Original subtitles

Previously on The Equalizer...

Madam D.A.

I wasn't expecting to see you so soon.

That makes two of us.

I don't take meeting with you lightly.

Dante, I'm on my way to you.

Can you reach Mel?

Go get Randall!

Just don't arrest him.

You said you'd be here.

I had him.

He was right there.

But I let him get away.

I should've taken him down when I had the chance,

but I let your needs get in the way of me doing my job.

Now, are you gonna tell me the truth or no?

- I can't. - Okay.

You leave me no choice.

Wait, what's that supposed to mean?

I'm filing for full custody of Delilah.

Mr. DeSena, please.

Dr. Keller said this surgery could save her life.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Stone,

but your insurance won't cover it.

I'm afraid we have to discharge Emily.

I want to see Dr. Keller.

Unfortunately, that's not possible.

But I want to help.

Have you... spoken to one of our social workers

about financial aid?

Of course I talked to someone.

They said it could take weeks.

Look at my child.

She doesn't have weeks.

Would this hospital really sentence her to die?

Over money?

I really am sorry, Mrs. Stone.

Mommy?

Yes, my heart?

Am I going to die?

No. No, silly girl.

Mommy would never let that happen.

I promise.

Hey!

No one move.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! She's got a gun!

Mrs. Stone. Please.

No, you listen to me!

Emily will have that surgery!

Or she won't be the only one to die today!

What do we know?

Armed woman commandeered the D Ward.

She's the mother of a patient.

- How many hostages? - Five.

As far as we can tell.

Any patients that were physically able have been evacuated,

along with all nonessential medical staff.

Hey, Detective.

Perpetrator attempted to make contact. She sounds antsy.

Maybe you should talk to her before something happens.

Oh, protocol says the Apprehension Tac Team

initiates dialogue in these situations.

That's the problem.

Tac Team's held up across town.

ETA is 30 minutes, but even that's up in the air.

This is Detective Marcus Dante with the NYPD.

Who am I speaking with?

If any of you

move a muscle, I won't hesitate.

Detective, my name is Lauren Stone.

Ms. Stone, I'm here to help.

Why don't you tell me what's going on.

My baby girl is dying

and this hospital won't do a damn thing to help her.

I'm sorry.

I can't imagine what you're going through.

We're gonna get through this together, Ms. Stone.

But first...

I need you to tell me: what is it you want?

What...? What do you have going on?

Looks like the final round of Top Chef in here.

My class is having a cultural heritage potluck.

And, you know, since we have roots in Louisiana,

I'm making gumbo.

Why didn't you tell me? I would've helped you.

I know, I just... I thought I'd surprise you.

And also I found this bomb recipe on Bon Appetit, so...

Don't kill her, Aunt Vi.

I swear, I promise you

I raised her better than this. Since when is

Bon Appetit an authentic source

for gumbo recipes?

No okra.

No andouille sausage.

No way you are taking

this knockoff nonsense into your classroom, representing

this family. Girl, please.

In fact, put the knife down.

We're going on a field trip.

Oh, okay. Wait, where are we going?

You should've known better than that.

Marcus.

I've been, uh, trying to call you.

- What's going on? - Been busy, I guess.

Look, I know you blame me for Randall Grayle's escape,

but we will find him.

That's not why I'm calling. There's a hostage situation

at Koch University Hospital in Midtown.

A woman trying to get treatment for her dying daughter.

Damn. What's her play?

Still trying to figure that out,

but she says she'll only speak to one person...

the Equalizer.

On my way.

Hey, Rob.

You find anything on this woman, Harry?

Lauren Stone.

No criminal record.

Widowed with one child, Emily.

She's 12 years old.

Been diagnosed with an uncommon brain disease.

Lauren's got a job as a data analyst at PGT Systems.

According to her tax returns, she also

works part-time as a waitress

on nights and weekends.

That's a lot of work for one person.

She must be buried in hospital bills.

Lauren set up a GoFundMe campaign

to pay for Emily's surgery.

Must be a nightmare. Your kid's sick and you can't

do anything to help.

Yeah, I hear that. Can't imagine if it were mine.

According to this site,

Emily suffers from something called polymicrogyria.

They've tried treatment

after treatment, nothing's worked.

This surgery is their only chance.

