New Orleans, 1985
Andreas Von Strucker enters a store and says that he's picking up a custom order. The owner presents the music box, and asks Von Strucker if he could buy the instrument. Von Strucker says that it's not for sale, and then kills the owner to keep him from talking.
Now
Lauren listens to the music box and brings up files on the Internet about the Von Struckers. Her parents watch, and Reed tells Caitlin that Lauren seems different and fighting alongside Andy has affected her. Reed worries that she's obsessed with Fenris, and Caitlin says that their daughter needs to be ready for when they go after the Inner Circle.
When the Struckers meet with Marcos and Clarice, Marcos warns that they can't attack the Inner Circle immediately. Caitlin worries about their influence on Andy, but Clarice points out that there are only four of them with John recovering from his injuries. Marcos notes that most of the Underground stations have gone dark and that they don't have reinforcements. When Caitlin insists that he should agree, Marcos agrees to drive to a few of the stations.
At the Inner Circle HQ, Lorna remembers kissing Marcos after their assault on the Purifier compound. Andy comes in and says that they have some new trainees who arrived, and they're in the training room. Lorna goes there with Andy, and Reeva tells the three recruits that the Inner Circle is giving them the chance to join them. One of them, Max, isn't interested in hearing the speech, and Reeva tells him to close his eyes. Once Max does so, Reeva tells him to think of every human that has ever done him wrong and then imagine the world without them. The woman, Heather, says that it sounds good to her and asks when they start. Max figures that they don't need training, and the three of them demonstrate by Max heating up a chair, Heather teleporting it, and the third mutant Tico exploding it by clapping his hands. Reeva uses her sonic scream on them and then says that it's her house and her rules, and she needs discipline and commitment. Max and the others say that they're in.
In the gallery, Lorna tells Andy that she saw it. She goes to talk to Reeva privately, saying that she recognized them as the crew that took down the Ignavus crew ship and killed thousands of innocent people. Reeva shows her one of Benedict's broadcasts and says that the new recruits will hit the humans to scare them into not fighting. She tells Lorna that she's royalty and her job is to build from the ashes. Reeva assures Lorna that her time will come.
Jace texts Paula that he signed the divorce papers and sent them to her. Benedict meets with him and Jace says that they need to get word out that the mutants that supposedly died in Atlanta are alive. The host says that he wants Jace's sacrifice to matter and offers him a chance to be a hero by making America safe. Once they win over America's hearts, then they can talk about Atlanta.
Lauren turns off her computer and lays down, listening to the music box. She dreams of the Struckers breaking out of a compound, and unconsciously manifests her power, throwing razor-sharp discs across the room. In her dream, Andrea is shot and Andreas watches her die and then screams in fury. Caitlin and Reed run in and wake their daughter.
The next morning, Lauren tells her parents that she doesn't remember what she was dreaming about but says that it wasn't Andy. Some knocks at the door, and Reed answers it. The landlord, Art Rael, says that they had complaints from the neighbors about the noise. Reed says that Lauren had a seizure, and Art tells him that the government is cracking down on mutants. To assure his concerns, Reed tells him that his daughter is sick but fine, and Art is seemingly reassured.
Jace is coordinating Purifier efforts when Ted asks what's going on. He's angry that he's apparently being shoved aside, and Jace says that Benedict made clear to him that he had to move fast. Jace asks Ted to come with him and leaves.
Caitlin checks on John and tells Clarice that John's healing is taking time. Clarice worries that John will just go back out and be shot again, and Caitlin tells her about how they found a bomb in Reed's car when he was assigned to a criminal case. Reed said that he had to go back, and Caitlin says that people adapt but they don't change. She warns that it's what John is and what the word needs, and Clarice wonders about what she needs. Caitlin tells her that it will be okay. Marcos calls and says that he hasn't been able to find any mutants with combat powers but he still has a few more stops.
Once Marcos hangs up, the car drives on its own and Marcos realizes that Lorna is controlling it. She drives the car into an alley and says that she needed Marcos' help. Marcos is furious that Lorna has been making decisions about their family without him, and Lorna explains that it's about Reeva and her new team of mutants. She insists that there have to be lines and she needs to stop Reeva, and she can't do it by herself. Lorna apologizes for how she treated Lorna, but says that he's too good of a man to let people die just because she sucks at love.
Back at the Underground HQ, Marcos tells Clarice what happened. He suggests that they go to the Morlocks, figuring that they have eyes all over the city and can figure out what the Inner Circle is doing.
Caitlin and Reed discuss Lauren's experiences and Reed figures that Lauren is becoming obsessed with the Strucker family history just like Andy was. Caitlin doesn't believe it, and Reed points out that the song on the music box is about an evil force that steals children while parents ignore it.
Jace, Ted, and the other Purifiers arrive at a youth shelter where they got reports of escapees posing as homeless. Ted wonders if it's just fishing, but Jace doesn't care. They go in and the administrator refuses to let them in. Ted insists that they have every right to be there. Two teenagers run upstairs and the Purifiers go after them. Jace and his men corner them, and one of them lights up his hands. The Purifiers aim their guns at them and say that they just have a few questions.
