Audrey Parker's Come and Gone

"Audrey Parker's Come and Gone"
The 4400 episode
Episode no. Season 4
Episode 03
Directed by Colin Bucksey
Written by Nick Wauters
Original air date July 1, 2007
Guest stars

Laura Mennell - Young Audrey Parker
Constance Towers - Audrey Parker
Brennan Elliott - Ben Saunders
Richard Kahan - Marco Pacella
Kathryn Gordon - Heather Tobey
Tristin Leffler - Cassie Dunleavy
Sean Devine - P.J.
Graeme Duffy - Brady Wingate

Episode chronology
← Previous
"Fear Itself"
Next →
"The Truth and Nothing But the Truth"

"Audrey Parker's Come and Gone" is the third episode of season four of the science fiction television series The 4400. The episode aired July 1, 2007 on the USA Network.[1]

Contents

Synopsis

A woman can project herself astrally, remaining unseen, but her body is murdered during astral projection. She must find a way to contact Tom and Diana to catch her murderer.[2]

Plot

Audrey Parker opens the episode by reminiscing about the life she has lived and how her life has changed since taking the promicin injection. Her nurse, Hanna, helps Audrey put her diamond necklace on as she listens to her favorite song, "Dream a Little Dream of Me," and begins to astrally project. Audrey, several decades younger, is in an art gallery. She is able to see that Vanessa Martin's agent, Philip Delacroix, is not all that he seems.

The older Audrey has been logging her thoughts about promicin on her blog, making NTAC very concerned, as her posts may convince others to take the injection. Diana is not convinced that the blogger is a threat but she agrees to assist in finding the person responsible.

Tom and Diana go to the public library which hosted the IP address from which the blog was posted. Audrey, a library volunteer, points out that they don't have a warrant, but then agrees to turn over the records of who used the computer during the time in question. She then quotes Benjamin Franklin's warning of trading freedom for security.[3]

Audrey confronts Philip Delacroix with his real name, Philip Wilson, and the truth of his background. This includes warrants for his arrest in the states of Texas and Florida. She tells him to leave Vanessa and to allow her to take full advantage of her talents.

Tom and Meghan discuss Meghan's father, Donald. He is suffering from Huntington's disease and has for a decade. She requested the government give Shawn special dispensation to use his ability to cure her father. The government denied her request. She must decide between her job at NTAC or the life of her father.

Cassie tells Kyle to go back to the home of the White Light caretaker to study the cult's "bible" more deeply to understand what is going to happen in the future. Kyle goes back to the house and leaves $100 after taking the book. He studies the book and feels that it is too vague to be of any real help. Cassie tells him to go to the corner of Forbes and Shady at 2 a.m. and he will see something that will make him believe in his powers. If he chooses to not go, Cassie will never again show herself to him.

Tom and Diana read the most recent blog post, and notice a quote from Benjamin Franklin. They realize that the blogger is in fact the volunteer, and leave to question her. While Audrey is projecting, the young, projected Audrey suddenly begins to feel a sense of vertigo, and we see that NTAC agents are studying her home. The older Audrey has obviously died and NTAC agents are investigating the scene. They find proof that she is in fact the blogger and that she suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and takes morphine injections. While they are trying to determine if it is accidental death or suicide, the young, projected Audrey begins protesting that it was a murder. All of NTAC's radio equipment briefly emits static.

Audrey observes her own autopsy, but then goes to the art gallery and sees that Philip is preparing to leave town quickly. He tells Vanessa that he did something the night before to protect them. He then tells Vanessa that they need to go to the bank so he can get money. Audrey realizes that he most likely killed her and that is the reason for his exodus. Her death is ruled accidental and she again protests to Tom and Diana that she was murdered. As she yells, the nearby computer monitor displays temporarily go haywire, and nearby electrical equipment again emits static.

Shawn decides to reopen the 4400 Center and asks Heather Tobey for her help. He wishes to begin healing again; Heather's ability of helping children discover talents are very positive and will most likely have few negative repercussions. Heather warns Shawn of the likely government reaction, and while he is fearful, he holds a press conference to tell everyone his plan: he will heal everyone who shows up that first day. The reporters ask if he has permission from the government, and when he says that he didn't, he points out that he expects them to come talk to him soon.

Diana and Ben discuss Diana's decision to attend Audrey's funeral and her quest to find her sister. Ben mentions to Diana that the phone message that she left that day was all static. Marco analyzed the message, and under the static was the repeated word "murdered." Diana and Tom look for Phillip Delacroix after finding information implicating him in Audrey's journals. His alibi clears him, but Audrey is beginning to fade away.

NTAC comes to warn Shawn that the US government will view any use of his 4400 ability as an illegal act and that he will be arrested. Shawn decides to go forward anyway with Heather by his side. As he walks to the door, the Seattle SWAT team blocks him from entering. He attempts to heal a young girl with cerebral palsy and is detained. Tom arrives and talks the Seattle police into letting Shawn go. Shawn then heals the girl and several others.

Diana gets one more message from Audrey telling her that her nurse's son, Lucas, was the killer. Audrey bids Diana goodbye and fades away as "Dream a Little Dream of Me" plays on the stereo.

Shawn heals Meghan's father. Tom asks Meghan if she really is ready for the government's response. She says the government already blinked when they allowed Shawn to reopen the 4400 center.

Kyle meets Cassie at the intersection and witnesses an auto accident involving a police van. When he runs over to assist, he sees that the lone prisoner has gotten the keys and is trying to free herself. The prisoner is Isabelle Tyler.

Significance

Isabelle Tyler is no longer in custody.

Trivia

Cast

References

External links