Covert Affairs s03e13 Episode Script

Parker, will you marry me? I'm with the CIA.
I can't marry you.
Goodbye, Auggie.
You're caught by Russian authorities, there's nothing the CIA can do to help.
After all that time in solitary, - you're probably sick of me by now.
- Never.
I'd like to welcome you to Bluebonnet Farm.
So, you were unable to separate your professional life from your personal one.
Hey, Joan.
How you holding up? I've been better.
I want you to work with Eyal, but don't share the intel with him.
Why is Mossad investigating Khalid Ansari? We believe he's using a series of charities as terror funds.
You put me on this because I'm good at handling Eyal.
My concern is that he's handling you.
This is my place in D.
C.
You can stay here until you get your feet back under you.
Whoever's there, I hope you brought breakfast.
Auggie, it's me.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.
The courage to change the things I can.
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Keep coming back.
And remember, what you see here, what you hear here, what you say here, let it stay here.
Especially here.
I could go for some breakfast.
Our usual spot? Seth? Yeah? You're a great friend.
And I owe you a lot for getting me back into the program.
But I don't think we should meet anymore.
I can't keep using you as a one-man support group.
It's not a burden.
Look, I, I love that we've grown close again.
Me, too.
And that's the problem.
The program discourages opposite-sex sponsorships for a reason, especially when two people were romantically involved.
Do you have somebody else that you can lean on? And have you spoken to Arthur about this? I'll be fine.
Can you honestly tell me that you're out of the woods on this relapse? Look, do me a favor, okay? Just tell Arthur what you're going through.
In a place that polygraphs as much as this, I can't put him in that position.
Bye, Seth.
I thought you were in Eritrea.
Well, I came back.
On the plane, I finally listened to The Black Saint.
I see why you and Billy were always raving about Mingus.
The man was a master.
Well, now I need the full jazz education.
What should I download next? Parker, I really need to get to work.
Um, after Billy died, my parents started getting compensation checks from the Army.
PDIC.
But there was some kind of glitch.
You know, my parents had been scraping by.
But then, the payments just stopped.
Now they're behind on their mortgage.
So that's why you came back, to help them.
Yeah.
And, uh, I was hoping that maybe there Maybe your ex-boyfriend could pull a few strings.
If this was for me, I wouldn't be here.
Okay? But, Auggie, the bank sent a last notice.
They're going to foreclose.
Look, I feel for your parents.
I'm just I don't know Hey, you have every right to be mad.
I'm not mad.
I'm just not sure how I can help.
This is the house where they raised Billy.
You know, if they lost it, they'd never recover.
All right, I'll look into it, okay? Thank you.
Annie, what are you doing here? You were supposed to report back to Bluebonnet Farm this morning.
Well, I thought this was more pressing.
That is not your decision to make.
I assume you read the file I e-mailed you this morning.
I did.
It's compelling.
My opinion hasn't changed.
We shouldn't be digging into Khalid Ansari.
The State Department has made clear the whole Ansari family is untouchable.
According to this file, Khalid is meeting with a high-level terrorist in the next 12 hours.
And how do you propose we track down this meeting without knowing its time or location? Khalid is dating an American.
If I can turn her, I think she can help us track him.
This file you have so much faith in, it came from Mossad? Yes.
And based on its contents, it appears Mossad also had access to the intel from the watch drive.
Am I to assume that you shared it with Eyal Lavin, even though I explicitly asked you not to? The decision paid off.
If I hadn't trusted Eyal, he wouldn't have reciprocated with this new intel.
And this is why I'm concerned.
What are you concerned about? I'm concerned your judgment has become compromised.
I'm concerned your decisions are being driven by your emotional attachments, not by objective analysis for your agency, Annie.
What do you mean by emotional attachments? Are you walking down a familiar path? Simon Fischer was a totally different situation.
There's nothing more for you to do here today.
Go home.
We'll reschedule Bluebonnet for tomorrow.
It's Annie Walker for Arthur Campbell.
Does Joan know you're here? I spoke to Joan.
I see.
Have a seat.
