Topher tells the Runaways that he's not going to hurt them, and says that Molly doesn't know him... yet. Alex asks who he is, and Gert figures that he's some kind of criminal. Topher explains that he saw Molly pick up a car and she's a hero, and Molly admits that she protected a woman from her pimp. Nico uses the Staff of One to put him in a Cone of Silence and asks what they should do with him. Karolina points out that Topher is just like them and Molly agrees, but the others don't want to risk letting a stranger in there. Gert suggests that they use the mind-wipe drug.
Topher puts some powder on his wrist and rubs it in, and his eyes glow yellow. Nico notices and warns the others, and Topher punches down the Cone. Molly figures that Topher isn't going anywhere. Old Lace sniffs at Topher, and after a moment walks away. Topher figures that he's in the "right place", and Molly suggests that Topher's powers being similar to her is no coincidence. The others have Topher bunk down in the foyer with Old Lace standing guard. He flirts with Nico, suggesting that she bunk with him, but she refuses and warns that she's going to find out his secrets.
The next morning, Chase wakes up to find Gert chewing her nails. She apologizes and admits that her anxiety is getting the best of her, and Chase assures her that she has all day and asks if she wants to talk about it. Gert talks about missing her old life, and Chase tells her that it's their new normal. They kiss and Gert admits that "normal" isn't that bad. She goes to check on Old Lace and Topher while Chase goes back to sleep.
Gert checks on Old Lace and assures her that she doesn't own her. She finally realizes that Topher tunneled out of his bunk through the wall and calls to the others.
Catherine and Geoffrey arrive at the surveillance center first and Geoffrey insists that her killing Darius is a thing. She says that it was necessary and she did it so he didn't have to, and Geoffrey points out that he could have killed Alex but kept him alive. Catherine figures that Darius did it because he wanted money, and says that Geoffrey's old life is a fantasy. She points out that she met Geoffrey because he killed his boss, and it was business. When Catherine says that it was their plan to free their kids, Geoffrey says that it wasn't part of the plan. Tina and Robert come in and congratulate them on getting the kids off of the murder charge.
Jonah goes to the room where Victor is in stasis, clearly ailing from his body breaking down, and goes to work with a piece of equipment laser-carving a piece of metal. After a moment he chokes up blood.
When the others arrive, Geoffrey gets a lead on the kids' location tracking Alex's phone. The others complain that they had the kids and got away, and Nico admits that she gave Nico the Staff that the kids used to escape Geoffrey. The Minorus point out that Nico is using the staff to protect all of the kids, and Dale and Stacey say that they have to access the dig site and test their serum before they use it on Jonah. Once the Yorkes leave, Geoffrey confirms the kids' location at a Pride soup kitchen.
Topher brings back food, and he and Molly set the table. Molly asks him about his eyes, and she thought she was the only one with the power. Topher tells her that he was age when his powers manifested, and Molly wonders if they're related. Topher admits that it's possible, and Molly says that her parents were scientists and she thought that they experimented on her.
As Molly starts to explain, the others arrive and Topher wonders if something is going on that he needs to know about. Nico says that he knows too much already, and Topher insists that he asked permission before taking the food. The others don't, and Topher says that he knows who they are because they've been all over the news. He tells them that he doesn't need them because he already has the street life wired, and they're refusing good food. Alex wonders what's in it for him, and Topher says that he is doing it in return for shelter. He hints that he could collect the reward on them if he leaves, but the Runaways say nothing and Topher assures them that he wouldn't do it but not everyone is as trusty as him.
The Runaways eat and Molly takes Topher on a tour of the Hostel. Once they go, Karolina suggests that Chase might be jealous. Alex points out that whatever Topher has done, it isn't as bad as their parents. He says that he lost his focus and they need to concentrate on what Pride is up to.
The parents call in a soup kitchen worker, Jules, but she doesn't remember much about the kids. Geoffrey figures that she's lying, and Catherine threatens to have her fired if she doesn't reveal what she knows. Jules suggests that they talk to a soup kitchen client that she brought with her, Mike. Mike says that he definitely saw the kids but wants $50 first. They immediately pay him and Mike says that they stole the Fistigons from him with the help of a dinosaur. Mike tells them that's all he knows and notices how well-dressed they are, and when he tries to ask for more money Robert leads him out
Jonah leaves a voice mail for Karolina saying that he wants to see her and he has a lot to tell her. In her room, Karolina gets his message and texts him to meet with her, and then hides her phone as Nico comes. Nico notices that she's packing clothing, and Karolina says that she's going to get a job posing as a princess to take photographs with little girls on Hollywood Boulevard. After a moment, Nico agrees and they kiss before Karolina leaves.
