The Code (2019) s01e05 Episode Script
Maggie's Drawers
1 Previously on The Code Colonel Turnbull, it looks like she may be getting an update on the status of her son.
Adam and three other Marines never reported back from their last patrol.
Despite Lieutenant Colonel Talley's recommendation, I'm going in a different direction for senior defense counsel.
- May I ask - I will be speaking to my choice as soon as we're done here.
Major Ferry.
I'd like to speak to you in my office.
A lawyer called me.
He thinks I can win - a wrongful death suit.
- ABE: Against who? ALEX: My lawyer's going to ask you to testify.
- My CO says it could end my career.
- I'll go with you.
Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God? I do.
BRIGADIER GENERAL STERN: Artificial intelligence.
After gunpowder and nuclear arms, AI is considered to be the third revolution in modern warfare.
As with any revolution, to the victor go the spoils.
Like it or not, we are in a global arms race.
Locked and loaded.
In continuation of the Marine Corps' long-standing dedication to innovation and modernization, it is my honor to share with you the next phase in our Third Offset Swarm-Enabled Autonomous Weapons.
PILOT (OVER COMMS): Five four three two one.
STERN: A system that, once activated, can select and engage targets without intervention by a human operator.
It's about having the machines do the work.
We want our men concentrated on the fight, not on a screen.
I give you First Lieutenant Jake Meszaros, the leading architect of this cutting-edge system.
Thank you, General.
Gentlemen and-and ladies.
Uh, what you are watching here on-screen are kamikaze drones, each carrying the payload equivalent of a 40mm grenade.
Now, they are programmed to detect enemy radar systems, like the TASR set up here on Monitor B.
On Monitor C, we have visual from the electronic attack vehicle, where Major Kurt Luhr will oversee a jamming signal designed to disable communication between the swarm and our pilot, thus activating the system's autonomous protocols.
Now, using decentralized control algorithms, our swarm applies collective behavior to analyze any potential obstacles and redirect their own formation accordingly.
That is, until they hone in on the target.
MAN (OVER COMMS): Warning.
Warning.
- MAN (OVER COMMS): Errant strike.
- (EXCLAIMING QUIETLY) Errant strike.
- EAV has been hit.
- What just happened? Get those comms back online.
Now.
PILOT: Major Luhr, do you copy? Do you copy, Major Luhr? WOMAN: Sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do.
It's a simple fact of life.
We all have jobs.
Going to school is your job.
Just like my job is going to the hospital every day, and Uncle Abe's job is going to court.
But my job's boring.
And I told you, my stomach hurts.
My job can be boring, too.
I still have to do it.
And so do you.
Even when you have a test, and, you know, your stomach hurts.
I love you.
Give the phone back to Abe, okay? - Love you, too.
- Don't worry, Al.
We've got this under control.
(QUIETLY): Thank you.
Between you and me, I never wanted to go to school, either.
Especially not law school.
You know who convinced me to go? Your father.
He told me it's what you learn after you already know everything that really counts.
But I don't know everything.
You could've fooled me.
Go make it count.
(PHONE CHIMING) Mr.
Ahmadi.
I have to admit, I'm disappointed.
- Disappointed? - ABE: I always figured if you needed me while I was in my car, you'd just pop up in the back seat.
Who's to say I'm not hiding back there now, sir? You should stop looking.
I'm not in your car.
- I was not looking.
- While we're on the subject of disappointment, Colonel Turnbull sends her regards from the recently adjourned staff meeting.
Well, if you'd kindly tell the colonel that I was dropping the kids off at school, I'm sure she'd understand.
I don't traffic in euphemism, sir.
It's rhetorically slack.
Nobody's asking you to traffic in euphemism.
I said "school," not "pool.
" I was dropping literal kids off at literal school.
Colonel Turnbull wanted you to know that there's been an incident at the War fighting Laboratory.
During a routine weapons test this morning, a system malfunctioned.
Two Marines are dead.
I'm sorry to hear that, but isn't that a job for NCIS? Brigadier General Stern, the War fighting Lab commander, has requested an independent JA inquiry to run concurrently with the NCIS investigation.
An informal review to determine whether there's blame to be assigned.
The general's looking to cover his ass.
Colonel Turnbull is grateful that you and Lieutenant Li volunteered to conduct said investigation.
I absolutely do not volunteer.
She'd like your report ASAP.
A watched pot never boils.
Who writes these software updates? It's been saying "five minutes left" for half an hour.
You shouldn't unplug that.
I don't want to leave it here.
I've got two briefs to file.
That's a firmware update.
- Look at that.
The world spins on.
- (STAMMERING) If it explodes later, I accept full responsibility.
I signed it downstairs, Rami.
You do recognize me outside my native habitat? Of course I do, Captain Dobbins.
Always a joy to welcome a guest from the defense attorney's office.
You took the form, as I recall.
I don't remember any actual signing.
Since you appear to be waiting on Colonel Turnbull You're here to rescue me from my own indolence.
Human Resources is grateful for your prompt compliance.
Hey, Maya.
Major Ferry.
"Major.
" Awfully formal.
You are my boss now.
Hasn't stopped you from ducking my calls.
Your predecessor left quite the logjam when he got promoted to the majors.
Major.
Major.
Captain.
Shall we? So How is it going so far? - Outstanding, ma'am.
- Great.
Major, I am pulling Captain Dobbins out of your rotation.
I need her to get schooled on the ins and outs of Parwan Province.
Afghanistan? I don't recall any international cases on the docket.
Captain Anway Butler reached out from Bagram an hour ago.
He needs command legal advice, and I want your input.
Command legal? I wasn't aware of any escalation in conflict.
It's not something we're advertising on the side of a blimp.
And if you're wondering, Major: yes, that is your cue.
Of course, ma'am.
Are you familiar with Richard Barnwright? British national.
Went to Cambridge before joining IS.
He's killed people on, what, three continents? Colonel Butler has solid Intel that puts him in the tunnels under Salang Pass.
If Barnwright is in Afghanistan, that means he's planning something.
Colonel Butler wants to take him out before he can do it, but the pass is deep in enemy territory, and casualty projections are problematic.
And Colonel Butler is aware that planes exist? They want to us a GBU-43/B.
A MOAB? Isn't that maybe overkill? It's not our call.
We just advise the colonel on whether or not international law permits him to deploy it.
Bring me your recommendation.
Yes, ma'am.
Captain, the MOAB is so powerful it has been used exactly once.
If you are within a one-mile radius of detonation, it will suck the air out of your lungs and turn you inside out before the blast wave even hits.
We cannot have any civilians caught in that blast.
ABE: Have you done a command investigation before? No.
We'll be working with NCIS, right? By "working with," you mean passive-aggressively sizing each other up.
And yes, they'll be doing the criminal investigation while we jump through hoops for the War fighting Lab's CO.
They're exceedingly likely to lord that over us, and at the end of the day, we'll all probably wind up at the same place.
What place is that? Tragic accident is tragically accidental.
NCIS has been up my breezer all morning and I'll be damned if I'm gonna be beholden to a bunch of squids.
I'm counting on you to be my eyes and ears.
You'll have full access to our staff and facilities.
That's First Lieutenant Jake Meszaros.
He worked directly under Major Luhr, who was killed in the explosion.
He's taking it exceptionally hard.
(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) Is he speaking Hungarian? Jake's N-400.
He signed up for the fast-track to citizenship.
Wish I had ten more like him.
Lieutenant.
These folks are here from the Judge Advocate to help us get to the bottom of this mess.
They are to have our full cooperation.
- Understood? - Yes, sir.
If you need me, I'll be in my office putting out fires.
Yes.
Euler-Lagrange systems.
Um, swarming behavior.
Ant colonies provide the basis for the algorithms behind our swarm-enabled drone program.
We're sorry about what happened.
Everyone around here is so concerned about the program being shut down, it seems like they've already forgotten about the men that we lost.
You and Major Luhr were close? Kurt was like an older brother.
I-I have no family here, I'm not married, so, yes, Kurt and his wife were pretty much family.
Can you tell us what happened? The swarm was programmed to target enemy radar systems, but it mistakenly targeted the jamming signal instead.
May I record? Yeah.
What do you think caused the error? Well, my team is looking into the possibility of electromagnetic interference between the two radar systems.
