Bar Karma (2010) s01e02 Episode Script

Oh, God.
I'm sorry.
I thought this was the men's room.
Sorry.
- Eh, it's okay.
We've been waiting for you.
Where am I? - You're just in time.
So far, the emergency services unit has not found any survivors.
It's estimated the deadly strike has killed over 800 visitors.
Along with Liberty, herself.
The govenor has declared a state of emergency.
And, all the police precints, fire Welcome to Bar Karma.
You got a name? It's Charlie.
What show were you watching? - It wasn't exactly a show.
I'm Dayna.
And, that's James and Doug.
We're here to help you.
- Is this an intervention? Smoking once a month doesn't make me a drug addict.
Been pretty hypocritical of us to lecture you about mind altering substances in a bar.
- This isn't a reality show is it? - No.
It's a bar.
I thought I walked into a men's room.
- It's a bar for anyone who may be heading down the wrong path.
What'll it be? What do you mean the wrong path? Have a drink first.
- What's that? Coffee liqueur.
- Regular coffee is fine.
I think this will work better.
Sure.
Whatever.
What path? - Look, there's a connection between you and and that news story.
- About the Statue of Liberty? You realize, this is insane.
She's standing right there.
- She's standing now.
But, she won't be later.
You need to trust us on this.
- That report happened sometime in the future.
- The future? Yeah.
- Come on, where did you really get that footage? Got me? - What happens to the Statue of Liberty there? - We're not sure.
Then, put it on again.
I mean, rewind it.
I'm afraid it doesn't work like that.
You're trying to rip off my idea.
Since when is mass murder an original idea? Wow, where are you guys from? - A little bit of everywhere.
I don't have time for this.
Rookie.
What the hell's going on? - So, tell us what were you doing at the statue today? Or, recon.
- Doug.
Research.
- Research? Research for a book.
I'm a writer.
Oh, is that the book in your hand? No.
I mean, not yet.
It's still just a manuscript.
Can I see it? It's not ready.
- We're not the Pulitzer Prize Committee, Charlie.
All we're asking for is a little peek.
I can't.
Sorry.
What are you hiding? - Get away from me.
Give me the book, Charlie.
- Leave me alone.
You really need to work on your bedside manner.
Ok, you go to the jukebox, call him back.
It's not a magnet, Doug.
- Well, how did he wind up here in the first place? If you're going to catch up with him, you have to leave now.
Hey, Charlie! Can't get rid of me that easy.
- Why don't you leave me alone? Cuz, you're special.
Why? You got me.
So, seriously, what's up with the Statue of Liberty in your book? I can't talk about it.
I signed a non-disclosure agreement.
I breach that and it gets out, I'll have to give back my advance money.
I've already spent it.
- The Mazda? First nice thing I've ever owned.
I mean, you're asking me to give that up for some fairy tale.
Look, why don't we just come back inside? I'm sure we can figure out what's going on here.
Find us a solution that works for everybody.
I really have to get home and finish this.
It, it could change my whole life.
Can you get out of my car now! Are you kidding me? Couldn't bring him back? - No.
He'll be in in a minute.
- You are that confident in your powers of persuasion? - Well, yes.
But, I'm also confident in the power of these.
Ha.
- Where's James? In his office.
Whoa.
- Didn't I tell you was the first rule of this office? Don't expose it to sunlight.
Don't feed it after midnight.
Use your inside voice.
- (whispering) Like this? Better.
The branches are very senitive to noises.
It makes alot of sense, this being a bar and all.
You going to keep talking? (sighs) Well? I can't seem to find Charlie's book in any of the timelines.
It's, being elusive.
Which means? - It means it doesn't exist.
Charlie's book was never published.
If Charlie's book was never published, why did he show up in the bar? - Maybe, Charlie was lying.
About what? About the papers in his hands.
He said it was a manuscript and we took him at his word.
- So, there could be anything in that portfolio.
- Like, blueprints, government secrets, arms sales records Let's not get carried away, just yet.
What is wrong with you? Give mne back my keys so I can get out of here.
- Not til we see what's really in your portfolio.
Hand it over.
How about if I call the cops? - And where exactly would you tell them to go? Charlie, you're not in any danger.
We want to help you.
Anyone tell him that! - Hey, will will you sit with me? Just talk.
(sighs) Pour me two shots and stay here.
Both of you.
So, how long have you been working on it.
Too long.
Years.
(sighs) I bet it's really good.
I don't know.
It's all right.
When I was a kid, I escaped into books.
All the time.
But, I don't get to read as much as I used to.
What were you escaping from? Let's just say, I haven't always had the best of luck.
Could I have one of those? - Only if I can have the other.
(coughs) Why is everyone obsessed with my book? Because we believe it's connected to the destruction we saw in the television earlier.
Look, all we're asking for is a look.
To try to piece together this puzzle.
These are the originals.
The only copies.
I'll take good care of them.
You'll get them back.
I promise.
Thank you, Charlie.
I know that took a lot.
Be nice.
It's a children's book.
Apparently so.
Oh, there's our destruction.
A man in tights destroying the Statue of Liberty, with a lightening bolt.
Looks like this character, Monument Man, saves the day, though.
Well, that's never going to happen.
Right? - I don't know? But, Happy Hour doesn't last forever.
