photo of the nuclear plant, and a schematic of something labelled Molecular Manipulation.
Vaughn awakens and finds that he is paralysed. The stranger is an African American man who tells him that the paralysis will wear off in about 4 minutes and 20 seconds. The stranger wants the transforming coil inside Nightingale in exchange for the information about Bill Vaughn. Vaughn asks if the man is out of his mind, but he laughs that he wasn’t the one who injected himself with an unknown substance. So now that Vaughn has proven that he desperate to learn about Bill by injecting himself, its now a matter of how far he is willing to go. The man gives him the name “Phillip Burke” to look up and then Vaughn is to contact him when he’s done. He gives him a slip of paper and says that it is for one time only, so he should make it count.
Nighttime at Micheli’s Restaurant, Sydney joins Jack who is waiting at their table. Jack tells her that he’s taken the liberty to order a bottle of Pinot Noir. Syd looks pleased as Jack pours her a glass or wine. Jack complements her for looking very nice. Syd is happy and says thanks with a big smile. Jack asks her how the investigation of Vaughn’s father is going. Syd tells hin that the information of the hard drive indicates that Nightingale is an active project. She says that Vlachko is running the project out of an abandoned nuclear reactor in Siberia with enough power to accomplish whatever he needs. She adds that the experiments are molecular, to alter human DNA. There is a list of over a dozen test subjects, who all died. There’s mention of the genetic marker, AD9, but she doesn’t know what it means. Jack tells her to bring this to APO. Syd insists that she has to talk to Vaughn first. Jack says that Vaughn doesn’t know that people may be dying because of it. Jack tells Sydney “I gave you Level-6 clearance because I trusted you. I’m asking you to trust me now. Bring this to APO. If you really want to find answers, use the resources APO can provide.” Seeing that Syd looks troubled, Jack adds “You have to discuss this with Vaughn first, I respect that. But the longer that you keep this off-book, the worse this will look for both of you. The only way to proceed is honestly, above board. Promise me that you’ll tell Vaughn that.” Syd replies “I promise.”
Back in his office, Sloane remarks that Josef Vlachko hasn’t seen for 20 years but now they’ve found him through Syd of all people. He then needles Jack that “I have to hand it to you, Jack. I never thought that you would be capable of exploiting your own daughter. I certainly couldn’t do that. Sloane says that he can have a strike team in Siberia in 72 hours. Jack says that would be foolish action. Sloane replies that Vlachko is their strongest lead to find Yelena Derevko. Jack says that Sydney must never learn that he betrayed her confidence. They have to wait for her to bring in the information. Jack assures that Syd will do as he asked. When she does, they will devise an operation requiring him to go along. Once there, he will interrogate Vlachko without Syd or Vaughn knowing. Sloane says if they are correct, Vlachko is communicating with Yelena, so once Jack is through interrogating him, Vlachko has to be killed. Jack thinks that is extreme, but Sloane says that it is a necessary precaution. Vlachko could alert to Yelena about their agenda. Or worse, talk to Sydney and destroy all that they’ve worked for.
Vaughn is at his desk at the APO entering the name “Phillip Burke” into the company database and finds out that he was a CIA Black Ops agent killed in Laos on the same day that Bill allegedly died. He goes to Sydney’s house and presents what he found to her. Vaughn points out that he was killed with a Makarov pistol, which was the exact same make and model that Irina used on Bill. Plus there are dental records, of Burke and Bill that match. Perhaps Irina killed Burke and not Bill. Syd wonders how the CIA or anyone could have done that. Vaughn theorises that the CIA might not have known, but someone wanted the world to think that Bill Vaughn had died and replaced him with Phillip Burke. Sydney asks him where he got this information, so he admits that the phone call wasn’t from Weiss, but a man named Roberts. Syd is angry and disappointed that Vaughn didn’t tell her, but he reveals that Roberts said that he’d only talk if he came alone. Vaughn justifies that the information paid off, and Roberts has more to tell him. He reveals that Roberts want the transforming coil from Nightingale in exchange for the information. Syd criticises Vaughn for agreeing to give away something that they don’t even know what it is. He justifies that they are only giving away part of Nightingale, not the whole program. Besides they’ve done similar things before. Syd says they weren’t rogue before. She tells him her father wants them to bring this into APO. Vaughn is upset that she’s talked with Jack again and says they will never let him keep technology like this for himself. He adds that he doesn't trust Sloane and Jack, or anyone else besides her. Vaughn suggests that he and Syd bring this to APO and agree to whatever gets them to Nightingale, but then run a counter-mission to keep the coil for themselves. He points out that they don’t have time to make a fake. Syd says that they’ll need a Plan B to justify what happens.
