The fifth episode of "The Agency" kicks off with Martian being grilled about his connection with Paul Lewis. He acknowledges that Paul is indeed a cover name, one that has aided numerous individuals, but underscores that it remains solely an alias. Yet, as revealed in the preceding episode, Martian isn't the sole inquisitor; Osman has him firmly in his sights.
For the moment, our focus remains within the agency's confines, where Langley is exerting considerable pressure on everyone to crack the case and gain a breakthrough in the Coyote mystery. Martian engages in a discussion with Henry, pondering the idea of deploying someone on the ground to gather additional intelligence. The responsibility falls to Owen, given his past as Coyote's handler. He will embark on this solo mission, accompanied by Belarusian authorities, tasked with safeguarding the intelligence and required to depart immediately.
Owen arrives in Belarus and promptly inspects Coyote's apartment. Inside, he discovers a cat and a suitcase filled with women's attire. These belongings, in fact, belong to Coyote's housekeeper, Eva, who has been taking refuge here after a domestic dispute with her boyfriend. Intriguingly, Owen introduces himself using the alias Jonathan.
Elsewhere, Martian ventures out that evening. After receiving some playful advice from Poppy, who urges him to "be his true self" on his date, he proceeds to dinner with Sami. During their meal, she inquiries about Poppy (whom Martian has introduced as Julia), leading to a lively conversation between them. However, their evening is abruptly interrupted by Osman, who conveniently claims to be "in the vicinity" and feels inclined to join them for a drink.
In truth, his presence is to subject Paul Lewis to a rigorous interrogation. Prior to this encounter, he had cleverly secured a document from his connections, which outlined segments of Paul's life but was riddled with gaps, like a fragmented puzzle. His mission now is to fill in these missing pieces.
Osman attempts to rattle him, but Sami remains steadfast, brushing off his hostility with a casual shrug, insisting he's merely a colleague who accompanies her to lectures—lectures she conveniently skips. Martian instantly becomes defensive, his guard rising sharply, and demands to know more about Osman. However, Sami digs her heels in, refusing to delve into her personal affairs, aware that any disclosure could jeopardize her safety.
Reluctantly, Martian lets the matter rest for the moment, agreeing to accompany her to her room. Yet, Osman persists the next day, relentlessly probing Sami about the mysteries surrounding Paul Lewis. Suspicion gnaws at him, especially considering Martian's assertion that his daughter's name is Julia, a claim that Sami can't substantiate as she's never met her.
Martian, acutely aware that Osman has set his sights on him, crafts a daring counter-move: he will turn the hunter into the hunted. Aboard his bike, he trails Osman and Sami, while meticulously staging his hotel room to deceive, making it appear as if his alias, Paul Lewis, still inhabited it.
Elsewhere, Danny declines the professor's advances and later, Reva seeks forgiveness for their recent altercation. She vows not to escalate the matter, and Danny reassuringly assures the professor that "nothing happened," weaving an elaborate tale that includes a fictitious nanny as the reason for her Farsi proficiency. However, Danny's peace is shattered when she is abruptly abducted in broad daylight and thrust into the backseat of a car. Subjected to interrogation about Reza's connections to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, she is bound to a chair for days, her fake passport exposed, and threatened with a two-week captivity. Unbeknownst to her kidnappers, this harrowing ordeal is actually part of her rigorous training. Danny nearly succumbs to the pressure, inquiring if anyone has come for her, but ultimately she resists, revealing nothing. Amidst the turmoil, she manages an unexpected twist: securing a date with her captor, hinting at a disturbing Stockholm syndrome-like bond.
Meanwhile, back at the office, Owen, still reeling from his night with Eva, receives an urgent call from HQ. It's Henry, warning him that Coyote has been betraying secrets from 31 Ulitsa Bratskaya—a former dead-drop location shared by Coyote and Owen. Adding to the urgency, the seller of the bike in question is genuine, placing Owen in peril at his current location. He is instructed to remain stationary until the "dry cleaners" arrive and is cautioned that he might be under surveillance. As the steam rises in the bathroom, Owen spots the word "valhalla" etched somewhere, prompting him to make a swift decision: he confines Eva in the bathroom for her safety until reinforcements arrive, a drastic yet pragmatic measure in the face of mounting danger.
As these events unfold, Martian remains acutely aware that he is ensnared in a perilous game of cat and mouse. Osman, ever cunning, orders a thorough inspection of Martian's hotel suite by the cleaning staff, meticulously examining every corner, including the strategically placed manuscript that "Paul" had been laboring over. Paul, as part of his meticulously crafted plan and trap, deliberately allows himself to be ambushed, knowing it's all part of his training and the intricate setup.
Despite Osman's astuteness, he persists in having Paul shadowed relentlessly. The individual who ambushes Paul, revealed to be one of Osman's underlings, is assigned the task of inquiring about the incident at the police station. The reasoning is simple: if someone like Paul were attacked and they spent nearly two hours at the station, surely they would have reported it, wouldn't they? However, Paul has refrained from doing so, seemingly giving Osman the upper hand. To compound matters, within Paul's jacket lies a card belonging to Poppy, unbeknownst to Martian.
Martian, oblivious to these developments, proceeds to a meeting with Henry and Owen at the Agency, where Owen has just returned from his venture in Minsk. Unbeknownst to them, Coyote had been seeing a therapist, a revelation that adds another layer of complexity to their case. Yet, amidst the myriad of misfortunes, Martian stumbles upon a crucial breakthrough. This crack in the case allows him to glimpse the grim reality they are confronting: China is secretly negotiating a deal in Sudan, aiming to exert dominance over an entire region. Anyone who dares to oppose this deal is swiftly neutralized.
Alarmingly, it seems Martian is now in the crosshairs, as Osman orchestrates a deal to make someone "disappear." Martian faces a stark choice: he must turn lies into truths, or innocent lives will be lost.
