- Ray is contacted by a doctor at a mental hospital about some strange occurrences. But, once he gets inside the hospital, he finds out the "doctor" is really a patient. However, there really are some nefarious activities that he uncovers.
- Dr. Harriet Freedman calls from an asylum, asking the bartender at the other end if there is a black Stingray in the parking lot. She insists that she needs to know the owner is there before she tries to leave. The bartender says that he's busy, and Harriet hears someone coming and hangs up. Harriet then grabs a vase and knocks the security guard out when he comes in, confirms that he's still alive, apologizes, and leaves. The patients look out the window and see Harriet running down driveway, and one patient complains that Freedman and another patient keep correcting him.
As a helicopter comes down, Harriet climbs over the fence. Security guards go out in a jeep and another man stops Harriet but steps aside rather than help her. Harriet makes her way to the bar and tells the bartender that she called earlier. He directs her to Ray, waiting at the bar. Harriet goes over and introduces herself, saying she's a psychiatric doctor at the new Meadowgrove Hospital out in the valley. He refuses to answer her questions about himself, and Harriet says that Russians are trying to kill her. She explains that men have arrived at Meadowgrove at 3 am in black sedans with consular license plates. Unmarked helicopters start coming in the middle of the night and apparently pick up patients from C-Ward, then return just before dawn with the patients and drop them off.
Ray asks who is in C-Ward, and Harriet says that the patients there are mostly violent. There's an electroshock unit there, and when she asked about it her superiors started having her followed and tapped her phone. Ray admits that he's intrigued, and takes her hand and asks if she has a place to stay for the next few hours. He gives her a key to a room above the bar and tells her to wait for him there, and explains his favor-bartering system.
Driving to a planning commission office, Ray breaks in and hacks the computer. He displays the plans to Meadowgrove on the screen and memorizes them, then goes to the apartment he sent Harried to and finds the door open. Ray jumps through the door and discovers someone has searched the place. The furniture is overturned and Harriet's name badge from Meadowgrove is on the floor.
Later, Ray goes to a bar and poses as a drunk. The bar owner tells Ray to settle down, and Ray rants about the birds plotting to kill him. The owner calls the police, who throw Ray into the county lockup. Ray tells them to call DA Daphne Delgado, saying that she knows what he's saying is true and to tell her that it's Stingray and it's time to repay her favor. Daphne gets the call and quickly comes in. They meet privately and Ray asks her to check him into Meadowgrove for psychiatric evaluation. Ray makes her promise to get him out and knew she was in town. He insists that it's important, and refuses to answer her questions. Ray assures her that doing so will repay her favor, and Daphne agrees. She says that she thought about Ray, and says that she missed him. Ray says that he missed her as well and takes her hand.
The next day, Ray is admitted to Meadowgrove. As he signs his admission papers, the electric lights flicker and the patients notice and wince. As Ray is given hospital fatigues, he sees an older man taken by in a straitjacket.
The guards take Ray to the day room and leave him there. One of the patients, Catcroft, asks Ray what his name is, and Ray goes into his routine shouting that he doesn't have a name because then the bird creatures can't get him. Catcroft says that Ray came to the right place because he's nuts, and says that he's just there for a rest because his family thought he was taking things too hard. Ray asks Catcroft if he's ever talked to Dr. Freedman, and Catcroft says that Harriet broke out the night before but they brought her back and put her in C-Ward. He says that Harriet is a patient, not a doctor, and her real name is Harriet Miller. They call her "doctor" because she pretends that she is one, and Catcroft explains that the name badge belongs to "H. Freedman": Hugo, not Harriet. Hugo gave it to Harriet to make her feel better, and she thinks Russians are taking over Meadowgrove.
Hugo visits Harriet in her padded cell and she says that no one will believe her. He insists that there are no Russians there and he's going to put her on tranqs, and Harriet begs him not to. Hugo admits that he's scheduled her for electroshock that afternoon and says that she's going to keep getting them until she forgets her crazy stories.
That night, the orderlies tell the patients that it's time for bed. Ray secretly put a piece of tape over the door bolt, and the orderly Kenton force him to take his pill. Catcroft asks if Orange Blossom could sleep with him Kenton brings in Orange Blossom--a cat--and gives her to Catcroft. Catcroft tells Ray that Orange Blossom can talk and has a conversation with the cat about her food. He tells Ray to say "Kum-ba-rum-ba" if he wants Orange Blossom to come to him, and Orange Blossom comes over when Ray repeats the phrase. Catcroft says that he's vowed to never reveal his real life, and says that the pills work fast. Ray lays back down and holds up the pill he palmed, then flicks it away. He calls to Orange Blossom, who comes over to him, then turns off his bed light.
Ray brings up his photographic memories of the institute layout then makes his way to the computer room. He brings up the file on Harriet and finds that she's scheduled for ECT therapy, then confirms that all of the patients are connected to the military. One of them, Edward Gortanus, works in laser beam technology.
A helicopter lands at the Meadowgrove helipad and two guards drag a patient out to it. They put him on board and it flies off.
