The third season of ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ has already proven to be well worth the wait. Episode 3 builds on the strong momentum that the first two episodes started. ‘Human Capital’ begins with the stakes once again being raised. Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.) and Brayden (Gianni Paolo) are with Davis MacLean (Clifford ‘Method Man’ Smith) getting measured for suits, Effie (Alix Lapri) is making her rounds delivering product at the Ivy League schools and Cane (Woody McClain) is doing a drop with Lorenzo (Berto Colon) (who he allows to be attacked as payback for what he did to Zeke and Dru). All four of them receive a text from Obi (Kyle Vincent Terry) ordering them to meet at the warehouse immediately. Once they arrive, Noma’s right hand mentions how they haven’t been moving enough weight. To put a fire under them, he threatens their families. He tells them that if he doesn’t receive a million dollars from them the next time he sees them, he will kill Diana (LaToya Tonodeo). Then Obi adds that the next time it will be Brayden’s parents who suffer their demise if he doesn’t get said amount. After that, he says he’ll kill Tariq’s grandmother. He ends by emphasizing that he’ll kill all of them if they don’t come up with the funds. Now with all of this added pressure on them, the gang must figure out a way to keep the people they love and themselves alive.

THE TASK FORCE (JENNY SULLIVAN, BLANCA RODRIGUEZ & KEVIN WHITMAN) 

Similar to how things are heating up for the players in the game, the same applies for the people trying to catch them. Jenny Sullivan (Paton Ashbrook), Blanca Rodriguez (Monique Gabriela Curnen) and Kevin Whitman (Jeff Hephner) won’t stop until they have a RICO built. The main problem they have is that they can’t agree on who they should be targeting. Jenny and Blanca believe that Tariq is the key to everything while Whitman is adamant that Monet (Mary J. Blige) is the one that everything revolves around. Whitman wants to approach Monet and turn some screws but his co-workers don’t think it’s a good idea. Instead, they feel like they should focus on murders that show an effort to protect the drug enterprise such as Dante Spears and Lauren (who Jenny hasn’t told them is still alive). Whitman ignores their suggestions and decides to go to Monet’s bar anyways. He offers her the opportunity to come in and talk to him so that she can clear her name.

After Whitman’s meeting with Monet and MacLean (and Davis subsequently filing a harassment complaint against him), Blanca and Jenny are pissed. Jenny notifies Whitman that she’ll be reaching out to his supervisor and getting him suspended. He literally responds by telling her he doesn’t give a f-ck (It’s true because he showed back up outside Monet’s house later in the episode). The main reason Blanca and Jenny were upset was because they knew that if Whitman said too much (specifically about Dante Spears) that Monet would know exactly what they were looking for and so would Tariq, which destroys their whole case. Looking for more answers, the determined women make their way to councilman Tate (Larenz Tate), who is at a coffee shop with Professor Bonet (Keesha Sharp). They ask him a couple questions about the drug dealers he happens to know. Without much hesitation, he tells them that Tariq applied for an internship with him but he turned him down. He made sure to add that Tariq now interns at Weston Holdings. How will they use this information to their advantage? Is it safe to say that Weston Holding already isn’t safe anymore? Have we seen the last of Whitman or will he end up back on the task force?

DAVIS MACLEAN & COOPER SAXE

As soon as Whitman left from Monet’s bar, she headed over to relay his message to Davis MacLean. Before they discussed it, she brought up the calling and hanging up incident (it’s wild that they didn’t put two and two together) and eventually gave him a new burner phone. After initially not being down with going in and talking to Whitman, Monet convinces MacLean that it’s a good idea by telling him that she wants to know how exposed her family is. Since that family technically included MacLean, he realized that it was something they must do. MacLean does most of the talking in the meeting with Whitman. This changes when Whitman brings up Rico and DC Joe (who the Tejadas killed previously) and how traffic cameras showed that the last places they were seen alive was by the bar. While trying to defend herself, Monet accidentally mentions that a Gap killed Zeke. This was all that Whitman needed to go on the offensive. He shared how he felt like Zeke was going to rat on Monet (and her family) and flea with Dante Spears. This further infuriates Monet, causing her to verbally attack Whitman. She tells him that he’s trying to blame her since he couldn’t save his girl. After MacLean cuts the meeting short, the two agree that they need to take Whitman down and inform Tariq of the danger he might also be in. Later on that day, Tariq meets them at MacLean’s office. They hip to him everything that’s going on. MacLean assures his two clients that he has a plan (he filed a harassment claim on him). While the three of them meet, Saxe (Shane Johnson) just so happens to walk by. In true Saxe fashion, he takes a picture of them. Smh

