Previous recap: Intel (November 30)
Following recap: Epitaph (January 4)
At the beach house, Victoria ranted that Malcolm would kill them all, and she blasted David for keeping her in the dark. David promised that he'd find a way to stop Malcolm, but she retorted that men like Malcolm didn't stop until reparations had been made. She contended that Emily had enough money to pay Malcolm off, but David growled that he'd gone to prison for ten years, and he wouldn't give in. Victoria begged him to go to Emily for help, but David was determined to do things his own way, and he asked Victoria not to interfere. She agreed to do what was best, and they hugged. He said he would be back later that night, and he left.
David met with his former cellmate, who said that David's request had caught him by surprise. David contended that he was no longer the same man he had been, and his friend cautioned that the drug David wanted could take down a large man and make it look like a stroke. The man added that it would be untraceable, and he warned David to make sure he had no doubts, since there would be no turning back.
Daniel thanked Margaux for meeting him at her office, and she tersely stated that she had a busy day. He suggested that she slow things down, and he informed her that he'd made some calls to get her an appointment with a top obstetrician. She snapped that she hadn't asked him to do anything, but he insisted that the child needed a father. Margaux asked if her baby needed a father like he'd had, and she said she couldn't trust the man Daniel had become. Margaux thought Daniel was great at saying the perfect things when life was easy, but he ran when things got hard. Daniel pointed out that only one of them was running, and it wasn't him.
At a virtual golf range, Daniel took out his frustration by hitting golf balls as he flashed back to 2008, when he'd watched Conrad hit golf balls into the ocean. Conrad had reported that the district attorney had agreed to remove Daniel from a witness list, but Daniel had argued that a girl had been assaulted at a party. Conrad huffed that the girl had been from Rockport, and a boy named Andrew had been Daniel's fraternity brother, which was like family. Daniel insisted that he had to testify because Andrew had taken advantage of the girl, but Conrad advised that Andrew's father was powerful, and it would be better if Daniel worked that in his favor rather than against him.
Conrad had implied that Daniel couldn't defend the girl without jeopardizing his future, and Daniel had questioned why her future was less important than his own. Conrad had said he'd once asked himself the same question, but his father had taught him that the world was made of gods and insects, and if they didn't concern themselves with the well-being of ants, their choices became simpler to make. Daniel threw his golf club in frustration, and an attendant asked if he could get Daniel anything. Daniel asked him to retrieve some items from storage and take them to his room.
Nolan informed Emily that he'd reviewed Kate's personnel files, and he practically wanted to write Kate a letter of recommendation himself. He added that Kate's finances were clean, and Emily surmised that Kate was good at hiding secrets. Nolan suggested that perhaps Kate wasn't dirty, but Emily advised him to trust her instincts, since Kate had had the right access. Nolan reported that he hadn't been able to find a single photo of Malcolm Black or any information about Malcolm's secure compounds. He added that the tracking device on Malcolm's henchman had led to the morgue, and Emily anticipated that Kate was the only way to find Malcolm.
Emily sneaked into Kate's hotel room, and she used a scanner to lift fingerprints from a glass. She put high-tech transparent strips with surveillance capabilities on the walls, and after she exited, she passed by Ben in the hallway. He mentioned that he was dropping off files to Kate, and Emily claimed she'd been checking out the conference room for an event. Ben figured she'd be checking up on Jack, since there was a pool going at the precinct, regarding whether something was going on between Jack and Kate. Emily abruptly said she had to go, and she rushed out.
At the yacht club, Nolan called out for permission to board Louise's boat, and she huffed that he was more of a bottom feeder as she sprayed him with a hose. He swore that he felt awful for helping Margaux, and he insisted that he'd asked Margaux to kill the story, but she had refused. Louise acknowledged that Nolan had sent persistent emails and text messages, and Nolan groaned that he'd even left a voicemail. He proposed that they give the vultures something else to talk about, since it would make headlines if Louise co-hosted his benefit that night. She agreed.
