British Embassy, Vienna 18 months earlier Jacki stands on a balcony as he watches various people enter. Down the river they go. Elena wanted people to believe Irina was dead. Irina and Nadia get in the raft. Irina: (comes back in and sits) Is this where the device has been activated? Irina: Elena and Sloane need to hole up somewhere safe, away from the hazards of the Mueller device. Jack: It appears she's being held in the northeast quadrant of the camp. Jack: Sydney and Vaughn learned that Irina was moved yesterday from Prague. Jack: They must have infected the water supply with the chemical properties of the orchid, priming the population of the city. Jack: This is not the time for recriminations. Jack: You can accompany us to Sevogda on the condition that if- when we capture Sloane and Elena and deactivate the Mueller device, you will be returned to CIA custody to serve out your sentence. Marshall: All right. She was taken to a remote location in Guatemala. Sydney, there's a mention of Helix in his files. Sydney: Is Irina Derevko alive? The Blackwell computer is opening on the computer. Unless it was shut down properly, it would be like draining primary coolant from a nuclear plant times ten million. Vaughn: (he kisses her) We've been tasked to rescue a woman who killed my father- your mother, who is supposes to be dead, by the way, and to disable a giant red ball floating over a Russian city. Was Irina doubled? Which is why Elena needed you.
Plan: A: 18 months; Q: How long ago did Jack execute Irina? A: the Project Helix; Q: What was the double from that was killed in the flashback? A: Irina's death; Q: What was an elaborate setup by Elena Derevko? A: an encrypted file; Q: What is the Blackwell File? A: an earlier episode; Q: When was the Blackwell File retrieved? A: Nadia; Q: Who was the third member of the team that went to Guatemala to rescue Irina? A: Guatemala; Q: Where was Irina being held? A: the Mueller Device; Q: What device is put into place over Sovogda, Russia? A: Marshall; Q: Who calls the Mueller Device the Big Red Ball? A: the entire population; Q: Who is rioting in Sovogda? A: The Rambaldi prophecy; Q: What prophecy appears to be coming true? A: only Irina; Q: Who has the knowledge to foil Elena and Sloane's plot? A: The team; Q: Who makes a HALO jump into Sovogda in an attempt to shut down the Mueller Device? A: The Russian authorities; Q: Who ordered an airstrike? A: the sphere; Q: What would rupturing the Mueller Device release a vast amount of toxins? A: time; Q: What is running out for the team to shut down the Mueller Device? Summary: The episode begins with a flashback in which Jack executes Irina 18 months prior. It was, however, not Irina who was killed and instead a double from the Project Helix. It is learned that Irina's death was an elaborate setup by Elena Derevko in which Jack was meant to execute the double to make everyone believe she was dead. The information on the double is confirmed through an encrypted file called the Blackwell File (retrieved in an earlier episode). With the knowledge that Irina was still alive, Jack, Sydney, and Nadia stage a search and rescue in Guatemala where Irina was being held. While all this is going on, a device known as the Mueller Device (Marshall calls it the Big Red Ball) is put into place over Sovogda, Russia, the entire population of which is rioting much like the frenzied bees from In Dreams.... The Rambaldi prophecy appears to be coming true and only Irina has the knowledge to foil Elena and Sloane's plot. The team makes a HALO jump into Sovogda in an attempt to shut down the Mueller Device. The Russian authorities have ordered an airstrike, but since rupturing the sphere would release a vast amount of toxins, time is running out.