Sam and Billy Koenig are goofing around in an arcade, and two Russians come looking for them. They have instructions to take a Koenig alive, and spot Billy at a machine. The other Russian spots Sam at the bar, and when he moves in Sam throws a drink in his face and calls Billy on his wrist radio. Billy runs out and Terrence hits him with a cattle prod, knocking him out. His men run out, they load Billy into their truck, and drive off just as Sam runs out, too late to stop them. He calls Coulson and tells him that they have his brother.
En route by Quinjet, Coulson tells the team that he gave the Darkhold to Billy since he knows how to make things disappear. He figures that Holden is responsible and has joined forces with Nadeer to use her resources to find Billy. Agent Davis reports that they've picked up Sam and he'll be arriving shortly. Coulson says that Fitz is working on tracking down Holden.
In his lab, Fitz reactivates the Holden LMD. It realizes that Fitz has paralyzed it from the neck down, and refuses to say where the real Holden is. Mack and Jemma come in and threaten to destroy the LMD, and the LMD says that he doesn't know where Holden currently is. He explains that he's the victim and things aren't as they seem.
Terrence brings Billy to a tied-up Holden. Billy says that they're ready to die, but Holden isn't so sure. The Watchdog leader promises that the torture will come later, and he isn't able to watch. Once Terrence leaves, Billy complains about the pain and asks Holden to kill him. Holden introduces himself and says that he told them that Billy had the Darkhold and then they double-crossed him.
Sam boards the Quinjet and says that he traced the truck to the docks and then the trail disappeared.
On a submarine, Holden insists that what he saw in the Darkhold expanded his mind. He suggests that Billy tells them where the book is and let it drive them mad. A Russian comes in and sets out an onion, and then leaves. A man then comes in and says that he's the ship's captain, and demonstrates his knife skills on the onion. He then drinks some vodka with the onion to enhance the experience, and says that man is the superior machine. The Captain removes his coat and says that he is the superior man, picks up the knife, and says that he likes pain. He prepares to cut off Billy's ear... and Holden says that it's enough. He shrugs off the ropes and says that Nadeer promised that Billy wouldn't be permanently damaged. Holden suggests that they get inside of Billy's head.
In the S.H.I.E.L.D. lab, Jemma hooks up the LMD to the computers and says that if it doesn't cooperate then Fitz will force the LMD to tell them everything. Fitz discovers that there's an unknown piece of code, and the LMD starts convulsing and then starts speaking in different languages. Fitz stops and they figure that the LMD is possessed. The scientist demands to know who programmed the LMD, but it just bird-whistles.
Sam and Daisy review the footage from the video arcade. Meanwhile, Coulson tells Melinda that he has no idea where the Darkhold is, which is why he gave it to Sam. He says that he's lost too much ad he doesn't want to lose Melinda, which is why he didn't give it to her. Coulson and Melinda join Daisy and Sam, and Coulson tells Daisy to run facial recognition on the Russians.
Holden and the Captain strap a device to Billy's head and give him a sedative while they map his brain. The scientist tells the Captain that the secret to eliminating the Inhumans is in the Darkhold.
As Daisy works, Sam stares at her. He finally says that he's thrilled to be with Quake, and Daisy insists that they knew each other when she was Skye. Coulson comes in as Daisy gets a match for Leo babikov, ex-SVR and Special Ops. He was in the same SO division as the two men who tried to assassinate Jeffrey. They all have ties to Olshenko, the Russian Prime Minister who an Inhuman attacked. Sam figures that the Darkhold will show them how to wipe out the Inhumans, and admits that he knew Billy had the Darkhold. He says that the Book is secure.
The LMD says that it has trust issues, and Fitz points out that Holden betrayed him. The fake Holden says that Fitz was like a son to him, and tells him that Fitz has been programmed by betrayal and abandonment. Fitz tells Jemma that he can't break the coding, and the LMD says that's what Fitz's father used to say to him. It admits that Holden knew Fitz's father, and Fitz insists that it isn't possible. The LMD says that Holden and Fitz's father was classmates, but Jemma figures that it's playing mind games with Fitz. Undeterred, the LMD says that Holden and Fitz's father weren't friends but they went to work on the same train. As the LMD says that it saw Fitz's father a few months ago, Fitz shuts it down and walks out.
Aida oversees the cerebral mapping, and Holden asks the Captain why he dislikes the Inhumans so much. The Captain says that the Inhumans have great power but didn't earn it, and they're unnatural things. He promises that they will destroy the Inhumans and the thing that brought them. Aida announces that the procedure is complete, and a soldier takes Billy to the brig. Holden then hooks himself up to the device and sees Billy making a Darth Vader toy.
Sam tells the team that Billy can't tell Holden where the Darkhold is because he doesn't know: he gave it to Billy.
Holden sees Billy hand off the Darkhold to Sam. He tells the captain that they have the wrong man, and figures that the other Koenig was a replica.
Sam tells the team that he gave the Darkhold to Special Agent L.T. Koenig: the first one who got them all into S.H.I.E.L.D. Coulson figures that they have to pick L.T. up.
In the mess hall, Jemma tells Mack that Fitz needs some space. He asks about Fitz's father, and Jemma says that the father was not a good man. He walked out on his family when Fitz was 10, and Fitz doesn't want to find him.
