The Terminal List: Dark Wolf (2025) s01e07 Episode Script

The Wolf You Feed

1
[Al-Jabouri speaking Arabic]
[gunshot]
[Cox] You want to take his bird?
An example needs to be made.
[Ben] I guess I don't need this after all.
Nah. Wait.
I need two shooters
for a time-sensitive op.
You know my target.
Massoud Danawi.
Danawi came into our orbit
via Artem Golubev.
Artem requested the meeting at this club.
We have somebody inside.
They'll tell you
where to go and what to do.
You never said this was a joint operation.
I said I work against Iran.
Mossad being here ain't a big leap.
[Molnar] With my bearings, Iran has
adequate uranium
to build a bomb in less than a year.
[Haverford] So here's the play.
We'll take Molnar
and his bearings off the board.
Then my asset
will deliver the fake bearings
in their place.
- Jackpot. Jackpot.
- RPG!
Ben, wake up!
[Eliza] Mossad believes
the Shepherd is using
Haverford for his own agenda.
[Ben] Eliza knew you were being played,
and she's dead.
That's not a fucking coincidence, is it?
If you want to know who played us,
he's here… the Shepherd.
- [speaking Farsi]
- [gunshot]
I'd rather come home in a fucking box
than do what you're doing right now.
And you will.
Payment.
If the bearings are authentic,
you'll get your fee.
[beeps, whirs]
[Haverford] My team needed
a Shepherd to blame.
And assured that
the exchange would still happen.
Son of a bitch.
[whirring]
History has been made today, gentlemen.
[phone chimes, buzzes]
- [Ben] Fucker.
- [Mo] What do you want to do?
Even a pawn can take down a king.
[rapid gunfire]
[gunfire over phone]
[Haverford] "Director Brennan,
these men are responsible
for turning over illegal
nuclear technology to our enemy… Iran."
We're his fucking puppets,
now we're his fucking patsies.
What are you thinking, Chief?
We're still in the game.
[ River Crombie playing "Simple Man"]
Well, Mama told me ♪
When I was young ♪
"Come sit beside me ♪
my only son ♪
and listen closely ♪
to what I say ♪
And if you do this ♪
it'll help you some sunny day ♪
Ah, yeah" ♪
[indistinct chatter]
[birds singing]
[Inspector General] It's compelling
testimony, Mr. Hastings.
But the fact remains, there is no
hard evidence to substantiate any of it.
This man coordinated the operation
with a high-level Iranian official.
There are photos of the meeting.
[Haverford] Look,
we already went over all this.
It was my asset's brother.
I just wanted to make sure
that Vahid wasn't doing anything
- that would compromise us.
- [Raife] You were the only one with access
to the real bearings, Jed.
Those bearings.
Where are they?
If Chief Edwards is innocent,
why disappear with nuclear technology?
Why not turn himself in?
[Haverford] Exactly.
Jed, please.
Come on, Fred. You're gonna kick me out
on my last day for smoking?
Come on.
[lighter flicks open]
Mr. Hastings,
our investigation is still pending.
We may have additional questions,
but appreciate your cooperation.
As for your friend Ben Edwards,
charges hold.
If he surrenders with the bearings,
we can try and make some sense
of this mess.
You know, you're looking
for the wrong person.
Because your man is right fucking there.
[laughs softly]
[dramatic music playing]
[gentle music playing]
[Ben] "Reecer,
I never thought I'd be leaving this way.
But as I sit here writing this,
now it kind of seems like
there was an inevitability to it,
to all of it.
The war, what it did to us.
While I wish I had the answers,
sometimes there are none,
or not ones that matter.
Sometimes all you can do
is play your part,
and try and make a difference.
I tried.
Still, I wouldn't change it, Reecer.
You and the boys were…
are… family.
At least we have that, right?
Regardless of what
the bureaucrats want to do.
The bait and switches,
the manipulation.
The list goes on, doesn't it?
