Cross (Season 2) Episode 5 Recap & Ending Explained: Is Rebecca using Cross now?

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Episode 5 of Cross Season 2 picks up the tension right where the last episode left off. In Episode 4, the walls started closing in as secrets around Crestbrook grew darker and Cross moved closer to the woman behind the chaos. Now, in “Climb,” the focus shifts to Lincoln Esteban’s death, which officially looks like suicide, even though Cross feels there is more to the story. The case against Rebecca still has gaps, and that doubt keeps pushing Cross forward. At the same time, Kayla faces trouble of her own after a shocking video surfaces, forcing her to defend herself and dig deeper. As more names, past identities, and hidden ties to Crestbrook come out, the investigation grows bigger than just one suspect. With only three episodes left, it feels like the lines between justice and revenge will keep getting blurred, and Cross may have to decide how far he is willing to go to bring the truth out.

In this article, I will break down episode 5 of season 2. Please note there are major spoilers throughout, so it is best to watch the previous episodes first if you want to avoid any surprises.

Cross (Season 2) Episode 5 ‘Climb’ Recap:

Is Rebecca outsmarting Cross again?

Episode 5 of Cross season 2 opens with Lincoln’s autopsy. The medical examiner confirms that he was shot at point blank range. The angle, the gunshot residue, and the fingerprints all point toward a self inflicted wound. On paper, it looks like suicide. The cops have the gun, the prints, and the bullet path lining up cleanly. But we know Rebecca pulled the trigger, and somehow she has managed to make it look airtight. Cross and John go over the details together. Everything fits too neatly. Cross cannot shake the feeling that something is missing. He brings up the tattoos Lincoln had about “the light.” Cross believes that was a reference to Rebecca. It matches the image of her face that was painted in the basement. The pieces are there, but without hard proof, it is only a theory.

Elsewhere, Kayla walks into her place and finds Bobby Trey waiting for her. He shows her the video of Sergeant Thompson killing himself. He studies her reaction closely. Kayla insists the video is fake. She says it is a deepfake and that someone is trying to frame her. The group known as Bad Religion is behind it. Kayla admits she had limited involvement in a program where she sold untraceable guns and screened soldiers for a study, but she was not part of anything like what the video shows. She asks Trey to use his contacts to trace the fake video and figure out who is really responsible. The problem is that their operation has already been raided. Their only option now is to go through official FBI channels and work with a man named Bruce Folsom.

Is Lance lying to Cross?

Cross pays a visit to Lance Durand, who is busy managing public damage. Lance appears on a talk show called Convergence with Hillary McCaffey. He denies knowing anything about undocumented workers being used in Crestbrook facilities. He presents himself as shocked and concerned. It may work on viewers at home, but it does not work on Cross and Kayla. They confront him afterward, accusing him of hiding information and making their investigation harder. Cross makes it clear that he plans to expose whatever is happening at Crestbrook, along with tracking down the woman responsible for the recent murders. Using a photo of Rebecca, the team starts digging deeper. They uncover a link to Gabriela, who once filed a whistleblower lawsuit involving worker injuries and deaths. That connection leads them to Rebecca’s real name, Luz Porras. They also learn that Clara has changed her name to Clare Matthews. With this new information, Cross and Kayla head to Sunrise, Florida.

Donnie does not trust the idea of Cross meeting Rebecca. He drives her to an abandoned Crestbrook plant instead and explains why he hates the company so much. His family farm sits nearby. Crestbrook dumped chicken waste into the surrounding land, which poisoned the soil and water. His sister developed breathing problems. His father worked himself into the ground. The wells dried up, and the crops failed. One night, in anger, Donnie set fire to a chicken coop. What he did not know was that children were sleeping inside. The guilt has stayed with him ever since, but it has also fueled his anger toward Crestbrook. At the same time, John keeps investigating his mother’s old case. The official report says five shots were fired the night she died. However, audio from the scene suggests there were six. There is a missing bullet, and the blood pattern indicates someone else may have been in the house.

Cross (Season 2) Episode 5 ‘Climb’ Ending Explained:

Is Rebecca using Cross now?

Cross finally meets Rebecca. He confronts her about the murders, including Lincoln’s death. He does not have solid proof, and Rebecca pushes back by talking about Crestbrook and Lance’s corruption. Cross turns off his recorder and speaks to her privately. He tells her he understands the anger she feels. He even admits that Lance may deserve punishment. But he insists that killing him is not the right path. Cross asks her to hand over the evidence she has so they can take Lance down legally. Kayla disagrees with this approach. She believes Cross is letting his emotions guide him. She questions his judgment and leaves frustrated.

Later, Kayla meets Roy in a parking lot. Roy is upset about Bobby Trey approaching Bruce Folsom and about an incident report that has been filed. Kayla knows she is running out of time. She presents evidence that Roy himself is dirty, forcing him to cooperate. With Bruce’s help, she traces the deepfake video back to someone named Felicia. While Kayla is with Bruce, Cross calls to apologize for cutting their earlier communication short. The ending of Cross (Season 2) Episode 5 shows that during their conversation, a car suddenly slams into Cross, knocking him down. Donnie rushes over, and unexpectedly, Bobby Trey shows up to help. Rebecca continues her mission. She meets Senator Ashford and confronts him about his ties to Crestbrook. His mother invested in the company and accepted money to stay silent about illegal activities. Rebecca wants to use this information to gain leverage and bring Crestbrook down once and for all.