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02x02 - Y.A.R.A.C.O.T.D.O.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.

02x02 - Y.A.R.A.C.O.T.D.O.P.

Post by bunniefuu »

[Owen] Previously on The Recruit...

- [g*nsh*t]
- [dramatic music playing]

[woman] No!

[shrieks] No!

Deciding whether I found you alive.

You know a lot of bad sh*t about me too.
Call it mutually assured destruction.

Mutually assured destruction it is.

Dead asset's daughter
was an enforcer for the Russian mob.

She has ties to Russian intelligence.

You're gonna take over
Dawn's job in Warsaw.

I want this girl vetted
and in the field ASAP.

- f*ck that.
- Beats telling Russia you're compromised.

You're being benched.

From this moment on, you will sit
in your office all day, every day.


Thanks.

Did you know who used to have my office?
'Cause I got mail meant for him.

It's a cryptic message from Korea
with a really weird digraph.

- [beeping]
- [alarm blares]

All right, I... [grunts]

Well, that letter is
definitely graymail.

The number written on it
is a latitude-longitude position

for Paradox Hotel in Seoul.

You're going to Korea.

[sighs] Yes, sir.

- [men grunting]
- [Owen] You are a badass!

How did you even find me?

[groans] sh*t!

You're the graymailer.

[dramatic music intensifies]

[slurs] f*ck.

[music fades out]

[radio static crackling]

[static ends]

- [suspenseful music playing]
- [high-pitched ringing]

[music building]

- [music abates]
- [groans]

[groans]

- [in Korean] Oh, thank God.
- [Owen groans]

- [Jang Kyun] You're awake.
- [grunts]

[in English] I was a little worried
I overdosed you.

For the headache, I promise.

Yeah, 'cause that carries
a lot of weight right now.

Although, I do appreciate
you didn't duct-tape me to a chair.

[sighs]

I know this place.

[Jang Kyun] Yongsan Garrison,

where you were living
when your father was k*lled.

And you brought me here, why?

To emotionally manipulate me?
'Cause... that is super heavy-handed.

To remind you of the loss.

So you'll understand what's driving me.

Your wife.

Yes.

The way you talked about her
outside of the hotel,

there was a sadness there
I didn't understand.

A week ago, Nan Hee was captured
on Sakhalin Island, Russia.

I need the CIA to get her back.

Why us? Why not your own agency?

Because the second I tell them

that my wife is in the hands
of a foreign enemy,

they see me as compromised
and sideline me.

Not to be a d*ck,
but they would totally be right to.

I mean, you just threatened
to expose intelligence secrets.

You... you abducted an Agency lawyer.

Clearly, you're willing to do anything
to get her back.

Yeah, and that fact
should scare the sh*t out of you.

Who else knows she's been taken?

No one.

No one?

How is that possible?

Because the work she does is delicate.

Trying to repatriate Koreans
who were trapped on the island

while Russia was taking over.

So she goes off the grid
while she's there.

Camps out. Limited phone calls.

But then the calls completely stopped.

So I reached out to an asset of mine
who was a jopok.

Oh, the Korean mafia...

I know jopok.

Nan Hee pays them bribes to gain access.

Is she a spy?

No.

Does she know you are?

She knows I work for the government,
not the NIS.

Okay, so they might not know
how valuable she is yet.

You get a ransom demand?

No. No contact at all.

Look, I...

I'm sorry this is happening to you.

I can't imagine
how scared you must feel right now.

But you are playing a dangerous game,

f*cking with the CIA
to try to get her back.

It's not a game.

It's a race... to find her

before I'm exposed
and before it's too late.

So you have 48 hours to find her,

come up with a plan,
and bring her back home.

- That is completely unreasonable.
- f*ck reasonable.

Right now,
my wife is probably getting tortured!

[tense music playing]

So you work for me.

And don't even think about
trying to betray me.

That would trigger the automatic release
of everything I know.

The secret tunnels we dug together
with the CIA beneath the DMZ.

All the identities of the CIA assets
working right now all over Asia.

Okay. Okay. I understand.

You know a lot of really bad sh*t,
and you have a dead man's switch.

Find my wife and bring her home.

[music fades]

Or I'm gonna burn it all down.

[dramatic, intriguing music playing]

[music fades out]

[sultry R&B music playing]

[waves lapping]

♪ sh**t to k*ll ♪

♪ Hold still ♪

- ♪ Mm, the venom I make... ♪
- [softly] sh*t.

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ What a thrill ♪

♪ Here to k*ll ♪

- ♪ I'll show you how... ♪
- [copier beeping]

- [woman chuckles]
- [music fades]

Hey! You must be Dawn.

