Herbert and Jane review World War I footage and try to work out why John went to Paris 1918. Jane asks if John had any friends in Paris during the year that he worked there. Herbert remembers that Pauline boasted that they were lovers and then it ended when John went back to London. June looks up Pauline's record and finds her genealogy. She was only in Paris a few years and then died in 1914 of Spanish flu. Her son was born in 1891, Henry Ayers, and John was his father. June suggests that Pauline kept the existence of their son a secret, and confirms that Henry was a doctor in the Royal Army Medical Corps, stationed in Paris, and died in action on March 30, 1918. They figure that John has gone to Paris to save his son's life.
In 1918 Paris, John takes his victim's clothing and pockets the paper that he stole from Brooke. He then goes into the city.
Pauline gets clothes and currency for Henry to use in 1918. She assures Herbert that Griffin is fine, and Herbert tells her that Henry was stationed at the RAC field office in Paris. At 11 am, the motorized convoy he was part of was destroyed by a German artillery bombardment outside the city limits. Martin is surprised that they're going to stop a father from saving his son, and Herbert warns that if John changes history then the damage could be incalculable. Pauline admits that she hasn't learned anything about Project Utopia but is checking with her father's college to find out if he knows anything. Jane insists on going, pointing out that she spent a semester in France, Herbert wonders what kind of man he would be to put a woman in peril, and Jane insists that she can handle herself. He refuses and has Martin send him back to 1918 sync to John's arrival. Jane wishes Herbert good luck and walks out. he tells Vanessa that he can't risk Jane's life, and she says that Jane will understand. Vanessa gives him a gun over his objections, and tells Martin to send the machine back to pick him up at noon.
John makes his way through Paris to a café and gets a drink. He tells the barmaid, Margot, that he was told that many of the doctors come after their shifts. Margot tells him that they're moving north to fight the Germans, and John claims that he's an old friend of Henry's. She tells him that Henry is a scoundrel, just as a man comes in and hails Margot by name. John realizes that it's Henry and Margot explains that Henry is her fiancé. He says that he used to know Henry's mother Pauline.
Brooke treats Griffin's wound and explains that John went to 1918 to save his son. She figures that John is seeking out his son because he's an egoist, and applies lab-grown dermis tissue to Griffin's wound. She then gives him an injection and the wound heals in seconds. Griffin realizes that it's their father's research, and asks what is going on in her lab. Brooke takes him to see the pale man, Nick, and asks him to show off for Griffin. He grabs a device designed to measure strength and it shows that he can exert almost a thousand pounds of pressure. Brooke says that she's developed an enhancement drug from Nick's genetic makeup, and he has the strength of six men. Griffin and Brooke talk privately, and she assures him that it's legal unlike what their father did. Brooke tells Griffin to make sure that Vanessa finds out nothing about Project Utopia. Griffin wonders if they've gone too far, and Brooke reminds her brother that her family destroyed theirs and it's their turn now.
John tells Henry that he worked with Pauline and she spoke highly of Henry, so he thought he'd look her up. Henry says that Pauline told her that his father abandoned her without a second thought, and she left Paris so her parents could help raise Henry. Now he's back in Paris defending the city. He admits that the last several months have been bloody but the mind finds ways to get through it. John points out that the ethical lines are sometimes blurred, but Henry insists that they're not. He figures that they either reject the darkness or let it destroy them, and John gets another round. Herbert comes in and suggests that he drink with them.
Once they're alone, John tells Herbert to lighten up since they know that Paris survives the war. He warns that war can never be truly stopped, and says that Henry is a decent lad. Herbert tells John to leave Henry alone, warning that he can't change history. He warns that it's not their choice to save Henry, and wonders if John cares about his son at all. Herbert insists that John can't interfere, just as Margot comes over to get them another drink.
In the present, jane goes through the 1918 photos and finds one of Henry with Margot. Griffin comes in and asks if Vanessa is looking for information on Utopia. Jane avoids answering and explains that she's looking at photos from the museum archive. She tells Griffin that she's an assistant curator at the museum, and is looking at images from March 31. When Jane says that she's there other than in Paris, Griffin says that he wouldn't endanger a woman he loved. Jane says that Herbert doesn't love , and Griffin figures that they're getting there. He says that it will be tough when he returns to his own time, and Jane reluctantly agrees.
Margot tells Henry that she doesn’t want him to go, and he promises that he'll be back. Watching, Herbert warns John that he'll never convince Henry to desert his comrades. John says that he'll use other means to stop him. Henry comes over and says goodbye to them, and John wishes him peace and long life. Once Henry leaves, John starts to get up and Herbert draws his gun on him under the table. He threatens to shoot John in the leg and carry him back to the time machine, but John says that he can't stop him. John tosses the table and heads for the door, and Herbert tells him to stop. Margot draws a gun on Herbert, and John says that Herbert is a spy. She believes John and has soldiers grab Herbert, while John claims that he's going for help. Herbert tells Margot that John is going to pull Henry off the convoy, but can't explain why. She doesn't believe him and sends a soldier to get the British commander.
