Countdown (2025) s01e07 Episode Script

1
[Oliveras] Get your head better.
[Mark] A Border Patrol vehicle was
discovered abandoned.
We have been drilling
down on the name Gallagher.
The one that Meachum saw on the map.
You sure that Gallagher
was the name that you saw?
Yeah, I know what I saw.
Come up with your own leads
before criticizing the work of others.
Mr. Valwell?
You worked with my father, Isaiah.
[in Belarusian] Danill.
I have no tolerance for disloyalty.
[Andrej] Your delivery has arrived.
[Mark grunting]
["Civil Lies" playing]
[in English] Sir.
[in Belarusian] You asked to be notified
when the supplies arrived?
[breathing heavily]
[phone ringing]
[panting]
[groaning]
- [phone continues ringing]
- [panting, groaning]
[Nathan, in English]
The name Gallagher's been a bust.
No connections. Every lead a dead end.
We need to stop chasing our tails
and find a new direction.
Hey, sorry. Sorry I'm late. I, uh…
There was a pile-up
at Highland and the 101.
I had to go Vine and it
was a nightmare anyway…
Please continue.
Bell, catch us up.
What have you been thinking?
So when my father would get
stuck in an investigation,
he would always say to
take it back to the beginning.
See if there's anything that we might've
missed right from the first day of work.
So I've been thinking
about that with Darden's murder
and the theft
from the Port of Los Angeles.
[beeps]
When Volchek
transferred the fissile material,
these specialized tongs
were left at the scene.
Now, as I'd hoped, there are not a lot of
companies who manufacture gamma niptongs.
But in Los Angeles
there is only one such company. Caluman.
And their offices are in Pacoima.
All right. You and Shepherd
head over there
and see if they'll give us sales
information for the last six to 12 months.
[Bell] You got it.
- [Oliveras] Let me ask you something.
- Oh, God. Jesus.
You wouldn't abuse
the new medication I gave you, would you?
'Cause that would take you down
and me with you.
It's nothing like that,
I told you. [sniffs]
[Oliveras] Then what?
Uh, law of diminishing returns.
Shit.
Yeah. Not really working. [sniffs]
But it's fine. I'll be fine.
Yeah, well, you're not fine.
Okay.
[sniffs]
I think that…
I think you gotta talk
to your doctor about it.
You're coming in late.
What's gonna happen
when you get a massive migraine
in the middle of a knock and talk?
Or worse, the middle of a pursuit?
[door opens]
Hey, boss. I was just telling Meachum
you should never take Highland.
Always head down to Cahuenga
'cause traffic near the Bowl blows, right?
It's just… You gotta
keep trucking down the 101. [chuckles]
- You mind if I…
- No. Of cour… Yeah.
- Yo, Meach?
- What's up?
Yo, so Bell talked about going back
to the beginning
in the status meeting this morning, right?
Which got me thinking
about the stolen Border Patrol SUV
- that got dumped in Compton.
- Yeah, I remember.
So I put a forensic request
on it on day one.
Then the lab sent me a 416 report
that said the inside was clean.
No fibers, no dirt, nothing.
Thought nothing of it.
Dead-end avenue, on to the next.
But now, now I'm reconsidering.
Completely clean?
Did the lab send the wrong report?
Did they work up the wrong vehicle?
I mean, there must have been
some level of radiation, right?
But nothing.
What are you thinking?
I'ma go see a buddy of mine
I have in Impound Division.
You don't want to just call?
I think face-to-face might speed
things up a bit.
- If Blythe asks, I'll let him know.
- [Finau] All right.
- [Finau] Hey, Big E.
- Yo, what up… [speaks Spanish]
- [chuckles] Luke Finau, where you been?
- Sup, dog?
Oh, they got me working at
a task force over in Century City.
Okay, you big time now.
You go… gone all Hollywood on me?
Never.
Why you think I got
you a box of Krispy Kremes, bro?
You know the way to my heart. [chuckles]
[horn honks]
[Big E] What can I do for you?
There was a stolen Border Patrol vehicle.
Got dumped after the port shoot-out.
I remember.
Did the CID do a forensic analysis?
Yeah, man, they out here
all the time. [scoffs]
If you got a report,
then-then they did it.
You still got the SUV?
