High Value Target: The Hunt for Saddam (2026) s01e02 Episode Script

1
♪
[ Device beeps ]
♪
♪
- I've been chained to this
desk for two months now,
writing reports no one reads.
♪
Rumsfeld's worst mistake
was ordering Bremer to
disband the entire Iraqi army.
Pushed them straight into the
arms of the insurgency.
[ Chanting in global language ]
♪
♪
♪
[ Infant crying ]
♪
Leadership figures if you can't
extract intelligence,
maybe you can buy it.
But we keep raising the rewards
and getting bullshit back.
Who said you get what
you pay for?
♪
[ Speaking global language ]
- Disney.
[ Speaking global language ]
- Let's talk to this guy.
[ Men speaking global language ]
[ Sirens blaring in distance ]
- Hey. Um, we're looking for
a Captain Samir.
- We're from Langley.
My name is Polly Stevens
and this is my colleague,
Jerry Munro.
- Okay.
- We have a cross patch of
intercepts that Langley
flagged--
- You guys been in the
country for long?
- A few weeks.
- Few weeks?
That's good. Good.
- Look, uh, we're here to
help find Saddam.
- Well. Thank you. We, uh,
appreciate that.
We've been here for five months,
bleeding bodies, waiting
for help, so
anything you can do for us,
we appreciate that.
I'm Samir.
This is Mohammed. Truth is,
we have no leads.
Nothing.
And every week, another convoy
runs into an ambush
chasing some ex-minister or
ex-secretary, ex-horse trainer.
And we end up burying
more names.
- We know it's bad, but we didn't
come empty-handed.
- Um, we mapped a predictive
corridor based on Saddam's
last five verified safe houses.
The safe houses are in
distant cities.
Samarra, Al-Dawr, and Tikrit.
Inside it, we tracked diesel
thefts and phone call relays.
Everything suggests he's hiding
somewhere in the corridor.
- Okay. Yeah, that's a theory.
- Yeah, well, get this.
We matched it with
three alias tags,
all missed by DOD's systems
because of some transliteration
errors. Okay?
This is Chemical Ali.
- Mm-hm.
- This is Saddam's cousin,
old courier.
- Yeah.
- This is the last known
photograph. Thank you.
He now runs a scrap yard
in Samarra.
- Nobody's been watching him
until now.
- We checked that scrap
yards weeks ago.
It was cold.
- But now it's not.
- Yeah, um, check your signals.
This week, it came alive.
- Check.
- Yeah.
- All the separate SAT calls
to that location,
all encrypted.
And it's the same signature
frequency--
our intel has double-checked
that--
as the one linked to
Khalid Al-douri.
- The guy on a motorcycle
that got killed
while you were after him, remember?
- Alright. Alright.
So, what's your play?
- We've got leverage.
Langley has been cultivating
a tribal sheikh.
This is his daughter's visa.
Fast track to the US.
Look, if he flips and gives us
al-Majid, she leaves Iraq.
- So you brought a map, a name,
and another bribe, yeah?
- Well-- we brought options.
- Look, you said you're out of
leads. We're not.
- Got something for you to do.
- Samir?
- Excuse me.
[ Speaking global language ]
- Alright, you say you want in?
Gear up.
♪
[ Device beeps ]
♪
♪
♪
- You smell me?
That's fear.
♪
- Clear.
♪
- All clear, sir.
No sign of HVT-1 or HVT-4.
- Thank you, Corporal.
[ Indistinct radio chatter ]
- Roger that. Engage anybody
with a weapon.
- What about the drone?
It showed movement here.
- Maybe it's some
kind of glitch.
This place empty.
If he was here, he left.
Now, one thing is certain.
He won't return.
- Shit.
- Well, we missed him.
- Yeah.
- Or he was never here at all.
- Alright. It was a nice theory.
Let's get back.
Let's go.
[ Indistinct radio chatter ]
[ Phone rings ]
- Nixon.
- It was a friggin' bust.
We need you here, buddy.
- Jerry. I hate to say it, man.
I saw it coming.
