So Shall Ye Reap
In Chicago, the aliens are using an empty prison as the base to conduct their new experiments with a dangerous drug. Human test subjects are locked behind cages while one is strapped into a chair and being forced to watch endless violent and erotic images. "The Advocacy has made our mission very clear. I assure you, I'm doing the best that I can," the alien director assures Envoy- who is an agent of the Advocacy. "Let me remind you of the work already done, Comrade. With great risk, our people have infiltrated the drug systems. They have but one purpose- to distribute this drug that you swore would turn humans into murderers of their own kind," she says. The director tells her that it will in time. An alien scientist tells her Envoy that the human's neurological system has reached critical mass- and the director shows Envoy how the human is being exposed to the particular imagery. She asks him how long it will take for the drug to be ready. He said in a few more weeks. Envoy then berates him, "That is completely unacceptable. The Advocacy expects results immediately! Why else do you think I was sent here? Be forewarned, Comrade. The Advocacy does not look kindly on delays.." The test subject then screams as blood spurts from his eyes and he instantly dies. "Or failures.." Envoy then adds. She tells the director one more day should be enough for him to have the drug ready. At a nightclub, one woman notices a man who seems interested in her. She makes her way over to him and the two engage in small-talk. She tells him her name is Sherry- from Chicago. He says that his name is Jack Sawyer from Kansas City. Meanwhile, as they talk another woman stares at them from a distance. Sherry entices him with an offer of sex and Jack accepts. They make their way to the elevator and he tells her that his room. The other woman is also in the elevator. Sherry hits the basement button and says she broke her nail. Sawyer tries to arrest her for prostitution but the woman places a hold on Sawyer's neck from behind- and it knocks him out. They carry Sawyer out to a van and throw him inside- with other abducted humans. As the van speeds away, the alien driver tells his cohorts, "We did pretty good tonight, huh?" "WE?" Sherry asks. "All you did was drive the van." The alien driver is silenced as Sherry and the other alien woman roll their eyes at him. The team are now in Chicago, posing as DEA agents. Lt. Novack and Harrison are at odds from the start. Her problem is with how federal agents come in and leave the scene- letting the local agencies do the clean-up job. Harrison tells her that within three weeks seven people are dead due to a mystery drug and he assures her they will earn her trust. Still suspicious, Novack asks for a background check of the team to see if they are DEA agents. In their cages, Sawyer tries to comfort a female prisoner. He tells her everything will be okay. The aliens take a human prisoner for study, meanwhile. Harrison complains about Novack to the team. Norton and Suzanne show everyone the variations of the drug. They speculate that the aliens are fine-tuning the drug to have a certain side-effect and are fooling around with the formula. "Nothing would give me greater pleasure then reporting your success to the Advocacy, director," Envoy says. The director shows Envoy the human subject going through the stages. First is euphoria, then anger, then suddenly he begins to hallucinate. Disappointed, Envoy tells the director he has produced a worthless drug. She orders for the human to be killed. The director says one day was not enough and she tells him to explain it to the Advocacy. The director tries to reason with her saying that if he returns to the cavern now, the Advocacy will execute him. "Don't be so pessimistic, Comrade," Envoy says. "Perhaps, they'll take pity on your miserable existence. Your feeble pleas may move them so much, you'll be permitted the honor of taking your own life." Suzanne has a hard time getting files that she needs from the local police department. Harrison advises that Norton finds a way to get unauthorized access into the police data banks. A homeless man notices the dead human subject's body in a garbage dumpster. The alien scientist shows Envoy a test where humans openly take an electrical shock with drugs over food. "For drugs, they'll do anything," the doctor states. One human chews glass for the drug and the scientist asks Envoy if she wants to see more. "All I want to see is humans killing each other!" she declares. The scientist then promises her that he's saved the best for last. At the crime scene, Novack notices Suzanne with the Geiger counter and realizes the importance of the radiation. Novack gets a call from Liam McIntyre- director of special operations of the DEA and he tells Novack that the team are not DEA agents. Novack orders for the team to be