Why'd adam pick this dump to meet this new mutant, huh?
He didn't.
We received an anonymous email from that website that adam
set up for new mutants looking for protection.
Bit paranoid, huh?
Late too.
We were supposed to meet this guy like fifteen minutes ago.
Maybe he's blowing us off.
What?
Just thought i heard something.
well, unless that's the new mutant we're supposed to meet,
i'm out of here.
I'm going to stay around another five minutes.
Well if you want to stay...
where'd they come from?
I don't know, it must have been a set-up.
This is really strange.
The new mutant who sent us the email suddenly doesn't exist.
Hah.
Told you it was a set-up.
Yeah, there's no doubt about it.
But we weren't the only ones.
Eckhart was duped as well.
How do you know?
Because proxy blue's been reporting all morning about
your fight last night.
But there was no one else there.
Apparently that's not the case.
From what my insiders tell me, the confrontation at hillside
properties involves a certain covert government agency and
band of renegades, both of whom have so far managed to
maintain their anonymity - until now.
It seems the clash was secretly recorded in crystal digital quality.
My informant promises to deliver the dvd to the studio shortly.
So soon, loyal viewers, you'll finally be able to separate
fact from fiction with your very own eyes.
Off.
So last night was staged just so we could lock horns.
They must have had cameras hidden all over the warehouse.
Yeah.
Well, if that's true, proxy blue's about to expose mutant x.
Not if we can stop her, right?
Now, any chance that you can trace the identity of this emailer?
Even if i could trace the server, there's no way of knowing
whether or not he boomeranged the message or even sent
it from his own computer.
Alright, so all we know for sure right now is that it looks
like we finally got something in common with genomex:
Both fighting the same enemy.
Mr. Lanchester, i don't like it when other people know my business.
Particularly when it comes via the broadband spectrum
of the likes of proxy blue.
My men found six of these cameras hidden in the warehouse.
I see.
Then we can assume the disk indeed exists.
The question is: Who is behind this?
Genomex is a large facility.
Have you considered you may have a leak in your organization?
With the stringent internal security i have in place,
none of my people can so much as think an unpure thought
without me knowing about it.
No, the tip-off had to come from an outside party.
We're trying to locate a suspect by tracing the serial
numbers off the cameras.
You must move quickly.
We can't let anyone see what's on that disk.
If the world caught a glimpse of the reality of new mutants,
we'd soon have a full-fledged panic on our hands.
After which, i can all but guarantee that every new mutant -
including yourself - will quickly become a public pariah.
Not to mention shut down genomex,
and relegate you to the status of a traitor, i'm sure.
I want this cancer cut out before it spreads.
You do understand i'll need the latitude to use extreme
measure to restore anonymity.
Certainly.
As long as you understand that anything shy of complete
success will meet with consequences just as deadly.
You're probably as anxious as i am to get a first-hand look
at the face-off at hillside properties.
I promise, the moment i see it - so will you.
Off.
Tell me you know who set us up.
Not exactly.
But we may be closer to finding out.
We've been tapping proxy blue's hotline and the only unusual
contact in the last couple of days has come from inside a
company called macklin exporters.
They're an international retail shipping facility.
Yeah, well let's hope we're in time to stop them from
shipping this particular package.
I want to know who ordered the surveillance equipment,
and i want to know now.
Where did he think he was going?
Hold on.
You work here?
What's your name?
I'm jay minhouse.
Well, jay, how's about you telling me everything you know
about what happened at the hillside properties last night.
I don't know what you're talking about.
You sure?
Because your co-workers didn't seem to have any clue either and...
i'm about out of patience.
I swear, i don't know.
Wrong answer.
We checked the office phone log.
Somebody's been making personal phone calls to proxy blue
on the company dime.
Last chance.
Please, i'm telling you the truth.
Well, looks like it's about time you join your pals here.
No. No, please.
Why don't you pick on somebody your own...
my size?
Come on.
Who the hell are you people?
We'll get to that, but we got to get you out of here.
Well, unless you want to stay and get better acquainted.
I want him caught - and contained.