- I'm Rina. This is Mike.
- Welcome to paradise.

- Oh, a cable came for you.
- What the f*ck?

This could have operational implications.
You just hang it up in the open?

This is Port Louis Station,
the place careers go to die.

There's no operational anythings
around here.

- Where's my office?
- [Rina] You don't have one.

There's just the bullpen
and the break room.

- Get out.
- What?

This is my office now, so get out.

[percussive music playing]

[door closes]

I never should've gotten on that plane.

I... I... I should have thrown myself
down the stairs

or... or... or bum-rushed a TSA agent.

Can you not make this
about you right now?

[scoffs] Why the f*ck wouldn't I?

Because we have a job to do,

and crying about your failure to cowboy
up and self-harm isn't exactly helping us.

Nyland sent you to be the senior lawyer,
so tell me what the game plan is.

[breathes deeply]

You have to go back to Langley.
This is way too big to handle remotely.

You think he was bluffing
about that dead man's switch?

Not a chance.

He is a veteran intelligence officer

with access to every conceivable form
of spycraft and cutting-edge technology.

Meaning that it's digital
and hidden deep inside the Internet?

Meaning that it's above our pay grade.

Oh, for once,
you look appropriately freaked out.

You feel the water level at your nose
right about now?

I was fighting for my life
in a shallow grave a week ago

after watching the asset
that I was trying to help

get m*rder*d by her own daughter.

I have been underwater
since I joined the Agency.

I think I can handle it.

Yeah, that's what I thought back in
the day when I was the golden boy.

But then I flew a
little close to the sun,

and it's been a 24-7 anxiety enema
ever since.

I gotta go.

- What are you gonna do?
- Go back to sleep.

Dude, seriously?

Yeah, seriously. It's midnight,
and I am severely jet-lagged.

So I'm gonna grab five hours.

Then I'm gonna head to the embassy
to jack up the station chief

to do a deep dive on Jang Kyun
while you're flying home.

Are you cool with that?
Is that all right? Great.

Why are you still standing there?

[light, suspenseful music playing]

[distant siren wailing]

[music continues]

[keys jangle]

[music fades out]

[on voicemail, in Korean] Hi.
You have reached Nan Hee Kim.


I am unable to answer
my phone right now
...

[laughter]

- [Jang Kyun] You sound like a robot!
- [Nan Hee laughing]

Shh! I'm trying to record.

My husband thinks I am being too formal.

Anyway, leave me a message,
and I'll get back to you.


- Bye!
- [Jang Kyun] Bye!

- [chuckling]
- [Nan Hee chatters indistinctly]

[long beep]

[airplane engine whooshing]

[woman chattering over PA in Korean]

[announcement bongs melodically]

[man chatters over PA]

[woman chatters over PA]

[man over PA in English]
The tram to Terminal C

now arriving at loading platform.

How's it going?

[tram PA dings]

[man chattering in Korean over PA]

- [in English] Sorry. Go ahead.
- [in Korean] Thank you.

No problem.

[brakes hiss]

[engine rumbles]

[tram beeping]

[tense music building]

[phone camera clicks]

[music fades]

[in English] sh*t. Here.

["What's the Trick?"
[by Jack White playing]

[Owen grunting]

♪ What's the trick ♪

♪ In making my love stick? ♪

Help me!

♪ What's the trick... ♪

- [grunts]
- [dog whines]

[grunting]

[assassin groans]

[Owen] Hey!

Help!

[pounding on door]

[grunting]

- [man groaning]
- [pounding on door]

[neck cracks]

[assassin grunts]

♪ Two gentlemen of
elegant appearance... ♪


- [groans]
- ♪ In a state of bustitude...

- [straining]
- ♪ I give them coffee-colored crystals...

- [grunts]
- ♪ That'll change their attitude...

- [yells]
- ♪ I'm using appropriate compression for ♪

♪ My inappropriate confessions for ♪

♪ Someone I guess
who might need it more ♪


♪ I don't even know
What I'm doing it for ♪


♪ This is my first... ♪

[dog yaps]

- ♪ My worst... ♪
- [dog growls]

- Are you kidding me?
- ♪ My past, and my last...

[assassin groaning]

[dog yelps]

[grunts, in Korean] Sorry!