Still looking for
the wrong people.
- You should have seen the
look on Polly's face.
- Well, they picked her, so
- Because she plays
the game, John.
- Game? I don't-- I don't know
how to do that.
- Come on, come on. Let's think
for a second.
We need to knock on the
right door to get you here.
And Stillwell bought
your theory.
- Yeah, they-- they definitely
don't like me.
I don't think Stillwell's
read a page of anything
I've written in the past
three months.
- Okay, okay. Stillwell's out.
What about Angela?
- She's been avoiding me.
- Yeah, because you walk into
a room like a loaded gun.
All death stare, no small talk.
- That's not good?
- Yeah, but let's face it,
you're not gonna change.
- No.
- We'll do this. Right now, I'll
write her about today's bust
and that we need support,
and she'll get it.
- Yeah.
- Tomorrow, just swing
by our office
and do your thing, okay?
- I'll try.
- Thank you.
Give it your best shot, okay?
[Chuckles] I'm starting to
like the taste of goat.
- Yeah, well, you look like
a goat, so that's okay.
I'll talk to you.
♪
♪
♪
- Get some more sandbags.
[ Tires screech ]
[ Dog barking ]
[ Indistinct chatter ]
- Tell him to stand by. We're
just looking at it right now.
- Major, I need the colonel.
- He's in the back.
- Thank you.
- I want you guys to kind
of stand to the north.
- Sir, I need a green light on an
immediate field op.
- Situation?
- They took Mohammed
and his family, sir.
Signet reports Republican Guard
are moving them
and other collabs tonight.
- Alright, where?
- I have intel they'll move him
with his family to the red zone.
In any case, it's high risk
of execution tonight.
The way I see it, we have a
narrow window for extraction.
Karmah. Village of Karmah.
- That's deep red zone.
Corporal. Sitrep.
- Yes, sir.
- I just got a report from there.
Enemy patrols remain hot
in that corridor.
- Yeah, no, 4-40.
- Ah, we got no Black Hawks
to spare.
101st are flying CASEVAC.
All night. Two RFs
committed north of Tikrit.
- Understood, sir.
It's not ideal, so we'll just
have to adapt.
Right? This man, he knew
they were on to him.
I asked him to stay put.
So he did.
He trusted me. He trusted us.
We promised him.
It's on us, sir.
- I'm sorry, Samir, I really am,
but I can't authorize it.
You just heard the sitrep.
We don't have airlift
and we don't have firepower.
- Sir, if we don't go after our
own, then what's the point?
'Cause Mohammed
Mohammed is one of our own,
isn't he, Major?
These people, this country
they're supposed to be
the reason we came here.
- Don't you preach to me, son.
I got a pocket full of dog tags
that says otherwise.
- I apologize, sir!
- Do you understand that?
- I'm sorry!
I volunteer.
- I'm in.
- I will not send a blind squad
into potential meat grinder.
Do you understand that?
Not without airlift,
not without armor,
and not without
a medevac backup.
Do you understand?
I do that shit,
I'm writing letters home.
I hate it.
God knows I hate it,
but it's a no-go.
It's a no-go.
[ Office chatter,
telephones ringing ]
[ Knocking ]
- Don't start.
I don't want to hear it.
You have the latest sightings?
- There's a plastic surgery
clinic in Rio.
And here is Saddam living as a
woman in a Baghdad bus station.
- Oh!
Well, she looks like Saddam.
Should have waxed the mustache.
- Yeah, it's pretty funny.
- Look, we discussed this.
It isn't my call.
- Yeah, but you could--
- Just blame me if it
makes you feel better.
- Look, it's clear that Polly's
intel is only gonna get us
more busts like last night's.
I should be there.
I know this man.
I know his history.
I'm wasting my time chasing down
every idiotic lead
that's come in.
- Look, I can't wave a magic
wand. Stillwell is the one--
- 187 days, we've been doing
exactly the same thing.
I mean, you know Einstein's
definition of insanity?
- You have no field training,
John.
- You should just hire Kreskin,
he's got a bigger chance of
finding him.
