Original subtitles

Previously on The Border.

Homeland Security was very satisfied with the outcome.

You just broke every law in the book.

Now Legarda owns you.

I've been officially reprimanded. I believe that Homeland Security's mandate

includes cooperation with all relevant agencies.

Please don't get caught up in Major Kessler's ill -advised fantasies. My

superiors weren't happy that I failed to keep them informed.

Major Legarda will make king of you yet.

Thank you so much.

Kylie Tristano collapsed here in front of Club 273 as she left the launch party

for her new CD last night. Oh, yes, thank you. She was rushed to Columbia

Luke's Hospital, but emergency room doctors were unable to revive her.

Kylie Tristano, suddenly, shockingly, dead at age 34.

Yes, I'll tell Dr. Farber. Thank you. Goodbye.

Oh, come on.

Why would she even say that?

That's so typical.

Now everybody would be saying, oh, Kylie's secretly a doper.

Just like all the other stars.

Were you a fan?

She was a beautiful person.

A real human being. She had no airs. She would come in here and talk to me just

like we're talking right now.

She was a patient here?

Well, I shouldn't say because of confidentiality.

Yeah, that's tragic, right? Because she was so young.

She had cancer.

Right, but that couldn't have been what took her. Because it was early stages.

Her diagnosis was excellent.

She was going to beat it.

Just like you will, right?

So what got the pride of Miami up before the birds?

Hieronymus?

Is there something you want to talk about?

Thought she'd always be there for me.

She's gone.

Of course, if you'd rather not.

She got me through puberty.

Okay, not. Enough of that.

This was posted less than an hour after she keeled over.

And the iTunes server cacked out trying to handle the download of her songs.

Yeah, well, death and double platinum will do that.

Did you ever think that maybe this whole Internet thing was a bad idea?

And Kylie Tristana was your first clue?

No. Midget porn.

Oh. But this is a close second.

She was here when I got in. What, on the monitors?

Cruella. Oh.

The boss usually shows by eight. She said she'd wait.

Cause of death, anaphylaxis. She suffocated before anyone could figure

was wrong.

Anaphylactic shock is an allergic reaction.

No allergies.

Mistress Tana did have cancer.

Lymphoma.

She was taking a number of prescription drugs, including this one, paracine.

It's new.

Not approved by the FDA for sale in the United States.

Prescribing physician, Dr. Bruce McHugh, in here in Toronto.

Right. I'd like to talk to him.

The New York City Medical Examiner is analyzing the person from that bottle

right now.

Gray, Layla?

What's up?

Booked the earliest flight to New York. You're going to talk to the ME.

Canada may be about ticked to fall for the death of an American sweetheart.

Like the song says, blame Canada.

Okay, so we're on the 945 out of the Island Airport.

Great. I just need to grab some stuff for my locker.

Can you exit?

No better place to take a lady to them.

I'm afraid that bird has flown on.

Hey, um, you guys are going to New York, hey? Mm -hmm. So are you going to check

out the scene?

Like... Taking a play? You want to catch the last game at Yankee Stadium? No.

No, Club 273.

You know, the spot where Kylie drew her last breath?

We're going down to talk to the medical examiner, Slade. Yeah, this is some

weird necro -fantasy tour.

No, I was just going to ask you to pay my respects, you know?

Maybe give a flower or something. Never mind.

I read your report on the West Tech case.

Mm -hmm.

Well, thanks for not mentioning anything about Jimmy and me.

Wasn't relevant.

Maybe, but I owe you.

So you heard from him?

Don't expect to.

That's over.

From now on, I'm concentrating on the job.

All right.

Yes. I approved paracetamol for Kylie Tristano.

She read about it and came up here to see if it could help her.

Did it?

Too soon to tell, but we expected positive results. The drug performed so

miraculously in trials, it was fast -tracked for approval in Canada and

But it's not approved by the FDA.

Look, this isn't like going to some clinic and Tia wanted to have your blood

cleansed. Something went wrong, right?

Prudent drug administration approval can take years.

You think Kylie Tristano should have waited?

Anything in her medical history that suggests that she might have had an

reaction? No.

