Mea Culpa

Episode Number: 1.09

Original Air Date: December 9, 2001

Written By: Debra J. Fisher & Erica Messer

Directed By: Ken Olin

Summary:
Previously on Alias: While on a mission to recover a Rambaldi artifact in Chile, Sydney and Dixon were ambushed by operatives from K-Directorate. The assault left Sydney unconscious in an underground tunnel and Dixon critically injured from a gunshot wound.

Surviving her fall, Sydney discovers the injured Dixon and calls for a CIA rescue mission using the SAT COM phone given to her by Vaughn. Because of this, she is now concerned her cover might be blown. Back at SD-6, Dryer informs Sloane he believes Sydney Bristow is the mole. Her scores on the Functional Imagining Test are too perfect. Sloane is hesitant to believe Dryer's allegations but states he will handle the matter himself. Sydney meets with Sloane and tells him her fabricated escape-from-Chile tale. She is concerned for Dixon's life.

Sloane outlines Sydney's next assignment and she is sent to Tuscany. While there, she is to steal information from Ineni Hassan's accountant so SD-6 can freeze his assets. After Sydney's departure, Sloane sends a message calling for Sydney's assassination through a bogus mail server to SD-4. The purpose of this is draw out the 'mole' and whoever might be hacking into SD-6's main server.

Vaughn intercepts the assassination order and quickly assembles a rescue team to save Sydney's life. Jack, however, discovers this is a ploy by Sloane and convinces Vaughn that the rescue mission is unnecessary. Vaughn, hesitant to agree, shows trust in Jack's assessment and Sydney's life is spared again.

Meanwhile, Will shares with Francie his continuing investigation into Danny's death. He also tells her about Kate Jones / Eloise Kurtz and his discovery of a bug placed in Eloise's pin. Francie believes Will's imagination about conspiracies has gotten the best of him, and they both jokingly start talking into the 'pin'. Shortly afterward, Will receives a phone call from his 'Deep Throat' source ordering him to shut up and to stop playing games.

At SD-6, Marshall discovers the information Sydney stole from Hassan's accountant does not reveal the information they hoped for. It does, however, disclose a specific Swiss Bank, and Sydney and Agent Russek are sent to Geneva. Sydney's mission is to gain access to the vault and transmit the account numbers to Russek. Marshall, who is monitoring the transmission, detects a second transmission, which he shares with Security Agent Dryer.

Will receives another contact from his 'Deep Throat' and is given an audio tape of Kate Jones' murder. Sydney returns from Geneva only to be taken into custody by the Security Section of SD-6.