Eph takes Zach to a hideout, making sure that he doesn't know where he is. He brings Zach some food and explains that the others don't trust him. Zach asks Eph trusts him, and Eph points out that Zach was with the Master for nine months. He asks for the whole story after Zach left Stoneheart, and Zach pleads fatigue and asks to talk about it later. Eph agrees after a moment and leaves, locking the door behind him.
Outside, Quinlan asks Eph what he said. Eph tells him that he'll talk to Zach when he gets some sleep, and Quinlan warns that it's an unlikely coincidence. Quinlan asks Eph if his feelings for Zach will compromise their mission, pointing out that Eph's attachment has done clouded his judgment before. He suggests that Zach may have been sent to feed them lies, and Eph tells him that he intends to find out.
Dutch removes Desai's hood, and Vasiliy asks him to help him understand how he could sit in his office while buses of people were drained on his assembly line. Desai says that Eichhorst set it up, and it bothered him. That's why he stayed focused on saving as many human beings as he could. Desai insists that he tried to prove to the strigoi that most humans believed in the Partnership, giving millions meaningful lives. He dismisses the thousands as he price for a better world, and points out what the world was like before the Partnership.
Desai insists that they were living in a dysfunctional society because no one would face that there were too many people. At least the people who died sacrificed for the greater good, and Desai asks how many people they killed and will kill millions more when they detonate the nuke. Desai refuses to say that all of his compromises were ideal, but he sacrificed the life of Sophie's baby to save her life. Furious, Dutch beats him until Vasiliy pulls her away.
At the Federal Reserve Bank, Roman is in the guard booth watching TV and hears someone come in. He goes to investigate and finds Marcus. Gus comes up behind Roman and says that Vasiliy sent him, and says that they're there to help Roman keep the nuke safe. Roman lowers the gun and Gus lowers his and explains that they captured Desai. The rest of Gus' gang comes in and Gus shows Roman the tools they brought. He shows them the nuke and says that they could take out half of Manhattan.
Vasiliy gives Dutch alcohol and she says that Desai has convinced himself he's some kind of hero. Her friend points out that Desai can't face the truth, and Dutch wonders if they're any better. She asks if they're doing the right thing, and Vasiliy wonders her if they let the Master win and Desai go free. He tells her that it's the best hope that they have, and Dutch wishes that Abraham was there. Vasiliy wishes the same thing and takes her hand.
Eph visits Zach and asks what Zach has been doing since he last saw him at Stoneheart. Zach claims that he ran out of the building and met Eichhorst, who was looking for the Master. Eichhorst took Zach to the Master, and Zach explains that the Master was always working on him saying that he was trying to help the human race. Zach says that he pretended to play along and describes the things that the Master made him do. The boy figures that the Master was trying to turn him against Eph, and Eph insists that Kelly was a parasite. Eph asks Zach if he believed the Master's story that Eph just used Kelly turning as an excuse to kill her, and Zach says that he saw the look on Eph's face and knew that the Master was lying. He admits that the Master let him go so that Eph would find him, and then he'd find out where the nuke was and go back and tell the Master.
Vasiliy shows Desai videos of the farms in Pennsylvania, and explains that the Master intends to put humanity in them. Desai insists that they're nothing like that, and points out that creating such camps would cause disease and contaminate the blood supply. He figures that it's fake, and they're spreading chaos to grab power. Quinlan comes in and Dutch hands him a knife. Dutch warns that if they kill him they have nothing to bargain with, and Quinlan cuts him free and drags him to a room where his wife Selah is locked up. Dutch says that she's just as guilty as Desai is, and Quinlan tells Desai that he'll kill her unless Desai tells them where the Master is. Desai insists that the Master will come after them if he tells, but finally says that the Master is in the Empire State Building. Vasiliy tells him to draw the layout.
Eph takes Zach to Vasiliy, Dutch, and Quinlan. Vasiliy asks him where the Master's nest is, and Zach confirms that it's at the ESB. The exterminator has him describe what he saw there, and
Roman finds Gus and Marcus going through the vault, and asks where Quinlan found them. Gus points out that they're only taking silver against the strigoi, and explains that Abraham taught him that the most valuable thing in the fight is silver. He asks Roman if he's going to help them or not, and Roman joins in.