I know we don't have a name for the man Khalid's meeting with.
It's Kamal al Masri.
He's a terrorist logistics planner based in Pakistan.
New player.
He's the brains behind the Brothers in Allah network.
The guys behind the London hotel bombings.
Yeah.
And if this file is right, Khalid may be providing them an open checkbook.
We need to track this meeting.
Can we get an IMEl trace on Khalid? It will be hard, but I think there's a play with his girlfriend.
Megan Carr.
American.
Staff Director for the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
She's gonna be tough to turn in such a short timeframe.
And I'll bet you Khalid has got watchers on her 24l7.
Which is why we need to act quickly and quietly.
This file is from Eyal Lavin at Mossad.
Eyal put his life on the line for me.
He can be trusted.
Go talk to Megan.
Report back in an hour.
I'll talk to Joan.
Now you're overruling me behind my back? Well, this is too important to let ego get in the way.
This isn't about ego.
Annie's pitch was a fishing expedition.
You don't have all the information.
I read the file.
It's full of missing links, guesses, codenames.
The man Khalid is meeting is a high-value target named Kamal al Masri.
He just came across our radar.
I didn't get a new HVT e-mail.
Because you were removed from the HVT distro list.
Why? Well, there are people on the seventh floor who believe that you've lost focus since sending Annie to Russia.
After the internal review, you were removed from certain codeword clearance distributions.
Why didn't you fight it? I agreed with the decision.
You haven't been yourself for a while.
First, you tried to resign.
I was giving you deniability.
And then you started disappearing at all hours.
During the workday, late at night.
You have someone tracking me? Absolutely not.
I'm your husband.
I know when you're not yourself.
What's going on? You didn't accept my resignation because you wanted me on the job, and now you're taking my responsibility away? If you're trying to help me deal with the pressure, this is not the best start.
Eyal, call me.
This thing is moving very quickly.
We need to talk about that file.
Get Dan's office a copy of the twelve twenty-nine language, and look into National Symphony tickets for tonight.
Bar Dupont.
Can I help you? Hi.
I'm, uh, late to meet my girlfriend and she's not picking up her cell phone.
Did they say who was calling? Unfortunately not.
I transferred the call to this line.
Thank you.
Hello? Someone there? That's a beautiful bracelet.
I hope it was a gift from someone special.
It was a gift.
Are those emeralds? Who are you with? The Post? Times? Does it matter? You've kept your relationship secret for a good reason.
Your committee's drafting an omnibus bill.
Dating an executive from the top foreign oil producer would be a significant conflict of interest.
I wouldn't want that to get out.
I have a few minutes until my lunch.
Let's grab a drink.
I know you're busy, so I'll get right to the point.
My employer needs to locate Khalid.
All we need you to do is make one phone call to him.
You can drop the "my employer" charade.
The second I started dating a Saudi businessman with ties to oil, I knew the CIA would come calling.
Racial profiling is alive and well.
I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important.
No, you're here because you suspect Khalid of something.
But he's not the man that you think he is.
We met on a panel at an energy summit in Berlin.
He's charming.
He's cosmopolitan.
He's not the kind of man that I expected to fall in love with, but he makes me feel alive in a way that I haven't in a long time.
And you've never seen any warning signals? Long, unexplained absences? Questionable business dealings? We have an understanding.
No questions about work.
Sometimes, what you don't know can hurt you.
Every relationship that you've ever been in, you've had full transparency? Trusted your partner completely? There were leaps of faith.
How long have you been at the Agency? Two years.
When I was your age, I thought I could have it all.
Perfect job.
Perfect husband.
I judged other women for their choices, the same way that you're judging me right now.
Dating Khalid is no ordinary choice.
You could be subpoenaed by the Ethics Committee.
You could lose your career.
You don't choose who you fall in love with, no matter how much baggage they have.
Complicated people have complicated relationships.
Is that a gift from someone special? It's a gift.
There's my lunch.
If you and I are so similar, then you know I do this job because I love my country and I want to serve.
I think you do, too.
I'm sorry.
Good luck.
Hi.
