Episode 2 of Criminal Minds: Evolution's second season kicks off with a chilling display of brutality, as an unidentified subject ruthlessly enucleates two unsuspecting victims. Within the walls of Stoneward Penitentiary, tensions escalate as Jennifer grapples with Voit's stubborn uncooperativeness, each passing moment a ticking time bomb.
Luke, ever the strategist, proposes a daring maneuver—harnessing Voit's yearning for his family as a wedge. However, Voit's desperate letters to his wife, left unopened and unread, reveal a complex familial web that runs deeper than anyone anticipated.
Elsewhere, Tara and Garcia forge an unlikely bond over the shared experience of working alongside their ex-partners. In a separate thread, Tyler approaches Rebecca with a mission-critical request, seeking her approval to engage with a mysterious "guy" who holds the key to unraveling the escrow accounts financing the strike team's operations.
Tyler's informant has uncovered a downtown office belonging to the escrow firm, and he's eager to stake it out, interviewing those who enter its confines. With Rossi's assurance that he'll keep Tyler's actions within legal bounds, Rebecca gives her nod. Just as the team prepares to execute this plan, a new case shatters their focus.
Emily, ever vigilant, has been monitoring cases that mirror Goldstar's modus operandi, and she's uncovered a fresh lead. Refusing to accept Voit's words at face value, Emily insists that Goldstar's hiding in plain sight, not yet satisfied with his deeds. She urges the team to delve into this new case, convinced it fits Goldstar's sinister profile like a glove. Rossi offers to join her investigation, while Tara volunteers to keep a watchful eye on Tyler during his stakeout.
Meanwhile, Luke and Jennifer embark on a carefully crafted charade in Voit's presence, their every word a calculated move. Voit, though skeptical, finds himself drawn into Jennifer's web of conversation, as she delicately tugs at the threads of his psyche, slowly but surely reeling him in.
The cat-and-mouse chase commences in earnest, weaving a tense tapestry that stretches on for an arduous spell. Yet, Jenifer emerges victorious, outwitting him at every turn, until Voit reluctantly consents to peruse the documents pertaining to the recent enigmatic case. His acquiescence, however, is fleeting; upon discovering the absence of the gruesome crime scene photographs, he promptly retracts his agreement.
Jennifer, seeking counsel, turns to Emily, and their minds converge on a sinister revelation: Voit is orchestrating a power play, keeping them perpetually off-balance. Luke and Jennifer's suspicions deepen, convinced that Goldstar had acquired the grisly art of severing the lingual artery from none other than Voit himself. This macabre technique, employed by Goldstar to end the life of his previous quarry and evident in the ghastly remains found within the shipping container, serves as a vital clue. If they can forge an irrefutable link between Voit and Goldstar, demonstrating their exchange of lethal knowledge, it will serve as the smoking gun, unveiling Voit's true identity as Sycarius.
As the psychological battle between Jennifer and Voit intensifies, Jennifer presses him into a corner, forcing him to acknowledge his online conversations with Goldstar. Yet, Voit remains steadfast, claiming their discourse revolved solely around the intriguing concept of social contagion—the subtle diffusion of behaviors influenced by one's surroundings.
But when Jennifer shrewdly brings up the lingual artery, Voit sees through her ruse, his mask of composure slipping. He promptly severs all ties, engaging his legal counsel to issue a formal request, mandating Jennifer's distance from him.
Meanwhile, the new case sends Emily and Rossi on divergent paths, their perspectives clashing like swords. Emily is resolute, her conviction unwavering that the perpetrator is none other than Goldstar. Rossi, however, remains skeptical, his doubts casting shadows over her certainty.
As the investigation unfolds, Rossi confesses with a note of hesitance, his reluctance palpable. An impasse arises when Emily contends they're poised to present their case profile, only to be abruptly halted by Rossi's dissent. She passionately argues that Rossi would never have doubted Hotch's instincts in similar circumstances. After a thoughtful exchange, Emily proposes a resolution: they'll pursue the case, each determined to prove their stance right.
