After learning the cryptic text was actually meant to send her elsewhere, Cassie tries to get Megan safely out of Reykjavík... with help from a surprise assist. Back in LA, the Diazes interrogate Annie and Max. And later, Cassie fears she's being framed for murder when two bodies are found in Echo Park.
Cassie's life is full of drama. Yes, she has the friends to safely navigate her out of several dangerous situations. However, she puts many of them in compromising positions as well. She isn't the only person who makes bad decisions that quickly spiral out of control. She had nothing to do with Megan engaging in corporate espionage. That friendship is still best utilized to track Megan down. Shane has been looking for Megan for over a year. Cassie has been in contact with her friend. This trip to Iceland is the first time she has actively looked for her. She thought Megan needed her help. She needed that to be true. It wasn't. She was meant to go to Long Island and retrieve the evidence that may help Megan. She has been a fugitive from the law for a year now. She knows how to survive. She also wants the freedom to stop running. That may never be true for her ever again. A bounty is on her head. The North Koreans want her dead. She's picking mushrooms in the hopes of killing an assassin with poison. That's not how that encounter ultimately goes. And so, that's a key detail the audience should keep an eye on moving forward. Someone is eventually going to get poisoned. Megan still has it in her possession. It hasn't been utilized yet. Miranda came in to save the day. Cassie asked for her help. She has prospered in the year since she was last seen too. She is an independent agent now. She also has a legitimate business. She has the logistical skills to help Cassie and Megan escape Iceland. They return to Los Angeles without the government being aware. Shane is always one step behind. He wants Cassie to know that she can trust him no matter what danger she finds himself in. She knows that. And yet, she continues to make bad decisions. That remains the core tenet of her character. It hasn't exactly evolved. In fact, she may even regress even though she doesn't take a drink again. She refused the temptation. Megan is proud of Cassie for being sober. It's a huge accomplishment. It should be celebrated. Every day is difficult though. The journey is tough. It would be so much easier to escape. That didn't protect her from this drama before. Nor was her drinking the root cause of so many of her problems either. This may simply be her behavior. It's better for Miranda to walk away. She is certainly charmed by Cassie. She wants her to do well. She just doesn't need this drama in her life. She doesn't appreciate getting shot in the same leg over and over again.
Esteban and Gabrielle are involved in the hunt for Megan. That's the entire reason why they are interested in Cassie. They rightfully recognized the importance of their connection. Of course, Annie and Max don't know Megan. They are completely in the dark about this friendship. They don't need to know every aspect of Cassie's life. They appreciate her independence. They also know she is a lot to handle. They can't deal with that all the time. They need distance for their own relationship. That needs work right now. Facing death provides clarity. Annie is devastated over losing the ring Max proposed to her with. That showcases just how much she cherishes this relationship and wants to commit to it further. That is clear even though she has fears about the future. So much of that is valid. She knows when Max is mad with her. She's not oblivious to his feelings. In fact, she's impressed by how he handles being held hostage. They are also confused because they realize multiple people are targeting Cassie for nefarious reasons. They don't view their friend as being worth all that effort. And yet, she's the center of so much international intrigue. Her life is dangerous. It's consumed by lethal stakes. It drags Annie and Max in no matter what they do. They are invigorated by that prospect from time to time. They save the neighbors tied up in their closet. They tell Cassie what they've learned about their assailants. Cassie recognizes them from Germany. As such, all of this must connect in some way. However, the mystery of who is impersonating Cassie persists. The narrative was pointed in saying it had to be Gabrielle. She was buying the same items from a hardware store. That was all misdirection. Instead, two CIA agents are killed in Echo Park. Their bodies are left in the exact location Cassie, Annie and Max previously identified. Cassie has an alibi for the crime. She may not be able to open up about her recent activity because it goes against what she was suppose to be doing. She was working against the mission of the U.S. government. She infuriated Shane in the process. Meanwhile, she takes advantage of Benjamin while he is in a vulnerable state. His work is no longer making sense. He's tough and pushes Cassie. He expects her to be better. Instead, they fall into the trap of sleeping with each other. Cassie saw that as an inevitable development. That's the way she processes the world. It causes so much internal turmoil. She still makes the decision though. She embraces it fully despite knowing how wrong it is. And so, she reveals no real growth even though Brenda demands a true answer from her about her sobriety. That ongoing quest is vital and compelling. It can't all be great either. It's just pure chaos and drama for Cassie at the moment. That's nothing new even though the show continues to barrel ahead quickly with these developments.