- [Chuckles] At least he's
more entertaining.
- I should be there, asking
questions, following up leads.
It was my theory on
how to track Saddam
that immobilized
Baghdad Station.
- It's not my call.
- Yeah, but you're a voice
in the room.
Stillwell listens to you.
I mean, everyone listens to you.
You really think
Polly can do what I do?
- You really want to risk
your career?
- I'll tell you the truth,
no matter what the higher-ups
wanna hear.
And you can do whatever you
want with that information.
You need me over there.
- Get me Stillwell.
[ Bright jazz playing
on radio ]
♪
♪
- Here we go.
- Copy. Convoy moving into 7-G.
It's two clicks west.
- Haifa Street, heading north.
[ Vehicles rumbling ]
- Okay, we'll pin them in the
next underpass.
One block down, yeah?
[ Vehicles rumbling ]
- Here we go.
[ Motor revving ]
Let's go.
Go.
♪
♪
[ Motorbike roaring ]
[ Horns honking ]
♪
[ Explosion blasts ]
[ Shouting in global language ]
[ Gunfire ]
- Clear!
- Clear!
[ Gunshot ]
- [ Speaking global language ]
- [ Gunshot ]
♪
[ Speaking global language ]
[ Child crying ]
♪
[ Speaking global language ]
- Let's go! Go, go, go!
♪
[ Dog barks in distance ]
- Honey, did you hear
from the doctor?
- Not yet, baby.
You okay?
- Yeah.
No. I mean, I can't find my
passport.
- Hon, it's in there.
- Where?
- In the second drawer.
- No, I looked there, I--
I already checked there.
Oh.
What am I gonna do without you?
- Promise me you're
not gonna do anything dangerous.
- I just can't believe it.
I studied history my whole life,
and now I'm actually gonna be
part of it.
- You got this, baby.
Just don't, you know,
it up. [Chuckles]
I still can't believe Angela's
guy is shipping you out
on such little notice.
- Yeah, I know.
You know how it goes.
[ Zippers zipping ]
Yeah. How it goes, I guess.
- Secret agent
your wife needs you naked.
Stat.
[ Chuckles ]
♪
♪
♪
- Hey, how you doing?
- I'll take your bags for you, sir.
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪
[ Beeping ]
- Strap in, fella.
Landing here
is not exactly SOP.
[ Beeping ]
- What does that mean?
- Insurgents have missiles now.
♪
[ Plane roaring ]
[ Indistinct radio chatter ]
[ Plane roaring ]
[ Indistinct radio chatter ]
[ Tires screech ]
[ Planes and vehicles rumbling ]
- Get all the gear. Put it
on the other ship.
- You John Nixon?
- Yeah.
Just you?
- Oh, you expect a sign
with your name on it?
Just put your stuff in the back.
[ Planes and vehicles rumbling ]
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪
- Sorry, I didn't catch--
what's your name?
- I'm Samir.
- Samir. So are you Iraqi?
- American.
I grew up here.
[ Dogs barking nearby ]
[ Children laughing ]
[ Radio playing ]
[ Indistinct chatter ]
[ Radio continues ]
♪
♪
[ Indistinct chatter ]
- So when did you move
to the States?
- You ask a lot of questions.
I got out just after the
Revolution of Ramadan in '63.
- So what's it like here?
- Can't you smell it?
- Yeah, it's
it's pretty rank.
- The city reeks like
a dying corpse.
Water supply, sewage pipes,
all destroyed.
Welcome to Baghdad.
♪
- Let's go.
[ Indistinct radio chatter ]
- Go, go, go.
♪
- Hey! hey, hey, hey!
♪
[ Man speaking global language ]
♪
♪
- Where's your ID?
- Welcome to Assassins' Gate.
Your lanyard is
in the glove box.
Put it on.
Wear it at all times.
♪
♪
- Move it, move it.
- Hold up.
[ Indistinct radio chatter ]
- Turn around.
- You want me to go to
the secondary or what?
♪
[ Radio chatter continues ]
♪
- Two or more,
checked out two door.
