Human Target Episode 2.05 Dead Head

Before Chance and Winston can meet their latest client, the man's car explodes in front of them. They don't even know his name - only that he's insisted on no cops. A doctor says that the man has retrograde amnesia: He can't remember anything from before the explosion, including who he is. "John Doe" could regain his memory in a few hours - or years. How can they find out who's trying to kill him?

The hospital can only discharge John Doe - whom Ames nicknames "JD" - to a responsible party who can monitor his mental state. So Chance and Winston forge Ilsa's signature on the papers. At HQ, Guerrero reports that the navigation system in JD's rental car shows he'd been holed up in a hot-sheet motel. Seeing his paycheck, he stalks into Ilsa's office and insists on being paid only in cash.

Their argument's just getting good when the police arrive. Lieutenant Broward and Detective Delgado want to interview the bombing victim. Winston testily says no; the guy's been through enough today. Broward and Winston clearly have history - of the not-pretty kind.

Winston staked his reputation on proving that Broward and his crew were dirty cops, but he never could. Broward cost Winston everything - his job, his rep, his . . . He trails off. Chance says they can figure out why Broward wants JD, then take him down. Winston's in.

In JD's motel room, Ames finds a storage-facility key. Meanwhile, Guerrero examines the exploded car and calls Chance at the motel. Guerrero says that the bomb was total amateur hour, dude. Not pros. Chance watches the Mongrels motorcycle gang rumble up. Could they have done it? Sure, says Guerrero. And with these guys, shoot first, ask questions later.

Shootout at the hot-sheet motel! Then the police arrive. Yep, it's Broward. He taunts Winston, then takes JD, who now WANTS to go with the cops.

The Mongrels were hired to take out JD's protection, not JD. Winston says that's totally Broward's style. Chance, Winston, and Ames roll up to Broward's car and grab JD at gunpoint. Winston takes Broward's keys, cell phone, and gun. He'll get that badge off him later. Broward's cops confront Ilsa with an arrest warrant for kidnapping a material witness from police custody. She stalls and calls Chance, who tells her to flee. The cops come up in the elevator . . . and Ilsa goes back down, having hidden on top of it.

JD's large storage space has furniture, a computer, and a getaway van. The computer's been erased, but Ames finds stacks of cash in the van. JD, who's been hoping he's a good guy, realizes he probably isn't. Chance finds a passport with JD's real name: David Jarecki. According to Guerrero, that's "The Laundry Man" - the West Coast's most notorious money launderer.

Winston, who thinks Broward wanted JD to wash his dirty money, tells Ames to search for JD's bank records while he gets something from his place. His old place, that is - where he lived with his wife. Winston has an ex-wife? It's news to Chance, though Winston insists he mentioned it. Hmm.

Winston finds his old case notes mentioning First Barbados Bank, where he suspected Broward deposited his dirty money. He tells his obviously long-suffering ex, Michelle, that he's finally gonna bring Broward down.

JD has mad calculating skills. He adds up the height of each stack of bills to determine how much is in the van: $10,860,000. Ames informs Winston that JD didn't need to keep records, because they're in his head. Well, they WERE. Winston's so frustrated, he attacks JD! Then he apologizes. He's in agony over getting everyone involved in this, all for nothing!

Chance sees it differently. Time for a plan.

Guerrero, Ames, and Ilsa take his El Dorado to a bank, where Ilsa charms the account manager into letting her open an account with funds immediately available. Outside, Ames reports two detectives pulling up behind her. Guerrero tells her to keep them away. She slams his beloved El Do into reverse and smashes the cops' car. Ilsa and Guerrero escape out the back.

Meanwhile, at the police station with Chance, JD offers Broward a $2 million payoff. He can wire the money now (from Ilsa's new account); he just needs Broward's account number. Broward types in his own number but doesn't hit "Enter." He tricks JD into revealing his memory's not really back. JD double-crosses Chance, saying he'll give Broward $10.8 million in cash.

But it's a double double-cross! At the storage space, Winston confronts Broward, gloating that he finally has his proof: JD memorized Broward's account number when he typed it in. Broward swings at Winston, who knocks down the crooked cop and takes his badge. Just like he said he would.

Back at HQ, Ilsa hands Guerrero wads of cash. He wins. JD is going into the Witness Protection Program. They figured out that the person who planted the bomb in JD's car was . . . JD. Apparently, he planned to fake his death and take off with his clients' money, but the bomb went off early. Ames and Chance say it's a second chance. Trust them on that.

Winston visits Michelle, who says it wasn't just his obsession with Broward that broke them apart. He always had a laser-like focus on whatever was in his sights, but never on their marriage. They part, bittersweet.

Winston shares his regrets with Chance over a drink. Chance says that at least Winston got his man. His partner grins. "You're damn right I got him."