Madam Secretary (2014) s04e01 Episode Script
News Cycle
1 Were you imprisoned in Russia on charges of espionage? Yes.
(Machine beeps) Did you sustain any injuries during your imprisonment in Russia? Yes.
Were your injuries a result of torture? Yes.
Do you resent the United States government for its role in your incarceration? Sometimes.
INTERROGATOR: Do you plan to subvert or sabotage the U.
S.
government? No.
We have recruits with a lot less baggage.
We would be allowing a former member of the Russian military into the highest levels of the agency.
I need you to be clear-eyed on this.
That it's not some kind of penance on your part - for leaving him in a Gulag.
- It's not.
But you'll be fully accountable for him.
You know, you're running a division of the CIA that involves our most sensitive work, and you're five minutes on the job.
Then I must think he's pretty valuable.
INTERROGATOR: Have you ever been convicted of a felony? This process isn't exactly reliable with a guy like this.
We'll see how he does here.
I'll have an answer for you tomorrow.
(door opens, closes) (sighs) ELIZABETH: Oh! One store, two hours, six bags, everything on the list, shazam.
"Shazam"? Nice.
Really bringing it back.
I love Bed Bath & Beyond.
Yes, you do.
Because they have everything.
They have things you didn't even know you wanted, and that, my friend, is where the "Beyond" part kicks in.
Uh, like a ceramic hedgehog that's really a shoe scraper? You know, you are so gonna use that.
Wait and see, I'm telling you.
Probably more than the turbo wet/dry hand vac.
What? No, no, no, that is a must have.
We're not going to be slaughtering our own food.
How messy can we be? Well, you would be surprised.
Please.
It's just gonna take up closet space.
Why don't you keep it here? We already have two.
Upstairs, downstairs.
Ah, the familiar rustle of capitalism at work.
We got everything.
Operation Ali Goes to College is completo.
Except, you know, the going to college.
(sighs) In two days.
I can't believe it.
And I can't believe that I'm not gonna be able to take you, Ali.
It's okay.
I think they'd miss the secretary of state at the United Nations General Assembly.
Dad and I will be fine.
Oh, no.
You didn't.
Mom.
The wet/dry vac? You loved yours.
I sold it, the second week of school.
You did? Also, I never sorted my laundry.
Okay? I just put it all in the washing machine, - on cold water.
- Please stop.
Okay.
Show of hands.
Who thinks a game room would benefit the whole family? I'm only going an hour away.
You're not taking over my room.
Guard it for me, will you? Uh, sorry, I'm going to New York tomorrow, so You're going to UNGA, too? Yes, in my capacity as the White House chief of staff's silent intern.
Russell says that I'm not allowed to talk to anyone.
Yeah, he says that to me a lot, too.
Can you guys give me a hand? - I have to start packing.
- Oh.
Packing for college! Can you believe it? Yes, Mom, we can all believe it.
(sighs) Well, I can't.
(Jason grunts) It would still be your room, just with an air hockey table.
ALISON: Forget it.
What about a pool table, maybe? ALISON: Whose side are you on? Hey, hey, hey, hey.
The new one is cordless! It's just Ha! I'm gonna, I'm gonna charge it up for you.
'Cause you are gonna use it.
(chuckles) ELIZABETH: We need to get a hobby.
Mm-hmm.
(brushing teeth): Something that we can do together.
You know? Like golf or tennis or maybe a book club.
Totally.
I'm serious.
We are two years away from having a completely empty nest, and we are not prepared.
We could turn into that couple that doesn't know how to talk to each other.
We'll start watching TV shows we don't care about.
Stop going to restaurants 'cause they're too loud.
Stop going to movies 'cause of parking.
And from there, it is just a race to the bathtub that opens from the side.
(chuckles) Stop feeling guilty.
That is not it.
Technically, Stevie still lives with us.
There's an excellent chance Jason will never leave.
(laughs) I don't think empty nest is gonna be our problem.
Or maybe you just know how much better I am at golf and tennis.
I will slay you at book club.
That's true.
I feel guilty.
Stop it.
You couldn't take Stevie to college.
- I know.
- Remember? You had the flu? And look what happened; she dropped out.
And then she finished, and now she's an intern - for the White House chief of staff, so - It's a watershed event.
It is a life moment, and it is just passing me by.
Do I sound whiny? But in a way that I find totally attractive.
NADINE: After the reception breakfast, you have a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Chen.
Then the free speech resolution takes up most of tomorrow.
That's definitely gonna dominate the agenda, ma'am.
Not to mention the news cycle.
Getting China to the table on a multilateral accord promoting greater free speech MATT: "Is a foreign policy achievement "that will open up China "to the same political and economic transparency we've come to expect from our Western allies.
" Boom.
- Thanks, Matt.
- Daisy's got you booked on the cable news circuit, prime time, with the anchors you like, except for Marty Hawk, which couldn't avoid.
(sighs): Oh, Marty.
Well, maybe I'll get a chance to finish some of the sentences I didn't get to the last time I was there.
(chuckles) He's the highest-rated interrupter - on cable, ma'am.
- I understand.
Oh, also, ma'am, your brother Will asked me to remind you that he'll be attending UNGA as a guest speaker promoting cholera vaccinations in Third World countries.
And you're having lunch with him at the Four Seasons.
Totally remembered that.
Of course you did, ma'am.
ROGERIO: Madam Secretary, Rogério Bento of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste! Madam Secretary, Rogério Bento, Assistant Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, - Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste! - Nice to see you, Mr.
Bento.
NADINE: Mr.
Bento, Mr.
Bento, we will get back to you.
- Please, it's urgent! - Good day, sir.
Please, it's urgent I get a meeting! Madam Secretary McCord! NADINE: Any guesses what that was about? Something to do with their maritime dispute with Australia and the South China Sea? That's all the secretary needs is to send a message to China by meeting with Timor-Leste.
Agreed.
Just smile and keep moving.
ELIZABETH: So this is actually a better idea.
- Hi.
- Hi, baby.
- Excuse me, Mr.
Prime Minister.
- Of course.
- (whispers): This is pretty exciting, huh? - Yeah.
Have you seen the raspberry strudel? You have to bodycheck the Norwegian ambassador.
- Mom.
Mom.
- He's, like, parked there.
- Hey.
- Yeah? Mr.
Jackson and the president need to talk to you.
Oh.
Okay.
Uh, get something to eat, okay? - Mom.
- You have to eat.
China has pulled out of the free speech resolution.
What? When? 14 minutes ago.
Did they say why? No public statement, and I couldn't get President Li's office to return my call.
My best guess is they were never serious about coming to the table.
Just wanted to bait and humiliate us on the world stage.
I have a bilateral meeting with Minister Chen scheduled after this.
So maybe you can keep the dialogue alive.
Actually, I was thinking I just won't show up.
If it is gamesmanship, then we have to demonstrate that we're serious.
Instead, I'll take a meeting with the Assistant Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs for Timor-Leste.
Why? He says it's urgent.
I think it's probably about the maritime law and the South China Sea.
That matters to China.
Free speech matters to us.
I think President Li will get the point.
Wow.
It's aggressive and at the same time a little petty.
Works for me.
So we take control of the narrative and wait for them to make the next move.
RUSSELL: Yes, sir.
Give my regards to the Assistant Vice Minister of Timor-Leste.
I will, sir.
(quiet chatter, dishes clinking lightly) (soft jazz music playing) You're gonna need this.
I just heard from Director Haymond.
You're in.
Thank you.
But I have to be honest, the director was a hard sell.
So if there are any second thoughts, you need to tell me now.
I'm all in.
Good.
Mr.
Bento.
Elizabeth McCord.
It's very good to meet you officially.
Madam Secretary, thank you so much for making the time.
- Of course.
- I was surprised to hear from your office, but-but very pleased.
Um, can I get you something? Coffee or tea? Just-just water.
I understand that you had something of an an urgent nature to discuss with me.
And my staff, they thought it might be about the situation in the South China Sea.
As you know, we've had our own disputes with China over (glass shatters) Mr.
Bento? Help! Somebody! What happened, ma'am?! I don't know! Oh, my God.
Go get someone! Matt, go! - Ma'am.
- Thank you, Blake.
Uh, also, a gentle reminder that you missed breakfast, so you haven't eaten.
- Remind me again in an hour, okay? - JAY: Were they able to determine the cause of death? No.
Not until the autopsy.
The EMT said it looked like a cardiac episode, possibly an aneurysm.
It's already in the news.
We need to make a statement.
I'll take care of it.
Thanks, Matt.
We should contact the Bento family so I can extend my personal condolences.
- I'll reach out.
- Thank you.
