Designated Survivor (2016) s02e09 Episode Script
Three-Letter Day
1 Previously on "Designated Survivor" No, I've been posted full time to the British Embassy Effective immediately.
[LAUGHS.]
Did you take a vacation on St.
Lucia? Every year, my daughter and I take one trip together.
This year, it was St.
Lucia.
"You're being subpoenaed by John Foerstel"? For what? Foerstel's found a St.
Lucian bank account set up by Eric Little six months ago in my name.
I'm being set up.
Where are we at with Little's murder investigation? KENDRA: No developments on that front, sir.
Have you been able to tie Eric Little to Patrick Lloyd yet? There is no evidence that connects the two.
You're the greatest thing since sliced bread.
And bread is great, fundamentally great, like water.
Or air.
Or you.
Good evening, Officer.
Is there a problem? Step out of the vehicle, sir.
The charges were dismissed.
But my duty to inform the President wasn't.
Got a box full of letters Think you might like to read Some things that you might like to see But they're all addressed to me Wish I had a lot of answers 'Cause that's the way it should be For all these questions Being directed at me KENDRA: Three-letter day.
Every month, the White House receives 10,000 letters asking for help.
The President chooses three of those letters to answer.
And how does that involve us? The senior staff investigates the requests and advises the President.
- That's exciting.
- Yeah.
A three-letter day can be a red-letter day.
- LYOR: I'm not doing this.
- For some.
I don't even like letters.
I don't read them.
I don't write them.
Whose asinine idea was this, anyway? EMILY: The President's.
- I'm in.
- Attaboy.
Three-letter day, amigo.
LYOR: Oh, somebody please shoot me.
- Hey.
- EMILY: Hi.
Today is not just simply symbolic.
It matters, because today, we are gonna truly show the electorate by trying to answer some of their more specific requests.
Aaron and Emily, this letter was written by the widow of Daniel Goff, Sergeant First Class.
She would like to know why her husband was denied the Medal of Honor for his ultimate sacrifice and bravery during Operation Enduring Freedom.
- On it, sir.
- Absolutely.
Thank you.
Seth and Lyor, you're gonna help Mr.
Adamson figure out what's killing his bees.
- Bees? - Yes, bees.
They're an indicator species, Seth.
They pollinate over 80% of our crops.
They die, plants die, and man will shortly follow.
So it is in our interest to do whatever we can to figure out what the hell is killing his bees.
LYOR: Thank you, sir.
This is a solemn honor.
I'm sure you'll do great.
- Jackpot.
- Snake eyes.
Kendra, this is a request for a pardon in a federal death penalty case.
There hasn't been a federal execution since 2003.
He's scheduled to die by lethal injection this Friday in Petersburg.
An anonymous letter postmarked Winter Haven, Florida, seeking clemency for Chandler Dern? He was a pharmacist convicted of killing a DEA agent in 2001.
This writer says that Dern appealed his sentence but not his conviction.
That's the part that caught my eye.
Strange, right? Unheard of, sir, given the stakes.
I'm not inclined to impose my judgment over that of a jury, but if you were to find anything to indicate manifest injustice, - I would want to know.
- I'll get cracking.
You've got 72 hours.
Understood.
Sir, we have another issue.
There's been a development in regards to your wife's subpoena.
We should talk.
Foerstel's offering to seal the proceedings? With one huge condition.
That you don't move to quash your subpoena.
So, an inducement Secrecy in exchange for cooperation.
TOM: Wait a second.
If Alex appears and her answers lead to an indictment, - that will go public.
- It's a calculated risk, sir.
What are the odds that you can get this tossed? It's a coin flip, ma'am.
The conspiracy case against you is wildly circumstantial with one exception.
The existence of the account in St.
Lucia in your name that Eric Little opened is damning.
And unless Hannah Wells can find the banker who set it up, we cannot clear you.
The banker is the only person who can prove that the First Lady's St.
Lucia account is a Lloyd set-up.
- They'll never give you his name.
- We'll see.
I can be very persuasive.
[CELLPHONE BEEPS.]
Hello.
I'm Miss Sloane.
I'm here to see Mr.
Brewer? You would like to open an - account in St.
Lucia? - Yes.
- On someone else's behalf? - Yes.
That is an unusual third-party service we do not offer.
I have it from a trusted friend that one of your officers - does, in fact, offer the service.
- Is that so? If you could just put me in touch with the right person, I'd be happy to pay a premium.
I'm sorry, but we are unable to help you.
If you could just give me the name of the officer, I That will be all, Miss Sloane.
Have a good day.
[WHISPERING INDISTINCTLY.]
Oh! Ah! Now, you shouldn't play with guns if you don't know how to use them.
- Me? I know how to use them.
- [GUN COCKS.]
Now, would you like to give me the name of that bank officer? TOM: Quashing this thing is gonna come down to the judge of the day.
Yes, sir.
And the optics of giving the First Lady a pass could weigh heavily on them.
ALEX: What should weigh heavily on them - is that this is a damn setup.
- Alex.
We're moving to quash, Tom.
Kendra, could you give us a moment, please? We need to discuss this.
- Yes, sir.
- Thank you.
This witch hunt has been going on for months.
I know.
I don't want to give Foerstel any more oxygen.
Every procedural maneuver, every stratagem We'll avail ourselves of all of it.
That's only putting off the inevitable.
Foerstel's not gonna back down just because you quote the Federal Rules of Procedure.
It's our only viable tactic, Tom.
It's what we've been doing so far playing defense.
And look where it's gotten us.
Closer to the precipice.
Well, then, let's step back.
Alex.
You are a fighter.
That's one of the many things I love about you.
But we're not fighting this.
We're hiding, pretending like it's gonna blow over.
Well, it's not.
This storm has been coming at us for a while.
We tried to outrun it, but we couldn't.
So we take a different tact.
We dig in.
We fight this thing.
S02E09 Three-Letter Day I roll over this morning and you're not there.
That can really give a guy a complex.
Well, you needed your beauty sleep.
Well, I'm saying I could've helped you track down the banker who helped frame the First Lady.
And I'm saying it wasn't a two-man job.
You, Hannah Wells, are a lone wolf.
Who hunted down the banker's name.
Touché.
Anything on our rogue banker? TSA confirms Alfonso Lang flew from Hewanorra to Dulles four days ago.
Does he have a sheet? A lot of raps for money laundering, all of which he's beaten.
Otherwise he'd be on the no-fly list.
You got a 4-1-1 on his location? Nothing past a contact at Interpol telling me he meets with clients in the District pretty regularly to set up tax scams.
Well, I'll contact the Embassy to see if he's on one of their watch lists and tripped a wire.
St.
Lucia's a British protectorate.
Actually, St.
Lucia is a sovereign nation.
Part of the Commonwealth.
Well done, Charles.
You should go on "Jeopardy!" And you should go on it too.
[CELLPHONE RINGS.]
HANNAH: Hey, Kendra.
Yeah, of course.
I'll be right there.
The White House Counsel needs help with an urgent matter.
No problem.
I'll call you as soon as I find anything.
All right.
Play nice, boys.
[MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY OVER P.
A.
.]
[DOOR LOCK BUZZES.]
No, I don't know who sent it.
But every word is true.
I'm innocent.
We reviewed your file.
You were convicted of murdering a DEA agent named Carl Marley in 2001.
A Ketamine sting gone bad.
The prosecutor convinced the jury that your pharmacy was in financial trouble.
And that I was trying to sell Ketamine on the black market when I never even jaywalked.
Marley's body was found in a park near your store.
Shot in the face with a gun that was never located.
Traces of his blood were found the next day on your storage room floor.
20 people were in that room every day.
Anyone could've dragged it in.
What about your trial lawyer, Mr.
Dern? Can we talk to him? No.
He died three years ago.
But he was pretty worthless when he was alive.
And how much money did you have left after the trial? As it turned out, just enough to appeal the sentence.
Mr.
Dern, this was a highly circumstantial case.
Your lawyer did a bad job.
We're going to look into this for you.
That's great.
But I believe I've exhausted my appeals.
It wouldn't be an appeal.
It would be a commutation.
And if the President were to grant that, I wouldn't have words.
But I've been waiting for justice for a long time, and it's never come.
Hope is a dangerous thing.
I don't want to die a coward praying for a reprieve that's never coming.
That's not a legacy I want for my children.
Then don't pray.
Prepare.
And let us do our thing.
Chandler Dern has two master's degrees.
Does it make any sense to you that a lawyer, even a a crooked one, could convince him that it was a good idea not to appeal? Not even a little bit.
He's got a son in Gaithersburg.
