Containment

A deadly epidemic hits Atlanta and the city goes into lockdown, forcing those inside to fight for their lives.

While Lex attempts to maintain control outside the cordon, he learns that a young woman, who had close contact with an infected patient, is unaccounted for. With limited resources available, Lex is forced to enlist help from Jake, whose growing resentment towards Lex for getting him trapped inside is causing him to spiral. Elsewhere, Katie attempts to keep it together as she keeps a watchful eye over her students, while Teresa is devastated to learn that her friends may have been exposed to the virus. Finally, Jana, who has learned that her best friend Suzy (guest star Nadine Lewington) is also trapped inside the cordon, rations out their limited food as they wait out the 48-hour quarantine.

Following the release of several controversial videos depicting the chaos going on inside the cordon, Lex pleads with Dr. Lommers for additional reinforcements to be sent in. However, when the request is denied, Lex is forced to rely on a reluctant Jake to take control of the situation inside. Elsewhere, Katie has a tense stand-off with one of her student's desperate parents, while a robbery at her mom's store leaves Teresa shaken to her core. Finally, when Leo releases more damaging videos, drastic measures are taken to shut him down.

As the situation inside the cordon grows more dire, Lex's frustration builds as he becomes increasingly conflicted by the messages of false hope he's being forced to send to the public. When Jana suspects something is off with Lex's demeanor, she realizes the situation may be more serious than the government is letting on and devises a plan to reach Lex directly. At the hospital, Dr. Cannerts continues working towards finding an antidote, while Jake helps Katie cope with some personal issues. Elsewhere, Leo becomes concerned for his friends inside the cordon and turns to an unlikely ally to help him. Finally, a turn of events at the grocery mart leaves Teresa and her mother in a terrifying position.

Jake learns that a gang war is looming within the Cordon over the food supply.

With the sweltering heat hitting the triple digits and life outside the cordon returning to normal, Lex moves full steam ahead in an attempt to uncover the truth behind a potential government cover-up. Meanwhile, when Katie learns that Thomas's entire family has succumbed to the virus, and he is now missing, she and Jake set out to find him. After discovering that one of their captors may have contracted the virus, Xander (guest star Demetrius Bridges) and Teresa plan their escape from the grocery mart.