Fear and tension grip the safe zone. Chris is feeling abandoned by Travis for his new family and takes it out on Madison. Travis has decided to go get Liza, and, as Madison reminds him, Nick. He visits Moyers, requesting to be taken to Liza. Moyers is a dick and doesnt want to concern himself with civilian problems. When reasoning wont work, Travis turns to veiled threats, promising that if the community doesnt get some answers soon, it is likely they will revolt. Moyers agrees to take him out with a company who has been awake and on duty for 50 hours. Moyers has no sympathy for them.
Along the way, they spot a ripe one in a donut shop and decide to take the time to kill her. They line up the shot and turn the gun over to Travis. Travis initially turns down the offer. Most of the company backs him up, but Moyers bullies Travis into taking the gun. Travis seems ready to shoot, then sees that the girl – clearly a zombie – wears a name badge. Her name was Kimberly. Travis cant do it, so Moyers takes the shot. As they continue on to the field hospital, they get calls over the walkie, looking for backup, and another detour is made. Travis is left in the car while the military men rush into a building. Travis sees the occasional body fall from an upper window, but most of what he hears is panic, chaos, screams, and gunshots over the walkie. When the men finally return to the car, they are down several soldiers – including Moyers. Change of plans: they are going to drop Travis off at the safe zone, then they are going home to San Diego.
Madison is making Alicias bed and finds the suicide note Sue wrote. Worried about her daughter, she goes over to Sue and Patricks house, looking for her. Instead she finds Daniel and Ofelia in the basement with Cole strapped to a chair, trying to get answers out of him. Ofelia insists that they arent going to hurt him, and leaves at her fathers command. Madison sticks around, not believing that Daniel isn’t going to hurt Cole, but not too concerned about it – she wants to know what the hell is going on. Knowing what Daniel is going to do, Madison leaves and Daniel sets about slowly peeling Coles skin, layer by layer.
Ofelias screams bring Madison back later in the day. Ofelia is horrified to find her father covered in blood; Madison just wants to know if he got the information they need. He did. Part of Coles confession was that he was responsible for locking at least 2,000 people into an arena and chaining the doors shut. He admits that there were humans in there, they couldn’t get out, and the military couldnt tell the infected from the uninfected, so they just locked the doors and let nature sort it out. Around this time, Travis returns to the community and finds Ofelia in shock on the lawn. He rushes into the house, furious at Daniel, and mad that Madison may have been a passive participant. He barges into the basement, furious, but Madison stops him and makes Cole speak up. Cole admits that the code name Cobalt the military has been tossing around the last few weeks is a code meant to initiate an evacuation from the Los Angeles basin. But the evac is just for the military; Cobalt includes procedures for the humane termination of those in the safe zone. Cobalt is scheduled to roll out at 9am the next morning.
Meanwhile, at the field hospital, a well-dressed guy named Strand picks on Doug until he breaks down – then the government takes him away. Next he turns his attention to Nick. They are both being held in the same chain-link cage, topped with barbed wire. The army comes around taking temperatures, and discovers Nick has a fever. They proceed to drag him from his cage, but Strand stops them and trades Melvin a pair of cufflinks in exchange for leaving Nick where he is. Strand tells Nick that he didnt save him – he obligated him. The game has changed, Strand informs Nick, and essentially lays out the basics of a class war, where those who enjoy lattes and frequent flyer miles will become a buffet. (I see they are taking cues from Dawn of the Dead and Land of the Dead here). Strand sees that Nick is a heroin addict, the top of the addict food chain (or the bottom?) and says that he will require a man with your talents when I make my move. Strand reveals a key in the palm of his hand.
Liza is still being trained by Dr. Exner, and she has to learn the ropes very quickly – Exner is down to only three nurses. Liza is concerned for Griselda, and when Exner wont take her to the older woman, Liza goes looking. She is in isolation, in a larger, sturdier cage than Nick was in. They had to take her foot, but she is in septic shock and wont last much longer. Griselda is speaking gibberish, then with a gasp, she flatlines. Exner double-checks her vitals, then explains to Liza that they all come back, even if they havent been bitten. She produces a captive bolt pistol, the kind that is used on livestock, and explains that traumatic brain injury is the only way to prevent the dead from turning. Liza does not shy away from putting an air bullet into Griseldas head.
Check out a sneak peek at next week’s season finale!
