03x18 - Good Bones

[bunniefuu]

Mama.

(door opens)

(Anya grunts)

(woman crying)

It's okay.

(woman speaking foreign language)

There are people looking for us.

They're gonna find us.

(women crying)

All of us.

DAISY: Oh, God.

Maybe if I don't look
at it, it'll go away.

MATT: Yeah, welcome to hell week.

Oh, I mean, we've seen worse
than a Congressional budget

justification lately,
but yeah, not fun.

Sorry.

How are you doing with the whole...

Guy I was dating getting
poisoned by some nefarious agent

still at large?

- Yeah.
- Not great.

But thanks for asking.

Hey, do we know anything more
about the arms smuggling thing

he was investigating?

Jim Fox has submitted to a full
investigation of his finances

to help the FBI and CIA

determine who was paying his retainer.

Beyond that, we're still in the dark.

But bending toward the
happier glow of our annual

budget justification,
ladies and gentlemen.

ELIZABETH: Good morning, everyone.

ALL: Good morning.

Who's ready to take refuge
in the comfort of numbers?

Pretty cold comfort.

As you've seen,

we're looking at some major
reductions this year.

MATT: This year?

More so than in previous years.

ELIZABETH: Still spreading
the ample wealth

of the world's largest economy
on peace and prosperity.

NADINE: In anticipation
of the congressional

belt-tightening imposed
on many departments.

Not as much as ours.

MATT: Sorry, but almost a billion less

for international peacekeeping efforts?

And how many new fighter
jets is Defense getting?

NADINE: The new Congress

is making efficiency its top priority.

MATT: Yeah, at the expense

of a fully funded arms control

and international security program.

JAY: It's punishment;
they didn't want Dalton,

you did, and this is how
they're gonna make us pay.

ELIZABETH: Before we go full

conspiracy theory, can we just focus

on making our case to Congress?

Uh, ma'am, FBI Director Doherty

is requesting a meeting.

Uh, tell him I've got
some time this afternoon.

Ma'am, FBI Director
Doherty is on his way up.

FBI's Hostage Rescue Team has
been coordinating a crackdown

on human trafficking in Central
Asia for about six months.

We're just about ready to go in,

but Kyrgyzstan isn't cooperating.

That new president, Nogoyev.

He's not playing ball with
the crackdown, I'm guessing?

According to him, they've got
human trafficking under control.

(scoffs)

Has he read the latest report?

The child trafficking is appalling,

seems their police force is in on it,

it's like staring into an abyss.

There may be an angle that's useful.

Yesterday, CYBERCOM
intercepted some files in transit,

originating in Kyrgyzstan.

We found this.

LARA (over video): I'm an American.

I like basketball,

drawing and children.

I take care of kids through my church.

That's Lara Cramer?

I-I barely recognize her.

Almost a year in captivity.

This video is a sales tool

for potential buyers.

Probably Islamic radicals in Syria.

Which means she might not
be in Kyrgyzstan much longer.

If she hasn't been sold already.

(inhales, exhales)

So we're hoping that President Nogoyev,

a guy who seems unbothered
by child trafficking,

will somehow be moved by one
kidnapped American aid worker?

He's motivated by ego.

If he gets the chance to play
a role in the heroic capture

of an internationally renowned victim,

he may be more cooperative with the FBI.

Let me see what I can do.

Isn't Nogoyev the Russian lapdog

who outlawed free press
on the first day?

And made his mother's
birthday a national holiday.

Well, that would

totally work on my mom.

NADINE: They're looking
for more foreign investment.

We could subsidize
their cotton production,

invest in agricultural infrastructure.

Canada tried to invest in
a gold mine a few years ago,

they're still tied up in legal battles.

Yeah, this guy isn't
into delayed gratification.

Then I'm guessing police supervision

to help with rampant
corruption isn't gonna do it?

What about the oil
pipeline through India,

Pakistan and Afghanistan?

With Russia paying less for
oil, he might want in on that.

Yeah, that's... That's something.

Keep thinking on that.

Nadine.

LARA: ...and children.

I take care of kids through my church.

(exhales) Well.

At least she's alive.

Barely.

The FBI hasn't even shown
it to her family yet.

Well, the family was
threatening to sue the FBI

over not paying Lara's ransom,

so I'm not surprised
they're being careful.

