The narrative begins with a flashback to the dawn of 2001, a time when Gabi first graced Sir's classroom as a transfer student. He was instantly captivated by her and her profound knowledge of Shakespeare. Despite her being mocked as a teacher's pet, Sir quickly quelled the mockery.
Gabi stares at the wall adorned with their past achievements, savoring the moment in the office, sensing it might be her last. She intends to reveal the truth to everyone in the morning. Trent arrives, embracing Gabi and expressing his relief for having found her. As she leans in for a kiss, he halts her, saying he still seeks answers. She assures him that she has them, albeit ones he may not like, but she must first address her team.
Upon reaching home, Gabi's senses are on high alert. She notices the basement door ajar, blood staining its frame. Grasping her bat, she descends the stairs, realizing Sir is no longer there. She calls Dhan, who realizes Sir ventured out to search for and rescue Gabi, assuming she's still in peril. Gabi is determined to reach Lacey to protect her. Meanwhile, Lacey calls with news of a breakthrough in a long-cold case involving Dashika. She shares a photo, indicating that Dashika is alive. Gabi promises to explain everything to Lacey when they meet.
Gabi's panic rises, but Dhan reminds her to focus on the case and saving Dashika, while he'll track down Sir. Ethan, Dhan's husband, notices his husband's unusual behavior and realizes Gabi possesses a power that compels Dhan to do things he claims he cannot or revisit memories. Ethan tries to deter Dhan from whatever plan he has in mind.
They spot Dashika at a train station at the wee hours of four in the morning, scrambling for more information, but Trent and Shaker's resources are limited in tracing her. Margaret chastises Gabi for her spiraling fear. Ethan arrives at the agency, inquiring about Dhan and wondering why his husband is constantly absent.
Dhan hastily made his way to the farmhouse, intent on uncovering the truth. Meanwhile, Margaret's urgent call came, probing for details and alerting him about Ethan. He subtly hinted to Margaret that the matter revolved around Sir, urging her to keep a close watch on Gabi and Lacey.
Gabi graced a press conference, speaking fondly of Dashika, a young girl who admired her and aspired to be like her. However, tensions were brewing in Dashika's family as news of the case surfaced. Lily, the doting grandmother, and Jeremy, her dementia-stricken husband, both wished to be involved.
Trent stumbled upon a crucial clue regarding Dashika. A woman claimed to have spotted her, noticing burn marks on her arm, sensing that she was in an abusive relationship. Lacey deduced that the burns were old, suggesting Dashika had likely been a victim of abuse for some time.
Teenage Gabi shared a lunch with Sir, engaging in bookish chatter. As she reminisced about her parents, Sir revealed that his mother had been killed. The news of Kyle, Gabi's bully, being sick and vomiting, only added to the mix of emotions.
Trent and Margaret exchanged worried words about Gabi's well-being. Meanwhile, Dhan, busy cleaning the basement, received a tip from his CIA contact, indicating that someone resembling Sir had procured a fake ID and might be fleeing the country. Swiftly, Dhan eliminated all traces of Sir from Gabi's home.
Margaret's inquiries led her to the social worker at CPS who had investigated Dashika's case. Disturbing images of Dashika flooded his computer, yet Heller, the social worker, had failed to report the abuse. They surmised that Lily, Dashika's grandmother, had suspected the abuse but was deterred by Heller's warning of facing elder abuse charges if she persisted in her inquiries. Urgently, they headed to confront Dashika and seek the truth.
Dashika's father is left in utter disbelief by the revelations, but Margaret's keen observation reveals that April is the likely culprit behind Dashika's abuse. April, however, defends herself, claiming it was merely discipline, not abuse. Lacey, finally fed up, confronts Dhan and Gabi over their secretive ways. Gabi insists they have credible evidence of Sir's whereabouts, but Lacey, unwilling to continue disrupting her life, leaves against their protests.
Alone in the basement, Gabi rummages through a file, Sir's mocking voice echoing in her mind. Margaret, meanwhile, stands at the bustling bus station, realizing that Dashika had intended to arrive in the city, not depart. They ponder if Dashika was shielding her abductor, and Zeke offers a revealing insight. He shares that it was his uncle who kidnapped him, a secret he's kept from everyone except his therapist. Even his parents remain unaware.
The truth dawns on them: it was Grandma April who had taken Dashika. She believed she was saving her, protecting her. They discover a hidden compartment in a closet, where April had been concealing Dashika all this time. Now, Dashika longs to reunite with her father. Kareem vows to assist in keeping Jeremy safe.
Dashika expresses her heartfelt gratitude to Gabi for rescuing her from the predicament. Dhan informs Gabi that their hacker contact has traced Sir's whereabouts to a plane bound for Amsterdam, revealing his escape from the country. It dawns on her that Sir had deliberately left the clue for Dashika, knowing he wouldn't let her go unharmed. With a heavy heart, she decides to reveal everything about Sir to the team. Margaret and Lacey exit the room, while Zeke walks away, shaken by the revelation. Gabi, overcome with emotion, breaks down in tears and curls into a ball. Dhan sits across the room, watching her silently.
Upon returning home, Lacey locks herself in and destructively ransacks her apartment, her anguish visible in every shattered object. Suddenly, a call from the veterinarian interrupts her turmoil, informing her that her dog is recovering but had been poisoned. Meanwhile, Ethan embraces and comforts Dhan as he arrives home. Gabi notices blood on her cabinet and realizes with horror that the rat poison has vanished. A flashback reveals her teenage years, and it becomes clear that Sir had poisoned Kyle in retaliation for teasing Gabi. Sir, lurking in Lacey's apartment, observes her ignoring a call from Gabi, unaware of the turmoil brewing around him.
