My name is Sydney Bristow.
Seven years ago, I was recruited by a branch of the CIA called SD-6.
I was sworn to secrecy, but I couldn't keep it from my fianc�.
And when the head of SD-6 found out, he had him killed.
That's when I learned the truth. SD-6 is not part of the CIA.
I'd been working for the people I thought I was fighting.
I went to the only place that could help me take them down.
Now, I'm a double agent for the CIA. My handler is Michael Vaughn.
Only one other person knows what I do. Another double agent in SD-6.
Someone I hardly know.
My father.
We still don't know who was behind the SD-6 invasion.
Learning that information and getting a visual ID is our top priority.
The meeting with K-Directorate is scheduled to take place in Moscow.
You'll be surveilling this meeting from outside the building.
We're on. They're heading toward the building now.
Gentlemen, welcome. I am Mr Sark, director of operations.
My employer's offer is simple.
You will give us the Rambaldi manuscript you recently acquired.
Sydney, that is llyich lvankov, the head of K-Directorate.
Tell your employer if he ever wastes my time like this again,
our next meeting will not be so cordial.
Congratulations, Comrade Kessar.
You have just inherited control of the indestructible K-Directorate.
Sydney!
Wait!
- Thanks. - Any time.
- Do you want some? - No, thanks.
I gotta go interview David McNeil.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
I better go. I gotta go.
- I don't wanna be late. - OK.
So what are you gonna wear?
Just this, I think. I'm just going to a prison. Who cares?
No, next week?
- Next week? - To the dinner?
- Dinner? - Did you get my letter?
- What letter? - The one I left on your desk.
- What are you talking about? - OK, you know what?
You really have to start reading the things I give to you, Will.
What's this?
You're getting an award for the Luis Maroma article.
- What? - Yes.
The readers voted it one of most inspirational stories of the year.
I can't believe anyone read that.
It says black tie, which means tux, do you have one?
I have an old one. I can't believe I won a Caplan Award!
You want to celebrate on Friday?
I can't. I gotta do something on Friday.
I'm sorry.
OK.
Yeah. Well, thanks. I just wanted to tell ya.
Will, that is so amazing.
North By Northwest is playing at the Fairfax on Friday night.
I thought we could get some dinner and celebrate.
Definitely. I'm so proud of you.
- It's not that big a deal. - So, Friday night, it's a date?
It's a date.
Lompoc Prison, about two hours ago.
The man talking to Tippin is David McNeil, software designer.
Eight years ago, he created an encryption system
that we wanted to acquire, but he wouldn't sell.
We don't have audio, but we got hold of the prison log.
This is Tippin's third visit to McNeil in the last two weeks.
You and I talked about Tippin some time ago.
You convinced me that he was just a harmless Metro reporter,
far from a credible threat.
But now he's found McNeil.
- What are you suggesting? - You know what I'm suggesting.
Eliminating Tippin is premature.
He's a friend of Sydney's, who as far as we know, knows nothing.
I told you this first as a courtesy.
Jack, I understand your reluctance, what this would mean to Sydney,
but McNeil is not a benign element.
He knows about SD-6. The division was mentioned in Koenig's testimony.
- Just the name, nothing else. - A name is all Tippin needs.
What concerns me is this doesn't concern you.
There's a difference between concern and assassination.
What are you suggesting?
That we get audio, that we find out what those conversations are.
Jack?
We should take care of this immediately. I'm sure you agree.
There are some truths Sydney must never learn.
- How's it going? - Fine.
I went to the stationery store. Same place I got the wedding invitations.
I thought I'd buy thank you cards to send gifts back to people.
The woman in the store asked if I wanted
the card stock to match the invitations.
I burst into tears in the store.
Francie.
I don't know how to do this!
I haven't been able to take this off.
- I'm sorry. - Don't be.
Truth is, I should have taken it off a long time ago.
Here's an idea.
What?
Wilshire Court, 7:30.
I got my ball in my car. Call Mitch.
You got it.
- Well, look who it is. - Abby, what is this?
False modesty doesn't suit you.
This isn't for the inspirational article?
Pretty dense for the man who wrote it.
- You don't deserve to win an award. - I know.
- Congratulations. - Thank you.
- You make me sick. - I make myself sick.