Daisy and Davis go to the club that is L.T.'s last location, where while Coulson and Melinda wait outside in the truck. Coulson gets Melinda green tea and figures that they should be grateful that the two of them are still standing. They toast to that and Melinda suggests that they should try something else. Daisy interrupts to say that they should get into the club.
On the stage, a Koenig gets up on the stage and performs a routine ranting against the media and S.H.I.E.L.D. A woman grabs Davis and orders him outside. Daisy comes over as the woman draws a gun, and Coulson comes in and tells everyone to stand down. The Koenig complains that they're ruining his set, and Melinda finally shoots him with an icer. He then says that Sam sent them, and the woman explains that Koenig is Thurston and her brother, and she's L.T.
Back on the Quinjet, Thurston complains that they abducted him. L.T. says that he's a whiny bitch and Thurston points out that Eric died. Sam finally calls for a family hug, but L.T. punches him and says that he let his guard down. Coulson has agents take Thurston to secure quarters, and Daisy determines that the Russians work for a weapon manufacturing firm linked to Yeger Ivanov, a reclusive industrialist. He collects military antiques, including a submarine, and Coulson tells Daisy to track the sub. L.T. says that she gave the Darkhold to Billy to keep it moving. She figures that Billy put it in the Labyrinth: a top-secret S.H.I.E.L.D. vault. Only the Koenigs know the location, and they head there.
Holden gets the access codes to the Labyrinth from Billy's memories, and recites them to Aida. He tells them to turn the sub around, and the Captain says that he gives the orders. The Captain takes offense and Aida warns that his tone seems offensive. After a moment, the Captain draws a knife and says that he'll confirm the information from Billy. When Holden refuses, the Captain tells his men to get Aida and Holden out. Aida takes them down with her superior strength, and Holden tells the Captain that she's a machine rather than an Inhuman. Holden repeats his orders, phrasing it as a request.
Fitz is in his quarters looking at a photo of himself and his mother when Jemma comes in. He wonders if he's stuck in a loop of men betraying his trust, and Jemma points out that Fitz became open and loyal. That's why she fell in love with Fitz, and figures that it's more than just programming. Fitz gets an idea, kisses Jemma, and leaves.
In the lab, Mack activates the LMD and is unimpressed when the LMD says that destroying it will be murder. The LMD insists that it could have a soul just like Mack does, and asks why Mack switched him on before he destroyed it. Fitz comes in and tells Mack to stop, and explains that it knows a way around its programming. As Fitz goes to work, the LMD warns that Fitz could cause irreparable damage and never know what Fitz's father says. Fitz tells it that he doesn't care, and explains that he couldn't crack the code because it's gibberish. The LMD begs Fitz to stop, but Fitz removes the back of the LMD's skull to reveal a synthetic brain made of light.
When the Quinjet arrives at the Labyrinth, Sam and Coulson goes in. Melinda insists on going with them.
L.T. tells Daisy that she picked on her four brothers when they were all growing up.
Sam opens the first door and tells Coulson and Melinda to wait.
Fitz accesses the brain and admits that it's impossible. The LMD says that Aida created it using the Darkhold, and the information is stored in the brains. Jemma picks up on the plural, and she figures that Holden mapped another brain: Melinda's.
Coulson talks about how he always wanted to go on vacation in Ireland, and Melinda suggests that they should go together. She asks if Coulson meant it when he said he was ready for whatever comes next, and they kiss. L.T. runs in as Sam returns and says that three Russians have arrived. Melinda takes the book, and then draws a gun on Coulson and says that she can't give it to him. She insists that it's the right thing to do, and Coulson realizes that "Melinda" is an LMD. Melinda says that she didn't know she was an LMD until she touched the Darkhold, and insists that she is the real Melinda. Coulson tells her that the real Melinda would never betray him, and prepares to shoot. Daisy arrives and blasts Melinda back, and explains that Fitzsimmons warned her. When the LMD tries to get up, Daisy blasts it down. They hear gunshots, and Coulson grabs the Darkhold.
Terrence arrives with Billy and demands the Darkhold in return for Billy. Coulson slides the Darkhold over and Terrence releases Billy. When Terrence reaches for the Book, Daisy blasts it back to them and Coulson opens fire. One of the Russians hits Daisy with a cattle prod, and Coulson and the others take cover. L.T. and Sam knock out one of the Russians, while Billy grabs the Darkhold. He sees the LMD and assuming that it's Melinda, goes over to help her. She knocks him out and grabs the Darkhold. Holden comes in and takes the Darkhold, and says that it's exactly what it was supposed to do. The LMD begs Holden to take it with her, but Holden says that it wasn't built to last and leaves.
Later on the Quinjet, Coulson figures that they have the name of the man who kidnapped them. Daisy confirms that Sam and Billy were part of the original LMD program... as technicians, not LMDs. Thurston is glad to have his brother back, but still unhappy with S.H.I.E.L.D. Coulson says that they'll get them all home and thanks them for their services.
Fitz, Jemma, and Mack burn the Holden LMD to ashes. However, Fitz warns that they can't destroy the Melinda LMD until they find the real one. Daisy tells Coulson that they'll find Melinda.
Back on the sub, Holden shares a toast with The Superior--Ivanov, the Captain. The Superior explains that he's been after the thing that brought the Inhumans, and it is responsible for all the alien incursions on Earth. He shows Holden photos of the man who is always there: Coulson. The Superior wants Holden to help him get to Coulson, and Holden agrees.
Written by Gadfly on Feb 1, 2017