Countdown (2025) s01e02 Episode Script

1
What was Darden's purview with CBP?
Monitoring border activity
of Los Reyes Nuevos.
You know 'em? Los Reyes?
They are a whole 'nother level of nasty.
- [grunts]
- On your back!
[Ray] You have a ticking time bomb
on your team, Nathan.
The risks of surgery,
they outweigh the benefits.
[Mark] That's why you picked me.
It's 'cause nobody in our departments
will miss us when we're gone.
[Nathan] Where the hell is he going?
[Geiger counter crackling]
[sighs]
[electricity crackles]
[banging on door]
- [in Belarusian] Who's there?
- Your brother. Let me in, Borys… Hurry!
I was just going to tell you
I fixed your
Anton…
What happened?
- I fucked up, Borys. I fucked…
- Anton.
I fucked up! They own me.
They're going to kill me.
Who? What are you saying?
[Anton breathing heavily]
[exhales sharply]
- Who was that?
- [breathes heavily]
Who did this to you?
You have to help me, brother.
He'll kill me.
Who?
The American.
The American!
[in English] All right.
Every alphabet house has been read in
on what we believe went down last night.
Smuggled fissile material through
the Port of Los Angeles into the US.
That means the Bureau, NSA, DHS,
DOD, CIA and the White House.
Nuclear emergency support team?
While they ramp up a
coordinated response,
we're to continue running point
with our mission,
find out where the material is,
who has it,
and what they plan to do with it.
So where are we?
Hit man Cesar Murillo
was pronounced dead at LBMC.
- Good.
- Two other members of the New Kings cartel
were wounded and captured.
We'll get a full interrogation debrief as
soon as we sync with the Port Police.
Oh, uh, I spoke to, uh,
my guy in Commercial Crimes.
There was a, um, stolen Border Patrol
vehicle that was discovered,
abandoned about nine miles northeast
of the port in Compton.
I saw that vehicle flee the scene.
- You get a look inside?
- I couldn't pick anyone out of a lineup.
There were two men in front, two men in
back, Caucasian if I had to swear on it.
That doesn't sound like Tijuana cartel.
We'll need to comb through
the images at the port
in the days running up to the incident.
Identify anyone
who doesn't belong on scene.
Were there men there claiming
to be logistics
or shipping
or customs agents surveilling Hangar 31?
Yeah, I'll get Shepherd on it.
And I want an evidence response team
on that vehicle.
Hair, fibers, fingerprints, DNA, nuclear
signature, uh, soil deposits, all of it.
[Drew] Yep.
Who are these guys?
My cover, two years ago, was
a smuggler on both sides of the border.
I worked with a Reyes Nuevos
lieutenant named Javi Lopez.
Last night, I met with a woman
at La Luna bar in Huntington Park
to reestablish contact.
She's a runner for Lopez.
- [Nathan] Successful?
- I think so.
I mean, the cartel was the infrastructure
to smuggle this material into the US.
If anyone knows who they handed it
off to, it's Lopez. I can set up a meet.
Take Meachum with you.
He can be your muscle.
Oh. I'm good with that.
- I just… I usually work solo.
- [Heather] Sir.
This isn't a task individual.
The LA District Attorney is here.
He's in the lobby downstairs.
Asked to speak with you immediately.
Special Agent Blythe.
I understand you have
an operation running in my city.
A federal operation.
Yes, well, I believe you have a couple
of LAPD detectives loaned to you.
And since they fall under my purview,
I'd like to be included
in your investigation.
Make an inquiry with the US Attorney
for the Central District of California.
We don't have to be so formal, do we?
I'm making a gentle request.
I don't see why we can't stay
in that sandbox.
I appreciate the visit.
[chuckles]
Um, I'll see you up there.
Mr. Valwell?
Special Agent Keyonte Bell.
You worked with my father, Isaiah.
- Ah, of course.
- Yeah.
Isaiah was a great help when I started.
[chuckles] He said the same about you.
- How's he doing?
- Pretty good.