♪ Dead to the world but... ♪

[dazed groan]

- ♪ Not to you but... ♪
- [Owen grunts]

[door alarm blaring]

[alarm fading]

[groans]

- [gasps]
- [assassin grunts]

- [in English] f*ck! [grunts]
- [tense music playing]

[Owen panting, grunting]

[Owen gasps]

- [assassin yells]
- [heavy clang]

- [thud]
- [assassin yells]

- [handle clatters]
- [assassin straining]

- [knife clatters]
- [assassin yells]

[woman chatters in Korean over PA]

[breathes shakily]

- [men chatter indistinctly nearby]
- [radio static crackles]

[man chatters over radio]

- [Owen, softly in English] sh*t.
- [security chattering in Korean]

[indistinct chatter]

[tense, suspenseful music playing]

- [music intensifies]
- [chatter continues]

[in English] Hey! Hold on. Real quick.

- Lucky man. You just made it.
- Yeah.

[sighs] All right.

[Owen] Thanks.

["Get Wild" by Kiania playing]

♪ You know I ain't tame ♪

♪ So come on, let's play ♪

♪ Full speed, no brakes ♪

♪ Uh-huh, that's what it takes ♪

♪ Ain't nobody waitin' around
For no reason ♪


♪ Oh, take it high ♪

♪ High, high, high, high ♪

♪ Let's get wild ♪

♪ Pump up the bass and let's get wild ♪

- Excuse me.
- [music fades]

Hi. I'm looking for the station chief,
Amanda Fern.

[drawer shuts]

[door opens]

[in Korean] Hendricks flew back to DC
on a red-eye.

I know. I got the alert.

[scoffs] Who flies to
Korea for 12 hours?

The CIA is definitely up to something.

I agree.

I want a full briefing on both lawyers
in ten minutes.

- [Jang Kyun responds in Korean]
- We need to get proactive.

Yes, ma'am.

[Janus in English] We have a situation.

A restricted handling case so restricted

that I can't tell you anything about it
or your face will melt off.

Nice try.

It's gonna take more
than a Chicken Little lawyer

to get me to turn a blind eye
to what's going down in my backyard.

Oh. Great.

Not a problem.

Uh, tell me, who would you rather
have call and scream at you?

The General Counsel

or the f*cking director
of the CIA himself?

What do you need?

A briefing... on ten NIS officers.

A wash? Come on.

My people have better things to do
than gather intel on ten names

just so you can hide
the one you're actually interested in.

Wow. You are really a condom
on the d*ck of progress, aren't you?

This is your interest,
so you're doing the briefing personally.

[percussive music playing]

Now, is there an office I can use
while you put my briefing together?

[briefcase thumps]

[in Korean] Our intel shows Janus Ferber
as a man in distress.

He was a rising star once.

Assigned to oversee
high-level covert activity

for the General Counsel's Office.

But our recent reporting shows
that he's in conflict,

burned-out, and overworked.

We can use that.

What about Hendricks?

[plane engine whooshing]

[PA bongs]

[man in English]
Welcome to Dulles Airport. You're now...

Excuse me.

Hi. I'm... I'm so sorry.

My phone just died,

and I promised my mom
I would tell her as soon as we landed.

Do you mind if I use your phone
really quick to call her?

- Okay.
- All right.

- [woman] You're a good son. [chuckles]
- [chuckles] Thank you.

[Jang Kyun in Korean] The reporting
on Hendricks is contradictory.

HUMINT says he's a genius.

RUMINT says he's an idiot.

[phone ringing]

Hello?

[in English] Did you try to have me
k*lled at Incheon Airport last night?

[in Korean] That was you?

[scoffs] No. Why would I do that?

- [Grace] Do what?
- [tense music playing]

Nothing. It's Nan Hee.

I have to go.

I'm a bit busy. I'll call you later.

Mm.

- Sorry.
- [receiver clatters]

She barely has cell signal right now.

Where is she again?

Japan. At a conference.

Finish the briefing on Hendricks.

[responds in Korean]

He went to Yemen
during his first week at the Agency.

But used his blue passport.

To keep it out of his diplomatic record?

That's the assumption.

He went to Vienna a week later,

where multiple spy agencies recorded him
surviving an assassination attempt

by jumping into the river.

[in English] Okay.

[in Korean] I've heard enough.

[intriguing music playing]

Clearly, Ferber is the weak link. I
want you to get close, try and flip him.

We don't have time for subtlety. Huh?

[door opens]

[music ends]

[upbeat hip-hop music playing]

♪ Wrapped in platinum wrapper ♪

♪ Black shades on, cameras flashin'... ♪

Hi. I'm here to meet my mother,
Mei Copeland.

Of course. Follow me.

- [softly] 'Kay.
- ♪ Influence ♪

- ♪ Big style, big influence ♪
- ♪ Yeah! ♪


- ♪ Influence ♪
- ♪ Whoo! ♪


[music fades]

Patrice.

