Line of Fire (2026) s01e06 Episode Script
Cabin Pressure
1
- Look, glove.
- Dad was right.
Sutcliffe isn't the shooter.
- Less jewelry than I remember.
- It was time.
- I guess I forgot I can rely
on somebody I'm not related to.
- You can rely on me anytime.
[knock at door]
- Hey.
Brandon Hayes, NSA.
- We've been married
for over 30 years.
- Well, we shouldn't be.
- Why do you have
a photo of David?
- This man, this is David?
Could you give me
his phone number,
anything you have on him?
[jet engines whirring softly]
[tense music]
♪
[thumping and rattling]
[tone chimes]
- Folks, this is the captain
speaking.
We apologize for
the choppy skies.
We should be clear of this
in another few minutes.
We're going to turn
the seat belt sign on,
so please remain in your seats
with your seatbelts fastened.
♪
[lock clicks]
♪
[thumping and rattling]
[tone chimes]
- [knock at door]
- Sir?
Everything all right in there?
[knocking at door]
Hello? The seat belt sign is--
oh.
- There's a bomb on this plane!
- [people screaming]
- There's a bomb on this plane.
- Hey!
♪
- Hold his arm!
- No! You have to let me!
I can't believe you ditched
out on homemade cinnamon rolls
and a Hitchcock marathon.
You know I love
nothing more than
sitting on the sofa
watching movies with you,
but I have to work today.
On a weekend?
My Sunday scaries have
migrated over to Saturday
ever since Logan died.
Well, I'd be there if
I didn't have to transport
an old friend to USP Coleman.
Keeping company with
criminals now, are we?
Only this one.
Elliot Bloom,
the kid who cracked
our Witness Protection database
at 19 just to prove he could.
You had to relocate
40 families in one night.
Elliot is a frequent flier.
Government moves him around
to patch holes
he's smart enough to find
in our system.
But he's managed to slip two
of my details during transfers.
If you want something
done right--
- [phone buzzes]
- And here I thought maybe
it was too much time with me.
Oh, no.
The stove just caught fire.
Hold on.
Just got a little distracted.
I'd ask if you want to share,
but I already know the answer.
What did you say
the third time I asked you
if you wanted to talk
about your Terry breakup?
- That's in the past.
- That's in the past.
- Let's leave it there.
- Let's leave it there.
My favorite thing
about this family,
you can get close,
but not too close.
I'm your mother.
You don't need to know
every detail of my life.
And yet, somehow,
when I say that to you--
We're at the plane now.
I gotta go.
Have a safe flight.
Bye.
[phone buzzes]
[phone buzzes]
[soft upbeat music]
♪
Is this trip just an excuse
to avoid time with family,
Jane?
Is that what happened
between you and Mike?
And are you guys
still separated,
or did you finally
sign those papers?
Oh, you've kept tabs on me.
It's shocking what
you can accomplish
from the comfort
of a prison computer.
Jane Hollingsworth,
U.S. Marshal.
And this is my prisoner.
Elliot Bloom, hacker.
I'm the federal air marshal
on this flight.
You can call me Norris.
Ah, Marshal Hollingsworth.
It's nice to meet you.
If he starts acting up,
I'm just right over there,
but doesn't look like
he'll be too much trouble.
I could kill you with code.
♪
Middle seat.
- Middle seat?
- Middle seat.
I see you've spared
no expense.
♪
[phone ringing in distance]
Why did you want
to meet me here?
Couldn't you have just called?
You need to see this
for yourself.
- [sighs]
- See what?
You were right.
The quarterly, Hoyt Sutcliffe,
didn't shoot
former President Barnes.
We ran the footage
from that day through AI.
See this man with the gloves?
It was 80 degrees
and raining that day.
Here's that same man
stepping behind Sutcliffe
moments before the shot.
And here he is
dropping the gun beside him
moments afterwards.
Sam Antosca,
longtime Barnes donor.
Antosca?
I've shaken his hand more
than once at Barnes' events.
This is our would-be assassin?
Why would one of Barnes'
friends want to kill him?
We don't know, but
it gets worse.
You were the one who cleared
Antosca's credentials that day.
[tense music]
I put Antosca
in front of Barnes?
Anyone would've.
He's Barnes's friend.
It was an honest mistake.
We don't get to make
mistakes, not like that.
There's a bigger problem.
Antosca is on the guest list
for Barnes' luncheon today
at the library.
So we pick him up now.
I haven't been able
to locate him.
And even if you could,
with a six-year-old
enhanced photo,
a closed case,
and a dead supposed shooter,
no U.S. attorney
would touch that.
Why did he show up now?
He's had six years
to finish the job.
Maybe he wasn't
planning on trying again.
Just been hanging around
as if nothing ever happened.
Or maybe he was so freaked
he missed the first time,
it's taken this long to
find the courage to try again.
Think about it.
The ribbon cutting was
full of agents, press.
This luncheon is private.
Far less security.
What do you want to do, Dad?
Thank you both for
bringing this to my attention.
Wait, what about us?
We brought this to you.
- Shouldn't we--
- Let him take it from here.
He said Sutcliffe wasn't
the shooter for six years
and nobody listened.
Today, he gets to prove it.
Not only did
a federal marshal
get killed in our office,
but we're at a standstill.
My money says
they disband the task force
and give it solely to the FBI.
The FBI are the ones who
stuck us in a strip mall
that shared a return duct
with a dental office.
Anyone with a ladder could
have crawled into that ceiling.
The place was made
the day we moved in.
I'll push them to
stand up a new site.
What I can't stand up is
another "we're working on it"
for the people upstairs.
We need to give them a name.
Do you have one?
I'm working on a theory,
but I can't bring it to anyone
until I know for sure.
If you can't produce one
within the week,
they'll find someone who can.
[tense music]
♪
We searched the plane
and there's no bomb.
Why build a detonator
for an imaginary one?
What was the plan?
FAA is saying there
are similar incidents
aboard four more aircraft.
- More bombs?
- No.
On one, a passenger triggered
a depressurization alarm.
On another, someone set off
the smoke alarms.
One cut power to the cabin.
One rushed a cockpit.
All in the last 20 minutes,
all Apex Airways.
I did my part.
♪
You're saying Sam Antosca,
my old friend
who bankrolled a big part
of my re-election campaign,
tried to shoot me
and might do it again?
We don't know for sure he's
planning anything for today,
but we can't locate him,
and that worries us.
We need to cancel
the luncheon.
As for the past, sir,
I was the one
who cleared Antosca that day.
How could you have known?
He's supported me since
my congressional run.
You're sure?
There's no way we're
gambling your life on this.
If his goal is to kill me,
he's had chances.
But if you're worried,
why not draw him out now?
Catch him
when he gets to the door.
I already let the man
get too close once.
I won't do it twice.
Then let this
be the last time.
Set a trap and end it.
I don't want to spend
the rest of my retirement
looking over my shoulder.
He's right, Dad.
We cancel today
and he vanishes.
We may not get another chance.
When you catch him,
and you will,
I want to look him straight
in the eye and ask why.
And so do I, sir.
Hey, could I get some peanuts
and a glass of the cab?
If they don't take Bitcoin,
I'll get you back.
[sighs]
[tense music]
♪
Stay put.
- Get away from me.
- Sir. Sir!
You can't be in here.
What are you doing?
[pounding and thumping]
- Sir!
- Hey, what are you doing?
No, no, no!
Hey!
[groans]
♪
What is this?
What is that?
[people screaming]
♪
- Flight deck.
- This is Air Marshal Norris.
A passenger just put a device
in the avionics.
What are we dealing with?
What did you do
to this plane?
What did you do?
Answer me!
They lost readings
from every instrument
on the aircraft.
We're flying blind.
- Which means--
- We can't land the plane.
