Strange Empire (2014) s01e02 Episode Script

Previously, on Strange Empire This morning, we were two.
Now we're six.
Rebecca's my new wife, my new life.
The child was born astride the grave.
I'm a mother to a corpse.
Indians! It was Slotter who did this.
It's Indians we saw.
Those girls I brought you will be ready to work tonight.
You know this is Canada, Ma.
There's no law here but our own.
Strange Empire 1x02 Buckskin Princess Jeremiah.
Come on.
We need to leave before that captain starts searching.
Cap down.
Go get your sister.
No money, no ride! It's just me and my daughter.
Please! Oh! Can't take everybody.
It's clean! You're sure? Your head? Spells pass.
Please, just go see to the wagon, and have our driver load the trunks.
Perhaps we should wait.
A week or two, until you're entirely well? We must leave this place, and as soon as possible.
What did you see that night, Thomas? Did you see the men that shot you? I saw nothing.
We leave here, and that's the end of it! Now go! Get the gentlemen.
You'll not be leaving with the rest, missus? Not till my man and boys are found.
They're amongst the missing.
I pray they will be.
Mrs.
Fogg's my name.
Sybil Briggs is me.
This here's my daughter, Fiona.
I have a cake here, if you would like to partake of it? I can't remember the last time I ate cake.
Wait! Please! Just to the station house! There must be help there! Ple Got word this morning them Indians are still out there.
You ever see a woman taken by Indians? Broken used up.
I seen one of 'em with tattoos on her face.
Another one The savages cut her nose off.
You speak of Apaches, I think, sir.
These parts are Cree territory.
That right? Well, take the risk and see then, I guess.
Please, don't leave us.
Quit your belly-aching.
She'll come back, or she won't.
I'm coming back.
I promised, and I keep my word.
What's out there I don't want you seeing it.
Stay here, and stay hid.
I'll ride out, find Jeremiah and Neill, and we'll move on together to the ranch.
What if they're dead? All the other men are.
It's a good place here Away from the house.
Your investors, Porter and Cobb They coming? Mm-hmm.
Today.
That mine is our future, Isabelle.
If all we do is build my father's railway, means we're tied to him for good and ever.
The women in the cribs You can feel the grief rising from them like a tide.
Hear? Their murdered dead calling out.
Don't talk that way.
We need that money, Izzy, or that mine shuts.
My father has owned us long enough.
There's a blanket I put there, Thomas, but you should stay upright till the spells pass.
I'm aware.
Ah! Pay the driver and let's be gone.
$15 to station house, But it's Uh yes.
There you are.
What? You're a funny little thing.
I don't know what you mean.
Don't need to Miss.
Step up.
Jeremiah! Those ones'll end like me.
I started my life as a lady's maid.
And then her husband took it in his head to have his way That was the end of it.
That there girl's Mary.
Her mother and sisters left Janestown this morning.
Cursed her, then left her behind.
Ripe for pickin'.
Tea, Mrs.
Fogg? Thank you, Mrs.
Briggs.
Your husband will not permit me a gun.
And are you worried for my safety? Hired to be, madam.
And for the telegraph, which is now functional.
Came over the wire last night, news of your investors.
Mr.
Porter's father recently passed.
Left him well-situated.
And Mr.
Cobb? Seems he likes to frequent the pleasure palaces quite consistently.
Yes, as I recall.
What what news of him? A "Madame Comfitt," friend to you, telegraphed to say he paid his tab in gold shares.
Cashed out at 20,000.
Is this your girl? I'd take her at the house, if you're agreeable.
Work's profitable.
"Some marry rich," that what you tell 'em? Some do.
We'd feed her, lodge her, keep her safe.
She's mother and married.
Here.
For her hair.
Silk ribbons.
Pfft.
To hang herself with.
There's work here for you too, missus.
Crib business.
Were you witness to the tragedy? There are conflicting reports.
I was witness.
Red Indians.
Covered their dirty skins in mud.
We're gonna get lost.
What if she comes back and can't find us? You'd rather starve? We could wait till dark, at least.
Come here.
We could cook him.
Rocks.
He's so fat.
We'll feast for three days.
Didn't move.
Maybe it's scared.
Didn't run either.
Let's try to catch it.
Robin, wait! Robin! Holy shite! Look out! Piss off! Get out of here! Piss off! Get out of here! Hungry? I am! Whoo-hoo! You boys are too thin for roasting, anyway.
Whoa I think I'll be needing further payment if we're to continue.
Thomas? Thomas! Help me get him up! He cannot be lying flat.
Settle down, miss.
Thomas.
Settle down, miss.
Settle down and I'll make you crow Lyin' pretty underneath your beau Let me go! Thomas! Okay, sweet thing.
Get off! Not for a long while! Ahh! Get away from her! What're you gonna do to me, miss? Now, why don't you give me that thing so I can finish off your man here for you? I aimed high.
Thomas, you must You must stay awake! Mrs.
Loving! Thomas is too ill to make the journey at present, so we must make plans to return to the camp.
I have no time for you, Mrs.
Blithely.
Stay or go.
