Plot

Annie is tasked with helping a Chinese scientist to defect. Meanwhile, she continues having difficulty fitting in time with Dr. Scott, while agonizing over whether to read Danielle in on her real job, but will circumstances force her hand?

After convincing a Chinese scientist, Shen Yue, to defect to the United States, Annie is given a big opportunity: to run point on Shen's extraction while he's in Washington D.C. But when the operation becomes complicated, it forces Annie to make a choice that will change her relationship with Danielle forever.—USA Publicity

Chinese linguist Shen Yue defects to the US during an official dinner, helped by Annie. Bfeore he can be properly debriefed, both are diagnosed with a serious disease, which proves radioactive and in his case lethal. Her lower exposure disproves the poisoned soup theory. Primes suspect is his Chinese buddy since college, well-connected Xi Peng. Annie decided last moment against owing up to hers sister, but the contamination danger now forces her to come clean in the worst circumstances. The brass wards off State Department objections to provoking the PRC.—KGF Vissers

Auggie teaches Annie hand-to-hand combat. He gets her in a friendly choke hold. And on the next go-through she proves she's learning by clocking him in the nose.

She admits she's distracted by the prospect of telling Danielle about her covert life. Auggie has something to help: a bottle of tequila.

At Langley, Joan briefs the team on Operation Steelhead, a Chinese national named Shen Yue who will be defecting. He's a hydro-electrical engineer who will be at a conference next week. Joan calls him a "big get." Shen will be Annie's asset and she wrote the file on him. They're targeting extracting him after the conference next Friday.

After the meeting Jai expresses his displeasure with Joan, he thought he'd be the lead. He cites his work to get Shen and Joan says Annie did just as much. He says he likes Annie but calls it "bad management."

At the house, Annie takes a deep breath and tells Danielle that she loves her and now's the time. Then she completely freezes and says that's all.

Auggie calls Annie with news Operation Steelhead has been moved up to that evening. Annie's bottle of tequila will have to wait.

Annie changes and goes to the conference in her best cocktail dress. Jai is also there.

Annie greets Shen, introducing herself as his translator. She puts her card on the bar. It sports a fish head. He takes out his, with a fish tail that aligns perfectly.

Annie tells Shen it's nice to meet him in person. They sit down in the banquet call for a speech. Shen sees Xi Peng, an old friend. Peng invites him to the Asian Cultural Organization some time.

After the soup course, Auggie tells Annie it's time. She and Shen excuse themselves, under the watchful eyes of Chinese security guards. They walk out through the lobby and into the service entrance. They head through the bustle of the kitchen and dozens of workers. A tray clangs and they both jump, but keep walking.

They head for the stairs and are nearly to the door when someone shouts at them to stop. Jai comes up behind them and punches the guy out and Annie and Shen make it out the door and into a waiting van. Annie congratulates him on defecting.

Annie goes home on the high of a successful operation. She finds a note from Danielle saying they're at the movies and that Dr. Scott called to confirm her date.

Annie's cell phone rings. A stern voice asks for her password for a secure call. The voice tells her that Shen has been checked into the hospital. They think he was poisoned -- it was in the soup. Annie remembers that she had the soup. She's told to report to the hospital.

At Georgetown Hospital, Shen doesn't look so good, but is in good spirits. He swears he didn't tell anyone about his plans. Shen wants to talk to his friend Xi Peng.

The doctor comes in and says the tests are inconclusive. He runs a quick scan and finds traces of radiation. The entire hospital wing is shut down under the guise of a gas leak. Annie and Shen are sent down to the basement radiation triage unit.

Annie turns over her cocktail dress and Louboutins and puts on a hospital gown. An agency doctor comes in explains Annie's immune system could be compromised. She gives Annie a device and warns her if it beeps to contact them.

They have to clear anywhere she's been so it can be swept. Annie calls Danielle, who hasn't been home yet. Annie tells her not to go home and promises to tell her more later.

Joan gets a visit from Steve with the State Department. He doesn't want the CIA to investigate. He warns Joan to stay out of it.

Down in the radiation wing, Shen talks about his love of baseball, which he got from his younger brother, who died in Tiananmen Square. Annie says she has a sister and she's been lying to her to protect her.

The doctor comes back and tells Annie she wasn't poisoned, but Shen was. He ate a lethal dose. The doctor says there's a possible antidote with a 20 percent chance of success, but if it doesn't work it might kill him faster. He quickly agrees to take it. The doctor injects him.

