Hell on Wheels s01e04 Episode Script

Anybody there? Drop the rifle.
Turn around.
- You Harper? - No, sir.
Where is he? Who wants to know? I'm your new foreman.
Why should I believe you? I guess Mr.
Durant didn't have time to come out and tell you his self.
Durant? - Yeah, he told me to come look for Harper.
- Why? That's his business.
Where is he? Harper hightailed it.
- When? - A few hours ago.
- Which way? - North.
Towards the ridge.
- Is it true about Johnson? - Yeah, it's true.
What's the world coming to, sir? The world ain't coming to nothing, son.
Same as it ever was.
Harper! Harper! Is that you? Whoa! Shit.
Mrs.
Bell? Mrs.
Bell, it's me, Thomas Durant.
They said you were up here.
I know who you are, Mr.
Durant.
The whole world's been looking for you and here you are.
And here I am.
You must excuse my appearance.
We need to get you some medical attention.
Please, allow me to escort you.
You You won't need this anymore.
Your ordeal is over.
My deepest condolences on your loss, Mrs.
Bell.
Thank you.
How in God's name did you make your way back here? Oh.
Can't remember his name A Southerner, I think.
- Bohannon? - Yes, I believe so.
Did I tell ya about me rendezvous with the tattooed harlot? The scarlet whore of Babylon had nothing on this lass, I tell ya.
Give us the particulars, man.
I have never seen nothing like it in all me life, boys.
She used her organ like a velvet hand on me tallywhacker.
And to hear her tell it, she's practiced these dark arts of love on all manner of beasts and men.
Chinks, monkeys and horses have all known the pleasure of her touch.
In fact, there is but one creature in all the world with whom she refuses to copulate.
And what would that be? Well, the common American nigger, of course.
- Damn it, I've heard enough - Hey, hey, hey, hey! All right.
Never thought I'd see you again.
You kill him? Where you going? Sooner or later, you gotta give us some orders, boss man.
The demise of Head Surveyor Robert Bell and party a great loss to railroad.
Stop.
Bell's work must continue.
Stop.
Send funds for new surveyors at once.
Stop.
What news? Payroll is late.
Work disorganized and slow.
This new foreman of yours just up and leave yesterday.
Nobody seen him since.
He rode out to rendezvous with a tree-cutting party.
He informed me yesterday at our morning briefing.
There is something about this man.
He's up to something.
- He crossed paths with Mrs.
Bell.
- Bohannon? He brought her in.
- Did she have the maps? - Shh! She's right next door.
She didn't have them.
How do we reach the Pacific without them? You let me worry about that.
Oh! There's a supply train arriving tomorrow morning with a shipment of black powder.
My men will meet the train and guard it all morning.
New telegram, to my damn stock broker.
Invest $147,000 in R&R Railroad stock as discussed.
Stop.
Mrs.
Bell? Are you all right in there? Yes, thank you, Mr.
Durant.
I I brought out my Personal chef from Delmonico's in New York City.
I wondered if you would like to join me for dinner this evening? Yes, that would be wonderful.
Is there anything else I can get for you? Actually, has the reward been given to anyone? I believe it belongs to Mr.
Bohannon.
I don't think he's claimed it.
- Would you like me to see that he gets it? - No.
There's someone else who deserves it.
Stay off my corner, sweetheart.
Unless she wants her own crib, right, ladies? You leave her alone.
What do you say, blondie? Them Injuns teach you anything? Mind that mouth! Hey, I'm sorry, ma'am.
These dirty whores don't know a lady when they see one.
Where there is hatred, let me show love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Amen.
- Joseph? - Mrs.
Bell.
You look like you're feeling much better.
It's amazing what a little soap and water can do.
I didn't mean to leave that night.
- But that man - No.
There's no need to explain.
- You've cut your hair.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Did you come to pray? - No, I came to give you this.
It's the reward money.
No, please, take it.
I can't.
There'll be no trouble, nobody knows it was you.
No, that's not it.
I'm not a bounty hunter.
- It's my duty to help.
- Joseph, that money will buy a lot of Bibles.
Mrs.
Bell, Reverend Cole.
- Reverend.
- Your donations are always welcome.
Please.
Thank you.
So, this is the fair-haired maiden of the West? I beg your pardon? "Robert Bell fought valiantly to save the virtue of his beautiful wife, "killing a savage with his final breath.
" - Is that not how it happened? - Yes.
My husband saved my life.
Well, what about the rest of it? Outnumbered 10-to-one? - Sullied by the savages? - I didn't write it.
- Right, but is this true? - Of course not.
Well, Indians will die as a result of this.
The Indians attacked us.
If they die, they will be to blame, not me.
Maybe you've heard of the Sand Creek Massacre? I didn't come here to speak of this.
You know, the Cheyenne were flying the American flag over their camp and it didn't stop the U.
S.
Calvary from killing 100 innocent women and children.
It's a terrible thing that happened.
I wasn't a part of it.
No, no, please, I'm just saying, try to see the bigger picture.
My husband was slaughtered right in front of me.