In ten years, I win tickets to The Lion King, on the radio.
- You never invited me to that. - Imagine that.
- Thanks. I'll get us some plates. - I expect a piece. It's chocolate.
Maybe you can write an article about this cake, win something else.
- Do you know Litvack's office? - The next floor up. Huge office.
Thanks.
If I didn't have to go, I'd eat the whole cake.
- Where are you going? - Lompoc. I got an interview.
Your surveillance footage in Moscow was remarkable.
We won't know the full implications of lvankov's murder,
but here's what we do know.
Ivankov's body was delivered to K-Directorate HQ in St Petersburg.
- Delivered how? - Freight carrier.
Packed inside a crate of frozen Atlantic cod fish.
Lavro Kessar, K-Directorate's second in command.
He hasn't been seen since that night.
We believe he's being held by Mr Sark as a captive.
Unless K-Directorate delivers Rambaldi's manuscript
to Sark's employer, The Man,
they should expect more fish in St Petersburg.
Have we learned any more about The Man?
- We have to get a name for this guy. - Nothing concrete. Not yet.
We have learned something about Sark. Marshall.
Yes. Actually, I'm sure we've all seen the classic movie, My Fair Lady.
"Professor Henry Higgins educating Eliza Doolittle, you talk proper."
My favourite Rex Harrison film is Dr Dolittle,
which always threw me, because Eliza Doolittle, Dr Dolittle,
was that on purpose? Conspiracy?
- Marshall. - Right.
We've analysed Sark's speech pattern, stress, rhythm, and he's very clever.
His grammar and syntax give away nothing, but his lengthened vowels
indicate he spends considerable time in Ireland, most likely Galway.
Our Tunis assets saw a K-Directorate boat in the Golfe de Gabes.
It's now moored off Es-Sekhira.
Tomorrow at 10am local time a plane is scheduled to leave
from nearby Gafsa Airport to fly to Galway, Ireland.
They're handing over the manuscript in Tunisia?
Your mission is to intercept the book and bring it home.
Review the mission details, go over Op Tech with Marshall.
You'll leave tonight.
This look familiar?
The same kind of camera I left behind in Argentina.
It is that camera. The CIA sent a team to retrieve it last week.
- You only took a few Rambaldi shots. - I know.
- But we did learn a lot from them. - Like what?
I've got this aunt, Aunt Trish,
she's insane, she speaks to the dead,
she goes to readings, she's a crop circle worshipper.
- Aunt Trish? - Yeah.
This Rambaldi story reminds me of something she would tell me about.
Anyway, we know Rambaldi was a 16th-century inventor
who seems to have had an almost psychic vision of technology.
This book, based on the images you took,
seems to be an instruction manual. To what, we don't know.
This was written in Italian,
on the second page.
In there Rambaldi refers to the "One Hundred Segments".
- Meaning what? - That's on a page we don't have.
Your counter-mission is the same as in Argentina.
When you get the book, photograph the pages,
deliver the originals to SD-6 and the photos to us.
Just don't screw it up this time. Got it.
Your father says Sloane's spent a lot of time at home.
Yeah, his wife, Emily, she's sick.
- You two used to be close? - We still are.
Less so since she was diagnosed, she's been reclusive.
I haven't seen her since I learned the truth about her husband.
This is a real opportunity. Call Emily, say you'd like to see her,
and get invited to their house.
You want me to plant a bug? Vaughn, she's dying of cancer.
- I know. - You want me to use this woman?
- She won't know. - I will.
We tried to bug SD-6. It's pointless.
That office uses every counter-surveillance technique.
- Sloane's house is vulnerable. - This is a moral question.
You're a spy. It's not the darkest...
Emily is my friend who is dying. Does this not seem wrong to you?
- Why does it seem wrong to you? - She's innocent, a good person.
This is one of the last opportunities she has to do something good.
Emily, hi. It's Sydney... Bristow.
Hi. I know, it has.
Are you busy or sleeping? Good, OK.
Yeah, I'm doing fine.
How are you? That's why I called. I just...
I miss you.
Have you heard from your daughter?
No. My lawyer said she's safe.
That's all I really want to know.
- Alright, so what've you got? - OK.
Based on the file at OT Technologies,
42 companies currently use your encryption software.
