Fortunate Son (2020) s01e03 Episode Script
All Along the Watchtower
1 (NARRATOR): Previously on Fortunate Son They were very interested in Travis.
You ever ask yourself why we moved to Canada? Ruby Howard was an agitator in Princeton.
I want you to get contact names for everybody on both sides of the borders.
Chimes of freedom, baby! - Maybe you could help us? - Sure.
Stay away from the back of the building.
Why? Innocent people could have been killed! The world needs revolution, Mom! It should have gone off.
So why didn't it? You know, the real question is, who told them how to get the C-4? Be cool.
(EXPLOSION) (OMINOUS MUSIC) (INAUDIBLE SPEAKING) (GASPING) (TED GROANING) Hey.
Just try to calm your breathing.
Hey.
I see his face the boy in Petersburg.
I see the flames and then I can't breathe.
- I'm afraid for Ralph.
- I know.
Thank God nothing happened.
If it hadn't been for Travis, I can't even Hey.
Hey.
Breathe.
We're okay.
You know, sometimes I think it's gonna be alright.
We have the kids.
We have each other.
Other times, I just panic.
(RAGGED BREATHING) (GROAN) (GENTLE KNOCKING) Travis? Here.
I've helped others through this.
I know you feel hopeless right now, but it - (RETCHING) - It will get better.
It will get better.
Trust me; I'm in the hope business.
I want to get clean.
I know you can.
Who's that? PFC Lawrence Mosley, Third Marines.
Wounded in Da Nang in '67.
He came home, and now they're recalling him.
I just found out he's coming across.
Sometimes the best way to help yourself is by helping someone else.
You guys were here all night but you don't know anything? You didn't hear anything? You don't know who was - in the car? Okay.
- I can't answer that question.
God.
What you got? Che Guevara, Guerrilla Warfare.
Anybody remember seeing anything last night? Nope.
Well, not that they'd tell me, anyway.
Hey Pokey, you got anything? Wallet, looks like.
- Linda Plotnick.
- Ah, jeez.
- Remember her? - Yeah.
Stupid kid.
A waste.
(SIGHING) Hi, a group of us ex-pats in Canada are trying to get the vote out for Bobby in California.
Yeah.
Well, let me start by saying that Bobby Kennedy's going to end the war.
He's going to close the gap between Blacks and whites, rich, poor, you name it.
Mm-hm.
Well, he is a family man and he wants to bring his kids up in a better world than the one we're living in today.
Fold and stuff.
Oh, absolutely.
Yeah.
Well, there is a change coming and you want to be on the right side of history but you got to get out and vote.
Fantastic, that's great to hear.
- Mm-hm.
Yep.
- Orgono? - Oh, one moment, please.
Yep? - Have you seen my address book? - Umm, nope.
- No? Hi, sorry about that.
It's usually in my bedside table.
Yep.
Awesome.
Thanks for your time.
Mm, bye.
Thanks.
That's so weird.
- Ralphie, Ralphie.
- What? (GASPING): I'm so sorry.
There was an explosion - at River Park.
- What is it? - It was Destiny's car.
- Oh, my God.
Ralphie, I (TENSE MUSIC) The bomb at the police station was supposed to go off.
There were too many people.
Someone would've been hurt.
I said, let them make a big noise.
Well, if the bomb had gone off, Ruby would've known and she would've never let me back in the house - She kicked you out anyway.
- For the drugs! But this way, I can still get back in.
I made a judgement call in the moment.
(DISTANT SIREN WAILING) We want the good people of Canada to be afraid of activists and draft dodgers.
You understand? More pressure, more leverage on Ruby.
You and I, we're not supposed to be here, remember? Yeah.
Hey, what happened to Destiny? - Misadventure.
- The way I left that stuff, there's no way she accidentally set it off.
Like I said, the police will decide it was misadventure.
Find anything for me at the house? Yeah, yeah.
I found her address book.
These are all the names I had time to copy out of it.
There were some numbers but no names beside them.
I'm gonna need those too.
Especially those.
Find a way to get back into the house.
Get involved with the committee.
See if you can find the file of the people that have already come through.
Don't you start to like these people, Travis.
These protests weaken our position in Vietnam.
They are helping Ho Chi Minh kill our marines.
You get that, right? Next time you do exactly as I tell you.
- Alright? - Yes, sir.
Go.
Linda Plotnick appears to be the driver of the vehicle but it'll be a while before we get a positive ID.
Now, the car's registered to a Florence Plotnick, who we're assuming is the girl's mother back in Castlegar.
And what the hell is this? It was found in the car.
- It's a communist book.
- Yeah.
And she's the same one who put the bomb outside? That's what we're thinking.
Son of a bitch.
Well, at least the degenerates are blowing themselves up and not us, huh? (WHEEZY LAUGHING) This is that guy from Cuba! - Che Guevara, yeah.
- Che Guevara.
We think this is the guy who beat up the border patrol agents.
He may also be involved - in the attempted bombing here.
- We want to bring him in.
No.
No, not yet.
- Why, what are we waiting for? - Uh, you have a fatality - at the river.
Work on that.
- Okay.
Now, I'm going to uh, I'm going to keep this.
Che Guev-eh-ra.
Guev-ah-ra.
(SAD AMBIENT MUSIC) (VEHICLE APPROACHING) Everything okay? Still having problems with the ion source line.
We keep getting these contaminated results.
Parker's demanding a clean test by Friday.
- That's ridiculous.
- Yeah.
Listen, um I just wanted to I enjoyed our drink the other night.
I hope I didn't, you know, shock you - by the place I suggested.
- Yeah, well, uh I I stayed for a couple of drinks but it's it's not my kind of place.
You know? I do.
I shouldn't have sprung that on you, it's just that I felt we had a certain connection, but it's okay.
I get it.
But you got to admit, they do have one of the best scotch - collections around, right? - Yeah, that was a treat.
Listen, I know I don't have to say this but no one else can know.
It would mean the end of my career, well my life, actually.
I understand.
- How's he doing? - He's in shock.
He thinks the police blew up her car.
- Why would they do that? - I don't know.
He's not thinking straight.
Have you called Dad yet? No, not yet.
(OBJECTS CLATTERING) Something like this was bound to happen, you know.
