"The Warrior"

Episode 207
(aired the week of 11/10/1997)
Case # 37-1211

Log line: Grisly murders link to a statue of an ancient Chinese warrior.

Synopsis: When O.S.I.R. (Office of Scientific Investigation and Research) Case Manager Matt Praeger and Senior Analyst Lindsay Donner attend an art museum reception, they land in the heart of a twisted murder mystery. The museum's latest acquisition, an ancient Chinese terra cotta warrior, vanished...and the museum's curator, Dr. Jeffrey Tompkins, is found dead. Not to mention headless. His gory slaying prompts O.S.I.R. Director of Operations Frank Elsinger, Tompkkins' friend, to get his team involved in the investigation.

Donner and Praeger return to the crime scene with Chief Science Analyst Peter Axon. Unable to find any firm forensic leads, they heed the advice of mysterious advisor Michael Kelly and enlist the academic genius of Hamilton Darwell: an expert in ancient artifacts, despite the fact that he's blind. After confirming their suspicions that Tompkins was involved in the illegal sale of museum antiquities, Darwell explains that the stolen statue is a likeness of General Tse, the ruthless warrior who fought under China's first emperor.

Under strict orders from Elsinger, the team keeps their investigation under wraps. Unfortunately, the story is leaked by a clever tabloid journalist, Jonathan Tucker. When the team discovers that Tucker is accessing O.S.I.R. case notes to write his stories, they track him down to eliminate this breach in security. Confronted, Tucker shares his theory that the killings are attributable to the vanished warrior statue, which is on the warpath trying to recover its missing head.

Meanwhile, Darwell meets a gruesome demise when he's beheaded in his office. In a macabre twist, the killer cements the link between the two murders by leaving Tompkins' head on Darwell's body. But this time, the team is able to uncover a solid lead: Darwell's voice-activated computer - used to accommodate his blindness - has recorded a complete transcript of the murder.

Praeger seeks the counsel of Michael Kelly for insight on the case and, together, they lay a trap for Victor Sang, the Consul General of China and Tompkins' erstwhile partner-in-crime. Praeger and Donner pose as art buyers in search of rare antiquities and discover that Sang is illegally holding the statue's missing head. But before Donner can contact Tucker with this information, the journalist, too, joins the burgeoning ranks of the recently beheaded.

As Donner and Praeger rendezvous with Sang in the Consulate basement to purchase the statue's head, they are attacked by it - now wearing Tucker's head. The warrior wounds Sang, and a battle ensues. Sang makes a desperate attempt to save himself, Praeger and Donner. It looks like they might live to close the book on this rash of unexplained murders, but, if not, heads might roll.

Starring:
Matt Frewer - Case Manager Matt Praeger
Barclay Hope - Peter Axon
Nancy Anne Sakovich - Lindsay Donner
Colin Fox - Dr. Anton Hendricks
Nigel Bennett - Frank Elsinger
Peter MacNeill - Ray Donahue
Michael Moriarty - Michael Kelly
Dan Aykroyd - Host

Guest Stars:
David Fox - Hamilton Darwell
Peter Crockett - Jonathan Tucker
Michael Burgess - Dr. Jeffrey Tompkins
Robert Ito - Victor Sang

Written by: Rick Drew
Directed by: Clay Borris