02x17 - Higher Learning

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Madam Secretary". Aired: September 2014 to December 2019.*
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"Madam Secretary" follows a former CIA analyst and college professor who is promoted to United States Secretary of State as she tries to balance her work and family life.
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02x17 - Higher Learning

Post by bunniefuu »

♪ ♪

(people chanting in Spanish)

What the hell?

(chanting continues)

Holdup at the gate.

Looks like we got a welcoming committee.

Hey! This is private property.

Clear the entrance!

You can't come in and take what you want anymore!

Chile is our country, and this is our gold!

(chanting continues)

Come on, let's go.

Pablo, back in the truck!

(shouting in Spanish)

(crowd clamoring)

(engine starts)

(truck horn blows)

Okay, we're going in.

(truck horn continues blowing)

(grunts)

Can't, because we are totally ready to go.

(grunts)

Alison's even got her coat on.

But I'll tell you what, one last thing though.

You know those, um... oh, gosh, those blueberry-lemon muffins at Angelina's that I love?

Do you want a muffin?

No.

All right, just two. You know what? Get four.

And then whatever you want, okay? Of course.

You have to ask, not me.

I will.

Elizabeth: Yes, I did see that.

So, the protests are in Santiago now, too?

(sighs) Okay, I'll come in.

But let's make it really quick, okay? Thanks, Blake.

Okay, who is excited for some college tour action?

Um, maybe you should hang back.

Stevie said she could take me.

What?

I actually wouldn't mind a break from studying.

(phone vibrating)

And it does sound like you have your hands full.

What, that?

That's, uh... it's a little kerfuffle at a gold mine in Chile.

Just ten minutes at the office, that's it. Okay?

It's just... college is supposed to be my thing, and if we show up in a motorcade with diplomatic security and you and Blake constantly on the phone...

I know, total bummer.

Which is why I got us down to two cars, and I asked Blake specifically to tell the school not to make a fuss about anything.

Because I get it, Ali, you want to be normal, but that goes for me, too, you know.

And this is a really big deal, and I don't want to miss out on it, and I really want to come.

Okay. Let's go.

Okay!

Okay, okay. And you know what?

I'll tell you what.

Stevie'll come, too.

It'll be...

Look at that, you already packed a bag.

Yeah, you know, just in case.

So what do we have on this girl?

We confirmed the marriage to Jibral Disah took place in January, possibly December.

Oh, well, that's definitive.

You couldn't find a more recent photo?

It's a school I.D. photo from 2011.

Records are spotty after the fall of Gaddafi.

There's almost nothing online.

Yeah, ISR drone's been on the Al Wahat District 24/7, but it's pretty hard to get facial recognition when she's only ever out in a niqab.

You said this Hijriyyah business was the key to getting Disah before he att*cks us with another dirty b*mb.

I'm not hearing any doors opening.

It's gonna take time.

Patience and pattern analysis, building more covert assets on the ground.

This can't be another ten-year quilting circle like bin Laden.

Hizb al-Shahid is ready to att*ck us again. They got plenty of leftover uranium, they're recruiting our own citizens.

We need to find that girl so we can take them down. Now.

We can move faster, but that means taking bigger risks.

Losing Mimi was a pretty big risk.

Not my call.

I'm talking about who to reach out to next.

Disah has dozens of powerful enemies in Libya, most of them militia leaders vying for power.

They want to take Disah down.

That's a motivation we can exploit.

Henry: We already got b*rned by someone we thought we could trust.

These guys, we know we can't trust.

You want to get the lowest, you have to work with the lowest.

It's risky, but I've seen it yield good Intel.

I have to agree with Henry on this.

We might be able to exploit a common interest now, but how many times has covert ops handed a g*n to extremists only to have it turned on us later?

Sounds like we don't have much of a choice.

Well, w... there might be another way.

This photograph was taken at Al-Taria Academy in Tripoli.

I checked into the faculty.

There's a teacher living in Delaware under a visa.

She taught there at the same time.

Was she Hijriyyah's teacher?

That I don't know, but it's worth looking into.

High risk of exposure if this woman has any loyalties back home.

Well, we might be able to use the visa status, get some leverage.

And risk losing our only advantage?

Which is that, so far, no one knows we're looking for this girl.

