All right.
We're ready when you are.
Should I cover my hair?
What do you think?
Ah, it's not gonna
make a difference to them,
and it'll probably just
alienate people over here.
Now? You ready?
My name is Helen Sterling
and my son Andrew Sterling
is a journalist.
I am not supposed to
be saying this to you
but I have money for you.
I'm in the process
of transferring to you
everything I have in the world.
I'm begging you.
I'm sorry.
-Oh, no. -Sheila: No,
no, no, you're fine.
Just, just be yourself.
Myself doesn't make videos.
You know what,
the eye line is off anyway.
-Let's pretend these are right
underneath you. -
All right,
you'll feel some tickles now.
A little cold.
Hi, you've reached the assistant
special agent in-charge Eric Walsh.
Please leave a message. If it's an
emergency, please dial 0 for assistance.
Agent Walsh,
this is Helen Sterling.
I wanted to follow up because
I haven't heard from you in,
I don't know, I guess,
it's been a week now.
Sorry, I missed your call.
My phone was charging.
I have it with me now.
Could you call me back, whenever?
It doesn't matter what time.
It's Helen Sterling.
Um, it keeps
going to voicemail,
so I guess you're
out of the office today.
If you check this,
will you please let me know?
I tried dialing 0, by
the way, but the operator
didn't know who
to transfer me to, so...
Okay, just,
will you call me back?
Good evening, Millie!
I've got your antibiotic
for you.
Here you go.
That's good.
Hey.
Can you finish up in here
and meet me outside, please?
Mmm-hmm.
What's up?
-You have a visitor.
- Me?
Yeah, a young woman,
Sheila, I think.
Sheila.
You know it's not a good time
to have personal visits, Helen.
She's in 438.
I'll see what she wants.
Make it quick. You know we're
in the middle of an audit.
Right, boss.
Merry Christmas!
You sounded terrible in there!
Do not eat sushi
in Lebanon, trust me.
How long has it been this way?
It started, like,
that last week I was there,
so like, I don't know,
two weeks.
And of course you don't
have any kind of insurance?
Welcome to
the freelance economy.
Yeah. Lie down.
Okay.
Andy and I could both
win Pulitzers
and still not make enough money
to even have to file taxes.
Well, I offered to pay
Andy's insurance.
But oh, no.
He's too stubborn.
Too short-sighted.
Well, I finally heard back from
my friend at the Red Cross.
No luck there.
But there is someone else.
Yeah, well, let's not talk
about this now, okay?
Helen, I'm worried.
I feel like you
keeping this all quiet
is just making it harder on you.
It's kinda making it
harder on all of us.
Sorry, I'll be right back.
Oh, shit!
- Hey.
- Hey.
Here, this is for you.
Take these now, and then
two a day for ten days.
And next time,
if there is a next time,
don't just show up.
Call me first.
I'm not getting you
in trouble, am I?
I can handle it.
So who was the person
that you were saying,
-not the Red Cross, but somebody?
- Yeah.
I was finally able to get the
number of Leo Spencer's mother.
She's not the easiest person
to talk to, but...
Please call her.
I know they told you
that you can't tell anyone.
But Charlotte can help.
I'll think about it.
Leo is part of that same club
that Andy and I are in.
So we helped Charlotte
when Leo was in trouble.
Andy never mentioned a club.
It's a really amazing
group of people.
So everyone pools their
resources together online.
So you know where's safe
to go, where to eat,
contacts, translators,
stuff like that.
It's called the Viper Club.
"The Viper Club"?
Yeah, well...
I didn't come up with the name.
Can I just stay here for like...
- Ten minutes.
- Okay.
Yeah!
What's up?
Can you cover for me?
I thought I could power through,
but I'm burnt out. This is
my third double this week.
Helen...
I know, I know, I know.
But I took Carmelyn's
because it was her birthday...
Hmm.
-I'll cover for you.
- Thank you.
- Can you please get some rest?
- Yes.
Wait!
Step on the yellow line.
What brings you all the
way down to the city, Miss Sterling?
They sent me an e-mail.
Fantastic, they finally
wrote to you directly.
We have to pass this along
to our Intelligence Analysts...
But we'll respond to it today.
I understand
your sense of urgency,
but this is not
going to happen today.
No, it's going to happen today.
I mean, my...
They reached out,
that means my son's still alive.
It's not up to me. There's a
protocol we have to follow.
An internal report
has to be generated.
What does that mean?
Helen,
there are
a lot of people involved.
And of course, we need access
-to your e-mail accounts...
- Oh, sure.
So we can see where the e-mail
might have been sent from.
Okay. And, um, I took off
from work today
so I can help you with this.
I'm sorry.
Nobody asked you to do that.
Nobody "asked" me?
Nobody asked me...
-This is my child.
- I know this is upsetting,
but we don't know
who we're dealing with yet.
Even the State Department
is struggling
to get information,
and they already have
people over there.
This is a delicate process.
We don't have time for delicate.
We're going to get Andy
home, Helen.
You just have to trust
the process.
I'm not leaving here
until we respond.
Let me see what's possible.
Can I have a water, please?
I'm fine. What did he say?
I'm going to forward you
a recommended response
which you will put
into your own words.
Send it to me.
We'll approve it
and then you send it to them.
When?
Soon.
How soon?
We need to control
the pace of communication.
Now, this might sound
counter-intuitive,
but in our experience
with terrorist organizations,
we've found that it's best
to take things slowly.
You haven't told anybody, right?
No.
Good. Keep it that way.
One more thing.
Money cannot exchange hands.
That's illegal.
What?
Well, how do we get him back then?
What's the plan?
