Zero Day (2025) s01e01 Episode Script

1
Open up!
- Morning.
- Oh, morning, sir.
Uh, the feeder by the main path
is empty again.
That so?
Yeah, I could have sworn
I refilled it yesterday.
I don't know, maybe the blue jays.
- I guess they like the expensive stuff.
- I'll take care of it later.
No, I'll get it. It's okay.
Maybe it's the squirrels.
- Pretty hungry squirrels, sir.
- Uh-huh.
There you go. Enjoy.
Today's briefing, Mr. President.
Thank you.
- Have a good one.
- Thank you.
- Here you are.
- Thank you.
When does my wife land?
I'm told it's fluid.
Oh, uh, we do owe the caterer
a final headcount for Saturday night.
Have you heard from Alex?
No.
Well, I'll just assume she's coming.
And you can send
this morning's visitor to the cottage.
Yes, sir.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
Wow.
Adlai Stevenson once told me
that the key to his political success
was learning how to read upside down.
Mr. President, hello.
Sorry, I didn't see you there.
Invisibility is the superpower
that all of us ex-presidents
have to learn to master.
Go ahead.
You really do this?
It's a habit I picked up in law school.
I found that I could look at
the same information
hours or even days later
and see something I had missed
or in a way
that never even occurred to me.
Must make the whole process
easier to have records like this.
Is that your way of asking me why it's
taking me so long to write the book?
Ben said you were reluctant to meet me.
Oh, I'm happy to meet you.
I just don't know how someone else
can help me write my memoir.
Well, if you ask around, you'll find I've
worked with some significant figures.
Not as significant as you, of course.
Well, my significance peaked
way before you were even born.
I disagree, sir.
You were the last president
in modern memory
who was able to consistently
rally bipartisan support.
Your memoir has the potential
to make a real difference.
Well, Ben said you were good.
You know who that is?
It's John Flanagan.
Yup.
- You grew up together
- Mmm.
served together in the army.
Made it through two tours
only to get killed in Greenpoint
picking up a carton of milk.
It's what inspired you
to become a prosecutor.
Sit down.
Yeah, John had this, uh,
thing he used to say.
"Greatness requires greatness."
I never really knew what it meant,
but now I think it was simple.
You earn your reputation
with what you do,
especially in those moments.
You have so many of those moments.
People know all those stories.
Some, but not all.
Like?
Why, with victory almost certain,
you inexplicably chose
not to run for re-election?
Inexplicably?
You know the answer. Everybody does.
There are those who say
there were other reasons.
Are you one of them?
No, but nowadays,
gossip not refuted becomes fact.
Well, maybe we were just too busy burying
our son to bother reading the tabloids.
Mr. President, I can't imagine
how painful that must have been,
but you haven't spoken about it since,
and some people just can't
I know it's been a long time
since the deadline passed,
and I owe your boss
either a book or his money back,
so tell him the draft
is coming very soon.
It's not that easy. The man was
President of the United States,
and when I mentioned his son,
he basically threw me out.
But, Ben, you have a bigger problem,
ghostwriter or not.
I don't believe
he has it in him to finish.
I think whatever
really happened back then,
I don't think he
wants to think about it.
I understand. You still there?
Ben?
Ben?
There must be some kind of dead zone.
We've received reports
not only of widespread outages
impacting multiple regional power grids,
but of computer systems
that control transportation,
communications,
and other infrastructure
completely hijacked,
with safety warnings somehow overridden.
Early estimates suggest a significant
but unknown number of casualties.
as subway cars and
commuter trains filled with passengers
found themselves switched
onto the same track,
resulting in head-on collisions
and mass injuries.
Officials here are saying critical life
support equipment simply shut down,
and backup generators failed,
leaving patients
Airplanes losing contact
with air traffic control
were forced to momentarily fly blind
casualties
Seemingly, every phone in America
displayed the same haunting message.
"This will happen again."
- Sir?
- One minute of absolute
- Sir?
- nationwide ter
Did you find them?
Mrs. Mullen's flight was
en route from Washington,
but the FAA says
only three planes went down,
and none of them
originated from National.
- And Alex?
