"Previously on Madam Secretary..." "Elizabeth, you know" " Craig Sterling." " Madam Secretary." "Nakedly ambitious, self-serving, obstructionist." "All suit and no substance." "I can't believe Conrad would make that appointment without consulting with me." "The president of the United States can do whatever the hell he wants." "I'll be your main contact at DIA." "We have an eye on one of your students." "He's training to serve under General Doroshevich, one of the highest-ranking members of the Russian military and a close advisor to President Ostrov." " Dmitri Petrov." " I want you to bring him in." "You mean recruit him." "And be his handler." " What?" "No." "Wait." "No." " Henry, we need this." "Russian continues to be our next real nuclear threat." "All right, after we're done with the junction boxes, we can go ahead and start installing the conduit supports tomorrow, okay?" " Yes, sir." " All right." " Good night, Farid." " Thank you." "So long." "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." "No, no, no, no!" "No, no, no!" "Gone M.I.A. where in the world is Russian President Pavel Ostrov?" "The mercurial leader has not been seen in public for a week now, leading to speculation of a secret tummy tuck, to a rendezvous in Gustat for the birth of his love child, to a bloody coup..." "I'm going with tummy tuck." "Vanity." "That's always a good option." " Didn't you go hunting with him, Dad?" " Yeah." " Maybe a Siberian tiger got him." " Yeah." "Or maybe the Russian Air Force One went missing." "Too soon?" "Let's give it a year." "So what do you think about Ostrov, Mom?" "Something salacious?" "I think that dictators do whatever the hell they want... and like it when the world worries." "Well, I'm sure your buddy, the Russian foreign minister guy, knows." "Maybe Mom knows and she can't tell us." "Ooh, you really think she's that good a liar?" "She lies for a living." "Oh... not true." "I'm starting to feel a little attacked." "Then it's a good thing we have a peer mediator in the family." "Talking stick, anyone?" "Same one I've used to settle many a disagreement at school." "Okay." "You're a loser." "Hey, it works." "Yeah, it does, just not on the brain-dead." "Okay, you guys, go to school, please." "Get out." "You're so lucky I'm still driving you." " Bye." "Love you." " Please don't." " Bye." "I love you, too." "Bye." " Bye." "See you." "Um, actually, Stevie, you want to hang back for a second?" "Yeah." "Oh." "Um..." "I'm sorry that I said that you lie for a living." "It's not that." "Just, will you take a look at this?" "Yeah." "What is it?" "It's a lab report." "Um, we had the powder in the bag you gave me tested." "It came back positive for heroin." "Yeah, well, I told you that Harrison said it was an old stash." "Yeah, we just wanted to make sure." "There's also..." "There's also this." "A toxicology report." "Follicle analysis." "We had the hair from your brush tested." "You thought I was doing heroin?" "Honestly, we didn't know what to think, but can you really blame us?" "It came back clean, you know." "Although, you are a little calcium deficient." "You might want to think about switching back to regular milk." " That's not..." " I'm just saying..." "This is such a violation of my trust." "Well, you violated our trust." "You-you lied to us about dating Harrison." "Okay." "I can date anyone that I want." "Well, but, um, he's not anyone." "He's my boss's son." " Okay, okay." "Is that all?" " No." "Actually, now that we know the heroin is real, someone's got to tell his parents." "Whoa, whoa, whoa." "What?" "What?" "If Harrison is using, do you really want it on your conscience that you didn't notify them?" "And-and if, God forbid, he winds up OD'ing again..." "We think it would be best if you let him come clean with his parents first." "Short of that, we'll go to them this afternoon." "Fine." "I'll tell him." "And this is security camera footage of the grab." "That's Tom Garrity." "What about his security detail?" "Two APPF guards outside the building on the perimeter of the site?" "The kidnappers took Garrity out the opposite side." "We're monitoring Taliban," "ISIS and all the usual radical Web sites." "Pretty audacious, grabbing a state department employee right in the middle of Kabul." "Let's put our embassy there and all diplomatic outposts in country on high alert." "Quietly." "And if anyone asks why?" "Just say it's a drill or something." "We want to keep our options open until we know more." "Thank you, everybody." "Ma'am, you have the merchant marine event this afternoon." "You wanted me to remind you that Secretary Albright will be there." "Right." "I, um..." "I want to wear that pin that she gave me." "Yes, ma'am." "You'll be laying a wreath with Russian Ambassador Zinchenko honoring U.S.