FBI: International (2021–…): Season 1, Episode 5 - The Soul of Chess - full transcript

♪

♪

Sir, do you need help?
Call an ambulance!

Sir!

Somebody--don't touch him!
Don't touch him! Sir!

Please, hurry! Hurry!

♪

♪

You made it.

How long you been here?
You don't want to know.

Just needed to prove to myself
that I'm back up to speed.



That I can do everything
that I could do before.

Good to hear.
Race to the fountain?

You'd really challenge
a fellow agent to a race,

knowing she's rehabbing
from a gunshot wound

If there's a wager involved,
absolutely.

So what's the wager?

If I win, you spring
for dinner at Caviar & Bull.

Okay.

And if I win,

I'll keep mentoring you
on the job

and sharing my vast knowledge
and experience.

I think my hamstring
just started to lock up on me.

I thought so.

It's Forrester.



Okay, an American journalist
has been found dead in Krakow.

The victim is Philip Blake,
34 years old,

former reporter
for "The Washington Post."

But recently he's been working
as a freelance contributor

for a variety
of online publications.

He specializes
in national security.

Based in Berlin,

Blake was in Krakow
for less than 24 hours

before collapsing
on the street near his hotel.

Cause of death?
Officially unknown.

Officially?
Polish police suspect poison.

Is this heading
where I think it is?

The Kremlin has
a long history

of poisoning dissidents
and journalists.

But targeting an American
would be a major escalation.

So whoever killed him wanted
an international incident.

Or needed him dead bad enough

that they were willing
to risk it.

How do we know he didn't just
eat a bad shrimp or something?

The poison was quite lethal.

He went from drinking
his morning tea

to bleeding to death internally
in a matter of minutes.

If the Russians are trying
to shut down a story

or send a message,
others could be in danger.

We need to get on
the ground right away.

Notify IOD
and the Legat in Warsaw.

We'll finish the brief
in the air.

And somebody make sure that
Polish Evidence Response Team

is prepped for hazmat.

On it.

Hey, sure you're ready
for this?

I'm ready to work. Are you?

♪

Aleksy Zielinski,

Counterterrorism
Subdivision Commander,

meet Special Agent Forrester
and the Fly Team.

Anything you need is yours.

Our manpower, facilities,

resources, all of it
is at the FBI's disposal.

Thank you,
that's very generous.

Please, any friend
of Katrin Jaeger

is a friend of mine.

You two worked together
before?

Yes.

She saved my life, you know.
With her brain.

Not with a bullet,
with her brain.

Philip Blake.
Right.

I understand your ERT
is checking

for any residual
chemical poisons.

Nerve agents and so on.

I'd like to meet with him
at the scene

as soon as possible.
Of course.

We've sealed it off for now.
We'll get you there right away.

The rest of you can
set up shop upstairs.

Please, this way.

This area was used by
our Major Case Subdivision

before it relocated.

Your team can have it
to yourselves.

Oh, this is great. Thank you.

We understand you have
a suspect in custody.

Mm, Alina Nowak, reporter
for "Gazeta Krakowska."

As far as my detectives
can tell,

she was the last person
to talk to Philip Blake.

Any connections to Russia?

FSB?
None that are obvious.

They often aren't.

Hmm. I'll keep looking.

We'd like to interview her
as well.

Of course.

Alina? It's nice to meet you.

You are American.

Yes. FBI.

Ugh. Am I under arrest?

We're just trying
to get information.

We're hoping you can
help us figure out

who killed your friend.

How well did you know
Mr. Blake?

Um, I met him six
or seven months ago,

when I was
in Germany for a story.

I didn't know much
about national defense,

so ask him
for help with background.

We had lunch.
We traded numbers.

That was it.

I told him if he ever
came to Krakow,

I would show him around.

And he reached out to you?

Yeah, a few days ago.

He said he was coming to town
to meet with a source.

Who was his source?
I don't know.

What was the story about?

Well, he wouldn't
say that, either.

