Épisode Jeux de pouvoir S02E02 - Mutant X Saison 2

                                                   Power Play 


[Opening Scene: Adam stands in front of the computer in the main room of Sanctuary, talking to his mysterious female contact via video link. Her image is blurred so that her face is hidden.]

Adam: Beverly, my people are on the ground. Now what exactly are they walking into?
Beverly: There’s at least a dozen underground factions that would die to get their hands on the laser defense shield. I need to make sure security is tight as a drum.
Adam: So you don’t trust the government troops either.
Beverly: We’ve both been around long enough to know you don’t trust anybody.
Adam (walking up to the screen, smiling): Even each other?
Beverly: Maybe especially. [She cuts off the connection.]

[Scene: Inside a large government warehouse at dusk, a handful of armed soldiers are posted in a circle around a truck to which is tied a huge spherical weapon under a tarp. The head soldier radios another soldier, who is outside guarding the perimeter of the base.]
Head Soldier: Delta point two, report.
Perimeter Soldier: Delta point two clear. Code seven oh five. [As he finishes speaking, a man dressed in black, wearing a black mask sneaks up behind him and knocks him to the ground. Four more armed men in black rush towards the warehouse.]
Head Soldier #1: Tango point one, report.
Warehouse Soldier (inside, by the truck): Tango point one, weapon secured. [Brennan and Jesse are crouched outside the fence at the perimeter of the base, watching. Brennan calls Adam over his comlink.]
Brennan: Adam.
Adam (heading towards Sanctuary’s lab): Here.
Brennan: Well, your tip was right, just a little too late. There’s a dozen of them, maybe more, crawling all over the place.
Adam: We have to get in there. The weapon they’re after has massive destructive capabilities. We can’t let them get their hands on it.
Brennan (to Jesse): Well, you heard the man. Come on. [They run towards the warehouse as the men in black enter the warehouse. One rolls a canister of white gas towards the soldiers around the truck.]
Head Soldier (seeing the smoke): We’re under attack! Call it in! [Jesse tries the outer door, but it’s locked.]
Brennan: Well, do the honors. [Just as Jesse places his hand on the wall to phase it, a man in black comes up, hits him in the back with his baton, and drags him away from the wall. Brennan struggles with a second one as Jesse phases into the warehouse to escape his assailant. Inside the warehouse, he sees that the white gas has knocked the soldiers unconscious, allowing the men in black access to the truck. Jesse squints as the truck’s headlights turn on and the engine roars to life. He phases back out of the building, collapsing on the ground. Punching out his attacker, Brennan goes to pick Jesse up. The truck smashes out of the wall behind them, missing them by inches, and speeds out of the compound.]
Brennan (picking himself up): What the hell happened?
Jesse: Some kind of gas.
Brennan (helping him up): Come on. [He carries Jesse out of the compound.]

Opening Credits. “Power Play.”

[In Sanctuary’s lab, Brennan stands by the biobed as Adam examines Jesse with a neural scanner.]
Adam: Boy, you have no idea how lucky you are. Somehow you carried molecules of nerve gas with you when you rephased out of the building.
Jesse (sitting up): What are you saying, I’ve been exposed?
Adam: No, it’s more dangerous than that. No, the nerve gas molecules bonded with your molecular structure.
Brennan: Which means?
Adam: I’m not sure. You know, I mean, your body should work them out over time, right? Until then, we have to stay on guard against symptoms of contamination.
Jesse: Contamination? Ah, just when I was starting to feel better, huh?
Emma (coming in with a bouquet): Does that mean we wasted our money on the flowers?
Jesse: Oh, hey, no. Anytime a girl gets me flowers...
Shalimar (patting his leg): Yeah, well just be grateful you’re getting them above ground.
Adam: That’s right because if you’d rephased solid and even gotten a whiff of that nerve gas it would’ve paralyzed your central nervous system.
Jesse (smiling at Shalimar): Hm. That’ll teach me to practice holding my breath, huh?
Adam (smelling Emma’s flowers): Smells good. [Jesse starts to stand up. Suddenly he phases, falling through the bed onto the floor. Adam and Brennan yank the bed out of the way, and they all hover over him.]
Adam: Jess!
Emma: Jesse, unphase!
Jesse (staring at his hands): I can’t!
Adam: Jesse, concentrate! The longer you stay unstable, the more dangerous it is. Jesse, focus.
Shalimar: Come on, Jess.
Adam: You have a couple of seconds, after that you’re not gonna be able to reform! [Gasping, Jesse finally unphases. Adam and Brennan grab his arms and lift him back onto the bed.]
Brennan: Take it easy.
Jesse (panting): Adam, what the hell happened?
Adam: I wish I knew.

