The opening scene of "Capta Est," the second episode of Absentia season 3, finds Emily waking up disoriented from her recent stab wound. Cal rushes in to assist, rushing her to the hospital where her brother Jack leads the surgical team. As Emily wakes up to her father and Cal, she inquires about Nick's whereabouts, but they are unsure. Flynn is safe, as he's on a swimming trip.
At the FBI offices, the toxicology results confirm Nick's suspicions—the bodies of the organ harvesting ring were likely from undocumented people from another country. Emily wakes up in the hospital, struggling with the sedatives. Agent Crown visits, asking a few questions and promising Emily that they will find Nick. Emily is deeply troubled, knowing she cannot lose Nick again, especially after Flynn's recent loss of Alice. This is a devastating scenario for the lead character and sets a solid premise for season 3.
Emily heads to the Church where the Father offers her a chance to make a confession. She tells him that the ceremony of baptism is beautiful, and the Father explains that today we have the chance to replenish our sins. The Father hands over a business card for a sanctuary—“Tanya’s House”—believing she needs help. However, Emily is actually looking for Nick's informant Kai. Her manipulation skills are chilling, and this scene highlights her determination.
Emily finds Kai and tells her that Nick has been abducted and that she needs her help. Kai is worried, stating that they have sources everywhere and that even the FBI cannot help her. Suddenly, a car parks outside Tanya’s House, so Emily provides a distraction by calling the police, allowing her and Kai to escape. Season 3 proves that Emily is still resourceful and works on the spot.
Emily takes Kai to her secret office and gives her a beer. The pair bond over their drink, revealing that Kai lost her father. Emily mentions that her attacker had two different colored eyes, and Kai names the attacker as Kristoff, whom she only saw a few times. Kai informs Emily about a party Kristoff is at and gives her the password to enter—“Wolfgang.”
Emily, at the helm, dives into the underworld of the secret party, where street fighting takes place in the shadows. Kristoff engages in combat and emerges victorious. As he retches in the back alley, Emily follows closely, tying him up in the trunk of a car after lacing him with a beer laced with her secret concoction. With a knife, she pierces his abdomen, compelling him to take her to Nick or face a gruesome fate. This is no game for Emily – it's personal, and the first two episodes of Absentia's third season have set the stage for a thrilling ride.
Nick finds himself in hot water as the midway point of Absentia's third season, episode 2, "Capta Est," unfolds. He's being pummeled by a group of men who demand to know where Kai is. A man walks in and expresses his displeasure at having to clean up Gregor's mess. Gregor assures him that everything is under control, but the man makes it clear he doesn't give a second thought to his words, wiping out the entire group with a silencer. This new villain makes it clear he means business.
Emily, following Kristoff's directions, leaves him in the car and enters an establishment in search of Nick. The FBI arrives, with Agent Crown reminding her of her suspended status (a detail that seems to matter little to Emily). They discover CCTV footage of Nick being carried into a car. Agent Crown shows Kristoff a photo and asks if he knows the man with the silencer who wiped out the group.
Cal, placing Kristoff in the back of the ambulance, presses him for information on Meridian, but Kristoff is reluctant to speak. Cal persists, probing his stab wound until Kristoff finally relents and gives him the name "Dawkins." Cal informs Emily and Agent Crown that Dawkins is a fixer from an European crime organization called Meridian, indicating that Nick is in deep trouble. The scope of the story expands rapidly in this third season – it's not just about an organ harvesting ring anymore.
Emily returns to her basement, seizes Kai, and demands to know what information she shared with Nick. Kai admits to having encrypted files for life insurance and that Nick has the encryption key. She worked for Meridian. Emily confronts Kai, accusing her of putting their family in danger. "Did you give up Nick to save yourself?" asks Emily, who seems to have taken on a new edge in this third season – angrier than ever before. The roles have reversed since Season 1, with Nick now being the one who has disappeared.
The episode ends with Kai feeling guilty for Nick's plight as a father and offering to help. Julianne tells Cal that if Nick's abduction was linked to Meridian, it's a big deal. She pulls out a folder and reveals that Meridian is mentioned several times in his redacted file – "The mysterious stretch between when you left the military and joined the FBI. Care to share what that's about?" Cal's face betrays his guilt as he asserts that the information she's discussing is part of a national security investigation and he's not at liberty to discuss it further.
The FBI believes they've located Dawkins in a building and has a tactical team on standby. As they approach, there's an explosion. Emily rushes towards the building, worried about Nick's fate. She finds his badge reduced to ash – a harbinger of the dire circumstances they now find themselves in. Episode 2 offers plenty of food for thought as the situation escalates, with the conversation between Julianne and Cal particularly interesting given the hints of Cal's past from Season 2 that will undoubtedly play a significant role later on.