We're running out of time.
Why are we on such a tight deadline? - Because, Charlie's only with us until the end of Happy Hour.
Then, he's on his own.
- Yeah, but Happy Hour isn't an actual hour.
Right? Perhaps, I'll try a different approach.
Like, what? - You tell me.
Think about what you know and what you don't know.
Well, the Statue of Liberty is in danger of being attacked.
But, we can't find the book.
So, I guess I'd look for the attack and then go backwards.
Be my guest.
Not really sure of what to do.
See that bright red dot.
That's the Statue of Liberty as she appears today.
Got it.
- Now you want to rotate it forward, til you get to the point where the light is weak or gone completely.
Whoa.
What just happened? It's very delicate.
Well, that's a bit of a pickle.
What's wrong? - It appears the Statue of Liberty is fully intact for centuries after Charlie's lifetime.
So, we've been torturing this sadsack for no reason? - No, there's a reason.
But, you don't know what it is? Does anyone around here know anything? How do yo know you didn't summon the wrong guy? Because, I know.
- Oh, if I ran a business like this, I'd be broke.
- This is your business, now.
He's right.
I'm sending him home.
No, you can't do that.
- Yeah, watch me.
Is that my character? - Yes.
Lightening Bolt.
- This frightening new realistic video game, which encourages anti-establishment behavior is being blamed for yet another violent attack on a government building.
This time, a local post office.
The video game inspired attacks have been blamed for over 400 deaths.
Th Zivion Corporation, which produces the game, had no comment.
Looks like they've turned your book into a video game.
I don't see how.
I sold my book to Bamboo Pulishing, not Zivion.
Today, it's Bamboo.
Care to elaborate? The CEO of Zivion is Lance Carl.
Total predator.
Probably, planning the take-over of Bamboo, as we speak.
Charlie, before you go, would you mind indulging me for a few moments.
Please.
So, you're saying that we're not really at Liberty Park.
It's definitely one of the options.
It's always one of the options.
This isn't helping.
- Trust me, this part took me a while.
Just go with it.
Maybe, we should go back to branch units.
Think of it this way, Charlie.
You've been pulled out of one path you were on because of the cataclysmic possibility down the road.
Seems our friend, Doug, is right.
After you turn in your manuscript, Zivion takes over the publishing house.
Your manuscript winds up in the hands of a Zivion exec who decides the book is an excellent bluprint for a video game.
That's not so bad.
A lot of money in that business.
But, in the game, they turn your villian into a hero.
This gets points for decimating landmarks and weakening the government.
The impressionable ones are inspired by your villian and act out in real world.
I, I thought what you said the statue was never destroyed.
Great, young folks can't pull off those kinds of attacks.
But, they keep it local.
Shooting up a public school, bombing a post office, sending anthrax to a local politician.
You can stop many of these acts.
You can't turn in this manuscript.
- NO! No.
I don't accept this.
Th, there has to be another way.
For the first time in my life, I'm not broke.
Don't ask me to go back to that.
Think about all the people who will lose their lives.
Don't put that on me.
I'm not responsible for what other people do.
If you don't whant some psycho blowing up city hall, bring him in here, not me.
You're so concerned about everyone else's future, I wish you gave a damn about mine.
Maybe, I should go after him.
- No.
too dangerous.
- You heard that body count.
I did.
And, I'm sorry for it.
But, if you don't come back, we're out of business for good.
I'll go.
- And, do what? You've already lost his trust.
I'll figure it out.
What are you doing? You said I could leave the bar.
- And, you did.
I'm not giving it up.
You'll have to shoot me, first.
Oh, I'm not going to shoot anybody.
You are.
See that woman over there, that's your target.
What kind of game are you playing? - She's the woman from the card James turned over.
- I told you, that has nothing to do with me.
- Yeah, well, someday she's going to be a victim of one of your video game inspired attacks.
This is crazy.
- No.
It's reality.
You're going to kill her one way or another.
It's actually kinder to do it now before she has kids, who have to grow up without a mother.
- What about my family's future? I can finally help my parents out, send my sister to college.
- It's blood money.
Come on.
Go ahead.
Do it.
I, I'm, not a killer.
Then, prove it.
Good man.
Now, what do I do? That was my big idea.
- You'll be all right.
There's more than one big idea out there.
Oh, you didn't hurt him, did you.
- No, I didn't hurt him.
I didn't threaten him.
I just gave him a different perspective.
Look, guys, I was out of line.
What I said before.
But, - Like I told you, earlier, Doug, Most people who enter our establishment are reluctant, at first.
Doubting and questioning us is just part of your job.
Let's see if you did your job.
Uh, oh no, that doesn't really happen, does it? Aw, that's a classic.
- Come on, guys, that's not funny.
How does it feel, knowing fans have been camped out since 3 AM to buy the third book of your hit series? They've been amazing.
I, I love their enthusiasm.
And, where did you get the inspiration for this character? Just a girl I knew.
I didn't even rank a mention.
That's what you get for taking the guy's keys.
Well, just wondering, how many times that guy's walked into the bathroom looking for you? Probably, enough to make the park ranger wonder if he had a serious prostate problem.
(all laugh) So, Dayna Liberty what's your super power? Zapping your will to leave, if you ever call me that, again.