Ellen, please just don't do this right now.
You're the one who put all the revolutionary stuff - inside his head - Since when did Robert Kennedy - become a revolutionary? - You know what I mean! All this anti-war activism.
Bringing an army deserter into our house! Ralph doesn't realize what can happen.
He is so lonely and afraid and confused that he'll just hop on any crazy train that blows through! Yes, Ralph can get carried away.
Planting a bomb is getting carried away? He needs a new focus, yes, but he cares and he's passionate about change and we all have a responsibility to make a positive change in the society we live in.
Even you.
Oh, I will.
I plan to go to law school, make a lot of money.
Okay, Ellen, you know what? I know you're angry over the move to Canada but it has been two years.
You really need to get over it.
We shouldn't even be in this country, Mom.
Why are we here? (TENSE MUSIC) You know why.
- (APPROACHING CAR) - (TWO HONKS) - What do you want here? - Oh, hi.
I'd like to speak with Ralph, please.
- Do you have a warrant? - Gosh, no.
We just want to express our condolences, really, and Ralph.
Ralph.
Ralph.
Woah-oh-oh.
Ralph.
Get back in the house.
Ralph! We want to say how sorry we are about what happened to your friend, Linda Plotnick.
Her name's not Linda.
It's Destiny.
- Ralph! Stop it! - Damn it! Pig, you killed her! - Don't hurt him.
- You killed her, man! - You set the bomb in her car! - What are you talking about? - Why would we do that? - Please don't arrest him.
He's very upset, his girlfriend just died.
I'm a little upset myself.
He just assaulted an officer.
- You alright, buddy? - No! The little shit just punched me in the eye, damn it! - (RUBY): Ralph! - Killers.
- (RALPH GROANS) - (SOFTLY): Ralph.
(TENSE MUSIC) (TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICKING) Will, that's going to take forever, man.
(HEAVY SIGH) Look, why don't we hold the kid for a few hours, we'll chat with him, maybe give him a scare and let him go.
No.
I want that little brat charged.
Oh God, Laurie's gonna kill me when I get home.
She didn't like me being a cop to start with.
- Let me have a look.
- Mm-mm.
Come on, let me see it.
Come on.
Let me look.
Yeah, funny.
Ha-ha.
- Thanks, Grady.
- Yeah.
(SNORTING) - Stuff it, Grady.
- (GRADY AND ROSS LAUGHING) - Let me see, come on! - Woah, woah.
- What was it? - It's Kelly, it's Kelly.
Our team of experts have been working around the clock and they have identified the deceased as Linda Plotnick, of Castlegar, B.
C.
A certain quantity of explosives were accidentally triggered in the deceased's car, causing the explosion.
We are considering this fatality death by misadventure.
It is a sad circumstance but it appears that Ms.
Plotnick is the cause of her own demise.
Investigators have been - What the hell is he doing? - hard at work, sifting We don't even have the medical examiner's report yet.
The crime scene turned up several pieces of key evidence.
Of interest is this book, found in the wreckage of her car.
A communist manual on how to start a war.
Ms.
Plotnick was obviously radicalized by foreign elements coming across the border into Canada.
Guerilla Warfare by Che Guevara.
Can't get any more clear than this.
- (PHONES RINGING) - (TYPEWRITER KEYS CLACKING) Our funding is based on performance - and timely deliverables.
- (PHONE RINGING) Promises have been made, Dr.
Howard.
I understand, but uh Yeah.
Ah, Jesus.
Mm-hm.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'll be right there.
(HEAVY SIGH) Look, I'm sorry.
It's a family emergency, I've got to go.
(RALPH): I'm not playing your game, man.
- What game is that, Ralph? - Oh, you know - exactly what you did.
- No, sorry, we don't know what bouncy ball theory you got in your head when you were high.
What we do know is you were with Linda Plotnick.
- "Destiny".
- The one who put a bomb on our back door.
Now, where did she get the explosives? I told you, I'm not going to play your game, man.
Okay.
Well, how about this game.
Who's that? Hm? That's my cousin Travis from Nova Scotia.
He's been staying with us.
And did he bring you the explosives? (TED): I'm so sorry, Officer.
Making a habit of this, picking up your family members - at the police station.
- Yeah.
I'm so sorry about that.
Let's put a stop to it, alright? - Last time, I promise.
- Maybe between the two of you, - you can keep him at home? - We will, thank you.
(WILL SIGHS HEAVILY) Sorry, okay? I just lost it.
It's my fault she's dead.
I should've been with her.
Hey.
(DOOR SLAMS) (RHYTHMIC MUSIC) (SANDRO): Travis, it's time! Coming! (SANDRO): He's late.
I hope there was no trouble at the border.
How old is he? 20, from St.
Louis.
He was supposed to report at Fort Leonard but he went to Saint Augustine parish instead.
They contacted us.
Why do you do this? You know, I gotta think, if your bishop found out what you were up to I can't talk about change on Sunday and do nothing all week.
It's about finding meaning in your life, you know? Knowing what matters.
For all of us, yes? - Yeah.
- You could have said no, but here you are.
Leave no one behind, right? Yeah.
(SAD MUSIC) (CAR APPROACHING) They're here.
- (ENGINE IDLING) - (CAR DOOR SHUTS) Wait.
Make sure he's not followed.
Okay.
(CRICKETS CHIRPING) (FOLK ROCK MUSIC) All clear.
Travis Hunter.
First Battalion, Fourth Marines.
Lawrence Mosley.
I'm a deserter too.
You made it home.
(PSYCHEDELIC ROCK MUSIC) Hey.
You holding? No.
Don't worry, you won't get searched.
You got a nice, soft landing.
You go home, you kiss your mother and you wait for my call.
Alright? - (HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING) - (MEN TALKING INDISTINCTLY) - (MAN COUGHING) - Hey.
Almost forgot.
Got your Bronze Star.
Congratulations.
(GUNFIRE) (PANTING) You sleep like I do.
Two cats fighting in a pillowcase.
I was expecting, like, igloos or something.
You're safe here.
- These are good people.
- Better be, huh? - They got any other Black people around here? - Ha! I don't see many.
If you were 4th Marines, you went through Camp Schmidt too, right? Yeah.
