By: Kelly Kearney
With time running out, Jim and Nina split up to gather evidence before Saxton realizes the Feds are closing in. When Jim learns a Mexican assassin is after him, he hightails it out of town with Royce—only to land in a different kind of trouble. Meanwhile, Nina and Awan follow the trail left by Breen’s final words, decoding a cryptic message that leads them deep into Navajo Nation territory and closer to secrets Awan has been keeping. The action-packed episode delivers high-speed chases, brutal brawls,luxury cars, charming swaggers, and the usual sharp social commentary on the challenges faced by women and people of color in the 1970s.
Stuck between the Mob, Mexico, and the Feds
We open on a quiet moment between Uncle Jim (Josh Holloway) and Luna (Adriana Aluna Martinez) as the two pass the time watching cartoons. Unfortunately for Jim, he can’t get his mind off the possibility that not only will Saxton (Keith David) find out he’s working with the feds, but that Mad Raoul (Robby Ramos)—the man he swore loyalty to in blood—won’t be too thrilled to learn Jim has no plans to head to Mexico and become his driver. In a Looney Tunes-style daydream, Jim’s anxiety takes animated form. He imagines himself as a Wile E. Coyote-type character being hacked to pieces by a cartoon version of Mad Raoul’s enforcer. His anxiety over being stuck between two mob bosses and the feds is getting to him.
Speaking of the feds, over at the FBI offices, Abbott (Greg Grunberg) informs Nina (Rachel Hilson) that Breen (Michael Bryan French) has died by suicide. He warns her that he can’t keep shielding her from Braddock unless she closes the case. Abbott isn’t the only one putting pressure on her; when Nina meets with Jim, he unloads his Looney Tunes fears on her–demanding whatever the feds are planning for Saxton to happen fast, His worries about Raoul are growing by the minute, but he cannot mention that to the FBI, so he just comes off as demanding when he questions how far she has gotten with Paris Gilford. Not far, and her hands are tied without hard proof of Saxton’s organization—and so far, Jim hasn’t given her much. That’s when he finally spills: he shares details of that meeting Saxton had with the Russians. Jim doesn’t know the name of the contact, but remembers a distinctive birthmark on the man’s head, and that Saxton mentioned the deal would “put the family on the global market.” He also recalls hearing the name “Xavier,” though Nina doesn’t recognize it. While these details are helpful, they’re not enough to save her job or his life. She demands more solid evidence—and fast, as both of them are running out of time.
Next, Jim heads to Saxton’s to sniff around for more clues. He stops in to check on Royce (Benjamin Charles Watson), who’s watching old movie reels and seems emotionally adrift. It’s the first real conversation they’ve had since Royce witnessed Jim manually pumping his heart during the transplant surgery. Royce thanks him for saving his life and offers to buy him a drink after a quick pickup run to the Scottsdale warehouse—his first job post-op. He’s eager to prove to his father that he’s strong enough to follow in his footsteps, even if Saxton has doubts.
Speaking of the mob boss, Saxton calls Jim into his office, concerned about Royce’s emotional outburst during their last talk. This Scottsdale run is a bit of a test to see if the kid is strong enough to handle the job. Jim offers to ride along with Royce—keep him safe and get a sense of how he’s really doing. It’s also a rare opportunity to access a previously off-limits location. Though Jim is considered “family,” he’s never been trusted with business operations and this is the perfect way to get eyes on the inside. He’s pleased when Saxton agrees to let him take the Duster to the warehouse, and Royce is happy about it too. He likes Jim, and the two have a brotherly vibe–which makes the deceit a bit harder for Jim to smile through.
Empowering Women
Meanwhile, we catch up with Izzy (Camille Guaty), who’s nervous about a meeting with trucker union president—and former blackmail target—Bob Temple (Kevin Chamberlin). He’s surprised to see the attractive woman is a long-haul trucker and greets her with the inappropriate quip: “Love a woman who knows how to handle a stick.” Izzy smiles stiffly, likely used to men’s comments about her profession. She quickly turns the conversation to the reason she is there, safety complaints for her fellow female drivers. 126 female truckers currently pay union dues, and they deserve access to safe, clean bathrooms—something she notes has been neglected. Complaints have been ignored, likely because they’re coming from women in what is perceived to be a male profession. Temple brushes her off with a vague promise to “look into it,” but Izzy knows he’s just trying to get her out the door.
