Plot

Frank prepares for his promotion to Vice President. Doug tries to erase all leads leading back to him and Frank. Claire fights back against Gillian. Zoe considers working with Frank again.

Claire decides to go to court with Gillian, while plotting against her. Francis chooses his replacement. Doug and Francis arrange Rachel's departure. Meanwhile, Zoe, Lucas and Janine keep looking for Rachel and trying to expose the cover-up of Russo's arrest. Claire gives up trying to get pregnant. Zoe says yes to starting working again for Francis but makes a massive discovery in the process—Andreea D

A public park at night. Frank and Claire Underwood (Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright) are jogging. Outside the Underwood residence, bodyguard Ed Meechum (Nathan Darrow) and aide Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly) wait for their return. Doug tells Frank that reporters Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) and Janine Skorsky (Constance Zimmer) have tracked down Rachel Poster (Rachel Brosnahan), the prostitute who was with Congressman Peter Russo (Corey Stoll) at the time of his arrest and later caused him to get drunk.

In Zoe's apartment, Zoe is having sex with editor Lucas Goodwin (Sebastian Arcelus). She seems worried. He tries to calm her down. "This is safe," he tells her, "I'm not him."

The following morning, in Frank's office, he's visited by California Congresswoman Jackie Sharp (Molly Parker). He offers her the job of Whip. Two other Congressmen are next in line for the job, Frank says, but he will help Jackie. He gives them his dossiers on Howard Webb (Spencer Garrett) and Wes Buchwalter (John Scurti).

Zoe and Lucas in Lucas' car; he's driving. They're trying to find Rachel and Roy Kapeniak (T. J. Edwards), former drinking buddy of Michael Kern (Kevin Kilner), whose appointment as Secretary of State Frank torpedoed.

In the Oval Office, Majority leader Terry Womack (Curtiss Cook) and House Speaker Bob Birch (Larry Pine) congratulate Frank on his appointment as Vice President. President Walker (Michel Gill) and Chief of Staff Linda Vasquez (Sakina Jaffrey) are there to find a replacement for Frank as House Whip. Walker proposes Webb or Buchwalter. Frank proposes that the Democratic Caucus choose. Walker tells them to "figure it out among yourselves" and leaves.

At the restaurant where Rachel works, she finds Doug sitting at a table. He tells her to quit her job right away and pack one suitcase. Says he'll pick her up that evening.

At Claire's Clear Water Initiative office, Claire is meeting with her lawyer, Oliver Spence (Michael Warner) to discuss the lawsuit being brought by Gillian Cole (Sandrine Holt). Claire asks how soon they can go to court, because she's going to fight Gillian. "Six months, at the earliest," he answers. After he leaves, an assistant (Jennifer Osborn) delivers to Claire a list of doctors who have worked in East Africa in the past three years. Claire focuses on the name of Dr. David Applebaum, who worked in Ethiopia.

At Rachel's restaurant, Zoe asks the assistant manager where she is. The assistant manager (Kerry Malloy) tells her that Rachel quit in the middle of the day. Zoe asks for Rachel's address; he says he doesn't have it but will help Zoe.

In Frank's office, Doug tells Frank that he will resettle Rachel in Joppa, Md., near Baltimore. "We want her to disappear, but not on us," Doug says. Doug reports that he has placed Christina Gallagher (Kristen Connolly), Russo's girlfriend, in Linda's office as an assistant.

Ouside her home, Gillian Cole is confronted by Dr. Applebaum's wife (Holly Twyford) who berates her on the street for becoming pregnant by Dr. Applebaum. Cole seems shocked.

Lucas, Janine and Zoe meet in a restaurant to plan strategy in finding Rachel. "It's Underwood. He's moving faster than we are," Zoe says. Lucas says he's going to get the police report on Russo's alleged suicide. Zoe gets a text from Frank, asking for a meeting. Lucas says Frank is trying to set Zoe up but she insists that "I know how to handle him. I'm choosing the place." His answer: "I don't want you to be careless."

In Linda's office, the Chief of Staff interviews Christina. She gets the job.

Doug arrives in Rachel's apartment to pick her up and drive her to Joppa. She refuses to go and waves a kitchen knife at Doug. "I'm keeping my job and I'm keeping this apartment. I don't want to start over again," she says. He wrests the knife away; she collapses in tears.

At Frank's home, Claire offers to make Frank a birthday dinner. "No gifts," he warns.