-Russian cooperation during World War II." "Oh, maybe the ambassador knows where his fearless leader is." "Oh, well, uh, short of that, the White House would like a revised write-up of our post-Ostrov Russia plan." "And, uh, you're here to complain about that assignment, Jay?" "They want a joint report with DOD." "Defense is gonna advocate taking the opportunity to roll back Russian aggression with some aggression of our own." "Exactly." "Provoking the second biggest nuclear power on Earth as it descends into chaos." "What could possibly go wrong?" "I may not be the right guy to represent the department, ma'am." "I'm not agreeing to anything moronically provocative." "Sounds like a good policy." "I want to see my kid grow up." "Me, too." "I think you're the guy for the job." "Okay, then." "Thank you." "Madam Secretary." "Yeah." "Dmitri." "Come on in." "What can I do for you?" "I am on my way to the commandant's office." "I must withdraw from the War College." "I'm sorry to hear that." "Well, do you mind if I ask why?" "My sister Talia... uh, she is ill." "Cancer." "Oh, no." "Our parents are gone, so..." "I must make sure she is cared for." "Of course, of course." "Well, I-I want you to know that I greatly appreciate your perspective in class." "I just finished reading your religious conflicts with military duty paper, and it is... a smart, original take on a very complex subject." "You'll-you'll be missed." "You really will, by everyone." "My best wishes for you and your sister." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Tom Garrity's wife Emma got worried when he didn't call the kids this morning." "She contacted the embassy in Kabul, and the deputy chief of mission kicked her over to us." " Tell her the truth." " Right." " But ask for her discretion." " Of course." " For her husband's sake." " Yeah." "Madam Secretary." "We just received a video of the kidnappers' demands via encrypted e-mail." "Why didn't they just post it on a Web site like every other self-respecting kidnapper?" "Watch." "My name is Tom Garrity." "I'm an American State Department foreign service officer stationed in Kabul." "U.S. government has gravely wronged my captors, and I will be killed if you don't make it right." "We demand to talk to Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord directly by midnight in Kabul tonight." "Do as we say, or he dies." "That's four hours from now." "Why aren't they asking for money or a prisoner exchange?" "Why the hell do they want to talk to me?" "Dmitri's story checks out." "His sister Talia was admitted to Muromskaya Hospital with advanced fibrosarcoma of the bone." " Thank you." " You're welcome." "It's bad luck." "For who?" "For us, or for Dmitri's sister?" "Both." "So I assume you'll want to focus on Ivan Kolashkov again?" " Yes." " I still have reservations." "Of course you do." "Let me rephrase." "I won't do it." "You threaten to expose he's gay to his superiors, who knows what he'll do?" "It's just too volatile." "The DNI needs a Russian asset with access to General Doroshevich." "It's a top priority now, especially with all this Ostrov business." "Ivan and Dmitri are both in his chain of command." "Maybe there's still a way to make it work with Dmitri." "The president's expecting you," "Madam Secretary." "Please go right in." " Thanks, Lucy." " Bess." "Hi." "We meeting somewhere else?" "No, we have a cyber security briefing." "How's it going with that?" " They're still tearing my plane apart." " We should go, sir." " Yeah." " Um, I'll walk with you." "Uh, not necessary." "Craig will fill you in." "Uh, use my office." "Where are we, Admiral?" "Ma'am, so far, the investigation has revealed that Garrity was taken in a secure zone, requiring a key card swipe to enter." "So they stole them?" "Yes, the key cards belong to three Afghans