Season 1, Episode 7
Airdate: November 30, 2010
Writer(s): Riley Stearns
Director: Mike Rohl
"Book Report"
"Field Trip"

"Election" is the seventh episode of season one of Tower Prep.

Gabe runs for class president, and a strange illness causes students at Tower Prep to start losing their powers.


In biology class, Biology tells each team of students to complete a written report on why the rat they're examining died. Gabe tries to get Ian to volunteer, and Ian notes that their third teammate, Fenton, is running for Class President against Emily Wright. Ian says that they'll vote for him if Fenton will cut open the rat, and he agrees if they wear his election badges. Fenton insists that his father was a surgeon and he's fine with dissection, but then hesitates, his hand quivering. Finally he collapses, and Biology calls the school nurse.

The Monitors take Fenton out on a stretcher as Nurse assures him that he's okay. Fenton salutes Ian and Gabe as they promise to come visit him. As Fenton is taken out, Ian notices Headmaster talking to Nurse and looking concerned. When Headmaster notices that Ian is watching, he quickly leaves.

That night, Gabe discusses what happened with Ian, and suggests that he could run for President in Fenton's place. Ian wonders why, given they're planning to escape, and Gabe insists that it's part of the escape plan. He figures that as student president, he can get some basic information about Tower Prep. When Ian notes that school government is typically a joke, Gabe admits that Ian is the one that is always coming up with the plans, and this time he wants to do something to contribute to the team's efforts. Ian warns that Emily and her manager, Ross Anderson, are tough opponents, but Gabe figures he can use his hypersuasion to win. As Ian goes back to his work, he notices that his hand has started shaking. After a few seconds, he manages to regain control.

The next day, CJ and Suki warn Gabe that Emily, who is already president, is well-known and popular. They suggest that Gabe's best chance is at the election presentation, and Gabe insists that it'll be worth it if he can get one piece of information. Ross confronts Gabe and asks if he's planning to run, and Gabe admits that he is. She warns him that he'll get crushed, and CJ is offended on his behalf. Ross insists that it's nothing personal, just business, and she takes care of business. She notes that with Fenton out of the running, they have a huge head start, and gives Gabe one of Fenton's anti-Emily badges. CJ takes it instead and puts it on.

Ian is sparring with the other students in the skills lab in a game of rushball, and using his preflexes to stay one step ahead of Ray. Ian takes out Ray's partner and goes for one of the throwing balls, but freezes up. Ray hits him in the head, and Coach warns him against head shots. Ian insists he's okay, and Coach helps him up. Coach wonders how let himself get hit, and Ian claims that it's stress from midterms. Once Coach leaves, Ian notices that his hand is shaking again.

At the observatory, the group is going over their homework when Gabe arrives with the election manual. He notes that according to the rules, the badges are to be distributed evenly among all candidates. CJ finishes Gabe's campaign poster, but Suki insists she's seen it somewhere before. Gabe compliments CJ on her work, and keeps discussing the buttons. Ian starts getting a headache and snaps at them, saying they have to focus on escape. Gabe figures that he has an issue about it and wants him to talk it out. CJ watches Ian and realizes that something is wrong, and Ian insists that something is going on with Fenton. Nobody has seen him since he was taken to the infirmary, and Ian figures they need to focus on that rather than Gabe's election. Once Ian leaves, CJ says that she couldn't get a read on Ian.

Ian slips into the infirmary and notices an open book on Nurse's desk. She arrives and Ian asks after Fenton. She says that Fenton is under medical supervision and notes that Ian looks tired. She insists on examining him and has him hold out his hand, and notices that it's shaking. Ian passes it off as fatigue, but she insists on taking a blood sample. When Ian wonders why, Nurse says that he's new there and hasn't built up a resistance to the pathogens in the region.

Gabe goes to put up CJ's poster, and realizes that his poster is the same as Emily's. He insists on putting it up, but Ian arrives and notes that it'll probably get mistaken for Emily's poster. Ray and his friends arrive and Ray says it's a rip-off, and goes to rip it down. Ian warns him not to, and Ray rips off Ian's badge. Ian tells him to get it, and Ray throws a punch at him. Ian tries to stay out of the way, but Ray lands a blow with his superstrength. Suki tries to distract him by impersonating Headmaster, but Ray throws a punch. Ian dodges out of the way and Ray smashes his hand on the tiles. The students look, on, surprised that he hurt himself despite his invulnerability. As they call for Nurse, Suki picks up the discarded badge.

Back at the observatory, Ian figures that Fenton has the same symptoms. CJ admits that she's suffering the same symptoms, and her powers are somehow being blocked. Ian figures that Nurse and Headmaster know about what's going on, but can't figure what ties them all together. The group figures they need to find their own answers, and Ian prepares to go through the hidden passageways to Headmaster's office. He says that it's best if he goes alone so Suki and Gabe aren't exposed. As Ian leaves, Gabe asks what happens if he collapses like Fenton did. Ian admits that there's nothing they can do if it happens, and tells Gabe to focus on the presentation so he can win the election. After he goes, Suki starts displaying the same symptoms.

In his office, Headmaster talks to Nurse and wonders if it will be like 1971. She assures him that it won't, and that she was involved as student facility at the time. Headmaster warns that Headmaster 40 years ago nearly destroyed the purpose of the school, but Nurse says that they were careful at the time. Now whatever is happening is reckless. As Ian watches from the vent, Nurse says that they should check the lab tests to confirm that it's Chemica Desin.

