“Public Enemy No. 1” is episode fifteen of season one of Timeless.
In the previous episode, “The Lost Generation”, the people from the NSA who took over control of the project from Agent Christopher were discovered to be acting on Rittenhouse’s behalf – and Lucy’s father is now there and in charge. No-one is terribly happy about this. Christopher also ensured that Wyatt would be able to escape from his captivity, which he did. He met up with Christopher, Rufus and Lucy, and promised to help keep them safe. Given that he’s basically escaped from custody and that Rittenhouse has taken over Mason Industries, how he’s going to do that is a good question.
This episode opens with Flynn sat in a church talking to the father – it seems he may be having second thoughts about what he’s doing, as he doesn’t seem to be making anything better.
Back at Mason Industries, Rufus slips Jiya a mobile phone before the head NSA agent says that he is tired of playing defence against Flynn – he wants them to go on the offence, by heading back to 1962, Houston, Texas, and getting their new team member to Flynn’s mother – seen in “Space Race” – so he can kill her. Rufus and Lucy do not want to do this, but they are told if they don’t they will spend years in prison for aiding and abetting a terrorist. Lucy’s father promises that if they do this, the next mission will be to save Lucy’s sister.
After they arrive in 1962, Rufus shoots the assassin with a tranquiliser dart and they set off for somewhere else. Back in the present, Rufus has sabotaged the computers so that the lifeboat can’t be tracked. Mason is not happy about this, and suspects that Jiya might be involved (she’s not – at least, not yet).
Then they go and meet up with Christopher and Wyatt in the present. That’s how Wyatt is going to help them. He says that the first thing they need to do is get Lucy’s sister back. Christopher isn’t as keen, because they don’t have long before Mason can track them again. Before they can leave, they get informed that Flynn has jumped.
Flynn has gone back to 1931 Chicago, where he gives a man some tax ledgers that are being used as evidence in the case against the man – the man being Al Capone. Capone is not impressed (he was actually done for tax evasion) but Flynn also has a letter from Capone’s accountant – which would have sent him to prison.
This causes a discussion in the present about what they should do, with the decision being made to go after Flynn. Rufus first contacts Jiya on the phone he gave her, and asks for her help. Unfortunately, this promptly gets her into trouble.
In 1931 Chicago Lucy, Rufus and Wyatt stick out a bit – Lucy and Rufus are dressed for the 60s and Wyatt for the next century. They arrive to hear Al Capone saying that the case against him has been dropped, as the evidence has been lost. Then they spot Elliot Ness, and decide that he can help with whatever Flynn is up to. Wyatt introduces themselves as private investigators and says that their names are Costner, Connery and De Niro (who played Ness, Malone and Capone in the film The Untouchables). Things start going from bad to worse, and they still don’t know what Flynn wants with Capone.
A cliff-hanger ending leading into the season finale, “The Red Scare”.