Max walks into Jam Pony HQ and hears two women quarreling. She asks OC what's going on. OC tells her that two of their co-workers are fighting in the back, and Sketchy adds that Normal is back there trying to break it up. Max asks what started the fight. OC disgustedly answers that the women are fighting over a man. Alec adds with a grin that the guy in question is worthy. Max asks Alec what he did to start this. OC fills her in: Alec told one lady that he loved her, and then went out with the other lady. So why are the women yelling at each other, again, instead of at Alec? Alec denies that he told the lady that he loved her. Instead, he called her "a unique creature unlike any other." Sketchy asks if that really works, and Alec assures him that it does. Okay, two problems with Alec's line. First of all, it's redundant. If she is a unique creature, that automatically means that she is unlike any other. That's what "unique" means. It's like saying that she is a scary creature who causes fright. And second of all -- isn't that paraphrased from a movie? For some reason, I'm thinking St. Elmo's Fire, but it's been a while since I watched it, so I'm not sure. Regardless, any woman who falls for that line deserves whatever happens to her. Max feels the same way.
Normal walks back up front, looking like he got in the middle of the warfare, and tells everyone to get back to work. OC and Sketchy go to check out the status of the fighting ladies. Normal says something to Alec about the problem, and Alec promises that it won't happen again. Normal yells something about forbidding office romances, and then, just as Max comes up, announces that the two fighting ladies have both quit, meaning unpaid overtime for the rest of them. Max is pissed, because she has plans. Normal doesn't care. OC calls Alec into the back room, because the fighting ladies want a word with him. Alec asks Max what she thinks they want. Max decides that the fighting ladies finally figured out whom they should be angry with. Exactly. Max takes off for a delivery, and Alec decides to tag along.
Max and Alec ride their bikes along the street. Alec explains how he never intended to get into this mess. Then as they arrive at their destination, a huge mansion with a gated entrance, Alec falls off his bike for no apparent reason. Seriously. I watched it a couple of times to see if he hit a crack in the road or something. I guess he was supposed to be so engrossed in conversation that he missed the fact that Max was stopping, and tried to stop quickly, and thus fell. Anyway. They're standing at the gates of a house. Alec says that if he had told the two ladies what was going on, they both would have been angry with him anyway. Max tells him to shut up and ring the buzzer. He starts to, but then suddenly goes into a flashback that's very confusing. In it, someone is giving him orders at Manticore, and then he's wearing glasses, and then he's ringing the buzzer, and then he's meeting a pretty lady, and then a car explodes. It will all become clear as time goes on, but all you need to know right now is that the buzzer triggered the flashback, and that Alec has clearly been there before. Max snaps Alec out of his reverie, and he rings the buzzer. He waits a second, and then suggests that no one is home and they should leave. Max tells him to try again, because it's a gigantic mansion and it might take the owner a while to get to the door. Alec quickly buzzes again. A security camera on the gate focuses on his face. Alec doesn't wait very long before insisting that they leave, and he tosses the package over the gate and onto the grounds. Max is upset that they didn't get a signature, but Alec says coldly, "I said, let's go." They take off, all the while under the watchful eye of the security camera. Max looks "thoughtful." She has her hood up so it's difficult to tell, since she couldn't flip her hair around to indicate emotion.
Max and Logan are driving somewhere is the Asstek. Max makes fun of the Asstek, and Logan give me a shout-out (hey, let me be delusional) about how many time the car has been shot up and put back together. Max fills Logan in on the Alec troubles at work. Logan calls Alec "the lovable rogue X5." Max continues to bitch about how Alec should know better, because they weren't allowed to date within their unit at Manticore. Were they allowed to date at all? Logan brings up the breeding partner thing, which Max terms "disgusting." Hmm. Max sure is awful upset about Alec seeing other women, even if she couches it in terms of the fact that his dating issues caused her extra work.
OC and Joshua are setting up for a dinner party in The Dreaming. Joshua fumbles around and says that he wants everything to be perfect. OC assures him that it is perfect. Cut back to Logan and Max in the Asstek. Logan says that he's looking forward to spending time with Joshua. Max thinks that they will get along great, and reminds Logan not to stare. Logan jokes that he won't stare at the dog-boy. Max adds that Joshua has weird eating habits and poor hygiene. Logan says that he knows how to handle himself at a dinner party: "Fix myself a dry martini and ask after his stock options." It's nice to see Logan a little more light-hearted -- he's usually so serious about everything.
