Burn Notice

Michael: I hope Sam wasn't too much trouble, Mum. Madeline: We had a lovely time. But the next time, Michael, that you want someone to babysit me, just tell me. Michael: Mom, I... Madeline: What? You didn't think I was gonna figure it out? I mean, he insisted on coming to aquarobics with me. Michael: I'm sorry you had to see that.

Eddie: Hey man, it's me, man, it's me. Let's talk. Valentine: Go ahead, talk. Eddie: It's not like it looks, man. Valentine: Yeah, I see that.

Michael: How much? Barry: You get someone to vouch you, put you in the room with the guy, then I would say five grand. Promise nothing will happen to him, maybe I can do three. Michael: Five it is.

Fiona: (to Michael) Of course, the tactical support I'm giving you, will cost you. (Michael looks at her) I need new shoes. Michael: You've got plenty of shoes. Fiona: Well, now that I'm on the open market, I need more.

Michael: (voice-over) Notorious for causing bush fires, 12 gauge incendiary rounds create a small explosion that burns at 3000 degrees. It'll also stop a car pretty well. People don't drive, when their tires are on fire. Water sealant is a common sight around Miami, where it's used to protect buildings from hurricane flooding. It's also extremely flammable, which means, it can be useful in other ways, too.

Michael: (voice-over) One of the most difficult skills to master in combat is taking a dive. Sometimes an operation demands that you lose a fight. But it's the hardest thing in the world to see the opening and let it go.

Michael: (voice-over) In any kind of covert operation, one of the toughest challenges is using information that you're not supposed to have. If going in guns blazing will blow your cover, sometimes you've got to get creative. Under the right circumstances, a well placed rock... is as good as a bullet.

Michael: (voice-over) Criminals are, as a rule, paranoid and self serving. So if you're using a criminal cover ID, you can't be too helpful. Luckily you can usually count on the other guy not to let you off easy.

Michael: (voice-over) Knowing what someone wants can tell you a lot about who they are. So if what they want comes in a wooden crate, that you're not going to be allowed to open, you might have to turn your trunk into a makeshift x-ray machine. The tube from an old TV set is a good place to start. As part of the projection process, they emit x-rays. They are meant to handle around 30.000 volts. Any more than that, and they'll cook your eyes with radiation. So pump 100,000 volts into one from a taser, and you won't be able to diagnose a hairline fracture, but you'll get the basic idea.

Michael: (voice-over) Once somebody is watching for cops, they see them everywhere: anyone in dark sunglasses is FBI, any car with tinted window is a tail. Their paranoia does most of the work for you.

Michael: (voice-over) When your cover's compromised, often the best defense is a good offense. Admit nothing, deny everything. Make counter accusations.

Michael: (voice-over) There's nothing in the world easier to get into than an empty condo, that's been on the market for six months. Never mind picking the lock, you can just call and ask for the keys.

Madeline: Uh, Sam, didn't you forget something? (passes him a number of bullets) Oh! Looks like bullets. I found them in your pants. I heard them rattling around in the washing machine when I was doing your laundry. Sam: Yeah, 9 mm. Uh, hey, err, I don't know what to say. Michael: I'd say nothing. Nothing's good. Go with nothing.

Victor: Now, Chevy Impala parked outside. We are going to go for a little ride tomorrow. Doesn't that sound like fun? Michael: I'm busy tomorrow. Victor: Yeah, you have been spreading yourself kind of thin lately. I was just talking to your waitress, Michelle. Great gal. She tells me you're getting into real-estate now too. (pause) You're a real wicked skinner you hear that Jimmy? I talk to you now I have the FBI crawling all over the place. Who's this? (referring to Eddie) Another investor? Tell him if he doesn't want the Feds camped out in his backward he should stay the hell away from Jimmy Glen! (Eddie walks out of the club) Victor: Did that help clear out your schedule? See you tomorrow pal.

Michael: I just want an introduction, Barry. Chances are good that this guy, Eddie, is talking to friends of yours. I just want to make my pitch. Barry: The next day you do the Michael Weston thing, stuff starts exploding, and everybody's saying, "Hey, Barry, wasn't that guy a friend of yours?". Sorry, no can do. Michael: Sam's working up a cover ID for me. I'm just a guy from out of town. A friend of a friend. The blow won't get back on you. I give you my word.

Michael: (voice-over) When you're working a target, it's all about getting a good read. What makes him tick, is he insecure, does he have something to prove? You might only have a few seconds, but it all factors into your approach.

Michael: (voice-over) Air ducts in a modern office are 18 inches wide. So if you need to make a quick escape, and you're older than four, you won't fit. A more viable option is the sub-ceiling. Once you're in the sub-ceiling, you can get to a bathroom or a closet and make your way out from there.

Michael: (voice-over) The interior locks in an office suite are usually low end; just there to keep white collar workers from stealing coffee cups. File cabinet locking bars on the other hand are a more serious security measure. Their main vulnerability is that they depend on people's faith in padlocks. People have too much faith in padlocks.

Michael: (voice-over) Most modern bomb squads are equipped with an RF jammer; it blocks a wide spectrum of radio frequencies, preventing people from detonating bombs by remote control. It'll block all electronic transmissions in the area, cellphones for example... or wireless security cameras.

Michael: (voice-over) If you want to empty a building, pulling a fire alarm is useless; no-one pays attention unless they're actually on fire. A bomb scare next door to your target strikes the right balance, everyone clears out and then pays attention to the other building.

Michael: (voice-over) You can use cellphone towers to triangulate the position of someone's cellphone, but you're going to have problems anytime they go out of range. Use an enhanced GPS on the other hand, and you can pinpoint their location in real time, almost anywhere on the face of the planet. Try disconnecting a GPS wired into a phone's motherboard, you risk disabling the phone; a much simpler solution is call forwarding.

Michael: (voice-over) Sometimes, when you meet a new operative, it's a good idea to open with an aggressive move. You learn about people when you make them play defense; their reflexes, weaknesses, how they handle themselves under pressure. And even if they are able to counter, it never hurts to know how far they're willing to go.