03x02 - Cockroach

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Tyrant". Aired: June 2014 to September 2016.*
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Bassam "Barry" Al-Fayeed, the younger son of a Middle East dictator, is reluctantly compelled to return to his home country (the fictional Abbudin) along with his American wife and children.
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03x02 - Cockroach

Post by bunniefuu »

Previously on Tyrant...

Barry: Starting as of this moment, I am, with the support of the Abuddinian m*llitary, assuming the office of President of Abuddin.

Al-Qadi: Bassam is promising us democracy.

The same thing his brother promised us a year ago.


Now one Al Fayeed replaces another, and they call it progress.

I'm talking about forming a Truth and Dignity Commission.

I'm gonna name you the chair.

Leila: I want to be the first woman foreign secretary of an Arab nation.

That's what you'll be.

Please, no, stop!

(choking)

If the elections were held today, you would get 72% of the vote.

It would be a coronation, of you.

Tell us why we should support that.

I'm not running for president.

Was this your plan all along, to drop out of the election?

The country needed reassurance.

Now it needs a real election, and that cannot happen if I run.

Cogswell: Exley.

Sheik Abdullah: The American has taken power in Abuddin.

It is an opportunity almost too good to be true if we play it right.

Fauzi: There is no hope here anymore, only chaos or tyranny.

Do you believe in what the Caliphate is doing?

I don't actually care anymore.

Stop!

(grunts)

(screams)

He and his whole family are going to wish that he had just let me die.

I'm never going to forgive.


(indistinct chatter)

I still need to take a plaster cast to make the mold.

Once the arm is properly fitted, you'll be amazed how well it works.

Newswoman: This marks Mrs. Al Fayeed's first visit to the w*r-torn region.

The president is committed to making sure...

You'll be able to open and close your fingers, even make a fist.

They will be honored for their sacrifice, and we are grateful for their service.

(exhales)

Look at this bullshit they keep spinning, in the comic books and the propaganda.

Can you give us a minute, Doctor?

The Al Fayeed bitch is coming to Ma'an.

(pounds table)

Coming to my home.

Wafiq has her driver.

And his wife and their children.

He's given us Mrs. Al Fayeed's itinerary, motorcade routes, communication channels.

He's, uh, motivated to deliver Mrs. Al Fayeed.

Okay, then.

You are trying to provoke Bassam into a fight, yes?

Let him watch me k*ll his wife.

See how long he can contain his rage.

Molly: My husband has asked me to represent him not only as first lady, but also as a physician.

General Cogswell.

Welcome back to Abuddin.

Mr. President.

Thank you for allowing me to do this in person, and thanks to Ms. Exley for being the go-between.

Welcome.

Barry: I don't think your agenda is much of a mystery, General.

Unfortunately, your brother allowed the capabilities of the Abuddinian m*llitary to be severely... degraded.

I bring to you a very generous offer of an aid package.

Money, machines, boots on the ground, and I'm talking 2,000 to 3,000 troops.

Training to rebuild so that you have the capabilities to protect yourself against threats both foreign and domestic.

And, of course, uh, we will stay as long as you need us.

Or is that the other way around?

Well, we want an ally.

For intelligence purposes, defense, trade.

I'm not trying to hide that.

Rami: And we can use all the help we can get.

I know what my general wants, but I have a problem you can't help me with.

It's essential that I continue to be seen as the Arab leader of an Arab country.

But my years in the United States make that more difficult.

We could be a silent partner.

I thought the United States was inherently noisy.

I assume you've met our foreign secretary?

As first lady, yes. Madam.

General.

Barry: I'm not sure that I can accept your offer, generous though it is.

But, uh, why don't you two work out some details.

Give me something to consider.

Have you been waiting for me?

You told Aziz I'm not permitted to bury my wife?

In a public ceremony, that's right.

It's a very bad idea, Ahmed.

Why? Everyone else in this country gets to apologize and be forgiven.

Why not her?

People can forgive her, not you.

Not yet.

She tried to assassinate your father, Ahmed.

Your father.

You just need a little bit more time to get over that.

There would have been a civil w*r between you and him.

She saved us from that.

She's a hero to many people in this country.

I understand that, I do.

But she k*lled herself, and that's a major sin.