Let's see what he has to say.
Frank, thank you for talking to us.
FRANK: I'm thrilled that you're looking into my father's sentence.
Do you really think there's a chance the President might step in? It depends on our investigation.
How can I help? Can you think of any reason why your father wouldn't be forthcoming with us? What did he tell you? Oh, it's not what he told us.
It's what we're asking you to tell us.
You know what's interesting, Frank? You're very devoted to your father.
Visitor logs at the prison say that you're in there twice a week to see him.
But your younger sister Tracy hasn't been to see him in 16 years, and we're wondering why.
My mom died when I was 6.
I was 17 when they took him away, and I got through it.
I set up a successful auto-repair business.
Tracy, she wasn't so lucky.
But my dad, he to He told us to always put family first.
I'm I'm not talking about Tracy.
All right, we don't have time for games.
Your father's life is on the line.
My sister, she's always had problems with drugs.
Back in the day, she was hanging out with some pretty bad people, and I think that my father was afraid that his investigation would somehow implicate her.
Were those people used as a defense in your father's trial? No, my dad wouldn't allow that.
- Where can we find your sister? - No.
If he knew that I told you any of this, he would disown me.
Frank, your father is about to be put to death.
I don't think disowning you is the issue here.
EMILY: Your husband was very handsome, Mrs.
Goff.
Thank you.
Daniel was my everything.
AARON: The President was moved by your letter, ma'am.
We wonder if you could tell us more.
Daniel was sent to Kandahar in 2013 to battle ISIL.
- Part of the international peacekeeping force.
- Yes.
And one of the first American casualties.
At his funeral, one of his soldiers, Corporal Mankiewicz, told me Daniel single-handedly kept the insurgents at bay until help could arrive.
He stopped them from overrunning the American position.
Sounds like conspicuous bravery.
I think so.
But I wrote his C.
O.
Colonel Baines.
And he ignored me.
Uh 12 letters over the past 4 years, and he didn't answer one.
Daniel once told me Special Forces was like family.
But this is not how you treat family.
Our son Danny Jr.
Is 7 now, asking about his father.
I would like to be able to tell him his dad was a war hero and not just some stranger who died 10,000 miles away.
Ma'am, on behalf of the President, we promise to look into this.
Thank you.
[KEYBOARD CLACKING.]
Sergeant Goff's unit was ambushed in Kandahar.
Mortars.
RPGs.
Machine guns.
They were pinned down for hours.
Took a lot of casualties.
Sounds like you deserve a medal for even coming through that, Colonel Baines.
I agree.
But Goff wasn't there.
Where was he? He was doing recon in the Kabul Dwarza district.
It's a click away.
That's where the IED took him out.
Did you explain this to Sergeant Goff's widow? Repeatedly.
But she kept writing.
She's not the first widow that wants recognition for her husband, but facts are facts.
After some time, I had to stop responding.
Were there any other witnesses to this firefight? Just Corporal Mankiewicz.
He's the one that put the idea of a medal in her ear.
So where's Corporal Mankiewicz now? AARON: He's dead, sir.
He committed suicide a year after leaving the service.
Well, according to this, he was the only potential witness left.
So I guess that's that, then.
Mike, is there something you want to add? It's not appropriate, sir.
It is if I'm asking.
It's just that was Goff's unit.
It doesn't make sense he'd be a click away from his men if they were expecting hostiles, which they would've been.
So you think Colonel Baines is mistaken.
In my opinion, sir.
[SIGHS.]
Mike served six years Special Forces.
If he doesn't think something's adding up, something's not adding up.
- Dig deeper, Aaron.
- Yes, sir.
- Emily, can I borrow you? - Of course, sir.
They've been banging the drum on this all week.
Yeah, the media's picked it up, which is why Foerstel is trying to induce Alex to testify now.
He knows the heat's turning up.
He's trying to take advantage of the timing.
I got a message from his office today.
He has an update for us on the Cincinnati area police abuse investigation.
Why? That's been dormant for months.
I know.
The timing's odd.
No, it's not.
He wants to talk off the record about my wife's subpoena.
That's why he contacted you instead of Kendra.
Do you want me to take the meeting? Yes.
The second he talks about Icarus, walk away.
I don't want this office to even have the slightest appearance of trying to obstruct this investigation.
Understood.
Thank you.
Mr.
Director.
Thank you for meeting me.
I understand you have an update - on the Cincinnati investigation? - Yes.
My considered opinion is there may have been wrongdoing.
Serious wrongdoing.
And our opinion is that the facts to date don't remotely support that conclusion.
It's a provisional opinion, which is why the investigation has to continue.
Despite the fact that you're chasing what any objective observer would describe as innuendo, wild conspiracy theories.
All investigations chase those things - until they disclose the truth.
- Or turn up nothing.
Meanwhile, damage is done to those you're investigating.
Damage that may be irreparable.
If the subjects of this investigation are innocent, - there won't be any damage.
- [SCOFFS.]
We both know that's not true, Mr.
Director.
Reputations can be harmed.
Institutions eroded.
That's not my concern.
Is that what you want me to tell the President? Tell him Cincinnati is not personal.
It's professional.
And that I owe a duty to the American people to follow this to the end of the line.
No matter what.
Foerstel wanted to meet with me to underscore he wouldn't stand down.
- TOM: Didn't think he would.
- LYOR: And here's why.
The media is covering the Icarus investigation now, which means he's staking his professional credibility on the outcome.
Not a problem if you're a career civil servant.
- Which he is.
- But not for long.
I played a hunch, sir.
I reached out to a source in Albany, where he's from, and it turns out, he formed an exploratory committee for a 2018 New York Senate run, right when the Icarus investigation began.
And that's not all.
He has a secret PAC in the works, too.
They've already raised half a million dollars.
And he's doing it all on the back of the investigation.
We know how much you respect process, sir, so we are recommending that you appoint a special prosecutor to investigate.
- A special prosecutor? - LYOR: Yes, sir.
It doesn't end the Icarus investigation.
It simply removes Foerstel from the equation.
Which we believe is in the best interest of the White House now that he may have ulterior motives.
Ambition is not an ulterior motive.
It's a by-product of the work that gets done in this town, and no one's immune.
- Present company included.
- Sir With regards to a special prosecutor, history tells me that they're runaway trains.
One investigation turns into another, et cetera, et cetera.
Way too risky.
It's the lesser of the two evils, sir.
- A risk we can manage.
- Emily, I get it.
I'll take it under advisement.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
Hey.
So, Three-Letter Day, huh? - Yeah, Three-Letter day.
- Wait.
Hang on.
Um can I talk to you? - I-I've got a thing.
I - Look.
Um, I-I actually have a thing, too, okay? It's called walking on egg shells, which is what I feel like I've been doing the last couple days.
I'm just wondering if you told the President that I got arrested for covering up my brother's drugs and what that means for me, because I'm kind of also obsessed with this other thing called job security.
It's an evolving situation.
Evolving.
Got it.
Yeah.
Okay, that's also a thing.
Ah.
Interesting fact.
A colony rears several queens at once.
The first queen that hatches stings the others to death in their cells.
If two emerge at once, they fight until one is killed.
It's just like an election, Seth.
EDDIE: I didn't set out to be an apiarist.
It began as a hobby.
And then before I knew it, I had three colonies.
- Their upkeep must take a lot of time.
- Well, yes.
But I now harvest $4,000 a month worth of honey from my hives.
That's excellent.
So, uh, how can we help? Eddie thinks the FAA is killing our bees.
LYOR: Really? How? Well, that new Air Route Surveillance Radar facility, it opened around the time of the die-off.
Bees navigate using magnetic fields.
I think the radar is disrupting that.
Are they flying into trees? LYOR: No, Seth.
They're insects, not imbeciles.
They use a solar compass to navigate.
Disrupt that, you compromise their spatial memory.
They can't find their food.
You must be a fellow melittologist.
I dabble.
- So you've spoken with the A.
R.
S.
R.
? - Yes.
I told them that two of my three colonies had been completely wiped out, but they ignored me.
And that's why I wrote the President a letter.
Eddie's very proactive.
Well, so is the White House.
Oh, we really didn't mean to put you to all this trouble.
Oh, no, no.
The trouble will be the FAA's.
Tell apis cerana to stand by.
Help's on the way.
Uh, we'll, uh, be in touch.
[LAUGHS.]
LYOR: Interesting fact.
Bees never sleep.
- I don't care.
- They're the only insect that produces food for humans.
- I still don't care.
- Oh.
You've been stung, haven't you? Hey, Ms.
Slater.
Seth Wright.
This is Lyor Boone.
Thank you so much for coming.
