Chicago PD spoilers: What happened in season 9 episode 16?

Anna Avalos (Carmela Zumbado) is an expert undercover player. She’s spent the couple weeks at a bakery, where she’s worked alongside seemingly harmless owner Javier Escano (Jose Zuniga).

It turns out that Escano is using his bakeries as a front for his cartel business, and Avalos is trying to help Voight (Jason Beghe) and the rest of the gang break it up. That’s the main focus of the new Chicago PD episode, titled “Closer”. After several episodes focusing on the core lineup of officers, we get the return of Avalos and a plotline that uses the IU as more of a means to an end.

Be warned that the rest of the post contains detailed spoilers for the latest episode of Chicago PD!

What happened on Chicago PD last night? (March 16th)

The inciting incident of the episode is a shooting that takes place outside of one of Escano’s bakeries. Escano merely wanted to cauterize the wound and leave it unreported, but Avalos stepped in and sewed up the wound instead.

Voight and company were watching Avalos during this incident, but her failure to use the safe word they had established led to them not doing anything. Besides, the opportunity proved a golden for Avalos to get closer to Escano and his operation. The gambit worked.

Voight goes to question the man who was shot in front the bakery, Adrian, but instead of give up information, the man points a gun at himself and threatens to shoot. Voight tries to talk him down, but he says he has to do it and pulls the trigger.

It’s a devastating scene, not only because of what happens to Adrian but because of the implications of Escano’s power. If he’s in fact behind the whole thing, then nobody is safe around him. Least of all Avalos.

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At least, that’s what she thinks. Towards the end of the episode, Escano reveals that he’s aware of Avalos’ past and the various things she’s been through. He also says that he’s aware of how much she knows about his “real business”. The fact that she knows and is still alive speaks volumes, and Escano makes it clear that he’s giving her a tremendous amount of trust.

The episode ends not on a cliffhanger or a resolution, but something in between. Avalos is still undercover, and Voight is still trying to make a case against Escano on the outside. The duo are trying to stay in touch despite Avalos’ precarious situation, and they know that one mistake could cost her life.

Given the unresolved nature of the episode, it’s likely that the next one will pick up right where this left off. There’s still plenty to discover, including the details behind Escano’s operation, and why he continues to trust Avalos.

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