Oh, so you've found God now?

We are a public family.

Perception matters.

Right.

You haven't found God.

You found politics.

Oh, Ahmed.

God is politics.

Haitham: Don't forget to read chapter seven for tomorrow.

And be prepared to talk about whether enforcing Sharia as state law contradicts its religious nature.

Professor El-Amin, I want you to meet my friend, Sammy Al Fayeed.

Mr. Al Fayeed.

Hi. Um, I know I've missed three weeks, but I-I'd love to take your class, if you don't mind.

I'd love to have you.

Great.

Reading materials are... listed at the top.

I know. It's a lot.

But I'm sure Halima didn't tell you I was an easy teacher.

No, she didn't, but she doesn't tell me a lot of things.

Uh, why don't I tutor you.

At least for the first few weeks so you can catch up.

Yes. Thank you.

Call me Haitham.

When we're not in class.

Of course.

Molly: Not only as first lady, but also as a physician.

You were great.

Really relaxed, authoritative, very first lady-ish.

Molly: It's not really my thing, being on TV, but thank you.

Oh, my gosh.

He doesn't even look that much older than me.

Can I come with you?

If he can do that for his country, I can do this.

(door opens)

Aziz: Phone call for you, Mr. President, in your office.

It's Fauzi Nidal.

Thank you, Aziz.

Fauzi?

Have you talked to him since his daughter d*ed?

Uh, no.

God, Barry, are you okay?

Yeah, yeah.

Fauzi.

I've been waiting for this for a long time.

Bassam, I'm sorry it's been so long.

So much has changed for both of us.

I'm actually on my way home.

I'm just on a layover in Dubai.

You're coming back?

Yeah. I got an invitation from the Student Union to talk about the political changes in Abuddin.

I turned them down at first.

I couldn't.

But the truth is, I had to come home sometime.

Yeah, of course.

I miss her every day.

Fauzi, I'm so sorry.

I tried to call you.

I knew you would.

I changed my number.

I didn't want to be found.

But it'll be good to see you now.

We have so much to catch up on.

Yes, we do.

♪ ♪
♪ ♪

This is all my mother would allow.

We'll leave the body unmarked.

It's the best I could do for her.

Thank you for coming.

Sammy: What are you talking about?

We're family.

It's hard to believe this is the guy we were all afraid of.

Was it worth it, old man?

This is what you got for all your troubles.

Everyone ends up like this one way or another.

You, too.

Yeah.

But no one will spit on my grave.

It's okay.

It's all over now.

What good is it gonna do to tell him?

It won't bring her back.

It won't make his pain go away.

The only thing that will change is him and me.

And the way the world is, I think we're both gonna need each other.

You have to tell him, as terrible as that will be.

Why?

Because if you don't, and he finds out any other way, there will be no going back.

How is he gonna find out?

The only people who were there were you and me.

Who's gonna tell him?

What?

You've asked the whole country to confess their sins.

Told them the truth will set them free.

How can you begin with a lie?

Show them what honesty looks like.

Some things are better left unsaid.

♪ ♪

Fauzi: When 90% of the wealth is controlled by 10% of the population, and you add to that cronyism, corruption, political repression, pretty soon people will get desperate.

And when people are desperate, they do desperate things.

Like joining the Caliphate.

Like my daughter did.

I know the risks of hopelessness firsthand.

Now, I made an old man's mistake.

I gave up.

And moved away.

But you didn't.

You stayed and you fought.

Your cry of bread, freedom and social justice is the cry of the revolution.

And now it has to be the cry of this election.

That's the promise of Bassam Al Fayeed.

But he's not running.

There's no candidate saying these things.

It's still early.

Find one.

What about you?

(Fauzi chuckles, students murmur quietly)

I'm not a politician.

Exactly.

Megan, don't ruin another man's life just because you want to get even with me.

I don't give two shits what you do with my lieutenant.

Let's just get this over with.

File the papers.

Just file them.

My soon-to-be ex-wife still knows how to push my buttons.

All this time, I never knew a marriage could just end.

Things have, uh... well, changed quite a bit since the last time we saw each other.

Yes.

Life has dealt us both a few blows.

You certainly don't look any the worse for it.

I owe you an apology.

Really? Why?