All it takes is one word to make her flee our area of interest, and we're screwed.

And talking to warlords is not risking exposure?

All right. Henry, go talk to this teacher with Jane.

Jose, reach out to CIA, see what assets you can find.

If all we got are two bad ideas, let's see which one works.

Good morning.

Morning.

Here's a copy of today's agenda.

Thank you. And did you get the...

Four lemon-blueberry and a vegan scone, in case Stevie joined us.

That's just eerie.

Mm. Thank you.

Uh, also, I took the liberty of highlighting various students' online reviews of professors at Rafferty College.

The debate professor is wonderfully polarizing.

Mom, I don't think you pay Blake enough.

Oh, I am sure I don't.

Okay.

Not that I don't love seeing your faces, but explain to me again why I had to be here to discuss protests at a gold mine in Chile.

The demonstrations are growing at the mine, as well as in Santiago.

Well, it's not surprising people might object to moving an entire glacier to dig the gold out.

It's not so much the glacier as the strong whiff of neocolonialism in a U.S. company coming in to cart off most of a Latin American country's gold to el norte.

Wait. This company, Hercutel, bought the rights from the Chilean government...

Yes.

...fair and square?

Yes, the terms of which were fully agreed upon with Chile's Minister of Mining.

But now, President Contreras has found that she's had a change of heart.

It's her incendiary statements to the press, accusing Hercutel of negotiating far more than their fair share of profit, that sparked the protest.

Of course, what she doesn't mention is that the Hercutel deal follows the same terms as every other mining contract in the region.

So she's spinning the truth to try to look tough.

Still not sure how State figures here.

Jay: Yesterday, one of Hercutel's employees, an American, was injured when a protester hit him with a rock.

Nadine: Hercutel wants assurance of its employees' safety.

And the White House has made it clear that this is a priority.

Ah. Well.

Now I understand why I'm here.

Okay.

Um, Matt...

Hmm?

...draft a statement to Foreign Minister Torres reminding him of his country's responsibility to protect our workers.

Emphasize the impact on Chile's economy should they jeopardize their trade agreement with us.

So thr*aten to break up with them if they cheat on us.

Or at least stop hitting us with rocks.

Okay. I am off to try and figure out how in the world I'm going to pay for three liberal arts educations before I retire.

French horn.

Huh?

It's a guaranteed scholarship.

Oh.

Well, somehow I don't see Alison jumping on that.

But Jason could be in for a surprising birthday present.

Blake: All right.

First up is the campus tour,
featuring the bell tower completed in 1857.

Mom, have you seen this blog about Chilean protesters?

I'm reading it.

And we're in a regular tour group, right?

No photo op with the dean or anything?

I was personally assured by the dean's assistant of total anonymity.

Donna. Big Sondheim fan.

Okay, will you tell Daisy the statement's good to go?

We need to get on top of this with the press.

Yep.

We're here, guys!

Everybody ready?

All right.

Good-bye, Madam Secretary; hello, just another college mom.

(laughs)

(band playing lively march)

Blake...

I don't understand.

We bonded over Sweeney Todd.

(crowd cheering)

Dean Pistilli?

Blake Moran, hi.

Is Donna here?

Hi. Hi.

Madam Secretary, it's such an honor.

Oh.

Welcome to Rafferty College.

This is overwhelming.

You... shouldn't have.

It's really the least we could do.

These are my daughters, Stevie and Alison.

Hi. It's so nice to meet you.

Fantastic.

Alison is the reason...

Group photo, please, for the, uh, Rafferty Report!

Bring that banner around.

Okay? Good.

Okay.

(camera clicks)

(students laughing, whooping)

Becca: Uh, and to your right, you will see a display of what we here at Rafferty nobly refer to as the Wasting of Time.

Wow. That's an important part of the curriculum, if I recall.

(laughter)

You're k*lling it with the college crowd, ma'am.

Becca: And lest you think we have too much fun, up ahead is the Science and Technology Center.

Isn't that where the Fashion and Design department is?

Uh, yeah, temporarily, until they're finished with their new building.

Are you F&D?

Hoping.

I should've guessed from the cool boots.

Elizabeth: Well, hey, is there any chance that we could check out some of the classrooms?

Oh, I'm pretty sure you get to go wherever you want to, Madam Secretary.

