The Pretender s01e14 Episode Script

Ranger Jarod

- Previously on The Pretender.
- I know the truth.
And what truth is that, Jarod? The truth about what makes you sad.
- Your mother was a special person.
- My mother was weak.
Period.
The only thing that ever bothered me was: Why in an elevator? Your mother was a very special woman.
There was a part ofher I knew better than anyone.
There was a part ofher she kept hidden, separate.
[Miss Parker.]
Is that all you do, Jarod? Dig up the past? That's easy for you to say.
You have one.
[Screaming.]
Mama! Mama! - They're trying to hurt her! - Stay here, Jarod.
- [Gunshot.]
- Mama, no! - [Gunshot.]
- No.
! Mama! [Gunshot.]
[Phone Rings.]
- What? - [Sydney.]
We've got a hit.
Jarod's the finest sewer rat I've had the pleasure to work with.
I've never seen someone so excited about excrement in my life.
A real fecal aficionado.
[Miss Parker.]
How charming.
- [Sydney.]
How long was Jarod here? - Couple of weeks.
- That's all it took him to figure it out.
- [Miss Parker.]
Figure what out? That we were digging into an aquifer.
If we had hit that thing, it would've flushed 45 members of the International Brotherhood of Sewage Workers right into the jaws of oblivion.
Just like that Egyptian army in The Ten Commandments.
Whoosh! Great.
Now Jarod is Moses.
Moses? - Charlton Heston.
- [Chuckles.]
Right.
Thanks.
Mr.
McElroy, this is where Jarod always emerged? Right in this spot.
Something special about it, but he wouldn't tell me.
Said he had to ship out.
Commander Forrester, we have a situation here.
- Report.
- Bogey, sir.
Victor-class submarine, bearing one four eight.
[Jarod.]
And closing.
This could be the rogue we're looking for.
Relax, sailor.
This is the fun part.
Why does the fun part have to happen on my watch? - Alert the X.
O.
and the captain.
- Aye, aye, sir.
We've got a fight on our hands.
[Man Narrating.]
- [Man.]
Attention on deck.
- [Man #2.]
As you were.
Captain Nagel.
Commander Nashton.
It's the Rostov, sir.
After she deployed from Odessa the Uzbeki captain declared independence from the Black Sea Fleet.
- He's rogue.
- With a hip pocket full of nuclear warheads.
And judging from the intel file, her first strike target is Los Angeles.
[Beeping.]
- Something's up, sirs.
- They've opened the V.
L.
S.
doors.
Those S.
L.
B.
M.
's will be ready to fire in approximately two minutes.
Torpedoes in the water, bearing one three seven and one four two.
- Ready torpedo decoy.
- Ready decoy.
Ready decoy.
Aye.
Something's wrong with this relay, sir.
- What's the problem, Baker? - Aaah! We've lost the decoy signal.
- Gentlemen, we got a torpedo on our ass.
- Torpedoes closing, 300 yards.
- The decoy signal's still dead, sir.
- 200 yards.
Ninety seconds to S.
L.
B.
M.
launch.
Come on, Baker.
- Got it.
Decoy's on line, sir.
- [Beeping.]
Torpedo number one just took the bait.
Number two closing.
It's a miss.
Rostov's V.
L.
S.
system is still ready.
Those nukes fly in one minute, sir.
- Forty degrees starboard.
- [Man.]
Forty degrees starboard.
- Steady on course zero nine zero.
- [Man.]
Zero nine zero.
Sir, suggest we fire both torpedoes now while he's still in range.
[Jarod.]
Sir.
I recommend that we fire one now that we veer approximately 30 degrees starboard and then fire torpedo two.
- Veer? Why don't we just - Fire torpedo one.
[Woman.]
Fire one.
Aye.
Torpedo away.
Thirty seconds until warhead launch.
- Veer thirty degrees starboard.
- [Jarod.]
Right full rudder.
Steady course one two zero.
[Man.]
Right full rudder, one two zero.
Aye.
One is a miss, sir.
- Fire two.
- Fire two.
Aye.
- Torpedo away.
- Twenty seconds until warhead launch.
Those birds are hot.
Ten seconds until warhead launch.
Number two is a direct hit.
She's going down.
[Cheering, Clapping.]
[Man.]
This is Captain Drucker of the Harrison.
[Mimics Russian Accent.]
You've blown us out of water, you crazy Yankee pig.
Acknowledged.
Always a pleasure to run a simulation with you, Ted.
Never a cold war when you need one.
Harrison out.
You got nothing to smile about.
Another three seconds and L.
A.
's a parking lot.
[Woman.]
Way to go, Baker.
Lieutenant Commander Forrester this crew is loose.
It's too loose.
The Monroe is a team, like links in a chain.
If one of those links breaks under stress we slip that much closer to disaster.
