"_" "_" "_" "In conclusion, the challenges of the 21st century are indeed great." "Therefore, our determination to solve them together must be even greater." "Thank you." "And now I'm going to barf, because this speech is so terrible." "No offense, Matt." "None taken, I think." "But given that this is my first speech before the World Affairs Committee, which is "the most august and influential..."" "What was the rest of it?" ""Forum for international relations in the world."" "Right, that." "Wouldn't it be nice if I actually... say something?" "Well, ma'am, it's precisely because this is your first speech on such an important stage that each word needs to be polished, and considered, and correct." "Okay, just an FYI, words like that make my eye twitch." "Look, we're trying to articulate U.S. policy on a broad variety of topics, so the speech has been vetted..." "By various departments and agencies." "I know." "I..." "Not to mention, we have to factor in the positions of our allies to avoid offending them." "And trying to fit that all in one speech is, like... super hard." "Well put." "Ma'am, this speech is in two days." "We need to finalize it." "All right, fine." "But give me some substance." "I want something in that speech that I care about." "That the White House approves." "Blake." "I think Nadine suspects something." "I feel her eyes on me all the time." "Relax, she's not Sauron." "That's what you think." "Your paranoia notwithstanding, do you have any actual intel for me?" "I'm halfway through her e-mails, calendar and phone logs from her time with Secretary Marsh." "So far, the only thing that feels dirty or suspicious is me." "Blake, everyone in this building is potentially subject to investigation." "Secretary Marsh, her old boss, was conspiring to undermine the Iran peace talks." "I want to make sure I'm not about to get stabbed in the back by my chief of staff." "The diplomatic security guys think" "I'm on a fishing expedition." "You are on a fishing expedition." "I think their question is: why me?" "Because unlike the rest of my staff, you're my hire, and I trust you." "But you can tell the DS that the answer is:" "because I said so." "See what I'm talking about?" "Boss lady hates me." "No, just your speech." "Thanks." "It's too equivocal." "She's no-BS." "And what?" "I'm pro-BS?" "Okay, can I tell you something, as a friend?" "Well, that's a slightly complicated question." "All this wheedling and whining... it's not cute." "Wow." "Thanks, friend." "Now, why don't you tell me something... as more than a friend?" "Okay." "Man up, dude." "Oh, I'm a man." "I'm a no-BS man." "Full of substance." "Yeah." "That sounded weird." "Wait, so he's here?" "The priest?" "Yeah, Laurent Adisa." "My social justice professor from divinity school." "Oh, that's right." "The guy who gave you a "B."" "I thought we were having dinner Saturday night." "His schedule changed." "And, for the record, it was my only "B."" "Ever." "Well, you know what, great, because I'm exhausted, as one often is on a Tuesday night." "So I can go up and lay down, and you guys can re-litigate the "B"." "Babe, just come on." "We texted, like, ten times today, you never said anything." "It was a last-minute thing." "Fine, I'll say hello." "But, for the record, you're acting very weird." " Hello, everybody." " Hi, Mom." " Hi, Mom." " Madam Secretary." " Father Adisa, really nice surprise." "Please call me Elizabeth." "Well, if you call me Laurent." "Okay." "If memory serves..." " Mm-hmm." " ...you were Henry's favorite professor, and also the only one that ever gave him a "B."" "Whoa." "Whoa, whoa." "Dad got a "B"?" "Unbelievable." "In defense of your father, he was a very brilliant student, but he was, uh... rather distracted by a radiant wife and a brand-new baby." "Well, if by "radiant,"" "you mean sleepless and hostile..." "I didn't realize you'd been radiant for so long, Mom." " Ooh, snap." " Okay." " That was a good one." " Come on, wise guys, beat it." "The grown-ups need to talk." "Okay." "Come on, nerds." " So, Father, uh, Laurent..." " Mm-hmm?" "...what brings you to, uh... to D.C.?" "Well, I'm here speaking on behalf of my charities and some of the churches in the area." "But, um..." "I must confess that I didn't just come here to have a meal with your charming family." "Yes, I'm beginning to get that." "I was wondering if you had heard about the events of my country, uh, the Republic of West Africa." "I'm-I'm aware of the coup that happened six months ago." " Mm-hmm." " I'm also aware that the ruling junta have begun curtailing women's rights, and they're closing any schools that they feel are tainted by Western-style education." "Apparently, that's just the opening act." "The junta has begun a campaign of ethnic slaughter against the Beko people." "Wait." "That I have not heard." "Now