The premiere of Criminal Minds: Evolution's third season resumes six months after Voit's harrowing assault behind bars. The scene transitions to a man puffing on a cigarette, his eyes glued to the entrance of a store as he awaits his next target. With subtle deftness, he films his unsuspecting prey before approaching, feigning ignorance by inquiring about directions. Oblivious to the looming peril, the victim kindly offers assistance. In an instant, the unsub (unidentified subject) sprays an unknown substance into the victim's face, causing him to collapse to the ground like a felled tree.
A police cruiser happens upon the scene, the officer inside taking in the sight of the prone figure. Deceived by the unsub's charade, the officer mistakes the victim's plight for inebriation. The unsub cunningly claims the victim is his brother, and they were merely making their way home. Trusting the false narrative, the officer assists the unsub in loading the inert form into the vehicle, and they speed off into the night.
Next, we find the victim's lifeless body washed ashore in Ocean City, Maryland, a grim spectacle floating on the sandy beach. As the local sheriff gathers witness accounts, the BAU (Behavioral Analysis Unit) team arrives, their expert eyes scrutinizing the deceased. It transpires that this is the fourth corpse discovered on the shoreline, each punctuated by multiple holes in the chest – a macabre hallmark of the unsub's modus operandi. These punctures serve a grim purpose: to ensure the bodies sink beneath the salty waves.
The following morning, Tyler reports for duty, his mock gun earning him relentless ribbing from his teammates. Still in the throes of training, Tyler has yet to earn clearance for fieldwork, though he wisely carries a knife as a precaution. Luke tasks him with presenting the case, revealing that five souls have fallen prey to this ruthless killer. The authorities have yet to identify the first two victims, complicating the timeline and hampering their understanding of the stab wounds as a possible countermeasure.
Elsewhere, Rossi finds himself in a sour mood, beset by an OPR (FBI's Office of Professional Responsibility) investigation into his alleged involvement in Voit's prison attack. Over six months, he has been grilled six times, steadfastly maintaining his innocence. Yet, the OPR agent remains unconvinced. This time, she poses a pointed question: can Rossi prove his innocence? He cannot, trapped in a cycle of suspicion. Off the record, Rossi lambasts the notion, asserting that if he wanted Voit dead, the man would already be six feet under.
The scene shifts to Garcia by Voit's bedside in the hospital, a sight that puzzles Emily. She clarifies that Voit lies in a medically induced coma, his condition revealed by an abnormal brain scan indicating years of trauma. This revelation is perplexing, given Voit's non-athletic background, as such injuries are predominantly associated with athletes. A nurse arrives to administer new medication, prompting Emily to show Garcia a device – an alarm that will sound instantly if Voit awakens and moves.
Emily's concerns extend to Rossi, and she is eager to uncover how Voit managed to survive the brutal attack. Meanwhile, JJ is under stress ahead of her mother-in-law's impending visit. Tara, too, is anxious, worried about her father's reaction when he meets Rebecca for the first time, uncertain if he can accept her queer relationship.
During a brief meeting, Tyler informs the team that the last victim has been identified as David Hartle. Since his body was discovered promptly, the medical examiner's report offers valuable clues. Fentanyl aerosol traces were found in his lungs, sufficient to temporarily incapacitate him. Additionally, a brown residue was discovered in his teeth. These findings lead the team to deduce that the unsub drowns his victims in a pool before discarding their bodies in the ocean. The scene then transitions to the unsub drowning another victim in his pool while filming the act.
Elsewhere, Emily urges Rossi to review the incident report from Voit's prison attack. Initially reluctant, fearing Voit's presence might invade his thoughts once more, Rossi eventually caves in and examines the report, uncovering a crucial lead. The next day, he requests Emily to secure clearance for a prison visit.
Returning to the case, Tara proposes that they investigate individuals with a history of water-related trauma. Garcia cuts in during lunch, revealing a breakthrough: all identified victims had visited a venue named Air, Beach, and Bed. The BAU promptly contacts the shareholders of the site and presents them with the profile.
Evidently, the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) is well aware that the shareholders will steadfastly deny any involvement; nonetheless, they harbor hope in utilizing body language to uncover a cooperative individual who might aid their investigation. Tara promptly reaches out to Rebecca for assistance, and together they present the psychological profile to the shareholders, ultimately pinpointing a willing ex-serviceman to discreetly lend his expertise.
In parallel, the unidentified subject (unsub) abducts a trio comprising a mother, her daughter, and the father. He transports them to his swimming pool and, upon the father's refusal to enter, executes him. Persuaded by her mother, the daughter ventures into the pool, and together they conserve their energy while devising an escape plan. However, the unsub's patience wears thin, prompting him to unleash the pool cover.
Back at the BAU, Luke engages in a heartfelt conversation with Garcia about her compassion towards Voit. She reassuringly states that despite his dark deeds, Voit retains traces of humanity. Luke, however, remains unconvinced. During their discourse, Garcia manages to identify the initial victims, largely thanks to the soldier who granted them access to the backend of the relevant website.
With the identities of the first victims now known, the BAU's search for the unsub narrows geographically. Luke instructs Garcia to conduct a search for private pools spacious enough to accommodate an adult drowning.
Meanwhile, Rossi ventures into the prison and secures the shank used by Voit against his assailants.
In the midst of her search, Garcia discovers the latest reported missing persons. Her additional inquiries lead them to Franklin, whose parents and sister perished in their family pool when he was just ten. At the time, authorities suspected Franklin of their murders but lacked sufficient evidence. Notably, his father, an alcoholic lifeguard, had subjected Franklin to severe punishment for failing swimming tests repeatedly.
The BAU hypothesizes that witnessing the Estes family at the beach triggered painful memories of Franklin's own family, thus prompting him to escalate his actions by taking three victims simultaneously.
The team arrives just in time to rescue Vivian and Kristi Estes, but Franklin takes his own life after asserting that his actions were premeditated. Following the case, Rossi informs Emily that the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is beginning to relent, thanks to his discovery of Voit's weapon. Though Rossi's troubles are not yet over, this marks a promising start. Emily reveals that Franklin's final words were perplexing, prompting further investigation.
The IT team uncovers that Franklin uploaded videos of his victims to a dark web site bearing similarities to one created by Voit. Emily expresses her apprehension about a potential link between the unsub and Voit, a sentiment echoed by Rossi, who remains wary of Voit. The episode concludes with Voit stirring from his coma and choking a nurse. The instant his hands encircle her neck, alarms blare ominously.
