Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983) s01e05 Episode Script
The ACM Kid
DANE: Clemens has been in there 20 minutes.
Maybe he's driving a hard bargain for that information he took from the ACM plant.
Are we out of bean dip? [SILENCED GUNSHOT.]
You see then, Vassily, what happens when people don't cooperate.
Mr.
Clemens here decided he didn't want to do business with us anymore, either.
A very bad decision.
Make sure we don't have neighbors nosing around outside.
Right.
- Now, let's discuss Aleksei.
- No.
LEE: Who is it? - Same guy.
He's taking another look around.
And he's going back in.
We're sure our source is reliable? - Reliable as they are in this kind of thing.
- The informant's a secretary.
Yeah.
Several nights, after work she saw him slip into a project area he had no business to be in.
Saw him with his hand in the cookie jar.
She's sure it was the satellite-surveillance project? Yeah.
BECKER: Vassily, we need Aleksei.
- Now, let's discuss this like friends.
- We are not friends.
COUGHLIN: Mr.
Wilson's your friend.
When you came to this country, sure helped you out of a jam or two.
Rented you this house, gave you a job you needed.
He tell me he's on committee to help people like me.
Then we find out job is for KGB.
We don't come to America to spy for KGB.
Work's work.
And it wasn't really spying, just a little legwork.
If you got a problem about Aleksei helping us out then let's just go and iron this out with Mr.
Wilson.
- Where's Aleksei? - I don't know.
Then maybe Wilson can help you remember.
GALINA: Aah! Help! BECKER: Stop her.
[GALINA GRUNTING.]
DANE: Who are the man and the woman? GALINA: No.
LEE: Beats me.
Where the hell is Jeff Clemens? Okay, let's go.
[VASSILY GRUNTS.]
BECKER: Get in.
LEE: Look out! [CAR HORN HONKING.]
Let's get out of here.
DANE: Come on, get out of the way, will you? LEE: Come on, hit it.
Hit it.
All right, follow them.
I'll go in there.
[THUD NEARBY.]
Freeze! Okay.
I'm frozen.
Now what? Listen, I've got this real problem here, and it's not exactly in my area so I thought I'd call you.
It's something that you probably know all about.
I can only assume this is you because you're the only man I know who doesn't say hello, doesn't ask how I am.
- How are you? AMANDA [O VER PHONE.]
: Fine.
You? All right.
I've got a real problem here.
I've got this kid that won't talk to me.
By "kid," do you mean one of those girls you date? No, I mean a kid.
As in child, as in boy.
I've spent $ 10 on junk food and he won't open his mouth.
Ahh, his parents may be in a lot Oh, God.
Uh, stay right where you are.
Don't go anywhere.
I'll call you later.
Son of a LEE: Hey, kid.
Hey, kid, come here.
Come here, will you? No.
All right, kid.
All right, all right, all right.
Now, hold it, hold it.
Let go of me.
- Uh-huh, you can talk.
- You can't arrest me.
I ain't done nothing.
I'm not arresting you.
I'm trying to talk to you.
You have to tell me about these men that came to your house.
Please, mister.
You're scaring me.
Please don't hurt me anymore.
- Anymore? - Please? All right.
But you promise not to run away from me? I promise.
I don't have anywhere to run.
Okay.
Come on.
Now, come on.
Okay.
We wanna help you find your parents.
But we need just a little more cooperation on your part.
Oh, no.
All right.
All right, all right.
Now, look, kid.
A truce, okay? Five minutes.
Okay? [SIGHS.]
- Now, I know you're scared.
- I'm not scared of nothing.
Oh, yeah.
- A tough guy, huh? - Yeah.
Yeah, well, I was a tough guy too.
I had to be tough, so no one would know that I was really scared.
Now you're gonna tell me about your lousy childhood.
You don't know what a lousy childhood is.
Oh? I lost my parents when I was 4 and got raised in a hundred Army bases by an uncle that didn't like me.
So you top that, pal.
Some guy just got shot in my living room, so you top that, pal.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
That is lousy.
Look, you can't help me and my parents so why don't you just let me go? Because I think I can help you.
This is what I get paid for.
Because - What? - Because I'm bigger than you, and I say so.
[FRANCINE SIGHS.]
All right, Aleksei.
Now, let's start again.
At the very beginning.
You start again at the beginning.
I'm through talking.
You have no idea who those men were who took your parents away? Look, Aleksei, the car with your parents in it got away from our men.
We don't know where your parents are.
How do you expect us to help if you don't help us? I never asked you to help me.
Actually, that's true, Francine.
He never did.
Oh, well, I'm glad you find this so amusing.
[CHUCKLES.]
I knew we had one of these around here somewhere.
Now, Aleksei could I trade this for a little cooperation? Is this guy kidding with this thing, or what? It's after midnight.
Ahem.
Let's adjourn.
[LEE CLEARS THRO AT.]
Billy what about him? They've got room at Dojer Hall for tonight.
Come on, Billy, that place is a nightmare.
You can't take him there.
- We could always clap him in irons.
- Ha, ha.
Yeah.
Listen.
What if I took him over to my place for the night? Okay, so I feel sorry for him.
What's the big deal? He's a scared kid.
ALEKSEl: Hey, blondie.
Can I get out of here now? Enjoy yourself.
LEE: What are you doing here? I had to take the boys to school, and I was already halfway here.
I figured, why should I go all the way home, and then come all the way back here? So [LEE SIGHS.]
LEE: Coffee? - Mm-hm.
LEE: Good.
You know, this reminds me of a place I lived in while I was in college.
Mother saw it, and she made me move.
So where's the little boy you want me to babysit? Getting dressed.
[GRO ANS.]
It'll only be for a couple hours while I go in to the agency.
You mind? - No, no, I like kids.
- Ah.
Are you always this punchy in the morning? Are you always this perky? Well, you know, I guess I'm just what you'd call a morning person.
I guess you're just not what you'd call a morning person.
Uh, look, are you sure you're set up to take care of a child? I mean, you know, they need, uh Attention, someone to talk to.
No, what they need is food, and you haven't got any.
Just what the hell do you call that incredibly expensive Camembert? [SNIFFS.]
Moldy.
LEE: Okay, kid, we're gonna buy some groceries.
Remember, no running away.
ALEKSEl: Maybe.
- Maybe what? Maybe I will, and maybe I won't.
LEE: Yeah.
- What happens if I do? - I'll shoot you.
- You wouldn't shoot me.
- No, I'll shoot you.
- No, you wouldn't.
- I'm telling you, kid, I'm a killer.
AMANDA: Hello.
Got the things you wanted from your house, Aleksei.
- How'd you guys do at the grocery store? - Good.
The fed here let me do the shopping.
Six frozen pizzas and a pound of brownies.
That all you got? We must've left the beer in the car.
Thanks for reminding me.
Uh [CHUCKLES.]
What are you doing, going for father of the year? Hey.
He's been through a bad time.
His parents came to the U.
S.
When he was little.
He grew up in a rotten neighborhood.
Whoever borrowed his parents last night plays very rough.
We got a tip from an employee.
A Jeff Clemens was rummaging around in the satellite-project area.
Now, the satellite is a special surveillance job and, obviously, the bad guys would love to find out what makes it tick.
