My name is Sydney Bristow.
Seven years ago I was recruited by a secret branch of the CIA
called SD-6. I was sworn to secrecy,
but I couldn't keep it from my fiancé,
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 very people
I thought I was fighting against.
So I went to the only place that could help me take them down.
Now I'm a double agent for the CIA,
where my handler is a man named Michael Vaughn.
Only one other person knows the truth about what I do,
another double agent inside SD-6 --
someone I hardly know.
My father.
We know that rambaldi was a 16th century inventor
who seemed to have had an almost psychic vision
of technology.
This book seems to be some sort of instruction manual.
You know, Sydney, the work we're doing here --
trying to figure out who rambaldi was,
what he was working on --
is becoming an obsession for me.
I'm still not sure I'm a believer.
Mr. Vaughn?
Yeah. I'm late for a meeting.
You're going to want to cancel that meeting.
We figured out how to read the rambaldi document.
All right. I have the page with me,
and I'd like you to see it.
Okay.
Exactly who is this Sydney Bristow,
and why should this committee's time be spent on her?
She's a double agent, senator --
a CIA asset working undercover as an operative of SD-6.
Last week, we came into possession of that drawing
from a manuscript belonging to milo rambaldi.
Rambaldi.
Ms. Evans, we've been all over this.
Look at the partially decoded text.
Senator, it's written by rambaldi in reference
to that woman in the drawing.
Sir, I understand your reluctance
to invest our resources in this matter,
but I strongly suggest --
Dr. Evans.
What do you need?
Vaughn, I'm back from Brazil.
I did what SD-6 wanted --
got surveillance photos of someone
they think might be the man.
I'll forward them to you as usual
and wait for further instructions.
Who the hell are you?
Carson Evans -- dsr.
We have authorization.
The national security agency's investigating Bristow?
The department of special research, yes.
Off the books, paranormal guys,
because her picture was in a manuscript?
That's special access only.
I'm Sydney's case officer.
The loop is closed on this on orders from the dci himself.
I don't care who issued the orders.
If the NSA knows something, I should, too.
We should, sir.
Unless you already do.
Close the door.
I got your message.
If this is about the surveillance photos,
I encoded them onto jpegs.
Forget the surveillance photos.
The ones that might identify the man,
the ones I nearly got eaten by a pack of dogs trying to get?
You're being investigated by the dsr.
Dsr.
Department of special research,
and it was created during world war ii
to investigate Nazi interest in the occult.
After the war, an executive order was signed
empowering them to investigate fringe science --
uh, parapsychology, remote view--
what do they want with me?
They want to know why your picture's in the rambaldi book.
No, I know, it seems ridiculous --
it is ridiculous.
But your picture --
a picture. Not mine. Yeah, well, they don't think so.
They're wrong. Look, they took my files.
Everything I have concerning you.
Now, at our next scheduled debriefing,
they're going to bring you in for questioning.
I just wanted to give you a heads-up.
This drawing is 500 years old.
Millions of women have looked like that.
My mom looked like that.
Maybe it's a picture of my mother.
Well, they don't think so. Your mother's dead,
and they have reason to believe the woman in this picture
is still alive. I don't understand.
Dsr partially decoded text from that page.
And?
What did it say?
Well, they didn't tell me, but apparently,
rambaldi refers to future dates indicating this woman
is still alive.
The dsr is referring to this text by name.
They're calling it "the prophecy."
I want to stress, at the outset,
this is not an interrogation.
You are not the subject of a criminal inquiry.
Our purpose is simply to gather background information,
and I'd like to note for the record
how much we appreciate your cooperation in this matter.
Do you have any questions?
Yes. Just one.
Are you really not going to tell me what this prophecy says?
I think we've been over that.
Yes, we have...
Just not to my satisfaction.
Dr. waterson.
Yes.
Agent Bristow.
Sydney's fine.
Question one.
What would be the next picture in this series?
"D."
Study this figure.
If it was rotated 180 degrees,
it would look like which of the following?
"C."
What is the next image in this series?
Mm. Love the tech stuff.
Haladki.
It's like a thermometer.
Heat from their eyes tracks brain patterns.
What are you doing here?
My department got tapped
to facilitate interagency cooperation.
"Q," and seven.
You're in a forest.
You come to a river. Do you cross it?
Agent Bristow, would you cross it?
I don't know. It depends.
Gentlemen, if you need anything, I'll be in my office.
