The Agency: Central Intelligence (2024) s01e05 Episode Script

1
Here she was,
fighting for the
survival of her people.
I have one role here.
To guarantee the
secrecy of these talks.
- We got a situation.
- I've got the U.S.
and Belarus ambassadors
trying to avert
- a major diplomatic incident.
- Maybe they want to
start a negotiation here.
If they do have Coyote,
they'll allude to it.
The one at the far
end of the table
he's our guy.
If you lose something
and you really want it back,
maybe it's worth
more than face value.
Line's open.
How do we
know he's legit?
He knew what we want.
Ready? Your mission
just started.
Are you familiar
with distributed
acoustic sensing?
You think you could
explain the technology?
- At an event tonight?
- Sure.
I'll pick you up.
I'd like to see
you outside work.
I don't think this
is a good idea.
I apologize
and I would like
for us to try and make
a fresh start.
"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 ♪
So, who's Paul Lewis?
Can you say something about him?
What was your relationship?
I don't have one.
- But Paul was you.
- Yes, he was.
Was he never real to you?
Oh, Paul was real.
Paul really taught English
Literature in Addis.
He really gave theater workshops
and held night readings
at a local bar.
People knew Paul. Liked Paul.
Till the political
situation heated up
and the international
crowd began to leave.
And then?
Paul moved to Jordan to
take a better teaching post
and disappeared.
Paul Lewis arrived
as an English teacher
in Amman from January 2023.
Remained for three
months. Flew to Paris.
That's all I have.
Cover stories,
legends They're like
a windshield.
They protect against
bugs flying at us.
But anything hard enough,
moving fast enough
smashes clean through.
Whoever made the call
knows we can trace
it no matter what.
How long will that take?
Trace a
foreign hidden call?
I mean, international
authorizations,
satellite issues,
it could take, uh
This can't be slow. Do
an unauthorized trace.
Do the paperwork if
it leads anywhere.
We need a code name
for the target.
Maybe, uh, something
to do with bikes?
Armstrong.
- Armstrong?
- Yeah, as in Lance.
Don't spend all day on this.
Sooner or later these things
all end up in the dumpster.
Henry wants to meet up with you.
We need to
be more aggressive.
Langley's putting pressure on.
I'm drawing blanks.
It's driving me nuts.
I-I I'm-I'm watching
CNN, I thought I saw Coyote
on a news report
about the Tokyo Metro.
I wish
he was. We need
- a break.
- So we make one.
We could get on the ground.
Get into his apartment.
Talk to coworkers, dig
up a left-field lead.
Belarusian security forces
will have tossed the place.
Yeah, but they might
have missed something.
They don't know Coyote
like I know him.
If we can protect intel
on even one of the five live
operations Coyote was privy to,
- it's worth the risk.
- Owen, you leave today.
They'll
be expecting us.
Should I travel under my own
name or should I use a cover?
What cover?
- I'm, I could
- You aren't trained
to operate under a legend.
It's not a hat you
can take on and off.
Use your name.
Then he's legit.
- And Owen?
- Mm-hmm?
Be careful.
Come in.
Hello.
Please. Have a seat.
I need to say something
about last night.
Oh.
It's a long time since
I've felt so humiliated.
What you said about your father.
- Listen, I-I d
- I felt pathetic.
Honestly, it's okay.
I hope you'll forgive me.
Forgive what?
So
can we
consider this resolved?
I mean
you'll take no further action?
Nothing happened.
Thank you.
Hi.
A what?
A fucking cat. I know Coyote.
There's no way I miss
him having an entire cat.
I'm trying and failing
to muster any excitement
at this discovery.
You don't think
it's significant?
Only if it meows
where Coyote is.
No, I don't think
it's significant.
Hello?
Hello?
Shit.
You didn't have to
buy me a new phone as well.
Yeah, I did.
Got to be some sort
of silver lining
to having divorced parents.
Mm.
The compensation of
overcompensation.
It's a concept me and
my fellow products
of broken homes
are familiar with.
Guilt breeds birthday presents.
So, we're pretty okay with it.
- Oh, you are?
- Yeah.
It's one of the
only things that we
actually agree with and support.
I know what happened with your
mother and I was tough for you.
It's not like you
were around loads
when you were married, so I
kind of just got on with it.
It might go late,
so don't wait up.
So who's going on
this date, then?
You or "Paul"?
Don't screw around.
Okay. Sorry.
It's a business thing.
Yeah, hence
the matte clay hair wax.
Hey.
Well
just remember to be yourself.
"Weak in Your Light"
by Nation of Language ♪
Come on in and sit beside me ♪
Where the waters collide ♪
Bathin' me in the iris ♪
Of your widening eyes ♪
I was afraid you wouldn't come.
I called ten times.
You didn't answer.