they're ramping up to enter into the Beko heartland and clean out the city of St. Juste in a matter of days." "I..." "Thank you for bringing this to my attention." "And I will get a full briefing on it tomorrow." "If-if you will indulge me." "That is my niece, Komoyo, and her children, Esther and Simon." "Komoyo called me yesterday, and she said the soldiers had entered their village." "And now they are on the run." "Laurent, I'm very sorry." "It is I who must apologize for abusing your hospitality." "No, no, no..." "But I just want you to understand that I did not show you this photograph so that my family could get special treatment." "The truth is that you have the power to answer the desperate prayers of thousands of my people." "Excuse me." "My phones never stop ringing." "The help that is needed... it never ends." "Excuse me." "Hello?" "Don't be afraid." "I'm here, I'm here." "Ambushing me in our own home?" "Really?" "I know." "He sort of ambushed me, too." "You could've given me a heads-up." "Well, he said that he's pleaded with everyone." "The U.N., the European Union, African Union, the press... nobody cares." "It's not that nobody cares, Henry, it's that things like this are happening all over the world, unfortunately, and the decision to get involved is a political one." "I wish it was just an ethical dilemma, but it's not." "You know, most of the time, we play catch-up on these things." "We see these horrible numbers after the fact." "But here... you have advanced warning." "You have a chance to intervene." "What?" "Where are you going?" "Downstairs to work." "Wh-What would you rather I had done?" "Ignore it?" "I would rather that you had remembered that before anything we're a team." "So, no one in this building has any useful intel about an imminent campaign of ethnic cleansing in the Republic of West Africa?" "We've been tracking the situation." "It's unclear if any attacks are imminent." "Given our lack of vital interests or assets in the RWA, we concluded the situation wasn't clear or pressing enough to bring to your attention." "Okay, attacks are imminent... and what the hell did you just say?" "I'm giving you the official assessment, ma'am." "It's a matter of grave concern, ma'am, and I promise you we will look into it." "But right now your top priority has to be your speech." "Matt took another pass at it." "There's a little something in there about rising sea levels and freshwater scarcity combining to drive global conflict that I think you're gonna love." "You know, "Water, water..."" "Nadine, I'll set the priorities, thank you." " Sorry, Matt." "Thank you." " Uh, Madam Secretary," "Ambassador Bokassa from the Republic of West Africa is here." " He's not on your schedule, ma'am." " Send him up." "Send him up, please." "Why wasn't I looped in about this meeting?" "Oh." "Um, it's my mistake." "I'm sorry." "I-I must have forgotten." "Oh." "No one in this building forgets to tell me when they take lunch." "It happened late." "I meant to CC you..." "Fine." "See if the ambassador would like cream and sugar." "Madam Secretary," "I cannot imagine where you're getting such a distorted impression of life in the glorious Republic of West Africa." "So you're telling me your government has no plans to wage a campaign against the Beko people?" "We are a small nation, hmm?" "Wedged between Gabon and Cameroon, with no oil to tempt you." "Why the sudden interest in our internal affairs?" "Okay, I'll ask you again." "Is your government planning to attack the Beko?" "Of course not." "The Beko, like wayward children, scream at even the slightest discipline." "But such whining is to be expected as our nation purifies itself of decadent and poisonous outside influences." "By that, do you mean educated women or... expensive watches?" "I mean only that the Ruling Council of the RWA wishes to bring peace and correct living to all loyal citizens." "Well, I'm very glad to hear that your government has no such plans." "Just in case they do, you tell your bosses back home that the United States is watching." "Good day." "And here are the records for Ms. Tolliver's work-issued BlackBerry from the months immediately after Secretary Marsh died." "Say, how do you DS guys do it?" "You just sit down here all day, snooping on people?" "We're patriots." "Hey, wait a second." "This call here... was that recorded?" "Hmm." "Let me see." "Nope." "Just the metadata showing it happened. _" "BLAKE Three weeks ago," "Nadine had a 20-minute conversation on her work cell phone with Constantine Stahl." "That's an awfully long time to have a chat with one of Marsh's biggest backers." "Three weeks ago, you were..." "Scrambling to salvage the Iran peace talks." "Any chance they were just catching up?" "Nadine and a casino billionaire whose pet political cause is to bomb Iran, swapping