Covert Affairs - Episode 1.03 - Southbound Suarez - Recap

This week's episode drops Annie into her first foreign mission where she has to convince someone to let go of their past and start a new life, but love gets in the way.

The episode begins at Georgetown University with Annie playing soccer with a student, Diego; she's trying to stop him from getting past her, then we jump cut to kids playing soccer in Venezuela. We focus on a guy who walks past the kids playing and up a flight of stairs. He asks an onlooker, "whose winning?". Vincent Ponces comes out and says "The government, Lopez. Only the government wins." Another guy starts walking up the stairs--Lopez is surrounded. Shots are fired and Lopez takes off running for his life. As Lopez runs we intercut with Annie chasing after Diego who has dribbled past her on the soccer field. Back to Lopez, he gets to his car and as he's about to start the engine, a man in the back seat wraps a cord around his neck. Game over. As he struggles we focus on a gold necklace Lopez is wearing.

We bounce back to Annie as Diego scores a goal. They head to a bench where Diego (played by 90210's Michael Steger) can't help but touch Annie's leg, he's looking to score off the field too. She sets him straight and then gets up to leave. Diego says he'll do anything if she stays. Annie says that she needs to get to his sister Julia.

Cut to Julia opening the door for Vincent Ponces, the same bad guy we saw earlier. He has a present for Julia, a golden necklace...the same one Lopez was wearing when he was killed (creep factor on a 1-10: 11!). We also learn that Vincent Ponces is married when Julia says "I thought Sundays belonged to your wife."

-Opening Credits-

Annie explains to Diego that his sister, Julia, is mixed up with Vincent Ponces, a corrupt government official and since Julia is Ponces' banker she's going to go down with him if Diego doesn't help. Annie leaves and Auggie (finally out of the office) sits down on the bench next to Diego.

At CIA headquarters, Auggie explains that Diego sat on the bench for 20 minutes and did nothing, no phone calls, or texting. Joan lets Auggie know that he's not supposed to be out in the field; she can't afford to lose him. Joan gives Annie her mission; just hold Diego's hand on the plane and then give him to the station agent in Venezuela.



Annie tells her sister, Danielle, that the Smithsonian wants her to checkout a letter in Venezuela. Danielle sees that seashell bracelet and tells Annie she needs to let go. Annie agrees and puts the bracelet in a box.

So when they get to Venezuela there's a problem (beside Diego putting his hand on Annie's rear end.) The station agent Diego is supposed to go with is nowhere to be found and for the past few days he hasn't checked in--its Lopez. So Joan and everybody back at HQ are deciding whether to kill the mission or continue on with Annie. They let Annie continue on with the help from two agents in Venezuela, Maria and Rodriguez.



They go and visit Julia at the bank. When alone Julia tells Annie that she doesn't like her seeing Diego; she calls Annie an America cougar chasing after a 20-year old (lol). Annie says that she's not after her brother; 'I'm here to talk with you.'

On the way to Julia's home, we see a bunch of kids calling Julia "The Mother of the Neighbourhood." Diego says that people love her here; she looks after everybody.

Annie tries to convince Julia that Ponces is corrupt; But Julia doesn't want to leave Venezuela or betray the man she loves. Annie says that she grew up an army brat and she got over always moving by burying pictures of each place in a box. Julia still isn't budging. When Annie says that she'll get burned by love, Julia figures out she's talking from experience and says Annie is a woman with walls around her heart; Annie doesn't have a comeback for that one. Later, Annie finally convinces Julia when she says do it to prove his innocence; prove us wrong and we'll go away. She agrees.

Annie calls Auggie and says that Ponces password changes every minute. He uses a small device that gives him the password called a fob. When he's inside the bank, he reads the password on the fob and he can access his account. The plan is to switch his with one that Julia has. Julia will make the switch after they all meet for lunch tomorrow.

At lunch, they meet Ponces. Annie talks about the Smithsonian and her interest in an old letter. Ponces is very interested in Annie, so much so, he throws a monkey wrench into the plan when he wants to tag along with her instead of staying with Julia.



Back at headquarters one of the Venezuelan agents says Julia is wearing Lopez's chain. Since they just located Lopez's body, which is in pieces, they realize Ponces knows that the CIA is after him. Joan with Auggie and Jai debate whether to kill the mission (again). Joan says Annie doesn't look like a CIA agent so Ponces won't suspect her. She lets the mission continue.


After lunch, Annie and Ponces drive off...drive isn't the word...blllaaaasssts off in a red Ferrari. Annie sees the fob on Ponces key chain. He suspects Annie is an agent but he doesn't get the proof he needs until he lets Annie take a turn at driving. Telling her to go faster and faster, she comes around a sharp turn that has a construction sign with some pylons --Annie swerves around the sign, down shifts into second gear, and does a 180 to a full stop. Ponces says only someone with considerable training could have done that. He pulls out a gun and tells her to get out....Annie then floors it and the gun goes off, nipping Annie in the shoulder. She has the car in a tailspin, she grabs Ponces door and he spins out. She drives off with Ferrari and the fob on the key chain.

She calls Auggie and he says to meet Julia and Diego at the bank. They have a guy outside who'll drive them to the airport when they're finished. Inside the bank, they check Ponces accounts and they see that the accounts are funding terrorist organizations. Meanwhile, Ponces and a couple of his goons come in looking for Julia. Annie and Julia have to run out the back; Julia, after some pleading from Annie, reluctantly leaves. A successful mission.

Back at Georgetown, Diego says to Annie he's not sure he did the right thing. We see Julia clutching the necklace, as if it might bring Ponces back to her; she's still not over him. Diego says that they leave for witness protection tomorrow; he says goodbye walks over to Julia and they leave agent Hughes. Annie sighs and Auggie appears (like a ninja out of nowhere) and says this is part of the biz.

Ponces isn't over Julia either, but it's not about love with him; he has a score to settle. Ponces makes his way to DC and he's contacted by Julia to meet up.

Annie, Diego and Agent Hughes (who was supposed to be watching Julia) race after her. Julia meets up with Ponces and he says he's going to take her back to Venezuela. She gets in the car and as they're about to drive off...our friend from earlier with that cord strangles Julia. Annie et al show up just in time. Agent Hughes jumps out and shoots the strangler in the back of the head, gruesome. Ponces drives off as Hughes takes another shot. The car slows to a stop, Ponces is dead.

At home, Annie takes the seashell bracelet out of the box. This is one memory she's not going to bury.

-Thanks for reading. See you guys next week.-