FBI: International (2021) s01e09 Episode Script

1 You know, after that UC gig in Naples, I was ready to walk away from the bureau.
I filled out my paperwork and everything.
Before I handed it in, my ASAC said, "Don't quit.
Just talk to this guy, Wallace, who's been heading the Fly Team in Budapest.
And he's coming back stateside".
I go meet Wallace at his place in Obuda and, you know, this guy is just, he's talking my ear off.
But I keep looking over at the kitchen, and there's Tank, locked up in a crate, looking at me like, "Get me the hell out of here, man".
[BOTH LAUGH.]
Was he planning on taking Tank with him back to the States? No, he was gonna retire him the next day, send him to some shelter.
He told me seven years is too old for a cadaver dog, so I took the gig and the dog.
And me and Tank both started over.
[DOOR CLICKS OPEN.]
[APPREHENSIVE MUSIC.]
So the lump you felt in his throat is the reason his appetite has weakened.
Its size is causing stress on the airway.
And the lymph node aspirate showed blood, which indicates the lump is not benign.
Kellett.
Okay.
So what are we talking about here? I cannot say for sure without the complete biopsy.
I would like to perform a full blood panel and a CAT scan to see if there are more masses.
Okay, uh.
Can I see him real quick? Yes, of course.
Yeah.
Hey.
Hey.
You're gonna be okay, buddy.
It would be better to start the blood panels sooner rather than later.
Yeah.
No, Tank.
- Stay.
- [TANK WHINES.]
You have my contact and Jamie's if anything comes up.
Yeah.
You beat me here.
Forrester had me pulling financials in the import/export business out of Marseille.
Ah.
A new case? An old one.
Mop up duty.
- [SIGHS.]
- What? I just feel like Forrester and Kellett steer me towards the numbers and the spreadsheets.
I know I have more to offer.
Then tell them that.
Look, don't be so respectful that you don't ask for what you want.
And deserve.
- [GENTLE ORCHESTRA MUSIC.]
- Let me.
You've played this piece a thousand times.
You'll be okay.
I was practicing last night and and dropped tempo halfway through.
- What if - Hey.
Just have fun out there.
Treat it like it's any rehearsal.
Should take that opening C more adagio or more abrupt? - [PHONE RINGING.]
- 'Cause I tried both yesterday I'm sorry, Jason.
Oh, I gotta take this.
This is my son calling from back home.
Just wanna make sure it's not an emergency.
You got this.
Everything will be okay.
Hey, sweetie.
[ORCHESTRA MUSIC CONTINUES.]
Ask Dad.
And tell him I said it's okay.
[SINISTER MUSIC.]
[ELECTRONIC PAD BEEPS.]
I love you too, sweetie.
Okay.
Be home soon.
[RATTLING.]
[MUSIC INTENSIFIES.]
- [SHOUTS IN ALBANIAN.]
- [GUNFIRE.]
[SCREAMING.]
Nobody move! Get on the floor! Hands behind your head! Now! Everybody down! - Down! - Down on the ground! Down on the ground now! Sit down! Sit down! Don't move! Hands behind your heads! - [GRUNTS.]
- Sit down! Now! - Don't move! - Sit down! Be quiet! Quiet, quiet, quiet! Thank you.
30 minutes ago, 200 audience members and staff were taken hostage at the Philharmonic in Bulgaria.
15 of them are American high school students.
The concert was meant to be a cross-cultural collaboration between high school students from all over the world.
Children of foreign dignitaries, prominent businessmen.
That the attackers' motive? To get to the parents? So far, nothing on who the assailants are and what they want, other than to talk to the FBI.
They want to speak to us specifically? I mean, that's a bit unusual.
I'll take unusual if it means we get these kids out safe.
Any tactical response from the Bulgarians so far? National Police have the building surrounded, but they've been instructed to stand down.
The attackers have rigged the outer hallways with explosives.
If the police attempt to raid, the whole place goes up in smoke.
All right.
Let's go.
Tell the pilot I wanna be there in less than an hour.
[SIRENS WAILING.]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Scott, just so you know, I'm ready for whatever you need.
- Jaeger.
- Oh, here they are.
Good to see you, Aleks.
I wish it was under better circumstances.
Me too.
Any updates? We tried to begin an open dialogue, but the attackers are insistent they'll only speak to American FBI.
Any thoughts on why? I was hoping you could answer that.
- I can't.
- There are hostages from a dozen EU countries in there.
Whatever you need, Scott, Europol stands by, ready to assist.
All right, we have to figure out who's calling the shots inside that building.
It doesn't matter if nobody's claimed responsibility.
This is a terrorist event.