funny stories?" "No." "More likely he was calling to pump her for intel on the talks." "Which would make her a spy." "Is she dumb enough to take that call on a work phone?" "I don't know." "Is there any way to find out?" "There's no audio of the call." "Well, then unless something definitive arises quickly to change my mind," "I'll have to pull her security clearance, pending a full investigation." "Thanks for taking time off from prepping for your fancy speech to go where the common folk eat." "Oh, are you kidding me?" "It's nice to get out of the office for a little bite of... fried everything." "What can I say?" "I miss our gross work lunches." "Me, too." "So this is a right-to-business kind of fried lunch, yeah?" "I'm afraid so." "What's the CIA's read on the RWA?" "Your source was right." "The junta's gearing up to drive out the Beko minority by any means, up to and including genocide." "What would it take to stop it?" "Well, short of an act of God, nothing." "Not with the resources the U.S. is willing to bring to bear, which is none." "What's left is the African Union, but they have a hard time getting all their member states on the same page... or maybe the French, but they're bogged down in, like, five other countries." "Blue-sky it for me." "If money was no object, ground troops, air support, logistics." "Yeah, you'd need all of the above." "I should warn you, the RWA is a toxic mess." "Part of the country not under the boot of the junta is run..." "By a bunch of renegade warlords with RPGs and machine guns, and..." "I know." "Then you know the odds of an intervention going sideways..." "I know." "Are extremely high, I got it." "Now, what else do I need?" "Well, if..." "Thanks." "Name one vital interest we have in the Republic of West Africa." "Bauxite." "It's the key mineral in aluminum." "Aluminum, I know." "You're kidding, right?" "I can see the bumper stickers now." ""No Blood for Foil."" "Okay, fine." "We don't have any vital interests in the RWA, except for 50,000 innocent civilians who are about to be murdered on our watch." "For God's sake, we haven't exactly put a bow on the Middle East yet." "You want to go into Africa?" "Why aren't the stakeholders in the region making it an issue?" "This is a rapidly unfolding situation." "If we don't do something, and soon, it'll be too late." "Bess, I hear you." "The junta is despicable." "And if reports about what they're planning are correct..." "They are correct, sir." "No sense pretending that they're not." "No one's pretending here." " I..." " The fact is, this is not our fight." "If we stand back, we're accused of apathy." "If we engage, we're accused of policing the world." "Military intervention is a dog's breakfast, no matter the cause." "Look... you know I'm a realist, but there are events that transcend national interest, and I believe this is one of those." "I know you do." "But I don't." "So what do you say, Danny?" "Want to help us get this story out there, maybe grab yourself another Pulitzer, keep the first one company?" "I can pass this along to my colleagues on the international desk, but obviously they're gonna have to vet your source." "Source?" "I am the source." "I'm sitting right here in front of you." "Ask me anything you want." "It's the journalistic process... takes time." "Time?" "Time is precisely what thousands of innocent victims do not have!" "Look, I-I know you'll do everything you can to help." "I really appreciate you meeting with us." "Thanks." "You bet." "That went well." "Forgive me, Henry." "I find myself getting angry these days, not just at God for letting terrible things happen to innocent people, but for selecting a... a poor and impatient messenger such as myself." "We'll just keep pushing, okay?" "In the meantime, take it easy on yourself, man." "Mom?" "Yeah." "Whatever it is that you're worried about," "I'm pretty sure the answer's not in there." "You're probably right." "So, what are we doing to stop what's going to happen in the Republic of West Africa?" "Nothing." "Because when the president makes a very good case for why not to intervene, that is pretty much it." "Hmm." "Do you remember in the fifth grade when I almost quit that school backpacking trip because I was afraid of heights, and I really didn't want to go rock-climbing?" "You would be amazed how much parents block out." "And do you remember what you said to me when I called you in a panic?" "No, but I feel like I'm about to be embarrassed." "You said, "Honey, you are the descendent" ""of some of the greatest heroes and scoundrels" ""that the Commonwealth of Virginia has ever seen."" ""If you've got one thing" ""running through your veins, it's guts." ""Now, don't call me back until you're at the top of that mountain, little girl."" "I actually said that?" "Yup." "Oh, what a pain in the ass