Nolan ran Kate's fingerprints through a data-mining program, but he told Emily it would take a while. He found some footage of Kate sending someone a text message, and he noted that using a burner phone was against anticorruption protocol. He figured it was an ideal method of staying in touch with a paranoid shut-in, and he thought he could use it to track down Malcolm. Nolan cautioned Emily against turning it into her own personal battlefield, but Emily was certain that Kate wasn't aware Emily was onto her.
Kate and Jack went for a run, and she teased him for not letting a girl win. He asked what had made her change jobs, and she claimed that fieldwork was more satisfying. She kissed him, and he imagined that she'd be leaving town soon, but she said she had a few vacation days. She flirtatiously told him not to get cocky because it wasn't all about him, and he asked her to join him at the reopening of Nolan's yacht club. She remarked that Jack seemed to know the elite in town, and he replied that she would fit right in. He took off, and she glowered.
Later, Emily asked Jack if he was seeing Kate, and he wondered how she'd known. He questioned whether Emily had been spying on him or on Kate, and she voiced her suspicion that Kate had been involved in the attacks on David. Emily explained that David had lied about Conrad holding him captive, and she suspected David was Kate's target. A skeptical Jack said Kate was about to leave town, since the case had been closed, but Emily bet Kate would find a reason to stay. Emily warned that she thought Kate was dangerous, and she couldn't live with herself if something happened to Jack.
Victoria answered the door, and Kate reintroduced herself and said she had some follow-up questions. Victoria said she was late for an appointment, and she maintained that she didn't know anything about David's attack, but Kate disclosed that she'd uncovered a new piece of evidence. Kate showed Victoria the photo of Emily and explained that she'd traced the photo back to Victoria, who fibbed she hadn't sent it. Kate revealed that she knew Emily and Amanda had been cellmates and that the women had shared a special bond.
Victoria asserted that Emily would do anything for David, including erasing his debts, and she thought that would prove interesting to Kate's employer. Kate insisted she worked for the taxpayers, but Victoria wondered if Quantico would share her theories about Kate's extracurricular activities. Victoria swore that she only wanted a relationship with David, without interference, and Kate questioned why a wealthy girl like Emily would help David. Victoria insinuated that an FBI agent like Kate could figure it out, and she suggested that Kate find a way to take the money and leave Victoria and David alone.
Victoria met with Margaux about what photos of David to use in an article, but she realized Margaux was distracted, and she asked what was wrong. Margaux inquired whether Conrad had ever been different than how he'd been before he'd died, and Victoria recalled that he'd never been kind, but he hadn't been cruel when he'd been young. Victoria suspected that Margaux's questions had more to do with Daniel, and Margaux confided she was pregnant. Victoria realized that Margaux intended to go through it alone, and Margaux admitted that she couldn't believe she was even considering it, since she'd been lonely as a child with an absentee father.
Victoria asked why Margaux wanted to push Daniel away, and Margaux recalled that Daniel had once been a beautiful young man full of hope, but something had changed in him. Victoria recounted that she'd once been faced with raising a baby alone, but her dire circumstances had been different, and she asserted that no matter how capable a mother was, a child deserved a father. Victoria assured Margaux that Daniel wasn't Conrad and that the good man Margaux needed was there. Victoria added that Daniel loved Margaux, and based on Margaux's weepy demeanor, she guessed Margaux loved him, too.
Daniel read through some letters he'd written to Conrad, and he recalled that Conrad had said they were destined for greatness based solely on the virtue of their name. Daniel received a text message, and he met Victoria at a bar. Victoria said she was happy about Margaux's pregnancy, and Daniel ordered her not to try to control the situation. Victoria insisted that he would be a great father and that Margaux was only reacting out of fear.