So the sooner we figure out what group it is, the sooner we can bring them to the table to negotiate.
Given the vicinity, my money is on the Albanian National Army.
Wasn't aware Bulgaria saw much terrorist activity.
It doesn't, but it's a pass-through country.
Albanian National Army, or the ANA, is a designated terrorist group that operates across the whole region.
Let me guess, you have a contact.
"Contact" is a generous word for what this guy is, but if it is the ANA in there, he will know.
All right.
Vo, you're with Kellett.
Hey, Aleks, do you have visuals inside? They disabled all the cameras.
Took them completely offline.
We tried a remote reset but got nothing.
All right, and how have you been receiving messages? American teacher was locked outside the buildings as it was taken over.
When we arrived on site, we used her phone to call one of the students.
One of the attackers answered.
And we're sure the teacher is not involved? My personal opinion is, she isn't.
She seemed traumatized.
And she's the one who called in the emergency.
Check her out.
- Helen McCree.
- [SHAKILY.]
Uh-huh.
Andre Raines, FBI.
- You're in Bulgaria? - Yes, ma'am.
And I want you to know that we're doing everything we can to make sure your students make it out of there safe.
Oh, thank God.
Thank God, I Okay, what happened when you stepped outside? [EXHALES.]
Okay.
There was a man.
I think he was one of them, but I he seemed normal, polite.
I mean, he he even held the door open for me as I was exiting.
I I talked to my son.
And I tried to go inside the building, but the doors were locked.
And then I heard gunshots from inside.
[STAMMERING.]
And then, I just stopped right there and I called the police.
It'll be okay.
You don't know that for sure, though, do you? We're doing everything that we can.
You just say that without even thinking, right? I said the exact same thing to my student, Jason.
He was nervous, worried about flubbing the performance.
Just breathe.
Breathe.
Breathe.
[LINE TRILLING.]
- Da.
- Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh! This is Special Agent Scott Forrester.
Forrester.
So American.
And what's your name? Call me whatever you like.
Why the FBI? Because the Bulgarian police respond to conflict with bullets and bloodshed.
And Americans are more apt to recognize this for what it is.
And what's that? An opportunity to make a deal.
There are talented young American musicians here.
You want them safe, I assume.
Is anyone injured or dead? [UNSETTLING MUSIC.]
Do I need to repeat the question? I heard the question.
Turn on the cameras I need to make sure everybody in that building still got a pulse.
I would be happy to release them.
My demands are simple.
10 million American dollars in crypto deposited to this numbered wallet.
[PHONE CHIMES.]
10 million.
That's a big number.
What do you plan on doing with it? It should not matter what the sum is for, only that depositing it will save lives.
Give me time.
I need to run this up the chain of FBI in Europol.
- They will pay? - I will make sure of it.
[SIGHS.]
What we are doing here, you and me, it is simple.
This is about trust.
I put my trust in you, Agent Forrester.
I hope this trust is not misplaced.
But to be sure, I want you to know I'm a serious man.
- Don't.
Don't do it.
- [GUNSHOT.]
[SCREAMING.]
You have one hour.
[PHONE RINGING.]
There's nothing you could have done, Scott.
It's scare tactics.
He would have been killed, no matter what.
I need you to work on getting the EU to pay $500,000 worth of crypto transferred to his account.
You're bending to his demands? Shows we're working on getting the rest of the money, and buys us more time.
Okay.
That was my superior, Commissar Iliev.
He's returned from his holiday and will be here soon.
Okay? Shots were fired.
A man is dead.
Commissar will want to handle things very differently.
With more bullets and bloodshed, huh? Whatever you think you can get done before he gets here, do it.
What's the plan? [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC.]
We need to work on getting out whoever we can out of that building.
- [LINE TRILLING.]
- [SPEAKING BULGARIAN.]
Should I check my account? You made your point shooting that hostage, but you didn't do yourself any favors.
I will kill more hostages if you force my hand.
- [SCREAMING.]
- All right.
All right.
It's like you said, this is a game of trust.
All we have is each other's word.
I say I'll get you the money, you say you won't harm anybody.
But you broke that agreement.
So to repair that trust, I need you to let me inside so I can make sure everybody is accounted for.
Go ahead.
Come inside.
I have bombs ready, if you step one toe closer.
I promise you, I will not take any risks to harm you or any hostages.
The sooner you cooperate, the sooner you get your money.
You asked if anyone is injured.
There is one man.
He tried to fight in the beginning.
And what's his condition? Damaged.
And there're two more.
A pregnant woman and a man with a heart condition.
If you send the medics, I will grant their freedom.
Send me in with the paramedics.
