At the ranch, Nick tells Nikki and Victor that Sharon is missing again. Nikki gasps, “What?!” Nick adds that it’s not just Sharon this time… Phyllis is missing too. Nikki wonders what Phyllis has done now and questions if Sharon did something to the redhead after being triggered. Nick shakes his head; she’s back on track. Victor asks how long it has been. Nick says it’s been over 24 hours and both missed planned meetings. Nikki hopes it’s a strange misunderstanding or a coincidence… anything else is too frightening. Nick needs extra help from the ranch security team. Victor grants his request. Nick wants to find them so everyone can put the fear and worry behind them.

Sharon and Phyllis Crack the Code

In the abandoned mental institute, Phyllis hollers at the speaker up on the wall for going silent. “How do we win? How do we get out of here, freak?” Sharon warns her to ease up on the insults, but Phyllis isn’t looking to be friends. Sharon tells they need to figure out how to get out of there together… that’s how they win the damn game. The speaker starts playing the same song again and Sharon is sure it means something to both of them. “But what?” Sharon is sick of being messed with and won’t let it happen again. Whatever game this freak thinks he can force them to play, she’s out. Phyllis reminds her they can see them and hear them. They have to play along. It’s the only way out of there. The music abruptly stops. Sharon says, “Makes sense.” She tells the speaker, “OK, we’re in!” The voice says, “Excellent decision.”

Phyllis wants to know the voice’s identity, but he insists it has no bearing on the game. Sharon asks how they win. He directs them to the safe. Phyllis walks over to it and finds a birthday card. They wonder if it’s their captor’s birthday. Is this his idea of a party? The buzzer blares loudly and they cover their ears. Phyllis tells Sharon she offended him, and he turned off the mic. They puzzle over the riddle on the card, guessing it will give them the code to the safe. Sharon asks, “What is the riddle?” Phyllis reads, “I’m 18 away from Independence Day.” Sharon frowns, “What the hell?”

Sharon and Phyllis work to figure it out and consult a calendar. Sharon says, “July 22nd,” and the music starts up again. Sharon wonders if the song is connected to the date. Phyllis walks over to the safe and puts in a code. It opens. Inside, are cellphones. Phyllis reaches for it, but Sharon warns it could be booby-trapped. She wryly notes, “You’re all I have, Phyllis.” Phyllis pulls out the phones, one has an ‘S’ and the other a ‘P’. Sharon asks how she figured out the code. Phyllis says the date was the night of the charity event where she pushed her down the stairs and left her to die. Sharon argues she stumbled. Phyllis says it doesn’t matter. Their gatekeeper wants them to remember that night for some reason. That song was playing that night. Sharon whispers, “Whatever this is, it’s about us. Our past. Our history.” Phyllis gawps, “Good God, the game is about us.”

Phyllis declares that whoever is behind this knows them… and their relationship. They are the game. “The game is about us. But what’s the endgame.” Sharon thinks maybe this is it… they figured out the code to the safe and now they can call for help. Phyllis is unconvinced. It seems too easy. They pick up the phones and realize they’re blocked. Sharon calls out., “Hello! What are we supposed to do with these?!” The voice congratulates them on their success thus far and intones that they will each be allowed to make a phone call to one loved one. “Choose wisely.” They’re to tell them they’ve gone out of town for a while. “Whatever you think will convince them you’re OK.”

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Sharon asks if they’ll be going home soon. There’s no reply. Phyllis says the phones are unopened. He tells them that once they agree to the rules, the phones will work. If they try to alert the people they call to the truth, the phone signal will instantly scramble and there will be a price to pay. As with all the best games, if they behave and follow the rules, they’ll advance. If not, they’ll be penalized. Sharon asks how they’ll be penalized. He can’t hurt them. The voice asks, “Can’t I?” Phyllis mutters that she’s getting very tired of this freak behind the curtains schtick. Sharon warns her to shut up. They bicker until he asks again if they agree to the rules. Sharon says, “We’re in.” He tells them to put the code to the safe into their phones, backwards this time. They do, and the phones open. Phyllis decides she’ll call Summer. Sharon doesn’t want to call her kids, they’ll be too afraid. Phyllis tells her to do whatever she has to in order to get the job done. Sharon will call Nick.

Chelsea and Adam Discuss Sally

At the old ranch, Chelsea panics over kissing Adam, who isn’t complaining. She’s not a fan of mixed messages, so she’s sorry. Adam suggests they agree it was a lovely evening. They’re navigating the evening perfectly… kiss included. Chelsea just doesn’t want to give him the wrong idea. She isn’t ready to move quickly. Adam assures her they’ll go at her pace. Chelsea tells him he made her feel really special tonight by being so thoughtful. She has hope and is excited for the future. Adam tells her he’ll honor the whole “going slow” thing. They toast. “To us. To surviving our worst selves. To finding our best selves, hopefully together.” Adam marvels that she took a chance on him and accepted his invitation. They tease about being like grown-ups. Chelsea feels ready to try.