Speaking of Saxe, he and Davis MacLean’s relationship is about to really be tested. Saxe knows that MacLean is working with Monet and Tariq already. This episode, he found out something even more crazy. After visiting Theo Rollins (There’s no way they replaced Redman. Lmao), and noticing a height discrepancy in the files, Saxe realizes that it was actually Davis who committed the crime that Theo is locked away for. Saxe questions Theo about being coerced to agree to the plea deal and who he was with the night of the crime. Theo stays solid and doesn’t give away any information but promises to tell Davis that Saxe showed up. When Davis confronts Saxe about his actions, he is basically forced to admit that Theo is his brother. Saxe urges Davis to cut the BS and tell him what really happened. Davis explains that he was 21 and had just been accepted into Columbia Law School when the crime happened. Since the victim’s brother happened to be a cop, Saxe deduces that there’s a good chance that evidence in the case was tampered with. In a move that it doesn’t seem that he wanted to make, Saxe agrees to help Davis get Theo out of jail. How long will it take for Saxe to work his magic? Is the information Saxe knows about MacLean working with Monet and Tariq going to affect how he does his job?

THE TEJADAS

With Monet busy tending to other things (Zeke’s death and Whitman) and Cane’s discovery of what Lorenzo did, there seems to be a new power dynamic amongst the Tejada family. After hearing Obi’s threat, Cane’s first move is to go to Stansfield to check up on his baby sister, who happens to be walking with Salim (Petey McGee) when he finds her (Salim is weird as hell for googling Lorenzo). He attempts to give Diana a gun but she declines. He ends up giving her a wad of cash instead, after she informs him that she has a job. Cane invites her to the penthouse for dinner later that night. At dinner, Cane updates her, Dru and Lorenzo regarding the threat on her life if they don’t move enough weight and get Obi the money he requests. Cane has a plan to take out the Castillo’s (Frank and Evelyn’s sons) so that they can take over territory in Brooklyn. Realizing how much heat that would bring on them and remembering that the Castillo’s are like family, Dru (Lovell Adams-Gray) suggests that they take out the Castillo’s Russian plug instead. This way, the Castillo’s would need a new plug and end up coming to them. Cane likes the idea but understands that it can’t be Black person that does it so he enlists Brayden. Something to keep in mind is that the whole time the family was talking, Diana was confused as to why Cane was making the decisions and not Lorenzo.

Following the connect being taken out (we will get to that in a little bit), the Castillo’s do exactly what they were expected to…show up to the Tejada’s doorstep. Once they arrive, they claim that the situation is fishy and accuse the Tejada’s of taking out their connect. Cane denies the allegations and mentions how he heard the shooter was white (Spoiler alert: He wasn’t. Lol). After receiving more pushback, Dru tries to step in and provide an alibi for his brother. When that doesn’t work, Lorenzo uses his seniority and respect to get the Castillo’s to agree to work with them. Well, he gets majority (assuming three of the four) of them to agree. Look for Cane to press whoever it was that wasn’t with the plan. Following the Castillo’s departure, Dru realizes something is up since all of a sudden Lorenzo is letting Cane be in control. How long will it be before Cane (or Lorenzo) tells Dru what happened to Zeke? It surely won’t be too much longer. Before Lorenzo leaves the penthouse, Cane makes him take some extra weight to move as punishment for something he said that Cane thought was extra. Lorenzo takes the trip to Stansfield (basically the same way Cane did earlier in the episode) and visits his daughter. Ironically enough, Diana is once again with Salim. Upon Lorenzo’s arrival, Salim leaves. Lorenzo explains to Diana that Noma has Cane thinking he’s Mecca and that he’s in over his head. He continues by admitting that he (and their family) needs her help. He gives Diana the extra work that Cane gave him and tells her that if she keeps her circle tight, she can use her new job as a cover. It’s very interesting because earlier in the episode, on two different occasions (once with Salim and once with Effie), Diana stated that she never wanted the life that her family lives. She even went as far as to decline Effie’s offer to work with them. Now, Diana is right where she says she doesn’t want to be. Is she doing it to show her value to her family again? How will it affect her and Salim’s growing relationship? How much longer will Cane be able to hold Lorenzo’s secret over his head? Will Dru and/or Diana find out? If so, when?

