Tom Swift (2022) s01e09 Episode Script

I'm Tom Swift, inventor, billionaire,
shoe collector extraordinaire.
But none of that was
good enough for my dad.
I thought if I built him
a spaceship to Saturn,
I could earn his love,
but his mission ended tragically.
Or so I thought.
Turns out, he was sabotaged.
My father survived the attack
and sent me a message capsule
with the data I need
to rescue him from space,
but it exploded
when it entered the atmosphere.
Now I have to find the pieces
of that capsule
and reassemble my dad's message.
A global conspiracy called The Road Back
is standing in my way,
so I can only trust my squad:
my best friend Zenzi,
my bodyguard Isaac,
my adopted brother Lino,
and my AI Barclay.
Together, we're going to find my father
and bring him home.
- I say we call the police.
- No.
No. The Road Back has agents everywhere.
Anyone we turn them over to
would just let them go.
Well, should we wait
for Rowan to get back
from taking Andrita into hiding?
He knows firsthand
how these guys operate.
Ah, no, no, no, no.
We don't have time to wait.
Tom's right.
Earth will soon be at apogee
and in position to send
Barton's rescue drone to Saturn.
That window closes in 38 hours.
If we don't find those capsule pieces,
we'll miss our chance to save my dad.
I was able to pinpoint every cell tower
our captives' phones have accessed
since their activation four days ago.
You'd be interested to know
that one pinged a cell tower
just outside of Snow Canyon State Park.
Utah.
That's the place where the last
capsule piece went dark.
- Coincidence?
- Not likely.
If Susannah Robb's men were sent there,
- it probably means
- Susannah has my capsule piece.
Tom, I want you to know
Tom, I want you to know
Hey, Barclay?
What are the odds that
what my father wanted me to know
was
how much he really loved me,
even though he had trouble showing it?
I'll run the "do you
have money for that" protocol,
but the likelihood feels
Never mind.
Don't answer that.
that will give you everything
you need to find me.
find me.
I will. I will.
Hey, you want to
take these to our guests?
We're giving the men who
tried to kill us salmon croquettes?
They're the only leftovers that we have.
You warmed them up.
Have you ever eaten cold salmon?
I'm not a monster.
Listen, about last night
Where do you keep your bottle opener?
Thinking that we should
open this bottle of red.
Timing really is everything.
Huh.
So are the choices we make.
Yes, and I might have made
a different choice
had you expressed your feelings sooner.
I did it.
So, Susannah Robb
got her stank hands on one
of the last capsule pieces.
We can't track it because the
capsule's copper alloy signal has faded.
Which means there's only
one place to look.
Susannah's memories.
Oh, I'm sorry. Do you keep
them in a drawer somewhere
with your pants that fit?
No. No, no.
No, I keep it the same place
you keep Marcus's toothbrush.
I
But this,
this will give us access to it.
Swiftsight.
I I thought Swiftsight
instantly increased
your ability to retain information,
like tenfold. It did.
But deleting Barclay's backups,
it freed up significant
additional memory
needed for me to modify
the neocortex stimulator
to focus on the hippocampus.
And Barclay?
Barclay is fine.
His backups replenish
every 12 hours anyways.
Now, Swiftsight can access
specific recent and forgotten memories.
If we can get this on Susannah,
we can get her to reveal the-the memory
of where she's hiding
that capsule piece.
How exactly are we going to
get her to put that thing on?
Mm-hmm.
By inviting Swift Enterprises'
premier investor to dinner.
The car.
Pulled from the Swift family VIP fleet,
Susannah will be picked up in style
in the most beloved
self-operating experience.
Good evening, Ms. Robb.
Ooh.
Hmm. Got to be the cream YSL boots.
Stylish and ready for anything
while that woman is in your house.
Finally, the invention.
The Remix.
Now,
for our first test run
Zenzi?
Can't we use the Swiftsight
on the operatives?
Get them to give up whatever they know?
Swiftsight only works
on willing participants.
But if we make them
an offer they can't refuse,
let's see what kind
of kinks they're into.