I guess the surgery is really high-risk

and the insurance company's refused to cover it.

Because the hospital cares more about their bottom line

than this woman's dying child.

Yeah, I don't know...

It's never okay to take hostages,

but I got to say, I feel for this woman.

All right, I'm approaching the hospital now.

Dante's meeting me there.

Things are better between you two?

I'm just focusing on the hostages and that little girl.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted.

What's the status?

We're on pause.

She refuses to give her demands until she speaks to you.

Can't believe she had to go to this length

just to get help for her daughter.

Let's not make her out to be a folk hero just yet.

She's putting innocent lives in danger.

All right. Well, let's see what we're dealing with.

- You Detective Dante? - That's right.

Apprehension Tac Team Commander Bruce Gregory.

Did I hear correctly that you

made contact with the hostage-taker?

There was concern she might act if no one spoke to her.

You do understand there is a protocol in these situations?

I made a judgment call.

Because you were late to the scene.

Commander.

What did she say when you talked to her?

- Did she have any demands? - Yes.

She asked to speak with her psychotherapist.

Dr. Maggie Robinson at your service.

She asked for Dr. Robinson. She was very insistent.

So am I. My negotiator will take it from here.

I know that's your protocol.

But it's very important I speak to my patient.

Obviously, she's fragile right now.

Due respect, this is a hostage crisis, not a therapy session.

Due respect, Commander, but I know what I'm doing.

I have negotiating experience,

- military training... - The answer is no.

I need to speak to her. And it needs to be face-to-face.

Wait. You want to go in there?

Just give me a chance.

I'm sure I can resolve this peacefully.

I know it's unorthodox, Commander,

but at least hear her out.

Now let me be crystal clear.

I don't care what your training is.

Either your patient negotiates with us,

or we'll be the ones going in there.

And if you get in my way,

I will have you arrested.

Synced & corrected by -robtor- www.addic7ed.com

We got to get in there.

How, if he won't let you in to talk to her?

Something's off.

They don't look like they're about to negotiate.

Protocol says they need to exhaust all

- negotiating options first. - Exactly.

So why do they look like they're preparing to breach?

I don't know.

But if Lauren won't talk to anyone but you,

there's no telling what she'll do.

There may be a way.

What a surprise. It's been a while.

Look, um, I could use your help, D.A. Grafton.

You got a minute?

Sure, but fair warning: my coffee hasn't kicked in yet.

Okay, well...

You know the standoff at Koch University Hospital?

I'm aware. What about it?

Best I can tell, we're dealing with a woman

who's scared for her daughter,

not looking to hurt anyone.

How do you know this?

Well, she asked for me specifically.

That tells me I can talk her down.

The problem is, Tac Team won't

let me in the building.

And you want me to get you in?

Well, I think this thing can be resolved peacefully.

And what does Tac Team think about it?

That's the thing. Instead of negotiating,

they look like they're preparing to breach.

Which tells me there's something else going on

that we may not know about.

All right, I can make a few phone calls,

see what I can find out. But getting you in...

Avery, that little girl needs treatment and fast.

And we both know if Tac goes in...

it'll get messy.

If I go in, I can save those hostages and...

maybe help that little girl.

No promises. I'll see what I can do.

I appreciate it.

Auntie, you okay?

Yeah. I'm fine.

You are in for quite the treat.

Come on.

Okay...

This is a vibe.

No, honey, it's more than a vibe,

it's a neighborhood institution.

A cultural touchstone, owned by the same family

for almost a hundred years.

This place is as important to our community

as the food it serves.

Oh, hello. Oh, we will not be needing those.

We're here for the gumbo.

Sorry, we don't have gumbo.

You sold out already? It's barely noon.

It-It's not on the menu.

All right...

Then, well, let's take a look.

Tofurkey sandwich?

And, uh...

beefless stew?

Those are two of our more popular

vegan and gluten-free options.

I'm so sorry, but is Audrey still the owner here?

Uh... Unfortunately, Audrey passed away last year.

Oh, my...

I am so sorry to hear that.

Her son Nelson runs the place now.

Well, in that case,

I'm going to need to speak with him.

Dante. Didn't expect to see you here.

Swanson, didn't think you could get rid of me

by transferring out, did you?

Heard you landed with the Tac Team.

Can I ask you a question?