Hello, Hannah.

I love that outfit.

Thank you.

My mother's not coming, is she?

[Patrice] No.

Shall we?

Your mother has concerns about
your recent pattern of decision-making.

We've been over this before.

The rose tattoo incident of 2016,

my mother only spoke to me
through you for six months,

so let's not pretend that using a
mediator to parent is normal behavior.

It's not my place to judge.

Not at $1,500 an hour.

Let's get this over with.

"Hannah."

"As you know, I strongly advised against
cohabitating with Owen Hendricks."

"It has clearly affected
your decision-making

and jeopardized the job I got you."

"While I am encouraged
that you have moved out,

the damage has been done,

and I can no longer guarantee
your continued employment."

"To be clear, you are on your own."

- Would you like a copy?
- No.

Thank you.

There's a silver lining here.

Your mother's paying for lunch.

So

Treat yourself,
and... try to stay on her good side.

Mm. That's not possible,
because there is no good side.

Are you, uh, ready to order?

No.

Yes.

[percussive music playing]

What's the priciest thing
you have on the menu?

The, um, lobster. Unless, of course,
you were talking about the wine list.

Oh... I am definitely
talking about the wine list.

Could you get me the lobster
and your priciest bottle of wine?

And you know what?

Put everyone's lunches on my mom's tab.

- Are you sure?
- Mm-hmm, 100%.

[percussive music continues]

[Nyland] What do you mean,
tried to k*ll you?


- Just that.
- [music ends]

Guy had a blade hidden in a crutch.

Which, in hindsight,
is actually super cool.

But totally not the point.
I'm lucky I survived.

Now, Jang Kyun insists that he
wasn't behind it, and that tracks.

He knows I'm his best chance
at getting his wife back.

[Nyland] What do you think, Janus?

I think the guy everyone's
trying to m*rder is right, sir.

What'd you find out
about our graymailer?

Uh, I'm sorry. Are...

Are we gonna circle back
to my attempted assassination?

If I ask Ops to look into it,
they're gonna have to let CEG know.

- I don't think you want that.
- No, you're right. You're right. So then?

I don't know.
Take a course in self-defense.

Look, you signed up for this,

for the opportunity
to work this graymail case,

because you are currently expendable.

So we're moving on.
What do we know about Jang Kyun Kim?

Seoul Station believes
the guy's a schlub.

A vanilla nobody
who does some kind of art with knots,

which he displays at craft fairs
with a bunch of grandmas.


Yeah, which is wrong. He's a shark.

I watched him dismantle half a dozen
gangsters without breaking a sweat.

- Dude kicked serious a*s.
- Which is bad.

- [Nyland] Very bad.
- [Owen] What? Why?

Well, the fact
that we got his profile so wrong

means he's been
playing the long game for years.

Convincing us he's a nobody
when he's actually a rock star,

which means
we need to take him very seriously.

Right.

So what's the plan?

You focus on the wife.

- Nan Hee.
- Whatever.

Our primary goal is to string him along

until Operations can neutralize
his dead man's switch.

At which point,
Operations can neutralize him.

You didn't say that.

And I didn't hear it.

But until what he didn't say happens,
you need to jump through some hoops.

Go to State, see if they can get
confirmation from their counterparts

that the Russians have her.

So wait. We're not actually
gonna try to get her back?

No.

Janus, I need you
to put the screws to him.

Jang Kyun has to keep his duplicity
secret from the NIS,


which means we have leverage here.

With all due respect, sir,
I'm a lawyer, not Operations.

I don't have the skill set
to recruit an asset.

Understood.

But I have a mandate from the director
to keep this need-to-know.

So you're all I've got.

Just treat it like a negotiation.

The man's over a barrel.

If he's as high-level
as I now suspect he is, he'll play ball.

[phone beeps]

- Anything else?
- No.

Um, well, yeah.

Are we really not gonna try
to help this guy at all?

If he is actually trying
to save the woman he loves...

We're not the f*cking Red Cross.

This man is a foreign agent,

threatening to reveal secrets that
could put half the building on blast

and the other half in prison.

Which means the "why"
doesn't matter... at all.

Get to work.

[door opens]

- I hear you paid for my meal?
- Yeah. I did.

[man] Thanks. What's the occasion?

Or are you just prone
to random acts of generosity?

You know, everyone who's come up
to say thank you

has asked me that question,

and I am still trying
to come up with a good answer.

Well, what are the top contenders?

- I won the lottery.
- Mm. Too easy.

I sold my company to Facebook.

Mm... too 2010.

[laughs]

I was supposed to
meet my mother for lunch.