At APO, Syd and Vaughn explain what their plan then is once they get to Nightingale. Syd will get the coil while Vaughn deals with the security. Jack points out that they need another person to ensure that the reactor stays in standby mode and Marshall agrees. Jack says that he’ll access the security system while Sydney and Vaughn recover the coil. Then they can bring Vlachko back for questioning. Vaughn and Syd looks unhappy with Jack attending. Sydney suggest that Dixon can do that but Sloane says that Jack’s experience is better suited for the task. He then traps them by asking if there's something about this mission that they aren't telling them. Vaughn says that the plan sounds good.
Jack, Sydney and Vaughn unscrew the bolts to a grate covering an access manhole. They are equipped with tranquillizer pistols and encounter a pair of guards inside a service corridor, but Vaughn shoots them with tranqs before they can react. Further inside Vaughn shoots another guard. Jack tells them that he’s headed for the Security Room. Syd says that they’ll meet him back there with the coil. Jack shoots a man off of an upper catwalk, while Syd shoots a guard on the way to the test chamber. Jack enters the Security Room and shoots a guard at a control panel. He points his pistol at Dr. Josef Vlachko and warns him “The more you cooperate, the less pain you’ll endure.” Jack orders him to sit down, and then shuts down the security system. He com-links Sloane that he has Vlachko and that he’s unlocking the door to the Control Room to Syd and Vaughn.
Sydney and Vaughn enter the Control room and shoot two technicians wearing lab coats. Vaughn com-links that they are at the Control Panel. Marshall asks if the reactor is online, and when they tell him that its not online, he tells them to go open the containment shield where the coil is inside. Vaughn presses buttons and the containment shield opens in the Test Chamber, revealing the reactor. Marshall instructs them to release the lock to the Test Chamber, which opens the door. Sydney enters the room and begins cutting the top of the pressure shield of the device with a hand held laser.
Back in the Security Room, Jack, who has switched to a conventional pistol, tells Dr. Vlachko that he needs information very quickly. When the scientist claims that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about, Jack pistol-whips him. When Jack tells him that he knows about Nightingale, Vlachko asks what else can he tell him. Jack says that he wants the location of Yelena Derevko. When he says that he doesn’t know, Jack pistol-whips him across the face.
Sydney finishes cutting the top off of the pressure shield and reaches inside the transformer. The scientist protests that he doesn’t know where she is. Jack says that he couldn’t have set up the facility without her help. Vlachko explains that he hasn’t been in contact with her in years. Jack says that he doesn’t have time and shoots the man in the left thigh.
Vaughn spots a guard with an AK-47 assault riffle enter the room, so he dives for cover. The guard shoots up the control panel which closes the door to the Test Chamber. Vaughn shoots the man with tranqs, but as he falls he activates the Nightingale program. The device will fire in 60 seconds.
Jack demands Dr. Vlachko to tell him where Yelena is, but the man cries that he doesn’t know. Vaughn warns everyone that the reactor is coming online. Marshall tells Vaughn how to bypass the nuclear fusion switch, under the main controls. The power display shows that the device is half way to firing as the countdown reaches 30 seconds. Syd can only look on in panic as the device builds up a charge. Vaughn connects Marshall to the system, but his suggestion on how to get the door open doesn’t work. Marshall says the only way to shut down the core is to remove the fuel rods. Jack makes the decision to kill Vlachko and head to the reactor room. Jack is running as he announces to Marshall that he’s headed for the core. Marshall tells him not to do that because exposure to that amount of radiation could kill him. Marshall says that he can slow the countdown to buy time to corrupt the reactor mainframe. Vaughn picks up the AK-47 and shoots observation window, but it is bulletproof. The countdown is at 20 seconds. Jack arrives at the Reactor Room and tries the door, but it is locked. Marshall tells him that he sees what he is doing and begs him not to do it. He says that he can keep the reactor from going online. Jack pulls of the access panel to the door keypad and works to short the lock open. Marshall manages to slow the countdown at the 10 second mark but the Nightingale device is still increasing its charge. Marshall is typing furiously at his computer, saying “Work some magic” over and over. The countdown reaches 4 seconds and the power graph shows that the device is near full power. Jack gets the door unlocked. Vaughn stares helplessly as Syd looks at him in fear. The countdown reaches 2 seconds left when the device begins losing power. Syd has a look of disbelief and Vaughn asks Marshall what just happened. Marshall reads the error message and announces “Total system shutdown due to core corruption.” Marshall is amazed and says in disbelief “I did it.” He says “We did it!” and hugs Sloane. Sloane pushes him off and tells him to free Syd from the chamber. He goes to the computer and explains now that the system is in reset, it should be easy to open the door now.
