Pilot

Must be good to be home again, sir.
Yeah.
Well, we'll see about that.
Good afternoon.
I'm here to see Assistant Director Harold Cooper.
Do you have an appointment?
I do not.
Tell him it's Raymond Reddington.
Ressler.
Washington field office.
I'm the case agent on Reddington.
When did this happen?
Under an hour ago.
We confirm it's actually him?
It's him all right.
Prints match. Tattoos.
He even volunteered classified details about a Brussels mission in '08.
What happened in Brussels?
Sir?
We tried to kill him, sir.
It really is him.
Came in with a briefcase containing every alias he's ever used.
Most of 'em we've never even heard of.
What does he want?
Don't know. Won't talk.
He's a stone.
Call lab services.
Have them fit him with an AlphaChip RFID tag.
Assemble a full intel review.
NSA. CIA.
What exactly do you want to know?
Everything.
RESSLER: Raymond "Red" Reddington attended the Naval Academy.
Top of his class.
Graduated by the time he was 24.
He was bring groomed for admiral.
Then in 1990, Reddington's coming home to see his wife and his daughter for Christmas.
He never arrives.
This highly respected officer up and disappears from the face of the earth... until four years later when classified NOFORN documents start showing up in Maghreb, Islamabad, Beijing.
These leaks were traced to Reddington.
This guy's an equal opportunity offender, a facilitator of sorts, who's built an enterprise brokering deals for fellow criminals.
Ouch.
He has no country.
He has no political agenda.
Reddington's only allegiance is to the highest bidder.
They call him something in the papers.
"The concierge of crime." ( Beeps ) He's online.
Evidently someone with the authority to make decisions has arrived.
I think I smell the stench of your cologne, Agent Cooper. Smells like hubris.
Get these feeds fixed.
I want him up here. Come on.
You must have many questions, so let's begin with the most important one... Why I'm here.
Remember the 1986 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Damascus, the abduction of the six foreign nationals from the French consulate in Algiers in '97, or the 2002 breach of the Krungthai Bank in Bangkok?
You see these events as unrelated.
I can tell you one man is responsible for all three.
His name is Ranko Zamani.
You want him. I want him.
So let's say for the moment our interests are aligned.
Ranko Sinisa Zamani.
Serbian national educated in the U.S.
COOPER: Ranko Zamani's been dead for six years.
He's a non-existent threat.
Then a dead man just stepped off United 283 from Munich to Dulles.
He entered the country under the name Sacha M. Chacko.
Cleared customs at 10:56 a.m.
Listen up, people.
The lab just pulled a latent print from the airline arm rest.
Nine points of comparison.
Zamani's alive.
You have my attention.
Were you wrong?
I was wrong.
Yes, you were wrong.
At least it's not the first time.
Familiar territory.
Now, I'll give you Zamani, but first... No "but firsts." You don't decide anything.
Agent Cooper, you've overestimated your authority.
I said I'll help you find Zamani, and I will.
But from this point forward, there's one very important rule... I speak only with Elizabeth Keen.
Who the hell's Elizabeth Keen?
Oh, buddy.
Seriously, dude?
Babe, what time is it?
I don't know.
What time you gotta be there?
Oh, crap.
What's up?
Crap! What?
No! My first day! Babe, are you good?
You need help?
I missed the bus, babe.
I'm gonna need to take the car.
You can't take the car.
I need the car.
I've got field trip planning committee.
You took the dog out, right?
I did. For the field trip... Air and Space or the D.C. Zoo?
The zoo's gender neutral.
All right.
Good thinkin'.
We're out of milk.
Oop. Sorry.
Is this pee?
I'm standing in pee, babe.
He's your dog, too.
Yeah, thanks a lot.
I'm gonna smell like a urinary tract infection on my first day! Hey, don't forget we got the last adoption meeting today. One-thirty.
You heard me, right?
One-thirty.
Yep. One-thirty.
Last meeting.
I'm in the car.
You got the keys?
Yeah, in my pocket.
I got your coffee.
No more peeing, dude.
What?
We both woke up seven minutes ago.
I'm pretty sure my pants are on backwards and I can barely see straight.
But you are somehow dressed, composed, and as beautiful as the day I met you.
I think I'm forgetting something.
Yeah.
You know I'm not gonna let this job come between us and our family, right?
I know.
We want a family, we're going to have a family.
Were you serious about that kid thing?