Annie comes out of the hospital basement to find Auggie asleep in the lounge. He was there all night. She gives him a big hug. She's ready to get to work investigating but he tells her they're not supposed to. She wants to get the soup bowl analyzed. The CIA labs can't do it, but Auggie has a friend in the Johns Hopkins radio-biology lab.

Annie comes home to a very angry Danielle, who asks what was going on last night. "It was a precautionary radiation sweep by an ops team. I'm a covert officer for the Central Intelligence Agency, I have been for two years," Annie says calmly.

Danielle laughs, then demands she prove it. Annie shows her her safe and all her international money and passports. "I'm a spy, this is my life," Annie says.

Danielle believes her but doesn't know what to say. She walks out. Then she walks back in with lots of questions. She wants to know where exactly Annie works and what she does. Danielle wants to know how she's gotten injured, but Annie says there are certain things she can't tell her. When Danielle asks why she does it, Annie says it's because she's good at it and loves it.

Joan calls Jai in. She knows he's not happy there and is transferring him to Phoenix.

Johns Hopkins University

Auggie visits his friend with the soup bowl. His friend agrees to run tests after hours.

Annie drops by the Asian Cultural Agency. She tells Xi that Shen is sick. She sees a letter opener with a Chinese special forces insignia on it. Her radiation detector starts beeping like crazy. Xi menaces her with a letter opener with a special design, and shows her out. Annie suspects Xi poisoned Shen. On the way out, she hits her shoulder on a spike on the gate and cuts it.

Annie goes back to see Shen with the bad news. Shen has a hard time processing the idea that his best friend betrayed him. Annie promises the CIA takes care of its own. She promises to take him to a ball game.

Annie walks through the hospital and runs into Dr. Scott, whom she totally blew off. He notices her scratched arm and insists on patching her up. She tells him he's great, but her life is too complicated. He takes it well.

Auggie goes to his friend to hear the radiation results. Dan is telling him the radiation is from a mine in China when Steve from the State Department comes in and Auggie is placed in cuffs. His friend turned him over.

Auggie dodges questions in interrogation with Steve.

At Langley, Joan confronts Annie. She knows what she did. Xi called State. Joan tells Annie that Auggie is in custody and she had to make a deal to keep the operation from being reported.

Annie goes back to the hospital, which has been cleared out. The doctor tells her she's sorry and that the antidote was a long shot.

Annie comes home to find that Danielle has packed up all of her things. Annie tries to protest, but Danielle is angry that Annie lied to her. Danielle doesn't think her kids are safe around Annie.

Someone from the hospital dropped off a bag. It's from Shen. It has a password in it.

At Langley, Annie logs on and finds a treasure trove of info. She runs to Auggie and tells him the Chinese are pulling Uranium out of mines. That's where the poison came from and they find Xi Peng owns a 17 percent share.

Joan walks in, then pauses and walks out. She goes to Arthur with her management problem. He reminds her she doesn't work for State.

Cut to Arthur sidling up to Steve at a function. They step into the men's room and Arthur flings documents at Steve detailing how Xi Peng is breaking the international treaty by trafficking in Uranium. The case is ironclad and they have a team picking Peng up now.

Steve is pissed and takes a swing at Arthur. In response, Arthur slams him against the wall and tells him he can't bigfoot his agency and his wife and expect to get away with it.

Cut to Joan in a helicopter overseeing the extraction operation. Annie's on the ground, relaying intel on Peng's location. They follow his limo and surround it and pull him over. A team opens the limo door but finds it's empty. Back on the ground, Annie sees Peng outside his nightclub. She walks right toward him but he sees her and runs through a shop. They race through and to the alley in back.

Annie runs after him and comes out on a busy street. She doesn't see him but he sneaks up behind her and puts a gun in her back. He leads her in to an empty club.

Annie breaks free from his grasp and fights him off with the moves Auggie taught her. His gun is knocked away. She fends off his moves but he gets the upper hand and gets his hands around her throat. She tries to collect herself instead of panic and slams her palm up into Peng's face, knocking him off guard. She knocks him down and out.

Back at Langley, Jai calls someone, saying they need to talk.

Annie comes home to find Danielle waiting up for her. Danielle offers her food and says she knows she over-reacted earlier. She gets Annie frozen peas for her banged up face.

Danielle remembers always wanting to protect Annie, but she says Annie doesn't need that now and is brave. Annie assures Danielle she needs her.

Danielle tells her she still wants her to move out. Annie says, "Okay." She gets up and walks away, bruised and battered.

Auggie goes to a baseball game with Annie. She wonders if the job is worth it. He tells her she can find out by throwing herself into the job. Joan wants Annie on a plane tomorrow.