Vaughn meets Sydney, who is carrying the transformer coil, in a corridor and asks her if she’s okay. She hands him the coil and says that it is time for Plan B. Vaughn says that he hates to do this. Syd asks him if he is sure (that he should carry out Plan B). Vaughn has a sad look on his face and then leans forward to kiss her. He pulls away and sighs, still looking sad as he says “I love you” in an apologetic way. Sydney replies “Yeah? ... Still...” and she nods to show that she’s ready and he nods back. He steps back and winds up to deliver a hard lefthanded punch to her mouth. Vaughn looks sorry that he had to punch Syd in order to make it look like he’s surprised her and took the coil. Syd tells him “Remember what you promised!” He replies “I’ll let you know when I get there.” Vaughn runs off with the device to trade with Roberts. Sydney rushes across a catwalk to meet her father who calls out “Sydney” in concern and relief. As they embrace, she tells him “I couldn’t stop him.” Jack has a sceptical look at hearing the implication that Vaughn surprised her and took the coil, but Syd can’t see that since they are hugging. She touches her bloodied lip and tells Jack “It was Vaughn. He took the coil. I couldn’t stop him, Dad.” Syd pouts and has tears in her eyes as she embraces him for comfort. Once again Jack has a sceptical look that Syd can’t see as he holds her. His expression changes as he realises that Syd is trying to deceive him.
Sometime later at the APO, Jack is talking with Sloane about the mission. Sloane says that he doesn’t understand how Vaughn assaulted Sydney and stole the coil. Jack says that Vaughn wouldn’t go against them without reason. From his father’s journals, to this rash action, someone must be feeding him with information. A third party that they aren’t aware of. Sloane says that complicates their situation. Jack replies ironically “Yes, I imagine that this must be quite upsetting for you, Arvin. My not anticipating Sydney and Vaughn’s deceit could be greater than your own.” Sloane asks Jack “Have you thought about how we’re going to deal with this?” Jack looks blankly ahead, not aware of what Sloane has said. Sloane looks at him in concern and says “Jack? Are you all right?” Jack replies that he is fine, but is just tired. He says that he’ll work up some options on retrieving Vaughn and the coil, then leaves. Sloane is left thinking.
Sydney is at her house reading a newspaper and eating a sandwich when her cellphone rings. Vaughn has a text message telling her “I’m okay. Wish me luck ...”
As Jack is headed for the exit. Marshall stops to tell him that he ran the diagnostics on the reactor core shutdown and that he didn’t shut down the reactor at all. Jack tells him that it is impossible as he continues towards the exit. Marshall insists that it is physically impossible for him to shut down the reactor from a remote location. Marshall says that it would have to be shut down manually, which would mean ... then he realises that it was Jack who went into the reactor and did it. Jack nods his head and says gravely “It was my daughter’s life.” Marshall looks heartbroken. Jack walks into the elevator and says “Between us.” Marshall nods reluctantly with tears in his eyes.
END
4/6//2005
Summary by superintelligentone aka SIO
Sorry that I can't keep up with writing my episode summaries. As you can imagine, it is a huge effort. Since it will take me a few weeks rather than days to come up with my Descriptive Summary, I'm going to have this medium sized one up for discussion for now.
Vaughn is at the CIA memorial wall for dead CIA agents. He is watching a worker install a new star and has memories of hearing the tribute to his dad, Bill. Vaughn notices something unusual about the star. The star is wet, so he digs into the wall with a knife and opens a hole. Some arm comes out and choke him. He is having a nightmare in bed. Syd is sleeping beside him.
