On the docks in San Francisco, Jim meets former IMF agent Laura Ann Wilson at her boat. She pours him a drink and reminds him that he said it was important business. Jim says that it'll be important to him and the IMF, takes out a garrote, and strangles her to death.
A month later, Jim goes to a San Francisco pawnshop. The pawn broker directs him to a trunk. Jim activates the DVD player and the IMF voice tells him that Laura Ann was found dead and Jim's fingerprints were at the scene. The IMF knows that Jim was in Thailand on that date, but the authorities don't know that and consider Jim the key suspect. The Secretary has convinced the authorities to keep the information secret for one week, and Jim's mission is to find out who the real killer is.
Later, Jim goes to the Bay City State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Dr. Vincent tells him that Russell Acker is their most dangerous patient, and has refused all treatment. Six days ago, Russell put Jim's name on his visiting list... on the12th anniversary of the day that the court declared Russell criminally insane. The orderly, Charles Talbot, takes Jim to Russell's cell. Russell says that the court hearing was Jim's day of triumph, since Jim and his "ladies" filed the charges against him. He knows that Laura Ann is dead, and wonders how the others are doing. When Jim tells him to leave the women out of them, Russell points out that he's locked up and couldn't have killed anyone. Russell advises Jim to warn the other ladies, then calls Talbot over and complains that Jim is upsetting him. As Jim goes, Russell tells him that he'll make sure Jim's name is on his future list if he promises not to upset him.
At Jim's apartment, Jim tells the team that Russell is a genius. He was responsible for a lot of the tools that IMF uses, including the latex mixture for their masks. Fourteen years ago, Russell suffered a concussion in a car accident. When he recovered he became prone to fits of violence and the IMF let him alone. Russell opens up his own research lab and became a wealthy man, and started murdering women. He taunted the police while killing eight women, and the Secretary assigned Jim to find and stop Russell. Jim chose three women: Laura Ann, Lisa Casey, and Marilyn. Nicholas will work in the institute as a state assessor, while Grant goes in as an electrician. Jim figures that the accomplice has to be one of five orderlies who have access to Russell's cell. IN the last few months, $300,000 has been transferred out of Russell's sealed bank accounts. Once Jim finds Lisa and Marilyn, he'll warn them.
At the hospital, Grant secretly hooks up to the phone system. Meanwhile, Nicholas completes his tour and asks Vincent to show him the surveillance system. Talbot says they need more cameras. and explains the camera coverage. Vincent asks Nicholas to make as many recommendations as possible. Once he leaves, Talbot tells Russell that he doesn't recognize Nicholas from a conference. Once Vincent leaves, Talbot calls the state personnel division. Grant intercepts the call, determines who Talbot is calling, and verifies that Nicholas is legitimate. Once Talbot hangs up, Grant hooks up a recording device to the camera in Russell's cell. Max and Shannon watch the transmission and set up a 24-hour recording. Grant says that there are no computers so he can't access the files electronically, and Nicholas will have to check the paper copies.
Nicholas breaks into the personnel office and takes photos of the five suspect orderlies' files. A nurse comes in and Nicholas quickly hides. Once she gets her file and leaves, Nicholas continues copying records.
Lisa is watching her dance troupe rehearse when Jim comes in. They go outside and talk about old times, and Jim tells her that Russell is after his former team and has murdered Laura Ann.
That night, Talbot brings food to the dangerous prisoners. Russell tells him that he needs two hours out, and Talbot unlocks his cell door before leaving. Once he's alone, Russell checks the "dinner" and finds a latex Talbot mask hidden inside. He glances up at the cameras and makes sure to shield the mask from it. He then activates a hidden laser transmitter, beaming an image of him seated at his desk to the camera.
Nicholas checks the security monitor and confirms that Russell is apparently in his cell.
Shielded from the camera, Russell puts on the mask. He then walks out of his open cell, goes up a dumbwaiter, and gets into the car that the real Talbot has waiting. Talbot wants double for the risks that he's taking, and Russell assures him that there will be a big payoff for him when he has his full revenge. The orderly gives Russell the keys, and Russell drives off of the hospital grounds
Max is checking the catwalks in the theater that Lisa is using, while Grant checks the lock on the back door. Jim and Shannon are on stage with Lisa, and Jim tells Lisa that he has left messages for Marilyn at her ranch in southern Oregon but she hasn't responded. Lisa refuses to run, and says that it takes a lot of time to put a show together. The others arrive and Grant says that he found wax particles on the lock, meaning that someone has made a key recently. Lisa agrees to leave for Paris for a few days, and Nicholas heads back to the hospital while Grant and Mas check the security.