Because I got stuff goin... Today's the day.
Yeah, I know.
Man, I am so proud of you.
Thanks.
You worked so hard for this.
Are you nervous?
No. But I am very late.
Agent Keen.
Donald Ressler.
Washington field office.
I need you to come with me right away.
Babe, I don't think I'm gonna need to take the car.
Agent Keen.
Am I getting that right?
Yes, sir.
Harold Cooper.
Assistant Director of Counterterrorism.
Yes, sir.
I know who you are, sir.
So, uh...can you tell us what's going on?
I wish I could.
I can tell you that... I've been vetted by the agency like everyone else, you know, same background checks, psych profiles.
I'm sure OPR's trolling my digital footprint right now, and I can tell you what they'll find.
What will they find?
Nothing. I have no history with Reddington.
They tell me today's your first day as a profiler.
Yes, sir.
I was reassigned from New York.
I graduated Quantico last month.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
Do me a favor.
Profile yourself.
I'm sorry, sir?
Who are you?
What is he looking for?
Profile Elizabeth Keen.
Oh. Okay.
Um, well, I've been with the Bureau for four years.
I was the head of the Mobile Emergency Psych Unit in New York.
We worked murders, extortion... Read your résumé.
Of course.
My colleagues call me "sir." They think I'm... a bitch.
Like most kids who raised themselves, I can display narcissistic behavior.
I can be withdrawn, disconnected. Uh... I have a deep yearning to understand and relate to the criminal mind.
I'm board certified in forensic psychology, and yet I operate under the delusion that I can rewrite my past by having kids of my own.
Do you find it odd Reddington surrendered himself the day you started working as a profiler?
I think that it suggests he was waiting for me.
Why you? Specifically.
Because I'm new and he thinks I can be easily manipulated.
The man obviously doesn't know me very well.
LIZ: What is this place?
D.C. Metro Sorting Facility, U.S. Postal Service.
It was abandoned and slated for demo twelve years ago.
The Bureau acquired the building post-9/11.
Been operating a variety of covert operations here ever since.
So this is a black site?
We're sentimental.
We prefer to call it The Post Office.
If you need anything, remember... we're right here.
Agent Keen, what a pleasure.
Well... I'm here.
You got rid of your highlights.
You look much less Baltimore.
Do you get back home much?
Tell me about Zamani.
I haven't been home in years.
Why involve me? I'm nobody.
It's my first day.
Nothin' special about me.
Oh, I think you're very special.
Within the hour, Ranko Zamani will abduct the daughter of U.S. General Daniel Ryker.
There'll be some kind of diversion, communications will be scrambled, then he'll grab the girl.
He wants to be out of the country within 36 hours.
If you don't move quickly, she will die.
That's what I know.
And how do you know this?
Because I'm the one who got him into the country.
And I'm supposed to believe you?
( Laughing ) No, of course not! I'm a criminal.
Criminals are notorious liars.
Everything about me is a lie.
But if anyone can give me a second chance, it's you.
The two of us have... overcome so much.
I mean, look at you.
Abandoned by a father who was a career criminal, a mother who died of... weakness and shame.
And yet here you are, about to make a name for yourself, about to... capture Ranko Zamani.
I'm gonna make you famous, Lizzy.
What did you tell him?
What are you talking about?
How did he know those things?
Private things about my family?
Why didn't your father's criminal record show up on your background report?
We need to contact the SWAT commander at Quantico. Roll a team out to the girl.
This is nonsense.
He's bluffing, sir.
No, he's establishing value.
I've been the case agent on this guy for five years.
And five years has gotten you what?
You asked me here, you asked my opinion.
Here it is... That girl's gonna get taken.
Excuse me.
LIZ: Tom.
Thank God you picked up.
Hey, tell me you're close.
What's going on? Are you close?
That helicopter, they flew me to the Assistant Director, put me on a case, and I can't get away right now.
You're kidding, right?
The adoption people, they're all waiting.
Liz, are you there?
Put on a great show in there.
You better pull yourself together because you just called in the cavalry.
Can I just have one minute, um... We don't have a minute.
Come on.
Let's go.
I'm sorry. I know we had an appointment, but there's a girl, something happened... I-I can't tell you.
It's classified.
This whole...day is classified.
Lizzy... Lizzy, babe, if... if it's too much, we don't have to do this right now, okay?
We don't have to do it.
We'll just... We'll do it next year.
