Original subtitles

AFP have made a P-35 request.

What's a P-35?

Hard copy application. No more lies.

Incoming!

My name is Rashid Rahmati

and I have evidence of an American war crime.

I took orders from a man they called Ghost.

He walked through the rubble, executing the survivors.

I used one of the Australians' body cams to record it.

I know the Marine Corps tried to end you.

There's folks out there looking for any excuse

to finish what they started.

The targets.

Whoever The Ghost was working for was covering their tracks.

Synced & corrected by -robtor- www.addic7ed.com

You've reached Travis Riggs. Please leave a message.

Beep!

Uh, yeah, she's right here.

Um, yeah.

It's for you. Sounds important.

Mackey.

Early bird eats the worm.

Not that you eat worms.

Or have worms.

- Okay. - Sorry, you wanted to see me?

Yeah, I want to get your application off to AFP today,

get it sorted.

Mm-hm.

Trouble is I can't seem to find

your tertiary qualifications.

Ah, ye olde tertiary qualifications.

Yeah, I thought I was looking in the wrong section,

but your bachelor of science, your computer science degree,

your PhD in IT and forensic science.

I just need the certified copies.

Yeah.

Okay.

JD, you know how you said for me to be...

...full, accurate and honest?

- Yeah. - Yeah.

Well, I have been.

Right.

Right.

So in regards to your qualifications

for your role at NCIS, you have...

- Zero. - Zero.

I mean, it's not like I didn't do the work. I did, you know?

I got straight HDs.

Um, I won the University Medal, twice.

- You did? - Yeah, just... for other people.

Why would you do that, Blue?!

I don't know. They offered to pay me.

Kiddo, what are...

Back on the books yet, Blue?

Ah, yeah, book adjacent.

Just crossing the 'T's and dotting the 'I's.

Okay, it'll have to wait.

We've got a situation at a movie theater.

- We'll pick this up later, yeah? - Yep.

What's the holdup with Blue?

You know what the AFP application process is like.

No, that's why I'm asking.

Well, it's a long application.

It's like War and Peace long.

- Have you read it? - War and Peace? No.

Blue's application? Yeah, of course.

And?

And, well, it's a cracker.

She's being super thorough.

- And honest? - To a fault.

Okay, good.

The sooner we get it sorted, the sooner we can find

a forever home for your stray bomb tech.

- Ooh! - Mm!

Yeah, if you're wondering about the, uh, aroma,

let me introduce Lieutenant Felix Ebrahimi.

Oh. Ugh.

Besides what he ate for dinner, what do we know?

Naval attaché based out of the US Consulate, Sydney.

Cleaners found him this morning.

Last seen alive by the usher at the 10pm screening last night.

Mm, that fits with rigor mortis.

The old boy's starting to, uh, stiffen up.

Who brings popcorn into the stall?

Yeah, lid's down, pants up. What does that tell us?

He wasn't dropping the kids off at the pool, was he?

So what's the next most popular reason to visit a public toilet?

Anonymous sex.

Quick on the draw there, Rosie.

How about the next most popular?

Uh, drug deal gone bad?

Beats being murdered for popcorn.

Psh! Wasn't even his popcorn, according to the movie usher.

He only sold two tickets that session,

one to our dead attaché and one to the dude that came late,

guy that bought the popcorn.

So popcorn guy murders the attaché?

Maybe. But there was a third man.

You said only two tickets were sold.

Because the third man snuck into the movie without paying.

The third man could be a player in all this too.

I swear to God, D, you say "third man" one more time...

Oh, come on, Evie. Seriously?

The Third Man? Sneaking into a noir movie?

Did the usher get us an ID on either?

Yeah, sure.

Thank you.

Okay, here's his description of the first guy.

"Olive-skinned, male, kinda old."

Want to hear his take on the second guy?

Yeah.

"Olive-skinned, male, kinda old."

Useful.

Okay, right, just call me if anything changes. Thanks.

- What have you got, Doc? - Ooh, salted caramel.

You want a bite?

Uh, well, the first stab wound

punctured your attaché's heart, likely what killed him.

But then, of course, your killer,

you know, he didn't stop there, did he?

- So after killing him, he... - Gutted him. Like a fish.

Now, the question is why.

Boss, you're not going to believe this.

