Hell on Wheels s01e06 Episode Script

Make sure that's tight.
Closer.
Closer to the platform.
Musicians, come on, over here, over here.
Thank you.
What are you going to play? - Dixie.
- Not Dixie, you idiot.
Battle Hymn of the Republic, do you know it? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, fine.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Photographer, over here, please, on the platform with me and be at the ready.
Now, on my signal, be ready to play, loudly.
She takes my arm even though she stabs me in the back.
Have you given my proposal any further consideration? You mean the money you're squeezing out of me for Robert's maps? I'm only asking for what is fair, Thomas.
Extortion doesn't become a lady.
I will not fall prey to it.
Excuse me.
Play, play, play, play, play.
Ah, Jordan.
Welcome, welcome.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor for me to introduce a true friend of the railroad who has come here with the full backing of the United States Senate, to meet with the Indians, to thwart their opposition to our cause.
From the great state of Illinois, Senator Jordan Crane.
On behalf of my fellow committee members, I thank you for that warm reception.
But down to business.
As Mr.
Durant said, I am here, laurel branch in hand, to meet with the Indians.
But, in the other hand, I wield a cudgel, and that cudgel is the full and mighty force of the United States military.
If these savages want a scrap, then by God, we'll give them one they won't soon disremember.
Well done.
Well done.
First, the fuzzies, and now they're letting the Injuns come for a party.
I tell you, lads, we'll soon be working for the likes of them.
- It's a sad state of affairs.
I'll drink to that.
Reverend, you ain't in here for a drink, are you? No, a spirit of a different sort now possesses me.
I come here, Mr.
Bohannon, hat in hand.
I wish to hell you would stop trying to save me, Preacher.
Oh, don't worry, son, I'm learning my limitations Uh-huh.
but the Lord believes one good turn deserves another.
And since I provided asylum for you, I've come here to ask for your help.
What kind of help could I possibly provide you? Well, a band of Cheyenne is coming to talk peace with the senator and Mr.
Durant.
Yeah.
I heard.
Whose crazy-ass idea was that? I beg your pardon, Preacher, but somehow, I don't see that ending well.
I want you to talk to your walking bosses, you tell them to keep their men in check because if you don't, we're gonna have bloodshed on our hands.
I'll do what I can.
Do I have your word? A toast in honor of the fair-haired maiden of the West.
Your spirit is a testament to all.
Thank you, Senator.
You must be anxious to return to society.
I am, but first I must tend to some unfinished business.
Well, speaking of which, you won't mind if Mr.
Durant and I discuss some business of our own? Not at all, Senator, please.
So, Doc, I hear there was some delay with your payroll.
Why the money problems? Oh.
A miscommunication between the bank and Pinkerton's.
No, no, no, no, the payroll was delivered and made.
Well, then the credit issue with the banks must also be resolved? Credit issue? Well, I don't know the particulars, but word is credit was no longer being extended to the Union Pacific.
Senator, if our credit line wasn't open, we wouldn't be able to operate.
Mmm-hmm.
What about the route to the Rockies? The Rockies.
What of it? Thomas has been trying to explain it to me.
I think I finally managed to grasp it.
That the route my husband mapped through the Rockies holds the key to Thomas choosing the right path to make his 40 miles here.
Is that right, Doc? - Well, I wouldn't go - Do you have these maps? No.
Well Well, that is unfortunate.
No 40 miles by May 16, no government subsidies.
You have heard that the Central Pacific have made their 40, haven't you? No.
Oh, yes.
It seems these Chinamen are quite the busy worker bees.
Then she say, "With one of these, I can get whatever I want.
" Yeah, I need a word with Mr.
Ferguson.
If that's all right? I'll talk to him.
You ain't gotta worry about us messing with no Injuns.
Ain't no red man ever bloodied my back.
I got your word, then? Good.
We don't need no more fighting, do we? I see how you feel that way, after that ass-whooping I put on you.
I got news for you, son, I know you cheated.
- What the hell are you talking about? - You know damn well what I'm talking about.
Pepper juice on them hand wraps you was wearing, I tasted it.
I got to hand it to you, though, that was pretty slick.
You need to hand that to somebody else.
I don't know nothing about no pepper juice.
Huh.
Somebody sure as hell cheated.
If you want a re-match, you know where to find me.
Yeah.
How did your mother die? Consumption.
She's with God now.
Yes, she is.
My mother died when I was just a boy.
I remember her taking me to the creek to wash in the mornings.
She'd pretend to drop me and then grab me fast.
