Designated Survivor (2016–2019): Season 3, Episode 1 - #thesystemisbroken - full transcript

[applause]

[Richmond] There are times
when we make history,

and there are times
when history makes us.

This is a crucial moment
for our nation,

and America's colors burn brightest
when we meet challenges head on.

For far too long,

the wealthiest 1%
have seen their fortunes only grow

while the rest of the nation
lies in worry.

- That needs to change.
- [applause]

The question is, how do we pay for it?

But the question is,
how do we pay for it?



[Alex] It's not even in the vicinity
of what we agreed on. No!

This is not a quid pro quo.

This is "You do what I say when I say it
or you suffer the consequences."

Uh, it's beyond bedti...

- Penny, you need to go to sleep right now.
- Let me talk to her.

No, you can't talk to Dad.

Let me talk to her. Come on.

And not just here at home...

Hello?

[Penny] Hi, Daddy.

Who is this?

It's Penny.

Penny who?

- Penny Kirkman, your daughter.
- No.



That's not possible. My daughter's asleep.

I know that because
I kissed her good night...

almost two hours ago.

- When are you and Mommy coming home?
- It doesn't matter.

You're gonna be asleep by then, right?

Right?

[whispering] She can't keep pulling this.

I've got an idea.

What if you go to bed right now

and I let you stay up an extra hour
tomorrow night so we can hang out?

- Sound like a deal?
- Deal.

That's my girl.

Give me a kiss.

[smooches]

Good night, Daddy.

Good night, little pea.

- [beeps]
- See? All good.

Not all good.

- What do you mean, not all good?
- Tom!

You can't do that.

You can't make promises
that you won't be able to keep.

We're in Washington. They're
the only promises we're allowed to make.

[chuckles]

You know, you need to learn
how to set some limits with her.

Because if not,
she is gonna walk all over you.

I know.

You're right.

Values that we hold dear,
that represent who we are...

Here come the greatest hits.

To ensure you
that the same American dream

shared by our fathers, our mothers,

and their fathers and...

[static buzzing]

That's weird.

- What is it?
- Won't come back on.

- [cellphone rings]
- See if you can get it to work.

- Okay.
- [beeps]

Yeah.

- [cellphone buzzing]
- No, I know. Ours just went black, too.

Tom!

- Oh, my God!
- I'll get back to you.

Mr. Secretary,
you need to put the phone down.

- Mike, what the hell is going on?
- Put the phone down.

We've lost contact with the Capitol.

We're sheltering in place
until we know more.

I need your government-issued BlackBerry.

- What?
- Do you have any other devices on you?

- There...
- Please, check your bag, ma'am.

But I... But I... I need...

[reporter] We are getting reports

of some kind of explosion
in or around the Capitol building.

[reporter 2] We are still...

[intense music]

Mr. Secretary,
get away from the window, now!

[Alex] Oh, my God.

Oh.

[theme music]

[Tom] I thought you said
you were gonna get some sleep.

[keyboard clacking]

I'm okay.

National Sleep Foundation
recommends seven hours

to function as a normal human being.

A working mother only needs four.

Uh, correction, only gets four.

[sighs]

- Hi.
- [clacking continues]

- No.
- Hmm!

- I'm not doing anything.
- Tom, I have... Stop it. I have work to do.

So do I, and it's a two-person job.

Come on. You've always said
you're always on my side.

Mm. Yes.

That's all I want.

[knock on door]

[Penny] Mom!
- No, no, no, no.

Go away!

[Penny] Dad!

Get out here! I'm hungry!

- I want some breakfast!
- Leave us alone! You are not loved!

[laughs]

- [knock on door]
- [Penny] Please!

- [chuckles] No.
- Are you kidding?

Okay. You're gonna get
what you deserve.

- I'm making breakfast.
- No.

- Pancakes for everyone!
- Please, no!

Let me go, woman!

Oh, God.

Okay, little pea.
How do you like your eggs?

Scrambled or scrambled?

Um, scrambled, please.

Excellent.
Scrambled eggs coming up

for the beautiful girl
sitting at the counter.

And... there we go.

- Thank you.
- You're welcome.

Leo. Perfect timing. What do you want?

Uh...

He's making breakfast?

- Unfortunately.
- Hey, I'm slaving over here.

