Hell on Wheels s01e05 Episode Script

It is good to make this sacrifice where the sun can look down and see you.
It is a great privilege to dance with the sun.
The sacrifice will be hard, but you are strong and brave.
You will not give up, as I did not give up when my father brought me to this place.
Follow the sun all day and pray.
If you are strong and true, your sacrifice will be rewarded and you will have a vision.
Mighty fine job, Mr.
Bohannon.
Ahem.
Ma'am.
It's not your manners, Mr.
Bohannon.
It's your manner.
Beg your pardon? Yesterday, when everyone was running from the disaster, you walked calmly in.
You are their hero, Mr.
Bohannon.
Lily! I just heard from your father.
Everything is arranged.
I'm assuming you're here to see me? Yes, sir.
Payroll didn't come in on the train this morning.
Mr.
Bohannon, one of the reasons I spared your neck was because I thought you were a capable man.
Was I mistaken? No, sir, but the men are already grumbling about not getting their pay last week, sir.
Yes, well, see the Swede about petty cash.
Mr.
Durant, that won't cover the men's pay.
Of course not, you idiot.
It's for the walking bosses.
But keep quiet about it.
We don't want a riot on our hands.
So keep the men in line until you get your money trouble sorted out.
My problems are no concern of yours, Mr.
Bohannon.
Actually, today, Mr.
Durant, your troubles are mine.
But y'all go have yourselves a nice picnic, all right? Reverend? I can find someone else to help with this.
Just a moment to catch my breath.
Get the hell out of the way.
We need to ride out and speak to Many Horses immediately.
My father's people won't feel threatened by four men.
Well, these men are the eyes of the Union Army.
The tip of the spear.
Let's go.
Business has been slow, Mr.
Swede.
We will pay you though.
- Yeah.
- We just need a little more time.
Well, thank you, gentlemen.
Thank you for telling me that you are unable to pay what is owed.
I shall give you a little more time.
See, I told you Mr.
Swede was a reasonable man.
Yeah.
No, you didn't.
He just took one of our slides.
Are you sure we can find him? Yes.
But they're not going to be happy to see us.
Why is that? These rituals, they're not meant for white man's eyes.
Father? Father? It's Ruth.
Your daughter.
What are you doing here? Mother died.
I came to find you.
Well, we'll send you to the mission in Council Bluffs.
They'll take care of you.
- The mission sent me here, they said - Yea.
You're not staying here.
I have nowhere else to go.
She can stay in the church tent.
At least till we get back.
I'll decide where you go when we return.
In the meantime, there's a bed in the back.
Thank you, Father.
How long has it been since you've seen her? Twelve, fifteen years.
I don't exactly recollect.
And you're just going to leave her here? In a place like this? You're right.
There are some things I need to tell you.
There's Bacon in the bear box and coffee and flour.
Don't let the drunks stumble in and sleep on the pews.
There's a butcher knife under that altar if you need it.
And just, you know, try to make yourself useful.
Don't leave the tent.
You know, unless, it's on fire.
Understood? "Either the roof or mum's hair "was set ablaze by the Harrigan brothers.
" Those bastards.
Did they say if they were able to put the fire out? - What the hell is this strange wind? - The bloody last page is missing.
Jesus! It's a whirlwind! Where did you No, no, no, no! Bloody hell.
What are you I thought you said you were going to give us more time.
You asked for a little more time, and that's what I gave you, a little more time.
Ah! Put your backs into it there, boys! Come on, work, you mules.
Hey, up! I want all the walking bosses right here, right now.
Come on, Mr.
Toole.
Y'all are getting paid to work the men until the payroll situation gets figured out.
Again? If they aren't paid, they'll strike, Mr.
Bohannon.
Then you keep quiet as long as you can.
Hey, now, walking bosses only.
I am a walking boss.
Tell 'em you made me a walking boss.
Get back to work.
This about all you walking bosses getting paid again and we ain't getting paid again, right? Tell you what, you keep your mouth shut and you keep your job.
Get back to work.
Come on! Someone needs to put that boy in his place.
and yet I remain stranded here, blocked by the great Rocky Mountains.
The Rocky Mountains? They are some 500 miles from here.
Beyond that rise, the Platte River forks.
Do I follow it to the north or south? A mistake here and we could miss our strike on the Rockies by hundreds of miles.
I'm assuming you strike the mountains at any route you take.
The problem is not striking the mountains, Lily.
The problem is crossing the mountains.
