The Code (2019) s01e08 Episode Script
Lioness
- Previously onThe Code - Nona is ovulating.
What are you doing here? Go home and make a baby.
Taking my medicine.
Part one of an ongoing series.
Gonna send you one of those every morning.
SIMMS: RPG! - [AUTOMATIC GUNFIRE.]
- [GASPS.]
Your show.
You're next up, ma'am.
SIMMS: Join the party, Lieutenant! Lieutenant Li? You just improvised and adapted us out of our coffins.
Good morning, Lieutenant Li.
Ooh, the last I checked, Rami, you were transferred to another command.
Do we have something to celebrate? I'm still assigned to the Corps Training and Education Command.
I shall return.
Just not today.
MacArthur was Army, Mr.
Ahmadi.
- I am aware of that, ma'am.
- [CHUCKLES.]
So what brings you our way? Colonel Turnbull asked me to come.
I haven't been transferred back, but we do have something to celebrate.
Detail, attention! - It happened? - It happened.
Go.
Get your Bronze Star.
TREY: Personnel to be awarded, Front and center! "Citation to accompany the award of Bronze Star medal "with combat 'V': "For exceptionally valorous action in the face of "overwhelming odds and direct hostile aggression "as the acting platoon commander "of a MARSOC Raider Team.
"Received small arms fire from an unidentified enemy force.
"Armed only with a rifle, "Lieutenant Li took charge when "Captain Dyer was killed "while conducting combined combat operations in Syria.
"First Lieutenant Li's exceptional courage, "dedication to mission, and personal sacrifice directly "contributed to the successful evacuation of nine MARSOC "Raiders.
"First Lieutenant Li's actions while engaged in combat "operations reflect great credit upon her, "the First Battalion "Marine Raiders, and the United States Marine Corps.
" Post! - Hooah! - Fall out! Guys! Who took my soy milk? I put my name on here for a reason.
Right.
I'm the crazy one for making a thing of it.
Glen-One-N.
These are yours here.
Captain Abraham asked me to give it to you.
He needs you to cover some of his case work while he's in Afghanistan.
Abe's going to Afghanistan? He didn't say anything.
He doesn't want you to come, and he knew you'd make a thing out of it.
You're gonna make a thing out of it, aren't you? ABE: Chappy.
- Welcome aboard.
- Thank you, Captain.
Should I be nervous there are three different chaplains on this hop? Is there something you'd like to confess before we take off? I, uh, didn't mean it like that.
I'm messing with you.
We don't do confession in Islam.
HARPER: Pardon me.
Thank you.
Glen-One-N wasn't supposed to give you those files until I was airborne.
And you trusted him? What are we doing? You're supposed to be holding down the fort.
Marines have camps, not forts.
You just saw action.
A Marine died in your lap.
Are you ordering me off the plane, sir? This is ANA Captain Pamir Sarbani.
He was part of the Afghan Army detail stationed at Camp Habibi.
Camp Habibi.
Is that where you were posted? It was called Leatherneck before we handed control to the Afghans, but yes.
Captain Sarbani was shot in his barracks during a sandstorm.
An ANA grunt saw someone running away from the scene.
- But no one was arrested? - No.
Shouldn't the Afghans be handling the investigation? The witness says it was a Marine.
Politically speaking, it's a total Charlie Foxtrot.
The base commander wants Marines in on the investigation.
It's not our jurisdiction until an individual Marine is implicated, but Colonel Turnbull was kind enough to volunteer my services as an adjunct.
ZACH AUBREY: So here's how this works, Lieutenant.
It's been a couple weeks.
You're ready for a fitting, so, - [GRUNTING.]
- you tell me what you do, and I'll build you a leg to do it.
You can have a walking leg, running leg, leg to do the Viennese waltz Seriously? Uh, I don't know.
I guess, just, uh, a regular leg.
You can dream a little bigger than that, Lieutenant.
Can you get me something? - Excuse me? - The pain.
I'm gonna lose it.
GLENN: Can I get your help? My son's pain, it's unbearable.
His medication wore off an hour ago.
Sorry, ma'am.
I'm a physical therapist.
We don't handle meds.
Well, where are the nurses that do? Probably working past the end of their shift and dealing with a dozen morning emergencies.
We're understaffed.
It's in the news and everything.
[SIGHS.]
I'll page the nurses.
Where's your shrinker sock? It's throbbing.
Is that normal? Keep this on.
Always.
You've got swelling.
I'll tell the nurse.
Thank you.
I'm sorry if I was curt before.
You obviously know what you're doing.
1,500 amputees, ma'am.
ABE: I'm Captain Abraham.
This is Lieutenant Li.
We don't want to be treading on your toes, Sergeant Abed.
We just want to help you figure out who killed Captain Sarbani.
Just "help"? You're not hoping it turns out to be an Afghan.
The base commander here definitely is, but we'll follow the clues where they take us.
My commanding officer hopes it was one of you.
So we have that much in common.
What can you tell us about the murder? I believe that whoever killed Captain Sarbani, American or Afghan, did it in a dispute over the sale of hashish on the base.
Your captain was dealing? Unfortunately, it appears so.
We found those hidden in Captain Sarbani's trunk.
The residue you see it's not candy.
Have you checked the wrappers for prints? Yes.
The fingerprints we found came from our own investigators.
Sergeant Hawthorne.
You're the MP advising this investigation? Yes, sir.
Did you brief them on chain of custody? No one asked me about that, sir.
HARPER: Do you know who wholesales hashish in these wrappers? Those candies are sold from a stall in a market nearby.
We interviewed the vendor, but Did this interview happen in the marketplace? We should bring him to the base.
He's more likely - to talk to us in private.
- She is a woman.
Local, uh, custom.
Male Marines can't talk to Afghan women.
You can, though, along with a female engagement team.
Female Marines, wearing hijabs, trained in Afghan customs.
I still like to call them by their old name: lionesses.
Lieutenant Li? Lieutenant Zandra Carter, ma'am.
This is Staff Sergeant Day.
We're your engagement team.
Here, ma'am.
Here's your scarf.
Uh, do do you mind? Took me a while, too.
Thanks.
Illiyeen runs the market that sells the candies that we found in Captain Sarbani's trunk.
She's agreed to talk as a favor.
Her husband will listen.
Can you tell her we don't care what might have been in the packages of candy she sold? [SPEAKING PASHTO.]
We just want to know if anyone else from Camp Habibi bought the same kindof candy Captain Sarbani did.
[SPEAKING PASHTO.]
[SPEAKING PASHTO.]
She says it as she told the soldiers in the market.
She has no assistance to offer.
Is there anyone else who works at her stall, someone who might be able to help us? [ABED SPEAKING PASHTO.]
HARPER: Please thank her.
[SPEAKING PASHTO.]
[ILLIYEEN RESPONDS IN PASHTO.]
I told her that the dead man is an Afghan war hero.
She said she sold regular packages to an American from the base.
She can identify him by sight.
We need to get her pictures.
She said that the man she sold hashish to is standing right here.
MATT: Maya.
Every day I take my medication, just like I promised.
And every day I send you a video, just like I promised.
Let me know when we can end this little ritual.
Thanks.
You do know I'm your boss, Captain Dobbins? Wouldn't have it any other way.
Mm.
So why did you jump on this case before I had a chance to assign it to anyone? Because it's a Marine accused of murdering an allied officer.
I knew you'd take it yourself.
As is my prerogative.
No one's arguing that, sir.
It's just it's been two weeks since you and Nona finished your IVF cycle.
You should have news soon, right? One way or the other.
As a subordinate who happens to be a friend when we're off the clock, I figured you'd want to be home one way or the other.
I appreciate that.
It's a couple of days.
It should be safe.
Besides, they have this gadget called a phone now.
I understand it came about when Alexander Bell spilled acid on his hand Actually, it's a good thing you're coming.
Based on what I'm reading about this case, I could use the help.
Welcome to Helmand Province.
Keep your heads on a swivel for mortar rounds.
I hear the Taliban launches them special - when the defense attorneys get here.
- [CHUCKLES.]
We'll keep that in mind.
You haven't been talking - to our client, have you? - Oh, not since we apprehended him for drug dealing and murder.
