Épisode Amis pour la vie S03E15 - Mutant X Saison 3

                                 Divided Loyalties


[Opening scene: Midday inside a city bank vault, four armed black-clad thieves rapidly enter the vault wearing stockings over their heads. Einstein kneels beside the wall of security deposit boxes and opens his laptop over his knee. Nick unlocks a small metal case containing an explosive device. Ethan Poe, gun at the ready, hovers over Einstein. Standing near the door, Cole Thatcher nervously trains his gun on an unconscious bank guard, who is propped up against the wall.]

Ethan: Which one is it, Bud?
Einstein (pointing to a group of security boxes): One of these four.
Ethan: You heard the man, Nick.
Nick (placing explosive in the middle of the four boxes): All right. Back it up, boys.
Ethan (stepping back): Okay.
Nick: Room goes boom. [He ignites the explosive; all four boxes are blown open.]
Ethan: Okay. [Going to the top left box, he pulls out two long metal cases. He and Einstein search through the contents until Einstein holds up a small box.]
Einstein: Got it! [He pulls out a glass slide with a luminous green pattern on it.]
Nick: That's it. As the gang's attention is distracted, the guard on the floor wakes up and shoots Einstein in the leg. Einstein falls holding his leg in pain; Ethan shoots the guard.]
Ethan: Move! Let's go! [Cole grabs Einstein's arm to help him up, but Nick drags Cole away towards the door.]
Nick: He's gone, come on! [As the three men run out, abandoning Einstein on the floor, the image turns black and white and freezes. The camera pans out to show that this action was taped footage from the bank's surveillance cameras being played on a computer in Sanctuary. Lexa explains to Shalimar and Brennan what happened.]
Lexa: This went down last night. Now what they're after is a high-tech safe deposit key.
Shalimar: Must be pretty valuable.
Lexa (walking over to Jesse at another computer): Yeah, it is. See, the key is connected to another safety deposit box, where there's a stolen disk that contains The Dominion's entire genetic research program.
Shalimar: Any idea who we're playing ball with?
Jesse (pulling up the blurred images of the thieves's faces): Well, I'm working on it.
The computer should be able to decipher the facial features through the stockings.
Brennan: Ah, so what we're looking to do is round these guys up and get the key back, right?
Lexa: No. No, see, our orders are to infiltrate the gang and let them steal the disk. The Dominion's after the buyer.
Jesse: Oh, there's one of them.
Brennan: Wait, hold on, hold on. Wait, I know that guy. That's Cole Thatcher.
Shalimar: That's Cole?
Lexa: You two pretty tight?
Brennan: Well, we used to be.
Lexa: Do you think you can use him to get us in? [Brennan starts to nod.]
Shalimar: No! Bad idea, Brennan. You know it is.
Jesse (sarcastic): All right, you wanna fill us in, or should we break off into smaller groups?
Brennan: No...it's just um...Cole and I used to be pretty wild. That was another lifetime ago, but I can handle myself.
Jesse: You sure?
Brennan: Yeah, no problem.
Jesse: All right, then. Let's get started. [He follows Lexa out of the room. Brennan heads off in the other direction.]
Shalimar (going after Brennan): Brennan, this is a bad idea.
Brennan (patting her shoulder): Listen, Shal. Relax, okay? There's nothing to worry about. [He walks away. Still worried, Shalimar returns to the computer, where the security video recording of the gang is paused on the screen. She turns the recording back on to see what happened next.]
Einstein (holding his leg in pain): Hey, don't leave me here, man! [Turning, Ethan walks back into the room, raises his gun, and shoots Einstein in the head. Shalimar stares at the screen in horror.]

Opening Credits. "Divided Loyalties"

[Jesse sits at the computer while Brennan paces back and forth behind him, twirling a metal paperweight in his hands.]
Brennan: Man, I haven't seen Cole since the day that I joined Mutant X. I'm sure as far as he's concerned, I dropped off the face of the Earth. Yep, the good old days, huh? Breaking and entering, grand theft auto... Well, that was until I moved us up to bank robbery.
Jesse (chuckling): That must look good on your resume.
Brennan: You know what, man? It's crazy because we never got caught and we were seriously out of our minds.
Jesse (pointing to the paperweight): Yeah. You, uh, mind putting that away?
Brennan (putting it down on the desk): Huh. So what's taking so long with my rap sheet, huh?
Jesse: Hey, three years is a long time to be under the radar, all right? [He stops as Brennan's profile picture pops up on his screen.] What the hell? Adam's already made you a profile. I mean, he didn't upload it to the police database, but there it is: your mug shot and your rap sheet. Looks like he made it the day you joined Mutant X. I guess he figured that if things didn't work out for you here, you'd always have a get-out-of Mutant-X-free card, huh?
Brennan: I guess he had his doubts about me back then.
Jesse: Hm.
Brennan: Can you activate it?
Jesse: Yeah. All I need is a release date, and you're set.
Brennan: Make it today.

