The Agency: Central Intelligence (2024) s01e03 Episode Script

1
I thought
I could let you go.
Make it all easier
for you. For me.
I have to go.
Maybe she
has a plane to catch.
With no luggage?
Dr. Blake is over
from our psych department,
here to evaluate mental health
- across the Department.
- Sure you are.
How many of Coyote's
sources have we notified?
I contacted a fourth
who sounded spooked.
It's Alexei Orekhov.
We need to exfiltrate him now.
You really think
he's that unstable?
Nope. I think we can use him.
You're being sent
to Tehran to identify
Iranian nuclear engineers.
What if I don't make it in?
Figure out something else
to do with your life.
We have Orekhov.
"I report to Moscow."
- "I work for"
- What's happening?
He's quacking.
"the Americans
and the Russians."
Felix is the heaviest
of heavy, heavy shit,
and nobody would ever mention,
ever.
I'm
looking for someone
attending your conference.
Dr. Samia Zahir?
Yes, uh, she has not
been back since the first day.
"Love is Blindness"
by Jack White ♪
Love is blindness ♪
I don't want to see ♪
Won't you wrap the night ♪
Around me ♪
Oh, my heart ♪
Love is blindness ♪
Blindness ♪
Love is blindness ♪
I don't want to see ♪
Won't you wrap the night ♪
Around me, yeah ♪
Oh ♪
My love ♪
Love is blindness ♪
Oh, love is blindness ♪
Oh, blow out the candle ♪
Blindness ♪
I woke last night ♪
To the sound of thunder ♪
How far off, I
sat and wondered ♪
Started humming
a song from 1962 ♪
Ain't it funny how
the night moves? ♪
When you just
don't seem to have ♪
As much to lose ♪
Strange how the night moves ♪
With autumn closing in ♪
Mm ♪
Night moves ♪
Batter up. Phone's awake.
Night moves ♪
Working
on the night moves ♪
Night moves ♪
pulsing, suspenseful music ♪
Signal's gone.
Elevator? Parking garage?
New software.
Even if he gets on the subway,
sends out a Wi-Fi
signal, relays it.
It'll come back.
He can't get far.
Underground.
- Excuse me?
- Uh, you said "subway."
It's the called the
"underground," or the "tube."
Is that right? I said "subway"?
- Yeah.
- Did that-that irritate you?
That I said "subway"? Didn't
you just say "elevator"?
Didn't you just say "elevator"?
Evening, Mr. Lewis.
Your guest arrived
half an hour ago.
Thank you.
Let's pretend
this coffee is just like
the coffee in Addis.
What's wrong?
- I'm just tired.
- Are you okay?
I have a deadline. My
publisher's going nuts.
Wait. You-you finished?
No, uh, three chapters.
It was going fine.
Then I hit a bump.
- Well, congratulations.
- Why?
You have writer's block.
So that means you're
a real writer.
Well, you know what they say
is good for writer's block?
Hmm?
Ask anyone.
They
will all tell you.
Slow, somber music ♪
Okay.
So, how's your course going?
My course?
Well, let's see.
Generally speaking?
The lectures are dry, tedious,
mind-numbing and/or
deathly dull.
But you're getting by.
I guess I have a high
boredom threshold.
Don't take that the wrong way.
- Samia
- I dreamt about you.
Not about you, about us.
We had a little apartment
at the top of the stairs.
There was a bathtub
in the kitchen.
Anyway, we were in the tub,
the sun was shining.
You looked at me
and you smiled.
And
Don't answer it.
Why not?
- Because.
- Because what?
Shall I answer it?
slow, atmospheric music ♪
- Hello?
- It's me.
Wow.
Thought I was off the clock.
Come downstairs.
Who was it?
- You're not gonna believe this.
- Paul.
- Not in a million
- Tell me, who was it?
My publisher.
What?
It's it's-it's
nearly midnight.
His office is around the corner.
I told him he
could find me here.
He just needs to shout
at me before he flies
to the Frankfurt book fair.
Give me ten minutes.
Tell him you have
writer's block.
Dark, eerie music ♪
You killed your phone.
And you tracked me.
How? CCTV?
Which I should not have to do.
Like I shouldn't be tailed
by a couple of morons.
I'm not hiding. You
called, I picked up.
- After
- Harry?
Excuse me.
After dropping off
the map for hours.
Jesus Christ.
- You slipped your tail.
- So get a better one.
What difference does it
make if I'm here or at home?
I checked the register.
You're signed in as Paul Lewis?
dark, eerie music ♪
The woman
up in the room,
- she's married.
