The Looming Tower (2018): Season 1, Episode 6 - Boys at War - full transcript

Mohamed? Mohamed?

This is Ayman alZawahiri.

Tell the Americans we can take
on the United States.

The war has only just begun.

Anybody else handle
this device besides you?

I said I locked it up, man.
Okay.

What exactly do you want
from me?

I definitely want us
to be more than buddies.

You've been flagged
for recent expense patterns.

I'm having dinner and drinks
with important people.

You need to start living
within your means.



Sir, your card
has been declined.

Really?
There is a chain of command

by which decisions are made.

Your boss has yet to learn
this lesson.

Use the chain of command.
It exists for a reason.

In other words, get the hell
out of my office.

Sanchez, you and Louie
can go fuck yourselves.

By the way, that open slot
heading up the New York office?

I just found out Louis Freeh's
D. C. Guy got the job.

Sanchez. One of the best.

Martin, you started this.

Nobody else
at the Agency foresaw

what's happening with alQaeda.

You are the prophet.



You have my undivided devotion,
Martin.

They sent a fucking cable

saying that this guy is
coming into our country,

that he has a Saudi passport
and a U. S. Visa.

Welcome to America, sir.

53 people
from the CIA have read it,

and we're not sharing this yet?

Diane will tell us
when we can share.

I'm calling O'Neill. Wait.

There's a reason for the wall.
There is a reason.

They're here.

They're here in America.

We have no idea
what we're up against.

We are Muslims.

We are Muslims who believe
in their religion,

both in ideology and practice,

and hence, we tried our best

to establish this Islamic
state and Islamic society.

We have sacrificed,

and we are still ready
for more sacrifices.

Your English is perfect.

No one is perfect.

I want to rely on you

to fix things for us in America.

Dr. Zawahiri,
I'm at your service.

I will do all that I can.

This is the world
you're dealing with.

This potentially explosive,
dangerous world.

Your situation needs to be
handled with discretion.

So long as you're here,

Alec Station's been left
in good hands.

I believe that.

I was taught well.

Let's examine...

You've built an operation
based outside this country.

That's where all roads lead.
Away from here.

Southeast Asia.

So, take a step back

and look
at the intelligence structure

that you've put together
painstakingly.

Should you hand
over the keys to this house

so soon after its construction?

Do you allow others
to unlock doors,

to poke around,
remove posts and beams?

Collapse the intricate
structure that you've erected?

This is the decision
you need to make.

You have the clarity of mind
and sense of purpose

to arrive at the right choice.

Are you writing a book?

I'm not sure yet what it is.
Maybe. It may be a book.

Can I ask what it's about?

I try to follow
Samuel Clemens' dictum

of write what you know.

I don't know much,
but what I do know I know well.

You know me better
than anyone ever has.

Can I be... I need
to be perfectly honest.

It's okay, I shouldn't No.

I'm sorry, I
No, will you please

Nothing.

Still nothing.

She's probably trying
to get some answers for you.

Really. You think? Could be.

I don't know why you keep
assuming the worst in people.

I think we saw something
we weren't supposed to see.

How do you say cunt in Arabic?

She wants you in her office
in three minutes.

Three minutes?

Not two? Not four?

She said three.

Come.

You wanted to see
Close the door.

You are, at times,
on the receiving end

of classified intelligence.

More than 50 people inside
Langley know about Mihdhar.

You need to understand
something,

and I want you to understand it
deeply and clearly.

You are never the decider

of what to do
with that intelligence.

You may recall a night

when you endeavored to remove
classified materials

from this office.

The Professor
was forgiving enough

not to prosecute you.

I am not so forgiving.

When you receive
classified intelligence,

either by happenstance
or by design,

if you reveal that intelligence
to anyone outside this Station,

intelligence that I have not
personally cleared,

I will see to it
that you are handcuffed,

that you are escorted
from this building,

that you are imprisoned and
tried for theft and treason.

Now get the fuck
out of my office

and close the door behind you.

Vince. Thanks for coming by.

Good to see you.
Found it, finally.

You've been up here before.
I've never been upstairs.

They keep us squirreled
away in the basement.

This whole visitor deal

between the Agency and
the Bureau, there's a reason

we call it the
hostageexchange program.

Can I get you a drink?

We just put in a long day

keeping America safe.
I think we deserve a scotch.

Yes? Sure.

Has been a long day. Okay.

Are you married, Vince?

In a relationship?

Not married.

In a, you know,

relationship or two.

I remember those days.

Makes it easier.

I'm not following. Right.

Let me back up.

I'm trying to make some changes
at Alec Station,

and one of them is making sure

that as many operations
as possible are done

handinhand with the Bureau.

The best work between
the Agency and the FBI

is done on the ground,
out in the field.

And I hate to see
an experienced agent like you

stuck in a windowless cubicle
day after day.

Especially one who speaks,
how many languages? Three?

Four, actually.

Well, including English.

Well, French, Spanish
And Italian.

Impressive.

We have an operation
in Morocco next week.

Now, I would be happy
to reach out to your boss,

but maybe you should talk
to him yourself.