Ian goes to the infirmary and checks Nurse's computer. He finds a file labeled "Chemica Desin" that references it as an inhibitor. When he hears someone comes in, Ian hides beneath the desk. It's Emily, who realizes that Ian is beneath the desk. She admits that Ray is a friend, and Fenton was her respected opponent. Ian admits that he suspects Nurse and Headmaster, and Emily finally confirms that she also knows about Chemica Desin. She saw it on Nurse's computer the other day when Ross was there, and decided to sneak back at night to find out more. Emily explains that she's heard rumors that there are outsiders, and Ian wonders if they might be trying to take the school back. Nurse comes in and Emily and Ian hide. As she checks her computer, Ian spots his blood test and sample. He takes them and slips out with Emily, and Nurse notices the missing material and the door they left ajar.

The next day, Gabe approaches Ross and tells her that she has to follow the regulations concerning button distribution. She supplies his half of the buttons, and Gabe puts his campaign slogan on them. As Ian comes by, Gabe hands him his anti-Emily button back, and says he's going to toss his pro-Gabe badges into the audience at the presentation. Ian admits that he kind of likes Emily, and Gabe asks him to at least wear his button. In response, Ian reluctantly pins it on to his sweater, and pins the anti-Emily one to his backpack. He checks on Suki and CJ, who are slowly getting worse and waiting for when the symptoms fully manifest. Ian says that the blood test confirms that he has it, and that he'll have to go to Nurse. CJ notes that if there was an outbreak in 1971, the authorities must have created a vaccine. However, they need at least a microscope to analyze Ian's blood sample.

Ian and Emily take the blood sample to Emerson and ask him to examine it with his microscopic vision. He confirms there's something on the blood cells, a film, and they realize that they're enzyme inhibitors. Chemica Desin blocks them.

Gabe practices his speech for CJ and Suki. He gets a page from Ian, but ignores it so he can continue.

Emily realizes that the bonding is eventually permanent, and they have to get a vaccine before it's too late. They figure that Nurse has it in his lab. As they go, Emerson notices the anti-Emily badge and spots Chemica Desin on it, along with six sets of fingerprints. The sixth set of fingerprints is Gabe's. As Ian tries to leave, he collapses, and they realize that when Gabe tosses out his badges, he'll expose the entire student body. He tries to call Gabe, who is still ignoring his PDA. As Emily picks up Ian's backpack, she pricks himself.

As Gabe prepares to go, he looks at his ailing friends and says that he can't abandon him. They insist that he go on ahead and Gabe reluctantly agrees, leaving his pager behind.

Ian goes to find Gabe and secure the buttons, while Emily goes to the presentation. When Ian gets to the observatory, Suki and CJ tell him what happened, and he explains about the buttons. As he tries to help get them to the nurse, he suffers a momentary weakness but rallies.

As Emily goes to the presentation, her hand starts to shake. As two students get her to lie down, Gabe walks past. He arrives at the presentation hall and notices Headmaster watching over the gathering. However, Emily is nowhere to be seen. Ross is there, looking around nervously.

Ian gets Suki and CJ to the infirmary, and he insists that Nurse take a look at them. She realizes that Ian is sick as well.

Headmaster calls the presentation to order, 15 minutes late, and asks Ross if Emily is skipping the event. He then lets Gabe take the podium, declining the button that Gabe offers him in the interests of neutrality. As Gabe addresses the crowd, he starts to weaken but rallies, talking about whether they are citizens or students.

Ian demands the truth about Chemica Desin from Nurse. She explains that Tower Prep often assumes the personality of Headmaster, and the sixth Headmaster believed that if students could have their skills removed, Tower Prep would no longer be necessary. They created Chemica Desin, but the seventh Headmaster put an end to it by creating a reversible inhibitor. However, someone has modified it, and the old reversible isn't working on it. One sample of Chemica Desin was kept for experimentation. The students bring in Emily, and Ian realizes that one of Nurse's work-study students is Ross, and she had access to the sample.

Gabe gives a triumphant speech and prepares to throw out his buttons. Ian runs to the presentation hall and stops Gabe just in time. He explains that Ross is responsible for the Chemica Desin outbreak. Gabe drops the badges and Ian collapses. Ross tries to run out, but Headmaster stops her.

Later, Biology talks about how Emily and Ross managed to create a new reversible inhibitor, before Ross was banished to West Campus. Gabe takes credit for it as the first success of his new administration. He declares no homework for the night, getting a round of applause. Unimpressed, Biology gives him a 10-page assignment on the effectiveness of the new inhibitor. Depressed, Gabe still exchanges a salute with Ian.

Nurse and Headmaster talk to Ross and confirm that she modified it using the biology class lessons and Tower Prep equipment. They admit that they're impressed, and ask Ross to show them how she did it in return for their forgiveness. Smiling, Ross agrees.{C}


Guest starringEdit

Featured MusicEdit

  • "Your Sword Versus My Dagger" by Silverstein


  • This episode takes place during Tower's mid-terms, which is appropriate as it also marks the middle point of the season.


New KidMonitoredWhisperBufferRooksBook ReportElectionField TripDreamsPhone HomeTrustSnitchFathers