Bruise Like A Fist

**Bruise Like A Fist** is the third episode of the first season of the Paramount+ espionage thriller *Special Ops: Lioness*. It aired on July 30, 2023.

## Synopsis

Cruz is invited to spend the weekend with Aaliyah and her inner-circle. Joe keeps Kaitlyn informed of Cruz's progress. Kyle comes to Joe desperate for help with an asset.

## Plot

Cruz receives instructions from Joe whilst crossing over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Maryland in route to meet with Aaliyah. They discuss Cruz's cover story and how she is to keep the attention off of herself. They will bug and place a tracker in her vehicle upon her arrival, so Joe warns Cruz not to call from her marked phone. Any problems, she is to text "Call me" to "Daddy" in her contacts. Cruz then pulls over momentarily to toss her burner phone into the bay.

Joe meets with Kaitlyn in D.C. to discuss Cruz's mark. Aaliyah has access to more money than Joe expected, as well as more connections in the states. Meade asks who owns the house in Chesapeake, to which Joe replies Qudrah Petrol. Both founding members of OPEC, but Joe isn't convinced that's the connection. Perhaps Amrohi is on to them, and they're using Aaliyah's party to plant someone on them. Just in case, Joe has a team on standby. Kaitlyn then asks Joe how well does she know Senator Palmer, who by Kaitlyn's account is a "real fucking asshole." Just as he joins them, Joe makes her exit.

As she exits the diner, Joe is approached by Kyle, who is in need of her assistance and asks if he can borrow her team. He has a contact trafficking for the Sonorans; they're bringing in Syrians and Afghans by the truckload, but he's stuck in a jail in Van Horn, Texas. And if the snitches get word across the border, he's a dead man. He's in the system for a DUI, and when they figure that out, they're going to hand him over to Homeland Security. They're going to try to flip him, and then he's dead. Kyle wants to snatch him on the transfer. If Homeland finds out that they are planting a flag on the border, it will end up on the news. There will be hearings, and they will begin flipping stones and looking for everyone, Joe and her team included. So, Joe reluctantly agrees to lend Kyle three of her men. But she will need them back in 48 hours and tells Kyle that he owes her now.

Cruz arrives at the house, which is heavily guarded and secured. She is greeted by security, who escort her inside and lead her to the pool, where Aaliyah awaits. Elsewhere, the security run Cruz's plates to ensure she is who she says she is. Aaliyah introduces Cruz to Nala, Malika, Nashwa, Sami, and Kamal. Kamal used to date Nashwa, and then he dated Malika, putting the two ladies at odds. But then Kamal cheated, and she broke up with him. By that time, Nashwa was dating Sami, allowing for her and Malika to make up, as they have someone in common to hate. But depending on the night and who drinks the most and whether he comes home alone or not, one of them will find their way into his room, as Nashwa and Sami broke up as well. Lastly, Kamal is Ehsan's brother, who is also Aaliyah's fiancé. Nashwa asks Cruz to take off her glasses so she can get a better look, even as Aaliyah explains that she was in a car crash. Seeing Cruz's bruises, she asks if it hurts. A little bit, Cruz admits. Sami then brings her over a drink for the pain. After getting a look at Cruz's unattractive bathing suit, Aaliyah gets Cruz a small bikini to wear instead, however, Cruz's body is riddled with old scaring and bruising, leading Aaliyah to suspect that she may be even more hurt than initially realized and calls a doctor.

Joe returns to the hotel room, where Bobby and the team awaits. Bobby explains that the house is an observation nightmare. It sits on a peninsula that's surrounded by trees and their only view is through satellite. As for Cruz, she's drawn some unwanted attention, and they've called in a doctor. Bobby wants to pull her out, but Joe reveals that Qudrah Petrol owns the house and that they're screening calls. Two Cups explains that Qudrah is part of a Saudi Oil and Mobile joint venture that makes more money than Amazon and Apple combined. Joe then reveals that a case officer on the boarder needs help with extraction, and she's willing to lend him three of them. Two Cups, Tucker, and Randy volunteer. After the guys leave, Joe inquires about the bugs they have on Cruz. Tex reveals that they have one on her purse and another on the charm of her necklace. He didn't put any in the car because he was worried they'd sweep it. And now Bobby is worried they'll sweep her, and if they do, there's only three of them to save Cruz.

