Covert Affairs (2010–2014): Season 5, Episode 8 - Grounded - full transcript

Previously on
Covert Affairs..

Everyone
in the Chicago facility

at the time of detonation
has died.

We know the money came
from Kredit Krepost,

a private bank in Paris.

It's run by Ivan Kravec.

He admitted to buying
CIA intel,

but he was working
for someone else--

Nathan Mueller.

He's CIA.

We don't get too many visitors
way up here.



Nathan, listen to me.

There is a Reaper
on its way here

to take out this entire camp.

Target has been
neutralized.

I know a guy off campus
who might be able to help.

His name's Roger Bennett.
He's former CIA.

- "Former"?
- He had a late-onset

chemical imbalance,
but he's a good guy.

And more importantly,
he's an expert

in black market intelligence.

We need to talk
about Nathan Mueller.

There's a lot
you don't know, Auggie.

Myocarditis.

It's a heart condition.
Annie has it.



It's dangerous
for her to be in the field.

You have evidence
to back this up?

Yes. She lied.

Something personal like this,

is it really
that black and white?

I am all yours
for the rest of the day.

- I'm leaving, Auggie.
- Why? Because of Hayley?

It's not that simple.

I'm sorry,
but I have to go.

Tash?

You got to be kidding me.

You've been dodging my calls,
Mr. Michaels.

I was busy trying to catch
the terrorist behind Chicago.

Being second-guessed
by the NCTC

isn't high
on my priority list.

Well, you're going to want
to hear what I have to say.

Almost home.

You didn't sleep at all.

Must be the pilot in me.
I can never sleep on planes.

What's your excuse?

I can't kick the feeling

like there's work to be done.

Sharks can't stop swimming.

So I'm a shark?

You're wired for a mission,
and so am I.

There's nothing wrong
with that.

Ryan, welcome back.

And you must be
Annie Walker.

Ryan's told me so much
about you.

Caitlyn Cook.
Nice to meet you.

- Can we give you a ride?
- Oh, no.

I-I have my car here.

- Well, my best to Joan, then.
- Will do.

Um, bye, Ryan.

Uh, bye.

State needs to get
on the phone in 15 minutes

to discuss
the Georgian delegation.

Ryan?
Hmm?

Yeah, 15 minutes--
that's no problem, yeah.

Eight calls?

This must be urgent.
Two urgent things, actually.

The first four calls
were about you.

Me?

Remember
when I told you

NCTC was drilling down
on everything?

Yeah.

Hayley Price found out
about your heart condition.

- How'd she find out?
- Not from me.

- Has she told anyone yet?
- I don't know.

I worked hard to make sure
she trusts me,

but I can't imagine she's going
to sit on this thing for long.

Oh.

I assume because we're here,

the other four calls
were about Roger?

Yeah, he has more intel.

- Intel about what?
- Wouldn't say over the phone.

You get on a plane
for 14 hours, a lot can happen.

Whoa. It looks like someone
did some spring cleaning.

Tracking the Postman
got me reinvigorated.

I just kind of kept going.

I've adjusted my meds.
I feel good.

That's good.

But you still droned
the wrong guy.

Excuse me?

That's
a big statement, Roger.

I'm not saying
Mueller didn't deserve it.

He did some very bad things,
but he didn't do Chicago.

- Enlighten us.
- You followed the right path--

from Borz to the Postman
to Ivan to Mueller.

It's exactly
what I would have done.

Except there's a missing link
in your chain--

Ivan Kravec never met
Nathan Mueller.

Ivan said he did.

Speaking of stuff Ivan said,

look at this.

It's a CNI file.

Spanish intelligence
rounded Ivan up

six years ago in Barcelona

in conjunction with
the Atocha Station bombings.

He gave up some names
and then walked.

By the time the CNI realized
he was lying,

he had already moved to Paris,

where there's no love lost
between intelligence services.

So you think Ivan also lied
about knowing Mueller?

I'm saying
there's a pattern.

Okay, so he lied then.

It doesn't necessarily mean
he lied about this.

