The Blacklist s09e02 Episode Script

Chen Yu-Ian, meet your future patron.
What the hell is this? This is nuts.
Come here.
This isn't about microchips anymore.
This is kidnapping.
In what stretch of reality would kidnapping become part of the plan? The plan failed, so I came up with a better plan.
SCG segregates each department so no one person knows the secret of how to make its precious chip.
No one except dear Mr.
Chen.
Please help us.
Please, sir, please.
- Oh, my God.
This is just insanity.
- Not at all.
SCG makes a critical supply of the world's most advanced microchip.
We don't want to corner the market.
Many of the cars your employers make aren't running because they can't acquire enough chips to make them run.
I'm offering them an endless supply.
You know what? We don't want anything to do with this.
Good.
A state actor, then? A superpower with the vision that you clearly lack.
And what about Mr.
Chen and his family? Well, they're no longer your concern.
No! I think we know the moral to that story.
Do as I say so I won't have to do as I do.
Understood? Yes, no? Plan "B.
" You're gonna die when you hear it.
It's the only way this works.
Then it's not gonna work.
- I can't go in.
- Why? 'Cause you're still wounded? Because we don't have a warrant yet.
I can't enter without one.
Oh, but, so, you can't, but I can? I'm an FBI agent.
You're not.
Look, Anderson abducted a family, a husband, a wife, an 11-year-old daughter.
We have probable cause to enter his home.
And I will, as soon as Park gets the warrant.
Otherwise, anything I find that proves his guilt will get tossed out of court.
Hey, I know the rules of evidence.
But I'm not just gonna sit there waiting.
Then don't.
We're legally on thin ice anyway.
You're arguably acting as an agent of the Bureau.
So, you're the Good Cop and I'm the Bad Guy now? Oh, this just gets better and better.
You said the place was upscale, but not lived in.
Raymond has places like that.
Why? Because he can.
Because he has resources, which means The Skinner does, too.
Resources we can't match.
So, why'd you become an agent? I mean, Reddington always has some secret agenda.
What's yours? What you found is that we're outmatched, that unless we get help, we'll never find the hostages or avenge the death of my partner, not that you care much.
Third degree burns, and the biggest pain I've got is you.
Yeah, it's me.
I think you need to reach out to the senator.
Cynthia.
That's "Senator Cynthia" to you.
To what do I owe the displeasure? And I thought absence made the heart grow fonder.
I am found of you when you're absent.
Up close, I vacillate between fear and loathing.
Your briefing with the Secretary has to wait.
Aren't you a talking head now? Chitchatting about crime and terrorism till you're booted for the segment on how to make the perfect hot wing? This is important, Senator.
I'm sure it is, Harold.
That's what I'm afraid of.
I'm sure you know about the attempted theft of the SCG microchips.
What you may not know is that Dembe Zuma is the reason they weren't taken.
I heard he was with the Bureau.
I can only imagine what heartstring you had to pull to make that happen.
He's been badly hurt, his partner killed.
For his troubles, he's been benched pending an investigation.
So, he turned to you.
And I got the band back together.
What band? There is no band.
I disbanded the band.
Voided Reddington's immunity agreement.
- He's given us a lead.
- A lead on what? The microchips weren't taken, but the engineer, Chen Yu-Ian, who knows how to make them, was.
Imagine that information in the hands of our enemies.
Technology that powers your phone, your car, the Internet.
And once they have it, imagine them cutting us off from getting it.
I haven't heard about any abduction.
Is anyone claiming responsibility? Yes, a 700-year-old pirate.
Does Reddington know any run-of-the-mill criminals? The Skinner is the latest in a long line of brigands, a nom de guerre passed from one generation to the next.
The current Skinner is Graeme Anderson.
He abducted the engineer and his family.
We can't solve this case without your help.
If, hypothetically speaking, I was to help, what would you need? Panabaker sliced us a small piece of black ops funding and a promise for tactical assistance if needed.
What about access to CODIS and Bureau databases? They're ours as soon as you and Agent Park access the system.
Agent Park.
We're on a clock.
Right.
Sorry.
What are you doing? Perseverating.
About what you said.
About honoring Elizabeth.
I mean, what are you doing here in her office? I believe I already answered that question, Donald.