So there is no negative side effects to the drug?

Like anaphylactic shock?

No.

If you want a complete rundown, you should talk to the drug company, Canfar.

Are we done?

I'm not finished my rounds.

Sure. Thank you.

U .S. citizens can't import Canadian prescription drugs for individual use.

completely legal.

Importing paracin isn't legal. It's not approved in U .S. We dispense paracin.

using Canadian prescriptions written by Canadian doctors. We don't need to check

patients' citizenship.

Well, we're going to need samples, all of your data on the drug, and copies of

prescriptions. No way.

No way!

This is an investigation into the death of a prominent U .S. citizen. Now, sir,

are you refusing to cooperate? The FDA filing alone runs to over 100 ,000

Now, I'm not going to make a copy of that for you or anyone else. I don't

you understand.

People taking paracetamol could be at risk.

You don't care about people's health? You've developed a drug that can save

from cancer. I think that's caring.

What if it has deadly side effects?

I've told you already, we've tested the hell out of it.

Malcolm, perhaps I can explain?

Great, great. Maybe you'll do better with Tweedledum and Tweedledummer.

I'm Nadia Abrams, chief pharmacologist. Please, don't be offended by Malcolm's

attitude. It's hard not to be. He's very passionate about the work we do here.

And we're trying to determine whether one of your products caused the woman's

death.

I can assure you, after years of clinical trials, there's never been the

slightest indication that paracine could trigger anaphylaxis. Give us a sample.

If Health Canada officially clears it, you can use it to counter negative

publicity. Or U .S. Customs starts paying special attention to every

with a camphor label.

I'll get you a sample.

Dr. Jefferson?

Ah.

Tommy. Thomas Jefferson?

Direct descendant.

Coffee? No.

So, you want the latest on the Tristano death? She was taking paracine, an anti

-cancer drug for Canadian company. If it contributed in any way... I'm afraid

we'll hang this wrap on you.

That's it?

Have you got the results from the talk screen? I think I identified the

combination that triggered her allergic reaction.

Either one of you have an advanced science degree?

No? Then I'll spare you the chemistry.

Cristano had a few parazine pills left. It contained one of the chemicals in the

compound. One of the chemicals?

So my theory is chemical A from the parazine must have combined in her

system with chemical B to trigger the allergic reaction.

What's the source of chemical B? Don't know yet, but she either had to shoot

it... Snort it or swallow it. Other people on paracene could be at risk if

have the same allergy.

That's why we have to find the source of the second chemical.

You have anyone looking through Tristano's personal effects?

Investigators are bagging and tagging at her apartment right now.

I don't believe it.

Can you process it?

Someone's flogging Kylie's first indie CD. It has biddings at 104 simoleons,

even signed.

I thought you'd sworn off the internet.

I got a video of her when she played the Elmo.

Summer 94.

I was 14, she was sweet 16.

You were 14 in 94?

I was 12.

That's not good.

It was transcendent.

Until security spotted me taping. Making bootleg videos, huh? You're lucky the

RCMP didn't pick that up in your security check. You're kidding?

That's how I got my first job.

Look, now it's 125.

Aromatherapy oils, sleeping pills, birth control, and a puffer.

Asthma medication, plus prescription meds from three different doctors.

Chinese herbal remedies, cold medication.

What's this? Dry cleaning?

Could be something in the cleaning fluid or something used to launder her sheets

or shampoo her rug.

This? It's how we live now, up to our asses in a chemical swamp.

So what's the answer?

Can Paris help me or not?

I'll need to review these test results and your history to ensure there are no

adverse effects.

Okay. What's your best guess?

Your cancer seems to be at a very early stage.

That's when paracine can be the most effective, but sometimes watchful

is the best first strategy to determine our options.

Waiting isn't my style, Doctor.

So, I'll call you back later on.

We put out a query to coroner's offices in major cities.

Death from anaphylactic shock?

Came in last night, man in his 60s, cancer patient.

Taking paracine.

At this point, we still don't know what caused Mr. Stano's allergic reaction. We

understand she was taking an experimental cancer drug from Canada.

have been the cause?