- I'll just get some toast.
- Toast, toast.

That's made with bread, right?

Come on, you used
to always laugh at my jokes.

I used to be nine.

Ah, the good ol' days.

I need you to watch
your sister tonight, okay?

- No. I can't do it. I'm busy.
- I know, watching your sister.

Come on, it's a big night for me.
I've got the State of the Union.

For me, too. I told Caleb
I'd help him out with something.

- With what?
- It doesn't matter.

Doesn't matter because I won't like it

or doesn't matter
'cause I won't understand?

Both.

Okay, now I really want to know.

He's laying down a new dubstep track,
and I need to write a program for him.

- I understood "him."
- [chuckles]

On a scale of 1 to 10,
how much do I embarrass you?

- 11.
- Excellent.

Hey, you finish your English paper yet?

- Uh, in theory.
- Finish it!

You can take them, right?
I have to be at court by 9.

Yeah, I got 'em.

Bye, peanut.

- [smooches]
- Bye, Mommy.

Make us proud.

[reporter] ...immigration reform,
but the sad truth of the matter

is that Richmond can promise
all he wants tonight,

this Congress
isn't gonna lift a finger to help him.

This can't be good if it won't wait
till I get to the office.

How about the end of days?

I just spoke to Gillings
at Cabinet Affairs.

He slipped me a final copy
of Richmond's address

and not a single one
of our talking points are included.

You're kidding me.
Not even housing reform?

All of it, everything you and I have
worked our asses off on for months, gone.

Okay, okay. Just get me a meeting
with Langdon as soon as possible.

Already done.
We're going there now.

It's time to war up.

Easy, Hannibal.

We should also talk
about leaking your plan to Politico

- if this doesn't work.
- No, that'll backfire.

Maybe, but it'll be out there.

Tonight is about what's in
the State of the Union, not what's not.

We can't let the White House take
an eraser to our entire domestic agenda.

You're the Secretary of Housing
and Urban Development.

It's the President's domestic agenda, Em.

It's your domestic agenda, Mr. Secretary.

I'll make my argument for it.

Don't get me wrong. I'm as mad as hell.

At the end of the day, I'm not
the President of the United States.

We should remember that.

All right. Then let's go see
the Chief of Staff.

[telephones ringing]

Thank you very much.

[Seth] ...tell the American people how
we're doing, we need to get specific.

[Langdon] Could one of you find me
something heavy to hit Mr. Wright with?

We need to take a look
at the AB-33 section.

The message is muddled.
I wrote it, and I don't know what it says.

That is the mark
of a successful political speech.

Well done. Now, go forth.

- Mr. Secretary, welcome. Please.
- Charlie.

I'm sure you remember Aaron Shore,
my Deputy Chief of Staff.

- Aaron, good to see you.
- Mr. Secretary.

[Langdon] I'm gonna hazard a guess
and say you're not here

to discuss which color tie
the President is wearing tonight.

[chuckles] That is his call...

if he'll put back in
the Secretary's housing initiatives.

These are programs that can help
millions of low-income families.

No one's debating its value here, Emily.

Charlie, there's not a single mention

of any of my programs
in the speech tonight? Not a one?

I'm sorry, but that's how it's gonna be.
The speech is locked.

Does the President value
the Secretary's opinion, Charlie?

Because right now, it's hard to tell.

Em.

Give us a moment.

I'll meet you outside.

[door closes]

What's going on, Charlie?

Well, Tom, we were gonna wait till after
the State of the Union to tell you this,

but the President's looking
to make a change.

He would like to offer you
an ambassadorship

to the International
Civil Aviation Organization.

[chuckles] Are you serious?

Was the Chairman of the International
House of Pancakes unavailable?

Tom...

[scoffs]

Wow.

This is really not how I saw today going.

Uh...

The Civil Aviation Committee...

- Organization.
- Organization.

Is that even a real thing, Charlie?

Of course it's a thing.
It's in Montreal. It's under the UN.

Look, it affords you
the rank of ambassador

with all the trimmings
that go along with it.

Come on, Charlie.
We've done some good work here.

And we've got lots left to do, I mean...

I have supported this president
above and beyond for his entire term.

Well, now it's about the second term.

And I serve at the pleasure
of the President.

So do you, Tom.