- We're still trying.
Hmm.
Leaving the nation to wonder
what exactly will happen again,
when will it happen,
and who is responsible.
Exactly one minute.
Multiple systems.
And then back on.
Yes. I'll take care of them.
For too long, this White House
and this country has been complacent in
the face of our enormous vulnerability.
This has, for some time,
been a great fear of mine
and other members of Congress
on both sides of the aisle.
Our interconnectedness with the world
carries with it a cost.
It's time to wake up.
This video, filmed on
the New York City subway,
captured the harrowing moments
when the Metro abruptly lost power,
shortly before
all mobile devices were disabled.
- Can you wave for Mommy?
- Wave to Mommy! Say hi!
Hi, Mommy!
Yay! Your first time on the subway!
Hi, Mom
It's okay, baby. It's almost our stop.
I got you. It's okay.
There's a train in front of us.
Why aren't we stopping?
Hi.
Do they actually know anything yet?
- No. Nothing.
- Oh God.
I'm fine, George.
I didn't realize
a plane could pull up that fast,
but then it was just
a long wait circling LaGuardia.
- You talk to her?
- I did. She's fine.
- Getting ready for the special session.
- Mmm, okay.
- How bad is it?
- Oh, it's bad.
People think these systems
we have are infallible,
but for this many different ones
to all go down at the same time,
that's beyond any capability
that even we have,
or at least that I know of.
The Russians?
Maybe. But
Mitchell's supposed to speak
from the White House.
So she better have something.
this country has been complacent
in the face of our enormous
Meantime, all these clowns can do
is just pour more gasoline on the fire.
I saw a body at the railroad crossing.
- I hope it wasn't one of the neighbors.
- Mmm.
It's time to wake up.
This can't ever happen again.
These words today from
Speaker of the House, Richard Dreyer.
With bitter accusations flying,
search and recovery efforts ongoing,
and very few answers,
we are now waiting for the president
to make her address to the nation,
which I'm told is imminent.
What do you see, buddy?
Del?
Search and rescue efforts
continued overnight
at the scene of dozens of major rail and
traffic accidents across the country.
As people continue to search
for missing loved ones,
makeshift memorials
have popped up all over the nation
for the thousands
already confirmed dead.
Mike, we've been hearing
the term Zero Day
- Hector. Good morning.
- Oh, morning, sir.
There's something out there.
Fox, raccoon, coyote, maybe.
I don't know.
I didn't get a look at it, but
I heard it,
and I think Del got a whiff of it.
Oh, well,
I'll lay some traps when things settle.
- Thanks.
- Mm-hmm.
So in simple but technical terms,
Zero Day refers to a cyber breach
that targets unknown vulnerabilities
in software systems.
Morning, Mr. President.
- Let me have that, thank you.
- Yes, sir.
knowing that
a potential suspect is within reach.
You would think that an attack executed
digitally would leave some kind of
- Here you are.
- Thanks.
to track it back
to the perpetrators.
- Is that a correct assumption?
- That's absolutely
Roger Carlson's here to see you.
They don't have anything. Nothing.
Sir, Roger's here.
Roger, he's here at the house?
Yeah, Kevin said he's been waiting
outside the gate since before 5:00 a.m.
Jeez, let him in then.
Yes, sir.
Hey.
What the hell are you doing here?
You okay?
No.
I mean, yes. Yes, uh, I'm I'm good.
I'm fine.
All things considered, of course.
Of course. Uh, this is really something.
Yeah, the whole damn transit grid reset.
Blinking red lights
all the way from the city.
Yeah. So what are you doing here,
just checking in?
It's a long trip just
for that, isn't it?
Well, yes, but also no.
- I got a call from the White House.
- You see her speech?
- Yeah.
- They don't have anything.
I really felt for her.
I know, which is,
I think, why they called me.
They thought it would be helpful
if you visited some of the rescue sites,
rally the troops,
shook hands with the first responders.
I don't do that anymore.
Someone needs to.
You said it yourself.
It's obvious they have no fucking clue
who did it or why
or if it will happen again.
They're flailing.
Sir, everyone got that same threat
delivered to their phones.
