The episode begins with a flashback to 1992 Hornsherred, Denmark, where schoolchildren are on a field trip. Their teacher shows them a baby cuckoo killing other bird eggs, setting the tone for the dark and twisted story to come. While playing hide and seek, Emil, the seeker, discovers a dead boy in a large nest. Someone has killed the baby cuckoo as well, a sign of things to come.
In the present, a stalker sends Zara Solak videos of herself and a hide-and-seek countdown poem, slut-shaming her. She rushes home to check on her daughter, who is with her ex-husband. Right then, the stalker tases and kidnaps her.
Europol investigator Mark Hess flies back to Copenhagen after his estranged, drunk brother, Jon, falls and gets a brain hemorrhage. His neighbor claims that Jon was lonely and gives his pet bird to the reluctant Mark. Cybercrime investigator Naia Thulin's daughter, Le, misses Mark and has been following his movements on Snapchat. There's an upcoming kids and dads camping trip, and she's embarrassed that Naia is tagging along.
As for Naia, she's tasked with Zara's case. Following her divorce, Zara went on several Tinder dates and was on sick leave due to stress. Her room is a mess with several pills, a knife, and a taser gun. However, the kitchen is tidy, which her daughter claims is not her doing.
The scene cuts to Zara being tased while tied to a chair. The news reports on the messed-up investigation of the dead high school student, Emma Holst. She was stalked and went missing two years ago, only to be found recently by an elderly couple. The eerie parallels between the past and present hint at a deeper, more sinister story unfolding.
Her mother, Marie, attends a grief support meeting to share her relief. However, her appeal is swiftly dismissed, and the case is closed due to a lack of evidence. Naia and her partner, Sandra Lindstrom, discover numerous videos and photos that the stalker sent to Zara on her laptop. The stalker's IP address (an Eastern European server) is also mentioned in Emma's case. Naia's boss orders her to get Mark to trace the server. Naia hesitates and explains to Sandra that she dated Mark for six months before he ghosted her for work two years ago.
Esra Foldager, chief of the Violent Crimes Unit, cannot take Zara's case unless there is evidence of a crime. However, she lends Skovbjerg for an initial search. She also reveals that Mark is in town, shocking Naia. When they meet, Naia is curt and directs Mark to Sandra for the case. He apologizes but she waves him off.
Marie is a high school teacher, and while she does receive some support, the school dislikes the attention that Emma's case has garnered. To make the students feel safe, she is asked not to attend the open house. She feels like an outsider as she drives her two kids to her ex-husband Michael's birthday party. Everyone has moved on and is celebrating, and she simply leaves.
Mark checks into a hotel, and Le shows up with a cup for him as his birthday present. He apologizes for leaving and explains that he didn't contact her as he didn't want to upset her. Meanwhile, Naia discovers a car belonging to a construction company in front of Zara's house. Suddenly, Zara "texts" her daughter and ex from her home, claiming that she is leaving for Paris. In reality, Zara has tape on her mouth and is being held hostage in the building opposite her house. She tries to scream as Naia and the cops leave, as there is no case anymore. Mark is leaving when he spots a note about a countdown text that Emma got. It's the exact same one as Zara's.
It's time for the camping trip. Naia's friend tries to hook her up with Bjorn, a new single dad. Mark shows up with the text update, and Naia ditches the trip. They find out that Zara never showed up at the airport. They visit her house again and notice someone watching them from the opposite building, which seems to be a probate estate. They find it unlocked and empty, with a chair covered in scratches and blood. At the end of the episode, Zara is found dead in a large nest in the woods.