And you think Robert was the only person who knew the way? It took him seven years and my open purse, but, yes, he told me he'd found it.
Surely there'll be other surveys? Oh, yes.
Yes, someone will build this railroad, but without the secret which Robert took to his grave, it will not be me.
If I'm remembered, it will be as the man who failed.
Unfortunately, Robert will probably not be remembered at all.
Pay up, I'm gonna buy me a double hot soak.
And liniment.
And a bottle of whiskey that don't burn going down.
We ain't getting paid.
Well, they ain't pay us last week.
I was figuring on double pay today.
You might as well put that tool down and go back to camp.
That's where I'm gonna be.
Hey! Hey! It ain't quitting time.
It is for me.
I done worked for free my whole life, I ain't doing that no more.
You get back in that cut.
Get down off that horse and put me in the cut.
I don't need some slave uprising on my hands this day.
That's how you see it? All I see is some field hand acting like a house boy.
Take off that gun.
Take it off.
- Come on.
- Give it to him now, boy! Excuse me.
Mr.
Bohannon! I hired you to run these men to build my railroad, not to wrestle in the dirt with your former chattel.
- What is the meaning of this? Payroll! Lack of.
And who told the men there is no payroll? I did.
Then you told them nonsense.
Gentlemen, I see that unfounded rumors have caused tempers to flare.
Believe me, the payroll is en route, merely delayed.
As for you and your sparring partner, Mr.
Bohannon, I suggest you settle your differences like the gentlemen I know you all to be.
This evening, when you have completed your work, I suggest a pugilistic match between Mr.
Bohannon and his Negro nemesis.
- A real fight.
Yeah! Yeah! And to compensate you for the tardiness of your well-earned pay, I will donate 10 cases of whiskey for your refreshment.
I didn't know you had a daughter.
Well, now you know.
Why don't you ever speak of her? Are you really going to send her away? You know, Jesus says, "If any man come to me and not hate his father "and hate not his mother and his wife and his children and his own life, "then he cannot be my disciple.
" I don't think I have enough hate in my heart to be a good Christian.
Whoa! Whoa! - Black Moon.
- Father.
Why you have brought this man to our sacred place? He's putting a curse on you.
He calls you Black Spider because you trapped my son in your web.
Joseph came to Christ on his own free will.
Is that so? Tell me, do you have no children of your own? I had I have a daughter.
Who has just returned to him.
Praise God.
Where has she been? I left her.
You abandon your child and steal mine.
What kind of man are you? A flawed one.
Father, Reverend Cole has come because he's concerned for our people.
Chief, the soldiers have already come.
Yeah.
Four soldiers on horseback.
But more will come, enough to wipe out all the human beings from the world.
But there may be another way.
If you come to town, we discuss peace.
I will come, but only if my son Black Moon asks me to come.
Please come.
For me.
Come inside, gentlemen, and witness the greatest contest in the history of Hell on Wheels! The finest corn liquor, compliments of Mr.
Thomas Durant, President of the Union Pacific Railroad.
Hey, over here.
Give me one of those.
You must be able to spell your name to wager, you morons.
Now, who just flung down that silver? This here's enough peppers to make a Mexican cry.
It'll probably kill you.
MICKEY: Sean's putting everything we got on you.
I thought you were broke? We put the magic lantern up for collateral.
- Sure that was a good idea? - Sure.
The whole town's betting on you.
There's time enough if you want to place a bet on yourself.
No.
I ain't doing this for money, Mick.
Then why are you doing it? Hmm.
That man needs to be put in his place.
There's only one thing he understands.
What if, God forbid, you were to lose? That ain't gonna happen.
You win this fight, they're gonna kill you.
And if you lose, they're gonna kill you for thinking you could win.
You don't understand.
This is something I gotta do.
Why? Because you're half white or because you're half black? All my life folk been telling me who I am.
One white man tell me I'm a slave, another one say I'm free.
Tonight, I say who I am.
Hello.
Tonight and one night only, you will be allowed in.
One sign of misbehavior and I will throw you all in chains.
Understood? Good.
You are welcome.
Come in.
Yeah.
That's it.
Your corner here.
Mr.
Ferguson's corner.
Bloody hell.
Look at what the bowels of the place have shat out.
Get the bloody hell out.
What do you think you're doing? Make way for Mr.
Bohannon! Come on! Come on! You gonna win this fight, hear? You gonna win this fight for us.
You hear me? - Jesus, he is a big buck, Mr.
Bohannon.
- Ain't all about the brawn, Mick.
Now, this fight is going to be a fair fight.
