Two vigilantes meet in a Florida hotel room, and plans are hatched to exact justice. But when their connection endangers both their lives, an impossible decision is made: only one can live.
Lincoln knew about Rebecca for two years. He didn't seek her out in the hopes of joining her mission. Instead, he conducted his own surveillance. Rebecca is amazed by the evidence he has collected. It's more impressive than anything she has done. It further highlights Lance's crimes. He's a billionaire executive who just wants everyone to praise him for changing the world. He expects adulation and no resistance. Regulations are burdensome. He employs people to make problems go away. He doesn't want to hear about them. He only wants the good news. He's not emotionally stable enough to handle the full complexities of what his company does. He doesn't have to see the peril firsthand. He removes himself from that reality. He exists in his own perfect bubble. Rebecca and Donnie are forcing him to see the truth. His empire was built on the bodies of immigrant labor. Children have been exploited so Lance can pursue his dreams. Families were torn apart. Not enough people are willing to step up and offer humanity to those most traumatized by this pain. Cross and Sampson are different. They provide family to Chucho. He accepts their generosity even though he's worried about his sister. She's one of Crestbrook's underage victims at the Toledo plant.
This season has widened the scope. It takes place throughout the country. That's the kind of influence these criminals have. Rebecca and Donnie have a base of operations in Sunrise, Florida. The local casino provides comfort to Rebecca when she needs it. She has allies everywhere. They will loyally protect her. Lincoln is different. He worships her as a deity. He refers to her as "La Luz." She is the light that illuminated the truth. He is devoted to her. He sacrificed his body to honor her mission. He will die to ensure she survives. That's absolutely devastating to her. She sees the opportunity to reward someone who has made her job easier. She didn't know about him at all. She's alarmed when he suddenly shows up at her aunt's house. She accepts everything he has to offer. She wants to reward him. And yet, no one in this story can imagine a happily ever after. Lincoln doesn't get to escape to a comfortable life in a country with no extradition as his true self. Instead, he must die because the government has already identified him multiple times. He was their prime suspect. Even before Rebecca was found, Cross and Kayla started thinking that not everything was lining up perfectly.
The allure of this episode comes from the attractions between the people working every angle of this case. Cross and Kayla hooked up previously in Texas. They do so again while mostly sober. This is a connection they wish to explore. It's more than just simply working well as partners. They have a physical attraction to each other they must act on. It's as simple as that for the moment. It probably won't stay that way given what Bobby Trey has discovered. Kayla was involved in a program that experimented on soldiers. It's a horrifying visual. It's also slightly removed from the more immediate concerns going on. It's a threat that lingers over Kayla and dooms any potential for her future. Meanwhile, Rebecca buys into Lincoln's love. She looks for a way out of an impossible situation. She wants to protect him. In doing so, she forgets what's important. No one matters more than the mission. It must survive beyond the death or arrest of one individual. That's an understandable perspective for what she's trying to accomplish. The way she twists herself into knots about Lincoln's fate rings hollow. It required more complexity and trust to work. It was difficult to understand why she got so invested so quickly. He was loyal but she previously presented as someone who cannot allow happiness to stand in the way of justice. This subverts that in a way that doesn't add to her pain. It's just a mess.
