In the series premiere, billionaire industrialist Alexander Addington finds out from a source at the UN that Annie Morley, an old flame of his employee Peter Sinclair, has been kidnapped after her husband, Eric, reneges on a deal with a former CIA colleague involving triggers for sleeper bombs - the latest toys for terrorists. No one has reported it to the police and no investigation is taking place. Against this backdrop, the Counterstrike team swings into action with direct orders from Addington to intercept the deal before the transaction is completed.

News reports claims that Marlowe, a mystery novel writer and an Olympic-class swimmer in the backstroke, accidentally drowns while fly-fishing in Lake Ontario in the middle of winter. A man known to write dangerously and live just as dangerously would drown accidentally seems unlikely to say the least. Alexander smells a rat and sends the Counterstrike team to investigate.