Hi, I'm Chuck. Here are a few things that you might need to know.
The Ring used me as a decoy.
You said I was safe, bro.
Babe, we need to get away.
Where do you want to go?
Doctors Without Borders.
I'm a spy, buddy.
My best friend is a spy?
That's the best news I've ever heard!
Dismissed.
Lieutenant Alexander Coburn?
Thank you for your service, Lieutenant,
but you have not qualified
for training with Special Operations Command.
You'll be returning home with your unit at 0800 tomorrow.
Dismissed.
Tic Tac?
I'm sorry, Colonel?
I know it's silly, but they remind me of home.
Go ahead and keep them.
I have a feeling you're gonna be out here a while.
How would you feel if I told you
that there was a covert black ops team
of America's finest snipers, Rangers and men
willing to do anything to protect this country,
and that team wanted you?
I'd say that sounds like a dream come true, sir.
And I'd say you have quite a choice to make.
Either go home to your family
or you become the soldier you always dreamed you could be.
So, tell me, Lieutenant Coburn...
...are you ready to die today?
I'm glad you took my call.
In a matter of hours, General Beckman
is gonna give you and your team a Trace Cell mission
to test the CIA's security system.
I need you to pick something up for me while you're there.
I know you'll make the right decision.
You always do.
02200 and... two.
Uh, P.M.
NSA Agent John Casey in his apartment,
speaking to an elderly gentleman.
And I detect a hint of Midwestern...
I hear footsteps!
Coming in from behind me, closer, closer now.
Whoever finds this video, I want you to...
oh, it's just you, Chuck.
I thought you were KGB, maybe even a ninja.
Although in that case,
your footsteps would've been a lot quieter, wouldn't they?
Probably. Yeah.
What are you doing?
A little spy work.
I think Casey's getting a mission. Want to listen?
First of all, if Casey was getting a mission,
I would know about it because I would be getting a mission.
And secondly, you're being kept out of the loop for a reason.
Spy work is dangerous, buddy. I can...
Ooh, ooh.
Pleasure working with you again, old friend.
Working on what?
Good morning, team.
Your task this week is a Trace Cell mission.
Uh, excuse me, a Trace Cell?
It means spy-proofing our own security.
The CIA's most valuable assets
are held in a subterranean vault at our Los Angeles facility.
You'll need to break through
15 levels of security to get there.
Will Shaw be joining us?
No, Shaw's in D.C.
Agent Walker, you'll need to catch
a later flight to meet him.
You have your orders. Good luck.
This is just great.
So, now you're gonna go meet Shaw in D.C.
Does everyone have a secret mission within a mission?
It's not a mission, Chuck.
This time it's personal.
Oh, oh, right, right, of course.
Well, that would make sense why I was kept out of that loop.
My work is here, Chuck, so, please, stay focused.
We are up against the best security in the world tonight.
Our own.
That's the door to level two.
A hallway.
Well, seems easy enough.
Uh-uh.
Oh.
This is where you flash.
Just relax, Chuck, you've got time.
Nobody's banging down on the door.
Mission accomplished.
Pace yourself, Chuck, we've got 14 more levels.
That was manageable.
Now, Walker,
watch the door.
Hey, uh, shouldn't we stick together?
No, always gotta have somebody watch your back.
I got yours.
The box we need is around here.
There it is.
Did you just take something out of that box?
No.
I literally just watched you close it.
Hey, hey, look, if you're working on
some secret side mission, tell me.
Breathe a word of this to anyone,
you're as good as a dead man, Bartowski.
You understand?
Is everything okay?
Yeah.
Chuck, hey.
I need you to do me a solid, bro.
I need you to help Ellie commit to Doctors Without Borders.
What? I- I thought that she did.
Yeah, well, so did I, but I think it all hit her today
that it meant leaving L.A. and leaving you.
Now, she's gonna come to you
and I need you to back me up on this, bro.
That's probably her now.
Okay. Okay.
Is Devon here?
Chuck, I got it.
You-you got "it"?
What is it? What is this?
Ellie, Ellie, this is amazing. Oh, my God.
Neurology fellowship at USC?
You've wanted this since you were in Middle School.
I know, I know.
But what do I do?
Doctors Without Borders is the only thing
that Devon has been excited about in weeks.
Yeah, well, you know, sometimes your dream job
isn't always what you expect it to be.
Unfortunately, your mission
at the CIA facility was a day too late.
