Half the Sky (2014) - full transcript

Previously on State of Affairs...

Syd, I got another text,
this one with a photo.

- _
- Is that Omar Fattah?

Fattah is one of the most
wanted men in the world.

Whoever's sending you these
texts has real resources,

someone like Nick Vera.

I'm not behind this.

Then I'm not letting whoever is

burn me down with POTUS.

Charleston, I'm announcing
a new permanent CIA director.

You won't be working with
me. You'll be working for me.



You've wandered into a
world I can't protect you.

Cut this guy loose, Charlie.

I can't.

[Lively music playing on radio]

- _
- ♪
♪

[Girls laughing]

[Radio stops]

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[Gunshot]

[Girls scream]

_



_

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[Girls screaming]

_

Quiet.

Quiet! Put your head down.

Put your head down.

Let me guess. Lawyer.

No.

Well, you're not a housewife.

Well, thank you... I think.

What is that?

Oh, the stamp? It's for the Cave club.

I tend bar there on Fridays and Saturdays.

You should stop by.

I'll hook you up.

Excuse me.

What?

"Milk, light foam."

That's what you ordered, right?

Right.

Hey.

Hey.

Are you following me?

Charlie, it's the closest place to work.

What do you want, Nick?

I want to talk to you
about that photo you got.

That interrogation will
never be declassified,

so, one, that photo should
never have been taken,

and, two, it should never have
made it back from the field,

and all of this started
when you got back to D.C.

We worked Fattah together.

We let him go together.

You still don't trust me?

No, I trust you completely

to cover your own ass.

You're obvious, Nick.

Something's ensnared you, tied you to this.

Otherwise you wouldn't bother
making me your swim buddy.

[Phone beeps]

_

Charlie,

the troops have amassed
and are waiting for you.

Okay.

[Clears throat]

What are you doing?

Nothing.

- Okay.
- What?

Not a peep out of Russia
over the submarine incident.

They got bigger fish to fry.

Thank you, Ukraine crisis.

Oh, and it's still a crisis.

Sources confirm Russia
dispatched another convoy

over the border last night.

Now the rebels inside the Ukraine

have shiny new rocket
launchers to play with.

How do you say "sanctions aren't working"

in Russian?

"Crimea."

Top of the book is prepping POTUS

for the Camp David
meeting with President Chu.

Navarro's doing the psych profile.

The director is briefing
the president himself.

- Is this for real?
- It is.

He took Lucas's gig.

I am the China expert, after all.

Well, don't get all butt
hurt about it, buddy.

Everybody just wants their
face time with Madam President.

Yeah, including you.

Excuse me.

Okay, let's just keep focused on the book.

We got something kind of ugly in Africa.

Boko Haram.

Tell me.

20 more girls were kidnapped near Mubi.

Soccer team. Their bus was hijacked.

Are we sure it's Boko Haram?

Yeah, the coach taped a
video before he was killed.

In it, the gunman claims the
girls by right of sharia law.

Pull it up.

[Yelling in native language]

Yeah, which means the bus

is probably headed to a
camp in the Sambisa forest.

That place is a hornet's nest.

If they're true to form,

they'll upload videos
of the captured girls.

Pleading for their release.

All right, let's get
sat images of the area,

statements from eyes on the ground

in and around Mubi.

If we can pinpoint their location,

these girls may have a chance.

_

President Chu Jian, um, well,

his father died fighting
in the communist revolution

when Chu was just five.

That accounts for his zeal

for all things communist and military.

And he grew up poor; It's part of why

he's so concerned with keeping
his government costs down.

It's an obsession with him.

Wish he was less
concerned with cost cutting

and more concerned with the protestors

rotting away in Beijing's jails, but...

Thank you, Director Navarro.

No, no, Ray, please.

Ray, David, you can leave us now.

Bye, guys.

Thank you.

Director Navarro doesn't like that.

He knows you prefer the
PDB to be one-on-one.

No, he doesn't like
that you disrespect him.

Word to the wise.

Okay, top of the book is
Boko Haram, Madam President.

Yesterday they kidnapped
another 20 Nigerian girls

on their way to a soccer game.

They killed the coach, the bus driver,

hijacked the bus.

They've released videos demanding a ransom

from the west.

If it is not received within 24 hours,

they're going to sell
the girls into slavery.

That was four hours ago,

and I'm sure I don't have to tell you

what they've probably already done to them.

Nigerian government

has been unequivocal in
their position on this.

They're too afraid of Boko Haram to act

and too corrupt to be
effective if they did.