After you went to Damascus and brought Jamal home, cleaned up his mess...

I was the one who asked you to be transferred.

I always thought it was Jamal.

I figured I... I knew too much.

It was me.

You were dangerous, but not because you knew too much.

Well, if you've come here to apologize, there's absolutely no need for it.

I'm here on orders of my president.

Aziz: Mr. President.

Bassam.

(chuckles)

Fauzi.

Ah?

How have you been?

Amsterdam was good.

But it's not home.

I saw Emma when I walked in.

18 years old.

My goodness, she's lovely.

Fauzi.

What?

A daughter's a blessing.

And look at you.

In the palace. (chuckles)

I always said this is where you were meant to be.

Well, it's only temporary.

But, uh... yes, you did.

Come on.

So how's the university?

Well, the students are wonderful.

And energized, really.

In my whole life, I've never felt such a sense of possibility.

At one point, the young woman in charge, Halima... she says she knows you... she actually suggested that I run for president myself.

Can you believe that?

What?

Oh, you're just as crazy as she is.

I guess so.

I think you're exactly what this country needs.

Yeah, well...

Yeah, I-I can't do that.

I'm a broken man, my friend.

I mean, you knew her.

She was a good girl.

Yeah.

And...

(sighs)

(sniffles)

I promised I wouldn't do this in front of you, and now...

I should go. I-I should go.

Uh, I'll... I'll call you.

It was good to see you again.

Fauzi, wait.

(chuckles)

You got a little... barbecue sauce there in the...

I can drink this stuff.

Huh?

(laughs) Oh, don't be coy.

You are proud of your prodigious barbecuing skills.

Americans do some things right.

That's right.

America would make a great ally because we're great at barbecue.

(laughs)

What else could you ask for?

I'll make a list.

I have a list, actually.

I want your next president to accept our help.

I think you need us.

That's it?

Well, on my end, I'd like a permanent m*llitary presence here.

And then, if I'm lucky, a relationship with your next president.

That will be the next president's decision to make.

I'm here as foreign secretary.

For now.

Right.

We wouldn't want to be inappropriate.

Never.

It was just the three of us.

All night.

I begged her to let us walk away.

I said I'd take her with us.

I did everything that I could to save her, Fauzi.

She didn't want to be saved.

She was lost.

She pointed her g*n at me, and she sh*t me.

And then... she pointed it at Daliyah.

"I'll k*ll her," she said.

I couldn't let that happen.

(crying): I... I'm sorry.

I don't want your apologies! I want my daughter back! I want her back!

Get back! Get back!

I want her back! I want her back!

You want to k*ll me, k*ll me.

But then they'll k*ll you and we'll all be dead.

(groaning)

(crying softly)

No.

I thought losing a child was the last terrible thing that could ever happen to me.

That I had nothing else to lose.

But now you're gone, too.

Your brother's on his way out.

He'll take you home.

There he is.

Wafiq.

You know where he's going?

To sit on Bassam Al Fayeed's election committee.

I can't talk to him anymore about that.

He knows how I feel.

You cooperate with them, and you risk turning your followers into enemies.

I don't have followers.

God has followers.

Let's go home, Nafisa.

It's no use. You're wasting your breath.

We have been here before. A year ago.

They call an election. We give it legitimacy.

At the end, they pulled the rug from under our feet, and we look like dupes.

What's my alternative?

Sit out and let others decide the future of our country?

Agitate.

Call on God's followers to resist.

Make his peaceful election impossible.

I'm not Ihab bin Rashid.

Wafiq: Give it time.

Even Ihab wasn't Ihab until the Al Fayeeds messed with him.

The first lady's here for the Al Fayeed sales pitch.

Make us think they give a sh*t.

I can't believe what happened to this place.

I mean, I saw it on the news, but...

Are you ill, Jalal?

Jalal?

What are you doing?

Why are you stopping?

(both gasp)

(men shouting)

Get out! My side!

Time to go.

You need to run. I'll cover you.

Go!

No.
Man: They are getting away.

Ihab wants her alive.

(g*nf*re continues)

Emma, this way.

I can't.

I can't, I can't.

Emma, look at me. You can.

Okay? You're coming.

Mom! (gasps)

Mom! Mom!

Mom, please, please.

Please, please get up.

