The opening of Absentia season 3, episode 6, “In Quo Ego Vado Vos,” unfolds with a haunting flashback: Cal, on duty for the military, accidentally shoots a child. The scene lingers in the air as he wakes up, a haunting echo of his past. As he boards the train, Emily joins him, their proximity filled with a warm intimacy—as if they've missed each other's presence. They've booked a single cabin with bunk beds, their journey a testament to their newfound closeness. Emily's curiosity piques as she sips her wine, wondering why Julianne let Cal go to Europe. There's an underlying tension in her questions, a sense of unease that he's keeping secrets from her.
Meanwhile, Flynn and his grandfather have found refuge in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nature's comforting embrace. The grandfather prepares his shotgun, ready to defend them against any threat that might come their way. Flynn's expression is a mix of shock and apprehension, adding to the mounting tension of their predicament.
Nick, on the other hand, continues to be tortured by the woman in the white lab coat. She tells him to stop being foolish, assuring him that his colleagues won't be able to save him. Her words are drowned out by the sound of electrocution, but Nick's resolve remains unbroken. He's a fighter, no doubt about it.
Back on the train, Emily and Cal pretend to be an engaged couple as they drink, their banter filled with old memories and newfound intimacy. Emily ruffles Cal's hair as the waiter looks on, their act a carefully crafted disguise to keep their secrets safe. Cal rings Julianne, telling her he hasn't found Emily yet. But in the carriage, danger lurks. Emily is attacked and Cal is too, their fight for survival a testament to their unyielding bond. Emily manages to get away from her attacker, knocking him unconscious, and together they throw both men off the train. Their journey is never dull—a spin-off series with just these two characters would be a thrilling ride.
In the midway point of Absentia season 3, episode 6, "In Quo Ego Vado Vos," we find Cal and Emily in the carriage, their bodies pressed together as they undress, both visibly injured but gazing intently at each other. Emily traces a scar on Cal's chest, then apologizes as he pulls away. A flashback shows Cal on duty again, revealing how he acquired the scar in the Middle East when a young boy accidentally crossed his path during a shoot-out. The boy's mother attacked him with a knife, leaving the scar, and his boss killed the mother before demanding that Cal finish off the boy. Cal was blackmailed—“Save the boy or save my friend.” This flashback exposes the guilt that cripples Cal and his understanding of the monster within him. He saved his friend.
Emily holds his hands and kisses him, and they have sex—a long time coming between the two characters whose despair and lack of trust for the world have brought them closer over many episodes. As morning dawns, Emily whispers to him, "I love you."
But this is not a moment for reflection. Nick is still being tortured, with the white lab coat woman telling him he is being moved and saying goodbye. Meanwhile, Emily and Cal jump off the train before it is stopped and searched. They hike across the land until they reach a facility where they infiltrate the building. Emily sees all the medical equipment and vials, triggering traumatic flashbacks, and the tank of water doesn't help either. They see photos on the wall, and Emily recognizes one of the women—she believes she is one of the organ harvesting victims in Boston. As she looks through the photos, Nick is placed in a lorry with other people who are kidnapped. Emily realizes that the facility is empty, suggesting that Nick is now part of the organ harvesting ring.
Episode 5 was a masterpiece in both action and drama, as both Emily and Nick found time to breathe while also fighting together—it's what they do best.