[Big E] Yeah. It's in the way back.
Wasn't a Border Patrol vehicle though.
- What you mean?
- That was a stolen SUV.
Owner in Reseda reported it missing
couple weeks before.
I'm not following.
It was reskinned to make it look like BP.
Pretty good job too.
Authentic enough to get out
on the port no problem.
Not that security there is,
uh, supermax or anything.
Yeah, yeah. Hold on. So, wait…
The bad guys just wrapped it?
Exactly. It's quicker than paint.
Reskinning wasn't in the report.
[chuckles] I mean, I can't speak to CID's
paperwork skills but they're like us.
Too many cases, not enough people.
Right. And I'm guessing every shop in LA
can do a quick reskin like that, right?
- We're a Fast & Furious land.
- [chuckles] Yeah.
- Still wanna see that car?
- Yeah, yeah. Sure.
Are you all right?
Blythe's been all over me.
Yeah, uh…
You know, when I first got
the nod to join the task force,
I asked my instructor at Quantico
if he had any insight on him.
They used to work together.
You know, anything that would help me
start off on the right foot.
And he said if you get in Blythe's
doghouse, it's damn hard to climb out.
Yeah, well,
I'm not gonna roll over and show my belly.
He also said he's the best team leader
he's ever seen.
- You know, if you want the whole picture.
- [door opens]
These are gamma niptongs made
by Caluman and only sold commercially.
Oh, yeah. Sure.
Can you tell us when this model was made?
That looks like our most recent set.
You can tell from the tooth grooves there.
Our… Uh, we had wider grooves
until about 12 months ago. See?
Wow, you really know your products.
Salesman of the year, right?
Three years running.
Do you happen to have the records
of who purchased these tongs recently?
Going back to when that update
went on the market.
You want all my purchase orders?
No, just for the tongs.
[salesman] Okay. Uh… All right. I…
Now you're really…
I just… Like, I don't know
if I have the authority to just…
Lakers fan, huh?
Big time.
Uh, I actually got to meet Shaq.
No kidding.
Yeah, he was doing a fundraiser
in DC with Barkley.
And I was picked as the junior agent
to give them a tour of Quantico.
Great guys.
I would have died. No kidding.
I told Shaq 2000 Lakers
were better than '87.
In my humble opinion.
I agree.
You know what? Let me dig up those POs.
I'll-I'll email you guys.
It-It shouldn't take long.
Thank you.
[typing]
Okay. I'll admit,
he was… [sighs] …predisposed
to help and that was the right approach.
I know.
- Don't get cocky on me now.
- Never.
Wait, I left my phone. I'll be back.
Special Agent Bell. [chuckling]
- [Bell] District Attorney Valwell.
- Hey. Good to see you, young man.
Yeah, you too.
You just in the neighborhood or…
Actually, I like eating
at Yardbird up the block.
- Oh.
- Yeah, glad I ran into you though.
- I was just thinking about your dad.
- [Bell] You were?
[chuckles] Yes, sir. He was a great man.
- Yeah.
- Always respected Isaiah.
You know, he was like
a bull at a red flag.
Once he knew who the perpetrator was,
he was relentless until they had
that motherfucker behind bars.
Yeah, yeah. Tell me about it.
Sounds like Pop.
Yeah, he was a good friend.
And I was a good friend to him.
Always looked out.
And when he was up for promotion,
I made sure to call the right people
and let them know how I felt.
I know you have ambition like your father.
So I have a question for you.
I have friends in departments
all over this city.
My question to you is are you my friend?
Hey. What was up?
I thought you were right behind me.
Uh, yeah. I just had to take a call.
[Nathan speaks indistinctly]
[Heather] Yes, sir.
Still worried about Blythe?
No. Um. No, just…
just thinking things through.
["Burn" playing]
Thank you, sir.
Andrej.
[in Belarusian] I have to run an errand…
[bell dings]
[classical music playing on radio]
[speaking Russian]
[forger speaking Russian]
[radio volume lowers]
[in English] Here's the money.
And I threw in something else for you.
[forger] Ah.
When can I have my passports?
[forger] I'm waiting for patches.
Updates to the digital software
that will get you through
enhanced security at customs.
How long?
Couple of days.
If you will excuse me a moment.
