Continuum Episode 3.08 So Do Our Minutes Hasten

In the future, Kiera accompanies a team of Protectors sent to break up a political demonstration. When they arrive, the speaker asserts that it's just a citizen's committee meeting. Kiera is shocked to see her own mother there and begs her to leave while she still can. She doesn't and is taken away by CPS.

In the present, Inspector Dillon squares off with Julian on Diana Bolton's news show. Dillon defends PIRON's extensive investment into the VPD while Julian claims that it's another step closer to a totalitarian police-state. Meanwhile, as Kiera watches the news program at her apartment, she gets a call from Chen. Having escaped the Freelancers, he threatens to finish what he started with her paradoxical time double and come after her, too.

At a Fermitas board meeting, toxic gas pours in from the vents. The executives are trapped when the board room doors electronic locks fail to release. They are killed within minutes.

At PIRON, Other Alec introduces the Halo project to the board of directors: a wearable device that comprehensively measures the wearer's health. After a considerably persuasive (and slightly under-handed) presentation, the board agreed to fund sixty days' worth of aggressive R&D to get the project out of development. Dillon is impressed by Other Alec's ruthlessness to move the project forward; just then, he gets the call about the attack at Fermitas. He heads out to investigate with Kiera while Carlos is still on desk duty for his outburst against Sonmanto in front of reporters.

With no more access to PIRON or any Alec, Kellog approaches Jason, manipulating him to cozy up to Other Alec. Kellog outfits him with a nice suit and sends Jason off to PIRON to rekindle that father-future son relationship for his own personal gain.

During the Fermitas debrief, Betty reveals that Liber8 categorically denies any involvement in the attack. Dillon remains skeptical and dismissive of her claims, however verified they may be. After the meeting, Kiera chases Betty down and gives her Chen's file, asking her to compile some research on the down-low. Betty is shocked to learn that Chen isn't dead; meanwhile, she reveals to Kiera just why she sympathized with Liber8 in the first place: she just wants to do what's right. She agrees to take on Kiera's file on Chen.

Meanwhile, Chen scares the living daylights out of Kellog when he approaches him at a diner. He needs Kellog's help - and his resources. In return, Chen promises to show Kellog the secret to immortality.

Carlos finds Julian at the TV station. Stuck on desk duty, he's been sent to chase down a report of intellectual property theft from Sonmanto. Julian challenges Carlos to actually meet and talk with the woman who has been accused of corporate espionage. Carlos agrees.

All cleaned up with a brand new suit, Jason meets up with Other Alec at the PIRON labs. He recognizes the Halo device that Other Alec is developing; Other Alec realizes he has a unique opportunity to speed up its development by tapping into Jason's future knowledge of the device. What Other Alec (and perhaps even Jason) doesn't know: Jason's new glasses are fitted with camera and audio sending a live direct feed right to Kellog's monitor.

Back at the VPD, Betty narrows down a suspect for the Fermitas attack, a hacker by the name of Elton Bibby. When the VPD goes to raid his apartment, Elton is nearly shot by an unknown assassin. Elton is taken in for questioning. Dillon probes him with extremely leading questions about his connection to Liber8 in exchange for immunity; Kiera doesn't buy it but Dillon won't budge on his angle to pin Liber8 for the attack. Elsewhere in the city, Garza catches the assassin who's been creeping on her and other members of Liber8. After an intense hand-to-hand fight, she flees when cops arrive.

Carlos meets with Adele Mason, the Sonmanto employee who reveals herself to be a corporate whistleblower rather than a common thief. Julian vouches for the damaging corporate intel she has on Sonmanto; Carlos agrees to protect her when Julian proposes to go live with her story on Diana Bolton's show that night.

The would-be assassin (an unknown fact to the VPD) is brought in for questioning and to report being assaulted by a member of Liber8. Dillon and Kiera are wary of Nealon, as Kiera astutely notices his tattoos - and the fact that he survived an encounter with Garza - marks him as ex-military. When Kiera and Dillon's backs are turned, Nealon places a bug on Kiera's desk.

Adele hides out at Carlos's apartment as her story airs on Diana's show. His head already swimming with questions about what he can and can't assume is reliable, true and right, he ends up having sex with Adele. After the show airs, Julian meets with Diana. She's furious because Sonmanto has sent their legal team claiming false reporting of a crime against their corporation. It turns out, the documents that Adele found were just a honeypot trap meant for her to find and they were completely fabricated. Julian is devastated. He phones Carlos to give him the heads up; when Carlos awakens, he see that Adele has already found her own way out.

At Kiera's apartment, Garza pays her a surprise visit. Garza again denies Liber8's involvement but more importantly, that someone else is trying to change the narrative about Liber8 and their means. Kiera demands that Garza feed her all the intel she gets. When Garza agrees to shake on it, calling her "partner," Kiera pins her against a wall, furious at throwing out their previous life-saving agreement out so casually. Garza counters: "I see you, Detective: you're not sure of anything anymore."

At the precinct, Kiera makes the case to Betty that Liber8 is actually being framed for the Fermitas attack. Betty is shocked that Kiera is actually defending Liber8 but they both agree that PIRON's increasing incursion of the VPD is disconcerting and alarming. Ultimately, Kiera wants to do what's right, too - and PIRON's involvement just doesn't feel right. Betty digs up more information about the mysterious ex-military man and finds out he's actually a mercenary working for Grey Point Security. When they present this new information to Dillon, he gets testy and demands that everyone stay on target about pinning the attack squarely on Liber8.

From Kiera's desk, she and Carlos call Other Alec about what he knows about Fermitas. He confirms that Sonmanto wanted to buy Fermitas but negotiations had stalled. The morning of the attack, Fermitas stock plummeted and then negotiations resumed. Betty chimes in that she's found out that Sonmanto actually owns Grey Point Security and that Elton (the former suspect for the attack, since released) wants to meet to corroborate the story, making it a slam dunk case against Sonmanto. Unbeknownst to them all, their conversation at Kiera's desk is recorded by the bug placed by the mercenary earlier.

That evening, Garza pulls up alongside a humiliated and disgraced Julian, his persuasive reputation robbed of him with the false Sonmanto whistleblower story. She takes him in and wants to toughen him up. He gets into her car.

Kiera and Carlos lay out all the evidence they've gathered showing that Liber8 isn't involved in the Fermitas attack and that something bigger may be at work. Dillon denies it up and down. It's clear to everyone that Dillon is no longer interested in justice, but in protecting corporate interests. Carlos and Kiera leave his office, stunned and dejected.

As they head out for the night, Betty catches up to them. Finally back in Dillon's graces, her ankle bracelet has been removed. They head out to a local bar for drinks and Betty gets a text from Elton: he wants to meet now, outside. As Betty greets him a black SUV slowly pulls up and brutally guns them both down. The driver is the mercenary, Nealon. Hearing gunfire, Kiera and Carlos run outside, but it's too late.