Rossi and Emily, both acknowledging their confirmation biases, reluctantly set aside their differences and proceed, though they forgo their usual stroll with Voit. Their perseverance pays off when they uncover that the perpetrator is a youth scarred by a behavioral modification program. The victims, once educators at the institution, fell prey to his vengeful wrath.
The trail grows colder, but the unsub strikes again, abducting a woman and leaving her daughter as a haunting witness. The daughter's revelation that her mother had meticulously preserved her emails becomes a crucial clue. Garcia, ever the tech savant, leverages this information to unravel the web of behavioral modification programs, ultimately zeroing in on one linked to all victims.
Delving deeper, they uncover Aiden Keller, a boy whose profile eerily aligns with that of their elusive unsub. The hunt intensifies, as they close in on the truth, each step fraught with the weight of understanding the dark legacy that forged this young man's twisted path.
Elsewhere, Tara and Tyler diligently stake out the escrow building, their vigil turning into a tedious exercise in futility. Hours drag by before Rebecca joins their ranks, while Luke finds himself caught in the crossfire of yet another heated argument between his former flames.
As the day wanes into a wasted endeavor, Tyler concocts a ruse, feigning stomach discomfort to slip unnoticed into the building's confines. There, he uncovers a stash of passports, each belonging to the same man under various aliases, a cryptic find that goes unnoticed by Tara and Rebecca, who have finally brokered a tentative peace in the car, unaware of Tyler's clandestine maneuverings.
With Voit's lawyer filing a petition against Jennifer, the team convenes virtually to chart their next course of action. Rebecca solemnly alerts the BAU squad that their director's patience is wearing thin, threatening to replace them if they falter. Emily deftly deploys Luke as a pawn, instructing him to feign fear in the face of Voit.
Meanwhile, Garcia's relentless pursuit leads Emily, Rossi, and the SWAT team on a race against time to rescue the latest victim from Goldstar's grasp. Deviating from Emily's strategy, Luke approaches Voit with a unique angle, a daring move that pays dividends. Voit, intrigued by Luke's honesty amidst deceit, begins to unravel, revealing that Jennifer's oversight lies in not inquiring about the BAU's involvement in a matter transcending mere national security threats.
Voit's assertions deepen the mystery, insisting that Goldstar's true nature surpasses that of a mere serial killer or assassin. When Luke presses for more insights, Voit mocks their conventional profiling methods, arguing they are blind to the reality that Goldstar is a conspiracy's pawn, a victim of manipulation and indoctrination, groomed to believe in a web of lies.
Voit contends that by eliminating the strike force dispatched to apprehend him, Goldstar has escalated his threat level, now free to unleash his nefarious 'contagion' unchecked. This, he posits, is the driving force behind Madison's relentless pursuit, even compelling the Behavioral Analysis Unit to forge an uneasy alliance with a serial killer in order to capture Goldstar.
The narrative shifts to Emily, Rossi, and the local law enforcement in a race against time to rescue the female victim from Keller's clutches. Keller, with a sudden turn of events, accuses the terrified victim of abusing him during his involvement in the program, an allegation that appears to shock her to the core. Keller persists in his accusation amidst the victim's pleas for mercy.
Emily and Rossi arrive just in time, yet Keller's desperation escalates when Emily utters Goldstar's name, threatening to take the victim's life. In a split-second decision, Rossi is compelled to neutralize Keller, saving the victim's life. Moments later, Garcia's call to Emily brings disappointing news—no discernible connection between Keller and Goldstar has been uncovered.
The scene shifts back to the prison, where Luke and Voit engage in a tense conversation. Luke's frustration mounts as he seeks answers to their enigmatic predicament. Voit, with a mysterious air, beckons Luke closer, whispering words that ignite a fierce reaction. Luke, consumed by rage, lunges at Voit through the bars, prompting Jennifer and the other guards to intervene swiftly.
As the episode draws to a close, Voit remains coy, refusing to divulge to Jennifer the provocative words that so agitated Luke. Instead, he poses a haunting question, "Who has been infected now?" leaving the audience to ponder the implications of this cryptic statement.