- We, uh, we call that a ghost track.
- (GROANS) Everything okay? Uh, technical difficulties.
This happens every time I update my phone.
Uh, let me see.
Uh, you unplugged this during an update.
Uh, okay.
(CLEARS THROAT) There.
Uh, oh, do you mind if I send myself a text just to make sure that it works? Uh, sure.
(PHONE CHIMES) And there you go.
Thank you.
WOMAN: Captain Abraham.
It is still "Captain"? They didn't demote you or anything? Still running through the raindrops.
The Abe I remember would never get stuck on CYA detail.
Scout Manion.
NCIS.
- Harper Li.
- Harper Lee? - (CHUCKLES) Yes.
- So you get jokes about that book, too? - All day, every day.
- So Aaron and I are interviewing the admin staff, but it's always nice to have a little bit of backup.
So let me know when you establish a timeline.
Will do, Scout.
Great to see you.
You, too.
You look good.
You know Scout was mocking us with the timeline thing, right? Doesn't mean it was a bad idea.
You said you didn't like working with NCIS.
You never told me you used to date one of the agents.
What gave you that idea? "Great to see you.
" "You, too.
You look good.
" That's one exquisite timeline, Harper Lee.
But you can call off the dogs, guys.
Our cyber team found a glitch in the software.
It got into the system during an update run by Major Luhr at 6:13 on the morning of the test.
It was a user error.
An unfortunate accident.
That's it, guys.
Hold up a second.
You said Major Luhr ran the update at 0613? I said it in normal-person time, but yes.
Major Luhr was already at the pre-test briefing in the SCIF at that time, so he couldn't have installed that software patch.
Someone logged in with his credentials so they could tamper with the weapons system.
Sorry to complicate your week, Scout, but, uh, this wasn't an accident, this was sabotage.
Timeline for the win.
Okay.
ABE: Doesn't seem right, does it? What doesn't seem right? Well, we put them on the right track, they put us out to pasture.
HARPER: "We"? You made the timeline, I spotted the inconsistency.
You're the alley, I'm the oop.
We told them what happened; the command investigation is over.
It's not our territory until they have somebody in custody.
If they get somebody in custody.
(PHONE CHIMES) Is your fiancé really that needy? Oh, it's not Bard.
It's that guy from the War fighting Laboratory.
Lieutenant Meszaros? "If zou need"? You do know the "Y" and "Z" keys are reversed on most Eastern European keyboards? Much obliged on the assist.
We'll bring you a bad guy.
No.
It doesn't seem right.
MAYA: They're a nomadic tribe but that doesn't guarantee they'll move out of the pass - in the next 24 hours.
- (KNOCK AT DOOR) Okay, let's definitely try to work something out.
I'll be here.
Sorry.
We were supposed to have lunch.
Now I'm really starting to think that you're ducking me.
I know that you wanted Senior Defense Counsel, Maya.
You probably deserved it, but it went to me, so we got to make it work.
I've been acting like a brat.
I'm sorry.
I've been there.
It hurts.
So you good with all this? Mm.
You see that circle? That's a blast radius.
I think the colonel is testing me.
She doesn't think I can recommend sign-off on that.
She's waiting for me to come at her with some excuse.
Are you maybe casting yourself as the star of a show that you're barely in? That blast radius, that's a MOAB, right? I know you can't answer that, but trust me, Colonel Turnbull knows that this is a huge call.
She tapped you because she needs you on this.
Thanks.
I'd ask for a new doctor if I were that orange.
I have to get good at this.
No way I'm making Nona inject herself with an hCG trigger.
It's an IVF thing.
The doctor told me to practice on this.
Apparently, it feels the same as Well, you know.
I can't wait for them to assign you an office downstairs.
I can assure you the feeling's mutual.
Check this out.
You do realize I'm a defense attorney now.
Westcott-Sims stock is down.
That makes sense.
They made the drones that killed those Marines.
Westcott's competitor, Mulray Avionics.
A few weeks ago, they bought Lynnhaven Defense, another drone shop.
"A marriage that firmly cements Mulray's place in the front of the line for a newly vacated USMC contract.
" Mulray stands to gain $100-plus million off this single contract, not to mention billions in additional market value.
NCIS is focused on foreign interference.
Someone should take a look at corporate espionage.
Thought maybe Harper and I would drop by Mulray and ask a few questions.
The problem is I got to pick Danny up from school in a half hour.
Giving that family a lot of help.
Yeah, just like I said I would when Jason died.
You have video games on that phone? Why? (VIDEO GAME CHIMING) Mulray has an in-house attack and pen group.
Do you know what that is? They're hackers, right? Like a tiger team? They're cyber crooks who got convicted.
Instead of serving time, the government puts them into a work release program.
Do you have Yak Simulator on here? A yak simulator? What is that? - You pretend to be a yak.
- Huh.
I, uh, I haven't played that one yet.
Let me finish with Miss Harper, and then I'll download it.
Find the attack and pen team.
I'd play it casual, ask about when they started ramping up their drone work and see what comes back to you.
I'll be in touch from here, unless you want to you know.
I'm an only child.
(WHISPERS): Kids freak me out.
All right, Yak Simulator? Here we come.
Wasn't us.
Sorry.
We didn't hack those drones.
I didn't say you did.
No, but you're a Marine, and you're here asking questions today.
You're barking up the wrong tree, Pyle.
Not only are we monitored 24/7, but we're not even legally allowed to use the Internet.
So you guys are hackers who aren't allowed to hack? We're connected to Mulray's LAN.
We poke holes in their security, show them where they could be doing better.
- Oh, the glory.
- Complaint jar.
So, yeah, we're capable of hacking just about anything, but this wasn't us.
If it was Theo, you'd know, like, right away.
How would I know? Style.
Not unlike an artist and his brushstroke.
Theo got caught 'cause he left a stupid joke in the coding, and the Feds were able to trace it back to him.
Believe it or not, programmers get lost in all this gobbledygook, too.
We leave ourselves notes inside the parentheses.
THEO: It's like the programmer's inner monologue.
I got a little too specific in mine, and here we are.
Limbo.
So, if I want to figure out who wrote a piece of code It's all about the parentheses.
So, you have a child now? I'm borrowing her.
Mm, the Abe I know couldn't take care of a ficus.
I can take care of a ficus.
I thought you only went on a few dates.
Long enough for me to ask him to take care of my plants while I was in Florida on a case.
Care to guess what I came home to? I got busy in court.
Home gardening apocalypse.
Hold up.
This code you printed out for us.
Is this all from the upload that caused the malfunction? - Yes.
- Check this out.
The Ys and the Zs.
They're reversed.
That Hungarian guy, Lieutenant Jake Meszaros? He wrote the code that killed those two Marines.
NCIS found Major Luhr's log-in key when they searched Meszaros' apartment.
That's how Meszaros hacked into the War fighting Lab's system.
Good work.
We should prefer charges ASAP.
Colonel Turnbull, ma'am? Can I speak with you? Ma'am, have you been given any kind of update on your son's whereabouts recently? The CACO officer calls me every day.
Never has anything to tell me.
They're hoping he's being held for prisoner exchange.
There's been chatter from our informants.
They're saying that Adam and the other Marines from the captured patrol were taken out of Ghazni.
They Well, the speculation is they're in the tunnels under the Salang Pass.
If the rumors are true, they're being held in the same complex where Richard Barnwright is hiding.
I'm so sorry, ma'am.
But if we sign off on a MOAB strike we might be killing your son.
Colonel Butler says if the Intel checks out, he's willing to reconsider a raid on the pass.
Two Super Cobras, a couple dozen Marines.
They'd hit right before dawn.
I briefed you on those casualty projections.
Butler could lose half of his men.
Nevertheless, the option is available.
I need to I-I need to call my husband.
He's, uh, he's in private sector now.
He could work the back channels at the Pentagon.
Do you want me to have your adjutant get him? I don't think Glen has a current number for Asa.
(SIGHS) I'm not sure I even have a current number for Asa.
There may still be a little time.
According to satellite imagery, there's a storm approaching the Hindu Kush.
It'll be a while before we can fly a bombing sortie.
Thank you, Captain.
I need my office now.
What's going on? I can't talk about it.
I'm headed to the naval brig.
Just a heads-up, I caught my first case as a defense attorney.
