Red and Liz go under cover to stop an assassin known as The Freelancer from killing his next target; Ressler and a recently re-hired CIA agent try to protect Red from a distance; Liz wonders what she should do about Tom and the mysterious box.

The FBI is on the hunt for a high-ranking Chinese spy, Wujing which Red claims has hired him to help decode a classified CIA transmission. Liz, posing as an FBI cryptographer goes with Red to decode the message while protecting US government secrets. Meanwhile, Liz proactively investigates Tom.

While continuing her investigation into the truth about Tom, Liz testifies against drug lord, Hector Lorca. Later another witness is abducted when he is forced to testify against the dangerous drug trafficker. Red’s interest is peaked and he informs the team that the witness may have been taken by "The Stewmaker" a man responsible for hundreds of missing and presumed dead people. Meanwhile, in an unlikely twist of events, Red and Ressler must work together for the first time.

Red and the FBI try to stop a dangerous messenger (Robert Knepper) whose appearance is unknown; Liz is thrust into a kidnapping plot.

Tom claims he is innocent and wants to turn the box into the FBI; Red's next target is a beautiful and deadly corporate terrorist (Margarita Levieva).

The FBI searches for the man responsible for a chemical attack on a subway; Liz wants to avoid Red after he implicated Tom.

When Red reveals a new name, Liz learns of a plot to destroy the country's financial system; Tom helps Liz when a loved one falls ill.