You know, this whole wine cellar
prison thing could be a vibe.
No.
Listen, I promise to choose a memory
that's nice and boring.
Like your skin care routine.
I hope you take notes because
everyone needs sunscreen.
Everyone.
Inside the house, too. Oh, okay. Okay.
Now count backwards from 100.
99
98
97
Think of the last time you exfoliated.
It was last night.
I began to open my beauty drawer and
take out my moisturizer.
Then I stopped.
Somebody knocking on my door.
Nathan? What are you doing in here?
Okay, that's enough.
Why was Congressman Nathan Eskol
knocking at your door last night?
What? And how did Isaac know?
Unless
Ooh
Is there some kind of swirly
throuple going on here?
No. Of course not.
Mm.
Anyway.
Swiftsight works.
Um I should take this.
Nathan, hi.
Hey, it's good to hear your voice.
Likewise.
I, um, I came by Swift Enterprises.
They said you're working off-site.
I am. It's, um, kind of a crazy day.
Well, I-I won't keep you, then.
But I, uh, I was hoping
that I could see you tonight.
I'm actually having dinner
with Tom and Susannah Robb.
Tom invited her.
Wait, is this because of
what I told you last night
about her being?
The secret leader of The Road Back?
Don't worry.
No, I'm going to worry.
I-I care about you.
What if I join you?
Right? Susannah will think
she has another
Road Back member in the room.
One more reason to let her guard down,
if that's what you're hoping for.
Hmm.
Tom is inviting someone, too.
But I'm not helping you.
Why not?
Um, my therapist says
that you only call me
when you feel like it,
and you ignore me when you don't.
She says that I should have some dignity
and think about my needs
instead of yours.
I seem to remember
thinking about your needs
after the Summit.
Look,
your therapist, she seems
very wise, right?
But she's wrong here.
I have been busy
Doing what, Tom?
Saving my fath
Saving my father's company.
I just need a little help reassuring
Susannah that the Swifts
still know how to show
investors gratitude
with a little wining and dining.
Tell me we don't make a great team.
Yeah, but
Clearly, I don't just want you.
I need you, boy.
More than you know.
And maybe afterwards,
we can celebrate like we did
after the Summit, hmm?
Unless you don't want me
to do that thing with
Fine.
I'll be there at 6:00.
But you're covering my therapy co-pay.
Mm-hmm?
Thank you.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Congressman.
Welcome.
Has, uh, Susannah arrived?
She has now.
- Congressman Eskol.
- Hi.
Zenzi, you look beautiful.
Wow, how lovely to see you both.
Together. Again.
Susannah.
Tom, Justin.
- Mwah.
- Mwah.
Glad you could make it.
Me, too.
I cleared my schedule
for the rest of the evening.
This should be fun.
Yeah.
Let's hope it's a night to remember.
Thank you.
Anyway, anyway, anyway.
I see Tom across the room
and I tell my friend,
"That's the man I'm gonna marry."
Ooh. And I tell my mom,
"That is a man I'd marry"
"without a prenup."
And-and then she said
"Thomas, you're thinking
with the wrong head again."
Yo, Lorraine's nasty.
That sounds like love at first sight.
Does it, though?
You know, I got to say,
Barton always knew how to
show investors a good time.
Especially my parents.
But he was never quite
as captivating as Justin.
Susannah.
Or, of course, you, Tom.
Oh.
Well, I'm very different from my father.
More impressive and more innovative,
you know?
Take my latest invention. Swiftsight.
A neural device
that attaches to your temple.
It increases your cognitive speed
and your ability to retain
information tenfold.
Technically, yes, but legally
it's still in prototype phase.
Unlike that Panigale V4
you ride every Thursday.
Oh, you want to take
my bike out for a spin?
Oh, no. I'm a delicate flower.
The only thing I want to ride is
- Tom. You were saying
- On Thursdays.
I was saying that while Swiftsight is
still in prototype phase,
the neuro tech is something
you must experience
- before it hits the market
- Swiftsight
won't be market-ready for a while, babe.
Oh, but that's the beauty
of early access, sweetie.
