Loyalty is the sixth episode of Season One and the sixth produced hour of the series.
Summary[]
LOYALTY (TV-14)
NEW SECRETS ARE UNEARTHED AS LOYALTIES ARE TESTED -- PAULA MALCOMSON (“CAPRICA,” “DEADWOOD”) GUEST STARS -- President Martinez (Blair Underwood) and the Director of National Intelligence, Blake Sterling (Željko Ivanek), fulfill their agreement with Thomas (Clifton Collins, Jr.), but after their plan goes awry, they suspect that there is a possible mole in their midst. Elsewhere, Sean Walker (Jason Ritter) digs for answers at Leila's home, where he encounters Madeline (guest star Paula Malcomson), a mysterious conspiracy theorist. Meanwhile, Simon's (Ian Anthony Dale) past is illuminated, and his allegiances are tested. Sarah Roemer, Laura Innes, Scott Patterson, Lisa Vidal and Bill Smitrovich also star. Directed by: Jonas Pate
Synopsis[]
New secrets are unearthed as as loyalties are tested. President Martinez and the Director of National Intelligence, Blake Sterling, fulfill their agreement with Thomas, but after their plan goes awry, they suspect that there is a possible mole in their midst. Elsewhere, Sean Walker digs for answers at Leila’s home, where he encounters Madeline, a mysterious conspiracy theorist. Meanwhile, Simon’s past is illuminated, and his allegiances are tested.
Chapter One: Sophia Disappears[]
Washington DC, Metro Red Line[]
Sept 23 2010, between 8:15 am and 8:30 am[]
Sophia Maguire has been released by President Elias Martinez according to the instructions given him by Thomas in exchange for the antidote that would cure the hemorrhaging, degraded cognitive functions, labored breathing and cardiac failure suffered by the Avias 514 passengers. Thomas's instructions were to place Sophia on the Farragut North Metro Red Line 8:16 train, alone and with no stops. As Sophia rides the train, she hears a gentle beeping sound. She looks around for the source of the noise sees a paper shopping bag laying on one of the seats; in it is a ring case with an ultraportable transceiver (which she puts in her ear) and change of clothes.
Thomas begins to speak but Sophia exclaims her displeasure asking what the hell he was thinking. Thomas wonders if this is the way she should be greeting him after 66 years, but Sophia is persistent, saying Thomas almost killed more than 200 people. Thomas counters, no one died and that she's free - the rest is details. Sophia disagrees, saying they have to assume they have a way of tracking her location, if only to use Sophia to lead the president's people to Thomas. She continues, saying Thomas has attracted too much attention. Thomas ignores Sophia's protests and says Simon is gathering details on how Sophia is being track and that he needs to get her out so they can get started (started with what?). He tells Sophia about the change of clothes and tells her to wait until he tells her what to do next.
Elsewhere, in the White House briefing room, Secret Service Agent Justin Murphy relays details of the situation as they monitor Sophia's movement. They're still tracking her on the metro (next stop is 2 miles, Metro Center, roughly 4 minutes) when National Security Director Blake Sterling orders predator drones to be scrambled to track Sophia. Blake turns to CIA Special Agent Simon Lee (known to us as one of Sophia's people), that when the drones begin to broadcast video, that he wants it fed to teams on the ground. Just then, President Elias Martinez enters and asks for an update. Sterling tells the president that the scandium 46 radio isotope they placed in her water is allowing them to track Sophia, and that they can do so for the next 7 hours before her body eliminates it, and that if she hasn't led them to Thomas, they will reacquire her. Martinez reminds Sterling that the object of the operation is to locate Thomas and that Sophia is not to be harmed. The president departs and orders updates as they become available, but not before reiterating to Sterling that Sophia is to survive this operation. Simon Lee then approaches Director Sterling and asks to join his people in the field; Sterling agrees.
A little later, Simon is driving his SUV while barking into his phone, telling Thomas (on the other end of the call) that Sophia is being tracked through the use of a radio isotope that cannot be neutralized. Simon continues, saying he has another way to thwart the tracking mission. Thomas tells Simon he is counting on him.