But if we are gonna go through with this, you gotta do it with me.
I can't do it alone, Lizzy.
We gotta go.
No. No. Tom, listen, our family is the only thing that matters, okay?
It's the only thing that matters.
Okay.
All right, let me, uh... Let me handle it, I'll, um, I'll take care of it.
I think this woman might punch me in the face, but I got it.
I am so sorry.
Don't be sorry, just be safe, okay?
I love you.
I love you too.
Sir.
At ease.
We have a situation, sir.
It's about your daughter.
My daughter?
Guys, with the guns, please.
We don't want to scare the kids.
I got this.
Beth. Sweetie, this lady needs to speak to you.
Hi, Bethany, don't be scared.
I just need you to come with me, okay?
Thank you.
LIZ: Your name's Beth, right?
Yeah?
My name's Beth, too.
I'm Elizabeth.
My friends call me Liz, though.
You can call me Liz if you want.
My daddy has a pin like that.
Oh, yeah? I bet your daddy has lots of medals.
To get a pin like this you gotta be really brave.
This can be your special pin, okay?
There you go.
You like it?
You don't have to... Thank you so much.
This is beautiful.
The bull's pokey.
Be careful.
Okay, I'll be careful.
What's going on?
Hey, what's going on up there?
HazMat has the road closed.
We'll be turning around.
SOLDIER: Rolling Thunder to Follow 1.
Be advised we have a chemical spill ahead.
Copy that.
Proceeding to alternate route.
Do you want to call your daddy?
Yeah, I want to tell him I'm okay.
Okay.
Back up! Are you okay?
I think so.
RADIO: Tango, tango, tango, respond! I can't see! I got blood in my... KIDNAPPER: Get the girl! If you want to save the girl, do not fire your weapon.
Take it.
Okay, baby, this smoke's gonna hurt us.
All right? I need you to put this on for me.
What about you?
There's only one.
It's for you, hon.
Okay, listen to me.
These men are gonna take you.
Are they gonna hurt me?
They're not gonna hurt you.
I'm gonna find you, okay?
Okay.
Beth, I'm gonna find you.
Who made the call to send that girl after my daughter?
Who made the call?! LIZ: Where's the girl?
It's been four hours.
Your people haven't made any demands.
My people? I told you Zamani would take the girl.
I told you that's all I knew.
This is in your hands now.
I need your help with Zamani.
How about a trade?
You tell me and I'll tell you.
Tell me about the scar on your palm.
I've noticed how you stroke it.
There was a fire.
I was fourteen.
Someone tried to hurt you.
Not exactly, no.
May I see it?
Is a child really what you want?
How on earth... But a baby won't fix what happened in the past.
You lost the right to speak about parenthood when you abandoned your wife and daughter on Christmas Eve.
The girl.
You won't find the girl until you learn to look at this differently.
And how should I look at this?
Like a criminal.
May come easier than you think.
Shall I show you?
Well, at least you know what Zamani looks like.
( Laughing ) Oh, my goodness! I haven't seen him in years.
Very interesting fellow.
Completely unrelated to this.
You're pointing at the wrong guy here.
Miroslav.
They call him The Chemist.
A highly regarded munitions expert.
He left MIT to work for the Russian, Vor Usoyan.
Last two years... very expensive freelancer.
I don't know what the hell any of this is.
Ooh, the German.
A banker. Name's Reinhardt.
He's most likely moving the money.
What about the girl?
What do you have on the girl and her father?
Your 36-hour timeline would suggest a singular event.
Something in D.C.
I'm not sure how the girl fits.
What about the Chemist?
Important...well paid... Whatever Zamani's planning is expensive.
Some sort of attack?
You're thinking like a cop.
Cops are so objective.
They're obligated to protocols.
Make it personal.
RESSLER: Okay, this is nonsense.
Zamani's sick.
CIA says he carries Nipah virus.
Dying makes him dangerous.
So what does he desperately want before he dies?
And how does that relate to the little girl?
Her father, the General, spent time in Bosnia... supporting NATO troops in the Bihac Pocket region.
Zamani's home.
He bombed a chemical weapons facility... poisoning the village.
It's about his family.
They died, Zamani survived.
He wants revenge.
He hired the Chemist to build a bomb, detonate it in Washington.
He's gonna use Beth to settle the score... deliver the bomb.
COOPER: Okay, let's move.
We're on a clock.
I have an acquaintance.