Cruz is examined by Dr. Brumley, who, after a physical examination, concludes that she was beaten rather than injured in a car crash. Joe, Bobby, and Tex contemplate pulling her out, but Joe ultimately decides to let Cruz talk her way out of it. Dr. Brumley advises her to report it to the police, but Cruz claims she already did. She simply didn't tell anyone. She's trying to make friends and start a new life without the drama of her past. While it's not his place to tell her friends, he needs to be assured that the authorities are aware, which Cruz claims they are, and that her abuser was arrested last night in North Carolina. Joe and Bobby are both impressed, but Tex wants to go after the SERE instructor who put them in this situation. There is a difference between turning up the heat and setting her on fire. However, Joe admits that she told him to do it.

Minus Aaliyah, the rest of the group wants to leave for the restaurant so they can catch the sunset, especially Malika. And so, Aaliyah encourages them to go without her. Shortly after they leave, Dr. Brumley exits and shares with Aaliyah that Cruz is fine, save for some soaring and bruising. Joe, Bobby, and Tex are equally relieved after the doctor leaves, though Bobby worries that Aaliyah's nosey friends will be a problem. And so, Joe instructs her to do some digging on the friends.

Cruz and Aaliyah go for a walk on the beach, where they discuss how Aaliyah and Ehsan have a June wedding scheduled. She'd like to do it there or the Hamptons, but her family will want everyone in Kuwait. Hopefully Dubai, though Aaliyah hates the heat, wind, and filth. Thankfully, Ehsan works in Manhattan. Aaliyah could never marry a man who wants to live in the Middle East. In Turkey, there's this place they call the Blue Lagoon. Aaliyah's great fantasy is to be ravaged on that beach, though Ehsan is no ravager. Aaliyah believes she'll be much happier after she has babies and the world allows her to be fat. The two of them then take a seat at the shore. Aaliyah always thought that sand on the body was so erotic, rolling all over in the sand, but then sand got everywhere one time with her and Ehsan and she learned otherwise. She thinks it's funny how the images in their mind, there's no recreating them, they're only for the mind, no matter how hard they try. Aaliyah then warns Cruz to stay away from Malika and Nashwa. Nala's a nuisance, but she's harmless, whereas the other two hate every friend she tries to make, and they already Cruz too. Then why be around them, Cruz asks. Because it's not just husbands they choose for you, Aaliyah replies.

As Cruz lays in bed, the others return from the restaurant. Meanwhile, Joe returns home to find Kate hooking up with a young boy named Michael on the living room couch. She asks for his phone and calls Michael's mom to reveal what he and Kate were just up to. She hands the boy back his phone and tells him to get out of her house. Joe then instructs Kate to go to her room, but first she wants to know what she did wrong. She also tells her mother that she can't just show up every six months and play parent and lay down the law, but Joe argues her law is the only thing that matters. She brought Kate into the world, but Kate argues that she was pulled into the world without input, so she'll choose how she'll spend her time. And if Joe wants to kick her out, then she'll find a way to survive on her own.

Joe finds Neal on the back porch on a conference call and tells him how she caught Kate hooking up with a boy on their sofa. Neal reveals they have rules about that. Anything over the jeans is fine, and she had discretion with her shirt, much to Joe's surprise. Neal sacrificed the top to protect the bottom. Joe says that Neal should've consulted with her, but he asks when he was to do that, as Joe is never around.

Unable to sleep, Cruz goes to the kitchen for something to drink. Sami enters and gives her a bottle of water from the fridge. He grabs her and begins kissing her neck, but she tells him to stop and pushes him away. When he attempts to press against her again, she thumbs him in the throat, allowing her to pass without further interruption. Kamal then enters the kitchen with Malika, with whom he turns in for the night with.

Cruz retreats to her bedroom and looks for some kind of weapon to defend herself against Sami, who has made his way to her room and is attempting to force his way in. Fortunately, security are made aware of his actions and escort him away. After he's gone, security checks in on Cruz. With the matter handled, she gets in bed, at which point, she notices a camera in the vents, looking down at her.