She didn't show,
but... the family mediator did,

so I charged
the entire restaurant's lunches

to my mother's tab.

Hmm?

Too truthy?

Actually, I was thinking
your mom got off easy.

- Really?
- [man] Really.

But you're talking to a guy who got
kicked out of five boarding schools

on four continents.

- So...
- Okay.

[man] Mm-hmm.

[both chuckle]

[chuckles softly]

[inhales sharply]

I'm Jae. Can I sit?

I'm Hannah.

- Yes. [chuckles] Yes. Please.
- [Jae] Yeah? All right.

[both chuckle]

So when you aren't trying to get expelled
from boarding school, what do you do?

Believe it or not,
I work for my dad's company.

[Hannah] Hmm.

We sell American technology to
companies in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

I'm... in town trying
to secure export licenses,

but so far, I've been getting
the runaround at State.

Well, it seems like
you need a good lawyer.

My firm... is the biggest on K Street.

- We represent many multinational...
- Stop.

I don't need the hard sell, Hannah.
I am drowning here.

- [chuckles]
- You wanna save me?

I'm gonna let you.

[phone ringing]

Hendricks.

[Jang Kyun] Somebody hacked
the security system

at Incheon Airport last night

and turned off the cameras
where you were attacked.

Which means
whoever tried to k*ll you has resources.


- That's not good.
- [Jang Kyun] No, it's not.

Was it the Russians?

Possibly, but it seems too quick.

I have an asset I can ask.

Have you found my wife yet?

Uh, no. But I just briefed the boss,
and we're digging in.

It's tricky though, given how
close hold I have to keep this.

- Give me another few days...
- No. Clock's ticking.

You have 30 hours,
or I release a secret.

- Hi.
- Where have you been?

Forget it. I don't wanna know.

Probably for the best.

You're looking really hot today.

- Thank you.
- Mm.

But I look hot every day, which means
you're looking for something from me.

What is it?

Advice. It's on who to go to at State.

- There's a detainee...
- I told you I don't wanna know.

- In Russia.
- Tch-tch!

That's all I need to say.

Start at BEEA.

B-E-E-A.

Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs.

- I knew that.
- Yeah, sure you did.

- I did.
- sh*t.

What?

[Amelia] CEG.

They came around yesterday
looking for you... and me.

Clearly, they have moved on
to phase two of their investigation.

Interview the principles.

[Owen] Cool.

No. Not cool.

They are investigating you for a
possible counter-intelligence breach,

and me for helping you.

You piss them off, and the FBI will be
walking you out of here in handcuffs.

No, no. I don't want that.

No sh*t.

[woman] Mr. Hendricks.

See ya!

[tense music playing]

- Hi.
- I'm Marcy Potter. This is Juno Marsh.

- We're with CEG.
- [smacks lips] Yes. Yeah, no.

- I heard you guys were looking for me.
- [Juno] Yes.

We're investigating the events surrounding
Max Meladze's recruitment and death.

And we need to clarify
your participation in said events.

Great. I would love to clarify
my involvement in said events.

The only thing is,
I actually have an urgent meeting...

[sputters] Doctor's appointment
that I have to get to.

Is it possible
to schedule another time to chat?

We'd really like to talk to you today.

I totally get that. Um...

The issue is that there's a little
bit of... urgency to my appointment.

Are you saying that there's no "urgency"
in talking with us?

Not at all.

No, I absolutely understand
the seriousness of the situation

and will sit down with you guys ASAP.

[tense music continues]

We look forward
to speaking with you later.

[Owen] Me too. Totally.

- [Juno sighs]
- [Marcy scoffs]

[Amelia] Yes.
I will absolutely get to that.

[music fades]

Hannah.

Owen.

- What are you doing here?
- I have a meeting.

At Economic and Business Affairs.

Hi. I'm Jae King.

- I'm a new client of Hannah's.
- Owen Hendricks.

We went to law school together.

We were also roommates.

Ah. Fun.

Or, mm... I'm getting a feeling
like it ended badly.

- No.
- Yes. His hygiene is repulsive.

[chuckles]

- And he steals.
- [chuckles]

[knocking on glass]

[Jae] Thank you.

Let's go.

- [Jae] Nice to meet you.
- [Owen] Yeah, you too.

[man 1] Can I help you?

I certainly hope so.
I'm a lawyer at the CIA.

{an8}And I need some help
getting a detainee released.

{an8}An American citizen?

{an8}Uh, no, she's South Korean.

{an8}Uh, where is she being held?

An unfriendly nation.

Talking about Russia, right?

Does it matter?

