“Normal, Illinois” is episode thirteen of season two of First Wave.
At a pool party for teenagers, a boy and a girl start heading inside. The boy, Carson, talks to another who, unlike the others, isn’t in a swimming costume. It seems the second. Robbie, is the boyfriend of Laura, whose house it is; Carson doesn’t think much of him and vice versa. Laura comes out and talks to Robbie; he says he can’t handle her friends and they think he’s a loser. She says he isn’t; he has her. Inside, the other two are making out, but the girl is saying her head hurts. Carson isn’t listening. Then she screams; Carson’s entire face is lit up with electricity.
Cade arrives in Normal, saying that every week they get more emails. Robbie has emailed them repeatedly about the death of Carson. Recent experiences – the events of the previous episode, “Night Falls” – have shown that following up emails is a risky business, but sometimes the risk is worth it.
Cade meets Robbie, who cuts his hand to show he’s human. He recognises Cade from his wanted poster. Robbie follows Cade’s journals every week. He says he kind of knew Carson and, though he didn’t see what happened, heard that his face went electric. Cade asked about the coroner’s report. Robbie asks him if he doesn’t watch The X-Files. No, Cade doesn’t. Robbie says the report will say that Carson died of something regular. He’s not the first kid to die oddly; Robbie heard his folks saying a couple of other normal, healthy kids bought it. Cade asks if they can meet somewhere later, where they won’t be seen by the police.
Robbie arrives at Laura’s and tells her Cade Foster is in town, and there are aliens in Normal. Laura thinks aliens in Normal sounds like a plot to a bad movie. Robbie says Carson’s death was weird and she knows it. But telling people you believe in aliens makes them think you’re crazy. Robbie doesn’t think the cops will handle it or listen to him. Later, they are making out and Laura is saying her head hurts when her father returns home. He is not happy to see Robbie.
Eddie has looked things up and says Robbie is right. Four kids died from unusual causes. They were the best and the brightest, good looking, top athletes, popular. Eddie has not had great experiences with kids like that. The coroner found two kids with procaine in their system. It affects the nervous system of the prefrontal cortex, and it isn’t normal to have such in your system. It’s only toxic in high quantities and is usually absorbed through water. Cade suggests it could be in the town’s water supply, then decides not to finish drinking the glass he has. He’s going to talk to Robbie again.
Cade meets Robbie in the park as arranged. Robbie has arranged to meet with Sondra, Carson’s girlfriend, at Laura’s house. They don’t have much time, though. Is there a problem? Yes; Laura’s dad. Sondra tells Cade that Carson went berserk, like he was plugged into an electrical socket. Electricity was buzzing all over his face. Anything else? She started to feel bad. Laura is telling Robbie she’s read Cade’s journals. She thinks her dad’s an alien. Robbie says he’s a jerk, not an alien. Back before the car crash that killed her mother, Laura’s father cut his hand and bled for some time. Aliens heal instantly. Laura’s father returns home early and Robbie and Cade have to bolt.
Cade wants Robbie to talk to his friends to see if any are having problems. Like during sex. Robbie isn’t enthused about asking them that, but Cade says he can’t; he doesn’t know them. Robbie wants to know why Cade is doing this. He has to know most people thing he’s insane. With a murder rap, if Cade is caught, he will go to jail for life. Cade wants to prove his innocence. How do you prove something most people can’t see? Why does Robbie believe? He believes in Cade. Until they have proof, they’ll both just have to be crazy.
Eddie has found nothing in the water. Cade suggests the death was triggered by lust. Teenagers dying by having sex? Only the plot of half the slasher movies around. According to Eddie, procaine facilitates the transfer of electricity. Enough, and they become a superconductor. But how did the procaine get into the system and where did the electricity come from?
Cade heads to see the coroner, pretending to be from the ME’s. The coroner won’t let him look at Carson’s file without proper authorisation. She does ask what happened with the other three reports. About the other three kids. It’s not normal for them to have died. The coroner also found cranial extracts, small devices that look part organic, part machine, found in the medulla oblongata. The other three are gone. No, Cade can’t examine this one.
It does seem the Gua are trying to encourage children to be celibate by killing those that aren’t. Laura was right; it is the plot of a bad movie.