The Strain Recap S01E02 The Box

In Brooklyn, a cop cooks up some deadly looking concoctions. His apartment looks straight out of Burn Notice. Maybe he and Michael Weston have the same interior decorators.

The cargo has arrived, and the driver, Gus, still has no clue what he has stolen. He calls out to Wesley that he has the box, but gets no response. He opens the cargo doors, and the box begins to growl and shake, and that’s enough to send the man running away in a panic, the only smart thing he’s done.

 Peter Bishop’s headless body is found. Ephraim and Nora begin to investigate his death. In the dark, under a black light there is the same iridescent goo around the body. Ephraim locks the crime scene after he gets a call the four survivors have been released.

Ephraim tries to stop the survivors, but they refuse to be waylaid any longer. Ephraim has reason to believe that they are actually sick, but they chock up their illnesses to mundane reasons. Ephraim puts them under quarantine anyways, and with Nora’s help, under quarantine they remain. Joan threatens to get them both fired.

At the Stoneheart Group, Eldritch watches the news about the airport. Thomas sees the situation as a problem, as the airport is still closed, the survivors quarantined. Eldritch will spin the story to his liking in no time, now that he’s done his part he’d like to see “him.” Thomas has something to do first.

Abraham sits in lock up, listening to a press conference when he gets word that his lawyer is here to see him, but he has no lawyer. It’s Thomas. He tells Abraham that he’s grown old, though Thomas looks the same. Abraham’s heart beat has grown irregular, Thomas tells him. Abraham asks where his master is. His master is watching him through Thomas. So long as Abraham lives, the fight remains alive. Thomas asks about the sword, which Abraham plans to give back to him in time.  He asks if he also still has the heart, tells him that she never once cried out even in the end. Thomas wants Abraham to watch the world go down. Abraham plans to kill him like he has the others, and the lines are drawn.

In Harlem, Gus returns home. His mother asks him to attend mass with her, but he says he has to get some sleep. She makes plans for dinner before running off. Gus grills his brother on some stolen goods, warning him not to bring stolen goods into the house.

The Director isn’t exactly happy that the good doctors went above him with the quarantine, but they feel that the survivors can’t be released until they know why the plane all died, but they think they do know. Margaret presents them with information about a mechanical malfunction aboard the plane. The entire airline has been grounded until the NTSB conducts its investigation, taking it out of the CDC’s hands. Ephraim points out that it has nothing to do with a faulty airway, but rather a viral pathogen. Margaret wants him to think about the potential fallout a quarantine like Ephraim wants will have on the economy. His director thinks perhaps his personal life is affecting his job. But his personal life has nothing to do with saving people’s lives. Ephraim gets handsy, and he’s taken off the case and sent home. Ephraim tries to call Bennett, and can’t reach anyone at the coroner’s office, Nora thinks its just that they’re busy with all the bodies.

Ephraim and Nora meet with Captain Redfern, one of the survivors. He looks like hell. Nora checks on him, although he looks horrid, he doesn’t feel all too bad. They want to ask him about some cargo, the box that has gone missing. He tells them that some government looking men loaded the box onboard. He didn’t question it, and because of that everyone else died. He didn’t know what government branch loaded the cargo, he never even thought to ask about it since it all looked official. Ephraim tells him to go see a Dr. William Lester to admit him as a private patient and to run some tests to see what’s causing the noise in his head. Captain Redfern cannot believe the hoops they have to jump through because the airport is avoiding a quarantine, the unions, everyone is more worried about cover their own asses, than learning the truth. Ephraim vows to get to the bottom of it.

Ephraim and Nora look at the worms under a microscope. Ephraim tests his theory on the worms desire for human blood, and the worms go straight for it. He gets a text from his son, and considers putting it off, hot on a trail, but Nora suggests if he doesn’t want to lose his son that he take a moment for him. Ephraim takes her advice.

The officer, is from the city health board and does a health inspection of a restaurant. The owner thinks he’s just after a payout, but he’s points out the rat urine and the fact that he’s had a complaint. The man changes his mind about a payout, and offers him a bribe, but the officer suggests he move out of his way.

