The Lottery (2014) s01e02 Episode Script

Previously on "The Lottery" First viable human embryo in six years.
One hundred human eggs have been successfully fertilized.
I will need your access key to the lab and computer passwords.
You can't do this.
You can't fire me.
The decision has been made.
The next step, Mr.
president, is to officially engage the army to oversee the operation.
Vanessa, what do you suggest? A lottery.
Send me one single file.
One donor.
Brooke Ashton.
You fertilized human eggs? Yours was one of them.
Oh, my God.
You want me to steal her fertilized egg, which happens to be one of the most valuable things on the planet? No.
- Brooke Ashton? - Yes.
I'm with the fertility commission.
They sent everybody home early to watch the president's speech.
We took care of the Brooke Ashton situation.
- Suicide? - Yes.
This is the guy who fertilized Brooke's egg.
Where is Elvis? He's fine.
He's being evaluated.
Tell me where my son is! You're not allowed to be up here.
Let me just get my pass.
Word of a kidnapping.
Elvis Walker, one of the so-called "Last Six" - Where is the embryo? - I'm not giving it back.
For God's sake, Al, what the hell are you getting yourself into? No.
Let go of me! No! _ Where are you taking me? What the hell is going on here? You're under arrest, Dr.
Lennon.
Arrest? You stole a human embryo.
That's a class-a felony.
It was created by my team In my lab.
It belongs to the United States government.
- Where is it? - I want a lawyer.
Doesn't work that way.
- You can't deny my request for - This is a fertility crime.
There's no due process, no constitutional safeguards just us.
So, where is it? I don't know what you're talking about.
_ Why did we run out of the hospital? If you run, you get out of there faster than if you walk.
Was I sick? No.
No, I-I think one of the doctors made a mistake.
See, he thought you were sick, but you weren't.
That's why we left.
Make sense, Elvis? There's too much at stake.
These embryos are the most valuable assets on the planet.
Did you sell it? You working with someone else A foreign power? Biotech firm? I'm a scientist.
And you're also a criminal and, according to the fertility penal code, a terrorist.
Great speech tonight, Mr.
president.
Deputy secretary, I hardly recognized you without your sweatpants and hoodie.
In the last 10 minutes, I've received 300 phone calls from China, Romania, Lithuania.
They all want to know what's in it for them.
Your point? The lottery has unleashed an international shit storm.
Good.
So you'll actually earn your paycheck this week.
Go to hell.
Coming over tonight? Good.
Abduction alert.
Abduction alert.
Authorities are looking for Kyle Walker.
Authorities are looking for Kyle You finished? Yeah.
Yeah? Let's get going.
What's the matter? My arm itches.
Your arm? Let me see.
Because of the thing the man put inside my arm.
A man put a thing in your arm? You might want to grab one of your superhero masks 'cause you are gonna need all the strength you can find.
This is gonna hurt.
So I just want you to pretend that you're a superhero, and this is what you got to do to save the world.
Okay? Okay.
Now look away from me, buddy.
'Cause superheroes They need to be free.
Can't have tiny, little things in their arms to let the bad guys know where they are.
One two three.
You bastards.
We're gonna find it.
It's not a matter of "if," but "when," which means right now is your best opportunity to help yourself.
Help myself? If I tell you where it is, you won't need me anymore, and you'll kill me Or help me commit suicide Like Brooke.
What wait.
What stop it! Aah! Aah! Wait! No.
Stop! No! This is your last chance.
Like I said The stakes are too high.
Aah! Really? 4:48? I'm going for a run.
It's too early for a drive, let alone a run.
I still can't believe it.
One hundred viable human embryos.
This could be the end of the fertility crisis.
Unfortunately, our international partners have a different perspective.
Screw them.
Is that the president's official position? Pretty much, yeah.
When do you leave for your Asian-appeasement tour? This afternoon.
Ugh.
When I get back, who knows? Maybe we could actually go out on a proper date.
I wouldn't count on it.
Oh, no, I just I like things the way they are Private, no obligations.
What's the real reason? Excuse me? Am I bad for your brand? What does that mean? I was just kidding.