I think a safe product rollout
is the most beautiful thing
a company can do.
You know, he just gets
so excited about his latest creations,
he would have premature
spillage every time
- Justin.
- if I didn't
Sweetheart. A word.
Quick question.
Why are you blocking Swiftsight?
I've read the internal diligence
and reviewed the prototype testing.
It's not ready.
If Susannah tries it on
and something goes wrong,
she'll bail, word will get around,
and then Swiftsight is screwed.
Unless
there's something going on
- I don't know about.
- No, no, no, no.
The only thing you need to know
is that Swiftsight is ready.
I swear. Look,
keep the conversation going, please.
I'll be back for
the next round of drinks.
My lawyer is too honest.
The oxymoron of it all.
If Justin has convinced Susannah
not to try out Swiftsight,
we're going to need a backup plan.
Hmm. Well, the hostages still
won't be willing participants,
but I can explore a different
interrogation tactic.
I can question Eskol.
- Maybe he knows more than he realizes.
- Okay, then.
I'm gonna go work the
Susannah pole one more time.
Let me go put on my clear heels.
Click, click.
Exactly.
So, from a business perspective
- Mm-hmm.
- how do you know
when it's time to bail
on a long-term investment?
Not seeing the returns you'd hoped for?
I'm trying to be supportive,
- yet
- Right.
Well, Tom doesn't need
another chief of staff.
Well
He needs a take-charge copilot.
Someone who's gonna make big moves.
Take a big risk.
Someone who can make
themselves indispensable.
Sorry about that.
Where were we?
- Talking business.
- Mmm.
Oh, will you look at that?
My assistant just sent over the latest
in Swiftsight analytics, and turns out
my information was outdated.
Swiftsight was cleared
for product demonstration two days ago.
Analytics don't lie.
Okay. This evening just gets
more and more exciting.
See you.
Knock her dead.
Thank you.
Has Susannah mentioned
anything about Utah recently?
What's this about?
Just think.
No, I
Not-not that I know of. No.
Your boss is here with the congressman.
Just out of curiosity,
what does The Road Back do to members
who fail their mission?
Oh, it's got to be brutal.
Has she mentioned anything
about a copper alloy metal
- or a capsule
- Zenzi, Zenzi.
I-I-I don't know anything
about copper alloy metal or Utah.
What I do know is that
Susannah is extremely selective
about how and to whom
she divulges information.
Damn.
Thank you.
But if you really want
to be impressed, I
Well, then you'd admit the only reason
you invited me here tonight
was because that metal
object I found in Utah.
Seems to me you
have a rare opportunity here.
Either we turn you
back over to your organization
and you hope to God they show you mercy,
which they won't.
Or
you give us information
that'll help take down The Road Back
and gain your freedom.
Hmm.
Well, you can't say I didn't offer.
Wait.
I have something you want
That piece of copper alloy.
And you have something I want
Your gifted mind
So let's have a kiki.
Tom,
one of Susannah's
operatives just told me
the name of her big plan
is Operation Moseley.
That metal object,
it belongs to me.
- Hmm
- So, hand it over
or I tell the authorities
everything I know about
Operation Moseley?
My guess is, you got that name
from one of my three men
you're hiding in your basement.
Come on, you didn't know they all have
implanted tracking devices?
I expect better from you.
If I had to guess, it was probably Terry
who couldn't keep his mouth shut.
Then again
you never can be too careful.
They're dead, Tom.
Two of her operatives just dropped dead.
Now we can have an honest conversation
about what we both want.
Ah. Did I just hear you say that?
Zenzi, shh.
Yes, all right? Yes.
They're dead.
But we are okay.
Two dead white men and one white hostage
in a Black billionaire's mansion.
How are we okay?
This is not American Gangster.
I am not cut out for this!
Calm down.
You know, Tom.
I think it's time
we have a real heart-to-heart, hmm?
Sounds great. You first.
Okay.
Private jets get clearance
from air traffic control
all the time for flight paths.
When you suddenly aborted two flights
to Snow Canyon State Park, Utah
I got curious.