Well, we have narrowed down a location

in the Sambisa forest.

Charlie, are you trying to influence me?

Of course not, ma'am.

The Nigerians have accepted our support

in an advisory capacity only.

Well, maybe we advise them

to rescue the girls.

I have very little diplomatic leverage.

I know.

See if you can find the girls.

But, Charleston,

understand I cannot put
American boots on the ground.

I understand.

What's next?

Sir, I want to apologize if I
was disrespectful back there.

The president and I have a shorthand,

and sometimes my tone can get a bit casual.

[Chuckles]

You just apologized to me?

Yes, sir.

Yeah, accepted.

What's the takeaway on Boko Haram?

She wants us to look for the girls.

Why?

I didn't ask.

Huh.

You expect me to believe that
POTUS just authorized a search

for that camp by you and your team?

You don't have the
capabilities or the time.

We can't move on that.

She just asked me to look, sir.

Okay, tell NSA and NGA that
I want SIGINT and imagery

on the area around the Sambisa forest.

We're looking for the girls.

Nothing we can do about it.

They'll never authorize an Op.

Who said anything about an Op?

We're just looking for
the girls, Sir Skeptic.

- Here you go, Charlie.
- Thank you.

Hey.

What's going on with you?

Nothing.

Really?

You're in early. You're not hung over.

Which is great.

Maybe I'm just taking care of myself.

Taking care of yourself
is going to the spa.

Come on, what's up?

Nothing's up.

All right, poker face.

Play it close, but if
you need me, I am there.

I know.

Milady!

Someone's on their way to Camp David.

You excited? [Chuckles]

Can you tell me why you are
requesting confidential papers

on the convoy attack in Kabul?

I can explain, sure, but I
would assume it's obvious.

Who told you I was requesting documents?

David.

I do despise a brownnose...

Oh, please, stop that.

And why are you poking into this?

Is an abiding interest in the facts

surrounding the murder of our only son

considered "poking" now, Cece?

The attack is still under
investigation, Marshall.

There is a Senate subcommittee
that's drawing up a report,

and there is a long line of recipients

waiting for that report to drop.

And as my wife is the
Leader of the Free World,

can't I jump to the front of that line?

Not on issues of national security.

What does Aaron's death have
to do with national security?

Marshall, I realize that
you are still grieving, baby.

I am too,

and I'm not trying to interfere
with your need for closure.

Do we ever close anything

when it comes to losing a child, Cece?

And the sadness that I feel
at the absence of that boy

is not something that I'm
gonna go put up on the shelf.

All right...

Do you understand what I'm saying?

Marshall, I can't do this right now.

I cannot do this.

I have girls kidnapped
in Nigeria I need to find.

I have to save my strength

for sparring with the Chinese premier.

So, please, no more requests.

So I'm supposed to go just...

just go sit in the dark

and wonder who killed our son and why?

Is that right?

For now, yes.

By executive order.

You got it, baby.

You got it.

Look up here, huh?

Sit... sit straight. Sit straight.

You're on camera.

You are either there for us true muslims

or you're there for the west, huh?

I can show you. Come.

Islamic religion is the
salvation of mankind.

I appeal to my family
back home to deny their...

My name is Abeo Jatau.

Please don't let them take our faith,

our schools...

[man yelling and girl screaming]

Chu's not that tough.

You charmed bigger
bastards than him before.

It's not that.

The girls in Nigeria.

You know, the hardest
thing about having power

is not being able to use it

when every fiber of your
being says you should.

We've been down this road.

Direct action against Boko
Haram could ignite a powder keg

that we are not prepared
to deal with if it explodes.

Madam President, I know
that these are tough choices,

but we can't right every wrong...

Oh, don't boil this down
to a catchphrase, David.

Yes, ma'am.

Charlie.

You're gonna want to see this.

A World Health research analyst
studying the spread of ebola

found this when he arrived in the village.

They've been dead awhile.

How long?

Maybe a month.

- What village?
- Charlie...

What village?

Yola.

These are girls we didn't help last month.

Nick.

Nick.

You left your phone at the coffee shop.

Come on, Charlie.

That's the price you pay for following me.

Slipping on your tradecraft, pal.

Can't even feel

an old bump-and-brush fan these days, huh?

You think I want my phone
now that you compromised it?

I'm not your enemy, Charlie.

Prove it.

When we worked together, you
said you had assets in Africa.

Is that still the case?

A few of them are still there. Why?

You're going after the girls; That's why.

Do you think you could contact them,

get them to work off the grid?

Sure, if the Agency wants to
cut a check for 4 or 5 mil.

