Hand of God (2014) s01e09 Episode Script

1 How'd you sleep? PERNELL: Not much, you? Some.
Not going in to work today? Nah, maybe next week.
Good.
No need to push yourself.
[breathes deeply.]
So how much longer you gonna sleep in the guest bedroom? All these years, we never got to the point we slept in separate beds.
We've blazed a few new trails these past couple of months, haven't we? Hm.
I wouldn't be here if I'd given up.
But I can't forget what I know.
And if time can fix that I need more time, okay? Is he there again? - He's there.
- Is he talking? No.
Maybe we should ask Dr.
Langston to change your meds, or up them.
She doesn't want to give me anything that'll turn me into a zombie.
She says I need to learn how to live with my hallucinations, until one day [snaps.]
Maybe I should cancel the party.
This is all too much to deal with at once.
No, we've pissed off enough people this year.
I can do this.
Look at me.
He's not there.
Oh, he's there.
He's just not real.
[Fantastic Negrito's An Honest Man.]
[blues vocalization.]
Now I'm in love again No, this time it's not With my hand Wandering, murdering Every time that I get The chance I'm a human But remember first I'm a man These streets Got me wandering Looking for my fix again I should've prayed The night before Now I'm losing Everything I have Yesterday it felt so good But now today It feels so bad [horn honks.]
JOCELYN: Hey.
Hey! I need to talk to you.
Tell me where Josh is.
I don't know where he is.
Bullshit.
I know that you were with him before he What did you do, hm? Did you pay him to go away? I swear, I didn't do anything to Josh.
Then just tell me that he's okay, all right? I don't need to know where he went; I don't.
You just need to tell me that he's okay.
Jocelyn, I know what you're feeling.
Really? You haven't given one shit about my feelings since PJ shot himself.
All you've done since then, all you've done, is torture me.
But I know why now.
'Cause you know something.
You know how this is all connected.
Josh, PJ's suicide, the rape.
You know.
Jocelyn, you shouldn't be here.
Well, I'm not going anywhere until Pernell tells me what he knows.
I'm so sorry I did this to you.
- Stop touching me.
- I'm so sorry Stop it you're lying.
You're lying! Things are gonna be hard enough in court tomorrow.
- You asked me - We don't need a preview.
about a stolen book that I didn't even know was missing until you brought it up.
- How do you know about that? - He is sick.
He knows less about PJ than you do.
Then why was he PJ's last call? What? I found PJ's phone, and it says Pernell was his last call.
And do you want to know what PJ did right before that? Get out of here right now, Jocelyn.
He watched this promo video 23 times - Rudy! - Over and over again, and then he shot himself.
- Juan! - Why? I don't know why.
Then watch it.
Tell me, what does it mean? MAN ON VIDEO: Our founder Nathan Brooks, he realized something, that our most vital and abundant human resource CRYSTAL: Get her out of here.
Don't fucking touch me! If you don't leave here, I will call the police.
[video continues in background.]
I hate you.
[Phone clatters.]
MAN ON VIDEO: What secrets could we unlock? What disasters could we avert? What prophecies could be revealed? Now, those are just a few of the questions that we intend to answer.
Enough, Pernell.
Enough.
MAN ON VIDEO: The city of San Vicente in our new This looks good.
I think we're as ready as we're gonna get.
I don't know.
It still seems kind of thrown together.
I think we should at least paint.
That's exactly what Bishop Bruce said not to do.
He says the authenticity of this space is our strength.
I think he's right.
If we can save this old sweatshop, we can save your soul.
Why not? We are only what we appear to be, a simple church uniting people with the Lord.
Our honesty is our brand.
Speaking of brands, we need to decide on a toll-free number for when people call with donations.
It should spell out something easy to remember, something with a message, like [murmurs.]
Hey.
You with me? Yeah.
I just I'm thinking about tomorrow.
Tomorrow means that all this is possible.
Now, if we have a child, I don't know how we'd manage.
You know what? You're right.