I remember you were a, uh, liaison

to the parents during the negotiation.

Right, of course.

I'll call them right away.

The FBI couldn't pinpoint a location.

There's a chance

she may be gone by the time
Hostage Rescue gets there.

Obviously, we don't want to...
get their hopes up.

Yeah.

HENRY: Two VFF scouts ambushed me here,

about yards outside the compound.

Were they expecting you?

Well, it's hard to tell
with the b*ll*ts flying.

Special Surveillance Group

reports increased defensive
weaponry around the perimeter.

They are definitely
readying for something.

It's time to go in and
end this operation.

We'll have to hope the
element of surprise

will give our team the upper hand.

I don't know.

They've got a high-capacity b*mb,

they've been stockpiling a*mo...

Not saying it's ideal,

but at this point, we're out of moves.

We just got to get Conroy
out of there alive.

ELIZABETH: President Nogoyev,

let me be direct.

The United States needs your help.

This investigation
into human trafficking

is a crucial undertaking
between the United States

and the nations of Central Asia.

And without your cooperation,

the horror of women and
children being captured

and sold into prostitution
and forced labor

will continue unchecked.

(speaking in Russian)

TRANSLATOR: Madam Secretary,
what you fail to understand

is that Kyrgyzstan is not like
the rest of Central Asia.

We are nomads.

We take care of ourselves.

And we have never submitted
to any authoritarian regimes.

(quietly): Except for the Soviet Union.

ELIZABETH: Of course, Mr. President.

And to honor Kyrgyzstan's

fierce, independent spirit,

we're prepared to offer
you an opportunity

to strengthen your economy
by joining the I.A.P. pipeline.

We have deal for oil with Russia.

We do not need your pipeline.

If I may point out,
President Nogoyev...

Kazakhstan.

They have much trafficking.

Not Kyrgyzstan.

Does he think we're talking
about the wrong country?

ELIZABETH: We have a great deal
of evidence to the contrary,

Mr. President. I'd like also to mention

a very high-profile c*ptive

who's been located within your borders.

Do you know Chronicles of Ashkenar?

Uh...

The fantasy book series?

Yeah! They are the greatest.

You have seen movies?

With this girl, uh, Ashley Whittaker?

I saw the first one with my son.

"Tonight we dream,

tomorrow we slay."

Tomorrow's my birthday. Hmm?

Happy birthday, Mr. President.

I have big party.

I invite Ashley Whittaker.

I offer her a lot of money, but...

she cannot come.

Because a travel
advisory to Kyrgyzstan.

I am sad.

He is sad without Ashley.

Um... (clears throat)

Perhaps, if the president did more

to prevent sex
trafficking in Kyrgyzstan,

young actresses might be
more open to his invitations.

I accept.

We will work on this investigation.

And Ashley comes.

(Nogoyev laughs)

Ashley comes.

"Tomorrow we slay."

Wha...

What just happened?

NADINE: I believe we just
made a deal to convince

an actress to go to a despot's
birthday party in Central Asia

so that we can combat
human trafficking.

And we thought this was just
gonna be the boring budget day.

- Mm.
- Tomorrow we slay.

Oh.

- Hello.
- Hey, hey.

That was late for a budget day.

Yeah, well, it turned into
a kind of different day..

- Hi.
- Mm. Hi, baby.

How are you feeling?

Oh, pretty good.
I was just enjoying my dinner.

- Ooh.
- Jason made, uh...

(quietly): spaghetti. Spaghetti.

Oh. Uh, ooh.

- Jace.
- Yeah?

What can you tell me about
Ashley Whittaker? I mean...

Uh... potential for Emma Watson-
level credibility coming off

a Y.A. series as
confirmed by recent casting

in a Coen Brothers movie.

He didn't even have
to think about that.

JASON: Celebrity news.

It's in the air. It's
like fungus spores

you breathe and then you get

giant warts on your brain. Okay.

Nothing to do with how
she looks in a space suit.

Chronicles of Ashkenar
is a future dystopia.

There aren't even any space suits.

I knew that.

See?

So, why your interest
in Ashley Whittaker?

Let's just say she might
be able to help us

avoid an actual future dystopia.

ALISON: Hey, guys.

Um, do you think that
this is too short?

- Oh, my God.
- It's kind of short.