Back at the FBI, Nina enlists Jess to dig into any Russian mobsters with a birthmark. While Nina does push-ups in the office to clear her mind, Awan (Asivak Koostachin) walks in, having just learned about Breen’s death. He suspects their undercover visit may have pushed Breen over the edge. Seeing Nina stressed, he asks about the mid-workday workout, and that’s when she reveals she was once engaged. Her ex-fiancé—who taught her to do push-ups—was a doctor looking for a wife, not an ambitious FBI agent. “You need more than push-ups to stay together,” she jokes, as their bond deepens with every personal detail shared.
Then the conversation turns serious again, as Awan points out that Breen’s last message was cryptic: “Follow the numbers.” He remembers that Breen used to teach logic and reasoning and suggests the clue might be hidden in the old Saxton files. That is where the two start digging.
The Ins and Outs of the Operation
Meanwhile, in Mexico, Jim’s worst cartoon nightmare materializes, as Mad Raoul’s assassin, the aptly named Enrique the Blade (Enrique Sanchez)—armed with switchblades hidden in his sleeves—shows up at the convenience store where Jim once signed his blood oath. He’s on a mission: to remind Ellis why you never disappoint a man whose first name is Mad.
Unaware he’s being tracked, Jim is too busy trying to get Royce to open up during their trip to Scottsdale. Royce confesses that he feels like a disappointment compared to his sister, Genesis—the one their father seems to favor as his successor. He’s always been seen as weak, and sickly as a child, and overlooked for things beyond his control. Jim lifts Royce’s confidence with some well-placed encouragement… then cleverly plays on his insecurities to convince the young Saxton to let him into the Scottsdale warehouse. Once inside, Jim flips on the charm and gets an eyeful of information Nina could find useful.
Back to Izzy—Dr. Dave (Matt Lauria) shows up in his signature short jorts, bringing toys for Luna and offering a shoulder for his girlfriend after her frustrating meeting with Temple. He encourages her to rally the other female drivers so Temple has to take them seriously. It looks like the women are getting ready to unionize and go to war.
Izzy isn’t the only one fighting for recognition, Nina and Awan’s jobs are on the line if they don’t find hard evidence to take Saxton down. They follow the numbers Breen left behind when they realize they’re longitude and latitude coordinates—pointing to a spot on the Navajo reservation. Awan tenses immediately. He grew up there, but has spent years avoiding it. Nina makes it clear that if the case leads to Navajo land, she’s not taking no for an answer from her Navajo partner. Awan knows what’s at stake—for both their careers—and after a beat, agrees to go.
Meanwhile, at Snowbird Mesa in Scottsdale, Royce gives Jim a crash course in how Saxton’s operation runs. Every family-owned warehouse functions like clockwork—tight systems, trusted people, zero room for error. While Royce is distracted, Jim sneaks off and discovers crates of guns being packed for shipment. He turns up the charm and flirts with a redheaded secretary (Merritt C. Glover), keeping her smiling long enough to swipe a stack of invoices headed for the shredder. He pockets them just as Royce pulls up—driving none other than Howard Hughes’ luxury car. It looks like Saxton’s doing business with Hughes… and this fancy ride is his payday.
Disappointing Family
Over on Navajo Nation land, Nina presses Awan about why he didn’t want to return. When they reach the coordinates, they find a rusted old car abandoned in the desert and nothing about it seems to track with what Breen said. Moments later, Reservation police pull up—and we find out what’s really kept Awan away.