[Alex] Don't they realize
what a huge asset you are for them?

Langdon actually tried
to pass it off as a promotion.

You can't take this lying down.

- How else do you want me to take it?
- Fight.

Look, he appointed you,

but he can't fire you.

- You need to hold your ground.
- What do you want me to do?

Go to war with
the President of the United States?

The White House never respected you.
That's the real problem.

No, Alex. The real problem is I didn't
play Richmond's game all the time.

Oh, Tom, come on!

It's called politics.

And maybe if you did...

What? I wouldn't be out of a job?

Maybe but I'd be just like
one of those guys.

When I got into this, we had a deal.

- I wasn't gonna be one of those guys...
- Tom, it's taken three years.

[sighs]

And we finally settled into Washington.

I love my job.

Penny loves her school.

Even Leo's making friends.

We can't do this to our family.

I know.

You're right.

Come here. Come here.

Hey.

I love you.

We'll make this work.

[smooches]

I'll commute.

What?

So, you've made up your mind?

You're stepping down?

I told them I'd give them
my decision tomorrow.

- Wow. [scoffs]
- Alex.

[cellphone rings]

Great.

Yeah?

What's a designated survivor?

Mr. Secretary, we need to leave now.

- Tom!
- Did you see that?

- Tom!
- Did you see that?

To smoke out any ambush.
White House is secure. Let's go.

[intense music]

Mike, please, just tell us what you know.

Capitol's been attacked.

There's still no word on the President

- or his detail.
- [sighs]

This is Ritter.

Oh, God.
Don't tell me that.

What is it?

It's confirmed.

Eagle is gone.

- Congress, the Cabinet.
- Oh, oh, my God.

None of them made it.

Yes, sir.

I'll let him know.

Mr. Secretary, we're enacting
continuity of government.

A DC appellate judge
will meet us at the White House.

Sir, you are now the President
of the United States.

[reporter] Incredibly alarming live shot.

The United States
Capitol Building in flames.

An explosion, should I say
an unconfirmed explosion,

going off just moments ago

during President Richmond's
State of the Union address.

- [dialing]
- [reporter] Of course, we're reaching out

- to all of our sources...
- [ringing]

Pick up. Come on.

Hi. This is Scott.
I'm not available right now.

Please leave me a message
after the beep.

[cellphone beeps]

Hey, it's me.
Call me when you get this.

I need to know you're okay.

[beeps]

[cellphone rings]

Hey, Scott?

No, it's Doug.
I need you here right away.

Yes, sir. I'm on my way.

[sirens wailing]

Ma'am...

We got to get our kids here.

We've already sent agents
to bring them here.

[muffled crying]

[reporter, muffled]

Sir, please.

Sir, please.

Ma'am, please hold the Bible.

Just hold the Bible. Thank you.

Sir, place your left hand
on the Bible and repeat after me.

"I, Thomas Adam Kirkman,
do solemnly swear..."

I, Thomas Adam Kirkman,
do solemnly swear...

"that I will faithfully
execute the office

of President of the United States..."

that I will faithfully
execute the office

of President of the United States...

"and will,
to the best of my ability..."

and will, to the best of my ability...

"preserve, protect, and defend
the Constitution of the United States."

preserve, protect, and defend
the Constitution of the United States,

so help me God.

Mr. President.

- Ma'am.
- Mr. President, come with me now.

Mrs. Kirkman, the Secret Service
will take you up to the residence.

- Ma'am, please come with me.
- Mr. President.

Right now.

- Please.
- [indistinct chatter]

Aaron, where are we going?

The Presidential Emergency
Operations Center.

[locks clanking]

[indistinct chatter, shouting]

[telephones ringing]

[Cochrane] ...status report
on every team we have worldwide.

I want every drone waiting on full staff
and deployable...

Excuse me.

Can you do that?
Well, get it done.

Excuse me.

[chatter continues]

Hey, hey! Hey!

I need you all to be quiet right now.

Please.

Let's take a moment for
our fallen friends, heroes one and all.

[solemn music]

Thank you.

Maybe we should go around the table.

Where's the CIA director?

We're still working
to set up a secure comm.

The hell with secure comms.
We have to get him patched in now.

Cellphone, landline, Skype,
whatever we got.

Who's got the networks?

