Disclaimer: Credit to Jonathan Nolan, Greg Plageman, and the POI writing team. Bolded sections are straight from the episodes.
QUEENSBRIDGE PARK
Chapter 31: before A House Divided
"Elena." Reese answers her call on the first ring, even though he and Shaw are in the middle of tracking their third Decima agent. If they can stop this one from committing suicide before they can interrogate him, they might be able to find out where Decima has taken Finch.
Next to him, Shaw rolls her eyes.
"Not exactly a great moment for a personal call," she mutters.
"I just wanted to let you know Grace is settled here," Elena says. "She's lovely."
He hears her hesitate on the other end of the line. And he knows what it's about.
"You've figured out her connection to Harold."
"There's a picture on her desk. Her fiance died a few years ago."
"He did. He had to die to protect her."
She has so many questions that she knows she can't ask. So she asks the one she really wants to know.
"And what about you, John?"
The question is unexpected, but he understands. As always, she's gone straight for the heart of the matter.
The problem is that there is more than one answer to that question.
A fabricated attack on his Army unit so the CIA could create a new identity for him in 2005.
An electronics facility in Ordos, China, in 2010.
A hospital hallway in New Rochelle in 2011.
The sidewalk outside the 3rd Precinct in 2013.
All the times he's died.
"I know you can't answer that now," she says finally. "But maybe you'll tell me someday."
"Someday," he promises vaguely.
"Wrap it up, Romeo," Shaw says. "Decima Dude Number 3 is on the move."
"Tell Sameen that Juliet is signing off," Elena sighs, too tired to unpack the Romeo and Juliet comparison. "Take care, John."
"You too, El."
He and Shaw share a brief look as he hangs up.
"You couldn't just do that over text?"
"When I want relationship advice from you, Shaw, you'll know. Because I'll be dead."
"I thought you already were." She pauses. "So it's a relationship?"
Reese sighs. He hasn't slept since Finch was taken, and it's starting to show.
"Can we just go capture and interrogate this guy?"
"After you."
They chase him to the top of the rooftop, where there is nowhere else to go.
"You need to talk to us, Otto," says Reese as he and Shaw stand a few feet away, guns lazily pointed in his direction. "All we want to know —"
Otto pulls himself over the railing and throws himself over the side of the building.
Shaw and Reese run to the edge and peer over just in time to see him hit the ground.
"Why do these Decima guys keep killing themselves?" Reese asks.
"It's for the insurance," Root says, suddenly appearing and completely unphased when they aim their guns at her. "Each agent gets a policy when they join the organization. Get caught, get nothing. Have an accident ..."
"Their next of kin gets a payday," Reese finishes.
"Well, Mr. Payday here was our last lead on Finch," Shaw points out. "We're back to square one."
A/N:
"Not exactly a great moment for a personal call" is what Shaw tells Reese when he picks up the phone in the New York Public Library and enters God Mode (s2e22).