[phone ringing]
- [door closes]
- [phone continues ringing]
- [ringing stops]
- [forger speaking indistinctly]
- [bell dings]
- [footsteps approaching]
[in Belarusian] Hello, Vusovich.
You had the opportunity
to do the right thing.
You had a chance
to make amends with your countrymen…
and you blew it.
You work for the Consulate?
My nephew, Danill,
was a part of your security detail,
but he has gone missing.
My sister hasn't heard from him in days.
Can you tell me where he is?
There is a plane
leaving tonight for Minsk.
Mr. Astapov knows you have sequestered
millions of dollars that is the
rightful property of Belarus.
But…
there is still a chance for you.
Let me speak with him.
We will get the money,
we will get you on that plane,
we won't have any more problems.
Okay.
[grunts]
[grunting, groaning]
[guard] Enough!
[panting, coughing]
Take us to the money,
then we'll take you to the plane.
[Volchek groans]
[in English] Hey, guys.
I got the ballistics back
on the bullets found in the dead bodies
at the, uh… the security footage company.
The one with the servers and the footage…
- The Belarusian dance hall?
- Thank you. Yeah.
Spent rounds were nine by 21 millimeter.
Gyurza ammunition…
I don't even know if I'm saying that
right. But, uh, Russian military ammo.
- Military?
- [Mark] Yeah, or FSB.
So I checked with the ATF.
No rounds are sold like that
here in the US. Not legally.
I know a gun dealer in Pasadena.
I used him as a CI. I can set up a meet.
See if he knows anyone
buying Russian bullets.
- All right, go chase it down.
- All right.
[Mark] Did you need some antiques?
[Oliveras] Do I look like I go antiquing?
I don't know. Those boots look like they
might be from the Clinton administration.
You know what you should look for?
An alarm clock
that gets you to work on time.
- Okay. All right.
- How about that?
Well, listen,
thank you for covering for me with Blythe,
- which was nice.
- Don't get used to it.
Weiss.
How's it going?
- [Weiss] Oliveras, hey.
- [Oliveras] Good to see you.
- Hi.
- [Oliveras] Wow.
- Any of these real?
- [Weiss] Uh, nah.
I got a buddy works props at Universal.
Gives me whatever's
left over after a shoot.
That one's, uh,
from one of those cop shows.
What happened? You lose yours? [chuckles]
[Oliveras chuckles]
Where do you got your guns?
You know I can't sell guns here.
If I were to go poking around that van,
do you think I might find some Glocks,
some Berettas?
What? Don't even play like that.
Hey, don't look at me. Look at her.
Come on. Didn't I help you
with that Israeli thing?
You did. And I need you to help me again
so I don't go looking
for whatever you have in that van.
Shit. Yeah, of course. I'm here to help.
These are 21 millimeter Gyurza ammunition.
Yeah, made to defeat Russian body armor.
- No shit?
- [Weiss] No shit.
Probably from an SR-1 Vektor.
Or maybe like an SR-2 Veresk.
Not common here, I can tell you that much.
Seen, I don't know,
maybe a half dozen in my life.
- You didn't sell these?
- Me? No. Come on. No way.
You know who did?
Yeah. I know a guy. Szabo.
You want, I can give him a call,
set up a meet.
We're in a hurry.
Then let me do my thing.
Update.
Uh, well, we have been sorting
through the sales data
from the tong company Caluman.
Turns out there is one company, VKN Ltd.,
who bought radiation niptongs
as their sole purchase.
Products were delivered
to the Belarusian dance hall.
- VKN?
- [Bell] It's a shell.
- You got an address?
- Uh, yeah. PO Box in Agoura Hills.
Paid for online and, uh,
no one has been there to pick up the mail
according to the service.
[Shepherd] Yeah, so we started
backtracking purchases made by VKN
through various banks but it's slow going.
LA Field Office is helping us with
subpoenas plus forensic accountants
but it's a lot of bank accounts
and so far we're coming up empty.
I'll call FBI HQ
and have a specialized team help out.
- Yeah, we'll take whatever we can get.
- Yeah. Keep at it.
- [knocks on door]
- Sir, you got a sec?
Shoot.
So you-you remember
that Border Patrol vehicle
you saw flee the port
that was then dumped in Compton?
Of course.
