Recon by Fire

Season 1, Episode 5

## Image Gallery

**Recon by Fire** is the fifth episode of the first season of USA Network's *Shooter*. It aired on December 13, 2016, at 10/9c.

## Summary

Bob Lee finds the bullet from the assassination, leading him to a radical militia group and a reckoning with Isaac while Nadine is locked in a deadly game of cat and mouse with Payne.

## Plot

Bob Lee and Julie make love in a remote cabin. Afterward, she gives him a device with access to email. He apologizes for having to meet in secret, then tells her his plan to find the bullet used in the assassination. Before they leave, he tells her to remember the cabin's location without writing it down and never to bring her phone.

He travels to Seattle and calculates the trajectory of the bullet, finding it to be lodged within the body of a police cruiser. At the FBI office, Nadine finds a vase of roses at her space. She calls to have the Voydian files prepared for her, and Utey approaches her, but leaves without saying anything. She finds a note from Payne in the flowers, telling her to get well. She throws them away, shattering the vase and gaining looks. Her phone receives a message from Bob Lee, asking where to find the police cruiser with the bullet inside it.

Bob Lee arrives at the Seattle Police maintenance area and enters, disguised as a mechanic. Isaac enters Payne's motel room and asks how much Nadine knows about the operation, but he is on his way to take care of a loose end. Bob Lee makes his way into the shop and locates the keys to the cruiser, then takes it into a garage and has it lifted. He finds the bullet lodged behind the wheel, but attracts attention while doing so. He cleverly avoids contact with an officer and makes off with the bullet. In a field, he takes shots at wanted posters with his face on them. On his third shot, taken with the bullet he recovered, it penetrates both ends of the water tank holding the posters (the other bullets did not penetrate).

Nadine meets with Bob Lee, and is shown the bullet. He tells her the bullet is made of a hardened polymer that has not sustained a scratch yet, and is also highly illegal. He asks if she has any contacts at the ATF, and she reluctantly sends her contact, an ex-boyfriend, a photo of the bullet. Payne arms himself with a sawed-off shotgun before entering a Russian restaurant. Nadine finishes her conversation with the ATF agent, who has informed her that similar bullets have been linked to an ex-military militia known as the Tree of Liberty near Spokane.

Isaac talks with the officer who spotted Bob Lee, and finds that the bullet has been found. Nadine and Mikey attempt to make contact with some of Voydian's known associates, tracking them to the restaurant Payne visited. They find the place full of corpses, but among them is a rose. Johnson and Utey discuss the massacre, and Utey tells Johnson that Nadine is now looking into the Tree of Liberty and that he shouldn't worry too much about it. He looks at Nadine from behind a window, and they make eye contact for several seconds.

Outside of the Tree of Liberty's property, Bob Lee hides his bike and hikes toward them. He enters through the back and greets them, and every person present focuses a gun on him. They recognize him and he tries to appeal to them. The leader of the group, James, comes forward, tells him he's home, and welcomes him into the group. After a short confirmation that he is indeed Bob Lee Swagger, James' younger brother Joey is still skeptical. Bob Lee shows them the bullet that killed the Ukrainian president, and they bring him to the "rec room" for holding, noticing the similarity between that bullet and theirs.

Nadine and Mikey park in the FBI's complex after returning, and Payne shows himself after the others leave. He and Nadine taunt each other for a short time, and she begins recording before she turns a corner. As she does, Mikey rounds it and she punches him in the face and realizes that Payne is behind her. She runs in the other direction.

James asks Bob Lee where he found the bullet, and he asks who they sold the bullet to. He is told that the bullet he found didn't come from them, and that they make their own similar-looking rounds. Joey objects to telling Bob Lee about this, but James stops him. He reveals that Joey is actually a horrible aim, but makes himself useful by running their forum. James elaborates on their mission: preparations for guerilla warfare against the federal government when they inevitably step too far in restricting the freedom of the American people. Bob Lee asks where they get their materials for the bullets, and is told that a man in Idaho makes it for them. When he asks who he is, they refuse to answer him but allow him to stay at the camp for as long as he wishes, promising him safety. Outside the property, Isaac gears up for a stealth infiltration, bringing a rifle with him.