The vault had already been compromised
and a new drug called Laudanol was stolen.
Military scientists were able to create a prototype pill
that could suppress emotions in battlefield soldiers,
make them stronger, faster, fearless.
Wait a minute,
no fear?
Could that help me flash?
Well, maybe, but then
you wouldn't feel anything, Chuck.
Right, but I could work...
perfectly.
We'll never know unless we get it back.
We think this might have been an inside job.
Only a handful of our people knew the Laudanol
was being kept in box 092407.
Oh, yes.
I get it now, you're good.
You are good, General.
You guys, you are good, very good.
This is a test, right?
Bartowski.
First there was the solo mission on the plane,
then turning an asset,
now this time it's,
"Chuck, will you betray your country
"or will you turn in your friend and partner,
John Casey, for stealing the pill?"
I'll play ball, okay?
Guilty. He did it.
Are you positive you saw Colonel Casey
take the pill, Mr. Bartowski?
Yeah.
No? No.
No, I would-I would actually not use the word "positive."
It was very poorly lit in that, um...
I- I'm wrong half the time.
Colonel Casey? So...
Would you care to respond?
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, hang on a second.
Let's just all take a breath here, okay?
John Casey is one of the most loyal spies out there.
He would never do anything to jeopardize the CIA.
Casey, tell them!
With all due respect, General,
I will exercise my right to remain silent
under the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution.
What?
What are you doing?
Agent Walker, please relieve the colonel of his weapon.
John, you want to tell me what's going on?
Which is why I said Left 4 Dead 2 would be better
as an expansion pack... I need your help.
The answer's yes.
I already set the DVR to record the Mork and Mindy marathon.
This is not that.
This is, uh, this spy related, okay?
Did you happen to record Casey's conversation last night?
That would depend.
No, don't worry, don't worry, you're not in trouble.
I actually need your help.
Oh, sweet. I knew you'd come around, dude.
Yeah, sure, absolutely.
What do you need, audio or video?
Whatever.
2100 and 43 P.M.
There's a chill in the air
and a hint of vanilla.
A man enters Casey's apartment.
Is that static?
Carrots actually.
I'm sorry. I get hungry on a stakeout.
Holy crap. What is it, Chuck? I want in.
You know what, Morgan? Trust me, in this case,
the fewer details you know, the better.
Call me if you need me.
Hey, show some respect.
This guy was one of the best that we had. Sorry, ma'am.
Still no sign of the Laudanol.
Sarah.
I just flashed.
Casey is being played.
His old commanding officer's
a guy named James Keller.
High up in special ops.
He's the guy who turned Casey's former sensei,
because now he's a member of the Ring.
What? Casey doesn't know anything.
We got to talk to him and tell him
who this Keller guy really is.
We can't. Casey committed treason.
And he's still refusing to talk.
They're moving him to a black site in Thailand-
outside of U.S. torture jurisdictions. When?
Tomorrow morning.
Okay, then we've got to break him out before then
and clear his name. If we do this, and if we get caught,
we're gonna be tried for treason,
and you're gonna lose everything
and you're never going to get a chance to be a real spy.
Is that what you want?
It's Casey.
You sure you're okay missing your flight to D.C.?
Yeah, Shaw can wait, Casey can't.
He's in a holding cell on level 15.
Now all we have to do is just break through
the security we just spy-proofed.
Well, it's only been 24 hours.
I'd be surprised if they fixed anything.
All right then.
Time to save the day.
Chuck, are you okay?
Well, that wasn't there before.
Alert the general.
We've captured two infiltrators.
I see you've encountered my new security measures.
Well done. Well done.
Yeah, really excellent work.
You deserve a medal
for adjusting all these security measures
so quickly.
Yes, General Beckman,
the spy-proofing is excellent.
Who to thank?
Uh, Fitzroy. Stanley Fitzroy.
It means "son of the king."
Did you get that, General? Fitzroy?
Son of the king- she knew that as well.
That's incredible.
Yeah, okay, great.
Uh, my name is Charles Carmichael.
And this is my partner Sarah Walker.
Uh, we're secure.
Please forgive the intrusion
and condescending tone.
I wasn't informed that you two were coming.
But then that must have been the point.
Um, do you like what I did on level one?
Very impressive.
Very.
Very, very.
In fact, uh, I think we'd both love to see
what you've done with level 15.
Mm-hmm.
Well, let me show you.