No matter how many times she did it, it would always make me laugh.
She's with God now, too.
Was your mother a Christian? No.
Then how can she be with God? I'm sorry your father left you and your mother alone.
My father did not leave us.
He was called away on his great Christian mission.
He's a servant of God, and was called to help the inferiors, like Negroes.
And the Indians? Would you like to hold it for me, or do you have some information? Mr.
Durant has taken private funds from the railroad for his personnel use.
How much, and for what? $147,000.
He is speculating on the railroad stock.
Money is not necessary this time.
Oh.
I would like information instead.
What do you mean? There is a man named Harper, a former Union soldier, Sergeant Frank Harper, I believe.
He used to work for us.
He ran off.
I'd like to know where he is.
How am I supposed to find him? I heard Sergeant Harper hails from your home state of Illinois.
Matter of fact, he still has family that reside in the city of Chicago.
Frank Harper.
Well, I'll have my people Yes, you will.
Set it out somewhere here.
There you go, men.
Keep it moving there, lads.
What's wrong, man? Clear! Down! I'll be damned.
Come on now, up and out of there, boys.
It's our turn for collecting some scalps.
Y'all Negroes get back in that cut.
We ain't got no fight with them Injuns.
Y'all heard the man.
Well, well.
What's the matter, boyo? You niggers afraid the nappy fuzz will be sliced off the top of your pates, are you? We ain't got no dog in this fight.
You on your own.
We got business, you and me, and I'll see it done, so I will.
Why are we stopped? - We ain't.
- Toole, get your men back in that cut! We got a road to build.
I want y'all sons of bitches working, all of you.
I don't take orders from any man walloped by a nigger.
You're fired.
Get off my cut.
I'll fix your flint for this, Bohannon.
You have my word on that.
Oh, yeah? Get off my cut.
Come on, lads, let's go.
The hell with it.
Get the hell out of me way.
All right, there's work to get done.
Y'all forget about them Injuns, and you give me the full chisel, assholes and elbows, or I'll fire the lot of you.
You seem to have an answer for everything, Thomas.
I always do.
But why should I believe you? Well, why wouldn't you, Jordan? It's the truth.
We've worked together long enough for you to give me a little more credit than that.
Is there a point you're trying to make, Jordan? To the point.
I'm well aware of your schemes, and to put it plain, they don't concern me, except when they concern me.
Jordan, why are you really here? I'm here to tell you that filching Union Pacific Railroad funds for personal speculating concerns me greatly.
Another unfounded rumor created by my rivals.
$147,000.
How's that for an unfounded rumor? People say you've lost a lot of money in the market, Doc.
Is it really so bad that it's come to this? I have nothing more to say about this.
# I am here # Right here # Where God puts none asunder # And you # Black dress, black shoes # You do # Invite me under # Go on # Go there # You can # See me aging # The stars turn # Balls burn # Come for more scalps, have you? Welcome to our town.
Don't be afraid.
You're among friends.
I am Reverend Cole.
These are my children, Joseph and Ruth.
We are pleased you have come here in the name of peace and fellowship.
Are you the daughter he abandoned? Maybe peace and fellowship are more important to him than his own family.
This, Senator Crane, he's from the United States government.
Do you understand? I speak your language.
Well, good.
Senator Crane has come here to offer your people a better way of life.
Better than what? Better than what you have.
I like what I have.
I understand that.
But your people live in the Stone Age.
We live at the beginning of a great industrial revolution.
- He doesn't understand why Chief, Chief, Chief.
The United States government is offering you a piece of land of your own.
- We have our own land.
No, it's not yours.
It's the US government's.
- Did they buy it? - No.
- Did they trade for it? - It's not like that.
We Then how can they own it? He has a point.
If you accept our offer, you won't have to hunt buffalo anymore or roam the prairie.
You can depend on your country to take care of you.
You are not my country.
We will give you everything you need, if you will just submit to living on a reservation.
We need nothing from you.
- Mr.
Durant, if we could just - I'm done, Reverend! Good luck.
# God in three persons, Blessed trinity # Jesus Christ? She asked who Jesus Christ is.
I told her Jesus Christ is our savior, born of a virgin.
What did she say, Joseph? She said she would like to hear Mary explain the virgin birth to her husband.
Mr.
Bohannon.
Ma'am.
What are you doing here? Well, I guess I made a stupid promise to somebody.
I figured the last thing you'd want to see is an Indian.
Well, these are peaceful Indians.
They're Joseph's people.
Yeah, right.
Yeah, you're right, go ahead.
