Last time on Quantico, Alex and Simon delivered the CIA asset that “the voice” requested and were shocked to learn that it was their fellow NAT, Will Olsen. When Alex and Simon brought Will to the drop-off point, Alex panicked when “the voice” demanded that Simon join Will in the car. Simon seemed pretty okay with the decision. Perhaps the most surprising moment was when the driver rolled down the window and it was Shelby. So is Shelby also being forced to work for “the voice” or is she behind the terrorist plot?
This episode of Quantico, “Soon,” has the NATS investigating fellow trainees for high-level security clearances. That’s quite an assignment since this group has so many secrets.
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On the Outs
Shelby is in a good mood after receiving a loving letter from her parents. In this case, I am almost certain it was written by Caleb. Caleb has a lot on his mind since Will is going to infiltrate the cult that night. Nimah and Raina are now back to matching clothes, so no one knows who is who once again. Caleb quizzes Will about his fake identity of Mr. Baskin and coaches him to use more details. Iris becomes more and more suspicious of Caleb and Will’s new friendship.
Miranda gets the news from the Office of Professional Responsibility that her days as an instructor at Quantico are over. She will instead be assigned to a local field office. If it is any consolation, Miranda is told that the vote was close, but the panel refuses to go into more detail.
So Miranda asks Executive Assistant Director Clayton Haas how he voted, and he states that he voted against her dismissal. Miranda is determined to find out who swayed the panel for her dismissal. Liam comes by to see Miranda while she is clearing out her office. Liam points out that Miranda saved his job in the past, and she agrees. Miranda knows that there is nothing else she can do to get her job back, but she would like Liam to join her for drinks.
Everyone Has Secrets
Clayton Haas comes by the class to lecture about the importance of security clearances. Each NAT must fill out a security clearance form, also known as the SF-86. There is a special emphasis on money, sex and drugs, as these are the areas that tempt good agents to go to the dark side. To add some spice to the proceedings, the trainees are paired with a partner to help fill out the forms. Shelby and Caleb are paired together, and Shelby answers that her parents are dead. Caleb is worried about her torpedoing her career because of her parents, but Shelby points out that he wasn’t forthcoming with information about the cult that he was a part of.
Unfortunately, Iris is once again practicing her favorite pastime, eavesdropping, outside of Caleb’s door and hears about the cult. She confronts Will and threatens to turn both Caleb and Will in if they don’t explain.
Who Can You Trust?
Raina is horrified that Brandon has experimented with lots of drugs, and he is equally aghast because Raina has never tried any drugs. Back in the classroom, nearly everyone has been granted security clearance except for Drew, Shelby, Iris and Raina. Their applications have been pulled for further review. The remainder of the NATS will review one of the flagged NATS’ forms. It is up to the NATS to find out if there is a justifiable reason for each trainee to not receive their security clearance. Will gets Raina’s file, Nimah gets Drew’s file and Alex gets Iris.
Alex pulls Ryan aside and asks why Drew’s file was flagged. She knows there was nothing objectionable in it. Ryan shuts her down and tells her that she obviously missed something. Iris and Shelby are waiting out in the hall for their security clearance to be updated. Iris asks Shelby if she actually saw Caleb check the box that her parents are deceased. Shelby refuses to believe that Caleb would do that to her since he is the reason that she was reunited with her parents. Iris calls Caleb “shady” and admits that she doesn’t trust him. She also makes sure that Shelby knows that Caleb is still part of Sistemics and has recruited Will. Shelby doesn’t believe that Caleb would lie to her, but Iris pulls out a book from the cult to show Shelby.
Unpatriotic Stands
Alex finds out that Iris has investments in several other countries and has employed foreign nationals, which flagged her file. Alex notices Drew’s file in Nimah’s room and asks what Nimah found out. Nimah knows that something in his deposition against the NFL was noted as implying that Drew may not be a patriot. Nimah goes to see Will to find out what is holding up Raina’s clearance. She was flagged because she signed a petition an Imam started condemning the war in Iraq.
Shelby decides to tell Liam that Caleb is involved in a cult again. Shelby also learns that she was flagged because of her fake half-sister Samar and not her parents. The good news is that she is cleared. The bad news is she just created a lot of drama for Caleb.
There are four trainees up for debate, and the NATS need to give a convincing argument of why the clearances of these four trainees should be approved. Drew and Raina are up for discussion, and the debate is heated. Alex and Ryan argue over Drew, and Ryan shows a hint of jealousy.
Raina, Drew and Shelby are cleared, but Iris is not. Caleb is not happy when he finds out what Will told Iris about the cult. Iris calls Sistemics to report that a new member is lying and is an FBI agent.
A Rekindled Romance
Miranda plies Liam with drinks during their time-out. Miranda asks Liam if he voted against her. She is right to be suspicious because she had asked for Liam’s resignation after finding out that he had an inappropriate encounter with Alex. He is also next in line for her job, so that may be his motive. Liam fought for Miranda, and he is sorry that he didn’t leave his wife for Miranda. She decides that she is going to the ladies room and asks Liam to join her. Ah, and the romance is dead! Apparently, Miranda had her phone recording and Liam reassures her that his romance with Alex was a one-time deal.
