Becoming
A law officer sits behind a desk, reading a letter:
The time I lost is gone, I'll never get it back, but my years in the dark didn't kill me and my work remains. And even though I might not understand what's happening to me, I have faith in the final outcome. After all, I'm doing what I was intended to do. Becoming what I was meant to be. I look forward to corresponding with you again, I know it's been a long time. I tell you this as a courtesy. You can observe my work, but there's no point in trying to interfere with it. I'm now in full command of my talents. I hope the world is ready.
The officer then pulls a picture of a young girl from the envelope, with X's scratched out over her eyes.
Diana has to nudge her vehicle through crowds of people on her way to work, who are protesting about the secrecy surrounding the 4400; the secrecy breeding paranoia. And the media is loving it.
While Lilly and Richard sit on their couch, holding hands, and Shawn sits in the hospital, waiting for news about Kyle, and Maia prepares a nice breakfast for Diana, who tells her about the babysitter Diana's arranged for her, and how she's going to try to get Maia back into school as soon as possible, television investigative reporter Barbara Yates is saying that homeland security is refusing to identify the 4400, and reports of unusual abilities have the public panicked. Her guest is Jordan Collier, who is one of the 4400, who was gone about 28 months. He's a multimillionaire, hotel and real estate magnate. He says he has no agenda in coming forward and identifying himself as a returnee, simply wants just to put a human face on the 4400, and likens the persecution of the returnees to a witchhunt, blaming people like Yates.
While eating, Diana see a headline that a serial killer, known as the "Friday Harbor Killer" may be back after 21 years. Later, at the office, Tom, Dennis and Diana discuss the possibility of that the killer, may be a returnee, Oliver Knox, who was abducted on 8/22/83, lived in Friday Harbor. The killings stopped about the time he left, and now they've resumed. They also talk about how the other, earlier victims were prostitutes, but not the new victim.
Tom and Diana head to Friday Harbor, and discuss Knox with the law enforcement officer who received the killer's letter, Sheriff Jim Conrad. To demonstrate the kind of individual Knox is, Conrad tells them a story about him: he was shot by arrow in the chest by his cousin when he was 15, and they were out hunting. While the cousin panicked, and ran away, Knox calmly waling several miles in to town, to the hospital to be treated. When asked by Conrad years later if it was the walk from hell, Knox replied that he had thought it exhilarating.
Tom and Diana go to visit Knox. He's doing yard-work, whistling a happy tune. He denies the allegations, pleasantly, and answers Diana's questions about the arrow incident by offering to show her the arrow; she declines.
Nikki approaches Shawn in hospital, asks about Kyle, then she starts talking to him about his gift as Danny shows up. He tells them Kyle's stable, and puts arm over Nikki's shoulder, asking Shawn if he wants to go to the cafeteria with them. Shawn declines and walks the other way.
Tyler, Lilly, Shawn each talk to shrinks, going over their respective woes. Richard's wants a job badly. Shawn doesn't see the point of talking about it.
Danny comes to see Tom at work, and Danny tells him about the incident with the punk at school, that it seemed like Shawn was draining life out of him. In response to Tom's question -why has Danny come to Tom with this- Danny says that he thought Tom should know.
Shawn joins other members of the 4400, who have gathered at the lake at Mount Rainier that they were originally returned to. Jordan Collier shows up and invites his fellow returnees to a warmer place nearby; his place. He discusses the current social climate, and suggests that maybe instead of putting up with the treatment they've been receiving, they should build a world of their own.
Tom and Diana visit the site the body was found, and she finds a fingerprint on a leaf. Phillip Lopez belongs to the print, and they all go to his home, only to find he's apparently hung himself. He's left a suicide note saying he killed all nine women. Lopez was in jail 18 years, was paroled 6 months ago. He worked as seasonal laborer during first killings nearby, and Conrad says guess they owe Knox an apology. Meanwhile, Knox is snapping pictures of a red-haired girl working in a videostore. Later he hangs out in a bar, and is very flirtatious with the barmaid, Felicia. He goes up to another male customer, shows him a picture of the red-headed girl, and whispers in his ear. Later the man follows the girl down the street, after she locks up the store, whistling Knox's tune.
Diana gets home, and the babysitter, Iris, an older woman, tells her can't watch Maia again. After she leaves, Maia tells Diana she told Iris they wouldn't be seeing each other for a couple of weeks, because she'd be getting jury duty, and sure enough Iris' husband called later to tell her she'd received her summons in the mail. Maia is clearly upset and Diana hugs her.
Linda comes to Shawn, as he sits by Kyle's side in the hospital. It's late, but Shawn's mother had told him Kyle was getting worse, so he had to come. Shawn expresses his anger, and says why did they take him instead of Kyle? Linda wants to know if Shawn did something to Kyle; she knows he was around the night Kyle had the increased brain activity, maybe he could help Shawn. Shawn still says no, denies he did or can do anything.
Lily and Richard stroll and discuss Lily's baby, including the possibility it may be alien.