What is going on in this picture?
The mother is teaching the girl how to bake.
And what feelings does this picture evoke?
The girl doesn't like it.
She wants to go out and play.
We need to cut this short.
What is it?
Sorry. "Need to know" only.
Would you be willing to come with us, please?
Why?
We have some physical examination we need to do.
Excuse me?
General tests -- an mri, lumbar puncture, blood work.
What the hell's going on?
No, no, I don't think so. Agent Bristow --
it would be better for you to submit now...
I have answered every question you have asked,
no matter how ridiculous, but that's as far as this goes.
You want to touch me, you have to tell me everything,
starting with what this prophecy says.
I'm sorry. You don't have clearance for that information.
You are wasting your time
taking this rambaldi thing so seriously.
There are real threats in this world.
I have work to do.
You move out of my way,
or I will make you move out of my way.
Thank you.
They're just letting her leave?
Third row seats?
Yep.
Behind the Lakers bench.
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Near kobe? Yeah.
A friend of mine in sports has a contact
in the front office, so he scored 'em free of charge.
I'm going to be sitting near kobe Bryant? Yes.
Are you sure you're asking the right roommate?
Look, as is sometimes painfully obvious,
I know a little something about wanting something
you can't have, so for a couple hours,
you come with me and you forget about hating Charlie.
Sounds good.
Can I ask you guys something?
I had a dream last night about a fortune teller.
He said he had a prophecy about me.
What was it?
I don't know,
but that's the word he used -- prophecy.
Does that sound good or bad?
Prophecy?
Yeah.
Definitely bad. Yeah. Bad.
Syd, who cares?
It's just a dream. I know.
Thanks for breakfast. See you, guys.
Using all available resources,
we finally tracked down the enemy who we no longer
have to refer to as "the man."
Thanks to these surveillance photos
you obtained in Brazil, we have confirmed his identity.
He is Alexander khasinau.
Khasinau was the recipient of the sark communiqué
reporting on the loss of the rambaldi manuscript.
Highly decorated former lieutenant colonel of the kgb.
Khasinau went underground. He's long rumored
to be a power broker for the Russian mafia
in its affairs with rogue states
in the international arms bazaar.
So we're up against the Russian mafia.
As a source of financing, maybe,
but in terms of tactics, reach, and sophistication,
khasinau's organization operates
on an entirely different order of magnitude.
So, what's next?
Nothing.
After being identified,
he moved his base of operation to an undisclosed location.
He knows he's a target.
The next move we make must be made with extreme caution.
So no mission?
Actually, I do have to ask you something.
It's a personal favor.
These last few days haven't been very good for Emily.
When you came to the house,
I hadn't seen her spirits that high in a long time.
So if you wouldn't mind calling her
or perhaps paying a visit, saying hello...
Of course.
Thank you.
And when we know the right move to make with Mr. khasinau,
we'll make it.
I want khasinau dead.
The alliance doesn't know what the hell it wants.
They're having a meeting in London on Tuesday
to resolve whether or not the alliance should invest
all the necessary resources to find and kill khasinau.
It makes sense.
Members from the old Soviet bloc
still control 5 of the 12 votes.
They're cold warriors who prefer the paradigm
of détente.
They'll likely reject going to war with khasinau.
Those five men are cowards.
All of them.
Of the seven remaining members, there are only four
that I know for certain
who will vote in favor of aggressive action.
Essentially then, three men control the outcome
of this vote.
Khasinau sent men into this facility. They stole from us.
They killed some of us.
There should be no vote in the first place.
What's your strategy?
Edward poole, oversees sd-9.
He's one of the three swing votes.
I'll start with him.
Hello?
Edward?
Arvin. Good to hear your voice.
Yes, Edward, you too, you too.
How have you been?
I think we've all been better.
I'm seeing you on Tuesday?
As a matter of fact, Edward, that's why I'm calling you.
Your position on khasinau --
am I right to assume that you'll be supporting
a declaration of war against him?
I'm flattered you would think me so forgiving.
But khasinau must pay for what he's done...
Even if I have to take care of it myself.
Good.
Glad to hear that.
Unfortunately, the alliance is nearly split on this issue.
Now, as far as I'm aware,
there are two swing votes left --
Oscar dunst, Jean briault.
So, Edward, it's up to you and me
to take the appropriate action.
What are you suggesting?
I have personally seen what khasinau is capable of,
and I will not let his aggression go unanswered.