See? Upside.

Secretary McCord?

Excuse me, Secretary...

I'm just trying to talk to my government representative.

Are you infringing on my rights?

Hey, it's okay, it's... How can I help you guys?

What are you doing to stop the rapacious plunder of Chile's natural resources by the U.S. corporation Hercutel?

Elizabeth: I am aware of the situation.

You're "aware," which means you intend to do nothing.

And meanwhile, Hercutel is destroying one of the few glaciers we have left, literally moving mountains to steal gold.

If I can...

How does it feel to be the puppet of an imperialist government, Secretary Cortez?

Blake: Hey, guys, you know what?

Thank you, but we're gonna continue on our tour.

Hang on a second.

If the situation were as black and white as some of the coverage online, I would be as outraged as all of you.

Can you not violate my personal space, please?

You haven't answered my question.

Do you or do you not plan to respond to the demands of the Chilean people?

Mom. Forget it.

They're not listening.

I always listen to the voice of protest.

But protest can sometimes, necessarily, simplify things.

The truth is, an agreement was made between an American corporation and the Chilean government, a deal that both sides agreed upon.

Our government, in particular the Department of State, does not have the power to interfere on a legitimate contract, even if...

Man: Viva Allende!

(loud pop)

Down! Down on the ground! Now!

Man: Yeah! (whoops)

It's just confetti, man.

So much for normal.

Well, you can't say that Rafferty students aren't politically engaged. Hang on.

Well, I-I could do with a little less engagement.

Ugh.

You okay?

Yeah. That's the one.

Got it. Good. Hey.

Who is up for a little room service?

Not hungry.

Hey. Come on.

I know. It's not about me.

Are you kidding? It's all about you.

You're the reason why we're here.

Come on. Let's go to that...

Wh-What's that thing they're having tonight?

It's something called the Husky Dining Hall Experience, followed by a comedy improv show.

You know we can't leave this room without causing an incident. Can't we just go home?

Listen to me.

If I have learned anything, it is how fast the news cycle is.

This whole thing is probably gonna be blown over by tomorrow.

Just in time for the breakfast presentation on the admissions process, followed by an overview of clubs and activities.

You memorized the schedule?

I don't think it's gonna blow over by tomorrow.

Man: What are you doing to stop the rapacious plunder of Chile's natural resources by the U.S. corporation Hercutel?

Elizabeth: Protest can simplify things.

Man: Which means you intend to do nothing.

Elizabeth: Our government has no power...

That's completely not what I said. I...

Except it's the Internet, so now it is.

(cell phone chimes)

Ma'am.

Man: Literally moving mountains to steal gold.

Elizabeth: And the Chilean government...

Man: How does it feel...

Listen, before you say anything...

You couldn't tell those infants that the State Department has no authority over a private business deal?

That is exactly what I told them!

They edited that part out!

Then you need to find a way to put it back in!

Thanks to your circus act, not only are more idiot protests springing up on college campuses, but now the Chileans are putting a stay on Hercutel's mining operation.

Chile is shutting down Hercutel because some college kids yelled at me?

No, because you failed to put this thing to bed, like I asked!

Russell, it has been a very long morning, so I'm just gonna ask.

We've got Hizb al-Shahid running around with dirty bombs.

Why is it that one mine shutting down in the Andes is a problem for the administration?

Every screwup is a problem for this administration!

(phone beeps)

(over speaker): Look, Hercutel is headquartered in Oregon, home state of Dalton's congressional ally, Senator Westrick.

The deal Hercutel made with the Chileans is upward of two billion in revenue.

So... we keep Hercutel happy, then Dalton keeps Westrick in his corner.

Which we need.

So get that mine back up and running, and then get those diaper-wearing toddlers on campus to love you.

What, apologize for being misrepresented?

Win them back with your witty tweets.

Or do a duet with Colbert.

I don't care what you do.

But the youth vote counts.

And you just piled it up and lit it on fire.

Elizabeth: Minister Torres, I'll make this brief.

We need Hercutel to resume its mining operation immediately.

It's only a temporary suspension, Madam Secretary, to restore order in a time of civil unrest.

I'm sure you can understand.

That, I understand.

