š“ Script 10:1 The Night Owl
NBC’s series The Blacklist starring James Spader and Megan Boone
Series created by: Jon Bokenkamp
Program air date: 2/26/2023 in the US (9pm Central/Chicago Time)
Permalink: https://wp.me/pDKwi-eg9
EntertainmentWeekly Recap: https://tinyurl.com/25asrxv6
š¹ TuneFind: https://tinyurl.com/mwzbxbch
IMDb (Internet Movie Database): https://tinyurl.com/4k9ybzzh
Source: Raw Script from OurBoard: http://bit.ly/3EsoREs [ dump of captioning ]
STATUS: ā Pending ā Rough ā Preliminary š“ Final
STATUS: š« Pending š Rough š Preliminary ī Final
Last updated: 3/1/2023 at 1:50pm CT [ Central/Chicago time ]
Directed by: Cort Hessler
Written by: Lukas Reiter
SERIES STARS:
Raymond ‘Red’ Reddington ā James Spader
Donald Ressler ā Diego Klattenhoff
Harold Cooper ā Harry Lennix
Siya Malik ā Anya Banerjee
Dembe Zuma ā Hisham Tawfiq
GUEST STARS:
Billy (Firefighter) ā Ryan Vincent Anderson
Aram Mojtabai ā Amir Arison
Andrea Athens ā Krista Braun
Agnes Keen ā Sami Bray
Chin Yao ā Grant Chang
Wujing ā Chin Han
Sergeant Ed Pickford ā Andy Hernandez
Chuck ā Jonathan Holtzman
Assist US Atty Wendy Flynn ā Gina Lamparella
Mrs Mario Ito ā Anzu Lawson
Zhang Weiā Kenneth Lee
Richard Deever ā Chris McKenna
Alban Veseli (The Freelancer) ā Daniel Sauli
Tadashi Ito ā Alex Shimizu
Group Leader ā Vincent Tacali
Judge Roberta Vance ā Karen Ziemba
š“ Script 10:1 The Night Owl
Brief (Where weāre at):
[Before Season 10:] After the task force captured Marvin Gerard ā Redās lawyer and the person behind Lizās death ā Red cornered him in the office of the FISA judge who was about to hand over to Marvin Redās immunity deal. Red decided, in view of their history and past friendship, not to kill Marvin, but to give him the opportunity to take his own life, which he did after being released from prison. So the Attorney General had to reinstate Redās deal because, as Panabaker said, āWe need the Blacklistā (yes, we do!). The DOJ had decided not to charge Cooper for the crimes he committed while trying to track down his blackmailer, given that theyād found the culprit (also Marvin). Because Cooper had no control over Marvinās suicide, the DOJās decision stands and he will not be charged with any crimes. So the Reddington task force will go on as before.
But, Marvin Gerard played one last trick before killing himself. In prison, he met an early Blacklister named Wujing [Blacklister #84, Episode 1:3], an assassin for the Chinese government, who he helped out with an escape plan. Worse, he told Wujing that Red was the reason Wujing was in prison in the first place (not really true, as it was Liz who caused his arrest), and also that Red was a confidential informant for āthe feds.ā He gave Wujing a list of other criminals who are in prison because of Red. After making his escape, Wujing now plans to take revenge on Red, and to call upon the others on the list to help him if need be. [I marked these criminals on the list I keep of āBlacklisters and Bad Guysā with an ā]
The team gathered at Lizās grave on the third anniversary of her death. They shared memories of Liz, some tearful, some happy. Also shared were two announcements. Aram will be taking time off to live in Brooklyn in New York City. [Actor Amir Arison will be starring in the Broadway version of āKiterunner.ā] Alina Park [Laura Sohnās character] announced sheās pregnant, so will also being taking time off. Red will be back, of course, after āgoing away for a few weeks to take the sisters home, eat some peyote, set up the telescope, look at the night sky.ā Who knows, maybe heāll see Polaris up there.
Questions we donāt have all the answers to yet:
ā MAJOR THEMES:1. What is Redās life story? Whatās his true identity?
2. Who is Redās family?
3. Whatās the relationship between Red and Katarina?
4. How will Wujing use the list of Blacklisters? Whoās on it?
5. Why did Red start his criminal empire? Whatās its purpose?
6. How will the series end?š»Go to āUnanswered Questionsā for more detailed discussion of Major Themes.
ā Other Questions/Loose Ends:
ā Who is Redās heir apparent now, with Liz and Marvin dead? Dembe? Agnes?
ā What happened in Brasilia between Red and Dembe that Red said was āa tragedyā?
ā Does Red have a continuing relationship with the Russian FSB/SVR/Vory?
ā Whatās in the box Red gave to Dembe?
ā What happened to the Cabal?
ā Was the date on the Swan Lake program significant?
ā Why did Lizās memory have to be erased twice?
ā Will Mierce and Weecha return for Season 10? Where are they from anyway? What will happen
to Red and Mierceās relationship?
For S10 Episode 10:1 The Night Owl: šÆ EW Recap ¤ š
Photo Gallery ¤ š¹ Music Videos ¤ š Script link: https://wp.me/pDKwi-eg9 [ “you are here” ]
[ New York City. Aram Mojtabai, a former member of the Reddington task force, exits the Metropolitan Museum carrying a red bag. He walks past a fountain and over to his bike and unlocks the lock. He looks up and sees a bearded man with shaggy hair looking for a cab. Itās Raymond (āRedā) Reddington. Aram waves at him ]
Aram: Hey! Hey!
[ A cab pulls up. Red walks over to it. He appears to look at Aram, but gets into the cab. The cab takes off. Aram gets out his cell phone and places a call ]
[ In the dining room of Harold and Charlene Cooperās house, Cooper is playing a card game with Agnes Keen. Agnes, who is about 12 years old, is the daughter of Tom and Elizabeth Keen, but both of her parents are dead now, and the Coopers are Agnesās guardians ]
[ Cooper has lost the card hand to Agnes. Agnes scoops up the cards ]
Cooper: No. No, no, no, no, no.
Agnes: Thatās three in a row, Pops. Maybe we should go back to Go Fish.
Cooper: No. Shuffle up, deal again.
[ Cooperās cell phone rings⨠]
Cooper: Just give me a minute. I should grab this. [ On phone ] Aram, what a nice surprise.
Aram: Mr. Cooper.