About what My integrity? Relax.
It was a joke.
- Not to me.
- I don't understand No, you wouldn't, would you? You never had to work a day in your life.
Rich parents, diversity.
Whoa, whoa.
Slow down.
It was all handed to you on a polished Tiffany platter.
Unlike you, I have earned my success Every damn bit of it.
And this job means everything to me, so please do not judge me on how I build my brand.
Are you kidding? The lottery's creating a bit of an international headache.
claims to one or more embryos.
So far, 10 have made informal inquiries.
Two have filed legal documents with the international court of justice.
To be expected.
International white noise.
Valid or not, the legal claims are unenforceable And irrelevant.
Promise them military assistance, aid, debt relief, whatever else you want.
No one gets an embryo.
They belong to us.
I understand, Mr.
president, but I should also point out These countries also have legal recourse under the G25 fertility alliance.
Since you were the lead sponsor of that Nathan, no one gets an embryo! Where's Canada? About two hundred miles straight ahead.
My dad used to take me there in the summers.
There's a big lake, mountains.
Teach you how to ride a horse.
You're gonna love it.
Will my mom be there? No, your mom will not be there.
President Westwood's decision to hold a national lottery has certainly stirred up a lot of emotion.
What do you think? Is the lottery a good idea? I'm joined by Emile Fritz, Emile's a former 3rd-grade teacher who, 10 minutes ago, entered her name in the national lottery.
Sara's 27, a freelance writer, and a conscientious objector to what she calls the baby raffle.
Emile, talk to us.
Why'd you enter? Simple my husband and I want to be parents, badly, and the lottery might be our only chance to fulfill this dream.
I mean, how could I not enter? So, motherhood's very important to you? Oh, it's everything.
I know this might sound old-fashioned, but right now, I feel incomplete.
Having a baby will change that.
- Best of luck to you.
- Thank you.
Sara Bell, however, has a different point of view.
Sara, tell me Why did you decide not to enter the lottery? Uh, well, for starters, I don't think that the government has the right to raffle off embryos.
You believe the donors deserve them? I think they should be first in line, that's for sure.
Do you want to have children? Sure.
Someday.
But not like this.
So, what about this This whole embryo controversy? You believe president Westwood, or are the embryos fake? It wouldn't shock me.
I mean, president Westwood He's a phony.
I mean, maybe the embryos are phony, too.
You hear what they're saying about us? This isn't what we talked about, Vanessa.
A two-point bump? You said my approval ratings would soar.
This was supposed to be our Moon Landing.
Sir, the opposition got out in front of us.
They distorted the message, claimed the embryos were fake, that we're making the whole thing up to thwart a potential recall vote.
I was under the impression that it's your job to distort the message, to get out in front of things.
I have a press conference tomorrow.
You need to figure this out now.
Let me be perfectly candid The lottery was your idea.
You wanted to inspire hope, unify a fractured nation, stave off civil unrest.
Well, you got your wish.
You're my chief of staff.
Now find a way to make this lottery look like a good idea.
Where is she? Where's Dr.
Lennon? - Darius - What are you doing here? What the hell's going on? That's not your concern.
She stole an embryo.
She refused to cooperate.
What are you doing to her? For God's sake, get her out of there.
I'm acting on behalf of the president.
Get her the hell out of there now.
I called your lab.
I heard you like lemon soda.
First of all Let me just apologize for the confusion.
The good news is, I can make this go away, but I'll need your help.
The president wants you to be the scientific face of the lottery Help us market the concept, the credibility.
In exchange, we'll drop the charges and restore your job Once you return the embryo.
After what you've just been through, please just return it.
If you don't, there's nothing I can do to protect you.
The embryo is the only thing keeping me alive.
Dr.
Lennon, I am trying to help you, but you have to trust me.
I promise you, you will walk out of here.
I promise you, you will have your job back.
We can put it all in writing.
We need you, Dr.
Lennon.
The country needs you.
Just so you know, Dr.
Lennon, I didn't agree with this decision, but having said that, I believe in second chances, so please make the most of this opportunity.
Don't worry about him.
Stay focused.
Do your job.
