Original air date: January 31, 1998

Written by: Steven Long Mitchell & Craig W. Van Sickle and Eric Morris & Tommy Thompson

Directed by: Chuck Bowman

As Jarod unravels the mystery behind a crash at the racetrack, Sydney receives word that his comatose brother, whom Mr Raines had ordered killed, has regained consciousness.

Jarod’s Discoveries: Remote Control Cars, Arcade Games

Jarod’s Occupations: Indy Car Driver

Jarod’s Aliases: Jarod Jones

Behind the scenes insights and the Creator’s Take

Official Synopsis

Jarod assumes the identity of a race car driver in an effort to unravel a mystery. Sydney is shocked to discover that his brother has regained consciousness.

A video arcade manager receives complaints from young customers that Jarod is hogging the best machine in the store.  When the manager realizes Jarod has amassed an astounding amount of extra credits on a video race track game, he suggests he drive a real race car.  Shortly thereafter, Jarod shows up at the California Speedway in Fontana, California.  There, he befriends Grant Roemer, the owner of Roemer Racing; Grant’s son, R.J.; Nigel Brinkman, an ex-Formula One star and the team’s number-one driver; and the company’s chief mechanic, Alan Hawkes.  Jarod impresses the group by successfully completing several laps in near record time.  Grant appoints Jarod the number three car position, a slot formerly held by Jimmy Roemer, who was hospitalized after he lost control of his brother R.J.’s racer.  R.J. tells Jarod that he allowed his brother to get behind the wheel to experience what it is like to drive in a competitive ride.

Meanwhile, Sydney receives word that his brother has regained consciousness.  At the hospital, a doctor explains that Jacob has contracted a rare virus, that has stimulated his brain and reawakened the area injured years earlier.  Despite this, his motor skills remain very weak, limiting his speech.  Meanwhile, a furious Mr. Raines learns that Jacob is still very much alive.  He dispatches several Sweepers to the hospital, but Sydney manages to overcome them and transports his brother to a remote fishing cabin.

At the hospital, Jimmy receives a visit from his wife, Anna, Jarod and R.J.  During the conversation, Jimmy describes how he let off the throttle and hit the breaks before colliding with the wall.  Later, Grant tells his team they must win a race if they hope to maintain their sponsor’s support.  He reveals an illegal racing strategy that would require R.J. and Jarod to use their cars to block the competition, allowing Nigel to gain track position.

Meanwhile, with some help from Broots, Miss Parker locates Sydney and his brother at the fishing cabin.  Sydney suspects that Parker was sent by Raines, as she is the only other person who knew Jacob was still alive.  But Parker counters that Raines would have her eliminated if he knew she never murdered Jacob.  Sydney realizes Parker is telling the truth and allows her to stay.  Later, he reveals that his brother is dying—a victim of the same rare virus that revived him.  Sydney believes his brother has only twelve hours to live.  He shows his brother old photographs and movies hoping to jog Jacob’s memory about Parker’s mother, Catherine, and the facts behind Jarod’s origins (such as his real name and his parents’ names).

Jarod examines video tape footage of Jimmy’s crash.  He concludes that Jimmy did brake—but the engine kept running.  Later, Jarod inspects the damaged throttle gasket from R.J.’s wrecked engine.  He realizes someone tampered with the fuel valves, creating distinct scratch marks in the process.  After a period of trial and error, Jarod realizes the scratch marks were made by a Odekirk fishing knife—one given to R.J. by his father.  But later, Jarod realizes Brinkman won the knife from R.J. on a bet.  Jarod concludes he had the wrong man.  He approaches mechanic Hawkes with his findings.  He notes surveillance camera footage that shows Hawkes allowing Brinkman into the garage where R.J.’s car was stored, thus implicating him in wrongdoing (Hawkes wanted R.J. eliminated because he wanted Hawkes replaced as crew chief).  Hawkes admits his role in the tampering, but insists the deed was aimed at harming R.J., not Jimmy.

With some help from R.J. and Hawkes, Jarod concocts an ingenious scheme that traps Brinkman inside a race car hurtling around the track at high speeds.  Fearing for his life, Brinkman confesses to his crime.

As Jacob’s health rapidly deteriorates, he gathers the strength to say the word, “gene.”  Puzzled, yet hopeful, Sydney attempts to extract more information about the word’s meaning.  Jacob’s confession comes to an abrupt halt, however, when he succumbs to the virus.  Meanwhile, Raines threatens to torture Broots with a blow torch unless he reveals Sydney’s whereabouts.  Raines and his Sweepers storm the fishing cabin, only to be told Jacob is dead.  Later, while placing flowers on his brother’s grave, Sydney is approached by Jarod.  Sydney hands him a piece of paper with the word “gene” written on it.  Though Sydney does not know its meaning, he hopes it will lead Jarod to inner peace.