Swamp Thing

Previously on Swamp Thing...

It's made out to cash.

So what's this really about, Sunderland? Buying a kid like this?

She seems happy here.

I just hope to God she's okay.

That's why I'm keeping Dr. Woodrue on the payroll.

These numbers.

They can only refer to the thickness of a cell wall.

So it's either a plant,

or an animal.

And what if I told you my entries are accurate?

Well, the last ten million years

of biology would disagree with you.

As would I.

-Hello, Gordon. -Got nothing to say.

I know you've been making off-the-books loans

to Avery Sutherland.

It's him I want.

Have you seen anything more?

About my... mission?

The cards aren't clear.

Not just about you.

About the future of this entire town.

I think I found some debris from the explosion.

This is from Holland's boat.

Looks like someone shot him.

I'm scared for you, Abby.

This is only the beginning.

Susie's in bed now.

To be honest, I thought it would take her

a little bit longer to acclimate,

after everything she's been through.

But she seems to like it here.

What time will you be back?

Well, meeting's first thing in the morning,

so I shouldn't be too late.

Maria?

Maria?

You there?

Oh, sorry. I... I think that she might be awake.

Listen, thanks, Avery, for arranging all of this.

Well, you know, it's me that should be thanking you.

What for?

For funding Dr. Woodrue's research, you know.

With your help, he's gonna be able to keep little Susie healthy,

and a lot of other people, too.

I better go check on her, okay?

Okay, yeah, you better, hon. I'll see you tomorrow.

Put that damn thing out and get your ass over here.

Yes, ma'am, Sheriff.

Susie!

Susie?

Susie?

Susie.

What's wrong, honey? What happened?

There was someone standing there.

-She looked angry. -Who?

The girl from the pictures downstairs.

You just had a nightmare.

It's perfectly normal, new house, new bed.

You're so cold.

I'll get you a warmer blanket.

No, no, no. Please.

Please don't go.

It's just in the hall closet, okay?

I'll be right back.

You know, I used to have nightmares when I was a little girl.

And my mom would always bring me a warm blanket

and make it all better.

Susie.

Susie, where did you go?

Susie.

Susie!

Shawna! Shawna.

Shawna!

Oh, God. Shawna.

Oh, Shawna!

Oh.

You tried to replace me.

First with Abby, and now with her.

No, I...

I never wanted that.

It was only you.

Shawna, I love you more than you'll ever know.

Just for future reference, yellow tag means

"especially active mutagenic site."

Note to self. Check back every week

to assess the insane plant growth in this area.

Yeah.

Yeah, this is good.

I don't know what's happening out here, but this is gonna be good for my career,

I think, and could get my life back on track.

Knock on wood. Something's coming.

Something good.

Everything's about to change.

What's happening to me?

No.

Stop it. I don't want to see this.

Make it stop!

Hey, how's the fishing around here?

'Cause the folks in town said the bass would jump right up in your boat.

You should leave now.

It's not safe here.

I love it out here. I really do.

The sweaty smells,

the funky grass, the blossoms.

The trees.

I swear, when the wind's just right,

you can hear 'em whispering their secrets.

The trees...

You can come on out of there if you want.

The fish are biting, not me.

Come on.

You're not afraid of me.

Are you someone I should be afraid of?

Not of who I was.

Of what I've become.

Hmm. Transitions in life.

They can be difficult.

Caterpillar to butterfly,

child to adult... The process in life, it's, uh,

it's never easy.

But what's in here?

Nobody can take that away except for you.

Who are you?

Do it. Do it.

Shit!

Aah! Shit!

All right.

I lived up to my end of the bargain.

I can leave now, right?

Help! Ahh!

I was planted here to wait for Abby Arcane, right?

Well, she's here.

And by the way,

I saved her neck.

But instead of getting a gold star from my ride back to Hollywood,

I get this again?

I just wanted a break.

If I had known I'd be trapped in this hell,

I never would have made that... Argh! Shit.

Playing you definitely was not worth all this.

When I get back to LA,

I'm selling your ass.

Oh!

Whoa.

That was a...

What's gotten into you?

I don't know.

After whatever it was that happened the other night, I guess...

I guess I just needed that.

But whatever it was that got into you,

I hope it gets into you more often.

Mmm.

Where you going?

-Come on, Avery. -What are you doing?

What, that's it?

I got the room till noon.

Well...

We both know that this works best when...

we just keep it short and sweet.

You know, there's some lines that we're better off not crossing.

You always wear that ring, don't you?

Not always.

I remember the day I gave it to you.

It might be my favorite day I ever had.

It was a long time ago.

You ever think about what might have been?

You mean before Maria sashayed into town

with her smiles and the bottomless bank account?

Thought that Maria was one of those lines

you're not supposed to cross.

Well, don't you worry, Avery. You're still calling the shots.

Just like you always have.

Ah, shit.

Liz Tremayne.

She already left me three messages last night.

Huh. Really?

What's that all about?

She's asking about some evidence her girlfriend found

up in Skeeter Cove.

A piece of aluminum skiff with blast marks

and buckshot holes.

Proof that someone wanted Holland dead.

She's pushing for an investigation.

Well, what do you think?

I think it would make for great copy in the weekly.

Ah, damn reporters. Once they smell blood in the water...

Yeah. Still, I gotta look into it.

Gotta solve this so-called murder

before Tremayne beats me to it.

This sample is unlike anything I've ever seen before.

The cells are expanding and contracting

seemingly at will.

If destroyed, they regenerate,

defying all laws of biology as we know it.

I can't believe I'm going to say this,

but based on what I've seen in the past few days,

I'm beginning to wonder

if we're dealing with something beyond the known scope of science--