1954, Venice Beach, CA[]
Simon, (going by the name "Mason") who has just enjoyed a swim in the surf, climbs a rock barrier where his girlfriend, Violet, sits, a vantage point where she can watch him. Simon tells Violet the water is warm but she tells him she'd rather watch him because he looks happy and acts like he's discovering swimming in water for the very first time. Simon confesses that where he's from, there wasn't any. After they exchange some romantic small talk and an embrace, Simon notices a familiar figure standing on the beach; it's Thomas. They exchange glances of recognition that goes unnoticed by Violet.
Washington DC, A Surface Street[]
Sept 23 2010, between 8:15 am and 8:30 am[]
Simon is on the phone to Thomas, he tells him to have Sophia exit the Metro at the Gallery Place Station (it's the next station after Metro Center, another 4 minute ride) and head east. Simon tells Thomas that by the time Sophia arrives, he'll know if his plan will work.
Carriage on the Metro Red Line[]
Thomas call Sophia and tells her that "her friends" put a radioactive isotope in her food so it would enter bloodstream and that they are using it to track her movements. The metro train arrives at Gallery Place and she exits as instructed.
White House, Briefing Room[]
Director Sterling's crew have tracked Sophia leaving the Metro from the Gallery Place station (in Chinatown).
Gallery Place Station[]
As Sophia exits, she hears Thomas tell her to get up to the street and make an immediate left (onto F St NW).
Washington DC, A Surface Street[]
Simon is now on the phone to one of his CIA team; the agent tells Simon that Sophia is being tracked and has exited the metro and that they are 3 blocks from her location. Simon tells the agent to hold their positions so they can track her to Thomas.
Outside Gallery Place Station[]
Thomas continues giving Sophia directions through her earpiece. He tells her that she is about to cross 6th street, and that beyond it she'll find the place he's been describing. Just then, Sophia bumps into a male pedestrian who utters something in Chinese. She responds with an apology... IN CHINESE! (Sophia speaks Chinese?!?)
White House, Briefing Room[]
Agent Justin Murphy describes the events to Director Sterling, that Sophia is about to enter a coffee shop. Sterling is incredulous about Sophia stopping for coffee.
The Capital Grind Coffee Shop[]
Sophia purchases a cup of coffee and adds some soy to her brew (remember, she's a vegan). Simon enters, they glance at each other, and he pulls a vial of scandium 46 from his pocket and begins to secretly pour it into the cream containers.
White House, Briefing Room[]
Agent Murphy monitors the unfolding situation and notices the screen indicates there is more than one target. The monitor shows the targets multiplying appearing and Director Sterling asks for clarity, but Murphy has no explanation. Sterling then tells Murphy to have Simon move his men in to apprehend Sophia.
The Capital Grind Coffee Shop[]
Sophia leaves the coffee shop as quickly as she can while avoiding attracting attention to herself. The other customers disperse.
Chapter Two: Leila Learns About Her Family[]
A Nondescript Motel in Texas[]
September 23, 2010, Morning[]
Sean Walker peers through the curtains from a hotel room window (room 5) as Leila Buchanan begins to wake up. He lies down next to her to comfort her as she says she knew he was looking for her, and that's what kept her going. She asks about her dad and family.
In another room (room 6), Special Agent Angela Collier interrogates Carter who is handcuffed and sitting on the bed. She asks for his name, but he resists, Then Collier tells him she'll just ID him from his fingerprints, but Carter tells her "good luck with that." Collier then asks Carter whom he works for, and Carter responds he needs a doctor - his leg is broken and he's bleeding. The interrogation continues but Carter tells collier that if he bleeds to death on her watch, she'll have a real problem. This doesn't phase Agent Collier and she tells Carter that to him bleeding to death would be a bigger problem.
Back in Sean and Leila's room, Sean has just finished tell Leila everything that's happened so far, but she confesses she doesn't understand about the plane and how it got to Arizona. Sean agrees that it doesn't make sense. Leila then asks about how her dad (Michael Buchanan and the pilot of Avias 514) explained it, and Sean tells her that he didn't, that almost as quickly as the plane landed there, were unmarked helicopters arriving on the scene, and how Leila's dad said the air craft were not arriving to help them and that Sean should run to find Leila. Leila asks about where her dad and the Avias 514 passengers, and Sean says the news is reporting the plane went missing over Brazil and that a search team is still looking for them, but Sean confesses he doesn't know why the government is lying about everything.
