Hunting Adeline

Adeline reads Molly’s diary, taking comfort and inspiration from Molly’s tenacity, but the end of the diary leaves Adeline wondering whether Molly ever escaped. Adeline struggles to stop thinking about Rocco’s sexual assault of her. She can still hear Rocco rampaging around the house. Adeline debates how she can allow other women to be abused, noting that no one tried to stop Rocco. She thinks of Zade telling her to pick her battles.

Rio comes in to bandage Adeline’s ripped stitches and scolds her for her actions, stating that her temper could get the other women killed. Rio adds that he likes Adeline’s fire, calling her “sexy.” Adeline resents this. Rio taunts Adeline, asking if Z will kill him for calling her sexy. She says that Z will kill them all anyway, and Rio responds, “I know.”

Francesca brings Adeline back to the “beauty room,” where the other women are waiting. Francesca schools each of them in how to address their “masters,” the men who will buy them. Adeline forces herself to give the correct, diminutive answers. Francesca explains the imminent event called the “Culling,” during which men will hunt down the women, who must flee and evade them in the outdoors. Francesca states that she cannot risk losing her reputation with the Society, since Adeline is worth a lot of money. Sydney flashes Adeline an angry, jealous look. Adeline realizes that she hates Sydney.

In November of 2021, Adeline writes an entry to continue Molly’s diary. Adeline plans to escape but needs to heal first. The memory of Rocco’s sexual assault also weighs on her constantly. She knows that Zade is looking for her, which gives her hope.

Twelve days after Adeline’s disappearance, Jay finds the van that Rick and Rio were driving. Meanwhile, Daya is looking for more information on Rick and Rio. Now, Zade goes to Jay’s house. Jay and Zade then go to the last known location of the van and find an abandoned building with the van still parked outside. Inside, Zade investigates areas that look like administrative offices, but the stench of a rotting body leads them to a dead man whose head was shot off from behind (Garrison). Bloody footprints lead to a shower, and they spot cameras that might explain what happened. Zade thinks the dead man might have assaulted Adeline, causing one of the traffickers to kill him. This idea enrages Zade.

Zade recalls his mother telling him not to lash out in anger. Jay calls his attention to videos of Dr. Jim Garrison operating on rough-looking men and innocent women and children. Garrison also has videos showing him abusing his patients while they were unconscious, along with footage of them in the shower. Garrison was a doctor until 2000, when he lost his job and bought this building. Zade is furious at the video of Rio watching Adeline shower, but another video of a large, tattooed man watching Garrison operate on a five-year-old girl catches his attention. Zade goes through the building, scattering gowns and alcohol, then strings Garrison’s body out a window. Jay videotapes Garrison’s body, and Zade lights the building on fire and smokes a cigarette amidst the flames. Zade knows that the fire will be a message to all the traffickers that used Garrison’s services.

Adeline writes another journal entry in November 2021. Adeline recounts timing the reload of Francesca’s crossbow during practice for the Culling. Sydney tripped Adeline, which caused Francesca to shoot Adeline in the leg with a plastic arrow. Adeline knows that her punishment for allowing herself to get hit will be horrific.

Adeline starts to undress to examine the wound left by the plastic arrow, but Sydney laughs at her. Adeline asks why Sydney is sabotaging her. Sydney claims that Francesca is protecting Adeline and explains that after Adeline punched Rocco, Francesca took Adeline’s punishment for her. Sydney therefore sees the highly valued Adeline as a threat. Sydney has no life beyond Francesca’s home, and she would rather be with men who cannot fully abuse her than be sold as property. Adeline vows not to forget what Sydney did.

The next day, Francesca gathers the women and forces Adeline to lick her shoes. She warns the women that their “masters” will punish any hesitation in obeying orders. Later, in her room, Adeline hears Francesca shrieking and stomping upstairs. Francesca barges into Adeline’s room, accusing Adeline of destroying all her shoes. She ignores Adeline’s frantic denials. Francesca rips off Adeline’s pants and assaults her with the heel of the shoe, then orders Adeline never to touch her things. Francesca leaves, and Sydney comes in and comforts Adeline, saying, “Welcome home.”