Once Zach finishes the drawing, Dutch points out that his drawing and Desai's are the same. Quinlan figure that a good spy would tell the truth to gain their trust, and Zach tells them to lock him up if they don't believe him. Eph takes him back to his cell. When he comes back, Eph wonders if they think he's telling the truth. Dutch doesn't know, and Vasiliy tells Eph that he wants it to work for Zach and Eph. Eph figures Zach knows that and might be using it against them.
Gus and his gang load rockets into van with the nuke, and Roman assures him that the rockets won't set off the nuke. He says that if they kill the Master then the gold downstairs will come in handy. He explains that he has to promise him something good or he'll stop moving, and asks if Gus makes any plans for the future. Gus says that he wants to see Aanya, a girl he met when he helped her family. He figures that he's going to die by the end of the whole thing, and Roman jokingly asks for her address so he can "console" her. Gus sys that's what he's going to do.
Eph takes Zach outside on the balcony and offers him a can of ginger ale. They look out at the quiet city and wishes that they could see stars. Zach apologizes for setting it off, and wishes that he could take it back. Eph hugs him and says that neither one of them can take back their mistakes. Zach wonders what they do, and Eph tells him that they somehow move on. As he opens the can, Zach cuts his thumb. Eph takes him inside to clean it up, unaware of a drop of blood on the balcony.
When Eph takes Zach to his room, he asks Zach if he's ever cut his thumb opening a can of soda. He figures that Zach did it on purpose to mark their location with the scent of his blood. Zach continues to pleading his innocence, until Eph yells at him to tell him the truth. The boy says that Kelly is not a parasite and she's still alive inside the Master. Zach tells Eph that he was right and the feelers can track the scent of blood for miles. He then explains that the Master told him he could decide what to do with him. If Eph tells him where the nuke is, he'll let him live. Eph shoves him to his knees and aims a gun at his head, but then backs away, whimpering. Zach stands up and asks where the nuke is. Eph tells him goodbye and walks out, saying that Zach made his choice.
Vasiliy and Dutch are trying to work out a way to get to the ESB. Eph comes in and explains that Zach is a traitor, and they have to leave immediately for the Federal Reserve. When they get there, they tell Roman and Gus what happened. They figure that the Master has moved somewhere else and set a trap for them at the ESB. Quinlan says that it's not an opportunity they can afford to lose, and Roman shows them a remote trigger. He warns that the user will be in the blast zone, and Quinlan says that it doesn't matter because he doesn't intend to survive. Quinlan says that if the Master comes for them, he'll contact them by radio and then they drive the nuke there and escape, and he'll trigger it. Roman sets the nuke for 15 kilotons to just take out the ESB,
The team drives near the ESB. There's no sign of any strigoi, and Eph figures something is wrong. They reach the ESB and Quinlan tells them to wait for his call. Vasiliy, wishes him good hunting, and they shake hands. Quinlan wishes them all good luck, and
Desai and Selah wait in their room, and Desai apologizes for failing to protect her. He insists that he did it for her, and Selah says that she did it for himself. She knows that he banged his assistants, and Desai claims that he's never been unfaithful to her. They hear a crash outside.
The Master rips the door off of Zach's door and asks where the nuke is. Zach admits that they didn't tell him, and the Master demands to know where they are. The Master then goes to Desai's room and Desai says that they tried to use Selah against him. Zach comes in and says that Desai told them that the Master is at the ESB, and Desai claims that Selah told them. The Master breaks her neck, and Desai says that he tried to control her. Unimpressed, the Master slams Desai against the wall and shatters his skull, and then tells Zach that he has no tolerance for the week.
Quinlan walks to the ESB and triggers the remote. Vasiliy radios him, and Quinlan says that no one is apparently there. He calls the elevator and goes to the top floor. Abby steps out and says that the Master isn't there. The Master speaks through her, telling Quinlan to tell them how Quinlan has failed yet again. Quinlan tells the others that the Master isn't in the building, and the Master tells Quinlan that he has wasted his life with humans when he could have taken his place next to him. Strigoi move in, surrounding Quinlan, Quinlan dismisses them as vermin and says that until the Master confronts him, he'll never have the security that he craves. The Master tells him that he'll have his confrontation at a time and place of his choosing.
Quinlan decapitates Abby and tells the others to leave and get the bomb to safety. The strigoi move in on Quinlan.
Dozens of strigoi advance on the team in the street, and they prepare to open fire.
Written by Gadfly on Sep 11, 2017