Grace does a video log saying that the medicine isn't keeping her from shapeshifting anymore. Anissa enters the apartment and Grace 1quickly hides her camera. Grace tells her that she can't control her shifting, and Anissa says that her emotional state causes her to shift so she has to calm down. She has Shonda play their relaxation program and assures Grace that she's safe there. Grace relaxes and says that the ASA is going door to door. She notes that Odell has been there once and could return again, and Anissa promises she won't let the ASA take her. Grace asks if she has her powers back, and Anissa admits that they haven't and says that they'll keep Grace out of sight until they figure something out.
In her room, Jennifer is looking at a photo of Khalil when her phone rings. It's Odell summoning her, and she leaves.
Gambi watches video of Painkiller and analyzes it, confirming that he's Khalil. Lynn comes in and angrily asks if something happen with the girls. Gambi assures her that they're fine, and says that he needs to access the ASA mainframe to keep ahead of the organization's plans. Lynn says that she's blindfolded to and from the Pit and doesn't know how to get there, and Gambi asks her to sneak in a security-card scanner.
At the church, Bill tells Blackbird and the other insurgents that the ASA is searching buildings in the city. Jamilah is getting word out, and they'll be at the church soon. Blackbird says that she's working on something to breach the reinforced perimeter but it isn't working yet, and Bill says that he and Holt will improvise.
Jennifer gets into a van and finds Grey waiting for her. Grey introduces herself and says that she's the acting director of operations after Odell was shot during an operation. Odell is recuperating in the hospital and should make a full recovery. Jennifer wants to take out the people who shot up Odell, but Grey tells her not to use her powers or fly in case the Markovians capture her. She says the Markovians have safehouses all over Freeland, and offers Jennifer anything to make the transition easier. Jennifer asks for everything the ASA has on Jace and refuses to say, saying she and Odell were working on a private project
Bill and Holt wait in a van near a checkpoint, with the others in the back. After slipping the guard a diuretic, he walks off. Black Lightning flies down and shorts out the bomb Bill's operative planted on the guard's hummer, much to Bill's disgust.
The next day, Bill goes to see Jeff at the Pierces' house. He says that Bill defused the bomb that screwed up a diversion that they had for their underground railroad. Bill wants to bring Black Lightning into the fold but wants to know where he stands. Jeff says that the shrapnel could have hit innocent people, and warns that violence begets violence. Bill points out the ASA have taken over the police station, and Jeff reminds him that the ASA have attacked him and his family. He refuses to approve of Bill's plans and says that they have to get on the same page, but Bill figures that Jeff means for him to follow his lead and leaves.
At the church, Holt tells Blackbird that Black Lightning shorted out the bomb and figures the hero is a sell-out. Blackbird says that she still doesn't have a way through the perimeter, and she calls Gambi and says that she needs a way out.
At the Pit, Lynn tests Erica Moran, who can absorb kinetic energy. She has the meta expel the energy, and Lynn's assistant Dr. Blair tells her that it's an honor working with her. He says that her work is groundbreaking and she deserves all of her accolades. Lynn points out that he's a shameless suck up and Blair takes it in stride. Grey comes in and asks about Erica, just as Erica's strength wears out. Lynn tells Grey that Erica needs to train to sustain her powers, and Grey needs to give her access to all areas of the facility. Grey objects but finally gives in, but says that only the Green Light metas will have access. Once Grey leaves, Lynn says that Grey makes her miss Odell and asks Blair to chart the vitals from the testing. Once Blair goes, Lynn uses Gambi's device to scan a security card.
At Garfield, Jennifer finds Brandon and says that she needed some time alone. She says that she wants to talk about what happened at his place, and Brandon loudly announces what she said to impress the other students. As they walk away, a Markovian attack drill is announced and Jennifer ushers Brandon into an exercise room. Brandon says that he's going to make his own with education because the occupation won't last. Jennifer offers to help him find Jace but he needs to do something for her first, and leaves. After a moment, Brandon goes after her.
Gray and her soldiers break into the church, and Holt hides the refugee children. He prays to God and draws a gun, and Two-Bits comes into the storage room where they're hiding. He brought them food to the bar closet where they're hiding, and Hold and Two-Bits share a toast.
Jeff goes to see Anissa at her invitation, and says that she needs him to take her place escorting the children out through the perimeter. When Jeff asks her, Anissa says that she knew Bill and Holt were planning something but didn't know about the bomb. Anissa insists that they're living in an occupation and she's done some things she's not proud of to make the underground work. She refuses to go into details, and finally says that she needs Black Lightning to get Grace out of Freeland. Jeff considers and Anissa hugs him, admitting that she can't handle it on her own.