who are contracting for the U.S." "Are they dead?" "They and their families are M.I.A." "Bodies were likely dumped outside the city." "It's an awful lot of work to grab one low-value American." "What are we missing?" "Well..." "I guess they'll have to tell us themselves." "Absolutely not." "Excuse me?" "We don't negotiate with terrorists." "Talking isn't negotiating." "Well, I've already advised the president on this, and he agreed." "We're not giving in to their demand." "Did you advice the president we might gain valuable Intel by engaging them?" "I understand your sympathies, given that Garrity is one of yours..." "Garrity is an American citizen." "I don't need your understanding." "Ever." "Please keep me informed, Ellen." "Yes, ma'am." "Madam Secretary." "How'd it go with Garrity's wife?" "Uh, she's devastated, but she gets it." "There's been a change to the merchant marines ceremony this afternoon." "Foreign Minister Gorev will now be attending." "Since when?" "We were just informed he's on a plane from Moscow." "Does he have any other business in town?" "Nothing official." "It's hard to believe there's anything wrong with Ostrov if Gorev's leaving Russia, but then again, it has been a very strange day." "Let's see if I can get some time alone with him." "Yes, ma'am." "Hey, it's Stevie." "You can leave a message, but you really should be texting me." "Hey, sweetie." "Um, I already tried texting." "I stopped by Georgetown to take you to lunch, but you weren't in your econ class." "Look, I'm sorry things got heated this morning." "Would you please give me a call?" "I love you." "Bye." "Professor." "You got a minute?" "Uh, of course, yeah." "My flight isn't until tomorrow." "Oh, good." "I want to talk about your sister." "Okay." "What if there was something we could do to help her?" "But-but she's already in hospital." "No." "I-I mean a cure." "There's a drug trial happening right now in Stockholm." "It's showing very promising results in young fibrosarcoma patients like your sister." "I didn't tell you she has fibrosarcoma." "What is this?" "My government can get Talia a spot in the trial if you're willing to work with us." "Work..." "Do you understand what I'm saying?" "Oh, my God." "Oh, my God, you-you are asking me to be a spy." "Look at me." "I'm offering you a chance to save your sister's life." "No, they will kill me, okay?" "They'll never know you had anything to do with it." "How do you know my comrades" " are not listening to us now?" " Because we're careful, that's why." "They had the room swept for bugs" " while you were at lunch." " Whoa, whoa, stop." " We're very good at protecting..." " S-Stop." "This-this is why you give me good grades, praise my work." "No." "I chose you because of your work." "You want a functional democracy in Russia more than any officer in the Russian army." "This is how we get there." "By betraying my country." "The architect of the Soviet Union," "Vladimir Lenin himself, said, "Sometimes history needs a push."" "Your country's current aggression will only lead to a further crippled economy and endless wars." "You know that." "But if you work with us, we can give Russia the push it needs to ensure a better future." "No." "No, you misjudge me." "I would never do this." "What about your sister?" "She is patriot." "She loves Mother Russia." "You cannot use her like some pawn." "We have a couple minutes, ma'am." "Thank you." "Minister Gorev." " Secretary McCord." " Welcome." "I didn't know that you were coming." "I was very surprised... pleasantly." "Thank you." "I wanted to join you in commemorating our historic alliance against fascism." "And it's a chance to see my beautiful daughter, Olga." "Papa." "Olga, it's very nice to meet you." "I understand that you recently started at Harvard Business School?" "Indeed." "You talk about me at work." "Talking about our families is a good ice-breaker." "Yes, it's often the only pleasant things we have to say to each other." "Really?" "So, you want to tell me if we should be worried about President Ostrov?" "Will you believe me if I say no?" "Well, I'd like to think that we've built up some trust." "As do I." "I heard about your foreign service officer in Afghanistan." "Really?" "Terrible business." "GRU may have some information." "Huh." "Well wonder what it will