On behalf of the FAA, we're thrilled the President has an interest in aviation.
Oh, he doesn't.
His interest is in bees.
Oh, God.
Not that Eddie guy again.
You remember him? As the Administrator of the A.
R.
S.
R.
, I have a hard time forgetting someone I nearly had to get a restraining order against.
The letters, the calls.
The pickets.
All of which you ignored.
No, we didn't.
We tried to reach an amicable settlement, but the problem resolved itself.
At least I thought it did.
Who told you that? Helen Adamson.
His wife.
HANNAH: That's her.
Chandler's daughter.
Ms.
Dern.
I'm Hannah Wells, FBI.
This is Kendra Daynes, the White House Counsel.
I left you a few messages.
TRACY: I have nothing to say to you.
It's about your dad.
You remember him, don't you? Winter Haven.
You spend a lot of time there? Please leave me alone.
Did you write to us about your dad? No.
Tracy, we work for the White House.
If your dad is innocent, we can save him.
If you know something that could - help us prove that - I don't.
Now, please.
Just let me go.
[ENGINE STARTS.]
She couldn't even look us in the eye.
Could be a guilty conscience.
But let's play it out.
Okay? She's a strung-out teen back in the day.
Somehow got mixed up in the Ketamine buy, the agent's death.
Her dad takes the fall for her.
When he's looking at his last meal, she finally caves.
Writes a letter to save his life.
I'll find out if she has a rap sheet, - any prior drug convictions.
- Okay.
I have to meet Agent Rennett about the First Lady's case.
- I'll see you in the White House in an hour? - Will do.
- I'll call you as soon as I hear something.
- Okay.
- Hey.
- You've been scarce.
Yeah, it's Three-Letter Day.
Is that some sort of postal holiday? No, it's What do we have on the banker? Our Mr.
Lang has dual citizenship.
St.
Lucia and the U.
K.
Multiple passports.
He landed here using his St.
Lucia passport.
Used his British one to pass into Canada a few days ago.
He's exploiting multiple identities so we can't catch him in real time.
Good way to stay one step ahead of the banking regulators.
By the time our systems update, he could be in Kathmandu.
We have to find him.
He is the First Lady's last hope to avoid the FBI inquiry.
- [CELLPHONE RINGS.]
- Yeah? Alfonso Lang has a condo in Georgetown he leases through a closely held corporation called Montserrat Alliance.
I'm texting you the address.
Chuck, we don't even know that he's in the country.
I do.
I can trace a purchase to a company credit card 90 minutes ago.
A massage parlor in Dupont.
Thanks, Chuck.
Lang's local.
Chuck is texting us the deets.
If we can get Lang to confess that he was working at Lloyd's behest to make it look like the First Lady was getting a payola from Icarus, we can clear her name.
Great.
I'm gonna hit the loo.
I'll see you in a second.
[TIRES SQUEAL.]
[ENGINE REVS.]
[BREATHING SHALLOWLY.]
You got a partial plate? First three letters.
Chuck's running it.
There's a lesson here, you know? What's that? You shouldn't beat up bankers without me, especially bankers that want to frame the First Lady.
Yeah? You think you could've gotten out of the way of that car? Nope.
I would've shot the guy before he got in it.
Mr.
Lang? Hannah Wells.
FBI.
[TELEVISION CHATTER.]
TV's on.
You sure it's not someone calling for help? Exigent circumstances.
No need for a warrant.
You really have been here too long.
I've been here longer.
Hello? Mr.
Lang? [MICROWAVE BEEPING.]
We just missed him.
Someone tipped him off.
AARON: Colonel Baines, we have more questions about Kandahar.
Those are the GPS coordinates of Sergeant Goff's phone during the battle in which he was killed.
EMILY: You know what's interesting about these coordinates, Colonel? They put Sergeant Goff smack in the middle of the battle, not a click away doing recon.
That's the information I had.
Well, let me show you the information we have.
This is a divorce filing.
Your divorce filing, and it lists adultery as the grounds.
An affair your wife had with Sergeant Goff.
Filing a false report is a court-martial offense.
Dishonorable discharge, prison time.
But I don't need to tell you that.
No, you don't.
So you are going to amend your statement of Sergeant Goff's conduct and you'll include a recommendation that he be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
Okay.
I'll do that.
Thank you.
And I won't leave out any of it Not how he betrayed my trust, or seduced my wife, or ruined my marriage, or any of it.
And his grieving widow can frame my statement right next to his Medal of Honor.
So both of you disagree with regards to Sergeant Goff? Yes.
We both agree he should be recognized for his valor.
Yeah, but medals are for the living, not the dead.
They provide comfort.
And if we award this medal to Sergeant Goff, his wife will also learn about his infidelity.
And I disagree.
These inquiries have a narrow focus To determine the facts on the battlefield.
- Which deserve commendation.
- Yes.
Once you start factoring extraneous personal circumstances into the mix A medal is about extraneous personal circumstances.
What it will mean to the next of kin.
I think the greatest gift we can give the next of kin is the truth.
I would like to meet with Mrs.
Goff and her son here in the Oval Office.
Absolutely.
Sir, may I address another matter? Sure.
What is it? I'm here championing for transparency.
And I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't been as transparent with you as I should have been regarding a personnel issue.
I'm listening.
[EXHALES DEEPLY.]
A few days ago, Seth was arrested and charged with I already know about it.
You do? The District of Columbia D.
A.
He's a friend of mine.
We play cards together.
He told me as soon as I got back from Kabul.
I am sorry we didn't have this conversation sooner.
So am I.
But the point is, we're having it now.
I know that the White House is like a family, and I can't even imagine how difficult it is for you sometimes in the trenches with everyone.
Yes, sir.
But the truth is, you work for me, and I can't do my job when I'm kept in the dark.
I rely on you to counsel me through these kind of matters.
Understood.
Having said that What do you think I should do about Seth? [SIGHS.]
[BEES BUZZING.]
LYOR: Look at them.
So innocent, so vulnerable.
SETH: They're bees, Lyor.
Wait, Lyor.
Hold on.
She accused Helen Adamson.
Justice must be done, Seth.
Hey, wait, wait, wait.
Lyor.
Lyor, relax.
I am relaxed.
Relaxed as someone about to confront a woman over apicide can be.
- That's not a word.
- Yes, it is.
- And we don't know that she killed the bees.
- Yes, we do.
And you have to stop ringing the bell.
No, I don't.
Sorry.
Just got out of the shower.
Ma'am, we need to talk.
Oh, okay.
Eddie stepped out.
- Oh, just the three of us, then.
- No, that's okay.
We can actually come back at a more convenient time.
- Thank you.
- No, I'll just be a minute.
- Come on in.
- Great.
So, just make yourselves comfortable and I'll be right back down after I change.
Thank you.
Thanks.
What are you doing? Hey.
You realize this gives me more evidence for your involuntary commitment application.
She killed the bees, Seth.
- Thousands of them.
- No, she didn't.
- The FAA did.
- Wrong.
Two of the three colonies collapsed completely.
The third seems to be fine, which means that while the radar may have weakened them, she applied the coup de grace.
And this was it.
Helen Adamson is the colony collapse disorder.
Okay, Animal Planet, you want to slow down and take me through it? This is royal jelly, Seth, a massive amount.
You take too much from the hive, the queen stops laying.
The larvae starts dying.
- Why would she kill the bees? - [SCOFFS.]
Jealousy.
Have you seen the house? It's a shrine to bees.
A glorious shrine.
So she gets rid of the bees, she gets her husband back? Yes, except he's going to leave when he learns she's a serial killer.
Whoa.
He's not learning anything, okay? Our remit is to save the bees, not wreck their marriage.
Oh, no, we're going to save the bees - by wrecking the marriage.
- No, no, no, listen.
I have a plan, okay? It will save your precious little bees and the federal government from an alienation of affection lawsuit.
Now sit down, shut up, and let me explain.
Why do they call it the Oval Office? Because it's shaped like an oval.
What's an oval? Sort of like a circle, but squished.
- Is there a triangle office? - [CHUCKLES.]
Danny, that's enough questions.
No, it's fine.
No, there isn't, but it would be really cool if there was.
Why don't we have a seat? Mrs.
Goff, I am very sorry, but I am not gonna be able to present your husband with the medal.
Our investigation was inconclusive.
Memories fade, witnesses disappear, and obviously there is a very high standard of proof for this sort of thing.
I understand, sir.
I asked you both here today because I wanted to present you with this from me.
And I wanted to talk to you, Danny, about your father.
Okay.
I want you to know how brave he was.
And that there are people alive today because of what your father did.