No grappling below the waist.
No eyeball gouging.
No biting.
No unnecessary kicking.
Now, the fighters will come from their corners and toe this line.
Mr.
Dix is going to be the referee for this contest.
- No! Not fair! - Now, I assume both fighters are ready to fight.
Toes on! Come on! Fight! Keep them back, will you? All right, boys, back to your corners.
Back to your corners.
Thirty seconds! Out of the way.
Sit down.
The bank is denying the request for a credit extension.
Reply.
If credit not extended forthwith, will call in all shares of aforesaid bank stock to be joined by other four major investors.
Stop.
Anticipate collapse of bank by close of business tomorrow.
Stop.
And send.
Samson brought the temple down on his head.
I will happily do the same.
- Give him a fat lip, Mr.
Bohannon! - He already has two, lad! Get in there and fight, boy.
Fight! Get him! Knock him down! Get up now.
Come on, get up! Knock his nappy nigger ass out! Punch his black ass back to Africa! Get up! On your feet.
- Get up.
- Get up.
Are you gonna start fighting or what? - Huh? Come on, fight! Got to see this, now.
Break 'em up.
Stand 'em up.
Get up! Give us some room! Give us some room! Back it up! Get him to the corner, now.
Hell's wrong with you? - Are you seeing what I'm seeing? - What? He ain't fighting.
Hell's wrong with you, boy? Huh? Is it 'cause you ain't never hit no white man before? Is that it? Look here, son.
That man who sired you, that won't your father.
That white man who raped your mother.
Ya hear? Same man done beat you all your life with his foot on your neck.
Huh? Same man who say he your master when you supposed to be free.
Huh? Look over here.
That's him sitting on his soft white ass.
I want you go over there, and I want you to kill him.
You hear? You go kill him.
You ain't gonna do this for us.
Do this for you.
Take a knee, Mr.
Bohannon.
Take a knee! Come on! Come on! Come on! Back off! - Come on! - I knew you could do it! I told you, boy! Come on! You're all right.
You're still in this.
You still got it, Mr.
Bohannon.
You still got it.
Don't worry.
Take a breather, boy.
Take a breather.
"Lend to thy neighbor in time of his need, "and pay thou thy neighbor again in due season.
" Excuse me.
That's all right, that's all right.
We almost did it.
We almost did it.
Ms.
Bell? Where have you been? I looked all over for you.
I took a walk.
And then I heard all the commotion.
It's a little vulgar for a lady's taste, I'm afraid.
Ah! I'm afraid my Latin is a little undernourished.
Bread and circuses.
Huh.
You engineered this fight, as a distraction, until you could get payroll.
Just like the Romans did with unruly crowds.
Give them food and spectacle.
I think you overestimate my abilities, Lily.
I hope not, for all our sakes.
Holy mother of God, you had us worried there.
I thought, for a wee bit, we'd lost our wager.
Right, Sean? Sean? Sean? Shall I walk you back to the car? I have Robert's maps.
And, yes.
He found the route.
To the Rockies? And beyond.
And you've had them all this time? I have.
I knew it! I knew it! Oh, I could strangle you and embrace you at the same time.
- Where are they? - They're in a safe place.
Ah! How much? What Robert is owed.
All right.
Let's go.
Let's go.
All right.
That's right.
That's right.
You gonna do this.
All right? Time! Now, boy.
Now! Here you go.
You got it.
You got it.
One more time.
Get in there.
Come on, Bohannon! Get up! Get your hands up.
Get your hands up.
Hit him! Come on, man.
Come on! Come on, Bohannon.
That's right.
Get in there.
It's over! It's over! Why are you so glib? We just lost everything.
I bet it all on the darkie.
We're rich, Brother.
What'd you use? The liniment? Mmm? It was a little pepper powder to the eyes, was it? Are you trying to get us both killed? And Mr.
Bohannon being our only friend and all.
This is my only friend.
Are you all right? Never better.
Good.
- Did you enjoy the fight? - Very much.
Good.
Thank you for the water.
Ah.
Next.
Gregory Toole, walking boss for cut crew three.
And to be completely honest with you, Mr.
Bohannon, we thought you had more in you.
Mmm.
Life does have its surprises, don't it, Mr.
Toole? Next.
Elam Ferguson.
Walking boss, freedmen cut crew.
You've done it, my son.
The sacrifice is over.
Father.
I was blessed.
I had a vision.
I've seen the great steel beast.
Its breath was smoke.
It shook the ground.
I killed it.