[Meanwhile, Shalimar finds Lexa working in the lab.]
Shalimar: I think it's a bad idea sending Brennan in there. You know the leader of that gang is a killer, and Cole is way too unpredictable.
Lexa (focused on her work): Brennan can take care of himself.
Shalimar: Lex, you don't get it. [Lexa turns to face her.] Brennan used to say he and Cole were adrenaline junkies. It's like some kind of death wish thing. I mean, they used to steal cars in the winter and race them on the lake. Brennan almost died once when his car went through the ice.
Lexa (turning back to her work): I know, but Shal, they were kids.
Shalimar: No! When they get together, they push things too far. They're a lethal mix.
Lexa: Okay, maybe that was true back then, but Brennan's changed.
Shalimar: What if you're wrong?
Brennan (walking in): She's not. I'll be fine.
Lexa: Are you sure you're up for this?
Brennan: I know what I'm getting into.
Lexa: Okay. [She walks out.]
Brennan (to Shalimar): I'm good. [He leaves.]
Shalmar (to herself): Yeah, I hope so.

[That night, Brennan drives a black convertible up to Parnell's Restaurant and gets out. Hearing a noise behind him, he spins around to see Adam standing in the street, smiling.]
Brennan (gaping): Adam? [Adam grins happily, but his face falls when Brennan's surprise quickly turns into rage.] You son of a bitch! [He tries to grab Adam by the throat, but his fingers pass through him. Adam's holographic image vanishes.]
HoloAdam (reappearing a short distance away): You have every right to be angry, but I had to disappear for the survival of Mutant X.
Brennan: Where are you? I'm not talking to a hologram!
HoloAdam: I can't tell you. You just have to trust me.
Brennan: What, like you trusted me?
HoloAdam (sighing): All right, look. I always believed in your potential, but you're right, at first I wasn't sure that you could make it as one of the team.
Brennan: Oh yeah? So that profile that you created, that was just a contingency plan?
HoloAdam: You could say that. It's important that you keep my presence a secret from the others.
Brennan: I'm sick and tired of you and your secrets. [He starts to walk away.]
HoloAdam: Your friend Cole is in way over his head.
Brennan: What, you don't think I know that?! Who you working for now, Adam? The Dominion?
HoloAdam: No, but The Dominion is scared, and when they're scared, they're dangerous.
Brennan: So, what, what? You just came back to give me a pep talk?
HoloAdam: Look, you don't know what you're walking into. You've gotta listen to me.
Brennan: No, Adam. You gave up that right the day that you vanished off the face of the Earth! [He stalks off.]
HoloAdam (calling after him): Brennan! Brennan! [Shaking his head, HoloAdam disappears.]

[Entering Parnell's, Brennan sees Cole at the bar, ordering a drink for the woman next to him.]
Cole: Hey, sweetie. How about one Cosmopolitan for the pretty lady here. [To the woman.] How're you doing?
Brennan (coming up behind them): If I was you, I'd walk away right this second, before he really starts hitting on you.
Cole (coldly): Sorry, man. Do I know you? [The woman walks away.]
Brennan: Oh, come on, man. Cut me some slack, Cole. I've been in the joint for three years.
Cole: Well, I thought...I thought you were dead.
Brennan: I'm sorry to disappoint you. Yeah?
Cole (frowning): Yeah.
Brennan (sitting next to him): I'm back.
Cole (smiling): You're back?
Brennan: I'm back.
Cole (hugging him): You're kidding me, man!
Brennan: What's up, brother?
Cole: Good to see you, really. [Watching them quietly from across the room, Shalimar carries a glass of wine over to a table and sits down.] Hey, sweetie. Two scotches for me and my buddy here. Listen, so what's going on, man? Like, what are you doing? Where are you staying?
Brennan: Well, that's why I kind of came to talk to you. I need something, man. Yeah? I was wondering if you could hook a brother up.
Cole (shaking his head): I don't know, man. Things have...things are pretty quiet around here. You know?
Brennan: Cole. Who are you talking to here, man? You and I both know that you're always staying on top of the action.
Cole (grinning): Yeah. All right. I got something going, but I can't cut you in. I'm just, I'm just the driver. Seriously, it's not my deal. It's not up to me.
Brennan: Listen. All I need's the intro, all right? Cole, I really need this, okay? I need to get back on my feet. I'm not looking for a handout, all right? I just, we both know what I bring to a crew.
Cole (laughing): Yeah. Yeah, I do know what you bring to a crew. Okay, man. I'll make the call.
Brennan (hugging him): My man! Come here.
Shalimar (into her comlink): Brennan's made contact. Looks like he's about to get a face to face with the leader of that gang.
Lexa (next to Jesse at Sanctuary's computers): Don't get too excited there, Shal.
Shalimar: Don't worry, I won't.
Jesse: Something going on between you two?
Lexa: It's not important. What have you got?
Jesse: Well, since it's the buyer we're after, I figured it would be a good idea to figure out who put the key card in the safe deposit box to begin with.
Lexa: Mmm-hmm. [Jesse rewinds the bank's security video footage to find the white-haired man who placed the key in the box.] How far back did you have to go to get that?
Jesse: Three weeks. That was the easy part. Having a hard time locking in an I.D. for him.
Lexa: C'mon, Jess, you're the master! I'm sure you'll find a way to figure it out.
Jesse (smirking at her): Is that your lame way of buttering me up?
Lexa (smiling): Actually, I was being sincere.
Jesse: Ah.
Lexa: Just do it, okay? [She hits him in the back as he stifles a laugh.]

