In the gripping third episode of Season 3 of "Alert: Missing Persons Unit," a poignant scene unfolds where a young boy, filled with compassion, offers food to a homeless man on the streets. Once the homeless figure has departed, the boy embarks on a daring ascent, scaling the towering walls of a building to reach its rooftop sanctuary. There, he unleashes his creativity, sketching a vibrant mural that seems to capture the essence of his soul. However, his artistic reverie is abruptly shattered when an unidentified man unexpectedly enters the rooftop, prompting the boy to instinctively distance himself. The next moment, a piercing scream pierces the air, plunging the scene into an eerie darkness.
Meanwhile, back at the Missing Persons Unit offices, Jason returns from a brief hiatus, only to find Mike, who had taken an unexpected three-day leave, back at work but visibly haunted. Kemi, concerned for her colleague, entrusts Jason with the task of keeping a close watch on Mike. Their conversation is cut short when a frantic woman walks in, seeking help for her missing son, Lay. He hasn't been seen since the previous night, a departure from his usual routine, especially since he was meant to attend a crucial hospital appointment for his younger brother, Luhan, who suffers from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and awaits a bone marrow donation from Lay. The impending transplant surgery hangs in the balance, adding to the mother's distress.
The unit springs into action, delving into Lay's background as a semi-renowned muralist with a contentious artistic style that had sometimes rubbed people the wrong way. They initially explore the angle of whether his controversial works had enraged someone enough to abduct him. Kemi visits Luhan, gently coaxing him to reveal that Lay had planned to meet a man named Dennis McComb, the shady operator of a fraudulent holistic clinic who had duped Luhan out of $8,000—money they desperately need for Luhan's surgery. Just as Kemi leaves, a doctor pulls her aside with a grim ultimatum: they must find Lay within 48 hours; otherwise, Luhan's frail condition may render him unsuitable for surgery.
Mike and Jason storm McComb's clinic, demanding answers. McComb claims Lay visited but left in a huff after being denied a refund. As the investigation progresses, Kemi uncovers a crucial lead: Lay was arrested for attempting to pass a forged check but was bailed out by a bondsman named Max. Max leads the detectives to another muralist, Spider, a rival of Lay's known for his jealousy. However, it seems illogical that Spider, the source of Lay's rivalry, would bail him out. Mike and Jason track down Spider, who attempts to evade capture. After a brief chase and Spider's eventual arrest, he confesses under pressure, revealing that he hired a desperate Lay to complete a mural for him, adding another layer of complexity to the mystery.
As the investigation drags on, Jason attempts to engage Mike in a conversation about his sorrow, but Mike remains steadfast in his conviction that plunging into his work is the most effective way for him to cope. He insists that his job serves as his sole anchor in this tumultuous time. Meanwhile, Luhan's plight continues to deteriorate, casting a darker shadow over their efforts.
Guided by Spider's lead, Mike and Jason uncover Lay's final mural, which unexpectedly turns out to be a damning indictment against McCombs. The detectives orchestrate a clever ruse to lure McCombs to the scene. However, McCombs steadfastly denies any involvement in Lay's plight, insisting that he was merely on the rooftop while Lay embarked on a daring rooftop run.
Armed with this new information, Kemi and her team focus their efforts on tracing the path Lay took. Kemi retrieves data from Lay's smartwatch, but a cruel twist reveals that the GPS has been disabled. Tragically, Lay's leap led him into a perilous situation, as he plummeted into a building where the roof collapsed on him. With Kemi's assistance, Mike and Jason locate the building where Lay is trapped.
Inside, they discover Lay, his survival hanging by a thread, with paramedics still ten minutes away. In a moment of desperation, Jason conceives a plan to stabilize Lay until help arrives. Miraculously, his Hail Mary attempt pays off, and they manage to cling to victory's edge. Lay is whisked away to the hospital, where doctors perform surgery to save both him and his brother.
After the case is wrapped up, Jason seeks out Mike once more. This time, he offers him reassuring words, emphasizing that he is not alone in grieving Nikki's death and that they will navigate this challenging time together.