- 42? - Yeah.
So far, I've had time to look into about 18 of these companies.
Listen to this. Six of them have a common board member,
a guy by the name of Alain Christophe.
This is the best part. 12 years ago, Alain decides to retire...
...from the CIA.
And before that, from '82 to '89, he ran counterintelligence at Langley.
Why are you smiling?
Because for the first time in eight years, SD-6 should be afraid of me.
Do a Lexis-Nexis for everything on Alain Christophe and call the IRS,
see if the Freedom of Information Act covers access to his holdings.
North By Northwest tickets, Friday. See if you can get a reservation.
Resist and you die.
Get out!
OK, so tell me the truth. Who do you like better? Maryann or Ginger?
Listen, while you're grabbing Rambaldi's manuscript,
if you happen to see a sandwich...
- You got it. - OK. I'll radio if Sark arrives.
Good luck.
- Gasoline? - Gasoline!
Yeah.
Dixon, the boat's secure.
I'm opening the case here. The guy's handcuffed to it.
I'm picking the lock. Looks like it's electromagnetic.
OK. Still no sign of Sark.
Yuri?
OK, I've got the book.
Sydney, Sark's here.
I'm taking the boat.
OK. Meet you at the airport dock. We'll be there in 30 minutes.
OK, look, guys...
Six have a common board member,
a guy by the name of Alain Christophe.
This is the best part.
About 12 years ago, Alain decides to retire... from the CIA.
Do you value your life, Mr Tippin?
- Of course I value my life. - Do you?
Your actions would indicate otherwise,
so I'm gonna tell you what it is you are apparently dying to know.
Your friend, Daniel Hecht, David McNeil's wife Susan, Eloise Kurtz,
they were all innocent victims.
Their deaths were unfortunate, a matter of circumstance.
Now the only remaining question is whether the story ends there,
or whether it includes other innocent victims.
Amy Tippin, 3723 East Conestoga Way.
Robert and Patsy Tippin, 63064 Schulman Way.
- Sydney Bristow, 4250 Cochran St. - Stop! I understand.
This will be your only warning.
- Mr Sloane. - Yes?
I've questioned everyone from the boat.
The captain is a civilian. He doesn't know anything.
- Kill him. - Yes, sir.
- Hello? - Sydney, it's Emily.
Hi.
Listen, I wanted to thank you for calling.
- You've no idea how much it meant. - You don't have to thank me.
I do. I woke up this morning feeling... strong.
- Are you free for dinner? - Tonight?
Bring a friend. Please.
- And you accepted? - Not at first.
But Emily's sick. I couldn't say no.
I knew you wanted me to, anyway.
Here.
- This is a bug? - It's good, huh?
I think the guys who made it have never seen sunlight.
You should meet Marshall.
- Where do you want it? - Sloane has an office at home.
That's where we want it. Especially now SD-6 has the Rambaldi book.
- The CIA studied your photos. - They turned out OK?
There's one blank page.
Sci/Tech says of the few Rambaldi documents they've recovered
the 47th page is always significant.
This blank page was number 47. Your father's strategising
how to get it out of SD-6 Analysis, replace it with a counterfeit.
Meantime, we're just hoping to learn something with that bug.
OK.
You said Emily invited you and a friend?
You taking anyone?
Hello?
- What are you doing? - Syd?
- Are you sleeping? - No.
I'm... working.
Are you OK? You sound like hell.
Yeah, I'm fine. How... How are you doing?
- You're gonna kill me. - Why?
I know we talked about "North By Northwest",
but there's a dinner at my boss's. I can't get out of it.
- You're mad. - No.
I gotta go to a meeting.
Will you come with me? They said bring a guest. Will you be my guest?
- Will you tell me what happened? - I don't want to talk about it.
Your bruise looks pretty bad.
Well, you're just gonna have to come over to my place
and I'll make you a big bowl of ash-e reshteh.
It's a noodle soup my grandma used to make.
You have to meet her. You're gonna love her.
Jenny, listen, I think you're great.
You're smart and you're beautiful and I think we've had a lot of fun,
but you and I...
...I just don't think that we...
- Are you breaking up with me? - Jenny...
I drive all this way, with a broken radio, for you to break up with me?
- That's not fair. - Call Sydney.
