(INDISTINCT TALKING)
(SPEAKING CANTONESE)
(BLOWS)
(SPEAKING CANTONESE)
(CROWD GASPING)
(SPEAKING CANTONESE)
(CROWD GASPING)
How did you do that?
A magician never reveals his secrets.
Then I'll have to pierce your shell and gaze within.
You understood.
Chan Ho Yin.
Raina.
I would love to see that fire trick again.
I don't think that's a good idea.
Of course not.
It's a great idea.
(KEYS JINGLING)
I'm sorry for the clutter.
- I'm in between places. -(DOOR CLOSES)
How long have you been here?
Six years. Beer?
(BOTTLES CLINKING)
You seem to have an appreciation for the greats.
I idolized him for many years.
And now?
There is no real magic there. Just tricks.
And what you do, those aren't tricks?
Show me.
I'm sorry. (CHUCKLES) I really shouldn't.
Says who? What are you afraid of?
It's not me who's afraid.
(GASPS)
That can't be real?
See for yourself.
(GASPS)
How long have you been able to...
First time was a few years ago.
A dish towel caught fire in my hands.
I almost burned down my entire apartment.
(BREATHES SHARPLY)
And it doesn't hurt?
Not even a little.
You have a gift.
I've never seen anything like it.
Why not show the world?
I ask that same question every day.
There are people who...
Never mind.
It's just...
For years, I did illusions.
Tricks, like the rest.
And then this happens. It's real.
Real magic.
If I believed in such things, I would say it was a miracle.
That this happened for a reason.
I believe you've been chosen.
You do?
Close your eyes,
and I'll show you.
That'll do.
(GRUNTING)
(ENGINES ROARING)
WARD: Every decision you make from here on out has consequences.
So be warned.
The kiddie gloves are off.
SKYE: G-7.
Hit.
Yes! Ha!
So explain to me again what this has to do with my training.
It's important for every S.O.
to evaluate their student's thought process.
Mmm-hmm.
And I like board games. B-10.
Nope. This isn't thinking. This is stabbing in the dark.
But it's nice to take a break from the workouts.
(SIGHS)
You deserve a break.
I gotta give Coulson credit.
Never would have pegged an ex-Rising Tide hacker as a good fit,
but you're picking things up pretty fast.
Did you just give me a compliment?
I... No, I made a comment.
A kind one.
Did it physically hurt to do that?
Do you need an ice pack?
(BOTH LAUGHING)
Wow. A compliment and a smile.
Comment.
I don't want to ruin the moment,
but I'm gonna have to respond with...
G-4.
- Say it, Ward. -(SIGHS)
Say it.
- You sank my battleship. -(LAUGHS) Yes!
- All right, best two out of three. -I beat you!
- Best two out of three. -Best out of one.
She's fitting in nicely.
MAY: Gloating? COULSON: A little.
You were up early this morning.
Heard you puttering around even before I started tai chi.
Having trouble sleeping?
No, I feel great. Just have a little extra energy to burn.
If you want, I could lay out the mats downstairs.
We could go a few rounds. Like the old days.
(CHUCKLES)
(ALARM BLARING)
Saved by the bell.
Chan Ho Yin. Just a struggling street performer
until a few years ago
when Mr. Chan began to exhibit moderate pyrokinetic abilities.
So what gave him powers?
COULSON: It's still under investigation, but Chan did live
near the decommissioned Wan Tai nuclear plant when it caught fire.
To our knowledge, no other nearby residents
have exhibited similar traits.
So how did we find out about him?
Informant saw him lighting torches in a street show.
With his pinky.
COULSON: Brought it to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s attention.
We told him to keep his abilities under wraps.
- He's been on the Index ever since. -The Index?
It's a list S.H.I.E.L.D. keeps of people and objects with powers.
Wait, what? How many are there?
- Are you saying there more people... -Not many.
Well, enough to keep a list.
A short list. Meant to protect them.
Though in rare cases, S.H.I.E.L.D. has had to take action.
Action against objects or people?
Well, that's drastic with a side of creepy.
