The second episode of Season 1 of "Untamed" kicks off with a haunting flashback to the fateful day when Jane Doe was shot. Her bag, caught in the throes of chaos, tore open, spilling its contents, including several medicine bottles, onto the ground. In a flurry, she scrambled to gather them, but one elusive vial escaped her grasp. With urgency, she concealed another bag within an abandoned ice cooler and resumed her hurried footsteps. Little did she know, destiny had other plans as a stray bullet, unprovoked and relentless, found its mark.
Switching to the present, a reporter's voice pierces through the air, announcing that the investigation surrounding Jane Doe remains an unresolved enigma. The narrative broadens, introducing another saga that grips the public's attention: the mysterious disappearance of Sean Sanderson, a prominent businessman whose whereabouts remain a mystery.
In the serene yet eerie confines of a park, Kyle stumbles upon fresh clues, his eyes alighting upon the medicine bottle Jane Doe inadvertently left behind. A keen observer, he notices the distinctive golden X emblem on the cap, a symbol that eerily echoes the tattoo etched upon Jane Doe's flesh. Back at the office, Souter engages Naya in conversation, his curiosity piqued by how she and her son are adapting to their new environment. He also delves into the dynamics of Naya's partnership with Kyle, seeking insider gossip.
Naya mentions the bracelet, sparking Souter's interest enough to lead her to a storage room brimming with a cache of identical bracelets. This revelation dashes Naya's hopes, suggesting that the bracelet could have originated from anyone. Turner's call interrupts her thoughts, his voice firm as he demands an update and insists she pursue this lead relentlessly.
Driven by determination, Kyle ventures into town to confront Teddy, a drug-addled individual who might hold the key to understanding the medicine bottle and its accompanying tattoo. Unfortunately, Teddy proves uninformed but vows to inquire among his circle. Kyle seizes the opportunity, taking custody of Teddy's stash in exchange for a promising lead.
His quest continues as he stops by a local hotel, his gaze fixed on carvings that bear a striking resemblance to the drawings he previously uncovered. His interactions with Lana, the receptionist, hint at a complex, intertwined history.
At the hotel, Kyle serendipitously encounters Souter, who warmly extends an invitation to share lunch. Over their meal, Souter broaches the subject of Kyle's current position and gently urges him to consider a change of career path. It transpires that Jill had confidentially expressed her apprehensions about Kyle to Souter, particularly perturbation regarding the mysterious midnight phone calls. Though Souter shares her concerns, Kyle reassures them both that he is perfectly alright.
Post-lunch, Kyle reaches out to Jill, soothing her worries with a vow to discontinue the nocturnal calls. As he makes his way back to his cabin, an unexpected visitor awaits him—a lawyer named Esther, representing the Sanderson family in a lawsuit against the park for alleged wrongful death. Sanderson vanished five years prior, and Esther seeks clarification on Kyle's role in the unfolding mystery, particularly probing his mental state at the time of the initial inquiry.
Intriguingly, Sean's disappearance coincides with the tragic loss of Caleb mere months earlier. Kyle responds to Esther's inquiries with professionalism, yet the questions evoke haunting memories of Caleb's body drifting in a river, a sight that still haunts him.
Shortly thereafter, Naya arrives with news that the toxicology report on Jane Doe is inconclusive. Curious, Kyle invites her to accompany him to the squatters' encampment. Regrettably, the squatters remain steadfastly uncooperative, despite one among them appearing knowledgeable. Kyle also inquires about Abuelo, only to discover that his shaman persona is more a façade for a drug trafficker. Sadly, Abuelo is absent on one of his mystical quests for inner peace. A clue emerges when a squatter mentions a ranger named Deniro had also been searching for Abuelo the previous day.
Frustrated by their lack of cooperation, Kyle and Naya decide to split up, each pursuing separate leads. In a twist of fate, Naya loses her horse and arrives late to pick up her son, where the babysitter mentions receiving a call from Gael's father. Incensed, Naya leaves an urgent message for her ex, sternly warning him to stay away from their lives.
Meanwhile, Kyle sets his sights on locating Shane, a seasoned wildlife biologist who has also been in pursuit of Abuelo. Shane harbors a suspicion that Abuelo is somehow intertwined with the plight of the ailing deer. As Kyle delves deeper into inquiries about Jane Doe, Shane grows evasive, claiming ignorance. Kyle, ever resourceful, cleverly discharges Shane's firearm and secures the bullet, intending to run ballistic tests to compare it with the one tied to Jane Doe's case. He hurries to the lab, pleading with Marlon to expedite the analysis and confidentially share the findings solely with him.
Elsewhere in town, Teddy visits a tattoo parlor, seeking information about a mythical gold tattoo. Linson, the tattoo artist, dismisses the notion outright and ushers him out. Their conversation catches the ear of another patron. Once Teddy exits, Linson discreetly messages him, urging Teddy to drop the matter, warning that it leads to no good end. Tragically, later that evening, Teddy is assaulted and asphyxiated within his car.
The next day, rangers gather to celebrate Souter and Mary's 40th wedding anniversary. Milch recounts to Naya the harrowing tale of Caleb's abduction by a predator during a group hike, a tragedy that left Kyle deeply scarred by grief. Their perpetrator was never apprehended. Consumed by sorrow, Kyle turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism, and it was only through Souter's intervention that he retained his badge. Amidst these reflections, Kyle harbors jealousy towards Jill's new spouse and finds it difficult to confront Gael, whose presence reminds him poignantly of Caleb. He excuses himself early from the festivities.
Elsewhere within the park, a group of young revelers takes a dip in the water. Among them, one stumbles upon Teddy's lifeless body.
Concurrently, Kyle persists in tracing Jane Doe's footsteps, eventually discovering her print in the forest underbrush. A call interrupts his pursuit, informing him of Teddy's demise. Kyle rushes to the crime scene, where he receives another call from Naya, who excitedly conveys her breakthrough: she has identified Jane Doe as a young child who vanished years prior.
Through her diligent investigation, she has unveiled the tragic story of a lost soul finally within grasp.