I'll cover them and recon the place.
And I'm sending one more man to make sure those paramedics get out safe.
In and out in under two minutes, or your men become target practice.
Okay.
We'll be at the main entrance.
Four paramedics, their equipment, and one of my men.
Let's go.
Anything I need to know about this guy? Gjorg isn't a friend or a rat who's in it to make a quick buck.
He thinks in quid pro quos, and right now, I don't have much to offer.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[POUNDING ELECTRONIC MUSIC PLAYING.]
What is this place? A klek.
Former Cold War-era bunker.
When the iron curtain fell, most of them turned into cellars or went decrepit.
A few years ago, people started converting them into novelty spaces.
So he's the enterprising type.
Well, he lets others come up with the good ideas, and he either buys them out or breaks their legs.
Open the door like a friend, or get treated like a suspect, Gjorg.
[LAUGHTER.]
In times of need, a pig is called uncle.
You're the pig, I take it.
Ulu, mik.
That a business scheme you hired your foot soldiers to do? ANA gets to make a statement, and you get a chunk of that 10 million? Regrettably, no.
Although it would have been an interesting proposal.
Are you saying those guys in there aren't Albanian National Army? You think asking again will make me change my mind? You owe me from two years ago.
How old are they now? Must be about five and nine.
The little one's a girl, right? Samira.
Such a sweetheart.
Sorry.
I don't know anything.
Mos me ngrit nervat.
[LAUGHTER.]
Well, Gjorg, if you got nothing you got nothing.
You know how to reach me.
Come on, guys.
Okay, they're discussing the theater.
They keep repeating "snezhen".
That's short for "snezhen leopard", snow leopard.
Maybe a codeword for the op? It's definitely a person.
Guy in the theater.
They don't know his real name.
Actually, they don't seem to like him very much at all.
Gjorg just called him unhinged.
A rogue actor, then.
Runs "snezhen" through the Bulgarian cops and Europol.
Then reach out to SIOC and do the same for us, our cousins at Langley, and Legat Tirana.
Find out everything you can.
Affiliations, living relatives, debts, anything that'll help Forrester.
- Do you trust his intel? - I do.
But you should know, if this guy was too extreme for a scumbag like Gjorg, things could get a lot worse.
Yeah.
- We're all set.
- All right.
We confirmed 200 hostages.
- Make sure they're okay.
- Copy.
I'll keep my eyes open for anything that'll tell us where exactly he set up the bombs.
I'll be in your ears the whole time.
You got this.
Everybody ready? Let's move in.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
You'll be okay, all right? Hey.
I'll get you out of here.
You, no more talk! Okay.
- Take it easy.
- [OBJECT CLATTERS.]
[SPEAKING ALBANIAN.]
[TENSE MUSIC.]
As soon as we get outside, run.
There's a parked van straight ahead.
Use it for cover.
Trust me, the police won't shoot.
I got them in my ear, and they can hear everything I'm telling you.
Trust me, man, drop your gun and run.
They won't shoot.
Run, kid.
Run.
[SPEAKS ALBANIAN.]
Come on.
Run.
Hey! [SPEAKING ALBANIAN.]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Come on! Go! Move! Move! Go! [SPEAKING BULGARIAN.]
Forrester.
In the tent.
Quickly.
[HOSTAGES SCREAMING.]
Hilfe! Hilf mir! You say no more casualties, but you just killed one of mine.
Your guy ran.
That is not on me.
[SCREAMING.]
Go check your account.
500,000 just dropped in.
Be smart about this.
Go check your account.
[HOSTAGES SCREAMING.]
Our timeline has moved up.
Every 20 minutes you keep me waiting, another hostage dies.
- How was it inside? - Remaining hostages are good.
Shaken, but stable and unharmed.
- How many hostiles? - I counted seven.
But a few were in the upper balconies.
Could be more hiding up there.
- What about tripwires? - Nothing.
Checked the auditorium perimeter, the entrance hall.
Unless they rigged the inside of the walls No, they wouldn't have had enough time to do that.
I think they're bluffing.
We need to speak with the deserter.
Medics are checking him over.
- Then we can talk to him.
- [PHONE RINGING.]
The commissar will be here any minute.
We're almost out of time.
Well, tell your medics to hurry up.
Hey, Vo.
I ran "snezhen" through our SIOC, and we got a couple hits in Sentinel, but the cases were too old.
Nothing that fit the profile of our guy.
But Legat Tirana sent me something.
An Albanian by the name of Ivo Kostov.
He did some time for minor league stuff, car theft, that kind of thing.
But after he was released, he went underground, fell off the radar completely.
I'm sending you his picture now.