Fertilize more eggs.
- Wait here.
- Okay.
Don't shoot.
I'm unarmed.
Kyle? You scared the hell out of me.
I scared you.
Right.
I'm sorry I didn't call.
I-I get it.
I get it.
You're all over the Internet.
Stay as long as you want.
I know what it's like.
Trust me.
Hey.
Look at you.
She's getting so big and beautiful.
Thank you.
Elvis.
Come on.
She's never seen a boy her own age before.
Neither has he.
I don't know.
I feel like I'm going crazy.
There's something going on here something bad.
Like what? Like Darius Hayes.
I think he killed Brooke.
Brooke The the egg donor? The woman who committed suicide? That's what the police say.
You don't believe it? I talked to her right before she died.
She was excited.
She'd hired a lawyer.
She wasn't on the verge of killing herself.
Look, I realize that you've been through a lot.
You have no idea what I've been through.
- Well, then tell me.
- I can't.
Al, look at me.
It's me, okay? Come on.
You can tell me.
They said if I talk about it Where I was, what happened They'd pull the deal and file charges.
Who? The Department of Humanity Darius.
So, let's figure out how the lottery will work.
Dr.
Campbell? From a medical perspective, all I care about is having one hundred healthy, active surrogates willing to adhere to a proper diet and exercise regimen.
As for the motherhood part of this, it really isn't a medical debate.
Being a good mother is a subjective thing.
I don't know how you could possibly prescreen for that.
You can't, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try and find a way to prescreen the surrogates for motherhood, too.
There are clearly objective data points that are predictive of stable parenting.
I get that, but how do we do it without looking like assholes? We decide what a great mother is Her values, her lifestyle, where she went to school, who they're married to.
He said without looking like assholes.
Who are we to decide what makes a good mother? Is she gay, straight, rich, poor, single? I agree, but we also can't give one hundred embryos to just anyone.
Which raises another question.
What will the government's role be in the children's lives going forward? Role? What I am suggesting, sir, is, given the state of the world right now, shouldn't we, in effect, be the mother? For God's sake, Darius.
We can't just relinquish control of the embryos Our embryos.
We need to maintain a certain ownership interest.
Ownership? We're talking about children here.
With all due respect, Mr.
president, our previous folksy, preconceived notions of motherhood and childhood no longer apply.
That ship has sailed.
Look, we're talking about two different issues here Surrogacy and parenting.
What makes someone a good surrogate doesn't necessarily make them a good parent, and vice versa.
So, what we really need to do is address this in two parts.
Part one we choose two hundred biologically viable surrogates from the thousands of women who meet the agreed-upon medical criteria.
Part two we invite those two hundred women to D.
C.
We interview them, and we choose the one hundred women we think will make the best mothers.
Supervised democracy.
Start writing the speech.
_ Damn it.
It's not working.
I can't fertilize any more eggs.
If it isn't the chemical protocol, then what is it? I mean, the eggs? The sperm? I think we got to explore some of these donors.
Maybe there's some sort of I don't know Like a common chemical connection among them Something we haven't discovered.
What the hell's going on here? What? All the donor information's been deleted.
For everyone all one hundred.
Who did this? And why would they delete the files? So, the only names we have are Brooke and Kyle.
One's dead, and one's a fugitive.
Awesome.
Elvis and I need to get out of the country.
I got a friend in Quebec.
Hmm.
So that's why you chose me Geographic reasons.
You're a friend, Camille.
You know what I'm going through.
I got an army buddy who lives nearby in Buffalo.
He's gonna hook us up with new passports.
Stay as long as you want.
And you don't have to worry about the government, either.
Department of Humanity just finished their monthly evaluation, so they won't be back for another 30 days.
Bastards.
How dare they evaluate my motherhood skills? Like a song you don't hear anymore.
What is it? It's his Insulin.
Blood sugar's a little high.
Did you eat something? A cupcake.
You said I could have one.
Right.
One.
How many did you have? - Two.
- Two? Where are you going? To get Insulin.
Thanks for meeting with me.
Of course.
Like I told you, I'm here to help.
