Luke sinks into the river, his life flashing before his eyes... including his mother Etta. He remembers James telling him to wake up, swims to the surface, and gasps in air. Luke walks back to the church and collapses in front of James.
Later, Luke wakes up in a pew. James tells him to take it easy and says that he was out for an hour. Piranha is gone, and James says that he left 30 minutes after Luke did and was going to charter a jet and call his mother. When Luke complains, James says that Piranha exercised his free will and wouldn't listen to him. Luke tells James not to call a father.
Misty is practicing shots with her new arm and missing. Tom arrives and assures her that she'll get her shot back. Misty tells him to leave her be, and Tom says that he needs her back on the job. She's surprised that Tom is concerned about bringing in Mariah, and admits that she watched them in the interrogation room. Tom insists that he's working off the books, explaining that if they do it right then Mariah is gone for good. He refuses to say who his snitch is, and needs Luke to hand Piranha over. Misty insists that she's done, and Tom tells her that she knows where to find him as he walks away. On the next shot, Misty sinks the ball.
Mariah tells her men that they need to find Piranha. She figures one of them is a snitch and explains that Tom knows about Tone's murder. Mariah picks up a letter opener and talks about loyalty, and jams it into one man's hand, and orders them to find Piranha. Everyone quickly leaves except Shades, who warns that fear sometimes alienates. He says that Mariah should be better than Mabel and Cornell, and they kiss. Mariah tells Shades to get their money, and he promises that he's going to bring Piranha home and smack the Stylers, and then everything will be okay.
Tilda arrives in the club and listens to Stephen Marley play. Shades and Comanche come by, and Tilda looks at them briefly before looking up at the office window where Mariah is watching her.
James brings Luke some dry donation clothes and suggests that he should stay. His son says that he should keep moving, and James tries to shove him. James has no luck, but tells Luke that he's still the angry little boy. Luke says that James is a hypocrite, and invites James to try and kick his ass. As he goes, James says that Luke doesn't always have to answer the street's call and Luke tell him that's the father he knows.
Bushmaster arrives at the warehouse where his gang are holding Piranha. He puts his hand on Piranha's shoulder and says that they need Mariah's passwords so that everything that is Mariah will be his. Piranha insists that he has his professional integrity, and Bushmaster tells him that he can make things right. The money man warns that Luke is coming for him, and Bushmaster tells him to type faster.
Misty meets Luke at the shop and says that she needs Piranha. Luke explains that Piranha has power of attorney on Mariah's deeds, and figures that Bushmaster has him. He says that Piranha still needs their help even if he doesn't come around, and Misty explains that she traced the gypsy cabs to a place in Brooklyn. Luke figures that Misty is on her own again, and they drive to the garage. Misty says that she has something to prove to herself, and they go in. The mechanic hits an alarm and runs, and three Stylers come out. Two attack Luke and the other goes for Misty. She takes out her man but a fourth Styler hits her and rips off the right arm of her jacket.
Luke takes out his two opponents while Misty finishes the last Styler. He finally takes the man out, and shields Misty as the mechanic opens fire on them. He runs and Misty tackles him and another Styler. Once they question the Styler, they check the back and find an aquarium tank with Piranha's severed head inside. Furious, Luke pounds the wall.
In Mariah's office, Tilda pays the keyboard and tells Mariah that she needed time. She says that Mariah should walk away, and Mariah tells her daughter that it's not that simple. Tilda reminds her that her husband married her and gave her a chance to walk away from the Stokes legacy. Her mother warns that Tilda doesn't know her father as well as she thinks, and explains that Mabel prepared her for the underground. She shows Tilda the records of how much money Mabel and Cornell made for her, so that she could pass it on to Tilda. Mariah says that it redeems all of them.
Misty calls in the police, and they take away Piranha's body. She tells Tom that she had to do things on her own terms, and figures that Bushmaster was involved. Tom points out that he has no proof, but figures that Mariah losing the club will give him leverage to deal with her. Misty angrily says not to negotiate with Mariah, and tells Tom that he's worse than Scarfe. She reminds Tom that she's not a cop anymore and walks over to Luke, and tells him what Tom said. Nandi and Mark come over and tell Misty that she and Luke have to go. Misty and Nandi argue until Luke says that they all lost. Once the detectives leave, Luke figures that Piranha's mother is still in Harlem and leaves.
Tom tells Mariah about Piranha's death and says that they'll find evidence of inside training about the merger. He suggests that if she cut a deal and turn on Cornell and Shades, the public will stand behind her and she'll walk. Mariah tells him that it's bad timing and that she meant it when she said that it was good to see him. Tom says that he still doesn't want to see her hurt after what she's become, and advises her to get out rather than go out like Cornell. He asks if Tilda knows her real age and who her real father is, and Mariah yells at him to shut up. As Tom goes, Mariah asks for time to think and he gives her until morning. Once Tom leaves, Mariah checks her Cayman accounts and discovers that her money is gone. Alex runs in, and Mariah tells him that Bushmaster took it all and they have to get out.