The president of Timor-Leste would like to speak with you personally, so I set up a meeting for about an hour from now.
Okay.
Good.
BLAKE: Ma'am.
I-I'm really I'm not hungry.
Y-You should just change your outfit.
(softly): Right.
Okay.
Thank you.
REPORTER: Shocking news from the U.
N.
today.
A foreign official collapsed and died during a face-to-face meeting with Secretary of State HENRY: There's more? Here's the second to last batch.
You have seen the dimensions of your dorm room, right? Blame Mom.
She's the one that went nuts in the big box store.
(phone ringing) You have 18 pairs of shoes.
You counted my shoes? Hey, babe.
How are you? I heard about the guy in Timor-Leste.
I was meeting with him.
It happened right in front of me.
Yeah, that's what they said on the news.
A heart attack, apparently? Oh, I don't know yet.
There's already something on the Internet about a secret meeting regarding the South China Sea.
That's why the Chinese pulled out of the free speech resolution.
Ugh, the Internet.
I know.
But you're okay, right? Yeah, I'm fine.
How's it going there? Oh, great.
Just have to engineer Ali's entire life into the back of an SUV before tomorrow.
He tried to count my shoes.
18 pairs.
You ever counted mine? - Yes.
- Okay.
The women and shoe thing y-you got to let it go.
I've tried.
Let me talk to Ali.
I want to say good-bye again.
Okay.
Mom, we literally can't finish the soundtrack of Hamilton before we get there.
Yes, I have the wet/dry vac right here.
I'm so very sorry for your loss, President Da Silva.
Thank you, Madam Secretary.
Rogério was a long-time member of my government, but he was much more than that.
He was a good friend.
We known each other since primary school.
Were you aware of any health problems? Not really, but he was under a considerable amount of stress.
See, his daughter Jasmine died suddenly several months ago a car accident.
Terrible tragedy.
That's awful.
She was only 22 years old.
I'm so sorry.
I wonder if you can tell me, Madam Secretary, what it was Rogério wanted to discuss with you.
We didn't get a chance to talk.
I thought you might tell me.
I have no idea.
I was surprised to hear he was meeting with you.
I found out on the news.
Did it seem important? He told my staff it was.
Well, I suppose it will forever remain a mystery.
(knock on door) Sorry to bother you during your break, ma'am.
Oh, no, I-I was just running out to meet Will for lunch.
- Everything okay? - Well, some surprising news.
President Da Silva has ordered Mr.
Bento's body released.
It is right now in transit back to Timor-Leste.
Now? What about the autopsy? There isn't going to be one.
Da Silva is claiming that Mr.
Bento's body falls under the protections of diplomatic immunity.
But it's his friend.
Why wouldn't he want to know how he died? I don't know, ma'am.
WILL: I get it.
It's a little stuffy having lunch at the Four Seasons, but wasn't there something in the middle? Something between pâté and street meat? I'm a little pressed for time.
Need you to do something for me.
You cancel our fancy lunch, now you want me to do your laundry? I want you to do a lab test.
Minister Bento's blood is on my blouse.
It's what I was wearing when he died in front of me.
Don't happen to have a lab on me.
You have to know someone in town, right? Maybe, but what am I looking for? What, you think the guy was murdered? (sighs) I have no idea.
But something is up.
Bento was desperate to talk to me.
But his president claimed not to know what it was about.
And then he suddenly orders the body released, sent it back home without an autopsy.
Now, I don't want to start a whole diplomatic firestorm without some valid evidence.
Why are you looking at me like that? Because I think you're sublimating.
Don't.
That's not even your field.
I did a rotation in psychiatry.
What am I sublimating about? Guilt over not taking Alison to college.
How do you even know about that? I'm her cool uncle.
We Bitmoji.
That's not a verb.
She's just indulging you.
She says you're freaking out about not taking her to a school that's only an hour away.
Why do people keep saying that? It is still away.
The point is you can't invent a murder mystery - to distract yourself from missing her send-off.
- Okay.
First of all, even if I'm sublimating, I'm not insane.
These are two separate issues.
And secondly, it makes perfect sense that sending my daughter off to college alone - With Henry.
- would bring up all sorts of things for me, about driving myself to college because I was an orphan and because Aunt Joan was away on on business, and I was the only student, you know, dragging my belongings by myself across the quad at UVA.
And that is why, when it was your turn to go to college, I moved heaven and Earth so that I could bring you myself and you wouldn't have to go through that.
I thought Aunt Joan took me.
What? No, I took you.
I don't think so.
Of course I did.
I I helped you put up your anti-apartheid posters and your Linda Ronstadt posters, and and then, remember, we went and we had we had veggie burgers down at the How can you not remember that? I remember Linda Ronstadt, but Hey, look, whatever happened, we both turned out okay.
(sighs) Except you.
You're you're serious about this? You're exhausting.
Please, just do it.
(sighs) Okay.
Thanks for the hot dog.
I'm surprised you remember it.
Ma'am, I finally tracked down Bento's family.
Turns out that hours after news of his death broke, his wife and two teenage sons got on a plane for Australia to seek political asylum.
I wasn't able to talk to Political asylum? Yes, ma'am.
But I wasn't able to talk to Mrs.
Bento personally because they're still with the immigration authorities.
But another thing: we all went back through our records, and there are at least a hundred messages from Bento over the last few months, trying to get a meeting with you.
How does that not make its way up the chain? Because they were all to different departments and he didn't say what it was about and he was - an assistant vice minister to Timor-Leste.
We didn't - Never mind.
It doesn't, it doesn't matter.
Pull whatever strings you can with the Australians.
I need to get Bento's wife on the phone.
If she has any idea what her husband wanted to talk to me about, I need to hear it.
Yes, ma'am.
- Hey.
- Hey.
So, my friend at the lab rushed the job for me.
Ran a few panels, but couldn't tell me the exact compound yet.
But the blood did test positive for tetrasulfate.
What's that? Highly toxic material.
Ingested in high doses, it would kill someone in less than an hour, so the guy was poisoned.
So much for sublimating.
Yeah, sorry about that.
So where would I don't know somebody find some tetrasulfate? Depends on the kind.
She can test for more specific markers, if you want.
- It'll take a while, but - Yes.
No, it's great.
All right.
I'll let you know.
Look, I know I still owe you a fancy meal.
Yes.
I just I got to make some classified calls.
I'll All right.
ELIZABETH: From what we gather, President Da Silva and Bento were friends.
The relationship seemed to strain after Bento fought the sale of their atolls to Chinese buyers.
In fact, when Bento made those protestations last year, it was not as assistant vice minister of foreign affairs, but as the minister of commerce.
Looks like China finally got through to Da Silva, who betrayed his friend, demoted him, and quietly sold off the islands to a shadowy buyer.
Like a front for a Chinese state-owned enterprise.
ELIZABETH: Yes, sir.
And I think that Bento was going to blow the whistle to me, and then Da Silva got wind of his intentions and had him killed.
I realize that murdering your own diplomats is all the rage these days, but they're not getting away with it on American soil, at the U.
N.
General Assembly, no less.
If Da Silva was involved in this, I'll give him the Noriega treatment.
RUSSELL: FBI is into it, but in the meantime, we need to send a public message to China and to Timor-Leste that we're onto them.
Any ideas? Tell the press that American authorities suspect Bento was the victim of foul play, and are looking into several leads and prospects.
Just need your authorization to go public.
You've got it.
Sir.
ALISON: Dad, we don't have to unpack everything right this second.
You have 18 pairs of shoes.
You need to find a home for them.
I will, later.
Why would you put that off? ALISON: Because I'm starving.
Can I go to the dining hall, please? You can totally have the rest of this.
- I'm kind of making myself sick.
- Oh, no, thanks.
I don't know why he's being like this.
I'm a marine.
You finish the job.
You were a marine.
No, there's no past tense to "marine.
" Wait, you mean, like, someone who trains dolphins? Seriously, you should hang your stuff up so that the wrinkles fall out.
I'm looking for a Bayard freshman - studying fashion and design.
- Ah, finally! Thank goodness! Oh! I thought he was having some sort of mental breakdown.
(chuckles) Ali.
Surprise.
You left UNGA for this? Well, you can thank the Chinese.
They pulled out of our biggest negotiation.
You see, there's a silver lining to everything.
- Mwah, mwah, mwah! - Okay, okay, okay.
Uh, Mom, this is my roommate, Lucinda.
- Oh, nice to meet you, Mrs.
Secretary.
- Lucinda.
I'd shake your hand, but they're, like, all gross.
Oh, sure.
Oh, I guess I got this stuff everywhere.
You know what would clean that right up.