Cooper: Charlene was just asking about you, and I couldnāt tell her anythingā where youāre living, what youāre up to these days.
Aram: I know, I know. Iām sorry. Iāve been meaning to. I-I justā Iāve been getting settled, but Iām good. Iām really good. Iām great, actually.
Cooper: Howās New York?
Aram: Uh, well, maybe I could tell you in person. You guys are here, arenāt you? The Task Force is in New York?
Cooper: No, weāre not even up and running. Reddington took the sisters home to Guatemala. That was over six months ago. Weāre just twiddling our thumbs till he gets back.
Aram: Well, Mr. Reddington is here.
Cooper: What? Where?
Aram: I just saw him.
Cooper: Saw him? In Manhattan?
Aram: Yeah. Outside the Met. Across the street from the museum. He was, uhā He was just walking.
Cooper: By himself?
Aram: Yeah, no security. No car, either. I called out to him, and he saw me, and then he just got in a cab.
Cooper: Aram, are you sure? Youāre sure it was him?
Aram: Yeah, it was him. He looked kind of different. But it wasā it was definitely him. āā Mr. Cooper? A-Are you still there?
Cooper: Yes, Iām sorry. Itās justā things were pretty good with Reddington before he left. Weād agreed to be more forthcoming with each other. If he were backā
Aram: He is.
Cooper: Okay, but if youāre right, why was he there? What was he doing?
[ A large š„š„ā¼ļø Explosion ā¼ļøš„š„ rips through the fourth or fifth floor of a building about half a block from Aram ]
ā Itās a bomb!
Cooper: Aram, are you alright?! Aram? Aram, are you alright?
[ Aram just stares at the building ] [ šØ Sirens blare šØ ]
[ The Post Office black site ] [ Dembe Zuma is working on files relating to Redās former lawyer, Marvin Gerard. Marvin was behind the murder of Elizabeth Keen and committed several other crimes to cover it up. When Red found out that Marvin was behind Lizās murder, he was furious, but in view of their prior friendship, offered him the option of experiencing Redās retribution, or committing suicide. Marvin chose the latter. Now Dembe has been assigned to complete the paperwork ]
[ Dembeās phone buzzes «»»»» beepš
]
Dembe: Please tell me youāre coming in to help.
Cooper: Youāre still at it? How much have you done?
Dembe: About half. I swear, itās taking me longer to document Marvin Gerardās case than it did to expose him in the first place.
Cooper: Take a break.
Dembe: I canāt. Raymond wonāt be away forever. We need to take advantage of this downtime.
Cooper: You still havenāt heard from him?
Dembe: Nothing. Thereās a bed and breakfast in Quezaltenango. Heās probably having a champurrado on the terrace.
Cooper: Hmm. Aram just saw him in New York.
Dembe: Say that again?
Cooper: Apparently, Raymondās back. And probably connected to an explosion that happened a few minutes ago at a townhouse on the Upper East Side.
Dembe: Iāll give Chuck a call right away.
Cooper: I just tried. No answer. Which isnāt surprising. If heās blowing up townhouses, he probably doesnāt feel like taking questions. No idea what itās about?
Dembe: No. But it canāt be good.
Cooper: Iām coming in. I have to admit, I was getting used to the time off, being home with Charlene and Agnes. I feel old.
Dembe: You got this, old man.
[ Donald Ressler, another agent on the Reddington task force, is attending a Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meeting. He was romantically involved with Liz Keen in a relationship that developed in the years following Tom Keenās death ]
Donald Ressler: Well, Iām good. āā I mean, the truth is… every dayās a struggle. Not just recovery, um, which so far, itāsā Look. I-Iām okay.
[ Resslerās emotions well up ]
Ressler: Itās just mostly, uh… I have a hard time letting go of the past. I mean, itās in my nature to want to fix things and…
Group Leader: Take your time, Donald.
Ressler: Itās just hard f-for me to accept. I lost someone I loved, and… it canāt be undone. I mean, I- I became an addict. I hit bottom. Uh… I wish it didnāt happen, but it did. [ Sniff ] And letting that go and leaving that be… itās hard for me. But, uh… here I am. And today… Iām 311 days sober.
Group Leader: Thatās wonderful. Good for you.
[ Applause ]
[ After the meeting, Ressler walks outside. Dembe is sitting on a bench, waiting for him ]
Dembe: You donāt answer your phone?
Ressler: I carried that Bureau phone for two months after Reddington left. It didnāt ring, I put it away. So, uh, is he back?
Dembe: Not exactly. Come on. Iāll explain on the way to New York.
[ Police radio chatter ] [ Crime scene tape surrounds the building where the explosion took place ] [ Ressler and Dembe duck under the tape ]
Sergeant Pickford: Ed Pickford. Sergeant.
Ressler: Iām Agent Ressler. This is Agent Zuma. Apologies for the big foot.
Sergeant Pickford: Man, you FBI guys work fast. My people were still clearing the area when the Bureau let us know a team was coming up from DC to run point.
Ressler: How are things looking?
Sergeant Pickford: A lot of damage. Fireās saying a single device, detonated in a room on the top floor.
Dembe: Anyone hurt?
Sergeant Pickford: Unknown at this time.
Dembe: Suspects?
Pickford: Look, Iād love to be able to tell you we know what happened here, but to be honest, our hands are tied. Especially since we canāt enter the building.
Ressler: Why not?
Pickford: āCause it belongs to the Chinese government. Itās registered as an official annex of the Consulate.
Ressler: An annex?
Pickford: Weāve got over a hundred foreign missions in the city, plenty with multiple locations. No police inside without permission.
Ressler: [ To Dembe ] He blew up part of the Chinese Consulate?
Pickford: “He”? You fellas have a theory on who mightāve done this?
Dembe: No, not really, but how do we find the person that can give us permission?
Pickford: You wonāt have to. Something tells me heās about to find you.
Chin Yao: Excuse me. May I please speak to whomeverās in charge?
Ressler: Agent Ressler, FBI.
Chin Yao: My name in Chin Yao, head of this Consular Post.
Ressler: Mr. Chin, weāre just beginning our investigation, but we believe this explosion was a targeted attack.
Chin Yao: I see. And who do you believe was responsible?
Ressler: Well, we donāt know, but you can be sure that the Bureau will keep you informed of our progress.
Dembe: I see the building has security cameras. Weād appreciate you giving us access to that footage.