- ELIZABETH: Did you make that?
- That's very short.

It's for the Spring Fling.

I'm going full Edie Sedgwick.

Oh, you are.

So, did you get asked?

I asked someone, actually. Thad Newton.

- Wow. Good for you. Yeah.
- HENRY: Good for you.

- Thad Newton.
- What?

Uh, Senator Newton's son, right?

Um, the Foreign Relations Committee.

Oh, God, do you think his
mom made him say yes?

- ELIZABETH: No. Oh, would you...
- Well, there's got to be some explanation.

- Jason. Seriously. - Why do you
have to be a jerk? - Come on.

He's like some champion
swimmer Abercrombie model.

I'm just being honest
about market value.

- I did not make the system.
- You know what?

It's fine. Stay home in
your layer of superiority.

Yeah, if only.

Piper asked me to go
and I had to say yes.

- I knew she liked him.
- Oh, that's great.

I knew that.

Note that I'm saying nothing

about how Piper's
clearly above your class.

Yeah, just like how I'm saying

nothing about this "dress."

- Like, right...
- Shut up.

Come on. You don't even
go to Westmore anymore.

Why are you coming?

JASON: Uh, last I checked,

there's no border security
at a school dance.

How old were you when you stopped

fighting with your siblings?

(chuckles) I'll let you know.

(chuckles)

Am I worried about Thad Newton?

Not as worried as I am about Piper.

Well, Piper's cool, right?

Maybe a little too
"cool" for Jace, huh?

Oh, come on. You weren't
too cool for me.

Once I got past your desert boots.

My d... well, how
about that for a boot?

WOMAN: How's the Pinot?

Oh, baby, you heard Sir Ben.

Need to protect your voice.

- (sighs)
- Shakespeare is very demanding.

Hot water and lemon.

Thank you so much for taking time

out of your rehearsal schedule.

Well, it isn't every day

we get a call from
the State Department.

We are certainly intrigued. (chuckles)

I'm sorry, can I just say,
A Horse for Tally?

Cried my eyes out.

Oh, my God, you're so sweet.

- Thank you.
- (chuckles) Yeah.

I-I might have missed that one,
but I'm definitely a fan.

DAISY: Yeah, as it turns out,

so is President Kenatbek
Nogoyev of Kyrgyzstan.

Oh, how nice.

We understand that he invited Ashley

to his birthday celebration in Bishkek.

Well, Ashley gets a lot of invitations.

DAISY: Of course.

We're looking to improve
diplomatic relations

in the region and thought
as a cultural exchange,

we might be able to lift
the travel advisory

for the sake of a meeting.

Uh, Mom, that's the guy...

He invited me awhile ago,

but I just can't associate myself

with the human rights situation there.

It is good to know
that you're interested

in human rights, Ashley,

because we would like to offer you

the opportunity to serve your
country on an important mission.

What it would involve, actually,

is accepting President
Nogoyev's birthday invitation.

DAISY: And by doing that,
you'd make it possible

for international law enforcement

to accomplish a very important mission

in Central Asia.

JERI: You keep saying "mission."

What's the mission?

Unfortunately, we-we wouldn't be able

to share the details with you.

But Ashley would have
full protection, of course.

Protection from what?

Is this terrorism related?

Again, we do need to protect
the secrecy of the mission.

But what we can say is Ashley could be

a part of a really big story.

JERI: And in the meantime,

you can guarantee
a total media blackout?

As much as that's possible.

I read somewhere that
a school of piranha

can digest an entire
human body in seconds.

You know what's faster?

The Internet.

One image from one
cell phone gets leaked,

and Ashley's the dumb actress

who went to the
dictator's birthday party.

Did you see what that
did to Hilary Swank?

- (cell phone beeps)
- Sorry, we can't risk it.

Oh, sh**t, look, there's
paparazzi outside.

- Excuse me.
- (sighs)

May we use a rear exit, please?

We have to get back to rehearsal.

If we could just follow up...

Thanks so much, you guys.

Come see The Tempest.

Oh, we'll see the tempest.

As soon as I call Nadine.

(phone ringing)

Hello?

- Henry, it's me.
- Ian. Where are you?

I'm at the Silverglen Mall.
They sent me on a supply run.

I got about an hour.
Can you come meet me?

Am I gonna get sh*t again?

