Commander: All right, listen up!
We have an unknown number of hostages being held
in a local militia compound.
Once we're on the ground,
we'll secure a vehicle and get the hostages out.
Bravo Nest, you provide cover.
Received?
soldiers: Heard and understood!
- Good.
[instrumental music playing]
Alexander: Nest Bravo. Clear.
Commander [over radio]: Extraction is moving.
[suspenseful music playing]
- They're in.
- This is Extraction. Fifteen hostages inside.
All shackled.
Estimated completion, three minutes.
[alarm blaring]
Commander: The op is compromised!
[grunts]
Alexander: Hostile down. More incoming.
Commander: We're on your fire! We're on your fire!
Extraction Team: Extraction not complete.
Commander: We need backup!
Alexander: Bravo's coming inbound to secure retreat.
Commander: Where's our helo?
pilot 1: Fifteen clicks away!
pilot 2: Second helo, twenty clicks away!
Commander: Our position is compromised!
We need to pull back. Where's that ground vehicle?
driver: Ground support delayed!
[Alexander pants]
Commander: We're pinned down!
[gun firing]
[militia soldiers shouting indistinctly]
driver: Ground vehicle's almost there!
[grunts]
[militia soldiers continue shouting]
Alexander: Bravo's reached the compound.
[gun firing continues]
[vehicle approaching]
Go! Go now!
[hostage screams]
man: Let's go, move forward. Let's go!
Alexander: Get the hostages out!
I'll meet you at the rendezvous!
man: Copy. Let's go!
[grunts]
[groans]
Commander: Extraction's clear. Hostages are safe.
Bravo, get back to the chopper, now!
[pants]
Alexander: Copy.
[grunts]
woman [over radio]: Bravo, do you copy?
[Alexander grunts]
Alexander: Who is this?
woman: Listen, there are more hostages headed towards you.
- I'm a mile out. What're they doing out here?
woman: It doesn't matter.
You've got one seat in the chopper.
Choose one of the hostages. One!
Prioritize any Americans.
Go!
[♪]
[sighs]
[panting]
[boy whimpers]
[boy coughs]
- Hey.
It's okay.
[Alexander speaking]
[in English] What's your name?
[speaking Belarusian]
[in English] I'm gonna get you out of here.
Come here.
[Alexander speaking Belarusian]
You're safe.
You're safe now.
[pants]
woman: Wait!
Wait, please! Please! Please--
- Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hey!
- Please take me with you!
I'm an American citizen. Please!
woman: Choose one of the hostages.
One!
[♪]
Alexander: I really enjoy my role.
I'm just looking for opportunities
to grow within the organization.
That's terrible.
I like working Downstairs,
uh, but I wanna get back into the field because--
because I have a strong skill set for operational work.
[sighs]
Come on.
interviewer: How long were you Special Forces?
Alexander: Two years.
interviewer: Why'd they pull you from the field?
- I was just assigned to a desk job one day.
No one ever told me why.
- And you've been an Intelligence Analyst
at The Orphanage for two years, correct?
That's right.
interviewer: Public cover story is you're a researcher
at the Essex Library, yes?
Alexander: That's correct.
interviewer: And now you work Downstairs
in our North Korean surveillance program, yeah?
Alexander: Yes, I'm an analyst,
but that's why I'm here
interviewing for Operation Poseidon.
I believe my skill sets are more than just listening
and translating conversations.
interviewer: Sounds like you don't like your job very much.
Alexander: I just think I can do more
than what I've been allowed to do.
[sighs]
I wanna be an Upstairs Field Operative.
interviewer: The Upstairs watches
the other clandestine organizations
and internal affairs.
Some people would have a problem
with that kind of work.
You?
[sighs]
- I just want to know
that what I do for my country matters.
- We'll be making our decision soon.
Oh, one more thing.
I saw something on your DOD file
about a panic attack you suffered
shortly after a mission in Belarus?
[♪]
woman: Wait! Please! Please--
Please help me...
- One time thing?
[boy speaking Belarusian]
woman: Please, get me out of here! Please!
- Yeah.
Never happened again.
[indistinct chatter]
[sighs]
[announcement chime]
man over PA: Due to construction,
this train is being temporarily held
at the Cole Street Station while we wait
for the eastbound Dupont Circle train
to clear the platform.