cost me." "Mm." "Excuse me, Madam Secretary." "Madam Secretary." "Do you have a minute?" " Yes, of course." " May I?" " Yes, ma'am." " Great." "Okay." "Conrad's all about his new golden boy, and I'm stuck playing second fiddle." "More like they took my fiddle and gave it to Craig Sterling." "So are you telling me that the president has given you the Heisman?" "Yes." "Yes." "Which is pretty galling, considering that I-I didn't even want the stupid job in the first place." "No offense." "It's a tough job, there's no question." "But I loved it, and I suspect that you do, too." "Well, admittedly, it has grown on me." "But now that I feel like I've been relegated to the outer sanctum, I..." "How do I get back in?" "You do know about my Doability Doctrine?" "I do. "Where our interests are clear," ""our values are at stake" ""and we can make a difference, we must act and we must lead."" "Right." "And that doesn't apply just to international politics." "It applies to office politics, too." "Look, there's plenty of room in the world for mediocre men." "There is no room for mediocre women." "And so you have to lead." "That's a little difficult now that the president has... obviously made up his mind and gone along with Sterling." "If you're gonna go down, then you've got to fight." "Hard." "And you got to hit him where it hurts." "Oh, my God." "I hope I never get on your bad side." "So, listen, let me call Condi" " and let's grab lunch." " Okay." "Alexis, let's go." "Harrison." "Dr. McCord." "Uh, I was hoping Stevie was here." "Did you guys talk today?" "No." "She's not answering my calls or texts, hence the desperate showing up at your house." "Well, she's not here." "Okay." "Uh... sorry to bother you." "Actually, why don't you come in?" "There's something you and I need to talk about." "Come in." "Okay, thanks." "Madam Secretary, Admiral Hill is sending new security video of the Garrity abduction." "It's ten minutes until the kidnappers' deadline." "Let's-let's pull it up." "The guy's fighting for his life." "You would be, too." "But then he stops." " Uh, play that back." " Yeah." "Here's the other camera." "He has to know, if he gets in that car, he's... done." "So why give in?" "Because he knows them." "That's why they had government I.D.'s and knew their way around a secure area." "And that's why their families aren't home." "They're not terrorists, they..." "They didn't kill the Afghans that work for the U.S. and steal their I.D.'s." "They are them." "But why take Garrity hostage?" "No idea." "Why don't you get him on the phone and I'll ask him." "Uh... president said not to." "You want to check with him first?" "Definitely." "But we don't have time, so... would you just do that, okay?" "Are you sure it's them, ma'am?" "65%." "Make the call." "Does dialing make me an accessory" " to presidential insubordination?" " Yes." " Hurry up, please." " I'm... trying." "It didn't go through." "What do you... what do you mean, it didn't go through?" "I don't know." "I'm gonna try again." "We have two minutes until the kidnappers' deadline." "I-I'm sure the network is just overwhelmed." "Hold on." "Seriously?" "What, do we need to upgrade our plan?" " What is happening?" " I don't know." "Hold on." "Here's the file for the contractors." "Let me see their I.D. photos, please." "Let's hope this is who we're gonna be speaking to." "It's going through." "Come on." "Ma'am, it's them." "Secretary McCord, we didn't think you'd call." "I need to see Garrity." "How you doing, Tom?" "Tell my wife and kids I love them." "Why are you guys doing this?" "You're on our side." "We have worked for the United States military for 11 years." "Your people promised we'd get visas to bring our families to the U.S., but we are always denied." "Now the Taliban is threatening to kill us and our families because we helped you." "They posted night letters to our doors last week saying they would cut our children's throats in front of us first." "We asked the American embassy for protection, but they turned us away." "You made us do this." "We had no choice." "What do you want?" "We know we are criminals now." "And we accept going to prison in America." "We want visas and transport for our wives and children so they can live in America as we were promised." "When you can prove that our