Episode 3 of "Cross" kicks off with a fleeting glimpse of a fresh character, Brenda Leeland, a drug-addled soul who receives a mysterious package containing a firearm, accompanied by a chilling directive: "Kill Alex Cross."
As the scene shifts back to Alex, we find him at the cemetery, paying his respects to Maria. John joins him, but Alex's heart is too heavy with grief to approach her grave on their anniversary. The pain is still too raw, too agonizing, forcing him to turn away.
Instead, Alex seeks an audience with Judge Matlof, advocating passionately for the interconnectedness of the cases, highlighting the links involving Emir and Tavio. He pleads for a warrant to enter Price Street, but the judge remains unyielding. The evidence presented falls short of justifying such a drastic measure, and his request is denied.
Unbeknownst to him, Alex finds himself squarely in harm's way when Brenda, the gun-toting addict, enters the same elevator at the precinct. With her hood pulled tight, she shadows him, searching for the perfect moment to strike.
In his office, Cross uncovers intriguing new information: the owner of the property in question is going to extraordinary lengths to conceal it. Although this revelation is noteworthy, it fails to ignite his curiosity fully. Meanwhile, John returns with lab results from the scarf, revealing a name – but he holds it back, insisting that Alex book an appointment with the doctor first. Reluctantly, Alex agrees.
The hair sample leads them to Susan, a wheelchair-bound officer within their ranks. She deduces that the killer previously dispatched Bailey, her noisy dog, to avoid suspicion. Their shared history on a case hints at a personal vendetta against both of them. Susan suspects Jerry Cooper might be the culprit.
Shannon awakens to a chilling reality, finding herself confined in the dark, damp basement, her limbs tightly bound, with a camera coldly pointing at her. She is imprisoned in a nightmare, compelled to endure whatever twisted games Ed has devised for her amusement. The first of these grim trials is the infamous "facemask challenge."
As the phone rings, Bobby Trey's voice cracks through the tension, updating Ed on the Judge's stance – Cross is hitting a wall in securing a warrant. Yet, Ed remains defiant, stubbornly rejecting Trey's prudent advice to disband and flee before the situation spirals into chaos.
Meanwhile, Chief Anderson makes a fateful decision, steadfastly rejecting the murder investigation angle. Her mind is closed to further protests from the disbelieving officers at the precinct. She dug her heels in, refusing to alter the cause of death, a stance subtly influenced by De Lackner's deceitful report, which conveniently omitted crucial details, like Price Street's notorious status as a drug haven.
Seeing an opportunity to turn the tables, Alex Cross deftly maneuvers within this corrupt framework. Leveraging the tantalizing prospect of a major drug bust (a subtle hint wrapped in a wink), he secures the Judge's blessing to raid the place with a warrant in hand, ready to expose the rot from within.
Trey dials Ed's number, urgently intending to break the grim tidings to him, just as an unforeseen twist unfolds: Shannon experiences a distressing allergic reaction to her medication. Oblivious to the chaos upstairs, Ed, whose basement is encased in soundproof walls, indulges in playful screams alongside Shannon, their voices blending into a game of make-believe. Meanwhile, as the authorities make their way up the stairs, the basement harbors the real drama of the moment.
The police conduct a thorough search but come up empty-handed, leading to an不可避免 scene of tension when their efforts prove futile. Anderson's frustration boils over, and John finds himself caught between his professional duties and his loyalty to his friend. For now, his allegiance leans towards Alex Cross, and he reminisces about the night they discovered a vital clue regarding the vehicle suspected in the Kowaleski burglary. This lead could be the key to identifying Alex's stalker, a critical thread in their intricate web of investigation.
While on the hunt for Jerry Cooper, Alex unexpectedly finds himself surrounded by the throngs of Brenda, who leads him to a secluded part of her hideout. Left alone on this lower level while John remains on the main floor, Alex finds himself unexpectedly in Brenda's sights. She pivots, locking eyes with Alex Cross, and pulls the trigger.
John dashes to the scene, but it's a heart-wrenching moment too late. A lifeless body lies there—but it's not Alex Cross. Alex had fired first, casting a dark shadow over their case as they're now burdened with another lifeless corpse. Lt. Massey is far from pleased, and when she learns of Alex being stalked, she faces a dilemma: there are no eyewitnesses to corroborate Alex's claim that Brenda drew first. Everything hinges on hearsay and trust, which Alex is currently lacking.
Fortunately, Massey stumbles upon a note detailing plans to eliminate Alex Cross, clearing his name. Intriguingly, the bullets from Brenda's gun appear to have been deliberately tampered with, destined to malfunction. It seems Brenda was set up to be killed by Cross in a supposed act of self-defense, unaware that this outcome was meticulously orchestrated.
Brenda's car is also discovered at the wharf, and despite his personal entanglements with Alex Cross, he remains on the case. Inside the vehicle, they uncover a blueprint of the cemetery where Maria rests in peace—a grim revelation indeed. Maria's grave remains undisturbed, yet a dress, unfamiliar to Maria but familiar to Alex, hangs eerily from a nearby tree. Moreover, Alex uncovers a hidden basement in Price Street, a secret they had previously overlooked, though we are already privy to this information.
Despite the perilous situation, Ed remains steadfast in his resolve to push forward with the operation. He resorts to blackmailing the Senator to ensure Yellowstone is prioritized, meanwhile, Trey finds himself with Shannon in the concealed basement. He menacingly threatens Shannon and demands a ransom of 2.2 million dollars for her safety. Reluctantly, Ed agrees to the demand, just in time as John and Alex descend into the basement. However, Trey and Shannon have already fled through the labyrinth of tunnels, leaving Ed's incriminating book behind—a blunder that doesn't bode well for him. He realizes the book's irreplaceable value and desperately seeks its recovery.
Despite their absence, the duo discovers further proof of Ed's nefarious scheme. It appears he's orchestrating a sinister plot to frame his victims as serial killers. Emir was made to resemble The Sandman, and now Shannon is being groomed to embody the notorious serial killer, Aileen Wuornos.
