Sark is in orange jump suit and a straight jacket. He is under armed guard and placed on a plane. They shackle his feet to the seat. Syd tells Dixon what flight Sark is on. They expect to bleed Sark dry because he is a major player. Dixon's kids go off with a friend's parents.
Lauren logs in as Judith Barnes. She checks a flight number. Vaughn walks in and she switches her monitor. She tells him that she is compiling a list of questions to ask Sark. Lauren's father arrived but he went straight into a meeting with Jack.
Lauren's father talks to Jack and Dixon. Sark's expected to arrive within the hour. Jack says it is imperative that they find out who Sark's co leader is. Lauren comes in. Dixon says that Sark is going to go into the Inferno Chamber. Lauren says that a percent of those subjected to it experience cardiac arrest. Lauren argues that is violates the Geneva Convention. They don't classify Sark as a prisoner of war. Lauren is told that the questions exceed her classification level. Dixon receives a call from school asking if his kids are sick.
Syd and Weiss wait for Sark's plane. It is overdue. Syd gets a call. The plane arrived in the middle of the desert 60 miles from where they are. Police cars arrive at the plane. Syd and Weiss get out of one of the cars. Weiss learns that no one has gotten on or off the plane since it landed. They get on the plane. There are bodies on it. The pilot and copilot are dead. It looks like there is frost on the bodies and bullet wounds to the temple. Sark is gone (yay! I knew he'd get out.).
Vaughn says that Sark and his guard are gone. Jack theorizes that Sark parachuted out. Dixon tells Sark about his missing children. He gets a call from Sark and says that he has his children. They will remain safe providing that he follows their directions.
Jack briefs the time that Sark kidnapped the children. He shows five pictures of prisoners held by different governments. It will be difficult to negotiate their release. Lauren's father argues against negotiating with terrorist. What if they go after other government workers children? Syd argues that this isn't hypothetical. Dixon says that Sark got out due to inside information. The leak came from this office.
Lauren and Sark talk on the phone. Sark asks how she is progressing in procuring a scapegoat. She says fine.
Sloane and Dr. Barnett are together. She says she is normally very professional. Sloane tells her that their time together was very therapeutic. She says that if the agency finds out about their time together they will discredit her. They kiss. She says she should go.
Marshall plays the last communication with the plane. Things are fine. Then we hear shots. They thought Sark bailed out over New Mexico. Marshall hears noises. It is Sark making a call. He will be at the LZ. He bailed out over Arizona. He uses the words my love.
Dixon tells Jack that based on what he heard from Marshall he could go tactical right now. Jack warns him that they might kill one of the children.
Dixon and Syd are in Nogales. Weiss says that perimeters are clear. Marshall checks a camera. The kids are inside and one level down. Dixon leads the team in. Marshall guides them to Steven and Robin. Dixon says they aren't there. Marshall does a rescan. Weiss finds a bomb. Vaughn radios it in. Syd finds another. Marshall finds 6 other charges and tells them to get out. Dixon orders the team out and says that he's going after the kids. Marshall realizes that the tape is a loop. They aren't there. Syd tells Dixon. He doesn't believe it. Syd convinces him to get out. The team runs out as bombs start exploding.
Jack tells Marshall to bring up the server logs for FAA information. He wants the list of all who accessed info on Sark's flight. Marshall finds someone logged onto Dr. Barnett's account and traces the IP addy to Zurich. Jack comes in with two agents. They take Sloane into custody.
Dixon enters a cell to confront Sloane. Dixon says it wasn't enough to him that he saw his wife die? They are children. Sloane doesn't know what he is talking about. Dixon says that he gave information to the Covenant. Dixon says he should have put a bullet in Sloane three years ago. Syd runs in and tries to talk Dixon out of shooting him. Dixon lowers the gun. Sloane tells Syd that he didn't do this. She walks away.
Dixon pulls into his driveway. He sits, then grabs his briefcase. He begins to cry. He looks out and sees someone walking. It is his son, Steven. Dixon runs to his son, screaming his name. He asks where Robin is. A phone starts ringing. Steven hands Dixon a phone and says they want to talk to you.
Dixon says they wanted him to watch his children die. They are now demanding the release of 10 prisoners. Any further action on their part and they will kill his daughter. Dixon says that because of a failed rescue mission he sanctioned his daughter is in danger. He steps down temporarily as leader of this taskforce. He puts Jack in charge and trusts that he will do everything in his power to get his daughter back.