Man: They went this way. Here, follow me.

Man 2: All right, let's go.

Man: I heard something. Over there.

No! Please don't k*ll me!

Your mother... where is she?

We got separated.

Where's the mother?

She says they were separated.

Yeah.

(panting)

(sirens approaching)

Farook.

Farook.

I hear it!

Okay, take her.

♪ ♪

Emma?

Emma!

Barry: You are not Ihab bin Rashid, and I am not my brother.

Power changes people.

You might grow to like being a president.

(door opens)

Look...

Mr. President, I need to talk to you right away.

There's been an att*ck on the first lady's motorcade in Ma'an.

She's safe and heading to the Palace now.

But General Said is dead, and your daughter has been taken.

I'm sorry, Sheik.

I need to go.

(line clicks)

Europeans drew the map after World w*r One.

The borders of these countries are entirely arbitrary.

They don't have national identities the way you think of them in the West.

Right.

Loyalties are tribal, not national.

Lawrence in Arabia?

Read it.

We can talk again next week.

If you'd like.

Yes.

♪ ♪

Man: I'm sorry to interrupt, Mr. Al Fayeed.

What is it?

♪ ♪

(indistinct radio chatter)

(sobbing)

I tried to save her.

I know.

I know you did. I know you did.

It's my fault.

No. No.

Contact him, give him whatever he wants.

He has our daughter.

Maloof is setting up checkpoints.

He's closing down the border.

We'll find your daughter, ma'am.

You find her. You find her!

(car horns honking)

(chickens clucking)

Identification.

Where are you going?

Uh, to visit my uncle's farm in Barta.

Your uncle?

Kofi Salim.

You know him.

Uh, with the... with the gold tooth.

This one here.

(frantic clucking)

(car horns honking)

(muffled sobbing)

Go on.

There are unconfirmed reports that Emma Al Fayeed...

(TV continues quietly)

Is that news?

Turn it louder, please.

Nothing.

(TV clicks off)

Just a program.

No.

It's bad news, I know.

It's just a program.

You're up.

There is some good news for you.

How are you feeling?

Can I get you something to drink?

Being a president turns everything into your fault, your problem.

Same as being a parent.

The child blames you for whatever goes wrong, even the things you can't control.

I wouldn't know.

Yeah.

Unless you hold office, sit in that chair, you can't understand.

Well... after all, I tried my best.

Under the circumstances.

And what circumstances were those?

(sighs)

The way my father raised me.

How is she?

How's Molly?

I'd k*ll Ihab bin Rashid myself if they would give me the chance.

Of course you would.

But the problem is bigger than Ihab bin Rashid, Aziz, and it won't end if he's dead.

Men.

My father-in-law, Ihab bin Rashid, my husband, even Bassam.

They're all the same.

Women suffer, we mourn our dead, we just don't take the whole world down with us when we do.

You think we are the problem?

I've spent my whole life in this palace watching men destroy this country, one after another.

Dismissing women, covering us up like we're the thing to be afraid of.

Now I'm trying to groom my son.

Why would I think he'd do any better?

You think you could?

I have my doubts they'll give me the chance.

They might well stone me to death if they only knew what I thought about men and their testosterone-bloodied world.

Your secret is safe with me.

Here's my secret.

I always thought I'd put my money on you.

(door opens)

(clamoring, g*nf*re)

Doctor: Intracranial hematomas begin at the periphery and spread inward.

I'll have her get an MRI, just in case it finds something the CT scan missed.

(door opens)

Mr. President.

We're trying to trace back the signal, but he's sending it through a proprietary channel of encrypted routers in five different countries.

(Emma whimpering)

Oh, God, listen.

Emma, sweetheart.

I'm gonna get you out of there, I promise.

Ihab: I'm counting on it.

See, Bassam, I told you we are not yet done with each other.

Tell me what you want, and I'll give it to you.

You know what I want.

I want justice.

Eye for an eye.

My daughter has done nothing.

I didn't come for your daughter.

Hand over your wife, I'll release her.

That's...

Ihab... Ihab, listen.

You can have me instead.

Take me.

Ihab: No.

I don't want you dead.

I want you living, wishing that you were dead.

Your wife for your daughter.

I can't do that.

Maybe you should ask Molly before you say anything.