- And you thought you'd use
your covert Agency
legend to fuck her.
I mean, I'm out here
saying you don't have PMD,
and then, poof, like
magic, in walks Paul Lewis.
Henry.
Gadding around,
banging married women?
Why are you using a
defunct identity to
Martian, I cannot know this.
Then stop following me.
You deployed
undercover for years.
People come back
damaged from that.
Can't sleep. Flashbacks.
Some go absolute raving
fucking lunatic insane.
Therefore, we have protocols.
For instance, we follow you.
This has to stop.
- I understand.
- No, I mean it.
You get one for free.
Two, you're on your own.
Where are you going?
- To say goodbye.
- No.
- I have to explain
- Martian.
- I have to explain why I left.
- Walk away.
- Henry.
- Walk away, Martian.
It'll make it worse.
She'll be suspicious.
No, it will not. You know why?
Because Paul Lewis
doesn't exist.
He turns the corner,
and he's gone forever.
It was a fuck.
You made a mistake.
You acknowledge the
error in judgment,
and you thank me
for understanding.
This isn't national
security. It's personal.
It's the Agency.
Nothing is personal!
Pulsing, dramatic music ♪
Ladbroke Grove, please.
When you're
done with breakfast,
there's a safe house.
It's a farm out of London.
We'll provide food
and a therapist.
We had no choice, Alexei.
I hope you understand
No choice. No choice?
How about I tie you
to a fucking chair?!
Three years!
Three years of loyalty!
You pitiless, soulless ghouls!
I will never work for
you again. Hear me?!
- Never!
- You have to put this back on.
Fuck you!
Don't
fucking touch me!
Get your hands off me!
Again
the Ukrainian army is
on the defensive and digging in
to hold on to key cities
in the east of the country.
Henry?
This
includes Pokrov,
which is seen as strategically
important to fighting
Henry?
What's wrong?
I have a Zoom with Charlie,
but the link's down.
I can't find him.
Mm, it's probably
just a server glitch.
He's never missed a time.
You're right, it's probably
a glitch or something.
It'll pop up later.
- I have to go to work.
- Mm-hmm.
Love you.
Love you, too.
You know, you've
you've got that look.
What look?
The cowboy who's been shot but
isn't gonna let anyone know.
I'm just a little tired.
Charlie's okay, right?
You don't know anything?
I know bad news travels.
I know he has a lot of
people watching over him.
And I know I'm not one of them.
See ya.
Somber, intriguing music ♪
Coyote's
network appears sound.
The live missions we put on hold
while we verified
operational security
are back online.
Thunderbird, Rattlebox, Niagra.
Uh, all except Felix.
I received your
direct order on that.
You know, Felix
is the ball game.
I can count on the
fingers of one hand
how many people know
about it, including POTUS.
I understand.
Felix is an operation
of extreme sensitivity.
Meanwhile, you still don't
have your agent back.
Not as yet, no. No, sir.
This briefing is adjourned
and will recommence in
ten minutes, in The Cube.
Yes, sir.
Get me the boys down in SIGINT.
Uh-huh.
Yes, sir.
Big Man in the
Cube. Ten minutes.
World War III?
Well, that or an alien invasion.
- Okay, let's go.
- Okay.
They're
ready for you, sir.
tense, pulsing music ♪
All set?
Yes. Uh, so once
the door's locked,
the system boots for
biometric log-in
Yeah, I know, I know.
- Morning.
- Hey, look, it's my stalker.
Can you keep a secret?
I forgot about
your sense of humor.
I fucked up.
Recently. For personal reasons.
I owned it, put it right.
We're not machines.
Yet.
James Bradley,
Chief London station.
How you doing in there?
Cozy.
You ready to rock?
Yes, sir.
This is a, uh, briefing
on the top secret
operation code-named Felix.
The
Reaper footage shows
they were chased into the
quarry by two Russian Tigr APCs.
Ten minute firefight.
After which, two Tigrs exit
the quarry onto the main road.
- Alone.
- All comms are blackout?
They followed protocol
for emergency abort
and went dark.
Assuming they follow protocol
to the letter, what
next? Go to ground?
For 48 hours, then resume
their extraction route.
We keep the route open,
pray they make contact.
Well, we can do more than
pray. We can find them.
How recent are these maps?
All of these military units
are on the move, right?
The
front has moved at several
key flash points.
This entire area is now
deep behind enemy lines.
That puts conventional
search and rescue,
helicopters, drones,
all off the menu.