Leila then asks about her mom, and how she called home from the police station only to encounter the answering machine. Sean realizes it time to reveal some details her father told him, that some people entered their home, shot and killed her mother, Val, and how they took her 7 year old sister, Samantha, to force her father to pilot an airliner that would be used to kill the president. Leila begins to sob and demands to be told that her sister is OK, and Sean tries to comfort her saying that as far as he knows, she's OK. Sean pledges to find and rescue Samantha.
Leila storms out of the hotel room and into the one where Collier and Carter are holed up. As she enters, Collier is just concluding a call to her ex-husband, that she'll explain more when she sees him. Leila starts yelling at Carter, demanding to know where her sister, Samantha, is located. Carter claims not to know, but then Leila grabs his wound, inflicting intense pain, and asks again about her sister. Carter writhes in pain and Collier demands he answer her. Sean pulls Leila away from Carter, who tells Leila that her father is to blame. Carter tells Leila that he heard Leila's father brought this on himself.
Chapter Three: There's A Mole[]
Washington DC, The Capital Grind Coffee Shop[]
September 23, 2010, about 8:30 am (local time)[]
Police cars and unmarked security vehicles converge on the coffee shop, civilians watch the commotion. Agent Simon Lee pretends to have just arrived on the scene as another agent briefs Agent Lee, that there are 47 targets and counting. The agent tells Lee that one of Thomas's people must have arrived ahead of them and that locking down the coffee shop will help contain the situation. Lee agrees and tells the agent to use 4 agents to lock down the shop, Silver, Rutherford, Dan and Hayes; the cover-story is that a possible Homeland Security threat but that there's nothing to worry about. The agent leaves Lee saying that kind of cover-story won't work like it used to, but Lee tells the agent he'd better be compelling. Lee then turns to four other agents to form a mile perimeter and work their way back toward the coffee shop, and that since Sophia is on foot, she can't have gotten far.
Meanwhile, Sophia speaks to Thomas through her transceiver earpiece, that she's approaching Spring Street. Just then a leashed dog begins barking at her, the owner restrains the dog while Sophia looks at the dog as if she's never seen one before. Thomas tells Sophia to avoid the CCTV cameras and keep her head down. She complies.
White House Briefing Room[]
One of the agents monitoring the situation tells Director Sterling there are now 59 targets carrying the isotope and that they are starting to disperse. Sterling orders an override on all CCTV and traffic cameras in the vicinity and to route the feed directly to their facial recognition system. Agent Murphy enters the room and approaches the director; in hushed tones he tells the director that isotope recovered at the coffee shop is an exact match to the one they gave Sophia, and that 40 minutes ago someone entered the on-site armory and took 100 ccs of the isotope. They have a mole and it's someone in the field. Murphy suggests that since the isotope leaves traces on the person who handled it, finding the mole can be done by scanning the hands of all the agents on the scene with a portable radiation detector.
The Capital Grind Coffee Shop[]
Agent Simon Lee's mobile phone chimes, it's Agent Murphy. Murphy tells Lee that he's got a situation and that he's not to allow the field team to leave until he arrives. Lee demands to know what this is about, but Murphy says he'll fill in the details upon his arrival, and that "let's just say you've got a problem." Simon hangs up, distressed that his plan to free Sophia hasn't quite worked out.
1954, A House Near Venice Beach, CA[]
Simon (as Mason) walks arm and arm with Violet; it's later in the same day of their beach outing. The two make small talk about swimming. Simon then suggests that he and Violet eat in tonight and that he'll get some fish (Simon is apparently not a Vegan like Sophia). Violet agrees and asks Simon to also get sunflowers to brighten up the house, and to light a fire (bbq?). As Violet enters the house, Simon glances up and sees Thomas standing at the curb. Simon asks Thomas what he's doing there, but Thomas suggests Simon already knows, that staying one place for very long is dangerous because they don't age. Simon says he has a life, that he's in love, and that he'll figure out a way to appear older, but Thomas says that is Simon doesn't go, Violet will have to. Thomas reminds Simon it's his job to get his people home and he needs Simon's help. He then tells Simon not to let his people down. Simon knows Thomas is serious (and right) and acquiesces.
