M&A investigates a potential hate crime when a non-binary activist disappears. Gabi's recollection of memories from the past opens up old wounds. Trent hones in on Sir's potential accomplice. Zeke crosses a dangerous line with the DCPD.
The narrative is heavily implying that Christian is Sir's accomplice. The M&A team frequently debates whether or not he can be trusted. He is related to Sir. They take everything he says with a grain of salt. He's invited into the hunt to find Sir. Yet Sir hasn't been captured. In fact, the video he released has caused a more divisive debate about who he is. Gabi fears his story will be believed over the truth. Sir is a master manipulator. She doesn't want anyone else to fall prey to his tactics. That's precisely what the world does. She has to be smarter than that. The team doesn't need him to succeed at their jobs. As such, the audience should think beyond the conventional about the mystery of Sir's accomplice. The person needs access to M&A. That's how Sir receives the latest file about the case the team is working on. He always has to insert himself into the investigations. He reached out to Margaret. And now, he reaches out to Zeke. The offer isn't accepted. Zeke resists the temptation of an easy solution. It's more important for everyone to step up and take on new responsibilities. That's the only way the mission will continue after Gabi goes to jail. That still hasn't occurred. She wants to check out. She wants to accept punishment. Yet she has to keep living with the dread of uncertainty over what will happen next.
Charlotte made a video thanking Sir as her hero under duress. She apologized to Gabi afterwards. She knew it was wrong. She felt she had no other choice. It was all about making Sir appear misunderstood. Now, everyone is analyzing Gabi's story in a new light. Some want to cast her as a liar who created this story for attention. Gabi was sincerely abused. A year of her life was taken from her. Even in the aftermath, she struggles to feel secure. She views her father as abandoning her all over again. She held onto the hope that their connection remained even when she was gone. Instead, he spiraled and stopped looking. His addiction took over. Even after her escape, he can't pull himself out. He needs help. Gabi provides so much emotional support. She needs some reassurance too. Sir could have taken her again at any point over the last twenty years. He chose not to. He saw the broken life she experienced. He was waiting until she accepted him as his soulmate. That's what drives everything for him. Gabi proclaims him as a serial kidnapper. He can't ever be trusted. The media shouldn't fall into this trap and believe him at his word. That makes for a captivating story. Gabi uses that to her advantage. She also has to speak honestly. Despite that, she only gains respect in the media when Sir releases another video telling them to do so. Her word is no longer good enough.
Everyone has opinions. People have more access and connection than ever before thanks to social media. That provides plenty of opportunities. It also leads to bad faith actors presenting themselves as legitimate sources of information. They haven't gone through the rigorous training of how to respect the story and the people whose lives it impacts. Rash was a journalism major. However, they too delve into the sensationalized storytelling of news. They offer hot takes instead of true investigative journalism. They are no better than the trolls who target the M&A family. Gabi believes everyone is worth saving. Over the course of this investigation, the team sees Rash as who they truly are. They are just as dogged a reporter as anyone else in the field. They were denied opportunities because of their gender identity. They faced discrimination and were the victim of a hate crime. The reason for their disappearance is a result of the work they've been pursuing. It had the promise to expose a major scandal. It had true merit as well. It wasn't just empty words. A congressman assaulted numerous people. Rash had their stories on the record. And yet, their most significant witness had cold feet. And so, Rash was taken in the hopes of keeping the story from getting out. It's really as simple as that.
It's never too late to do the right thing. That's another thing Gabi preaches. It helps her connect to victims as well as the people who took them. It doesn't prevent arrests from being made. It's leading with humanity and compassion. She sees the complexity of these stories. She takes action to respect all sides. She remains driven. The team celebrates whenever they bring someone home. They reunite with their loved ones. Moreover, Gabi aims to heal the members of her team too. Margaret can never return to the bus station. And so, Zeke provides a solution. He offers the live feed of the station. Margaret can keep that connection alive without breaking the restraining order. She feels this connection just like Zeke does. Technology allows him to engage with the outside world despite his agoraphobia. And then, his home is invaded. Trent executes a search warrant. He views himself as the good guy for allowing Zeke to stay at home. He doesn't trigger him in that way. His valuable possession are seized. They were used to commit a crime. Zeke hacked the DCPD to help Gabi. Everyone does so much to protect Gabi. She saved all of them. They feel indebted to her. That's true despite the hate they felt after learning about Sir. All the pressure remains. Yet they still can't move on from what Gabi means to them. When that is lost or challenged, it's absolutely devastating. That dependency isn't healthy either. No one has that perfect balance. The situation just requires everything to escalate in a brutal way with no easy resolutions.
