Madam Secretary (2014) s03e22 Episode Script
Revelation
1 Dr.
Zanner.
Our partners would like an update on your progress.
See for yourselves.
80% kill rate within two weeks.
(speaking Arabic) Makes Ebola look like the common cold, huh? The virus is airborne, friends.
NADINE: And preparations continue for the G20 Conference on Banking Secrecy.
We leave for Rome the day after tomorrow, ma'am.
Ah, Roma, city of carbs.
Have to admit, I've been dreaming about the stracci for the past week.
And a deal with Russia on tax avoidance.
So, where are we on that? Sadly, still in the Gulag.
President Salnikov is making noises about rejecting the entire framework agreement outright.
The fact is, Russia welcomes the money American billionaires hide in dummy Russian corporations.
But frankly, plenty of Russian oligarchs do the same thing here in the U.
S.
So they're willing to look the other way when terrorists hide their money, as long as the billionaires are happy.
With the rhetoric coming out of the Kremlin, the gaggle wants to know if it's Cold War 2.
0.
ELIZABETH: Oh, come on, we're not even close to a cold war.
A little chilly, maybe.
Ma'am, you're needed in the White House.
All right, find out what Salnikov wants.
Two hours ago, Jordanian West Bank border.
This vehicle way back in the line, that's Reverend Andrew Slattery.
We believe that the two men on either side are.
Dr.
Bill Zanner and Lance Abbot.
Our missing doomsday cult members.
We identified the two men in front as Al-Qaeda-in-Syria lieutenants.
I take it this isn't a cross-cultural exchange program.
Confirms our theory that the VFF and Al-Qaeda are working together.
And now they're inside Israel.
Not necessarily.
Based on our warnings, IDF had beefed up security on all border checkpoints.
Moments after this was taken, they turned around, bugged out.
Our best guess is that they'll make another run at getting into Israel through a smuggling tunnel.
Okay.
Doesn't Israel know the location - of those tunnels? - Not all of them.
But the Palestinians do.
We can ask, but I doubt the Palestinian Authority wants to give up its only real strategic advantage to Israel.
What else, Ephraim? I'd like to send a joint CIA-FBI task force to Jerusalem to liaise with Mossad, so we can work shared Intel in real time.
Just Agent Maloof and Dr.
McCord - and a support team.
- Excuse me? I-I mean, I'm-I'm sorry.
Did you know about this? Yeah.
Huh.
It just came up this morning.
Well, as much as I'd like to see where this goes, if nobody has anything else ELIZABETH: It's not that You ambushed me.
(sighs) I would have told you, but we were a little busy trying to prevent a bio-terror attack.
If only there were some method of communication where you could send messages almost instantaneously.
I'm sorry you felt ambushed.
I'm sorry that I called you out in front of the leader of the free world.
I just find it surprising that a guy who was shot multiple times not two months ago and is still on crutches is going to oversee a field op halfway around the world.
Babe.
I've been on point with the VFF mission since the beginning are you really that surprised? Okay, okay, it's not that you're going, it's that you - didn't tell me.
- No, it's that I'm going.
- Are you really gonna push me on this? - I'm sorry you felt ambushed.
Elizabeth.
We have the Israeli and Palestinian leaders - on the line.
- Okay.
Am I at least gonna see you at home? Yeah.
We're not leaving till tonight.
I'd say "break a leg," Henry, but Seriously, good luck.
SAYEDD: We will share information with your government, President Dalton, but not with Israel.
That won't work, President Sayedd.
Mossad has to run point on this.
AARONSON: You really think we don't know about your smuggling tunnels, Bassam? SAYEDD: If we had such tunnels, they would be to bring vital supplies that your government deprives us.
- Nonsense.
They are to attack us.
- To defend ourselves! Gentlemen, you've seen our intelligence briefs.
There are only a few hundred people on the planet with the expertise to whip up a superbug that can kill millions.
Dr.
Zanner is one of them.
ELIZABETH: We're not going to achieve peace in the Middle East today.
But if you don't cooperate on this it might not matter.
ELIZABETH: They both called for emergency sessions of their governments, and now suddenly everyone's on board.
Well, there's nothing like the power of the mutually-assured- destruction card.
- (sighs) - Babe, I'm gonna be fine.
Yeah, so said the man flying straight into said destruction.
Okay, let's talk about how you got the Israelis and the Palestinians to work together.
- Let's focus on that.
- That is pretty cool.
- It's so cool.
- It was very cool.
STEVIE: Hey, um what'd you guys want to talk to me about? I can Oh, no, no.
Yeah.
- I - Okay, so look, um, Mom has to go - to this G20 thing in Rome - Mm-hmm.
and I just found out that I've got to go to a conference in London, so we were wondering if you could, uh, take over for the next week and sort of run the show with your brother and sister? Oh.
Yeah.
Sure, no problem.
Really? Yeah.
I mean, your work is really important and I'm very happy to help, so Cool.
Thanks, honey.
Okay.
Great.
Well, that was easy.
Yeah.
Maybe a little too easy.
We just asked her to spend the week as a single mother, and she just accepted.
She doesn't have any plans? She's 22-years-old.
What, she and Jareth don't have a life? They don't live together.
You ever wonder about that? Maybe she's just a really great kid who wants to help her parents out.
Or maybe she's a mustang and we broke her.
And way ahead of schedule.
No, I'm serious.
I had to grow up way too soon, and it was no fun.
And it did serious damage to my relationship with my little brother.
You and Will are fine and this has nothing to do with what you guys went through.
I know.
I just don't want to clip her wings.
(phone vibrates) I got to go.
Wish I could clip your wings.
(man speaking Arabic over walkie-talkie) What is it? (speaking Arabic) (speaking Arabic) The Americans must have followed you here.
Now, the Israelis are waiting outside.
There has to be another way, another tunnel.
Or maybe through Egypt.
WARE: Reverend Slattery survived.
He's in surgery at Yad la Chole hospital in Jerusalem.
Any sign of the drone or bio-weapon? No, sir.
But the tunnel was being entered by IDF on the West Bank side right about the time they were shot.
So, Al-Qaeda got wind and bailed on the joint attack.
That's our operating theory.
So, we have doomsday weapons in the hands of hardened terrorists with unknown intentions and not a single clue on their whereabouts.
Is there a more optimistic slant, or is that about the size of it? Well, our team just arrived in Jerusalem.
Dr.
McCord and Agent Maloof will be working directly with Mossad.
awaqeded for JACKSON: Bess, I hear our little intel-sharing op - with the Israelis has borne fruit.
- Yeah.
I trust your marriage will survive it.
- I mean it.
- I believe you.
Listen, if you're still up for it, I'd love for you to do what you can to get Stevie off the wait list and over the finish line at Harvard Law.
What happened to withdrawing from the battlefield? Well, I realized that going to school in another state would be good for her.
You know, help her sort of break out on her own, - find her own thing.
- Okay.
The muzzle was starting to chafe.
Thanks.
Listen, if we could just keep it between the two of us, I think that'd be Kind of ironic, asking me to secretly pull strings to help make your daughter more independent.
Wo (sighs) HENRY: We found Al-Qaeda SIGIN in Mossad's most recent intercepts referring to a lab in Deir ez-Zor, Syria.
With mentions of medical equipment used to create a virus and human trials on captured Syrian soldiers.
Very Mengele-esque.
Deir ez-Zor is in the middle of the country, in Al-Qaeda-held territory.
Still, we recommend an op.
