CBS’s Marshals season two, episode two begins with a murder. A man takes aim with a sniper rifle and kills another who’s simply walking around Butte Reservoir.
(The following is a recap of season two, episode two – “End of Watch” – and there are spoilers.)
Andrea (Ash Santos) watches as Kayce (Luke Grimes) installs a high-tech surveillance system around East Camp. She wonders if he’s building a fortress, and Kayce confirms he’s doing what it takes to keep Tate safe. Tom Weaver was denied a release to attend his daughter Dolly’s funeral, and Andrea thinks Kayce should go to get closure.
Cal (Logan Marshall-Green) and his daughter, Maddie (Morgan Lindholm), have mended their dysfunctional relationship and chat while grabbing a coffee. He wonders why she’s in Bozeman and she confesses she followed a man there. He asks her not to break Miles’ heart, and she confesses she’s the one who usually winds up with a broken heart.
Kayce and Andrea make it back to the house just as Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) and Mo (Mo Brings Plenty) arrive with Mo’s nephew, Troy (Will Strongheart). Thomas feels guilty that the house was shot up because of him, and they’re there to help fix it up.
Kayce hears Tate yell, but no one else hears anything. It’s obvious he’s incredibly worried about his son to the point he’s imagining things.
Later, Kayce spots a buffalo on the way to joining Tate (Brecken Merrill) at John’s grave. Tate assures him he’s fine and knows Tom Weaver was an evil person. He was nothing like John, and Tate feels guilty about being fooled. Tate tells his dad that he doesn’t need rescuing anymore, and Kayce reminds him their family legacy takes a heavy toll. Tate claims he’s strong enough to handle it.
Work begins and the team’s assigned to bring in Wayne Plummer (Rob Mars), who’s wanted for making and selling homemade suppressors. He’s former a SWAT officer, so bringing him in won’t be easy. Miles (Tatanka Means) wants to join them, but Cal reminds him he’s still on desk duty, even though he helped with the attack on Kayce.
The team arrives at Wayne’s house and Kayce’s on point. They enter after tossing a flashbang grenade and Belle (Arielle Kebbel) abruptly freezes. She heard a click, and Kayce orders her not to move. He lifts a rug and confirms she’s standing on a bomb.
Belle orders everyone but Kayce to clear out, but Cal refuses because they’re a team. Cal’s sure of Kayce’s skills, since he was around IUDs in the sandbox. Kayce gives the all-clear, and Belle’s safe. They enter the room and discover it’s full of equipment to make suppressors. There are security cameras mounted around the room, and Kayce wonders what Wayne was paranoid about.
Andrea discovers a manifesto that reveals Wayne was ready to go after “those who mete out punishment unfairly.” Unfortunately, Belle can’t access his computer. Cal knows they need to find him before Wayne starts killing people.
Not all the members of the Broken Rock tribe appreciate Thomas Rainwater’s battle against the mine. A dozen are in his office, with Corinne Irons as the ringleader. Her husband died because of Thomas’ fight over the mines, and she believes he’s hurting the financial future of Broken Rock.
Belle and Cal have a heart-to-heart on the way back from Wayne’s, and she apologizes for not going with him to Salt Lake. She insists her marriage is over, but she needs to make sure her son, Braxton, is okay. He saw her injury and got upset, and she promised him she’ll always be there. Comforting her son made her miss Cal’s doctor’s appointment.
Cal confirms the doctor wants to do chemo, radiation, and then surgery. Belle suggests that he do what the doctor suggests. But first, he needs to tell the team. Cal refuses to do that until it’s time for surgery.
Back at the station, Miles has read Wayne’s 300+ page manifesto and learned he wants payback against anyone in law enforcement who alienated him. Belle checks Wayne’s work history, and he was employed by lots of different law enforcement agencies and then fired from all of them. Cal thinks they need to contact them to let them know Wayne’s out for blood.
Harry Gifford (Brett Cullen) joins them and is shocked they haven’t arrested Wayne. Before they can explain, word arrives that two sheriff deputies are responding to a report on Wayne’s vehicle. Belle looks up the deputies’ names and finds out that one of them filed the complaint that got Wayne fired from his last job. Harry wants the deputies ordered to hold off approaching until backup arrives.
Kayce and Andrea need to get there ASAP. As they’re heading there, Andrea discovers no one has been able to get in touch with the deputies. They arrive at the scene and find the deputy who filed the report dead and his partner barely holding on.
Later, Harry addresses everyone and tells them they owe the deputy Wayne’s arrest. Breaking news reveals Wayne sent the news station his manifesto. Cal wonders why this is happening now if Wayne was fired three years ago, and Miles recalls a line in the manifesto about preventing another generation of injustice.
Cal wants them to search for potential targets to warn them.
Cal informs Andrea and Kayce that Wayne’s son was turned down from the academy four months ago. That’s probably what set Wayne off. Kayce thinks they need to question Wayne’s son.
