Episode 8 of The Recruit's inaugural season commences with Lester and Violet observing the local police cordoning off the crime scene. Lester's mind was abuzz with the clarity of their next mission: safeguarding the agency. He sneaked into the hotel's shadows, creeping towards Owen and Max's room, gathering their belongings with stealth. Violet provided valuable assistance, and together, they managed to evade the impending arrival of the local police and exit the room, heading towards the Consulate.
Meanwhile, Hannah tried desperately to reach Owen but her calls fell on deaf ears, prompting her to leave a voicemail. Terence, sensing a looming danger, suggested they make their way to the Consulate in search of any information pertaining to Owen. His concern stemmed from a lingering suspicion that Owen might somehow be linked to Xander's untimely demise.
On a fleeing bus, Owen confronted Max, probing into her involvement in Xander's death. She argued that it was improbable for Krill to have reached Xander so swiftly, suggesting that perhaps he wasn't the intended target, merely an unfortunate bystander. Owen fretted over the possibility of having spotted Hannah at the hotel, and Max cautioned him to hope not, given the gravity of the situation. When Owen attempted to switch on his phone to contact Hannah, Max swiftly hurled it out the window. One would expect a spy to be aware of the dangers of leaving a traceable device behind, but Owen seemed oblivious to this basic tenet of espionage.
Back at the headquarters in Washington, Xander's death had cast a shadow of uncertainty. Nyland, Amelia, Lester, Violet, and Dawn received a conference call from their superior, played by Nathan Fillion, renowned for his portrayal of Nolan in The Rookie. He demanded answers about Xander's murderer and the whereabouts of Owen and Max. His concern also extended to their legal exposure, prompting him to consider halting all operations. However, Lester and Violet assured him that they had scrubbed the hotel room clean, leaving no trace of their involvement. Dawn pleaded for 24 hours, emphasizing Max's crucial role in securing Russian intelligence.
The boss acquiesced, granting them a day's respite while instructing Lester to resume his position as a Covert Operations agent until the operation was complete. He then summoned Lester and Dawn for a private discussion, ordering them to eliminate the current players if the situation deteriorated.
Elsewhere, Max and Owen, on the run, stole a nun's phone on the bus they were riding. Max quickly dialed Dawn, informing her of their imminent arrival. Owen, meanwhile, used the phone to contact Janus and shared photographs of a notebook he had snatched from Max's safe deposit box. He cleverly saved the photos in his Instagram draft folders and entrusted Janus with his password, granting him access. Owen instructed Janus to use the information to muddy the waters surrounding their alleged missile scandal. Janus complied, instructing a soldier to plant pages of the notebook at a Nigerian compound they were soon to raid.
At the bustling Consulate, Hannah and Terence anxiously converged with Violet, their inquiries centering around the mysterious disappearance of Owen. When they disclosed his absence, Violet's brows furrowed in confusion, demanding to know how they came to this conclusion. Hannah, who shared a workspace with Owen, retorted, questioning the CIA's motives in trailing one of their agents to Geneva. She probed for any details about Owen's work, but they remained steadfast in their denial of any such knowledge.
Violet assured them she would inform them of Owen's whereabouts as soon as she learned of them, advising them to return home and wait. Terence, however, was displeased with the CIA's interrogation, fearing they may have exacerbated Owen's situation rather than aiding him. Hannah, desperate for answers, called her mother, pleading for assistance in determining Owen's safety. Her mother agreed, but with a caveat: Hannah must vacate the apartment she shared with Terence and Owen.
Meanwhile, in Washington, Not Bob made an unscheduled visit to Nyland, seeking a briefing on the Geneva operation. Nyland grimly informed him of the debacle, revealing that Xander had fallen victim to the mission. Not Bob hastily requested that the case be kept far from his involvement and that any mention of his contact with Owen be omitted. Nyland concurred, and Not Bob promptly departed.
On their journey to confront Dawn, Max confided in Owen, revealing a damning secret about their target. She disclosed that Dawn was embezzling funds from ghost assets, a revelation intended to give Owen leverage in case anything untoward occurred. However, upon their arrival, Dawn regarded them with suspicion, interrogating them relentlessly about Xander's fate.
After deliberating, they decided to recommend the continuation of the operation to Langley, arguing that they had not been compromised. Lester supported their stance, providing intelligence indicating that Xander's death was the result of a woman named Nichka Lashin. The director concurred, green-lighting their plan to reinstate Max into the Russian mob.
With renewed purpose, they devised a strategy to travel to Prague for the buy-in and subsequently return Max to Belarus. However, Nyland sought a private moment with Owen, issuing a stern warning: any further calls made on his behalf would result in his termination. Hannah, already feeling responsible for Owen's plight, chose to remain in Geneva, her situation further complicated by an anonymous message informing her that Owen was headed to Prague.
In the heart of Prague, the team stood vigilant as Max braced herself for her encounter with Lev, a man who held the key to her return to the Russian mob. Max confessed to Owen her deep-seated terror, yet she knew she had no alternative but to confront Lev. Before her departure, they shared a tender kiss, a moment of intimacy amidst the impending chaos.
The meeting began uneventfully, until the unexpected appearance of three menacing black SUVs. Owen, sensing danger, tried to alert the team, but Dawn dismissed his warnings. Out of the SUVs emerged heavily armed, masked figures, unleashing a hail of bullets. Lev, suspecting Max of betrayal, ordered his men to fire at her. Quick on her feet, Max darted behind a sofa, drew her gun, and returned fire, striking Lev in the leg.
Outside, the gunfire continued unabated. Owen, spotting Marta, alias Nichka, the woman who had once attempted to seduce him for espionage, made his way inside and rescued Max by eliminating one of Lev's henchmen. But another assailant attacked him, choking him to the brink of death until Max intervened, saving his life. She dispatched Lev with a cold-blooded shot, leaving no loose ends. Together, they dashed to their car and sped away amidst the flying bullets.
The intensity of the encounter left Owen shaken. He had a panic attack and, refusing to be stopped, leapt out of the car. Unable to bear the guilt of killing a man, he confessed to Max that he was quitting, severing his ties with her and the agency. Max, gun in hand, confronted him, but he insisted that he had been foolish to think he could save her. Max pleaded with him, needing his help to return home, but he walked away, leaving her helpless. Unable to pull the trigger, Max let him go.
After parting with Max, Owen reached out to Hannah, who revealed she was in Prague and wished to meet him. Exhausted and disbelieving, he made his way to her, only to be abducted by a mysterious black car that appeared out of nowhere. Hannah watched helplessly as he was taken away.
Max, realizing the gravity of the situation, contacted Dawn and alerted her of Owen's predicament. She informed Dawn that she was tracking Owen using the phone she had given him, and Dawn concurred in their plan to meet. However, just as she ended the call, a shadowy figure emerged, kidnapping Max as well.
When Owen and Max regained consciousness, they found themselves bound to chairs in a dilapidated building. Marta, now known as Karolina, entered the room, and Max greeted her with the title of "mother." Karolina, however, was not interested in a family reunion. Without hesitation, she shot her own mother. She then turned to Owen, inquiring about his identity and his association with her mother.
