"Just walk with me.."

Soooo we have just finished looking through a cat’s eye…
Leland the nerdy crypto has give Lee the answer. Birol had the team under surveillance and saw that Amanda loves Lee..

So… a puff of smoke invades Lee and Leland’s little secretive conference. We have a spy! [ yeah a whole building full of them]
…Well, well, well, it’s our loan-out from Saudi Arabia.  Those are pencils, Yusef.
Yusef: I am where God wills.  In this case, a shortcut to Steno.
Lee: Oh, yeah?… (Lee gets all menacing and moves around to invade Yusef’s space- I’m guessing he is two seconds away from being Lee’s ‘pal’! )
..Shortcut to a short life if you say anything! Now I want you to stay out of my business, you hear me? Stay out!
…You know, I’m kinda glad you heard, pal…

[Oh my gosh that is flippin hilarious!!! I honestly didn’t know ‘pal’ was coming!]
…Now you know why I can’t sit around.
Yusef: Nor can I. Look, Birol deserves to die.
Lee: Yes.  [huh?!]
Yusef: If for no other reason than for the shame he has brought to the Arab people… [Mate, err I mean Pal! You walking around with that cigar all the time is a shame on your people – it looks ridiculous! Lee’s jaw is grinding away here. Whooo where is BJo? I love BJo’s masseter observations!!!]

…Let me run your source.
[Wow, that is quite the declaration. Seriously, usually smk goes for he deserves justice but we are not killers! you know, I actually have no idea if Birol dies – I’m shocked that I really can’t remember! ]
Lee: No. Hm-mm, I can’t give you Night Crawler, Yusef.
Yusef: I expected not. Birol will never kneel for the headsman. Perhaps God wills that you should swing the ax.[Cool. I’m glad that’s settled.. pls.. move on!]
{Francine steps out of a building with her dry cleaning in hand. She takes the few steps down and stops as she notices Lee in the passenger seat of her red convertible.} [So Francine has joined the convertible club huh. Sweet ride Francine!]

{He puts his hand to his head wearily. She sighs and walks to the driver’s side. She glances around at the street self-consciously and gets in without saying a word. They look at each other.}
Lee: Billy took me off finding Amanda, Francine.
Francine: It’s rough, but–
Lee: It’s common sense! Amanda is waiting for me to come and get her. She is counting on me and I am helpless! He’s gonna try for an ID on Night Crawler, he’ll–
[Oh my. Lee is right on the edge here! Heartbreaking to see.. and BB does an amazing job. Oh the angst!]
Francine: Don’t think about it, all right?! Just-just stick with what’s practical!
Lee: I want to try to revive an old case. You still have those brown contact lenses?
Francine: Magda Petrak?
[Squeeeee I love that they bring back Magda.]
We cut to the exterior of a shop..
{Magda  picks up a formal dress and hangs it on a hook on another wall. She is the spitting image of Francine, except for her brown hair and eyes and her accent.}
Lee: You’ve got to help me, Magda!
Magda: Without you I could never have defected. I would still be in Hungary. I have a debt–to you–but what is the cost of a new life?
Lee: I can’t tell you that.  But I think I do know…what it’ll cost to save a life.
Magda: She’s in the hands of Addi. I was his mistress for three years before I defected, you know that. He has a power.
[A Hungarian and a Libyan? gosh the spy biz is a small world huh. ahem. Maybe this being a mistress thing was not a real relationship, maybe Magda was spying on him. I really don’t know. what do you think?
I see Magda has also inherited Francine’s fashion sense!]
Lee: A fatal attraction.
[Ugh please no please don’t make me try and think about Addi the sex god. Heck no.]
Magda: Yes, to my whole family, it seems…
[Now this is a cryptic reference!]
…This depends on much. He must believe that I never came West in my heart. He must have a desire…a wig won’t fool Addi, not if I can get him to take me to his bed.
[What.the.heck?! I’m sorry but have I accidentally switched to watching an 80’s soap opera here?! I know smk has had it’s edgy moments, and feel free to disagree with me, but this whole conversation has me thinking I’m watching a whole other show. I guess it is right up there with Stemwinders and Lee’s long makeout sessions – but they were always clear that he didn’t actually sleep with her! with Magda? well yeah. do that if you must! For me its very unSMK. That said – it is Magda tee hee. so maybe it’s more palatable an idea. Ugh. actually no. Still not for me!]
Lee: Well, that’s the only edge he’ll ever give away. 
…You might be the one person that he trusts enough to see Amanda–if your sister gets you in…and he’s interested enough to give you the chance.
(we see someone walk into the room from the back)
Mara Petrak: I’ll get her in…