I don't want to speculate until we've completed all our tests. Or, if you

the chicken little version, you can flip on over to Channel 4.

There's a very good reason why it is illegal to import prescription drugs

have not been approved by the FDA. There is no guarantee that they're safe.

Trouble is, nothing else seems to work as well. All U .S. citizens currently

taking Paracin need to consult with their physicians and seek alternative

treatment.

How'd you like to make that call? No.

This drug could kill your cancer. On the other hand, it could kill you.

Nothing's been proven yet.

Any results back from Health Canada?

Not yet.

Kessler.

Five hundred million dollars.

Do I have your attention?

Total. That's Canada's annual drug sales to the U .S. I hope whoever's buying

has health insurance.

American pharmaceutical companies would love to squeeze off that trade.

If they can use the death of this singer to cast doubt on the safety of Canadian

drugs, they will.

We should get word soon on whether paracine was a factor in the deaths.

Deaths?

Plural now? This isn't reassuring.

U .S. authorities are cooperating. I'll get back to you soon as I have something

different.

Try and make it good news, Mike.

I thought you were staying in last night. Yeah, it's a cold.

Must have caught it on the plate.

Here, I've got some Tylenol.

I can't. I already took aspirin.

No, there's this new thing. 24 pills in the first eight hours. It's all natural.

A couple of shots of bourbon and a steam. That's natural.

What's the latest from the New York ME?

It's going to take weeks for them to analyze all the samples they've

We don't have weeks. We've already had another death.

Health Canada is getting calls from doctors and patients coast to coast. I

got a possibility.

Got a left field?

That's your... When I was in Africa, we heard a lot about counterfeit drugs.

In the mid -90s, 2 ,500 children died in Niger because of a fake meningitis

vaccine.

How are you tying this to the paracene? What if someone replaced the expensive

ingredients in the paracene? The fakes in Africa had a lot of cheap

Starch, chalk, pollen.

The second source is added right into the pills.

And there's your allergen. It's a theory.

Well, hold on. The New York Emmy and Health Canada checked the pills. They

good. Maybe the counterfeits are mixed in with the legit pills.

Sure, we had counterfeits. The U .S. spends $300 billion a year on drugs.

You can make a better buck selling fake bag with a hustling crack.

So there could have been a fake pill in Kylie Tristano's prescription.

Or more.

Like bee stings, the allergen would have to build up in her system. So the first

time it's just a mild reaction?

You get stuffed up, short of breath.

And then the next time it's lights out.

Bless you.

Hey, sometimes the cold is just the cold, all right?

I'll keep testing. But what you're saying, not the worst idea I've heard.

Thank you, Doctor.

You're welcome.

Get a warrant for Camphor.

I want more samples of the paracene and all records related to its manufacturer

on sale.

Well, they had cooked up a batch of fakes when they had dumped them before

showed up. Maybe Toll and Abrams aren't in on it.

Get Camphor personnel records as well.

You've got that minute. You can't do this. Yes, we can. We showed you a

Hey, whoa, whoa. Take it easy.

Hey, keep your hands off me.

Who's in charge here?

Gray Jackson, ICS.

Your people are confiscating hundreds of units of paracene. We already gave you

a sample. Yeah, well, I'm afraid we're going to need more. How do we service

customers? The sooner we execute the warrant, the sooner you can get back to

business. And what are we supposed to tell the cancer patients who need these

pills? That we're trying to make sure they're safe.

You goddamn government assholes.

Melt them.

What do you think? Legitimate outrage for his innocence?

Or blow us out to hide his guilt.

Yeah, somehow I knew it wasn't the best time to ask him for advice on cold

remedies.

Two weeks, that's a mouth.

Yeah.

Well, I am tired, Mo.

Yeah.

And it's late.

I should go to sleep.

You should go to sleep too.

I love you, Mom.

The American drug companies must be thrilled about this paracene scare. Now

have time to get their alternatives on the market.

I know that I found him. Anyone else around? No, he was always the last to

leave. It's like he was going over company accounts.

Miss the old days, Moose? Yeah, especially this time of the morning.

observations? No obvious foul play.

I'm going to guess heart attack.

That's what working nights will get you.

