04x07 - North to the Future

[bunniefuu]

JAY: Oh, hey, ma'am.

- Yes?
- I'm glad I caught you.

I just got the report
on coastal flooding

in Southeast Asia
for tomorrow's meeting.

Yeah, okay, put it on the pile...

- Why aren't you leaving?
- Just got a couple more e-mails.

Nope, not the deal. You
said out the door by :

on the nights you have Chloe.

- Is it : already?
- Yeah. Come on, come on, come on.

Get your stuff and we'll
duck out together.

Just give me a second.

You have an event I don't know about?

No. Yes.

Well, not really an event.

Just... well, Jason is...

he's cooking dinner
with the new girlfriend.

Girlfriend? That's new.

Yeah, that is new.

So is Jason. He's like a new person.

He's sweet and considerate.

Ha, he even remembered that
his sister's a vegetarian.

- What is that?
- That's a good thing, isn't it?

Yeah, I mean, it is.
It is a good thing.

I'm just worried that
it won't last longer

- than the relationship.
- Ma'am...

- Almost made it.
- Sorry.

- I can call my nanny.
- No, no. You go.

Put her on the pile?

Please tell me I'm not
gonna miss my dinner.

Uh, you're needed at the White House.

We can at least head out together.

- Yeah.
- Sorry.

RUSSELL: We've got a bit
of a situation.

Our Special Envoy for
Eurasian Energy is on a plane

about to take off from Moscow,

and they just found a Russian
dissident hiding on board.

Artem Markevich. You know him?

Well, he's really more
of an Eco-activist.

Last week he released shocking images

of oil spills in Siberia.

They were all over the news.

I'm guessing Russia is mad,

and now he's on the run
and seeking asylum.

The Kremlin issued
a Blue Notice through Interpol

about ten hours ago.
They know he's on the run,

but they don't know where he is.

Interpol? What are they
trying to charge him with?

Pictures of the spill were
near a government oil field,

so trespassing, civil disobedience,

and just plain being dumb enough

to be an Eco-activist in Russia.

Well, it's not gonna be long
before the Kremlin figures out

he's on our plane.

If we want to help Markevich, sir,

we're gonna have to do it now.

We're already locking
horns with Russia

in Afghanistan.

Do we really want to
stir the pot with this?

To-to risk losing their cooperation

on nuclear nonproliferation or Syria?

I don't think they'd go
that far over one dissident.

And besides, we leave this guy behind,

we're signing his death warrant.

So palm him off on Sweden or whoever.

Russia hacked into our embassies

and leaked Intel to the Taliban

that got our agent abducted
and a safe house bombed.

I don't think we should
hide behind anybody.

And this is a way to push back.

And save a good man in the bargain.

Call the Special Envoy.
Tell 'em wheels up.

Start the asylum process once
Markevich arrives on our shores.

- (DOOR SHUTS)
- HENRY: Hey, you.

All right, go ahead.

Tell me how great Jason's dinner was.

It was pretty great.

- God, I knew it.
- (INDISTINCT VOICES IN KITCHEN)

(WHISPERING): How's Piper?

Turns out she lived in
Kenya until she was seven.

Of course she did. CIA or State?

Aid workers, I think.

Her parents built schools.

So she's possibly more
lefty and committed

than our son.

Impressive. How was the food?

It was good.

God, I'm starving.

- Will you come sit with me?
- Oh, I can't, babe.

I've got to finish going over
this Afghanistan report.

The g*ng of Eight called
me in again tomorrow.

Boy, they're really giving
SAD the third degree, huh?

Well, we're asking for more money.

We still have no solid Intel

- that Russia's aiding the Taliban.
- (LAUGHTER IN KITCHEN)

For what it's worth,
we're about to grant asylum

to a Russian dissident...
at least we're pushing back.

Or helping justify their aggression.

Okay, now you sound
like Russell Jackson.

- I'm gonna go get chicken. Good-bye.
- I sound like Russell Jackson?

- It doesn't taste like...
- ELIZABETH: All right...

where's this dinner
I've heard so much about?

Hi, Mrs. McCord. Sorry, Secretary.

Uh, I even rehearsed that.

"Mrs." is fine at home.

Elizabeth is even better.

It's nice to finally meet you, Piper.

It's so great to meet you.

Uh, where should I put
your roasting pan?

Oh, no, no, stop. Just leave it.

Not you, keep going,

because I can't believe

- what I'm seeing.
- I always help out.

We made you a plate.

I hope you're good
with chestnut puree.

You made chestnut puree?!

