The Damaged Laptop

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

The laptop Jane loses in the desert gives John the first concrete lead to her organization and sets off the chain of recognition between the spouses.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

Lost in the Blast Lost in the Blast from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". Lost in the Blast A tool left behind Jane’s laptop is thrown into the wreckage when the mine explodes.

Lost in the Blast from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". Lost in the Blast A tool left behind Jane’s laptop is thrown into the wreckage when the mine explodes.

Lost in the Blast A tool left behind Jane’s laptop is thrown into the wreckage when the mine explodes. She worries that its loss will undermine the mission and expose information about her operation. A rival finds it John discovers the still-functioning device after the blast. An object meant to support Jane’s work becomes the first material bridge between the two agents.

A Technician’s Diagnosis A Technician’s Diagnosis from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". A Technician’s Diagnosis Damage assessed John takes the laptop to a computer specialist, who doubts it can be repaired and notes that it has no ordinary serial…

A Technician’s Diagnosis from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". A Technician’s Diagnosis Damage assessed John takes the laptop to a computer specialist, who doubts it can be repaired and notes that it has no ordinary serial…

A Technician’s Diagnosis Damage assessed John takes the laptop to a computer specialist, who doubts it can be repaired and notes that it has no ordinary serial number. The missing identifier suggests government or covert ownership. A paid investigation John offers money to continue the diagnostic work. His curiosity is driven by the unknown shooter, but the evidence is about to bring him close to Jane’s office.

The Chip’s Address The Chip’s Address from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". The Chip’s Address A trace through hardware The technician traces the device’s imported memory components and finds a billing address.

The Chip’s Address from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". The Chip’s Address A trace through hardware The technician traces the device’s imported memory components and finds a billing address.

The Chip’s Address A trace through hardware The technician traces the device’s imported memory components and finds a billing address. The route from hardware to customer produces an apparently mundane lead. An unsettling destination The address is 550 Lexington Avenue, where Triple Click is based. John recognizes the connection and realizes the anonymous rival may be his wife.

The Building Name The Building Name from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". The Building Name Confirmation at the directory John checks the address and sees Triple Click listed on the fifty-second floor.

The Building Name from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". The Building Name Confirmation at the directory John checks the address and sees Triple Click listed on the fifty-second floor.

The Building Name Confirmation at the directory John checks the address and sees Triple Click listed on the fifty-second floor. The business name confirms his suspicion that Jane’s IT identity is more than a conventional company. Marriage recast He now understands that the woman at home runs a covert organization. Their familiar routines become evidence of a double life he never recognized.

The Lead Reversed The Lead Reversed from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". The Lead Reversed Jane finds John in the footage Jane’s own investigation identifies John through the flask, cake, and his distinctive physical presence.

The Lead Reversed from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". The Lead Reversed Jane finds John in the footage Jane’s own investigation identifies John through the flask, cake, and his distinctive physical presence.

The Lead Reversed Jane finds John in the footage Jane’s own investigation identifies John through the flask, cake, and his distinctive physical presence. The laptop that helped John locate her does not preserve his anonymity. Mutual exposure Each spouse has independently followed an object or trace to the other’s hidden world. The investigations converge in the dinner confrontation that ends their ability to pretend.

During the desert explosion

After John returns to the city

During the computer analysis

When John reaches 550 Lexington Avenue

After the discovery