WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for The Agency episode 6.
Episode 6 of the Paramount+ political thriller series The Agency "Spy for Sale" finally reveals what happened to - and who is in possession of - the missing CIA agent Coyote. Created for American television by Jez and John-Henry Butterworth (Edge of Tomorrow, Ford vs Ferrari), The Agency is an adaptation of the 2015 critically acclaimed French thriller series The Table created by Eric Rochant. Michael Fassbender leads the cast of The Agency alongside Jeffrey Wright, Richard Gere, Katherine Waterson, John Magaro, Saura Lightfoot-Leon and Jodie Turner-Smith.
During The Agency episode 1 "The Bends" and episode 2 "Wooden Duck", Fassbender's "Paul Lewis" is pulled from a six-year undercover mission to help locate a missing Belarusian CIA agent named Coyote. The Agency Episode 3, "Hawk from a Handsaw", followed three agents disguised as "Felix" trying to escape Russian-occupied Ukraine. Marciano meets a KGB agent named Mikhail in The Agency episode 4 "Quarterback Blitz", which helps the CIA find their missing "bike" in The Agency episode 5 "Rat Trap". Episode 6 delves deeper into the CIA's hunt for Agent Coyote while Marciano faces an immediate threat of having his Paul Lewis cover blown by Osman.
How Coyote was caught by Russian mercenaries “Valhalla”
A corrupt KGB agent named Bogdan Antuyk broke him out of the Belarusian police station
The Agency episode 6 reveals that Coyote is currently in the hands of a group of Russian mercenaries known as Valhalla. Coyote carelessly blew his cover when he tried to recruit someone in Belarus into the CIA who was secretly linked to Russian mercenaries. The recruit promptly told the mercenaries, who then asked Coyote's psychiatrist – whom the CIA did not know – to tamper with the prescribed pills. Coyote got a DUI not because he broke his sobriety and drank too much, but because he was high. A corrupt KGB agent named Bogdan Antuyk took him from the Belarusian police station through underground tunnels connected to government buildings.
Bogdan Antuyk then handed him over to Russian mercenaries for just 20 thousand euros. The dangerous mercenaries work for General Volchok, who is the commander of Valhalla. The Agency episode 6 explains that Volchok will deliver Coyote to Moscow to make friends in the Kremlin. Volchock hopes to unveil Coyote in front of a VIP visitor next week and may even hand the "CIA agent on a platter" to the Russian president. Coyote is currently behind enemy lines in Ukraine, where he will be handed over to the FSBRussian Federal Security Service, and the SVR, Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, in just four days.
Who is General Novikov and what does he want
He just wants a certain CIA tape from 1989 in exchange for information about Coyote
General Novikov is a high-ranking member of the KGB considered an "old school" secret agent. After Martain inquired about a missing bicycle with Mikhail Bortnik in a previous episode, the CIA was contacted about an online auction held for the "bike" by a seller, who the CIA refers to as Cossack, which is a Russian term for "free man" or "adventurer"". After Martian identified Novikov before the online auction ended, the CIA sent a lump sum payment to his bank account in the amount of $1.4 million. Novikov returned the money, which indicates that the auction was just a ruse and a test to see if the CIA was serious about finding his "bike."
After identifying Novikov as a Cossack, Martian finds what he wants: an archived CIA tape of the Vogelsang barracks north of Berlin, dated February 11, 1989. The tape revealed what happened to Novikov's wife, something he didn't seem to know before listening to the tape. Nokikov was a proud member of the KGB until a new leader, Volchock, made him feel differently about his country.
The tape reveals that Volchick, who speaks with Reiner Meilke, head of the Stasi in East Berlin from 1957 to 1989, killed Novikov's wife to destroy him. It appears that other KGB members conspired to overthrow Novikov with Volchick, who was betrayed by his country for unknown reasons. Novikov could have been eliminated because he was a threat to Volchock's schismatic government.
How Marciano discovered that General Novikov had information about Coyote
He pretended to be Novikov's doctor to send a direct message about the "bike"
Martian established Mikhail Bortnik, the guy Martian met in a nightclub, as the first contact. Mikhail summoned Cossack, who turned out to be Novikov. At the beginning of episode 6 of The Agency, Martian establishes that whoever the Cossack is, he has nothing to lose and should be in Mikhail's circle. Technology expert Simon is sent to retrieve the contents of the locker, which was found in the portable phone at one of Coyote's previous dead storage locations in Belarus, a kebab shop. The locker had a picture of a bicycle with a phone number on the back. Martian called and was told to make an offer. He soon discovered, with Simon's help, the online listing for the “bike” for sale.
Marciano verifies that Whoever the Cossack is, he's an old school agent based on his espionage. He tells Henry: “Everything about it was old. Analog, dead drops, crumbs meet.” He guesses that Novikov matches Cossack's description and then takes off disguising himself as Novikov's doctor to send him a direct message. Martian tells Novikov that he is interested in buying his bike, which causes Novikov to pause before hanging up without asking questions. This, along with the rejected $1.4 million payment to Novikov, is enough for Martian and Henry to conclude that they have found their Cossack.
Who followed Marciano and how they tracked him
Osman counts on the help of Chinese agents
In addition to Marciano's developments with tracking Coyote, Osman and his associate Ahmed, as well as some Chinese agents, are in hot pursuit of "Paul Lewis". Osman becomes suspicious after Paul fails to report to the police that he was robbed by Ahmed, prompting him to ask for help to "get someone out" of the Chinese. "Paul" realizes he is being followed and loses control once when entering a publisher's office. The second time, however, results in a foot race like Paul quickly changes his clothes and gets rid of his hotel room key, which is somehow being used to track his movements. across London, potentially through RFID tracking.
Why Marciano raised the risk of encountering the coyote to the CIA director
Marciano lies and plays “the biggest game of his life”
Martian raises eyebrows when he tells the CIA director and a White House representative that he essentially promises to find Coyote before he is turned over to Moscow. Ambitious claim angers Henry and Boskowho are fully aware of how unlikely it will be to rescue Coyote at this point. Martian thinks the CIA can work this out with Valhalla, who can be persuaded not to turn Coyote over to the Russians.
Martian's final narration, however, reveals that he is lying and "playing the biggest game of his life" as he feels his end is near. By Marciano's logic, he has already been exposed by Osman, so why not bet even higher, especially if he knows that his cover will be completely blown by the end of The Agency.