So, checked Felix's file.

NCIS had a 7N investigation into him.

7N? That's narcotics.

Popped up on his friend's socials six months ago.

Felix was a US Naval attaché. How does he still have a job?

- Because NCIS cleared him. - Someone's getting fired.

Felix had top-level clearances vetted three ways to Sunday.

The photo's a fake. You know that.

So who faked it? And why?

Well, his family fled to the US 40 years ago.

I'd start there.

But you knew that too.

You want to tell me why you're really here?

Here.

Someone's having a bad day.

- Who am I looking at? - I was hoping you could tell me.

We're thinking he's American.

Call sign Ghost.

- Any idea what he was after? - Two things.

An SD card with footage of a rocket strike

on an Afghan village hosting a ton of heroin.

And the second?

I watched him expertly nick a woman's femoral artery,

to break up his tail.

Led me into a kill box.

The guy was hunting me.

Scroll on.

It's a kill list.

I need a name.

Asking about someone like this

is likely to send up a few flares.

I've made a copy of the SD card.

I need you to make it clear

that anything happens to me...

...the footage goes viral.

Strong play, Agent Mackey.

I hope you know what you're doing.

There were four fingerprints found on the box of popcorn,

the usher, Felix and two others.

But one was a partial, no hits.

But the last one pinged on a biometric database

for Sydney Airport.

Say hello to Ali Azad.

Arrived in town on Tuesday.

- Let's talk to him. - That's gonna be tough.

Ali hasn't been seen at the hotel

since the day of the murder.

Sounds like he's gone to ground.

Nice of you to join us.

What's Ali doing in the country?

He flew in with his daughter,

Rana Azad, an up-and-coming chess baller.

This is live.

Wait, you have a live chess feed on your phone?

A new low for you.

Rana's playing in the Australasian International Chess Championship.

She's playing in Sydney?

Currently smoking out all the old grandmasters.

Her dad's her coach and a famous chess composer.

Chess composer?

People who create chess problems.

Dad's the coach, he's gonna be there.

What are you waiting for? Go.

Now, a piece of the blade snapped off

and became lodged in his ribs.

That indicates a knife of some sort.

Now, you have a look.

So if we find the damaged knife, could we match it?

Ohhh, don't look at me.

No, you'd need a forensic expert for that level of detail.

You know, someone with a PhD in forensic science, for example.

Okay, Rosie, we get the point.

Well, I mean, I could take a punt,

but I'd just be talking out the back of my arse,

because I'm not a forensic scientist.

- You done? - Not quite.

Now, X-rays did show something lodged

in his esophagus,

and that's why I called you in.

Great.

Hang on.

Oh, come on.

Eugh.

Voila! A pawn.

That's a career first for me.

My guess is he tried to swallow it

and, well, choke-mate.

Wow.

Odd last meal.

Oh, hang on.

USB.

Career first for all of us.

So Felix wasn't killed for drugs. He was killed for this.

'Sup?

Hanging around waiting to get fired.

You?

Hanging around hoping nothing tech-y comes across my desk.

Trigger, need you to open the files on this USB.

Uh, no worries.

Uh, no! Sorry to interrupt.

Just reminding you that that laptop

is connected to the NCIS server.

True.

Making us vulnerable to a malware attack.

Also very true.

No, sorry, sorry, you need to plug that USB

into an air-gapped, firewalled device

to safely verify its contents.

Yes.

Like this one.

- So... - Yep. Got it.

Okay.

Think you can crack that?

No problemo, yeah.

Yeah, no, I got nothing.

Any advice for Trigger, Blue?

Yeah, yeah, this is easy.

Okay, so assuming that they've used

a password-based encryption,

you could try a brute force attack.

That sounds up my alley.

But if they've used a form of block

or stream encryption and assuming...

Now might be a good time to cross those 'T's.

Actually, you should just forget about

the brute force attack

and go straight to a linear cryptanalysis.

- Hey, um... - Yep. Sorry.

So it's not gonna be official,

but whatever is on that drive is critical.

Now, we wouldn't be able to pay you or anything.

Me? Are you kidding? I would pay you to get do this.

Great.

- Thank you. - You're welcome.

- Sorry. - All good.

Here's our guy.

Who knew there were this many chess fans?

- It's a popular sport. - Uh, slow your roll, Myron.