Chin Yao: Iām afraid thatās not possible.
Ressler: And whyās that?
Chin Yao: Because we are not requesting an American investigation.
Ressler: Someone set off a device in one of your buildings, and you donāt want to know who or why?
Chin Yao: If a crime was committed, my staff is more than capable of handling the matter on its own.
Ressler: How? Your staff has no law enforcement authority here.
Chin Yao: Iām not here to debate the matter, Agent Ressler. Iām informing you.
Billy (Firefighter): Eddie.
Sergeant Pickford: Yeah, Billy?
Billy: One down. This the Bureau?
Ressler: Yes.
Billy: Sir, youāre gonna want to see this.
Chin Yao: Agent Ressler, to be clear, the FBI is not authorized to enter the premises.
[ Ressler and Dembe leave with Billy ]
Chin Yao: [ Following them ] The property is inviolable. By authority of the Vienna Convention on Consular…
[ A burned out room, still smoking. The body of a woman lies on the floor ]
Billy: Best we can tell, she was the only one on the floor at the time of the explosion, but weāll keep looking.
Ressler: With that much force, whyās the body still intact?
Billy: We think the device was sitting on a mail cart in this area. Looks like she got partial coverage from the desk and this file cabinet. And thereās this.
[ Billy points with his flashlight ]
Billy: Looks like a laptop under her right arm.
Dembe: Can you identify this woman?
Chin Yao: Your presence here is unlawful!
Ressler: Yeah, we heard you, but youāre not here to debate the matter, remember? At this point, youāll have to take that up with the Attorney General.
Dembe: Yeah, this is now a federal homicide investigation.
[ Wujingās cell phone rings āØ]
Wujing: [ Speaking Mandarin ] Has the situation been contained?
[ Chin Yao is walking outside ]
Chin Yao: No, Wujing. Not at all. The FBI is inside. They have recovered your associateās body.
Wujing: How? You were supposed to prevent them from gaining access.
Chin Yao: Donāt tell me what I was supposed to do. The Ministry doesnāt know I helped you.
Wujing: Remember who youāre talking to.
Chin Yao: I took a risk out of respect for our history. But youāre a fugitive. If our government knew anything aboutā
[ Wujingās phone claps ā½ shut ]
Wujing: Moores is dead.
Zhang Wei (Driver): We needed her help.
Wujing: She told us enough. Everything stays on schedule. It was Reddington. Heāll do anything to keep me from proving the truth. But I will. And he will suffer for what he has done.
[ The Post Office war room ]
Ressler: Okay, youāre not gonna believe this. The body recovered from the Chinese Consulate? It was Jennifer Anne Moores.
Cooper: Moores. How do I know that name?
Dembe: Jennifer Moores was once on The Blacklist. She was a key member of a heist crew known as The Fribourg Confidence.
Ressler: Thieves who specialized in robbing criminals.
Dembe: Back then, Elizabeth hired them to steal a flash drive from one of Raymondās safe deposit boxes.
Cooper: I remember. But we arrested them. So why isnāt she in prison?
Ressler: Because she cooperated with our investigation. And it seems like that went a long way with the US Attorney. She did 19 months at Hazelton and was paroled five months ago.
Cooper: I donāt get it. Whatās a former Blacklister on parole doing at an annex of the Chinese Consulate in New York?
Dembe: Moores was a master thief. Itās reasonable to assume that she was hired to steal something.
Cooper: By the Chinese? Why would they look to her? And howās all this connected to Reddington?
Ressler: I will say this ā whatever she was doing, clearly Reddington didnāt want it done.
Dembe: We do have a lead. Problem is, we donāt have Aram.
Cooper: We could call the Lab, have them send another tech, but I donāt like flying blind. Iād prefer to keep this Task Force only until we know what weāre dealing with.
Ressler: You want to bring on a new agent?
Cooper: At least one. Cynthiaās having Main Justice send a list. Aram and Alina wonāt be easy to replace, but we canāt do this just us.
[ Cynthia Panabaker, formerly of the Department of Justice, is now a US Senator ]
Dembe: In the meantime, I know someone who can help.
Ressler: One of Reddingtonās people?
Dembe: Believe me, if you want to break into a computer, this is the guy.
[ Chuck, one of Redās regulars, picks up a call ]
Chuck: Go for Chuck.
Dembe: Hey, Chuck. Itās Dembe. I need to speak to Raymond.
Chuck: Dembe. Hey, buddy. Itās been months. You donāt write. You donāt call.
Dembe: You were supposed to call me when Raymond got back into the States.
Chuck: And I will. As soon as I hear, youāll be the first to know. Well, top five. Mm, maybe ten.
Dembe: So youāre not with him?
Chuck: Are you saying heās already back? How do you know?
Dembe: How do you not know?
Chuck: Hey. Itās Reddington. I only know what he wants me to know. Sent me a postcard a few months back.
Dembe: A postcard?
Chuck: With a picture of the Tower of London. All it said was, “Quick visit to the Tower. Invited to the Key Ceremony. Super fun. Wimbledon tomorrow. Legoland Friday. Red.”
Dembe: He went to London?
Chuck: I guess so, but then the, uh, card was postmarked in Uruguay, and, uh, Dembe… you understand he signed it “Red.” š [See Note]
Dembe: Yes, I heard. Whatās going on? Why so many public places? And whoās handling his security? Chuck, make some calls, see if anyone has heard from him. I was gonna ask him for permission to go see Tadashi.
Chuck: Man, I canāt help you with that, but Iāll get on the rest of it. Hey, wish I could be more help, but I donāt know where the big man is or whatās doing.
[ The metal doors of the yellow elevator at the Post Officeā”ļøclankā”ļøopen. A livid Mrs Mario Ito emerges with her son Tadashi. They are flanked by two officers. Mrs Ito points at Dembe ]
Mrs Ito: You!! You had my son and me arrested?!
Dembe: Ms. Ito, youāre not under arrest. These agents were justā
Mrs Ito: These agents made us wear blindfolds and ride in the back of a van!
Dembe: There are security protocols. Iām very sorry.
[ Tadashi steps forward into the large room lined with computer displays ]
Tadashi: Whoa! Mom, are you seeing this?! Itās a war room. Do you have any idea what kind of systems must be powering a place like this?!
