Co-Stars: Tony Craig (Agent Micelli); Larissa Gomes (Lina Tavoulis); Keith Kemps (Trof); Ryan Scott (Jackson Carver)

Originally Aired: 05-Nov-2001; Written by: Peter M. Lenkov; Directed by: David Wu

The daughter of a millionaire businessman is kidnapped and held for ransom. Her only hope is a con man from Nodul ... an alien fugitive from Sar-Top Prison.

When train #805 pulled into the Chicago station, one of the aliens who stepped off was Nestov, a criminal from the watery planet of Nodul. The Human body he took over carried a briefcase brimming with cash, but he had no idea where it came from. After days of piecing things together, Nestov realized that his host body, Jack Leary, was part of a kidnapping plot and the cash was the ransom money. The kidnapped victim, a seventeen year old girl, was hidden away by his two ‘partners’ and Leary evidently didn’t know the location. When Nestov hears that there has been a second ransom demand, a million dollars to be delivered within the next twenty hours, he knows that once the kidnappers get the money they’ll kill the girl. The only way she’s not a threat to them is if she’s dead.

Back on his planet, Nestov was a criminal but not a killer, and he doesn’t want the blood of this girl on his hands so, as the story begins, he seeks out Daggon and pleads with him to help locate the girl and free her before she dies. Daggon and Nestov dig through Leary’s effects and come up with a list of ‘street connections’. Mel contacts Dominic Bruno and with his help they are eventually able to piece together enough information to find the girl. She has been left in an underground tomb, essentially buried alive, with only enough oxygen to survive for a few more minutes. Nestov, using his ability to go long periods without air, attempts to rescue the girl while Daggon squares off against the kidnappers. Once the situation is resolved Nestov realizes that "Leary" is a marked man in the underworld, seen as a rat and informer. As a result, it would only be a matter of time before someone gunned him down or worse, so he gives himself up to Daggon for "lifeforce extraction."

Synopsis: If the purpose of science fiction is to allow an examination of our society, cultures and mores from a different and perhaps fresh perspective, then this episode was fairly effective in some respects. Nestov’s dialog about his crimes not being as serious or as harmful as those of some of the other prisoners who escaped to Earth, Cole’s decision to allow Nestov run free for a time as an informant in a gesture of respect and good will for his personal risk when he perceived that he’d saved Cole’s life, and Cole’s full monte striptease in the bar, all offer interesting topics for an examination of Human cultural and personal values.

The story line is a bit different, although one pretty much has it figured out early on that the kidnapping is a setup and the fiancé is involved, so it could have been more sophisticated on that score. But more important, the relationship between Mel and Cole is starting to develop nicely. They’re both becoming more comfortable with each other. She is obviously attracted to him, yet also feels protective toward him. He just as obviously trusts, cares for and heavily relies on her. Also note that Cole is beginning to lose some of that stiff awkwardness in his walk, indicating that he’s starting to become more comfortable with his Human body now.

———————————————————————

In the teaser, Cole is pursuing an Enixian named Trof through electrical and cable tunnels beneath the City, wearing some sort of see-in-the-dark positioning headgear and firing an energy-blast weapon at him.

[Note: This is the ONLY time in the entire series that Cole is ever seen using a weapon besides his Collector].

Cole has dropped both his weapon and his Collector.

Trof recovers first and seizes the Collector, holding it out toward Cole, who freezes in a crouch, glancing down to the weapon that’s just beyond his reach. It’s a standoff.

Trof, gloating: "So, this is the device you use to remove our lifeforces ... How many of us have you taken ... with this thing? ... You’re the one they all talk about, the great ... Tracker." Cole gives a faint smile. "Funny. Now they’ll all be talking about me..."

At that moment another alien (Nestov) emerges from blending in with the ground with a loud, "Urrgh!"

Startled, Trof looks over – and that split second of inattention is all Cole needs. A rolling dive and he has the weapon, firing a red energy blast at Trof’s chest. The Collector is flung high in the air as Trof is hurled backwards into the fountain. Catching his Collector as it comes down, Cole extracts Trof’s lifeforce before he can get up, leaving the dead Human host body to float in the water.

[Note: Trof’s name isn’t given in the episode, but it’s listed as being such in the guest cast].

Cole quickly turns, Collector at the ready, to find Nestov gingerly picking up the energy weapon.

Cole, warning: "Down. Put it down."

Nestov, complying immediately and holding up a hand: "I just want to talk to you, that’s all. Easy with the Collector! Easy! I want to talk to you, my man. I could’ve let him kill you if I wanted to, right? ... I saved your life!"

Nestov: "I saved you! ... All right! All right! You want to be marshal about this..."

Cole: "Quiet ... Name?" He moves closer. "Name!"

