The Top Hat Job - Recap

Research scientist Dr. Leigh Jameson is secretly downloading files at Lillian Foods when her boss Erik Casten arrives with his security chief, Markland. Jameson tries to lie but Casten removes the files. Jameson slips out and takes the elevator down. She gets a call that her home security alarm has gone off. She gets out just ahead of Markland's men.

Later, Jameson meets with Nate and Sophie at the bar and explains that she discovered that Casten had discovered that the company sent out contaminated frozen food and decided it was more cost effective to send out the food and pay for the lawsuits than perform a recall. Jameson takes Nate's hand for comfort and Sophie notices. Jameson explains that the CEO, Mr. Price, doesn't know about it and she tried to steal the report. Sophie suggests that Nate stay with Jameson and leaves herself to brief the team, but Nate makes a hasty exit himself.



Eliot goes in as a pizza delivery man while Alec monitors him via hidden camera, and Parker watches from outside and maps climbing routes while a bum bothers her. Meanwhile, Sophie asks why Nate isn't with Jameson and insists the scientist is into him. Nate doesn't want to get involved and insists she's a client, but Sophie wonders if he should go on a date. They arrive and discover that Alec is running initial surveillance. Nate warns them Alec doesn't know what he's doing. Sure enough, security men capture Eliot and hack into Alec's security systems, cutting off the building's power. He gets cut off and Eliot fights his way out. Parker discovers that the "bum" is actually another security man. She flips off a bridge and disappears by hanging off a girder underneath while Eliot gets out and Alec restores power to the systems.



The team meets and Alec defends the recon. However, Nate warns them that companies take their internal security seriously. He has Alec share the information that he gathered. The hacker has messengered a cell phone in to an employee on vacation and then used the onboard signaler to monitor calls and e-mail. Nate is more interested in the news that the company is having a state of the company meeting and realizes that's their way in. However, Alec explains the company caters its own food and the only way in is via the outside entertainment that's been hired. That would be Chronos the magician, who has been involved in sexual harassment suits. Alec and Parker visit Chronos pretending to be boyfriend/girlfriend and Parker volunteers herself. Chronos calls her up and Parker screams in terror during the box of mystery illusion. Alec rushes up to rescue her and ruins his act. Chronos finally snaps and punches him, and is arrested.



Sophie takes over and calls to inform Markland that with Chronos in jail, they're sending a new magician. Nate arrives and brings in Alec, Parker, and Sophie as his team. Markland refuses to let them by without a security scan, but Nate refuses to reveal his magic secrets. He appeals to Price, who lets them in without a security scan. Sophie notices that Nate is enjoying himself a little too much and he admits it's about control, but he's not addicted to it. Sophie isn't convinced. They review the plan: Alec and Parker will hack the server during Casten's speech, which is scheduled to last an hour. They'll be done and the team can slip out before Nate has to perform, much to Nate's disappointment.

As the company gathers, Sophie talks to Price and gets some tidbits on employees for Nate to work into his act. As she writes down info on her Smartphone, she scans his security badge and sends it to Alec, who uses it to get himself and Parker and Eliot onto the elevator. In the auditorium, Price calls Casten to the stage and he gives a quick speech and cuts it off. They realize that they're on and need Parker. They drop her down the elevator shaft and through the auditorium ceiling to make her appearance.


Casten heads upstairs while Nate proceeds with his act and tries to drag things out. Alec and Eliot try to get into the server room when Casten arrives. They duck out of sight as he goes in and Alec accesses the server and gets into Casten's phone camera. They realize that he's deleting the incriminating files.

Nate continues to stall while Alec checks with Leigh, who is at the bar and providing direction via her laptop. They head upstairs to the junction room but realize they need the thumbprint of someone with high clearance. Sophie goes to get Price to participate in one of the illusions. They have him hold a Smartphone and get his thumbprint. Alec copies it and applies it to the scanner, using a gummy frog to simulate the proper skin resistance. However, they discover that there's a retinal scanner as well. So Sophie has Price come up on stage for another illusion that involves him disappearing inside of a box. They switch his box with another one, get him off stage, and Sophie puts him in the elevator and sends him up to the junction room so they can get his retinal pattern without him knowing it. Alec gets in and accesses the system only to discover Casten has deleted all copies of the reports. In the server room, Casten calls to tell Markland he's in the way down. However, he realizes that someone else is accessing the system and sends Markland to investigate. Markland realizes someone is in the junction room and locks the doors via remote. Security guards arrive and find Eliot in the elevator guarding Price, who is still in the box. A fight breaks out and Eliot takes them out, further confusing Price when he hears the noise outside.



Nate starts to end the show, while Markland arrives and Alec tries to bluff things out by claiming he's lost. Markland beats Alec and demands to know where the rest of his team is located. More security men arrive to take Nate and Parker into custody but they disappear, leaving a rabbit behind. Meanwhile, Casten discovers that Alec's computer only holds magic secrets. He forces him to reveal the team is in a van outside and ushers him out onto the sidewalk. Nobody is there but Markland gets a call from Casten's phone. Casten takes it and realizes that Nate has stolen the phone. Nate admits that Casten has deleted the files, but Alec downloaded the patents onto Casten's phone. Parker then stole Casten's phone as they came out of the building. Nate tells him to release Alec and pull the frozen food off the shelves. Leigh arrives with Price, and the CEO tells Casten that he'll be resigning.



Later, the team enjoys some Chinese food while Nate does research on new clients. Sophie suggests he call Leigh but Nate insists that he's too busy. Sophie admits to Eliot that she's worried that Nate is getting used to winning, and the last time he lost, he came apart. The next time it happens, she wonders if they'll be able to pick up the pieces.



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