Human Target Episode 1.12 Christopher Chance

Ninjas invade Chance's San Francisco warehouse. Chance, Winston, and Guerrero fight, but they're outnumbered. A man with a goatee interrogates Chance alone. He works for disgruntled ex-clients of Chance's old boss, who seek a valuable item that belonged to the old man. Also, they hired Chance to kill Katherine Walters. The item disappeared the day she died.

Six years earlier, Chance meets Winston and learns his first name: Laverne. Don't even laugh, OK? Chance, posing as Assistant U.S. Attorney Conrad Hall, chats up Detective Winston in a bar. Chance has coworkers he doesn't trust and a boss who doesn't trust him. Lately, he's been questioning his choice of profession. Also, Chance needs access to a port worker who witnessed a professional hit. Katherine Walters. Sorry, that's illegal, Winston says. Chance swipes his phone and finds her.

At the safe house, an adorable black-and-tan Rottweiler puppy toddles up to Chance. Carmine! A woman says he's officially the first lawyer not to be bitten or peed on. Katherine Walters is even more adorable than the puppy.

Chance asks about the murder while slipping poison into her cup. She makes cookies, her grandma's Brown-Eyed Susans. He pockets the one she offers. Katherine says she only tried to help a bleeding stranger, who said two words ("Leonor Fortier") and died. She picks up the poisoned cup, but he grabs at it, spilling the liquid, explaining he drank out of it.

In doubt, Chance phones his boss, Joubert. Katherine isn't connected to Bruner, the target at the docks. The old man says she's a problem for their client. Until that book Bruner stole is recovered, they're all at risk. Chance asks who's Leonor Fortier? The boss screams, "Do your job!"

But Chance can't. Confessing he's supposed to kill her, he says he doesn't want to do it anymore. She believes him. They leave. Later, Winston finds the safe-house cops nursing their bruises.

Chance takes Katherine and Carmine to his own safe house. She's scared to sleep, because when she wakes up, there will be nothing left from her life. "Nothing?" He hands her the cookie from his pocket. She laughs and cries. He holds her.

Guerrero breaks in. Hey, dude, what's going on? The old man says Junior's gone off the reservation. Their battle is fierce. Chance gets the drop on him but only knocks him out. Later, Baptiste finds Guerrero, who's done with this. Baptiste phones Joubert, who wants Junior dead. Baptiste protests, but the boss needs this situation under control. Now.

Chance takes Katherine to an ace bodyguard who bested him a few years ago. At the guy's warehouse in the Tenderloin, a bearded, older man steps from the shadows and introduces himself. "My name is Christopher Chance."

Chance tells Old Chance he'd found several bodyguards named Christopher Chance, from different eras. Old Chance explains it's not a name you're born into; Christopher Chance is the man you call when no one else can help. He gives pointers: Rule #1 is take the fight to them. Also, never let her out of your sight. Chance recalls how Old Chance didn't kill him and said "nobody deserves to die." Before that, everything was easy. It was never easy, says Old Chance. You just didn't know it yet.

Winston calls Katherine and says Bruner was killed while trying to retrieve something hidden on a cargo ship, the Leonor. Chance takes the phone. Winston remembers their talk in the bar, about work problems. Chance says Winston can't help him as long as he's wearing that badge.

Chance and Katherine take a speedboat to the dock offices. Maybe "Fortier" is a crew member? He gives her a walkie-talkie; she can talk him through from the boat. They kiss. Soon they realize it's not "Fortier," it's "40A." A container number. Baptiste, parked nearby, listens in.

Inside the container, Chance finds a case holding a book. Outside, he confronts Baptiste. He'll give up the book if they leave Katherine alone, forever. They exchange fire, and Chance climbs atop a container. Baptiste follows. During the fistfight, the case is knocked into the water and sinks. Oops. Baptiste pulls out a cell phone and mocks Chance for leaving Katherine alone. He blows up the boat.

Stricken, Chance attacks. But Baptiste's knife inches toward his throat. Suddenly, shots hit Baptiste. It's Old Chance! Baptiste flings his knife into his heart and flees. Old Chance asks, "Who do you wanna be?" He dies.

In the present, it dawns on the interrogator that, despite the gunfire and explosion, no police came. He rushes to question Winston. He says if that book was in the water, they'd have found it. Someone else was on the docks that day. Someone who could call off the police. Where's the book? Winston says nothing.

Chance overpowers his guard, who's distracted by distant gunfire. Winston's gone. A ninja gets the drop on Chance but is shot from behind. It's the old man. "Hello, Junior," he rumbles. He says Chance wants Winston back, and he wants his book back. Looks like they're working together again. Chance says no way. Behind them, Guerrero cocks a gun. Carmine growls. What's it gonna be?

Flashback. At the warehouse, Winston tells Chance he resigned. "You're not as stuck as you think," Winston says. "There's another way." Chance scoffs. He doesn't need a job. Winston says think about it, then asks who he is. "My name is Christopher Chance."

In the now, Guerrero tells Chance they'll get Winston back. Chance climbs into a helicopter with the old man. What's next?