Yeah, of course it matters.
And, no, we can't help you.

And, no, we can't help you.

Try the softies at DHRL.

{an8}Yeah, sure. Um, Russia's not ideal,
but not impossible.

[sighs] Amazing.

Um, there's just... there's one more thing.
Uh, I need an action plan in 24 hours.

[chuckling]

- [Owen chuckles softly]
- [man 2 laughing heartily]

- Whoo! [laughs disingenuously]
- [man 2 laughing]

- [groaning sigh]
- [man 2 sighs]

[Korean TV chatter over cell phone]

[dramatic sting]

[in Korean] Ji Min, you gotta
get your nose out of that phone.

[Ji Min sighs, grunts]

What the f*ck?

We gotta talk. Get in the trunk.

I don't know anything new.

[tense music playing]

[groans, grunts]

I'm going.

[music intensifies]

[music fades]

Out.

[water lapping]

What are we doing here? [grunts]

[gulls calling]

Come on. I'm keeping your secret.

I haven't told anyone about Nan Hee.

And no one's been asking.

[Jang Kyun] You sure?

Because I had your brother
moved to solitary,

but I could just as easily
have him shanked.

[mutters under breath]

Why are you being like this?

No one knows she's missing but you.

But if I start asking around about her,

my people are gonna want to know why.

And they'll use her
as leverage against you.

Then what will you do?

What have you heard about
a hit attempt at the airport?

On an American.

Just rumors.

Somebody hired local.

But I haven't heard names.

[chuckles softly]

But I can dig deeper on that.

[cell phone vibrates]

[Jang Kyun scoffs]

[vibrating continues]

[cell phone clicks]

I have to go.

Keep your mouth shut and ears open.

What?

I don't even know where the f*ck I am!

- [tires screech]
- [punchy rock music playing]

[frustrated yell]

[yells]

[in English] ♪ Get it all, get it all
Give it all to me ♪


♪ Hands up, hit the deck
This is a robbery ♪


[music fades]

[Violet] I'm filing a formal protest.

How can they force us to live together
while we're stationed here?

'Cause it's cheaper
to rent one two-bedroom

than two one-bedrooms.

Well, on the bright side, any thought
I had of bumping uglies with you is gone

now that I've seen how messy you are.

Oh, snap. My bad.

I was actually trying to be extra messy,
hoping you'd try to fix me.

Some girls dig that.

[scoffs] Yeah, well, it's not me.

So you clean up your sh*t,

or I will nail your bedroom door closed
while you sleep.

Well, hey, if I get an intelligence win,
then I can go back to being a lawyer,

and we can both go back to Langley.

Yeah, but I'm telling you right now,

you're never gonna get that win
with Nichka as your only asset.

Okay? She's anarchy in human form.

[cell phone vibrating]

- Kitchens.
- [Owen] Yo.

Oh, your ears must've been burning.

I was just talking to Violet
about how you're to blame

for everything bad in the world.

Oh, Violet's there?
Tell her I say, "what up."

Die in a fire!

She says hello. What's up?

I am trying to turn over a new leaf
and do things by the book.

[Lester] Uh-huh.

So I'm turning to a case officer I trust
in Eastern Europe for advice.

- Pass.
- [Owen] Great.

A worker's gone missing at a South
Korean NGO on Sakhalin Island.

It's likely that she
was taken by Russia.

[Lester] Aren't you supposed to be tied
up in your office? Why you working a case?


Uh, it's a long story.
Bottom line, I got a new graymailer.

And I need one of your assets
to get me intel.

[suspenseful music playing]

Well, I only got one,
and it's you-know-who.

f*ck.

Do you think she's got the connections
to help me find this out?

[Lester] Maybe. What's in it for me?

I don't know. What do you want?

[inaudible]

Dawn's assets.

Give me those, I'll talk to Nichka.

- [tires screech]
- I mean, I...

[suspenseful music continues]

Uh, I think you're overestimating...
my leverage with her, but I can try.

- [Lester] Tough.
- [car horn honks]

You want me to activate Nichka,
you talk to Dawn.

[Owen] Well, I need you
to put Nichka in play now. I gotta go!

- [tires screech]
- [horn honks]

[tires screech]

- [music abates]
- Spread out. He's gotta be close.

- [suspenseful music resumes]
- [door closes]

I need a status update.

And I need a vacation.

{an8}Which means we're both
leaving this conversation disappointed.

{an8}[Jang Kyun] Do I really need
to threaten you?

[Janus] Nope. [chuckles]

We are laser-focused
on how dangerous you are.

By the way,

nice work on the decades-long paper dump
to make you look like a loser.

