Episode 1 of The Recruit kicks off with a tense scene, where snipers clad in white stealthily take their positions, signaling the commencement of a covert operation. Amidst the meticulous preparations, Owen's keen eyes detect the ominous approach of black SUVs. He urgently attempts to alert his comrades over the communication channel, yet they dismiss his warnings, urging him to stay off the line. Swiftly, heavily armed figures dressed in black emerge from the SUVs, prompting Owen to take decisive action.
Flashing back two weeks, we delve into how Owen Hendricks, a rookie lawyer, found himself entangled in this web of intrigue. On his second day at work, his formidable boss, Nyland, tasks him with an ultimatum: prevent the head of the senate intelligence committee from disclosing a classified document in a public hearing, or face the consequences of unemployment. Though the conversation is fraught with tension, Owen navigates the situation with composure, successfully fulfilling the assignment.
On the third day, his colleagues, Lester and Violet, assign him the unenviable duty of scrutinizing a mountain of letters threatening the CIA, seeking to verify their authenticity. Amongst the heap, Owen stumbles upon a letter from a woman named Max Meladze, who vows to expose secrets about a covert CIA operation from the past. He seeks the counsel of Janus, another colleague, regarding the credibility of the letter. Janus warns him that the letter might be genuine, but advises against delving further into the matter.
Ignoring the warning, Owen decides to embark on an investigation, uncovering that the operation mentioned in the letter was a covert mission in Belarus from 2009. However, Max Meladze's name is absent from the agency's records. He reports his findings to Nyland, who authorizes him to continue his inquiry, while reprimanding Lester and Violet for their oversight. They, feeling slighted, fail to inform Owen of the necessary protocol when he embarks on a trip to Yemen to meet with Dawn, an operative involved in the Belarus operation.
Upon his arrival in Yemen, Dawn mistakes him for a spy and brutally torments him, extracting one of his fingernails. Despite the ordeal, Owen manages to convince her that he is merely a rookie lawyer, barely a week into his job. Dawn reveals that Max was a valuable asset and warns him to tread carefully if someone has successfully erased her file from the system.
Exhausted and battered, Owen returns home to his apartment, shared with his best friend Terence and his ex-girlfriend Hannah. Reluctant to divulge his whereabouts or the details of his ordeal, he attempts to catch some rest. However, a call from Nyland summons him back to the office. Nyland inquiries about his mission in Yemen and instructs him to visit Max in the Phoenix prison. Max confides in him that she has concealed classified documents in a storage locker. Following Nyland's orders, Owen rushes to secure the files and seek backup from the local FBI office. However, he faces numerous obstacles and decides to embark on the mission alone.
At the storage locker, two gun-wielding men confront him, demanding the bag he retrieved. Unaware that the bag contains not classified documents but money booby-trapped with acid, Owen attempts to flee. Cornered, he surrenders the bag, only to witness the acid spray the assailants. Grabbing the opportunity, Owen snatches the bag and escapes, narrowly escaping a life-threatening encounter.
Returning to the prison, Owen confronts Max with a firm resolve. He declares that he's no longer her obedient puppet and threatens to abandon her. Doubting her claims about the significant information she possesses, he is shocked when she insists she's deadly serious. She paints a picture of their precarious situation, arguing that only by working together can they navigate this minefield of danger.
Unwavering, Owen rejects her pleas and declares his intention to inform his superior and wash his hands of the entire affair. Max's voice rises, warning him that the case transcends his comprehension and the consequences of his actions could be dire. She instructs him to deposit the money in a trash can at the prison's parking lot's far end, deeming it the safest option.
As she scrolls through his social media profiles, she reveals her intimate knowledge of his personal circle, gleaned from his Instagram feed. Before Owen departs, she drops a bombshell, revealing that her handler is none other than "Not Bob."
Owen ponders over Max's dire warnings and swiftly erases any traces of his close ones from his social media accounts. He conceals the bag of cash in a trash can and returns to Langley. There, he seeks answers from Janus regarding the enigmatic "Not Bob." The mere mention of the name sends Janus into a panic, forcing him to eject Owen from his office. He declares his detachment from the investigation, revealing that "Not Bob" is currently the Chief of Staff to the President of America.
Shocked and chastened by Janus' revelation and Max's warning, Owen decides to furnish Nyland only with the bare essentials of the case, pleading to continue the investigation. He opts to keep the identity of "Not Bob" a secret from Nyland.
Returning to his office after the brief encounter with Nyland, Owen finds a subpoena letter awaiting him. He calls Max, seeking a candid response on whether he can trust her. She replies candidly, stating that he can only rely on her when their interests converge... and he's fully committed to that alignment.