Mrs Ito: [ To Tadashi ] Donāt get excited. Weāre not staying. [ To Dembe ] Whereās Raymond, hmm? I want to have a word with that man.
Dembe: Raymond doesnāt know youāre here. Please. Let me explain.
Mrs Ito: You left Raymond? You donāt work together anymore?
Dembe: No. I became a federal agent about two years ago.
Mrs Ito: And Raymond knows this?
Dembe: Thereās nothing to worry about.
Mrs Ito: Nothing to worry about? Youāre asking Tadashi to help the FBI! The FBI shouldnāt even know his name! Heās applying for business schools. Oh, my God. All the things heās done for Raymond. You know about them? Oh, my God. All the things Raymond has done for him!
Dembe: Ms. Ito, we have a situation ā a situation involving Raymond ā and I need Tadashiās help to help him.
Tadashi: Please, Mother. Stop worrying. I can do what theyāre asking. Maybe. Probably.
Dembe: Look, we need to move quickly. You have my word. I promise. Nothing bad will happen to your son.
Mrs Ito: Raymond usually pays in cash.
[ Cooperās office. Heās just hanging up the phone. Ressler knocks ]
Ressler: Hey. You looking for me?
Cooper: Howās it going with Reddingtonās tech guy?
Ressler: Good. Dembe just made a deal with his rep, who also happens to be his mother. The guyās barely 19.
Cooper: 19 and already as good as Aram? Well, I hope so, because he needs to work fast.
Ressler: Why? Whatās up?
Cooper: I just got off with Main Justice. That man from the Consulate you spoke with in New York? He just filed a motion in District Court to preclude us from searching Mooresā laptop.
Ressler: At least we know weāre looking in the right place.
Cooper: Judge Vance wants all parties in Chambers in half an hour.
Ressler: We drew Vance?
Cooper: If we loseā
Ressler: No, we canāt lose. I think Reddington took out Jennifer Moores, and right now that laptopās the only lead we have to tell us why.
Cooper: Iāll do my best, but on the merits, this could go either way. Letās just hope the kid cracks it before we get shut down.
[ Tadashi is clicking away at the laptop ]
Dembe: Tadashi, I donāt mean to add any pressure, but itās possible weāre running out of time.
Tadashi: The driveās a disaster! Any worse, and this wouldāve been impossible.
Dembe: Does that mean you can read it?
Tadashi: Itās not just the damage from the explosion, itās heat from the fire. Expose a drive to over 300 Celsius, and you get damage to the platters and the ROM chip. Add to that the water damage from the sprinklers and the Fire Department hosing down the building?! You get oxidation and a warped drive chassis!
Dembe: Can you read them?
Tadashi: No, but Iām close, so stop stressing me out. Dude. Go hang with my mom.
[ Judge Roberta Vanceās chambers ]
Judge Vance: Alright. Why donāt we get started?
Assist US Atty Wendy Flynn: Wendy Flynn for the United States. Iām here with Assistant Director Harold Cooper of the FBI.
Cooper: Good afternoon, Your Honor.
Judge Vance: Donāt be so sure, Director Cooper. I read Mr. Chinās motion. This may not be a “good afternoon” for the Bureau after all.
Chin Yao: Thank you, Your Honor. For the record, Chin Yao on behalf of the Consulate.
Judge Vance: Iām listening.
Chin Yao: Your Honor ā this matter falls squarely within the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, a treaty to which 182 nation states are party, including the United States and China. As you know, the principle of property inviolability is well established and requires that the consular state consent to any entry by the receiving authority.
Judge Vance: Not any entry, Mr. Chin. Theyāre allowed to enter for an emergency requiring prompt protective action. Iām gonna guess that youāre not upset about the Fire Department risking their lives to protect your staff and your precious annex?
Chin Yao: No, and weāre grateful for their assistance. But the FBI is another matter.
AUSA Wendy Flynn: Your Honor, if I could be heardā
Judge Vance: No. Him. Director Cooper, these were your agents acting as part of a Task Force that you oversee?
Cooper: Thatās right, Your Honor.
Judge Vance: And those agents were told, in clear and unambiguous terms, that their entry was not authorized?
Cooper: Yes.
Judge Vance: And they proceeded anyway. And not only did they enter, they removed the laptop in question.
Cooper: They seized evidence.
Chin Yao: Which they had no right to do.
Judge Vance: Let him talk.
Cooper: Iād refer Your Honor to Article 55 of the VCCR. Anyone enjoying consular privileges has a duty to respect the laws of the receiving state. Consular premises canāt be used in a way thatās incompatible with consular functions.
Judge Vance: And this was? Incompatible?
Cooper: Absolutely. The woman killed at this “annex” was a career criminal on parole. An American with no official consular mission. Bottom line ā we believe she was there in furtherance of a crime.
Chin Yao: You believe, but your agents had nothing to even suggest as much at the time.
Cooper: If Mr. Chin were operating a drÕ½g lab on the premises, weād have a right to seize the drÕ½gs.
Judge Vance: But this wasnāt a drÕ½g lab, Director Cooper. DrÕ½gs are contraband on their face. Your agents were investigating a crime, not seizing proof of one.
Cooper: Iāll ask Mr. Chin point blank. Why was Jennifer Moores inside that building? What was her legitimate purpose for being there?
Chin Yao: And Iām telling Director Cooper point blank, I do not have to answer your questions.
[ The Post Office. The damaged laptop beeps š
š
š
š
]
Tadashi: Yes, yes, yes! Iām in. Looks like there were ā five active files in use when the drive was disabled.
Dembe: Can you access them?
Tadashi: Not all of them. Three so far. But I should be able to get the other two.
[ Dembeās phone buzzes «»»»» ]
Dembe: Weāre close.
Cooper: Close, but no cigar. Itās over. Vance just ordered us to stop any search and return the laptop.
Dembe: Tadashi, we have to stop.
Tadashi: Stop? Now? Iām almost there. I can get the other files.
Dembe: No, you canāt. Tadashi! I know youāre used to working for Raymond, but this is different. Iām an agent now, and we have rules.
[ The Post Office war room ]
Dembe: Okay, we may not have a full picture, but the files we recovered before Vanceās orders tell us a lot about what was going on. Apparently, Jennifer Moores was casing Luxe International. Itās a private company that specializes in fine art storage and logistics.
Ressler: According to their website, they “store and transport expensive and priceless works of art for a global clientele.”
