Phase One

Episode Number: 2.13

Original Air Date: Janurary 26, 2003

Written By: J.J. Abrams

Directed By: Jack Bender

Summary:
(Spygirl's note: If I never have to endure another Super Bowl After Show again, it will be too soon.)

Previously on Alias: Syd and Vaughn go on a date. Syd and Vaughn gaze longingly into one another's eyes over crème brule. French restaurant owner plays Pimp O' Love and gives these two a room key. Bad men enter restaurant of UST and attempt to kill Syd and Vaughn. Vaughn saves the day and he and Syd part company, unfortunately, without a kiss. Oh, and there was something about a gyroscope and Agent Weiss returns after a 3 month medical leave.

This week on Alias, Sydney is flying high in the friendly skies that is not United Airlines. In her best Fredrick's of Hollywood lingerie, she's playing personal runway and fantasy model for some sleazy foreign guy stuffing his mouth with shrimp cocktail. Sleazy fat guy decides he likes the red outfit and dumps his shrimp appetizer to move on to the entrée known as Sydney. Sydney seductively lures sleazy fat guy into her web of "you're so screwed but not in a good way" and strongholds him into telling her the location of server 47. (Another sidenote: What is it with the number 47 and this show????) Sydney knocks fat sleazy guy into unconsciousness, locates the computer, changes her clothes, and begins to search the rest of the private airplane. She soon meets up with sleazy fat guy's bodyguard and kick boxes him into unconsciousness. Just when she thinks she's home free, sleazy fat guy confronts Sydney about stealing from him, pulls a gun on her and fires. Break to 24 hours earlier in L.A.

Sydney arrives at CIA Operations Center for a meeting with Kendall and gang. Vaughn tells Sydney he needs to speak with her privately before the meeting. Taking her into a private room Vaughn expresses his feeling for Sydney, telling her he can't sleep when she's on missions, he can't focus when she's around and all he wants to do is kiss her. Sydney, looking relieved, agrees that it's hard to focus. The love confessions are interrupted when Weiss enters the room to remind our couple that there's a meeting they need to attend.

Meeting debrief with Kendall, Weiss, Vaughn, Jack, Sydney and a bunch of other agents we've never seen before. Kendall explains that Sloane has been MIA for five days and is being replaced as head of SD-6 by Anthony Geiger. As no one knows anything about Geiger, it's Syd and Jack's mission to get to know him and be a part of his inner circle.

Sydney arrives at SD-6 and introduces herself to Geiger, who in turn questions her about Danny. After their get-to-know-one another chat, Sydney leaves Geiger's office rather disturbed. Sark approaches Sydney and tells her he shares her apparent feelings regarding Geiger but knows that everyone has secrets – including Geiger. Sydney tells Sark to spill the beans and Sark states that Geiger found out about Sloane's information on server 47. Sydney explains there are only 46 servers but Sark's explanation leads Sydney to believe otherwise.

Syd meets with Jack regarding the information about server 47. Sydney explains to Jack that she believes server 47 is a vulnerability, a central computer for the Alliance; a computer that links together all the SD cells. Sydney continues to convince Jack that server 47 might also have all the Alliance members names, the location of all the SD cells, basically everything they ever wanted to know…the silver bullet the CIA has been looking for. Jack tells Sydney he'll get the CIA to sanction any investigation into server 47.

Later, Vaughn tells Sydney that server 47 doesn't exist on this planet. Meaning that server 47 is housed on a private 747 jet that does nothing but stay in the air and only lands for service and refueling. The Alliance has paid an accomplished computer security expert, Jeal McCore to live on the plane 24 / 7. Not only does the Alliance pay McCore well, they also provide him with women. Sydney's mission is to trade places with the next escort "friend" and get close enough to McCore to gain access to server 47.

Vaughn and Weiss are dressed in fatigues, flying over the Atlantic in a cargo plane. Weiss and Vaughn engage in cute banter about Vaughn's new cologne. Weiss states the camera is on and Sydney's mission is now viewable to the CIA. Basically, we're seeing the same thing as the opening scene only this time there's the benefit of Weiss and Vaughn's comments. Aside from some testosterone driven jealousy by Vaughn, everything plays out the same. When we left off at the opening scene, Sydney was being shot at by fat sleazy guy, who we now know is McCore. Syd ducks the bullet, grabs a gun lying on the floor, holds on tight to a wall and shoots bullets through a window, which of course causes all kinds of problems with the plane. McCore and his bodyguard are sucked out of the plane and right into the 747's engine. Holding on for life, Sydney makes her way to a closet that, luckily for her, has parachutes. She dresses in a parachute and is sucked out of the plane safely. Vaughn and Weiss are able to breathe again.