[hip-hop music playing.]
Watch where you're walking, partner.
- Fuck you.
- What the fuck'd you say? To risk it all The Mexican Cartel, America's terror Fuck you, faggot.
Get the fuck out of here.
Come on, pussy! [groaning.]
What's up now, huh? [grunting.]
You're not real.
[vacuum starts.]
- You can't be here.
- I need to talk to you.
All right, then, let's just go around the corner.
No, no.
We're talking right here.
What's wrong? It was so simple, Pernell, just the way I like it.
You call me, I come by, you pay me, I go home.
You had to go and twist it with that ring and that wedding.
I thought it was the only way for us to stay together.
Right, because you love me and can't imagine life without me.
- Yes.
- Mm-hmm.
Exactly.
But as soon as it gets complicated, - I don't rate for shit.
- That's not true.
Then why'd you call SWA on my brother, Pernell? On my little brother.
Why didn't you come talk to me before you sicced the dogs on him? That wasn't my decision.
I didn't even know that was going down.
You see how the world works for you, Pernell.
You make a mess, and people just jump in and do your dirty work.
You don't have to take responsibility.
Hell, you don't even have to know about it.
So you're mad at me for not knowing.
Well, did you know that Khalil was trying to blackmail me? No.
He's been sleeping with the light on ever since that night, like a little five-year-old.
I'm sorry, Tess.
This should never have gone down.
No shit.
Look, you tell me what to do.
Whatever it is, I do it.
What about my house? What about your house? It's ashes.
You don't know about that either? Do you want chips with your sandwich? No, thank you.
I'm not really that hungry.
Brother Pernell.
- Hey.
- Where's Keith? I don't know; I haven't seen him.
Brother Pernell, you had us worried.
Can't tell you how happy I am to have you back in here.
I'm not back.
I just came to see if you've seen Keith.
You know if he's all right? I'm afraid I don't.
He hasn't been around the last few days.
If you see him, would you ask him to call me, please? PAUL: Sure.
Is that it? That's most definitely it.
Did we do something wrong, Brother Pernell? Did I do something wrong? That night when you approached me in the bar, did you know who I was? Or was that just dumb luck? And did you know about PJ? Did you know what my son had just done to himself? Pernell, where's all this coming from? You sought me out in my most vulnerable moment to use me.
Not to use you.
To offer a helping hand to someone in need.
To fill my fucking head with whatever I wanted to hear, just as long as I kept making donations.
All I ever wanted to do was to put you on the path to salvation.
Did you ever stop to think of what would happen by filling my head with all those delusions? What do you mean? I don't want to see you again.
Unless it's to tell me that Keith is all right.
[door slams.]
[background chatter.]
[P.
A.
announcement.]
I did it all wrong.
From the very beginning, I did it all wrong.
I just thought there'd be more time.
Fucked it all up, PJ.
PJ: You're not giving up, are you? You're not real.
PJ: You made a promise, Dad.
How about keeping this one? For who? For you? You're not even here.
I made you up so I could believe that I could wake you up.
You're not even here.
PJ: Shane Caldwell was real.
Julio Farkas is real.
The Eastwood Residences are real.
- That book - Stop! What's real is, I killed an innocent man.
What's real is, I can't wake you up.
All I can do is say good-bye.
PJ: You made a promise.
I can't do this anymore.
PJ: You said you'd make them pay.
[background chatter.]
[P.
A.
announcement.]
[speaking Spanish.]
He's going to have to at least make an appearance.
Hey, I'm afraid of who else is gonna make an appearance.
What if Pernell is chatting up Mr.
Brooks and he sees PJ sitting by the pool? No, no, no, it's different now.
Before, he thought they were real, and how he knows they're not.
I mean, he's getting better.
Yeah, better, not necessarily ready for prime time.
How's this one look? Like a mask.
Muy guapo, senor.
[laughs.]
Like Liza Minnelli robbed a bank.
All right, no more sequins.
Alfredo, please.
Listen, Dr.