And Aleksei's parents are connected to all this? Yeah, it looks like it.
Look, I gotta run.
Here.
- Have a fun time with him, okay? - Mm-hm.
I'll have one of our people follow you around, just in case.
Just in case what? Well, you know, just in case some of our friends would also like to get their hands on Aleksei.
- Really? - Yes, Amanda.
Danger, excitement, intrigue.
Oh, shut up.
[CHUCKLES.]
LEE: What were you able to get out of Clemens' wife? Ex-wife.
Apparently, the man had a real gambling problem.
That's what broke up the marriage.
He kept coming home later and later.
Hung out at a place called The Lug Wrench Bar.
That's where a lot of ACM people go after work.
He'd always find a game going, always lose.
Owed her back alimony, child support, started taking loans to support gambling.
We've seen this kind of thing.
Average guy gets in over his head.
He has access to sensitive material the other side would pay an arm and a leg for.
If he's desperate enough, sometimes the temptation's too much.
Let's put you in there for a while, see if we get a nibble.
But I wonder what all this has to do with Aleksei's folks.
Tell the King woman to keep her ears open.
And how's she getting along with Aleksei? Ha, ha, you know Amanda.
She's got motherhood carved on her bones.
She's having the time of her life.
Aleksei, I am not gonna tell you about this one more time.
- What are you, a cop? - You are 12 years old.
- Everyone smokes in the dives I hang out in.
- Well, not in the dives I hang out in.
Now, look, um, would you like a strawberry milkshake or? I kicked strawberry milkshakes when I was 2.
All right.
Is there anything that you would like? Yeah.
Can I play some more? You've already played four times.
Come on, please? Just a couple more times.
- Mm-mm.
No.
No.
- Please? Come on.
I saw the wad Lee gave you.
All right.
A couple more times.
I'll get change.
Mr.
Wilson? [CHUCKLES.]
It's about time you showed up.
They're watching me.
- Where are my parents? - Someplace safe.
For the moment.
You know, we still need your help.
Be here tonight.
I can't.
I told you, they're watching me.
You have an IQ of 185.
You'll think of something.
- Please don't hurt my parents.
- Lf you're not here I'll do more than just hurt them.
You want another hacksaw? Yeah.
Listen, I don't suppose you could tell a poor cowboy where he could find himself a little action.
What kind of action? Poker, ponies, pinball, anything with odds.
Back at Polly's in Houston Why don't you ask one of these ACM guys here? They usually have a game going.
That'll be $3.
50.
- Uh, you take a check? I'm short on cash.
- Oh, I should have known.
Another ACM deadbeat.
- Say what? - You guys are the only people I know who knock down $50,000 a year and never have a dime.
Listen, lady, I got me an ex-wife and a couple little mouths to feed.
Didn't they teach you sympathy back in bartender school? I cut class.
LEE: Hell, the check's good.
Come on.
Can we be friends? - Ricky Joe Jackson.
Put her there.
- Nice to meet you.
- I'm home.
- In here.
Oh, where have you been? With Fred.
Fred? Dr.
Fred Bain? The chiropodist? Did you know that feet were erogenous zones? - What? - Hmm.
Of course, it's different with every person but Fred and I have determined I carry a lot of passion in my arches.
- Mother.
PHILIP: Hi, Mom.
Hi, Grandma.
DOTTY: Hi.
JAMIE: Hi, Mom.
Hi, Grandma.
Hi, boys.
You having a good time? Yeah.
Aleksei's teaching us how to roll a drunk.
- Aleksei? - Aleksei Kalnikov.
Oh.
- A little boy from school? - No, the feds got him in protective custody.
- Why don't you show Aleksei your bike? - He's already seen it, Mom.
Uh, he won it off me in a crap game.
What? Uh, Amanda, who is this child? I'm glad you asked me that.
You see, I volunteered to keep him.
I joined a Big Sister program and we take children from broken or deprived homes and we show them good, healthy role models.
- Well, that's nice.
AMANDA: Yes.
Why do the feds have him in protective custody? I'm glad you asked that.
[PHONE RINGING.]
Yeah, why do they? Look, take this and share it with Aleksei, huh? [SNIFFS.]
- Hello.
- Mom, have you smelled this? Go.
Go.
Hello? Uh, look, I can't talk now.
Oh, uh.
Well, I hope you're not gonna be much longer.
I gotta work late.
I don't wanna leave Aleksei alone in my apartment.
So could you? Keep him here? Well, I think that's a ho Really splendid idea.
- You do? - Yes.
Well, we wouldn't wanna undo all the good we've done by sending him back to that hellhole he was in this morning.
Now, watch it, will you? I'll keep a security man out in the street.
Billy wants you to keep an ear open in case Aleksei says something that might Well, you can You can get off my back, is what you can do.
You got the house, the car, the kid.
You make it work out.
[LINE DISCONNECTS.]
[CHUCKLES.]
- Ex-wives.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
ALEKSEl: I'm used to taking care of myself.
I can make my own bed.
That's good.
And don't you try to kiss me or tuck me in, because you're not my mother.
I know, Aleksei, and I would never try to be your mother.
But I would like to be your friend.
There's no percentage in friends.
You can't count on them.
Aleksei you've got to learn to trust people.
[SIGHS.]
Now, look.
Do you remember in Peter Pan when Tinkerbell was dying and her little light was flickering and fading? You talk to little kids a lot, don't you? Well, yeah, you know, with two boys of my own, l You should get out more.
Okay, look, try this.
You're in my house, and as long as you're in my house I'm gonna act like your friend, no matter what.
And I expect the same thing from you.
So now you can get in bed and go to sleep and in the morning, you can give Jamie his bike back.
You know you're tougher than the fed.
Really? I want that in writing.
[GRO ANS.]
I got the credit network.
Whoa! This guy's in up to his eyeballs.
Owes back alimony, several loans outstanding canceled credit cards.
Our kind of guy.
WILSON: All right, now access the ACM personnel computer.
Why can't we get into the satellite-project computer that easy? ALEKSEl: You only get into these computers with the access code word.
Getting into a credit computer is one thing.
But the codes for these projects are top-secret.
- They sit on those babies like golden eggs.
- Security classification, please.
WILSON: Excellent.
Only five days remain until the satellite launch.
Perhaps our Mr.
Jackson can be persuaded to hatch a golden egg for us by then.
I gotta go.
I think, Aleksei, it would be best if you stayed with us.
No way.
And don't you try to stop me.
I left a note back where I'm staying.
If I don't tear it up before they find it, they'll know right where you are.
Now, get busy with this Jackson person, Becker.
Once that satellite starts sending messages to the ACM computer our people want to know everything it knows.
You want to help your parents, you help me.
Oh, Dean, that's wonderful.
Tri-city weather forecaster of the year.
A trophy? What kind of a trophy? An aluminum sun.
Gesundheit.
Look, I told you you should have taken your rain poncho.
Yeah, well, okay.
Well, I'll see you when you get here.
Okay.
All right, bye-bye.
Uh, Aleksei, your clothes are out of the dryer.
ALEKSEl: Good.
Thank you.
You really shouldn't have bothered.
Oh, no, Aleksei, no problem.
Really, no problem at all.
Amanda, you're really much too kind - Darling, you're talking to yourself.
