Countdown (2025) s01e08 Episode Script

1
[Anton, in Belarusian]
I'm sorry I got you into this, brother.
I've always been the chain
around this family's neck.
[gunshot]
I've done everything for this country!
Leave Belarus, now.
I'm scared.
Everything will be okay.
I'll meet you on the plane.
[Oliveras, in English]
Are you saying that it's terminal?
Yeah.
[Shepherd] One company, VKN Ltd.,
bought radiation niptongs
as their sole purchase.
It's a lot of bank accounts,
and so far we're coming up empty.
[in Belarusian] You embezzled
over 100 million Belarusian rubles.
Take us to the money.
[grunting]
- [beeping]
- [in English] Fuck.
[sucks teeth]
[in Belarusian]
A scientist conducts an experiment.
He puts a nail on a chair
and instructs three men to sit…
one Russian, one Ukrainian,
and one Belarusian.
First, the Russian.
The Russian sits on the nail.
Immediately, the Russian curses,
…punches the scientist in the face,
…and smashes the chair to bits!
Next, the Ukrainian.
[chuckles, sucks teeth]
The Ukrainian sits on the chair,
…jumps up,
…pulls the nail out of the wood and says,
"This will come in handy."
"I can use this on the farm."
- [chuckles]
- [chuckles]
Finally…
…the Belarusian.
The Belarusian sits directly on the nail…
Gets comfortable.
He keeps his ass on the chair.
Then he looks at the scientist…
…and smiles,
"This is wonderful!"
"May I sit here all day?"
[chuckling]
- [chuckles]
- How many?
Eight.
This is his fourth night here…
…and he always pays cash.
Help him get up.
Who's there?
My name is Lubomir Piskun.
And I know who you are.
You're a sad man with a lot of money.
And if I noticed it…
…there are plenty of thieves around here
who have noticed it too.
I could help you protect
and grow your wealth. Or…
…if it gets you in trouble someday,
you call me.
["One More Reason" playing]
[music continues playing on radio]
- [phone ringing]
- [music stops]
[in English] It's Meachum.
- Yo, Meachum.
- What's up, Cione?
Hey, did you put out a BOLO
on any crime connected to Belarus?
Yeah, I did. Why?
We got three bodies in the basement
of a house in Sherman Oaks.
Some kind of robbery explosion.
- One guy's wallet was still in his pants.
- Uh-huh.
It had a Belarusian Consulate
security badge inside it.
[cutlery clattering]
[Mark] What's the address?
10259 Meadowcrest.
[music continues playing on radio]
[music ends]
- Barna.
- Meachum.
Explosion was in the basement.
- Homeowner here?
- Negative.
Mortgage in the name of Joseph Horvat.
It was an accident or homicide?
See for yourself.
Ah, thanks.
- Inside of the safe's untouched.
- Yep.
So the door was opened
after the explosion?
Yeah. Figure Joseph Horvat,
or whoever lives here,
got all their valuables out
and fled the scene.
[Mark] Hmm.
Or…
he came inside to protect himself
from the explosion…
and opened the door afterwards.
Huh.
That's the body with the ID?
[Barna] Mm-hmm.
Something else survived.
This photo was in his pocket.
[suspenseful music playing]
- [music ends]
- Right. Homeowner's name is Joseph Horvat.
Which is basically John Smith in Croatian,
but I think once we do the, um… the… the…
- The forensics?
- Thank you. Jesus.
Um, we'll find that it was paid for
by VKN Ltd., or some variation.
Now, we already know that this guy
was in ordnance.
He blew up a plane to fake his own death.
He changes his identity
like people trying on a new jacket.
The safe door was rigged open
from the inside,
which means he could've very easily
planted the IEDs himself.
Blast origins were here and here.
So this is, uh…
this is what I think happened.
I think the… I think
the Belarusian heavies showed up
to throw their weight around,
rough him up, kidnap him.
Hell, I don't know.
Then I think Volchek
lures them down to the basement,
distracts them, climbs into the safe,
shuts the door,
throws an ignition switch, and boom.
Problem solved.
I like it.
Consulate Security's known
about this guy for 15 years.