I'm sorry about that. I'll
explain it when you get here.

There are hundreds of people around.

I'm alone, and I don't have much time.

Just come. Please.

MO: Hey.

HENRY: Mo, I just got a call from Ian.

He's on a supply run.

He wants to meet.

He called?

Sounds like there's a lot
going on. I'm bringing him in.

Are you kidding me?
You can barely walk.

I mean, what if it's a trap?

Then send backup. The Silverglen Mall.

And tell Marguerite this
raid needs to happen. Now.

(elevator bell dings)

You got rope-a-doped by the momager.

Does M Sec know?

She's in a meeting with Nadine.

Inducements for actors is
apparently not my strong suit.

I still think the President's
Fitness Council is worth a sh*t.

Guys, this is Hollywood.

I mean, the best we
got is a state dinner

sitting next to a hot Canadian PM.

You think that would work?

Um...

Hey. You're back. Great.

Can I call Nogoyev?

Ashley's mother had a lot of questions,

none of which we could answer.

Guys, FBI's been calling all morning.

I got to get Kyrgyzstan on board.

Tell 'em it's their Argo.

Find something to do.

She cares about human rights.

But the mom doesn't want to put
her daughter's career at risk.

Not to mention her life.

We didn't exactly step
up for Lara Cramer.

Hang on.

That could be an angle we could play.

You don't look as bad as I thought.

You want to tell me why those guys

used me for target practice?

They took me off guard duty.

There was no way to get word
to you before the meet.

But they think you were
some dumbass hunter,

so we're still good.

No, we're not.

I'm bringing you in.

It was one screw up.

I ran a tox screen.

You tested positive for DMT.

What?

It's a psychedelic compound.
Now, look, I don't know

if you're taking it
or they're dosing you,

but, either way, you're compromised.

I'm fully functional.
And I'm onto something big.

Just give me one more day, okay?

Ian, the FBI is raiding
the compound right now.

- It's over.
- No.

- It's over.
- No, no... The elders are off-site!

- (phone rings)
- Hold on, hold on.

Hey, Mo.

- Hey. We're at the compound.
- (indistinct chatter)

You taking any fire?

They were definitely expecting us.

But no casualties.

There's no drone and there is no b*mb.

- Are you with Conroy?
- Yeah.

Ask him where they put the b*mb.

Mo, I got to call you back.

What happened?

IAN: What the hell?

(baby crying)

Wait, wait, you can't think...

(grunting)

(engine starts)

(tires screech)

Did your guys get Ian?

He's in custody, but I need you
to pull over right now, Henry.

No. I got to get farther out.

I can get you a team, but...

(tires screech)

(panting)

LARA: I like basketball and children.

I take care of kids through my church.

How did you get this?

I'm sorry, that's classified.

Of course.

Can you at least tell me where she is?

Well, unfortunately,
the file doesn't pinpoint

an exact location.

I can tell you only that
it came out of Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyzstan?

Kyr...

You see how she mentioned
her church when they're about

to sell her off to !sis?

That's my girl.

(chuckles)

How's Bob?

Thought we might see him today.

His heart's not good.

I'm not gonna get his hopes up

if we're just gonna let
her slip away again.

Diane, uh,

while you're here,

I actually have a small
favor to ask you.

(sighs)

NADINE: Madam Secretary,
you remember Diane Cramer.

- Hello.
- Hi, Diane.

Diane, this is Jeri
Whittaker and, of course,

Ashley Whittaker.

My daughter is a big fan.

Very nice to meet you.

Well, I think your
daughter is just amazing.

I wish she could hear you say that.

I was just explaining to Mrs. Cramer,

Ashley, we hope that you'll
join us on a mission to help

other girls like her daughter.

So is it like a hostage situation?

We can't go into too much detail,

but I wanted you to meet a mother

whose daughter was taken by the
criminals we're trying to stop.

They can't tell us anything.

I know the feeling.

ELIZABETH: Security
clearances are frustrating.

I worked in Intelligence.

There were a lot of times
I wanted to tell people things

that I couldn't,

not even my family.

But I didn't, because
security is a bond of trust.

And I hope you know, Ashley,
that we would protect you

with that same bond of trust.

We appreciate all the
effort you're going to.

And I am so sorry

for your daughter.
She's a beautiful person

who doesn't deserve
what happened to her.