As Alex sets up the Hostel computers, Chase worries about Topher. Alex says that they need to disable security at the dig site by his hacking the network. However, he warns that the old computer won't be able to do it. Chase worries about Topher, and Alex suggests that they use one problem to solve another.
Alex tells the others what processor he needs, and says that they'll have to go back to Atlas Academy to get it and Topher will get them inside.
Later, Jonah meets with Karolina on the street. He says that she's his only priority and tries to give her money, but Karolina refuses and asks if he's sick. Jonah offers to show her what he means.
At the dig site, the Yorkes prepare to send a drone down the hole to perform a biopsy. He worries that the serum won't work, and Stacey assures him that it will because it has to.
Topher leads the Runaways to three cars and has them split up to drive to Atlas. He has Nico go with him, and she says that she doesn't trust him. Nico doesn't warm up to him, and Topher says that he knows about Wicca. She admits that nobody else gets it, and Topher says that he does. Nico admits that she might have misjudged him, and asks what the powder is in his vial. He asks if all of them are holding, and Nico says that they're friends to get his trust.
At Atlas, the kids go in the back and sneak in during the all-school assembly. Alex gives them the combination to the safe where the processor is, and notices a mark on Topher's left wrist where he administered his drugs. Topher says that he can handle spoiled rich kids and goes in.
Once the Yorkes have a biopsy, they recover the drone and pour the decayed organic liquid into a petri dish. They administer the serum and the liquid turns black from necrosis. The site shakes and they realize that an earthquake has started.
The earthquake hits Atlas, and an alarm goes off. The pupils evacuate and the Runaways split up to get the processor and bring out Topher. They realize that Gert is gone.
Gert goes to the school infirmary and Nurse Wilson confronts her. Wilson asks Gert if it's her first day back, and Gert claims that it is and says that the earthquake shook her up so she came to get her anxiety meds. The nurse says that usually she's notified when kids through a trauma have returned to school, and Gert claims that it's fake news. Wilson claim that she's getting the medicine, but calls the authorities,
The Pride parents confirm that the earthquake's epicenter is at the dig site. They get an alert that someone has seen the kids at Atlas.
Alex and Chase run to the computer lab and discover that the door is locked, and Chase says that he knows where to find someone with the keys. Chase leads Alex to the gender neutral bathroom and goes in on his own, and finds Eiffel there. Eiffel is busy taking a selfie of herself during the quake, and Chase asks her for a favor. She agrees if he'll do something for her in return.
Gert finds Alex outside the bathroom and admits that she went o the infirmary for meds, but claims that no one saw her. Chase comes out with the key , and Eiffel goes out past him and walks away. Gert glares at Chase suspiciously, and Alex leads them to the computer room.
In the streets, the traffic is backed up because of the quake and Jonah tells Karolina that they can walk. He figures that something happened at the site to trigger the quake and says that they have to get there. Karolina admits that she's scared and hesitates, and Jonah tells her that what he is, she is, and without him she'll never know her true self.
At the school, Topher discovers that his vial is missing. Nico and Molly hide in a school bus and notice that their parents have arrived. The two girls duck into the school and find the others, and tell them that their parents are there. They have to run before they get into the computer lab, and they duck down a flight of stairs as the parents arrive.
Dale and Stacey get into their car, and Jonah and Karolina arrive and see them. The Yorkes quickly drive off, and Jonah figures that they caused the quake. Jonah assures Karolina that he'll protect her from now on.
The Runaways go over the back wall and find Topher with the processor. Chase congratulates him and looks over the students and the banner for the pride rally before leaving with the others.
Back at the Hostel, Alex starts loading the software to hack the dig network. They thank Topher for his help, and Gert wonders if they should go back to Atlas and break into the infirmary to get her meds. Alex asks Topher why his eyes turned yellow, and he says that it might run into his family. Nico asks to talk to him alone and when he goes with her, Nico holds up the vial and asks if that's what he's looking for. He realizes that she took it from him in the car, and Nico figures that's why his eyes turn yellow. She figures that he get high off the stuff and asks where he got it.
At the dig site, Jonah takes Karolina to the hole and says that she's everything he could want in a daughter. He tells Karolina that she's exactly who she needs to be for where they're going, removes his glove to reveal is peeling skin, and after a moment Karolina takes his hand. They both glow and then float down into the hole.
Written by Gadfly on Dec 29, 2018