Nestov: "Nestov."

Cole, edging up to him: "Recognize it."

Nestov: "I knew you would."

Cole, seizing his shoulder: "What are you doing here?"

Nestov: "I need your help."

———————————————————————

At the Watchfire, Mel and Jess are in the middle of a low-key business argument.

Mel: "No!"

Jess: "Well, why not?"

Mel: "Because this is a bar, not a strip club."

Jess: "I don’t see why one guy in the buff for one night is such a big deal!"

Mel: "We tried strip nights before ... They didn’t work!"

Jess: "Yeah, but you should see this hot guy, Mel! He does the swimwear ads for the Telegraph ... You know ... the one with the incredible ... package..."

Mel: "Jess..."

Jess: "Okay! But for once this Friday night things will be different! This place will be packed!"

Mel: "I have no intentions of turning this place into a freak show!"

Just then Cole comes in, marching Nestov toward the stairwell by the scruff of the neck.

Mel, alarmed: "Ah, Cole?"

Cole: "Yes, Mel?"

Mel: "Do you have a second?" Cole immediately changes direction as Mel turns to Jess. "Uh, Jess, would you?..."

Jess, resigned: "I’ll, uh, be in the kitchen."

Nestov, admiring Jess as she leaves the room: "Oh, the species does have a set of..." He yelps as Cole tightens his grip. "That was totally uncalled for!"

Cole: "Quiet!" He brings him over to Mel. "This is Nestov."

Mel: "One of the? ..." She waggles a finger.

Cole, explaining: "He needs my help."

Mel: "Cole! This is not just a stray that you could bring home! ... He’s a ... You know!"

Cole, after he and Nestov exchange looks: "So am I. You brought me home."

Mel: "Yeah, but that was different."

Cole: "Why?"

Mel: "Because you needed help!"

Nestov: "I need help!" He yelps again as Cole tightens his grip.

Cole: "I need somewhere we can talk."

Mel: "You have five minutes."

———————————————————————

Mel and Nestov are seated at one of the bar’s tables. Cole is standing by Nestov’s side, virtually looming over him to make sure he stays in line.

Nestov: "... So I step off the train as this Darius Foley guy, a descent looking guy, a little bad dresser, a bit tangy under the arms, but hey! What do I care? ... I mean, I’m free, right!? I mean, I’m not on Sar ... Top ..."

Cole, reminding him: "The reason you need my help?"

Nestov, nervously sobering: "Yeah, right ... So this Darius Foley guy, right. He’s carrying a couple of briefcases at the ... at the time that I - I go and ..." To Cole, "You know what I’m talking about!"

Mel: "Did you look inside the briefcases?"

Nestov: "The minute I got off the train!"

Cole: "What did you find?"

Nestov: "The money ... Just about two million dollars, that’s all!"

Mel, silently mouthing to Cole: ‘That’s a LOT of money!’

Nestov: "Ah, ah, yeah, I know! I’m like, okay, I’m set for life! All I gotta do is lay low, stay below the Tracker’s radar, and I’m home free!" He smiles up at Cole, who smiles back. He sobers again. "Yeah. So, ah, I go to this address on this drivers license. Two feet into the door, someone takes a shot at me!"

Mel, clarifying: "Someone tried to kill you."

Nestov, joking: "Unless ... firing solid lead projectiles ... is a style of greeting on this planet ..." Cole reaches for his neck again. "Oh, oh, please, please, please, please, please, please..."

Cole: "Stick to the story."

Nestov: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! ... Okay! So I go to Zin for help. Only he didn’t care about my problem. He did care about the money, though. Which he took!"

Cole: "Why?"

Nestov: "I don’t know. I have no idea!" Again, Cole reaches for his neck. "I have no idea!"

Mel: "And I have no idea why you’re still here!"

Nestov: "What choice did I have? Go to the authorities? No! That’s a given. Then who else was I supposed to go to? ... And - and the guys who are shooting at me, man ... They’re after Darius Foley! Not me! You know! I’m just a - a - a -"

Cole: "Con man."

Nestov: "Yeah. Sure ... So, whatever ... I mean, at least I’m not like the other lifers who came down here, huh? Sure I’ve made some mistakes, but I figured the escape would give me a start over..."

Cole whips out his Collector and looks at it speculatively.

Nestov, cowering: "Hey, man..."

Cole, warning: "If you’re lying to me ..."

Nestov, terrified: "I am sooo not lying to you at this moment, man!"

Cole, tucking his Collector away: "I will look into your story."

Mel, agreeing: "I think that would be a good idea."

Nestov: "And you know, in a way you are responsible for us escapees. You remember that!"

[He’s trying to suggest that Cole is somehow responsible for their well-being, since he is/was their Guard in prison. In other words, he’s pulling another con. Or trying to].