I am." "And why did I sound like Dolly Parton?" "I don't know." "I got to the top of the mountain though." "Bet you did." "You'll think of something, Mom." "Good night." "Good night, baby." "That is great news." "Yeah, keep me posted." "Thanks again, buddy." "All right, bye." "The Washington Chronicle is into the story." "They're putting a couple reporters on it." "It should run in a day or two." "Ah, that's good news, indeed." "But we may be running out of time for an article in a newspaper to be of much help." "Oh, speaking of time, um..." "yeah, Elizabeth's speech is on." "The United States will continue to work with our friends and partners around the world on a host of issues." "This is good." "The challenges we face are..." "This is poetry, is what this is." "...as always, daunting." "But we can take heart that just as our forebears had the courage to confront the issues of their day, so we, too..." "Uh-oh." "What's happening?" "So we, too, can confront the great moral issues of our time, if only we can find..." "If..." "If only we can find the guts." "Guts?" "Oh, God, she's going off book." "Esteemed colleagues, the United States has learned that a vast number of people from the Republic of West Africa are in grave danger." "The new regime of that nation, in its hatred of modern education, women's rights and the rights of ethnic minorities, plans to lash out violently against all of those cherished principles." "That's my wife." "But it's not the principles..." "That's my wife." "...they plan to terrorize and murder." "It is thousands of innocent men, women and children." "Father Laurent Adisa, whose charity is sheltering many of the displaced..." "This isn't happening." "Daisy, Matt, get ready to issue" " a statement walking all of this back." " On it." "Why?" "She's just gonna say whatever she wants anyway." "Matt." "...thousands of peoples' desperate prayers." "Well, now that we have heard those prayers, do we have the courage to answer them?" "Thank you." "...the United States Secretary of State in her first major..." "For the record, I didn't know that was coming." "At a speech at the World Affairs Committee, U.S. Secretary..." "Let me guess." "White House loved the speech." "Russell Jackson has already texted several times." "Lots of smiley faces?" "I'm in big trouble, I know." "But at least now, no one can say they didn't know it was going on." "Does the speech reflect an official change in policy?" "No, but maybe we lit a fire under the African Union and the French." "You think they've got the will or resources" " to pull this off?" " Honestly, that was a Hail Mary." "So, let's see if anyone caught it while we still have jobs." "Well, at least she doesn't seem flip." "Madame l'Ambassadeur?" "I was quite impressed with your speech, Elizabeth." "How impressed?" "Perhaps it would be possible for us to lend a little support." "Air support?" "Assuming, of course, that your speech is indicative of an American willingness to act..." "I'm working on it." "Uh, oui." "Bonne chance, Madame la Secretaire." "Merci." " I know what you're doing." " You do?" "Do I look like an idiot?" "No, no." "You are so relentlessly intelligent." "She's telling you to keep me out of the loop on certain decisions, and you're being a good soldier and taking the heat." "Blake," "I'm a petite woman, and I've had a flute and a half of champagne, so I'm going to be honest with you." "That's good." "I can understand why the secretary might not trust me completely." "But I can also tell you with s-some certainty that I am extremely good at my job." "Oh, I agree with you." "I don't need your agreement." "And do you know what else I have in spades?" "A sense of duty." "I have a duty to this nation, to the department, and believe it or not, to that incredibly challenging woman over there." "Madam Secretary," "I found your speech most distressing." "I'm very pleased to hear that." "But if America had the guts to take action, you would not have needed to make the speech." "N'est-Ce pas?" "Honey, are you awake?" " Absolutely." " I can't sleep, either." "You know, I've been banging on the African Union, and I think I can get them to commit ground troops if the French will kick in air power." "Which they'll only do if... we have some skin in the game, too." "You were sleeping." "Am I keeping you up?" "No, I'm here." "I'm right here." "Good, because let's not forget who started this whole thing." "Uh, I want to give you credit and say the junta, but..." "I think you mean me." "And believe me, I will never forget what you did." "Neither will Laurent." "It was incredibly brave." "I've had a flurry of testy exchanges with Russell Jackson." "I can't get POTUS to return my phone call, which only means that Russell's gotten into his head, and they're... holed up somewhere deciding who's gonna