You're back.
For the moment.
Let me bring you up to speed.
How about we do that in your office? Just go slowly.
It'll come.
What'll come? I don't know.
Whatever it is.
Tomorrow, I suppose.
This is just a satellite office.
Please.
- Your plan will not work.
- It has to work.
I have bidders lined up for the processing software and the man who can run it.
You're the man, and now you're gonna get me that software.
The program you want is only kept in Taiwan.
I'm not an idiot, Mr.
Chen.
There's computers in that building that can access the SCG mainframe in Taipei.
Am I wrong? There are security protocols.
Well, you're the CTO.
If anyone can bypass them, I'm betting you can.
And when I do, you will let my family go? Whatever happens to them is entirely in your hands.
You have until 5:00.
Oh, and, Mr.
Chen, I have someone on the inside.
Everything you say or do, I'll know.
You hungry? I want a omelet from Tempo.
The fluffy kind that makes you feel like you're eating a cloud.
Or we could rob a convenience store, or take candy from a baby.
Something to pass the time, hmm? Chen's got a nice family.
I hope he gets what I need.
We know The Skinner abducted Chen and his family.
We don't know if anyone hired him to do it.
There's nothing from State or Langley to suggest The Skinner is working for Russia, China, or North, um I'm, I'm sorry, but, uh, what happened to your hair? Oh.
Straight razor.
Weecha does my face and my head in one fell swoop.
We don't have enough electricity where we live to waste any on clippers or other electronics.
Just the fridge and the CD player.
But I can tell you, one of life's great simple pleasures is seeing a woman, naked, out on the porch, with a bowl of hot water shaving her legs with a straight razor.
It's captivating.
Bastards took my Scotch.
I've been drinking a lot of rum.
Slow-aged in the mountains.
Rich and delicious.
We get barrels of the stuff from Weecha and Mierce's family.
Cool.
Uh, there's nothing in the Bureau's database about Chen's disappearance, and SCG hasn't reported him missing.
That's all we have.
I know not to ask you how you can help us, but I know you can, and I hope your being here means you will.
Donald paid me a visit recently.
He reminded me that Elizabeth only agreed to take over my affairs because she felt duty-bound to continue the Blacklist.
That's why she was there that night.
Doing her duty.
I'm not here just to help you, Harold.
I'm here because it's what she would want.
I'll bring you a case of that rum.
It's a swift kick to the head, and no headache.
If you ever want to talk about what he likes or dislikes I know what he likes and dislikes.
Dembe, I'm glad you're feeling better.
Agent Park, congratulations on your marriage.
Not so much on your recent freelance work.
- How do you know about that? - I pay attention.
Or pay people to pay attention for me.
Nasty bit of business.
But your Peter seems like a ray of sunshine.
I found Chen.
He's here in DC, at work.
The company has a satellite office across the river.
Chen showed up for his meetings this morning like nothing ever happened.
Aram, Agent Park, get to that office.
If Chen's okay, then maybe his family is, too.
If they're not, then he's pretending.
I want to know why.
You said you'd take care of it.
I told you where to find him.
I teed him up, and you shanked it.
Now you've come to my club and put me off my game.
I was once struck by lightning on a golf course while playing in Tripoli.
Gaddafi was dead, and to honor the small part I played in his unceremonious demise, the leader of the NTC invited me to play a round on the dictator's private course.
One minute, I'm standing on the 12th green, the next, I'm in a desert encampment with a lovely raven-haired freedom fighter who's administering to my burns with the touch of a lover's stroke.
I'm not calling him.
This Skinner is your successor.
You hand-picked him to take over when you retired.
Now he's killed an FBI agent, abducted the CTO of the world's largest microchip manufacturer, and he's threatening to create an international incident that will ruin your historic reputation.
Why do you care about our reputation? Anderson is the 22nd Skinner, twenty-two generations of torch-passing.
I couldn't do it once.
I admire what you all have built.
I don't want to see it ruined.
I'm retired, not senile.
What aren't you telling me? I'll tell you after you talk him off the ledge.
I'm the president of my condo association.
Garbage pick-up.
Grounds management.
That's what I do now, argue about yard signs with snowbirds, not try and talk sense to a lunatic.