You're welcome to go see him, though.
Or we could stop by the evidence locker and take a gander at the stockpiles of hashish and opium he had hidden in his barracks.
And have our Afghan colleagues handled said evidence properly? You better hope not.
Chain of custody's the only sliver of daylight you've got.
Lieutenant Carter.
Um, are you really gonna court-martial - Hawthorne for murder? - Looks that way.
Jim didn't kill Captain Sarbani.
How could you know that? Because I was the one in Captain Sarbani's barracks that night.
I'm the person you're looking for.
I shot Captain Sarbani.
TREY [QUIETLY.]
: So, Lieutenant Carter confessed to a prosecutor? You got to admire the efficiency.
Did she say why she shot Captain Sarbani? She tried to.
I cut her off.
ABE: Good.
You can't be conflicted off the court-martial.
Potential court-martial.
She straight up told us she did it.
That might even mean she's guilty.
It started when Captain Sarbani called me to his quarters.
Was that unusual? I'm a Lioness, sir.
I get Intel.
The local women get chatty with us.
I'd write up what I learned and go over it with Captain Sarbani.
So that's why he wanted to see you? I mean, that's what I thought.
[EXHALES.]
After I knocked, he started talking about sandstorms.
It got real weird real fast.
Sarbani was Well, I didn't know he was a drug dealer, but I did know he was cruel.
I filed a complaint with local police after I saw him beating a woman.
I thought it was confidential.
And what does this have to do with sandstorms? There was a storm that night.
Sarbani obviously knew I filed the report.
Started talking about how people just disappear when the sand starts flying.
He reached for his pistol.
We struggled, I lost my sidearm in the fight, so I grabbed his M4.
You've seen how it played out.
What you're describing is self-defense.
Why didn't you tell your commanding officer what happened? I wanted it to go down as an unsolved crime.
This is Afghanistan, ma'am.
They'll stone a woman for having sex with a man.
You think they won't find a way to punish me for killing one? ABE: The NCIS report agrees - that it's self-defense? - Uh-huh.
HARPER: That's my toner, it's really good.
- Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
Does anybody want to talk about our murder case? We will be with you in a moment.
Sorry, I'm trying to get Nona.
The report's around here somewhere.
I encourage you to read it before you court-martial a Marine for the crime of defending herself.
She says she was defending herself now.
- Before, she didn't say anything.
- Would you? Oh, look who's checking in from the skincare summit.
As much as I enjoy the back-and-forth, can we save it until after the Article 32 hearing? Once we know everything that's in evidence, our colleagues in the prosecution can accept defeat gracefully.
Is there even a judge on base? I understand that Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer Jette is on an overnight hop from South Korea.
Jen Jette? Good luck, ladies.
Why do we need luck? Jen was a JA with me all through "don't ask, don't tell.
" Now that the Corps has moved on, some people say she's gotten girl crazy.
She is a flirt, but she colors inside the lines.
And she's a great judge.
Come on.
HARRIS: You know, you really shouldn't have that on your lap without a pillow.
You're trying to conceive, right? The heat from the battery pack is, um, bad for your swimmers, sir.
ABE: This your big shot with IVF, right? - You feeling good? - I feel like normal lawyers don't have to share hotel rooms with their colleagues and answer questions about their feelings.
I'm calling lights out.
TREY: I mean, I hope it works.
I don't know what we do if it doesn't.
I guess we could hit up the relatives, try to scrape together enough for another round.
Adoption, I don't know, I hope it works.
[EXHALES.]
- [INHALES SHARPLY.]
- Sorry.
I was trying to let you sleep.
Hmm.
It's okay.
How's everything here? Adam's pain is still bad.
Nurses are trying, but they're spread thin.
I want to pay for some supplementary PT for Adam.
There are people who specialize in this.
That's why I left for the private sector, right? So we could cover this kind of thing.
I mean back when there actually was a "we.
" [EXHALES.]
His physical therapist is good, actually.
But yeah, sure.
PT would be great.
How are you doing? - Fine.
- Are you? We act like this is the end of the world, that's how Adam's gonna see it.
You're still a person, Glenn.
You pictured our son's life in a certain way.
That picture is different, now.
It's okay to mourn what's gone.
If you want to give therapy another shot Adam is a Marine, Asa.
He doesn't need his mommy and daddy to get back together.
That's not why we'd be doing it.
We need to get through this.
If working through some of our stuff makes it easier if it makes it better for Adam shouldn't we at least try? MAYA: This is an Article 32 hearing.
There's nothing like it in the civilian world, It's all about what the judge lets into evidence.
HARRIS: Government's gonna call witnesses from both sides.
They'll ask questions; we will, too.
Judge Jette can jump in if she's curious.
WOMAN: All rise.
Not as much fun when you have to say it on your own behalf, but we work with what we've got out here in the field.
[SIGHS.]
You may be seated.
And you may be absolutely brief; I just got off a red eye.
Your Honor, the defense lists Staff Sergeant Phoebe Day as a character witness.
She's a member of Lieutenant Carter's female engagement team.
We'd like to start with her.
And is Staff Sergeant Day available? She is, Your Honor.
And, um if it pleases the court, the defense would like to see the lieutenant colonel's eyes.
Helps us track how we're doing.
I forgot I had these on.
And it does, Captain Dobbins please the court.
That's more like it, Your Honor.
DAY: That's right.
Captain Sarbani was a bully and a petty tyrant.
I said all of this in my interview.
Does the government plan to cover any new territory? We do, Major Ferry, we do.
For our exam of Staff Sergeant Day, I'll be discussing the NCIS report.
Do you have a copy, Your Honor? You were in the chow hall with Lieutenant Carter right before she went to Sarbani's room? Before she was summoned there, yes.
Did you see her get summoned? No.
If I could direct your attention to the section that discusses the door to Captain Sarbani's quarters.
There was damage to the lock on Captain Sarbani's door.
Someone went at it with a knife.
What would you say if I told you that the notches on the lock are a match for Lieutenant Carters' Ka-Bar? Objection, what does that even mean? There must be a thousand Ka-Bars in Camp Habibi.
They all "match.
" Lieutenant Carter's Ka-Bar is scratched up and has a unique protective coating that matches the flakes that were found on the lock.
Does counsel need to brush up on the meaning - of the word "unique"? - And the word "match"? JETTE: Per custom, I'll make note of the objections for my report, but not rule on them here.
- Carry on.
- There's no evidence that the lieutenant was summoned to Sarbani's quarters, is there? Could be, she broke into it.
She, in fact, was the aggressor.
- Objection, counsel is speculating.
- So noted.
I'm just trying to make sense of the evidence.
She forced the lock, shot the captain multiple times Zandra is not a killer.
Then what is she? Phoebe, don't She is a hero.
She broke into Sarbani's room.
She did, but she she did it to rescue somebody.
She did it to save the boy.
I'm sorry, uh what boy? He lives in the village.
Zandra didn't Lieutenant Carter didn't want me to say anything in case it made him a target for retribution.
Captain Sarbani had the boy in his room.
He was using him for bacha bazi.
I'm sorry, what is bacha bazi? It's something that happens here.
In rural areas, mostly.
Boys are sold.
Or captured.
They're used for pleasure.
Zandra killed Captain Sarbani, but she did it to save a child from being abused.
Bacha bazi is an old tribal practice.
It's illegal now, but still practiced in a few places.
Powerful men tribal warlords, military commanders, that sort of thing they take poor boys as slaves.
They say it's for entertainment, to dance at their gatherings.
Like geishas.
But sex is always part of it.
He's a status symbol, sir.
How? They snatch the boys off the streets.
They trade them back and forth.
Some try to leave - some get killed.
- [SNEEZES.]
- Bless you.
I have some medicine.
- Thanks, but I think it's allergies, I don't get colds.
The boy from the other night, how did you know he was in Captain Sarbani's room? Some of the local women told us that he had taken some of their boys before.
Our translator she knew what we were doing.
She told us he had taken another kid.
We have to find him; he needs to testify.
I'm sure he's hiding from Sarbani's tribe.
Can you give us a description? - I barely saw him.
- TREY: Lieutenant Carter, we can only argue self-defense if we can prove that you broke in to save him from imminent harm.