Cut to Joshua greeting Logan with extreme enthusiasm, and Logan looking a bit taken aback. Logan hands Joshua a bottle of wine and babbles about how he chose white wine because he didn't know what they were having. Joshua announces that they are having macaroni and cheese with little hot dogs. Logan asks what else they are having, and OC sasses, "What else do you need?" ["Word." -- Sars] More awkwardness ensues. Max says that the table looks great, and asks who the fifth setting is for. Alec shows up.
At dinner, Joshua shovels food into his mouth and no one talks. Joshua tries to make small talk about the weather. Logan responds with something about how it hasn't been rainy, and then silence reigns again. Joshua breaks it by asking, "Virus...bitch going down? Max and Logan getting busy?" Logan chuckles awkwardly, and OC advises Joshua that they shouldn't talk about sex or politics at the dinner table. Alec asks Max to pass the ketchup (for the mac and cheese?) and Max teases, "Oh, you mean this unique ketchup unlike any other?" Alec gets pissy and tells her to lay off, and then stomps away from the table to "stretch [his] legs." Joshua worries that there's something is wrong with the food, and Logan clarifies that Alec is upset. Logan tells Max that she might want to give Alec a break. Max says that she's pissed off about the extra work. Logan defends Alec by saying that he didn't ask those girls to quit, and it's not like they were sisters. OC caps the conversation by intoning, "Men and dogs. No difference." Then she takes a bite of a hot dog. I couldn't make that up.
Alec stomps into the basement of The Dreaming all angry and reflective. He finds a piano and plays with the keys. This triggers a flashback similar to the last one, but with more detail. This time we see that Alec was assigned a target as an X5 named Berrisford, and went undercover. Then the girl showed up, and then the car exploded. Back in real time, Alec sits down at the piano and starts playing. Upstairs, Max asks what the noise is. Joshua says that it's Alec playing the piano in the basement. Logan asks Max if she knew that Alec could play, and Max bitches, "Who cares?" God, she is such a snot.
Downstairs, Alec continues to play the piano forcefully, which leads to a flashback. Alec sits in a lab at Manticore, playing the piano with quite a bit of skill. The official dudes watch him and say that Alec has picked up the skill even faster than they hoped, since they only started the lessons the day before. Alec finishes the song, and the official dudes walk into the room and compliment him, and then mention that this will be his first undercover mission. One official dude mentions that Alec has had four successful "away missions," but nothing long-term in the field. Bigwig Dude says that he wants Alec deployed by the end of the week.
Cut to a Chris Klein look-alike walking out of a shower and looking for something on his dresser. Alec walks up, wearing glasses, and asks if Chris Klein was looking for them. Then he uses a wire to kill Chris Klein. Alec rummages through the dresser and a coat hanging on the wall until he finds Chris Klein's wallet. He takes Chris Klein's ID and puts it in place of his own.
Cut to Alec walking up to a gate, wearing a suit and the glasses. It's the same gate where he delivered the package at the beginning of the episode. He announces that his name is "Simon Lehane" (Chris Klein's real name), and is buzzed in. A butler or bodyguard lets him into the mansion. A flashback within a flashback shows Alec being told that his target is Robert Berrisford, who has business dealings with Manticore but has been asking too many questions lately. Alec's entrée into the family is through Berrisford's daughter, Rachel, who is seventeen, an only child, and whose mother died when she was ten. Back in the original flashback (are you following me here?), Alec meets Rachel, a pretty girl standing by the window.
Back in the basement, Alec takes a heart-shaped locket out of his coat pocket and gazes at it. Flashback to Rachel playing the piano while Alec paces around, listening. She asks if she's doing all right, and he tells her to watch her dynamics. Rachel breaks into "Linus and Lucy" and asks how that is. See, she's not only beautiful and smart, but she's sassy too! Berrisford walks in and says that Rachel must be expanding her repertoire. Rachel says that Alec is more fun than her last teacher. Berrisford introduces himself to Alec, and then says that Rachel will use any excuse to avoid practice. He advises Alec to be firm. Heh. Berrisford leaves, and Alec tells Rachel that her father seems nice. Rachel says that it's just been the two of them since her mom died, and asks if Alec is close to his parents. Alec says that his parents died a long time ago. Rachel is sad for him, and Alec says that they should get back to the piano. Then it fast-forwards to the car exploding and Alec looking upset. Cut back to the present day, where Alec is choking Joshua; Max pulls them apart. Alec apologizes to Joshua. Max asks what's going on, and Alec brushes her concerns aside. Joshua picks up the locket and hands it back to Alec, who assures Joshua that he is "always all right." Then Alec thanks Joshua for dinner and leaves.