But you understand,

I have to protect my girl, too.

Of course we understand.

Uh, can I just say...

Part of me will never
forgive these people

for not paying Lara's ransom.

But another part knows
they did what they had to

to make sure these monsters

don't take someone else's daughter.

I appreciate that.

But baiting sex traffickers

by sending in my daughter...

That's how you get them.

They're saying they'll protect me.

I want to go.

I want to go.

It happened just outside of Groveton

around : this afternoon.

Residents as far as Rose Hill
said they felt the expl*si*n

as a truck, loaded with a deadly b*mb,

drove into a field, where it exploded.

I-I'm watching it right now.

What the hell happened?

Believe it or not,
it was damage control.

Henry.

I know, but I can't defend a situation

where I had no choice.

Then you need to find a new situation.

Babe.

Can you explain to me why

the ethics professor...
the injured ethics professor...

is the guy driving the
truck with the b*mb in it?

Believe me,
if I had had any other option,

I would've taken it.

Are you okay?

(exhales) I'm fine.

Really? I mean, you didn't,
you didn't re-injure something?

I promise I'm just the same

slightly lame guy that
you saw this morning.

The mission's not in such
great shape, though.

They raided the compound,
but we missed some key members.

How's your asset?

Let's just say it's gonna be
an interesting debrief tomorrow.

The kids are here, I should go.

Hey.

Tell them no drinking. Not one drop,

I mean it. Except for you,

Jack Ryan.

You should probably drink.

Yeah, I'm already on
that. I love you, babe.

Will you tell him

- wearing sneakers to a formal event isn't
- They're fine.

- even close to as cool as he thinks it is?
- They're fine.

I'm a little more
concerned about the dress.

- Exactly. Right?
- What's wrong with my dress?

Well, it's cold outside.

(phone ringing)

Dad, it's an homage to André Courrèges.

It's not gonna keep you warm, Noodle.

You could... just wear
a sweater or something.

- (door opens)
- Absolutely not.

JASON: Master Newton has arrived.

(sighs)

Hey, Thad.

- THAD: Hey.
- ALISON: Come in. You look

awesome.

Thanks. Cool dress.

Thanks. I made it.

Oh, wow.

Um, come meet my dad.

- You must be Thad.
- Nice to meet you, Mr. McCord.

Looks like you hit a tough slope.

More like a tough Prius, actually.

How did you get here,

- by the way?
- Oh.

I drove. It's my Range
Rover right out front.

Oh, nice.

Uh, do you mind if I see
your driver's license, please?

Sure.

Thanks, buddy.

- (clicks)
- Okay, you're all set.

- You guys have a nice time.
- Thanks.

Noodle, coat.

(phone whooshes)

JASON: That would be Piper.

Her rideshare is here.

You want her to come in
so you can scan her ID,

you know, make sure it's...?

- You know what?
- Yeah? No?

No? That's what I thought, right.

- Good.
- (laughs)

(sighs)

ELIZABETH: How's it going?

Is Kyrgyzstan cooperating with the raids?

It seems like it.

Nothing on our screens, but we
heard they busted some brothels

and raided two houses in Tajikistan.

Not exactly the massive
crackdown we were hoping for.

Several Uzbek mafia leaders
are on the run.

We're tracking them to the
checkpoint at the border.

- Any word on Lara Cramer?
- Nothing yet.

In happier news,

I have no idea how President
Nogoyev's birthday party

is going because there's
zero mention of it online.

MATT: bucks says Nogoyev got

an ice sculpture of himself.

- And watch himself melt?
- (scoffs)

Well, it looks like they're
approaching the checkpoint.

BLAKE: These are the mafia bosses?

NADINE: Yeah, in the SUVs.

ELIZABETH: What's that?
What are we seeing?

JAY: Bishkek police,

- it looks like.
- MATT: They're blocking the operation.

Mafia must have paid them off. Blake?

- I'm calling Director Doherty.
- No, no, no, no, no!

- DAISY: Wait. Wait. What are they doing?
- No! No! No!

- The police are letting them get away?
- BLAKE: Unbelievable.

ELIZABETH:
You know what? Forget Doherty.

- I want President Nogoyev.
- DAISY: Uh, ma'am...

I don't care about his
stupid birthday party.

