The following contains spoilers for Walker Season 3, Episode 3, "Rubber Meets the Road," which debuted Thursday, Oct. 20 on The CW.

Though Cordell and Liam Walker have been rescued from a group of anarchists targeting the Texas Rangers, their personal world dangles from a string. Walker and Liam address the trauma they endured in their own respective ways, opening a rift between the two brothers. And as the Walker brothers contend with their issues, Walker’s children Stella and August move to recover the stolen Walker family Mustang before Stella heads out to college and anyone can notice that something is missing.

Liam is visibly traumatized by his abduction and torture even after Walker assures him that the Rangers are working diligently to arrest the entire network of terrorists. The Walker family reconvenes over dinner back at the ranch, with Walker finally congratulating Stella on her graduation as things return to normal. After a two month flash-forward, August has taken up an interest in weight training while the family is still unaware the prized Mustang has been stolen by grifters.

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Regrouping with Colton Davidson, Stella reveals she has secretly been investigating the whereabouts of the Mustang for the past two months and plans to steal it back from the grifters. She notes that the car thief has been using the Mustang in local street racing, with Colton and August both agreeing to help her get the car back while keeping the situation a secret from the rest of the family. Colton confides to his stepfather Dan Miller that he is worried Stella will break up with him before she heads off to college, but keeps these thoughts to himself when he meets back up with her.

Walker and Cassie Perez prepare for a road trip in order to take Stella to college, with Cassie expressing her concerns that Walker is still haunted by his trauma while Walker insists he’s undergoing therapy. Meanwhile, Abby checks in on Liam, with her son venting frustration that the family always defers to his older brother’s wisdom -- even with their shared traumatic experience. After Stella contacts Trey while she tracks down the Mustang, he overhears racing noises in the background and deduces what she's up to, informing Walker and Cassie.

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At the street racing scene, Stella tries to seize the Mustang, but is stopped by the thieves and the new security measures they’ve since installed in it. When Stella explains the family history behind the Mustang and its matter of miles, the thieves surprisingly relinquish the car back without a fight in a sentimental turn. Returning to the ranch, Stella and August are greeted by a furious Walker -- who's angry that his children have been keeping the truth from him for the past two months. Walker is determined to arrest the group of car thieves, but Stella implores him to let it go since they peacefully returned the Mustang.

The Walker children confide that they kept the situation a secret from their father over their fears of his noticeably unresolved trauma over the abduction, with Walker conceding that he hasn’t completely recovered. When Walker and Stella have a heart-to-heart, she confesses that she doesn’t want to go to college. Liam and his father Bonham make amends as Bonham finally addresses his own unresolved trauma from serving in the Vietnam War. Though not a clean recovery, the separate experiences are a big step towards the Walker brothers handling their trauma; however, Walker is still haunted by his military service prior to becoming a Ranger. When or how this will play out in Season 3 remains uncertain.

Developed for television by Anna Fricke, Walker airs Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. on The CW.