It could provide a trove of intelligence.
DALTON: Trouble is, we're on the rebel side of a civil war in Syria.
It's one thing to fight Al-Qaeda, but we'd have to get past government forces, too.
Well, I can reach out to Avdonin, see if the Russians are ready to pave the way - with the Syrian government.
- Hold our noses at Russia's human rights abuses in Syria.
Well, how interested are we in that lab? The Russians would insist on making this a joint operation, wouldn't they? That's my expectation.
Well, who knows? Maybe making nice with Russia and Syria could light the path to an agreement in Rome.
My doctor says optimism lowers blood pressure.
Make the call, Bess.
(knocking on door) Hi.
Hearing rumors about military operations in the Middle East.
Are you? (chuckles) Just wondering if the secretary's still planning on going to the banking conference in Rome.
Yeah, because conflict in one area of the world always derails us from our plans in a completely different area - of the world.
- Right.
Never mind.
Is there something you'd like to discuss? No.
No.
I mean, I'm not thrilled at the idea of seeing all my former colleagues from Baldwin and Wilder suck up even more profit under the guise of helping to defund terrorism, but other than that, no.
No, no concern at all.
- Oh, right.
- (sighs) You started in finance.
Yeah.
One year.
One year as an analyst is all it took for me to realize it wasn't for me, and to haunt me for the rest of my days.
So, you have anxiety about running into old colleagues? Not unless you count waking up at 2:00 a.
m.
in a cold sweat from stress nightmares that I'm back there and all the doors are locked and I'm naked, but, well, not really.
(laughs) I don't know why it's bothering me so much.
I mean, sure, I went into public service, and they all stayed and got filthy rich, but Is that what you wanted for yourself? No.
Maybe.
No.
It's just that they're all so (groans) insanely competitive, and they're gonna think of me as a failure.
I know.
You think I'm insanely competitive, too.
I think you have an admirable drive for excellence.
Oh.
God, I'm just as bad as they are.
I knew it.
I have to go back to my desk.
- Yes, you do.
- I've got a million I-I'm so busy.
(dog barking) (helicopter whirring) (soldier speaking Russian) - The area is secure.
- Head for the lab.
- Let's go! - Let's go! What's the sitrep, Admiral? - Alpha One on-site.
- LZ clear.
Making nice with the Russians paid off.
Clear! Let's go! Let's go.
Six minutes to evac! Let's go.
We're in the right place.
Any vials of anything, take 'em.
SOLDIER: Check the other one.
(explosion) - (automatic gunfire) - DALTON: What the hell? Hostiles on a rooftop up the street.
(shouting) SEAL COMMANDER: Coord Delta 34.
48, 39.
14.
Returning volley and calling in an air strike.
(missile incoming) What the hell just happened? Bomb guidance malfunction.
We hit the Russian position.
Oh, my God.
JACKSON: Al-Qaeda posted it two hours ago.
It's already been picked up by thousands of Russian Web sites.
The narrator is saying that we deliberately attacked Russian soldiers.
I'm guessing my formal apology to Russia isn't getting as much play.
Avdonin isn't returning my calls.
We leave for G20 tonight.
- Anything on the pathogen? - (sighs) Dr.
Warner brightened my day with word that preliminary analysis has it at Ebola lethality, but airborne, making it far more transmissible.
Excuse me, sir.
Director Ware and Oliver Shaw.
DALTON: Welcome back, Oliver.
Uh, thank you, Mr.
President.
It turns out Silicon Valley didn't have the excitement of a weaponized drone threat.
Not that I'm enjoying this.
What's the latest? Yes.
Captain Baker and I developed an exploit to control the drone remotely, but we need to be within the signal radius of the drone's transceiver, which is about 300 miles.
We just completed a search of Israel and its border areas.
It's not there.
So, Al-Qaeda's regrouping, preparing to make another run at it? Or they picked a new target.
I'm leaning toward option two.
Interpol got a hit on one of the fingerprints dusted in the Syrian lab.
An Al-Qaeda foot soldier who was confronted by the local authorities in Istanbul - this morning.
- Okay, now we're talking.
We gonna get a crack at him? He's dead.
Resisted arrest.
But they found 50,000 Euros in his suitcase.
So they're planning something in an EU country? Well, that narrows it down.
To a continent.
On the Jerusalem front, looks like Reverend Slattery is gonna make it.
Dr.
McCord and Agent Maloof will interview him when he comes to.
Adele, get me President Hoffmeier or any member of the European Council who's available, now.
You, my office.
You are having lunch tomorrow with Tony Angilillo, Harvard Law's admissions director.
Uh, yeah, I-I know who that is.
Um, I thought I thought I told you Yeah, to stand down.
What can I say? I'm a giver.
How can how can you even remotely care about my law school prospects with everything going on? That is an excellent question, Stephanie McCord.
Actually reminds me of a conversation I had with my mother during Nixon's final days when it looked like all hope was lost for our shining democracy.
I asked her, "Why should I give a crap about anything when everything seems so bleak?" And she said, "Don't worry.
It's never as bad as you think?" Oh, no, she said, "It's always much worse than you can imagine.
" But, that we might just get out of it one day.
And if we did, I wouldn't get back all the time I'd squandered not giving a crap.
And that is the day I learned how to compartmentalize.
I have President Hoffmeier.
- Put her through.
- You want to go to Harvard Law? - Of course.
- So take the meeting.
Be smart and respectful.
Make something of yourself.
President Hoffmeier.
Yeah, I'm afraid I have, uh, some troubling news regarding a biological weapon.
MO: More Intel from Al-Qaeda-in-Syria suggests target of attack will be "Rayiys alkuffar.
" Head of the infidels.
Head of the infidels.
(monitor beeping) Reverend Slattery, my name is Henry, this is Mo.
We'd like to talk with you for a minute.
You a Muslim? Yes, I am.
Get the hell out.
Well, that's an interesting reaction, especially considering you were willing to partner with Al-Qaeda-in-Syria.
I was doing God's will, that's all.
HENRY: You know, I envy you.
I don't think I've ever felt that, faith without doubt.
What's that like? You don't have the light, I can't explain it to you, I'll pray for you, brother.
You know (clears throat) I spoke with your predecessor, Reverend Finch, at the Covenant of John compound in Bolivia a couple of years ago.
He had that same certainty.
This is from that day, after the raid.
The poison worked quickly.
37 people took their lives.
As was foretold, the six-eyed beast did rise.
And what about the Al-Qaeda members who gunned down your brothers? Was that a different beast? No.
That was The Antichrist comes in the perfect appearance of righteousness.
Is it possible you were fooled by the Antichrist? Was Reverend Finch fooled by me? Was I the Antichrist? Could there be two? A dozen? In the Book of Revelation I know what it says.
Everything's happening according to God's plan.
Your doctor said that the bullet that blew through your chest missed your heart by a millimeter.
I believe God's grace can be one millimeter wide.
And I think you were saved to bring salvation to the world.
You, Andrew.
And now, the righteous arrows of your group the drone, the dreadful disease you planned to unleash all of it has been taken by the Antichrist, and it's up to you to stop them.
You, Andrew, only you, can be the instrument of His peace.
Only you can save millions of His faithful.
(monitor beeping) Reverend? Rev? (sighs) You had me going.
(church bells tolling) (chattering in Russian) Any, uh, word back from Avdonin's office? Still radio silence, ma'am.
Well, I'm sure it won't be awkward when we run into each other at the chocolate fountain.
Got to love Rome.
