Original subtitles

You are being watched.

The government has a secret system,

a machine that spies on you, every hour of every day. Ripped By mstoll

I designed the Machine to detect acts of terror,

but it sees everything...

Violent crimes involving ordinary people.

The government considers these people irrelevant.

We don't.

Hunted by the authorities, we work in secret.

You will never find us.

But victim or perpetrator,

if your number's up, we'll find you.

The leaked black budget report reveals several classified

military intelligence programs,

with code names like Chalk Eagle and Tractor Rose.

A program designated Northern Lights has...

Northern Lights has a budget far outstripping any other program.

Classified as "operation support

for counterterrorism activities,"

the details are scarce.

Some have speculated that it may be related

to the surveillance of American citizens.

If so, what does that mean for our privacy?

Media got a hold of the program name,

which means your old boss Control just lost it.

Bitch tried to kill me.

Nice to see her head on the chopping block for change.

Anyone connected to the Machine will be burying evidence

six feet down.

Could put the program in jeopardy.

Government can't put the Machine back in the box.

We're still getting our numbers, so the lights are on.

Let's go.

Morning. You guys have the pancakes?

Try the banana chocolate chip... amazing.

What?

No small talk? All right, fine by me.

You have the product?

What's it look like?

You got the money?

One million. We have a deal?

You got it, man.

That fast, huh?

Couldn't even wait to get back to the hotel to count it?

See, Ray, your partner's already picked out a house in Hawaii.

So as soon as you turn your back, he's gonna put two in your head

- and keep all the money for himself. - But guess what, Julio.

Ray here put a down payment on a yacht,

told your girl he'd show her the world.

Five-hundred thousand buys a lot. But a million?

Both of you would take out your partner for that.

- Oh, you little son of a... - Sorry, guys. Deals off.

Sweet dreams, boys.

Fusco can clean this up.

Twenty years in lockup ought to keep 'em from killing each other.

See? Business as usual. Even if the government's program's on ice,

the Machine is still spitting out numbers.

You know Finch, even without Northern Lights,

his machine will find a way to maintain national security.

Really? Well, then who's handling the relevant threats?

- Root. - Hey, kids.

- You miss me between drug deals? - Yeah

I miss you like I miss an intestinal parasite.

I love your similes.

Hop on, Shaw.

We've got a relevant number in Alaska.

We're gonna steal a jet.

Does sound kind of fun.

Send me a postcard.

Turn that frown upside down, Lurch.

You're going on vacation too.

Harold's about to call from DC. He needs your help.

Mr. Reese, I'm afraid our services are required

in the nation's capital.

I heard. On my way.

Finch?

This'll work.

Oh, good, you're here. Sorry, got tied up at the library.

I'm happy to see that you've come prepared for a long haul.

Dare I hope that you've packed something other than weaponry?

There's some trip wire to booby-trap the room door.

And a toothbrush.

Oral hygiene is something, I suppose.

You got a number here in DC.?

It would seem so.

My investigation into Vigilance's activities

will have to wait.

Well, Root is getting the relevant numbers now.

Shaw is with her.

We're entering uncharted territory,

tasked with both relevant and irrelevant numbers.

Already stretched pretty thin, Finch.

And at the worst possible time.

Just when Decima is determined to make Samaritan operational.

Maybe the timing's not a coincidence.

I fear that it may be connected.

These are strange times,

and the threat of Samaritan should not be underestimated.

How do you know it's not already up and running?

Because we'd be dead, Mr. Reese.

The Machine is a shield. It protects lives.

I designed it with safeguards to prevent it being abused

as an agent of destruction.

Samaritan is an open system, a sword.

If it gains access to the government's feeds,

there will be no checks on its power. There will be no limits

to the knowledge possessed by the person controlling it.

Decima would definitely use it to hunt down its enemies.

And as confidants of the Machine,

you and I would be at the top of the list.

So maybe the Machine is trying to protect us.

No, I built it to protect everyone, one number at a time.

- Oh, my. - What?

That's Roger McCourt.

Our new number is a United States congressman?

From Illinois.

Six terms in Congress.

Current ranking minority member of the Pivotal House Rules Committee.