[Scene: The perimeter fence outside the Twin Creeks nuclear facility. A black SUV drives up to the guardhouse, followed by the truck with the spherical weapon. A Major dressed in black gets out of SUV, and the guard comes out of the guardhouse to meet him at the gate.]
The Major (nodding cordially): How’re you doing today?
The Guard: I need to see some I.D. [Behind the guard, a second black-clad soldier jumps down from the roof of the guardhouse and snaps his neck. Opening the gate, The Major admits the SUV and truck.]

[Back at Sanctuary, Shalimar and Adam stand outside the lab, watching Jesse sleeping inside.]
Shalimar: So what’s going on with Jess?
Adam: The nerve gas has affected the section of his central nervous system that controls his ability to phase out.
Shalimar: So what does that mean? He’s losing his powers?
Adam: No, it’s more about control. But if he goes intangible again before this stuff works itself out of his system, he could literally dissipate into thin air.

[Reaching the power plant, a dozen black-clad soldiers emerge from two black SUVs and begin to uncover the weapon on the truck. Colonel Aaron Gaumont steps out of his SUV.]
Colonel Aaron Gaumont: Deploy! [A soldier presses a button, and the weapon is raised into the air on metal stilts.]
Soldier #1 (handing the controller to Gaumont): Perimeter’s set at 100 meters, sir.
Gaumont (smiling at him): Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord. [He presses a button and dozens of tiny metal pyramids are released from the sphere.] Now. [The Major throws some rocks towards the sphere; the triangles pulverize them with red laser beams.] Round up all the personnel, secure them in the utility room.

[In the main room of Sanctuary, Adam paces angrily in front of the computer screen, yelling at his pixilated contact.]
Adam: Why didn’t you tell me you were sending my people into a fully equipped military unit?
Beverly: Adam, I didn’t know.
Adam: Well, that’s not good enough! You put the lives of my people on the line!
Beverly: How’s Jesse?
Adam: Not good. No telling how much of that nerve gas penetrated his system.
Beverly: Adam, believe me when I say, we had no idea the man behind this was so dangerous.
Adam: Who is this guy?
Beverly (sending him a profile picture): Colonel Aaron Gaumont.
Adam: Never heard of him.
Beverly: You shouldn’t have. At one point, he headed up the most covert military division we had to offer. As far as the government was concerned, he doesn’t exist.
Adam: Well, I wish that was still true.
Beverly: He disappeared on a mission in the Middle East five years ago. Until this morning, we thought he was dead. At this point, we have no motive– [The screen goes blank.]
Adam (going to the computer): Beverly? Beverly? Am I losing you?
Beverly: Hold on. We’re getting a feed directly from Gaumont. I’m patching it into you.
Gaumont (holding up five dog tags): Five of my loyal soldiers, the best this country has to offer, died during a government-sponsored covert operation in Kyrkistan. They were men who lived valiantly and did everything their government called on them to do. And they found themselves abandoned and betrayed by those they served. [Adam calls Brennan and Shalimar into the room to watch with him.] Now you, who know nothing of honor must now pay 10 million dollars for each fallen soldier. I have taken control of nuclear facility at Twin Creeks facility. If you do not come up with the money in 24 hours, you will experience a holocaust the likes of which this country has never seen.
Adam (stopping the video): Twin Creeks was shut down years ago. It was turned into a top secret facility to develop a reactive fuel called xeraxium.
Brennan: Yeah, a guy with his clearance must have known that.
Adam: Xeraxium is a radioactive compound a million times more lethal than plutonium. So if Gaumont can initiate a meltdown, we’re talking about something that makes Chernobyl look like a Sunday afternoon cookout.
Shalimar: Wait, this is huge. How come the press isn’t all over this?
Brennan: What, are you kidding? If this got out, there’d be a wide-spread panic.
Adam: That’s right. The authorities had managed a news blackout. They figure that we’ve got about 20 hours before the army’s called in, after that, all bets are off.
Brennan: What, and these authorities, they want us to go in and diffuse the situation?
Adam (nodding): I’ve offered our services.
Brennan: To who? The same people that poisoned Jesse?
Adam: Look, I have no illusions that these people can be trusted, I just know that the lives of tens of millions of people are at stake. And Brennan, look, man, if you ever want out, I’m not gonna try and stop you, I just want you to know while you’re here, I’m not gonna ask you to make any sacrifices that I’m not prepared to make myself.
Shalimar: Nobody wants that, Adam.
Brennan: No, no I just want answers. Okay now, you tell me we can’t trust your source, that’s fine. But I’m trusting you, so if anything goes wrong here, it’s on your head. [He leaves the room.]