Who were you with? 3rd Marines.
Da Nang.
Happy Valley.
Well, you made it out.
That's what's important.
Is there any coffee left? So do you know even a ballpark of when the report might be ready? I saw your boss on TV.
He doesn't need my report.
He wants to tell the TV news all about who was in the car all by himself.
He's just kind of you know, Linda's car, Linda's stuff, probably Linda at the wheel, that's all.
I see.
- You don't need my report either.
- Doris, come on.
Are you gonna do my job for me too? Here you go.
No? Fine, then you have to wait.
Come on, Doris, don't be so grumpy.
- It's a girl, right? - Okay, yes, it's a girl.
We've now eliminated 50% of the population.
Good job.
Now, if you wanna be more specific Yes, more specific, please.
Then we will have to check dental records.
If you don't mind.
(COUGHING) Thanks, Doris.
Mm-hm.
I have a committee meeting.
I should only be gone for a couple of hours.
Please don't leave the house.
Do you think her parents know? I would imagine the police have been in contact, yeah.
Did she tell you very much about them? Strict religious of some kind, you know, live on a farm.
Said she couldn't wait to get out of there.
I want us to start talking again, sweetie.
I know you're struggling, and I know you were even before this happened.
I just wish you'd let me help you.
You can't make this better.
(DOOR OPENS) I'm so sorry, man.
(RALPH SOBBING) - It's okay, brother.
- She's dead, man.
It's okay.
Professor Driskin? Professor Driskin? Excuse me, Professor Driskin, do you just have two seconds I have another class now.
My office hours start at 1.
No, I know, it's just I have to work, so I can't actually - Ms.
Howard.
- Yes, sir.
I know this was due yesterday and I know you have a very strict policy on lates, but I'm hoping you will still read it.
It's just, things were so chaotic at home and with work and everything, I just really wanted to go over it one more time, but I I hope you'll still read it.
- Where do you work? - I have a job at the bank.
You're a busy lady.
So is your mother.
I saw her on the news.
That was her, wasn't it? Yeah.
(CHUCKLING) But I'm not, uh I'm not like that.
I'm a serious student.
I never miss a deadline, that's not who I am.
Usually.
No, we don't have to be our parents, do we? Okay, I'll read it.
Thank you.
Thank you so much, sir.
(ROCK MUSIC) (TRAVIS): I wasn't trying to suggest anything about coming back to the house.
I just knew Ralph would be hurting.
I appreciate the gesture.
Ralph can be He's hard to reach sometimes.
The move was hard on him.
Things didn't go well at his new school.
It's hard to know how to help him.
He has a big heart.
He feels things in a big way, and that's good.
Life can kick that out of you in a hurry.
You were never like Ralph, were you? No, ma'am.
But I knew lots like him.
I was a pretty "by the rules" kid back then.
- Not that long ago.
- Feels like forever.
You know, my parents weren't like you and Ted.
They played bridge.
Same military family, same cocktails at 5 I guess you left all that behind when you came to Canada? I mean your friends and social life and stuff.
It was a different time in our life, you know.
The kids grew up around Princeton, and I I think leaving all of that behind was harder on them than we thought.
You try to be a good parent, try to set a good example, but they're unique, and as much as I want to control them, I can't.
And I shouldn't.
(SIGHING) It's a hard lesson.
You know, someday, your parents will realise what they let go and they're gonna come find you.
We're gonna get you settled, you'll see.
It's gonna be good.
I am a relentlessly, sometimes infuriatingly, idealistic person.
It's my family's curse.
Dennis, you will start working on the landed immigrant status and Ruby will start coordinating finding you work or getting you back to school, - if that's what you want.
- You'll both need SIN numbers.
Y'all got a number for that up here? - (LAUGHING) - Social Insurance Numbers.
You can't get work without one.
Dennis may have to do some fudging to make you eligible.
Yeah, he did great for me, man.
I've been here since '65.
And also, because you are deserters, local police will have a lot of pressure on them to hand you over to the American authorities, so you need to lay low and stay out of trouble.
And obviously, don't even think about crossing back into the US.
You will get caught and sent to prison.
He's right, don't try it.
I've seen one guy go back to try and buy American smokes.
He's in Fort Sill now.
- So, we're gonna keep living in the church? - No, no, no.
We probably have 50 safe houses.
Families who are willing to take you in.
And you will be staying with them in two- or three-week increments until you're ready to move into your own place.
Lawrence, you will be staying with the Kendricks in Surrey.
It's important that you do not attract attention to yourself.
There's not a big Black community around here.
The basement is boring, but it's safe, yeah? - Travis, you will be staying - Travis will stay with us.
- Are you sure? - Yeah.
All I ask is you stay clean.
Of course.
Thank you.
Maybe I should help Lawrence get settled first, come over tomorrow? Yeah, that's a good idea.
Okay, where were we at? Yeah.
Bye.
Everything okay back home? - Talk to your mom? - Brother.
He's back on leave right now.
- Give you a rough ride? - Yeah.
They're all pissed at me.
But I couldn't go back to Nam.
Soon as I got home, I started having these panic attacks.
Dreams and shit.
My brother says he heard about you.
He said he knew some of them guys in Charlie Company.
What else did he say? Incident investigator said VC fired, but no way it happened the way the Company report said.
Says you're the only one that walked out of it.
Look, I'll only say this once.
Only to you, because you survived and made it to Canada.
We tried to rendezvous with Charlie Company.
I was in charge of Bravo, and we walked into an ambush.
We got wiped out.
All of us except for me and one man.
We got separated in the dark.
He ran on to Charlie Company.
And they opened up on him.
He thought they were VC.
He hit them with a grenade.
He died in my arms.
I was the only survivor.
I'll never tell anyone who that man was.
We'll never talk about this again.
You understand? I won't say nothing.
I'm sorry, man.
We all got shit.
(BIRDS CHIRPING) (ROBERT KENNEDY): Violence breeds violence.
Repression breeds retaliation, and only a cleansing of our whole society can remove this sickness from our souls.
But there is another kind of violence.
This is the violence of institutions; indifference, inaction, and decay.
This is the violence - (PHONE LINE TRILLING) - [Hello?.]
