Madam Secretary (2014) s04e05 Episode Script
Persona Non Grata
1 Previously on Madam Secretary You're going to need a Chief of staff.
Okay.
Then I'd be honored to be considered.
There's no consideration.
You are it, pal.
There will be a partial shutdown of the federal government in a matter of days.
You're playing a more dangerous game than you know.
You played a pretty dangerous game yourself.
I am not letting that puny ideologue dismantle Conrad's agenda piece by piece over the next four years! ELIZABETH: I wanted you to meet a mother whose daughter was taken by the criminals we're trying to stop.
The Russians are stepping up their efforts to bolster the Taliban and undermine the democratic government in Afghanistan.
I don't have to tell you how disastrous that would be to the United States well, the entire Western world if they were to succeed.
HENRY: Russian support for the Taliban is growing in intensity.
According to our source, this latest transfer included lethal weaponry, including RPG-7s, PKs and Kord machine guns, which were used in an attack on an Afghan police station in Mazar-i-Sharif last night, leaving 23 dead.
CARPENTER: Terrible business.
I've read the reports.
But, well, why do you think the Kremlin is arming - the Taliban? - Well, one, because it undermines American interests in the region.
And two, because it establishes a relationship in the event the Afghan government falls.
And you think that's likely? If the infiltration continues, yes.
That's why Special Activities Division is requesting emergency funding, so that we can hire personnel, develop sources, and launch new operations against Russian targets in Kabul.
So you're trying to nip this thing in the bud - before GRU gets a foothold.
- Yeah, exactly.
Then I'm inclined to support your request.
We must defend our allies in Kabul.
With all due respect to the majority leader, I am not ready to sign a blank check here.
Our Afghan partners are divided and weak because so-called best efforts of the Dalton administration have failed.
I'm afraid I didn't hear a question in there, Senator.
Well, isn't this Russia thing just an attempt by the president to deny blame for a failed policy? I assure you, the threat is real.
Well, maybe the fault lies with the secretary of state.
She's the one that executes that policy.
I'm more interested in finding solutions than assigning blame, but the secretary can only do so much with the budget approved by this Congress.
Senator Morejon, you ran your campaign on a platform of national security.
So I'm asking, respectfully, for you to put your money where your mouth is.
ELIZABETH: "Put your money where your mouth is"? You actually said that? Guy went after my wife.
So you went full Godfather.
Yeah, and I got my funding.
I guess I made him a request he couldn't refuse.
Yeah, a smart one.
Oh, hey, listen, while you're on the Hill, will you stop by Colonial Gelato and get some pistachio for Ali? She texted me she's gonna come over tonight.
Again? She was just there.
I mean, is it normal for a freshman in college to want to spend so much time at home? No, stop.
I like it when she comes home.
And she's not an intelligence asset, Henry.
You don't have to question her motives.
She's my daughter.
I question everything.
(Elizabeth chuckles) Two tubs of pistachio, Don Corleone.
(elevator bell dings) Good morning, Madam Secretary.
- Morning.
- Hey! - Oh, here.
- Oh.
- Matt, welcome back.
- Thank you so much.
It's great to be here, with consequential work and fresh pastries.
There's fresh pastries? - No.
- Yeah.
Morning, Madam Secretary.
Good morning, Mr.
Chief of Staff.
How's your first major initiative going? Finally got the Summit team assembled.
They're waiting in the portrait gallery.
- Okay.
- He's been herding the G/TIP Program Officers since 5:00 this morning.
Happy to be sleep deprived for a landmark deal on human trafficking.
(chuckles) Oh, hey, wait.
Has anyone heard from Daisy? What's the news? Oh, she's great.
She's binge-watching Real Housewives, about ready to pop.
Oh, tell her to skip Potomac, it's the worst one.
I I heard.
- Tell her to hang in there.
- I will.
Diane.
It's good to see you.
Proud to serve, Madam Secretary.
Uh, good morning.
ALL: Good morning.
To those of you who were on furlough: welcome back.
And there are fresh pastries on Uncle Sam.
- In that room.
- (scattered laughter) Um, I-I just wanted to acknowledge the incredible work you have done to prepare for this Human Trafficking Summit in Kyrgyzstan.
Central Asia is still one of the last strongholds of forced labor and sexual exploitation.
Thanks to you, we now have a framework agreement which includes advanced prevention efforts and reparations to the victims and their families.
Which means justice for people like Diane Cramer, who, despite losing her daughter Lara, is personally serving on our negotiations team.
On that note, I will turn it over to my new chief of staff, - Jay Whitman.
- Okay.
(applause) Copies of my latest draft agreement will be arriving in your inboxes any minute.
There'll be a travel briefing at 11:00 in Conference Room F where there will be even more pastries.
- (all laugh) - Thank you.
(applause) (knocks) Hey.
Look who's back.
And he brought a blankie.
Are we really so scary? I, uh, I made this for Molly.
She's on bed rest.
Looks like the kiddo's coming early.
But I'll see that she gets it.
You seriously, you knit this? Had way too much time on my hands during the furlough.
Morning, Team.
Meet Agent Nafisa Samadi.
She's our Chief of Station in Kabul.
Dylan Larsen.
- Hi.
- Alexander Mehranov.
Hi there.
HENRY: Nafisa's in D.
C.
to coordinate strategy on our intelligence operations in Afghanistan.
Which so far have been focused on our primary asset, Osip Bakunin.
HENRY: But now that Congress has loosened the purse strings, I want to expand our options.
So, where are we on Andrei Yarmolinsky? Well, everything continues to point to him being the principal GRU agent operating in Kabul.
But we have no idea who he's working with.
Well, if we're really serious about deterring Russian aggression in Afghanistan, we need to uncover his network.
Which means ramping up our staff in-country.
Nafisa, how quickly can we set up a safe house, increase our surveillance operations in Kabul? 24 hours to select the personnel, another 24 to set up the site.
Okay, let's get started.
That's it.
Uh, Alexander, hang back for a second, would you? How you doing? Um my rehab counselor says that I should try knitting.
You know, focuses the mind.
And, uh, now all I can do is have dreams about cable stitch.
Well, it's an effective therapy.
Keep it up.
Is there something else? No.
Just wanted to say I'm glad to have you back.
(door closes) President Nogoyev will be right in the middle of the table, here.
Mrs.
Cramer, you'll be seated over here.
Directly across from him.
Are you sure that's best? Well, if he tries to backtrack on reparations, he'll have to do it to your face.
Huh.
That is, uh, if you're up for it, of course.
Madam Secretary, when Lara died in that truck, I (sighs) When you offered me the chance to work on behalf of her and all the victims, it gave me my life back, so, yes, I'm up for anything that will help get this deal done.
Thank you.
The secretary will be next to you on your left, and seated to your right will be Julia MacDonald, our ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.
ELIZABETH: She personally hammered out the agreement on local police cooperation.
She's relentless.
Well, she's also a former Olympic athlete.
She took medal at steeplechase.
Speaking of, ma'am, I have Ambassador MacDonald on SVTC.
Ah.
This'll just be a second.
Thank you.
ELIZABETH: Julia I have a bone to pick with you.
Really, Madam Secretary? What's this Olympic medal you never told me about? (scoffs) It was only a bronze.
And, honestly, the hurdles I'm currently facing are far worse.
All right, what's the trouble? I have been getting the cold shoulder from President Nogoyev since yesterday.
Then this morning, he cancels all press visas and ceases data sharing with Interpol.
Sounds like the cold shoulder is attached to a pair of cold feet.
JAY: You think he's having second thoughts about paying reparations? Well, he was a hard sell on the Summit from the beginning.
We finally pinned him down on the framework agreement, but he was clearly unhappy with the outcome.
So now he's posturing for a better deal.
Or avoiding one altogether.
Either way, I'd say our mission is in trouble.
Thank you, Julia.
Keep me posted.
Will do, ma'am.
Okay, I'll say it for argument's sake.
Should we offer Nogoyev some kind of inducement? No way.
We fought tooth and nail for every provision in this framework.
If this is a shakedown, I don't want to make any preemptive concessions.
Ma'am.
Neither do I.
Which leaves only one good option.
- You've got to be kidding me.
- I know it's short notice.
Short notice is a same day appointment with my cardiologist.
Not an international trip for a president burdened with the aftershocks of a government shutdown.
It's only for a couple of days.