In what world is chess a sport?

Uh, it's called this world.

These guys are supreme athletes.

And Rana's one of the best.

- Can you see Ali anywhere? - Nope.

What kind of coach doesn't show up to his daughter's match?

The kind to put a knife in our attaché.

Unbelievable.

She's got him in zugzwang.

- That's gotta hurt. - Zugzwang? Endgame time.

Look, he can't move a piece without losing.

Whichever way he goes, he's done.

Someone's chucking a tanty.

- No, he's resigning. - Hey?

You tip over your king when you concede defeat.

Run interference.

- I'll talk to her. - Why you?

'Cause Myron speaks chess.

What are you having?

Uh, when I win, I'm allowed a chocolate bar.

Ooh, you must eat a mountain of it,

putting the grandmaster into a zugzwang.

- Go you. - He underestimated me.

Yeah, I bet he won't make that mistake again.

He won't get to.

Uh, your dad's your coach, isn't he?

I didn't see him around.

- He had business. - Oh. What's he do?

He works with computers for the government.

It was nice to meet you.

Hey, sorry. I don't mean to bother you.

Do you mind if I have your autograph?

Uh, Constable Evie Cooper, Australian Federal Police.

You with the embassy?

Consulate. Giti Golzaar, media liaison representative.

Well, you've got a good news story with that Rana kid, huh?

Zugzwanging the grandmaster like that?

Are you in the championship?

No, uh, I'm just a big fan of the game.

I chase bad guys for a living. I'm kind of a cop.

In my country, sometimes cops are the bad guys.

What's black is white.

Oh, see, it's a little different here, kid.

Look. DeShawn Jackson.

Just in case you run into any real bad guys.

I really dig your game, kid.

What interest is it to you?

I live and breathe chess. It's the best sport in the world.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you would return to...

- Keep up... - Excuse me.

You need to get ready for the finals, Rana.

Let's go.

So, I had Trigger run an image search on Felix,

and these photos from a Sydney protest two weeks ago came up.

What's a US Government employee doing at an anti-regime rally?

What are they protesting?

Death of a woman, Maryam Jafari.

Protesters claimed it was a government-sanctioned beating.

Their government claims it was a car accident.

I got into the pawn.

- She means... - Yeah.

I know what she means.

Okay, well, the first folder, anyway.

The second one used

a super-sophisticated encryption key,

which I will soon out-sophisticate.

What's the first folder give us?

This pawn star.

Hassan Saberi, a Sydney dentist.

So Hassan and Felix at the same protest.

Really? What are the odds?

And why is the identity of a dentist worth killing for?

I had a dream about my teeth last night.

- They all fell out. - That's an anxiety dream.

What would I be anxious about?

Your teeth falling out, pretty sure.

So have you let him know yet?

- Trigger? - Take that as a no.

Oh, it's not that easy, Macka.

When it comes to broken biscuits,

you can't just chuck them out.

And just so I'm clear, Trigger is a broken biscuit?

- Yeah, I knew you'd get it. - I really don't.

No, yeah, you do.

He went through a rough patch,

but beneath everything...

Like his total lack of utility?

Sure.

And his unwillingness to demonstrate any kind of initiative?

Yeah, granted.

And his refusal to respect any vague chain of command?

Well, he is Australian, Macka, so you can give him that one.

Look, you want him gone, just say the word.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

Come in.

We'd like to ask some questions about Felix Ebrahimi.

I do not know this man.

Take another look.

I'm afraid not. Uh...

What is this about?

Felix was murdered yesterday.

Your contact details are on his person.

Why do you think that is?

Uh, perhaps a... a patient recommended me.

- Was it my business card? - Yeah, not quite.

An encrypted USB was found lodged in his throat.

Why did you lie about knowing Felix?

I can't help if you won't let me, Hassan.

You... You can't help.

Try me.

Ali Azad.

Felix met with him and now he's dead.

What can you tell us about Ali?

I can't.

If the regime find out I am speaking to you...

A man is dead, Hassan.

Exactly.

Rumor within my community

is that Ali Azad is an agent of the regime.

If I talk to you, what happened to Felix could happen to me.

Yo, Evie, check it out.

I was digging deeper into Ali and I found this.

Mr. Ali, can you comment on the death of your wife, please?