Why's your team getting ready to go in so fast?

We were told some crazy woman grabbed a security guard's gun

and that we should be prepared to breach.

She's a mother trying to get treatment

for her dying daughter.

Not for me to sort out. I'm just following orders.

You learn anything?

I talked to the chief of police. And you were right.

Something bigger is definitely going on here.

He's getting pressure from the governor to resolve this quickly.

Why?

He wouldn't say. But he owes me a favor,

so he's agreed...

to stall Commander Gregory's Tac Team and let you inside.

All right, thanks for your help, Avery.

I really appreciate you.

Don't let this blow up in my face.

I won't.

Just got off the phone with Deputy Chief.

Looks like you've got some powerful friends.

I'm just here to help.

I was told you got one hour.

If you don't march those hostages out by then

and not one minute later, my directive is to get them.

Tell me, why the rush?

That's above my pay grade.

All you need to know is your hour starts right now.

I suggest you not waste it talking to me.

Rob, what's going on?

I'm gearing up to go in,

but this Tac Team commander is breathing down my neck.

I need to know who I'm dealing with.

All right, no problem.

We'll get all Henry Louis Gates on him

and see what we can dig up.

Thanks, guys.

Grafton came through?

Yeah. I just hope I can deliver on my end.

Hey. You sure you want to go in there?

You concerned about me, Detective?

Just be careful is all.

Always am.

Who are you?

I'm the person you called for.

You helped that woman in Bay Ridge.

Her sister tried to kill her and take her child.

That's right.

Evelyn Webber.

I'm sorry, I...

I had to make sure it was really you.

I understand.

Now, how can I help you?

My daughter's not well.

She needs an operation.

I've tried everything. Every specialist,

every treatment.

I jumped through every hoop.

This surgery was her only hope.

But they wouldn't give it to her, so I...

- I had to... - I get it.

I get it.

Honestly, I...

I don't even know what I'd do if I were

faced with this.

You called me here for a reason.

Now you have to trust me.

So just tell me: where are we at?

The hospital administrator, Mr. DeSena,

he said he would make the surgery happen, but

Dr. Keller is in another operation

and it could last a while.

Can't he just call in another surgeon?

No, it's a specialized procedure.

Dr. Keller's the only one in the hospital who's qualified.

I don't know what to do.

I need your help

keeping them out until Emily gets the help she needs.

I'm sure this whole thing will go a lot smoother

if you just put the gun down.

If I put this down, the police come in here

and Emily's surgery never happens.

- Tell me I'm wrong. - I can't.

But listen...

if we get Emily's surgery,

promise me you will put that gun down then.

I promise.

Thank you, Lauren.

Now, you wait here...

I'll be right back.

Mr. DeSena, I'm Maggie Robinson.

- Are you a cop? - No, but I'm here to help.

Lauren said that Dr. Keller was in surgery.

What's his ETA?

Dr. Keller isn't in surgery. He's not coming.

- What are you talking about? - I had to stall her.

The hospital will never allow Emily's operation to happen.

I-I didn't want to risk upsetting her.

Well, lying was not the smart move.

Call Dr. Keller and get him down here now.

I'll handle the rest.

Come on, tell him to wrap that surgery up.

Y-Yes.

- It's DeSena. - Phone.

I need you to find Dr. Keller immediately.

Rob, we got intel on your guy.

Great. I made it inside but

Emily's in bad shape. She needs help soon.

Yeah, well, don't expect any from Commander Gregory.

Why? What'd you find out?

Former military, father of three.

Head of his local chapter of Autism Awareness.

It looks like one of his kids was diagnosed

with non-verbal autism as a toddler.

Guessing it put a strain on his marriage because he and his wife

divorced soon after that.

Joined the NYPD five years ago.

He's got a spotless record.

He's got a reputation for doing things by the book.

Not a "color outside the lines" type of guy.

Why is he breaking protocol?

Beats me. It's definitely out of character, though.

Thanks.

I'll keep you guys posted.

Hi, your waiter said there was a problem?

Ms. Marsette?

Oh, my God. Nelson Brown...

Look at you, all grown up.

Yes, ma'am.

Oh, sweetheart,

I was very sorry to hear about your mama.

I didn't even realize that she was sick.

It happened really fast.

She was a very special woman.

She really was.

Oh, I'm sorry, this is my niece.