- Oh, here we go.
- Come on.
- We're gonna go eat.
Wow.
It's incredible.
They have a sushi bar.
Vegan station.
Did you see the vegan station? Mac and cheese is solid that's the true litmus test of a good cafeteria.
Okay, you guys do not need to over-love it.
You can just like it.
I'm secure in my choice.
All right, well, I'm gonna go to the dessert bar, which looks totally ordinary, by the way.
- Can I get an ordinary brownie? - Yes.
Maybe give it a second.
There's some staring going on.
ELIZABETH: Oh, sweetheart, we don't worry Mom, there's normal staring, and then there's creepy staring.
- This feels like creepy staring.
- It does? - Kinda.
- Sorry, uh, to interrupt, but we should really get on the road soon if you want to have a safe cushion - for the Marty Hawk interview.
- All right, here we go.
Just quick.
Okay, listen, you just FaceTime me - or text or Skype or - Bye, babe.
I will.
You know, you could call, you could dial I'm not crying.
I'm not crying.
I'm just misting.
It's not the same thing.
- Yes, ma'am.
- (sniffles) Did we really have to leave that early, or are you just trying to get me out of there before I unravel and humiliate my daughter? Um, I am trying to get you out of this setting.
Ma'am, there's a story trending on Twitter.
God, what now? It's about the Assistant Vice Minister Bento.
It seems that you may have, um Oh, wow, I don't know how to say this.
- Just say it.
- You murdered him.
(phones beeping, cameras clicking) This way.
It began on a conspiracy- mongering fringe website called, hmm, "Champion of Facts.
" It spread through social media at an alarmingly fast rate.
It's retweeted and shared through countless sources.
What's not helping are the hundred-plus phone calls that Mr.
Bento made to our office.
The unanswered ones? Yes, ma'am.
Uh, apparently, you were avoiding him because he had something on you.
Then you became hysterical revealing choice of words and so you stabbed him in the chest during an unscheduled, closed-door meeting with him at the U.
N.
Well, hysterical or not, if I was gonna have someone killed, I'd at least be a little discreet about it.
I was in the CIA.
That's been mentioned more than a few times.
You were trained to kill with your bare hands.
Well, what was it? A knife or my bare hands? There's an open forum.
(knocks) Ma'am, they're ready for you.
I'd be remiss if I didn't offer the possibility of bowing out of this interview, given the circumstances.
Well, I appreciate that, but there is still a strong divide between legitimate news sources and fringe-based hooey.
This appearance is gonna drive that point home.
Yes, ma'am.
We're very excited about the policy initiatives that we're working on at the U.
N.
General Assembly this week.
- Global education standards.
- Mm-hmm.
Preserving marine biodiversity.
New research into global food security What-What's going on with China and the free speech resolution? Yeah.
We are disappointed by the setback that we're having there.
- Yeah.
- I remain optim I'm sure that the, uh, recent death of the assistant vice minister of Timor-Leste, Rogério Bento, was a complicating factor on the first day of the UNGA? I think Mr.
Bento's death is more a tragedy You were in the room with him when this tragedy occurred.
- Is that right? - Yes.
And so, of course, now there's no avoiding talking about this shocking rumor that's taken hold of social media and is being reported on several Web-based news outlets that you were somehow responsible for his death.
Seriously, you're going there? I'm just giving you a chance to explain yourself.
These Web-based news outlets to which you refer, as you know, are little more than blogs written by known perpetuators of conspiracy theories Okay.
Okay, even so, this claim has gained more credence just moments a ago when Arizona Senator Carlos Morejon spoke out about it at a press conference.
Let's watch.
CARLOS: I, along with everyone else, am shocked and alarmed at these accusations concerning Secretary McCord's involvement in Mr.
Bento's death.
I can assure you congressional inquiries will be made, and if there's even a whiff of truth, I will demand the immediate removal of Secretary McCord from her post.
REPORTER: You think the secretary is guilty of murder? Those are your words, not mine.
I'm leaving it to the FBI to see if charges should be brought against her.
Care to comment? I I wouldn't know where to begin.
- Senator Morejon says it doesn't - But maybe with the fact that this is obvious crackpot theorizing, which quite possibly is the work of a disinformation campaign by a foreign power.
You mean, say, China What Senator Morejon is doing by legitimizing this baseless story it's not just immoral and unethical.
It undermines the stability of democratic government.
That's an overstatement.
Reliable information is the bedrock of any institution, be it science, government or private enterprise.
Of course.
If citizens can't tell the difference between fact and fiction, then the entire project of civilization turns to dust.
Yeah, not to put too fine a point on it.
You find this amusing, Marty? Hey, no, not at all, but it is no secret that Senator Morejon is no fan of yours, or President Dalton, so he is entirely So as an elected member of Congress, he's within his right to do whatever he can to block the executive agenda.
Absolutely.
But by bringing legitimacy to a ridiculous murder claim against me, he's using the tactics not just of dirty politics - but of warfare.
- (scoffs) - I don't think so.
- Because it's dictatorial.
It's autocratic.
And it's un-American.
I think the senator would say he's just trying Furthermore, a mainstream media outlet ought to have a better understanding of its responsibility to the public, and refuse to signal-boost these kinds of outright lies.
- You are in no - Really.
You ought to know better.
Well, you guys are gonna have a busy night.
Sorry about that.
It's the right thing to do.
Honor to clean up your mess, ma'am.
For the moment, we'll just stand by your statement and monitor the situation.
- (crowd murmuring) - Oh.
Ma'am, this doesn't look good.
CROWD (chanting): Murderer! Murderer! (chanting continues) Murderer! Murderer! Murderer! (knock on door) I believe that's Mr.
Jackson's knock, ma'am.
And his angry knock, at that.
What in the name of all that is holy were you thinking?! Good ear, ma'am.
What? Nothing.
Coffee, Russell? Or a sedative of some kind? An overnight snap poll indicates that 22% of Americans believe you're guilty of murder.
ELIZABETH: Well, that's not so bad, considering.
Before your little outburst on Marty Hawk's show, that same poll was at 17%.
Because you seemed to forget that when something crazy hits the news cycle, your job is to lie low until it churns past! But no, you thought you'd try putting some kerosene on the crazy, and now it's a veritable bonfire of what the hell! I couldn't just sit there and let fake news control the narrative.
Oh, yeah? Well, here's the problem with our golden brainchild, free speech which I love as much as the next guy.
In the age of the Internet, it means a lot of nutjobs reach just as wide an audience as the secretary of state.
And you throwing patriotic temper tantrums on live TV isn't doing you any favors.
Neither is sitting there mute after she's been ambushed by someone pretending to represent legitimate journalism.
Instead of throwing your own tantrum and blaming the victim for this latest tool of terrorism, why don't you grow a spine and do something about it?! Let's put a pin in that.
May I remind both of you that the Washington press is well aware of the secretary's crucial role in the president's cabinet, and they link her success and credibility to his.
If America is even entertaining the idea that she is a murderer, that means his legislative agenda, his foreign policy agenda, even his legacy are all at risk.
We will handle this at the top.
In the meantime, I am respectfully requesting that you refrain from comment.
By which I mean, put a sock in it! Forget about it, Nadine.
We're all upset.
I'm not apologizing, Russell! (door slams) I apologize, ma'am.
Well, thank you.
It's okay.
(sighs) Um (sighs) To quote Judge Louis Brandeis, "Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.
" The only way we can possibly fight this rumor is with the truth.
I've had a text from Jay.
He's found Mrs.
Bento, and she's willing to talk.
TALIA: Dr.
McCord, I want to thank you for the opportunity you have given my brother.
It's good to see him so happy.
HENRY: I'm glad we could work it out.
So, you continue with your covers: Alexander Mehranov, his sister Dina.
Alexander will continue to work in I.
T.
If the Russians discover you're working with the Special Activities Division, they will be even more motivated to keep you from intelligence work.
And they will use every covert means available to them to stop it.
You need to be vigilant.
And keep a very low profile.
We know how to do that, Dr.
McCord.
You have a lot to prove to the bosses.
And so do I.
I won't let you down.
ANA: I don't know much of anything, ma'am.
Rogério kept me in the dark regarding his work.
I do know he was under a great deal of strain after the islands he fought so hard to protect were sold off anyway to anonymous buyers.
This only added to the emotional distress we both were feeling after the loss of our daughter.
I don't know if you're aware.
She died of a cocaine overdose six months ago.
President Da Silva told me that it was a car accident.
Maybe he told you that to protect us.
He was always looking out for us.
After Rogério died, he called me immediately and told me I was no longer safe in Timor-Leste.
He said he could use his connections in the Australian government to ensure our immigration process was a smooth one.
W-Why weren't you safe there? He didn't say, and I didn't ask.
I trust him.
He is such a good friend to us.
(sobbing) Thank you for speaking with me, Mrs.
Bento.
I really appreciate your time.
Again, my deepest sympathies.
Good-bye, ma'am.
Well, that's interesting.
Why would Da Silva lie to me? Especially when he knows you could kill him with a cocktail glass.
That's the latest rumor.
So not funny yet.
BLAKE: Ma'am, Dr.
Adams.
Hey.
Hey, killer.
Ah.
You all lawyered up? That's hilarious.
Why's it funny when he does it? It's not.
Something tells me you're not here just to make orange jumpsuit jokes.
I, uh, have the final results of Bento's blood test.
No, go ahead.
Everybody's been read in.
All right.
The exact compound in his blood was dimethyl tetrasulfide-5.
Very rare, very toxic chemical.
According to my friend in the lab, there are only two bad actors known to use this particular compound for homicide.
Only the Russians, as far as I know.
- (phone ringing) - And the Colima Cartel.
(phone beeps) Uh, an up-and-coming Mexican drug organization.
Excuse me.
How are they connected to Timor-Leste? NADINE: Mrs.
Bento said her daughter died of a cocaine overdose.
It's possible to find that in Maritime Southeast Asia, but it's rare.
She's right.
The coca plant doesn't grow in that region.
It can only be produced in the Western Hemisphere, which means it's in high demand in Asian markets.
W-What if the Colima Cartel were looking to break in? They'd want a small, offshore sovereign nation to use as a convenient port.
MATT: A country that was poor and susceptible to corruption would be ideal.
DAISY: They could have muscled the president of Timor-Leste into selling them a small island, using a dummy corporation to hide their involvement.
ELIZABETH: If that's the case, then the Colima Cartel has become so powerful that they could murder a diplomatic official inside the U.
N.
and silence President Da Silva.
Then they have infiltrated the government - at the highest level.
- (Elizabeth sighs) Little Timor-Leste is at risk of becoming a narco state.
And the cartel is driving the fake news story to discredit anything that I might have heard from Bento.
You're in their crosshairs, ma'am.
We have to get on top of this before Before they get more creative? Well It would be almost impossible - for them to get past your detail.
- Ha.
I'm sure you're in no in real danger.
It's just That they killed a guy right in front of me at the U.
N.
, and who knows what else they could do? Yes, ma'am.
Excuse me.
I know why Mr.
Bento was so eager to see me.
It was a last-ditch effort to get the word out that the Colima Cartel had taken over the government of Timor-Leste.
I assure you, this is not the case.
And that they had gone so far as to purchase entire islands to set up shop.
We've connected the dots, Mr.
President.
It's useless to deny it.
Rogério was a good man.
And you were his friend.
The way that you took care of his family when they were in danger tells me who you are.
And I know that you want your country to be a sovereign nation again.
Why don't you let us help you? I resisted them for a long time.
But the cartels have become too rich with money and guns for us to even fight back.
They have taken our nation by force.
Threatening our lives and family.
Rogério was stronger than I.
He fought to the end.
That's why he was killed.
He was willing to die for his country, and I was not.
It's not too late.
You can use his sacrifice to turn this around.
You speak out publicly against the cartel, bring these killers to justice, and you will have the full backing of the United States.
You have my word on that.
Your government has been trying to root out the cartels in Mexico for decades, and Colombia before that.
Yes, but in those cases, we didn't have China on our side.
If we can get them on board, I believe that we can give you back your country.
And Ana and her sons can return home.
And you can watch Rogério's sons grow up and be a second father to them.
Remind them of who he was.
I would give anything for that.
Then work with me.
ELIZABETH: Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.
I know we haven't been on the best of terms lately.
What with you standing me up and all.
What with you pulling out of the free speech resolution and all.
But fun as it is, we're gonna have to skip this part.
The situation in Timor-Leste requires your immediate attention.
Now, I know that China has no interest in an expanded presence of illegal drugs.
But I also think you turn a blind eye when your chemical companies sell MDMA and meth precursors to countries abroad.
Does this have something to do with your troubles in the news? This has something to do with everyone's troubles in the news.
Oh, now, look.
See? This is what I was hoping wouldn't happen.
Now you're in my story.
How's that? "Foreign Minister Chen has secret meeting with Elizabeth McCord following the death of Rogério Bento.
" You set me up.
No, I-I didn't need to.
This is what we're all facing if we don't fight back against bad actors weaponizing the news.
The Colima Cartel is manipulating this narrative.
Right now, they're focused on me.
Tomorrow, could be you.
As you know, we have safeguards against that kind of thing in China.
Perhaps you are seeing the upside of it now.
Eh, we're kind of married to the idea of free press, thanks.
But even your regulations won't stop some guy in Macedonia being paid to manufacture clickbait.
No.
We are all going to lose this battle if we don't stand together and call it out.
Just as you're going to lose the battle against an epidemic of cocaine and heroin addiction if you don't get ahead of it now.
Perhaps you'd rather talk about this in another location? I have nothing to hide.
Do you, Minister Chen? Certainly not.
Well, then we're fine.
REPORTER: Madam Secretary, what do you have to say about the murder charges? REPORTER 2: What is the purpose of this meeting? REPORTER 3: Minister Chen, did you know the deceased? (reporters continue clamoring, cameras clicking) Did you find any? (speaking Russian) Talia, English! Also, it was very expensive.
You know, there are other ways to treat your injuries.
Dr.
McCord found me a good doctor.
He could do the same for you.
I will be fine.
Didn't they ask you about drugs on your polygraph test? Russian military taught me how to beat a polygraph test since I was 17.
If you're like this without your pills for one day, what will happen when you're working and you don't have them for a week? (groans softly) (speaks Russian) Dr.
McCord has done so much for us.
He's depending on you.
Don't lecture me! I've taken care of everything this far, haven't I?! Look, you have to trust me.
I know what I'm doing! NEWS ANCHOR: A dramatic scene in the small Pacific nation of Timor-Leste this evening, as DEA agents took custody of Enrique Villareal, a high-ranking member of the notorious Colima Cartel.
According to DEA officials, the Mexico-based cartel has been using Timor-Leste as a staging point for drug-smuggling operations Welcome home.
This arrest comes as part of a major I want to be asleep.
- (mutes TV) - DEA made quick work of the Colima Cartel.
What'd you do, threaten them with a cocktail glass? (laughs) No.
I threatened Minister Chen with the nightmare of what China would look like if heroin and cocaine become as much of an epidemic in his country as it is in mine.
He likes when I play into their superiority.
And as Kissinger said, - it has the added benefit of being true.
- Ha.
So, here we are, in a brand-new news cycle.
Uh, not so fast.
The latest snap poll has 12% of Americans thinking you're a murderer.
Well, that's half what it was.
So we're moving in the right direction.
(chuckles softly) Scary how fast everyone jumped aboard that train.
Even scarier to think that a drug syndicate can use the power of fake news to rattle a country, convince them to lose faith in their government officials.
The bad guys have a powerful new weapon.
And we don't know how to fight it.
Figure that out, okay? I'm working on it.
Mm.
- No, no, no.
- (moans) No.
Mm.
You still interested in getting a hobby? This is not a hobby.
It is if you're doing it right.
(laughs) - (moans) Ah.
Madam Secretary.
- Chief Justice.
- (chuckles) I don't think I've ever seen you in here before.
No, I'm not much of a power breakfast type.
Mm.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
It's just I'm more of a muffin on the fly type.
Got it.
There's just somebody I needed to bump into.
Uh, yes, there is.
And I wouldn't want to be Senator Morejon right now.
(chuckles) Madam Secretary.
Senator Morejon.
What did you do, have the NSA track my whereabouts or something? You Instagrammed your breakfast.
Those things have Geo-tracking on them.
Something to keep in mind.
I wanted to touch base now that those responsible for Bento's death have been found and you look a little foolish for buying into an Internet conspiracy.
I was just repeating a news item that one of my staffers read online.
Foolishly.
You're playing a more dangerous game than you know.
You played a pretty dangerous game yourself, pulling every democratic lever that you could to get Dalton a second term.
There are still some powerful forces in American politics who hate him for going rogue and leaving the party.
And they hate you just as much for convincing him to do it.
He made his own decision, followed his conscience.
A novel approach you might want to look into sometime.
Well, here's what I know already: in this brave new world of scattered partisan media, where unscrupulous outlets are desperate for any juicy news story and political plot twist that they can find, I believe I can chip away at Dalton's approval ratings quickly and efficiently.
12% of the American public thinks that you're a murderer, Madam Secretary.
I can work with that.
(Machine beeps) Did you sustain any injuries during your imprisonment in Russia? Yes.
Were your injuries a result of torture? Yes.
Do you resent the United States government for its role in your incarceration? Sometimes.
INTERROGATOR: Do you plan to subvert or sabotage the U.
S.
government? No.
We have recruits with a lot less baggage.
We would be allowing a former member of the Russian military into the highest levels of the agency.
I need you to be clear-eyed on this.
That it's not some kind of penance on your part - for leaving him in a Gulag.
- It's not.
But you'll be fully accountable for him.
You know, you're running a division of the CIA that involves our most sensitive work, and you're five minutes on the job.
Then I must think he's pretty valuable.
INTERROGATOR: Have you ever been convicted of a felony? This process isn't exactly reliable with a guy like this.
We'll see how he does here.
I'll have an answer for you tomorrow.
(door opens, closes) (sighs) ELIZABETH: Oh! One store, two hours, six bags, everything on the list, shazam.
"Shazam"? Nice.
Really bringing it back.
I love Bed Bath & Beyond.
Yes, you do.
Because they have everything.
They have things you didn't even know you wanted, and that, my friend, is where the "Beyond" part kicks in.
Uh, like a ceramic hedgehog that's really a shoe scraper? You know, you are so gonna use that.
Wait and see, I'm telling you.
Probably more than the turbo wet/dry hand vac.
What? No, no, no, that is a must have.
We're not going to be slaughtering our own food.
How messy can we be? Well, you would be surprised.
Please.
It's just gonna take up closet space.
Why don't you keep it here? We already have two.
Upstairs, downstairs.
Ah, the familiar rustle of capitalism at work.
We got everything.
Operation Ali Goes to College is completo.
Except, you know, the going to college.
(sighs) In two days.
I can't believe it.
And I can't believe that I'm not gonna be able to take you, Ali.
It's okay.
I think they'd miss the secretary of state at the United Nations General Assembly.
Dad and I will be fine.
Oh, no.
You didn't.
Mom.
The wet/dry vac? You loved yours.
I sold it, the second week of school.
You did? Also, I never sorted my laundry.
Okay? I just put it all in the washing machine, - on cold water.
- Please stop.
Okay.
Show of hands.
Who thinks a game room would benefit the whole family? I'm only going an hour away.
You're not taking over my room.
Guard it for me, will you? Uh, sorry, I'm going to New York tomorrow, so You're going to UNGA, too? Yes, in my capacity as the White House chief of staff's silent intern.
Russell says that I'm not allowed to talk to anyone.
Yeah, he says that to me a lot, too.
Can you guys give me a hand? - I have to start packing.
- Oh.
Packing for college! Can you believe it? Yes, Mom, we can all believe it.
(sighs) Well, I can't.
(Jason grunts) It would still be your room, just with an air hockey table.
ALISON: Forget it.
What about a pool table, maybe? ALISON: Whose side are you on? Hey, hey, hey, hey.
The new one is cordless! It's just Ha! I'm gonna, I'm gonna charge it up for you.
'Cause you are gonna use it.
(chuckles) ELIZABETH: We need to get a hobby.
Mm-hmm.
(brushing teeth): Something that we can do together.
You know? Like golf or tennis or maybe a book club.
Totally.
I'm serious.
We are two years away from having a completely empty nest, and we are not prepared.
We could turn into that couple that doesn't know how to talk to each other.
We'll start watching TV shows we don't care about.
Stop going to restaurants 'cause they're too loud.
Stop going to movies 'cause of parking.
And from there, it is just a race to the bathtub that opens from the side.
(chuckles) Stop feeling guilty.
That is not it.
Technically, Stevie still lives with us.
There's an excellent chance Jason will never leave.
(laughs) I don't think empty nest is gonna be our problem.
Or maybe you just know how much better I am at golf and tennis.
I will slay you at book club.
That's true.
I feel guilty.
Stop it.
You couldn't take Stevie to college.
- I know.
- Remember? You had the flu? And look what happened; she dropped out.
And then she finished, and now she's an intern - for the White House chief of staff, so - It's a watershed event.
It is a life moment, and it is just passing me by.
Do I sound whiny? But in a way that I find totally attractive.
NADINE: After the reception breakfast, you have a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Chen.
Then the free speech resolution takes up most of tomorrow.
That's definitely gonna dominate the agenda, ma'am.
Not to mention the news cycle.
Getting China to the table on a multilateral accord promoting greater free speech MATT: "Is a foreign policy achievement "that will open up China "to the same political and economic transparency we've come to expect from our Western allies.
" Boom.
- Thanks, Matt.
- Daisy's got you booked on the cable news circuit, prime time, with the anchors you like, except for Marty Hawk, which couldn't avoid.
(sighs): Oh, Marty.
Well, maybe I'll get a chance to finish some of the sentences I didn't get to the last time I was there.
(chuckles) He's the highest-rated interrupter - on cable, ma'am.
- I understand.
Oh, also, ma'am, your brother Will asked me to remind you that he'll be attending UNGA as a guest speaker promoting cholera vaccinations in Third World countries.
And you're having lunch with him at the Four Seasons.
Totally remembered that.
Of course you did, ma'am.
ROGERIO: Madam Secretary, Rogério Bento of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste! Madam Secretary, Rogério Bento, Assistant Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, - Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste! - Nice to see you, Mr.
Bento.
NADINE: Mr.
Bento, Mr.
Bento, we will get back to you.
- Please, it's urgent! - Good day, sir.
Please, it's urgent I get a meeting! Madam Secretary McCord! NADINE: Any guesses what that was about? Something to do with their maritime dispute with Australia and the South China Sea? That's all the secretary needs is to send a message to China by meeting with Timor-Leste.
Agreed.
Just smile and keep moving.
ELIZABETH: So this is actually a better idea.
- Hi.
- Hi, baby.
- Excuse me, Mr.
Prime Minister.
- Of course.
- (whispers): This is pretty exciting, huh? - Yeah.
Have you seen the raspberry strudel? You have to bodycheck the Norwegian ambassador.
- Mom.
Mom.
- He's, like, parked there.
- Hey.
- Yeah? Mr.
Jackson and the president need to talk to you.
Oh.
Okay.
Uh, get something to eat, okay? - Mom.
- You have to eat.
China has pulled out of the free speech resolution.
What? When? 14 minutes ago.
Did they say why? No public statement, and I couldn't get President Li's office to return my call.
My best guess is they were never serious about coming to the table.
Just wanted to bait and humiliate us on the world stage.
I have a bilateral meeting with Minister Chen scheduled after this.
So maybe you can keep the dialogue alive.
Actually, I was thinking I just won't show up.
If it is gamesmanship, then we have to demonstrate that we're serious.
Instead, I'll take a meeting with the Assistant Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs for Timor-Leste.
Why? He says it's urgent.
I think it's probably about the maritime law and the South China Sea.
That matters to China.
Free speech matters to us.
I think President Li will get the point.
Wow.
It's aggressive and at the same time a little petty.
Works for me.
So we take control of the narrative and wait for them to make the next move.
RUSSELL: Yes, sir.
Give my regards to the Assistant Vice Minister of Timor-Leste.
I will, sir.
(quiet chatter, dishes clinking lightly) (soft jazz music playing) You're gonna need this.
I just heard from Director Haymond.
You're in.
Thank you.
But I have to be honest, the director was a hard sell.
So if there are any second thoughts, you need to tell me now.
I'm all in.
Good.
Mr.
Bento.
Elizabeth McCord.
It's very good to meet you officially.
Madam Secretary, thank you so much for making the time.
- Of course.
- I was surprised to hear from your office, but-but very pleased.
Um, can I get you something? Coffee or tea? Just-just water.
I understand that you had something of an an urgent nature to discuss with me.
And my staff, they thought it might be about the situation in the South China Sea.
As you know, we've had our own disputes with China over (glass shatters) Mr.
Bento? Help! Somebody! What happened, ma'am?! I don't know! Oh, my God.
Go get someone! Matt, go! - Ma'am.
- Thank you, Blake.
Uh, also, a gentle reminder that you missed breakfast, so you haven't eaten.
- Remind me again in an hour, okay? - JAY: Were they able to determine the cause of death? No.
Not until the autopsy.
The EMT said it looked like a cardiac episode, possibly an aneurysm.
It's already in the news.
We need to make a statement.
I'll take care of it.
Thanks, Matt.
We should contact the Bento family so I can extend my personal condolences.
- I'll reach out.
- Thank you.
The president of Timor-Leste would like to speak with you personally, so I set up a meeting for about an hour from now.