It's a little difficult to see the bigger picture.
Good day.
Hey.
Hey.
Hey! That sumbitch got away because of you.
'Cause of me? How you figure that? You killed Johnson before he could give me Harper's name.
- What? - I killed Johnson before he killed you.
No.
And I would have got a name out of him.
And he would have blowed your brains out.
And then I could have killed Harper before he had a chance to run.
You're either drunk or crazy or both.
You have any idea what they took from me? They ain't took nothing from you that ain't been took from me.
Fly away home, just a nickel a show.
Feel the mist against your cheeks.
Give it a rest, Mick.
They're sick and bloody tired of the mighty Shannon and the Blarney Stone.
The bloody Irish bog.
- Well, then we need new slides.
- New slides cost money.
You've got some copper squirreled away, Brother, now's the time to tell me.
Maybe we should relocate.
The rent is low down by the slaughterhouse, right? The rent was low in Wicklow, too, Mick.
Ah! We're done with that shite.
'Twas a high-rent dream that brought us out here.
I'm not going to let that big Swedish bastard kill our dream.
Am I right? Mick? MICKEY: Hold on now.
I just had a grand idea.
- Oh, no.
- It's a business idea.
Ideas ain't your strong suit, Mick.
This one's golden.
I'll prove it to ya.
I've taken the liberty of telegraphing your family in England.
- I just wanted them to know you were well.
- Thank you, Mr.
Durant.
I'm afraid you'll grow weary of my gratitude.
I don't know what news of the attack may have reached them.
I didn't want your father worrying needlessly.
I'm sure my father was happy to hear he was right.
About me coming to America.
He was against it, no doubt? My father had every aspect of my life planned out, including whom I should marry.
Robert interrupted those plans.
I saw him give a lecture at the British Museum of Natural History.
He spoke of the American West.
I fell in love.
With him and with this land.
I, too, came under Robert's spell.
His dream of a transcontinental railroad became my own.
Then it's a shame you two had such a terrible falling out.
Well, Robert and I didn't see eye to eye on everything.
Such as how to squeeze every last dollar out of the railroad.
Mrs.
Bell, your husband was a starry-eyed dreamer.
I am a realist.
Without me, his dream would have remained just that.
Thank you for your hospitality, Mr.
Durant.
Mrs.
Bell, please, I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to impugn Robert.
Yes, he needed me, but I needed him also.
Our marriage wasn't perfect, but it worked.
Mrs.
Bell, there's nowhere for you to go out there.
Please, accept my apology.
Do me the honor of remaining my guest.
Why you following me? You trying to get me killed? Mister, you do that all by yourself busting in on a white cathouse.
What you want then? Huh? You still want to give me a roll? I thought you were mighty clear on where you stood on that.
Honey, I'm already a cut-rate whore on account of my beauty marks.
My white customers know I laid with a colored fella, I starve.
But, if you got a dollar, then maybe we can do one off the books.
Now you trying to get us both killed.
Look at him.
Drop your hanky Madam? Now, now, boys.
I doubt Mr.
Durant wants his new foreman assassinated.
He shot my dang ear off, Swede.
Too bad it was not your tongue.
Move aside.
Mr.
Bolan, you need to leave here, right now.
Damn it.
Come on, Tommy, let's go.
Let's go.
Come on.
Magnolias, they grow just outside the gates of the Andersonville.
Some nights, their perfume was almost enough to mask the awful stench.
You're a difficult man to cipher, Mr.
Bohannon.
Let me buy you a drink.
I won't turn down free liquor.
- Need another glass.
- Thank you.
No.
I know you killed Johnson.
What I do not know yet is why.
Who are you? Hmm? Ah! I'll figure it out.
You let me know when you do, all right? Oh, by golly, you will be the first to know.
Hmm? But in the meantime, I've got a A business proposition for you.
Now, there is a There is some black powder coming in on the train tomorrow morning.
That is your cut.
And you just look the other way while my boys unload Well, a few barrels.
Is that some of that immoral mathematics, Mr.
Swede? Huh? All right.
- You got a deal.
- Yeah.
For another five.
Hmm.
Oh! Well, well, well.
Look here.
How them Injuns treat you? Well, they were people.
You know what people are like.
Some of them are good and some of them ain't so good.
What about the ones that put that mark on you? Well, this wasn't that bad.
- Did it hurt? - Not as much as a lot of things.
Folk be telling all kind of tales about what that mean.
Well, what do you think it means? I reckon it mean you was a slave, just like me.
It's three blankets and a horse.
That's what I was worth to them.
Them eyes of yours alone worth 100 horses.
They was fools.
Maybe there's another way of looking at it.
Maybe this mark was their way of giving me their name, telling the world that I was one of them.
Hmm.
I got my master name, too, but I sure as hell ain't one of them.
Best I can tell, you ain't one of nobody or nothing.
Just like you? We're like two peas in a pod, huh? Forty miles, 40 miles.
Who came up with that number? It's completely arbitrary.
I don't have enough to worry about with the savages and the cutthroats I have working for me.
