PASSWORD: TS19
The episode opens with a flashback, which features Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal) attempting to save an unconscious Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln). Observing military personnel killing various patients, doctors, and walkers from the premise, Shane tries to carry Rick out of the hospital, to no avail. After an explosion, the hospital machines shut off, and Shane puts his ear to Rick's chest and begins to think he has died. Distraught, Shane leaves Rick in the room and puts a hospital bed against the door to protect him from walkers.
After entering the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters, the survivors are confronted by Dr. Edwin Jenner (Noah Emmerich), who is armed with an automatic rifle. Jenner allows the group to stay on the condition that they all must undertake a blood test, to which Rick agrees. As the group indulge in various luxuries such as showers and wine, many of them are perplexed with the situation. Jenner reveals that he is the only medical personnel dedicated to eradicating the walker illness; many of the medical staff have returned to their families or have committed suicide. Meanwhile, a drunk Shane confronts Lori Grimes (Sarah Wayne Callies) about her callous attitude towards him. As the argument begins to peak, Shane attempts to rape Lori, but backs off when she scratches him on the neck.
The next morning, Jenner shows the group the clinical results of Test Subject 19, a person (later announced to be his wife) who was bitten by a walker and volunteered to be observed as the infection progressed. The time-lapse MRI video demonstrates the disease attacking the brain, similar to meningitis, ultimately killing the victim. Brain activity is restarted a few hours later, simultaneously reanimating the body to mere basic functions. Jenner explains that the brain stem reanimates anywhere from a few minutes to 8 hours after death, and adds that the humanistic traits do not return.
Jenner theorizes that medical facilities worldwide may have faced similar predicaments. French doctors came close to finding a cure, but communication was lost. The survivors are shocked when they hear that human civilization has ceased to exist. Later, the group confirms that the last diesel tank is running out of fuel, and a power outage ensues. Since the facility was designed to isolate unimaginably dangerous diseases, if it can't power itself, it automatically destroys everything inside so that no diseases will get out. As they confront Jenner about their fate, Jenner seals them in the main room underground, and tells them that the decontamination procedure will mean the destruction of everything inside the facility, offering an instant and painless death to everyone inside.
Rick and Lori plead for the doors to be opened, while Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) and Shane attempt to force Jenner to open the doors. He relents because they know if they kill him they will not get the combination to open the doors then all of them would indeed die. Finally, with less than five minutes remaining, Jenner opens the doors after Rick's pleading with him to let them at least "try" to overcome this tragedy and not be forced to die. Two of the survivors, Jacqui (Jeryl Prescott Sales) and Andrea (Laurie Holden), choose to stay behind, but Dale Horvath (Jeffrey DeMunn) refuses to leave without Andrea. Before Rick leaves, Jenner whispers something to him. The rest of the group heads for the exits, using a grenade to blow out one of the front windows, and fight their way to their vehicles through several walkers. Andrea and Dale emerge from the building moments before the building detonates; Jacqui stays inside with Jenner. As Jacqui and Jenner hold hands and let tears drop from their faces, the explosion begins. As the episode ends, the survivors form a vehicular convoy and leave the area, while a massive column of smoke and flame marks the place where the CDC building had stood.
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