Okay, you tell them
we'll be live in 60 minutes

from the East Room, okay?

Nobody talks to any press
of any office or agency

under threat
of me ripping your insides out.

Do we know who's responsible for this?

- Still too early to determine.
- We got to give them something, Karen.

The whole world's watching us right now.

Exactly. We need to alert
every one of our embassies

to convey to each host nation
that the U.S. is on a war footing

and now is not the time to test us.

Patch me into 24-hour watch
at the Pentagon.

Inform the surviving joint chiefs
we are going to DEFCON 2.

[man] You can't make that call.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is gone.

[woman] That doesn't give you
any authority, Harris.

We're under attack.
What more authority do you want?

Who do you think you are?

I want the Air Force flying in 15 minutes.

- Who are you to give me orders?
- Who are you to question them, Peter?

I'm not gonna sit on my ass
and hope for the best here.

[indistinct chatter]

[breathing shakily]

[retches]

[toilet flushes]

[Seth] Let it all out, man.

We're all feeling the same way tonight.

Sorry. I thought I was alone.

Yeah, well,
nothing is what it seems anymore.

An hour ago,
I was throwing back tequila,

celebrating the three lines
I got into a 10,000-word speech.

Swear to God, I dunno how the hell
we're gonna get through this.

Same way we always do.

[chuckles] Yeah, right.

Do you know who's in charge right now?

I'm asking,
because I can't even remember his name.

Kirkman. Tom Kirkman.

Oh, yeah, yeah. Kirkland. That's right.

The lowest rung on the ladder.

Did you know President Richmond
fired him this morning?

Now he's the President.

He's the one the country's
gonna be turning to in our darkest hour.

Well, maybe he'll surprise you.

Yeah, you mean maybe he'll realize

he has no business running the country?

That he should just step aside,

maybe let one of the generals take over,
or the CIA director,

somebody who actually knows
what the hell they're doing?

[water running]

[water stops]

Fat chance of that happening.

Nobody around here ever gives up power.

Kirkland's a follower.

- [toilet flushes]
- We need a leader.

I'm telling you, I got half a mind
to make a run to Canada.

You know what I'm saying?

Oh.

Canada.

Uh, Mr. President.

Do you really believe
everything you just said?

Uh, Mr. President, let me explain.

What's your name?

Seth Wright.

Seth Wright. You're a speechwriter.

I saw you coming out
of Charlie's office earlier this morning.

You were arguing
about the President's address.

Uh, the AB-33 section.

[chuckles]

Housing reform.

You really think I should step down?

I do.

You may be right.

But for now, I'm all you got,
and you have...

exactly 52 minutes to write a speech

convincing the American people
that that's a good thing.

[door opens, closes]

[sirens wailing]

[Alex] Penny!

Mommy!

[smooches]

[sirens wailing]

- [dog whines]
- [indistinct chatter]

[Atwood] All right, listen up.

No one comes in or out without tin.

I want a secure perimeter,
at least five blocks out.

I want TSA screening equipment
installed now.

- Got it?
- [all] Yes, sir.

All right, back to work.

[Hannah] You'll also want to send up
thermo UAVs and air sniffers

to look for anything biological
or radiological in the area.

Hannah, you were supposed
to report to HQ.

I was 10 blocks away.

[sighs] Any survivors?

No, not yet.

EMS is digging through the rubble.

Make sure Hazmat knows...

Agent Wells, you're SIOC, okay,
you're not a field agent.

I need you heading up a crisis team
at the operations center.

You don't need me behind a computer.
You need me here.

- I worked both bomb sites...
- Hannah...

on the ground in Brussels and Paris.

I know what to look for.

Jason...

Please, I need to be here.

Nolan. Lawrence.

Yes, Deputy Director?

You're with Wells.

Anyone claiming responsibility?

No, not yet.

I want the license plates of every car
parked in the next three blocks scanned.

If any are stolen or owned by anyone
on a watch list, tear it apart.

Mark, bomb disposal techs, CSI,

we catalog what we find
and where we found it.

Let's move.

[siren wailing]

[shouting in distance]

[sirens wailing]

[reporter] Thomas Adam Kirkman
was born December 29th, 1967,

in Port Washington, New York.

Before being appointed

Secretary of Housing
and Urban Development,

Kirkman worked in academia
as an educator...