I'll finish cleaning up here.
Well, at this point we don't know a whole lot more than you.
Yeah, right.
Who are you people?
Or, if you don't mind my asking what are you?
I saw you throw electricity from your hands.
We're new mutants.
We have genetic abilities, they...
they make us...
make us a little special.
Well, that's putting it lightly.
We have reason to believe that somebody at your company has video
footage of us, and they plan on turning it over to the media.
You got any idea who that is?
No, not at all.
Jay, you're involved in this somehow, you better tell us.
You have to believe me.
I'm not a spy.
I swear. I'm telling the truth.
All i know is that the only reason i'm alive is because
i was late for work.
Excuse me.
Have a seat.
Looks a little freaked out.
You know what, i don't care.
We don't have time for grief counselling.
Somebody in his company is tipping off proxy blue.
Now if he has the information that can lead us to the disc,
he needs to tell us now.
So far, no word on what caused that sudden explosion at
macklin exporters, which left five dead.
Is this how you contain the problem?
It seems to me you've only succeeded in exacerbating our predicament.
The situation called for desperate measures.
Oh, and by "desperate measures"
you mean blowing macklin exporters sky-high?
What's next, public executions?
I am telling you, sir, at the moment,
it was the only prudent move to make.
I stake my reputation on it.
There appears to be no connection between last night's
altercation at hillside and the explosion at macklin.
However, it is a rather strange coincidence
- don't you think?
Let's hope you're right, mr. Lanchester.
At this point, what's at stake is far more precious
than your reputation.
Damn, i wouldn't want to bump into this guy in a dark alley.
Lanchester is a new mutant with the psionic ability
to generate combustion.
He can literally cook you from the inside out.
From the look of his rap sheet, it doesn't take much
to get him to use it either.
Well, because the guy's a cold-blooded killing machine.
And eckhart's using him because he can't afford to let the word
get out about the existence of new mutants any more than we can.
Yeah, i mean, we want the same thing, but we're not the ones
hiring this microwave warrior to keep the rest of the world in line.
True.
Alright, so have you been monitoring proxy blue?
So far, nothing new.
But it's what she's not reporting that's got me a little nervous.
What do you mean?
Well, proxy doesn't have any new information,
but it's as if she's taunting her informants to come forward.
Alright, well, if that's the case,
then i'm betting that she doesn't have the disc yet.
How does macklin exporters fit in?
Huh. We have no idea.
Why don't you dig into the database,
see what you can find out?
Jay, i need you to concentrate.
Can you think of anything that might be helpful?
Did you overhear any conversations?
How about when you left for work this morning?
There has to be something.
Those people were my friends, now they're dead.
That's all i know.
Jay, would you just focus!
Alright, brennan, what have you got for me?
Nothing, so far.
Well, you think he's holding back?
I don't know, it's hard to say.
Alright, well, i've got jesse and emma digging under
the skin of macklin exporters,
but it's not easy considering lanchester torched the place.
Alright.
I'll see if i can find out anything.
Alright, jay.
This is what i need from you.
A list of names of all your former co-workers.
I only started to work there a couple weeks ago.
You just told me they were your friends.
Yeah, they were my friends.
So just cause i don't remember their last names...
i'm not lying.
No, of course not.
In order to lie, you actually have to tell us something.
So far, you've given us nothing.
It's all my id.
If you want it, check out my apartment,
you'll see I"m telling the truth.
And there's a list of al the other employees on my refrigerator.
Alright.
I'll be back.
Am i going to die?
No.
You're going to be okay here.
Place is clean.
No sign of the disc anywhere.
Maybe this minhouse character was telling the truth after all.
Either way, he doesn't get a free ride.
He's a witness, which means he's a loose thread which
desperately needs to be pulled.
Ah, he's bound to screw up, try to get in touch with a
girlfriend, his mother, somebody who means something to him.
We found his address book, we're searching for his next of kin.
Good.
It's time to send him a message.
Yes, it will be the last message he'll ever receive.
Otherwise, mr. Lanchester, it will be your neck on the line.
