01x02 - N.L.T.S.Y.P.

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "The Recruit". Aired: December 16, 2022 - present.*
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A fledgling CIA lawyer gets caught up in a dangerous game of international politics when a former asset threatens to expose the nature of her relationship with the agency unless they clear her name.
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01x02 - N.L.T.S.Y.P.

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[narrator] Previously on The Recruit:

- [Lester] New guys get the sh*t work.

- The hell is this?

People graymail the CIA. Vet the letters,

see if the author can back up the thr*at.

[woman] My name is Max Meladze.

I'm in prison in Phoenix.

Get me out or I will spill agency secrets.

Sir, she clearly knows

classified information.

Selby Shaw is a pseudonym

for Dawn Gilbane.

- Where is she?

- How do I get to Yemen?

Travel coach. Rent an economy car.

[Hannah] Since when do spies

fly commercial?

[Owen] I'm not a spy, I am a lawyer.

- God!

- I think you're here to investigate us.

Oh, f*ck!

Asset's name is Max Meladze.

[Dawn] That somebody would hip-pocket

a girl like that should scare you.

I have classified CIA documents.

- They're in a storage locker.

- [Talco] We'll take the bag.

[groaning]

Who the f*ck booby-traps a bag with acid?

A survivor.

So I spent the afternoon

going through your social media.

Now I know every woman you've dated.

I feel that her thr*at

of graymail is credible.

I'm gonna ask you one question.

Can I trust you?

- When our interests align.

- I'm in.

[Russian rap music playing]

[in Russian] Your black cash,

clean as a whistle.

Where is my treat?

On his way.

I don't like to wait.

Sometimes, waiting is the best part.

I hate the opera.

I'm wheels up for Moscow at intermission.

The deputy has his nuts in a twist

about Havana.

He's threatening to send Guryev down here.

Don't worry.

[sighs]

[audience clapping]

You're late. He's in a mood.

He's always in a mood.

[orchestral music playing]

What's wrong?

I'm not supposed to say.

The council is meeting about you.

Do you know why?

I'm sure I can smooth it over.

How do I look?

[in English] Like a movie star.

[cell phone ringing]

[in Russian] Yes.

[in English] You got a problem.

The Obshchak put a price on your head.

- They're coming to k*ll you.

- [in English] They found out I'm spying?

No. As far as we can tell,

they don't know you work for us.

You just got too ambitious too fast.

Stepped on the wrong toes.

[opera singing in the auditorium]

[electronic music playing]

[in Russian] Go away.

[in English] I can fix this.

No. You can run or you can die.

[in Russian] End of the road, Max.

- You've been paid extra to make it hurt.

- No. That part's for free.

[g*nsh*t]

[agent in English] Still with us?

[Max] Yes.

- You have to help me.

- I don't have to do anything.

You're not my asset.

But you got me out of a jam once.

So I'll return the favor.

There's an exit package waiting for you

at the airport.

- A place for you lay low in the U.S.

- But I don't want to go to America.

Okay. I'm hanging up now.

Wait.

I'll go.

But don't abandon me.

[woman] Would you like to leave a message?

No, I have already left a dozen messages.

Look, you've had me trapped here

in this sh*thole for over a month.

I'm sorry, ma'am. Without a name,

there's nothing I can do.

The CIA has thousands of employees.

He's a spy, you f*cking idiot.

I don't know his real name.

And I know things. Secret things.

Yes, ma'am. Please hold

while I send you to general voicemail.

[theme music playing]

- You were subpoenaed by the Senate?

- Yesterday.

They spelled your name wrong.

If only that meant that I could ignore it.

Oh, you can. If you wanna go to jail

for contempt of Congress.

Owen, this is serious.

You've been at the agency for a week,

and already pissed off

the Senate Intelligence Committee.

[chuckles] That's the least of my issues.

What does that mean?

Yo, what's going on?

Owen is in over his head again.

- Such an overachiever. Way to go, buddy.

- Thanks, man.

If you're not gonna take this seriously,

then neither am I.

[Owen] Hey, innocent question.

Did your firm teach you

how to deal with a client you can't trust?

Your client is the CIA.

Yeah.

Isn't that a question

for your supervisors or coworkers?

- You don't trust them either.

- [Hannah] Owen, this isn't law school.

You can't just roll in

and ace the exam last minute.

- Not when the stakes are this high.

- It's worked for me until now.

Has it?