But what I don't understand is why Chile isn't honoring the mineral rights agreement you already agreed to with Hercutel.

Right now, President Contreras's greater concern must be the safety and well-being of the Chilean people.

And my concern is for the safety and well-being of our U.S. citizens, who are getting hit in the head with rocks because your president is out there whipping up protesters to try to look tough on... and I quote...

"the plunders of the north."

Now, believe me, I understand your president has an election to win.

If you're implying that President Contreras is willing to sacrifice Chile's business relationships for the sake of her poll numbers...

The U.S. Commerce Department and State Department annually assess the global investment climate.

If Chile reneges on its contract with Hercutel and continues to suspend its operations, that could sink your assessment, basically ending foreign investment in your economy.

And that definitely won't win any elections.

I will pass your concerns on to President Contreras.

I look forward to her response.

Man: Ayyad.

Woman: Yes.

Man: Immigration's here to see you.

Uh, you can take your break early.

Okay. Uh, thank you.

Laila Ayyad?

Yes.

Hello. I'm with U.S. Customs and Immigration.

I just need to ask you a few questions.

Is there a problem?

Not at all.

It's part of the new security measures.

Do you mind?

If she thinks she's being investigated, she'll shut down.

Yeah.

Hey, keep it friendly, okay?

Uh, let's move into work history.

How long did you teach Islamic literature at Al-Taria Academy in Tripoli?

Three years.

Seven years before that in Misurata.

Uh, I put all this down on my application.

Ask her if she still has family in Libya.

And do you still have family there?

We had no connection to the Gaddafi regime, none of us.

That's fine.

Now, can you tell us... were any of these students yours?

What does this have to do with my application for citizenship?

Agent: As I said, this is all part of a routine background check.

Ask about the father.

No, it's too soon.

Too soon. No, don't ask.

Time is running out. Ask.

(sighs)

One of your students, Hijriyyah Al Bouri, was the daughter of Idris Al Bouri.

Do you remember her?

I'm sorry, my break is over.

If you could answer the question.

I don't remember.

I'm sorry.

Damn it.

Well...

(sighs)

She clearly has something.

Yeah, we'll never get it now.

Okay, we made the wrong approach.

Let's go to her openly.

We know she was a passionate teacher.

Let's see if you can connect with her as an educator.

That's a pretty big leap of faith.

You're good at those, right?

(protesters chanting in distance)

Stevie: Ugh!

I give up.

Want to watch a crappy pay-per-view?

Why can't I just explain it to them?

Because they grew up thinking that all conflict is injustice.

That's what you get for giving everyone a trophy for showing up.

(knocking on door)

Well, for someone who got quite a few of those trophies, you turned out way cool, you know that?

Thanks, Ma.

(door opens)

Hi. Sorry to bother you.

Yes, well, teeming horde already b*at you to it.

Ah.

Are you never not fully groomed?

It's before 10:00 p.m.

I just got word from Minister Torres's office.

It seems that Chile has lifted the stay, and mining operations will resume in the morning.

Well, that's great news for Russell Jackson, not so good for the teeming horde.

Yogurt pretzels, anyone?

Ooh, me!

Which brings me to my second bit of news.

Daisy wanted you to see this immediately.

Hello. I am Hugo.

I am from the Inhawoji Nation of the Magallanes in Chile.

Inhawoji has lived on this mountain for 6,000 years.

She is our mother.

She gives us food, family, life.

But the government of Chile sell our home to the Americans.

They break our treaty and let them break our mother and take her gold.

6,000 years of Inhawoji will be finish.

I will not let this happen.

I, Hugo, I will climb this mountain.

I will save my home.

Or I will look at her one last time before she is gone forever.

Tell me this isn't real.

It was posted by an indigenous human rights group in Chile.

He made the same video in Spanish and his native language.

It says he'll be doing a live feed until he reaches the top or dies, whichever comes first.

He could die?

Well, temperatures at the peak at this time of year average negative 40 degrees, so yes.

If he's right, if Chile violated a treaty with their own indigenous people, then everything that these kids are yelling could be true.

I hate to say it, but if this thing's up already, it kind of doesn't matter whether it's true or not.

Not going there yet.

No, she's right.

Nobody cares about the legal sale of mineral rights, but you give 'em an indigenous James Franco taking his righteous cause up the mountain with a GoPro?
Alison: Hey, what are you guys watching?