But you built your whole
intel chain on the guy.

He's your key witness
and not a reliable one.

If you think Mueller didn't
do it, who do you think did?

I'm working on that.
I'm--I'm close.

- We need more than close.
- Guys, I'm telling you--

Langley got this wrong.
And I'm gonna get it right.

What do you think
of Roger's theory?

I think it's good,
but it needs work.

Has he ever steered you wrong
on intel before?

Nope.

He found us the Postman.

Let's keep looking into it,

but not go wide until we have
something concrete.

- Okay, I'll get into it.
- Yeah.

Annie, welcome back.

Nice work in Azerbaijan,
by the way.

Team effort.

So what do you think
you'll get--

the service medal,
intelligence star?

I don't deserve a medal.
Just doing my job.

Yeah, yeah, but you know
you might even get

the distinguished
intelligence cross, right?

Thanks, Eric.
I should get back to work.

Oh, yeah,
supreme work ethic--

that's baller.

Annie, DCS wants to see you
in his office right away.

- Okay.
- See? I told you, I knew it.

You're getting the Cross.

Thanks.

You wanted to see me?

Have a seat.

Annie, it's time we talk
about your heart condition.

♪ Covert Affairs 05x08 ♪
Grounded
Original Air Date on August 12, 2014

== sync, corrected by elderman ==
@elder_man

You'll be reassigned as
a language officer in the DPD.

Joan's already
pulled the paperwork.

Don't you want to hear
my side of the story?

Unless it's you telling us you
don't have a heart condition

and therefore you haven't been
lying to your Agency,

it's not going to change
our position.

My condition is manageable
with nitrate medication.

So you've never had
an incident in the field?

I've always gotten
the job done.

That's not an answer.

Annie, we don't want
to lose you as an officer.

We're closing the case
on the Chicago attack

because you identified
and helped remove

Nathan Mueller in Azerbaijan.
Exactly.

You know...

There comes a time
in everyone's career...

Where they get reassigned
a desk job.

It happened to me.

It happened to Joan
and Arthur.

It happened to Auggie.
It happens.

What I am good at
is working in the field.

Well, this isn't just
about you.

What happens if you collapse
in the field?

You could be putting someone
else's life at risk as well.

- So that's it?
- What else did you expect?

I expected more...

More of a fight,
more anger.

Over and over

I risk my life
for this Agency,

for this job,
for this country,

and you are standing there
like a bunch of H.R. reps!

Oh, we're angry, Annie.

We're very angry.

We placed a lot of trust
in you.

But we are putting that aside

so we can find a way
to move forward together.

I don't see
any together in this.

Auggie.

You mind telling me
which side the graffiti's on?

I hate standing on
the wrong side of the Cold War.

I just heard.
I'm sorry.

They want you to be
a good soldier

until you die or are no longer
of use to them,

and then they put you
behind a desk.

Come on in.
The water's fine.

- Doesn't it bother you?
- It did.

Sure.
And I miss it.

But you can still do
valuable work.

The only thing
I want to do right now,

is follow down
Roger's intel.

Well, then do that.

Just be careful about it,

because the expectation with
a desk is that you stay seated.

So things are moving
pretty quickly.

The White House
and the DNI are concerned

about the Mueller situation.

Concerned
about what exactly?

Our decisions and protocols
leading to the strike.

The DNI wants to meet
with both of you tomorrow.

We think it best
if there's a lawyer present.

I'm gonna come.

Moments like this are why you
brought me over from Justice.

- So this is a legal issue?
- Everything we did

to get Mueller
was by the book.

Was it?

Damn straight it was.

You're saying the White House
is concerned,

but the target was vetted
through them.

Yes, but the lead operative
on the ground, Annie Walker,

has just been called
into question

for lying to her Agency.

- What are you suggesting?
- I'm not suggesting anything.

I'm telling you
this looks bad.

Walker was gone
for several months.

She covered up
her heart condition.

Why? Was she lying
about anything else?

No, she wasn't.