Andrew, is there anyone
else working with you?
Is there another device
on board?
Flight deck says
avionics are corrupted.
Every reading is wrong.
he's got us level for now,
but he's flying
this thing blind,
so we should
expect it to get choppy.
[sighs] Whatever you want,
now is the time.
The in-flight service is about
to get a hell of a lot worse.
It doesn't matter if he can't
undo the damage to the systems.
Can you, Andrew?
Can you undo this?
I did my part.
- [inhales deeply]
- What are you thinking?
I'm thinking
I may know someone
who has the skills
we need right now.
We're moving into some
rougher air.
I need everyone seated now.
Flight attendants may take
your seats.
Rough skies.
What seems to be the problem, officers?
Avionics issues.
We are hoping that you might
know how to fix them.
That's hardware.
I only do software.
It's like asking a surgeon
to fix a car.
- How's the Wi-Fi?
- Won't work.
He took out the cabin's comms.
Wi-Fi, data, cell.
Flight deck still
has radio to ATC,
but you've got no line
to the ground.
Hmm, well, that's a shame.
You're in this with us.
We can't land
and we can't circle forever.
The pilot said we have just
over two hours of fuel left.
[tense music]
Status on Stallion?
Locked down at Camp David
with Sequoia, Sparrow,
and Splinter.
Any luck reaching Mom?
Straight to voicemail.
What's the word from the FAA?
[sighs] Every Apex flight
is stacked in a holding pattern
until they get a clear picture.
They can't land
until they figure out
which one of them's
rigged with what.
- Dad.
- Are you on this?
I brought her in, sir.
Raul Amara, FBI.
What does your team know?
Six incidents
on six Apex Airways.
Five are still in the air.
Attackers subdued
on five of the six.
Nobody's made a demand.
All each of them says is,
"I did my part."
I was with the first guy
for an hour.
Got those four words
and a thousand-yard stare.
First plane's grounded.
The crew and the passengers
are all safe
on four of the five
remaining planes.
All of them are
on radio with ATC.
And the last one?
It's Mom's.
We can't reach her.
I'll get Apex's
ops center up.
They got a link
to that aircraft.
I'll find a way.
Six aircraft?
That has to be coordinated.
- Who the hell is behind that?
- Yeah, we don't know.
But five of them
barely did anything.
There was cut power,
an alarm scare.
Mom's is the only one that took
out the entire avionics system.
Five stunts and one real.
- Why?
- That's what scares me.
Somebody wanted this big
for a reason.
Russ will be here
with the DOJ anytime.
Yeah, and hopefully
some answers.
[approaching footsteps]
Detail's rolling.
OK, I'm not going anywhere.
Dad, I've got this.
Not until
I get my wife back--
your mother back on the ground.
Well, I'm actually the one
who's supposed to do that,
so go do your job.
Dad, let's get to
the luncheon.
Hey, Dad, are you OK?
Just take care of your mom.
Hey.
It's almost as if
he had an emotion in there.
Yeah, Mom was the same way
this morning.
Quite a pair.
Cold in a crisis.
Put it on the family crest.
- Did you find anything?
- Yeah.
Every database, every watch
list, they're all clean,
so I ran them
against each other.
Addresses, employers, schools,
banks--nothing.
These are six strangers who
have never once crossed paths.
Whatever they
have in common,
it's never touched
a federal database.
Not the public ones.
I have a friend at the NSA
who can look where we can't.
Yes.
Clare. Clare.
One satellite channel
hooked to your mom's phone
and bridged to our line.
The JOC can jump on,
but don't lose it.
We'll lose her.
Mom?
Are you there?
Yes, I'm here.
Oh, thank God.
Are you OK?
We're steady and circling,
but the instruments are down
and the attacker will only
- say--
- "I did my part"? Yeah.
That's what all five
of them said.
There are five
other incidents?
Yeah, but as far
as an endgame,
we're still in the dark.
Then we lean on our subjects,
get answers.
But--
[sighs]
If I can reach you,
the cockpit can reach ATC.
Why can't they
just talk us down?
The instruments are lying.
We--we don't have any
information on airspeed,
on the actual altitude.
They'd be landing on a guess.
Guess wrong and you crash.
Put me on with the FAA.
I want to know all our options.
On it.
And Mom
Everything's gonna be--
That later.
Now we do our job.
[dramatic music]
You'll get her home, Clare.
Yeah, I know.
Yes, an account taking
deposits under a David Waldron,
W as in whiskey.
- What can we do for you?
- I need the address of record.
A subpoena went over
this morning.
One moment, please.
[keyboard clacking]
Ma'am, are you there?
- Yes, I'm here.
- 139 Wells Street.
[sighs] That's perfect.
Thank you.
- Think Antosca's gonna show?
- We'll find out.
Any more updates from Clare?
Not since
she first made contact.
Mom's been in tough spots
before, but nothing this bad.
Your mother and I
used to play this game.
We'd come home from long days
and compare who had it worse.
Whoever lost had to buy the
other a bottle of something.
I bought your mother
a lot of bourbon.
Blue Ridge killer,
a prison transport that went
off the road into the Potomac.
Damn, she never told me
about the Potomac.
The point is,
she always came home.
You ever win a bottle
off of her?
The day Antosca
nearly took out Barnes.
I spent every day since
wishing I'd lost.
[phone buzzes]
[suspenseful music]
Is that Mom?
Daryl's team got a plate hit
on Antosca's car.
K Street Northwest.
He's parked under
the Whitehurst bridge.
Team has eyes on him now.
That's five minutes out.
[tense music]
Took you long enough.
Anything?
Ran all six names through
every foreign collection
I'm not cleared to be in.
None of the subjects
talked to each other.
That means there's
zero connection?
Means one person's
pulling all their strings.
Clare, you hear that?
I did.
♪
Whoever you're working for,
they don't care about you.
If one of those planes crashes,
you get tried as a terrorist.
That's a life sentence.
Or you can give us something.
♪
If they promised you money
when this is over,
it's gonna be hard
to spend it from a cell.
Prison?
We're gonna be at
the bottom of the Atlantic
if Andrew here
doesn't speak up.
I don't get it.
On paper, you're a good man.
Your wife's in shock.
She can't fathom why you'd
do something like this.
Deb's with your agents?
She's OK?
She's fine.
We picked her up an hour ago.
Why are you asking like that?
My kids, do you have my kids?
I don't understand.
You're not afraid of prison?
No, they're scared of what
will happen to their families
if they don't obey.
Andrew, your family
is in FBI custody, safe
and waiting
for you to come home,
which is still possible
if you tell us
what's really going on here.
They kept
sending me videos.
My wife at her office,
my son on the playground,
my daughter in her--
in her bedroom.
They said they'd do
awful things if I didn't--
Do your part?
These subjects
aren't terrorists.
They're hostages.
How did they reach you?
Off this app.
BlackCase.
That's why nobody caught it.
It's end-to-end encrypted
with no U.S. carriers.
Can you trace it?
Bounced through ten servers
across four continents,
and they all come back
to the same building.
Federal correctional facility.
FCI Petersburg
in Hopewell, Virginia.
Who the hell could have
pulled this off
from a prison cell?
My detainee,
Elliot Bloom.
[dramatic orchestral music]
We know
you're pulling the strings.
I had a speech ready for when
you pieced it together,
but you took so long,
I lost the thread.
- What do you want?
- My freedom.
On paper and signed
before this plane
runs out of fuel and crashes.
So you can reverse this?
Of course.
I wrote the code in the device
that broke the system.
And you left us with
90 minutes to negotiate.
Why wait?
Because a scared government
that has no time
or clever alternatives
is a generous one.
Why don't you see if Russell
can rustle up a deal
at the DOJ?
Keep an eye on him.
[tense music]
Russ, can you get
a deal together?
