Mind Games (2014) s01e13 Episode Script

Previously on "mind games" We're working pretty well together.
Does it really have to be the end? It doehave to end.
Did he do it? - They've got one eyewitness.
The priest.
By friday, He needs to tell the police that he never saw this one.
Nate will stay here so he can keep an eye on sam Until this is finished.
They set me up.
I'm sorry! I did it for you! You conned me.
I am so sorry.
S-S-S-Shut up!! Did it work? You said friday.
It's not friday yet.
They'll get it done.
Excuse me.
Oh, you scared me.
Um, are you professor edwards? Yes.
Perfect.
I want to talk to you About transferring into your intro class.
Okay.
Sure.
I'm sorry.
Were you just humming john denver? You heard that? Oh, my god.
I am so embarrassed.
No.
I love john denver.
Oh, you don't have to say that.
I know it's weird.
I-I-- No.
Ilove john denver.
I'm sorry.
What -- What was your name again? Beth.
Beth.
That was a lie.
Wasn't it? Ross told you to say john denver, That it was my favorite.
Clark, let me explain.
I just -- Right from the beginning? Oh, wow.
None of it was real.
You set up everything.
Clark, wait.
You can't just leave.
They're gonna kill me.
You understand? I'm dead.
That's your problem.
You're just gonna walk out of here? You're gonna let them do that to me? Clark! You are abandoning sam in her time of need, And if something happens, you will feel responsible.
I could even see this Resulting in some sort of guilt-Induced psychosis.
That's bad.
You don't want that.
If you just listen for a minute -- Shut up! You guys do what you want.
I'm going to my new job in another state Where people aren't lying.
Clark, you don't want to do that.
Please! I'm afraid ross is right.
You know, i only took one semester of psych, But i think on some subconscious level, This means you don't really want to leave.
No! Clark, why don't we go to the police with all of this? I think we should put sam in witness protection.
Latrell, you've seen too many movies.
They don't move you to arizona and change your name Because you have information on a con that didn't happen.
Clark, if vincent thinks that we're talking to the police, It gives him more incentive to make sure i disappear And am never found.
Please! This is insane! I seem to remember Someone mentioning a guilt-Induced psychosis.
Clark, i'm really not sure This is the best way to handle this.
You walked away from the plan.
Look, you can run, but if anything happens to her, You'll never forgive yourself.
You really want to put this behind you? Then finish it.
Walk into your next life, your next job, Free and unburdened.
Unburdened! Oh, my god, that's it! Wait, so you're saying shift the focus to Oh, t-That could work.
Yeah, that's good.
What do you think? I think i have to get out of here.
Clark.
Stay.
I can't.
Ross, it's me.
Just shut up.
I have an idea.
Is this gonna be enough? Yes.
Clark! Finally, let's go.
We got a lot to do.
What is this? I thought the whole point Was to keep these guys out of it.
The new plan keeps them totally clean.
Yes, and it came to him in a dream.
Vision.
And apparently, it involves balloons.
Wait, you told them? That you refused to go through with conning miles? Yes, and thank you for only mostly screwing me over.
Yeah, and as a result, We either tamper with a witness, or you die.
Yeah, clark mentioned that.
Which reminds me, Um, nate, this is miles, megan, latrell.
Guys, this is nate.
He's the one who's gonna kill sam, If she tries to run away.
Nice tomeet you.
Welcome.
I had borrowed some books, And i was hoping i could swap them out for these.
Yeah, sure.
Uh, just think of us as a library That's helping you commit a felony.
Clark, i really don't think we should be including -- Stop! You don't speak.
Sam, you, either.
I'm here to keep vincent from killing anyone, But when either of you speak, It reminds me of how much i want to kill you Which makes it hard to focus.
What? Can't we finish the first plan? It won't work.
Priming effects have a window.
We missed it.
But the new plan Builds on the groundwork we've already laid.
Did we mention that it came to him in a dream? It was a vision.
How hard is that? I was telling ross and sam about this study on maggots In one of the books i borrowed.
Disgust-Induced empathy priming? That's a good thought.
But not the right effect.