It's very simple.

My wife, Maryam, died in a tragic accident.

Now the Western media and the opposition

are claiming foul play.

They are using her death for political gain.

I ask you not to support them.

Maryam Jafari is Ali's wife.

And Rana's mom.

So did she die in an accident

or was she beaten to death?

The USB is loaded up with layers upon layers

of encryption with, I'm assuming, independent KMS keys,

which is gonna take some time.

- What else have you got? - Felix's white Christmas.

We dug up some metadata from the photos of Felix racking up

and compared it to the metadata from the first encrypted folder.

- They're a match. - Meaning?

Meaning...

...they're the same?

The same computer that created the files on the USB

created the fake photos of Felix doing drugs.

- They're from the same source. - How can you be sure?

Several matching data points,

including the longitude and latitude of the computer.

- Where? - Um...

Somewhere within this neighborhood.

Now, word around Hacker Town

is that that is the location for their disinformation center.

Which is...

The regime's elite hacker group.

Experts in disinformation.

So Felix was a target of his former country?

The regime was trying to discredit him.

And according to our friendly neighborhood dentist,

Ali is regime.

- Mm-hm. - Maybe Ali is our killer.

I don't know about that.

Rana seemed a little cagey

when her dad didn't show up at her game today.

You think she knows more than she's letting on.

So what are you waiting for?

She is on fire.

Another chess hopeful dispatched,

this time by Rana Azad, in record time.

But the contenders just keep on coming.

Loser buys the winner an ice cream.

White goes first.

Hm, you know that much, at least.

I got some moves, kid.

- Better bring your A game. - I'm scared!

Something tells me you don't scare easily.

I know what really happened to your mom.

Really sorry, kid.

My mother died in a car accident.

That's the government line.

Guess you got no choice but to toe it.

What do you want?

Yesterday, your dad met an American Naval officer,

Felix Ebrahimi.

Thing is Felix is now dead.

I don't believe you.

Why would I lie?

Look, folks think your dad killed Felix.

My father is the softest, kindest man.

He would never hurt anyone.

If he wasn't there to hurt him,

maybe he was there to give him something.

I wasn't there. How would I know?

It's your move.

I think you know.

Look, what was on that USB? Why was it worth killing for?

Please, Rana, I need to speak to your dad.

I don't know where he is.

Stop toying with him, Rana.

There are lots more people who'd like to play.

Wait, my time's not up.

Checkmate.

It is now.

I owe you an ice cream.

Another time, perhaps.

Uh, your A game, it needs work.

You should come by and watch me in the finals.

You might learn something.

That was the regional security office at the embassy.

The last job in Felix's in tray was a visa application.

- Two, in fact. - Let me guess.

Rana and Ali Azad.

So Felix starts to organize a visa to the States

for a member of the regime's hacker group.

Why?

Okay, maybe Ali doesn't want to be hacker group anymore.

Because the regime killed his wife.

He wants political asylum.

And you don't kill the guy who's gonna give it to you.

So if Ali didn't kill Felix, then who did?

Well, isn't it obvious?

- The third man. - Great.

I'll put a BOLO out for Orson Welles.

Now, Rana Azad

is our youngest grand finalist ever.

She's cut a swath through this tournament already,

defeating two...

Who's that next to Giti?

It's the ambassador.

Damn! How you know that so fast?

It's called the internet, Myron.

So you got consular staff, you got the ambassador,

and still Dad's a double no-show.

Okay, so if the regime has Ali, what happens if Rana loses?

What an unexpected opening

from the young contender.

G4? She's playing the Grob.

Who names these things?

Only the rookies play the Grob.

It's like a joke opening.

People play it online

when they're not trying to take the game too seriously.

Bishop G2?

Well, her dad is a chess composer.

You know, there's gotta be some logic.

It's not making any sense.

Wait. G4. Bg2.

Na3.

Huh.

Knight to A3.

Pawn to H3.

Then, yeah, bishop captures D5, but...

Look, I know I'm new to this,

but it looks like she's losing.

No, she ain't losing.

She's playing a different game altogether.

Freckles!

Yeah, someone. Uh, it's me. It's me.

It's Blue.

Blue, I need you to take this down.

Yep.

G4, Bg2,

Na3, H3,

Bxd5.

Is this chess?

