Sydney privately tells Sark that if he burns her, she'll return the favor. Sark tries to reassure her, saying he must keep quiet for his own safety as well. Later, a worried Sydney asks Irina if she told Sark that she was a double agent. Irina assures her that she did not, but that in itself doesn't mean that she's safe.

At SD-6, Sloane tells the doubting team that Sark has turned himself in and bartered immunity for information. Sloane reassures them that Sark won't violate their agreement. Sark says that it's not in his best interest to betray them. Sloane then unveils the next mission: Sydney and Dixon are to purchase the communication codes used by Uzbek troops. Extremist forces in neighboring Tajikistan are trying to use the codes to plan terrorist attacks, and SD-6 wants to study them. Irina, upon hearing of the mission from Sydney, insists on being released for 48 hours but refuses to offer details. Her request is denied.

Meanwhile, Sark tells Sloane that Sydney suspects he hasn't truly turned himself in. Since Jack can influence Sydney, they agree that Jack cannot know the real use of the codes. As Sark leaves, Sloane receives a phone call demanding account numbers for all SD-6 investments — or he will be held responsible for the death of his wife, Emily. Sloane is defiant.

Sydney and Dixon meet with Zokolov in Uzbekistan and obtain the codes, which are secure in a case. However, the case will detonate if opened without proper validation — a fingerprint of the case's owner, an Uzbek soldier who's been conveniently assassinated. Disguised as Uzbek soldiers, Dixon delivers Sydney's "corpse" to a morgue. Having gained entry, she then finds the soldier's body and obtains the print. Sydney fights off several guards, finds Dixon, and they return to home. 

In LA, Will informs Vaughn that the KGB inserted questions into the 1982 standardized test, which was administered to 5 million American children. Vaughn bluntly says that Devlin ordered him to let Will go because his involvement may pose a security risk.

Sydney tells Will that she has to gain Sark's trust. Later, she asks Vaughn why the CIA is ignoring Will's findings. Vaughn simply says that the research was sent to the FBI. He then shows Sydney a watch, a gift from his father, who had told him, "You could set your heart by this watch." The watch stopped October 1 — the day he and Syd met. Their pagers sound, and the moment is cut short.

Sydney and Vaughn discover that the codes are actually for six portable nuclear warheads that were confirmed missing six months ago. Furthermore, Sark electronically sent the codes to an unknown third party. They should have listened to Irina.

Irina says that revealing the details earlier might have exposed Sydney as a double agent. The warheads are in Kashmir, she says, at a former maximum security prison that's now the stronghold for the People's Revolutionary Front. Sydney convinces Irina to lead a team to Kashmir. A furious Jack reacts by joining the team himself. He gives Irina a necklace layered with C4, warning her that he would detonate it if she tried to escape.

Will, although no longer working for Vaughn, gives him 40 names of children who achieved perfect scores on the standardized tests. He researched a culture study from 1980-1985 to find these scores, which Vaughn had said the CIA couldn't uncover. Will says he's still trying to figure out why the '82 tests were missing.   

Disguised as a loving family on vacation, Irina, Jack and Sydney board a train en route to Kashmir. They parachute from the train and meet their contact, who provides them with the necessary equipment. Meanwhile, back at SD-6 Sloane receives a small package containing Emily's finger, with the wedding ring attached.

Syd, Irina and Jack are ambushed by the PRF on the way to the camp. During the fight, Irina uses the C-4 necklace, as well as a machine gun. After killing the soldiers, Jack informs Irina that she is not to carry a weapon. Irina acquiesces, but reminds him that they are in enemy territory and need to start trusting each other. The trio makes their way toward a CIA station where they can patch through to Langley on a secure line. They leave, set to arrive at dawn.

Copyright © March 2003