I was hoping to ask him
about it tonight.

You had plans
to meet with him?

Yes, but for dinner,
not in the morning.

That's what I was trying
to tell the officers.

I shouldn't be here.

So you were his only contact
in the city.

I gave him advice
on where to stay,

what to see, how to get around.

And you knew exactly
where he would be?

And when?

I was giving a colleague
travel advice,

not setting him up
to be killed.

So you never went
to the hotel?

You never met
with Blake in person?

No, he was here for a story,
not for me.

Did you text him
from any other device

than the one
you gave the police?

No, why would I?

In the moments
before his death,

he received a text
from an encrypted number

including one
that said "I'm sorry."

That wasn't me.

I mean, you have to believe me.

That has nothing to do with me.
He told me nothing.

I thought he was trying
to impress me with his work,

make it seem mysterious.

But now I wonder,
maybe if he would tell me

I would be dead too.

Can I go now?
I mean, I'm sorry.

But I just want to forget
it all happened.

What do you think?

If she were an FSB agent,

she'd probably have
a better story.

I get the feeling
she's downplaying

her relationship to Blake.

She's married.

You think
it's more than professional?

Maybe, but I didn't pick up
any indication

she wanted him dead.

Seems like she really
cared about him.

If everything she says
checks out, we let her go.

Hey, I've been looking

through Blake's
published articles.

There were a handful
about Russia a few years ago,

but nothing that would've
raised eyebrows at the Kremlin.

All right, Kellett and I
will head to the crime scene.

Check in with Legat Berlin,
see if we can find the wife.

If Blake's keeping secrets,
personally or professionally,

I want to know about it.

Tank!

The gentleman was seated
over there.

Alone.

And after about half an hour,
he left without paying.

I was in the lobby
and I saw him rush upstairs.

When Blake was here,
the only thing he had was tea?

Correct.

Was the reservation
for one or two?

Two. Two, I believe.
But no one else arrived.

We're going to need
to question

your waitstaff as well.

If you must.

But we served
the same tea all morning,

and no one else got sick.

This hotel does not poison
its guests.

I'm sure
they appreciate that.

Stay.

Older hotel,

no cameras except for
the lobby and elevator.

I'm guessing whoever did this

was smart enough
to use the stairs.

Good news.
The poison was radioactive.

That's good news?

No signs of nerve
or chemical agents.

The Evidence Response Team
believes that

Blake was killed from exposure

to a small quantity
of a rare radioactive metal.

Ooh. Polonium?

Like what killed Litvinenko
in 2006?

This is a new isotope--
more deadly,

but with
an extremely short half-life.

And it wasn't in the tea.

No, it was in the hotel room.

Mask up and I'll show you.

Uh, we good with this?

Don't worry, the levels
are no longer harmful.

And in a few hours,
they'll be nearly undetectable.

It's good.

The entire bathroom
was treated with the poison.

Sink, toilet handle, shower.

He turns on
the water to brush his teeth,

brings his hand to his face,

breathes in,
and his fate is sealed.

He was dead hours
before he knew it.

♪

And the housekeeper?

Collateral damage.

The crazy thing is,
if not for her death,

the police never would have
looked in the hotel room.

By the time anyone
suspected poison,

all the radioactive material
would have decayed,

leaving no trace.

What I want to know is,

what was so important
in Blake's room

that he had to run back up
to get it?

After the killer applied
the poison,

he would go somewhere close

to take off his protective gear
and clean up, right?

It would minimize
the risk of exposure

So where did that happen?

Who was in this room?

The occupants of room 415
checked out early this morning.

Did you get their names
at check-in?

Of course.

I do remember
they spoke Russian.

Ah, yes.

The names are Arvydas Sabonis
and Andrei Kirilenko.

Aliases?
Yeah, definitely.

Unless our killers
are former NBA players

who shrank at least a foot.

Let me guess,
they paid cash?