Managed to scrounge up a few things.
I don't know if you're hungry.
You really didn't have to go to the trouble.
Yeah, i did.
I'm... sorry i came down on you like that before.
That's okay.
I kind of liked it.
So this disc can really make your lives miserable, huh?
You have no idea.
I mean, it could completely force us underground,
and we're pretty much cut off from the rest of the world as it is.
That's got to be rough,
having to live a life of seclusion like this.
I don't know.
I've been doing it for so long,
i guess i kind of never thought about it.
Well, why can't you just come out on your own?
Show the world who you are, and just,
you know, kind of take it from there.
You can't hide forever.
Well, i don't know if the rest of the world is ready
to accept us yet.
Hm.
Well, i don't know about the rest of the world, but...
i bet i could.
Where you hiding minhouse?
What difference does it make?
You checked his place, he's clean.
Hand him over now, i might not hurt you.
Okay, let me think about that.
Uh... no.
You sure you want to do that?
Don't you think we've had enough spectacle in the public eye?
Another time.
I'll be waiting.
Ready to come back to the land of the living.
Oh, god, sorry.
You know, i've just been replaying this whole day in
my head over and over again.
Wondering when you're going to wake up and realize
it was just a dream.
Yeah, something like that.
Well, you're going to get through it.
We'll make sure nothing happens to you.
I just realized, i never thanked you.
It's just a sandwich.
I meant for saving my life.
Oh.
You really are amazing, you know that?
Now i'm talking about the sandwich.
Really, how am i ever going to make it up to you.
Well, i'll tell you what.
When this is all over, you can buy me a drink,
we'll call it even.
A drink for a life, yeah, that sounds pretty fair.
Fine, make it dinner.
Well, why don't we cut right to the place where
i get to walk you home.
Okay, look, i understand.
I'm...
no, i... it's just...
you know, you've been through a lot today, and i don't know,
maybe it feels like you haven't, but...
i think maybe what you're feeling for me comes a little less
out of the moment than it does out of the circumstance.
Yeah.
I took high school psychology too.
I guess i got a little bit of a glorified hero complex
working for me, is that it?
Weli... maybe a little.
Maybe a lot.
What have you got?
Adam.
Finally figured out what macklin exporters is involved in.
Exporting.
They're completely legit.
If they're a front for a covert organization,
then they spent the last ten years covering their trail.
Ah.
Alright, well, if that's the case then we're dealing
with a single operative.
Someone within the company working alone.
What did you find out about jay minhouse?
Ah... nothing yet.
Alright, pull up their personnel records.
I want background checks on every employee.
What about proxy blue?
She's actually been conspicuously silent the last few hours.
Maybe this is a story that will just go away.
Don't bet on it.
No, i want you to keep monitoring her.
Eckhart isn't about to pull of his human pitbull until he's
got evidence that the disc has been destroyed.
Jesse?
Mm?
Call shalimar and brennan and tell them to stay put.
I don't want them becoming target practice for this lanchester.
Wouldn't want that.
Shalimar?
Just a second.
Sure.
It'll give me a chance to stack the deck.
Yeah, jesse, what you got?
You guys getting restless over there?
Nah, we're doing alright.
Ah, good, because adam wants you and brennan to stay put
until he's got the situation under control.
No problem.
I'll let him know.
So, adam doesn't want us taking anymore day trips.
Did you find anything in my apartment?
Weli... somebody got there before i did.
Lanchester?
Bingo.
My guess is he's not going anywhere until he gets
his hands on that disc.
This is insane.
I'm calling the police.
No, we can't do that.
Well maybe we can't, but i can.
It's not that simple.
You said it yourself, these people will stop at nothing.
Oh my god, rebecca.
My sister.
We'll protect her.
Don't worry.
Don't worry?
Well, like an hour ago, neither of you trusted me
- now all of a sudden i'm supposed to trust you?
I don't think so, i'm going to find her myself.
So what are you going to do, you're going to hold me hostage?
Shalimar, i have to go.
Jay.
I'm going with you.
What? No.
Can't just let him walk out, he'll be slaughtered.