[Inside the Twin Creeks facility’s control room, The Major comes up to Gaumont.]
The Major: The explosive is rigged. Camera 6, sir. [A soldier sitting at a desk with four video monitors points to one of them.]
Gaumont (pulling up the feed to see the bomb): That’s a beautiful thing. Beautiful thing.

[Back at Sanctuary’s main room, Adam is relaying his plans to Emma and Jesse, who’s sitting at the computer.]
Adam: So assuming he doesn’t have control of the reactor’s core, the best way to take out the nuclear facility would be to take out the cooling system.
Emma: Yeah, well, with this guy’s security background, we can’t assume anything.
Adam: And to complicate matters further, the entire facility will be protected by the laser weapon that he stole from the military base.Jesse: Whatever, look, let’s just get in there, take him out before he knows what hit him.
Adam: That’s a good idea. Only one problem. You’re not going.
Jesse: What?
Adam: Well, you saw what happened to you in the lab. What if that happens again in a fight?
Jesse: I’ll be okay.
Emma (patting his shoulder): We’ll handle this one, Jess. And besides, there’ll be plenty of bad guys for you to get next time. [She leaves.]
Adam: Exactly.
Jesse (following Adam across the room): Adam, I feel fine.
Adam: Right, and you’re gonna stay feeling fine by helping me run the operation from here.
Jesse: How am I gonna do that?
Adam: By cracking the facility’s computer system and taking the reactor offline.
Jesse: We both know I’ve got a much better shot at initiating a controlled shutdown from plant’s control room!
Adam: Until your system is normalized, the chances are good that you’ll die if you try to use your power.
Jesse: Then I just won’t use them.
Adam: Right, because I’m not going to put you in the position of having to use them. You’re gonna do your work from here! We’ve got a lot more to lose than gain by sending you in. [He backs away towards the lab.]

[Emma, Shalimar, and Brennan sit in the Double Helix, preparing to take off from the landing bay.]
Emma: He’ll get over it.
Brennan: Well, like Adam said, he’s better frustrated than dead.
Shalimar: If I was Jesse, I’d be dying for some payback.
Jesse (coming in): I’m counting on you guys to settle the score, eh?
Shalimar: We’ve got you covered.
Jesse: Yeah. Uh, Brennan. [He holds up a yellow device.] Hook this up to the T1 line. It’ll give me access to their computers.
Brennan: Okay, all right. [As he reaches for the device, Jesse’s hand phases, and it falls to the floor.]
Emma: Jesse!
Jesse (looking at her sternly): It slipped. It’s all right.
Brennan: Take it easy, huh, Jess?
Jesse: Yeah. Do me a favor. Finish this.
Brennan (shaking his hand): Absolutely, brother. [Jesse walks out.] Let’s get this goose in the air, huh?
Shalimar: Yeah.
Brennan: All right, ready? [He closes the door, cutting Jesse out.]

[Outside the Twin Creeks facility, an armed soldier dressed in black is guarding the fence when he’s struck to the ground by an electrical arc. Brennan sneaks into the guardhouse, opens the electrical panel, and hooks up Jesse’s device to the T1 line. Inside the control room, Gaumont paces back and forth across the floor in front of The Major.]
Gaumant: My country left me for dead, Major. Along with all my men. I was spared for one reason, to exact retribution in their names.
The Major: That money’s gonna go a long way to make things right, sir.
Gaumant: Money’s all society respects. That’s how we’ll hide them.
The Major: The memories of your men will be honored by what we do here. [Gaumont smiles at him, playing with the five dog tags.]
Brennan (in the guardhouse, calling over his comlink): Jesse. Hookup complete. It’s up to you now.

[Shalimar and Emma wait together in the cloaked Double Helix.]
Shalimar: Shall we?
Emma: Let’s go. [She opens the door and they leave.]

