Covert Affairs s03e07 Episode Script

Simon is a master spy.
Get intimate enough with a man, and he'll tell you everything.
I like you.
Quite a bit more than you might believe.
Simon.
It's me.
Can I see you? I'm on the short list, Joan, to be the Ambassador to China.
The promise of the Chinese ambassador post is pulling you away like you no longer work here.
The DCI has put me on the trilateral commission looking into Jai's death.
People think I murdered my own son? Hey.
For a week trip, you pack kind of light.
Please tell me you're not wearing this.
I'm going on a business trip to the Caribbean.
Unless you're applying for a job at Sandals, I would lose this shirt.
What kind of business do you have in the Caribbean? I have my fingers in a number of Pies.
Yeah.
I know.
What kind of pies, specifically? Apple.
Rhubarb.
Cherry, when I'm in the mood.
This is always the worst part.
Fashion tips? The end.
We're always saying goodbye, and we never know when we're going to see each other again.
Come with me.
On my trip.
A week together in paradise.
You have to work.
I don't want to interfere.
Well, I've never had a problem mixing business and pleasure.
Have you? I do have some vacation time saved up.
And a bikini I've been dying to wear.
Or not wear.
Where are you going? Bahamas? Caymans? Cuba.
Still interested? When do we leave? Hey.
Thanks for seeing me before work.
My door's always open.
Doesn't matter which door.
Come in.
So, you want to go on vacation with a seasoned FSB operative who very well may be on to you.
Or he may be letting his emotions guide his decisions.
And he's taking you to Cuba.
I know the risks.
If I got caught, the extraction would be extremely high risk.
Extraction? There would be no extraction.
If you got caught, the Agency would have no recourse.
North Korea would be easier.
Still, the potential benefit is huge.
Are you asking me to authorize a mission to Cuba? Because if you are, I can't give you that.
But if you're telling me you're going to go anyway, I can't stop you.
I can't use my regular passport.
The Agency would be able to track me.
So, I'd need an outside forgery.
I know a guy.
Simon saw my passport in Morocco, so the stamps would have to match exactly.
A replacement will find its way to you before your flight.
Now, Simon will probably fly you through Mexico.
It's the easiest way to get Americans into Cuba.
Once I land, there will be eyes on me.
Cuba's always been a hotbed of Russian spies.
They'd love to catch an outside player.
So don't get caught.
Spycraft wouldn't be that much fun without the bad guys, now, would it? Hey, are you busy? I'm stuck on something.
I could use an extra set of eyes.
And I'll let you insert your own blind joke.
I'd love to, but I'm on my way out.
I just came to check a few emails.
I like it.
Banker's hours.
Make that a banker's half day.
Hey! You want to grab a beer later? I'll try not to smash a bottle over anyone's head, but I can't make any promises.
Nice as that sounds, I'm on my way out of town.
Did Joan put you on an assignment I don't know about? I'm taking a few days vacation.
Really? This from the woman who's never taken a day off work for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Kwanzaa.
It was a spontaneous thing.
Now, that is more like the Annie Walker that I know.
Where are you going? Michael's taking my sister away, and they need me to watch the girls.
What about Michael's parents? Didn't they just move out there? They're on a cruise.
And they just now asked you to come out? They're not big planners.
Listen, I'm going to be late for my flight.
I'm fine, Auggie.
We'll catch up when I get back.
I've never pulled a job like this in three hours.
I included a rush fee.
This is fully biometric? I used a blank RFID chip from the actual Thai facility the GPO uses.
And she can travel anywhere.
Any checkpoint in the world.
It routes to a dummy US Government site.
No one here will know she left the country.
And you matched the stamps? And the crease on the Morocco page, and the coffee stain on the German stamp.
Trust me, I've done one or two of these before.
Then this needs to be better.
As long as she has that passport with her, she'll be fine.
That's all I need to know.
Good luck.
Hola, Victor.
Como estas? Gracias.
All that money and you can only afford two wheels? Well, you're welcome to take a cab if you'd prefer.
