Going South

"You all had ideas on the plan, it came together, now you need to be a team. We better get our heads on right or we’re not coming out of that building alive."

- Cabe Gallo

"Going South" is the seventeenth episode of the first season of Scorpion. It aired February 23rd, 2015.

Synopsis
''A tech billionaire hires the team to rescue his kidnapped daughter. Meanwhile, feelings are hurt when Walter gives an interview and fails to acknowledge the other members of the team. ''

Plot
Sylvester’s is visiting Megan, playing her a song that her wrote for her. Slyvester tells her that Happy Helped him build a synthisizer for him. She asks if Happy knows about them and he tells her in broad terms. She makes a point about everyone at the garage knowing about them but Walter and him being upset at finding out another way. Sylvester tells her that he can take her out so that Walter doesn't see his Super Fun Guy comics or anything else related to him and she explains that her condition is worsening. She's never going to be without her crutches again. She won't be able to do some things anymore, but is especially sad about dancing. She also doesn't want to hide their relationship from Walter anymore. Sylvester agrees and tells her that he'll tell Walter as soon as the moment is right.

Later at the garage, Walter rushes downstairs and tells everyone to watch the television. Sylvester is just about to talk to him and Walter says it'll have to wait. On the television, Walter is doing an interview in the garage about when they rescued Owen on Christmas. During the interview, Walter makes the entire rescue operation ideas seem like they were his alone. He demonstrates the jack that he used to free Owen, but fails to mention that Happy invented it. He talks about how smart he is and his IQ is in the title on the screen next to his name. The interviewer asks if the boy was rescued by genius, and Walter says yes. Happy makes a comment about it being four geniuses, as well as Cabe and Paige. The interviewer then talks about how Walter surrounds himself with other geniuses, though they are not as smart as him, making him sound like a saint for putting up with them. She gives the names and titles, calling Sylvester a math wiz instead of a Statistical Theoretician, Toby as a psychologist instead of a Harvard trained psychiatrist, Paige as the genius engineer, and Happy as their Supernanny. Walter is excited and says that the interview is going to bring them tons of clients. However, the rest of the team is understandably angry.

Walter iterates that he told them the correct information on his team, but some of it obviously got confused. He defends his actions but the team points out that he had a choice to include them and he chose not to, thus only making himself look good. Toby, in particular, is angry with Walter for his narcissistic behavior. No matter what the everyone says, Walter only sees this situation as a greater good for the team.

Cabe comes in and shouts over the noise that they have a case. “Billionaire tech mogul” Richard Elia needs them to rescue his kidnapped daughter in Mexico. Cabe states that their government is currently in political talks with Mexico and they don't want to risk an incident. Walter says there must be a ransom and tells Elia to pay it. Elia states that he did pay two million by wire transfer, but as soon as they received it, they called it a "down payment". They sent another ransom demand after for a much more sizable amount to be delivered in cash at a location in Mexico. Walter asks for the wire transfer information from Elia. In the midst of the discussion, Walter explains that if Elia keeps paying the ransoms, they will string him along with fake "proof of life videos" that are filmed all within a couple of days. They will likely kill his daughter Zoe within a week because keeping her alive any longer is a liability. Paige interrupts his talking to reassure Elia that that isn’t for sure. After looking at Paige for a split second, Walter agrees with her.

Sylvester manages to find the city in Mexico that recieved the money and hands it to Elia. He's just about to call his people to send them to get her, when Walter stops him and says that he can find her faster. Elia tells them he'll double their fee if they go and get her. Toby calls Walter aside and asks why he wants them all to go to "drug cartel" country. Toby questions on if Walter wants to do it just to impress Elia, or if he just wants even more attention. Walter states that he has a plan. However, when Toby objects to Walter’s plan being too dangerous, Walter states that the company is not a democracy. He tells Toby that his plans always work and if Toby doesn’t want to participate that’s Toby’s choice.

Walter tells Elia he'll need both his jets and two million dollars in cash. While Paige, Sylvester, Toby, and Happy are flying on one the jets, the team removes the hologram strips from the money. Walter states that they were put in to make counterfeiting harder, however he also explains that they can use the strips and make them trackers, since that's what they were originally made for due to a secret government program that never got completed. Sylvester states it's a great idea and Happy calls him a suck up. When Happy questions why Cabe isn't present, Walter tells Happy that he was the only one who could request the new strips they need from the treasury to replace the ones they're removing from the money. He assures Happy that Cabe will meet them after they arrive and the Mexican Federales will escort them into town. He says he can handle whatever comes up, and Toby asks if that includes gunfire from drug warlords. Walter states that they won't have to deal with that because the plan is simple and straightforward. Sylvester, again compliments Walter, obviously trying to get on his good side so he can tell Walter about him and Megan. Happy gets up to get away from the situation.

