Episode Report Card Kim: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT The Abduction
By Kim | Season 2 | Episode 10 | Aired on 12.14.2002
Will and Syd sit in a bar as Will bitches about the test. He says that one of the questions was: "If forced to choose, who would you rather kill? A: Your mother. B: Your father. C: Yourself. And 'none of the above' wasn't even an option. I mean what the hell does that measure?" Syd nods and says that it measures whether or not you'd be willing to sacrifice your life for your country. Will realizes that makes sense. Syd says that she got Francie season tickets to the Hollywood Bowl for her birthday from both of them. Wow, what a great present -- except that neither of them will ever be available to go with her, and she's not dating anyone, so each time a concert comes around, she will be reminded of her failed relationships and shitty friendships. Or maybe I'm overthinking it. Will tells Syd that Francie is right, and that they don't tell her anything. Syd says, "I know. I hate it too. But after Danny and what happened to you, I've accepted the fact that it's a gesture of love to deceive the people I care about." Will looks a bit taken aback; Syd just sips her wine. The door opens, and Syd sees Vaughn and Alice walk in. Syd stands up to greet them. Alice greets Syd as "Rita." Will and Vaughn pretend not to know each other until Syd introduces them. Syd offers Alice condolences about her dad, and Alice coos, "Michael's been amazing," as she leans into Vaughn's side. Syd looks like she wants to throw up as she agrees that Vaughn is an amazing guy. Awkward pause. Awkward pause. Awwwwwwwkward pause. Will tells "Rita" that they're going to be late to meet their friends, and everyone says goodbye. Syd and Vaughn look back at each other as Syd and Will walk out the door. Alice must be really dumb not to have noticed how weird that was. And also, these people are supposed to be undercover agents, and yet they can't hide the awkwardness of that moment? How do they not get killed?
SD-6. Situation Room. Sloane tells Syd that the terminal she brought back from Paris was equipped with a fail-safe that erased the hard drive. Sloane is happy that Couvee no longer has the terminal, but says he might still be able to access the Echelon satellite. Sark explains that one of Couvee's men called a data facility in London, and it's likely that Couvee stored a copy of the Echelon software on a secure server there. Jack adds that Couvee could reverse-engineer a terminal. Sloane orders Syd to retrieve the files and delete them from Couvee's server. Marshall interrupts, "The facility is wired with electronic countermeasures and the computer's secured via military-grade encryption, so any decryption device or radio contact would be detected, so the only way the terminal could be accessed is by somebody who knows how to crack polymorphic algorithms." Syd says she can't do advanced calculus in her head. Sloane says, "That's why you're going in with Marshall." Marshall asks, "Marshall who?" Everyone just stares at Marshall, who pales and asks, "Wait a minute. What?" Sloane says that Marshall is the only one who can hack the server without using an electronic device. Marshall says he's not field rated. Sloane says he will be by the time he leaves -- Sark will help him review, and Syd will take good care of him. Marshall just sits there, mouth agape, terrified.