Episode Report Card M. Giant: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT OMFGOTUS
By M. Giant | Season 7 | Episode 8 | Aired on 02.09.2009
After Marika hangs up, her sister Rosa rolls into the room in a wheelchair, all angry and suspicious about who she was talking to. Apparently Rosa's got it in for "Samuel," and it tells you something that even though we know that "Samuel" is in fact the notorious murdering Butcher of Sangala warlord rapist child-drafting Colonel Ike Dubaku, she still comes off like a paranoid, controlling asshole as she spouts her disapproval of him. Marika insists that she loves him, and Rosa demands to know why. "Because he spends money on you? Because he pays our rent?" I can think of worse reasons. Child-drafting, for instance. Rosa starts to say that he isn't -- something, but then stops herself as her sister walks out to return to work. And then we see the envelope cradled in Rosa's lap at 3:28:47. She may already have won, but not what she thinks she's won.
In the Oval Office, Taylor, Ethan, and Buchanan are strategizing about making it look like they're complying with Dubaku's demands. Ethan thinks it'll be easier to start pulling back their forces and then attack from further out at sea -- as though there wouldn't be any number of military logistical issues created by this, regardless of what the White House Chief of Staff thinks -- than to fake them out over Matobo. Buchanan suggests sending a car with a Matobo look-alike, and hope they find Henry before they actually have to hand him over. Taylor gives them the go-ahead. This should work out well for everyone involved.
Kiefer's driving along in Moss's silver government-issue SUV (or at least I hope it's government issue, given what's about to happen to it) when Moss calls from his office, which he's already gotten back to. Why did he have to drive to the Reflecting Pool in the first place? Moss has gotten into the Secret Service deployment grid (an activity which I'm sure will never be traced back to him), and he tells Kiefer that Vossler's on the Beltway, seven miles from where Kiefer is now. He's due to start a shift at four o'clock at Andrews Air Force Base. Moss warns, "Jack, I don't have to tell you, once he's through that gate and onto that base, you're not going to be able to touch him." Surprisingly, Kiefer doesn't take that as a dare. Instead, he tells us how he plans to cut off Vossler, displaying a knowledge of D.C. streets that seems unlikely until one recalls his stint as a DoD wonk. Moss asks whether Kiefer has heard from Walker, but Kiefer isn't worried: "She knows how to get in touch with us if she's in trouble." Like if anyone has shot her or buried her alive or something.