[Owen] Look, just

Higher stakes make it more challenging.

But the bottom line is,

it's no different than any other problem.

So as soon as I figure out the system,

I'll be able to navigate the obstacles.

He'll just gonna run headfirst into

those obstacles if we don't help him.

I think the correct term is "enable."

Okay. Job number one

is to protect yourself.

The only way to do that

is to do your homework for once.

If you can find the truth,

it won't matter if your client lies.

- And don't ask what is truth.

- [Owen] Wasn't going to.

- So knowledge is power. Got it.

- Nope. Knowledge is leverage.

Hannah.

Oh, Hannah!

Where are you? Hey Oh! Hi.

Do you have any more Adderall

that you can spare?

It's not for me.

You mean besides

half the bottle you've already stolen?

"Stolen" is such an ugly word.

Seriously, it's for a coworker.

Don't make it weird.

Okay, fine.

Just take the bottle. But that's it.

After this, I booby-trap my purse.

[groaning]

You're the best. Thank you.

- Yeah.

- I'll see you tonight or tomorrow.

Maybe two days. I should probably pack

an overnight, just in case.

Lockdown, when I show up

I got everything on lockdown ♪

When I pull up, yeah, you know

I got the top down ♪

Please don't ever let me catch you

With your guard down ♪

[cell phone ringing]

Hello!

[Max] Where's my money?

How'd you get this number?

Where the f*ck is my money?

I told you to leave it in a bag

and put it in the garbage can

so my associate could retrieve it.

- And I did.

- You're lying.

But you're good at it,

we have that in common.

Yeah. You're a criminal and a m*rder*r.

So I'm not really looking to identify

things we have in common.

Plus, ever since I've met you,

I have been chased,

tortured, and subpoenaed,

which I'm discovering are real turn-offs.

And yet, things are only gonna get

more painful for you

if you don't get me the f*ck out of here.

I'm working on it. It's not like

I'm fixing a speeding ticket.

It would make my life

a hell of a lot easier

if I knew what classified information

you're threatening to reveal.

What operations were you even involved in?

Owen, you want me to tell you that

information over an unsecured cell phone?

No. But I'll fly to you.

I'll come right now.

No. The next time I see you,

you'll be driving me away from here.

Otherwise, you'll be getting

all your answers from CNN.

- [line disconnects]

- Wait

Excuse me. Excuse me.

Is this the Records Department?

Amazing. Owen Hendricks.

I'm with the General Counsel's office.

I need some help with my homework.

- I gotta run a records search.

- Lucky me.

Yeah. Question, if I ran a name

by Clandestine Services yesterday

and they came up empty,

do I have a reason to believe that you

might give me a different answer today?

Possibly. Certain high-level classified

material's kept out of the main database.

You mean the stuff they try to hide,

the really f*cked-up sh*t?

No comment.

How do I run a name?

Fill out forms 1117A, 2061H, and 3108F

and get signatures in triplicate

from your supervisor.

- Uh, do you have?

- I'm kidding. What's the name?

Last name is Meladze. M-E-L-A-D-Z-E.

First name is Maxine.

- Also known as Max.

- What region?

Eastern Europe.

Should I just

Do you want me to wait here?

This computer was built in 1996,

and I'm gonna have to dig through

hard files even if I get a hit.

So, why don't you write down

your contact info

and if anything comes up,

we'll deliver it to your office.

He's coming.

No, he's not.

Yes, he is.

Guys, this is my office.

You know that, right? Mine.

We're here to extend an olive branch.

We felt like we didn't

prepare you well for Yemen,

and word is you're in over your head

with this graymail case.

- Yeah? Who told you that?

- [Violet] It's not important.

But what is important is that you feel

you have the tools you need to succeed.

So how can we help?

Super nice of you guys,

but I'm all set, for now.

Good. Good.

Because if you need anything,

we are here to support you.

Yep. Thank you.

Oh, and

Lester and I,

we were actually talking earlier,

and we realized you probably

haven't had the dating conversation yet.

Actually, Mom and Dad, they covered that

thoroughly in sixth-grade sex-ed.

So

No, no.

We just wanna teach you

how this place works.

- Why?

- [Lester] Paperwork.

Or to avoid paperwork.

There's onerous reporting requirements

for any personal interaction.

I thought that was for foreigners?

No, it's anyone with whom you have

close and continuing contact.

And that means without a condom.

- You always wear a condom, right?