Then I discovered that
one of The Road Back satellites
had discovered
an unidentified fallen object
in the same location.
Just so happens it's made out of
Swift Enterprises' unique copper alloy.
Figured it could be useful as leverage.
And you wanted leverage
over me because?
Because
you're gonna join The Road Back.
What is that?
Ever since I told Zenzi that
I want out of The Road Back,
I've been trying to find some evidence
to take down the organization.
Turns out, this USB
security key is the only way
into Susannah's cloud.
The security key is unique.
Hacking it comes with a virtually
100% chance of its administrator
receiving a security breach alert.
I don't like those odds.
Unless your artificial intelligence
is not only clever and witty
but unmatched, unrivaled,
and second to none,
with a mellifluous voice
that soothes while it informs.
I think you know
where I'm going with this.
Barclay, start the security bypass.
Already started. You're welcome.
All we want is to help humanity.
By returning us to
a better and simpler time
where you didn't have to worry about
the unintended consequences
of accelerated technology.
Think about social media platforms.
They started off as
a way for you to connect
with your college buddies and
then they turned into a cesspool
of bullying and false information
that threatens our democracy.
Household plastics brought convenience,
but mass manufacturing
of those plastics,
well, has nearly destroyed our planet.
Okay, you're an environmentalist.
Cool. Plant a tree.
Why kill when you can just compost?
Because bad tech is everywhere.
Think of the cotton gin.
Slavery was winding down in the
United States before its invention.
Another five decades
of human bondage, thanks to
that little agricultural tool.
Every tech advance comes
at a negative cost.
I'm I'm not asking you
to stop being an inventor.
I'm asking you to be an ethical one.
To think about the unintended
consequences of your innovations,
and to stop the irrational
advancement of technology
before it irreparably takes our society
in the wrong direction.
And killing an employee
with the use of a cell phone.
Is that too far in the wrong direction?
Asking for a hostage friend.
I am aware that I cannot
function in today's society
without the use of some
modern conveniences.
Oh, so only you get to decide
which modern conveniences
are okay and which aren't?
I believe I have the discernment to use
technology in moderation
for a larger purpose.
The Road Back intends to stop technology
from growing beyond
the control of humankind.
Imagine what we could do
with you on our side.
I know it's a lot to take in, but
my perspectives on this
go back to early childhood memories.
Maybe
Maybe you're just mad that Mommy took
your Sidekick and you
haven't gotten over it yet.
No, Tom.
I know what my parents did to me.
Prove it.
Swiftsight has been reconfigured
to access memory.
Show me the technology
that shaped your memories.
I would love nothing more than
to give you a firsthand look
at the damages technology leaves behind.
Let it be a source of motivation
for you to join The Road Back.
Ready when you are.
August 17, 2012.
Okay, then. Close your eyes.
Focus on the events of that date.
Now
count backwards from 100.
99
98, 97
96
August 17, 2012. How old are you?
Twelve.
Where are you?
At home.
With my parents. They're
nervous but
excited.
Proud.
Of you?
No.
They've never been proud of me.
But my new gummies
are gonna change that.
They're gonna fix me.
Make me smarter.
You're gonna be so proud, Mom.
Oh, they don't taste so good.
Susannah?
Susannah.
You're having a memory
from ten years ago.
Now, now you're going to retreat
into a memory from four days ago.
Four days ago.
Utah.
You discover an
unidentified fallen object.
Hey.
Well, what exactly is it?
No. Find out.
No. Put it in the bunker in Tribeca.
- I'll meet you there.
- You won't.
You're gonna count backwards from 100.
99, 98,
97, 96, 95
Swiftsight's phenomenal.
But after what I've shown you
you won't need that
metal piece in Tribeca.
Mmm, there's so much more
I could show you, Tom.
Things your father
never wanted you to see.
I got it.
Susannah's hiding the capsule piece
in The Road Back's
secure bunker in Tribeca.
That's amazing.
It exhausted her, but it worked.
She's asleep right now.
Eskol got Susannah's USB security key.
Barclay's hacking it now.
