The Following S2E11 - "Freedom" Recap

Joe preaches to new cult members and a woman named Angela volunteers to "be first." He has her kill a woman named Carla, who is tied to a table. He tells her he is giving her the gift of happiness and afterwards, Angela cries tears of joy. Ryan watched the news while Carrie gets dressed for work. She tells him someone online posted a story of a Lily Gray sighting in Europe. Ryan shrugs it off, since false reports have been popping up everywhere. Carrie leaves for work and Mike arrives to tell him he and Max were up all night researching cults. They've narrowed it down to 73 that Joe might have taken control of.

FBI agents check in on Claire. She's determined to go see Ryan to help him take Joe down so her son will be safe. They eventually agree but will escort her, along with moving her mother and son to an undisclosed location. She won't be able to see them again until she returns to witness protection.

Men in white masks walk into a cafe and murder the people inside. Ryan and his team investigate the scene. Ryan doesn't understand why there wasn't a message left, as is customary by Joe and his followers.

One of Joe's followers, Robert, visits Joe and expresses displeasure at Carla being killed as she was his friend. He says she was a special woman and was "chosen" to "go home." He tells Joe that there is doubt amongst some of the followers and Joe works his magic to get him back on track. Robert apologises for bringing it up, saying he was just hit hard by Carla's death. Joe tells Emma that the others  trust him and they need to hold him close. He sends Emma to talk to him and she gets him to believe in Joe before sleeping with him. Meanwhile, Mandy secretly looks up a phone number and hurries off before anyone can find her.

A woman named Serena who had killed another woman for her hospital ID badge poses as a doctor to smuggle guns into the hospital. The men who did the stabbing are in the hospital being treated for superficial, self-inflicted wounds. With Serena's help, they pose as hospital workers and together, the three of them infiltrate the security wing of the hospital and break out Lily Gray's son Lucas. Ryan realises there were more employees taken to the hospital than there were workers on the bakery's schedule. Ryan realises that the hit was not orchestrated by Joe, but Lily.

Ryan, Mike, and the others arrive at the hospital and secure it. Lily's team are still there but they need to find them. Ryan heads to the basement and Mike corners Serena. She refuses to give up any information on Lily and charges Mike with a knife so the cops will shoot her.

Joe and Emma watch as a televangelist speaks on television against him. Emma warns him that Robert is right about the people looking to him for guidance. He needs to come up with a plan. He then tells her religion is a good way to spread violence, having been the cause for more bloodshed than anything else. While Joe is talking with some followers, he and Mandy exchange glances. I'd wager he can tell something is off. She leaves, packs a bag, and heads out.

Ryan is searching the hospital's underground tunnels. He encounters Lucas and one of the men. They hold him at gunpoint and confiscate his weapon. A fight breaks out in which Ryan shoots the henchman and Lucas runs away. Ryan follows the tunnel after Lucas and ends up in a market place. Lucas successfully escapes and reunites with Lily and and his brother in a motel room.

Joe learns from the news about Lily's impersonating him in order to get her son back. He is less than pleased. Mike confesses to Ryan that he is scared of Lily Gray's being more calculating than Joe as well as having more resources. Ryan assures him that they will find both Joe and Lily.

Mandy hitches a ride from a hitchhiker and asks to use the person's phone. It's then revealed that she has called Mark. The FBI arrive at Ryan's place. Mike tries to apologise to Ryan, saying he can explain this, and it's then that Claire reveals herself.

The Following airs on Mondays on FOX at 9PM.