NADINE: No. Ma'am, you'll be putting

Ashley at risk. We have
to wait until she's gone.

(sighs)

And you let him?

Her mom's the secretary of state.

What was I supposed to do?

MAN: You can't take a picture

of somebody's state-issued ID.
That's, like, a...

...an invasion of your civil rights.

THAD: Whatever.

If I was her dad, I'd be paranoid, too.

MAN: You should have shown him all
those crazy texts she sent you.

What's with that dress?

(laughs) I know, man.

Like, who wears something like that?

THAD: It's, like, dude,
let me work for it.

(laughing)

Okay, so, the embassy in
Bishkek promises they will either

get Ashley safely on a plane,
or to the embassy.

DAISY: On a plane.

Please.

Well, for what it's worth,
both NGOs think

the president had nothing to do
with the police interference.

At least not directly.

Let me guess.

He's shocked to hear there's
gambling in Casablanca.

They just got a house in Kyrgyzstan.

Major trafficking site.

Oh.

So?

MATT: Ma'am, the house was empty.

Looks like they got there too late.

They're tracking a truck

that left the site about
an hour ago. They think

it has the girls in it.

Probably too much to hope
that Lara's in there.

- Where's the driver?
- MATT: I don't know.

It's just been idling there.

Probably got tipped like
everybody else and took off.

Well, at least we'll rescue
whoever is inside.

♪

Hi.

What happened?

You okay?

(sighs)

There was a, uh... a truck.

It was full of girls.

They suffocated.

Oh, babe.

That, uh...

that girl...

That missionary that was
kidnapped last year...

Lara Cramer.

Did she...?

Yeah.

ALISON: Ugh. I have a headache
from that driver's cologne.

Sorry you didn't get date r*ped.

What?

Nothing. Thad Newton's a jerk.

You're-you're lucky he ditched you.

He didn't ditch me. I ditched him.

Did he say something about me?

Wait. Why did you ditch him?

Never mind.

What did he say?

Nothing. Just...

dumb guy stuff about how
much you wanted him,

and-and something about your dress.

What age do we live in?

I-I can't ask a guy out without
getting dragged to some room?

Wait. What?!

What did he do?

He kept trying to get me into
Julia Hursky's room with him.

When I finally told him to
stop, he... he got all mad.

Where do they even get these ideas?

Well...

he said you sent him a bunch of texts

or something.

So, you talked to him?

No. I-I was in the bathroom.

And you said nothing?

Come on. You heard Mom. He's a
senator's kid. I can't do...

- No. Don't even.
- You know what? Last time I wanted

to punch somebody for saying stuff

about Stevie, Dad told me "no"!

- So...
- Well, he was wrong.

He's an ethics professor!

Who's not a girl!

I'm not saying

punch him, but say something.

Guys like Thad are everywhere,
but guys like you

are the reason they get
away with it every day.

- (loud, overlapping shouting)
- MAN: Daisy?

Was there any offer to negotiate

for Lara's release
before she was k*lled?

Lara d*ed along with other
victims in a tragic accident.

Uh, as I said,
there was no prior contact.

- (overlapping chatter)
- Daisy, this morning,

actress Ashley Whittaker tweeted

that she "played a
crucial part" in the raid

on several brothels in Kyrgyzstan.

Can you elaborate?

Ashley Whittaker participated

in a diplomatic exchange as part

of an agreement with
President Nogoyev of Kyrgyzstan.

- But... - Will Ashley Whittaker
be honored for her bravery?

I think you're losing
sight of the story here.

The brave men and women of
the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team,

Delta Force and several NGOs
liberated hundreds of victims

of human trafficking in five countries.

Asiya Dominjon,

Zarrin Burkhanov, Sholah Karimov

and many other girls you've
never heard of are alive.

That doesn't diminish the
loss of Ashley Whittaker.

- (loud, overlapping shouting)
- No.

Not Ashley. Ashley's fine.

I meant Lara.

It doesn't diminish the
loss of Lara Cramer.

That's my statement. Thanks, everybody.

(loud, overlapping shouting)

Tell me again how you got to the mall.

When I heard they were
making a supply run,

I volunteered, hoping we could meet.

And whose truck was it?

Some guy named Reed.

You didn't think to look in the back?

Look, I-I just wanted
to get out of there

before somebody changed their mind.

