In the thrilling second episode of THEM: The Scare, Bernice Mott's grisly fate is revealed, with a staggering count of 25 fractures. The coroner's puzzled speculation points to a macabre train accident or a trash compactor as the culprit, but McKinney remains steadfast in his belief that Malcolm is the murderer.
Meanwhile, at school, Kelvin skulks under the bleachers, puffing on a cigarette with Natalie, another Black girl. Natalie vents about police brutality, catching Kelvin off guard with his casual attitude. Hastily, he agrees that he has also been a victim of such brutality.
The Southside Slayer's reign of terror continues, but Dawn suspects a connection to Mott's murder and launches an investigation. At the crime scene, Dawn's eagle eyes spot Curtis, a Black man grinning uneasily. As she approaches, he flees, sparking a frantic chase. The locals are uncooperative as she barges into their homes in search of Curtis.
Finally, she corners him in his own house, where she finds him with his son. Curtis claims he ran because he was scared, but McKinney's arrival only adds fuel to the fire. McKinney rants about drugs, roughly beating Curtis and smashing the window and mirrors. Dawn pleads with McKinney to stop, but he ignores her until a Black male cop intervenes.
At home, Edmund struggles with a choking sensation as he searches fruitlessly for someone. Rhonda's call interrupts his angst, offering him an audition for a slasher film as the killer. His smile fades as she suggests it might not be suitable for his sweet nature.
Later, Kelvin returns home, nervously checking if his room is as tidy as he left it. In the kitchen, Athena is startled to see Bernice's photo among Dawn's case files, hearing Bernice's voice again. That night, Dawn meets with her colleague, Reggie, and their chemistry ignites into a passionate hookup.
Elsehwre, Curtis cautiously uncovers his stash of narcotics, hidden beneath the crib of his young child. Suddenly, the sound of approaching police sirens fills the air, causing him to frantically conceal his stash before hurriedly opening the door. To his relief, no one is there. However, his heart skips a beat as he hears the giggles of his child echoing from the bedroom.
Later, Curtis's lifeless body is discovered, his bones broken and stuffed into the same hidden cubby where he stored his drugs. His distraught mother can only conjecture that the devil himself must be at work.
Dawn, however, remains steadfast in her belief that a serial killer is responsible. But Lt. Schiffer and McKinney brush her off, insisting that there is a likely connection between the deaths of Bernice, Malcolm, and now Curtis. As she exits the precinct, Dawn witnesses a disturbing scene - white detectives solely investigating black individuals for the Southside Slayer murders.
Upon returning home, Dawn finds Kelvin engrossed in a news report about police brutality. She shares with him her own harrowing experience as a child, explaining how this injustice motivated her to become a police officer and fight against racial prejudice. But with the higher-ups refusing to take action, Dawn decides to leak information about the serial killer to the LA Weekly.
Meanwhile, the Reeves' clock stops ticking at precisely 3:15 am, mirroring the broken clock found at Bernice's crime scene. Kelvin notices that the TV is glitching, playing a news report on police brutality. As he watches, he begins to see hallucinations - his mother smiling, a shadowy figure lurking behind him, and a mask appearing on his face.
Elsewhere, Edmund prepares for his next encounter with the killer, dressing up in various costumes. He seems dazed and disoriented as he heads to the arcade, where he puts on his mascot costume and wanders the floor with a knife in hand. Terrified patrons flee, and Edmund is soon fired. But he merely smiles, unaware of the danger that awaits him in the final moments of THEM: The Scare Episode 2.
