In bed, Shanice sleeps in. Her husband Logan wakes her with kisses. Their baby, Mariah, coos in her bassinet. It is going to be Shanice's first day back at the firm where she is a lawyer. 

Shanice gets ready while they clean the house, and Logan looks after Mariah. 

Shanice drives to work, listening to Rihanna when the radio starts to distort. A bright green flash suddenly pulls Shanice out of her car and into the sky.

Moments later, it is night. Shanice drops into a field with many other confused people who fall out of green lights in the sky. Shanice meets a young woman (Mildred) who doesn't know what's going on. A man (Andre), who identifies himself as a doctor, asks Shanice where they are. Shanice says it looks like Belle Isle, Detroit. The doctor is confused by the sound of sirens. The field is full of hundreds of people. 

Keisha Taylor, a parole officer, shows up at a hotel. Her girlfriend, Agent Jessica Tanner, shows up and takes her aside. She says this wasn't a romantic ploy -- Keisha came highly recommended. Jessica informs Keisha that it's about the people who mysteriously appeared in Belle Isle. She says that it was no protest, as the press has been saying, but that many people have been identified as missing persons from the last few decades. They are from all over the world -- some don't even speak English. 

Elsewhere in the hotel, some of the returnees are being held. Shanice is trying to reassure some of the others. A young woman, Claudette, has a deep gash on her leg. Reverend Isaiah Johnston checks on her. Claudette says she's confused -- she was in Mississippi and doesn't understand how she could be in Detroit so quickly. She insinuates that the Reverend is a bit young for his position and excuses herself.  

Another young woman, LaDonna, approaches the security guards, insisting that she be released to her dad know she's okay. Shanice also approaches the security guards, stating that they have rights against forcible detainment without cause. Andre, the doctor, speaks to the security guard as well, saying he needs medical supplies to treat the injured. Shanice bears down on the security guard, and Andre urges her to consider her place as a woman. Shanice invokes Ruth Bader Ginsburg, which creates confusion -- the security guard notes that RBG is dead, the Rev says she's the new supreme court justice, and Claudette notes that there are no women on the supreme court. Shanice asks the year, and the security guard replies that it is 2021, to the astonishment of everyone listening.

Jharrel, a social worker, goes through some files. Keisha arrives. They will be working together. Keisha wants the plexiglass to stay up for the interviews, but Jharrel wants it taken down, noting that they have been through quarantine protocols. In his experience, it is easier to connect with people without a barrier.

Andre examines Claudette's leg. He tells her he runs a clinic in Harlem. He says she needs to be treated. He notes there are white people among them. Claudette remarks that she and her husband had been jailed for trying to get the vote for black people.

Jharrel and Keisha interview Shanice. She explains about the green light and that she was pulled away by the wind. Keisha is dubious that this was sixteen years ago, but Shanice insists she is only trying to cooperate. She wants to get home to her husband and four-month-old daughter, but it doesn't seem like that's feasible. 

Mildred, the teenage girl, and Shanice get led to the bathroom by the security guard. Mildred asks Shanice how she's doing -- Shanice says she wants to get home to her baby girl. Mildred looks at the security cameras, and they turn away. She looks at the emergency exit, and it unlocks. Mildred insists that Shanice escape. Shanice asks Mildred to come with her. Mildred says she will stand watch. They hug, and Shanice escapes. 

Shanice gets on the bus. She remembers when she first met Logan -- at a protest, he defended her after someone shoved her into a cop. He asked her out for coffee and then upgraded to dinner as she brought up her career aspirations.

Keisha and Jharrel reflect on the last fifteen interviews they've done. Medically, the returnees have no issues. They are just as confused about the situation. Jharrel wants to help them. Keisha wants to find out the truth. Jharrel gets a ping on his phone and has to leave, so Keisha takes their last interview of the day -- Hayden, a boy in white who does not speak.

Andre changes Claudette's bandage, only to find her wound has healed significantly. 

Keisha asks Hayden if he knows sign language, which he does not. Jessica arrives to tell Keisha the news that Shanice has escaped.

Shanice arrives at her old home, banging on the door. A scared woman looks out the window, on the phone with the police. Police cars and other vehicles with sirens appear. Shanice runs for it. Jharrel pulls up in time to see Shanice running away. 