- Oh.
[DOTTY CHUCKLES.]
Well, how are you and young Dillinger getting along? Oh, we're, uh We're making progress.
Did you notice Aleksei's sweatshirt at dinner last night? - No, why? - Well, it's torn.
I'm sure it wasn't torn last night.
[AMANDA CHUCKLES.]
- You're barefoot.
- Oh, yes.
Well, Fred says that feet strangle in shoes.
He recommends letting them breathe until at least noon.
Hmm.
Speaking of feet which one of our three little hooligans has trampled my rosebushes? - What? - The ones by the front fence.
Two of them are absolutely squished.
Now, I cannot imagine when that happened.
I was in the garden until late and I was out there first thing this morning.
Strange, isn't it? Yeah, it's, uh It's very strange.
So she says to me, "Now, don't you bother taking your boots off because I just love cowboys.
" [BOTH LAUGH.]
Hey, darling, how about another round of beer here, huh? Oh, no thanks.
Noon is too early for me to lose it, R.
J.
Well, Beck, old boy, I can't lose what I no longer have.
[BOTH LAUGH.]
Oh, thank you, sweetheart.
How about I cut you for the tab, huh? Oh, that's okay.
You just write me a check.
[CHUCKLES.]
Oh, well.
[CLEARS THRO AT.]
Here you go.
Oh, damn.
[CHUCKLES.]
Now you see why I'm so broke.
Most ex-wives just pick up the phone.
Not mine.
She jumps on a plane.
[BECKER CHUCKLES.]
Excuse me for a minute, huh? The alimony check is in the mail, sugar.
Well, I had to see you, Ricky Joe.
It's about the boy.
Well, now is not the time, honey.
Well, something is definitely going on with him, honey.
- I think he ran away last night.
- You think? Well, he came back.
But he trampled the flowers in Mother's garden.
Mother has been staying with me, you know, ever since you left.
[SCOFFS.]
I gotta go back to work now or I might screw up my job totally, if you savvy.
You just have to keep an eye on him.
Come to my place tonight, and we'll talk.
Tell me I stink.
You stink.
Throw my drink in my face.
[LEE GRUNTS.]
And, frankly, Ricky Joe, sex with you was always a major disappointment.
Ham.
[LEE LAUGHING.]
Well, heh [CHUCKLES.]
Whoo.
Thank you.
Still a lot of unresolved anger there.
[BOTH LAUGH.]
Look at this.
Ricky Joe, uh, I know you gotta get back to work soon but do you have just a minute? I'd like to talk a little business.
[BECKER LAUGHS.]
Yeah.
BECKER: I promised him 2 grand for a couple of personnel files.
- We got Jeff Clemens for half that.
- We got half the time we had with him.
If this cowboy comes through with something simple like personnel records he may be ready to graduate to the big time.
Here.
Now, look I tell you, I still don't feel right about this.
- I never did anything like this in my life.
- Always a first time.
BECKER: My associate, Jack Coughlin.
- How do you do? LEE: Yeah.
This ought to help ease the pain.
- Yeah.
- We'll be in touch.
No, thanks.
Don't bother.
Cowboy gets an A.
Good.
Next we'll go for the codebook.
We keeping the kid around to verify the codes for us? That's the only reason we're keeping him.
Once we're into the satellite computer Wilson wants the kid and his parents blown away.
They're too much trouble.
AMANDA: Hello.
LEE: Hi.
I made a completely unnourishing meal.
Aleksei is bound to love it.
[LEE GRUNTS.]
LEE: Well, how'd it go today? - Did you beat up on him? AMANDA: No, no, not too much.
I'm actually beginning to like him.
You know they've lived in 11 places since they moved here from Russia? No wonder he doesn't believe in friends.
He hasn't had time to make any.
- See? I knew he'd grow on you.
- Oh.
- What is all this stuff? - Oh, I picked up some things for him.
- Where is he? - Oh, you hold it.
He's in the bathroom in the bathtub.
Let him stay there.
It took me an hour and a half to get him in.
Let's see what you got.
Well, we've got your "Death Demon," "Space Dinosaur" Hmm.
and the ever popular "Swamp Humanoids.
" - Ha, ha.
- Very good.
You know, it looks like you're sort of, uh, spoiling the kid rotten or either you're trying to, um, buy his affections.
You know, you could definitely buy mine with this guy.
This guy is gorgeous.
- L - He might like him.
[CHUCKLES.]
Where'd my apartment go? Well, I just, you know, dusted a few things off maybe threw away a couple of old newspapers.
Oh, no, you You went and drowned my Tibetan ram's horn.
"Understanding Sabotage: A Beginner's Guide.
" - That's not mine.
- That's mine.
Billy gave it to me.
It's on my reading list.
Ah [SCOFFS.]
You've taken over the place.
It's not that it's, uh It just looks nice and neat and tidy.
It looks like you live here, and not me.
Not that I'm not grateful, of course.
You know, I think Aleksei was right when he said that we were incompatible.
Aleksei said that? Actually, he said, "Lee's fun.
You're a drag.
" You know, he's not all that bad.
I mean, some kids deserve, uh, a little spoiling.
Life's not easy.
And it's a lot harder for a scared kid.
You know, maybe he pretends to be tough so no one will know how scared he is.
If I didn't know better I'd swear you were speaking from personal experience.
Uh, you're not kidding.
- Did I ever tell you about my childhood? - No.
Yeah, I didn't think so.
All right.
All right, what? - Where are my Rolling Stones albums, hmm? - Under S.
Stones, Rolling.
LEE: Look, all I'm saying is put up with the kid, huh? Just a little bit longer? I'm sorry if he, uh, snuck out on you.
I'm not sure that he did.
I just don't want him to get hurt, you know? I mean, I think he knows a lot more than he's telling us.
And I think maybe he tried to contact his parents.
He might have.
And he sure as hell may know more than he's saying.
But he's scared to death, and he's not telling us a thing.
Hmm.
- What? - Aw, nothing.
I was just thinking that maybe you tough guys aren't as tough as I thought you were.
LEE: Candy, darling.
CAND Y: Hey, cowboy.
- Hi, Ricky Joe.
LEE: How you doing, partner? BECKER: Good.
You remember my associate, Jack Coughlin.
LEE: Yeah.
Howdy.
- Good to see you again.
You slicks wanna join me for a drink? I'm buying.
[ALL LAUGH.]
No, Jack's gotta get a haircut.
Let's step back here for a second.
- Well, I kind of wanna get a beer here - We gotta talk.
Well, sure.
COUGHLIN: Ricky Joe, my friend and I need a little help.
Help that you can provide.
- Hey, I owe you boys.
Talk to me.
BECKER: Remember how you were able to get those personnel files for us? - Yep.
- Well, we need a little more information.
Oh.
Who is it you fellas wanna check up on this time? We need access to the new surveillance-satellite computer.
Now, whoa right there.
That's way out of my league.
I ain't interested in treason.
How interested are you in losing your job and gaining a police record? - Now, you just wait a minute - Ricky Joe.
You got financial troubles that won't quit gambling debts that could be called in any time.
And now you've gone and stolen confidential files from a high-security organization.
- A word to the wrong people - You threatening me? That's right, cowboy.
And we mean business, I promise you.