I'll give you the tour.
I thought you'd be happy for me.
Babe, I am.
But if we do Doctors Without Borders, we could save lives.
We can save lives here in L.A. next to my brother.
I just talked to Chuck this morning.
He thought it was a great idea.
Oh, really? I find that hard to believe
because I told him about USC and he was happy for me.
Well, then I guess we'll go talk to Chuck.
Oh, nice to see you, too.
Third opinion never hurts.
- I agreed to do Doctors Without Borders, - Ellie agreed to do this.
- which is a fantastic organization. - She said, and I quote, "I'm in."
but that was before I found out about my
- USC neurology scholarship at USC, - is every good doctor's
- which is, like, my dream job. - dream job.
Devon, it appears to me you're being completely selfish.
Morgan, sidebar now.
Just a sec, babe.
- You can't tell Ellie to stay here. - Why?
If you had all the information that I had,
you'd know that it's not safe for her here.
If you had all the intel I had,
you'd know that it is, in fact, the safest place
for her to be.
What exactly do you mean by that?
Nothing. Chuck's here.
He'd look after her.
Yes, but Chuck's job
can sometimes be
more demanding than most would expect.
Indeed, sir, indeed.
Sure, Nerd Herding does often call for
more than just computer installs.
Do you know? Do you know?
Do I know what? What do you think I know?
I don't think you know half what you think you know.
Fine. On three, we both say what we know.
Okay.
One, two, three.
Chuck's a... Chuck's a...
Oh, my God, you know. Oh, my God, you know.
When did you know? When did you find out?
A while, bro.
Man, it is so cool, huh?
Yeah, it's awesome, but every time I go on a mission,
I put Ellie in danger, and I can't have that.
Right. I didn't think about that.
Wait, you went on missions?
You haven't?
What? Of course, dude...
You guys... I never saw you out there.
Hmm-hmm.
Ellie, I've been thinking, kids in L.A.,
eh, they don't need your help.
You know, with their fancy designer jeans
and Lady Gaga sunglasses.
I say far, far away is where a doctor could do the most good.
I think that you should go
and do Doctors Without Borders, all right?
Medecins sans frontieres.
So, that was 14. Here's level 15.
I'm just so glad you're pleased with my new security measures.
You know, I'm kind of your biggest fan.
Really?
Yeah, yeah, I read and file all of your mission reports.
Remember when you reverse-engineered
an antidote to that bio-weapon
and kissed Colonel Casey only to realize later
it was all for naught?
That must've been exciting and scary
at the same time, huh?
Can we just skip the details for now?
We'll get into that later.
Right now I'm-I'm really interested in how you've
secured this holding cell.
I'm the newest security measure.
I have the only key card in the whole building.
This card is the only thing
that stands between the bad guys and the holding cell.
Stanley...
Hmm?
We're gonna need that key card.
But...
Oh.
Oh, no.
I'll swallow the key card if I have to.
Well, that's weird.
If we're still out here, how is the alarm going off?
Somebody's coming. We don't have time for this.
Time for what?
Was that absolutely necessary?
Yes.
There, look, Casey.
I really hope that wasn't me.
Don't take another step. We just want the Colonel.
Casey, you don't understand.
Keller is not who you think he is.
He's part of the Ring.
Let's go, John.
I can't believe that Casey's a member of the Ring.
What are we supposed to do now?
We just broke out of a CIA facility.
We gotta get out of here first.
Worry about finding the Ring later.
When three of my agents are arrested for treason
in 24 hours, it reflects poorly on me.
Look, General, Casey...
You don't know John Casey.
Not the way you think.
His real name is Alex Coburn.
We've unsealed his file and this is what we've learned.
Alex Coburn faked his death in Honduras
in 1989, the same day that John Casey
was recruited for NSA Black Ops
by a Colonel James Keller.
Keller must've recruited him again
and this time for the Ring.
And it's crucial the Laudanol
doesn't fall into their hands.
The only reason you're not in federal prison right now
is because I have a mission only you can accomplish.
Find and capture Colonel John Casey.
Dead or alive.
Whoa!
Don't say a word.
Casey?
Mm-hmm.
I get it, I get it.
This is some kind of mission, isn't it?
Yeah, that's right.
How would you like to be a part of a very important,
very secret mission?
Yeah, yeah, can I get a cool call name
like Condor or Lady Fingers?
Yeah.
