Alias/The Box (2)

The Box (2)
Season 1, Episode 13
Airdate	February 10, 2002
Production Number	E642
Written by	Jesse Alexander & John Eisendrath
Directed by	Jack Bender
← 1x12 The Box (1)	1x14 → The Coup
Alias — Season One

The Box (2) is the thirteenth episode of the first season of Alias. Sydney and Vaughn race against time to prevent McKenas Cole from getting into the SD-6 vault.

Starring: Jennifer Garner (Sydney Bristow), Ron Rifkin (Arvin Sloane), Michael Vartan (Michael Vaughn), Bradley Cooper (Will Tippin), Merrin Dungey (Francie Calfo), Carl Lumbly (Marcus Dixon), Kevin Weisman (Marshall Flinkman)

and Victor Garber (Jack Bristow)

Special Guest Star: Quentin Tarantino (McKenas Cole)

Guest Starring: Joey Slotnick (Steven Haladki), Agnes Bruckner (Kelly McNeil), James Handy (Arthur Devlin)

Co-Starring: Jennifer Tung (Toni), Ben Bray (Tchen), Kristof Konrad (Endo), Igor Jijikine (Chopper), Dave Lea (Ice), Jeff Wolfe (Gonov), Greta Sesheta (CIA Secretary)

Uncredited: Greg Grunberg (Eric Weiss)

Plot Overview

Sydney, trapped in a vent by McKenas Cole, is unable to move past a dead end. Hearing someone approach, she is surprised to find that it is her father. Watching on the security cameras and coming to his aid, Jack surrenders to Cole to give Sydney more time. Returning to the maintenance room, she finds written instructions detailing the three locations of the C4 explosives.

Dixon secretly uses a PDA to send a text message to the CIA at Langley telling them that SD-6 is under attack. Jack tries to persuade him against this, using the cover story that the CIA must disavow all knowledge of SD-6 but knowing that SD-6 is truly unaffiliated with the government, but Dixon sends the message anyway. The message is intercepted and routed to Vaughn who wants to quickly act on the information but is stopped by Haladki, who has replaced him as the agent in charge of the Bristow operation. Vaughn chooses to go in alone instead to get independent confirmation of the attack.

Sydney finds the first C4 location is behind a locked plate with large steel bolts. She is able to freeze and break off several bolts with a CO2 fire extinguisher but runs out before removing all the bolts. Using two loose metal bars and taking a security camera cable, Sydney fashions a crude set of pliers and removes the final bolt. The cut security cable is noticed by Cole's team and they send a man to investigate. Before disarming the bolt, she hears a guard approaching. After surprising and beating him, Cole notices his absence and sends Toni as the vault cracking device is automated and can run unattended.

Vaughn finds one of Cole's men in the van and approaches him. Suspicious, he is able to prevent him from drawing a weapon and shoots him in a struggle. Trying to call Haladki for support but being brushed off, Vaughn goes deeper in and surprises Sydney. Working together, they examine the C4 bomb and find it very complicated with duplicate wires. However, a crystal for a radio transmitter is accessible and removing it should prevent the vault opening from detonating it. Expecting further defenses, Vaughn sprays it with breath spray and reveals a laser grid. Sydney removes the crystal through a narrow gap in the lasers.

The two are immediately surprised by Toni, who holds them at gunpoint. While she is instructing them to bind themselves, the two cooperate and disarm her. Toni quickly tells them that she is a British SAS agent undercover in Cole's team investigating their activities. She says that the goal of the intrusion is the recovery of a Rambaldi artifact from the SD-6 vault. Guardedly believing her, they leave her bound and she tells them the limited time they have before the codebreaker gets the scrambled vault codes. When found by one of Cole's men, Toni tells them that only one agent disarmed her.

Splitting up to take each of the remaining C4 bombs, Sydney and Vaugn each take half of Jack's map. Toni returns as Cole is being taunted by Sloane. Worked into a frenzy, Cole loses his cool and shoots Toni. Now knowing there is another agent on the loose, Cole uses the intercom to state that he will begin killing agents until the rogue comes in and will start with Jack Bristow. Sydney surrenders before being able to disarm her C4. Cole had apparently met her five years ago, although the event wasn't positive nor memorable to Sydney. Vaughn is able to disarm his C4 but doesn't have the map to the one Sydney couldn't disarm. Knowing the building will still explode, Vaughn calls Weiss for support.

Cole gets word that the code has been broken and orders his men to kill all of the SD-6 agents. Marshall notices the small ring among the items recovered from Sydney when they searched her and indicates to her that she should get it. Sydney uses the ring, which includes a small flash bomb, to distract the guards and she and Jack disarm them while Dixon kills the other. Knowing the final C4 explosive is still active, the only options are to prevent Cole from opening the vault or disabling the failsafe. Sydney goes in pursuit of Cole but the failsafe can only be deactivated with a biometric fingerprint from Sloane. Sloane, bound in metal restraints, has Jack cut off his finger. Cole, who beats both Dixon and Sydney in hand to hand combat, opens the vault just after Jack disarms the failsafe. Within the vault, he finds a small box inscribed with the Rambaldi insignia.

With the box in hand, Cole heads to the parking garage but his escape is prevented when CIA agents, led by Weiss and Vaughn, shoot at his van. Running on foot, he is surprised by Sydney who knocks him out. Vaughn takes Cole and the small box, which contains a vial of liquid, and is able to conceal all evidence the CIA was there. In light of her contributions, Sydney decides she will remain working undercover at SD-6.

Notes

• Sydney beats two guards and eventually knocks out Cole. Vaughn and Dixon each shoot one of Cole's men. Cole himself shoots Toni and beats both Sydney and Dixon in combat.

• Sydney uses one of Marshall's flash bombs, concealed in a ring.

Music

• Jesse Harris and The Ferdinandos - "Rockaway"

• Fleetwood Mac - "Songbird"

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Will, following the key he received in an envelope, is led to a locker in a pier which contains autopsy photos of McNeil's wife. Believing this will spur him into telling his story, he gives the envelope to McNeil's daughter.

Trivia

Allusions and References

• At the dock, Will sees a ship named the Alba Varden. A ship of the same name plays a prominent role in the movie Lethal Weapon 2.

Quotes

• Cole: You didn't want to kiss me. Remember?

Sydney: No, I do not. But I can see not wanting to kiss you.