So what I'm suggesting, Edward,
is that we do whatever must be done
to ensure that this declaration of war be ratified.
Yes, I was going to wait and present this at the meeting.
What's that?
Under the circumstances, I think I should come to Los Angeles.
I have some intel you should see.
Good.
I'll be there in the morning.
Okay.
Arvin's such a sweetheart,
asking you to look in like this.
Well, I would've come, anyway,
but I didn't want to bother you.
Not at all.
You know, I really liked meeting your friend, by the way.
Will?
Yeah, he's a great guy.
I think he thinks you're pretty great, too.
He and I are just friends.
He's cute.
He is cute.
I know it's been a while, but I still feel guilty
even talking about dating again.
It must be especially hard doing what you do.
It is.
It's difficult sometimes.
I mean working for my husband.
Oh. Well...
I know this has been difficult for arvin.
My illness.
I look just like everyone else, and I usually feel that way.
The fact is,
I won't be alive next Christmas.
Don't say that.
You don't know that.
I do.
For a long time I ignored the pain,
but then one morning over there, I...
I collapsed, woke up in the hospital.
The doctor told me --
cancer.
He said if I had seen him in the beginning
I probably could've survived.
But there's a fear like nothing I've ever felt before --
it comes over you
when you know that there's something really wrong.
For four months, I did nothing.
I was so terrified of what I didn't know.
I was so terrified that I was paralyzed.
And the longer that went on,
the more terrified I got --
wanting to know the truth, but being too afraid
to find the answers.
Go ahead.
Run all the tests you want.
What I'm about to tell you,
you may find difficult to believe.
Arvin, I know that, uh, Jean briault is a friend.
Yes, he is a friend.
A friend of yours, but not of the alliance.
The other man in the photo is your friend Jean briault.
This only means that khasinau and briault know each other.
There's nothing more.
On the left is a brokerage account
in the name of briault's wife.
On the right -- a holding company
that khasinau uses to launder money.
As you will see, five deposits
in excess of $45 million were made
into the brokerage account in the past three months.
Arvin, I would not have made this trip
if I did not truly believe that khasinau had infiltrated
the alliance
and that briault was in his pocket.
No.
I was in Chile with this man under aliende.
He recruited me.
Yes, well, on the other hand,
briault's always seemed a good man,
and he has served the alliance well.
So maybe we should just...
Gamble,
do nothing,
just play it out and see what happens.
If this vote goes the wrong way
because one of our members has been bought,
it would mean the end of the alliance.
But briault, as you know, is a famously cautious man.
A hit would have to be carried out
by someone who had access,
someone that briault would agree to meet alone --
a friend.
If a hit occurs,
yes.
No.
No, this can't be right.
There's another explanation for this intel.
So I appreciate your coming here this long way
with this information, but...
I can't believe that Jean briault is a traitor.
Ah.
No one hopes you are right more than I.
I'd like to officially welcome to Los Angeles
our friends from Washington.
I have always had a fascination with the work of the dsr.
And although, uh, interagency cooperation
is notoriously problematic,
I don't foresee any difficulty while you're working here
in our offices.
I speak for everyone on our side
when I say how much we appreciate your help
in this matter.
That said,
let me pay you the courtesy of being blunt.
To date, our requests for files
considerably more comprehensive than these
have not been processed.
Those requests, miss Evans, are being assessed.
The directive doesn't provide for assessments.
I don't mind you coming here and working with us,
but to, uh -- let's just be clear.
You don't work with us. You work for us.
To presume that you're in charge --
we have protocols -- the directive specifies --
this is my office!
Yes. The directive gives you the authority
to take her into custody.
But Sydney Bristow is well placed...
And she has provided the agency with valuable intelligence.
Now, I understand this so-called prophecy is interesting
and that these times require us to be vigilant
against any perceived threats to our national security,
but let's take a step back for a second.
This is a 500-year-old text,
and based on that text, we are treating agent Bristow
like a lab rat.
Now, I am all for being prudent...
But what we're doing,
the way that we are doing it, is absurd!
We should investigate, yes, but not persecute.
Excuse me.
I understand that dissenting right now
might not be the best move for my career track,
but I need to say something.
Steven haladki, ma'am. Domestic resources division.
For months, I've been worried about Bristow.
At first, my concern was simply that her handler Michael Vaughn
was too emotionally involved, to which I still contest,
but then I started getting concerned about Bristow herself.