You have 24 hours.

Say good-bye.

Wait. Wait!

Let me know if there's anything else I can do to make you comfortable, madam.

Thank you, Aziz.

We have to say yes.

Okay, that's what we have to do.

Molly...

Yes.

This wouldn't be happening to her if we hadn't brought her to this place.

This is on us.

You and me, we did this to her.

I know.

Okay.

I'm gonna trade myself for Emma.

End of story.

Molly, it's not that simple.

Yeah, it is.

It is that simple.

It's my life for her.

It's that simple.

He could k*ll you both.

That's a chance we have to take, right?

I cannot deliver you to him so he can k*ll you.

I know.

I know. I love you, too.

But I would die for her.

Wouldn't you?

Yes.

Okay.

Then let me die for her.

I'm okay with that.

I can't.

Barry.

I can't.

I'm the president of this country.

I can't deliver you to a t*rror1st so he can k*ll you. I can't do it.

Politics?!

Molly...

Don't you give me bullshit politics.

That is our daughter!

We can't let him hurt her.

You have to let me save her. Come on.

No, no, no, no. This is my decision.

It's my life, not yours.

Molly...

Just tell me you're gonna let me go.

You tell me you're gonna let me go.

Let go of me.

Molly, stop.

She's my baby. She's my baby.

No, I can't live if anything happens to her!

I know. I know.

(sobbing): Barry, God, please. Please.

Please!

I will never forgive you for this.

I will never forgive you.

(sobbing)

Reporter: The Caliphate took responsibility for the att*ck in Ma'an City and Emma Al Fayeed's abduction on their Web site late this evening.

They're not gonna leave us alone, are they, the Caliphate?

There's no living side by side.

They're gonna push us and push us until it's like, "Either you k*ll us or we k*ll you."

I don't know.

I hope not.

It's not enough to hope though, is it?

You have to do something.

You don't understand. Yes, I do.

Your daughter d*ed.

I'm sorry.

My sister d*ed and my best friend.

We all lost someone in this w*r.

We're all broken because of it.

Sorry, it's not my business, but what are you doing here anyway?

Isn't Bassam your best friend?

Shouldn't you be there with him?

You know, you're right.

It's none of your business.

I gave her a Valium to calm her nerves, and, uh, it should also help her sleep through the night.

Okay. Thank you.

I'm gonna get her back.

I promise.

Why does Ihab want me?

I barely knew her growing up.

We visited them twice in California.

I remember her bedroom.

Um, I think she was ten years old.

Her walls were covered with pictures of boys from magazines.

It was so... ordinary.

Hmm.

Can't imagine how terrible it is to have your child taken.

I have a daughter.

I know.

I never see her.

But I remember once I took her to the grocery store by myself.

She was so little, walking down the aisle and...

(chuckles) picking out an apple.

And as I was watching, she grabbed another man's hand, thinking it was me.

And I thought, "My wife is going to divorce me."

And one of these days, my little girl is gonna grab the hand of another man and call him Daddy.

Our children are our greatest vulnerability.

Yeah.

I gave up everything for my son.

If I had been childless, I would have run away a long time ago.

Or thrown myself out of a window.

Or kept you here... in Abuddin.

Aziz said I could wait for you.

I debated for the longest time if it was okay to come here.

It's okay.

Where's Molly?

Molly's asleep upstairs.

I gave her some pills.

You'll get her back.

She'll come back.

I don't know what to do.

We'll just talk it through.

As always.

(knocking on door)

Madam First Lady.

What are you doing here?

Are you alone?

Yes, I drove myself.

It's not safe for you here.

Please.

(door closes)

Nafisa, please fetch some tea.

I'm sorry to do this, but I need your help.

I need to contact Ihab bin Rashid.

What makes you think I know bin Rashid?

Please.

You need to go.

Nafisa: We had nothing to do with him taking your daughter.

No. No, no. I'm-I'm not accusing you.

I'm not trying to trap you.

I just need your help.

I have to get her back.

I'm so sorry for your daughter, but you can't...

If you're sorry, you'll help me.

I have no contact with Ihab.

But you know people who do.

Does... your husband, does he know you're here?

He can't know, not ever.

I'm gonna trade my life for hers.

Will you help me do it?
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