The strigoi advance on the team in the street. They figure it's not the time to make a final stand, and Gus tells them to take off and he'll handle it. The others reluctantly leave, and Gus and his gang open fire on the strigoi. Despite their heavy losses, the strigoi manage to get close enough to sting Oscar before they fall. As the other strigoi regroup, Oscar takes a grenade from Gus, says that he'll take care of them, and runs over to the remaining strigoi. As they sting him, he sets off the grenade, destroying them. More strigoi move in, and Gus and the two remaining gang members leave.
In the Empire State Building, Quinlan decapitates Abby. He turns to face the other strigoi and opens fire, and the Master speaks through another strigoi. Quinlan tells him to have the courage to face him directly, not through a proxy, and guns down the strigoi.
The Master is looking out the window when Zach comes over and asks if he got them. Furious, the Master says that they escaped with the nuke that Zach failed to locate. He asks if Zach sees his father for what he is, and cares only for himself. The Master says that if Zach had touched Eph's heart then Eph might have come to the ESB himself. He tells Zach to come with him and walks off. He shows Zach the thousands of strigoi gathered outside and says that they will go block by block and empty the city until they find Eph and the nuke.
The team drives to a construction site and make sure the place is clear of strigoi. Quinlan is waiting there, and says that the Master was never there. He assures them that the Master is still in NYC, and Vasiliy and Eph unload the nuke. They descend into the earth, and Vasiliy explains that the elevator is the sub-surface level to NYC Water Tunnel #3. It was going to be the main tunnel for water into NYC, and it was almost finished when the strigoi showed up. The elevator stops and Vasiliy explains that they're 800 feet down. He figures that they can store the nuke there until they figure out what to do next.
Gus, Roman, and Marcus hide in an apartment, and Gus refuses to abandon the van with the silver. The TV signal cuts off, and Marcus sits in the shadows and says that he just needs some fresh air. Gus realizes that something is wrong and checks him, and realizes that he's been stung. Marcus says that he kept thinking about the gold, and asks Gus to kill him quickly. Gus shoots him in the head, muffling the shot with a pillow, and then starts cursing. He tells Roman that they're leaving.
Eph figures that Zach doesn't know about the tunnel, and Dutch tells him that none of them would have handled the situation any differently. He repeats what Zach said about trying to save his life, and Dutch tells him that he was just trying to manipulate Eph. Eph admits that Zach is already corrupted.
Vasiliy finds Quinlan staring at the tunnel. Quinlan says that he was thinking about the Ancient and their underground chamber, and when the Master's nuke went off it destroyed the Ancients without destroying the city. He tells Vasiliy that the time for half measures is over, and he can see the end... and victory. However, it will mean that they both die. Quinlan knows that it is much to ask of Vasily, and Vasiliy says that if Quinlan can destroy the Master and save NYC then he's in.
Vasiliy and Quinlan go back to Dutch and Eph, and tell them that they're going to bring the Master to the nuke. Once they lure the Master in, Quinlan will force him into the elevator and bring him down. the bedrock will keep the surface safe. Dutch points out that the detonator won't transmit through 800 feet of rock, and Vasiliy tells them that he'll detonate the nuke while Quinlan keeps the Master there.
Once they're alone, Dutch asks Vasiliy why he's doing it. Vasiliy says that he's just doing what Abraham would have done, and Quinlan can't detonate the nuke and keep the Master there at the same time. he tells Dutch that he's tired of fighting and losing, and figures that the collective "we" will win even if he dies. Dutch tells him that she thought they had a chance, and Vasiliy points out that her timing could have been better. She says that it's not too late, and Vasiliy kisses her. Dutch realizes that he's really doing it, and Vasiliy admits that he wishes he had used his time more wisely. He tells Dutch that she'll have a beautiful life with someone, and he's doing it.
Gus and Roman drive through the streets, and more strigoi cut off their path. The two men try to find a way out, driving through the strigoi and running over any that get in their way.
Eph and Dutch go outside, and Dutch asks him how they're going to talk Vasiliy out of it. he realizes that she had no luck, and figures that she's desperate if she wants him to try. When Eph agrees to try, Dutch hugs him.
Zach looks out at the city and the Master tells him that in a few hours there won't be anyone left in Manhattan. The boy wonders what will happen to the city, and the Master tells him that they'll find a new place from which to rule. Every creature on the face of the planet will live to serve them.
Vasiliy finds Dutch waiting for him and asks if she's still mad at him. She admits that she is, and asks how it's going to work. She figures that he's going to explode the elevator cable, dropping the master down the shaft to where the Master is trapped. Vasily continues, explaining that he'll follow them down in the other elevator with the nuke and blow the cable when he gets down. Dutch is clearly unimpressed, and Vasiliy tells her that it's hard but it's also easy. He asks her to commit to him and Quinlan.