[In Ethan Poe's office, behind Parnell's bar, Ethan sits at his desk playing with his gun as Cole tries to convince him to give Brennan a chance. Nick and another man stand beside the desk, watching.]
Ethan: I told you. I don't need any new guys.
Cole: Now, that's not true. We lost Einstein. We need another circuit guy. [He points to Brennan.]
Ethan: Well, aren't you the self-starter.
Cole: Whatever. Anyways, my buddy here? He's in a league of his own. He has some very unique talents, and believe me when I say it, you've never seen anything like him.
Ethan (getting up, playing with his gun): Thanks for the pitch.
Cole (backing away): Ethan, man, come on.
Brennan: You know what, Cole? Let's just get outta here.
Cole (to Brennan): No, no. Hey-hey-hey-hey. Just relax.
Ethan: What's your name, Sport?
Brennan: Brennan Mulwray.
Ethan (to Cole): You thought you'd recruit another self-starter? Fill him in on our agenda?
Brennan: I came to him.
Ethan: Shut up! I'm not talking to you.
Nick: I got a bad feeling about this guy, Ethan. I don't like him one bit.
Ethan: Who are you, really? You don't look like a guy who's spent the last three years in jail. [Brennan doesn't answer. Ethan turns to Nick.] Show him the alley. Have some fun.
Nick: Don't I always?
Cole (grinning at Ethan): Okay. [He follows Nick out of Ethan's office as he push Brennan in front of them. The troop passes Shalimar, who's pretending to be talking on the pay phone.]
Shalimar (over her comlink): He's in trouble; they've made him. I'm pulling him out now. [The screen splits to show Lexa walking down the hallway at Sanctuary.]
Lexa: No, wait, Shal. Give him some space, all right? Brennan knows what he's doing.
Shalimar: He's out of his league here!
Lexa (sighing): Just stay back, please don't blow this for him!
Shalimar: Yeah, why start now? He's doing such a great job already. [She hangs up the phone and follows the gang outside the building. Smiling at Brennan, Nick puts his arm around the other flunky.]
Nick: He's gonna mess you up real good, pretty boy.

******Commercial Break*********

[In the back alley behind Parnell's, Brennan faces Ethan's flunky as Cole leans against the wall to watch the show.]
Cole: Bro, you got no idea what's coming.
Nick (pointing at Brennan): Well, neither does he. [The flunky attacks Brennan, but Brennan easily defeats him with a few martial arts moves. Brennan kicks his opponent back to Nick, who catches him, then knocks him unconscious. Nick straightens to take care of Brennan himself. His greater height and weight give him the advantage; before long, Brennan's down on the ground.]
Cole: Get up. Come on, Brennan. [Spitting out blood, Brennan stands. This time, Nick only gets a few punches in before Brennan gets the upper hand. Pushing Nick down on his stomach, he kicks him in the butt when he tries to get up. Cole laughs, and Nick roars as he barrels Brennan up against a parked car. Brennan grabs his belt and throws him over his shoulder. Nick hits the windshield, setting off the car alarm. He sits up, groggily. Brennan finishes him off with a spinning kick to the face. Cole howls as Ethan emerges from his office. Two more flunkies with guns appear behind Brennan. Cole murmurs to Ethan:] I hope your boys got rubber shoes. [Brennan zaps them both until they drop their guns.]
Ethan (pointing his gun at Brennan): So you're the real McCoy, huh?
Brennan (pretending to wipe the laser sight off his chest): Am I in or what?
Ethan (dropping his gun): We'll see. [He motions the gang back inside.] Let's have a drink, stud.
Cole (to Brennan): What happened there, man? I mean, you really had me scared for a minute.
Brennan: Really?
Cole (laughing): Nah. [He holds up his hands in imitation of Brennan throwing a tesla coil.] Zzzzzz! [They walk inside together, laughing. Shalimar, watching from behind a car down the street, calls Lexa over her comlink.]
Shalimar: I don't like this, Lex. He's out of control. [The screen splits two ways to show Lexa at Sanctuary, standing across the room from Jesse at the computers.]
Lexa: He's supposed to be. If he acted any different, he'd never earn their trust.
Shalimar (sarcastically): Well, that makes me feel better. You know, until I know he's safe, I'm not letting him out of my sight. [She walks off.]
Jesse (calling Lexa over): Okay, I think I've finally got an I.D. on our mystery man. Michael Hayes.
Lexa: See? I knew you could do it. Who is he?
Jesse: Well, that's where it gets a little weird. Somebody's actually taken time to delete all his records. It's as if he never even existed. Whoever's pulling this guy's strings runs deep, Lexa.
Lexa: Like...Dominion deep? [Jesse nods.]