The thing I keep chewing on…
is why they feel
they need to stick their noses in it.
Why meddle with us?
You created us."
Sir.
"War is a part of the human condition.
And you can only understand it
if you've lived it.
Plain and fucking simple.
But the elected officials, the lobbyists,
the senior military leaders,
those intel officers who took my bird,
they run the wars,
without understanding
why we even fight them.
It's like a lion…
…who grew up in the zoo…
…still thinking he's the king
of the fucking jungle.
That's the brass,
the bureaucrats,
trapped by their own
intellectual inertia…
[grunts]
…not even realizing it.
You see, those same bureaucrats
will reap promotions
and get rich on the blood
of our brothers…
…despite their failures.
[grunting]
We lose a rifle and get punished.
They lose a war and get promoted.
Ain't that how the saying goes?
I think ultimately,
I just got tired of it, Reecer.
Someone has to hold them accountable.
So, I took action…
…and now I'm headed home.
'Only the dead have seen the end of war.'
That philosopher couldn't be more right.
War ain't going away.
Nor are the leaders
who don't understand it…
…who abuse it.
This brotherhood is bonded
over blood, Reecer.
Not paperwork or policy.
[grunting]
That's why I'm glad
you're still in, Reecer.
You're a true lion.
A lion who can look after our boys."
Excuse me, excuse me,
excuse me, excuse me.
"Long live the Brotherhood.
- Ben."
- Coming through.
L.T., let's go. Another round.
Nah.
[rock music playing]
Hey,
you got to hear me on this.
Ben is good.
A fucking frogman through and through.
I love you, bro.
I'll see you back at the hotel.
Here's to decompressing!
- [men clamoring, shouting]
- Thank you.
Hey! Here's to going home, boys!
[glasses clinking]
- [fire crackling]
- [Ben over video] Somebody slept in.
Come on, hon.
It's Adventure Friday.
[chuckles] Look who's up.
[Amy laughs]
- [Ben] We're switching sunnies.
- [Amy] No.
Yes.
Oh.
[laughing]
[Amy laughs]
Benjamin, ow. [laughs]
- [sighs]
- [Ben] This was a bad idea.
[Amy laughs]
[sighs heavily]
[somber music playing]
[sighs]
[whooshes]
[distant laughter]
[phone buzzing]
Yeah?
[Ben] Reecer.
Ben,
where the fuck are you?
I read your letter.
Hell, about a dozen times.
Oh, yeah?
Different day, same problems.
I also spoke to our Rhodesian friend.
He's working proper channels right now
to get a couple of names cleared.
I'm working other channels now, brother.
Listen, whatever you're doing,
wherever you are right now,
you do not have
to carry this weight alone.
When this ends,
and it will,
and you want the truth,
don't go through Hastings.
Go through Mo Farooq.
He's got the whole fucking story.
I called to say thank you.
You always believed in me, brother,
when no one else would.
And I won't forget that.
[line clicks]
Ben? Ben?
[chiming]
[Tal] Are you ready for the next step?
How much time you need once it kicks off?
They'll be tracking the attack.
I need 15 minutes to get through
Haverford's VPN masking.
Tal, 15's a long time.
- I'll give you ten.
- Fifteen.
Copy.
Mo and Landry are hitting me up every day.
They're worried about you.
Yeah?
Keep 'em away.
If it doesn't work,
you're gonna fucking need 'em.
It better work.
I'll give Haverford and Cyrus reason
to keep talking.
Just make sure you get what you need.
You sure you're ready?
Once you unplug your VPN device,
they'll move quickly.
You worry about your end.
[sighs]
I'm ready.
I'm tapped into the portal.
Everything is set.
[sighs]
[phone chirps]
[pings]
So it'll be clear, I'm on grid.
Like a fucking comet.
Good. Here we go.
