On the alien planet, Coulson kills Grant and heads for the portal. The Inhuman alien enters Grant's body and relives his memories.
In the Hydra base, the Inhuman--Hive--wishes that he could have met Grant. Malick comes in and, overhearing, says that Grant was a good soldier for Hydra. Hive is satisfied that Grant is a perfect host, and Malick says that he's recruited a new Inhuman. He brings in Lucio from Bogota, and Hive tells the guards to remove the bandages over the man's eyes. Giyera does so and Lucio paralyzes his captors. He uses his body on Hive but nothing happens. Hive steps away from his paralyzed skin, dissolves it, and sends the particles into Lucio's mouth.
Talbot is at the airport with his wife Carla. He asks her not to leave, insisting that he can't say no to the President, and Carla says that he always chooses his career over family. Talbot promises to fix it, but Carla gets on her flight. The general watches the plane prepare for departure, and Coulson comes up and asks if everything is okay. Angry, Talbot insists that his personal life is his business and walks away. Coulson goes after him and points out that Talbot hasn't returned his calls. He reminds Talbot that he's technically his boss, and Talbot insists that Coulson will never be his boss or his partner. Coulson reminds him that they should be preparing for the symposium in Taiwan. As they leave, a man secretly follows them.
At the base, the team is preparing to leave for the symposium. Lance notices that Fitz has a case with him, and Fitz explains that it's a new piece of tech that makes gloves. He goes aboard the plane and takes the case to Coulson's cabin, passing Daisy and Bobbi as they discuss the mission. Daisy insists that Terrigenesis was an awakening letting her stop bad people. Bobbi points out that some of the bad people are Inhumans, and Inhumans are brand new Territory. She asks Daisy how Lincoln's field op is going with Melinda, and Daisy figures that he's miserable.
Lincoln goes to an airport and Melinda tells him via earbud to look for anyone suspicious. He spots Coulson and Talbot, and Melinda reminds him that they're there to protect Coulson. Coulson and Talbot go outside and Talbot continues complaining about the symposium wasting their time. Meanwhile, Lincoln spots the man following them into the parking garage, and the Inhuman warns Melinda.
As they get to Coulson's car, Coulson tells Talbot that he hopes he and Carla work thigs out for the sake of their son George. Melinda warns Coulson just as the man approaches them. Coulson realizes that it's Carl Creel and shoves Talbot into the car, locking him in. Lincoln blasts Creel, who absorbs the quality of a tire to insulate himself. Lincoln's lightning bolts are useless against him, and Creel shoves him aside. Coulson shoots at Creel, and Melinda arrives and his Creel in the head with a tire iron. He transforms into steel, and Lincoln shocks him. He keeps shocking him even when Melinda and Coulson order him to stand down, but finally stops. Coulson then lets Talbot out, and Talbot says that Creel is there to protect him.
The team places Creel in a containment module, and Fitz and Jemma question him. He explains that he got his powers from an experiment, and Jemma asks what it was like to touch a Terrigen obelisk and survive. Creel doesn't know how he survive it, and Fitz suggests that they reopen their file on Creel now that they know more about the Inhuman DNA.
Talbot tells the others that Creel was brainwashed by Hydra. They undid his dirty work and Talbot insists that Creel has reformed. Coulson agrees that Creel deserves a second chance, but is reluctant to take him on a covert mission. Talbot refuses to go without Creel, and Coulson warns the others that they need to have the head of the ATCU at the symposium. Lance objects, pointing out that Creel killed two of his friends, and Talbot assures Coulson that he trusts Creel with his life. When Daisy promises to take Creel down if he steps out of line, Coulson has Melinda takes Talbot to get Creel. Once they're alone, Coulson tells Daisy that she's staying behind. No Inhumans or weapons are allowed at the symposium. Creel isn't an Inhuman so he'll pass any DNA screenings.
Malick visits Hive, who is reading dozens of books. He suggests that Hive take a new host body because his current one is damaged, and Hive warns that he can't inhabit an Inhuman. Malick offers to find a volunteer, but Hive says that Grant will serve his needs until he's ready. The Hydra director promises that there won't be any more setbacks, and Hive says that he's glad to hear that.
Coulson and the others fly to Taiwan, and Lance watches Creel in the cargo hold. Miranda summons Lance to the briefing, and Lance insists that he's there to make sure that his friends aren't there. Miranda figures that Lance is there because of Bobbi, and she isn't sure if she'd rather have Lance than Creel. When Lance points out that he's a friend watching her friends, Melinda says that they aren't friends and walks out.
At the briefing, Coulson explains that there will be five other delegates at the symposium. They have information that Malick would like to get his hands on, and figures that one of the delegates is Hydra's inside man. Their mission is to get any information on foreign Inhumans and uncover the inside so they can track him back to Malick.
The team arrives at the estate where the Taiwanese government is holding a reception. Talbot goes in posing as a doctor with the CDU, and when they arrive, Russian representative Anton Petrov introduces himself. Once Anton excuses himself, Talbot figures that Anton is the inside man because he's Russian.
Coulson goes around shaking the hands of the representatives. The device Fitz made transmits palm prints to the van outside, and Lance, Melinda, and Bobbi, make artificial palm prints. Meanwhile, Xiao Chen, the hostess, meets Talbot while Coulson talks with Ellen King, the Australian representative. Once the two women leave, Talbot figures that they're the inside men.
Malick tells Giyera to stay with Hive and call him if anything changes. Once the director leaves, Hive opens the door to his quarters and says that he's going to need Giyera and Lucio to leave him alone. He demands five humans: alive.
