The Agency: Central Intelligence (2024) s01e07 Episode Script

1
I'm here to protect you.
Protect? Or control?
Do as they
say. They'll figure out
they've made a mistake.
If anyone hurts you
I can look after myself.
Relationships are impossible.
Edward's nice. The end.
The locker,
the Polaroid, the
anonymous phone number,
the voice in the end,
the damn auction.
Coyote isn't being
held by an agency.
Cossack's working alone.
- It's him.
- We have Cossack.
I want
proof he's alive.
He is alive
for four
five more days.
From what I hear,
the news is not good.
Our missing agent is in
the hands of the Russians,
where they intend to use
him to maximum effect.
We'll have
to lean out of Ukraine.
This could change the shape
of the entire conflict.
This isn't bad news. It's good.
So you think you can
still get him back?
Yes. We'll find him.
We'll get him back.
You do not make promises
you cannot keep.
Is it Poppy Lewis
or Poppy Cunningham?
Yeah, I am close, aren't I?
Fuck!
Slow, suspenseful music ♪
Good
morning, good morning.
How are you, Samia?
How are you bearing up
under our, uh, burdens?
I'm fine.
How are you bearing up?
I spoke with, uh,
Osman yesterday.
It was nothing.
I needed some fresh air.
Cooped up in that hotel
room day and night.
So you went all
the way across town
to another hotel room?
I read a paper you
published in Addis.
"Humanitarian Consequences
of Sexual Violence
Against Women and Girls
as a Military Tactic."
It's a good paper.
Terrible title.
Women's bodies are
a battleground.
This paper almost got you
excluded from the negotiations.
So I, uh, I read it, and, uh
- And what?
- It is accurate.
This is what is
happening in Khartoum,
all over the country.
I told my cousin this paper was
a reason for them to bring you.
He, like me, is
a reasonable man.
Not all men are monsters, Samia.
I know.
Your work is, uh
so important.
Thank you.
So
go out for fresh air again,
for any reason,
men in Khartoum will
arrest your family.
Your mother, your sisters.
These men, they may
not be reasonable men.
Do I make myself clear?
Good morning. Good morning.
Very good to see you.
Welcome, welcome.
Slow down.
What did he say?
My
mother and my sisters.
- suspenseful, dramatic music ♪
- I can't ever see you again.
I can't even be speaking
to you right now.
You're okay.
You're still in
London. You're safe.
Nowhere is safe.
We need time.
Samia, keep your cool.
Do everything they ask you.
Let me think about this.
Let me work it out.
I'll call you back.
"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 ♪
- You okay?
- I'm fine.
I just need to get to work.
Listen, as a precaution, I
need you stay here today.
Precaution? What's up?
Nothing. I just
need to check some things.
What things? Like that
guy that spoke to me?
No. Yes.
I just need you to stay here.
It's fine.
Cool. Don't tell me.
Cool plan. You look into it.
You spy that shit out.
I'll just stay here.
Maybe read a book,
knit something.
And maybe sometime
in the future,
we can meet up someplace
that's a real place.
Poppy.
slow, suspenseful music ♪
Listen, my daughter thinks
she could have been followed
yesterday. Can you keep an eye?
- She good?
- She's fine.
- You sure?
- I need you to make sure.
Done.
Valhalla appeared
in 2014 providing
"little green men"
for false flag ops
in the lead-up to the
Russian annexation of Crimea.
Volchok was an ex-KGB, SVR
officer who found himself
in Ukraine in the
company of highly-trained
Spetsnaz Special
Forces operators.
He formed his new unit outside
of the command and control
of the regular Army.
At first, Volchok's
ambitions echoed elements
inside the Russian state who
wanted a more aggressive,
- imperial foreign policy.
- After Crimea,
Valhalla forces pour into
Syria, Libya and Iraq.
They're able to
succeed in theaters
where coalition
forces had failed.
They took Palmyra from
Islamic State in two weeks.
Only because
they didn't give a shit
about who was or
wasn't a civilian.
Right. Of
course, accusations
of war crimes swiftly
followed, rumors
of neo-Nazi insignia,
etcetera, but
and this is the genius of it
all Valhalla units
are registered abroad.