I mean, he embezzled what?
A hundred million in rubles?
Think they might want him
just as bad as we do.
Yeah. I'll go visit
Consul General Astapov again.
Good news is I don't think any of this
is state sponsored.
I mean, if he's killing
his own countrymen, then…
Bad news is we're dealing
with a lone wolf.
Well… [sighs] …I'd hate
to have the world on high-alert
if his government were behind it,
but at least we could vie for diplomacy.
Our only option with a lone wolf
is to catch him.
- Correct.
- [Finau] Then we catch him.
The fuck happened to a guy
where he wants to eradicate a whole city?
[Piskun, in Belarusian]
The problem you have, Mr. Vuso,
…is the cash in your bank account
is so large,
it will continue to attract attention.
I suspect that the fact that
you have no records before 2019…
…is why your name
might not be Barry Vuso at all.
I only say this to assure you
I am your friend, Mr. Vuso.
The shores of America
are the great erasers of history.
Who you were before?
Forgotten.
The trouble you fled? Hmm?
No matter.
You are a new man here.
The American Dream can be yours.
It's true.
Though…
…you cannot achieve it sleepwalking.
I just want to start over.
Good.
First, we find
a legitimate business to buy…
so that when you spend cash…
…the government remains…
…unconcerned.
[in English] I'm digging deep
on Rolf Morozov.
Previous employment, military service,
family, finances, the works.
[Bell] Great.
Let me know where I can help.
I'm on evidence gathered
from the upper floors of the house.
So, uh, furniture, clothes, drawers,
kitchen appliances, receipts.
Yeah. I'm on the sale of the house,
mortgage records, property taxes.
Also, restaurants in the area,
grocery stores.
Anyone with a camera
that can show us Volchek's daily habits.
- Okay, great. Let's compare notes.
- [Shepherd] Yeah.
I'm still waiting on the other bodies
in the basement to be identified,
but I'll bio them as soon as I get an ID.
- Okay.
- All right.
Desk wasn't working for you?
I figure I'm closer to the fridge
this way.
Don't touch my Roscoe's in there,
by the way.
Too late. [chuckles]
It's really good.
[clicks tongue] Uh, is this
from the basement explosion?
Yeah, I'm just not much for staring at
computer monitors, you know?
I like to get hard copies of everything.
I just figure that there's gotta be
something in this rubble
or something in the safe
that he didn't mean to leave.
Well, I'm gonna keep working
that Consulate angle,
but let me know
when you need a fresh set of eyes.
[Mark] Yeah.
Hey. Um…
thank you for not telling everybody
about, uh…
You know.
I'm not gonna HIPAA you, Meachum.
[clicks tongue]
That said, I do think
you should say something to Blythe.
Look, do what you want.
I'm not gonna force you.
But all of these people
have proved their mettle again, and again.
They're just as tough as you.
They deserve to know that they have
a ticking time bomb standing next to them
when their lives are on the line.
Fine.
Today?
Today.
I mean, look, I don't wanna get benched,
but if that's what Blythe decides to do,
then so be it.
Yeah.
Good.
I'll just find a way to work the case
from the outside.
Hey, Heather.
Hey. Where's Blythe?
I need a couple of minutes.
You just missed him.
He's heading to the Consulate.
Okay.
[Nathan] I have a theory
about what happened last night.
I'm sorry. You'll have to forgive me. I…
Your men were killed inside a house
owned by Volchek.
And I don't know if it was a disagreement,
or plans gone wrong,
or what exactly your relationship is
with the suspect.
All I know is that
we have the same problem now.
- [strikes match]
- Volchek.
[breathes deeply]
I too have a theory, Agent Blythe.
I have a theory that the FBI
broke into this consulate's computers
and already found our files on Volchek.
In fact, the only reason your illegal
theft isn't a major international incident
is because I did not want
to embarrass our host country.
Or is it because you don't wanna be
embarrassed yourself,
Consul General Astapov?
Is it because you're more concerned
with your position
than you are about the fact that
you got a homegrown terrorist out there
about to commit an unspeakable act
on your host country?
Not everything's in computer files.