[Back at Sanctuary, Jesse’s working at the computer to set up a video loop on Gaumont’s surveillance cameras.]
Jesse (over his comlink): Okay. I’ve tied into their computer system. I’m initiating video loop recording now. Loop is in place. Any time you’re ready, folks.
Brennan (as Emma and Shalimar join him by the guardhouse): Well, that’s step one. [They start towards the facility.]
Emma: Why is that always the easiest step?
Shalimar: To fool you into taking step two.
Emma (seeing the metal pyramids hovering in the air over them): Wait, Shal. [She throws some rocks into the air above Shalimar’s head; the lasers destroy them.]
Shalimar: That’d leave one hell of a mark.
Brennan: Adam was right. Laser receptors are on line.
Emma: Well, unless either of you two can phase out, we’re not going anywhere.
Brennan: Wait, wait. Watch this. Step back. [He creates a tesla coil and separates the lasers with his electrical arcs.]
Shalimar: There’s a gap.
Brennan: Yeah, I don’t know how long I can hold it. Go! Go! [He lets them through, then enters himself. They run towards the building.]

[Inside the control room, Gaumont watches the silent video monitors. The Major walks up to him.]
Gaumont: I get no response?
The Major (checking the video feed): Nothing yet, sir.
Gaumont: Is there a problem, Major?
The Major: They cracked into the security system, set up a video loop. Mutant X has entered the compound, sir.
Gaumont: Exactly as we planned.


[Brennan calls Adam as he, Shalimar, and Emma near the facility.]
Brennan: Outside is clear. They weren’t expecting us.
Adam (viewing the facility’s layout over Jesse’s shoulder): Well, let’s hope not. Emma, Shalimar, I want you to go to the northeast wing. That’s the place that looks like the most likely they’d hold hostages.
Emma: Any place in particular?
Jesse: Well, security’s on the third level. I’d try there first.
Adam (drinking his coffee): Once we’ve freed the hostages, then we can turn out attentions to Gaumont.
Shalimar: Can’t wait. [She takes Emma’s arm.] Let’s go. [They run down the road.]
Brennan: Where do you want me?
Adam: I want you to go down to the basement, sublevel A. The central cooling area is up the northeast stairwell.
Brennan: All right, on my way.
Jesse: Uh-oh. They’ve done their homework. They’ve set up a firewall to prevent exactly what we’re trying to do.
Adam: What, so you can’t initiate a shutdown?
Jesse (sitting back, arms crossed): Not from here.
Adam: What, so what do you think, this is going to be able to change my mind about sending you in there?
Jesse: I don’t know. You’re the genius. You got a better idea?
Brennan (calling from inside the facility): All right, I’m in. Now where?
Adam (to Jesse): I want you to talk Brennan through it.
Jesse (turning back to the computer): Okay. Brennan, go to the door furthest on the east. That’ll lead to the central cooling control room. If they’re gonna try to shut down the cooling system, they’ll control it from there.
Brennan: Got ya. [He hides behind a wall as an armed soldier comes through the door in front of him. Once the soldier passes, he ducks into the next room.]
Jesse (turning to Adam): Yeah. You do realize that unless they’ve got the current daily control code, shutting it down is gonna be real hard. [Adam nods.]
Brennan (walking into the cooling control room, seeing the bomb): And the hits keep coming. Well, I think I’ve figured out how they’re planning on shutting down the cooling system.

[Up in the main control room, Gaumont turns in his chair to question The Major’s report.]
Gaumont: What did you say?
The Major: Jesse Kilmartin is not among the group. We weren’t sure at first, but the last communication confirms it.
Gaumont (standing, yelling): And why am I hearing about this now?
The Major: Sir, we still control the plant. We can convince the government to pay.
Gaumont (walking up to him): The government will never pay! That was the given from the moment I conceived this operation. The point was to draw out Mutant X.
The Major: But they’re here, sir.
Gaumont: Without Kilmartin! Without Kilmartin, we don’t get the xeraxium, without the xeraxium, what do I sell the foreign buyers? [He points to his communications expert.] Find that frequency, jam it. Are the other three still inside?
The Major: Yes sir.
Gaumont: Turn up the heat on them! Maybe if they start dropping, Kilmartin will come out to play.
The Major (saluting): Yes sir.

[In the cooling control room, Brennan squats in front of the bomb.]
Brennan: Jess, are you sure you can talk me through disarming this thing?
Jesse: Well, it depends on if I can get a visual of the bomb. I’m trying to bring up the security cameras in that area now.
Adam (hovering behind him): All right, wait, wait. See if you can get it online. Can you get it online?
Jesse: Well, so far, they have only figured out how to block our access to the reactor controls.
Adam: Yeah, well, my gut is telling me that these are not the type of guys to make mistakes like this.
Jesse (frowning): You’re thinking they’re letting us in?
Adam: Well, we’re about to find out.
Jesse: Hah. I got it. [Adam rushes over to the main computer screen to look at the image of the bomb.] Oh no. Brennan. Try to locate where the wires converge on the detonator, and be careful. They may have thrown in some dummies to throw you off.
Brennan (examining the mass of wires): This day just keeps getting better by the minute.