I brought her in to taste your mama's gumbo.

But let's say that I was

very surprised to see that the place has gone vegan.

It's a big change, but...

I had to update the menu.

Got to keep up with the new clientele.

The neighborhood hasn't changed that much.

Truth is, Mom was never one for writing things down.

When she got sick, we weren't focused

on getting her recipes, so...

When I couldn't make the dishes like she did...

People stopped coming in.

Your family's owned this place for generations.

I'm trying to keep it alive, Ms. Marsette.

But it's it's just not the same.

I'm sure you're really doing your best.

That's really kind of you to say.

But I feel like I let down our whole community.

You know, I have probably

eaten more of your mama's gumbo than anyone.

Maybe I can try to reconstruct it.

What, right now?

Why not now?

I'm game if you are.

- We're making gumbo. - Okay.

Let's get you an apron.

Hey, Dante. It's me.

Everything's under control.

So you got the gun away from her?

- No. - Can you disarm her

without anyone getting hurt?

Of course.

But if I do that, Emily doesn't get her operation.

Okay, so what's the plan?

Convincing her doctor to do the surgery.

Then she'll let everyone go?

Yeah, I'm positive.

She doesn't want to hurt anybody.

I got to get back in there.

I'm freezing in here.

Can't anyone turn down the A/C?

It's like an arctic blast in here.

We have to keep the temperature at 68

- to fight bacteria. - Ugh.

There are different standards down here

than on the admin floor.

I don't like your tone.

- I don't like your entitled attitude. - Yeah?

- Yeah. - Well...

Hey. You two settle down.

I know we're all tense,

but arguing isn't gonna help anything.

You chastise us

but you're so kind and sympathetic

to the woman brandishing a gun?

Whose side are you on anyway?

I'm on the side of everyone going home, alive.

You got a problem with that?

She's right. We need to stay calm.

Let me ask you something.

What if every person who can't afford a surgery

shows up at a hospital with a weapon?

What kind of message does it send

if taking hostages produces

exactly the result she hoped for?

She's not wrong.

What a surprise, you're advocating against the patient.

What is your problem with me?

If you would've helped Emily get the surgery

in the first place, none of us would be here.

That wasn't my call.

You have no idea how these things work.

And if Bill hadn't been flirting at your station...

Hey, screw you, DeSena.

That's right... Shut up, everybody,

just shut up!

If one of you utters another...

Lauren...

This isn't helping. Please...

It's Emily. Help her.

Please, don't let her die, please.

The muscles in her throat are constricting.

Well, the mask isn't working.

Her levels are still dropping.

There's not enough oxygen getting to her brain.

Any other options? You can't just do nothing.

Her throat is too swollen to intubate.

We need to cut open an airway.

Okay.

Hang in there.

I can't believe this is happening.

Please protect my baby girl.

What are you waiting for?

What if her mom gets so upset that she...

I'll do it.

I've done procedures like this in combat.

Just walk me through it.

You need to make a half-inch

incision across her cricothyroid membrane.

Okay, slow down. How do I find the cricothyroid membrane?

You tilt her head back

and then you look for the-the space just below the-the

the protrusion on her neck.

- Here? - Yes.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

- Put your body weight on her. - Okay.

Here we go.

Please, no.

Hand me the tube.

Please, no. No.

It's in.

Thank you.

I almost lost her.

How could I have failed her like this?

You can't blame yourself.

You just have to stay strong.

It's Dr. Keller.

It is a shame it took all this to get him here.

It doesn't matter. He's here now.

Go let him in.

Dr. Robinson.

For you.

Commander Gregory here.

Good news.

Emily's doctor is prepping for surgery.

Hostages will walk out as soon as it's underway.

If those hostages aren't out here in 15 minutes,

my team is coming in.

Commander, we're so close to resolving this.

You have children, don't you? Can you help me out?

Look, going in isn't my call.

I was told to give you exactly one hour.

I understand that, but...

Those are my orders.

Sorry.

What's up, Rob?

Harry, I need you to look into something for me.

I didn't realize

anyone cared about this gumbo as much as my mom.

Well, this is a very special dish.

It's not just about how it tastes, but what it means.

Fil powder.

Okay, Ms. Audrey, where is your fil powder?

Mmm.

That's because every one

of these ingredients is significant.