He is getting used
to the private sector now.
Global security director for Oracle.
So, um, you know, missing the mission,
not hating the money.
- [chuckles]
- [laughs] I'll bet that's right.
- Yeah.
- Yeah. Good man. Good man.
- Wish him well for me.
- I will.
Oh, uh, Special Agent Bell,
are you on the Federal Task Force
with Nathan Blythe?
[stammers] No need to answer.
I withdraw the question.
Thank you for your service
and keep us safe.
[Drew] What was that all about?
DA who wants to be Attorney General.
You know what AG stands for?
- Aspiring Governor.
- Mm-hmm.
He's on a fishing expedition,
looking for a camera friendly rung
on his way to the statehouse.
- What'd you tell him?
- Pound salt.
- You know, politicians can play rough.
- So can I.
- Did you learn that at Princeton?
- Army.
Princeton, I learned to drink.
Army?
Yeah, my father wanted me to be a lawyer.
Had the whole map drawn out
from Greenwich to the Ivy League
to clerking for SCOTUS.
[inhales deeply]
Then the Twin Towers came down and I was
in a recruitment office the next day.
- Infantry?
- Intelligence.
- You? Hmm.
- Reserves.
- Greenwich?
- Don't.
Oof.
Hey, you just… you grew up in some
very expensive real estate, that's all.
Maybe you can tell me
what it's like to be rich
while we go over the badge entry data
from the port.
Or we do it silently.
[clicks tongue, grunts]
- You all right?
- [breathes shakily]
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, just…
just took some Advil.
I'm waiting for it to kick in.
- I gotta know you're 100%.
- Pfft. I'm 100%.
One mistake, we are dead.
That's why there won't be any mistakes.
- Okay, where'd we meet?
- What?
Oh, um… [inhales sharply]
- …Italian restaurant on, uh…
- [sighs]
…on, uh, Grand River, downtown Detroit.
Greek place.
- Yeah, what'd I say?
- Italian.
Oh, Greek, Italian.
There is a large Greek population
in Detroit.
Oh, there's probably Italians too.
You know what… [chuckles]
…that's it. I'm calling it.
- I'm just kidding, okay?
- [exhales sharply]
Yes, Greek restaurant. The Golden Fleece.
I'm just fucking with you.
Besides, it's a cover story, who cares?
I care.
Being under is not about memorizing
some stupid backstory, okay?
- [scoffs] Oh, okay.
- It's about improv.
It's being able
to-to-to roll with the flow.
You know what, it's not… it's…
You don't even… [chuckles]
[stammers] It's go with the flow, okay?
It's go with the flow
or roll with the punches.
- Now you're getting it.
- [sighs]
[chattering]
Looks like they want us
to join their book club.
Bunch of Harry Potter fans, you can tell.
Should we say hi? Oh.
What ya need?
- Who are you?
- Who I am, lady? Who are you?
Tell Javi Lopez I wanna talk.
There ain't no Javi Lopez here.
If I gotta say it again, morrito,
you're gonna hate what comes next.
Cute kid.
Go wait in the garage.
- Where?
- [clicks tongue]
Hey. Maya told me
you've been back in town.
Where you been, Daniela?
[sighs] I got pressed,
man. Had to bounce.
- What you mean you got pressed?
- You remember Cricket?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, he snitched on me.
I'm lucky I'm not in Lynwood.
Good thing Cricket's dead now.
I know. That's why I'm here.
- I'm looking to get back in it.
- Is that right?
- Who's this?
- Whoa.
Whoa!
That's my shadow, man.
Looks like a cop to me.
What'd you call me?
- Tell me I'm lying.
- Why don't you drop that gun,
- I'll do more than tell you?
- [Oliveras] Hey, okay.
Look, Javi, you've always
been smart, okay?
- He's with me
- Shut the fuck up.
Yo, I don't know who the fuck
you think you're talking to.
I delivered what for you, 40 jobs?
- And now you wanna disrespect
- I said shut the fuck up!
Yo.
That's Palmdale ink.