At the base, Daisy tells Lincoln to spar with her so she can blow off some steam. She punches him and reminds him that they're not using powers. They fight and Lincoln manages to pin her. She breaks free and pins him to the mat, and they start to kiss. Jemma comes in and asks Lincoln to help her analyze Creel's DNA.
The next morning, Talbot calls the symposium to order and explains that he hopes that they can come to a consensus on how to deal with the Inhumans. Coulson explains that the Inhumans are trying to find their way in the world, and it's important that they see them as humans. Melinda enters the secure quarters using the palm print and removes her gear from the champagne bucket she's carrying.
Coulson explains how the Inhuman DNA works. One of the representatives, Haruto Yakamura, points out that the Inhumans could destroy them, and Coulson says that they should think of the Inhumans for compassions. Anton agrees and says that Russia is prepared to offer them a sanctuary. Haruto says that it's an arms race and refuses to send them to Russia. Ellen objects to putting all of the Inhumans in one place and letting them coordinate. Lance breaks into Ellen's room and sees Creel leaving his post.
Jemma, Ellen, and Fitz test Daisy's blood with the Terrigen and it reacts. When they add Creel's blood, it breaks down the Terrigenesis process. They realize that Creel's blood could eliminate an Inhuman's powers. Daisy comes in and overhears them.
Nathi Zuma, the African representative, sides with Anton and calls for a vote. Talbot talks to Coulson privately and wonders which way he should vote. Meanwhile, Melinda intercepts an encryption that Ellen is sending out. With Lance after Creel, Melinda decrypts the message. Once she does, she tells Bobbi that they have to get in Ellen's room.
Lance follows Creel to a truck, and realizes that the security guards have guns.
Bobbi makes her way across the window ledges to Ellen's room. She blows the private safe and finds a file on an Inhuman that the Australian government has locked up for military experiments. There no indication that Ellen is connected to Malick, and no word from Lance.
Lance avoids the guards and enters the truck, and finds a pod inside holding Talbot's son George. He calls to warn Melinda and Bobbi that they've been set up, just as Creel knocks him out from behind.
At the symposium, Talbot announce that he's postponing the vote. He calls in the guards and tells the delegate that there is a traitor among them. He has them arrest Coulson and tells the delegates that Coulson has violated their trust. Malick comes in and says that Coulson is the director of Hydra... and Coulson realizes that Talbot is Hydra's inside man.
The guards find Lance and prepare to shoot him, and Bobbi and Melinda attack two of them. Lance takes out the third guard and tells his teammates that Hydra has George. They figure that Malick is blackmailing Talbot, and Bobbi confirms the guards are Hydra agents. Lance admits that he smuggled in some weapons and Melinda goes to find George while Bobbi and Lance locate Coulson and Talbot.
Lincoln tells Daisy that not everyone who can change should change. He insists that a balance has to be maintained, but Daisy insists that it's a right. Lance points out that Andrew would have liked a choice, but Daisy warns that the government will use the vaccine. Furious, Daisy walks out.
Malick reminds the delegates that he served on the World Security Council, and insists that they'll work together to do good for the world. He says that Coulson would like to exterminate the Inhumans by putting them in one place, and shows them the tank keeping George in suspended animation. Malick claims that Coulson can kill any imprisoned Inhuman, and has his agents take Coulson away until the authorities arrive.
Giyera delivers the five healthiest Hydra agents that they could find, and Lucio freezes them in place. Hive says that they will serve the greater good, and Lucio and Giyera quickly leave. Outside, they listen as the five volunteers scream.
The agents lock up Coulson, and Malick and Talbot arrive. Talbot demands George back, and Malick says that he can't do it. The agents grab Talbot and Malick says that they must all be sacrificed for the greater good. The director explains that he's building an army, and tells his agents to kill them before leaving. Coulson wonders why Talbot is locked up if he knew Malick would double-cross him, and Talbot says that he has an inside man. Creel breaks in and takes out the agents, and says that he had to knock out Lance to maintain his cover. He unlocks the cage and Coulson and Talbot run.
Lance and Bobbi break into the manor and a Hydra agent opens fire.
Coulson attaches his artificial hand, and Talbot explains that Malick took George as soon as he was appointed to the ATCU. Carla knows and blamed Talbot, and Talbot sent her somewhere safe.
Lance covers Bobbi while she throws his batons to distract the agent long enough to knock him out. Another Hydra agent draws a bead on Lance... and Creel arrives and breaks his neck. Talbot and Coulson arrive and the remaining agent says that he doesn't know where George is. The general knocks him out, and Coulson tells Bobbi and Lance to trace Malick via the only road to the airfield. The rest of them will try to find George. Melinda calls and warns that there's a problem. They go outside and Melinda pulls up in the truck.
Daisy goes to Lincoln's quarters and apologizes for her attitude earlier. Lincoln admits that he envies her control over her powers, and wishes he had it. Since he's been in the outside world, he has had too much stress to control his powers. Daisy tells him that sometimes it's good to lose control, undresses, and kisses him.
The team heads back to the base, and Talbot holds his son's hand. Coulson assures him that George will be okay, and figures that Carla will be happy to know Talbot made it right. Talbot admits that he had a little help, and offers his hand to Coulson. They shake and Coulson leaves them alone. He tells Melinda that their people in Australia managed to get the Inhuman out. Coulson then worries that Malick is reporting to someone--or something--more powerful.
Hive kneels among the corpses, covered in their liquefied bodies. The damage to Grant's body heals.
Malick and Anton take a private plane back to Russia, and Malick insists that he wants to help Anton any way that he can home. Anton assures Malick that with his influence, they should be able to overcome any resistance and create a sanctuary state for Inhumans. In the cargo hold below, Lance and Bobbi tell Coulson that they'll call him when they land.
Written by Gadfly on Mar 16, 2016