I had a pretty amazing sous chef.

Who only slightly
micromanaged the menu.

- You wanted to make pancakes.
- Savory buckwheat crepes.

With blueberries?

I like it a little sweet.
It was a team effort.

- You know?
- Well, it smells delicious.

All right, come on. Come sit with me.

I want to hear all about...
growing up in Kenya.

Well, actually, I was kind of,
I was kind of hoping

just Piper and I could hang
out until her mom comes.

I don't mind hanging out

- with your mom.
- Well, I mean,

just... she can fill you in
on her childhood anytime.

Okay...

Oh, look, look, look,
look, it's Stevie, look.

Yes, okay, I get it.

Piper, it was really nice to meet you.

Jace, door open.

- JASON: Mom...
- (LAUGHS)

Will you sit with me?

- Yeah.
- What are we watching?

Oh, um, Word of the Nation
is doing an interview

with this woman, Kat Sandoval?

She, like, used to be some kind
of political hot sh*t, I guess.

Chief of Staff to the
Ambassador at the U.N.,

I think... it was years ago.

Anyway, she's got
this book coming out,

and Russell Jackson would not
shut up about her today.

So I have to watch this.

Oh, yeah? What's Russell saying?

That she's crazy and that
she's trying to cash in

after she went off the rails.

I mean, what did she do?

Threw a chair at someone.

- Seriously?
- Yeah.

Never got the whole story.

Wow. Oh, here we go.

It is not a town that
appreciates a shake-up.

Y-You saw what happened when
President Dalton ran

as an independent.

- Right?
- Mm-hmm.

Whoever thought of that idea

had some serious huevos.

It was a bold move, and I admire it.

Maybe you wish you'd hung around
a little longer?

Eh. I loved my life in D.C.,

but by the end, this town
had sucked my soul out

through my eyehole.

I'm not looking
in the rearview mirror.

My only concern is what's ahead.

And that's avocados?

- Ten acres of 'em.
- HOST: Hmm.

I used to work donors and lobbyists,

and now I work the land, right,

bringing life out of the dirt.

HOST: You talk a lot in your book...

Well, I think I've found my exit plan.

Yeah, you should totally
write a memoir.

No. Retiring on a farm.

Raising animals, growing our own food.

A sustainable human society
is very much like...

Mom, you do realize

that we already lived
on a farm, right?

Not a horse farm, a cool farm.

How is her farm cooler than ours?

Don't mess with my dream.

- Shh.
- Mm...

HENRY: We've confirmed
that the location

of the embassy was obtained by Russia _

when they hacked the Afghan embassy,

which led directly to the bombing

two weeks ago.

What about the kidnapping
of our Agent Samadi,

and the execution of her asset,
Osip Bakunin?

Do we know who
orchestrated these att*cks?

That Intel did not come
from the embassy hacking.

We're still tracking down that source.

In other words, you're working with

a rusty bucket with a
hole in the bottom.

Senator, listen, once we rebuild
our presence in Afghanistan,

we'll be able to locate...

Hey, that's a bit backwards, isn't it?

I mean, you come here,

you're looking for
funding and resources,

but how do we know that's not gonna

further empower our enemies?

Maybe we should just
cut out the middleman

and give the Taliban a debit card.

- (LAUGHTER)
- Mr. Chairman...

LEE: Look, Henry, we get it.
Having eyes and ears

on the ground is how we
find the hole in the bucket.

But we've read the report,

we've seen the work you're doing,

and it is my inclination

that I put my faith in the team
that you've assembled

and the resources you've got.

CARPENTER:
Well, that makes sense to me.

How did it go?

We need to find a new asset.

What was the name of that
Russian m*llitary official

that you and Molly picked

- before we went with...?
- Maxim Polyakov.

Yeah. I need you and
Alexander to pull his file,

see what he's up to.

After what happened to Bakunin,

it's going to be next to
impossible to turn Polyakov,

or any Russian, for that matter.

Consider it a challenge.

One speech welcoming the Eco-warrior

and ambassador for Planet Earth,
Artem Markevich,

to the land of the free

and home of the
environmentally progressive.

Hopefully none of that's in here.

I might have said
"ambassador for Planet Earth."

Blake, will you see if there's
time in my schedule today

- to meet with Kat Sandoval?
- Yes, ma'am.

I mean, if she wants
to meet with me and all that.

And, also, will you get
me a copy of her book?

- Yes.
- What's that about?

Saw her on a talk show.

She wrote this whole
geopolitical treatise

on running an avocado farm.