It felt personal.
And right now,
I think the American people need to know
that the country is going to be okay.
That they shouldn't panic.
They need strong leadership.
If the answer is no,
I'll call back and respectfully decline.
Or you show up for half an hour.
You let people know
that they're not alone.
Have you seen my son?
Mr. President, thanks for coming.
I'm Assistant Chief Sweeney.
My guys have been working
the site since the incident.
- We don't want to get in the way.
- Not to worry, sir.
- It's a pleasure to have you.
- How you holding up?
Pretty brutal down there,
but doing okay, sir.
Good. Look, guys, you need anything?
We could use some more cutting torches.
There's just so much heavy steel.
Okay, I'll see what I can do about that.
This way, Mr. President.
- Still have that contact with Fort Drum?
- Mm-hmm.
We'll see what the Corps of Engineers
can get over here.
- You got it. We'll make a call.
- Mr. President?
The first train was standing still
at the station
when the second train hit it
at full speed.
Fucking socialist traitors!
Wake up! This is an insurance scam!
Get out with that conspiracy shit!
- We better wrap this up.
- We need more cops out here.
You people need to let us do our jobs.
There are still people stuck in there.
They're all crisis actors!
There's probably nobody even down there!
Let's get you back to the vehicle.
Hey! Hey! Hey!
Hey! Hey! Please!
What's the matter with you?
This is exactly what they want us to do.
- Who's they? You don't even know they are!
- You're right. I don't know.
Neither do you. None of us do.
But if we keep shouting at each other
like this, what will we accomplish?
We're Americans. What are we doing?
We're supposed to
be standing up for each other,
supposed to be helping each other.
What, you think you're doing
the right thing? No, you're not.
You're afraid.
And you think if you get worked up
over some bullshit conspiracy nonsense
that that won't make you afraid? No.
You're not behaving like an American
nor a patriot.
You're here standing up
for the little guy?
- The working man?
- Someone has to!
There are working men and women buried
right beneath our feet, right here!
You don't trust the government?
I get that.
It hasn't always
come through for everybody,
but this isn't about
the government or the 1%
or whatever the hell
you want to call them.
It's about somebody out there
that hates us,
that stands against everything
that we stand for,
everything that makes us who we are.
And they found a way to hurt us.
It's that simple.
And right now, these people need to get
back to work and get those people out.
And you need to let them.
You want to stand by and offer
your support and prayers? That's great.
But please, just do it
from behind the barricades.
If I could say it, sir, that was great.
Thanks, Terry.
- Hello.
- Seriously? In my fucking district?
Well, have you seen the coverage?
You are taking care of
the response in Washington.
He's taking care of the people at home.
It's a good look for both of you.
Okay, I don't really need
any help with my look, Roger.
I assume this was your idea?
The White House approved it.
Okay, but whose idea was it?
That's what I thought.
You know, I do always say,
"Don't you count out Roger."
"He's gonna find his way back
to the big dance,
even if it takes a
national catastrophe."
I'm actually with your dad right now,
if you
Fuck.
You're late.
Come on, man. Subway's closed,
no Ubers. I had to walk here.
Felix closed up shop a week ago. Went
totally dark, but I'm working on it.
I thought you said you were family.
We are, man. He just
does this sometimes.
Finds a new pad to set up the servers
and sends the rest of us the address.
I swear.
Another day or two,
and I promise I'll hear from him.
Every network ran it,
even the Death Star.
I got carried away.
I shouldn't have gone down there.
I should've kept my mouth shut.
You were great, George.
Someone needed to say it.
President Mitchell just called.
She wants me in D.C. tomorrow.
For what?
Didn't really say.
A photo op in the Oval,
maybe. Who knows?
But I promise I'll be back
for tomorrow night.
Federal judge,
second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The vote may have been postponed,
but we're gonna celebrate.
I don't care about tomorrow night.
But don't underestimate Mitchell.
She was counting on these next few months
to make her mark before the election,
and now her entire legislative agenda's
on ice until this gets resolved.
She's not wasting her time on photo ops.
She's calling you. She sees an angle.
It's simple.
Today was the beginning and the end
of my political comeback, period.