[Loudly.]
In one week, we hit the big blue.
It is imperative that your response times improve.
After what happened on our last tour I want this ship running like a damn Swiss watch.
All right.
You just traded your day off for a ride on my personal highway to hell.
[Nashton.]
Left, left, left.
! Come on, people.
! It's a highway to hell.
We love it.
! Come on.
! - Having fun yet? - [All.]
Yes, sir! Come on, people.
! Do you love it? - Yes, sir! - I can't hear you.
! Yes, sir! Let's go.
Let's go.
Come on.
Let's go.
Come on.
What are you waiting for? Let's go.
Move it.
- Move it out.
Move it out.
Move it out.
- [Yells.]
Move it out! Move! Move! Move! [Jarod.]
Move! Move! Move! [All Shouting.]
I didn't really want a day off.
Did you, Baker? - What? - You can't even handle a little circuit flare-up? I mean, if something goes wrong this tour you're not gonna screw up on us like you did in the pump room with Seaver? Seaver was a dumb-ass.
[Woman.]
Hey, get him.
! Get him.
! [All Yelling.]
[Jarod.]
Break it up! Get up! Break it up! Knox! Marcus! Baker, you've got the highest rank here.
If I even catch you looking at these sailors the wrong way I'm gonna have you in the scullery every day for a week! - Understood, sailor? - Yes, sir! - Fall out! - [Man.]
All right.
Move out.
[Man #2.]
Sir.
Well, you handled that little situation well.
Just as well as maneuvers this morning.
Sir, I'm sorry about that.
- I didn't mean to step out of line.
- Oh, yes, you did.
You're just lucky that you made the right call.
I guess.
Nagel seemed pretty steamed about the last tour.
Yeah, well, that's the only chink in his armor.
We lost a sailor.
There was a gas leak in the pump room.
- A gas leak? - Yeah.
JX-5.
Whoa.
A roomful of that could've set off the entire ship.
Whoo.
Tell me about it.
I had the deck that night.
It's pretty intense.
It's not something I want to live through again.
Hey, tell me something, will ya? How did you know that the Harrison was gonna cut and run? "Bulldog" Ted Drucker was at the conn.
- It's his favorite evasive technique.
- Oh, you served with him? Actually, Jarod's from the Grant, sir.
Lieutenant Paula Pratt.
At ease.
Security officer.
Lieutenant Commander Jarod Forrester.
Yes.
I just ran the required checks on your file.
Your dates on the Grant don't jibe with the Bureau of Personnel.
So why don't you call the Grant and have 'em clear it up? I will.
As soon as she gets back from a silent escort in Antarctica.
Next month.
Come see me at P.
S.
D.
tomorrow.
That woman needs a hobby.
She reminds me of someone I used to know.
Go through the box from Jarod's last lair.
Call me with solid leads.
[Sydney.]
Where will you be, Miss Parker? - Out.
- [Beeps Off.]
Well, there must be something you can tell me about my mother.
It's been nearly 30 years, but I remember how much she loved the children here.
I have reason to believe that she might have rescued some of them.
- Rescued? - It's a long story.
Did she Did she bring any children here? No.
We've always gotten our children the usual way: orphans, runaways, victims of child abuse.
- I'm afraid I wouldn't know where to begin.
- [Sighs.]
I might.
I'm sorry.
None of them ring a bell.
That's okay.
You've been You've been very helpful.
Who is this Jarod you're asking about? An associate.
I thought maybe he might have visited you.
No.
- [Sighs.]
- It's not a dead end, Miss Parker.
Well, the person who gave this to me is the master of the dead end.
You could match these with our files but you'd have to go down to the Hall of Records.
All of these kids are pre-1970.
Our files were destroyed in a fire that year.
You had a fire in 1970? Yes.
April.
How did you know? That's when my mother died.
At ease.
- Good afternoon, sir.
- Good afternoon.
- Just want to welcome you to the Monroe.
- At ease.
Uh, Bazooka.
From my personal stash.
For me? This is interesting.
Bubble gum named after a weapon.
Hmm.
Well, it's been around a while.
It's very good.
And it comes with its own personal story.
[Laughing.]
Very clever.
Well, thank you very much.
As you were.
[Laughing.]
[Girl.]
Get away from me.
! Leave me alone.
! I said get Get away from me.
! Stop it! [Panting.]
- [Yelps.]
- Are you going someplace? Look, there's two men chasing me.
I think they're some kind of perverts.
You've really gotta help me.
- That's them! - Commander.
Is there some kind of problem, Sergeant? Yes, sir.
We caught this bug trying to hot-wire an ensign's jeep.
Oh, that's a great big lie.
Besides, I didn't even know the jeep belonged to the ensign.
It's the third time this week we've had a run-in with this desperado.
