Helix S2E1 - "San Jose" Recap

Day 1
The CDC board a ship that has many dead bodies of victims of a new unidentified virus. The team is comprised of Dr. Peter Farragut, Dr. Sarah Jordan, and newcomer Dr. Summer. Peter notes that this feels like it's just the beginning. It doesn't appear to be the Narvik virus but they don't know just yet what they're dealing with. Peter discovers the bodies of two victims who appear to have killed one another, as they are both holding weapons and have stab wounds on their bodies, while Sarah discovers a lone female survivor who tries to attack her until Summer intervenes and injects her with a sedative.

The survivor, Leila, says that people started getting sick two or three days ago, three days after they left an island they had taken on a detour to. She stayed quiet and hid while she heard everyone begin to kill each other and scream. She was too afraid to sleep so when Sarah found her, she didn't know if she was real or just another waking nightmare. They're able to determine that the virus isn't airborne so they don't have to keep their hazmat suits on anymore. They report their findings back, and figure that the virus came from the island that the people had visited, St. Germaine. Peter demands that they be taken to the island and then apologises to the coast guard for being rude. She agrees to drop them off but she cannot go ashore. She has to return their samples so she can't wait around for them. There's limited service for their satellite phones and no landing strip, nor is the island in close proximity for a chopper to retrieve them. They'll have to wait roughly two weeks before another ship can be dispatched to get them. So the three doctors and Leila are dropped off so they can try to determine the source of this virus.

During what could be interpreted as flirting, Summer asks Sarah if she thinks Alan really blew up "that building in Paris." (This is a tie-in to where we last saw Alan during the season one finale, outside a Parisian Ilaria Corp. building). She doesn't offer up much of an answer except the fact that she didn't know Alan as well as she thought. The team then goes to explore the woods, following Leila who is alarmed when she sees a dead rabbit strung up. It appears to be missing its eyes so Peter tells Summer to bag it and bring it with them. Leila is further spooked when she sees (or does she?) a menacing looking person gnashing their teeth at her. The doctor chase after Leila through the woods but Sarah is injured when she falls and has a wooden stake run through her foot.

Summer removes the stake and tends to her wound, also telling her that he recognised her back in Seattle since she has become a bit of a celebrity at the CDC. She has developed a reputation for jumping into every crisis following her time dealing with the Narvik virus and even gained the nickname "Hot Zone." (I still think he's flirting). He begins to stitch up her foot and she relents, admitting that she hasn't seen Alan in a year nor does she care what he is doing.

Peter and Leila return to them and say that the trap she injured her foot on isn't used to catch animals, but humans. Leila becomes alarmed by something smiling at her from the base of the tree. When Peter and Summer go closer to inspect it, they find a human skull. Upon looking around, they find countless more.

Julia arrives on the same island in search of a cure for the virus but is quickly ambushed and taken hostage by a masked man who asks her, "Do you know the way to San Jose?" He brings her to a warehouse/shed of sorts and ties her to a chair. He won't respond to anything she says except to ask again, "Do you know the way to San Jose?" He leaves her alone upon hearing a noise, presumably Leila's screams. Julia is able to break some glass and begin sawing through her restraints but the masked man returns and keeps asking her the same question. When the man reveals an array of tools and weapons, it would appear as if Julia is about to be tortured. In actuality, he is getting some tweezers to remove her contacts and reveal her silver eyes.

Leila runs off again and the doctor follow after her. They come to the same shed Julia is being held in but when they enter, they find it empty. Summer drops his belongings, and the jar with the dead rabbit in it rolls out and we see the "Day 1" fast-forward as the rabbit decays till only its skeleton is left and then we learn that all of Julia's plot thus far in this season is taking place 30 years after the other running plot. The man removes his mask and tells Julia he knew one day she'd come.

Back in the present day, Sarah wants to take off to find Leila again but Summer think she needs to stay put because of her foot. In private, Peter chides her for her newly acquired reckless behaviour that has manifested after she gained an immunity from infection and an extraordinary recovery system. She retorts that its a gift. Summer finds a blood pool in the shed and they look to find that Leila has been strung up and her eyes have been removed (like the earlier rabbit). Peter tells them all to switch off their lights (its night time by now) and they peer out the window to see hooded figures gathering around the shed with torches in their hands.

The doctors step out to identify themselves and share the news of Leila's murder. A woman named Ann steps forward and displays an eerie ability to know when they are lying. She tells them they must come back with the group because the island is dangerous and there is no time to bring Leila's body along. She says everything will be explained at the compound.

Julia asks her captor for his name and he says it is Caleb. He gives her some water and she says she's not there to hurt anyone. There's a new outbreak on the mainland known as TXM7 and they believe the pandemic began due to events that transpired on the island 30 years ago, though he says that no one on the island is sick now. Julia may be able to find a cure but she needs answers first. He doesn't understand why her kind would be interested in saving mortals and she says that they have started dying too. He doesn't believe her until she points him in the direction of her left shoulder, which upon closer inspection shows signs of infection.

The group reaches the compound and the doctors learn that the compound is meant to be a sanctuary for people who wanted to get away from things they left behind. The doctors simply want to inspect things to determine the source of the infection and Leila's murder. The hooded figures speak of a man called Brother Michael, who is their leader. He then steps forward to reveal himself, as he had been hiding behind them and eavesdropping. The doctors want to run tests on the food and water, but Brother Michael tells them they've been growing their own food for years without any problems. He also gives Peter a hug and it's hilariously weird and awkward. Summer asks if there are any other people on the island, wanting to figure out who killed Leila, but Brother Michael doesn't answer. He only says that they will be given rooms to sleep in and they will talk more in the morning. On his way out, he brushes Sarah's shoulder with his hand. Yuck. Summer notes that they have stumbled on a cult but Peter warns him to keep quiet since they don't know who else may be listening in on them and they will figure out what they're dealing with in the morning.

Caleb makes some food and shares it with Julia, who finally shares that she's looking for Alan Farragut. Caleb's face registers recognition and he admits that he is here on the island. He agrees to take her to him but warns that she may not like what she finds. They head out into the night and Caleb leads her to the rundown abandoned compound and finally to a gravestone that has Alan's name written across it. She is saddened but keeps her emotions held in.

Back in the present day, Sarah is brought a tray with some water on it by a hooded figure. She thanks them but they don't respond. As they are leaving, the hooded figure is revealed to be Alan. Finally, we see a woman strapped down to a table in a lab while gloved, hooded figures keep her still as her teeth are removed with pliers and dropped into a jar. A tube is shoved into her mouth and an unknown, thick liquid like substance is pumped down her throat. Behind them, there is a bookshelf that is full of multiple jars (it's hard to tell if they're full of teeth, that same liquid, or something else entirely).

Helix airs on Fridays on Syfy at 10PM.