Summary: In a transport plane flying over the desert, Hawk tells new recruits Duke and Scarlett that in their mission they will have 24 hours to find out where they are and what their mission is. He then has Stalker toss their parachutes out of the plane without then and gives them code words: "Buick" and "N.L.V.C.H." They dive out after their parachutes, and Stalker follows them as Hawk tells him his 'chute doesn't work, and throws another after him. On the ground, Duke and Scarlett guess they're in Nevada and wonder what's next.

In Dallas, ATF agents surround a house owned by a billionaire who killed his own family days ago. New arrivals to the scene -- a blonde CID agent in pastel clothing, and a black-haired MP -- discuss the suspect with the ATF. He was an Army deserter and green beret that has been on the run for seven years. He shot and strangled his previous family and ran off with a large amount of explosives. The agents eventually storm the house and the billionaire opens fire with a sniper rifle. The MP explains the suspect was once a psychologist who began have breaks with reality. The week before, he had plastic surgery in Las Vegas, where he was recognized by the Airborne Ranger in the next bed, whose face was mangled on a black ops mission. He had worked with the billionaire during a secret operation in Central America years ago. After the Ranger's fax tipped the agents off, the suspect killed the doctor and destroyed the records by setting off an explosion. In the house, an ATF officer notices the famous painting, "Saturn Devouring His Child", with the face ripped out of it.

In Nevada, Duke and Scarlett hitch a ride with a woman named Connie, who turns out to be a former Military Police sergeant who has two prosthetics replacements for her lower legs. She's suspicious of the Joes immediately and pulls a gun. Eventually, she realizes they must be good guys and takes them to where she thinks their code words suggest.

In Dallas, the raving billionaire fights back, firing on the agents. "I have remade myself. I'm ever-changing... elusive... unknowable!" he shouts. "I'm a damned Chimera!" After he sets off an explosion, he appears out of the dust with his machine gun, wearing a mask made from the torn painting. he announces he has to tie up loose ends in Vegas.

At the North Las Vegas Community Hospital (N.V.L.C.H) in burn unit intensive care bed K (BUICK), Duke, Scarlett and Connie meet the burned Ranger who survived the explosion at the plastic surgery clinic. His face is covered in bandages and he's unable to speak. Behind them, a TV news report mentions the suspect in Dallas fled after an explosion. As Duke wonders if they were meant to recruit the burned soldier, the Ranger writes the Joes a note: "Get me out of here!" As Duke and Scarlett sneak the Ranger outside in a wheelchair, "Chimera" arrives dressed as a surgeon, but finds Connie instead of the Ranger. Outside, the Joes see the hospital room explode and are attacked by Chimera. He refers to the Ranger as "Snake-Eyes". Duke beats on their attacker, but they leave him and escape in a van. Duke shouts that he's not finished with Chimera as they drive away. "Nor I with you, Duke." In the van Duke welcomes Snake-Eyes to the team.

Later outside the hospital, Stalker arrives in uniform to claim the body of of the soldier in the intensive care burn unit. He tells the firefighters wants to take it away to be sure the remains are not desecrated by an autopsy.