Ted, hi.
Listen, I know you're busy, I won't keep you, but I just wanted to let you know that I agreed - to let Travis come back.
- [Ruby, we talked about this.
.]
I know, I know.
Just listen to me.
Ralph is grieving, he desperately needs someone, and right now, that's not me.
Or you.
You're so busy, and for whatever reason, he and Travis have bonded.
I just I just couldn't take that away from him.
Yeah, I know.
I know.
I haven't been home much.
I will talk to him.
I just Look, I can't be having this conversation [right now.
I gotta go.
Bye.
.]
(CALL ENDS) Here's how they handled the contaminant problem in Illinois.
- Is that a ferret? - They tied a string to her and let her run in the iron source line.
When she came back, they tied a Shammy on the end and cleaned the line.
- Are you joking? - Dead serious.
Did you find the file with the billet locations? I know where it is.
Sandro keeps it locked up.
Find it.
I want you to cross-check this list of names against the owners of the billet homes and the men who were assigned there.
- And who are all these people? - People of interest.
You get the rest of her address book? No, haven't had a chance yet.
I'm not back in the house.
Why Ruby? What did she do? You know what this is? It's a phone tap.
Voice activated.
It goes here.
Right? I want you to put it in the phone at the Howard house.
There's something else.
New deserter came across.
Lawrence Mosley, 3rd Marines.
He failed to report for a second tour at Fort Leonard.
He knows about Cam Lo.
He says there's rumours going around about what really happened.
Nobody knows what really happened.
Just you and me.
But I'll take care of it.
Can't have loose talk about you around here.
See if you can get him to go for a beer with you, and I'll handle the rest.
Yeah.
I still don't get how this thing blew up.
- Don't touch that stuff, please.
- Sorry.
So, anything to indicate whether the C-4 - was wired to the ignition? - Not yet.
Looking at the doors now.
- Hey, what's this? - It's a key.
I know it's a key, Pokey.
What's it for? I don't know.
How am I supposed to know that? (PHONE RINGING) Yeah.
Yeah, they're both here.
Chief wants to see you guys.
(SIGHING) Thanks, Pokey.
See you, Pokey.
What do you think he wants? - No idea.
- Let's get this over with.
Yeah.
And here we go.
Why don't I have my medical examiner's report yet? - Doris is very thorough.
- What's to figure out? The girl blew herself up.
Any other evidence turn up in forensics? Like what? Like stuff that might tie her to subversive groups like that book.
Weapons, incidental items, keys, things like that.
- Not really, no.
- Nothing comes to mind.
Tell that medical examiner to get off her ass - and get me my report.
- Okay.
Why is he asking about keys? I gotta go.
Laurie's making meatloaf.
Participatory democracy means everyone votes, you included.
That's the only way real change can happen.
Kennedy in '68, yes, ma'am.
You never get tired of this? Spouting the same old speech? I happen to believe it.
You really think Bobby's gonna end the war the day after he's elected? How's he gonna do that? He made a commitment.
One he can't keep.
He just wanted Johnson out of the way so he could get the White House back in the family.
I can't believe you've fallen for this.
Do you remember the Stevensons? They lived just up the road from us when we were in Georgetown? Their son Michael used to deliver the paper.
He was a few years older than you guys, but he helped you build a fort in the vacant lot - that year.
Do you remember? - Yeah.
I ran into him, home on leave from Vietnam.
I hardly recognised him.
Do you know what he said to me? He said, "We're on the wrong side, Mrs.
Howard.
North Vietnamese are fighting for their home.
I don't know what we're fighting for".
He was dead by Christmas that year.
That's when I knew I had to do something.
Maybe Bobby Kennedy will do what he says, and maybe he won't, but we have to believe in something and we have to take action, because sooner or later politics becomes personal.
(SOFT MUSIC) I remember the Stevensons.
I liked Michael.
And I'm sorry - about what happened to him.
- Mm-hmm.
We can't take on other people's problems all the time, Mom.
It's too much.
- (KNOCK AT DOOR) - Across the evening sky All the birds are leaving You okay? But how can they know It's time for them to go? You know, if you don't want to deal with Mom, I can bring you some food.
I can't eat anything.
Before the winter fire But thanks.
I hate seeing you hurting like this.
Even though I mostly despise you as a human being.
- (LAUGHING) - Who knows where the time Goes Who knows Where the time Goes Look at all this.
I found these old comics over there.
Some real old ones in here, too.
Let's go get a beer.
Sandro said to stay in.
There's two of us.
What are they gonna do? Sometimes you just gotta have a beer, am I right? Yeah.
Let's do it.
(TENSE MUSIC) After-work drinks at home this time? Thank you.
This wouldn't be a bribe, would it? For what? Hmm For the fact that the violent drug addict is back in the cabin.
He's not.
He comes back tomorrow.
Oh.
Well, that didn't last long, did it? Ted, if you'd seen him with Ralph They have a special connection, and we can't be that for him right now.
Travis is trying to find his way back into the world, and so is Ralph.
Maybe they can help each other.
Look, I know it doesn't look like it sometimes, but I, uh I do try with Ralph.
He's just so different than I was back then, and it's hard for me to I don't know, understand him, I guess.
I'm really sorry about the other night.
I was I was being kind of a jerk, and I'm not sure why.
Prince George.
I found it on a map, it's right in the middle.
Nothing around it in any direction.
I was talking to Sandro, he said they got a pulp mill there.
Have you ever seen a pulp mill? No, but he said they hire guys off the street there 'cause they're so hard up for workers, I guess 'cause of where it is and all.
Put you in a bull camp.
All your meals and a place to sleep.
Well, it sounds like the army to me.
Except no one's trying to kill you.
I feel good about this, you know.
It's a new start.
A real new start.
We should go.
I wanna thank you, man.
You've been a help to me.
It means a lot to have someone like you on this side of the border.
Let's go.
Hey, you play pool? Maybe we should see if we can win some money in there.
No, thank you.
Black man playing for money in a white bar always ends up bad.
- You coming? - Gonna try my luck.
Alright.
See you back there.
(TENSE MUSIC) Hey, man.
Where you going? - You don't belong here.