Three guys, trained to vanish,
in thousands of square
miles of open country.
Needle, meet haystack.
Felix is on pause,
so that gives us some time.
Felix is active.
Since when?
Felix is a mission of
the utmost sensitivity.
The capture of these operatives
would constitute an immediate
strategic geopolitical disaster.
We have to get them back.
It's crucial to
national security,
but even more crucial
is that we do not,
under any circumstances,
reveal their covert activity.
You find them. Bring them back.
Whatever it takes.
That way. Quick.
On the right, on the
right. You see it? There.
Yeah.
tense, dramatic music ♪
The front
line is moving daily.
We could easily run into
another control point or patrol.
I'm more worried
about spotter drones.
Now, we need to move,
but being on the road,
we're an obvious target.
- What's that?
- Stop the car. Stop the car.
That's armor on the move.
- Russian tanks.
- Fuck.
Turn us around.
This whole section is
crawling with Red Army.
I'm gonna
show you what to do.
I want you to drive ten klicks.
We're going to find
woodland or forest.
- Okay. And then what?
- Then we vanish.
All right? We go dark.
Go. Go, go. Get us out of here.
soaring, dramatic music ♪
- Martian.
- Dr. Blake.
- Did you forget?
- Unfortunately,
right now, I have
other priorities,
one of which is
national security.
I'm sorry. I'll rearrange.
Owen.
- Hmm?
- Talk to me about long-range IR.
Specifically?
We have satellites over
Ukraine with infrared cameras.
Gambit 3, Lanyard 9 and Hexagon.
- But
- But?
If you're looking for a human
being, you can forget it.
The resolution on
even most advanced kit
is only about 20 meters.
- Shit.
- I know.
What's with the plastic?
Incontinence.
Langley briefed you.
On Felix.
- I can neither confirm nor deny.
- Right.
From the look on your
face, I-I can imagine.
Yes, I imagine you can.
How warm
am I?
Look, I'm not asking you to
Fuck it. Forget it.
Forget it.
Henry.
There are 170,000 words
in the English language.
Each year, 2,000 of
them become obsolete.
And in the-the
great verbal bathtub
of our collective being,
presently circling
around that open drain
are these words:
"stoicism,"
"fortitude,"
"duty," "honor," "sacrifice."
I know how hard this
is for you right now.
Heart versus job.
Soul versus duty.
That's where they put us.
Or where we put ourselves.
Either way, I know
it, you know it.
Charlie does, too.
He signed up for this.
We all did.
Yeah.
slow, atmospheric music ♪
That guy
wasn't just going fast.
He
was going Tony Fast!
Huh? Oh, no.
The cops are after us.
What are we gonna do?
What? Sorry,
I couldn't hear you
- over that siren.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- Good day?
- Eh, you know.
- What's that?
I couldn't hear you
over that helicopter.
- You been out?
- Hmm?
Poppy.
- What?
- I asked you a question.
Have you been out today?
Uh, no.
Sweet.
Instant tannage.
Uh, I was watching that.
The entire apartment
reeks of weed.
I walk in the door,
you're sitting there,
Cheetos, SpongeBob.
What the hell is going on, Pop?
- Flat.
- What?
You said "apartment."
It's a flat.
Okay.
Your eyes are bright red.
My eyes are,
and have always
been, cobalt blue.
Perhaps you forgot.
This one,
age 11, turned
slightly bluey-green.
I don't smoke weed.
Impedes ambition and
stunts a growing brain.
It's the neighbors.
Guy next door.
- Classic Bohemian.
- It's not the neighbors.
Yeah, trust me.
It's coming through
the air vent.
Speaking of which, found this.
Slow, suspenseful music ♪
I was looking for
somewhere to hide my stash.
My "ganje."
And I thought, "He'll
never look here.
Not in a million years."
Great minds, huh?
What, you thought I
spent the entire day
just eating Cheetos?
Mr. SquarePants was my cover.
After you left, I
tore this place apart.
I went through drawers,
cupboards, everything.
Nine hours.
The air vent was the
last place I looked.
Aren't you worried that a kid
can figure out your
supersecret hiding place?
Although I doubt the
KGB is searching with
half the motive that I have.
'Cause let's face it,
there's national secrets
and then there's "who
the fuck your dad is."
Yeah.
You caught me.
I lied. Sorry.
Because we should be honest
with each other, shouldn't we?
Otherwise, what the fuck
are we doing here, Paul?
Dark, suspenseful music ♪
Do you know this
place isn't bugged?
Do you know who's listening?
This isn't a game.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Poppy.