She lied because she wanted
to keep doing her job.

Regardless, Annie Walker needs
to be at the inquest as well.

You referred to it
as a meeting.

Well, I expected you
to read between the lines.

This is politics now,
not espionage.

And if it seems appropriate,
you can create daylight

between yourselves and Walker.

You're saying throw Annie
under the bus.

Only if you disagree
with the decisions she's made.

So this is the desk,
the desk we have for you.

I-it's a good desk.

I mean, I know a lot
of people who have worked here,

and they've had very positive
comments about, um...

About, well--
the sightlines are...

Good.

- Thanks, Eric.
- Yeah.

Annie...

Calder and I are meeting
with the DNI tomorrow

to discuss Mueller
and Chicago.

We need you there.
Sure.

We also need a timeline

laying out your every move
since Chicago.

Every move?

DNI's gonna have a lot
of questions.

I'm sure you can supply
some of the answers.

Okay.

Annie, listen,
about your work in the field...

You weren't just good.

You were exceptional.

Thanks, Joan.

Annie Walker.

Go to your car
in the parking lot.

I'll call your cell
in five minutes.

Who's this?

Auggie.

Joan, great.
You got a minute?

Sure.

I was going through
Ivan Kravec's

interrogation transcript,
and I had a question.

Did H.I.G. second-source
Ivan's connection to Mueller?

There wasn't time.
We had to act.

All right,
well, then do you think

that giving up Mueller's name
might have been

a survival mechanism?
It checked out.

We found Ivan's courier
on his way to Mueller's camp.

Yeah.
Listen, can we reopen Kravec?

No. Kravec is no longer
in our custody.

- What?
- Oligarchs tend to get unhappy

when you grab
their money guy,

so we swapped Kravec
for two of ours,

which was a pretty good deal,
if you ask me.

So we do make some deals.

And now we're talking
about Annie.

There had to have been
another way

to keep her
in the field, Joan.

Auggie, I wish there was.
My hands are tied.

It's agency policy.
She can continue to succeed

in the field
with her condition.

We need her out there.

Which is a decision
you made unilaterally.

Annie could not have kept her
secret hidden without your help.

So you should have told me
about that--you know that.

I stand by my decisions

and you should stand
behind Annie.

- Hello?
- Are you alone?

Yes, Roger, I'm alone.

Mueller definitely
wasn't responsible for Chicago.

I've got a guy deep
in the Russian embassy

who says he has proof someone
else was behind the attack.

- Definitive proof?
- Internal FSB files

on Borz Altan.

The Russians were
monitoring him too.

They have intel linking him
to a single perpetrator.

- You have a name?
- My contact wants payment.

He says he'll only tell me
for $100,000.

Needs it by tomorrow.

That's why you called me
instead of Auggie.

He's a tech op.
He can't get that much cash

without a lot of time
and paperwork.

You operatives have
carte blanche

with the Agency's accounts.

All right, uh...

Let me see what I can do.

So how are you gonna
get the money?

I don't know.

I was hoping
you could put in for it.

Roger's right.

Tech ops get to play
with expensive equipment.

They don't let us
play with cash.

You didn't tell him
you'd been sidelined?

It didn't come up.

I could talk to another one
of my operatives,

piggyback on another mission.
No.

I don't want to add
misappropriation of Agency funds

to our list of sins.

Then how are you going to get
100 grand?

Annie Walker
to see Ryan McQuaid.

Thanks.

So you finally decided
to come and work--

There's a good chance Mueller

wasn't behind
the Chicago attack.

Of all the things
I thought you might say,

I wasn't expecting you
to say that.

I've got an asset who can get
definitive proof who did it,

which is why I need you.

Okay. Shoot.

The asset needs $100,000
to get the information.

Your Agency won't give it
to you?

The Agency found out
about my heart...

and transferred me
to a desk.

Langley would go ballistic

if they knew
I was following this down.

Jesus, Walker.
I'm sorry.

Yeah, me too.

Then we'd better get
this intel.

I'll get the cash
out of the safe.