[Sitting in a booth inside Parnell's bar, Ethan interviews Brennan.]
Ethan: Cole tells me you can get past just about any security system.
Brennan: Well, if Cole tells you that, must be true.
Ethan (deathly serious): You think it's funny to mess with me?
Brennan: No, no, that's not it. It just...um... [He's distracted when he sees Shalimar sit down at a table in the corner.] I mess with everyone. I can't help myself.
Ethan: You should be thinking about helping yourself. [Brennan, sobering, nods. The screen splits to show Jesse running down Sanctuary stairs towards the computer as Shalimar's sitting at her table.]
Jesse: How's it going there?
Shalimar: Party central. Brennan's definitely in character. [Jesse laughs.]
Ethan (drilling Brennan): I know a few guys in Lower State.
Brennan: Oh, right! Pop quiz.
Jesse (typing furiously at the computer): All right, just relax, Brennan, I'm looking into it.
Ethan: John Tinner. Warren Stoker.
Brennan: Yeah. [Stalling for time, he looks over at Cole, who is hitting on another woman at the bar across the room. Ethan frowns as Brennan chuckles.] Sorry. It's just...every time I see Cole, man, he's always fishing way out of his league.
Shalimar (worried): Come on, Jess.
Jesse (pulling up the state penitentiary's records): Almost there...All right, I got it. Checks out. Uh...they're both in cell block C. Tinner's in for double homicide; Stoker already served 10 years for grand larceny. [List of inmates: Johnathan Hackett, Tony Thatcher, Hardy Messum, Adam Matchy, John Cyr, Karen Wookey, Rick Ungar, Avi Arad, Andre Lewis, Earl Chapman, Ryan O'Connell, Mark Meygan, Brian Child, Ed Buren, Steve Sitanly.]
Brennan: Yeah, I know those guys, though. Spent some time with them on C block. I don't think Tinner's getting out of there anytime soon, if you know what I mean.
Ethan: Is his hot wife still visiting him?
Brennan: I don't know. I never saw her.
Ethan: Well, he must have talked about her. After what she did.
Jesse: I'm looking into it. Stall him, Brennan.
Brennan (to Ethan): Hey, wait, wait. Check this out, hold on. [Hiding a hand under the table, he aims a finger at the woman Cole is flirting with, zapping her in the butt. Startled, she slaps Cole and leaves. Brennan cracks up.]
Ethan (not laughing): What'd you hear about her?
Shalimar: Jess, any time would be good.
Jesse: I'm coming up with nothing.
Ethan: Hey! Answer the question.
Adam's voice (on Brennan's comlink): She divorced him. [The screen splits in two to show Adam in his hideout, searching for information on his computer.] After she testified against him at his parole hearing.
Brennan: Man, the bitch, she rolled on him during the parole hearing and then just divorced his ass.
Jesse: How'd he come up with that?
Shalimar: Guess he got lucky this time.
Ethan (nodding): When I ask you a question, don't play games with me, understand?
Brennan: Yeah, yeah, yeah. You got it.
Ethan: Good. You're in.
Brennan: I'm in! Thank you, man!

[In her office at Sanctuary, Lexa's talking to her Dominion Contact via video link.]
Lexa: Michael Hayes was working for you, wasn't he?
The Contact: He used to be one of our operatives, yes. But he's no longer a concern.
Lexa (sitting at her desk): In other words, he's dead.
The Contact: The information on that disk threatens The Dominion's survival. We have to find out who he was trying to sell that disk to. Right now, Mr. Mulwray is our best bet at finding out the identity of the buyer. [He cuts off the connection.]
Lexa (to herself): We'll see about that.

[Getting up from his seat across from Ethan, Brennan calls Jesse over his comlink.]
Brennan: Hey Jess, you there?
Jesse (walking Sanctuary's balcony): Yeah, what have you got?
Brennan: Nothing yet. Ethan's gonna get a call on his cell phone at six o'clock to let him know where the job's going down.
Jesse: All right. I'm gonna need you to clone his cell phone. I'll open up a free channel on your comlink. Think you can manage that?
Brennan (approaching Ethan's office): Yeah, I can try.
Jesse: Good. You okay?
Brennan (zapping the lock on Ethan's door): Oh, getting better all the time. [Brennan closes the office door behind him, pulls Ethan's cellphone from his jacket and uses his ring to clone the phone.] Cloning the phone now. You getting this?
Jesse (at the computer): Yeah, I got it. [Peering through the office window, Cole sees Brennan behind Ethan's desk and comes in.]
Cole: What are you doing in here?
Brennan: Uh....Nothing, man.
Cole: What are you, nuts? Trying to lift Ethan's wallet? If he finds out about that, you're a dead man.
Brennan: I'm not trying to lift his wallet, man. I'm just...uh...I just wanna know who it is that I'm dealing with.
Cole: Well, all you need to know is that I vouched for you. Which means you screw up, it's my ass.
Brennan: Fine.
Cole: Okay, well, get your stuff together. We've got a job to do.
Brennan: Yeah?
Cole (rubbing his hands together): Yeah. Gonna boost an armored car. Hope you're not too rusty.
Brennan (following him out of the office): It's like riding a bike.
Cole (chuckling): Right.

[Brennan and Cole, dressed as construction workers wearing ski masks, hold up a stop sign in front of an armored van as it drives down the street. When the van stops beside them, Brennan zaps the lock on the front door and pulls out the driver. Nick pulls a second man from the passenger side. Cole points his gun at them both.]
The Driver: Who are you guys?
Brennan: Bob the Builder.
Cole: And Jesse Cat. Against the truck!
The Driver: Look, the truck's empty! [When Nick throws the passenger on the ground, the driver attacks Cole, pulling down his mask before he can knock him unconscious.]
Nick: Shoot him, he can I.D. you! What are you waiting for? Shoot him! [Cole holds up his gun, but hesistates. Nick, seeing that Cole can't do it, points his own gun at the guard.]
Brennan (jumping in, knocking both their guns down): No! [Brennan zaps the guard instead and tosses him by the curb.] Go, go, go!
Cole: Let's go, let's go! Come on! [They get into the armored truck and drive away.]