Significant how?

Well, take the cayenne pepper,

came over with us from French Guinea.

Everybody's gumbo is gonna be just a little bit different,

depending on what ingredients

they have access to.

This one right here, this is a creole gumbo.

- Oh, it's because it has seafood in it. - Exactly.

You know, they say that this country's a melting pot.

Well, that is exactly what gumbo is.

Wow, that is really cool, Auntie.

None of that's gonna mean anything...

unless it tastes good.

Mmm.

It's not perfect,

but it's pretty darn close.

Mmm!

I never thought I'd taste that again.

Thank you, Ms. Marsette.

I should check on that.

Don't worry about it, I'll clean it up.

Hey, guys. Is everyone okay out here?

We're good, Nelson. Thank you.

Auntie,

can I ask you a question?

Always, my love.

I mean, this place,

it clearly means a lot to you.

Why'd you stop coming here?

This was your grandfather's favorite spot.

After he died...

the thought of stepping foot in here was just...

it was too painful.

I'm sorry. I...

I had no idea.

It's all right, baby.

Feels good to be back...

...remembering him.

Hey, Rob.

We looked into the patients who were

checked into D Ward this morning like you asked.

Anyone with a connection to Commander Gregory?

Not that we could find.

But, uh, we did find a person of interest.

I just texted you a pic.

Is-is this guy one of your hostages?

Yeah, who is he?

His name's Andrew Beal.

He was scheduled for a routine physical this morning.

He's also the son of Miranda Beal.

As in Senator Miranda Beal?

Yeah, that could explain why Commander Gregory

is so gung ho to get in there.

Yeah, a U.S. senator makes a few calls

to a chief of police.

That'd light a fire under anyone.

I think I might know a way out of this.

Senator Miranda Beal.

Her son Andrew is one of the hostages.

Holy...

Well that makes sense.

Well, Emily's surgery is almost underway.

We just need a little more time and...

we can save her and no one gets hurt.

I doubt I can get you an extension,

especially now that we know Beal's kid is inside.

What if I walk him out, deliver him safely?

Then do you think you could get Senator Beal to call off the dogs?

Yeah.

I think I can sell that.

Okay.

She's never gonna let us go.

- She just wants to help her daughter. - Really?

Then why didn't she let us go when the doctor showed up?

She's probably waiting for the surgery to start.

And what happens if the surgery doesn't go well?

You really want to see her reaction to that?

It's time to get her to the OR.

Hey, what are you doing?

Hey! Gun!

Oh!

- You okay? - I'm okay.

Dr. Keller!

He's been shot.

What are we gonna do now? I can't lose my daughter.

- It's not over. - Yes, it is.

No one else in the hospital

is qualified to perform her surgery.

So we'll find a different surgeon.

No one is giving up.

Hey. Dante.

What happened? We heard a gunshot.

It wasn't Lauren.

One of the hostages had a gun in her purse.

Anyone hit?

Unfortunately, Dr. Keller.

You mean the only doctor in the building

who could perform the surgery?

He'll live.

But I'm going to need more time to find

another surgeon.

Dr. Robinson says the gun wasn't fired by Lauren.

If Lauren didn't fire it, who did?

One of the hostages.

Wait, the hostage is armed, too?

- This is a major problem. - Which has been fixed.

The armed hostage was subdued.

The surgeon was wounded, he'll be fine,

but they need more time to locate another surgeon.

Absolutely not.

D.A. Grafton, the deal is still on the table.

Dr. Robinson can walk out the senator's son right now.

A shot has been fired, Detective.

That's an escalation, which means...

It means no more deals.

This has gotten way out of control.

We tried it Dr. Robinson's way,

we do this my way now.

Commander, we can still resolve this

without anyone else getting hurt,

and save a little girl's life!

Have a damn heart, man!

Officer Murphy, escort Detective Dante

out of my perimeter.

I can see myself out.

Get everyone into position.

Initiate Charlie Alpha.

Let's move!

Charlie Alpha, let's go!

_

What does it say?

We're out of time.

Tac Team is coming in.

The good news is,

this is considered an unstable situation.

Why is that good news?

Because they'll have to use stealth maneuvers,

which take more time.

Which means we still have a chance.

We just have to move fast.

How's it going, Rob?

Not great.