Yeah, well, that's cute, but we're already weeks behind on our "Pave America" campaign to repair our nation's decrepit infrastructure.
As far as I'm concerned, you can get on board - or get out of the way.
- With respect, Mr.
Jackson, that isn't your call.
Is he gonna be talking to me that way? Get on board.
DALTON: You want me to fly - to Kyrgyzstan.
- Yes, sir.
An egomaniac like Nogoyev is vulnerable to flattery.
And there's nothing more flattering than a visit from the President of the United States.
This man is supposed to be giving a speech on a bridge over the Ohio River tomorrow afternoon.
You want him to go to a country whose biggest exports are wool and yak cheese? Gold and cotton, actually.
I don't care! And neither do the actual voters who are sick of crashing into potholes.
Sir, you know how our enemies will spin this.
They'll say we're ignoring crime at home.
Crime doesn't respect borders.
That's why Diane Cramer's 20-year-old daughter suffocated in the back of a delivery truck, 6,000 miles from home.
Fair enough, but the president can only be in so many places at once.
ELIZABETH: True.
But this is an exceptional opportunity.
We have a chance to strike a blow against human trafficking that will last generations.
Come with us, sir.
Clear my schedule, Russell.
We're going to the land of gold and cotton.
- Thank you, sir.
- Thank you, sir.
REPORTER: Senator, the president has called for a trillion-dollar infrastructure plan.
Are you willing to work with him on that? Would you trust the man who cancels a trip to Ohio to stump for one of Elizabeth McCord's pet projects in Kyrgyzstan? It's a hollow promise when the globalist rot runs deep.
- (reporters clamor) - (TV clicks off) HENRY: That guy I mean I need another scoop.
I mean, who knew that trying to end human slavery - would be so controversial? - Have more.
- I definitely want more.
(gasps) - Hello! - Hey! - Oh! - Hey.
Our fashionista! What can I say? I'm a sucker for free food and fabric softener.
Yeah, and-and room - to spread out, I understand.
- Oh, yeah.
Lucinda's converted our room into a theater for sock puppets.
- (chuckles): Oh, God.
- Ooh, pistachio? - Yeah! - Have some.
How's your midterm coming along? My dress? It's going okay.
Ooh, Vampire Nerds is on demand - you guys in? - That pretty much slays my demo.
- You know I'm down.
- I'm down.
You sure you have time, Noodle? Yeah.
Right now I need to turn off my brain - and watch teenagers bite each other.
- (laughs) Please.
All she has to do is pull down a shower curtain and cut out some arm holes.
- Oh, would you just (exclaims) - What? - Not necessary.
- (phone rings) - It's called upcycling it's all the rage - right now.
- Come on.
- I've been home for five minutes.
Let's-let's walk Come on.
No, no, no, no, no, you have to watch this one.
Mom? - You have to watch this one, Dad.
- Hmm? Uh, Ambassador MacDonald for you.
Oh.
Thank you.
Julia? You psyched to meet POTUS? Uh, I'm afraid not, ma'am.
What's happening? Are you okay? I'm being expelled from the country.
I've been declared persona non grata.
No, they can't do that.
On what grounds? They haven't said, ma'am.
They-they forced their way into the residence.
Oh, my God.
Did they hurt you? I mean, are you I'm gonna call POTUS, have him issue a démarche.
- They can't do this.
- Hey! No, you can't do that! Julia? Julia.
Thanks, buddy.
Hang in there.
That was Jay.
Julia MacDonald's on her way over here, should be here any minute.
What'd the Kyrgyz say? Radio silence.
And the Summit is in limbo until we're back on speaking terms.
You'd think they'd offer some kind of explanation.
Normally, they wouldn't have to.
Persona non grata is a response to something noisy, like declaring war or committing murder.
While we're on ominous developments I just checked the radiator in Alison's room.
Radiator's fine.
I just wanted to see how she was doing on her design project - while she's out to breakfast with Stevie.
- (laughs) You spied on our daughter.
As far as I can tell, she hasn't even started yet.
What? Yeah, there's a whole lot of materials, but no sign of construction.
She watched the entire Vampire Nerds trilogy last night, including Revenge of the Were-Jocks.
(doorbell rings) We don't have to worry about an empty nest.
If Ali fails her midterm, next thing we know, she'll be 40, still living at home and driving us to colonoscopies.
I'll talk to her.
Thank you.
Julia, hi.
Come on in.
Oh, this is my husband Henry.
Hi.
It's a pleasure.
Hi.
Nice to meet you.
I'll leave you guys.
Can I get you something to drink? No, thank you.
Okay.
Uh, come, sit, please.
Uh, how was your flight? (both chuckle) I've had better.
Listen, I-I know that you've been through hell, but I I need to know what I'm dealing with here.
Do you have any idea why you were expelled? It's much simpler if I offer my resignation.
No.
Not a chance.
But the Human Trafficking Summit I'm not gonna let Nogoyev abuse my diplomats.
It's humiliating.
And he is cruel and arbitrary.
It isn't arbitrary, ma'am.
I, uh, I was I was involved with Feliks Karimov, the Minister of Health and the president's brother-in-law.
What?! He runs a series of clinics for indigent children.
Oh, my God.
At the time, the-the embassy was involved with health care diplomacy.
One thing led to another, and Nogoyev must have found out.
(sighs) I know it sounds crazy, but we had plans.
It made sense.
Yeah, this is the part that I am struggling with.
How did you allow it to make sense? Feliks isn't like his brother-in-law.
He's-he's patient, funny.
Oh, Julia, this is, this is bigger than you.
I mean (sighs) We got here on the backs of decades of women who worked their whole lives to be trusted and taken seriously and you just (sighs) Our mistakes are magnified.
It's not fair.
We owe it to each other to remember that.
I know.
And it sickens me.
I'll take that letter now.
Can I make one request? I haven't heard from Feliks, and given Nogoyev's reputation, I'm worried for his safety.
Can you check on him, please? I'll see what I can do.
Thank you, ma'am.
RUSSELL: I can't decide which is worse, sleeping with a foreign president's brother-in-law or being dumb enough to get caught.
She's in love, Russell.
It's a human mistake.
It's a stain on this whole administration.
What's our response? Julia confessed right away.
We have a chance - to clean it up.
- RUSSELL: (scoffs) Oh, yeah? If Morejon finds out about this little affair, he'll roast us over the flaming hot coals of cable news.
We can kiss our infrastructure deal good-bye.
Here's the thing, I don't think he will find out about it.
Kyrgyzstan hasn't released it to the media.
There's a reason for that.
Nogoyev is incredibly protective of his family.
He doesn't want his dirty laundry out in public - any more than we do.
- It's the diplomatic equivalent of mutually assured destruction.
Pro tip: when you're trying to reassure, don't use a metaphor for nuclear holocaust.
We can put out a statement that Julia resigned for personal reasons.
Yep, then make a side deal with Nogoyev to have the Summit go ahead as scheduled.
All right.
Bess, you can explore rapprochement with Kyrgyzstan, especially if it means saving the Summit, but, uh, you'll have to do it without me.
Yes, sir.
Politics are too radioactive, so to speak.
Russell, put the bridge back on the original schedule.
Pleasure, Mr.
President.
Hey.
Hey, Noodle.
How was breakfast? Good.
I thought you'd be at work.
I thought you'd be spending more time on your midterm project.
(clears throat) Look, your mom and I know that you haven't started your dress.
You were in my room? Technically our room.
And house.
And come to think of it, we're paying - for your tuition, too, so - That does not make it okay.
Uh, okay, fair enough.
Look I just want to make sure you're okay.
I don't know what I was thinking with this design class.
What are you talking about? Fashion, it it's your thing.
Fashion was my thing in high school.
But Bayard, it's everyone's thing.
Most of my classmates grew up summering in Milan and drinking spritzes with Dolce and Gabbana.
(sighs) What if I'm not good enough? You know the most important thing I learned in the Marines? It wasn't how to fire a gun, or scale a wall, or even how to fly jets.
Hospital corners.
They taught me how to make a bed.
That's not where I thought you were going with that.
Okay, the point is if you can accomplish one thing, even a small thing, it gives you the boost you need to finish the mission.
So what is the simplest part of your project that you can do right now? Mount the sleeves.
So, go do it.
Even if they suck? Absolutely.
Look, the most important part of any project or assignment is to finish.
You'll never know what you're capable of until you start.
So, get up there and, uh, mount the sleeves - (chuckles) - and-and, you know, make something in the shape of a dress.
Okay.
- Thanks, Dad.
- Mm-hmm.
But you are not off the hook for going in my room.
(Nogoyev speaking Russian) (translating): maniacal, crooked, two-faced, foul, rotten.
You probably get the picture.
Please tell President Nogoyev that when he runs out of adjectives, I'd like to offer my sincere apology on behalf of the United States for the conduct of our ambassador.
(speaking Russian) Yes, but what about my sister? Has anyone apologized to her? I am happy to do that.
We sincerely regret any harm that was done to the first family of Kyrgyzstan.
(translating in Russian) (speaking Russian) Very well.
Wait, uh, Mr.
President, Mr.
President, I-I hope that we can agree that it is in our mutual interest to have the Human Trafficking Summit proceed as scheduled.
(translating in Russian) Why? There is no human trafficking in Kyrgyzstan.
Are we really back to that? Then why did you agree to pay reparations to the families of the victims? (translating) (speaking Russian) I did that out of the charity of my heart.
Much like Madonna adopted those children from Africa.
ELIZABETH: Motivation aside, you must recognize how this Summit will bolster your reputation and (speaking Russian) Will President Dalton come to my palace and personally apologize to my sister? Well, I'm sorry.
He's no longer coming.
Then the Summit is canceled.
Ooh, Mr.
President, before you go, I want to check on the welfare of your brother-in-law, Feliks Karimov.
(translating) (laughs) You dare discuss that adulterer with me? Adultery isn't a crime in your country.
You have a responsibility to treat him humanely.
(translating) (speaking Russian) You don't tell me how to run my family.
(speaking Russian) Madonna, "The Power of Good-bye"? Do you know that Madonna song, "The Power of Good-bye"? Good-bye! That-that's it? The Summit's dead? Breathe, Jay.
We can still salvage a lesser regional accord that'll do plenty of good.
Start looking for an alternate host country.
Tajikistan is a no.
Turkmenistan, too.
Kazakhstan is open to hosting, but they want to renegotiate carbon emissions under the Stockholm Protocol.
With the entire UN? Forget it.
What about Uzbekistan? Stalling for time, want to see how this plays out.
All right.
I'll update POTUS.
Well, get back with Kazakhstan.
See if they'll accept something more bilateral.
And I want you to run a check on Feliks Karimov.
We after anything specific? Ooh.
Just make sure he isn't being tortured.
Not condoning torture, but is that really the best use of our time? Is there a problem, Jay? Sorry, ma'am, but we're circling the drain.
Arranging this Summit was hard enough before our ambassador was declared persona non grata, but now it's like putting out a five-alarm fire with a coffee straw.
I'm not exactly keen about our prospects here.
I didn't ask you to be keen.
I asked you to get it done.
Of course.
Hey.
What the hell was that? What are you talking about? (scoffs) My friend (clears throat) That was almost a rant.
Well, I might have let my frustration show a little.
Yeah, here's the thing.
You can't do that.
Excuse me? It was fine when you were the policy guy, but come on.
Look around you.
You're in the big office now.
And when people come to you, they expect solutions, especially the secretary.
I mean, of all the times that you were in here, did you did you ever once see Nadine complain? You need to get it together before you make an impression you can't fix.
Ma'am, ma'am, Kazakhstan just agreed to host the Summit in exchange for a fast track on bilateral trade talks.
Well done.
And we found Feliks Karimov.
Is he safe? INR tracked him to a resort villa in Bora Bora.
Well, then why hasn't he called Julia? Right, well, it's not exactly a hard labor camp.
But get this.
That villa is being rented by a front company in Curacao.
(clicks tongue) Which, as I recall Is a first choice haven for money launderers.
Call the White House.
I want ODNI brought in on this.
HENRY: A teak deck and plunge pool? ELIZABETH: It's $2,000 a night.
(sputters) Clearly, I'm working for the wrong people.
There is no way Karimov isn't dirty.
So, who's paying him off? Nogoyev? Likely.
Spying on Julia would give Kyrgyzstan an edge into our human trafficking negotiations.
NSA's into it now.
I still can't believe you're going to Afghanistan.
Believe me, I'd prefer French Polynesia.
I guess I thought that a leadership role meant you didn't have to jet into war zones.
This from a lady who corkscrewed into the middle of a Libyan civil war last month.
Here.
Take these.
Uh why? Because now you have to come home safe because you have my reading glasses.
(snorts, laughs) (laughs) What are you gonna do for reading glasses? You give me a pair of yours.
I feel better already.
Whoa! Gol Lord.
(chuckles) Listen, as long as you're gonna be in Kabul, you should meet with our ambassador, Pat Findlay.
He's got a deep bench of connections.
Sure.
I'm still building up my bench.
(sighs) - (mechanical whirring) - Okay.
What? You hear that? - (whirring) - She's really working.
You know, you should consider the motivational speaker circuit, Professor.
I'm happy with my roster of clients - right here in this house.
- (laughs) Okay.
You get home fast.
You have my And you have mine.
Bye.
Bye.
(elevator bell dings) - ELIZABETH: Thank you.
Morning.
- Morning.
Any new information on Feliks Karimov? Not yet.
What? What now? Ambassador MacDonald's persona non grata status just broke in the press.
- How much do they know? - Everything.
WOMAN (on TV): a surprising new treatment for cancer, but right now, we're following - Diane.
- Madam Secretary.
of an alleged affair involving the American ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Julia MacDonald, and a member of the ruling family.
Mrs.
Cramer.
Tell me this isn't happening.
I wish I could.
The bottom just fell out, ma'am.
The Kazahks canceled the deal - to host the Summit.
- Of course they did.
The ops center is being flooded with calls from other signatory countries.
They're dropping out.
All of them? This affair is the perfect excuse.
The moral authority of the United States was the only thing keeping most of the countries in the agreement in the first place.
Now they can label us as corrupt and unethical while avoiding any commitment to prosecute human trafficking.
It's flagrant hypocrisy, but they have us in a corner.
What if we postpone the Summit, uh, try again in a few months? Under different circumstances, maybe, but unless President Nogoyev and Kyrgyzstan get back on board, I don't see how the other countries come back to the table.
- (phone ringing) - I'm so sorry.
I understand.
- Hello? - You're welcome to stay in my office until we know more.
Okay, thanks.
They need you at the White House.
I promise you, we are not giving up on this.
STEVIE: I can't believe how quickly you finished this.
Well, I already had the design and the fabric.
All I had to do was sew.
(fabric rustling) You're not saying anything about how it looks.
Just promise me I'm not gonna get mocked and fail and then mocked more.
Ali.
It's awesome.
Really? You don't hate it? You're crazy.
I love it.
So you would wear it? Absolutely.
Like, in public? I mean, you know, obviously for the right occasion, but totes.
Maybe like a fashion show? At Bayard tonight? In my paralysis and panic about my adequacy as a designer and human being, I forgot to book a model for the presentation.
(scoffs) Um Yeah, I don't know, I I'm already late for work, and I've been putting in pretty long hours these days, so It starts at 9:00.
Please? I just really hate being on stage.
I mean, I'll probably trip.
(sighs) Okay, I will do it, I will do it.
Oh, my God.
Thank you! You're very welcome.
- Can you undo the thingy at the top? - Yes.
WARE: NSA was able to spearfish the shell corporation that Feliks Karimov was using to pay for his villa in Bora Bora.
Our suspicion that he's a foreign agent has been confirmed.
So he was spying for Kyrgyzstan.
WARE: No, Mr.
President.
His payments were coming from the GRU.
You're telling me one of our top diplomats, with the same security clearance as a four-star general, was seduced by a Russian spy? The threat was much more significant than - we initially realized.
- We have to find out exactly what she told him.
Is she in custody yet? FBI is detaining her as we speak.
But pillow talk is the least of our worries.
Cyber Division found a cryptoworm implanted on the embassy servers in Bishkek.
So they hacked us, too? Sir, they could have accessed our entire military and political strategy in Central Asia.
Ephraim, have FBI forensics tear into every server and fiber optic cable between here and Bishkek.
We need to know how deep this goes and just how vulnerable we are.
He asked a lot about our regional vaccine program.
He was the Minister of Health.
His curiosity seemed normal.
FBI AGENT: And at any point did you leave him alone with your computer? JULIA: Yes.
Many times.
This is heartbreaking.
Yeah, for national security.
Not to mention our entire political agenda.
Senator Morejon's people have already cut an attack ad.
"Diplomats gone wild.
" And that's just for the affair.
Wait till they get a whiff of the IC breach.
How bad is the breach looking, by the way? Our initial assessment is cautiously optimistic.
It looks like the GRU only gained access to local intel at the Confidential level.
Fortunately, our strategic interests in Kyrgyzstan are limited.
(sighs) All right.
I'll update POTUS.
Let's pray to God we keep this thing contained.
(door opens) HENRY: So does this mean your human trafficking summit is dead? ELIZABETH: Uh, the preferred term is "on life support.
" (chuckles) How's it going over there? Rather smooth so far.
I'm just finishing up the official briefings.
Then I'm gonna head straight over to the embassy to meet with Ambassador Findlay.
Stay safe.
I will.
Oh, wait.
How did Ali's dress turn out? Oh, I got intel from Stevie.
Thumbs up.
Nice.
(chuckles) You got your own deep game.
Yeah.
Motherhood.
Ambassador Findlay.
Henry McCord.
Thanks for seeing me so late.
Of course.
Please.
I was glad to hear that Special Activities Division was ramping up operations in-country.
Oh, so you're up to speed.
CIA posted the briefing on JWICS an hour ago.
You're establishing a safe house.
Yes.
A-And what we're trying to do is build a picture of GRU recruitment within the Afghan government, so anything you may have heard Well, my face-to-face interaction with the Russians is pretty minimal, but, um, we do have mutual contacts in the business community.
This is Ali Muslimyar.
He's a local construction magnate who buys heavy equipment from the Russians.
I can introduce you.
Uh, is that you with Julia MacDonald? Yes.
That's from the vaccine program we've been coordinating together.
Shame what happened to her.
I-I never got the full Excuse me, this coordination.
Did it take place over e-mail? Sometimes, yes.
And the briefing you just saw on JWICS, did it include the location of the safe house? Yes, but What? (line ringing) HENRY: Come on.
Pick up, pick up.
This is Scepter.
We've been compromised.
Initiate evacuation - procedure Delta.
- Delta.
Acknowledged.
Code Delta! Lock it down! Go, go, go! What the hell happened? The ambassador may have been hacked by GRU.
And he had access to our safe house location.
I'm half a block away, I've got room for five in my vehicle.
Get out of there.
Let's go, let's go, let's go! (tires screeching) - Damn it.
- (horns honking) (tires screech) (truck horn blows) (chickens clucking) (car alarm beeping) (people shouting, screaming) Our drone is coming into position now.
God.
The size of that thing.
Must have been a truck bomb.
Dr.
McCord said it was a suicide attack, followed by a sweep of Taliban fighters.
Yeah, if anyone was still inside DALTON: Has Henry made contact with his team yet? Burn protocol calls for radio silence.
We'll be in the dark until he reaches his predetermined rendezvous point.
Call Admiral Parker.
I want Taliban decapitation strike options on my desk within the hour.
I have Dr.
McCord.
DALTON: Put him on speaker, Colonel.
(phone beeps) Henry? Uh, is, uh is your team okay? HENRY: Uh, some cuts, and burst eardrums, but we're all standing.
Guards closed the perimeter just in time.
DALTON: CENTCOM has a pair of Chinooks en route to the embassy.
I've ordered the evacuation of all American high-ranking personnel until further notice.
He means bring your ass home, Henry.
(soft laughter) Yes, honey.
And Mr.
President.
All right, listen up.
We need to know who orchestrated these attacks from Moscow, and see if they're planning any more.
I'll signal Bakunin, see if he knows anything.
Good.
The rest of you, do the same.
Question your assets, get them to safety and let's go.
TRANSLATOR: I am outraged to hear that my brother-in-law was working for the Russian GRU.
(speaking Russian) (translated): But I see no reason to reinstate this Summit on Human Trafficking or to pay these outrageous reparations.
Seriously, not a hint of remorse? If anything, the fault lies with your harlot of an ambassador.
She is the one who corrupted him.
ELIZABETH: Here's the thing.
Feliks Karimov is a member of your government.
(speaking Russian) Minister of health, so what? I'll fire him tomorrow.
Feel free.
But that won't change the fact that your brother-in-law helped the Russians cyberattack the United States.
And for that, I'm holding you personally responsible.
Please, Madam Secretary.
I am a powerful man.
How-how do you say, uh? Bang, bang.
Untouchable.
ELIZABETH: Maybe.
But your money isn't.
Feliks Karimov was a member of your cabinet, which gives us the legal authority to apply targeted sanctions.
You're bluffing.
JAY: Treasury is freezing your accounts as we speak.
This is a one-time offer that'll expire when we end this call: reinstate the Summit on Human Trafficking and bring all signatory countries back to the table immediately.
You know that Madonna song, "Hung Up"? I am about to hang up on you.
Da.
(Nogoyev chuckles) I'll have my people reach out.
Great.
(computer beeps) - - Two-minute warning.
This was a bad idea.
(exhales) This was a very bad idea.
You ready to rock? Uh, I just need to, um I just need to sit down for a minute.
You're gonna be great.
Remember, they're judging me, not you.
Jareth and I broke off the engagement.
What? Oh, my God.
When? A few days ago.
Um I thought we were gonna just take some time.
(crying): But he called, and he he pulled the plug.
So, I just, I haven't really been sleeping and I just, I get stage fright even when I'm really well-rested and happy.
So (sniffles) I just don't think I can do this, Ali.
I'm really sorry.
(crying) I can't imagine what you're going through.
And I really feel terrible, and I promise I want to talk about it and watch dumb comedies and trash him, or not, if you're not ready.
But right now, I need you to walk across this stage and smile with your eyes so I don't fail.
Okay.
(announcer speaking indistinctly) Like this? (both laugh) Let's go, ladies.
You're on.
- Okay.
- (exhales) - Am I good? - Don't - (sniffles) - Let me get that.
Ooh.
- Perfect.
- Okay, okay.
ANNOUNCER: From fashion designer Alison McCord, our next look is a white scoop-neck dress with three-quarter length sleeves and chiffon coral ruffles.
Ma'am.
- Yeah.
- It's done.
I need more.
All the original signatories are back on board.
All we have to do is gas up the jet.
- That's a big win.
- Yeah.
(stammering): Yeah, and that should give Dalton the cover he needs to revive his infrastructure plan.
Not exactly how I scripted it.
Oh, I'll take it.
I wanted to, uh, apologize for yesterday.
I know, uh, grumbling isn't part of the job description.
I won't let it happen again.
Oh.
Don't make promises you can't keep, Jay.
I love your passion.
That's why you got the job.
Yeah, maybe, just would prefer it attached to a solution Otherwise, it's just grumbling.
It's a process.
You'll figure it out.
But do you like the job? Because if you're having second thoughts No second thoughts? No second thoughts, no.
I think you're stuck with me.
Great.
That's exactly how I scripted it.
Now let's go deliver the good news.
Diane This guy - he made it happen.
- It's happening? - It's happening.
- Thank you! (laughs): Thank you.
Thank you.
STEVIE: Oh, my God! (all laugh) ELIZABETH: That was what was that? (laughs): I don't know.
Fourth position, maybe? It's like reaching deep into my preschool ballet.
Yeah, you-you definitely, you went deep for that one.
Yeah, I did.
But, Ali, this is the dress that you were so worried about? I'm stunned.
Uh, it's just even your brother is impressed.
Well, it's definitely not a shower curtain.
- Thanks, Jace.
- (phone beeping) When's Dad getting home? Uh, he'll be back first thing in the morning.
He is gonna be over the moon for you.
Okay, listen, I have something that I've got to do.
I will see you budding artists (groans) in the morning.
- Good night.
- Night.
- Good night.
- Hey, babe.
- Hey, baby.
- I expected to see you at home.
- Yeah.
This is not the reunion I had hoped for.
Blake said it's an emergency.
Nafisa Samadi's disappeared.
That's your agent in Kabul, right? Her Russian contact has also gone missing.
DALTON: What's the sitrep, Ephraim? NSA picked up chatter that suggests the kidnapping was the Taliban.
HENRY: Are they alive? Unknown.
DALTON: Let's have DOD form a crisis action cell.
I want Deltas on every checkpoint out of the city.
Yes, sir.
They knew exactly where to find them.
How? Computer breach? No, that's not possible.
Their locale was too compartmentalized.
Henry's right.
There's only one other option.
The Taliban were tipped off by someone on our side.
Okay.
Then I'd be honored to be considered.
There's no consideration.
You are it, pal.
There will be a partial shutdown of the federal government in a matter of days.
You're playing a more dangerous game than you know.
You played a pretty dangerous game yourself.
I am not letting that puny ideologue dismantle Conrad's agenda piece by piece over the next four years! ELIZABETH: I wanted you to meet a mother whose daughter was taken by the criminals we're trying to stop.
The Russians are stepping up their efforts to bolster the Taliban and undermine the democratic government in Afghanistan.
I don't have to tell you how disastrous that would be to the United States well, the entire Western world if they were to succeed.
HENRY: Russian support for the Taliban is growing in intensity.
According to our source, this latest transfer included lethal weaponry, including RPG-7s, PKs and Kord machine guns, which were used in an attack on an Afghan police station in Mazar-i-Sharif last night, leaving 23 dead.
CARPENTER: Terrible business.
I've read the reports.
But, well, why do you think the Kremlin is arming - the Taliban? - Well, one, because it undermines American interests in the region.
And two, because it establishes a relationship in the event the Afghan government falls.
And you think that's likely? If the infiltration continues, yes.
That's why Special Activities Division is requesting emergency funding, so that we can hire personnel, develop sources, and launch new operations against Russian targets in Kabul.
So you're trying to nip this thing in the bud - before GRU gets a foothold.
- Yeah, exactly.
Then I'm inclined to support your request.
We must defend our allies in Kabul.
With all due respect to the majority leader, I am not ready to sign a blank check here.
Our Afghan partners are divided and weak because so-called best efforts of the Dalton administration have failed.
I'm afraid I didn't hear a question in there, Senator.
Well, isn't this Russia thing just an attempt by the president to deny blame for a failed policy? I assure you, the threat is real.
Well, maybe the fault lies with the secretary of state.
She's the one that executes that policy.
I'm more interested in finding solutions than assigning blame, but the secretary can only do so much with the budget approved by this Congress.
Senator Morejon, you ran your campaign on a platform of national security.
So I'm asking, respectfully, for you to put your money where your mouth is.
ELIZABETH: "Put your money where your mouth is"? You actually said that? Guy went after my wife.
So you went full Godfather.
Yeah, and I got my funding.
I guess I made him a request he couldn't refuse.
Yeah, a smart one.
Oh, hey, listen, while you're on the Hill, will you stop by Colonial Gelato and get some pistachio for Ali? She texted me she's gonna come over tonight.
Again? She was just there.
I mean, is it normal for a freshman in college to want to spend so much time at home? No, stop.
I like it when she comes home.
And she's not an intelligence asset, Henry.
You don't have to question her motives.
She's my daughter.
I question everything.
(Elizabeth chuckles) Two tubs of pistachio, Don Corleone.
(elevator bell dings) Good morning, Madam Secretary.
- Morning.
- Hey! - Oh, here.
- Oh.
- Matt, welcome back.
- Thank you so much.
It's great to be here, with consequential work and fresh pastries.
There's fresh pastries? - No.
- Yeah.
Morning, Madam Secretary.
Good morning, Mr.
Chief of Staff.
How's your first major initiative going? Finally got the Summit team assembled.
They're waiting in the portrait gallery.
- Okay.
- He's been herding the G/TIP Program Officers since 5:00 this morning.
Happy to be sleep deprived for a landmark deal on human trafficking.
(chuckles) Oh, hey, wait.
Has anyone heard from Daisy? What's the news? Oh, she's great.
She's binge-watching Real Housewives, about ready to pop.
Oh, tell her to skip Potomac, it's the worst one.
I I heard.
- Tell her to hang in there.
- I will.
Diane.
It's good to see you.
Proud to serve, Madam Secretary.
Uh, good morning.
ALL: Good morning.
To those of you who were on furlough: welcome back.
And there are fresh pastries on Uncle Sam.
- In that room.
- (scattered laughter) Um, I-I just wanted to acknowledge the incredible work you have done to prepare for this Human Trafficking Summit in Kyrgyzstan.
Central Asia is still one of the last strongholds of forced labor and sexual exploitation.
Thanks to you, we now have a framework agreement which includes advanced prevention efforts and reparations to the victims and their families.
Which means justice for people like Diane Cramer, who, despite losing her daughter Lara, is personally serving on our negotiations team.
On that note, I will turn it over to my new chief of staff, - Jay Whitman.
- Okay.
(applause) Copies of my latest draft agreement will be arriving in your inboxes any minute.
There'll be a travel briefing at 11:00 in Conference Room F where there will be even more pastries.
- (all laugh) - Thank you.
(applause) (knocks) Hey.
Look who's back.
And he brought a blankie.
Are we really so scary? I, uh, I made this for Molly.
She's on bed rest.
Looks like the kiddo's coming early.
But I'll see that she gets it.
You seriously, you knit this? Had way too much time on my hands during the furlough.
Morning, Team.
Meet Agent Nafisa Samadi.
She's our Chief of Station in Kabul.
Dylan Larsen.
- Hi.
- Alexander Mehranov.
Hi there.
HENRY: Nafisa's in D.
C.
to coordinate strategy on our intelligence operations in Afghanistan.
Which so far have been focused on our primary asset, Osip Bakunin.
HENRY: But now that Congress has loosened the purse strings, I want to expand our options.
So, where are we on Andrei Yarmolinsky? Well, everything continues to point to him being the principal GRU agent operating in Kabul.
But we have no idea who he's working with.
Well, if we're really serious about deterring Russian aggression in Afghanistan, we need to uncover his network.
Which means ramping up our staff in-country.
Nafisa, how quickly can we set up a safe house, increase our surveillance operations in Kabul? 24 hours to select the personnel, another 24 to set up the site.
Okay, let's get started.
That's it.
Uh, Alexander, hang back for a second, would you? How you doing? Um my rehab counselor says that I should try knitting.
You know, focuses the mind.
And, uh, now all I can do is have dreams about cable stitch.
Well, it's an effective therapy.
Keep it up.
Is there something else? No.
Just wanted to say I'm glad to have you back.
(door closes) President Nogoyev will be right in the middle of the table, here.
Mrs.
Cramer, you'll be seated over here.
Directly across from him.
Are you sure that's best? Well, if he tries to backtrack on reparations, he'll have to do it to your face.
Huh.
That is, uh, if you're up for it, of course.
Madam Secretary, when Lara died in that truck, I (sighs) When you offered me the chance to work on behalf of her and all the victims, it gave me my life back, so, yes, I'm up for anything that will help get this deal done.
Thank you.
The secretary will be next to you on your left, and seated to your right will be Julia MacDonald, our ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.
ELIZABETH: She personally hammered out the agreement on local police cooperation.
She's relentless.
Well, she's also a former Olympic athlete.
She took medal at steeplechase.
Speaking of, ma'am, I have Ambassador MacDonald on SVTC.
Ah.
This'll just be a second.
Thank you.
ELIZABETH: Julia I have a bone to pick with you.
Really, Madam Secretary? What's this Olympic medal you never told me about? (scoffs) It was only a bronze.
And, honestly, the hurdles I'm currently facing are far worse.
All right, what's the trouble? I have been getting the cold shoulder from President Nogoyev since yesterday.
Then this morning, he cancels all press visas and ceases data sharing with Interpol.
Sounds like the cold shoulder is attached to a pair of cold feet.
JAY: You think he's having second thoughts about paying reparations? Well, he was a hard sell on the Summit from the beginning.
We finally pinned him down on the framework agreement, but he was clearly unhappy with the outcome.
So now he's posturing for a better deal.
Or avoiding one altogether.
Either way, I'd say our mission is in trouble.
Thank you, Julia.
Keep me posted.
Will do, ma'am.
Okay, I'll say it for argument's sake.
Should we offer Nogoyev some kind of inducement? No way.
We fought tooth and nail for every provision in this framework.
If this is a shakedown, I don't want to make any preemptive concessions.
Ma'am.
Neither do I.
Which leaves only one good option.
- You've got to be kidding me.
- I know it's short notice.
Short notice is a same day appointment with my cardiologist.
Not an international trip for a president burdened with the aftershocks of a government shutdown.
It's only for a couple of days.
Yeah, well, that's cute, but we're already weeks behind on our "Pave America" campaign to repair our nation's decrepit infrastructure.
As far as I'm concerned, you can get on board - or get out of the way.
- With respect, Mr.
Jackson, that isn't your call.
Is he gonna be talking to me that way? Get on board.
DALTON: You want me to fly - to Kyrgyzstan.
- Yes, sir.
An egomaniac like Nogoyev is vulnerable to flattery.
And there's nothing more flattering than a visit from the President of the United States.
This man is supposed to be giving a speech on a bridge over the Ohio River tomorrow afternoon.
You want him to go to a country whose biggest exports are wool and yak cheese? Gold and cotton, actually.
I don't care! And neither do the actual voters who are sick of crashing into potholes.
Sir, you know how our enemies will spin this.
They'll say we're ignoring crime at home.
Crime doesn't respect borders.
That's why Diane Cramer's 20-year-old daughter suffocated in the back of a delivery truck, 6,000 miles from home.
Fair enough, but the president can only be in so many places at once.
ELIZABETH: True.
But this is an exceptional opportunity.
We have a chance to strike a blow against human trafficking that will last generations.
Come with us, sir.
Clear my schedule, Russell.
We're going to the land of gold and cotton.
- Thank you, sir.
- Thank you, sir.
REPORTER: Senator, the president has called for a trillion-dollar infrastructure plan.
Are you willing to work with him on that? Would you trust the man who cancels a trip to Ohio to stump for one of Elizabeth McCord's pet projects in Kyrgyzstan? It's a hollow promise when the globalist rot runs deep.
- (reporters clamor) - (TV clicks off) HENRY: That guy I mean I need another scoop.
I mean, who knew that trying to end human slavery - would be so controversial? - Have more.
- I definitely want more.
(gasps) - Hello! - Hey! - Oh! - Hey.
Our fashionista! What can I say? I'm a sucker for free food and fabric softener.
Yeah, and-and room - to spread out, I understand.
- Oh, yeah.
Lucinda's converted our room into a theater for sock puppets.
- (chuckles): Oh, God.
- Ooh, pistachio? - Yeah! - Have some.
How's your midterm coming along? My dress? It's going okay.
Ooh, Vampire Nerds is on demand - you guys in? - That pretty much slays my demo.
- You know I'm down.
- I'm down.
You sure you have time, Noodle? Yeah.
Right now I need to turn off my brain - and watch teenagers bite each other.
- (laughs) Please.
All she has to do is pull down a shower curtain and cut out some arm holes.
- Oh, would you just (exclaims) - What? - Not necessary.
- (phone rings) - It's called upcycling it's all the rage - right now.
- Come on.
- I've been home for five minutes.
Let's-let's walk Come on.
No, no, no, no, no, you have to watch this one.
Mom? - You have to watch this one, Dad.
- Hmm? Uh, Ambassador MacDonald for you.
Oh.
Thank you.
Julia? You psyched to meet POTUS? Uh, I'm afraid not, ma'am.
What's happening? Are you okay? I'm being expelled from the country.
I've been declared persona non grata.
No, they can't do that.
On what grounds? They haven't said, ma'am.
They-they forced their way into the residence.
Oh, my God.
Did they hurt you? I mean, are you I'm gonna call POTUS, have him issue a démarche.
- They can't do this.
- Hey! No, you can't do that! Julia? Julia.
Thanks, buddy.
Hang in there.
That was Jay.
Julia MacDonald's on her way over here, should be here any minute.
What'd the Kyrgyz say? Radio silence.
And the Summit is in limbo until we're back on speaking terms.
You'd think they'd offer some kind of explanation.
Normally, they wouldn't have to.
Persona non grata is a response to something noisy, like declaring war or committing murder.
While we're on ominous developments I just checked the radiator in Alison's room.
Radiator's fine.
I just wanted to see how she was doing on her design project - while she's out to breakfast with Stevie.
- (laughs) You spied on our daughter.
As far as I can tell, she hasn't even started yet.
What? Yeah, there's a whole lot of materials, but no sign of construction.
She watched the entire Vampire Nerds trilogy last night, including Revenge of the Were-Jocks.
(doorbell rings) We don't have to worry about an empty nest.
If Ali fails her midterm, next thing we know, she'll be 40, still living at home and driving us to colonoscopies.
I'll talk to her.
Thank you.
Julia, hi.
Come on in.
Oh, this is my husband Henry.
Hi.
It's a pleasure.
Hi.
Nice to meet you.
I'll leave you guys.
Can I get you something to drink? No, thank you.
Okay.
Uh, come, sit, please.
Uh, how was your flight? (both chuckle) I've had better.
Listen, I-I know that you've been through hell, but I I need to know what I'm dealing with here.
Do you have any idea why you were expelled? It's much simpler if I offer my resignation.
No.
Not a chance.
But the Human Trafficking Summit I'm not gonna let Nogoyev abuse my diplomats.
It's humiliating.
And he is cruel and arbitrary.
It isn't arbitrary, ma'am.
I, uh, I was I was involved with Feliks Karimov, the Minister of Health and the president's brother-in-law.
What?! He runs a series of clinics for indigent children.
Oh, my God.
At the time, the-the embassy was involved with health care diplomacy.
One thing led to another, and Nogoyev must have found out.
(sighs) I know it sounds crazy, but we had plans.
It made sense.
Yeah, this is the part that I am struggling with.
How did you allow it to make sense? Feliks isn't like his brother-in-law.
He's-he's patient, funny.
Oh, Julia, this is, this is bigger than you.
I mean (sighs) We got here on the backs of decades of women who worked their whole lives to be trusted and taken seriously and you just (sighs) Our mistakes are magnified.
It's not fair.
We owe it to each other to remember that.
I know.
And it sickens me.
I'll take that letter now.
Can I make one request? I haven't heard from Feliks, and given Nogoyev's reputation, I'm worried for his safety.
Can you check on him, please? I'll see what I can do.
Thank you, ma'am.
RUSSELL: I can't decide which is worse, sleeping with a foreign president's brother-in-law or being dumb enough to get caught.
She's in love, Russell.
It's a human mistake.
It's a stain on this whole administration.
What's our response? Julia confessed right away.
We have a chance - to clean it up.
- RUSSELL: (scoffs) Oh, yeah? If Morejon finds out about this little affair, he'll roast us over the flaming hot coals of cable news.
We can kiss our infrastructure deal good-bye.
Here's the thing, I don't think he will find out about it.
Kyrgyzstan hasn't released it to the media.
There's a reason for that.
Nogoyev is incredibly protective of his family.
He doesn't want his dirty laundry out in public - any more than we do.
- It's the diplomatic equivalent of mutually assured destruction.
Pro tip: when you're trying to reassure, don't use a metaphor for nuclear holocaust.
We can put out a statement that Julia resigned for personal reasons.
Yep, then make a side deal with Nogoyev to have the Summit go ahead as scheduled.
All right.
Bess, you can explore rapprochement with Kyrgyzstan, especially if it means saving the Summit, but, uh, you'll have to do it without me.
Yes, sir.
Politics are too radioactive, so to speak.
Russell, put the bridge back on the original schedule.
Pleasure, Mr.
President.
Hey.
Hey, Noodle.
How was breakfast? Good.
I thought you'd be at work.
I thought you'd be spending more time on your midterm project.
(clears throat) Look, your mom and I know that you haven't started your dress.
You were in my room? Technically our room.
And house.
And come to think of it, we're paying - for your tuition, too, so - That does not make it okay.
Uh, okay, fair enough.
Look I just want to make sure you're okay.
I don't know what I was thinking with this design class.
What are you talking about? Fashion, it it's your thing.
Fashion was my thing in high school.
But Bayard, it's everyone's thing.
Most of my classmates grew up summering in Milan and drinking spritzes with Dolce and Gabbana.
(sighs) What if I'm not good enough? You know the most important thing I learned in the Marines? It wasn't how to fire a gun, or scale a wall, or even how to fly jets.
Hospital corners.
They taught me how to make a bed.
That's not where I thought you were going with that.
Okay, the point is if you can accomplish one thing, even a small thing, it gives you the boost you need to finish the mission.
So what is the simplest part of your project that you can do right now? Mount the sleeves.
So, go do it.
Even if they suck? Absolutely.
Look, the most important part of any project or assignment is to finish.
You'll never know what you're capable of until you start.
So, get up there and, uh, mount the sleeves - (chuckles) - and-and, you know, make something in the shape of a dress.
Okay.
- Thanks, Dad.