You're running with the ball. Now
it's your time. We stick to the deal.
You got out clean, no matter what
anyone else said then or since.
We both know how big a win that was.
Don't forget what it's like
under that spotlight.
I know. Now I'm just a struggling author
dealing with a deadline.
I've got nothing left to prove.
Whatever happens tomorrow,
don't let 'em tell you otherwise.
- Thank you so much.
- Yeah, all right.
Lived here four years.
I've never been in this room.
- I saw it at work, though.
- Yeah.
President Mullen.
President Mitchell will see you now.
President Mullen
President Mullen, thanks for coming.
Thank you, everyone. Get some food
and be back here in two hours.
- Sir. Hey.
- John. Good to see you.
- Mr. President.
- Jim.
Mmm.
Madam President, how are you holding up?
Have a seat.
Now, you can take
that one if you want it.
That's yours. I'll take this one.
So it's as bad as it looks?
I am running out of ways
to avoid saying I have no fucking idea.
The CIA was always slow on cyber,
but the team at Fort Meade,
especially the TAO guys
They're still the best,
but their heads are spinning.
Usually, a Zero Day vulnerability
exists on a single operating system,
your iPhone, say.
But this thing exploited unknown
vulnerabilities across dozens of systems.
It shut those systems off
for exactly one minute
and then turned
everything back on again.
So that wasn't us?
No. We had barely gotten our people into
it when everything came back online.
There was no ransom demand,
nobody claimed responsibility?
- Nothing like that?
- Just that insidious threat.
We're running shifts at Meade
trying to sort through a digital trail
that is basically the Gordian Knot.
So what's the plan?
Congress is authorizing
a special investigatory commission
and endowing it with
extraordinary powers
commensurate with the scale
of this emergency.
They will be granting this commission
powers of surveillance,
powers of search and seizure,
if necessary,
even the suspension of habeas corpus.
Jesus, Evelyn,
we didn't even do that after 9-11.
This is different.
We knew who did it then.
We have no clue here
and no time to spare.
We need an entity with all the powers
of every law enforcement
and intelligence agency put together
operating on American soil.
You're just gonna grab people
without warrants.
Actually,
you are.
Uh, my
My public service days are over.
Yesterday was a a mistake.
It was an accident.
The only thing more important
than a quick result
is a result that everyone can trust.
They trust you.
Think about it.
What is there to think about?
Tom, take a right up here.
We're not going to the airport.
I had a feeling you'd call.
How are you, Jeremy? You got a minute?
For you, but we're running
a lockdown protocol.
- Everyone else waits outside.
- All right. See you in a bit.
Our knight in shining armor.
How wide is this circle?
I'm surprised Axios didn't have it
in their morning newsletter.
If I were you, I would've turned
her down cold before I left the Oval.
No, you were always better
at reading the angles.
"Mullen doesn't spook easily."
That's what some of the guys here said.
The few who still remember you.
We've been running models.
Everything goes down again,
doesn't come back up.
How long before we start
seeing water hoarding, warlords,
heads on sticks?
Somewhere between 24 and 28 days
is the consensus.
Well, I want to know
who you guys are looking at.
And you're right. I don't spook easily.
What I'm about to tell you,
I hope that's still the case.
Let's get this over with.
George.
I think it's important
that you know that this has a very
Mr. President.
Sir.
Everything okay, sir?
Yeah, let's just get going.
What'd he say?
Phone.
You have reached NuWay Dry Cleaners.
Please leave a message.
Hi, I need to schedule a pickup tonight
as soon as possible.
Did you bring the?
Grabbed one from your office
before we left this morning.
Good, thanks.
In case it wasn't just a photo op.
Felix is back up and running.
I'm sending you a location, but I'm out.
Good to see you.
- Good seeing you, Florence.
- It's good to see you.
- Hi, Ellen.
- Hi, George.
Good to see you.
- Hi.
- Hi.
So on-brand.
Cocktails and canapés for the 1%
while the world burns down.
Your mother deserves this.
Um, we thought it was important
to show people that we're not afraid.
People want a place to go
to be with friends
Be with you.
Right?
Come on, these are not Mom's friends.