Now, you get us that entry codebook.
[LEE SCOFFS.]
Now, ordinarily, I'd be obliged.
But you can [GRUNTS.]
I love my work too but, uh, you wouldn't catch me letting thugs pound on my body.
Fine.
You wouldn't catch me in a hotel room with a Turkish gunrunner.
I did not go to a hotel room.
It was a suite.
All right.
So they're convinced you're scared of them.
- Are you making the drop tonight? - Yeah.
Is that phony codebook ready? Just like the real thing, with one minor exception.
One of these transmitters will be hidden in the spine of the book.
Dane and I will be in the van.
Once you make the handoff we're gonna follow the homing device to the KGB computer.
- Are we sure it's KGB? - With this satellite involved I don't think it's a gang in Harlem.
LEE: Heh.
How are you getting along with Aleksei? Well, you don't get along with Aleksei.
You get around him.
I don't know why you keep calling this your case.
I am the one that's with him.
Well, I think it's a little bit more than babysitting.
Yes, of course he can stay here another night.
Yes, I am proud to be serving my country in this meaningful way, mm-hm.
All right, fine, I'll see you tomorrow.
Yes.
Goodbye.
Mother.
That was the Big Sister people.
They wanna know if it would be all right if Aleksei spends another night.
- Do you mind? - Uh, no.
No, heh, heh.
Not at all.
I'll just go hide the silver again.
Mother, wait a minute.
Listen.
Could I ask you, how do you get a kid like Aleksei to open up to you you know, to trust you? - He probably thinks you don't trust him.
- I trust him.
Well, l I try to trust him.
Children are like chihuahuas, Amanda.
They smell mistrust.
You've got to give him the benefit of the doubt.
You believe the best, you will get the best, I always say.
- Thank you, Mother.
- I'll just go attend to the silver.
- Aleksei, could I see you for a minute? ALEKSEl: I got things to do.
I'm busy.
Aleksei you get yourself down here right now.
I'm the tough one, remember? What? I'm not so tough, and you know it.
Look, I wish I knew what to say to you.
I wish I had the right words to reach you.
But, you know, I don't, um If you were my boy, I would put my arms around you and I would tell you that I know you're scared and that everything's gonna be all right.
Uh, but I do want you to know that, well, I trust you and I want you to trust me.
And I like you.
You really like me? Yeah, I do.
I really like you.
[BOTH CHUCKLE.]
Oh, I never said I wasn't the hugging type.
[DOOR OPENS THEN CLOSES.]
I trust him.
I trust him.
I really trust him.
[DOOR OPENS.]
He's gone.
He went out the back.
Look, if you go this way, I'll take my car and go that way.
[CAR HORN HONKS.]
[BRAKES SCREECH.]
AMANDA: Aleksei.
What are you doing? - Well, well.
If it isn't Mrs.
Ricky Joe.
Aleksei? [TRANSMITTER BEEPING.]
Okay, he's about to reach the drop-off point.
Ooh.
Hey, ha, ha.
You boys nearly knocked my eyeballs out with them lights.
Y'all sure can pick the meeting places.
BECKER: Ricky Joe you can cut the cornpone.
I thought the idea was to keep him at your house.
Well, what was I supposed to do, tie him up? - Well, better him than us.
- Quiet back there.
BECKER: I thought so.
[BEEPING.]
He must have given it to them by now.
[ENGINE REVS.]
[TRANSMITTER SQUEALS THEN STATIC.]
- What happened? Malfunction? - That or they're onto us.
Either way, we have no way of following now.
So now Soviet agents are operating out of video arcades.
I can't believe we had Aleksei all this time, then he turns out to be the key.
Well, he couldn't talk.
They were threatening his parents.
What do you think they're gonna do to us? If you were them, what would you do? I only wish they hadn't found that homing device.
Amanda, I learned a long time ago, in this business you can't look back.
Yeah, it just doesn't seem like I have too much to look forward to.
[DOOR OPENS.]
LEE: Hey, ha, ha.
I wanted to say I'm sorry you're tied up in this closet.
- I don't suppose you came here to untie us.
- No.
They'd shoot my parents.
I gotta go.
Oh, they think that codebook you gave them is probably phony.
- They're probably right.
- That's what I figured.
I'll punch phony codes into the computer.
It'll buy you some time.
Aleksei, just this little knot right over here.
ALEKSEl: No.
- Come on.
AMANDA: Aleksei, listen.
We're not asking you to choose between us and your parents.
- No.
- Helping us won't get them hurt.
- Shot.
- Shot.
It won't get them shot.
Look, Aleksei.
This is Lee Stetson.
He is one of the top agents in the country.
Now, if you'll just untie us, he will rescue your parents and he'll stop these people, trust me.
- Yeah.
- Lf he's so hot what's he doing tied up in a closet? Perfectly good question.
ALEKSEl: I gotta go.
- I really am sorry.
- Oh, come on, Aleksei.
ALEKSEl: No.
- Aleksei.
ALEKSEl: No.
- Come on, just untie One of the top agents in this country? Too much? I sensed it right away.
Too much.
WILSON: The sun's coming up.
Is the book a fake or not? I can't be sure.
Got a lot of combinations here.
Try a few more on the remote chance one of those codes might get us into the computer before the satellite launch.
And grab the other loose end with your teeth.
AMANDA: Okay.
Now hold tight while I work on the knot.
Don't bite me.
Don't bite me.
LEE: Just hold still.
- All right.
BECKER: The entire book is obviously counterfeit.
Where does that leave us? We'll have to abandon our operation here attack the problem from a new direction.
What about Stetson and the woman? Get rid of them.
[BANGING ON DOOR.]
Okay.
You win.
We've gotta get out of here.
They got my parents tied up in a vacant store in the mall.
You're untied.
Yeah.
One of the top agents in the c [FOOTSTEPS APPRO ACHING.]
LEE: Shh, shh.
[BANGING ON DOOR.]
[VIDEO ARCADE MACHINES ALL PLAYING LOUDLY.]
Tilt it over.
Block it.
See if you can find your parents and let them out.
[COUGHLIN GRUNTING.]
AMANDA: Lee.
- What? VASSILY: Aleksei, wait.
Come back.
[GUNSHOT.]
[GUNSHOT.]
AMANDA: Lee! Stop.
Get back in the car.
[LEE GRUNTS.]
Like I said.
One of the top agents No, no, no.
No, don't say it.
Oh, okay.
Say it.
AMANDA: Hmm? - Say it.
- Humph.
DEAN: Oh, Amanda, that feels wonderful.
Well, good, I'm glad, Dean.
So did you hear the news about what happened at Pepper Tree Mall? Spies, heh! Right there operating out of a video arcade.
Isn't that amazing? Right there in the suburbs.
Uh Uh, no, Dean, I didn't hear a thing about it.
- Really? - Yeah.
Hmm, some Russian kid and his parents were involved.
Apparently, against their will.
So everything's gonna turn out for them all right.
It was all over the radio.
It was on television.
Well, you know, I've been pretty busy with the boys.
Um Speaking of the kids, uh Jamie will be coming to the movies with us tonight.
Since when? Since he rolled a seven and I crapped out.
[DOORBELL RINGS.]
I'll get it.
[DIRT BIKE REVS.]