In a Siberian nuclear power plant, an unconscious man gets put into a technical looking room behind a glass observation window. He gets injected in the neck by a hypodermic injection gun and revives. A scientist in a lab coat and a man in a business suit look on. The man begs for his life, but the scientist ignores his cries and pushes buttons to activate the test. The label on the control screen is written in Cyrillic letters that says Nightingale. The man’s skin begins to melt. The man in the suit looks disgusted at the results. The scientist tells him that his investment could prove quite lucrative.
Morning in Sydney’s kitchen. Vaughn tells her that Laughton from CIA Archives had contacted him about Bill yesterday morning. Syd wonders he didn’t tell her then. He says he was going to, but they didn’t find anything. Syd consoles him “We’ll keep looking” but Vaughn gives a little smirk and then says that he should get dressed for work. Syd tell him “There could be a hundred reasons your father didn’t register Nightingale with the CIA..” Syd says that they’ve had a setback, but there are other people that they can talk to. Vaughn says there aren’t. So Syd says that they can bring the matter to APO, but he says that they won’t because he doesn’t want Sloane to use his father’s death against him. Syd points out that they don’t know he’s dead. Vaughn is irritable and says that they only have some journals written in his father’s handwriting that shouldn’t exist. They only have one word “Nightingale” from some woman to go on. Syd points out that woman raised Nadia. Syd says that she wants to get to the bottom of this as much as he does since her mother was supposed to have killed Bill. Syd says what if they were wrong and there was some other plan.
Syd goes to Jack’s office APO and asks him for a favour. She wants Jack’s level 6 clearance for checking files. Jack asks for what so Syd reluctantly tells him that it is for Vaughn. She confides that a month ago, Vaughn found Bill's journal that had entries up to 1982 yet her mom was supposed to have killed him 1979. Jack says that the handwriting doesn’t prove anything because counterfeiters are experts. Sydney says that doesn’t explain “Nightingale”. Jack asks for an explanation, so Syd says that the journal led to a woman in Lisbon who knew about Bill and his rescue of Nadia when she was a baby. Bill left her to find Nightingale, but she doesn’t know if its a code name or an operation. Syd sasy that she knows that she is asking a big favour of him, but she knows what Vaughn is going through. Jack warns her that the search is dangerous, but Syd says she knows. Jack types in his Level 6 Clearance into his computer and lets Sydney use it. He thanks her for trusting him. Jack says “It seems like we haven’t really talked since...” Syd completes his sentence “Mom died.” Jack pauses and then says “Feel free to come to me anytime.” He leaves the room to let Sydney search the computer in private. She enters the word “Nightingale” to the search engine.
Vaughn and Dixon are wearing headgear, boxing gloves and foot padding, sparring at kick boxing inside a training room. Syd comes to the door with a smile on her face and waves at Dixon to stop.
Syd and Vaughn are alone in the training room when she shows and explains what she’s learned. Project Nightingale is the brainchild of Dr. Josef Vlachko (the scientist seen at the lab), a Russian emigre that they recruited into the DARPA. He disappeared 25 years ago after being caught running human experiments. He took all of his records with him. DARPA had to cover up the security breach. Vaughn says that if they find Vlachko, then they might find something on Bill. Syd shows him the section about Hans Dietrich, German money launderer (the man watching the experiment). He is involved in high risk investments, mainly in new weapons systems. They discovered that he has deposited a million Euros into an encrypted account labelled Nachtigall - Nightingale. Dietrich’s office is in a Munich beer hall he owns. If they can get his records, they might be able to find a lead on Bill. Vaughn questions her about how she found all this, so Syd tells her that she went to Jack and told him all that they knew. Vaughn is unhappy and frustrated about that.
Meanwhile Jack goes to Sloane’s office, who asks him “How much do they know?” Jack says “Uncertain. Apparently there were journals that we couldn’t account for.” Jack points out that they could use this to their advantage by letting Sydney and Vaughn obtain intelligence for them. Sloane wonders how Jack has no problems about using Syd like that. Jack says he does have problems with it, but given their current obstacles, they might provide a lead that they can’t obtain on their own. Sloane approves, but emphasises that they can’t afford to be compromised even by Syd. Jack says it won’t come to that.