You guys know what you're doing? Yeah.
We're in charge of balloons.
Yeah, it's like planning a 6-Year-Old's birthday party Where sam could die.
All right, you guys follow me.
Where are we going? If mr.
Vincent wants us to get his son out of trouble, Then he needs to let us borrow something.
What's that? His son.
Are we not taking the stairs? No, i was just making sure it was still there.
So, are you gonna tell me why you need elliot? Because you lied to us.
Excuse me? You said elliot didn't beat the guy up.
Nate told us he did.
Is that so? H-H-He said it affected the plan.
You're lucky he said something.
I tried to adjust the original strategy For the fact that elliot's guilty, But given what's at stake, I decided to scrap it and -- And do this right.
So, if there's anything else we need to know, Like if this victim, mr.
Andrews, Is gonna suddenly change his mind and testify -- Look, andrews is not a problem.
All he knows is a man with a ski mask Made sure he couldn't walk again.
It's the priest that you've got to concentrate on.
Actually, he might walk again.
Excuse me? The doctor said that his spinal cord might just be bruised, So, uh he might walk again.
You know, maybe.
Oh, what? So, you're checking up on him now, are you? Why don't you just send him a "get well" card And some bloody flowers? Dad, i was -- Look, he got what he was owed.
And finally, you stepped up and done something about it.
Don't you start going weak on me now, elliot, You understand? Yes.
Yes, sir.
You know what the weak get, elliot? They inherit the earth.
No! The meek inherit the earth.
The weak inherit nothing.
You better believe me on that.
Now, what do you want elliot for? I mean, he can't go near the priest.
H-H-He won't even see the priest.
In fact, he won't do a thing That violates the terms of hisbail.
And n-N-Nate will always be with us to keep an eye on him, So heyeah.
Hold on a minute.
Why are you stopping these two from talking? It doesn't matter.
Look, the bottom line, mr.
Vincent, Is the most effective way to alter The priest's memory of the event Is by using the person who caused it, elliot.
If you want him to get away with it, this is how it works.
According to the police report, Father dan saw you walk up to that door, put on a ski mask.
Uh, seven minutes later, he saw you walk out, Take the ski mask off, and in that time, You had beaten mr.
Andrews to a pulp with a baseball bat.
Am i right about that? Okay.
Perfect.
Now, miles, put a camera on that window of the food bank, The exact location where father dan saw you from.
You're gonna come in and out of that door, just like you did, And we're gonna film it from his perspective.
Trick is, we're gonna do it again and again.
Each time, changing the details.
So you're gonna be wearing different clothes, You're gonna enter and exit from different directions, And that's gonna create a bunch of different versions.
And every time you go in, You'll be carrying a different one of these.
That way, when we show father dan the video, Each of the different versions Is gonna be tied to a visual cue -- The balloons -- And we can use those To force father dan to recall a bunch of conflicting memories All at once.
So he won't, in good conscience, be able to testify.
So, um, how does the priest see the videos? Uh, we're gonna bury them As subliminal images in his television signal.
So, the videos plant fake memories And the balloons call them up? Nate, you understand this better than ross does.
And then what? You just gonna ambush a priest with a bunch of balloons? We have a permit to stage a rally At the courthouse steps tomorrow night, But we're gonna "accidentally" drop these balloons When father dan arrives For elliot's hearing in the afternoon.
All right, the key to this working is you.
Every time you go in that warehouse, You need to imagine yourself assaulting mr.
Andrews.
Relive it.
That way, when you come out, Your attitude, the way you move, Will be as close as possible To the way it was when father dan saw you.
Think you can do that? Yeah.
You okay? Wait.
Justgive me a second.
I didn't want to do it.
He wouldn't pay for protection.
Mr.
Andrews -- He -- He wouldn't pay.
And dad said it was, uh It was time for me to send him a message.
It was time for me to do my part.
He told me to break his legs.
You have to hit someone very hard to break their legs.
Did you know that? Yeah, me, either.
He's not feeling well.
The kid threw up.
If you want him to do it again, You're gonna have to give him a few minutes.
No.