One Lieutenant Jakab Meszaros.
Well, well.
Look forward to, uh, locking horns with you, Major.
Too bad you caught a dog your first time out.
Yeah, yeah.
Feel free to reach out if you want to, you know, - capitulate.
- (GRUNTS) TREY: I was a prosecutor not too long ago, and if I had caught your case, I'd be just as happy as a box of birds.
Would I have been wrong to feel that way? I did it.
They have me dead to right.
Isn't that the expression? Dead to rights.
But that's the general idea.
I did tamper with the code.
It is my fault that those Marines are dead, but I didn't murder anyone.
And how do you figure that, exactly? ABE: Sorry I had Danny for so long.
At least she got her homework done while we were on the road.
I think she got it done, anyway.
Math is different now.
- Hey, you want to eat with us? - If you got the syrup, - I got the time.
- (LAUGHS) No promises on the syrup.
We'll see how much Danny leaves you.
(CHUCKLES) So, uh, my lawyer called me today.
Swillce.
Said he's been trying to get in touch with you.
Yeah.
- I know.
- (SIGHS) He's about to file the suit in district court.
Probably won't get much attention at first, but you never know.
A widow sues the Marines for wrongful death, goes after the statute that says active personnel can't bring a civil claim against the military.
The details are juicy.
Reporter might sniff around.
And Swillce just wants to confirm that you got the media talking points that he sent over.
I can't promise I've read them, but I have them.
I haven't exactly studied them, either.
- (PHONE BUZZES) - Who has time? (ALEX SIGHS) If you want, you know, after dinner we could read them over together.
Uh if it's okay with you, I'm gonna have to take a rain check.
Where's your cocounsel? Well, we've already got a means and opportunity, so I asked her to dig around on motive.
Well, you can tell her to stop.
My client told me exactly why it happened.
Lieutenant Meszaros wanted the test to go wrong.
He didn't want anybody to die.
Do tell.
Lot of these guys who work AI, they think everything is moving way too fast.
There's no regulation, and sooner or later one of these programs is going to make a call that gets a lot more than two people killed.
Meszaros wanted to stage a smaller incident to get people to pay attention.
He was trying to prevent people from dying.
So two Marines lost their lives because your client wanted to alert the world to the dangers of killer computer programs? Rogue AI is a real threat, Abe.
So resign in protest.
Issue a strongly worded tweet.
Murder.
20 years.
Negligent homicide.
Three.
Manslaughter.
Voluntary.
Ten.
Involuntary.
Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of pay and confinement for 12 years.
My client wants to play ball, but not at the expense of a discharge.
Two dead Marines, Trey.
No way in hell he stays in the Corps.
It's an issue with citizenship.
He's got problems back in Hungary.
He's gonna have to face those head-on.
He's a goner.
Lieutenant Meszaros has an outstanding record.
And killed a couple people.
Best I can do is recommend a bad conduct discharge.
Citizenship is out of my hands.
But it's eight years in the brig.
Final offer.
Pleasure doing business with you, Captain.
This could be the beginning of a beautiful collaboration.
I'll take a cold beer over kicking the snot out - of each other in front of the panel.
- (CHUCKLES) I got to go stick Nona with a needle.
You're paying.
Good morning, Captain Abraham.
Did you know Major Kurt Luhr wasn't supposed Sorry, I'm experiencing cognitive dissonance.
It's Rami's job to accost me when I arrive.
I know, sir.
I wanted to check in with you before you go to court.
Don't you mean "we go to court"? You asked me to look into possible motives for Lieutenant Meszaro" crime last night.
I noticed something while I was digging.
We know the motive for Lieutenant Meszaros' crime.
We know what he says the motive is.
Two Marines died in the incident.
Major Kurt Luhr and Sergeant Thomas Campbell.
If you didn't notice that until last night, Lieutenant Li, I respectfully suggest you haven't been paying attention.
During every preliminary test conducted with this particular system, Major Luhr never operated the radar system.
He was always in the command post.
For every other simulation, Sergeant Simon Purdy was out in the field with Campbell.
So what happened that morning? Why wasn't Luhr posted to Command? That's what I want to know.
I reached out to Simon Purdy, but he didn't get back to me until this morning.
- And? - He says he's not comfortable discussing it over the phone.
He wants to meet in person.
It's bad form to walk back a deal, especially with Trey.
Well, what am I supposed to do, ignore the fact Purdy wants to meet? You better hear him out ASAP.
Judge Talley bangs a gavel in an hour.
(GAVEL BANGS) Major Ferry.
I understand you're senior defense counsel now.
I am, Your Honor.
Big shoes to fill.
I recommended Captain Dobbins when I left the job.
I understand you've worked out a deal? Yes, Your Honor.
The convening authority has approved the terms.
Defense counsel may approach the bench.
First Lieutenant Jakab Meszaros agrees to plead guilty to Article 119, involuntary manslaughter, in exchange for a general discharge and a sentence of eight years.
The government accepts these terms? Captain Abraham? Captain Abraham.
Uh, Your Honor.
Given certain changes in the investigative climate, I'm afraid the prosecution is no longer able to offer the proposed deal to the defendant.
I'm sorry, did I hear correctly? You're rescinding the offer? We had an agreement.
So I guess we're kicking the snot out of each other, then? Looks that way.
Captain Abraham, if you proceed down this path, you'll need to withdraw the case and proffer new charges.
This means a new Article 32, a new pretrial hearing, a new panel, et cetera, et cetera.
ABE: I get it, Your Honor.
Each and every et cetera.
If the government is no longer willing to honor the deal, then my client wishes to waive all pretrial rights and request an immediate court-martial by judge under these new charges.
Your Honor, the government needs more time.
The government should have thought of that before changing its mind.
You wanted a court-martial, Captain.
You're going to get one.
See you gentlemen back here tomorrow morning.
Sorry.
I don't like field stripping a deal any more than you do.
It's just bad timing, Trey.
You would have done the same thing.
I would have had my business squared away before shaking hands.
We didn't shake hands.
Clink bottles.
Whatever.
I'm not the one shoving an expedited trial down your gullet.
I'll be waiting for you in the morning.
MAYA: The last satellite pass shows an offshoot of the Kochi tribe moving out of the Salang Pass.
As soon as they're clear, the storm's right on their heels.
We have maybe a day.
(KNOCK ON DOOR, DOOR OPENS) Glenn, I need to talk to you.
Captain, can you give my husband and me a minute? There's a storm.
They can't even do anything for at least a day.
You look like Adam.
I always forget that he gets that nose thing from you.
Asa.
We don't know that he's in those tunnels.
You can't do this, Glenn.
It's not my call.
They're asking me for legal sign-off.
Adam is your son.
He's our son.
Tell them you're waiting for a ransom note.
You can sell that.
Every Marine in Afghanistan is some mother's son or daughter.
How can I single out my kid for special treatment? (SIGHS) If I stall, and Richard Barnwright slips out of our sights, what do I say to the parents of those Marines that he kills? This is what people do, Glenn.
They keep their kids safe.
I am a colonel in the U.
S.
Marines.
I can't do what people do.
If this uniform doesn't mean something now, when does it ever mean anything? If you go through with this, and our son dies I don't know how you live with yourself.
Opening remarks are in less than 12 hours.
We've talked to just about everyone who knew Lieutenant Meszaros and Major Luhr in search of a reason why Meszaros set Luhr up to die, and we've got exactly nothing.
Meszaros pulled Sergeant Purdy from his post, lets Major Luhr head out into the field, and then uploads the software patch that kills Luhr and Campbell.
That's pretty compelling by itself.
Do we need a reason? We're going up against Trey Ferry.
The man has every major Supreme Court argument committed to memory, and I'm pretty sure he thinks he could improve on them all.
We need everything we can get.
Well, we haven't reached Major Luhr's widow yet.
I think she's dodging me.
(PHONE BUZZES) Danny didn't say hi to me, did she? What is it with you and kids? They don't like me.
So your strategy is to reject them before they can reject you? I mean, who doesn't get along with kids? It makes me feel like there's something wrong with me.
My soul is not black with evil.
Whoa.
Let's, uh let's back that up by maybe a hectare.
You just need to get your reps in and relax.
Kids are like bees.
They can smell fear.
- Bees can't really do that.
- Kids can.
