Mystery Road: Origin (2022) s01e01 Episode Script

Where's your horse?
Sore leg.
Inside handle.
Song of the year so far, 1999
You look different.
Yeah, here we go.
City life not working out for ya?
Don't smoke that in front of me.
What are these idiots doing?
Oi!
What's the fuckin' problem?
Leave it.
No. I'm fuckin' hungry.
Go around him.
Dim sims!
Poppy!
Good to see you.
Hey. Can I help you?
Just a pack of dim sims, eh?
Mm-hm.
Any fuel?
Just that.
Poppy, is there anyone in the bathroom?
You would have called the police
as soon as you saw that car, yeah?
They'd be here any minute.
Don't move!
Is there anyone else with you?
There were four of 'em, actually.
- One inside
- Put your hands up!
Put your hands up where I can see them.
The one inside was 190cm,
the stop-and-go closer to
On the ground!
I'm a police officer.
Turn around!
You're making a mistake.
Don't be stupid, old man.
Let him go!
That's not helping.
Hey!
Put it away, Jack.
You're not in some cowboy movie!
G'day, Peter.
Max. Uncuff him, please.
Uh, the individual was
exiting the scene of a robbery.
The individual is actually
Constable Jay Swan.
Jay.
- Fuck!
- Meet Senior Constable Max Armine.
Good to meet you, Max.
Cindy Cheung.
Excited to be working with you.
Constable.
Welcome home, Jay.
Peter.
What are you doing tonight?
Not on the roster yet.
Nothing planned.
Pick me up at seven.
Righto.
Bring womans.
And your money!
Come on, boy.
Step away! Step away from it.
Can't find it, Max.
Hey, can you get onto
that hire company, uh, SOS,
and find out if that grader that
was blocking the road was stolen
or what the story is with it?
And if it WAS stolen, then when?
Also employee backgrounds.
Criminal history.
If any are for robberies
or violent offences.
Is he my boss now?
Jay! Let's get you your uniform.
Come on. I'll show you round.
Just through here.
It's a locker room.
Haven't got a lot of space.
Hey.
We all know you passed
the detective exam,
but it's not official yet.
Will be.
Yeah, look, you could
be one of the first.
Black?
Under 30.
Welcome to Jardine Police.
Hey, can you do me a favour?
Can you go to court with Max today?
Why?
Just to, you know, smooth
the waters a bit, yeah.
What time you due in court?
Now.
So, this is the local courthouse.
This is where you'll be giving evidence
when you're called to be a witness,
which will be plenty in this place.
You want to go over
what you're gonna say?
Uh, she was slurring her
speech, smelled of alcohol,
she was shouting, she came
at me, so I restrained her.
I'll be sweet.
Slut.
Miss Collins.
I reckon I might do
the detective course.
Couldn't have been that hard.
How long have you been
in the police force, Constable?
Senior Constable.
Uh, it'll be 19 years in August.
Would you describe yourself
as easily frightened?
Your Worship.
Trying to draw a baseline of courage.
A baseline? Your Worship!
Ms Zafar!
Let me put it a better way.
You've been in
dangerous situations before?
Have you?
Been in dangerous situations before?
Obviously.
Yes.
Would you describe being squirted
in the face with breastmilk
as one of the more
life-threatening you've faced?
An assault of a police officer
is a serious offence, Your Worship.
My client asked repeatedly
if she could express her breasts,
which were becoming very painful
to her as the night wore on.
She was denied by Constable Armine.
She shot it right in my eye!
- Oh!
- Right in your eye.
Scary.
Your Worship, the milk
caused disorientation
and momentary blindness.
Bullshit!
The senior constable was on her own.
Things could have
gotten badly out of hand.
I think things
have gotten badly out of hand
well before now.
- Charge is dismissed.
- Yeah!
- You did well in there.
- Sorry, what was that?
Jay!
- How are ya, brother?
- Howdy.
Good to see ya.
It's been too long.
Mate, I was sitting in there and I
was, like, "Who's this flash fella?"
Looking good.
Thought you were down
south all married up.
No, I am, I am. Just, uh, up this
way for a couple of contracts.
