Mr. Milchick films Helly recording her severance speech.

As they walk, Milchick explains that the work version of Helly will be waking in a few hours, and the current version of her will be sentient again later tonight as she is ascending the elevator. They pass the carving of Mr. Eagan. Milchick notes that Eagan used to drink three raw eggs in milk every morning.

Milchick takes Helly into a room where she gets the severance procedure done. Doctors drill a hole into her brain and insert an implant.

Helly is disoriented and doesn’t know where she is. Milchick stands with her in a stairwell. He explains that sometimes when new hires have trouble with the severance procedure, they are brought here.

Helly asks if her work-self is trying to leave. Milchick suggests she go back through the door, which she does, but ends up back where she started with him on the stairwell.

Helly realizes that her work-self doesn’t want to be in there. Milchick assures her that the work-self is learning that she does, in fact, want to be there. He tells her that they were thrilled when they heard she was joining them.

Helly heads back in, determined. She finds herself ascending in the elevator at the end of the workday. Milchick greets her with flowers upon her ascent.

Mark enters the office and looks at his task list. He makes the coffee, stocks the bathroom, vacuums the carpet, dusts, and looks at the work photo of his team -- with Petey in it. Mark removes the framed pictures from everyone’s desks and puts them in the storage closet.

Helly arrives, asking if it’s tomorrow. Mark says it’s Monday. Helly remarks that she doesn’t feel like she left. He tells her to enjoy the effects of sleep, even though she hasn’t experienced it. He tells her they stagger the entries so they don’t meet outside, which is important.

Dylan explains his current file -- Tumwater. He says he’s achieved all the incentives for his work -- finger traps, caricature portraits, etc.-- each representing a file he’s completed. He says that the biggest prize is a waffle party for whoever gets named refiner of the quarter.

Mark turns Helly’s console on and starts going through the digital Rolodex. Irving notes that Mark has taken away the framed photos. Mark says they will take new ones at Helly’s welcome party. Mark shows Helly what she’s supposed to do -- sort the code evenly.

Irving says the old photos should stay on the desk until the new ones come in.

Helly asks how she’s supposed to sort the code, as she doesn’t know what the numbers represent. Mark says the numbers evoke an emotional response, and some will feel “scary.”

Irving prints out the part of the handbook about the group photos and brings it over to Mark.

Helly asks what she should do if she hates her job and wants to quit. Mark explains that she can submit a resignation request to her “outside-self” but quitting effectively ends her work-self’s life.

Milchick brings in a tray of melons. It’s party time. 

Milchick, Mark, Irving, Dylan, and Helly sit together in a circle. Irving has the red ball. He says he’s been working there three years. He knows all nine core Lumon principles. Milchick asks him his favorite -- he says all nine, but today it is “cheer.”

Irving does a trust fall, and Milchick catches him, telling him there’s no trust fall today. Irving sits back down and rolls the ball to Helly.

Helly says she doesn’t know anything about herself. Dylan reflects that he likes to think his “outie” lives on a boat (outside selves are referred to as “outies”). Helly asks if she can communicate with her outside self. They explain to her that written notes cannot pass through the elevator.

Milchick makes an offer and introduces Helly -- she is 30 years old, allergic to almonds, and has weak enamel. He describes her physical characteristics and notes that the people in the room are her family.

Milchick passes the ball to Mark. Mark shares that he has been here two years, and he loves this game. He confesses that he broke protocol earlier. He felt sad when he saw the group photos because he was worried he won’t do as well as Petey, and put the pictures in the closet. Irving corroborates, as he objected.

Milchick is glad Mark shared this, but wonders why Mark had this reaction for Petey and not for someone like Carol D.

Mark explains that they knew Carol D. was leaving beforehand and her “outie” even filmed a thank you. There’s no sense of what happened to Petey. Milchick stops Mark from saying any more.

Milchick assures them that they are protected from death here and should be grateful.

They eat the melon. Irving notices that he has dirt under his fingernails.

Mark apologizes for derailing Helly’s game. Helly asks how he’s going to find out about Petey. He says Milchick was clear about the Petey issue.

Milchick takes the new group photo. Helly walks out of the photo and decides to quit. She writes herself a note. Mark reminds her about the code detectors, which she thinks sounds made up. Helly heads down the hall. Mark runs after her. Helly enters the elevator. Immediately, an alarm starts blaring. The doors seal Mark out, everything goes red, and the elevator does not close.

Mr. Graner appears and opens the elevator doors for Helly, asking her to come out. He takes the note from her. He lets Mark in. Mark apologizes for not going over the data-smuggling rules with Helly — this is his first time training. Mr. Graner asks Mark to follow him, which he does.

Mr. Graner leads Mark to the break room and locks him in. Mark walks down a dark, narrow hallway. Ms. Cobel is there.

Mark is on a date with a midwife. He asks her how many deliveries she has seen, and she tells him over 300. He continues to drink. She asks if he’s vetting her for his pregnant sister.