The rules committee controls the flow of legislation,

spurring it forward or stopping it altogether.

If he has that much power, he'll have plenty of enemies.

Given their activities in Washington recently,

Vigilance would have to be a suspect.

However, McCourt's been an outspoken opponent of government surveillance.

Could Decima want him dead?

Perhaps.

But killing a congressman would seem too flashy for them.

Nobody likes the government these days.

Any disgruntled citizen could be the assassin.

We have to get to the Capitol.

You call this music?

Finch? Are you okay?

I'm fine.

Can we put the screeching cat out of its misery?

It's not feline. It's Verdi.

There's a performance of ll Trovatore

at the Kennedy Center that I'd like to catch.

Next time you can be the disc jockey. We'll listen to whatever you like.

Well, maybe next time I'll just sing for you.

I do a great Ring cycle, you know.

I think I'll skip your Brunhilde.

Suit yourself.

Looks like our congressman is in danger

of catching lobbyist disease.

It's gonna be difficult to get ears on McCourt.

His aide handles all phone activity.

McCourt doesn't want the government eavesdropping on him?

Congressmen know better than anyone

that their employer could be listening.

We'll have to get close to him, narrow down the list of threats.

The Capitol police detail won't let anyone near him.

Congressmen are eligible for Secret Service protection

in the event of additional risk.

No one's made an attempt on his life yet.

The congressman doesn't even know the danger he's in.

Get down!

He knows now. Drive, Finch.

I have to tell you, Mr. Reese, I don't approve of this strategy.

You're the one who said you couldn't make an alias

that would pass Secret Service muster.

I said I didn't have time, I didn't know you were gonna steal

the identity of an actual Secret Service agent.

I'm just borrowing it. Relax.

Order some room service.

Perhaps I will when you tell me what you've done

with the real Agent Abbott.

He's resting comfortably in a motel room near the airport.

Define "comfortably."

Gotta go, Finch.

The rules committee is meeting in ten minutes.

You have your Journal interview at 11:30.

Then lunch at Ocean Grill with Cynthia Carol from Privacy First

to discuss your anti-surveillance initiative.

- Good morning, Leslie. - Good morning, Congressman.

Who's this?

This is Agent Abbott, Secret Service. He's been assigned to you.

Because of the shooting? - Oh, sorry.

I was thinking more about the business ahead of me today

rather than behind.

Where you from, Abbott?

He's from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Tulsa, sir.

Tulsa, Oklahoma. Good people, salt of the earth.

And for tonight, tickets to the Verdi opera at the Kennedy Center.

Do I have to go to this? This sounds like screeching cats.

- You promised your wife. - I could shoot you in the leg, sir.

Pardon me?

Might get you out of the opera.

You know, Duran here, he always wanted to be Secret Service.

Isn't that right, Duran?

At one time, sir.

Well, if you show Abbott some love here,

maybe he'll put in a good word for you.

Oh, and we can dispense with the stoplights today, okay?

McCourt!

Dunphy. You should've called first. My office is slammed this morning.

Is this about the airline contract?

- They're trying to stick it to us, Mac. - Yeah.

Now I'm hearing you might be taking their side instead of the union's?

Dunphy, Dunphy.

It must be Bruce Dunphy,

part of the leadership of the Illinois Machinists Union.

I know it's a lousy contract, but I do think that you ought to sign it.

Unbelievable. You backstabbing son of a...

- Whoa, hold it, hold it. - Think you can pull

this bait and switch with us, we me, and get away with it?

Looks like McCourt might have crossed the wrong union boss.

It's not a good deal, but it does keep the plant open.

And it puts you at the front of the line

for a bigger government contract

that's coming down the pipe next year.

- Another contract? - Yeah.

So you see, Bruce, I am looking out for your guys.

But you do have to trust me.

I guess I jumped the gun a little bit.

Forget it.

- Hey, is your wife in town with you? - Yeah.

Here. Go as my guest.

It's classical stuff. She'll love it.

Really? Oh, thanks, Mac.

It's my pleasure. Tell your guys not to worry.

Remember, I'm your man.

Thanks.

Leslie, call my wife and tell her unfortunately the opera was sold out.

It would appear our congressman has quite a knack

for getting himself out of unpleasant situations.

