What Happens in Atlantic City is the second episode of the second season of the Reacher Prime Video television series. It aired on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service on December 15, 2023.
Synopsis[]
The investigation into Franz's murder takes Reacher and the surviving members of his former Army unit to Atlantic City where the mystery deepens, danger awaits, and an old flame is rekindled.
Plot[]
As they exit Swan's residence, Reacher notices the sedan from before is following them and confronts the driver. Reacher knocks out the driver and Neagley discovers he is an NYPD detective named Gaitano "Guy" Russo. The trio flee with O'Donnell criticizing him for his reckless actions as he will be wanted, Neagley recognizes Russo to be one of the officers in charge of Franz's murder case. Reacher theorizes NYPD had seen Franz's call made to Neagley and got alerted when she bought his plane ticket though does not know the reason. O'Donnell called Jorge Sanchez and Manuel Orozco only to find their voice mail was full. Accumulated with unfortunate circumstances, Reacher suggests to head to Atlantic city to search Sanchez and Orozco.
At the same time, the scarred man calls Shane Langston to inform him of recent event and requests backup. Langston agrees and orders him to continue to tail them.
In airport parking, Neagley and O'Donnell debate where they should get their next vehicle from, Reacher spots one of 110th member Karla Dixon who had been in an deep undercover job in Texas for a corporate embezzlement case and did not get their message until recently. Reacher updates Dixon with the ongoing case and asks her to rent a car with her fake ID to which she obliges and joins them in their investigation.
Military Days
Back in their military days, Dixon brought Reacher's attention to a case of aviation fuel theft in Afghanistan. Dixon theorizes fuel was not stolen just for making a profit as she noticed it was stolen on nights when C-17s ferried Humvees back to U.S. Dixon creates the mantra "in an investigation, details matter" to which Reacher takes note for his future cases. Dixon points out there were no black market fuel deals around the area with Neagley's theory about the plane being intentionally over-fueled but the amount of fuel when the plane lands is as expected. Reacher realizes the excess weight was not fuel, but was heavy contraband that was inside the Humvees. With that knowledge, Reacher decides to look into the case. To celebrate, Dixon asks him to go out and buy her a beer but Reacher rejects the proposal.
In the present, Dixon looks over the number pages left behind by Franz but is unable to make sense of them. Despite it's nonsensical meaning, Dixon points out the first four, sixth and seven pages have 26 numbers while the fifth has 27 numbers. O'Donnell suspects James Barr is behind the murders though Reacher quickly disproves of this based on his MO and the fact Barr was in Reacher's debt when he ran into him in Indiana last year. Along the road, the scarred man determines the vehicle was hired by Dixon under her fake alias and confirms she was going with them to Atlantic City. He informs Langston who is glad to hear that all of them are in one place and orders him to take them out by the next day.
Lucky Lounge Bar's Meeting
In Atlantic City, New Jersey, the team find Sanchez and Orozco's workplace to be in a similar state as all the other properties owned by members of 110th saved for Swan's. As they searched, O'Donnell comes across the photo taken on the first night the unit was together. Reacher realizes he is the only member who does not have one. Reacher comes across a framed photo of Sanchez and another woman in the bar and decides it's their next lead. They arrive at Lucky's Lounge bar where Reacher and Neagley questions the woman's wherabouts while Dixon and O'Donnell are stationed outside. The pair are led into the office by two patrons while Milena is warned by the bartender to escape. Milena's escape is noticed by Dixon and O'Donnell who proceed to give chase while Reacher and Neagley thwart the staff's ambush attempt, Dixon successfully catches Milena. Inside the bar, Milena apologises for attempting to run away as she recogniszes their faces from Sanchez's old photos and reassures them the staff were only looking out for her safety. The bartender chimes in a scarred man, claiming to work with Sanchez and Orozco had asked Milena a week prior whether Sanchez had left a digital storage device with her. Sensing something wrong, Milena called Sanchez but got no answer and suspects something had gone wrong. O'Donnell inquires Orozco's connection with Franz and Swan, Milena confirms they were working on a case together and had been to the bar couple of weeks ago as well as mentioning Swan in their case but not in their operation. Milena is shocked upon hearing that Franz was killed which drives her to the thought of whether Sanchez and Orozco were killed as well but Neagley assures her that it's unconfirmed. In her last encounter with Sanchez, Milena recalls he had received a call with the phrase "650 at 100k each" which worries him and hurriedly left the bar.