We have to find a new surgeon

for Emily, immediately.

Okay, she has polymicrogyria.

Looks like there's only a few surgeons

qualified to do the procedure.

Not surprising, it's a high-risk pediatric surgery.

Okay, um, here's one.

Uh, but no, he's on the West Coast.

Here's one that's done the surgery in the tristate area

but she's in the middle of an operation right now.

Well, we can't wait. Is there someone else?

It seems like there's no one left

in the Northeastern United States.

There's got to be. Look again.

Okay, wait a minute, um...

There's an article in the Oxford Medical Journal

about the surgery.

It was performed in Iraq by a Dr. Abdul Mazdaki.

Iraq? Honey, we're looking for someone

closer to Manhattan, not further away.

Yeah, so is he. It looks like he left Iraq,

uh, got his visa stamped at JFK two months ago.

Is he still in New York?

Yeah, his current address is in Queens. Close enough?

We got to find him fast.

Which hospital is he working at?

No, it's odd. Looks like he's got a job as a cab driver

in the city.

Have a nice day.

Hey, you didn't pay!

I got you covered, boss. Abdul Mazdaki?

I am.

You performed a hemispherectomy on a six-year-old boy

- in Iraq, right? - Who are you?

Listen, Doctor, I know it's been a minute

since you held a scalpel, but there's

a sick little girl right now that could really use your help.

If I was allowed to practice medicine in the U.S.,

do you think I'd be driving a cab?

I'm sorry. My credentials aren't recognized here.

Listen, this little girl is barely hanging on, okay?

You're literally the only person

that can save her life right now.

I promise you the last thing she cares about are your credentials.

She just needs you to be a doctor again.

Tell me where to go.

Actually, mind if I drive?

Just in time. OR is prepped.

Sorry. Nobody goes inside.

Hey, this is Dr. Mazdaki.

He's doing surgery on that girl up there.

So, please, get out of the way.

Was I not clear?

I want you outside of my perimeter.

Good idea. We'll stay here, talk to those reporters.

Bet they'd be interested to know

the Tac Team commander just turned away

the only doctor that can save that dying girl's life,

over an ego trip.

Let them through.

Swanson, what's your status?

I'm accessing the entry point now.

As soon as you have eyes on the target, let me know,

and I'll give you the green light to take her out.

Copy that.

That was fast.

Yeah, well, I might've broken a traffic law or five.

- He should be the taxi driver. - Missed my calling.

Thank you so much for coming.

Don't thank me yet.

Doctor. Nurse Miller has already prepped the patient.

She's gonna be assisting you

- on the procedure. - Pleasure to meet you, Nurse.

I read about what you did for that boy in Baghdad.

If you don't mind, I'd like to observe the operation?

- See your technique? - Of course.

Let's get to work.

- Hey, honey. - Hey.

I couldn't find him. Any luck?

Yeah, Doc's going into the OR right now.

Thank God.

I'm heading back, I'll keep an ear out for police activity.

And babe?

Good job finding him.

Thanks. I got lucky.

I just hope some of that rubs off on Emily.

I think the Tac Team's made their move.

What do you mean?

I was talking to one of the Tac officers

I know earlier, but now I don't see her.

Dr. Mazdaki is prepping the OR.

As soon as the surgery is underway,

Lauren is going to release the hostages.

It's too late.

I'm gonna hide Lauren in another ward until I can sneak her out.

Disagree. Best bet is to get the gun out of her hands

and have her surrender.

I can pull this off. Moving her is the safest option.

If she becomes a hunted fugitive,

we both know how this ends.

Trust me on this.

Okay.

We'll try your way.

Do you know how they plan on breaching the building?

No idea.

They turned off the A/C.

They're coming in through the air ducts.

It's what I would do. I got to go.

Lauren, we're out of time.

You have to drop that gun

and let those hostages go.

Not until her surgery is over.

We agreed you'd let them go once it started.

What is to stop Tac from barging into the OR

the second they come in here?

They don't care about Emily or what happens to her.

Here's what I know.

If you don't drop that gun by the time the Tac Team shows up,

Emily won't have a mom when she wakes up.

I need you to listen to me, Lauren.

I get it. As a mother, I get it.

Swanson, do you have the shot?

Negative.

Let me know as soon as you do.