Get Erasmo.
Oh, you wanna die today?
- Huh?
- Oh, I've been dead lots of times.
- [knocks on door]
- [door opens]
[sighs]
[beeps]
- [beeping]
- [punching keys]
[laptop chiming]
[Javi] Okay, Daniela,
talk.
I been in Michigan, all right?
Running oxy and X from Windsor to
Detroit. But I'm gonna be real with you.
I got fucked by a customer
and I need cash.
I hear you got heat on you,
or I wouldn't be here.
I could take your high-risk deliveries.
I could be a shield for you.
I need this, Javi, okay?
[stammers] You know I'm good.
What you know about heat?
Your girl told me.
I might have something for you.
[Anton snores]
[grunting]
[in Belarusian] I, uh… I… thank you
for letting me sleep here, Borys.
[grunts]
- Anton.
- [huffs]
[Anton grunts]
Some things never change.
You needed a drink, I let you drink.
You needed to sleep, I let you sleep.
Now tell me, what is going on?
What time is it?
Ten-thirty.
Ho. What? Ten-thirty?
Borys, come with me. Please. I need you.
I was approached by an American who said
he worked for Harris-Fordham-Deere…
the food company… he said he
would pay me for the real figures
on the Belarusian agricultural yield
as well as the statistics
for the last harvest.
Pay you?
Every other supervisor
in the GRB is taking bribes.
Why should my pockets be empty?
I never planned
[grunts] Anton.
Of course I never planned to give him
the actual figures…
- [sighs]
- I printed out the tables from 2005,
changed the date here,
the production yield there…
- How could you be so stupid?
- [sighs]
Now he wants to speak to you, Borys.
Me?
Dennis, this is the brother
I was telling you about.
What is the meaning of
You speak English?
[in English] Your brother took my money,
then tried to cheat me.
I'm sure you are confused.
Not confused, Borys.
He owes me, which means you owe me.
- [in Belarusian] How much do you owe?
- Eighty-thousand rubles… it was just a
[in English] The money doesn't matter.
What matters is the debt.
- I'm sure we can
- Borys, you work in the defense ministry.
For Pavel Kostenko.
I need you to give me
all electronic mail between Kostenko
and the Kremlin over
the last four months.
[in Belarusian] Dennis.
You can't be serious.
When I said I would speak to my brother,
I didn't mean
Do you want your debt canceled or not?
Of course, but not like this.
[scoffs]
When you're hungry,
you don't get to choose your food.
[in English] Get me those emails
by Monday.
Or your brother may fall down a stairwell
and not get up so easy.
[Oliveras] Javi wants to test us.
- [Nathan] Meaning?
- He's giving us a run.
He's got a truck full of contraband
coming up from Rosarito.
But with the heat on Los Reyes, he thinks
it's gonna get jammed up at the border.
- Know what's inside?
- Gotta assume heroin.
If we can get it through, he'll trust us.
And he'll tell us who he made
the fissile delivery for.
So we clear the truck
through Border Patrol.
That's not gonna work.
Lopez has some skinny, little
Agent Shepherd-type working for him.
- No offense.
- Well, offense taken.
No, I just mean, like, uh,
you know, clickety clackety…
Whatever. He ran my cover through NCIC.
- That's a law enforcement database.
- Exactly.
Cartel's gone Gen Z.
He used a Border
Patrol log in. I saw him.
- Damn, that's messed up.
- [Mark] Yeah.
We don't know who's corrupt down there.
We spill we want BP to cover our truck,
forget about our cover.
They will know we're police.
Bell, Shepherd, I want
maps and logistics.
Oliveras, Meachum, Finau,
get me everything you have
on Border Patrol on the Mexican side,
and Federales out in Tijuana.
Anyone we can trust down there.
We got one shot at this
before cartel closes ranks.
Drew, in my office.
["Don't Sit Down
'Cause I've Moved Your Chair" playing]
[sighs]
- [beeps]
- [music ends]
[brakes squeal, hiss]
What's your business in Mexico?