That's what made him a hero.
My dad was brave.
Yes, he was.
Very.
And if anyone asks you how you know that, I want you to tell them that the President of the United States told you.
Thank you.
No.
Thank you.
We're pleased to report that the FAA has agreed to redirect its radio waves so that your colonies are no longer affected, Mr.
Adamson.
- Really? - LYOR: Yes.
So we anticipate a resurgence in your bee population.
A robust resurgence.
See, Helen? I told you President Kirkman cared.
Oh, actually, the person you should be thanking is your wife.
She's the one who brought the FAA to heel.
I don't know what to say.
Well, we'll let you say it in private.
No, wait.
I'm ashamed of my behavior.
I've repaid my wife's devotion with treachery, and I want to confess it in front of everyone here.
Eddie? - We should go, Lyor.
- Shh.
EDDIE: Your roses? - The ones the deer ate? - HELEN: What about them? It wasn't the deer.
I I poisoned them.
What?! Why would you do that? - Now, Lyor.
- You're being rude, Seth.
This man wants to unburden himself.
They were drawing them away from better food sources.
I was desperate.
Oh, God, I I am so sorry.
HELEN: I'm sorry, too.
That I didn't kill more of those parasites.
You killed my bees? Not enough of them, you bastard.
- You murderer! - You're the murderer! - LYOR: Now we can go.
- My mother was right about you.
HELEN: Oh, speaking of someone I want to kill.
Don't you dare mention her name.
I should've married Lance Burlington when I had the chance.
Lance? Please! Wait, someone tried to run you down? It's an occupational hazard.
I'm fine.
Talk to me.
I checked Tracy in the system.
No record.
But I got a hit from another Dern Her brother Frank.
What's his collar for? Drug conviction in 2001.
Six months after his dad's conviction.
Misdemeanor possession of Get this Ketamine.
Which was a rare designer drug back in 2001.
Meaning if Chandler Dern was trying to cover for someone, it wasn't his daughter.
- Keep each other posted.
- Right.
Deal.
Is the President going to pardon me? Not unless you tell the truth.
I've been telling the truth for 16 years.
I'm innocent.
I believe you.
And I also believe you know who's not.
This is the arrest record for your son Frank.
What does that have to do with anything? We both know what happened that night.
Your son tried to buy Ketamine.
It went wrong.
He killed Carl Marley.
That's a lie.
And you took the fall.
And you made your daughter keep the secret.
And it destroyed her.
But she kept faith with you.
Until she couldn't anymore because she didn't want to watch her father die.
If you think I'm gonna give up my son, you must not have children.
Sir, you've been tried and convicted for this crime.
No prosecutor on Earth will try to charge Frank for this now, let alone try to convince a jury to convict him.
But the world will know.
Mr.
Dern, if you want the President to pardon you, he needs to hear the truth from your lips.
I regret the damage done to Tracy more than anything.
And I would gladly die if it would ma her whole again.
But I can't help her now.
I can help Frank.
He has a life, and I will sacrifice mine so that he can keep his.
Guard! [DOOR LOCK BUZZES.]
[KNOCKS ON DOOR.]
Hey.
Hey, uh, I'm busy, Seth.
This will just take a second.
I just wanted to let you know that I've decided to offer the President my resignation.
What? I've been skulking around here the last two days, Emily.
I know he knows I've been arrested.
I-I can see it in the way he looks at me.
I can hear it in his tone.
He put me on bee patrol.
He cares about bees.
Bee patrol with Lyor.
Yeah.
I'm in the doghouse, Em, and I don't know how to get out.
So I figure I'll offer him my resignation.
If he accepts, I know I'm good, and if not He's not gonna accept it.
How do you know that? Because I told him to fire you.
And he declined.
- I had to be objective, Seth.
- No, I know.
And an objective Emily would view your behavior as disloyal to this place.
You compromised the one person you can't compromise, and you did it willingly.
I know.
[SIGHS.]
And you compromised me.
And I've I've looked at this every which way since it's gone down.
I mean, I've reconsidered every option.
And here's where I come out.
I would do it again because Michael's my brother, and I protect my family.
I know.
And that's exactly why he won't fire you.
But you get one "get out of jail free" card with him, and you just used it.
So what now? Come here.
Now go forth and sin no more.
Thanks.
For what? Trying to get you fired? For always doing the right thing.
[SIGHS.]
The right thing to do.
[SIGHS.]
Sometimes it seems impossible to even know what that is anymore.
Yes, sir.
Your case summary makes it perfectly clear that Mr.
Dern covered for his son.
In his mind, trying to protect his family.
However misguided, I don't think anyone deserves to die for that.
I agree, sir.
But the fact remains there's a dead federal agent whose murderer is walking the streets because Mr.
Dern chose to obstruct justice.
And he has to pay for that.
But not with his life.
So you're commuting his sentence.
Yes, but not his conviction.
He will spend the rest of his life in prison, unless he chooses to tell the truth.
[PHONE BEEPS.]
Can you please patch me through to the penitentiary? Thank you.
CHUCK: The car that nearly hit you was a silver sedan, Maryland plates that start with SK1.
I was able to narrow it to 19 people.
Did you cross-reference this list with connections to Alfonso Lang? Yeah.
Nothing.
What about the Federal Bank of St.
Lucia? Ran that search too.
Nada.
I'll run a deeper search.
Look for even tangential contacts between these people and Icarus, Patrick Lloyd.
19 cars is a lot of cars.
Yeah, it's a lot of cars.
But the person who tried to take me out would want to make sure that this car wasn't traced back to them.
You know what's interesting about this list? One of the cars on it was in an accident three days ago.
- Where are you going? - I got a hunch.
HANNAH: And if I'm right, I'll know who tried to kill me.
FRANK: That's good work, boys.
See you tomorrow.
Agent Wells.
I assume you heard about your father's commutation.
I did.
Thank you for all your work.
It's, um, it's been a great relief.
I'm sure it is.
It would be a terrible thing to watch him die for a murder you committed.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Drop the act, Frank.
We both know you're never going to answer for it, but you will answer for something.
- You're making a big mistake.
- No, you did, when you used one of the cars that your shop was repairing to try and kill me.
We know you were driving the car, Frank.
Your office manager saw you get into it.
- She's mistaken.
- Put your hands up.
On the car.
Now! Saving your dad meant that I would ruin your reputation, so you tried to run me down.
Well, guess what.
It's been 16 years, but you're finally going to jail, you son of a bitch.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
AVA: Mr.
President, I have the First Lady for you.
Thank you, Ava.
Hey.
I was just heading up to the Residence.
I know.
This couldn't wait.
- You need to fire John Foerstel.
- Why? Because he is using his office to create headlines for himself.
He is purposely muddying the waters for potential political gain.
He's betraying his oath of office, Tom.
That is why.
Alex, it's not that easy.
Yes, it is.
Patrick Lloyd has been dead for two months, and we are still being haunted by him.
The fabricated bank account, The The conspiracy with Icarus that doesn't even exist - None of this is real.
- I know.
Why are you letting us get dragged down by an investigation when you can do something about it? My staff wants me to appoint a Special Prosecutor.
You want me to fire Foerstel.
All of you are missing the point? What is the point, Tom? The point is, that your mother committed a federal crime.
- Oh! - 30 years ago maybe, but she committed a crime, and there are consequences, and I can't just change the rules because it suits us.
John Foerstel is preparing to run for Senate.
He is not playing by the rules.
Yes, he is, damn it! And he's doing his job.
Maybe not the way we want him to.
But I can't fire him for that.
And if I did, who would I be? My husband.
Wow.
I can't believe you just said that.
You're questioning my commitment as a husband because I won't interfere in an investigation where we've done absolutely nothing wrong? You're a hell of a lawyer, Alex.
But you are a lousy defendant.
I'm-a be your love, I'm-a be your love Stone cold Out of sight Too dark to trace the light More wine? Sure.
Oh-oh, oh-oh Uh-oh.
- Are we out? - Yep.
Don't leave me when I'm alone [CELLPHONE RINGS.]
Oh-oh, oh-oh Oh-oh, oh-oh And I'll be here when daylight's gone Burning the midnight oil, Chuck? CHUCK: Yeah.
Listen.
I got something.
I ran Lang's cellphone.
You were right.
Somebody called him right before you got to his condo.
From a burner.
- Do we know who it was? - No.
But I triangulated the signal based on the cellphone towers.
The call came from Fourth and H.
2:22 p.
m.
I'm gonna hit the loo.
I'll meet you there.
CHUCK: Hannah? Are you there? Yeah.
Thanks, Chuck.
I'll talk to you soon.