The kerosene samples seized yesterday are checking out okay, so either they

ditched the fakes or... Or aren't any.

Perisine, like your shirts, my sneakers, and a surprising number of Don't Mess

With Texas products, is made in China. Well, 40 % of all U .S. drug ingredients

come from China or India.

They're also the major suppliers of the world counterfeits. The FDA stepped up

inspections of Chinese drug factories after those blood thinner deaths last

year. The perisine plant got an A1 rating.

And, I'm sure, a personal letter of commendation from Premier Hu. Hu? What?

That never gets old, does it?

Audit camp for us financials. See if there's anything I don't want.

Malcolm Tolstead may be cardiac arrest.

Heart attack?

We should get confirmation later today.

He was a classic type, eh?

Did we push too hard?

Like I said, nothing's confirmed.

What about the paracetamol?

All the samples checked out. You might want to pass it along to Jefferson and

the FDA.

Sure, I'll do that.

The New York M .E. said Kylie Tristano only had a few paracine pills left.

According to Canfar's records, she was sent a new batch of pills three weeks

ago. So where are they?

If it's like everything else connected to Kylie, they'll probably show up on

eBay any minute.

Her first CD, it sold over... For over 200 bucks.

Did I mention I got a video?

U .S. Customs stops thousands of prescription drug shipments every year.

Those pills were sent before there was any suspicion about paracetamol. That

still an unproved medication. In fact, it's probably sitting in a U .S. Customs

warehouse at Pearson if it hasn't been incinerated.

Let's see if Agent McGardy can use her charm.

Any trouble getting the pills released?

Not really. The boys in costumes think they're helping catch a major terrorist.

I have Health Canada on the line.

Hey. Okay.

Out of 168 pills tested, 56 do not have the correct chemical ingredients.

They're fake?

Do they have the allergen? Yeah. It's a chemical in the filler combined with an

ingredient in the paracetamol.

Probably 100 people could take these fake pills with no reaction. Ms.

was unlucky enough to... to be susceptible.

And 100 people who aren't allergic still die of cancer because they're not

getting the daily dosage they need.

You've got a point there.

It's impossible to analyze every single pill.

We do random testing, and we were assured that the manufacturer in China

extremely reputable. You're going to have inspectors here from Health Canada

until this gets straightened out. We were as eager to get to the bottom of

as you are. Well, Malcolm Toll didn't seem all that cooperative.

Did you notice any changes in his behavior recently?

Money trouble, marital problems, a whisper here or there? No, no.

Malcolm was a thoroughly honorable man.

His only failing was that he worked too hard. He pretty much ran the whole show.

When he was diagnosed with a heart condition, I took on some of the load,

wouldn't let up.

Your raid the other day was probably one stress too many.

Counterfeit pills could be Toll's scam.

We show up, he can't take the heat, his heart blows out.

What about the pharmacologist?

She could be in on it. There's still the possibility that it's all run from

China and both of them are in the dark.

What do you got, Moose? Malcolm Cole was supposed to be taking beta blockers for

his heart, but they didn't show up when forensic checked his blood.

Maybe he took a break.

Beta blockers can mess with your sex drive.

What? Yeah, anyway, they found traces of an amphetamine in his system. A man

with a heart condition takes an amphetamine?

Once again, if you wanted to give a boost to his sex drive.

Or stressed, and he took his meds, and it was really speed, because somebody

made up a dose of amphetamines to look like his beta blockers.

Somebody who doesn't want Toll to take a closer look at the company books.

Yeah, that's where I was going.

Set up surveillance with Nadia Abrams.

Did you get the guy from the cab? Yeah.

Good. He just hooked up with our favorite pharmacist in the restaurant.

Who's this now?

Better get him, too. No, no, I'll go.

I already got a cold.

No, we'll both go.

Play tourist.

All right. This ought to be fun.

Think Slade can get any details on the photos?

He's working on it.

Should have had an underwater camera.

Yeah, and wetsuits. Well, you're not going to win any photo contests, but...

I... Right.

I have news. When you're done.

Not that you're doing anything.

Are you?

All dry?

I'm still wet.

Oh, oh.