How are they monitored?
Tapped phones? Satellite surveillance?
Body probes in dark, unpleasant places?
FITZ: Body probes?
Now that's ridiculous. S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't do that.
We don't do that, do we?
The methods vary.
Mr. Chan was low risk. He was assigned a case agent
who checked in with him every few days.
That's how we discovered him missing.
(SPEAKING CANTONESE)
Everyone, this is Agent Kwan, Chan Ho Yin's case agent.
What can you tell us?
Not much, I'm afraid.
Chan is a magician, so, at first, I thought he'd made himself disappear.
The file says you'd caught him violating his Index agreement before.
On two separate occasions.
Claimed we were "hampering his artistic expression."
But late last night, he was taken by professionals.
The only thing they left behind was this scrap of aluminized material.
Fire-proof clothing.
So whoever took him knew about his power.
Yes. We think we know why.
In the last few days,
tech division discovered a crack into our data stream.
It's the same cyberpunks who hacked us before.
Somehow they got in again.
It's the Rising Tide.
Hello? It got real quiet.
- You guys still there? -(TAPPING SCREEN)
The Rising Tide is a huge organization of hacktivists from all around the world.
Any of them could've done this. It wasn't me.
- No one's saying it was. -But you're thinking it.
I can see your faces thinking it.
We're assessing the situation.
Then I'm sure you're taking into account
that I have been living on a plane with you this whole time.
It would be impossible for me to hack S.H.I.E.L.D.
Or easier. We're gonna need more than that.
Fine. Let me trace the hack, and I'll prove it.
I believe her, sir.
And if she's telling the truth,
we need to track down the person responsible.
Dig up something, and fast.
The longer Mr. Chan's missing, the more danger he's in.
- RAINA: Good morning, Chan. -(GRUNTS)
What the hell?
I apologize for last night.
It was important I bring you in under the radar.
Oh. S.H.I.E.L.D.
Tell Agent Kwan I don't need to be read the Power Protocols again.
It was just a street performance. It's not like I set anyone on fire.
I don't work for S.H.I.E.L.D. I come as a friend.
English isn't my first language,
but that word means something different than you think.
I understand your frustration.
But I believe you have a gift.
And if you let me,
I'd like to help you nurture it.
I can increase it.
You'll get people's attention then.
Increase my power? Why? What's the catch?
I'd like to run some tests.
There it is.
Now, will you let me go, or must I fight my way out?
Leave now, and I'll forget you. I promise.
But so will everyone else.
Stay and you can be remembered.
Known the world over.
You want to make Chan Ho Yin a famous name?
No, you need a simpler name, a more powerful name.
A name like
"Scorch."
"Scorch?" Are you joking?
Have you ever heard of Steve Rogers?
No. But Captain America, now, he's on the news,
and a lunchbox, and a poster on the wall.
I don't want to be a superhero.
You want to be recognized for your gift.
And who is more recognizable than them?
I was given this power for a reason.
I just want people to see what I can do.
They will.
All I want is what you want.
For you to be remembered.
To be seen for what you're meant to be.
A star.
Scorch?
It's growing on me.
(CHUCKLES)
- How close are we? -Almost there.
She's identified the remote access Trojan
-and the infected endpoint. -Yeah, and is searching for a TCP
to correlate a hypertext with signature information,
-and then, voilà! -Bob is your uncle.
- You get any of that? -Only the uncle part.
We got our origin. Austin, Texas.
You got a name?
Just the café our hacker worked out of, but I'm in the system.
I'm gonna check to see if any credit card charges
from that day match up with any known hackers.
We got a hit.
Miles Lydon. Not Skye.
- That's to all of our relief. -You know him?
Every hacker in the world knows him.
Not just the hacker world. He infiltrated the Kremlin.
Yeah, the picture of Putin shirtless on horseback,
that was his hack.
It was also his hack that got Chan kidnapped.
May, set a course for Austin.
- Just did. -What about Chan?
Kwan's got a S.H.I.E.L.D. team on the ground.
Our best bet is to chase this thing from the other end.