…One thing about Addi, he’s always interested.
[her sister?! I’d forgotten all this!!! Magda has a sister?!]
Cue the ominous chimes…
Soooo we have one of those baddies who thinks with his you know what…
It’s kinda ick that these sisters don’t seem to mind sharing his you know what…
And Lee doesn’t mind exploiting his you know what…
Not that I in any way feel sorry for Birol’s you know what. You know what? I kinda hope his you know what has a run in with a bendy knife! Keep it PG iwsod.. Keep it PG..
But heck – this episode is making that practically impossible!

And so Mara is Night Crawler, but did she join Birol and then betray him? or was her mission to infiltrate the cell and spy on him (and his you know what!) from the start?
I guess I don’t really have to know but I find it a little confusing how Birol can have hooked up with two Hungarian women..
But.. you know what? It’s not something I wish to  think too deeply about!!!
I can’t wait to see this guy get his comeuppance!
Okay well I’m going to pause here and as always I look forward to hearing from you!!!

Hiya.. We move on to the exterior of a home..

..and we hear Lee repeating his last phrase aimed toward Amanda -wherever she is-: Don’t give it up. Please!
Inside we see Amanda.. she hears Lee’s voice in the room. [Uh oh. things are not lookin good for Amanda! this place where she is – is the Odessa Funeral home!! tee hee.. remember that? in Playing Possum?! Here it was:I bet we’ve seen it before in other episodes too.. anyone think of another? ]
But.. back to Amanda..

Lee [voice-over]: I’m coming to get you, just don’t give it up.
Amanda: Lee?
{A figure of Lee standing with his hands folded together materializes across the room.

Relieved}: Oh!
Lee’s Image: It’s all right. You knew I’d come, didn’t you?
Amanda: Yeah, heh.
Lee’s Image: Did he hurt you?
Amanda: No.
Lee: I’ve come to take you home, Amanda. But you’re going to have to wait a little while longer. I love you so much! I can’t stand this…
… it’s killing me. Remember, I love you.
(Lee fades away…)
Amanda: Oh! Lee? Don’t go! Lee!
Birol: Lee isn’t here, Amanda. [ta da. Birol is present to spoil Amanda’s lovely vision.] It’s funny how the mind plays tricks on you when you’re tired, but, uh, sleep deprivation is a disturbing thing. [How long has she been kidnapped? Has it been more than one night? just how long do you need to be sleep deprived to get these kinds of mind tricks happening?]
Amanda: I’m a reporter for CSN. I’m doing my job, I don’t know what you’re doing.
Birol: I’m trying to find a few things out.
Amanda: I thought you wanted an interview?
Birol: I got one.  You. How did you find out about the airport? [nicely done. Birol begins his ‘interview’]
Amanda: A tip.
Birol: From your lover? From Stetson?
[I’ll never get tired of Lee being referred to as her lover. lol. but I really don’t want this creep to know anything about them!]
Amanda: No. From a source.
Birol: That’s what this is all about, isn’t it? But we’ll get to that. So, Stetson thought he had me, hm?
Amanda: I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just trying to do a story.
Birol: About me? About catching me and putting me up for public display, is that your cover?
(Birol approaches Amanda, and slams the chair down on the ground closer to her.)
Amanda: Why don’t you call CSN? Just call the station.
Birol: You and Stetson, uh, cut me off from anything that would make this, uh… [He tosses her purse at the wall violently and steps right in front of her. Amanda jumps slightly.]