DEAN: Amanda? Who is it?
Maybe he's driving a hard bargain for that information he took from the ACM plant.
Are we out of bean dip? [SILENCED GUNSHOT.]
You see then, Vassily, what happens when people don't cooperate.
Mr.
Clemens here decided he didn't want to do business with us anymore, either.
A very bad decision.
Make sure we don't have neighbors nosing around outside.
Right.
- Now, let's discuss Aleksei.
- No.
LEE: Who is it? - Same guy.
He's taking another look around.
And he's going back in.
We're sure our source is reliable? - Reliable as they are in this kind of thing.
- The informant's a secretary.
Yeah.
Several nights, after work she saw him slip into a project area he had no business to be in.
Saw him with his hand in the cookie jar.
She's sure it was the satellite-surveillance project? Yeah.
BECKER: Vassily, we need Aleksei.
- Now, let's discuss this like friends.
- We are not friends.
COUGHLIN: Mr.
Wilson's your friend.
When you came to this country, sure helped you out of a jam or two.
Rented you this house, gave you a job you needed.
He tell me he's on committee to help people like me.
Then we find out job is for KGB.
We don't come to America to spy for KGB.
Work's work.
And it wasn't really spying, just a little legwork.
If you got a problem about Aleksei helping us out then let's just go and iron this out with Mr.
Wilson.
- Where's Aleksei? - I don't know.
Then maybe Wilson can help you remember.
GALINA: Aah! Help! BECKER: Stop her.
[GALINA GRUNTING.]
DANE: Who are the man and the woman? GALINA: No.
LEE: Beats me.
Where the hell is Jeff Clemens? Okay, let's go.
[VASSILY GRUNTS.]
BECKER: Get in.
LEE: Look out! [CAR HORN HONKING.]
Let's get out of here.
DANE: Come on, get out of the way, will you? LEE: Come on, hit it.
Hit it.
All right, follow them.
I'll go in there.
[THUD NEARBY.]
Freeze! Okay.
I'm frozen.
Now what? Listen, I've got this real problem here, and it's not exactly in my area so I thought I'd call you.
It's something that you probably know all about.
I can only assume this is you because you're the only man I know who doesn't say hello, doesn't ask how I am.
- How are you? AMANDA [O VER PHONE.]
: Fine.
You? All right.
I've got a real problem here.
I've got this kid that won't talk to me.
By "kid," do you mean one of those girls you date? No, I mean a kid.
As in child, as in boy.
I've spent $ 10 on junk food and he won't open his mouth.
Ahh, his parents may be in a lot Oh, God.
Uh, stay right where you are.
Don't go anywhere.
I'll call you later.
Son of a LEE: Hey, kid.
Hey, kid, come here.
Come here, will you? No.
All right, kid.
All right, all right, all right.
Now, hold it, hold it.
Let go of me.
- Uh-huh, you can talk.
- You can't arrest me.
I ain't done nothing.
I'm not arresting you.
I'm trying to talk to you.
You have to tell me about these men that came to your house.
Please, mister.
You're scaring me.
Please don't hurt me anymore.
- Anymore? - Please? All right.
But you promise not to run away from me? I promise.
I don't have anywhere to run.
Okay.
Come on.
Now, come on.
Okay.
We wanna help you find your parents.
But we need just a little more cooperation on your part.
Oh, no.
All right.
All right, all right.
Now, look, kid.
A truce, okay? Five minutes.
Okay? [SIGHS.]
- Now, I know you're scared.
- I'm not scared of nothing.
Oh, yeah.
- A tough guy, huh? - Yeah.
Yeah, well, I was a tough guy too.
I had to be tough, so no one would know that I was really scared.
Now you're gonna tell me about your lousy childhood.
You don't know what a lousy childhood is.
Oh? I lost my parents when I was 4 and got raised in a hundred Army bases by an uncle that didn't like me.
So you top that, pal.
Some guy just got shot in my living room, so you top that, pal.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
That is lousy.
Look, you can't help me and my parents so why don't you just let me go? Because I think I can help you.
This is what I get paid for.
Because - What? - Because I'm bigger than you, and I say so.
[FRANCINE SIGHS.]
All right, Aleksei.
Now, let's start again.
At the very beginning.
You start again at the beginning.
I'm through talking.
You have no idea who those men were who took your parents away? Look, Aleksei, the car with your parents in it got away from our men.
We don't know where your parents are.
How do you expect us to help if you don't help us? I never asked you to help me.
Actually, that's true, Francine.
He never did.
Oh, well, I'm glad you find this so amusing.
[CHUCKLES.]
I knew we had one of these around here somewhere.
Now, Aleksei could I trade this for a little cooperation? Is this guy kidding with this thing, or what? It's after midnight.
Ahem.
Let's adjourn.
[LEE CLEARS THRO AT.]
Billy what about him? They've got room at Dojer Hall for tonight.
Come on, Billy, that place is a nightmare.
You can't take him there.
- We could always clap him in irons.
- Ha, ha.
Yeah.
Listen.
What if I took him over to my place for the night? Okay, so I feel sorry for him.
What's the big deal? He's a scared kid.
ALEKSEl: Hey, blondie.
Can I get out of here now? Enjoy yourself.
LEE: What are you doing here? I had to take the boys to school, and I was already halfway here.
I figured, why should I go all the way home, and then come all the way back here? So [LEE SIGHS.]
LEE: Coffee? - Mm-hm.
LEE: Good.
You know, this reminds me of a place I lived in while I was in college.
Mother saw it, and she made me move.
So where's the little boy you want me to babysit? Getting dressed.
[GRO ANS.]
It'll only be for a couple hours while I go in to the agency.
You mind? - No, no, I like kids.
- Ah.
Are you always this punchy in the morning? Are you always this perky? Well, you know, I guess I'm just what you'd call a morning person.
I guess you're just not what you'd call a morning person.
Uh, look, are you sure you're set up to take care of a child? I mean, you know, they need, uh Attention, someone to talk to.
No, what they need is food, and you haven't got any.
Just what the hell do you call that incredibly expensive Camembert? [SNIFFS.]
Moldy.
LEE: Okay, kid, we're gonna buy some groceries.
Remember, no running away.
ALEKSEl: Maybe.
- Maybe what? Maybe I will, and maybe I won't.
LEE: Yeah.
- What happens if I do? - I'll shoot you.
- You wouldn't shoot me.
- No, I'll shoot you.
- No, you wouldn't.
- I'm telling you, kid, I'm a killer.
AMANDA: Hello.
Got the things you wanted from your house, Aleksei.
- How'd you guys do at the grocery store? - Good.
The fed here let me do the shopping.
Six frozen pizzas and a pound of brownies.
That all you got? We must've left the beer in the car.
Thanks for reminding me.
Uh [CHUCKLES.]
What are you doing, going for father of the year? Hey.
He's been through a bad time.
His parents came to the U.
S.
When he was little.
He grew up in a rotten neighborhood.
Whoever borrowed his parents last night plays very rough.
We got a tip from an employee.
A Jeff Clemens was rummaging around in the satellite-project area.
Now, the satellite is a special surveillance job and, obviously, the bad guys would love to find out what makes it tick.
And Aleksei's parents are connected to all this? Yeah, it looks like it.
