History Recap / LeverageS05E06TheDBCooperJob

Hardison and Nate meet with the Peter [=McSweeten=]'s partner, Steve Reynalds. His wife was a stewardess on the plane that was hijacked and so it’s personal for him. They ask him if he has a theory on who D.B. Cooper was, and he tells them several that are all as plausible as the other.

Nate goes back to confront Steve about what really happened on Flight 305. Steve then begins to relate the events of the flight from his point of view. After the initial bomb threat, he talks to Stephanie and asks ,"Do you think I look scary to you?", eventually winning her sympathy. He even tells her that he’s doing it for a friend, PFC Dan Cooper, to get money for his family. The bomb is a fake and he tells the stewardess to tell [=McSweeten=] that if they try anything he will set it off. Before she walks off he ask for a drink. Later as he prepares to jump, she goes back to try and talk him out of it. He asks why she cares [[ArmorPiercingQuestion but she can’t answer]]. He promises to see her again and then jumps, disappearing into the dark sky.

Stephanie returns home where Steve appears outside her house one night and the two have an emotional reunion. Some time later, as they celebrate their first Christmas as a married couple, [=McSweeten=] comes. Stephanie tries to tell Steve to run, but he decides to face [=McSweeten=], leading to the eventual job offer. After [=McSweeten=] leaves, Stephanie tells Steve to accept the job offer, because that way [[RefugeInAudacity they will never find him]] as "DB Cooper" is right in front of them.

After losing Cooper, [=McSweeten=] becomes nearly obsessed with finding him, chasing down leads wherever they turned up. He goes to see the stewardess from the flight and asks him to identify a man in a photo claiming to be D.B. Cooper. She isn't sure, and as he’s about to leave, she and her husband Steve offer him some coffee. Inside they discuss Steve’s military service and [=McSweeten=] decides to sponsor his admission into the FBI, after which they become partners.

That night Nate is up staring at the picture of Cooper. He and Hardison brainstorm trying to track down anything. Nate realizes the only thing that’s never been questioned is the sketch of the stewardess’ description of Cooper. He decides to do just that and finds that the face of Cooper was actually on the back of the airline’s in-flight magazine. With that realization Nate figures out what's been going on.

Nate goes back to confront Steve about what really happened on flight 305. Steve then begins to relate the events of the flight from his point of view. After the initial bomb threat, he talks to Stephanie and asks "Do you think I look scary to you?", eventually winning her sympathy. He even tells her that he’s doing it for a friend, PFC Dan Cooper, to get money for his family. The bomb is a fake and he tells the stewardess to tell [=McSweeten=] that if they try anything he will set it off. Before she walks off he ask for a drink. Later as he prepares to jump, she goes back to try and talk him out of it. He asks why she cares [[ArmorPiercingQuestion but she can’t answer]]. He promises to see her again and then jumps, disappearing into the dark sky.

[=McSweeten=] asks Nate how he figured it out, and Nate says Dan Cooper died in the Tet Offensive, and Steve was in his unit. Steve tells [=McSweeten=] his father was like a brother, even as [=McSweeten=] slaps the cuffs on him. He adds that the money was given to Cooper's family and the rest hidden in the forest, until the money was found by some hikers. Before he carts Steve off, Nate comes out and talks to him. He tells him that his father had the gift to see the good in people and because of that, he did bring D.B. Cooper to justice. [=McSweeten=] eventually relents and lets him go. At his apartment he finds a copy of ''Literature/TheOdyssey'', and inside is the Christmas list he wrote all those years ago, asking for a bike and D.B. Cooper. Later he thanks Nate for his help.

After he leaves Sophie comes in and she and Nate discuss what they do. Nate decides he wants to build something.