All right.
We'll look into it.
Thanks, Vo.
I'll cross-check with Europol.
Got it.
This was just a paycheck.
Easy money.
I didn't know it would go this far, I swear it.
Is this the man who hired you? Yes? Is there anything you can tell me about him? I didn't know him before last night.
Yet you agreed to pick up an assault rifle and point it at 100 kids and their families.
Mm, that's a big ask from a complete stranger.
[STAMMERS.]
This is not what I wanted, what I thought this night was about.
Just tell us what happened.
It was supposed to be go in and go out, this.
There was, how do you say, oligarkh? - Oligarch.
- Mm-hmm.
Yes, oligarch from Albania.
He came to see his daughter play in the performance.
The plan was to take this man to kidnap him for money and to give him to the men who hired Kostov, and we all get cash on the spot.
Why this particular oligarch? He's been stopping Albanians from returning home.
Refugees.
Why grab him here in this public space? It was the only night he would be outside of Albania.
No security for a private family event.
- Mm.
And the hostages? - You're not listening to me! Because of that, I didn't know anything about hostages.
Nobody did.
The plan was to to take this man from his private balcony and go, just throw him in a van and go.
What went wrong? Oligarch was there.
You saw him.
There were a lot of people inside that building You saw him on camera.
Kostov shot him in the head.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC.]
I am not a killer, and I am not a terrorist.
Please believe me.
Uncuff him.
Okay.
I want you to draw me everything you know about the inside of that building.
How many hostage takers there are, where they're located, everything.
Watch him.
Kostov lied to his own crew.
How can we trust he'll keep his word and not hurt more hostages? Because more than anything, he wants that money.
All those guys had to do was show up, packing heat, and Kostov had all the leverage.
I pulled up everything Europol has on Ivo Kostov.
No credit cards, no cell phones, but he's registered with Bulgarian National Medical Insurance.
Six months ago, he filed a claim.
He went in for a consultation, and the diagnosis wasn't good.
He'd suffered an ischemic stroke, and tests revealed multiple severe clots.
Was that an aneurysm? It can develop into one, yes.
The doctor recommended a surgery with 50/50 adds to remove the embolisms, but Kostov never came back.
An aneurysm is like a ticking clock.
Aneurysm? This is a suicide mission.
Kostov is no kidnapper.
He's an extremist that will do anything for his cause.
The Albanian National Army's agenda.
Unite the region under the Albanian banner.
His first objective was to kill the oligarch who was working against that unification.
Then the ransom money.
Yes, to fund the cause after he's gone.
Look, we are negotiating with a person who knows his number is up.
He walked into that building not giving a rat's ass whether he came out dead or alive.
[PHONE RINGING.]
Hey.
Hey, everybody.
Where are we with the money? An additional 500,000 was just transferred.
You should have another 500,000.
The rest will come soon.
But this is not like spitting 20 euros out of an ATM.
A sum that large takes time.
My word is my word.
If I don't see the rest in the next 15 minutes, the next one will be an American just for you.
Just sit tight for me, okay? You'll get the rest.
No more casualties.
All right, for next steps, I'm thinking, um has anyone seen Aleks? [PHONE RINGING.]
Kellett.
Is Scott with you? I've been trying to reach him.
A bit busy tonight.
What's up? Well, Tank was resting, and he began to vomit, so I performed an ultrasound, and I found another lump in the small intestine.
Because of its location, I recommend immediate surgery.
Of course, we would like Scott's or your consent before proceeding.
Yes.
Do it.
[SIRENS WAILING.]
Scott, please.
This way.
Scott Forrester, FBI.
We appreciate your help, but I will take things from here.
Commissar Iliev, sir, Agent Forrester has kept the terrorists calm and the bulk of the hostages safe.
We've already rescued a number of A man died on your watch, Yanev.
The FBI might not have to answer for that, but you will.
Kostov is finally cooperating.
This situation is delicate.
A large move will trigger a very violent response.
I must execute protocol once an innocent has been killed.
- And what is that exactly? - Thank you.
But your services are no longer necessary.
- Raztovarete opiatniya gaz.
- Gas? "Opiat gaz"? What did he just say? - Opiate gas.
- Are you out of your mind? History has given us clear precedent that deploying opiate gas is an efficient course of action for neutralizing terrorists.
Oh, I know my history.
Moscow theater.
Russians deployed gas against Chechen hostage takers.
Because the Russians didn't get wrapped up in talking games.
It was an incident that was resolved successfully.
Successfully? You have no way to separate the terrorists from the hostages.
That gas will knock out everyone.
There could be unintended casualties, Commissar.
