Human Target Episode 1.09 Corner Man

Prizefighter Eddie Dunn needs Chance's help. He refused to take a dive as dictated by high-stakes gambler Hugh Prentiss. Prentiss lost $1.8 million and ordered Eddie killed.

Chance plans to stop Prentiss permanently, by getting him to lose everything after making the wrong bet in the Kristoff tournament, an underground competition in Brussels among the world's best eight fighters. He borrows $1.8 million in cash from underworld heavyweight Mr. Belvilacqua, who hates Prentiss. Mr. Belvilacqua asks who's the fighter? Chance. Mr. B scoffs. How's Chance going to get asked to this invitation-only bout?

He does it by staging a back-alley brawl with major fighter Kendrick Taylor. Taylor takes a dive, and the legend of up-and-comer Grant Johnson (aka Chance) is born. But during the fight, Chance missteps and accidentally takes a shot to the jaw. His vision rattles and his ears ring.

Grant Johnson gets his invitation, and Winston and Chance go to Brussels. Guerrero stays at HQ with Eddie to ferret out the weaknesses of Chance's opponents. They stay in touch over a laptop camera link. Winston's worried; he noticed that shot in the alley. Chance says he's fine. The team discusses Chance's first opponent, a bruiser called Emil, and Winston reminds Guerrero to talk to Frank.

Hugh Prentiss is waiting in Chance and Winston's room, with his personal physician, his security chief, and a pretty young woman named Eva. Prentiss' doctor checks out Chance while Winston fields questions about Chance/Johnson. Later, we learn that she's Eva Khan, whose dad won this tournament four times in the '80s, and she's Prentiss' fight handicapper.

While fighting Emil, Chance staggers. Something's not right, Winston tells Guerrero over the comm. It's like in the alley. Emil slams the top of Chance's head, and he goes down. Winston freaks, but Guerrero says Emil's weak wrist popped; Chance probably took that shot deliberately. Yep -- Chance gets up. Good-bye, Emil.

Later, Chance says he doesn't know what happened out there. Eddie says Chance has "the yips." Double vision, reaction time gone to pot, weird ringing noise in your head. The yips could get Chance killed. But he isn't worried. He goes to find Eva at the pool.

She tells Chance that Prentiss, a family friend, raised her after her father died when she was nine. The doctors told her dad to stay out of the ring, but you know fighters. Chance makes a proposition: If he wins the tourney, Prentiss leaves Eddie alone; if not, Prentiss gets all his money back. She says she can't help Eddie Dunn, and neither can he. She also explains the yips are caused by fear.

Later, Eva tells Prentiss about Chance's proposition. He finds out Mr. Belvilacqua lent Eddie the money and writes him a check, plus interest.

Thanks to one of Guerrero's blackmail projects, Winston gets the next fighter to take a dive.

Chance's final opponent, Diego Cruz, has no weaknesses and is scary good. Winston wants to back out, but Chance is suddenly determined to save, not Eddie, but Eva. Prentiss takes advantage of her loyalty and uses her. Chance asks, "You don't think he's always gonna be a problem for me?" Er, for her.

Winston and Guerrero think Chance's Freudian slip means Eva's situation with Prentiss reminds Chance of his old boss. What's causing the yips is that Chance is afraid of a showdown with the old man. Winston asks the hotel concierge to make a delivery.

Eva lures Chance to the pool for Prentiss, who arrives with three armed thugs. She leaves. Prentiss has a concrete block on a line tied to Chance's leg. He says Chance now owes him, not Mr. B. Where's Eddie Dunn? Chance stalls, and Prentiss kicks the block into the pool, dragging Chance in. He struggles to the surface, then goes back down. Prentiss has a lackey pull Chance up -- and Chance yanks the guy in, grabs his gun, and shoots the other henchmen from the bottom of the pool.

Chance gets Prentiss to admit he killed Eva's father. Did her dad defy him like Eddie did? There are consequences to one's actions, says Prentiss coolly. Some people learn the hard way. He says Eva would never believe Chance. They agree that if Chance wins the fight with Cruz, Eddie's free. If not, Prentiss gets the $1.8 mil and Eddie.

Later, outside the arena, Prentiss slips the ref a syringe. Eva suggests they place a bet. He hands her a blank slip and says whatever she thinks is appropriate.

During the fight, Chance flashes back to a pre-fight chat with Winston, who says he knows Chance isn't afraid of the old man. But Chance is thinking the old man might hurt someone close to him ... someone like Winston. And Winston doesn't go down easy.

The ref tells Chance he believes he's supposed to poison him now. Chance says he'd rather he didn't. The ref chuckles and tells him say hi to Guerrero. "I will, Frank," says Chance.

Prentiss' world unravels. Eva knows he killed her father. Winston's delivery was an earpiece; she heard everything said at the pool. The bet she found appropriate? Everything he owns. Cruz goes down. There are consequences to one's actions, Eva says coldly. Some people have to learn the hard way. She leaves, and Mr. B arrives. His check's not going to clear. Good-bye, Prentiss.

Later, Chance thanks Winston for what he said. He gets into the airport limo ... and finds Eva. Can she hitch a ride? Winston takes a cab.