General Curt Ferris is out jogging and returns to resident headquarters. He goes up to his office, unaware that someone is watching him. In his office, Sgt. Kellogg gets Ferris his uniform and apologizes for his muddy shoes. Once Ferris gets dressed, Kellogg serves his coffee and Ferris tells him to have his staff car brought around. Ferris notices a tripwire in front of the door, just as Colonel Riggins comes in. The general yells at him to stop just in time, and holds the wire still while Riggins dives for cover. The bomb goes off, killing Kellogg.
The Blackwing is en route and receives the government's request for help. Libby tells Christopher that the Army is figuring that a Middle East terrorist group was responsible for the bombing. Ferris has no personal enemies, no family, and few friends. Christopher says that Ferris was a commander in Vietnam and had the highest kill ratio. Ferris is reluctant to let Christopher help him, but the Pentagon has put in the request themselves. Christopher agrees to take the assignment.
The team lands in DC and Ferris comes aboard. The general insists that he doesn't to hide and refuses to back down from a commitment. He knows about Christopher's Special Forces record, and Libby explains that he can stay in contact with his command via their communication center. Christopher insists that Ferris will stay aboard the Blackwing until the problem is neutralized. Ferris says that he served with Kellogg's father and telling him that his son was the most difficult call of his life, and agrees to let Christopher take his place.
Christopher begins his standard routine and questions Ferris about his personal life. Philo makes a mask and Ferris says that Riggins has been with him for 7 years and is fanatically loyal, and knows him inside and out. Finally Libby introduces the made-up Christopher to Ferris, and Christopher gets his West Point ring and watch to complete the disguise. Ferris also gives him a set of keys on an Army keychain and explains that it was a gift from his wife.
Christopher arrives at Ferris' office and Riggins reports in. The colonel suggests that they move him to safer quarters, but Christopher refuses to be intimidated out. Riggins turns over the remains of the tripwire, and Christopher stares at it in shock. He then tells Riggins that he wants to be left alone for a few minutes. Once Riggins leaves, Christopher calls Jeff and describes the tripwire. Jeff recognizes it, and Christopher tells Libby to get into the Pentagon records and then Jeff will supply the names. All Jeff tells Libby for the moment is "bad memories."
Christopher attends the intelligence briefing and tells them that the man who tried to kill him is an American. He shows them the tripwire and explains that the killer was with Special Forces: Harry Solow. Officially he was a training officer with the Green Berets in 1969 and ran covert missions outside of normal authority. Christopher tells them to find out where Harry has been and where he currently is.
On the Blackwing, Ferris approaches Jeff and asks him about the plane's systems. When the general complains about Christopher runs a loose operation, Jeff assures him but it's tight but close. He has Ferris help him test the circuits, and says that he flew choppers in Vietnam. When Ferris asks about Christopher's covert activities, Jeff says that Christopher killed a lot of people in Vietnam and he can't just turn it off.
Riggins reports to Christopher that there's no record on Harry. Christopher tells him to stay on it , and tells his new aide Sgt. Bane to cancel his next appointment because he doesn't want to be disturbed. He goes to Ferris' quarters and contacts Libby, who reports that she came up with two names: Donald Parkhurst... and Christopher Chance. The records show that Harry/Parkhurst was transferred to the psych ward in DC, the same place that Christopher was. There's nothing on Harry after that, and Christopher figures that he can pick up his trail at the VA. Libby wonders if Christopher is too emotionally invested, but Christopher insists that he's fine.
On the Blackwing, Ferris visits Philo in his workshop and asks him how he met up with Christopher. Philo says that he was kicked out of a military academy for insubordination. Christopher found him when he saw a movie he made, and offered him the job of making masks for him. Ferris remembers one of the identities that Christopher took: a field marshal who Christopher won a war game. The general was in the war game.
Christopher to the VA as himself, and meets with Dr. Elaine Cosgrove. He asks her for the medical records for Harry, and asks her to believe in him like she did when he was there for treatment after Vietnam. Christopher says that he wants the records of the man who trained him. Elaine warns that she can't do it because of confidentiality, but Christopher insists that he has to find out why Harry is still killing.
Riggins goes to Ferris' quarters and has Bane break down the door. The window open but no one is there.
Elaine shows Christopher Harry's records, which show that he was released in 1976 against medical advice. He was handed over to his uncle, Russ Tabler. Christopher remembers Tabler, and how he came after him as well. He tells Elaine that Tabler is a recruiter for the CIA.