Immunity that
would actually hold
needs a U.S. Attorney
and Main Justice above that.
It would take weeks,
not 90 minutes.
I just need Elliot
to believe it's possible.
I don't think he's willing
to go down with this plane.
You sure?
30 years feels like
a life sentence in your 20s.
He's got a younger sister,
raised her after their parents
abandoned them.
He still calls her on Sunday.
He's got something to live for.
He just needs a little hope.
Mom, I'm--
I'm here if you need--
Russ, just work on the deal
or at least
the appearance of one.
Russ is your son?
Look, I know
it's not my business,
but sounds like
he really cares about you.
You're right.
It's not your business.
[tense music]
Six attacks on six planes,
and Elliot never left his cell.
Yeah, well,
two more just touched down.
That leaves three in the air,
including my mom's.
What if he didn't act alone?
The surveillance videos
of these families,
the devices he got on board.
what about that convenient
transfer he got from JPATS?
He had help.
Help from who?
That's what
we're gonna figure out.
That's David.
The bank has this
as his home address.
That's weird.
Super weird.
But you could ask him
when he comes in.
He just put in an order
for pickup on the app
five minutes ago.
[tense music]
Jack, don't move!
Stop! Stop!
♪
[camera shutter clicks]
♪
DOJ is working on a deal.
It's not signed yet, but you
have to fix the avionics first.
You're bluffing.
Elliot, you know how slow
the wheels of justice can be.
You have my word.
I will do all I can
to get you a deal.
Please trust me.
You hold out, and we all die.
Is that how you want
to be remembered?
Just think of your sister.
You're right.
But the only way
I see my sister again
is with a signed deal.
You won't let this plane crash.
You'll fold.
Pull everything you can
on the air marshal.
Raul and I already did,
along with everyone else
on that plane,
looking for an accomplice.
20 years in service,
multiple commendations.
Norris is clean.
Something's not right.
He knew about Elliot's sister,
but I never mentioned it
to him.
[whispering] Check his house.
See what you find.
It's gonna be hard
to get a warrant.
Then let's not ask.
I'll knock on the door,
look for exigent circumstances
to search.
Let me send my agents.
By the time you brief a team,
Mom's got an hour of fuel.
I'm going.
I'll come with.
Like old times.
[tense music]
[sirens wailing]
So how do you want
to handle this?
I'm going in first.
Antosca's in that car.
I'm right by your side.
[tense music]
Sam Antosca,
step out of that vehicle now.
Hello?
Anybody home?
Mrs. Norris?
♪
Sam Antosca,
step out of that vehicle now
with your hands up!
♪
[muffled straining]
[muffled shouting]
I'd call that exigent.
Super exigent.
♪
Is there anyone else
in the house?
Let's go!
Step out of the vehicle now!
♪
Bullet went
clear through his head.
He took the easy way out.
It's over.
Barnes is safe.
This is good news.
♪
Did Russ find something
at the air marshal's house?
I did.
The real Air Marshal Norris.
What do you mean?
The man on that plane is
not Norris, but whoever he is,
he's clearly in control now.
♪
Ladies and gentlemen,
we've been asked
to hold a little while
I know the air marshal's
in charge.
We're both being played
right now.
No, you're wrong.
I'm in charge.
Then why'd the air marshal
use his credentials
to move you off JPATS onto
the one plane that can't land?
Norris and I are partners.
His name isn't Norris.
The real Air Marshal Norris
is tied up in his own kitchen.
You never met him
in person, did you?
We talked through
encrypted chats.
He said he had a buyer who paid
to ground Apex's whole fleet
for one day, a market play.
I didn't ask.
I just--I just took the deal.
- He used you, Elliot.
- W-we built this together.
He needed the tools,
I needed the way out.
He said the plane lands.
Even if it did,
you're not walking away
with a deal now.
Cooperating against an act
of terror is worth something.
Fix the avionics
and you can get off
this plane alive.
Maybe even
see your sister again.
I don't let her
visit me in prison.
It's kind of you
to protect her from that.
I'm afraid if she saw me
like that, I'd lose her.
[sighs] Protection--
it's a funny euphemism
for pushing people away.
But you know that.
You'd be surprised how family
can show up if you let them.
Why don't you give yourself
a chance to find out?
The air marshal
will never let me
anywhere near that panel.
Leave him to me.
You fix the plane.
[soft suspenseful music]
Don't make me regret this.
[aircraft rattling]
♪
Mom? I've got an update.
Brandon ran the
jet bridge footage
through facial recognition.
We got a match
on your air marshal.
Who are we dealing with?
Former Air Marshal
Troy Boone.
He's named in a lawsuit.
Remember
Apex Airways Flight 419?
Crashed over the Atlantic
three years ago? No survivors?
His daughter
was on the plane.
Boone quit his job
and sued the airline
citing cut corners with the
plane's communication systems,
but Apex denied it
and he lost.
He's a grieving parent.
Only child?
She was.
Then he has nothing to lose.
He wants to send a message,
make an example of the airline
so what happened to his
daughter never happens again,
and he's willing
to die to do it.
There's no negotiating
with him.
Then what are
you gonna do?
♪
Why are they
keeping this sealed?
Because of the service.
Come on, Dad.
They're putting you up
for the Director's Award.
Why now?
Uh, because you cracked
a massive conspiracy
single-handedly?
No. Why did Sam Antosca
kill himself now?
He realized
we were on to him.
Agents were tearing up
his house, his office.
- He saw somebody.
- So he kills himself?
We didn't have evidence
enough to arrest him.
- We don't even have a motive.
- Dad.
He had six years
to try again.
He had access.
President Barnes has
had dinner with the man.
- Why did he--
- Stop it.
What's it gonna take?
We caught him.
The bad guy's brains are
painting the roof
of his Mercedes.
- There is more to it, Junior.
- You don't know that.
You just have a hunch.
Do you know how many times
I've had to defend you
when people call you obsessed?
- And I was right.
- You were.
You were finally right.
And you still can't let it go.
I kept waiting for the day
this ends for you,
but there isn't one, is there?
You won't stop
until you implode.
- Dad?
- Yeah.
Mom wants to talk to you.
[sighs] Jane, I'm here.
What can I do?
I bet my day
is worse than yours.
Yeah?
What do you got?
I'm trapped on a plane
that can't land
and betting my life on a
smartass hacker our kids' age.
I'm facing a mistake
that nearly cost
an important man everything,
a dead body,
a whole lot of shame,
and a feeling I can't shake
that it's still not over.
Did I mention I have to
face down an armed air marshal
who's willing
to go down with the plane
for what he's certain
serves the greater good?
Sounds like
I owe you a bottle of Woodford.
Game, set, and match.
[sighs] Jane,
I wish there was something
I could do to help.
I'm just grateful
to talk to you.
Sometimes it just
feels good to be heard.
It does, doesn't it?
[somber music]
Oh, Mike, I think
you've helped me after all.
Hey, will you do
something for me?
Of course.
Anything.
Whatever happens,
make sure the kids are OK?
Of course.
And Jane, I want you to know--
Tell me over Woodford later.
OK.
♪
She'll get through this.
And you? Back to
chasing your white whale?
You know, Junior,
Antosca was damn close
when he took that shot.
Too close to miss
unless he wanted to.
Why the hell
would he do that?
To serve the greater good.
Boone.
Step aside
and let Elliot help us
get this plane on the ground.
[tense music]
It's over.
[aircraft rattling]
[people scream]
[engines roaring]
♪
It's over when
the fuel runs out.
Stay back.
Lower your weapon
or I'll kill him.
You said I would walk away.
You were never walking away.
You were going to be the name
they pulled from the wreckage
when it was over.
I just want to
see my sister again.
I'll never
see my daughter again.
Troy,
I know your daughter
was on Flight 419.