Well, it wasn't Border Patrol.
It was stolen off
the streets of Reseda and reskinned.
I'm calling every motorsports shop
in SoCal
to see if I can pinpoint
the one who custom wrapped it.
I don't expect Volchek to have left
behind a paper trail but you never know.
You know, every investigation
I've ever been a part of
has turned on one small
piece of information
found by the sheer dogged determination
of an investigator.
You have that in your blood.
Stay with it.
I will.
Thank you, sir.
Is he gonna show?
He said he was in La Cañada and he was
on his way. What do you want from me?
Results.
I said I'd find your buyer
and I could vouch.
I think that should be enough for…
Hey. Szabo. [whistles]
[Mark] Here we go.
- [Szabo] Weiss.
- Good to see you.
This is the woman I was telling you about.
Hi. Becky Garcia. How you doing?
- You're a collector?
- I am.
- I don't get a lot of women collectors.
- [Oliveras chuckles]
Yeah, most girlfriends are into jewelry,
cookbooks…
No, I got John Wick here.
I have a Taurus Raging Bull from Brazil.
I have got a Valmet RK 92 from Finland.
I have an Indonesian Pindad SS2.
The only thing I don't have
is a Russian SR-1 Vektor.
I have access to some Russian Vektors.
You do? So great. Great. Great.
Gonna run you a couple grand. Cash only.
I mean, yeah.
Thank you. Thanks, babe.
Um, that's fine. We'll run to the ATM.
But yeah, I can handle that.
- It will take a couple of days.
- That's fine.
How do I reach you?
Weiss has my number.
- You can go through him.
- Perfect.
I need half up-front. Good faith.
No, she's good for it.
Even so.
I have 500 on me right now.
- Like you said, ATM.
- Okay.
I-I might have more on me. Just let me…
You sold Russian Vektors before?
Yeah. Sure.
Well, who did you sell to?
Oh, she's really competitive with
the other collectors. [chuckles]
[chuckles] Guilty.
Also maybe they'd be willing to resell.
Like, if you have trouble
procuring another one.
Yeah.
Hey!
["Fairview Park Skins" playing]
[Mark] LAPD! Stop!
[grunting]
Hey! Come on!
[Oliveras] Stay down! Stay down.
- Help! She's harassing me!
- [Oliveras] On your knees.
You're under arrest.
- You have the right to remain silent.
- No! No! This is a police state!
Shut your mouth.
I'm not gonna tell you again.
I have rights! I'm a sovereign citizen…
[Mark] Keep it down.
Make a lane. Make a lane.
This is where they disappear you.
[shouting indistinctly]
I haven't been charged with a crime.
This is a violation
under the Second Amendment.
[stammers] What you're-you're
doing is an illegal search and seizure.
- That's the Fourth Amendment, dumbass.
- I know my goddamn amendments.
- You didn't sound like you did.
- It's both amendments.
What you're doing is unlawful
in any country, state, universe.
[sighs]
Thanks, Finau. Uh…
So how many illegal weapons
are we gonna find at this storage unit
that you're renting in Encino?
Well, looks like we struck a nerve.
Mmm. How long do you think
it would take us to get a warrant?
- Is Judge Goodwin working today?
- Yeah.
[Mark] Oh, well,
over-under. Less than an hour.
- I, uh, don't…
- Listen, how about you tell us
who you sold those Russian Vektors to
and we'll forget all
about this little storage unit, huh?
- Really?
- Yeah. Think of it is as like a…
- a good deal on a sale.
- But one with a clock on it.
Okay. I'll tell you.
But this cannot come back on me.
- Course not. It's confidential.
- Yeah. Here we go. Watch this.
I'm telling you, these guys are serious.
- [Mark] What guys?
- PMCs. Private military contractors.
Their company's called Iskanders,
like I-S-K. Whatever that means.
But I'm telling you,
these guys are not messing around.
Iskanders Private Military Contractors.
Offices in Budapest, Warsaw,
St. Petersburg,
London, New York
and right here in Culver City.
They specialize in Eastern Bloc soldiers
trained by the SSO or Spetsnaz.
Online profile is very pro-Moscow
and sympathetic to their war in Crimea.
Local office is led by this guy,
Andrej Sobol.