Something so
bright and blessed ♪
That I'm all but crushed ♪
You daughter she lives here?
Stoke Newington,
with her mother.
But she's seeing me a bit more.
What's she like?
She's a genius
and she's beautiful.
And she's got absolutely
no idea that she's either.
Does she have a
boyfriend? A girlfriend?
I'm ashamed to say I don't know.
I'm not sure she'd
tell me the truth.
Why?
She's private.
A chip off the block.
How does she find
the whole thing?
You, as a dad.
Samia.
I am Osman. Uh,
I'm a colleague.
This is
Paul.
I was walking
through Covent Garden.
I, uh, felt like a drink, I
I come in here, who do I see?
Should I fetch another glass?
Thanks. I'm not staying.
Thank you.
So, how do you guys
know each other?
It's been a while.
Can you remember, Samia?
Been a few years now.
Several.
So, you met in Ethiopia? Sudan?
When I was working in
Addis as a teacher.
Were you there long?
Six years.
Ah.
As you can see, Osman.
It's so great when
Americans are interested
in our region.
In learning about and protecting
our culture.
I'm kidding.
I'm being rude.
I won't intrude any further.
Enjoy your dinner.
It's so nice to
meet you, uh, Paul.
I hope to see you again.
That was Osman.
He's a colleague.
Did he say he was a teacher?
Uh, he's a teacher.
Ancient Nile Valley art.
So, he accompanies
you to lectures,
the ones you don't go to?
Can we change the subject?
No.
Okay. Let's order.
He was just being polite,
making conversation.
- He asked questions like a cop.
- Like you, you mean.
You really want to know?
- About Osman?
- Fuck Osman.
About me.
About what I'm really
doing here in London.
It had nothing to do with you.
But if Osman showed up here,
now it does.
Tell me.
If I tell you it's
crossing a line.
My life will be in danger.
How? Why?
When I tell you
you'll understand.
Do you still want to know?
Don't say another word. I
won't ask any more questions.
For an hour or two,
can we just pretend?
Pretend to be like
we were before?
No Osman, I'll leave
here, go to reception,
get a room upstairs.
You-you can sit here
and think it over.
Take all the time you need.
Join me if you want to.
But if you don't, I understand.
I don't need to think about it.
And what
did you think?
I'd thought she was in London
because someone was onto what
I'd been doing in Ethiopia.
But Sami wasn't a threat to me.
I was a threat to her.
Who are you?
What the hell are
you doing here?
I am a friend of
Piotr's. Who are you?
He's my boss.
Mr. Rybak left his
keys on his desk
the night he disappeared.
Started staying here
a few days later.
- Suitcase is yours?
- Mm-hmm.
I have a boyfriend and
we had a fight and
since Piotr was not
here, you know, I thought
I could just
Please don't tell anyone,
- okay?
- So the cat's yours, too?
Oh, you've seen
her? Where is she?
I have no idea.
You know, I haven't
gotten your name.
Oh, sorry. Eva.
- Eva.
- And you?
John. Jonathan.
John.
You know, Eva, I'm not so sure
it's cool that you're here.
Did you feed her yet?
Did I feed your cat for you?
Yeah, she must be
starving. Are you hungry?
I can We have
some food here
and some beer, if
you're interested.
I can cook you
something, you know?
I cook you something to
say sorry for scaring you
and you don't tell Mr. Rybak
that I'm here. Deal?
Uh
Do you speak a bit of Farsi?
I'm learning.
So you know your colors?
I had the same nanny
from age two to 12.
My Nosheen.
She's Iranian.
Huh?
- Julia.
- Julia.
Icy calm, don't make a fuss.
W-What do you mean?
Wait, what did I do? I'm
supposed to Wait, w
Stop. Where are you taking me?
Who are you?
What's happening?
You know Dr. Mortazevi?
I work with him.
And how long have
you worked for him?
Three weeks. Uh
So, you work for him?
With him.
I'm-I'm a PhD stu
Stop fucking us around!
Mortazevi is not a seismologist.
He works for the
intelligence wing
of the Iranian
Revolutionary Guard.
We had a look at your passport.
It's good.
Printed by a government.
Nice.
Just not Spain.
Spying
is against the law
in this country.
You and your boss?
You're looking at
14 years apiece.
The IRG is a terror
organization,
which means I can hold you here
for two whole weeks
without charge.
Just you and me.
Reza works at the London
School of Sciences
at the Institute
of Geophysics
The phone that
sent the message is here.
31 Ulitsa Bratskaya.
Hello?
Owen. How's Minsk?
Oh. Hey, buddy. Good morning.
Minsk
Minsk is fine.
Tell Henry
that I solved the cat mystery.
Listen. 31 Ulitsa Bratskaya.
Ring any bells?