Apex cut corners on their comms
and it led to the crash.
The warnings were right there
and nobody read them.
And for three years
nobody has said her name.
Erica.
You don't get
to say her name.
Then you--you say it.
You tell me.
♪
They killed my little girl.
I told them.
I stood in their offices,
in their courtrooms,
and I begged them to own it,
to fix it!
And nobody listened.
One plane goes down,
and they just call it
a malfunction, a tragedy.
But six?
Every incident on every
one of these planes today
exposes a failure
in Apex's systems.
And when we crash,
the world will know
loud and clear
what they did to my baby girl,
Erica.
Not like this.
Please let us go.
Let Elliot go.
And then what?
I lower this gun and I'm
just some crazy hijacker.
They bury this
like they buried her.
I become the story, not them.
You crash this plane and I
guarantee she's not the story.
You die a terrorist and no one
ever says Erica's name again.
I can't.
I'm sorry.
[sniffling]
It had to be this way.
- [engines roaring]
- [groans]
What just happened?
♪
I lost someone, too.
My son, Jack.
I know what it does to you,
the grief.
Like someone has ripped
your soul out of your body.
It cost me my marriage.
It cost me my kids.
I pushed them away.
Put a mile between us
so I'd never have
that much to lose again.
I keep telling myself
I'll find my way back to them.
And I'm trying now.
They're listening.
I know they can hear me.
Will you give me the chance
to keep trying, Boone?
Will you give everyone
on this plane a chance?
You're a father
whether she's here or not.
You know what that love
feels like.
Everyone on this plane
is somebody's kid.
You want someone to answer
for what happened to her.
I--
I understand that
more than you know.
But loss doesn't have
to make more loss.
Nobody has to die here today.
[somber music]
♪
[tense music]
Now.
♪
Okay.
♪
[people screaming]
♪
[intercom chimes]
Folks,
we've got the aircraft.
[cheering]
[cheers and applause]
[peaceful music]
♪
[applause and chuckling]
♪
[sighing]
Jane?
Are you still there?
Yes.
I'll see you on the ground.
[sighs]
[tense music]
♪
I did warn you.
♪
Antosca wanted to miss.
Junior, you don't have to--
You were right to be obsessed
about all of it,
even this.
Barnes was ahead
by most metrics.
And then right
before the shooting,
he was quietly bleeding out
in Macomb County.
Blue-collar,
the people who vote first
and drag the whole map.
He was gonna
lose reelection.
He just didn't know it yet.
Then Antosca took his shot and
missed and the numbers healed.
That attempt
didn't almost end Barnes.
It saved him.
And a big donor
like Sam Antosca's
investment in him.
I'm sorry about before.
You don't owe me an apology.
Yeah, I do.
My whole life,
you were this legend.
And I grew up wanting
to stand beside you
and to be just like you.
And today,
I watched you be wrong,
unsteady, and human,
and I couldn't take it.
Don't do this job
for me, Micah.
Do it for you.
Yeah, here's--
here's what I still don't get.
How did Antosca do it alone?
He didn't.
He got help from
someone on the inside.
We got these preliminaries
from the medical examiner
on Antosca's body--
he had skin cells
under his fingernails.
He fought somebody in that car.
So Antosca was murdered.
And whoever killed him,
that's who I'm after now.
- I'm coming with you.
- Not this time.
Your mom's waiting.
Go see her.
Well, what about you?
She needs her kids now.
And this is mine to close.
[indistinct radio chatter]
[peaceful music]
The other planes?
On the ground.
Everybody's safe.
♪
People will remember
what happened here today.
You will get
to tell your story.
♪
I'm going to talk
to some old friends
about how you helped
in the end.
Keep your nose clean,
maybe one day, you walk out.
I bet your sister will be
standing there when you do.
Want to hug it out?
Not with you.
[chuckles]
♪
Raul.
Hey.
Thanks for helping out today.
Thank you for bringing me in.
Everything okay?
♪
All my life, my parents
never really let us in.
They were always
running away to work.
I used to think
it was avoidant,
but now I'm starting
to wonder if maybe
it was their way of processing
to let it move its way through
instead of wallowing in it.
I've been going through
something personal myself
for a while now and
I've been running away to work
and not sitting in it.
And I don't know
which way is right,
but I do think it's time
for me to
move forward with my life.
[soft upbeat music]
Do you want to get a drink
with me?
♪
Are you asking me out
on a date?
I am asking you out
on a drink.
Yeah, anytime.
♪
That was fun.
You and me in the field again.
Kind of missed it.
[chuckles] Same.
Hey, you still want to hang
this week?
We could have dinner and talk
about the bad old days in Kabul.
Yeah, been too long.
I'll--I'll bring my girl,
Megan.
You'll love her.
Everyone does.
Yeah, of course.
I'll see if Natasha's free.
Make it a double.
Oh, good. [chuckles]
♪
- See you, Russ.
- See ya.
♪
Only took
a six-plane hijacking
to get Mom to talk
about her feelings.
What,
like we were any better?
I screamed at Dad today
and realized
it's only because I built
my entire career around him.
You just figured that out?
OK, I'm no better
burying myself in work
to try and avoid feeling pain.
[phone buzzing]
You guys really are chips
off the old blocks, aren't you?
At least
you turned out all right.
Right, baby bro?
Yeah, I did.
[peaceful music]
♪
[gasps]
♪
Cinnamon rolls and
"The Birds," take two?
Yeah.
♪
Dad had something
he had to handle.
It's OK.
Let's go.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
- You ready?
- Good idea.
♪
- Mike, this is crazy.
- No, it's not.
The assassination attempt
was all just theater, Daryl,
to get Barnes a second term.
Mike, this is all
just speculation.
No, this is real
and terrifying.
[scoffs]
Something this clean
needed someone senior,
someone with reach who could
recruit a man like Antosca,
bury it for six years,
and be there to tie off the
loose ends when we got close.
- The loose end being Antosca?
- Yes.
Someone killed him
to silence him.
The medical examiner found skin
cells under his fingernails.
He fought his attacker
in that car.
Someone got to him first,
someone who knew exactly when
we were getting close.
You're talking about
a conspiracy in your own house.
You could use a drink.
[tense music]
In our house, Daryl.
You ran detail that day
six years ago.
[tense music]
♪
You know what I always loved
about Barnes?
That man could talk,
pull you right in,
make you feel like
you were standing inside
something bigger than yourself.
And for a thing like that,
you make sacrifices
for the greater good.
You and I aren't
that different, Mike.
We both loved him.
We both believed in him.
So do you want to pick up
a phone and tell your hero
that his entire legacy
was a lie,
burn yours down with it?
After everything?
♪
[glass clinks on table]
♪
You killed Sutcliffe,
didn't you?
And Antosca for poll numbers
in Macomb County.
I never laid a hand
on anyone.
I put the right people
in the right places
and let the country
get what it needed.
That's the job.
I protected that man
more than you protected
anyone in your whole career.
So Mike,
do you want
to burn it all down?
Or live with the lie
that this country needs?
♪
[groaning softly]
People will come
looking for me.
They're probably on their way.
No one's coming
to save you, Agent.
That was cute,
watching you play detective.
You really thought
that you were ahead,
but I left you
every single crumb.
[scoffs]
You followed me
right into this room.
That's how easy it was for me.
I can reach you
whenever I want,
hurt you whenever I want.
Hurt the ones you love
whenever I want.
Family is
is a burden, isn't it?
Especially an ailing parent.
Stay away from my mother.
You want to hurt someone,
hurt me.
Go on, do it!
Only if you make me.
- What do you want?
- Silence.
You stay quiet.
Make sure that nobody
learns that I'm alive,
most of all my family.
And if I do?
What are you gonna do to me?
W-what happens now?
Oh.
[tense music]
That's simple.