No, it's not the Indians I'm worried about.
You'll be happy to know I've taken your advice.
I'm making arrangements for passage back East.
Best place for you.
Right.
Well, if you'd excuse What's wrong? Mrs.
Bell? Where did you get that? That's mine! Not yours.
- Stop.
It's all right.
- Take your hands off me! Go! Calm down! Take That's your husband's hat, wasn't it? Wasn't it? What happened, Mr.
Bohannon? You.
You lied to me.
It was your people.
Where are you headed? I'm going to tell Mr.
Durant that they're here, the ones that committed the massacre, the ones who murdered my husband.
- Are you sure you want to do that? - Yes, of course I am.
Why wouldn't I? 'Cause it will lead to more killing, not just the braves, but the women and children, too.
What is your stake in this, Mr.
Bohannon? Lady, I ain't got one.
Then why do you care? Mrs.
Bell, there is a price attached to everything.
You think you can afford the cost of this, then you go on.
You must think of your women and children.
I am thinking of them.
How can I ask them to give up what they have for this? I have never seen such a dark, filthy place.
If you walk away from here without a deal, you are asking for war.
No.
You ask for war.
Listen to reason.
Your people will be slaughtered.
As will yours.
Gentlemen! We're here to find a way to peace, not war.
Be warned.
We Cheyenne are plenty, and my braves are hungry for a good fight.
Enough, Jordan, enough of your pissing in the wind.
They only understand one thing, strength.
Now, let me give it to you plain and simple, Chief.
This train means the end of life as you know it.
My son had a vision.
He will defeat your train.
Wait.
Chief, perhaps your son would like a chance to see his vision come true? Hmm? Hello, ladies.
What is this all about? It seems an Injun's gonna race the train back to town.
I guess you changed your mind.
For the moment.
Stoke that fire.
Come on.
Come on.
Come on! Come on! Ha! Well, I think the chief got my message loud and clear.
- Don't you? - Well done, Doc.
But there's still the matter of $147,000.
One word from me and hordes of investigators will be crawling through your books.
- You're bluffing.
- What makes you think so? Because if I fall, you fall with me.
Hmm.
Not so, Doc.
Not so.
I sold all my landholdings in Nebraska, and I've divested myself of my Crédit Mobilier stock, all at a nice profit, I might add.
You have nothing over me anymore.
You once had my head in a vice, Thomas.
Now, I have your pecker in my pocket.
I'll be leaving for Chicago tonight and will report this as soon as I arrive.
You'll be trading in your fancy duds for prison pinstripes.
You're finished, Durant.
All this, gone.
Jordan, please.
She wants you to take this.
And she wanted you to know she, too, has lost her husband.
He was killed in a fight with one of his own arrows.
The other braves, they brought her this hat.
Tell her thank you.
- We will not return.
- Chief, I beg you to reconsider.
Son, these people are not good.
If you stay here, you will die.
Come back with me.
Please.
Come home with your father.
I can't, Father.
I can't.
Is the chief your father? Why did you leave him? So I could help the inferiors.
# Believe me if all those endearing young charms # Which I gaze on so fondly today # Were to change by tomorrow and fleet in my arms # Like fairy gifts fading away # Though would'st still be adored # As this moment thou art # Let thy loveliness fade as it will # And around the dear ruin Each wish of my heart # Would entwine itself verdantly still # You were right.
Sit down.
Robert needed you as much as you needed him.
My husband died for his dream.
Now it's up to you to bring it to life.
The blasted red devils are just up on the hill.
I say we go get 'em now, bring back their bloody heads on pikes.
Now where else might y'all be headed? Out of the way, Bohannon.
We aim to go after the Injuns, and there's nothing you can do about it.
The hell there ain't.
You're outnumbered.
You can't kill us all, lad.
I can kill about five of you.
You hear that? He's not even fully loaded.
Only five bullets he's got.
I got six bullets.
I was just gonna shoot you twice.
- Trouble? Yeah.
There's still only two of you.
I'd count again if I were you.
You see, it is important to Mr.
Thomas Durant that the Injuns are not harmed.
I'm sure you boys can find some amusement here in town.
Let's go, boys.
Careful now.
We want Eva.
The one the Injuns marked up.
Well, you have to poke another, she ain't here.
Where is the heathen bitch? I don't know.
I ain't seen her since the train race.
I know where to find her.
You know what people think.
Two peas in a pod, huh? I say we go get him now.
This is the one.
Get dressed.
We didn't do nothing! Let him go! We was just talking.
Leave her alone.
No.
Get moving.