By: Mariah Thomas
Olive (Maisie Richardson-Sellers) concerned that Guy (Nicholas Denton) missed a drop. She has been the one leaving him clues of what to do for the Talamasca under Helen’s (Elizabeth McGovern) command. Helen does not seem phased by this and tells her to stay put as she is certain he will show up. From the previous episode we know Guy is more or less being held captive by Jasper (William Fichtner). Helen makes her way to a cemetery to visit who we can assume to be her parents. She is clearly shaken seeing flowers already left at their graves. She speaks with the groundskeeper (Robert Goodman) and inquires if he has ever seen her before claiming she is forgetful. He jokes that he is there everyday and has never seen her before. This further points into Helen’s worries and fears about her twin sister.
In his suite, Jasper has a breakfast feast covering the table for him and Guy. Jasper assures him that nothing is poisoned as Guy is hesitant to eat. This seems to soothe his fears, as Guy immediately digs in. Jasper admits he is suspicious at Guy’s willingness to suddenly help him and have knowledge he needs. However, he seems to change his mind quickly when Guy mentions how his mother is alive and in hiding from the Talamasca. Jasper shares the autopsy photos with Guy and confirms the cause to be a vampire bite. Guy pushes Jasper to tell him why getting the book is so important to him. Jasper has been framed as a villain, though he makes great points in his response to Guy that slightly shifts the audience’s perspective. He takes him to the basement and tells the story of an old vampire who got his revenge. A secret of his was outed by a Talamasca agent and it caused more harm than good. By keeping such intense tabs, they are able to keep the supernatural in line by taunting them with their secrets. He tells Guy that information is power, so the book must stay out of the Talamasca’s hands. He also unveils to Guy that he has been making hybrid vampires for protection. They are loyal to him and attack on command.
Guy finally learns about the vampire they are looking for. A local coven runs a hotel as a front. This coven used to have an open communication with the London motherhouse but suddenly went silent. Jasper knows this is because they are in possession of the book and intends to send Guy in there to find out where the book is. After, he plans to send in others with more power to get it. Jasper gives Guy a wake up call that he is not the only person to have been screwed over by the Talamasca. He is just another story in a long line of people who have suffered because of them. Jasper reflects on his own upbringing of losing his parents and home because of them before being turned into a vampire. The two come to an understanding of each other and have their own reasons for taking down the talamsca.
Detective Ridge (Bryony Hannah) and her partner, Detective Loren (Matthew Steer) watch back the footage of the night Archie (Joshua Ben-Tovim) and Keves (Amelia Clarkson) were killed. One is convinced it was a suicide, the other not so much. Earlier, the female detective looked closely at the autopsy photos and spotted the vampire bite. She is persistent in finding out what happened. She discovers Keves was holding something in one video and it is missing in the next. Given they didn’t find anything at the scene, she knows it was dumped. She goes searching for it immediately by retracing her steps. She finds herself at a playground. In a hidden area, she finds a file that holds a USB drive hidden in a pack of cigarettes.
A new side of Helen is seen as she appears to be searching for her sister. Unlike the Talamasca, her intentions seem pure in a simple reunion. She admits despite working for the Talamasca, she has not been able to even catch a whiff that she existed. It seems she only joined and worked her way up to find her. She claims to want to change the way the organization operates.
Guy’s job is to enter the coven’s hotel and locate the book. He discreetly reads the minds of all around. However, he is caught by Raglan James (Justin Kirk) who promises to keep his secret. He is also a spy trying to source information. He is able to read his mind to hear him say “he’s going to ruin my deal”, just to quickly realize Guy can read minds. Given the choice to leave or be revealed to everyone, Guy leaves. On his way out, he runs into Doris (Celine Buckens) who quickly pulls him to a room for privacy. She has been following him out of suspicion that he knows who killed Keves. Though she doesn’t believe in the book’s existence, she hears him out. Doris claims that he is in danger and if he has an ounce of common sense, he will follow her out and not look back. He stays and continues to listen around. Thinking quickly, he pays a random woman to stand and stare at Raglan for intimidation. He tells him that she is a big boss from Amsterdam and that the Talamasca has the place surrounded. He tells Raglan he intends to attend his meeting with him. The two go up in the elevator and it is abruptly stopped by Doris who follows along too.
Doris gets a concierge worker to deliver a note to Jasper’s henchman who is waiting outside for Guy. He is visibly shaken by the note and calls Jasper. The note read, “Your Guy is in trouble. Room 901”. Up in the hotel suite, Raglan rats Guy out to the big vampire boss. He tells him he can read minds and forces his way up for the deal. However, this does not pan out well for him as Raglan is shot. In the chaos, Guy spots Checkers (Will Brown), Jasper’s frankenstein vampire who attacks on command, breaking into the room. The music is notably louder, so the security guard is sent to check. However, this was a ruse by Checkers and he attacks him as Guy distracts the vampire. He prompts him to think of a memory, and Guy is able to repeat to him what he’s picturing in his mind. The vampire goes to turn the music down and is immediately attacked.
Checkers makes his way back down to the van as Doris sneaks in the trunk. Back in the room, seeing the bloody scene, Raglan retrieves what he came for. Guy holds him at gunpoint and is shocked to learn the deal was for vials of vampire blood. Jasper later comes to the room to see the mess that has been made. He is intrigued by the blood deal and searches the rest of the suite to find a decaying vampire in bed. They have been bleeding out an old vampire to harvest his blood to sell. He begs to be killed to be put out of his misery. Jasper does just that. The episode ends confirming the detective is in possession of the “book” everyone is searching for.