Episode 2 of Paper Girls opens with a pulse-racing scene, where the older Erin is thrown into a tailspin upon encountering her youthful, twelve-year-old doppelganger in her own abode. Relax, dear readers, this is not a maze of grandfather paradoxes or butterfly effects. It's a direct journey through time, so let's not get tangled in the complexities! Mac insists on delving into the capsule for a way back, yet KJ pleads for dialing 911. The sight of an Alexa device sitting innocuously on the table sends a shiver down the spines of the children, a subtle nod to the tech behemoth.
The younger Erin, seeking clarity in this bewildering situation, decides to engage her older counterpart. She learns of a solitary future as a paralegal, starkly contrasting with her current youthful existence. Once the initial shock subsides, the group decides to crash at the elder Erin's abode for the night.
As sleep claims them, Mac ventures out, eager to explore the town on her bike, but her future home lies in ruins. KJ soon joins her, and the two bond over their shared troubles.
Meanwhile, the Prioress and her eccentric alien cohort stumble upon their fallen comrade, slain by KJ's hand, lying lifeless on the floor. They also find KJ's hockey stick, inscribed with her name. Having seen enough, the Prioress decides to inflict pain on the alien teenager who aided the kids. She demands to know if KJ is "Underground."
The following morning, the elder Erin leads the kids into the woods, searching for the missing body, but finding only emptiness. The hockey stick is also gone, leaving only the mysterious tech Tiffany received as a clue. The group heads back to town, arriving at a repair shop, hoping to resuscitate the device. There, Erin flirts with the clerk, bewildered by the technology. As he tests it, the device begins to spark, causing chaos.
Outside, Mac apologizes to Erin for shooting her, commending her resilience and bravery. With the repair shop option a bust, they return to the elder Erin's home, deciding to delve into their situation online. They discover that Tiffany's older self resides in Cleveland, running her own institute. The elder Erin suggests they halt their investigation, but the younger Erin rebuts, reminding her that she represents the worst possible future.
Frustrated, Erin decides to abandon her older self to her self-pity and sets off for Cleveland. However, they misplace the device, leaving it behind at Erin's place. Curiosity gets the better of the elder Erin, who experiments with the device. It seems to activate upon scanning her face, "arming" itself in some mysterious way, trapping the kids in an abandoned mall.
In this strange new environment, Mac declares her intention to stay with her brother, an ER doctor, rather than returning home. Meanwhile, the Prioress marches to KJ's place, hockey stick in hand, determined to extract answers. Off-screen, she eliminates any witnesses and vanishes without a trace.