Thanks.

I have spent far more
on much less.

Maybe you keep that
to yourself.

- Got a sec?
- Sure. What's up?

I noticed Annie Walker
just entered the building.

She didn't have
an official appointment.

I thought maybe she was coming
to see you.

No, she's not here
to see me.

Did you know Annie
when you worked at the Agency?

That's funny. Ryan asked me
that when I joined the company.

He did?
What'd you say?

I told him Annie
was one of the finest operatives

I'd ever seen.

Here you go.

It's been a long time
since someone's been willing

to back me like this.

What did the Agency say?

They said this better pay off.

I bet they did.

Call me when you have
something.

Hey! What are you
doing here?

You don't live in the building!
You talking to me?

- You're following me!
- I do. I live in--

- I've seen you before.
I know you're following me.

I'm sorry.
My brother has troubles--

- He's following me!
- Your brother just attacked me.

Please leave.

Do it again,
I'll call the cops.

- Stop following me!
- Nobody is following you.

It's okay.
Just calm down.

It's okay.

I'm sorry, Annie.

I'm sorry.

- Doughnut's good.
- Good.

- Look, I'm--I'm sorry.
- You don't have to explain.

I thought I had it
under control.

You know, the mission
was really helping me focus,

getting to work with you
and Auggie,

who I respect more
than anyone at the agency,

and the meds were helping.

But then...

I could've sworn
that guy had been following me.

You're working on it.

That's what's important.

Have you ever had
any kind of illness?

Mental illness? No.

Funny thing, the brain...

It's your reality.

Spy work messes with that.

Reality becomes less real.

You're in the wilderness
of mirrors.

What are you going to do,
smash every mirror?

Spy craft--
the thing that I'm best at,

the very thing that gives me
a purpose--

is also killing me.

What kind of life is that?

It's the life we choose.

Look, I know you have
to take back the money.

I know how the Agency regards
people with illnesses.

But, please...

give me one more chance.

I'm not the Agency.

I trust you.

Thanks.

Auggie.

We agreed you would talk to me
before you moved on Annie,

but your agenda
was more important

than her career, I guess,

because the minute she got
to the bottom of Chicago,

you didn't have
any more use for her.

Is that about right?

If that's how you want
to look at it.

Change my perspective.

I was doing my job.

You knew she had a condition,
and you were hiding it.

I was looking out
for her best interest.

Okay, so how are you gonna
feel if you get a call

that Annie had an episode
on a mission

and her heart got the best
of her and she died?

She knew the risks.

That was her decision to make,
not mine and not yours.

Okay, did you call me here
to read me the riot act?

Because you could have done this
in an e-mail.

No.

Oh.

You asked me here
to break up with me.

Look, I wanted to do it
in person.

Well, if this is your version
of chivalry,

don't do me any favors.

Annie, I haven't received
your timeline.

I know. I'm still not
finished yet.

That was the only task
on your desk,

and it was crucial.

What have you been doing?

Annie, if you walk
in there unprepared,

it could be seen
as an evasive move.

- Seen by who?
- By the DNI,

by the lawyers,
by the White House,

by anybody who wants
an answer.

It seems like I'm being called
to the mat on this.

I'm trying
to protect you here.

We're all being scrutinized
for Mueller,

and I'm just trying
to make this work.

You can give verbal answers

where you don't have
the proper documentation.

Hopefully that works.

You signed out $100,000
from the vault?

That's right.

For what?

I understand.

It's your company.
It's your money.

Yes, it is.

Well, you don't have
to explain.

But you hired me
to look after the bottom line,

and that's
all I'm trying to do.

With the number of new
contracts we've gotten recently,

we can afford the money.

So budget the 100k
to asset maintenance,

if that helps.

So now Annie Walker is
an asset for McQuaid Security?

I noticed the money
was signed out

when she was in the office
yesterday.

Anything you want
to loop me in on?

Caitlyn, I have everything
under control.

I just hope
you're running Annie

and it's not
the other way around.

Alex.

Joan.
Good to see you, Bill.

