The fifth episode of Scarpetta unfolds on a farm, where a farmer is diligently checking his crops when an unexpected package drops nearby. Inside the package lies an artificial heart, a surreal and ominous discovery. Suddenly, similar packages and other bizarre objects begin to rain down upon the farm, creating a chaotic scene.
The FBI quickly arrives and cordons off the area, bringing in Dr. Mira Scarpetta. Benton and Sierra are present, and they urgently request her assistance. Sierra explains that Thor Labs launched a space lab to test their innovative 3D printing of organs. However, the ground office lost contact with the station, and it soon fell through the Earth’s atmosphere and crashed. There were three men aboard, including Jared Horton, who was believed to be in league with Gwen in selling information to the Russians. Two bodies were found inside the wreckage, which is why they need Scarpetta's expertise.
In a flashback, Scarpetta attempts to speak with employees of Borowash (the soap with the glitter material) and learns that they have clients in over 70 cities across the country. It's Friday evening, which means that the killer could potentially strike that night.
Meanwhile, Lucy and Officer Fruge discuss Marino's outburst with Matt. Lucy has taken Marino's words about death to heart, and Fruge reassures her that she's allowed to grieve in her own way. She invites Lucy to stay and hang out, but Lucy opts to head home instead. At her cabin, Dorothy is venting about Marino to AI Janet. Lucy is surprised to discover that Dorothy enjoys speaking with AI Janet. Elsewhere, Marino buys a sad bouquet of flowers for Dorothy in an attempt to make amends for the lunch date.
At the FBI site, Scarpetta is furious with Benton for keeping all of this a secret when she was questioning her entire career due to Gwen's case. They go inside the wreckage of the space lab, which features more biosynthetic organs. Scarpetta deduces that the astronauts were killed 10-12 hours ago, which means they died in orbit.
In another flashback, Scarpetta takes Lucy out for a movie. Abby is also at the cinema and tries to speak to Scarpetta about the case, but Scarpetta quickly shuts her down. Lucy steps out of the theatre to get popcorn and sees Benton with another woman and two kids. However, she chooses not to confront Scarpetta about it. Elsewhere, Marino follows Matt Peterson around and watches him go to a bar, only to be kicked out.
This episode sets the stage for a thrilling investigation filled with secrets, revelations, and unexpected twists as Scarpetta delves deeper into the mystery surrounding the space lab crash and its connection to Gwen's case.
At the moment, AI Janet is sharing with Lucy the issue concerning Marino. Thankfully, Marino arrives home just in time, and Dorothy is overjoyed to see the flowers he brings. Marino confides in Lucy that he spoke harshly to Matt about the deceased remaining dead due to his anger. He admits that he misses Janet too, and Lucy gives him a comforting hug.
Scarpetta notices the wounds that resemble bullet holes on the two deceased astronauts. At this juncture, Sierra and her team learn that a spacecraft carrying Jared Horton has landed in Russia. Scarpetta and Benton deduce that Jared killed his crew members and fled to Russia.
On their way home, Scarpetta and Benton engage in an argument about his failure to tell her the truth. The disagreement escalates, and we learn that Benton was married but left his family for Scarpetta. When Scarpetta pushes further, Benton erupts, stating that he agrees with Dorothy about Scarpetta's codependent relationship with Lucy. Scarpetta ends the discussion by claiming there's something emotionally wrong with Benton.
At home, the opposite is happening with Marino and Dorothy, who make up over lunch. Dorothy confesses that she feels bad for not getting to know Janet well enough. Lucy video calls Fruge, and they seem to hit it off. Scarpetta returns home, and Marino informs her of Matt's innocence.
Elsewhere, Benton opens a trapdoor and descends into an empty room with only a solitary armchair. He sits in the chair and picks up a newspaper clipping about a woman's murder. It's a bit unclear if this is the same house as Scarpetta and the others or if they went their separate ways after the fight.
In the past, Lucy and Scarpetta return home from the movies. Lucy tells her about Benton and asks if she knew he was married. She confirms and tells Lucy that life is complex.
The episode concludes with Abby returning home and realizing something is amiss. She calls out for a woman named Henna and discovers her dead body in the bedroom.
