In the first of 911’s 2-part Contagion event, the 118 responded to a fire at a lab where tests are run on various contagions. After getting the trapped scientists out safely, Bobby, Chimney, Ravi, and Hen become trapped in the lab where Chimney was exposed to a genetically engineered variant of the CCHF virus (Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever), while Hen is injured and needs immediate treatment in order to survive.
While Chimney was able to help talk Bobby through the procedure and save Hen’s life, he wasn’t as lucky as the episode ended with Chimney showing severe signs of CCHF. There was hope as one of the saved scientists revealed Dr. Blake, her disgruntled colleague who started the fire, had come up with a cure, but when Ravi went to retrieve it there was no cure to be found as we learned Dr. Blake took the antidote with her when she left.
Picking up where we left off, those on the outside are debating what to do, just as the FBI arrives to assume control of the scene. While Athena and Buck are at first relieved, that relief is fleeting as the FBI lead agent makes it clear they’re not looking to break the quarantine until they know what they’re dealing with. It’s clear they view Bobby, Chimney, Hen, and Ravi as lab rats, and that does not sit well with Buck or Athena, which is why it’s surprising when Bobby tells Athena to stand down.
Only that’s not what he was doing, he was actually sending a code to her to take matters into her own hands and find Dr. Blake. Athena quickly picked up on this and walked away from the base of operations. Buck caught up with her, and Athena clued him in on the plan as the pair headed out to try to find Dr. Blake.
Athena calls upon Officer Williams for an assist in looking out for Dr. Blake’s car, as she and Buck head out to Dr. Blake’s house in hopes of finding a lead. When they arrive at Dr. Blake’s house, the FBI has already arrived. Athena thinks quickly and enters the crime scene and lends a hand to a CSI, which gives her the chance to swipe the memory card with the CSI’s camera. They then go to Karen for help in looking through the photos.
Karen notices Dr. Blake has photos of some of the best scientists on the wall next to a photo of herself, which sparks a realization among the group that Dr. Blake has a savior complex. Buck pieces together that the fire was arson, and they realize her plan is to sell the antidote.
Back in the lab, Maddie walks Bobby through the various stages of CCHF. Chimney has already begun displaying symptoms of the first two phases, and all that is left is for organ failure to begin and time is not on their side. They need saline to help keep Chimney alive, but they’ve run out so they use the lab around them to make some with Hen walks Ravi and Bobby through how to make it, with Maddie helping with the math.
Just as they’re preparing the saline, Ravi collapses, and we realize his oxygen tank is empty. Fortunately, Bobby is able to come up with a solution, and Ravi helps finish the saline.
While Ravi and Hen work on the saline, Chimney asks Bobby to promise him that he’ll take care of Maddie and the kids if something happens to him. Bobby reassures him that he’s going to make it as he then calls Maddie and puts her on the phone with Chimney to help keep him awake. As they chat, things take a drastic turn as Chimney begins to bleed profusely from his nose. While Ravi, Bobby, and Hen are able to slow the bleeding it becomes clear time is starting to run out.
Fortunately, Athena and Buck are doing everything they can to get to the cure as a duo on a mission, and they’re not going to let anyone get in their way.
With help from Officer Williams, they find the car Dr. Blake stole after fleeing the scene of her crime and realize the car just so happens to be parked outside a Big Pharma corporate office – the same one where we saw Dr. Blake sitting down to meet with a rep. As Athena and Buck enter the building, the man comes down to greet them as we learn he had called 911 in sensing something was off when Dr. Blake came in trying to sell the cure.
Athena heads up to find Dr. Blake and secure the cure, which she does, but as they head down to meet Buck, he’s come running up the stairs to let them know the FBI and Army have arrived. They race up to the rooftop, where Buck has arranged for Tommy to serve as their ride to take them to the lab.
The plan seems to be working until the Army sends two helicopters up after them, which forces Tommy to land the plane at the LA Memorial Coliseum, of all places. As they exit, all hope seems lost until we realize Athena didn’t join them and that Karen actually drove her to the lab with the cure.
The scientists help suit Athena up and walk her through how to get to the team inside with the cure. Athena gets the cure to Bobby just in time for him to give it to Chimney. The cure works, and Chimney pulls through. With the threat neutralized, everyone is evacuated, which is when we get a major curveball.
Chimney survives, but sadly Bobby dies a hero’s death
As everybody gets out of the lab, we see Bobby walking back into the containment area and sealing himself in. A panicked Buck runs to Bobby, as he shouts through the sealed door. Bobby takes off his mask. We see he’s bleeding from his nose and comes to the realization that he’s been infected as well.
Buck calls Athena in over the radio and tells her to get down to the lab as it becomes clear Bobby won’t be making it out.
After an emotional goodbye to Buck, Bobby sends Buck away so that he can have some time alone with Athena to say his last goodbye. Bobby tells her how he realized his oxygen hose had been compromised and he was exposed to the CCHF as well. He managed to hide his symptoms from the team in order to ensure the one cure was given to Chimney and that all of his team made it out.
Bobby says a heartbreaking goodbye to Athena, who stays with him until he takes his final breath. Sadly, Bobby did not make it out of this one alive, marking the most shocking and heartbreaking death the show has delivered yet.
