One Year Ago
The Struckers are bowling and Reed's mother Ellen is with them. Andy scores a strike and Lauren goes next. She takes down nine pins and uses her power to secretly knock down the last pin for a strike. In the neighboring lane, a girl's face is vibrating. When Lauren points it out, Caitlin says that it's none of her business. The girl's father objects when the others in the alley stare at his daughter. The girl releases a burst of energy, and Reed tells the father that he's a federal prosecutor and what the girl did is a serious crime. He says that they should walk away before the situation gets any worse, and the father goes with his daughter. Reed then tells Lauren that everything is all right, and she wonders why they had to leave.
Now
At the mutant HQ, John confirms that everyone is all right. He checks on Clarice and the Struckers say that they have to go back for Reed. John warns that it's suicide if they go back and they have to take care of Clarice. As they lead Clarice off, she says that she's never teleported that far and passes out. When Andy demands that they get read, Marcos tells him that Reed was going to help him get Lorna out of jail, but they can't do it.
Jace briefs his agents on the mutants that they're dealing with, and tells them to search the warehouse for the fugitives. He then tells the wounded Reed that he was hit with an immobilization round, and when the round wears off they're going to have a little chat about Reed's family.
At the Lakewood county Jail, Lorna is given a nullifier collar and put in a cell. When Lorna tries to summon her powers, her collar shocks her and the other prisoners laugh. One prisoner, Amber, asks Lorna if she's okay and explains about the collar. Lorna says that she doesn't plan to be there long, and Amber warns her that the only way a mutant leaves is in a box. She tells Lorna to get backup, and Lorna insists that she has backup... just not there.
John tells one of the other mutants, Dreamer, that they need to find a doctor for Clarice. When Dreamer asks about the Struckers, John confronts Marcos. Marcos insists that they help mutants, but John figures that it's about Lorna. Lauren calls to tell them that Clarice is in respiratory distress. Caitlin says that she's a nurse and Clarice needs medical attention. Lauren insists that Caitlin can help her, and Clarice checks her. Clarice's hands glow and then fade out, and Caitlin lists the medicine that Clarice needs. They can't take her to a hospital because the authorities will arrest her, but Clarice warns that Clarice could die. Clarice opens a portal, and part of a car comes through it. Everyone gets out of the way as it slams through the HQ.
Once everyone confirms that they're okay, Marcos clears a table and Clarice creates another portal. The people on the other side can see them, and John warns Marcos that they're not getting into a battle with bystanders. Lauren uses her power to seal the portal and Clarice passes out. John asks Clarice if she can help Clarice if they get her medicine, and Clarice says that they have to get to the hospital and get the drugs from the Pyxis machine. Lauren says that she can close any other portals, but Clarice refuses to leave her there. The girl says that it's okay.
At Sentinel Services, Reed tells Jace that it's not illegal to be a mutant. Jace points out that Reed put his family in a bad situation, and Reed points out that Jace sent sentinels after his children. He asks for a lawyer, and Jace tells him that there won't be any deals. The agent points out that Reed is only being detained, not charged, and says that they'll get him some charges before they bring in a lawyer.
Marcos and Caitlin drive to a hospital, and Marcos assures her that John can protect her family. Caitlin expects Marcos to honor his deal with Reed, and Marcos asks if she or Reed would be standing up for someone else's kids.
The next day, a prisoner spits on Lorna. The guard tells Lorna to keep moving to the showers, and Lorna sees a porcelain mutant in a cell. In the shower, Lorna rinses the dye out of her hair and realizes that everyone else is staring at her. She stares back at them and walks off.
As the mutants clean up the HQ, John tells Andy and Lauren that Clarice is a fugitive who escaped from jail. Clarice convulses and creates another portal, and they see the police on the other side at the same spot as before. Lauren closes the porta as John listens to the officers' radios and then heads off. Andy tells Lauren that what she's doing is insane, and says that he's thirsty.
Marcos and Caitlin arrive at the hospital for mutants, and Marcos says that the government is considering shutting it down. Caitlin warns that they can't get in past security, and asks to see Marcos' bullet wound. When she takes off the bandage, his blood glows. She takes him in to the ER and says that he needs a doctor.