Langston was right.
We did push him too far.
And don't forget, we're gonna be coming back from court.
Who knows what state he's gonna be in? ¿Y qué piensa de éste? - Esperete.
- ¿Cómo no? - Un momento, por favor.
- Mm-hmm.
Listen, Brooks skipped out on the President of China just to check Pernell's temperature.
Please, please, we're talking about fucking with my Your concrete pour.
I am so tired hearing "Don't fuck with my concrete pour.
Don't fuck with my concrete pour.
" You think I get a hard-on at the thought of wet cement? Yeah, I do, actually.
Until that concrete is poured, Brooks can walk away scot-free, no questions asked.
No penalties, nothing.
But once that gray sludge hits the earth, they are connected to San Vicente forever, no matter what Pernell does.
That's what gets me hard.
Pernell needs to be at the party, just to say hi to Brooks.
Maybe.
No promises.
We'll play it by ear.
Here, try that one.
- Really? - Mm.
What do you think? - Well, the good Lord - [whispering.]
Always with us - Is such a good Lord - Be with us.
- Amen.
- With such a good Mother too They have blessed me They have blessed me A hundred white doves flying But nothing Is as beautiful As when she believes When she believes When she believes When she believes When she believes When she believes How are you feeling? I'm w woozy.
That's the Dilaudid.
It'll wear off in a couple hours.
[device whirring.]
You ready, Alicia? Alicia? Yeah, I'm ready.
You sure? If you need a moment to think about this, now is the time to take it.
He's waiting for me.
[whirring stops.]
We're gonna sit in here for as long as if we did the procedure.
And I am going to tell you all about the vacation I just took and how my dad made me buy an electric car because global warming is real.
[small laugh.]
You can tell me where you're from and how you got that little scar right next to your eye.
Whatever you want to talk about.
And then when the timer goes off, a nurse will walk you back out there, and then it's up to you to decide when or if he has to know.
How's that sound? Sounds great.
Okay.
- Hey, Jocelyn.
- Hi.
- Thanks for coming in.
- Yeah.
Did you did you find Josh? No, we didn't.
But we found his car outside of Martinez.
Okay.
It was burned pretty badly.
But you you didn't find a body, right? We found evidence of blood on the driver's seat.
There's enough blood that we're opening a homicide investigation.
Oh, God, I'm so sorry.
It's okay, it's okay, here.
- I'm so sorry.
- It's okay, we got it.
There's a bathroom down the hall.
Okay, sorry.
You gonna tell her Judge Harris is a suspect? Not yet.
We don't have enough.
We have his fucking fingerprints on the wine glass in Josh Miller's apartment.
What more do you need? Oop, oop.
You look almost like yourself again.
Do I? Sure wish I felt it.
Yesterday Jocelyn said something.
She said you were his last call.
PJ.
Yeah.
- Why? - Why did he call me? You mean instead of you? Yeah.
I gave him everything.
I'm the one who raised him.
I poured love into that boy every single day.
I was there for him, always, no matter what.
You barely tolerated him.
And he called you.
What did he want? I don't know.
I didn't answer.
The shrink thinks that's why I keep hearing him, because I didn't listen.
Guilt, not God.
Yeah.
Something like that.
I went to that church.
Told those hustlers to fuck off.
- Did you? - Yep.
I'm never going back there again.
Good.
Hey, kid.
Hi.
I heard.
I got to ask, you sure you want to go through with this? Yes.
Without Josh's testimony, they're not gonna allow PJ's video.
We can try.
I don't want you sitting there while they do a victory lap.
It's just a formality.
NICK: Pretty much.
Hey.
Are you sure? I'm not gonna give him the satisfaction of watching me give up.
PJ ON VIDEO: Seriously, if I bounce and I don't die, DNR all the way, man.
Your Honor, we're here to decide what happens to Pernell Harris, Jr.
They've presented their experts.
We've presented ours.
They're the parents; she's the wife.
We could debate for years.
Except the man whose fate is in question has spoken with that video.
