The Firm Episode 1.15 Chapter Fifteen

Walking down a crowded sidewalk in the park, Mitch and Stack approach cautiously, aware their deal could quickly go sour: they bargain the incriminating hard drive for Abby's life. Before handing over his only evidence, Mitch demands confirmation Abby is alive and safe. A black SUV with tinted windows pulls up per Stack's orders, but Mitch can't see inside. Borrowing a tourist's camera, he focuses in on the window - just as a woman's hand slides down the window. Mitch turns on his heel and walks - it's a set-up! Mitch knows the woman in the car isn't Abby, because she isn't wearing her wedding ring.

Stack's mission has come to an end; the only plausible option for him now is to run. Stack asks Alex to run with him, but she's made arrangements of her own. The Feds won't have evidence linking her to the crimes, so Alex will stand by her precious law firm.

Louis isn't in Tarrance and Ruckeyser's good favor since he helped Mitch and Ray escape jail, two key witnesses who have now fallen off the grid. As the two berate Louis and threaten to arrest him, Mitch, Ray and Dimitry walk into Ruckeyser's office. Finally, the hard drive is in the government's hands, and Mitch and Ray are in handcuffs. Mitch tells the whole story, to excuse his shady behavior. Of course, his only concern is Abby. When Ruckeyser sends Dmitry off with Tarrance to help speed up the decrypting of Stack's hard drive, Louis promises Mitch he has all his people out looking for Abby and rushes off to help.

Louis receives a welcomed call from the D.C. police: they found Abby, shell-shocked but alive! Louis steps back into Ruckeyeser's office to give Mitch his phone. Mitch is overcome by emotion to hear his wife's voice.

No physical injuries are present on Abby, but the doctors are concerned for her emotional and psychological trauma. Her anxiety level is so high, it's affecting her vital signs. Relieved Abby is physically well, Mitch and Ray help Tarrance bring light to the cracked hard drive's contents. Three files are found: one contains a formula designed to pinpoint Noble's most expensive patients; another lists all the victims, all with incurable diseases; and the third identifies and locates Stack's killer

Tarrance arrests Alex during a meeting, but Stack is nowhere to be found. One of Stack's henchmen drives him to a private airport, but his boss Allard Hoyt calls to demand his presence at the Hilton. Hoyt is extremely connected and threatens to track Stack down if he refuses to cooperate. Afraid of capture, Stack enters through the kitchen, hoping to avoid detection. Once in Hoyt's room, Stack attacks, promising to take Hoyt down with him. Within moments, it's apparent Stack has fallen into a trap. Tarrance and his FBI agents swarm around Stack, handcuffing him and dragging him away.

Louis and Tarrance examine evidence left behind in the warehouse where Abby was tortured. The water and cloth paint a clear picture of Abby's torment. But is Abby responsible for the electrocuted body lying in a puddle of water?

Finally free of the hospital's drugs, Abby refuses to divulge the details of her torture to Mitch, despite Louis' urging. She won't be tried for her torturer's death, which was collateral damage. Mitch tells Abby what's happened: Andrew is dead (which she knows, because she witnessed his murder), and Alex and Stack have been arrested. It's over. Smug with the knowledge the government can't connect her with the Stack's crimes, Alex insists on her innocence and naivete. Other Kinross lawyers, including Andrew, may have been involved, but Alex was not. Unfortunately, Ruckeyser is forced to release Alex due to lack of evidence. Mitch is justifiably livid, but Ruckeyser's back is against the wall. Nevertheless, Ruckeyser promises she'll find a way to take Alex down for her crimes. Louis visits Abby's hospital room to tell her what he found at the warehouse where she was tortured. When she admits she was waterboarded, Louis advises her to tell her doctors and family, but Abby insists she will only do so in her own time.

Back at home, Claire pampers Abby with all the blankets and tissues her heart desires, but Abby is detached and distracted. She tells Mitch that she just needs to sit for a while; right now, she can't help him. She'll talk when she's ready. For now, he should just get on with life. When Abby apologizes to Claire for everything, Claire apologizes back, feeling guilty that she was what made the family leave witness protection. Abby assures her this isn't the case, and Claire has nothing to feel guilty about.

Back at home, Claire pampers Abby with all the blankets and tissues her heart desires, but Abby is detached and distracted. She tells Mitch that she just needs to sit for a while; right now, she can't help him. She'll talk when she's ready. For now, he should just get on with life. When Abby apologizes to Claire for everything, Claire apologizes back, feeling guilty that she was what made the family leave witness protection. Abby assures her this isn't the case, and Claire has nothing to feel guilty about.

In court, Alex argues that the hard drive was illegally obtained by the FBI. Mitch and Ray may not be law enforcement, but they were instructed by Ruckeyser to bring in hard evidence. Ruckeyser is beside herself, pointing out that Stack is responsible for over 100 murders. Judge Kerzan agrees to a hearing to find out whether the drive is sufficient and legal evidence.

Abby reveals the truth about her torture to Tammy. The agony has changed her, and her relationship with Mitch can never be the same again; his insatiable desire for trouble has once again inflicted unspeakable pain on her. Meanwhile, Mitch visits Stack in jail to ask a question. What was his mission? When Stack refuses to answer, Mitch decides Stack never had a mission in the first place; he's ultimately nothing more than a greedy corporate shill who did it for the money. Stack reminds Mitch that he's a man with many friends. Sarah was in prison too, yet somehow, her cell door opened at just the right time. That could very well happen again.

At the hearing, Alex drills Mitch, Ray and Tammy on how and why they stole the drive from Kinross. Their clever deception may prove to be their downfall, as they seemed to be working under Ruckeyser's demand for hard evidence. After a day of deliberation, Judge Kerzan deems the hard drive inadmissible, since Mitch worked under Ruckeyser's guidance to obtain it. Stack is free to go.

Defeated and deflated, Mitch and Ruckeyser know they no longer have a case. Louis confronts Abby, pleading with her to testify against Stack for Andrew Palmer's murder. Abby gives her permission, allowing Louis to arrest Stack on the spot. Mitch and Ruckeyser are shocked, finally figuring out that Abby witnessed Andrew's murder.