Poppy. Poppy.
- Hey.
- What happened?
Where did you go?
Uh, my publisher's a jumpy guy.
He told me to go straight
home or he'd cancel the book.
And
you couldn't call?
Listen, can you meet
me tomorrow afternoon?
Slow, somber music ♪
Langley's reviewing all intel
from sources
recruited by Coyote.
Russian subs in the Med,
Lukashenko's visit to Qatar,
the Spetsnaz bases
in the Donbas,
the Baltic Cooperation
Council, all of it.
If Coyote's rogue,
half our intel on
Ukraine is corrupt.
If not, and his cover's blown,
we've got more people with
their head in the noose
than just Felix.
How's Martian settling in?
He's fine.
No speed bumps?
You're not his handler anymore.
It's not always
easy to switch off.
You mean for him or for you?
Both, I guess.
Intriguing music ♪
Hey. How you doing?
Morning, sir.
Hey, so, how are the digs?
- Not too poky, I hope.
- Eh, it's fine.
Yeah. Yeah, that's good to hear.
Yeah, it's You're
up in the Tower, right?
The Lauderdale at the Barbican.
Ah. Okay.
Hanging out with your
kid, your daughter, right?
- Poppy.
- Yeah.
Yeah. Well, that's great.
That's great.
I'm glad it's working out.
The apartment, I mean.
The flat.
Sometimes when you
wind a mission up that fast,
there's fallout.
And was there?
No. I mean, I think
he was a little thrown
by the speed of it all.
Martian was just pissed
that he got shut down.
Well, he dealt. He's a pro.
Anything you
want to talk about,
my door's open, okay?
- Thank you.
- Henry.
Morning.
You told him.
Piss off, mate.
Then who did?
Not me.
Who?
Take a wild guess.
- Grandma.
- Or?
- Grandpa.
- Or?
Both.
Morons, huh?
Don't blame me.
I-I believed you.
Slow, atmospheric music ♪
Supposing
the network is sound,
it doesn't mean that Coyote is.
Belarusian service were
trained for decades by the KGB.
They know how to run game.
So, Langley thinks
Coyote is a double
who got pulled home.
Fed us fake intel
and we ate it up.
- For years.
- You knew him.
What would make him
vulnerable to turning?
On the surface?
- Nothing.
- What about below the surface?
Coverts flip for two reasons.
One, ideology, two,
a bag of money.
Only one in a
hundred is ideology.
There's a third reason.
Only other reason I've
known someone to flip,
betray their
country, is-is love.
I know how to find Felix.
Two Ukrainian SF kids
and one senior Delta.
So he's calling the shots.
He won't want to move far.
Moving risks engagement.
Draw a 20-kilometer radius.
Discount buildings, open ground.
Section every wood
larger than three acres.
Search dead centers
of these sections.
That's our haystack.
Get time code from
surveillance satellites
and planes that
Owen's already on.
I've got the raw
data ready to search.
Look for single
car-sized heat patterns
that are stationary then
vanish within five minutes.
The Russians have drones
up with IR cameras.
Deltas are trained to pour
water on an engine block
to cut the heat signature.
That's our needle.
Intriguing music ♪
Thank you.
Have a good day.
Fast, intense music ♪
Get down. Get down, get down.
No, that's not a random pattern.
Should we move?
It'll follow us.
Vehicle.
Two klicks out.
Off-road. Moving fast.
Inbound.
slow, somber music ♪
What do we do?
It's your war, boys.
You call it.
I say we take
position and fight.
Seconded?
All right.
See you on the other side.
Quick. I hear it.
slow, suspenseful music ♪
I have the shot.
Do we engage?
Wait.
On my command.
Can't identify. Wait.
Hold fire.
Movement.
Hold fire.
Friendlies. Do not engage.
Count to 50. It's
our turn to hide.
Who's this?
Resistance.
They can supply you with
papers and take you to a clinic
where the target is due
to arrive in a week.
Our mission's back on?
So it seems.
I'm happy you
made time for this.
These sessions are
an important part
of the process of reentry,
and it gives everyone,
including you,
the opportunity to
gauge where you are,
where you've been and
where you're going to.
Should we dive in?
Before we begin, I want
to make something clear.
I've done this many times.
I've met with many,
many returning agents,
and they broadly fall
into two categories:
those who engage in the
process and those who resist.
It's
It's pretty clear which
category you fall into.
What is your question, Doctor?
Do you see these sessions as
some sort of hurdle,
something you have to game?
On the contrary.
My chosen career is a
psychological tightrope walk
over a pit of fire.