Kellett,
why don't you stay here,

check the rest of
the lobby footage,

see if they show up
anywhere else.

Okay?
Hey, Raines.

Can you step outside
with me for a minute?

Yeah, sure.

♪

What's up?

Just keep walking
and talking.

Anything in particular
I should--

It's just for show,
we're being followed.

Guy checking his phone?

Mm-hmm--
he was watching us

in the hotel lobby,
followed us right out.

♪

Hey! Hey, hey, hey.
Easy, easy now.

Who are you?

Check the business card
in my back pocket,

and you can apologize
to your cousin.

He's CIA.

14159, Echo.

Confirmation?
Neptune.

This is Michael Rafferty.

Case officer, Berlin Station.

Why didn't you just come over
and tell us?

That's what I was doing.
Really?

'Cause it sure looked like
you were spying on us.

Look, all I can say is,

Blake is one piece
in a bigger game.

A very dangerous one.

It's vital to my operation

that we all keep
as low a profile as possible.

What exactly
is your operation?

You know how this works.
If I could tell you, I would.

Do you know
who the two Russians are?

Can you tell us that?

Because they're
homicide suspects.

Relax, pal.
We're on the same side.

You boys need to catch bad guys
and close cases.

I'm here looking
for assets and intel.

We can help each other.

Here.

You, uh, found that
in Blake's bag.

See? Same side.

You've been holding
back evidence.

I had to make sure it didn't
fall into the wrong hands.

This may have been
helpful sooner.

There is still
a killer out there.

This is a chess game.
All that matters is checkmate.

I can't stop and worry about
every pawn on the board.

♪

Are we the pawns
in this scenario?

Or are the victims?

I don't know which is worse.

You know what?
Pawns are the soul of chess.

Which he'd know
if he actually played the game.

I got your image
of the suspects.

I'll get it out
to all of my officers.

And we were able to locate
Mr. Blake's wife,

she's on her way in.

Perfect.
Thank you, Commander.

Hey.
Hey.

Impurities
in radioactive isotopes

can sometimes be traced back
to the reactor

that they were produced.

Can you get on the phone
with IAEA and see if--

You're already talking to them.
Mm-hmm.

That's that brain.
The brain.

Heard back from New York.

We can't have access
to Blake's agency file.

Our orders are to keep
our heads down,

find the poisoners,
and stay out of the papers.

That's it.

Whatever our cousin's
angle is,

seems they have top priority.

You've got to be kidding me.
What's wrong?

There are thousands of files
on here.

I mean, Rafferty couldn't
give us a hint?

Keep looking--
there's something on there

that he wanted us to find.

Then why not just tell us?

He could be buying time
to cover his tracks.

Or to protect an asset
from the Russians.

Just keep looking.

For all we know,
he's deliberately leading us

down the wrong track.

Something's going on here.
And I don't like it.

If Blake was on CIA's radar
before he was killed,

why didn't they protect him?

You think they wanted him
gone too?

I don't know.

But I am done giving them
the benefit of the doubt.

So what do we do?
Use backchannels.

I want to know exactly
what dangers

I'm leading my team into.

I know someone
I could talk to,

but I'd be going around
your agency friends.

We'd have to tread carefully.

Don't we always?

♪

Katrin,
what an unexpected pleasure.

Piotr.

Can I offer you a drink?

No. Thank you.

It's good to see you.

Like the old days
are back again.

That's why I'm here.

The days of the Kamera
seem to have returned.

Kamera. The Chamber.

Have we gone back that far?

I'm sure you'd call it
something different now,

but you still have
a lab somewhere.

Creating new poisons,

a different one
for every attack.

Have you been reading
spy novels again?

Using a radioactive poison
was a mistake.

It's only a matter of time

before it
can be traced back to Russia.

My country would never harm
an American journalist.

It would lead to economic
sanctions or worse.

We'd be fools.

Maybe you just didn't think
you'd get caught.

You've been on my country's
bad side in the past, Katrin.