Ooh.
I'm think I'm gonna be sick.
What? Make way for the pregnant lady.
Permesso! The secretary and Jay are off meeting with the governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, so, Daisy is, um Puking her guts out in the ladies? Strong start.
Blake Moran.
Get out.
Trevor, what are you doing here? Oh, B&W's giving a few, uh, banking privacy presentations.
- Oh.
- It's on the official agenda.
Yeah, I must've missed that.
Well, uh, are you gonna introduce me to your friends? Sorry.
Uh, this is Nadine Tolliver, Secretary McCord's chief of staff.
How do you do? BLAKE: And Matt Mahoney, head speechwriter.
- Hey, man.
- Nice to meet you.
BLAKE: Trevor Kingston.
Uh, Trevor and I worked together at Baldwin and Wilder right out of college.
More like pillaged together.
And you left a lot of money on the table.
Well, got to hang on to my soul.
Oh, gosh, I didn't realize I lost mine.
I guess I was too busy driving the engine of the American economy.
(chuckles) Well, and I was too busy bolstering global democracy so you'd have stable markets to exploit.
As the secretary of state's assistant.
Actually, Trevor, Blake is the executive assistant to the secretary of state.
He's her point man.
Well, I guess you could say he's the, uh, gatekeeper for American diplomacy.
My bad.
(chuckles) It's great to see you, man.
And-and lovely to meet you both.
- Ciao.
- Ciao.
Handsome really does come with its own free pass, doesn't it? (scoffs) Thanks.
(speaking Arabic) (phone rings) Their eyes light up when you rock the Arabic, ma'am.
Well, too bad I don't speak Russian.
I'll reach out to them again.
Do svidanya.
(laughs) Hi, sweetie.
STEVIE: Hey, Mom.
Uh, sorry to bother you, but I'm just curious if you have any idea why Russell Jackson is suddenly back to knocking heads at Harvard? He's knocking heads, huh? That's not a rhetorical stalling tactic, is it? Excuse me? Oh, my God, Mom.
You put him up to it, didn't you? You're a wild mustang.
What? You-you should be free and fly and I'm Pegasus? So I'm a flying horse? Is that actually your excuse for meddling in my life? I just want you to be happy.
I (sighs) I'm sorry.
I-I shouldn't have gone behind your back, and I shouldn't meddle in your life.
And I'll work on it.
(sighs) Please do.
How are your charges? Um, well, I've managed to contain the chaos to dirty dishes and unmonitored social media.
Hey, I'm, uh, thinking of staying home from school, so (scoffs) Yeah, if you can walk and talk, you're going.
(laughs): Oh well done.
That was good.
That was really good.
Deprogramming a cult member requires exposing him to flaws in the cult's pedagogy and, ultimately, the leader himself.
Yeah, but Slattery is the leader.
And he's too arrogant to admit any of his shortcomings in his beliefs.
He was willing to send Ian to be a suicide bomber, but I doubt he'd sacrifice himself.
Like bin Laden holed up in a cave while sending his minions to die.
It's all about self-preservation.
(phone rings) - Hello? - MS.
MORALES: Hello.
Stephanie McCord? Uh, yes, this is she.
This is Ms.
Morales, Monroe High's nurse.
Jason complained of stomach pain and then - I puked in gym class! - Did you get that? Uh, yeah, loud and clear.
But he's okay? Well, he has a mild fever and due to the location of the abdominal pain, I can't rule out appendicitis, so we'll have to take him to St.
Lucius and get a CT scan.
And if the scan shows that it's appendicitis? He'll need emergency surgery.
Oh.
Wow.
JASON: Hey! If I don't make it, clear my search history.
(sighs) Sh (groans) Reverend, I never should have doubted your beliefs.
Clearly, they're strong.
I'm but a vessel of the Lord.
He is my strength.
Well, you're gonna need all of His strength where you're going.
ADX Florence, Colorado Supermax.
23 hours a day in a 12 by seven cell.
The only way out is in a box.
That's in the Lord's hands.
Well, more like the Justice Department.
But if you work with us, we can recommend a Club Fed.
Minimum security, but you have to start talking now.
When they spoke among themselves, it was mostly in Arabic.
But sometimes they'd speak in broken English.
What did they say? Right before we went into the tunnel, Ramjin told Hamid something about a fee for a room.
Like a hotel room? That's all I heard.
"Fee for room.
" I don't think they're speaking in broken English.
What do you mean? "Room" in Arabic is "Rome.
" "Fee" is "in.
" Fee Ar-Room, it means "in Rome.
" (door opens) Are we in touch with Italian Armed Forces? We're establishing a link with Defense Minister Bellucci now.
Any sign of the drone? It was just spotted over Ferentino, 40 miles southeast of us, heading for Municipio VII.
It's a straight shot to Vatican City.
Ever since its inception, Al-Qaeda's been trying to even the score for the Crusades.
They're after the Pope? Head of the infidels.
AIDE: We have the Sit Room, Mr.
President.
Oliver, now that we know where the drone is, - can't you take control of it? - An F-35 should have the transmitter in range in just a minute, sir.
That's cutting it a little close.
We have Minister Bellucci.
Mr.
President, our jets are almost in position to shoot down the drone.
ELIZABETH: Minister Bellucci, it's Elizabeth McCord here.
We have reason to believe that there could be a biological weapon on the drone; if you hit it over a populated area, you run the risk of causing a pandemic.
We're very close to being able to take control of the drone, - Minister.
- We cannot wait much longer.
Oliver? Trying to engage now, sir.
One minute till contact with the Vatican.
(typing rapidly) We are out of time, President Dalton.
- Engaged! - I have control of the drone.
We have control of the drone.
It's a miss.
They were able to abort.
I don't have control of the landing mechanism, so it'll have to be a managed crash away from the city.
We will coordinate containment with your Biological Response Force.
STEVIE: I told the school not to bother you.
He's fine.
I got the update on the way over here.
- Hey.
I'm on with Dad.
- Hey.
Hey, Dad.
He looks okay.
How you doing? I got a thumbs-up.
Uh, they did a CT scan and ruled out appendicitis.
He wants to talk to you.
Hey.
It was, uh, much ado about barfing.
Oh, my God.
What's with the bombing? Is Mom okay? It was a minor incident just outside Rome.
- How do you even know about it? - It's breaking news right now.
Because I work for the government.
Everyone there is fine.
You talked to Mom? I was just about to call her.
I'll conference her in.
Hang on.
He said she's fine.
ELIZABETH: Hey, Stevie, I was just about to call you.
I got the message about Jason.
I told them not to call you guys.
He's fine.
It was a it was a false alarm.
Um, what is this about a-a terrorist attack? Dad's on the line, - by the way.
- HENRY: Hi, babe.
Oh, hey.
Party line.
How's, uh how's London? Surprisingly sunny.
STEVIE: Guys, headline.
ELIZABETH: Oh, nothing.
It was a thwarted attempt at some kind of drone attack.
But, come on, I am dying to hear.
The Harvard meeting, how did it go? Yeah, I had to skip it so that I could get to the hospital.
Oh, Stevie, I'm (sighs) I'm so sorry.
We should've been there.
We should've been there.
- Mm.
- HENRY: Can we just focus on the fact that Rome is not burning, Jason is fine, and our daughter is an incredibly good person? Fine.
Dork.
Any inside word on the next drone attack? (sighs) I think we're safe for the moment.
He'll have a Manhattan.
Bulleit if you have it, Maker's if you don't.