How are you? Thanks for coming.
Check, please.
This mission was a high-wire to begin with.
Now, you want authorization for a Level Three Document Removal.
Given the time constraints, I feel it's our only option.
Do you know what a big risk this is, taking top secret documents out of this building? Not just documents.
I also want surveillance photos from Project Panther.
A domestic surveillance program we don't acknowledge exists.
Megan is either in denial about Khalid's true nature, or she's unusually loyal.
But I think if she saw the information we're seeing, she could be convinced to cooperate.
And if this fails and she turns around and tells her bosses, we'll both be testifying before Congress.
I don't think we have any other option.
Khalid and al Masri are meeting within a matter of hours.
This is a lot to risk based on intel from Mossad.
Are you sure it's valid? Are you sure it's trustworthy? Yes.
You're willing to stake your reputation? Your career? Absolutely.
I suppose you already have.
Hey, not so fast.
You are a tough girl to get a hold of.
Why, were you trying to get a hold of me? I've got a hold of you now.
Far be it for me to stir the pot, but you may have some fence-mending to do with Joan.
I have intel on a potential terrorist meeting, and Joan wouldn't let me follow it down.
That intel came from a competing spy service.
So, it's okay to use Eyal to get me out of Russia, but now he's untrustworthy? That's not what this is about.
Then what's it about? This building.
This family.
Someday, you're going to need Joan.
Bureaucracy has a funny way of keeping people together.
This is actionable intel, Auggie.
I hear you.
Just keep your guard up, okay? You know I don't have feelings for Eyal, right? You don't have to explain yourself to me.
Two visits in one lunch.
I'll give you one thing, you don't lack for persistence.
These are contributions to supposed charities that are fronts for radical groups.
If we believed every paranoid analyst from Langley, we'd have to round up the entire adult male population of Saudi Arabia.
It's not just from any analyst.
This evidence is solid.
Look, I am just as patriotic as you are, but I am not about to betray somebody that I care about based on speculation.
Do you recognize this man? He doesn't look familiar.
He's been sitting in the lobby since you arrived.
Right now, he's wondering why your lunch date has left and you're still here.
It's a busy hotel.
He could be here for any reason.
I believe Khalid hired him to keep tabs on you.
I'm sure you're aware how illegal it is to surveil and photograph U.
S.
Citizens.
I am.
But I thought you needed to see this.
You've extended unquestioned trust and loyalty to Khalid, but he has not offered you the same.
Don't do this for me or for the Agency, or even for your country.
Do it for him.
If we track down Khalid and it turns out his dealings are above board, then you can sleep better, confident you proved us wrong.
And if you're right? Then maybe this relationship is a little too complicated.
You sure the guy from the lobby didn't see us? Positive.
We're good.
I texted Khalid.
He doesn't take any incoming calls.
All right.
When you get him on the phone, wait 40 seconds.
That's how long it takes to establish a trace.
Maybe you should text him again.
No, he's going to know that something is off.
We just have to wait.
Hey! Hi.
I'm glad you called.
This isn't a good time.
What is so important? Not even a hello? Well, I'm about to leave on a flight.
Well, there's a Congressional delegation going to Bahrain next week.
Can you meet me? It will have to wait.
I'll call you back tomorrow.
Well, I have to let them know by tonight.
I can't meet you next week.
My work schedule is too unpredictable right now.
Well, when would be a good time, then? Just 15 more seconds.
Megan, you don't sound like yourself.
Is something wrong? Yeah, something is wrong.
Khalid, I'm just tired of all these mysterious absences, of never knowing where you're going to be and when.
Don't you trust me enough to be honest? Where is this coming from? I thought we had an understanding.
I'm putting a lot at risk here, and I just need to know that your heart is in it.
Look, I'll call you back, hmm? We'll plan a trip somewhere special.
No delegations, just us.
Thank you, Khalid.
Goodbye, Megan.
Thank you.
You did the right thing.
I just spooked my boyfriend by pretending to be the clingy woman that I vowed I never would be, so We'll see.
Annie got the IMEl trace on Khalid's cell.