Staff Sergeant Day, she drove the kid off the base.
- She would know better than me.
- MAYA: And what about the other boys Sarbani took? Where can we find them? Bet everything I have that those kids are dead.
ABE: Anything you could tell us about that kid would be a huge help.
It would be impossible for me to police this area without men like Captain Sarbani.
The main reason we can live and breathe here without paying kickbacks to the Taliban it was due to him.
He was assaulting children.
You must understand every time a poor child stumbled upon an IED, the villages would blame Sarbani or some supposed warlord.
Cry "bacha bazi.
" Tribal feuds run deep here.
Go back hundreds of years.
Each side makes wild allegations against the other.
And Sarbani's family they did well.
[LAUGHS.]
People get jealous.
There was a child in Captain Sarbani's room.
Two Marines saw him.
In my opinion, the Lioness grew too close to the village women.
Their vendettas became her vendettas.
Maybe there was a boy with Sarbani.
But for bacha bazi? I don't believe it.
MATT [ON PHONE.]
: Today's video takes us to America's heartland, where the famed Gateway to the West presides over the city of St.
Louis, Missouri.
Why the St.
Louis Arch, you might ask? Well, why not? I make dozens of these videos, and figured I'd shake it up.
[SNEEZES.]
- HARPER AND TREY: Bless you.
- Thank you.
We headed back out with that sketch tomorrow? Two teams, same as today.
HARPER: Should be productive.
The one thing everyone in this country agrees on is that they don't want us to find this kid.
The Arch, you may be interested to learn, was designed by Eero Saarinen in 1947, but construction didn't begin until 1963.
Oh, you're not interested in that? Okay.
Well, then I guess it's pill time.
Bottoms up.
Everything good there? Sure.
ABE: If we're having these forced sleepovers, might as well bond.
Or sleep.
He's sick.
Delusional disorder.
I worry about him.
If he doesn't take those pills, he thinks that people are watching him.
You can show him that's not true, you can prove it to him, but he still believes it.
Sometimes I think that I should tell someone Matty's got [CHUCKLES WEAKLY.]
issues.
I mean, if you're going to vote for him, you should know, right? He would hate me if I did that.
He's sick.
I worry.
No, I cannot do an 11:00 a.
m.
appointment.
These sessions have to be over by the time I report for duty.
Yes, duty.
I am in the Marine Corps.
No, I-I have never done therapy before.
Not of any kind, no.
Thank you.
He's asleep.
Try to be quiet in there, okay? He's doing great, but these sessions are tough; he needs to rest up.
I'll work in the lobby.
Uh, Miss Cruz, my husband told you he was bringing in a private therapist? I hope that's not offensive.
We appreciate everything you're doing.
It's fine.
And you don't have to call me "Miss Cruz.
" Will it help? Does Adam need it? Does a restaurant need two chefs? Look, I get it.
You guys want to feel like you're doing something.
It's my husband.
Let me know if it gets in the way.
Can I ask you something? You keep saying "husband.
" We're separated.
That's why the therapy.
Well, is that what you want? Therapy? Asa believes in perpetual motion.
It soothes his anxiety about the world.
Well, not that you asked, but we're better at this than they are.
Men.
You take care of yourself, and let Asa do Asa.
Val? What's gonna happen to my son? Some fight.
Some never come all the way back.
It's too soon to tell which way Adam's gonna go.
Good morning, Captain Abraham.
Rami? Am I dreaming? Do I often appear in your dreams, sir? Usually wearing something different.
How are Why Captain Dobbins requested me on a temporary detail.
I'm from a Muslim culture; she thinks I'll be useful - interviewing locals.
- MAYA: Rami! I could hug you.
- Rami! - Oh Thank you.
Yes, ma'am.
Uh Good to see the both of you, too.
TREY: Pleasure, as always, Mr.
Ahmadi.
You good to head out on interviews, or you need some rack time? Respectfully, sir, I'm not sure we need to head anywhere.
In Staff Sergeant Day's statement, she described the boy as wearing a shirt with the logo of a local soccer club.
Before I flew, I asked a couple of MPs to keep a discreet eye on their training field.
Rami, the kid's in hiding; he's not going to soccer practice.
I hate to be a contrarian, ma'am, - but he was there this morning.
- What? The Taliban used to control this region, and they banned the game.
Now, no one misses practice.
Would you like to interview your witness? All rise.
I understand there have been some developments.
Permission to approach the bench, Your Honor.
I noticed you didn't have a gavel, ma'am.
I went to the mechanic's depot last night.
They gave me these.
I had them stencil your name onto the side of the hammer.
[LAUGHING.]
This is just amazing, Lieutenant I don't believe I've had the pleasure of having you in my courtroom prior to this case.
HARPER: First Lieutenant Harper Li.
I look forward to learning from you.
I heard you won a Bronze Star, Marine.
I'm sure you've got plenty to teach me.
Your Honor, after we tracked down Zaram Gulwal, his parents agreed to a one-time question and answer session.
We can record him, but he won't be available to testify at court-martial.
I went with the captain to his room.
He hired me to sweep up and serve milk tea to people.
After they left, the lady Marine broke in.
I couldn't see most of her face, but she talked like a girl.
She aimed her gun at the captain and yelled at me to go.
To go home.
So I did.
And did Captain Sarbani harm you? No.
I know these are uncomfortable questions, Zaram, but we need you to tell us the truth.
Did Captain Sarbani touch you at all or even threaten you in any way? No, he did not.
Lieutenant Carter obviously made a mistake.
There was no abuse going on in Sarbani's quarters.
Assuming that kid was even telling the truth, there was no abuse happening yet.
So your defense hinges on accusing a 12-year-old of lying? We kicked law enforcement back to the Afghans when we transferred this base to them.
This is exactly why Marines have no business interfering in a local matter.
So that's the government's position, is it? That the sexual abuse of a 12-year-old boy is a "local matter"? Please don't make me dismantle your client on the stand.
Lieutenant Li, offer our colleagues a way out.
ARTICLE 119: Involuntary manslaughter, ten years.
Good night, nurse.
Turn it off, and turn it back on again.
I did that already, it's fine.
There's no update from this morning.
You can all save your breath.
We are not making a deal.
So, suicide mission.
That's a choice.
If Lieutenant Carter was protecting Zaram Gulwal from imminent harm, then her actions were justified.
I can drive a truck through the word "imminent.
" Go ahead and do it.
You'll be standing up on behalf of ritualized abuse, but it's a choice.
Yeah, on that note, I think we all could use a little rest.
Harper, you good if I call lights out? - What? Uh, yeah.
- Cool.
I just thought you might want to polish your Bronze Star.
[SNEEZES.]
Would you take some cold medicine already? I don't get colds.
How's that been going, Harper? The Bronze Star? People treating you different now that you put on your combat "V"? I don't know.
Too soon to say, I guess.
Anyone wearing a uniform, they're cool.
They notice, but, you know, it's fine.
My family, though, Bard, they're freaking out.
It's like they thought we had some sort of unspoken agreement that I could wear the uniform for a while, and, I don't know, they'd indulge me, but actual fighting, killing, dying That's outside the terms of the arrangement.
Getting a lot of questions all of a sudden.
Different ways of asking the same thing: when am I coming back to my reallife? Thanks for doing this.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Good morning.
I'm Dr.
Keane.
Let's dive in.
My clients tend to have a goal-oriented approach.
That can work, but the process is open-ended, and, uh, you have to commit to that.
So, how are you both? We're not good.
Our son lost his leg.
And we are picking up the pieces.
No, that's not even right.
We're looking at the pieces on the ground.
This is not the life he expected, or we expected.
There's always a risk that something like this will happen; everybody knows that.
[VOICE FADING.]
: But when it actually does happen it just [ASA'S VOICE FADES OUT AS HE CONTINUES.]
I'm not doing this.
- Glenn - Asa, my son is in the hospital.
Half my staff is in Afghanistan.
- This is not where I want to be.
- This is not about what we want.
You're trying to write a story that I don't want to be in.
This is not gonna get us back together.
Right now, you and I, we are perfectly equipped to give our son all the support he needs.
This is something else.