He's pulling up to you
right now.
♪
- Alright?
♪
- You're good.
- Good?
- Yeah, yeah.
- Okay, thank you.
- [ Honks horn ]
♪
[ Indistinct chatter ]
[ Indistinct radio chatter ]
- We're not in Kansas anymore.
- Lead aircraft is Winchester
on US
- Kansas.
- So, how's it coming back
to Iraq?
Well, how old were you
when you left?
- I was ten.
- Ah.
- Your first time?
- Here? Yeah.
- In the Middle East?
- No, I've been around.
- You've been around?
- Yeah.
- So you haven't been back since
you were 12?
- Nah. First time.
This is the Republican Palace.
One of the last ones
standing in Baghdad.
- I know.
- Hey.
- So who'd you blow
to get here?
Stillwell? Angela?
- It was a threesome.
Hey.
- There might be
hope for you after all.
- [ Camera shutter clicks ]
- There he is.
- Look at you. Your old man
must be happier
than a sheet salesman
at a Klan rally.
- Don't lose that. That's the
currency around here.
- Come on.
- That and bullets.
- Yo! You riding with me?
- No surnames, huh?
- Alright, I'll see you later.
- Yeah.
- Where are we going?
- How was your flight?
- Hey, save the best for last.
[ Indistinct chatter ]
- This, uh, this whole place
is built around cliques.
- Aka high school with
heavy artillery.
- Yeah, there's the CPA.
They're the populars,
at least while Bremer's
still here.
US Army-- jocks.
- [ John laughs ]
That's the State Department.
They're the chess club.
British Army back there.
They're the glee club.
Uh, the NSA.
They're obviously the geeks.
And this is us.
- Nice. Who are we?
- "The Revenge of the Nerds."
- [ John laughs ]
- And now, Saddam's palace.
[ Plane flying overhead ]
[ Door bangs open ]
[ Lights click on ]
- Whoa.
- Here it is. In living color.
[ Camera shutter clicks ]
- Another one?
- Yeah. That's great.
- John?
- Yeah. Come on.
Say "Cheetos."
- No chance.
- Come on. For keepsakes.
What, are you afraid you're
gonna offend Saddam?
- Yeah.
- Come on.
Everybody's got one.
- Nah. It's-- inappropriate.
- I didn't know your friend
was such a goody-goody.
Hm. [Claps hands]
Okay, Doctor No Fun.
Let's go back to work.
- [ Camera shutter clicks ]
- Yeah, well, you never know
where those pictures will
end up, so.
- Just forget about it.
It's fine.
♪
[ Explosion blasts ]
[ Soldiers shouting ]
- First few weeks were
a reality check.
We were detaining anyone
who might have access
to Saddam or to his aides.
Just hours of interrogating
second rate players,
trying to make sense of
useless information.
[ Speaking global language ]
Outside, it's just
getting uglier.
A bomb at the Jordanian Embassy.
Resistance in Fallujah, Ramadi,
Tikrit.
- Iraq is on an irreversible
course
towards self-government
and peace.
[ Explosion blasts ]
- The worst thing about
shock and awe is
that it wears off.
But fear
- What's that sound?
- real fear, that runs deep.
And people in cafés,
they still lower their voice
when they say Saddam's name,
afraid he might rise again.
[ Shouting in foreign language ]
Scared people give shit intel.
♪
♪
- Is it always this hard?
- Nah, it's just instant.
- [ Rebecca laughs ]
[ Laughs ]
- Alright, come on, Rebecca,
what is it?
- Ah, it's not John being gone,
it's
it's not knowing when he'll
be back that's driving me crazy.
I can't imagine how it must
have been for your poor mother.
- Well, it was a living hell.
For her and every other mother
and wife and girlfriend.
They'd sit and wait for the
postman to come to the door and
hopefully get a letter
from the front.
- Like me staring at the phone,
hoping it rings.
- Yeah.
But you know, we didn't have
phones in Korea or in the 'Nam.
- Was that why Catherine
left you?