Later, in a Federale vehicle the man explains that the gang "La Plaga" runs the area and have been consolidating their forces to grow stronger. He also says that the population is justifiably afraid of the gang. When Walter comments that they won't be handling the dangerous parts of the operation and will be in the hotel the whole time, the Federale stops at a street sign. He tells them it's as close as he'll get to the town. He explains that they're ten miles from town and a bus comes every hour... usually. He wishes them good luck before driving off and leaving them there. Toby states that he noticed deceit in the Federale's actions and voice. Only a minute later, a van drives up, two men with machine guns step out and steal the bag with the money in it. Sylvester chooses that moment to tell Walter that he's dating Megan.

The team walks enters the hotel, after having to walk to the town. Walter says he doesn't understand how the gunmen knew where the team was and Toby points out that the Federale obviously got paid off. Sylvester states that Walter's upset with him and Paige says it could be because he just got robbed of two million dollars. Walter tells Toby they only have eight hours before Zoe dies and tells him they'll fight later. Sylvester finds a brightly decorated cuckoo clock and is excited about it.

Cabe enters, saying he's got the strips and a car. He wants to know why the team looks so horrible and where the money bag is. The team doesn't say anything and he comes to the correct conclusion that it was stolen. Toby points out that he's the one who made the plans with the Federale through a CI in Homeland Security.

In the hotel room, they are trying to figure out what to do about the missing money and how to replace it. Walter states there are no banks in Mexico who would have two million American dollars on hand. Cabe comes into the room and says that Elia is devastated, but Cabe assured him that the team will get what needs to be done. Elia has sent them a new video he received of his daughter. After watching it, Sylvester recognizes something but Walter doesn't listen to him, interrupting him and demanding him to turn off the video. Paige makes a statement that Walter is mad at him, but Sylvester states he's going to have to get over it because he recognizes the bird in the video. He and Toby discuss the details of the birds mating grounds and Walter jumps in, stating that they need to find that area. Toby makes a comment about Walter stealing the idea from Sylvester. Paige interrupts the arguing over credit to remind them that they only have six hours to find Zoe now.

At the scene, Happy noticed tire tracks. Cabe checks it out, and there's no one in the warehouse. After going inside, Toby and Happy figure out that that the kidnappers wanted them to find the place. It's the only reason they would video tape Zoe in front of the most famous landmark in the city. As soon as they realize this, motion activated machine guns automatically start firing at them. They hide behind object, but Paige's cover is near collapsing, so Happy tells Cabe where to fire to take out the gun on their side of the barn. As soon as it's done, Walter throws a crate of oranges in front of Paige's hiding spot and she runs to him.

Back at the hotel, Happy is disassembling one of the machine guns. Walter states that they need to assess their situation. Sylvester, studying the cuckoo clock he bought, reminds all of them that they now only have two hours before the ransom needs to be delivered. Cabe comes in and tells them that Elia's contacts, armed mercenaries, backed out and won't come into town. He tells them they'll have to rescue Zoe on their own. All of them are unsure how, but Happy tells them that they need to look into locals who can do the type of work she's found on the gun. Walter dismisses her idea because he's certain no one will talk to them. He demands that they all stay at the hotel. Elia sends them another video email he just got, showing the team in the warehouse getting shot at and them hiding. Walter states that he'll crack the encryption, but he needs all of their help. He looks for Happy, only for them all to discover her gone.

Happy is talking with the locals, showing them a part of the gun and trying to find out who made it. Everyone shakes their head. While walking down an alley she is hit over the head and blindfolded. When the blindfold is removed, Happy finds a young boy aiming a gun at her. He states that ransoming her off to her relatives will assure him a place in the cartel. Happy, who easily undid her bindings, attacks him and quickly gets the upper hand. The kid tells her that he has no family and just needs money.

Walter is failing miserably at trying to hack the encryption when Paige reminds them that Zoe only has an hour left. Happy walks in telling them she got kidnapped, then pulls the boy who did it in behind her. The boy says his name is Paco and Happy explains that the kid knows the guy who made the piece of metal she's holding. Walter angrily tells her that she brought a criminal back with her and that he's of no use to them. Toby disagrees.

Toby is sitting on the bed in the room, with Happy and Cabe watching as he tries to bribe the kid with a video game system, a TV and a few other things. Paco says he doesn't trust them and Toby tells the kid that he can sit in the room and think it over, while they go into the other room. While in the other room, all the others doubt Toby's plan, though Walter is the biggest naysayer of them all. While all of this is going on, they hear a noise and open the door to find the kid gone, along with all of their IDs and money. However, that was the part of the plan. They replaced the money tracking strips with the ones Cabe brought, so they are able to see where he takes it.