replace me." "Oh, come on." "Which I didn't think was gonna happen quite this fast." "What is it?" "I've been summoned to the White House." "Good evening, Russell." "I have something to say that the president thought you should hear in person." "I'm sure it gives you no pleasure to say it." "That speech of yours... was reckless, impulsive, damn near insubordinate." "I'm fully prepared to live with the consequences of my actions." "What I couldn't live with were the consequences" " of my inactions." " Excuse me, did I say I brought you here so you could talk?" "Excuse me, but I'm the Secretary of State, and you'll speak to me with the respect that that office demands." "For now, you are." "You want to condescend to me?" "Fine." "You have to fire me first." "So if that's the message that you were dispatched to deliver, just get on with it." "Let's go." "You know what pisses me off the most?" "The speech worked." "The president thinks you're right." "So here's the offer." "Ground troops are still out." "So is air support." "Logistics, then?" "Radar, satellites, a few C-130s." "We're not offering the invasion of Normandy here." "But that should be enough to get the French to commit air power." "Thank you, Russell." "Don't thank me." "I wanted us to have the other talk tonight." "Okay." "Merci." "Jay." "I just got off the phone with the French." "They're in for air support." "Then the African Union can assemble a quick-reaction force with troops mostly from Burundi and Tanzania that can deploy into the RWA." "Excellent." "Nadine, get the SecDef's office on the phone." "Tell him the coalition's a go." "He can start sending logistical assets into the region right away." "Yes, ma'am." "Hey." "So what's up?" "My guys dug up something on your priest." "It ain't good." "Daisy, turn that up, will you?" "...mentioned you and your charity in her speech." "Does this growing consensus for action in your country perhaps owe a debt to you?" "It's just the opposite." "Of course, we who are in the RWA, we owe a debt to Secretary McCord." "Guy's pretty smooth for his first time on cable news." "Madam Secretary, sorry to interrupt." "Uh, apparently, your husband is" " in the building." " Bad news." "Wh-What is it?" "Father Adisa, what do you say to the recently uncovered allegations that your charity has been involved in the smuggling of drugs across international borders by the very people you have deemed refugees?" "Oh, my God." "My friend down at The Chronicle says the Mexican cartels have been smuggling drugs into Europe overland through Africa." "And apparently, Laurent is involved." "I wanted to tell you in person." "I don't know what to say, honey." "The White House is on the line." "Course they are... because I just tied the President of the United States to a drug dealer." "How the hell did your people not vet Adisa before you hijacked our speech to gush about him?" "!" "I sprung Adisa on them;" "that was my screw up." "Oh, for once, an understatement." "The guy helps criminal organizations mule cocaine into Europe!" "There's more bad news, sir: the French have rescinded their offer of air support." "That's a hell of a coalition you've built us, Elizabeth." "Illegal immigration and drugs are hot-button issues in France." "They feel that an intervention tied to a man tainted by both would not go over well with their public." "It's called politics." "You might want to read up on it." "If you've got a next move, Beth, I'd love to hear about it." "I think there's only one way to salvage this crisis." "Oh, I swear to God, if you say "air support" right now..." "Tens of thousands of people are going to die... and we back away because some dirty priest made us look dumb for a news cycle or two?" "Is that leadership?" "We save those people, at no loss of American life, because we're only sending in a squadron of F-15s that the junta doesn't have the missiles to shoot down, and we win that news cycle" " because we're heroes." " Bravo, Elizabeth." "Another rousing speech." "But all your feel-good rhetoric won't matter if this... this half-baked intervention goes south and turns into Mogadishu." "Mr. President... you will own that." "And if 50,000 people are slaughtered while I sit on my hands... that I will own to my grave." "No more screw ups." "Stay on top of every detail." "We're off the priest." "We're off the French." "But the intervention's on." "I feel dizzy." "Lives hang in the balance, dude." "Dizzy but focused." "Okay, how's this? "While the United States" ""is deeply concerned over the allegations" ""against Father Adisa, we are unwavering in our dedication to preserve the safety of the Beko people."" "Now, the next part's tricky." "Uh, therefore, uh, we will provide the African Union force both logistical and air support while continuing to seek out a peaceful resolution