Find Mr. Lydon, bring him in, see what he knows.
Just left the café where Miles logged in.
Cashier says she hasn't seen him in over a week.
WARD: I may have eyes on him.
I've been made.
Heading East on 5th Street.
Target is now in a silver Jetta.
COULSON: I got him.
(TIRES SCREECHING)
- All right, suit, you asked for it. -(BEEPS)
Gridlock Protocol.
(HORNS HONKING)
(BRAKES SCREECHING)
(SIGHS)
I lost him.
Are you sure they're not following you?
Yeah, had to pull out all the stops though.
Thanks for the text.
Wait, are you mad?
Are you kidding me?
I don't have much time. Who did you leak those files to?
Wait a second, what?
"Good to see you, too, Miles."
I released them into the world where they belong.
They'll keep hunting you unless they have someone else to look for.
And why the hell would you hack S.H.I.E.L.D.?
Because that's what we do.
Not when I'm on the inside.
You could have ruined everything, you dumb-ass.
Seems like you handled it.
I've come too far for you to...
Why are looking at me like that?
Did you just call me "dumb-ass"?
Stop smiling. I'm serious.
Because I taught you everything you know,
-so what does that make you? -No, you didn't.
I'm sorry. I can't help it.
I've been missing you like crazy.
(LAUGHS)
That's where you keep that, huh?
Better safe than busted.
Making any progress on that?
Digging, but your little stunt is gonna make it harder.
(SIGHS) Where's my top?
You know, I could be helping you.
If you send me cipher-text, I can be working on algorithms...
No, I can't contact you. I never should have.
There's a S.H.I.E.L.D. team looking for you right now.
My team. And if they suspect something, I'm screwed.
There's a joke here.
That I'm resisting. That involves the word "screwed."
Shut up. There's a guy in trouble because of you,
and I got to get back.
So if you want to help me, help me find my clothes.
Hey.
I'm sorry, Skye. Really, I am, if I messed anything up.
I've missed you.
Me, too.
But we talked about this when I left for L.A.
I've got a chance here.
So S.H.I.E.L.D. is off limits.
- Okay? -Okay.
At least tell me what it's like.
Come on, the belly of the beast.
Surprisingly un-beastly.
I've got good people I'm working with.
Some good stories though, I hope.
(CHUCKLES) Miles. You have no idea.
But that's classified.
- You did not just say that to me. -(LAUGHING)
Come on, you got to tell me something.
Someday.
Well, if they ever let you go on leave or whatever,
let me know, and I'll get us a suite at the...
Fancy hotel that has suites.
And you can regale me with stories while naked.
A suite? You? That's funny.
But they're never gonna let me go on anything
if I don't find my stupid...
Top.
Get dressed.
(DOORS CLOSES)
I know how this looks...
How long have you two been in contact?
I contacted him once the day I joined to tell him I was okay
and once earlier today.
When you tipped off an active suspect?
No, it's not like that.
Miles and I, we met when we were both a little screwed up.
Scratch that. He was a little screwed up. I was a lot.
But we looked after one another. That's why I warned him.
Not because we're working together on this,
but because we're friends.
I'm really sorry.
Noted. If not you, then who is Mr. Lydon working with?
No one. He's an idealist.
Believes in freedom of information.
That information cost a man his freedom,
and you sabotaged our attempts to remedy that.
No, I came here to find out what Miles knows about Chan.
- And? -Nothing.
Miles is a dead end. He's harmless.
We'll see.
Really. I was gonna find out everything I could to try to help.
I felt like I couldn't tell you guys everything.
I know. That's why I asked May to follow you.
Seems that wasn't a dead end.
Why would Skye do this to us for him? I thought she was our friend.
I think she is, Fitz. He's just obviously more than that.
Yeah, but we've been through so much together,
and she didn't even tell us that she has a guy.
Well, who knows what they've been through together?
MAY: The classified information you stole from us,
who did you give it to?
It's information. It has a life of its own.
What happened to Mr. Chan?
I don't know who that is. So why don't you tell me?