Yeah, that opera would've been brutal.

Hmm.

I'm not accustomed to taking meetings

on such short notice, but your reputation precedes you.

Don't worry, Senator. I come with only the best of intentions.

So what can I do for you?

Actually it's what I can do for you and your Northern Lights problem.

If you're referring to the leaked black-budget report,

mine's just one of 100 names found in there.

I've already made it clear I have no knowledge of that project.

Really? I thought you knew a great deal about it,

especially since the 2008 policy retreat on Martha's vineyard

when you were tapped to shepherd the program.

Surely you didn't think, in a world where you were surveilling everyone,

that no one was watching you.

So, what is it you want?

As I told you, to help.

The group responsible for leaking your black budget to the press

calls themselves Vigilance.

Privacy terrorists.

This is one of their leaders,

known by his alias as Peter Collier.

Ironic.

You risked your career

hiding a program designed to protect the country,

yet it couldn't protect you from this group when you needed it to.

And now you've had to shut it down,

leaving your country unprotected.

A frightening prospect indeed.

The country will always be protected.

Yes, I'm sure you're weighing alternative approaches,

as your president might say.

I can save you the time.

My company, Decima Technologies,

is finalizing development of a new surveillance system.

All due respect, we've gone down a similar path with mixed results.

Northern Lights was effective but compromised by the ethics

of its creator.

It spoke but never listened.

What I have not only listens, but obeys.

It can find anyone,

anywhere, anytime.

You merely need to ask.

As intriguing as that sounds, there are some members of Congress

making too much hay out of this latest scandal

to ever green-light another program.

Heh.

Share my proposal with your colleagues.

If there is interest,

dissenting voices will not be a problem.

How can you be sure?

Because, Senator, obstacles are only obstacles

until you move them out of the way.

So how long you been with the congressman?

Long enough to know he doesn't need Secret Service protection.

- What about the shooting? - Just some antigovernment wing nut

- looking to make the news cycle. - I suppose that's possible.

Mr. Reese?

That's my supervisor. Guy's always in my ear.

- What do you got, Finch? - Nothing of note.

McCourt's list of enemies is practically nonexistent.

He ran a surprisingly clean campaign to get into office,

and his current stand against unchecked surveillance

has endeared him to elements of both parties.

- What about his personal life? - No red flags.

Finances are sound, carries no debt,

and has an impressive stock portfolio.

And that's the point I'm making now...

- Help you with something, friend? - Let go of me.

I'm trying to be polite here.

It's all right, Abbott, I've got this.

- Have a seat. - Thank you, sir.

Local homeless guy. I've seen him around.

McCourt knows him?

No, but people like him know McCourt.

He's got a standing offer to buy a meal for anyone who needs one.

It's a practice he started last year

to raise awareness for the homeless problem.

- One more, Congressman. - Also helps burnish his public image.

Okay. Get him some soup.

Finch, take this down.

Echo-Five-Dash-Nine-Mike-India-Six.

A license plate?

See if you can trace it.

Abbott, chop chop!

What was that?

Forget it.

Starting to think I should've gone with Root.

Thanks for being my travel buddy on these errands.

Sure, it's not every day you get to beat up

a militia group in Anchorage, then hop a plane to Miami.

So is this what you're doing from now on, you're chasing down bad guys?

I doubt it.

There's still too much work to be done.

What kind of work?

Preparation.

I understand. We're leaving now.

- Time to go. - Where to?

- St. Louis. - Oh, great.

I know a steak joint that serves a filet that's better than sex.

Yummy as that sounds, you won't be joining me.

She needs you somewhere else.

Where?

You should go back to dealing coke, Sonny.

It's a lot safer than moving explosives.

You there, Finch?

Always, Mr. Reese. Sounds rather quiet there.

I think the only thing McCourt is in danger of is working too late.

I fear you may need to remain on his security detail

longer than anticipated.

Shouldn't we check in on the real Agent Abbott?

Yeah, I guess someone should turn him over.

I beg your pardon?

- What's going on? - Something's wrong, Finch.

- Sorry. - What the hell, Abbott?

You never heard of knocking?

I'm sorry. I thought I heard a...

Never mind.