What do you think?

So...

so I wouldn't be
the responsible liaison anymore

between Alec and I49?

You would gather intel
firsthand,

in the field, and pass it
directly to the Bureau.

Well,

I'll tell you
the honest to God truth

I'd love to get the hell
out of this office.

Travel a bit, get back
to what I used to do.

I'd like that for you too.

We've reached an understanding?

How you settling in, boss?

Much better view
than you had in D. C.

Hello, John. Good to see you.
You all set up?

I can help find you
an apartment if you need one.

II got people
all over the city.

I have a realtor looking.

I prefer not to be beholden
to anybody out there

doing me a special favor.
You understand.

Sure. Sure, of course.
Listen, these are for you.

Welcome to Gotham.

I want to say, um,
you know I've had

had my differences
with Director Freeh.

On occasion with you too.

But I hope we can
make a fresh start,

bury the hatchet.

I want you to know
that I'm here to support you.

I'm on your team.
You tell me what you need.

I appreciate that, John.
I really do.

And I'm glad you stopped by.

Would you sit for a sec?

Yep. Yeah.

A couple of things.

As you can imagine,
I've been briefed

on the ongoing investigation
into your finances.

I hope you will continue
to cooperate.

Yes. Of course.

On an unrelated note,

it's come to my attention
that you're nearing

your 25th year at the Bureau.

This is an unrelated note?
It's standard procedure.

Mandatory for anybody coming up
on their 25th year.

You learn the pension benefits,
health care,

a little financial
planning advice,

and you get
a free trip to Florida.

You know, there's several
guys who are a lot older

than me
floating around the office.

And they're gonna get
their dates as well.

But this week is for you.

Things are pretty busy
this week.

It's mandatory.

All right.
I can visit Space Mountain.

Whatever works for you.

It's good talking to you.

Welcome to New York.
Congrats on the promotion.

See you at the end of the week.

John.

I appreciate the gift.
I really do, but I don't smoke.

You'll get more use
out of these than I will.

I'm not replacing these
with a heartshaped box

of chocolates, if that's
what you're looking for.

Understood. I don't eat
much chocolate anyway.

I bet you don't.

And John.
Those aren't Cubans are they?

'Cause last I checked, we still
have an embargo with Castro.

No clue. I was regifting.

So, the good news for y'all,

given that you've passed
that 20year mark,

given that you're coming up
on year 25yay

is that you're moving
from the possibility

of halfpay retirement
into threequarters pay,

which is as high
as you're gonna get.

Y'all have reached

the mountaintop, people.
Enjoy the view.

Also, completely separate...
Yeah.

Hey, guess
who's almost done packing?

Packing? Packing for what?

You shut up.
You know for what.

And I'm gonna get there
in New York City

and I'm gonna break out my
stash of Victoria's Secret,

and I'm gonna blow
your freakin' mind.

Wait. Is it Mom?

Johnny.

You're disgusting.

Don't you pretend
you don't know who this is.

Don't you pretend you
haven't been crying yourself

to sleep every night just
waiting for me to get there.

I hope you're clearing
space in your dresser

for my new panties.

Don't worry. They're
teeny, teeny tiny, Johnny.

Darling, listen,
I got you a sweet apartment

for the time being.

You what?

I thought I was
moving in with you.

No, no. Not just yet.
Not right now.

I've got some linguists
staying with me.

You what? Some linguists.

Doing some translating.

Security.
I need to talk to security.

Yes, sir. Can I ask your room?

Now. Yes, sir.

Um, yes, we need someone
at the front desk right away.

Okay, thank you.

Three hours. It's out
of my hands for three hours.

Okay.

Found it in a dumpster
around back.

So what's missing?

Cash. 500 bucks. Cigar cutter.

The gold one? Yeah.

And what about
the classified papers?

All there. There.

But... What?

Nothing. It... Itit seems
like they weren't messed with.

It seems like...

simple robbery.

But there's no way
to tell for sure.

No.

So...

Do I tell him?

Um, John. I...

I'm an English Professor.
I'm not

You're an ethical person.
You're a logical thinker.

Help me out.

Okay.

I think there are two issues.

The first is the moral one.
You broke the rules.

So you decide whether it's
important to turn yourself in.

The second issue
what if something happens

as a result of the documents
being read?

They weren't taken,
but they might have been read.

I don't know what's in them,

but I assume they're classified
for a reason.

Am I right?

John?

John. Thanks for coming in.

Go ahead, Mike.

We dusted the entire case,
inside and out.

Several distinct, identifiable
fingerprints on the exterior,

including yours, Mr. O'Neill,
your secretary's,

two members
of the hotel security staff,

and one other we didn't have
in the database.

As for the classified documents,

we found two sets of prints

yours and your secretary's.

I looked at the forensics
and the criminal report,

and we feel it's safe to assume

that this is a simple case
of robbery.

Thank you...

All right, all right.

Well, I hope we can...

hope we can put this to bed
now and move on.

Keep it internal,
within the New York Office.

John...

can you tell us what happened
a few months ago

with your Palm Pilot?

