Alec approaches a campfire in the swamp, and Munson steps out and asks what happened to Alec's shoes. Surprised, Alec stares at his barefoot and concedes that he must have lost them, and Munson wonders how Alec ended up in the swamp. The scientist vaguely remembers what he was doing, and Munson reminds Alec that he killed him. He grabs Alec by the throat and screams at him...
... and Swamp Thing wakes up from his nightmare, looks at the dismembered corpse of Munson in front of him, and yells in anger. He walks away and a swarm of roaches crawl over the limbs, which twitch.
The next day, Abby goes out on Liz's porch, and Liz joins and asks why's so upset that she rescued Susie. Liz says that she thinks a man drew Susie into the swamp, and figures that there's a human body out there covered in swamp vegetation. She explains that Susie told her the person was Alec, and admits that she ran. Abby wonders if she should tell anyone else about it, and gets a text from the hospital.
At the hospital, Chowodury tells Abby that the new CDC team arrived that morning. It's Eli Troost, who says that the CDC wants a fresh approach. He's starting a new regiment of treatments and doesn't want to discuss it with Abby. Once he leaves, Chowodury tells Abby that biogeneticist Jason Woodrue is there as well examining Eddie's body, and is working for Avery.
Abby goes to the morgue and finds Jason cutting open Eddie's body. She asks if he and Jason are friends, but Jason focuses on the body and notes that Eddie's body was attacked by a plant-like parasite. Abby says that Eddie was a human being tortured to death by a disease. Jason finds her opinion amusing, and says that nature is brutal and emotion taints the scientific vision. He tells Abby that life is a zero-sum game and the plants are ahead.
On the streets of Marais, Liz approaches Gordon Haas. He tells her that she has nothing, and Liz says that she knows he's been making off-the-book loans to Avery. Gordon says nothing and Liz walks off.
Matt arrives at the station and Lucilia complains that she hasn't been able to reach him. He says that they found Robitelle's body and the murder weapon nearby, and his mother complains that he should have followed protocol and not gone off with Abby. Lucilia accuses him of letting his feelings for Abby's cloud his judgement, and Matt asks about the boat explosion. His mother dismisses it as an accident and says that if she talks to Avery and gets nothing, that's how she'll close the case. Matt points out that Abby found Susie and brought her back, and leaves.
Abby checks on Susie and asks Nurse Reed if the girl has been awake since she brought her back. Reed says that Harlan was looking after her, and Abby goes to meet with her associate in his office. He's infected with the same disease as the others, and passes out spitting up green goo. Abby calls in a team, and Eli arrives and takes charge. He tells Abby that he's got it and leaves with the crash cart team.
Later back at Liz's house, Abby tells her friend and Margaux what happened and says that she has to get into Alec's lab to find out what he discovered. Once she leaves by boat, Liz asks Margaux to keep an eye out for anything relating to Alec's boat.
Out in the woods, a hunter--Zane-- hears something roaring in the trees and goes to investigate. He finds an animal carcass, and Munson arrives and spews flies at Zane from his mouth. They enter Zane's body and he moans in pain.
At their rented home, Jason tells Caroline about Eddie's body and describes the cellular mutation. He figures there's something specific about the mutagenic property of the area, and admits that he knows coming to Marais wasn't her preference. Caroline asks if he's seen her pills, and Jason says that she already took them. He assures her that it's going to be okay, but Carolina says that she's slowly losing her mind and they both know it. Jason refuses to accept that her condition is uncurable because he refuses to accept life without her, and Caroline wonders what happens if she forgets him.
That night, Avery tells Maria that once Abby leaves, Maria will be back to her old self. Maria says that she's been faking it for the last 14 years. Gordon arrives and tells Avery that the bank has been asking questions about the money he's been loaning Avery off the books. He says that he's done, and Avery tells him to man up and fix things. Gordon tells him that he needs all the money back in 24 hours or he'll tell everyone, and leaves.
Abby goes to Alec's lab and looks through his research. As she finds his notebook, roaches crawl into the lab behind her.
Lucilia drives to the manor and questions Avery, asking if anyone would have wanted Alec dead. He says that he hardly knew Alec and says that he's never seen Lucilia's professional side up close. Avery tells her that Maria is sleeping in Shawna's room again, and Lucilia pours herself a drink. The businessman says that the town has been going darker in the last few months, and Lucilia tells him that people are scared. Avery points out that Lucilia looks good, and Lucilia tells him that she always looks good to him when Maria is cutting him off. He says that he misses her and they start to kiss. They hear Maria moving upstairs and Lucilia realizes that Avery's wife is there, and angrily leaves.
As Lucilia drives away, Maria watches her go from her bedroom window. She goes to the bathroom, and the reanimated Shawna appears behind her in the mirror and asks if she thinks Avery has been faithful to Maria all the years. Shawna wonders if Avery still loves Maria, and Maria tells her to stop talking. She covers her ears and Shawna disappears.
