When young war veteran Greg Tanner (Creighton James) is found murdered in a Hudson University parking garage, Detectives Cyrus Lupo and Kevin Bernard connect the murder to law professor Kevin Franklin, an attorney who formerly worked for the Department of Justice. But when the case is brought to court, it seems Tanner may have been more affected by the war than his discharge stated. Lupo and Bernard find that the pieces start to fit when Franklin's memos from the Bush Administration are leaked. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Van Buren announces some very shocking news to her squad, concerning her health, and District Attorney Jack McCoy deals with the stress of winning the election.

When an aspiring musician is found dead behind a trash can, Detectives Lupo and Bernard find a bag full of cash, leading them to a slew of suspects, including Don Sorenson. Sorenson confesses to shooting the musician when it is revealed that his daughter is thought kidnapped, but the clues don't seem to match up when his daughter, Jill Sorenson, appears back at home after losing her cell phone. Using the stolen cell phone as a guide, the detectives link the case with a bigger terrorist scheme, which could put lives in danger. Meanwhile, Lt. Van Buren begins to seek treatment for her cancer.