I mean, you know what's going to happen if lanchester
gets his hands on him.
And what if lanchester gets a hold of you?
I can take care of myself.
Lanchester is a psycho.
He kills people just for fun.
You know, brennan, i would appreciate it if you would just
back me up on this one, please.
Please.
Be careful.
Sadly, still no word from my insider on the
altercation at hillside, causing me to wonder whether or not
the whole thing was a hoax, or if foul play is involved.
You can safely assume our situation is under control.
The worst is over.
Really?
What if the disc is still out there?
What if proxy blue gets a hold of it?
I don't like to live in a world full of what-ifs.
I took out the entire building, mr. Eckhart.
Dead men tell no tales.
But live ones do.
We searched minhouse's apartment up and down, he's clean.
Yes.
From what i gather, breathing as well.
I've got my men scouring the city for any sign of him
- or his relatives.
I want every available agent out there.
Use our informants to sniff out possible safehouses
- anywhere mutant x might frequent.
We're already on it.
I'm confident both minhouse and mutant x are within our reach.
And my job isn't over until each one of them is silenced.
Give me the name again, i'll see what i can come up with.
Rebecca minhouse.
We think that lanchester's targeting jay's sister as a way
to get him to come out of hiding.
Well, i can't find rebecca minhouse anywhere in the area.
Yeah, well, you probably didn't look hard enough,
so check again.
I know how to work the database, brennan.
Trust me, she's not there.
Maybe she's married, ask jay if she goes by any other name.
Brennan?
Can't do that.
Why not?
Well, because jay decided he wanted to go look for her himself.
Is he crazy, he can't be out there alone.
He's not.
I just hope we're not too late.
I'm sure she's okay.
If anything happened to her, shalimar...
hey, let me.
Jay?
Jay, let me out!
What were you thinking, shal'?
If lanchester finds you, you're dead?
What, did brennan just call adam and tell him that i left?
It's not even like that.
He was just trying to watch your back.
Yeah, well i can watch my own back, thank you very much.
Yeah, obviously.
Look, i don't know why jay left, but i'm going to find out.
No, shalimar, it's not safe out there.
Look, adam, i had to do something,
i couldn't just let him leave.
Well, i understand, but we're past that now.
I mean, i can find him. He can't have gone far.
No, shalimar, it's too dangerous,
i want you to wait for emma.
Alright?
Shalimar, i want you to stay where you are.
that's your temporal vein you feel heating up...
argh. Stop it.
It won't take me much more of an effort to make it boil.
Now, we're looking for jay minhouse.
Get in line.
He's been seen with you.
And your band of renegades.
Do you see him with me now?
I bet you know where we can find him.
What makes you think i'd tell you.
Argh.
Just give me a reason to turn up the heat.
Now tell us where minhouse is.
That's enough.
[As eckhart] Why trifle with the likes of her when our real
quarry is still out there, running around free?
Sir, what are you doing here?
[As eckhart] Well, i was in the area and just had to drop by.
I decided to check up on you.
I believe she can lead us to minhouse, mr. Eckhart.
[As eckhart] i see.
In other words, you've failed to locate him.
I tire of your excuses.
I told you, this minhouse character is our top priority.
Or do i have to have that printed across my forehead
for you to understand?
I'll handle miss fox from now on.
I'm not sure that's prudent, sir.
[As eckhart] That's why you work for me.
Now complete your mission,
and don't come back until you've finished.
Yes, sir.
What are you two idiots waiting for?
Nice.
Thanks.
Thank you.
Alright, give me the good news, jesse.
Well, i tapped into macklin's personnel records,
sifted through all their employees' backgrounds.
Yeah, anything suspicious?
Not much.
Except for one thing.
Why would a guy with a degree in journalism take a job
packing computer chips?
I don't know.
Maybe he's looking to change careers.
Right, or maybe trying to turn one around.
See, jay was fired from his first media job after
accusations of plagiarism.
He's never really managed to get another job in his
own field since then.
He's just kind of bounced from job to job.
Hm.