I know this is hard,
but we're going to
take it one step at a time.
You didn't answer me.
I promise you,
this is our top priority.
You've reached the voicemail
of Charlotte Spencer.
Please leave a message
at the tone.
Um, Charlotte, hi.
This is Helen.
I'm sorry to keep missing you.
I'm Sheila's friend
from the club.
I really need some advice.
Um...
So if you have a moment, I'd
appreciate you returning my call.
Thank you.
Can I get you anything?
Uh, water, please.
Still or sparkling?
Tap's good, uh, no ice, please.
- Helen.
- Charlotte.
Let me be the first to say,
with total conviction,
that I actually do know
what you're going through.
First off,
I invited you to meet me here,
so I absolutely insist
on treating you.
-Oh, that's not necessary...
- I said I insist.
I'm sure you're used to
getting your way.
Well, I have been told
I'm difficult to refuse.
... Good afternoon, ladies.
Afternoon.
We will have
the Afternoon Tea Service
and two glasses of champagne.
Very good, madam.
Just because
we're meeting for tea
doesn't mean
we can't drink champagne.
So, how are you holding up?
Honestly, I'm not sure.
-He's been gone... Andy, yes?
- Yes, Andy.
He was taken how long ago?
Uh, we lost contact with him,
two and a half months Friday.
Who else is in the loop?
Sheila. Now, you.
But Sheila tells me you've
been in touch with the FBI?
Oh, yes. Yeah.
And they've been
utterly useless.
Well, they're very nice guys.
Well, that's part
of the problem.
-You think so?
- Well, yes. They talk nice.
But they don't do anything
unless they're
absolutely forced.
Ladies.
-Shall I pour the tea?
- No.
- Enjoy.
- Thank you.
To the safe return of your son.
Thank you.
To Andy.
Can I ask you
a personal question?
Sure.
Why haven't you
reached out more?
They told me
not to tell anybody.
- Who, the FBI?
- Yeah.
Oh, that's so stupid.
Well, they said his life
would be in danger.
Well, I'm sorry, Helen.
If they think they can
manipulate you, they will.
I realize that.
I'm sorry.
This brings it all back
to when Leo was taken.
I guess I have
some unresolved anger.
How is Leo?
Good days and bad days.
He's teaching Media Studies
at Stanford.
By the way, I looked at
some of Andy's videos online.
They're really very impressive.
I... I haven't watched them.
You should.
It's really very powerful.
You know,
all the bombs going off
and being shot at
and everything, I just...
I can't.
I feel the same way
about Leo's work.
When he was a student,
he talked about journalism
like it was a sacred calling.
I was so proud of him.
I encouraged him.
Then when he shipped himself
off to Kandahar,
I'd wished we had canceled our
subscription to the Times years ago.
I don't really know
where Andy gets it.
Well, aren't you
an emergency room nurse?
So?
You don't see the parallels?
No, I don't put my life
on the line.
I have to ask you.
How did you get him back?
Hmm. Certainly not by
being quiet about it.
Who'd you talk to?
We have friends who have friends.
Yeah, I don't have
those kind of friends.
Well, you don't know
unless you ask.
Nobody I know
has that kind of money.
What kind of money?
Ransom money.
We didn't pay a ransom
to release Leo.
Did the military go in?
No, no, they don't do that.
I feel like you're telling me
to read between the lines,
but I don't even see
the lines, so I don't get it.
Well,
there's a balance to be struck
between asserting yourself
and coming on too strong.
Okay.
I have to admit,
I sometimes wonder
if I would have done better
had I been more
anonymous myself.
What does that mean?
Well, the more people who know,
the more false leads you get.
The more e-mails,
from Pakistan, Qatar,
telling you that for
$10,000 in Bitcoin
they can give you
the GPS coordinates
of where the terrorist
is keeping your son.
And maybe they can.
Maybe they do know.
So you have to deal with the
consequences of your decision.
Do you scrape together enough
money to spread around some
dubious Middle Eastern
bribery network?
Or,
do you just decide to swallow
the awful thought
that maybe you could have
done something more?
Can I ask you something?
Excuse me. Excuse me,
I have a question.
I may be, uh, wiring
a large sum of money
to another country, and I...
How do you do that from here?
Oh, no I already saw
this form online.
And what it says is that, uh,
if you want to transfer over
$10,000 internationally,
you have to get some
kind of permission,
so that's why I'm here.
To ask you for permission.
Where's the money going?
Let's say, um, Syria.
Could you send a large
amount of money to Syria?
S-Y-R-I-A.
Nope.
Turkey?
Call the number on the form.
No, look, how much
could I send to Turkey?
- Next in line, please.
- No, not next in line.
I asked you a fucking question.
-Can I... Can I...
- Oh.
-The bedrooms?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Water pressure's really strong.
Can we list it
for a little bit more?
Well, it's what
the market will hold.
I mean,
it may even be a teardown.
Can we do it without
a sign on the lawn?
Not if you want it to sell.
Look, Miss Sterling, you told me
you wanted to sell this urgently.
Significant
turn of events today,
as the last Islamic
stronghold of Syria,
the city of Abu Kamal
has been liberated.
You're seeing photos
here from the area
where government forces
report that militias from
both Syria and Iran
have joined forces.
Oh, thank you, sweetie.
-Do you know where my daughter is?
-What's your daughter's name?
- The name's Kayla.
-Her name's Kayla?
- Yes.
She went in the ambulance
before me.
-Well, we're gonna find her.
- Okay.
We're gonna find her.
Let's see here.
I let her go in the
ambulance without me.
Right. Well, that's
the right thing to do.
We're going to find her.
Sit down.
Anybody call anesthesia?
