"Man, i hate these things." "A bunch of rich people standing around congratulating each other on how much better they are than everyone else." "Well, it's good to see the tailor left room for the chip on your shoulder." "Man, you don't like these things any more than i do." "No, i don't." "But it's where i came from." "The trick, you see, is that nobody does." "You just got to be cool enough not to let it show." "Yeah, whatever." "Well, at least adam seems to be enjoying himself." "Well, it's good to see him out." "Oh." "Wow." "You guys look amazing." "Yeah, but i don't know how i'm going to climb a wall in this thing." "So...?" "Aren't you going to say anything?" "You look good." "You look really good." "Regulation of advanced genetic funding is in everybody's interests." "Finally, someone who tells the truth." "All the others are worried about is their precious funding." "I'd like to think so." "Thank you." "I'm sorry, i don't know you." "I'm adam kane." "Serena." "Serena...?" "Just serena." "I'm sorry, so, are you interested in genetics?" "I work in the gene sequencing lab at berkeley." "Really?" "You don't seem like your average scientist." "Well, now you're being judgmental." "I'd expected more from you." "Well, i'm sorry to disappoint you." "I'll have to find a way for you to make it up to me." "Maybe i could buy you a drink." "Weli... there's another side of adam we're seeing." "How much do you want to bet he takes her home tonight?" "No way." "Aw, come on, adam's a man." "And she is..." "definitely a woman." "Double or nothing they share breakfast in the morning." "So tell me about yourself." "Myself... i told you where i work." "I know, but, you know, something more personal, like your last name." "Serena what?" "Ahh, my last name." "Well, it's a secret." "Really?" "Well, i'm good at keeping secrets." "Really?" "Yeah." "All right, then." "really?" "Uh huh." "Well, that's a beautiful name." "Now, there's only one thing." "Uh huh?" "Now that you know... uh huh." "I'm going to have to kill you." "Who sent you?" "I don't think so." "i am adam kane." "I was a pioneer of genetic research, manipulating dna to save human lives." "But in many their genes unexpectedly mutated." "They developed super-human abilities." "Together with four of the most powerful i fight to protect a world that doesn't even know we exist." "We are... mutant x." "Adam, what the hell happened?" "I wish i knew." "Come on, you must have some idea why she was trying to kill you." "Well, i... i'm assuming it has something to do with my speech at the conference." "Well, adam, it could be any one of a number of people we've taken down." "I mean, i can think of a few who wouldn't mind a little payback." "Yeah, well, whoever it is, they've gone to the best to try to do it." "The woman who tried to kill me had a tattoo of a blue lightning bolt on her wrist." "Now, i always thought that the existence of the so-called blue bolt was a myth." "But after the research that i've done today?" "They're real." "You know, i might not be up on my crime lore, but what does a bit of body art have to do with somebody who's trying to kill you, adam?" "In the world of covert operations, blue bolt were rumoured to be an elite assassination ring." "Yeah, well, that woman that tried to kill you today was definitely more than a rumour." "I noticed." "And my sources also came through with some pretty frightening confirmation." "Blue bolt is supposed to have training and weaponry second to none." "They claim to be able to get to anybody, anytime, anywhere." "Look, i know you don't want to hear this, adam, but i think you should reconsider speaking at the conference." "No, i've been hiding out in sanctuary long enough." "These people are not going to scare me away." "Adam, she tried to kill you." "These people mean business." "We have to take a chance." "There's too much at stake here." "Well, if you're set on speaking at that conference, then what we have to do is eliminate that threat." "No, no, no." "We need to infiltrate them." "Keep them away from adam until after the conference." "And find out who ordered the hit." "Right." "So who goes in?" "I think it's obvious." "To run with the hunters, we need our own predator... i thought you said she was your best operative." "She was." "He must've had help." "He couldn't have taken her out alone." "I don't want to hear excuses." "For what i'm paying you i expect nothing but results." "That is exactly what you'll receive." "You have my guarantee." "I don't want guarantees." "I want adam kane dead before he speaks at that conference." "I underestimated him the first time." "Next time there will be no mistake." "Adam." "Look, i want to... i want to talk to you about this whole undercover thing, okay?" "I'm not so sure it's such a good idea." "You mean the idea, or the idea of sending shalimar in?" "Okay, no offense, shal, but i... i've had way more experience in the underground." "You think i can't do this?" "No." "You said you think you can do this better than i can." "Look, okay, wait." "You're both great professionals, but shalimar's agility, the speed of her fighting skills and her predatory nature make her a natural for this organization." "Do we even know anything about these guys?" "Yeah, how to contact them." "At a bar on the east side called mother's milk." "And?" "That's it." "No