This week’s episode kicks off with Alec and Rizwan conducting an experiment on non-verbal cues in a cafe, observing three couples to guess which one is married. Their results are mixed; Alec points out that public displays of affection can create an illusion of intimacy, but the real indicator of a long-term relationship is mimicry, often done unconsciously.
Afterward, Alec receives a message and shares that Rose was called away for work, leaving him without a plus one for an upcoming wedding reception. Rizwan suggests they have time to find someone, and Alec proposes that Rizwan join him to observe irrational behavior at the event.
At the Italian Embassy, where the wedding is taking place, Rizwan asks if the bride and groom are Italian. Alec explains that Yvette and Cole are a prominent DC power couple. Marissa arrives and praises the wedding plans by Cosmo, who has a complex history involving a crime syndicate in Romania. Alec reveals that he and Natissa negotiated asylum for Cosmo seven years ago, and if he leaves the embassy, he could be extradited back to Romania, where he would face dire consequences.
As they discuss Marissa's potential promotion, the Italian Ambassador approaches, introducing his minister of secretary, Mateo. They share their fondness for Yvette, who grew up at the embassy, while harboring less affection for her father, Cosmo.
Just then, Mateo receives a call from the foreign minister, and the Ambassador prioritizes work over socializing. Cosmo interrupts, urgently requesting their help, revealing that someone is trying to kill him.
In a lounge at the embassy, Cosmo reveals to Marissa and Alec that the Romanian embassy received intel hours ago about a plot to kill him. While he’s had many enemies over the years, tonight—his daughter’s wedding—could provide the perfect opportunity for an assassin. Marissa questions the reliability of the intel, and Cosmo admits it's vague. He considered canceling the wedding but didn’t want to overreact. Desperate, he asks for their help.
Meanwhile, at the FBI offices, Kylie is excited to see her new workspace, but her enthusiasm fades when she discovers it’s an old storage room. Disheartened, she sarcastically wishes for a window, only to realize she’s talking to herself.
Back at the wedding reception, Rizwan enjoys hors d’oeuvres when a guest approaches, confused about her assigned table. She claims to be family and wonders why she’s at table twenty. Rizwan explains he’s a guest of a professor close to the bride's father. The woman insists family shouldn’t be at table twenty and calls over her companion, Lewis, to check the seating chart.
Marissa and Alec discuss the threat against Cosmo. Marissa expresses frustration that she can’t utilize FBI resources for support and wishes she could reach out to Kylie. Just then, Rizwan interrupts, announcing an emergency.
They follow him to what looks like a coat closet, where they find Lewis on the ground, covered in hives. Scarlet is trying to calm him and mentions he usually carries his epi pen, but it’s missing. The chef arrives with the pen, but it’s damaged and unusable. Scarlet is incredulous that someone would throw it away. Marissa insists they need it as evidence. Security takes the pen carefully, while EMTs arrive and administer epinephrine. They confirm Lewis's airway is closed and they’ll do their best.
As they wait, it becomes clear that Scarlet doesn’t know Lewis well; they only work together. The group begins to question whether this was intentional. Alec points out that with so many high-profile guests, targeting someone like Lewis seems odd.
In the ambassador's office, Mateo delivers the news that Lewis died en route to the hospital. Scarlet is devastated and pulls out his allergy list. Alec reads it aloud, noting that the kitchen prepared allergen-free food for him. Rizwan adds that the plate Lewis was eating was just left on the table. The ambassador suggests it might be an accident, but Marissa insists they can’t rule out murder. Alec argues that with the embassy’s restricted access, the perpetrator is likely still inside.
The ambassador is concerned about international repercussions if this gets out and insists no one outside the room can know what happened until they gather more evidence. Alec agrees, but Scarlet remains upset. They decide they must keep the suspect calm, as people reveal their true nature when relaxed. Marissa warns that alerting the killer could lead to violence.
Scarlet demands to know what happened to Lewis, and Alec suggests they can find out while allowing the wedding to continue, instructing everyone to stay put with no entry or exit. Everyone agrees to the plan.
At the university, Phoebe is excitedly talking to Ava about receiving grant money for the paper she proofread. Ava thanks her but insists Rachel deserves the credit, explaining that Rachel streamlined the final submission. Phoebe raises an eyebrow, questioning if Rachel has done this before. Just then, Rachel interrupts, handing Phoebe a stack of papers for a seminar the next day. Phoebe is taken aback by the short notice, but Rachel insists she can handle it, dismissing her questions and demanding it by 10 AM.
Back at the embassy, Cosmo is distressed, feeling responsible for Lewis’s death. Alec reassures him it was likely a distraction. Marissa insists they need to ensure Cosmo's safety. Despite his protests about giving a toast, they agree to postpone it until security is arranged.
At the reception, Marissa tells the head of security, Marco, that Cosmo needs constant protection. Marco scoffs, refusing to take orders from a guest. Outside, Cosmo practices his speech when a masked man attempts to shoot him. Marissa screams, startling the gunman, and Alec rushes out but finds only the gun left behind.
Later, Cosmo is in his residence, upset Yvette didn’t know about the threat. The ambassador and his team arrive, confirming they found the gun where Alec described. Marissa argues that the shooter likely fled within the embassy. Marco skeptically suggests Alec was alone in the hallway with the weapon. Marissa bristles at this implication, asserting the seriousness of the situation.