Senator Reed talks to Jack and says that state will do everything they can. Jack says there is something rash about the Covenant's actions. They need to continue negotiating prisoners' release. Syd goes to see Dixon at the hospital. His son is in the hospital dehydrated. Dixon tells Syd that they really wanted Rambaldi artifacts from project black hole. He has access. Syd tells him whatever he needs.
Syd races a cart through the desert next to a fence (great music here - gonna have to find out what this is on the website). Syd is stopped. She says that she was duning with her buddies and got separated. The military says she isn't supposed to be there. She leans into the buggy poking her butt out. She tasers the guy and radios Dixon. Dixon heads in and congratulates his contact on her promotion. He asks about the term shadow. Could it be Rambaldi related? His son mentioned it. He wants to use a terminal. They are at a cod orange she has to tag along.
Syd puts on gear and climbs down an access hole of some sort. She is wearing an oxygen tank. Syd reaches the grate and tells Dixon. It is still sealed. Syd says that heat levels are critical. She's going to have to abort. Dixon feigns grief. He asks his escort if she prays. She says she is agnostic. She gives him a moment. Dixon patches into the security console. Syd gets through the grate and is in. She comes face to face with page 47. She says they have every Rambaldi artifact she ever collected. Number 45 is gone. She tells Dixon this.
Dixon tries to find it. He finds it in analysis 8 quadrant 1. Syd goes after it. Jack watches the Senator. Jack goes to see Sloane and asks why this is going on. The negotiations are set to fail. Sloane asks why Dixon. What does he have access to that they want? Jack says he has access to project black hole. Syd is wearing a surgical mask. She finds the room and enters. She sees it. 45 is a box. There are lasers rotating and aiming at it. Syd finds her way in and grabs the box. She manipulates her way around and rips the cord from one arm. The laser retracts. As Syd goes to put the object in a case she sees the name "Irina" inscribed on it. Syd gets out. Dixon goes to leave. His escort hands him a hard copy of his search.
Sark tells Lauren that Dixon made contact. Sark is surprised. He didn't think he had it in him. Lauren chides Sark that the man is living his worst nightmares and to lose the sarcasm.
Jack meets Syd and tells her that he know they removed an artifact from black hole. Sloane told him. He says that giving the covenant the artifact will put Syd's life in jeopardy. Syd tells jack about the name on the box. Jack won't let them give it to them. He wants them to produce a duplicate. Dixon argues that it will put Robin's life in danger. They will kill her if they think they are being double crossed. Syd says that Robin didn't choose this life, she did. Jack says he is going with them on the trade.
Senator Reed is on the phone with negotiations. He is told that project black hole has bee compromised. Object 45 is missing. Dixon's name is on the list of people who have been there. The Senator adds his name to the watch list and wants him brought in.
Vaughn is approached by Lauren. She tells him that Dixon needs their help. Dixon, Jack and Syd arrive at the meet. Senator Reed talks to the choppers. Vaughn and Lauren get Marshall to help. Marshall tries to locate their GPS signal. Sark arrives at the meet. Dixon says he wants his daughter. The girl is in the back of the car. He says that once he has the artifact his associate will release the girl. Marshall misdirects the chopper over long beach harbor. Dixon gives Sark the case. He checks it. They get the girl out of the car. Sark holds up a collar with a toxin. They have two minutes to disarm it before it injects. Dixon gets angry. Syd says use her instead. Sark agrees. He puts the collar on Syd. Jack pulls a gun on Sark. Sark tells Jack that if he releases this device the injection happens automatically. Syd tells Dixon to get Robin out of there. Jack works to disarm the device and succeeds.
Sloane is still in his cell. Dr Barnett visits him. She doesn't believe that he is innocent of the charges. Sloane asks if he wanted to damage her and the CIA would he be so careless as to leave a trail. She says she trusted him. She misjudged. He understands but wants her assurance of confidentiality about the affair with Irina. Jack tells Lauren and Vaughn that the Senator's attempt to retrieve lot 45 was thwarted. He says whoever did it has his gratitude. Vaughn assures him that the Senator won't' find out who it was. Vaughn says to his wife that he'll see her later. She replies not if she sees him first love and Jack pauses.