Look, I gotta run.
Here.
- Have a fun time with him, okay? - Mm-hm.
I'll have one of our people follow you around, just in case.
Just in case what? Well, you know, just in case some of our friends would also like to get their hands on Aleksei.
- Really? - Yes, Amanda.
Danger, excitement, intrigue.
Oh, shut up.
[CHUCKLES.]
LEE: What were you able to get out of Clemens' wife? Ex-wife.
Apparently, the man had a real gambling problem.
That's what broke up the marriage.
He kept coming home later and later.
Hung out at a place called The Lug Wrench Bar.
That's where a lot of ACM people go after work.
He'd always find a game going, always lose.
Owed her back alimony, child support, started taking loans to support gambling.
We've seen this kind of thing.
Average guy gets in over his head.
He has access to sensitive material the other side would pay an arm and a leg for.
If he's desperate enough, sometimes the temptation's too much.
Let's put you in there for a while, see if we get a nibble.
But I wonder what all this has to do with Aleksei's folks.
Tell the King woman to keep her ears open.
And how's she getting along with Aleksei? Ha, ha, you know Amanda.
She's got motherhood carved on her bones.
She's having the time of her life.
Aleksei, I am not gonna tell you about this one more time.
- What are you, a cop? - You are 12 years old.
- Everyone smokes in the dives I hang out in.
- Well, not in the dives I hang out in.
Now, look, um, would you like a strawberry milkshake or? I kicked strawberry milkshakes when I was 2.
All right.
Is there anything that you would like? Yeah.
Can I play some more? You've already played four times.
Come on, please? Just a couple more times.
- Mm-mm.
No.
No.
- Please? Come on.
I saw the wad Lee gave you.
All right.
A couple more times.
I'll get change.
Mr.
Wilson? [CHUCKLES.]
It's about time you showed up.
They're watching me.
- Where are my parents? - Someplace safe.
For the moment.
You know, we still need your help.
Be here tonight.
I can't.
I told you, they're watching me.
You have an IQ of 185.
You'll think of something.
- Please don't hurt my parents.
- Lf you're not here I'll do more than just hurt them.
You want another hacksaw? Yeah.
Listen, I don't suppose you could tell a poor cowboy where he could find himself a little action.
What kind of action? Poker, ponies, pinball, anything with odds.
Back at Polly's in Houston Why don't you ask one of these ACM guys here? They usually have a game going.
That'll be $3.
50.
- Uh, you take a check? I'm short on cash.
- Oh, I should have known.
Another ACM deadbeat.
- Say what? - You guys are the only people I know who knock down $50,000 a year and never have a dime.
Listen, lady, I got me an ex-wife and a couple little mouths to feed.
Didn't they teach you sympathy back in bartender school? I cut class.
LEE: Hell, the check's good.
Come on.
Can we be friends? - Ricky Joe Jackson.
Put her there.
- Nice to meet you.
- I'm home.
- In here.
Oh, where have you been? With Fred.
Fred? Dr.
Fred Bain? The chiropodist? Did you know that feet were erogenous zones? - What? - Hmm.
Of course, it's different with every person but Fred and I have determined I carry a lot of passion in my arches.
- Mother.
PHILIP: Hi, Mom.
Hi, Grandma.
DOTTY: Hi.
JAMIE: Hi, Mom.
Hi, Grandma.
Hi, boys.
You having a good time? Yeah.
Aleksei's teaching us how to roll a drunk.
- Aleksei? - Aleksei Kalnikov.
Oh.
- A little boy from school? - No, the feds got him in protective custody.
- Why don't you show Aleksei your bike? - He's already seen it, Mom.
Uh, he won it off me in a crap game.
What? Uh, Amanda, who is this child? I'm glad you asked me that.
You see, I volunteered to keep him.
I joined a Big Sister program and we take children from broken or deprived homes and we show them good, healthy role models.
- Well, that's nice.
AMANDA: Yes.
Why do the feds have him in protective custody? I'm glad you asked that.
[PHONE RINGING.]
Yeah, why do they? Look, take this and share it with Aleksei, huh? [SNIFFS.]
- Hello.
- Mom, have you smelled this? Go.
Go.
Hello? Uh, look, I can't talk now.
Oh, uh.
Well, I hope you're not gonna be much longer.
I gotta work late.
I don't wanna leave Aleksei alone in my apartment.
So could you? Keep him here? Well, I think that's a ho Really splendid idea.
- You do? - Yes.
Well, we wouldn't wanna undo all the good we've done by sending him back to that hellhole he was in this morning.
Now, watch it, will you? I'll keep a security man out in the street.
Billy wants you to keep an ear open in case Aleksei says something that might Well, you can You can get off my back, is what you can do.
You got the house, the car, the kid.
You make it work out.
[LINE DISCONNECTS.]
[CHUCKLES.]
- Ex-wives.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
ALEKSEl: I'm used to taking care of myself.
I can make my own bed.
That's good.
And don't you try to kiss me or tuck me in, because you're not my mother.
I know, Aleksei, and I would never try to be your mother.
But I would like to be your friend.
There's no percentage in friends.
You can't count on them.
Aleksei you've got to learn to trust people.
[SIGHS.]
Now, look.
Do you remember in Peter Pan when Tinkerbell was dying and her little light was flickering and fading? You talk to little kids a lot, don't you? Well, yeah, you know, with two boys of my own, l You should get out more.
Okay, look, try this.
You're in my house, and as long as you're in my house I'm gonna act like your friend, no matter what.
And I expect the same thing from you.
So now you can get in bed and go to sleep and in the morning, you can give Jamie his bike back.
You know you're tougher than the fed.
Really? I want that in writing.
[GRO ANS.]
I got the credit network.
Whoa! This guy's in up to his eyeballs.
Owes back alimony, several loans outstanding canceled credit cards.
Our kind of guy.
WILSON: All right, now access the ACM personnel computer.
Why can't we get into the satellite-project computer that easy? ALEKSEl: You only get into these computers with the access code word.
Getting into a credit computer is one thing.
But the codes for these projects are top-secret.
- They sit on those babies like golden eggs.
- Security classification, please.
WILSON: Excellent.
Only five days remain until the satellite launch.
Perhaps our Mr.
Jackson can be persuaded to hatch a golden egg for us by then.
I gotta go.
I think, Aleksei, it would be best if you stayed with us.
No way.
And don't you try to stop me.
I left a note back where I'm staying.
If I don't tear it up before they find it, they'll know right where you are.
Now, get busy with this Jackson person, Becker.
Once that satellite starts sending messages to the ACM computer our people want to know everything it knows.
You want to help your parents, you help me.
Oh, Dean, that's wonderful.
Tri-city weather forecaster of the year.
A trophy? What kind of a trophy? An aluminum sun.
Gesundheit.
Look, I told you you should have taken your rain poncho.
Yeah, well, okay.
Well, I'll see you when you get here.
Okay.
All right, bye-bye.
Uh, Aleksei, your clothes are out of the dryer.
ALEKSEl: Good.
Thank you.
You really shouldn't have bothered.
Oh, no, Aleksei, no problem.
Really, no problem at all.
Amanda, you're really much too kind - Darling, you're talking to yourself.
- Oh.
[DOTTY CHUCKLES.]