The Capital Grind Coffee Shop[]
September 23, 2010, about 9:00 am (local time)[]
Agent Justin Murphy arrives by car and Agent Simon Lee walks up and asks to know what's going on. Murphy tells him one of his men is a traitor, that someone took the isotope from the armory and used it dosed the coffee in the nearby shop. Simon asks is Murphy if sure, but Murphy says the only people with access to the armory are field agents, that whoever took the isotope would have traces of radiation on his hands, and that he's got a radiation detector to identify the traitor. Simon suggests that his team will handle this inquiry better if he performs the scans, not Murphy. Murphy agrees, but as Lee walks away with the scanner, Murphy says Director Sterling ordered everyone on the team be scanned and insists Lee be scanned first. Lee looks away for a moment and then clobbers Murphy with radiation detector's case, knocking him cold. Lee puts the unconscious Murphy into the trunk of his car and walks away with the radiation detector.
Chapter Four: Leila Returns Home[]
A Nondescript Motel in Texas[]
September 23, 2010, Morning[]
Leila and Sean have just left the motel room where FBI Agent Collier is holding Carter. Sean is explaining that Carter's statement about her father bringing this on himself is just Carter messing with her head, and that this is what they do. Leila tells Sean they have to return to her home and find something that connects her dad to all of this, but Sean tells her he believes these people will be been thorough and will have made sure there's nothing to find. Leila then asks Sean what are they supposed to do. Sean runs the scenario by her, that Agent Collier's ex-husband will put Leila into protective custody and to lock down Carter. Leila then asks what Sean intends to do. Sean explains there is a federal murder warrant out on him and everyone thinks he murdered Greg (the guy posing as Vicky's boyfriend in episode one). Sean says that Collier told him the evidence against him is overwhelming and that he plans to find the people who did this so he can clear his name and to find out Leila's father and sister. After a brief argument, Sean agrees to take Leila home, to Atlanta (over 1000 miles and more than 18 hours away).
Back in room 6, Carter demands to know when the ambulance will arrive, but Collier mocks him and suggests that the ambulance company probably puts murders at the bottom of the list. Carter hears a vehicle driving through the parking lot, Collier looks too, but instead of seeing an ambulance, they see Sean and Leila driving off in the Lincoln Navigator they acquired from the fake US Marshals who came to the Yuma FBI field office to kill Sean. In the SUV, Sean and Leila exchange glances - they're a team and will get to the bottom of this!
Buchanan Residence, Atlanta Georgia[]
(doing the math it's now got to be 18 hours later, early Sept 24 2010)[]
Sean and Leila arrive at the Buchanan residence, both appearing refreshed with a change of clothes. They enter the house. Evidence markers litter the house, a large bloodstain on the carpet where Val was murdered. They explore further. Leila tells Sean they'll start in her father's office and they begin rummaging. While doing so Leila finds some of her sister's baby clothes, and remembers how she was the only one who could put Samantha to sleep. Leila then tells Sean to start searching the attic. They start removing boxes from the attic, and while they do, Leila discovers a portfolio with maps of Alaska, blueprints of the Innostranka facility, copies of magazine articles about UFO sightings over Alaska.
A blond woman approaches them from behind with a gun drawn and tells the two they should not have come here.
Uh oh!
Chapter Five: Michael Knew About Innostranka[]
The Capital Grind Coffee Shop[]
September 23, 2010, about 9:00 am (local time)[]
Simon leaves the parking lot where Agent Justin Murphy's car is parked, the trunk of which now contains the unconscious body of its owner, and who's unconscious state is courtesy of Simon. Simon calls Thomas, saying his cover is blown, that Sterling's aide "made" him, and that for the moment, Murphy is helpless and that killing him wouldn't have mattered because his days as a CIA agent are over. Somewhere across town Thomas is in a warehouse (11th Street Warehouse) riding a freight elevator; he tells Simon that it's time to move on.