This is It's not where I want to be.
Captain Abraham's a killer on cross, so we want to avoid putting you on the stand.
That's why we need to convince the panel that Captain Sarbani had that boy in his room for bacha bazi.
All rise.
But the boy said he wasn't harmed.
We get paid to argue our way around obstacles like that.
- [BANGS GAVEL.]
- Good morning, one and all, and welcome.
Does the government have an opening statement? "Imminent harm.
" Imminent harm.
Imminent harm, imminent harm, imminent harm.
You're gonna be hearing those words a lot from my colleagues with the defense.
I promise you, you'll be sick of the phrase by the time we're done here.
I just figured I'd give us all a head start.
In this case, they're gonna ask you to apply that concept to a cut-and-dried case of murder.
Lieutenant Zandra Carter broke into Pamir Sarbani's quarters and shot him to death.
That's all you really need to remember here.
SHILMANI: I did investigate the claims about the woman Captain Sarbani allegedly beat.
They both denied it.
No further questions.
Chief Shilmani, are there reasons that the husband and wife that you mentioned - might have lied about the beating? - Objection.
Irrelevant.
Sustained.
Are you from the same tribe as Captain Sarbani? - Objection.
Irrelevant, again.
- Sustained.
Isn't it true that you never forwarded for prosecution several allegations of child abduction made by the villagers against Captain Sarbani? HARPER: Objection, Your Honor.
Hearsay.
- Misleading, and highly prejudicial.
- Sustained.
- May we approach the bench, Your Honor? - Yes, may we? It's not much of a bench, but sure.
The defense is introducing unsubstantiated crimes of the victim, i.
e.
false rumors to confuse the panel, make them think that Captain Sarbani deserved to be killed.
TREY: We have evidence that Captain Sarbani routinely engaged in bacha bazi.
Other children last seen with the captain have disappeared.
The victim had no prior convictions, and where's the evidence Zaram was kidnapped? He said himself he was in no danger.
His father confirmed it.
Your Honor, once you hear from our witnesses, you'll see how depraved Captain Sarbani was, and why it's essential we question the police chief on those prior allegations.
ABE: The defense's witness list is riddled with proven liars - and Taliban sympathizers.
- I reject that vehemently.
Enough.
We are here to judge Lieutenant Carter's guilt, not the victim's.
And we're not gonna litigate tribal feuds or put the police chief on trial.
I'm siding with the government.
Defense counsel cannot admit any unproven crimes of the victim, through witnesses or otherwise.
Is everything okay? We may need you to testify after all.
We know it's risky, Zandra, but the judge isn't going to let the village speak.
You need to be their voice.
I didn't plan to kill Captain Sarbani.
I wouldn't have, either, or harmed him or even thrown a harsh look in his general direction.
He reached for his weapon.
I engaged, just like I'm trained to do.
My only concern was for the safety of Zaram Gulwal.
The boy you rescued from imminent harm? That's right.
That's a compelling story, Lieutenant.
Especially the part where you used the victim's own gun, but just happened to be wearing gloves.
- Objection.
What's the question? - Sustained.
You said you wanted to protect the boy, but according to his own words, he didn't need protecting.
Did you make a mistake? He didn't understand the situation, the danger he was in.
Was the boy beaten, bruised, crying? No, but he looked terrified.
ABE: Well, you-you might, too, if an armed Marine broke into the room.
I-I meant Sarbani.
Uh I believed he was scared of Sarbani.
Did you just say "believed"? Marines are held to a stricter standard.
You know that, right? Objection.
The lieutenant's knowledge of the Code is irrelevant.
Overruled, but get to the point.
The point, Judge Jette: there may be jurisdictions where a belief in imminent harm is enough to get you off for defending another person, but the UCMJ requires actual imminent harm for that defense to work, not just a belief in it.
The boy wasn't actually in need of rescuing, was he? No, I-I Yes, he was.
Was he being harmed at that moment? Did you see anything to indicate he was about to be harmed? Never mind what you thought.
Did you see anything? No.
Then the boy wasn't in danger of imminent harm, you just believed he was.
That's it? We hit the rack, no one says a word? You feel good about what happened today? Lieutenant Li and I had an excellent day in court, if that's what you're asking.
We all saw you nuke Lieutenant Carter on the stand today.
I'm asking you if you feel good about it.
- You're not answering.
- I did my job today.
MAYA: Yes, you did.
You applied the Uniform Code in a country where witnesses get murdered for so much as showing up in court.
ABE: I'm well aware that our allies do terrible things.
I did two deployments at this base, and I got hauled in on a stretcher maybe a few yards from where you're sitting.
That kid needs to testify.
We can help him.
We offer protection to the locals.
MAYA: Protection? These grudges last for years.
- Harper? - Yes, sir? I feel like I'm the only one carrying water for the prosecution.
We're gonna win the case.
But do we know what happened between Captain Sarbani and that kid? If this kid was kidnapped and raped, I need to hear it.
It doesn't have to be in open court, but someone who I believe needs to tell me that this bacha bazi thing is true.
Rami? What's the time? It's 0330, sir.
Major Ferry and Captain Dobbins asked me to wake you and Lieutenant Li.
- Why? - They want to take you somewhere.
What's going on? MAYA: We're driving into the village.
Abe wants to hear from someone who knows say that Zaram Gulwal's being abused, right? MAYA: We figured the kid's mother might have a point of view on the practice of bacha bazi.
[DOOR OPENS.]
We don't have much time.
Benesh had to sneak out of her house in order to talk to us.
Her husband doesn't know where she is.
[SPEAKING PASHTO.]
We are a poor family from a poor tribe.
We were blessed with children but Mukhtar, my husband he works, but there isn't enough for all of us.
There's never enough.
Men here when they can't provide there is sometimes a way to make the burden less.
Bacha bazi.
I begged Mukhtar to find another way.
I cried.
But I'm only a woman.
My husband sold our son into Captain Sarbani's service.
Please forgive him.
Forgive us.
[GRUNTS.]
Good? You're way more flexible than that.
I'm really not.
[GRUNTS, CHUCKLES.]
I always half-assed the stretching part of every warm-up.
Not any more.
You need strength and flexibility in both legs to prevent contractures.
[CHUCKLES.]
"Both legs.
" VALENTINA: That's a leg.
It's not a whole leg, but it's a leg.
You treat it like it's not there, the soft tissue's gonna contract forever and you'll need a walker before you're 30.
Is that what you want? No, ma'am.
You don't need to call me "ma'am.
" But what you do need to do is exactly what I say exactly when I tell you to do it.
You do that, I give you your life back.
Sound like a good deal? [GRUNTS.]
[LAUGHS.]
It sounded better before you did that.
How's he doing? [CHUCKLES.]
The fog's lifting.
He's gonna fight.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
All rise.
Let's get right to it, shall we? The defense calls Staff Sergeant Phoebe Day.
Your Honor, the government has lost confidence in its case.
I beg your pardon? Certain realities presented themselves overnight.
In light of them, the government can no longer argue in good faith for Lieutenant Carter's conviction.
We're no longer pursuing charges.
You're free to go, Lieutenant Carter.
Oh, my God.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
Thank you.
Uh Congratulations, Lieutenant.
[SNEEZES.]
I brought you this.
I know you said you don't get colds, but would you just do me a favor and take this? All right, fine.
Thank you.
[CHUCKLES.]
Ah MATT [OVER VIDEO.]
: I had a plan, to recreate the entire beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark with these guys, except my hero was looking for my meds.
ABE: Where's Rami? He knew we were leaving.
We need to be airborne before the base commander catches up with me.
John Abraham, always one step ahead of a reaming.
Supposedly, he's furious.
Sarbani was a well-connected guy.
Anyway, kid, it's late.
Here are the psychotropic meds.
Cold medicine.
My brother's been taking cold medicine.
What's with the phone? We got to leave.
Just be quiet for a second sir.
It's for you, Major Ferry.
Hello? Nona.
Everything okay? Oh, my God.
Are you sure? Oh, my God.
We're having a baby.
- [CHEERING.]
- Shh Baby, it is happening.
We are having a baby.
[LAUGHS.]
Okay.
I'll see you soon.
I love you, too.