His plane just left Riyadh for Bannu.
I thought I wasn't cleared on this.
I'm clearing you.
You know the region, you know the players, this originated in the DPD.
We need you.
I need you.
What are the next steps? The White House classified al Masri as number 17 on the Kill List.
He's pre-approved for termination.
So, if we can get a clear shot, we can take him out by Reaper drone.
And Khalid? His intention of partnering with a terrorist makes him a viable target, too.
What about his protectors at State? Well, we'll have to go over their heads to the White House.
Oh, seems like the workaround is a trend these days.
Well, we'll be vetting it internally with legal first.
Seth, thanks for coming.
Let's get right to it.
I'm looking for the private who locked Nick Fox in his wall locker at Fort Benning.
Auggie, man.
How the hell are you? Hey.
Hey, thanks for getting me in on short notice.
All right.
I'll take it from here.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I still owe you about 10,000 push-ups from basic training.
It's the least I can do.
Just going to go right in here.
All right.
I checked out your friend's file.
His parents left a signature off their PDIC renewal form, so it has been buried in a pile for the last two months.
How long is it going to take to get out of the pile? Normally, with our backlog, three to six months.
Listen.
I hate to ask for favors like this, but this is a special case.
I feel personally responsible for this guy's parents.
Say no more.
They will have a check by the end of the week.
Consider your push-ups paid off.
Thank you.
You sound good, by the way.
Last time we talked Yeah, I know.
Hey, Kip, we don't need to dredge up anything you feel is best left behind, okay? What are you talking about? I was a pissed-off, miserable drunk from the day I got back from Iraq.
Something needed to change.
I did a tour with Operation Proper Exit.
Oh, is that the group that takes injured vets back to Iraq? Yeah.
You know what? You should do it.
I feel like I made my peace with all that.
Well, that's why you should go as a battle buddy.
They're looking for officers with your experience.
Battle buddy? Yeah.
Not everybody has been able to move on like you.
You'd be doing some fellow grunt out there a world of good.
We've geo-synched this photo of al Masri to a compound just outside of Miranshah which lines up with the GPS trace of Khalid's trajectory.
What about the taxonomy of targets? CT's run this six ways from Sunday.
There are no schools, hospitals or mosques in the blast radius, less than a three percent chance of collateral damage.
Well, that's well within "near certainty" standards.
And you've back-checked these coordinates with additional sources? NSA's looking into calls.
NGA's culling sat imagery.
Joan, where is DPD on all this? Annie's checked in with me.
She's got Khalid's girlfriend on standby if we need further information.
What kind of legal cover do we need to strike both men? Al Masri's a clean case.
He's on the kill list.
But, I'm worried about targeting Khalid.
I don't need the Secretary of State and two former presidents asking me why I killed the son of their favorite golf buddy.
Well, we can't let terrorists roam free just because their daddies have a 10 handicap.
The intel does show clear intent to harm.
There is still a lot we don't know about Khalid.
And after the Lena Smith scandal, we can't afford to be asleep at the wheel.
I'll call the White House for revised strike authority.
Have CTC get a package ready.
What's going on between you and Seth Newman? You didn't make eye contact during this whole meeting.
I'm not a fan of letting legal dictate covert operations.
That's not it.
We've been in hundreds of meetings with lawyers sitting in.
This was different.
I needed someone to talk to, so I've been talking to him.
Talking? Nothing happened.
When you're not talking to your husband, that's not nothing.
Arthur.
When the man you choose to talk to is your former lover, that's certainly not nothing.
And when you take your wife off the HVT list, that's not nothing, either.
Greg McCarthy from CTC is ready for you in the Command Center.
Thanks, Midge.
Looks like I owe you an apology.
Yeah? For what? I shouldn't have doubted that file.
Not only did CTC track down the meeting, Arthur has ordered a drone strike against al Masri and Khalid.
A drone strike? For or against the drone program, it's part of the job.
When's that going down? And you gotta tell me what it's like.
I want details.
What do you mean? Arthur wants you there, in the room.
A vault not even I've been to, and I've got this place dialed.