- Travis! Travis! (GRUNTING) (SOBBING SOFTLY) Destiny? (PSYCHEDELIC ROCK MUSIC)
You ever ask yourself why we moved to Canada? Ruby Howard was an agitator in Princeton.
I want you to get contact names for everybody on both sides of the borders.
Chimes of freedom, baby! - Maybe you could help us? - Sure.
Stay away from the back of the building.
Why? Innocent people could have been killed! The world needs revolution, Mom! It should have gone off.
So why didn't it? You know, the real question is, who told them how to get the C-4? Be cool.
(EXPLOSION) (OMINOUS MUSIC) (INAUDIBLE SPEAKING) (GASPING) (TED GROANING) Hey.
Just try to calm your breathing.
Hey.
I see his face the boy in Petersburg.
I see the flames and then I can't breathe.
- I'm afraid for Ralph.
- I know.
Thank God nothing happened.
If it hadn't been for Travis, I can't even Hey.
Hey.
Breathe.
We're okay.
You know, sometimes I think it's gonna be alright.
We have the kids.
We have each other.
Other times, I just panic.
(RAGGED BREATHING) (GROAN) (GENTLE KNOCKING) Travis? Here.
I've helped others through this.
I know you feel hopeless right now, but it - (RETCHING) - It will get better.
It will get better.
Trust me; I'm in the hope business.
I want to get clean.
I know you can.
Who's that? PFC Lawrence Mosley, Third Marines.
Wounded in Da Nang in '67.
He came home, and now they're recalling him.
I just found out he's coming across.
Sometimes the best way to help yourself is by helping someone else.
You guys were here all night but you don't know anything? You didn't hear anything? You don't know who was - in the car? Okay.
- I can't answer that question.
God.
What you got? Che Guevara, Guerrilla Warfare.
Anybody remember seeing anything last night? Nope.
Well, not that they'd tell me, anyway.
Hey Pokey, you got anything? Wallet, looks like.
- Linda Plotnick.
- Ah, jeez.
- Remember her? - Yeah.
Stupid kid.
A waste.
(SIGHING) Hi, a group of us ex-pats in Canada are trying to get the vote out for Bobby in California.
Yeah.
Well, let me start by saying that Bobby Kennedy's going to end the war.
He's going to close the gap between Blacks and whites, rich, poor, you name it.
Mm-hm.
Well, he is a family man and he wants to bring his kids up in a better world than the one we're living in today.
Fold and stuff.
Oh, absolutely.
Yeah.
Well, there is a change coming and you want to be on the right side of history but you got to get out and vote.
Fantastic, that's great to hear.
- Mm-hm.
Yep.
- Orgono? - Oh, one moment, please.
Yep? - Have you seen my address book? - Umm, nope.
- No? Hi, sorry about that.
It's usually in my bedside table.
Yep.
Awesome.
Thanks for your time.
Mm, bye.
Thanks.
That's so weird.
- Ralphie, Ralphie.
- What? (GASPING): I'm so sorry.
There was an explosion - at River Park.
- What is it? - It was Destiny's car.
- Oh, my God.
Ralphie, I (TENSE MUSIC) The bomb at the police station was supposed to go off.
There were too many people.
Someone would've been hurt.
I said, let them make a big noise.
Well, if the bomb had gone off, Ruby would've known and she would've never let me back in the house - She kicked you out anyway.
- For the drugs! But this way, I can still get back in.
I made a judgement call in the moment.
(DISTANT SIREN WAILING) We want the good people of Canada to be afraid of activists and draft dodgers.
You understand? More pressure, more leverage on Ruby.
You and I, we're not supposed to be here, remember? Yeah.
Hey, what happened to Destiny? - Misadventure.
- The way I left that stuff, there's no way she accidentally set it off.
Like I said, the police will decide it was misadventure.
Find anything for me at the house? Yeah, yeah.
I found her address book.
These are all the names I had time to copy out of it.
There were some numbers but no names beside them.
I'm gonna need those too.
Especially those.
Find a way to get back into the house.
Get involved with the committee.
See if you can find the file of the people that have already come through.
Don't you start to like these people, Travis.
These protests weaken our position in Vietnam.
They are helping Ho Chi Minh kill our marines.
You get that, right? Next time you do exactly as I tell you.
- Alright? - Yes, sir.
Go.
Linda Plotnick appears to be the driver of the vehicle but it'll be a while before we get a positive ID.
Now, the car's registered to a Florence Plotnick, who we're assuming is the girl's mother back in Castlegar.
And what the hell is this? It was found in the car.
- It's a communist book.
- Yeah.
And she's the same one who put the bomb outside? That's what we're thinking.
Son of a bitch.
Well, at least the degenerates are blowing themselves up and not us, huh? (WHEEZY LAUGHING) This is that guy from Cuba! - Che Guevara, yeah.
- Che Guevara.
We think this is the guy who beat up the border patrol agents.
He may also be involved - in the attempted bombing here.
- We want to bring him in.
No.
No, not yet.
- Why, what are we waiting for? - Uh, you have a fatality - at the river.
Work on that.
- Okay.
Now, I'm going to uh, I'm going to keep this.
Che Guev-eh-ra.
Guev-ah-ra.
(SAD AMBIENT MUSIC) (VEHICLE APPROACHING) Everything okay? Still having problems with the ion source line.
We keep getting these contaminated results.
Parker's demanding a clean test by Friday.
- That's ridiculous.
- Yeah.
Listen, um I just wanted to I enjoyed our drink the other night.
I hope I didn't, you know, shock you - by the place I suggested.
- Yeah, well, uh I I stayed for a couple of drinks but it's it's not my kind of place.
You know? I do.
I shouldn't have sprung that on you, it's just that I felt we had a certain connection, but it's okay.
I get it.
But you got to admit, they do have one of the best scotch - collections around, right? - Yeah, that was a treat.
Listen, I know I don't have to say this but no one else can know.
It would mean the end of my career, well my life, actually.
I understand.
- How's he doing? - He's in shock.
He thinks the police blew up her car.
- Why would they do that? - I don't know.
He's not thinking straight.
Have you called Dad yet? No, not yet.
(OBJECTS CLATTERING) Something like this was bound to happen, you know.
Ellen, please just don't do this right now.