******Commercial Break********

[Having parked the armored truck in Ethan's garage, Cole and Brennan are laughing together when Ethan and Nick come out.]
Ethan: We got a problem. You left a loose end out there.
Brennan: What are you talking about, the guard?
Cole: No, no. Look, that was me.
Brennan (grabbing Cole's shoulder): Hey. It was my decision.
Ethan: I have rules of engagement.
Brennan: Well, sorry! I didn't feel like adding murder to my rap sheet. Look, I fried the guy. He's not gonna remember the last two weeks. Just chill out, all right, man? Relax.
Ethan (smiling at Nick): Relax? You know what? [He punches Brennan hard in the stomach.] No one tells me to relax. I make the rules. Anyone gets in our way dies. You understand? [He walks away with Nick.]
Brennan (coughing, holding his stomach): Yeah. Sorry, all right? I'll do it your way next time.
Cole: You didn't have to do that, Brennan. That was my fault out there.
Brennan: Man, what are you doing with these guys? They're killers.
Cole: I know. And this is my last job, man. I'm serious. I'm done, man. I don't have the stomach for this anymore.
Brennan: Right, then walk.
Cole: I can't! Are you kidding me? After this, I'll have enough scratch to open my own bar. [Brennan scoffs.] No, don't you laugh at me. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time.
Brennan: All right, listen. If you get our right now, I will give you half of my take on this.
Cole: Whoa, whoa, what's up? I mean, first you're begging me to get you in, and now you're trying to pull me out? What's up with that?
Brennan: All right, you know what? Forget it. Just do it your way. [He walks off. Cole shakes his head.]

[Meanwhile, Lexa pays a visit to Michael Hayes's house. His widow opens the door at her knock.]
Lexa: Hi. Mrs. Hayes? I'm Lexa Pierce. I , um... I wanted to talk to you about your husband.
Mrs. Hayes: I told the others all I know. Why can't you people just leave me alone? [She starts to close the door.]
Lexa (holding it open): Wait a minute. What others? The Dominion?
Mrs. Hayes: Who's The Dominion?
Lexa: It's who your husband used to work for.
Mrs. Hayes: My husband worked for a chemical company.
Lexa: Now, we both know that's not true. I believe your husband was stealing information from The Dominion and trying to sell it.
Mrs. Hayes: I don't know what you're talking about. He was a good man!
Lexa: Yeah, and now he's dead. Mrs. Hayes, I'm only trying to help, but you need to tell me everything you know.
Mrs. Hayes: What for? Will that bring my husband back? [She slams the door in Lexa's face.]

[Back at Sanctuary, Shalimar's at the computer checking on condition of the armored truck driver. Jesse's sitting across from her at another computer.]
Shalimar: Brennan really fried that guard. He's still in intensive care.
Jesse: They would've popped him in a heartbeat. My guess is, Brennan saved his life.
Shalimar: Why are you defending him? He's in over his head.
Jesse: I'm sure Brennan had reasons to do what he did. Shalimar, Brennan knew this job was dangerous when he took it.
Shalimar: Okay, so why didn't he tell us the armored truck job was going down?
Jesse: Maybe he couldn't.
Shalimar: You're making excuses for him.
Jesse: He's playing the part.
Shalimar: Yeah, a part that might get him killed. [Jesse's computer beeps.] Right on time. [Lexa comes out of her room to join them.] Buyer's made contact. Can't access the audio signal. Uh...maybe it's a text message.
Lexa: Can you decipher it?
Jesse: No. It's encrypted.
Lexa (rolling her eyes): Please tell me we're not at a dead end.
Jesse: Not quite. I'm trying to lock into the satellite signal.
Shalimar: And get a trace on the buyer's location?
Jesse: You got it.
Lexa: Okay, well, patch it through to the Helix. [Looking at Shalimar.] Let's go. [Shalimar and Lexa enter the Double Helix.]
Shalimar: As soon as we grab the buyer, we're pulling Brennan out.
Lexa (sitting at the controls): Okay, let's do this. [She flies the Helix out of the landing bay.]

