Karen's kidnapper, Phil Harbert, brings her to a guestroom in his home. He's laden it with food and new clothes for Karen, telling her he wants her to be comfortable. He tells Karen she hasn't been kidnapped, she's just disappeared. Greg uses the cleanup of Empire Valley as publicity for Peter. Greg tells him that he won't really clean it up until Lotus Point goes bankrupt. Peter tells Jill, who tells Gary.Val is overjoyed when Ben comes home. Later Ben receives a note from his old friend Jean Hackney to meet her. He goes to her boutique, which is a cover from underground activities. She asks him to spy on Greg, and kisses him. He tells her he no longer can do either activity. Flashback Scene: Young Mac, Greg and Phil go to the Matheson's, only to find out they've gone to their summer residence. Mac is upset because he didn't get to say goodbye to Anne.

Phil makes Karen cut her hair because he likes short hair better.Ben refuses to spy for Jean. The arsenic levels at Lotus Point are rising. Gary decides to run for the senate himself, against Peter. He thinks that this will pressure Greg to really clean up Empire Valley. Jill agrees to be Gary's campaign manager, and this angers Peter. Jill tells Peter that only Gary is important to her now. Mac breaks down to Val over Karen, and Val comforts him. Flashback Scene: Mac, Phil and Greg see Anne on a train, but Mac is afraid to approach her. Greg speaks with her, and she slaps him. Mac apologizes to Anne, and she agrees to go out with him. He falls asleep by her pool while waiting for her to get ready on their first date.

Jean calls Ben and he tells her never to call him at home. Ben poses Val a hypothetical question: Should he do a report on a man who was once in a subversive group that bombed a building, but had gotten out and was now a responsible man with a family? Val says no, as it would hurt his family. Abby shows up at a speech that Gary gives, and tells Jill that she will be with Gary morning, noon and night. However, she gives Peter copies of Gary's speeches and schedule. Phil tells Karen that he wants Mac to feel what it's like not to know where his wife is. Phil says that Mac sent him to jail and he didn't know what was happening to his wife, and then she died. He says he'll let Karen go in a year. Greg decides to really clean up Empire Valley. Phil stops by to see Greg. Greg excitedly tells Laura that he's a good friend from law school.