Allegiance: The Family That Spies Together Lies Together

Courtesy of NBC

Warning: Spoiler Alert

Last we spoke, Alex meant to meet with his younger sister at a Chinese restaurant. Instead he was surprised to find his parents waiting for him. “Now, it’s time to tell you everything, so you’ll understand why”. The first 5 seconds of tonight’s episode shows Alex frantically leaving the restaurant looking disoriented and distraught. Which might not cover it. Not the best news for a fast tracked CIA analyst to discover.

In snipits jumping from present time to minutes earlier and back, we begin to fill in some blanks on the back story of Katya and Mark O’Connor. Katya apparently, was set on the KGB track as early as 9 years old. Mark was recruited, but resistant at every step. He and Katya fell in love and removing her from a life she didn’t want became his motivation.

To say Alex is not taking it well is a VAST understatement. Considering his condition, he’s handling it as best as can be expected. However, even he can sense the spiral. “Remember you steps, remember your steps”.

While Alex tries to manage the emotion and assumed sense of betrayal, his parents try to explain the more pressing and immediate problem. They explain the story behind the laptop and slide him papers that describe what was on the laptop after Natalie’s former flame decrypted it. The quick, essential information approach is working better for him. Or it could just be providing him with enough ram to absorb the information and articulate his sense of betrayal.

Meanwhile, Alex, Luttrell, Prado and Agent Brock are all set to see a judge about their role in the laptop sting. Not the best time to have this information rattling around in his head. As he stands with his colleagues in front of the judge, he spaces out daydreaming about the conversation he just had, compromising his otherwise steadfast readiness. And for good reason. His parents just asked him to help them take down the SVR independent of the CIA or the FBI. Some would consider that asking him to become a traitor.

Mark: If you turn us in we will go to prison.

Alex: I think that’s where you belong…

Before the judge, Alex snaps out of his relative funk long enough to be asked directly by the judge whether he concurs with Prado’s testimony. After stalling, Alex completely recanted his stance as a way to protect his parents and can rationalize that by hiding behind a devil’s advocate approach. Needless to say, his entire team is ready to burn him at the stake. Still, he finds a way to put some logic behind it and fall on the sword. It’s not OK, but it’s better.

At the O’Connor’s residence, Mark and Katya begin to outline what this will take. It is unacceptable all around to Alex. Stealing a FBI access code, choosing his partner as the mark, all of it creates a conflict with Alex’s sense of moral absolutes.

The decision has been made to target Prado’s computer. Natalie is the one that has to give him the ‘how to’ on the tech. Looking down the entire time, Alex listens, takes the card and tries to leave. Natalie is begging him to get pissed. He doesn’t because his condition wouldn’t find any logic in it. Natalie gives it to him straight with no filler or explanation. This moment may act to solidify an otherwise middle of the road brother/sister relationship.

Upon arrival at the FBI offices, Alex is quickly informed that he and the rest of the office are experiencing the privilege of a random polygraph. He struggles bouncing between a wide range of questions. His partners bring a completely different calm and style of retort to their poly. After which the administrator asked Luttrell, “what’s with the twitchy guy?” Long story short, Alex broke the polygraph machine. A wide range of questions and the machine could not get a solid read on the answers.

Sarah abruptly leaves a conversation with “Ritchie” (some punk her age) when Victor slides in to have a chat with Ritchie. Victor needs his help with Sarah.

Alex intentionally spills Prado’s drink on her so that she might leave momentarily, providing him with the opportunity to clone her login. Halfway through, Luttrell walks up with disturbing news. A CIA buddy of his with the requisite clearance, to be brought in happens to be a Mason. This gives him a way in. He was able to secure the video footage from the temple no problem. So now Alex’s boss is going to see footage of the SVR agents in question. Only question that remains is how long it will take them to connect said video to the suspects being Alex’s parents?

Alex calls his mother to tip them off. It’s a snag, but one Katya feels confident they can handle without involving Alex directly. Mark spots the CIA delivery guy exiting his vehicle. Katya is already waiting on the elevator. Natalie joins them both in the elevator. Katya and Natalie both armed to the teeth with large magnets. Thought being, sandwich the carrier with magnets and it should destroy any data on said hard drive. Which works like a charm.

The polygraph agent (Favor) observed Alex when the footage went scrambled. He believes he’s onto something and is digging accordingly.

Alex was able to clone Prado’s login, and by doing so was able to connect account numbers to the proper financial institution. But that’s where the luck ends. The money transfers were ‘packeted’ or broken up into thousands of small transactions. The banker is the in. Natalie makes her entrance at the bar the banker is at, playing up her sultry and naughty side.

Ritchie shows up at the house where only Sarah currently is. He’s come to apologize for his remarks earlier and brings with him a peace-offering. DVDs. Once inserted into the DVD player, a program activates utilizing the XBox Kinnect to get a steady video feed of the O’Connor’s living room.
Natalie’s plan to use her feminine wears works well. Until the mark sees her going for a taser. He is able to not only get over on Natalie, but Katya too. The situation looks grim, but Mark ran after Katya. Mark gets the jump on the banker and proceeds to beat him with the intent to kill when Alex shows up and pulls Mark off of him.