Multiple gunshot wounds.
Coming in.
We have seven
victims, expecting multiple traumas.
We need more ambulances.
Please. Please.
Please!
BP is a 100 over 70.
Tell me the damn... -Yes.
We need to intubate immediately.
Has anyone tried to
contact any of their parents?
He just walked in
and just started shooting.
He's not gonna make it, Reza.
Helen.
Reza, call it.
I'm the doctor.
Dr. Rahimi, there are other
patients that need you.
Time of death, 2:33.
Michelle, cross-check
and get it to the OR.
It's time.
Get cleaned up.
Jerry, can I just take a minute?
I'm sorry.
What are you going to say
to the family?
I don't know.
You've got to be clear.
You've got to be strong.
This is the worst news
they're ever going to hear,
and nothing you can say
is going to make it better.
Be clear, be strong.
Practice on me.
Um...
I... I regret
to inform you...
No, stop. It's not about
you and your regret.
Be clear. Be strong.
Your son didn't make it.
We did everything we could.
I'm so very sorry for your loss.
Good.
Do it just like that.
I'm looking for
the parents of...
Your son didn't make it.
He died. We did
everything we could...
What are you saying?
What are you talking about?
You didn't do anything!
You didn't do anything!
Eighty kinds of oil
at the Hannaford's now,
this is the only one
that's any good.
But I love the way
they've remodeled.
It looks really great.
Right?
It's a consumer's paradise.
They throw away more food in a day
than I saw in a month in Kabul.
Well, they do donate a lot
of it to the group home.
They're very good with
the community that way.
It's good PR
that costs them nothing.
Killed at least 40 people
and wounded dozens more...
You don't want to hear it?
Not secondhand.
Okay, why are you so angry?
I'm not angry, Mom.
I'm frustrated.
-I'm totally useless here.
Baby, you're not useless.
I don't want to hurt
your feelings,
but there's no way you can
understand what I'm going through.
Well, how can I understand it
when you don't talk to me
and you keep it all
locked inside you?
It's not enough for me here.
It's never been.
This life...
This way of living.
I'm suffocating.
Well...
Maybe it's time for you
to get your own place.
Oh! Where?
Downtown Oneonta?
So I can be close to the action?
Another meth-head arrested
and I get the front page
article in the Daily Star?
Oh, you always looked down on
everyone and everything here.
Right? You're so much
better than everybody
and I'm just stupid
and I can't understand
'cause I'm just dumb!
Damn it, you want this
to be about you!
I'm not your partner, Mom.
I love you,
but I'm sick of feeling
responsible for you
every time I make a decision.
Oh, please.
Make a decision.
I would love for you to make
a decision as a grown-up!
Go ahead. And just don't
drag me into your drama.
I have made a decision.
I'm going back.
You know what I'm confused about...
And maybe I'm wrong,
but I thought that you would
be a lot more used to violence,
coming from Iran.
- Iran?
- Yeah.
No. They arrest you
for having a gun.
Really?
Right. Yeah.
Anyone in the mood
for some day-old cake?
I'll pass.
Helen, um...
Is Andy coming home
for Christmas?
January.
You want me to cover
Christmas shift?
Mmm, am I that obvious?
You got it, boss,
but you owe me.
Thank you.
All right, I'm going in.
Oh, hold on.
Wait for me.
Good morning, Amy.
How is your arm today?
Jeez, I keep forgetting
I got shot.
Arm's fine.
Kayla is stable.
Maybe you want to get some rest.
Am I on some kind of
painkillers or something?
It's weird, 'cause
I can't feel anything.
I mean, like, anything.
Amy, how's your shoulder?
It's fine. I think you
should check on my daughter.
I'm trying.
If I could just...
Amy, why don't you come with me,
we'll get a cup of coffee
and let Dr. Rahimi
do his tests.
Dr. Rahimi's a good doctor.
I can't even understand
what he's saying.
Well, I'm going to tell you
something that I probably shouldn't,
and that is that
he has been spending
more time with Kayla than
any of this other patients.
I'm sorry. Uh, we need
you right away, Helen.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Um, I'll take a rain check
on the coffee,
and I'll find you
and explain to you
everything we're doing
with Kayla, okay?
- Okay, Helen.
- Okay.
Cafeteria's on the third floor.
-What's up?
- Auditor's on the way.
I need to get the snacks and
coffee out of the break room.
-All of our snacks?
- Yes, it's a mess in there.
Can you please sign off
the check sheets?
Yeah. Oh, shit. I thought I had.
I'm sorry.
It's okay. All right.
Thanks, Helen.
Good morning, Kayla.
It's December 5th.
Can you hear me?
I just sent it to you.
Did you get it?
That number can't be right.
They can't expect me
to raise $20 million.
Okay.
Yeah.
Yes, I understand.
Mom, I can't do this.
Would you like some coffee?
I'm good. Thanks.
Thank you for coming in,
Miss Sterling.
I hope it's not
too much trouble.
Oh, not at all. I've been trying
to see you for a while now.
And actually, I have an
appointment right across the plaza.
So you're going to be
seeing the FBI?
Yeah. Right after this.
You guys don't talk
to each other?
Is there anything
we should know?
Yeah, I got an e-mail.
Now, I know it's illegal
to pay any ransom,
but I was thinking,
what about a prisoner exchange?
I know that a soldier
that went AWOL
and got captured, that's
what you guys did there,
a prisoner exchange, right?
Apples and oranges.
Military and civilians.
It's entirely different when you're
sent over there with a uniform.
Oh. How is it
different, exactly?
Well, as I'm sure,
the FBI told you,
they consider this to be
a criminal investigation.
-Right.