31 Ulitsa Bratskaya?
Yeah, it's a kebab place.
One of the dead drops Coyote
and I used when we went secure.
Why?
Coyote's leaking information.
Is the bad news.
The good news is whoever's
selling the bike is for real.
They're close enough to Coyote
to know what he's giving up.
All right, if Coyote's leaking,
Owen's not safe where he is.
Let's call him back.
Yeah?
It's Bosko.
Hello, sir. Uh,
how can I help you?
What's going on?
Code Bravo.
Stay in Coyote's apartment.
Do not leave.
Just wait there for
the dry cleaners
to come and escort
you to the airport.
Whoa, h Uh, hold on, ho
What the fuck?
What's happening?
A cell phone sent us an SMS
from the same address
as Coyote's dead drop.
Whoever's holding him
knows he works for us.
He must be talking.
They will be watching.
Do not leave the apartment.
Just stay right there.
And most important,
don't trust anyone or
let anyone near you
who hasn't been certified clean.
Understand?
- Uh
- Hi.
- Morning.
- Morning.
- Coffee?
- Mm-hmm.
Everything okay?
Just Okay. L-Look,
look, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Okay.
John! John,
open the fucking door!
Open the door! What
the fuck are you doing?
John!
Let me out!
John!
What are you doing?!
What are you doing? Would
you please open the door?
John! John!
Please open the door!
Just open the door for a second.
Please tell me what is going on.
Please, John.
Please, can I call my family?
This yours?
What's the code?
3-0-0-7-9-8.
Ah, your birthday. Cunning.
Let's see.
Three new messages.
Tim.
"You home? Can I come over?"
Timmy a boyfriend?
What about Reza?
You fucking him as well?
Why don't you ask him?
You want a fucking? Huh?
Huh? Is that it?
You want fucking, huh?
Okay, how about we
FaceTime Tim and Reza
and we can get some beers
and we can have us
a good fucking time?
Huh? Yeah, I didn't
hear you say no.
Please, no.
- No.
- I'll take that as a yes.
Ibrahim
Al Reida Dalaga,
Sudanese businessman, first
cousin of General Hemedti.
Conducts clan business in
Europe and the Middle East.
Playboy. House
in Monaco, yacht.
Uh, what's the context
of all of this?
- That's classified.
- My bad.
Uh, it's just one thing
this building isn't ours
and it has no direct or
obvious link to the Sudan.
- Whose is it?
- We're checking.
So far, not Iran's,
Saudi's, Qatar.
We're tracing ownership to shell
co's in the Virgin Islands.
What does your gut say?
My guess, talk to China desk.
- Yeah?
- I'm begging you, please
open the door. Seriously.
Please. Please!
- Help! Help!
- Gimme the piece,
- Jason Bourne.
- Help! I'm in here!
Please open the door.
I'm in the closet!
Please! Please, open!
John, John.
What is going on? I
don't understand. John.
Uh, John
73 Kensington
Park Gardens
belongs to Eric Zheng Huang.
He owns a ton of tech firms,
including three
start-ups here in London.
His businesses all check
out. He's fairly legit.
But he must be
connected. Who to?
His companies will have made
him a POI for the Brits.
- I can call them.
- No. I can do that.
Thank you.
I was in a race.
The clock was ticking.
The winner would be
whoever could identify
their real opponent first.
The loser would only
know they'd lost
when they felt the exit wound.
The manuscript had been
opened. That's what I wanted.
I wanted them in there to
search Paul Lewis' life
and find he had nothing to hide.
That Paul Lewis was
a former teacher
who threw it all in
to write a mediocre,
unpublishable novel.
And that Samia Zahir
is incapable of
betraying state secrets.
Time would tell if they
swallowed the bait.
If the trap worked.
Okay. Take five.
So, how to fight
like Paul Lewis.
You're a trained fighter, Paul
Lewis is a supply teacher.
University lecturer.
Okay. How to get
my ass kicked.
You're just an ordinary guy
who gets jumped for no reason.
So, what's my opening move?
Panic.
Beg. Shit your pants.
Uh-uh. No, you don't.
Pain's part of it.
Only arms in self-defense.
Walk into my lefts,
duck my rights.
Stop.
Protect your organs.
Do as little as possible.
Feel yourself drifting out,
give in to it.
It'll hurt less.
And they'll stop sooner.
So, you speak Farsi.
I'm tired.
I am tired.
Tell me the truth and
we all get to go home.
Now, where the fuck
did you pick up Farsi?
- Huh?
- I'm hungry.
Has no one come for me?
Whoa.
Who might come for you?
- People must be looking for me.
- People?
What people? People
you work for?
Your real bosses?
They could save you, you know.
Fuck you, you fucking asshole.
Whoa.
What happened to you?
Would you believe I got mugged?