You need to get to Luhr's widow before Talley gavels the new court-martial into session.
Tomorrow morning, I'm going up against the one lawyer in the world who can run circles around me or Maya.
Without motive, I'm gonna be up against him with my ass flapping in the wind.
(DOORBELL PLAYS TUNE) WOMAN: Hello.
Can I help you? Mrs.
Luhr? I'm Lieutenant Harper Li.
NCIS has already been here.
I'm not NCIS, ma'am.
I'm a Marine.
Forgive me.
Um you'd think this were Fort Knox.
My husband bought this a few months ago.
I I still don't know how to shut it off.
I'm Rosamund.
Come on in.
TREY: Judge Talley's been ready to go for five minutes.
The bailiff is getting antsy.
Just give me a few minutes, okay, for old times' sake? Oh, that is beneath you, man.
Nostalgia's the last refuge of the damned.
- (PHONE CHIMING) - That's Harper.
Just two seconds, two seconds.
If Talley holds you in contempt, it's on you.
Please tell me something good.
Major Luhr's widow thinks Jake Meszaros is the greatest thing since string cheese.
Trey's gonna call her as a character witness.
So we crashed and burned? I asked her if Meszaros and Major Luhr had any disagreements about anything.
She told me that her husband wasn't too crazy about Lieutenant Meszaros' girlfriend.
Did you get a name? Agnes Stevens.
I called Fort Meade to have them run background, and they told me that Major Luhr made the same request right before he died.
That's weird.
There's not liking your buddy's girlfriend, and then there's asking Marine Cryptological Support - to crawl up her ass.
- I know.
I'm headed over there now to look at the file.
You have exactly one minute, Abe.
Talley will charge you.
I got to get in there.
We can't introduce new evidence once the court-martial starts.
Thank you.
I'm aware.
BAILIFF: All rise.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
I see we're all here.
Yes, to that point, Your Honor, my cocounsel is not, in fact, here.
She's, uh not at her best.
Uh, the government requests a short recess.
"Not at her best.
" Are you saying she's ill? Because if you are saying that, and Lieutenant Li isn't actually ill, well, then you'd be lying to this court.
She's indisposed, Your Honor.
Very artfully worded, Captain.
Well, I'm sure a man of your rhetorical aptitude - will do just fine solo.
- (BANGS GAVEL) Does the government have an opening statement? A terrible crime occurred at the War fighting Lab, a crime all the more insidious because it was disguised as an accident.
(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS) TREY: One of the tenets of criminal law presupposes that human action is required to establish culpability.
TALLEY: Lieutenant Li.
Such a relief to see you up and around.
I'm so sorry, Your Honor.
May I have a moment to confer with my lead counsel? This is Agnes Stevens? That's one of the names she uses.
That woman is Nadia Stepanov, Russian national.
NSA's been interested in her for years.
They think she's an agent.
Meszaros was dating a Russian spy? Certainly seems that way.
He was gonna give up the entire War fighting Lab weapons program.
I think Major Luhr grew suspicious.
So Jake murdered him.
He staged it to look like an accident.
Abe, we've got a motive.
We're-we're in the middle of the court-martial.
If we try to get this into evidence, it'll be an immediate mistrial.
We need to find a way to get this information into evidence.
Major Luhr's widow met this woman, right? And she's one of the character witness for the defense? - She loves Meszaros like family.
- Then Rosamund Luhr's the ball game.
Everything else we've got planned is just wasted breath.
Excuse me, Captain? It's been almost five minutes since Sergeant Purdy finished testifying.
We'd all be grateful if the government would call its next witness.
Actually, the government rests, Your Honor.
You only called one witness.
We're confident in the case we presented and feel that further testimony isn't necessary.
Major Ferry, I guess you may proceed.
Your Honor, in light of the government's strange abdication of its case, the defense requests a recess.
We need time to get our witnesses here.
- Everybody wants a recess.
Granted.
- (GAVEL BANGS) ADAM (OVER RECORDING): This is a recording of the first field test of Lieutenant Adam Turnbull's new deployment-grade footwear.
As you can see, they blend stylishly with the uniform.
Fit and finish appear top-notch.
(LAUGHING): Thanks for the boots, Mom.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR) Excuse me, Colonel Turnbull.
(DOOR CLOSES) The storm is expected to be clear of the pass by nightfall.
Butler and his men need your answer.
I've prepared two briefs.
One recommending the use of the MOAB, the other recommending against it.
Let's see how they stand up to a stroll.
What would you do? Maya? Ma'am? If you were in my position, if you had my options what would you do? I think you know what I would do.
I think that must be why you chose me for this in the first place.
(LAUGHING): I wanted I wanted you to show me that you could make an impossible decision.
I wish there was an easier way on this, ma'am.
I am so sorry.
(INHALES DEEPLY) (EXHALES) (SNIFFLES) File it.
(DOOR OPENS) Excuse me.
Is this spot taken? Oh.
No.
(QUIET CHATTER) Are we allowed to be sitting near each other? It's a public bench.
You're the lawyer for the prosecution.
I'm a witness for the defense.
Are you 18? Do you have your own lawyer? No.
Then we're free to talk all you like.
- Is that, uh? - Some late-breaking information we weren't able to get into evidence.
Red tape, you know.
Captain Abraham? We're getting close.
Thank you, Lieutenant.
- All rise! - So? So I have no idea if Major Luhr's widow read the file.
If she did read the file, I have no idea if she believed it.
Are we ready to do business, Major Ferry? We are, Your Honor.
The defense calls Rosamund Luhr.
(DOOR OPENS) I believe we might just be in business.
TREY: In your opinion, would Lieutenant Meszaros have anything to gain from Major Luhr's death? I wouldn't have thought so.
I beg your pardon, ma'am? Until now, I wouldn't have thought so.
My assessment of your client's character is not what it once was.
Thank you, Mrs.
Luhr.
No further questions.
Well, this certainly is a wild one.
Captain Abraham? Mrs.
Luhr, in your deposition, you mentioned that the defendant was a regular guest in your home for weekly Sunday night dinners? Yes, he was.
On the last such occasion, did he come alone? Objection, Your Honor.
My client's social life is not on trial here.
I'll allow the question, but let's get to the point.
No.
Jake brought a friend with him.
A woman.
Do you remember her name? She told us her name was Agnes Stevens.
Do you have reason to believe that wasn't actually her name? Kurt, my husband, was suspicious of her, and now I think I know why.
I've recently learned her real name is Nadia Stepanov, and that she's believed to be a Russian agent.
Objection, Your Honor.
Where is this coming from? Sustained.
Mrs.
Luhr, where did you come by this purported information? You left this sitting on a bench in a spot where Kurt Luhr's widow just happened to pick it up? Your Honor, this is an obvious attempt to manipulate the rules of evidence.
The defense moves for a mistrial.
The government's conversation with the witness complied with the Uniform Code.
We neither asked nor instructed her to read that file.
No, you just dangled it in front of her like catnip.
She chose to pick it up.
If Mrs.
Luhr finds the contents of that file compelling, that's because it's 100% true.
(CLICKS TONGUE) Nice end-around, Captain Abraham.
So Meszaros wanted to give his work to the Russians for free? Not just the Russians.
He actually wanted everyone to have it.
He did it as an act of conscience.
It's a theory of deterrence that goes back to the Cold War.
If everyone has access to a breakthrough, no one has the advantage, no one fights.
Meszaros' code never got out, though? We don't think so.
Homeland Security picked up Nadia Stepanov getting on a flight to Finland.
So, before you move downstairs once and for all, should we put this thing to bed? 20 years sounds about right.
Deportation when Meszaros gets out.
Sounds reasonable.
Tomorrow I'm pulling it and offering you a pack of bubblegum.
(PHONE BUZZES) I bumped into Scout Manion on my way out of the Naval Brig.
She was impressed by the move you pulled.
You might have another shot there.
Yeah.
I don't know.
- It's-it's not really - (PHONE BUZZES) - where my head's at right now.
- (SCOFFS) Major Ferry, Captain Abraham.
It's the colonel.
You did this? (GARBLED RADIO TRANSMISSION) PILOT (OVER RADIO): 20 seconds to the drop site.
(GARBLED RADIO TRANSMISSION) PILOT: Ten, nine, eight.
We are over Salang.