Dembe: Theyāre headquartered on Montserrat, one of the British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean.
Cooper: So Moores was planning a heist?
Ressler: Definitely. Luxe operates as a freeport, which means itās a tax haven for the wealthy.
The stuff in there is worth billions.
Dembe: Of course, nobody is supposed to know whatās in there, because the list isnāt public. But Jennifer Moores had one, and she was focused on one item in particular ā a sculpture called āThe Night Owl.ā
Cooper: By Picasso? Iām not expert, but sculptureās not the first thing I think about when I hear that name.
Dembe: He made over a thousand. And a lot of owls. Some say he became obsessed over them after he found a wounded owl in his studio.
Ressler: āThe Night Owl.ā Luxe just got the shipment. It was part of a womanās estate, and when she died, they put it in storage.
Cooper: Any idea what itās worth?
Dembe: The Met just sold a Picasso sculpture for over $48 million.
Cooper: So, what are we saying? That the Chinese hired Moores, a former Blacklister, to help them steal this āNight Owlā?
Ressler: Maybe Reddington wants it for himself. I mean, at this point, we have three-fifths of the story.
Cooper: So we stay on it. You two, get to Luxe. Make sure they know theyāve been targeted.
[ Luxe International, on Montserrat, British Overseas Territory ]
[ Dembe and Ressler present themselves at Security ]
Richard Deever: Richard Deever. Iām head of security here at Luxe. This is one of my associates, Siya Malik.
Ressler: Thanks for agreeing to see us.
Deever: Well, weāre the ones saying thanks. Our clients trust us with their most treasured possessions, so obviously we take any credible threat seriously.
Siya Malik: In your call to corporate, you said you think weāve been targeted?
Dembe: We know you were. By a career criminal and master thief. This specific person is no longer a danger, but we donāt know who else she was working with.
Ressler: From what we can tell, she was targeting a specific sculpture. A Picasso called āThe Night Owl.ā
Dembe: Which we understand was recently delivered here.
Deever: It was, but that information was never made public. Obviously, we keep the content of all our shipments strictly confidential.
Siya Malik: āThe Night Owlāās not one of Picassoās better-known works. The fact that it even exists was a closely guarded secret.
Deever: Can I ask where you got this?
Ressler: Iām sorry. I canāt disclose that. Itās part of an ongoing federal investigation.
Deever: We canāt protect ourselves if we donāt understand whatā Fine. Then Iād like to speak to the agent in charge.
Ressler: That “agent” is Harold Cooper, the Assistant Director of the FBI.
Siya: You- You work for Harold Cooper?
Ressler: Thatās right.
Siya: [ To Deever ] Harold Cooper runs a secret Task Force. So secret, most FBI agents donāt know about it.
Dembe: And you do?
Siya: Yes, because my mother used to work for Harold Cooper. Her name was Meera Malik.
Dembe: Youāre Meeraās daughter?
Siya: You knew her?
Ressler: We not only knew her. She was a friend. And a-a very fine agent.
Siya: Perhaps you could give us a minute.
[ Siya nods for Ressler and Dembe to step out of the room, which they do ]
Siya: [ To Deever ] If we can verify what we just heard, I think we should show them around.
Deever: Bad idea. We can handle this ourselves. Thank them for the intel and let them go.
āā
[ Siya steps out to talk to Ressler and Dembe ]
Ressler: Hmm. Let me guess. Your boss says thanks for the tip, but, uh, you should give us the brush.
Siya: A guy with Harold Cooperās connections could change that with one phone call. One “inter-agency” phone call.
[ Ressler takes out his phone ]
āā
[ Siya returns with Deever ]
Deever: You two donāt take no for an answer. Apparently, your boss made a phone call.
Siya: Follow us, please.
[ They step into an elevator ] [ Siya turns to address Dembe and Ressler ]
Siya: As you may have guessed, this facility is a front. It functions as a black site.
Ressler: International?
Siya: Yes. Used by a number of allied agencies. High-end art storage is a strong cover. It explains the heavy security, shipments coming in and out, and all interactions with the public are by appointment only.
Deever: Iām with the Agency. Most of the other operatives on site are also CIA. Agent Malik is with MI6.
[ The elevator dingsš
and stops. When they step out, there are heavily armed guards ]
Siya: You were right. We did just receive The Night Owl, but itās not a sculpture. Itās a code name for a prisoner we recently transported.
Deever: We brought him here to be interrogated. It would seem that somehow your thief found out.
[ The prisoner is wearing an orange jump suit. Heās seated, leaning with his head against the wall ]
Siya: His name is Alā
Dembe: Alban Veseli.
Siya: You know him?
Ressler: We call him The Freelancer. (Episode 1:2 The Freelancer)
[ Back in the United States, Red is being shown around a vacuous property by a real estate broker named Andrea Athens. Red is clean shaven with his customary short haircut ]
Red: This just isnāt gonna work. I mean, all of this would have to come out. Itās ridiculous. It looks like a cruise ship. Like, whatās this? A balcony?
Andrea Athens: Yes, itās a balcony on the mezzanine level.
Red: Is that where the water slide and the wave pool are? On the mezzanine level?
Andrea: Mr. Reddington, this place checks a lot of your boxes. 30,000 square feet, no windows, high ceilings.
Red: I donāt need high ceilings, Andrea. I need at least two stories, not just a mezzanine.
Andrea: They do fully catered events, which means it has a working kitchen. I know you didnāt request thatā
Red: Youāre right. I didnāt. A kitchen is nice, but I donāt need it.
Andrea: You need to work with me here. Two or more stories means stairs, elevators. This is more efficient. And itās a beautiful kitchen.
Red: Oh, stop with the kitchen already. Thereās nothing I love more than a great kitchen. We could get in your car right now and I could take you to any number of fabulous kitchens and cook you a gorgeous meal. A lovely roast chicken, a duck breast. But for our purposes here, what Iām looking for ā I donāt need a kitchen. And this has been open to the public. The place I need has to be discreet. I need it to be invisible.
Andrea: That doesnāt exist.
Red: You mean you havenāt found it yet.
Andrea: No, I mean it doesnāt exist! A vacant space that large in this area? Remember, I can only show you whatās available.
Red: Okay, well, donāt take this the wrong way, Andrea, but thatās the first helpful thing youāve said. So it does exist. Itās just being used by somebody else.