Back at his new pad (formerly Brain's place), Alec pours himself a drink. His phone rings, and when he answers it, he hears classical piano music playing. The same music that Rachel played! Cut to Alec sneaking around outside the Berrisford mansion and looking in the window. Flashback to Alec reporting to the officials, who compliment him on his fine work. Alec reports that Rachel has invited him to dinner. The official dudes ask if Rachel has "a romantic interest" in him, and Alec thinks that she does. The officials want him to play along. Cut to the night of the dinner party. Alec and Rachel sneak out of the house and walk up to the pool. Alec thinks that they shouldn't be gone too long, because her father will suspect something. Rachel assures him that her father is busy with his "business cronies" and won't even notice. Rachel is wearing the heart-shaped locket that Alec was gazing at earlier in the episode. Rachel comments that most boys would rather spend time with a girl than sit around and listen to a bunch of old men talk about genetics. Alec says that he's "not most boys." Rachel asks if he wants to go for a swim. Alec agrees. Rachel asks him to turn around so that she can get undressed. Cut to the two of them in the pool, wearing their underwear. Ooh, shirtless Alec. The forums are going to love that one. Rachel says that she's been throwing herself at him, and asks if he likes her. Alec says that he does, and they kiss. Then they stare at each other, and Alec adds, "I like you a lot." The flashback fast-forwards to the officials telling Alec that he's supposed to follow orders, and Alec yelling, "Rachel!" and the car exploding. Back in present-day, Alec sees a female figure pass by the window in the Berrisford Mansion and whispers, "Rachel."
Max walks into Jam Pony HQ. Normal yells at her for not getting a signature on the delivery to the Berrisford mansion. Max blames Alec, but Normal says that Alec called in sick, so Max has to do it. Cut to Max arriving at the Berrisford mansion and being let in by a maid. Max explains what she needs, and the maid takes the paper to find someone who can sign it. Why can't the maid sign it? Because that wouldn't give Max time to look around. Max looks around the joint. She sees a painting of Berrisford, his wife, and little Rachel, who is wearing the heart-shaped locket. Max makes the connection with the locket that Alec had the night before. The maid returns, and Max clarifies that the signature says "R. Berrisford" before leaving.
Alec sits in his apartment, gazing at the heart-shaped locket. Flashback to Alec working at a computer in Berrisford's home, copying files. Rachel walks in on him just as he finishes up, and asks what he's doing. Alec claims that he got lost looking for the bathroom. Rachel points him in the right direction, and he tells her that she's got him all turned around. They practically start doing it right there in her dad's office, and Rachel breaks away and confesses, "I love you." Rachel notices that Alec's hands are shaking. Because he's in love! Alec steals a line from Say Anything where he blames the shaking on happiness. They start practically doing it again. Back in the present day, Alec splashes some water on his face, and when he looks in the mirror, he thinks that he sees Rachel standing behind him. So he punches the mirror! He's a bad-ass!
Max walks into The Dreaming and finds Joshua painting. She asks what the subject is, and Joshua says that it's about Alec. Max carefully tells Joshua that he can't trust Alec all the time. Joshua asks if she thinks Alec can outsmart him, and then says that Alec doesn't know himself. Joshua points out how his painting shows that Alec has pretty colors on the outside, but is dark and confused on the inside, about Manticore.
Alec sits at the bar at Crash, drinking and thinking. Max walks up and sits down to OC, who asks what's up with Alec. Max doesn't know. OC says that she's never seen Alec all anguished and tortured. Max says that she knows she'll regret it, but she's going to check on him. OC doesn't mind, because she's looking to hook up with some chick by the pool table.
Max walks over to Alec and sits down, then asks about the locket. She tells him that she saw the painting at the Berrisford mansion, and she knows there's a connection there. Alec tells her to mind her knitting, and keeps drinking. Max says that she'll help him if he needs it, but he should ask earlier rather than later. Alec says she doesn't know what she's talking about. Max asks him to explain it to her. Alec says that she can't understand, because she ran away from Manticore before it got "a whole lot worse." Alec adds, "You did what you had to do, and then you tried to forget. And when you couldn't forget, they had ways of making you not care." I know that line sounds ridiculously overdramatic on paper, but Jensen Ackles does a good job of delivering it reined in a little bit. Max apologizes. Alec says, "I don't want your pity. I want your absence." I'm going to have to remember that one. Max walks off.
