Four Years Ago
Benedict Ryan finishes a radio broadcast for his talk show. Reeva meets with him and says that she has a partnership for him. She knows that he's run businesses into the ground and conducted a failed Congressional run. Reeva says that Benedict is a two-part opportunist who has been trying to ride the anti-mutant hatred for years. She wants someone with his ambition and offers to make him the most important man on America. Benedict wonders how she would do that, and Reeva says that she's a mutant. When he refuses, Reeva says that he's a salesman and she has something for him to sell.
The Present
Benedict meets with Reeva at the Lincoln Memorial, and she says that she has a job for his Purifiers. Benedict warns that it's crazy, but Reeva says that it's necessary and has to happen. He tells her that the men on mission will probably die, and Reeva tells him to use Jace since he's ambitious.
The next day at the apartment, Lauren dreams of what she's been going through. As she sweats and writhes, Caitlin and Reed look after her and Reed says that he had no choice but to give their daughter the serum. Caitlin is furious that he's suppressing Lauren's powers, and Reed warns that they might have lost Lauren because the Inner Circle was pulling her toward them. Lauren starts muttering in German, and Reed tells Caitlin that Lauren found Andreas' letter hidden in the music box.
At the Inner Circle HQ, Esme tells Reeva that Lauren never arrived and something must have gone wrong. Reeva isn't interested in excuses, and the rest of the team comes in. She tells them that Max has gone missing, and Heather worries that someone took him. Lauren says that he's probably sleeping off a bender, and Reeva leaves.
John checks on Marcos, who is waiting for Lorna to call back. When the leader wonders why Clarice left, Marcos says that at least she's helping people.
At the Mutant underground, Clarice suggests to Erg that they bring more mutants down to the safety of the underground. Erg refuses, saying that it's a community, not a refugee camp. Clarice figures that they should get more resources and wonders what kind of community they are if they can't protect other mutants.
Benedict tells Jace that there are mutant separatists living in the sewers. All the talk-show host will say is that he got the information from a "well-placed source". When Benedict tells Jace to wipe out the Morlocks, Jace points out that they don't kill mutants. he admits that it's a lot to ask, and reminds Jace that he wanted to deal with the mutants when SS couldn't. Benedict assures Jace that once he's done, he'll be running SS.
Lorna goes to her bedroom and removes her burner phone from a secret compartment... and discovers that there's no signal. She goes to where Andy is talking to Sage. Sage says that Reeva isn't letting anyone leave or call out.
Ted and Jace tell the Purifiers the attack plan. Jace admits that he's dreading going up against the "monsters", but he's doing it for his daughter who died. One by one the other Purifiers volunteer and Jace thanks them for their service. As they get guns, Ted says that he wants to go with Jace and the others. Jace tells him that he doesn't trust him after what happened at the youth center, and Ted says that he wants to have Jace's back like he had his. After a moment, Jace gives him a gun and they move out.
When Lauren wakes up, Caitlin says that Reed told her about her dreams of Andy. She explains that Lauren was speaking German in her sleep, and suggests that they get rid of the letter and the music box. Lauren says that they make her feel stronger and she likes it, and she had to become stronger for Andy's sake like Caitlin said.
Caitlin goes to the kitchen and tells Reed that the dose is wearing off. Reed says that the music box and the letter affected him as well, and brought something out of him that he thought he had buried long ago. it's powerful and overwhelming, and that's why he gave Lauren the serum. Caitlin warns that the serum won't control the darkness in them, and explains that she pushed Lauren against SS. She admits that she's been pushing herself as well, and worries that giving her the medicine could damp her mutant powers permanently. However if they don't, they lose her forever.
Clarice goes into Erg's quarters and finds him changing his shirt. She apologizes for what she said earlier, saying that she's seen her fellow mutants wipe out. Erg wonders what happens if they compromise who they are, and says that he's willing to listen if there's another way. Mason comes in and says that someone is in the tunnels.
Erg mobilizes the mutants and one mutant--Membrain--identifies where the Purifiers are and that Jace is with them. Iris creates false walls to turn them away, and Clarice warns that Jace is the one who tortured John. Mason takes a team to close off the tunnels and flood them, and Clarice says that she'll do what they can.
In the tunnels, the Purifiers realize that someone is creating illusory walls. He finds one and leads the Purifiers through it.
Clarice calls Marcos and says that they need help against the Purifiers. She warns that there are Morlocks that can't fight, and Marcos says that they'll get there as soon as they can. Marcos tells John that the Morlocks need their help.
Reeva tells the others that Max are dead, but don't know if it was murder. When they start arguing, Reeva tells them that they're too close to fight among themselves and leaves with Esme. In the elevator, Esme says that the cashier didn't see anything, but Reeva tells her and her sisters to try harder, find out who was responsible, and bring them to her.