♪
[gasps]
Run.
[tense music]
♪
- Look, glove.
- Dad was right.
Sutcliffe isn't the shooter.
- Less jewelry than I remember.
- It was time.
- I guess I forgot I can rely
on somebody I'm not related to.
- You can rely on me anytime.
[knock at door]
- Hey.
Brandon Hayes, NSA.
- We've been married
for over 30 years.
- Well, we shouldn't be.
- Why do you have
a photo of David?
- This man, this is David?
Could you give me
his phone number,
anything you have on him?
[jet engines whirring softly]
[tense music]
♪
[thumping and rattling]
[tone chimes]
- Folks, this is the captain
speaking.
We apologize for
the choppy skies.
We should be clear of this
in another few minutes.
We're going to turn
the seat belt sign on,
so please remain in your seats
with your seatbelts fastened.
♪
[lock clicks]
♪
[thumping and rattling]
[tone chimes]
- [knock at door]
- Sir?
Everything all right in there?
[knocking at door]
Hello? The seat belt sign is--
oh.
- There's a bomb on this plane!
- [people screaming]
- There's a bomb on this plane.
- Hey!
♪
- Hold his arm!
- No! You have to let me!
I can't believe you ditched
out on homemade cinnamon rolls
and a Hitchcock marathon.
You know I love
nothing more than
sitting on the sofa
watching movies with you,
but I have to work today.
On a weekend?
My Sunday scaries have
migrated over to Saturday
ever since Logan died.
Well, I'd be there if
I didn't have to transport
an old friend to USP Coleman.
Keeping company with
criminals now, are we?
Only this one.
Elliot Bloom,
the kid who cracked
our Witness Protection database
at 19 just to prove he could.
You had to relocate
40 families in one night.
Elliot is a frequent flier.
Government moves him around
to patch holes
he's smart enough to find
in our system.
But he's managed to slip two
of my details during transfers.
If you want something
done right--
- [phone buzzes]
- And here I thought maybe
it was too much time with me.
Oh, no.
The stove just caught fire.
Hold on.
Just got a little distracted.
I'd ask if you want to share,
but I already know the answer.
What did you say
the third time I asked you
if you wanted to talk
about your Terry breakup?
- That's in the past.
- That's in the past.
- Let's leave it there.
- Let's leave it there.
My favorite thing
about this family,
you can get close,
but not too close.
I'm your mother.
You don't need to know
every detail of my life.
And yet, somehow,
when I say that to you--
We're at the plane now.
I gotta go.
Have a safe flight.
Bye.
[phone buzzes]
[phone buzzes]
[soft upbeat music]
♪
Is this trip just an excuse
to avoid time with family,
Jane?
Is that what happened
between you and Mike?
And are you guys
still separated,
or did you finally
sign those papers?
Oh, you've kept tabs on me.
It's shocking what
you can accomplish
from the comfort
of a prison computer.
Jane Hollingsworth,
U.S. Marshal.
And this is my prisoner.
Elliot Bloom, hacker.
I'm the federal air marshal
on this flight.
You can call me Norris.
Ah, Marshal Hollingsworth.
It's nice to meet you.
If he starts acting up,
I'm just right over there,
but doesn't look like
he'll be too much trouble.
I could kill you with code.
♪
Middle seat.
- Middle seat?
- Middle seat.
I see you've spared
no expense.
♪
[phone ringing in distance]
Why did you want
to meet me here?
Couldn't you have just called?
You need to see this
for yourself.
- [sighs]
- See what?
You were right.
The quarterly, Hoyt Sutcliffe,
didn't shoot
former President Barnes.
We ran the footage
from that day through AI.
See this man with the gloves?
It was 80 degrees
and raining that day.
Here's that same man
stepping behind Sutcliffe
moments before the shot.
And here he is
dropping the gun beside him
moments afterwards.
Sam Antosca,
longtime Barnes donor.
Antosca?
I've shaken his hand more
than once at Barnes' events.
This is our would-be assassin?
Why would one of Barnes'
friends want to kill him?
We don't know, but
it gets worse.
You were the one who cleared
Antosca's credentials that day.
[tense music]
I put Antosca
in front of Barnes?
Anyone would've.
He's Barnes's friend.
It was an honest mistake.
We don't get to make
mistakes, not like that.
There's a bigger problem.
Antosca is on the guest list
for Barnes' luncheon today
at the library.
So we pick him up now.
I haven't been able
to locate him.
And even if you could,
with a six-year-old
enhanced photo,
a closed case,
and a dead supposed shooter,
no U.S. attorney
would touch that.
Why did he show up now?
He's had six years
to finish the job.
Maybe he wasn't
planning on trying again.
Just been hanging around
as if nothing ever happened.
Or maybe he was so freaked
he missed the first time,
it's taken this long to
find the courage to try again.
Think about it.
The ribbon cutting was
full of agents, press.
This luncheon is private.
Far less security.
What do you want to do, Dad?
Thank you both for
bringing this to my attention.
Wait, what about us?
We brought this to you.
- Shouldn't we--
- Let him take it from here.
He said Sutcliffe wasn't
the shooter for six years
and nobody listened.
Today, he gets to prove it.
Not only did
a federal marshal
get killed in our office,
but we're at a standstill.
My money says
they disband the task force
and give it solely to the FBI.
The FBI are the ones who
stuck us in a strip mall
that shared a return duct
with a dental office.
Anyone with a ladder could
have crawled into that ceiling.
The place was made
the day we moved in.
I'll push them to
stand up a new site.
What I can't stand up is
another "we're working on it"
for the people upstairs.
We need to give them a name.
Do you have one?
I'm working on a theory,
but I can't bring it to anyone
until I know for sure.
If you can't produce one
within the week,
they'll find someone who can.
[tense music]
♪
We searched the plane
and there's no bomb.
Why build a detonator
for an imaginary one?
What was the plan?
FAA is saying there
are similar incidents
aboard four more aircraft.
- More bombs?
- No.
On one, a passenger triggered
a depressurization alarm.
On another, someone set off
the smoke alarms.
One cut power to the cabin.
One rushed a cockpit.
All in the last 20 minutes,
all Apex Airways.
I did my part.
♪
You're saying Sam Antosca,
my old friend
who bankrolled a big part
of my re-election campaign,
tried to shoot me
and might do it again?
We don't know for sure he's
planning anything for today,
but we can't locate him,
and that worries us.
We need to cancel
the luncheon.
As for the past, sir,
I was the one
who cleared Antosca that day.
How could you have known?
He's supported me since
my congressional run.
You're sure?
There's no way we're
gambling your life on this.
If his goal is to kill me,
he's had chances.
But if you're worried,
why not draw him out now?
Catch him
when he gets to the door.
I already let the man
get too close once.
I won't do it twice.
Then let this
be the last time.
Set a trap and end it.
I don't want to spend
the rest of my retirement
looking over my shoulder.
He's right, Dad.
We cancel today
and he vanishes.
We may not get another chance.
When you catch him,
and you will,
I want to look him straight
in the eye and ask why.
And so do I, sir.
Hey, could I get some peanuts
and a glass of the cab?
If they don't take Bitcoin,
I'll get you back.
[sighs]
[tense music]
♪
Stay put.
- Get away from me.
- Sir. Sir!
You can't be in here.
What are you doing?
[pounding and thumping]
- Sir!
- Hey, what are you doing?
No, no, no!
Hey!
[groans]
♪
What is this?
What is that?
[people screaming]
♪
- Flight deck.
- This is Air Marshal Norris.
A passenger just put a device
in the avionics.
What are we dealing with?
What did you do
to this plane?
What did you do?
Answer me!
They lost readings
from every instrument
on the aircraft.
We're flying blind.
- Which means--
- We can't land the plane.
Andrew, is there anyone
else working with you?
Is there another device
on board?