Alec walks out of the bar, and some thugs follow him. They call him by his alias from when he was working at the Berrisford Mansion. They fight. Alec gets hit with a stun gun. Max walks out and takes charge, saving Alec from the gun. There is more fighting. Alec is kicking one guy in the ribs repeatedly and, some might say, in an out-of-control fashion. Max stops him. Alec tells her to stay away from him, and storms off. Max smells the fart.
Max walks into Logan's apartment and asks him to pull up some information on Berrisford. Cut to Alec walking down a dark street; his phone rings. He answers and hears the piano music again. Flashback to Rachel. Alec gives the information he got from Berrisford's computer to Bigwig, and gets compliments for his work. Official Dude #2 suggests that they take the opportunity to send a message to all of their suppliers. Bigwig orders Alec to "eliminate the target" the day. Bigwig knows that Berrisford takes Rachel to school in the morning, and orders Alec to take them both out. Back in the present, Alec looks at his phone and then throws it against the wall.
Logan finds some information on Berrisford. He tells Max that Berrisford is the former CEO of a genetics company. Two years ago, someone planted a bomb under his car, but he didn't die. A few days later, he made a deal with the FBI and closed his company. Max wonders what that has to do with Alec. Logan suggests that Berrisford's company's biggest client was probably Manticore. Max wonders if Alec was responsible for the car bomb, and Logan says that Alec might have drawn that assignment. Logan pieces together that Berrisford is still alive, and that he spotted Alec on the security camera when they made the delivery and sent his henchmen (and boy, do I gotta get me some henchmen) to take out Alec. Logan asks what Alec is trained to do when someone is trying to take him out, and Max replies that Alec will try to take out that person first. Logan asks Max what she's going to do, already knowing that the answer is that she's going to try to stop Alec from doing something stupid. Max takes off, and says that she knows that Logan wants her to be careful.
Alec approaches the Berrisford mansion. Flashback to Alec meeting with Berrisford in his home office. Berrisford offers up a drink and apologizes for drinking in the middle of the day himself, but he has some business problems. Berrisford says that Alec's piano services won't be needed after this week, because he's sending Rachel to stay with her grandparents in New York. Berrisford asks Alec not to mention it to Rachel yet. Alec understands. Berrisford gives a big speech about how nice it must be to be young with no cares, and how everything changes once you have children. Rachel walks in and notes that her lesson is supposed to start. She gives her dad a big hug and kiss.
Cut to Alec talking to Bigwig, who asks if he understands the mission. Alec says that he doesn't know why he has to take out Rachel too. Bigwig says that Alec's job is to follow orders, and if he can't do that, he'll be eliminated himself. There's another '80s movie reference as Bigwig asks if that's clear and Alec Judd-Nelsons, "Crystal."
Back in the present, Alec hops the fence at Berrisford Mansion. Flashback to Alec preparing the car bomb. Cut to Alec placing the car bomb under Berrisford's car and sneaking off while holding the remote detonator. Alec spots Rachel in her room, packing. He flashes back to Rachel saying that she loves him, Berrisford commenting that sometimes the right thing can go so wrong, and Bigwig ordering Alec to take them both out. Alec sneaks up to the house, staring at the detonator in his hand. He hears Berrisford coming out to his car and being greeted by his driver, so Alec hides behind a column. Flashback to kissing in the pool, intercut with Bigwig asking if he understands the assignment. Alec runs into the house, where he meets Rachel coming down the stairs. She asks what he's doing. Alec says that he doesn't have much time, but she needs to leave town with her father right now. Rachel wants to know what's happening. Alec hesitates for a minute, and then confesses that he was sent there to kill her father. He adds, "It was my job. You were my job." Rachel starts crying and then slaps him across the face. Berrisford calls for Rachel, and she runs out to the car screaming. Alec calls after her, but a henchman comes up and starts beating him up. Alec quickly dispatches the henchman and then takes off after Rachel. When he arrives outside, he sees Rachel running to the car, and then the car explodes. But…the detonator? Did Alec push it? A Manticore guy pulls up and tells Alec to get in. And he has a detonator in his hand. Ahh. Quick montage of Alec resisting getting into the car, and then Alec being reprogrammed a la Zack, and then a dazed Alec being thrown in solitary confinement in the basement of Manticore. Kind of makes you wish this was like Oz where the people put in solitary confinement almost always give you full frontal nudity.