[Upstairs, Shalimar and Emma are walking down the third level corridor.]
Shalimar: Don’t you think it’s a little strange we haven’t run into anyone yet?
Emma: Yeah. [She calls Sanctuary over her comlink.] Adam?
Adam: Yeah, I’m here.
Emma: So, we’re almost at security and we haven’t seen a soul. I don’t know, either we’re incredibly lucky or something else is going on here.
Adam (rubbing his temple): Yeah, I know. We were getting the same feeling back here. [He and Jesse look up as the feed goes dead. Adam quickly starts typing commands into the computer.] Brennan? Emma? Shalimar?
Jesse (standing up): Brennan? Brennan? Adam, we’ve lost contact!
Adam (facing him): I know. Because our comlink signal isn’t on normal bands, they’ve gotta have a pretty good idea that not just any rescue force is on the premises. They know it’s us.
Jesse: Well, unless you can reroute the comlink signal, I can’t talk Brennan through disarming the bomb.
Adam (concentrating on his computer): I’m working on it. [Behind him, Jesse slips quietly out of the room.]

[In the Twin Creeks main control room, the communications expert turns to Gaumont and The Major.]
Communications Expert: They’re cut off, sir.
Gaumont (swinging the dog tags): Then Kilmartin knows. He’s the only one who can prevent a meltdown.
The Major: Is that enough to draw him out?
Gaumont (heading out of the room): He doesn’t get a vote!

[Emma examines her ring as she follows Shalimar down the corridor.]
Emma: My comlink’s dead.
Shalimar (holding up her hand): Mine too. [Hearing footsteps approaching, she stops and protectively stands in front of Emma.]
Emma (pushing her aside): I’ll handle this. [She shoots a psionic blast at the two soldiers running towards them, knocking them both to the ground.]
Shalimar (hugging Emma’s waist): Girl, I like you more and more every day. [They continue down the hallway.]

[Jesse’s speeding towards Twin Creeks in one of Mutant X’s cars when Adam calls him via the cars video link.]
Adam: Jesse, what the hell are you doing?
Jesse: Take a guess, Adam. If I don’t get in there, Gaumont is gonna take the place down. So let’s just skip to the part where you say what you’re really thinking, huh?
Adam: All right. What I’m really thinking is you’d better get your ass back here!
Jesse: And here I was hoping you'd wish me luck.

[Brennan’s trying to diffuse the bomb on his own when Gaumont comes down the stairs, pointing his gun. As Brennan lights a tesla coil, Gaumant shoots at the water main above him, showering Brennan with water so that he is electrocuted with his own electricity. While Brennan convulses on the floor, Gaumont runs back up the stairs.]


[Emma and Shalimar run to Brennan’s side.]
Emma: Get him out of the water! [Grabbing his arms, they drag his limp body across the room.]
Shalimar: Do you remember your CPR?Emma: I think so.
Shalimar: You pump, I’ll blow.
Emma: Come on, Brennan! Come on, breathe!
Shalimar: Come on, we’re not gonna let you die! [Brennan finally revives, coughing.]
Emma (helping him sit up): You okay?
Brennan: Remind me never to do that again.
Shalimar: That’s two of us he’s almost killed. I’m taking him out myself. [She runs off.]
Emma: Shal, wait!
Brennan: You really thing that’s gonna stop her?
Emma (helping him up): Guess I should’ve saved my breath. You okay?
Brennan (returning to the bomb): How much do you know about detonators?
Emma (coming over): Not much, why?
Brennan: Well unless somebody does, we’ve got about 3 minutes before this thing explodes, then the whole reactor’s gonna melt down.

[Watching his camera screens in the control room, Gaumont smiles to see Jesse pull up to the perimeter fence outside.]
Gaumont: Our guest has arrived. Prepare to roll out the red carpet. [Downstairs, Jesse phases into the building and heads towards the reactor center.]

[Inside the cooling control room, Emma watches fearfully as Brennan reaches out to touch a wire.]
Brennan: Well, this wire has the be the main connection, I’m sure.
Emma (frowning at him): You don’t feel sure, do you?
Brennan: You know, would you stay out of my head when I’m working, please? And you’re right, I’m not sure.
Emma (panicking): I suppose if Jesse were here, he would just reach in and defuse it. But if we screw up and it blows, then it’s not just us, the whole, the whole core melts down and then we--
Brennan: Shh! Okay, can we not think like that right now, please? We just need to learn how to disconnect this thing, okay? [He pulls out his pocket knife. As he pries open a panel, sparks fly up into his face.]
Emma (grabbing his arm): Would you please just be careful? You almost already died once today!
Brennan: I’m doing my best!