Ruby tells Gabriel and Joan about the large sums of money they could have had for a short interview, but Joan knows they can get more. Gabriel complains of noise in his head, Joan is experiencing it too. Ruby suggests that if it’s musical that he should write it down and use it. Gabriel tries to get friendly, but Joan finds that she’s bleeding. She decides it’s time to get home to her kids.

The restaurant fails its inspection. A very large rat has been found. The inspector tries to clear out the establishment, but they’re not quick to move, so he pulls out the rat, and the customers get the clue. Gabriel and Ruby find the events amusing.

A liver has been found for Thomas, but he’s unsure if he’ll need it anymore. His assistant reminds him that if his plan fails they’ll be hard pressed to find another liver in time to save him. He takes the advice, and plans to proceed with the transplant, but he’s never been more excited and assured of a plan working than he is of his current one.

Ephraim hurries to get off the phone as he arrives at his ex’s house. She asks why he’s involved in the plane incident still since it’s being reported as a mechanical issue. He tells her that the cover story is bull shit. That nothing is adding up. She’s glad that he’s handing it, and allows him in. Diane is there having wine. The boyfriend and Zach are in the back converting Eph’s old office into his game room. Eph doesn’t want anything to be awkward, just that his family is happy. The boyfriend gives him a hug, sure that eventually they’re going to be good friends. Eph talks alone with his son Zach, trying to assure him that it’ll be okay when they go before the judge to speak about custody. Eph tells him to be honest to speak from his heart. Eph plans to do the same, and will ask for joint custody. Zach worries that his father’s promise that he won’t be so busy after this last case is solved will be as untrue as its always been, but Eph tells him that it will be true this time.

Ephraim makes it to his AA meeting, surprising his sponsor. He’s trying to make a change it seems. He even does the whole “Hi my name is Eph, and I’m an alcoholic.” He’s both passive aggressive, and actively aggressive. He puts all of his faults out there, and there’s plenty to be angry over. He tells the group how he just saw his family with his replacement, and that nearly drove him to stop and have a drink. But he cannot, his son is all he has left.

The noise in Gabriel’s head is getting worse. He snorts some meds and joins the three naked ladies waiting. He starts to get frisky with them, and one of them runs her hand though his hair, some of it falls out. He feigns that he’s fine though, and tries to continue their amorous play until he takes a bite out of one of them. When the girl screams, he sends the three packing, and laps up the trail of blood on the floor.

Ephraim looks over the initial reports from Redfern. It looks all crazy bad. His skin is crawling, says that it feels like its full of razors. Under a UV light Eph sees that he has the same scar as the others from the plane, he just healed so fast they didn’t notice it without the light. Redfern’s veins are glowing white. Eph makes a call, reporting that one of the survivors is very sick, and the others should be brought in as well. Still no word from the coroner’s office.

Gary Arnell calls Eph apologizing for what he did to him, and thanking him for sending his daughter back to him. Eph is confused, asks if someone released Emma’s body. Gary clarifies that Emma isn’t dead, but when he tries to get more information Gary hurries off the phone. Eph thinks that Gary was just hallucinating, but Nora wonders if maybe the worms made the bodies appear dead since they thought everyone was dead and then four woke up. They’ll find out when they get to the morgue.

Eldritch’s assistant is still unsure of their associates, but Eldritch knows that they have untold powers. He tells the man to stay in the car,that he has to do this alone. Eldritch gets out of the car and finds the box open. Thomas tells him that he is very fortunate that he has been chosen. A wind flies through his hair, and he falls upon his knee to welcome the master. Voldemort looks down on him, and Eldritch fears he who shall not be named.

Ephraim and Nora find no one manning the reception of the morgue. The phone is ringing off the hook, and no Bennett. There’s an overturned gurney in the hallway, and the lights don’t seem to be working. All of the bags are empty, every single one, and the only sign of Bennett seems to be a pair of broken glasses.

Emma sits in the bathtub in the dark. Her father tries to talk to her, but she’s oddly quiet. He touches her hair and it comes out in his hand. He suggests getting her out of the tub, and she goes all alien on him, eating him.