A main in a white shirt, with streaks of red, hearing voices, walks down another street, runs in front of truck. It manages to squeal to a stop, but the driver is might ticked. The man says, "I killed them I killed them all!" as a nearby police officer approaches, drawing his weapon. We realize this is the man from the bar that Knox had whispered to. His name is Charlie, and as he sits in an interrogation room, Tom, Diana and Jim Conrad discuss another murder. This man seems to be the killer; the victim's blood is all over her, he's confessed to all the killings. Only problem with the confession is that as he's 39, he would have been only 5 when the first murders occurred. They also mention that Lopez has also been eliminated as killer of original murders, because he's left-handed, and the murderer is right-handed. Why wold either confess?
Tom and Diana discuss whether Knox could somehow be forcing these men to kill; maybe he can convince people to murder. Further conjecture leads them to the possibility that Knox has to actually convince his 'accomplices' that they are the Friday Harbor Killer.
At the meeting at Jordan Collier's palatial residence, Shawn discusses his problems fitting back in to his world with Jordan. He starts to open up about his apparent powers, but Jordan tells him not to tell him anything, because he has to have deniability in next few weeks. He does tell Shawn it sounds like he's got a gift, and maybe he should find a good way to use it. Later, Jordan finds Lily, and is introducing himself as Richard walks up. Lily feels lightheaded, and Jordan find her a seat, discovering she's pregnant. He assumes Richard is the father at first, but the two tell him about the unusual circumstances of conception. Jordan says this just makes him wonder what 'they' had in mind. Collier has started a foundation for the 4400, and tells Richard to come around tomorrow; given his background in military, he may have a job for him in security.
On the tube, while Dennis, Tom, and Diana watch, Barbara Yates talks about rash of violence surrounding the 4400, stating that sources tell her Homeland Security is investigating a possible link between the Friday Harbor killings and a 4400 returnee. Dennis opinion of Yates is succinct and to the point: "Hypocritical, self-righteous, irresponsible bitch." Apparently Ryland, Baldwin and Yates have a history; she disclosed the name of a witness in a RICO trial when Tom and Dennis where in the FBI. Meanwhile, Tom gets a call from Conrad, who has gotten another letter, which couldn't have been composed by Charlie, but was definitely from the killer. They still think Knox must have something to do with the killings. Conrad is clearly irritated that nothing can be done about Knox, but Tom says maybe they can speed it up a little…
Elsewhere, Knox shows another picture, of a blonde -Felicia, the barmaid--, to a gas station attendant, and starts to fill the man in about this girl…
Dennis has summoned Yates to his office, and tells her she's yelling fire in a crowded theater and she's going to stop before the stampede begins. She tries to hide behind journalistic integrity and duty to public, and she actually tries to flirt. He tells her he's asked for her cooperation, and she replies she's declined, and he tells her not to forget to validate her parking ticket.
Collier offers Richard the job in security, which has great benefits.
Ryland meets with Yates' producer, and orders him to stop Yates. Producer pleads that it's not like the old days, and Dennis segues into how in the old days he'd need a warrant to tap all phones, to freeze all assets, and prevent him from boarding any plane, all over the world. But, it's not the old days anymore. Dennis says he's sure he must know where bodies are buried regarding Yates, and Dennis wants them.
Shawn goes to the place he was taken from, and he has a vision of what had happened that night three years ago. He sees something like glowing white ropes wrapping around Kyle, Kyle yells for Shawn to help him, and Shawn does, knocking Kyle away, but then being wrapped in the white strands and taken himself, as Kyle falls to ground.
As Felicia the barmaid jogs, Mitchell, the gas station attendant Knox had given her information to tries to stop her, asking her to help him find his lost dog. She's suspicious and tries to get past him, but he pulls a knife. Just then Tom, Diana, and other officers surround them and subdue Mitchell.
Later, Tom asks what Knox told him, shows him a picture of Knox. Mitchell asks if they've been following him. Tom says, no, they've been following his friend Knox. Tom and Diana leave Mitchell with the sheriff, and go for Knox. When they arrive at his home, and search, then discover a killer's nightmare playground, complete with candles, blood, writings and newspaper clippings. They discover Knox is going after Felicia himself, he's determined she must die.
They get to her apartment, as he's chased Felicia around her apartment and is holding her with knife. Tom knocks him down, and holds a gun in Knox's face as Knox tries to tell him a story. Tom tells him "not a word".
Later, Tom and Diana go to the lab geek, Marco. They're trying to figure out why Knox, a serial killer, was taken and returned. He still believes that this is all part of a bigger picture. With Orson Bailey, it was the Kensington financial disaster averted, with Carl Morrisey, the community pulling together. A ripple effect; they just haven't seen the ripple from Knox' horrific acts.
Meanwhile, Knox is being held in a soundproof chamber; he tries to speak, then bang on the glass wall, and yells but the nearby janitor just keeps cleaning. No more storytime for Knox.
As Maia sleeps on the couch, Diana comes over to her, just in time to hear the report that a list of the 4400 returnee's names and addresses have been leaked on the internet.
Tom walks down the hospital corridor to Kyle's room, and finds Shawn standing over his cousin. Tom asks him what he's doing there, and as Shawn moves away, to his amazement, Tom can see Kyle propped up, conscious, head bandaged. Kyle asks in a raspy voice how long he's been in the dark.
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