The Recruit (2022) s01e02 Episode Script

1
[narrator] Previously on The Recruit:
- [Lester] New guys get the shit work.
- The hell is this?
People graymail the CIA. Vet the letters,
see if the author can back up the threat.
[woman] My name is Max Meladze.
I'm in prison in Phoenix.
Get me out or I will spill agency secrets.
Sir, she clearly knows
classified information.
Selby Shaw is a pseudonym
for Dawn Gilbane.
- Where is she?
- How do I get to Yemen?
Travel coach. Rent an economy car.
[Hannah] Since when do spies
fly commercial?
[Owen] I'm not a spy, I am a lawyer.
- God!
- I think you're here to investigate us.
Oh, fuck!
Asset's name is Max Meladze.
[Dawn] That somebody would hip-pocket
a girl like that should scare you.
I have classified CIA documents.
- They're in a storage locker.
- [Talco] We'll take the bag.
[groaning]
Who the fuck booby-traps a bag with acid?
A survivor.
So I spent the afternoon
going through your social media.
Now I know every woman you've dated.
I feel that her threat
of graymail is credible.
I'm gonna ask you one question.
Can I trust you?
- When our interests align.
- I'm in.
[Russian rap music playing]
[in Russian] Your black cash,
clean as a whistle.
Where is my treat?
On his way.
I don't like to wait.
Sometimes, waiting is the best part.
I hate the opera.
I'm wheels up for Moscow at intermission.
The deputy has his nuts in a twist
about Havana.
He's threatening to send Guryev down here.
Don't worry.
[sighs]
[audience clapping]
You're late. He's in a mood.
He's always in a mood.
[orchestral music playing]
What's wrong?
I'm not supposed to say.
The council is meeting about you.
Do you know why?
I'm sure I can smooth it over.
How do I look?
[in English] Like a movie star.
[cell phone ringing]
[in Russian] Yes.
[in English] You got a problem.
The Obshchak put a price on your head.
- They're coming to kill you.
- [in English] They found out I'm spying?
No. As far as we can tell,
they don't know you work for us.
You just got too ambitious too fast.
Stepped on the wrong toes.
[opera singing in the auditorium]
[electronic music playing]
[in Russian] Go away.
[in English] I can fix this.
No. You can run or you can die.
[in Russian] End of the road, Max.
- You've been paid extra to make it hurt.
- No. That part's for free.
[gunshot]
[agent in English] Still with us?
[Max] Yes.
- You have to help me.
- I don't have to do anything.
You're not my asset.
But you got me out of a jam once.
So I'll return the favor.
There's an exit package waiting for you
at the airport.
- A place for you lay low in the U.S.
- But I don't want to go to America.
Okay. I'm hanging up now.
Wait.
I'll go.
But don't abandon me.
[woman] Would you like to leave a message?
No, I have already left a dozen messages.
Look, you've had me trapped here
in this shithole for over a month.
I'm sorry, ma'am. Without a name,
there's nothing I can do.
The CIA has thousands of employees.
He's a spy, you fucking idiot.
I don't know his real name.
And I know things. Secret things.
Yes, ma'am. Please hold
while I send you to general voicemail.
[theme music playing]
- You were subpoenaed by the Senate?
- Yesterday.
They spelled your name wrong.
If only that meant that I could ignore it.
Oh, you can. If you wanna go to jail
for contempt of Congress.
Owen, this is serious.
You've been at the agency for a week,
and already pissed off
the Senate Intelligence Committee.
[chuckles] That's the least of my issues.
What does that mean?
Yo, what's going on?
Owen is in over his head again.
- Such an overachiever. Way to go, buddy.
- Thanks, man.
If you're not gonna take this seriously,
then neither am I.
[Owen] Hey, innocent question.
Did your firm teach you
how to deal with a client you can't trust?
Your client is the CIA.
Yeah.
Isn't that a question
for your supervisors or coworkers?
- You don't trust them either.
- [Hannah] Owen, this isn't law school.
You can't just roll in
and ace the exam last minute.
- Not when the stakes are this high.
- It's worked for me until now.
Has it?
[Owen] Look, just
Higher stakes make it more challenging.
But the bottom line is,
it's no different than any other problem.
So as soon as I figure out the system,
I'll be able to navigate the obstacles.
He'll just gonna run headfirst into
those obstacles if we don't help him.
