A large sewage drain runs water off into a ravine. As it does so, a single hand reaches out and holds onto the edge of the drain. Luke Cage pulls himself out of the water, coughing out what fluids are still in his lungs. Minutes later, he races along an empty lot, soaking wet from his trip.
Meanwhile, Killgrave continues to oversee his makeshift lab. The workers wear masks as they mix chemicals together using the materials taken from Roxxon. The door flies open and Jason Quartermaster enters the small building.
"Come to see our work?," Killgrave asks.
"The less I know about what you're doing with this stuff, the better," he tells him, "This was originally supposed to be a simple insurance scam as far as Roxxon is concerned. There's a robbery, we get paid, the Maggia does what it likes. Now, my boss is dead and the company is breathing down my neck."
"To be quite honest, Mister Hale seemed a little daft. I think your company can do better," Killgrave says, "Still and all, I did take care of Luke Cage for you."
"You're a psycho. Just so you know, Roxxon no longer has anything to do with you or the Maggia. Our alliance is over."
"That seems fair," there is not a hint of resentment in Killgrave's voice.
"One more thing, though," Quartermaster turns back, "If you need a guinea pig for your little experiment, you should know Luke Cage has a girlfriend. A nosey little reporter by the name of Jessica Jones. She's been a problem for a lot of us. She's already asking too many questions."
"I'll see what I can do," Killgrave continues overseeing the lab work contently and does not look back as he leaves.
Agent Patkus talks on his phone as he walks out of a hotel. "Yes, sir," he says in Russian, "There is no sign of Luke Cage and it seems that he has been compromised... I'm not sure if he is alive or dead, sir... No, we're no closer to catching Killgrave." A hand reaches out of an alley and pulls him inside. He is pushed up against a wall and a hand covers his mouth. Luke Cage brings a single finger up to his lips, indicating he needs to be quiet, then he lets go of him. "Sir,... Things have come to light, it seems. I will report back," he hangs up.
"Sorry I haven't called in a while," Cage tells him, "Got busy."
"You realize you're a wanted man."
"Yeah, Killgrave got me and had me rob a bank for him. Apparently, he needed funds for his operation. Now, people think I'm a criminal."
"So what now?," Patkus throws his hands in the air, "Do I call my supervisors and let them know you're not dead but you now have the authorities after you? Will I have some good news for them or will we get someone else?"
"Look, Killgrave has been harder to handle than I thought but I have been hard at work."
"Have you now?"
"The Roxxon company helped him get the stuff he needed. It's some kind of drug he's trying to develop."
"Okay, that is a start. Do you know anything else? What does thsi drug do?"
"I'm not quite sure yet but I know where to find him."
"Ah, that's certainly good news," Patkus smiles.
"Yes, there's a smile, finally. See, was that so hard?"
"So now we go get Killgrave?"
"First, I need to deliver a message."
Jessica is at a police station, handing a file full of information to the detectives who visited her earlier.
"Here's all the information I have regarding Roxxon and the Maggia," she tells him, "Plus a written statement from me explaining the case Luke Cage was working on prior to disappearing. It's all there so you know he's innocent."
"We'll give it a look, Ms. Jones," the detective tells her, "But so far, you've given us a theory. We'll need more comclusive proof than this."
She comes back to her home, devestated. Once she gets to her door, she finds a note that reads, "I'm still here." She smiles to herself, knowing exactly who wrote it.
Inside Killgrave's lab, the workers examine their vials which are now filled with a purple fluid which they pour into needles as Killgrave watches. Once they're full, Killgrave nods to them and then they inject it into their arms. "Do you feel any different now, gentlemen?," he asks them. They look at one another and shrug. "Let me see if there's a difference," Killgrave concentrates on his men; veins and purple splotches begin to appear on his face without having to touch anyone. The men get dead looks in their eyes as they sit at attention. His eyes open and he smiles to himself before nodding to one of them. The man stands up at his seat, turns, and immediately walks to the far side of the wall where he balls up his fist, pulls back, and promptly slams his fist through it. Then he pulls his fist out, taking chunks of wood and plaster with it. No one in the room reacts except for Killgrave. "It works," he tells himself.
The men place the new vials into containers and they are once again loaded into the back of the semi-truck along with the lab equipment. Killgrave goes back inside for the last few containers, only to see Cage standing at the other end of the room, examining a vial next to a table.
"Hey," Killgrave greets him happily. "Hey," he responds, then flips the table into the air with a flick of his wrist and slaps the underside of it, sending it sailing across the room into Killgrave who hits the ground, partially unconscious, with the table on top of him. Cage walks over to Killgrave, placing a single foot on the underside of the table, pinning him to the floor, "You should've made sure I was dead. I may have been under your control but I remember enough to know where you'd be." Suddenly, a hand punches Cage, sending him into the air and over another table. Some of Killgrave's men enter. "You're strong," he rubs his chin and notices an empty vial on the floor, "I guess we know what kind of drug Killgrave was working on now."
The men approach and Cage quickly grabs the table and swings, knocking several of them into the air. A few of them get sent through the wall and fall outside. One of the workers strikes, smashing the table in half. Cage drops the two pieces and kicks the man in the chest, sending him into another and they are both smashed against the wall. Meanwhile, Killgrave gets up and scrambles outside. Two of his men tackle Cage, pushing him through the wall where they fall outside.
Cage rolls back, kicking one and sending him over the revene where he catches himself from falling into the water. He grabs the second man and uppercuts him, sending him back against the side of the building. Inside, the support beams begin to buckle and the old, highly damaged walls begin to crumble. Killgrave shuts the back of the truck and locks it, then runs to the cab and starts the engine. The remaining henchmen begin to circle Cage. He stoops down and launches himself into them, throwing the group into the building which now buckles and begins to fall apart. The ceiling caves in on top of them and the weak walls drop. Cage stands up, throwing some rubble off his shoulders and notices the truck driving off in the distance. He quickly goes after it, only for one of Killgrave's men to step in his way. The man blinks and sways as he begins to regain control. Meanwhile, in the truck, Killgrave's face clears up.
"Okay, you guys are no longer under Killgrave's control," Cage tells him, "So you're gonna come to your senses and back off, right?"
"Actually, he paid us to be here."
Cage rolls his eyes," Figures. You're welcome, by the way."
The man throws a haymaker, only for Cage to catch his fist. He screams and clutches his hand in pain as if he just punched a brick wall. Cage watches with interest. "Looks like those drugs wear off eventually," he taps the man on top of his head and knocks him out, "Sucks for you."