And I promise you, I will be right by her side

as long as she's in surgery.

They want to stop it, they'll have to come through me.

How about now?

Still negative, sir.

Swanson, what's happening in there?

The shrink is trying to talk her down.

I turned up the volume on my comm.

You should be able to hear their voices.

I have to protect my daughter. That is my job.

We all think if we try hard enough,

we can steer life the way we want it to go.

That we can control what happens to the ones we love.

But that's not always how it works.

But I'll tell you what we can control.

If you surrender,

I will protect Emily as long as she is in surgery.

I promise you that.

Everything you've been through, every battle you have fought

through the years has been for Emily.

She needed you.

Just like she's gonna need you when she pulls

through that surgery.

You need to keep being a mother.

Don't fail her now.

I've got the shot, sir.

I saw how she looked at you.

You're the center of her world.

She doesn't know what you've given up for her.

But she loves you

more than anything.

Don't fail her now.

Sir, do I have a green light?

Stand down.

But, sir, I have a clear shot.

I repeat: stand down.

I need you to trust me now.

Please...

give me the gun, Lauren.

Gun is down. I repeat:

gun is down.

Everything going okay over here?

- My bowl is just about empty, isn't it? - Mmm!

This is hands down

the best gumbo I've ever had.

Now that I have the recipe,

it goes right back on the menu.

You know, I remember quite a few of your mom's dishes.

Maybe I could help recreate some of those, too.

I don't mean to intrude, but

what is that? It smells amazing.

Trust me, it tastes even better.

It's my mother's gumbo.

I'll make you some next time you come in.

In that case, see you tomorrow.

It was my mother's dream

for me to keep this place going after she was gone,

to keep our traditions alive.

Now I can.

I don't know how to thank you.

Well...

let's take a look at that dessert menu.

I'm sure we can work something out.

- Hey. - How is she?

The surgery was a success.

Emily is doing great.

How can I ever thank you?

Thank Dr. Mazdaki.

He's the one who saved Emily's life.

In fact, the hospital is offering him a path to residency.

He deserves it.

My baby's alive.

Even if I have to spend the rest of my life

in prison, it was worth it.

Well, hopefully not so long.

The D.A. is seeing what she can do.

Senator Beal is not the only one in this town with some pull.

I owe you so much.

No.

You did what you had to do for your daughter.

I was just backing you up.

One mother helping another mother.

Hang in there.

Thank you for letting me give her the news in person.

You saved a few lives today.

- I'd say you earned the favor. - Well, I appreciate it.

I appreciate you, Marcus.

I hope so.

Not too many people who'd take on a whole Tac Team for you.

No, that was all you.

We make a great team.

We do.

But if we're going to continue to do this,

it needs to be just that.

Team effort. Team decisions.

You're right.

I should've listened to you when it came to Randall Grayle.

I appreciate you saying that.

Well, I mean it.

Sometimes I push too hard, I...

Well that's over now.

So, we good?

Yeah. We're good.

Welcome back.

- It's good to be home. - Aww.

- It was a tough day. - Yeah.

- But we did good. - We did. We did.

I got to be honest though, my mind was on you

the entire time.

Something about seeing that-that little girl,

at the end and that mom in so much anguish,

it just made me really appreciate...

how much I love you and how I would do anything for you.

- We're very lucky. - Yeah.

Hey. Y'all waited for me?

Of course we did.

Is that...

Miss Audrey's gumbo?

Sure is.

- Oh, we used to go there so much. - Mm-hmm.

Daddy loved it there.

He's not the only one.

You know, we should go there more often,

to the old neighborhood.

Not just for the gumbo.

To stay connected.

Can we?

I really enjoyed learning more about Grandpa.

And where we come from.

It's important.

Some of those memories are painful, but...

there are also some really good ones.

Shall we give thanks?

Not just for the food that's on this table,

but for the ancestors that have brought us thus far.

For community that sustains us.

And most of all, for this family.

Amen.

- Amen. - Amen.

Now, let me get at some of that gumbo.

Ooh!

Who could that be at this hour?

I'll get that.

I could eat like this every day.

Don't you know it, girl?

You know I can.

- Are you Robyn McCall? - Thank you.

- Yes. - Mm-hmm.

Hey, Mom, is everything okay?

No.

I just got served.

Your father wants sole custody of you.