Do you really want
to go back to that life?

You are nervous.

Blake was close
to something big,

and you and I both know it.

Tell me what is it and maybe

we can help each other.

♪

We all have our secrets.

When you can offer me something
more than empty threats,

you know where to find me.

I found it.

Hey! I found it!

She found it.

What do you got?

There's a hidden file
on Blake's hard drive.

I mean, his notes, research,

everything for
his latest story is on here.

I mean, this has got to be what
Rafferty was pointing us to.

So what's it about?

Russian missile technology.

Specifically, a newly-developed
hypersonic weapon

fast and maneuverable enough

to evade all current
antimissile systems.

The Russians have fueled
rumors of a new missile

for years,
but no one's been able

to verify it
can do what they say it can.

According to this,
Blake was about to prove it.

Which is why he was meeting up
with the source.

"New Russian Technology
Renders

American Missile Defense
Useless."

Yeah, that sounds like a scoop
somebody might kill for.

Sorry to interrupt.

Juliana Blake is here
to speak with you.

The widow.

I don't need your thoughts
and prayers.

I want to know what
the American government

is going to do about it.

We're still investigating.

I know what happened.

The Russian government
poisoned my husband

because they didn't like
the story he was writing.

You know, he knew the risks.

He took them anyway.

You left him no choice.

♪

What do you mean?

Phil worked seven years
for "The Post."

But like everywhere,
they cut back.

He tried finding work
with smaller outlets online,

started his own blog,

but the type
of investigative reporting

he was passionate about

takes resources,
commitment, security.

This was his chance
to come back.

A once-in-a-lifetime story
falling into his lap.

Of course he leapt at it.

But he didn't have a paper
that could protect him, did he?

Or a country
that values journalists.

If the U.S. government doesn't
stand up to his killers now,

I swear to God,

I'll make sure
every media outlet

in the world knows about it.

I'm asking you
not to do that.

At least not yet, please.

We cannot have this
in the papers.

Why?

Unfortunately, for security
reasons, I can't say.

In fact, I don't even know.

They took my husband from me.

Whose side are you on?

We are doing everything

that we can to bring
those responsible to justice.

You have my word.

You said that the story
fell into Philip's lap.

What did you mean by that?

He was contacted out
of the blue by that woman.

She said she had
a story for him.

What woman?

I'm sorry,
I don't remember her name.

The young Polish reporter that
was writing the story with him.

♪

Alina Nowak lied to us.

She and Blake
were working together.

I don't understand,

I thought everything
she said checked out.

Just tell me you know
where she's at.

On it.

Let's go get her back.

Tank. Vo, with me on this one.

Stay with the wife.

Alina, it's the FBI,
let us in.

We know you're working
with Blake, okay?

We just want to help.

We want to protect you,
that's all.

You can't protect me.

For all we know,
I'm already dead.

The poison could be anywhere.

In the turnup, my clothes,
the air, your dog.

How am I supposed
to live like this?

We want to help you,
but we can only do that

if you trust us.
Trust?

You think your government
cares about me?

Why should I trust you
any more than the Russians?

We're not here to arrest you.

We just want to know the truth.

Philip was willing to risk
everything for the truth.

He thought we could save lives.
Maybe prevent arms race.

But me,
I never asked for any of this.

I can find another job.
No story's worth dying for.

I understand
that you're scared.

But we need your help to find
the men who killed Philip.

Have you ever seen
these two men?

I don't know.
I don't know.

A week ago,
I'm sitting at my desk

when a message comes.

A source claims to have

valuable information
from Russia.

They choose me
because I am nobody.

No one would be spying on me.

But I called Philip
because I was afraid.

I just didn't know
what else to do.

He arranged for the meeting,
and he took all the risk.

Now he's dead because of me.

Hey, it's not your fault.

There's no way
you could've known about it.

But we know now.

Anyone who knows
Dasha is in danger.

Who's Dasha?

♪

They're here.

Come on. Let's go.