Ass-kissing moths to the flame
swarming around the man of the hour.
- How you doing?
- Hi, Michael.
I was hoping
I'd have a little more time
before it got out.
Yeah, the press cycle has definitely
sped up a bit since you were last in it.
So Roger tells me you're gonna vote
against the commission.
And it won't matter, but yeah, of course
I'm gonna vote against the commission.
It's fucking fascist.
Oh, come on.
Look, you know it's only temporary
until we can get
a handle on what's really going on.
Said every would-be dictator
who ever grabbed power.
What I'm sorry,
are you actually considering doing this?
I haven't decided yet.
Okay, Dad, hear me out. Hear me out,
please, for one second on this.
So let's say that this whole thing
turns out to be very simple.
Right? That it's Moscow
or the Revolutionary Guard
or a bunch of neo-Nazis
who figured out how to use a computer.
It almost doesn't even matter, right?
Because not everybody wants an answer.
There are people,
they see a crisis like this, right?
They don't want to resolve it.
They want to weaponize it.
They'll make you head of the commission.
So they're saying, "You hold
the gun. You pull the trigger."
All right.
I'm glad you came tonight.
It means a lot to me and your mother.
- Sir, excuse me. Sorry, it's important.
- Hmm?
Natan just arrived.
Okay.
I want to finish this.
I'll be right back.
Okay.
Laundry pickup.
Thanks for coming.
Of course. That's what friends do.
What are you hearing?
Depends.
Am I sharing intelligence gathered
by Mossad with the U.S. government?
Or am I just
gossiping with a fellow pensioner?
You know the answer to that.
It always stays with me.
The past six months,
the GRU has been funding money
to a group of hackers based in New York.
Loose collection of the usual punks.
They run ransomware schemes,
crack crypto wallets,
kick some of the money back
to the consulate.
Now, we figured it's a nice way
to finance other ops
and stir up that garden variety mayhem
the Kremlin likes so much to foment.
Their leader goes by Felix.
A couple of weeks ago,
we start hearing
someone is putting together
a server farm in the Bronx.
Serious processing power.
I mean, the kind you'd need
to mine massive quantities of Bitcoin.
Or
deploy a massive cyberattack.
Again, that name Felix pops up.
Sounds like a hard
break to the Russians.
Maybe.
You run it down?
We're trying. We're on it.
George, with this one,
there may come a time you will call,
and I won't answer.
I mean, after all these years,
better to be honest
with each other, right?
Fuck.
- Alex?
- Jesus!
What? Did you just follow me in here?
No. I mean, I saw you come inside
and I just thought maybe
Don't.
What'd you say to him
about the commission?
Oh, that's why you're stalking me. Okay.
Good to know you're
really that pathetic.
No, I just need to know.
Why do you need to know? So
you can raise your hourly rates again?
I did hear about your hedge fund buddies
who shorted the market
two days before the attack.
- You're saying they knew about it?
- I'm saying it looks suspicious.
Wow.
You're starting to sound a lot like
those conspiracy nuts on television.
I know I know that your work
has dried up recently,
but I am telling you right now
you are in over your head.
Okay? Even more than usual.
And you're still mad
that he said you weren't ready to run?
I think I got over that when I won
by 23 points. For the second time.
He needs to do this.
He thinks that the world is the same
as when he left office.
No. I think he's well aware
that things just changed.
Dreyer, okay? That side of the aisle?
Those are not the same people
that he served with.
This is not the same country.
If he goes back now, they will bury him.
["Who Killed Bambi?"
Who killed Bambi? ♪
Who killed Bambi? ♪
Who killed Bambi? Who killed Bambi? ♪
Who killed Bambi? ♪
Murder, murder ♪
- Hector, change the music.
- What?
- Change the music.
- I'm sorry?
Change the music!
Sorry. I got held up. I
think that's the last of the stragglers.
You deserve more. We'll make up for it
when I see Chief Justice.
It was fine, George.
You must be exhausted.
So?
No question. It is a trap, politically.
Mitchell has to take decisive action.
And she knows there's a chance
half the country will end up hating
whoever takes this on.