I think the correct term is "enable."
Okay. Job number one
is to protect yourself.
The only way to do that
is to do your homework for once.
If you can find the truth,
it won't matter if your client lies.
- And don't ask what is truth.
- [Owen] Wasn't going to.
- So knowledge is power. Got it.
- Nope. Knowledge is leverage.
Hannah.
Oh, Hannah!
Where are you? Hey Oh! Hi.
Do you have any more Adderall
that you can spare?
It's not for me.
You mean besides
half the bottle you've already stolen?
"Stolen" is such an ugly word.
Seriously, it's for a coworker.
Don't make it weird.
Okay, fine.
Just take the bottle. But that's it.
After this, I booby-trap my purse.
[groaning]
You're the best. Thank you.
- Yeah.
- I'll see you tonight or tomorrow.
Maybe two days. I should probably pack
an overnight, just in case.
Lockdown, when I show up
I got everything on lockdown ♪
When I pull up, yeah, you know
I got the top down ♪
Please don't ever let me catch you
With your guard down ♪
[cell phone ringing]
Hello!
[Max] Where's my money?
How'd you get this number?
Where the fuck is my money?
I told you to leave it in a bag
and put it in the garbage can
so my associate could retrieve it.
- And I did.
- You're lying.
But you're good at it,
we have that in common.
Yeah. You're a criminal and a murderer.
So I'm not really looking to identify
things we have in common.
Plus, ever since I've met you,
I have been chased,
tortured, and subpoenaed,
which I'm discovering are real turn-offs.
And yet, things are only gonna get
more painful for you
if you don't get me the fuck out of here.
I'm working on it. It's not like
I'm fixing a speeding ticket.
It would make my life
a hell of a lot easier
if I knew what classified information
you're threatening to reveal.
What operations were you even involved in?
Owen, you want me to tell you that
information over an unsecured cell phone?
No. But I'll fly to you.
I'll come right now.
No. The next time I see you,
you'll be driving me away from here.
Otherwise, you'll be getting
all your answers from CNN.
- [line disconnects]
- Wait
Excuse me. Excuse me.
Is this the Records Department?
Amazing. Owen Hendricks.
I'm with the General Counsel's office.
I need some help with my homework.
- I gotta run a records search.
- Lucky me.
Yeah. Question, if I ran a name
by Clandestine Services yesterday
and they came up empty,
do I have a reason to believe that you
might give me a different answer today?
Possibly. Certain high-level classified
material's kept out of the main database.
You mean the stuff they try to hide,
the really fucked-up shit?
No comment.
How do I run a name?
Fill out forms 1117A, 2061H, and 3108F
and get signatures in triplicate
from your supervisor.
- Uh, do you have?
- I'm kidding. What's the name?
Last name is Meladze. M-E-L-A-D-Z-E.
First name is Maxine.
- Also known as Max.
- What region?
Eastern Europe.
Should I just
Do you want me to wait here?
This computer was built in 1996,
and I'm gonna have to dig through
hard files even if I get a hit.
So, why don't you write down
your contact info
and if anything comes up,
we'll deliver it to your office.
He's coming.
No, he's not.
Yes, he is.
Guys, this is my office.
You know that, right? Mine.
We're here to extend an olive branch.
We felt like we didn't
prepare you well for Yemen,
and word is you're in over your head
with this graymail case.
- Yeah? Who told you that?
- [Violet] It's not important.
But what is important is that you feel
you have the tools you need to succeed.
So how can we help?
Super nice of you guys,
but I'm all set, for now.
Good. Good.
Because if you need anything,
we are here to support you.
Yep. Thank you.
Oh, and
Lester and I,
we were actually talking earlier,
and we realized you probably
haven't had the dating conversation yet.
Actually, Mom and Dad, they covered that
thoroughly in sixth-grade sex-ed.
So
No, no.
We just wanna teach you
how this place works.
- Why?
- [Lester] Paperwork.
Or to avoid paperwork.
There's onerous reporting requirements
for any personal interaction.
I thought that was for foreigners?
No, it's anyone with whom you have
close and continuing contact.
And that means without a condom.
- You always wear a condom, right?
- Wearing one now.
Okay.
So Lester and I
have worked here for a while,
and we know most of the single women.
We can help you steer clear of the loons.
Love that. I'll make sure to call you guys
first if I get back in the game.