Flight deck says
avionics are corrupted.
Every reading is wrong.
he's got us level for now,
but he's flying
this thing blind,
so we should
expect it to get choppy.
[sighs] Whatever you want,
now is the time.
The in-flight service is about
to get a hell of a lot worse.
It doesn't matter if he can't
undo the damage to the systems.
Can you, Andrew?
Can you undo this?
I did my part.
- [inhales deeply]
- What are you thinking?
I'm thinking
I may know someone
who has the skills
we need right now.
We're moving into some
rougher air.
I need everyone seated now.
Flight attendants may take
your seats.
Rough skies.
What seems to be the problem, officers?
Avionics issues.
We are hoping that you might
know how to fix them.
That's hardware.
I only do software.
It's like asking a surgeon
to fix a car.
- How's the Wi-Fi?
- Won't work.
He took out the cabin's comms.
Wi-Fi, data, cell.
Flight deck still
has radio to ATC,
but you've got no line
to the ground.
Hmm, well, that's a shame.
You're in this with us.
We can't land
and we can't circle forever.
The pilot said we have just
over two hours of fuel left.
[tense music]
Status on Stallion?
Locked down at Camp David
with Sequoia, Sparrow,
and Splinter.
Any luck reaching Mom?
Straight to voicemail.
What's the word from the FAA?
[sighs] Every Apex flight
is stacked in a holding pattern
until they get a clear picture.
They can't land
until they figure out
which one of them's
rigged with what.
- Dad.
- Are you on this?
I brought her in, sir.
Raul Amara, FBI.
What does your team know?
Six incidents
on six Apex Airways.
Five are still in the air.
Attackers subdued
on five of the six.
Nobody's made a demand.
All each of them says is,
"I did my part."
I was with the first guy
for an hour.
Got those four words
and a thousand-yard stare.
First plane's grounded.
The crew and the passengers
are all safe
on four of the five
remaining planes.
All of them are
on radio with ATC.
And the last one?
It's Mom's.
We can't reach her.
I'll get Apex's
ops center up.
They got a link
to that aircraft.
I'll find a way.
Six aircraft?
That has to be coordinated.
- Who the hell is behind that?
- Yeah, we don't know.
But five of them
barely did anything.
There was cut power,
an alarm scare.
Mom's is the only one that took
out the entire avionics system.
Five stunts and one real.
- Why?
- That's what scares me.
Somebody wanted this big
for a reason.
Russ will be here
with the DOJ anytime.
Yeah, and hopefully
some answers.
[approaching footsteps]
Detail's rolling.
OK, I'm not going anywhere.
Dad, I've got this.
Not until
I get my wife back--
your mother back on the ground.
Well, I'm actually the one
who's supposed to do that,
so go do your job.
Dad, let's get to
the luncheon.
Hey, Dad, are you OK?
Just take care of your mom.
Hey.
It's almost as if
he had an emotion in there.
Yeah, Mom was the same way
this morning.
Quite a pair.
Cold in a crisis.
Put it on the family crest.
- Did you find anything?
- Yeah.
Every database, every watch
list, they're all clean,
so I ran them
against each other.
Addresses, employers, schools,
banks--nothing.
These are six strangers who
have never once crossed paths.
Whatever they
have in common,
it's never touched
a federal database.
Not the public ones.
I have a friend at the NSA
who can look where we can't.
Yes.
Clare. Clare.
One satellite channel
hooked to your mom's phone
and bridged to our line.
The JOC can jump on,
but don't lose it.
We'll lose her.
Mom?
Are you there?
Yes, I'm here.
Oh, thank God.
Are you OK?
We're steady and circling,
but the instruments are down
and the attacker will only
- say--
- "I did my part"? Yeah.
That's what all five
of them said.
There are five
other incidents?
Yeah, but as far
as an endgame,
we're still in the dark.
Then we lean on our subjects,
get answers.
But--
[sighs]
If I can reach you,
the cockpit can reach ATC.
Why can't they
just talk us down?
The instruments are lying.
We--we don't have any
information on airspeed,
on the actual altitude.
They'd be landing on a guess.
Guess wrong and you crash.
Put me on with the FAA.
I want to know all our options.
On it.
And Mom
Everything's gonna be--
That later.
Now we do our job.
[dramatic music]
You'll get her home, Clare.
Yeah, I know.
Yes, an account taking
deposits under a David Waldron,
W as in whiskey.
- What can we do for you?
- I need the address of record.
A subpoena went over
this morning.
One moment, please.
[keyboard clacking]
Ma'am, are you there?
- Yes, I'm here.
- 139 Wells Street.
[sighs] That's perfect.
Thank you.
- Think Antosca's gonna show?
- We'll find out.
Any more updates from Clare?
Not since
she first made contact.
Mom's been in tough spots
before, but nothing this bad.
Your mother and I
used to play this game.
We'd come home from long days
and compare who had it worse.
Whoever lost had to buy the
other a bottle of something.
I bought your mother
a lot of bourbon.
Blue Ridge killer,
a prison transport that went
off the road into the Potomac.
Damn, she never told me
about the Potomac.
The point is,
she always came home.
You ever win a bottle
off of her?
The day Antosca
nearly took out Barnes.
I spent every day since
wishing I'd lost.
[phone buzzes]
[suspenseful music]
Is that Mom?
Daryl's team got a plate hit
on Antosca's car.
K Street Northwest.
He's parked under
the Whitehurst bridge.
Team has eyes on him now.
That's five minutes out.
[tense music]
Took you long enough.
Anything?
Ran all six names through
every foreign collection
I'm not cleared to be in.
None of the subjects
talked to each other.
That means there's
zero connection?
Means one person's
pulling all their strings.
Clare, you hear that?
I did.
♪
Whoever you're working for,
they don't care about you.
If one of those planes crashes,
you get tried as a terrorist.
That's a life sentence.
Or you can give us something.
♪
If they promised you money
when this is over,
it's gonna be hard
to spend it from a cell.
Prison?
We're gonna be at
the bottom of the Atlantic
if Andrew here
doesn't speak up.
I don't get it.
On paper, you're a good man.
Your wife's in shock.
She can't fathom why you'd
do something like this.
Deb's with your agents?
She's OK?
She's fine.
We picked her up an hour ago.
Why are you asking like that?
My kids, do you have my kids?
I don't understand.
You're not afraid of prison?
No, they're scared of what
will happen to their families
if they don't obey.
Andrew, your family
is in FBI custody, safe
and waiting
for you to come home,
which is still possible
if you tell us
what's really going on here.
They kept
sending me videos.
My wife at her office,
my son on the playground,
my daughter in her--
in her bedroom.
They said they'd do
awful things if I didn't--
Do your part?
These subjects
aren't terrorists.
They're hostages.
How did they reach you?
Off this app.
BlackCase.
That's why nobody caught it.
It's end-to-end encrypted
with no U.S. carriers.
Can you trace it?
Bounced through ten servers
across four continents,
and they all come back
to the same building.
Federal correctional facility.
FCI Petersburg
in Hopewell, Virginia.
Who the hell could have
pulled this off
from a prison cell?
My detainee,
Elliot Bloom.
[dramatic orchestral music]
We know
you're pulling the strings.
I had a speech ready for when
you pieced it together,
but you took so long,
I lost the thread.
- What do you want?
- My freedom.
On paper and signed
before this plane
runs out of fuel and crashes.
So you can reverse this?
Of course.
I wrote the code in the device
that broke the system.
And you left us with
90 minutes to negotiate.
Why wait?
Because a scared government
that has no time
or clever alternatives
is a generous one.
Why don't you see if Russell
can rustle up a deal
at the DOJ?
Keep an eye on him.
[tense music]
Russ, can you get
a deal together?
Immunity that
would actually hold
needs a U.S. Attorney
and Main Justice above that.