Dr. Watkins soon arrives and seals Marcos' wound. Watkins asked how it happens, and Caitlin claims that it was an accident. The doctor clearly isn't convinced, and asks to talk to Caitlin privately. She goes with him and Watkins wonders if it's a domestic violence situation. Caitlin assures him that it isn't, and Watkins tells her to take care of herself. once he leaves, Caitlin grabs a bear of scrubs.
John warns Dreamer that the cops are gearing up. The next time the portal opens, SWAT officers may come through. Dreamer says that they need to move Clarice because they can't evacuate everyone, and John figures that they have to hope Marcos gets back with the medicine.
Jace charges Reed with terrorism and says that they talked to the coworker who gave Reed Lorna's fool.. The lawyers want to make Reed and Lorna a test case, and Jace says that he lost his daughter Grace in the July 15 incident. He doesn't know or care if the burst of energy that killed her came from a good mutant or a bad mutant. Reed says that the charges won't stick, but Jace disagrees and leaves.
The female prisoners eat in the mess hall, and Lorna sits with the porcelain mutant that she saw earlier. She suggests that they help each other, and asks about the collars. The mutant says that things are hard enough without people like Lorna making it worse, and tells her to stay away from her.
Clarice makes her way to the Pyris machine posing as a nurse. Getting the nurse's name from the board, she sends her down to Radiology. Once Stacy leaves, Caitlin grabs the drugs that she needs and heads out, but sees Watkins talking to two officers. She goes to Marcos and says that they need to go, and warns that Watkins is talking to the police. They head out the back just as the officers arrive and orders them to stop. Caitlin and Marcos run and Marcos welds the door shut behind them.
Lorna goes out in the yard and one of the prisoners, Scar, says that mutants work for her. When Lorna asks what happens if she declines, Scar says that she has all the powers. As Lorna walks off, a prisoner grabs her and starts beating her. Scar tells Lorna that she knows she's pregnant and kicks her in the stomach. Lorna manages to slam a table into Scar before the pain from the collar knocks her out. The other prisoners beat her until the guards toss Lorna in the hole. Lorna yells that she can't do it, but the guards slam the door shut.
Clarice's condition worsens, and John figures that they have to get everyone out. As they argue, Clarice opens another portal and a SWAT officer comes through, gun drawn. John knocks him out and throws him back through the portal, and Andy blasts them away using his power. Clarice passes out and the portal closes, and portals open throughout the HQ. John orders everyone out,
Jace tells Reed that other people are in jeopardy, and shows him a one-way mirror. On the other side, an agent is interrogating Ellen. Reed says that it's harassment, and Jace tells him that if he tells him who was involved then he'll let Ellen go.
As they drive back, Caitlin asks if it's always that bad for mutants. Marcos tells her that there's always an exception to civil rights, and his family kicked him out when he manifested his powers. Lorna saved him from what happened afterward, and she's his family. When Caitlin says that she can't believe they'd reject their own child, Marcos points out that she hasn't. As they approach the HQ, Caitlin panics. Marcos explains that it's a mutant projecting fear to keep people away. When they arrive, the guard tells them that the mutants are evacuating.
Energy shoots out of the portals, and Marcos says that he'll go inside. Caitlin warns that he doesn't know the dosage, and tells him to stay there and keep everyone safe. She runs inside, dodging the energy blasts, and sees John and Clarice through a portal. Caitlin jumps through and administers the drugs, and the portals close.
That night, Clarice wakes up and John tells her that people survived. He asks her why she opened the portal to the same spot, but Clarice doesn't remember. John tells her that they'll talk about it later and leaves. Meanwhile, Clarice tells Andy and Lauren that she's proud of them. Andy asks what will happen to Reed, and their mother promises that they'll find him. Marcos watches as Caitlin says that they'll fight to bring everyone home.
Jace meets with Reed again and asks if they're ready to talk. Reed tells him that he's not the one who is in a world of hurt, and figures that if Jace was going to throw him in the hole then he would have done it by now. He figures that Jace is overplaying his hand after losing millions of dollars in equipment and lost six fugitives, and figures that he's desperate. Reed tells him that they're going to make a deal on his terms, and he'll go down on his own. He demands a lawyer, and Jace agrees if he gets the Mutant Underground. Reed nods in agreement.
At a secret laboratory, Dr. Roderick Campbell tells his assistant Joshua to look up their files on mutant siblings. Joshua finds an incident in Rio in the 1960s, and Roderick asks if they've found the Struckers yet. He figures that he and Jace should talk.
Written by Gadfly on Oct 10, 2017