- When he realizes he has inhabited the body of a kidnapper, an alien con artist enlists Cole's aid to prevent a killing.
- The episode begins with Cole chasing a man in a business suit through some tunnels. Cole is using a night vision device, which he discards as soon as he leaves the tunnels, and an energy blaster. The man in the suit is wearing dark glasses, so we can assume that he's an Inixian. Cole uses hyper-speed to tackle the fugitive, but loses both the blaster and his life-force collector in the process. Things are looking badly for Cole until a patch of grass becomes an African-American man, startling the Inixian. Cole retrieves the blaster, shoots the Inixian, and catches the collector before it hits the ground. He then proceeds to remove the Inixian's life-force.
After the extraction, Cole turns to face the African-American man, who proceeds to nervously inform Cole that he just wants to talk. He claims he saved Cole's life; a claim Cole rejects. Watching him closely, Cole asks the man his name. The other introduces himself as Nestov, a name that Cole recognizes. Cole asks Nestov what he's doing there, and Nestov informs him that he needs Cole's help.
Cut to credits. After the credits, we're at the Watchfire, where Mel and Jess are once again arguing over one of Jess' ideas to bring in more business. This time she's proposed a male stripper. Mel is not impressed, saying that they've tried theme nights before, and they didn't work. Jess tries to win Mel over with a description of how hot the stripper she's found is, but Mel is unmoved. At this point Cole enters the Watchfire, Nestov in tow. Cole is controlling Nestov by using a cord around his neck to strangle him when Nestov gets too talkative. Mel notices that Cole has company, and immediately deduces the type of company Nestov is. She asks Cole if he has a second, and sends off Jess for privacy.
Mel is not happy that Cole has taken one of the escaped prisoners back to the bar. Cole explains that Nestov needs his help, and Nestov attempts to chime in a couple of times, getting cut off by the cord each time. Cole manages to talk Mel into letting him talk to Nestov in the bar for five minutes.
Nestov starts telling his story of how he stepped off the train as a guy named Darius Foley. He gets quite animated as he talks about how he was free, he escaped Sartop... and then he remembers who he's talking to, and trails off. Cole presses him as to why Nestov needs his help. Continuing on, Nestov talks about a briefcase that Darius was carrying. He reveals that inside the briefcase was two million dollars. Initially thrilled with his good fortune, Nestov used the address on Darius' drivers license to go "home". Once there, however, he was shot at. Mel states the obvious by saying that someone was trying to kill Darius, and Nestov comes back with a lame joke "unless firing solid lead projectiles at the speed of sound is a greeting on this planet." He looks at Cole for confirmation of his great joke, but instead just gets Cole grabbing the cord again, telling him to get back to the story.
Nestov gets back to it, and explains that he went to Zin for help. Zin was not interested, although he did confiscate the money. Feeling he had nowhere else to turn, Nestov went to find Cole. After all, the guys shooting at him are after Darius, not Nestov. Nestov then says how he's "just a" and Cole completes the sentence "con man." Nestov reluctantly agrees with Cole's assessment, but tries to defend himself by saying that he's not like the other lifers who came to Earth. He may have made some mistakes, but he figured the escape would give him a chance to start over.
At this point Cole brandishes his life-force collector. He implies that this is Nestov's fate if Nestov is lying to him. A deeply afraid Nestov assures Cole that he is not lying right now. Cole says that he'll look into Nestov's story. Nestov then pushes his luck by claiming that Cole is responsible for the escapees. At a look from Cole he backs off again, and says that Cole can do whatever he wants... Nestov is just going to stay right there and have a drink with the lady (Mel.) Cole simply reaches for the cord and drags Nestov away.
At Darius' apartment Nestov points out the bullethole in the doorframe. Looking around the apartment for the first time, Nestov makes a joke that if this is what he has to look forward to, Cole can take his life-force right now. Cole merely smiles, pulls out the collector, and says that can be arranged. A nervous Nestov says that Cole obviously doesn't get the joking around thing, but Cole's smile as he puts the collector away suggests otherwise.
As Nestov checks out the bedroom, Cole finds a voice-distorter at the telephone. Neither man recognizes the device. They also find paints and determine that Darius was a painter. Cole takes one of the paintings with him as the two leave.
Back at Cole's rooms Cole uses one of his improvised devices to examine the paining. While he does so, Nestov quizzes Mel as to whether or not she and Cole are "intimate." An exasperated Mel goes to talk to Cole instead. The device, made out of Mel's clothes iron, is meant to read the impressions that sound waves made in the wet paint. After a moment the trio hear Darius' voice making a ransom demand or a girl will die. Nestov hurries to remind the other two that the voice is NOT him.
After coming back from commercials, Nestov is still protesting his innocence in the kidnapping, saying it was Foley. Mel goes off to call Vic about the kidnapping, and Cole keeps an eye on Nestov.
The next morning, Vic and Mel share a jog, and Mel pumps him for information. Although Vic is reluctant, he soon offers up that the daughter of a prominent investment banker, Nicholas Tavoulis, was kidnapped. The kidnappers demanded, and got, no media. Although Tavoulis paid the ransom demand of two million, the daughter, Lina, was not returned.
The conversation turns to Cole, and Vic reiterates his concerns about him. Vic asks Mel about the possibility of reviviing their relationship, and Mel admits that there is chance for him.