I think we have what we need.
Great.
You guys, uh, take him back home, And i'll walk him through What he needs to do tomorrow at the courthouse.
Ross, uh, let's gather up this equipment And bring it back to the office, okay? Didn't you drive your own car? They really kidnapped you? Tried to strangle you? Where'd you hear that? Nate.
So you'll talk to nate, but you won't talk to me.
You've known miles how many months? And you nearly get yourself killed Keeping him from getting robbed, But me, your brother, you'll hire someone To have an affair with me to get me fired from my job.
How does that make sense? Clark, i'm sorry.
I just thought -- That i-I would be better working with you.
I know.
I heard this When you asked me to start the company.
And what did i say? You said no.
I said no.
You asked.
I answered.
That should've been it, ross.
But i was right.
Excuse me? Look, i know i'm just an ex-Con and you are the genius, So it's hard to imagine, But this time, i was right, and you were wrong.
You said no.
You should've said yes.
So, because you didn't like my answer -- Everybody who comes through our doors is there Because they didn't like someone's answer.
What do we do? We've changed their minds Without them having a clue it happened.
Because you decided they'd be better off If they said yes instead of no.
That's what we do.
What i did to start the business was wrong.
I mean, it was beyond wrong.
It wasthe worst thing that i've ever done to anyone, But it was also the best thing That has ever happened for you.
Despite that, you're about to go And make the wrong decision again! Where you going? Clark! Hey! I'm not done! Beth only decided to help me Because i told her it would save you.
You know what? She is not a con.
She didn't pretend to fall in love.
She fell in love.
It's real, and you know it.
So, before you throw away a job that you love And -- And a woman that you were ready to marry, You might want to think a little harder about that.
They aren't your problem! What is my problem, ross? It's me.
That's why i'm going away.
What are you talking about? I put in for relocation With my parole officer this morning.
Where are you going? What do you care? The point is i'll be gone, andwhatever i've done -- The good that came from it -- That'll still be here.
Take it or leave it.
But the decision to say yes or no it's entirely yours now.
Wait.
What? I need to tell you what's actually going on.
We're using balloons to break father dan's brain.
I get it as much as i usually get anything we do.
We're only pretending to get father dan to pull out.
What are we actually doing? Getting elliot to confess.
I just told the kid everything's gonna be okay.
Now we're sending him to jail? Getting elliot to confess Is a much more reliable strategy.
It also doesn't involve tampering with a witness.
And in the long run, it's what's best for elliot.
If elliot is gonna be different from his father, He needs to be willing to follow his own conscience And not his father's demands.
Paying for his own crime Will help him establish himself as his own man.
He pleads, he gets a reduced sentence, And when he gets out, He's got a much better shot at going his own way.
Trouble is, we have to get vincent to think That we did our job on father dan, not on elliot.
So clark has come up with an idea that makes it look like We are doing one thing, when actually, we're doing the other.
Megan, explain how it works.
We've told elliot that he made the videos To associate false memories with balloons in father dan's mind.
So, at the courthouse, father dan will descend the steps.
Elliot will be waiting at the bottom.
We'll drop the balloons.
Then, it will appear like father dan has changed his mind About testifying against elliot and turn back.
But it's actually not the balloons That got him to turn back.
That will be you.
Me? - Yeah.
Uh, you'll be the priest that you played in the diner, When you evaporated into thin air.
Look, when the balloons drop, You'll get the priest's attention.
When he sees you, he's gonna be confused and intrigued.
He is gonna come after you.
Butvincent and elliot, they won't see you.
To them, it will simply look like The balloons have broken father dan's brain And that he's decided not to testify, Which is exactly what we promised.
Okay, so, that makes it look like We changed father dan's mind.
Now, how are we dealing With getting elliot to confess? Guilt balloons! Magic touch.
They think that we made the videos To play them for father dan, but actually, It's a technique called cognitive immersion.
Basically, we got elliot To re-Enact his crime over and over and over again, Getting him to really relive it.
But every time we did it, We put him in heavier and heavier clothes.
Some of them even had sandbags in the pockets.