Get in the tub.

Get in. Stay!

♪

Ahh!

♪

Well, according to Alina,

Blake was scheduled to meet
with an anonymous source

high in Russia's Ministry
of Defense, codename Dasha.

It's a woman's name meaning
"gift of God" in Russian.

She or he offered
to share test results

proving Russia's exact
hypersonic missile capability

and compromising their secret
technological advantage.

So that what has the Russians
so nervous.

And you've got one of them
in custody?

Yes, but unfortunately,
he isn't talking.

Probably didn't help
that you broke his jaw.

Probably not.

But it looks like the Russians
couldn't plug their leak,

so they ordered hits
on the journalist

to send Dasha
back into the shadows.

Which is bad news for you,

because Dasha
was the CIA's target all along.

Good stuff. Very thorough.

So you can confirm
all of that now.

Yes.

We picked up a communication

that documents had gone missing

and the Russians
were scrambling.

Now, I had hoped that Blake
would lead me to Dasha,

but the other guys
were a move ahead.

Clearly.

See, that wasn't so hard.

Now we're all on the same side.

Great. So what's your plan?

Once Dasha realizes that
the whole world is on the hunt,

we'll never reel them in.
We need to act fast.

Oh, are we slowing you down?

Because you nearly got
our team killed yesterday.

The Russians weren't on
to the girl

until you questioned her
all day.

You put her life in danger.

Well, then why didn't you
tell us that?

You're Angela Cassidy's son,
right?

♪

So maybe you can guess
why my first instinct wasn't

to hand you all my intel.

You got something to say?
Enough.

Say it.
Enough, both of you.

The Russians are smiling
right now

and I don't want
to lose to these guys.

So let's figure this out.

Together.

They're not going to stop.

Doesn't matter how many attacks
we foil,

Alina is going to be in danger
as long as Dasha is in play.

Unless we get
to Dasha first.

How?

We have Alina set up
another meeting.

Yeah, I like it.

Girl trusts you guys now.
We can use that.

She can be the bait.

And then we move in,

scoop up Dasha
before the Russians do.

But if we do this, I want
the bureau running point,

not the CIA,
for everybody's safety.

Fine.

Less involved
the agency appears, the better.

Dasha's spooked.

How do we convince them
is safe to come out?

Dasha told Blake,
"I'm sorry."

I think we appeal
to the heartstrings.

Have Alina say,
"Philip wanted the truth out.

If we stop now, my friend
will have died for nothing."

"I'm not afraid."

That's a cathedral
near Old Town.

I'll get my team ready.

Great. Have Alina confirm.
"I'll be there.

I'm wearing a tan jacket
and green hat."

"Come alone."

All right.
You'll have this in your ear.

We'll be with you,
talking you through it.

Every step of the way.

And you will be close by?

In case the Russians
are there too?

That's right.

All you have to think about
is Dasha, okay?

Any sign of danger,
we pull you out immediately.

Okay.

That's what Philip
would have done.

Okay. Hey.

We got a location.
Is everybody ready?

Can I talk to you?
What's wrong?

I don't think
we can do this.

Is she backing out?
It's not that.

I mean, she's trying her best,

but her hands haven't stopped
shaking since yesterday.

Honestly, I don't know
if she slept in days.

Can she keep it together?
For one hour?

Maybe.

But I have to say, shouldn't
we be protecting journalists,

not using them as bait?

Right now, Alina's
our only link to Dasha.

We don't have a choice.

So unless somebody's got
a better idea...

I have a better idea.

Dasha's never seen
Alina in person, right?

I can be the bait.

It's the only play
and you know it.

No, it's too risky.

Risky for who exactly?
What are you afraid of?

I'm not sending you out there
with a target on your back.

So you're letting
your feelings for me

compromise the mission.

You told me to stay
with the wife.

I am trying to keep
my team alive.

Well, you're doing
a terrible job of it.

But you want to protect me?

You almost got yourself
killed along with Vo

and our one link to Dasha.