This will be a temporary delay.
Please refrain from exiting the train at this time.
[indistinct chatter]
Alexander: Then the migraine just went away. It was instant.
Ike: Interesting. Yeah, it's something about
the signals being blocked.
- Yeah, the electromagnetism. - Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
- Or maybe you're one of those people
who's super sensitive. - Maybe.
Trevor: Hey, do you guys remember our friend, Rogan?
So, what's crazy-- - Steven:...traveling a lot...
Ike: Yeah, it's-- it's been insane. You know...
Steven:...and then I have to plan
my dad's seventieth birthday...
[indistinct conversations]
[laughter]
[indistinct conversation]
- Um, I should probably get going.
- Aw, no, really? - No--
Trevor: Hey, stay awhile. - Thank you for this.
Um, it was nice.
- We'll probably all go soon, too.
- Yeah. For sure.
- All right. Bye, guys. - See ya, buddy.
Alex: Take care. Denise: Take care.
[indistinct chatter]
[indistinct conversation]
woman: You know, if you're into her,
you could always send over a drink.
- That's my ex-fiancée.
- Oh.
- [chuckles] - Well--
- Yeah. - [sighs]
- Now I got to hear the story.
- Those are the, uh, friends we made together as a couple.
I still think they haven't taken a side.
One of them got a text. [sighs]
I assumed it was my ex asking what they were up to,
and I figured she wouldn't join
if she knew that I was here, so...
I left.
- That's noble.
Then you stuck around and made it less noble.
- I guess I just wanted to see if I was right, you know?
- Hmm.
You know, it's funny. My dad used to work homicide.
He, uh--
Well, he was very obsessive, actually.
He had the highest clearance rate
in the entire precinct.
His buddies always thought he was trying to show them up.
- Hmm. - But they didn't get it.
- No.
No, he wasn't competing with them.
- Exactly.
He was trying to prove something to himself.
Because that's the voice that keeps you up at night.
- Hmm.
- Yeah, something tells me you understand that.
On the house.
Michelle.
- Alexander.
- See ya around.
[inhales sharply]
[exhales]
[indistinct chatter]
- I'd expect a former sniper
to be better at hiding in a crowd.
- I didn't see you slip out. - I know.
They think I'm in the bathroom.
I figured you were almost out.
How have the panic attacks been?
- Manageable.
Still unpredictable.
- They also said inside you started having migraines?
[chuckles]
- Wow, came up quick, huh? - When did the migraines start?
- I don't know, Doctor Kasperian.
Two months ago, maybe?
- Everything okay?
- It's just some stress at work, okay?
That's all.
- Your work at the research library?
Where you can't let them know that you have panic attacks
for which you take anti-anxiety medication?
Someday you'll meet someone you can truly be yourself with.
Jealous of her already.
This is the last time.
Find another way to get the pills.
Or, you know, actually talk to someone
about all the stuff you don't ever talk about.
[man speaking Korean over headphones]
[woman speaking Korean over headphones]
[knocking at door]
- Briefing's been moved up.
Something went wrong with the Asset.
I may need to forward you all the SIGINT
in case this doesn't get wrapped up before I have to go.
- You're going Upstairs.
- Yeah.
Yeah, I'm running point on Intelligence for Poseidon.
- Congratulations.
I didn't realize they had made their choices already.
- Oh, shit, you applied too.
Listen, you're one of the better analysts here.
And you being first-generation American,
it just adds slightly more risk, statistically-speaking.
I'm just sayin' how it is.
- No, no. It's, uh--
It's nice to hear someone say it out loud for once.
- Anytime.
[man groaning]
[man gasping]
[grunts]
[♪]
- That was from Choi's phone last night.
His body was found outside Pyongyang this morning.
This was a targeted kill.
They discovered he was working with us.
Our intel chain is compromised.
And Upstairs has taken on direct oversight.
The Tachyon program is being shut down.
Also, you should know
that Upstairs is triggering a review
of all personnel in this room.
- Why are we getting reviewed?
- Because we've lost three Assets in North Korea
in the past four months.
So, either our communications has been hacked
in some new, undetectable way...
or someone's turned on us.