Daniel pointed out that he'd acted out of fear when he'd walked away from Sara and shot Emily, but Victoria defended that Emily had put him "through hell." Daniel confided that the situation had forced him to face the truth, and he was grateful he couldn't hide from it anymore. He inquired whether David had any idea what Victoria had done to him, and he chided their family for throwing big parties and giving themselves awards to cover up that they were really cowards. Daniel wanted to teach his child to be better than that, and he declared that he was done running.
Nolan escorted Louise into their party, and photographers' flash bulbs popped while people danced. He checked his phone and marveled that his name was trending, and she took a photo of them together to post online. Nolan waved to Emily, who froze when David whispered from the shadows not to turn around. He recognized that keeping her in the dark had been hard for her, and Emily asserted that she could handle herself. He said she couldn't be part of what happened next, and she pleaded with him not to go after Malcolm on his own, but when she turned around, he was gone.
Emily asked Nolan if David had mentioned going after Malcolm, and Nolan swore David hadn't said anything about his plans. Emily surmised that David was working alone, and Jack and Kate walked in. Jack awkwardly introduced the ladies, and Nolan complimented Kate's stunning dress, but he suddenly spilled his drink on her. Kate amicably said she'd been hit with worse, and Nolan proclaimed that drinks were on him that night. He pointed Kate toward the ladies' room, and after she left, Jack demanded an apology if they determined Kate wasn't corrupt.
Louise danced with a man, but Nolan cut in, and he asked if she was hitting the open seas the next day. He wondered if things were okay between them, and she assured him they were, although things would never be good between her and her brother. She cryptically stated that her brother valued the Ellis family's secrets, and he would do anything to keep them, but she couldn't go through that again. Nolan warned that running wasn't the answer, and he had another way out, if she was up for it. He twirled her around as she giggled.
Kate cleaned off her dress in the bathroom, and Emily delivered some club soda. Emily eyed Kate's purse and mentioned that Jack had said nice things about Kate, but Kate downplayed her relationship with Jack as nothing serious. As Kate surveyed her dress, Emily pocketed Kate's phone. Emily handed over Kate's phone to Nolan, and she asked Jack to distract Kate until they were able to return it before Kate realized it was missing. Nolan announced that the hack was underway, and he handed the phone back to Emily.
Kate confronted Emily about taking her phone, and she coyly stated that "Amanda" knew her better than she'd thought. Kate surmised that Emily had taken down Conrad, and she claimed that she had to do the same to Malcolm, who was forcing her to work for him because he was holding her mother hostage. Emily asked why she should believe Kate, and Kate pleaded that she was desperate, since she was being watched all the time. Kate inquired whether they could reach a deal to save Emily's father and Kate's mother, and they arranged to meet at Emily's house in 30 minutes.
Victoria returned to the beach house, and David said he'd been starting to get worried. She explained that she'd been in the city with Daniel, but he'd seemed different. She asked if David had done what he'd needed to do, and he replied that he'd taken care of everything. As he poured two glasses of wine, he dumped the drug into one glass.
David recognized that Victoria was upset with him for keeping secrets and that she had a right to be, but he didn't want to hide anymore. He said he'd never imagined a life worse than prison, and he had hope that he could finally be free. He handed her a glass of wine, and he toasted to their future. Just before she sipped, she blurted out that she couldn't keep running from the truth, and there was something he needed to know. Victoria confessed that she had stolen David's computer and had given it to Conrad to frame David.
Victoria cried that she loved David and always had, but he barked that she'd ruined his life for money. She whimpered that she'd been afraid of him after she'd found out the truth about Kara, so in the moment she'd needed to trust him the most, she'd doubted him, and she'd hated him for it. She divulged that Conrad had told her about the bombing, and she'd been terrified of losing Daniel, so she had used David and had regretted it ever since. She sobbed that she was sorry, and she begged for forgiveness. David silently stared at the drugged wine glass.