So, legally, Russia has
zero responsibility.
They have become a
global mercenary force.
All right, how many
troops we talking about
worldwide, a hundred thousand?
Across this
many theaters,
I mean, uh, they're so
vast, estimates are tough.
- More.
- Slow, pensive music ♪
Brigade strength or above
in a dozen countries.
Belarus, Ukraine, Syria, Sudan.
Mozambique,
Central African Republic,
Mali, Libya, Venezuela,
Madagascar. The list is big.
We're
picking up tensions
between Russian high
command and Valhalla.
How do we exploit that?
It's
only led Volchok
to become more
security-conscious and insular.
On his bases,
an unauthorized cell phone is
grounds for a death sentence.
Carried out by sledgehammer.
So the world's most
paranoid asshole,
trained by old KGB
in counterespionage
and surrounded by his own
fanatical private army
of Nazi mercenary thugs
Great. Who wants
to give it a go?
We're working on something.
An asset we could deploy.
But he's not gonna
want to do it.
Smart.
I don't fucking blame him.
energetic, dramatic music ♪
- This is a joke, right?
- No.
In that
case, no. No way.
No fucking way on Earth.
- Where do you want to live?
- Fuck you.
You like Hounslow, Alex.
Poky little safe house.
You can't go home.
What's the plan?
He only gets the safe
house for six months.
- Then what?
- All of this,
all you are describing
this is your fault, not mine.
What if I said I could get
you an American passport?
I would say, shove
it up your ass.
But there is no point,
because it doesn't exist, right?
- Alex.
- Oh, my God. You are doing this.
Help us, and we'll
get you, your mom
and your brother all
U.S. citizenship.
We'll even
throw in health care
in case your brother needs it.
- soft, dramatic music ♪
- Hmm. That's the deal.
- I'm waiting.
- For what?
For the "or" here.
For the fucking small print.
And, please,
for the love of God,
please don't lie.
- Or
- Or
Or we send you to Belarus
and trade documents
through a back channel that
identify you as a CIA asset.
Thank you.
Thank you for being honest.
I'm offering you a way out.
Through the gift shop?
May I ask you a question?
Why lay it out like this?
- Like there is a choice?
- Listen.
To make you feel better?
You got me cornered here?
You.
You are trapped, too.
We're all in hell.
Not just me.
All of us.
You have five minutes.
Take it or leave it.
- No, neither.
- No?
I don't even think
I'd enjoy one.
- Okay, bye.
- Okay, bye.
Viola. I will see you tomorrow.
- Yes, tomorrow.
- Okay. Mwah. Bye.
Does
she wake up in the morning ♪
And just hate herself? ♪
Does she battle in the mirror
with her mental health? ♪
Did she try and change her
body for somebody else? ♪
Like I've done myself?
Does she know me well? ♪
Slow, suspenseful music ♪
suspenseful music ♪
Tense, suspenseful music ♪
Tweaked my back playing
squash with Reza.
No, no, don't-don't worry.
Don't worry. Oh, thank you.
- Where do you want it?
- Oh, just in my office.
You can put it down anywhere.
Thanks.
Should we open up the
box and hide the bottles?
- Are we celebrating?
- Yeah.
I am going to Iran.
Reza phoned me yesterday.
No way.
Way.
- Congrats.
- Thanks.
Oh, watch the back.
Yeah, it's-it's gonna be great.
I'm really looking
forward to it.
Dark, atmospheric music ♪
- What the fuck?
- Not a word.
Tense, suspenseful music ♪
Let's move.
- Who are you?
- Your dad said stay indoors.
Next time, listen and do what
you're told until it's safe.
- Hi.
- Hey.
How's it going?
- Am I bugging you?
- No. No, not at all.
What can I do for you?
Do you want to go
on another run?
Henry needs to see you. Now.
You're both wanted
in Henry's office.
What's up?
Tense, pulsing music ♪
Dad.
Suddenly,
it was time.
It was now or never.
I was in play.
My family was in
play. Samia's, too.
I had one move left.
