The Blacklist Episode 3.09 The Director

Knowing the Cabal will try to kill Liz while she waits in custody for transport to the courthouse, Red calls Ressler and Aram. It will be up to them to guard her life while he puts the next phase of his plan into place, staging a crime scene with Samar's help. When the FBI evidence van shows up, Samar steals the care package from it. In the meantime, Hitchin orders The Director to kill Liz before her transport. But once Hitchin asks Ressler about Tommy Markin, he realizes she's in the Cabal, and that the Cabal is coming for Karakurt, who's being guarded by Tom in the woodland cabin. Leaving Liz locked in the post office's orange cell, Ressler rushes off to the cabin, leaving Liz in Aram's care. Aram changes the digital lock code, infuriating The Director, who's come to collect Liz. When Liz starts gasping for breath, Aram knows The Director has had one of his minions mess with the cell's oxygen mixture. And when she passes out, he's forced to turn over the lock code...

Red meets with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Diaz to trade the care package -- master printing plates for a U.S. $100 bill -- for a service as yet unnamed. Meanwhile Tom, Ressler and Karakurt team up to fight off Solomon and his men. Just when they think they're literally out of the woods, Solomon gets the drop on Tom, who urges Ressler to shoot him - which is when Cooper shows up to save the day. Solomon teases them about how fast he'll make bail, making Ressler really want to shoot him, but his new friend Tom talks him down. Back at the post office, The Director is just making off with Liz when U.S. Marshal Panabaker shows up. Liz isn't going anywhere without Ressler, by order of Reven Wright. Tom takes Karakurt back to his boat, while Ressler returns to the post office with Solomon, just in time to witness the release of Dembe. On the way to the courthouse, Ressler tells Liz, "For what it's worth, I believe you were framed." Later that night, Aram rides his bike to a cemetery where Red stands over an open grave. "Gather your team," Red says. "It's time to take down the Cabal."