“The Box” is episode two of season three of Fringe.
In Milton, Massachusetts, a family are bound and gagged as a man selects a pick axe from a bag and turns on the television. In the cellar, two more men are digging a hole. One asks where the other’s dumb cousin is. The other says to keep working. They find a box and one wonders what’s in it; they’re getting paid a lot of money. They end up opening the box and the house’s electricity goes haywire. The third man finds them both with white eyes and blood running from their noses, swaying. He shuts the box. Upstairs, the family have been affected too.
Newton has got things for AltLiv, including a history of pop culture. He’s removing her tattoo and reminding her who started a war. He sent a hired team to the site, not his usual men. AltLiv reminds Newton this is her op and he works for her.
Astrid is reading William Bell’s obituary in the lab. Broyles and Peter are looking over the device’s schematics. Peter says it’s a powerful piece of ancient technology but missing several pieces, one of them being him. Peter also thinks if Walternate wanted him back his agents would have made a play already. Walter doesn’t want to know what the weapon does. He leaves for the market with Astrid as AltLiv arrives.
AltLiv and Peter head out for a drink. She says she understands Walter’s concern but Broyles may be right. Then comments on a song, which is out of character. She claims seeing another Olivia made her think about things and gets Peter up to dance. During which she gets a call.
Everyone is dead in the house in Milton; Walter says the blood is lighter than normal. Mixed with something else; possibly spinal fluid. In the cellar, Walter thinks the two men were in a vegetative trance before they expired. Broyles thinks a third thief took whatever was dug up.
AltLiv heads to see Newton. He only hired two men, the two who are dead. All three should be dead; no-one can withstand the thing.
Walter is unusually well-dressed when Peter arrives and says it’s time to go. Walter doesn’t think he can do it; Astrid reassures him he will be okay. They head to Massive Dynamic where Walter and Nina Sharp are going to hear the reading of William Bell’s will. Walter gets a letter. Peter asks about it but Walter doesn’t tell him. Then Peter gets a call. Olivia isn’t picking up; they identified one of the men and his address. She didn’t call Peter.
AltLiv is searching the apartment when Peter arrives. She tells him it was a big day for Walter and she knew if she called Peter he would come. Both agree that someone else was living there. AltLiv says she will speak to the landlord and tells Peter to give the place another go through. She’s outside on the phone to Newton when the third man passes in a car. He sees her badge and writes down her name.
Walter does talk to Astrid about what William Bell left him in the will, although the envelope and its contents turn out to be only part of it. AltLiv is studying Olivia; they have different skills. AltLiv was revealed in the previous episode, “Olivia”, to be an Olympic-class marksman. Olivia has a photographic memory, which AltLiv lacks.
The box, meanwhile, is very dangerous and needs finding. But Newton and AltLiv have a plan for it.