- Yeah...
- But isn't she that crazy consultant lady

who threw a chair and had
some hysterical breakdown?

You know, it's funny, isn't it?

When... when a man reaches
a certain breaking point

and throws something, he's passionate.

But when a woman reaches
the same breaking point,

she's hysterical and can't
stand the pressure.

You know, you should
clear that up with her

- when she comes.
- BLAKE: Ma'am?

Yeah.

Artem Markevich's plane
landed about minutes ago.

Great, I want to see him right away.

No, he's on the way
to St. Lucius Hospital.

He's being put in quarantine.

For what?

Smallpox.

How do you get smallpox?
It doesn't even exist anymore.

It does in laboratories.

One here and one in Russia.

You think Russia deliberately
infected this guy with smallpox?

And sent him here.
That's crazy, even for Russia.

Hell of an escalation.

Smallpox is a highly contagious
virus, with an estimated

mortality rate of - %.

Millions d*ed of the disease

before it was declared eradicated by

the World Health Organization in .

We at the CDC have one
of the remaining stockpiles

of the virus.

The other one is in a Russian facility

in Siberia.

The other passengers
on Markevich's plane,

they're being treated?

Yes, sir. So far,

none of the flight crew
or the passengers

are showing symptoms.

So what about Markevich?

He was already symptomatic.

All we can do right now
is make him comfortable

and hope that his immune
system can ride it out.

Thank you, Charlotte. Keep us updated.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Russia didn't know Markevich
was headed to America.

Uh...

I don't think this is
a calculated biological att*ck.

Calculated or not,
we're going to the U.N.

I want international sanctions
against Russia.

They can't play around
with infectious diseases

without consequence.

I think we should hold off
for a moment, sir.

For Russia to do this,
they'd have to know

it was a declaration of w*r,

not just with the U.S., but the world.

Time's not on our side here.

Ephraim, check with the I.C.

Find out if there's any
chatter about Russia

weaponizing smallpox.

Yes, sir.

Reach out to the Russian
foreign minister.

See what he has to say.

And we'll hold off on
the public rebuke for now.

But if there's any indication

that the Russians are flirting
with a global pandemic,

our response will be unequivocal.

ELIZABETH:
Hey there. How was the hearing?

HENRY: Not great.
About what I expected.

Can't say the same for the
conversation I just had

with Jason's guidance counselor.

Why? What's going on?

Well, he basically tanked

his last calculus exam,

and he took an incomplete
on his U.S. history project.

That's weird. He likes those classes.

Teachers say that he's distracted.

Well, I love that he's in a love fog,

but we are not raising
a high school dropout.

Well, listen, I'm at the w*r College.

I can maybe drop home between classes,

catch him and have a conversation

about priorities,
and lead him back to the light.

Less leading, more telling.

I say no more Piper on weeknights.

Not until his grades go up.

- Agreed.
- And I don't want to hear any rants

about dictatorial parenting.

Not from Jace, I mean.

You can rant all you want.

(CHUCKLES)

ELIZABETH: Mr. Avdonin. How are you?

At the moment, appalled,
Madam Secretary.

You were obligated to notify us

of the whereabouts of Artem Markevich.

We demand his return immediately,

or my country is
prepared to retaliate.

Really?

You want him back?

Fine. I'll put him
on a plane right now.

- Thank you.
- Hope you're ready

to put him in quarantine,
like we had to.

Why? What does he have?

Smallpox. We've got everyone
he came in contact with

under observation.

(SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN)

How is this possible?

Well, there's only two
labs in the world

that have stockpiles of the virus.

Why don't you tell me?

Madam Secretary.

Are you implying that
my government could be capable

of deliberately...

It's unthinkable.

I have to discuss this development.

Excuse me.

I don't think he had any idea.

That was definitely not Russia's
usual non-denial denial.

This doesn't mean that
Russia didn't infect him.

It just means they didn't
read in their foreign minister.

(DOOR CLOSES)

Hey, Jace?

JASON: Yeah.

Come here a minute.

Hey. Hey.

Can we make this quick?
I'm trying to get to Piper's.

Yeah, come here. Sit down.

Listen. (CLEARS THROAT)

I got a call from your
guidance counselor.

Want to tell me what's going on?

I'm assuming this is
about the "D" in calculus.

And the incomplete in U.S. history.

Wh-What's happening?

I don't know. I guess I'm happy.

What?

(SIGHS)

Hey... it-it's really exciting,
having a girlfriend. I get it.

(SCOFFS) I-I do, but...

Dude, it's your junior year...

No. I-I'm... Stop.
I'm sorry. It's-it's...