Your men found Volchek, and they
were either too arrogant or too stupid
and decided to confront him alone.
They're in a thousand pieces now
because of their arrogance.
I won't…
- I won't have you come in here…
- Now is not the time
to withhold information.
I need everything you got.
Get out of my office.
Get out of my office.
Fine.
I'll go around you.
I'll have Washington
reach out to your ambassador
and tell him exactly what's going on here.
[Astapov] Out.
- This is on you.
- [sighs]
I have the SVTC set up with
Deputy Director Fischer and EAD Kelly.
What do you have, Nathan?
Gentlemen.
Thank you for taking the time.
We have a violent extremist in possession
of three forty-ton tractor-trailers
with enough fissile material to inflict
maximum damage on any city in America.
We know his name from his home country
Belarus was Borys Vusovich,
but he's used multiple identities
since 2019,
including Joseph Horvat and
the surname Volchek, first name unknown.
He has ordnance experience
with the Belarusian SSO.
- Perfect.
- You can see in the 302s,
we believe he killed three security detail
from his own consulate
using IEDs in his residence.
The Consul General Astapov
has been unhelpful.
Would appreciate any pressure you could
bring to bear on him from Washington.
[Fischer] Absolutely.
We're tied in tightly with State.
The White House is on this.
- The ambassador will get summoned.
- Appreciate it.
The whole Interagency is spun up on this,
and we're briefing
in the Situation Room twice daily.
We'll continue running interference
to keep them out of your hair.
Concentrate on finding this guy,
- but, uh, keep us in the loop.
- Great.
We've deployed HRT and HMRU
out of Quantico.
Have them pre-staged in Los Alamitos
if you need them.
You got a green light
on any asset you need.
Whatever it takes.
[Nathan] Thank you.
I'll keep you informed.
Mr. Vuso.
Oh, you don't have to… I don't even know
why we're doing that anymore.
LA health examiner is like,
"This is my personal fiefdom." [chuckles]
She was the first to lock down,
last to open too.
This ain't 2020. [chuckles]
Yes. Well, it's nice to be outside.
And happy people are doing business again.
My sentiments exactly, Mr. Vuso.
I'm-I'm glad to hear you say that.
- My interest is for all ten parking lots.
- And that is a very wise decision.
This is a family business, these lots.
I'd hate to carve them up between buyers.
I'd like to resolve the price.
I like you, Mr. Vuso.
I can meet your thirty million,
since you're taking all ten lots.
- Then we have a deal.
- [chuckles] We have a deal.
Oh. See here.
Those are Hollywood trucks.
They're renting the lot
for the next eight days.
Printing money.
That's what you just bought yourself.
Money printer.
Shall we take it inside and let the
lawyers earn their percentages? [chuckles]
[dramatic music playing]
[music ends]
[phone ringing]
[sighs]
I can't talk right now.
Hey. I said I can't talk.
I-I-I don't know.
Okay, I'll call you back.
[sighs]
Hey, boss. Can I get a minute?
Sure. What do you need?
[Mark] Um…
Been trying to grab you
for a second. I, uh…
[Bell] Boss.
There's an American Postal Service truck
parked outside the Federal building
on Wilshire.
It's got tinted windows
and no license plates.
- [Nathan] That a Gallagher truck?
- [Finau] Yeah, I think so.
- I'm going over there.
- I'm coming with you.
The rest of you stay here.
That is an order.
If that truck blows,
I want you to catch this son of a bitch.
- Boardroom?
- [Bell] Yeah.
[sirens wailing]
Out of the truck! Right now!
- Now! Open the door!
- Don't shoot! Don't shoot!
- Out! Now!
- Don't shoot.
On the ground.
On your stomach.
Hands behind your back now.
- Where's Volchek?
- Who?
Where'd you get that truck?
[driver] I was hired by a service.
I was told to pick it up in Downey
and drive it here, park it right there,
and someone was gonna come get it.
[Mark] Where in Downey?
[driver] It was on the street.
They said keys would be inside,
and that… that's where they were.
Hey.
How was I supposed to know
you can't park there?
Get him to the interrogation tent.
[dog barks]
- Jerry.
