As the curtains lift on this installment of Wild Cards, a bride captures her last moment in a selfie, her radiant smile soon twisted by a sudden cough, culminating in a harrowing collapse. Max (Vanessa Morgan) and Cole (Giacomo Gianniotti) stride into the scene, the latter inquiring if Max's own nuptials to Olivier were as grand and whimsical as some of her elaborate wedding schemes. Max shakes her head, her mind drifting to the wedding she dreams of. They are then escorted to the grim tableau by Officer Jim (Giacomo Baessato). Coroner Olive (Manuela Sosa) draws their attention to the peculiar gray powder adhering to the deceased bride's back, diagnosing it as a transdermal toxin. The toxic powder, having seeped through the gown's fabric into her skin, silently dispatched its victim. Olive vows to delve deeper into the substance's nature.
Just then, the legitimate bride arrives, confusion etched on her face as she demands to know the identity of the deceased. Amidst this turmoil, Heather (Stephanie Bennett) engages with the detectives, her conversation abruptly halted by Walter (Lochlyn Munro), who reveals himself as her uncle. Cole learns from the security team that the deceased, a maid with a marriage fetish, had a habit of sending her beau coded messages through photos. The groom, Joseph (Praneet Akilla), enters the fray, and amidst condolences, Cole mentions reviewing security footage.
Detectives Yates (Amy Goodmurphy) and Simmons (Michael Xavier) converse while a security guard (Mackenzie Murdock) painstakingly scrutinizes the tapes. A pivotal discovery unfolds: a deliveryman depositing the dress, followed by a maid entering the room never to return. A fleeting anomaly—static and a shadowy figure—hints at tampering. Simmons hypothesizes the use of a Wi-Fi jammer to temporarily disable the cameras.
Max and Cole confront Joseph, who offers little insight. His arrival coincides with his lifelong friend, Brooke (Tanya Jade), who offers solace. Heather, reminded of her own near-miss, remains steadfast in her determination to proceed with the festivities, despite Lydia (Luisa Jojic), the wedding planner's assistant, insisting on managing the crisis. However, Cole puts the brakes on their plans, stating nobody will depart town till the mystery is unraveled.
On another front, Simmons and Yates uncover that Brooke had made an unscheduled visit to Joseph's hotel room. Max cross-examines Brooke, who Admitted her late night visit Joseph, meanwhile, confides in Cole that Brooke had advised caution in rushing into marriage, reminiscing about their shared college past and subsequent platonic friendship. Brooke confides in Max, painting Heather as an enigmatic figure with no true companions, her only ally being her eccentric uncle. She further shares anecdotes, such as Heather's last-minute honeymoon destination change from Tahiti to Vienna.
The narrative weaves a tapestry of secrets, suspicions, and unexpected revelations, setting the stage for a gripping unraveling of the tragic event.
Brooke harbors a conviction that Heather is secretly married to another man somewhere. Joseph dismisses this assertion as utter madness. Meanwhile, Cole and Max converse about their recent findings, with Max concurring that there's an unusual dynamic between Heather and her uncle. Driven by curiosity, Max sneaks into Heather's room and unearths three first-class tickets to Vienna, intended for Heather, Joseph, and her uncle, Walter. As Max conceals himself upon hearing approaching footsteps, he eavesdrops on a conversation between Walter and Heather, who discuss a beleaguered maid. Walter expresses bewilderment over how they were discovered and asserts that local authorities will never uncover the true circumstances. Max relays this conversation to Cole.
Olive then messages Cole, requesting his presence at the morgue. There, Olive reveals to Cole that the victim succumbed to fatal systemic toxicity due to transdermal absorption of a powdered substance found on the wedding dress. The poison is a custom-brewed concoction, and Olive has identified thallium, historically used in rat poison, among its components. She emphasizes that the perpetrator must have possessed considerable knowledge in formulating such a substance. Further tests are underway to identify the remaining ingredients.
Max contacts Ricky Wilson, alias Fletcher Donovan, who confirms that Heather is far from a mere hotel soap saleswoman; her entire persona appears fabricated. Though Max was meant to meet Ricky, he offers to cover for her. Joseph approaches Simmons and Yates with a note purportedly from Heather, requesting time to ponder. Ricky, in turn, meets George Graham at the prison, where George expresses confidence that Max understands the significance of the occasion – the anniversary of his late wife Viv's and his wedding, which they have continued to celebrate annually since her passing.
Cole informs Max of Heather and her uncle's disappearance, prompting Max to suspect they've fled to Vienna. Cole discovers that a helicopter was chartered across the border for a European-bound flight, with passports in the names of Robert Thomas and Rebecca Meyers but bearing the photos of Walter and Heather. As Max and Cole race to intercept them, a gunfight erupts upon their arrival. During the shootout, Heather hands Max a gun, and the fray continues until Heather is shot. Walter declares her unresponsive and desperately needs to stem the bleeding. Max retrieves medical supplies from his kit to treat Heather's wound.