Thirty-eight years old, Belarusian born,
Moscow trained.
Fought in Afghanistan, North Caucasus,
Georgia and in Ukraine.
His history before 2007 has been scrubbed
so that probably means
he has a prison record.
The guy is extremely dangerous.
[Shepherd] We are not sure who else is
working for him or how many there are
but based on recruitment advertising
in Eastern Bloc countries,
it could be dozens.
Okay. Let's see if we can catch
them with their pants down.
I'll call SWAT. We roll on
their Culver City offices within the hour.
Police! We have a search warrant!
I have control.
It'll be a three count.
Three.
Two.
One.
Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!
[person] Gentlemen,
what's all this unnecessary antagonism?
Who are you?
I'm Jan Karmanov.
Attorney for Iskanders Group.
Here to comply with your warranted search.
[Nathan] You knew we were coming.
We are a legal multinational corporation
who was made aware
by a sympathetic citizen
that there would be United States
government aggression today.
As a lawful corporation,
we have many rights afforded to us.
And I'm prepared to file as many lawsuits
as necessary to protect those rights.
This is an office of marketing and sales.
You are welcome to conduct your search.
Although we are licensed in America,
our corporate office is in Moscow
where all official business records
are kept.
If you would like to work
with the Russian authorities
and through their legal system,
I'm sure you can access
our files that way.
[train whistle blows]
[Bell] So I've brought New York
and DC up to speed.
They're working with
our Eastern European embassies and State
to find out whatever we can on Iskanders.
[Mark] I checked with LAPD research
if anybody's come across this group.
Homicide or Vice, or… shit, I mean,
I'd take a simple B & E, anything.
- Yeah, I'll follow up.
- I'll drill down on their leases.
See if they have any satellite offices
or properties outside of Culver City.
And I'll loop in IRS.
Maybe there's a tax violation.
[door opens]
What the hell happened, Aynesworth?
Meaning?
Meaning they were tipped off.
First time I bring our SWAT team
into a breach action
and-and-and they know exactly
when we're coming?
[Aynesworth] No offense, Blythe,
but what are you implying?
I'm implying that it wasn't one of
my guys who was running their mouths.
So it wasn't one of mine
who gave them the heads up.
Your guys aren't even feds.
You got LAPD. You got DEA. Hell,
you don't know who you got out there.
I got a team of guys who've been busting
their asses for months
trying to crack this case open.
And in seconds you jeopardized
all the progress we've made!
Not by one of my guys,
I guarantee you that!
Look, I'll…
I'll make sure everyone gets debriefed
and I'll oversee it all personally.
But I'm telling you,
I've trained with some of my guys
for over a decade.
We've done hundreds of raids
and this is the first time
a hostile's ever had the jump on us.
All I'm saying is I know in my gut
no one on my team spilled.
I think it'd be in your best interest
to take a closer look
at who you have on this task force.
I have the best on this task force.
[zipper opens]
[in Belarusian] The fuck's this?
I don't have as much as you think I have.
He's lying.
He withdrew everything.
[hammer cocks]
Where's the rest?
There is no rest.
You gave me no time.
You embezzled over one hundred
million Belarusian rubles.
- I don't…
- You have three seconds
to tell me where it is…
I know you have it
you goddamn son of a bitch.
I don't!
Two.
- One.
- Fine.
I have it.
Not in a bank.
Where?
My house.
If this is some kind of trick or stall,
I will bleed you out
through your ankles.
Drive.
[in English] Guys.
Everyone. Hey, come in here.
Sir. Sir. Excuse me, sir.
- What do you got?
- [Shepherd] Okay.
Uh, so I was sorting through hours
and hours of banking information
trying to backtrack purchases made by VKN.
It was like a needle in a haystack.
But I found the needle.
Okay. There is a truck manufacturing
company that makes 18-wheelers.
And VKN bought three of them one week ago.
The name of that company
is Gallagher Freight.
Holy shit.
Finau, call Gallagher Freight and find
out where those trucks were delivered.
What if they want a subpoena?
Already calling a judge.
- You want me to call SWAT?
- Negative. They already burned us once.
[tires squeal]
[tires screech]
- Clear!
- Clear!
Clear!
- Clear!
- Clear!