No.
They took my wallet and
jacket for some reason.
- How many of them were there?
- I didn't see.
I got knocked unconscious
from behind and robbed.
You didn't see them? You?
No. I did not.
I'm fine, by the way.
Thank you for asking.
Well, she almost
cracked last night.
Started asking why no
one had come for her.
Even when they say Reza's a spy,
she gave nothing away.
She's good.
Edward agrees.
Says he pushed her there.
Have you been to the police?
When I get a minute.
I was in A and E all night.
So?
B+. Call it.
Want this open?
Uh, no. Close it, please.
Congratulations.
You passed.
Drink this.
No bullshit. You did good.
So, do you like your job?
I mean, is it satisfying work?
What's a good day at
the office for you?
I am sorry, if it helps.
I'm tougher than I look.
That much I know.
There's a lot
about me you don't.
Are you flirting with me?
After I tied you to a chair
and punched you for two days?
I go running at Burgess
Park most nights after work.
I'm sorry,
what was the question?
Oh. I-I mean, I just
had limited information
so I-I did what I thought was
Gimme, gimme.
Come on, baby. I
will make you sing.
And she was there
when you guys called.
What was she even doing there?
She had a key.
She was squatting at his place.
We had a few drinks and
ended up in bed together.
Mistake, I know.
First time downrange.
It won't happen again.
And you stuffed
her into a closet.
I panicked. I thought she might
be a counter team operative.
She was in bed.
You were armed.
S-So you had sex with
and then roughed up a secretary?
I think I'd like to
have a therapy session
to help process all this.
I will pencil that in.
What happened to you?
The mirror in
Coyote's apartment
someone'd written
"Valhalla" on it.
- Yeah.
- And it wasn't you.
- No.
- And the girl wouldn't even know
the word or what it might mean.
No.
Next time, reach out. Call
in. Someone could have
- talked you down.
- Next time?
What about the drugs you found?
- Um
- Small amount
of marijuana, Valium,
Xanax, some antidepressants.
Those were all prescribed.
Holy shit. Who by?
Coyote was seeing
a psychiatrist.
We didn't know.
Owen, I think I'm
not alone in saying
this is the most
mishandled, questionable,
sloppiest mission it's ever
been my misfortune to debrief.
But you may have just
found the hole in the boat.
Ah.
You came.
I didn't think you would.
You should be more careful
what you tell people.
Okay.
Come on.
Come on
Nothing at all.
No metadata.
Hmm? No photos.
No phone contacts. Fine.
Okay
Yes.
"Home Town" by Witch ♪
Ah.
Try it. Then be rude.
For king and country.
Mm.
So this is what you
call a bachelor pad?
Well, what the fuck's that?
I didn't have you
down as an arty type,
an aesthete.
You like it?
Well
Oh, this is just a
company turnkey, isn't it?
I mean, are those
books even real?
What's this?
Pop quiz.
And there
was me thinking
this was just mates catching up.
Eric Zheng Huang.
What do
you know about him?
Self-made man of the
People's Republic.
Made his fortune
in tech services.
Mansion in Billionaires'
Row, castle in Scotland.
Plays polo, real tennis.
Don't you love the Chinese?
Enthusiasts.
He's also close to Xi Jinping.
Why is he in London?
Business. Politics.
Best bagpipe teachers.
He's got Middle Eastern
and African links.
Knows some of the exiled
opposition members.
The committee sometimes
use him as an errand boy
to pass messages around.
What type of messages?
You remember when you lot
were trying to get the Gulf
to sign up to some Arab
League against Iran?
The Chinese brokered a deal
between Iran and the Saudis
and our entire plan fell apart.
Huang was middleman.
Got both sides
together for some
hush-hush chin-wag.
Conflabs. Tête-à-têtes.
We were left in the dark.
Look, I know you're never gonna
tell me what all this is about,
so I won't ask.
Cheers. Enjoy your bourbon.
Do I have to?
I finally saw
the size of the stakes
in the game I'd been dealt into.
China was trying to broker
a secret deal in the Sudan
and exert control
over an entire region.
Anyone who threatened this
deal before it was done,
anyone who exposed
the people involved
or Beijing's secret
involvement
would immediately
be neutralized.
I have a problem.
Yeah, we all got 'em.
I need to get rid of someone.
Have you seen the file on you?
I don't need to. I was there.
Well, you don't need my help.
I can do it.
I can't make it disappear.
Not in this city.
You've got some balls on you.
I'll give you that.
You should learn Chinese.
Give you a real job.
Make you a hero of the Republic.
I'm not a bin man.
Tell me the whole
story, maybe we'll talk.
I needed to
use everything I had.
Every trick, dodge, subterfuge.
I needed every maneuver,
feint, bluff.
I had to make lies real
or people would die.