When a wealthy CEO goes on the run to avoid being prosecuted for running a ponzi scheme and the mercenaries he hired as a security detail kill an FBI agent tailing them, 20 Squad are called in to run the fugitives to ground, but matters become complicated when one of the mercenaries goes rogue and abducts the CEO's son for a bigger paycheck.
Tropes
- Can't Kill You, Still Need You: The whole reason why John Afton insists on bringing his eldest son Jonah with him is because he'd been stashing the funds from his ponzi scheme in a bank account registered in Jonah's name. He'd intended to transfer the funds to another account before Jonah turned 18, but by that point, the FBI were investigating him and he couldn't move the money without raising red flags, so he needs his son to access the money in his stead. Brady also kidnaps Jonah with the intention of keeping the boy alive long enough to get the money.
- Ear Ache: Jonah's girlfriend Mary gets shot in the ear when he's abducted. She survives, but is rushed to surgery for a ruptured eardrum.
- Even Evil Can Be Loved: Jonah Afton clearly cares about his father, despite their strained relationship.Mary: Jonah's dad only cares about himself. I keep telling him he should cut ties, but my guy's an optimist. It's what I love about him.Hondo: [talking to Hicks after the mission] Do you know the first thing Jonah asked after we rescued him? Whether his father was okay.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Despite exploiting and bankrupting multiple people across Los Angeles, John Afton, the CEO running the ponzi scheme, loves his son and immediately co-operates with S.W.A.T. to find the boy when he's abducted.John Afton: I've been a lousy father, I know, but-Hondo: But that doesn't mean you don't love your son, I get that.
- Even Evil Has Standards: John Afton is appalled at his mercenaries killing an FBI agent and shooting his son's girlfriend to stop her making a scene when they grabbed the boy.John Afton: My son's girlfriend, she wasn't a target!Owen Brady: She was a witness.
- Everyone Has Standards: One of Deacon's friends from his bodyguard business mentions having worked with Owen Brady on a previous security gig where their group was paid to fly a French politican's girlfriend to him for the weekend. When Deacon's friend saw the girl was thirteen years old, he tried to protest, and got given the choice between getting off the plane or getting a bullet in the head.
- Only in It for the Money: Owen Brady, the leader of the mercenaries. It's made clear he'll do anything reprehensible provided he gets paid enough for it.
- Villain Has a Point: Brady raises a good point that John Afton's need to collect his son cost them the opportunity to flee the country before the FBI worked out where they were going.Owen Brady: All due respect, we could have been halfway to Beijing by now if you hadn't insisted on this little detour to grab your son, which wasn't part of the plan.