…easier on you…

…Drugs, hypnotic inducers….

…Let’s look at some pictures. [He moves the chair right in front of Amanda and puts his foot on it as he pulls some pictures out from his shirt pocket.] …You tell me who you know, who you don’t know. If you don’t feel like cooperating…in time, I’ll insist.
{The first two photos are of Phyllis, one posed and one candid. Amanda averts her eyes momentarily on the second picture. He holds up a picture of Mara. Amanda’s face has no reaction. Lee’s picture is next. Amanda blinks and her mouth opens a bit. NOTE: As Lee’s picture is shown, a few notes of the “engagement theme” play somewhat out of tune. Birol smiles.}

Birol has a very nice pic of Lee! lol.
The scene ends here.

So, I guess we are learning that Lee is on a quick time frame here before Birol starts ‘insisting’. Hang in there Amanda!!!

I miss smk baddies who are not truly threatening- who were kinda funny! This guy makes my skin crawl. Oh well it will be more satisfying when Scarecrow takes him down I guess!

What do you make of Amanda hearing Lee’s voice? It’s some kind of hallucination due to her sleep deprivation, but.. I think it’s implied that they are connected – because she is hearing words he has just said to her, in his mind.. Either they have a spiritual connection (like Jane Eyre and Mr Rochester), or they know each other so well – she can accurately hallucinate what he would say to her to keep her strong. Either way: I’m a happy shipper!!

{Leland Hutto, an older man in a tweed jacket and bow tie, is sitting at his desk sorting through a glass jelly jar full of brand new Dixon Ticonderoga pencils, all sharpened to a perfect point. (NOTE: The script specifically mentions that they are in a banberry jelly jar.) They are placed point-up in the jar Lee is seated next to him, hunched forward holding his hands together.}

Lee: I want you to keep this thing quiet, Leland. I don’t want you to trot it out one night at your Banbury Society. {NOTE: Here too, the script version spells this “banberry,” like the fusion of bananas and strawberries (or perhaps the archaic of barberry). However, given that he’s now speaking of a society, it might refer to a club based on Banburismus, which is a cryptanalytic process named for the town of Banbury. It might be a Leland-esque pun.}
[Yeah my guess is that they were trying for a pun. Heaven knows this episode needs a bit of lightness inserted into it!]
Leland: You know the Crypto motto: the riddle’s the thing. I can keep my trap shut.
Lee: Then how did he spot Amanda? We were both supposed to be under Contact Zero.
Leland: Perhaps the Cat’s Eye principle.
Lee: The what?
Leland: In the dark there’s light. But you can’t see it, until you see it in a cat’s eye.
Lee: It’s like an obverse prism.
Leland : Mm-hm-mm, you have a stolidly literal head on your shoulders, don’t you, son? Think inside the puzzle, like Addi Birol. He couldn’t see light until he saw the cat see.
Lee: See what?
Leland: When a woman is in love, she sees with special eyes.

{Leland hands Lee the sketch pad he had been drawing on. Lee looks down and sees four hearts, interlinked like petals on a flower. Lee looks back at Leland with understanding crossing his face.}

Lee: Yeah, sure. Sure. She yelled out my name at the airport because that was the only way for her to save my life…

…Now…if Birol had us under surveillance…he might’ve seen.
Leland: There’s always a key.
[and apparently, for Leland there is also always a pencil]
Lee: Thanks a lot, Leland. You just earned yourself a coupla dozen Ticonderogas.
{Leland smiles and his attention gets drawn up above Lee’s head.  A billow of smoke is rising up from behind it.}
[before we follow that puff of smoke, I’ve gotta say that for me this whole scene with Leland is a great big puff of smoke that stank. Yeah stank. Sorry if you love it but I find it is trying too hard to be clever, and it’s just dumb dumb -shout out to Cindy!-.  I kept thinking: Ugh just say it already – Birol saw something because there was something to see! hello!!! Definitely doesn’t deserve a coupla dozen Ticonderogas. But.. I’d say moving on to the next part of this scene and leaving Leland behind does!!]
We are going to pause here before following that puff of smoke.
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!!!!