- You still flying choppers?
- Yep.
You mad bastard.
Yeah. Bit of fun.
I got to fuck off, but,
um you'll come to the pub
and I'll shout you a couple
and we'll have a proper yarn?
I don't drink.
- Alright. But you'll still come?
- Yeah. Tomorrow night.
Alright.
He's not meeting us?
He's got a case right
now. Says it's fine.
What was taken?
It's hard to say. Uh, a loose
change jar was tipped over.
But nothing else was touched.
Think the robbers got interrupted?
Or it was kids.
You can't carry a TV on a BMX.
Some loose change stolen.
Broken lock.
Nobody hurt.
Owner insured?
Yep.
Then what are we doing here?
Besides this being
the prosecutor's house.
Where was he last night?
Stayed at his father's.
Came back this morning.
Mmm.
Bit old for a sleepover.
When I first got here,
didn't look like a break-in.
Maybe it's a search.
"Dog."
Did they find what
they were looking for?
Hey!
You right?
We got a kid in the car!
Look, sorry. I didn't see you'd stopped.
They're called stop signs.
Thought you lot were supposed to
prevent accidents, not cause 'em.
Look, we're gonna need
to exchange details.
No, we're late.
- I'm gonna need to see your licence.
- She doesn't have one.
It's suspended.
Unlicensed?
No seatbelt either.
Look.
Mum's sick with Stage 3 cancer.
And we're late for an
appointment five minutes ago.
You new to town?
Grew up here. Just moved back.
Who your mob?
Swans.
Are you Jack's son?
Unfortunately.
He's Jack's son.
So I heard.
Us aunties, we go
googly-eyed over that bloke, true.
What him win?
That horse thing.
Australian Rodeo Champion 1969.
Yeah, that's right.
What a man.
Mmm.
- You right?
- Yep.
So, what happens with our
car now, Jack Swan's son?
Number.
Get his number.
Temporary driver's licence.
Bastard.
Jay.
Um
No matches yet.
Uh, there was four of them.
Uh, they got away in a Kingswood.
We got a print from
the prosecutor's house.
Alright.
They didn't take much.
Could the robbery have been a cover?
For what?
Someone left a message on the wall.
"Dog."
A grudge against police. Well, that
narrows it down to about 950 people.
I'll get on it.
Oh, dear me.
We got breakfast from six
till nine in the morning.
You have to get in there
early, though, mate.
We got the best
egg-and-bacon rolls around.
Might even get yourself
a double-yolker in there.
They are superb.
Wrong room. That's
where I stack the bodies.
Ah! Fuck this.
Number for the brothel's
beside the phone.
Dad!
..Ludo and Petatuk onto the turn, and
Turn it up, please, love.
..is the leader at the 400.
- Then by a length on the turn
- Come on! Come on!
- Come on, you beautiful big horse!
- Oh, Jay.
- Geraldine.
- Patrick mentioned you were back.
Look at you, all grown-up.
Jack, how about this
handsome son of yours, eh?
- Shh!
- Mmm.
You hungry? We've got a new cook.
I don't know. Are we hungry?
- Go!
- Oh.
You know what he'd say.
"Eating's cheap."
Anyway, I should get back to my table,
but I'd love to catch up with you later.
I'll see you later.
Fuckin' bastard!
Turn the bloody thing off!
I was there at seven.
Another one?
Yes, please. His shout.
Can we get some water as well?
You hungry?
Yeah.
I'll have the rump.
So
..made detective, eh?
Not official yet.
Then what?
Then here.
I'll be working here.
When did you decide this?
I've been speaking to Peter about it.
Really?
So you're back for good?
- Is that a problem?
- Excuse me?
Jack Swan? G'day, love.
- My daughter would really like
- to have a photo with you.
With this old fella?
Righto!
Jay.
Take the photo.
Yeah.
Smile.
Thank you.
Uh, you want to come
and join us for a drink?
Sure.
Ready to order?
I'll get two rumps.
I've been overseas but not, you know.
Mm-hm.
- Have a good night.
- See you later.
What a day, eh?
From gross indecency to breastmilk.