- Businessmen, tourists,
they're over there on
their own volition.
Whereas with men and women
who are serving our country,
different rules
and practices apply.
But Andy was serving
our country.
He just wasn't in a uniform.
I mean, he wasn't
there on vacation.
Andrew was in a place
he should not have been.
A lot of people think the military
shouldn't be in that place.
Let's not debate politics.
It's not politics.
It's my son,
who is an American citizen.
Isn't it your job to protect
American citizens abroad?
That is a part of my job, yes.
My heart goes out to you,
as it does to your boy,
and every other person
in a conflict zone,
whether they volunteered,
or whether they found
themselves in a situation
they were not
adequately prepared for.
He's been a journalist for 15 years.
He was prepared.
-Then he knew the risks.
- Yes.
And I'm sure he wouldn't
want to risk other lives
on a military operation
that wasn't even guaranteed
to bring him home.
Those people have families, too.
So you feel it was Andy's
fault that he got captured,
and you won't risk sending
your people in to help him?
I hope you don't think
I'm suggesting that.
It sounds like it.
What are you doing?
Okay, look, this is
a very complicated process,
and it needs to be handled by
people that understand the region.
Right. Well,
who is that, then?
I don't want to
disparage the FBI,
but I do know from experience
what is effective
and what is not.
Then what is effective?
What is the plan?
What are you gonna do?
Unfortunately, Miss Sterling,
that information
is classified.
I'm his mother.
You can rest assured
knowing that we're doing
all that we can.
Now, maybe it would help us all
if you were to tell us what
progress the FBI has made.
You know what? You can
fucking ask them yourself.
So, State Department.
What did you guys
talk about over there?
Can't you guys
just talk to each other?
Maybe I should take things
into my own hands.
Be careful with that.
Oh, okay. I'll shut up and let
the grown-ups handle everything.
That's not what I meant.
You are a crucial part
of this investigation.
Yeah. Lying to everyone I know has
been vital to this investigation.
It's keeping Andy alive.
So...
You want me to negotiate
the price of my son's life
down further and further
on your behalf,
even though you have
no intention of paying it?
For what? Just to see
how low they'll go?
There's a science
to negotiating, Helen.
We study it.
The longer we stay
in communication with them,
the more we understand
who we're dealing with
and what they really want.
It's been three months.
What have you learned?
You have to trust us.
What do you think I've
been doing all this time,
while you guys just play cat
and mouse with those fuckers?
I swear to Christ, if
something happens to my child,
because you're waiting
to sign off on some form...
This is the response
we recommend.
Where it says Proof of Life,
you have to be very personal,
very specific.
It has to be a question
only you would know to ask,
and an answer
only he could answer.
I don't wanna fight.
You can smile.
Come on, Louganis, what you got?
What you got?
Oh! Oh, God!
Oh, you ready?
You ready?
Oh, my lord!
How do you excuse that?
Because I am not burning this.
Of course it's in focus.
Now if you were operating,
I don't know
it'd be much more
questionable to me.
Okay, all right, come here.
This is my best friend, Sam.
Say hello to the civilians.
Hello. Hello, civilians.
I love this man.
He's taught me
everything worth knowing.
Oh, then you're
in trouble, man.
We are here, having fun!
Classes have been
officially suspended here
in the city of Homs,
but every day, kids still gather
in the schoolyard for games.
Allahu Akbar!
As you can see,
these attacks make no
distinction between civilian
and military targets.
Forty percent of the
casualties here are, like Yana,
children under the age of 12.
And the children who survive
have lost their friends,
their school,
and their faith
that the most powerful
country in the world
will come to protect them.
Yeah. Charlotte?
Charlotte, this is Helen.
I...
I'm overwhelmed. I would
appreciate you returning my call.
All right, Kayla, I'm going to be
filling in for your mom tonight.
With The Sea of Knowledge.
"Now, it may be hard
to imagine it,
"but this land was
once so barren,
"it was called
the Kingdom of Salt.
"The lush green hills that we
walk today were once so dry
"and cracked that trees
could not grow here.
"No visitors had dared
enter the Kingdom,
"for it was said terrible
monsters roamed the land.
"But it was also said
that on the other side..."
Helen.
Let's talk in my office.
Helen, sit.
This isn't Helen's fault.
I forgot to sign the order.
It's both of you.
It's her access code and
your name is on the paper,
and there's no patient name,
and now,
the antibiotic count is short
in the middle of an audit.
It's not
Dr. Rahimi's fault.
It was Andy's ex-girlfriend,
and she didn't have insurance.
We're two quarters away from
shutting down an entire wing, Helen.
Well, I didn't become a nurse
to make a profit for a hospital.
Don't do that.
Do not make this personal,
it's not like you.
We're not in
the miracles business.
It's only luck and procedure.
And the minute you start falling
in love with the patients,
and reading to the patients,
making exceptions to the
procedures, you lose trust.
Are you okay, Helen? Is there
something going on with you?
I'm fine.
Keesha Thompson.
And some soup,
Mary. Thanks.
Here you go, Helen.
Thank you.
I'm here because I was
told you were overwhelmed.
Look, I worked in
the same region as Andy
just before he was taken.
I would have called first,
but Sheila said privacy
is important to you.
Yeah, so you
show up at my place of work?
It's not right that
they're forcing you
to keep this all to yourself.
Look, I don't want to
endanger him any further.
Well, secrecy isn't
going to help him.
We need the media and
public outrage to help us.
You need to go public with this.
The FBI explained to me...
I'm sure they told you
a lot of things,
but we don't think
Andy would want you
to trust the FBI to handle this.
When Leo was taken, they
sent in the FBI at first...