Good-bye.
[CHEERING, APPLAUSE.]
What are you doing here? Go home and make a baby.
Taking my medicine.
Part one of an ongoing series.
Gonna send you one of those every morning.
SIMMS: RPG! - [AUTOMATIC GUNFIRE.]
- [GASPS.]
Your show.
You're next up, ma'am.
SIMMS: Join the party, Lieutenant! Lieutenant Li? You just improvised and adapted us out of our coffins.
Good morning, Lieutenant Li.
Ooh, the last I checked, Rami, you were transferred to another command.
Do we have something to celebrate? I'm still assigned to the Corps Training and Education Command.
I shall return.
Just not today.
MacArthur was Army, Mr.
Ahmadi.
- I am aware of that, ma'am.
- [CHUCKLES.]
So what brings you our way? Colonel Turnbull asked me to come.
I haven't been transferred back, but we do have something to celebrate.
Detail, attention! - It happened? - It happened.
Go.
Get your Bronze Star.
TREY: Personnel to be awarded, Front and center! "Citation to accompany the award of Bronze Star medal "with combat 'V': "For exceptionally valorous action in the face of "overwhelming odds and direct hostile aggression "as the acting platoon commander "of a MARSOC Raider Team.
"Received small arms fire from an unidentified enemy force.
"Armed only with a rifle, "Lieutenant Li took charge when "Captain Dyer was killed "while conducting combined combat operations in Syria.
"First Lieutenant Li's exceptional courage, "dedication to mission, and personal sacrifice directly "contributed to the successful evacuation of nine MARSOC "Raiders.
"First Lieutenant Li's actions while engaged in combat "operations reflect great credit upon her, "the First Battalion "Marine Raiders, and the United States Marine Corps.
" Post! - Hooah! - Fall out! Guys! Who took my soy milk? I put my name on here for a reason.
Right.
I'm the crazy one for making a thing of it.
Glen-One-N.
These are yours here.
Captain Abraham asked me to give it to you.
He needs you to cover some of his case work while he's in Afghanistan.
Abe's going to Afghanistan? He didn't say anything.
He doesn't want you to come, and he knew you'd make a thing out of it.
You're gonna make a thing out of it, aren't you? ABE: Chappy.
- Welcome aboard.
- Thank you, Captain.
Should I be nervous there are three different chaplains on this hop? Is there something you'd like to confess before we take off? I, uh, didn't mean it like that.
I'm messing with you.
We don't do confession in Islam.
HARPER: Pardon me.
Thank you.
Glen-One-N wasn't supposed to give you those files until I was airborne.
And you trusted him? What are we doing? You're supposed to be holding down the fort.
Marines have camps, not forts.
You just saw action.
A Marine died in your lap.
Are you ordering me off the plane, sir? This is ANA Captain Pamir Sarbani.
He was part of the Afghan Army detail stationed at Camp Habibi.
Camp Habibi.
Is that where you were posted? It was called Leatherneck before we handed control to the Afghans, but yes.
Captain Sarbani was shot in his barracks during a sandstorm.
An ANA grunt saw someone running away from the scene.
- But no one was arrested? - No.
Shouldn't the Afghans be handling the investigation? The witness says it was a Marine.
Politically speaking, it's a total Charlie Foxtrot.
The base commander wants Marines in on the investigation.
It's not our jurisdiction until an individual Marine is implicated, but Colonel Turnbull was kind enough to volunteer my services as an adjunct.
ZACH AUBREY: So here's how this works, Lieutenant.
It's been a couple weeks.
You're ready for a fitting, so, - [GRUNTING.]
- you tell me what you do, and I'll build you a leg to do it.
You can have a walking leg, running leg, leg to do the Viennese waltz Seriously? Uh, I don't know.
I guess, just, uh, a regular leg.
You can dream a little bigger than that, Lieutenant.
Can you get me something? - Excuse me? - The pain.
I'm gonna lose it.
GLENN: Can I get your help? My son's pain, it's unbearable.
His medication wore off an hour ago.
Sorry, ma'am.
I'm a physical therapist.
We don't handle meds.
Well, where are the nurses that do? Probably working past the end of their shift and dealing with a dozen morning emergencies.
We're understaffed.
It's in the news and everything.
[SIGHS.]
I'll page the nurses.
Where's your shrinker sock? It's throbbing.
Is that normal? Keep this on.
Always.
You've got swelling.
I'll tell the nurse.
Thank you.
I'm sorry if I was curt before.
You obviously know what you're doing.
1,500 amputees, ma'am.
ABE: I'm Captain Abraham.
This is Lieutenant Li.
We don't want to be treading on your toes, Sergeant Abed.
We just want to help you figure out who killed Captain Sarbani.
Just "help"? You're not hoping it turns out to be an Afghan.
The base commander here definitely is, but we'll follow the clues where they take us.
My commanding officer hopes it was one of you.
So we have that much in common.
What can you tell us about the murder? I believe that whoever killed Captain Sarbani, American or Afghan, did it in a dispute over the sale of hashish on the base.
Your captain was dealing? Unfortunately, it appears so.
We found those hidden in Captain Sarbani's trunk.
The residue you see it's not candy.
Have you checked the wrappers for prints? Yes.
The fingerprints we found came from our own investigators.
Sergeant Hawthorne.
You're the MP advising this investigation? Yes, sir.
Did you brief them on chain of custody? No one asked me about that, sir.
HARPER: Do you know who wholesales hashish in these wrappers? Those candies are sold from a stall in a market nearby.
We interviewed the vendor, but Did this interview happen in the marketplace? We should bring him to the base.
He's more likely - to talk to us in private.
- She is a woman.
Local, uh, custom.
Male Marines can't talk to Afghan women.
You can, though, along with a female engagement team.
Female Marines, wearing hijabs, trained in Afghan customs.
I still like to call them by their old name: lionesses.
Lieutenant Li? Lieutenant Zandra Carter, ma'am.
This is Staff Sergeant Day.
We're your engagement team.
Here, ma'am.
Here's your scarf.
Uh, do do you mind? Took me a while, too.
Thanks.
Illiyeen runs the market that sells the candies that we found in Captain Sarbani's trunk.
She's agreed to talk as a favor.
Her husband will listen.
Can you tell her we don't care what might have been in the packages of candy she sold? [SPEAKING PASHTO.]
We just want to know if anyone else from Camp Habibi bought the same kindof candy Captain Sarbani did.
[SPEAKING PASHTO.]
[SPEAKING PASHTO.]
She says it as she told the soldiers in the market.
She has no assistance to offer.
Is there anyone else who works at her stall, someone who might be able to help us? [ABED SPEAKING PASHTO.]
HARPER: Please thank her.
[SPEAKING PASHTO.]
[ILLIYEEN RESPONDS IN PASHTO.]
I told her that the dead man is an Afghan war hero.
She said she sold regular packages to an American from the base.
She can identify him by sight.
We need to get her pictures.
She said that the man she sold hashish to is standing right here.
MATT: Maya.
Every day I take my medication, just like I promised.
And every day I send you a video, just like I promised.
Let me know when we can end this little ritual.
Thanks.
You do know I'm your boss, Captain Dobbins? Wouldn't have it any other way.
Mm.
So why did you jump on this case before I had a chance to assign it to anyone? Because it's a Marine accused of murdering an allied officer.
I knew you'd take it yourself.
As is my prerogative.
No one's arguing that, sir.
It's just it's been two weeks since you and Nona finished your IVF cycle.
You should have news soon, right? One way or the other.
As a subordinate who happens to be a friend when we're off the clock, I figured you'd want to be home one way or the other.
I appreciate that.
It's a couple of days.
It should be safe.
Besides, they have this gadget called a phone now.
I understand it came about when Alexander Bell spilled acid on his hand Actually, it's a good thing you're coming.
Based on what I'm reading about this case, I could use the help.
Welcome to Helmand Province.
Keep your heads on a swivel for mortar rounds.
I hear the Taliban launches them special - when the defense attorneys get here.
- [CHUCKLES.]
We'll keep that in mind.
You haven't been talking - to our client, have you? - Oh, not since we apprehended him for drug dealing and murder.
You're welcome to go see him, though.