BARTENDER: Yes, sir.
Right away.
See? You can be nice.
I figure you haven't changed, why should your drink? - Well, I could say the same.
- (chuckles) You're still in the closet, I see.
- Wow.
- (chuckles) No "how you been, how's the family?" How's the family and why so reluctant to introduce me to your coworkers? My mom is exactly the same, my sister has two kids, and I don't need to explain to my coworkers that we dated for a few months seven years ago.
"A few months"? Eight or nine months.
So, what about your sister's kids? Mia and Teddy.
Straight out of a Pottery Barn catalog.
You'd love 'em.
Do they know about Uncle Blake and his special friends? What? Come on.
We're catching up.
(sighs) My family knows me and understands me.
At work, I choose to be more private.
Is that okay with you? If you're happy, I'm happy.
- Well, good.
Thank you.
- Thanks.
Then again, it's not like you're working with a bunch of homophobic frat boys anymore, so I don't really get why you can't just own that you're gay.
Oh, Blake, you're not still on that bi thing.
It's not a thing I'm on.
It's who I am.
Fine, fine.
I'm not an econ wonk.
I just have an ass tattoo of Alan Greenspan.
That.
That.
That is why I don't tell people.
It leads to these inane discussions about the-the current acceptable terminology.
And it's none of your business.
So what happens when they find out? You quit and run away again? Oh, you're living your perfect life? How's that music program for inner city kids going? Damn it.
- No, that was good.
- I'm sorry.
You got good aim.
I'm not done getting where I'm going.
It's a journey.
Isn't that what you used to say? Oh oh, I hope not.
- That-that sounds really trite.
- (chuckles) I just want you to be happy.
And I want people to really know you.
I'm lucky I got to.
Seems like there aren't very many of us.
See? You can be nice.
I'm glad to see you're doing well.
Take care of yourself, bro.
"Bro"? - I know.
Ugh.
- Don't use "bro.
" - I know.
I tried it.
I just - Never.
- I hate it.
- Don't ever say that.
When in Rome, right? DALTON: This week was marred by the loss of 22 brave Russian soldiers.
I have expressed my deepest sympathy to our Russian friends, but also my profound gratitude.
Because the intelligence gathered on that very mission helped prevent what might have been a devastating attack right here in Rome.
Think about that.
Russians and Americans working together in Syria, to stop an attack in Italy.
As if we need any more evidence that the world is too dangerous to go it alone.
Tonight, we remember the fallen, while staying focused on thwarting terrorists using any means possible.
Here's to our success.
Even Salnikov raised his glass.
You are good, sir.
DALTON: I worked with two speechwriters and practiced in front of a mirror for an hour.
Mr.
President, ma'am.
We just got word from our Biological Response Force.
They didn't find any virus at the drone crash site.
It wasn't armed with a bio-weapon? It was a head fake.
"Head of the infidels.
" It's you, sir and the other leaders.
We have to evacuate now.
BODYGUARD: This way.
ELIZABETH: Where's the team? JAY: Everybody out.
Wait, wait, wait.
Tell security that this bio-weapon could be aerosolized, but in any case, they have to shut down the HVAC system, okay? Okay.
And then, Jay, - get the hell out.
- Yes, ma'am.
(man speaking Italian) (speaks Italian) (blade stabs) (drill whirs) (drilling continues) (gas hisses) (coughs) (doorbell rings) Hi.
Um, is my mom okay? I just talked to her, like, an hour ago.
Yeah, she's fine.
The only casualties were the two Al-Qaeda militants who released the pathogen.
Got sick themselves, which is poetic justice if ever I've heard it.
(sighing): Okay.
Then, um to what do I owe the pleasure? I'm taking you to breakfast.
Are you promoting me? (chuckles) No, better.
I was able to reschedule a meeting with Angilillo, and this time I'm personally making sure you get there.
It's in 20 minutes, downtown.
Wow.
Did you not hear me say 20 minutes? Sorry.
No, Th yeah.
That's very, just really nice of you.
Um, I mean, even if my mother tiger-mom'd you into it.
Well, this time it's not for your mother.
You've proven yourself to have more character and integrity than 99% of the pampered, gelatinous blue bloods who skulk through the halls of Harvard Law.
So go get ready.
I'll be in the car.
You know what? I, um, just realized something.
(chuckles) Uh I don't want to go.
Why the hell not? I mean, um, I don't want to go to Harvard, or any law school.
I just, it's if I go, I'm gonna be ditching the opportunity to-to help my family while Mom is still one of the most powerful people on the planet, and Dad is working the War College and doing all this other secrety stuff that I know he does and they need me.
And at-at the risk of being presumptuous, I think you need me.
Yeah, that's presumptuous.
Okay.
Well, I mean, maybe then, I need you, or, um I need to be doing work that matters today.
Law school can wait.
- (sighs) - I mean, service is-is the family business, kind of, I guess.
And, um I'm happy where I am.
And you just realized all this? Uh (sighs) McCords.
(door closes) Well, I guess that's the end of the movie.
(chuckles) We had front row seats to all the ugliness done in the name of our religions.
So, that was fun.
Look, for what it's worth, I struggle with my faith, too.
I constantly want to feel closer to God.
I feel like it's right there, but there's a barrier.
Maybe it's everything we face with our work making me doubt, making me angry, but I still think I'll get there.
Tomorrow, next week.
But the years keep going by.
Maybe that feeling, that yearning, maybe that's all there is.
Maybe that's enough.
Maybe.
Pleasure.
So long, Mo.
Thanks for dropping me off first, ma'am.
It's totally unnecessary.
No problem, dude.
It was on the way.
I still can't really pull off "dude," can I? No, ma'am.
I'm gonna work on it.
I'm sure you'll get there.
Good night, Madam Secretary.
Good night.
Ma'am, I'm bi.
Yeah.
Bye.
I'll see you in the morning.
Wait.
Ma'am.
- (knocking on window) - Ma'am? Ma'am.
What? Did you forget something? No, I'm bi, ma'am.
Bisexual.
I know.
You're probably like, "What? Why is he telling me this now?" And I can't say for certain, um, but it definitely has to do with an old boyfriend who can be kind of a jerk, but makes good points.
One of them is about what I always considered my right to privacy, which, of course, I still believe in.
It's in the Constitution, for God's sake.
But, um, I realize now my right to privacy is different than me choosing to be private and really has more to do with trusting people with my private business, which is hard for me, because I've experienced a lot of weird bi-phobia from everyone I mean, straight people, gay people.
Not that I think that you're bi-phobic or homophobic or phobic about anything.
It's just, I've gotten used to keeping people at arm's length, because, uh, (sighs) I'm not dumb.
I know people are confused by me, or-or curious, and that's fine.
I've just, I've never felt the obligation to satisfy anyone's curiosity by posting pictures of me with a boyfriend or a girlfriend on social media, like every other millennial.
And I always justified that by thinking, "What does it matter about me?" I mean, there's so many more important things going on in the world, like what just happened in Rome.
I mean, who cares about my sexuality? But I realize now it's m-maybe kind of the opposite.
That if I can't be honest with people about who I am, then how can I ever have an honest experience with them? Sorry.
I really hope I'm not crossing the line right now.
It's just, I couldn't wait another minute, because I just, I respect you and I like you so much.
And I think that we know each other pretty well, and I'd like to think that you kind of like me, too.
And if I can't be open with you about this, then how is any of that even true? That's all.
(chuckles) Good night.