Do you know what happened in that successful incident in Moscow? 130 hostages died.
As did all 40 insurgents.
And the Chechens haven't pulled that kind of stunt since.
I can try to intervene, put in some calls, see if Europol can advise.
We're out of time.
This man is gonna get our hostages killed.
We've got one kind of madman in the building, and another kind out here.
And 200 hostages trapped in between.
Need I remind you, barring Europol weighing in, we are at the mercy of our host country's law enforcement.
Then what's the move? Earlier, Aleks did express the possibility of his man moving in.
If we convinced Iliev, and that's a massive "if", a dozen police kicking down doors will provoke this guy.
Unless he doesn't hear us.
Ten minutes.
Ten minutes until Kostov shoots another hostage.
He's made that clear.
Well, in case if I wasn't clear earlier, you and I are done with this discussion.
All I need is ten minutes.
To do what exactly? To neutralize the attackers without any use of your gas.
- I will not risk my men.
- Just my team.
And if you're unsuccessful? Do what you gotta do.
I'm not holding the gas.
Your men still have to prep those canisters, open the air ducts, and seal in the tubes.
Ten minutes.
If you don't come up by then, we proceed.
Fine.
Give them whatever equipment they need.
Off the deserter's intel, there are three men downstairs.
One is his cousin, and the other is his friend.
They'll both surrender.
The one in the blue shirt, that's Kostov's man.
Petar wasn't sure about him.
Another two men in the balconies.
Petar wasn't sure about them either.
Thought they might have worked with Kostov before.
If that's the case, they may be true believers in his cause.
And the deserter confirmed there were no explosives? - None.
- All right.
The hostages' safety is priority number one.
We minimize casualties, no matter what.
- Is everybody good? - Yeah.
You have any concerns or insights, now's the time.
No? Let's go.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Locate the air ducts and keep our men moving.
Your American friends know what they're doing? Your concern is touching but unnecessary.
They do.
They have five minutes.
- [GUNSHOT.]
- [GRUNTS.]
Got two in bracelets.
One gunman down.
Auditorium all clear.
- You got eyes on Kostov? - Negative.
- Vo? - Negative.
- [GUNSHOT.]
- [GRUNTS.]
- [GUNSHOT.]
- [GRUNTS.]
[HOSTAGES SCREAMING.]
Shut up! Silence! I told you not to come inside! [TENSE MUSIC.]
What is this innocent boy's life worth? I know.
Hard to say.
How about $10 million? Too much? Too little? It's over, Kostov.
We know who you are.
There's no escape.
Well, since we are baring our truths - We're ready.
- Idi sega.
Please, Commissar, the gas will harm more than it will help.
Just a few more minutes.
Forrester gave me his word, and I gave him mine.
If this ends badly, you will be blamed, even if you followed every rule to the letter.
Hiding behind protocols won't bring back lost lives.
Your concern is noted.
Po-burzo! I am not a complicated man.
If the money is not transferred in the next 30 seconds, I shoot the boy.
$10 million, now! And if you know my name, you know I'm ready to die.
- I think I can make the shot.
- You think, or you know? Scott, you need to get out of there.
I tried to buy time, but I'm sorry, Scott.
The transfer just went through.
I got word in my earpiece.
10 million, everything you asked for.
Refresh the laptop.
Come on.
The money is right there.
Move! I can make the shot.
Take it.
- [GUNSHOT.]
- [HOSTAGES SCREAMING.]
Sprete gazta! Sprete gazta! [SIRENS WAILING.]
You kept your word.
Hey, take care and keep safe, okay? Thank you.
[SOLEMN MUSIC.]
- Are you okay? - Yeah.
That was a full 45 seconds I wasn't sure if you're going to succeed.
You and me both, Aleks.
Great work.
I had full confidence.
Thank you for your guidance and cooperation.
Thank you.
Both of you.
Hey.
Great shot.
All right, Vo, you'll be the point person for inspections.
The SIOC is gonna want a post-shooting - incident inspection, okay? - Copy that.
You all put your lives on the line tonight.
And I'm really proud of this team.
Let's go home.
Any word from Dr.
Matyas? We should get back.
- Are you okay? - Yeah, all good.
Hey, I'ma I'ma ride the train back to Budapest, just clear my head.
- You sure? - Yeah.
Y'all go ahead.
[INDISTINCT PA ANNOUNCEMENT.]
Raines! Mind if I ride back with you? I'd like that.
[SOMBER MUSIC.]
Doctor said we won't know anything for a couple more days.
Post-op bleeding.
Doctor said it wasn't normal.
Hey.
You need some sleep, Scott.
I'm fine.
Hang in there, buddy.