Miranda takes the recording to Clayton Haas, and he dismisses it as drunken rambling. Miranda confronts Clayton about how he always protects Liam.
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A Damning Call
Nimah is concerned about what Raina will need to do to go undercover. The sisters decide to create a third persona of a sinful woman that would be attractive to the Islamic front. Alex goes to see Drew, and he is ending their physical relationship. He believes that Alex still has feelings for Ryan and that Ryan still wants Alex, too. Drew is man enough to get out of the way.
Iris tells Caleb that she called Sistemics and warned them that their new member is an FBI agent. Caleb heads to Sistemics to save Will. Caleb is met outside by a very sober and scary group of men. Caleb explains that Will was trying to bust him and that Caleb can help Sistemics from inside the FBI. He also denies that he and Will are friends.
Miranda pays Alex a visit and gives Alex a pep talk about “shattering the glass ceiling.” She tells Alex that she will have to play dirty. The Sistemics guys order Caleb to hit Will repeatedly to prove that Will and Caleb are not friends. That scene is not easy to watch.
Where is Shelby?
In the present, Alex desperately tries to reach Shelby to find out if Simon and Will are safe. Alex would also like to believe that Shelby is a victim of “the voice’s” evil plan. Since she has no luck reaching Shelby, Alex gets someone to pull a picture of the car that Shelby was driving. It was rented and returned under the name Mark Raymond. Alex searches for that name and pulls up a picture of Caleb. It also turns out that Nimah’s friendly cup of coffee has a camera device so that Ryan can see whatever Alex is looking at on her computer. Ryan thinks that Alex is holding a grudge against Senator Haas and phones the Senator’s team to alert them.
Raina is in Michigan with her mother when she receives a call from Alex. Raina has no love for her sister, which is music to Alex’s ears. She tells Raina that she needs her help dealing with Nimah and that Simon, Will and Shelby are in danger. She thinks that Caleb Haas is the key to finding out the identity of the terrorist. Raina replies that she doesn’t think that she can come to New York to help Alex. Raina can’t forgive Nimah for what she did, and she fears that her family will not accept her back if she leaves again. Raina doesn’t have security clearance, but Alex points out that Nimah does.
Sisterly Operation
Alex asks for Nimah’s help finding some paperwork, and Raina is dressed and ready to assume Nimah’s identity. Raina goes in to see Ryan, and he tells her that he advised the Haas security detail to beef up their protection. Ryan also spills that Claire Haas told Ryan that Caleb is undercover and that she is the only one who knows where he is.
In Alex’s office, an angry Nimah is furious that Alex used her name to gain entry to a CIA safe house. Nimah types a message to Ryan on Alex’s screen, and he realizes that he wasn’t speaking to Nimah. Raina calls Claire Haas pretending to be Nimah and explains that Alex has discovered Caleb’s whereabouts and is on her way to see him. Raina offers to head Alex off if Claire can give her Caleb’s location, but Claire decides to handle the situation herself. Ryan comes up behind Raina and orders her to hang up the phone.
Ryan and Nimah interrogate Raina and tell her that she is facing some jail time for impersonating an FBI agent. They want help looking into Alex and they want Raina to act as an informant. She refuses and pointedly tells her sister that she is loyal and doesn’t turn her back on friends.
A Shocking Answer
As Alex is walking along the street, Claire Haas and her security team pull up and tell Alex to get in the car. Claire wants to know what Alex wants. Alex wants to know where Claire is hiding Caleb, who is also known as Mark Raymond. Raymond rented four security deposit boxes at the bank that became the Emergency Command Center. I’m sure that it is hard for Claire to forget as her husband perished when the center exploded. Alex also says that Mark Raymond rented a car that was used in the kidnapping of a former FBI agent the night before. Claire accuses Alex of creating crazy conspiracy theories, and she warns Alex that she will be sorry when she finds out the truth.
Claire brings Alex to her house. She unlocks a door with a key and tells Alex to open it. Inside is Caleb, and he is using drugs. Claire offers to show Alex his track marks, too. I must admit that I didn’t see this twist coming. Caleb relates the story of how his father saved him when the command center exploded. He is riddled with guilt about watching his father die and wondering if his father might have survived if he didn’t save his son. Alex is horrified to find out that Claire gives him drugs and that he hasn’t been checked into a rehab center. When the campaign is over in four days, Claire plans to get help for Caleb.
Alex pleads with Caleb to help her find Shelby for Will and Simon’s sake. He refuses and states that he will never speak to Shelby again. Alex is furious that Claire is putting her career ahead of her own son.
Caleb sneaks outside to join Alex, and he goes to get his duffle that he tossed out the window. He hides behind a wall and tells someone over the phone that Alex fell for it.
This episode of Quantico was great. I was really surprised with the reveal about Caleb’s addiction.
Quantico airs Sundays at 10pm on ABC.
(Image courtesy of ABC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Kim has been covering television entertainment since 2013. She is addicted to Real Housewives, Pump Rules, Dancing with the Stars, and many more shows.