Well, how are you and young Dillinger getting along? Oh, we're, uh We're making progress.
Did you notice Aleksei's sweatshirt at dinner last night? - No, why? - Well, it's torn.
I'm sure it wasn't torn last night.
[AMANDA CHUCKLES.]
- You're barefoot.
- Oh, yes.
Well, Fred says that feet strangle in shoes.
He recommends letting them breathe until at least noon.
Hmm.
Speaking of feet which one of our three little hooligans has trampled my rosebushes? - What? - The ones by the front fence.
Two of them are absolutely squished.
Now, I cannot imagine when that happened.
I was in the garden until late and I was out there first thing this morning.
Strange, isn't it? Yeah, it's, uh It's very strange.
So she says to me, "Now, don't you bother taking your boots off because I just love cowboys.
" [BOTH LAUGH.]
Hey, darling, how about another round of beer here, huh? Oh, no thanks.
Noon is too early for me to lose it, R.
J.
Well, Beck, old boy, I can't lose what I no longer have.
[BOTH LAUGH.]
Oh, thank you, sweetheart.
How about I cut you for the tab, huh? Oh, that's okay.
You just write me a check.
[CHUCKLES.]
Oh, well.
[CLEARS THRO AT.]
Here you go.
Oh, damn.
[CHUCKLES.]
Now you see why I'm so broke.
Most ex-wives just pick up the phone.
Not mine.
She jumps on a plane.
[BECKER CHUCKLES.]
Excuse me for a minute, huh? The alimony check is in the mail, sugar.
Well, I had to see you, Ricky Joe.
It's about the boy.
Well, now is not the time, honey.
Well, something is definitely going on with him, honey.
- I think he ran away last night.
- You think? Well, he came back.
But he trampled the flowers in Mother's garden.
Mother has been staying with me, you know, ever since you left.
[SCOFFS.]
I gotta go back to work now or I might screw up my job totally, if you savvy.
You just have to keep an eye on him.
Come to my place tonight, and we'll talk.
Tell me I stink.
You stink.
Throw my drink in my face.
[LEE GRUNTS.]
And, frankly, Ricky Joe, sex with you was always a major disappointment.
Ham.
[LEE LAUGHING.]
Well, heh [CHUCKLES.]
Whoo.
Thank you.
Still a lot of unresolved anger there.
[BOTH LAUGH.]
Look at this.
Ricky Joe, uh, I know you gotta get back to work soon but do you have just a minute? I'd like to talk a little business.
[BECKER LAUGHS.]
Yeah.
BECKER: I promised him 2 grand for a couple of personnel files.
- We got Jeff Clemens for half that.
- We got half the time we had with him.
If this cowboy comes through with something simple like personnel records he may be ready to graduate to the big time.
Here.
Now, look I tell you, I still don't feel right about this.
- I never did anything like this in my life.
- Always a first time.
BECKER: My associate, Jack Coughlin.
- How do you do? LEE: Yeah.
This ought to help ease the pain.
- Yeah.
- We'll be in touch.
No, thanks.
Don't bother.
Cowboy gets an A.
Good.
Next we'll go for the codebook.
We keeping the kid around to verify the codes for us? That's the only reason we're keeping him.
Once we're into the satellite computer Wilson wants the kid and his parents blown away.
They're too much trouble.
AMANDA: Hello.
LEE: Hi.
I made a completely unnourishing meal.
Aleksei is bound to love it.
[LEE GRUNTS.]
LEE: Well, how'd it go today? - Did you beat up on him? AMANDA: No, no, not too much.
I'm actually beginning to like him.
You know they've lived in 11 places since they moved here from Russia? No wonder he doesn't believe in friends.
He hasn't had time to make any.
- See? I knew he'd grow on you.
- Oh.
- What is all this stuff? - Oh, I picked up some things for him.
- Where is he? - Oh, you hold it.
He's in the bathroom in the bathtub.
Let him stay there.
It took me an hour and a half to get him in.
Let's see what you got.
Well, we've got your "Death Demon," "Space Dinosaur" Hmm.
and the ever popular "Swamp Humanoids.
" - Ha, ha.
- Very good.
You know, it looks like you're sort of, uh, spoiling the kid rotten or either you're trying to, um, buy his affections.
You know, you could definitely buy mine with this guy.
This guy is gorgeous.
- L - He might like him.
[CHUCKLES.]
Where'd my apartment go? Well, I just, you know, dusted a few things off maybe threw away a couple of old newspapers.
Oh, no, you You went and drowned my Tibetan ram's horn.
"Understanding Sabotage: A Beginner's Guide.
" - That's not mine.
- That's mine.
Billy gave it to me.
It's on my reading list.
Ah [SCOFFS.]
You've taken over the place.
It's not that it's, uh It just looks nice and neat and tidy.
It looks like you live here, and not me.
Not that I'm not grateful, of course.
You know, I think Aleksei was right when he said that we were incompatible.
Aleksei said that? Actually, he said, "Lee's fun.
You're a drag.
" You know, he's not all that bad.
I mean, some kids deserve, uh, a little spoiling.
Life's not easy.
And it's a lot harder for a scared kid.
You know, maybe he pretends to be tough so no one will know how scared he is.
If I didn't know better I'd swear you were speaking from personal experience.
Uh, you're not kidding.
- Did I ever tell you about my childhood? - No.
Yeah, I didn't think so.
All right.
All right, what? - Where are my Rolling Stones albums, hmm? - Under S.
Stones, Rolling.
LEE: Look, all I'm saying is put up with the kid, huh? Just a little bit longer? I'm sorry if he, uh, snuck out on you.
I'm not sure that he did.
I just don't want him to get hurt, you know? I mean, I think he knows a lot more than he's telling us.
And I think maybe he tried to contact his parents.
He might have.
And he sure as hell may know more than he's saying.
But he's scared to death, and he's not telling us a thing.
Hmm.
- What? - Aw, nothing.
I was just thinking that maybe you tough guys aren't as tough as I thought you were.
LEE: Candy, darling.
CAND Y: Hey, cowboy.
- Hi, Ricky Joe.
LEE: How you doing, partner? BECKER: Good.
You remember my associate, Jack Coughlin.
LEE: Yeah.
Howdy.
- Good to see you again.
You slicks wanna join me for a drink? I'm buying.
[ALL LAUGH.]
No, Jack's gotta get a haircut.
Let's step back here for a second.
- Well, I kind of wanna get a beer here - We gotta talk.
Well, sure.
COUGHLIN: Ricky Joe, my friend and I need a little help.
Help that you can provide.
- Hey, I owe you boys.
Talk to me.
BECKER: Remember how you were able to get those personnel files for us? - Yep.
- Well, we need a little more information.
Oh.
Who is it you fellas wanna check up on this time? We need access to the new surveillance-satellite computer.
Now, whoa right there.
That's way out of my league.
I ain't interested in treason.
How interested are you in losing your job and gaining a police record? - Now, you just wait a minute - Ricky Joe.
You got financial troubles that won't quit gambling debts that could be called in any time.
And now you've gone and stolen confidential files from a high-security organization.
- A word to the wrong people - You threatening me? That's right, cowboy.
And we mean business, I promise you.
Now, you get us that entry codebook.