Great. Um, and it is staff meeting time.
- It's your first, right?
- [Owen] Yeah.
- Nice.
- [Owen] Why?
Why?
[Nyland] Goddamn it!
Who did it?
Which one of you
screwed the pooch this time?
Just kidding.
Good poker faces, everybody.
Except for you, Maeson.
[door slams]
- I could see you pucker up.
- Sorry, sir.
[Nyland] N-L-T-S-Y-P.
"Never
Let Them See You Pucker."
Okay.
Violet, what's the latest
on the thing with those people?
Our friend in the place says there may be
heavy seas ahead, but no storm.
[Nyland] Good. Salazar, any problems
with the framing on those deliverables?
Not so far.
Our friend is hearing whispers
that the element
we were worried about didn't materialize.
Good, keep an eye on it.
Our friend might be working
a different agenda.
Janus, why am I hearing about
upset stomachs in camel country?
[snoring softly]
Hey.
Knock it off.
Nobody's buying the narcolepsy crap.
I don't care what your doctor's note says.
Is this thing gonna be a problem?
Sir, I am unaware of anything going on
in the region that you mentioned.
Let me do my due diligence,
and I will get right back to you.
- Fuck that, just fix it.
- Mm-hm. All right. Yes, sir.
Hendricks.
Any more definition on that
squeaky wheel?
The what?
Oh, my Um
Uh, per our last conversation,
I made contact with the former asset.
Whoa.
- TMI.
- [Owen] What?
Sorry. I'm sorry.
The person in the place
and I am trying to get clarity
on how deep their
Their knowledge goes
into the Russian mob
- [Violet] Oh, my God.
- [Owen] What?
- What's happening? What happened?
- They don't want your shit on their shoes.
Violet, have you taught him anything?
[clears throat] He is a slow learner, sir.
[Nyland] Everything we work on
has the potential to get us hauled
in front of the SSCI,
so it's common fucking courtesy
not to overshare.
No one wants to be in-the-know
unless they have to.
- Is that clear?
- Yes, sir.
So do you have a plan of action
for this woman or not?
No, not yet.
But I know you wouldn't want me to act
without doing a proper risk assessment.
I have multiple feelers out. I should
have a much clearer picture shortly.
Sweet.
[door lock buzzes]
I can get you a zip.
It's gonna cost you 200.
That's too much.
I'll pay you back.
Shit!
[guard] Hey!
Break it up!
[yelling]
[knocks on door]
Janus.
Go away.
[Owen] Well, I would love to,
but I need some advice.
Forget it. You're dead to me.
[pills rattle]
Ship sailed on those, new guy.
I don't need to stay awake anymore.
The worst already happened.
Did it?
Seems like the way
that Nyland was so angry,
the worst would be
if he found out you lied to him again.
Are you threatening me?
No, I'm just getting a feel
for how to navigate the place I guess.
What do you want to know?
Why can't I find an official record
of my graymailer in the archives?
Even if she was a hip-pocket asset,
her HUMINT was the basis of operations
over the span of years.
Someone cleaned up their mess.
Someone? Like her handler? Not Bob?
I don't know. I am not going there.
No matter what you threaten me with,
and neither should you.
A guy like that finds out
you're poking around his old ops,
and you end up in a dark room wondering
why there's plastic on the floor.
I'm in a minefield.
The only way I survive is
if I figure out what the hell she knows.
You need her hall file.
- What's a hall file?
- RUMINT.
Rumors Intelligence.
Okay, how do I find that?
A hall file isn't a physical file.
It's gossip.
Things that were said in the halls of
whatever station she was handled out of.
- She was an asset in Belarus.
- Doesn't mean that was her station.
Which means you need to figure that out
in order to target a case officer
who might be willing
to talk to you about her.
[phone rings]
What?
No. He isn't in here, why?
- Max Meladze was just shanked in prison.
- [Nyland] Who?
- My squeaky wheel.
- And?
Is she dead?
No, but she's pissed.
- Sir, I have to know
- Know what?
- Did we?
- Did we what?
Did we do it?
Are you asking the General Counsel
of the CIA whether the Company,
which is legally prohibited
from operating in the U.S.,
attempted to murder a foreign national
and former asset in Ari-fucking-zona?
Nope.
I didn't think so.
Listen to me carefully, Mr. Hendricks.