[tense music playing]
[shell casing clinking]
[shell casing clinking]
[phone chimes, buzzes]
- [neighing]
- [phone chiming]
[phone chimes, buzzes]
[shell casing clinking]
[birds chirping]
[phone buzzing]
[beeps twice]
[ Pink Floyd playing "Brain Damage"]
The lunatic is on the grass ♪
The lunatic is on the grass ♪
Remembering games ♪
And daisy chains and laughs ♪
Got to keep the loonies on the path ♪
Come on, you motherfuckers.
The lunatic is in the hall ♪
[explosion]
[indistinct shouting]
The lunatics are in my hall ♪
[indistinct shouting]
The paper holds their folded faces
to the floor ♪
[rapid gunfire continues]
And every day
the paper boy brings more ♪
[indistinct, distant shouting]
And if the dam breaks open ♪
Many years too soon ♪
And if there is no room upon the hill ♪
And if your head explodes
with dark forebodings, too ♪
I'll see you on the dark side
of the moon ♪
Ah, ah, ah ♪
The lunatic is in my head ♪
The lunatic is in my head ♪
You raise the blade…
Cease fire!
You rearrange me till I'm sane ♪

- [tense music playing]
- [overlapping shouts in Farsi]
[shouting continues]
[panting]
[chatter in Farsi]
[floorboards creaking]
[grunts]
[pulsing, dramatic music playing]
[men shouting in distance]
[chatter in Farsi]
[gunshot]
[shouting]
Push left! Attack him from the tree line!
[shouting in Farsi]
[shouting continues]
[gunfire continues]
[shouting continues]
[chatter in Farsi]
- [explosion]
- [men shouting]
[man exclaims]
[groans] Fuck!
[panting]
[men shouting]
[grunting]
[chatter in Farsi]
[grunting]
[panting]
Split up, Team One go left!
Team Two, take the high ground!
[groaning]
[gunfire continues]
[men shouting]
[grunts]
[gunfire continues]
[groans]
Push up! Go higher!
[panting]
[grunts]
[man shouting]
[gunfire continues]
[gunfire continues]
[groans]
Fuck you. [grunts]
I'm going to finish this.
[gasps]
- [gunfire continues]
- [grunts]
[gasps]
- [gunfire continues]
- [grunts]
[wheezing]
[dramatic music playing]
Execute. Execute. Execute.
[wheezing]
[grunts]
Lieutenant, left flank!
- [overlapping shouting]
- Moving!
[shouting]
Set!
[shouting]
[grunts]
Moving!
- Move!
- Moving!
Set!
- [groans]
- [excited chatter]
- Move!
- Moving!
- Moving!
- Move!
[man shouting in Farsi]
Set!
[groans]
- Move!
- Moving!
Check fire! Check fire!
[wheezing]
[echoing] Blue! Blue! Blue!
Hey.
- [Boozer] Set perimeter.
- Where you hit?
- Hey.
- I'm down hard.
- Hang in there.
- [wheezing]
Let's get you off this mountain, huh?
On me, we're moving. Two, three. [grunts]
[rapid, shallow breathing]
[Reece groans]
[rapid breathing]
Oh, no.
You're working on me?
I must be fucked.
You were fucked.
- Until we got here.
- Yeah.
Seems like you had
about half of Iran after you.
Yeah. I think I underestimated just
how much they fucking hate me, brother.
Well, you are the undisputed
heavyweight champ of pissing people off.
- [laughs] Aah. Don't make me laugh.
- I know.
- QuikClot coming in, brother.
- Okay.
- Sorry.
- Go.
[groans, pants]
Fuck.
- I know. I know.
- [exhales sharply]
All right.
Who came with you?
Boozer, Cortese, Shipwreck, Rooney and me.
- [groans]
- About half of Alpha.
If I fade out or… or die here,
the bearings.
I buried 'em… under that hay bale.
Take 'em to the Agency.
And get Tal's evidence.
That's gonna clear up Mo… [groans]
…Landry and even Raife.
- And you?
- [groans]
And me, brother.
[groans]
Then…
Then I'll work my way back to the teams.
