The Elixir - Recap

Jim picks up his tape at a studio theater and is briefed on Riva Santel. Santel is the widow of the late president of San Cordova and is living in the Presidential Palace. Deputy Premier Tomas Avilla is allowing free elections in three days and Riva plans to make a bid for the presidency, counting on the love the people have for her. The IMF must stop her for good.

Jim assembles the usual team plus plastic surgeon Dr. Paul van Bergner. van Bergner confirms in the briefing that he can finish the operation on Riva in two hours. They also have fake credentials identifying them as working for a U.S. TV network and a decal of San Cordova’s Presidential Seal, as well as a forged letter.

Riva meets with the Deputy Premier and insists she be allowed to address the people. Even though he has no choice he insists he’ll do whatever he can to stop her. After he leaves, Jim and Cinnamon arrive from the TV network and show Riva the fake letter which is from her dead husband, confirming he wanted them to do a documentary on the Presidential palace. Riva agrees since she can use it to promote her own agenda. Willy comes in as a cameraman and secretly replaces a pictorial history book with one that Barney has prepared.

Barney is with the group as a technician and goes over the broadcast chamber with Jim. Meanwhile, Cinnamon “accidentally” lets slip that she’s been working for 50 years. A little later Barney and Willy fake a conversation further talking about how long Cinnamon has been in the theater, for the benefit of Riva. During the dress rehearsal, Cinnamon picks up the pictorial book and goes over some photos from 54 years ago. Jim then asks her if the “stuff” is wearing off and Cinnamon fakes fatigue. After they leave, Riva examines the book… and finds a (planted) picture of Cinnamon from 54 years ago, looking just as young as she does in the present.

Rollin comes in as Cinnamon’s doctor and Riva demands answers. They barge in to Cinnamon’s room and find that she’s aging rapidly. Rollin quickly gets her away and a little later she’s back to normal. Riva forces Rollin to explain that he’s a plastic surgeon who uses chemicals and surgery to maintain Cinnamon’s youth. Riva insists they give her the same de-aging treatment but Rollin says he’ll have to do it immediately due to his schedule, and before her broadcast. Riva is insistent on regaining her youth and agrees, but since the surgery will overlap the scheduled speech, Jim suggests they tape her speech. Riva agrees but insists her own technicians do it.

Willy and Barney tap into the palace’s electrical circuits through the outlets and hook up their own cameras. Barney tests the podium to make sure their signal is coming through, but Riva’s secretary Raoul interrupts and Barney quickly manages to cover.

The next day Jim brings in Dr. van Bergner as Rollin’s “assistant” while Willy and Barney watch it on their own cameras. Riva gives her speech for her technicians, and Barney and Willy secretly tape it themselves. Raoul then takes the tape to the wall safe and Barney gets the combination from their cameras.

Rollin and van Bergner prepare the surgery while Willy repaints their limo to match the Presidential one, complete with the decal. Meanwhile, Barney splices the tape they’ve made and rewrites Riva’s speech. Cinnamon disguises herself as Riva while van Bergner does the plastic surgery on Riva.

Once van Bergner is done, Rollin orders Riva to bed to recover, after wrapping up her face in bandages. Barney opens the safe and replaces Riva’s tape with theirs, then Cinnamon (as Riva) and Jim leave in the limo. Raoul prepares to broadcast the tape while Riva watches from her room. Rollin tells Riva to keep the bandages on and leave, while Jim drives Cinnamon-as-Riva out past the checkpoints.

The IMF tape goes on the air… and an astonished Riva watches as she broadcasts her retirement from public life. She rips off the bandages and looks in the mirror and discovers that she has indeed been made younger… and received a different face. Avilla arrives but has no idea who she is and has her taken away, while Barney and Rollin slip away.

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