Kaitlyn joins her husband Errol for breakfast, where they discuss the current state of the world and how no one believes the media or anything they read, so there's no way to release legitimate information or get anyone to pay attention to it. Kaitlyn insists that she didn't plant any information into the media, as the story doesn't benefit her. She then asks if Iraq's oil production is back to normal. 100 million barrels last month, Errol reveals. Exxon-Mobil's biggest partner. And BP. About five percent of the oil makes it to the states. Errol concludes Kaitlyn must have a new case, but she reveals it's the same case but a new target. Qudrah Oil sales 12 million barrels a day, every day. Errol warns her to be careful poking that bear, as the target will be on her. They plan dinner and Kaitlyn tells Errol to face her, but if he did that, he wouldn't be able to work, as the sun would be on his computer.

Van Horn, Texas, Kyle goes over the plan to recover the informant with Two Cups, Tucker, and Randy. In a perfect world, he'd like to avoid a gun fight, but should it happen, they're to win at all costs. Two Cups wonders what agency approved this mission, but it's not authorized, and they're working off the reservation, which is why Kyle has also brought an EMP, to kill any nearby electronics, such as camera and body cam footage. They watch as the transport van pulls off onto the highway and tail it from a distance, at which point, they notice someone else is tailing the transport van as well. The transport van takes the following exit, at which point, the unidentified vehicle makes their move, though Kyle activates the EMP. The transport van comes to a screeching halt, whilst the unidentified vehicle drives into oncoming traffic and is hit by a sixteen wheeler. Kyle and Randy secure the informant, while Two Cups and Tucker check the crash. After securing the informant in the trunk, the four of them drive away, though it seems as though the unidentified vehicle wasn't alone. Another vehicle rams them from behind, but Two Cups and Tucker opens fire, shooting them off the road. The team then pulls up to a barn, where they swap out vehicles and burn the truck they used to apprehend the informant. They question how they're expected to get away with this, but Kyle claims they just did. Randy fears they'll see about this on the news, but Kyle retorts that the administration won't even admit that there is a war. Worse than what they did happens every day, and nobody covers it. And if they do, the administration kills the story to keep it from going national.

Joe returns to the hotel room, where Bobby reveals that one of the guys got handsy with Cruz, but she handled the matter.

Aaliyah and Ehsan have learned of Sami's actions and have decided to send him home. Aaliyah apologizes for the inconvenience, but Cruz insists she's fine. Ehsan adds that he's sent his brother home to grow up. They're now headed out as well, but it's a surprise, Ehsan says, forcing Joe, Bobby, and Tex to pack and leave the hotel immediately.

While in a car headed to the airport, Nala says that Cruz is terrible with makeup, which Aaliyah has already made her aware of, though Nala offers to help her once they're on the plane, which partially spoils the surprise.

Realizing that Cruz and Aaliyah are headed to the FBO, she's going to need the tail number for the jet. They park at a distance, and Tex attempts to get a look at the number with a pair of binoculars. Fortunately, Cruz recites the number N9109 for her teammates, feigning ignorance as to what it could possibly be referencing.

Yet again, Bobby is impressed by how quickly Cruz thinks on her feet. Joe then calls in for a jet with no set destination as of yet. Meanwhile, Cruz boards the jet.

## Cast

* Laysla De Oliveira as Cruz Manuelos
* Dave Annable as Neal McNamara
* Jill Wagner as Bobby
* LaMonica Garrett as Tucker
* James Jordan as Two Cups
* Austin Hébert as Randy
* Jonah Wharton as Tex
* Stephanie Nur as Aaliyah
* Hannah Love Lanier as Kate McNamara
* Nicole Kidman as Kaitlyn Meade
* Thad Luckinbill as Kyle McManus
* Clark Carmichael as Senator Palmer
* Ray Corasani as Ehsan Al Rashdi
* Carla Mansour as Malika
* Layla Mohammadi as Nashwa

Co-starring* Priscilla Doueihy as Nala
* Adam Budron as Sami
* Sam Asghari as Kamal Al Rashdi
* David Alan Basche as Dr. Brumley
* Brandon Ocasio as Steakhouse Waiter
* Jackson Dorfmann as Michael
* Ryan Garbayo as Surgeon on Zoom
* Aziz Attougui as Snitch
* Richard Haddad as Asif
* Karim Nematt as Guard #2
* Avi Vichner as Guard #3
* Fawad Siddiqui as Guard #4