- Boss.
I'm gonna need everyone back to Pasadena.
- [Nathan] You know this could be…
- I know.
[Nathan] All right. Everybody clear out.
I need every car and every tent
to the next block.
I need every building you can see
from here evacuated.
You heard him. Everyone back.
That means you too, buddy.
Yeah, I heard you. I know.
Hey. Listen. Bomb techs gonna have their
hands full getting that back door open,
- but if Volchek's in there…
- Now.
- Don't fucking touch me.
- Hey! Enough!
Fall back, Meachum.
[breathing heavily]
[Jerry] Approaching the truck now.
[breathing heavily]
Checking underneath.
Clear.
[Nathan] Approaching mobile command unit.
[officer] Getting picture
up to you now, sir.
[Nathan] Okay. We got picture.
You're up on one, Jerry.
[Jerry] I'm gonna drill.
[Nathan] Proceed.
[Jerry] Affirmative.
Drilling now.
Inserting camera.
[suspenseful music playing]
- We've got a picture?
- [Nathan] Affirmative.
Cargo area appears empty.
No sign of energetic material.
[Nathan] We're seeing the same.
All right, move to enter.
[Jerry] Proceeding.
Approaching.
[Mark] Be careful.
[Jerry] Clear. All clear.
[Nathan] Nothing?
Two cameras.
Corners alpha and delta.
We got another one up here.
There's one in the cab too.
What, are they streaming?
Bastard's watching our response.
[ominous music playing]
Good work today, Jerry.
Any day I leave in one piece
is a good day.
Hey, bomb tech tells you to move back
a block, you do it, no arguments.
You hear me?
- Yeah, I just…
- You're no good to anybody dead.
- What I was trying to do…
- This isn't a two-way conversation,
Meachum.
I say, "Get back."
You say, "Yes, sir" from a block away.
That's it. End of discussion.
Yes, sir.
Good morning, Mr. Vuso.
Um, there's a man waiting in your office.
He say who he was?
Um, something about from the city.
Do you want me to…
Hello?
Mr-Mr. Vuso?
- John Ross.
- You're from the city?
Fleet management, correct.
What is this concerning?
We are going to need to requisition
a few of your lots under the 3021 act…
which designates
the right of the city of LA
to park municipal vehicles
on private lots.
No one told me this.
I'm telling you now.
The previous owner said nothing.
I can't speak for the previous owner,
but you've been notified personally,
which is the point of my visit.
I can't make a profit
if the city's using my lots for…
[John] I'm sure you'll find a way.
Thank you for your time.
[Volchek] This is outrageous!
[Shepherd sighs]
[line ringing]
Hey, Mom.
Evan, oh, it's good to hear your voice.
Yeah. I've gotten, like,
400 messages from Molly.
Ah. What'd she say?
I don't know. I haven't listened to them.
She's moving your way.
[Shepherd] What?
Fresh start. That's what she said.
No, no. She… She can't come here.
[sighs] You think I can tell your sister
what to do?
Well, Mom, it's not the time.
Well, it wasn't the time
when she moved in here either.
Your father said, "No chance in hell,
it's gonna be the same mess
it always was."
- [clicks tongue] And he was right.
- Mom…
Mom, I am on a federal task force.
We are hunting a terrorist.
She can't just…
I don't know what to tell you.
Molly's gonna Molly.
It really doesn't matter what I say.
Yeah. Okay.
It's one of the Gallagher trucks.
Confirmed. The VIN numbers match.
[Finau] So that was the reskinning,
a postal truck.
And there are, what? Maybe 10,000
in Southern California on any given day.
Yeah. Not to mention, doesn't mean
he's using the exact same skins
on the other two. They could be anything.
- Looks authentic.
- [Bell] Yeah, it does.
Hey. You okay?
Uh, yeah.
I'm gonna get back to crunching
on the Sherman Oaks house.
Okay.
[sighs]
[John] Mr. Vuso.
I was surprised to get your call.
Yes, well. In Europe, we sometimes
give a donation to government officials
who are willing to reconsider policy.
I thought it was different here,
but I was sorely mistaken.
I don't understand.