(GLASS SHATTERING)
So are you guys just gonna destroy all my stuff'?
Yes.
Anything?
I don't have to talk to...
Take him in.
Gather all the evidence and secure the prisoners.
We got what we were looking for here.
We're going to Hong Kong.
I'm so sorry, Ward. This is not what it looks like...
Hands.
Now get up.
(SIGHS)
Uh, you missed a button. I'm sorry.
What is this big place, Raina?
And who are these guys?
They'll assist you with anything you need.
We're here to monitor your vitals while we observe your powers.
And it's big because we'll need the space.
This serum strengthens the cytoskeleton
within each cell of your body.
One dose, and you'll feel incredible
until it wears off.
- And it will wear off? -Yes.
But the effects in average subjects has been impressive.
In you, I'm excited to see.
What do you think of the name "Scorch"?
(GASPS)
Breathe.
(BREATHING DEEPLY)
RAINA: Feel it?
Now let's see what you can do.
Whoa.
(CHUCKLING) Oh, sorry, you almost got scorched.
This is incredible!
Whoo!
You are a beautiful angel, you know that'?
Your power is an amazing gift.
And S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't let me use it.
But thanks to you, the whole world can finally see what I can do.
From now on, nobody holds me back.
(BREATHING DEEPLY)
(GRUNTS)
So I guess due process isn't really S.H.I.E.L.D. protocol.
They don't have time for it.
Whoa, are you defending them?
These people are denying our basic rights!
This isn't about us!
They're trying to save someone's life.
Listen to yourself.
That's what they always say to justify invading privacy, Skye.
These people stand for everything we despise.
Secrets, censorship...
Enough with the manifesto, Miles!
We can't let them get away with it!
Manning, Snowden, Aaron Swartz, these are modern day revolutionaries.
SKYE: This has nothing to do with that. You leak...
-(COMPUTER BEEPS) -The guy's hiding behind platitudes.
He's dirty. I can feel it.
(SIGHING) Scrubbed clean, actually. Nothing much on him.
He's got no family records. His apartment's under an alias.
And he plays a lot of Minecraft where he runs a rather nasty mob.
What, as a zombie?
Zombie pigman.
Keep looking.
Go ahead. Say it.
I don't do petty.
But you called it.
I trusted my gut even though you said she was a risk.
When someone breaks into my house, I usually don't invite them to stay.
- But that's me. -That was me, too.
Then that alien staff went through my heart.
Sure it didn't go through the brain?
You don't really do comforting either, do you?
What is your gut telling you now?
That she's still hiding something.
Sir, we found some evidence.
She's been defending you, saying you're a stand-up guy.
So I'm going to give you a chance.
You want to tell her, or should I?
I don't have to listen to you...
There goes your chance.
Your boyfriend here made a few deposits
in the days following the leak.
All said,
it's about a million dollars.
What?
- Real stand-up guy. -I can explain...
Did you sell information?
Miles? Yes or no?
- Did you? -Yes, but...
Oh! You are so dead!
What the hell were you thinking?
It was a million dollars.
A million dollars. it would change my life.
Our lives.
And that woman was harmless. I looked into it.
No one with good intentions pays that kind of money for information.
Did you ever think about that?
Of course I did. I never would have done it if I thought...
Who's the woman you referred to?
A fan of the Rising Tide.
Some rich girl in a flower dress.
She knew all about me, said I had a gift.
She thought people like us deserved more.
Oh, you deserve more.
She pointed me to a Chinese S.H.I.E.L.D. feed,
wanted me to crack it.
You thought that was harmless?
I checked the data stream.
It didn't seem like anything you and I hadn't already put out there, Skye.
And I traced the account where the money came from
to make sure it wasn't some evil corporation.
It was just an eco-research lab. Otherwise, I would never...
Ecological research?
Yeah, insects. Some study with centipedes.
What's more harmless than that?
It appears the volatility in the serum has been neutralized.
I'm surprised you got him to cooperate.
He has dreams.
I told him they'd come true.
(SIGHS)
You gave him a name, didn't you?