Walter insists on their innocence and argues against taking Heather to a public hospital. Skeptical, Max believes they are spies. Walter persists, saying they must avoid public hospitals, having ensured their cleanliness. As Cole handcuffs him, Walter warns of a grave mistake. In the car, Walter repeatedly stresses Heather's peril if taken to a public facility. He convinces Cole to take them to a safe house within minutes, where a doctor attends to Heather while Max looks on. Cole confronts Walter outside.
Walter makes a phone call, announcing, "Sparrow has fallen," and receives instructions for their destination. Upon arrival, a doctor attends to Heather, while Max waits anxiously. Cole engages Walter in conversation outside.
Walter unveils his role as Heather's handler from the moment she was ensnared into their clandestine world, a web of interconnected government agencies forming a joint intelligence network. Their mission? The discreet conveyance of highly classified information across international borders. Heather, possessed of a photographic memory, had been specifically targeted due to this extraordinary ability. Recently, she stumbled upon a covert list detailing individuals functioning as double agents. Swiftly, they were dispatched to Europe, tasked with delivering this sensitive information to the pinnacle of their operational hierarchy. Cole, realizing the gravity, mentions the necessity of consulting with his superior.
Elsewhere, Ricky finds solace in George's company within the prison walls. George confesses that the ambiance seems bleaker without Max's presence. Ricky, eager to delve deeper into Vivian's story, prompts George to recount their past. The tale unfolds of Vivian's estrangement from her family over their romance. George had harbored dreams of extricating himself from his perilous occupation, fearing for Vivian's involvement. Yet, she caught the spy bug, propelling them into deeper, more treacherous waters.
Meanwhile, Max and Cole discuss the case amidst other pressing matters, interrupted by the urgent plea of Dr. Gayle Yamamoto. Rushing to Heather's side, they find Walter collapsed on the floor, moaning in pain. He reveals that a phone call to Heather precipitated an abduction—Joseph has been snatched. Despite his ignorance of her destination, Walter's words strike a chord of urgency. A mysterious female voice pierces through their communication, conveying Brooke's desperate cries for assistance. She narrates her chase after two armed men who forcibly removed Joseph, pledging to continue trailing them. Despite Cole's hesitation, given Brooke's civilian status, they offer guidance, reluctantly allowing her to aid in the rescue.
Moments later, Brooke updates them, describing the kidnappers hauling Joseph from a van. A chilling detail emerges—Lydia stands amongst them, a firearm in hand, adding another layer of complexity to an already tangled scenario.
Brooke witnesses Heather stealthily approaching the building and disappearing inside its confines. Within its walls, Lydia grills Joseph relentlessly until her interrogation is abruptly halted by Heather's intervention. Joseph's world shatters as he discovers Heather's true identity as a spy. Desperate, Heather attempts to manipulate him with insults, hoping to coerce him into deceit, ultimately resorting to threats of violence by brandishing her firearm. Terrified, Joseph bolts from the scene, leaving Heather to surrender her weapon. Lydia, unperturbed, orders her men to pursue Joseph and eliminate him. As chaos unfolds, Heather engages in a fierce battle before making a daring escape.
Joseph, dodging bullets and navigating through narrow corridors, finds himself trapped with no escape in sight. Fortunately, Max and their allies arrive just in time to intervene. Meanwhile, Cole spots Heather in a grueling fight with one of Lydia's henchmen. Once she dispatches her opponent, Lydia trains her gun on Heather, ready to end the confrontation. However, Cole stealthily sneaks up behind Lydia, disarms her, and takes control of the situation. A call from Chief Li interrupts the turmoil, informing Cole that federal authorities are taking over the operation.
Max approaches Heather and Joseph, providing a moment of calm amidst the storm. Heather confesses her fear that Joseph would reject her if he knew her true self. Joseph, steadfast and resolute, refuses to let her walk away, asserting that their future can be forged despite her past. Heather reveals that she must travel to Vienna for work, but Cole offers a glimmer of hope by suggesting he can assist them in tying the knot. The revelation that Heather's real name is Emma Harper adds another layer to their intricate story.
After their wedding, Heather expresses her gratitude to Cole and Max before they depart to catch their flight. Cole reveals a humorous anecdote, sharing that he once lost a bet during his police academy days and was compelled to complete an online ordination course. Soon after, Max bids farewell to Cole and visits George in prison, seeking to mend fences. Max attempts to explain herself, but George reassuringly brushes it off, insisting that he harbors no ill will. With Ricky's enlightenment, George has come to terms with his past and wants Max to move forward without the burdens that once chains him. He envisions a future where, once their project is completed, they will possess enough wealth to disappear and live out their days in safety and peace. Max eagerly anticipates this new beginning, while Ricky curiously inquiries about their impending destination.