I I can't let that stop me.
You are the smart play.
Everyone says that they want the truth,
but the reality is
it's better for both sides
if the blame can't be pinned on anyone.
That way, they can
just keep on blaming each other.
Oh, is that your analysis?
No, that's our daughter.
She says they're weaponizing a crisis.
Well, we both know
she can be prone to hyperbole.
Though, in this case,
I I I don't think
that comes close to capturing it.
This commission is the single
greatest affront to civil liberties
anyone has ever attempted.
Okay. Well, that's it then.
I tell Mitchell,
"No, I'm not gonna do it."
That's why you have to do it.
They've already weaponized it.
And who else do you want
with their finger on the trigger?
Yeah.
We turned over a rock, George.
You won't believe what crawled out.
Are you someplace you can talk?
You need to write this down.
Yeah, give me a minute.
Just do what I say.
After passage late last night,
President Mitchell signed the law
authorizing the commission.
With Mullen now expected
to announce his decision
in a hastily arranged press
conference called earlier this morning.
Hello, everyone.
This morning,
thousands of our fellow citizens are
still laying their loved ones to rest,
victims of a vicious
and cowardly attack.
An assault on
not only our lives and property,
but our very sense of security,
our very sense of who we are.
And late last night,
the United States Congress
voted overwhelmingly
with bipartisan support,
and President Mitchell signed
a law authorizing the creation
of the so-called Zero Day Commission.
It is with great humility
and a ferocious sense of purpose
that I have accepted President Mitchell's
request to lead the commission.
I do not render judgment on the extent
of the powers I have been granted.
They are unprecedented,
as is this danger.
But I do offer you my solemn vow.
We will only employ them insofar
as they are absolutely necessary.
I had an old friend.
He's no longer with us.
His name was John Flanagan.
I'm sure some of you are tired
of hearing about him again,
but John was a dear friend,
and he taught me a lot of things.
Among them is that we don't get
to decide when our time is up.
I thought my life in public service was
over, my legacy written, if you will.
But now that I've been appointed
to head this commission,
I will do everything I can
to find out who did this.
And I promise you,
I promise you,
we will make them pay. Thank you.
A former prosecutor,
Mullen, was known in his day
as fearless and tireless,
a sterling reputation
that only grew in stature over the course
of his four years in office as president.
People are finding it difficult
to return to any sense of normalcy.
And so I think bringing
in Mullen was a
perfect choice,
and in many ways, the only choice.
Nonpartisan,
a legendarily brilliant investigator,
uniquely suited to navigate both the
political minefield and work the case,
getting to the bottom of who's responsible
before they make good on the threat
to hit us again.
Thirty minutes to Manhattan
puts us there at 0600, sir.
- George.
- What's the matter?
George, everything I
told you last night, it's true.
We were right.
That's the key to all of it.
You have to
Natan.
Natan!
Wait here. I'll be right back.
I need to get something.
Holding. Legend needs a minute.
Sir?
Sir, is everything okay in there?
Sir?
Open up!
Sir, I need you to respond!
Sir?
Code red at the cottage!
Get up here, guys!
We have a medical emergency!
Nick, you got the ram?
Let's go! Guys, hurry it up!
Go, go, go!
Sir, are you okay?
Somebody broke into the safe.
They replaced this book.
Sir, that's not possible.
Sir, are you all right?
Sir, are you all right?
Sir?
Where the hell is he going?
Is there any legitimacy to the idea
that someone could have snuck
into his office
I didn't see anybody.
Nobody's been in there.
Why would he make something up?
Hector. Did somebody go in my study?
You had us worried, sir.
- Who are you?
- They
- Who are you?
- Who's who?
Who are you? Never mind who's who.
Who are you?
Where's Hector? Where's Hector?
George, stop yelling!
Are you okay? What's wrong?
- Who Who is this?
- George, calm down!
Where's Hector?
Hector retired five years ago.
What?
That's Wayne.
Hector retired.
George.
George.
["Who Killed Bambi?"
Who killed Bambi? ♪
Who killed Bambi? Who killed Bambi? ♪
Who killed Bambi? ♪
Who killed Bambi? Who ♪