Sometime in 2013, Gideon Goddard meets with Tyrell Wellick, Phillip Price and Terry Colby at Allsafe. He mention that the company's opening in 2004 and pitches its small roster as an advantage. Colby scoffs crudely at Gideon, refusing to wait a month for Allsafe to publish their 2012 financial report, for fear of putting E-Corp at risk. Angela Moss enters to give Gideon a folder, when Phillip and has her eyes lock for a moment. Colby tells her to refill his coffee. Gideon tries to intervene as Phillip watches intently, but Angela agrees to it. In the limo back to the office, Colby complains about an afternoon wasted when Phillip decides to contract Allsafe. Colby is caught off guard. As they enter the building, Tyrell expresses his concerns and suggests he handle cybersecurity internally. Phillip asks for his name and refuses his counsel. Tyrell gives him a final warning that the decision may come back to haunt both of them.
On the night of October 21, 2015, Tyrell is dropped off at his house by the FBI by a free man (under restrictions against international travel). Inside, Tyrell finds Joanna's purse and their son's crib, causing him to break down and starts weeping.
On 7 AM in the morning of October 22, Elliot comes to consciousness in his bathroom, writing "They own the FBI" on the mirror in soap as Flipper starts barking. He deduces that this is Mr. Robot's work after taking over and that "they" are the Dark Army. On his computer, he finds an FBI pdf about "Sentinel" He thinks that Mr. Robot saw Shama's email about undoing Five/Nine and sees an article opened about Tyrell's release from custody.
Back at 11 PM the previous night, Mr. Robot storms out at the sight of Tyrell's face. He confronts Tyrell about the E-Corp 71 buildings while Tyrell confronts him about ruining his plan as his son was taken and his wife being murdered by Derek. Mr. Robot calls Tyrell a Dark Army puppet, considering his freedom must come at a price. He insults his wife Joanna, causing Tyrell to put on his rubber gloves and attack him. The doorbell rings, Tyrell goes to open it. It's Phillip Price. Phillip invites Mr. Robot off the floor to join the conversation at the table.
Back on 10/22, Elliot and Darlene are at the arcade. He is showing her Shama's email about Romero's plan B to restore E-Corp's data. Elliot wants intel on the FBI to get Romero's drives from FBI storage system "Sentinel". Darlene calls it impossible, dismissing that his plan to infiltrate it himself. She wants to go to her contact, but Elliot tells her that the Dark Army owns the FBI. She convinces him to let her try her angle and trust her experience. Elliot agrees and decides to handle the Dark Army side of the equation.
Otto Irving is on a test drive with a client when the car is automatically pulled over by On Star. Elliot enters the back seat. Irving calmly tells the customer to go back to the dealership. Elliot wants him to set up a meeting with the Whiterose about Stage 3.
At night, Darlene meets with Dominique at a bar at the former's request. Darlene confirms Dominique's suspicions, explaining the Whiterose's involvement with the 5/9 hack. Darlene refuses to go on record, for fear of the Dark Army. Dominique encourages her to avenge her murdered friends. Darlene excuses herself to the bathroom. She sees that her device failed to copy Dominique's FBI badge from when her bag brushed up against her earlier. Darlene decides to take off her coat, showing off more of her skin, planning to seduce Dominique.
Elliot returns home as the Dark Army warns people of the 9-4 curfew. He finds Angela on the stoop looking haggard. She shows him a newspaper with the cover about Tyrell's appointment as CTO and talks about things going back to the way they were. Elliot is confused and Angela tells him that the Whiterose can explain things. He dismisses that as Angela's emotions about her mom being manipulated. He takes a hold of her and tells her that their parents (Emily and Edward) aren't coming back. Angela wants to go inside because people are trying to stop them.
At the bar, Darlene opens up about her inner weakness that won't let her testify against herself. Dominique admits to also using a tough front. They establish a trust, before Darlene motions to leave. Dominique offers her another drink to stay. They begin to discuss Dominique's single status as Darlene tries to play a potential wingwoman with the women in the bar.
As Elliot and Angela enter his apartment, they find Leon on the couch, who apologizes for disrupting them. Angela accuses him of listening to her. Elliot insists that she leave. Angela believes that Elliot is in a trap to learn about the plan and stop her. Leon tells Elliot that they have business to attend.
Back on the night of 10/21, Phillip tells Tyrell that he is appointed as CTO. He explains it as a figurehead position, inherited from a deal gone wrong. Any ambition should be quelled and obediance is necessary. Phillip only came to inform him out of respect and takes silence as affirmation. Tyrell believes that his hero status is being used for Phillip to undo his shame from firing him in the first place. Phillip scoffs, telling him that he isn't worth a move. As Phillip moves to leave, Mr. Robot asks if he knew about 5/9 and fsociety the whole time. Phillip says that he didn't know the minutiae, but explains that the world catastrophes don't occur from lone wolves but by people like him allowing them. Mr. Robot insists that he was responsible, but Phillip explains that the leaders have followers. Agenda must be inspired, not forced.