- Mr. Michaels.
- Deputy Director.

I'd like to introduce you
operative Annie Walker.

She was on the ground
in Azerbaijan

during the drone strike.
Hello, Miss Walker.

Good to meet you, sir.

Hope you've cleared
your schedule.

We're gonna have you here
for a while.

Of course.

The Director will see
you two first.

There are a few items that are
above Miss Walker's clearance.

Miss Walker, we'll retrieve you
in a few minutes.

See you in a bit.

- Hello?
- Annie, it's Roger.

Roger.

I can't talk right now.

Hold on.

Did your contact
give you the intel?

Do the files say
who was behind Chicago?

Yes, but they know I'm looking
into them--I don't know how.

But I need to get out of town
immediately.

Are you sure about this?

This is not like with
the dog walker. This is real.

This intel is real.
You'll see when I show you.

Meet me at the train station
in Brunswick at 5:10.

No, there's not enough time.

The Agency has resources
for urgent asset meetings.

This is urgent.

Annie.

Hayley Price.
Ii remember.

Listen, I was just
doing my job.

I...

I have to go.

Miss Price, Annie Walker
was here a moment ago.

Did you see
where she went?

Yes, Deputy Director.
She just left.

- Thanks for the lift.
- Of course.

You think we can make it
to Brunswick by 5:10?

It's about 40 miles away.
I think we'll make it.

The train's only there
for three minutes.

Who are we chasing, anyway?

- Remember your $100,000?
- Mm-hmm.

Roger Bennett.
He's an ex-CIA tech op.

Why is Roger Bennett
making life so difficult?

- He thinks he's being followed.
- Well, he's a spy.

There's a pretty good chance
he's right.

Yeah?

Do you have anything to do
with Annie leaving ODNI?

Leaving? I thought she was
with you and Calder.

She left us standing
in director Fitzgerald's office,

and then out of the blue,
Caitlyn Cook calls me

and asks me about an Op Annie's
working with Ryan McQuaid.

We should talk.

Auggie, I'm on my way
to meet Roger in Brunswick.

He's got the intel,

but he wouldn't give it to me
over the phone.

- Why is he on the move?
- He's scared.

He thinks he's been burned.

He's enacting
exit protocols.

Annie, you left
Joan and Calder at ODNI.

- I had no choice.
- Well, if Roger's intel

doesn't pan out,
they're gonna suspend you.

Yeah, I know.

Good luck.

You get all that?

What, they're gonna suspend
you for trying to get the truth?

There, that's the train
right there.

Excuse me.

There.

Roger.

Roger.

I'm sorry.

Are they gonna call
security?

- I guess.
- What happened?

Did you see?

- Excuse me.
- Come on, stand back.

Roger!

He's gone.

What about the intel?

This is Revelations 19.

Freemasons.

Roger said he respected you

more than anyone else
at the Agency.

I wish he hadn't died
for nothing.

I dragged you into this.

Annie...

We may not be operative
and handler anymore,

but we're still a team.

Nothing's gonna change that,
no matter what happens in there.

I know.

Yes?

Please go in, Miss Walker.

Where's Calder?

He's still
at Liberty Crossing.

After you disappeared,
the DNI was so pissed off

at our disorganization

and Calder's seeming
lack of control over his people

that he asked Calder to defend
every decision he's made

since being named
interim DCS.

The director made sure
to underscore "interim."

He could lose his job, Annie.

I had to go.

I had find out who Ivan Kravec
was really working for.

- Besides Nathan Mueller?
- Yes.

But I knew I needed
unassailable proof

to bring it in.
And do you have proof?

Roger Bennett said he had
an FSB file

from a source deep
in the Russian embassy.

Roger Bennett was found
with conspiracy theories,

nothing relating
to Mueller or Chicago.

Just because someone
has an illness

doesn't mean
they're not valuable.

He gave his life
for the Agency.

Are we talking about Roger
or you now?

I needed to find the truth.

Why didn't you
let me in, Annie?

It's because
you didn't trust me enough

to know
that I would help you.