This is insane.

Guy's never been elected to anything.

He ran HUD.
They find affordable homes for people,

which makes Kirkman
a glorified real-estate agent.

- He was next in the line of succession.
- I'm sorry, no one could've foreseen this.

Why the hell do you think
there's a designated survivor, Nikki?

Because this was foreseen.

Now shut up and let me work.

[sirens wail in distance,
helicopter blades whirring]

Hey.

Hey.

What are you doing out here?

I just needed a minute.

How's Penny?

Ah, God.

Scared. Confused.

You know, just like everyone, I guess.

Is this even happening?

What the hell am I doing here, Alex?

I'm not the guy for this.

You want to quit?

I know it's not the right thing to say,

- but I can't help but feel...
- Like running for our lives.

Yeah.

Tom, maybe we should.

Look what happened tonight.

How many people...
We haven't even processed.

And our kids?

Are we putting them in danger?
I mean...

We're a target now.

Are they?

- [door opens]
- I-I-I don't know...

- Mr. President.
- Yeah?

You said Leo
was at a friend's house tonight.

Yeah, Caleb West.

I just spoke to our agents
at his residence, Leo wasn't there.

He never was.

What?

Where is he?

We don't know.

They're gonna find Leo.

Mike knows him.

Secret Service.
They're the best in the world at this.

I know.

Mr. President. This way, please.

Please give me a sec.

I got this.

After you.

This is Major Cameron.

[Cameron] Mr. President,
this is the nuclear football.

It'll be with you
whenever you leave the White House.

These are the launch codes,
verification codes,

a listing of every classified location
capable of launching nuclear weapons.

In the event of an imminent strike,

you can green-light it using this phone.

It works anywhere on Earth
as well as beneath it.

Do you need my fingerprints
or an eye scan or something?

No, sir. It's not like the movies.

It doesn't work that way.

[exhales sharply]

Of course.

Mr. President,
the UN is in emergency session.

I have a three-page phone list
with every one of our enemies

calling to deny responsibility
for the attack.

[Cochrane] All US military bases
are on full alert,

and the USS Eisenhower
is currently hard charging

towards the Fifth Fleet
stationed in the Persian Gulf.

I understand alerting our bases, but...

why are we hard-charging
a US aircraft carrier anywhere?

Mr. President, in the event of an attack...

An attack from who?

You just said all our enemies
are denying responsibility.

Because all warfare is based on deception

and there are still plenty
we haven't heard from.

I just don't feel comfortable
showing that kind of force yet.

With all due respect, sir,
would you mind telling us

when you do plan
on being comfortable?

You'll be the first to know, General.

Excuse me.

[electronic music playing]

Pleasure doing business with you.

♪ Freedom take me tonight ♪

♪ Staring up at the sky... ♪

- How many more bags you got?
- I just sold my last two.

Still got three left.

Save 'em. We got to bounce anyway.

Screw that.

I came here to make money
and have some fun.

- [door slams open]
- [indistinct shouting]

♪ Nothing's ever been so clear ♪

- Leo!
- Get off me, man!

Mike?

What are you doing here?

[sirens wailing]

How'd you find me?

[Ritter] It wasn't easy.

We had to open up an ops center at NSA,

run the phone records of all your friends
and classmates through PRISM

till we could piece together
enough chatter keywords

to trace your digital footprint
to the club.

Really?

No, Leo.

We pinged your phone.

You're not exactly a criminal mastermind.

I thought you were taking me home.

I am.

[reporter] Everyone
is at a complete loss for words.

This is the most devastating
attack on our country since 9/11.

And staffers at the White House

are asking the same question
as the rest of the country:

who's behind this horrific act of terror?

Come on... Look!

Can you check again?
My name's Emily Rhodes.

I'm Secretary Kirkman's Chief of Staff.

He was the designated survivor tonight.

I told you,
you're not on the cleared list.

I was in there this morning.

A lot's happened since then,
in case you haven't noticed.

[scoffs]

Step back from the gate.

[reporter] Intelligence sources
are being tight-lipped

about what has happened
at the Capitol today,

but as of yet,
no one has claimed responsibility

and our nation
remains on high alert.

Thank you for your prayers,
Madam Prime Minister.

You, too.

Goodbye.