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After Chelsea’s cleaned up, Adam hands her a glass of scotch. They toast, drink and then sit on the sofa to chat about her wing of the house. Chelsea abruptly tells him she wants to know if he’s truly over Sally. “If there’s even a flicker…” Adam tells her there’s not even a flicker of a flicker. Chelsea doesn’t feel he and Sally have found the same peace she and Billy have. She can’t let her heart get shattered because he’s not fully over his ex. Adam insists there’s zero chance of her getting hurt. Nothing means more to him than the possibility of them getting back together. “There’s no future for Sally and me. Too much has happened.” Chelsea thinks he sounds wistful. Adam admits he has regret. She understands; she feels the same way about Billy. Chelsea wants to talk about the night they hooked up. Maybe it wasn’t as innocent and random as they let themselves believe.

Adam has wondered a lot about that night. He thinks that Sally saw the truth before he did… she was convinced that he still had feelings for Chelsea and hammered him to be honest with her. He denied it until he couldn’t anymore. He believes their history was with them that night. He hates that it hurt Sally, Billy not so much. Adam wishes he’d handled it differently, but doesn’t regret what happened that got them to this point. Chelsea teases that he’ll have to keep working to win her over. Adam’s glad to see her smile and relax as they’ve reconnected. His goal tonight was to create another happy memory… hopefully it’s a beginning. Chelsea feels he’s the Adam she fell in love with years ago. They kiss.

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Chelsea puts on the brakes, and tells Adam the night was perfect. She thanks him again and he says it was wonderful for him too. He’ll make her dinner again. They banter about food and he offers to walk her to her door. She says, “Absolutely not. I will see you in the morning.” Adam picks up a rose and hands it to her. She walks out of the room smiling. Adam grins. He sits and thinks about Chelsea, as she takes off her earrings in her bedroom. Smelling the rose, she smiles.

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Nick Gets a Call

At the ranch, Nikki assures Nick that Sharon and Phyllis will turn up. Nick’s counting on it. Suddenly, his phone rings. He says it’s a blocked number, but answers it. On the other end, Sharon tells him, “Greetings from Sedona!” She says she texted the girls to tell them. He says they didn’t get texts. Why isn’t she calling from her own phone. She says she lost hers and got a burner phone. Nick says the girls will be relieved… they’ve been very worried. Sharon apologizes for upsetting them. Nick is glad she’s taking some “me” time. He asks her to send a postcard. Sharon asks Nick to tell the girls she’s in Sedona. She’s tired from traveling and only has the strength to get into bed. Nick asks, “Is everything alright, Sharon? Are you sure?” Sharon says she’s fine… she just needed time alone to process everything. She needed to go off the radar. Sharon asks him to kiss the girls and Aria for her and disconnects. Nick stands there frowning.

In the mental hospital, Phyllis tells Summer, over the phone, that she’s sorry she bailed on breakfast. She couldn’t find her phone. She got a burner phone to call her. “Where am I? Uh…” She says she’ll be honest with her… she’s following up on some business leads, but she can’t tell Billy. She wants to surprise him. Phyllis apologizes for worrying her. She just had to get out of town. She loves her and asks her to give Daniel a kiss for her. “I’ll be home soon, alright? I love you, OK. Bye-bye.” She hangs up and she and Sharon exchange an agonized glance.

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At the ranch, Nikki frowns, “Sharon’s in Sedona?” She up and left without telling anyone? Nick says she’s been planning the trip for a while, but he’s still concerned because she claimed she texted Mariah and Faith, but the girls never got those texts. He’s suspicious of her saying that she’s too tired to call her kids. “Does that sound off to you?” Nick declares there are red flags all over this. Nikki thinks Sharon told him the truth. She’s emotionally exhausted. Victor thinks Nikki is right. Nick’s phone goes off. “It’s from Summer. Phyllis called her. She’s fine.” Nikki’s glad they’re both accounted for, but what are the odds they’d check in at the same time? Victor says it is odd, but they seem to be safe. Nick is sure everything will be fine.

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Sharon and Phyllis’ Endgame

In the abandoned facility, Sharon and Phyllis compare notes on their call. Nick and Summer didn’t suspect a thing. Now that they’ve waived off any possible rescue attempt, it doesn’t feel like winning to Sharon. Phyllis assures her they’re getting out of there. She asks, “What do we do now?” The speak blares the buzzer sound and then the voice tells them to rest. Tomorrow is another day. Phyllis and Sharon, grumbling, set up on either side of the lone sofa. Sharon wonders if it’s someone who wants them to face their loathing of each other. Phyllis says that makes no sense… unless they want one final showdown. Maybe they’re not playing against a captor at all. “Maybe we’re playing against each other.”

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Next on The Young and the Restless: Nick and Daniel keep a secret from Billy, Audra sets boundaries with Holden, and suspicion mounts about Sharon and Phyllis.