Jack Ryan is a young covert CIA analyst who uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack. His background in economics and his experience as a Marine, injured in Afghanistan and later recruited by the CIA, inform his understanding of this complex conspiracy. The plot involves massive financial manipulation, aimed at devaluing the US dollar and sparking global chaos. Ryan, primarily an office analyst, is thrown into the field after he detects anomalous financial transactions traced to Russian organizations.

Thrust into a world of espionage and action beyond his typical data analysis, Ryan travels to Moscow to investigate the oligarch behind the scheme. His mission is to infiltrate the company and confirm the conspiracy, but his inexperience puts him at great risk. As he delves deeper into the dangerous network, Ryan must also navigate the strain this double life puts on his relationship with his fiancée, a doctor who is unaware of his CIA ties. Their relationship is tested when she becomes entangled in the dangerous web surrounding Ryan, as his professional and personal lives collide with increasing intensity.