Strike Back Episode 2.04 Episode 14

An RPG rocket fired by one of El Soldat's fighters narrowly misses the truck carrying Scott, Stonebridge, the Tuareg warriors, vet Yassir and their hostage, El Soldat's brother Othmani. El Soldat threatens his men: kill my brother and you will die.

In the Crib, Sinclair reproaches Dalton for keeping her suspicions about Othamni's identity to herself - she's not a spook, she's the leader of this team and has to share what she knows. Privately he wonders how Dalton recognized Othmani when Section Twenty records have no picture of him.

Markunda's truck screeches to a halt outside a farmhouse. The sole occupant, an irritable French monk Pere Gregoire provides the locals with medical treatment but refuses to let the group enter or treat the bleeding Othmani until Scott threatens him. As Matlock watches El Soldat's men gather he's happy to hang back and watch things play out.

The Crib warn Scott and Stonebridge that they're sitting ducks, El Soldat and his men are about to attack. Scott and Stonebridge haven't even reassembled the group before Markunda's beloved truck is blown apart; now they're truly trapped. The boys aggressively fire on advancing AQIM troops who eventually retreat, but Section Twenty's situation is dire. In the CRIB, Dalton desperately petitions the Algerian government to intervene and rescue her men.

As the standoff continues El Soldat invites Stonebridge outside for a parlay. Scott's rifle is trained on the AQIM leader, who surprises Stonebridge with his acquisitive attitude - at odds with the usual fervour of religious extremists.

Scott and Stonebridge deduce El Soldat won't attack until nightfall. They attempt to sneak across the desert before his troops amass, but as the group exit the rear of the farmhouse, mercenary Jessica Kohl fires at them from the hillside. Sinclair realizes that Kohl has masked her heat signature and the boys are forced to retreat, unable to pinpoint her position in the darkness. Back at the farmhouse, Scott and Markunda enjoy a passionate clinch -a welcome distraction from the increasing desperation of their plight.

In the Crib Baxter's discovered that CIA prisoner and AQIM terrorist, Faris Rafik was on the CIA flight that OthmaniI shot down. Dalton's puzzled by this, Rafik was one of Othmani's closest friends. Sinclair uses the opportunity to question Dalton about her relationship with Othmani. Unperturbed, Dalton assures him that whilst she did sleep with Othmani, it was in the line of duty; she understands perfectly what her job is.

Dalton and Othmani finally speak over comms, Othmani brands the dead Rafik a traitor, but she knows he's hiding something and decides to find out what information Rafik was feeding the CIA - seeking intel from Scott's old boss Christy Bryant.

In the farmhouse, Scott and Stonebridge lay a series of explosives. They'll never repel El Soldat's troops, but this might hold them off for a while.

Dalton returns from her meeting with Bryant, eager to talk once more to Othmani. According to the CIA, El Soldat, and not Rafik, is the AQIM traitor. El Soldat only wanted the triggers to sell to the highest bidder and has no interest in jihad, branding Othmani a fool for his beliefs. El Soldat tricked Othmani into blowing up the plane carrying Rafik to cover his tracks. Smarting from this betrayal Othmani lets slip that his brother doesn't have the triggers - Othmani did plant them on the bus back in Niamey, but in Yassir's bag. The nuclear triggers have been at the farmhouse the whole time.

Othmani's revelation comes just as El Soldat's troops begin their assault. Scott and Stonebridge lay their booby traps leaving OthmaniI tied up inside the farmhouse. A brutal fire fight begins: Markunda's warriors are killed, El Soldat's fighters are blown up and the farmhouse is shot to pieces. El Soldat makes his way to where Othmani is tied - he kept his brother alive only to discover the location of the triggers. But Othmani blows them both up with a bomb Scott has planted.

Having waited for an opportune moment, Matlock and Kohl enter the wrecked farmhouse, pointing a gun at the unarmed Stonebridge and Scott. With no other option Stonebridge throws the triggers to Matlock who escapes just as the Algerians arrive to fly the boys to safety.

Back at the Crib, Scott and Stonebridge recuperate from their ordeal as Baxter uncovers Matlock's identity, but the question remains: who is he working for?

In Capet Town, billionaire businessman and philanthropist Conrad Knox meets Matlock to accept the triggers and enquire about recruitment for Nostromo. Matlock assures Knox that only the best mercenaries will be accepted for their upcoming project.

On the other side of Cape Town, Kerry's killer Craig Hanson emerges from a taxi...ready to audition.