I can't afford for this to be a problem.
Senator Smoot is looking
to hang a scandal around my neck
so I'll be forced to resign in disgrace.
And the last thing I need is for your
squeaky wheel to turn into that scandal.
So you get this under control
no matter what it takes.
Yes, sir.
- I knew packing a bag was the right call.
- What?
Nothing. I'm on it. Have no fear.
Fear's literally all I have.
[door lock buzzes]
Ouch.
She's lucky.
Shank missed everything important.
- You her lawyer?
- No.
[Max] Yes.
Interesting.
I need to talk to her in private.
That's not gonna happen.
Come on.
Five minutes.
The shanking wasn't us.
I know. It's Talco in retaliation
for burning his face with acid.
That was pretty terrible.
- But you guys are even now, right?
- No.
He's gonna carry on trying to kill me.
Which is a problem for both of us.
Why didn't you graymail the agency
when you first got to America?
Why wait until now?
Because I want to go home.
You're exposed as a former asset,
you can't do that.
You're keeping me in the dark
because you think if you control
the information that gets out,
you get to keep your duplicity a secret.
You go back to your old life in Belarus.
And if you expose everything,
then that door closes forever.
You need me to help you
thread that needle.
No. Promises were made.
I expect to be taken care of.
But make no mistake,
I will burn this place down if I have to.
Starting with you.
Look, I don't wanna spend
the rest of my life in prison.
This is not my future.
Well, then
you're gonna have to
negotiate a truce with Talco.
I can't do that. Not from in here.
- So you're gonna have to do that.
- No, it's not part of my job description.
Sorry.
We made a deal, so
you help me, I'll help you.
What do you need help with?
Nothing.
Unless you know about Senate subpoenas.
Well, I know about power and politics.
All right.
There's this hotshot senator,
he hates my boss.
So he subpoenaed me so I have to
go testify just to fuck with him.
Well, he doesn't want you to testify.
What do you mean?
The subpoena is leverage for you
to give him dirt on your boss.
Just do that, subpoena goes away.
- Oh, that is so much worse.
- [chuckles]
Yeah, well, you asked.
So, um
I will get word to Talco
and you will prepare a peace agreement.
- You know how to do that?
- Yeah.
Talked my way out of being kidnapped
by pirates in Guyana. Spring break. Crazy.
[rings]
Violet Ebner.
Hey, it's me, Owen.
I could use a little bit of advice
if the offer still stands.
Absolutely.
I need to get my graymail case
moved into the federal system.
- [whispers] It's Owen.
- [Owen] How do I do that?
- What part of the country?
- Arizona.
You know what, let me grab Lester.
He's had some interactions down there.
Okay.
Owen needs to make
his graymail case federal.
This is our opportunity
to get someone in close to him.
- Catherine.
- No. I was thinking Amelia.
Oh, Amelia's gonna tear him apart.
She'll want something from us in return
for spying on him.
Are you kidding me?
She's gonna thank us for the hookup.
Trust me, the kid's a stud.
Okay. So I talked to Lester,
and unfortunately, he doesn't have
any connections in the Southwest.
But Amelia Salazar used to be an AUSA,
and I'm sure she's got
a lot of pull down there.
- Amazing. Can you connect us?
- Well, she's gone for the day.
But I can introduce you tomorrow.
Thanks.
I owe you.
Not at all. We're on the same team.
That's what I'm talking about.
[Owen] Excuse me.
- What?
- [Owen] Sorry.
I just checked in and couldn't help
but notice that you're eating takeout.
I'm starving.
- How are the chicken nuggets? Any good?
- Well, I'm not even sure they're chicken.
Yeah.
Okay. Now you have to sacrifice
one to the pool gods.
What is that? A good luck thing
or a ward off evil spirit thing?
It is a useless act of destruction thing.
You mind if I sit?
Go ahead.
So, what brings you to this 5-star resort?
I'm a lawyer in town for a case.
I fly out in the morning.
What about you?
Been here long?
Couple days.
For work or play?
- Family.
- I can relate.
I haven't seen mine since law school.
My mom just got too unstable.
I don't know.
I feel guilty about it sometimes.
Truth is, I'm just making it worse
trying to make it better.
Why are you telling me that?
It's safer being honest
with strangers, I guess.
I mean, I'm never gonna
see you again, right?