Hogs.
You ever been to Mexico,
Special Agent Bell?
Cancún.
That's not Mexico. That's Disneyland.
You all right?
Yeah, why?
You've been squinting your eyes.
Well, it's bright out. So…
Quit looking at me. Watch the road.
- [in Spanish] Be alert, guys.
- [pigs snorting]
[snorting, squealing]
[worker, in Spanish] Come in, hurry!
[exhales sharply] Jesus.
Yeah. The smell is why
they won't check our trailer.
I'll bet that's right.
Hey.
[in Spanish] Gregorio here?
Gregorio Ruiz?
Yeah.
Gregorio Ruiz went to sleep.
You gonna wake him up?
[pigs snorting, squealing continues]
Javi Lopez sent us.
[imitates snoring]
[in English] We got a problem?
[Oliveras] How much cash you got?
A couple hundred. Why?
Let me see it.
- [Oliveras sighs]
- What do you want? Twenty, 40, all of it?
Okay.
[in Spanish] Wake him up.
Nine.
[in English] Number nine.
I'm gonna need a receipt for that.
[scoffs] Tell Uncle Sam.
["Who's Gonna Love Me Now" playing]
[grunts] Fuck!
Shit.
[grunts]
- Oh, shit. You all right?
- [groans]
- [Finau] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- Dude, you need some first aid.
[Finau] I'm okay.
- I'm okay.
- [Mark] Wait, can you drive?
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I'm all right.
- Bell can take over.
- Yeah. I'm good to go. Just say the word.
Nah, nah.
Let's just get out of here.
I'm good. I'm good.
- [Mark] All right. Let's roll.
- All right.
[grunting] Piece of shit.
[music continues]
- [music ends]
- [brakes hiss]
[in Spanish] Gerardo!
You look as good as I remember, girl.
Where you been?
- You know, all over.
- I like it.
Yeah, you still like lollipops?
Of course.
Excellent.
[in English] I'll follow.
All right. Plan A: Truck gets through
zip-a-dee-doo-dah and nobody's the wiser.
Plan B: All hell breaks loose.
Best laid plans oft go to shit.
Well, if it does,
don't even think about me.
- Just get that truck through, okay?
- Why would I think about you?
[chuckles] Okay.
[grunts]
[customers chattering]
[Drew on radio]
Okay, we are approaching the border.
We need that truck through clean,
so eyes on the prize.
[horn honks]
- [chattering]
- [horns honking]
[chattering on radio in Spanish]
[Oliveras] Meachum.
I got 'em.
[Nathan] Stay patient. Getting that truck
through clean equals information.
[brakes squeal]
[beeping]
[chattering on radio in Spanish]
- How's it going?
- Good.
- Point of origin?
- Tijuana.
[coughs]
What are you doing?
Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on.
- Give me a minute.
- Sure.
[beeping]
They're running OCR on Finau's truck.
Shit.
What's your destination?
LA.
Time to blow it up.
["No Good" playing]
This is Special Agent
in Charge Nathan Blythe.
I wanna report a suspicious vehicle
trying to cross the Tijuana border.
Yeah, I got it on satellite now.
License plate: Foxtrot-Delta-X-ray-542.
[tires screech]
[laughs]
- [sirens blaring]
- [speaks Spanish]
[laughs]
[glass shatters]
- Hey, FBI!
- [speaks Spanish]
- [grunting]
- Get out. Get down! [speaks indistinctly]
- [chattering]
- [Bell] FBI!
FBI! What's your name?
What's your name? Daniels?
- Yeah. Who?
- Go. I need you. Help them.
National security, motherfucker! Go, now!
- Go! Move!
- Okay! Okay!
[speaking Spanish]
No fuckin'… [in Spanish] …habla!
[in English] FBI! American FBI!
Hey, hey! Let me through FBI! FBI!
[grunting]
[sighs]
[speaks Spanish]
Thank you. Yeah, American FBI.
You see this? You see the badge?
[speaks Spanish]
- FBI.