Is that The Amazing Race?

(sighs)

The Ministry of Indigenous Peoples is confirming that the Chilean government did in fact violate a treaty with the Inhawoji people when they sold the mineral rights to their land without their consent.

And no one ever thought this was worth mentioning?

Department of Commerce admitted they got a report on the treaty violation and then never passed it on.

Has the president been informed?

Uh, they will be held accountable.

Have we told Hercutel?

Daisy: I spoke with their PR rep.

They're saying they never knew the glacier was native land.

Cue the denials.

Not from us.

I want to be very clear on that.

Because the next time student protesters yell at me about letting this happen on my watch, they're gonna be right.

Let's tell Hercutel they have to shut down the operation.

Matt: On it.

Thank you, everyone.

Nadine: Uh, ma'am, there's one other thing.

Uh, one of the students from the confrontation yesterday has filed a lawsuit against the State Department.

I'm sorry. Come again?

He feels the DS agent violated his personal space.

It's the confetti-b*mb guy.

They were a little rough taking him down.

Uh, no, no, it was another one.

The, uh, vocal one.

The guy who was just standing there yelling at us?

The screamer feels we violated his...

The government made me yell and now my throat hurts?

Guys, do you know how fast something like this could turn an election?

I mean, it's just ridiculous enough to get way more coverage than it deserves.

(sighs) What's the kid's name?

He's choosing not to reveal that in the suit.

(laughs)

Brian Andrew Lindstrom.

He lives in Foster Hall.

We'll take care of it.

Elizabeth: No, no, no. This one I want.

Don't worry, I'm not gonna violate his personal space, much as I would love to.

We have the faculty tea in ten minutes.

The girls will meet us there.

It's supposed to be by the library.

(protestors chanting in Spanish)

Oh, no, here we go.

(chanting continues)

Protestors: U.S. out of Chile! U.S. out of Chile!

They're in costume?

Oh, God, I've got... I've got to get this.

What are you doing? Put that away.

Let go! Stop! Stop!

Come on. They're coming.

Uh... hey, sorry.

It's cool.

Your secret's safe with me.

You know who I am?

It's chill.

My dad's on the Chicago City Council.

Actually, I was egged once by a mob of teachers at a contract negotiation, so I totally understand the fear of an angry public.

I'm Ken.

Alison.

Are you here for Prospective Week or...?

Yeah, we're supposed to go to this faculty tea thing.

Do you know where MacDougall Hall is?

Yeah, it's right by the library, other side of the quad.

This is my sister Stevie.

Hey.

Hey.

We should go.

What do you think of Rafferty?

It's cool.

I actually, I kind of flamed out in high school, so this is a pretty good place to start over.

And how's the social life?

Just the usual lame Greek stuff.

Sorry if you're into that kind of thing.

No.

But there's actually a party tonight off-campus.

My roommate's deejaying. You should come by.

Maybe I will.

Uh, the coast is clear. But thanks for your help.

Keep your head down.

Hey!

The last thing that Mom needs right now is for you to get busted for underage drinking.

I won't drink.

Excuse me, Ms. Ayyad?

Yes?

Hi, my name is Henry McCord.

I work for the U.S. government.

You're not in any trouble.

I just... I was just wondering if I could have a few minutes of your time?

Why do you people keep showing up at my work?

I know you have my phone number.

You can't call me?

I'm sorry for the inconvenience.

I am studying for my citizenship.

I know I don't have to talk to you.

And I already told the last one everything I know, which is nothing, so are we done here?

Well, at least let me buy you a cup of coffee for your trouble.

I haven't had lunch.

There's a diner around the corner.

I'll just have coffee, thanks.

Do you like your job?

Loading ink cartridges and listening to idiots? Sure.

(chuckles) You must miss teaching.

I miss a lot of things.

I'm a teacher, too.

Ethics, morality, religious studies.

But only to college students, never high school.

Well, then you're missing something.

Lighting them up for the first time.

That age where they're so passionate.

Falling in love, getting their hearts broken.

That's when poetry can literally save you.

I have two kids in high school.

One is actually looking at colleges right now.

It's k*lling me.

Lucky kid.

Wasn't an option for most of my girls.

