People always say that a certain location is a character, and the clock is definitely a character in this next episode, because they are quite literally out of time.
Liz’s desperation is coming from a genuine place, because they’re out of time.
The man in Cairo represents maybe the last lifeline he might have, but even just calling him “the man in Cairo” — we know so little about him and who this person is, how he might be able to help.