Is there any reason why the NIS wanted
us to think you were a desk jockey?

[Jang Kyun] There is a saying in Korean.

"You give a disease,
and then you give medicine."

That's the CIA.

You make trouble,
and then you swoop in to help.

Well, how ironic we're the ones
you trust to save your wife.

But you didn't think
the whole thing through,

which is understandable since you had to
come up with it on the fly.

Our boy, Owen, is jumping
through your hoops back in DC.

I'm here to make sure
you jump through mine.

You want me to become an asset?

I'm a lawyer.
What do I know about cultivating assets?

That's more your department.

It's funny you should say that,

because I'm actually here to push you
to become an asset for the NIS.

Oh.

Is that why your boss is eyeing us

from the gray SUV
in the northeast corner of the plaza?

Yes, but we can use it to our advantage.

We're gonna need cover
to keep communicating

so we can continue to meet...
without Grace getting suspicious.

So you told her you'd
work on turning me?

Totally get it.

But the Agency's gonna need you
to become an asset for real.

And you can start
by telling me about Grace.

She's a single mother.

Which means she had to be
ten times as good as the men

who are up for her position.

Yes.

Which also means
it's only a matter of time

before she figures out
that you've gone rogue.

Also, yes.

All right.

Well, the quicker you give me something
that excites the boss back home,

the harder they'll push Owen
to give you what you want.

So start spying.

Fine, but I'm gonna need to tell Grace
that I set the hook,

which means you have to give me a price.

What would you ask for if you
were going to agree to spy for us?

[chuckles]

- [inaudible chatter]
- [ship horn blaring]

[in Korean] It was a good first meeting.

What was his initial ask?

Fifty thousand dollars.

And a BTS VIP Package
for their reunion tour.

He's an ARMY.

[scoffs] I can't believe this.

Did he say
why Hendricks went back to Washington?

No.

Just that he'll be back soon.

Not good enough.

[sighs] I'm running traps

with our current assets
to try and find out.

We're spotting and assessing in DC

to get some fidelity
into what these two are doing.

I'm going to get to the bottom of this,

so help me.

[dramatic, electronic music playing]

[helicopter blades whirring]

[music continues]

- [in English] Sir.
- [music ends]

CEG's all over me.

Clearly, their investigation into me
is getting serious. Can you do anything?

Short answer's no.

What's the long answer?

f*ck no.

Can't risk having this office tainted
by any talk of obstruction,

so... you're on your own.

Um... Yeah. Sorry.

Sorry.

I... It... It's just,
I do need guidance on my graymail.

I struck out at State. I'm trying
to get intel through an asset...

- You struck out at SPEHA?
- [lock clacks]

The Special Presidential Envoy
for Hostage Affairs.

You went all the way
to the State Department

to discuss a hostage situation,

and you didn't talk to the guy
whose job is literally freeing hostages?

Get it together, Mr. Hendricks.

You volunteered to be
the sacrificial lamb on this one,

so it's on you to save the day
or suffer the consequences.

Yes, sir.

Now go save the f*cking day.

And stay away from me until you do.

[rhythmic music playing]

- [music ends]
- [rock music playing over earphones]

[PA bongs]

[indistinct chatter over PA]

Just keep looking at your phone,
not at me.

I have a job for you.

- Finally. [sighs]
- [music halts]

Do you have any contacts
on Sakhalin Island?

I might. Why?

Korean NGO worker of value to the Agency
went missing there.

North or South?

South.

Man or woman?

Woman. But I can't give you a name.

How much?

How much what?

Money. I'm not doing this sh*t for free.

So far, you haven't done anything.

You don't get paid till you prove yourself
to be a reliable source of solid intel.

Mm... That is not
how it was explained to me.

[Lester] Well, that's how it is.

{an8}So get me some actionable intel
on this woman,

{an8}or... we'll rat you out
to your Russian mob buddies and move on.

- [tense music playing]
- [scoffs]

[phone ringing]

Hendricks.

You lied to me.
I'm going to tell everyone your secrets.

Wait. No. Wait.

[Nichka] No, I do not wait.

Especially to get paid.

My handler asked me to look into
some aid worker that Russia kidnapped.

Now why should I bother
if I am not going to get paid?

Okay, for argument's sake,
let's say that you could be paid,

compensation's arranged...
how much are we talking?

Oh, it's you.

You are the one who is asking about her.

It doesn't matter who's asking.

A hundred thousand, cash.

- [suspenseful music playing]
- Say yes, or I hang up and call your boss.

- Yes.
- Smart man.

You know I'm going to have to
hurt some people to get this.