Or we could stop by the evidence locker and take a gander at the stockpiles of hashish and opium he had hidden in his barracks.
And have our Afghan colleagues handled said evidence properly? You better hope not.
Chain of custody's the only sliver of daylight you've got.
Lieutenant Carter.
Um, are you really gonna court-martial - Hawthorne for murder? - Looks that way.
Jim didn't kill Captain Sarbani.
How could you know that? Because I was the one in Captain Sarbani's barracks that night.
I'm the person you're looking for.
I shot Captain Sarbani.
TREY [QUIETLY.]
: So, Lieutenant Carter confessed to a prosecutor? You got to admire the efficiency.
Did she say why she shot Captain Sarbani? She tried to.
I cut her off.
ABE: Good.
You can't be conflicted off the court-martial.
Potential court-martial.
She straight up told us she did it.
That might even mean she's guilty.
It started when Captain Sarbani called me to his quarters.
Was that unusual? I'm a Lioness, sir.
I get Intel.
The local women get chatty with us.
I'd write up what I learned and go over it with Captain Sarbani.
So that's why he wanted to see you? I mean, that's what I thought.
[EXHALES.]
After I knocked, he started talking about sandstorms.
It got real weird real fast.
Sarbani was Well, I didn't know he was a drug dealer, but I did know he was cruel.
I filed a complaint with local police after I saw him beating a woman.
I thought it was confidential.
And what does this have to do with sandstorms? There was a storm that night.
Sarbani obviously knew I filed the report.
Started talking about how people just disappear when the sand starts flying.
He reached for his pistol.
We struggled, I lost my sidearm in the fight, so I grabbed his M4.
You've seen how it played out.
What you're describing is self-defense.
Why didn't you tell your commanding officer what happened? I wanted it to go down as an unsolved crime.
This is Afghanistan, ma'am.
They'll stone a woman for having sex with a man.
You think they won't find a way to punish me for killing one? ABE: The NCIS report agrees - that it's self-defense? - Uh-huh.
HARPER: That's my toner, it's really good.
- Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
Does anybody want to talk about our murder case? We will be with you in a moment.
Sorry, I'm trying to get Nona.
The report's around here somewhere.
I encourage you to read it before you court-martial a Marine for the crime of defending herself.
She says she was defending herself now.
- Before, she didn't say anything.
- Would you? Oh, look who's checking in from the skincare summit.
As much as I enjoy the back-and-forth, can we save it until after the Article 32 hearing? Once we know everything that's in evidence, our colleagues in the prosecution can accept defeat gracefully.
Is there even a judge on base? I understand that Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer Jette is on an overnight hop from South Korea.
Jen Jette? Good luck, ladies.
Why do we need luck? Jen was a JA with me all through "don't ask, don't tell.
" Now that the Corps has moved on, some people say she's gotten girl crazy.
She is a flirt, but she colors inside the lines.
And she's a great judge.
Come on.
HARRIS: You know, you really shouldn't have that on your lap without a pillow.
You're trying to conceive, right? The heat from the battery pack is, um, bad for your swimmers, sir.
ABE: This your big shot with IVF, right? - You feeling good? - I feel like normal lawyers don't have to share hotel rooms with their colleagues and answer questions about their feelings.
I'm calling lights out.
TREY: I mean, I hope it works.
I don't know what we do if it doesn't.
I guess we could hit up the relatives, try to scrape together enough for another round.
Adoption, I don't know, I hope it works.
[EXHALES.]
- [INHALES SHARPLY.]
- Sorry.
I was trying to let you sleep.
Hmm.
It's okay.
How's everything here? Adam's pain is still bad.
Nurses are trying, but they're spread thin.
I want to pay for some supplementary PT for Adam.
There are people who specialize in this.
That's why I left for the private sector, right? So we could cover this kind of thing.
I mean back when there actually was a "we.
" [EXHALES.]
His physical therapist is good, actually.
But yeah, sure.
PT would be great.
How are you doing? - Fine.
- Are you? We act like this is the end of the world, that's how Adam's gonna see it.
You're still a person, Glenn.
You pictured our son's life in a certain way.
That picture is different, now.
It's okay to mourn what's gone.
If you want to give therapy another shot Adam is a Marine, Asa.
He doesn't need his mommy and daddy to get back together.
That's not why we'd be doing it.
We need to get through this.
If working through some of our stuff makes it easier if it makes it better for Adam shouldn't we at least try? MAYA: This is an Article 32 hearing.
There's nothing like it in the civilian world, It's all about what the judge lets into evidence.
HARRIS: Government's gonna call witnesses from both sides.
They'll ask questions; we will, too.
Judge Jette can jump in if she's curious.
WOMAN: All rise.
Not as much fun when you have to say it on your own behalf, but we work with what we've got out here in the field.
[SIGHS.]
You may be seated.
And you may be absolutely brief; I just got off a red eye.
Your Honor, the defense lists Staff Sergeant Phoebe Day as a character witness.
She's a member of Lieutenant Carter's female engagement team.
We'd like to start with her.
And is Staff Sergeant Day available? She is, Your Honor.
And, um if it pleases the court, the defense would like to see the lieutenant colonel's eyes.
Helps us track how we're doing.
I forgot I had these on.
And it does, Captain Dobbins please the court.
That's more like it, Your Honor.
DAY: That's right.
Captain Sarbani was a bully and a petty tyrant.
I said all of this in my interview.
Does the government plan to cover any new territory? We do, Major Ferry, we do.
For our exam of Staff Sergeant Day, I'll be discussing the NCIS report.
Do you have a copy, Your Honor? You were in the chow hall with Lieutenant Carter right before she went to Sarbani's room? Before she was summoned there, yes.
Did you see her get summoned? No.
If I could direct your attention to the section that discusses the door to Captain Sarbani's quarters.
There was damage to the lock on Captain Sarbani's door.
Someone went at it with a knife.
What would you say if I told you that the notches on the lock are a match for Lieutenant Carters' Ka-Bar? Objection, what does that even mean? There must be a thousand Ka-Bars in Camp Habibi.
They all "match.
" Lieutenant Carter's Ka-Bar is scratched up and has a unique protective coating that matches the flakes that were found on the lock.
Does counsel need to brush up on the meaning - of the word "unique"? - And the word "match"? JETTE: Per custom, I'll make note of the objections for my report, but not rule on them here.
- Carry on.
- There's no evidence that the lieutenant was summoned to Sarbani's quarters, is there? Could be, she broke into it.
She, in fact, was the aggressor.
- Objection, counsel is speculating.
- So noted.
I'm just trying to make sense of the evidence.
She forced the lock, shot the captain multiple times Zandra is not a killer.
Then what is she? Phoebe, don't She is a hero.
She broke into Sarbani's room.
She did, but she she did it to rescue somebody.
She did it to save the boy.
I'm sorry, uh what boy? He lives in the village.
Zandra didn't Lieutenant Carter didn't want me to say anything in case it made him a target for retribution.
Captain Sarbani had the boy in his room.
He was using him for bacha bazi.
I'm sorry, what is bacha bazi? It's something that happens here.
In rural areas, mostly.
Boys are sold.
Or captured.
They're used for pleasure.
Zandra killed Captain Sarbani, but she did it to save a child from being abused.
Bacha bazi is an old tribal practice.
It's illegal now, but still practiced in a few places.
Powerful men tribal warlords, military commanders, that sort of thing they take poor boys as slaves.
They say it's for entertainment, to dance at their gatherings.
Like geishas.
But sex is always part of it.
He's a status symbol, sir.
How? They snatch the boys off the streets.
They trade them back and forth.
Some try to leave - some get killed.
- [SNEEZES.]
- Bless you.
I have some medicine.
- Thanks, but I think it's allergies, I don't get colds.
The boy from the other night, how did you know he was in Captain Sarbani's room? Some of the local women told us that he had taken some of their boys before.
Our translator she knew what we were doing.
She told us he had taken another kid.
We have to find him; he needs to testify.
I'm sure he's hiding from Sarbani's tribe.
Can you give us a description? - I barely saw him.
- TREY: Lieutenant Carter, we can only argue self-defense if we can prove that you broke in to save him from imminent harm.
