Molly comes to a poster of the Runaways and tears it down. Crumpling it up, Molly hears a pimp and his prostitute arguing and runs to investigate. She pulls down her ski cap and yells at the pimp, shoves him away, and catches his fist when he swings at her. Molly slams the pimp into his car, tells the prostitute that she's welcome, and runs off. The prostitute says that Molly has the same eyes as "him".
At the Hostel, Nico stares at the clock until it shows 9. She then wakes Karolina reminds her that practice is at 9, and they kiss. As Nico goes downstairs, she calls Alex to remind him that they're practicing. She wakes up Gert, who insists that she stayed up with Chase discussing racism and feminism. Nico wakes up Chico, who is still sleeping.
Alex walks down the street with a package, ignores Nico's call, and remembers Darius' advice about making others play his game. He drops the package off at a bar and collects money, and texts Darius that he got it. When Alex returns to Darius' home, Darius tells him that the way to figure out his enemies is to observe them constantly as they play dominoes. Darius insists that dominoes are life, and Tamar speaks up saying that Darius and Geoffrey used to play every day. The gang leader admits that he never beat Geoffrey, and they return to the game. Darius lures him into a trap and wins, and goes to get another beer. Geoffrey texts Darius asking if he has his stuff, and Darius tells Alex to set up for another game.
At the Wilder manor, Catherine is packing and Geoffrey gets guns and money from a hidden room. He then tells Catherine that they're getting Alex.
Molly returns to the Hostel and finds Nico waiting for her. The younger girl claims that she just went outside to get some air, but Nico knows that she's lying. Molly says that she went for a walk and saw a guy beating up his girl, and Nico warns that someone could have seen her or she could have been hurt. She insists that they don’t do codenames or masks, but Molly tells her that she can't just sit around and do nothing. Molly asks Nico not to tell Gert, swearing that no one saw her, and Nico tells her not to go out alone again and they're meeting for practice.
In the foyer, Gert sets up a practice target and wonders where Molly is. Nico comes down and tells them that Molly is further along and can skip the practice session. Karolina says that she's already been practicing and demonstrates her ability to hover backward. Chase, offended that someone else might be better than hi, blasts the target with his Fistigons. It bursts into flames and Gert runs to get a fire extinguisher. Nico puts it out with the Staff of One and Chase concedes that she's better. Gert starts to send Old Lace at the target, but then winces from a headache. She says that it's from going off of her Sertaline too quickly, and Old Lace moans in pain because she can feel it as well. Chase tries to talk it through her with a tip that his lacrosse coach gave him, but Gert isn't impressed.
Gert and Old Lace go to the side to watch, and Nico tells Chase to punch her. She blocks the energy attack, saying "Block", and tells Chase to do it again, despite Karolina's concerns. The second blast hits her in the chest and knocks her back, and Nico walks off complaining that the Staff isn't the only thing that doesn't work.
At the Church, Frank is greeting the worshippers as they leave after his sermon. He sees Leslie watching and goes over to her, and realizes that she's upset. They talk alone and Frank assures her that he's taking over the church from her for both their sakes. He says that he'll play Jonah's game to get their family back, and points out that Leslie cheated on him and messed with his memory, and points out that Leslie is talking to him now that he stole the church from her. Frank says that Leslie and Karolina are the only things that matter in his life, and he'll do whatever it takes to get Jonah out of their lives and his family back.
Jonah comes over and Frank quickly excuses himself. Once he leaves, Leslie says that she still hates Frank and was telling him as much. Jonah wonders if there's more than one actor in the Dean family, and Leslie says that she's give4n up everything to serve him.
Alex and Livvie walk down the street after picking arnica for her ointment, and explains that Geoffrey doesn't think much of Compton. They go into the house and Livvie does Alex's hair, and she talks about how she won't always be around to take care of his hair. Livvie figures that he'll disappear since he's a fugitive. She explains that the arnica helps with her mother's sickle cell, and once she braided it into Tamar's hair and the word got out, business took off. Livvie figures that they could be in stores real soon, and Alex asks if he can kiss her. Livvie agrees and they end up on the couch.
Jonah mentally contacts the hibernating Victor in his mental landscape, and Victor says that he's getting close with the calculations. He insists that he's working as fast as he can, and Jonah assures him that he'll only be there until he's ready. Victor figures that Jonah is keeping him there to ensure his cooperation, and Jonah admits that he's right. Furious, Victor walks out and Jonah looks at his decaying hand.
Alex leaves Livvie's house and the two of them kiss on the doorstep. Darius pulls up and sees them together, and Alex walks over and Darius tells him that he has another run but doesn't provide any details.
At the Hostel, Chase says that the school team won because they always had a game plan. Nico insists that she doesn’t need Alex's help to figure out the Staff , and Karolina quotes from the Church scripture. When Gert tells her to tone it done, Chase objects and Gert accuses him of ganging up on her and snaps at him. She then excuses herself and Chase leaves as well and asks Molly to come with him. Karolina tells Nico that they all need each other and goes to clean up.
Jonah calls Janet and says that Victor has stopped cooperating, and is paranoid and abusive. He needs Janet's help to persuade Victor to assist him, and Janet says that she can do better. Janet says that she'll have to talk to Victor alone because he won't cooperate if Jonah is there, and Jonah agrees.