My hair.

What have we got?

Great. The guy on the left, still unidentified.

But the guy on the right, from outside the key, all net, three points.

Who is he?

His name is Stephen Gao, Guan Bu.

Chinese Secret Service.

Yes, indeedy. You hooked yourself a deep water fish.

Mr. Gao.

One of the many grains of sand the Chinese have scattered across Canada to

an eye on us.

And CSIS in turn keeps an eye on them.

In this case, he's watching the same people we are.

Do you recognize this man?

No. We're drawing a blank as well.

There are no flags on Mr. Gao's file. But if he started some new initiative, I

would like to know about it.

We picked him up his next door. Thought we could interview him together.

Oh, I must say, even in the middle of the night, I find it most gratifying to

asked to cooperate with an ICS investigation.

No, no.

I'm a market analyst for Prescott Capital.

That's just your day job. You also collect information for the Chinese

government. I have lived in Canada since I was a graduate student.

I am a landed immigrant.

Agent Mannering is with Thesis.

He has a very large file on you.

Why were you following this man earlier tonight?

I wasn't.

So you're following her?

Mr. Gao, if you continue to waste our time, Major Kessler and I can have you

back on a flight to Beijing tonight.

What you can explain to your boss is why you were deported. And why you're such

a complete failure as an intelligence agent. I'm sure they'll be most

understanding. Who is he?

Oh, I don't have all the waste on this minnow. Sheriff Mercer.

A client asked me to do some research on him.

And what exactly did you discover?

Mercer funnels money from North America to Muslims in Xinjiang province.

Chinese Muslims protesting religious persecution by the government.

They are subversives, trying to undermine the state.

Who is she?

I don't know who she is.

They've met several times.

Perhaps a girlfriend.

Nadia Abrams and her mom emigrated from Lebanon when she was a kid. Mother

remarried. Nadia goes to UT for pharmacy.

Can't farm for 13 years.

Traveled to Lebanon, also Syria and Iran several times.

Not exactly typical holiday destinations.

Surprised she went back at all.

Her father and her older sister were killed in Beirut in 85, along with 78

people. Car bomb.

The target of that attack was a radical Muslim cleric.

Some say the CIA planned it.

Retaliation for the bombing of the marine barracks two years earlier.

Maybe Abrams gets her revenge by peddling counterfeit drugs in the West.

What's the relevance of that?

Oh, that's nothing.

That's nothing.

You've cooperated with us. We want to return the favor.

We'll start by not mentioning to your bosses that you shared information with

on Mr. Mirza.

We suspect this woman is marketing counterfeit drugs made in China. Given

China's recent problems with contaminated food and drug products, I

they want more of that publicity.

This is the name of the drug factory.

You will get the Chinese government to make some discreet inquiries.

But I'm just a financial analyst.

Yes, yes. Well, we'll play along with your cover story if you play along with

us.

Blade did a fine comb through Kampffar's financials, and we got word back from

the investigators in China.

This is what it looks like.

The factory in Shanghai making the paracene also has a night shift making

fakes for a fraction of the price.

They get blended with real pills and sent to Toronto?

Right.

Kampffar sells the pills for 40 bucks a pop, and Maddie Abrams skims the profits

from the fakes.

Without all knowing.

Abrams has access to the company's electronic banking system.

She hooks up with Sharaf Mirza, an international bag man.

He arranges for Abrams' profits to be sent to a numbered account in Dubai.

From there, the money goes to Lebanon and Syria.

Islamist extremists.

Most likely.

How much of this can you prove?

Drug counterfeiting and Abrams taking money out of the company.

Do you think she killed Malcolm Toll?

No hard evidence.

Congratulations. Your investigation is going to have long -term benefits for

national security.

Really? Identifying Sharaf Mirza enables us to plot an entire financial network

for radical Islamists. Grab him quick. He's likely to disappear when we move a

Nadia Abrams. No, no, no. They both have to stay in place. What?

Nadia Abrams is marketing fake drugs.

She's killing people.

The pericene threat is over. She knows she can't continue with that. Sure she

can. All she has to do is make sure the filler isn't toxic.

