We knew that Meachum would end up going undercover as a prisoner at some point in Countdown, and it happened in season 1, episode 3. However, the op has some devastating consequences as things don’t quite work out as planned.
Caution: This post contains SPOILERS for Countdown season 1, episode 3.
The aim of the op was simple. Meachum needed to get a former Belarusian prisoner to talk to him, knowing that he’d likely know anything connected to this Volchek name. Well, it all starts off as planned, with Oliveras excited about the idea of working an undercover op again — that’s where she excels and she’s struggling with the drugs in her house right now — but things go wrong when Meachum and the inmate escape.
Meachum sees much more than he’s supposed to in Countdown season 1, episode 3
Meachum is able to swipe a phone and make sure others can find him. He shares that the inmate is going to take him to his uncle’s place, since the uncle is connected and will have somewhere safe to stay.
Well, the uncle doesn’t want two escaped inmates in his place, and Meachum soon realizes why. There’s a room full of plans, and the man we know as Volchek is there. Meachum has no idea what Volchek looks like, so he has no idea what he’s actually dealing with here.
However, Meachum has seen too much, and the inmate’s uncle takes him out back to kill him. Volchek has realized that all the plans need to be burned up, so he does that, leading to an explosion that gives Meachum some time to think. It also gives Meachum’s team time to find him.
A firefight leads to devastating consequences in Countdown
As all of this is happening, Shepherd and Bell learn that it’s Finau’s birthday. All Finau wants is to be able to get back home in time for dinner with his family. His wife is extremely understanding about his work, and she isn’t going to push for him to make it in time if he genuinely can’t.
Well, it ends up being that he won’t be making it in time for dinner. After finally finding out where Meachum is holding up, Blythe sends the group out. Meachum hasn’t explicitly asked for help, but Blythe can tell he needs it. It also doesn’t help that the District Attorney wants to be included on this task force since an LAPD officer is being involved in it. Can we trust this dude? That’s what Blythe isn’t sure about.
Back at the uncle’s restaurant, there’s a shootout. It leads to the deaths of the uncle and Belarusian inmate, but there’s a casualty on the other side. Meachum fears that Finau has been hit, but the shot missed. Sure, it missed him, but one of their own was hit in the chest. Damon falls to the ground as he realizes that he’s been hit, and everyone races to get the medical attention he’s going to need.
Countdown airs on Wednesdays on Prime Video.
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