President Frank Underwood visits his father's grave in rural South Carolina to maintain a public appearance of respect, only to privately urinate on it out of spite. Doug Stamper is found beaten in the woods and requires extensive surgery and care; he makes a slow and painful recovery. Remy Danton has been filling in as Underwood's White House Chief of Staff. Frank also enlists Donald Blythe as his Vice President. In an effort to show some form of progress by his administration, Frank pushes for a jobs program called America Works* (or "AmWorks"). Gavin Orsay has accepted working for the FBI despite not wanting to work for the people who had been oppressing him. Doug asks for his help in locating Rachel Posner, who is still missing after assaulting Stamper and stealing his car. Meanwhile, First Lady Claire Underwood has set her sights on becoming the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. Frank orders a drone airstrike that successfully takes out a foreign target. Doug finally gives in to the pain from his injuries and has a prostitute squirt bourbon into his mouth from a syringe, thus breaking his sobriety.