(Blake sighs) Good night, Blake.
awaqeded for
Zanner.
Our partners would like an update on your progress.
See for yourselves.
80% kill rate within two weeks.
(speaking Arabic) Makes Ebola look like the common cold, huh? The virus is airborne, friends.
NADINE: And preparations continue for the G20 Conference on Banking Secrecy.
We leave for Rome the day after tomorrow, ma'am.
Ah, Roma, city of carbs.
Have to admit, I've been dreaming about the stracci for the past week.
And a deal with Russia on tax avoidance.
So, where are we on that? Sadly, still in the Gulag.
President Salnikov is making noises about rejecting the entire framework agreement outright.
The fact is, Russia welcomes the money American billionaires hide in dummy Russian corporations.
But frankly, plenty of Russian oligarchs do the same thing here in the U.
S.
So they're willing to look the other way when terrorists hide their money, as long as the billionaires are happy.
With the rhetoric coming out of the Kremlin, the gaggle wants to know if it's Cold War 2.
0.
ELIZABETH: Oh, come on, we're not even close to a cold war.
A little chilly, maybe.
Ma'am, you're needed in the White House.
All right, find out what Salnikov wants.
Two hours ago, Jordanian West Bank border.
This vehicle way back in the line, that's Reverend Andrew Slattery.
We believe that the two men on either side are.
Dr.
Bill Zanner and Lance Abbot.
Our missing doomsday cult members.
We identified the two men in front as Al-Qaeda-in-Syria lieutenants.
I take it this isn't a cross-cultural exchange program.
Confirms our theory that the VFF and Al-Qaeda are working together.
And now they're inside Israel.
Not necessarily.
Based on our warnings, IDF had beefed up security on all border checkpoints.
Moments after this was taken, they turned around, bugged out.
Our best guess is that they'll make another run at getting into Israel through a smuggling tunnel.
Okay.
Doesn't Israel know the location - of those tunnels? - Not all of them.
But the Palestinians do.
We can ask, but I doubt the Palestinian Authority wants to give up its only real strategic advantage to Israel.
What else, Ephraim? I'd like to send a joint CIA-FBI task force to Jerusalem to liaise with Mossad, so we can work shared Intel in real time.
Just Agent Maloof and Dr.
McCord - and a support team.
- Excuse me? I-I mean, I'm-I'm sorry.
Did you know about this? Yeah.
Huh.
It just came up this morning.
Well, as much as I'd like to see where this goes, if nobody has anything else ELIZABETH: It's not that You ambushed me.
(sighs) I would have told you, but we were a little busy trying to prevent a bio-terror attack.
If only there were some method of communication where you could send messages almost instantaneously.
I'm sorry you felt ambushed.
I'm sorry that I called you out in front of the leader of the free world.
I just find it surprising that a guy who was shot multiple times not two months ago and is still on crutches is going to oversee a field op halfway around the world.
Babe.
I've been on point with the VFF mission since the beginning are you really that surprised? Okay, okay, it's not that you're going, it's that you - didn't tell me.
- No, it's that I'm going.
- Are you really gonna push me on this? - I'm sorry you felt ambushed.
Elizabeth.
We have the Israeli and Palestinian leaders - on the line.
- Okay.
Am I at least gonna see you at home? Yeah.
We're not leaving till tonight.
I'd say "break a leg," Henry, but Seriously, good luck.
SAYEDD: We will share information with your government, President Dalton, but not with Israel.
That won't work, President Sayedd.
Mossad has to run point on this.
AARONSON: You really think we don't know about your smuggling tunnels, Bassam? SAYEDD: If we had such tunnels, they would be to bring vital supplies that your government deprives us.
- Nonsense.
They are to attack us.
- To defend ourselves! Gentlemen, you've seen our intelligence briefs.
There are only a few hundred people on the planet with the expertise to whip up a superbug that can kill millions.
Dr.
Zanner is one of them.
ELIZABETH: We're not going to achieve peace in the Middle East today.
But if you don't cooperate on this it might not matter.
ELIZABETH: They both called for emergency sessions of their governments, and now suddenly everyone's on board.
Well, there's nothing like the power of the mutually-assured- destruction card.
- (sighs) - Babe, I'm gonna be fine.
Yeah, so said the man flying straight into said destruction.
Okay, let's talk about how you got the Israelis and the Palestinians to work together.
- Let's focus on that.
- That is pretty cool.
- It's so cool.
- It was very cool.
STEVIE: Hey, um what'd you guys want to talk to me about? I can Oh, no, no.
Yeah.
- I - Okay, so look, um, Mom has to go - to this G20 thing in Rome - Mm-hmm.
and I just found out that I've got to go to a conference in London, so we were wondering if you could, uh, take over for the next week and sort of run the show with your brother and sister? Oh.
Yeah.
Sure, no problem.
Really? Yeah.
I mean, your work is really important and I'm very happy to help, so Cool.
Thanks, honey.
Okay.
Great.
Well, that was easy.
Yeah.
Maybe a little too easy.
We just asked her to spend the week as a single mother, and she just accepted.
She doesn't have any plans? She's 22-years-old.
What, she and Jareth don't have a life? They don't live together.
You ever wonder about that? Maybe she's just a really great kid who wants to help her parents out.
Or maybe she's a mustang and we broke her.
And way ahead of schedule.
No, I'm serious.
I had to grow up way too soon, and it was no fun.
And it did serious damage to my relationship with my little brother.
You and Will are fine and this has nothing to do with what you guys went through.
I know.
I just don't want to clip her wings.
(phone vibrates) I got to go.
Wish I could clip your wings.
(man speaking Arabic over walkie-talkie) What is it? (speaking Arabic) (speaking Arabic) The Americans must have followed you here.
Now, the Israelis are waiting outside.
There has to be another way, another tunnel.
Or maybe through Egypt.
WARE: Reverend Slattery survived.
He's in surgery at Yad la Chole hospital in Jerusalem.
Any sign of the drone or bio-weapon? No, sir.
But the tunnel was being entered by IDF on the West Bank side right about the time they were shot.
So, Al-Qaeda got wind and bailed on the joint attack.
That's our operating theory.
So, we have doomsday weapons in the hands of hardened terrorists with unknown intentions and not a single clue on their whereabouts.
Is there a more optimistic slant, or is that about the size of it? Well, our team just arrived in Jerusalem.
Dr.
McCord and Agent Maloof will be working directly with Mossad.
awaqeded for JACKSON: Bess, I hear our little intel-sharing op - with the Israelis has borne fruit.
- Yeah.
I trust your marriage will survive it.
- I mean it.
- I believe you.
Listen, if you're still up for it, I'd love for you to do what you can to get Stevie off the wait list and over the finish line at Harvard Law.
What happened to withdrawing from the battlefield? Well, I realized that going to school in another state would be good for her.
You know, help her sort of break out on her own, - find her own thing.
- Okay.
The muzzle was starting to chafe.
Thanks.
Listen, if we could just keep it between the two of us, I think that'd be Kind of ironic, asking me to secretly pull strings to help make your daughter more independent.
Wo (sighs) HENRY: We found Al-Qaeda SIGIN in Mossad's most recent intercepts referring to a lab in Deir ez-Zor, Syria.
With mentions of medical equipment used to create a virus and human trials on captured Syrian soldiers.
Very Mengele-esque.
Deir ez-Zor is in the middle of the country, in Al-Qaeda-held territory.
Still, we recommend an op.
It could provide a trove of intelligence.