They're private sector now.

Can't you do some back-channeling,

reach out to a friend?

Private sector don't have friends.

Everyone pays full freight.

Besides, if we set into motion

covert action that
hasn't been authorized...

Since when do you give a
damn about authorization?

Since D.C. changed the rules

and turned pro-action into a felony.

Only if we get caught.

I know what's in it for you,

but since you've been so big
on using the royal "we" lately,

what's in it for me?

You'll have a deposit in my favor bank.

I'll see what I can do.

_

Charleston Tucker?

Seriously?

The detainee has been
prepped for interrogation.

We were just waiting on you.

May I see your list of requirements?

My list?

This isn't America, honey.

International waters, different rules.

The room you watch from's right here.

The TV's garbage, the sound rarely works,

but you'll get the gist.

No, I'm going in with you.

Not a chance.

He wouldn't even be here
if it weren't for my intel.

I don't go in, I'm calling my boss.

You puke, you clean it up.

All right, Fattah.

Today I terrorize you.

We're gonna keep this real simple.

In, out, in, out.

[Muffled grunting]

[Breathing heavily]

Look.

Look what I just took from you,

and look how fast I took it.

That's what 30 seconds...

Listen to me!

That's what 30 seconds with me looks like.

Want to see what a day
looks like, a week, a month?

I can show you.

You know what it looks like?

It looks a lot like this.

Hey.

Are you gonna tell me
where Sheikh Hakam is?

All you got to do is nod.

Nod!

Stop it!

No.

You ever do that again,

I am gonna kick your ass
and throw you off this boat!

Get away from me!

What you're doing is illegal.

Hey, I'm not Agency on this one.

I'm a private contractor.

It's illegal and ineffective.

Fattah is traumatized.

Yeah, yeah, I hope so.

You're making it worse.

He's never gonna talk to you.

He is second or third in
command behind Sheikh Hakam,

and I am gonna break him.

Fattah, his loyalty is to family.

His brother recruited
him and then was killed.

Yeah, I know. I read the file.

Then read between the lines!

He married his childhood sweetheart.

He studied agriculture.

He farmed the land.

He imagined a different life for himself.

Access those emotions.

From now on, you watch from the monitor.

If you want to keep throwing
punches at him, fine,

but you're wasting everybody's time.

He's never gonna talk to
you. He's tougher than that.

Get in that room.

Is it true that President
Chu walked away from the table

and that talks have been derailed?

Actually, talks with our friend from China

are ongoing,

and we're all invested in
relationship-building and...

and sharing in the growth of our economies.

Yes, Joanie.

What is your reaction to the
recent actions by Boko Haram?

The kidnapping of innocent civilians is...

is always a tragedy.

Certainly, our thoughts and our prayers

go out to the families of those girls

and to all of the Nigerian people.

Yet there have been no denunciations,

no plans for intervention.

Our counterterrorism experts

are working very closely
with the Nigerian government,

and we will continue to do so.

We will do everything possible...

- Yo.
- Hey.

... Until these abuses stop.

They're being mighty
rough on her about Nigeria.

She can handle it.

Okay? Thanks a lot, everybody.

Thank you.

- May I?
- Yeah.

You never eat in here.

Know why?

Whenever we'd get in a fight,

Keith would pack my lunch the
next day, a peace offering.

You don't talk about him much.

I mean, at least not to me.

Yeah, well, I didn't want
to bring it into work.

This is the only place where I feel okay

or like myself, at least.

I didn't even tell Charlie the whole story.

We have top-level access
to worldwide intel.

There's got to be something
we can do to mess your ex up.

[Both laugh]

I just want this divorce to be behind me.

I can't wait for the day
when I hear the name "Keith"

and I don't see his face.

Me too.

We're 12 hours down on
the Boko Haram timeline.

Yes.

This could not have come at a worse time.

I can't take action in Nigeria,

and that's... that's
just the kind of weakness

that Chu and his advisors
will see as poor leadership.

And that just sounded awful.

No, ma'am.

I know what you meant.

You were speaking as president.

It does get worse, though.

We found a mass grave of girls near Yola.

They've been dead a month.

You briefed me on them.

Damn it!

Damn it.

We couldn't do anything about it then,

but maybe we can do something about it now.

We think we're close
to finding the village.

I think there's a move we can make.

If we find a private outfit, the right one,

we could potentially...

Wait. Do I want to hear this?

Forgiveness after sometimes
beats permission before.

Make sure you get copies.

What's up, Charlie? Fun
and games in Shangri-La?