arrested. Sherry is on the corner prostituting and a car pulls up with an interested client. "Hi-ya honey, wanna date?" Sherry asks. "That depends on you," the man says. After noticing the slight deterioration on Sherry's face, he decides, "On second thought, maybe we should forget about it." But he is taken by the alien driver and the other alien woman. "Hey can we call it a night? I'm falling apart!" Sherry pleads. "Two more humans then we quit," the alien woman says. The alien scientist has Sawyer injected with the drug and the female human subject is locked in the same cage with him. Instantly, he snaps her neck. Envoy asks the scientist, "Your opinion is that this drug is successful?" "It's perfect. Just what the Advocacy wanted," he concludes. "Then we can begin production," Envoy orders. She then smiles, "At last, the annihilation of this human scum is close at hand. Our kind have waited too long for this moment." Novack tells her men to have the cuffs taken off the team. She says she spoke to General Wilson and she knows their job as an "anti-terrorist" group. She tells them they have carte blanche from here on out. "We commend you, Envoy. You will be rewarded," Advocate Xana tells her via communication. "To serve our cause is reward enough," she replies. Advocate Oshar asks her, "When may we expect mass production and distribution of the drug to begin?" Envoy answers, "Production has already begun. We're releasing a human tonight to test his reactions outside our direct control. Distribution of the drug will begin after the test is over. A car with Sherry, Sawyer, the alien driver and the alien woman pull up near a strip joint. They give Sawyer the drug and tell him to kill many humans. He enters the strip club and causes fights. He begins to brutally murder people inside- using a bat as a weapon. And the stripper in front of him only increases his violence. Police arrive at the scene and chase Sawyer, he flees into the car with the aliens. Suzanne theorizes that the drug stimulates the pleasure center but induces psychotic behavior. "The drug exceeded all our expectations, Envoy," Sherry reports, "But we've attracted the attention of police." "Are they following you now?" Envoy questions. "Yes. They're very close." "You mustn't lead them here," she orders. "We understand," Sherry replies. Envoy looks at the alien scientist with a disgusted glance, "Your poorly conceived field test has caused a serious problem. No wonder you scientists have been relegated to a lower class." Inside the car, Sawyer kills the alien woman for breaking the needle with the drug. In the middle of the chase, the car with Sawyer, Sherry, and the driver sinks into the water at the docks. Novack hears about Sawyer's death and is about to send all her officers into the streets but the team tell her not to. She then asks them what is out there. Envoy tells the scientist that the soldiers are either dead or captured, and they must leave the site. She orders him to release the human prisoners- so that they keep the police busy while they escape. After hearing about the alien threat, Novack still agrees to help them. Ironhorse and Omega Squad are ready to eliminate the imminent alien danger, and they are led to the abandoned prison thanks to help from a friend of Novack's. A human prisoner steals a key and unlocks his cell- while other humans use the key to escape. Soon, the prisoners kill their alien captors and they throw Envoy over a railing to her death. The team enter and are frozen in horror at the image. Total destruction by the prisoners- the prisoners have bloody mouths and are behaving like savages. Crawling to get a taste of the drug. At the cavern, Oshar decides, "We have no other choice. We must discontinue production of the drug. The danger to our own kind is too extreme." "How our these insignificant humans able to frustrate our plans for them?" Xana asks. "It is a mystery beyond our understanding," Oshar sighs. COMMENTS: Excellent episode- I thought it was very dark both visually and thematically. I liked the idea of humans taking the drug even though it will hurt them. The idea of humans doing anything for drugs is a scary and very real concept. The episode had a great villainess in Envoy- who got her comeuppance at the end of the episode. I also enjoyed Lt. Novack- she was a rather fascinating character and one of the best guest characters of the whole first season. It was also nice to see talented actress Isabelle Mejias play the alien, Sherry. I think George Bloomfield did a wonderful job making Michael McCormack's nightmarish script come to life. Billy Thorpe's score for this episode was wonderful as well.
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Envoy and the director study the human subject
An alien woman searches for another human test subject
Norton, Ironhorse, Harrison and Suzanne all pose as DEA agents