- Wearing one now.

Okay.

So Lester and I

have worked here for a while,

and we know most of the single women.

We can help you steer clear of the loons.

Love that. I'll make sure to call you guys

first if I get back in the game.

Great. Um, and it is staff meeting time.

- It's your first, right?

- [Owen] Yeah.

- Nice.

- [Owen] Why?

Why?

[Nyland] g*dd*mn it!

Who did it?

Which one of you

screwed the pooch this time?

Just kidding.

Good poker faces, everybody.

Except for you, Maeson.

[door slams]

- I could see you pucker up.

- Sorry, sir.

[Nyland] N-L-T-S-Y-P.

"Never

Let Them See You Pucker."

Okay.

Violet, what's the latest

on the thing with those people?

Our friend in the place says there may be

heavy seas ahead, but no storm.

[Nyland] Good. Salazar, any problems

with the framing on those deliverables?

Not so far.

Our friend is hearing whispers

that the element

we were worried about didn't materialize.

Good, keep an eye on it.

Our friend might be working

a different agenda.

Janus, why am I hearing about

upset stomachs in camel country?

[snoring softly]

Hey.

Knock it off.

Nobody's buying the narcolepsy crap.

I don't care what your doctor's note says.

Is this thing gonna be a problem?

Sir, I am unaware of anything going on

in the region that you mentioned.

Let me do my due diligence,

and I will get right back to you.

- f*ck that, just fix it.

- Mm-hm. All right. Yes, sir.

Hendricks.

Any more definition on that

squeaky wheel?

The what?

Oh, my Um

Uh, per our last conversation,

I made contact with the former asset.

Whoa.

- TMI.

- [Owen] What?

Sorry. I'm sorry.

The person in the place

and I am trying to get clarity

on how deep their

Their knowledge goes

into the Russian mob

- [Violet] Oh, my God.

- [Owen] What?

- What's happening? What happened?

- They don't want your sh*t on their shoes.

Violet, have you taught him anything?

[clears throat] He is a slow learner, sir.

[Nyland] Everything we work on

has the potential to get us hauled

in front of the SSCI,

so it's common f*cking courtesy

not to overshare.

No one wants to be in-the-know

unless they have to.

- Is that clear?

- Yes, sir.

So do you have a plan of action

for this woman or not?

No, not yet.

But I know you wouldn't want me to act

without doing a proper risk assessment.

I have multiple feelers out. I should

have a much clearer picture shortly.

Sweet.

[door lock buzzes]

I can get you a zip.

It's gonna cost you 200.

That's too much.

I'll pay you back.

sh*t!

[guard] Hey!

Break it up!

[yelling]

[knocks on door]

Janus.

Go away.

[Owen] Well, I would love to,

but I need some advice.

Forget it. You're dead to me.

[pills rattle]

Ship sailed on those, new guy.

I don't need to stay awake anymore.

The worst already happened.

Did it?

Seems like the way

that Nyland was so angry,

the worst would be

if he found out you lied to him again.

Are you threatening me?

No, I'm just getting a feel

for how to navigate the place I guess.

What do you want to know?

Why can't I find an official record

of my graymailer in the archives?

Even if she was a hip-pocket asset,

her HUMINT was the basis of operations

over the span of years.

Someone cleaned up their mess.

Someone? Like her handler? Not Bob?

I don't know. I am not going there.

No matter what you thr*aten me with,

and neither should you.

A guy like that finds out

you're poking around his old ops,

and you end up in a dark room wondering

why there's plastic on the floor.

I'm in a minefield.

The only way I survive is

if I figure out what the hell she knows.

You need her hall file.

- What's a hall file?

- RUMINT.

Rumors Intelligence.

Okay, how do I find that?

A hall file isn't a physical file.

It's gossip.

Things that were said in the halls of

whatever station she was handled out of.

- She was an asset in Belarus.

- Doesn't mean that was her station.

Which means you need to figure that out

in order to target a case officer

who might be willing

to talk to you about her.

[phone rings]

What?

No. He isn't in here, why?

- Max Meladze was just shanked in prison.

- [Nyland] Who?

- My squeaky wheel.

- And?

Is she dead?

No, but she's pissed.

- Sir, I have to know

- Know what?

- Did we?

- Did we what?

Did we do it?

Are you asking the General Counsel

of the CIA whether the Company,

which is legally prohibited

from operating in the U.S.,

attempted to m*rder a foreign national

and former asset in Ari-f*cking-zona?