Back at his office, Frank and the Secret Service chief Captain Rockland (Charles Borland) discuss protection for the Vice President. Doug tells Rockland that Frank will not move into the traditional Vice Presidential residence, the Naval Observatory, but will remain in his townhouse. Doug and Frank are adamant. Frank tells Rockland that he wants Ed Meechum appointed to the S.S. as his personal bodyguard. Frank gets a text from Zoe saying that they should meet at "Rock Creek Park."

In a furniture store, Lucas meets with his Police Department "contact" (Mike Lubik), who gives him an envelope and tells him not to contact him ever again. The envelope contains the police report on Russo's death, which says Russo was found dead on the "Front passenger seat of his vehicle."

At Rock Creek Park, Zoe meets with Frank. She asks if Frank covered up Russo's arrest. "He was in trouble, so I helped," he answers. "And later he expressed a desire to run and I offered guidance."

Zoe confronts Frank with the fact that "Russo was in the passenger seat when he died." Frank explains that "the passenger door was open and he was halfway out. [The police] think that he might have had second thoughts."

"You think I was involved," he says. "There's a connection between you," she answers. Frank realizes that she's connecting the dots. "Let's start this chapter with a clean slate," he says. "You sleep on that and I'll be in touch."

In the office of Ob-Gyn Dr. Larson (Theresa McCarthy), Claire is asking about the possibility of fertilization for herself. The doctor says she'll do some tests.

In a restaurant, Janine, Lucas and Zoe meet again. Alluding to Russo, Janine says that Frank "propped a sham candidate just to take him down." Zoe walks out on the meeting, visibly preoccupied.

At Freddy's BBQ place, Freddy (Regie Cathey) explains to Frank how some butchers kill pigs slowly, which makes their meat more tender and juicy. The humane thing to do is to kill them with one blow, Freddy says.

Gillian shows up at Claire's office. She complains that her insurance has been cancelled and says she needs special meds now that she's expecting a baby. It appears that Claire has falsely cancelled Gillian's insurance, forging her signature. Claire asks if a Mrs. Applebaum paid Gillian a visit. Gillian realizes she has been set up.

Gillian will not get her medicines for four months, Claire says, and "I'm willing to let your child wither and die inside you, if that's what's required." But if Gillian drops the lawsuit, Claire will turn over CWI to her "and you and me, we wash our hands of each other." "No strings?" "None."

Later, from her car, Claire cancels all appointments with Dr. Larson, the gynecologist.

Inside the Cathedral Heights station of the Metro (subway), away from the crowd, Zoe meets with Frank, who is disguised with an overcoat and hat. He asks her to erase all his messages from her cellphone, as well as the contact entry. She does.

Then she confronts Frank with the fact that Rachel was at the hotel the night Russo got drunk and ruined his candidacy for governor of Pennsylvania. He denies involvement. Zoe says she wants to be sure that she, Zoe, "wasn't part of someone's murder." He mutters "Jesus!" and walks away. She follows him but he turns and pushes her into the path of an oncoming train. Then he walks away.

At The Herald, Lucas is told of Zoe's death. He breaks down.

Frank returns home. Claire is waiting for him with a birthday cake that has a single candle. He puts it out with his fingers.

In Janine's apartment, she is packing frantically. Lucas arrives. They commiserate Zoe's death. Janine tells him she's leaving for Ithaca, N.Y., to her mother's place. She is quitting the search for Rachel and leaving Washington. He leaves, angry.

At Frank's home, he is showering and Claire is straightening up the bedroom. A TV newscast is telling about Zoe's death. Claire goes to her table and starts applying makeup, seemingly unconcerned.

In Frank's office, Frank is asked by Jackie why he chose her for Democratic Whip. He says he likes her experience and efficiency in the military. "You did what needed to be done and that's why I chose you, Jackie. And more importantly, [your] ruthless pragmatism."

In the Oval Office, Frank, Speaker Birch and Majority leader Womack, meet with President Walker to talk about the candidates for Whip.

In Rachel's new, unfurnished pad, she and Doug eat Indian takeout food.

Driving Frank home, bodyguard Meechum says he will begin special training with the Secret Service. He hands Frank a box containing a birthday gift. At home, Frank shows Claire the present, a set of cufflinks with the initials "F" and "U", for Frank Underwood. She leaves for the kitchen and Frank addresses the viewer:

"Don't waste a breath mourning Ms. Barnes. Every kitten grows up to be a cat. They seem so harmless at first. [...] But once their claws get long enough, they draw blood. Sometimes from the hand that feeds them. For those of us climbing to the top of the food chain, there can be no mercy. There is but one rule: Hunt or be hunted." (EPISODE ENDS).