Please accept this on my behalf.
In exchange, you will find another
private lot owner to push around.
You heard him.
- [officer] Barry Vuso…
- [siren blares]
…you're under arrest
for bribing a city official.
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used
against you in the court of law.
You have the right to an attorney.
If you cannot afford an attorney,
one will be provided for you.
Cuff him.
Confirmed.
Face forward.
Got it.
I'm telling you, the place reeks.
We're outgunned.
What am I supposed to do?
Knock on the door and say howdy?
All right. I'll ask my sergeant
if he can assign more bodies.
No, no. Don't ask him, tell him.
That's what I do.
Officer? I was wondering
when I can speak to my attorney.
[grunts]
You'll see your attorney
when you fucking see your attorney.
Now, stay back.
Oh, you got a lawyer?
Course he has a lawyer. Look at him.
[detainee] He's rich, right?
- You rich, man?
- Oh, he's rich. I can smell rich.
- Back up.
- [detainee chuckles] You don't mean that.
You wouldn't talk to a friend that way.
Yeah, he ain't your friend?
[grunting]
[chuckles] Whoo!
- Get him!
- [grunts]
[detainees clamoring]
[grunting]
All right, that's it. Come on.
Hey! That's enough. Back up!
- Come on. Enough.
- [gasping]
- [coughing]
- Stay back. That's enough.
Get back, motherfuckers.
Get him up.
[groaning]
[breathing heavily]
[sighs]
I tried to trace the camera streaming
signals from the reskinned truck
to see who has access to the feed.
It's all encrypted and masked.
It was worth a shot.
Yeah. [sighs]
Okay. I'm back to poring over
bank statements,
trying to find another VKN Ltd. purchase.
I can help you with that.
Yeah, these ones?
[typing]
So, get this.
My sister Molly's coming to town.
Sister?
Older or younger?
Uh, she's a year older.
But an absolute disaster.
Oh. So, just like you.
[chuckles]
- No, she's nothing like me.
- Mm-hmm.
[inhales sharply] She went Fyre Fest
if that tells you anything.
- She went to Fyre Festival?
- Mmm.
- Okay, that tells me a lot.
- Yeah.
She's always looking for the next party.
Instagram influencer, whatever bullshit.
Yeah, like I said, a disaster.
No, she sounds like fun.
She's not. And now, she's…
Hold on.
Whoa, yeah, okay.
Six months ago, VKN purchased land
just north of Santa Barbara in Goleta.
- What's the address?
- It's 3529 Palo Rio.
- Uh, transfer to the conference room.
- Yeah.
Ninety-five acres in Goleta,
22 miles north and east of Santa Barbara.
This farm sold in January for 19 million.
There's a structure right here.
Estimated size, 19,000 square feet.
Big enough to hold
both our missing tractor-trailers.
That's right.
All right, Meachum, Oliveras, Bell, Finau,
get up there and check it out.
Shepherd, there should be a report coming
in on the American Postal Service skin.
Nice work, Bell.
[engines revving]
Where are all the farmers?
Or pickers?
Anyone.
[ominous music playing]
This is enough fertilizer
for 20 Oklahoma Cities.
And no trucks.
[device buzzing]
Okay.
They were just here.
Fifty pounds of fertilizer in each bag,
which means there's over 45,000 pounds
of ammonium nitrate in each vehicle.
The tracks match Gallagher truck
factory release tire treads.
They were here.
[Nathan] And with evidence
of the fissile material,
we have to assume that
each truck is loaded and on the move.
The federal building
was a fucking test run.
[Bell] Local sheriffs put roadblocks
on Cathedral Oaks Road
and the two entrances
to the 101 out of Goleta.
Lot of stops, no bombs.
[Nathan] All right, I want you all
to get as much sleep as you can.
In the next six hours after that,
we go 48 on
until we either have this guy in our hands
or in the ground.
[smacks lips] I have a good sense
of these things.
We're in the final push.
I'll drive.
Hey, what about you?
You gotta get some rest too.
I'm right behind you.
[gasps] Oh, my God. Thank God.
I've been sitting here for, like, an hour.
[Shepherd sighs] Molly.
