In Eric's fifth episode, Renata Clark boldly addresses the press, lambasting the NYPD for neglecting the plight of marginalized individuals. She passionately advocates for the missing Marlon Rochelle, whose disappearance remains unsolved and unnoticed.
Vincent, meanwhile, braves the outdoors in his relentless pursuit of Edgar, while Eric continues to harass him with relentless pestering. Raya, determined as ever, once again attempts to persuade Yuusuf to relinquish the boy to her, but he firmly rejects her pleas. As Yuusuf scans his wall, he notices Edgar's inscribed words from Good Morning Sunshine, a testament to bravery, kindness, goodness, and uniqueness.
William's sister, Caroline, confronts Michael with a stark reminder: he has no legal claim to William's apartment. She accuses him of murdering her brother and infecting him with AIDS, but Michael vehemently denies these charges, insisting that William contracted the disease from someone else. He professes his love for William and accuses Caroline of trying to destroy the love they shared for seven blissful years.
Yuusuf contacts Cassie with crucial information: he has her boy. Raya eavesdrops as he reveals the location where Edgar can be found and the designated drop-off point for the ransom money. He issues a stern warning: no cops involved, or the deal is off.
Cassie frantically searches for Vincent to share the news, only to discover that he has been fired. Frustrated, she lashes out at Lennie. Desperate to secure the reward money, Cassie rushes to see her mother-in-law, but she's informed that the funds cannot be released without Robert's presence.
Elsewhere, Vincent's eyes are drawn to flyers advertising the Good Day Sunshine charity meet-and-greet event. Tempted by the prospect of reconnecting with his past, he attends the gathering, unaware that it's a carefully orchestrated facade organized by Costello, Hudson Sanitation, and Robert Anderson to give the illusion of "cleaning up" the streets.Within the confines of the discussion, Costello eagerly detailed his ambitious project aimed at revitalizing New York City. Sebastian, however, wasn't as easily swayed. He sternly criticized Costello for shutting down shelters, a move that Costello dismissively shrugged off.
Vincent, meanwhile, could barely stomach the sight of the Eric puppet that emerged on stage, performing alongside the other puppets. The Eric lurking in his mind scornfully sneered, revealing that this puppet was merely a clever ruse, his "master plan" to lure Edgar back into the fold.
Michael's investigation led him to Ricardo, the man Lennie had been secretly paying for sexual favors. He tracked him down at the basketball courts, finding him clad in Marlon's jersey. Ricardo revealed that they had swapped jerseys during their last encounter, just before Marlon was scheduled to meet someone in the afternoon. Ricardo, however, remained tight-lipped about whether he had ever spotted Marlon at the Lux. When Michael inquired about the number on his jersey, Ricardo casually mentioned it was number 8.
Determined to unearth more clues, Michael approached Gator again, inquiring if he had ever witnessed TJ with Marlon. He urged Gator to scour the Lux's CCTV footage from June 12th, the fateful night Marlon vanished.
Michael's perseverance finally paid off when he obtained another tape, this one capturing the mysterious events surrounding Edgar's disappearance. The footage revealed Edgar trailing Yuusuf. Michael immediately ordered a sketch of their new suspect, but he hesitated to release it to the press, preferring to keep his investigation under wraps.
As he mulled over the case with Cripp, Michael shared what Dana had revealed and his discovery about Marlon being "8." He was eager to bring Nokes into the investigation, but Cripp sternly advised him to drop it, instructing Nokes to rein in his wife's antics.
Michael's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the offensive slur echoing through the office. He stormed over to confront the offender, but was abruptly interrupted by a call from Robert Anderson.Michael unexpectedly appears at the Andersons' doorstep, where Robert lays down a stark ultimatum to Cassie: the reward money is hers only if she involves the police. Left with little choice, Cassie reluctantly reveals to Michael the information she had received from Yuusuf. Unbeknownst to them, Raya slips into a private conversation with TJ, revealing that she holds the key to a trade and promises to deliver the boy to him by the end of the day.
Vincent returns to the subway, methodically ticking off items on Edgar's mysterious map. His eye catches one of Yuusuf's tags, which Edgar has meticulously noted down. A realization hits him - these tags are what Edgar was tracking. He bravely descends into the subway tracks, following the tags deeper into the bowels of the city.
Vincent follows the trail into the tunnels, where a hidden community of residents emerges. Eric, a resident, sternly informs him that Edgar is not there and that his search is futile. He adds that there's no way to make amends for past mistakes. Vincent, discouraged and overwhelmed by the sight of drugs scattered around, succumbs to temptation and takes a hit.
Sebastian confides in Michael, sharing what he knows about Yuusuf - that he resides in the subway tunnels, but he doesn't believe him to be a villain. Despite Michael's objections, Cripp impulsively leaks information about Yuusuf to the press, effectively ruining any chance of a deal to retrieve Edgar. Yuusuf, now exposed, is likely to flee. Cripp berates Michael, accusing him of forgetting his rank.
Gator interrogates TJ about a missing tape from June 12th of the previous year. He has tapes from all the surrounding dates, but this one remains elusive. In another tape, however, a surprising sight reveals Marlon entering the club. When TJ fails to provide an answer, Gator's patience runs thin, and he resorts to violence until TJ reveals the whereabouts of the missing tape.
Cassie, despite her deepening despair over Yuusuf's potential arrival with Edgar, trudges to the phone booth, determined to complete the exchange. Edgar, meanwhile, confesses to Yuusuf his fear of returning home, citing his father's intimidating presence. Yuusuf's ears perk up when he learns of the sketch featuring his likeness that's making its way around. Worried for his safety, Raya pleads with him to let her take the boy, promising to safeguard him and return with the promised funds.
Vincent, a mess of drunken stupor and high, lashes out at himself, berating himself for failing to protect Edgar. But his anger is quickly overshadowed by a tender sight: Edgar hugging Yuusuf in a farewell embrace. Vincent lunges forward, intent on catching up with them, but the police raid on the tunnels erupts, throwing the place into chaos. The commotion prevents him from reaching Edgar and Raya, and his glasses shatter underfoot in the melee.
As Edgar and Raya scramble out of the tunnels, Edgar slips, dragging both of them down in a tangled heap. TJ, waiting anxiously, ultimately gives up on them, realizing they're not coming back. Michael, witnessing the cleared-out tunnels, realizes their slim chance of finding Edgar has vanished. At the end of the episode, he visits Gator, and their lips meet in a tender kiss. Meanwhile, still groggy and stumbling through the tunnels, Vincent stumbles upon Edgar's drawings—moments before he succumbs to a faint.