So I don't give a shit if you judge me.
You should try it.
My
dad was killed recently.
He was the only one who made me feel safe.
Sane, loved.
My father died when I was 12.
Went to war and never came back.
It's what broke my mom.
I tried so hard to, like
be the man in the house,
you know, be just like him, but
Oh
Thought that we were gonna
do this in the morning?
[speaking Spanish]
It looks good on you.
You can keep it if you want.
You think I need your permission?
In this moment, probably not.
- Where's my money?
- [Owen] It's safe.
Cut the tape. Let's go get it.
[Talco] What happened to your hand?
Oh, I got my fingernail pulled out.
A similar situation to this, actually.
- Coin toss on which place was cleaner.
- Pulling fingernails out is for pussies.
[speaks Spanish]
Psychological studies show it's
only the threat of permanent damage
that motivates a pendejo
to betray his own interests.
So where's my money?
I told you.
In the parking lot of Perryville Prison.
You won't find it without me.
That's not gonna happen
- if you drill a bunch of holes.
- How many is a bunch?
Any!
Any holes. I'm not playing with you.
I don't work for Max.
I don't care about her money,
she doesn't care about me,
so cut the fucking tape
and let's get out of each other's lives.
Do it ♪
Go ahead, do it ♪
So how long you known Max?
It's in your best interest to give me
all the intel you know on her.
- Yeah?
- Sort of an enemy of my enemy thing.
- You think we're gonna be friends?
- No.
I hope we never see each other again.
But if I play things right,
I get her out of both of our lives.
Max created a niche business
when she hit town.
But she crossed the line with that money.
Took something that didn't belong to her.
She'll betray you just the same.
That's good to know.
Do it, do it, don't stop ♪
Do it, do it, do it ♪
Do it, do it, do it ♪
[Talco] No, no, no, no.
Point it away from me and open it.
[shutter clicking]
Hey. Whoa!
Not cool, man.
- You and Max square?
- Yeah.
- Hey. What are you doing? You can't
- Back up. Back up.
It's a rental, man!
It's gettin' to it ♪
Gotta do it ♪
- Hey, hey, hey, hey ♪
- Gettin' to it ♪
Gettin' to it, don't stop, gettin' to it
Hey, hey ♪
Gettin' to it, hey, hey ♪
Gettin' to it, hey, hey, gettin' to it ♪
[cell phone buzzing]
[Max] Relax. I'm not here to hurt you.
Soldiers can't be blamed
for the orders they are given.
I was curious about you, though,
so I did some investigating.
Your daughter
she's beautiful.
Oh, no. Don't worry, I
I would never hurt her.
I had a daughter of my own once.
Nothing compares to it.
The joy when they're sweet.
The madness when they're not.
She was a handful, my Karolina.
Willful.
So stubborn.
Everything a girl needs
to survive in this world.
But I don't need to tell you that.
I say all of this because I want you
to know that I would never
harm a hair on your daughter's head.
But I will kill
everyone else in your family
unless you start working for me.
A double agent.
You feed Talco lies.
Tell me what he's up to.
Warn me if he tries to kill me again.
Can you do that?
Can you do that?
Okay, good.
You rest up, and I'll say a prayer
for your malyshka tonight.
[gasps]
- You're supposed to be at work.
- Okay, yeah, so are you.
Look away.
I called in sick.
I couldn't take another day of document
discovery in a subzero conference room.
I just got back from the airport.
I gotta shower, head to the office.
I was gonna make pizza bagels.
[Owen] Oh! Yes, please.
So how's the hunt for the truth going?
Oh, it's great.
Not great.
Which isn't surprising in a place
that keeps secrets professionally.
What?
Look, I don't wanna be that girl
who says she's worried about you,
because who wants to be that girl?
But I'm worried about you.
This need to jump into the deep end
to prove yourself over and over again,
it's unhealthy.
- I think it's ambitious.
- [Hannah] No.
I'm ambitious. You're just afraid.
It feels different.
Afraid? Afraid of what?
I don't know.
Like, I honestly don't know.
I mean,
- why did you take a job at the CIA?
- Because
And don't say it was because
you wanted to get your hands dirty.
You had no idea what that meant.
Or here's an easier one.
Why did you even wanna be a lawyer?
You know why.
- No.
- Mm-hm.
I know the story you tell yourself.
