Fight or Flight

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Fight or Flight is the third episode of Burn Notice, an American television drama series created for the USA Network. Fight or Flight has Michael Westen trying to help a waitress protect herself and her daughter from a drug cartel that wants to keep her quiet.

Plot

Michael continues to search for allies to help him figure out who burned him. He "stumbles" his way into a hotel conference and picks up the trail of an old friend who might be able to tell him who issued the Burn Notice. Michael is able to make a daring escape without being caught by security.

Back at the apartment, Michael is angry at Fiona Glenanne for breaking in (again) but Fiona counters that Michael never gave her a key, nor is he willing to get a car of his own. She accuses him of being afraid of commitment. Fiona leaves, and later, when Michael is leaving, Oleg, the landlord, asks him to help one of his waitresses, who is being harassed by a drug cartel, in exchange for four months free rent

The Client is Cara, a waitress who accidentally witnessed the beating of some pizza boy by a drug cartel member and subsequently made a statement to the police. She also has a teenage daughter named Sophie. Both are quite scared as they have received threats from drug cartel thugs.

Flashing over to a hotel, Michael has caught up with a spy buddy of his, Akhom Thabet. Fiona will help track Thabet if Michael talks to his mother, Madeline Westen, about getting his father's car.

Sam Axe helps Michael get his hands on the name of the member of the drug cartel who's threatening his client, Alvaro Desantos. However, when Michael goes to meet Alvaro, he's told that the family will soon be taken care of. Michael warns Fiona in time for her to serve up some Molotov Cocktails for the incoming thugs.

After Fiona repels the cartel thugs, Michael has to move his clients to a safe house - specifically, his mother's garage. Michael sets up the house with a motion alarm in case anyone approaches, and an electrified door knob in case anyone unwanted comes knocking. Sophie is still upset that she won't be able to go to her Spring Formal as planned.

Michael, after getting the word from Sam, checks in with the drug cartel lawyer, Bruce Gellman. Michael stops Gellman on his morning commute, asking him to convince the cartel boss to leave Cara and Sophie alone, which fails. The next time Michael comes over, Bruce tries to have him killed with a car bomb, but Michael anticipates this and avoids it.

Michael walks in on his Egyptian spy friend, Akhom Thabet, while he's in the middle of a job. Using his leverage, Michael convinces Akhom to get a copy of his burn notice.

Sophie runs away from the safe house to go to her Spring Formal. Michael comes to the rescue of Sophie just in time, and ushers her into an auto repair classroom. Michael heats up the door knob to the room to create a distraction, and disarms the two hit men. He also takes some spark plugs for his Charger.

Michael feels that a new plan is needed. Michael videotapes Alvaro while Sam calls him, pretending to be Cara's lawyer. Michael then edits this sound and video to make it look like Alvaro is about to testify to the police. Sam ensures that the FBI gets a hold of the tape, and Michael then meets up with the lawyer, Bruce, and leads him to the FBI tape. Consequently, Bruce Gellman and various members of the cartel confront Alvaro and force him into a car trunk.

For all her trouble, Fiona finally gets a key to the apartment. Michael visits his father's grave, as he agreed to. He meets Akhom there and receives a copy of the directive authorizing his burn notice, identified by an alphanumeric code and a code name - it's a start.

References

External links

• Two Minute Replay of Fight or Flight, on the Burn Notice site of USA Network
• Burned in Miami: Fight or Flight, an unofficial fan blog.