Borderline

Patrol Agent in Charge Jeb Maynard begins a focused investigation into the murders of a young Mexican boy and his fellow agent, Scooter Jackson. He quickly starts using his tracking skills to read boot prints and ground marks that hint at a smuggling operation rather than a random crime. The case establishes Maynard's determined, methodical approach to uncovering who is responsible.

Hotchkisss truck stops on a rural road and violence erupts as Jackson is shot at close range and the boy is killed by a second blast. The bodies are dragged into roadside bushes and Jacksons sedan is hidden to mislead investigators. The brutal acts trigger FBI involvement and a race to separate fact from cover stories.

The FBI takes charge but is reluctant to accept Maynards theory of alien smugglers. They treat the case as drug related and overlook the planted clues, including the missing identifiers on the truck. Maynard remains suspicious and pursues alternative explanations.

USBP agents discover the two bodies and fresh tomatoes near the scene. Maynard spots military style boot prints with odd markings, supporting a specialized smuggling operation. He arranges for the tomatoes to be analyzed to search for the source.

An agriculture analysis shows the tomatoes were treated with a specific pesticide used by only a few large farms. This narrows the field to suspects tied to those farms and points Maynard toward a ranching operation tied to Richards. The lead links the case directly to the border smuggling network.

Maynard identifies Elena Morales, the boy's mother, and takes her to the morgue to confirm the remains. She agrees to help by providing information and allowing him to go undercover. He poses as her cousin to cross into Mexico, setting up the undercover operation.

In Tijuana, Elena introduces Maynard to a smuggling contact who is Hotchkisss partner in Mexico. Maynard and Elena are smuggled back into the United States with about thirty migrants. The plan is interrupted when bandits ambush the group, forcing them to escape and miss a chance to confront the ringleader.

Maynard and Elena escape unharmed and head toward the San Diego suburbs, losing the chance to confront the Marine. He promises to help Elena with her immigration status, signaling a growing personal stake in the case. They regroup and prepare for the next steps.

Back at the Border Patrol station, Fantes informs Maynard about the tomato pesticide analysis and they connect the dots to Richards farms. They plan a targeted move against the operation and set up surveillance at the local fruit ranch. Maynard anticipates the Marine is involved and moves to act.

Maynard and Fantes observe Hotchkiss leaving the ranch with other smugglers, confirming that the Marine runs the operation. The team compiles evidence and prepares for a big raid to shut down the rings for a night. The link between the murders and the smuggling network becomes clearer.

They raid the ranch after dark, capturing the illegal aliens and smugglers in the main barn. At dawn Hotchkiss arrives with the last load and opens fire on the agents. The agents take cover as the confrontation escalates and the operation comes to a head.

Maynard pursues Hotchkiss through woods and a dirt road. Hotchkiss fires at Maynard, but Maynard kills him with a single shot, bringing the violent chase to a close. The line that the end of the road is reached marks the rescue of the border and the end of the Marine threat.

Richards is sentenced to two to five years in federal prison, while his boss is not convicted due to lack of evidence. Fantes laments that Richards will likely return to smuggling after release, and Maynard offers a grim reassurance that the border work will continue and so will they.