- [tape rips]
- Right?
[Ben groans, pants]
Brother, just take a look out there.
[groaning]
Those boys came here today
willing to die for you.
That's whether you're in the teams or not.
Boozer, status!
- Boozy.
- How you doing, Chief?
Ah, never been better.
Yeah?
- What's our status?
- All Eagles Oscar.
- We got 24 E.K.I.A. that I can tell.
- [Ben grunts]
Whatever happened in that house,
- well played, Chief.
- You're welcome. [panting]
Boozer, can you dig underneath that
hay bale right there? We're looking for…
- Bearings.
- Bearings.
- Roger that.
- Story of my life.
You still have a couple
of chips left to play, huh?
- Always.
- Alpha!
We're moving! Get a couple of those X5s.
We're gonna take those to the rigs.
We need to find a good place
to bring Ben to get cleaned up.
Hey, L.T., you think Iran will notice
if a Beemer is missing?
Found one
without Chief's bullet holes in it.
[laughs] Yeah, I'm sure they'd be happy
if we help clean the scene.
- Yeah.
- [Boozer] Chief?
How many people died for these?
[somber music playing]
Too many.
[Boozer] You see this, L.T.?
Looks like fucking Life Savers.
All right.
We're moving out.
[groaning]
Fuck.
Listen, we're gonna get you back on line.
Brother, you're on your own from here.
Copy that.
[speaking Hebrew]
[gentle music playing]
[line ringing]
[Haverford] Why haven't I heard from you?
[Cyrus] I told you.
His trail went cold in Munich.
[Haverford] Keep looking.
Those bearings are still in play.
[Cyrus] I can't be part
of this anymore, Jed.
I spent two months
on fucking what happened in Germany.
We got what we wanted.
I'm in line for foreign minister.
[Haverford] It's not over, Cyrus.
[Cyrus] I'm sorry, but you're on your own.
[line clicks]
[tense music playing]
[distant siren wailing]
Here. You clearly were not
eating enough in the mountains.
- Way I heard it, he almost ate shit.
- Hmm.
Good thing Tal called in
your swim buddies.
Hmm. That was not me.
Mo? The fuck.
Plan was we had to stand down.
Chief never said anything about Reece.
Fuck that. I'm offended.
Could have let us have a little fun.
You want to get some reps in.
All day.
What do you think he's doing right now?
- Haverford?
- Yeah.
[Landry] Haverford's probably counting
all that sweet money from Tehran.
[Ben] Yeah, I don't think
he did it for the money.
[Tal] Agreed.
I've checked all his accounts.
Nothing suspicious.
[Mo] Doesn't matter why he did it.
Just that he and the others
don't get away with it.
[Ben] Yeah.
You think he has any idea
what's heading his way?
Mo, where you at with Cyrus?
On him ever since
we hacked Yousef's phone.
Good. Artem?
[clicks tongue]
See, the thing about snakes is,
they got shitty eyesight.
It's why they're always
sticking out their tongues.
Everything you need to finish this.
[ Shawn James & the Shapeshifters playing
"God's Gonna Cut You Down"]
[knuckles crack]
You can run on for a long time ♪
Run on for a long time…
Spend a little extra time
on my shoulders, all right, love?
And then, you work your way down
from there.
God'll cut you down ♪
Sooner or later ♪
- God'll cut you down
- [groans]
Strong hands. Good.
[guttural gasping]
Go tell that long tongue liar ♪
Huh.
Go and tell that midnight rider ♪
Tell the rambler, the gambler…
Yes! Go! Go, Mehdi! See the pass!
Shoot! Shoot!
Yes! Yes, Mehdi!
He got that from his father, Mehdi-naldo!
[phone buzzes]
I'll be right back…work.