What... They sent in
the FBI for Leo?
Yes.
And it would have been comical if
it wasn't so utterly fucked up.
People get seen talking with
huge Americans with buzz cuts,
and two weeks later,
there's a local translator
getting beheaded on a video.
- On a video?
- Yes.
They make movies of this shit.
As a warning to anyone who's
thinking about aiding the infidels.
So you've spoken
with Charlotte Spencer?
Yeah, I helped get
the money across the border
for Leo's release.
She didn't pay ransom.
They all pay ransom.
Would you fucking
keep your voice down?
I wanted to get
those cochlear implants,
but I can't afford them.
I know. I guess
I could've picked
something less loud
to take pictures of.
Yeah, you could have picked a job
that wouldn't ruin your hearing
and put your life in danger.
Well...
For better or worse,
I have my people already.
And Andy is one of them.
We don't have a union.
We don't have
a news organization
providing a security detail.
We don't have major
networks insuring us.
We have to be our own network.
We have each other.
I'm here for Andy the same
way Andy would find my dad
if something happened to me.
Now I know you've been told
to keep this all quiet,
and that you're not allowed
to pay a dime.
But there's only one thing
these assholes respond to,
and it's money.
So if you want,
we can connect you with
people who won't rip you off.
I'll fly over there myself.
- Hello.
- Hi.
- Thank you.
- Come on in.
Thanks so much.
Hey, you made it!
-Helen, you want a beer?
- No, thanks.
I'll take it, Sam.
Great house. Beautiful.
Ah, thank you.
It was my grandfather's,
originally.
Oh.
Maybe I could
use the ladies' room?
Sure.
It's up the stairs.
You make a left at
the painting of the dancers.
Oh, thanks.
We knew it wouldn't be easy.
She's gonna need
a lot more prep.
This is not
her world, Charlotte.
She is who she is, Sam.
I'm not going to give her
elocution lessons.
Well, we better
do something fast,
before they move him again
and we have no one to talk to.
Sure. Will you
help me carry these, please?
Making
jokes like that, I'm gonna hire you.
Would you like
your tea and crumpets at the usual hour?
Of course.
How is this
going to work, exactly?
Who's responsible for what?
With Leo, there was
a fundraising team
and the team that
delivered the money abroad.
Charlotte should obviously
take the lead on fundraising.
You really think
you're going to be able
to raise $20 million?
Well, Loic's people will
help us negotiate it down.
I have been working
with the FBI already
-to help negotiate it down.
- No. No.
I told you, those fuckers
are just trying to...
-I don't want to hear it. -Can
we keep this civil please, Sam?
Leo's not-for-profit account
is still open.
We can wire the money
from there.
No, we can't.
My contact at The Wall
Street Journal just told me
the Feds set up a whole new
set of SWIFT protocols
to try to crack down on money
laundering to terrorists.
Not-for-profits are
specifically being monitored.
Apparently, there is a way
around it.
It's sketchy,
but it is invisible.
By sketchy, you mean illegal?
- Helen, you know...
- The less you know the better.
Helen, I promised you
we will keep you protected.
They're not geniuses,
and they're not saints. They're
just people. Like you and me.
Like you, you mean.
What am I supposed
to say to them?
Well, there isn't a script.
You'll need to improvize.
Maybe I should have
taken elocution lessons.
So what did you say to them
when Leo was taken?
I told them they were part
of an elite group of people
I had chosen.
That their actions now
would be anonymous,
but that history would
make them heroes.
Charlotte tells me
you're from upstate.
Oneonta.
My son went to Cornell.
Great school.
It's no Harvard,
but he's done well
enough for himself.
Did you keep Andy local,
send him to Cornell as well?
No, Wayne State
on a scholarship.
Ah.
David's son
is also a journalist.
Oh.
He's the Metro Editor
for the Washington Post.
Oh. Nice.
So, is Leo enjoying Stanford?
He loves teaching.
Chris was just out
to see him deliver a lecture
for the Knight Fellowship.
Give them both our regards.
So, you ready to put
the squeeze on?
My son Andy is a journalist.
Well, you know that.
And, uh...
Right now, he's, uh,
in a serious situation.
I would be in San Francisco
myself right now
if it wasn't very serious.
Right, it's very serious.
I sent you the link
to Andy's work.
You've seen his videos, yes?
Incredible stuff.
There are only
a handful of people
doing the kind of work
that Andy is doing
in the world.
But he is unaffiliated,
right, Helen?
He doesn't work for
a major news organization.
Well, they don't go in there.
Maybe that's for a good reason.
Well, when we
approached you for help with Leo,
your commitment
to journalism was total.
You and Chris are
our friends, Charlotte.
And Helen is our friend.
Chris and I have committed
to a 100,000 each
to secure Andy's release.
In order to have the right
to have an opinion,
I need people like Andy and Leo
over there, to inform me
what is actually happening
in the most dangerous
places in the world.
Who else is involved?
Well, Helen has been
very discreet.
You are the first.
I can commit to 25.
Twenty-five.
Fifty. All right,
let's call that a start.
Thank you.
The Feds have set up a whole
new set of SWIFT protocols,
so we will not be using
the nonprofit this time.
On Monday, you'll get an invoice
from Dudek, Roley, and Esser.
A retainer. Good idea.
So are you and Chris going to be
spending time in Aspen this season?
Well, that
was originally the plan.
But as it turns out, Leo has
a whole set of lectures...
A-ha!
- during that time.
So I would very much like
to be there for that.
Yes, he's such a busy man.
Excuse me, gentlemen.
I have to catch my bus.
Thank you.
Excuse me.
Well, it wasn't as much
as we expected,
but it's a good start.