Andrea: Maybe. Yes. Are you saying you want to buy someone out?
Red: How about I buy you lunch and you tell me everything you know about the companies that have factories in the area?
[ Back at the offices of Luxe International, which is actually an international black site ]
Siya Malik: About two years ago, a natural-gas pipeline ruptured just outside the town of Glennshire, 80 miles north of London. The blast leveled four blocks and killed 17 people.
Dembe: Youāre talking about the blast that killed Randall Ames.
Siya: Yes, a member of Parliament and the UKās Anti-Corruption Champion. He was on holiday in Glennshire with his wife. At first, we thought it was just a tragic accident, but a closer look made us believe the pipeline was sabotaged.
Richard Deever: A mass accident designed to cover up a single murder.
Ressler: Weāre familiar with the M.O.
Deever: Veseli was briefly out of prison around that time.
Ressler: Thatās when Keen got him released.
Siya: MI6 made a request, and the Agency brought him here for questioning. But to be honest, we havenāt had much luck. He hasnāt said a word.
Dembe: Heāll talk to us.
Deever: And why would he do that?
Ressler: Letās just say, uh, we have a history.
[ Door buzzes «««»»» ] [ Ressler and Dembe enter Alban Veseliās cell ]
[ Veseli sees Dembeās badge and laughs ]
Veseli: I swear. Now Iāve seen everything. Youāre telling me the FBI gave you a badge?
Dembe: Things change, Alban. Although, you seem like the exact same man you always were. I shouldāve known that pipeline in Glennshire was you.
Veseli: A little work I took on the side. Agent Keen had no idea. I was, uhā I was sad to hear about her passing.
Ressler: Watch what you say about Keen.
Veseli: What am I supposed to say? She set me up, just like Reddington. Got me out of prison, sent me to crash a plane, then warned the FBI so that the Bureau could re-arrest me.
Ressler: Well, weāll have to walk down memory lane another time. I want to know about Jennifer Anne Moores.
Veseli: Wow. Didnāt see that coming. Mostly because I have no idea who that is.
Dembe: She was working on a plan to set you free.
Veseli: Oh, I like her already.
Ressler: Whatās your connection to the Chinese Consulate?
Veseli: Fellas. Iām willing to play. But it would help if I at least knew the game.
Ressler: Weāre supposed to believe that you donāt? Jennifer Moores was tracking your movements, casing the black site where you were being sent, and youāre telling us that you knew nothing about that?
[ Wujing sits in the back of a van driven by Zhang Wei. With Wujing are several other men. No one speaks. Wujing recalls the first time he suspected that Red might be working with the FBI (Episode 1:3 Wujing). Red had managed to get Liz Keen into Wujingās secret operations center deep underground to try the retrieve the name a man Wujing had been ordered to kill ]
[ Flashback: ]
[ šØ Blaring šØ]
Wujing: Lock it down.
[ Red and Liz try to escape by the elevator ]
Wujing: Stop! You were right. Maybe that was the FBI outside. In fact, maybe theyāre not just outside. Maybe theyāre right here in this room.
Red: Think hard before you accuse anybody of anything.
[ Wujingās musings are interrupted by Zhang Wei ]
Zhang Wei: Wujing. Wujing. Two minutes out.
Wujing: Tell our people to proceed.
Zhang Wei: Clear to proceed.
āā
[ At the Luxe International black site, people are talking in a small group ]
ā I think youāll be pleased.
[ The message from Wujing is received. Suddenly, Wujingās men on site jump the others, injecting them with needles that come out from their shirt cuffs. Those injected fall to the ground ]
āā
[ Ressler and Dembeās interrogation of Alban Veseli ends with the sound of rapid gunfire in the distance ]
[ š„š„š„ š„š„š„ š„š„š„ ]
Ressler: Did you hear that?
Veseli: [ Calmly ] Automatic rifle. Hundred bucks itās an M-16.
Dembe: We have to get him out of here.
ā Watch your back!
ā Code four!
āā
[ Wujing enters the reception area with the operatives from the van ]
Wujing: Alban Veseli is somewhere in this building. Find him.
āā
Dembe: We have to go.
Deever: Go? We have full security on site, with military training.
Ressler: Well, whoeverās coming knows that. They wouldnāt have attacked the building unless they knew that they had the manpower to overrun your security.
Siya: Overrun? You mean kill everyone in the building?
Dembe: They want him, and they wonāt leave without him.
Ressler: There must be another way out of here.
Deever: Yes. Motor pool. We have cars stationed there, but itās all the way on the other side of the building.
Dembe: Get Veseli ready to move. We have to assume they know where to look, and we need to be gone when they get here.
[ They head out ] [ š„š„š„ š„š„š„ ]
[ Ressler gets a call from Cooper ]
Cooper: Agent Ressler?
Ressler: Cooper, weāre under attack. Weāre taking heavy fire.
Cooper: Howās that possible? Youāre at an Agency black site.
Ressler: It was Alban Veseli. āThe Night Owlā? The heist Jennifer Moores was planning ā it was a rescue op to recover Veseli.
[ š„š„š„ Gunfire š„š„š„ ]
Cooper: Can you get out?
[ š„š„š„ Gunfire š„š„š„ ]
Ressler: [ Excitedly ] Thereās a motor pool. If we can make it there, maybe we can still get out!
Cooper: So itās Veseliās people behind the attack?
Ressler: [ Panicky ] Look, whoever you called, call them back! Tel them their teams on the ground need reinforcements now!
[ š„š„š„ š„š„š„ ā¼ļø Gunfight ā¼ļø š„š„š„ š„š„š„]
Dembe: [ To Siya and Deever ] Theyāre too close! Weāll try to keep them back! You two keep going! Get him
[ Veseli ] out of here!
Siya: We canāt just leave you!
Dembe: Nobodyās leaving anybody. Weāll be right behind you.
[ š„š„š„ Gunfire š„š„š„ ]
Veseli: A tad optimistic. I want a hug goodbye.
Ressler: Go! Move! Go, go!
[ Siya and Deever go ahead with Veseli ]
[ Ressler and Dembe continue firing š„š„š„ š„š„š„ ]
Dembe: What are the chances of backup?
Ressler: Getting here on time? Slim to none! Weāre at a covert black site on a Caribbean island.
[ š„š„š„ Gunfire š„š„š„ ]
Dembe: Then how do they know?!