It's just how you say it.

Like, like, you really,
obviously don't get it at all.

Re... well, try me.

I'm talking about life having purpose.

Like, for the first time.

Li-Like-like, I discovered
this whole other universe

that I never knew existed,

and it doesn't include calculus
or tests or old, dead wars.

And now I live there.

That's incredible. Really.

I...

Love is a transformative experience.

But until your grades improve,

you're gonna have to
live in this universe

- on weekdays.
- No. No, Dad, stop.

No... what do you want me to do? Huh?

Study for some tests
that don't matter?

Fine. I'll do it.

But you can't, you can't banish me...

- "Banish"?
- ...from go... ban...

I can't be contained by borders
in time or space, Dad.

I love her.

(EXHALES)

Well... and every great
love has obstacles.

The hero has to have
something to overcome

to prove that he's worthy.

Guess what yours is.

Fine.

- ELIZABETH: Hey.
- BLAKE: Hi.

I've got an emergency protocol
briefing at the White House.

- Oh.
- Ooh. It came in.

Any news yet from the DNI?

Uh, I just got off the
phone with Ephraim.

Nothing from the I.C. yet
about Russia and smallpox,

but he's still looking.

Quarantine just broke on the news.

Did we release that?

(SIGHS) The hospital;
this must have been a leak.

Ma'am, I'm so sorry, but I wasn't able

to reach Kat Sandoval
before she arrived.

She's coming up?

She's already here.

Kat Sandoval.

It's a pleasure to meet you, really.

Uh, this is my chief of staff,
Jay Whitman.

Hey. Great work with Ben Price

- on sanctions in Iran.
- Oh, I was just teeing up

your nuclear agreement.

That was amazing.

It all starts at the top, but thanks.

This is my assistant, Blake Moran.

- Hi. Nice to meet you.
- Hi.

Now I have to reschedule you.

Yes, I'm so sorry, but there's
an emergency White House thing.

It must be smallpox. That's a doozy.

Yeah. It is.

Um, can we walk you out?

- Yeah, sure.
- Okay.

- JAY: You're enjoying the book tour?
- Uh, if by "enjoy,"

you mean "enduring it
like a root canal," yes.

I am much more comfortable
behind the scenes.

Hmm. Well, we loved you on,
uh, Word of the Nation.

- Oh.
- I told my daughter that I...

genuinely envy your life right now.

Don't tell me you're
thinking about checking out.

Well, when the time comes.

Well, I hope that isn't any time soon,

because you are doing
what so many of us

wanted to do for years.

Getting Dalton to pivot
his whole foreign policy

with that m*llitary base in Tunisia?

That was fierce.

A lot of people worked together
to make that happen.

She's being modest.

Stay in the game as long as you can.

The farm will always be there.

And I sleep a lot better
knowing that someone like you

is at the switch.

Well, this was
the most encouraging walk

to the elevator I've ever had.

And I hate to cut it short, but...

(LAUGHING): No, the pleasure
was all mine. Really.

Oh, listen. Um...

Before I forget, and I hate
to ask you to do this,

but would you sign that
to Russell Jackson for me?

- Absolutely.
- (STAMMERS): Pen.

Oh. Yeah, yeah.

So, smallpox.

You must be thinking
Russia gave it to the guy.

How else could he get it, right?

Except it's totally reckless,
even by Russia's standards.

Then again, the guy's an Eco-warrior,

and there's nothing Russia hates more

than an annoying dissident
pointing out

the ecological nightmare
of Russia's oil fields.

We should, uh, really...

But then it hit me.

The oil spill in Siberia.

That's how he got it.

What do you mean?

In Siberia, the permafrost is thawing.

Unearthing all kinds of nastiness,

including diseases that the
world thought were long dead.

He must've gotten it

when he was there taking
pictures of the oil spill.

Zombie smallpox?

Should we continue this
on the way down?

Uh... Yeah.

- Could...
- Yeah.

One thing I learned
from the avocado farm,

the Earth is basically
like a five-year-old.

You give it everything
it wants... the best food

and love and attention...
it is non-stop bounty, but...

(LAUGHS SOFTLY)
you pollute it with crap,

ignore all the signs that it
needs a nap and push it too far?

Pretty soon, you've got
an overlooked middle child

who will demand your attention
by k*lling the babysitter.

Anyway, yeah.

Permafrost. That's where I would look.

(ELEVATOR BELL CHIMES, DOORS OPEN)

SAL: I'm not defending

the history of communism.

I'm saying it was a more

fundamentally moral system
than capitalism.