Nope.

I didn't think so.

Listen to me carefully, Mr. Hendricks.

I can't afford for this to be a problem.

Senator Smoot is looking

to hang a scandal around my neck

so I'll be forced to resign in disgrace.

And the last thing I need is for your

squeaky wheel to turn into that scandal.

So you get this under control

no matter what it takes.

Yes, sir.

- I knew packing a bag was the right call.

- What?

Nothing. I'm on it. Have no fear.

Fear's literally all I have.

[door lock buzzes]

Ouch.

She's lucky.

Shank missed everything important.

- You her lawyer?

- No.

[Max] Yes.

Interesting.

I need to talk to her in private.

That's not gonna happen.

Come on.

Five minutes.

The shanking wasn't us.

I know. It's Talco in retaliation

for burning his face with acid.

That was pretty terrible.

- But you guys are even now, right?

- No.

He's gonna carry on trying to k*ll me.

Which is a problem for both of us.

Why didn't you graymail the agency

when you first got to America?

Why wait until now?

Because I want to go home.

You're exposed as a former asset,

you can't do that.

You're keeping me in the dark

because you think if you control

the information that gets out,

you get to keep your duplicity a secret.

You go back to your old life in Belarus.

And if you expose everything,

then that door closes forever.

You need me to help you

thread that needle.

No. Promises were made.

I expect to be taken care of.

But make no mistake,

I will burn this place down if I have to.

Starting with you.

Look, I don't wanna spend

the rest of my life in prison.

This is not my future.

Well, then

you're gonna have to

negotiate a truce with Talco.

I can't do that. Not from in here.

- So you're gonna have to do that.

- No, it's not part of my job description.

Sorry.

We made a deal, so

you help me, I'll help you.

What do you need help with?

Nothing.

Unless you know about Senate subpoenas.

Well, I know about power and politics.

All right.

There's this hotshot senator,

he hates my boss.

So he subpoenaed me so I have to

go testify just to f*ck with him.

Well, he doesn't want you to testify.

What do you mean?

The subpoena is leverage for you

to give him dirt on your boss.

Just do that, subpoena goes away.

- Oh, that is so much worse.

- [chuckles]

Yeah, well, you asked.

So, um

I will get word to Talco

and you will prepare a peace agreement.

- You know how to do that?

- Yeah.

Talked my way out of being kidnapped

by pirates in Guyana. Spring break. Crazy.

[rings]

Violet Ebner.

Hey, it's me, Owen.

I could use a little bit of advice

if the offer still stands.

Absolutely.

I need to get my graymail case

moved into the federal system.

- [whispers] It's Owen.

- [Owen] How do I do that?

- What part of the country?

- Arizona.

You know what, let me grab Lester.

He's had some interactions down there.

Okay.

Owen needs to make

his graymail case federal.

This is our opportunity

to get someone in close to him.

- Catherine.

- No. I was thinking Amelia.

Oh, Amelia's gonna tear him apart.

She'll want something from us in return

for spying on him.

Are you kidding me?

She's gonna thank us for the hookup.

Trust me, the kid's a stud.

Okay. So I talked to Lester,

and unfortunately, he doesn't have

any connections in the Southwest.

But Amelia Salazar used to be an AUSA,

and I'm sure she's got

a lot of pull down there.

- Amazing. Can you connect us?

- Well, she's gone for the day.

But I can introduce you tomorrow.

Thanks.

I owe you.

Not at all. We're on the same team.

That's what I'm talking about.

[Owen] Excuse me.

- What?

- [Owen] Sorry.

I just checked in and couldn't help

but notice that you're eating takeout.

I'm starving.

- How are the chicken nuggets? Any good?

- Well, I'm not even sure they're chicken.

Yeah.

Okay. Now you have to sacrifice

one to the pool gods.

What is that? A good luck thing

or a ward off evil spirit thing?

It is a useless act of destruction thing.

You mind if I sit?

Go ahead.

So, what brings you to this 5-star resort?

I'm a lawyer in town for a case.

I fly out in the morning.

What about you?

Been here long?

Couple days.

For work or play?

- Family.

- I can relate.

I haven't seen mine since law school.

My mom just got too unstable.

I don't know.

I feel guilty about it sometimes.

Truth is, I'm just making it worse

trying to make it better.

Why are you telling me that?

