2x17 Siren
Millennium (1996)
2x17 Siren, written by Glen Morgan, James Wong and Michael R. Perry, directed by Allen Coulter.
A cargo ship is smuggling Chinese into the US. When raided the captain instructs one of the crew: "You kill the monster ... or I kill you". They are stopped, but when INS agents open Hold 38 they find a young woman bound in chains.
Later at the hospital the woman speaks no known language. Jordan sees her and tells Catherine: you have to help her, she's going to save Daddy's life.
The crew can't agree on when she first appeared or how she got on board. They hear her singing and men die. Four bodies are found in a crate on deck. They died of exposure.
Frank can understand her. She clouds his mind with a quick It's a Wonderful Life (1946) delusion: what if he never met the Group but left the FBI and formed his own high-end private investigations group. Perfectly happy life and family, until he sees Jordan being clutched by a demon.
So the question is: is the Group putting his family in danger, or are they keeping Evil away?
quote
Frank: She was sent here to tempt me. With a question about...
Lara: About the Millennium Group?
Frank: About my life. And I didn't know until this moment that she didn't have the answer.
Lara: Do you?
The mystery woman is played by Vivian Wu -- The Pillow Book (1996).
The captain is played by Tzi Ma -- Arrival (2016).
Notes:
Lara is at Frank's place working a case and becomes uncomfortable when Catherine arrives. Catherine doesn't care about her being there, not because the marriage is over, but because she knows and trusts Frank.
Frank: (to Lara) You know, it's refreshing to hear someone even more cynical than I am.
