Aahana Swrup
Blythe’s covert task force finds themselves in for some high-stakes undercover work in ‘Countdown’ episode 5, titled ‘Blurred Edges.’ So far, their investigation has brought them one name with an elusive man behind it: Volcheck. As such, after their past failed attempt to catch the Belarusian criminal, the team changes strategies and cooks up a more clandestine plan. Soon enough, the infiltration of the Belarusian Consulate becomes the center of their next mission. Still, Blythe and his fellow Agents are prepared for the worst despite the different complications in their personal lives. Meanwhile, Volcheck opens his own case against Meachum, eager to uncover the identities of the people who are after him. Thus, as the two opposing forces work against one another, only one can hope to crack their mystery in the nick of time. SPOILERS AHEAD!
The Walls Start to Close in on Oliveras and Meachum’s Secrets
Although Blythe’s last attempt to bait and ambush Volcheck using his contact falls through, the team remains fairly optimistic about their future steps. They have gathered some intel about the secretive Belarusian man, which might help them poke around in hopes of extracting more information about him. Nonetheless, it seems the case itself isn’t the end of the team’s concerns. Oliveras has recently showcased some dubious behavior, namely her insistence on keeping a brick of heroin from a cartel’s stash and later using it to plant false evidence on a person of interest. Even though she stubbornly defends her actions, her defense falls short when Meachum reveals his concern isn’t about her lawful ethics.
Instead, the LAPD cop is more concerned with the possibility of Oliveras possibility engaging in substance abuse. As a result, between the two agents, the secret about the latter’s experience with heroin comes out in the open. Still, while she doesn’t clear up her current sobriety situation, she justifies the actions of her past. After all, there’s little someone won’t do with a gun to their head, which seems to have been a frequent predicament during her hefty undercover years with the cartel. Even so, while this opens up a conversation between her and Meachum, revealing parts of his backstory, the cop retains one crucial information from her. He’s hellbent on covering his terminal brain tumor diagnosis from the team, even Blythe, going through considerable effort to sit on his secret.
Blythe Runs a Few Errands
In time, the team’s lead about Volcheck’s lair in Mikhail’s establishment proves to be ineffective. As it turns out, his men have pulled off a heist with a body count at the Security Firm’s servers, which held CCTV footage of Mikhail’s property. Even though this turns the business’ server room into a crime scene of its own, the chances of extracting quick information from there remain low. Fortunately, Blythe already has another ace up his sleeve. Now that they have Volcheck’s name and origins, they can narrow their search down to precise locations. As such, the Special Agent pays a visit to the Belarusian Consul General.
Nonetheless, the latter’s dedication to remain unhelpful becomes evident from their first meeting. Yet, before the Consul General’s lack of cooperation can be dealt with, Blythe has another important meeting on his agenda. District Attorney Grayson Valwell has previously made it clear that he plans on ruining the task forces’ future if he can’t be allowed to join it. Therefore, he had pulled some strings to call for Meachum and Luke’s transfer into in-office assignments. Fortunately, Blythe’s connection with Tim, a high-ranking, influential name in the game, gives him the exact advantage that he needs. As such, all it takes is his one subtly threatening visit to the DA’s office for the Special Agent to establish his dominance in their game of intimidation. Nevertheless, it’s hard to imagine that Valwell will let things go this easily just yet.
An Undercover Job Brings Volcheck’s Past to Light
Once it becomes clear that the Consul General won’t be any help to the task force, the team begins looking into alternative ways to get what they need from the official. Inevitably, they come up with an undercover mission to break into the latter’s office. The plan is fairly simple. The Belarusian consulate is hosting a party on its premises, giving the team easy access. Blythe goes in as a distraction to lure the General into his office through stealthy bribery attempts. While he gets a foot in the secured office, Bell works his magic to make a copy of the General’s key card. From there, Oliveras and Meachum, who are undercover at the party as guests, use the key to break into the secured office, where Evan hacks away into the primary system.
Ultimately, there are more scuffles and near-misses than any of them planned, but the team manages to come out of the mission with the intel. As such, a substantial file on Volcheck’s past reveals his secrets. The man behind the codename, Boris Vusovich, apparently has an infamous past in Minsk, Belarus. After starting out as a worker at the defense agency, he transitioned into the food industry. Through strategic pitches and blackmailing the competition, he manages to secure a powerful partnership for Balrus. Eventually, he began funneling funds from this operation into his own pocket to make millions. Nonetheless, an old rival eventually managed to uncover his embezzlement plot.
As a result, the authorities started hunting Volcheck, who only had a minuscule head start to make a run for his life. In a matter of hours, he corralled his wife, Kira, into their private jet and prepared for a grand getaway. Although the authorities managed to catch up to them before take-off, the jet ended up blowing up to smithereens, leaving no survivors. However, the authorities believe this was a tragedy that Volcheck orchestrated to fake his own death. Although they don’t know it, the latter had actually used a decoy in his place to sell the story. Thus, given the recent events, the task force realizes the Belarusian fugitive must have sneaked into the States to carry on his menacing schemes. This intel gives them a leg up on their target. Furthermore, thanks to Shepherd’s quick thinking, the team’s own identities remain a well-protected secret from their enemies.
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