The officer, Darrel (Tyler Laracca), is an old friend, surprised to see Awan back. He jokes by yelling that they’re trespassing, but when Awan grins and tells him to “shut up,” Nina can tell this guy is no threat. In fact, Darrel is excited to meet her—and even more impressed the FBI is letting in someone who isn’t a white man. That leads to a mention of Awan’s father—someone he hasn’t visited in quite some time. Darrel also points out Awan’s ears and is surprised he let his piercings close. He tells Nina that her partner used to wear beautiful turquoise earrings before he left the reservation to become a fed. Darrel doesn’t seem to be judging—just reminiscing—but the conversation clearly makes Awan uncomfortable. He’s hiding something, and while Nina stays quiet, she definitely picks up on it. Soon, she finds a hidden tape tucked inside the trunk of the rust bucket, and the two agents head back to the office to figure out what’s on it.
On the drive, Awan opens up about why returning home was so hard for him. His father is Navajo, his mother white—originally from Detroit—leaving him caught between two worlds he never fully fit into. His father saw joining the FBI as a betrayal, but Awan always saw it as a way to protect people. “Even if both sides hate me for it,” he says. Like Nina, he wants to be a symbol of change—for his community and the world outside it. Nina gets it. Her own father wouldn’t have been proud of her current job either, but he’s dead, and Awan’s father isn’t. She urges him to consider making amends while he still can.
Nobody steals from Mad Raoul or Saxton.
While they’re on their way back with the evidence, Jim–with his own collection of evidence, hits the road with Royce in the Duster and the luxury car. What starts as a friendly desert race ends with Royce overheating the classic car and nearly running someone off the road. Jim did warn him that kind of car was temperamental. Now they’ve got to find a gas station for help.
When they do, the mechanic gets the car on a lift for an easy fix—just as Enrique the Blade rolls in. Jim is in the bathroom when the man attacks, and a brutal fight between the two breaks out. Mop handles, fire extinguishers, sharp blades, and fists fly as they crash through the bathroom wall and into the stockroom. Just when it looks like Enrique has the upper hand—pulling a boot knife for the kill—Jim grabs a bottle of liquor from a box nearby. Instead of smashing it over the guy’s head, he pops it open for a toast. The two have met their match, and that is worth a drink and maybe a bit of a truce. Jim offers to trade those stolen blue suede Elvis shoes for his life but the Blade isn’t interested because,. “Everyone knows Little Richard is the king of rock and roll,” he says.
Out of options, Jim offers the luxury car instead, and promises to make things right with Saxton—who’s a lot more reasonable than Mad Raoul. Enrique considers it, then agrees because his boss loves a hot car.
Everything changes when outside, the guys (Ansel Wolf Pierce and Garrett Young) Royce almost hit pull up, wearing ski masks and toting a trunk full of guns. It turns out they’ve been tracking the fancy car ever since, and they want to take it for themselves. When Royce realizes they’re trying to steal his father’s new ride, he screams for Jim’s help, who is still in the storeroom sealing the deal with the Blade.
When he hears his boss’s son, Jim and Enrique hop in the Duster and take off in pursuit after the two young car thieves. These two are no career criminals–just your average small crime boys looking for a joy ride so they are clueless to the danger they are in. When the Duster pulls up alongside them, they ignore Jim’s orders to pull over, sealing their fate. In a slow-motion moment straight out of an action movie, Jim ducks as the Blade slings a throwing knife from the passenger’s seat, out the Duster’s window, through the luxury car, and sinking into the skull of the driver. The car veers off the road as the other passenger stumbles out. Jim tells the guy to try to run and he makes it about 100 yards before a second blade strikes him square in the back.
Deal honored. Mad Raoul gets his car, Jim gets to live, and Nina gets the evidence Jim swiped from the warehouse. Bumps and bruises aside, it’s a good day for Ellis.
Likewise, it was all wins for Nina and Awan too. The partners got closer by revealing more about their personal lives, and they found that tape. Once they are back at the office they load up the recovered tape to find a scene that feels straight out of The X-Files. It’s a static-covered figure who groans: “Trust no one.” Who is “no one?” And what does this cryptic message have to do with the Saxton case?
Nina is one step closer to the truth—but she’d better hurry. Abbott’s patience is wearing thin, and she could be pulled off the case and sent back to Baltimore any day now–leaving Jim vulnerable to Saxton’s explosive personality.