Cole, not buying it: "Really!?"

Nestov, nervous laugh: "Hey! Hey, man! You just do whatever you want. Right? I’m just going to sit here and have a drink with the lovely lady and ..." Cole seizes him by the neck and starts hauling him to his feet. "Oh, man! Please, don’t! Ooooh! Not again! Please, please, please, please..."

Nestov is an interesting character and not a particularly bad alien. After all, he sought Cole’s help because he knows his host was involved in something bad that he can’t handle. Yet in many respects he’s also a grossly stereotypical "jive brother," almost an embarrassing caricature.

———————————————————————

Nestov takes Cole to see Foley’s apartment. He cautiously opens the door, then points to the bullet hole in the doorjamb.

Nestov: "That could’ve been me! Right there! I walked in and BOOM! Shot fired!"

He continues into the apartment and looks around while Cole checks out the bullet hole, his hand at the small of his back where his Collector is.

Nestov: "Oh, man! What a dump! I didn’t get a good look around, but if this is what I have to look forward to, you can take my lifeforce right now!"

Cole, entering the apartment, his hand still at his back: "That can be accomplished."

Nestov: "Okay, obviously you don’t understand the, ah, joking around thing, man!"

Cole whips out his Collector and Nestov backs up.

Nestov: "Okay! You really don’t understand the joking around thing!"

Cole just teasingly smiles at him and puts it away.

Nestov, without amusement: "Ha, ha. That’s funny."

[The big Cirronian has something of a playful sadistic streak in him, it seems].

Exploring the place, Cole discovers tubes of artists’ oil paints and brushes. He also finds a voice synthesizer attached to the phone, but neither he or Nestov knows what it is.

Cole, opening one of the tubes of paint: "Colored liquid."

Nestov, taking the tube from him and tasting the paint: "Uh huh." He then licks at a canvas. "It’s for this."

Cole senses the surface of another canvas, then goes to the one Nestov had licked and holds it up to his ear.

Nestov: "What is that nasty thing, anyway?"

Cole: "I believe it’s called a painting."

Nestov: "What kind of idiot would paint that!?"

Cole: "You were the painter."

Nestov: "Oh!" Cole starts to leave with the canvas, Nestov following. "Well, that was funny."

They don’t even close the door when they go.

[This is an alien who could understand the value of two million dollars and find his host’s home, yet didn’t know what paint or a painting are? Why do the aliens who take over Human bodies seem to know everything about their unfortunate hosts but still have these strange gaps in their knowledge?].

———————————————————————

Back in the War Room, Mel is helping Cole with his work.

Mel, as she adjusts something: "You said the purple one, right, Cole?"

Cole: "Yes."

Mel, looking at him in disbelieving disgust: "Ugh!"

Nestov: "Was that a yes?"

Mel: "Oooh!"

She walks away from him to see what Cole’s doing.

Mel: "That’s my iron!"

Cole: "It’s an Echo Retractor."

Cole: "I know. I modified it to pull sounds out of objects."

Mel, cluelessly repeating: "You modified my iron to pull sounds out of objects."

Cole, explaining as he moves it over the surface of the painting: "Yes. Your speech makes waves. Waves mean particles in the air. Foley was a painter, Mel. If he was still inside the room when the paint was wet, whatever sound is made was trapped inside before it dried ... Maybe ... here."

Sure enough, they hear the distorted, retracted echo voice of a kidnapper: "We have your daughter. She is well. Follow our instructions and she’ll be returned to you. That’s two million dollars or the girl dies."

Nestov: "That’s not me! I didn’t kidnap that girl! That was Foley! Not me! I swear! I swear!"

Mel: "I’ll talk to Vic ... Maybe I can catch him in the morning."

She walks out of the room.

Cole: "Nestov ... Sit."

Shaking his head, Nestov does.

———————————————————————

Mel joins Vic on his morning jog to find out if he knows anything about the kidnapping. Turns out, he’s working on the case as the Department’s liaison with the FBI. Knowing she has a ‘cop bar’, he’s not all that surprised that she knows about the case, even though one of the kidnapper’s demands is "no press."

As they stop to catch their breath by the park fountain (which looks a lot like the fountain that Trof was Collected in), Vic tells her that the kidnap victim is Lina Tavoulis, the estranged daughter of multi-millionaire investment banker Nicholas Tavoulis. Her mother had died when she was six years old and she’d been raised by "nannies and expense accounts," becoming a "bit of a party girl."

Mel: "I can identify with that. Only without the money."

Vic goes on to say that Lina’s father disowned her after she blew $400,000 on her eighteenth birthday party and explains that he’s now going through big-time guilt, then brings the subject around to Mel.