But I would have helped you.

And now we're here.

You're suspended...

effective immediately.

Hey.

Hey.

Here's your stuff.

It's not a very big bag,

because we weren't together
for very long.

No, I guess not.

You know
what really bugs me?

Is that in your version of
this story, you're the good guy.

All I wanted to do
was find out the truth.

Yeah, well, you found it.

It's what you did with it
that bothers me.

I wasn't the one
keeping secrets

or going behind people's backs.

What is that
supposed to mean?

It means that the truth
matters to me,

which seems to be
a pretty rare quality to find

in this line of work
these days.

You turned on Annie
because you were angry with me.

Do you really think
I'm that unprofessional?

Please. Auggie, I saw you
on the street with that girl.

That doesn't matter.

The point is, you used me.

I was just another Op.

It's more complicated
than that.

And then you broke it off

because
I wasn't necessary anymore.

You know, my only mistake
in this entire thing

is that I trusted you.

And you hold yourself up
like this military man,

like you're morally superior
to all the other Langley spies.

Well, you're not.

You're just like
all the rest of them.

Well, look on the bright side.
You held on to your job.

You must be a real
glass-half-full kind of guy,

'cause to me, any meeting
that goes so long

they serve a meal
in the middle is bad.

Well, it would have
been shorter if you played it

a little differently.

Differently how?

By not defending
Joan so much.

Walker made her own bed,
but Joan--

it felt like you
were protecting her in there,

when you didn't need to.

Look, I have my reasons
for doing everything I do.

All right. Whatever.

I'll call you when
they have follow-up questions,

which they surely will.

You're back quick.

Well, he's sleeping
peacefully...

Unlike his mom.

Got a lot on my mind.

I know what
you're thinking about.

You're thinking about Annie.

The truth is,
you were a fantastic mentor.

But she's
a seasoned operative now.

She--she makes
her own decisions.

It's not Annie's decisions
I'm thinking about.

No?

I've just witnessed
how quickly we, the Agency,

can turn against our own

when we don't agree
with someone's choices.

You're talking
about the Balkans.

You're concerned
about your secret getting out.

That's not gonna happen.

Well, how do you know that?

'Cause it was a long time ago,
and you were careful.

And we have each other now.

Well, I hope you're right.

Walker.

I just wanted to tell you

you're not gonna get
your $100,000 back.

Sorry.

There's no shame
in taking a shot downfield.

We'll get it
on the next one.

There's not gonna be
a next one,

not for me, anyway.

They suspended you?

You're staying for a drink.

- No, it's okay. I don't--
- It wasn't a question.

Thanks.

So what now?

I don't know.

I me--it looks like
we're not gonna be seeing

each other anymore.

So this is good-bye?

Yeah.

Well, it's been nice
knowing you, Annie Walker.

It's been a long time since
I stayed up all night talking.

Well, I am an exceptionally
good conversationalist.

Coffee?

Yeah. Thanks.

It's not like I have to be
at the office.

It feels strange not having
anywhere to go.

Or another way
of looking at it

is that you can go
anywhere you want to be.

Thanks.

Were you expecting
somebody?

I am gonna get rid
of whoever that is immediately.

Okay.

Auggie,
it's, uh, a little early.

Yeah, I'll make it quick.
Listen, I was up all night

thinking about what happened
to Roger.

I dug through the papers
you found on him,

looking for anything
he might have left us--

a message, a clue.

- Did you find anything?
- No. And that's the point.

Roger,
even at his most paranoid,

was too smart to buy into any
of that conspiracy-theory crap.

Do you think somebody
was trying to frame him?

What exactly did you see
at the train station?

Did you see Roger
run into traffic?

Auggie, he's here.

Who?

Annie, who is it?

The dog walker that Roger said
was following him--

he's here at McQuaid's house.

You're at McQuaid's?

Yeah.

You think Roger was right?

Come over here
as soon as you leave.

Okay. I got to go.

What'd I miss?

== sync, corrected by elderman ==
@elder_man