Vaughn is at Sydney’s house carrying luggage and criticises Weiss for not helping out. Weiss pretends to be sad that Vaughn’s going North on vacation with Sydney while everyone else works. Vaughn explains his cover story as needing to use his vacation time otherwise he’ll forfeit it. Weiss says that he and Nadia could meet them during the “vacation”, but Vaughn and Syd say that they’ll be busy. Weiss says they have to eat (at least) one meal (on vacation), so Syd cuddles up to Vaughn as he says they be using only room service. Nadia tells them to enjoy the vacation. Weis pretends that he and Nadia have plans anyway
In Dietrich’s Munich beer hall, Sydney and Vaughn are seated at a table watching Hans drinking with two of his men. Looking in her makeup mirror, Syd identifies the man to right as his second-in-command, Carl Goedde. Syd mentions ironically that this mission will be fun since they won’t have any of Marshall’s toys and will be using cellphones rather than com-links (since they are doing this mission on their own). Syd notices Dietrich flirting with a barmaid, so she tells Vaughn that she’s come up with a way to get Hans alone. Vaughn smirks knowingly. Syd enters the women employee’s preparation room and checks the lockers. A blonde barmaid enters and asks her in German if she can help her. Syd replies in German asking her where the uniforms are because she’s a new employee. The woman asks her if she is the cousin of Klaus, so Syd says that she is. The woman slaps Syd with the back of her hand in the jaw and says that she owes her an apology. Vaughn cellphones Sydney and warns her that Dietrich is getting his check and is about to leave. Syd standing over the unconscious barmaid, wearing a uniform and blonde braided wig, tells him that she’s on the way. Syd places a glass of beer in front of Hans and tells him that it is from a friend, her. Syd introduces herself as Olga and invites him to go with her. Just then, Weiss calls to ask a question, but Vaughn says that it is a bad time. Weiss overhears the bar noise and asks if they are at a party. Vaughn gets rid of him, by describing Syd is wearing “Braids, fishnets; it's spectacular.” Weiss comments “Someone's getting lucky tonight. Bye!” and hangs up.
Syd leads Dietrich to his office and after flirting with him, she flips Hans onto his desk chair and jams her high heel against his throat. She demands that he show her where he keeps his financial records. He tells her that it is on his computer and that he’ll show her. Dietrich reaches over to the computer keyboard and accesses the file called Nightingale. Syd knocks him out with a kick and looks at the computer files. Dietrich’s men are getting concerned so Vaughn phones Syd a warning. Seeing Dietrich’s men headed for the office, Vaughn approaches them and says to Goedde that he is with Europol police to stall them. Sydney yanks out the computer removable hard drive and starts to leave when a man enters the office and asks what she is doing there. Remembering the name that the barmaid used, Sydney replies with a smile “I’m Klaus’ cousin. He asked me to come back here.” The man replies “I am Klaus.” Syd smile drops and she wacks him in the face with the hard drive twice, knocking him out. Sydney comes running out of the office and drives on the bar, slides the length of it. Vaughn punches Goedde and Syd knocks him out with a kick to the head. She grabs a glass from a customer and smashes it against the back of a second henchman’s head. Vaughn knocks out the remaining henchman with a back hand from his left arm. As they are leaving, Sydney calls out to the startled patrons “Auf Wiedersehen.” The patrons raise their glasses and cheer.
Back at Syd’s house she and Vaughn find the Nightingale file is still on the drive, but it is encrypted. Syd says that it will take a while for her to decrypt the file. Vaughn gets a cellphone call from a stranger who tells him to act as if he is Weiss if he wants to learn about his father, Bill. The mystery man tells him Nightingale won’t answer his question, but he can. He tells Vaughn to meet him in the Sherwood Library at the UCLA Campus in an hour. The caller warns Vaughn that the information is for him alone. If he tells Syd, she be killed. Syd has been suspiciously looking at Vaughn all during the call because of his unusual silence. When he finishes the call, Syd asks him what is going on. Vaughn covers that Weiss wants to go out for a burger with him. Syd says that he should go so Weiss won’t get suspicious.
Vaughn is walking inside the library when gets another cellphone call from the stranger who tells him to look for “Through The Looking Glass”, illustrated edition. Vaughn goes to the children’s section and finds the book. Inside a hollowed out section is a syringe with a blue ribbon labelled “Inject Me”. Vaughn comments to himself “You’ve got to be kidding me!” and dumps the syringe into a trash can. The stranger phones him back and says that if he wanted Vaughn dead he’d kill him now. The man tells him that if he wants to know about his father, he’ll give him two minutes to do the right thing. Vaughn seats himself on a couch and after considerable agonising about what to do, he reluctantly injects himself with the syringe.
