The episode kicks off with Nina Hayes (portrayed by Rachel Hilson), a fresh recruit at the FBI, passionately requesting an assignment in Phoenix. Her superiors, while acknowledging the unorthodoxy of her demand, inform her of a fortuitous opening in the Arizona city, caveating that her deployment would be a last resort.
In the sun-drenched landscape of Arizona, Jim Ellis (played by Josh Holloway) is depicted flooring the accelerator of a powerful muscle car, racing towards a cacophonous payphone. On the line, a cryptic voice instructs him to proceed to Nachos Con Dios in Ripley and place an order for 24 Sloppy Joses. Without delay, Jim hangs up and speeds off with Luna (Adriana Aluna Martinez) by his side.
Upon arriving at Nachos Con Dios, Jim places the peculiar order and hands over a substantial sum of money to the cashier, who in return gives him a leather pouch. As Jim and Luna pull away, two patrons dining al fresco recognize them and instantaneously give chase. In no time, Jim maneuvers skillfully to cause his pursuers, led by Gavin and another man, to crash.
Jim swiftly delivers the pouch to a secluded house, where he's ushered inside. Inside, he's startled to witness a surgery in progress. He hands over the pouch to one of the surgeons, who retrieves a heart from within. Shortly thereafter, Jim is enlisted to assist in the operation as the surgeons ready the new heart for implantation.
Post-mission, Jim and Luna return to Izzy (Camille Guaty). She reprimands him for being two hours late, explaining Luna's unawareness of the delay. She urges him to be more responsible, to which he responds by asserting his efforts to improve and presents her with an envelope brimming with cash.
Nina steps off her journey in Phoenix and is promptly greeted by Nathan Abbott at the field office. He leads her through a swift yet thorough orientation, introducing her to the ins and outs of the office. The tour culminates with an introduction to Agent Chad Grant, portrayed by Dan Tracy, who labels her as the fledgling detective with aspirations of bringing down the Southwest's equivalent of Al Capone. With a hint of sarcasm, he warns her that the investigation they're delving into is plagued with misfortune.
Meanwhile, Jim finds himself at a gratitude dinner hosted by Ezra 'Sax' Saxton, played by Keith David. He receives personal expressions of thanks from Sax and Genesis Saxton, Sydney Elisabeth, for his bravery in saving Royce Saxton's, Benjamin Charles Watson, life. Amidst the meal, Genesis expresses concern for his wellbeing, prompting Jim to reveal that his trip to Ripley had stirred memories of Joey.
Elsewhere, Nina and Jessica-Lorraine Sims, embodied by Sofia Vassilieva, devise a plan to gain insights into the Saxton organization by securing a subpoena for Genesis's club's bank records. Their strategy is abruptly halted when Grant orders everyone out to prepare the room for his use within the hour. Following this disruption, Agent Awan Bitsui, portrayed by Asivak Koostachin, informs Nina of a car accident in Ripley, California, involving a vehicle registered to one of Saxton's employees. She decides to venture there the following day to interrogate the two injured individuals.
After the dinner concludes, Sax assigns Jim a new task: to pick up Billy and confront Chestnut, played by Nick Job, who has been acting suspiciously. In a personal aside, Sax inquiries about Jim's father's condition. Jim responds that his father remains married to Charlotte Dean-Ellis, Gail O’Grady, before departing.
Awan later expresses regret to Nina for the way she is being treated by her peers. She reassures him that she doesn't let such trivialities affect her, but appreciates his empathy. He, too, thanks her for including him, noting that he often finds himself sidelined. She commends him for his abilities, affirming that he truly is exceptional.
Jimmy expertly executes a few stops, scooping up Billy before steering towards Chestnut's abode. As Billy grilled him with inquiries, Nina was busy probing the cashier at Nacho Con Dios, who had handed over the duffle bag to Jim. The cashier revealed that the man who deposited the bag wore a clown's mask, obscuring his identity. He couldn't recognize the driver or the little girl, but he did catch Jim addressing her as Luna. Billy obtains the name of the union troublemaker from Chestnut.
Returning to the field office, Nina and Awan update Gant on their discovery: Jim had transported a heart to the Saxton residence, and they intended to pursue him. Gant cautioned them to steer clear of Jim, emphasizing his steadfast loyalty.