It must be hard to be you.
Those milksops in Washington, I beg them for more troops, but get none.
And my investors, do you think they'll give me even a penny for new surveyors? Mmm.
They haven't got your guts, Thomas.
Robert was a lucky man to have you at his side.
Thomas, are the new surveyors to finish Robert's work? Yes, this time.
Forgive me.
I thought the lion's share of Robert's work was finished.
Yes, it was, but he still owed me some surveys.
I think he was keeping them from me because of our falling out.
I see.
What kind of surveys? There.
LILY: The Rocky Mountains? It's a 14,000-foot barrier of stone and snow.
But I think Robert knew the way through.
But when you didn't have his maps, I Oh You poor man.
You must have been crushed.
I was.
That's not to say I wasn't elated to see you safe and sound.
Let's have a song, shall we? Henri? Dark night here in Hell, brothers and sisters.
Come on in.
I got eggs, I got coffee, I got scripture.
Oh, Mr.
Bohannon.
Hi, Mr.
Bohannon.
Did the good Lord save you from hanging so you could drown yourself in whiskey? It's a little late for proselytizing, ain't it, Preacher? You know, you were right.
You know, you don't deserve forgiveness.
- Yeah.
- Neither did I.
Yet I I stand here, my wickedness washed away by the blood of the Lamb.
The hell you know about wickedness? You ever hear of Bleeding Kansas? You know, I rode with martyr John Brown.
John Brown was a cold-blooded killer.
You in a position to throw stones on that account, Mr.
Bohannon? That's right.
'Cause, you know, one night, you authored the deaths of five men.
Slave owners.
We pulled them from their homes and butchered them with broadswords.
You know, drunkard I was, I I neglected to put an edge on On my blade.
It was hard work, brother, but I I kept a-hacking and a-hacking and a-hacking till I couldn't hack no more.
Now, that's Bleeding Kansas.
Why didn't you just shoot them? The mercy of a bullet was something they didn't deserve.
Well, I owned slaves.
Yeah, well, lucky for you you weren't in Kansas that night.
No, Preacher.
It's lucky for you.
No one deserves forgiveness, brother.
That's the beauty of grace.
Yeah.
I thank you for the sermon, Preacher.
I used to be a lot like you, Cullen.
The only difference was I had a cause.
What is yours? Yeah, John Brown's dead.
That's right.
Yeah, I believe we hung his sorry ass.
# I wish I was in the land of cotton # Old times there are not forgotten # Look away, look away # Look away, Dixie Land.
Careful with this stuff, boys.
Hey.
You got a brick in your hat this morning, boss man? That hill we coming up on don't meet grade.
We either gotta blow it or go around.
Blow it.
My men ain't never handled that black powder.
It ain't my problem.
You ain't no better than Johnson, you know that? How come every time I turn around, you're knee deep in my business? 'Cause you the boss.
I want to keep my job.
You better get to work, then.
You got men ready to work but there ain't no supplies or no foreman.
You got to get up off your ass and get out there.
The black powder is on the damn supply train.
I ain't your master.
You wanted freedom, you got it.
Figure it out your damn self.
Mick, where the hell you been? Makin' us some money, Sean-O.
Right this way, lads.
You won't be disappointed, I promise.
Hey, hey, hey.
No shoving.
One at a time.
Everyone will get his turn now.
Right.
Go on.
What do you see? Are ya daft, Mick? What? It's brilliant.
It's a nickel a peep, the show's always changing and there's no need for new slides.
You know, there's a lot of uncontrollable factors.
Hey, hey! This ain't no peep show.
Get out of here, you hobos and you coal crunchers.
You pay your $3 like everyone else! - Jesus.
- Get! How's about a kiss for us instead? How's about you kiss my whore ass, you thick Irish bogtrotter! Get! Good morning.
I trust you had a decent night's sleep? This is the first bed I've slept in in a long time.
I'm sorry for my behavior last night.
- I'm afraid I had too much to drink.
- Oh, please don't apologize.
I enjoyed myself immensely.
And today I was hoping to see more of your railroad, what you've accomplished, what lies ahead.
After all, your passion for this great enterprise was an inspiration.
Well, in that case, you shall have the grand tour, my dear.
That is, if you're well enough to ride.
I believe Fall back.
Let's go! Run, Bolan, run! Move, move, move! Go bloody away! Get out of there! - Oh, shit.
- Shut the hell up.
They're gonna blow! Ah! My leg! - My leg.
- Quit your crying, madam.
Get the hell out of there! Come on, lads, pull it up.
Pick it up.
Pick it up.
Another bucket.
Another bucket.
That's the way, lads.
Keep going.
Careful now.
Hold his head.
May I? Lift the arm, put pressure on the vein.
- There? Or here? - Up higher.
Right there.
- You got it? - I think so.
All right.
I gotta go.
Stay with him.
All right! That's enough lollygagging around.
Rail crew better be hammering rail by the time I get to my horse! Cut crew out to the cut! Let's go! We got a hill to blow, boys.
Back to work!