01E10 - Number Crunch

Instead of the usual one, the machine spews out four numbers of seemingly unrelated people: NYU lecturer Claire Ryan, waiter Matt Duggan, hairstylist Wendy McNally and unemployed Paula Vasquez. A grouping of numbers like this generally means to Finch that they are however somehow connected. In tracking the first name on the list, Reese is too late as that person is found dead. As such, Reese believes the best thing to do is for each of himself, Finch and Fusco to follow one of the remaining three apiece to ensure they all stay alive. Some of the three prove to be more elusive than their respective tracker anticipated. In further searching, Reese notices that two have increased their spending of late. And Finch learns that all four were at the scene of a fatal car crash two days earlier. From those two discoveries, Finch and Reese are able to figure out why the four are targeted, but they have to find out who is behind the killings, which seems to have a connection to a congressman and his drug dealing son. Meanwhile, the fact that Carter reported that when she was almost fatally shot by her snitch Bottle Cap, she was saved by the man that she has been tracking proves problematic for internal. But someone else sitting in with internal on Carter's review may provide her with at least some indication as to Reese's identity.