Right, where were we?

Uh, the presidential voice.

Which, apparently, I don't have.

You can defend my honor at any time.

I will... when he says something
I disagree with.

Okay, so, what do you think
the presidential voice is?

Uh, "All of us here know
there is work to be done."

We have a responsibility
to light the way for every American."

Sounds good to me.

I imagine it would.
You said it two years ago

in Atlanta
at the Conference for the New Urbanism.

Sir...

Tonight, you're speaking to the world.

America doesn't need
another friend right now.

You can't be relaxed or disarming.
That's not gonna work anymore.

Mr. President, you need to be
stronger than you've ever been before.

We all need that right now.

[whispering indistinctly]

What is it, Tom?

I've got to go.

- [door opens]
- Just sit down.

[door closes]

It's okay. We're all feeling it.

Thank you, ma'am.

Alex, please.

Uh, no, ma'am.

You're the First Lady.

Hey.

No, no. Please, sit down.

Sat imagery shows
10 Iranian Navy destroyers

leaving Bandar Abbas port

and taking up positions
along the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz is where
30% of the world's oil passes through.

I know, Aaron.

Mr. President,
this is a purposeful provocation

by the Iranians to take advantage
of the night's events

and choke off the Western world's
main supply of oil.

Just as we're on our knees,
they're gonna step on our throat.

[sighs]

Aaron.
I finally got past the gate...

I can't talk right now.
I need to get back to the PEOC.

- Is Tom gonna be there?
- It's his meeting.

- Then I'm coming with you.
- [chuckles]

Sorry, Emily,
but it's code-word clearance only.

I've been with Secretary Kirkman's staff
for three years.

It's President Kirkman now,
and you're not authorized.

If you're choosing this moment
for a pissing contest...

That's my point, Emily.
This is no contest.

Now, if you'll excuse me...

President Kirkman needs people he knows
by his side.

You and I have our differences, I know,
and you don't want me in there.

But you also know better than anyone else

why it is important
that I am there for him right now.

How many more ways can I say this?

In the morning, our economy
is going to go over a cliff

and the Iranians
are just seizing the moment.

What do you want me to do, General?
Declare war?

Why not? 40 minutes ago,
they showed me the nuclear football.

I guess I've had it long enough
to try it out.

We've just been attacked.

The world thinks it can test us right now,

and a full, swift show of force
is the only way to remind them

that our flag
is still flying strong tonight.

And all I'm saying is that I think
there are different ways to show force.

What you need to understand
is the Iranians respect

only one course of action,
and that is action.

This is not some consumer group
waiting for a photo op with a figurehead.

[chuckles]

Figurehead.

Well, General, this figurehead paid
attention during the Cabinet meetings,

where we dealt with this very issue.

And the Iranians have tried
to close off the Strait of Hormuz

for the last 35 years, so I am having
a difficult time believing...

that they just up
and decided to do that tonight.

And how can you be so certain of that?

[sighs]

When is the Iranian ambassador
due to arrive?

15 minutes.

Okay, General,
you can scramble your bombers,

but they are not to engage.

We are going to do this my way.

If it doesn't work, we'll try yours.

I know you're scared, peanut,
but everything's gonna be okay.

But why are we here?

'Cause this, uh...
this is gonna be our new home.

But why?

Because some bad people
did something bad tonight,

and it's Dad's job
to make sure we're all safe.

Are you scared?

[chuckles] Yeah.

Is Daddy?

Are you kidding?

Dad's not scared of anything.

[chuckles]

[indistinct chatter, sirens wailing]

Hi. This is Scott.
I'm not available right now.

Please leave me a message
after the beep.

- [beep]
- It's me again.

Where are you?

Please call me back and...
and tell me you're okay.

I love you.

Agent Wells. I was looking for you.

Are you okay?

- Yeah.
- Did you lose someone?

I think we all lost someone.
What do you got?

I checked all the license plates
in the area against every watch list.

Nothing so far.

All right, get in touch with the NSA.
Make sure they know...

[man] We got something over here!

- What do we got?
- UXO! We got a UXO!

[indistinct shouting]

[Atwood] All right. Clear the area!

We've got a bomb!

Back up now!

Clear the area now!

[dog barking, whimpering]

[sirens wailing]

[Atwood] Perimeter is secure.
You may proceed.