(LOUD, INDISTINCT CHATTER)

HENRY: Okay, okay.

We're not gonna solve this today,

but let-let me lea... let me
just leave you with one thing.

In the ideological struggle

between democracy
and authoritarianism,

I'm not here to question
what's right or wrong,

but I will point out
that there's only one

that allows you to question
what's right and wrong.

- (LAUGHTER)
- Okay?

Thank you... very good
discussion today. Thanks.

Uh, paper topics by Friday, please.

You know, I'm still not convinced.

Yeah, I got that, Sal.

Why don't you take
it up in your paper?

You know, actually, I have a
thought I'd like to run by you.

I'm working on a DEA case,

and a couple of weeks ago, this
FBI agent got his cover blown.

Two years undercover with MS- .

Now, it got me thinking
about long-term effects

of working deep cover,
and if it's moral

to ask someone to pretend
to be bad for a greater good?

Well, that's very good.

Complicated. I look
forward to reading it.

Uh, thank you, sir.

Hey, Sal.

This agent, did he get out okay?

He got out.

Hey, Dylan.

Listen, I need you
to, uh, look into a case for me.

DALTON: How does an eradicated disease

just show up in Siberia?

Well, Mr. President, our
working theory is permafrost.

The permanently frozen soil

under the topsoil in Arctic regions.

We're aware.

Permafrost is so cold,
organic matter inside anything

that dies in the Arctic
doesn't decompose.

Carbon dioxide in plants,

anthr*x inside infected reindeer,

smallpox in humans,

remains frozen in the ground, dormant.

JAY: Until the permafrost thaws,

like it's doing in Siberia.

Then, it all gets released.

And the Arctic
is warming twice as fast

as the rest of the planet.

DALTON: So Russia
isn't weaponizing smallpox.

The Earth is.

If we don't act fast to work
with Russia to contain this,

we could be looking
at a global pandemic.

Unfortunately,
I think we're better equipped

to fight Mother Russia
than Mother Nature.

Well, we're about
to do battle with both.

(SIGHS)

Konstantin, I think there
was a misunderstanding

last time we spoke.

If you felt I implied in any
way that your government

would deliberately infect
its own citizens with smallpox,

I apologize.

I had no evidence of that.

I thank you.

Once Artem Markevich has
recuperated and returned

to Moscow, we can hopefully
put this behind us.

Well, before we get to that,

we need to talk about
where he got the illness.

We've become aware
of the outbreak in Siberia,

and we have some theories...

I'm not aware of any such outbreak.

Fortunately,
it seems to be manageable.

And we're hoping that,
with the help of our CDC team,

we can get it quickly contained.

Any health crisis can be fully handled

by our own health ministry.

And I have to inform you,

unless you agree
to return our citizen,

all key U.S. diplomats
will be expelled from Russia,

effective immediately.

You don't want to do that.

You know we have to respond.

I'm afraid this is your doing,

Madam Secretary.

Um, I'm sorry, ma'am.
The hospital called.

Artem Markevich has taken
a turn for the worse.

I looked into your student's story

about that blown undercover agent.

And?

It's all pretty straightforward,

but I found something else.

There's an interagency task force

doing a review of the entire
intelligence community.

Agents blown,
assets k*lled or compromised.

I called in a huge favor

and got a list
of their initial findings.

All of this in the last month?

Right when Nafisa got taken.

I mean, maybe it's just a coincidence.

Or maybe the CIA isn't the only
agency dealing with a leak.

It's got to be a hack, right?

I mean, all these operations
are compartmentalized.

The only people that have
security clearance high enough

to know about
all these different ops...

You're right. It's got to be a hack.

I'll handle this from here. Thank you.

I'm glad to finally
welcome you in person.

(CHUCKLES) Well, uh,

it's not how I imagined it.

I'm so sorry for what
you're going through.

You have to admire the irony.

I devote my life to saving Earth,

and this is the thanks I get.

Well, I'm thanking you, Artem.

And the world will thank you.

(LABORED BREATH)

(CLEARS THROAT)

(SPEAKS RUSSIAN)

And the others on the plane?

They're being monitored, but
it seems they're gonna be okay.

And Russia is working hard to
contain the Siberian outbreak.

(COUGHING)

Listen, you should rest.

And then I am gonna take you
on the most VIP tour of D.C.

No monuments.

I just want to see the blue sky.

(LABORED BREATHING)

HENRY: That was a long day.

Endless.

Hey.

How did, uh, how did it go with Jace?

