Annie Walker quotes from Covert Affairs

Annie Walker

Look, whatever the problem is, I'll retake the exercise! Was it was the driving course, the deception training, or -- what was it?

You did better on the driving course than any woman we've ever had. You did better than anyone on deception training than anyone in a decade.

Annie

Oh. So is this about me hooking up with my Taekwondo instructor? 'Cause I checked the handbook. It's not against the rules. I'm going to shut up now and let you talk.

Annie

Can I ask you a question?

Auggie

I was special ops in Iraq. I got out of a humvee to look at what I thought was a dead dog. Next thing you know, I'm Ray Charles.

Annie

Oh. I was gonna ask what the headphones are for.

Auggie

Oversharing. My bad

Annie

Everyone here is so young.

Auggie

There was a hiring freeze that was unfrozen after 9/11. Fifty percent of the agency has five years experience or less.

Annie

That's both inspiring and weirdly unsettling.

Auggie

You'll find this is a weird place to work. Polygraphs every year, no cell phones allowed inside the building, no dating foreigners. In fact, the CIA highly encourages dating inside the agency. It keeps things in the circle of trust. It's like a Club Med without the free drinks.

Joan

You hot sync the devices in the room. He gets the bank codes for his payment and you get the intel, and that's it. Don't have a drink with him, don't sleep him.

Annie

You think I'd sleep with him?

Joan

I think he'd sleep with you.

What were you doing here Ms.—

Annie

Trusdale. Amber Trusdale. I had a business meeting.

What kind of business are you in?

Annie

[giggles] I don't want to get in trouble.

Look, we're not going to bust you if you say you're a... call girl?

Annie

We don't like to use that term.

Annie

Can I sit down? Look, I'm a good girl. I come from a churchgoing family in Akron. I just wanted to come forward and be honest. My mother told me to always do the right thing.

Hmm. What did she say about you being a hooker?

Annie

Now if I don't like being called a call girl, I certainly don't like being a hooker.

Let me ask you this: why did you really come back? And don't give me the 'good girl' act.

Annie

[bends down and retrieves two high-heeled shoes] For these. Christian Louboutins don't come cheap.

[examines Annie's mobile phone] Now this dinosaur is outrageous!

Annie

It's an encryption through obsolescence. By the time the CIA has the technology vetted, it's already five years old. It may not look cool, but it's secure.

Well, maybe British intelligence isn't as quite as paltry as I thought. [takes out his phone] Total encryption, less than four ounces.

Annie

Now you're just showing off.

Annie

When I was growing up we moved every three or four years. It's what you do in the military. It's hard, at first, but I learned to build a wall around those emotions.

How?

Annie

I took the pictures of all of the friends that I had made, put them in a shoebox and buried them in the backyard. My sister thought I was crazy, but it was something that I had to do to let go. Staying wasn't an option. I had no choice and neither do you.

So I put Victor in a shoebox?

Annie

There's no future with him.

Don't try to reason with love.

Annie

And don't get burned by it.

Because it happened to you? [Annie holds her gaze] I see. And now you are a woman with walls.

Annie

This is one of those jobs where nothing is ever easy, isn't it?

Joan

Yeah, but look at the pension and the medical.

Auggie

And a chance to spend tropical nights with twenty-year-old men.

Annie

He's sleeping on the couch!

Auggie

Was that sigh? It sounded like a sigh. Like a troubled, guilty sigh. This is the business, Annie. It's what we do. The fact is, you should be feeling pretty good.

Annie

Yeah, well, my shoulder's still sore, and my sister can't understand how a car accident would cause me to lose a three hundred dollar carry-on she gave me for her birthday, and I've got a 20-year-old Lothario bragging that he spent the night with me in Caracas.

Auggie

Well, aside from that—

Annie

[smiling] Aside from that, I'm fine!

Annie

[on the phone] Someone's a little cheeky this morning. Too bad, I was going to get you a souvenir.

Auggie

Yeah?

Annie

Yeah! A St. Bernard! Stuffed, of course. They kind of remind me of you.

Auggie

Great, I remind you of Cujo. It's the slobbering, isn't it?

Annie

Yeah, that and they're cute, dependable, and when you're feeling low they bring you booze.

Annie

So, do you think we should finally do this? [the agents move to exchange identical briefcases] Wait, how do we know which is which? [Eyal turns his over, showing Annie a sticker] Powerpuff Girl?

Eyal

My niece gave it to me for luck. I've never put it this much to the test before.

Annie

Maybe the Riviera next time.

Eyal

I don't know. The beaches in Israel are much better.

Annie

Really?

Eyal

[smiles] Didn't you hear? Everything's better in Israel.

Annie

Hey, Auggie, why did Joan say I might have a shot 'cause I'm new?

Auggie

McAuley is Christopher McAuley. He was a deep cover op who served for fifteen years and knew everyone who ever had anything to do with east Africa. One of his old contacts might know something about Hassan's movements, but McAuley retired five years ago.

Annie

Why do I feel like I'm still missing something?

Auggie

When I say he retired I mean he had a nervous breakdown, quit the CIA, moved to the middle of nowhere Virginia and hasn't contacted us since. I can actually hear you frowning.

Annie

On a scale of none to a lot, how many people have tried to bring him in?

Auggie

Almost every single person in that room.

Annie

So this is basically a fool's errand?

Auggie

You can think of it as more of a hazing ritual if it makes you feel better.

Annie

What are you doing here?

Auggie

Putting career advancement over my personal life. Plus, she couldn't remember the last book she read, and even I have standards. Want to talk about it? You might not know this, but I am an excellent listener.

Annie

Is that so?

Auggie

It's in my file.

Annie

How do you feel about what we do?

Auggie

Hmmm.

Annie

I mean, I know that manipulating people for information is pretty much my job description, but it always makes me feel --

Auggie

Dirty?

Annie

Tell me it's worth it.

Auggie

Tell me what "it" is and I'll tell you if it's worth it.

Annie

Henry Wilcox said we're in the mud, all of us, whether we want to admit it or not.

Auggie

Does that bother you?

Annie

I'd like to know how dirty I'm going to get.

Auggie

Your presence has been requested immediately.

Annie

What...now?

Auggie

Well, however you want to interpret the words "requested" and "immediately."

Eyal

Remember, I'm the guy who cooked for you. How many men do you have cooking for you, huh?

Annie

Actually --

Eyal

Cook organically!

Annie

You lied to me yesterday. Why should I believe you now or ever?

Eyal

It's Thursday. I don't lie on Thursdays.