Marcos and Clarice go into the sewers and Clarice complains about Marcos being a hypocrite. Lorna apologizes, saying that he's struggling with his own issues with Lorna, and Clarice accepts his apology. Erg and his Morlocks meet with them and Clarice says that she has something important to discuss. The Morlocks lead them on, and Glow talks to Marcos and complains that he hasn't contacted her.
Lorna approaches the three trainees in the main room and congratulates Max on their training. She brings up them destroying the ship, and Max says that he admired her father. Lorna asks him what he thinks that they're hitting, and Max says that he doesn't answer any questions before walking off.
Lorna is in her bedroom practicing her new power when Caitlin comes in and says that Reed is concerned about her. She says that they can't take anything off of the table. Policemen pull up outside, and Reed enters the apartment and tells Caitlin and Lauren to hide as the officers pound on the door. Once they go, Reed answers the door and the officers order him down on the floor. They say that they had reports of mutant activity, and knock over a vase and say that they have probable cause because they heard a crash.
Caitlin watches from the bedroom and tells Lauren that they're going to run, and Lauren tells her mother to go out into the apartment and say that she saw mutants on the street. While Caitlin does so, Lauren throws her disks at a streetlight, bringing it down on a car. The officers leave and reed slams the door behind them.
Glow tells Marcos that she's been teaching the kids, and assures Marcos that he's sacrificed for the mutants in trouble. He traces the M mark on Glow's cheek, and then starts to kiss her. He pulls back and Glow realizes that he still has feelings for his ex. Marcos explains what happened and wishes that he was stronger, and Glow tells him that he can only hate someone like that if he loves them, and it takes strength to forgive them.
Clarice talks to Erg and he says that it's a big thing that she's asking. He explains that he made a commitment to the Morlocks and his first priority is to protect them as he would protect Clarice if she chose to join them. Clarice says that they need her above and she won't let people die because she did nothing. Erg tells her that he can't fight her war but there's something that she can give him.
Jace questions one of the teenagers, Rahul, who says that he doesn't know anything about escaped mutants. He explains that he ran because they're Purifiers, and his grandfather didn't need a reason to run from the Klan. Jace insists that he doesn't have a problem with mutants as long as they're following the law. They hear a gunshot and Jace goes into the other room. Ted says that the teenager was using his powers so he shot him in self-defense, and Jace calls for an ambulance only to realize that the teenager is dead.
When Jace asks Ted what he did, a stunned Ted says that it just happened. Jace points out that there was blood on the back of the chair like Ted shot the teenager from behind, and Ted angrily says that he didn't want to be there. He says that he'll be a cop in prison. When the police arrive, the detective in charge asks what Jace saw. Jace claims that he saw the teenager attack Ted, and Ted stood his ground.
Caitlin tells Reed that she told Lauren to use her powers, and says that they're not holding Lauren back because there's too much at stake. Lauren insists that she can handle it.
Marcos meets with Lorna and she confirms that she doesn't know what Reeva's plan is. He says that the Morlocks told them about a high-security container in a railyard but doesn't think that it means anything. As Marcos goes to investigate it, Lorna says that it's her fault that they're in the situation and she treated him terribly. Marcos tells her that he's been angry for so long ab out losing his family, and wonders why he can't give up. He says that he just wants Lorna to be safe, and Lorna tells him that all she ever wanted was the three of them together. Lorna insists that she stayed away to keep him safe, and they kiss and undress, an aurora from their powers surrounding them.
Later, Jace watches The Ryan Hour where Benedict talks about how two of the Purifiers--Jace and Ted--killed an animal hiding in a youth shelter. He turns off the TV and gets a call from Paula. She says that she had to call after watching The Ryan Hour, and says that their daughter would be proud of him, and maybe they could see each other. Jace tells Paula that he loves her and hangs up.
Clarice brings John some food, and says that it's hard for him to be close to someone after losing other people that he loved. She says that she doesn't want to lose him and is scared. Evangeline calls John and says that she's gathering the regional leaders of the Underground for a meeting, and tells him to gather his people and be ready because they can't let the Underground collapse. Once she hangs up, John tells Clarice what Evangeline said.
Lauren opens the music box and finds a hidden compartment. Inside is a letter that Andreas wrote along with locks of his hair and Andrea's, intertwined to make one. In the letter Andreas says that it's up to the reader to carry on the fight. Lauren looks at the hair, and then goes to Art's apartment. She says that the police stopped by and only came to their apartment, and advances on him, slamming the door behind her. Lauren tells him that there are mutants like her, and if he ever comes after her family again then she'll use her powers on him. She demonstrates by slicing a table in half, and says that he's never safe.
At the railyard, Lorna and Marcos wait. Marcos figures that Reeva is doing something there that she doesn't want anyone else to know. Two cars pull up, and Reeva and Benedict get out and argue with each other. Lorna recognizes Benedict, and she and Marcos watch as Reeva and Benedict exchange envelopes. They drive off and Lorna admits that she doesn't know why they met.
Written by Gadfly on Jan 9, 2019