There's no question that's PJ Harris.
There's no question what he is saying.
The question is whether that video is admissible.
And it's not.
It is impossible to discern state of mind.
He could have said, "I'm going to shoot the president," and we wouldn't know if he's joking or serious.
He's right, Mr.
Tramble.
Then we would like to ask for a continuance until we can bring in Josh Miller, the person who filmed that video.
JUDGE: Why isn't Mr.
Miller here now? NICK: We cannot locate him at this time, your Honor.
JUDGE: Mr.
Tramble, isn't it your client who requested an expedited court hearing? NICK: Yes, but that was before JUDGE: You're asking me to disregard the law, which I will not do.
The video will remain inadmissible, - and in lieu of - [sobs.]
Any further evidence, - I must rule for the plaintiff.
- Wait.
No.
We don't have to do this anymore.
JUDGE: Excuse me? Pernell Pernell.
My son is gone.
I know that now.
Nobody's going to win here today.
But if anyone should decide when to pull the plug, it's Jocelyn.
JUDGE: Mr.
Harris, am I hearing you correctly? Yes, Your Honor.
We would like to dismiss our action on one condition, that his mother and I get to be there when she takes him off life support.
That's all I ask.
That's fine.
ALICIA: You're making too much of this.
- I'm fine.
I can walk.
- Sit down.
- I'll make you some tea.
- Okay.
Hey.
Get out.
[stammering.]
Please, I got nowhere to go.
I don't care.
How could you even think of walking through these doors? You almost killed Alicia.
I know.
[groans.]
Ohh I made a mistake.
Fuck.
I made a lot.
I don't want to I don't want to go to hell.
I want to be clean again.
Not here.
I want you out of this church, right now.
KD Let him go.
- No, KD, wait.
- Alicia.
Why can't we help him? 'Cause he tried to burn down a house with you in it.
No, he didn't, Paul.
He tried to save me.
From a fire he started.
Sometimes you can't get in the way of who people are.
Look at him.
God knows what he's done.
Yes, God does know, just like He knows everything that we've done.
You stop! God loves us.
He forgives us.
He wants us to be more.
God loves all of us.
There's forgiveness for everyone, isn't there? [funky music plays.]
[background chatter.]
That was brave, what you did today.
[music continues, muffled.]
So why doesn't it feel that way? Because because we're not gonna be parents anymore.
That's not how it's supposed to be.
I should have let you cancel this party.
I can cover for you.
Take as long as you need.
[door opens and closes.]
[electronic pop music.]
Hold on tight You've got me falling like a satellite Oh, right from the sky My heart Oh, it was yours, baby, from the start So take it and tear it apart I know you want to be everything electrical You want this story to unfold [laughter, chatter.]
Oh, you're so sweet.
Gorgeous, gorgeous.
[gasps.]
Oh I love this cornucopia.
There she is.
Hi.
You cannot leave here until we have a chance to catch up, okay? Great.
BOBO: Remind me of Cat Woman.
Doesn't she look a little bit like Cat Woman? Look familiar? - Are those golf shoes? - Speaking of which You wore those the first time we met at Pebble Beach.
There's a steel trap behind that mask.
Or I made a good first impression.
Well, who could forget your humiliating defeat? Really, you just gonna shit on my sentimental moment? Well, I was gonna say, look at us now, getting ready to put San Vicente on the map.
It was three years well spent.
Three.
I've been trying to make something like this happen for almost 20.
It might be another day at the office for you, little lady, but for me it's history.
- Give it up.
- [cell phone rings.]
Sorry, can you just hold that? [ringing continues.]
It's Guy.
He's here with Mr.
Brooks.
- But they can wait a little - Hello? Just gonna leave a man hanging? You said you wanted me to be designated driver.
MAN ON VIDEO: You know where we want to be when we figure it out? The city of San Vicente, in our new headquarters.
BOBO ON VIDEO: Brooks sees something I think you're missing, something a lot of people are missing.