Back in the present, Alec runs up to the doors of Berrisford Mansion and busts his way in. A henchman tries to stop him, but Alec just smacks him aside and keeps walking. He hears piano music as he continues up the stairs. Another henchman tries to stop him, and he tosses the dude down the stairs. Alec reaches the piano music, where he sees a woman looking out the window. She turns…and it's not Rachel. Alec asks where Rachel is. Berrisford walks up behind Alec and puts a gun to the back of his head, saying, "Welcome back, son."
Alec is sitting in a chair in Berrisford's office, hands tied behind his back. Berrisford accuses Alec of coming into his house and lying to his child. Alec starts to say something, and Berrisford bitch-slaps him. Alec realizes that Berrisford made the phone calls and played the music. Well, duh. Isn't he supposed to be, like, super-smart? I guess he was blinded by love. Berrisford says he needed to get Alec back there. Alec asks what Berrisford is going to do now. Berrisford says, "What do you think I'm going to do?" He points his gun at Alec's head. Cut to Max zooming down the road on her motorcycle. Alec uses the strategy of "keep your opponent talking so he can't, you know, kill you," and asks what happened to Rachel. Berrisford is surprised that Alec doesn't know that Rachel saved his (Berrisford's) life. Flashback to Rachel reaching the car and pulling her father out just before the blast, when they were both knocked unconscious. Berrisford concludes that Rachel fell into a coma and never woke up. Cut to Max arriving at the house. Berrisford tells Alec that Rachel has been dying for two years and continues to talk and talk about it, like, just kill him already and get it over with, dude!
Max walks into Berrisford Mansion and sees the henchmen that Alec beat up. Berrisford points the gun at Alec's head, but his hand is shaking and he is crying. Alec tells Berrisford to shoot him, because he deserves it. Max shows up and knocks Berrisford out. Alec asks what she's doing there. Max says she's saving him, and she told him to ask for help before it was too late. Max unties Alec, who says that he told her to leave him alone and walks out.
Alec sits by Rachel's bedside and says that he should have tried harder, but he didn't understand how much he loved her. He starts crying, but smiles slightly. He takes the locket and presses it into her hand, and then puts his head on her bed and cries. Max watches silently from the doorway, and then leaves Alec to his private moment with his girlfriend in a coma. I know, I know, it's serious.
Max walks into Logan's pad and says that she paged him. Logan says that she hasn't been by for a few days. Max explains that she's been busy at work covering for Alec, because he's called in sick. Logan has something to show her. They walk to the computer, and Logan pulls up an obituary for Rachel Berrisford. Max says that at least Alec had a chance to say goodbye. Logan asks if Alec really cared for Rachel, and Max says that he loved her. Logan thinks that Max should look out for Alec for the few days, but Max says softly that Alec wants to be left alone and pretend like it never happened, and that he's so cut off. Logan says it sounds like a girl he used to know who was only looking out for herself with no responsibilities or entanglements. Max adds that she was trying to run away from all the things that they made her do, but they always catch up to you, and she learned that the hard way. Logan comments that it's Alec's turn now.
Alec stands and looks at Rachel's grave. Berrisford walks up and orders him not to come back again. Alec turns to leave, and Berrisford adds that he thought he could kill Alec because he hates him that much. But even though Rachel is gone, he still wants to do the right thing and make Rachel proud. Berrisford concludes, "I don't want to be like you." Berrisford walks away.
Max walks into Jam Pony HQ and says hello to Alec, who returns the greeting quietly. Max tells him that if he ever wants to talk about anything…Alec interrupts with a smirk and says, "Now why would I want to do that?" Max says that the offer is always open. Alec thanks her for saving his ass. Max asks if he's all right. Alec smiles sadly and says that he's always all right. Aw. I love Alec. Poor, sad, tortured Alec. He has so much pain. He just needs the right woman to heal him. And it's not Max.
week: The show moves to 9:00 PM. And it's apparently going to be scary. And Max finds a temporary cure for the virus so that she and Logan can touch and nothing will happen. Oh, dear. I have to remember to watch that one on an empty stomach.