Annie, do me a favor.
Toss me your passport.
Oh, that's okay.
I can hold onto it.
This isn't America.
You don't leave something that valuable just lying around.
What's the matter? You weren't planning on running away, were you? Yeah.
I was hoping I'd meet a strapping young Habanero and start a family down here.
Well, until then, you'll have to make do with me.
Hello, Lena.
These drones are going to put us out of work, Joan.
Have you spoken with Annie recently? She doesn't work in my division anymore.
You know that.
Well, I'm sure you know she applied for a transfer out of the DPD.
And yesterday, she filed for a week off.
She has vacation days, right? Mmm-hmm.
Many.
Well, that's what they're there for.
Vacation.
I'm sure she just needed to recharge her batteries.
In all the time I've known Annie, she's never been one in need of recharging.
If she needs the time off, just give her her space.
- Look.
Right there.
- Got it.
Joan.
Maybe we'll hang onto our jobs after all.
You still haven't answered my question.
Do you know where Annie is? No idea, Joan.
Look.
I know it's not my place to give you advice, but I'd ease up on the micromanaging.
In my experience, operatives only rise as high as you let them.
You're right.
It's not your place to give me advice.
Sorry for the wait.
I was briefing the commission about what we've found on Jai's murder, which is still not a hell of a lot.
Well, that's why I'm here, sir.
I want back on the investigation.
You know I can't do that.
I've already appointed a new head of OSP.
And what have they found? Look, I understand the mountain of pressure you're under to make headway, and I think I can help.
Absolutely not.
I have read every interview that Henry Wilcox has given since the murder.
I said no.
May I ask why? Henry Wilcox is a dead end.
He will waste hours of your time pontificating and obfuscating.
Or worse, send you down a rabbit hole of epic proportion.
I am willing to take that risk.
I think he's holding something back.
This isn't your decision.
With all due respect, sir, I think you're being myopic.
Operatives who get arrested in bar fights don't get to question their boss' judgment.
This song, it's beautiful.
"Perhaps if I had kissed you again, things would be different now.
" How tragic.
A lifetime filled with "perhaps.
" Oh.
I think it's about Opportunity.
Jumping first and asking questions later.
Seizing every moment so you never have regret.
I love the way you see the world.
How do I see the world? The way I wish I could.
Okay, and last one.
Termination order on Operation Sundown.
Initial and sign.
I will be thrilled if we never waste another man-hour on this Hail Mary.
And I am going to need you for a half hour at the Deputies meeting.
Oh, I'm on the Hill all afternoon.
With who? Senator Gottfried.
This wouldn't have anything to do with him being on the Foreign Relations Committee, would it? Well, the ambassadorship may come up.
Smart move.
He'll be a key swing vote during confirmation hearings.
I thought you were firmly against this.
Against us moving.
Why the change of heart? Because it's clear how much it means to you.
What happens if you actually get it, we'll have to deal with.
Until then, I'm here to support you.
But Oh, I knew there was a "but.
" You've got to put on a full-court press.
You've got to lobby, politic, schmooze.
And a 45-minute sit-down at the Hart Office Building is not going to cut it.
What were you thinking? Dinner.
Our house, with wives.
You hate hostess-ing.
I know.
I do.
But I can put on a good show if I need to.
These are hands down the best croquetas I've ever had.
This was my favorite part of living on the move as a kid.
All the new food.
I'm sure it was a relief to get away from the Moscow cuisine.
Well, you've got that right.
At eight years old, I'd had enough borscht to last a lifetime.
You defected when you were eight? Mmm-hmm.
You must have been scared.
My sister was even younger.
We were terrified.
My parents woke us up in the dead of night, told us we were leaving and never coming home.
But they also told us not to be frightened, because they were bringing along this weathered old steamer trunk, that contained everything we needed to be protected from danger.
And what was in it? It didn't matter.
We felt protected.
You grew up in D.
C? Mmm, I moved around a lot, like you.
I was a military brat.