Don’t forget how the formatting works:
{what the transcriber has written}
[Iwsod’s commentary]
(Iwsod written descriptions)
All clear as mud?! 

It’s evening.. and the halls of IFF are being cleaned.. the place is pretty empty.. except – there’s a meeting happening in Billy’s office.
Billy: He wants morning drive time for the traffic, easier to pick up a little blocking in a chase. What’s the contact?
Lee: A CSN van waits at Benning and U. He leads us by the nose.
Billy: Fire team?

Lee: Well, the news van has to be clean. He’ll check. Then I send in Amanda…

(Billy reacts)…She’s part of the established cover, Billy. Don’t worry, I’ll have her stay way back with the van, where she’ll be safe and…she can call in the strike.
[While I love to see Lee treating Amanda as a professional who has something to contribute- I can’t help but think uh oh. Established cover? She broke that cover when she called out Leeeeeee!!! to Scarecrow!!!!! ugh. Everything about that opening action scene is not our fave team at their best!]

Billy: You know, this was in my round file three times before I decided it wasn’t my decision.

“State Department, Bureau of Intelligence and Research.” It’s a job offer. SDBIR isn’t a bad shop.

Lee: Just like that, huh? Administrative One. Come on? What makes you think they’d want to hire me–and what makes you think I’d take it?
Billy: Well, when I decided to marry Jeannie–
Lee: Wait a second, what makes you think I want to marry? [Umm Edna! tee hee. she stopped by Billy’s office first haaa]
Billy: You will. You should.
…Lee, you’ve been a lone wolf too long. Now, that’s not good for a man like you…

…The pay jumps to GG-17. It takes money to raise a family, and for that you’ve got to be at management level.
Lee: I hear you.
Billy: If you want this, man, make your move. Promotions are frozen here at the Agency. If you stay here, you’ll be going nowhere fast. [whoa. Does Francine know this?!]
Lee has some thinking to do…pay level GG 17? whooooooooo… I have no idea what that is.. but it sounds impressive! Lee needs to be at management level to earn the dough to raise a family? eh? Lee is suppose to be THE top agent, who with Amanda’s help solves every case that comes through their doors.. (and some that don’t).. Umm really?! I mean Lee is running the whole ‘get Addi the Baddi operation’. that’s not management?
And since when was Lee lacking in money? I got the impression in season 1 that Lee did pretty ok.. with his classic porsche, his corvette (ok ok later he says he won it.. but is that the first one or the second one?? hmm..) and his fine threads.. his holidays to Bermuda or wherever he was going cos he was lonely and Amanda said she would feed his fish.. and flowers for Phyllis and whoever the heck wants them. lol. It all just doesn’t fit to me.. I am sure if Lee just laid off the hair products he could budget in a family..

If you have to go into management to afford a family there must be tons of agents who are being tempted by bribes. ahem. I would think it’s a security risk to pay your employees so poorly!

Oh and one final thought – Billy is in management and we see him time and again out in the field (cleaning up after Scarecrow and taking Lee’s dirtbags downtown!). tee hee.

Moving on!  
Lee: Single rider coming at you, Dagger One. This could be Birol’s contact.
Amanda: Dagger Two, motorcycle’s slowing.