So you think he's the one who tipped off proxy blue?
Well, a story like this could make a career.
Any way to find out if he's got a sister?
I already checked.
Shalimar put her life on the line for the very guy who
set us up in the first place.
The official word on that mysterious blast that left five
dead at macklin exporters: It seems it was an accident.
How disappointing.
Mr. Lanchester, nice work deflecting the blame away from
the gsa in that unfortunate accident.
Uh... thank you, sir.
What's wrong?
Didn't we just speak a minute ago?
Sorry, am i bothering you?
I didn't realize there was a limit to our interaction.
I apologize, sir, please continue.
Intelligence has just informed me minhouse has activated
his cell phone.
They're tracing the signal as we speak.
Excellent.
It's about time i finished the job.
We're coming in, adam.
Couldn't find jay.
I just hope he got to his sister before lanchester did.
Shalimar, he doesn't have a sister.
What?
He's the guy who set us up in the first place,
and i'm guessing he's got the video disc hidden someplace,
waiting to deliver it to proxy blue...
adam, i've got a signal off of jay's cell phone.
Where is he?
I don't know, i'm trying to narrow it down now.
Give us the coordinates, we'll head over.
No, no. Stay where you are.
We don't know anything about this guy, he could be dangerous.
Well, you know what, we don't have a lot of choice here.
All he needs is a laptop and a modem to send the contents of
the disc to the world.
She's right, adam.
Tell proxy to get ready to go live with the feed.
I'm about to give her proof of the new mutants' existence.
And make sure that i get the credit for blowing this story
wide open, alright.
Here's a news flash for you, jerk:
This is one story i'm about to kill.
Shalimar, please, i can explain.
Sorry, babe, i'm not about to let you ruin my career.
I mean it, shalimar, i'm not the pushover you thought i was.
Turns out you're not a lot of things i thought you were.
Yeah, well, you got to admit i did a pretty good job playing
the damsel in distress, wouldn't you say?
Well, i'm going to show you a few things about distress.
I wouldn't test me if i were you.
Hand it over.
Well, i guess he doesn't leave us any choice.
Does he, emma?
Argh.
You freaks ought to be destroyed.
After you.
Let's go.
You should have just let me have him when i had the chance.
You okay?
Yeah, thanks to you.
Want to get the hell out of here?
Hey, you okay?
Adam?
Not so fast, mr. Kilmartin.
You haven't even heard what i have to say.
Well it appears mr. Minhouse has missed his deadline - for good.
You have any idea how close he came to exposing us all to proxy blue?
Yes.
How ironic that you and i should find ourselves battling a mutual foe.
Although, i have to admit, things could have gone a lot
smoother if only we had agreed to work together.
Yes, weli...
seems we can all breathe a little easier now.
The only question left, of course, is...
where does that leave us?
That's up to you.
I want that disc.
Come and get it.
We're done here.
Torch the place?
And proxy blue gets an anonymous tip about a serial arsonist?
Let's get the hell out of here.
Yeah, wait a minute, not so fast.
Who wants to do the honours?
I'll take a crack at it.
Knock yourself out.
He shoots, he scores.
So, tell me something, wiseguy, as a former conman,
how is it that jay managed to...
con you?
What, it takes one to no one?
Uh, yeah.
You know it doesn't work like that.
I don't know, i didn't get a feeling for him either way.
Well, actually, no,
until i saw the way that shalimar acted around him.
How is that?
Weli...
i don't know,
i just didn't like the way she stuck her neck out for him.
Why, because you were feeling protective?
Oh, or jealous?
Protective, smartass.
Sure.
I'm okay.
But you still seem pretty pissed about jay.
Well, you know what it is, i just feel stupid.
I mean, when we found him he was just like...
like a dog who'd been kicked too hard.
My nurturing insctincts took over and i just...
i just can't believe i misjudged someone like that.
Yeah, well, it's not like i'm hitting the bonus board when
it comes to judging guys.
When was the last time i had a date.
I know, sweetie, but honestly, i mean,
if i wore this i wouldn't be getting any action either.
Well, it's a start.