All right, we may be able
to uncover information
that could take down The Road Back
once and for all.
Then I'll stall Susannah
because I, uh
I actually need to get
one more thing out of her.
So
what did Susannah think
about Swiftsight?
Oh, she loved it.
I think she might invest.
- What?
- Thank you.
I owe you some tongue tricks, but
can we rain-check?
- Got to run.
- Run to where?
Or who?
- It's not like that.
- Then what is it like?
What are you not telling me?
I'm just dealing with
something personal right now.
Too personal for me to know?
That's not what I said.
It's what you meant.
Justin, I'll explain everything later.
God, you're a user, Tom.
You always have been.
Seriously?
You use me when it's convenient for you
and then ditch me when it's not.
That's not fair.
Then let me in.
Tell me what's really going on.
We're basically boyfriends,
and you treat me like some
Justin
Hey.
We never said that we're boyfriends.
I'm sorry if you felt
like it's more than it was,
but you don't get to take
that choice away from me
by making that decision for us.
It's not fair, like,
especially when you never
told me that you wanted more.
Let's let's talk
about this another time,
but I really, I really need to go.
Come on. Eskol is hiding something.
And you know it.
U2F key security breach complete,
sans administrator alert.
Opening her most recent upload,
and reminding you that I am that bitch.
All I know
is, he came clean about wanting
to leave The Road Back.
What the hell are you doing?
Barclay, open the first file.
Why does Susannah have Dr. Kay's ID?
Barclay, open the next file.
That's Dr. Kay
Zenzi.
- Oh, my God.
- Zenzi, Zenzi.
Zen
That's why you wanted
to come to dinner tonight.
So you could get your hands on that key
because you knew it was
the only way that you
you could access and delete that video?
Susannah threatened to kill you
if I didn't do what she asked.
Her life or his.
She saw how much I care about you.
You're trying to put this on Zenzi?
No.
No, I-I had a choice
between you and Dr. Kay,
and I chose you.
And ever since then,
I have been trying to find
a way out of The Road Back.
Look, I can, I can still see the fear
- Oh!
- in Dr. Kay's eyes,
and-and I can't be a part
of that anymore.
So, you just you lied to me?
These files might contain evidence
that would bring down The Road Back.
Taking Dr. Kay's life
might have saved mine,
but everything you did after that
that was in service to you.
I know.
How do you want to handle this?
He still saved my life.
I guess I can try to
at least return the favor.
My parents called them
Hyper-Intelligent Gummies.
Very creative.
Took one every other day for two months.
Fun fact my liver
will fail before I'm 40
and my skeletal muscles
are rapidly depleting.
I'm sorry.
Anywho
I'm glad you've seen the truth.
Including where I'm hiding that object
you're so desperate
to get your hands on.
You can have it, by the way.
I left it with a hoarder.
I have bigger plans.
For us.
Do those plans
include the things that my father
didn't want me to see?
Barton had the gummies
modified into what he dubbed
Attraction-Correcting Gummies.
Excuse me?
Well, my parents
had published their findings
on Hyper-Intelligent
Gummies in some pretentious
scientific journal,
and Barton read it and he hypothesized
that once you were inside the brain,
you could change anything.
Even you.
Yeah, that never happened.
That never happened. Your "vitamins"
would've made you feel extremely ill.
They didn't work, obviously.
You can try to rewire the brain
to enhance capabilities.
But even an idiot knows
you can't turn someone straight.
Barton figured that out eventually,
but not before he secretly risked
lifelong damage to your body.
Because he was so desperate
to stop you from being gay.
If you join The Road Back
you can stop anyone from
experiencing the same pain
our parents put us through.
What do you say?
I won't be joining in.
And damn.
I expected better.
You said The Road Back wants to return
to a better, simpler time.
For who?
Because the simpler time
for white people was an arduous,
exhausting, grueling, and painful time
for Black people.
So, what does
The Road Back stand to gain
by having Black billionaire
Tom Swift as a member?
Well,
there have always been
Black people that understand
that unchecked progress
is a danger to us all.