Look through her file. There are discrepancies,
there are some significant questions.
As an example, Bristow met with a rambaldi disciple
on the amalfi coast
at exactly the time his death was prophesied.
Now, after reading what rambaldi's written
about Bristow,
excuse me, but I am terrified.
Haladki, you are assuming that rambaldi's prophecy
is accurate and that he was referring to Bristow
in the first place. Sir, let's say rambaldi was wrong
or that he was right
and it wasn't Bristow he was talking about.
Fantastic. But that's why we're testing her,
to see if she's got the physical anomalies
that rambaldi mentions in the prophecy.
It's like "666," guys. You see the writing on the kid's scalp,
you know there's some problems at home.
Thanks for coming.
Are you all right? I heard about the tests.
This prophecy -- do you know anything about it,
what it says?
No. But the dsr was close to a panic
when they had only half of it decoded.
They cracked the rest this morning.
That's what I wanted to ask. They need a code key.
Do they have the right one?
The dsr spent years trying to decipher rambaldi's work.
The key they're using is one they reverse engineered.
If the dsr is misreading that text,
they're going to take me into custody,
which would blow my cover with SD-6.
And probably yours.
You want rambaldi's original code key.
If it exists.
It does.
But the agency won't go after it
for political reasons.
Dad, what does that mean?
The code key is in the Vatican.
Think about what this means for Sydney.
I understand that. Then doing nothing shouldn't be an option.
You're asking me to authorize an operation
that goes deliberately against the dsr's work!
Then classify it as recon.
Langley won't approve that.
The dsr is being irresponsible and overreactive.
One thing you don't have to do is attack the dsr.
Those bastards have just about taken over this office.
Then this is the chance to prove them wrong.
Langley is watching us closely!
Ben, it's a discretionary op.
You're arguing semantics with me.
If she weren't my daughter, Ben,
I probably wouldn't be fighting for this.
I understand this prophecy is special access,
but those who have it might be misreading that text.
I'd go myself, but sloane's headed to London,
and I'm overseeing operations at SD-6 while he's away.
I don't have to tell you what an opportunity that is.
So, Ben,
I need your help on this.
Hello?
Edward, it's arvin.
Any news?
We can't risk briault.
Please don't talk about this with anyone.
Don't share your intel.
All right.
I've decided to take care of our problem myself.
I understand.
You're going to break into the Vatican?
The last thing I'm going to do
while dsr is waiting for test results to prove
I'm guilty of something I don't even understand
is sit on my ass.
But the Vatican? The secret archives.
All I have is an inventory number.
They don't know the form the code key's in,
and it's rambaldi, so it could be anything.
I called you because I need a partner for this op,
someone I can trust.
We'd have to fly out separately, undercover...
Different airports in Italy.
Meet up in Rome. We have to leave tonight.
You in?
Yeah.
I'll break into the Vatican with you.
Did you know his parents named him after steak?
Kobe -- they saw it on a Japanese menu.
No, I didn't know that.
He's the perfect guy for someone like me --
plays ball and named after food.
You know, what would be excellent
about leaving tonight is that we might actually
get to see some of the game itself.
I'm not going half-done. She's obsessed.
You think?
So, um, did that thing come true -- the dream?
The prophecy.
Not yet.
I got to go. I got to make my plane.
Have a great time at the game,
and I'll see you guys when I get back.
Where's the world of international
corporate banking taking you to this time?
Boston.
Unh, unh, unh!
Oh. Unh-unh!
So, I was thinking we're in Rome,
which is the same city as trattoria de nardi.
What's that?
Well, it's my favorite restaurant in the world.
Yeah?
Yeah.
So, why is trattoria de nardi so good?
Well, it's only good if you like food.
Hey, did you know kobe Bryant was named for a steak?
Yeah, actually I did.
You said the explosion will trigger the alarm.
Which is on a 15-second delay.
And you said you could disarm it
in under 20 seconds. How far under 20?
I work better under pressure.
So, I was thinking later tonight
when we get the code key, maybe we can check it out.
What, the restaurant?
It's almost too good not to.
Unless SD-6 spots us there and has us killed.
Well, the food's so good, it's almost worth the risk.
Okay, it's set. Let's go.
Ready?
This is pope Alexander vi.
Rambaldi was his chief architect.
Rambaldi made a habit of hiding his real work
in ordinary things.
The code is hidden in this painting.
We don't have time. We'll take it with us.
Wait a minute.
