The Edge

The Edge is the ninth episode of Due South's second season.

Storyline: Constable Fraser and Detective Vecchio join forces with a Mexican Secret Services agent to protect the leaders of a NAFTA summit from a political assassin.

Original Air Date: February 16, 1996

Written by Seth Freeman

Directed by Richard J. Lewis

Synopsis Edit

In preparation for a summit conference of the North American Free Trade Agreement, Fraser and Ray are assigned to the security force, with which they participate in training exercises. During one such exercise, Fraser suffers a lapse in judgment and is reprimanded by the task force commander. Under strict orders from Inspector Thatcher and Lieutenant Welsh - along with mounting pressure from the U.S. Secret Service - Fraser and Ray join forces with their Mexican counterpart, Anita Cortez. They find that a mysterious, cunning figure has absconded with the telephone security codes, leaving Fraser a letter which threatens the safety of the trade summit. With the writer unidentified, the Secret Service agents infer that Fraser is slipping, leading to a series of nightmares about losing his game. When the trade officials arrive at O'Hare, Fraser spots a gun in the midst of countless snapping cameras, throwing the arrival into pandemonium; he pursues but loses the suspect, admitting that he isn't sure of what he saw.

Following an attempt to track the assassin, Fraser instead finds the stranger in his apartment in the middle of the night, where the assassin - one Macon Lacroix - declines to identify himself but instead reveals that he served two tours in U.S. Army infantry. He now makes his home in the woods; in protest of the deforestation in North America thus, he tries to enlist Fraser's aid in infiltrating the summit, but Fraser refuses him. Disbelieved by the Secret Service agents, Fraser resumes tracking Lacroix, with Ray at his side and Cortez following them. They discover that Lacroix has planted land mines, grenades, and other booby traps throughout the woods, but the Secret Service agents remain as skeptical as they are overconfident, removing Fraser from the detail.

To prove his point, Fraser sneaks into the summit reception disguised as a waiter. He spots Lacroix about to pull a gun on one of the trade representatives, and leads Ray and Cortez to close in on him. Foiled in his assassination attempt, Lacroix instead takes Fraser hostage, using him as a human shield as he makes his way out of the reception. As Fraser tries to talk him down, one of the Secret Service agents takes a shot; Lacroix is thus overpowered and taken away.

Cast Edit

• Maria Teresa Rangel as Anita Cortez
• Ken Foree as Macon Lacroix
• Gordon Pinsent as Robert Fraser
• Jason Blicker as Agent Helms
• Richard Yearwood as Agent Bush
• Matthew Bennett as Agent Casey
• Allan Murley as Bennett
• Shaun Austin-Olsen as Lieutenant
• Bruce Clayton as Nick

Gallery Edit

Memorable Quotes Edit

Benton Fraser: This entire situation was my fault.
Anita Cortez: The American shot him. Why is he apologising?
Lt. Welsh: He's Canadian.

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Benton Fraser: Is this a dream, or are you still dead?
Fraser Sr.: Still dead, son. Thanks for asking.

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(after encountering a land mine)
Benton Fraser: Ray, come on!

Ray Vecchio: What, are you kiddin' me? One false step and I'm an extra in an Indiana Jones movie!
Benton Fraser: You just have to be aware, and keep your eyes open. (beat) Ray, duck!
(Ray hits the dirt; a duck quacks close by)
Benton Fraser: Anas platyrynchos. Very unusual sighting for this time of year.
Ray Vecchio: (getting up and brushing himself off) Duck...duck! 'Duck' means 'DUCK'! 'Duck' doesn't mean 'duck'! (coughs) I hate my life!

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Anita Cortez: So is it true you never lost a partner?
Ray Vecchio: Well, uh...no.
Anita Cortez: No?

Ray Vecchio: Well, what I meant was, I've never lost a partner to a land mine.
Anita Cortez: That's not what you said.
Ray Vecchio: Well, that's what I meant.
Anita Cortez: I can't believe you lied to me!
Ray Vecchio: Well, technically, I didn't lie to you. See, he was hit by a minivan.
Anita Cortez: Oh.
Ray Vecchio: While...I was...driving! (runs away)