DAMIAN: Hey, what's it gonna be? Work or pleasure? Pleasure.
[LAUGHS.]
Did you take a vacation on St.
Lucia? Every year, my daughter and I take one trip together.
This year, it was St.
Lucia.
"You're being subpoenaed by John Foerstel"? For what? Foerstel's found a St.
Lucian bank account set up by Eric Little six months ago in my name.
I'm being set up.
Where are we at with Little's murder investigation? KENDRA: No developments on that front, sir.
Have you been able to tie Eric Little to Patrick Lloyd yet? There is no evidence that connects the two.
You're the greatest thing since sliced bread.
And bread is great, fundamentally great, like water.
Or air.
Or you.
Good evening, Officer.
Is there a problem? Step out of the vehicle, sir.
The charges were dismissed.
But my duty to inform the President wasn't.
Got a box full of letters Think you might like to read Some things that you might like to see But they're all addressed to me Wish I had a lot of answers 'Cause that's the way it should be For all these questions Being directed at me KENDRA: Three-letter day.
Every month, the White House receives 10,000 letters asking for help.
The President chooses three of those letters to answer.
And how does that involve us? The senior staff investigates the requests and advises the President.
- That's exciting.
- Yeah.
A three-letter day can be a red-letter day.
- LYOR: I'm not doing this.
- For some.
I don't even like letters.
I don't read them.
I don't write them.
Whose asinine idea was this, anyway? EMILY: The President's.
- I'm in.
- Attaboy.
Three-letter day, amigo.
LYOR: Oh, somebody please shoot me.
- Hey.
- EMILY: Hi.
Today is not just simply symbolic.
It matters, because today, we are gonna truly show the electorate by trying to answer some of their more specific requests.
Aaron and Emily, this letter was written by the widow of Daniel Goff, Sergeant First Class.
She would like to know why her husband was denied the Medal of Honor for his ultimate sacrifice and bravery during Operation Enduring Freedom.
- On it, sir.
- Absolutely.
Thank you.
Seth and Lyor, you're gonna help Mr.
Adamson figure out what's killing his bees.
- Bees? - Yes, bees.
They're an indicator species, Seth.
They pollinate over 80% of our crops.
They die, plants die, and man will shortly follow.
So it is in our interest to do whatever we can to figure out what the hell is killing his bees.
LYOR: Thank you, sir.
This is a solemn honor.
I'm sure you'll do great.
- Jackpot.
- Snake eyes.
Kendra, this is a request for a pardon in a federal death penalty case.
There hasn't been a federal execution since 2003.
He's scheduled to die by lethal injection this Friday in Petersburg.
An anonymous letter postmarked Winter Haven, Florida, seeking clemency for Chandler Dern? He was a pharmacist convicted of killing a DEA agent in 2001.
This writer says that Dern appealed his sentence but not his conviction.
That's the part that caught my eye.
Strange, right? Unheard of, sir, given the stakes.
I'm not inclined to impose my judgment over that of a jury, but if you were to find anything to indicate manifest injustice, - I would want to know.
- I'll get cracking.
You've got 72 hours.
Understood.
Sir, we have another issue.
There's been a development in regards to your wife's subpoena.
We should talk.
Foerstel's offering to seal the proceedings? With one huge condition.
That you don't move to quash your subpoena.
So, an inducement Secrecy in exchange for cooperation.
TOM: Wait a second.
If Alex appears and her answers lead to an indictment, - that will go public.
- It's a calculated risk, sir.
What are the odds that you can get this tossed? It's a coin flip, ma'am.
The conspiracy case against you is wildly circumstantial with one exception.
The existence of the account in St.
Lucia in your name that Eric Little opened is damning.
And unless Hannah Wells can find the banker who set it up, we cannot clear you.
The banker is the only person who can prove that the First Lady's St.
Lucia account is a Lloyd set-up.
- They'll never give you his name.
- We'll see.
I can be very persuasive.
[CELLPHONE BEEPS.]
Hello.
I'm Miss Sloane.
I'm here to see Mr.
Brewer? You would like to open an - account in St.
Lucia? - Yes.
- On someone else's behalf? - Yes.
That is an unusual third-party service we do not offer.
I have it from a trusted friend that one of your officers - does, in fact, offer the service.
- Is that so? If you could just put me in touch with the right person, I'd be happy to pay a premium.
I'm sorry, but we are unable to help you.
If you could just give me the name of the officer, I That will be all, Miss Sloane.
Have a good day.
[WHISPERING INDISTINCTLY.]
Oh! Ah! Now, you shouldn't play with guns if you don't know how to use them.
- Me? I know how to use them.
- [GUN COCKS.]
Now, would you like to give me the name of that bank officer? TOM: Quashing this thing is gonna come down to the judge of the day.
Yes, sir.
And the optics of giving the First Lady a pass could weigh heavily on them.
ALEX: What should weigh heavily on them - is that this is a damn setup.
- Alex.
We're moving to quash, Tom.
Kendra, could you give us a moment, please? We need to discuss this.
- Yes, sir.
- Thank you.
This witch hunt has been going on for months.
I know.
I don't want to give Foerstel any more oxygen.
Every procedural maneuver, every stratagem We'll avail ourselves of all of it.
That's only putting off the inevitable.
Foerstel's not gonna back down just because you quote the Federal Rules of Procedure.
It's our only viable tactic, Tom.
It's what we've been doing so far playing defense.
And look where it's gotten us.
Closer to the precipice.
Well, then, let's step back.
Alex.
You are a fighter.
That's one of the many things I love about you.
But we're not fighting this.
We're hiding, pretending like it's gonna blow over.
Well, it's not.
This storm has been coming at us for a while.
We tried to outrun it, but we couldn't.
So we take a different tact.
We dig in.
We fight this thing.
S02E09 Three-Letter Day I roll over this morning and you're not there.
That can really give a guy a complex.
Well, you needed your beauty sleep.
Well, I'm saying I could've helped you track down the banker who helped frame the First Lady.
And I'm saying it wasn't a two-man job.
You, Hannah Wells, are a lone wolf.
Who hunted down the banker's name.
Touché.
Anything on our rogue banker? TSA confirms Alfonso Lang flew from Hewanorra to Dulles four days ago.
Does he have a sheet? A lot of raps for money laundering, all of which he's beaten.
Otherwise he'd be on the no-fly list.
You got a 4-1-1 on his location? Nothing past a contact at Interpol telling me he meets with clients in the District pretty regularly to set up tax scams.
Well, I'll contact the Embassy to see if he's on one of their watch lists and tripped a wire.
St.
Lucia's a British protectorate.
Actually, St.
Lucia is a sovereign nation.
Part of the Commonwealth.
Well done, Charles.
You should go on "Jeopardy!" And you should go on it too.
[CELLPHONE RINGS.]
HANNAH: Hey, Kendra.
Yeah, of course.
I'll be right there.
The White House Counsel needs help with an urgent matter.
No problem.
I'll call you as soon as I find anything.
All right.
Play nice, boys.
[MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY OVER P.
A.
.]
[DOOR LOCK BUZZES.]
No, I don't know who sent it.
But every word is true.
I'm innocent.
We reviewed your file.
You were convicted of murdering a DEA agent named Carl Marley in 2001.
A Ketamine sting gone bad.
The prosecutor convinced the jury that your pharmacy was in financial trouble.
And that I was trying to sell Ketamine on the black market when I never even jaywalked.
Marley's body was found in a park near your store.
Shot in the face with a gun that was never located.
Traces of his blood were found the next day on your storage room floor.
20 people were in that room every day.
Anyone could've dragged it in.
What about your trial lawyer, Mr.
Dern? Can we talk to him? No.
He died three years ago.
But he was pretty worthless when he was alive.
And how much money did you have left after the trial? As it turned out, just enough to appeal the sentence.
Mr.
Dern, this was a highly circumstantial case.
Your lawyer did a bad job.
We're going to look into this for you.
That's great.
But I believe I've exhausted my appeals.
It wouldn't be an appeal.
It would be a commutation.
And if the President were to grant that, I wouldn't have words.
But I've been waiting for justice for a long time, and it's never come.
Hope is a dangerous thing.
I don't want to die a coward praying for a reprieve that's never coming.
That's not a legacy I want for my children.
Then don't pray.
Prepare.
And let us do our thing.
Chandler Dern has two master's degrees.
Does it make any sense to you that a lawyer, even a a crooked one, could convince him that it was a good idea not to appeal? Not even a little bit.
He's got a son in Gaithersburg.
Let's see what he has to say.
Frank, thank you for talking to us.
FRANK: I'm thrilled that you're looking into my father's sentence.