You're the one who put all the revolutionary stuff - inside his head - Since when did Robert Kennedy - become a revolutionary? - You know what I mean! All this anti-war activism.
Bringing an army deserter into our house! Ralph doesn't realize what can happen.
He is so lonely and afraid and confused that he'll just hop on any crazy train that blows through! Yes, Ralph can get carried away.
Planting a bomb is getting carried away? He needs a new focus, yes, but he cares and he's passionate about change and we all have a responsibility to make a positive change in the society we live in.
Even you.
Oh, I will.
I plan to go to law school, make a lot of money.
Okay, Ellen, you know what? I know you're angry over the move to Canada but it has been two years.
You really need to get over it.
We shouldn't even be in this country, Mom.
Why are we here? (TENSE MUSIC) You know why.
- (APPROACHING CAR) - (TWO HONKS) - What do you want here? - Oh, hi.
I'd like to speak with Ralph, please.
- Do you have a warrant? - Gosh, no.
We just want to express our condolences, really, and Ralph.
Ralph.
Ralph.
Woah-oh-oh.
Ralph.
Get back in the house.
Ralph! We want to say how sorry we are about what happened to your friend, Linda Plotnick.
Her name's not Linda.
It's Destiny.
- Ralph! Stop it! - Damn it! Pig, you killed her! - Don't hurt him.
- You killed her, man! - You set the bomb in her car! - What are you talking about? - Why would we do that? - Please don't arrest him.
He's very upset, his girlfriend just died.
I'm a little upset myself.
He just assaulted an officer.
- You alright, buddy? - No! The little shit just punched me in the eye, damn it! - (RUBY): Ralph! - Killers.
- (RALPH GROANS) - (SOFTLY): Ralph.
(TENSE MUSIC) (TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICKING) Will, that's going to take forever, man.
(HEAVY SIGH) Look, why don't we hold the kid for a few hours, we'll chat with him, maybe give him a scare and let him go.
No.
I want that little brat charged.
Oh God, Laurie's gonna kill me when I get home.
She didn't like me being a cop to start with.
- Let me have a look.
- Mm-mm.
Come on, let me see it.
Come on.
Let me look.
Yeah, funny.
Ha-ha.
- Thanks, Grady.
- Yeah.
(SNORTING) - Stuff it, Grady.
- (GRADY AND ROSS LAUGHING) - Let me see, come on! - Woah, woah.
- What was it? - It's Kelly, it's Kelly.
Our team of experts have been working around the clock and they have identified the deceased as Linda Plotnick, of Castlegar, B.
C.
A certain quantity of explosives were accidentally triggered in the deceased's car, causing the explosion.
We are considering this fatality death by misadventure.
It is a sad circumstance but it appears that Ms.
Plotnick is the cause of her own demise.
Investigators have been - What the hell is he doing? - hard at work, sifting We don't even have the medical examiner's report yet.
The crime scene turned up several pieces of key evidence.
Of interest is this book, found in the wreckage of her car.
A communist manual on how to start a war.
Ms.
Plotnick was obviously radicalized by foreign elements coming across the border into Canada.
Guerilla Warfare by Che Guevara.
Can't get any more clear than this.
- (PHONES RINGING) - (TYPEWRITER KEYS CLACKING) Our funding is based on performance - and timely deliverables.
- (PHONE RINGING) Promises have been made, Dr.
Howard.
I understand, but uh Yeah.
Ah, Jesus.
Mm-hm.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'll be right there.
(HEAVY SIGH) Look, I'm sorry.
It's a family emergency, I've got to go.
(RALPH): I'm not playing your game, man.
- What game is that, Ralph? - Oh, you know - exactly what you did.
- No, sorry, we don't know what bouncy ball theory you got in your head when you were high.
What we do know is you were with Linda Plotnick.
- "Destiny".
- The one who put a bomb on our back door.
Now, where did she get the explosives? I told you, I'm not going to play your game, man.
Okay.
Well, how about this game.
Who's that? Hm? That's my cousin Travis from Nova Scotia.
He's been staying with us.
And did he bring you the explosives? (TED): I'm so sorry, Officer.
Making a habit of this, picking up your family members - at the police station.
- Yeah.
I'm so sorry about that.
Let's put a stop to it, alright? - Last time, I promise.
- Maybe between the two of you, - you can keep him at home? - We will, thank you.
(WILL SIGHS HEAVILY) Sorry, okay? I just lost it.
It's my fault she's dead.
I should've been with her.
Hey.
(DOOR SLAMS) (RHYTHMIC MUSIC) (SANDRO): Travis, it's time! Coming! (SANDRO): He's late.
I hope there was no trouble at the border.
How old is he? 20, from St.
Louis.
He was supposed to report at Fort Leonard but he went to Saint Augustine parish instead.
They contacted us.
Why do you do this? You know, I gotta think, if your bishop found out what you were up to I can't talk about change on Sunday and do nothing all week.
It's about finding meaning in your life, you know? Knowing what matters.
For all of us, yes? - Yeah.
- You could have said no, but here you are.
Leave no one behind, right? Yeah.
(SAD MUSIC) (CAR APPROACHING) They're here.
- (ENGINE IDLING) - (CAR DOOR SHUTS) Wait.
Make sure he's not followed.
Okay.
(CRICKETS CHIRPING) (FOLK ROCK MUSIC) All clear.
Travis Hunter.
First Battalion, Fourth Marines.
Lawrence Mosley.
I'm a deserter too.
You made it home.
(PSYCHEDELIC ROCK MUSIC) Hey.
You holding? No.
Don't worry, you won't get searched.
You got a nice, soft landing.
You go home, you kiss your mother and you wait for my call.
Alright? - (HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING) - (MEN TALKING INDISTINCTLY) - (MAN COUGHING) - Hey.
Almost forgot.
Got your Bronze Star.
Congratulations.
(GUNFIRE) (PANTING) You sleep like I do.
Two cats fighting in a pillowcase.
I was expecting, like, igloos or something.
You're safe here.
- These are good people.
- Better be, huh? - They got any other Black people around here? - Ha! I don't see many.
If you were 4th Marines, you went through Camp Schmidt too, right? Yeah.
Who were you with? 3rd Marines.
Da Nang.