The additional weight is interpreted by the brain Like it's guilt.
So, as elliot re-Enacted the crime, He started to feel guiltier and guiltier.
Until he actually made himself sick.
Exactly.
And now all that guilt is associated with balloons.
And when we drop them, It will seem like they're affecting father dan.
But really, we'll be releasing A tidal wave of guilt for elliot.
So then, all we have to do is suggest That he would feel so much better if he simply confesses, And he'll just leap at the opportunity.
What are we gonna do? Say, "elliot, time to go confess"? I mean, vincent's gonna be standing right there.
That's where the "magic touch" part comes in.
Ooooh, let me -- Let me explain this part.
It's super cool.
Neuro-Linguistic programming? - Yep.
So, you can think of it Like you're hypnotizing someone while they're awake.
I'm standing here, talking to you, And the whole time, i'm subtly touching your shoulder While saying the words "fish," "ocean," "clams.
" You start to associate my touch with seafood.
Now, here's where the "magic" part comes in.
If, a little bit later, latrell comes over And asks you what you'd like for dinner While touching your shoulder Suddenly, the idea of seafood Will pop into your head without me saying a word.
So, tomorrow, when i'm explaining to elliot What's gonna happen when father dan arrives, I'll secretly be programming him To associate confession with my touch on his shoulder.
That way, we simply have to drop the balloons, And he becomes overwhelmed with guilt.
Guilt balloons.
Then, once he's swimming in the guilt, We'll touch him on the shoulder, And that's gonna activate his desire to confess.
Magic touch.
Wow.
That was amazing.
How did you -- Oh, uhit's sam.
Does she know any of this? No.
You only know because we need you to play the priest.
What'd she say? Nate is bringing her here, vincent wants to make sure That we show the videos to the priest.
Umwe're not actually showing the priest the videos.
That was a lie.
I gathered.
We're gonna have to come up with something else.
Wait.
You know what? I'll take care of it.
So, what is the plan? To hide? No.
We're going to subliminally inject video Into a television signal With this interlacing signal generator.
That is a router.
You think a guy who beats people up for a living Is gonna be able to tell the difference? Are you sure about that? It's not science, it's making stuff up.
And that's the part i'm good at, right? Miles, you're coming with me.
What? Why? Why me? Because you look like a scientist, And if you tell me that this isn't a router, I'll believe you.
Now, what are you doing? I have to run some errands, so Clark, look.
It's a brilliant plan.
It can go wrong a hundred different ways -- Starting with you sitting in your office all night And not being sharp tomorrow.
Go home and get some rest.
All right, fine.
Miles, let's go convince a hit man That we're hacking into a church.
And my father thought this didn't sound like a real job.
Hi.
What are you doing here? I Ross said you wanted me to come.
Which is why ross insisted that i come home.
Oh, my god, i'm such an idiot.
You'd think by now We'd figured out that when ross says it I'm sorry.
I'll leave.
Hey, i'm s-- Can i ask you something? It's really been bothering me.
You don't really like john denver, do you? That's what's been bothering you? Well, when we met you were humming it And you said it was your favorite, and i just -- I got all excited, but That was a lie, right? I mean, ross told you to say that? That's what i thought.
Thanks.
I-Ii don't know why That particular detail felt like it mattered, but To tell you the truth, I don't know if any of this was real.
And you know what really bothers me? There's this part of me that still loves you.
Most of me hates you And never wants to see you again, But there's this part that feels like it had to be real.
It was.
And i tried to tell myself that Because i really loved you, that it made it all okay.
But it didn't.
But the second i met you, I wished it had happened any other way.
But it didn't.
You know, the funny thing is, is i kind of cringed When ross said that john denver was your favorite.
Now i find myself putting him on all the time.
And i think of you.
This interlacing signal generator Is gonna bury the video feed into father dan's tv signal As subliminal flicker frames.
So, no matter what he's watching, He'll be subliminally seeing elliot.
That little box is gonna do all that? Uh-Huh.
I've been going to school for over 20 years, So i totally know what i'm talking about.
Yeah, well, tell her.
I'm not the one in trouble if you're wrong.
