Cortez convinces Escobedo that the explosion was the result of a car bomb planted by a rival leader within the cartel, offering Escobedo the chance to supply a name. Before he can finish, their car is attacked by unknown assailants. Cortez directs the car to safety and stakes out their intended destination, the home of a leader named Fuentes, to see if Fuentes was involved. While he watches, a second bomb is dropped on Fuentes’s house. Cortez realizes the Americans now have intelligence about their daily movements.

In Washington, Jack Ryan has a difficult meeting with presidential candidate J. Robert Fowler and his advisor Elizabeth Elliot, who jointly accuse him of involvement in the Colombian activity.

Robert Jackson is summoned to California to meet with a superior officer, and decides to stop in Monterrey to visit his brother Tim. When Tim mentions the activity in Colombia, Robert realizes that he is not the only one who suspects American involvement. Robert decides to reach out to his friend Jack Ryan to warn him.

Robert Jackson confronts his boss, Admiral Painter, about the operations in Colombia, insisting that some of the crew of the Ranger might also suspect American involvement. Admiral Painter denies all knowledge and is furious to learn that the Ranger was used by the CIA without Navy knowledge. Jackson flies to Washington, D.C., to ask his old friend Jack Ryan about the operations. Ryan insists that he doesn’t know anything that is going on in Colombia, but vows to find out. He warns Jackson to keep a low profile, and to urge Painter to do the same.

Cortez assembles an army of cartel fighters to fight back against attacks on the production sites and airfields. As a result, Chavez and his battalion are forced to pull back to a defensible position.

A member of the cartel threatens Edward Stuart with violence unless he rejects a plea deal for his clients Jesús Castillo and Ramón Capati, known popularly as “the pirates.” Stuart reluctantly agrees, and calls the US Attorney with news that they plan to fight the charges and expose the crew of the Panache for their treatment of the “pirates.” Daniel Murray orders Mark Bright to warn the crew of the Panache in advance.

In a Mobile, Alabama prison, Henry and Harvey Patterson fatally stab Jesús Castillo and Ramón Capati. When the Alabama officers investigating the Pattersons learn of the “pirates’” deaths, they announce that key evidence in the Patterson case has been lost. The Pattersons’ lawyer arranges for them to be released.

Ryan asks CIA Director Arthur Moore directly about American involvement in Colombia. Moore insists that the Americans did not car bomb the Colombians. Ryan recognizes this as a carefully constructed lie and realizes that the United States is definitely involved. He asks his dying mentor James Greer for advice, and Greer tells Ryan to trust his instincts and do the right thing.

In Colombia, Chavez and another soldier find themselves surrounded by a company of cartel soldiers. They manage to escape, killing two Colombians. Meanwhile, another battalion of SHOWBOAT troops is ambushed, resulting in the deaths of six of the soldiers. On their final reconnaissance mission, Clark promises to have Larson pulled out of the country when the operation is finished.

While driving through the countryside, Clark and Larson encounter a group of cartel soldiers loading the bodies of dead American soldiers onto a truck. Clark convinces the Colombians that he is with them, then kills them. He destroys the truck and brings the American soldiers back with him. Clark and Larson leave the country. On arrival in America, Clark visits Ritter, and demands that operation SHOWBOAT be shut down. Ritter reluctantly agrees but reminds Clark that he needs permission first.

In Washington, the President orders Cutter to shut down operations in Colombia. Jack Ryan breaks into Ritter’s safe and discovers documents related to operations SHOWBOAT, EAGLE EYE, and RECIPROCITY. He makes copies of these documents and stores them in his own safe. The next morning, he calls in sick to work, then brings the documents to his friend and FBI Assistant Deputy Director Daniel Murray. Murray encourages him to talk to Bill Shaw, acting head of the FBI.

In Colombia, Chavez and Ramirez meet up with the remains of another SHOWBOAT battalion that had recently been attacked. Meanwhile, Cortez sends an undisclosed fax to an associate in Washington, D.C.

Murray and Shaw learn that James Cutter is flying to Panama for a secret meeting, and they send Mark Bright to follow him. Bright photographs Cutter meeting with Felix Cortez. In their private meeting, Cortez warns Cutter that he has proof of American involvement in the “car bomb” that killed the cartel leaders and a number of innocent bystanders. Cutter admits to the plan, and Cortez expresses admiration for it. Cortez offers to reduce drug shipments to the United States by half if the Americans will support him as cartel leader. He also insists on keeping operation SHOWBOAT in action, acknowledging that American soldiers will die. Cutter agrees and secretly cancels the planned extraction of the SHOWBOAT troops and cuts off their only line of communication.

In Washington, James Greer dies, devastating Jack Ryan. Ryan learns the news from John Clark, another mentee of Greer’s. Ryan and Clark bond over their loss, and Clark reveals the details of his work in Colombia, hoping Ryan can help him extract the American troops remaining in Colombia.