John and Marcos call Reed, who tells Caitlin. Lauren insists on going with them, and Reed warns that without another dose the Inner Circle will pull her back to them. His daughter says that she can't rely on the serum as a crutch and needs to face it head on, and her parents agree.
The Purifiers move in on the Morlocks and hear something screeching in the darkness. Jace figures that the Morlocks are trying to scare them off, and a mutant yanks one of the Purifiers up to the ceiling with a mist tentacle. The purifiers open fire, but the Morlocks pick off another Purifier.
Clarice continues supervising the evacuation.
John and the others arrive at an alleyway, and Clarice opens a portal. The Morlocks get into the Underground vehicles, and John Clarice. He tells Marcos that it will be okay and goes over to Clarice, and suggests that someday when it's over they could talk. He promises that he will always come when she calls and Clarice goes back to get the other Morlocks.
The Purifiers find their dead comrades in the next tunnel. Ted wants to use Halothane-X gas, and suggests that they retreat. Jace refuses, saying that he's not going to tell the dead men's families that they ran. After a moment, Jace says that they need to decide together and puts it to a vote.
Lorna asks Reeva how long the shutdown is going to ask. She wonders how they're supposed to fight a war for Reeva is she doesn't trust them. The Frosts arrive and Reeva dismisses Lorna. Once she leaves, the sisters say that they check the computer security log and found the spy.
Later, Reeva tells Sage that they asked for her loyalty but she betrayed them. The leader says that Sage accessed the security footage two hours before Max was killed. Reeva notes that the technical aspects of Sage's brain made it impossible for the Frosts to scan Sage, and Reeva vouched for her. Sage asks how she can prove herself, and Reeva admits that she can't. She then uses her powers to kill Sage.
Lorna is in her room when there's a knock at her door. She prepares to defend herself, and Andy calls to let him in. When Lorna lets him in, Andy says that Sage was the spy. Lorna remembers that she used Sage's password, and Andy confirms that Sage is dead.
The Struckers drive to the evac point, and Reed says that he realized that Lauren is right and is also going to stop taking the serum. He figures that fighting his X-Gene has cost him so much, and now he's realized that it's part of who he is for better or for worse. Caitlin warns that if he stops taking the serum he could die, and Reed says that it will run out eventually. He says that it's time for him to work out why he was given his powers. Caitlin accepts her husband's decision.
Membrain determines that the Purifiers are retreating. Clarice figures that something is going on, and Erg radios Mason to hit the Purifiers hard. Mason leads his team down the tunnels and finds the corpses of the two Purifiers. One body is rigged with a Halothane-X grenade, and the gas knocks out Mason's team. He manages to get clear, and the Purifiers kill the other mutants. Mason tries to get to the pumps and apologizes to Erg, and the Purifiers kill him. Clarice tells Erg that they have to evacuate and keep the Morlocks alive, and after a moment he tells his people to barricade the entrance and hold off the Purifiers as long as they can.
The Struckers meet John and Marcos, and Clarice arrives with more Morlocks. The police are on their way, and Clarice says that she has to go back and get the rest. He points out that she was the one who said that dying for a noble cause was wrong. Clarice admits that she was wrong and teleports back.
In the Morlock city, the mutants seal the entrance with acetylene torches. Erg has everyone take up positions, and Erg tells Clarice to get the others out while he buys her time. The Purifiers blast their way in, and Clarice loses concentration and drops her portal. The two sides exchange fire, Erg absorbing the bullets and firing the energy back at one Purifier. Jace confirms that the man is dead, and orders everyone down as Erg fires more energy at them.
Clarice reopens the portal and sends the mortals through, and the Underground members get them to safety. John refuses to leave without Clarice, and the others drive off as the police arrive. The police cars surround the Strucker SUV, and Lauren can't reach her powers. Caitlin realizes that the police aren't going to negotiate and says that she isn't either, then draws her gun and opens fire. The officers take cover and Clarice drives through their cars. The police chase after the SUV.
Jace tells the Purifiers to avoid Erg and shoot the others. They gun down the other Morlocks as Erg screams in defiance. Clarice comes back and yells to Erg to go. He tells her to leave and he'll follow, and they spot a young girl. Erg runs over and brings her to Clarice. Erg takes the girl out, and the Purifiers shoot Clarice before she can follow them. John is at the other end of the portal, and sees Clarice go down before the portal closes.
Jace picks up the girls' discarded teddy bear and stares at it in shock.
Erg holds the girl and looks at John, who touches the puddle of Clarice's blood on the ground.
Written by Gadfly on Feb 13, 2019