They study the building from the images Sylvester could get off of Google Maps and discover all of the security measures that are set up. Walter breaks Sylvester's cuckoo clock to get a piece from inside it and says it will help them against the security obstacles. Cabe asks if their plan actually depends on the craftsmanship of a knock-off cuckoo clock and Walter tells him yes. They get to the building and Toby makes a point of sniping at Walter, saying that because of his interview, he's damaged any ability they have at anonymity. The kidnappers will know that they are not trained mercenaries and it will probably get them killed. After Toby makes another crack about Walter thinking he's better than everyone else, Cabe finally has enough of their bickering. He tells them they came up with the plan together and that they need to act like the team he knows they are so that they can save a young girl's life. The tech they created with the part from the cuckoo clock works just like they need it to and they are able to see around corners.

Paige, being the only one who can speak Spanish, knocks on an apartment door. Toby tells her to say that she is "Sofia's" cousin and needs water for her baby's bottle because it is sick. Paige questions the name choice, but Toby assures her that it's a popular Spanish female name. When the woman opens the door and terrifiedly starts to shut it, Paige quickly explains that they are there to rescue the American girl being held by the bad men and that they won't hurt her. The woman quickly lets them in. Cabe draws the men away from where Zoe is being kept and Happy sneaks in to rescue Zoe, using the woman's balcony. She climbs up to the balcony of the room where Zoe is being kept and starts to frees her, but one of the cartel members catches her. He is just about to shoot her when Paco intervenes and hits the man over the head. Happy yells at him to leave town as fast as he can and quickly frees Zoe. They both make it down to the lower floor. Cabe states he can't hold the cartel off any longer. Walter, who is building some type of contraption, tells them he's almost done. As soon as Cabe makes it through a door, Walter drops his contraption and it blocks the door from opening. The team all meet in a kitchen.

Walter asks Sylvester over the coms if everything is set up and he tells them it is. They all head out the back door, only for the cartel members to meet them. Turns out Walter door block was an intentional way to make sure the men took the back way out. They have set up one of the automatic motion detector machine guns to shoot anything that moves on the side of the yard that the cartel members are on. Walter tells them that the machine gun is on a twenty-four hour battery and they'll need to stay still for that long if they want to survive. Right before they walk out the gate, Toby taunts them by telling them their nose doesn't itch. Several of the men are obviously affected by his statement, but can't move.

Once they're all in the car, Paige tells Zoe that as soon as they get a clear signal, they'll call her dad so she can talk to him. On their way out of town they see Paco and Happy demands for Cabe to stop the car. She tells Cabe to give her his watch and he states it was a gift from the ambassador of Paraguay and is worth five thousand dollars. Happy tells him that Paco saved her life and he hands it over to her. She gives the watch to Paco and tells him to sell it, buy a train ticket, and move far away. He thanks them and they drive away

Back ay the garage, Toby examines Zoe and tells her she's dehydrated and needs to make sure she drinks fluids for the next few days. Elia arrives and Zoe goes running to her father. Walter tells the team to give Elia and Zoe a moment in private. While they are waiting, Walter apologizes to the team and says he should have included them in the interview. Everyone agrees they should always look out for each other and they all apologize. Paige urges Walter reach out to Sylvester. Sylvester actually stands up to Walter, which is a good indication of how much he cares for Megan. He asks Walter why he isn’t good enough for his sister. Walter is worried that Sylvester won’t be able to process the fallout from Megan’s death, but Sylvester insists that she calms him and makes him feel good about himself. Sylvester says she’s worth the risk. And Walter admits he’s glad she’s found such a good guy

Sylvester goes to visit Megan and gives her the cuckoo clock. He tells Megan that he'll support her and he pulls her up to dance with him. Walter is working on the rocket when Elia shows up and offers him a job. Walter looks at his team dancing in the other room and tells Elia he's happy where he is.

Main

 * Elyes Gabel as Walter O'Brien
 * Katharine McPhee as Paige Dineen
 * Robert Patrick as Cabe Gallo
 * Eddie Kaye Thomas as Toby Curtis
 * Jadyn Wong as Happy Quinn
 * Ari Stidham as Sylvester Dodd

Recurring

 * Camille Guaty as Megan O'Brien-Dodd
 * Andy Buckley as Richard Eliakankercancer

Trivia
TBA

CBS Promo photos
In den Händen des Kartells Crise d'égo