[When Brennan and Cole join Nick and Ethan in his office, Ethan nods to Brennan.]
Ethan: You're up, stud.
Brennan: Cool.
Ethan: Here's what we got. [He pulls up a schematic on his computer screen.]
Brennan: What are we looking at?
Ethan: Capital Bank. I need you to get us inside the vault. Trigger lock's magnetically controlled.
Brennan: Piece of cake.
Nick: Oh, it had better be.
Brennan: You just hold up your end, Nick. I'll take care of mine.
Ethan: Okay. We enter through the side entrance; that's where the armored truck does its pick up. At the security station, Cole'll hang back to distract the guard. [Cole nods.] Down the elevator, we'll be met by a manager who gets us through to the vault.
Brennan: That's where I take over.
Ethan: You've got two minutes before the guards make they're automatic sweep. You mess up, the whole area seals off with us inside.
Cole: I'll go get the truck ready. [Brennan starts to follow him out.]
Ethan: Yo, Static! What're you gonna remember this time?
Brennan: The rules of engagement.
Ethan: Mmm-hmm. [Brennan walks out of the office, closing the door behind him. He turns when he hears Adam's voice behind him.]
HoloAdam (appearing in the hallway): You looking for someone? Don't try to talk Cole out of doing this job!
Brennan: It's not too late for me to pull him out.
HoloAdam: Pull him out now, the whole job could be compromised. Ethan's already jumpy.
Brennan: What do you expect me to do, Adam? Just turn my back on my friends?
Adam: Your friend's already involved and it's too late to try to protect him. Your allegiance should be to one thing and one thing only: Mutant X. We're not gonna get another chance to get this disk.
Brennan (pulling off his comlink ring): Yeah. I guess you'd better keep your fingers crossed. [He pockets the ring and walks off.]

*********Commercial Break**********

[Up in the Double Helix, Lexa and Shalimar are flying towards the buyer's signal.]
Lexa: Okay. It looks like the buyer's signal's coming from an alley between Lancaster and Dwyer.
Shalimar: He's on the move. Let's bring it down. [Landing the Helix, Shalimar and Lexa walk down the alleyway, past a Chinese Restaurant.] Which way?
Lexa (checking the receiver): Well, he's here.
Shalimar: How close? [They look up as an Asian delivery man comes riding down the alleyway on a bicycle.] Oh, you have got to be kidding me.
Lexa: Well, that's where the signal's coming from. [He stops in front of them. Lexa rummages through the bags of food and Shalimar searches his coat.] Spicy kung po?
The Delivery Man: Sorry?
Shalimar (pulling a cell phone out of his pocket): Where'd you get this?
The Delivery Man: I found it! I swear! Someone left it on the counter at the restaurant! [Shalimar looks at Lexa.]
Lexa (stealing a fortune cookie): All right, beat it! Get outta here.
Shalimar (holding up the phone): Great. Jess, we're at a dead end. Our buyer's long gone.
Jesse (still at Sanctuary): Well, then we're out of luck on all fronts. Brennan's cut us off. He took off his comlink.
Lexa (showing Shalimar her fortune): So much for 'Every day starts with a smile.'
Shalimar: He's in over his head. He's not thinking right.
Lexa: I'm starting to believe you. Let's go.

[Brennan finds Cole at the bar in Parnell's having a drink.]
Brennan: Cole, what the hell do you think you're doing, man?
Cole: Just a little kick starter. [Brennan takes the glass away.] What are you doing?
Brennan: You need a clear head today, all right?
Cole: Who are you, my mother? You know I can take care of myself.
Brennan: Yes, I understand that. You just need to keep a clear head and stay off the juice, all right? [Lexa walks into the bar, wearing a pink wig, a short white skirt and tall white boots. Spotting Brennan, she goes up to him.]
Lexa: Brennan! You're out! Why didn't you call me? [She grabs his collar and kisses him on the lips.] You said you loved me.
Brennan (playing along): What're you talking about, baby? Yeah. Of course I love you. Yeah, I was just spending a little time with my boy here, having a drink. You know you're on the top of my list.
Lexa: List? I am not on anybody's list, all right?
Cole (checking out her butt): Burned ya, bro.
Brennan (pulling her away): Listen, come here for a second. [Cole brays laughter after them. Brennan picks Lexa up and sits her on a table. She puts her legs around his waist, pulling him closer so they can talk quietly.]
Lexa: The next time you decide to leave Mutant X, I'd appreciate two weeks notice.
Brennan: Okay, I didn't leave. Things just got a little complicated and I didn't need you guys screwing things up.
Lexa: Shal thinks you're a little out of control. She thinks you and Cole do things, crazy things, just for the rush.
Brennan: Yeah, did you get a real good look at him? Did you really look at him closely? He's not the same man.
Lexa (into his ear): Fine. But you're not doing this one on your own.
Brennan: When it's my neck on the line, I am. Okay, Ethan's a loose cannon. You need to get out of here.
Lexa (seeing Cole watching them, kisses him again until Cole turns away): Now, you tell me what you know; I'll tell you what I know.
Brennan (putting his arms around her neck): All right. The deal is going down tonight. [He touches her nose.] Your turn.
Lexa: The Dominion killed Michael Hayes because of what's on that disk. Now you need to get Ethan to take the disk, lead us to the buyer, you understand?
Brennan: You're actually, uh....trusting me on this one? [He gasps in pain as she grabs his ring finger.]
Lexa: Trust is a two way street, okay?
Cole (walking up behind them): Brennan! Come on, man, we gotta go. You can deal with this later.
Lexa (kissing Brennan again for Cole's benefit): You're a lousy kisser, you know that?
Brennan (lifting her down): Baby, I'll call you later.
Lexa: Okay. [As she turns away, he slaps her butt. She shakes her head at him and walks towards the door.]
Cole: One day. You're out of the joint one day, and you're already getting more tail than me. I hate you.
Brennan (calling to Lexa across the room): Baby, I love you. [He blows her a kiss, showing her that his comlink is back on his ring finger. Satisfied, Lexa leaves the bar, and he heads off with Cole.]

