- Title: Burn Notice – Unchained
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In order to get information on the sealed FBI file of Nate’s (Seth Peterson) murder Michael (Jeffrey Donovan) agrees to help an agent of the Bureau (Brian White) and friend of Sam’s take down a Boston mobster who they believe is hiding somewhere in Miami. In order to find the boss Michael allows himself to be arrested so, with the help of Fi (Gabrielle Anwar), he can escape along with the mobster’s right hand man (Billy Smith), already in custody, leading the FBI straight to Quinn (R.D. Call).
Everything goes according to plan, at least until the point where Quinn’s goon becomes paranoid forcing Michael and Fi to split up and Michael to proceed forward on the mission without his Girl Friday or the tracker the FBI are using to follow him. In order to sell that he’s legitimate, and keep Fi safe, Michael is forced to give up the real location of the witness ready to testify against Quinn.
Even with the file in their hands it’s obvious there’s little to go on. However, Jesse (Coby Bell) convinces Agent Pearce (Lauren Stamile) to blackmail a salesman for the manufacturer of the gun to discover who paid for the sniper rifle used to shoot both Nate and Anson (Jere Burns). Although they get a lead the CIA is less than thrilled when news of the operation reaches them leading the agency to transfer Pearce to India.
I’ll be sad to see Stamile leave the show but the absence of Pearce does create new possibilities, and potential problems, with Michael’s dealings with the CIA. Even against his own instincts Michael takes several risks, including trusting Fi to take care of herself and Sam being able to find him, which isn’t the easiest thing for him to do still weighed down by the guilt of Nate’s death.