They call him The Innkeeper, runs a series of safe houses.
Lean on him.
He'll know where to find the Chemist.
You find the Chemist, you'll find Zamani.
Where is this Innkeeper?
If I tell you, you have to give me something in return.
No more restraints, no more cages.
If you want to capture Zamani, he has to believe I'm moving freely... in touch with old friends, staying in one of my favorite hotels... If you think we're gonna put you up at the Sheraton... ( Laughs ) Save your Starwood points, Harold.
The Sheraton's not my scene.
Hey, live it up, pal.
Soon as this is over, you're headed back to a black site.
Mr. Homan, it's awfully nice to have you back.
There's complimentary Champagne.
As usual, the bed's made up with blankets instead of a comforter.
Will there be anything else?
No, thank you, Eric.
Tip the gentleman, will you?
Where is the Chemist?
FBI. Hands.
Tranquilo, papi.
They found the lab.
They're interrogating the Chemist as we speak.
What about the bomb?
We think that we got there before he built it.
I gotta get out of here and clear my head.
Take a shower, see my husband.
Don't go too far.
Oh, my... Did they say yes?
Oh, baby! How did you do this?
Oh, my God, I cannot believe... We're gonna have a baby, and this is exac... Tom?
Sit down.
Sit down!!! Do what I say or I'll shoot your husband.
See, Tom and I, we have been talking, trying to figure out how you knew I was in town.
I tell him you figure out my plan... to take the General's daughter.
Tom, look at me.
Make for nice surprise.
But my people handle quite well, I think.
It's gonna be okay.
But then, your people come for my Chemist friend.
I was finished with The Chemist, so you saved me payment for services.
And for that, I thank you.
But...it did make me wonder what else you know.
What else do you know?
I don't... Tom.
No, no, no, no, no.
Over here.
I ask question.
What else do you know about my plan?
A bomb. Maybe.
We don't know.
We only knew about the girl.
The rest is just speculation.
Tom, baby, it's gonna be okay.
Uhh! You son of a bitch! What else do you know about my plan?! Nothing! I swear! My God.
You're not as smart as Reddington says.
My friend, he is always so obsessed with you.
I'm not sure why.
It's gonna be okay.
Now, what I have planned will make for many casualties.
So now you have choice.
Stop me now and save many Americans, or save only... one.
( Tom screams ) What do you choose?
Tom. Baby.
Oh, my God.
Baby, keep your eyes open.
I'm gonna get help.
I'm gonna get help.
( dialing ) Don't fall aslee... You're gonna be okay! You're gonna be okay.
911. What is your emergency?
Did you send him?
Are you the one who did this?
Did what?
He was in my house! My husband is on a ventilator because Zamani came... Calm down and tell me what happened.
Don't play stupid.
You're the only thing connecting us.
He told me that you're obsessed with me.
Did he mention the girl or the bomb?
We're not a team.
Zamani.
I'm not your partner.
What did he say?
I don't know, he said... he said something about casualties... and chemical agents, and... he talked about you.
He even thanked me for getting rid of the Chemist.
So the bomb's still in play.
Why the hell was he in my house?! Tell me! You know him! Why is my husband dying in a hospital right now?! The truth is, despite your feelings, your husband doesn't matter.
Zamani did you a favor, Lizzy.
Now, you know I just punched a hole in your carotid.
Best chance, one minute before you pass out.
So here's how it's gonna work.
You tell me how I find Zamani and make this right, or I let you die right here.
Understand?
Yeah.
But if I die... you'll never know the truth about your husband.
You know nothing about my husband.
Agent Ressler?
I gotta talk to him.
You shouldn't even be here.
You're under official review.
You know that.
I know.
The Chemist isn't talking, is he?
No.
Red knows Zamani.
Just give me five minutes.
Thank you.
He's gone.
It's good to see you, old friend.
Initiating track.
Okay, got him.
His chip indicates he's at the Lincoln Memorial.
We're on him.
Forty seconds out. En route.
How did things go with Agent Keen?
Paid her a visit, like you asked.
And the husband?
Like you asked.
It's a shame you're gonna miss the cherry blossoms.
ZAMANI: I think a great many people will miss the cherry blossoms.
Tell me, the General's daughter is such a risk.
ZAMANI: This is about much more than one girl.
He's on the move.
Heading westbound.
ZAMANI: This is about... the children.
