Claire is at her mom's apartment reading a letter from Luke Cage when Danny calls. A man holding a knife takes the phone.
Danny gets Claire's voice mail and tells her to leave her mom's apartment because Gao may be sending people to hurt her.
Claire comes back from the shower and discovers that her phone is gone. As she hears a noise from the front door and goes over, someone grabs her from behind.
Danny arrives at Harold's penthouse but sees no one. There's a blood trail on the floor, and as someone comes up in the elevator Danny hides.
Colleen motions Claire to be silent and points to shadows moving beneath the door. She barricades it with a chair and they head out the back as the attackers try the door.
Dany grabs the arrival and discovers that it's Ward. He says that he thought Ward one was one of the Hand, and Ward asks where Harold is. Danny tells him that something has happened to Harold, and he thought Gao would back down after he attacked the Hand lab. He says that he's not going to let Gao hurt anyone else, and Ward tells him to stay away from him and Joy.
Later, Danny meets with Claire and Colleen and explains that he's going to a factory in Anzhou, and his father must have suspected something was going on there. He figures that Gao punished Wendell when he tried to fight her, and he'll make Gao talk. Claire points out that it could be a trap, but Danny figures that he has to go even if there's just a small chance he'll find out the truth. Colleen insists on going with Danny, and Claire says that it's her fight as well and she's going after them. Giving in, Danny says that he's going to take Gao by surprise and grab her, but doesn't know what he'll do after that.
At Rand, Lawrence meets with Ward and Joy. He offers them their mementoes once they sign their termination agreements, and offers them the same severance pay that they offered Danny. Lawrence points out that they have no one to blame but each other, and bringing Danny in was a toxic decision. Ward notices blood on his shirt cuff and watches it spread. Joy looks over and sees nothing, and tells Ward to focus. Lawrence tells them that they have to sign or no deal, and Ward immediately agrees to sign.
Joy asks for a few minutes alone. Once Lawrence leaves, she wonders why Ward is so eager to sign after he fought to keep Danny from returning. He suggests that if their father hadn't tied their inheritances to the company than Joy might be a horse breeder, Ward figures that it's the chance to live their own lives, and Joy agrees in part but refuses to walk away without a fight. Her brother agrees as long as she considers the settlement, and Joy says that she will. As they shake, Ward stares at the blood on his cuff that he's hallucinating.
As they fly to China in a Rand jet, the plane hits some turbulence and Danny clutches at the armrests. Claire comes over and asks what's going on between him and Colleen. He refuses to discuss it, and asks Claire if she has a boyfriend. She says that she does but he's presently unavailable, and asks Danny if he'll kill Gao if he finds her. Danny says that he won't, but it would be his sacred duty if he did. Claire warns that killing is wrong no matter what reason, and Colleen asks if she'd feel the same way if someone killed her parents.
The planet hits more turbulence and Claire assures him that it's normal. He says that his mother told him the same thing before she was sucked out of their plane. Claire gets Danny to talk about what he's feeling, and he describes what happened. When he describes the monks, Danny says that he felt save and Claire tells him to focus on that feeling. The turbulence dies down and Danny relaxes.
Ward comes to Lawrence's office and explains that he and Joy are at an impasse. He asks that their severance be independent of Joy's, and will sign for only $30 million and pay Lawrence half a million for his personal convenience. Lawrence says that Harold would be ashamed to see his family fall apart, and Ward tells him that he doesn't know anything about Harold. After a moment, Lawrence tells Ward that Joy already rejected the offer, and Ward says that she doesn't speak for him. He asks Lawrence to grant him his request as a favor, and Lawrence says that it's too late. He tells Ward that it's a shame that the two of them are now working against each other
When they arrive in Anzhou, the trio gets a rental car. While Claire sleeps in the car, Danny and Colleen drive to the factory and watch the guards. Colleen talks about how she watched her mother die and her father sent her to live with her grandfather in Japan. She explains that she felt abandoned, and Danny understands. As they kiss, Colleen wakes up and Danny tells her that a few guards have gone by and some workers were herded in. Danny is done waiting and plans to grab a guard, but Colleen asks for his wallet.
