Frank throws water in a tied-up Micro's face, and Micro assures him that it's safe there and he's not a decoy to lure Frank out. He says that he's waited months to talk to Frank. Frank opens a can with his battle knife and wipes the blade on Micro's arm, and eats some food out of the can. An alarm goes off on a screen, and a three-minute countdown begins. Micro tells Frank that the place is rigged and if he doesn't type a code into the central terminal then the place will blow up. Frank doesn't believe him, and Micro says that it takes a retinal scan. Unimpressed, Frank sits down and keeps eating.
Micro begs Frank to let him reset the alarm. Frank finally drags him to the terminal and notices a gun under the table. he takes it and unties Micro's left hand. Micro enters the code and puts his head up to the scanner, and the alarm stops. He tells Frank that he can't disable the self-destruct because it's hardwired, and Frank reties Micro's hand to the chair arm. Frank demands answers, and slaps Micro when he doesn't talk. He then says that people can adjust to pain as long as there is routine, and torture is a lack of routine.
The hacker starts talking, explaining that he was an NSA analyst working Afghanistan intelligence. He assessed what the informants told them for actionable intelligence, but it was just a waste of his time. Once day Micro got something interesting.
David tells Sarah that they sent him a disc, and she advises him to pass it up the line of command. If they bury it then it's on them. Sarah warns him that if he goes around the chain of command then they both know what could happen. Zach and Leo come in and get food before bed. Once they leave, David says that he wants to do the right thing. Sarah refuses to say it's okay because it'll be her fault, and David says that he wants to teach the kids to do the right thing and doesn't know if he can do it if he can't do it himself. His wife tells him to do what he thinks that he should and kisses him.
Later, David puts the disc contents on a server and sends it from there to Dinah. Once he's done, he looks at the wallpaper of his wife and children before shutting off his computer. Later, the Liebermans are in the car playing Twenty Questions while stuck in traffic. Armed agents approach their car and David tells his family to stay in the car and kisses Sarah. He walks off down the street and Carson and his agents follow him. As Sarah arrives, Carson yells that David has a weapon. David insists that it's a mistake and gets down to his knees on Carson's orders, but Carson shoots him in the chest and David falls into the river below.
Micro says that the cellphone in his pocket saved his life. He explains that he went underground and they planted evidence painting him as a traitor. Frank tells him that he's brave and stupid, and Micro concedes the point. He asks for a glass of water, and Frank just laughs.
Sam tells Dinah that Carson was tortured and murdered, and tells her that the press knows that he's dead. Dinah says that they shouldn't give any press releases, and Sam warns that different agencies will be fighting over which one to investigate. She says that Carson was one of them.
Curtis is setting up for the support meeting when Billy comes in and gives Curtis a check. Curtis cheerfully takes it to pay the rent, and says that the support helps some of the veterans. He invites Billy to stay for a meeting, saying it would be good for the vets to see someone making a second life. Billy tells Curtis that he'd feel guilty for getting out in time when they didn't, and admits that business is good. Curtis says that he's proud of him, and Billy tells him that there's always a job for him at Anvil if he wants it. He asks if Curtis will be there the next night, and Curtis tells him that he'll be there.
When Micro dozes off, Frank throws water in face to wake him up. He asks who is coming, and Micro insists that no one is. Micro tells him that he survived on his own and he's not Frank's enemy. Frank walks to the sink and fills the bucket, and Micro asks who would be coming.
A man, Rawlins, meets with Frank and his men and offers them the freedom to when the war He turns the meeting over to Schoonover, who says that they were all handpicked from their various units. Schoonover says that it's Operation Cerberus, and they will capture, interrogate, and execute high-value targets. Rawlins assures them that he's the only authority that they need, and Schoonover appoints Frank and Billy team leaders.
Later, the man prepare in their barrack and Gunner comes over and tells Frank that he's heard great things about him. Frank says the same, and Gunner insists that they're the sword of righteousness and quotes from the Bible. He then tells Frank that he's messing with him and walks away. Billy has been listening and says that his team is ready. He points out that Rawlins didn't give his name, and Frank says that some of the men are calling him "Agent Orange".
At the support group, Billy is there. Lewis describes how he took out a machinegun nest and killed the enemy, but insists that they don't haunt him. He talks about an incident of friendly fire when the press officers dismissed it as an enemy ambush. Lewis dreams of about how the press officer is lying about him. O'Connor says that they take matters into their own hands when that happens, and Curtis agrees. He says that he has friends who were betrayed and everything taken from them, and he decided not throw away the gift that a friend did by saving his life. After the meeting, O'Connor gives Lewis the address of a gun group and recommends that he come.