[On her way towards the main control room, Shalimar waits on the staircase as five armed soldiers run down the hallway beneath her. Then she leaps to the ground, feral eyes flashing, and goes to find Gaumant. Across the building, Jesse finds the reactor control room empty and goes to sit at one of the computers. Meanwhile, Emma hovers over Brennan’s shoulder as he tries to make sense of the bomb’s controls.]
Brennan: Man... [Emma’s face looms closer and closer to the panel until Brennan jumps.] Hey! Would you just relax? You’re making me nervous, here!
Emma: I’m sorry. I’m just used to all my pieces being in one piece!Brennan (looking up at her): Okay, listen. Would it make you feel better if I told you that I surfed the web last night, and I figured out everything there is to know about remotely detonated bombs.
Emma (nodding): It’d be a start.
Brennan: Good, then that’s what I did.
Emma: You know, I certainly hope that you are a better bomb expert than you are a liar.

[Jesse’s working at the computer when he hears a noise behind him. He goes to the closet and pulls open the door, revealing a beautiful woman in a labcoat hiding inside.]
Sophia Taylor (holding up her hands): Don’t hurt me!
Jesse (reaching out to help her up): It’s okay. I’m here to help. I’m Jesse.
Sophia (taking his hand): Sophia. Sophia Taylor. When I saw those men, I hid in there.
Jesse: You work in the control room?
Sophia: Well, I’m just an assistant, but I know all the procedures.
Jesse: Great, okay. Can you help me shut down the core before they can melt it down?
Sophia (staring at him in shock): What do you mean? They’re gonna–they’re gonna...
Jesse: Shh! [Hearing footsteps outside approaching the room, he phases the wall and pulls Sophia through with him. Two armed soldiers enter the room, and finding it empty, they leave. Jesse phases back into the room with Sophia, then collapses to the floor, unable to unphase.]
Sophia (looking from him to the wall in confusion): God, what just happened? Are you okay?
Jesse (finally reforming, gasping): Oh, that hurt. Oh, I almost lost it. [He picks himself up.]
Sophia: How did you do that?
Jesse: It’s a long story. When we’re finished, I’ll tell you. We need to initiate a controlled shutdown without them catching onto what we’re up to.
Sophia: You’ll need access codes.
Jesse: Yeah, they’re three. I’ve decrypted two.
Sophia (joining him at the computers): Well, I may not be able to walk through walls, but I bet I can help you get the third.

[Having rerouted the comlink signals, Adam paces around the main room at Sanctuary, trying to raise his team.]
Adam: Brennan? Jesse? Shalimar? Emma? Anybody copy? [In the main control room at Twin Creeks, the communications expert hands Gaumont a radio.]
The Communications Expert: Someone’s broken through our scrambler, but we intercepted the signal.
Adam: You guys read me?
Gaumont (into the radio): Loud and clear.
Adam (spinning around): Gaumont!
Gaumont: And this must be Adam.
Adam (going to the computer): All right, what have you done with my people?
Gaumont: One or two might be dead. But the rest are doing exactly what they should be.Adam: You actually think the government is gonna answer your demands for ransom?
Gaumont: I expect that worthless bunch of reprobates to do what they always do. Cover their asses.
Adam: What the hell do you want?!
Gaumont: When this is all over, ask your friend Kilmartin. He’s gonna help me get it. [He cuts off the connection and gives the radio back to the communications expert. Adam slams a hand on the computer in frustration.] Shouldn’t be long now. [As the communications expert turns away, Shalimar leaps down in front of him, punches him out, and starts towards Gaumont, who holds up the bomb’s detonator.] Easy, kitty, easy. You take one more step, and we’re both radioactive fondu.
Shalimar: Question is, do I believe you’re really that crazy?
Gaumont (smiling): Damn good question.

[In the reactor control room, Sophia smiles up at Jesse, who’s standing behind her.]
Sophia: We’re in.
Jesse: Beautiful. [Sitting back down, he starts entering commands when an alarm goes off overhead.] What is that?
Sophia: I don’t know! [An automated voice sounds overhead: “Core Reactor Shutdown in T - 15 seconds. 14, 13...”]