- I tried to send you, like, 500 texts.
- Yeah, I know. I've been busy.
Okay, well, get showered and get dressed
because we are going to SoHo
and then we are going to the Academy.
- No, we're not.
- [chuckles]
Come on, Evan. I just got here.
- And I think…
- Molly.
- Molly, you are not listening to me, okay?
- I think… That…
I am on a federal task force.
Just for once in your life could you think
about anybody other than yourself?
And, please, go back to wherever it is
that you came from
because you are not safe here.
Oh, my God.
Evan… [stammers]
…there's no audience here.
You can save the bullshit for those
who don't know how you used to be.
How I used to be?
Yeah. I held your hair while you crashed,
if you'll remember.
- [inhales sharply]
- Okay.
[clears throat] Anyway, okay.
Forget it. Here.
You used to be fun.
Oh, and leave the door open for me
so I don't have to break a window later.
[scoffs]
[sighs]
I can get it.
I got it.
Okay.
We've got, like, five hours.
You wanna just crash here?
- Crash?
- Yeah.
Yeah. What, are you gonna drive
all the way back to Eagle Rock?
Don't worry, I'll take the couch.
You'll be fine.
[inhales sharply, clicks tongue]
Nah. I have a whole routine I do.
Sound machine, eye mask.
I can make ocean noises.
I use white noise.
Well, I can make white noise.
You are white noise.
And I'm not Melinda Bates.
- Or her sister Rachel.
- Right.
You know. So, that… that…
that wouldn't work.
- That hurts.
- [chuckles]
[Oliveras] Night, Meachum.
And don't think it was lost on me
that you haven't told Blythe.
Yeah. Uh, I will. First thing.
[knocks on window]
[in Belarusian]
We could've met at my office.
I'd prefer this to be just between us.
[in English] English okay?
[stammers] I think better in English.
So, me first.
Um, I'm just gonna get right to it.
The city wants to make
an example out of you.
You're looking at five counts of bribery,
furtherance of a conspiracy,
abuse of process, undue influence,
interference with a government official.
It's 30 years if you get the maximum.
Now, look.
- It can be done in a state prison…
- The nail in the chair.
What?
They want me to keep sitting
and ask for another just like it.
[chuckles] I don't understand. What?
[Volchek] I was living my life.
I absorbed the nail.
Then they took my brother.
They took my wife.
I came to this country
to see with my own eyes
what kind of system
could create men who do these… things.
I thought maybe I was wrong.
But it's not the crops.
It's the very soil.
I… [stammers] …I don't understand
what you're…
[Volchek] Let me see your keys.
- My keys?
- To your car.
I want to make a point.
- [keys jingling]
- Okay.
That sometimes, the man gets up off
the nail and smashes the chair to bits.
[doors lock]
Open the car! Wait!
[dramatic music playing]
[phone ringing]
[Astapov] How may I be of service to you,
Agent Blythe?
[Nathan] I need your help.
My superiors in Minsk and Washington
have suggested I comply.
[clicks tongue] I'm sorry
it had to be that way.
[Astapov] I'm a politician, Agent Blythe.
Sometimes it rains on Sunday,
sometimes the sun shines.
The next week, the opposite.
The trick is to make it
to the next Sunday. Mmm?
Volchek intends to set off a dirty bomb.
If he's successful,
there won't be Sundays for any of us.
Yes.
We've both suffered losses
because of this man.
I need everything you have on him.
[Astapov sighs]
Yes, I believe now you can contain Volchek
better than I could.
["Colossus" playing]
Meet me at the alley
where Third Street crosses Hill.
I'll give you everything.
- When?
- Thirty minutes.
[music continues]
[Nathan grunts]
[grunting]
[breathes heavily]
[music continues]
[music stops]
- [screams]
- [Oliveras] This was in Astapov's car.
Think he was gonna pass it to Blythe.
You took it from the scene?
I don't think we're worried about
chain of evidence at this point.
[Shepherd] Best I can tell, they were
tracking Volchek through a Russian.
- LAPD!
- [Oliveras] Federal officers!
We got a runner.
[music resumes]
[music ends]