Vic: "So ... How are things with you and ... the new guy? You know ... the ... ‘boarder-slash-handyman’ guy?"

Mel, brightly: "Okay!"

Vic: "What do you know about this guy, Mel?"

Mel: "Look, Vic ... Leave it. He’s okay."

Vic: "What’s his last name?"

Mel, with an exasperated sigh: "What is this thing with you and Cole?"

Vic: "I’m just a little concerned! All right? You’re living with a perfect stranger! I’m a little concerned!"

Mel, nodding knowingly: "We’re just friends."

Vic, hedging, marginally acknowledging it: "Yeah, well ... We used to be ‘just friends’ once, too. Remember?"

Mel: "And I wasn’t ready for a full-blown relationship."

Vic: "And how ‘bout now?"

Mel, carefully, uneasily, apparently confused about something: "I’m still adjusting to inheriting the Watchfire ... Maybe when things settle down ... I don’t know..."

Vic: "All right. All right. So ... you’re saying maybe ... maybe I got a shot still, huh?"

Mel, laughing: "That’s what I like about you, Vic. You make romance sound like a smackdown rematch!"

Vic: "Well..."

Mel: "I gotta go."

Vic, pointing to his cheek: "Okay. Hey! Kiss!"

At the last second he turns his head to take her kiss on his mouth.

Mel jogs off with a flirty look back as Vic longingly watches her go.

———————————————————————

Cole and Nestov are in the living room quietly waiting for Mel to return. Cole is seated on the sofa while Nestov is sitting on Cole’s wheeled work chair.

Mel, coming in the front door: "Cole?"

Cole: "Here, Mel."

Mel, entering the living room, "She’s the daughter of a multi-millionaire. Nicholas Tavoulis. The money he was carrying when he got off the train was the ransom."

Nestov: "So, Foley never had the chance to free the girl."

Cole: "When you took over the body ... you stopped him from completing the transaction."

Nestov: "But she’s still alive! We’ve just gotta find her!"

Mel, sitting down: "Yeah, but what I still can’t figure out is..."

Cole, finishing: "... who wanted to kill Foley."

Nestov: "But what if..."

Mel: "Excuse me. And who would know that he had that kind of money."

Nestov: "It’s quite obvious..."

Cole: "A partner."

Nestov: "That’s what I’m trying to tell you! I knew that all along but you guys keep talking to each other! A partner! A partner!"

Cole, standing up: "I can tap into Tavoulis’ communication line." He pushes Nestov back down as he starts to stand up. "Sit! ... If the kidnappers call again, I can Track them."

Cole wheels Nestov back toward the War Room. Heard off-screen is a loud thump.

Nestov: "Ooow! You did that on purpose!"

Cole: "No I didn’t."

Nestov: "You did that on purpose!!"

Cole: "I don’t care."

———————————————————————

Back in the War Room, Nestov sees the opportunity for a con.

Nestov: "Can you access his data base with this thing?"

Cole: "Yes."

Nestov: "You do realize that this guy is worth some serious cash!?! Putting up two million dollars for ransom? Come on!"

Cole: "That man does sound good."

Nestov: "One tip! One stock trade! That’s all I’m asking! I mean, it won’t interfere with us finding the girl."

Cole: "Get up."

Nestov, jumping out of Cole’s chair, placating: "Hold on! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Instinct! Just instinct!"

Cole, sitting down: "Thank you."

Nestov: "I’m talking about some serious money! Big, big, big, man! Would you know!?"

Cole, holding up a warning finger: "Quiet!"

Nestov: "I mean, forget about Sar-Top, man! We can..."

Cole, looping some cable around Nestov’s neck and hanging him from his shoulder: "Shh!"

Nestov: "Okay."

Cole: "Okay." He holds up a warning finger again. "Quiet."

Nestov: "So ..."

Cole: "Aaah!"

———————————————————————

In the Tavoulis house, Nicholas Tavoulis is going through emotional agony waiting for the return of his daughter, hoping that she’s still alive. Vic and FBI Agent Micelli try to assure him that "everything went smoothly at the drop. There’s no reason for them to harm" his daughter, that he would "just have to be patient" and that "these holding patterns are typical in a kidnapping case."

Lina’s fiancé, Jackson Carver, offers to get him something to eat and he remarks that he’s happy that he and his daughter found each other.

———————————————————————

In the War Room, Cole has hacked into phone company records for a list of Foley’s phone calls.

Mel, fetching the printout from the printer: "Ha! Quite a few numbers on Foley’s last phone bill!"

Nestov, holding out his hand for the paper: "I’ll take care of it."

Mel looks questioningly at Cole, who nods an okay, and she hands it to him.

Cole, to Nestov: "Start calling those numbers."

