“Red Flag” is episode six of season two of First Wave.
The episode opens in the Pentagon and a Colonel Russell is told that Lieutenant Harkin has arrived. The colonel wants to know if Harkin knows that certain files have been hard copied and removed. Yes; they are revamping the computers. The colonel isn’t happy about the sort of material that has been printed out. It’s too sensitive. Harkin assures Russell there’s been no security breach and the material hasn’t been compromised. However, the colonel is still reliving him of his duties, with reinstatement dependent on an investigation. The colonel dismisses Harkin, but the lieutenant doesn’t leave. Instead, he asks for permission to speak freely, stares at the colonel and grabs his head. It looks like the colonel is being heated up.
According to Cade, the colonel died from being literally boiled to death and Harkin disappeared afterwards. He was suspected of being a deep cover spy and was facing an inquiry. Harkin had won the Red Flag, a little known but prestigious award. Competitors get a chance to prove they are the best of the best and there are five contenders in this year’s competition, Cade being one of them.
They are welcomed by a Sergeant Plimpton, who introduces their CO, Major Birch. Birch says Red Flag is a high honour, and is dismissive of their worthiness. Rather unusual, given the position. They have 72 hours to prove him wrong. Two days of intensive training; on the third day, they will compete against each other. Birch runs through each person’s background and is still dismissive. Especially of Cade, who is posing as a SpecOps soldier. Birch doesn’t trust SpecOps and thinks Cade is too good to be true. Probably right, given his background is fake. During the competition, they aren’t allowed any visitors and can’t leave the perimeter.
Plimpton takes all their phones for the duration and several of the contestants start questioning each other. Cade asks about Red Flag, claiming he knows nothing about it; his CO put his name forward. The soldier he’s talking to says that it allows you to write your own ticket. Whatever department you want to work in, you get.
An obstacle course, during which one competitor, Langley, shows a willingness to do anything to win, is followed by a tactical scenario. Cade steals a clip from the papers and, that night, leaves his bed to break into the area where their belongings are kept. He tries calling Eddie on his phone, but can’t get a signal. Perhaps he’s too far inside. He then goes to open a keypad-locked door, getting in just before Plimpton arrives. This leads to another area. One room has military files dating back to 1862 and some computers. Another is clearly Gua, as it has a transfer machine with Harkin in it.
Cade manages to contact Eddie the next day, explaining about the machine and Harkin. Harkin must have transferred to another person, but who? One of the competitors seems likely. Eddie has had the most difficulty getting Langley’s records and Cade says Langley will do anything to win. Then, there’s Birch and Plimpton. Cade thinks Plimpton is a likely suspect for being an alien, given the husk was in his domain. Cade also mentions the files and Eddie says that’s the Civil War. He’ll dig into it. Eddie also suggests Cade get out. Cade won’t leave; he wants to know what the aliens are doing.
The competition takes a turn for the dangerous; it looks like the Gua may be attempting to eliminate some of the competitors.