Season 2, Episode 2 of Reacher begins with a mysterious start, as Reacher, Neagley, and O'Donnell emerge from Swan's abode, pondering the absence of their pursuers. Their elusive nature has left the adversaries at bay, and they deduce that Neagley remains the only one yet to be targeted. Alarmed, they attempt to warn their comrades, dialing Sanchez and Orozco's numbers once again.
Outside Franz's widow's residence, the ominous black Sudan from the previous episode looms, a sinister omen. Without hesitation, Reacher strides forward, kicking the car's front, and suddenly, the airbag bursts forth, striking the bald man's unsuspecting face. As he emerges, Reacher meets his assailant with a devastating headbutt and a barrage of punches. Tragically, this man is not a criminal but an NYPD officer, Gaitano "Guy" Russo. The group hastily escapes in their vehicle.
Reacher initially believed Russo was a conspirator, but Neagley's words ring true—assumptions are often deadly. Russo, in fact, is the lead investigator in Franz's murder. Realizing the urgency of the situation, they consider fleeing the city and ultimately decide to head to Atlantic City, Sanchez and Orozco's base.
Langston, on the other end of the line, receives a call from Saropian, who informs him of the altercation between Reacher and Russo. Langston tersely instructs Saropian to remain on their trail.
Meanwhile, the group comes across Karla Dixon, a former 110th Precinct member who returns to aid them after learning of their quest to track her down. She was once undercover in a corporate embezzlement case. They enlist her help, asking her to use her alias to rent a vehicle, ensuring their own identities remain hidden. Reacher fills her in on the grim news of Franz and Swan's demise, as well as Sanchez and Orozco's disappearance.
A flashback reveals Reacher and Dixon discussing a missing aviation case in Afghanistan, where Dixon's prowess with numbers shines. She invites him for a drink to celebrate, but he politely declines, citing his workload. The chemistry between them is palpable.
Now, the quartet—Reacher, Neagley, O'Donnell, and Dixon—embarks on their journey to Atlantic City in the rented car. Dixon delves into the files retrieved from Franz's flash drive, sensing a possible grudge against the 110th.
Saropian, on a call with Langston, receives a chilling order. Upon reaching Atlantic City, he is to "take them out." Saropian requests local assistance, which Langston grudgingly agrees to, but with a stern deadline—they must be eliminated by the following day.
In Atlantic City, New Jersey, the group arrives at Orozco and Sanchez's office, finding it ransacked. Reacher declares their efforts here futile, as whoever did this has already achieved their goal. His eyes catch a framed picture of Sanchez with a woman at the Lucky Lounge bar, clearly significant. With newfound purpose, they set their sights on the bar.
Reacher and Neagley ventured into the Lucky Lounge, while Dixon and O'Donnell remained outside, keeping a watchful eye. They presented the bartender with the photograph and disclosed their connection to Sanchez. Without hesitation, he arranged for someone to guide them to the records in the back. Suddenly, he turned to a woman in the bar, urging her to gather her things and exit immediately. It was the woman from the photograph, and she quickly complied.
As Reacher and Neagley followed the man towards the rear of the bar, he abruptly halted, warning, "This is as far as you go. Stop meddling with our friends." A scuffle ensued, and meanwhile, O'Donnell and Dixon, having tracked the fleeing woman in their car, converged at the back of the Lounge.
Gathering around, they sat down with the woman, who apologized profusely. She claimed she wouldn't have fled if she knew who they were, and the others were merely protecting her. She revealed that a man had inquired about Sanchez earlier, but he had vanished by then.
It transpired that Franz had been working on a case with Sanchez, Orozco, and Swan. Moreover, the woman mentioned overhearing something about 650 and 100k each before the man's departure.
Inside the casino, the group pondered if the motive wasn't personal vengeance. Since Sanchez and Orozco provided freelance security for the establishment, they surmised it might be related to gaming. A waitress approached, and Reacher sternly instructed her to fetch the casino's director of security immediately.
The group met with the director, who assured them he had no reason to believe Sanchez and Orozco were dead, as he had seen them just last month. He inquired how he could be of assistance. When asked if "650 and 100k" had any significance, he suggested it could be linked to a 650-million-dollar gambling scam.
As he offered to secure them a room for investigation, the group settled into the lavish suite. Dixon's luck ran out in the casino when she was caught card counting, but Reacher appeared just as she struck a big win. The security team, displeased, offered her concert tickets as a means to exit gracefully. Reacher assisted her with her winnings and they hastily left the table. Saropian observed them from the bar's corner.
During a late-night stroll, Reacher and Dixon sensed they were being tailed. Two men trailed them, with a car blocking their path. They dashed over a fence, with Saropian exiting his vehicle to pursue them alongside his henchmen. They approached a warehouse undergoing renovations.
Reacher was stabbed by one of the henchmen, but he fought back, stabbing him in return and throwing him off a ledge. Dixon took down the other, but Saropian arrived to shoot her. She used the fallen henchman as a shield, while Reacher tackled Saropian, breaking his leg and drowning him in a pool of wet cement.
Searching Saropian's car, they uncovered files on the 110th. Finding his phone, Reacher dialed the most recent number. Langston answered, asking, "Is it done?" He warned Reacher he was meddling with the wrong person, but Reacher retorted that it was Langston who sounded frightened. Langston hung up. Dixon suggested tracing the number, but Reacher knew they'd both used disposable phones. He lamented not leaving one alive for more information, but Dixon found a parking pass belonging to Saropian from "New Age Technologies" — a crucial clue.
They buried the three bodies in the cement and Reacher turned to Dixon, saying, "I'm thirsty. Wanna grab a beer?"
In a wooded area outside Denver, Colorado, a car drove through the snow. It was the A.M. alias man, meeting with someone who assured him 650 units would be in the truck and that there were two ideal ambush points on the route. He sought reassurance that the truck driver would remain unharmed, which A.M. provided.
The next morning in the hotel room, Dixon and Reacher recounted the night's events to O'Donnell and Neagley. A knock on the door revealed the head of security, informing them that Atlantic PD had reported two additional bodies found in upstate New York near Franz's remains. The wounds matched, confirming this was a New York-based case, not Atlantic City's.
The episode concluded with Reacher declaring he would need more firearms for the impending battle!