Did you find that hard, adjusting to all the moves? At first.
But my dad bought me a little souvenir postcard every city we went to.
That made me feel like home.
I know it sounds silly, a postcard from the place you just moved to.
But from a guy like my dad, who had trouble showing emotion I knew it didn't come easily.
Does he still send you postcards? Not anymore.
I seem to have lost track of the time.
I'm late for this meeting.
What was that you said about balancing business and pleasure? I'll be back at the house in an hour.
In the meantime, try the plantains.
They put the croquetas to shame.
What are you doing? Are you here for pleasure? I had to come look for you? Come on, let's go.
Let's get in.
I'm glad you called.
I've had this line scrubbed and back-checked.
I'm clear to talk on my end.
Can you speak freely? You can.
Did you get eyes on Simon's project? I did.
But it was a little hard to get cell reception 12 miles outside of Havana.
I know exactly where you were.
- Get me the latest GCA images of Lourdes, Cuba.
- There you go.
Yep.
Used to be KGB's largest listening station outside of Russia until they closed it in '01.
From a bird's eye, it looks like the facility is still dormant.
I heard it loud and clear.
"Heard it"? It's already operational? Jesus.
With the microchip substrates that Simon took, they can turn Lourdes into a cellular jamming station.
Disrupt cell signals, FAA communications, military command and control.
This is huge.
I mean, this is the kind of find that makes careers.
Now you've got to get your ass back home so we can plan our next move.
Easier said than done.
Little problem with our art project.
It got locked away for safekeeping.
And I can't get out of here without it.
Even if you could somehow sneak out without your passport, an escape like that would burn you with Simon.
It's just not worth it.
My host has a new friend.
Is he six foot, 190 pounds, with a scar on his right arm? That's him.
Yeah, that's Hector Serrano.
FSB's top man in Cuba.
Look, you know I'm not risk averse, but Serrano's not the kind of guy you actively seek out.
He's a former FSB hit man, with two dozen confirmed kills.
Including one of ours.
As long as he's on the ground, you are not safe.
Simon? There you are.
I came home and you weren't here.
Your foot.
Are you hurt? Uh, no.
I tripped earlier on the On the cobblestones.
And I must have cut it and not noticed.
Well, I'm glad you're safe.
You must be Annie.
Uh I am.
I forgot to tell you we have dinner guests.
These are my dear friends, Blanca Gonzalez, and her boyfriend, Hector Serrano.
It's lovely to finally meet you.
We've heard so much about you.
Yes.
So much.
You've found a real catch.
We just love Simon.
Really? How often do you get to see him? Every few weeks.
He's doing some business deal with Hector.
That must be frustrating, always losing your boyfriend to a business meeting.
Tell me about it.
Hopefully, I'll have him back to myself soon.
He tells me this deal is basically finished.
Three mojitos.
The personal vice of your countryman and fellow Cubaphile, Ernest Hemingway.
I wonder what Hemingway would think if he saw our country after I bet he'd still be enchanted with its natural beauty and free-spirited people.
I know I am.
Mmm.
We hear that sentiment a lot from tourists.
I find it incredibly condescending.
Hector, please.
Annie is a guest in our country.
Americans tout our natural beauty and demonize Castro, but it's the embargo that is choking our economy.
Well, I hope they repeal it.
I'm sure the influx of tourist dollars would be a boost to the economy.
Typical capitalist fantasy.
Enough political debate, Hector.
Let's eat.
Perfect timing.
The Gottfrieds are T minus 30.
This is your doing, mind you.
How is that possibly my fault? Thanks to the full-court press, the entire foreign policy establishment wants their pound of flesh.
And one of them wants you to join the cast of Deadliest Catch? The Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs is apparently an avid fly fisherman.
And so now, you are, too.
Or I will be next weekend, when we go to the Upper Potomac together.
Don't laugh.
Come on.
Help me take these tags off.
If I knew I was getting visitors, I'd have worn my good jumpsuit.
Wouldn't make any difference to me.
