Episode 215: Sins of Omission

Sins of Omission
Season 2, Episode 15

Air date	February 26, 2009
Written by	Craig O'Neill & Jason Tracey
Directed by	Dennie Gordon
Episode Guide
previous Truth and Reconciliation	next Lesser Evil

Sins of Omission is the fifteenth episode of the second season and the twenty-seventh episode overall.

Notes[]

Clients: Samantha (Michael's Ex-Fiance), Charlie
Bad Guys: Tyler Brennen (Black Market Trader / Evil Son Of A Bitch), Carla Baxter, Victor Stecker-Epps,

Synopsis[]

Michael's ex-fiancée seeks his help in freeing her son, who was kidnapped by a black market dealer named Brennen.

Meanwhile, Michael has to get to Victor, the guy who tried to kill him.

Spy Facts[]

For a spy, compartmentalizing is second nature. Information is given on a need-to-know basis. In your professional life, this approach keeps you safe. In your personal life, it can be dangerous.
The site of a deal can tell you a lot about who you're doing business with. If it's private, they value control. If it's public, they want to get in and out anonymously. If they've somehow found a site that gives them both, you're dealing with somebody who really knows what they're doing.
Most black market transactions tend to go the same way. First payment is inspected, then the goods are brought to the table. This standard sequence is meant to ensure both parties against a blown deal. But that doesn't stop some people from bringing a little extra insurance.
Some cover IDs are about blending in, others are about making a splash, it all depends on whether it's more important to fool your target, or impress them. Of course, if your target has a background in intelligence, you often can't fool or impress them. In that case, the best cover ID is none at all.
From private homes to financial institutions to military encampments, security consulting is a multi-billion dollar industry. And while security consultants constantly tout new materials and technology, the basic techniques haven't changed in 4,000 years. Get a better view of any danger headed your way, make your walls sturdier, and arm yourself well enough to fend off attacks. Hardening a target against attacks from outside is pretty straightforward, which is why it's usually best to attack, if you can, from the inside.
No large security building is designed to be 100% secure. Doing business requires flexibility to deal with visitors, repairmen, contractors, et cetera. Getting in, then, requires using that flexibility. You have to make everybody think you're someone else's problem. Even advanced security measures are useless when people leave their keys lying around and surprisingly often, that's what people do. People leave their key cards in purses, their passwords on desks, and their hand prints on soda cans.
Past a certain point in a clearance facility, you stop seeing security cameras. Lowly security guards don't have the clearance to see what's on the cameras, so there's no one to monitor them. Usually in the top security areas of a high-tech facility, it's less about monitoring and more about fortification.
In a high security situation, most people try to create the smallest disturbance they can. Thing is, high security is built to deal with small disturbances. Trip one sensor, and you're toast. Trip a hundred sensors, though, and nobody knows what to do.
Spend a career in covert ops, and you learn a lot about yourself. Will you lie to learn something important? Yes. Will you betray someone to serve a higher cause? Maybe. Will you trade another man's life for your freedom? You don't really know the answer until you face the question.

Full Recap[]

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Cast[]

Main[]

Recurring[]

Guest[]

Dina Meyer as Samantha
Spencer Bernstein as Charlie
[[Jason "TheStockGuy" Frank]] as Bystander #3

Major Events[]

It's revealed that Victor's full name is Victor Stecker-Epps.

Continuity Errors[]

While Michael is playing pool, the cue ball changes positions multiple times without any shots being taken.
When Samantha first shows up, the on-screen subtitles introduce her as "Michael's ex-fiancé", although it should read "fiancée", as she obviously is female.