Episode 3 of "Countdown" kicks off with Mark's head pounding like a war drum, narrowly averting disaster as he almost mows down a pedestrian while speeding out. Meanwhile, Oliveras finds himself in a pickle, unable to dispose of the heroin down the toilet. It's Finau's big day, and we witness the warmth of his family eager to celebrate his birthday with him.
Bell briefs everyone on the bomb explosion's aftermath, while Mark stumbles upon a lead on Volchek. His former inmate, Timur Novikov from Belarus, is a walking encyclopedia of the country's underbelly. Mark had once rescued Timur from a pack of troublesome convicts, earning the inmate's eternal gratitude. Now, Timur owes him a favor and is eager to repay the debt from behind bars, much to Oliveras' fleeting concern before teasing her about it.
Blythe pays a visit to Damon, who is still grappling with the loss of his son. Shepherd, discovering it's Finau's birthday, decides to sweeten his day with a cake.
Turning to Mark's devious plan, the warden shoots it down, branding him a hazard. But Blythe, ever the innovator, orchestrates an appeal hearing for Timur. Oliveras and Finau take the wheel of the van, with Mark donning his inmate disguise to join them. They cruise around in aimless loops, giving Mark and an unsuspecting Timur the perfect opportunity to catch up. When Finau accidentally blows a tire, Mark and Timur seize the moment to bolt.
To make the charade convincing, Mark fires a shot near Finau's head—a move that was never part of the script. Finau, fury blazing in his eyes, finds no solace in Oliveras, who misses the thrill of an undercover mission. Finau braces himself for a long, arduous day but, fueled by anger, assures his wife he'll still make it home for family dinner.
Meanwhile, Shepherd is wracked with anxiety over Finau's cake, while Bell teases her about her meticulous nature. In a moment of unguarded revelation, Shepherd confesses her desire for a new school printer and shares an incredible tale: she uncovered her principal's theft and had him incarcerated. As for the cake, it ends in disaster, accidentally inscribed with the words 'Happy Birthday Final,' much to everyone's amusement and despair.
Just as the situation seems to be spiraling out of control, Valwell arrives, menacing Blythe for aiding the escape of a perilous convict. Damon quickly ejects him, but not before inadvertently hinting that Blythe is safeguarding the city from an unspecified danger.
Elsewhere, Mark stealthily filches a phone, and after Timur informs his uncle, Mark surreptitiously stashes it away. They arrive at a clandestine Burbank hideout, but Mikhail, the uncle, is enraged with Timur for divulging their whereabouts. Amidst their heated exchange, Mark covertly contacts Oliveras to pinpoint their location. He inadvertently lets slip that his brush with death had invigorated him, sparking concern in Oliveras.
Mark hangs up and begins snooping around, eventually stumbling upon a room teeming with research materials. Among them, he spots a blueprint of the LA port, but his discovery is swiftly cut short by Borys. Mikhail enters the scene, and Borys insists that Mark must meet his fate. At gunpoint, Mikhail leads Mark away, while Timur pleadingly begs his uncle to halt the proceedings. Recognizing Mikhail's resolve, Mark resigns himself to his impending doom. Fortunately for Mark, Borys decides to torch the files and flees, igniting a blaze that quickly spreads. As the task force arrives, creating a diversion, Mark seizes the opportunity to take cover.
The dramatic climax of Countdown Episode 3 unfolds in a hail of gunfire, with Timur being struck. Distraught, Mikhail turns his weapon on Finau but misses, the bullet instead finding its mark in Drew's chest, causing him to collapse. The scene is fraught with tension and sorrow as the narrative hurtles towards an uncertain future.