Happy Valley.
Well, you made it out.
That's what's important.
Is there any coffee left? So do you know even a ballpark of when the report might be ready? I saw your boss on TV.
He doesn't need my report.
He wants to tell the TV news all about who was in the car all by himself.
He's just kind of you know, Linda's car, Linda's stuff, probably Linda at the wheel, that's all.
I see.
- You don't need my report either.
- Doris, come on.
Are you gonna do my job for me too? Here you go.
No? Fine, then you have to wait.
Come on, Doris, don't be so grumpy.
- It's a girl, right? - Okay, yes, it's a girl.
We've now eliminated 50% of the population.
Good job.
Now, if you wanna be more specific Yes, more specific, please.
Then we will have to check dental records.
If you don't mind.
(COUGHING) Thanks, Doris.
Mm-hm.
I have a committee meeting.
I should only be gone for a couple of hours.
Please don't leave the house.
Do you think her parents know? I would imagine the police have been in contact, yeah.
Did she tell you very much about them? Strict religious of some kind, you know, live on a farm.
Said she couldn't wait to get out of there.
I want us to start talking again, sweetie.
I know you're struggling, and I know you were even before this happened.
I just wish you'd let me help you.
You can't make this better.
(DOOR OPENS) I'm so sorry, man.
(RALPH SOBBING) - It's okay, brother.
- She's dead, man.
It's okay.
Professor Driskin? Professor Driskin? Excuse me, Professor Driskin, do you just have two seconds I have another class now.
My office hours start at 1.
No, I know, it's just I have to work, so I can't actually - Ms.
Howard.
- Yes, sir.
I know this was due yesterday and I know you have a very strict policy on lates, but I'm hoping you will still read it.
It's just, things were so chaotic at home and with work and everything, I just really wanted to go over it one more time, but I I hope you'll still read it.
- Where do you work? - I have a job at the bank.
You're a busy lady.
So is your mother.
I saw her on the news.
That was her, wasn't it? Yeah.
(CHUCKLING) But I'm not, uh I'm not like that.
I'm a serious student.
I never miss a deadline, that's not who I am.
Usually.
No, we don't have to be our parents, do we? Okay, I'll read it.
Thank you.
Thank you so much, sir.
(ROCK MUSIC) (TRAVIS): I wasn't trying to suggest anything about coming back to the house.
I just knew Ralph would be hurting.
I appreciate the gesture.
Ralph can be He's hard to reach sometimes.
The move was hard on him.
Things didn't go well at his new school.
It's hard to know how to help him.
He has a big heart.
He feels things in a big way, and that's good.
Life can kick that out of you in a hurry.
You were never like Ralph, were you? No, ma'am.
But I knew lots like him.
I was a pretty "by the rules" kid back then.
- Not that long ago.
- Feels like forever.
You know, my parents weren't like you and Ted.
They played bridge.
Same military family, same cocktails at 5 I guess you left all that behind when you came to Canada? I mean your friends and social life and stuff.
It was a different time in our life, you know.
The kids grew up around Princeton, and I I think leaving all of that behind was harder on them than we thought.
You try to be a good parent, try to set a good example, but they're unique, and as much as I want to control them, I can't.
And I shouldn't.
(SIGHING) It's a hard lesson.
You know, someday, your parents will realise what they let go and they're gonna come find you.
We're gonna get you settled, you'll see.
It's gonna be good.
I am a relentlessly, sometimes infuriatingly, idealistic person.
It's my family's curse.
Dennis, you will start working on the landed immigrant status and Ruby will start coordinating finding you work or getting you back to school, - if that's what you want.
- You'll both need SIN numbers.
Y'all got a number for that up here? - (LAUGHING) - Social Insurance Numbers.
You can't get work without one.
Dennis may have to do some fudging to make you eligible.
Yeah, he did great for me, man.
I've been here since '65.
And also, because you are deserters, local police will have a lot of pressure on them to hand you over to the American authorities, so you need to lay low and stay out of trouble.
And obviously, don't even think about crossing back into the US.
You will get caught and sent to prison.
He's right, don't try it.
I've seen one guy go back to try and buy American smokes.
He's in Fort Sill now.
- So, we're gonna keep living in the church? - No, no, no.
We probably have 50 safe houses.
Families who are willing to take you in.
And you will be staying with them in two- or three-week increments until you're ready to move into your own place.
Lawrence, you will be staying with the Kendricks in Surrey.
It's important that you do not attract attention to yourself.
There's not a big Black community around here.
The basement is boring, but it's safe, yeah? - Travis, you will be staying - Travis will stay with us.
- Are you sure? - Yeah.
All I ask is you stay clean.
Of course.
Thank you.
Maybe I should help Lawrence get settled first, come over tomorrow? Yeah, that's a good idea.
Okay, where were we at? Yeah.
Bye.
Everything okay back home? - Talk to your mom? - Brother.
He's back on leave right now.
- Give you a rough ride? - Yeah.
They're all pissed at me.
But I couldn't go back to Nam.
Soon as I got home, I started having these panic attacks.
Dreams and shit.
My brother says he heard about you.
He said he knew some of them guys in Charlie Company.
What else did he say? Incident investigator said VC fired, but no way it happened the way the Company report said.
Says you're the only one that walked out of it.
Look, I'll only say this once.
Only to you, because you survived and made it to Canada.
We tried to rendezvous with Charlie Company.
I was in charge of Bravo, and we walked into an ambush.
We got wiped out.
All of us except for me and one man.
We got separated in the dark.
He ran on to Charlie Company.
And they opened up on him.
He thought they were VC.
He hit them with a grenade.
He died in my arms.
I was the only survivor.
I'll never tell anyone who that man was.
We'll never talk about this again.
You understand? I won't say nothing.
I'm sorry, man.
We all got shit.
(BIRDS CHIRPING) (ROBERT KENNEDY): Violence breeds violence.
Repression breeds retaliation, and only a cleansing of our whole society can remove this sickness from our souls.
But there is another kind of violence.
This is the violence of institutions; indifference, inaction, and decay.
This is the violence - (PHONE LINE TRILLING) - [Hello?.]
Ted, hi.
Listen, I know you're busy, I won't keep you, but I just wanted to let you know that I agreed - to let Travis come back.
