Whether or not Adilah El Idrissi is working for a terrorist cell is no longer a question. She is, and Imogen Salter’s prime objective is to stop the attack that’s already in progress. Can she get Adilah to give up this information willingly? We move closer to finding out in the fifth episode of FX’s The Veil.
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Episode 5 – “Grandfather's House” – Written by Steven Knight
The DGSE surveils Michael Althorp’s Paris apartment. A delivery guy (Vincent Odetto) arrives, and the DGSE’s data says he’s legit. Inside the stairwell, he meets Adilah El Idrissi (Yumna Marwan), giving her his jacket and helmet. She exits the building and rides away on his moped unnoticed.
Imogen Salter (Elisabeth Moss) wakes up with a severe hangover in Michael’s office. She has a feeling that something’s not right, marching into Adilah’s bedroom to find that her guest is gone. Knowing that both the CIA and DGSE have the apartment bugged, she announces that the target has fled.
Imogen calls Malik Amar (Dali Benssalah) to tell him that Adilah should be wearing black jeans and a green jacket based on the garments that aren’t present in her closet. Malik tells her a delivery driver is the only person who entered and left the building that morning. Imogen grabs her gun to search the building for them, recognizing the bait and switch. She finds him in the lobby pretending to be a cleaner. She tells the CIA and DGSE that she needs backup and that the guy is the same height and build as Adilah. She just asks for five minutes alone with him.
Imogen goes downstairs, pretending to bump into the “cleaner” accidentally. She waits outside, smoking. When he emerges, she holds up his phone, which she took from him during the brush. She has a device that will track the call’s location when it rings. She gives him the option to tell her where Adilah went and walk away without any trouble. The phone starts to ring. He doesn’t have time to answer because another agent (Ryan Highley) charges after him. A motorcycle chase ensues, and he is led to a dead end where Imogen waits with her gun drawn. “Who do you really work for?” she asks. He seems like he’s about to talk when the other agents shoot him dead. She’s furious with them. She calls Malik to say she’s going back to the apartment.
Emir Demov (Alec Secareanu) places a dark red carnation in his buttonhole while waiting at his usual cafe. Adilah eventually arrives. He tells her everyone thinks she’s gone to the other side. She says it’s not true. “I’m only using her to find out what they know, and I’m using her as a shield for protection.” She says the Americans will capture her if she doesn’t stay with Imogen. He reminds her what will happen to Yasmina if she fails. “You promised that you would make sure we were protected even after you leave this world,” she reminds him. He says she needs to prove her loyalty by killing Imogen today. They devise a plan. Adilah will ask Imogen to meet her at her grandfather’s house at 4:00, where an assassin will be armed with a knife. Emir and Adilah hold hands. He asks her to marry him before his death so their souls can be together forever. Adilah hears a helicopter and realizes they’re looking for the bike she rode there. He hands her the detonator and chip for the device on board the ship. “I’m so happy that you will have this honor,” he tells her as she exits the cafe with the detonator.
Adilah leaves on foot just before the police arrive. Max Peterson (Josh Charles) is there, too, ignoring Matthew (Elijah Cook) as he reminds him he doesn’t have jurisdiction since they got the intel by hacking the DGSE. Max thinks it's time to break some rules.
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Malik calls Imogen, and she steps into the hallway to avoid being heard in her bugged apartment. The CIA is having an emergency meeting and ignoring all protocols. “I think they’re trying to take this thing away from us,” he tells her. She says she’s coming in to listen.
They listen in as Max blames the DGSE and MI6 for Adilah not being brought in yet. The Chief of Staff (Lachelle Carl) says a dirty bomb is heading to a port on the East Coast of the United States. Max suggests they kidnap Yasmina and use her as leverage to interrogate Adilah. The head of US Homeland Security (Mitchell Mullen) asks if there are any other alternatives. Max says no. Magritte Levasseur (Thibault de Montalembert) orders 24/7 security around Yasmina.
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Malik catches up to Imogen in the hallway by the painting “Two Venetian Women” by Eugene von Blaas. Malik reminds Imogen that she can’t do anything with this information. “I promised her that I would protect her and her daughter,” Imogen responds. She feels like she’s failed at her assignment. “I know she would’ve told me,” Imogen tells Malik on her way out of the DGSE.