- Mm-hmm.
But you are not off the hook for going in my room.
(Nogoyev speaking Russian) (translating): maniacal, crooked, two-faced, foul, rotten.
You probably get the picture.
Please tell President Nogoyev that when he runs out of adjectives, I'd like to offer my sincere apology on behalf of the United States for the conduct of our ambassador.
(speaking Russian) Yes, but what about my sister? Has anyone apologized to her? I am happy to do that.
We sincerely regret any harm that was done to the first family of Kyrgyzstan.
(translating in Russian) (speaking Russian) Very well.
Wait, uh, Mr.
President, Mr.
President, I-I hope that we can agree that it is in our mutual interest to have the Human Trafficking Summit proceed as scheduled.
(translating in Russian) Why? There is no human trafficking in Kyrgyzstan.
Are we really back to that? Then why did you agree to pay reparations to the families of the victims? (translating) (speaking Russian) I did that out of the charity of my heart.
Much like Madonna adopted those children from Africa.
ELIZABETH: Motivation aside, you must recognize how this Summit will bolster your reputation and (speaking Russian) Will President Dalton come to my palace and personally apologize to my sister? Well, I'm sorry.
He's no longer coming.
Then the Summit is canceled.
Ooh, Mr.
President, before you go, I want to check on the welfare of your brother-in-law, Feliks Karimov.
(translating) (laughs) You dare discuss that adulterer with me? Adultery isn't a crime in your country.
You have a responsibility to treat him humanely.
(translating) (speaking Russian) You don't tell me how to run my family.
(speaking Russian) Madonna, "The Power of Good-bye"? Do you know that Madonna song, "The Power of Good-bye"? Good-bye! That-that's it? The Summit's dead? Breathe, Jay.
We can still salvage a lesser regional accord that'll do plenty of good.
Start looking for an alternate host country.
Tajikistan is a no.
Turkmenistan, too.
Kazakhstan is open to hosting, but they want to renegotiate carbon emissions under the Stockholm Protocol.
With the entire UN? Forget it.
What about Uzbekistan? Stalling for time, want to see how this plays out.
All right.
I'll update POTUS.
Well, get back with Kazakhstan.
See if they'll accept something more bilateral.
And I want you to run a check on Feliks Karimov.
We after anything specific? Ooh.
Just make sure he isn't being tortured.
Not condoning torture, but is that really the best use of our time? Is there a problem, Jay? Sorry, ma'am, but we're circling the drain.
Arranging this Summit was hard enough before our ambassador was declared persona non grata, but now it's like putting out a five-alarm fire with a coffee straw.
I'm not exactly keen about our prospects here.
I didn't ask you to be keen.
I asked you to get it done.
Of course.
Hey.
What the hell was that? What are you talking about? (scoffs) My friend (clears throat) That was almost a rant.
Well, I might have let my frustration show a little.
Yeah, here's the thing.
You can't do that.
Excuse me? It was fine when you were the policy guy, but come on.
Look around you.
You're in the big office now.
And when people come to you, they expect solutions, especially the secretary.
I mean, of all the times that you were in here, did you did you ever once see Nadine complain? You need to get it together before you make an impression you can't fix.
Ma'am, ma'am, Kazakhstan just agreed to host the Summit in exchange for a fast track on bilateral trade talks.
Well done.
And we found Feliks Karimov.
Is he safe? INR tracked him to a resort villa in Bora Bora.
Well, then why hasn't he called Julia? Right, well, it's not exactly a hard labor camp.
But get this.
That villa is being rented by a front company in Curacao.
(clicks tongue) Which, as I recall Is a first choice haven for money launderers.
Call the White House.
I want ODNI brought in on this.
HENRY: A teak deck and plunge pool? ELIZABETH: It's $2,000 a night.
(sputters) Clearly, I'm working for the wrong people.
There is no way Karimov isn't dirty.
So, who's paying him off? Nogoyev? Likely.
Spying on Julia would give Kyrgyzstan an edge into our human trafficking negotiations.
NSA's into it now.
I still can't believe you're going to Afghanistan.
Believe me, I'd prefer French Polynesia.
I guess I thought that a leadership role meant you didn't have to jet into war zones.
This from a lady who corkscrewed into the middle of a Libyan civil war last month.
Here.
Take these.
Uh why? Because now you have to come home safe because you have my reading glasses.
(snorts, laughs) (laughs) What are you gonna do for reading glasses? You give me a pair of yours.
I feel better already.
Whoa! Gol Lord.
(chuckles) Listen, as long as you're gonna be in Kabul, you should meet with our ambassador, Pat Findlay.
He's got a deep bench of connections.
Sure.
I'm still building up my bench.
(sighs) - (mechanical whirring) - Okay.
What? You hear that? - (whirring) - She's really working.
You know, you should consider the motivational speaker circuit, Professor.
I'm happy with my roster of clients - right here in this house.
- (laughs) Okay.
You get home fast.
You have my And you have mine.
Bye.
Bye.
(elevator bell dings) - ELIZABETH: Thank you.
Morning.
- Morning.
Any new information on Feliks Karimov? Not yet.
What? What now? Ambassador MacDonald's persona non grata status just broke in the press.
- How much do they know? - Everything.
WOMAN (on TV): a surprising new treatment for cancer, but right now, we're following - Diane.
- Madam Secretary.
of an alleged affair involving the American ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Julia MacDonald, and a member of the ruling family.
Mrs.
Cramer.
Tell me this isn't happening.
I wish I could.
The bottom just fell out, ma'am.
The Kazahks canceled the deal - to host the Summit.
- Of course they did.
The ops center is being flooded with calls from other signatory countries.
They're dropping out.
All of them? This affair is the perfect excuse.
The moral authority of the United States was the only thing keeping most of the countries in the agreement in the first place.
Now they can label us as corrupt and unethical while avoiding any commitment to prosecute human trafficking.
It's flagrant hypocrisy, but they have us in a corner.
What if we postpone the Summit, uh, try again in a few months? Under different circumstances, maybe, but unless President Nogoyev and Kyrgyzstan get back on board, I don't see how the other countries come back to the table.
- (phone ringing) - I'm so sorry.
I understand.
- Hello? - You're welcome to stay in my office until we know more.
Okay, thanks.
They need you at the White House.
I promise you, we are not giving up on this.
STEVIE: I can't believe how quickly you finished this.
Well, I already had the design and the fabric.
All I had to do was sew.
(fabric rustling) You're not saying anything about how it looks.
Just promise me I'm not gonna get mocked and fail and then mocked more.
Ali.
It's awesome.
Really? You don't hate it? You're crazy.
I love it.
So you would wear it? Absolutely.
Like, in public? I mean, you know, obviously for the right occasion, but totes.
Maybe like a fashion show? At Bayard tonight? In my paralysis and panic about my adequacy as a designer and human being, I forgot to book a model for the presentation.
(scoffs) Um Yeah, I don't know, I I'm already late for work, and I've been putting in pretty long hours these days, so It starts at 9:00.
Please? I just really hate being on stage.
I mean, I'll probably trip.
(sighs) Okay, I will do it, I will do it.
Oh, my God.
Thank you! You're very welcome.
- Can you undo the thingy at the top? - Yes.
WARE: NSA was able to spearfish the shell corporation that Feliks Karimov was using to pay for his villa in Bora Bora.
Our suspicion that he's a foreign agent has been confirmed.
So he was spying for Kyrgyzstan.
WARE: No, Mr.
President.
His payments were coming from the GRU.
You're telling me one of our top diplomats, with the same security clearance as a four-star general, was seduced by a Russian spy? The threat was much more significant than - we initially realized.
- We have to find out exactly what she told him.
Is she in custody yet? FBI is detaining her as we speak.
But pillow talk is the least of our worries.
Cyber Division found a cryptoworm implanted on the embassy servers in Bishkek.
So they hacked us, too? Sir, they could have accessed our entire military and political strategy in Central Asia.
Ephraim, have FBI forensics tear into every server and fiber optic cable between here and Bishkek.
We need to know how deep this goes and just how vulnerable we are.
He asked a lot about our regional vaccine program.
He was the Minister of Health.
His curiosity seemed normal.
FBI AGENT: And at any point did you leave him alone with your computer? JULIA: Yes.
Many times.
This is heartbreaking.
Yeah, for national security.
Not to mention our entire political agenda.
Senator Morejon's people have already cut an attack ad.
