U-turn

Peter Quinn has arrived at the hotel after dumping the weapon. He knows he has to inform Carrie about the mission's results but he is not eager to meet her.

'Debriefing can wait.' He decides to take a shower first.

'Cleaning my soul.' Or just preparing for an unpleasant confrontation.

It is past 5:00a but still dark outside. The big city has not yet awoken. Carrie Mathison is back on her restless tiger pace. The wait for Quinn's call is not working well on her nerves. But it's not the concern if the mission has been successful. She knows she can count on Quinn.

Carrie simply doesn't know how to deal with him. She fears the confrontation.

'The best strategy is avoiding the whole issue. It's his turn to start the talk.'

She knows she's wrong. But self-deception is her best line of defense. It will always be.

The burner phone rings.

"All done. Mission completed." It's all what Quinn is telling.

"Can I come over for debriefing?" She is asking.

"2116." Is the only reply.

Quinn bites his lips to suppress the ache inside him. Twenty minutes later Carrie is knocking at his door. With a sigh he opens and let her in.

"So it went well? Any encounter of resistance?" Carrie is all businesslike.

"Not what I had expected" is his short reply.

"What do you mean?" She is looking at Quinn if there is any sign of rejoice. But his eyes are simply cold, his face deadpan.

"There was a girl." His voice sounds husky.

"What girl?" She tries to stay cool. But Quinn recognizes her sizzling tension.

"The lover of Hamid Akbari. She was sleeping in his bed."

"Did you kill her?" There is a big question mark in Carrie's face.

"No need to do so. She was naked." He waits the Vulcan to explode.

"Jesus, Quinn. Can you just tell me what happened?" She is pissed off by his arrogant attitude. 'Fucking idiot.'

Her emotional tantrum has no impact on Quinn. He stays cold and reserved. He gives her an overview of the main facts. He ends with: "She basically saved my life."

"Hopefully they didn't catch her." She is trying to read his face. 'Is he caring for the girl?'

"Yeah. Hopefully." Another short reply. His gaze is still cold and unemotional.

"You are flying back in the morning?" Carrie is trying to start some sort of small talk but she feels awkward about it.

"Plane is leaving at 9:00a." Quinn is sitting down on the bed. He stares at his folded hands. "I turned in my notice."

Carrie sits down beside him. "So you are done?"

"Yeah." He's staring at an invisible point in the room.

"Any plans for the future?" She asks softly.

"Going back to Philly. Trying to work things out. With my son and his mother." He is looking back at his hands.

She puts her hand on his. Her thumb is touching him. "Everything will be fine Quinn, you will see."

But the warmth of her hand and her friendly words don't comfort him. He tries to control his upcoming unwanted feelings. Biting lips again. 'Jesus. Don't let her see what I am feeling.'

And Quinn's luck is on his side. As usual Carrie Mathison has the wrong timing. Before her hand is tearing down his inner walls, she gets up. "This is a good-bye then?" She looks down at him.

Now Quinn's looking back at her. She can't see the sadness in his eyes. "Yeah. It's a good-bye."

Back in her room an exhausted Carrie Mathison bursts into tears. 'What have I done?'

The plane has departed on time. Quinn didn't get much sleep last night. So he is looking forward for some cozy sleep in his business class seat. 'Some red wine and a sleeping pill will do the rest.'

The pilot announces that the plane has left the Iranian aerial surveillance. It's the signal for the women in the plane to take off their headscarves. The noisy activities wake Quinn up. He looks at the back of a tall woman who is trying to put her chador into the upper storage. But she drops it. As a real gentleman he picks the scarf up and reaches it to the woman.

Their looks meet. 'Holy shit.'

This is the girl of last night. On the second look he isn't sure about it. She looks different. Her eyes are bright blue. Her black hair is shorter and she looks older. He's searching for a sign of recognition on her face. But there is nothing. She takes her chador. "Thank you for your help." The beauty of her smiling face is breathtaking. But her accent is all American.

The next morning Quinn is still thinking about the strange coincidence when he is arriving at Langley. Entering Dar Adal's office he sees his boss in talk with Lockhart and an unknown woman turning the back at him.

"Peter. Come in. May I introduce to my daughter Alina?" Adal shines over the whole face.

Quinn nods at Lockhart. Then he turns to the woman. And his world is turning. 'What the fuck is going on?'

"Nice to meet you, Peter." Her beautiful smile is a knowing one. She is the woman of the plane. And for sure she is the girl he met at Akbari's mansion. He has no doubt about it.

Carrie is back to Istanbul. She is still sleeping when her burner phone rings.

"Yes?"

"It's me."

"Quinn?"

"You need to come. Something weird is going on." The sound of Quinn's voice is alarming her.

"You said you're done. We said good-bye." This is confusing.

"I know. But things have changed. Carrie, I need you here. There is no one else I could involve in this." He is waiting for her answer.

"I take the next plane." She sighs. 'What the fuck is going on at Langley?'