Give me the flashlight.
Begin with the 11th letter.
Three rows of 16 along the "x" axis,
and then another --
this is it. This is the code key.
All right, I got it.
Aah!
He was sending for backup. We got to move!
I understand poole was here. Is he with us?
Where the hell is Sydney?
I believe she's at the university.
We just got word from kleinhoff in Munich.
There's a counterfeit page in rambaldi's manuscript.
Counterfeit?
That's right. Page 47. There's nothing on it.
We had it tested.
Doesn't match any of the other pages
in the manuscript.
Now, the number 47 had special significance
for rambaldi.
In all his writings, page 47 had critical information,
and I want to know why we don't have that page.
I'll tell Sydney when she comes in.
Her schoolwork is a liability, Jack.
She's familiar with your opinion.
Her education is important to her.
Your daughter needs to re-examine her priorities.
You're leaving for London a day earlier than expected.
I believe we have the necessary votes.
When I get back, the alliance
will officially be at war with khasinau.
I want you to follow up with kleinhoff while I'm gone.
I want to know what happened to that page.
Done.
Tell Sydney that she and I need to talk.
Mon ami.
Comment va tu, mon ami?
Très, trs bien.
Mm. Look at us, Jean -- two old men.
I feel younger now
than I ever felt when I was 18.
With age I've become more comfortable.
Listen, Jean, I want to apologize to you
for asking you to keep this so secret,
but this business that we have to discuss
is extremely sensitive.
Oui, oui.
Look, while I am intrigued,
right now I am more interested
in my new grandson.
8 pounds, 9 ounces.
He's big.
Ha ha ha. He has my chin.
But he's better looking than me.
Je l'adore.
What is it?
As you know, we have suffered another tragedy
in what is already a difficult time.
I would like to begin
by observing a moment of silence
for our friend and colleague Jean briault.
We come together today to make a decision.
Alexander khasinau is our enemy.
He and his operatives are a powerful force --
aggressive and brutal.
But we have managed to co-exist
with our opposition for years.
So the choice is clear.
Either we choose to respond with force,
equally sharing the burden of cost,
manpower, and equipment,
or we choose to seek a diplomatic détente.
So, let us now vote.
6 votes to 5,
we have resolved to reject aggressive action.
We will now seek through all diplomatic channels
contacts with Mr. khasinau.
Once those contacts have been established,
we will enter into a dialogue with him,
and may I say that we shall keep our fingers crossed.
It wasn't briault getting paid off by khasinau, was it?
It was you.
You doctored the photos, you manipulated those accounts.
Arvin.
You're upset. You lost a friend.
Conversations were never recorded.
We talked on secure lines.
I made sure I met briault in secret.
You used me.
I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about.
I will repay the favor.
Give my regards to Emily.
How was your flight?
It was okay.
Have you sent in the pictures yet?
Yeah, and in a couple of hours,
we'll know exactly what rambaldi wrote -- the truth,
which is the only defense you need.
I know.
And they agreed to wait on decryption
before taking any action.
So why don't you go home and relax?
This insanity's almost over.
Next time we're in Rome,
trattoria de nardi.
I'd like that.
Hey!
All right!
Hey.
How was your trip?
It was great.
Hey, how did your thing with kobe go the other night?
Kobe was so purposely ignoring me, don't you think?
I'm not going to be part of your delusion, okay?
Kobe so loves me! He loves me!
I love this song.
You know what? I just remembered
I have a phone call to make to Hong Kong.
I totally forgot. It's going to take me a while.
We might go to the pantry. We'll wait for you.
No, no, no. You guys go on ahead.
I'll catch up with you.
Yeah, but you got to come,
because she's really driving me nuts.
Shut up. I'm serious.
Okay.
Vaughn.
Sydney, listen.
Pursuant to national security directive 81a,
you are now in the custody of the federal government.
What the hell is going on?
I promise we'll figure this out.
What about the code key we found? What happened?
The CIA had the same key.
They broke the rambaldi code correctly.
What?
Those medical tests you took, they were looking to match
three specific physical anomalies rambaldi mentioned --
DNA sequencing, platelet levels,
and the size of your heart.
You match all three.
So what does the prophecy say?
"This woman here depicted will possess unseen marks,
"signs that she will be the one
"to bring forth my works.
"Bind them with fury.
"A burning anger, unless prevented.
"At vulgar cost, this woman will render the greatest power
unto utter desolation."