names, no contact, nothing." "Just a tip that i got, that if you want to find blue bolt, you go to mother's milk." "Well, come on, well, what about shalimar's backup?" "We need floor plans." "We need schematics." "We need... we need a map of the area." "We need to figure out where we're going to position ourselves." "Brennan, she's going in alone." "One new face is suspicious." "Four faces, it sets off alarms." "Okay?" "She's going to be in constant contact with us via comlink." "We're going to have her covered, don't worry." "I still got to get you prepped, all right?" "Come with me." "We're going to try to make contact tonight." "No, wait." "Shal." "Shal, listen." "Just for the record, i don't doubt your skills." "Yeah, well, you could've fooled me." "I'm worried about you." "That's it." "That's your problem, brennan, not mine." "Okay, you want to worry about someone?" "Worry about the people who are trying to take out adam." "Well, i made you up a fake rap sheet." "It's registered with all the major law enforcement databases." "Well, multiple assaults, suspected homicide... attempted homicide." "Nice." "Eh." "So you okay with this?" "Well, i'm about to walk into a den of ruthless killers." "What's to be anxious about?" "Right." "Let's get you on your way." "Good job." "What was that?" "I don't know." "Looks like shalimar's comlink just went down." "What?" "Are they on to her?" "Nah, it's too soon." "No, they must have some kind of antl-surveillance jamming in place or something." "Mineral water with a twist." "Does this look like a mineral water room to you?" "Not for somebody who just came in here to drink." "Don't tell me." "You're looking for companionship." "I'm looking for work." "I've heard this might be the place to find it." "From who?" "From someone who'd probably end up dead if i told you." "I think you have the wrong place here, uh, goldilocks." "I've been waiting for someone like you." "I bet you haven't." "Oh, i have." "But before they find you in an alley somewhere, you and me are going to have a good time." "Really." "A good time?" "Because for me, a good time is... doing stuff like this." "You know what else i enjoy?" "And what's really fun is this!" "Anybody else want to have some fun?" "That was good." "Where'd you learn to fight like that?" "Here and there." "Where i grew up i spent half my time fighting off punks like that." "You're here for a reason." "I heard this was a place where somebody like me can find work." "And what is someone like you?" "Someone who does what needs to be done, and gets paid a lot of money for doing it." "You understand?" "The things weaker people don't have the stomach for." "And you're sure you do?" "Well, there are people who could vouch for me." "If they could still talk." "There might be an opening... if you're as good as you say you are." "Try me." "you'll get your chance." "Let's both hope you're up to it." "Adam, it's been an hour since shalimar's gone into that bar, and we still haven't been able to locate her comlink signal." "Well, it's going to take some time for her to win those people's trusts." "Yeah, well, what if she's in trouble?" "Well, what do you want to do?" "I mean, you want to send in the troops, and crash in there?" "Blow the cover." "I mean, how's that going to help the mission?" "Adam, forget about the mission for a second." "You're the one that's too proud to give up going to this conference, and that's why she's risking her life in the first place." "So why don't you think about her?" "I am thinking about her." "Mostly thinking that you're overprotective." "No, no." "I am concerned." "There's a difference." "Shalimar is one of the most powerful mutants ever recorded." "What difference does that make?" "These guys have got weapons." "They've got things that we've never even heard of before." "But she's also smart and she's careful." "Of course, i worry about her." "I worry about her the way i worry about sending any of you into one of these situations." "But i gave her a mission." "Now, how do you think she's going to feel if we send in the troops and tell her that, no, we didn't trust her to handle it." "Adam, you know i'm worried about her feelings, but more importantly i'm worried about getting her back here in one piece." "What she needs right now is not your worry." "She needs your support." "The way a partner supports a partner - by trusting in what she can do." "And by giving her whatever backup she needs." "Easy." "My name is noel." "You really are something special." "That would've kept anyone else out for another six hours." "Well, good." "That'll give me more time to kick your ass." "You wanted a job." "This is how it starts." "A precaution." "I'm sure you understand." "I understand that as soon as i'm back on my feet i'm going to tear you apart." "I like the attitude." "But you might find that harder than you think." "Where did you learn to fight like that?" "I told you." "I know what you told me." "And while you were out, i ran your prints and got your arrest records." "But it doesn't add up." "You don't get that fast or that good fighting in the street." "You've had training." "You know everything you need to know." "You're good." "And you're beautiful." "And that makes you dangerous." "I need to make sure that danger isn't to me." "Rest now, shalimar." "We'll talk