Quantico – Fast

By: Alex Steele

This week “Quantico” gave us some pretty insane scenes and that is saying something especially with the level of twistedness this season has offered so far. And after last week’s shocker of an ending, Caleb (Graham Rogers) is working with the terrorist or someone else – the stakes were high. But like I said every week, “Quantico” never seems to disappoint.

Entitled Fast, this week’s instalment opened on a single ant, crawling across the bathroom floor revealing a passed out Caleb. As he wakes from his withdrawal induced sleep, he is hallucinating, so much so that he starts to itch at his skin. He rips so hard that he opens up his arm, with ants pouring out. The hallucination was so vivid I may have looked away. Add to that Graham Rogers performance, it was a knockout. Alex (Priyanka Chopra) comes bursting in as Caleb begins to become agitated at the fact he has been handcuffed to the heater. Alex assures him it was on his orders. After releasing him, they both move to the lounge room to discuss next moves; Caleb wants to stay at home and work out a game plane. Alex must go to work, keep her routine the same to avoid suspicion. As Alex leaves, the mysterious calls continue and Caleb makes another – “She left, I tried to stop her.”

At Quantico this week, the NATs begin with a physical challenge – rock climbing – as the new class of NATs are on a tour. With a couple of snarky remarks, we find out how all the NATs are going this week: Drew (Lenny Platt) is still trying his best to hide his tremor, unfortunately, though Alex catches it. Will (Jay Alexander Johnson) is in hospital after being “jumped” on his morning jog. This cover story only goes so far as Iris (Li Jun Li) knows what’s up. Caleb is also missing and we assume he is still at Systemics.

The NATs are also choosing their specialities, somewhat of a career day with the heads of all the departments present. The twins (Yasmine Al Massri) have already been assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force and are introduced to their dismissive handler. After asking the opinions of her classmate regarding the Drew situation, Alex is still unsure of how to proceed. Too bad an unknown NAT overhears the conversation and goes straight to Ryan (Jake McLaughlin).

Back to the future, Alex arrives at the FBI and after her and Caleb fail at tracking down Shelby (Johanna Braddy) they discover she is right under their noses. She is literally in the FBI. Hearing alarm bells immediately, Alex interrupts a meeting between Miranda (Aunjanue Ellis) and Shelby to try and gauge just what her intentions are. Oh do Priyanka Chopra and Johanna Braddy have some chemistry. From playing best friends to arch enemies, these ladies transition flawlessly. Not being able to do much but sit back and watch finally gets to Alex who jumps into action. She takes Miranda aside to tell her all the dark truths that Shelby has kept hidden (her now alive parents who have ties to a terrorist organisation). This successfully allows for Shelby’s work at the FBI to stop. When the interrogation goes nowhere, Miranda allows Alex a turn at Shelby. Like I mentioned before, these two actresses have a way in which they work – effortless emotion, both positive and negative. After initial tension, Alex notices Shelby tapping her finger over and over again. Morse code. She’s giving Alex a message.

With the NATs having had time to ask questions and research what department they’d like to enter upon graduation, Liam (Josh Hopkins) admits that this wasn’t their chance to choose agencies. It was, in fact, the agencies opportunity to scope out the NATs. After receiving envelopes with preferences and positions they will be offered, Iris, Drew, Alex and Brandon are chosen to participate in a HRT drill. Split into teams of two, Alex and Drew are of course paired together. Cautious about the tremor, Alex reluctantly partakes, but it’s not long before all her fears are answered. Drew stumbles while ab-sailing, causing them both to be entangled. They work together to successfully finish the drill, but Alex isn’t happy. Meanwhile, Shelby has written a cheque for $500,000 in the hopes of infiltrating Systemics to find out once and for all what Caleb is up to. It works. She and Caleb come face to face, but he warns her to stay away.

Shelby and Alex rendezvous on the staircase in the FBI after she leaves Alex a message via Morse code. The terrorist called her, instructing her to rent the black SUV under the name Mark Raymond or they would kill Caleb. She had no other choice. Is she telling the truth? Not only that, she discovered that the voice they use is collective braid of all the NATs voices. Talk about genius! Add to that the fact that it is coming from inside the FBI, the plot thickens. While all of this is transpiring, Ryan has had Natalie’s mother show up wondering where she is – she hasn’t made contact for days. After retracing all her steps, Ryan with the help of Nimah discover that the last person to see Natalie alive was Alex. And that the day Natalie disappeared, Alex snuck her into the FBI. Uh-oh, could this be the beginning of another “Alex-hunt”?

With Shelby now (somewhat) on her side, the two return to her apartment to reunite to Caleb. Caleb, asleep on the couch refuses to wake up or move. With the familiarity of Shelby’s voice, Caleb has no problem jumping to attention. Their reunion, so genuine yet with so much unspoken, is simple yet telling. Alex is clued in; while Caleb is sound asleep she questions her friend as to the possibility of love still remaining for Caleb. It’s obvious, we all know it. No sooner had the two finished this conversation that the phone rings – the voice threatens Shelby “if you screwed me, you’ll be the first to die” – and with a simple exchange, Shelby and Alex have tracked the number. Meanwhile, back at Quantico Drew and Alex share one last heated exchange as he prepares to leave after she outed him to Liam and Ryan. Caleb has success in his undercover mission with Systemics, but not the extent to which he was hoping. Dan Berlin confessed to orchestrating the bomb; however, he has agreed to cooperate and therefore is being released. He has agreed to turn over all the financial records for Systemics which in turn will lead to the demise of Systemics as we know it. To make matters worse, Clayton further lies to Shelby about Caleb’s involvement – he fell back into the “Systemic” ways – and ensures her that he is getting the help he needs.

The episode finishes swiftly as Shelby and Alex arrive at the address they have tracked the voice. As they enter, guns at the ready, an individual runs from the shadows. It is Will. He is frantic and rambling. Yelling for them not to come any closer, he tells them he is sick and that he helped build it. Build what you say? A nuke. He helped “them” build a nuke. Will says, “You have to find it. Fast.” And with that, he falls to the ground bleeding and convulsing. There is nothing that Alex and Shelby can do because as fast as he gives them this evidence, he dies. Another casualty. Does anyone else want this to stop? Is Alex finally gaining ground on the terrorist or are they getting further and further away?

Other key notes:

• Clayton offers a Shelby in his office upon graduation – could this be where their affair starts?
• How did Alex get between Raina and Nimah?
• The Twins struggle to work with their new handler, second guessing and doubting him at every turn
• Caleb’s best friend – Ross – we discover committed suicide; however, Caleb believes that’s just a cover up.