Episode Report Card Kim: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT The Abduction
By Kim | Season 2 | Episode 10 | Aired on 12.14.2002
Syd and Marshall sit in an airplane, waiting for takeoff. Marshall types furiously on his laptop. Syd asks what he's doing. Marshall hacked into the airplane computer to make sure the pilot is correctly going through his pre-flight checklist. Marshall jumps at a noise from outside and assures himself that it's normal. Syd asks if it's really his first time on a plane. Marshall says he couldn't sleep last night, so he memorized the flight manual. Marshall hears another noise and starts freaking out, then apologizes to Syd. She notices that he's sweating and suggests that he remove his jacket. Marshall quickly says no, and then confesses that he compressed a parachute and put it in his jacket, just in case. He adds that his belt turns into a tandem swing, so the parachute can serve them both. Syd thanks him. Marshall says, "You don't have to thank me. It's my job to keep you safe." Aw. Syd looks guilty. Marshall hears another noise and starts freaking out yet again. Syd points out a kid across the aisle that is playing a Gameboy Advance. Marshall laughs a bit and says, "Oh, a little kid playing…is he, is he, is that all right, is he allowed to…onboard play. You're not supposed to…sorry. Can I get a ginger ale?" Hee. I love Marshall. I will cry and cry if anything bad happens to him.
London. Syd, wearing a mid-length auburn wig and black evening gown, and Marshall, wearing a tux (!), walk into a concert hall while complimenting each other in British accents. When they enter the hall, Marshall is taken aback by how nice it is. Because he's never been out of Southern California. Syd pull him along. As they walk down a hallway, Marshall talks to every single person. Syd whispers that he should try to be inconspicuous. Marshall agrees and then talks to another person. Syd reprimands him gently, but Marshall protests, "I think I know her!"
Flashback to Sark explaining that box seats have been reserved for them at Royal Hall behind "Thatcher Powell, Cuvee's head of IT security, and the only man with access to his secure server." Powell attends the London Philharmonic on the third Saturday of each month and watches while drinking a bottle of Crystall. A whole bottle? Himself? Wow. Syd and Marshall arrive at their seats as the orchestra tunes up. Marshall leans forward and whispers to Powell that Bach is his favorite composer. As Marshall blathers on about Bach, Syd slips a pill into Powell's drink. Marshall slips in and out of his British accent as he concludes, "If it ain't baroque, don't fix it." Syd pulls him back and apologizes to Powell. Sark voice-overs that the drug should take effect in five minutes, and the goal is to make Powell think that he just fell asleep, so it's a mild dose. Sark adds that they will have to steal the access card, get across town to the facility, download the software, and return the key to Powell's pocket before intermission. Syd notices that Powell has nodded off. She slides forward and lifts his wallet out of his jacket pocket. She extracts the card, returns the wallet, and looks over at Marshall. He's smiling and enjoying the performance. She gets his attention, and they walk out.