Staff Sergeant Day, she drove the kid off the base.
- She would know better than me.
- MAYA: And what about the other boys Sarbani took? Where can we find them? Bet everything I have that those kids are dead.
ABE: Anything you could tell us about that kid would be a huge help.
It would be impossible for me to police this area without men like Captain Sarbani.
The main reason we can live and breathe here without paying kickbacks to the Taliban it was due to him.
He was assaulting children.
You must understand every time a poor child stumbled upon an IED, the villages would blame Sarbani or some supposed warlord.
Cry "bacha bazi.
" Tribal feuds run deep here.
Go back hundreds of years.
Each side makes wild allegations against the other.
And Sarbani's family they did well.
[LAUGHS.]
People get jealous.
There was a child in Captain Sarbani's room.
Two Marines saw him.
In my opinion, the Lioness grew too close to the village women.
Their vendettas became her vendettas.
Maybe there was a boy with Sarbani.
But for bacha bazi? I don't believe it.
MATT [ON PHONE.]
: Today's video takes us to America's heartland, where the famed Gateway to the West presides over the city of St.
Louis, Missouri.
Why the St.
Louis Arch, you might ask? Well, why not? I make dozens of these videos, and figured I'd shake it up.
[SNEEZES.]
- HARPER AND TREY: Bless you.
- Thank you.
We headed back out with that sketch tomorrow? Two teams, same as today.
HARPER: Should be productive.
The one thing everyone in this country agrees on is that they don't want us to find this kid.
The Arch, you may be interested to learn, was designed by Eero Saarinen in 1947, but construction didn't begin until 1963.
Oh, you're not interested in that? Okay.
Well, then I guess it's pill time.
Bottoms up.
Everything good there? Sure.
ABE: If we're having these forced sleepovers, might as well bond.
Or sleep.
He's sick.
Delusional disorder.
I worry about him.
If he doesn't take those pills, he thinks that people are watching him.
You can show him that's not true, you can prove it to him, but he still believes it.
Sometimes I think that I should tell someone Matty's got [CHUCKLES WEAKLY.]
issues.
I mean, if you're going to vote for him, you should know, right? He would hate me if I did that.
He's sick.
I worry.
No, I cannot do an 11:00 a.
m.
appointment.
These sessions have to be over by the time I report for duty.
Yes, duty.
I am in the Marine Corps.
No, I-I have never done therapy before.
Not of any kind, no.
Thank you.
He's asleep.
Try to be quiet in there, okay? He's doing great, but these sessions are tough; he needs to rest up.
I'll work in the lobby.
Uh, Miss Cruz, my husband told you he was bringing in a private therapist? I hope that's not offensive.
We appreciate everything you're doing.
It's fine.
And you don't have to call me "Miss Cruz.
" Will it help? Does Adam need it? Does a restaurant need two chefs? Look, I get it.
You guys want to feel like you're doing something.
It's my husband.
Let me know if it gets in the way.
Can I ask you something? You keep saying "husband.
" We're separated.
That's why the therapy.
Well, is that what you want? Therapy? Asa believes in perpetual motion.
It soothes his anxiety about the world.
Well, not that you asked, but we're better at this than they are.
Men.
You take care of yourself, and let Asa do Asa.
Val? What's gonna happen to my son? Some fight.
Some never come all the way back.
It's too soon to tell which way Adam's gonna go.
Good morning, Captain Abraham.
Rami? Am I dreaming? Do I often appear in your dreams, sir? Usually wearing something different.
How are Why Captain Dobbins requested me on a temporary detail.
I'm from a Muslim culture; she thinks I'll be useful - interviewing locals.
- MAYA: Rami! I could hug you.
- Rami! - Oh Thank you.
Yes, ma'am.
Uh Good to see the both of you, too.
TREY: Pleasure, as always, Mr.
Ahmadi.
You good to head out on interviews, or you need some rack time? Respectfully, sir, I'm not sure we need to head anywhere.
In Staff Sergeant Day's statement, she described the boy as wearing a shirt with the logo of a local soccer club.
Before I flew, I asked a couple of MPs to keep a discreet eye on their training field.
Rami, the kid's in hiding; he's not going to soccer practice.
I hate to be a contrarian, ma'am, - but he was there this morning.
- What? The Taliban used to control this region, and they banned the game.
Now, no one misses practice.
Would you like to interview your witness? All rise.
I understand there have been some developments.
Permission to approach the bench, Your Honor.
I noticed you didn't have a gavel, ma'am.
I went to the mechanic's depot last night.
They gave me these.
I had them stencil your name onto the side of the hammer.
[LAUGHING.]
This is just amazing, Lieutenant I don't believe I've had the pleasure of having you in my courtroom prior to this case.
HARPER: First Lieutenant Harper Li.
I look forward to learning from you.
I heard you won a Bronze Star, Marine.
I'm sure you've got plenty to teach me.
Your Honor, after we tracked down Zaram Gulwal, his parents agreed to a one-time question and answer session.
We can record him, but he won't be available to testify at court-martial.
I went with the captain to his room.
He hired me to sweep up and serve milk tea to people.
After they left, the lady Marine broke in.
I couldn't see most of her face, but she talked like a girl.
She aimed her gun at the captain and yelled at me to go.
To go home.
So I did.
And did Captain Sarbani harm you? No.
I know these are uncomfortable questions, Zaram, but we need you to tell us the truth.
Did Captain Sarbani touch you at all or even threaten you in any way? No, he did not.
Lieutenant Carter obviously made a mistake.
There was no abuse going on in Sarbani's quarters.
Assuming that kid was even telling the truth, there was no abuse happening yet.
So your defense hinges on accusing a 12-year-old of lying? We kicked law enforcement back to the Afghans when we transferred this base to them.
This is exactly why Marines have no business interfering in a local matter.
So that's the government's position, is it? That the sexual abuse of a 12-year-old boy is a "local matter"? Please don't make me dismantle your client on the stand.
Lieutenant Li, offer our colleagues a way out.
ARTICLE 119: Involuntary manslaughter, ten years.
Good night, nurse.
Turn it off, and turn it back on again.
I did that already, it's fine.
There's no update from this morning.
You can all save your breath.
We are not making a deal.
So, suicide mission.
That's a choice.
If Lieutenant Carter was protecting Zaram Gulwal from imminent harm, then her actions were justified.
I can drive a truck through the word "imminent.
" Go ahead and do it.
You'll be standing up on behalf of ritualized abuse, but it's a choice.
Yeah, on that note, I think we all could use a little rest.
Harper, you good if I call lights out? - What? Uh, yeah.
- Cool.
I just thought you might want to polish your Bronze Star.
[SNEEZES.]
Would you take some cold medicine already? I don't get colds.
How's that been going, Harper? The Bronze Star? People treating you different now that you put on your combat "V"? I don't know.
Too soon to say, I guess.
Anyone wearing a uniform, they're cool.
They notice, but, you know, it's fine.
My family, though, Bard, they're freaking out.
It's like they thought we had some sort of unspoken agreement that I could wear the uniform for a while, and, I don't know, they'd indulge me, but actual fighting, killing, dying That's outside the terms of the arrangement.
Getting a lot of questions all of a sudden.
Different ways of asking the same thing: when am I coming back to my reallife? Thanks for doing this.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Good morning.
I'm Dr.
Keane.
Let's dive in.
My clients tend to have a goal-oriented approach.
That can work, but the process is open-ended, and, uh, you have to commit to that.
So, how are you both? We're not good.
Our son lost his leg.
And we are picking up the pieces.
No, that's not even right.
We're looking at the pieces on the ground.
This is not the life he expected, or we expected.
There's always a risk that something like this will happen; everybody knows that.
[VOICE FADING.]
: But when it actually does happen it just [ASA'S VOICE FADES OUT AS HE CONTINUES.]
I'm not doing this.
- Glenn - Asa, my son is in the hospital.
Half my staff is in Afghanistan.
- This is not where I want to be.
- This is not about what we want.
You're trying to write a story that I don't want to be in.
This is not gonna get us back together.
Right now, you and I, we are perfectly equipped to give our son all the support he needs.
This is something else.
This is It's not where I want to be.