I can't believe he ordered a drone strike.
What did you think was going to happen when you brought in this intel? Where Where is the Sub-basement level four, past Persia House, second vault on the left.
That's the drone room? I've passed that door a hundred times.
And now you get to open it.
This compound is located two kilometers outside of Miranshah.
Until recently, the area was controlled by the local tribes.
Looks like Al Masri and Khalid are using it as a neutral meeting ground.
Annie, you brought this in, you should be here to see it through.
This photo, provided by Mossad this morning, shows al Masri entering his compound.
HUMINT on the ground confirms no one has been seen leaving the compound since.
This picture, provided by NGA, gives us a broader scope.
Now, this image is from eight minutes ago, shows Khalid arriving at the compound.
Just got White House approval to strike.
Here we go.
Initiate operation.
I'd like to go on record saying this strike is the wrong counter-terrorism play.
Al Masri's a clear case, but Annie's turning Megan Carr changed the equation on Khalid Ansari.
We know next to nothing about him.
We need to know more before we act.
Megan can offer us a way in.
Annie, can Megan get us more on Khalid? With the right handling, yes.
What about the intel that arrived today? Are you telling me that intel is not valid? No, sir, it's rock-solid.
And the intel says that Khalid's a terrorist.
How can we win the war on terrorism if we don't kill terrorists? We take out al Masri, but we let Khalid walk.
We can listen to his calls, trace his money, follow his trail before he even knows what's happening.
The intel Annie brought in is compelling.
It's bumped us up to actionable class.
Get the drone in the air.
Operation Sigma-five is a go.
We're Mary in two Mikes.
Yeah.
Okay.
Interface data's now tracking its course.
I just got off with the NSC.
We're approved to hit both men.
As soon as the drone's in place, we can strike.
Twenty-five klicks to target area.
As a lawyer, what are your thoughts on all this? The drone is a thinking man's weapon.
It's forceful, precise.
No collateral damage to the civilians or the pilots.
Twenty klicks to target area.
One day, a man can be a close ally, and the next day I'm sentencing him to death.
Amazing how fast our friends become our enemies.
There's always collateral damage, Seth.
Always.
Target is within range.
We need your official go order.
Go.
Target is cleared hot.
Pilot copies.
SENSOR Sensor operator copies.
Start your target run.
Starting target run.
Turning inbound at three klicks.
Powering "M" model.
Pre-launch checklist complete.
Target is locked.
Three, two, one, rifle.
Ten seconds.
Five, four two, one.
Target neutralized.
Returning to surveillance position.
What's that? Brandes, I need plates.
Locking in.
Assuming.
Plate Mary Echo 1-1-7.
That's Khalid.
Damn it.
Target is headed north-northeast at 40 kilometers per hour.
Keep him locked in.
- Can we get a clear shot? - Not until he stops.
With the delay in the sat uplink, it's too risky to shoot at a moving target.
Target is picking up speed.
Don't lose him.
He'll stop eventually.
He can't outrun us.
Actually, he can.
Khalid's smart.
He knows we won't fire near civilians, and he's heading right for Miranshah town center.
At this hour, everyone's heading to market.
Khalid's headed straight for the bazaar.
Target is exiting the vehicle.
Can we follow the trace on his cell phone? Searching.
Searching.
Triangulating signal.
Cell phone is still in the car.
Megan.
Megan.
Annie, what are you doing here? Any minute now, you're going to get a call from Khalid.
He just called.
What did he say? He asked about our earlier conversation, but I handled it.
Don't worry.
Khalid is going to come after you.
You need to come with me, and you need to come with me now.
They tried to kill Khalid? Why? I think you're smart enough to know the answer to that question.
Hey.
Hey.
Everything okay? Yeah.
I came as fast as I could.
Here.
Your, uh, parents will get their check by the end of the week.
What? Auggie, I don't know how to thank you.
Oh, hey.
I did it for Billy.
I know.
I have to go.
Listen, something's been bugging me.
Why did you come to me? There's other guys in the unit.
It's not like I work in the V.
A.
Yeah, but I don't know those other guys.