Comanche meets with Shades and warns him that Mariah is only loyal to family and Shades isn't family. Shades doesn't believe it and says that they have to find the snitch, and Comanche figures that Sugar is the snitch. He offers to talk to Sugar unless Shades wants to handle it personally, and Shades tells Comanche that he trusts him. Mariah sends a text that Piranha is dead, and Shades goes to secure the club. Comanche gets a text from "Mama" asking for a meet, and he tells Shades that they're good.
Bushmaster is having Dapper Don measure him for a suit as Anansi looks on. Anansi warns his nephew that his hatred for the Stokes is consuming him and he has to let it go. He asks what Gwen would think, and Bushmaster reminisces about how his mother made him dress clean when he went to school. Gwen talked about Bushmaster's father, but never said a word when Bushmaster fought at school to defend his family's name. She was always proud that Bushmaster was a warrior, and Bushmaster tells Anansi that he was always a fighter like his father and he's not going to let go until he's taken everything from Mariah. His uncle wonders what he really wants, and Bushmaster says that he wants Mariah's soul and that the only way to erase sorrow is to burn it. He wonders why Anansi doesn't have more fury, and Anansi says that they can't bring Gwen back. Sheldon and his men come in and Sheldon says that it's time.
Luke goes to the church and after James' sermon, James says that he heard about Piranha's death. His son says that he saw Etta in his memories after Bushmaster pushed him off of the bridge. Luke describes how he let go and saw his life flash before his eyes, and reminds his father that Etta never gave up on believing him innocent. He figures God was trying to tell him that the world may be his problem but it's not always his fault.
Misty goes to a bar and sees a man, Brendan, watching her. She smiles at him and he smiles back.
Comanche meets with Tom on the docks and says that Shades knows. Tom insists that he'll protect him, but Comanche tells him that he's out. Shades walks out and Comanche grabs Tom's gun and tells Shades that Sugar's wife told him that Sugar was snitching to the chief. Tom offers to cut them both a deal, and offers that if he'll testify against Mariah then he'll get the charge knocked down to time served. Comanche shoots him dead, and Shades asks how they're going to play it. He lays out a scenario of how Tom threatened to send Comanche back to prison if he didn't snitch, pulled his gun, and Comanche shot him in self-defense. Shades takes Tom's gun and describes how Tom shot Comanche with his dying breath, and shoots Comanche in the chest. As Comanche lies dying, he tells Shades that he was going to get them both out. Shades says that he didn't want out and it was going to be different. He asks Comanche if he remembers the time when they were kids that they stole hot dogs at Coney Island, and Comanche took the blame. Comanche tells Shades that he's always his nigger, and Shades admits that he loves Comanche and didn't see the snitch in him. He wonders what it says about him, steps back, and finishes off Comanche with a second shot. Shades then puts the gun in Tom's hand.
At the brownstone, Mariah closes the curtains and tells Tilda to stay away from the windows. She says that Alex should stay and grabs all of the money she has and her gun. Bushmaster breaks in and Tilda shoots him. He shrugs off the bullets and knocks the gun out of Mariah's hands, and two Yarders drag the dead Alex back in. Bushmaster realizes that Tilda is Mariah's daughter.
Simone talks to Brendan and says that she's a fighter and a lover. She says that they can take care of herself and they kiss. Misty's phone rings and she sets it aside and tells Brendan that she's not on the job. However, after a moment she picks up anyway. It's Mark, who tells her that Tom is dead. Misty walks out without a word.
Bushmaster has his men tie Mariah and Tilda up, and then spread gasoline around the brownstone.
James tells Luke that they have to forgive, and Luke figure that he can't.
Bushmaster describes how two dishwashers built a crime empire, and then the politicians and the mobsters came from them. Mariah's father caved but had to get rid of Bushmaster's father to prove his loyalty.
Luke reminds James that he blamed Luke for Etta's cancer.
Bushmaster says that his father shot Mariah's in the stomach and it took him five months to die. he describes how the Stokes burned up his house, and his mother set him outside the house and told him to run.
Luke says that the last time he saw Etta was in prison when she came to see him. James admits that he was wrong for blaming Luke about Etta's death, and says that he's sorry. Luke remembers Willis and his mother, and tells his father that he was the guilty one.
Mariah tells Bushmaster that he doesn't have to do it. He cuts Tilda loose and tells her to stay and save Mariah or run. then lights the gasoline as Mariah screams at him to die.
D.W. runs into the church and tells Luke that Mariah's brownstone is on fire.
Shades looks out at the water.
Misty arrives at the docks where the police are securing the crime scene. She looks at Tom's body and cries.
Bushmaster and his men enter the club.
Tilda frees Mariah.
Luke arrives at the burning brownstone.
Bushmaster stands on the balcony and looks out over the club that now belongs to him, as Sheldon and Billie congratulate him. Everyone drinks a toast to him with Bushmaster rum.
Luke smashes into the brownstone, frees Mariah, and carries her out with Tilda following him. When they get outside, Mariah tells Luke that she's going to hire him.
Written by Gadfly on Jul 1, 2018