That's just racist.
It's not racist.
I'm serving a higher purpose.
Next you're gonna tell me
that you don't see color.
Okay, I'm talking about
people like Ernest Withers.
There are advantages to being
among the chosen few.
Ernest Withers?
Ernest Withers was a Black
Civil Rights photographer
paid by the FBI to inform
on his own people.
The man spied on MLK.
I
I am Black.
I'm not OJ.
So you also know that your houseboy
will not be named Tom Swift.
I don't want you as my houseboy.
Did I say that?
You implied it.
The Road Back wants you
for your foresight,
ingenuity, and awareness.
Well, you've heard my offer,
you have 24 hours to make a decision.
In the meantime,
I'll remove my employees
from your property.
Or I can send more agents
to get my men and outnumber you.
Okay.
Good choice.
Oh, and, Tom
I do hope your answer is yes.
Otherwise, there will be consequences.
Yeah?
Ciao.
Eskol is in good hands.
I called in a favor from a
former special-ops military friend.
He agreed to keep the congressman
in hiding until we can
figure out next steps.
The thought of Eskol having to choose
between my life or Tom's
my life or yours
You can never trust him.
And you can't be with
someone you don't trust.
I trust you.
I'd never give you a reason not to.
I should go see how Tom
is doing with Susannah.
You let our last hostage go?
Well, we don't exactly
have the manpower or time
to fight more Road Back agents
when we only have 29 hours
to save my dad,
and even less time
to figure out the truth.
About the straight gummies?
Tom, Uncle Barton would never do that.
Wouldn't he?
Remember that time I was 13
and had to go to the hospital?
Yeah, I think so.
Aunt Lorraine wasn't here and you'd had
a bad allergic reaction to something.
That's what he said.
But he never said what I had
an allergic reaction to.
I need to know the truth.
And I need you to guide me.
Great.
Susannah accessed
Swiftsight for 98 seconds
and it depleted her.
After 60 seconds, pull me out.
I'll need my strength to retrieve
the last two capsule pieces.
Okay.
Setting a timer.
I guess focus on a year.
It was, uh
June 2013.
Try to think of a time
when you would have been alone
with Uncle Barton,
which wasn't often.
And begin to count backward from 100.
99, 98
97, 96,
95
Must you always choose pink?
I like it.
Well.
As long as you like it,
that's what matters, hmm?
Oh, I forgot.
I have been meaning
to give you your new vitamins.
Take these.
These will make you feel stronger.
There we go.
You're going to be fine.
You-You'll get through this, Tom.
I'm right here. I'm right here, son.
Everything's gonna be okay.
Tom?
Tom.
Tom
I-I-I need you to start
- c-counting backwards from
- Tom!
Just, screw it, just
Oh, my Tom, Tom, I'm so sorry.
I'm fine.
- I'm so sorry.
- I-I'm fine!
I'm fine.
I
Tom, Tom.
Here you are, sir.
Thank you so much.
Hey, Susannah. Thanks for meeting me.
Hey. Hey.
You were right.
I-I took a big swing
with Tom and it paid off.
He's entrusting me
to give you Swiftsight.
Thank you.
You are going to be an amazing copilot.
Mr. Chase-Swift.
Has a nice ring to it.
Yeah.
Have a good night, Susannah.
Thanks, you, too.
The bodies have been taken care of.
Thank you.
Now that we have Swiftsight,
Operation Moseley can move
forward as planned.
Tom, Tom, stop!
There are no words to excuse
what Uncle Barton did to you,
but I am begging you.
Please put the bat down.
He used my brain to get to Saturn.
But whatever I achieved
was never gonna be good enough.
I knew he was ashamed.
But to experiment on me?
To risk my life?
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
That man can rot in space.
He don't get no more of my tears.
I'm done.
So what now?
I don't blame him.
I wouldn't go after any more
capsule pieces either
if I were him.
But I think he'll regret it later.
With only 28 hours left until apogee,
later may be too late.
Exactly.
So it's me and you now.
We're gonna go get those
last two capsule pieces.
For Tom.
I'm in.