Back on the night of 10/22, Dominique and Darlene return to the former's apartment, under the understanding that the latter isn't a lesbian. Darlene questions the definition. Dominique then gets beers from the fridge, but hopes to get Darlene home before curfew. Darlene comments on Dominique's E-Kit making her a girl scout. Dominique tells her Alexa device to play music. Darlene talks about a blonde girl from the bar as Dominique starts to feel drunk. Darlene kisses her, but Dominique refuses. She calls it unprofessional, to which Darlene point out that she isn't a CI anymore. She tries to kiss her again and concedes the second refusal. Dominique eventually kisses her. She puts her gun and badge in the safe as Darlene watches. They go to bed and starting to make out with each other.
At 8:28 PM, Angela locks the many locks on her front door. Her apartment is covered with photos that have the faces scratched out. Her furniture is covered in plastic tarps. She concludes aloud that she must warn the Whiterose the plan may have been overheard. Angela packs the waters, copies of Lolita and rotary telephones into a cart. She dismisses a call from Dad on her cellphone. The news plays on the TV, covering a backlash against the FBI after the cyber bombings, concerning a mistrust of government. Angela puts her phone in the sink full of dishes and water. She takes the untouched picture of her and her mom and asks if Qwerty is ready, believing that the Whiterose will pick her up from the subway again.
Leon and Elliot find a man named Dr. Wang alone in an empty square. Leon leaves. Dr. Wang takes Elliot's bag and brings him to meet with Grant and the two masked Dark Army soldiers. Elliot says that his laptop has the Stage 3 plans. As they download the plan onto a USB drive, Grant insists that when they met to discuss the hack, Elliot said that there were only two stages. Elliot wants to speak with the Whiterose, but Grant insists that he will relay the messages. Elliot says that ending E-Coin is the only way to truly kill E-Corp. Grant says goodbye and leaves.
Angela roams the street with her cart, passing a group of soldiers. She refuses a CD from a man trying to sell them. A white van parks behind her. Men in suits tell her to come with them. She agrees with them.
Late at night, Darlene gets out of bed as Dominique sleeps and opens the safe. Dominique catches her, realizing why she came here and refuses to let Darlene talk her way out.
Back on the night of 10/21, Tyrell chugs vodka as Mr. Robot paces around the kitchen. Tyrell sees that now that they were used, feeling himself a prisoner once more. He believes that his CTO position is worthless, but Mr. Robot thinks they can use it to see how Phillip and the Whiterose operate. They can wait until they find the vulnerability to strike. Tyrell suggests that the FBI, as the Dark Army have an inside man.
In an FBI interrogation, presumably the early morning of 10/23, Dominique questions Darlene about hacking her. Darlene has already explained. Ernesto Santiago wants to hear the story, on camera. Darlene refuses, as her friends usually die when the FBI gets intel, as she concludes they must be tied to the Dark Army. Santiago wants to hear it from Dominique. She explains that they had relations, which she plans to report, when Darlene was caught trying to steal the badge to get into Sentinel. They tell Darlene's immunity is off the table. Darlene explains that the key is to reverse 5/9, offering them to take it to E-Corp themselves and be the heroes.
In Santiago's office, Dominique believes that Darlene's plan is the whole reason for their investigation. Santiago refuses, based on Dominique's relationship possibly muddying the case. Dominique wants to know why he won't take up this no-lose scenario. He dismisses her to write her a report while assigning a new agent to Darlene. Once Dominique leaves, Santiago is on the phone. There is the news on TV covering an imminent US cyber attack on Iran. Santiago tells Irving about Darlene's story, scared that he may be burnt, as well as her idea to undo 5/9. Irving, working on his book, asks where she is. Santiago says she's in custody and wants to know how to proceed.
The Whiterose throws a tantrum upon hearing from Grant that her project has not been shipped to the Congo after a month, not even one box being packed. Grant says that it was due to heightened border security. The Whiterose yells about all the politicians they own. Grant says that martial law has made everyone afraid. Grant gets permission to speak honestly and says that it is Whiterose's fault for indulging Elliot's whims. He tauts his own strategy and says that the attacks weren't necessary. The Whiterose says that respect only comes from men like Phillip when you force it. Grant sits with her on the couch and vows to bring a more persuasive argument to their partners. He brings up one more thing, much to the Whiterose's annoyance.
Back on the morning of 10/22, Mr. Robot is reading about Sentinel when he suddenly becomes greatly agitated. He stumbles to the bathroom as Flipper barks, frantically writing the message on the mirror. In the present, Elliot wipes away the message, wondering how Mr. Robot found that out. Elliot determines that he doesn't need him anymore and goes to enact Stage 3 while Darlene should be reporting in about Sentinel.
Grant tells the Whiterose about Elliot's plan to target E-Coin. Elliot admits to the viewer that there is no Stage 3. WR finds the new development odd. Grant tells her that Darlene is in FBI custody, claiming that she can undo 5/9, an act in opposition to Elliot. He believes that Elliot is lying and they are the target.
In a warehouse, Elliot's exploit begins to takeover the Dark Army network. The Whiterose says since Grant said that she was wrong about the attack, she may be wrong about her commitment to Elliot. She asks what Grant could do. Elliot looks at a worldwide map of locations, claiming that he now owns the Dark Army. Grant tells the Whiterose that Elliot should have die like his father. She tells him in Chinese to do what he thinks is right. They kiss.