Nighttime at the APO, Jack tells Sloane that he’s tracked Sydney and Vaughn to Munich but doesn’t know what they’ve found. Jack says that he can convince Syd to bring the case to APO. Sloane worries that Sydney is too intuitive so she’ll see through Jack, and then him. Jack says that he knows exactly how to approach her. Jack phones Syd and asks her if she’d join him for dinner at Micheli’s (her favourite restaurant from her childhood) that evening. Syd is surprised and can’t resist Jack’s manipulation, so she tells him that she’ll meet him in thirty minutes. Her decryption finishes and the files to Nightingale display. She sees a blueprint, a aerial photo of the nuclear plant, and a schematic of something labelled Molecular Manipulation.
Vaughn awakens and finds that he is paralysed. The stranger is an African American man who tells him that the paralysis will wear off in about 4 minutes and 20 seconds. The stranger wants the transforming coil inside Nightingale in exchange for the information about Bill Vaughn. Vaughn asks if the man is out of his mind, but he laughs that he wasn’t the one who injected himself with an unknown substance. So now that Vaughn has proven that he desperate to learn about Bill by injecting himself, its now a matter of how far he is willing to go. The man gives him the name “Phillip Burke” to look up and then Vaughn is to contact him when he’s done. He gives him a slip of paper and says that it is for one time only, so he should make it count.
Nighttime at Micheli’s Restaurant, Sydney joins Jack who is waiting at their table. Jack tells her that he’s taken the liberty to order a bottle of Pinot Noir. Syd looks pleased as Jack pours her a glass or wine. Jack complements her for looking very nice. Syd is happy and says thanks with a big smile. Jack asks her how the investigation of Vaughn’s father is going. Syd tells hin that the information of the hard drive indicates that Nightingale is an active project. She says that Vlachko is running the project out of an abandoned nuclear reactor in Siberia with enough power to accomplish whatever he needs. She adds that the experiments are molecular, to alter human DNA. There is a list of over a dozen test subjects, who all died. There’s mention of the genetic marker, AD9, but she doesn’t know what it means. Jack tells her to bring this to APO. Syd insists that she has to talk to Vaughn first. Jack says that Vaughn doesn’t know that people may be dying because of it. Jack tells Sydney “I gave you Level-6 clearance because I trusted you. I’m asking you to trust me now. Bring this to APO. If you really want to find answers, use the resources APO can provide.” Seeing that Syd looks troubled, Jack adds “You have to discuss this with Vaughn first, I respect that. But the longer that you keep this off-book, the worse this will look for both of you. The only way to proceed is honestly, above board. Promise me that you’ll tell Vaughn that.” Syd replies “I promise.”
Back in his office, Sloane remarks that Josef Vlachko hasn’t seen for 20 years but now they’ve found him through Syd of all people. He then needles Jack that “I have to hand it to you, Jack. I never thought that you would be capable of exploiting your own daughter. I certainly couldn’t do that. Sloane says that he can have a strike team in Siberia in 72 hours. Jack says that would be foolish action. Sloane replies that Vlachko is their strongest lead to find Yelena Derevko. Jack says that Sydney must never learn that he betrayed her confidence. They have to wait for her to bring in the information. Jack assures that Syd will do as he asked. When she does, they will devise an operation requiring him to go along. Once there, he will interrogate Vlachko without Syd or Vaughn knowing. Sloane says if they are correct, Vlachko is communicating with Yelena, so once Jack is through interrogating him, Vlachko has to be killed. Jack thinks that is extreme, but Sloane says that it is a necessary precaution. Vlachko could alert to Yelena about their agenda. Or worse, talk to Sydney and destroy all that they’ve worked for.
