ALIAS – SEASON 5 – Episode 8 – SYDNEY
BOB
“It’s my Dad!”

As the episode opens, we are in Siberia on a train. Two old men are playing chess as a much younger man enters the car. One old man drops a chess piece. The young man picks it up, looks at the board, and tells the player what to do. However, with his other hand he places a small metal container under a seat. He leaves, taking a seat in the next car. We then see what it was he left behind…and it seems to be pulsating small yellow lights. There is an explosion. The man returns to see the people in the car are dead, charred beyond recognition. He removes the device, smiling.

At APO, Dixon announces to the team that a Russian engineer named Basarov has built a prototype MPB. He is going to sell it to an agent from MI6, who is no doubt a double agent. Marshall explains that MPB means micro pulse bomb and is designed to incinerate people, leaving everything else untouched. Tom states that type of bomb breaks international rules. Dixon says that Jack and Sydney have gone to England to find out more from one of Jack’s old friends at MI6.

The scene switches to Yorkshire and some sort of tea party. An elderly woman is talking to Sydney about the name of her baby. She suggests Rupert, if it is a boy. Sydney thanks her for the suggestion. Just then, she sees the woman that her father and she came to meet. She hands her a napkin on which is a message from Jack who is waiting to see her in one of the rooms inside the mansion.

Jack greets her saying, “Joseph still doesn’t know what you do for a living?”

Elisabeth Powell is an old friend of Jack’s and she works for MI-6, although married to the French Ambassador. He tells her that they suspect a double agent in MI6 is negotiating for a micro pulse bomb. She can’t believe it. He asks her if she has heard of the Prophet 5 project. He further tells her the people behind Prophet 5 have infiltrated other intelligence agencies. It also involves his daughter Sydney, the young woman who gave her the napkin. She smiles saying that her disguise is very real..

“I’m going to be a very young grandfather.” Jack laughs.

Meanwhile outside, Sydney has approached the French ambassador who just happens to be the husband of Jack’s friend. He is looking for his wife, but Sydney stalls him by asking him to decide if her French is good. She proceeds to give him some simple sentences and he is gracious enough to put up with her.

Inside, Jack asks her to investigate the people at MI-6. She’s a bit horrified saying, “You’re asking me to commit treason?”
“What’s a little treason between old friends,” he answers smiling.

Back in Los Angeles, Jack talks to the team. They have identified the engineer and he, Lucas Basarov, is going to sell it to the double agent. He sends Rachel to learn more about the agent from Basarov, who is attending a conference in Brazil. He is going to be receiving information as to when and where the sale is to take place.

Sydney checks with Rachel, wanting to know if she’s okay about going in alone. Rachel indicates she is. Sydney wants to know if she’s had any fun and Rachel said it was fun hitting Dean with a shovel. However, she knows what Sydney means and says she’ll try from now on after the mission is over.

In Sao Paulo, Rachel whose name is Lydia on her badge is checking into the hotel when she hears someone demanding an upgrade of his room. Rachel gets her key and enters the elevator with Sark following. They make idle conversation and end up on the same floor directly across from each other. Aha! Once in her room, Rachel drills a small hole in the wall that separates her from Basarov’s and inserts a small camera with which she will spy on him. Across the hall, Sark is also watching a feed from a camera he planted earlier in the room.

He is talking to his employer, indicating he’s watching Basarov. “For what you’re paying me, I won’t let anything stand in my way.” Sark cuts the connection.

At the conference later, Rachel asks Basarov for his autograph. She takes the book to the room and pulls off his thumbprint from the autograph book he held while writing. Meanwhile across the hall, Sark is ordering food. As soon as Basarov leaves his room, to take a shower, Rachel enters to find the information he carries in his laptop. She is about download it when she hears a noise from the hall. Sark enters with the food he ordered, dressed as like a waiter. He hears the shower going and proceeds to download the information.

Where’s Rachel? Holy cow, she’s on the ledge and she’s wearing what looks like stilettos. Looking down is definitely not a good idea. Mighty dangerous and pretty daring for a young agent who has not had much experience. Sark leaves (she doesn’t know it’s him) and she goes inside, retrieves the information and leaves. Moments later, Basarov comes out of the shower and finds the food with a note, saying it’s complimentary from the management.

Still shaking from the experience, Rachel tells Tom she has the information. He tells her he’ll let her know when to upload it to Marshall. Rachel goes to the bar and orders a drink. Sark enters to find her and they strike up a conversation. Oh, oh…fun time. Of course, neither knows what the other does for a living. He tells her he’s in international trade and works freelance. Sparks fly as they drink and talk. Sark tells Rachel that his name is Bob…Bob Brown.

Leaving the elevator, they stop at their rooms. Sark leans in to kiss her and voila, Rachel is going to have fun—just as Sydney told her to do. He wants to go to her room, but she says her clothes are all over and they should go to his. They are in bed together when Sark asks her if she wants a drink and she says yes. When he leaves, Rachel sees his passport and a ticket envelope. The airline ticket is for a flight to the Bahamas. Her phone rings and moments later, she tells “Bob” that she has to leave because she needs to get her information together for her boss. Once inside she uploads the information to Marshall.

Back in Los Angeles, Sydney tells her that she did a good job. Rachel tells Sydney that she met this ‘guy’ and she had fun. They laugh and Sydney reminds her that what happened in Brazil stays in Brazil.