Three years...
three years of missions, training, I'm his friend.
How can all of that have been a lie?
I don't know, some people change.
You move forward as a spy, and the line between what's
right and wrong becomes more and more gray.
You don't know what to believe in or...
who to believe in.
I thought you had changed.
What do you mean?
I know that you want to be the perfect spy,
and I know what it means to you
and what you've sacrificed to get there.
But please don't lose that guy that I met three years ago.
Don't give up on the things that make you great.
I'll always be that guy.
Sarah, I...
We should probably focus on the Laudanol.
So, the only reason
that Keller would go to all that trouble to break Casey out
would be if he still didn't have it.
Which means if we get to it before Casey does,
we've got a shot at catching him.
Yeah, except there's nothing left in the apartment.
What about the Buy More?
No, Casey's smarter than that.
He knows he would never get past
those surveillance cameras undetected.
He would have to use somebody.
And that someone would have to be either desperate, stupid,
or just plain willing to do anything to impress him.
Planet of the Apes, huh?
Planning on watching that alone?
Yeah, well, you know me, I can't get enough POTA.
Liar.
You hated the original
because their upper lips never moved.
I just...
I know, it's just so unrealistic!
Morgan, did Casey ask you to come here
and get something for him?
No, never.
Really? Really? Is that so?
And could that something
be in the case that you're holding right now?
That is absurd.
Now you're just making stuff up.
Now you're just trying to...
Listen, this is my first mission, Chuck,
and I don't want to screw it up.
Now Casey, he told me
that I can't tell you anything, and I won't.
I'm a rock.
If you give me that case right now, I promise that later
I will answer all questions that you have
about any of my missions.
In sordid detail?
Promise.
You're making the right choice.
Okay, you're making the right choice.
Sarah, I got it.
Where's Grimes?
You convinced the little rodent
to give you the case, didn't you?
I knew he was weak.
Tell me where it is, now.
Don't make me do this, Bartowski.
Don't shoot.
Give me the case and I won't have to.
I believed in you.
I trusted you.
Chuck.
I know everything, Casey.
I know everything, okay?
I know that you used to be Alex Coburn.
I know that you work for James Keller,
and that you stole the Laudanol for the Ring.
The only thing I don't know is why.
Alex Coburn...
I had a fiancée.
Now she thinks I'm dead.
And if I don't turn over the Laudanol to the Ring,
they're gonna kill her.
Her name's Kathleen McHugh.
20 years ago, she was the girl I was gonna marry.
Love of my life.
But to be a spy and protect our country,
I had to give up that life.
And now she's going to die
because of a decision I made.
No, we're not gonna let that happen.
If I don't deliver the Laudanol
to his location in the next hour,
they're gonna kill her.
What are we waiting for?
Let's go save her. If I don't show
at the meet, Keller will know something's wrong.
Well, then Chuck will go to Kathleen's.
Yeah, yeah, Sarah's right, I'll go.
Look, just give me the address, I'll sneak her
out of there, put her in a safe house.
I will protect her, Casey, I promise.
You could be charged with treason.
Hell, you didn't even know I was Alex Coburn until today.
I don't care who you were.
I know who you are.
And you're not in this alone.
Keller still expects you at the meet.
What are we going to do?
Let's go to a meeting.
I'm alone, I'm unarmed.
All I've got is this here Cuban.
You mind?
Smoke it.
Hi, uh, Ms. McHugh?
Yes, may I help you?
Yes, I'm with the gas company.
I was just checking your meter here out back,
and yeah, I do detect a gas leak.
I'm sorry to tell you, so I need you to leave with me.
Come on! Oh...
Back inside the house. Back inside the house quick!
But I thought you said...
Well, ignore everything I said previously.
The gas leak is actually outside the house. What?
Trust me, ma'am, it's my job to smell these things.
See, I've been doing it for years.
The whole cul-de-sac could blow right now!
So, I need you back inside, back inside the house.
Inside, inside!
Okay, this is, um, this is getting kind of weird.
Who are you really?
I'm sorry, I promise I'm not crazy.
This is for your own good. Huh?
Hey!
Hey, let me outta here!
Hello, Alex.
You got the Laudanol?
I knew I could count on you.
Good soldiers always follows orders.
You know, you wouldn't be in this mess if you'd done
what I told you 20 years ago.
You were supposed to let go of her.
Stop caring.
Tic Tac?
What the hell is this?
Your breath stinks.