[Nathan] So a guy with unlimited wealth
has three 18-wheelers
and enough fissile material to
turn Los Angeles into Hiroshima…
and we don't know where he is.
Or where those vehicles are.
Shepherd, get pics
of those Gallagher trucks
to every law enforcement agency
in the country.
[Finau] Hey, I know what this plastic is.
What?
[Finau] He reskinned the trucks.
They could be furniture movers,
frozen foods, overnight delivery.
Hell, they could even say LAPD or FBI.
We have no idea.
[Nathan] Okay. We regroup in the morning.
And I wanna hit every branch.
FBI, LAPD, customs…
[Valwell] Yeah, sounds good, Evelyn.
Yes. I will see you there. [chuckles]
[Bell] DA Valwell?
Okay. I'll let you go.
Bye.
- [Valwell] Special Agent Bell.
- How you doing?
- [Valwell] Good to see you. [chuckles]
- Good to see you.
[knocks on door]
- [Oliveras] Hey.
- Hey.
You got a minute?
Yeah. Do you want a beer?
Sure.
[Mark] Come on.
[in Belarusian] Let's go.
[in English] How can I help you?
Well, I've been thinking a lot
about your offer. [sighs]
To help out my career.
Good. Good.
'Cause I want you to know I meant it.
The Bureau could use good agents
in leadership positions.
And I see in you a very bright future.
Thank you, sir.
Very glad to hear you say that.
- [Mark] Here you go.
- [Oliveras] Thanks.
All right, what brings you over? [sighs]
Are you sure you should be drinking?
[scoffs] Well…
Nothing else seems to work.
[Oliveras] Hmm.
Actually,
I brought you something.
Lasmiditan.
It's new.
Supposed to disrupt
your serotonin receptors so it can…
I have a tumor.
What?
- [door opens]
- [house alarm beeps]
[beeping continues]
[beeping ends]
[in Belarusian] Where's the money?
I have a safe downstairs.
I'm happy to go get it
if you want to wait up here.
You being funny?
Show us. And if you…
Try anything you'll shoot me.
I know.
Move.
Okay…
no one's down here.
Go!
[beeps]
- [safe beeps]
- [lock clicks]
You got a gun or knife in there?
Okay then.
[groans]
[in English] 'Cause I am good at my job.
And I plan to continue to perform that job
to the best of my abilities
no matter where I'm assigned.
So if that takes me to New York or DC
or beyond that, then that's great.
And if it doesn't, then, uh, that's on me.
But I have a great leader
on this task force.
And he's got the backs of each one of us.
So what I won't do
is go behind his back to anyone…
anyone while the investigation is open.
Well…
I'm sorry you see things
that way, Agent Bell.
Your father was smarter than you.
He was a lot of things that I'm not.
A tumor?
Right here.
Is it treatable?
[smacks lips]
Nope.
What are you saying then?
Are you saying that it's terminal?
Yeah.
How long?
[Mark] Uh…
six weeks, six months.
Doc's not sure.
I don't really… I'm sorry,
I don't know how to…
process that.
[Mark] Yeah, no. It's-It's fine. I, uh…
That's just… It's, you know…
It's why I've been fucking… [chuckles]
But I'll tell you this I am, uh… I'm not…
I'm not going out staring at a…
at a sunset on a beach.
You know, dipping my toes
into the fucking ocean.
Okay? If I'm going out,
I'm going out saving something.
This city. These people.
If I can.
If I get that chance then, uh…
Yeah, then that's what I'll do.
So now you know.
["I Burn" playing]
[in Belarusian] Hey!
You wanna stay in there all night.
I don't give a shit.
- [beeps]
- We can…
[Szolt] What was that?
[beeping continues]
[guard] What?
[beeping accelerates]
[rapid beeping]
[in English] Fuck.
[lock clicks]
[latch opens]
[Cione] We got three bodies in
the basement of a house in Sherman Oaks.
Some kind of robbery-explosion.
- Was it an accident or homicide?
- [officer] See for yourself.
[Mark] The door was opened
after the explosion?
Our only option with
a lone wolf is to catch him.
[Nathan] We have a violent extremist
in possession of three
40-ton tractor trailers
with enough fissile material to inflict
maximum damage on any city in America.
[Finau] What the fuck happened to a guy
where he wants to eradicate a whole city?