I need all the help I can get.
- How long were you undercover?
- This last hop, six years.
- What was your name?
- Paul Lewis.
So for six years,
you were Paul Lewis.
Yes.
How does it feel to
suddenly be Brandon again?
- What do you mean?
- What do you think I mean?
Well, I'm not sure. See,
I was always Brandon.
You had an ordinary
life out there?
No. It just had
to look like one.
And the friends you met?
- You leave 'em behind.
- How?
Same way you end any friendship.
Reply to emails
less. Be distant.
People forget.
And sexual relationships?
You've read my file.
Samia. How do you
cope with that?
Speak to your postman.
It's a process.
Are you aware that
you're giving brief,
some might even say curt,
replies to my questions?
I am now.
Your daughter, Poppy,
how is she coping?
"Coping"?
Her father returns
after years away,
she's going from a
child to a young woman,
now you're back
Do you want to talk about that?
- May I say something?
- Of course.
Psychotherapy is a set
of psychological methods
that use regular
personal interaction
to induce behavioral
changes, overcome problems
and increase happiness.
I believe that's how Wikipedia
defines psychotherapy,
word for word.
So a normal
psychotherapist is hoping
to increase happiness
and overcome problems.
I'm a clinical psychologist,
but I know where you're going.
Good. Can I go?
Please. My apologies. Continue.
You said just now there
are two types of agent.
Broadly speaking.
I was speaking about
something very specific.
Why are you shutting
me down, Doctor?
- I'm
- I'm trying to
- Okay.
- I'm trying to say something
and you don't want me to say it.
- No, I'm not.
- Yes, you are.
I'm
Well
anyone watching the
tape of this session,
anyone who isn't you,
may not agree with that.
They may think you're
being defensive.
This is not my first rodeo.
It's not a rodeo.
Anyone
watching this tape
might think I was
being defensive.
That's their right.
They might also
sense aggression.
Anger. Frustration. Pain.
You think it's possible
that you're the one
who's being defensive?
That you may have
something to defend?
Perhaps even to hide?
Okay, I think
You said there's
two types of agent.
I believe there's one.
The insane.
Go and pretend to be
someone you're not.
Lie to everyone.
Risk your life on a daily basis.
Then come home,
just fucking deal.
No glamour, no money,
no exploding watch.
A nation needs protecting,
it builds an organization.
The CIA, this Department
it seeks us out, targets us.
Individuals who need something.
Something they can't
get anyplace else.
It nurtures us,
weans us, feeds us
and sends us out into
the world to behave
in entirely unhealthy, devious,
deviant, dangerous ways.
And then when we come back,
it asks us how we feel.
And all the while, it's hoping
we don't suddenly
flip and become well
and can no longer do the job.
You're not trying
to help me, Doctor.
You're worried I may
have somehow become sane.
Well, I can assure you
the person sitting
in front of you
is, was, will remain
purely, deeply,
identifiably 100% nuts.
Not too nuts. Not "burst in
here and shoot everyone" nuts.
Just nuts enough.
Slow, somber music ♪
Can I go now?
Hi. Uh, one ticket for Catch-22.
slow, atmospheric music ♪
That's
for running off.
How was class?
Same.
I went.
They hadn't seen you.
You haven't been going.
Wait, first you run off,
and now you're stalking me?
I thought we could have
dinner. I went to pick you up.
- Nice surprise
- Playing the jealous husband?
I already have one of those.
Why are you lying?
I skipped because
it's pointless.
I don't need a European academic
explaining my subject to me.
So why enroll in
the first place?
To get a grant.
But why did I want to get away?
From my life, from being scared?
I was blown up, Paul.
Shot at.
I saw people get killed.
Surely you of all
people would understand
- why I would want to run away.
- So say that.
Why lie and try
to sell it to me?
It's not a lie.
Enjoy the film.
Why are
you really running?
Are you even
listening to me?
What do
you do all day?
Be specific.
Why am I being interrogated?
Are you in London because
you knew I'm here?
If so, how did you know?
I had no idea. You called me.
You could've been in London
waiting for me to call you. Hey.
You think I would
fly all the way here
just to sit and wait in
case maybe you call me,
after months and
months of silence?
Well, did you?
tense music ♪
I never thought I
would see you again.
Do I ask you where you live?
Why we only meet when
and where you say?
What you do all day?
Why you just vanished?
This isn't working.
Dark electronic music ♪
Slow, atmospheric music ♪
Samia!
Yeah, Samia!
Samia!
Dramatic music ♪