Vanessa calls in the expert, Dr. Cedric Myers, and they talk about her father and her parents' tragic death. He claims that he doesn't remember Utopia, and suggests that the past should stay in the past. Vanessa says that it's important, and Myers explains that she doesn't want him to think less of her father. He finally tells her that David didn't do the original research on the medicines that he patented. The only name on the files was "Utopia," and the hard copies vanished after Vanessa's parents died. Myers warns that it's unlikely he'll have anything that can help her but agrees to look.
John goes to the British deployment yard and asks Henry to talk to him privately. Henry refuses but John says that he has news from Henry's father and asks him to come with him so he can tell him everything. They go into a supply warehouse and John tells Henry that the convoy will be ambushed and his father sent him to help Henry. Henry insists that his father is a vile prat, and John tells Henry that he's nothing like him. When Henry starts to walk out, John knocks him out and drags him away.
Griffin finds Vanessa as she gets a call from Myers. Griffin listens as Myers said that he found some old files. Vanessa tells him that she'll be there shortly, hangs up, and tells Griffin where she's going. Once she leaves, Griffin calls Brooke and tells her that they need to find Myers.
Henry wakes up and discovers that he's tied to a chair. When he yells for help, John tells him that it's too late and the convoy has already left. He insists that Henry's father, the man that the entire world has judged, has saved him. Furious, he tells Henry that his father has lived a dark and despicable life, but it doesn't preclude the possibility of his doing good. John tells Henry that he's proof of the one good thing his father might ever do in a remarkable, misunderstood life. Henry figures that John is a madman, and John admits that he might be right. He then unties Henry.
Henry runs outside and the arriving soldiers tell him that a German bombardment hit the convoy. The soldier asks if everyone has been accounted for, and Henry says that they were. Once they're alone, Henry demands to know how John knew what happened. His son slams him against the wall and John tells him to go be with Margot. Henry tells him to stay away from them and walks off.
Jane tells Martin that she has to go back to 1918 and shows him a photo of Henry after the convoy was attacked. The photo shows him dying at a café, and they figure that Herbert is looking for Henry at the wrong place. Martin brings up a news article confirming that Henry died while trying to rescue people at the café while trying to save people from the German gun. as Jane prepares to go by, she spots a photo and has Martin enlarge it. It's Herbert, lying dead among the rubble. Martin finally agrees to send her back and she figures that she'll start searching for Herbert at the deployment yard.
Nick goes to Myers' apartment and jams an electrode into the doctor's hand, and then sends an electrical charge through him, killing him with an induced heart attack. He then drags Myers to his desk and positions him. Vanessa arrives and finds the door open. Nick hides as she comes in and finds the files on Myers' desk. Looking further, she sees Myers' body. As she goes to it and calls 911, Vanessa hears someone in the next room. She goes to look and sees a cat in the hallway. Nick slips out before Vanessa can see him.
Jane arrives in 1918 and goes to the deployment yard and John finds her. He tells her that he saved Henry's life, and sees the photo that Jane is holding. John examines it and realizes that it shows Henry dead, and Jane tells him to leave it alone. He heads for the café and John goes after him.
Henry goes back to the café as an officer questions Herbert about the attack on the convoy. Herbert claims to know nothing, and Margot runs to hug Henry. He tells her what happened, just as Jane and John arrive. The Germans open fire on the café and a photographer takes the photos that Jane saw in the future. John runs to Henry, who is alive but cradling the injured Margot in his arms. Jane runs to Herbert and discovers that he's wounded but alive, Meanwhile, John tends to Margot's wounds and tells Henry that she'll be okay. Henry hears trapped people inside the café and goes in over John's objections. Herbert realizes that's how Henry was supposed to die, as the building collapses on Henry.
Jane tells John that there was nothing he could do because it was Henry's day to die, and then goes back to Herbert as he collapses. She grabs John and shoves him over to help Herbert. John wonders why he should help, and Jane reminds him that he said he was a doctor. After a moment, John tells her that Herbert needs a hospital. She begs him to help her get Herbert to the time machine, and after a moment he agrees.
Once the time machine returns to the present, Vanessa calls in a doctor to tend to Herbert. She administers blood thinners and says that he needs rest. Vanessa thanks jane for getting Herbert home and then leaves. Her guards have John, and he greets her by name. He asks if saving Herbert is worth anything, and Vanessa says that it doesn't change who he is. John concedes the point and tells her that he hopes to see her again as the guards take him to the basement.
Herbert wakes up and Jane tells him what happened. He apologizes to Jane, admitting that the idea of her being hurt is unbearable to him. Jane says that she had to go back to help her, and Herbert figures that Fate has brought them together. He worries that one day he will go home and be forced to live a life without her in it, and then passes out.
Griffin meets with Brooke and tells her that Vanessa has John. He realizes that she had Myers killed, and warns that Vanessa has Myers' computer. Brooke tells her brother that she'd better not find anything or they're both screwed.
In her office, Vanessa looks at Myers' laptop and the files that he found. John's name is listed as Trial #1.
Written by Gadfly on Mar 27, 2017