Published May 5, 2026
Episode 10 Recap – CIA
In CIA episode 10, “Rare Earth,” a miner in Honduras discovers a cache of valuable rare-earth mineral. The sample is covertly handed to Honduran diplomat Padilla, who arranges a late night meeting with a representative of a logistics company that wants to broker a minerals deal.
The meeting quickly turns sour when Padilla asks for more money. The woman walks away leaving him alone. Moments later, Padilla is killed when he is hit by a garbage truck in what appears to be an accident at first.
Meanwhile, Colin and Bill are on their way to Colin’s house when Colin admits to his suspicions that Pyramid Security is involved in the mole operation and might have had something to do with Toni’s death. Before they can pick up the conversation again, Nikki calls them back to the office.
Gina and Nikki give the team the rundown on Padilla’s suspicious death at headquarters. The Honduran government denies any knowledge of his presence in the United States, and the team suspects espionage.
Bill suggests a direct investigation of the crime scene. While there, Colin surreptitiously takes a sample of mineral from Padilla’s pocket. CCTV footage points them to the garbage truck in question and their investigation takes them to the truck’s driver, Bobby, who confesses somebody paid him cash to lend out the truck for several hours.
That suggests the team is investigating a planned assassination, rather than an accident.
The Rare Earth Conspiracy
Back at the office Zeeb examines the mineral sample and determines that it is neodymium, a rare-earth element that is of great value and used in the manufacture of many high-tech products.
The discovery has huge geopolitical implications. A massive Central American deposit could shift global power dynamics, too, because China currently controls a lot of the world’s rare-earth market.
The team finds the woman Padilla met in the bar. She says she is Angeline and says her company was helping Padilla get into the neodymium business. She says Padilla told her he had two business partners but never disclosed who they were.
Analysis of Padilla’s phone also indicates he was under intense surveillance with sophisticated modified stingray technology, a device normally reserved for high-level NSA clearance.
This evidence points the team to NSA official Robert Davis, but he insists that someone is framing the agency.
Another Diplomat Is Shot to Death
Zeeb spots another live surveillance breach targeting Guatemalan envoy Juan Ramos before they can dig any further.
The team rushes to intervene, but they arrive too late. They find Ramos murdered in his hotel room. Disguised as hotel staff, the killer, Luis, is spotted by Colin, who pursues and catches him.
Luis refuses to cooperate for fear of retaliation against his daughter in Mexico. Meanwhile, Gina says thermal imaging indicates the rare-earth deposits could be significant in Central America.
The team believes the mineral potential has been realized by the cartels and that diplomats involved in early negotiations are being killed to take control of future operations.
Robert’s Family in Peril
Colin still suspects Robert Davis. He can see that Davis is nervous.
Further inquiry shows that Robert’s wife and daughter had vanished six days earlier. When confronted Robert admits they were kidnapped and he was forced to help identify three diplomatic targets under threat of their execution.
Having already killed two targets, the FBI must immediately protect the last target and rescue Robert’s family.
Bill begrudgingly agrees to let Colin interrogate Luis in unorthodox ways. Colin uses Luis’s daughter’s concern to his advantage to get the cartel intel they need.
The operation is divided into two missions:
Colin shifts to defend the last target
Bill leads SWAT team in rescue of Robert’s family
Both succeed in the coordination, but neither mission is perfect. The cartel members are taken into custody and Robert is reunited with his family.
The Mole Hunt Deepens
When the case is closed, Nikki privately questions Jubal about Bill’s recent behavior, mentioning Montana and Toni.
Jubal claims he knows nothing and that if Bill is acting on CIA authority, he has no jurisdiction to intervene.
Later, Colin invites Bill to his home and shows him his investigation board, which is focused on finding the mole responsible for Toni’s death. And he admits he’s been doing quiet investigations ever since.
This is a turning point in the relationship between Colin and Bill, as Bill trusts Colin now.
Review of Episode 10
“Rare Earth” is one of the strongest episodes of the season so far, mixing political intrigue with character development.
The biggest development is the expanding partnership between Bill and Colin. Bill’s ability to trust Colin, keep the mole investigation secret, and use morally grey tactics shows significant character growth.
Colin is also more vulnerable, giving Bill insight into his investigation and his personal life. Their relationship is shifting from reluctant partners to real allies.
But Nikki is now the biggest mystery.
Gina’s discovery of the Montana database breach raises serious questions about her reaction. As a leader with such power, Nikki would be in an ideal position to bury investigations or even give information to Pyramid Security.
Her discussion with Jubal only adds to the uncertainty.
Is Nikki the mole, testing the FBI’s knowledge, or is she quietly investigating something bigger on her own?
The repeated mentions of Montana continue to point towards a deeper conspiracy linked to Colin’s off-the-books mission, setting up major reveals in the episodes to come.