Sydney's not my assistant. You work for me.
Not any more. Get out.
- Get out? - I am not kidding.
Where are we? We're nowhere.
No, you're nowhere. Get out.
Fine.
"Dear Aunt Stephanie,
unfortunately, as my mom has informed you, the wedding is off."
"So I am returning your kind gift of a coffee maker, cos as it turns out,
the man to whom I was engaged is a deceitful, sex-crazed jackass."
- "All my love, Francie." - It's not too harsh.
I'll read one more. This is the restrained one.
- Hello? - Joey's Pizza?
Yes. You wanna hear our specials?
Hello?
- We need to change our number. - I know.
Thank you.
I'm getting some wine for tonight. You need anything?
No, thanks.
Sloane brought the Rambaldi book home.
He was so taken by what he'd seen, he wanted to show it to you himself.
- He took it home? - Yes. It'll be there tonight.
Why didn't he wait until I was at SD-6 on Monday?
An Alliance courier's en route to Los Angeles, then on to Germany.
They have labs in Munich for advanced analysis.
Wait a minute. The blank page, you want me to make a switch?
If we don't, the courier will arrive and we'll lose our shot.
Doesn't this seem risky?
Making a move at Sloane's house, while he's there, without backup?
You will have backup. Your father's going.
I can help you. Emily believes her husband is COO of the bank.
If he wants to show you the book, he'll do it in his office.
- Where I plant the bug. - Right.
If that's where the book is kept, it could be an ideal scenario.
Vaughn will call posing as a friend in need.
Excuse yourself, go to Sloane's office and make the switch.
Sloane's vault is an advanced Cushing model.
The guys who made the paperclip bug came up with this.
It tricks the safe into believing you entered the correct combination.
They say its bitching, so I'm assuming it's... bitching.
I don't know about this plan.
Not only does it put me in danger, and you, but I'm taking Will tonight.
- You're doing what? - Yeah.
Emily told me to bring someone. Why?
Nothing.
I should leave. I'll see you there.
If you feel you can make the switch, do it.
Just use your discretion.
- So, you're taking Will? - Yeah.
- Well, you look really pretty. - Thank you.
- Sydney, I'm so glad you're here. - Hi.
These are for you. You look beautiful.
Thank you. You look fantastic.
I want you to meet my friend, Will Tippin. And this is Emily.
How do you do? I'm pleased to meet you. Come in.
- I believe you know each other. - Yeah. Good to see you.
- You, too. - Sydney says you work for the bank.
Strategy. Investment strategy.
- I couldn't refuse Arvin's offer. - That sounds like my husband.
Sydney.
- I'm so glad you came. - Me, too.
This is my friend, Will Tippin. Arvin Sloane.
- Nice to meet you. - Yeah, nice to meet you, too.
Sydney, I want to show you something.
Emily, this is the only business we'll do.
- Can I get you anything to drink? - Yes. Anything would be great.
Good. Come in.
I didn't get a chance to tell you how proud I am of your Tunisia work.
- I was just doing my job. - Well, you'll find as you get older,
how difficult it is to find people who just do their job.
A courier picks this up tomorrow for analysis.
- Taking it where? - England.
I just wanted you to see it.
I didn't know if you had a chance to look at it.
To really examine it.
No, I didn't open it.
Some of the text is Italian...
...but most of it is in code.
A code we haven't been able to break.
Who was this man, Sydney?
What did he see? What did Rambaldi see?
For those who know about him,
various agencies, a few in the private sector,
they're spending millions to answer these questions, millions.
Men would die for this book.
Men have died.
You know, Sydney, the work we're doing here,
trying to figure out who Rambaldi was, what he was working on...
...it is becoming an obsession for me.
- I'm still not sure I'm a believer. - Neither was I.
Neither was I.
Wait a minute. You wrote the article about the fruit picker from La Venta?
Yeah, I did. I can't believe you read that.
This is so funny. I told you about this.
There was a poll in the newspaper. I voted for you.
- You're kidding me. I just won that. - You did?
Well, you deserved it. That story made me cry.
- It just stayed with me. - Well, that guy was amazing.
The story was about this man, Luis Maroma.
He was a fruit picker from Mexico,
an illegal immigrant living in Los Angeles and he worked for a man
who was basically a slave driver.
