Episode six begins by bringing back the unconventional yet intriguing duo that is Ryan and Joe. Ryan took it upon himself to turn to his old foe, now that Dr. Strauss is back on the loose. Joe agrees to help him, as long as Ryan agrees to visit him every day until the execution.
Ryan’s physically sick after seeing Joe and agreeing to his conditions, but only if Joe’s tips are truly beneficial in his efforts to track down Strauss.
Max is still in the hospital from the beating she suffered in the last episode. Ryan pays her a visit and informs her that Agent Mendez took the fall for them and has been temporarily suspended. There’s still tension between Ryan, Max and Mike after Mike left her alone to chase after Mark.
Even though there’s tension, there’s still an obvious connection between Max and Mike, and Max’s boyfriend, Tom, can tell. He’s still spying on Max’s apartment with the camera system Daisy and Kyle set up earlier.
As far as Strauss is concerned, Ryan believes he may be hiding out with another former student. Once they pinpoint a location, he and Mike continue their investigation in an area where an abundance of people have gone missing. They partner with the local sheriff’s office and scan the area with one of the station’s officers, Hilary.
New characters seem to pop up on the show every once in a while, and this time, it’s in the form of Strauss’ best student, hacker and masterful killer, who’s played by Michael Ealy. The episode is filled with flashbacks to when he first discovered his desire to kill and when he first met Strauss. Now, he’s on a mission to help the former doctor.
Back in the woods with Hilary, Ryan and Mike find an area of trees filled with hanging dolls, and there’s a man lurking in a strange mask, but he disappears soon after they spot him. Upon further investigation, they uncover a burial ground littered with victims’ bodies.
Hilary’s uncle, Duncan, owns a diner and Ryan, Mike and Hilary are discussing who could be responsible for the burial ground when a waitress overhears them and suggests the sheriff’s son, Justin, who is known for being a little odd.
They follow this lead and uncover a campsite and a frightened Justin who wasn’t in the business of killing anyone, but his dad takes him into the station for other trouble he’s causing. Meanwhile, a panicked Duncan is working with Strauss, hiding him in his cabin and warns him that the FBI are in town.
As it turns out, the burial ground also belongs to Duncan, and he has a special killing strategy where he removes his victims’ hearts. Duncan offers Strauss money to skip town, but Strauss isn’t quite ready to leave yet.
The FBI eventually trace the murders back to Duncan and arrest him in the diner. He’d apparently been killing off his family for years, including Hilary’s parents. The sheriff said he knows about an obscure cabin in the woods, which is Duncan’s cabin, and suggests they investigate.
Before they arrive, Strauss’ best student arrives and is supposed to be helping him with his efforts to remain hidden, but he turns on Strauss and strangles him until he’s dead, nearly decapitating him. He blamed Strauss for making him the kind of killer he is and for blackmailing him. Daisy watches this happen, but he lets her go.
The FBI find the cabin with a dead Strauss inside. They show photos of the body to Duncan, who looks afraid and warns them about the deadly man. In the show known for its twists, the man who killed Strauss returns home to his wife and two children to carry on about his happy life.
Mike pays Max a visit to apologize for leaving her, but she’s not very accepting. She lets him know that she won’t cover up any more of his executions, and Tom, who’s still watching, hears the entire conversation.
The episode ends with Ryan upholding his promise to Joe, and he asks him who Strauss’ best student is.