Russell goes to his hidden workshop in Talbot's apartment, removes his mask, and hacks her voice mail system. He hears Jim's warning and figures that he has him.
Shannon tells Lisa that her flight to Paris leaves the next morning. Russell calls and asks for Jim, and says that Marilyn is on her way to the San Marco Hotel in San Francisco and he's going to kill her... as Jim. After Russell hangs u p, Jim heads to the hotel.
Marilyn comes into the hotel lobby and "Jim" approaches her. He tells her about Russell and then strangles her. Russell drops her into the lobby fountain, makes sure that everyone sees him as "Jim", and then gets into an elevator. He then removes his mask.
The real Jim pulls up to the hotel as the police fish Marilyn's body out of the fountain. The spectators see Jim and figure that he's the murderer, and Jim drives off before the police can stop him.
When Jim returns to his apartment, he and the others watch a news broadcast showing a police sketch of him as the assailant. Lisa warns that it's the perfect frame, and says that they use her as bait to prove Russell is the killer. She refuses to go to Paris and promises to make sure that Russell can find her.
The next day, Lisa goes to Russell's cell and says that she's supposed to be his next victim. Russell accuses Jim of spreading rumors about him, and Lisa tells him that she's not running. She calls Russell a coward and not much of a man, and tells him that she'll be ready for him if he has the guts. Once Lisa leaves, Russell snaps his plastic spoon in frustration.
At the apartment, Grant confirms that Russell's video is a fake.
Russell is using the fake image and preparing the Talbot mask when Talbot arrives. Talbot demands his money, and Russell strangles him. He then leaves the hospital disguised as Talbot.
Max finds Talbot's apartment, breaks in, and uses a scanner to find Russell's hidden workshop. He then calls Jim and tells him to come over. They find clippings of Jim and Russell's victims, and masks of Jim. When Jim picks up one of the masks, he activates a hidden switch that triggers a video of Russell. Russell realized that Jim's team would find him, and points out that all of the evidence to convict him is there except for some data on Jim's computer at his apartment... if Jim gets a chance to hear it. Jim finds a card with his fingerprints on it, as Russell says that they'll put Jim away just like they put him away. Realizing that it's a trap, Jim gets Grant out as a charge destroys everything in the room. He then tells Grant to get the others and go to the theater, while he gets the evidence.
Russell breaks into Jim's apartment and puts drops of a contact sedative on the keypad of Jim's computer.
At the theater, the team tells Lisa that they have to make sure they're one step ahead of Russell. Lisa is confident that she can put Russell away again.
When Jim enters his apartment, Russell speaks to him via hidden microphones. He says that Lisa is the last one as the computer activates, showing a picture of her. Jim figures that Russell is talking to him via the computer and tries to turn it off, realizes that the keypad is drugged, and collapses. Russell comes in to gloat, saying that Jim will be awake by the time the police get there. He then puts on a Jim mask and plants the garrote under a cushion. Russell erases the computer file he used to taunt Jim and leaves to take care of Lisa. Once Russell is gone, Nicholas steps out of the shadows and Jim gets up. Grant found a way of neutralizing the anesthetic, and Jim calls Grant to confirm that Lisa is set.
On the stage, Max and Shannon set u p radios. Grant flashes the lights to signal that Russell is on his way. Russell comes in disguised as Jim and says that Russell was killed in a car accident and it's all over. The police found enough evidence in the car to clear him. Jim suggests that the others go to celebrate while he stays with Lisa. Once the team apparently leaves, "Jim" says that Russell was a genius and driven by voices that he couldn't resist. He says that in many ways they're the same person.
Jim joins Grant in the control room, and they watch as Russell rants. Russell strangles Lisa with a spare garrote, and she rips off his mask and breaks free. Nicholas escorts her to safety, while Russell draws a gun and shoots at Shannon on the catwalk. She turns the spotlight on him, and Grant seals the door. Jim announces over the loudspeaker that it's over, and Max drops backdrops to drive Russell back onto the screen. He and Nicholas then wheel out mirrors, surrounding Russell. Jim steps out, moving behind the mirrors, while Russell runs out of bullets. Grant plays video of "Jim" trying to kill Lisa, and Russell tears at his mask and insists that Jim killed the women. He shatters the mirrors with his fist and then collapses, sobbing hysterically.
The team steps out as Russell rants about how Jim is the killer. Jim assures Lisa that Russell won't come back from where he's going, and the team walks away.
Written by Gadfly on Aug 26, 2018