Five, four, three, two, one.
(GARBLED RADIO TRANSMISSION)
Adam and three other Marines never reported back from their last patrol.
Despite Lieutenant Colonel Talley's recommendation, I'm going in a different direction for senior defense counsel.
- May I ask - I will be speaking to my choice as soon as we're done here.
Major Ferry.
I'd like to speak to you in my office.
A lawyer called me.
He thinks I can win - a wrongful death suit.
- ABE: Against who? ALEX: My lawyer's going to ask you to testify.
- My CO says it could end my career.
- I'll go with you.
Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God? I do.
BRIGADIER GENERAL STERN: Artificial intelligence.
After gunpowder and nuclear arms, AI is considered to be the third revolution in modern warfare.
As with any revolution, to the victor go the spoils.
Like it or not, we are in a global arms race.
Locked and loaded.
In continuation of the Marine Corps' long-standing dedication to innovation and modernization, it is my honor to share with you the next phase in our Third Offset Swarm-Enabled Autonomous Weapons.
PILOT (OVER COMMS): Five four three two one.
STERN: A system that, once activated, can select and engage targets without intervention by a human operator.
It's about having the machines do the work.
We want our men concentrated on the fight, not on a screen.
I give you First Lieutenant Jake Meszaros, the leading architect of this cutting-edge system.
Thank you, General.
Gentlemen and-and ladies.
Uh, what you are watching here on-screen are kamikaze drones, each carrying the payload equivalent of a 40mm grenade.
Now, they are programmed to detect enemy radar systems, like the TASR set up here on Monitor B.
On Monitor C, we have visual from the electronic attack vehicle, where Major Kurt Luhr will oversee a jamming signal designed to disable communication between the swarm and our pilot, thus activating the system's autonomous protocols.
Now, using decentralized control algorithms, our swarm applies collective behavior to analyze any potential obstacles and redirect their own formation accordingly.
That is, until they hone in on the target.
MAN (OVER COMMS): Warning.
Warning.
- MAN (OVER COMMS): Errant strike.
- (EXCLAIMING QUIETLY) Errant strike.
- EAV has been hit.
- What just happened? Get those comms back online.
Now.
PILOT: Major Luhr, do you copy? Do you copy, Major Luhr? WOMAN: Sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do.
It's a simple fact of life.
We all have jobs.
Going to school is your job.
Just like my job is going to the hospital every day, and Uncle Abe's job is going to court.
But my job's boring.
And I told you, my stomach hurts.
My job can be boring, too.
I still have to do it.
And so do you.
Even when you have a test, and, you know, your stomach hurts.
I love you.
Give the phone back to Abe, okay? - Love you, too.
- Don't worry, Al.
We've got this under control.
(QUIETLY): Thank you.
Between you and me, I never wanted to go to school, either.
Especially not law school.
You know who convinced me to go? Your father.
He told me it's what you learn after you already know everything that really counts.
But I don't know everything.
You could've fooled me.
Go make it count.
(PHONE CHIMING) Mr.
Ahmadi.
I have to admit, I'm disappointed.
- Disappointed? - ABE: I always figured if you needed me while I was in my car, you'd just pop up in the back seat.
Who's to say I'm not hiding back there now, sir? You should stop looking.
I'm not in your car.
- I was not looking.
- While we're on the subject of disappointment, Colonel Turnbull sends her regards from the recently adjourned staff meeting.
Well, if you'd kindly tell the colonel that I was dropping the kids off at school, I'm sure she'd understand.
I don't traffic in euphemism, sir.
It's rhetorically slack.
Nobody's asking you to traffic in euphemism.
I said "school," not "pool.
" I was dropping literal kids off at literal school.
Colonel Turnbull wanted you to know that there's been an incident at the War fighting Laboratory.
During a routine weapons test this morning, a system malfunctioned.
Two Marines are dead.
I'm sorry to hear that, but isn't that a job for NCIS? Brigadier General Stern, the War fighting Lab commander, has requested an independent JA inquiry to run concurrently with the NCIS investigation.
An informal review to determine whether there's blame to be assigned.
The general's looking to cover his ass.
Colonel Turnbull is grateful that you and Lieutenant Li volunteered to conduct said investigation.
I absolutely do not volunteer.
She'd like your report ASAP.
A watched pot never boils.
Who writes these software updates? It's been saying "five minutes left" for half an hour.
You shouldn't unplug that.
I don't want to leave it here.
I've got two briefs to file.
That's a firmware update.
- Look at that.
The world spins on.
- (STAMMERING) If it explodes later, I accept full responsibility.
I signed it downstairs, Rami.
You do recognize me outside my native habitat? Of course I do, Captain Dobbins.
Always a joy to welcome a guest from the defense attorney's office.
You took the form, as I recall.
I don't remember any actual signing.
Since you appear to be waiting on Colonel Turnbull You're here to rescue me from my own indolence.
Human Resources is grateful for your prompt compliance.
Hey, Maya.
Major Ferry.
"Major.
" Awfully formal.
You are my boss now.
Hasn't stopped you from ducking my calls.
Your predecessor left quite the logjam when he got promoted to the majors.
Major.
Major.
Captain.
Shall we? So How is it going so far? - Outstanding, ma'am.
- Great.
Major, I am pulling Captain Dobbins out of your rotation.
I need her to get schooled on the ins and outs of Parwan Province.
Afghanistan? I don't recall any international cases on the docket.
Captain Anway Butler reached out from Bagram an hour ago.
He needs command legal advice, and I want your input.
Command legal? I wasn't aware of any escalation in conflict.
It's not something we're advertising on the side of a blimp.
And if you're wondering, Major: yes, that is your cue.
Of course, ma'am.
Are you familiar with Richard Barnwright? British national.
Went to Cambridge before joining IS.
He's killed people on, what, three continents? Colonel Butler has solid Intel that puts him in the tunnels under Salang Pass.
If Barnwright is in Afghanistan, that means he's planning something.
Colonel Butler wants to take him out before he can do it, but the pass is deep in enemy territory, and casualty projections are problematic.
And Colonel Butler is aware that planes exist? They want to us a GBU-43/B.
A MOAB? Isn't that maybe overkill? It's not our call.
We just advise the colonel on whether or not international law permits him to deploy it.
Bring me your recommendation.
Yes, ma'am.
Captain, the MOAB is so powerful it has been used exactly once.
If you are within a one-mile radius of detonation, it will suck the air out of your lungs and turn you inside out before the blast wave even hits.
We cannot have any civilians caught in that blast.
ABE: Have you done a command investigation before? No.
We'll be working with NCIS, right? By "working with," you mean passive-aggressively sizing each other up.
And yes, they'll be doing the criminal investigation while we jump through hoops for the War fighting Lab's CO.
They're exceedingly likely to lord that over us, and at the end of the day, we'll all probably wind up at the same place.
What place is that? Tragic accident is tragically accidental.
NCIS has been up my breezer all morning and I'll be damned if I'm gonna be beholden to a bunch of squids.
I'm counting on you to be my eyes and ears.
You'll have full access to our staff and facilities.
That's First Lieutenant Jake Meszaros.
He worked directly under Major Luhr, who was killed in the explosion.
He's taking it exceptionally hard.
(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) Is he speaking Hungarian? Jake's N-400.
He signed up for the fast-track to citizenship.
Wish I had ten more like him.
Lieutenant.
These folks are here from the Judge Advocate to help us get to the bottom of this mess.
They are to have our full cooperation.
- Understood? - Yes, sir.
If you need me, I'll be in my office putting out fires.
Yes.
Euler-Lagrange systems.
Um, swarming behavior.
Ant colonies provide the basis for the algorithms behind our swarm-enabled drone program.
We're sorry about what happened.
Everyone around here is so concerned about the program being shut down, it seems like they've already forgotten about the men that we lost.
You and Major Luhr were close? Kurt was like an older brother.
I-I have no family here, I'm not married, so, yes, Kurt and his wife were pretty much family.
Can you tell us what happened? The swarm was programmed to target enemy radar systems, but it mistakenly targeted the jamming signal instead.
May I record? Yeah.
What do you think caused the error? Well, my team is looking into the possibility of electromagnetic interference between the two radar systems.
- We, uh, we call that a ghost track.
- (GROANS) Everything okay? Uh, technical difficulties.