When the alarm goes off, Frank figures that there's no bombs because he hasn't found any. He lets Micro stop the countdown anyway and brings up video of Frank on the monitors. Micro explains that if he doesn't enter the code then the footage goes to the media and everyone knows that Frank is still alive. Frank says that his family is gone because of Micro's disc, and Micro points out that Ahmad was a decent man but Frank still tortured him. When Frank grabs him by the throat, Micro says that he won't kill him because he's a good man. Frank tells him that he doesn't know shit.
Frank and the other men--all masked--stand in the basement looking at Ahmad. A masked Rawlins comes in and questions Ahmad. He insists that he's not a terrorist and has a family, and Rawlins tells Frank to do it. Frank walks over and shoots Ahmad dead. Later, the soldiers bury Ahmad and Frank priest out the bullet. Gunner figures that they're hiding evidence and asks if Frank is good with that, and Frank says that no one asked their opinion.
Curtis and Billy go to Frank's tombstone and share a drink in his honor. Billy wonders why Frank didn't come to them after his family was killed, and Curtis figures that Frank just wanted to kill everyone responsible. He tells Billy that Frank said that in Kandahar the lines were blurred, and told Curtis that he was lucky not to be there.
Farah finds Dinah looking at photos of Carson's body, and Dinah admits that she didn't like Carson but he didn't deserve to die that way. She worries that she's not suited to command, and says that her priorities changed since she went to Afghanistan. Farah warns her that her withdrawal isn't good, and Dinah insists that it's about finding out who killed Ahmad and Carson. Her mother tells her that she'll have to trust someone someday, and suggests that Dinah is terrified that someone will choose to trust her.
Frank wakes up from his dream of Maria dying, and the killer removes his mask to reveal that he's Frank. When Frank wakes up, Micro wishes him a happy birthday and says that he knows all there is to know. He asks if Frank is going to feed him or kill him, and the alarm goes off again. Frank drives him over to the computer and says that his family is dead and Micro threw his family away. Micro points out that if he goes home then his family is killed, and tells Frank that they could change that. Frank orders him to enter the code, and afterward ties his arm back. David jabs him with the syringe pen he's been using to type in the code, and apologizes to Frank as he passes out.
Lewis lies in his bed crying. His father Clay arrives and comes in, and Lewis goes for his gun and shoots, just missing his father. Clay hugs him, assuring him that no one got hurt and he's okay. Lewis tells his father that he could have killed him and walks out.
At ICE, Sam gives her Carson's bank records. he had $30 million in six offshore accounts, and no idea where it came from. Dinah asks who else they can trust there, and Sam figures that she's on her own taking on the world. He complains that she wants him to keep her secrets, and tells her that people have to earn trust and loyalty. As Sam goes, Dinah asks him to wait.
Frank wakes up and discovers that Micro is untied and up. Still weak, Frank grabs his gun and tries to get up, and Micro offers him a cup of coffee. He tells Frank that it's time to choose, and says that he turned the codes off. Micro says that the men who tried to kill them had patterns, and Frank warns that he doesn't do partners. The other man says that there's no room for emotion, and they're up against bad guys.
Frank is looking at his children's birthday cards to him. Maria sent him tickets to Springsteen for when Frank gets back in 29 days. Billy says that he has plans, and Schoonover comes in and tells Frank and Billy that he wants them for a briefing in five minutes. When they get there, Schoonover explains that they're going to land near a compound and go in on foot. Rawlins says that it's a clandestine mission, and Frank warns that it looks like an ambush. Agent Orange says that they have actionable intelligence and they won't get the chance again, but Frank insists that they're setting a trap because it's exactly what he would do. Schoonover asks Billy for his opinion, and Billy says that he trusts Frank's instincts. Rawlins overrides them and Schoonover reminds Frank that he isn't in command. He tells them to prep the teams, and Frank warns that if they do it then men will die. Unimpressed, Schoonover orders them out.
Later, Frank and the others are under attack. Frank prepares to head through a building to clear a path for evac, rather than die in a trap. When Billy insists on coming with him, Frank tells him to stay there and keep their men safe. Billy reluctantly agrees and gives him cover fire, and Frank tells the wounded Gunner that he's going to get him home. He charges in, killing everyone in his path. A shot takes him in the shoulder, and Frank staggers on, yelling at the enemy to come at him. He kills them as they come, beating one of them with a rock even after he's down.
Frank returns to his men and spits up blood and guts. Rawlins comes in and asks if they killed the target, and Frank grabs him and strangles him until Billy and the others pull him away. Billy tells Frank that he's protecting him, and says that the whole thing smells and Frank should get out like he is. He explains that he requested a transfer back to Force, and advises Frank to do the same.
Micro points out that Frank could have killed himself when his family died, and figures that Frank needs him just as bad as he needs Frank. He explains that he's been getting ready for Frank, and tells Frank to get into his wheeled chair. Micro takes Frank the computers and says that the heroin is financing for something else. Cerberus was off the books, meaning the government turned Frank into a hitman. Micro figures that they want the same thing and they should work together. Frank says that he will if they all die, and Micro agrees.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 19, 2017