(CHUCKLES)

I think I'm still processing it.

What happened?

Well, I told him we wanted
to limit his time with Piper

on school nights, and he freaked out.

He said we wanted to banish him.

- "Banish"?
- (LAUGHS)

He actually said that?

Ah, he went full-on John Keats.

(SIGHS): Oh.

Is he in love?

He said, "Dad, I love her."

Oh, that is so adorable.

- Right?
- Yeah, it's adorable.

It's also kind of tragic.

I mean, he has no idea how
it's gonna feel when this ends.

- Oh, come on. It's puppy love.
- Well...

He'll be okay.

It's way past puppy love.

This is... all the way.

All the way, all the way?

- Yeah.
- Oh, no. No, no. He's too young.

He's not ten anymore.

is too young. He's not ready.

We need to have the talk.

We already did.
We already talked to him.

No, that was the kids version.

We need to get the NC- version,

with the warnings and the fear.

And the beauty and the transcendence.

I'm sure he understands
the "sex feels good" part.

The other stuff we need to hit.

Okay. I'll talk to him.

- (PHONE VIBRATING)
- No offense,

but do you think maybe that
I should be a part of it?

I mean, I know, I know it's weird,

but it's a new day.

I mean, he could benefit
from a woman's perspective.

- Babe, uh...
- No? Too weird?

Look, you talked to the girls.
I'll talk to Jason.

Uh, Jay, yes.

Oh, that's awful.

Okay.

We'll talk about it tomorrow.

Thank you for letting me know.

What was that?

Artem Markevich, the dissident
we took in from Russia...

he d*ed.

After Artem literally gave his
life trying to save this planet,

I mean, I can't help but thinking

that there is more that we could do.

I mean, yes, we are taking care

of our carbon footprint,

but I know that there's
more that we can do,

especially around
saving the permafrost.

So, no filters.

I mean, let's hear it... your best

half-past-midnight,
out-of-the-box ideas.

Anything.

Okay. (CLEARS THROAT)

This one is a stretch.

Literally.

Uh, a glaciologist
wants to stretch Mylar

over the entire North Pole.

Sort of, um, a giant
UV reflecting blanket.

How does anything stay alive under it?

I think that's supposed to be
an acceptable margin of error.

(BLAKE CLEARS THROAT)

Right, there's a...

There's this pretty cutting edge
geoengineering idea

of suspending giant

helium-filled balloons over lakes,

which, uh, pump water up

into a gas that then releases
heat-absorbing crystals.

Are there any risk factors?

Well, it's completely untested.
No one knows.

Anyone have anything
a little closer to the box?

KAT: Woolly mammoths!

Good morning. Sorry, I'm completely

out of practice with traffic.

Where did all those cars come from?

ELIZABETH: Everybody,

this is Kat Sandoval.

She is the reason we are
talking about permafrost.

And woolly mammoths.

Right. Okay. So...

In the Arctic, you've
got your permafrost.

Above that, you've got

a thin layer of topsoil where
the grass grows, et cetera.

During the winter, the snow

piles up on the topsoil.

So now you're probably thinking,
"Sweet.

The snow will keep it cool."
Right? Wrong.

What keeps the ground cool is

the cold air blowing
through the tundra.

But this snow is actually
acting like a down comforter,

preventing the air
from cooling the ground.

Well, back in the Ice Age,

this wasn't a problem because...

...woolly mammoths existed

to kick the covers off

by trampling the snow.

This would be the extinct
woolly mammoth?

There is a group of scientists
working on a mammoth clone,

but we are much closer

to a mammoth-elephant hybrid.

ELIZABETH: So, to review, we have

giant plastic blanket, gas cloud
theory that's never been tested,

and reanimating prehistoric animals.

It could also work with bison,
musk ox, uh, reindeer...

- Caribou.
- Yes, you feel me.

We need snow tramplers.

There was a study where
they reintroduced livestock

to a contained area, and
the permafrost temperature

was remarkably cooler.

What about tanks?

Would-would tanks have a similar
snow-trampling effect?

Possibly, but...

the whole idea is to reintroduce
Ice Age plant life, too.

Reintroducing Arctic flora
and fauna...

I-I can sell that.

JAY: All right, we could start small,

instituting pilot programs
in countries with permafrost.

If there's improvement,
expand from there.

We'd have to get every country
with permafrost on board.

Russia has the most.

Good thing we're on
such good terms with them.

We checked with our climatologists.

The science holds water.

Ecosystem restoration could have

a real effect on saving permafrost.

By bringing back woolly mammoths.