This is an Upstairs problem now.
If someone here is compromised,
they probably already know who it is.
So, I wouldn't worry about it.
Unless you worked on all three Assets.
Frances: The router's clear.
So was his laptop.
Yeah, we're combing through his phone,
but so far, nothing.
Oh, migraine's back?
If Choi had been hacked,
my teams would've been able to tell.
- What if it's something experimental?
- This isn't your problem to solve, Alexander.
You did your job. I wouldn't worry about it.
- All three Assets had different operators,
different collection methods, different schedules.
The only thing they had in common was The Orphanage.
- And you had access to all three files.
- The Directors, the Tachyon Team Leader,
and one analyst. Me.
- Now you just sound paranoid. [chuckles]
- If they were looking into me,
how would I know?
- I just analyze signals, Alexander.
I am the wrong person to ask about intrigue.
[♪]
I'm sure it'll all be fine.
You get some rest. I'm sure you'll feel better.
[♪]
- [breathing heavily] woman: Bravo,
there are more hostages headed toward you.
Prioritize any Americans.
[boy speaking Belarusian]
[heartbeat pulsing]
[gasps]
- Wait! Wait! Please!
[gasps]
woman: Choose one of the hostages.
One!
[pants]
[exhales]
[indistinct chatter]
- [gasps] Sorry.
- My fault.
[♪]
Guess who almost ran me over?
Parker: Yeah, I saw.
[Ellie sighs]
- What's he doing now?
- Uh, writing the post-assessment report.
- He's trying to act like everything's normal?
- As soon as he's done, shut him down.
Ellie: Copy that, ma'am.
[knocking at door]
- Hey. What's goin' on?
- We're headed home.
Make sure you leave all your files.
Anybody who worked on Tachyon is on hold
until we're all cleared.
[♪]
Nothin' to worry about. Just routine.
- Precision! Precision.
And focus!
They're not gonna remember the wait.
They will remember the bite.
Well, get to work.
- It's good, Victor.
- Fuck you, "It's good." It's superb!
"Good."
How's, uh-- How's the game?
- It carries on without you.
- How dare it.
- Do you ever miss it?
- Not even a little bit.
And constantly.
- You know, when most people retire,
they don't immediately take another job.
- Retirement's not for people in our line of work.
Too much silence and the mind starts to wander.
So...
what's up?
Personal life? Work? What?
- Work.
- Oh. And how are our mutual friends doing?
- They're worried about a potential problem
inside the house.
- I see. [sighs]
That's a unique problem for them.
[indistinct chatter]
There are things you need to know
about the place you work.
- No, I-- I already know about Upstairs.
I know we watch the other agencies.
- Yeah, uh--
But have you figured out how far they'll go?
Listen to me, I was there.
I was in Washington. I was in the White House.
In a private back room when this idea was born,
that the watchmen needed a watcher.
Hidden from the normal chain of command.
At that time, there was a real concern
about the power of the intelligence community.
And so, she built The Orphanage, from the ground up.
- You're talking about...
St. George?
I thought she was just a legend.
- No, she's real.
Hiding in plain sight. And, yeah,
she fashioned the Upstairs as Internal Affairs,
but think about what that means.
If you compromise them, you compromise ev--
- You compromise everyone they're watching.
- Yeah, you got the whole deck.
And every single American intelligence agency
would be at risk.
So, how far would they go?
They cannot tolerate betrayal.
They will not hesitate to remove liabilities,
permanently.
- And if they were looking into me,
how worried should I be?
- Are you-- Are you sure?
Well then, I would think about
taking a long trip, far, far away--
- Unless running made me seem guilty, which I'm not.
- No, no, no. It-- It's-- There's no due process here!
If they suspect that you're compromised,
you're dead!
Alexander, I've known you your whole life,
and I know the struggle that your parents imparted to you
to prove you can be trusted here.
Now you have to choose between your allegiance...
and your life.
[sighs]
Preston: So, uh,
what's the weather like up there?
- It's supposed to rain tomorrow.
Preston: Hey, have you told him already?
Did you tell him? - How? He never calls.
- What? Told me what? Preston: I'm, uh--
I'm driving in the Veterans Day parade
in honor of you. [chuckles]
I wrote 'em a letter and told 'em about...
what your service meant to our family,
and just how proud we are of you.