[LEE SCOFFS.]
Now, ordinarily, I'd be obliged.
But you can [GRUNTS.]
I love my work too but, uh, you wouldn't catch me letting thugs pound on my body.
Fine.
You wouldn't catch me in a hotel room with a Turkish gunrunner.
I did not go to a hotel room.
It was a suite.
All right.
So they're convinced you're scared of them.
- Are you making the drop tonight? - Yeah.
Is that phony codebook ready? Just like the real thing, with one minor exception.
One of these transmitters will be hidden in the spine of the book.
Dane and I will be in the van.
Once you make the handoff we're gonna follow the homing device to the KGB computer.
- Are we sure it's KGB? - With this satellite involved I don't think it's a gang in Harlem.
LEE: Heh.
How are you getting along with Aleksei? Well, you don't get along with Aleksei.
You get around him.
I don't know why you keep calling this your case.
I am the one that's with him.
Well, I think it's a little bit more than babysitting.
Yes, of course he can stay here another night.
Yes, I am proud to be serving my country in this meaningful way, mm-hm.
All right, fine, I'll see you tomorrow.
Yes.
Goodbye.
Mother.
That was the Big Sister people.
They wanna know if it would be all right if Aleksei spends another night.
- Do you mind? - Uh, no.
No, heh, heh.
Not at all.
I'll just go hide the silver again.
Mother, wait a minute.
Listen.
Could I ask you, how do you get a kid like Aleksei to open up to you you know, to trust you? - He probably thinks you don't trust him.
- I trust him.
Well, l I try to trust him.
Children are like chihuahuas, Amanda.
They smell mistrust.
You've got to give him the benefit of the doubt.
You believe the best, you will get the best, I always say.
- Thank you, Mother.
- I'll just go attend to the silver.
- Aleksei, could I see you for a minute? ALEKSEl: I got things to do.
I'm busy.
Aleksei you get yourself down here right now.
I'm the tough one, remember? What? I'm not so tough, and you know it.
Look, I wish I knew what to say to you.
I wish I had the right words to reach you.
But, you know, I don't, um If you were my boy, I would put my arms around you and I would tell you that I know you're scared and that everything's gonna be all right.
Uh, but I do want you to know that, well, I trust you and I want you to trust me.
And I like you.
You really like me? Yeah, I do.
I really like you.
[BOTH CHUCKLE.]
Oh, I never said I wasn't the hugging type.
[DOOR OPENS THEN CLOSES.]
I trust him.
I trust him.
I really trust him.
[DOOR OPENS.]
He's gone.
He went out the back.
Look, if you go this way, I'll take my car and go that way.
[CAR HORN HONKS.]
[BRAKES SCREECH.]
AMANDA: Aleksei.
What are you doing? - Well, well.
If it isn't Mrs.
Ricky Joe.
Aleksei? [TRANSMITTER BEEPING.]
Okay, he's about to reach the drop-off point.
Ooh.
Hey, ha, ha.
You boys nearly knocked my eyeballs out with them lights.
Y'all sure can pick the meeting places.
BECKER: Ricky Joe you can cut the cornpone.
I thought the idea was to keep him at your house.
Well, what was I supposed to do, tie him up? - Well, better him than us.
- Quiet back there.
BECKER: I thought so.
[BEEPING.]
He must have given it to them by now.
[ENGINE REVS.]
[TRANSMITTER SQUEALS THEN STATIC.]
- What happened? Malfunction? - That or they're onto us.
Either way, we have no way of following now.
So now Soviet agents are operating out of video arcades.
I can't believe we had Aleksei all this time, then he turns out to be the key.
Well, he couldn't talk.
They were threatening his parents.
What do you think they're gonna do to us? If you were them, what would you do? I only wish they hadn't found that homing device.
Amanda, I learned a long time ago, in this business you can't look back.
Yeah, it just doesn't seem like I have too much to look forward to.
[DOOR OPENS.]
LEE: Hey, ha, ha.
I wanted to say I'm sorry you're tied up in this closet.
- I don't suppose you came here to untie us.
- No.
They'd shoot my parents.
I gotta go.
Oh, they think that codebook you gave them is probably phony.
- They're probably right.
- That's what I figured.
I'll punch phony codes into the computer.
It'll buy you some time.
Aleksei, just this little knot right over here.
ALEKSEl: No.
- Come on.
AMANDA: Aleksei, listen.
We're not asking you to choose between us and your parents.
- No.
- Helping us won't get them hurt.
- Shot.
- Shot.
It won't get them shot.
Look, Aleksei.
This is Lee Stetson.
He is one of the top agents in the country.
Now, if you'll just untie us, he will rescue your parents and he'll stop these people, trust me.
- Yeah.
- Lf he's so hot what's he doing tied up in a closet? Perfectly good question.
ALEKSEl: I gotta go.
- I really am sorry.
- Oh, come on, Aleksei.
ALEKSEl: No.
- Aleksei.
ALEKSEl: No.
- Come on, just untie One of the top agents in this country? Too much? I sensed it right away.
Too much.
WILSON: The sun's coming up.
Is the book a fake or not? I can't be sure.
Got a lot of combinations here.
Try a few more on the remote chance one of those codes might get us into the computer before the satellite launch.
And grab the other loose end with your teeth.
AMANDA: Okay.
Now hold tight while I work on the knot.
Don't bite me.
Don't bite me.
LEE: Just hold still.
- All right.
BECKER: The entire book is obviously counterfeit.
Where does that leave us? We'll have to abandon our operation here attack the problem from a new direction.
What about Stetson and the woman? Get rid of them.
[BANGING ON DOOR.]
Okay.
You win.
We've gotta get out of here.
They got my parents tied up in a vacant store in the mall.
You're untied.
Yeah.
One of the top agents in the c [FOOTSTEPS APPRO ACHING.]
LEE: Shh, shh.
[BANGING ON DOOR.]
[VIDEO ARCADE MACHINES ALL PLAYING LOUDLY.]
Tilt it over.
Block it.
See if you can find your parents and let them out.
[COUGHLIN GRUNTING.]
AMANDA: Lee.
- What? VASSILY: Aleksei, wait.
Come back.
[GUNSHOT.]
[GUNSHOT.]
AMANDA: Lee! Stop.
Get back in the car.
[LEE GRUNTS.]
Like I said.
One of the top agents No, no, no.
No, don't say it.
Oh, okay.
Say it.
AMANDA: Hmm? - Say it.
- Humph.
DEAN: Oh, Amanda, that feels wonderful.
Well, good, I'm glad, Dean.
So did you hear the news about what happened at Pepper Tree Mall? Spies, heh! Right there operating out of a video arcade.
Isn't that amazing? Right there in the suburbs.
Uh Uh, no, Dean, I didn't hear a thing about it.
- Really? - Yeah.
Hmm, some Russian kid and his parents were involved.
Apparently, against their will.
So everything's gonna turn out for them all right.
It was all over the radio.
It was on television.
Well, you know, I've been pretty busy with the boys.
Um Speaking of the kids, uh Jamie will be coming to the movies with us tonight.
Since when? Since he rolled a seven and I crapped out.
[DOORBELL RINGS.]
I'll get it.
[DIRT BIKE REVS.]
DEAN: Amanda? Who is it?