Ressler: What do you mean?
Dembe: Whoeverās doing this, how did they get that intel?!
[ Deever and Siya have made it to the motor pool site with Veseli ]
āā
[ š„š„š„ š„š„š„ ]
Ressler: There! We gotta get out of here!
Dembe: Somethingās wrong. They have too much info.
[ š„š„š„ š„š„š„ ]
Ressler: We gotta make a run for it! Come on!
Dembe: Maybe they figured out where Veseli was being taken, but how did they know the code name? And whereād they get the list of the art?
[ š„š„š„ š„š„š„ ]
Ressler: [ Suddenly understanding ] It was someone on the inside.
[ At the car pool site, Deever suddenly draws his gun and points it a Siya ]
Deever: Sorry, Malik. Iāll take it from here.
Siya: Richard?!
Deever: I know. I didnāt see it coming myself. Iām a clichĆ©. A spy who turned for the money.
All I can tell you is ā it is a whole lot of money.
[ Siya pulls her gun ]
Siya: I canāt let you take him.
Veseli: Good for you.
Deever: Drop the gun, Siya. Believe me, this guy is not worth dying for. Drop it.
[ Siya slowly lowers her gun toward the concrete floor, but at the last minute tries to shoot Richard, but he is quicker. Both guns go off (š„š„) Siya falls ]
[ Deever gets in a car with Veseli and it speeds away ]
āā
[ š„š„š„ š„š„š„ ]
Ressler: [ To Dembe ] Go! Go! Come on ā Go!
[ š„š„š„ š„š„š„ ]
[ Dembe goes ahead ]
[ š„š„š„ š„š„š„ ]
[ As Ressler dashes across a corridor, he sees Wujing ]
[ š„š„š„ š„š„š„ ]
āā
[ Dembe arrives at the motor pool site and find Siya. She is unconscious, but Dembe checks and she is alive ]
[ Ressler catches up ]
Ressler: Wujingās here! We gotta go!
Dembe: It was Deever. She was hit, but sheās wearing a vest.
āā
[ Wujing and his crew arrive at the motor pool site as a vehicle speeds away ]
[ The Post Office ]
[ Dembe is finishing up a call ]
Dembe: Okay. Thank you.
[ He hangs up ]
Dembe: Nothing yet. We issued a BOLO on all three ā Wujing, Veseli, and Deever. But they could be anywhere in the world by now.
Ressler: What about flights off the island?
Dembe: Three private flights left Montserrat within an hour of the attack. Weāre checking manifests, but Wujing knows better than to leave a paper trail.
Cooper: So Meeraās daughter became an MI6 agent?
Ressler: Her name is Siya.
Cooper: I met her once. After Meera was killed, I flew to London to pay my respects to her family.
Dembe: She couldnāt have been older than 15.
Cooper: That trip was one of the hardest things Iāve ever had to do in this job. Her husband and kids asking what happened. I couldnāt tell them anything.
Ressler: Well, she has to see you. She insisted on flying back with us.
Cooper: Iād like that.
Dembe: That bullet banged her up pretty good, so we took her over to DC General first, just to make sure sheās okay.
Ressler: Thereās a lot of names from the past. Jennifer Moores, Alban Veseli, and now Wujing.
[ Flashback: (Episode 9:22 Marvin Gerard Conclusion, Part 2) ]
Driver: The ministry has a plane waiting. You’ll be in Beijing this time tomorrow.
Wujing: Oh, we’re not going home. Not until I find and kill Raymond Reddington.
Driver: Reddington? Wujing, you can’t do that alone.
Wujing: We won’t have to. I have a list of others who will be glad to join the fight.
Dembe: Thatās three former Blacklisters connected to this case.
Cooper: We were notified when Wujing escaped. The Bureauās got a dozen agents on it, but they never picked up a trail.
Ressler: Well, apparently, he was working with Moores to break Veseli out of custody.
Dembe: Why? Wujing is an assassin. Whatās the connection?
[ Cooperās cell phone chimesāØ]
Cooper: Youāve got to be kidding. Guess who just cleared security.
Ressler: Hmm. Reddington.
Cooper: Heās on his way down.
[ The yellow elevator doorsā”ļøclangā”ļøopen and out steps Red ]
Red: Ah. [ Chuckles ] The gangās all here. Well, not much of the gang. More of a ā coffee klatch.
Cooper: Raymond, weāve been trying to reach you.
Red: Yes? Well, apologies. Iāve been ā busier than expected.
Ressler: Busy? As in blowing up former Blacklisters at foreign consulates?
Red: No, Donald. That didnāt take much time at all. But if you know about Jennifer Moores, then you know a serious threat has arisen. I didnāt reach out, Harold, because I thought ā I hoped that I could contain the matter myself, but now, unfortunately, that seems unlikely.
Cooper: Youāre talking about Wujing. Heās the threat.
Red: Wujing is the weapon ā fired in my direction as a last parting shot by Marvin Gerard.
Ressler: Marvinās behind this?
Dembe: They could have met at Coolidge. They were both housed on the same cellblock.
Cooper: Iām aware, but Wujingās escape happened after Marvinās death. I didnāt make the connection.
Red: Wujingās been asking questions about me, about any relationship with the FBI.
Dembe: Marvin must have told him. So Wujing knows about the Task Force.
[ Flashback: ]
Marvin: I didn’t have to ask, Wujing. I didn’t have to ask because Raymond is not your friend. He’s the reason you’re in here.
Wujing: What do you mean?
Marvin: He’s a confidential informant. He has an immunity deal with the feds. He feeds them criminals like you, and he keeps his freedom.
Red: He knows whatever Marvin told him, but, still, that isnāt the same as having proof, so ā
Ressler: He doesnāt just want to kill you. He wants the criminal world to know about us.
Cooper: Jennifer Moores. Veseli. Wujingās approaching Blacklisters, criminals we sent to jail.
Red: Some of our former targets are now his targets. You should increase their security. Because ā this is only the beginning. [ Chuckles ] Well, thatās all I have for you.
[ Red turns and walks toward the elevator. Dembe follows him ]
Dembe: Raymond. Whereās Chuck?
Red: I donāt know.
Dembe: Whoās in charge of your security? Weechaās not with you?
Red: No.
Dembe: Where are you living?
Red: New York, mostly.