Ten Years Earlier, Washington DC[]
Simon Lee is a newly minted CIA agent, and his partner insists on celebrating. His partner then asks why Lee requested a posting in Alaska as they walk past the front doors of a fairly upscale retirement center. From the porch Simon hears an older woman calling out to him, calling him Mason. This stops Simon dead in his tracks! He turns to face a woman in her late 60s who identifies herself as Violet. Simon is frozen and speechless. His partner asks if everything is all right. Simon looks into the eyes of Violet who exclaims he hasn't aged a day. He's flummoxed. Just then, a younger woman (Violet's caregiver) offers an apology saying Violet suffers from Alzheimer's. He looks at her wrist and notices she still wears the charm bracelet from when they were together in 1954, some forty-six years earlier. Memories come flooding back, but then Simon apologizes to Violet, and then suggests she has him confused with someone else. He turns and leaves.
The White House Briefing Room[]
September 23, 2010, shortly after 9:00 am (local time)[]
Feeds from the CCTV and traffic cameras start to flow into the monitors of the briefing room, one catches Director Sterling's eye. It's footage from a traffic camera, 10 minutes old, and prominently features Sophia, now wearing a different outfit than when they released her; she's still on foot and heading east. President Martinez enters the briefing room and asks to be told they have located Sophia. Sterling says that they have, but that the cameras are on time delay and his team is closing in. Sterling tells his team to tap into all adjacent cameras, one of which shows Sophia entering a warehouse on 11th Street.
Elsewhere, Simon is driving wildly through the streets, his cover is not blown just yet. He receives a call from one of his field agents; Sophia has been spotted entering a building 0.7 miles to the east of the Tacoma Playground. Simon then calls Thomas saying they have tracked Sophia and that he should get out of there. Thomas tells Simon he's got a contingency plan and then hangs up.
Back in the White House, Sterling, Martinez and the security staff studies the video feed featuring the warehouse on 11th Street Sophia was seen entering.
11th Street Warehouse[]
Sophia is reunited with Thomas. She says she is happy to see him but they have a lot to talk about. They embrace.
Buchanan Residence, Atlanta Georgia[]
Probably Early Morning September 24 2010[]
The gray suited blond woman has Sean and Leila at gunpoint and demands to know how much of the file that they just discovered they have seen. Sean says they just found it, and the woman says that this is good and that it may not be too late, causing Leila and Sean to look at each other with puzzled looks on their faces. The woman tells them to put the file on the floor and slide it over to her. Leila protests, saying her mother is dead and her family is missing, and that the file holds answers. Sean insists the woman can have the file and holds it out toward her, luring her closer.
Just as the woman reaches for the file, Sean grabs the hand holding the gun while Leila takes back the file. They take the woman upstairs and interrogate her. The woman says she doesn't tell lies. She identifies herself as Madeline Jackson, saying she's a journalist, or at least used to be until she "saw the light." She starts to rant, saying she tried to speak the truth, but no one wants the truth, and that, God-forbid, or they'd all go down in flames. (It's getting a little weird now.) She continues, it's the lies that keep the construct going, spread by the vested interests in the government and that the private sector, the churches and the stock exchanges, all fabricating and spinning stories that keep 300 million consumers happy, stupid and spending! A classic conspiracy theorist! She pauses and notice Sean and Leila just stare at her. She then asks why they are looking at her like she's crazy. Ms. Jackson then tells them that she is not the deluded one, that Sean and Leila are. Jackson walks across the room and begins pacing. Leila points the gun at Jackson and asks why she's in the house and what all of this has to do with her father.
Jackson begins to recount the story of how two years ago, Michael Buchanan contact her about a flight he was piloting to Anchorage, and how weather forced him to divert, and that by accident he saw the Innostranka government facility, one that not listed in any official records. She continues, saying Leila's father was curious and read an article on Jackson's blog. But she claims that was before they hacked her site out of existence because they didn't want anyone to know. Sean asks if "they" are the government but Jackson says the government are scared little children compared to "them," and that there are forces who want this whole matter kept secret. Jackson tells Leila that her father knew too much, so they took him.
Sean then suggests Madeline Jackson is out her mind and demands to know what it is Leila's father knew. Jackson recounts the story of how in 1944, there was a crash in Brooks Range Alaska, and that the government build a facility in Alaska, built especially for the survivors of that crash. Sean asks Jackson what the survivors did to warrant this type of imprisonment, but Jackson replies saying it not WHAT they did, but WHO they are. Leila ask WHO are they. Jackson replies; they are E.B.E.s, extraterrestrial biological entities!
Aliens!
