With Christmas approaching, Vaughn gives Sydney a gift -- an antique frame. This gesture arouses jealousy in Will, though he can't say too much -- he has just begun an affair with Jenny, his assistant, which Sydney knows all about.

For her next mission, Sydney is sent to Semba Island, just off the coast of Kenya. SD-6 is still trying to track down Ineni Hassan, and they believe that a forger on the island has created a new identity for the rogue arms dealer. On the island, Sydney discovers that Hassan has had plastic surgery, and now goes under the name Nebseni Saad.

Sydney hides this fact from SD-6, but Sloane already knows... He then instructs Jack to go to Cuba, where Hassan/Saad is now hiding. Sloane wants Hassan dead, though Vaughn proposes a counter-mission. Jack is asked to make a deal with Hassan: In exchange for Hassan's client list, Jack would then fake Hassan's death, which would stop SD-6 in their pursuit...but also allow Hassan to pass into the CIA's hands.

Meanwhile, Will studies the mysterious tape that was left in his car. With help from his audio engineer friend, Nevil, Will is able to discern some muffled dialogue. The person who killed Eloise Kurtz said the name "SD-6," revealing another piece to the puzzle...

Will researches the name, but finds only a single reference...in a transcript from a lawsuit against David McNeil, an expert in computer encryption, who is now in jail for embezzlement. Will questions the lawyer, Robert Stoller, who says that McNeil only pleaded guilty after his wife killed herself, under questionable circumstances.

Will visits McNeil in jail, but the man seems genuinely scared at the name "SD-6." Refusing to talk, he demands that Will leave the lawyer alone. Now, Will is even more intrigued...

From Vaughn, Sydney learns that her father doctored the SD-6 computer logs. Jack made it appear that the intercepted communication from Switzerland was actually sent by Russek to K-Directorate. Vaughn then reveals that Jack is now being held captive by Hassan in Cuba.

Secretly, Sydney sets out to save her father. She is quickly captured, and brought before Hassan, just as Jack is explaining his unusual deal to the arms dealer. Hassan recognises Sydney as an SD-6 agent, but is unaware of her connection to Jack.

Tempted by Jack's offer, Hassan needs him to prove that he is no longer loyal to SD-6. As a test, Jack must kill the captured SD-6 agent. A gun is placed in Jack's hand...he takes aim directly at his daughter...