families are safe in America, then we will free Mr. Garrity." "August 2014," "January 2015 and, finally, two months ago." "They were rejected seven times." "They hit all the benchmarks for visas... recommendation letters from U.S. commanders, proof that they received a credible threat as a result of their employment." "No blemishes on any of their records." "Seem like stand-up guys." "Not withstanding kidnapping and threatening to kill Garrity." "So why were they denied?" "In 2008, an Afghan contractor for the U.S. ended up on the terrorist watchlist." "Lawmakers went crazy." "The intelligence community put the brakes on virtually every visa from Afghanistan and Iraq." "Even though we kept making promises to the locals who worked for us." "And they kept getting killed." "The next time I have to tell Russell Jackson that I went against POTUS's wishes, someone please..." "Shoot you?" "Any idea if the president is inclined to take their offer?" "I doubt it." " I'm a flawed messenger." " Well, they all had the same commanding officer who vouched for them on their visas." "Lieutenant Colonel Mike Wilkerson." "Colonel Wilkerson?" " Secretary." " Hey." "Thank you for letting me stop by" " on such short notice." " Absolutely, ma'am." "Come on up." " Who's this?" " This is Kulcha." " Say hello, Kulcha." " Hey, darling." "I mean, I'm-I'm shocked." "That doesn't sound like them at all." "Certainly not like the guys you wrote such glowing recommendations for." "Yeah." "To no avail, unfortunately." "Do you think that they'd kill Garrity if their demands aren't met?" "I-I don't know, ma'am." "But in the three years these guys worked for me, they exemplified courage and professionalism, despite the danger." "They believed they were securing a better future for their country, which turned out to be more complicated than any of us ever imagined." "But if-if they're doing this, then I believe it's because they didn't have any other options." "This guy's the only uncomplicated thing that came out of my tour." "I found him, barely alive, on a street in Kandahar." "Mr. President, your Secretary of State has gone rogue." "I could not have been clearer when I gave her your directive." "Your directive was we don't negotiate with terrorists." "But that was when we thought the kidnappers were Taliban." "These guys may not have been terrorists before," " but they sure act like it now." " I believe they were pushed to make a terrible choice based on desperate circumstances." "So now you want to forgive them." "As CIA director, you went above and beyond" " to protect our assets in other countries," " I'm guessing..." " because that was the promise we made." " none of your former CIA assets" " ever kidnapped an American foreign service officer." " That was the deal." "These men put their lives on the line, and they've been waiting for years." "I spoke with their former C.O. He still vouches for them." "Sir..." "When he took in a stray dog in Kandahar, all he had to do was sign a few forms, and it was a naturalized" "American overnight." "Is that dog less expendable?" "I mean, somehow that system wasn't bogged down." "Or maybe we never intended to keep that promise." "Mr. President, the safest, cleanest way to save Tom Garrity is to take the deal." "The kidnappers will go to prison." "That doesn't betray our policy." " Make it so." " Mr. President," " I strongly disagree with.." " I know you do, Craig." "Now, will you give Elizabeth and me a moment?" "Thank you, Mr. President." "Thank you, sir." "Don't." "Russell's argument won the day, not yours." "Works for me." "Harrison told me about the heroin that Stevie found on him and that Henry leaned on him." "We thought that you and Lydia would want to know." "I'm just sorry Stevie had to get involved." "No." "They're close." "They always have been." "Now that he's 21, we can't just send him to his room every time he makes a bad choice." "We have to hope that we raised him well enough that... eventually he'll make the right one." "Thanks, Elizabeth." "Upon hearing Russian President" "Ostrov is dead, the Pentagon believes we should use the potential instability to take a more aggressive posture." "So your idea is to take this fragile, paranoid country that constantly thinks the United States is going to attack them and, at their