Ugh. I wish you hadn't told me that.

Does that mean
you do not want me to do it?

[suspenseful music continues]

No.

Do it.

[receiver clatters]

- [dance music playing]
- ♪ Let me show you how to get that ♪

♪ How to make the beat drop ♪

♪ Get that, get that ♪

♪ Let me show you
How to get that, get that
...

[woman giggles]

♪ Let me show you how to get that ♪

- ♪ How to make the beat... ♪
- [door clangs shut]

- [music fades]
- [man in Russian] How is life, brother?

- You guys good?
- [metal scraping]

[man] Nichka, is that you?

Sergei. Long time.

I have some questions about Sakhalin.

And you came dressed for w*r?

Plan for the worst, hope for the best.

[music resumes]

[men groaning]

- [metal clanging]
- [men groaning]

[groans]

- [groans]
- [pipe clatters]

[in English] ♪ Gonna make
That beat drop... ♪


[in Russian] My hope came true.

[men groaning]

[in English] ♪ You know you want it ♪

♪ I'mma make the beat drop... ♪

[rattling]

[g*n c*ck]

[g*nsh*t]

- [Sergei screams]
- [music fades]

[chains rattling]

[Sergei groans]

[in Russian] Okay! Okay!
What do you want to know?

A Korean woman was taken on Sakhalin.

I don't know anything about that.

[breathes heavily, hesitates]

But I can call someone.

Who?

If I tell you,

you'll just k*ll me.

[labored inhale]

Sergei, you're dead either way.

The only question is,
how painless do you want it to be?

[heavy, panicked breathing]

[Owen in English] We've got a situation.

Lester's asking me to ask you
about using your assets.

Why the f*ck is he asking you
about my assets?

[plane engine whooshes noisily]

Because I needed to use one of his,
and he assumes I have something on you.

Which I do,
but it doesn't have to be a problem.

He's not sniffing around
your ghost assets.

He's just desperate for HUMINT.
So... throw him a bone.

Give him one or two of your real assets
and help him get traction.

I'm not handing over sh*t.

Because he's not gonna be sitting
in my office very long.


I'm gonna get it back.

Yeah, good for you.

But in the short term,
you need to buy yourself some time.

CEG is turning up the heat.

I suggest you come
up with a plan... fast.

I gotta go.

[man 1 chatters indistinctly nearby]

- Who are you?
- Hi. Uh...

Owen Hendricks. CIA. OGC.
I need to talk to SPEHA.

There's no time.
We're taking off in a second.

[man 2] It's okay, Mateen.

SPEHA?

Tom. Hi.

I'm, uh, sorry to barge in.

I have an urgent hostage situation
that poses a national security risk.

Well, that sounds ominous.

Why don't you take a breath?

Have a seat. Tell me what's going on.

[sniffles] Okay. Thanks.

I, uh... [chuckles]

I've been going full-tilt
for, like, a hundred hours.

I get it. I've been there.

Why am I hearing about this urgent
crisis from you instead of the director?

Uh, honestly? Because the CIA's position
in the hostage situation is untenable.

The Agency is pursuing other remedies.

Untenable?

How?

Well, the hostage
is a South Korean national

being held in Russia.

Yeah, well, you know, Russia isn't
exactly returning my calls right now.

Yeah, I bet.

But I'm kind of out of options.

Most people are by
the time they find me.

- [scribbling]
- [intriguing music playing]

You really need to go.

I really need to finish
this conversation.

Okay.

- [Tom] It never gets old, you know?
- What?

Indemnifying the US government
in the event of my death. [sighs]

Why would you need to?

This job takes me to places
our government says that I shouldn't go.

And I talk to people our government says
that I shouldn't talk to.

And I make promises that our
government says I shouldn't make.

So the possibility of death...

- [engines powering up]
- ...it comes along with the shitty plane.

With the... [chuckles]

- [loud clatter]
- ...shitty pl...

What's... What is g...
Uh, what was that?

We're taking off.

- What? No, I... I gotta get outta here.
- [Tom] No. Sorry. I can't do that.

I'm already late as it is.
You're just gonna have to tag along.

But look on the bright side.

When we get to where we're going,

you'll have a chance
to talk to a British friend of mine

that has a wealth of connections
inside of Russia.

In fact, he might be the only person
on the planet who can help you, so...

- sh*t.
- What?

You didn't sign
a death and dismemberment waiver.

Well, hopefully you won't need it.

Why wou... Why would I need it?
Where are we going?

To have a conversation with the Taliban.

[dramatic music playing]

[engines whirring]

[music ends]

[dramatic electronic music playing]

[music fades out]