Lena quotes from Covert Affairs

Lena

Okay, Annie, pull the trigger. It'll be as if you're pulling the trigger on yourself. You'll never make it out of Russia. You'll be lucky to make it to the auto route. I'm sure Joan gave you the whole 'we will deny any knowledge' speech. You're going to find out just how true that is. They will hang you out to dry; leave you to rot, and the worst part is you'll never be able to look at yourself the same way again. You'll know that you killed for malice, and that changes you. Go ahead, Annie. Pull the trigger.

How many operatives do you think do what you do? Go into the field, turn assets, stay cool in real danger, use a weapon, use it to kill. Not many, and of those, how many of them are women? Even less. So, here's my pitch: I think you were being under utilized at the DPD.

Annie

I'm just doing what I signed on for.

Lena

I don't believe you believe that. It's what you're supposed to say, but it's bullshit.

Annie

You seem to know a lot about me.

Lena

Not in a creepy way, but yeah. I know it's pretty hard to go through what you went through.

Annie

With all due respect, I don't think you know how I'm feeling.

Lena

I like you, Annie. So I have an offer for you: become me.

Annie

Excuse me?

Lena

You would be an exquisite double within the CIA. No one would suspect you and I would conspire after all we've been through. It would be audacious, elegant. Just go back, tell them you couldn't find me. We could establish dead drops within a year.

Annie

So what? You want me to betray my agency and my country? Why would I ever do that?

Lena

For one thing, you would be incredibly rich, but mostly I'd like you to experience power. Real, true power. You would be in control. Something I think you're finally starting to realize will never happen while you're in the CIA.

Annie

You think you have power, here in the woods? Alone?

Lena

Yes. I had the power to summon you here to me, didn't I? And that kind of power, to compel people, to move the pieces, it's intoxicating.

Annie

You're a traitor, Lena.

Lena

CIA, FSB, America, Russia, these are all just words. The best spies have always known that the sides can change, it's the game itself that matters.