MO: The two elders...

Abbott and Slattery... where are they?

I don't know.

They-they were talking about
meeting with this doctor.

Um... Sanders or Saunders.

What does this doctor do?

HENRY: Is that where they got the DMT?

- I don't know.
- When you had these visions,

- what did you think was happening?
- Like I said,

uh, fever, sleep deprivation,

but I was able to push through that.

I was in control.

MO: Except they sent
you to a shopping mall

with a b*mb in the back of your truck.

Were you in control then, Ian?

No, no.

They played me.

And they almost...

made me a su1c1de bomber...
that's on me.

But, look, I-I know you can't trust me,

but I'm telling you this
was just the beginning.

Of what?

I don't know.

But-but you have to stop
it before it happens.

(elevator bell dings)

Good morning, ma'am.

Morning, Nadine.

I-I'm sorry. I didn't get through

your budget memo.

Frankly, I'm surprised
I was able to write it.

I think this morning

we're all gonna have
to compartmentalize.

Yes. Well, um, about that.

News coverage
of Lara Cramer may include

- some passionate remarks by Daisy...
- I saw.

from this morning's conference.

She mentioned some of
the victims by name.

Ma'am, I'm so sorry.

What happened?

They started circling the story
about how Ashley Whittaker

was the real hero and I lost it.

All right. We'll deal at the
fallout, uh, from that later,

but where's Blake?

Uh, he left a message
he was running late.

Blake's running late?

NADINE: Yes, ma'am.

ELIZABETH: Let's try to focus.

NADINE: This morning's budget memo

reflects some last minute changes

before our hearing this afternoon.

Senator McDowell

is going to be challenging our
international adoption program.

MATT: On what grounds?

NADINE (sighing):
His office didn't say.

But we'll be ready for
any and all att*cks.

MATT: But why? Why
should we have to defend

a program that provides a
home for street kids in India?

NADINE: Senator McDowell

ran his campaign
on fiscal responsibility,

so I'm guessing that he'll
challenge our program

on the grounds that it diverts funds...

Jay?

I worked with his chief of
staff. He's not doing this.

Stop. You can't go there.

Why not?

None of this is easy today.

But we have a budget to pass,

and we need to pull it together

and fight for a lot of
programs that matter.

JAY: Do they? Does any of this matter?

All our big meetings and
political positioning,

is any of it gonna save one person

who shouldn't die today?

We're still questioning VFF members,

but I think we got
something good from Conroy.

And you trust him?

I do. Group leaders have been meeting

with a doctor named
Sanders, or Saunders.

We looked everywhere,
private clinics, hospitals.

It's just too big of an area,
too common of a name.

But when forensics
came back from the gear

that was seized during the raid,
we found this.

Chemical, radiological, expl*sives.

HENRY: We also ran for bio.

We found trace amounts

of low pathogenic avian influenza.

- How bad is that?
- So far, limited to birds.

But that sent us into another direction

with the name, and we got this.

HENRY: Bill Zanner.

Microbiologist,
Division of Select Agents

and Toxins of the CDC.

These guys work with the worst

of the worst. Zanner's specialty

is viral genetic mutation,
specifically tracking

how LPAI becomes HPAI.

High pathogenic avian influenza.

MO: Extremely contagious.

Extremely deadly.

He's been working in an
off-radar lab in Oregon,

until he started posting

this really crazy
conspiracy stuff on the Web,

and then the CDC targeted
him for investigation.

MO: He disappeared before
we could even get into it,

and less than a month
after he had left,

they'd noticed some avian
flu missing from his lab.

Now, this never happens at the CDC,

and it's basically impossible...

Unless you're someone
with a high clearance.

He's been off the grid ever since.

I think he's our guy.

SANCHEZ: So we've got key members

of the VFF still at large,

possibly working in conjunction
with the guy most qualified

to create some biological nightmare,

which he may already
have in his possession?

ALISON: I'm so worried about that test.

Um, guys, I'll see you later, okay?

- Yeah, bye.
- Bye. - Bye.

What are you doing here?

Hi. Uh, no.

- I was just fixing something.
- Oh, my God, Jason.

Come here, come here.

What did you do?

I was standing up for you.

Just like you said;
it's what you wanted.

What is that supposed to say?

What? It says "slut-shamer."