You think you're just going to walk out of here?
I got five men outside.
The one thing I always taught you,
make sure you have someone watch your back.
I know.
Five against one.
You didn't think this through!
You can't kill me
or Kathleen will die.
You'd never call them off.
You're right.
They're already at the house.
Gas company, Ms. McHugh.
I'm the gas company.
Guys, how far are you?
Five minutes.
Look, anything immediate, you're gonna have to handle yourself.
Yeah, well, everything is immediate!
Well, then you have to flash.
I can't. There's too many of them.
Take the pill, Chuck.
What pill?
You gave him the pill? It's in your right pocket.
The Laudanol was developed to calm emotions, eliminate fear.
Chuck, it can make you
the Intersect you were always supposed to be.
Gas company, Ms. McHugh.
Open up!
Chuck!
I just checked the meter, everything's fine.
Come on, let me out! Help!
Thank you so much... Hey!
Wait a second. What the...?
You're not from the gas company.
I'm not afraid...
of any of you.
Chuck! Chuck, stop!
Oh, my God.
Do I know you?
Kath, I'm sorry. I- I can't come home sooner.
I've got one more mission.
I think I'm going really be able to help people.
You don't have to explain.
You love what you do and you're good at it.
I just want you to know, if something happens to me,
no matter what, I love you.
Listen, you're never one to get emotional with me,
so don't let your guard down now.
That way you can get back to me in one piece.
Got it?
Yes, ma'am.
And when you do come back,
I've got some news...
Tonight at 2200,
Lieutenant Alex Coburn will be killed in battle.
He'll die a hero and be given a hero's funeral.
From this point on, your name is John Casey.
Make it a good life, soldier.
The authorities just arrived, Ms. McHugh.
Mom.
Alex.
What's with the police cars outside?
It's okay. Shh, it's okay.
I'll be all right.
Casey...
Wait.
You-you can't just...
What's dead is dead.
It's too late now.
Despite the success of the mission, Colonel Casey,
you abused your privileged position
and if you were anyone else,
you would be right back in jail.
But you are not just anyone.
And I'm about to give you your second second chance.
Which is two more than most people get.
Thank you, General.
Second chance as a civilian.
Um...
but, uh-uh, General,
Casey has given his entire life to this country.
I mean, surely you can't just make him start over.
He's done it once before.
He shouldn't have a problem doing it again.
For the final time,
you are dismissed.
Good luck, John.
Mr. Bartowski...
Please escort Mr. Casey
off government property.
I want to commend you, Agent Walker,
for your work with the Intersect.
He seems to need you less and less.
Yes, uh, Chuck has certainly changed,
and he is well on his way to becoming the perfect spy.
A while back you requested a transfer out of Burbank,
and I haven't forgotten.
There's an empty seat on my flight back to D.C.,
if you'd still like to go.
We could discuss it on the way.
I leave in an hour-
if you'd like to join me, Agent Walker.
Thank you.
Hey, stranger.
I'm sorry, you are?
Your brother,
who you never see.
How are you?
You okay? You look exhausted.
I am. It's this, uh, it's this Doctors Without Borders thing.
I think Devon really wants to do it.
And I did, too.
So I think I'm going to do it, Chuck.
Yeah?
Yeah.
USC neurology- that's kind of been your dream
ever since you were a kid, El.
I know, I know.
But dreams change.
And if there is one thing that I know for sure,
it's that I want to be with Devon.
And it might require some sacrifice
from both of us,
but he's the best choice I ever made.
There you are, El.
Hey, uh...
can I steal you away? Yeah.
Love you. Both.
Babe...
I realize that I didn't congratulate you
on getting the fellowship.
And that was only my first mistake.
But I should have talked to you first.
If this is important to you, then it is important to me.
I'm sorry I lost sight of that.
Babe, take the job.
We'll make it work.
Together.
See?
This space can work.
It'll be great for civilian life.
I mean, take a look around.
You got a... you got a nice chair.
You know, you can still go back.
The general made the terms of my dismissal crystal clear.
I was talking about Kathleen.
She lives right around here, man.
And, uh, you got a daughter, Casey.
You know I made my decision between love and love of country
a long time ago.
And it was the right decision for me.
Now you have to make a decision
whether that's the right one for you.
Walker's a good woman.
It's still not too late.
D.C.'s beautiful this time of year.
You from this area?
No.
But I'm thinking of moving here.