All That Glitters

S2, E12: A statue of Pythagoras on Main Street turns from bronze to gold. When Carter (Colin Ferguson) asks Henry (Joe Morton) to analyze a sample, Henry informs him that he's been locked out of his lab at Global Dynamics. When Carter asks for access to Kim's (Tamlyn Tomita) lab as well as an unclassified version of Beverly Barlowe's file, Allison (Salli Richardson) tells him that he'll have to make an official request. Then Stark (Ed Quinn) signs transfer papers for a shipment from the Department of Defense that turns out to be Beverly Barlowe -- looking like she's been to hell and back. Beverly has been in solitary at Guantanamo, and Stark has traded evidence against her for the chance to speak to her. At Nathan's request, Alison questions Beverly. She won't reveal what she knows and challenges Alison to protect her by lying to the DOD in exchange for information about the Artifact ... information that could save Kevin's life. Carter and Jo get a lecture on the history and practice of alchemy. Henry determines that a bacterium is what's causing the molecular structure of metal to change and that it's spreading by contact. He then discovers that the bacteria is parasitic and will ultimately destroy its host, thus compromising the integrity of virtually every structure in Eureka. Carter traces the spread of the bacteria back to the bracelet that Lucas made in metallurgy class at Dactylos' studio. By using hydrochloric acid to color scrap metal he found in the studio, Lucas has tampered with Dactylos' incomplete transmutation formula and inadvertently unleashed the 'Alchemist's Curse' triggering chaotic mutation.