Reef Eel Soup for the Soul

**"Reef Eel Soup for the Soul"** is the third episode of the first season of *Almost Paradise*. The episode first aired on April 13, 2020, on WGN America (now NewsNation).

## Synopsis

Ernesto Alamares takes Alex Walker to the local street food vendor area to visit his friend Bayani's restaurant. While there, they notice a lot of the local shops have closed and been abandoned, which strikes them as odd. While at Bayani's restaurant, Ernesto gets Alex to try various dishes such as balut and reef eel soup, claiming the latter can solve all health problems. The balut does not sit well with Alex, who leaves to go throw up behind the restaurant. While throwing up, Alex notices a couple of mobsters trying to extort protection money out of Bayani, who says he can no longer afford to pay. The mobsters then beat up Bayani but Alex intervenes and scares them off. Later at the hospital, Alex and Ernesto ask Bayani what that was all about and Bayani says that mobsters have been shaking down local food vendors and causing them to close up shop when they can no longer afford to pay. Bayani refuses to say more for fear of retribution.

Meanwhile at the police station, Chief Ike Ocampo is in his office preparing his gubernatorial campaign. He calls Detective Kai Mendoza into his office and asks her to go on a special assignment for him. He assigns her to be the security detail for incumbent governor Nina Rosales, his opponent, and asks her to report back on any suspicious behavior. Mendoza asks if he is asking her to spy on the governor but Ocampo denies this.

Mendoza goes to the governor's office and introduces herself. After this occurs, Canadian businessman Paul Montrose arrives for a meeting with the governor. After introducing herself, Mendoza leaves the two alone and waits outside. From outside, Mendoza can hear Rosales and Montrose get into a loud argument that culminates in Montrose storming out. When asked what that was about, Rosales says Montrose is trying to buy her favor but she keeps refusing as she does not accept bribes.

Back at the street food vendor area, Ernesto Alamares goes undercover as a vendor in hopes of catching the mobsters who beat up Bayani. The mobsters come and demand money, but Alex, claiming to be a Spanish crime lord, says that Alamares is under his protection instead. They all fight and eventually Alex arranges a meeting with the mobsters' boss at the hotel. While this is happening, Mendoza goes back to the police station to report the incident with Montrose only to see Montrose meeting and shaking hands with Ocampo.

Mendoza follows Montrose out to the hotel where it turns out he is meeting with Alex as he has been the one that the mobsters were working for. Alamares intercepts Mendoza before she can interrupt the meeting, and both watch as Alex makes a deal with Montrose. Montrose says he wants the land the vendors are on and the governor's approval to use the land for a dump. Alex says this is not possible as he has rigged the election in Rosales' favor so he will be unable to have Ocampo win in hopes of getting the approval from him. Alex then offers to re-rig the election in Ocampo's favor as he claims to be getting sick of Rosales, which Montrose accepts.

After an undercover operation at the polling place where they give Montrose the impression he is intercepting, diverting, and replacing absentee votes to sway the election, Mendoza arrests him but lets him go on the condition he goes home to Canada and stops interfering in Cebu. Montrose instead goes to threaten the governor at gunpoint. Rosales, having been made aware of the situation, asks for a much higher sum of money, which Montrose accepts. However, in order to make the deal, Montrose draws the money from his boss' account providing the police with evidence of the company's involvement. Montrose is arrested again and the company is barred from operating in the Philippines, preventing them from trying this again elsewhere.

The episode closes with the street food vendors re-opening their shops and Bayani and Ernesto finally getting Alex to try the reef eel soup, which he realizes actually is not that bad.

## Cast

### Main

* Christian Kane as Alex Walker
* Samantha Richelle as Detective Kai Mendoza
* Arthur Acuña as Detective Ernesto Alamares
* Nonie Buencamino as Chief Ike Ocampo
* Ces Quesada as Cory Santos (uncredited)

### Guest

* Simon Arblaster as Paul Montrose
* Zsa Zsa Padilla as Governor Nina Rosales
* Lou Veloso as Bayani
* Michael Roy Jornales as Big Bones
* Eric Tai as Stretch
* Zeppi Borromeo as Face Tats
* Ricci Chan as Rosales' assistant