But proving your crazy mother wrong
can't be the only reason
why you make extreme life choices.
- What if it is?
- That would be extremely dumb.
[laughing] What do you want me to do?
Seriously, what do you
want me to do? Quit?
When I haven't accomplished anything?
God, Owen, you're allowed
to admit you've made a mistake.
I have no problem doing that.
I'm 24, I'm supposed to make mistakes.
Take big swings.
Right?
Yeah.
I just worry that the CIA
is gonna amplify your worst instincts.
There are firms on K Street
that would snap you up in a second.
They would pay you a fortune.
Yeah. Clearly, you're so happy
doing corporate law.
I'd love to do that too.
Okay. At least I don't need to worry
about misspelled Senate subpoenas.
Misspelled.
What?
That's how I find her.
I have to go.
I love that you care about me
and you want me to be safe.
Thank you.
- Yo!
- You again?
- [Owen] Yeah. Hi.
- Got a new name to run?
No. Same name, bit of a twist.
See, somebody went through a lot of effort
to purge Max's name from the system,
but what are the odds
they spelled it correct in every report,
every memo to file, every station cable?
- Non-existent.
- Exactly.
Chances are, they only erased the records
with her name spelled the right way.
So I have comprised a list
of 100 misspellings for you to run.
Add any in that you think
I might have missed.
- This is actually really smart.
- Thank you.
- [knocks on door]
- [Owen] Amelia? Hi.
- I don't think we've officially met.
- Owen.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Shut the door.
Violet said you might be stopping by.
Yes. I could use a little advice.
But warning, I have to overshare a little.
Is that okay?
Sure. Before you do,
we should lay out ground rules.
- Okay.
- I need romance.
Not a lot, I don't have time
for anything serious,
but you'll have to put in
some effort if we start dating.
Violet told you I was interested?
Yeah. You don't think
I'd help you for nothing.
No, no, no. Of course not.
I'm just I'm still learning
how things work here.
Trust me, it's so much easier this way.
I dated a guy who worked in Big Pharma,
and the weekly contact reports
I had to write were a fucking nightmare.
Wow
Well, I'm a big fan of romance.
It's important to make sure
that there's a spark.
Real intimacy requires
a mental connection.
Okay. Don't get all touchy-feely.
I'm just looking for dinner and a movie
once in a while.
So we'll go out one night this week,
you pick a nice place.
Not somewhere to be seen.
I don't do trendy.
And the food's gotta be good.
I'm an eater.
Got it.
To business?
What do you need?
- Is this about your squeaky wheel?
- Yeah.
She's a former asset
in prison for murder in Arizona.
I need her case to go federal
so I can drop the charges if need be.
Okay, I'll call A'Nyah Bell
at Main Justice.
But I won't tell her that last part.
Just that we need to get this case
elevated for national security reasons.
We can actually have
the Justice Department take over a case?
No, but I can totally make A'Nyah think
that bigfooting it is a good career move.
- What's your asset's name?
- It's Maxine Meladze.
M-E-L-A-D-Z-E.
She's at Perryville right now.
- Got it.
- Thanks.
You're a good kisser, right?
You're not one of those who comes in
open-mouth and piledriver tongue?
God, no. No, I hate that.
I dated a girl in high school,
felt like she was trying to eat my face.
I'm more subtle.
Looking forward to it.
Yeah.
- [gasps]
- Hey. How'd it go with Amelia?
Magical. Already planning the wedding.
You wanna be the best man?
- Is she gonna help you with your thing?
- Yes.
[Violet] Good. Good.
I'm glad we could provide the hookup.
Thank you for the connect.
- This better not be another empty file.
- Not completely.
- But I got fewer results than I thought.
- This is it?
Someone went to the trouble
of classifying misspellings too.
They just missed one. Cyrillic's a bitch.
Yeah, man, this is heavily redacted.
- How do I get the original?
- Above my pay grade.
There is a case officer mentioned
that isn't redacted, at the bottom.
Thank you.
[Owen] Sir, I need to go to Vienna.
No, you don't. Use the telephone.
Sir, this is a conversation
you don't wanna risk getting intercepted.
I can give you more specifics,
but then you'd be in the loop
on some things that you might
want deniability on later.
Are you playing me? Do you have an agenda
I need to worry about?
No. Sir, I'm just trying to do the job
that you hired me for.