[In the main control room, seeing that Gaumont is distracted by the noise, Shalimar leaps into the air and kicks the detonator out of his hands. But he slides across the room and reaches it first. Five armed soldier rush up behind Shalimar.]
Gaumont (pressing the button): Ka-boom. [Downstairs working on the bomb, Brennan and Emma have a minute and 21 seconds left, when the screen suddenly goes blank and flashes “Remote Activation.”]
Emma (grabbing his arm): Brennan! [She pulls him out of the room just as the bomb explodes.]

[Emma and Brennan head towards the main control room to look for Shalimar.]
Emma: We still had three minutes left; Gaumont must have triggered the bomb remotely.
Brennan: Shal must not have got to him.
Emma: Unless they got to her first.
Brennan: Don’t even go there.

[Jesse and Sophia search their computers to find out what’s going on.]
Jesse: There! It’s the cooling system. The cooling system...Gaumont’s blown the cooling system! The explosion aborted the shutdown; how long until the meltdown?
Sophia: Ten minutes, max.
Jesse: Is there a backup system?Sophia: No such thing! The only way is to physically disengage the xeraxium rods to interrupt the chain reaction before meltdown.
Jesse: How?
Sophia: It’s impossible! The reactor’s behind a foot and a half of reinforced steel, there’s no way in.
Jesse (smirking at her): Yeah. [She follows him out of the room.]

[Shalimar stands in front of Gaumont, held at gunpoint by three soldiers.]
Gaumont: Meltdown’s underway, Shalimar. There’s only one man in the world who can stop it.
Shalimar: You?
Gaumont: Me? Noooo. He’s on your side. He’s on the premises. Now let’s hope that he’s getting the job done. [Forming a pretend gun with his thumb and forefinger, he pulls the trigger, and a soldier bashes his gun into Shalimar’s head, knocking her unconscious.] Get her in there. Come on! [The soldiers carry her into the closet and lock the door.]

[Back at Sanctuary, Adam calls Beverly up via video link to yell at her again.]
Adam: Gaumont knew that the government had no intention of paying his demands.
Beverly: It’s a common procedure; we always assumed he had a deeper plan.
Adam: A deeper plan that included knowledge of my team. You know, with Jesse poised to play a pivotal role.
Beverly: I don’t understand.
Adam: From what I’m getting from the online linkup to the facility, Gaumont has put the reactor into meltdown mode.
Beverly: And what does that have to do with him?
Adam: The only way to shut it down is to access the core. And the only one who can access the core by walking through steel walls is?
Beverly: Jesse. Gaumont’s after the xeraxium from the reactor.
Adam: And we have handed it to him on a silver platter.

[Outside the reactor core room, Sophia helps Jesse into a radioactive protection suit.]
Sophia: The xeraxium bundle is inside the reactor.
Jesse (nodding): Okay.
Sophia: You looked pretty rough last time, are you sure you can do this?
Jesse: Well, I guess we’ll soon find out.

[Brennan and Emma hear a regular banging noise coming from down the hall and run towards it.]
Brennan: Shal?
Shalimar (calling from inside the closet): Brennan?
Brennan: Shal! [Finding the door locked, he steps back.] Back up! [Zapping the lock, he opens the door to find Shalimar leaning against the cabinet, waiting.]
Shal: What took ya?
Brennan: Well, you know, we stopped for a beer and a bucket of wings.
Emma: Come on, come on!

[Suited up, Jesse slowly plods towards the reactor core wall.]
Sophia: Hey. Good luck. [Jesse phases into the room, opens the reactor with the metal key and pulls out the xeraxium bundle in its metal container. Phasing back out of the wall, he falls to the floor, weak but still solid. Sophia pulls the xeraxium from his arms and takes off the helmet.] I knew you could do it, Jesse. Are you okay?
Jesse: I’m a little wiped. [Sophia looks up as Gaumont walks into the room behind her, aiming a gun at them.]
Gaumont (smiling at Sophia): Nice work, Sargent.
Sophia (getting up): Thank you, sir. [She hands him the xeraxium and takes off the lab coat.]
Gaumont: And thank you, Mr. Kilmartin. I understand you accomplished this at great risk to yourself. I wish I had more men of your capability. Unfortunately, you’re on the wrong side, and you’re too dangerous to let live. [He hands the gun to Sophia and leaves the room. As she aims the gun at him, Jesse phases once more, passing through the floor. Downstairs, Shalimar, Emma, and Brennan are running down the corridor when Jesse falls from the ceiling right above them onto the ground at their feet, phasing uncontrollably.]
Shalimar (rushing to his side): Jess! [Back at Sanctuary, Adam frantically works at the computer, trying to get in touch with his team. He finally hears Brennan’s voice.]
Brennan: Adam!
Adam (holding his head in relief): Brennan! Thank God. All right, so what’s going on?
Brennan: Jesse phased and he can’t get back!
Adam (getting up): All right, how long has he been like that?
Shalimar: Less a minute!
Adam: All right, his system cannot take much more than that length of time in that state. If he doesn’t become tangible soon, he’s gonna dissipate into thin air.
Brennan: Come on, Jess!