Do you really think there's a chance the President might step in? It depends on our investigation.
How can I help? Can you think of any reason why your father wouldn't be forthcoming with us? What did he tell you? Oh, it's not what he told us.
It's what we're asking you to tell us.
You know what's interesting, Frank? You're very devoted to your father.
Visitor logs at the prison say that you're in there twice a week to see him.
But your younger sister Tracy hasn't been to see him in 16 years, and we're wondering why.
My mom died when I was 6.
I was 17 when they took him away, and I got through it.
I set up a successful auto-repair business.
Tracy, she wasn't so lucky.
But my dad, he to He told us to always put family first.
I'm I'm not talking about Tracy.
All right, we don't have time for games.
Your father's life is on the line.
My sister, she's always had problems with drugs.
Back in the day, she was hanging out with some pretty bad people, and I think that my father was afraid that his investigation would somehow implicate her.
Were those people used as a defense in your father's trial? No, my dad wouldn't allow that.
- Where can we find your sister? - No.
If he knew that I told you any of this, he would disown me.
Frank, your father is about to be put to death.
I don't think disowning you is the issue here.
EMILY: Your husband was very handsome, Mrs.
Goff.
Thank you.
Daniel was my everything.
AARON: The President was moved by your letter, ma'am.
We wonder if you could tell us more.
Daniel was sent to Kandahar in 2013 to battle ISIL.
- Part of the international peacekeeping force.
- Yes.
And one of the first American casualties.
At his funeral, one of his soldiers, Corporal Mankiewicz, told me Daniel single-handedly kept the insurgents at bay until help could arrive.
He stopped them from overrunning the American position.
Sounds like conspicuous bravery.
I think so.
But I wrote his C.
O.
Colonel Baines.
And he ignored me.
Uh 12 letters over the past 4 years, and he didn't answer one.
Daniel once told me Special Forces was like family.
But this is not how you treat family.
Our son Danny Jr.
Is 7 now, asking about his father.
I would like to be able to tell him his dad was a war hero and not just some stranger who died 10,000 miles away.
Ma'am, on behalf of the President, we promise to look into this.
Thank you.
[KEYBOARD CLACKING.]
Sergeant Goff's unit was ambushed in Kandahar.
Mortars.
RPGs.
Machine guns.
They were pinned down for hours.
Took a lot of casualties.
Sounds like you deserve a medal for even coming through that, Colonel Baines.
I agree.
But Goff wasn't there.
Where was he? He was doing recon in the Kabul Dwarza district.
It's a click away.
That's where the IED took him out.
Did you explain this to Sergeant Goff's widow? Repeatedly.
But she kept writing.
She's not the first widow that wants recognition for her husband, but facts are facts.
After some time, I had to stop responding.
Were there any other witnesses to this firefight? Just Corporal Mankiewicz.
He's the one that put the idea of a medal in her ear.
So where's Corporal Mankiewicz now? AARON: He's dead, sir.
He committed suicide a year after leaving the service.
Well, according to this, he was the only potential witness left.
So I guess that's that, then.
Mike, is there something you want to add? It's not appropriate, sir.
It is if I'm asking.
It's just that was Goff's unit.
It doesn't make sense he'd be a click away from his men if they were expecting hostiles, which they would've been.
So you think Colonel Baines is mistaken.
In my opinion, sir.
[SIGHS.]
Mike served six years Special Forces.
If he doesn't think something's adding up, something's not adding up.
- Dig deeper, Aaron.
- Yes, sir.
- Emily, can I borrow you? - Of course, sir.
They've been banging the drum on this all week.
Yeah, the media's picked it up, which is why Foerstel is trying to induce Alex to testify now.
He knows the heat's turning up.
He's trying to take advantage of the timing.
I got a message from his office today.
He has an update for us on the Cincinnati area police abuse investigation.
Why? That's been dormant for months.
I know.
The timing's odd.
No, it's not.
He wants to talk off the record about my wife's subpoena.
That's why he contacted you instead of Kendra.
Do you want me to take the meeting? Yes.
The second he talks about Icarus, walk away.
I don't want this office to even have the slightest appearance of trying to obstruct this investigation.
Understood.
Thank you.
Mr.
Director.
Thank you for meeting me.
I understand you have an update - on the Cincinnati investigation? - Yes.
My considered opinion is there may have been wrongdoing.
Serious wrongdoing.
And our opinion is that the facts to date don't remotely support that conclusion.
It's a provisional opinion, which is why the investigation has to continue.
Despite the fact that you're chasing what any objective observer would describe as innuendo, wild conspiracy theories.
All investigations chase those things - until they disclose the truth.
- Or turn up nothing.
Meanwhile, damage is done to those you're investigating.
Damage that may be irreparable.
If the subjects of this investigation are innocent, - there won't be any damage.
- [SCOFFS.]
We both know that's not true, Mr.
Director.
Reputations can be harmed.
Institutions eroded.
That's not my concern.
Is that what you want me to tell the President? Tell him Cincinnati is not personal.
It's professional.
And that I owe a duty to the American people to follow this to the end of the line.
No matter what.
Foerstel wanted to meet with me to underscore he wouldn't stand down.
- TOM: Didn't think he would.
- LYOR: And here's why.
The media is covering the Icarus investigation now, which means he's staking his professional credibility on the outcome.
Not a problem if you're a career civil servant.
- Which he is.
- But not for long.
I played a hunch, sir.
I reached out to a source in Albany, where he's from, and it turns out, he formed an exploratory committee for a 2018 New York Senate run, right when the Icarus investigation began.
And that's not all.
He has a secret PAC in the works, too.
They've already raised half a million dollars.
And he's doing it all on the back of the investigation.
We know how much you respect process, sir, so we are recommending that you appoint a special prosecutor to investigate.
- A special prosecutor? - LYOR: Yes, sir.
It doesn't end the Icarus investigation.
It simply removes Foerstel from the equation.
Which we believe is in the best interest of the White House now that he may have ulterior motives.
Ambition is not an ulterior motive.
It's a by-product of the work that gets done in this town, and no one's immune.
- Present company included.
- Sir With regards to a special prosecutor, history tells me that they're runaway trains.
One investigation turns into another, et cetera, et cetera.
Way too risky.
It's the lesser of the two evils, sir.
- A risk we can manage.
- Emily, I get it.
I'll take it under advisement.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
Hey.
So, Three-Letter Day, huh? - Yeah, Three-Letter day.
- Wait.
Hang on.
Um can I talk to you? - I-I've got a thing.
I - Look.
Um, I-I actually have a thing, too, okay? It's called walking on egg shells, which is what I feel like I've been doing the last couple days.
I'm just wondering if you told the President that I got arrested for covering up my brother's drugs and what that means for me, because I'm kind of also obsessed with this other thing called job security.
It's an evolving situation.
Evolving.
Got it.
Yeah.
Okay, that's also a thing.
Ah.
Interesting fact.
A colony rears several queens at once.
The first queen that hatches stings the others to death in their cells.
If two emerge at once, they fight until one is killed.
It's just like an election, Seth.
EDDIE: I didn't set out to be an apiarist.
It began as a hobby.
And then before I knew it, I had three colonies.
- Their upkeep must take a lot of time.
- Well, yes.
But I now harvest $4,000 a month worth of honey from my hives.
That's excellent.
So, uh, how can we help? Eddie thinks the FAA is killing our bees.
LYOR: Really? How? Well, that new Air Route Surveillance Radar facility, it opened around the time of the die-off.
Bees navigate using magnetic fields.
I think the radar is disrupting that.
Are they flying into trees? LYOR: No, Seth.
They're insects, not imbeciles.
They use a solar compass to navigate.
Disrupt that, you compromise their spatial memory.
They can't find their food.
You must be a fellow melittologist.
I dabble.
- So you've spoken with the A.
R.
S.
R.
? - Yes.
I told them that two of my three colonies had been completely wiped out, but they ignored me.
And that's why I wrote the President a letter.
Eddie's very proactive.
Well, so is the White House.
Oh, we really didn't mean to put you to all this trouble.
Oh, no, no.
The trouble will be the FAA's.
Tell apis cerana to stand by.
Help's on the way.
Uh, we'll, uh, be in touch.
[LAUGHS.]
LYOR: Interesting fact.
Bees never sleep.
- I don't care.
- They're the only insect that produces food for humans.
- I still don't care.
- Oh.
You've been stung, haven't you? Hey, Ms.
Slater.
Seth Wright.
This is Lyor Boone.
Thank you so much for coming.
On behalf of the FAA, we're thrilled the President has an interest in aviation.