Colleen goes over to a beggar and gives him some money. She says that she needs information about Gao and the factory, and the beggar says that he'd be a fool to help her. Colleen insists that she can stop her, and the beggar agrees to talk.
Ward finds Joy and is furious that she went behind his back. Joy says that she knows how to get their jobs back, and Ward realizes that she intends to use Danny. He warns her that she can't keep Danny in line, and Joy shows him surveillance of the various board members in compromising position. Joy explains that she hired a private investigator a while ago to dig. Ward is surprised that she hasn't considered it before, and Joy says that Ward is the one who painted them into a corner. She's know for a while that he's been taking extra pills, and points out that it's been a long time since they talked about anything other than work. Ward says that he put up a wall to protect her, and refuses to say why. Joy tells him that he's the person she most admires, and she hired the PI because she thought it was something Ward would do. Ward tells her that he's not the person she thinks that he is, but he's done with lies and Joy deserves to know everything.
Colleen goes back to the others and tells them that Gao is keeping the workers enslaved. Danny figures that when the guards leave for the evening meal, they'll sneak in and burn the factory to the ground. The guards take the workers out and Claire hangs back to stand lookout while Danny and Colleen go inside. They take out one of the remaining guards and go inside, and spot the packets of heroin. They have the dragon tattoo on them, and Danny explains that it's a sacred symbol from K'un-Lun and Gao is using it to send a message. As they prepare the fire, Colleen says that Gao is going to keep destroying people's lives. Danny tells her that if Gao had anything to do with his parents' deaths then he'll rip her apart, and it scares him because he's not in control. Colleen understands because she loses control at the fight club, and jokingly says that it's all Danny's fault.
Claire spots Gao and her guards arriving and honks the horn to warn Danny and Colleen. They hide just as Gao and her guards arrive, and they realize the horn is a warning. Gao figures that Danny and the others are there. Meanwhile, a guard runs out to the car. Claire locks the door and drives off.
Danny tells Colleen to find Claire while he goes after Gao. When Colleen objects, Danny tells her that he'll be okay, kisses her, and goes. He follows Gao to where she's with a man, Zhou Cheng, who is dozing while guarding a doorway. Half drunk, Zhou lets them in and sits back down.
A guard spots Colleen and charges at her, drawing her sword. The two women fight and the guard disarms Colleen. Claire drives in through the gate and Colleen recovers her sword and then knocks out her opponent. She tells Claire that Danny went after Gao alone.
Danny approaches Zhou and wakes him up. He says that he needs to get into the building and Zhou is in his way. Danny offers Zhou money to move, but Zhou refuses and warns him against trying to move him. He explains that he's a sworn defender of the Hand and his master insists on him drinking. Zhou staggers to his feet, takes a drink, and says that they should get on with fighting. He fights and drinks, the two of them sparring back and forth. Zhou continues taunting Danny, who finally knocks him back into the wall. He says that he's remained true to his vow, and Danny is there to punish rather than protect. Zhou renews his attack and Danny knocks him back through the door. He beats Zhou until Colleen and Claire arrive, and Claire tells Danny to stop. Claire confirms that Zhou is still alive.
Ward takes Joy to the penthouse but he hallucinates blood pouring out of the elevator doors and says that he can't be there. He runs off and Joy goes after him. They take the elevator down and Ward sees blood pour from the buttons. When they reach the lobby, Joy refuses to go until Ward explains. He claims that he was going to ask her for money but she's making him feel like an asshole with all of her hero worship. Ward drags her out and tells her to stop begging for his approval, and walks off.
Danny tells Claire that he's losing control. Gao and her guards come out and she offers to teach him how to control his anger. Danny accuses her of killing his father when he found about the factory, and Gao tells him to submit and his friends will be granted a merciful death. Danny promises to die first, and Gao says that she can't let him do that quite yet.
Gao tells her guards to kill Claire and Colleen, and they charge forward. One guard accidentally stabs the others with his blade, and the guard goes into convulsions. They realize that the weapons are poisoned, and Danny recognizes the symptoms from the dead pilots on the plane. Furious, Danny summons the Iron Fist as he realizes that Gao killed his parents. He throws a punch... and shatters the door just behind Gao's head. He grabs her and leads her away, and Colleen and Claire follow.
Written by Gadfly on Apr 10, 2017