DALTON: Trouble is, we're on the rebel side of a civil war in Syria.
It's one thing to fight Al-Qaeda, but we'd have to get past government forces, too.
Well, I can reach out to Avdonin, see if the Russians are ready to pave the way - with the Syrian government.
- Hold our noses at Russia's human rights abuses in Syria.
Well, how interested are we in that lab? The Russians would insist on making this a joint operation, wouldn't they? That's my expectation.
Well, who knows? Maybe making nice with Russia and Syria could light the path to an agreement in Rome.
My doctor says optimism lowers blood pressure.
Make the call, Bess.
(knocking on door) Hi.
Hearing rumors about military operations in the Middle East.
Are you? (chuckles) Just wondering if the secretary's still planning on going to the banking conference in Rome.
Yeah, because conflict in one area of the world always derails us from our plans in a completely different area - of the world.
- Right.
Never mind.
Is there something you'd like to discuss? No.
No.
I mean, I'm not thrilled at the idea of seeing all my former colleagues from Baldwin and Wilder suck up even more profit under the guise of helping to defund terrorism, but other than that, no.
No, no concern at all.
- Oh, right.
- (sighs) You started in finance.
Yeah.
One year.
One year as an analyst is all it took for me to realize it wasn't for me, and to haunt me for the rest of my days.
So, you have anxiety about running into old colleagues? Not unless you count waking up at 2:00 a.
m.
in a cold sweat from stress nightmares that I'm back there and all the doors are locked and I'm naked, but, well, not really.
(laughs) I don't know why it's bothering me so much.
I mean, sure, I went into public service, and they all stayed and got filthy rich, but Is that what you wanted for yourself? No.
Maybe.
No.
It's just that they're all so (groans) insanely competitive, and they're gonna think of me as a failure.
I know.
You think I'm insanely competitive, too.
I think you have an admirable drive for excellence.
Oh.
God, I'm just as bad as they are.
I knew it.
I have to go back to my desk.
- Yes, you do.
- I've got a million I-I'm so busy.
(dog barking) (helicopter whirring) (soldier speaking Russian) - The area is secure.
- Head for the lab.
- Let's go! - Let's go! What's the sitrep, Admiral? - Alpha One on-site.
- LZ clear.
Making nice with the Russians paid off.
Clear! Let's go! Let's go.
Six minutes to evac! Let's go.
We're in the right place.
Any vials of anything, take 'em.
SOLDIER: Check the other one.
(explosion) - (automatic gunfire) - DALTON: What the hell? Hostiles on a rooftop up the street.
(shouting) SEAL COMMANDER: Coord Delta 34.
48, 39.
14.
Returning volley and calling in an air strike.
(missile incoming) What the hell just happened? Bomb guidance malfunction.
We hit the Russian position.
Oh, my God.
JACKSON: Al-Qaeda posted it two hours ago.
It's already been picked up by thousands of Russian Web sites.
The narrator is saying that we deliberately attacked Russian soldiers.
I'm guessing my formal apology to Russia isn't getting as much play.
Avdonin isn't returning my calls.
We leave for G20 tonight.
- Anything on the pathogen? - (sighs) Dr.
Warner brightened my day with word that preliminary analysis has it at Ebola lethality, but airborne, making it far more transmissible.
Excuse me, sir.
Director Ware and Oliver Shaw.
DALTON: Welcome back, Oliver.
Uh, thank you, Mr.
President.
It turns out Silicon Valley didn't have the excitement of a weaponized drone threat.
Not that I'm enjoying this.
What's the latest? Yes.
Captain Baker and I developed an exploit to control the drone remotely, but we need to be within the signal radius of the drone's transceiver, which is about 300 miles.
We just completed a search of Israel and its border areas.
It's not there.
So, Al-Qaeda's regrouping, preparing to make another run at it? Or they picked a new target.
I'm leaning toward option two.
Interpol got a hit on one of the fingerprints dusted in the Syrian lab.
An Al-Qaeda foot soldier who was confronted by the local authorities in Istanbul - this morning.
- Okay, now we're talking.
We gonna get a crack at him? He's dead.
Resisted arrest.
But they found 50,000 Euros in his suitcase.
So they're planning something in an EU country? Well, that narrows it down.
To a continent.
On the Jerusalem front, looks like Reverend Slattery is gonna make it.
Dr.
McCord and Agent Maloof will interview him when he comes to.
Adele, get me President Hoffmeier or any member of the European Council who's available, now.
You, my office.
You are having lunch tomorrow with Tony Angilillo, Harvard Law's admissions director.
Uh, yeah, I-I know who that is.
Um, I thought I thought I told you Yeah, to stand down.
What can I say? I'm a giver.
How can how can you even remotely care about my law school prospects with everything going on? That is an excellent question, Stephanie McCord.
Actually reminds me of a conversation I had with my mother during Nixon's final days when it looked like all hope was lost for our shining democracy.
I asked her, "Why should I give a crap about anything when everything seems so bleak?" And she said, "Don't worry.
It's never as bad as you think?" Oh, no, she said, "It's always much worse than you can imagine.
" But, that we might just get out of it one day.
And if we did, I wouldn't get back all the time I'd squandered not giving a crap.
And that is the day I learned how to compartmentalize.
I have President Hoffmeier.
- Put her through.
- You want to go to Harvard Law? - Of course.
- So take the meeting.
Be smart and respectful.
Make something of yourself.
President Hoffmeier.
Yeah, I'm afraid I have, uh, some troubling news regarding a biological weapon.
MO: More Intel from Al-Qaeda-in-Syria suggests target of attack will be "Rayiys alkuffar.
" Head of the infidels.
Head of the infidels.
(monitor beeping) Reverend Slattery, my name is Henry, this is Mo.
We'd like to talk with you for a minute.
You a Muslim? Yes, I am.
Get the hell out.
Well, that's an interesting reaction, especially considering you were willing to partner with Al-Qaeda-in-Syria.
I was doing God's will, that's all.
HENRY: You know, I envy you.
I don't think I've ever felt that, faith without doubt.
What's that like? You don't have the light, I can't explain it to you, I'll pray for you, brother.
You know (clears throat) I spoke with your predecessor, Reverend Finch, at the Covenant of John compound in Bolivia a couple of years ago.
He had that same certainty.
This is from that day, after the raid.
The poison worked quickly.
37 people took their lives.
As was foretold, the six-eyed beast did rise.
And what about the Al-Qaeda members who gunned down your brothers? Was that a different beast? No.
That was The Antichrist comes in the perfect appearance of righteousness.
Is it possible you were fooled by the Antichrist? Was Reverend Finch fooled by me? Was I the Antichrist? Could there be two? A dozen? In the Book of Revelation I know what it says.
Everything's happening according to God's plan.
Your doctor said that the bullet that blew through your chest missed your heart by a millimeter.
I believe God's grace can be one millimeter wide.
And I think you were saved to bring salvation to the world.
You, Andrew.
And now, the righteous arrows of your group the drone, the dreadful disease you planned to unleash all of it has been taken by the Antichrist, and it's up to you to stop them.
You, Andrew, only you, can be the instrument of His peace.
Only you can save millions of His faithful.
(monitor beeping) Reverend? Rev? (sighs) You had me going.
(church bells tolling) (chattering in Russian) Any, uh, word back from Avdonin's office? Still radio silence, ma'am.
Well, I'm sure it won't be awkward when we run into each other at the chocolate fountain.
Got to love Rome.
Ooh.
I'm think I'm gonna be sick.