The last time
you were in the field,

I almost lost you.

I care about you.
I can't just turn that off.

This isn't about you
or your feelings.

If you can't trust me
to do my job...

Then we're done.

No, that's not
how this works.

You do not get
to use our relationship

as leverage
when we're planning missions.

So what's it
gonna be, boss?

All feelings aside,
who's best for this mission?

♪

We're up on Alina's phone,

but we might
not be the only ones.

Russian agents
could be on site,

and poison could be anywhere.

The response team
will be standing by,

but we can't be close.

So stay frosty.

It's time.

Keep Zielinski and his boys
out of sight.

If you move in
before I have the goods,

you'll spook Dasha
and blow the entire mission.

That's understood.

We'll have eyes and ears,

but from here on out,
you're on your own.

♪

Vo, do you have a visual?

Negative.

Dasha is checking to see
if you have a tail.

Grey coat and hat.

I see him.

The Russians are on to her.

Should we move in?

No, stand down.

She can lose the tail.

♪

Policja! Policja!

Policja! Policja!

Policja!

Kellett! Kellett!

Jamie.

Raines,

there's a guy by the tree now.
That could be our guy.

♪

Get him!

Dasha, stop!

Dasha!

♪

♪

You okay?
I'm good.

I'm trying to tell Dasha
we can protect him,

but he's gone quiet.

The Russians are probably up
in his phone and he knows it.

Well, we have a description.

The Special Police
might pick him up.

Wait. Look at this.
He answered.

"You can't find me because
I've been dead for 204 years."

What the hell is that
supposed to mean?

I mean, he knows the Russians
have tapped Alina's phone.

Come with me.

♪

Here.

1817. Died 204 years ago.

We did it.

You got something for me?

I don't know what you're
talking about, Rafferty.

Dasha got away.

Come on.

You haven't been listening
in on us, have you?

'Cause that's not very polite.

The intelligence
on that drive

is the whole game, Forrester.

That's checkmate.

Ah, yes, the chess game.

Well, I'll tell you what,
I'll turn over all evidence

found in the FBI investigation

just as soon as all the pawns
have cleared the board.

♪

The Russian government
categorically denies

any connection to the two men
responsible for the attacks.

And the Americans deny

all knowledge of classified
missile technology.

So officially speaking,
none of this ever happened.

Yes.

But if you want
to keep it that way,

I need a promise from you.

It's over.
That's right.

The Russians have assured us
there will be

no further attacks
against foreign journalists.

And we can trust them?

Well, as long as we keep
our end of the bargain,

you can publish your story,

but it cannot cite
any of the data leaked

or even mention
that there's a traitor

within the Ministry of Defense.

As far as the world
is concerned,

it's all rumor and speculation.

There is no source.

It's a compromise, but by
allowing them to save face,

we end the threat
of retribution,

providing security
for journalists moving forward.

And my husband's death?
That's the price?

Well, the killers have been
brought to justice,

but unfortunately,
without a way to link

the order directly to the FSB,

calling them out publicly
only puts more people at risk.

♪

I understand.

Phil would have wanted
his colleagues to carry on.

The schematics we recovered

will lead to a more effective
defense system.

It could save
thousands of lives.

That doesn't happen
without his courage.

And all of yours.

I think I should
get some sleep.

You deserve it.

Do you think you'll keep
writing for the paper?

Honestly, I don't know.

But if I do, I know
that somebody has my back.

Well, look at that.
A man of his word.

Any luck finding Dasha?

Was it worth it?
What?

Will that one secret
really save more lives

than were lost
trying to get it?

I don't know.
But I'm not losing any sleep.

That must be nice,

only caring about secrets
and not actual people.

What are you talking about?
I'm a people person.

In fact, I got
a little something for you.

A personal thank you
for the FBI's help.

That's Moscow. Two weeks ago.

Your mother's still out there.

♪

Stay tuned for scenes
from our next episode.

♪