[ Chuckles ]
- Well, it may be a long list
of reasons, but, uh, yeah.
- When Charlie was in Iraq,
could he call you?
- Yeah. He did.
And one time, he was
stark raving psychotic.
- I can't imagine.
I'm so sorry.
- Yeah. War is war.
This is John's first and
hopefully his last.
You know what?
I've got a really good
feeling that he's
he's just fine.
He's gonna be all right.
- How?
- Faith.
Just faith.
You sure you don't want
some coffee?
- Oh, no, it's--
it's getting late.
I'm already not sleeping great.
I hope he's all right.
- Rebecca, when you go
to bed tonight,
just say your prayers.
That's what I do. Okay?
- [Hushed] Okay.
[ Prayers being called ]
- Rise and shine.
- [ John groans ]
- We found your guy, Yusuf.
Report to the war room ASAP.
[ Busy chatter ]
- John.
- Hey.
- Buddy.
- Major Doyle, this is
John Nixon.
Nixon, Doyle.
- Nixon.
- Hey.
- Any relation to Tricky Dicky?
- No, but he is tricky.
- Never heard that one before.
- Alright, let's get to it.
- Okay, so good news.
They've located one of your
high value targets.
- You're kidding.
- Yusuf.
- Bad news is Adnan's vanished.
- So where-- where's Yusuf?
- Doyle's mobilizing
to bring him in.
- We move out at 2100.
- Wait-- we?
- It's time you put on
your big boy pants.
- I didn't think I was gonna
leave the base.
- Four months on the base,
I thought you'd be
dying to get in the action.
- Well-- are you coming?
- [Scoffs] Let me think about it.
Um no.
I'm a coward, remember?
- I should probably call Rebecca
'cause I promised her I
- Stop your yammering.
Suit up.
[ Vehicle rumbling,
car horns honk nearby ]
[ Helicopter chuffing overhead ]
[ Motorbikes roaring ]
[ Vehicles rumbling past ]
- This is kind of amazing.
I mean, our world, culture,
it all started here.
The first laws, first city.
- Thought that was Greece.
- Oh, that's centuries later.
Babylon is the cradle
of civilization.
- Well, this is Iraq.
- One thing's for damn sure,
it ain't Babylon.
[ Vehicles rumbling ]
This is it. We're here.
[ Boots stomping ]
Stay in the van. Too much
paperwork if you get shot.
Sit tight.
When it's all clear, we'll
bring you in to ID.
- You kinda look like a turtle.
- Yeah, well, turtles live
to be a hundred, so.
- Nervous?
[ Indistinct radio chatter ]
- Hey.
For your nerves.
[ Indistinct radio chatter ]
[ Speaking global language ]
♪
- You want some jerky?
♪
♪
♪
[ Speaking global language ]
[ Doors bang open ]
[ Loud blast,
woman screams ]
- Go, go, go, go!
- [ Gunshot ]
- On the ground!
- [ Woman shouting in
global language ]
[ Loud blast ]
[ Indistinct radio chatter ]
- On the ground!
Go, go, go, go!
- I'm gonna need you to
keep her calm. Shut her up.
HVT wife and daughter.
Repeat, wife and daughter.
- [ Speaking global language ]
- Shh.
- Shut her up!
- The mom's trying
to calm her kids down.
- Move! Keep searching.
[ Doors banging open ]
[ Boy shouting ]
- Calm down!
- We have the son.
Repeat, we have the son.
No sign of HVT.
- [ Radio beeps ]
[ Dogs bark nearby ]
- He's right down below us
to the, uh, west.
- [ Mother gasps ]
- [ Indistinct radio chatter ]
- Easy, easy, easy, easy.
Easy.
As-salamu alaykum
- Okay, guys,
you can, uh, lower
your weapons so we can talk.
[ Speaking global language ]
- She's asking to cover, modesty.
- Yeah, of course. Maybe your
daughter could get you a scarf?
- [ Samir translating ]
- Hey.
Polly, go with her.
- My name is Polly and you can
trust me. Come on, let's go.
Hup, hup!