Okay.
Good.
BLAKE: Ma'am.
I-I'm really I'm not hungry.
Y-You should just change your outfit.
(softly): Right.
Okay.
Thank you.
REPORTER: Shocking news from the U.
N.
today.
A foreign official collapsed and died during a face-to-face meeting with Secretary of State HENRY: There's more? Here's the second to last batch.
You have seen the dimensions of your dorm room, right? Blame Mom.
She's the one that went nuts in the big box store.
(phone ringing) You have 18 pairs of shoes.
You counted my shoes? Hey, babe.
How are you? I heard about the guy in Timor-Leste.
I was meeting with him.
It happened right in front of me.
Yeah, that's what they said on the news.
A heart attack, apparently? Oh, I don't know yet.
There's already something on the Internet about a secret meeting regarding the South China Sea.
That's why the Chinese pulled out of the free speech resolution.
Ugh, the Internet.
I know.
But you're okay, right? Yeah, I'm fine.
How's it going there? Oh, great.
Just have to engineer Ali's entire life into the back of an SUV before tomorrow.
He tried to count my shoes.
18 pairs.
You ever counted mine? - Yes.
- Okay.
The women and shoe thing y-you got to let it go.
I've tried.
Let me talk to Ali.
I want to say good-bye again.
Okay.
Mom, we literally can't finish the soundtrack of Hamilton before we get there.
Yes, I have the wet/dry vac right here.
I'm so very sorry for your loss, President Da Silva.
Thank you, Madam Secretary.
Rogério was a long-time member of my government, but he was much more than that.
He was a good friend.
We known each other since primary school.
Were you aware of any health problems? Not really, but he was under a considerable amount of stress.
See, his daughter Jasmine died suddenly several months ago a car accident.
Terrible tragedy.
That's awful.
She was only 22 years old.
I'm so sorry.
I wonder if you can tell me, Madam Secretary, what it was Rogério wanted to discuss with you.
We didn't get a chance to talk.
I thought you might tell me.
I have no idea.
I was surprised to hear he was meeting with you.
I found out on the news.
Did it seem important? He told my staff it was.
Well, I suppose it will forever remain a mystery.
(knock on door) Sorry to bother you during your break, ma'am.
Oh, no, I-I was just running out to meet Will for lunch.
- Everything okay? - Well, some surprising news.
President Da Silva has ordered Mr.
Bento's body released.
It is right now in transit back to Timor-Leste.
Now? What about the autopsy? There isn't going to be one.
Da Silva is claiming that Mr.
Bento's body falls under the protections of diplomatic immunity.
But it's his friend.
Why wouldn't he want to know how he died? I don't know, ma'am.
WILL: I get it.
It's a little stuffy having lunch at the Four Seasons, but wasn't there something in the middle? Something between pâté and street meat? I'm a little pressed for time.
Need you to do something for me.
You cancel our fancy lunch, now you want me to do your laundry? I want you to do a lab test.
Minister Bento's blood is on my blouse.
It's what I was wearing when he died in front of me.
Don't happen to have a lab on me.
You have to know someone in town, right? Maybe, but what am I looking for? What, you think the guy was murdered? (sighs) I have no idea.
But something is up.
Bento was desperate to talk to me.
But his president claimed not to know what it was about.
And then he suddenly orders the body released, sent it back home without an autopsy.
Now, I don't want to start a whole diplomatic firestorm without some valid evidence.
Why are you looking at me like that? Because I think you're sublimating.
Don't.
That's not even your field.
I did a rotation in psychiatry.
What am I sublimating about? Guilt over not taking Alison to college.
How do you even know about that? I'm her cool uncle.
We Bitmoji.
That's not a verb.
She's just indulging you.
She says you're freaking out about not taking her to a school that's only an hour away.
Why do people keep saying that? It is still away.
The point is you can't invent a murder mystery - to distract yourself from missing her send-off.
- Okay.
First of all, even if I'm sublimating, I'm not insane.
These are two separate issues.
And secondly, it makes perfect sense that sending my daughter off to college alone - With Henry.
- would bring up all sorts of things for me, about driving myself to college because I was an orphan and because Aunt Joan was away on on business, and I was the only student, you know, dragging my belongings by myself across the quad at UVA.
And that is why, when it was your turn to go to college, I moved heaven and Earth so that I could bring you myself and you wouldn't have to go through that.
I thought Aunt Joan took me.
What? No, I took you.
I don't think so.
Of course I did.
I I helped you put up your anti-apartheid posters and your Linda Ronstadt posters, and and then, remember, we went and we had we had veggie burgers down at the How can you not remember that? I remember Linda Ronstadt, but Hey, look, whatever happened, we both turned out okay.
(sighs) Except you.
You're you're serious about this? You're exhausting.
Please, just do it.
(sighs) Okay.
Thanks for the hot dog.
I'm surprised you remember it.
Ma'am, I finally tracked down Bento's family.
Turns out that hours after news of his death broke, his wife and two teenage sons got on a plane for Australia to seek political asylum.
I wasn't able to talk to Political asylum? Yes, ma'am.
But I wasn't able to talk to Mrs.
Bento personally because they're still with the immigration authorities.
But another thing: we all went back through our records, and there are at least a hundred messages from Bento over the last few months, trying to get a meeting with you.
How does that not make its way up the chain? Because they were all to different departments and he didn't say what it was about and he was - an assistant vice minister to Timor-Leste.
We didn't - Never mind.
It doesn't, it doesn't matter.
Pull whatever strings you can with the Australians.
I need to get Bento's wife on the phone.
If she has any idea what her husband wanted to talk to me about, I need to hear it.
Yes, ma'am.
- Hey.
- Hey.
So, my friend at the lab rushed the job for me.
Ran a few panels, but couldn't tell me the exact compound yet.
But the blood did test positive for tetrasulfate.
What's that? Highly toxic material.
Ingested in high doses, it would kill someone in less than an hour, so the guy was poisoned.
So much for sublimating.
Yeah, sorry about that.
So where would I don't know somebody find some tetrasulfate? Depends on the kind.
She can test for more specific markers, if you want.
- It'll take a while, but - Yes.
No, it's great.
All right.
I'll let you know.
Look, I know I still owe you a fancy meal.
Yes.
I just I got to make some classified calls.
I'll All right.
ELIZABETH: From what we gather, President Da Silva and Bento were friends.
The relationship seemed to strain after Bento fought the sale of their atolls to Chinese buyers.
In fact, when Bento made those protestations last year, it was not as assistant vice minister of foreign affairs, but as the minister of commerce.
Looks like China finally got through to Da Silva, who betrayed his friend, demoted him, and quietly sold off the islands to a shadowy buyer.
Like a front for a Chinese state-owned enterprise.
ELIZABETH: Yes, sir.
And I think that Bento was going to blow the whistle to me, and then Da Silva got wind of his intentions and had him killed.
I realize that murdering your own diplomats is all the rage these days, but they're not getting away with it on American soil, at the U.
N.
General Assembly, no less.
If Da Silva was involved in this, I'll give him the Noriega treatment.
RUSSELL: FBI is into it, but in the meantime, we need to send a public message to China and to Timor-Leste that we're onto them.
Any ideas? Tell the press that American authorities suspect Bento was the victim of foul play, and are looking into several leads and prospects.
Just need your authorization to go public.
You've got it.
Sir.
ALISON: Dad, we don't have to unpack everything right this second.
You have 18 pairs of shoes.
You need to find a home for them.
I will, later.
Why would you put that off? ALISON: Because I'm starving.
Can I go to the dining hall, please? You can totally have the rest of this.
- I'm kind of making myself sick.
- Oh, no, thanks.
I don't know why he's being like this.
I'm a marine.
You finish the job.
You were a marine.
No, there's no past tense to "marine.
" Wait, you mean, like, someone who trains dolphins? Seriously, you should hang your stuff up so that the wrinkles fall out.
I'm looking for a Bayard freshman - studying fashion and design.
- Ah, finally! Thank goodness! Oh! I thought he was having some sort of mental breakdown.
(chuckles) Ali.
Surprise.
You left UNGA for this? Well, you can thank the Chinese.
They pulled out of our biggest negotiation.
You see, there's a silver lining to everything.
- Mwah, mwah, mwah! - Okay, okay, okay.
Uh, Mom, this is my roommate, Lucinda.
- Oh, nice to meet you, Mrs.
Secretary.
- Lucinda.
I'd shake your hand, but they're, like, all gross.
Oh, sure.
Oh, I guess I got this stuff everywhere.
You know what would clean that right up.
- Oh, here we go.
- Come on.
- We're gonna go eat.