It would take weeks,
not 90 minutes.
I just need Elliot
to believe it's possible.
I don't think he's willing
to go down with this plane.
You sure?
30 years feels like
a life sentence in your 20s.
He's got a younger sister,
raised her after their parents
abandoned them.
He still calls her on Sunday.
He's got something to live for.
He just needs a little hope.
Mom, I'm--
I'm here if you need--
Russ, just work on the deal
or at least
the appearance of one.
Russ is your son?
Look, I know
it's not my business,
but sounds like
he really cares about you.
You're right.
It's not your business.
[tense music]
Six attacks on six planes,
and Elliot never left his cell.
Yeah, well,
two more just touched down.
That leaves three in the air,
including my mom's.
What if he didn't act alone?
The surveillance videos
of these families,
the devices he got on board.
what about that convenient
transfer he got from JPATS?
He had help.
Help from who?
That's what
we're gonna figure out.
That's David.
The bank has this
as his home address.
That's weird.
Super weird.
But you could ask him
when he comes in.
He just put in an order
for pickup on the app
five minutes ago.
[tense music]
Jack, don't move!
Stop! Stop!
♪
[camera shutter clicks]
♪
DOJ is working on a deal.
It's not signed yet, but you
have to fix the avionics first.
You're bluffing.
Elliot, you know how slow
the wheels of justice can be.
You have my word.
I will do all I can
to get you a deal.
Please trust me.
You hold out, and we all die.
Is that how you want
to be remembered?
Just think of your sister.
You're right.
But the only way
I see my sister again
is with a signed deal.
You won't let this plane crash.
You'll fold.
Pull everything you can
on the air marshal.
Raul and I already did,
along with everyone else
on that plane,
looking for an accomplice.
20 years in service,
multiple commendations.
Norris is clean.
Something's not right.
He knew about Elliot's sister,
but I never mentioned it
to him.
[whispering] Check his house.
See what you find.
It's gonna be hard
to get a warrant.
Then let's not ask.
I'll knock on the door,
look for exigent circumstances
to search.
Let me send my agents.
By the time you brief a team,
Mom's got an hour of fuel.
I'm going.
I'll come with.
Like old times.
[tense music]
[sirens wailing]
So how do you want
to handle this?
I'm going in first.
Antosca's in that car.
I'm right by your side.
[tense music]
Sam Antosca,
step out of that vehicle now.
Hello?
Anybody home?
Mrs. Norris?
♪
Sam Antosca,
step out of that vehicle now
with your hands up!
♪
[muffled straining]
[muffled shouting]
I'd call that exigent.
Super exigent.
♪
Is there anyone else
in the house?
Let's go!
Step out of the vehicle now!
♪
Bullet went
clear through his head.
He took the easy way out.
It's over.
Barnes is safe.
This is good news.
♪
Did Russ find something
at the air marshal's house?
I did.
The real Air Marshal Norris.
What do you mean?
The man on that plane is
not Norris, but whoever he is,
he's clearly in control now.
♪
Ladies and gentlemen,
we've been asked
to hold a little while
I know the air marshal's
in charge.
We're both being played
right now.
No, you're wrong.
I'm in charge.
Then why'd the air marshal
use his credentials
to move you off JPATS onto
the one plane that can't land?
Norris and I are partners.
His name isn't Norris.
The real Air Marshal Norris
is tied up in his own kitchen.
You never met him
in person, did you?
We talked through
encrypted chats.
He said he had a buyer who paid
to ground Apex's whole fleet
for one day, a market play.
I didn't ask.
I just--I just took the deal.
- He used you, Elliot.
- W-we built this together.
He needed the tools,
I needed the way out.
He said the plane lands.
Even if it did,
you're not walking away
with a deal now.
Cooperating against an act
of terror is worth something.
Fix the avionics
and you can get off
this plane alive.
Maybe even
see your sister again.
I don't let her
visit me in prison.
It's kind of you
to protect her from that.
I'm afraid if she saw me
like that, I'd lose her.
[sighs] Protection--
it's a funny euphemism
for pushing people away.
But you know that.
You'd be surprised how family
can show up if you let them.
Why don't you give yourself
a chance to find out?
The air marshal
will never let me
anywhere near that panel.
Leave him to me.
You fix the plane.
[soft suspenseful music]
Don't make me regret this.
[aircraft rattling]
♪
Mom? I've got an update.
Brandon ran the
jet bridge footage
through facial recognition.
We got a match
on your air marshal.
Who are we dealing with?
Former Air Marshal
Troy Boone.
He's named in a lawsuit.
Remember
Apex Airways Flight 419?
Crashed over the Atlantic
three years ago? No survivors?
His daughter
was on the plane.
Boone quit his job
and sued the airline
citing cut corners with the
plane's communication systems,
but Apex denied it
and he lost.
He's a grieving parent.
Only child?
She was.
Then he has nothing to lose.
He wants to send a message,
make an example of the airline
so what happened to his
daughter never happens again,
and he's willing
to die to do it.
There's no negotiating
with him.
Then what are
you gonna do?
♪
Why are they
keeping this sealed?
Because of the service.
Come on, Dad.
They're putting you up
for the Director's Award.
Why now?
Uh, because you cracked
a massive conspiracy
single-handedly?
No. Why did Sam Antosca
kill himself now?
He realized
we were on to him.
Agents were tearing up
his house, his office.
- He saw somebody.
- So he kills himself?
We didn't have evidence
enough to arrest him.
- We don't even have a motive.
- Dad.
He had six years
to try again.
He had access.
President Barnes has
had dinner with the man.
- Why did he--
- Stop it.
What's it gonna take?
We caught him.
The bad guy's brains are
painting the roof
of his Mercedes.
- There is more to it, Junior.
- You don't know that.
You just have a hunch.
Do you know how many times
I've had to defend you
when people call you obsessed?
- And I was right.
- You were.
You were finally right.
And you still can't let it go.
I kept waiting for the day
this ends for you,
but there isn't one, is there?
You won't stop
until you implode.
- Dad?
- Yeah.
Mom wants to talk to you.
[sighs] Jane, I'm here.
What can I do?
I bet my day
is worse than yours.
Yeah?
What do you got?
I'm trapped on a plane
that can't land
and betting my life on a
smartass hacker our kids' age.
I'm facing a mistake
that nearly cost
an important man everything,
a dead body,
a whole lot of shame,
and a feeling I can't shake
that it's still not over.
Did I mention I have to
face down an armed air marshal
who's willing
to go down with the plane
for what he's certain
serves the greater good?
Sounds like
I owe you a bottle of Woodford.
Game, set, and match.
[sighs] Jane,
I wish there was something
I could do to help.
I'm just grateful
to talk to you.
Sometimes it just
feels good to be heard.
It does, doesn't it?
[somber music]
Oh, Mike, I think
you've helped me after all.
Hey, will you do
something for me?
Of course.
Anything.
Whatever happens,
make sure the kids are OK?
Of course.
And Jane, I want you to know--
Tell me over Woodford later.
OK.
♪
She'll get through this.
And you? Back to
chasing your white whale?
You know, Junior,
Antosca was damn close
when he took that shot.
Too close to miss
unless he wanted to.
Why the hell
would he do that?
To serve the greater good.
Boone.
Step aside
and let Elliot help us
get this plane on the ground.
[tense music]
It's over.
[aircraft rattling]
[people scream]
[engines roaring]
♪
It's over when
the fuel runs out.
Stay back.
Lower your weapon
or I'll kill him.
You said I would walk away.
You were never walking away.
You were going to be the name
they pulled from the wreckage
when it was over.
I just want to
see my sister again.
I'll never
see my daughter again.
Troy,
I know your daughter
was on Flight 419.
Apex cut corners on their comms
and it led to the crash.
