Notorious serial killer Joe Carroll, after being found guilty of murdering 14 female students on the Virginia college campus where he taught literature, escapes from death row. The FBI calls former agent Ryan Hardy to consult on the case, as he was the one responsible for Carroll’s capture in 2003. Ryan, working closely with an FBI team, including Mike Weston and FBI Specialist Debra Parker, piece together the ever-growing web of murders orchestrated by the devious Carroll.
Former FBI agent Ryan Hardy is drawn out of retirement when serial killer Joe Carroll escapes from prison; the investigation reveals that Carroll has a cult following.
Ryan, Agent Weston and FBI Specialist Debra Parker investigate the history of Carroll's psyche; Emma, Jacob and Paul hold Claire's son while they plan for their next move.
Hardy and the FBI try to predict the actions of a new follower named Rick (Michael Drayer); Paul's jealousy reaches a breaking point; the beginning of Carroll and Hardy's relationship is revealed.
Maggie devises a plan to put an end to Hardy; Paul reveals a secret that Jacob has been hiding from Emma; Hardy and Claire's relationship is explored.
As Hardy and the team make their next move, panic spreads at the followers' hideout; Carroll seeks out a lawyer from his past.
A new follower reveals Carroll's true intentions; Hardy tries to turn Jacob, Emma and Paul against one another; Emma makes a surprising decision.
Joe Carroll makes a case to be transferred to a different facility, raising Ryan's suspicions; Emma and Joey come across one of Roderick's men.
Ryan and Parker are upset when the FBI makes Nick Donovan (Mike Colter) lead investigator as the search for Joey Matthews and Joe Carroll continues; a follower and Joe Carroll form a deadly plan.
Ryan and Parker try to outwit their new leader; Joe demands information on Claire's location from Ryan; past followers return.
Joe sends followers to capture Claire; Jacob's stress over recent decisions affects his reunion with Emma.
Ryan and Parker try to recover after losing Claire to Joe's followers; Claire has an unexpected reunion as she adjusts to life at the mansion; Jacob struggles with Emma's betrayal.
Ryan finds a follower who may be able to lead the way to Joe Carroll; Agent Weston returns, possibly more affected by his run-in with the cult than anyone realized; Claire and Emma come together for the first time since Joey's abduction.
When Roderick's role as sheriff is called into question, he makes a shocking decision that impacts Joey; Ryan tries to gain the trust of one of Joe's followers.
Weston, Parker and Ryan plan to storm the mansion, but Joe has already orchestrated his escape; followers create a diversion at the town evacuation center, causing panic and leading to the abduction of an FBI official.
Despite appearances a healed Ryan Hardy has gotten his life together, he continues to obsess about Joe Carroll; a murderous rampage on the anniversary of Joe's death leaves everyone determined to uncover the truth.
Ryan receives mysterious phone calls that lead to an encounter with a major threat; revelations about Joe's new life come to light.
The FBI becomes more aware of Ryan's undercover agenda as he searches for a link between the tragedies in New York and the remaining members of the Havenport cult; a shocking event leads to Joe starting a new plan.
After the latest shocking revelation in the case, Ryan and Max attempt to put the pieces together and stay two-steps ahead of the FBI, despite Weston's constant warnings to stay out of the way. Meanwhile, Emma becomes even closer to Mark and Luke, while Joe and Mandy meet up with a follower in search of assistance.
In an attempt to learn new information, Ryan and Max capture a suspect. But complications lead to a game of dangerous cat and mouse. Also, Joe grows accustomed to his surroundings and establishes a plan of his own, while Emma realizes she is in dangerous company.
Ryan and Max turn to the FBI for back-up on their plan; Joe's relationship enters uncharted territory; Luke ends up in a troubling situation.
Ryan and the FBI's search for Lily Gray is redirected when Max is faced with a new threat; Joe, Mandy and Emma realize everything isn't what it seems at their new hideout.
In hope of finding new answers, Ryan searches for the man who taught Joe to kill; Mandy and Emma wait for Joe to reveal his plan.
New information leads Max, Ryan and Weston closer to uncovering the mole within the FBI; Joe and Micah launch a plan that sends a message to Ryan and the world.
Joe's power over the Korban cult grows, new followers carry out his demands; Max and Ryan try to contact Joe and identify his whereabouts.
Ryan and Mike suspect a new cult leader may be on the rise after another deadly massacre; Joe confirms his new plans for the Korban cult.
Joe chooses a new target; Ryan is confronted with news of Claire's reappearance; Mandy makes a decision that could undo everything Joe's been working for.
Ryan's mission to infiltrate the Korban compound and capture Joe doesn't go as planned; Claire asks Carrie to give Joe a message; Weston makes a life-changing decision.
Many lives are threatened as Joe enacts his final plan; Claire's decision puts her in treacherous territory; Mark and Luke must decide what to do next.
Joe Carroll is on death row and his followers are no more, but a fresh series of brutal killings reopens old wounds for Ryan Hardy and a terrifying new nemesis awaits him and the team.
Ryan may have been able to connect Andrew to Mark, but he and the FBI are unsure of how things may tie into Joe Carroll. Meanwhile, tension mounts among Mark, Kyle and Daisy, and Ryan is placed in a serious situation.
Ryan, Weston and Max hunt down the person responsible for the latest atrocity, leading Ryan to take a deadly risk. Meanwhile, Mark questions Kyle and Daisy's loyalty.
As Mark, Kyle and Daisy plan to make a personal attack on Ryan, the FBI receives a tip leading them to a secret location, which gives them a leg up in the case.
On the day of an important trial, things go awry, causing the FBI to split up to hunt down a missing person. With his team breaking apart, Ryan enlists the help of a former enemy to defeat a greater one.
With their latest target on the run, Ryan and Mike follow a tip to a small town to investigate and confirm he isn't seeking protection. While in town, they both discover an even larger threat who has managed to avoid suspicion up until now. Meanwhile, Max struggles to make a confession.
With only a few days before Joe Carroll’s execution, Ryan and Mike shift their focus to a new threat. Meanwhile, after being approved to start work again, Max rejoins the task force and comes dangerously close to a deadly menace.
With Joe Carroll’s execution day upon them, the team remains on edge, expecting that he won’t go easily. Ryan’s presence is demanded at the scene when a hostage situation ensues, as the world stands by watching the heavy news coverage of the day’s events.
The investigation leads the team to a dangerous serial killer linked to Theo, while Theo and Penny seek refuge from an unknown source with the means of helping them disappear. Meanwhile, Ryan struggles with recent events, sending him into a downward spiral, and the search continues into which agent has been accessing Daisy’s laptop from inside the FBI.
An increasingly reckless Ryan continues his search for Theo, as Mark and Daisy discover information that leads them closer to the FBI than ever and puts Mike in a dangerous situation.
A deadly deal is made, but things don’t go as planned, and Ryan makes a decision for his future.
The FBI hunt for Theo continues and the stakes are higher than ever as some of their own come under attack.
As suspicions rise alliances are shaken and no one is safe in the harrowing final heart-stopping moments.
The FBI closes in on a suspect whom they believe to be the culprit behind the latest murders, but Ryan is convinced the killer is still out there, leading him to dig deeper into dangerous territory. Joe undergoes evaluation in the days leading up to his execution and a new threat tries to cover his tracks.
After the latest shocking discovery, Ryan finds himself being tracked by the new elusive killer and a game of cat-and-mouse begins leading them both back to Joe Carroll, for different reasons. Max and Mike look for a stolen clue and Mark makes a shocking decision.