I shouldn't have laughed at that.
- It was
- No, it was understandable.
But your client DID say she wanted
to burn down the police station,
which I think is a threat under
Section 338B of the Criminal Code
Abe, come on.
Fancy a drink?
Never met a defence lawyer
who doesn't like a drink.
Come on. Pub's right there.
I can't.
- I've got work to
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Work to do. Sure.
Another time.
Why are you here?
A lawyer like you.
Like me?
A good lawyer.
We usually get has-beens
or the wannabes, not
..actual good lawyers.
I imagined I'd get to do some
interesting work out here,
where things are so raw.
Murder.
Big class action
against a mining company.
You don't know this place.
We're a sleepy town, not
..the murder capital of the west.
You're a lawyer.
You know why we do it.
I was that that bloody close in '68.
Mmm. Mmm.
- Come runner-up. Yep?
- Mmm.
Want me to put that aside for him?
Yep.
Made more fuckin' money than me.
- Mmm.
- Eh? I won the fuckin' champs.
And I walk back and he fuckin' throws.
Whoa! Wa-hey!
- Wa-ha-hey! Legs goin' up like this.
- I'm gonna head off.
- Hey?
- I'm going.
Righto.
Some of the
Goldfields and Murchison locations
are up and around the
40-, 45-degree mark
Need a lift?
You making a habit of
creeping up on people?
Sorry.
I'm good walkin'.
You know, it's unsafe to walk
around at night by yourself.
Let me guess.
It's your job to make it safe.
Come on. Let me give you a lift.
I think I'm right.
That's my house.
Maybe next time, eh?
Still got my number?
I'll call it if I'm ever in trouble.
Or if you just want to have a chat.
'Night, Constable Swan.
'Night, Mary.
Jay speaking.
Jay? It's Peter.
So he refused to pay the cab fare
and then there was a punch-up,
but I spoke to the driver and
he's not gonna press charges.
Where's his horse?
Uh, he left it behind the pub.
So he IS capable of responsible choice.
Thanks, Peter.
Yeah.
How much did you owe?
I had the bloody money.
What you talkin' about?
That's MY business.
Can you just tell me what happened?
Hey.
You broke? You got no money?
We'll yarn in the morning.
Everything's better after a cuppa.
You in trouble?
Answer me.
Jack!
Leave it!
You think 'cause you're police,
you can talk to me like this?
- Shame me?
- Oh, you want to talk shame?
I work with those people.
I gotta come to MY
station and pick you up?
Yeah, walk away.
It's what you're fuckin' famous for.
You gonna hit me?
I'm not 10 years old anymore.
I'm going to bed.
Come on, boy.
Come on.
Knock-knock!
I brought you some breakfast!
Oi!
Dad!
I'm looking for Jack.
- Jack Swan.
- Nup.
- Old ringer.
- Nup.
Pull up now! We know Jack.
You seen him?
Yesterday, we seen him.
Or was that Wednesday?
Or
..Wednesday last week?
Pension day.
Oi.
Oi!
Oh!
Hey.
Ah.
My brother.
Mmm.
Waiting for you to visit, my brother.
My own blood.
Family.
Police officer.
Oh.
I'm looking for Jack. You seen him?
Don't know. He's probably balls-deep.
Here.
Here!
Why not?
Hm?
Why not?
'Cause it's too easy.
I'll see you around, Sputty.
It's Magistrate Banks's birthday.
It's just something we do.
It can get boring here.
What are you working on?
Oh, it was in the archives.
Is it a police file?
No.
'Cause we shouldn't be in the
possession of a police file.
That's a police file.
We have to take it back.
To where?
The police.
What if they made a complaint?
Which would only happen if they
found out I have this kind of file,
which I don't.
'Cause I can't.
So someone just left that here?
A while ago.
But whoever left whatever this is
removed the names of the witnesses,
the interviewing officers
and the interview record
of the main suspect.
Yeah, right.
Why would someone do that?
I don't know why exactly.
Not yet.
Swan.
Just going through the backlogs,
and the blue Holden you
saw at the roadhouse,
it was reported stolen, three days ago.
