SIVA questions EBONY about the visit from the stranger but EBONY denies everything and accuses SIVA of messing with her mind. JAVA enters and asks about the commotion but their secretive behaviour is not lost on JAVA. Later, JAVA is angry with SIVA. She knows that SIVA is keeping something from her and threatens her with expulsion from the ZOOTIST territory.
SALENE is drunk and alone in the café and dismisses MOUSE when she looks for comfort after having a bad dream. MOUSE comments that SALENE is being weird.
MEGA shows JAY the newly erected electric fence at the sector perimeter. It is more powerful and potentially lethal than JAY had envisaged. On the way back to the mall, JAY comes across a new development- tattooing bar codes on inhabitants’ arms. When confronted, MEGA justifies the bar coding tattoos to JAY as a measure enforced for their ‘own protection.’
GEL flirts with JACK and ELLIE is very aware of GEL’s intentions. JACK seems to be quite enjoying all of the attention.
JAVA reports to MEGA regarding SIVA’s doubts and troublesome behaviour. MEGA warns caution but is determined to keep SIVA ‘on board.’
SLADE arrives back at the Saloon with some more computer gear. RUBY is suspicious. SLADE fills him in on the overall objective; RAM is impressed but will need further equipment to undertake such a mammoth task. RAM promises to keep the objective a secret.
ELLIE asks JACK if they had slept together and JACK, seeing it as an opportunity for some action, lies that they had. He feels terrible about it and later comes clean and apologises. This honesty seems to act as an aphrodisiac to ELLIE who later announces that she is up for it if he is keen. He needs no second invitation.
In SALENE’s room, MOUSE discovers a large collection of empty wine bottle stashed under the bed. Worried, MOUSE goes past AMBER’s room, where TRUDY nurses a frail, but gradually improving AMBER. JAY, preoccupied and worried by the bar coding fiasco, also quizzes TRUDY on the state of AMBER’s health.
SLADE, appearing to be on the way to get some more computer gear, is questioned again by RUBY. LEX suggests that SLADE has fallen for EBONY and is going off in search of her. At the same time, LEX tries flirting with RUBY but his advances are quickly repelled. Later, RUBY suggests that LEX find the Mall Rats and tell them about double crossing MEGA.
A group of Techno Officers barge their way into the mall and demand that SAMMY joins the work party who are required to power the electric fence the next day. Later, SAMMY tells MOUSE that he is not going to work at the power station in the morning.
MAY is tired of no reward for her spying efforts and complains to MEGA. MEGA once again shows the STATS confessional video which puts her over a barrel- she agrees to track SIVA.
EBONY looks longingly out the window, waiting for her mystery man (SLADE) to return. While SLADE approaches the school to visit EBONY again, SIVA attacks him. SLADE quickly gets the upper hand. The two talk and SLADE reassures SIVA that he has EBONY’s best intentions at heart.
After their romantic night together, ELLIE reassures an uncertain JACK about his performance. SAMMY bursts in, on the run from a Techno Officer who demands he attend work at the power station. The Officer only succeeds in barging in on JACK and ELLIE at an embarrassing moment. SAMMY flees the Mall.
In Liberty, SLADE is rushing RAM to finish the computer project but RAM reiterates that something on this scale takes time.
JAVA removes some prisoners from the Zoo for work at the power station. JAVA hands the prisoners over to MEGA; JAVA tries to reassure MEGA that EBONY and SIVA are still being kept in the dark.
MOUSE goes to talk to SALENE about her concern for SAMMY’s whereabouts. SALENE is drunk again and has trouble following the thread of the conversation. MOUSE uncovers a bottle of gin under a cushion. TRUDY’s efforts to be supportive of SALENE are met with derision.
LEX, in Mexican disguise, suffers a bit of ribbing from RUBY. However, she is pleased that he has decided to act in order to expose MEGA to the Mall Rats. RAM makes sure that LEX has no ideas of grassing on him. LEX lays rest to his fears on that count but keeps threatening revenge of his own some time in the future.
EBONY heeds the words previously uttered to her by SLADE and realises she has been taken for a ride.
EBONY threatens SIVA; she wants answers. SIVA tells her that it is JAVA that she should be afraid of and that EBONY is picking on the wrong sister.
AMBER fills JAY in on the Technos chase for SAMMY and questions how much JAY really knows about MEGA’s plans. She resents the strong-armed tactics being employed.
SAMMY is apprehended by the Techno Officer whilst hiding in the city. He is thrown out of the safe zone by the Officer and is told to fend for himself. MEGA finds him and brings him back to the Mall. MEGA is forced to apologise for the guards over-zealous behaviour and agrees to ‘dust down’ those guards who go over the top on the aggression front.
GEL’s attempts to flirt with JACK are dealt to by ELLIE with a public show of affection towards JACK.
SIVA meets with SLADE. SIVA wants to know why SLADE cares about what happens to EBONY. They are being spied on by MAY who communicates progress to MEGA.
In the Operations Room, MEGA and MAY look at a blown up photo of the mystery man, SLADE. He is not recognised by the computer database. MEGA wants MAY to hack into JACK’s computer.
SALENE inadvertently walks in on MAY hacking into JACK’s computer but because of her alcohol-induced stupor, does not take much notice. SALENE has a go at MOUSE for ratting to TRUDY about her alcoholism.
LEX, still in Mexican disguise, is ambushed by crazed Zoot sisters.
JACK discovers that somebody has been hacking into his computer.
AMBER, reluctant to get a tattoo bar code, is finally persuaded by JAY. She has some privacy concerns and resents being branded like either animal or machine.