What? Make way for the pregnant lady.
Permesso! The secretary and Jay are off meeting with the governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, so, Daisy is, um Puking her guts out in the ladies? Strong start.
Blake Moran.
Get out.
Trevor, what are you doing here? Oh, B&W's giving a few, uh, banking privacy presentations.
- Oh.
- It's on the official agenda.
Yeah, I must've missed that.
Well, uh, are you gonna introduce me to your friends? Sorry.
Uh, this is Nadine Tolliver, Secretary McCord's chief of staff.
How do you do? BLAKE: And Matt Mahoney, head speechwriter.
- Hey, man.
- Nice to meet you.
BLAKE: Trevor Kingston.
Uh, Trevor and I worked together at Baldwin and Wilder right out of college.
More like pillaged together.
And you left a lot of money on the table.
Well, got to hang on to my soul.
Oh, gosh, I didn't realize I lost mine.
I guess I was too busy driving the engine of the American economy.
(chuckles) Well, and I was too busy bolstering global democracy so you'd have stable markets to exploit.
As the secretary of state's assistant.
Actually, Trevor, Blake is the executive assistant to the secretary of state.
He's her point man.
Well, I guess you could say he's the, uh, gatekeeper for American diplomacy.
My bad.
(chuckles) It's great to see you, man.
And-and lovely to meet you both.
- Ciao.
- Ciao.
Handsome really does come with its own free pass, doesn't it? (scoffs) Thanks.
(speaking Arabic) (phone rings) Their eyes light up when you rock the Arabic, ma'am.
Well, too bad I don't speak Russian.
I'll reach out to them again.
Do svidanya.
(laughs) Hi, sweetie.
STEVIE: Hey, Mom.
Uh, sorry to bother you, but I'm just curious if you have any idea why Russell Jackson is suddenly back to knocking heads at Harvard? He's knocking heads, huh? That's not a rhetorical stalling tactic, is it? Excuse me? Oh, my God, Mom.
You put him up to it, didn't you? You're a wild mustang.
What? You-you should be free and fly and I'm Pegasus? So I'm a flying horse? Is that actually your excuse for meddling in my life? I just want you to be happy.
I (sighs) I'm sorry.
I-I shouldn't have gone behind your back, and I shouldn't meddle in your life.
And I'll work on it.
(sighs) Please do.
How are your charges? Um, well, I've managed to contain the chaos to dirty dishes and unmonitored social media.
Hey, I'm, uh, thinking of staying home from school, so (scoffs) Yeah, if you can walk and talk, you're going.
(laughs): Oh well done.
That was good.
That was really good.
Deprogramming a cult member requires exposing him to flaws in the cult's pedagogy and, ultimately, the leader himself.
Yeah, but Slattery is the leader.
And he's too arrogant to admit any of his shortcomings in his beliefs.
He was willing to send Ian to be a suicide bomber, but I doubt he'd sacrifice himself.
Like bin Laden holed up in a cave while sending his minions to die.
It's all about self-preservation.
(phone rings) - Hello? - MS.
MORALES: Hello.
Stephanie McCord? Uh, yes, this is she.
This is Ms.
Morales, Monroe High's nurse.
Jason complained of stomach pain and then - I puked in gym class! - Did you get that? Uh, yeah, loud and clear.
But he's okay? Well, he has a mild fever and due to the location of the abdominal pain, I can't rule out appendicitis, so we'll have to take him to St.
Lucius and get a CT scan.
And if the scan shows that it's appendicitis? He'll need emergency surgery.
Oh.
Wow.
JASON: Hey! If I don't make it, clear my search history.
(sighs) Sh (groans) Reverend, I never should have doubted your beliefs.
Clearly, they're strong.
I'm but a vessel of the Lord.
He is my strength.
Well, you're gonna need all of His strength where you're going.
ADX Florence, Colorado Supermax.
23 hours a day in a 12 by seven cell.
The only way out is in a box.
That's in the Lord's hands.
Well, more like the Justice Department.
But if you work with us, we can recommend a Club Fed.
Minimum security, but you have to start talking now.
When they spoke among themselves, it was mostly in Arabic.
But sometimes they'd speak in broken English.
What did they say? Right before we went into the tunnel, Ramjin told Hamid something about a fee for a room.
Like a hotel room? That's all I heard.
"Fee for room.
" I don't think they're speaking in broken English.
What do you mean? "Room" in Arabic is "Rome.
" "Fee" is "in.
" Fee Ar-Room, it means "in Rome.
" (door opens) Are we in touch with Italian Armed Forces? We're establishing a link with Defense Minister Bellucci now.
Any sign of the drone? It was just spotted over Ferentino, 40 miles southeast of us, heading for Municipio VII.
It's a straight shot to Vatican City.
Ever since its inception, Al-Qaeda's been trying to even the score for the Crusades.
They're after the Pope? Head of the infidels.
AIDE: We have the Sit Room, Mr.
President.
Oliver, now that we know where the drone is, - can't you take control of it? - An F-35 should have the transmitter in range in just a minute, sir.
That's cutting it a little close.
We have Minister Bellucci.
Mr.
President, our jets are almost in position to shoot down the drone.
ELIZABETH: Minister Bellucci, it's Elizabeth McCord here.
We have reason to believe that there could be a biological weapon on the drone; if you hit it over a populated area, you run the risk of causing a pandemic.
We're very close to being able to take control of the drone, - Minister.
- We cannot wait much longer.
Oliver? Trying to engage now, sir.
One minute till contact with the Vatican.
(typing rapidly) We are out of time, President Dalton.
- Engaged! - I have control of the drone.
We have control of the drone.
It's a miss.
They were able to abort.
I don't have control of the landing mechanism, so it'll have to be a managed crash away from the city.
We will coordinate containment with your Biological Response Force.
STEVIE: I told the school not to bother you.
He's fine.
I got the update on the way over here.
- Hey.
I'm on with Dad.
- Hey.
Hey, Dad.
He looks okay.
How you doing? I got a thumbs-up.
Uh, they did a CT scan and ruled out appendicitis.
He wants to talk to you.
Hey.
It was, uh, much ado about barfing.
Oh, my God.
What's with the bombing? Is Mom okay? It was a minor incident just outside Rome.
- How do you even know about it? - It's breaking news right now.
Because I work for the government.
Everyone there is fine.
You talked to Mom? I was just about to call her.
I'll conference her in.
Hang on.
He said she's fine.
ELIZABETH: Hey, Stevie, I was just about to call you.
I got the message about Jason.
I told them not to call you guys.
He's fine.
It was a it was a false alarm.
Um, what is this about a-a terrorist attack? Dad's on the line, - by the way.
- HENRY: Hi, babe.
Oh, hey.
Party line.
How's, uh how's London? Surprisingly sunny.
STEVIE: Guys, headline.
ELIZABETH: Oh, nothing.
It was a thwarted attempt at some kind of drone attack.
But, come on, I am dying to hear.
The Harvard meeting, how did it go? Yeah, I had to skip it so that I could get to the hospital.
Oh, Stevie, I'm (sighs) I'm so sorry.
We should've been there.
We should've been there.
- Mm.
- HENRY: Can we just focus on the fact that Rome is not burning, Jason is fine, and our daughter is an incredibly good person? Fine.
Dork.
Any inside word on the next drone attack? (sighs) I think we're safe for the moment.
He'll have a Manhattan.
Bulleit if you have it, Maker's if you don't.
BARTENDER: Yes, sir.