[A couple of hours later, the gang pulls up at Capital Bank in the armored truck. Cole takes the lead as Brennan, Nick, and Ethan wheel lead containers towards the door. Looking up into the security camera, Ethan signals the guard at the front desk that they're there.]
Ethan: Hurry up, it's cold out here. [The guard buzzes them in.] Thanks. Tell downstairs we're on our way.
The Guard: You got it. [Into his phone.] They're heading down. [Ethan, Nick, and Brennan get into the elevator; Cole stops at the desk to talk with the guard. Downstairs, the manager's waiting for them when the elevator doors open.]
The Manager: You're early.
Ethan: We're short some people. We had to double up on the schedules. [Leading them down the hallway, The Manager opens the door to the vault by placing his handprint into the lock. They wheel their containers in behind him.]
The Manager: I'll take it from here. [Nick draws his gun and shoots the security camera. Upstairs, the front desk guard notices that one of his screens is blank and calls down to find out what's happened. The Manager's backed up against the wall, hands raised.] Look, I don't want any trouble!
Ethan (holding him at gunpoint): Well, you tell them there was a camera malfunction. Do it now or die.
The Manager (hurrying to pick up the phone): Everything's fine. Must be a computer glitch. I'll finish up with these guys here and put a call into tech support.
The Guard: Okay, all right. [He hangs up.]
The Manager: I can't open the vault.
Brennan: Don't worry about it. I got it covered. [He takes the magnetic key out of The Manager's pocket and hands it to Ethan. Then he punches The Manager, who falls to the floor, unconscious, his head hidden from Ethan's view behind a wall.]
Ethan (handing him his gun): Finish it. [Ethan watches as Brennan takes the gun and shoots the wall just above The Manager's head. Ethan takes the gun and they turn to the vault.] Let's move. We've got two minutes. [Brennan fries the lock, but it doesn't open right away.] What's the problem?
Brennan: These mechanisms are delicate. It's not as easy as it looks. [He tries again, smiling when the door unlocks.] Oops, I think I might have broke it. [He lets Nick and Ethan inside, then goes back to hold the elevator for them.]
Ethan: All right, let's go. [Nick and Ethan open the box with their two keys, and Ethan pulls out the disk.] That's it. [As they walk out of the vault, Ethan looks around.] Where's Static?
Nick: I told you he was no good! Let's go!
Ethan (aiming his gun at the back of Nick's head): Where are you going, Nick?
Nick (turning): You bastard.
Ethan: Don't take it personally. [He shoots Nick in the shoulder, then in the head. Seeing Nick fall to the floor, Brennan quickly closes the elevator doors just in time to shut Ethan out. Upstairs, Cole's laughing with the guard at the front desk, but his face sobers when Brennan emerges from the elevator alone.]
Brennan (taking Cole's arm): Come on, let's go.
Cole: What are you doing? What are you doing here?
Brennan: Let's get out of here.
Cole (struggling): No, man. No! [He gasps when Brennan yanks his arm back.] What are you doing?! [Sensing trouble, the guard steps out from behind the desk.]
Brennan (to the guard): Forgot something in the truck. We'll be right back. [He pulls Cole out of the bank. When Ethan comes out of the elevator, the guard turns, only to get a bullet in the chest. Whistling merrily, Ethan strides after Brennan and Cole as they run from the building.]

[Back at Sanctuary, Shalimar's getting worried. She walks up to Jesse.]
Shalimar: Have you heard anything from Brennan yet?
Jesse: Nah, nothing yet, and Lexa wants us to give him a little space on this one, so...
Shalimar: Lexa said that.
Jesse: Yeah. Oh, she took off to go pressure Michael Hayes's widow. She thinks she knows more than she's saying...what are you doing?
Shalimar (pushing in front of him to reach the computer): Tracking Brennan's comlink. We've already given him enough rope.

[Brennan and Cole are running down an alleyway away from the bank.]
Cole: What the hell just happened back there?
Brennan: Ethan's whacked! He's trying to double cross us.
Cole: No, man. No, I don't think so! [He starts to turn around.]
Brennan (pushing him up against the wall): Listen, listen to me! I don't have time to explain. You need to get out of here. Go! [He starts running back towards the bank.]
Cole (pointing his gun at Brennan): I don't think so. [Brennan stops and turns to face him.]

******Commercial Break********

[Cole holds Brennan at gunpoint, waiting for an explanation.]
Brennan: Put that gun down. He was going to kill you, that was always the plan.
Cole: Bull!
Brennan: He just killed Nick! You were next. I know you're scared. I know you didn't see this coming, ‘cause you were right. You don't have the stomach for this anymore, man, you need to get out of the game.
Cole: This is so messed up, man. So messed up.
Brennan: I know. I know, buddy, give me the gun. Give me the gun. [Cole hands him the gun.] Okay. Can you tell me where he's going?
Cole (shaking his head): I don't know, man.
Brennan: You were the driver, man. He's gotta tell you where he's going.
Cole: I don't know.
Brennan: Cole, I can get you out of this, but you have to tell me where he went. Damn it, Cole, he just killed Nick! Okay, now he's getting away with your money!
Cole: It's a parking lot, okay? Fourth and Century, and that's it. That's all I know.
Brennan (hearing police sirens approaching): Okay. I'm going to go handle this. When I'm done, I'll call you. We're gonna meet up. [He runs off.]

