Episode 5 of "The Hunting Party" kicks off with an unsettling glimpse into the psyche of our next predator, Roy Barber. Picture this: a brute of a man, ruthlessly pounding another into submission before stuffing him like luggage into the trunk of his car, only to turn his sinister gaze towards his victim's spouse. Roy Barber, notorious as the "Couple Killer," delights in hunting down duos, making them his grim quarry.
When first apprehended and confined to the Pit, Roy transformed his cell into a gallery of terror, using his victims as muses for grim sketches that adorned the walls. But that was before his daring escape.
In the contemporary storyline, Hassani counsels Bex to maintain a civil facade with Odell until they obtain the surveillance photos that will either affirm or refute their suspicions, paving the way for a confrontation. This delicate dance is complicated by Odell's clandestine communications with Samantha, which Bex is forced to navigate delicately, avoiding conversations with her daughter to prevent slipping up. Adding insult to injury, higher-ups catch wind of Hassani's machinations and put Odell on notice, urging him to scrutinize his actions.
Later, Hassani updates Bex with disturbing news: the satellite images have been tampered with, a triangular shadow hovering near Silo 12 casting yet more shadows of doubt over their investigation.
As for Roy Barber, his origins are as isolated as they are tragic. Raised on a secluded farm, he witnessed his father commit murder-suicide against his mother when he was just 14. This grim upbringing led him down the path of becoming a caricature artist—an insight into why his artistic talents are so refined. From 1993 onwards, Barber terrorized the highways of Florida and Georgia for nearly a decade, claiming 16 lives. He strategically spaced out his murders to avoid suspicion, all while rising through the ranks to become a police sketch artist. This ingenious role allowed him to work alongside the very law enforcement officers chasing him, giving him a critical edge, always one step ahead.
Roy makes a beeline for Oregon, where his path crosses with Crystal and her spouse, John. Crystal seems to acknowledge Roy's presence, but fate deals them a grim hand as he swiftly terminates their lives, leaving no room for survival. The arrival of Bex and her gang uncovers a disturbing anomaly: the murder lacks the usual precision and meticulousness of Roy's earlier killings, hinting at a spontaneous act.
Adding an extra layer of mystery, a deep dive into records reveals no trace of Crystal prior to 2001, suggesting she was once shrouded in the secrecy of witness protection. Her true identity unmasks as Bridget Caldwell, one of Roy's earliest victims. Meanwhile, Roy boards a stolen car bound for Portland Station, where the gang is hot on his trail. They catch his fleeting image on camera and track the train whisking him away towards San Francisco.
As the train speeds across the state, Bex and her companions ponder over a perplexing clue—drawings that depict a narrative of their own. In Roy's portraits, the men are frozen in eternity, forever young even in death, each one meeting an untimely end. Conversely, the women's images evolve with time, aging gracefully on paper. Bex hypothesizes that these women might have been accomplices in Roy's grim deeds, staging double homicides where the women slipped through the cracks unnoticed.
She deduces that Roy's inside connections at the police station facilitated his manipulation of the system, aiding him in acquiring new identities and engineering escapes for his female accomplices. Now, Roy's modus operandi has shifted, embracing a more indiscriminate approach, targeting both genders alike.
Roy is steadfast in his conviction that he is performing a righteous deed—liberating these women from oppressive or chaotic marriages. Their only requirement, apart from disposing of their bodies, was the semblance of blood to deceive others into believing they had both perished. Yet, the gang trails every move and uncovers Roy's completion of his sinister initiation. Furthermore, he is administering a grim "lesson" to these women for daring to remarry. His latest target is Linda, formerly Trisha, his second victim. Following a dinner laced with tension, the gang arrives at an unfortunate tardiness, necessitating their immediate pursuit. They arrive just in nick of time, as Linda is compelled to terminate her husband's life. Instead, she turns the firearm towards Roy and discharges it... but to her astonishment, it's empty. It transpires that the entire ordeal was a grim test, yet before Roy can retaliate, Bex and the others intervene, arriving at the eleventh hour.
Shane manages to incapacitate Roy, and once confined behind bars, Bex confronts him with candor. She delves into his past, mentioning his mother, and ultimately drops a bombshell—Roy was not a lone wolf. The car he previously stole was registered under Wendy Hosmer, another victim who unwittingly handed him her vehicle. Through this link, the gang tracks down all the women, who now face the grim prospect of imprisonment for their roles in their husbands' murders.
With the case wrapped up, Odell converses with Bex. She subtly reproaches him for discussing matters with Sam behind her back, but Odell counters that he doesn't hold many aces and assumed Bex was aware of their conversation. That evening, Bex FaceTimes Sam and unveils the truth behind her undertakings, while Hassani is cautioned against further probing into the Pit.