Daniel sat on the beach, and he pulled out a letter he'd written to his father just before Daniel had been about to give a statement to the police. Daniel recalled Conrad calling it a beautifully penned suicide note, and Conrad had questioned how Daniel would be rewarded for his honesty. Conrad had imagined that Daniel would be "banished from Olympus," since even though the girl might have been wronged, Daniel's actions would send a message to his peers, and they held Daniel's future in their hands.
Daniel had vowed to make it on his own, and Conrad had begged him to consider what that meant. Conrad had said he'd expected to make it in the real world, based on his own ingenuity, but it hadn't happened. Conrad had declared that he and Daniel had been born with their family legacy as an advantage, and he'd questioned whether Daniel intended to throw that gift away by giving testimony. Conrad had asked if it was worth risking everything for, and Daniel had snatched back his letter and had boarded a limousine with Conrad.
Daniel's phone rang, and he was surprised to hear from Margaux. She said she was at his hotel, and he informed her that he was outside his old house. He admitted that she'd been right about him, but Margaux confessed that she'd been the one running. She added that she'd tried to disappear like her father had when things had gotten hard, but she didn't want to be like Pascal. Daniel agreed that he didn't want to be like Conrad, either, and she said they could be better together. She added that she and the baby needed him, and she implored him to return home.
Kate arrived at the manor, and she observed the lack of staff. Emily pushed her up against a wall to search for weapons, and she noted the gun she found wasn't government-issued. Emily handed the gun back to Kate, who explained that what she was doing wasn't by the book, so she didn't want it traced back to her. Emily said her research had turned up nothing about Malcolm, and Kate suggested that they draw him out in the open by transferring Emily's money into a private account as bait.
Kate divulged that David had stolen a fortune from Malcolm, and she claimed that David had drained Malcolm's accounts and had supposedly funneled the funds into charities, but Malcolm didn't believe David had given the money away. Kate added that Emily had enough money for them to pretend that Kate had found Malcolm's stolen funds, and Emily coldly asked when Kate planned on killing her. Kate snarled that it was supposed to have been after she got the money, but she pointed her gun at Emily and declared that things had changed.
Emily guessed that the story about Kate's mother had been a lie, and Kate admitted that Malcolm was her father. Emily revealed that she'd never believed Kate, but she'd wanted to get Kate away from civilians and in front of Emily's security cameras. Emily proclaimed that Kate's cover was blown, and Kate hissed that she'd delete the drives before she left. Kate pulled the trigger, but Emily victoriously held up the bullet cartridge she'd swiped. Kate lunged at Emily, and the women engaged in a brutal physical fight.
Nolan asked Jack to join him in a toast to surviving the party, unscathed, and Nolan's computer beeped. Jack surmised the noise had indicated the completion of Nolan's search into Kate's background, and Nolan peered at his computer screen and discovered Kate's true identity. Nolan yelled to call Emily, and Jack raced over to the manor.
Emily and Kate crashed through a window during their struggle, and Daniel heard the commotion from the beach. Emily punched Kate repeatedly and staggered back into the house, where she reassembled the gun. Emily turned around and saw that Kate was gone, and Kate suddenly appeared behind her and knocked the gun out of her hand. Emily chased Kate up the stairs, where their blows became increasingly vicious. They crushed through the railing and fell to the foyer below, and Kate gasped for breath as Emily stumbled away.
Kate crawled across the floor to the gun, and Daniel entered and rushed to Emily's side. Emily yelled for him to run, but Kate raised her gun and fired, hitting Daniel multiple times in the chest. Kate turned the gun on Emily, but Jack suddenly appeared and shot Kate first. Emily asked why Daniel hadn't run, and he held the crumpled letter to his father in his hand. Daniel had written that legacies had to be earned, but people could write their own endings by choosing to hide as villains or live as heroes.
Emily insisted that Daniel would be okay, and he weakly asked if she was still lying to him. She swore that it hadn't all been a lie with him, and he murmured that he knew. Daniel closed his eyes, and he died in Emily's arms.
Previous recap: Intel (November 30)
Following recap: Epitaph (January 4)
