“Second Degree” is episode seven of season two of Continuum.
In the previous episode, “Second Truths”, in order to catch a serial killer Kiera had told Carlos she was from the future, which was how she knew things about the case. Unsurprisingly, Carlos did not believe her. At first. Events changes his mind, and it seems Kiera has decided to tell him everything, so that her mission will not fail if she dies.
Kellog’s attempt to scoop up another person with ideas that will change the future failed, because Escher and Piron were there ahead of him. It’s unclear as to whether Kellog is familiar with the name Escher. He is definitely familiar with Piron. Alec took his girlfriend Emily to the lab, which Kellog was not happy about. She also seems to be working for someone else – this did not come as a shock, because things seemed a little too pat, as did her suggestion to go to the secret lab.
Once again, this episode opens in the future, with two guards coming to take Julian – Theseus – from his prison cell. It alternates with events in the past (present?) where the young Julian is also being led from his prison cell.
Kiera, along with Carlos, is visiting the grave of Elena, her former partner who she discovered had also travelled back to the past in “Second Skin” – shortly before she died. At the grave Kiera notices something odd and checks – the coffin is empty. The body would have value to someone else who knew she was a time traveller. Agent Gardiner is watching them unseen and Kiera goes to check on the two Liber8 corpses from the future. Both have been removed, by someone claiming to be from Section 6, like Kiera.
Gardiner is still pressing Kiera, suggesting that he exhume Elena’s coffin. So she agrees, and tells him to look into the two missing Liber8 bodies as well. Hopefully to keep him busy.
It turns out that Julian is going to be released. Carlos is at the courthouse, and meets his politician friend Jim there, who is under Liber8’s control to a degree, at least Sonya’s, and is running for mayor. The question is how much. Carlos is testifying in court, about Julian’s shooting of him – the only thing that will probably keep Julian locked up. Kiera spots Sonya at the courthouse and a demonstration by Liber8 disrupts proceedings. Travis also wants Jim working for him, not Sonya. Sonya is interfering with the trial by blackmailing a juror. Alec’s mother is also giving evidence in the trial and this causes problems.
Whoever Emily is, she’s quite dangerous. It’s revealed who she’s working for, and it’s not a surprise.
There are some more clips from the future regarding Julian’s trial in the future.