- [speaks Spanish]
Let's back it up! Back it up!
Come on, let's move!
- Back up! Weapons down!
- [music ends]
[punching keys]
[breathing heavily]
[in Belarusian]
You're staying late, Borys?
[clears throat]
I have… I must complete
the munitions counts for Orsha.
Good.
[water running]
You were in the Transportation Corps?
Ordnance.
Action in Chechnya?
Yes.
Help bring Petrova up to speed
on the Mechanized Brigades
in Grodno and Slonim
before you go, okay?
Yes, Mr. Kostenko.
I will.
Good night.
[door closes]
[punching keys]
[door opens]
[beeps]
[Volchek sighs]
[cleaner speaks Belarusian]
[door opens]
[door closes]
Help yourself.
Do you remember what our father said
when Miss Alanskaia
asked me to accompany her daughter
to Pinsk?
He said,
"Are you sure she didn't mean Borys?"
Huh. Is that what the American wanted?
I'm sorry I got you into this, brother.
I've always been the chain
around this family's neck.
[sighs]
Well,
that's true.
[chuckles]
I have to use the bathroom. [grunts]
And again… I'm sorry.
[sighs]
[people clamoring]
[speaks Spanish indistinctly]
[door opens]
Coming through, coming through! Excuse
us! Excuse us! Out of the way! Thank you!
Thank you, bud. Thank you.
I'm taking custody
of this US citizen, all right?
Thank you, guys. Thank you.
It's about fuckin' time.
How about you just keep your mouth shut
till we're on home soil, okay?
- Let's go.
- [grunts] Jesus.
Okay, coming through.
Thank you. Thank you.
Hey, nice to see you. How you doing?
All right, I will make sure
you're all well-recognized
by your friends here
in Mexico City, okay?
Hey, and Washington too.
[Mark] How'd you make it
across the border?
DEA, man.
I got ways you could only dream of.
- Damn.
- [Finau] How'd you get out?
Blythe made some calls.
I bet we had to trade some
top-level narcos in exchange for you.
Uh, more like a mule and some chickens.
That would have been a good deal…
- [Oliveras chuckles]
- …you son of a bitch.
[chuckles]
You guys figured out what
they're smuggling back there?
Waiting on you.
[sniffs] Pig feed.
- [Mark grunts]
- [Oliveras sighs]
[Mark] Oof. [grunts] Can you imagine
working with that smell all day?
I can, actually.
I heard it as soon
as it came out of my mouth.
[knife blade clicks]
[sighs]
There's gotta be at least six a bag here.
I'm thinking 500 kilos of heroin.
Street value, 50 million.
Fine, give Javi Lopez the truck,
find out what he knows about
the fissile material exchange.
[Drew] All right. You heard the man.
Let's rendezvous at Ops One and
nail down the logistics for the exchange.
- Finau.
- [Finau] Yo.
Why don't you roll with Bell?
I'll drive the rig.
- [Finau] You sure?
- I got it.
All right. Keys are inside.
[truck door opens]
[Mark grunts]
All right.
[engine starts]
You all right?
The thought of dropping that much dope on
the street makes my fucking skin crawl.
[engine turns off]
My, uh…
- My rookie year in LAPD
- Oh, God.
Just hear me out.
My rookie year.
There were these detectives
that were building this, uh…
this huge robbery sting.
Some guy had been knocking over high-end
apparel stores in the fashion district.
So, LAPD's building this case,
but they wanna catch him in the act,
you know, really seal the deal.
And they know where
and when he's gonna strike next.
But before that day happens,
a woman named Shelly Reed
calls in an assault charge.
She's McNamara's mistress.
Tells 911 he roughed her up pretty bad.
Guess who the responding officer was.
So, I show up and she's…
I mean, she's got the works, you know…
[stammers] …black eye,
busted lip, loose tooth.
Bruises all up and down her neck.
[sighs] So, I write up the report,
seething, just furious.
I don't like seeing people
getting worked over like that.
I don't care who you are.