[The team huddles over Jesse’s phased body on the floor as Adam waits at Sanctuary.]
Shalimar: We’re losing him!
Adam: All right, Brennan, I want you to try to create an electrical shield around his body. That could keep him from dissipating completely.
Shalimar: Jess, stay with us!
Brennan: Come on! [He shocks Jesse’s chest.] Come on, work with me, Jess, come on!
Shalimar: Come on, Jess!
Emma (bending directly over his face): Come on, Jesse, look at me! Come on, Jesse, focus! Focus! [Jesse finally reforms.]
Brennan (grabbing his arm): All right, come on! Adam, we got him, we got him!
Adam: Great!
Brennan: Get him out of this suit!
Emma: Okay!
Jesse (panting): Gaumont got the xeraxium.
Adam: That’s been his plan all along, and he knew that you were the only guy who could go in and get it for him. This guy’s been manipulating us all along.
Shalimar (helping Jesse to his feet): Yeah, well, that’s about to change. [They run towards the exit.]

[Outside the facility, Sophia and Gaumont dash towards the truck. Sophia lowers the laser weapon back onto the truck, then drives Gaumont away. Behind them, Mutant X emerges from the facility, Shalimar and Emma carrying Jesse.]
Brennan: We’ve gotta get to the Double Helix, come on! [Inside the truck, Gaumont turns to Sophia.]
Gaumont: Call Barrington. Make sure he’s got the cash. Make sure he’s ready. [Sophia picks up her cell phone, then catches a glimpse of the Double Helix in her rear view mirror.]
Sophia: Colonel, they’re on us!
Gaumont (activating the laser weapons): Not for long. [Metal pyramids fly out of the sphere and surround the Double Helix. Jesse gets up from his seat.]
Jesse (to Shalimar): I’ve gotta stop them! Take the controls.
Shalimar: What are you doing, Jess?
Jesse (punching commands into a panel on the wall of the Helix): I can set up an electromagnetic pulse beam from the Helix’s generator, cut out their motor.
Brennan: What? That’ll take out our motor too!
Jesse: Just get ready to land this thing when I give you the word!
Gaumont (seeing the Helix fly closer to the truck): What the hell is he doing?
Sophia: I don’t know.
Jesse (striking two wires together): Now! [A pulse beam shoots from the Helix and hits the truck, which stops in the middle of the road. Brennan crash-lands the Helix behind them.]
Emma (looking around): Where’s Jesse?

[Inside the truck, Sophia tries in vain to restart the truck.]
Gaumont: No power?
Sophia: No! [They get out of the truck. Jesse phases through a nearby van to stand in front of them. They point their guns at him.]
Jesse: Your plan was perfect, except for one minor flaw. Me.
Sophia: You should’ve laid down when you had the chance, Jesse.
Gaumont: Did you really think I’d let you stop me?
Jesse (shaking his head): I don’t need to. You’ve taken care of that yourself. [He looks up as a metal pyramid zooms overhead.] You forgot to turn off your laser defense system. [He masses and waits.]
Gaumont: Sweet mother of– [The pyramid emits a laser beams, reducing Gaumont and Sophia to ashes on the ground. Walking over, Jesse picks up Gaumont’s burned dogtag from the ground and stares at it.]

[Back at Sanctuary’s lab, Adam examines Jesse with the neural analyzer again.]
Adam: Well, according to my diagnostic, the nerve gas has dissipated completely from your system.
Jesse (taking off the device): You don’t know how good it feels to hear that. [Emma, Shalimar, and Brennan walk into the lab.]
Brennan: Well, you dodged a major bullet, brother.
Jesse: Ah, we’ve dodged them before.
Shalimar: Yeah, but not like this one, honey.
Emma (rubbing his shoulder): That was awfully brave of you back there. Risking your life for all of us. [Shalimar comes around to rest on his other shoulder.]
Jesse (grinning at her): Well.
Brennan (at the foot of the bed): Yeah, even I have to admit it was, uh...you know...pretty cool.
Jesse: Ah, what can I say? Kid’s still got it, huh.
Brennan (hitting his leg): Yeah, just make you never lose it again, huh?