Okay. Tell me a little more.
There's a case officer in Vienna
who might be the key to understanding
just how dangerous my squeaky wheel is.
Okay. Go.
But be careful.
Vienna is the espionage Olympics,
where every foreign intelligence agency
sends their all-stars.
So don't get cute.
- Do your business and get out. Understand?
- Yes, sir.
- It's like a plane crash. Yeah.
- His island?
- What the hell are you doing?
- I am looking for my black passport.
According to Operations, it was
delivered in my office five days ago.
That was before I left to Yemen.
- Well, I don't have it. No.
- [Owen] No?
Oh
What's this?
Must've gotten mixed up in my mail.
Yeah, I'm sure Nyland's gonna buy that.
All right. What do you want?
Well, Nyland is sending me to Vienna,
and I need to set up
a nominal cover identity.
You're gonna tell me how.
[rock music playing]
[Lester] A nominal cover identity
will not hold up to any scrutiny.
So don't put yourself in a situation
where you have to rely on it.
You'll be going to Vienna as a diplomat.
Specifically, a temporary legal attaché
for the State Department.
The station will check you in,
so you don't need
to interact with the front desk.
Just walk into the lobby,
and someone will hand you your key.
[Owen] Hi.
[man] Lance Miller?
Um No. Lance Millerman.
Thank you.
[tense music playing]
[man] Are you waiting for someone?
- Yeah.
- What's your name?
It's Lance Millerman.
There's a phone call for you.
[Owen] Danke.
Hello?
Congratulations. You're being followed
by the entire United Nations.
I've been watching you
the whole way over from the hotel.
Did anyone teach you countersurveillance?
Why would they? I'm a legal attaché
from the State Department.
No, you're a toddler
playing dress up in a shark tank.
Go to the embassy. I'll meet you there.
I'm not blowing my cover
for this shit show.
Sorry about that.
It's my first time in Vienna.
Wait until we get into a SCIF.
Thank you.
What the hell are you doing here?
Relax, I'm just here for some information.
So it's not a thing.
You got the General Counsel
to ask for country clearance,
the U.S. ambassador to sign off on it,
and flew all the way to Vienna
to tell me this isn't a thing?
You're right. It is a thing.
And you're a bit fucked.
But the question is how fucked, you know?
So just sit your ass down.
Okay. No problem.
What do you need to know?
Well, you were stationed
in Belarus in 2014.
I was only there on TDY.
What is that?
Temporary duty.
A few months between formal assignments.
What was the station like?
Honestly, it was a shit show.
No supervision, infighting out the ass.
I couldn't wait to get out of there.
Ever heard the name Max Meladze?
Once or twice.
Well, I'm trying to
find the hall file on her.
Why?
Not at liberty to say.
Look.
Russia, Belarus, they're mafia states.
The mob provides the muscle
for whatever the political elites ask for,
and keeping those elites happy
was Max's specialty.
Which is why she was such
a valuable asset for us.
Who was her handler?
She was between handlers when I arrived.
Is that normal?
For an asset to be without a handler?
No. But her first dropped dead
of a heart attack.
I complained to Langley,
they asked me to fix it,
but there was no way
I was getting stuck in that mud.
And then Belarus became a denied area
right when I was moving on.
Sorry, what does that mean,
"a denied area"?
An extremely hostile, operational
environment with heavy surveillance.
It's basically too hot to run operations,
so you bug out until things calm down.
- And what happens to your assets?
- It depends.
What happened with Max Meladze?
No idea. I was long gone by then.
Look, man, you can tell me the truth,
or I can have your ass called back to D.C.
so you have to answer
to the General Counsel.
I heard she was empowered
to run her own network.
Of agency assets?
- Mm-hm.
- That's insane.
She didn't even have a hard file.
There's no POA, no 201.
- There's nothing.
- I don't know anything about that.
So an unvetted asset was just allowed
to handle other assets?
That means she knows
the identities of most, if not all,
of our spies in Belarus and Russia.
Told you you didn't wanna know.
Jesus Christ.
Are we done?
No.
Sit down.
Why did Max leave Belarus?
She pissed off the wrong person
in the mob. He was trying to kill her.
Well, who got her out?
No idea. I was long gone by then.
Is that SOP?
To just abandon assets?
A hundred percent.
Once she was dead to the Russians,
she stopped being an asset,
so she was dead to us.