Mel: "I’ll be back in five. Just gotta check up on the bar." She hurries out.

Cole, to Nestov: "Find out anything you can on Foley. Anything that can lead us to that girl."

———————————————————————

Mel comes downstairs to an empty bar and a bored Jess.

Mel: "So ... How’s business?"

Jess: "Well, a woman came in about half an hour ago to use the phone and ... ah ... she wasn’t thirsty."

Mel, looking around with a sigh: "Let me see the picture of that guy again."

Jess, bringing it out: "I’ve got it right here ... It’s two fifty for the night."

Mel, looking the picture over: "And he’s willing to strip?"

Jess: "Right down to his birthday suit."

Mel, coming to a decision: "I want the place back to normal the next day!"

Jess: "Absolutely! ... The crumbs will be off the floor, the panties will be in the bin... and the horny housewives will be gone before the sun comes up!" Then to Mel’s look of horror, "Mel, trust me."

Mel: "Okay!"

———————————————————————

Upstairs, Nestov is making the phone calls and promising to send out checks.

Cole: "Anything?"

Nestov: "They’re all bill collectors. This guy owes money to everybody in town. He’s a loser!"

Cole, amused: "You just insulted yourself."

Nestov, taking umbrage: "No. I insulted Foley. Not me. We just share the same ass."

Cole: "Ass is a four-legged animal."

Nestov: "No. Ass is that thing you shake when you dance! You know? Huh?" He demonstrates.

Cole: "Keep trying those numbers."

Nestov: "You gotta loosen up."

———————————————————————

Tavoulis finally hears from one of the kidnappers again. Cole already has a phone tap in place and is able to hear what’s said and see anything there is to be seen on his computer screen. The kidnapper reminds Tavoulis that, as before, there’s to be no police, FBI or media. He has two hours to obtain two waterproof suitcases and fill them with another two million dollars and that the kidnappers will then be in contact.

The ‘live’ video on both Tavoulis’ and Cole’s computer screens shows a terrified Lina chained inside a glass tank that’s rapidly filling with water.

After the kidnappers hang up, Cole calculates that Lina only has about an hour before she drowns.

Meanwhile, Nestov has finally been able to get through on the busy line he couldn’t access during the kidnapper’s phone call to Tavoulis.

Woman’s Voice: "Darius? Where the hell is our money, Darius!?"

Nestov frantically signals and Cole puts a quick trace on the line while he tries to stall.

Nestov: "The two million?"

Woman’s Voice: "That’s right, Sherlock."

Nestov: "Yeah. I still have it."

Woman’s Voice: "Why don’t you come by and drop off our share!"

Nestov: "Uh ... Yeah ... Uh ... Where do you want me to bring it?"

Woman’s Voice: "You know!"

Nestov: "Yeah, yeah. Of course. You know. But ... uh ... I had a late one last night ... um ... Could you just remind me how to get there? ... Hello?" To Cole, "Oh, crap, man ... They hung up!"

Mel, angry: "Well, Darius would have known where to take the money!"

Nestov: "I tried!"

Cole, assuring them both: "I was able to get a reading from the signal. I can find the location."

Mel, hearing Jess call her from downstairs: "I’d better go. We don’t need Jess asking any questions."

Nestov, helpfully: "I can go see what she needs."

Mel, still angry: "And I can make sure that you don’t walk right again with one kick!" She rushes out.

Nestov, subdued, to Cole: "Then ... I guess she’ll go."

Cole, amused: "I don’t think Mel likes you very much."

Nestov: "Yeah."

———————————————————————

Downstairs, Jess is putting up banners and decorations.

Mel, looking around: "Wow! ... I think!"

Jess, handing her some dance discs: "I just need you to help me with these. I need you to pick one ... I called Sondra and Kate and you’ve got them on standby in case you need them."

Mel: "Are you really expecting that many people!?"

Jess: "Are you kidding?" She holds up the guy’s picture and waves it at Mel. "Look at that face! ... Then the abs! ... Now picture full monte!"

Nestov and Cole have come downstairs.

Nestov, whooping: "Ahhh! Yes! This is happening! Happening!"

Cole, leading Nestov over to them: "What is the ‘full monte’?"

Mel stammers.

Jess, coyly: "You’ll just have to wait until tomorrow night to find out!"

Cole: "I need your car, Mel."

Mel, hurriedly taking him off to the side, but not so far away that Jess’ sharp ears can’t hear: "You don’t even know how to drive!"

Nestov: "I do!"

Mel, hissing at him: "No!"

Cole, cheerfully vouching: "Nestov does and he’s a very good driver."

Nestov, under Mel’s witheringly sarcastic ‘oh, yeah?’ stare: "The best!"