Should I call it in?

Finch, McCourt and his aide have been working

on more than just policy positions.

Might wanna consider his wife as a possible threat.

Actually, her e-mails show that she's been aware

of his affairs for quite some time.

Seems they have more of an arrangement than a marriage.

Mr. Reese, I found something.

What is it?

With Fusco's aid, I was able to trace the license plate

from the SUV outside the restaurant back to a rental car company.

It seems the vehicle was rented to a shell corporation

set up by another company.

Decima Technologies.

Decima.

You were right, Finch. It's all connected.

McCourt must be a threat to Samaritan.

Which would explain why they're here.

Duran.

There's something you should know, Officer.

He's not Secret Service.

What? Who's this?

Here's the real Agent Abbott.

Don't do it.

- Abbott, what are you doing? - Stay put.

- Mr. Reese, what's happening? - Change of plans. I've got McCourt.

Got him?

You've kidnapped a United States congressman?

Like you said, Finch, these are strange times.

Hello, Harold.

Mr. Reese, I have to question the wisdom

of abducting an elected official.

Well, Decima blew my cover and started shooting.

The Capitol police and Secret Service are scouring the city for you now,

plus the FBI and about a dozen other three-letter agencies.

Let's see how they're doing.

...traveling west on Independence Avenue.

Congressman was abducted in a black sport utility vehicle,

- Illinois license plate 20... - That's us.

So we need to dump the car and hole up somewhere.

Very well. Turn left up here. I know a place.

American Beef Consultants, Finch?

We need a hiding place, not a burger.

Last month I bought the beef industry's lobbying arm.

And don't knock the hamburgers. They're superb.

Doesn't look like much of a safe house.

That's the idea. I cleared out this floor,

and added a couple of cutting-edge amenities:

fully stocked kitchen, bulletproof glass.

Okay, Mac, you gonna scream?

Mmm.

John, bedside manner.

Congressman, strange as it may seem,

we wish you no harm, we're here to help.

But we do need to ask you a few questions,

and we would prefer that you did not yell for assistance.

Who are you?

Security advisors... of a sort.

Well, yeah, I can pay the ransom.

I can get however much money you need.

- Someone's trying to kill you. - Yeah, you.

- What? No. We're protection. Protection?

You posed as, uh, Secret Service,

you knock out my security detail, and then you abduct me at gunpoint.

Technically I also shot at you a couple days ago.

Somebody help me, please!

That's enough!

We don't have time for this.

If you wanna survive, you have to help us.

Now, about that hit squad that my colleague rescued you from.

Hit squad? That wasn't a hit squad.

That was the FBI trying to save me from you.

I know it may have appeared that way, but I assure you

that was not the case.

What do you know about a company called Decima?

Never heard of it. Why?

They sent the team that tried to kill you.

Do you know why they would consider you an enemy?

Me, an enemy?

I'm not an enemy. People love me.

I mean, I might piss a few people off along the way,

but I always get 'em whatever it is they need.

I'm a deal maker.

So what is it with you guys? What do you want, money?

You want a personal telephone call from the president?

'Cause I can get it.

Just please, come on.

Let me go.

Then, whatever you need, I'm your man.

Finch, get down!

- You guys all right? - Yes, we're fine.

Why is everybody shooting at everybody?

If you're shooting at federal agents...

Feds don't walk in scattering lead.

- Decima found us. - How?

McCourt has no phone to follow.

It's a tracker. Do you know who gave you this?

No idea. It was given to me at a fundraiser a week ago.

More operatives will be arriving soon. We need to go.

We should leave the beltway. We'll need a new car.

Or an old one, easier to hotwire.

Take McCourt.

This guy again. He's like a cockroach.

Sounds like our last escape route is about to disappear.

I'm more comfortable shooting this guy than the cops.

You guys going my Way?

Congressman was abducted by a white male,

Six-three, dark hair, in suit.

Be advised, suspect is armed and extremely dangerous.

Nice car, Shaw. So how'd you know we'd be there?

I didn't... until five minutes ago.

I got a call from Root.

- So you're the one we're saving? - Yeah. Who are you?

Right now I'm the getaway driver.

Heh. Boy, this just gets worse.

Cheer up, Mac.