Captain Abraham's a killer on cross, so we want to avoid putting you on the stand.
That's why we need to convince the panel that Captain Sarbani had that boy in his room for bacha bazi.
All rise.
But the boy said he wasn't harmed.
We get paid to argue our way around obstacles like that.
- [BANGS GAVEL.]
- Good morning, one and all, and welcome.
Does the government have an opening statement? "Imminent harm.
" Imminent harm.
Imminent harm, imminent harm, imminent harm.
You're gonna be hearing those words a lot from my colleagues with the defense.
I promise you, you'll be sick of the phrase by the time we're done here.
I just figured I'd give us all a head start.
In this case, they're gonna ask you to apply that concept to a cut-and-dried case of murder.
Lieutenant Zandra Carter broke into Pamir Sarbani's quarters and shot him to death.
That's all you really need to remember here.
SHILMANI: I did investigate the claims about the woman Captain Sarbani allegedly beat.
They both denied it.
No further questions.
Chief Shilmani, are there reasons that the husband and wife that you mentioned - might have lied about the beating? - Objection.
Irrelevant.
Sustained.
Are you from the same tribe as Captain Sarbani? - Objection.
Irrelevant, again.
- Sustained.
Isn't it true that you never forwarded for prosecution several allegations of child abduction made by the villagers against Captain Sarbani? HARPER: Objection, Your Honor.
Hearsay.
- Misleading, and highly prejudicial.
- Sustained.
- May we approach the bench, Your Honor? - Yes, may we? It's not much of a bench, but sure.
The defense is introducing unsubstantiated crimes of the victim, i.
e.
false rumors to confuse the panel, make them think that Captain Sarbani deserved to be killed.
TREY: We have evidence that Captain Sarbani routinely engaged in bacha bazi.
Other children last seen with the captain have disappeared.
The victim had no prior convictions, and where's the evidence Zaram was kidnapped? He said himself he was in no danger.
His father confirmed it.
Your Honor, once you hear from our witnesses, you'll see how depraved Captain Sarbani was, and why it's essential we question the police chief on those prior allegations.
ABE: The defense's witness list is riddled with proven liars - and Taliban sympathizers.
- I reject that vehemently.
Enough.
We are here to judge Lieutenant Carter's guilt, not the victim's.
And we're not gonna litigate tribal feuds or put the police chief on trial.
I'm siding with the government.
Defense counsel cannot admit any unproven crimes of the victim, through witnesses or otherwise.
Is everything okay? We may need you to testify after all.
We know it's risky, Zandra, but the judge isn't going to let the village speak.
You need to be their voice.
I didn't plan to kill Captain Sarbani.
I wouldn't have, either, or harmed him or even thrown a harsh look in his general direction.
He reached for his weapon.
I engaged, just like I'm trained to do.
My only concern was for the safety of Zaram Gulwal.
The boy you rescued from imminent harm? That's right.
That's a compelling story, Lieutenant.
Especially the part where you used the victim's own gun, but just happened to be wearing gloves.
- Objection.
What's the question? - Sustained.
You said you wanted to protect the boy, but according to his own words, he didn't need protecting.
Did you make a mistake? He didn't understand the situation, the danger he was in.
Was the boy beaten, bruised, crying? No, but he looked terrified.
ABE: Well, you-you might, too, if an armed Marine broke into the room.
I-I meant Sarbani.
Uh I believed he was scared of Sarbani.
Did you just say "believed"? Marines are held to a stricter standard.
You know that, right? Objection.
The lieutenant's knowledge of the Code is irrelevant.
Overruled, but get to the point.
The point, Judge Jette: there may be jurisdictions where a belief in imminent harm is enough to get you off for defending another person, but the UCMJ requires actual imminent harm for that defense to work, not just a belief in it.
The boy wasn't actually in need of rescuing, was he? No, I-I Yes, he was.
Was he being harmed at that moment? Did you see anything to indicate he was about to be harmed? Never mind what you thought.
Did you see anything? No.
Then the boy wasn't in danger of imminent harm, you just believed he was.
That's it? We hit the rack, no one says a word? You feel good about what happened today? Lieutenant Li and I had an excellent day in court, if that's what you're asking.
We all saw you nuke Lieutenant Carter on the stand today.
I'm asking you if you feel good about it.
- You're not answering.
- I did my job today.
MAYA: Yes, you did.
You applied the Uniform Code in a country where witnesses get murdered for so much as showing up in court.
ABE: I'm well aware that our allies do terrible things.
I did two deployments at this base, and I got hauled in on a stretcher maybe a few yards from where you're sitting.
That kid needs to testify.
We can help him.
We offer protection to the locals.
MAYA: Protection? These grudges last for years.
- Harper? - Yes, sir? I feel like I'm the only one carrying water for the prosecution.
We're gonna win the case.
But do we know what happened between Captain Sarbani and that kid? If this kid was kidnapped and raped, I need to hear it.
It doesn't have to be in open court, but someone who I believe needs to tell me that this bacha bazi thing is true.
Rami? What's the time? It's 0330, sir.
Major Ferry and Captain Dobbins asked me to wake you and Lieutenant Li.
- Why? - They want to take you somewhere.
What's going on? MAYA: We're driving into the village.
Abe wants to hear from someone who knows say that Zaram Gulwal's being abused, right? MAYA: We figured the kid's mother might have a point of view on the practice of bacha bazi.
[DOOR OPENS.]
We don't have much time.
Benesh had to sneak out of her house in order to talk to us.
Her husband doesn't know where she is.
[SPEAKING PASHTO.]
We are a poor family from a poor tribe.
We were blessed with children but Mukhtar, my husband he works, but there isn't enough for all of us.
There's never enough.
Men here when they can't provide there is sometimes a way to make the burden less.
Bacha bazi.
I begged Mukhtar to find another way.
I cried.
But I'm only a woman.
My husband sold our son into Captain Sarbani's service.
Please forgive him.
Forgive us.
[GRUNTS.]
Good? You're way more flexible than that.
I'm really not.
[GRUNTS, CHUCKLES.]
I always half-assed the stretching part of every warm-up.
Not any more.
You need strength and flexibility in both legs to prevent contractures.
[CHUCKLES.]
"Both legs.
" VALENTINA: That's a leg.
It's not a whole leg, but it's a leg.
You treat it like it's not there, the soft tissue's gonna contract forever and you'll need a walker before you're 30.
Is that what you want? No, ma'am.
You don't need to call me "ma'am.
" But what you do need to do is exactly what I say exactly when I tell you to do it.
You do that, I give you your life back.
Sound like a good deal? [GRUNTS.]
[LAUGHS.]
It sounded better before you did that.
How's he doing? [CHUCKLES.]
The fog's lifting.
He's gonna fight.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
All rise.
Let's get right to it, shall we? The defense calls Staff Sergeant Phoebe Day.
Your Honor, the government has lost confidence in its case.
I beg your pardon? Certain realities presented themselves overnight.
In light of them, the government can no longer argue in good faith for Lieutenant Carter's conviction.
We're no longer pursuing charges.
You're free to go, Lieutenant Carter.
Oh, my God.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
Thank you.
Uh Congratulations, Lieutenant.
[SNEEZES.]
I brought you this.
I know you said you don't get colds, but would you just do me a favor and take this? All right, fine.
Thank you.
[CHUCKLES.]
Ah MATT [OVER VIDEO.]
: I had a plan, to recreate the entire beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark with these guys, except my hero was looking for my meds.
ABE: Where's Rami? He knew we were leaving.
We need to be airborne before the base commander catches up with me.
John Abraham, always one step ahead of a reaming.
Supposedly, he's furious.
Sarbani was a well-connected guy.
Anyway, kid, it's late.
Here are the psychotropic meds.
Cold medicine.
My brother's been taking cold medicine.
What's with the phone? We got to leave.
Just be quiet for a second sir.
It's for you, Major Ferry.
Hello? Nona.
Everything okay? Oh, my God.
Are you sure? Oh, my God.
We're having a baby.
- [CHEERING.]
- Shh Baby, it is happening.
We are having a baby.
[LAUGHS.]
Okay.
I'll see you soon.
I love you, too.
Good-bye.
[CHEERING, APPLAUSE.]