Trust is not an easy thing to come by on The Walking Dead. In “Trust,” Lance (Josh Hamilton) conducts his own investigation into what really happened at the apartment complex. Eugene (Josh McDermitt) wants to expose the Miltons’ part in the money heist And Ezekiel (Khary Peyton) decides to use his new found health to help others.
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TRUST
Lance led a group of Commonwealth soldiers, including Daryl (Norman Reedus) to the Riverbend apartments, only to find carnage. Aaron (Ross Marquand) and Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) told him that the residents of the complex turned violent, killing everyone but them. Lance questions their story, saying the only way they remain alive is if they knew the residents. Daryl backs up Aaron and Gabriel, saying they know how to handle themselves. Lance says okay and decides that they need to warn Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Hilltop.
Mercer (Michael James Shaw) and Princess (Paola Lázaro) are a thing … sort of. He spends the night with her often, but is bad about opening up to her. She notices that he doesn’t sleep much. He lays in bed, staring at the ceiling. She tries to get him to talk to her, but he gets annoyed, only saying he’s fine. Princess is a little put off by this and tells him to go to work.
Eugene and Rosita (Christian Serratos) meet with Connie (Lauren Ridloff) and Kelly (Angel Theory) to tell them about the money heist that she and Daryl were forced into. Rosita really wants them to know about April and the 30 other people who died trying to get that money for Sebastian (Teo Rapp-Olsson). Connie shows them the list that was secretly given to her. There is a woman named April on that list. They need to find a connection, but if the Miltons are involved, it will be hard to find proof. They need help from the inside and fortunately, Eugene knows someone.
TESTING
Carol (Melissa McBride), Jude (Cailey Fleming) and RJ (Antony Azor) are walking to school when they run into Ezekiel. After the kids go inside, Ezekiel thanks Carol for going above and beyond to help him. He says he’s been doing some extra stuff with the new time he has and wants to show her. Carol declines, saying she has to get to work. When he asks what she’s doing, Carol won’t tell him. She only asks him to trust her.
Lance’s convoy runs into a group of walkers and he asks Aaron and Gabriel to take care of them. Only because Daryl said they could handle themselves. Daryl goes with them and they take out the walkers with ease. Team Family – 1, Lance Hornsby – 0
Ezekiel pays a visit to Tomi (Ian Anthony Dale), who’s sneaking drinks of alcohol. He tells Tomi about a friend of his who is sick, but can’t afford treatment. This woman needs an appendectomy, and she won’t go to the doctor because the system is broken. Tomi is hesitant because he just lost a patient. Ezekiel pleads with him because Tomi is the only one who can help him.
Eugene poses as a delivery boy to meet with Max (Margot Bingham) at the Governor’s office. He asks her to find the proof they need about the people on the list. At first Max is apprehensive, but then Eugene tells her that Sebastian forced Rosita and Daryl into the heist. He also says her brother, Michael aka Mercer, was there too. They are interrupted and Max pretends to accept Eugene’s delivery and leaves.
DIS-TRUST
Lance shows up at the Hilltop unannounced. Maggie says they don’t know anything about the Commonwealth’s business and she won’t let Lance in. He’s ready to force his way in when Daryl says he can talk to her. This is the scene in 1108 when Daryl walks up to the gate and asks to be let in. Maggie says it doesn’t have to be this way. Daryl says it does. He asks her to trust him and Maggie opens the gate.
Max confronts Mercer about the money heist, but he says it’s none of her business. He feels responsible for the loss of the life but it has nothing to do with her. Max questions why he let Sebastian walk free. He says that’s a fight he can’t win. And if he disappears, who will keep the Commonwealth running. If the Commonwealth falls, a lot more people will die. Mercer reminds her that she has the Governor’s ear. Max says he has the people’s ear. They look up to him. He could change things for the better. Or he can continue to be a poster.
Maggie and Daryl follow Lance around. He finds her truck. Maggie says the truck doesn’t run. Lance examines it thoroughly, annoying Daryl. Lance looks under the engine and sees that the starter is not connected. He gets into the truck to start it up, while Maggie and Daryl look on nervously. The truck does not start. Team Family – 2, Lance Hornsby – 0. Maggie tells Lance that his people have until sundown and then they have to leave.