No, he was a slave driver.
The conditions these people lived in,
18 sleeping in every room, one bathroom.
All undernourished, and if they got sick there was no health care.
Anyway, Maroma was one of these workers smuggled in from Mexico.
- Their boss was a monster. - He was the devil.
- He was literally the devil. - How's that?
If you spoke out against him, if you tried to leave, he'd have you killed.
The other workers didn't know what they could do,
but Luis Maroma could read. He started to teach the others to.
He'd find articles in the papers they wrapped the fruit in,
articles that taught them about their rights, about right and wrong.
Eventually, he led a revolt against this guy.
I'm gonna cry again just talking about it.
What's amazing was he had no future, he was in a horrible position,
working for the worst person, but he was resourceful and smart and...
And today he's going to college.
And the monster he worked for is in prison rotting where he belongs.
Well, that's an incredible story.
Emily?
Emily, are you alright?
I'm fine.
I'm fine. I'm sorry.
I'm... still adjusting to this new medication. It's nothing.
It's OK.
Excuse me. Sorry.
Hello?
- Hi, it's Francie. - Francie.
Excuse me, I have to take this call. I'm sorry. Hey, sweetie.
OK, I'm in. I'll see you at the dead drop.
So, Will... what story are you working on?
- I have a few irons in the fire. - What kind of irons?
- Can I get you more wine? - Let me get it.
Stay. I'll get it. I know where the wine cellar is.
This lamb's fantastic.
- I got hit playing basketball. - How's this?
That's a nice wine, but I have something special, a '78 Lynch Bages.
- I'll get it. - No, I know where it is.
You sit down this time. Please.
You look pale.
My friend, she's really having a rough time.
I see. Is there anything I can do?
No. But thanks.
I should have told you about Tippin.
He and McNeil traced the use of McNeil's program
to some Alliance companies,
but I've dealt with Tippin.
He won't be a problem for us any more.
Security Section told me what you did.
You had me followed by Security Section?
They intercepted a call that Tippin made to McNeil this morning.
They have scheduled a meeting for this afternoon.
I'm sure he's just going to tell McNeil he's off the story.
I'm not convinced of that, so I sent someone.
If it becomes clear that Tippin is giving up this investigation,
then, yes, I think we should let him live.
Lf, on the other hand, you haven't done the job this time...
... then no one can.
And I'm sure you'll agree
that Tippin will need to be taken care of.
Stoller's gonna check on those companies.
- What happened to your face? - We have to talk.
When I first came here, and I asked you about SD-6,
you told me not to pursue it.
You said it was too dangerous. David, I think you were right.
Why are you telling me now? Did you talk to Christophe? What's he say?
- I didn't talk to him. - What the hell's going on?
I was kidnapped. Yesterday.
I don't know who they were, but...
... I'm assuming they work for SD-6.
David, they threatened me. They told me to drop the story.
What makes you think they' won't kill you anyway?
- What choice do I have? - You see it through!
Understand, the only way you can be safe is to publish this story.
Expose them in print. That's your life insurance policy.
Come on, Will, we're close.
Give it a week and we'll have something for you to write about.
One more week and they can't touch you.
I can't. I'm sorry.
Kelly went away because of you.
You convinced her you would get me out.
You don't have the choice to back out on me.
David... I hate myself for letting you down, OK?
But now, I'm you. I'm exactly where you were...
...before your wife was killed.
Now, if I do what you suggest... David, they're gonna kill my family.
My friends.
If you could go back, if you could change it,
you wouldn't hesitate, would you?
I'm sorry.
Call Driscoll, tell him that we have the rink for tomorrow night.
- Mr Vaughn? - Yeah. I'm late for a meeting.
Cancel that meeting. I'm Officer Cohen with Sci/Tech.
We figured out how to read the Rambaldi document.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
Cancel my meeting.
I came as fast as I could. Vaughn, what's up?
Remember that vial of liquid Cole wanted in the SD-6 vault?
Yeah, of course.
We used it on the blank page to get the ink to show up.
- So, it worked? - Yeah.
So, what is it?
Look, we're not sure.
We don't know what it means. That's sort of the problem.
OK, so you're acting really freaky.
I have the page with me and I'd like you to see it.
OK.