But if the pills aren't toxic, they're not going to hurt anyone.

Or cure them.

So people get sick and die while you reach Rob Mears' mail. Maybe I didn't

myself clear.

This is now a joint operation of CSIS and the CIA.

We've taken over, and you can confirm that with your superiors.

So thank you again for all the good work.

Agent Lagarda.

Are you feeling all right? You look a little tired.

Nadia Abrams must be stopped, okay?

The time will come. It's not quite now.

That is unacceptable.

Don't tell me you've gone soft on terrorism. No.

No, but I haven't gone soft on people suffering either.

Sometimes that's a necessary trade -off for the greater good.

Greater good?

What greater good?

Some half -baked plan to subvert Islamism in the Middle East?

From Lebanon to Iran today, those plans have failed. We can but try.

You owe me.

Do I?

Well, then let me give you a little advice.

If you value your job, you won't fight the CIA.

I just put my Kylie video for auction.

Have you gone over to the money changers?

Lita's bid is 1 ,300 smackers. Making money off of other people's misfortunes,

won't you feel guilty every time that you spend one of those dollars?

Well, are you available for parties?

Just to make sure nobody is too good a time?

I've confirmed what the minister sees as has the ball now.

This is wrong.

What?

I'm not used to agreeing with you.

Mike, there's got to be something we can do.

We can conspire or we can commiserate.

Would you like to go for a drink?

I have a project to finish.

Um, yes.

You know, I'm still getting Health Canada reports.

They're monitoring the pericene and the campfire dispensers.

And what? Hey, this is the latest prescription list.

Absolutely not.

Ms. Abrams?

Can we sit in your car and talk for a moment?

If it's really necessary, I'm on my way home.

You won't take long.

What is it?

As a Homeland Security agent, I have many more resources than my Canadian

counterparts. Yes?

I know what you've been up to.

The drugs? I had nothing to do with it. Where the money goes, and how you kill

toll.

I see the Canadians never need to know about these things, unless they tell

them. Whatever your resources, your information is false.

I'm a U .S.

government employee. I don't make that much.

Even with the hardship supplement I get for working in Canada.

I don't need to listen to this any longer. $50 ,000.

I stay silent.

Please, get out of my car.

Talk it over with Mr. Marison.

Call me.

One hour.

I'm set up on Abrams.

Guess who she just met?

Of course.

I would expect you to be alone, too.

Mike.

Bianca.

Hold up your arms.

I'm not carrying a gun.

You're not wired either.

You're paying me off. You think I want a recording of that?

I'm not getting any money.

Here, your payoff.

Good night, Miss LaGuardia.

Take the stairs.

Okay.

Okay.

Hey!

So how'd the video auction go?

It was okay. Just okay? All that rationalization and you're not bragging

making a killing?

Yeah, I canceled the bidding. I pulled the video.

Good for you. I traded it for a Geddy Lee bass.

From Russia's first American tour.

Now this, this is going to be worth something someday.

Hey, don't you want to hear Working Man? No.

Well, anything?

This was a thesis.

CIA operation. I was explicit.

You were tracking the big international terrorist conspiracy. We were working

the little counterfeit drug angle. Getting evidence that could be used

Nadia Abrams once you made the world safe from terrorism.

Maybe you can use the attempted homicide charge to persuade Mercer to cooperate.

You'll be lucky if you end up inspecting fishing trawlers in Alaska.

And you?

I may feel too close to the line on this one.

I've been keeping a file on minoring.

It's yours if you want it.

Thanks anyways.

No, I can't.

I will in my own time.

You gave me your cold.

Did that involve an exchange of bodily fluids?

Here, be my guest. For all I know, they're full of sugar and tofu powder.

Chicken soup.

Oh, no. I had enough.

I have to go.

I have to pack.

I've been recalled.

They think I've lost perspective.

Gone native?

Yeah, something like that.

What now?

Take care of myself.

Visit my mother in Miami and go shopping, walk on a beach.

If there's anything you need that you can't get in the States, we'd be glad to

send it.

You know,

I might come back sometime.

Same here.

This might be the second best country in the world.

And there are things about it I was really starting to like.

Take care of yourself.