Lee: We copy that, Dagger One. Dagger Team, stand by.
Amanda: It’s a go, Dagger Team. North on Benning. Copy?
[The van follows the motor bike to the location of the interview… Lee follows in the corvette.]
Lee: We’re on you, Dagger One.
(They pull up and park out the front. Amanda confirms the instructions with Birol’s biker – Phyllis? I’m not sure.. )
Amanda (to biker): Two go in, I stay here. Ten minutes and we’re out.
Biker: That’s it. You sit in the van.
[Yeah. you stay out here all on your own, lady who yelled out ‘Leeeeee!’
Hey, I think this entrance was in wrong number.]
Birol’s Lieutenant: All right, you’re clear. Let’s move.
(The terrorists check over the camera equipment etc. Then lead the crew into the warehouse, leaving Amanda alone in the van.)
{Birol’s News Conference. Interior Warehouse.}
Birol: Welcome, gentlemen. I’m Addi Birol. We’ll do this interview in silhouette–not all my enemies know my face-
[yeahhhhh so that’s what the mask is for isn’t it?!]
…-but I’ll send my fighters away. A gesture of confidence.
(All of Birol’s gang get in their car, on their bikes and leave.)
[Is it just me or is this just really a weird thing to do – why wouldn’t this be raising red flags already?! ]
Amanda: Okay, Dagger Two, the soldiers are gone.
[Warehouse Interior.]
Birol: All right, whenever you’re ready.
(Lee pulls up outside, another car full of agents pulls up also.
Lee approaches Amanda waiting in the van.)
Lee: You okay?
Amanda: I’m okay, yeah. [Warehouse Interior.]
(Birol continues to deliver his monologue in silhouette..)
Birol: Ours is not a destiny of violence, but one of peaceful harmony left alone by the super powers–
(Lee followed by his group of agents, bursts into the room.) [Such irony- ‘left alone’ we hear as Lee sneaks in to nab him!]
Lee: Freeze! Federal agents!
[Yusef is simultaneously chewing on his lucky cigar!]
{Birol, still silhouetted behind the screen, picks up a machine gun from the ground and fires directly in front of him. When he does, a mirror shatters, destroying the illusion of Birol behind the screen.
Lee and the ATAC team attack… I mean fire at the screen where Birol was thought to be.
Lee peers through it and sees a large shattered mirror on the other side.}
Lee: He tricked us with a mirror. Odds are this place is booby trapped. Okay, boys, it’s a bust. {Lee pulls a pocketknife out of his pocket.}
[ah.. now I see why Lee called the operation team dagger! Since when does Lee carry a knife? especially a non bendy one?!]
…Back me up.
(Lee goes through the other side, while the other agents go elsewhere. We cut to outside on the street.)
(Amanda waits in the van, playing with her heart necklace, she notices movement behind the van.)
Amanda rushes : Dagger Two, what’s your status?!
{Birol opens the passenger door and gets in as Amanda tries to get out. He stops her at gunpoint.}
Birol: Drive! NOW!
Lee is inside still trying to process that he’s been tricked.
(He starts moving toward the exit but is delayed by a smoke bomb or something..)
{Amanda and Birol are speeding away in the van.}

(Lee makes it out onto the street, to find no van.. no Amanda.)[Hollywood sign?! ahhh drat!!! No Hollywood sign! one of these days!]
Lee: Amanda!
[Uh oh. this is really bad!! ]

The scene ends with an intense close up on Lee in a world of angst!

Back to IFF..
Billy: Forget it, Scarecrow, the best thing you can do is to stay away.
Lee: Ah, dammit, Billy!  The guy is a terrorist with nothing to lose! And he has got Amanda, and he took her to get to me! Don’t you see that?!
Billy: I know which one of my agents is in trouble… I always know…

(Lee struggles to keep it together)
[BB knocks this acting out of the park IMHO!]
…Does she know about Night Crawler?

[Awh I love Billy here! He is kind to Lee but he also acknowledges he cares about Amanda too]
Lee: Yes, she knows Night Crawler is my source, and that is all!  Birol won’t believe her!
{Billy turns and picks up a small piece of notepaper which we see has the words “Night Crawler for the woman” written on it.}
Billy: “Night Crawler for the woman.” Ah, stay out of it, Lee…

…because if he gets you, he’ll use Amanda to break you!…

…And we’ll lose the best source we’ve got!  Could you watch Amanda suffer?
[Holy cow, this is intense stuff!]
Dr. Quidd: How’d he pick her out, Scarecrow?