Cole, reminding her: "We don’t have time, Mel."

Jess: "Time for what?"

Mel: "Never mind!" She goes for her keys and tosses them over to Cole.

Cole, catching the key-toss: "Thank you, Mel."

He takes Nestov by the scruff of the neck and begins marching him out of the place.

Mel, calling out: "Seat belts!"

Cole, calling back: "Yes, Mel."

Mel: "Speed limits!"

Cole: "What is a speed limit?"

Mel groans.

———————————————————————

Tavoulis gets another call from the kidnapper telling him where to deliver the money and admonishing him to go alone. They promise to release her within thirty minutes if the drop goes exactly as ordered. If not, they’ll let her drown. Carver wants to go with him, but Vic tells him that’s not a good idea.

———————————————————————

Nestov is driving Mel’s car like a maniac, speeding, weaving, tailgating and cutting off other cars while Cole continues to monitor Lina on his laptop.

Cole: "You told me that you could drive."

Nestov: "What do you call this?"

Nestov: "Of course not! She’s a female!"

Cole: "Man on the news have a word for this type of driver."

Nestov: "Yeah! ... Ah ... I got it! ... Race car ... Special stunt driving..."

Cole: "Drunk."

Nestov: "You don’t even know how to drive!"

Cole: "No."

Nestov: "All right! Right pedal for acceleration and left pedal for stopping. That’s all you need to know!" He delightedly laughs.

Cole, seeing the yellow light ahead changing to red: "Red light!"

Nestov: "Maybe. I have no idea." He barrels through it, nearly causing an accident, the other driver frantically honking him. "That was a horn. Did you know that?"

Cole: "You know nothing about driving!"

Cole, seeing that the water is almost up to Lina’s shoulders: "Faster!"

Nestov, removing his hands from the steering wheel to turn to Cole: "You know, I’m going as fast as I possibly can ..." As the car swerves, he hastily regrabs the wheel.

———————————————————————

Back at the Tavoulis house, a nervous and uptight Carver goes out, ostensibly to have a cigarette, while Tavoulis is throwing the two briefcases full of money into Lake Michigan at the designated spot, then claiming his daughter’s earring that had been left hanging on the chain-link fence for him as a token.

———————————————————————

Nestov and Cole finally arrive at a warehouse area.

Nestov: "We’re here."

Cole: "Stop."

Nestov: "Here?"

Cole: "Stop here!"

Nestov: "Here?"

Cole: "Here!"

Nestov: "Here."

Cole, getting out of the car and looking motion sickness nauseous: "I feel strange."

Nestov: "All right! All right! You go down here, I’m gonna take the ladder." He starts to climb the ladder up the side of the building, but Cole pulls him down. "Hey! Hey! Hey! Easy, man! Before I make a lot of cash I gotta make these five dollar shirts last a while!"

Cole, grasping the scruff of his neck: "I do not trust you."

Nestov: "Like I told you, I’m a con man, not a killer! I don’t want the girl to die any more than you! Now! We’ll find her faster if we split up."

Cole, realizing the sense of it but warning him nonetheless: "It would not be a good idea for you to leave this place without me."

Nestov, understanding: "I hear you."

He starts heading for the warehouse door, but Cole pulls him back.

Cole, pointing up: "Uh, uh! You wanted to climb."

Nestov: "But I don’t..."

Cole: "Uh, uh."

Cole heads for the alleyway door of the abandoned warehouse.

Nestov, grumbling under his breath: "Whatever." Then louder as he climbs the ladder, "Manual labor! This is not Nestov’s game! Not at all! This is ridiculous! Get myself..."

———————————————————————

Tavoulis returns home to find that his daughter is still in the tank, the water now up to her neck. He’s horrified, convinced that the kidnappers are just going to let her die.

And Carver is gone.

FBI Agent Micelli calls in for a profile on the guy. Vic wants to give him the benefit of the doubt.

———————————————————————

Meanwhile, a wet-suited Carver has retrieved the suitcases from Lake Michigan and is putting them in the trunk of his car.

———————————————————————

Cole and Nestov are each separately searching the building. Nestov is the one who discovers the JVC camcorder and tank set-up, seeing that the video is still playing on the computer screen. But the girl isn’t in the tank. He turns and suddenly finds himself on the wrong end of Lina’s gun.

Lina: "Hello, Darius ... Where’s the money?"

Nestov: "Put the gun down and I’ll tell you where I put it."

Lina: "Why did you try to screw us, hmm? I thought we were all friends ... I mean ... We even helped you put on your lame art show. All you had to do was bring us the money with our little plan here! ... Why did you have to go and mess it up?"

Nestov: "Me!?! You’re the one who tried to end my life!"