[Mrs. Hayes is on her way out of her office when Lexa walks up to her.]
Lexa: Mrs. Hayes?
Mrs. Hayes: I told you, I can't help you.
Lexa: Your husband must have said something to you about what he was involved in. Now listen, my friend is putting his life on the line for what your husband started; I am not leaving here until you tell me everything you know!
Mrs. Hayes: He was terrified for his life. He found proof of corruption within the agency.
Lexa: Oh, that's not possible.
Mrs. Hayes: I told him to look the other way, but he couldn't. He had to blow the whistle. Said he couldn't live with himself otherwise.
Lexa: So you know about the disk. [She nods.] Well, do you have any idea who he was trying to get it to?
Mrs. Hayes: I wish to God I did. All I know is, he was trying to get it to someone he said could trust.

[In the parking lot between 4th and Century, a black car drives up to Ethan, and a black bag is dropped out the window onto the pavement. Ethan unzips the bag, which is filled with one hundred dollar bills, and tosses the disk to the driver, who catches it.]
Brennan (standing behind Ethan): Nice shot. [He ducks behind a car when Ethan starts shooting at him, then zaps him until he falls in front of the car. The driver reverses the car, and Brennan forms a tesla coil, but stops when the driver's face comes into view. It's Adam. Brennan lets Adam drive away, just as Shalimar runs up to him.]
Shalimar: What happened?
Brennan: The buyer got away.
Shalimar: What about the disk?
Brennan: I fried it. [Seeing Ethan get up and point his gun at Brennan, Shalimar pushes Brennan out of the line of fire in the nick of time. Brennan zaps Ethan again, then walks over to make sure he's down for the count. He picks up Ethan's gun and the bag of money.] Those are my rules of engagement. [Brennan leaves with Shalimar.]

[Back at Sanctuary, Lexa's sitting in her office, filling in her Dominion Contact via video link.]
Lexa: Well, Brennan managed to destroy the disk before the buyer got away. But I'm afraid he wasn't able to identify him.
The Contact: How could you let this happen? Our orders were very clear!
Lexa: Wait, wait, wait. Brennan's orders changed the moment the mission demanded it. You know, he was lucky to get out of there alive, never mind destroy the disk! Geez, it wouldn't kill you to pat us on the back every once in a while, you know.
The Contact (considering): Tell Mr. Mulwray The Dominion appreciates his efforts.
Lexa: There, you see? Now that didn't hurt, did it? [She cuts off the connection.]
Jesse (standing in the doorway): What I don't understand: why did Brennan destroy that disk?
Lexa: I don't know. I'm sure he had his reasons. [Jesse smiles at her, nodding.]

[At a bar downtown, Cole is shooting pool by himself when a waitress brings him a glass.]
The Waitress: There you go.
Cole: Thanks, sweetie. [He's lining up his cue to break when a black bag lands on the table next to the ball. Brennan walks up to the table.] Didn't think I'd be seeing you again.
Brennan: Yeah?
Cole (pointing at the bag): What's that?
Brennan: Consider this an investment. Someone once gave me a ticket out, I'm returning the favor. Said you wanted to buy a bar, right? [He unzips the bag to show him the money.] There you go.
Cole (reaching for the bag): But how did you-
Brennan: Hey! Not so fast. You can have this on one condition. You've gotta disappear and sever all connections with your old life, and that includes me.
Cole: Okay. I'm still gonna be drinking on your dime.
Brennan (laughing): Old habits die hard.
Cole (hugging him): You know it.
Brennan: Take care of yourself.
Cole: Thank you, Brennan, really. I mean that.
Brennan: Yeah. Be good. [He walks out, leaving Cole smiling into the bag of money.]

[As Brennan returns to Sanctuary, Adam appears in the hallway next to him.]
Adam: Brennan. Thanks.
Brennan: You know, I can't believe that you were the buyer all this time. That you hired Ethan's crew, that you set this whole thing up.
Adam: I had to get the disk. Hayes was a friend of mine. He was killed before he could get it to me. This is proof of impropriety high up in The Dominion.
Brennan (yelling): Did you even stop to consider for one second how many people might get caught in the crossfire?
Adam: It was never my intention. I had no idea that Ethan was willing to kill innocent people.
Brennan: And would that have made a difference? [Adam doesn't answer.] What's on the disk?
Adam (shaking his head): I was hoping to find some answers. Instead I'm left with more questions.
Brennan (sarcastically): Well, ain't that sweet.
Adam: You have to believe me that this was important for all of us.
Brennan: Then answer me this question, Adam, why'd you pick me? Hm? Just to test my loyalties?
Adam: You really think I would've put you in this position if that was ever in doubt?
Brennan: Oh, that's a nice way of avoiding my question.
Adam: All right. I think you're all in for tough times. I think that Mutant X is about to be tested, maybe to the breaking point.
Brennan: What, by you? The Dominion? Who?
Adam: You'll know when the time comes. [He disappears.]