Oh, he doesn't.
His interest is in bees.
Oh, God.
Not that Eddie guy again.
You remember him? As the Administrator of the A.
R.
S.
R.
, I have a hard time forgetting someone I nearly had to get a restraining order against.
The letters, the calls.
The pickets.
All of which you ignored.
No, we didn't.
We tried to reach an amicable settlement, but the problem resolved itself.
At least I thought it did.
Who told you that? Helen Adamson.
His wife.
HANNAH: That's her.
Chandler's daughter.
Ms.
Dern.
I'm Hannah Wells, FBI.
This is Kendra Daynes, the White House Counsel.
I left you a few messages.
TRACY: I have nothing to say to you.
It's about your dad.
You remember him, don't you? Winter Haven.
You spend a lot of time there? Please leave me alone.
Did you write to us about your dad? No.
Tracy, we work for the White House.
If your dad is innocent, we can save him.
If you know something that could - help us prove that - I don't.
Now, please.
Just let me go.
[ENGINE STARTS.]
She couldn't even look us in the eye.
Could be a guilty conscience.
But let's play it out.
Okay? She's a strung-out teen back in the day.
Somehow got mixed up in the Ketamine buy, the agent's death.
Her dad takes the fall for her.
When he's looking at his last meal, she finally caves.
Writes a letter to save his life.
I'll find out if she has a rap sheet, - any prior drug convictions.
- Okay.
I have to meet Agent Rennett about the First Lady's case.
- I'll see you in the White House in an hour? - Will do.
- I'll call you as soon as I hear something.
- Okay.
- Hey.
- You've been scarce.
Yeah, it's Three-Letter Day.
Is that some sort of postal holiday? No, it's What do we have on the banker? Our Mr.
Lang has dual citizenship.
St.
Lucia and the U.
K.
Multiple passports.
He landed here using his St.
Lucia passport.
Used his British one to pass into Canada a few days ago.
He's exploiting multiple identities so we can't catch him in real time.
Good way to stay one step ahead of the banking regulators.
By the time our systems update, he could be in Kathmandu.
We have to find him.
He is the First Lady's last hope to avoid the FBI inquiry.
- [CELLPHONE RINGS.]
- Yeah? Alfonso Lang has a condo in Georgetown he leases through a closely held corporation called Montserrat Alliance.
I'm texting you the address.
Chuck, we don't even know that he's in the country.
I do.
I can trace a purchase to a company credit card 90 minutes ago.
A massage parlor in Dupont.
Thanks, Chuck.
Lang's local.
Chuck is texting us the deets.
If we can get Lang to confess that he was working at Lloyd's behest to make it look like the First Lady was getting a payola from Icarus, we can clear her name.
Great.
I'm gonna hit the loo.
I'll see you in a second.
[TIRES SQUEAL.]
[ENGINE REVS.]
[BREATHING SHALLOWLY.]
You got a partial plate? First three letters.
Chuck's running it.
There's a lesson here, you know? What's that? You shouldn't beat up bankers without me, especially bankers that want to frame the First Lady.
Yeah? You think you could've gotten out of the way of that car? Nope.
I would've shot the guy before he got in it.
Mr.
Lang? Hannah Wells.
FBI.
[TELEVISION CHATTER.]
TV's on.
You sure it's not someone calling for help? Exigent circumstances.
No need for a warrant.
You really have been here too long.
I've been here longer.
Hello? Mr.
Lang? [MICROWAVE BEEPING.]
We just missed him.
Someone tipped him off.
AARON: Colonel Baines, we have more questions about Kandahar.
Those are the GPS coordinates of Sergeant Goff's phone during the battle in which he was killed.
EMILY: You know what's interesting about these coordinates, Colonel? They put Sergeant Goff smack in the middle of the battle, not a click away doing recon.
That's the information I had.
Well, let me show you the information we have.
This is a divorce filing.
Your divorce filing, and it lists adultery as the grounds.
An affair your wife had with Sergeant Goff.
Filing a false report is a court-martial offense.
Dishonorable discharge, prison time.
But I don't need to tell you that.
No, you don't.
So you are going to amend your statement of Sergeant Goff's conduct and you'll include a recommendation that he be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
Okay.
I'll do that.
Thank you.
And I won't leave out any of it Not how he betrayed my trust, or seduced my wife, or ruined my marriage, or any of it.
And his grieving widow can frame my statement right next to his Medal of Honor.
So both of you disagree with regards to Sergeant Goff? Yes.
We both agree he should be recognized for his valor.
Yeah, but medals are for the living, not the dead.
They provide comfort.
And if we award this medal to Sergeant Goff, his wife will also learn about his infidelity.
And I disagree.
These inquiries have a narrow focus To determine the facts on the battlefield.
- Which deserve commendation.
- Yes.
Once you start factoring extraneous personal circumstances into the mix A medal is about extraneous personal circumstances.
What it will mean to the next of kin.
I think the greatest gift we can give the next of kin is the truth.
I would like to meet with Mrs.
Goff and her son here in the Oval Office.
Absolutely.
Sir, may I address another matter? Sure.
What is it? I'm here championing for transparency.
And I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't been as transparent with you as I should have been regarding a personnel issue.
I'm listening.
[EXHALES DEEPLY.]
A few days ago, Seth was arrested and charged with I already know about it.
You do? The District of Columbia D.
A.
He's a friend of mine.
We play cards together.
He told me as soon as I got back from Kabul.
I am sorry we didn't have this conversation sooner.
So am I.
But the point is, we're having it now.
I know that the White House is like a family, and I can't even imagine how difficult it is for you sometimes in the trenches with everyone.
Yes, sir.
But the truth is, you work for me, and I can't do my job when I'm kept in the dark.
I rely on you to counsel me through these kind of matters.
Understood.
Having said that What do you think I should do about Seth? [SIGHS.]
[BEES BUZZING.]
LYOR: Look at them.
So innocent, so vulnerable.
SETH: They're bees, Lyor.
Wait, Lyor.
Hold on.
She accused Helen Adamson.
Justice must be done, Seth.
Hey, wait, wait, wait.
Lyor.
Lyor, relax.
I am relaxed.
Relaxed as someone about to confront a woman over apicide can be.
- That's not a word.
- Yes, it is.
- And we don't know that she killed the bees.
- Yes, we do.
And you have to stop ringing the bell.
No, I don't.
Sorry.
Just got out of the shower.
Ma'am, we need to talk.
Oh, okay.
Eddie stepped out.
- Oh, just the three of us, then.
- No, that's okay.
We can actually come back at a more convenient time.
- Thank you.
- No, I'll just be a minute.
- Come on in.
- Great.
So, just make yourselves comfortable and I'll be right back down after I change.
Thank you.
Thanks.
What are you doing? Hey.
You realize this gives me more evidence for your involuntary commitment application.
She killed the bees, Seth.
- Thousands of them.
- No, she didn't.
- The FAA did.
- Wrong.
Two of the three colonies collapsed completely.
The third seems to be fine, which means that while the radar may have weakened them, she applied the coup de grace.
And this was it.
Helen Adamson is the colony collapse disorder.
Okay, Animal Planet, you want to slow down and take me through it? This is royal jelly, Seth, a massive amount.
You take too much from the hive, the queen stops laying.
The larvae starts dying.
- Why would she kill the bees? - [SCOFFS.]
Jealousy.
Have you seen the house? It's a shrine to bees.
A glorious shrine.
So she gets rid of the bees, she gets her husband back? Yes, except he's going to leave when he learns she's a serial killer.
Whoa.
He's not learning anything, okay? Our remit is to save the bees, not wreck their marriage.
Oh, no, we're going to save the bees - by wrecking the marriage.
- No, no, no, listen.
I have a plan, okay? It will save your precious little bees and the federal government from an alienation of affection lawsuit.
Now sit down, shut up, and let me explain.
Why do they call it the Oval Office? Because it's shaped like an oval.
What's an oval? Sort of like a circle, but squished.
- Is there a triangle office? - [CHUCKLES.]
Danny, that's enough questions.
No, it's fine.
No, there isn't, but it would be really cool if there was.
Why don't we have a seat? Mrs.
Goff, I am very sorry, but I am not gonna be able to present your husband with the medal.
Our investigation was inconclusive.
Memories fade, witnesses disappear, and obviously there is a very high standard of proof for this sort of thing.
I understand, sir.
I asked you both here today because I wanted to present you with this from me.
And I wanted to talk to you, Danny, about your father.
Okay.
I want you to know how brave he was.
And that there are people alive today because of what your father did.
That's what made him a hero.
My dad was brave.
Yes, he was.
Very.