You could be wearing a prom dress for all I know.
Well, I'll get to the point.
I've read the transcripts.
And it is clear to me that you're holding something back that could help with the investigation into Jai's murder.
What gives you that impression? Call it a gut feeling.
If I knew something that would help find my son's murderer, why in the world would I hold that back? Maybe you're delusional enough that you think that someday, you're going to get out of here and you can solve it yourself.
Or maybe you're just enough of an asshole to hold back out of spite.
Just like an Arthur Campbell disciple, thinking grandstanding will get you somewhere.
Take me back to my cell.
I'm not done with you yet.
Prison time has stripped me of most of my privileges.
But I still enjoy one.
Ending bullshit visitations when I see fit.
You'll have to forgive my boyfriend.
He's not accustomed to women talking to him like that.
Oh.
He should visit the States.
I'd like to see that.
I have to say, you're not what I expected.
Most of Simon's girlfriends want something from him.
Trips, jewelry, marriage Oh.
I'm in no rush to get married.
And I don't like expensive jewelry.
I'm just enjoying the moment.
Well, whatever it is, it must be something special.
I've never seen Simon this happy before.
Yeah.
That's right.
This way.
All the way around.
Hey, can we dance a slow one? Yeah.
May I? Maybe a little later.
It's bad luck in Cuba to turn down a dance.
And I really would love to get to know your new friend.
Sure, it sounds fun.
Okay.
I've never met a mid-level museum worker with so many opinions on international affairs.
Oh, well, I travel a lot.
It's a perk of the job.
What about your sister? What kind of work does she do? My sister? Danielle.
You mentioned her earlier, no? No.
Oh.
It must have been Simon, then.
He talks about you a lot.
Thanks for the dance.
Anytime.
I'm warning you.
Let this go.
I have it under control.
There you are.
Sorry.
I just I think I had too many mojitos.
I just needed to lie down.
Well, I hope tonight wasn't a complete waste.
Did you at least manage to have some fun? I mean, Blanca's great.
And Hector's, uh He's an acquired taste.
What did you and Blanca talk about? Honestly? You.
She said she'd never seen you so happy.
She's right.
I've never met a woman like you.
Ever.
And I don't think I ever will again.
I'm sorry.
Is that too forward? This is new territory for me.
Well, it's new for me, too.
I, uh Maybe this trip and the juggling everything, it Too much too fast? I think you're right.
Maybe we should go home tomorrow.
Yeah, I think I think that would be best.
So, I'm the best man, standing in front of 300 people.
And I hear Oh, my.
So I silence my pager.
It was a pager.
You've got to be panicking at this point.
Think about how the guests feel.
Everyone assumes it's an international emergency.
I know I have to take it, but it's in the middle of the ceremony.
So, I go back down the aisle, past the 300 people, and out the door.
Everyone must think China has invaded Russia.
Everybody is thinking China has invaded America.
So, Arthur's outside making the call.
And the priest And I swear to God this is true.
Starts leading the church in a prayer for our nation's safety.
So what was the page? Low battery.
You two make a comedy team.
Yeah, we're thinking about taking our show on the road.
Well, from what I hear, you'll get to do that sooner rather than later.
Come on.
We both know you invited us here to talk about the ambassadorship.
Guilty.
Well, it wasn't necessary.
You're a shoo-in for the nom, and you're going to sail through the confirmation hearings.
Are you sure? From what I hear, these things are a bit of a trap game.
No, no, no.
The Committee loves the idea of having a heavyweight in Beijing.
And for you, the timing couldn't be better.
Well, everyone knows that your trilateral commission hasn't come up with any answers.
Here's your parachute.
Let your replacement take the fall.
You think that's why I want the ambassadorship? Well, no.
Of course that's not why you want the job.
Call it a side benefit.
So you think I'm going to let the next guy clean up my mess while I'm 7,000 miles away sipping scorpion bowls in Beijing.
Okay, relax.
It was an innocent comment.
From a career politician.
That's got to be a first.