Alexander: That's great. - Yeah.
- Hey, listen, um--
I'm gonna be doing some traveling for work.
Uh, it might be a while before I see you again.
And I know I don't say this enough, but, uh--
[speaking Mandarin]
- English, please, Alexander.
- I love you.
You gave me everything I needed.
- We love you too, honey.
- Bye.
[cell phone buzzes]
[♪]
[indistinct chatter]
woman: They found the leak. [chuckles]
- Okay.
Our Asset turned on us.
And based on a suggestion in Alexander's post-assessment,
Upstairs looked at certain channels inside the SSD.
Now, the working theory
is that Choi got cold feet about betraying his country,
gave up the other two Assets to barter for his own life.
Of course, they killed him, too.
Mystery solved.
There'll be a formal report down the line,
but for now, at least we know
the operational chain is not compromised.
- Sir, all these data sources have been redacted.
- That is correct.
- How do we know for sure
that this intel can be trusted?
Someone could be trying to cover their tracks.
- Upstairs is very confident in their findings. Okay?
You'll all get new assignments next week,
and Godspeed to whoever Cobb's in charge of on Poseidon.
[laughter]
Alexander, hold up a second.
[sighs]
You are headed Upstairs.
You report right away.
- What's "Claymore"?
- I have no idea.
But apparently, it comes from the top,
so I guess your post-report impressed somebody.
- But my report never suggested
that Choi could've flipped on us.
- No, but you told us where to look,
and we found the evidence that he did.
- Sir,
Choi reported to us on everyone in that lab.
Including the other two Assets.
If he had known that they were working with us,
why would he have wasted time reporting on them?
[sighs]
Clearly, he didn't know.
So, how could he have been the source of the leak?
Are you saying Upstairs got it wrong?
Or there's something we missed.
Or our counterparts have a new way
of gathering information
and we're already behind the curve.
- If Upstairs isn't worried about it,
then they know something that we don't.
And I'd learn to live with that if I were you.
Look, Alexander, this...
is a good thing.
Okay?
[sighs]
[indistinct chatter]
- Ellie. Hi.
I'll be your admin support for Claymore.
- Alexander. Nice to meet you.
- Uh-oh. Are you charming?
Don't be charming. I don't have time for an office crush.
- Sorry.
- We're headed to the Eisenhower Wing.
- What's that?
- It's brand new. Don't touch anything.
Welcome to Upstairs.
[door beeps and clicks]
[♪]
[beeps]
This is Claymore.
You'll run operations.
Director Moira is handling intelligence personally.
Start reading. You are behind.
We're valid-testing a source
to see if their intel can be trusted.
- Who's the source?
- Codename is MOSIAC.
This has got to be something big.
Congratulations to us all.
[gun firing]
woman: Bravo, do you copy?
[Alexander pants]
Alexander: Who is this?
woman: Listen, there are more hostages
headed towards you.
woman: You've got one seat in the chopper.[echoing]
Choose one of the hostages.
One![echoing]
Prioritize any Americans.
[boy speaking Belarusian]
Alexander: I'm gonna get you out of here.
woman: Wait! [gasps]
Wait, please! Please! Please!
- Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hey!
- Please take me with you!
Please![cries]
Help me! - I can't!
I only have room for one.
- Help me, please! - I'm--
- I-- I-- I'm-- I'm an American citizen!
- I can't leave him.
- Please! Please help me get out of here!
- I'm sorry. There's another helo inbound, okay?
Just follow the tree line!
- No, they'll kill me! Please!
- Take him! [grunts]
There's more people back there! Americans!
Commander: Okay, we're sending the other helo down.
[blades whirring]
[♪]
[sighs]
[♪]
- What's on your mind, Cowboy?
- How many times have you said that to a customer?
- Lots.
But this time I really mean it.
What's going on? Bad day?
- I got a promotion at work.
It's, like, everything I ever wanted.
- Wow, yeah, that sounds awful.
- Yeah, but when was the last time
everything in your day went exactly right?
- Lucky breaks happen for people all the time.
But you feel guilty
'cause you think you don't deserve it.
- Mm-hmm. - Which you don't.