I don't remember
that kind of thing going well

in Jurassic Park.

We'd start with bison,
moose and reindeer.

It's worth a sh*t.

You have my okay for
a pilot program in Alaska.

Okay, great. Canada is a lock.

Greenland will be receptive.

What about Russia?

Yeah.

Avdonin's ghosting me, so
I'm gonna have to go to Moscow

and put it in front of him.

It would help if I had
a free hand to negotiate.

What are you thinking?

Hold off on expelling
Russia's diplomats.

I don't like
letting that go unanswered.

Makes us look weak.

They've already agreed

to let the CDC help
contain this first outbreak.

I think they're ready to bargain,

especially when I tell them
about these giant bubbles

of methane gas and CO
that will be released

when the permafrost finally melts,

basically rendering our planet
uninhabitable.

Hell, if that doesn't
convince them to try to fix it,

I don't know what will.

All right, Bess.

Give it a sh*t.

Thank you, sir.

HENRY: So, Moscow.

Anything I need to know?

No. Another climate initiative.

Let's hope maybe this one
does something.

Oh, hey, how'd the talk go with Keats?

Oh, it hasn't happened yet.

Henry, come on.
I'm getting a little antsy here.

Could you get it done by the weekend?

Definitely, yeah.

Uh, you know, it's not gonna be

the same talk you gave
the girls, exactly.

Why not?

Well, you know, I thought
I'd... do the basics.

Risk of pregnancy, STDs...

Not letting yourself get pressured

into anything you're not ready for,

giving and getting consent.

- All that's the same.
- True.

And then I would get
into how physical intimacy

is all tied in
with emotional intimacy.

I mean, how that can feel really good,

but it can also really
break your heart.

I mean, ending a,
uh, sexual relationship

is a lot more difficult
than ending a nonsexual one.

You know what, maybe we
should do this together.

Really?

Because I was getting very okay

with you doing it by yourself.

No, you were right, you were right.

I think he could benefit
from your perspective.

- How much time do you have?
- You want to do it now?

No, I can't.

I mean, I have to be out
the door in ten minutes.

Well, that's perfect.

No time to overthink. Just in and out.

So to speak.

Okay.

(CLAPS HANDS)

Jace, the thing we're
trying to say to you is...

- Sex kills.
- What?

What-what Mom means is
that when-when you have sex,

there are consequences
that you might not be

- ready to deal with.
- Things that could alter the whole rest of your life.

I mean, it's emotional.
It's thrilling.

But you got to think about
things like, you know,

unwanted pregnancy and diseases...

Guys, we're not having sex.

- What was that?
- You're not?

No, I... (SCOFFS)

Okay, Piper feels that when
you have a spiritual connection

like we do, sex isn't necessary,

so we're-we're just
kind of above that.

Are we good?

- Yup, we're good.
- I think that covers it. Yeah.

Piper's parents b*at us to the punch.

Good messaging, though.

"Sex kills"?

I know. I saw the
ten-year-old and I panicked.

- That's good messaging? Sex...
- I know...

Boy, Kat, you are a
difficult person to find.

And I'm sorry to intrude and
I promise from now on out,

all of our conversations
will be about avocados

and how incredibly cool your hair is.

But right now I have a plane
waiting for me on the tarmac

and I have been over
and over the research.

Hang on a second.

Can I get a coffee to
go, please? Thank you.

- Why don't you try a veggie kebab?
- I don't have time.

I can't. You know, okay.

Um, can you, can you add
a kebab to that order?

Thank you.

You were looking at the research.

For the woolly mammoth
initiative. Right.

So...

I understand science
and I know that we...

There you go.

...I know I can get
Russia to sign off.

But I don't want this to be a thing

where they agree for the optics

and then nothing really happens.

I mean, how do we make this agreement

something that Russia actually
wants to follow through on?

Um, because a smallpox outbreak

or the fact that everything built

on top of permafrost can...

(LAUGHING): drop into
a sinkhole isn't enough?

- Here's what we're up against.
- Hmm?

Melting permafrost makes
Arctic oil easier to drill.

Right.

(SIGHS)

Okay.

Peat moss.

ELIZABETH: Peat moss.

Or as you like to call it,
torfjanoj moh.

The magic stuff that
you put in gardens

and it makes everything grow.

Yes, we have used it as fuel.

I know, right?

So many uses, which is
why it gets overmined.

You know what else
peat moss is great for?

Keeping the ground temperature stable.

So, whereas

a blanket of snow
warms the permafrost,

a layer of peat on
top of the permafrost

acts like insulation, so the
ground doesn't warm or cool.