She's making threats, isn't she?
Does that idea make you nervous?
[chuckles] No. I told you,
I only met her once.
No, no. You said that
you'd heard her name.
Once or twice.
So now you're telling me that you met her.
Well, I mean, in passing.
All right. This is what I need from you.
I need you to go into your files
and give me everything
that you have on Max Meladze.
Sure, no problem. I'll get right on it.
Okay.
[cell phone buzzing]
- Where are you?
- [Owen] I am in Vienna.
And I know what
you're threatening to expose too.
That means you talked to somebody.
Tell me the name.
[Owen laughs]
Nope. That's the one thing you don't have.
Real names. That's my leverage.
Congratulations.
You're officially part of the game.
And I am one step closer to going home.
Oh, yeah? Me too.
Hey, airport.
If you won't tell me the name,
at least tell me how it went.
[Owen chuckles]
We got a lot of pushback.
This person definitely
has some secrets to hide.
Okay, you're gonna have to tell me
who you met with.
Why?
Because the secrets I know
are worth killing to keep quiet.
That's weird.
What?
Hey, is Gunther your dad?
[Max] What are you talking about?
[Owen] This isn't her cab.
Owen, she's an assassin.
You have to kill the driver.
I can't I can't do that.
- Kill her, or she kills you.
- No.
- Are you in the back seat?
- Yes.
Okay. Take the seatbelt
and strangle her from behind,
or you can find a pen, stick it in her ear
and scramble her brain.
- I can't. I can't do that.
- Owen!
Hi, excuse me.
Would you mind pulling over?
- I need to get out.
- Stop talking. Kill her!
I can't kill her!
- Shit.
- [tires screeching]
- [grunting]
- [horn honking]
- [tires screeching]
- [horns honking]
[horn blaring]
- [horn honks]
- Oh, fuck!
Shit.
Okay, I'm out of the car.
- You ever been to Vienna?
- Many times.
Great. I need some fucking help
getting away.
Tell me, where are you?
There's buildings,
and I think I'm by the opera house.
- Oh, shit.
- Okay.
- She's after me again.
- She wouldn't be if you'd killed her.
You need to steal a car.
She'll catch you if you stay on foot.
- What?
- Do it! Owen, now!
Shit. Oh, my God.
Hey!
[tires screeching]
- [yelling]
- Sorry!
Don't apologize. Why are you apologizing?
Because carjacking
is a new experience for me.
Owen, fill me in.
What the fuck is going on?
- [man yelling in German]
- [Owen] I'm sorry.
Owen? What's happening? Who's yelling?
[Owen sighs, groans]
I don't want to talk about it.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
- [speaking German]
- I'm sorry. I know.
- [horns honking]
- Shit.
Oh, shit. Okay.
Uh, I'm on a bridge.
I don't know which one.
- There's buildings.
- Okay, that's not helpful.
Oh, shit. There's another assassin.
They're both in taxis.
Okay, I'm stuck on a bridge. What do I do?
- Can you swim?
- It's 20 degrees outside.
That's T-shirt weather in Belarus.
Get in the river. Do it!
It's your only option.
Get in the fucking river!
What do you need, a "three, two, one"?
[shouts]
Fuck!
["Grime" by Cecil Otter playing]
Fuck!
Been the longest
Sleepless few years ever ♪
Defeat feels beautiful together ♪
The breeze feels suitable to weather ♪
So for better or worse
Is working for the better ♪
And we never
Ever gave our letters away ♪
Just gained some pleasure
From the pain ♪
We ain't some veterans for fame ♪
We aim with the heart
And we never miss a target ♪
And we're playing in the dark
With the archers ♪
The robbers, the honor
The offer to never turn the lights on ♪
Better learn to fight long nights
Wrong moves lose battles ♪
When the sun is down, look around ♪
So look it down
Go look down the barrel ♪
Look what you found
The bang for the buckshot ♪
The ricochets graze, the blood drops ♪
So look it down
Go look down the barrel ♪
Look what you found
The bang for the buckshot ♪
The ricochets graze, the blood drops ♪
So go ahead and look it down
Go look down the barrel of that fun gun ♪
Look what you found
You got no more face ♪
So when the hot sun's setting
On a shotgun wedding ♪
I will not tie the knot
Where the shots come heading ♪
At my head, I will not be caught dead ♪