Chase works on the Rolls and has Molly hold it up. She wants to know why she's really there, and figures that he wants relationship advice about her foster sister. Chase wonders why Gert seems mad at him all the time, and suggests that it's best if he lives Gert alone. Molly tells him that Gert needs him more than ever while she gets used to being off of her meds, and then she'll be all right.
As they drive, Darius asks Alex if he's crushing on Livvie. He advises Alex that when he's 16, things change. Darius says that he wants Alex to win, and pulls up to a building. Alex goes inside and finds Geoffrey waiting inside. Darius cuts off Alex's escape, and Geoffrey tells his son that he's trying to escape. The gang leader says that it's just the way the game is played and apologizes.
As Alex gets in Geoffrey' car, Geoffrey tells Darius that he finally beat him. Darius says that he beat him lots of times, and Geoffrey says that he let him win. He then chuckles and says that he's just messing with him, and wonders how many nights Darius will lie awake wondering if he's telling the truth or not. Darius apologizes for all of it, and says that he just wants what Geoffrey owes him. Geoffrey gives him a copy of the deed to the construction site and Darius says that it's 20 years late but he'll take it. Darius wonders if he should build it up and become an entrepreneur like Geoffrey, but not like him because he won't forget who he is or where he's from. Geoffrey says that he can do what he wants but he's leaving with Alex, and gives Darius a key card to a hotel suite for him, Tamar, and their baby so they can have a taste of their new life. Darius says that they're good and they hug.
As Geoffrey drives home, he asks Alex for the phone that Darius bought him. Alex hands it over and notices a bag in the back. He asks where they're going, and Geoffrey says that he and Catherine have some scores to settle but they're getting Alex out of LA first. Alex secretly takes out his own phone and calls Nico.
At the Hostel, Nico is practicing with the Staff. She reluctantly answers but Alex says nothing to her. Geoffrey says that they're meeting Catherine at the Van Nuys airport, and Nico tells the others that they're kidnapping Alex and he needs their help, but refuses to discuss her feelings. Chase suggests that Gert stay there, but Gert insists that she can make her own decisions and wants to join them. They get in the Rolls and Chase pulls out the ignition wires so that Nico can provide a spark using the Staff. Once the car starts, they drive to the airport.
Janet enters Victor's mindscape and finds him at the diner. James comes out and hugs her, only to discover that she's incorporeal because she's just a projection. She realizes that Victor lied about his father being a banker, and Victor admits that he lied to her but has changed. Janet points out that she shot him, and Victor says that he didn't consider she had done it. He tells her that it was him and he's caused a lot of pain, and wants to make it up to Janet and Chase but first she has to get him out of there. Janet agrees but says that they're going to do it her way. She'll make sure that James is released once the box is built, and asks him about Jonah's encrypted Abstract. Victor figures that it's based on a universal mathematical formula.
Back in the real world, Janet works on the Abstract and finds the correct equation that Jonah used for the encryption base. The Abstract decodes into a hologrammatic projection of an alien star system.
At the airport, Alex and Geoffrey go to the airport. Alex says that the world Darius lives in is their world, too. Karolina arrives and blinds Geoffrey with light, and Chase blasts Geoffrey down. Molly picks up Alex and runs, and they get into the car that Gert is driving as Nico joins them. Nico is unable to spark the ignition again, and Gert realizes that Nico can't use the same command twice. Nico says "Hotwire" and sparks the ignition, and then raises the tarmac up into a wall, blocking Geoffrey from getting at them.
Darius goes to the hotel and texts Tamar to meet him there. He goes into the hotel suite and finds Catherine waiting for him. She says that Geoffrey doesn't know that she's there, and her family's future is only safe without Darius in it. Darius realizes that it's been Catherine pulling the strings all along, and Catherine takes a gun out of her briefcase. When Darius says that he only gave up Alex because he thought he'd be better with his family, Catherine says that Darius is going to take the rap for Alex's murder charge and shoots him dead. She then calls Flores.
Tamar arrives at the hotel and finds the police gathered in the hallway. She goes in and Flores tells her what happened. The news is soon reporting that the police have determined that Darius is responsible for Destiny's murder, clearing the Runaways of the charges. At the Hostel, Alex hears the broadcast and tells Nico that it was all his parents. He points out that they're not wanted for murder, and Nico suggests that they play video games like Alex and Amy used to. As Alex sets up the machine, Nico asks why he called her. Alex tells her that she was the number 1 on his speed dial. As they play, Alex tells her that he's good with it if that's all they have for the rest of their lives. He says that they have each other and Nico teases him about his hair, and then asks what he's been doing. Alex says that he met a girl that he likes, but figures that it's all over after what happened.
On the streets, Molly hears the pimp arguing with his prostitute. She puts on her ski cap and goes over, and she flips over his car as the prostitute runs off. Molly walks off and a teenager, Topher, watches her go. When Molly returns to the Hostel, Gert is waiting for her. She's furious that Molly has been sneaking out. The others run over, and Topher comes in and says that Molly wrecked a pimp's car and it was awesome. He looks around and says that the place is awesome, and introduces himself.
Written by Gadfly on Dec 27, 2018