This happens every time I update my phone.
Uh, let me see.
Uh, you unplugged this during an update.
Uh, okay.
(CLEARS THROAT) There.
Uh, oh, do you mind if I send myself a text just to make sure that it works? Uh, sure.
(PHONE CHIMES) And there you go.
Thank you.
WOMAN: Captain Abraham.
It is still "Captain"? They didn't demote you or anything? Still running through the raindrops.
The Abe I remember would never get stuck on CYA detail.
Scout Manion.
NCIS.
- Harper Li.
- Harper Lee? - (CHUCKLES) Yes.
- So you get jokes about that book, too? - All day, every day.
- So Aaron and I are interviewing the admin staff, but it's always nice to have a little bit of backup.
So let me know when you establish a timeline.
Will do, Scout.
Great to see you.
You, too.
You look good.
You know Scout was mocking us with the timeline thing, right? Doesn't mean it was a bad idea.
You said you didn't like working with NCIS.
You never told me you used to date one of the agents.
What gave you that idea? "Great to see you.
" "You, too.
You look good.
" That's one exquisite timeline, Harper Lee.
But you can call off the dogs, guys.
Our cyber team found a glitch in the software.
It got into the system during an update run by Major Luhr at 6:13 on the morning of the test.
It was a user error.
An unfortunate accident.
That's it, guys.
Hold up a second.
You said Major Luhr ran the update at 0613? I said it in normal-person time, but yes.
Major Luhr was already at the pre-test briefing in the SCIF at that time, so he couldn't have installed that software patch.
Someone logged in with his credentials so they could tamper with the weapons system.
Sorry to complicate your week, Scout, but, uh, this wasn't an accident, this was sabotage.
Timeline for the win.
Okay.
ABE: Doesn't seem right, does it? What doesn't seem right? Well, we put them on the right track, they put us out to pasture.
HARPER: "We"? You made the timeline, I spotted the inconsistency.
You're the alley, I'm the oop.
We told them what happened; the command investigation is over.
It's not our territory until they have somebody in custody.
If they get somebody in custody.
(PHONE CHIMES) Is your fiancé really that needy? Oh, it's not Bard.
It's that guy from the War fighting Laboratory.
Lieutenant Meszaros? "If zou need"? You do know the "Y" and "Z" keys are reversed on most Eastern European keyboards? Much obliged on the assist.
We'll bring you a bad guy.
No.
It doesn't seem right.
MAYA: They're a nomadic tribe but that doesn't guarantee they'll move out of the pass - in the next 24 hours.
- (KNOCK AT DOOR) Okay, let's definitely try to work something out.
I'll be here.
Sorry.
We were supposed to have lunch.
Now I'm really starting to think that you're ducking me.
I know that you wanted Senior Defense Counsel, Maya.
You probably deserved it, but it went to me, so we got to make it work.
I've been acting like a brat.
I'm sorry.
I've been there.
It hurts.
So you good with all this? Mm.
You see that circle? That's a blast radius.
I think the colonel is testing me.
She doesn't think I can recommend sign-off on that.
She's waiting for me to come at her with some excuse.
Are you maybe casting yourself as the star of a show that you're barely in? That blast radius, that's a MOAB, right? I know you can't answer that, but trust me, Colonel Turnbull knows that this is a huge call.
She tapped you because she needs you on this.
Thanks.
I'd ask for a new doctor if I were that orange.
I have to get good at this.
No way I'm making Nona inject herself with an hCG trigger.
It's an IVF thing.
The doctor told me to practice on this.
Apparently, it feels the same as Well, you know.
I can't wait for them to assign you an office downstairs.
I can assure you the feeling's mutual.
Check this out.
You do realize I'm a defense attorney now.
Westcott-Sims stock is down.
That makes sense.
They made the drones that killed those Marines.
Westcott's competitor, Mulray Avionics.
A few weeks ago, they bought Lynnhaven Defense, another drone shop.
"A marriage that firmly cements Mulray's place in the front of the line for a newly vacated USMC contract.
" Mulray stands to gain $100-plus million off this single contract, not to mention billions in additional market value.
NCIS is focused on foreign interference.
Someone should take a look at corporate espionage.
Thought maybe Harper and I would drop by Mulray and ask a few questions.
The problem is I got to pick Danny up from school in a half hour.
Giving that family a lot of help.
Yeah, just like I said I would when Jason died.
You have video games on that phone? Why? (VIDEO GAME CHIMING) Mulray has an in-house attack and pen group.
Do you know what that is? They're hackers, right? Like a tiger team? They're cyber crooks who got convicted.
Instead of serving time, the government puts them into a work release program.
Do you have Yak Simulator on here? A yak simulator? What is that? - You pretend to be a yak.
- Huh.
I, uh, I haven't played that one yet.
Let me finish with Miss Harper, and then I'll download it.
Find the attack and pen team.
I'd play it casual, ask about when they started ramping up their drone work and see what comes back to you.
I'll be in touch from here, unless you want to you know.
I'm an only child.
(WHISPERS): Kids freak me out.
All right, Yak Simulator? Here we come.
Wasn't us.
Sorry.
We didn't hack those drones.
I didn't say you did.
No, but you're a Marine, and you're here asking questions today.
You're barking up the wrong tree, Pyle.
Not only are we monitored 24/7, but we're not even legally allowed to use the Internet.
So you guys are hackers who aren't allowed to hack? We're connected to Mulray's LAN.
We poke holes in their security, show them where they could be doing better.
- Oh, the glory.
- Complaint jar.
So, yeah, we're capable of hacking just about anything, but this wasn't us.
If it was Theo, you'd know, like, right away.
How would I know? Style.
Not unlike an artist and his brushstroke.
Theo got caught 'cause he left a stupid joke in the coding, and the Feds were able to trace it back to him.
Believe it or not, programmers get lost in all this gobbledygook, too.
We leave ourselves notes inside the parentheses.
THEO: It's like the programmer's inner monologue.
I got a little too specific in mine, and here we are.
Limbo.
So, if I want to figure out who wrote a piece of code It's all about the parentheses.
So, you have a child now? I'm borrowing her.
Mm, the Abe I know couldn't take care of a ficus.
I can take care of a ficus.
I thought you only went on a few dates.
Long enough for me to ask him to take care of my plants while I was in Florida on a case.
Care to guess what I came home to? I got busy in court.
Home gardening apocalypse.
Hold up.
This code you printed out for us.
Is this all from the upload that caused the malfunction? - Yes.
- Check this out.
The Ys and the Zs.
They're reversed.
That Hungarian guy, Lieutenant Jake Meszaros? He wrote the code that killed those two Marines.
NCIS found Major Luhr's log-in key when they searched Meszaros' apartment.
That's how Meszaros hacked into the War fighting Lab's system.
Good work.
We should prefer charges ASAP.
Colonel Turnbull, ma'am? Can I speak with you? Ma'am, have you been given any kind of update on your son's whereabouts recently? The CACO officer calls me every day.
Never has anything to tell me.
They're hoping he's being held for prisoner exchange.
There's been chatter from our informants.
They're saying that Adam and the other Marines from the captured patrol were taken out of Ghazni.
They Well, the speculation is they're in the tunnels under the Salang Pass.
If the rumors are true, they're being held in the same complex where Richard Barnwright is hiding.
I'm so sorry, ma'am.
But if we sign off on a MOAB strike we might be killing your son.
Colonel Butler says if the Intel checks out, he's willing to reconsider a raid on the pass.
Two Super Cobras, a couple dozen Marines.
They'd hit right before dawn.
I briefed you on those casualty projections.
Butler could lose half of his men.
Nevertheless, the option is available.
I need to I-I need to call my husband.
He's, uh, he's in private sector now.
He could work the back channels at the Pentagon.
Do you want me to have your adjutant get him? I don't think Glen has a current number for Asa.
(SIGHS) I'm not sure I even have a current number for Asa.
There may still be a little time.
According to satellite imagery, there's a storm approaching the Hindu Kush.
It'll be a while before we can fly a bombing sortie.
Thank you, Captain.
I need my office now.
What's going on? I can't talk about it.
I'm headed to the naval brig.
Just a heads-up, I caught my first case as a defense attorney.
One Lieutenant Jakab Meszaros.
Well, well.