moment of maximum vulnerability, validate that paranoia?" "That sounds like it'll work great." "Are you saying their moment of weakness isn't an opportunity to take strategic gain?" "The problem is we don't know what it'll be, beyond incredibly destabilizing and dangerous for the whole world." "Our primary concern should be Intel gathering, trying to figure out who will emerge as the next leader." "Okay, so who does State like?" "As of right now, the best we can hope for is Foreign Minister Gorev." "He appears to be the least hostile to the West." " I'm assuming Defense doesn't agree." " Sir, we like" "General Doroshevich." "He's moderate, pragmatic." "Last month, he joked about nuking Grozny." "The Joint Chiefs have been courting him over the last several years at the Russian-NATO Partnership Conference." "Just because he had caviar on toast points with our top brass doesn't make the guy a friend to the West." "All right, all right." "Enough." "You both need to get serious about finding common ground." "20 minutes ago, the president and I had a top secret briefing with the DNI." "We have it on good authority that Ostrov is in Central Clinic Hospital." "Condition unknown." "Consider yourselves read in." "This isn't a drill anymore." "Get on the same page." "Now." "Stevie skipped school, and she's not returning my calls" " or my texts, so..." " Well..." "Are we more worried about her than Ostrov?" "I just think maybe we hit her a little too hard this morning." "She needs space." "At least Harrison came clean with his parents." "I'm not surprised." "I've been on the receiving end of your persuasion... resistance is futile." "What?" "Are you okay?" "I strike a nerve?" "Uh, no." "Just a work thing." "You want to talk about it?" "Ah." "That work." "Sorry to interrupt." "Uh, the families have been secured and are being taken to Bagram Airfield." "And you're needed in the Sit Room." "Thank you." "We definitely need to plan a vacation." "I mean it." "Something... without the kids." "No cell service, Internet," " no people, except maybe a masseuse." " Go." " And a chef." " Go." "HUMINT helped uncover the location of Garrity and the kidnappers." "They're in an abandoned cement plant 32 miles outside Kabul." "What's the source of that intelligence?" "Russian GRU." "DIA confirmed its authenticity." "Mr. President, I have a SEAL team en route." " What's our posture?" " We stick to the plan." "Observe from a distance, and, when the families reach Andrews, we pick up Garrity and his captors." "Gorev told me he might have some Intel for us." "Pretty amazing he came through." "If Ostrov's dead, could be an auspicious beginning to our new relationship." "If Gorev emerges from the power vacuum with the big job." "Mr. President, a heavily armed Taliban unit is moving toward Garrity and the kidnappers in a hurry." "They're made." " Damn it." " How far out are they, Admiral?" "Uh, about two hours." "How fast can the SEALs get there?" "Also two hours, sir." "I hope the good guys get there first." "SEAL team is aware of the Taliban incursion," "Mr. President, and are balls to the wall." "95 minutes to the target." "And the Taliban unit, are we gonna" " beat them there?" " Too close to call." "We have to warn them." " We have to tell them to move." " Tell them we know where they are, they'll think it's a ploy." "Not to mention, it'll blow" " the element of surprise." " Which won't matter if the Taliban get there first." "I'd agree with you, Bess, but we promised them that their families would be safe in the U.S. before they surrender." "I don't see how they're going to trust us if we change the rules of the game now." " They won't." " I agree." "We haven't exactly built up a reserve of trust with these guys." "But..." "I might know a guy who has." " Hello?" " Ishaq." "It's Mike Wilkerson." " It's been a while, huh?" " Oh, my God." " What's going on?" " Everything's fine." "Your family and Falal's and-and Jawdah's are all on a plane" " to Maryland." "They're safe." " Then why this?" " Why are you calling?" " I'm here with the president and the Secretary of State." "They've promised that the United States is gonna honor its deal with you, but something unexpected has come up." "What?" "What unexpected?" "The Taliban are coming for you." "They'll be there in less than 15 