Keisha emerges, along with some police. Jharrel suggests that Shanice will probably try to rest at a place that's open late, such as a nearby diner. The police follow his lead.

Shanice knocks on the door of an old neighbor, Mrs. Grover. Mrs. Grover lets her in. Jharrel watches her go in. He gets a call from Jasmine and asks her if there's any sign of Manny at her assigned facility, but no luck. 

The Reverend and Claudette get food at the makeshift buffet. He helps her open a can of cola. Claudette sits down by herself, wondering about her leg wound, and notices with disappointment that the cutlery is plastic. Across the room, she notices LaDonna's nails. 

At Mrs. Grover's, Sharice tries in vain to get a hold of Logan via phone. Mrs. Grover tells her she has his new address in Palmer Woods. Shanice gets up to go, but Mrs. Grover insists she sleeps and looks for Logan in the morning. Reluctantly, Shanice curls up and falls asleep on the couch.

Claudette confronts LaDonna in the bathroom, asking politely if LaDonna will cut her with her nails. After some light blackmail, LaDonna begrudgingly cuts Claudette's arm. The wound bleeds but quickly seals up and vanishes. Both women are amazed.

LaDonna and Claudette find Andre and show him their "trick." He is astonished. They note that LaDonna tried it on herself, but it hadn't healed. Andre expresses his concern, worried about what will happen if anyone else finds out about this. 

Shanice emerges from Mrs. Grover's house in the morning. Jharrel is waiting for her. He tells Shanice he will take her to her family but she must return with him to the hotel afterward.

At the hotel, the returned people loudly protest their confinement. One of the security guards pulls out his club. Mildred stares at it, and it starts to move on its own. Hayden touches Mildred's shoulder, and she comes out of her trance. Jessica shows up. The Rev says that if the government is trying to help, they should give them proper hotel rooms and some answers by the following day. Claudette is wary of the Rev because he reminds her of her husband.

Shanice knocks on Logan's door. A teenage girl answers -- Mariah. They recognize each other. Logan appears and sends Mariah back in. He accuses Shanice of walking out on them sixteen years ago. Shanice stresses that she was taken. Keisha arrives, telling Logan that Shanice could pose a threat to him and his family. Logan's partner comes to the door with Mariah. Logan tells Shanice he has been with her for nine years.

Agents lead Shanice away in handcuffs. Shanice insists that she did not leave. Logan tells her not to lie -- he found her note all those years ago. The agents take Shanice away while she continues to yell.

Jharrel confronts Keisha for her mishandling of Shanice's situation. Keisha tells Jharrel that he is the one responsible. They express their distrust of each other.

Back at the hotel, Andre notices that Shanice doesn't look well. Shanice tells him what happened with Logan, that her husband is married to someone else. She recounts how when Mariah was first born, she didn't experience that immediate mother-child bond, and she thought about leaving, even wrote a note. But Shanice fought for her love and made it through. Now, she realizes she has missed it all. Andre comforts the weeping Shanice.

Claudette finds LaDonna again. She reassures her that they are all in this together. 

Claudette sings and plays "Lucille" on the piano. Many of the returnees take to dancing together, including Shanice and the doctor. Eventually, a security guard stops her, shoving his down into the piano and injuring her elbow. Rev checks on Claudette, but she says it's nothing and goes off with Andre.

Jharrel drinks at the bar. Keisha arrives and sits beside him. Jharrel tells Keisha about his brother, Manny, who is missing -- and how Jharrel thought he saw of green light out the window the night Manny disappeared. However, Manny is not among the returned people. Keisha tells Jharrell about how her sister was accidentally shot five years ago. On the bar's television, news breaks about the 4400 returnees.

Claudette finds Shanice and asks how she got out. Shanice confirms that it is, in fact, 2021. She realizes that they all must be special and, therefore, they are not powerless in the situation. 

Keisha checks in with Jessica. Jessica explains how the returnees have nothing to connect them. The government is even contacting NASA with the possibility of extraterrestrial involvement. Jessica and Keisha part ways and Hayden shows up in a Missy Elliot shirt. Keisha says she'll get him to a room when he suddenly speaks, saying to tell Jharrel that Manny is alright and that he's sorry.