It's safer being honest

with strangers, I guess.

I mean, I'm never gonna

see you again, right?

So I don't give a sh*t if you judge me.

You should try it.

My

dad was k*lled recently.

He was the only one who made me feel safe.

Sane, loved.

My father d*ed when I was 12.

Went to w*r and never came back.

It's what broke my mom.

I tried so hard to, like

be the man in the house,

you know, be just like him, but

Oh

Thought that we were gonna

do this in the morning?

[speaking Spanish]

It looks good on you.

You can keep it if you want.

You think I need your permission?

In this moment, probably not.

- Where's my money?

- [Owen] It's safe.

Cut the tape. Let's go get it.

[Talco] What happened to your hand?

Oh, I got my fingernail pulled out.

A similar situation to this, actually.

- Coin toss on which place was cleaner.

- Pulling fingernails out is for pussies.

[speaks Spanish]

Psychological studies show it's

only the thr*at of permanent damage

that motivates a pendejo

to betray his own interests.

So where's my money?

I told you.

In the parking lot of Perryville Prison.

You won't find it without me.

That's not gonna happen

- if you drill a bunch of holes.

- How many is a bunch?

Any!

Any holes. I'm not playing with you.

I don't work for Max.

I don't care about her money,

she doesn't care about me,

so cut the f*cking tape

and let's get out of each other's lives.

Do it ♪

Go ahead, do it ♪

So how long you known Max?

It's in your best interest to give me

all the intel you know on her.

- Yeah?

- Sort of an enemy of my enemy thing.

- You think we're gonna be friends?

- No.

I hope we never see each other again.

But if I play things right,

I get her out of both of our lives.

Max created a niche business

when she hit town.

But she crossed the line with that money.

Took something that didn't belong to her.

She'll betray you just the same.

That's good to know.

Do it, do it, don't stop ♪

Do it, do it, do it ♪

Do it, do it, do it ♪

[Talco] No, no, no, no.

Point it away from me and open it.

[shutter clicking]

Hey. Whoa!

Not cool, man.

- You and Max square?

- Yeah.

- Hey. What are you doing? You can't

- Back up. Back up.

It's a rental, man!

It's gettin' to it ♪

Gotta do it ♪

- Hey, hey, hey, hey ♪

- Gettin' to it ♪

Gettin' to it, don't stop, gettin' to it

Hey, hey ♪

Gettin' to it, hey, hey ♪

Gettin' to it, hey, hey, gettin' to it ♪

[cell phone buzzing]

[Max] Relax. I'm not here to hurt you.

Soldiers can't be blamed

for the orders they are given.

I was curious about you, though,

so I did some investigating.

Your daughter

she's beautiful.

Oh, no. Don't worry, I

I would never hurt her.

I had a daughter of my own once.

Nothing compares to it.

The joy when they're sweet.

The madness when they're not.

She was a handful, my Karolina.

Willful.

So stubborn.

Everything a girl needs

to survive in this world.

But I don't need to tell you that.

I say all of this because I want you

to know that I would never

harm a hair on your daughter's head.

But I will k*ll

everyone else in your family

unless you start working for me.

A double agent.

You feed Talco lies.

Tell me what he's up to.

Warn me if he tries to k*ll me again.

Can you do that?

Can you do that?

Okay, good.

You rest up, and I'll say a prayer

for your malyshka tonight.

[gasps]

- You're supposed to be at work.

- Okay, yeah, so are you.

Look away.

I called in sick.

I couldn't take another day of document

discovery in a subzero conference room.

I just got back from the airport.

I gotta shower, head to the office.

I was gonna make pizza bagels.

[Owen] Oh! Yes, please.

So how's the hunt for the truth going?

Oh, it's great.

Not great.

Which isn't surprising in a place

that keeps secrets professionally.

What?

Look, I don't wanna be that girl

who says she's worried about you,

because who wants to be that girl?

But I'm worried about you.

This need to jump into the deep end

to prove yourself over and over again,

it's unhealthy.

- I think it's ambitious.

- [Hannah] No.

I'm ambitious. You're just afraid.

It feels different.

Afraid? Afraid of what?

I don't know.

Like, I honestly don't know.

I mean,

- why did you take a job at the CIA?

- Because

And don't say it was because

you wanted to get your hands dirty.

You had no idea what that meant.

Or here's an easier one.

Why did you even wanna be a lawyer?

You know why.

- No.

- Mm-hm.