Lee: Random. Or he figured the CSN crew for a front, or he figured out something else!…
…I don’t know, if I knew I would’ve stopped him!
Dr. Quidd: So he duped all his lieutenants about the interview?
Lee: Yeah, and he outsmarted me, and he bagged  Amanda all by himself,…..

. …and now he has got us by the back pockets because we don’t have a clue! I do this for a living, doc!
[lol I really don’t know why Lee points that out when he’s been fooled and stuffed it up lol. Great work: Scarecrow!]
Billy: Then act like a professional!…
[Hear hear! but.. I understand why Lee would not be thinking so clearly here!]
…Let Yusef and the ATAC team get her. We can’t even let her family know until Birol makes this public!…
[ohhhh noooooo her family!!!!!]
(Lee looks like he can barely hold it together here hearing about her family.)
…If you go charging after him, he’ll simply eliminate the need, you know what I mean? Why don’t you…bunk down in the TAC center–out of harm’s way?
[BB really nails it. It’s like this is Lee’s worst nightmare becoming a reality. Heartbreaking!]
Dr. Quidd: I’ll make it a medical order, Scarecrow. Put you out for a few days, it’ll be best.

[Lol Lee was calm, until this doctor stuck his nose in!]
Lee bites back: Don’t you try me!
Dr. Quidd: Hey, easy. Think it over. Your first loyalty is to your source. Night Crawler’s been at considerable risk for us. You owe it–
[oh really?! Mr pointy finger here is super irritating!]
Lee: I know exactly what I owe, doc!
…And if I have to, I will pay it back in my own blood!
[oh swoon. you don’t doubt for a moment that Lee means what he says here. He would give his life for Amanda!]
{From transcriber NOTE: I think the music here is particularly fitting, at first anxious, then sympathetic strains, before settling into a slightly ominous and anguished tone.}

(Lee leaves them and heads out into the bullpen)
Billy: He thinks it’s his fault, Quidd. Maybe it is, we try to tie him down now, someone’ll get hurt.
[I’m thinking it’s his fault. lol. It was Lee’s operation, his plan..]
Dr. Quidd: There’s more going on with him than guilt. He’s got an emotional hang-up, and that’s not good.
yeahhhh Lee is in love. Or as the agency calls it- An emotional hangup oh rofl!!
(We cut back to a close up on Lee while the two continue their exchange..)
Billy: For an agent, that can be bad. I remember when he didn’t have any emotions at all.
[Two minutes ago Billy was telling Lee he should marry Amanda! And now he’s saying this? Very cheeky Billy! I guess Billy can’t be seen to know about the relationship or approve of it.
It’s all wonderful and dramatic, but I don’t think this ‘I remember when he didn’t have any emotions at all’ is a true statement of Billy’s – Lee always had emotions, he just buried them deep down.. Okay okay, except when being double crossed by a former friend he was jealous of for hitting on Amanda I guess.. you know.. Lee: I have to do everything. Leave my coffee, drive the car, get shot. Any excuse to quote season 1! Sorry I digress..]
Lee: Don’t give it up, Amanda.
We shall pause here..
Well I cannot wait to hear what you all think of this part of the episode!
Billy to me runs hot and cold, but I figure it’s because he has to walk a fine line.
There is this terrible reality to the work they do – which came up in stemwinders also – that it is a dangerous business. They know the risks, and choose to stay involved with it regardless because of what they are working towards, and how they make the world a safer place..
Those risks are front and centre again, only this time – Amanda doesn’t have Lee by her side to help her through. This is a totally different vibe to all the other times she’s been kidnapped isn’t it!

As it’s been a while, I feel like I’ve lost a little flow with the overall narrative of the show– I hope you guys can help me and us to put this all into context. The idea that an agent is better off without emotions has come up before – where?! Can someone remind me? I know we’ve looked at it before, I remember thinking emotions can make an agent better at their job – it’s not black and white. but which episode was that?! I really can’t remember. Help?!

What are you thinking about this episode so far all?