I'm worried that I just tried to access our database, but all the information relating to the one hundred egg and sperm donors has been deleted.
What? Why? I'm not sure.
But I need all the information I can get.
Those donors could be the key to us finding a cure.
You wanted me to help you.
Now you need to help me.
I understand.
I'll look into it.
I promise.
Dr.
Lennon? I take it you haven't been able to fertilize any more eggs? No.
Not yet.
I thought you were hopeful.
I was.
Unfortunately, science is not about hope.
It's about reality.
I'm sorry.
The problem is the president still believes a lottery should feel Democratic Fun.
I think he's getting drunk on the chief of staff's kool-aid.
So he won't sign off on military control of the surrogates? Not yet.
I think he needs to hear a new perspective from a leader he trusts, like the Chairman of the joint chiefs.
I'm certainly willing to discuss the issue with him.
Good.
He needs a reality check.
Right now, he's more concerned with politics than security.
From what I hear, he should be.
So, I can count on you? You and I have always seen eye to eye, Darius.
What do you mean "unsuccessful"? I just spoke to Dr.
Lennon.
She hasn't been able to fertilize any more eggs.
She was hopeful, but she thought the magical solution was the new chemical protocol, and, apparently, it was not.
So we're nowhere? What am I supposed to say tomorrow? These embryos need to feel like the beginning, not the end.
What the hell good are one hundred embryos if you don't have another The whole point of this is hope.
We need to ring that bell every chance we get.
Forgive me, father, for I am about to sin.
I'm gonna run a quick errand, okay? Hello? Yeah, I just drove by your pharmacy.
There's smoke coming from the back alley.
What the hell? I spoke with commissioner Hayes.
He's doing his best to find out what happened to the donor information.
I want you to know we both understand how important this is.
Thank you.
Did you have a chance to look over the speech I sent you? Yes, I did.
It's full of lies.
We're We're trying to paint a positive picture of the future.
To accomplish that, we need you to express optimism.
This isn't optimism.
It's horseshit.
I have no idea why I was able to fertilize those eggs Or if I'll be able to do it again ever.
So I certainly can't say we're on the verge of finding a cure.
Nothing could be farther from the truth.
I respect your desire to do the right thing, but, unfortunately, you signed an agreement.
If you don't cooperate, that deal goes away, and charges will be filed.
So you're gonna charge me with a crime for not lying? This isn't about lying or not lying.
This isn't about you or your moral constitution, either.
This is about us This country Inspiring hope, preventing a civil war.
I understand our predicament, but I'm not gonna whore out my scientific integrity and defraud the nation.
The speech is tomorrow morning at 8:00.
Oh, great.
Goddamn roadblock.
I feel funny.
Let's check, okay? Everything's gonna be all right.
Hey.
Okay.
Drink up, sweetie.
It's very important.
Your dad said you need lots of water.
You need to drink the whole glass.
Okay? Every drop.
Hello? Hey.
Elvis isn't doing too well.
How are his eyes? Are they open? Yes, but he he's having a hard time seeing.
Some things are blurry.
He needs water As much as you can give him.
He's not responding.
I need to call an ambulance.
- No, you won't.
- I'm not a doctor, Kyle.
- I can't just let him die.
- He won't.
- I'm almost there.
- I can't risk it.
They will take him, Camille for good.
Just hang in there, all right? I'll get there.
I promise.
Just keep giving him water.
All right, please hurry.
Police department.
Hi.
Uh, yeah, you know that guy that's all over the news? - Kyle Walker? - Yes, sir.
Yeah, I-I think I just saw him heading south on Cedar Drive.
Thank you very much, sir.
Sure thing.
Come on.
There we go.
There we go.
Sir, we've studied the logistics.
Given the medical and security issues, I recommend the military oversee the surrogates.
They can be housed in existing facilities, and we can provide some form of supervised access for family members.
We've already talked about this.
The lottery has to feel Democratic, open.
We can't make it look like we're throwing these women in jail.
But, sir, the country would feel a deeper sense of security if it saw the government take complete control.
I'm already getting hammered on this crap Big government, big military, loss of personal freedom, privacy.
