When Dalton gets the new statistics on overdose deaths the day after his son checks back into rehab, he can't let the issue go. Ignoring Elizabeth's advice, he pushes for the extradition of the leader of Mexico's biggest cartel. Elizabeth's counterpart is outraged at the request, and uses the affront as an excuse to cease the anticorruption program the US had been helping Mexico with. Kat manages to pull some strings so that Mexico can get the cyber security programs that they've been after, which reestablishes good relations and secures the extradition. Unfortunately, the cartel leader manages to escape during transport. Shortly after, he gives an interview to an American journalist who Elizabeth had previously met with, which outrages Dalton. Elizabeth contacts the reporter asking for help, but gets nowhere. After their call, he is murdered leaving the office. Elizabeth gets his notes from his editor, and the team finds out that the cartel leader had a source high up in the government. They track down the agent, and are surprised to find out that it's the foreign minister, Elizabeth's counterpart. Elizabeth convinces Dalton to call off a raid on the cartel's compound that was not sanctioned by Mexico. The foreign minister is arrested and the cartel leader is recaptured. 

Blakes parents come to DC, and things get tense. They don't understand his role at State and want him to move to the private sector. They attempt to buy a condo for him as an incentive for him to change careers. Blake is upset by their interference, but while talking the situation over with Elizabeth, he's stunned when she announces that she'll be firing him in a year. She encourages him to take the year to find out what his passion is and to follow it.

Henry and his covert team narrow down the suspects in the gang of eight to three people: Senator Morejon, Senator Beau Carpenter, and a random congressman that I don't recall ever having spoken previously. They set up a "drip test," giving each mark information about a raid in a different location, and they identify Carpenter as the traitor. Henry has to go to Morejon for help; as the ranking member of the intelligence committee, he can keep sensitive information away from Carpenter. 

Dmitri and Stevie go on a date, and it goes amazingly well. He's still unsure about dating her, due to working with Henry and the fact that he's living under an alias. Eventually he gives in and they go on a second date.