Determined the amount of money was possibly stolen in a casino, the team travels to Neptune Casino and theorize Sanchez and Orozco had worked as freelance casino security and stumbled on the case and reached out to Franz for assistance. When a casino waitress named Ellie asks for their order, Reacher instead asks her to get the director of security. The team is introduced to David Wright who recognizes them from Sanchez and Orozco's tales about the unit. Wright is shocked to learn of their potential deaths, Dixon asks him for his help on analyzing the numbers, but is unable to make sense of them. Reacher informs him about a possible case of gambling scam though Wright assures him all money is accounted for. Wright offers to ask the competitors if they had knew anything related to their case and allows them to stay in a suite for a day while it's processed.
The 110th Catch Up
In the suite, the team open up about their lives and Dixon revealed of her engagement but broken off. Initially, she thought her fiance was cheating but found the girl he texting was his niece. Initially thinking of his infidelity, she felt relieved as she couldn't see herself in a relationship that was just stable but not exciting. However, the guilt led her into taking a deep undercover assignment. Neagley was working to accumulate money for her father's nursing care. Reacher reveals his nomadic lifestyle feels like freedom as he treats settlement and corporate world like a cage and opens up about his routine when asked by Dixon. She asks if he ever gets lonely though he doesn’t answer. At night, Reachher sneaks out to analyze the numbers when he spots Dixon at a blackjack table, winning with her skills. Dixon is accused of counting cards and is politely thrown out with the scarred man sitting nearby. They take a late night walk where she express her desire of busting government corruption from abusing tax money and utilize it to help people in need and desires to start a non-profit watchdog group. She asks how their relationship had never occurred back in the military days to which he reasons it was not professional due to their positions. They soon notice two men following them and Reacher notices the tailing vehicle. He suggests to lure them to a construction site where Reacher kills one with a trowel, and Dixon kills another by using as a body shield. Reacher catches up with the scarred face man and drowns him in cement before they bury their bodies in wet cement. They found no ID, but discover the man's burner with Langston's number, Reacher calls Langston who warns him it will not end well for them but Reacher senses fear in his voice before hanging up. Inside the car, they discover their profiles as well as a New Age Technologies parking pass which had been stamped yesterday morning. Reacher realizes they were pros before heading back to the hotel where they treat each other's injuries sustained from the fight. Enamoured, the pair sleep together.
A.M. in Denver, Colorado
Outside Denver, Colorado, A.M. arrives at the designated meeting point where a man informs him 650 are on a truck and can be tracked with a GPS locator. The man gives him a map of the area and points out two potential ambush points. A.M. assures him the weapons are going to be used overseas and the driver will not be harmed.
The next morning, Reacher and Dixon inform the team about their findings and ordeal. Wright visits and updates them Atlantic City PD have discovered Sanchez and Orozco's bodies in Catskill mountains with injuries similar to Franz's and had been there for some time based on decomposition. Additionally, Wright reveals no one had checked into any hotel in the area with the given A.M aliases, Orozco and Sanchez did not work for any competitors. When inquired about the scam, the competitors pulled their overnight audits and verified their losses were within acceptable margins. Dixon determines the case is centered on New York based on current evidence and facts. Still angry about the deaths of his former team members, Reacher seeks to acquire more weapons.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher
- Maria Sten as Frances Neagley
- Serinda Swan as Karla Dixon
- Shaun Sipos as David O'Donnell
- Ferdinand Kingsley as A.M.
- Robert Patrick as Shane Langston
Guest Starring[]
- Domenick Lombardozzi as Guy Russo
- Joris Jarsky as Trevor Saropian
- Andres Collantes as Jorge Sanchez
- Edsson Morales as Manuel Orozco
- Arlen Aguayo Stewart as Milena
- Lochlyn Munro as Chief David Wright
Co-Starring[]
- Emeka Menakaya as Bartender
- Kevan Kase as Dullworth
- Neven Pajkic as Woodrum
- Valentina Mendoza Guzman as Casino Waitress
- Viviana Zarrillo as Doreen - Buffet Cashier
- Doni-Lyn Wallace as Dealer
- Omar Tucci as Pit Boss
- Adrian Griffin as Man in Suit
Images[]
Cast Images[]
Episode Images[]
Music[]
- Main article: Music in the Prime Video Series
- Boogaloo Down Broadway by The Fantastic Johnny C
- Very Best Thing by Quinn Devaux & the California Honeydrops
- Possum Kingdom by Toadies
- Fox I'm the Henhouse by Quaker City Nighthawks
- Darlin' by Denny and the Jets
- It's Time by Nick Waterhouse
- Perfect Timing by GT Sparks
- Long Runs The Fox by The Bonnevilles
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