to this crisis." "Boom!" "Want to grab lunch?" " I have to go brief the gaggle." " You know, when you say that, it's like you're saying you got to feed the baby, but the baby's actually 30 pasty j-journalists." "You know?" "African Union troops crossed the border from Cameroon into the Republic of West Africa today." "They hope to traverse the lawless, warlord-dominated northern region in time to prevent what American Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord is calling an imminent genocide in the country's heartland." "The world's attention was focused on the people of..." "You know, I remember your first seminar." ""Living Faith."" "You showed us slides of that AIDS hospice that you built." "At a time when most people wouldn't even go near someone who was sick." "And I thought, yeah... yeah, this is the teacher I've been looking for." "This guy." "The real deal." "And now?" "You deceived me." "You compromised my wife's integrity." "What choice did I have?" "How about the truth?" "You really think" "I'd turn a blind eye to genocide?" "So, now... knowing the truth, would you still have gone straight to Elizabeth?" "What is the truth, by the way?" " You didn't answer my question." " You answer mine." "The truth is that sometimes the only way to insure safe passage for a desperate person to get to Europe is to smuggle drugs." "That's "living faith."" "No, that is not what the man who taught that seminar would say." "That is exactly what he would say." ""Any man among us who seems religious" ""and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, that man's religion is vain."" "Do you have any idea how many pockets that I lined in order to get that hospice built?" "Yes, I dealt with warlords, who-who control the drugs and the guns and the borders." "But in this failed state, that... is the Lord's work." "What about the thousands... the millions of people who will die because of the drug trade and the gunrunning?" "Are their lives less valuable?" "No, of course not." "They, too, need salvation." "But, Henry... this is my little patch of darkness." "I can only work where I'm put." "You can say whatever you want, but you've crossed the line and you know it." "I will not apologize for trying to save lives with the-the few tools that I have at my disposal." "To answer your question... of course," "I would have gone to Elizabeth." "That's what true friends do." "And that's what I thought you were." "I'll pray for your people and for your family." "But you and I are done." "So what's in this hypothetical envelope that may or may not be on my desk?" "A job offer made to Nadine by one Constantine Stahl, tendered the very day of the phone call in question." "She... turned it down, obviously." "Why?" "As I mentioned, she has a... strong sense of duty." "Blake, you put too much stock in the things people say when they're tipsy." "Really?" "Where'd you get this?" "Harvard Assistants' Mafia." "Three words you rarely hear strung together." "Yet they constitute a thing." "Nice work." "Ma'am, the African Union forces have bogged down." "Uh, define "bogged down."" "They're inside the RWA, but they haven't advanced in the last hour." "What, did they get a flat tire?" "Isn't the entire point of air support to support the troops on the ground from the... air?" "!" "Our rules of engagement limit the use of air power to engaging junta forces only." "Gentlemen." " Ma'am." " Ma'am." "What is the holdup, Major Hicks?" "Why aren't the African Union troops moving towards St. Juste?" "Madam Secretary, the African Union forces are in a standoff in the northern province of the RWA." "Here, 30 miles from the Cameroon border." "With whom?" "Most likely the warlords who control the border region." "They'll never get to the Beko in time." "What about air support?" "Can't we engage with them?" "See?" "Thank you." "Ma'am, we are concerned that bombing the warlords' militias will turn the population of the north against the African Union forces, and that will exacerbate the situation further." "The junta bought these guys off, didn't they?" "That's CIA's working hypothesis." "How long until the African Union pull out their troops?" "They're telling us 12 hours." "They are concerned that if their forces are encircled, they'll have to shoot their way back to Cameroon." "So we need more troops to beef up the African Union forces." "Or we need to cut a deal with these warlords." "_" "_" "_" "_" "Please ask the minister to reconsider." "No, no, I assure you we do not understand, and we will remember his lack of cooperation." "South Africa is definitively out." "So is Kenya." "DOD says they're bogged down fighting Al-Shabaab." "Can somebody please get me some troops before this bloodbath begins?" "Isabelle, what do you got?" "Oh, God." "All right." "Thank you." "CIA tried to use a