Cole sets up a sting with Nestov to try to figure out Zin's plans, but Nestov's clumsy attempts tip off an Enixian named Vesser, so Cole is forced to take his life force. They do learn that Zin is planning on stealing a piece of art using a professional Desserian thief named Zareth. Cole learns that Monet's Impression, Sunrise is on loan at Chicago and has Mel get tickets to the art exhibit gala from Vic. A group of thieves, dressed as waiters, hijack the event and hold everyone hostage, intending to steal the painting. Cole doubts the thieves are working with Zareth, since she's known for her subtlety, although he thinks that Zareth is involved somehow. They suspect that the curator is Zareth. The thieves are having trouble with the alarm for the painting, so they demand to know who's in charge. Vic tells them he's in charge of the security detail, so the thieves takes him away. Mel causes a distraction, allowing Cole to sneak away to look for Zareth. Vic and the chief of security are taken to the central security hub to disable the alarm, but it goes off anyway, locking down the gallery and the painting. The leader of the thieves tries to shoot the security guard in anger, but Vic jumps in front of him and gets a bullet in his shoulder. Cole realizes that Zareth isn't the curator, it's the attractive brunette that's been hanging on him all night. Mel learns that the thieves were hired by Zin and calls 911. Zareth kills the curator and sneaks into the gallery's storage, as she's not actually after the Monet, but after a strange cube hidden inside an Egyptian artifact, which projects a map similar to the artifact from the Roswell ship. Cole enters the storage room but trips a laser beam, which locks the door. He fights Zareth, but she uses liquid nitrogen to disable him and flee. She also kills the thieves' leader on Zin's orders moments before SWAT bursts in and takes down the rest of them. Vic is taken to the hospital. Cole uses liquid nitrogen to break out of storage. He enters hyperspeed and finds Zareth about to leave in her car. He takes her life force and the cube. Meanwhile, Jess receives a call from her ex-boyfriend in London, claiming he wants to get back together. She's hesitating, but then he sends her a plane ticket and hints that he plans to propose. She decides to go.
- Actor Allusion: In order to break out of the safe, Cole grabs a katana and holds it in Duncan MacLeod's signature stance. Both characters were played by Adrian Paul.
- Ancient Astronauts: Zareth is after an alien device hidden inside a 3000-year-old Egyptian artifact. The device shows a map of area around Chicago, implying that Zin chose the city for a reason.
- Danger Takes a Backseat: When Zareth tried to flee in her car, Cole uses hyperspeed to find her and gets into the back seat without her noticing. Then he smiles to her from the rearview mirror and takes her life force before she can react.
- Gilligan Cut: Cole wants Mel to ask Vic for tickets to an art exhibit. Mel says she can't do that. Cut to Cole and Mel arriving to the function, dressed for a night out.
- Ice Breaker: To escape the locked storage room, Cole sprays liquid nitrogen onto the thick steel bars for a few seconds and then easily breaks them with a sword. In Real Life, he'd have to keep spraying them for several minutes.
- The Man Behind the Man: Zin is behind the attempted theft of the painting.
- My Biological Clock Is Ticking: Jess says that to Mel, despite being only 23. Mel gives her a smile and tells her that her clock hasn't even wound yet.
- Only a Flesh Wound: Averted. Even though Vic is only hit in his shoulder, he's still quickly losing blood and is unable to move.
- Phantom Thief: Zareth is known on the Desserian home planet as a master thief.
- Taking the Bullet: Vic takes a bullet for the chief of security, although it hits him in the shoulder.
- Weaksauce Weakness: Once again, Cole is taken down by a quick spray of compressed gas.