Jim proceeds to visit Sax. He divulges that the name Billy acquired was Bob Temple (Kevin Chamberlin), a Tucson resident sharing his life with a wife. Furthermore, he instructs Sax to dig up some dirt on Temple. Nina and Awan tail Jim to the Can't Miss Dinner after his exit from Sax's office. There, Jimmy meets with Cassidy (Tara Holt), briefing her on a job similar to their previous Amarillo endeavor. She readily agrees. As he exits, Missy G (Gwendolyn McCann) playfully warns him to remind Sax that if he doesn't soon swing by for a slice of her pie, he'll be in for a steep penalty in her own special way.
Upon leaving the dinner, Jimmy is startled to find Nina perched in his passenger seat. She menaces him with the charges of interstate transportation of a stolen heart, urging him to become an informant. Curious, he inquiries about her tenure in the job. She admits it's been just two days. With a smirk, he informs her that her third day on the job is bound to be disastrous, as he would never ink that informant agreement.
Nina returns to the field office, her spirits dampened, and promptly dials her mother's number to unload the weight of her defeat. She confides in her about the chilly reception she's encountered at the office, revealing how she feels alienated from everyone around her. Her mother, ever the sage, responds by suggesting that Nina has overlooked something crucial—a revelation that might dawn upon her if she could only cease her self-deprecating gaze. This profound insight strikes Nina like a bolt of lightning, prompting her to recall Jim's dog tags inscribed with 'Joseph Ellis.'
Meanwhile, Jim sets off to his father Wade Ellis's (played by Corbin Bernsen) abode in search of his passport. Wade, ever the calming influence, assures Jim that federal agents have been hot on Sax's trail for ages. But Jim, sensing an urgency unlike any before, insists that this time is different. He reveals his plan to complete one final task for Sax before confronting him at midnight with his intentions to leave the life behind.
Elsewhere, Awan and Nina are immersed in research about Joey at the field office when Jessica interrupts with news from Trisha at Phoenix PD. She shares that Joey met his end while working under Sax's employ, and startlingly, the fatal explosion was captured on security footage.
Jim ventures into the Mercado Paradiso, his resolve steeled, and informs the cashier of his desire to journey to Mad Raoul's domain. In response, the cashier, adopting an eerie demeanor, closes the shop, snapshots Jim, and forces him to sign a contract, using his own blood as ink. The cashier informs Jim that Mad Raoul anticipates his arrival by Monday, leaving no room for delay.
Grant, meantime, discovers Nina, Jessica, and Awan's unauthorized pursuit of the tape documenting Joey's demise. His tone, replete with disapproval, echoes through the room as he reproaches them for neglecting direct orders in favor of this personal quest.
Cassidy orchestrates a deceptive encounter with Bob at the opulent Conquistador Hotel, subtly lacing his drink with a sedative. As he begins to succumb to its effects, she and Jim usher him back to his hotel room, their plan unfolding seamlessly. However, their exit from the lobby is interrupted by an unexpected twist: Cassidy's boyfriend, Cal, catches sight of them and decides to follow discreetly.
Meanwhile, Jim positions himself to capture incriminating photos of Cassidy and an unconscious Bob sharing a bed. Just as the camera clicks, Cal bursts in, brandishing a gun, his eyes blazing with fury. A fierce struggle ensues between Jim and Cal, with the latter eventually gaining the advantage and knocking Jim to the ground – long enough for Cassidy and her sedated companion to slip away unnoticed.
Elsewhere, Abbott informs Nina of her transfer to Butte, Montana, as punishment for disregarding orders. Despite her heartfelt pleas for redemption, he remains unyielding, informing her that the official notification has already been dispatched. While packing her belongings, Awan stumbles upon a crucial piece of evidence: a tape documenting Joey's tragic demise. They watch the harrowing footage together when Nina receives a call from Charlotte, who urgency conveys news of Jim's flight to Mexico and his scheduled meeting with Sax at midnight.
Jim confides in Izzy about his journey south before setting off to confront Sac. However, his path is abruptly intercepted by Nina, who points a gun at him and insists he accompany her. She unveils the tape of Joey's death, revealing a shocking revelation: her father, too, had worked for Sax post-war and met a similar fate as Joey, orchestrated by Sax himself. She replays the tape, emphasizing that the explosion originated from beneath the van, not within, challenging Jim's assumptions about Sax's guilt in his brother's murder.
Armed with this new perspective, Jim delivers the compromising photographs to Sax, who muses aloud about the labor-intensive nature of blackmail, musing that murder might prove a more straightforward solution. After this chilling conversation, Jim returns to Nina and, swayed by her revelations, signs the confidential informant agreement. Nina triumphantly returns to the office with the signed contract, while the episode concludes on a sinister note: one of Sax's informants watches Jim ink his fateful deal, hinting at unseen complications lurking just beneath the surface.
