'Carlisle, I want this case. I like it a lot. I eat bugs for breakfast!'

This is another favorite episode. The theme of hypochondria that runs through this has some great opportunities for comedy, and once again the central characters interactions are just great. Ralph obsessing that he's been infected, even though his symptoms are easily explainable, and Bill's invincible immune system (right up till he discovers he's unprotected), followed by his rapid crumbling is brilliant.

Although some of the effects aren't always great by today's standards, they're still neatly executed. The sky diving sequence where Ralph rescues Bill after he's thrown from a helicopter is ingenious, and the music fits the event perfectly. I particularly enjoy them being slammed against the ground, but Bill is still delighted to be alive. Great episode!

Plot Synopsis:

Harvey Locke, an army soldier, crashes a truck near Faultline, after he passes out at the wheel, sweating heavily, with lesions on his skin. Carlisle briefs the agents on the Locke case. Bill lands in trouble again for talking during the briefing. One of a series of stolen machine guns was found in the truck with Locke, and Carlisle wants to know where the rest of the guns are. Bill volunteers for the case, but has his hand pushed down by Carlisle, until the other agents find out Locke has a highly contagious plague, then the volunteers withdraw. Carlisle is forced to give the case to Bill, and Bill receives a battery of innoculations that are supposed to protect him. The other agents visit Bill and start paying up old debts, figuring that he'll soon be dead of the plague.

Ralph is playing basketball with the students, when Tony shoves him roughly to the ground to make a goal. An argument develops and when Ralph steps in to break it up, he gets punched in the face by Tony. Bill shows up to recruit Ralph and the suit for his latest case, but initially neglects to tell him about Locke's plague. As usual Ralph is volunteered in by Bill.

On the way to Faultline, Ralph is concerned that he could contract the plague. Bill figures that the suit will protect Ralph, but he isn't so sure. Bill points out that he had a whole batch of innoculations, and Ralph is disgusted that Bill protects himself, but not Ralph. Bill proceeds to rattle off the list of possible symptoms for plague, which just makes Ralph worry even more.

Bill decides to start at a gun range favored by paramilitary personnel. He buys some coffee at the gun range and starts asking about Harvey. Ralph burns his mouth on the coffee, then gets upset after he drinks it and Bill throw's his away reasoning that you shouldn't eat or drink in a contaminated hot zone. Some shooters ask the coffee vendor about Bill. Rio reports into his partners that someone is asking about Locke.

Rio and the other shooters follow Bill and Ralph to their hotel. At the hotel they run into Pam. Bill is very annoyed that his counselor has come out to the possible plague zone. Ralph goes to Pam's room to explain to her what is going on. Rio's crew abduct Bill from his hotel room. Ralph gives chase, crashing through the motel sign on the way out. Flying through the middle of a flock of birds, he continues to give chase.

Bill is taken to a military installation out in the desert. He observes a military drill in progress while waiting for the commander to arrive. The commander arrives and questions Bill, but the interrogation is interrupted when Ralph breaches the perimeter defenses. He takes Bill up in a helicopter, and when Bill still refuses to talk, he throws him out. Ralph flies up and grabs Bill, and takes him back to the ground. Bill is terrified and very grateful to Ralph for saving him. They commandeer a vehicle and return to the hotel.

Ralph is convinced he's contracted smallpox, even though his symptoms can be easily explained away. Bill is confident everything is okay, until he finds out from Carlisle that he didn't get an innoculation for smallpox. Bill starts to develop instant smallpox symptoms now, and Pam can't believe the two hypochondriac's complaints.

Bill and Ralph go to visit the Disease Control centre. They realise that the research center in Needles will be the target because it has a stock of the smallpox virus, and the paramilitary group want to use it against the Middle East. Pam tells the doctor that Bill and Ralph think they are infected. He tells them it is impossible that they are infected, because the symptoms don't show up for at least two weeks. Bill makes a miraculous recovery. They try to notify the lab in Needles but find that the phones to the lab have been disabled.

The doctor gives the group an innoculation for smallpox, and Ralph heads off for Needles. Bill takes a helicopter to the lab. Bill and the doctor are captured by the military group when the arrive at the lab. They have the ampule of smallpox virus in the lab. Ralph arrives and starts disabling the soldiers outside. Bill knocks the ampule out of the commanders lab, Ralph receives a holographic warning, and busts through the wall of the lab catching the falling ampule in time. Ralph and Bill capture the military group, and Bill marches them out the front door to Carlisle's amazement.

Everyone who has had potential exposure to the smallpox virus has been placed in quarantine for two weeks. Carlisle and Bill have been playing checkers and sniping at each other. Ralph and Pam have been spending some intimate time locked in the tv room. The doctor arrives and ends the quarantine, when Bill sneezes and lands everyone back in quarantine again.