The charter, then.
I know you have the power to invoke it.
Even if I wanted to, and I'm not saying I do, because I don't, I couldn't do it without my predecessor.
The Captain.
Is it true that she had affairs during the Paris Peace Talks with both Kissinger and Le Duc Tho? The charter's never been invoked.
Not once in 700 years.
Then it'll be a bolt out of the blue.
I lived to tell about my rather gentle lightning strike.
If we do this right, Anderson won't be so lucky.
- - - - What am I missing? Why would The Skinner abduct Chen only to release him a day later? Maybe he escaped, but if he did, why go to work and not the police? Check it out.
That's him.
Shoot.
You're not here.
We're not doing this.
Uh, but, uh, we are.
I'm pretty sure Pete deserves to know.
- Hi, sweetie.
- Hey.
Any chance we could have lunch? - Talk things over? - I wish.
But I'm kind of in the middle of something right now.
The case.
Pete, I'm not a field agent.
I'm doing a friend a favor.
- One.
- One? One, and not a risky one.
I promise.
A walk in the park.
But we'll talk about it tonight, okay? - I have to go.
- Okay.
Be safe.
Um, okay, uh, the street, it's down there.
Oh, Alina! Car! Car! Whoa, whoa, whoa! Oh! Okay.
Oh, okay.
Phew! I'm driving next time.
- Seriously.
- Ah.
FBI! Hands on the wheel, now.
Just a walk in the park.
You don't know the address, but can you describe the building? - What part of the city it - I was blindfolded.
In and out.
All I have is a number.
To a burner phone, which is untraceable.
Which is why you have to let me go, so I can call and free my family.
That's it, then, you give him this, and he lets you and your family go.
My family, yes.
Your family, but not you.
That's it, isn't it? You're trading your life for theirs.
I don't care what happens to me.
My wife and my daughter They're all that matter.
Good to see you, Mr.
Beauregard.
- It's been a while.
- Good to see you, too, Ernesto.
I've been in California, on trial in the Central District.
Quite the drama.
Yeah, well, this client of yours is no stranger to drama, either.
- Alberta? - She's been in a state all morning.
Well, what's the trouble? I'll tell you the trouble.
One of these bastards stole my phone! - Your cellphone? - Yeah, that's right.
Look away.
I am not crazy.
I had it right here, and now it's gone.
Easy, dear.
How do you feel? Like beating to death anybody who asks me how I feel.
Who's this? Ms.
Gilbert, or Alberta.
May I call you Alberta? Oh, thank goodness I caught you.
- Mr.
Beauregard? - Hmm? Margaret Collins.
I'm the new Director of Resident Relations.
You look concerned, dear.
Not to worry.
Nobody's having relations with the residents.
But if I could just have a word with you privately? I know you called ahead to say you'd like to take Alberta out for the afternoon.
Same as always.
Well, unfortunately, things aren't quite the same as always.
I'm sorry to say, Alberta's had a small setback.
- What kind of setback? - We're not sure yet.
I can't share medical information, but as you're her attorney, I feel comfortable saying her dementia appears to be progressing.
I'm afraid her nephew Douglas has left strict instructions that Alberta is not to leave the grounds under any circumstances.
He's been trying to reach a specialist about evaluating her condition.
If I'm sorry.
I'm Walter Brenneman.
Or Dr.
Brenneman, but, please, call me Walter.
- Oh, uh, you're a doctor? - I am.
I couldn't help but overhear.
In fact, I'm the very specialist you were just referring to.
Uh, Norm here and I are old golfing buddies, and he asked if I'd come and spend some time with Alberta.
I'm a neuroscientist, first and foremost.
Normally, of course, I wouldn't be available to take on new patients.
- My research at Mayo is - The Mayo Clinic? - Yes.
- Wow, Wow.
That is wonderful.
So, you knew about Alberta's setback? I did.
Uh, Douglas and I spoke.
He sounded distraught, so I promised to pull a few strings.
Let me get Doug on the phone.
Yeah, hi, Norman Beauregard.
Is he available? Oh, darn.
Yeah, I see.
Well, have him call me right away.
He's in off-site meetings all afternoon.
Ouch.
I mean, I could try and come back another day.
