Code of the Hawaladar

**Code of the Hawaladar** is the second episode of Season 1, and the second episode overall of the *Blood & Treasure (TV Series)* on CBS. It aired on May 28, 2019.

## Premise

*Danny and Lexi crisscross the world hunting their target, and unexpectedly find themselves at the center of a 2,000 year old battle for the cradle of civilization.*

## Plot summary

In Rome, Italy at the Piazza Navona Lexi and Danny arrive at Father Chuck’s allowing them to squat at his place. Lexi begins to play with one of the swords at his place, causing Chuck to panic. They are there to look for Karin Farouk. However, Lexi says they can stay at her ex’s place as he has plenty of room, not even sure if he is there. Chuck tells Danny that under no circumstances can him and Lexi use his bed; quickly pointing at the painting of Jesus looking at Chuck.

Gwen Karlsson messages Danny about the two of them meeting with her. Lexi initially refuses to worry that Interpol would be arresting her, but insists Gwen can wait until she has showered. Simon Hardwick and Gwen are introduced to each other when Lexi gives her the connection between Simon and Danny is they both wanted to capture Farouk; both losing him and now they are there. Hardwick informs them that a secure filing box was taken from a deep storage facility in Cypress and no one knows who owned the box but it was taken by Farouk’s associate.

Lexi feels Aiden Shaw is the key to finding Farouk. Lexi feels they should go with her plan since all they have is a grainy photo but she had punched the guy in the face less than 72 hours earlier. Danny zooms in on the video, showing Lexi the picture he is holding is a picture of Cleopatra. Danny tells them all that this is a treasure hunt and suggests they should follow the money back to Farouk.

Back in 1944, at the Northern France 28th Infantry, US Army Intelligence Army Captain meets with Colonel Krug, placing a map in front of him, demanding that Krug point out where the divisions are hiding and maybe they can all be home by Christmas. Krug shows him a photo of Cleopatra, saying she is their problem. The greatest Queen in Egypt and the greatest Archeological find in history and sits in their hands. He says he will tell the Captain where she is, but he feels that isn’t her problem but he is told they will be defeated by a power the world has never seen unless he secures his release. The Captain leaves to check out his claims. While the Captain is gone, the SS Colonel is killed.

In Rome, Italy, Danny, Lexi, Gwen and Asim Masood arrive at the Carabinieri HQ, Medical Unit to visit an injured Aiden Shaw. He’s pretending to be sleeping, so Danny and Lexi pretend they are about to stab him in the heart. Lexi informs him that they know he is their only link to the elusive Farouk. He says he won’t reveal anything without immunity, but Lexi says she will still stab him. She lectures Danny about ruining her credit, but he doesn’t think Farouk can get to him with all the cops protecting him, but Lexi reminds him that they almost let her stab him in the heart.

Outside the room, Masood says there is no paper trail leading back to Farouk. Danny suggests they use Shaw’s password and attempt to take some money, triggering Farouk to make a move. Gwen says they can trace the call, after all, realize how dumb Shaw is for taking selfies. Lexi refuses to reveal Masood as Danny explains that Shaw only agreed to give her the password since he has a crush on her and now they are all off to Paris.

Meanwhile at Farouk’s Headquarters, Omar is praised for his good work from Farouk. He opens the filing box and digs through the photos until he finds the one of Cleopatra with the Nazis, learning she was taken to Germany; and he pins the photo to the map saying soon they will have everything they need.

Lexi and Danny arrive at a café while Shaw, Masood, and Gwen sit in a surveillance van. Masood is fed up and tells Shaw to simply identify the banker. He tells them he is an old guy with a beard who wears sunglasses even inside. They find Taj in the back room, who are deceived into believing they are Shaw. He begins to read his book, but just as he takes his phone to make the transfer a man walks up to Danny, remembering him as an FBI agent; giving them exit visas for his whole family, insisting he is not mistaken as he named his youngest child after him.

They are dragged into another room, where Taj issues his apologies to Agent Danny as his nephews attempt to beat the duo. After a physical fight, Danny tells them they must have gotten off on the wrong foot; but when more people arrive, Gwen comes in and defeats the remaining men. Danny wonders where Lexi is. She is able to jump on Taj, but he gets away. Danny tells her things got out of hand fast when she sees the cut on his forehead. They didn’t get the trace but one of his nephews might give information up. Lexi opens the van doors, finding that Shaw is gone. They are all heading back to Rome, with Gwen telling Asim she needs all his paperwork. Lexi reveals to Danny that she got Taj’s ledger, suggesting they keep it between them for now; worrying Farouk has a mole inside Interpol. She points the finger at Asim, saying she only trusts Danny and herself when it comes to Farouk.

Asim feels no one is going to betray their family, as Lexi messages Danny about trying a different strategy to figure out the ledger. Danny reminds them that anything they do with torture will be inadmissible in court. Meanwhile, Father Chuck returns to his place, saying he told Danny to use good judgment which meant not giving her a key. She reminds him that Danny did use good judgment and didn’t give her a key but she is offering Chuck some tea. She jokes that his snack selection is underwhelming.

She shows Chuck the ledger, saying if she cracks the code they will be one step closer to Farouk. Chuck finally says the “good outweighs the bad;” agreeing to help her. She learns from Chuck that Danny is complicated, even though he never mentioned Chuck before. The good priest informs her that she and Danny have more in common than she thinks. She wants dirt on Danny so Chuck decides to pour himself a drink before dilvuging into those waters.

Gwen interrogates Khalid who insists he isn’t a terrorist; he is reminded that he should be afraid of Farouk; suggesting he could turn him over to the authorities and let them deal with him. Masood has an idea, promising to return soon.