They're an emerging tech giant, and we're the next Silicon Valley, two halves that make a whole.
Brooks Innovations is gonna connect us to tomorrow.
NEWSCASTER ON VIDEO: Isn't that their slogan? - Is it? How about that.
- I think it is.
[laughter.]
Mrs.
Harris, I'm sure you remember Nathan, welcome.
So wonderful of you to come.
Thank you for having me, Mrs.
Harris.
Oh, please.
Crystal.
We'll be neighbors soon.
Oh, just water for me, please.
Oh, I'm sorry.
This is your first Crystal Harris party.
The water's in the pool.
GUY: Nathan just flew in from Beijing.
I'm sure he's exhausted.
He's right.
One drink would knock me right out.
I'll take tap if I have to.
No, no, no.
We will get you a morning rooster.
And you will be wide awake when you crawl back to your hotel room, in the morning.
I won't be here until the morning.
Just long enough to say hi to you and Pernell.
Where is he? As part of Brooks' exploratory team, my main task was to research the lifestyle and cultural amenities here and determine whether they would be a good fit [knock at door.]
WOMAN ON VIDEO: I heard some of your colleagues Damn.
I hate when that boy's right.
[door closes.]
Asa told me you were up here.
But I said, "No, he's not.
He's downstairs, working the crowd.
" Then I looked for you, couldn't find you.
Then I thought, maybe he's fucking a waitress.
But alas, no.
You're up here rubbing one out to Internet porn.
Remember that Brooks promo that made the news? Last thing PJ watched before he shot himself.
I'm sorry, I didn't hear that.
I got this mask on.
I think I heard you telling me that you're ready to go downstairs and show Nathan Brooks whose house this is.
He's here? Yeah.
Flew in from China early.
He wants to see for himself that you're still yourself.
Well, I'm not sure he's gonna get that.
I heard what you did in court today.
I think that's a hell of a step back towards normal.
Yeah, it's not gonna be just as easy as putting on a tux, you know.
Probably not, but then again, somebody once said, clothes make the man.
I'll take a straitjacket.
You know what? Fuck Brooks.
I'll tell him you knocked off early.
All right? He can get these nuts if he don't like that.
Ah, fuck it.
I'm good.
Are you good good? No.
But I can fake it.
Hey, it's a masquerade ball.
We're all faking it.
By the way, there's a waitress in the closet.
I think she's into bowlegged black dudes.
Shit, they all are, baby.
See you downstairs.
[water running.]
[door opens.]
Are you ready, Brother KD? Could we do something first? What? I need to confess my sins.
No, you don't, KD.
We don't have to confess to anyone.
We just have to ask for God's forgiveness and let him take the burden of our sins.
I know that's what they say, but things I've done I think I need to say them out loud.
I understand, Brother KD.
Whatever you tell me, God will forgive.
I have followed the words of a false prophet.
He said he was anointed.
He said I He said I was his Benaiah.
Are you talking about Brother Pernell? Yes.
I did whatever he told me to.
I hurt people.
I spilled the blood of an innocent man men.
And I did it all in the name of the Lord.
[mellow music.]
[indistinct chatter.]
PERNELL: What was your wish? If I told you, it wouldn't come true, would it? Oh, no, no, that's just for birthday cakes.
I think wishing trees are foolproof.
Glad you could make it.
No mask? Nothing to hide.
Well, I appreciate you having me.
I didn't want to miss this.
And my mother taught me never to come to a party empty-handed, so this is for you.
- Both of you.
- Oh, thank you.
Wow.
That's pretty.
Yes, but it looks like it's for something illegal.
It's called a lachrymatory.
In ancient Rome, they were used to collect tears in a time of grief.
NATHAN: See how the stopper fits loosely? To let the tears evaporate.
Once the bottle is dry, it's time to come out of mourning, and you bury that with your loved one.
That's a very touching gesture, thank you.
I know it's been a difficult time for your family.
For our family or for me? Well, losing a child, I'm sure, would be a struggle for anyone, especially someone with a job as stressful of yours.