later." "adam?" "Adam?" "Dammit." "It's under control." "I told him i wouldn't fail again." "People are beginning to lose faith in our organization." "That is a bad thing." "Nobody should've been able to stop serena." "You know that." "All i know is benjamin mcteague is paying a premium fee and deserves premium service." "We'll send you another operative." "No." "I have one of my own." "Someone you don't know about." "Someone new." "You're the point person on this mission." "You're risking a lot on an untried operative." "The action will happen as planned, i promise." "Remember, noel, a second chance is rare." "Beyond that, there is nothing." "Adam." "I don't know if you're getting this, but i heard a name." "The one who's hiring blue bolt is mcteague." "The client's name is benjamin mcteague." "Shal, are you there?" "Shal." "Mcteague, is that what she said?" "Yeah, that's what i heard." "Why, do you know him?" "Yeah." "How?" "For ten years, he was my best friend." "You shouldn't have rushed it." "You didn't think you could keep me in there forever, did you?" "I don't think anybody could make you do anything you didn't want to do." "I just hope we want the same things." "Hey." "Yeah, i was wondering how long it would take you to ask." "So?" "What's going on?" "Who's mcteague?" "Well, he was my closest colleague." "And he's brilliant, talented, passionate." "But we had a falling out over twenty years ago." "You know, he dropped out of sight." "And i haven't talked to him since." "Well, if you were friends, why would he want you dead?" "Well, he was one of these guys who believed in unrestricted research, you know?" "No matter what the risk." "Well, that attitude could justify anything." "That's right." "And that's exactly what he was doing." "So we agreed to disagree and we left it at that." "Well, that's a really good story." "Now, why don't you tell me the real issue - because i know there was a lot more between the two of you than just philosophical differences." "I'm sorry." "Did i forget to mention that i fell in love with his wife lucy?" "Yeah." "I guess you did forget to mention that." "Never seen anything like your style." "What's it called?" "You keep your secrets." "I'll keep mine." "How are you feeling?" "Better." "That's an interesting tattoo." "A lot of blood was spilled to earn this mark." "You may earn one of your own." "Yeah, well, i'm not much of a joiner." "I'll be happy with the money." "You're a lone wolf." "Like me." "But even a lone wolf needs a pack at times." "Well, give me a job." "Show me what it's like to be in your pack." "You prove yourself to me, shalimar, and you'll have your job." "Didn't i prove myself tonight?" "Anyone can fight." "I have to see you kill." "Adam, i don't know if you can hear me, but i need backup." "Adam, come here." "I'm getting something from shalimar." "Shalimar, it's okay, i've got you." "Go ahead." "I've boosted up her signal and got her." "I've even got a location on her." "Look, i'm in, but he wants me to prove myself." "He's asked me to kill someone for him." "All right." "We've got your location." "We've got the name mcteague." "We're on our way to get you out." "Brennan?" "No, you can't." "He'll just send someone else in to take you out." "I need to get this assignment." "All right." "You stay on it." "Do as he tells you." "We'll be there." "You can't actually expect her to kill somebody." "No." "Of course not." "That's why we have to provide the victim." "You can feel it, can't you?" "The night." "It's almost like you don't even have to use your eyes to see." "How'd you know?" "Because you're like me." "We do our best work at night." "It's when you're most alive." "You think we're alike?" "I know we are." "I've seen you fight, remember?" "For people like us, it's not just violence." "It's a communication." "It's like poetry." "That's a lot to pull from me pounding a few guys on a bar." "It tells me a lot about the kind of lover you are, too." "And what kind of lover am i?" "You take no prisoners, and you deserve the best." "And you know what the best is." "I do." "It's someone who appreciates everything about you." "Everything you bring to the table." "And who'll let you go as far as you can." "You know somebody who might fit that bill?" "You know, i just might." "You said something about a test." "You have somebody picked out?" "They'll present themselves to us." "Present themselves?" "It will be someone who doesn't expect it." "Someone who doesn't deserve it." "Someone who doesn't even suspect there are people like us out there." "What are people like us?" "People who enjoy it." "Jesse, you get that?" "I got 'em." "They're heading my way." "Good." "I hope you got your victim look down." "I'm all over it." "I'm gonna meet them half way down the block." "Emma, make sure nobody enters the street from your end, all right?" "Okay." "And they present themselves." "Where'd he come from?" "I don't know." "He wasn't there a minute ago." "I thought you were going to prove yourself." "I am." "With him." "He's younger." "More of an opponent." "Maybe you do have what it takes." "Look him right in the eye when you do it." "Make it up close and personal." "Jesse, she's got a knife." "The bulletproof vest isn't going to cut it." "Jesse, you have to pull out." "If you phase he's going to see it." "Okay, change of plans." "I'm going to phase the