I've got my girls to get.
But we will be in need of food and shelter there! World's upon you now, is it? I am only trying to understand a confounding situation.
You say that captain Slotter is to blame for the killings of those men, but he's the only one who's offered any assistance.
You put yourself in the hands of a helpful man this morning, Mrs.
Blithely.
Do it again, and the same will happen.
You'll end a whore.
That's all you need know.
Jack's the name.
The last name Jolly.
"Jolly Jack.
" That's me.
I'm Joe.
She's Frank.
Oh-ho.
This here fella Was Max White, my hat rabbit.
But sadly He has passed.
Shh.
Hey Hold on there a minute! Little mister You have been holding out on us.
Now you will have to share.
You're the one that's been holding out.
You! You are a finger-smith.
Mm-hmm! Whoo! My! How's about the three of us rig up a game? Trump up a few marks? What did you find? More men murdered.
Mrs.
Briggs' man and her boys among them.
See that she gets her horse.
And your husband? To Janestown? You able? Where you from, little hayseed? Durham county in the new Ontario.
Darlington township.
Devil's black.
You think I'm a devil? My mama said so.
What about Ling, here? He's a yellow devil, that's for sure.
Comes from some forbidden city.
Right-hand to an emperor.
He's a liar, child.
A grasper, just waiting on his chance.
Grits I give yous! And fresh green peas.
So you think on that.
See what kind of sense your mama make.
A mama that left you in this hell hole near impossible to get out from.
Only surefire way's a hole in the ground.
Eat.
You'll be having a busy night.
They've had you before.
They'll want at you again.
Ha! There's a pretty young girl for one of them.
And you the other.
Are you prepared? You and that chinaman? Ling's worth what we are paying him.
He's the one repaired the telegraph.
He's the one told me of Porter's father's passing and the money due from it.
He's a magnificent illusionist.
He'll rouse the old man in smoke.
Porter will think I've resurrected his father from the grave.
I heard the true spirits this morning.
They were clamoring for you.
I cannot think why.
You are mistaken in your hearing.
Porter.
Well, well, well.
"Missus" now, isn't it? Oh, yes.
This is my husband.
Captain John Slotter.
Well, you are a lucky man.
Married to "pleasure" herself.
I am certain of it.
Come, lady missus.
Are you related to Cornelius Slotter? My father.
Savvy businessman, he.
Has he invested in your mine? No, I prefer to make my own way.
Ah.
I imagine you have a chance, in a place like this.
You know, I expected belle to be in buckskins, and you some frontiersman in a coonskin hat, but here you are, a gentleman.
Well, I congratulate you on your choice in partner, Mr.
Slotter.
Porter, your father's appeared to me.
End of my bed.
His passing was sudden.
He left me no instruction.
I was hoping you might be able to reach him.
Of course.
Of course.
They'll be wanting choice.
We have three, that's all.
We need finding those girls.
That woman was after them, she left this morning.
Mrs.
Loving? Mm.
Well, she took 'em.
You get 'em found.
Kelly? Robin? Ahem! More where that came from, gentlemen.
Plenty more.
Five-card stud.
A nickel to start.
Ah.
Ace to bet.
I'm in.
You sure it was them found? I can take you to them when the time comes.
Thank you, Mrs.
Loving.
Be an end to the waiting.
Have you seen my girls, Mrs.
Briggs? Dressed like boys, maybe? Looking to be fed? If you see 'em, tell 'em to stay.
Your luck's a marvel, Jack.
Will you, uh Up the ante, then? Deal.
Yes, sir.
Sir? Your card? You first.
You're a cheat.
You got two little cheats working for you.
Hey! Leave her alone! Hey! Bitches, hey? Do you know what we do to cheats in Janestown? Get away from them! No, ma'am.
These two need pay for their cheating.
Each needs lose a hand.
Run! You're gonna wish you never did that! Take 'em back to the house.
Put 'em in that dandy's room.
- No! - Mama! Leave them! Leave them! Girls will raise me a small fortune.
Leave them.
Take me instead.
As of today, payment'll be required for your boardin'.
These are houses of business, and business must be conducted, if payment is to be made.
I have no means.
Well You're pretty enough.
You are welcome at the house.
Lock 'em up.
Don't worry after 'em.
I'll keep 'em fed and watched over.
You've been hired on? Your husband has purchased my services in exchange for those of my children.
It's up to me whether you'll do.
Come.
I said, come! Off with it.
You'll be here four, five years, to get back what we would've got from those girls.
Two dollars a day, that's what you make.
If you're worth the price.
My husband didn't kill those men.
You may live in delusion as long as you care to.
He's not a murderer! He killed 20 men.
I found five more today! Was his seed grew up dead inside you.
You shut your mouth! Be informed, Mrs.
Loving, that if I have to bury you, that will cost, too.
No! Let go! Settle down and mind, or there'll be trouble! You got nowhere and no one to keep you.
Be at peace with that.
Give it back! You got a child inside of you! Oh! There's what your mama was cussing.
What the hell is Won't be working tonight, missus.
Already occupied.
Goddammit.