I don't know that I have what it takes to join your ranks.
I'm afraid I'd be bored out of my mind if all I did all day long was look out for my own ass.
Jesus, I didn't mean anything by it.
Why don't I get the dessert? I'm not hungry.
I got this.
I got it.
Change of plans.
My jet doesn't arrive at Jose Marti until noon.
That gives us time to squeeze in some sightseeing.
One last bit of Cuba before you go.
Hector's going to join us.
So we'll take the convertible.
Where's Blanca? She wasn't feeling well.
I thought I'd let her sleep in.
Are you sure we have time? Don't look so worried.
The beauty of private aviation.
You never have to miss your flight.
I don't think they allow tourists.
Exactly.
This isn't one of those tourist traps from the guidebooks.
Hola.
They don't allow talking on the floor.
You'll see why.
The lector kept the workers educated and entertained.
Nowadays, most factories outside Cuba use iPods, but these guys still use the real thing.
I want to show you the storage room.
It's been around since the '20s.
After you.
- Go ahead.
- I insist.
Simon! Simon? We have to go.
Now.
Here we are again.
Another end.
When will I see you again? I need to go home for a few days, take care of some loose ends.
But soon.
I got you a gift.
It's nothing fancy, but it's a little more portable than a steamer trunk.
I love it.
I finally did open that trunk when we got to London, by the way.
My imagination had built the contents up so much, I My curiosity just got the better of me.
And? What was inside? Clothes.
Not guns.
Not knives.
Clothes.
You were protected by your parents' love.
Love makes us do remarkable things.
Oh, wait, I almost forgot.
You'll need this.
As you know, working at the CIA gives me certain privileges, too.
And they include summoning a federal prisoner whenever I damn well please.
Fair enough.
Guard, hold all my calls.
I'm here to tell you a story.
About the first time I met Jai.
Langley was buzzing.
The son of the DCS was coming off the Farm.
And everyone said he was arrogant.
Entitled, self-absorbed Just like Dad.
Exactly, but that wasn't my impression of him.
Maybe it's because I was blind and I couldn't see the $1,000 John Lobbs or that hardened glare.
What was your impression then? Jai had this unstoppable thirst for knowledge.
A yen for solving puzzles and understanding the complexities of this world.
He got that from his mother.
If I did have something What could you give me in return? Nothing.
You want to keep playing these angles, Jai's murder will remain unsolved.
But for once, instead of son trying to emulate father, maybe father should try to emulate son.
Chantilly Lofts, unit 317.
What is that? The location of Jai's safe house.
So how long are we going to wait before we talk about last night? Oh, what's there to talk about? I've got a trash can full of broken plates that might jog your memory.
That might have been a bit excessive.
If you wanted off the short list, you chose a hell of a way to announce it.
Well, maybe I don't want it as much as I thought.
Not if it means selling out the Agency.
But it doesn't.
Jai's murderer is still out there.
And the investigation will continue without you.
Arthur, at some point, you're going to leave the Agency, and you're going to have to leave something unfinished.
Not this.
Why? I mean, why now? Why agree to be vetted, get this far down the line, and then change your mind? I can't leave yet.
Gottfried was right.
To a military man, desertion is the single worst accusation you can make.
Since when do you care about what some senator thinks? What's going on here? We better hit the road if we're going to miss the construction traffic on 66.
And Serrano didn't physically threaten Simon? It wasn't self-defense? Not at all.
So he killed his handler.
That is the most transgressive thing a spy can do.
And he did it to protect you.
That explains why he took you on a mission, ignored the red flags He's in love with you.
The question is, what do I do about it? You're already doing it.
You're forcing Simon to act irrationally.
Now we can manipulate him.
Manipulate him to do what? Whatever we want.
Whatever we need.
What else did you think we were doing here? Playing house? This is what we set out to do.
This is why we inserted you with Simon in the first place.
To build his trust.
And there is no greater form of trust than love.
Annie, this is it.
This is the brass ring.
Now go home.
Get some rest.
Okay?