That's what Piper called him
when I told her about it,

so I... you know.

You realize

that by calling him a slut-shamer,

you're saying that I'm a slut.

(scoffs) Well, you know what?

That's an okay thing to be,

because sexuality is power,
which threatens the patriarchy.

- So...
- I get that Piper's got you woke,

- but I wasn't being a slut at all.
- Well...

- What the hell?
- Run.

Run, run.

Hey, Thad.

Diane. Hi.

It's Nadine from the State Department.

Hi.

Um, I-I just wanted to reach out

to extend our deepest condolences

for your loss of Lara.

(Diane sobbing)

No.

(elevator bell dings)

(indistinct conversations)

There you are.

I-I couldn't find anybody.

Oh, ma'am. I-I'm so sorry I was late.

No, no. Don't worry about it.

I just wanted to let you
all know the good news.

Foreign Relations Committee

passed the State
Authorization Bill in record time.

- That's great.
- ELIZABETH: Yeah.

That's excellent news.

Yeah.

Senator McDowell backed down

off the international adoption program.

There's still gonna be a few cuts,

but everything's getting reduced, so...

I'll work on a press release.

This is a win, guys.

Nadine.

I just got off the phone
with Diane Cramer.

(sighs)

That must have been hard.

Uh-huh.

Could I ask you to come into my office?

And then bring the team with you,

will you, please?

(Elizabeth sighs)

We've all seen the worst
of humanity in this job.

Political executions,

stonings, kids getting sh*t.

So I guess I'm wondering

why this is the one that's doing us in.

Ma'am, I've not been myself.

- I apologize about the press conference.
- I know I've not been functioning.

Stop. I'm not calling anybody out

or taking anybody to task.

I'm...

I'm really asking.

Well...

I'll say it.

Those reporters were right.

They thought we blew it, and we did.

You saw those SUVs
disappear into the shadows,

and they got away with it.

And we just watched.

I get that. I-I really do, but...

BLAKE: I make binders about clean water

and global food shortages,

and I track phone calls,

and I stay five steps ahead
of a very busy person.

And when people ask what I do,

I say I'm saving the world
one binder at a time.

But... I don't know,

maybe I'm just making binders.

NADINE: It's the abyss.

We can dance around it.

We can call it something else
and pretend it's not there,

but it is there.

Look, when you came here,

you broke a lot of rules.

And things got done.

And now, to go back

to bureaucracy and budget cuts,

while-while stuff like that happens...

I want to slay dragons, ma'am,

not play whack-a-mole with evil.

Sometimes making evil have
to duck and find another hole

is the best we're gonna do.

Somebody sent me this after
one of the t*rror1st att*cks.

It's a poem

called "Good Bones" by Maggie Smith.

The last part of it goes:

"Life is short and the world
is at least half terrible,

"and for every kind stranger,

"there is one who would break you,

"though I keep this from my children.

"I am trying to sell them the world.

"Any decent realtor, walking
you through a real hellhole,

"chirps on about good bones:

This place could be beautiful, right?"

"You could make this place beautiful."

JASON: Then Thad goes,

"But I'm a dude, I can't be a slut."

Did you get Piper to explain it to him?

ALISON: Oh, Jason doesn't need Piper.

Tell him what you said.

JASON: Oh. Uh, it might
have been something like,

uh, "your objectification

"of femininity has an expiration date,

"pal, and that date

might be today."

Well, at least
you gave yourself an out.

(laughing): And then he goes

to wipe it off
and the paint is damaged.

Oh, you should have seen his face.

It was like I cut Samson's hair.

He was like, he was like, "Oh, my God.

What am I gonna tell my dad?"

ALISON: And then Dean Ward shows up

and she goes, "You're
trespassing on school grounds.

We're gonna fill out a police
report for damaged property."

HENRY: This is getting a
little bit less funny.

JASON: Wait, wait, wait, wait.

But then, but then she gets us inside,

and we lay out, like,
the whole thing to her,

and, um, she kind of...
like, she went, like, uh...

- How-how did she do it?
- Oh.

"Well, Thaddeus Newton
had it coming to him.

Better that it happened
sooner rather than later."

- Yes, total pass.
- She did not.

Score one against the patriarchy.

I don't know what got into Dean Ward.

- It was amazing.
- It was an absolute moment of glory.