- Zeta: I was programmed to maintain the secrecy of my own existence. Anyone I replaced saw what I was and could never be set free.
- Max: But you didn't want to kill this terrorist guy?
- Zeta: He was not a terrorist. His associates were terrorists. He was an accountant.
- Max: So, he was innocent.
- Zeta: Yes, but that is not why I spared him. Replacing him required that I live with his family. I watched them experience life. I saw his daughter ride a bicycle for the first time. I could not deprive her father of seeing her grow just because he knew I existed.
- Max: Wow.
- Batman: So, why the high school?
- Zeta: I needed computers and electronic equipment. Compared to a government site, a school has little security.
- Max: And once you saw who's who at the school, I was the natural choice. Who'd look twice at me spending all day at the lab?
- Bennet: You're not cleared for this information.
- Barbara Gordon: But since it's loose on my streets, you're going to be smart enough to tell me what I'm dealing with.
- Bennet: It's an advanced tactical synthoid, infiltration unit Zeta. Designed for deep-cover ops; replace, interrogate, dispose. You're not supposed to like it. High endurance endo-frame equipped with a full array of weapons and tools. A holographic emitter onboard conceals the rig while enabling Zeta to mimic its targets.
- Barbara Gordon: And this you people release into a school.
- Bennet: We didn't release it anywhere. It stopped following orders. Ours, anyway. Zeta was on a long-term assignment infiltrating a terrorist group. Six days ago, it went renegade.
- Barbara Gordon: Why? How?
- Bennet: We don't know. We think the terrorists got to its programming. We have to assume it's obeying them now. And that means we take it out. In a school, on a street corner, wherever we get the shot.
- Barbara Gordon: We'll cooperate however we can.
- [Bennett leaves]
- Barbara Gordon: You get all that?
- Batman: [surprised, he turns off his invisibility dial] Guess I'm losing my touch.
- Barbara Gordon: I don't like this Bennett waging his war on my streets. I trust if you find the synthoid first, you'll show more concern about who else gets hurt.
- Batman: At least we know it's out of the high school.
- Barbara Gordon: Don't be so sure. If this thing was at your school for a reason... it might come back.
- Max: Am I glad you're back. I couldn't live another second without your charming repartee.
- Zeta: I must remember to practice sarcasm.
- [holding out a paper bag]
- Zeta: Here. You must be hungry. Genoa and Swiss. Your fave.
- Max: [eating] Why so nice all of a sudden?
- Zeta: It is not all of a sudden. I have taken great care not to injure you.
- Max: Being held hostage isn't exactly five-star treatment.
- Terry McGinnis: Hey, workaholic, let's get some chow. Genoa and Swiss. Your fave.
- Max: Thanks, Terry, but I have a lot to do. Maybe see you after school?
- Terry McGinnis: You kidding? With what's been going on, the night job's been full-time lately. In fact, I could use your help covering with Dana.
- Max: Sure. What does she need?
- Terry McGinnis: [suspicious, then dropping it] Know what? I just remembered I'm free. I will see you after school.
- Batman: Look, I really hope I'm wrong about this, but he's been programmed to kill. I'm not sure I can just let him go.
- Max: Ter, you heard him. He doesn't want to be violent anymore.
- Batman: No? Did you see him go for those lasers back at the factory? Violence is hard-wired into him. It's what he is.
- Max: He can fight that. I know he can.
- Batman: Max, he held you hostage. You want to let him do that to someone else?
- Zeta: I'm sorry. It was my only choice. It's the only way I know to acquire an identity.
- Max: Well, we're gonna have to come up with another way, aren't we? Does your memory still hold all those people you, uh... replaced before?
- Zeta: Yes.
- Max: Well, then why not mix 'em up? You know, one guy's hair, another guy's eyes. That way, you could decide who you want to be.
- Zeta: Mix 'em up.
- [going to a window to look as his reflection, he adopts the identity of a young man]
- Zeta: I should go. They'll have followed my last signal to this area.
- Max: [hugging him goodbye] Good luck, Zeta.
- Batman: [watching him leave] I still need to keep an eye on him, at least 'til he's out of town.
- Max: Just give him a chance, Ter.
- Max: Dana, what's up?
- Dana Tan: Thought you might need a ride to Winn's study group tonight.
- Max: No, thanks. I'll see you there.
- Dana Tan: You know where Winn lives, right?
- Max: I'll get directions from her.
- Dana Tan: [giggling] Him. You said "her". Winn's a guy.
- Max: Sorry. Concentrating.
- Dana Tan: What else is new?
- Max: [after hearing about the influence of genetics on behavior] But, what about free will? I mean, I'm not going to believe that everything I am was completely decided before I was born.