22. No Good Deed

Complete story — includes the ending

Flashbacks to 2009 show Alicia Corwin warning Ingram that the Machine will "flag" anyone who discovers its existence, leading Ingram to realize the government will use the Machine to spy on its own citizens. He asks Finch to create a contingency to avoid such an abuse of power; when Finch refuses, Ingram creates one himself. In the present, NSA security analyst Henry Peck, the latest POI, is being targeted for unwittingly discovering the Machine's existence in a security report. Though Peck is initially incredulous, he realizes the Machine does indeed exist after being repeatedly saved by Reese, and decides to contact the press. Finch intercepts Peck and gives him a new identity while admitting to creating the Machine, unaware that Corwin is listening in. Reese tracks down Finch's fiancée Grace, who believes him dead; Finch admits he faked his death to protect her.