Wow.
It's incredible.
They have a sushi bar.
Vegan station.
Did you see the vegan station? Mac and cheese is solid that's the true litmus test of a good cafeteria.
Okay, you guys do not need to over-love it.
You can just like it.
I'm secure in my choice.
All right, well, I'm gonna go to the dessert bar, which looks totally ordinary, by the way.
- Can I get an ordinary brownie? - Yes.
Maybe give it a second.
There's some staring going on.
ELIZABETH: Oh, sweetheart, we don't worry Mom, there's normal staring, and then there's creepy staring.
- This feels like creepy staring.
- It does? - Kinda.
- Sorry, uh, to interrupt, but we should really get on the road soon if you want to have a safe cushion - for the Marty Hawk interview.
- All right, here we go.
Just quick.
Okay, listen, you just FaceTime me - or text or Skype or - Bye, babe.
I will.
You know, you could call, you could dial I'm not crying.
I'm not crying.
I'm just misting.
It's not the same thing.
- Yes, ma'am.
- (sniffles) Did we really have to leave that early, or are you just trying to get me out of there before I unravel and humiliate my daughter? Um, I am trying to get you out of this setting.
Ma'am, there's a story trending on Twitter.
God, what now? It's about the Assistant Vice Minister Bento.
It seems that you may have, um Oh, wow, I don't know how to say this.
- Just say it.
- You murdered him.
(phones beeping, cameras clicking) This way.
It began on a conspiracy- mongering fringe website called, hmm, "Champion of Facts.
" It spread through social media at an alarmingly fast rate.
It's retweeted and shared through countless sources.
What's not helping are the hundred-plus phone calls that Mr.
Bento made to our office.
The unanswered ones? Yes, ma'am.
Uh, apparently, you were avoiding him because he had something on you.
Then you became hysterical revealing choice of words and so you stabbed him in the chest during an unscheduled, closed-door meeting with him at the U.
N.
Well, hysterical or not, if I was gonna have someone killed, I'd at least be a little discreet about it.
I was in the CIA.
That's been mentioned more than a few times.
You were trained to kill with your bare hands.
Well, what was it? A knife or my bare hands? There's an open forum.
(knocks) Ma'am, they're ready for you.
I'd be remiss if I didn't offer the possibility of bowing out of this interview, given the circumstances.
Well, I appreciate that, but there is still a strong divide between legitimate news sources and fringe-based hooey.
This appearance is gonna drive that point home.
Yes, ma'am.
We're very excited about the policy initiatives that we're working on at the U.
N.
General Assembly this week.
- Global education standards.
- Mm-hmm.
Preserving marine biodiversity.
New research into global food security What-What's going on with China and the free speech resolution? Yeah.
We are disappointed by the setback that we're having there.
- Yeah.
- I remain optim I'm sure that the, uh, recent death of the assistant vice minister of Timor-Leste, Rogério Bento, was a complicating factor on the first day of the UNGA? I think Mr.
Bento's death is more a tragedy You were in the room with him when this tragedy occurred.
- Is that right? - Yes.
And so, of course, now there's no avoiding talking about this shocking rumor that's taken hold of social media and is being reported on several Web-based news outlets that you were somehow responsible for his death.
Seriously, you're going there? I'm just giving you a chance to explain yourself.
These Web-based news outlets to which you refer, as you know, are little more than blogs written by known perpetuators of conspiracy theories Okay.
Okay, even so, this claim has gained more credence just moments a ago when Arizona Senator Carlos Morejon spoke out about it at a press conference.
Let's watch.
CARLOS: I, along with everyone else, am shocked and alarmed at these accusations concerning Secretary McCord's involvement in Mr.
Bento's death.
I can assure you congressional inquiries will be made, and if there's even a whiff of truth, I will demand the immediate removal of Secretary McCord from her post.
REPORTER: You think the secretary is guilty of murder? Those are your words, not mine.
I'm leaving it to the FBI to see if charges should be brought against her.
Care to comment? I I wouldn't know where to begin.
- Senator Morejon says it doesn't - But maybe with the fact that this is obvious crackpot theorizing, which quite possibly is the work of a disinformation campaign by a foreign power.
You mean, say, China What Senator Morejon is doing by legitimizing this baseless story it's not just immoral and unethical.
It undermines the stability of democratic government.
That's an overstatement.
Reliable information is the bedrock of any institution, be it science, government or private enterprise.
Of course.
If citizens can't tell the difference between fact and fiction, then the entire project of civilization turns to dust.
Yeah, not to put too fine a point on it.
You find this amusing, Marty? Hey, no, not at all, but it is no secret that Senator Morejon is no fan of yours, or President Dalton, so he is entirely So as an elected member of Congress, he's within his right to do whatever he can to block the executive agenda.
Absolutely.
But by bringing legitimacy to a ridiculous murder claim against me, he's using the tactics not just of dirty politics - but of warfare.
- (scoffs) - I don't think so.
- Because it's dictatorial.
It's autocratic.
And it's un-American.
I think the senator would say he's just trying Furthermore, a mainstream media outlet ought to have a better understanding of its responsibility to the public, and refuse to signal-boost these kinds of outright lies.
- You are in no - Really.
You ought to know better.
Well, you guys are gonna have a busy night.
Sorry about that.
It's the right thing to do.
Honor to clean up your mess, ma'am.
For the moment, we'll just stand by your statement and monitor the situation.
- (crowd murmuring) - Oh.
Ma'am, this doesn't look good.
CROWD (chanting): Murderer! Murderer! (chanting continues) Murderer! Murderer! Murderer! (knock on door) I believe that's Mr.
Jackson's knock, ma'am.
And his angry knock, at that.
What in the name of all that is holy were you thinking?! Good ear, ma'am.
What? Nothing.
Coffee, Russell? Or a sedative of some kind? An overnight snap poll indicates that 22% of Americans believe you're guilty of murder.
ELIZABETH: Well, that's not so bad, considering.
Before your little outburst on Marty Hawk's show, that same poll was at 17%.
Because you seemed to forget that when something crazy hits the news cycle, your job is to lie low until it churns past! But no, you thought you'd try putting some kerosene on the crazy, and now it's a veritable bonfire of what the hell! I couldn't just sit there and let fake news control the narrative.
Oh, yeah? Well, here's the problem with our golden brainchild, free speech which I love as much as the next guy.
In the age of the Internet, it means a lot of nutjobs reach just as wide an audience as the secretary of state.
And you throwing patriotic temper tantrums on live TV isn't doing you any favors.
Neither is sitting there mute after she's been ambushed by someone pretending to represent legitimate journalism.
Instead of throwing your own tantrum and blaming the victim for this latest tool of terrorism, why don't you grow a spine and do something about it?! Let's put a pin in that.
May I remind both of you that the Washington press is well aware of the secretary's crucial role in the president's cabinet, and they link her success and credibility to his.
If America is even entertaining the idea that she is a murderer, that means his legislative agenda, his foreign policy agenda, even his legacy are all at risk.
We will handle this at the top.
In the meantime, I am respectfully requesting that you refrain from comment.
By which I mean, put a sock in it! Forget about it, Nadine.
We're all upset.
I'm not apologizing, Russell! (door slams) I apologize, ma'am.
Well, thank you.
It's okay.
(sighs) Um (sighs) To quote Judge Louis Brandeis, "Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.
" The only way we can possibly fight this rumor is with the truth.
I've had a text from Jay.
He's found Mrs.
Bento, and she's willing to talk.
TALIA: Dr.
McCord, I want to thank you for the opportunity you have given my brother.
It's good to see him so happy.
HENRY: I'm glad we could work it out.
So, you continue with your covers: Alexander Mehranov, his sister Dina.
Alexander will continue to work in I.
T.
If the Russians discover you're working with the Special Activities Division, they will be even more motivated to keep you from intelligence work.
And they will use every covert means available to them to stop it.
You need to be vigilant.
And keep a very low profile.
We know how to do that, Dr.
McCord.
You have a lot to prove to the bosses.
And so do I.
I won't let you down.
ANA: I don't know much of anything, ma'am.
Rogério kept me in the dark regarding his work.
I do know he was under a great deal of strain after the islands he fought so hard to protect were sold off anyway to anonymous buyers.
This only added to the emotional distress we both were feeling after the loss of our daughter.
I don't know if you're aware.
She died of a cocaine overdose six months ago.
President Da Silva told me that it was a car accident.
Maybe he told you that to protect us.
He was always looking out for us.
After Rogério died, he called me immediately and told me I was no longer safe in Timor-Leste.
He said he could use his connections in the Australian government to ensure our immigration process was a smooth one.
