Even the best agents can go rogue for family. And it turns out that’s also the case for agents on FBI: International.
As the team handled a dangerous protective detail last week, Raines had a pleasant visit from his sister.
But his week had him on a dangerous hunt to save her, turning the episode Shouldn’t Have Left Her into Raines’ biggest test yet on FBI: International.
It gets personal fast for Raines
The episode opened with Raines working out at a gym while his sister Jordan (Laila Drew) got off a train in Kosovo with friends Grace (Natalie Shinnick) and Ethan (Connor Price), talking about having them meet his friend Leon.
Some men pressed the group on a street with a nervous Jordan suggesting they get back on the train. As she called Raines, the men punched out Ethan and dragged Jordan and Grace into a van.
Raines was worried, calling Jordan and getting no answer. Like any good FBI agent brother, he started tracking her phone as Kellett, Forrester and Jaeger entered to discuss a case. Raines tracked her to Kosovo, rather than Belgrade, with Jaeger warning how dangerous that place was.
The team was soon on the case, with Jaeger adding the Kosovo police could be more problematic than others and the Fly Team wasn’t welcome there. At which point, Agent Porter (Jay Paulson) made an unwelcome return to demand an office.
Raines’s hopes that nothing was wrong were dashed when he called Ethan, who told him of the beating/abduction. Raines was ready to go, with Forrester warning him the team couldn’t head in just as Porter called Forrester in.
No sooner had Vo turned her back than Raines was out the building. Porter had authorization to go through every case the pair had made, meaning neither could focus on Raines.
Raines made it to Kosovo, irate at Ethan, telling him, “you’ve got one foot on a landmine.” A terrified Ethan admitted Leon ran drugs just as Detectives Ledar Tolka (Luka Peros) and Vizak Pocoli (Dmitry Turchaninov) showed up.
Obviously, the two were not fans as they took Raines away and before he knew it, Raines was learning what a Kosovo police cell felt like.
Raines goes rogue
Tolka let Raines out with an address for Leon and orders to get out of Kosovo and let the police handle this. Raines said he’d be on the train with his sister but had to go out sans gun. He called up Vo to cover for him and track Leon.
Porter was going through the reports with a fine-tooth comb, zeroing in on unallocated time to prove Forrester and Kellet’s secret relationship. He finally revealed it wasn’t them he was looking at but Angela as he thought the pair would make fine bait to draw her out.
Raines traced Leon’s apartment only to find a drugged-up Ethan waiting with no idea he was being set up. Enter Leon (Harbin Mustafi) with Raines knowing this was part of a trafficking ring and threatening him.
Leon’s friend, investigator Matthew Alcott (Nathan Dean Williams), offered his services to find Jordan. Suddenly, a man with a knife attacked them, Raines fighting him off as they went sailing out a window. As another pack of thugs showed up, Raines accepted Tolka’s offer of a ride.
Tolka had given the address to follow Raines, who had no choice but to trust him. Raines called up Vo, who told him Leon’s record seemed clean, but his family was known for being tied to organized crime and were bailed out by Alcott.
Vo had to bring Forrester and Kellett up to speed on Raines just as Porter wanted to talk to him. Vo covered it with an interview as Kellett was ready to protect Forrester for his mother. She did notice how Porter seemed upset when Forrester made a crack about him visiting Turkish baths.
Making the bold rescue
As Raines was about to question Alcott, they got word Ethan had been shot dead. Raines stormed into Alcott’s office to beat him down for answers. He accused Alcott of being in on the whole kidnap plot to bilk worried families out of cash.
Raines realized this wasn’t about Jordan, but Grace, whose father was rich. “I don’t think there’s a pit deep enough for you,” Raines hissed as he forced Alcott to talk with Tolka lending a helping hand (or rather threatening gun). Alcott was soon calling up his compatriots who were holding the girls at a factory outside of town.
In the car, Raines confessed to Tolka that his father had kicked Raines out of the house at 17, and he regretted leaving Jordan behind with the implication something bad had happened.
Forrester claimed Raines had gone home with Porter heading back to his hotel. However, Forrester already had a plan to make it seem Raines was in Kosovo on a case if he didn’t get back in time.
Raines and Tolka arrived at the warehouse as Raines figured Ethan was killed for not warning the kidnappers they’d abducted an FBI agent’s sister. Tolka called for backup but was still ready to head in.
The pair headed inside, hearing the kidnappers with the girls in an office upstairs. Raines got the drop on Leon, who’d been leading a blindfolded Grace away. Leon gave up how many guys were upstairs and Ethan had just been a dupe.
Sadly, just as Tolka was about to help, he took a bullet to the chest. Raines had Grace hid as he took down another thug to rescue Jordan. Thankfully, the police arrived in time to round up the rest of the crew as Raines and Jordan embraced just before the police arrested them too.
Raines told Pocoli how Tolka had died a hero helping him. Pocoli related Tolka had hoped Raines would help him get a visa to his family in New York which Raines would have gladly done.
Jaeger burst in to state Raines was working on an FBI-Europol operation to free him, Jordan, and Grace, who gratefully hugged.
Back in Budapest, Porter was startled by an angry Tank and his day just got worse as Forrester and Kellett confronted him that his reason for visiting town was seeing a local prostitute on the Bureau’s dime. To no surprise, Porter decided it was best to drop this whole thing.
Forrester was obviously ready to talk to Raines with Vo stating any of them would do the same thing for their family. Kellett had to give Forrester a knowing look.
As Grace’s family sprung for a private jet, Jordan apologized to Raines for this mess and that he shouldn’t blame himself for leaving her. They hugged as she headed with Grace while Raines prepared for a long talk back in Budapest.
It was a thrilling and powerful hour for Raines, showing how far he’d go to protect his family.
FBI: International returns with new episodes Tuesday April 12 at 9/8c on CBS.