Raymond, today... on this day... I am giving their plague back to them.
In sixty years they will be talking about this day... about my legacy.
Still heading west.
300 yards from your position.
Hello?
REDDINGTON: There's a wrinkle.
Zamani wants more than the General's daughter.
He's after children.
Where are you?
TECH: Approaching 14th.
You gotta move! You gotta move! I need you to tell me what Zamani said.
In the house... what did he say, what did you see?
He, uh, he asked about the Chemist and about the girl.
No. What did you see?
Uh, there was blood.
There was blood everywhere.
Take a breath, Lizzy.
Over here.
There was a tattoo.
He's Serbian Orthodox.
TECH: You're closing on him.
He wouldn't have a tattoo.
LIZ: I know what I saw.
This mark, I've seen it before.
TOM: Field trip. D.C. Air and Space or the D.C. Zoo?
It wasn't a tattoo.
It was a stamp.
Zamani's gonna bomb the D.C. Zoo.
RESSLER: I got nothin'.
Come on, where is he?! He's turning onto Maryland Ave.
TECH: Dead ahead.
He's dead ahead.
He's stopped.
The signal has stopped.
He's right there.
RESSLER: Where is he?! He should be right behind you.
Vertically.
Are there stairs near you?
Beth?
Hi, honey.
Are you hurt?
No.
Are you alone?
He said to wait here for my daddy.
He said not to take it off.
REDDINGTON: Whatever you do, don't touch it.
There's less than three minutes.
I've got to evacuate, call the bomb squad... Your people will never be there in time.
My friend, he's on his way.
Your friend.
What friend?
Reddington! Reddington! Hands in the air.
Zamani.
Step down from the ledge.
Hands where I can see 'em or I'll shoot you down! Tell the General his daughter was... an unfortunate civilian casualty.
He pulled a tracking chip.
Son of a bitch.
Did Reddington send you?
I can't understand what you're saying.
Can you stop the bomb?
Can you stop it?
( Continues, Slavic ) Are we gonna be okay?
Yeah, baby, we're gonna be okay.
Hey. I was scared when I was your age, too.
But I had a secret weapon to keep me safe.
My daddy gave it to me.
It's very special.
I've never shown it to anybody.
It's like magic.
What does it do?
Whenever I'm feeling sad or afraid, I just touch it like this, and it makes me brave.
Do you want to see if it can make you brave?
Yeah?
You're a brave girl.
Wait.
Wait! What are you doing?! Just consider the device his payment for services.
That is a chemical weapon! He's fascinated by the things.
He certainly has more use for it than we do.
Daddy! Red vest, gray sweatshirt! He's got the bomb! We're gonna make a great team.
COOPER: Who is the Ukrainian?
I'm not gonna tell you.
You gave him a chemical weapon.
He took it.
That's the price of doing business, Harold, with certain people who can get certain things done. You know that.
You never look at the larger picture.
The bomb didn't detonate, the girl is safe, Zamani's dead.
Frankly, I think this all went down rather swimmingly.
This was never about Zamani.
You surrendered and infiltrated the FBI to get at our intelligence.
Your intelligence?
To get that weapon.
I certainly don't want your intelligence, Agent Ressler.
I'm quite happy with my own.
I think it's more likely that I tried to help you in good faith and had to finish the job myself because... you couldn't.
I think we're finished.
Well, this was fun.
Let's do it again.
Really, let's do it again.
Understand, Zamani was only the first.
The first what?
Name. On the list.
What list?
It's called The Blacklist.
That sounds exciting.
That's why we're all here, of course. My wish list.
A list I've been cultivating for over twenty years.
Politicians, mobsters, hackers... spies.
We have our own list.
Agent Ressler, please.
We all know your Top Ten is little more than a publicity campaign.
It's a popularity contest at best.
I'm talking about the criminals who matter.
The ones you can't find because you don't even know they exist.
Zamani was a small fish.
I'm Ahab.
And if you want the whales on my list, you have to play by my rules.
I never sleep in the same location for more than two nights in a row.
I want a fully encrypted 8-millimeter tag embedded in my neck... not that garbage from AlphaChip you stuck in my shoulder.
I want my own security. I've compiled a list of five acceptable applicants.
Pick two.
Whatever I tell you falls under an immunity package that I negotiate myself.
And finally, most importantly, I speak only with Elizabeth Keen.
You've discovered something curious about your... husband, haven't you, Lizzy?