Lina: "You were supposed to come right back here with the money! When you didn’t show ... what else were we supposed to think? That maybe you were trying to double cross us!"

Nestov, nervously laughing: "I had a slight distraction on the train! Chalk it up to a bad day, that’s all!"

Lina, with a laugh: "Okay! Let’s chalk it up to a big misunderstanding."

Nestov: "Exactly!"

Lina: "So where’s the money? ... The money, Darius!"

She is interrupted by her cell phone and answers the call.

Lina: "Yeah ... Great news ... Guess who came by to pay a visit ... Oh, yeah. He’s not going anywhere ... I will. See you outside."

She disconnects, then tells Nestov: "Carver’s on his way."

In a further act of emotional cruelty against her father, she then switches off the tape, causing him to lose the signal and thereby have him believe she drowned.

Nestov: "You’re father’s gonna think you’re dead!"

Lina: "Good! Maybe now he’ll know what it feels like to be alone!"

Nestov: "You really hate the man, don’t you!?"

Lina: "Why are you asking me that? We must’ve talked about my father and me about a hundred times ... What the hell happened to you on that train, Darius?"

They then both hear someone approaching and she gives Nestov a shove.

———————————————————————

Cut to Nicholas Tavoulis, grief-stricken: "They’re going to let her die..."

———————————————————————

Cole enters the area to find Nestov splashing in the tank. Lina rushes up to him.

Lina: "Oh! Thank God!"

Cole: "Are you okay?"

Lina: "Yes! I just have to catch my breath."

Cole: "Where are the kidnappers?"

Lina: "They just took off ... Your friend helped rescue me. You help him, I’ll go call 911 ... All right?" She turns and rushes out.

Cole goes to see to the glugging Nestov in the rapidly filling-up-to-the-brim tank.

Nestov, frantic: "Open up! Open up!"

Cole: "What are you doing in there?"

Nestov: "Lina! It was Lina!"

Cole, now understanding what had happened: "I’ll be back for you."

Nestov: "No! No! Nooooo!!!!"

Cole: "You’ll be fine."

Nestov: "Don’t go!"

Tracking after Lina, Cole exits the building where Carver tries to shoot him, believing that he’s Foley’s accomplice. Cole goes into hyperspeed to evade the bullet and easily disarms Carver and knocks him out.

Lina, backing away from him: "You wouldn’t hit a girl, would you?"

Cole, espying a rope on the ground and giving her a gentle smile: "No."

The next thing seen, he’s putting the bound Lina in the trunk of Carver’s car along with the unconscious Carver and the suitcases of money while Lina’s screaming at him: "You can’t do this to me! You know who my father is!?! You’re never going to get away with this! Let me out of here! Let me out! Let me out!..."

———————————————————————

Cole is on his cell phone speaking with Mel as he goes back into the building to see to Nestov.

Mel: "So Lina was in it all along."

Cole: "Yes."

Mel: "Guess it was a way of getting attention ... Where’s Nestov?"

Cole, thinking it amusing: "Lina locked him in the water tank."

Mel: "Is he all right?"

Cole: "He’ll be fine. He’s a Nodulian."

———————————————————————

A grieving Tavoulis is now told that his daughter is fine, but the police have placed her under arrest.

———————————————————————

Cole finds Nestov near to drowning in the water tank and realizes that something is very wrong. He uses his heat energy to create a weak point and thus rupture the glass, releasing the water. A very angry and agitated Nestov comes out howling and screaming.

Nestov, sputtering: "What the hell where you thinking!?! I could’ve drowned in there!!!"

Cole, reasonably: "That’s impossible. You’re a Nodulian."

Nestov: "No, man! I’m a Desserian!"

Cole: "But your records..."

[Note: Even if one assumes that the garbled word Nestov used with Mel for sexual intercourse was a Nodulian word, why didn’t Cole know, or at least suspect, despite his records, that he was a Desserian when he tasted the oil paints to find out what they were? That is, after all, a Desserian skill (ref. "The Plague")].

Nestov: "Man, I forged my records once I arrived on Sar-Top! I was planning to escape, okay!? I figured with the wrong file, you guys would be running in circles trying to find me!"

Nestov: "Would you forget Mel? God! I almost drowned in there!"

Cole, thoughtfully: "That’s why I didn’t see you in the park that day..."

Nestov: "Oh, yeah! That’s great! I was this close to drowning!"

Cole: "Amazing! You have the ability to blend into the background even in your Human form."

Nestov, sarcastic: "Oh, I’m fine! Thank you, Cole!"

Cole: "How long can you do it for?"

Nestov, thinking: "Oh ... I don’t know ... Just for a few minutes at a time. But I get real tired."

Cole: "Yes."

Nestov: "So? Did you get them?"

Cole: "Yes."