DO THE RIGHT THING
Ezekiel and Tomi load up some supplies and head out. They carefully time their exit only to run into a soldier. They are handcuffed and put into Tomi’s office when Carol arrives. Ezekiel had a hunch that her new job was well connected. She says they are going to be okay as long as they stay out of trouble. Ezekiel says not all trouble is bad and invites her again to find out what he’s up to.
Ezekiel takes Tomi and Carol to the petting zoo’s veterinary treatment area. There are a lot of ill people in the veterinary hospital. Including the patient Ezekiel told Tomi about. Carol is amazed. Ezekiel says this is his way of repaying his debt.
Mercer waits for Princess outside of her apartment to apologize for shutting her out. He says being in a relationship is new to him. Princess kisses him before he says anything more. She says she wants to be there for him for the fun stuff and the bad stuff. Mercer starts talking about how he killed two of his men and covered it up. He’s afraid that he’s a part of the problem and not the protector that he’s always been. Princess asks him to come inside so they can figure it out together.
CHECK MATE
Hershel (Kien Michael Spiller) is visiting his dad’s grave when he runs into Lance. Lance tries to ask him about what Maggie’s been up to. He says he doesn’t want anything bad to happen to Maggie. He can’t keep her safe if there are secrets. Hershel says he has to get his mom, but Lance stops him. He says he found a hat at the apartment complex and gives it to Hershel. Lance is surprised to see that the hat feels the kid perfectly.
Elijah (Okea Eme-Akwari) comes out of nowhere and throws Lance against the wall. The Commonwealth soldiers run to rescue Lance with Daryl and Maggie right behind them. Daryl and Maggie both pull their guns to defend Elijah. Elijah says Lance put his hands on Hershel as Hershel runs to his mother’s side. He says Lance told him that something bad was going to happen. Maggie warns Lance about what happens to people who threaten her family.
They are surrounded by soldiers and Daryl turns his gun on Lance too. He says Lance turned the Hilltop upside down and found nothing. He suggests that Lance tell the soldiers to back off before something bad really happens. Lance does as Daryl suggests. Maggie lowers her gun too. Lance tells his people to pack up. He approaches Maggie and apologizes for any miscommunication. He says it’s a shame they couldn’t be friends. Team Family – 3, Lance Hornsby – 0
Later that night, Daryl tells Aaron and Gabriel that they aren’t going back to the Commonwealth. Lance plans on keeping them out in the woods until they find the killers, aka Negan’s (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) group. Gabriel thinks they should be looking for whoever took the guns instead. One of the soldiers reports to Lance that they found something.
THE LIGHT
Carol commends Ezekiel for what he’s doing. She gets a little sad thinking about how the Commonwealth really is. She says it’s dark, but in the midst of everything, he’s sitting next to her glowing. He says the light came from a spark that she helped him find. Darkness is heavy. Some people carry more than others because they are strong enough to hold the weight. But they make the light. Carol makes the light. Carol makes a joke saying they are not getting back together. Someone yells for Ezekiel to come back. There are complications with the surgery. Tomi asks for Ezekiel and Carol’s assistance. Despite lots of bleeding and some intense moments, the patient is fine.
Max visits Eugene to talk. She says the stuff he told her about is bad and it makes her uncomfortable. She hoped things would go back to normal. Max says she’s not built for this but she doesn’t have a choice. There is no back to normal. They know what they know and because of that things have to change. They can’t wait for someone else to step up and help. Eugene promises that whatever they find, Max will not face it alone. He kisses her to seal the deal.
Elsewhere, Leah (Lynn Collins) is camping close to Hilltop, cleaning guns. She hears a twig break and finishes up what she’s doing. The Commonwealth soldiers move in. Leah finds a way out of the ambush and shoots two of the soldiers from an unknown location. Lance stops her from shooting anyone else, saying he came to talk. He says it took a lot to find her. The least she can do is to hear him out before she kills them. Leah steps out of the shadows and tells him to talk fast. Lance introduces himself and says he’s there to offer her a job.
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