- [Ruby, we talked about this.
.]
I know, I know.
Just listen to me.
Ralph is grieving, he desperately needs someone, and right now, that's not me.
Or you.
You're so busy, and for whatever reason, he and Travis have bonded.
I just I just couldn't take that away from him.
Yeah, I know.
I know.
I haven't been home much.
I will talk to him.
I just Look, I can't be having this conversation [right now.
I gotta go.
Bye.
.]
(CALL ENDS) Here's how they handled the contaminant problem in Illinois.
- Is that a ferret? - They tied a string to her and let her run in the iron source line.
When she came back, they tied a Shammy on the end and cleaned the line.
- Are you joking? - Dead serious.
Did you find the file with the billet locations? I know where it is.
Sandro keeps it locked up.
Find it.
I want you to cross-check this list of names against the owners of the billet homes and the men who were assigned there.
- And who are all these people? - People of interest.
You get the rest of her address book? No, haven't had a chance yet.
I'm not back in the house.
Why Ruby? What did she do? You know what this is? It's a phone tap.
Voice activated.
It goes here.
Right? I want you to put it in the phone at the Howard house.
There's something else.
New deserter came across.
Lawrence Mosley, 3rd Marines.
He failed to report for a second tour at Fort Leonard.
He knows about Cam Lo.
He says there's rumours going around about what really happened.
Nobody knows what really happened.
Just you and me.
But I'll take care of it.
Can't have loose talk about you around here.
See if you can get him to go for a beer with you, and I'll handle the rest.
Yeah.
I still don't get how this thing blew up.
- Don't touch that stuff, please.
- Sorry.
So, anything to indicate whether the C-4 - was wired to the ignition? - Not yet.
Looking at the doors now.
- Hey, what's this? - It's a key.
I know it's a key, Pokey.
What's it for? I don't know.
How am I supposed to know that? (PHONE RINGING) Yeah.
Yeah, they're both here.
Chief wants to see you guys.
(SIGHING) Thanks, Pokey.
See you, Pokey.
What do you think he wants? - No idea.
- Let's get this over with.
Yeah.
And here we go.
Why don't I have my medical examiner's report yet? - Doris is very thorough.
- What's to figure out? The girl blew herself up.
Any other evidence turn up in forensics? Like what? Like stuff that might tie her to subversive groups like that book.
Weapons, incidental items, keys, things like that.
- Not really, no.
- Nothing comes to mind.
Tell that medical examiner to get off her ass - and get me my report.
- Okay.
Why is he asking about keys? I gotta go.
Laurie's making meatloaf.
Participatory democracy means everyone votes, you included.
That's the only way real change can happen.
Kennedy in '68, yes, ma'am.
You never get tired of this? Spouting the same old speech? I happen to believe it.
You really think Bobby's gonna end the war the day after he's elected? How's he gonna do that? He made a commitment.
One he can't keep.
He just wanted Johnson out of the way so he could get the White House back in the family.
I can't believe you've fallen for this.
Do you remember the Stevensons? They lived just up the road from us when we were in Georgetown? Their son Michael used to deliver the paper.
He was a few years older than you guys, but he helped you build a fort in the vacant lot - that year.
Do you remember? - Yeah.
I ran into him, home on leave from Vietnam.
I hardly recognised him.
Do you know what he said to me? He said, "We're on the wrong side, Mrs.
Howard.
North Vietnamese are fighting for their home.
I don't know what we're fighting for".
He was dead by Christmas that year.
That's when I knew I had to do something.
Maybe Bobby Kennedy will do what he says, and maybe he won't, but we have to believe in something and we have to take action, because sooner or later politics becomes personal.
(SOFT MUSIC) I remember the Stevensons.
I liked Michael.
And I'm sorry - about what happened to him.
- Mm-hmm.
We can't take on other people's problems all the time, Mom.
It's too much.
- (KNOCK AT DOOR) - Across the evening sky All the birds are leaving You okay? But how can they know It's time for them to go? You know, if you don't want to deal with Mom, I can bring you some food.
I can't eat anything.
Before the winter fire But thanks.
I hate seeing you hurting like this.
Even though I mostly despise you as a human being.
- (LAUGHING) - Who knows where the time Goes Who knows Where the time Goes Look at all this.
I found these old comics over there.
Some real old ones in here, too.
Let's go get a beer.
Sandro said to stay in.
There's two of us.
What are they gonna do? Sometimes you just gotta have a beer, am I right? Yeah.
Let's do it.
(TENSE MUSIC) After-work drinks at home this time? Thank you.
This wouldn't be a bribe, would it? For what? Hmm For the fact that the violent drug addict is back in the cabin.
He's not.
He comes back tomorrow.
Oh.
Well, that didn't last long, did it? Ted, if you'd seen him with Ralph They have a special connection, and we can't be that for him right now.
Travis is trying to find his way back into the world, and so is Ralph.
Maybe they can help each other.
Look, I know it doesn't look like it sometimes, but I, uh I do try with Ralph.
He's just so different than I was back then, and it's hard for me to I don't know, understand him, I guess.
I'm really sorry about the other night.
I was I was being kind of a jerk, and I'm not sure why.
Prince George.
I found it on a map, it's right in the middle.
Nothing around it in any direction.
I was talking to Sandro, he said they got a pulp mill there.
Have you ever seen a pulp mill? No, but he said they hire guys off the street there 'cause they're so hard up for workers, I guess 'cause of where it is and all.
Put you in a bull camp.
All your meals and a place to sleep.
Well, it sounds like the army to me.
Except no one's trying to kill you.
I feel good about this, you know.
It's a new start.
A real new start.
We should go.
I wanna thank you, man.
You've been a help to me.
It means a lot to have someone like you on this side of the border.
Let's go.
Hey, you play pool? Maybe we should see if we can win some money in there.
No, thank you.
Black man playing for money in a white bar always ends up bad.
- You coming? - Gonna try my luck.
Alright.
See you back there.
(TENSE MUSIC) Hey, man.
Where you going? - You don't belong here.
- Travis! Travis! (GRUNTING) (SOBBING SOFTLY) Destiny? (PSYCHEDELIC ROCK MUSIC)