Lucas, you're the China expert.

I need to know everything you know

about China's oil interests in Africa.

China imports half its oil.

Africa has about 10% of the world's supply.

Yeah, not crap I can get off the Internet.

I need to know the names of
all Chinese-owned refineries,

the corporations that own
them, and their locations.

Did we just go official on this?

- Wrong question, Lucas.
- Got it.

Oh, and maybe just
focus on Nigeria for now.

What is it you're looking for?

Leverage.

_

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_

Get up here.

Such fight.

So strong.

Hakeem is gonna like you.

I've been thinking about
this whole wedding thing,

and I think it'd be nice to
just have something small,

and if it's small, we could
do it before we go to Kabul.

No, baby, no.

We can get married right after.

- Promise me.
- I do. I promise.

Promise me again.

See, now... now...

After you talk to my
mother, then I promise you.

- Seal it with a kiss.
- Mm.

[Knocking at door]

We're gonna have real problems
if you keep following me.

Oh, we already got a problem.

You got company?

I got bourbon.

You always did have a
heavy pouring hand, Charlie.

[Chuckles]

Well, here's to the "fun" in "functional."

I got what you want:

Controlled Outcomes,

a private military company out of Lagos...

Small, easily deniable,
easily controllable.

How much control do we have?

Let's just say I have penetration there.

You can't make that not sound
weird and sexual, can you?

Nope.

Thank you.

Do you want credit for this with POTUS?

Hell no.

So how's my account in the favor bank?

Mediocre but showing signs of improvement.

[Phone beeping]

[Line rings]

Charlie.

David, I need to speak to President Payton.

Oh, well, can it wait?
This isn't a good time.

Yeah, David, I know. I'll be quick.

Hold on.

Charleston?

I'm just about to meet with President Chu.

I know, ma'am. That's why I'm calling.

You've asked me not to influence you

and not to let my personal
feelings guide my analysis.

But not helping these girls
in Nigeria, it's just...

it's just not a world I want to live in.

- Charleston...
- Ma'am.

Our window for taking action is closing.

Please just hear me out.

I think I've found a way to rescue them

and make sure it never
comes back on the U.S.

I'm listening.

Please, Mr. President.

Pull!

You have a good eye.

Thank you.

I'm disappointed we weren't able to find

a more balanced relationship
between our nations.

I've read your essays,

and I greatly admire your strategies

for building the Chinese dream.

Pull!

I, too, have dreams for this country,

but I have a congress to get through.

Maybe you should simply abolish congress.

You're more progressive
than your subordinates.

I appreciate you speaking
to me as an equal.

You are the President of the United States.

And I am a woman.

Mao Tse-Tung said it: "Women hold up"...

Ban bian tian.

"Half of the sky."

My compliments.

I see you have researched me
as well as my team profiled you.

Pull!

I'm impressed.

U.S. Air Force taught me to shoot.

But then you already knew that.

[Chuckles]

Walk with me?

May I speak frankly?

Of course.

Um, Madam President.

David, we're good. We're good, thanks.

Thank you.

China has major oil interests in Nigeria,

particularly the refinery at Gombe.

Yes, Gombe's very productive.

Yeah, it's bordered by the Sambisa forest.

That's a region prone to violence.

Insurgents and oil,
that's a bad combination.

Which is why we hired

a top-level international security firm.

Yes, security and action in the region

is a concern of mine.

Boko Haram and the girls they've taken

make it dangerous for all of us.

I'd like to loan you a private outfit

called Controlled Outcomes to assist.

Perhaps their specialized skill set

will help secure your oil fields

as well as our collective peace of mind.

They're ready to move at a moment's notice.

I am enjoying getting to
know you, Madam President.

- And I you, sir.
- [Chuckles]

[Girls whimpering and crying]

_

_

_

_

Okay, Dash,

pull up the Sambisa forest
map and surroundings.

Now give me an overlay of all
main roads leading to Sambisa.

Done.

Okay, Mo, can you pull up the...

the last known video of
the bus and its location?

This is approximately ten
miles out from the forest.

Can you show dirt roads,
footpaths, bushwhack trails?

Yeah.

- Damn it.
- Oh, God, that's a mess.

We're never going to find them.

Put a topography on it.

Sure.

Okay, take away all the
roads leading to mountains.

They're not going hiking
with 20 girls in tow.

And if they set out from the jungle's edge,

it would have taken them
through villages we saw earlier,

most of which have civil defense forces.

Correct.

My best guess to have them into that area

with that kind of
vegetation around 11:00 P.M.,

they entered the Sambisa
from here and set up camp...

