Jack Ryan, a CIA analyst, is thrust into the role of Acting Deputy Director of Intelligence after his mentor, Admiral Greer, falls ill. During this time, the President of the United States declares that drug cartels represent a "clear and present danger" to the nation following the murder of a close friend of his, who was involved in laundering money for a Colombian cartel. Ryan is tasked with spearheading an official investigation into the murder, which leads him to uncover a covert war being waged against the cartels in Colombia. Unbeknownst to Ryan, the operation has been initiated at the highest levels of the U.S. government, without congressional approval.

In Colombia, a secret field operative named John Clark leads a team of American soldiers in a series of clandestine missions aiming to disrupt the cartel's operations. As Ryan digs deeper, he stumbles upon a conspiracy involving illicit actions by U.S. officials, and realizes the scope and illegality of the war being fought. He becomes entangled in a web of deception, where trust is scarce, and the line between ally and enemy is blurred. Ensuing events force Ryan to contend with political backstabbing and the moral complexities of his role within the CIA, while also fighting to expose the truth and uphold the rule of law.