Mark explains his job, as much as he knows about it. She asks if it messes with his head, forgetting everything about his life for eight hours a day, not knowing what he does. He tells her that for some people, that’s the point.

They walk outside in the cold. He’s drunk and mixes up Minnesota and Montana, where she’s from. She’s not impressed. She asks if he lives in Lumon housing. He says yes.

Mark spots two WMC (Whole Mind Collective) activists handing out leaflets. He goes up to them and engages with them -- they are trying to prevent companies like Lumon from using severance. He asks about people who do it willingly.

Mark starts getting at them, and tensions escalate. His date is not amused, and at last, they leave the activists.

Mark drinks a beer at home alone. There is a knock at his door. It’s Mrs. Selvig. She brings him a peace offering -- cookies -- because of the bin fiasco. He invites her in. She asks if he was on a date. He says sort of. Mark eats one of the delicious cookies.

Mrs. Selvig recounts that her late husband was a carpenter. He told her he would start building a house in the hereafter for them, with a little guest house in case she met a new man before getting there.

As she leaves, Mrs. Selvig tells Mark to come by the shop so she can give him a sleep-inducing bath bomb. Mark finds an old box of his wife Gemma’s crafts and looks through it. He falls asleep watching television. 

It’s raining the next morning as Mark heads to work. He contemplates the “End Severance” flyer he got the night before. Mark calls in sick to work. Mr. Milchick says he is sorry to hear it -- his “innie” will be sad to miss the day. Mark says he should be back tomorrow.

Irving and Dylan discuss Mark’s absence. Dylan says Mark is probably just sick. Helly shows up, still getting used to things. She asks if Mark would have gotten fired for her incident with the note. Dylan assures her that that’s not possible -- Mark did a stint in the break room.

Milchick, Graner, and Cobel discuss Mark’s illness and absence. Graner notes the unusual timing.

Mark drives to 499 Half Loop Road, the address in the card from Petey.

Dylan and Helly talk about the files and incentives. Dylan mentions that not all the files get finished before they expire.

Irving nods off. He starts to see black sludge ooze over his cubicle walls and onto his keyboard. He pushes back and cries out in shock, startling Dylan and Helly. There is no black sludge. Milchick shows up.

At 499 Half Loop Road, there is an old abandoned greenhouse. Mark walks in, and Petey is there.

Milchick walks with Irving down the hall. Milchick says he will deduct the “dozing” time from Irving’s outie’s paycheck, but it will be harder to repair the trust Milchick and Cobel have in him. Milchick tells Irving that they will do a wellness check and takes him to the Wellness Room.

Helly works on the codes, still not finding anything scary. Dylan assures her she’ll know it when she sees it. She wonders what they are “cleaning.” Dylan says he thinks it’s the apocalypse up there, and at Lumon, they are cleaning the sea with probes. Helly is dubious. Dylan says Irving thinks they are cutting swear words out of movies.

Mark asks Petey what their work is, but Petey doesn’t know, saying they are separate from other departments. Petey explains that he’s been reintegrated for two weeks now.

Petey shows mark a sketch he’s done -- a map of their department. Petey starts to cry but quickly stops, explaining that it’s reintegration sickness. Petey explains that he can’t go home. 

Petey tells Mark about the place the severed employees go when they misbehave.

He plays an audio recording of Mark and Milchick, in which Mark is apologizing for the harm he has caused the world, saying he is lucky to be where he is -- it was the right choice. Milchick says he doesn’t mean it and asks him to repeat it. Mark repeats it: “None may atone for my actions but me.” This is what happens in the break room.

Irving waits for his wellness treatment, looking at a painting in the waiting room. A man emerges. Irving introduces himself. The other man says he is in Optics and Design. They discuss the art in the department. The other man is pleased to meet another “sophisticate.” Ms. Casey calls Irving in.

In a dark room with green plants, Ms. Casey puts on some ambient sounds and calming music. In a soothing voice, she gives him facts about his “outie,” which are meant to relax him and not be shared outside this room. She takes ten points from him for enjoying one fact (his “outie” is a swimmer) more than the others.

Irving is confused about points. Ms. Casey tells him not to speak. She continues reciting more facts. She takes another 10 points off when he makes a slight sound after she says his “outie” is good in bed.

At the vending machine, Dylan takes one token (limit two per day) and eventually chooses some raisins. Helly asks if the code detectors are just in the elevators, or also in the stairwell. She wonders if the resignations are even being delivered. Dylan tells her to let it go.

Irving returns, saying his wellness session was very restorative. He mentions that he met the O&D department head. Dylan is adamant in his dislike for the man, Burt. Irving defends Burt.

Helly finds some scary numbers in her code. Irving and Dylan talk her through it. She finds the perimeter and bins the numbers, relieved. Dylan and Irving congratulate her.

Mark brings Petey home and lets him sleep in his basement. In the bathroom, Petey starts breathing heavily. His cell phone rings. His nose starts bleeding. He has a shower. He sees his “innie” in the bathroom with him, looking in the mirror. Petey feels pain in his head again.