As the episode unfolds, Nina Hayes (portrayed by Rachel Hilson) finds herself in a perilous predicament, with a knife at her throat held by a menacing assailant who poses questions she's seemingly clueless about. Flashing back 13 hours, Nina arrives at her workplace, where Kelly (played by Esther Omegba), the affable cleaning lady, showers her with affection and presents her with a cactus as a charming desk-warming gesture. Awan Bitsui (Asivak Koostachin) interrupts this warm welcome to inform Nina that Max (James Cady) has completed the forensics report on Joey's van.
Meanwhile, Jim Ellis (Josh Holloway) visits the hospital, where he discovers that Wesson Groomes' (Donal Logue) condition is grim. While there, he bumps into Izzy (Camille Guaty), who is meeting David Callahan (Matt Lauria) for breakfast. David invites Jim to join them, but he hastily declines and scurries away.
Nina and Awan uncover startling news: traces of C4 have been discovered in Joey's van. Awan questions why the police report would contradict such incriminating evidence. Nina suggests it was a deliberate attempt to mislead, prompting Max to advise them to abandon the investigation due to Leland Breen's overzealous and flawed pursuit of the case.
Later, Nina seeks out Jim to inquire about the individuals Ezra 'Sax' Saxton (Keith David) is meeting and brokering deals with. Jim reveals that if extortion were her intent, Norman (Jonathan Dixon) would have been the target. Nina clarifies that she's not extorting anyone but rather aiding Norman in uncovering the truth behind his brother's fate. With that, she unfolds the forensics report before him, adding depth and intrigue to the unfolding narrative.
Nathan Abbott, portrayed by Greg Grunberg, warns Nina that the ASAC fears delving into Joey's demise could lead them astray. Despite her assurance that she's making headway, albeit with Jim posing a slight challenge, Nathan labels her dense and urges her to shift her focus elsewhere. When Nina broaches the subject of Breen and her conspiracy theory, Nathan sternly advises against approaching him and storms off.
Later, while confiding in her mother about her office predicament, Nina's gaze falls upon a cactus perched on her mother's desk. Moments later, she reveals to Awan a plan she knows won't sit well with him. Awan voices his concerns, highlighting the perils of staying out of the field and emphasizing that opportunities like theirs are fleeting. Assuring him they're in this together and pledging her support, Nina inquires about Breen. Awan recounts Breen's odd behavior upon returning to work, setting the stage for their plan to interrogate him at Kirkbridge Sanitarium.
Jim pays a visit to Sax's office to collect his daily deliveries, querying Billy (Evan Jones) about Sax's whereabouts. Billy, visibly hesitant, discloses that Sax has a meeting in Tucson. As Jim exits, he subtly sabotages Sax's vehicle by slicing the radiator hose.
At Kirkbridge Sanitarium, the director refuses to allow Nina and Awan to visit Breen. While waiting, Nina witnesses a janitor of color being severely reprimanded by his supervisor.
Elsewhere, Jim joins Luna (Adriana Aluna Martinez) for lunch. She notices the bulging vein on his forehead and quizzes him about his troubles. He initially feigns ignorance, but Luna isn't convinced. Eventually, he confides that his boss might have deceived him. She relates her own experience of having a comic stolen at camp, urging him to confront adversity with a similar resolve.
Charlotte Dean-Ellis, portrayed by Gail O’Grady, is in the midst of performing a seductive lap dance for Wade Ellis, played by Corbin Bernsen, when their intimate moment is abruptly cut short by Jim's intervention. Charlotte storms out in a huff, leaving an awkward silence as Jim attempts to grill Wade about his past connections for acquiring C-4 explosives. Wade, unperturbed, reveals that the sole supplier he knows of is Paris Gilford and hands over her contact number without hesitation. Jim then shares with Wade some fresh intelligence he's gathered on Joey's death, to which Wade responds by confessing that he's never believed Joey's demise was a mere accident.
Elsewhere, Nina cleverly charms the sanitarium janitor, securing their entry to visit Breen while Jim carries out his delivery duties. Hardly has he settled into his routine when a radio call interrupts, informing him that he must escort Sax to his upcoming meeting due to the limousine's overheating issues.
Sax gently urges Royce Saxton, embodied by Benjamin Charles Watson, to rise and partake in his morning routine of food and exercise but notices a sudden shift in Royce's emotions following his recent procedure. Soon after, Jim arrives to pick up Sax for their engagement.
As they journey to the meeting, Jim and Sax engage in a thoughtful conversation about Royce, Joey, and their shared wartime experiences. Sax confides in Jim, calling him one of the rare individuals he can place his trust in.
Meanwhile, Nina, accompanied by Awan, attempts to engage Breen in a discussion about Saxton, with Awan standing guard outside. However, the conversation quickly turns sour, prompting Breen to make a swift escape, leaving Nina and Awan empty-handed.
Upon their arrival in Tucson, Sax instructed Jim to await his return by the car, but Jim, defying orders, trailed him indoors and eavesdropped on his crucial meeting. Meanwhile, Nina and Awan split up, each searching for Breen.
After Sax's meeting concluded, Jim inquired about its success. Sax replied with a grin, revealing that it had gone so swimmingly that he felt the urge to toast their victory with a drink. On their way back, they detoured to a local bar. Over libations, Sax confidently revealed to Jim that if his deal materialized, their influence would rival that of the Kennedy dynasty. He also hinted at future collaborations with Russians, necessitating an interpreter since their English skills were barely adequate. Surprisingly, Sax mentioned that he missed Joey and had even considered mentoring him as his right-hand man. Jim abruptly excused himself to the restroom, just as Sax attempted to order two more rounds. However, this endeavor hit a snag due to a racist bartender. When Jim emerged from the restroom, Sax was on the verge of inciting a bar-wide brawl. Jim stepped in to intervene, and together, they cleared the bar of all patrons.
Elsewhere, Nina had tracked Breen to the kitchen but found herself cornered by him, a knife held to her throat as he ranted incoherently. After a tense standoff, he posed her a hypothetical scenario of death, which she eventually solved correctly. He released her, embarrassed by his unhinged display and warned her never to witness him in such a state again. When she inquired about the files, he dismissed her, stating that his turn was over and she should follow the numbers. He fled the scene, only to be chased down by Nina, who was later assisted by Awan in tackling him in the hallway. An alarm sounded, and the staff rushed to the scene. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Awan and Nina made a hasty exit, speeding away in their car from the parking lot.
Outside, Sax and Jim chuckled over their parking lot altercation, with Sax reminiscing about a similar scuffle he had in Detroit on the night he met Paris Gilford. Later that evening, Jim contacted Paris and requested the same equipment she had provided for the Joey Ellis mission. Paris assured him that it could be arranged.
Abbott reprimanded Nina for confronting Breen, urging her to spare Awan from his wrath when reporting to the ASAC. He revealed that he wouldn't inform Elias Braddock about her involvement because he had already shared her story with his wife, who approved of it. Nina thanked him but was interrupted by Jessica-Lorraine Sims, who informed her of an incoming call. On the phone, Jim updated Nina about Paris and the C-4 explosives.
The episode concludes with Sax and Jim driving home together, the night's events still lingering in the air.