Vaughn is at his desk at the APO entering the name “Phillip Burke” into the company database and finds out that he was a CIA Black Ops agent killed in Laos on the same day that Bill allegedly died. He goes to Sydney’s house and presents what he found to her. Vaughn points out that he was killed with a Makarov pistol, which was the exact same make and model that Irina used on Bill. Plus there are dental records, of Burke and Bill that match. Perhaps Irina killed Burke and not Bill. Syd wonders how the CIA or anyone could have done that. Vaughn theorises that the CIA might not have known, but someone wanted the world to think that Bill Vaughn had died and replaced him with Phillip Burke. Sydney asks him where he got this information, so he admits that the phone call wasn’t from Weiss, but a man named Roberts. Syd is angry and disappointed that Vaughn didn’t tell her, but he reveals that Roberts said that he’d only talk if he came alone. Vaughn justifies that the information paid off, and Roberts has more to tell him. He reveals that Roberts want the transforming coil from Nightingale in exchange for the information. Syd criticises Vaughn for agreeing to give away something that they don’t even know what it is. He justifies that they are only giving away part of Nightingale, not the whole program. Besides they’ve done similar things before. Syd says they weren’t rogue before. She tells him her father wants them to bring this into APO. Vaughn is upset that she’s talked with Jack again and says they will never let him keep technology like this for himself. He adds that he doesn't trust Sloane and Jack, or anyone else besides her. Vaughn suggests that he and Syd bring this to APO and agree to whatever gets them to Nightingale, but then run a counter-mission to keep the coil for themselves. He points out that they don’t have time to make a fake. Syd says that they’ll need a Plan B to justify what happens.
At APO, Syd and Vaughn explain what their plan then is once they get to Nightingale. Syd will get the coil while Vaughn deals with the security. Jack points out that they need another person to ensure that the reactor stays in standby mode and Marshall agrees. Jack says that he’ll access the security system while Sydney and Vaughn recover the coil. Then they can bring Vlachko back for questioning. Vaughn and Syd looks unhappy with Jack attending. Sydney suggest that Dixon can do that but Sloane says that Jack’s experience is better suited for the task. He then traps them by asking if there's something about this mission that they aren't telling them. Vaughn says that the plan sounds good.
Jack, Sydney and Vaughn unscrew the bolts to a grate covering an access manhole. They are equipped with tranquillizer pistols and encounter a pair of guards inside a service corridor, but Vaughn shoots them with tranqs before they can react. Further inside Vaughn shoots another guard. Jack tells them that he’s headed for the Security Room. Syd says that they’ll meet him back there with the coil. Jack shoots a man off of an upper catwalk, while Syd shoots a guard on the way to the test chamber. Jack enters the Security Room and shoots a guard at a control panel. He points his pistol at Dr. Josef Vlachko and warns him “The more you cooperate, the less pain you’ll endure.” Jack orders him to sit down, and then shuts down the security system. He com-links Sloane that he has Vlachko and that he’s unlocking the door to the Control Room to Syd and Vaughn.
Sydney and Vaughn enter the Control room and shoot two technicians wearing lab coats. Vaughn com-links that they are at the Control Panel. Marshall asks if the reactor is online, and when they tell him that its not online, he tells them to go open the containment shield where the coil is inside. Vaughn presses buttons and the containment shield opens in the Test Chamber, revealing the reactor. Marshall instructs them to release the lock to the Test Chamber, which opens the door. Sydney enters the room and begins cutting the top of the pressure shield of the device with a hand held laser.
Back in the Security Room, Jack, who has switched to a conventional pistol, tells Dr. Vlachko that he needs information very quickly. When the scientist claims that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about, Jack pistol-whips him. When Jack tells him that he knows about Nightingale, Vlachko asks what else can he tell him. Jack says that he wants the location of Yelena Derevko. When he says that he doesn’t know, Jack pistol-whips him across the face.
Sydney finishes cutting the top off of the pressure shield and reaches inside the transformer. The scientist protests that he doesn’t know where she is. Jack says that he couldn’t have set up the facility without her help. Vlachko explains that he hasn’t been in contact with her in years. Jack says that he doesn’t have time and shoots the man in the left thigh.
Vaughn spots a guard with an AK-47 assault riffle enter the room, so he dives for cover. The guard shoots up the control panel which closes the door to the Test Chamber. Vaughn shoots the man with tranqs, but as he falls he activates the Nightingale program. The device will fire in 60 seconds.