Oh, no, I'm in Brussels next week for a conference.
No, no, we appreciate you taking the time.
I'm sure it would be fine under Mr.
Beauregard's supervision.
And since you spoke with Douglas Hmm.
Yes? Wonderful.
Okeydoke.
Where are we going? I want to invoke the charter to remove Anderson.
I can't do that without you.
What's wrong with Anderson? He's noticeable.
Your legacy survives because it isn't.
Who the hell is this guy? That's Raymond Reddington.
No.
You.
Come closer.
I'll be damned.
Give me a kiss.
- A good one.
- We're in a bit of a rush.
You want my help, it's the cost of doing business.
Open-mouth.
We're parked in a fire lane.
No tongue, no invoking the charter.
Let's blow this Popsicle stand.
Microchips are like coated wafers.
The idea is to cram on the microscopic subatomic features that are the basis of the chip's performance.
Now, this software is a guide for manipulating atoms one-tenth the size of a human hair or less.
And Chen knows how to operate it.
Meaning The Skinner has two key ingredients for making the chips.
SCG chips.
The most advanced in the world.
So advanced that, and this is one of those impossible but true factoids, no one in Silicon Valley or Zhongguancun or anywhere else on Earth knows how to make them.
So, an already vulnerable market susceptible to catastrophic disruptions in the supply chain can be controlled by whoever has Chen and the software? Which, at the moment, is us.
We don't control anything.
We don't, but America could.
Only if we got Chen to cooperate and give the government a hard drive that doesn't belong to us.
We're talking about technology that makes the world go 'round.
Which is why we shouldn't steal it.
When you and Reddington took something, it was stealing.
When America does it, it's manifest destiny.
The only people whose destiny I'm concerned with right now are Chen's wife and daughter.
Chen was supposed to call The Skinner when he gets the software.
Then that's exactly what he's going to do.
I have it, the software.
- Do you? I wonder.
- I can bring it to you.
I just need to talk to my wife first.
I haven't heard from my inside man.
Why is that? I just need to talk to Wei.
Yu-Ian.
Wei! One hour.
2440 Junior Terrace.
What do we do now? Get your family back.
I'm not giving him the program? - Not the real one, no.
- I have to give it to him! We can't risk the real one falling into enemy hands.
And I can't risk him killing my family! Of course not, which is why we've only made a few modifications, imperceptible changes in millions of lines of code.
Only a handful of experts in the entire world would have any clue that it's not the genuine article.
We know what we're doing.
I know it's hard, but, please, trust us.
Tell me again.
The meeting point is likely a pick-up.
Wherever they take you, we will track you with these.
Totally undetectable.
The listening components are baked into the frame.
We're gonna be with you the entire time, and when he releases your family, the SWAT team will hit the building, save you, and arrest the others.
We have the engineer.
The one who knows how to make the microchips as well as the processing software he needs to make them? The proprietary software, yes.
Look around, Harold.
What do you see? What you see is me out on a limb calling in favors to get you this office, to put this God-forsaken task force back in business.
What you see is a senator you should thank while giving me the program this country needs to make its own high-end semiconducting chips without relying on a foreign power.
So we should steal it? How does that make us any better than Graeme Anderson? Anderson's a criminal looking to turn a profit.
We're patriots with an obligation to safeguard this nation.
- Where is it now? - I won't answer that.
We're talking international politics, Harold.
Spycraft, war.
It's more complicated than right and wrong.
Not to me, it isn't.
Maybe I was wrong.
For reaching out to you in Detroit.
Maybe it's too much being here.
- If it is - But it's not.
If it is, we'd all understand.
It's time to meet.
All right, let's do it.
Look, I'm good.
Then roll out.
Show me the drive.
- Hey, Aram, are you seeing this? - All over it.
The building looks like some kind of shipping warehouse.
Public records show just over 58,000 square feet for the complex, owned by a shell company called Goldenshore Industries.
We can't cover that kind of space - with just us.
- Way ahead of you.
SWAT units have been dispatched to that location.
Tell me you got it.
I knew you could do it.
Now that it's done, I can tell you all these guys bet against you but me.
Total confidence.
That's Anderson.
We sit tight until he releases Chen's wife and daughter.