We're interested in one of your former students.

Hijriyyah Al Bouri.

We believe she was in your Islamic literature class four years ago.

I don't remember her.

But it was a very bad time.

Many students disappeared.

Laila, I want you to understand that nothing you say to me will have any impact on your brother or his family in Sirte.

You have my word, okay?

Thank you.

This girl has been used like a chess piece... denied her freedom, denied an education, forced into a horrible situation against her will.

And so now you want to use her to get something you want.

So, still a chess piece.

Your homeland is a mess right now.

That's why you're here.

I can't tell you why we need to find Hijriyyah.

But we believe that what we're trying to do could give Libya the chance to become the country it deserves to be, the country it should've been after Gaddafi.

And this girl, who's had so little opportunity, who's no longer allowed to be educated by people like you, she could actually help make that happen.

She could be the beginning of a huge change.

For herself, for your country...

...and for your family.

She had one foot out of school before she even sh-showed up in my class.

I-I barely remember her.

So, you did teach her?

I doubt I taught her much.

What if I could help you get the rest of your family out of Libya?

Help you become a teacher again.

Would you be able to help me?

How?

A group e-mail to all her former students, checking up on them after moving away.

Just a concerned teacher reaching out.

No risk of exposure.

And she thinks these old e-mail addresses are still gonna work?

This country doesn't have running water right now, much less Internet access.

Jose's right.

Let's send in Special Ops.

Why bother with an inexpensive, low-risk, nonviolent option that could yield Intel?

The idea being if this girl responds...?

We get an I.P. address, which gets us that much closer to Disah.

At least get a drone on her and wait.

See if he shows up.

Hey, at worst, we get some hits from other students we can try to use.

There are some Internet cafes.

It's worth a sh*t.

The e-mail would have to go through us, obviously.

Everything will be linked to our servers.

Any replies will come straight to us.

Laila already sent me a draft.

You got till tomorrow morning to see if you get any hits.

Then we move on with Jose's plan.

Elizabeth: Excuse me, guys.

Sorry.

(rap music playing)

Why are we here? This is embarrassing.

It's a teachable moment, and I want you to be a part of it.

At least we're getting a good look at student housing.

Right.

Uh, excuse me, fellas?

Brian Lindstrom's room?

Uh, 417.

Oh.

Hey, Brian, Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord.

Uh, yeah, I know.

I wanted to follow up on our conversation yesterday.

Uh, look, if this is about the harassment suit, you'll have to talk to my lawyer.

Right, about that.

Um, I understand that you felt threatened by Matt here.

And he's an intimidating guy, especially when he thinks I'm in danger.

But he was just doing his job.

Sorry if I violated your safe space, Brian.

Nice try, guys.

But you can't just show up to my door and intimidate me like I'm some developing nation you can't control.

That's right.

I can't.

But I-I think I know someone who can.

Blake?

Yeah.

Hello? Can you hear me?

Mom?

(laughter, murmuring)

Brian, what is going on?

You're suing the Secretary of State for violating you?

You know what "violating" means?

(whispers): Do you want to do this inside?

(laughter, murmuring continues)

I have a right to a safe learning environment.

That's what you guys are paying for.

Father: We're paying for you to get an education.

And I'm starting to wonder if it's money well spent.

And a lawsuit against the U.S. government.

Who's paying for that?

There's a legal aid clinic in town.

They fight against injustice.

Father: Will you listen to this kid?

Some security guy bumping into you is not an injustice.

I was exercising my right to free speech.

They were trying to silence me!

(sighs) God, it's like he's two.

You're dropping the lawsuit, Bri.

Or you can pay your own tuition.

If I may, um, I think the thing getting lost here, uh, Mr. and Mrs. Lindstrom, is your son's passionate commitment to social justice.

Young people rising up against the abuse of power has been a force for change many times in this country, and Brian was right.

Not about the mining contract... that was legitimate.

But about the larger issue.

The brutal legacy of colonialism asserting itself once again in Chile.

That... turned out to be true.

And, Brian, without you guys and the Chilean citizens rising up against what you thought was wrong, the Inhawoji people might not have dared raise their voices, too, and found a world ready to listen.

Thanks, Mrs. Secretary.

Madam Secretary.

Don't stop speaking truth to power.