If theoretically, things did go wrong, Would you be the one toyou know? It's just that you don't really seem like the kind of person That would do something like that.
You know what kind of person i am? I'm the kind of person who understands what happens When you don't do what mr.
Vincent asks, So i don't make that mistake.
Miles.
Yeah? Listen to me.
However this goes down, I need you to know that i am so incredibly sorry.
Noted.
Miles -- Look, sam, what do you want? Do you want a hug? Do you want me to tell you that everything's okay? Because it's not.
I understand.
Thing is, i'm supposed to be forgiving, And that's not for you, that's for me.
There's a lot of really good science that says That the rest of my life goes much better If i just figure out a way to move past this.
What book is that in? I'll lend it to you after you don't kill my friend.
So, maybe, when you decided to put yourself in danger And not take the money, maybe that changed you.
Do you think there's any chance of that? I hope so.
Me too.
'Cause i would hate to think that i I helped save your life Just so you could go on conning other Quirkily handsome gay men.
Okay.
We're all set.
You're not trying to do that thing, right? What? You stand there, And you're talking about forgiveness Or whatever so that i like you, then you think i can't hurt her.
No, i was just talking.
Sometimes we do that.
Not everything is a thing.
Good, because, understand, It doesn't matter if i like you -- I can't help you.
The only thing that's gonna help you Is if you hooked up that thing up there right or not.
So i want you to think really hard if you did that right.
You just saw me.
It's all hooked up, yes.
But that's not showing any video to no priest.
Why do you say that? Well, for starters, that cable Is running right into that dentist's office over there, And it's the other cable that runs into the church.
Oh.
Is it weird that i suddenly feel Incredibly lucky that you're here? Okay.
We'll be right here When father dan is arriving this afternoon.
So, he's programming elliot now? Doing the "magic touch" thing? To be truly free, father dan needs to face his fears.
Neuro-Linguistic programming? Yes.
How long does it take? A while.
The trick is, he's got to keep repeating important ideas While making it seem like he's talking about something else.
courage and -- And bravery.
But, with enough repetition, Eventually a touch on the shoulder Should make the idea of unburdening himself Just pop right into his head.
The thing about relief, elliot -- Look, we get it, okay? Elliot stands here, the balloons come down And break the priest's brain and he gives up, okay? Yeah.
Now stop prattling on about it.
Well, you know, i-I just wanted to tell you -- We know what we're supposed to be doing.
Just make sure you know what you're supposed to be doing.
I got it.
Come on, we got it.
Elliot yeah, but di-- Itit Dr.
Edwards? Yes? You ever hear of something Called neuro-Linguistic programming? What? Uh, back at the office, I was flipping through a book someone was reading About this neuro-Linguistic programming.
Supposedly, it would plant an idea in someone's head And you tie it to a physical cue, Say, like touching them on the shoulder.
You think that really works? I don't know.
I haven't really read that much about it.
You ask me, i say it's a dangerous idea.
Okay.
Everyone check in.
Miles is on point.
No sign of father dan.
On point? What are you, leading a group of navy seals? Megan? Latrell? You can see us, right? Yes.
Just -- Just -- Okay, yes.
Good.
Co-Copy that.
Roger.
Good to go.
Latrell? Me too.
Good.
Clark out.
Good.
Okay.
We're all set.
Any minute now.
Would it be okay if i talked now? Of course.
I'm sorry.
You just don't even understand How much i appreciate you -- No.
Hold on.
You don't thank anybody until the job's done, okay? And then hopefully there will be something to thank him for.
Guys, i have a visual on father dan.
He's about two minutes out.
Here we go.
Umclark? Hey! Okay.
Umi-I-I'll be right back.
Watch latrell for the signal.
Where are you going? Uh, small hiccup.
I'll be right back.
Clark! Okay.
We just got to find the other end, right? Okay.
All right.
Yeah, it's there.
Oh, there.
Okay, okay.
I got it.
I barely touched it and it fell.
All right.
I can't reattach that Without getting a ladder from the truck.
He's past my position right now.
Okay.
Umwait.
There's another release at the anchor position.