Jack comes up and wants to know what happened. Sydney smiles and Jack tells Sydney he is leaving for Spain, meeting his MI-6 friend to see if they can learn who the double agent is from MI-6. Sydney grins at him. She noticed that Jack at one time knew the woman … well.

In Malaga,, Spain, Jack and Elizabeth are in a room overlooking a street where the information from Basarov’s laptop said the delivery would be made. Jack has a mini camera trained on the site as a truck pulls up, followed shortly by a car. A man gets out and Sydney identifies him as Masari, a Tunisian rebel leader who has killed many in West Africa. He is not from MI-6. Marshall looks at the bomb and says it has the capacity of a twenty-mile radius. Suddenly, shots are fired. Basarov and the man with him are killed.

The feed goes out and Sydney cannot raise Jack on the Comlink. Jack tells his friend that it was an ambush. They are in trouble.

As Tom and the others try to get Jack, Sloane enters as Sydney apologizes to him for taking him away from Nadia. Sloane is told what happened and he says if Rachel got the information, someone else could have also. Tapping into the hotels security cameras, they identify Sark was the go between. His picture flashes up on the screen and Rachel is stunned. Sydney notices and takes her to another room. Rachel swears she didn’t know. After all, he said his name as Bob Brown. His passport said that’s who he was. Sydney says they have to find him and Rachel tells her he is in Nassau in the Bahamas.

There Sydney and Rachel confront Sark. He tells them that he is free-lancing and his clients are his business. He says, “They pay handsomely for their anonymity.” Sydney says she wants to hire him for big bucks.

The scene switches to Tunisia where Jack and Elizabeth are being held prisoner. The door opens to admit Masari who demands to know where they were sending the feed to from Malaga. Jack refuses. Masari grabs Elizabeth’s left hand, holding a gun to it. If Jack doesn’t tell, he’ll shoot. She asks Jack not to tell. Masari pulls the trigger, shooting her the hand. She screams. He wants to know again and grabs her right hand.

He’s about to shoot when he’s interrupted by a phone call. It’s Sark who tells Masari that he has kidnapped a CIA and MI-6 agent. He acting on behalf of other people who would like to get their hands on the agents and want to make a deal for his prisoners. It will mean a great deal of money.

Tom, Dixon, Rachel, and Sark are sent to Tunisia after Dixon tells Sydney she has to stay behind. He knows Jack would want her safe. Outside of Masari’s headquarters, Rachel and Tom hidden beneath the truck, hanging by rope. Dixon and Sark drive into the ‘fort’. Sark tells Dixon to wait. He disappears inside. Dixon opens the hood of the truck. The guard comes over to see what is going on.

Sydney and Marshall talk about the rescue. Marshall asks, “You want some company while we wait?”
“I’d like that,” answers Sydney, smiling.

The next scene has Sark and Masari talking. Sark opens the case with the ransom money. Masari double-crosses him. Seeing the rescue going bad, Sydney orders the team to get into action. Dixon shoots the guard as Tom and Rachel join him. They storm into the headquarters. Tom and Dixon go to find Jack and Elizabeth. They find them. Jack says they are to get an ambulance and get her to a hospital. Tom says he’ll call for the extraction.

Rachel discovers Sark is handcuffed to the micro pulse bomb, which is set to go off in eight minutes. She contacts Sydney and Marshall who helps her disarm the bomb. She asks Sark what happened and he says he overestimated his friendship with Masari.

Outside, Elizabeth is being taken by ambulance to the airport and from there to a London hospital.. Jack tells her, “Sorry.”
She replies, “Don’t be,” with a smile.

Dixon and Tom face Sark who tells them he knows they’d like to arrest him. Dixon says if he will give them his bank number, they will see he gets his money. Rachel stands to one side watching.

Sark says, “Don’t bother, this one’s a freebie.” He walks out after giving Rachel a small grin.


Sydney talks to Jack upon his return to Los Angeles about his trip. Jack offers to take her to breakfast in the morning.

“Dad, if anything had happened and I couldn’t have been there…”
“Sydney, you did exactly what I would have wanted; you and the baby are all that matters.”
“I love you, Dad, sleep well.”

The episode ends with Jack playing the tune that connected him and Elizabeth.



REMARKS:

“Oh my God, it’s him,” screams every Sark lover – he’s back! Not only that…he’s being a good guy during the episode. So naturally I couldn’t put him in that category.

The easy intimacy between Jack and Elizabeth suggests that at one time they may have been lovers. This discounts the fact that Jack was not celibate after ‘Laura’ left him in 1981.

Good grief, it took five seasons to find out Jack could really tinkle the ivory’s…Yes, I know that last season he was sitting with Sydney at the piano, doodling the keys. However, this was a bit more professional.

Elizabeth is the wife of the French Ambassador to England. Now doesn’t that sound familiar?


DISCUSS:

Sydney and Jack seem to be closer than ever. What do you think?

Sloane was rather benign in this episode. Do you think he will cooperate with the Prophet 5 group if they can guarantee Nadia's return to perfect mental stability?

Who is the head of Prophet 5? Any guesses?

'Grandpahood' his getting to him?

Hell yes! To a certain degree. If he's asked to do something that really bothers him (like involving Rachel's family for exemple), he'll probably do it but arrange things so that it doesn't work without blowing his cover with APO or the Prophet five group.

Somebody evil. It may not be somebody we already know or...whatever happened to Olivia Reed? She struck me as an unfeeling evil b**** willing to take extreme measures when needed.