Look forward to, uh, locking horns with you, Major.
Too bad you caught a dog your first time out.
Yeah, yeah.
Feel free to reach out if you want to, you know, - capitulate.
- (GRUNTS) TREY: I was a prosecutor not too long ago, and if I had caught your case, I'd be just as happy as a box of birds.
Would I have been wrong to feel that way? I did it.
They have me dead to right.
Isn't that the expression? Dead to rights.
But that's the general idea.
I did tamper with the code.
It is my fault that those Marines are dead, but I didn't murder anyone.
And how do you figure that, exactly? ABE: Sorry I had Danny for so long.
At least she got her homework done while we were on the road.
I think she got it done, anyway.
Math is different now.
- Hey, you want to eat with us? - If you got the syrup, - I got the time.
- (LAUGHS) No promises on the syrup.
We'll see how much Danny leaves you.
(CHUCKLES) So, uh, my lawyer called me today.
Swillce.
Said he's been trying to get in touch with you.
Yeah.
- I know.
- (SIGHS) He's about to file the suit in district court.
Probably won't get much attention at first, but you never know.
A widow sues the Marines for wrongful death, goes after the statute that says active personnel can't bring a civil claim against the military.
The details are juicy.
Reporter might sniff around.
And Swillce just wants to confirm that you got the media talking points that he sent over.
I can't promise I've read them, but I have them.
I haven't exactly studied them, either.
- (PHONE BUZZES) - Who has time? (ALEX SIGHS) If you want, you know, after dinner we could read them over together.
Uh if it's okay with you, I'm gonna have to take a rain check.
Where's your cocounsel? Well, we've already got a means and opportunity, so I asked her to dig around on motive.
Well, you can tell her to stop.
My client told me exactly why it happened.
Lieutenant Meszaros wanted the test to go wrong.
He didn't want anybody to die.
Do tell.
Lot of these guys who work AI, they think everything is moving way too fast.
There's no regulation, and sooner or later one of these programs is going to make a call that gets a lot more than two people killed.
Meszaros wanted to stage a smaller incident to get people to pay attention.
He was trying to prevent people from dying.
So two Marines lost their lives because your client wanted to alert the world to the dangers of killer computer programs? Rogue AI is a real threat, Abe.
So resign in protest.
Issue a strongly worded tweet.
Murder.
20 years.
Negligent homicide.
Three.
Manslaughter.
Voluntary.
Ten.
Involuntary.
Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of pay and confinement for 12 years.
My client wants to play ball, but not at the expense of a discharge.
Two dead Marines, Trey.
No way in hell he stays in the Corps.
It's an issue with citizenship.
He's got problems back in Hungary.
He's gonna have to face those head-on.
He's a goner.
Lieutenant Meszaros has an outstanding record.
And killed a couple people.
Best I can do is recommend a bad conduct discharge.
Citizenship is out of my hands.
But it's eight years in the brig.
Final offer.
Pleasure doing business with you, Captain.
This could be the beginning of a beautiful collaboration.
I'll take a cold beer over kicking the snot out - of each other in front of the panel.
- (CHUCKLES) I got to go stick Nona with a needle.
You're paying.
Good morning, Captain Abraham.
Did you know Major Kurt Luhr wasn't supposed Sorry, I'm experiencing cognitive dissonance.
It's Rami's job to accost me when I arrive.
I know, sir.
I wanted to check in with you before you go to court.
Don't you mean "we go to court"? You asked me to look into possible motives for Lieutenant Meszaro" crime last night.
I noticed something while I was digging.
We know the motive for Lieutenant Meszaros' crime.
We know what he says the motive is.
Two Marines died in the incident.
Major Kurt Luhr and Sergeant Thomas Campbell.
If you didn't notice that until last night, Lieutenant Li, I respectfully suggest you haven't been paying attention.
During every preliminary test conducted with this particular system, Major Luhr never operated the radar system.
He was always in the command post.
For every other simulation, Sergeant Simon Purdy was out in the field with Campbell.
So what happened that morning? Why wasn't Luhr posted to Command? That's what I want to know.
I reached out to Simon Purdy, but he didn't get back to me until this morning.
- And? - He says he's not comfortable discussing it over the phone.
He wants to meet in person.
It's bad form to walk back a deal, especially with Trey.
Well, what am I supposed to do, ignore the fact Purdy wants to meet? You better hear him out ASAP.
Judge Talley bangs a gavel in an hour.
(GAVEL BANGS) Major Ferry.
I understand you're senior defense counsel now.
I am, Your Honor.
Big shoes to fill.
I recommended Captain Dobbins when I left the job.
I understand you've worked out a deal? Yes, Your Honor.
The convening authority has approved the terms.
Defense counsel may approach the bench.
First Lieutenant Jakab Meszaros agrees to plead guilty to Article 119, involuntary manslaughter, in exchange for a general discharge and a sentence of eight years.
The government accepts these terms? Captain Abraham? Captain Abraham.
Uh, Your Honor.
Given certain changes in the investigative climate, I'm afraid the prosecution is no longer able to offer the proposed deal to the defendant.
I'm sorry, did I hear correctly? You're rescinding the offer? We had an agreement.
So I guess we're kicking the snot out of each other, then? Looks that way.
Captain Abraham, if you proceed down this path, you'll need to withdraw the case and proffer new charges.
This means a new Article 32, a new pretrial hearing, a new panel, et cetera, et cetera.
ABE: I get it, Your Honor.
Each and every et cetera.
If the government is no longer willing to honor the deal, then my client wishes to waive all pretrial rights and request an immediate court-martial by judge under these new charges.
Your Honor, the government needs more time.
The government should have thought of that before changing its mind.
You wanted a court-martial, Captain.
You're going to get one.
See you gentlemen back here tomorrow morning.
Sorry.
I don't like field stripping a deal any more than you do.
It's just bad timing, Trey.
You would have done the same thing.
I would have had my business squared away before shaking hands.
We didn't shake hands.
Clink bottles.
Whatever.
I'm not the one shoving an expedited trial down your gullet.
I'll be waiting for you in the morning.
MAYA: The last satellite pass shows an offshoot of the Kochi tribe moving out of the Salang Pass.
As soon as they're clear, the storm's right on their heels.
We have maybe a day.
(KNOCK ON DOOR, DOOR OPENS) Glenn, I need to talk to you.
Captain, can you give my husband and me a minute? There's a storm.
They can't even do anything for at least a day.
You look like Adam.
I always forget that he gets that nose thing from you.
Asa.
We don't know that he's in those tunnels.
You can't do this, Glenn.
It's not my call.
They're asking me for legal sign-off.
Adam is your son.
He's our son.
Tell them you're waiting for a ransom note.
You can sell that.
Every Marine in Afghanistan is some mother's son or daughter.
How can I single out my kid for special treatment? (SIGHS) If I stall, and Richard Barnwright slips out of our sights, what do I say to the parents of those Marines that he kills? This is what people do, Glenn.
They keep their kids safe.
I am a colonel in the U.
S.
Marines.
I can't do what people do.
If this uniform doesn't mean something now, when does it ever mean anything? If you go through with this, and our son dies I don't know how you live with yourself.
Opening remarks are in less than 12 hours.
We've talked to just about everyone who knew Lieutenant Meszaros and Major Luhr in search of a reason why Meszaros set Luhr up to die, and we've got exactly nothing.
Meszaros pulled Sergeant Purdy from his post, lets Major Luhr head out into the field, and then uploads the software patch that kills Luhr and Campbell.
That's pretty compelling by itself.
Do we need a reason? We're going up against Trey Ferry.
The man has every major Supreme Court argument committed to memory, and I'm pretty sure he thinks he could improve on them all.
We need everything we can get.
Well, we haven't reached Major Luhr's widow yet.
I think she's dodging me.
(PHONE BUZZES) Danny didn't say hi to me, did she? What is it with you and kids? They don't like me.
So your strategy is to reject them before they can reject you? I mean, who doesn't get along with kids? It makes me feel like there's something wrong with me.
My soul is not black with evil.
Whoa.
Let's, uh let's back that up by maybe a hectare.
You just need to get your reps in and relax.
Kids are like bees.
They can smell fear.
- Bees can't really do that.
- Kids can.
You need to get to Luhr's widow before Talley gavels the new court-martial into session.