I'm gonna go tie it on to there, And then i'll drop it down to you, okay? If you're not near elliot, you can't do the touch thing.
None of this will work.
If the balloons don't come down, The touch won't work, either, okay? So i'm gonna go attach this And then i'll come back and do the touch.
Get down below the anchor position, all right? Catch this.
- Okay.
Father dan is about 30 seconds out.
Ohh! And he's coming in.
Clark, he has entered the building.
Oh, no.
Latrell, tell sam to go now.
Go.
Come on.
Go, go.
He's at the top of the stairs.
It's now or never.
You got to drop the balloons now.
Megan, grab the rope! Clark, if you drop the balloons now, You are not gonna make it back in time.
Maybe the balloons will be enough.
We don't have a choice.
Pull! I've got father dan.
Hey, hold on.
Well, i'll be damned.
It worked.
Hey.
Where's the father? I ditched him.
Come on, elliot.
You know what to do.
Come on.
Come on, elliot.
Come on.
Elliot's not moving.
He's not gonna do it.
Tell sam to run.
Run? Run where? I don't know! Into the courthouse.
They won't hurt her there.
I-I don't know what else to -- Hold on.
He's giving him the touch.
It's gonna be okay.
Hey what's happening? Hell if i know.
Hmm.
The boy's pleaded out.
Do you believe that? We drive a priest mad so that he can walk, And he just gives up.
Real sorry he didn't take advantage of it, But, uh, we did hold up our end.
What good's that gonna do us now? If i'd have known the boy was gonna be the problem, I would have got you lot to have worked on him.
Well, i suppose There's no point in killing you now.
That would just give me a whole lot of new headaches.
People that have crossed me in the past Have never been able to wiggle their way out of you.
You should think yourself very lucky.
What a complete waste of time.
You knew.
Well, i used to work for a cable company.
You know, whatever you did up on that pole, It wasn't piping any video into a church.
Then why did you help? I know from experience you live this life a ways, You just don't get out of it.
Elliot's not there yet.
Maybe this stopped him.
Plus whatever you guys were trying to do To get me to like you, empathy priming or whatever, Maybe it worked a little.
We didn't use any priming or tricks or At least, i don't -- I don't think that we did.
Did we? I don't know.
With you guys, kind of hard to tell.
I got to go.
I got to say -- You guys are a weird bunch.
It's a good thing you're looking out for each other.
Keep it that way.
So, that's it? Sam is safe? We're off the hook? Yeah.
I know this is over and everything.
We basically just pulled off a miracle.
Let's get one last drink together.
I feel like i'm owed some drinks.
Listen, you, uh, you guys go.
You've earned it.
It's been fun.
Ross! You were right.
This was better for me.
That's still no excuse for what i did.
I didn't say that it was.
But this is better for me.
What you don't seem to understand is why.
This isn't better for me Because i escape academic politics and faculty reviews And disciplinary hearings.
It was better for me because we did it Together.
It was ours.
Yours and mine.
And that's why you leaving doesn't fix this Any more than me leaving does.
What are you saying? I'm saying there is a procedure.
It hasn't been sufficiently studied.
It might not be completely legal.
And it could easily make things worse instead of better.
Well, what are we talking about here? You want to give me some sort of lobotomy? If i said a lobotomy would fix all this, would you say no? No.
Good, because it's a little like a lobotomy.
And miles would have to do it.
Why? Because in order for it to work, We have to do it together.
Okay.
Do you want to know what it is? Itrust you.
™ª almost heaven, west virginia ™ª blue ridge mountains, shenandoah river So, what's going on? ™ª life is old here ™ª older than the trees If ross and i left, what were you gonna call the firm? ™ª younger than the mountains i don't know.
We haven't come up with a name yet.
Why? ™ª blowing like a breeze ™ª country roads Well, whatever you're called ™ª take me home we'd like to hire you.
™ª to the place to do what? ™ª i belong Let'sgo get that drink And i'll explain everything.
™ª west virginia ™ª mountain mama ™ª take me home, country roads ™ª take me home down country roads ™ª take me home down country roads