The Top Floor

On the flight to New York, Leonard explains how Dalton changed from mentor and friend into a bitter enemy. Dalton had been romantically involved with Thelma before Leonard entered her life and regarded their marriage as a betrayal. The two archaeologists continued working together, but Leonard embraced new technology while Dalton trusted only his instincts and past success.

Leonard eventually surpassed his mentor and left to build his own career. Dalton resented losing Thelma, his student, and his position at the front of their profession. Leonard warns Eugene that the man who later imprisoned his former friend and former girlfriend for twenty years is driven by grievances rather than reason and cannot be predicted.

In New York, Jason obtains the hotel’s cooperation through a federal court order. Dalton is away on business, but his private top floor has its own security guard, coded elevator and stair entrances, and rooms outside the hotel’s monitoring system. Only cleaning workers are routinely admitted, so Jason, Leonard, and Eugene disguise themselves as replacement janitors.

Once inside, Leonard and Jason divide the penthouse and search for the stolen Ashanti box. Eugene distracts the security manager, Mrs. Vasquez, by discussing computer programming with her. Jason also installs a motion-activated listening device on Dalton’s telephone in case the box cannot be recovered.

Leonard finds a locked door carved with African masks, likely protecting Dalton’s artifacts. A lonely boy interrupts him and explains that the room opens only when his father, Dalton, says his own name. Leonard promises to return and play another day, unaware of the child’s deeper importance. Mrs. Vasquez nearly catches the men when she tests their knowledge of a former cleaner, but Eugene’s excessive study of personnel files saves their disguises.

At the same time, Dalton and his associate Doyle arrive in Odyssey. A newspaper report connecting Eugene and Hand Up to the Ashanti village has convinced Dalton that Eugene may lead him to Leonard. He visits Whit’s End, where he and Whit recognize each other from their archaeological work years before. Whit admits knowing Eugene but tries not to reveal where he is.

Katrina interrupts with a supposed urgent telephone call and draws Dalton into introducing himself. Her real purpose is to capture a clear recording of him saying his name, giving the New York team a possible way to open the voice-activated artifact room. Dalton leaves suspicious of both Whit and Katrina.

Dalton and Doyle break into the Meltsner home. They find Eugene’s laminated list of subjects to discuss with his father, including Dalton Kearn. Dalton knows Leonard’s sons supposedly died long ago, but Doyle suggests Eugene may be the son believed lost in the train crash.

The answering machine removes all doubt that Leonard is alive and connected to Eugene. His recorded message tells Katrina that they are headed to New York. Dalton realizes Whit and Katrina have been protecting Leonard and that the group must be coming after him or his evidence. He immediately boards a flight back to New York.

Whit’s motion-sensitive recorder captures Dalton’s conclusion and travel plans. Police confirm the break-in, and Katrina warns Jason that Dalton is on the way and now knows Leonard’s location. Their careful operation inside the penthouse has become a race against its returning owner.

Leaving their hotel room, the men again meet Dalton’s son. The boy says his mother died long ago and proudly shows Leonard and Jason her photograph. Leonard is stunned to see Thelma. When the child gives his name as Everett, Leonard reaches an astonishing conclusion and tells Eugene the truth: the boy upstairs is Leonard’s son.