Back at the Watchfire, Mel and Cole work out the possibilities of the situation, while Nestov tries to get a word in edgewise. They all conclude that Foley's partner double-crossed him. Cole decides to tap Tavoulis' communications, and takes Nestov upstairs on a rolling chair, banging him into some obstacles along the way.
Upstairs Cole makes his preparations for the wiretap. Nestov, meanwhile, is badgering him to get stock tips at the same time. We then cut to the banker's home, where Vic is awaiting the next phone call along with an FBI agent, Mr. Tavoulis, and a third man who is apparently Lina's boyfriend. At the Watchfire a list of phone numbers from Foley's phone bill comes off of Cole's fax machine and Nestov, with Cole's permission, goes to check them out.
Downstairs, things at the Watchfire are dead. In desperation, Mel agrees to Jess' stripper plan. Upstairs, Nestov is discovering that Foley owed money all over town. He and Cole have a brief discussion about this, and then Cole tells Nestov to keep trying the phone numbers.
At Tavoulis' home a phone call comes in with no caller id. While the call comes in, one of Nestov's calls keeps getting a busy signal. The call to Tavoulis is complete with a video feed that shows Lina in a waterproof tank, and water starts to come in. Meanwhile Nestov deduces that the number he's been trying might belong to the person calling Tavoulis, since it's been busy for the entire duration of Tavoulis' call. All involved are horrified at the image of Lina's cell filling with water.
After the call completes, the video feed keeps going. Cole estimates that Lina has an hour before she drowns. Nestov tries the busy phone number again, and gets through. The female voice is obviously one of Foley's partners, and suggests that he drop by with their share of the two million. Nestov tries to wheedle the location out of her, but is unsuccessful. Cole, however, has managed to track the signal from the phone call. Mel is then called away by Jess, who is putting up banners for the "Full Monty" night. Cole and Nestov borrow Mel's car and head off to find Lina.
At Tavoulis' house the kidnapper calls with final instructions for the drop-off. Meanwhile, Cole and Nestov are having difficulties with Mel's car. Although Nestov claimed he knew how to drive, it's obvious he was exaggerating. He weaves around in a fashion Cole calls "drunk" and runs a red light. At Tavoulis' home Lina's boyfriend is very anxious, and goes outside to have a cigarette.
At the drop-off Tavoulis gets a cell phone call telling him to drop the waterproof suitcases into the water. Having done so, he's told to go back to his office and wait. Meanwhile Nestov and a motion-sick Cole arrive at their destination. After Cole reiterates that it would be a bad idea for Nestov to leave without him, the two split up to look for the girl.
At Tavoulis' home he meets up with Vic and the agent. After expressing consternation that the water is still pouring into Lina's cell, Tavoulis notices that the boyfriend, Carver, is not there. All three realize that he's been gone a while, however. The agent, Micelli, phones in to HQ asking for a profile on Carver. While Vic recommends giving the boyfriend the benefit of the doubt, we cut to the waterfront where Carver, in a diving suit, has grabbed the suitcases of money.
In the building, Nestov finds the water-proof cell, and a computer with the video of Lina on it. The cell, however, is empty. The computer still shows Lina. The con-man realizes the setup just as Lina sneaks up behind him with a gun. She demands the money. The two discuss how each thought the other was double-crossing them. Lina gets a call on her cell from Carver, saying he's on his way. Lina is just figuring out that something is severely wrong with "Darius" when Cole makes some noise. Lina stuffs Nestov in the water cell, and tells Cole that the kidnappers just left. Nestov manages to tell Cole that Lina put him in the cell, and Cole takes off after her, telling the spluttering Nestov (the cell is still filling with water) that he'll be fine.
Outside, Lina and Carver are reunited, and compare notes. Carver tells Lina he got the money, and Lina tells Carver that Foley will be dead in fifteen minutes. At this point Cole exits the building, and Carver points a gun at him. He fires, but Cole goes into hyperspeed, and dodges the bullet easily. Knocking Carver out, he then turns his attention to Lina. He ties Lina and Carver up and sticks them, and the money, in the trunk of Carver's car. Cole then re-enters the building, filling Mel in on his cell phone. He informs Mel that Lina put Nestov in the water tank, and assures that he'll be fine, as Nestov is a Ndoulian.
At Tavoulis' house Agent Micelli fills in Lina's father. Meanwhile Cole returns to the tank to find a franctic Nestov holding his breath. Cole breaks the glass and Nestov immediately starts complaining that he could've drowned. He also informs Cole that his Sartop records were falsified: Nestov is a Ntherian, not a Ndoulian. Ntherians can blend into any background, which is why Cole did not see Nestov at the park. He asks Nestov how long he can blend in, and Nestov tells him a few minutes. The effort is also quite tiring.
After inquiring about Lina, Nestov attempts to leave, and tells Cole his real name in the process. Cole pulls out the collector, and Nestov prepares himself for collection. To his complete surprise, Cole then tells Nestov to leave. Cole wants Nestov to be his double-agent amongst the fugitives. In return, Nestov gets to keep his life for a while.
At the Watchfire, Jess gets a phone call from her stripper. He's gotten cold feet, and Mel and Jess start wondering what to do. Cole, however, saves the day by volunteering, using dance moves that Nestov had done earlier. Cole is a big smash, and Mel looks somewhat disturbed, indulging in a quick drink or two during Cole's routine. Cole happily calls out to Mel that "they are hot for me." Jess asks Mel if Cole could do this every Friday night, and the episode closes with Cole removing his briefs to huge applause.
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