As Bosch digs deeper into Whitney Vance's past, other powerful forces at play monitor his every move. Chandler defends a man in a case of wrongful arrest. Carl Rogers finds himself forced to hatch a new scheme. Maddie wrestles with the emotional toll of her job.
Carl Rogers is stealing gas. Bosch makes that discovery and sends the evidence to Chandler. And then, he is immediately caught by a security guard. Bosch and Chandler are targeting Rogers with absolute precision. It's more than them simply filing a civil lawsuit against him. That's one way to hold him accountable. He could be held liable for the various homicides and attempted homicides even though the criminal case couldn't prove it. That threat is enough to escalate the uncertainty with his Russian partners. They are demanding their return on investment now. As such, Rogers is willing to take huge risks just to produce the money. The Russians are the more pressing matter. The lawsuit will drag out for months. He doesn't have to concern himself with that yet. Moreover, the Russians are the reason why he is free. They are the ones who bribed the witness testifying against him. They didn't want anything to disrupt this scheme. They may have misjudged Rogers' ability to provide them with what they need. And so, he assembles his other partners to dictate what needs to be done in the next 48 hours. That offers Bosch a clean timetable to monitor and invade this operation. He relies on his friends Crate and Barrel to help with the surveillance too. They are gifted with technology from Mo. They are capable of wielding these new tools. However, they all embrace the old school mentality of putting in the work no matter how tedious it is. Nothing can come close to the insight Bosch can gain from getting into the facility. Everyone knows that something illegal is happening there. It's being closely guarded. So much traffic goes in and out. It makes no sense. When Bosch can examine the room, he sees the operation for what it truly is. He also recognizes the danger he is in. All of this could literally explode right in front of him. Meanwhile, he's being held at gunpoint. He no longer has the freedom of the badge. That has unburdened him in a way. However, this behavior is something he always would have exhibited on the job. It's nothing out-of-the-ordinary for him. This quest for vengeance is significant. It produces the overarching narrative for the season. Maddie is purposefully kept out of the conversation. Bosch and Chandler are kept up at night because of this experience. Maddie is haunted by it too. She connects with her young victim because they were both targeted by men in masks wishing them harm. That connection is apparent. Maddie isn't ready to talk about it just yet. It may actually constrain her on the job because her focus is elsewhere.
However, this narrative has always been a delicate balancing act. These characters have complicated lives where so much is happening at the same time. When Bosch updates Chandler on what he's doing, he has to explain whether or not it's relevant to the case they're working on together. The threats in his pursuit of a heir to the Vance fortune are just as significant. It's not a huge surprise that Dominick possibly fathered a child before dying in Vietnam. It provides more urgency to the situation. It produces the exact threat that many people were hoping Bosch would never find. Of course, he's no closer to discovering this person's identity. They may not be able to connect with this lineage before it becomes a crushing quest to accumulate power. People are so desperate to understand what Bosch is doing for Vance. No one is let in on this secret arrangement. Bosch wants to provide peace. He knows his client is capable of affording anything that must be done. Bosch needs a trustworthy DNA lab to confirm his theory. He also needs film developed to highlight a potential new lead. He's sleeping on the couch in his office. That's what his life boils down to. He is still given a great deal of access and control. That's afforded to him. It comes from a place of privilege. Meanwhile, Maddie and Chandler are the ones most searingly haunted by the past. Of course, Chandler can use that story to elicit a connection with someone who also went through trauma. She exploits the situation to help her client make a case against the LAPD. She knows facial recognition technology is unreliable. It may only make cops even lazier. Chandler's client was arrested for a crime he didn't commit. The arresting officer was too arrogant to notice his body didn't match what was clearly on the surveillance tape he based so much of his evidence on. And yet, pursuing justice in this way is a costly venture. Chandler is necessary in order to hold the people in power accountable. She also must rely on clients who have the ability to take a moral stand against the department. They have to be willing to take the case to trial and the uncertainty that will produce. Most people can't wait that long for justice. Her client wants an apology. $1.2 million has to be enough. That's how he'll settle. Chandler presents all his options. This choice isn't hers to make. She has an opinion though. The main characters are meant to represent the interests of those they serve. That provides them with a clear mission even though the lines are more blurred now that Bosch doesn't have a badge. He made a difference in his former life. And now, he has to reckon with a new identity and how people perceive what he's doing. He still has plenty of friends. That's mostly enough for now as he handles the various obstacles in his way.