knife." "Jesse, no." "It's the only way." "Jess!" "I hope you know what you're doing." "Ugh... oh... oh... so i got the job?" "That... and i don't have to kill you." "You get your first assignment tomorrow." "Congratulations." "You know, i don't know what you were thinking, jesse." "If you didn't phase that blade at exactly the right moment she'd have opened you up." "Well, it's a good thing my timing is impeccable." "Yeah." "Lucky... this time." "Why is it that when you take chances they're called calculated risks?" "Well, because i do the calculations." "At least, now we have a fix on blue bolt's headquarters we'll be able to keep tabs on every move this noel guy makes right up until the conference." "Hey, you know, is this striking anybody else as being way too easy?" "I mean, she meets him in a bar, and the very next day he's trusting her with an important mission?" "She proved herself." "And, in case you haven't noticed, shal can be pretty persuasive." "Just the same, i can't wait for them to start making their moves so we can start making ours." "So are you going to tell me about the job?" "You'll know when the time is right." "You don't trust me." "Should i?" "I'm going to kill someone for you." "Don't fool yourself." "You're doing it for you." "Maybe." "But i'm still curious." "Who is he?" "Why does he have to die?" "He?" "I didn't say it was a man." "I just assumed." "You wouldn't hurt a lady, would you?" "He's nobody." "He's the guy in the street." "He's the target." "And he has to die because somebody's paying us to make it happen." "I keep it that simple." "You will, too." "Isn't there anything complicated in your life?" "You." "Me?" "Before yesterday, i'd never set eyes on you." "But i feel like i've known you forever." "You might not like me if you knew me better." "I know whatever i need to know." "Nice move." "You gonna finish me off?" "I can't." "I think you've complicated my life, too." "Say "uncle"." "I ran a search of all the companies that could be affected by your upcoming speech." "And no mcteague." "However, i did a cross-reference, and came up with... the phoenix corporation." "Phoenix." "Yeah, i know the name." "They provide research to a lot of the companies that would have a problem with my speech." "That's right." "The power behind the power." "Guess what i found?" "The masthead of the company, the chairman of the board... benjamin mcteague." "Time to pay a visit." "What are you going to do?" "Just waltz right in there?" "Well, yeah." "He's not going to have his killers with him." "It's the last place he'd expect to see me." "Okay." "But, what?" "So... so, what?" "He's just going to cancel the hit because you ask him to?" "Well, i think he'll think twice about it, knowing we're on to him." "Yeah." "You stay here, you monitor shalimar." "Brennan!" "Emma!" "In the helix." "Five minutes." "Saw you on my security screen." "Very impressive." "I'm looking for benjamin mcteague." "You found him." "You're his son?" "My father died five years ago, but i don't suppose you two were close at the end." "Someone's trying to kill me." "I was given his name as the person who's responsible." "But it's you." "That's a powerful accusation." "Any proof?" "You know there isn't." "Then i wouldn't go spreading it around." "Wild accusations might damage your credibility, and i understand you're going to need that later today for the senate conference." "Right, so is that what this is all about?" "About your funding for genetic research?" "Obviously, you guys have enough money to buy whatever influence you need." "If i wanted to kill someone, it wouldn't be about money." "Then what?" "You know, i'm almost surprised you haven't asked me about my mother." "How is she?" "Dead." "She was a wonderful woman." "I'm very sorry to hear that." "Yeah, but not so sorry that you ever inquired after her." "She died when i was fifteen years old." "She left my father a few years after you two were together." "I mean, you and my father, of course." "When your father and i stopped working together things were pretty complicated." "Oh, i'm sure they were." "Look, we were talking about who was trying to kill me." "Oh, were we?" "See, i wasn't sure whether we were talking about genetic research, my sad family situation or what... by the way, did i mention how my father died?" "Killed himself." "Shortly after my mother left him." "He was a sad man." "A wounded man." "First, a wedge was driven into his marriage." "And now, after all this time, someone threatens to destroy his company." "You may know something, or think you know something about what happened between your parents and me while we were working together." "But you don't." "Your father and i had our differences." "He was a brilliant man." "But he lost himself." "He was what he was." "And you have no right to talk about him like that." "Leave my office... now." "I'm going to speak at this conference today." "And you can't stop me." "You know, my mother, she used to talk about you like you were some kind of hero." "But now?" "Now i see it's more like a... like a hero complex." "I'm going to speak at this conference no matter what it does to your business, no matter what happens to me, and there's nothing you can do about it." "Adam, i'm sensing there's more security." "We gotta get out of here." "Get me the operative immediately." "Yes, sir." "Nice