You have any idea
why Beijing field operatives
were surveilling your
daughter's college?
14:12 today, someone
closed distance on Poppy
like they were about
to run a kidnap.
Good thing our street
team was on deck, huh?
Dozer told us you asked her
to watch Poppy this morning.
Said you seemed concerned,
like you might know something.
Or feared it.
Start anywhere you like.
Twice in the past week, I
thought I was being followed.
But you
didn't flag it.
I figured if I was, my follow
team would have picked it up.
When they didn't, I
assumed I could relax.
But if it's real
I think I know what it is.
Richardson was right.
There are secret negotiations
taking place in London.
Both sides meet daily at
73 Kensington Park Gardens.
A mansion belonging to
Chinese national Eric Huang.
I don't know an exact
agenda, but talks are between
the military government
and rebel forces in Sudan.
Dr. Samia Zahir
is playing a role
as a geopolitical expert.
Samia's in London
under the pretext
of attending an
educational conference.
I ran into her by
chance a few days ago.
She told me she was here
on a university visa,
but the truth is, every morning,
she joins these discussions
- at the highest level.
- And you did your own digging
to find all this out?
- Yes.
- Why?
Because I
didn't buy her story.
- It didn't add up.
- Why engage at all?
Why not just walk away
when you bump into someone
you knew downrange?
Because I believe
Samia Zahir to be
of enormous value.
Slow, tense music ♪
And you want us to recruit her?
Yes.
I think we have to.
Who?
You?
I think I can.
- But it is important to
- Dr. Zahir arrived
in London on the 25th.
Five weeks, here,
under our noses, we
knew nothing about it?
We heard some chatter
from the Brits via
a back channel.
We were looking into
it but getting nowhere.
If this is true, the Chinese
have fucking aced this.
Well, they think so, too.
I see opportunity here.
Every station around the world,
they have us under the thumb.
Never make mistakes.
Langley would eat
this up with a spoon.
Martian really thinks
he can get her?
Well, we're currently running
the scenarios and evaluations,
but yes, he does.
Go get her.
Tense, exciting music ♪
Oh, bugger.
Fuck.
Um
Hello, sorry, y-you don't,
uh, have a pump, do you?
You got a flat tire?
Yeah, it was
fine when I came in.
Maybe it's a slow puncture.
It's your lucky day.
- I've got one of these.
- Oh, you're kidding.
- Yeah.
- Do you mind if I
- Yeah.
- I-I don't actually know
- how to do it myself.
- Do you want to hold that?
Yeah. This is gone.
Oh.
slow, suspenseful music ♪
- Was it him?
- It's all fine.
Someone's gonna come and
ask you a few questions,
then they're gonna
take you to your mom's.
Why don't you come
around for dinner later?
Okay.
Hey.
On the
19th at three o'clock,
on our way into the Incas
exhibit, we ran into a woman,
my old friend.
You didn't catch her name.
Do
you need another hug?
No, I'm good.
I better go.
Tense, pulsing music ♪
- Good as new.
- Wow.
That is brilliant.
Thank you so much.
How can I repay you?
- I-I do have some
- Don't go to Iran.
S-Sorry?
You heard.
Don't fucking go to Iran.
Excuse me?
Repeat after me:
- "I love my family."
- What?
- Say it.
- Why?
Fucking say it.
I-I love my family.
Do not tell anyone
about this conversation.
Nothing. Not a word.
Their lives depend on it.
Slow, suspenseful music ♪
I don't understand.
You're right. You do
not understand Tehran.
Don't try. Just obey.
Okay?
Now
where are we not going?
Iran?
Good.
Have a good day.
Can't be
easy to fuck around
on your husband in Sudan.
Takes guts.
She knows what she
wants, she takes risks.
She might need to see this
as saving herself,
not being saved.
How did she contact you to
tell you she was in London?
There was no way for
her to contact me.
Martian ran into Sami
outside the British Museum.
I was with my daughter,
on the way to see an
exhibition on the Incas.
Do operatives often
run into people
they knew under their alias?
Never.
It's rare. It does happen.
Slow, atmospheric music ♪
- Are there protocols?