Everyone wants to be remembered.
Thank God no one's gonna have to actually call him that.
You were right. The platelets in his blood
prevent the EXTREMIS in the serum from combusting.
That's fantastic. The others will be pleased.
Good work, Raina.
Now drain him.
(SIGHS)
it appears Centipede is responsible for Mr. Chan's kidnapping.
First L.A., now Hong Kong.
What kind of organization are we dealing with'?
International, well-financed, interested in creating a super-soldier.
Let's hope finding Mr. Chan will provide some answers.
Using the account information Mr. Lydon gave us,
S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ believes he's being held here.
Any ideas what Centipede wants with Chan?
Hard to say, but Simmons thinks that considering he's pyrokinetic...
There's a good chance his genetics
could stabilize the EXTREMIS element of the Centipede serum.
- Keep the test subjects from going... -Boom!
If Mr. Chan is Centipede's lab rat,
we need to get there before the experiment's over.
(BEEPING)
This is no test. This is torture.
(WHIRRING)
Thank you for your participation.
Our group really owes you one.
I won't let you... (GRUNTS)
(SCREAMING)
(GASPING)
What have you done?
We don't understand what gave you this ability.
But the reason you don't burn
is because your blood platelets are fire-resistant.
Which is why we're removing them.
Take this upstairs.
Raina, you said I have a gift.
And you're giving it.
Raina!
(GUN COCKS)
Agent May and I will be handling the field work.
You stay and oversee the prisoners.
Sir?
I was Skye's S.O. it was my responsibility...
It was my call to bring Skye onto the plane.
And you warned me against it.
My problem. I fix it.
I'm sorry. I honestly didn't know.
All our talks.
Did you mean none of it?
I risked everything to help you, and it turns out
every word out of your mouth since we met is total crap.
- That's not true. -"Democratization of knowledge."
"The truth will set you free." The truth sure as hell came out
I believe in all of those things.
I just don't know why they have to go hand in hand
with barely scraping by.
Come on, Skye. You lived in your van for the last year...
Now, you're making fun of my van?
I could have funded us for years! Us.
So you wouldn't have to sacrifice your principles,
joining this corrupt institution to find what you're looking for.
What's wrong with me trying to do that?
I'll tell you what's wrong with that. An innocent guy might die.
For money.
You know I'd never intentionally hurt anyone.
I'm just trying to get my life together.
At least you know what you're looking for.
Me? I don't have that.
For a long time, I thought it was you.
I guess I was wrong.
I guess so.
Building has five floors. The first four are research.
Fifth is listed as maintenance but uses half the building's energy.
Either they're guarding the world's largest vacuum...
Or that's where Chan's being held.
Send your B and C teams in through the tunnels to secure the lower floors.
Warn them that the Centipede serum is highly explosive.
Understood. Where do we go in?
(WHIRRING)
The roof.
There. Heat signature confirmed.
I love these things.
(BEEPING)
(GRUNTING)
- Agent Kwan, it's you. -(MONITOR BEEPING)
We're hereto get you out.
(ALARM BLARING)
Strike team needs a security override, stat.
Kwan, can you arrange...
Chan, what have you done?
I've set myself free.
Coulson's in trouble.
(SCREAMING)
COULSON: Mr. Chan, I know you're in pain.
This is nothing.
You were the ones killing me,
forcing me to keep this gift locked up inside.
(SPEAKING CANTONESE)
So we're good, right?
The entire facility's been locked down.
- Are you sure about this? -No.
This is pretty cool.
The alarms disconnected the system from all exterior sewers.
Can you fix it or not?
Yes, but you've gotta get me on site.
- No way. -Not a chance.
You're a hacker, Skye. Not SEAL Team Six.
No,
but he is.
(GRUNTING)
His file say anything about him being homicidal?
Just said he was kind of a tool.
Mr. Chan, believe it or not, this could still get worse.
You bend someone long enough, and they break.
Poor little Chan Ho Yin may have believed your lies,
but not Scorch.
Who?
Oh, crap. They gave him a name.
Give me a clean look.