The warnings were right there
and nobody read them.
And for three years
nobody has said her name.
Erica.
You don't get
to say her name.
Then you--you say it.
You tell me.
♪
They killed my little girl.
I told them.
I stood in their offices,
in their courtrooms,
and I begged them to own it,
to fix it!
And nobody listened.
One plane goes down,
and they just call it
a malfunction, a tragedy.
But six?
Every incident on every
one of these planes today
exposes a failure
in Apex's systems.
And when we crash,
the world will know
loud and clear
what they did to my baby girl,
Erica.
Not like this.
Please let us go.
Let Elliot go.
And then what?
I lower this gun and I'm
just some crazy hijacker.
They bury this
like they buried her.
I become the story, not them.
You crash this plane and I
guarantee she's not the story.
You die a terrorist and no one
ever says Erica's name again.
I can't.
I'm sorry.
[sniffling]
It had to be this way.
- [engines roaring]
- [groans]
What just happened?
♪
I lost someone, too.
My son, Jack.
I know what it does to you,
the grief.
Like someone has ripped
your soul out of your body.
It cost me my marriage.
It cost me my kids.
I pushed them away.
Put a mile between us
so I'd never have
that much to lose again.
I keep telling myself
I'll find my way back to them.
And I'm trying now.
They're listening.
I know they can hear me.
Will you give me the chance
to keep trying, Boone?
Will you give everyone
on this plane a chance?
You're a father
whether she's here or not.
You know what that love
feels like.
Everyone on this plane
is somebody's kid.
You want someone to answer
for what happened to her.
I--
I understand that
more than you know.
But loss doesn't have
to make more loss.
Nobody has to die here today.
[somber music]
♪
[tense music]
Now.
♪
Okay.
♪
[people screaming]
♪
[intercom chimes]
Folks,
we've got the aircraft.
[cheering]
[cheers and applause]
[peaceful music]
♪
[applause and chuckling]
♪
[sighing]
Jane?
Are you still there?
Yes.
I'll see you on the ground.
[sighs]
[tense music]
♪
I did warn you.
♪
Antosca wanted to miss.
Junior, you don't have to--
You were right to be obsessed
about all of it,
even this.
Barnes was ahead
by most metrics.
And then right
before the shooting,
he was quietly bleeding out
in Macomb County.
Blue-collar,
the people who vote first
and drag the whole map.
He was gonna
lose reelection.
He just didn't know it yet.
Then Antosca took his shot and
missed and the numbers healed.
That attempt
didn't almost end Barnes.
It saved him.
And a big donor
like Sam Antosca's
investment in him.
I'm sorry about before.
You don't owe me an apology.
Yeah, I do.
My whole life,
you were this legend.
And I grew up wanting
to stand beside you
and to be just like you.
And today,
I watched you be wrong,
unsteady, and human,
and I couldn't take it.
Don't do this job
for me, Micah.
Do it for you.
Yeah, here's--
here's what I still don't get.
How did Antosca do it alone?
He didn't.
He got help from
someone on the inside.
We got these preliminaries
from the medical examiner
on Antosca's body--
he had skin cells
under his fingernails.
He fought somebody in that car.
So Antosca was murdered.
And whoever killed him,
that's who I'm after now.
- I'm coming with you.
- Not this time.
Your mom's waiting.
Go see her.
Well, what about you?
She needs her kids now.
And this is mine to close.
[indistinct radio chatter]
[peaceful music]
The other planes?
On the ground.
Everybody's safe.
♪
People will remember
what happened here today.
You will get
to tell your story.
♪
I'm going to talk
to some old friends
about how you helped
in the end.
Keep your nose clean,
maybe one day, you walk out.
I bet your sister will be
standing there when you do.
Want to hug it out?
Not with you.
[chuckles]
♪
Raul.
Hey.
Thanks for helping out today.
Thank you for bringing me in.
Everything okay?
♪
All my life, my parents
never really let us in.
They were always
running away to work.
I used to think
it was avoidant,
but now I'm starting
to wonder if maybe
it was their way of processing
to let it move its way through
instead of wallowing in it.
I've been going through
something personal myself
for a while now and
I've been running away to work
and not sitting in it.
And I don't know
which way is right,
but I do think it's time
for me to
move forward with my life.
[soft upbeat music]
Do you want to get a drink
with me?
♪
Are you asking me out
on a date?
I am asking you out
on a drink.
Yeah, anytime.
♪
That was fun.
You and me in the field again.
Kind of missed it.
[chuckles] Same.
Hey, you still want to hang
this week?
We could have dinner and talk
about the bad old days in Kabul.
Yeah, been too long.
I'll--I'll bring my girl,
Megan.
You'll love her.
Everyone does.
Yeah, of course.
I'll see if Natasha's free.
Make it a double.
Oh, good. [chuckles]
♪
- See you, Russ.
- See ya.
♪
Only took
a six-plane hijacking
to get Mom to talk
about her feelings.
What,
like we were any better?
I screamed at Dad today
and realized
it's only because I built
my entire career around him.
You just figured that out?
OK, I'm no better
burying myself in work
to try and avoid feeling pain.
[phone buzzing]
You guys really are chips
off the old blocks, aren't you?
At least
you turned out all right.
Right, baby bro?
Yeah, I did.
[peaceful music]
♪
[gasps]
♪
Cinnamon rolls and
"The Birds," take two?
Yeah.
♪
Dad had something
he had to handle.
It's OK.
Let's go.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
- You ready?
- Good idea.
♪
- Mike, this is crazy.
- No, it's not.
The assassination attempt
was all just theater, Daryl,
to get Barnes a second term.
Mike, this is all
just speculation.
No, this is real
and terrifying.
[scoffs]
Something this clean
needed someone senior,
someone with reach who could
recruit a man like Antosca,
bury it for six years,
and be there to tie off the
loose ends when we got close.
- The loose end being Antosca?
- Yes.
Someone killed him
to silence him.
The medical examiner found skin
cells under his fingernails.
He fought his attacker
in that car.
Someone got to him first,
someone who knew exactly when
we were getting close.
You're talking about
a conspiracy in your own house.
You could use a drink.
[tense music]
In our house, Daryl.
You ran detail that day
six years ago.
[tense music]
♪
You know what I always loved
about Barnes?
That man could talk,
pull you right in,
make you feel like
you were standing inside
something bigger than yourself.
And for a thing like that,
you make sacrifices
for the greater good.
You and I aren't
that different, Mike.
We both loved him.
We both believed in him.
So do you want to pick up
a phone and tell your hero
that his entire legacy
was a lie,
burn yours down with it?
After everything?
♪
[glass clinks on table]
♪
You killed Sutcliffe,
didn't you?
And Antosca for poll numbers
in Macomb County.
I never laid a hand
on anyone.
I put the right people
in the right places
and let the country
get what it needed.
That's the job.
I protected that man
more than you protected
anyone in your whole career.
So Mike,
do you want
to burn it all down?
Or live with the lie
that this country needs?
♪
[groaning softly]
People will come
looking for me.
They're probably on their way.
No one's coming
to save you, Agent.
That was cute,
watching you play detective.
You really thought
that you were ahead,
but I left you
every single crumb.
[scoffs]
You followed me
right into this room.
That's how easy it was for me.
I can reach you
whenever I want,
hurt you whenever I want.
Hurt the ones you love
whenever I want.
Family is
is a burden, isn't it?
Especially an ailing parent.
Stay away from my mother.
You want to hurt someone,
hurt me.
Go on, do it!
Only if you make me.
- What do you want?
- Silence.
You stay quiet.
Make sure that nobody
learns that I'm alive,
most of all my family.
And if I do?
What are you gonna do to me?
W-what happens now?
Oh.
[tense music]
That's simple.
♪
[gasps]
Run.
[tense music]
♪