The inaugural episode of The Asset unfurls with a man's tragic demise on a plane, his final words to a flight attendant revealing the presence of drugs within his stomach. We soon discover that the man was an undercover cop, most likely killed due to his unwavering pursuit in his last case. His boss, Folke, yearns for justice and pleads his case to his superior, Jensen, who insists on deploying a fresh asset to apprehend the perpetrators.
Folke embarks on a quest to the police academy, specifically seeking a young cadet in training. He settles on a young woman named Tea, her youth and past serving as his primary motives. Tea hails from a fractured family, with her mother an alcoholic and herself once entangled in a violent relationship with a drug dealer. A recovering drug addict for the past six years, she now finds solace in her training, focused on turning her life around.
Folke is drawn to Tea's detachment and emotional unavailability; he follows her for several hours to assure himself of his choice. Satisfied, he proceeds with his plan.
Meanwhile, we are introduced to Ashley, Miran's wife, who shares an affluent life with their daughter Sofia, fueled by Miran's illicit drug business. When Miran learns of the fallen cop's news, he visits his brother Bambi. It transpires that the cop was monitoring their operations undercover. Miran had entrusted Bambi and his friend to handle the situation, but they botched it up, prompting Miran to go into hiding.
As Folke unfolds Jensen Tea's file, he skillfully convinces her that she is the perfect candidate for the job. They devise a plan to have her disqualified from the police training under the pretext of a flimsy security clearance excuse, leaving Tea furious and disappointed. She departs to check on her mother, only to receive a call from Folke later, offering her a second chance to prove herself. He gives her a challenge - to make friends with a few women at a restaurant - and she effortlessly excels, impressing Folke in the process.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Niko, Miran's right-hand man, pays a visit to Bambi's place. He finds the man Miran had ordered to stay away and brutally beats him up.
After the test, Folke introduces Tea to Jensen and briefs her on the case. He tells her about the mission - to get close to Ashley and gather evidence on Miran. They provide her with a file on the couple for her to study. Folke also gives Tea a new identity - Sara - and insists that her job is to make Ashley look up to her and become her friend. They plan to use Tea's real past as her backstory.
For the next few days, Tea and Folke tail Ashley, getting a sense of her personality and habits. Meanwhile, Miran struggles to secure his next drug package, as everyone is scared to cooperate with him after the plane incident, and it doesn't help that one of his clients, Erik, is growing impatient.
Finally, ready to dive into her new persona as Sara, Tea is tested again by Folke and introduced to Yasin, her minder. Confident in Tea's abilities, Folke continues with the mission, eager to see how far they can push their plan.
As Yasin escorts Tea to her newly-acquired apartment, they present her with a card, hinting at her role as a wealthy jeweler returning from the sands of Dubai. Yasin cautions Tea that Miran, their mastermind, is meticulous and never daubs his hands with the grimy details of his schemes. Meanwhile, a seething Bambi, fueled by resentment and frustration, attempts to take Niko's life in a fit of vengeance. However, Miran swiftly intervenes, halting the violent act.
The following day, Tea establishes contact with Ashley at the nail salon. She allows Sofia to fidget with her glittering bracelet and remains unfazed when Ashley returns it. Tea casually mentions her profession as a jeweler and hands Ashley her business card. Later during their intimate moment, Folke whispers a warning to Tea, reminding her to be mindful of her demeanor towards Ashley. Earlier, she had been a bit too brash, and Tea explains that Ashley is not the type of woman one should curry favor with. Yasin observes with interest that Ashley has visited Tea's website and has booked an appointment for the next day.