"Diplomats gone wild.
" And that's just for the affair.
Wait till they get a whiff of the IC breach.
How bad is the breach looking, by the way? Our initial assessment is cautiously optimistic.
It looks like the GRU only gained access to local intel at the Confidential level.
Fortunately, our strategic interests in Kyrgyzstan are limited.
(sighs) All right.
I'll update POTUS.
Let's pray to God we keep this thing contained.
(door opens) HENRY: So does this mean your human trafficking summit is dead? ELIZABETH: Uh, the preferred term is "on life support.
" (chuckles) How's it going over there? Rather smooth so far.
I'm just finishing up the official briefings.
Then I'm gonna head straight over to the embassy to meet with Ambassador Findlay.
Stay safe.
I will.
Oh, wait.
How did Ali's dress turn out? Oh, I got intel from Stevie.
Thumbs up.
Nice.
(chuckles) You got your own deep game.
Yeah.
Motherhood.
Ambassador Findlay.
Henry McCord.
Thanks for seeing me so late.
Of course.
Please.
I was glad to hear that Special Activities Division was ramping up operations in-country.
Oh, so you're up to speed.
CIA posted the briefing on JWICS an hour ago.
You're establishing a safe house.
Yes.
A-And what we're trying to do is build a picture of GRU recruitment within the Afghan government, so anything you may have heard Well, my face-to-face interaction with the Russians is pretty minimal, but, um, we do have mutual contacts in the business community.
This is Ali Muslimyar.
He's a local construction magnate who buys heavy equipment from the Russians.
I can introduce you.
Uh, is that you with Julia MacDonald? Yes.
That's from the vaccine program we've been coordinating together.
Shame what happened to her.
I-I never got the full Excuse me, this coordination.
Did it take place over e-mail? Sometimes, yes.
And the briefing you just saw on JWICS, did it include the location of the safe house? Yes, but What? (line ringing) HENRY: Come on.
Pick up, pick up.
This is Scepter.
We've been compromised.
Initiate evacuation - procedure Delta.
- Delta.
Acknowledged.
Code Delta! Lock it down! Go, go, go! What the hell happened? The ambassador may have been hacked by GRU.
And he had access to our safe house location.
I'm half a block away, I've got room for five in my vehicle.
Get out of there.
Let's go, let's go, let's go! (tires screeching) - Damn it.
- (horns honking) (tires screech) (truck horn blows) (chickens clucking) (car alarm beeping) (people shouting, screaming) Our drone is coming into position now.
God.
The size of that thing.
Must have been a truck bomb.
Dr.
McCord said it was a suicide attack, followed by a sweep of Taliban fighters.
Yeah, if anyone was still inside DALTON: Has Henry made contact with his team yet? Burn protocol calls for radio silence.
We'll be in the dark until he reaches his predetermined rendezvous point.
Call Admiral Parker.
I want Taliban decapitation strike options on my desk within the hour.
I have Dr.
McCord.
DALTON: Put him on speaker, Colonel.
(phone beeps) Henry? Uh, is, uh is your team okay? HENRY: Uh, some cuts, and burst eardrums, but we're all standing.
Guards closed the perimeter just in time.
DALTON: CENTCOM has a pair of Chinooks en route to the embassy.
I've ordered the evacuation of all American high-ranking personnel until further notice.
He means bring your ass home, Henry.
(soft laughter) Yes, honey.
And Mr.
President.
All right, listen up.
We need to know who orchestrated these attacks from Moscow, and see if they're planning any more.
I'll signal Bakunin, see if he knows anything.
Good.
The rest of you, do the same.
Question your assets, get them to safety and let's go.
TRANSLATOR: I am outraged to hear that my brother-in-law was working for the Russian GRU.
(speaking Russian) (translated): But I see no reason to reinstate this Summit on Human Trafficking or to pay these outrageous reparations.
Seriously, not a hint of remorse? If anything, the fault lies with your harlot of an ambassador.
She is the one who corrupted him.
ELIZABETH: Here's the thing.
Feliks Karimov is a member of your government.
(speaking Russian) Minister of health, so what? I'll fire him tomorrow.
Feel free.
But that won't change the fact that your brother-in-law helped the Russians cyberattack the United States.
And for that, I'm holding you personally responsible.
Please, Madam Secretary.
I am a powerful man.
How-how do you say, uh? Bang, bang.
Untouchable.
ELIZABETH: Maybe.
But your money isn't.
Feliks Karimov was a member of your cabinet, which gives us the legal authority to apply targeted sanctions.
You're bluffing.
JAY: Treasury is freezing your accounts as we speak.
This is a one-time offer that'll expire when we end this call: reinstate the Summit on Human Trafficking and bring all signatory countries back to the table immediately.
You know that Madonna song, "Hung Up"? I am about to hang up on you.
Da.
(Nogoyev chuckles) I'll have my people reach out.
Great.
(computer beeps) - - Two-minute warning.
This was a bad idea.
(exhales) This was a very bad idea.
You ready to rock? Uh, I just need to, um I just need to sit down for a minute.
You're gonna be great.
Remember, they're judging me, not you.
Jareth and I broke off the engagement.
What? Oh, my God.
When? A few days ago.
Um I thought we were gonna just take some time.
(crying): But he called, and he he pulled the plug.
So, I just, I haven't really been sleeping and I just, I get stage fright even when I'm really well-rested and happy.
So (sniffles) I just don't think I can do this, Ali.
I'm really sorry.
(crying) I can't imagine what you're going through.
And I really feel terrible, and I promise I want to talk about it and watch dumb comedies and trash him, or not, if you're not ready.
But right now, I need you to walk across this stage and smile with your eyes so I don't fail.
Okay.
(announcer speaking indistinctly) Like this? (both laugh) Let's go, ladies.
You're on.
- Okay.
- (exhales) - Am I good? - Don't - (sniffles) - Let me get that.
Ooh.
- Perfect.
- Okay, okay.
ANNOUNCER: From fashion designer Alison McCord, our next look is a white scoop-neck dress with three-quarter length sleeves and chiffon coral ruffles.
Ma'am.
- Yeah.
- It's done.
I need more.
All the original signatories are back on board.
All we have to do is gas up the jet.
- That's a big win.
- Yeah.
(stammering): Yeah, and that should give Dalton the cover he needs to revive his infrastructure plan.
Not exactly how I scripted it.
Oh, I'll take it.
I wanted to, uh, apologize for yesterday.
I know, uh, grumbling isn't part of the job description.
I won't let it happen again.
Oh.
Don't make promises you can't keep, Jay.
I love your passion.
That's why you got the job.
Yeah, maybe, just would prefer it attached to a solution Otherwise, it's just grumbling.
It's a process.
You'll figure it out.
But do you like the job? Because if you're having second thoughts No second thoughts? No second thoughts, no.
I think you're stuck with me.
Great.
That's exactly how I scripted it.
Now let's go deliver the good news.
Diane This guy - he made it happen.
- It's happening? - It's happening.
- Thank you! (laughs): Thank you.
Thank you.
STEVIE: Oh, my God! (all laugh) ELIZABETH: That was what was that? (laughs): I don't know.
Fourth position, maybe? It's like reaching deep into my preschool ballet.
Yeah, you-you definitely, you went deep for that one.
Yeah, I did.
But, Ali, this is the dress that you were so worried about? I'm stunned.
Uh, it's just even your brother is impressed.
Well, it's definitely not a shower curtain.
- Thanks, Jace.
- (phone beeping) When's Dad getting home? Uh, he'll be back first thing in the morning.
He is gonna be over the moon for you.
Okay, listen, I have something that I've got to do.
I will see you budding artists (groans) in the morning.
- Good night.
- Night.
- Good night.
- Hey, babe.
- Hey, baby.
- I expected to see you at home.
- Yeah.
This is not the reunion I had hoped for.
Blake said it's an emergency.
Nafisa Samadi's disappeared.
That's your agent in Kabul, right? Her Russian contact has also gone missing.
DALTON: What's the sitrep, Ephraim? NSA picked up chatter that suggests the kidnapping was the Taliban.
HENRY: Are they alive? Unknown.
DALTON: Let's have DOD form a crisis action cell.
I want Deltas on every checkpoint out of the city.
Yes, sir.
They knew exactly where to find them.
How? Computer breach? No, that's not possible.
Their locale was too compartmentalized.
Henry's right.
There's only one other option.
The Taliban were tipped off by someone on our side.