Here.

Okay.

Earl, where's our team?

They were fast-roped into
the southeast area here

at 0700 hours.

You say go, they're guns hot in 30 minutes.

Charleston, a word.

I didn't know we had JSOC or SEAL teams

in that area of Nigeria.

It's an unusual situation.

Oh, save it. Save it.

I knew the endgame the minute you had Lucas

research China's interests in Africa.

Sir, I was fortunate enough
to find a security team

that took it upon themselves
to hunt for the girls.

They took it upon themselves.

Earl, it's go time.

Geo coordinates are lat
11.25 by 13.416 long, copy.

Received. We're en route. Over.

It should all be over in about 45 minutes.

Okay.

_

You called me out of an action.

I know.

You guys are using Controlled Outcomes.

Don't tell me you're worried
about that private outfit.

No, they're solid.

What worries me is that
Nick Vera knows them.

Why?

'Cause I know them.

They're way off the book set
of contractors, black as hell.

Nick is obviously deep in the dirt,

my kind of dirt.

I checked Nick out heavily.

And?

Much as it kills me,

he came up clean regarding the texts,

the pictures you were sent.

Really?

Well, that explains why I didn't
find anything on his phone.

See your face right there?

That worries me.

You look relieved, maybe
even a little happy.

Thank you for checking
this out for me, Syd.

You know what this means?

Someone out there knows.

Someone with enough
clout to get their hands

on an illegally snapped photo
taken at a level ten black site.

That's not what scares me, kiddo.

That photo could burn you
and POTUS to the ground.

Bigger problem is, what
are they waiting for?

Roger that, Raven Leader.

Video signal's up.

Sparrow Four, Sparrow Four.

What are you doing here?

I put the ball in play. I
ought to see how it bounces.

- Where are we at?
- They're close.

Raven Four, ascending overlook.

Three hostiles guarding the girls.

Three guys, six operators.

- Two teams of three.
- Okay.

Raven Three, girls located.

Dirty work, clean intent.

This is Raven Leader.

Position set.

Ingress, ingress, ingress.

Raven Two, that's a good kill.

It's a good kill.

[Gunfire]

Two down, negative on target Alpha.

Roger that. Heads up.

Target Alpha still unaccounted for.

Raven Six, moving on the girls.

This is Sparrow Two,
sweeping west side of camp.

No visual on target Alpha.

Raven Six, get those girls out.

Sparrow Two, we've got
movement now to the east.

Check it out.

On your six, on your six!

[Gunfire]

Hostile down.

Dead check.

Dead-checking target.

[Gunfire]

This is Sparrow Two, confirming I.D.

Stand by.

That's a good I.D.

Target Alpha is K.I.A.

Repeat, target Alpha K.I.A.

Raven Six, we're bugging out.

All girls safe and accounted for.

- Yes!
- Safe and accounted for.

We have a head count of 20 girls.

Repeat, 2-0 girls safe and secure.

Document those hostiles.

Raven Six, escort the girls
to extraction point Juno.

Let's take 'em home.

It's done, ma'am. The girls are safe.

Then I'll be thanking my new best friend,

President Chu.

Is there anything else I need to know?

No.

Good work, Charlie.

Thank you, ma'am.

Get some sleep.

You too.

[Exhales]

You guys saw that, right?

I mean, it was, like, they
were pulling the trigger

the same time the bullets hit.

Do you have any idea how fast that is?

You know how impossible that is?

Obviously not impossible.

I know, 'cause they got them. It happened.

- Obviously.
- Thank you.

Hey, you hungry?

Want to grab a bite?

Sure.

Um, yeah.

Let me just grab my stuff.

Sweet.

- I am in.
- Great.

Lucas, you want to come?

Uh, no, I'm good.

Charlie, dinner?

No, not tonight.

Coming, Mo?

♪ It might be impractical
to seek out a new romance ♪

♪ we won't know the actual
if we never take the chance ♪

♪ I'd like to collapse with you ♪

♪ and ease you against this song ♪

♪ I think we're compatible ♪

♪ I see that you think I'm wrong ♪

♪ but anytime will do, my love ♪

♪ ♪

♪ anytime will do ♪

♪ no choice of words will
break me from this rule ♪

♪ anytime will do, my love ♪

♪ ♪

♪ anytime will do ♪

♪ what choice of words
will take me back to you ♪

♪ ♪

♪ no choice of words will
break me from this rule ♪

♪ anytime will do ♪

♪ what choice of words
will take me back to you ♪

♪ oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪

[Knock at door]