I hate myself for being
so angry with Andy
for putting us all through this,
but I just can't help it.
I'm sorry,
but I'm furious.
Begging strangers for money.
It's just...
It's not who I am.
It was about six months
after Leo got home.
In the middle of the night,
Chris's phone rang.
I used to be able
to sleep through anything
but ever since Leo was taken...
So I was up,
so I went into Leo's room,
sat on the end of his bed
like I used to do
when he was a little boy,
and I reached over,
and he was gone.
I panicked.
I ran through the house
turning on all the lights.
I ran back into his room,
turned on the light, and I
saw that his window was open.
So I ran outside
to the backyard,
and there he was.
He was sound asleep
on the frozen ground.
I looked at him for a minute.
I went back inside.
I made some coffee.
Cooked some eggs.
You just carry on.
Making believe.
Make believe that
everything's all right.
It's what mothers do.
"He pushed his boat
into the water
and pulled himself
onto the deck.
For the first time, Prince Henry
was headed into
the open sea."
"Prince Henry took a ladle
from his bucket
and filled the Salt King's
stone chalice."
- Hi.
- Amy.
How was she last night?
Well, there hasn't been
any change for a long time.
That's good, right?
You want me to be
honest with you?
Yeah, I wish somebody would be.
You can, um...
You can keep her ventilated
for as long as you want.
You don't think that
she's going to make it?
Okay.
When, um...
You and Joey and Kayla came in,
we knew right away that Joey
wasn't going to make it.
And I tried
to convince his parents
to donate his organs,
which seems
really cold, but,
I've had to watch
a lot of kids die,
some of them...
Some of them can't be helped.
But there are other times
they die because
they need a lung or a kidney...
So you want me
to donate her organs?
-You want me to unplug her?
- No.
You don't...
I'm not saying that.
You don't... You can keep
her on the ventilator
for as long as you want.
All I'm saying is,
what happened to you
and Joey and Kayla
was meaningless.
It didn't happen for a reason,
it didn't happen because
it was God's plan,
or because it happened
for the best.
It was just stupid,
and senseless.
But...
When you're dealt a shitty hand,
what you do with it
doesn't have to be.
I pray for her every day.
I'm sure her mother
appreciates that.
You don't pray?
No. Not for
a very long time.
That's it! Three.
Four. Give me
your energy!
Five. Six.
Two more. Seven.
Eight. Here, two.
Your tricep!
And one, two, three, four.
Here comes...
Hello, ladies and gentlemen.
And welcome to episode one
of the wilderness series.
The Nurse
in her natural habitat.
Always approach carefully,
especially if the Wild Nurse
has not had her coffee yet.
The Wild Nurse stirs.
Andy? What are you doing
with that thing?
The Wild Nurse is awakening.
Give me that camera.
I'm not even dressed yet.
Sorry.
There, how does that feel?
We'll be right back.
Oh, no.
How do you turn this thing off?
Right here.
Peck ups! Two,
roll to the front!
Warm up your legs.
Uh!
Uh! Uh!
Start breathing, uh, inhale.
Down.
Tilt.
- Helen?
- Yes, Loic.
- Helen?
- How was he, Loic?
Hello? Helen?
Yes. Can you see me?
Fuck.
I'm sorry. The connection
is terrible.
I understand, but I didn't hear.
How is he?
He was the strongest man.
- Was? "Was"?
- Is.
Is.
Is the strongest I ever meet.
Forgive me, my English...
- It's okay.
- Andy tries to teach, but...
- Hopeless.
- Is he hurt?
I have to say yes
and no to that.
We are beaten.
Andy does not break.
Ever.
Never complain, never show fear.
Always hope.
How did you see him? Were you
in the same cell together?
Uh...
They move us.
But, um...
Always the foreigners
are in one room,
and the Arabs in other rooms.
Much better for us
in a way because...
They have no limits
with the Arabic prisoners.
With us they kick, they punch,
but there's no clamp with us,
no car battery...
It is a kind of torture
to listen to torture.
But Andy
is always reminding us
we are protected more,
we have value,
because we are foreigners.
Well, Andy's gift
has always been
to be able to see the bright
spot in the crappiest situation.
Andy never loses hope, Helen.
Every day,
he kneels
and says a little
morning prayer,
quiet to himself.
Then he rolls the bed up,
makes a space to sit,
very clean and tidy.
While the rest of us,
we just leave the mats.
But Andy
starts the morning like this,
every morning since he arrived.
So eventually, we all
start folding the mats, too.
Well, that must have
started over there,
because you should see the
way his room looks at home.
That's what I'm going to do.
As soon as I get him back,
I'm going to make him
clean up all his shit.
You will see him again, Helen.
He is going to make it.
They paid the money
to release me
and Andy
is worth 100 of me.
Hey.
What can I get you?
I'm fine.
- You sure?
- Yeah, I'm good.
Oh.
So, congratulations.
On the proof of life.
That was days ago.
Andy is alive.
There's still hope.
Can I ask you something?
A-L-M.
Your proof of life question.
What was carved into the tree.
What does A-L-M stand for?
Greta Remelli.
Vanessa Marzullo.
Do you know them?
-I...
- Or Nicholas Henin.
Pierre Torres.
Edouard Elias.
Loic Dejan.
Are they friends of Andy's?
No. They're hostages.
They were hostages.
They're home now.
You know why they're home.
I know why they're home.
They're home because
their governments...
-Helen, we've talked...
- Do not interrupt me, please.
They're home because their
governments paid the ransom.
Did you think if we met
outside the office
I'd have something different
to tell you about this?
Will you talk to me like a
human being for once, Eric?