Lynn slips the disguised Gambi into the Pit.
The soldiers continue their door-to-door search. Someone opens fire on them from inside a house, and the soldiers move in. Black Lightning arrives and takes out the shooters, shocking them unconscious, as the soldiers stare at him in awe.
Gambi accesses the mainframe and finds Khalil on the security cameras.
Black Lightning says that Grey turned his city into a war zone. A soldier executes one of the shooters, and when Black Lightning grabs him, Grey tells the hero to release the soldier or she'll bomb the area with air strikes. After a minute Black Lightning releases the soldier and Grey tells her men to collect their dead.
Lynn takes the disguised Gambi to Khalil's room and explains that Grey only recently gave her access. They find Khalil and Gambi explains that Khalil is in stasis. He suggests that the best they can do is unplug Khalil, but she accesses the monitor system and discovers that he has a chip in his brain. She finds Khalil's memory files and opens one of them, and sees him kissing Jennifer. Lynn says that the Khalil they know is still in there.
Another memory of Tobias ripping out Khalil's spine plays, and Lynn wakes Khalil up despite Gambi's warnings. Khalil tells Lynn that her CV is in his files and asks what she requires. Gambi has him recite his previous missions, and Khalil says that he eliminated Sinzell, destroyed a Markovian safehouse, eliminate Blackbird, and murder his mother. Lynn is shocked, and Khalil asks if there's a problem. She tells him to return to stasis so she can check his brain chip, and Khalil does so.
Gambi tells Lynn to shut down Khalil before he kills anyone else. Lynn angrily says that 14 kids died because of her and she'll save Khalil if it's the last thing she does. She tells Gambi to leave before he's discovered or she turns him in. Gambi says that she had administrative access to the mainframe and hopes she'll do the right thing, and Lynn tells him that she always has. As Gambi goes, Lynn says that Jennifer can't know about Khalil. Once she's alone, Lynn takes more Green Light.
At Brandon's apartment, Jennifer tells Brandon to touch her hand so she can learn what happens when their powers merge. Brandon finally does so and energy spreads in tendrils. Jennifer wants him to do it one more time and then she'll tell him, but Brandon figures that she doesn't know anything about Jace and tells her to get out. Aft5er a moment, she does so.
Anissa takes Grace into the tunnels, and Grace says that she doesn't want to be left alone. Her lover says that she doesn't have her powers so she has someone superstrong to protect her. Black Lightning steps out of the shadows, and Anissa assures Grace that Black Lightning won't hurt her. The hero says that he'll protect her, and Anissa gives Grace a necklace so she'll always be with her. As Grace goes with Black Lightning, Gambi sends the coordinates to breach the perimeter. Anissa gets them and thanks Black Lightning as he leaves with Grace, promising to send them to the hero when he gets outside.
At the church, Black Lightning meets with Holt and the children. Holt wonders if Black Lightning will betray them, and doesn't believe the hero's denials. Two-Bits comes in and says that the ASA is coming, and Holt lowers the gun but says that he still doesn't trust Black Lightning.
At the sanctum, Gambi and Anissa guide Black Lightning and the children around the ASA patrols. Grey and the soldiers find them anyway and shoot at them. Black Lightning blocks the bullets and tells the children to run, then knocks open a canister of gas and blasts the soldiers. Anissa wants to go out but Gambi warns her that she hasn't recovered enough.
The soldiers lie burned and injured, and Black Lightning runs to the children. He confirms that they're okay but notices that Grace is gone, and goes to find her. The oldest girl, Natalie, agrees to watch the kids while Black Lightning looks for Grace.
Grace runs into an old house, a soldier following her. She turns into a leopard and attacks him.
Black Lightning tells Gambi and Anissa that he's lost Grace. Anissa put a tracker in the necklace and sends her coordinates to Black Lightning. He goes to the house and finds the dead soldier. The leopard walks out of the shadows and growls at the hero. It turns into Grace and runs to hug Black Lightning, thanking him for coming back for her. As they go, Grace says that she can tell Black Lightning is Jeff from her scent, and promises not to tell anyone.
Gambi picks up Black Lightning and Grace, and Anissa says goodbye to Grace on the monitor. The tailor tells her that she did the right thing, and Anissa says that all that matters is that Grace is safe.
Jennifer sits outside her window, and Grey sends her the file on Jace.
Khalil spars with an ASA metafighter, Vernon, and easily beats him over and over. A mission comes in with Khalil's new target: Black Lightning.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 26, 2019