Inner Child - Recap

A worker is preparing explosives for blasting during a demolition project. They clear the building of derelicts and leave the building. However, the head worker, Phil, suddenly seems to notice something, saying he has a weird feeling. He tells his co-worker to postpone the demolition and then runs another sweep. He goes over the blueprints and thinks they missed something. He finds a hollow spot in the floor and breaks through, revealing a tunnel that wasn’t on the blueprints. They descend and explore the area beneath. Finally they find a small Child, naked and bald with pale white eyes.

Olivia wakes up to find her niece Ella looming over her. Meanwhile, Charlie is at headquarters and gets a call from an old friend. He goes to the fax machine and finds an advertisement for an art show.

Olivia talks to her sister Rachel, who finally admits that she’s looking for an apartment in Boston. They’re interrupted when Charlie calls to tell Olivia that the Artist is back. She hangs up and prepares to go, but then Broyles calls and tells her to get to the children’s hospital with her team. There, Broyles explains that they found the Child in tunnels that hadn’t been opened for 70 years. The head pediatrician, Dr. Winick, prepares to order oxygen to ease the Child’s respiration. Walter insists that the child needs low oxygen thanks to his existence in the tunnels, and orders treatment, overriding the doctor.
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In Somerville, MA, a tattooed woman is doing laundry when a man comments on her griffin tattoo. He tries to make small talk with her and she initially is hostile until she notices he’s in a wheelchair. Outside, she offers to help and he admits he could use a little assistance. She comes over to his van to help and he gets up and injects her with a sedative. He drives her to a secluded spot, kills her, and starts working on her with a surgical saw.

In the hospital room, the Child starts to recover as they lower the oxygen content. Walter leaves instructions to increase the oxygen supply until he acclimates. The doctor confirms the Child is otherwise normal and can hear perfectly. Walter figure that the Child fed on rats and insects. Olivia tries to talk to the Child but he doesn’t say anything. Charlie calls her and the Child watches as she talks to him, then writes down the name of a park. When he sees the name, he grabs her wrist, takes the pad, and writes down the name “Sam Gilmore.” They wonder if it’s his name but he doesn’t say anything further.

Charlie and Olivia go to the park where the Artist left the dead woman, altered after her death and tied up for everyone to see. The victim’s name is Samantha Gilmore.

Back at headquarters, Charlie goes over the case and notes that the Artist disappeared after four murders several years ago. After he kills, he enhances the victims’ appearances, then sends an invitation for a “public viewing” of his new work. Meanwhile, Olivia sends a picture of the Child to Samantha Gilmore’s relatives but doesn’t have much hope that they can identify him. Walter has found several books on feral children, and believes the Child spent his entire life below ground. Further, Walter suggests the Child may be much older than he appears. They’re interrupted when they get another fax from the Artist.

The Artist approaches a woman walking her dog.

Olivia goes to the Child and offers him some candy. He takes a piece and then silently offers it back to her. She then asks him to write down his name. Eliot Michaels from Social Services comes in and calls Olivia outside. As they talk, the Child watches them through the window. Eliot explains that he’ll have the Child moved to a facility the next day for proper treatment. The boy starts to panic and his blood pressure and heart beat spike. Olivia manages to calm him down. As Eliot goes outside to give them a moment, he calls someone and says that he’s found another one. Inside the room, the boy writes down an address.

Olivia and Charlie go to the address and start to search, unaware that the Artist has his newest victim in his van and is keep her silent.

Later, Olivia is at home when Rachel talks to her and wonders how her job went. Charlie calls and tells Olivia that they’ve found the new victim. There was some blood beneath her nails and they hope to get a DNA address. Charlie tells her that they found the victim’s dog at the address the boy wrote down.

Olivia goes to collect Walter, who is taking a bath. He reluctantly comes out and explains that the boy is hypersensitive to emotions and may somehow have focused on the Artist, much like a shark can home in on victim miles away. Walter suggests that since the boy is thinking, there may be a way to read his thoughts.

Olivia goes to the hospital and notices the boy has made an evergreen out of yellow M&Ms. She asks if she can take him with her and he agrees. They leave the hospital and go to Walter’s lab, where Astrid has him watch Bugs Bunny cartoons. Walter finds his neural simulator and plans to listen to the boy’s thoughts. Peter objects since the last time they used it they had to drill it into the patient’s skull. Walter figures he can make it non-intrusive.

Eliot discovers that the Child is gone.

Olivia assures the Child that he can signal her to stop whenever he wants. Walter puts on some music and dances, putting the neural simulator on the Child. The boy is initially reassured, but becomes nervous just before Eliot arrives with Broyles. Olivia insists the Child is assisting them and Eliot isn’t rated for classified information. Broyles informs them that Eliot is with the CIA’s technology development division, and they have authority to take the Child and study him. The Child watches them as Eliot explains that the Child might be exploited. Olivia doesn’t believe him but Eliot says they have no choice. Astrid comes in to tell them that Charlie has called to inform them they’ve received another invitation from the Artist. Broyles asks Eliot for one day and personally guarantees his safety. Eliot agrees once they promise not to put up a fight afterward.

As Walter tries to remember something, Olivia gets the DNA report, which reveals that cow blood and plastic polymers were found beneath the victim’s fingernails. Walter finally remembers how to rewire the neural simulator, while Peter remembers working at a meat-packing company, and they wrapped hamburger in large rolls of plastic.

Olivia starts checking meat-packing plants in the area. Meanwhile, Walter calibrates the simulator and tunes in a voice. However, the Child’s temperature drops and they stop the experiment. Walter wonders why the brain activity would cause a decrease in body temperature.

Olivia talks to a meat packer owner, Wu, in a chilled area, but he has no idea of any employee that matches her profile. When she asks for samples of the plastic, Wu says that he sold his plastic to a man the other day.

The Artist helps an older woman load her bags into a car.

Olivia calls the lab and Peter explains how the Child’s temperature dropped. Olivia returns to the lab and Walter explains the Child forms empathic bonds, and his temperature dropped when Olivia entered the refrigerated plant. The Child is particularly attached to Olivia. The Child knows the crimes are important to her and is trying to help. She approaches the Child and takes her hand, and explains that the Artist will kill someone else unless he helps her. However, she realizes that he’s mad at her because she’s turning him over to Eliot once they’ve solved the case. Olivia apologizes and admits she can’t stop them from taking the Child away, but she cares for him and wants his help. The Child writes out a street address and Olivia thanks him.

The FBI goes to the address and try to find the Artist using the sketch provided by Wu. Olivia finds the Artist in his van and notices the similarity. Charlie spots a yellow pine air freshener hanging from the rear view window and tells him they need to check his vehicle. The Artist drives away and Olivia opens fire. The van crashes and the Artist runs for it. Olivia gives chase while Charlie frees the woman in the back.

Olivia follows the Artist into a graveyard. He manages to knock the gun out of her hand and comes at her with a knife, but they struggle and she ends up stabbing him with the knife, killing him.

Olivia calls Broyles and asks for help.

At the hospital, Olivia talks to Dr. Winick for a few minutes. She then goes to Walter’s lab with Winick and tells the Child that she’s going to take him to a home with a family that will take care of him. Olivia kisses the Child goodbye and he goes with Winick.

Eliot talks to Broyles, who claims the Child disappeared out of a protective detail. Broyles suggests the CIA and Eliot more than they’re saying and Eliot drops the matter.

Olivia comes home to find Rachel and Ella playing. Olivia joins in.

Winick drives the Child through the streets but he frowns as they pass the Observer on the sidewalk. The Observer looks at the car, and then walks in the opposite direction.

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