TARIQ, BRAYDEN & EFFIE

The relationships between Tariq and his family (Brayden & Effie) are becoming more and more complicated by the episode. Tariq’s loyalty to them can never be questioned. The same can’t necessarily be said for them. It was cool to see Effie be honest with Tariq about wanting to move weight at Stansfield. She explains how she’s always had a number she’s wanted to reach and that selling on campus would help her get there sooner. Even though campus is still hot, Tariq understands her situation and agrees that it might not be too bad letting her do her thing. With Effie’s part basically handled, Tariq had to figure out how they could still push more work. Luckily for him and Brayden, they had Uncle Lucas (David Walton). He took them to a business meeting where he had hopes of becoming the investment manager of one of the most wealthy Black men in the world, Ron Samuel Jenkins (Gbenga Akinnagbe). Tariq is drawn to RSJ because of his business savvy and RSJ gains a fondness for Tariq after he’s honest about being the token Black in the office (Something Keke Travis was not willing to be for Lucas; we’ll see where this lands her). In a conversation the two share, RSJ hips Tariq to undercutting the market, which is basically selling a better product at a lower price. He emphasizes how 1000 cheap customers are better than 100 high end ones. At the same time, Brayden gets wind of a crypto company his Uncle had worked with previously and basically owns. A light goes off in his head when realizes that crypto is a great way to wash drug money. Tariq and Brayden come up with a coffee selling business where people make online orders and receive their drugs in coffee cups with false bottoms (the drugs would be placed in the bottom). The app is basically a revamped Course Correct that allows people to pay for their drugs by purchasing the crash coin. ‘No Cap, All Frap’ seems to be like a very good idea and a valuable means to getting Obi his money as business is booming immediately upon starting it. It seemed like everything was all good but we know that’s not how it works on Power.

Just like Effie was honest with Tariq about wanting to move weight on Stansfield’s campus, Brayden had to be honest about what Cane wanted him to do. Tariq is confused as to why Cane would ask Brayden to kill the Russian connect instead of him. Effie steps in and says that it has to be Brayden that does it. Tariq reluctantly agrees but tells Brayden that they’ll be right there with him. When it time for Brayden to pull the trigger on the connect, he once again freezes. Tariq realizes what’s happening and intervenes, eventually shooting the Russian himself. Tariq, Brayden and Effie flea to a nearby restaurant after the traumatic event. Brayden is a bit down on himself about not being able to finish the job, but Tariq assures him that it’s fine. He explains that each one of them has skills and since they’re a family, they have to watch each other’s backs and play their parts. As Brayden steps away to text Cane that the connect has been killed, Tariq and Effie share a very deep conversation about their future. Tariq suggests that he and Effie can become just like Ghost and Tasha but smarter. This is one of (if not thee) first times we’ve seen Tariq talk about sharing his life with someone long term. Once he finds out what Effie and Brayden did (or attempted to do) to Lauren, will he feel the same way? Brayden gets the online app setup and while talking to Effie, she realizes that Brayden was the one who got Tariq off of the Tate internship. The two agree to keep it between them just like they are keeping the Lauren thing. One person who now knows the truth behind the Lauren situation is Cane, who texted to meet up with Brayden. When Brayden gets there, Cane holds him at gunpoint. He tells Brayden that he knows he didn’t kill the connect and that probably means he didn’t kill Lauren either. Cane sternly tells him that he still owes him a body before letting him go. The episode ends with Cane contacting Effie and telling her that they need to talk. What does Cane want to talk to Effie about? Will she tell him what really happened with Lauren? How much longer will Tariq blindly show loyalty to Effie and Brayden? Will the gang’s differences get in the way of them getting Obi his money? Drop your thoughts about season three’s third episode in the comments and also let us know what you think will happen on next week!