Kayce and Cal find Wayne’s son at work on a construction site, and he’s not surprised about what he heard on the news. The son believes his dad was a good cop who had his badge taken away. He agrees that not making it into the academy probably set his dad off.
Miles discovers Wayne recently bought three used cars that he could be using as getaway vehicles. However, it turns out none of them were spotted at the roadblocks. Harry and Andrea believe that means Wayne’s still in the area.
Belle delivers the news that Wayne’s former Butte PD supervisor was murdered this morning. (The killing in the episode’s opening scene.)
Harry’s getting ready to leave and reminds Cal and Kayce that this needs to end fast. Suddenly, shots ring out and the window shatters. They hide behind a truck and Cal and Kayce try and get eyes on the shooter. They see movement and Kayce spots Wayne running away.
Belle and Andrea ask what’s going on, and Harry confirms Kayce and Cal are chasing Wayne. Miles says a traffic cam caught Wayne’s vehicle, and Belle and Andrea are ready to help the pursuit.
Miles calls Cal with Wayne’s most recent location. Andrea and Belle join the grid search.
Kayce spots Wayne’s white Buick LaCrosse and Cal sends Andrea and Belle the location. The hood’s still hot, and Cal thinks this is part of Wayne’s plan. Miles radios with news that Wayne’s first firing with the highway patrol was done by Harry 18 years ago.
The team realizes that multiple targets on Wayne’s list will be at the coroner’s office for the dignified transfer of the deputy’s body. The coroner’s office is only a few blocks away, so Cal and Belle will clear the buildings surrounding it while Kayce and Andrea head to the dignified transfer.
Officers are lined up outside the coroner’s office as the deputy’s body is brought out. Kayce and Andrea arrive and try to get everyone to clear out but it’s too late. Harry’s shot as everyone runs for cover. Belle and Cal spot a man in an open window nearby, but they’re forced out of their hiding place. They take up a new position and Belle realizes there are two shooters. Andrea tells Kayce that Cal and Belle are pinned down, and Kayce realizes it’s Wayne’s son.
Harry was wearing a vest so he’s okay. He covers Andrea and Kayce as they run to assist Belle and Cal. Kayce spots the son on the roof and lays down fire so Andrea can move. Cal signals the plan to Kayce, and Kayce tells Andrea to cover Cal and Belle. Cal and Belle run into the building and make their way upstairs as Kayce and Andrea enter from a different door.
Belle tells Cal to hold up because of possible boobytraps. Sure enough, she’s right.
Wayne is shooting from a window on the top floor while his son is on the roof. A slap charge sends Wayne flying forward as Cal and Belle rush in. Wayne refuses to put down his weapon and is riddled with bullets.
The son runs into the building right in front of Kayce and Andrea. He radios his dad and doesn’t get a response, and Andrea assures him his dad’s dead. Kayce tells him there’s no shame in being loyal to family and that today should be his dad’s legacy – not his. He puts down his weapon and Andrea places him under arrest.
Back at the station, Cal’s furious that Harry didn’t tell them he fired Plummer. Cal confesses he also kept Wayne’s son from passing the academy. Harry understands that he put Cal’s team at risk and promises he’ll never keep secrets again.
Cal gathers his team before they leave for the day and tells them he has a rare form of lung cancer. He’ll need chemo and radiation but promises it won’t interfere with work. However, he will take time off when he has surgery. Andrea assures him they have him, and Kayce says he’s there for whatever Cal needs.
As they’re walking to their cars, Miles realizes Maddie hasn’t mentioned the diagnosis. Cal confesses that he hasn’t told his daughter.
Belle spots her husband and has to cancel hitting the bar with the team. Braxton saw the news and won’t go to sleep until she comes home. Braxton smiles at his mom and asks her to sleep in his bed. Belle agrees.
Maddie gives Miles and Cal hugs and as she’s fetching drinks, Cal warns Miles not to tell her about the cancer tonight. Miles doesn’t want to lie, but Cal begs him. “What if I get bored on desk duty…absentmindedly out your secret?” asks Miles. Cal has no choice but to give in to Miles’ blackmail and take him off desk duty.
Thomas and his crew are still working on Kayce’s house when he gets home. They’ve done an impressive job and finish off by giving the place a cleaning to purify it of negative energy. Kayce agrees they could use some healing.
Kayce and Thomas step outside while the house is being saged. Thomas reminds Kayce that Tate’s always welcome at Broken Rock, but Kayce just wants to keep an eye on his son. Kayce worries that Tate will turn out just like him, and he believes no Dutton man should become his father.
“I knew your father. You’re not him, Kayce. Your concerns for Tate are proof of that,” says Thomas. However, Thomas notes that no one can guarantee Tate will escape all of the destruction. However, Kayce can help him find the best path to take.