Imogen returns to the apartment to find Max on her couch, having helped himself to a drink. She pours one for herself as he tells her he has permission from his boss and the French to terminate her mission. She asks him not to do it. “I know how hard it is to lose an assignment like this,” he tells her. She argues that his plan won’t work and hers will. He orders her to contact him if Adilah returns. When he leaves, Imogen checks her phone to find a new message from an unknown number: “Meet me in Montmarte. 180 rue Vernon. 4pm.” She responds, “See you there.”
Imogen goes to Michael’s study, puts the printed files about her father in an envelope, and removes the flash drive from the PC. She then goes to Adilah’s room and finds Yasmina’s plush doll, packing it in her bag. Imogen leaves the building looking determined.
In a parking garage, two garbage men hide Yasmina (Keyla and Neyla Bara) and Nour (Nadia Larbiouene) in garbage bins, sneaking them out of their apartment building without the CIA noticing.
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Imogen arrives at 180 rue Vernon, finding Adilah standing outside. Imogen says it hurt her feelings that she ran out like that, asking why Adilah chose this address “This is the truth of me,” Adilah replies, saying this was her grandfather’s house. “This is who I was before everything happened. I wish you could’ve known me then.” Imogen tells her the Americans are planning to kidnap Yasmina to get her to talk, but she says she can help them get to safety with new identities. “My people will kill Yasmina if they think I’ve betrayed them,” she freaks out. “I can get you and Yasmina to England,” Imogen promises. “You have to travel separately, and we have to go now. Because the most dangerous place for you and your child is Paris right now.” Imogen says no matter what she tells them, she will never get a normal life with her child, and no country will take her. Imogen looks around and realizes they’re being watched. A hitman (Luka Kellou) approaches with a knife. Imogen draws a gun and presses it to Adilah’s back, which makes him withdraw. She escorts Adilah away.
The hitman gets in a car with Emir to tell him what happened. “The Djinn Al Raqqah will succeed,” Emir responds, telling him she has the detonator.
Matthew goes to Max’s room to tell him that Yasmina and Nour escaped unseen. Max thinks it was Imogen.
That night, Malik returns home to find a surprise party. His parents, Hamia (Taïdir Ouazine) and Nadir (Fouad Dekkiche), are both there. He admits that he forgot his own birthday. Malik is about to join them for dinner when Magritte calls to tell him about Yasmina disappearing. He thinks they can redeem themselves if he finds out how it happened.
Emir, back in his naval uniform, checks that the device is still on board The Provadia before going to the bridge.
Imogen and Adilah talk at a gas station outside of town. Yasmina and Nour are on their way to England as they speak, and Imogen is working on new identities for them. Adilah thanks her. Imogen adds that she can’t see Yasmina until she gives her the name and location of the ship. “You’re all the same,” Adilah says, “You’re using my daughter now.” Imogen says Adilah would be in a cell right now without her, reminding her how many times she’s saved her and that it’s come at a personal cost for her career. “The least you could do is be honest with me and tell me what you know,” Imogen demands. Adilah says she won’t talk until she sees her daughter with her own eyes. Imogen mocks Adilah for always playing the daughter card. Adila asks Imogen what she would know about being a mother. “Everything,” Imogen responds, “You’re a woman with a child who loves you and needs you, and you are choosing to throw all of that away,” she scolds Adilah, who says she had no choice. Adilah goes on a rant about the injustices done to her people and how it’s time for a little payback to the Western world. “Do you think what you’re planning will solve this?” Imogen asks. “Or is it a way out for you and your child?” Adilah says she and Imogen are the same. If killing thousands of people could bring back her father or baby, Imogen might do the same thing. “That scares you to death,” Adilah adds.
Imogen gets in her car, starts the engine, and begins to drive away without Adilah. She stops just before she gets to the road. We see the same familiar memories of her father and Michael run through her head. She backs up and gets out. “I know what you were going to do today, and I know you did not want to kill me, so I’m going to choose to believe that you are not a monster and you’re a human being, and you’re going to do the right thing,” Imogen tells Adilah. “You’re going to choose whether or not to get in that car. So, what’s it going to be?”
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We don’t see what Adilah chooses.
The Veil concludes next Tuesday, May 28th, with a new episode on Hulu.
Episode 6 – “The Cottage” – Written by Steven Knight
Imogen (Elisabeth Moss) smuggles Adilah (Yumna Marwan) to England to see Michael (James Purefoy), in the hope that answers will finally be given. Max (Josh Charles) and Malik (Dali Benssalah) must work together and follow as her only back up.
Songs Featured in this Episode: