Panama

In 1989, James Becker is overwhelmed by guilt after his wife's death, drinking heavily and spending nights by her grave. His despair makes him a prime candidate for a covert opportunity that promises escape from pain. Place: Becker's wife's grave, backyard. Time: 1989.

Stark and Burns brief Becker on a secret CIA operation to facilitate an arms deal to support U.S. interests in Central America. Becker remains arrogant but curious, contemplating the chance to pull himself out of despair.

Becker travels to Panama under cover as a casino consultant, working to set up the transaction while the CIA and its operatives navigate political sensitivities. He faces skepticism from Burns and the agency as he acclimates to a dangerous new role.

In Panama, Becker meets Enrique Rodriguez, a Harvard-educated broker with deep connections and a lifestyle of excess. Enrique's loyalties are tangled with Noriega and his politically active uncle, Billy Ford, foreshadowing looming betrayals.

The circle expands when Becker travels to Miami to meet Steadman Muller, learning of a plan to swap Soviet equipment for a helicopter as part of the broader Central American conflict. The CIA advances a million dollars to begin the operation.

Enrique challenges Becker to a high-stakes dirt-bike race through the jungle; victory would secure the helicopter, while defeat would push the deal to another buyer. Enrique wins, exposing his profit-driven strategy and Becker’s fragility in trust. Becker retrieves the million-dollar advance hidden in a music speaker as a result.

As tensions rise and the operation tightens, Colonel Justines orders Enrique to retrieve the money by any means, hiring assassins to eliminate anyone connected to Becker. The threat escalates the danger surrounding Becker as the operation spirals toward violence.

Becker grows close to Camila, but danger mounts as he discovers she may be coerced into complicity. A conversation with Cynthia leads him to question Camila's motives and her true loyalty.

Becker confronts Enrique after learning of the betrayal and discovers Camila has been murdered by orders tied to Justines' scheme. Grief and rage push him to seek vengeance against those responsible.

Justines discovers Enrique's betrayal and poisons him while Burns escalates his greed by taking Becker’s sister-in-law, Tatyana, hostage to force the money handover. Becker learns of Burns' duplicity and the danger closes in.

Becker orchestrates a tense exchange to secure the money, then confronts Burns when he threatens him with a gun. Becker eliminates Burns to survive and protect himself as the operation spirals out of control.

Stark notes that the rebel leader chose to rescue 200 families rather than kill Noriega, illustrating the operation's flawed moral calculus. In the end, Manuel Noriega is captured by the U.S. Army during the invasion of Panama, and Becker takes a well-deserved vacation as the dust settles.