I know the story you tell yourself.

But proving your crazy mother wrong

can't be the only reason

why you make extreme life choices.

- What if it is?

- That would be extremely dumb.

[laughing] What do you want me to do?

Seriously, what do you

want me to do? Quit?

When I haven't accomplished anything?

God, Owen, you're allowed

to admit you've made a mistake.

I have no problem doing that.

I'm 24, I'm supposed to make mistakes.

Take big swings.

Right?

Yeah.

I just worry that the CIA

is gonna amplify your worst instincts.

There are firms on K Street

that would snap you up in a second.

They would pay you a fortune.

Yeah. Clearly, you're so happy

doing corporate law.

I'd love to do that too.

Okay. At least I don't need to worry

about misspelled Senate subpoenas.

Misspelled.

What?

That's how I find her.

I have to go.

I love that you care about me

and you want me to be safe.

Thank you.

- Yo!

- You again?

- [Owen] Yeah. Hi.

- Got a new name to run?

No. Same name, bit of a twist.

See, somebody went through a lot of effort

to purge Max's name from the system,

but what are the odds

they spelled it correct in every report,

every memo to file, every station cable?

- Non-existent.

- Exactly.

Chances are, they only erased the records

with her name spelled the right way.

So I have comprised a list

of 100 misspellings for you to run.

Add any in that you think

I might have missed.

- This is actually really smart.

- Thank you.

- [knocks on door]

- [Owen] Amelia? Hi.

- I don't think we've officially met.

- Owen.

- Hi.

- Hi.

Shut the door.

Violet said you might be stopping by.

Yes. I could use a little advice.

But warning, I have to overshare a little.

Is that okay?

Sure. Before you do,

we should lay out ground rules.

- Okay.

- I need romance.

Not a lot, I don't have time

for anything serious,

but you'll have to put in

some effort if we start dating.

Violet told you I was interested?

Yeah. You don't think

I'd help you for nothing.

No, no, no. Of course not.

I'm just I'm still learning

how things work here.

Trust me, it's so much easier this way.

I dated a guy who worked in Big Pharma,

and the weekly contact reports

I had to write were a f*cking nightmare.

Wow

Well, I'm a big fan of romance.

It's important to make sure

that there's a spark.

Real intimacy requires

a mental connection.

Okay. Don't get all touchy-feely.

I'm just looking for dinner and a movie

once in a while.

So we'll go out one night this week,

you pick a nice place.

Not somewhere to be seen.

I don't do trendy.

And the food's gotta be good.

I'm an eater.

Got it.

To business?

What do you need?

- Is this about your squeaky wheel?

- Yeah.

She's a former asset

in prison for m*rder in Arizona.

I need her case to go federal

so I can drop the charges if need be.

Okay, I'll call A'Nyah Bell

at Main Justice.

But I won't tell her that last part.

Just that we need to get this case

elevated for national security reasons.

We can actually have

the Justice Department take over a case?

No, but I can totally make A'Nyah think

that bigfooting it is a good career move.

- What's your asset's name?

- It's Maxine Meladze.

M-E-L-A-D-Z-E.

She's at Perryville right now.

- Got it.

- Thanks.

You're a good kisser, right?

You're not one of those who comes in

open-mouth and piledriver tongue?

God, no. No, I hate that.

I dated a girl in high school,

felt like she was trying to eat my face.

I'm more subtle.

Looking forward to it.

Yeah.

- [gasps]

- Hey. How'd it go with Amelia?

Magical. Already planning the wedding.

You wanna be the best man?

- Is she gonna help you with your thing?

- Yes.

[Violet] Good. Good.

I'm glad we could provide the hookup.

Thank you for the connect.

- This better not be another empty file.

- Not completely.

- But I got fewer results than I thought.

- This is it?

Someone went to the trouble

of classifying misspellings too.

They just missed one. Cyrillic's a bitch.

Yeah, man, this is heavily redacted.

- How do I get the original?

- Above my pay grade.

There is a case officer mentioned

that isn't redacted, at the bottom.

Thank you.

[Owen] Sir, I need to go to Vienna.

No, you don't. Use the telephone.

Sir, this is a conversation

you don't wanna risk getting intercepted.

I can give you more specifics,

but then you'd be in the loop

on some things that you might

want deniability on later.

Are you playing me? Do you have an agenda

I need to worry about?

No. Sir, I'm just trying to do the job

that you hired me for.