Copy that.

All clear. Open it up.

Okay. Removing the outer case.

Hemostat.

What do you see?

Wires to the fuse compartment,

to the creep spring,

to the detonator.

But no pressure plate.

Easy.

It's clear.

Bomb's a dud.

[door opens]

[door closes]

Is he here?

Yes, he's... he's waiting just outside.

Send him in.

[door opens]

Mr. Ambassador.

- Mr. Ambassador.
- [door closes]

Mr. President.

Please.

Thank you.

Please, allow me to begin

by extending
to you and the American people

my country's most sincere sympathies
on this horrific tragedy.

If there is anything our people can do

in response
to this tremendous act of cowardice,

rest assured, we will do it.

I appreciate that.

You can begin by removing your destroyers
from the Strait of Hormuz.

Mr. President, excuse me,

but I believe you have been misinformed.

Is that a fact?

Yes. We... we have moved

no such destroyers
into the Strait of Hormuz.

My defense department
has war-gamed this out.

They're waiting for me
to give them the green light,

which, I assure you, I will do

unless you pull your destroyers
back to Bandar Abbas

within the next three hours.

Mr. President, I would...

Mr. Ambassador,
you may not know much about me,

but what you should know
is I'm about as straight a shooter

as you're gonna find in Washington.

You should believe me
when I tell you that I do not want,

as my first act as Commander in Chief,
to attack Iran.

But as both of us know,

it's not always up to us
how history plays itself out.

Now, I have chosen to believe

that your country is not playing
on our emotions tonight,

but nevertheless,
you will feel the full impact of them

if you do not comply with my demands.

Mr. Ambassador, dock your destroyers...

or the lead story on the morning news

will not be about the attack
on our capital

but the devastating attack on yours.

Please, Mr. Ambassador,

let's not get off
on the wrong foot here tonight.

Mr. President,
I will speak with my government.

Thank you, Mr. Ambassador.

Mr. Ambassador, this way.

Mr. Ambassador.

Three hours.

[door closes]

[sighs]

[indistinct chatter]

Haven't seen one of those before.

It's a Soviet-era anti-tank mine.

There are still thousands of them
in Afghanistan.

Jihadist terror groups have been using
them for years as their primary IEDs.

Hannah, you hearing this?

Agent Wells, the bomb is...

Is an unexploded munition
you think was used

by a Mideast terror group -
either ISIS, Al-Qaeda, or the Taliban -

to blow up our Capitol.
Yes, I heard you.

And that's one theory.

You got another one?

[sighs] All right.

In the weeks leading up to the big ones -

9/11, Paris, Belgium -

the chatter we were getting
was off the charts.

Something was coming, you know?
We just didn't know what it was.

Do you know what I'm hearing now?

Nothing.

No breaks in any of the routines
of the mosques or camps we're inside,

no one is relocating
their wives or children

in anticipation of our counterattacks.

It's business as usual.
That makes no sense.

So, you're saying the bomb
isn't one of theirs.

I'm saying that if they did this,
they'd be crowing right now.

There is a reason the people who did this
are keeping silent about it.

And that is?

You don't take credit for something
until you're done, right?

So, what if they're just getting started?

I don't remember this suit.

I had to borrow it.

[Alex chuckles]

You look the part.

I know this is gonna change
everything for us,

but I have to do it.

If I don't...

I just have to.

You still on my side?

I'm always on your side...

Mr. President.

Something needs to be done, Aaron.

I think we're doing everything
that's expected of us, Harris.

That's not what I'm talking about.

[sirens wailing in distance]

What exactly are you talking about here?

Because if it's what I think it is,

this conversation's
going to be treading dangerously close

to conspiracy to commit treason.

We have a Housing
and Urban Development Secretary

running the free world.

You call it treason.
I call it my civic responsibility.

You're talking
about removing a sitting president.

An unelected president, yes.

Listen to me.

If the country's gonna survive,
we need to act swiftly and definitively.

Tom Kirkman will not get us through this.

And let me guess, you can?

We're in a state of war.

Who would you rather have leading us?

[Seth] Uh, Mr. President.

Your glasses.

They're not very presidential, sir.

Right.

Thank you.

Mr. President,
you're live in five, four, three...

My fellow Americans...