Cody started swimming again but is very frustrated with his times. They aren't nearly as good as those from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics qualification races when a diving accident prevented him from going (6.22, Go for the Gold). He puts his career (and life) on the line when he starts using a performance-enhancing supplement in hopes of making it to the 2000 Sydney Olympics, which soon begins affecting his lifeguarding job. Meanwhile, Newman makes a play for Alex, who's oblivious to his moves, while she quarrels with Mitch over running the Baywatch lifeguard program. But when Mitch spends more time with Alex, including getting stuck in a traffic jam and ending up in a lifeguard tower to spend the night, Newman becomes jealous.

Mitch finds himself on the wrong side of the law when he becomes reacquainted with Tanner, the abused nine-year-old boy, whom he saves from his abusive father, Blake, and lets the boy stay at his house while Alex becomes Mitch's co-conspirator in helping Tanner. Meanwhile, Jessie has a secret admirer that turns out to be a stunt pilot who is apparently leaving her expensive gifts in her lifeguard tower, much to J.D.'s indifference. Alex has her share of trouble when several swimmers show signs of food poisoning from a bad batch of hot dogs. And Mitch and Tanner bond during a ride on the windjet but it's interrupted by Blake, the abusive father, and a fight breaks out between Mitch and Blake. In the end, Blake heads off to prison and Mitch becomes Tanner's foster dad and Tanner moves in with him.