You've heard things.
You're worried about our arrangement.
But what happens in my family is none of your business.
Your family is San Vicente, for all practical purposes.
Moving my business here is like joining that family.
So is this the wedding feast? Just an engagement party.
Ah.
But we all want to see commitments made, rings exchanged, before anybody gets fucked.
Nobody wants any wedding night surprises.
Mm-hmm.
Well, you picked a good night, Nathan.
Everybody who matters in San Vicente is here.
Some of them hate me, some of them love me.
But they're here, because I want them here.
You want to check me out? Walk the room.
Ask anybody in here if I've ever failed to provide a river of money flowing in their direction.
Ask anybody if they're dissatisfied.
We good? Yes.
Yes, I think we are.
Welcome to the family.
How'd you like that drink? I liked it.
It made me hungry.
Right this way.
How deep are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge.
How unfathomable are his decisions and unexplainable are his ways.
Judge not.
Not even yourself.
For today, through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be born again.
- Hallelujah.
- Hallelujah.
[inhales.]
Be happy and rejoice, for today your sins are washed away by the blood of the Lamb.
Amen.
Truly, truly, I say to you, except a man be born of the water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
Amen.
ALICIA: Amen! ALICIA: Paul! Keith Dennison, God has freed you from the shackles of your old life.
Go forth and serve until the end of your days.
He'll show you the way.
BOBO: Oh, man, you're a lady of your word.
[laughter.]
[overlapping chatter.]
I've got to hand it to you, Pernell.
You made a very good impression on Mr.
Brooks.
Crystal got him drunk.
BOBO: Now we'll just have ourselves a nice extravagant concrete pour, and all our troubles will be behind us, huh? Well, I'm sure it's not gonna be entirely without difficulties.
Hey, this is my big moment.
You give me any shit, I'll have you deported.
ANNE: Hey, you can't do that.
I'm an American citizen.
- Really? - Mm-hmm.
I was only raised in England.
BOBO: Well, who knew? [Chuckles.]
That's right.
You were born in Connecticut, right? Mm-hmm.
What city was that? New Canaan.
New Canaan.
Well, I guess you're safe, then.
[chuckling.]
How long you been living in the U.
S.
? ANNE: I moved to London when I was two.
BOBO: You're barely an American, then.
WOMAN ON VIDEO: Now, Anne, you're not commuting back and forth.
- You actually moved here.
- ANNE: Yeah, that's right.
As part of Brooks' exploratory team, my main task was to research the lifestyle and cultural amenities here and determine whether they would be a good fit Why am I suddenly worried about what the fuck you're about to do? You heard what she said, right? New Canaan? Yes, New Canaan.
Richest part of Connecticut.
Old Canaan, land of the milk and honey.
What the fuck are you talking about, Pernell? Straight out of the Bible.
No, no, Pernell, not now, not here, please.
Before he shot himself, PJ watched this video over and over again.
Okay, just go upstairs.
Go upstairs, lay down until the party's over.
I had honey, she had milk.
- Crystal - Do you know the mayor? Not right now.
I need to talk to you for a second.
We have a situation.
WOMAN ON TV: Colleague stayed at the Mondrian, but you didn't; you rented this condo.
Actually, I bought this condo, yeah.
I felt that the only way to truly get to know the people of San Vicente is to live with them.
What are you doing, man? There's got to be something I'm missing.
I felt from the start that San Vicente reflects the values that Nathan Brooks Pernell, turn it off.
Shh.
ANNE ON VIDEO: And the people here are really good, honest, hard-working souls.
And I'm sure you hear this all the time, but the weather's wonderful.
WOMAN: You're not from California, I take it.
ANNE: No, I'm from England.
Oh, my God.
It's the book.
It's PJ's book.
Pernell There you are.
Finally got a drink.
I'll take the road less traveled to go home I'll take the road less traveled to go home I know your truth is only lies I can see it in your wild eyes So now I must go it all alone