The Agency episode 6: Martian is put to the test

No matter how much experience Martian (Michael Fassbender) has in the field, he will come to a point where he is juggling too many different secrets and missions. As we begin The Agency episode 6, Martian is still coming out on top, but barely. But global security isn’t the only thing at risk as Martian’s loved ones become targets within this spy game.

The CIA London field office is still under tremendous pressure to bring Coyote (Alex Reznik) home, and significant moves to locate the missing deep cover agent continue in “Spy for Sale.” Time is running out, and Martian makes a promise he might not be able to keep.

Read on for the key things to know about The Agency episode 6.

A treasure hunt

Analyst Simon (Bilal Hasna) follows instructions to a delivery locker containing a Polaroid of a moped with a phone number on the back. When Martian first signaled to Cossack about making a deal a few weeks ago, he referred to Coyote as a stolen bike, saying he would pay anything to get it back, and this code continues.

The team discovers an online auction for Coyote. Bosko (Richard Gere) doesn’t want to work with anyone trying to sell a CIA agent to the highest bidder. The out-of-the-box setup isn’t part of the Russian FSB playbook, meaning Cossack works with someone outside the agency. When the bidding hits $350,000, Bosko suggests it's a bluff, but Martian doesn’t think they can ignore it as Cossack uses unconventional methods.

Meanwhile, Martian’s British intelligence friend James Richardson (Hugh Bonneville) has stopped by the CIA office for an unscheduled meeting with Henry (Jeffrey Wright) about the secret Sudan negotiations in London.

Henry maintains his poker face while Richardson tells him about an arrangement he had zero idea was happening. Martian interrupts with a “crisis” to aid Henry’s exit, allowing Martian to confront Richardson about his betrayal. Richardson explains he is going for the Control job at SIS (the top job at MI6) and no longer wants to jump when the CIA tells them to. Even though they served together in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen, Richardson doesn’t feel bound by loyalty.

Shaking a tail 

Martian's involvement with Sami continues to get more complicated, as he has to temper Sami’s concerns on the phone when she mentions that Abdul (Abdullahi Islaw) has his jacket. It's a tricky balance as Martian wants her to know he is fine but also needs to ensure she doesn’t endanger herself. “Do as they say,” Martian instructs.

The following morning, Guo (Curtis Lim) and another Chinese intelligence agent follow Martian to his publishers. They don’t see him exit the building because one of Martian’s CIA protection team members aids his getaway in a garbage truck. Martian claims he thought he was being followed but doesn’t divulge who.

For now, Martian must also work out who is pulling the strings behind the Coyote bidding war. Through elimination, Martian narrows down who Cossack works with based on who has “nothing else left to lose" — General Novikov (Marek Vašut), an old-school retired KGB operative still active behind the scenes. Bosko still doesn’t want to pay because it would set a precedent, but Martian suggests it's about the money. Martian’s hunch proves correct, as the cash is refunded, and an exchange is set for the following day.

In central London, Osman (Kurt Egyiawan) starts chatting with Poppy (India Fowler) when she goes to pick up her student ID from a cafe. Small talk gets more specific when Osamn mentions a lecturer called Paul Lewis. “Perhaps he doesn’t exist,” Osman replies when Poppy says she doesn’t know him.

At the same time, Martian has to shake another tail before meeting Novikov. First, he loses the agents by running at full speed before realizing his hotel key card has a tracker, which Martian plants in another taxi.

While Martian is en route to the Novikov meeting, a frantic Poppy calls to tell Martian about her conversation with Osman. Martian reassures his daughter but lets out an expletive when she hangs up.

Coyote's fate 

Thankfully Martian’s tardiness doesn’t ruin the meeting. Novikov wants to know if he can make a deal there; Martian is confident he can. They learn Coyote has given up his code name, a big no-no. They must act fast, as Coyote only has four to five days to live. Novikov doesn’t have Coyote, but he has vital information about where he is being held and by whom.

All Novikov wants in return is a recording from a 1989 conversation in Vogelsang barracks north of Berlin. Novikov says that Coyote “f***ed up” by recruiting someone connected to Russian mercenaries. “They got his psychiatrist to mess with his pills,” Novikov explains. The night Coyote was arrested for the DUI, he was drugged. A corrupt agent snuck Coyote from the police station via tunnels and sold him to mercenaries.

Now, General Volchock is holding Coyote behind enemy lines in Ukraine and will hand him over to the FSB the following week. Volchock is the commander of Valhalla, which Novikov describes as “a diabolical outfit” made up of special forces, private military contractors and ex-convicts. “You want him back? Move fast,” Novikov says.

Betting big

An update during a virtual conference call with Langley and the White House underscores how serious the Coyote situation has become. “He’ll soon be in Moscow, where they intend to use him to maximum effect,” explains Henry. The likely outcome is the Russians will go public with this news, and the US will have to “lean out of Ukraine” — not to mention potential nuclear escalation.

But Martian thinks it's good news, as the CIA has the ball and can make a move to snatch Coyote before any of that happens. Martian describes Valhalla as “a bunch of cowboys,” giving them four days to grab their agent back. However, Martian is way too confident for a man playing multiple games simultaneously. Bosko is furious at Martian for pitching an idea without passing it by him first.

Martian must also reassure his daughter that everything is okay, even though this is far from the case.

After Sami manages to shake her “protection," she finds Martian’s room empty. Sami can’t reach Martian, and Osman is already at the door when she leaves. Osman uses Sami’s phone to call Martian to chat about Poppy, “I’m very, very close,” Osman threatens. The game of cat and mouse now includes multiple innocent parties, and Martian is running out of options.

New episodes of The Agency premiere Fridays on Paramount Plus with Showtime in the US; Saturdays on Paramount Plus in the UK.