“The Plan” is episode ten of season three of First Wave.
A woman in an off-road vehicle pulls up outside a bunker door and gets out. She identifies herself as Allegra, an Osmocist, and the doors open. Inside, a Gua, who calls her general, signs her in and another Gua, Stephen, greets her. Allegra says she was in the middle of three priority ops; she assumed Mabus called them for good reason. Stephen says there has been a build-up of troops in strategic cities. Allegra says they aren’t ready; the Assembly wouldn’t authorise this. They didn’t. She says Mabus doesn’t have the right.
Mabus tells several generals that he is moving up the invasion schedule. One insists an Assembly vote be taken. That won’t be necessary; Mabus is dissolving the Assembly. The general protests that Mabus doesn’t have the power. Mabus disagrees and kills him. He tells the generals to be ready for the Second Wave.
Jordan arrives at Eddie’s trailer after a run. Inside, Eddie and Cade are arguing; Eddie can’t find any relevant quatrains and Cade suggests the quatrains aren’t getting them anywhere. Eddie explains how they have in the past. Jordan suggests they take a break. Outside, Cade is concerned they don’t know what Mabus’s plans are. Jordan suggests they stick to their own. Take down the Gua one at a time and keep searching for Mabus. She reassures Cade that they will find him.
Joshua watches Allegra arrive at an encampment and starts sneaking in. However, Stephen is behind him with a gun; they’ve been expecting Joshua. The communique Joshua intercepted was bait. Joshua used to be the best; now he’s among the greatest traitors. What made him turn? The invasion will be their death. Cade may be the one mentioned in their prophecies. Stephen would kill Joshua. But they need his help.
Eddies calls Jordan and Cade back in. He thinks he’s found something. A virus, programmed to infect his server, used to get his attention. Decrypted, and it’s a message from Joshua asking Cade to meet him. Cade thinks it’s worth the risk.
Joshua is waiting with Allegra and Stephen. Joshua isn’t sure Cade will show. Stephen says Cade will. Or they will hand Joshua over to the Acolytes for execution. Cade arrives and Joshua heads over to greet him. He has an offer Cade might be interested in. Jordan has found the other two through a rifle scope. Joshua says this isn’t a setup; Cade is vital to their plan. To assassinate Mabus.
Back at Eddie’s trailer and Jordan implants Cade with a tracker. Eddie is uncertain this is a good idea and Jordan isn’t convinced either. Cade is going to go anyway.
He heads back and is greeted by Allegra. Who would rather shoot him. She explains that the area is Gua training grounds, 100,000 acres of private land purchased from the government. Stephen asks Joshua if he really believes Cade is the one mentioned in the prophecies. He does. If they succeed, someone will have to replace Mabus. Stephen says this isn’t about his desire for power, but about what’s best for the Gua. Remember who is the traitor here. Joshua tells him that sometimes traitors are the truest patriots. Cade arrives with Allegra and they greet him. And tell him not to use his phone; command could pick up the signal and compromise them. They have a common goal, that’s all. Humans are still scum. The feeling is mutual.
Allegra explains that they haven’t developed a husk strong enough to hold Mabus’s consciousness for more than a few weeks. He spends the bulk of his time in an incubation unit, slowing down the husk’s decomposition. Stephen will enter the bunker distract Mabus and disable the last line of defence. Allegra spent 8 months in the bunker and is familiar with the security systems. Joshua is a weapons specialist and Acolyte assassin. Cade will initially be a decoy, then be the one to kill Mabus. They have a special gun that should destroy both Mabus and his consciousness. Mabus is not like regular Gua. No-one knows how strong he really is. Given that they can get in and close to Mabus without Cade, he asks them why he’s needed. Because if Mabus is killed by a Gua, it could lead to civil war, at home and here. If Cade kills Mabus, it will raise questions about the viability of the invasion.
Joshua is probably the most trustworthy of the three. Allegra has personal issues and can barely restrain herself from shooting Cade. Stephen has an interest in gaining power. Eddie is still searching the quatrains to find something useful and is concerned. Jordan isn’t that happy either.