Chuck drinks with Lexi, telling all kinds of stories of him and Danny; saying they go the stupid out of them at an early age. Lexi knows the language, revealing her mother was Christian and her dad was Muslim, but after her mother died she was never caught in the middle east after that. Her mother died when Lexi was 8, Chuck feels childhood abandonment leads to what she is doing. She denies it, but Chuck knows better. He returns to look at the ledger and they figure out the ledger is in Sumerian. He suggests if she wants penance to not break Danny’s heart again!

Danny tries to talk to Khalid as Gwen watches. He understands that they are asking him to violate his most sacred code, but it really isn’t them asking this; it is Farouk. They make Khalid watch the video of bombings that Farouk did, murdering women and children; cut and butchered. How honorable is it to honor a man without honor. Khalid disagrees with Farouk, and his interpreter suggests he share the information with Danny; he agrees to help them in their search calling it an honorable transaction with an honorable man.

Danny talks it over with Gwen, revealing that Khalid doesn’t have the address. Lexi texts Danny, saying she doesn’t have any control issues. He calls and finds out that she is on her way to the address she found. Gwen warns him not to do anything stupid but Asim stops him, insisting that he goes with him.

Asim says if the exchange happened there the safe house has to be close by; a place that has a clear view of the square. Asim wants to go one way, but Danny wants him to wait until Lexi shows up. Asim confronts him about suspecting him about working with Farouk; Danny swears they are just being cautious. Outside an armed guard is waiting for orders on Danny and Asim; being told to take them out if they make a move.

Danny then learns that Asim is not supposed to be there because his papers missing. He also believes someone in the Egyptian government is working with Farouk. He knows what Danny is thinking, and finding the mole is a good way to blame someone else for the bombing. He knows why Danny wouldn’t trust him, but every time he got close to Farouk he had to walk and there is no one he trusts more to have his back than Danny. Asim gives Danny a gun, saying its there in case they don’t like the answers to their questions. The gunman is about to fire from the rooftop when Lexi attacks him from behind and his body lands on a car below. She shouts out the address, saying she will meet them inside as gunmen come chasing and shooting after her. Asim and Danny are in the middle of exchanging gunfire when Asim asks if he has seen Lexi. She drops through the skylight on top of another guard. She is able to find the photo of Cleopatra with the Nazis, completely distracted when one of Farouk’s men throws a grenade. Asim drops his body on it to save Lexi, and when they turn him over he is fatally wounded, saying this is for his country before he dies.

Danny sits outside in Rome, as Father Chuck finds him on a bench. He recalls a childhood memory of finding Danny like this and suggests they batter up; talking about how they defeated the cheaters from St. Luke’s who were only supposed to be 12. When they arrive at the park, Chuck is told to piss off by several of the young men standing around the yard. Chuck mocks that it hurts him on so many levels, giving Danny the baseball bat; Chuck opens his coat revealing he is a priest. They all back off as Father Chuck reminds them all that God loves them!

Chuck and Danny begin to have fun as he smashes the balls out of the park. Chuck asks Danny to stay for a while longer, even saying his girlfriend could visit. Danny misses the ball, telling him to shut up because he doesn’t really know what she is. All he knows is someone needs to stop Farouk and he can’t do it alone; while Lexi will attempt to do it on her own and get hurt. He frets that if anything happens to her, he doesn’t know what he would do. Their chat is interrupted when Lexi sneaks up behind Danny. Danny tells Chuck that this move wasn’t cool. Lexi admits she was wrong and feels terrible about Asim and what she believed. Danny feels they forced Farouk to alter his plans and that is how he will start making mistakes; he knows this because that is how he found him the first time.

Lexi pulls out the photo from the safehouse. The photo says Bavaria, 1944 now knowing the Nazis have Cleopatra. Danny informs her that Asim said something about the Egyptian culture being incorporated by the west and the same goes for Cleopatra. Farouk’s stealing all of this could be his way of driving everyone into an all-out war. Lexi and Danny feel they should follow the photograph, as Lexi insists he shouldn’t worry about her at this time she is ready. Danny wants to know what she meant about not having control issues; something Chuck made her think about.

Behind a tree, Bruno Fabi is standing and speaking on the phone saying Asim Masood was not the mole in Egypt. He says they are heading to Germany, where they will find her.

## Cast and characters

### Starring:

* Matt Barr as Danny McNamara
* Sofia Pernas as Lexi Vaziri
* Katia Winter as Gwen Karlsson
* Michael James Shaw as Aiden Shaw
* Oded Fehr as Karim Farouk
* Mark Gagliardi as Father Chuck Donnelly

### Co-Starring

* Antonio Cupo as Captain Bruno Fabi
* Tony Nash as Omar
* Patrick Sabongui as Asim Masood
* Stephen Bogaert as Colonel Krug
* Fajer Al-Kaisi as Marwan
* Mohammed Marouazi as Reza Vaziri
* Shadi Janho as Khalid
* Hazgary Colin as Quint
* David Paetkau as Army Captain
* Marco Zingaro as Sentry
* Jeremie Jacob as MP
* Jean-Alexander Letourneau as French Uniformed Police Tech
* Amin Bhatia as Hawaladar Banker
* Christopher Vanni Ranno as Nasty Teenager

## Gallery

### Videos

Blood & Treasure 1x03 Sneak Peek Clip 1 "Code of the Hawaladar"Blood & Treasure 1x03 Sneak Peek Clip 2 "Code of the Hawaladar"Blood and Treasure 1x03 Promo "Code of the Hawaladar" Preview
## External links

* Watch *Blood & Treasure* on Paramount+
* Code of the Hawaladar on the Internet Movie Database
* Blood & Treasure on Wikipedia
* Blood & Treasure (CBS) (@bloodandtreasure) on Instagram
* Blood & Treasure CBS (@TreasurePPlus) on Twitter