- My family, where are they? - Comfortable.
Having sodas and snacks down the hall.
You said you'd let them go.
No, Yu-Ian, that's not what I said.
I think you're forgetting an "if.
" I'm pretty sure I said I'd let them go if you did what I asked.
I got you the program.
Well, I know you say you got me the program, but how the hell would I know? I mean, I'm a sharp guy, but I don't know a damn thing about software code.
Which is why I went and kidnapped an expert.
We're fine.
I mean, there are maybe five people on the planet who have the skill to assess that code in under three days.
This is Mr.
Sato Akimasa, professor in the field of information technology.
And he's one of them.
You okay, Mr.
Chen? You don't look so good.
He's cracking.
I'm telling you, he won't hold up.
It wasn't my idea.
I wanted to give you the program, but they refused! What wasn't your idea? Who refused? The FBI.
They're outside now.
They're listening.
We're going in.
Sir, there's only three of them.
They cannot go in blind.
We do not know how many of them they're up against.
This place is massive.
Where the hell are they? Aram, we're gonna need some help here.
Working on it, I'm trying to access any blueprints on file with the city.
Now, Chen's family may not have that kind of time.
Dembe took the east side of the building.
We can't stay here.
We have to keep moving.
What did you do? - I warned you what would happen.
- No! I didn't go to them! Bring 'em out, let's go.
Apparently, we have some company! - I hear Anderson.
- It's time to greet our guests! - Southeast corner.
- All right.
On our way.
Olly Olly Oxen Free! Nobody wants to play? Well, perhaps I can provide motivation to participate.
Wei! Wei! Who's firing? Report.
He just shot Chen's wife in the leg.
I can't kill Chen.
He's the golden goose! But the others are entirely up for grabs.
Show yourselves.
Show yourselves! - I believe he'll kill them.
- So do I.
Cooper, how do you want to play this? Don't give up your weapons.
Hold your position.
Still no takers? Come out! I told them you're here! Agent Zuma! Agent Zuma.
Well, look at that.
You found me.
I'd say I'm about to find you.
- No! - No! No! - The next one - No! - goes in the girl.
- No! He's gonna kill her.
Ressler, stay where you are.
Please! Please! All right, all right! I'm coming out.
All right, just hold your fire.
That's one.
Agent Zuma.
You and whoever's with you has about three seconds before things end badly.
- No! - No! Wait, no! Please, please, please! - Please! - I'm sorry, Harold.
- No! - The only move now is to buy time.
Get backup here as soon as you can.
Please! No, no! Please.
No.
I warned you not to pursue this.
FBI SWAT's on their way.
Great, thanks for the heads-up.
We'll be sure to kill you quickly.
That won't change anything.
The Bureau knows who you are.
I'll take my chances.
Take Chen and the family out of here.
- I'll deal with them later.
- No! No! Sir, we got a situation at the front entrance.
- Hold them off.
- It's not the FBI.
Mr.
Anderson! What the hell is this? We haven't met.
Y-You're familiar, of course, with Vincent Duke and The Captain.
You're Raymond Reddington.
Imagine, the three of you in one room.
Somebody get a cat.
Let's see how many Skinners it takes to Not in the mood for jokes? Fair enough.
It has been a long day all around.
What are you doing here? How'd you find me? We issued a Code Red, which, if you'd bothered to read the bylaws, gives former Skinners access to when, where, and what their successor is doing.
Or, in this case, doing badly.
I don't mind ruthless.
In fact, I'm quite aroused by it.
It's stupidity that dries me like the Sahara.
And killing a federal agent and snatching an innocent family, that's about as stupid as you can get.
I already told you, it's not your brand anymore.
Unfortunately for you, it's not yours, either.
What are you talking about? You're a caretaker.
A steward.
A trustee in a long line of trustees, and if you violate that trust, there is a charter that details how you can be removed.
By us.
If two former leaders vote to remove the current Skinner, he's out, effective immediately.
You can't be serious.
- I vote you out.
- I agree.
- Out you go.
- This isn't student government.
You can't remove me because I decided not to serve ice cream in the cafeteria.
You didn't serve ice cream? Oh, my gosh, if they'd known.
Forget about it.
Shoot them.