Right away.
See? You can be nice.
I figure you haven't changed, why should your drink? - Well, I could say the same.
- (chuckles) You're still in the closet, I see.
- Wow.
- (chuckles) No "how you been, how's the family?" How's the family and why so reluctant to introduce me to your coworkers? My mom is exactly the same, my sister has two kids, and I don't need to explain to my coworkers that we dated for a few months seven years ago.
"A few months"? Eight or nine months.
So, what about your sister's kids? Mia and Teddy.
Straight out of a Pottery Barn catalog.
You'd love 'em.
Do they know about Uncle Blake and his special friends? What? Come on.
We're catching up.
(sighs) My family knows me and understands me.
At work, I choose to be more private.
Is that okay with you? If you're happy, I'm happy.
- Well, good.
Thank you.
- Thanks.
Then again, it's not like you're working with a bunch of homophobic frat boys anymore, so I don't really get why you can't just own that you're gay.
Oh, Blake, you're not still on that bi thing.
It's not a thing I'm on.
It's who I am.
Fine, fine.
I'm not an econ wonk.
I just have an ass tattoo of Alan Greenspan.
That.
That.
That is why I don't tell people.
It leads to these inane discussions about the-the current acceptable terminology.
And it's none of your business.
So what happens when they find out? You quit and run away again? Oh, you're living your perfect life? How's that music program for inner city kids going? Damn it.
- No, that was good.
- I'm sorry.
You got good aim.
I'm not done getting where I'm going.
It's a journey.
Isn't that what you used to say? Oh oh, I hope not.
- That-that sounds really trite.
- (chuckles) I just want you to be happy.
And I want people to really know you.
I'm lucky I got to.
Seems like there aren't very many of us.
See? You can be nice.
I'm glad to see you're doing well.
Take care of yourself, bro.
"Bro"? - I know.
Ugh.
- Don't use "bro.
" - I know.
I tried it.
I just - Never.
- I hate it.
- Don't ever say that.
When in Rome, right? DALTON: This week was marred by the loss of 22 brave Russian soldiers.
I have expressed my deepest sympathy to our Russian friends, but also my profound gratitude.
Because the intelligence gathered on that very mission helped prevent what might have been a devastating attack right here in Rome.
Think about that.
Russians and Americans working together in Syria, to stop an attack in Italy.
As if we need any more evidence that the world is too dangerous to go it alone.
Tonight, we remember the fallen, while staying focused on thwarting terrorists using any means possible.
Here's to our success.
Even Salnikov raised his glass.
You are good, sir.
DALTON: I worked with two speechwriters and practiced in front of a mirror for an hour.
Mr.
President, ma'am.
We just got word from our Biological Response Force.
They didn't find any virus at the drone crash site.
It wasn't armed with a bio-weapon? It was a head fake.
"Head of the infidels.
" It's you, sir and the other leaders.
We have to evacuate now.
BODYGUARD: This way.
ELIZABETH: Where's the team? JAY: Everybody out.
Wait, wait, wait.
Tell security that this bio-weapon could be aerosolized, but in any case, they have to shut down the HVAC system, okay? Okay.
And then, Jay, - get the hell out.
- Yes, ma'am.
(man speaking Italian) (speaks Italian) (blade stabs) (drill whirs) (drilling continues) (gas hisses) (coughs) (doorbell rings) Hi.
Um, is my mom okay? I just talked to her, like, an hour ago.
Yeah, she's fine.
The only casualties were the two Al-Qaeda militants who released the pathogen.
Got sick themselves, which is poetic justice if ever I've heard it.
(sighing): Okay.
Then, um to what do I owe the pleasure? I'm taking you to breakfast.
Are you promoting me? (chuckles) No, better.
I was able to reschedule a meeting with Angilillo, and this time I'm personally making sure you get there.
It's in 20 minutes, downtown.
Wow.
Did you not hear me say 20 minutes? Sorry.
No, Th yeah.
That's very, just really nice of you.
Um, I mean, even if my mother tiger-mom'd you into it.
Well, this time it's not for your mother.
You've proven yourself to have more character and integrity than 99% of the pampered, gelatinous blue bloods who skulk through the halls of Harvard Law.
So go get ready.
I'll be in the car.
You know what? I, um, just realized something.
(chuckles) Uh I don't want to go.
Why the hell not? I mean, um, I don't want to go to Harvard, or any law school.
I just, it's if I go, I'm gonna be ditching the opportunity to-to help my family while Mom is still one of the most powerful people on the planet, and Dad is working the War College and doing all this other secrety stuff that I know he does and they need me.
And at-at the risk of being presumptuous, I think you need me.
Yeah, that's presumptuous.
Okay.
Well, I mean, maybe then, I need you, or, um I need to be doing work that matters today.
Law school can wait.
- (sighs) - I mean, service is-is the family business, kind of, I guess.
And, um I'm happy where I am.
And you just realized all this? Uh (sighs) McCords.
(door closes) Well, I guess that's the end of the movie.
(chuckles) We had front row seats to all the ugliness done in the name of our religions.
So, that was fun.
Look, for what it's worth, I struggle with my faith, too.
I constantly want to feel closer to God.
I feel like it's right there, but there's a barrier.
Maybe it's everything we face with our work making me doubt, making me angry, but I still think I'll get there.
Tomorrow, next week.
But the years keep going by.
Maybe that feeling, that yearning, maybe that's all there is.
Maybe that's enough.
Maybe.
Pleasure.
So long, Mo.
Thanks for dropping me off first, ma'am.
It's totally unnecessary.
No problem, dude.
It was on the way.
I still can't really pull off "dude," can I? No, ma'am.
I'm gonna work on it.
I'm sure you'll get there.
Good night, Madam Secretary.
Good night.
Ma'am, I'm bi.
Yeah.
Bye.
I'll see you in the morning.
Wait.
Ma'am.
- (knocking on window) - Ma'am? Ma'am.
What? Did you forget something? No, I'm bi, ma'am.
Bisexual.
I know.
You're probably like, "What? Why is he telling me this now?" And I can't say for certain, um, but it definitely has to do with an old boyfriend who can be kind of a jerk, but makes good points.
One of them is about what I always considered my right to privacy, which, of course, I still believe in.
It's in the Constitution, for God's sake.
But, um, I realize now my right to privacy is different than me choosing to be private and really has more to do with trusting people with my private business, which is hard for me, because I've experienced a lot of weird bi-phobia from everyone I mean, straight people, gay people.
Not that I think that you're bi-phobic or homophobic or phobic about anything.
It's just, I've gotten used to keeping people at arm's length, because, uh, (sighs) I'm not dumb.
I know people are confused by me, or-or curious, and that's fine.
I've just, I've never felt the obligation to satisfy anyone's curiosity by posting pictures of me with a boyfriend or a girlfriend on social media, like every other millennial.
And I always justified that by thinking, "What does it matter about me?" I mean, there's so many more important things going on in the world, like what just happened in Rome.
I mean, who cares about my sexuality? But I realize now it's m-maybe kind of the opposite.
That if I can't be honest with people about who I am, then how can I ever have an honest experience with them? Sorry.
I really hope I'm not crossing the line right now.
It's just, I couldn't wait another minute, because I just, I respect you and I like you so much.
And I think that we know each other pretty well, and I'd like to think that you kind of like me, too.
And if I can't be open with you about this, then how is any of that even true? That's all.
(chuckles) Good night.
(Blake sighs) Good night, Blake.
awaqeded for