And you have friends everywhere.
True.
And I wanted to see you.
Well, now you've seen me.
I miss you, Auggie.
You said you had to go, huh? What, I'm not allowed to say that? To your ex-boyfriend? No.
Ex-fiance.
Don't minimize our relationship just because it's over.
I loved you.
I wanted it to work.
I tried.
But it didn't work.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, too.
But this has to be the last time we see each other.
Goodbye, Parker.
Goodbye, Auggie.
Pharmacy refill line.
May I speak with Frank, please? Frank's not in, but I can help you.
What's your prescription number? I'd like to speak with Frank.
Can I take a message? I'll call back.
You told me that he wouldn't find out.
I promise you, I thought that, too.
How does it feel to put innocent people in harm's way to advance your own career? Megan, nobody put you in this position but yourself.
As soon as you got involved with Khalid, you became compromised.
You can be as angry as you want, but that does not change the situation.
Please let me protect you.
Stay close.
Excuse me.
Megan.
Are you afraid of heights? Do I have a choice? This way.
Come on.
Come on.
Ah! Go! Annie? Can I see you a moment? DNA checks are underway on al Masri's body.
Khalid's in the wind, but we're looking for him.
About today What's done is done.
How are you? I'm a little sore, but I'm okay.
That's not what I mean.
I'll report to Bluebonnet tomorrow.
That may not be an option anymore.
What do you mean? We had a failed drone strike today because of intelligence you brought into the building.
What do you think it means? It wasn't a failure.
We got al Masri.
There was a lot of collateral damage, Annie.
State Department is irate.
The Saudis are livid.
Khalid will likely go underground.
You're going to put this all on me.
You clearly put yourself in someone else's camp.
Arthur validated that decision.
I'm talking about Eyal.
Eyal? Eyal put his life on the line for me.
He has proven himself in times of crisis.
Annie, we are always here for you.
When my friend died in a car bomb, you let me get reassigned.
When I got thrown into a Russian prison, you let me rot without a shred of hope.
Eyal got me out.
And now, you're questioning my integrity because of my relationship with him? A relationship you encouraged me to exploit as long as it was convenient for this agency.
You know what? I'm done.
I'm done.
Our relationship is clearly more broken than I ever thought it was.
I didn't mean to say you I think you meant to say exactly what you said.
Perhaps your place inside this building lies elsewhere.
A few months ago, you applied to transfer out of this division.
Maybe it's time we revisited that option.
I'm sorry you feel that way.
Sorry doesn't even begin to describe how I'm feeling.
Good night, Annie.
Hey.
Ready to go home? I'm going to take a cab.
And this is where you can reach me for the next few days.
The Mayflower? Why are you staying at a hotel? Oh, it's just for a few days.
I just need to clear my head.
Because I spoke up in the drone room? Oh, please.
You know what I'm talking about.
Arthur, please don't overreact.
That's exactly why I'm doing this.
Because I don't want to overreact.
I don't want to try to hash this out while I'm angry.
But I ended it with Seth.
The fact that you had to end it is the problem.
I really don't think I can take you leaving right now.
We'll get through this.
I just need a little distance.
Arthur, wait.
There's something I need to tell you.
Hello? Remember when you said you could use several cold beers tonight? I never said that.
Ah, maybe that was me.
Anyway, Allen's? You can tell me all about the drone room.
They let you back into Allen's? Turns out the manager is an Orioles fan.
It is amazing what box seats at Camden Yards will do.
It's going to be a while.
I have to complete this after-action report for Joan.
I don't want to leave anything unfinished.
What does that mean? Remember that fence-mending we were talking about earlier? I think that fence is kind of obliterated.
You really do need a beer.
I do.
But I have to finish this.
If I could clone myself, I would be right there.
Wow! More than one Annie Walker.
That would be something.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Sorry, I tried to stop her.
Annie, this needs to wait.
Haven't we already said it all, Annie? The photos were doctored.
Al Masri was never at the compound.
So, we launched a drone strike based on faulty intel.
Mossad played us.
No.
Eyal played you.