I'll make sure he wakes up in a S.H.I.E.L.D. containment facility.
Waking is optional at this point.
(SHOUTS IN CANTONESE)
I'm out.
Nothing can stop me.
Where are we on the doors?
Almost there.
S.H.I.E.L.D. has infiltrated the building.
No, it's under control.
Didn't want to tell them?
Chan's true nature has revealed itself.
Without his platelets, the serum will combust.
Wouldn't be the first one to blow up on you.
I'm beginning to think you're bad luck.
- How long is this gonna take? -Done.
COULSON: Doors are unlocked. Where's Chan?
- He's gone. -Damn it!
That tranquilizer was his last chance. You know that.
I know. It's time to minimize the damage.
Simmons, are the building's computers back online?
(COMPUTER BEEPS)
Yes.
Uncuff Miles. We're going to need his help.
- You! -(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
I wish you all the best.
(PANTING)
Please.
Look, we can fix you.
Make you stronger.
Take the name "Scorch" and make it mean something.
It already does.
(SCREAMING)
No!
(SCREAMING)
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
Mr. Chan, we don't want to hurt you.
But we have to.
(GROANS)
We gotta move.
(COMPUTER BEEPING)
You need to drive the blast into the main ventilation shaft.
Yeah, and on up to the roof.
(BEEPING CONTINUES)
Skye managed to extract some files from the building's mainframe.
It's not much, but could get us a fix on Centipede.
Maybe.
You can't save someone from themselves, sir.
You can if you get to them early enough.
You've got two choices.
Take what's in this box, or we put you in a slightly bigger one.
You wanna give me a hint?
What's it do?
Whatever we tell it to do.
I'd try to avoid any unlawful activity.
And I think you'll find it hard to use electronic devices for a while.
-(BOX CLOSES) -You can go now.
Cool, but we're still in Hong Kong.
Yep.
- I live in Austin, Texas. -I know.
Oh, and Agent Kwan's family thanks you for the anonymous donation.
My office.
So you planning to stay?
If they let me.
You've changed.
Good.
I mean, you're not who you used to be.
And you're not who I thought you were.
I hope you find what you're looking for.
Make it a double.
Is there any other kind?
So I'm going to Coulson's office now.
Figured you might wanna be there, being my S.O. and all.
I'm off the clock.
Right. Okay then.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
I didn't want anything to...
COULSON: Stop lying.
Since the moment you stepped foot on this plane,
you've been lying.
To my face. To all of us.
- No, I haven't... -You're lying now.
I stood up for you to my team down there.
And some of us started to believe in you.
- Risked our lives for you. -I...
Why are you here?
You've been keeping something from us this whole time,
and it wasn't just a boyfriend.
You have a secret, Skye,
and one chance to come out with it.
That's now. Or I'm done with you.
What is this?
It's everything I have.
On us?
On me.
That's why I learned to crack systems,
why I joined the Rising Tide.
To find any details I could about my parents.
There's nothing.
No records.
There's no trace of them.
My lifelong search has led to a single document.
Redacted.
By S.H.I.E.L.D.
No matter what you do, I'll never stop looking.
You might not like what you find.
It can't be worse than what I've imagined.
(SIGHING DEEPLY)
Maybe I can help.
(BRACELET BEEPS)
Well, you know I'm not gonna do the talking.
RAINA: The doctor is dead.
About time.
She did find a solution to our combustion problem.
We believe we'll soon have stable subjects.
On to Stage Two.
That mean my situation is going to improve any?
Well, other problems have surfaced.
Resurfaced, I should say.
The S.H.I.E.L.D. unit in Hong Kong.
We've encountered them before.
They took our subject off the map in Los Angeles.
Not much I can do about that in here.
So that's not why I'm getting the visit.
We would like you to touch base with The Clairvoyant.
See if any insights can be given.
On Stage Three.
The Clairvoyant doesn't like to be touched.
We all have to do things that make us uncomfortable
if we are ever to get our toy soldiers off the shelf.
You know that better than any of us.
I like your dress.
I know.