The Chain

Kylie is still unable to figure out an escape plan. She wonders if her mother also has to kidnap someone, and why the kidnappers targeted her and her mother.

Rachel stalks one of her potential kidnapping targets—a young boy. However, she discovers that his mother’s boyfriend is a police officer, therefore ruling the child out. She moves on to stalking the next option online, when the distorted voice behind The Chain calls and says she should share her choices’ names for vetting. The voice also allows Pete to help Rachel.

Rachel tells Kylie’s friends that she’s sick. They’re suspicious because Kylie hasn’t been texting or using social media, like she normally would.

On his way home, Pete craves heroin, so he pulls over to a remote pond and doses himself. He suspects many veterans develop addictions to opioids, because of their pain-relieving effects. He thinks about his two ex-wives: One of them, Cara, was a brief “mistake,” but the other, Blair, was significant to him. Pete was in the Marines for seven years but had to retire early due to an incident; with money troubles on his mind, heroin helps him worry less. He values Rachel and Kylie, so when he calls Rachel, she alerts him that Kylie’s been kidnapped.

After receiving the news, Pete goes to his storage unit to retrieve guns, grenades, and equipment for breaking into houses. He considers quitting heroin but ultimately decides against it.

Rachel explains everything to Pete, who is surprised something so horrific could happen in Massachusetts. He knows the “right” thing to do would be to inform the FBI, but he cares more about keeping Kylie alive, so he’s willing to help without police involvement. Rachel’s top kidnapping target is now Toby Dunleavy, a 12-year-old boy. Pete discovers Rachel’s laptop has been infected with Spyware.

Kylie spots a wrench under the boiler; at night, she pulls her chain to get closer to the wrench.

In the morning, Rachel and Pete wait until the Dunleavy house is empty, then Pete breaks in and uploads software onto a computer that allows him to spy on the family and steal their passwords. They know from social media that Toby walks home alone from archery practice, so they plan to kidnap him during his 10-minute walk.

The male kidnapper brings Kylie breakfast, and she again asks him why she was kidnapped. He says it was to save their own boy. Kylie chats with him about Moby Dick until Heather yells for him to come upstairs. The man begs Kylie not to attempt to escape because his wife is suddenly different from how she used to be.

The female leader of The Chain thinks about how Olly, her brother and partner-in-crime, criticizes her tendency to interfere with The Chain. However, she ignores such criticism and messages Rachel about her kidnapping. Rachel says she’s working on it, but the leader doesn’t like her tone. Therefore, she tasks Heather with informing Rachel that she now owes an additional $25,000 and must kidnap someone by midnight (currently, it’s almost 4:00 pm).

Rachel receives Heather’s call about the extra ransom and expedited kidnapping deadline. Just then, Marty and his girlfriend, Tammy, arrive in a car to pick up Kylie for the weekend. Rachel apologizes and claims she sent Kylie to New York to see Hamilton with her grandmother (Rachel’s mother); Marty and Tammy leave. Pete puts the extra $25,000 in Bitcoin on his credit cards. Rachel prompts her mother to lie to Marty, but doesn’t explain her reasoning.

Rachel and Pete head to the park where Toby Dunleavy’s archery practice is held, preparing to kidnap him when practice is over. They arrive early, but Toby’s already gone because practice ended early. They see his eight-year-old sister, Amelia, and she says he went to a friend’s house. Rachel and Pete decide to take Amelia instead, even though she has a severe peanut allergy that they’re not prepared to deal with. They put Amelia in the backseat of the car and pretend to be friends of her parents. They agree to kill a police officer if they get pulled over.

Rachel and Pete drive to the Appenzellers’ house. Pete confines Amelia to the basement, while Rachel calls Amelia’s parents and explains the situation; she then vomits. She and Pete comfort Amelia using stuffed animals, snacks, and stories. Pete orders an EpiPen online for Amelia’s peanut allergy.

Later that evening, Rachel receives a phone call from Heather, who says her own son has been returned; Kylie will be returned to Rachel once the Dunleavys complete their tasks. However, once Rachel gets Kylie back, she has to keep Amelia hostage until the proper time, otherwise Kylie will be recaptured and killed.