Back in LA. Francie and Will are cooking lobster in honor of Francie's restaurant making a profit. Will tells Francie he's glad for her success and that he's found a new job as a writer for a travel magazine. Francie is happy for Will and they share a kiss and embrace, which turns into a passionate moment between the two.

CIA Ops Center. Vaughn and Syd look over documents retrieved from server 47 and attempt to convince Kendall that they have enough information to destroy the Alliance. Kendall is concerned over security risks within the SD-cells – basically a whole bunch of C4 explosives buried deep within the building's structure. Jack states the information from server 47 gives security access codes, but since no one is sure if those codes are still active, Jack will attempt to get the current code from SD-6. If this code matches the code in the documents, then the CIA will be assured the rest of the intel in the documents in valid.

Brief moment of uselessness: Francie, Will and Syd at Francie's restaurant. Francie and Will are chatting with each other and kind of ignoring Syd. Sydney finally asks what's going on and Francie states that she and Will "made-out." Sydney and Will leave and Will states he's not sure where this thing is going with Francie but that it feels 'right.'

At SD-6, Geiger discovers a strange email written by Sloane and within this email, learns that Sloane originally wrote that Jack and Sydney Bristow are double agents.

Jack arrives at SD-6 to access server information. Before he retrieves anything, however, he's met by Geiger and the two eventually share a looks that says "the gig is up."

Sydney receives a phone call from her father stating that Geiger would like to see her at SD-6. Jack also tells Syd to take the surface streets as there's roadwork being done on the freeway. Sydney begins to cry as this is a phrase code she and her father arranged last year should either one of them become compromised.

SD-6, Den of Torture – Geiger begins his sadistic torture on Jack. They exchange a small amount of conversation but Jack doesn't tell Geiger anything. Geiger attempts to shock Jack into submission.

Realizing she has no other choice, Sydney meets with Dixon and tells him the truth about SD-6. Understandably, Dixon doesn't quite believe Syd, but she convinces him that if he does what she asks – verify the security code – he will see for himself that SD-6 is a part of the Alliance.

Dixon returns to SD-6, looking at the offices differently than he did earlier that day. He enters information into his computer and soon discovers that everything Sydney told him was true. Dixon learns he's been working for the very enemy he thought he was working against. He takes a moment to call his wife and tells her he loves her. Soon afterward, he sends the code to Sydney via email and the CIA learns the security access codes are good.

CIA: Kendall instructs an advanced unit that at 2200 hundred hours, all SD-cells, homes, other places of residences owned by the Alliance, will be infiltrated by the CIA with help from their various alliances.

At SD-6, Geiger continues his torture of Jack, and the CIA prepares to overtake SD-6. Smoke bombs are thrown into the main ops center and SD-6 agents are taken into custody. Gunfire is exchanged between SD-6 security section and the CIA. Sydney races to the Conversation room to rescue Jack and finds him just before Geiger kills him. Instead, Sydney kills Geiger and a medic comes to aid Jack.

Sydney sees Dixon as he and Marshall are being led away by CIA agents. Syd tells Dixon everything will be over soon. Dixon tells Sydney not to speak with him.

Kendall receives reports of the aftermath of taking down the Alliance and all the SD-cells. The CIA suffered some casualties but they are in control of all Alliance facilities.

Back at SD-6, Vaughn and Sydney are surveying the destruction of SD-6 and see each other from across the room. They make their way towards each other and give each other the best kiss television has ever seen. It's the kiss that just doesn't end folks. Even Weiss tries to get their attention but it doesn't work, they just keep on kissing.

Cut to Sark talking on the phone with Sloane. We learn that the take down of the Alliance was a master plan by Sloane…something that he knew Syd and Jack would do with the right information. Sloane tells Sark to move on to Phase Two but that it's too soon to celebrate. He also tells Sark to contact their new asset and make sure everything is on schedule. We hear a phone ringing and see Francie's restaurant. Francie is talking on the phone with Sark saying everything is in place. Camera pans the room to a wall smeared with blood. The real Francie has been murdered from a bullet wound to the forehead.