Before Dutch can respond, Gus and Roman arrive. They explain that thousands of strigoi are purging the city and are thirty blocks away.
Eleven Months Ago
Eph goes to Abraham's apartment where Abraham and Vasiliy are eating. Abraham warns that the toll is physical as well as mental, and Eph warns that he doesn't see how they're going to end the plague. The old man says that with the help of Eph and Nora, he thinks that they can prevail. However, r, he warns that in the end the fight may cost him everything. Eph points out that he's already lost everything, but Abraham tells him that it's just the beginning.
Now
Vasiliy tells Eph that Abraham had a way of inspiring people. and promises that the Master will hear Abraham's name before he's vaporized. As they look for strigoi, Eph tells Vasiliy that Dutch wanted him to talk Vasiliy out of sacrificing himself. Vasiliy says that they both had their chances, and asks Eph to keep an eye on her. Eph agrees, and Vasiliy advises him to give Zach another chance. A strigoi arrives on a nearby rooftop, and Vasiliy and Eph spot him and walk inside.
The Master tells Zach that Eph has been spotted and once they follow him back, he'll disarm the nuke. He insists on going, saying that his victory won't be complete until he destroys Quinlan. Zach grabs a rifle and says that he wants to go with him, and the Master smiles.
Quinlan tells Gus and Roman to engage the strigoi without killing them so that they enter the tunnel. Eph offers Quinlan his hand, and the half-breed shakes it. Vasiliy and Dutch share one last hug, and strigoi enter the site. Eph, Gus, and Roman open fire on them and more strigoi swarm the site.
Outside, the Master tells Zach that he sees Eph but not Quinlan. Eph and the others retreat, and the Master tells Zach that he will take him to Eph for a final goodbye.
Gus tosses a grenade back, blowing up dozens of strigoi. Eph sees the Master and Zach, and the Master puts one arm around the boy's shoulders. Gus has Eph retreat with them as the strigoi come in. Vasiliy realizes that he only has one grenade left and tosses it, killing more strigoi. The team opens fire and the Master emits his wailing noise. As the team writhes in pain, Quinlan grabs the Master and slams him into the elevator, knocking Zach in with them. Vasiliy blows the cable, sending the elevator down the shaft. As Vasiliy and Dutch look at each other, Eph gets into the other elevator with the nuke, tells closes the door, tells them to gout, and blows the cable.
Gus warns Vasiliy and Dutch that there's more coming and it's not over.
The main elevator hits bottom and Zach grabs his rifle and goes to where he can hear Quinlan and the Master fighting.
Vasiliy and the others continue taking down strigoi.
The Master gets the upper hand against Quinlan, beating him savagely. He then picks Quinlan up and says that he will leave the world. Quinlan manages to rip out the Master's stinger but then collapses from the effort. When the Master comes over, Quinlan says that he's won. The Master crushes him with his foot.
Eph wakes up in the other elevator and staggers out. He sees the Master and Zach down the tunnel in one direction, and the nuke in the other.
The Master tells Zach that nothing stands in their way and sees Eph going to the nuke. Zach fires a warning shot, and Eph turns to face him. The Master tells Zach to kill his father and be free, but Zach lowers the gun and says that he can't. He tells the wounded Master that Eph is still his father and shoots the strigoi. The Master grabs Zach and says that he failed him, and Eph tackles him before he can slam the worms into his mouth. The two men struggle and the Master vomits the worms into Eph's mouth.
The strigoi stop advancing, and the team realizes that either the Master is dead or taking a new host. They fight their way out while they can.
Zach goes to his father and says that he's sorry. Eph staggers up and Zach helps him to the nuke. He tells Zach that they won because of him, and warns that the Master is taking him. Eph goes to the remote and tells Zach that he wishes that he could spare him, and arms the detonator. The Master looks up using Eph's body, and tells ach that they can rule the world as father and son. Zach asks if his father is still in there, and then goes over to hug him. He says that if Eph is still in there, he loves him... and hits the detonator switch.
The blast wave sweeps through the tunnels, vaporizing everything in its path. Outside, Vasiliy realizes that Eph did it.
Without the Master's central intelligence, the humans soon kill the millions of strigoi. Five years later, the environment heals and the interim government keeps a few strigoi alive in a containment facility. roman goes back to the Federal Reserve to get the gold, and becomes one of NYC's biggest property developers. Gus sets off into the countryside to help the refugees return to their homes… and find Aanya. Dutch works with ex-hackers to get the Internet back.
Vasiliy walks down the street and realizes that the rats have returned. He and Dutch meet by the river and hug, and she agrees to let him walk with her for a while. Together they go off into the world that was saved by love.
Written by Gadfly on Sep 18, 2017