Helen,
you know what happens once
we pay out one ransom?
We create a market.
American lives gain a very
public monetary value,
and that value
increases over time.
It stops becoming political.
It starts becoming a business.
These guys call themselves
the Islamic State
or the New Caliphate,
or whatever name will
sound badass
to some angry 16-year-old
on Twitter.
But they're really
just the mafia.
But the French pay.
The Italians pay.
Not a single European government
has admitted to paying a ransom
to a terrorist organization.
Well, they don't shout it from
the rooftops, but they pay
and you know damn well they pay.
I don't. I don't know who's
been telling you that,
but I have no idea how
they got them out of there.
Right.
Payment made to
a terrorist organization
is illegal. I need
to reiterate that.
Do you think that
at this point in my life,
I'm afraid of a jail sentence?
Not just you, Helen.
Anyone and everyone
who assists you in any way.
You'll send them to jail, too.
Do you send any of your
paycheck home to Iran?
No. It's difficult
with the sanctions.
Oh.
Is Christmas important
in your family?
Was when my kid was little.
Do you have kids?
No.
No. But seven sisters.
Oh, God.
Oh, that explains so much.
Ah. You know,
I miss the noise,
the gatherings,
the food. Oh!
You know the hardest thing to
get used to, coming to America,
is the silence.
Hmm.
You must miss your son.
I do.
He's a journalist, right?
Yes, he is.
Where is he now?
To be honest, I don't know.
Ooh, ooh. That's a boy.
Let's hear that breath now.
Okay, take it easy.
Take it easy.
Okay, that sounded better.
Sienna, we're gonna do
a quick blood pressure.
Okay.
Now let's get
right to the breaking news.
The United States
and five Arab allies,
they carry out waves
of airstrikes
against terror targets
across Syria.
The Pentagon calls them
"very successful",
but cautions this is
only the beginning.
The strikes sparked
a major new escalation
of what could be
a long war against ISIS...
Good morning, Kayla.
Today is December 26th.
She can't hear you.
Kayla, can you hear me?
It's part of the test.
I've been
talking to her all night.
I know, sweetie. But you
know how the routine goes.
We have to follow protocol.
You're hurting her.
Did she wince?
Talk to her, Amy.
Talk to her.
Kayla. Kayla,
can you hear me?
- Take her hand.
- Kayla, can you hear us?
Baby, if you can hear me...
If you can hear us,
squeeze my hand.
Kayla if you can hear us,
squeeze our hand, okay?
-Oh!
- Kayla!
Did you seen the news
about Syria?
I saw that they were bombing.
Did something happen to Andy?
We've heard through some of our people
that he might be moved, or traded...
......and we're
back to square one.
I want you to come back
with me to Charlotte's.
It's not just that
Andy could be moved,
okay? Arabic Twitter has been
on fire for the last 12 hours,
saying that they're going
to get revenge,
set an example, or whatever.
There have been images, Helen.
It's bad.
I've been there for a while and
these posts are very, very ugly.
What kind of posts?
You don't want to know.
Helen, we have to make a video.
You need to go public,
and we need to do it now.
What is a video going to do?
We need publicity,
we need money,
and we need to buy
a little more time.
We're going to be
going very wide with this,
but we're going to do it in a way
that lets us control the narrative.
Our friends are all journalists,
they know how to
make a story trend.
I promise you,
they'll tell it our way.
Okay.
- Oh, thank you.
- Here.
I'm ready when you are.
Do you think I should
cover my hair?
I don't think it's going to
make a difference to them,
and it's probably just going
to alienate people over here.
Okay.
Now? You ready?
"I'm not supposed to be saying this to you.
But I have money for you.
"I'm in the process of transferring
everything I have in the world..."
Oh, wait a minute, everything
in the world to you.
Oh, you're fine.
- I'm sorry.
- Just...
You know what, the eye
line is off anyway.
We need to put these right under.
Can I see what that looks like?
"I'm not supposed to be
saying this to you.
"I have money for you. I'm in the
process of Transferring to you
"everything I have in the world.
"I'm begging you."
Don't worry about it.
Don't worry.
I hate on-camera work,
too, it's the worst.
Oh, this is not going to work.
This isn't going to work.
Do you need to read it?
You mean memorize it?
No, I mean, it doesn't
need to be perfect.
It just needs to be you.
Okay, give it to me.
Let me look at it.
Can I move?
I'm not comfortable here.
- Yeah, you can go wherever you want.
- Yeah, yeah.
How's that?
Yeah, let's see.
-Okay.
- Yeah.
My name is Helen Sterling.
My son Andrew Sterling
is a journalist.
I'm not supposed
to be saying this to you,
but I have money for you.
I'm begging you.
Please,
don't hurt my son.
You...
You say that you want millions.
I'm no one.
I'm an old lady.
I'm a mother,
just like your mothers.
I am going to give you
every penny
that I can get my hands on.
I'm not even asking you
to release him.
Just
don't hurt him.
Please.
Don't hurt my boy.
-Okay.
-I think we got it.
- Yeah.
That was great.
That was perfect.
Thank you.
- Thank you, guys.
- Yeah.
It was great.
Helen, sorry.
Sorry to bug you.
The video is up.
I was dreaming about Andy.
I dream about him all the time.
Come out back.
It's been snowing.
It's so pretty.
Thanks.
CNN, Al Jazeera, and BBC
have all picked it up.
Can you guys explain
something to me?
You know Andy better than I do.
Come on, Helen.
No, you do.
Both of you do.
'Cause you know who Andy is now.
People don't change as
much as they think they do.
I don't know.
I mean,
Andy always hated war.
