Trama

The security breach at the Embassy has far reaching consequences.

The marines being recalled too late, Haqqani's Taliban commando force succeeds in taking over the US embassy, taking most staff hostage and threatening to kill them one by one unless the key staff, who took refuge in the 'vault', hands him the vital contacts list. Director Andrew Lockhart panics after seeing an execution and obeys, Haqqani escapes. The White House decides to break off diplomatic relations, transfer the CIA operations to Kabul, evacuate all staff and suspend Carrie. Only Peter Quinn slips out hunt Haqqani down without Pakistani permission, Lockhart 'informally' grants Carrie five days to get Peter back either way.—KGF Vissers

Carrie and Saul are among the two that survive the initial attack on their convoy, with almost the entire marine unit based at the US Embassy deployed to deal with the attack as the convoy is still under siege by long range snipers. Carrie and Saul are unaware of what is happening at the embassy. Dennis tells Martha just before it happens that Haqqani is aware of the secret tunnel underneath the embassy as a way in and out, he orchestrating the attack on the convoy as a diversion to empty the embassy of all marines before he and his men storm the compound via the tunnel. With the staff at the embassy directed quickly to "pack up" and destroy all sensitive materials, Lockhart is made aware of and is given possession of the only copy of their Pakistani asset list, which he is to secure in the vault. As Haqqani and his men storm the embassy, Quinn and a marine private, one of the two marines still left in the compound, are able to hide from them, with Quinn and the private knowing that their first priority is to ensure that that asset list does not get into Haqqani's hands. During the siege, Tasneem and General Khan come clear to each other about their own priorities, and while they may outwardly have the same goal of Pakistani national security, they have different views on how best to achieve that. As the dust settles on what happens at the embassy and at the on-road attack site, some in the US contingent take unilateral, unsanctioned and/or unofficial action on how best to protect the American presence in the region.—Huggo

When we last left Carrie & Co. the embassy was poised to be overtaken by Haqqani and his men. We open this week with Carrie waking in a daze from the bombing. She and Saul are alive, but virtually everyone else in the convoy is dead. Almost immediately the Marines who arrive to help take fire from a half dozen gunmen in various locations.

Martha tells Quinn that Haqqani knows about the passageway. He informs the Marines, but they aren't able to return. Quinn grabs a private and tells him to stick close by.

Carrie calls Khan asking for help. He's in a car with Tasneem. She tells him to wait ten minutes before calling in the Pakistani military to help the Americans. Khan realizes she's in bed with Haqqani and is furious. Tasneem ultimate convinces him the Americans need a taste of their own medicine.

Lockhart instructs the station employees to prepare for incineration of key documents and the crashing of hard drives. He's then given a folder containing the recon list of all the US assets in Pakistan. It's arguably the most important thing on-site, but it took years to assemble so the plan is for Lockhart to keep it safe rather than destroy it.

Haqqani and his men finally breach the embassy and begin killing anybody who stands in their way. He goes to the safe and realizes the list is missing.

In a different part of the embassy Quinn and the private take out several of Haqqani's men and acquire one of their radios.

Martha, Lockhart, Dennis and a dozen or so other employees are locked inside a vault. Haqqani parades a group of hostages, including Max and Fara, in front of the camera and demands they let him in so he can get the list. Martha balks, arguing that if they open the door they'll all be killed as well. Haqqani shoots two men in the head, then puts a knife to Fara's neck. Lockhart blinks and says he's coming out. At this point Quinn and the private arrive and assess the situation from around the corner. They watch Lockhart give Haqqani the list, then see Haqqani plunge his knife into Fara's spine. Quinn and the private open fire, killing several of Haqqani's men and wounding Haqqani. But Haqqani is able to flee, detonating a bomb in the tunnel so Quinn cannot chase him. When Quinn returns to vault Fara has died.

The Pakistani army eventually arrives to help Carrie and Saul and the Marines to safety. They return to find Haqqani has hung his flag over the embassy.

The president decides the US need to sever diplomatic tied with Pakistan. Lockhart tells Carrie that all employees will be evacuated the following morning. She doesn't like leaving their assets to be killed by Haqqani, but there isn't much choice.

Dennis tells Martha the only good thing he can do for her at this point is commit suicide. He thinks this will spare their family the embarrassment of his trial and perhaps save her career. He talks her into giving him his belt from the locker in the holding cell.

Quinn aggressively questions Saul, looking for anything that will help him find Haqqani before he disappears again. Saul can't remember much. Carrie pulls Quinn out of the room and tells them about the pull out. Quinn hates the idea and Carrie is forced to give him a "direct order" to stand down. But of course Quinn disregards this order, searching the bodies of Haqqani's men until he finds one of their burner phones, then sneaking out of the embassy to kidnap one of Haqqani's lieutenants in order to torture him for information.

The next morning Carrie tells Lockhart that Quinn is gone. She talks him into giving her five days to bring Quinn in, thought the two of them will be without any official cover.

Before pulling out Martha sees that Dennis is very much alive. He didn't go through with the suicide.