So your father plans on a branch line linking up with the Northern Pacific? Chinese are laying rails, but see that mine there? That belongs to me.
Railroad's going through, cattle's out to market, and right in front of you, tons of cheap coal to run that rail road.
Means that we're the ones make the money.
And where is all this cheap coal? Well, it's early days yet, but there'll be a hundred miles of tunnel down there when it's dug out.
I intend to build an empire on it.
Indians, negroes and celestials Hmm.
Be a strange empire, yours.
You must stay out of that man's business, Rebecca.
But the two girls that we saved Show him respect, that is all.
Knowing what he has done, and the murders he's accused of Listen to me carefully, Rebecca.
We are strangers here.
We have no people, there is no law.
What happened to you on the road today should be a lesson to you.
You are not capable.
There's a baby at the house, can't find its way out.
Them girls say I should come to you.
Give me a moment.
I can do it.
I've worked out the steps.
Come.
Rebecca! This baby's not turned round right, and it's big, and it's not gonna budge.
Ahh! But she's so young, missus.
We might save them both, if my theory's correct.
But I will need your assistance.
You sew? Yes.
Have you done this before? What is that smell? Is that roses? That's the scent of heaven.
Your father is with us, Porter.
Is that him? Julius Albert Porter, is that you? That's Julius.
He wants you to know that he's at peace.
Your passing was unexpected, father.
You left me no instruction.
Shh.
He's trying to send us a message.
He's trying to speak.
Is that is that digging? Is he trying to dig out of his grave? Look! He's speaking.
Is he in hell? Julius, what are you trying to tell us? What is your vision for the future? Something fell.
It's gold.
It's all covered with dirt.
Coal dust? This is a sign.
Thank you, my darling Isabelle.
Thank you for conveying my father's wishes to me.
Get it over with.
I was hoping we'd be friends.
So I would lie down and love you and gentle you into believing you're a good man? Why don't you walk around for me? - No.
- You work in this house.
I expect you to act accordingly do you see the boy in your dreams? Does he speak, without his tongue? That wasn't me Was you who ordered it.
However many you killed or watched killed.
You'll silence yourself and you'll quit your accusations.
I will not.
You will be a whore tonight.
Um Missus! You should've seen what that doctor woman did.
Lifted the child up, womb and all, like it was a a jewel box, and him the treasure inside.
Is it a boy? Big one, too.
My boy was big like him.
You stay for dinner, Mrs.
Doctor? Oh Mrs.
Loving All right, y'all set down at the table.
She could pass for Indian, don't you think? Hold up, miss.
You'll be needing my services tonight.
Miss.
It's okay.
You'd better run to shelter now.
Leave him to me.
Will you ask me how the birth went? Both mother and child survived.
I tied off the womb and removed it with the child within.
You left her barren? But alive! We will not survive here.
We will be corrupted and destroyed.
There's $1,000 there.
Take it up to the house and have captain Slotter arrange our passage back to Toronto.
As you see, I am in no state to go myself.
What is wrong with you, Rebecca? Go! Surely, missus a grand house like yours could use my services.
I can swallow a sword, I can pull a rabbit from a hat, I can even play the fiddle! Out! We've no need of you.
I would like to buy the two girls and their mother.
It's $1,000 there.
You can't need more.
Have you a proper suit? Gentlemen - Hear, hear! - Whoo! I'd like to introduce you to the woman of your wildest Western dreams.
Alas, there are two of you and there is only one of her.
So, to be fair I am set to auction her off to the highest bidder.
I give you, sirs, Mrs.
"True Loving.
" Whoo! Gentlemen, Mrs.
Loving is no ordinary woman.
She was reared by Indians.
Her horse is a fierce stallion.
She rides him bareback.
She will put an arrow straight through your heart.
But for now, her quiver's empty.
Ooh, la-la! Her man was murdered by a villain.
She has sworn to find his killer, and promised him a chamber of horrors.
Oh, miss Tucker, please remove your hand - from my - heart.
Gentlemen, your bids.
I have 250.
- 600.
- 800.
Stop! Put down your spears.
I am their very father, and your husband resurrected.
$1,000! Dammit.
I'm out.
I'm out.
Hey! Mrs.
Slotter? Would you please keep the money and help my husband and me arrange safe passage from the camp? Your money's been spent with help from me.
Get out of here.
That is three times you've saved us, Mrs.
Blithely.
I thank you.
Where is Mrs.
Loving? She's gone.
Bought and sold.
It's for the best.
She troubles you.
Porter and Cobb have declined to invest.
They're putting their money in the Northern Pacific.
They were here to see you.
I sent a telegram to Cornelius.
I told him our baby's born.
Born dead? Why tell him at all? That one there That's your newborn son.
"Cornelius Slotter junior.
" Your father's on his way.
He's bringing the payroll himself.
Isabelle, you are a goddamn genius.
Her mother's milk.
That will draw her spirit.
She will come to me.
Ada? You believe in your own trickery? It is the new effect.
It is a chemical reaction.
I believe that there is a world outside of this one.
Indeed.
Everything's all right now.
Safe home, warm beds.