Let's go, let's go, let's go.
[ Overlapping voices ]
- Come on, let's grab it.
- Listen, my name is John.
And we're looking for
your husband.
[ Speaking global language ]
- She can't help.
- I can guarantee your safety.
- No one's safe while you--
- Hey, hey. Hey, you calm down.
Hey, hey, hey, calm down.
- Hey! Hey, hey, go to your mom.
Here's your scarf. Put it on.
[ Speaking global language ]
- She says her husband's dead.
Been dead for a month.
- Fatima, our condolences.
May peace and blessings
of Allah be on him.
- No God but Allah!
My faith sustains me.
Please let us grieve in peace!
♪
- Relax.
- [ Fatima growls ]
- Just relax.
♪
♪
♪
♪
♪
- You're not mourning
your husband, Fatima.
- [Speaking global language]
Dead!
- The Messenger of Allah
says a woman should mourn
for no more than three days,
except for a husband.
Four months and ten days you
should not wear colored clothes,
apply kohl to your eyes
[ Inhales ]
or use perfume.
So if your husband's dead
who's sitting at the head
of the table?
- He's dead! Understand?
- Well, then you're either
lying to me
or you're lying to Allah.
So which one is it, Fatima?
- Fatima. Fatima.
We're not here
to hurt your husband.
We want to help.
But first we need to know
where your dad is.
- You bring blood, misery!
Why we speak to you?
- [ Child screaming ]
- Why we speak to you?
- [ Fatima shouting ]
- Calm down.
[ Samir speaking
global language ]
[ Fatima shouting in
global language ]
- Hey, shh, shh. Calm down.
Calm.
Fatima, look at your daughter.
We'll take your daughter
away from you.
- No!
- We will take both of your
children away.
- No!
- I need an answer.
- No answer!
I told you, he's dead!
[ Fatima crying ]
- Alright, take the kids.
[ Family screaming ]
- Don't take my kids!
[ Family screaming ]
- Fatima!
[ Speaking global language ]
- Take the kids away.
Keep them separated.
- [ Daughter screaming ]
- [ Fatima spits ]
- [ Slap lands ]
[ Fatima screams ]
- Hey.
- [ Fatima screaming ]
Use the kids.
[ Fatima screaming ]
- And break her.
[ Dogs barking in distance ]
[ Plane roars overhead ]
- Hey.
That was intense.
- Mm-hm.
- Yeah.
[ Vehicle approaching ]
- Look who's here.
That's him. That's Yusuf.
- Eyes on suspect.
Eyes on suspect.
Northeast corner.
- Come on.
Come on, come on, come on.
♪
♪
[ Grunts ]
♪
- In pursuit of suspect.
Heading down to the garage.
Are you kidding me? Come here.
- It's not my gun.
- Finger on the trigger, dammit.
♪
♪
♪
- Come on.
♪
♪
[ Gunshots ]
- Get back.
- [ Gunshots ]
- Wait!
Don't kill him.
He's our lead to Saddam.
♪
[ Gunshots ]
♪
- Okay, here.
You take left on three. Ready?
- Okay.
- Ready? One--
- Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!
[ Gunshots ]
- Get down, get down!
- [ Gunshots ]
- Get down, get down.
Stay down, stay down.
[ Speaking global language ]
[ Gunshot ]
- Yusuf! We have your family!
[ Gunshots ]
We have Fatima and the children!
- Shots fired! Weapons free!
- No, no, no! Don't shoot!
Don't shoot! HVT!
- Go, go, go, go!
- HVT! HVT!
Don't shoot! HVT! HVT!
- God damn.
- Mohammed Yusuf--
[ Speaking global language ]
Mohammed Yusuf--
[ Speaking global language ]
[ Speaking global language ]
- [ Firearm clatters ]
- [ Yusuf spits ]
[ Speaking global language ]
Grab him.
[ Indistinct radio chatter ]
[ Yusuf grunts ]
♪
- Holster that.
- Well played, rookie.
- Sure.
♪
- You did it.
♪
♪
♪
♪