Tomorrow morning, I'm going up against the one lawyer in the world who can run circles around me or Maya.
Without motive, I'm gonna be up against him with my ass flapping in the wind.
(DOORBELL PLAYS TUNE) WOMAN: Hello.
Can I help you? Mrs.
Luhr? I'm Lieutenant Harper Li.
NCIS has already been here.
I'm not NCIS, ma'am.
I'm a Marine.
Forgive me.
Um you'd think this were Fort Knox.
My husband bought this a few months ago.
I I still don't know how to shut it off.
I'm Rosamund.
Come on in.
TREY: Judge Talley's been ready to go for five minutes.
The bailiff is getting antsy.
Just give me a few minutes, okay, for old times' sake? Oh, that is beneath you, man.
Nostalgia's the last refuge of the damned.
- (PHONE CHIMING) - That's Harper.
Just two seconds, two seconds.
If Talley holds you in contempt, it's on you.
Please tell me something good.
Major Luhr's widow thinks Jake Meszaros is the greatest thing since string cheese.
Trey's gonna call her as a character witness.
So we crashed and burned? I asked her if Meszaros and Major Luhr had any disagreements about anything.
She told me that her husband wasn't too crazy about Lieutenant Meszaros' girlfriend.
Did you get a name? Agnes Stevens.
I called Fort Meade to have them run background, and they told me that Major Luhr made the same request right before he died.
That's weird.
There's not liking your buddy's girlfriend, and then there's asking Marine Cryptological Support - to crawl up her ass.
- I know.
I'm headed over there now to look at the file.
You have exactly one minute, Abe.
Talley will charge you.
I got to get in there.
We can't introduce new evidence once the court-martial starts.
Thank you.
I'm aware.
BAILIFF: All rise.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
I see we're all here.
Yes, to that point, Your Honor, my cocounsel is not, in fact, here.
She's, uh not at her best.
Uh, the government requests a short recess.
"Not at her best.
" Are you saying she's ill? Because if you are saying that, and Lieutenant Li isn't actually ill, well, then you'd be lying to this court.
She's indisposed, Your Honor.
Very artfully worded, Captain.
Well, I'm sure a man of your rhetorical aptitude - will do just fine solo.
- (BANGS GAVEL) Does the government have an opening statement? A terrible crime occurred at the War fighting Lab, a crime all the more insidious because it was disguised as an accident.
(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS) TREY: One of the tenets of criminal law presupposes that human action is required to establish culpability.
TALLEY: Lieutenant Li.
Such a relief to see you up and around.
I'm so sorry, Your Honor.
May I have a moment to confer with my lead counsel? This is Agnes Stevens? That's one of the names she uses.
That woman is Nadia Stepanov, Russian national.
NSA's been interested in her for years.
They think she's an agent.
Meszaros was dating a Russian spy? Certainly seems that way.
He was gonna give up the entire War fighting Lab weapons program.
I think Major Luhr grew suspicious.
So Jake murdered him.
He staged it to look like an accident.
Abe, we've got a motive.
We're-we're in the middle of the court-martial.
If we try to get this into evidence, it'll be an immediate mistrial.
We need to find a way to get this information into evidence.
Major Luhr's widow met this woman, right? And she's one of the character witness for the defense? - She loves Meszaros like family.
- Then Rosamund Luhr's the ball game.
Everything else we've got planned is just wasted breath.
Excuse me, Captain? It's been almost five minutes since Sergeant Purdy finished testifying.
We'd all be grateful if the government would call its next witness.
Actually, the government rests, Your Honor.
You only called one witness.
We're confident in the case we presented and feel that further testimony isn't necessary.
Major Ferry, I guess you may proceed.
Your Honor, in light of the government's strange abdication of its case, the defense requests a recess.
We need time to get our witnesses here.
- Everybody wants a recess.
Granted.
- (GAVEL BANGS) ADAM (OVER RECORDING): This is a recording of the first field test of Lieutenant Adam Turnbull's new deployment-grade footwear.
As you can see, they blend stylishly with the uniform.
Fit and finish appear top-notch.
(LAUGHING): Thanks for the boots, Mom.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR) Excuse me, Colonel Turnbull.
(DOOR CLOSES) The storm is expected to be clear of the pass by nightfall.
Butler and his men need your answer.
I've prepared two briefs.
One recommending the use of the MOAB, the other recommending against it.
Let's see how they stand up to a stroll.
What would you do? Maya? Ma'am? If you were in my position, if you had my options what would you do? I think you know what I would do.
I think that must be why you chose me for this in the first place.
(LAUGHING): I wanted I wanted you to show me that you could make an impossible decision.
I wish there was an easier way on this, ma'am.
I am so sorry.
(INHALES DEEPLY) (EXHALES) (SNIFFLES) File it.
(DOOR OPENS) Excuse me.
Is this spot taken? Oh.
No.
(QUIET CHATTER) Are we allowed to be sitting near each other? It's a public bench.
You're the lawyer for the prosecution.
I'm a witness for the defense.
Are you 18? Do you have your own lawyer? No.
Then we're free to talk all you like.
- Is that, uh? - Some late-breaking information we weren't able to get into evidence.
Red tape, you know.
Captain Abraham? We're getting close.
Thank you, Lieutenant.
- All rise! - So? So I have no idea if Major Luhr's widow read the file.
If she did read the file, I have no idea if she believed it.
Are we ready to do business, Major Ferry? We are, Your Honor.
The defense calls Rosamund Luhr.
(DOOR OPENS) I believe we might just be in business.
TREY: In your opinion, would Lieutenant Meszaros have anything to gain from Major Luhr's death? I wouldn't have thought so.
I beg your pardon, ma'am? Until now, I wouldn't have thought so.
My assessment of your client's character is not what it once was.
Thank you, Mrs.
Luhr.
No further questions.
Well, this certainly is a wild one.
Captain Abraham? Mrs.
Luhr, in your deposition, you mentioned that the defendant was a regular guest in your home for weekly Sunday night dinners? Yes, he was.
On the last such occasion, did he come alone? Objection, Your Honor.
My client's social life is not on trial here.
I'll allow the question, but let's get to the point.
No.
Jake brought a friend with him.
A woman.
Do you remember her name? She told us her name was Agnes Stevens.
Do you have reason to believe that wasn't actually her name? Kurt, my husband, was suspicious of her, and now I think I know why.
I've recently learned her real name is Nadia Stepanov, and that she's believed to be a Russian agent.
Objection, Your Honor.
Where is this coming from? Sustained.
Mrs.
Luhr, where did you come by this purported information? You left this sitting on a bench in a spot where Kurt Luhr's widow just happened to pick it up? Your Honor, this is an obvious attempt to manipulate the rules of evidence.
The defense moves for a mistrial.
The government's conversation with the witness complied with the Uniform Code.
We neither asked nor instructed her to read that file.
No, you just dangled it in front of her like catnip.
She chose to pick it up.
If Mrs.
Luhr finds the contents of that file compelling, that's because it's 100% true.
(CLICKS TONGUE) Nice end-around, Captain Abraham.
So Meszaros wanted to give his work to the Russians for free? Not just the Russians.
He actually wanted everyone to have it.
He did it as an act of conscience.
It's a theory of deterrence that goes back to the Cold War.
If everyone has access to a breakthrough, no one has the advantage, no one fights.
Meszaros' code never got out, though? We don't think so.
Homeland Security picked up Nadia Stepanov getting on a flight to Finland.
So, before you move downstairs once and for all, should we put this thing to bed? 20 years sounds about right.
Deportation when Meszaros gets out.
Sounds reasonable.
Tomorrow I'm pulling it and offering you a pack of bubblegum.
(PHONE BUZZES) I bumped into Scout Manion on my way out of the Naval Brig.
She was impressed by the move you pulled.
You might have another shot there.
Yeah.
I don't know.
- It's-it's not really - (PHONE BUZZES) - where my head's at right now.
- (SCOFFS) Major Ferry, Captain Abraham.
It's the colonel.
You did this? (GARBLED RADIO TRANSMISSION) PILOT (OVER RADIO): 20 seconds to the drop site.
(GARBLED RADIO TRANSMISSION) PILOT: Ten, nine, eight.
We are over Salang.
Five, four, three, two, one.
(GARBLED RADIO TRANSMISSION)