to finally meet you, adam kane." "Too bad there'll never be a second meeting." "I'm a very bad person to sneak up on." "I see that." "So, when are we heading out?" "Soon." "Yes." "There could be no leak." "If someone knows, it's from the man himself." "The plan is in place." "It will go off as arranged." "I'm going to go get ready." "So, what was that all about at mcteague's office?" "I'm not sure." "You really cared about his mother." "Lucy and i knew that it was unfair to ben to continue, so i left it up to her to make a choice, and she did what she thought she had to do." "She stayed with him." "And do you think the son knows about you and his mother?" "Well, he did everything but say so." "And i think that his anger is as much about his perception that i somehow broke up his parents' marriage as it is about my speech at the convention." "You know, i got a hit off him when i was in there." "And?" "His mind is filled with hate and anger and love and all of them way off the scale." "So you think he's dangerous?" "No, i think he's more than dangerous, adam." "I think he's insane." "All right." "Look, it's almost time to go to the convention." "I'm going to get ready." "You get the others." " Okay." "Ready to go?" "Almost." "There's been a breach in the organisation's security." "What does that mean to us?" "Maybe nothing." "This is the target?" "He intends to speak at a genetics conference." "We have to stop him before he does." "What if he has backup?" "I have to assume he will." "Hence, my choice of weapons." "Impressive." "We've obtained the target's dna." "It's been programmed into the weapon's ammunition." "Programmed?" "The projectile is essentially a guided missile." "When you fire this from within a thirty-foot radius of the target, the charges will track the target no matter how he tries to evade it." "Wow." "Where's the latch to take it off?" "There is none." "The security breach has my people worried." "It has me worried." "If you try to remove the weapon before it takes out the target, it will self-destruct." "And it'll take out your arm up to the shoulder." "Why?" "You can do this, shalimar." "You prove yourself here, and we can disappear for a while." "Travel the world, and hunt in other cities." "Take this off me." "That's not an option." "Just do the job." "And then we can be together." "All right, so you know your assignments." "The minute shalimar's comlink becomes active you locate her, shut down whoever's with her." "You tell me whenever you sense something." "You got it." "The best place to make the shot is the conference centre." "There'll be nowhere to hide." "Don't worry." "I'll be covering the balcony." "I'll take out anyone who's protecting him." "Noel, what happens if something goes wrong?" "Don't let it." "If anyone can hear this, i'm in the building." "Where?" "Second floor." "He wants me to make the hit in the conference room." "My backup's going to be on the balcony." "I got him." "He's going to be trying to take out adam's protection, so keep a low profile, guys." "You got that, adam?" "All right, brennan, see what you can do about taking out the backup." "Wait, there's something else." "Adam, he strapped some kind of weapon onto my arm." "It's keyed in to your dna and if i don't shoot you it's going to self-destruct and take off my arm." "Jesse, you think you can phase that off her?" "Sensor's probably wired to blow the moment it leaves her arm." "Nah, it'll go off as soon as i start." "allright." "Well, listen, team, we gotta come up with something." "Or one of us is going to die." "I can't do this, adam." "What if something does wrong?" "Shalimar, we don't have a choice." "I want you to pull the trigger... now." "Jess!" "Hey!" "Just didn't deserve her." "Jesse, don't." "He's mine." "Things could've turned out differently, shalimar." "No, they couldn't." "One of my friends would be dead." "We all have to die sometime." "Argh...!" "Don't do this, noel." "youknowme ." "You know what i have to do." "And you know what i have to do." "Oh, hey, shal." "Look, i'm glad you're here." "I was... you know, i just wanted to say, yeah, i was overprotective, but i never underestimated you." "You know, you can't just go through the roof with worry every time i go out on a mission." "Yeah, i know." "Okay, i mean, i know you could probably take me to pieces if you wanted to." "Obviously." "Yeah." "You know, i was just thinking, when you're in there, with him, what if you never came back to... to us, you know?" "The team." "And what would that be like?" "For the team?" "Well, i... i don't know what we'd do without you." "That's nice." "Hey." " You okay?" "Yeah, i think the conference went well." "I think i turned a few politicians' heads." "And now, if the big money lobbyists don't turn them back then- i meant about mcteague's son trying to kill you." "Yeah, well, can't say that that made my day." "Maybe we should talk to the police." "No, because we don't have any hard proof that he's the one who ordered the hit." "You know, it kind of sounds like you're protecting him." "Well, maybe i am." "Although i don't know why." "Well, he's the son of someone you loved." "You know, maybe you feel like you owe her." "Maybe i do." "Yeah, but, you can't just close your eyes and pretend it's all better now." "Because ben is still out there." "And he's insane."