Beirut Page #4

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Radio silence? Nothing?

Yeah, no. Yeah.

We believe Cal requested you.

Based on what?

Nothing specific, but--

No, no, no, no, no...

No, I don't see that happening.

Cal's my CO.

We run half the agency's

Mideast operation off this desk.

Do you understand what that means?

Yeah. You're afraid he'll talk.

Afraid?

He's been here 13 years.

The guy's a walking playbook.

- At the moment nothing's blown.

- That we know of.

This goes bad, we don't even know

where to begin wrapping up.

We're playing the waiting game.

It's their move.

So, the question I need answered

from you right now is...

can we count on you to play along

until we get our feet on the ground?

So, here's our story.

We never mention Cal.

He's on assignment,

and nobody needs to know.

Ruzak doesn't arrive in Beirut

till tomorrow, so you've never met him.

We brought you here tonight

because we wanted to find out

what you're doing in town.

This isn't really my thing,

Gaines.

Sure it is. It's Texas Hold 'em.

Two cards down,

and everything else is on the table.

Just play the reality.

You're a confused 40-year-old widower

in the middle of a long winter.

You're pretending to give a lecture,

but the truth is you don't really know

what you're doing or why you came.

Reality.

Your name appears out of nowhere,

and we get real nervous. Reality.

We roll you up for a look,

and you resent our interest. Reality.

So, I'm leaving here pissed off?

Works for me.

What about Ms. Crowder?

Well, it's a widely held belief

that dangling a skirt in front

of a jet-lagged American man of your age

is a high percentage play.

We done here?

You suddenly became really important.

Is that a mistake?

I don't know. Reality.

Gaines was just testing you.

Everyone's under a lot of pressure.

-Isn't that what you're after?

-What's that supposed to mean?

You wouldn't be here

if it wasn't for the action, right?

-You think I'm here for the thrills?

-I don't know.

No, you don't.

All right, fine. Enlighten me.

What's your story, Ms. Crowder?

I'm a skirt in a car driving

an irritated tourist back to his hotel.

Hey, can we take a quick detour?

To where?

I'll show you

where I used to live.

Wow.

The PLO had a transmitter up here.

Ten months ago, just before

the cease-fire, the Israelis took it out.

Must have been beautiful.

It sure was.

In every way.

Ski in the morning, swim in the afternoon,

party all night?

No, not just that.

What we were doing

was what we wanted to do.

We were happy.

I'm not sure how that turned into this.

I'm good.

Cal still with Alice?

As far as I know, yeah.

-So, where is she?

-They have an apartment in Athens.

Alice moved there with the family

when the fighting started.

Cal stayed in Beirut.

It's impossible with kids here.

She knows I'm involved?

I'm not sure Gaines has told her yet.

-We should head out.

-Hold on. Wait, wait.

What's your take on all this? Honestly.

Do you think they want to save Cal

or the information?

That's an ugly question.

You must have thought about it.

I'm too busy worrying whether you're

gonna come through for us or not.

Okay, fine. Just pretend for a minute

that I'm actually gonna do my job.

Who am I working for?

The White House? The State Department?

Don Gaines?

Make Cal your client.

Unless you blame him

for what happened here.

Is that what it says in my file?

Listen, we all f***ed up here.

Every one of us.

Shoot, double up.

It'll be transported to Paris.

I gotta tell you, Mas,

Alice has been pretty adamant

about going to the service.

I'll call you when I get there.

If not now, then maybe we'll do

something later, stateside.

You can tell her that.

I keep thinking that I can take this.

-You're gonna be fine.

-Bullshit.

Sooner or later, you're gonna realize

that none of this was your fault.

Every time you say that, it cuts me.

Then I'll stop saying it.

-Take care of yourself, Cal.

-Hey, Mas...

Mason.

Mason!

Mason.

Mr. Skiles.

Mr. Skiles.

Mr. Skiles, good morning to you, sir.

Bloody traffic!

Look, we're already late. She's waiting.

Look, uh, it's the blue Renault

across the street there.

Can you see it? Right there.

Off you pop.

All right.

Mr. Skiles!

Quick as you can.

No, no, no, no, no, no.

Are you f***ing kidding?

What?

I'm talking about the card game.

I was told to act naturally.

Well, Bashir, your new friend...

The host?

He's the PLO Minister of Commerce.

I didn't get a revolutionary vibe off him.

He's a long way from the homeland.

He's got a house in Spain

and a condo in Sidon

and a Belgian hooker named Sandrine

he keeps in a luxury apartment

in Rue Hamra.

- How the hell does that work?

- The airlines.

He's pulling over a million a month,

'cause he's the guy who guarantees the PLO

won't blow your plane out of the sky.

You mind telling me

where you're taking me?

The kidnappers called at 6:00 a.m.

They know you're here. They want to meet.

Sent a comm signal out

about 20 minutes ago,

we just got called back.

We've got four million in cash

in the Embassy safe.

There's a Naval cruiser stationed offshore

with a SEAL team on standby.

We've got approval

to retarget the observation satellites.

We've got all the pieces in place.

We just gotta hope there's somebody

worth talking to. Let's go.

You all right?

You look a little jet-lagged.

I'm fine.

All right, let's go.

It's the Syrian Air Force.

I don't know what the f***

they're doing there.

Sh*t getting closer, though.

Hey! Don't move! Don't move!

Don't move! No, no, no.

We send in four of ours.

We hold four of theirs.

We finish, we go back the way we came.

All right. We're playing by ear

from here on out, Mason.

Follow our lead, we'll be fine.

Gaines does the talking. Understand?

-Just another pretty face.

-All right, let's go.

Sit.

We've been waiting.

He says they've been waiting.

How may we be sure

that this man is alive?

You will trust in my word.

Which one of you is Skiles?

Now he's asking who's Skiles?

Tell him this isn't much to go on.

We are concerned that the...

My question remains unanswered!

I'm Skiles.

I am curious...

My friends are curious.

How is it that I can help

where others cannot?

No, no, no, no!

I'm not here to answer questions.

I'm here to tell you what must happen.

- I ask the questions.

- Sir...

Demands can be thrown

through the Embassy window.

We've come to hear your voice.

And to let you hear ours.

My voice?

These men should speak!

This man saw his mother

and sister blown up

two days ago at Barjesh Kjehelem.

Do you know that sound?

The sound of American bombs

falling from Zionist planes.

Perhaps you should ask him

what it is he needs!

Sir!

Enough!

So... Tell us. Tell us.

What is the price of our man's freedom?

The price?

Where do you think you are, the souk?

You think

we're selling you lipstick?

Yes, Saiyid!

The market is now open for business.

Come in! Come in!

- What have you done?

- Don't question me.

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