Twenty-Two

With the grand jury’s decision hours away, Starr wanders her new, unfamiliar neighborhood and calls Chris for normalcy. At his house, she voices fears the officer won’t be charged. Seeking escape, she tries to initiate sex, but Chris refuses, recognizing she’s in a fragile state, and he comforts her as she cries.

Seven calls, furious and worried: DeVante has disappeared from Uncle Carlos’s. Starr wakes Chris, and they ride with Seven back to Garden Heights, Chris’s first time in Starr’s neighborhood. They arrive at Iesha and King’s house during a backyard King Lord party.

Inside, Kenya leads them to a bedroom where DeVante lies badly beaten. Seven and Chris help him up while Kenya apologizes for failing to stop the assault. Seven almost charges outside when he learns King pushed Kenya, but Starr and Kenya restrain him, insisting they must get DeVante out before nightfall.

Iesha enters, taunting them, but ultimately orders them to take DeVante and also take Kenya and Lyric, effectively clearing her children from King’s reach. As they leave, Starr notices Iesha distract King, confirming Iesha’s covert protection. In the car, Starr explains to Seven that Iesha’s demand to take the girls was to prevent King’s retaliation against them.

Seven nearly turns back to defend Iesha but relents at Kenya’s plea to let their mother handle it. On the drive away, a radio bulletin announces the grand jury’s non-indictment of Officer Brian Cruise Jr. in Khalil’s death, deepening their anger and sorrow as the city braces for fallout.