Chapter Six: The Building Vanishes[]
The White House Briefing Room[]
September 23, 2010, around 9:30 am (local time)[]
Director Sterling recaps; 4 minutes ago they have video showing Sophia has entered the building depicted on the display. He then calls up footage from the same cameras showing Thomas entering the same building two hours earlier. President Martinez studies the image of Thomas. Sterling tells Martinez they will have field units surround the building within minutes.
In the meantime, Simon Lee arrives at the same building and uses a crowbar to enter it through another entrance not seen by the CCTV cameras. He enters, yelling out for Thomas. Simon's law enforcement radio chirps, it the voice of a field commander saying their arrival is about 2 minutes. Simon continues to call out for Thomas. Outside, security vehicles converge on the building, one pulls up to the door just pried open by Simon. Agents scatter and FBI snipers take position as they enter the building. Simon continues searching for Thomas and Sophia. He finds them both in a lower level of the building, approaching a hatch to a shaft in the floor. Simon warns that every field agent in the region is nearby and they are certain to find their location. Thomas tells Simon not to worry, Sophia seems to be going along.
Suddenly the building shakes. Is it an earthquake? Sophia looks around and realizes the building has started to collapse. She asks Thomas what has he done, but Thomas says they have to go now and that it can't be undone. He opens the floor hatch and insists both Sophia and Simon follow him in to the shaft. Simon begs Thomas to call this off (intimating he's about to kill innocent people), but Thomas says it's too late and starts to climb into the shaft. The building continues rattling apart, Sophia tells Simon that he can't go back to his cover and that he must join them. But Simon elects to remain behind!
Ten Years Earlier, A Hospital In Washington DC[]
Violet is dying. Her life support machinery chirps away. Simon enters Violet's hospital room and faces her. She looks up at him with recognition and calls him Mason. In Simon's hand she notices he's carrying a sunflower. Simon/Mason tells her he knew how much she liked them, how they used to brighten up the house. She cradles the sunflower and asks Simon/Mason if he's an angel; he responds saying he's far from that. She looks up at him and says she's happy he's here. He sits and embraces her hand, kissing it and asks for forgiveness. Violet says she waited for him, for a long time. She then asks is if Simon/Mason loved her; he says that he never stopped and that he wanted to marry her and have children, but that it wasn't up to him. Violet suggests that it WAS up to him.
The Warehouse on Eleventh Street[]
September 23, 2010, around 9:30 am (local time)[]
Sophia begs Simon to come with them, as she decends the escape shaft the building shakes violently. Over his radio he hears his partner ask "Agent Lee are you in here?" Simon barks into the radio, ordering they evacuate the building immediately! But they don't. Suddenly the field agents realize they are in grave danger and start to exit. An beam falls on one of the FBI agents patrolling the catwalk and Simon rushes to his aid. He yells for help but then hears a cacophony. A bluish-purplish light starts to show through the collapsing floor of the lower level. It's the same effect used to transport Avias 514 from Miami to Arizona. The building continues collapsing around Simon and the agent! Simon's partner arrives and assists Simon as they carry the wounded agent from the lower levels of the warehouse, all while but the building continues collapsing behind them. They continue, dodging falling debris and collapsing pylons; scaffolding fall on Simon pinning him. He then tells his partner to take the wounded agent to safety, that he'll be right behind them. He frees himself and struggles toward the exit. The roof collapses on Simon just as he reaches the exit, dust from the building's interior spews out into the street.
The White House Briefing Room[]
President Martinez and Director Sterling are now watching a live feed of the building courtesy of one the predator drones Sterling ordered activated. They see the dust blowing from the building's entrance like smoke from a fired cannon. Fractions of a second later the building implodes. The president can't believe what he's seeing. Sterling just stands there watching, helpless as the building is reduced to rubble. They look at each other and then back at the display.
The Warehouse on Eleventh Street[]
In the aftermath, Simon's partner regains consciousness and stands to his feet. He surveys the rubble that was once a 7 story building. He stands and starts calling for Simon, seeing that most of his squad has survived, He continues calling for Simon and heads back toward what was once the heart of the building, where Simon would have been. But, in its place is a deep pit of rubble. No building. And no Simon!
Cast[]
Starring[]
Guest Stars[]
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Co-Starring[]
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