Episode 2 of Season 7 of 9-1-1 picks up right where the previous episode left off, with a cruise ship transformed into a ticking time bomb. Hostages of a ruthless gang seeking Norman, the ship stands poised on the brink of disaster. Norman, falsely accused of being a global smuggler, is the gang's target, and they hold Lola and his wife hostage as leverage. Their sole objective is to coerce Norman into revealing the keys to his Bitcoin account, a mystery known only as "Tongo."
The gang leader's patience is wearing thin, and he issues a chilling ultimatum: Norman must reveal Tongo's whereabouts on the count of three, or face the consequences. With a bullet tearing through his abdomen, Norman collapses, leaving Athena and Bobby scrambling to contain the escalating situation.
Athena confronts Julian, the shady waiter, with a fiery determination to expose his secret dealings and affair with Lola. Norman's heart sinks as he hears the revelations, but there is no time for personal anguish. The gang leader's attention shifts to Julian, who, under duress, finally reveals the location of Tongo.
With the vital USB in their grasp, the gang flees, leaving a trail of chaos in their wake. A passenger lies bleeding, the ship's doctor is helpless, and the communication system is down, cutting off the Captain from calling for help. She orders her officers to frantically restore communications while Bobby battles to stabilize Norman's critical condition. Meanwhile, Athena assigns a security guard to keep a watchful eye on Lola and Julian.
Amidst this frenzied chaos, one passenger remains oblivious to the drama, fixated only on cashing out his winnings from the casino. Julian, seizing an opportunity, sneaks back to his room and hatches an escape plan. Athena, sensing his movements, gives chase, determined to stop him at all costs.
Suddenly, there is a glimmer of hope. The Captain and one of her officers manage to restore some communication on the ship. But their jubilation is short-lived as, unbeknownst to them, rebooting the system inadvertently activates a bomb, which explodes with a deafening roar. The cruise ship lurches violently from the impact, listing dangerously towards the sea, and the situation turns dire indeed.
Fortunately, Athena and Julian escaped unscathed, but the fate of the officer accompanying the Captain was tragically different. It was with deep sorrow that we witnessed his passing, while the Captain himself lay battered, with broken ribs and an arm. In the midst of this chaos, Athena commanded Julian to assist her in saving the Captain, who, in turn, issued orders to abandon the sinking ship.
Athena instructed Julian to escort the Captain to safety while she herself activated the secondary bilge pump, desperately trying to keep them afloat until all the lifeboats could be launched. Meanwhile, Bobby, overcome by anxiety, embarked on a frantic search for his wife, following her trail into the panel room.
However, the ship's plight worsened as it continued to flood, and Athena and Bobby found themselves in a perilous situation, nearly drowning on the lower deck. Bobby's fears resurfaced, lamenting that he never deserved a second chance and feeling overwhelmed with guilt for failing to protect his first family and Athena. Athena, however, reassured him of her love and pledged to choose him every time.
Just when it seemed that their fate was sealed, Julian heroically burst through the door and saved them from the brink of disaster. It was then revealed that Bobby had confided in his therapist about the upcoming cruise, voicing his anxiety about their marriage and the haste of his proposal, fearing that Athena might leave him.
Meanwhile, in the bustling city of Los Angeles, the 118 team, led by Interim Captain Hen, responded to a harrowing accident. A mother was teaching her daughter to drive when a drunken driver suddenly emerged from nowhere, colliding with them. While the mother and daughter lay in critical condition, the drunken driver appeared unscathed, refusing medical attention even as Chimney tried to assist him.
The drunken driver threatened to sue Chimney or any other first responder who dared to provide him with aid. He stubbornly refused to take a sobriety test, prompting Captain Hen to order Chimney to leave him be and focus their efforts on saving the mother and daughter. Captain Hen's anger boiled over as she realized that the drunken driver was not only the cause of the accident but was also making the situation more difficult.
After safely extracting the mother and daughter from the wreckage, they were rushed to the hospital. Tragically, the drunken driver collapsed to the ground, and Hen and Chimney did their utmost to resuscitate him. However, their efforts were in vain, and the man was pronounced dead at the hospital.
As the 118 team returned to their station, they were confronted by the L.A.F.D professional services division, ready to conduct interviews. Internal affairs were taking statements, and the Chief requested a private conversation with Captain Hen. He informed her that they were investigating the death of the drunken driver due to pressure from his mother, Counsellor Ortiz. Ortiz was using her influence to deny that her son was intoxicated and the cause of the accident. The Chief ordered Captain Hen to take leave until the toxicology reports were released.
Later on, Hen and her team were deeply involved in assisting her to overcome her emotional distress. Chimney unintentionally crossed Hen's path when he mentioned that he hadn't detected any alcohol scent on the driver. Hen felt judged by her team and believed she had made a wrong decision, even though she had strictly adhered to the protocol. Frustrated, she stormed out and poured her heart out to Karen when she got home. Hen also longed to confide in Athena, but she was unreachable. Karen clarified that a hurricane was raging at sea, and Hen found it suspicious that Athena had been unreachable throughout the day. Karen dismissed Hen's concerns as overkill, but Hen insisted on visiting the 9-1-1 station to ask Maddie to contact the Coast Guard and search for Athena and Bobby's ship.
Maddie willingly agreed to investigate and ease Hen's worries. As Hen anxiously awaited news, she unexpectedly ran into the Chief, who informed her that the toxicology reports had arrived, revealing that the man was heavily intoxicated. Since Hen had handled the situation in accordance with protocol, she was promptly reinstated. Nevertheless, she attempted to explain to the Chief that she needed time off to search for Athena and Bobby's missing ship. But the Chief dismissed her concerns and ordered her to report for her shift the following morning.
Meanwhile, Maddie discovered that mere minutes before Athena and Bobby's ship vanished, there were thousands of calls to the Coast Guard, which suddenly ceased. No one knew what had transpired until then, and no one had bothered to investigate. Back on the boat, most passengers had fled on lifeboats, but Norman refused to leave without Athena and Bobby. The Captain and a few other officials, along with the man obsessed with withdrawing his winnings from the casino, remained on board. One official struggled to send a distress signal from the bridge. Suddenly, he spotted an approaching wave and warned the others. Everyone braced themselves for impact, but the wave was powerful. As the episode drew to a close, the ship was seen tilting precariously. Athena and Bobby clung to each other while the money-obsessed man fell from a lofty height onto the glass ceiling. It was uncertain whether he survived the fall.