Okay. Tell me a little more.

There's a case officer in Vienna

who might be the key to understanding

just how dangerous my squeaky wheel is.

Okay. Go.

But be careful.

Vienna is the espionage Olympics,

where every foreign intelligence agency

sends their all-stars.

So don't get cute.

- Do your business and get out. Understand?

- Yes, sir.

- It's like a plane crash. Yeah.

- His island?

- What the hell are you doing?

- I am looking for my black passport.

According to Operations, it was

delivered in my office five days ago.

That was before I left to Yemen.

- Well, I don't have it. No.

- [Owen] No?

Oh

What's this?

Must've gotten mixed up in my mail.

Yeah, I'm sure Nyland's gonna buy that.

All right. What do you want?

Well, Nyland is sending me to Vienna,

and I need to set up

a nominal cover identity.

You're gonna tell me how.

[rock music playing]

[Lester] A nominal cover identity

will not hold up to any scrutiny.

So don't put yourself in a situation

where you have to rely on it.

You'll be going to Vienna as a diplomat.

Specifically, a temporary legal attaché

for the State Department.

The station will check you in,

so you don't need

to interact with the front desk.

Just walk into the lobby,

and someone will hand you your key.

[Owen] Hi.

[man] Lance Miller?

Um No. Lance Millerman.

Thank you.

[tense music playing]

[man] Are you waiting for someone?

- Yeah.

- What's your name?

It's Lance Millerman.

There's a phone call for you.

[Owen] Danke.

Hello?

Congratulations. You're being followed

by the entire United Nations.

I've been watching you

the whole way over from the hotel.

Did anyone teach you countersurveillance?

Why would they? I'm a legal attaché

from the State Department.

No, you're a toddler

playing dress up in a shark t*nk.

Go to the embassy. I'll meet you there.

I'm not blowing my cover

for this sh*t show.

Sorry about that.

It's my first time in Vienna.

Wait until we get into a SCIF.

Thank you.

What the hell are you doing here?

Relax, I'm just here for some information.

So it's not a thing.

You got the General Counsel

to ask for country clearance,

the U.S. ambassador to sign off on it,

and flew all the way to Vienna

to tell me this isn't a thing?

You're right. It is a thing.

And you're a bit f*cked.

But the question is how f*cked, you know?

So just sit your ass down.

Okay. No problem.

What do you need to know?

Well, you were stationed

in Belarus in 2014.

I was only there on TDY.

What is that?

Temporary duty.

A few months between formal assignments.

What was the station like?

Honestly, it was a sh*t show.

No supervision, infighting out the ass.

I couldn't wait to get out of there.

Ever heard the name Max Meladze?

Once or twice.

Well, I'm trying to

find the hall file on her.

Why?

Not at liberty to say.

Look.

Russia, Belarus, they're mafia states.

The mob provides the muscle

for whatever the political elites ask for,

and keeping those elites happy

was Max's specialty.

Which is why she was such

a valuable asset for us.

Who was her handler?

She was between handlers when I arrived.

Is that normal?

For an asset to be without a handler?

No. But her first dropped dead

of a heart att*ck.

I complained to Langley,

they asked me to fix it,

but there was no way

I was getting stuck in that mud.

And then Belarus became a denied area

right when I was moving on.

Sorry, what does that mean,

"a denied area"?

An extremely hostile, operational

environment with heavy surveillance.

It's basically too hot to run operations,

so you bug out until things calm down.

- And what happens to your assets?

- It depends.

What happened with Max Meladze?

No idea. I was long gone by then.

Look, man, you can tell me the truth,

or I can have your ass called back to D.C.

so you have to answer

to the General Counsel.

I heard she was empowered

to run her own network.

Of agency assets?

- Mm-hm.

- That's insane.

She didn't even have a hard file.

There's no POA, no 201.

- There's nothing.

- I don't know anything about that.

So an unvetted asset was just allowed

to handle other assets?

That means she knows

the identities of most, if not all,

of our spies in Belarus and Russia.

Told you you didn't wanna know.

Jesus Christ.

Are we done?

No.

Sit down.

Why did Max leave Belarus?

She pissed off the wrong person

in the mob. He was trying to k*ll her.

Well, who got her out?

No idea. I was long gone by then.

Is that SOP?

To just abandon assets?

A hundred percent.

Once she was dead to the Russians,

she stopped being an asset,

so she was dead to us.