But maybe the best way to call upon our better selves is for you to show us yours.

Matt: Come on, don't hold back.

How'd you get college baby to drop the lawsuit?

Was it a total smack down?

Let's just say his parents helped him see reason.

She's being modest. It was a smack down.

Where are we with Hercutel?

Nadine: Well, the head of operations in Chile was less than thrilled to be told to suspend operations only hours after resuming them.

Now Chile is demanding to be reimbursed for the loss of royalties from the sale of the land.

Wait, what?

How are they in a position to demand anything when they're the ones who violated the treaty with their own people?

Actually, Chile does have the right to be compensated.

But we might have a solution.

We consulted with International Crisis Collective, an environmental NGO based in Chile.

It turns out it's feasible to move the mining site lower on the glacier, preserving the Inhawoji's land, and instead go up inside the glacier to extract the gold.

That sounds like a move I tried in high school.

(Elizabeth chuckles)

What's the catch?

Nadine: Well, it's expensive, for one thing.

Jay: And would require the oversight of a third party NGO to ensure the process preserves the agriculture of the Inhawoji people.

But if we can figure that part out, Hercutel gets to keep its gold, Dalton gets to keep his favorite congressman happy, and Hugo can come down from the mountain and go home.

It's like we solved a Rubik's Cube with our feet.

Yeah, well, speaking of which, where is Chile with the rescue mission for Hugo?

It looks like he's really getting up there.

Jay: They were planning a rescue this afternoon, but a blizzard started kicking up near the peak, so... they're waiting for conditions to clear.

We got a hit.

From Hijriyyah?

Just now.

What's the I.P.?

I don't know yet; we just... it just came in.

(computer chimes)

South Korea. They're covering their tracks.

At least we know she's got Internet.

I'll run this through a translator.

"My dear Miss Ayyad: It is strange to hear from you, like a message from another lifetime. You'll be surprised to hear that I think of you often. You'll hardly recognize Tripoli now, or me. But I still remember the afternoon you took us to the courtyard to eat pistachio ice cream and read from the Qur'an. I think often of a verse you read that day: 'Tell he who carries their sorrows 'that there is no sorrow that endures. Just as delight perishes, so too perishes sorrow.' I love that verse. And I remember the one after. I hope you are well in a new country and that you still enjoy pistachio ice cream. Hijriyyah."

That's a good hit.

That verse is not from the Qur'an.

No, it's not.

It's from A Thousand and One Arabian Nights.

What? Oh, of course it is.

Yeah, it's from the beginning, right before Scheherazade's father marries her off to King Shahryar, who's been marrying and k*lling a new virgin every night.

It's a pretty obvious reference.

Maybe Laila will remember what verse they read next.

Or maybe it's just what comes right after that line.

Okay, listen to this.

"God be upon you, Father, marry me to this king. For either I live or, in dying, I will rescue the daughters of the Muslims from his hands."

Sounds like more of the same.

She's bummed her father married her off to a ruthless t*rror1st.

Or she's ready to be part of something greater.

Yeah, maybe.

Either way, she's sending up a distress signal.

And it's possible that she's willing to save more than just herself.

Well, if that's true, we might have more than just a way to find Disah.

We might have an asset inside his house ready to take him down.

Ali, people are going crazy about these protesters dressing up like natives.

(phone beeping quietly)

Elizabeth (over phone): They can't get the chopper up there because of the blizzard, so they're gonna have to wait till tomorrow morning.

It's unbearable.

You got to admire his courage.

Not to mention the genius use of social media.

That part makes me even more nervous.

If this guy doesn't make it, God forbid, he's gonna become an easy symbol for everyone who wants to paint the U.S. as heartless imperialists.

Won't matter that it wasn't our doing.

Hey. Uh, Ali wants to go to this poetry reading thing on campus.

I told her I'd take her.

Uh, do you mind?

No, not at all.

We'll be back by, like, 11:00 or something.

Um, poetry reading?

(door closes)

(laughs): I know.

It's like she's this whole other person.

Today, she... wait a minute... she sat in on this design class, and she brought back the most incredible drawings.

(rumbling over computer)

You cannot believe it. It's...

(Hugo grunting frantically, rumbling continues)

Babe, are you seeing this?

