Saul, standing with his arms folded, looked at Peter Quinn over his glasses. David Estes sat in his chair, elbows resting on the armrest.
"Remember," Estes said. "This is off the books. Carrie can't find out."
Peter looked up to the ceiling and sighed. "You know I don't like keeping secrets from her. I'm not the guy …"
"You are a fucking spy for the CIA," Estes snipped. "You are exactly that guy."
"When is this supposed to happen?" Peter asked.
"Tomorrow. "
Peter nodded to Estes and started to walk out the door.
"And Peter?" Estes said. Peter turned around. "Don't fuck this up."
Peter nodded in Estes' direction and walked out of his office.
"He's going to fuck this up," Estes said under his breath. Estes swiveled in his chair towards Saul.
"He's not going to fuck this up," Saul said.
"I don't know why we're on this bullshit assignment," Carrie griped. She was sitting in the back with Virgil and Peter. Max was driving the van away from the city, towards an out-of-the-way hotel.
"Carrie, they need this source. You recruit. You want the CIA to start sending Peter in? No offense, Peter."
Carrie looked at Virgil, raised her eyebrows, and nodded in silent agreement.
"You know, I can hear everything you're saying," Peter casually said. Carrie turned towards Peter, leaning against the wall of the van, arms resting on his knees. Even sprawled out, he had a way of blending into the background.
"What did Saul tell you about the source?" Carrie asked.
Peter inhaled and started, "Imad Al-Din. Son of Yusuf Al-Din …"
"Wait, you want me to talk to his son?" Carrie exclaimed.
"Saul thinks Imad is westernized. He didn't grow up in Syria. He went grade school in France and college in London. He only spent a few summers with Yusuf. And he's been secretly dating an American girl. They met while she was studying abroad in London. And that's why he's in the US; he's with her right now.
"Yusuf is rumored to be eyeing the Shard, the tallest building in London, for an attack. Imad is a crucial connection to Yusuf. Saul needs you to talk to Imad. Set up a meeting. But I got to let you know, we're going in cold."
Carrie dropped her forehead into her hands, and then looked up at Quinn. "He has had no contact with the CIA, and I'm supposed to march into that hotel and get him funneling information for our side? I don't care how westernized he is, I can't get a kid to go against his father after one meet."
"You're not being asked to. We just need him to agree to see us again."
Carrie shook her head. "Peter, I have nothing to-"
Peter handed Carrie a manila envelope. "You have something." Carrie took the envelope from Peter and pulled out a handful of black and white photos. She saw Imad and a blonde-haired female in compromising positions – in many compromising positions. There was no doubt it was Imad – his face clear in over a third of the photos.
"Is this his girlfriend?" Carrie asked. Peter nodded. Her face, clearly visible as well, contorted in various phases of ecstasy. Carrie even spotted a Christian cross dangling from her neck in the photos.
"Did you take these?" Carrie asked Virgil.
Max looked over his shoulder and cleared his throat. Carrie nodded to herself, impressed.
Most people would not willingly betray their parents, even with a clouded and strained relationship. But these photos could nudge Imad ever so slightly towards the CIA. By the time he figured out what the CIA wanted from him, it would be too late. Imad would protect his secret before he realized the gravity of the situation his father had with the US and British governments.
Virgil handed Carrie a wire, and she judiciously hooked it around her ear.
Peter continued updating Carrie on the mission. "MI6 is expecting the attack on Remembrance Day, November 11th. Saul needs you to set up another meeting with Imad, so we can load tracking software onto his phone. Imad will call his dad, and we'll find out where in the hell this guy is. We hand that information over to MI6, and the CIA operations are done on this side of the pond."
"And if he doesn't agree?"
"That's when I come in," Peter said.
Carrie pulled open the van door and looked back inside the van. "Why couldn't Saul tell me himself?"
Peter shrugged. "He was busy."