She's making threats, isn't she?

Does that idea make you nervous?

[chuckles] No. I told you,

I only met her once.

No, no. You said that

you'd heard her name.

Once or twice.

So now you're telling me that you met her.

Well, I mean, in passing.

All right. This is what I need from you.

I need you to go into your files

and give me everything

that you have on Max Meladze.

Sure, no problem. I'll get right on it.

Okay.

[cell phone buzzing]

- Where are you?

- [Owen] I am in Vienna.

And I know what

you're threatening to expose too.

That means you talked to somebody.

Tell me the name.

[Owen laughs]

Nope. That's the one thing you don't have.

Real names. That's my leverage.

Congratulations.

You're officially part of the game.

And I am one step closer to going home.

Oh, yeah? Me too.

Hey, airport.

If you won't tell me the name,

at least tell me how it went.

[Owen chuckles]

We got a lot of pushback.

This person definitely

has some secrets to hide.

Okay, you're gonna have to tell me

who you met with.

Why?

Because the secrets I know

are worth k*lling to keep quiet.

That's weird.

What?

Hey, is Gunther your dad?

[Max] What are you talking about?

[Owen] This isn't her cab.

Owen, she's an assassin.

You have to k*ll the driver.

I can't I can't do that.

- k*ll her, or she kills you.

- No.

- Are you in the back seat?

- Yes.

Okay. Take the seatbelt

and strangle her from behind,

or you can find a pen, stick it in her ear

and scramble her brain.

- I can't. I can't do that.

- Owen!

Hi, excuse me.

Would you mind pulling over?

- I need to get out.

- Stop talking. k*ll her!

I can't k*ll her!

- sh*t.

- [tires screeching]

- [grunting]

- [horn honking]

- [tires screeching]

- [horns honking]

[horn blaring]

- [horn honks]

- Oh, f*ck!

sh*t.

Okay, I'm out of the car.

- You ever been to Vienna?

- Many times.

Great. I need some f*cking help

getting away.

Tell me, where are you?

There's buildings,

and I think I'm by the opera house.

- Oh, sh*t.

- Okay.

- She's after me again.

- She wouldn't be if you'd k*lled her.

You need to steal a car.

She'll catch you if you stay on foot.

- What?

- Do it! Owen, now!

sh*t. Oh, my God.

Hey!

[tires screeching]

- [yelling]

- Sorry!

Don't apologize. Why are you apologizing?

Because carjacking

is a new experience for me.

Owen, fill me in.

What the f*ck is going on?

- [man yelling in German]

- [Owen] I'm sorry.

Owen? What's happening? Who's yelling?

[Owen sighs, groans]

I don't want to talk about it.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

- [speaking German]

- I'm sorry. I know.

- [horns honking]

- sh*t.

Oh, sh*t. Okay.

Uh, I'm on a bridge.

I don't know which one.

- There's buildings.

- Okay, that's not helpful.

Oh, sh*t. There's another assassin.

They're both in taxis.

Okay, I'm stuck on a bridge. What do I do?

- Can you swim?

- It's 20 degrees outside.

That's T-shirt weather in Belarus.

Get in the river. Do it!

It's your only option.

Get in the f*cking river!

What do you need, a "three, two, one"?

[shouts]

f*ck!

["Grime" by Cecil Otter playing]

f*ck!

Been the longest

Sleepless few years ever ♪

Defeat feels beautiful together ♪

The breeze feels suitable to weather ♪

So for better or worse

Is working for the better ♪

And we never

Ever gave our letters away ♪

Just gained some pleasure

From the pain ♪

We ain't some veterans for fame ♪

We aim with the heart

And we never miss a target ♪

And we're playing in the dark

With the archers ♪

The robbers, the honor

The offer to never turn the lights on ♪

Better learn to fight long nights

Wrong moves lose battles ♪

When the sun is down, look around ♪

So look it down

Go look down the barrel ♪

Look what you found

The bang for the buckshot ♪

The ricochets graze, the blood drops ♪

So look it down

Go look down the barrel ♪

Look what you found

The bang for the buckshot ♪

The ricochets graze, the blood drops ♪

So go ahead and look it down

Go look down the barrel of that fun g*n ♪

Look what you found

You got no more face ♪

So when the hot sun's setting

On a shotgun wedding ♪

I will not tie the knot

Where the sh*ts come heading ♪

At my head, I will not be caught dead ♪
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