Kenton goes back into the ward and finds Ray's bed empty. He calls Hugo, who tells two visitors that the new patient the DA sent over has escaped. One of the visitors, the lead Russian agent, complains about Hugo's security precautions. Hugo assures her that the flight with Gotanus left a few minutes ago, but the agent worries that Harriet went to the authorities and Ray is a U.S. government spy. She says that they're close and her people have set everything up, and in two days it's over. She tells Hugo to find out who Ray is because they can take no chances with so much at stake.
The guards search the halls for Ray, and Ray goes to the kitchen. The guards find him there crouched in a corner, and he holds up a carton of ice cream and says he was hungry. Hugo has Ray taken to an exam room, strapped down, and drugged with sodium pentothal. The agent and Hugo question Ray, and Ray says that his name is Ray Thomas Canfield, remembering the name of the man who owned the computer at the commission office. He says that he works for Orange Blossom, and Hugo says that Orange Blossom is the name of the cat. Hugo gives Ray more sodium pentothal, and Ray truthfully says that he's there to find out why the Russians are in the hospital and the midnight helicopters. He says that Gortanus is in Meadowgrove, and starts reciting his supposed delusions. Hugo warns the agent that Ray is overdosing and won't make any more sense, and the agent tells Hugo to neutralize Ray along with Harriet. However, there is one more thing they have to do before they're finished.
Daphne drives home and two men abduct her and drive off in a black sedan. They take Daphne and throw her in a cell. Ray is in the next cell and welcomes Daphne to C-Ward. He says that the people are Russian agents and they abducted Daphne to seal off their security leak. Daphne notes that no one knows they're there, and Ray apologizes for getting her involved. He admits that he underestimated the Russians and lies back down.
Later, Ray tells Daphne that Gotanus is there. He explains that Meadowview keeps "loaning out" Gotanus to the Russian Embassy, taking him out every night before midnight and bringing him back at dawn. Two guards come in and put monitors on Ray and Daphne. Once the guards leave, Ray easily slips his manacles but notes the doors have an electronic security device. He says that he has a friend who can help them escape, and then yells "Kum-ba-rum-ba".
Orange Blossom hears Ray and comes running. Meanwhile, a guard comes in and tells Ray to shut up. Orange Blossom comes in unseen through the door as the guard leaves, and Ray tells Daphne that he called the cat.
The Russian helicopter returns and the guards put Catcroft in a straitjacket and take him to the vehicle.
Ray puts his monitor on Orange Blossom and has Daphne call her. The guards see the blip moving on the monitor outside of the cells and figure Ray has escaped. One guard goes to investigate, and Ray reaches through the bars, puts the guard in a nerve grip, and takes the cell keys from him. He knocks the guard out and frees himself.
The guards take Gortanus to the helicopter.
Ray frees Daphne and they leave. They get to the helipad and see Gortanus being loaded aboard the helicopter. Ray runs for the helicopter and grabs the landing skids, attaching one of the monitors to it. He then lets go and shoots one of the guards shooting him. Daphne comes up behind the other guard and knocks him unconscious, and Ray and Daphne run into Meadowgrove and go to the security room. Ray grabs the monitor tracking the device on the landing skid and they run out, exchanging shots with the guards. They steal one of the institute cars and Daphne hotwires it while Ray holds off the guards. Once she starts it, Ray gets in and they crash through the gate, following the tracking signal.
The helicopter heads for the nearby hills, and Ray and Daphne follow it using the monitor. The next morning as they drive, Daphne asks Ray wonders why he lives his life on the run without permanent relationships. Ray suggests it may not be his choice and says that he cares about her, and he'd spend time with her if he could. He takes her hand and says that he made a few promises, to people who are mostly dead. When Daphne asks for more detail, Ray abruptly changes the subject.
Eventually Ray follows the signal to a barn in the countryside. He tells Daphne to tell his story if something goes wrong, and she reluctantly drives off while he scouts the place. Ray spots armed guards patrolling the barn and slips by them.
Inside the barn is an elaborate lab, and the head doctor Sheraton warns the agent that they have to be careful probing Gortanus' mind. The agent notes that the truth serum didn't work and they need the secrets in Gortanus's head. Meanwhile, Ray knocks out the guards and climbs into the hayloft overlooking the lab. Another guard hears him and climbs up, and opens fire on Ray. The agent shoots and Ray falls into the hay below. When the agent goes over to check on him, Ray grabs her gun, shoots the guard above, and tells everyone else to freeze. As Daphne comes in, Ray tells the Russians in their own language that they're going to be in America for a long time.
Later, Ray returns to Meadowgrove and tells Harriet that what she did was very brave. He tells her that Hugo and Sheraton are going to be prosecuted while the Russians are deported because they have political immunity. However, Ray figures their superiors will punish them for failing. He assures Harriet that she'll get better with a new doctor, and she promises to pay off her favor. She asks Ray to write to her from time to time, and Ray agrees. Ray promises that he will and sees Catcroft holding Orange Blossom.
Daphne arrives holding a cat, and she gives the cat--named Daphne--to Ray. Ray "translates" the cat and says that it's saying his name is Ray, and hands it back to Daphne. He kisses Daphne and leaves, saying he might reappear again someday. Daphne jokingly says that she might be in Africa the next time Ray calls, and Ray calls the cat into his car with "Kum-ba-rum-ba". It answers his call and Ray admits that it's frightening, then drives off.
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