My head's been wet
with the midnight dew ♪
I've been down on bended knee ♪
Talkin' to the man from Galilee ♪
He spoke to me with a voice so sweet ♪
I thought I heard the shuffle
of angel's feet ♪
He called my name,
and my heart stood still ♪
When he said, "Shawn, go do my will!" ♪
Go tell that long tongue liar ♪
Go tell that midnight rider ♪
Tell the rambler, the gambler,
the back biter ♪
Tell 'em that God's gonna
cut 'em down ♪
Go tell that long tongue liar ♪
Cyrus?!
Go tell that midnight rider ♪
Tell the rambler, the gambler…
Thank you, Peter.
Tell 'em
that God's gonna cut 'em down…
Here you go, my friend.
- Thank you, sir. Appreciate it.
- All right, good job.
Burn that scorecard.
- [grunts softly]
- Good to have you back, sir.
- Arnold Palmer?
- Yup.
- Good round?
- It was shit.
[tense music playing]
[tires squealing]
[horse neighs]
[gun cocks]
Well, I was wondering when you'd show up.
Oh.
I see you found my pistol.
[Haverford groans softly]
[cork pops]
It was impressive work
with, uh, Artem and Cyrus.
That was Mohammed and Landry, huh?
[chuckles]
I'm proud of you.
Oh, look, I'm sorry.
You want one?
This is… the good stuff.
[slides glass on table]
Why'd you do it?
[Haverford swallows]
What is it you think I did, Ben?
Where would you like me to start?
You tried to create a nuclear Iran.
Hey. You're the one
holding the bearings, buddy.
Even now,
you're thinking how to get these back.
You can't let it go, can you?
Vietnam.
Over 58,000 dead.
And all we have to show for it are scars
on an entire generation.
And I thought we had learned from it.
I thought we'd take those lessons
and apply them in Lebanon.
But my first year in Beirut?
[scoffs] Shit.
Embassy bombing,
kidnappings, assassinations.
I mean, it was the fucking Wild West.
But behind every single outlaw,
there was one benefactor.
Iran.
But then came the big one.
The Marine barracks bombing, October 1983.
One of the largest non-nuclear explosions
in history.
Took out the barracks and the HQ.
The Corps hadn't lost that many men
in a single day since Iwo Jima.
And yet, we still did nothing.
[sighs]
I mean, we talked a tough game,
and then we quietly pulled out.
We showed Iran and the rest of the world
that we were nothing
but a paper fucking tiger.
And we showed our enemies
that terrorism works.
But you take Mossad in Israel.
They understand the fucking power
of consequence.
I mean, what do you think Israel does
once Iran gets a nuclear bomb?
You didn't want to stop a war.
You wanted to start one.
- [scoffs]
- You wanted to start
a nuclear fucking war
to slap down a regime.
- For what? Payback?
- [chuckles]
How many innocent people does that kill?
How many innocent lives does it save, Ben?
You sure can sell it.
I'll give you that.
What is it you think we do
at the CIA, Ben?
Not we. You.
- Excuse me?
- What you do.
- One man doesn't get to start a war.
- [laughs]
Says the motherfucker who was willing
to unleash the wrath of ISIS
on the civilians of Mosul
by killing Al-Jabouri.
Don't come into my house and lecture me.
I've watched you.
There ain't a bridge you won't burn,
a rule you won't break
or a command you won't question
to get what you know is right.
You and I are the fucking same.
Except when it comes to vengeance,
which you're so fucking blinded by
right now
that you cannot even tell an ally
from the fucking enemy.
Now you finish what you started
with Artem and Cyrus.
Clean it all up!
Because that's what I would do.
In fact, I already tried.
The moment I realized
that you were a fucking problem,
I tried to take you out.
In Zürich.
But that kill team put the bomb
over the driver's seat
the one day
that you weren't behind the wheel.
That's the only reason
you're still sitting here
holding the fucking gun.
And Eliza's dead.
Sit the fuck down.
What did you tell us, when Ish died?
About his star on the wall?
You said it was "enough."
Believe me,
I would love to put you down
like I did Jabouri.
But you're not gonna be
a star on the wall.
You're a number now.