local intermediary to swing a deal with the warlords." "Video of his body just went up on YouTube." "I'm-I'm sorry, but we're out of options." "I refuse to accept that, Jay." "There's literally nobody else to call, ma'am." "We were so close." "We had troops in-country and..." "I'm so sorry." "You're sorry?" "I'm gonna spend the rest of my life apologizing for involving you with Laurent." "Don't." "That's crazy." "It's not like he was lying about what the junta are doing." "It turns out it was practically the only thing he wasn't lying about." "Come on, Henry." "He was just trying to save his people." "We all were." "And now the troops can't get in because the warlords have been bought off by the junta, and... that is how 50,000 innocent people get killed." "So... you need someone to make the warlords a better offer." "I think we know a guy." "I'm not gonna do the whole "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned" thing, so open up." "Plenty of sin to go around, obviously." "I didn't expect to see you again, Henry." "Yeah, me either." "And nothing has changed." "I'm here for Elizabeth." "Fair enough." " Look, I need to know if you can make a deal" " Mm-hmm." "with the warlords in your country." "They let the African Union troops push through to St. Juste." "In exchange, they get paid by the U.S. Government, indirectly, through you." "Is that something you can make happen quickly?" "Well, it has been my experience that, uh, those warlords are quite businesslike." "I'm glad to hear that." "So can my wife." "And you, too, apparently." "Yes." "I'm aware of the irony." "Such is the world, Henry." "Drowning in blood and irony." "So, now, the Lord has made miracles with this blessed little device before." "Let's see if He's with us today." "African Union?" "African Union!" "_" "Okay, everyone, the African Union forces have stabilized St. Juste and they have set up aid stations for the refugees." "Yeah!" "This has been an incredibly long, tough week." "Thank you all for your hard work." "Do something nice for yourselves tonight." "Madam Secretary, Ambassador Bokassa is downstairs demanding to see you." "Do you want him sent away?" "Madam Secretary," "I am here to officially protest the United States' illegal and immoral intervention into our affairs." "Really?" "Because I was thinking that maybe your bosses back home are a little huffy at you for falling down on the job, and you're looking to deal." "It is true I have been recalled to the RWA, where I may face discipline." "And, yes," "I do know much about the regime there that... could be very useful to you and that I am willing to share." "Well, I might have been interested yesterday, but today I think I'll pass." "You're very good at this game," "Mr. Ambassador." "I'm sure you'll land on your feet." "As to a deal, well, far be it from us to intervene in your country's affairs." "Good luck." "Knock, knock." "Madam Secretary." "Some day, huh?" "And how." "I was just about to pour myself a scotch to celebrate." "Won't you care to join me?" "Sure, why not?" "Nadine, I came to tell you I had you investigated." "I figured as much." "Lately, when I see Blake, he shakes like a Chihuahua who's just peed on the carpet." "So?" "Well, you're here, aren't you?" "There's something else, something you're not gonna like very much." "I'm having Vincent Marsh investigated next." "I see." "And why tell me this?" "Like I said, you're here, aren't you?" "So, cheers." "To Julius Grossman." "My mother's father." "He was killed at Auschwitz." "This was a good day at the office, ma'am." "Hi." "Surprise." "Hello, Henry." "I'm, uh, on my way to Rome for some, uh, disciplinary action, you'll be glad to know." "Elizabeth's convinced me to come and say good-bye." "Well, obviously I'm very happy that you brokered that deal, but..." "I'm not very interested in salvaging this relationship." ""There's nothing on this earth more to be prized than a true friendship."" "That was Thomas..." "Yes, I know." "Henry, you came to me in my darkest hour, and you were my true friend." "Please forgive me for not being yours." "How are your niece and her children?" "Komoyo and Esther and Simon... they're doing very well." "Along with many others, thanks to you." "Well, thanks to her." "You don't have to go, you know." "I can help you to stay here." "That's very nice of you, but, uh, the church is my life." "I am not afraid for whatever comes next." "After all, uh, wasn't it, um..." "Thomas Aquinas who once said that a man of God who is not in trouble is not doing his job?" "I'm pretty sure he never said anything of the kind." "Well, he should have." "Ah, that's my taxi." "Well, Au revoir, my friends." "Au revoir, Laurent." "Take care of yourself." "God bless you both, hmm?" "Ah." "Hello?" "Don't be afraid." "I'm here, I'm here." "Do not be afraid."