Excuse me?

It's come to our attention

that it was out
of your possession

for a period of time
and that it was returned to you

by a D. C. Transit cop.

Who brought it
to your attention?

That's not important.

It's important to me.
It's my personal device.

It's none of your business

whether it was out
of my possession.

I think it's fairly clear,
that given what was

in your briefcase, you're
not terrific at separating

the professional
from the personal.

Mike's gonna have to inspect it,

make sure there's
no classified contacts,

determine whether anything
was electronically copied.

Have fun.

You done with this?

Yes, sir. I am.
You sureyou sure?

Yes, sir.

Nice shoes, man.
What the fuck?

Boss wasn't crazy about
what I was wearing before.

Ferragamos, dude?
For moving furniture?

They're weirdly comfortable.

Tell me about it,
I got six pair.

And I was working today.

I didn't have time to change

into my designer track suit
and Air Pippens.

Shit. You bustin' on me,
you little bitch?

Finally get a day off Langley,

you bustin' my chops
about my clothes?

No, it's a good look.
Works for you.

You're fucking right it does.

And they're Pippen 2s,
you cocksucker.

My God, you guys,
thank you so much.

You're the greatest.
It's one flight up.

On the right hand side.

Johnny was supposed to be here.
We got it, Sheri.

I don't know where he is.
It's all good.

- He's here?
- Yeah.

John!

You're here.

You're here. Yeah, baby.

I missed you.

I missed you, I missed you.
I miss

I missed you so much.

You're not even tan,
weren't you in Florida?

Yeah, yeah.
God, I missed you.

How are you? I'm perfect.

Everything's perfect.
Especially now.

Have become the second catcher

on this ball club...

Elaine. Hey, Elaine.

Hey, turn this bullshit off,
will you?

We got the Mets playing.

You're in Manhattan, Gordo.

We watch the Yankees
in Manhattan.

You tell him, Elaine.

Get yourself to Flushing,
you want the Mets.

Yeah, I might just go to
Flushing, cheaper beers there,

that's for sure.
But then of course,

you walk outside,
you're in Flushing.

I thought you said
his girlfriend's name was Liz?

The one I met was named Liz.

- Are they still together?
- No...

What does that mean?
It means I work with the guy.

I don't question
his personal life.

You spend most of your time
with him.

You travel with him.
Yeah, Heather.

I love these guys.
I'd trust them with my life.

But we don'twe're
not the same.

We don't all want
the same things.

So tell me.

Tell you what?
Tell me what you want.

This.

A blonde girl?
That blonde girl.

Not too many of those
in Beirut?

Not too many Arabs
in small town Ohio.

So we're both exotics?

I'm attracted
to the difference.

I can admit it.

Okay.

But that's not what really
draws me in.

What draws you in?

Where we connect.

Where's that? .

Here...

and here...

and there.

Nah, I'm telling you,
I miss it.

Really? All the time.

Upstate New York? Yeah.

What the hell is there
to do up there?

What is there to do?
Well, II used to fish.

I mean, there's
a beautiful stream

down the hill from my house.

I'd camp on the weekends.
Like out in the woods?

Yeah, out in the woods.
Like sleeping on the ground

in the woods? Yeah.

What? You've never gone camping?

No, buddy, I have not.
Well, I will take you

camping some time.
No, no, Floyd.

You're gonna love it.
No, I'm from Queens.

We don't do woods.

I guess they think
I'm doing a good job.

So they want to move me up,
make me operational.

I'm telling you, boss,
if it's cool with you,

it'd be great to get
out of that office.

Fucking Alec Station, man,
it's like toxic down there.

Like they Shut up.

What? Shut the fuck up.

You out of your fucking mind?

Boss, I think, and they think,

I could actually be
more effective

They don't want
to send you abroad

because they value you.

They want you overseas so you
trip over your own balls.

So if something goes wrong,
they can blame it on you.

Hey.

What are you talking about?

Come on, who are you to them?

You're me.

You're my eyes and my ears.

That's why they don't want you
over there.

Because I trust you to tell me

what's going on
in that basement.

To get your hands on the intel,
pass it on to me

so I can act on it.

They want you gone so they
don't have to deal with me.

I understand.

You understand? I do.

I understand.

Vince.

They're on me.

Feel like they're trying
to force me out.

Why? I don't know.

What's going on?
I don't fucking know.

You get your ass on
that train tomorrow morning,

go back to Virginia,
and do your job.

You do your job.
You find out what they know.

Then tell me.

Walla?

Walla.

Zoom. "Zohm."

Zohm? "Zooom."

- Zoom.
- Zoom.

Walla.

Walla.

Walla.

Hey!

And over
a dozen are unaccounted for.

An attack took place today
as the USS "Cole"

was in port near
the port city of Aden.

The battleship, a navy
missileguided destroyer...

En route to the Persian Gulf.

A small boat
with two or three men aboard

approached the navy ship.

Destroying much
of the engine room.

The explosion was
just below the mess deck

where dozens of sailors
were lining up

for lunch in the galley.

Reports are...