Recovery One Part Four

Part Four of Red vs. Blue: Recovery One aired on December 6, 2007 for sponsors and March 24, 2008 for the general public.

Synopsis
Washington is shown in a retroactive sequence with the person who is (presumably) in charge of the Special Operative Program Recovery. The person is questioning Washington to determine if Washington is a suitable candidate for Recovery. The events of the Epsilon incident become more apparent. The retro sequence ends and segues to the present events, with Washington under heavy fire. Delta has already implanted into South and is trying to help her cope with the implantation process, which is leaving her feel "a little odd". Delta's motion sensors do not detect any targets, but he determines they are facing one enemy based on the gunfire patterns and can offer no advice. Washington tells South to get to the hunter's alien ship and to get Delta out. He tells her that he will cover her escape and tells her to sync on movements of two. She complies, but shoots Washington in the back as soon as he initiates his plan. South walks out into the battle field and tells the hunter that Wash is dead. She gives it a choice: follow her in hopes of catching her AI and lose Washington's armor enhancements (which she says are set to detonate), or "go for the sure thing and live to find [them] another day". The hunter lets her go. South gets in the hunter's ship and radios Recovery Command, revealing herself to be a Recovery Agent as well. She sends Command her logs of the encounter so they can create a strategy to combat the hunter and tells Command it killed Washington. She also refuses to come in to receive her AI implantation rating. Command is furious and threatens that Recovery will find her, but South assures Command they are the least of her troubles.

Transcript
Fade in to a dead A.I. in an enclosed room

Voice: Agent Washington? Agent Washington?

Washington: Sorry, what were you saying?

Voice: Were you thinking about Epsilon again, Agent Washington?

Washington: No.

Voice: What happened with Epsilon was not your fault, Agent Washington.

Washington: I didn't think it was.

Voice: We have safeguards for the unstable emotional patterns of an artificial intelligence. Sometimes these algorithms fail.

Washington: Oh. So then it's your fault.

Voice: We prefer to think of it as noone's fault.

Washington: Really.

Voice: Just a possible, but rare, unfortunate outcome.

Washington: How convenient.

Voice: Are you having new feelings about the incident?

Washington: No. Just the same old feelings. You know, that I had another person in my head, and I got to experience first-hand as their mind unraveled while mixed with my own. That I still have trouble distinguishing between its disintegrating thoughts and mine. You know, the usual.

Voice: What about the hostility from other agents who lost out on assignments once we suspended the use of implants?

Washington: What about them? Am I supposed to feel bad for them, er something?

Voice: Do you think you could work with an A.I. or another agent ever again?

Washington: ... No, I don't.

Voice: Good. Then we have a job for you.

Snap back to the present, with Washington in a firefight

Washington: South! I need you out here now! Get over here right now, South! Where are you!?

Cut to South's point of view, which is hazy and has Delta in the middle of it

Delta: Keep breathing. Hearing my voice internally can be jarring, at first. I am told it helps clear the mind to concentrate on one thing. May I suggest that you try-

South: Will you please not talk for a second, that might help!

Delta: Technically, I am not talking.

South: Delta. Please!

Delta: My apologies.

South: Okay, I'm feeling better.

Delta: Remember to keep breathing.

South: Yes, I'll keep that in mind. How many enemies?

Delta: I do not detect any on my sensors. But the gunfire would indicate that we are facing only one. This is an atypical enemy. I can offer no advice.

Washington: South, I need you out here now!

South: I'm on my way!

Delta: I have functions that could assist in battle. Would you like me to run the tutorial program?

South: Are you kidding me?

South arrives behind Wash at a building's corner, under fire

South: Wash, I'm here.

Washington: Good, I need help on the left. This guy moves fast, so keep your eyes open. South, you okay?

Delta: She is experiencing difficulty with my presence.

Washington: How difficult?

Delta: Patient has trouble-

South: I'm fine! Let's get this guy.

Washington: No.

South: No?

Washington: See that ship? You get to it and take off. Get yourself and more importantly Delta back to base. I'll cover you as best I can.

Delta: Wash, is your armor adequately compensating for your wounds?

South: You're hit?

Washington: Just twice, I'm fine. Movement on twos. On my mark: sync.

South: But-

Washington: Sync!

South: Sync!

Washington: Move!

Washington moves from cover, and South shoots him in the back

Delta: Alarm! Friendly target, cease fire!

South: Calm down, just stacking the deck in our favor.

South steps in front of her adversary, who is glowing, changing colors, and reloading a really big gun

South: Listen to what I'm about to say, because you have a choice. Wash is dead. I put a timed charge on his body. So if you want his equipment you'd better get it, now. Or, you can come after us, and lose it for sure. So, what's it going to be. Chase us in hopes of beating us? Or go for the sure thing, and find us another day.

Enemy: Hng.

The adversary runs off to the right

South: Smart move.

Radio sounds

South: Come in Command.

Command: Hello Recovery Two, what is your status?

South: Mission accomplished Command. We were able to draw out the enemy, just as you projected. Sending logs now.

Command: Excellent news. We'll use the data to devise a new strategy to combat it. What is the status of Recovery One?

South: KIA. The enemy took him down.

South gets in the ship and starts slowly flying away

Command: Understood. Was Wash ever aware of your efforts at any time?

South: Negative. He acted exactly as the profile predicted. He even set up the encounter.

Command: Return to base, we'll rate you for implantation as agreed.

South: Negative.

Command: Say again, Recovery Two?

South: Negative. You got what you wanted, and I have my A.I. now. You won't be hearing from me again. Goodbye.

Command: South, you know we have other agents. We will find you, South.

South: It's not you I'm worried about.