Marshall has been captured by agents of Derevko, who are determined to extract the secrets of Echelon from him, as he's seen and therefore knows the codes to access it, providing intel on countless agencies. Meanwhile, both SD-6 and the CIA are determined to acquire the technology as well, and it turns into a race against time to get there first.

This is one of the best episodes this season, containing all the elements that made me love this show last year. It's tense, exciting, surprising and clever, and it actually uses the regular cast in full at last. Firstly, we have more Marshall, which is always a good thing. While he may look terrified under torture, filled with a solvent that can be made to harden within him, he comes through in the end, managing to send details to SD-6 of where he is without his captors knowing, and helping Syd using the parachute in his jacket which worked last episode as a nice little joke, but which was obviously cunningly worked in to provide a means of escape. While you really feel for the guy, especially his reaction to his mother's life being threatened, it's great to see him win out using his brains and skills, escaping on his own terms. The way he finally actually saves Syd is just lovely, the only downside being that he now has no reason not to return to SD-6. Oh, and it's great to finally see Dixon back in action after too long an absence, with a fantastic disguise and doing his usual trick of getting in the way of Sydney's CIA mission without realizing what he's doing.

Speaking of which, Sloane is his most horrific in this story. Not only does he simply bring in another tech to replace Marshall with no qualms, but he has the sheer gall to welcome him back warmly when Marshall returns. If that isn't enough to make you feel ill, when Jack comes to Sloane asking for help, Sloane immediately turns him in with no worries at all. For the first time in a while, he seems to be well and truly back in charge, and certainly taking no prisoners.

Which brings us to Jack. We know he didn't help Emily Sloane fake her death, but when Ariana Kane determines that it must be him, he is forced to fabricate evidence of every trip he's made to cover his stories about SD-6 absences. It's a simply incredible piece of work, with some superb fakery and some stunning moments during his meal with Kane where he keeps having to come up with new things to fool her. The way the waiter manages to take his phone, doctor the smart card in it, then drop it back into his pocket is absolutely flawless. More disturbing, of course, is that Kane has found evidence that shows he shot Haladki, something the listening CIA team had no idea about before. When the stamp on Jack's smart card rubs off, it leaves Jack with questions to answer from both the CIA and SD-6, and god help him when either catches up with him.

Will's story is lesser, consisting of Vaughn finally offering him a desk job at the CIA, ironically working undercover as a journalist, while Sydney confides in Francie, in loose terms, about her attraction to Vaughn. It's not much, but at least it keeps both of them involved.

And finally we have Irina. As she continues to get more freedoms, here she is the only person who can lock out SD-6 and secure Echelon for the CIA. While she's still being watched like a hawk and does the job she's been asked to do, my suspicions continue to focus on the fact that she keeps making concessions, getting a little extra freedom at a time. I can't help feeling she's doing it to bide time before her plan comes off, and who knows what she sent out while apparently trying to secure Echelon? Or is she really trying to make up for her past? It seems unlikely, but even I'm starting to entertain the idea now.

This show is really starting to bug me; not in a bad way, but simply because it's making me constantly suspicious of everyone's motives. I have no idea what's coming next, but I can't believe it's anything good. But I can't wait to find out.

*****

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