If the military takes this over, they're gonna riot in the streets.
Kind of defeats the purpose.
The lottery winners have to feel like they're living normal lives.
The country has to feel like they've finally turned the page.
Am I clear? Yes, sir.
- I'm coming, buddy.
- Thank God you're back.
No, no.
Not today my friend.
Hang in there, Elvis.
Come on.
Hang in there.
Hang in there.
Hang in there.
What are you doing? He's not responding.
He needs another dose.
Come on! Come on! Hey.
Attaboy.
Hey.
Hey.
Ohh.
Baby boy.
I've never exaggerated a result in my life ever.
There's nothing in this contract that requires you to lie.
"The undersigned agrees to assist the government in connection with the marketing of the national lottery and agrees to speak, in her capacity as a scientist, at any and all events, speeches, and conferences the government requests".
So I need to give a speech? Uh, yeah.
Yeah, but they can't force you to lie.
Right.
Good.
Then again, I don't think Darius really cares what the damn contract says.
Just say what you believe.
Easy for you to say.
You don't have to live with the consequences.
But you know what? You've got a lot more leverage than you think.
The second you get up there and you start speaking, the world is gonna know who you are and what you've done, and you'll be too famous for them to screw with you.
Like you said, we're scientists, and we seek the truth.
Dr.
Lennon.
Please, come in.
Sit down.
You look beautiful.
I just wanted to make sure you didn't have any questions about the speech.
No.
I know exactly what I'm going to say.
The agreement I signed does not require me to lie.
Yep.
You're absolutely right.
So, please, feel free to say whatever your conscience dictates.
You have a signed agreement.
But you know who doesn't have a signed agreement? James.
Excuse me? James Lynch, your co-worker.
Or should I say co-conspirator? He gave you his key card that night.
Helped you steal the embryo.
That makes him an accessory.
He had nothing to do with it.
That doesn't matter.
This is about something much bigger than any of us.
Stay on script, Dr.
Lennon, and all will be grand.
These one hundred viable human embryos don't only represent the future of our country They represent the past, when having children was normal.
But there's more.
My team of dedicated scientists are actively working on a cure.
And we now believe we are close to finding one.
This is just the beginning.
Before long, women around the world will again experience the miracle of childbirth and the joy of motherhood.
Before long, these playgrounds and schools Will again be filled with children laughing and playing.
Thank you, Dr.
Lennon.
A true American hero.
The national lottery will select two hundred women at random from the pool of eligible candidates.
These two hundred women will be invited to Washington, D.
C.
, where we will conduct further tests and interviews.
We will then select the one hundred women best suited to be the mothers of the next generation.
The most precious thing in this world is children.
They are the lifeblood of our nation and our very existence.
Without them, there is no future.
I appreciate what you did.
I'm just glad it all worked out.
I was terrified.
I really thought he was gonna die.
To be eligible to enter the lottery, women must be between the ages of 18 and 32.
Prior to submitting your name for consideration, entrants must be examined by a government physician and pass a variety of genetic and prenatal tests.
We've identified a secure site A former military compound near the Mexican border.
We'll repurpose the building Turn it into a medical facility.
It's totally off the radar.
We can control access and maintain the highest level of security.
Darius, I was in that meeting.
The president is not on board with this.
He'll come around.
It's only a matter of time.
And if he doesn't? Presidents come and go.
Men like us We serve a higher purpose, a bigger picture.
We don't have the luxury of bending with the political wind.
Hey.
It's Nathan.
I'm sorry about the argument the other day.
I really was just kidding.
Anyway, I'm having a hell of a time on the Asian-appeasement tour.
Only problem is my hand is tired from all the diplomatic hand jobs I'm giving.
I'll call you later.
You've reached Nathan.
Leave a message.
Hi.
Um, I'm sorry, too.
Actually, it was my fault.
Call me when you get to Shanghai If your hand isn't too tired.
Look up! Look up! Look up! Look up! Look up! - Vanessa.
- Sir.
How are you? I thought the speech went well.
I have some bad news.
Nathan Mitchell and four other diplomats were just taken hostage in Shanghai.
What? What do they want? They want five embryos.