minutes." "You know where we are?" "Yes." "In Gul Bagh." " At the old cement plant." " My God." "Ishaq, listen to me." "Listen to me." "Stay with me." "The good news is there's an American unit heading to pick you up." "No." "Not before our families" " are in the United States." " Not enough time." "Now, the president and secretary have given me their word your families will be taken care of." "Mike, please." "You know my children." "We're gonna get you out of there." "But you need to move to a safe location where we can pick you up." "We're running out of time." "Just give him the landing zone." "Ishaq, there's a closed gas station two and a quarter miles northeast of you." "Go there now and wait..." "What the hell?" "Sat phone lost connection." "Can you get it back?" "Uh, negative." "There's interference across the area." "12 minutes until the Taliban reaches them." "Did they even get the landing zone?" "Mr. President, we just got word on Ostrov." "Okay, what if I... what if I give you the Ninth Fleet in the Northern Pacific?" " But no missiles in Poland." " The president" " isn't interested in half measures." " Of course he is." "That's the definition of "diplomacy."" "Sounds more like the definition of "weakness."" "Look, I'm all for projecting strength, but what we need to tell the president is complicated and nuanced and somewhat contradictory." "Not what I'm gonna tell him." "You can stand down, gentlemen." "President Ostrov just showed up at a parade in Saint Petersburg." "Oh, thank God." "Guess this report isn't so urgent anymore." "Though your progress is impressive." "Rain check?" "Guy's got to die sometime." "Right?" "30 seconds to landing zone." "Over." "Copy that, Commander." "Can you see the package?" "Negative." "Descending." "Oh, wait a second." "I have four men at the LZ." "Can you visually confirm the package?" "Over." "Hold." "Yes." "We have visual confirmation on the package." " We're going down." " Thank God, it's them." " They moved." " Good call, Bess." " Status, Commander?" "Over." " We're taking fire, ma'am." "From who?" "Commander?" "Taliban." "Column with heavy artillery." "Taliban must have been tipped by locals." "Engaging." "Package on the move." "Follow him, Pete." "That's Garrity." "Status, Commander?" "Commander?" "We have Garrity, Admiral." "Permission to evacuate?" "Over." "Mr. President?" "Mr. President?" "We cannot leave them." "We gave them our word." "We got our guy... we absolutely can and should evacuate now." "The Taliban is still our enemy." "We have a Black Hawk with two M-134 miniguns and 30 SEALs armed to the teeth with M4 carbines!" "That is more than enough firepower to wipe them out." "We're taking heavy fire!" "Waiting for orders." "Over." "Mr. President." "Evacuate." " Get them out of there." " Evacuate." "Permission to evacuate granted." "Copy that, Admiral." "Out." "I can't justify spilling our troops' blood to save them." "I'm sorry things didn't go your way back there." "Is that how you see it?" "Sometimes things go your way with the president, sometimes they don't?" "I guess it is." " Whew!" " But we advise, all right?" "The president makes his decision." "Which absolves you of any responsibility." "No, I take full responsibility" " for everything I do in my job." " Including those men's deaths?" "Because Dalton relies on his advisors, and I think he could have been persuaded to save them." "I shared with the president exactly what I believed." "Really?" "Because... based on your history, I thought you would have argued to take out a Taliban unit while we had the chance." "You made your bones at the Pentagon" " supporting military intervention." " You think I was more interested in scoring a blow against you than giving the president honest counsel?" "I'm saying it goes against everything you've advocated for the last 15 years." "Just... sharing with you exactly what I believe." "Hey." "No texting at dinner." "Fine, but I just read that the urge to check your texts is actually more powerful than a drug addict's urge to use." " Then turn it off." " Was it Stevie?" "No." "Have you heard from your sister?" " Me?" " Mm." "Hi." " Sorry I'm late." " Where have you been?" "Living my life." "Would it kill you to return a text," " maybe call?" "Yes." " Or a phone call." "Right now is not the