Violence of any kind,
he was super-sensitive to it,
from the time
he was a little kid.
You know, when
the first Gulf War...
He got sent home from school
because he organized
a pacifist sit-in.
He told me about that
when he found out
my family was from Iraq.
I thought he was lying
just to sleep with me.
Well, it worked, didn't it?
No, he wasn't lying.
He organized a pacifist sit-in
of one.
The Andy I know
wouldn't willingly
go off to war.
But your Andy, he went.
And went back again and again.
Had to go back.
That Andy is a stranger to me.
I don't know about that.
He was still a bright-eyed
pinko pacifist
the last time I checked.
He's just doing something
different with his idealism now.
Okay.
That is enough of that shit.
Hell, no.
- What?
- You wanna go?
- Yeah. This is war!
- You wanna fuckin' go?
- One!
- Oh!
Wait for it.
Wait for it!
- Oh!
- Yeah!
That was right on my dick!
Two on one, huh?
Oh!
I got you!
A-ha!
Get you!
My hearing aid!
My hearing aid!
Stop, stop! I can't find
the other one.
- All right, all right, all right.
- I think it's right...
-It's right here!
- Oh!
Right here.
Right fucking here.
- You fight dirty.
- I play to win!
Yeah!
Ah!
-Oh, look out!
Help, help, help!
Put her down!
I'm begging you.
Please
don't hurt my son.
You...
-Oh, Helen. I'm so...
- Dr. Rahimi,
I think Dr. Hauser
needed you to assist.
Thanks, Helen.
Good morning, Kayla.
You getting ready to walk, huh?
Kayla, you remember Helen.
We saw her on TV.
How was your appetite
this morning?
Hmm?
Clean plate club.
Good work!
I'm just going to
take your pulse.
Hey, Kayla.
Helen's got a lot of
other patients.
No, it's all right.
I'll come back.
Maybe after she finishes her PT.
Helen.
I'm really sorry.
If there's anything...
I'll be back in a jiffy.
I should've told you.
Folks from Channel Two,
they were asking about you,
but I told them
you were off all week.
You didn't have to do that.
You've been through enough.
Thank you, Keesha.
We're here for you, Helen.
Helen, whatever you need.
We've got your back.
And 50,000 from Loic's friends.
Helen.
David and Will finally came through.
$100,000 each.
Two hundred
thousand from the Italians.
Two hundred?
Sheila, what's the
address for the law office in Milan?
Helen,
it's Tom Hellman.
Who?
The owner of the Hawks. He wants
to speak to you personally.
Hello, this is Helen.
Yes, Mr. Hellman.
Oh, okay, Tom.
Well, that's very
generous of you, sir.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
He gave us $800,000.
Holy shit!
... Oh, Helen.
That must be the food.
We still have a lot more to
do, but we're on our way, everybody.
- Just like that, $800,000.
- Yeah...
Okay. So we're at
two-and-a-half, I think.
Two-and-a-half? All right
if we get to four today,
-we're in good shape.
- Okay.
You want me to drive
for a while?
Why don't you get some sleep?
We did it.
We're getting there.
I have a flight tomorrow night.
Where are you going?
Istanbul.
-Helen... -I'm not allowing
you to use Andy as an excuse
to kill yourself, sorry.
That's not what I'm doing.
Think of your father.
Why don't you trust me?
Why don't you trust me?
You treat me like a child.
Maybe I can't
understand everything,
but I'm not an idiot.
All right, all right.
This is obviously
just between us.
We are hiding in plain sight.
The money that we've raised is going
through an international law firm
that Charlotte's connected to.
Say, you want to donate
100 grand
to Andy's cause,
and you live in London.
You write a check
to their London office
and you pay 100 grand
for legal services.
No one looks at law firms
for money laundering,
and even if they did,
it'd be too late,
because the money
goes from there
to a dozen different
shell companies.
British Virgin Islands, Bahamas,
places you can wire
large amounts of money
to and from
without being detected.
And then you wire that
to the Mid-East?
Mmm. Mostly Europe.
There are 15 different banks
that the money
is being wired to,
and 15 private security guards
who are going to drive it
to Istanbul.
Every single one
of these guys, I have met
and vetted.
I want to bring Andy home.
This time next week,
he will be sitting here.
- Okay.
- Okay.
Okay.
Hey.
No, no, no.
I get first dibs.
I trained him.
Okay, fine.
You know, my last resident
gave me a Godiva Sampler
when he finished his rotation.
He was an underachiever.
You really need
to open up a restaurant.
No, he does not.
We need Dr. Rahimi
right here.
Thank you, Helen.
Of course.
He can cook,
he's a doctor. Keesha...
What are you waiting for?
You better call dibs.
Here you go.
For the toast.
Oh, for the toast.
The toast.
-Well...
To Kayla.
Going home for the New Year.
To Kayla.
Miracles do happen.
Kayla!
Um, I hope you guys are
praying for a miracle tonight.
Two hours before
the annual bloodbath
begins anew.
Oh. Oh, you hear that?
Come on, boss.
Put that down.
One last dance before
the madness begins.
Right.
Let me...
Let me show you.
Helen.
It's an honor
to be trained by you.
My pleasure.
Chef Reza!
Oh, guys, it's almost time.
Five minutes before midnight.
Let's go, lets go.
There she is.
-We're going to miss it.
- No, you know what? Go ahead.
I gotta get the hats
and the horns.
-That's what...
- Hurry up!
I am, I am, I am.
Okay.
So do you want
the big hat or the crown?
Helen. Stay
a minute, please.
... What's up?
Don't go out there.
Just go sit down.
Please. Helen.
Helen!
Helen, please!
Mom, look, I'm doing it!