The ambassador acknowledges his earlier oversight and promises a full investigation. Marissa insists on being involved, while Alec urges the ambassador to accept help from the region's top criminal investigators. Marissa pushes for reviewing cell phone footage and interviewing the photographer to identify everyone in the ballroom. Mateo mentions no guests heard the shot, prompting Marissa to request the guest list
Kylie enters the cafe and spots Phoebe deep in thought at a table. She approaches and jokes that French fries and donuts are a cry for help. Phoebe sighs and reveals that her new department isn’t what she expected—her professor uses student work in grant proposals without giving credit, and some papers are published without acknowledgment. Kylie is taken aback, calling it plagiarism and fraud. She asks how the professor gets away with it, and Phoebe explains that she brings in substantial funding. Kylie offers to help Phoebe investigate further.
Meanwhile, Alec, Rizwan, and Merida gather to review the situation. Rizwan mentions that Scarlet is calming down, but Marissa expresses frustration over Marco's reliability and the lack of resources she’s used to for linking evidence. Alec questions why someone would use a gun to kill if shellfish was the original method. He asks how many paramedics actually entered the embassy; Rizwan says two wheeled Lewis out. Alec realizes they might have overlooked others and finds a discarded paramedic uniform in a back room, suggesting that their focus on Lewis led to inattentional blindness.
Alec theorizes that someone on the inside orchestrated the emergency, like sabotaging the epi pen. They now suspect two culprits: one linked to Lewis and one targeting Cosmo. Marco is called to inspect the uniform, and Alec explains their theory about the shooter blending in with security and catering staff. Marco insists his team is vetted and no newcomers are involved, pointing suspicion toward the catering staff.
Rizwan suggests that if the shooter had an accomplice inside, they could have taken Cosmo out directly. Marissa reasons that the accomplice needed to maintain a low profile during the crime. Alec concludes that the gunman is likely among the catering staff while the accomplice is a wedding guest. Rizwan volunteers to infiltrate the catering staff to observe their behavior, while Alec will monitor the guests to identify the accomplice
Alec speaks with Scarlet, who hints that her family may side with the groom's mother against Cosmo. She mentions feeling excluded from her family, highlighting that a couple from Romania got a better table despite not knowing the bride or groom. Alec’s interest piques at the mention of the Romanian couple, and he approaches Ambassador Demetrius and her guests, expressing relief about Cosmo’s well-being. The ambassador’s companion seems nervous, but the ambassador quickly dismisses Alec, suggesting they appreciate his concern.
Later, Alec updates Marissa about his encounter. Although he didn’t get any new information, he notes that Nico, the special envoy, seemed eager to talk, but the ambassador wouldn’t allow it due to diplomatic immunity. Rizwan then approaches with suspicions about the catering staff, but Marissa insists they need more evidence. Rizwan heads off to investigate further, while Marissa decides to learn more about the Romanian guests.
Meanwhile, at Kylie’s apartment, Phoebe watches as Kylie uncovers Rachel's involvement in several grants. They notice that a significant portion of the funding goes to a private consulting firm—owned by Rachel. Phoebe realizes that Rachel may be using grant money to pay her own services and mortgage on a large lake house she calls a research center. Distraught, Phoebe confides in Kylie about her dilemma. Kylie encourages her to speak to Alec, emphasizing the illegal nature of Rachel's actions. Phoebe hesitates, fearing reputational fallout, but Kylie stresses that doing the right thing may come with consequences, and she must decide what she can live with.
At the embassy, Marissa confronts Nico in the bathroom, aware that his boss wants to keep him silent. Nico reveals there's a petition to remove Cosmo from the embassy, which could lead to his death in Romania. He explains they attempted to block the petition when they learned about it, but the intel was weak and Italy is involved. Marissa asks who filed the petition, but Nico admits no one knows, indicating that someone wants Cosmo gone.
In the embassy dining room, as the cake is served, Rizwan observes the catering staff, identifying one waiter who seems out of place. He yells, "It’s him!" prompting the waiter to flee. Marco announces they've apprehended the gunman, but Italian law prevents interrogation without a lawyer. Alec questions why the gunman was found in a dead-end area, noting that he could have escaped through any door. Marco insists that’s where they found him, but Alec demands the building blueprints.
Alec guides Marissa and Rizwan to the dead-end hallway over the phone. They discover a hidden panel, revealing a passage leading to the ambassador’s office.
Marissa confronts the ambassador about the secret passages, asking if he was trying to force Cosmo out. The ambassador admits he wanted Cosmo gone but insists he never hired an assassin, as it would ruin his career. He filed a petition after years of waiting.
Meanwhile, Rizwan talks to Yvette, the bride, who reveals her fear that her father wants to return to Romania to escape his past. She shows Rizwan a video from the wedding, which catches his attention. He discovers a couple of significant interest: the ambassador and Mateo. They theorize that Mateo could have leaked information about the ambassador's desire to remove Cosmo.
Yvette storms in, panicked because she can’t find her father. Cosmo, in a dark room, encounters the ambassador and Mateo, who emerges from a hidden passage. A struggle ensues, but Mateo ultimately surrenders. Alec then questions Mateo and the ambassador, revealing that the ambassador prioritized his career over Cosmo’s safety. Mateo confesses he wanted to protect the ambassador’s future, but inadvertently created a deadly situation.
Marissa asks for permission to take Mateo into custody, but the ambassador, tearful, refuses to protect him. Back in Cosmo’s room, he processes the revelations about Mateo and the ambassador’s relationship. Alec urges Cosmo to stay and create new memories with his daughter, Yvette, who enters for a touching moment.
On campus, Phoebe hands Rachel her lecture notes, but the dean arrives to address allegations of plagiarism against Rachel. Caught off guard, Rachel tells Phoebe to postpone the lecture, claiming a misunderstanding.
At the FBI office, Alec brings flowers from Yvette to thank Marissa for her help. Marissa reflects on the case, realizing she prefers fieldwork to desk duties and has turned down a promotion. Alec shares that he, too, has put work before loved ones. They share a moment, hinting at a possible rekindling of their relationship.
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