You could be in the trunk with the guy who wants to kill you.

We can't go back. It's too dangerous.

I could try blasting through the roadblock.

The term "blasting"

does not inspire great confidence, Ms. Shaw.

Time to get some fresh air. I'll get the guy in the trunk.

Let's go.

Sir, you need to pull forward please. Thank you.

Time to stretch your legs.

All clear.

Newspapers in the driveway, mail piled up. Must be on vacation.

Let's hope they decide to stay another night.

What now?

Some answers.

Look, I don't know how many times I have to tell you,

I haven't done anything to make anybody wanna kill me.

Well, until we determine the reason

that Decima keeps making attempts on your life, you'll have to stay with us.

- You have our Decima friend's phone? - I pulled out the SIM card.

If you really wanna protect me, why don't you just take me to the cops?

Law enforcement is no deterrent

to the people coming after you, Congressman.

This is insane.

You've obviously done something to attract their attention.

Like what?

Decima is a private intelligence company

developing a large-scale surveillance program.

The type of program that you've been vocally against.

Along with half the Congress. So?

But your position on the rules committee gives you the power

to alter or halt legislation.

Have you sidelined anything that would affect Decima's plans?

No. I don't know anything about that company

or why they would wanna kill me. This is all just a huge mistake.

We're not getting anywhere here.

Maybe Shaw's having some luck.

You can talk or bleed out.

You help us, we'll help you.

Suit yourself, tough guy.

Hope it's worth dying for.

That may not be necessary.

I was able to get into his phone through a key vulnerability

in the SMS encryption.

I think we may have misread this situation.

Protect?

Seems we're not the only ones concerned

with the congressman's safety.

So who are you supposed to be protecting McCourt from?

I wasn't given that information.

But in the week we've been watching him,

the only ones who have taken a shot at him are you.

Ah.

You think maybe I could get a coffee?

Or some water would be fine.

Mr. McCourt, you're sure you have no knowledge of Decima?

I already answered that.

- Why do you keep beating that drum? Because they're protecting you.

Protecting me?

A minute ago you said they were trying to kill me.

I did.

Something doesn't add up.

Actually I think it might.

I looked into your finances earlier today, Congressman.

You did what?

I noticed your stock portfolio, up 20 percent over last year.

What are you getting at?

Your trading activities.

Your portfolio is up 20 percent due to trades

you've made in the last two weeks.

Trades that have increased in value by over 600 percent.

- So? - So...

either you're the smartest investor in Washington,

or you're getting some very good information.

Inside information.

I don't like what you're implying.

It's more than an implication, Congressman,

and it'll become a call to an SEC investigator I know

unless you're more truthful with us.

Okay-

I know Decima Technologies.

But they're not trying to kill me. We have an understanding.

What kind of an understanding?

They were looking for a little legislative support

for their new surveillance program.

Support?

You've been leading the charge against government surveillance.

Course I have. 'Cause I realized that the government can't keep a secret.

You look at Prism and this Northern Lights mess.

What do you know about Decima's program?

Not much really.

Just that it's an alternative to a government-run system,

which, at this point, should make everybody happy.

And in return for your support, you're getting insider stock tips.

You're a couple of smart guys, you know?

Surely you understand that everything that happens in Washington is a deal.

And you're a dealmaker.

In case you didn't know,

the business of governance... is business.

They're moving grid-to-grid through the neighborhood.

We need to make a move.

Greer is positioning Samaritan to replace the Machine.

McCourt is helping Decima.

We've been looking at him as a victim,

but he's really a perpetrator.

I'm not so sure. His involvement is tangential at best,

and he doesn't know Greens intentions.

If he's not a victim or a perp,

then why did the Machine give us his number?

What is it we're supposed to be stopping?

I'm not sure we're supposed to be stopping anything.

Finch, you said McCourt could speed up or halt legislation.

Yes, he's in a unique position to remove

any legislative roadblock to Samaritan.

So without McCourt, Samaritan doesn't get past Congress.

And Greer wouldn't get access to the NSA's surveillance feeds.

Then that's why we got his number.

He is the victim.

His life is in danger.

But from who?

Us.

I think the Machine wants us to kill McCourt.