- Not really, no,
just close off
communication gently.
Gently?
The rule is, don't
arouse suspicion.
The plan was, see
her once more for lunch,
which I did three days later.
And that's
when she told you
- about the negotiations.
- Yes.
Were you surprised?
- Surprised?
- Well,
she did betray state
secrets to you spontaneously
with no encouragement.
I'm just a teacher to her.
She still in love with you?
Why don't you ask her yourself?
Unless we fuck this up, that is.
But if you had to call it?
Yes.
Can we use that?
If I get the chance.
Don't get stuck
on the danger she's in,
make her feel what
she felt before.
She's not betraying
her home. Home is you.
She's coming home.
Thank you. That's helpful.
He's in love with her.
What?
I said, "He's in love with her."
He never made a secret of it.
- He told you that?
- Yeah. Everything.
From the first
meeting to the last.
Every step of the way.
What about when he broke it off?
He did what he had to do.
Why didn't he report
contact at the museum?
Mm. Martian is an
experienced operative.
The Agency give guys
like that a long leash.
Did he ever talk about
a future with Dr. Zahir?
She was married. I think
they both knew what it was.
Is it possible that your
own feelings for Martian
have blinded you to what's
going on with these two?
My own feelings?
Perhaps you wanted to believe
that it was over between them.
My relationship here is one
of professional proximity.
Martian tries to get everyone
to fall in love with him.
Oh, well, now I feel great
'cause he never
tried it with me.
You okay?
I'm fine.
I have some thoughts
about this approach.
I'd hope so.
Naomi's on her way. My office.
Quiet, dramatic music ♪
They have her under
house arrest in her hotel.
When she leaves, they go
with her everywhere she goes.
She attends
the negotiations daily.
Is there something
we could do en route?
Anything discrete we could use?
A kitchen. A bathroom
The route's secure both
ends and in the middle.
- Anything staged, they'll pick.
- Medical emergency?
Send in a hotel doctor?
Get her out of there?
We need something
quiet and everyday. Unsexy.
You said she entered the
country on a university visa?
Royal College countersigned her
application. That's her cover.
Attack the cover.
University's pissed.
She's skipping class.
- They vouched her travel.
- Fire off an email.
They'll pull her visa unless
she comes in to explain.
Bone-dry.
- And they can't come with her.
- She's a teacher.
Good. We run a jack-in-the-box.
- Quick word?
- Super quick.
I have to brief Langley
on Coyote and Dr. Zahir.
Are we sure about
Martian setting the hook?
- I take it you're not?
- It's his baby.
- Right.
- Well, should it be?
The flea-flicker depends
on his personal connection.
- Yeah, I know.
- But?
My gut?
I have to go.
Listen, gut is good.
I trust yours.
Find something concrete
and bring it to me.
If we win here, it's big.
"After failing to reply to
your calls and messages
attention that you have com
you have not completed
minimum required seminar
Your UNESCO-sponsored
visa arranged
on promise of attendance
failure to respond
being forced to
inform embassy
result in cancellation
of visa status."
dramatic music ♪
- Hey, Poppy.
- What the actual fuck, Dad?
- I ordered us some Chinese.
- Mm.
Chinese. My favorite.
Maybe even a movie?
Something
I was working on
has cropped up here in London.
Now I have a whole team
of people protecting us.
It's their job to get
ahead of anything.
They did.
It's a fire drill.
Nothing burned
down. Test complete.
How do you know
that I lied for you?
You haven't even asked me.
- Because I trust you.
- You trust me to lie.
And I did.
I really, I really lied, but
I don't know if
I did a good job.
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
Hey, hey.
I got myself into trouble.
You got me out.
Because you did, now
everything's good.
Gentle, wistful music ♪
Go me.
You should probably get that.
Simon.
Dr. Zahir has
made an appointment
to come in to meet
Mr. Kent-Jones at 10 a.m.
at the Royal College
tomorrow morning.
Understood.
Good news?
That'll be the Chinese.
"The Chinese" or "The Chinese"?
Glad someone finds this funny.
Was it pillow talk?
No. I think
she was serious.