I tell her I'm gonna get this guy,
he's never gonna hurt her again.
And I meant it.
She asked me, "Do you promise?"
I didn't hesitate. I promised.
So, I get back to the Hollywood station,
and these detectives
tell me not to file the report,
to stand down.
That the, uh… [inhales sharply]
…the burglary charges are gonna eclipse
this little domestic assault
that probably would never make it
into the inside of a courtroom.
You know, who's gonna believe a mistress?
Could've been anything.
She could've fell down the stairs.
You let it go,
so they could make their bust,
and it's haunted you ever since.
No, I slapped the bracelets
on that son of a bitch
and charged him with assault and battery.
Nah.
[Mark] Sarge lit me up. [chuckles]
Said, "You blew it,
Meachum. You blew it."
Gave me 12 months traffic duty.
And I mean the graveyard stuff when
the red lights go out, that kind of shit.
But I took it.
I didn't say a word. I didn't complain.
I did my time,
just waited out their anger.
My point is,
if you've got another angle,
a different way to work this,
I'm game.
Hell, now more than ever.
What's that mean? "Now more than ever"?
Nothing.
I'm just seeing things
through clear eyes these days.
But I mean it.
I'll play this however you wanna play it,
whatever the consequences.
[engine starts]
[Valwell sighs]
You don't look happy to see me again.
DA Valwell, how can I help you?
I understand there was a dispute at
the US-Mexico border this morning?
When the State Department
requested an expedited transfer
of a US citizen arrested on
the Mexican side, I was a little curious.
I have friends in law enforcement
across the state, Nathan.
So do I.
You know, you're gonna need someone
like me to help cover your tracks
when challenges like this arise.
Don't you think you should
bring me in now,
rather than when things get complicated?
No reason we can't be friends.
[door opens]
[Mark] Hey.
Hey.
[Mark] Did you get some sleep?
Yeah.
Shower, couple hours. You?
Yeah, a little bit.
- [sighs]
- So, uh, how do you wanna move forward?
I'm taking one kilo.
- To do what with?
- You might think it's stupid,
but it's one brick that's not gonna
end up in some kid's arm.
Where's it gonna end up?
Bottom of the river.
Flushed.
I'll take care of it.
Let's get this truck to Javi.
Anton.
Anton.
[gunshot]
Anton.
Anton.
Anton.
How did you know where to find me?
[in English] Fuck you.
- What's this?
- Your emails.
Never contact me again.
["Parabol" playing]
[laughs]
- [Javi] You delivered.
- Come on, don't I always?
Good to have you back.
Now we want those bigger jobs.
Oh, there'll be plenty of work.
You drive.
Word is Los Reyes Nuevos are working
with high-end Chinese smugglers
or European guys
bringing hazardous material.
That's where the cash is
and that's what I want in on.
Well, I don't know about no Chinese,
but the guys we just did a job for were
from one of those Russian countries.
- Russian?
- Yeah, like around there.
[music continues]
- Serbia? Croatia?
- Shit.
Something like that. Why you asking?
[engine cranks]
I think I know that guy.
- W-What's his name again?
- [Javi] I can't remember.
Hop in the truck, and follow me
to the warehouse so we can store the rig.
- [Javi screams]
- [Oliveras shrieks]
[Oliveras, Mark grunt]
[stammers] You're good?
- [Oliveras] Yeah. Yeah.
- You're good?
Javi, the man at the port did this.
He did this to you, Javi!
[fire crackling]
Listen to me. I need a name, okay?
I need a name. We'll find him.
Give me a name.
Give me a name!
[grunts]
Volchek.
- [Mark] What?
- Volchek!
[grunts] Volchek.
Volchek.
["Parabola" playing]
[music stops]
[Mark] What about that name, Volchek?
Lopez's last words sounded
like a dying declaration to me.
- Etymology?
- Belarusian.
[Mark] Timur Novikov.
If our case has anything to do with
some guy from Belarus, he would know.
Where you going with this?
You gotta put me back in jail.
[music resumes]
[music fades, ends]