- John, think about what you're saying. - I have.

Just because Decima is not the threat to McCourt

doesn't mean that we must be.

The Machine is designed to save lives, not take them.

But could it?

Could the Machine ever tell us to kill someone? Is it possible?

It's conceivable.

Well, how bad would the situation have to be?

Bad. It would have to see that an individual's actions

could directly result in the loss of others' lives.

How many lives? A dozen, a hundred? How many?

A lot. I'm not sure. I never dreamt it would come to this.

Well, it has.

Your machine, it sees something coming,

Something bad, and it wants us to stop it.

I don't know. You don't know that.

Look, I've never entirely trusted your machine, but you built it,

and I trust you.

You're the one who said we can't underestimate

the threat of Samaritan.

Mr. McCourt...

you have to call off your deal with Decima.

Their surveillance program cannot be approved.

What are you, one of those privacy nut jobs? Is that what this is about?

With access to the government's surveillance feeds,

Decima will be able to acquire any information,

any secret it desires,

and sell it to the highest bidder.

And that would be the United States government.

Perhaps, for now.

But unbridled access

will create unlimited opportunities for abuse.

People will be ruined, lives will be lost.

The results will be nothing short of catastrophic.

These programs are always gonna be controversial but also inevitable.

People get up in arms whenever they go public,

but eventually the noise dies down,

because the simple truth is

that people wanna be protected.

They just don't wanna know how.

Oh, maybe I haven't offered you the right incentive.

So how much?

Excuse me?

To withdraw your support for Decima's program, how much?

Hey, you know, I did this to keep the country safe.

And, yeah, maybe I got a little something

for myself during the process.

All that makes me is good at what I do.

I'm not calling off the deal.

Looks like we've got company. SWAT, feds, the works.

Mr. Reese, it was never my intention

for people to be killed because of the Machine.

What do you think happened when it gave the government

a terrorist number?

What do you think we used to do for a living?

That man is not a terrorist.

He's just an opportunistic and corrupt pawn.

That doesn't make the threat any less real.

We are not assassins. We protect people.

Isn't that what we're doing?

Sacrificing the life of one to save the lives of many?

Shaw, help me out here.

Six months ago, I would've already put a bullet in that guy's head.

But ever since hanging around you guys, I've kind of

gotten used to saving people but we've only been able

to do that by trusting the Machine.

And if it's saying that this guy's gotta go...

Well, I think we should still trust it.

John, I urge you to consider the consequences of this action.

There are consequences to not acting.

Like with Simmons and Joss.

Don't do this.

If we let him walk out that door, Decima wins.

Samaritan will go live.

It's a possibility, but not a certainty.

There may be another way. We've never been here.

But are you really willing to take that risk?

Harold?

Since we started this, things have changed. We've changed.

But the mission, our purpose, has always been constant:

to save lives.

If that's changed somehow,

if we're in a place now

where the Machine is asking us to commit murder...

That's a place I can't go.

I'm afraid this is where I get off.

John.

Unh!

You've had an opportunity to consider my proposal.

Will you help us?

My colleagues and I would like to,

but unfortunately now is not the time.

Perhaps a demonstration of my system's capabilities

will convince you that your country cannot afford to wait.

Test in a limited area,

say... New York City.

Twenty-four hours, quick, clean.

Then we shut it down.

No guns, no police, just information.

What kind of information?

If the NSA provides us

with New York City's surveillance feeds,

we will find you a terrorist.

You could find me a thousand terrorists,

but like I said' we'll never get this through Congress.

And as I told you, dissenting voices would not be a problem.

It's time to remove those obstacles.

Answer your phone, Senator.

How you doing, Garrison? This is Roger McCourt.

I understand you'll be preparing some legislation.

Is that right?

If you can handle the Senate,

I can ensure that the House rules facilitate a quiet passage.

You can do all that?

Absolutely, Senator.

Okay. Let's...

- do it. - Excellent.

Now if there's anything else you need, just ask.

I'm your man.

Virgil, are we operational?

You're just in time for the ribbon cutting.

Feeds are coming online now.

Commencing beta test.

Okay, we have 24 hours.

Splendid.

Find me Harold Finch. Ripped By mstoll