W-Why weren't you safe there? He didn't say, and I didn't ask.
I trust him.
He is such a good friend to us.
(sobbing) Thank you for speaking with me, Mrs.
Bento.
I really appreciate your time.
Again, my deepest sympathies.
Good-bye, ma'am.
Well, that's interesting.
Why would Da Silva lie to me? Especially when he knows you could kill him with a cocktail glass.
That's the latest rumor.
So not funny yet.
BLAKE: Ma'am, Dr.
Adams.
Hey.
Hey, killer.
Ah.
You all lawyered up? That's hilarious.
Why's it funny when he does it? It's not.
Something tells me you're not here just to make orange jumpsuit jokes.
I, uh, have the final results of Bento's blood test.
No, go ahead.
Everybody's been read in.
All right.
The exact compound in his blood was dimethyl tetrasulfide-5.
Very rare, very toxic chemical.
According to my friend in the lab, there are only two bad actors known to use this particular compound for homicide.
Only the Russians, as far as I know.
- (phone ringing) - And the Colima Cartel.
(phone beeps) Uh, an up-and-coming Mexican drug organization.
Excuse me.
How are they connected to Timor-Leste? NADINE: Mrs.
Bento said her daughter died of a cocaine overdose.
It's possible to find that in Maritime Southeast Asia, but it's rare.
She's right.
The coca plant doesn't grow in that region.
It can only be produced in the Western Hemisphere, which means it's in high demand in Asian markets.
W-What if the Colima Cartel were looking to break in? They'd want a small, offshore sovereign nation to use as a convenient port.
MATT: A country that was poor and susceptible to corruption would be ideal.
DAISY: They could have muscled the president of Timor-Leste into selling them a small island, using a dummy corporation to hide their involvement.
ELIZABETH: If that's the case, then the Colima Cartel has become so powerful that they could murder a diplomatic official inside the U.
N.
and silence President Da Silva.
Then they have infiltrated the government - at the highest level.
- (Elizabeth sighs) Little Timor-Leste is at risk of becoming a narco state.
And the cartel is driving the fake news story to discredit anything that I might have heard from Bento.
You're in their crosshairs, ma'am.
We have to get on top of this before Before they get more creative? Well It would be almost impossible - for them to get past your detail.
- Ha.
I'm sure you're in no in real danger.
It's just That they killed a guy right in front of me at the U.
N.
, and who knows what else they could do? Yes, ma'am.
Excuse me.
I know why Mr.
Bento was so eager to see me.
It was a last-ditch effort to get the word out that the Colima Cartel had taken over the government of Timor-Leste.
I assure you, this is not the case.
And that they had gone so far as to purchase entire islands to set up shop.
We've connected the dots, Mr.
President.
It's useless to deny it.
Rogério was a good man.
And you were his friend.
The way that you took care of his family when they were in danger tells me who you are.
And I know that you want your country to be a sovereign nation again.
Why don't you let us help you? I resisted them for a long time.
But the cartels have become too rich with money and guns for us to even fight back.
They have taken our nation by force.
Threatening our lives and family.
Rogério was stronger than I.
He fought to the end.
That's why he was killed.
He was willing to die for his country, and I was not.
It's not too late.
You can use his sacrifice to turn this around.
You speak out publicly against the cartel, bring these killers to justice, and you will have the full backing of the United States.
You have my word on that.
Your government has been trying to root out the cartels in Mexico for decades, and Colombia before that.
Yes, but in those cases, we didn't have China on our side.
If we can get them on board, I believe that we can give you back your country.
And Ana and her sons can return home.
And you can watch Rogério's sons grow up and be a second father to them.
Remind them of who he was.
I would give anything for that.
Then work with me.
ELIZABETH: Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.
I know we haven't been on the best of terms lately.
What with you standing me up and all.
What with you pulling out of the free speech resolution and all.
But fun as it is, we're gonna have to skip this part.
The situation in Timor-Leste requires your immediate attention.
Now, I know that China has no interest in an expanded presence of illegal drugs.
But I also think you turn a blind eye when your chemical companies sell MDMA and meth precursors to countries abroad.
Does this have something to do with your troubles in the news? This has something to do with everyone's troubles in the news.
Oh, now, look.
See? This is what I was hoping wouldn't happen.
Now you're in my story.
How's that? "Foreign Minister Chen has secret meeting with Elizabeth McCord following the death of Rogério Bento.
" You set me up.
No, I-I didn't need to.
This is what we're all facing if we don't fight back against bad actors weaponizing the news.
The Colima Cartel is manipulating this narrative.
Right now, they're focused on me.
Tomorrow, could be you.
As you know, we have safeguards against that kind of thing in China.
Perhaps you are seeing the upside of it now.
Eh, we're kind of married to the idea of free press, thanks.
But even your regulations won't stop some guy in Macedonia being paid to manufacture clickbait.
No.
We are all going to lose this battle if we don't stand together and call it out.
Just as you're going to lose the battle against an epidemic of cocaine and heroin addiction if you don't get ahead of it now.
Perhaps you'd rather talk about this in another location? I have nothing to hide.
Do you, Minister Chen? Certainly not.
Well, then we're fine.
REPORTER: Madam Secretary, what do you have to say about the murder charges? REPORTER 2: What is the purpose of this meeting? REPORTER 3: Minister Chen, did you know the deceased? (reporters continue clamoring, cameras clicking) Did you find any? (speaking Russian) Talia, English! Also, it was very expensive.
You know, there are other ways to treat your injuries.
Dr.
McCord found me a good doctor.
He could do the same for you.
I will be fine.
Didn't they ask you about drugs on your polygraph test? Russian military taught me how to beat a polygraph test since I was 17.
If you're like this without your pills for one day, what will happen when you're working and you don't have them for a week? (groans softly) (speaks Russian) Dr.
McCord has done so much for us.
He's depending on you.
Don't lecture me! I've taken care of everything this far, haven't I?! Look, you have to trust me.
I know what I'm doing! NEWS ANCHOR: A dramatic scene in the small Pacific nation of Timor-Leste this evening, as DEA agents took custody of Enrique Villareal, a high-ranking member of the notorious Colima Cartel.
According to DEA officials, the Mexico-based cartel has been using Timor-Leste as a staging point for drug-smuggling operations Welcome home.
This arrest comes as part of a major I want to be asleep.
- (mutes TV) - DEA made quick work of the Colima Cartel.
What'd you do, threaten them with a cocktail glass? (laughs) No.
I threatened Minister Chen with the nightmare of what China would look like if heroin and cocaine become as much of an epidemic in his country as it is in mine.
He likes when I play into their superiority.
And as Kissinger said, - it has the added benefit of being true.
- Ha.
So, here we are, in a brand-new news cycle.
Uh, not so fast.
The latest snap poll has 12% of Americans thinking you're a murderer.
Well, that's half what it was.
So we're moving in the right direction.
(chuckles softly) Scary how fast everyone jumped aboard that train.
Even scarier to think that a drug syndicate can use the power of fake news to rattle a country, convince them to lose faith in their government officials.
The bad guys have a powerful new weapon.
And we don't know how to fight it.
Figure that out, okay? I'm working on it.
Mm.
- No, no, no.
- (moans) No.
Mm.
You still interested in getting a hobby? This is not a hobby.
It is if you're doing it right.
(laughs) - (moans) Ah.
Madam Secretary.
- Chief Justice.
- (chuckles) I don't think I've ever seen you in here before.
No, I'm not much of a power breakfast type.
Mm.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
It's just I'm more of a muffin on the fly type.
Got it.
There's just somebody I needed to bump into.
Uh, yes, there is.
And I wouldn't want to be Senator Morejon right now.
(chuckles) Madam Secretary.
Senator Morejon.
What did you do, have the NSA track my whereabouts or something? You Instagrammed your breakfast.
Those things have Geo-tracking on them.
Something to keep in mind.
I wanted to touch base now that those responsible for Bento's death have been found and you look a little foolish for buying into an Internet conspiracy.
I was just repeating a news item that one of my staffers read online.
Foolishly.
You're playing a more dangerous game than you know.
You played a pretty dangerous game yourself, pulling every democratic lever that you could to get Dalton a second term.
There are still some powerful forces in American politics who hate him for going rogue and leaving the party.
And they hate you just as much for convincing him to do it.
He made his own decision, followed his conscience.
A novel approach you might want to look into sometime.
Well, here's what I know already: in this brave new world of scattered partisan media, where unscrupulous outlets are desperate for any juicy news story and political plot twist that they can find, I believe I can chip away at Dalton's approval ratings quickly and efficiently.
12% of the American public thinks that you're a murderer, Madam Secretary.
I can work with that.