DeShawn, are we playing chess?

My gut says

Rana's moves are the decryption key to the USB.

Oh. Oh, I'll pop them in now.

Nope, no happiness.

I'll try them lowercase.

- Nope. - Try doing it arse about.

- Arse where? - Write it backwards.

Old bomb-maker trick.

Oh, my God, we're in!

So all these guys are dissidents?

If you believe their public profiles.

But surprise, surprise, they're all fake,

courtesy of our friends at the hacker group.

They're cover identities

for their government operatives stationed all over the world.

So who could be posing as a dissident in this country?

Bring up Hassan's file.

Um...

Our dentist is the third man.

Rana Azad's play is most unusual.

Her opponent's really just chopping wood.

The USB was a list of undercover agents all around the world.

Ali was blowing the lid on an international spy ring.

I can't believe it, folks.

- What? - Rana Azad has just resigned.

DeShawn.

DeShawn, help!

- Go, go, go! - Move, move!

DeShawn!

Federal agent, move!

Fast, Rana!

Rana!

Rana!

DeShawn!

Help, DeShawn!

- Rana! - No!

Go, go, go, go, go, go, go!

Rana!

DeShawn says they've grabbed Rana.

We need to move fast.

Hassan's car.

Still warm.

You two take the front.

No! No! Please! No!

Stop! Arggh!

Arggh!

I am already dead!

- AFP! - NCIS!

Yeah. Don't forget to floss.

Please.

You need to know how these people work.

They don't want Rana, they want me.

You're safe now.

But Rana is not.

You need to contact the consulate.

Tell them I will hand myself in if they release her.

They will kill you, Ali.

I made a promise to Maryam...

...to give Rana the future she could never have.

Please. This is the only way.

We're not actually considering this, are we?

What life does he have if Rana goes back without him?

And what does freedom taste like for Rana if her dad's dead?

There's another option.

We don't swap Ali. We swap him.

What are you saying, D? We hand Hassan over to them?

He killed Felix.

And it's probably not the only blood on his hands.

He should spend the rest of his life rotting in a supermax.

What's the alternative, huh?

Rana will be holed up in the consulate right now.

Within an hour, she'll be on the plane back home.

Look, Hassan killed Lieutenant Felix Ebrahimi,

and I want to see him go down for that, I do.

But Felix died trying to give Rana and her dad a better life.

Ask yourself, what would Felix want us to do right now?

How do we even broker a deal like that?

We can't just get an audience with the ambassador.

We don't need the ambassador.

We need a liaison.

Where is she?

- Rana! - Baba!

- Do not touch her! - Please let us handle this.

Let us handle it.

Hassan.

Remember this face.

Baba!

Spoke to the US Consulate.

They're fast-tracking asylum for Ali and Rana.

Good news for American chess.

How's it hanging?

- Blue, I... - I'm gonna stop you right there.

- Excuse me? - I know what you're gonna say.

You're gonna say that trust is a big deal,

and I breached yours.

So if you can find me a cardboard box,

I'll clear out my things and I'll get out of your lair.

Okay, no cardboard boxes, fine. I'll just show myself out.

Or...

...you could just get back to work.

What?

Welcome back, kiddo.

Wait, what? How... how...

How is it even possible? I am utterly unqualified.

Well, not where it counts.

JD went to AFP and found a way to keep you.

- Mm. - What did you call it?

Special dispensation for hours accrued.

- Thank you. - Oh!

Rosie!

I can stay.

Oh. Well, there you go.

Now, make yourself useful.

He's all yours.

Hey.

With me.

So, what do you think?

Uh...

Wow.

I wasn't sure if you were a DeWalt or a Makita guy.

Well, I can go either way.

Good.

Now earn your keep.

Huh. Yes, ma'am.

- Rory. - Here he is.

I was getting worried you'd stood me up.

Oh, last-minute dentist appointment.

Oh, sounds like torture.

Yeah, you don't know the half of it.

So, to what do I owe the pleasure?

So I pulled some strings.

Your broken bickie will remain firmly inside

the NCIS cookie jar.

Oh, mate, that is unreal.

Hey, Trigger's a good egg.

- You'll see. - I already have, mate.

Got a favor to ask in return.

Still got mates in admissions?

Mm-hm.

Just between us, eh?