Adeline pens a journal entry dated November 2021. Adeline knows that Sydney sabotaged her again. When Sydney let go, Rocco and his men removed the shoe and assaulted Adeline as punishment for the Culling. Adeline writes that pain fades imperceptibly, but she thinks the pain of this experience will take a long time to fade.

Jay identifies the man from one of Garrison’s videos as Ryker, a member of the Basilisk Brotherhood (a group that traffics human organs). He also identifies Brotherhood members named Daire, Kace, and Slade. Zade locates video footage of the men meeting an older woman whom they call “Mama T.” He goes to her home in Portland.

Teresa, “Mama T,” tells Zade to leave, but he tells her to call the Brotherhood. She does, warning Zade that they will kill him. He explains that Adeline was kidnapped and hopes that the Brotherhood can track her down. Teresa agrees to help.

Ryker, Daire, Slade, and Kace storm into the house. Mama T tells them to calm down, but Ryker charges Zade. Mama T grabs his arm to restrain him, and Zade introduces himself as Z, a name that they all recognize. He explains that he found Ryker through Garrison’s footage. They realize that Zade burned down Garrison’s building, and they agree to meet him. Mama T wishes Zade luck.

Adeline thinks about Zade. Three days after her “punishment,” it is now time for the real Culling. Adeline was punished with Phoebe, Gloria, and Bethany. The punishment involved Rocco and his friends taking turns assaulting them. Sydney laughed, and Jillian, another trafficking survivor, looked away. Adeline asks Jillian for advice on surviving the Culling. Jillian says to hide, cover their tracks, and avoid traps. Francesca tells them the Culling starts at sunset.

Francesca introduces them to the men who will hunt them. Xavier Delano, the wealthiest, decides to hunt Adeline, and Ben chooses Phoebe. The other men choose from the remaining women, don night-vision goggles, and load their crossbows. Francesca announces the rules: If the women make it through a maze or last the full hour, they are safe, but if they get hit with an arrow, they will be sexually assaulted. The women get a 10-minute head start.

Adeline sprints, grabbing a branch with leaves to cover her tracks. After about 10 minutes, Adeline encounters Phoebe and warns her to cover her tracks, too. Adeline runs the other way to avoid Phoebe, but Phoebe chases after Adeline, asking to stay with her. Adeline reluctantly agrees, covering Phoebe’s tracks as they run. They hide behind trees, but Ben approaches, and Xavier soon finds them. He and Ben fire off shots that miss. Adeline and Phoebe run, but Ben hits Phoebe with an arrow, taking Phoebe down on a wire trap. Adeline stops and watches Ben get caught in the trap, which suspends him above Phoebe. Phoebe loads Ben’s crossbow, and Xavier shoots Phoebe’s other shoulder. Phoebe fires one arrow into Ben’s head, killing him, and Xavier continues chasing Adeline. Adeline remembers Zade chasing her and refuses to give in to Xavier.

Adeline makes it to the clearing and keeps going, knowing that Xavier could still attack her. She finds an abandoned train. Jillian finds Adeline and says that Sydney is the only woman to be put through the Culling more than once. Xavier interrupts and escorts them back to the house. Francesca congratulates Gloria, Jillian, Sydney, and Adeline on surviving, while Phoebe and Bethany, both injured, are carried into the house. Francesca decides to treat the women to fast food.

The women put on corsets and short skirts to mingle with the men. Sydney brags that Rio has sex with her every night. Sydney has been here for four years and says no one is looking for her. Sydney prods Adeline about Zade, but Adeline manages to avoid any potentially dangerous comments. When Adeline asserts that Zade would not have sex with Sydney, Sydney claims to be better than Adeline. Adeline grabs Sydney by the neck and throws her against a vanity, telling her to back off. Francesca interrupts, but she decides that Sydney probably started the argument, and leaves. Adeline feels proud to have stood her ground, thinking that Zade would be proud, too. Sydney says that Adeline is going to die.