Abby finds a note with her name on in it in the notebook, and remembers being there with Alec. She sees the roaches on the floor and kills them, but realizes that there's more throughout the lab. The bugs swarm the building and Munson's reanimated body smashes in through a window. Munson demands to know where "he" is, and Abby lights a flare from a toolbox and drives Munson back.
Swamp Thing smashes up through the floor and tells Munson to leave Abby alone. Munson hits him but Swamp Thing shrugs off the blows, and Abby grabs a hatchet and drives it into Munson's back. He shrugs off the attack and hits Swamp Thing, who grabs his hand and easily stops the blow. Swamp Thing throws Munson across the lab, remembers Munson when he was human, touches his head, and says, "Release him". The force holding Munson's body together dissipates and his body instantly putrefies.
Swamp Thing tells Abby that she's safe, and Abby says that Susie said he was Alec. The creature gently brushes glass from Abby's hair, and Abby remembers Alec doing the same thing. He says "Maybe", and Abby tells him that he saw him after the explosion. She asks if Swamp Thing remembers what happened, and Swamp Thing mutters that he was swimming. Swamp Thing wonders what he is, and Abby tells him that he's a scientist who can help her bring back the man that she knew. Abby asks why the disease is fighting them, and Swamp Thing tells her that it's fighting back.
Abby goes back to the hospital and Chowodury tells her that all of the patients are going into convulsions. She remembers what Swamp Thing said about the disease fighting back, and administers an immune-suppressant to Harlan. Eli comes in and wonders what's going on, and Abby tells him that the antibiotics he administered are making things worse. The CDC supervisor calls for security, but Harlan's BP and temperature drop. Harlan wakes up and says that he's her biggest fan, and Abby tells Chowodury to give the same drug to every patient. Eli agrees as Abby leaves.
Later, Abby visits Susie and the girl says that she's feeling better. The doctor explains about the new treatment, and Susie figures that Abby saw Alec. Abby wonders how she can help Alec, and Susie tells her that Swamp Thing is scared because he doesn't understand what is happening to him and is all alone. The doctor assures Susie that they'll figure it out but for now the girl needs to get some rest. As Abby goes, Susie thanks her for helping them.
Maria finds Avery waiting for her in Shawna's bedroom. He apologizes for not understanding Maria's feelings, and says that he doesn't want to lose her or what they've been working for together for years. Avery tells her that Jason only needs one more batch of funding to pinpoint the makeup of the accelerated process, and Maria realizes that he needs her family's money. She refuses, glancing at a nearby mirror, and dismisses Avery's work as "nonsense", chasing his delusions of grandeur. Maria walks out as Avery yells that she's not cutting him off.
Abby goes to Delroy's and he greets her. Matt sits down at the bar with Abby and congratulates her about the breakthrough with the disease. He points out what she's accomplished with her life and says that they're no small things, and then invites her to dance to a song on the jukebox that was playing at prom night. Matt tells Abby that he's not leaving without a dance, and Abby joins him.
Outside in the swamp, Swamp Thing watches Abby and Matt through the window as they dance.
Abby glimpses out the window and gets a glimpse of Swamp Thing. She tells Matt that it's nothing, and he says that it's good to have her back.
Danny goes to his store with beer, and finds Xanadu waiting for him in the shadows. He sits down with her and says that it's been a long time, and she suggests that he's torturing himself. Danny says that he can't go home and asks for a reading. Xanadu notes that in the eight years he's been in Marais, his future hasn't changed. She asks him to focus on the answers he wants: when his mission will be complete and he can leave Marais. Xanadu reads the Tarot cards and the Wheel of Fortune comes up. This time it's reversed, and Xanadu says that something is beginning for him. Danny wonders if Abby is the person he's been waiting for.
At Skeeter Cove, Margaux is fishing and finds a bullet-ridden piece of wood from Alec's boat. She calls Liz and leaves a message that she found debris from the explosion.
Gordon returns home and hears someone in the house. He grabs a golf club and investigates, and Avery steps out of the shadows and says that Gordon disrespected him in his home. Avery hits Gordon in the face and demands to know who he thinks he is, insisting that he's on the verge of great things and Gordon should be thanking him for the chance to share in it. He tells Gordon to get the money for him and keep his mouth shut, and Gordon threatens to talk to the press about "the Conclave". Avery yanks the golf club away from Gordon, hits him in the head with it, and dumps him in the bathtub. When Gordon wakes up, he finds Avery standing over him, saying that he's cleaning up a mess. Avery beats Gordon to death with the golf club and then washes the blood off of the head.
Liz rings the doorbell and then pounds on the door, yelling to Gordon that she knows he's home. Avery watches Liz through the peephole, and she finally gives up and goes away. Avery stands in the darkness and considers.
Written by Gadfly on Jun 15, 2019