Freeland’s protector remained on edge during Black Lightning’s midseason premiere. Khalil and Jennifer continued to stay one step ahead of both Tobias and the Pierce family, but reality began to dawn on the young runaways. A life on the run, always looking over your shoulder, doesn’t bode well for a healthy future. It’s a sobering, but wise thought. They both were forced to go back in order to move forward. For Jennifer, it meant a return to house arrest. For Khalil, it meant risking his life.
Home, Sweet Home
Black Lightning and Thunder continue searching for Khalil and Jennifer as Cutter frees herself. With most of Freeland’s meta community on their heels, Khalil and Jennifer hide in an abandoned train car that doubles as Khalil’s home away from Tobias. They begin planning their future together. Dreams of travelling overseas lead to them rekindling their romance. Khalil gives Jennifer the necklace she wore when they first got together. They share a kiss before deciding the train isn’t the best place to have their first sexual experience together.
Lynn tells Jefferson about her meeting with Khalil’s dad, revealing that the former Painkiller has a hideout. Gambi narrows down all possible locations that could provide the couple cover. He and the Pierces split up to search them. Lynn arrives at the trainyard, spooking Khalil and Jennifer. She pleads to the night sky for Jennifer to come home. There’s no finish line if she keeps running and they aren’t a family without her. Lynn leaves, but her words get through to Jennifer. She wants to build a future with Khalil, and they can’t do that if they’re always running. Khalil, feeling guilty for dragging Jennifer into his issues with Tobias, tells her it’s time for her to go home.
The Pierces return home to find Jennifer waiting for them. The joyous mood turns to rage when Khalil enters. The Pierces physically restrain Jefferson from attacking the young man who nearly killed him.
Atonement
Tobias puts Todd to work decrypting files on metas and ASA real estate purchases on Proctor’s briefcase computer while he deals with Cutter’s failure. He provides her with Khalil’s most frequently visited locations, quickly leading her to the train yard. Unfortunately, she finds the car empty.
Khalil apologizes to the Pierces once cooler heads prevail. Jennifer reiterates that leaving with him was her choice, but they’re both still in danger. Jefferson is reluctant to help him, but Khalil’s knowledge of Jennifer’s powers and Jefferson’s superhero alter-ego causes him to pause. Khalil promises to keep their secret, but Jefferson will only help him if he agrees to turn himself over to the authorities. He agrees to his terms, promising to testify against Tobias. Jefferson and Henderson work out a protection deal that allows Khalil to see his mother before he is taken into custody.
Anissa comforts her sister before Jennifer shares one last moment with Khalil. He promises her this isn’t the end and that they’ll finish what they started. Jennifer is in tears as they hold each other while Khalil wears his fear on his face. He doesn’t know how right he is to worry.
Always Have Your Back
Henderson arranges for a brief reunion between Khalil and his mother, with Black Lightning and Thunder looking on. He is placed into a prison transport and is whisked away. At least until the caravan comes across a wrecked car and Cutter posing a accident victim. She ends her ruse by killing every officer and abducting Khalil. Henderson finds the bloodbath and informs Jefferson of Khalil’s fate. Jennifer is inconsolable when Lynn breaks the news to her.
Cutter returns Khalil to Tobias. He tells his former protege that he has the heart of a sharecropper before digging his hand into Khalil’s back and removing his spinal implant. Khalil, once again paralyzed and severely injured, is dumped on the street in front of Rev. Holt’s church. Holt finds him outside and begins to pray over him.
Todd cracks Proctor’s firewall, unlocked all files under a secret program called “Project MOD.” He explains to Tobias that Holt’s clinic was the building where the ASA conducted their initial meta-human experiments thirty years ago. The computer is also tracking the vital signs of four metas from the original project. One of them could be Black Lightning, though neither has that knowledge. Tobias celebrates because now all of his plans can begin.
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