(grunting, rumbling continues over computer)

(audio stops abruptly)

Henry.

No, no, the witch who hatched all the dragon eggs.

(laughs) She's not a witch.

She's one of the last survivors of the House Targaryen, which you would know if you read the books.

(chuckles) Thank you for the mansplain, Kenneth.

What are you doing here?

Do you know how much trouble you would be in if Mom knew that you were here?

So I wanted to be a normal person for one hour.

What's the big deal?

You cannot just take off without telling us.

I'm not you, okay?

I'm not gonna flame out my first year because I can't deal.

You don't know what you're talking about.

And you know why?

Because you make everything this huge deal.

When was the last time you did something fun?

I'm fun.

No, you're not.

And neither is Mom.

You've both completely lost your ability to have fun.

Great.

(camera clicks)

Great. Yeah, okay.

Come on, guys, delete the photos.

Or what?

Your mom and her fascist g*ons will hunt me down?

Fascism is the direct opposite of a representative democracy, which you happen to be lucky enough to live in thanks to people like our mother who defend it every single day.

And by the way, you attacking and trying to silence people because they don't agree with what you think kind of makes you the fascist.

(burps)

I just wrote a paper on World w*r Two.

Nice work on Mussolini.

(laughs)

Heavy snowfall and strong winds triggered the deadly avalanche that struck earlier tonight...

I have confirmation the Chilean rescue team is due within an hour.

Let's hope he can hold on.

(door opens)

Hey.

Hey.

What's going on?

Uh, there was an avalanche.

We lost contact with Hugo.

Reporter: ...for mining its glaciers for gold.

A major rescue operation is underway.

How could he possibly survive an avalanche?

It's all about the crucial first minutes before the snow settles.

You get an arm up in front of your face, create an air pocket so that you can breathe.

Then you spit to see which way is up.

Swim like mad to get to the surface, hopefully before you suffocate.

What? Boy Scouts.

Ma'am, while we're waiting, would you like an update on the Hercutel deal?

Might as well.

The International Crisis Collective has agreed to supervise the new mining methods.

The Ministry of Mining in Chile is drafting a contract right now.

And Hercutel... they agreed to the new deal?

Jay: The CEO was dodging my calls all day, but I just got word from his assistant.

After meeting with the board, Hercutel determined that, rather than risk the projected nine percent reduction in profits in the alternate extraction method, the company will move the operation to another gold deposit in the Argentine Andes near Tucumán.

So all that was for nothing?

If I'm not mistaken, doesn't that still solve all of our problems?

If you mean Hercutel still gets to r*pe the land with impunity... uh, sorry, extract precious minerals... then, yeah, it works out for them.

And the White House keeps Senator Westrick happy.

And President Contreras gets to say she effectively stopped the Americans from mining her country's resources.

So, win for her.

You guys.

Look.

Reporter: We have confirmed movement, which appears to be the Inhawoji man who was climbing the glacier.

(chuckles): Whoa. What?

(laughter)

Reporter: We are confirming Hugo is alive.

Stevie: That's amazing.

Reporter: He has survived the avalanche.

Yeah!

The youth vote is saved.

(sighs)

That, my friends, is as close as we're going to get to a happy ending.

(laughs)

Mom? Mom?

Hmm?

We need to talk.

Is it protesters? What?

No. It's Alison.

She says we're not fun.

What?

She said that we used to be fun and now we're not.

Stevie, can we just...

Let's wait till tomorrow when we're at the breakfast buffet with those waffles and the weird bacon.

Mom, she's right.

(sighs)

When's the last time we played cards?

(chuckles): What?

We used to play cards all the time.

And you would let me eat that marshmallow creme straight out of the jar.

We never do stuff like that anymore.

Because the marshmallow creme, it made you sick.

No.

We're so careful all the time.

(sighs)

You want to play Go Fish?

No.

(footsteps through snow)

(laughter)

(shrieks)

Let's go! Come on, Mom!

Ma'am, I do need to advise you against this.

Advice taken.

Do you have a tray?

No, ma'am, I don't.

You're gonna have a hard time keeping up.

Ma'am, I really don't...

Set?

Yes.

And go, go!

(shrieking playfully)

Ma'am!

(laughter)

Agent Matt: Ma'am?
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