Shoot them all.
Did you hear me? That was an order.
Sir.
Fine.
I'll do it myself.
Sir, drop your weapon, or I will fire.
What are you talking about? You're listening to them? You work for me.
No, we work for the organization.
The organization has rules.
We follow them.
And so do they.
Yeah? Well, sometimes rules are meant to be broke We should go before the cavalry arrives.
Make sure the family's safe.
Once we're gone, let everyone go.
It's good to have you back, sir.
Once he was off the ledge, you said you'd explain your interest in our organization.
So, explain it.
The line of succession.
I hadn't thought about it coming back to me.
Taking over again.
I can't think of anything that sounds worse.
It's like meeting the First Lady after you've slept with the President.
Do you want to run things, Vincent? The only thing I want to run is my condo association.
In that case, I have a suggestion.
Ah, that's it.
You want to pick my successor.
The Skinners are legendary.
With the right person in charge, I don't think there's a limit to their reach and power.
And as luck would have it, I think I know who the right person would be.
You did what you came for.
There is nothing here but heartbreak.
I don't believe that.
I can't believe it.
One more stop.
If I don't get the answer I'm looking for, we'll go.
What are you doing here? Thinking about that beautiful, sad Wyeth painting you have in the next room.
I didn't know you were so melancholy, with all your little colloquialisms and snappy repartee.
- What do you want? - Something you can't give me.
But which I can't get without your help.
So, I thought perhaps we might help each other.
We're just relieved you and your family are safe.
And Kuo Pai-Han? My associate in Taiwan? We spoke to the authorities in Taipei.
He's being released.
Both he and his family will be fine.
I believe this belongs to you.
You're giving it back? Your government doesn't insist on keeping it? Oh, they do, but our objective was to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, including ours.
Thank you.
Your daughter's with your wife at the hospital.
Agents are waiting to take you there.
Mr.
Chen, I'm Agent Soto.
Okay, that was so fun.
Which part? Rescuing Chen and nearly dying, or driving down a one-way street into oncoming traffic and nearly dying? It was purposeful.
We did something.
Something good.
That's what's cool about it.
You really miss it, don't you? Don't you? I was positive I didn't.
And now Now I'm not so sure.
Pete would kill me if he heard me say it, but I wish we were back full time.
Everyone? You did a good job.
More than that, you reminded me of all the good we did.
I don't know about you, but I needed that.
I never got to see the task force from the inside.
Thank you for doing this for my partner and for me.
Good Lord.
If this is how you look in victory, I'd hate to see what you look like in defeat.
Thought you said you were going? I also promised to bring Harold a case of Weecha's hooch.
You could probably drink me under the table, couldn't you? Harold, if I might have a word? Oh, by the way, my immunity deal has been reinstated.
What? By who? Senator Panabaker agreed to wave her magic wand.
She's offering to reconstitute the task force and to let Harold, Donald, and Aram return to the FBI fold.
Now, why would she want to do that? I imagine she likes the work we do.
- Do or did? - Mmm, both.
And if you do, as well, you're welcome to hop back on the merry-go-round.
If not, a bientot.
Harold? Did he just say what I think he just said? I don't know, what's "a bientot" mean? "See you soon.
" Which means, be careful what you wish for.
You asked why I became an agent.
The answer is you.
That's my secret.
One of them, anyway.
Care to share any of the others? Raymond admires you.
Not because of what you do, but because of who you are.
If there's any way I can help you through any of this, I want to try.
Perhaps in time.
Swift kick to the head.
No headache.
Like reading Homer in Greek.
I know you have your own reasons for continuing.
I know Agnes is one, and you know how I feel about that.
What's another? Unfinished business.
Why do I think they're connected? Take the win, Harold.
It's the first of many.
That is surprisingly good.
I love surprises.
Not all surprises, of course, but, you know, happy accidents.
Finding forgotten money in a pocket.
Making unexpected friendships.
I have a feeling the next part of this journey of ours will be filled with new surprises.
It's good to be back, old friend.
Old.
I'll let you in on a little secret, Harold.
The would doesn't belong to the young.
The world belongs to anyone with the strength to reach out and take it.
And for the first time in a long while, I'm feeling stronger than ever.