Dembe: How did you get here?
Red: Took the train. What a nap. Slept the whole way.
Dembe: Where are you going? Is there a car waiting for you?
Red: Dembe, Iām fine. Iāll just grab a cab.
Dembe: Raymond. Whatās going on?
Red: Nothing. Well āā nothing and everything. Watch your head.
[ Elevator doorsā”ļøclangā”ļøshut ]
[ Cooperās office. Knocks ā½ ā½ on door ]
Ressler: Sheās here.
Cooper: Great. Siya. Please, come in.
Siya: Blindfold. Black-out van. You guys have more security protocols than the White House.
Cooper: Weāve had some issues. Weāre being more careful these days. Harold Cooper.
Siya: Siya Malik. Itās been a while.
Cooper: It has. Sorry for that. I wish weād kept in touch. Itās nice to see you. You know, even all these years later, I sometimes think of the day we met.
Siya: So do I. But Iām guessing we remember it differently.
Cooper: How do you mean?
Siya: You may not realize it, but you made a big impression on the teenage me. Iāve always been incredibly grateful for how you spoke to us that day. You couldnāt tell us anything, but we knew. That was as hard for you to say as it was for us to hear.
Cooper: You became an agent. I had no idea. And MI6. Youāre not just an agent. Youāre a spy.
Siya: You sound surprised.
Cooper: Iām thinking about your father. He must be the one who was surprised.
Siya: And terrified. But heās coming around. I donāt make a practice of talking with him about my day-to-day.
Cooper: What made you choose this kind of life?
Siya: Just too many secrets. When my mother died, you couldnāt tell me who she worked with, what she did, or even how she was killed. I think I decided right then and there, Iād do whatever it took to get in the room where the secrets are revealed.
Cooper: And youāve done it.
Siya: Well, not completely. Thatās why Iām here. Maybe it wasnāt an accident, us crossing paths like this.
Cooper: It wasnāt?
Siya: Maybe itās time for me to finally know more about the work my mother did. If it was that important, maybe itās time for me to continue what she started.
Cooper: Siya, thatās complicated.
Siya: Please, just hear me out. Iām involved now, yeah? I lost colleagues and friends in that attack. And Deever? I will find him.
Cooper: The secrets you spoke of are only shared with members of this Task Force. Iām in the same position now as I was back then.
Siya: You are, but Iām not. I can talk to my superiors at SIS. They could loan me to your Task Force, just until this case is done.
Cooper: Let me think about it.
Siya: I donāt know what this place is, but something tells me it only exists for the people who work here.
Cooper: Iāll be in touch.
Siya: I hope so. You need agents you can trust. Iām one.
[ Wujing sits in a van. The side door opens. There stand Richard Deever and Alban Veseli. Veseli gets in and sits alongside Wujing ]
Wujing: Mr. Deever. You have lived up to your word. If you give us a moment, my associate will transfer your money and discuss your next assignment.
[ Deever closes the van door ]
Veseli: Do I know you, friend?
Wujing: My name is Wujing. Weāre not friends, Mr. Veseli. But we do have a common enemy.
āāā 10:1 End Night Owl
For S10 Episode 10:1 The Night Owl: šÆ EW Recap ¤ š
Photo Gallery ¤ š¹ Music Videos ¤ š Script link: https://wp.me/pDKwi-eg9 [ “you are here” ]
Trivia:
This is odd because Red invariably signs notes āRā not āRed.ā Curious.
š“ Episode Songs
ā« ā Check Tunefind for any additional music for this episode
ā« Just Say Goodbye
By Petula ClarkāŖ Just say goodbye
And let me walk away
Thereā²s nothing more to say
When love like ours can dieāŖ Just say goodbye
Forget the life we knew
The memories of you
Will only make me cryāŖ Just say goodbye
To leave me on my own
To face the world alone
Yet never knowing whyāŖ Just say goodbye
And though I don’t know how
I couldnā²t hate you now
No matter how I triedāŖ Just say goodbye
It’s sad that you must go
You loved me once I know
This much I can’t deny Oh, my love
My only love
Where did we go wrong
Oh, my love
My only love
How can I
Oh, how can I go onāŖ Just say goodbye
Itā²s sad that you must go
You loved me once I know
This much I canā²t denyāŖ Just say goodbye
And please don’t turn around
Another love youā²ve found
Now, spread your wings and flyāŖ Just say goodbye, yeah yeah
Just say goodbyeLyrics and Credits: https://tinyurl.com/mvavtx79
YouTube: https://youtu.be/lxVaPgQVikM
ā¬ļø This son was listed by someone on the TuneFind site for this episode, though I canāt find it in the episode. As this is the final season, as a parting song, I actually prefer this one. ā¬ļø
ā« The Parting Glass (Irish trad.) (Bonus Song)
Sung by George Donaldson
āŖ Of all the money that e’er I had
I’ve spent it in good company
And all the harm that e’er I’ve done
Alas it was to none but me
And all I’ve done for want of wit
To memory now I can’t recall
So fill to me the parting glass
Good night and joy be with you all
āŖ Of all the comrades that e’er I had
They are sorry for my going away
And all the sweethearts that e’er I had
They would wish me one more day to stay
But since it falls unto my lot
That I should rise and you should not
I’ll gently rise and I’ll softly call
Good night and joy be with you all
āŖ A man may drink and not be drunk
A man may fight and not be slain
A man may court a pretty girl
And perhaps be welcomed back again
But since it has so ought to be
By a time to rise and a time to fall
Come fill to me the parting glass
Good night and joy be with you all
Come fill to me the parting glass
Good night and joy be with you all
Lyrics and Credits: https://tinyurl.com/fh7deraf
YouTube: https://youtu.be/GRNZfV8rKQM
š“ General
ā Script 10:1 The Night Owl https://wp.me/pDKwi-eg9 Status: īFINALī @NBCBlacklist #TheBlacklist My site: BlacklistDCd.com https://twitter.com/BlacklistDCd/status/1631020623131553793?s=20/photo/1
ā Easy-Search Scripts updated thru Episode 10:1 The Night Owl https://wp.me/pDKwi-e2T#nightowl #TheBlacklist @NBCBlacklist My site: BlacklistDCd.com https://twitter.com/BlacklistDCd/status/1631094926216765441?s=20/photo/1
š“ Episode Photos
ā Gallery Photos
[ Pending ]