@Scrawler2:disqus Randall has a lot of open cuts (the camera kept showing the handcuffs and how his skin was bleeding and torn open), maybe he got some sort of infection that way; they haven't been cleaning/boiling their stuff to keep it uninfected (that we've seen, anyway)

I have a feeling that's not it - maybe Shane got infected from a few episodes ago, when he used to knife to slice his hand open for blood to distract the zombies…

RE to the diplomat - I think he gave himself away. The red children's heart might have been a distress signal, instead of something else that could have been a legitimate call for a meeting

Maybe, but he was being groomed by the Marines the minute he came back. I'm assuming that there isn't a leak, though.

I don't think they did - I believe the diplomat/abu nazir found out he was being asked, and are now altering their plans for Brody based on that

And perhaps Abu Nazir's plans for Brody changed when he found out he was being asked to run for office

I thought of this too; like having two safewords, one is actually "I'm in trouble".

I think Abu Nazir is improvising with finding out that Brody is up for Congress. I don't think he knew ahead of time, but after finding out Brody is being tapped for Congress (from whoever the leak is), he's integrated that into his plan.