A number in an ADX supermax prison.
Tal got your messages with Iran.
She has proof that you coordinated
the Quds Force attack on me in Germany.
You don't even want to look at it, do you?
That self-proclaimed legacy
you thought you were building.
For what? Change?
Revenge?
It doesn't fucking matter anymore.
Whatever misguided principles
you used to justify
putting this fucking team down…
…that's what's gonna haunt you for
the rest of your days in a prison cell.
What the fuck are you on about, Edwards?
You're gonna send me to fucking prison?
The fucking wolf
is gonna be a sheepdog now?
If you had any fucking heart,
you would finish it right fucking here.
[sirens approaching]
[dramatic music playing]
[horse neighs]
[engine starts]
[sirens wailing]
[engine turns off]
Sir, identification and badge.
I'm here to see the director.
I have something he's been looking for.
Name.
Ben Edwards.
[country music playing]
- [engine turns off]
- [music stops]
The Dash man himself.
You finally pay off that piece of shit?
Nah, I had to refinance. Nice ship.
Yeah, she's a boat.
Does she float?
It's a boat.
Well, permission
to come aboard then, Captain?
CAG send you?
Or are you actually here
to catch up with an old friend?
That's what I want to talk to you about.
Thank you.
[sighs]
What happened there?
Mm.
Apparently, they prefer
if you come home every few years.
Mm. I know the feeling.
- Sorry to hear, man.
- Eh.
Surprised it didn't happen earlier.
She wanted me to take the desk job.
But instead,
I took a job with Ground Branch.
Contracting with the Agency now?
- Yep. Green Badger.
- Hmm.
Guy I work for is solid, though.
Vic Rodriguez? Former 7th Group?
He an officer?
One of the good ones, though.
- They all are, right?
- [both chuckle]
- Well, congratulations, man.
- Thank you.
Dasher…
…why are you here?
I want to bring you in.
Done with the CIA.
I know.
[sighs] I heard.
So… you know my answer, don't you?
What are you gonna do?
Walk the Earth doing good deeds?
I mean, technically,
I'd be sailing the Earth, but…
I don't know. Maybe.
Well, I told 'em you'd say no.
Fuck it. Want to go get some food?
Grab a drink? Maybe ten?
Agency's dime, man.
Let's rack up the tab.
GB is different, man, I'm telling you.
It's an opportunity, truly.
I'm happy here, man.
Okay, Benny. [sighs]
[grunts]
Well… [sighs]
if you change your mind…
Guys like us
aren't meant to walk the Earth, Ben.
We're here to burn it down.
Make room for something better.
Miguel's.
- What?
- Miguel's.
6:30. Tacos, margs on you.
We catch up. Nothing else.
Yeah. Fair enough.
[footsteps receding]
[contemplative music playing]
[bottle cap clinks]
[polygraph examiner] Did you come here
of your own volition?
Yes.
Were you ever disciplined
for your actions downrange?
Yes.
Have you ever committed murder?
No.
[tense music playing]
Did you kill Hamid Al-Jabouri in Iraq?
- [gunshot]
- [women screaming]
Yes.
He was a cancer…
…that needed to be removed.
Were you and your team responsible for
the death of German intelligence officers?
[Ben] Yes.
[Raife] The fight.
It's no longer in front of you.
It's raging inside of you.
[polygraph examiner] Did you
and your team willingly deliver
nuclear technology to Iranian officials?
[Yousef] American?
Selling out your country?
No.
[Yousef] Your price
should've been much higher.
[rapid gunfire]
[Haverford] You and I are the same.
[polygraph examiner] Was it a joint
operation with Mossad?
[Amy] You know what?
I can't do this anymore.
Yes.
[Eliza] In this life…
…this is the only work we know.
The only place on Earth we belong.
[polygraph examiner] Are you
comfortable operating
with limited oversight and supervision?
It's preferred.
Why are you interviewing
for Ground Branch?
Because I belong here.
[dramatic music playing]
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