Bob Lee watches as Joey attempts to train with the rifle. After he misses several times, he offers advice to him and tucks a knife into his pocket when James isn't looking. When Joey misses the next shot, James says that his place isn't behind a gun and that no amount of time will change it, but Bob Lee disagrees. Joey leaves, and Bob Lee takes after him, brings his rifle to him and is asked when he's leaving. He says that he'll leave soon, but first tells Joey that there's more to his own life than living his brother's dream. He asks Joey where he can use the restroom, and says he will leave afterward.

Isaac watches the compound from a distance through his rifle's scope. When Bob Lee leaves the sight of others, he investigates what's out of sight and finds barrels of ammonium nitrate, a component of explosives. He calls Hall and poses as a member of the Tree, saying that they have explosives and causing them to begin surveillance on the area. When he tries to go back around the building, Joey catches him at gunpoint and tells him that he can't be trusted now that he's seen what they're planning. James calls him and requests their presence at the armory, where he has captured Isaac. Isaac tries to tell them he's only there to arrest Bob Lee, but they don't buy his story. James puts a gun to his head, but Bob Lee tells him they should use him for target practice, secretly to keep him alive. James agrees, and says they'll put him at 800 yards; Bob Lee says it's too easy and proposes to put him at a mile.

The media are still outside Anna's house, where Nadine is visiting Julie. She tells her that Payne is getting more aggressive and that she can protect her from him if it comes to that, and that she and Mary are now considered loose ends by the conspirators. Julie says that she's going to expose Payne, then walks outside and grabs the attention of a news team. She tells them that the FBI is considering Payne as an alternative suspect in the assassination and that those with information should contact Nadine. Nadine is unable to stop the attention from turning onto her, and she inadvertently tells them that the investigation is still ongoing.

ATF agents approach the Tree of Liberty's property. Bob Lee leads Isaac to his target post. They argue on the way, then Bob Lee ties him to a tree and tells him that he can't let the others carry out their plans with the explosives. Isaac says he can help, but Bob Lee leaves him. He returns to the cabin, where James waits next to his rifle. Bob Lee takes his place next to one and they begin target practice. Isaac starts wiggling and attempting to escape. Bob Lee takes the first shot and hits just feet away from Isaac's feet. A drone flies overhead and begins providing a video feed of the cabin. James' shot hits even closer, nearly hitting Isaac's foot. Bob Lee prepares to take his next shot, and James signals for Joey, who grabs his pistol. Joey asks why he's waiting so long to shoot, then he aims the rifle into the air and takes down the drone.

The ATF realize they've been shot down and start to move in. James holds Bob Lee at gunpoint on the ground, and Isaac succeeds in his attempts to cut the rope with a rock. James calls everyone to their positions and tells Bob Lee that he knows he doesn't miss, even from a mile. Bob Lee gets to his feet and punches him while he's talking, and they grapple as the ATF closes in. Bob Lee tells him to get his men out before they arrive, and he refuses and lets Bob Lee go. Joey begins driving the van out, but Bob Lee shoots a tire and renders it immobile during the gunfight. Bob Lee pulls him out of the van and tells him to stay low. Joey tells him the name of the man who sells them the materials used in their bullets: Rathford O'Brien.

Meachum receives a phone call from Isaac during a massage. He tells Meachum that Bob Lee got away and asks where Payne is. He jokes, then says that the situation hasn't gotten as bad as he thinks. Utey and Nadine watch the news incident. He pauses it, then asks for everyone except her to leave the room. When they're gone, he tells her that every government agency in the area is asking questions about her conspiracy and that she has embarrassed the FBI. She defends herself, saying that more investigation by others will help the case, and he says the case was solved when Bob Lee blew himself up. Before leaving, he says that he was the last friend she had in the building.

Bob Lee rides away on his bike, heading toward Idaho. Payne approaches Nadine at her space and surrenders to the FBI as they arrest him.

## Trivia

Coming soon.

 **Season 3** | "Backroads" • "Red Meat" • "Sins of the Father" • "The Importance of Service" • "A Call to Arms" • "Lines Crossed" • "Swing Vote" •"The Red Badge" • "Alpha Dog" • "Orientation Day" • "Family Fire" • "Patron Saint" • "Red Light"