You don't deserve the lucky breaks.
You don't deserve the shitty ones, either.
The trick is just...
figuring out how to accept that it just happened to be you.
- Hmm. Wow.
You are very good at your job.
- I know.
Now go. Enjoy your life. Get out of here.
[gasps] Please just help me get out of here!
[gun firing and explosions booming]
I'm-- I'm an American citizen, please!
Don't leave me!
Please, don't leave me!
Something wrong?
- Hey, weird question.
Do you like to travel?
Michelle: Uh--
I-- I-- I've never left the country,
but I've always thought that I would like to.
You know, see the world.
- Hmm.
- You?
- I used to travel a lot.
- Well...
call me sometime.
You can tell me where I should go.
[tense music playing]
[inhales sharply]
woman [over radio]: Bravo, do you copy?
There are more hostages headed towards you.
Alexander: Whoa, whoa, hey, hey!
woman: You've got one seat in the chopper.
Choose one of the hostages.
- Choose one.
[sighs]
Come on, you're safe.
I only have room for one.
Alexander: Whoa, whoa, hey, easy!
Michelle: Please! Please! Please, help me!
I'm-- I'm an American citizen, please!
Please take me with you! Thank God!
Alexander: First of all, I can't take anymore.
- There's no room. Michelle: What?
Alexander: I only have room for one.
Michelle: Please take me!
Alexander: I can't leave him. I'm sorry.
Michelle: They'll kill me! Please!
[suspenseful music playing]
[cell phone buzzes]
[sighs]
[♪]
- Thank you.
- Alexander.
Hi.
- Hey.
- I didn't see you scan in.
Do you need anything?
- I'm good. Thanks.
[♪]
[suspenseful music playing]
[♪]
- Shit.
P-Punch in on his screen.
I thought we redacted this file.
[sighs]
I need Director Moira. Now.
[♪]
Ops Tech: Send in Ellie to interrupt him.
Parker: That's too obvious.
We have to let him finish.
[static crackling]
man: All right, we have visuals.
[crackling continues]
woman: Checking audio.
Ops Tech: Does he know?
[sighs]
[♪]
[beeping and whirring]
He didn't figure it out. [sighs] We're good.
- Or it's an act.
- Either way, get a wet team to his apartment.
Nobody in or out.
Pull the briefing into the Cage.
I only want him in there.
Tell Remy to be in the library.
If this guy bolts...
we put him down.
[♪]
- Hey. - Gonna grab a coffee.
- Oh, I will get it for you.
- I don't mind. You want anything?
- Nope.
- The coffee cart's the other way.
Where's he going?
Signals Tech: He's headed for the elevator bank.
- Is he going to the ground floor?
Signals Tech: Yes, sir.
[♪]
- Remy, are you there?
- I'm in position.
- Intercept him, please.
Make it discreet.
Remy: Understood.
[sighs]
[tense music playing]
- Everyone wait!
He'll come back.
[tense music continues playing]
[sighs]
- He's heading back.
- Where is she right now?
[classical orchestral music playing]
Ma'am?
We have a problem.
- What are you doing back down here?
- You were right. [sighs]
I was being paranoid.
And it was starting to affect my work.
I'm not gonna let it anymore.
Just wanted to thank you for your advice.
I hope we get to work together again.
- Oh. Me, too.
[♪]
[Alexander sighs]
- Ready for the secure briefing?
This way.
Briefing's in the Cage now. You ever been?
Complete signal blackout.
It's where I go to meditate. You will love it.
You okay?
- Yeah. Yeah, just a-- a bad migraine.
[static buzzing]
- Have fun.
[buzzing stops]
[sighs]
[door opens]
- How long have you willingly been committing treason
against the United States government?
- What? - How many months?
- Zero.
- Then why stuff a pistol in a book
and leave it in the library?
Why would you run if you're innocent?
- Because you're still watching me.
- How long ago did they hack you?
- You're telling me it's real?
- You thought it was real enough to write that
without your own eyes and ears knowing?
- I had to assume it was true until I was sure.
- Here you are on Monday.
We checked everyone else in the building.
You're the only one with this.
That's a Wi-Fi signal
streaming from your head.
Microscopic nanites in your bloodstream
attaching to the receptors in your brain,
broadcasting everything you see and hear.