Nestov, angling to get away: "Oh! Right! Well, I’m out of here, okay? You’re looking for Nestov, okay? You find him. Okay ... You get back to me ... You got that right."

Cole, blocking his way: "But that’s not your real name. You changed your records."

Nestov: "I know. I know. But I was planning to make it my life down here where I’d have a chance. Besides, it’s better than my real name, which is Rubenruderrochic (?)." He nervously laughs.

Cole: "I see what you mean."

Nestov: "I knew you would." He slaps him on the shoulder. "So, you see, I’m a suave, debonair kind of..."

Cole is blocking his way again, this time with his Collector at the ready.

Nestov, with a sigh: "Got to admit ... It’s a great adventure, right? ... Look, I know you got a job to do, Cole ... No hard feelings, pal."

Cole, putting a steadying hand on Nestov’s shoulder: "Ready?"

Nestov, resigned: "Yeah, sure ... Let’s do it."

Cole, after a long moment: "Go." He tucks the Collector away and moves aside.

Nestov: "What!?"

Cole: "Please."

Nestov: "Huh!?"

Cole: "You saved my life."

Nestov: "Yeah, I saved your life ... But I - I don’t understand..."

Cole: "I need someone the fugitives know."

Nestov, getting it: "Absolutely!"

Cole: "Someone I can trust."

Nestov: "Partners! ... Okay! What do I get out of it?"

Cole: "Your life."

Nestov: "That works!"

Cole: "Go!"

Nestov: "I’m going! I’m gone!" He runs, whooping, then turns back. "You weren’t going to do it, were you?"

Cole, whipping out his Collector again: "Go before I change my mind."

Nestov: "Ah ha! YES! The man has a sense of humor! YES!"

Nestov gives him another quick ass grinding lesson, as in ‘loosen up and shake your booty,’ in appreciation, yells, "I’m out!", then runs happily away and free.

[Okay. So did Cole now drive Mel’s car home?].

———————————————————————

In the tag, the male stripper is late and the capacity crowd of eager female patrons in the Watchfire is getting very antsy. Jess is already pouring free drinks to calm them when the phone rings and she runs to answer it.

Mel, hopefully, after she hangs up: "Jess! Well? Where is he?"

Jess, gamely: "Uh ... There’s been a ... ah ... slight delay ... It’s gonna be fine."

Mel, prodding: "So! He’s on his way! Right?"

Jess: "Not exactly. No." Then with tightly controlled fury, "He’s got cold feet, Mel! He doesn’t want to stand on the bar and take his clothes off in front of a bar full of strangers!"

Neither really notice Cole standing right there listening intently until he speaks up and asks the obvious: "He was going to take his clothes off for your customers?"

Jess: "Yeah!" Her anger and frustration is causing her to become uncharacteristically sharp and dismissive with him. "Well, that IS the meaning of ‘full monte’, Cole!"

He’d been curious what that phrase meant since the first time he’d heard it and now he knows.

As Mel and Jess hurry off to see what they can do in the way of damage control, Cole is left standing there, scanning the crowd and muttering, "Full monte ... full monte" to himself.

On his own, Cole decides to help out and take the stripper’s place, dancing and doing a delicious full monte strip atop the bar to the song Heart Attack Lover Man for a very appreciative audience. This leads to some great giggles with Mel knocking back tequila shooters, Cole chortling, "They’re hot for me, Mel!" and Jess egging him on with "Very nice ..." and wondering to Mel aloud if he could do this every Friday night.

Cole finally dispenses with the briefs altogether.

But the camera stays focused above his waist...

Although Daggon feels some measure of gratitude to Nestov for what he’d thought he was doing in the park (and that may have something to do with his not Collecting him), he isn’t actually letting him go. Rather, he’s recruiting him as an informant. Daggon is a cop with an army of bad guys to catch and he’s not above using a ‘lesser’ bad guy to further that end, just as all cops sometimes have to do. Yes, Nestov is technically a ‘murderer’ for having taken a Human host on the train, but (a) if he hadn’t done so he would have died; (b) he doesn’t seem intent on doing grave evil, and (c) Daggon seems to think that he can assist him in his task. He’s therefore allowing him to remain alive and in the body of his victim, essentially allowing a murderer to run free. This doesn’t mean that he’ll be letting Nestov live out Darius’ natural lifespan on Earth, however; just that he isn’t going to be Collecting him now.

While this opened a series window to examine the values of the world that Daggon was born and raised in and offered an opportunity to explore a utopian society of high spiritual ideals, it was never followed through. But the chemistry between Cole and Nestov, as well as the always beneath the surface antagonism between Mel and Nestov, worked out well.

Note: First episode to feature series regular Richard Yearwood as Nestov.