time to..." "Can we skip the interrogation and just... eat?" "Okay, it's obvious we're in need of some peer mediation here." " I happen to have my talking stick..." " And here we go." "Speak openly and honestly using a lot of "I" statements." "Mom, you can go first." "I had a very difficult day at work, and I am doing my best not to take it out on anyone." "But I guess what I'm feeling mostly right now is how vexing and difficult it is to be the parent of an adult." "I have no control over your life anymore, Stevie." "And that scares the hell out of me." "Oh, God." "That was really good, Mom." "Thank you, Noodle." "Your turn, slugger." "Okay, Stevie, I think you owe it to Mom and me to explain what you were doing all day if you weren't in your classes that we pay for." "Okay, you're spying on me?" " No." "I want you to call me back." " Did you call my teachers and ask...?" "I texted and called you a number of times." "Everyone needs to respect the stick." " And you wouldn't return my calls." " Give me that!" "I took the LSAT." "Okay?" "That's where I was... taking the LSAT." "Isn't that the SAT for law school?" "That talk this morning really freaked me out." "I mean, you guys are right." "For the past year, I have been a total screwup." "Dropping out of college, dating a recovering addict when I knew that it was bad for him," " hiding his stash." " Wait, you did what?" " Shh." " I didn't like who I was becoming, and I started to question whether I was even a decent person." "So I decided to sign up to do something that I knew I could do well." "A standardized test." "And maybe someday I can do some good as a lawyer." "You were having an identity crisis, so you took the LSAT." " You are such a McCord." " Oh, honey," " I love you so much." " Oh, baby." " Ah..." " I love you, too." "Who thinks peer mediating's a joke now?" "Did we push her too hard?" "We pushed her just hard enough, apparently." "Well, law school..." "To take stock in her life; not a bad exercise." "So we're not horrible parents?" "Not today." "Hello?" "Who?" "Okay, send him in." "It's Anton Gorev." "The Russian foreign minister's dropping by?" "Do you have any idea what this is about?" "No." "Do you?" "I hope not." "I-I don't like the sound of that." "Anton." "Come in." " Good evening, Elizabeth." " You know Henry." " Of course." "Professor McCord." " Hi, Anton." "I understand you were able to save your foreign service officer." "Yes." "Yes." "And thank you." "Your help was very much appreciated." " Come on in, please." " Oh." "Thank you." "I guess I-I just didn't think that you would be coming to ask for something in return so quickly." "It's about my daughter, Olga." "As you know, she recently started at Harvard Business School." "Thanks in part to your gentle grading, Professor." "What-what is it with Olga?" "If anything were to happen to me..." "I humbly ask that Olga's visa to the United States be renewed." "What are you worried about?" "Please, the-the visa is the practical part." "I'm... also hoping the two of you can keep a friendly eye on her." " Of course." " Sure." "Thank you." "I should go." "Anton, what's going on?" "Are you sick?" "No." "I am well." "Then what is this about?" "In one hour, the Kremlin will announce that President Ostrov is dead." "Wow." "Are you making a play for power?" "Because... between us, you're who I'm hoping for." "I must go back to Moscow." "I have your word on Olga?" " Yes." " Sure." "Good night." "Thank you." "Do you think that he could have had something to do with it?" "Being out of the country when it happened makes for pretty good cover." "I better call my boss." "What do you want now?" "Ostrov is dead." "Why should I believe you?" "Russia has been through worse." "Take the deal, Dmitri." "Work with me." "I already told you..." "I am not a traitor." "I love my country." "Your country is about to go off the rails." " No, you don't know this." " I know for a fact that top-level Russian government officials are securing their families in foreign cities." "If the power brokers are worried about their loved ones, what hope is there for your sister?" "You swear she will get these drugs?" "She could be on a plane to Stockholm tomorrow." "I am entrusting you with my sister's life, Professor." "And my life." "Then we have an agreement?" "Yes."