And if anyone asks you how you know that, I want you to tell them that the President of the United States told you.
Thank you.
No.
Thank you.
We're pleased to report that the FAA has agreed to redirect its radio waves so that your colonies are no longer affected, Mr.
Adamson.
- Really? - LYOR: Yes.
So we anticipate a resurgence in your bee population.
A robust resurgence.
See, Helen? I told you President Kirkman cared.
Oh, actually, the person you should be thanking is your wife.
She's the one who brought the FAA to heel.
I don't know what to say.
Well, we'll let you say it in private.
No, wait.
I'm ashamed of my behavior.
I've repaid my wife's devotion with treachery, and I want to confess it in front of everyone here.
Eddie? - We should go, Lyor.
- Shh.
EDDIE: Your roses? - The ones the deer ate? - HELEN: What about them? It wasn't the deer.
I I poisoned them.
What?! Why would you do that? - Now, Lyor.
- You're being rude, Seth.
This man wants to unburden himself.
They were drawing them away from better food sources.
I was desperate.
Oh, God, I I am so sorry.
HELEN: I'm sorry, too.
That I didn't kill more of those parasites.
You killed my bees? Not enough of them, you bastard.
- You murderer! - You're the murderer! - LYOR: Now we can go.
- My mother was right about you.
HELEN: Oh, speaking of someone I want to kill.
Don't you dare mention her name.
I should've married Lance Burlington when I had the chance.
Lance? Please! Wait, someone tried to run you down? It's an occupational hazard.
I'm fine.
Talk to me.
I checked Tracy in the system.
No record.
But I got a hit from another Dern Her brother Frank.
What's his collar for? Drug conviction in 2001.
Six months after his dad's conviction.
Misdemeanor possession of Get this Ketamine.
Which was a rare designer drug back in 2001.
Meaning if Chandler Dern was trying to cover for someone, it wasn't his daughter.
- Keep each other posted.
- Right.
Deal.
Is the President going to pardon me? Not unless you tell the truth.
I've been telling the truth for 16 years.
I'm innocent.
I believe you.
And I also believe you know who's not.
This is the arrest record for your son Frank.
What does that have to do with anything? We both know what happened that night.
Your son tried to buy Ketamine.
It went wrong.
He killed Carl Marley.
That's a lie.
And you took the fall.
And you made your daughter keep the secret.
And it destroyed her.
But she kept faith with you.
Until she couldn't anymore because she didn't want to watch her father die.
If you think I'm gonna give up my son, you must not have children.
Sir, you've been tried and convicted for this crime.
No prosecutor on Earth will try to charge Frank for this now, let alone try to convince a jury to convict him.
But the world will know.
Mr.
Dern, if you want the President to pardon you, he needs to hear the truth from your lips.
I regret the damage done to Tracy more than anything.
And I would gladly die if it would ma her whole again.
But I can't help her now.
I can help Frank.
He has a life, and I will sacrifice mine so that he can keep his.
Guard! [DOOR LOCK BUZZES.]
[KNOCKS ON DOOR.]
Hey.
Hey, uh, I'm busy, Seth.
This will just take a second.
I just wanted to let you know that I've decided to offer the President my resignation.
What? I've been skulking around here the last two days, Emily.
I know he knows I've been arrested.
I-I can see it in the way he looks at me.
I can hear it in his tone.
He put me on bee patrol.
He cares about bees.
Bee patrol with Lyor.
Yeah.
I'm in the doghouse, Em, and I don't know how to get out.
So I figure I'll offer him my resignation.
If he accepts, I know I'm good, and if not He's not gonna accept it.
How do you know that? Because I told him to fire you.
And he declined.
- I had to be objective, Seth.
- No, I know.
And an objective Emily would view your behavior as disloyal to this place.
You compromised the one person you can't compromise, and you did it willingly.
I know.
[SIGHS.]
And you compromised me.
And I've I've looked at this every which way since it's gone down.
I mean, I've reconsidered every option.
And here's where I come out.
I would do it again because Michael's my brother, and I protect my family.
I know.
And that's exactly why he won't fire you.
But you get one "get out of jail free" card with him, and you just used it.
So what now? Come here.
Now go forth and sin no more.
Thanks.
For what? Trying to get you fired? For always doing the right thing.
[SIGHS.]
The right thing to do.
[SIGHS.]
Sometimes it seems impossible to even know what that is anymore.
Yes, sir.
Your case summary makes it perfectly clear that Mr.
Dern covered for his son.
In his mind, trying to protect his family.
However misguided, I don't think anyone deserves to die for that.
I agree, sir.
But the fact remains there's a dead federal agent whose murderer is walking the streets because Mr.
Dern chose to obstruct justice.
And he has to pay for that.
But not with his life.
So you're commuting his sentence.
Yes, but not his conviction.
He will spend the rest of his life in prison, unless he chooses to tell the truth.
[PHONE BEEPS.]
Can you please patch me through to the penitentiary? Thank you.
CHUCK: The car that nearly hit you was a silver sedan, Maryland plates that start with SK1.
I was able to narrow it to 19 people.
Did you cross-reference this list with connections to Alfonso Lang? Yeah.
Nothing.
What about the Federal Bank of St.
Lucia? Ran that search too.
Nada.
I'll run a deeper search.
Look for even tangential contacts between these people and Icarus, Patrick Lloyd.
19 cars is a lot of cars.
Yeah, it's a lot of cars.
But the person who tried to take me out would want to make sure that this car wasn't traced back to them.
You know what's interesting about this list? One of the cars on it was in an accident three days ago.
- Where are you going? - I got a hunch.
HANNAH: And if I'm right, I'll know who tried to kill me.
FRANK: That's good work, boys.
See you tomorrow.
Agent Wells.
I assume you heard about your father's commutation.
I did.
Thank you for all your work.
It's, um, it's been a great relief.
I'm sure it is.
It would be a terrible thing to watch him die for a murder you committed.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Drop the act, Frank.
We both know you're never going to answer for it, but you will answer for something.
- You're making a big mistake.
- No, you did, when you used one of the cars that your shop was repairing to try and kill me.
We know you were driving the car, Frank.
Your office manager saw you get into it.
- She's mistaken.
- Put your hands up.
On the car.
Now! Saving your dad meant that I would ruin your reputation, so you tried to run me down.
Well, guess what.
It's been 16 years, but you're finally going to jail, you son of a bitch.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
AVA: Mr.
President, I have the First Lady for you.
Thank you, Ava.
Hey.
I was just heading up to the Residence.
I know.
This couldn't wait.
- You need to fire John Foerstel.
- Why? Because he is using his office to create headlines for himself.
He is purposely muddying the waters for potential political gain.
He's betraying his oath of office, Tom.
That is why.
Alex, it's not that easy.
Yes, it is.
Patrick Lloyd has been dead for two months, and we are still being haunted by him.
The fabricated bank account, The The conspiracy with Icarus that doesn't even exist - None of this is real.
- I know.
Why are you letting us get dragged down by an investigation when you can do something about it? My staff wants me to appoint a Special Prosecutor.
You want me to fire Foerstel.
All of you are missing the point? What is the point, Tom? The point is, that your mother committed a federal crime.
- Oh! - 30 years ago maybe, but she committed a crime, and there are consequences, and I can't just change the rules because it suits us.
John Foerstel is preparing to run for Senate.
He is not playing by the rules.
Yes, he is, damn it! And he's doing his job.
Maybe not the way we want him to.
But I can't fire him for that.
And if I did, who would I be? My husband.
Wow.
I can't believe you just said that.
You're questioning my commitment as a husband because I won't interfere in an investigation where we've done absolutely nothing wrong? You're a hell of a lawyer, Alex.
But you are a lousy defendant.
I'm-a be your love, I'm-a be your love Stone cold Out of sight Too dark to trace the light More wine? Sure.
Oh-oh, oh-oh Uh-oh.
- Are we out? - Yep.
Don't leave me when I'm alone [CELLPHONE RINGS.]
Oh-oh, oh-oh Oh-oh, oh-oh And I'll be here when daylight's gone Burning the midnight oil, Chuck? CHUCK: Yeah.
Listen.
I got something.
I ran Lang's cellphone.
You were right.
Somebody called him right before you got to his condo.
From a burner.
- Do we know who it was? - No.
But I triangulated the signal based on the cellphone towers.
The call came from Fourth and H.
2:22 p.
m.
I'm gonna hit the loo.
I'll meet you there.
CHUCK: Hannah? Are you there? Yeah.
Thanks, Chuck.
I'll talk to you soon.
DAMIAN: Hey, what's it gonna be? Work or pleasure? Pleasure.