That night, Tabler arrives at his home and finds Christopher waiting for him. Christopher explains that he's looking for Harry, and Tabler draws a gun from his desk drawer and says that it's ancient history. When Tabler pulls the trigger, he discovers that the gun is unloaded and Christopher reveals that he's holding the bullets. He pins Tabler down and demands answers. Tabler finally admits that the CIA isn't running Harry anymore. Harry did the worst kind of wetwork and liked it, and the CIA loaned Harry to the Army. They sent him into Liberia in '86, and Tabler tells him that the operation reported directly to the Joint Chiefs. He says that Harry died in '86 in a guerilla attack, and tells Christopher that he's lucky that Harry is dead because he's way outclassed.
As Christopher goes to his car, Harry puts a gun to his back and asks who dragged him into the mess. He tells Christopher to get out and stay out, and reminds him that he taught him well before slipping away.
Ferris approaches Libby and says that he has to contact the Pentagon. She assures him that she can give him a scrambled line, and Ferris asks where she learned it. Libby says that she was a TS-10 in the CIA, and Ferris wonders what went wrong. She tells him that a project went bad and they released her, and Christopher needed someone to coordinate his operations. When Ferris asks if she does it for Christopher, Libby ignores the question. Christopher arrives and asks Ferris about Harry, and describes the Liberia operation in '86. Ferris insists that he has no knowledge of a Liberian operation, but Christopher doesn't believe him. Once the general walks out, Jeff tells Christopher that the job stinks. Christopher goes to talk to Ferris and smooth things down before he puts his mask on. Libby asks Jeff what's going on, and Jeff says that Christopher trained under Harry for six months and never beat him hand-to-hand.
Tabler is sleeping in front of his TV, gun in hand, when he hears someone close the door. He discovers that he's chained to the sofa, and sees a gas bomb on a nearby end table. Tabler manages to get to it and tries to defuse it, but it goes off anyway.
Christopher puts on a mask, confirms that Ferris has been missed, and calls Libby to get a cover story from the general. Riggins comes in behind him and puts a gun to his head, and demands to know who he is. Christopher says that the Pentagon asked him to step in for Ferris, and removes his mask. Shocked, Riggins lowers his gun and then picks up the phone when it rings. He then tells Christopher that the MPs found Tabler's body dumped outside. Christopher says that it's a message from Harry, and he's not going to stop until he kills everyone responsible for what happened in Liberia. Riggins insists that Harry is dead, contradicting his earlier claim that he found nothing, and realizes that Riggins ran the Liberian operation and never told Ferris. The colonel insists that he's doing what he does for the good of the country, and Christopher realizes that Harry is working background. He calls Elaine, but Harry takes the phone and says that he'll end up as dead as Tabler if he keeps coming. Riggins listens in as Christopher says that they should talk, and Harry says that they should meet at the National Arboretum at dawn. When Christopher hangs up, he discovers that Riggins has slipped out.
Harry burns his file and tells Elaine that he won't hurt her unless Christopher double-crosses him.
At dawn, Christopher enters the arboretum and finds one of Harry's booby traps. He sets it off and continues on, and then spots and sets off a mine on the path.
Riggins takes a squad to the arboretum.
Christopher narrowly avoids another explosive trap, and Harry steps out to assure him that Elaine is safe. He says that Tabler sold him out and left him to die, and the Army left them to die in Liberia. The guerillas hunted him for months, and he vowed to kill everyone responsible. Christopher says that Ferris wasn't involved, but Harry doesn't care. He insists that there aren't any innocent men, and they were all responsible.
The two men hear the squad arriving and Harry figures that Christopher called them in. The two men fight and Christopher finally gets the upper hand and pins him to the ground. Riggins and his squad arrive and aim their rifles. Christopher grabs Harry's gun, aims it at Riggins, and says that he's not going to let Riggins take him away and arrange a "shot while trying to escape" incident. He tells the colonel to get Ferris on the phone, and Riggins reluctantly does so.
Later on the Blackwing, Ferris thanks the team for their help. He admits to Christopher that they opened his eyes to a different style, and says that there will be a Congressional hearing on Riggins' actions. Ferris figures that he hasn't been paying attention to his command it should be more of a team effort. Christopher gives him the keys back and Ferris says that Harry will be going back into the VA for a long time. He salutes Christopher, and Christopher salutes him back.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 19, 2016