Do you
think she's capable
of leaving her husband for you?
Maybe
one day she'll ask.
If I said yes, I
think she would.
Do you want
that to happen?
If my
mission was over?
Yeah.
If it was a possibility, yes.
Do you want that to happen?
If my mission was over?
Slow dramatic music ♪
Intense, dramatic music ♪
Mm.
Slow, suspenseful music ♪
dark, suspenseful music ♪
Orekhov made contact
with Volchok 2 p.m. today.
Security was as expected.
The target was isolated
behind a physical
and digital wall
with only three people present.
One, an unidentified
barber. Two
Wait, a barber? Why does
this guy need a barber?
He's fucking bald.
He's bald but he shaves
the rest once a week.
Barber's out, we
can't wait that long.
Two, a bodyguard,
the only person allowed
to get close who's armed.
Uh, Orekhov heard
someone call him "Sasha"?
Alexander Bulgov.
He's worked close security
for Volchok seven years.
Yeah, the man has literally
taken a bullet for him.
- Who's the third?
- Uh, his secretary.
Orekhov heard him
call her "Sylviya."
Said they seemed close,
said she had two desks,
one outside the
general's office,
another inside, in a corner.
The secretary.
this data
needs to be completed,
because once we get the rundown
- when we are in Iran
- Mm-hmm.
It will be too complicated.
All the calculations.
Which reminds me
And we have to
talk about this as well,
'cause this is very complex.
Yeah, take a look at this.
It's my wife. Sorry.
Uh, hello?
Hey, bicycle man.
Dark, tense music ♪
I'm so sorry, I've-I've,
um, I've got to take this.
Where is Isabel, and what
have you done to her?
I borrowed Isabel's
phone. My battery died.
She's very kind. Cute, too.
I got the feeling from
her you haven't changed
- your travel plans.
- Leave my wife alone.
If you go to Iran, you'll
die before you arrive.
This is not a threat. I
don't threaten, I inform.
Who are you?
I'm your horoscope.
What?
H-Hello? Hello?
Fuck.
- Hey.
- Hello? Isa?
- Are you okay?
- Yeah, I'm fine. What's up?
- Where are you?
- The market.
I just
helped this lovely man.
He bought us free chorizo
because I was such a Good
Samaritan and let him
- make a call on my phone.
- No, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no. Don't-don't
go near that guy.
Okay? D-Don't go near him.
Get go straight to home.
Please, just-just trust me.
Do as I tell you.
Slow, suspenseful music ♪
So, he told
his boss he's not going?
Had second thoughts.
Said his wife didn't
want to move to Iran.
He blamed his wife?
Brave guy.
So, does that mean
you're going instead now?
Few months? A year?
You know I can't tell you.
You shouldn't even
know where I'm going.
One question.
Straight yes or no.
Slow, contemplative music ♪
Are we just fucking?
No.
But we could.
Slow, atmospheric music ♪
They will ask you
to justify your absence.
- What will you tell them?
- I was busy setting up
the rescue of artifacts
from the museum in Khartoum
to safety with the
International Council of Museums
here in London.
I also asked someone
to record the seminars
and give me a copy.
I have been taking part.
They can test me.
Slow, eerie music ♪
They're on their way in.
Hi, I'm meeting
with Mr. Kent-Jones.
He's up on the fourth floor.
Thank you.
They're going up.
Clean. No microphones,
no transmitters.
Come in.
- Mr. Kent-Jones?
- Yes.
Take a seat, Mrs. Zahir. Please.
Thank you
for seeing me.
I must offer my apologies
for having missed
so many seminars
Excuse me for a moment.
slow, dramatic music ♪
Paul?
No.
My lover's got humor ♪
She's the giggle
at a funeral ♪
Knows everybody's
disapproval ♪
I should've
worshipped her sooner ♪
If the heavens
ever did speak ♪
She's the last
true mouthpiece ♪
Every Sunday's
getting more bleak ♪
A fresh poison each week ♪
My church offers
no absolutes ♪
She tells me, "Worship
in the bedroom" ♪
The only heaven
I'll be sent to ♪
Is when I'm alone with you ♪