Just noticed it now.
Get a match on that fingerprint
from the prosecutor's house?
Nothing yet.
Sarge has got me out
doing a licence test.
Hey, mate.
You had any police
officers visit yesterday?
Right.
Thought you might be able to help me.
Had any graders stolen in the last week?
How do you mean 'stolen'?
Well, hired and never returned.
Or just pinched
straight out of the yard.
No-one could do that.
Hm.
I need a list of all
your recent invoices.
Who hired what, when.
Case the impossible was possible.
I'll ask my old man.
While you're at it, let him know
that if he wants his
unstealable grader back
..it's sitting on the
highway near the roadhouse.
What the fuck is going on?
Fuckin' sort it out.
Fuck off, then.
That's it.
That's it.
Fuck!
It's OK. It's OK. You're
you're doing really well.
Alright. Let's try
again. Back into neutral.
Now start her up.
Now, remember the order?
Clutch first.
- Mm-hm.
- Let go slowly.
Accelerator.
That's it.
That's it!
Stop!
Slide over!
There's been an accident.
Southwell Road. Requesting assistance.
You OK?
He wouldn't stop.
Never seen a dead body before.
Call the station?
Yeah.
Sergeant should be here soon.
Why don't you go block the road?
OK.
Well
..at least it's not
far to the wrecker's.
Came through an intersection about 90 k.
Flashed my lights but he wouldn't stop.
Were in pursuit?
Christopher Edmund Miller.
He's SOS.
Means "Sons of the Soil".
Started up after the pit closed in '88.
They hire ex-cons?
They're a bit rough round the edges.
But we don't have a
problem with 'em, Jay.
Well, I was just talking to this
very bloke down at the yards.
He was in a hurry to get somewhere.
Yeah.
Where YOU goin'?
Poppy.
Hey.
How you doing?
Yeah, I'm alright, Jay.
Closing up. Want something?
Actually, I was hoping you
could help me with a lead.
You ever seen this face before?
Nup.
Sorry.
It's alright.
Show you something?
Here.
What am I looking at?
It wasn't just money they took.
Also Halloween costumes.
Why would a grown man
take a child's mask?
Can I have two fish and chips?
One calamari.
Pete's with chicken salt.
Yep.
Want the rump again?
- Sure, thanks.
- Can you make that two?
Thanks, Sissy.
I was thinking about your old man.
Yeah?
First time he took me
roo shooting, I was seven.
- 7-year-old with a gun?
- Yeah. Yeah.
Uh, we hadn't seen a
roo for hours, right?
- Mmm.
- Uh, it's about midnight.
Old Jack, he's ready for bed.
So he decides we should
head back to the homestead.
Spotlight's still going
on the back of the ute,
and all of a sudden, I
see this big fuck-off red,
and it's, like, 150, 200
yards out on the open plain.
- Jack dropped it?
- Nup.
No. He gives me the gun, right?
He thinks that I'll miss
and we can go home to bed.
- You hit it?
- Yeah, mate. Poor bastard.
Spends the next two hours in the
cold, blood dripping off his hands.
He digs the hole, he puts
it in, he puts the coals in
and he puts the soil over.
Hour later, pulls it out.
Charcoal.
- Bastard.
- Yeah? Classic, right?
Jacko!
Where's your bathroom?
Uh, it's just through
there, brother. There.
- Great.
- Yeah, righto.
Oh!
Right, everyone!
Down! On the floor!
Plea plea mate.
Just what whatever you do,
just don't don't be an idiot, OK?
Just
- Down!
- Yeah, no, no,
Do it.
Take the money and go.
Why are YOU still standing, champ?
Down.
Down!
You're wasting time.
He's got my belt.
I'm not talking to you about this.
Why did they let Ziggy Wells go?
That kid's death tore
too many lives apart.
I said step out of the truck.
Tell me that's not all
that's left of your car.
Did you do all that to
ask me out on a date?
Well, yeah, maybe.
And it's not gonna do her
any good to drag that pain up again.
He was my little boy.
..as your direct fuckin'
supervisor, I had no idea about.
Well, no-one else has to get hurt.
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