Someone's been watching and listening through you.
You're the mole, Alexander.
- I didn't know.
- In this room, the signal is blocked.
This is a chance to save your own life.
Did they approach you after it happened?
Or were you in on it from the beginning?
You can be honest. Alexander: No.
I would never knowingly betray my own country.
- Let's pretend you're telling the truth,
and you didn't know until you read that report today.
Then you spent...
forty-seven minutes reading other reports
before you disposed of all the materials?
If you thought you were hacked,
why did you keep reading?
- Because if I was right, then they were watching.
If I changed my behavior in any way,
then they would know.
I had to convince whoever was on the other side
that I didn't suspect it. - Why?
- Because the most valuable thing in intelligence
is a line to the enemy.
If they think the hack is still undiscovered,
we can use that.
[Alexander sighs]
Look, I understand
that I might not walk out of this room.
All I ask is that you tell my parents
that I worked in clandestine services
and I was killed in the line of duty.
That would mean a great deal to them.
- Thank you for your time.
- [sighs] Did you believe him? - Yes.
Because he said exactly what I wanted to hear.
Exactly.
So, either we got lucky
and they hacked the perfect person for us,
or he's in on it.
- Where'd the name "Hale" come from?
It was "Han" originally, right?
- My parents...
arrived here before I was born.
They fought very hard to fit in
and so they decided to change our family name.
To sound more American.
- It's uncommon for Chinese immigrants
to let go of their family name.
Staying under the radar--
You don't have to say.
We have three questions that need to be answered.
One:
If you knew you were innocent,
why'd you go back and look at the files?
- Because it matters to me
whether or not my country thinks I'm a traitor.
I have some questions, too.
The bartender.
- One of ours.
- Was she a part of a test on me?
A-- A Copenhagen test?
- It appears so.
- Why was the test ordered on me?
- We don't know.
It wasn't us.
But someone at the Department of Defense
had some doubts about you, apparently.
- Is that why I was pulled from the field?
- That's why I would've pulled you from the field.
- Did The Orphanage hack me?
- No.
- Was your plan to use me
and not tell me what was happening?
- Yes.
If you didn't know you were hacked,
you could never mess up and give the game away.
Not really an option now, huh?
Far as I see it, we have two choices.
We can either get you to safety
and attempt to remove what's in your brain,
but you would be done with intelligence forever.
- Or we keep the hack open.
- Yeah. That.
You see and hear what we want you to.
From this moment forward, your life is mine.
Every single person you know, or love, or meet,
will become part of our game.
No quitting, no retiring.
If we don't succeed,
you'll be dead.
You're not gonna have time to figure out if you trust us.
And, unfortunately,
I don't have time to figure out if I trust you.
Which leads me to my second question:
Do you know why we don't have time?
- Because a standard briefing runs around thirty minutes.
And if I'm blacked out for too long,
whoever's on the other side
will start to get suspicious.
- Which gives us about,
oh, three minutes.
So,
last question:
Are you in?
We'll have to communicate with you out in the open.
Sending you messages and instructions
in ways the enemy won't suspect.
You'll feel yourself questioning
whether what you're experiencing
is real or not. Don't.
It'll make you crazy. Just accept it all.
Only key personnel will know the truth about you.
Everyone else here believes
that Claymore is an actual operation.
The first step is to figure out how this happened.
That'll tell us when it started
and how much intel has been compromised.
Cobb: Alexander.
What're you doing up here?
- New assignment.
- Which is? - Claymore.
- Can't say much more than that yet.
Moira: Until then,
stick to your routine.
Nothing to arouse suspicion
or make them think anything has changed.
We need whoever is watching
to think that you are in the clear now.
We need them to relax.
Then we use you to find them and destroy them.
- Mm... too thin.
[sighs]
[laughs]
So, about your text earlier.
- The situation resolved itself.
There was a secure briefing.
They're convinced the problem in the house
wasn't anyone they knew.
- Good. Good.
But stay alert.
Nothing is ever entirely as it seems,
especially in that place.
And if anything ever comes up,
you know you can tell me.
Always.
[♪]
[suspenseful music playing]
[inaudible dialogue]
[instrumental music playing]