It just stays stable.

That's what we need.

What are you asking?

Next to Canada, Russia
has the second largest

area of peat bogs in the world.

Now, I-I know that Russia needs access

to its natural resources,

so we're not asking
you to stop drilling.

But if you can agree to avoid
the areas where there's peat

and work to preserve what remains,

that will buy us all another
years on this planet.

Of course, if we work together,

we could buy more time than that.

As much as I appreciate this
personal appeal, Elizabeth,

- the situation with the...
- No, I know, I know.

We're not in a great
position right now

to be asking for favors.

But in the spirit of reconciliation,

President Dalton has agreed
not to expel your diplomats

if we can come to an
agreement on this.

I mean, come on, why don't you say

we take a step to save the planet

and bring our countries back together?

(SIGHS)

Okay.

Elizabeth, I pledge to do
everything in my power

to ensure our participation
in your program.

I have to tell you...

this agreement only applies
to this deal.

We're still expelling your diplomats.

It is with great pride
that Canada joins the U.S.,

Greenland, Russia and China
in this groundbreaking... _

or maybe we should say
ground-freezing...

initiative to protect our permafrost.

Thank you, Jonas.

(REPORTERS CLAMORING)

What's this?

Just a little something to
celebrate the successful launch

of the Permafrost Protection Project.

I thought popsicles were more
appropriate than champagne.

Could've gotten champagne popsicles.

Does that exist?

If it doesn't, it should.

- Yeah.
- You know what's surprising?

: a.m. is not too
early for popsicles.

Ma'am, the press conference
is confirmed for noon.

Also, just a reminder,
you have Kat Sandoval

waiting in your office for you.

Final policy advisor interviews
at : .

I know, I know.

I'm going to pull the trigger
on that today. Promise.

It's great to see you again.

I was just heading back
to California and I wanted

to congratulate you.

- I heard Project Woolly Mammoth is a go.
- Yes.

We managed to get full participation.

Well, 'cause you didn't call
it Project Woolly Mammoth.

Because we had your help.

Thank you, really, for everything.

Oh, please.

Oh, also, I wanted to give you this.

You can keep the joke
copy for Russell Jackson.

I know he thinks I'm nuts,
but this one's for you.

Good luck on the avocado farm.

Uh, could we have a word?

Yes, of course. Sure.

(CLEARS THROAT)

KAT: I hate the farm.

Avocados, they make no sense.

I thought they did, but they don't.

But working with you this week...

that made sense.

Well, now I'm really confused
because, I mean, I thought...

No, I know, I know. I know.

(LAUGHING): I wrote a whole book

about how the farm saved me and
I completely meant it because,

I don't know if you've heard,

but, uh, I am nothing
if not fully committed.

(CHUCKLES) I might've heard
something about that.

Yeah, about those stories.

They're all true.

Well, they do keep
getting one part wrong.

I didn't throw a chair.

I threw a table...

at a chair...

of the Armed Services Committee.

We had just been, uh, traveling
through Southeast Asia,

setting up aid programs
when I found out this guy

had let himself get bribed

in the... the dumbest way imaginable

and I just lost it.

Do I regret it? Of course.

And I worked like hell to get
those people to trust me again,

but the problem was
I didn't trust them.

The day I quit was the day I realized

I didn't want to have
to throw furniture anymore.

But then you tracked me
down at a pita place

to talk about permafrost...

Yeah, sorry about ambushing your meal.

No, no, no, I loved it.

You knew you didn't have it yet

and you weren't gonna
stop until you did.

Do you know how rare that is?

Look, all I wanted to say was

I know you're looking
for a policy advisor

and I want to throw my hat
in the ring.

I am open-minded but decisive.

I will walk through fire
to make things happen for you

and I promise my
furniture-throwing days are over.

You had me at permafrost.

She actually threw a
table at a senator.

I mean, how often is the real
story even worse than the rumor?

You think I'm crazy for hiring her.

What?

Sorry.

Look, I think I need to talk.

It's about the leak

that led to Nafisa being taken.

Who was it?

I still don't know.

There's a task force
looking at the agents

being blown in multiple departments.

Okay. So, they're looking into it.

- That's good.
- But the blown ops,

in order to have access
to that level of Intel,

you'd have to be
on the president's cabinet.

Which is crazy.

I know.

That leaves only eight
other people it could be.

Henry.

Someone in the Congressional
g*ng of Eight

could be selling out our country.

I don't know who. I don't know why.

And I hope to hell I'm wrong,
but what if I'm not?