Jack demands Dr. Vlachko to tell him where Yelena is, but the man cries that he doesn’t know. Vaughn warns everyone that the reactor is coming online. Marshall tells Vaughn how to bypass the nuclear fusion switch, under the main controls. The power display shows that the device is half way to firing as the countdown reaches 30 seconds. Syd can only look on in panic as the device builds up a charge. Vaughn connects Marshall to the system, but his suggestion on how to get the door open doesn’t work. Marshall says the only way to shut down the core is to remove the fuel rods. Jack makes the decision to kill Vlachko and head to the reactor room. Jack is running as he announces to Marshall that he’s headed for the core. Marshall tells him not to do that because exposure to that amount of radiation could kill him. Marshall says that he can slow the countdown to buy time to corrupt the reactor mainframe. Vaughn picks up the AK-47 and shoots observation window, but it is bulletproof. The countdown is at 20 seconds. Jack arrives at the Reactor Room and tries the door, but it is locked. Marshall tells him that he sees what he is doing and begs him not to do it. He says that he can keep the reactor from going online. Jack pulls of the access panel to the door keypad and works to short the lock open. Marshall manages to slow the countdown at the 10 second mark but the Nightingale device is still increasing its charge. Marshall is typing furiously at his computer, saying “Work some magic” over and over. The countdown reaches 4 seconds and the power graph shows that the device is near full power. Jack gets the door unlocked. Vaughn stares helplessly as Syd looks at him in fear. The countdown reaches 2 seconds left when the device begins losing power. Syd has a look of disbelief and Vaughn asks Marshall what just happened. Marshall reads the error message and announces “Total system shutdown due to core corruption.” Marshall is amazed and says in disbelief “I did it.” He says “We did it!” and hugs Sloane. Sloane pushes him off and tells him to free Syd from the chamber. He goes to the computer and explains now that the system is in reset, it should be easy to open the door now.
Vaughn meets Sydney, who is carrying the transformer coil, in a corridor and asks her if she’s okay. She hands him the coil and says that it is time for Plan B. Vaughn says that he hates to do this. Syd asks him if he is sure (that he should carry out Plan B). Vaughn has a sad look on his face and then leans forward to kiss her. He pulls away and sighs, still looking sad as he says “I love you” in an apologetic way. Sydney replies “Yeah? ... Still...” and she nods to show that she’s ready and he nods back. He steps back and winds up to deliver a hard lefthanded punch to her mouth. Vaughn looks sorry that he had to punch Syd in order to make it look like he’s surprised her and took the coil. Syd tells him “Remember what you promised!” He replies “I’ll let you know when I get there.” Vaughn runs off with the device to trade with Roberts. Sydney rushes across a catwalk to meet her father who calls out “Sydney” in concern and relief. As they embrace, she tells him “I couldn’t stop him.” Jack has a sceptical look at hearing the implication that Vaughn surprised her and took the coil, but Syd can’t see that since they are hugging. She touches her bloodied lip and tells Jack “It was Vaughn. He took the coil. I couldn’t stop him, Dad.” Syd pouts and has tears in her eyes as she embraces him for comfort. Once again Jack has a sceptical look that Syd can’t see as he holds her. His expression changes as he realises that Syd is trying to deceive him.
Sometime later at the APO, Jack is talking with Sloane about the mission. Sloane says that he doesn’t understand how Vaughn assaulted Sydney and stole the coil. Jack says that Vaughn wouldn’t go against them without reason. From his father’s journals, to this rash action, someone must be feeding him with information. A third party that they aren’t aware of. Sloane says that complicates their situation. Jack replies ironically “Yes, I imagine that this must be quite upsetting for you, Arvin. My not anticipating Sydney and Vaughn’s deceit could be greater than your own.” Sloane asks Jack “Have you thought about how we’re going to deal with this?” Jack looks blankly ahead, not aware of what Sloane has said. Sloane looks at him in concern and says “Jack? Are you all right?” Jack replies that he is fine, but is just tired. He says that he’ll work up some options on retrieving Vaughn and the coil, then leaves. Sloane is left thinking.
Sydney is at her house reading a newspaper and eating a sandwich when her cellphone rings. Vaughn has a text message telling her “I’m okay. Wish me luck ...”
As Jack is headed for the exit. Marshall stops to tell him that he ran the diagnostics on the reactor core shutdown and that he didn’t shut down the reactor at all. Jack tells him that it is impossible as he continues towards the exit. Marshall insists that it is physically impossible for him to shut down the reactor from a remote location. Marshall says that it would have to be shut down manually, which would mean ... then he realises that it was Jack who went into the reactor and did it. Jack nods his head and says gravely “It was my daughter’s life.” Marshall looks heartbroken. Jack walks into the elevator and says “Between us.” Marshall nods reluctantly with tears in his eyes.
END