I see.
I think I can handle it from here.
- My name's Jarod.
- Melina Pratt.
Pratt? As in Security Officer Pratt? As in her daughter.
- You're gonna tell her about this, aren't you? - What about your father? He's the navigator on the Farragut.
- That's on the Indian Ocean, on patrol? - Yeah.
He's been gone for about four months now.
Four and a half.
Must be pretty tough on you and your mother, your father being gone that long.
My mom just works more.
To me, it's no biggie.
So your dad is gone, and your mom works all day.
From what I understand, a teenager lives for that kind of freedom.
Is that true? If you're so interested in teenagers, maybe you should become a high school counselor.
I already tried that once.
I mean, the hours were great, but the food was terrible.
So, are you gonna tell my mom about this jeep thing or not? - Melina.
- What? Next time you go to so much trouble to get into trouble hot-wire an admiral's jeep.
[Man On P.
A.
.]
Communications watch officer and D.
D.
O please report to the quarterdeck.
Comm watch officer and D.
D.
O.
, report to the quarterdeck.
That's nice work for an oxyacetylene weld.
It's old-school, I know, but it holds tighter than any of that newfangled stuff.
Snipes are always getting on me.
TIG weld this, gas tungsten that.
Got no respect for the old ways, you know.
- I guess not.
- [Chuckles.]
Excuse me.
[Nagel.]
Problem, Jarod? As you were.
Petty Officer Mike Baker.
I pulled him out of a fight a couple of days ago.
- I have a good mind to go up there - Whoa, whoa.
I know that you're eager to crack skulls, but, uh don't start on Baker.
He lost his best friend on our last tour.
Scott Seaver.
I told you about it, Jarod.
The, uh, JX-5 leak in the pump room.
- Oh, yes.
Right.
- Seaver botched the retrofit.
Which gave the board of inquiry an excuse to try to mothball the ship again.
Damn leeches came in here.
They went over every piece of paperwork, every inspection record tried to haul her out of the water.
Finally, it took seven admirals to decide the problem was Seaver's shoddy work.
I see.
Well, I guess I'll ease off Baker then.
He does know that he's on this ship for the next six months.
[Jarod.]
Where his best friend died.
[Seaver's Voice.]
Oh, my God.
! Baker, help me.
! [Man.]
Surprise inspection, or are you stealing stock tips? I was just getting to know the territory.
You play the stock market.
Hey, you want to put a kid through college on my salary, you gotta take some chances.
Actually, my son picks out all my stocks.
He wants to see his tuition keep coming, he better pick 'em right.
- Is he a business major? - He's a tight end.
Got a good brain.
Average hands.
No scholarship.
But I'll be damned he's gonna spend his whole life sweating in a hole like this.
- You sure this ain't no inspection? - Promise.
Good.
I mean, nothing personal, sir, but, uh I've been turning wrenches down here since you and most of this crew were playing kick the can.
And what can was I kicking? All I'm saying is, uh, you don't need to go wasting your time checking up on Lieutenant Albert Danes.
As you were.
Thank you, sir.
Thank you.
[Man Shouting Commands In Distance.]
[Laughing.]
They're very funny.
They still make those? [Jarod.]
Yeah.
But what I don't understand is why does he wear the eye patch? Matters of cosmic importance I'm not prepared to address.
Huh.
I wanted you here when I call Admiral Mason.
You remember Admiral Mason.
He signed your recommendation.
How could I forget? [Autodial Beeps, Line Ringing.]
[Woman.]
Admiral Mason's office.
Lieutenant Paula Pratt calling from Long Beach Naval Station.
[Woman.]
I'm sorry.
The admiral is on his annual fishing trip to Bimini.
[Pratt.]
It's nice somebody has time for a vacation.
- How long will he be gone? - [Woman.]
Two weeks.
And he left strict orders not to be disturbed unless, of course, it's urgent.
I'll call back.
- Bummer.
- Bummer? - Melina, she's busy.
! - That's whatJoe would say.
I don't care how busy she is.
I need to see her.
! Melina, I'm in a meeting.
I know.
Hi.
But I can't even get an appointment, and I need to know today if I can go see R.
E.
M.
Rapid eye movements? - No.
It's a band.
- Oh.
- Tickets go on sale in an hour.
- I told you.
I don't want you going alone.
I won't be alone, Mom.
There'll be 40,000 other people there.
[Sighs.]
I am busy.
We will talk about this later.
Yeah, what else is new? My daughter.
- Yo.
What's up? - Why won't you talk to me? [Chattering.]
How'd your tattoo come out? What are you, stalking me? Not exactly.
This police officer stopped by and, uh left you this parking ticket.
Great.
My mom's gonna go ballistic when she sees this.
Not to mention when she finds out you stole her car.
But having her go ballistic that's the general idea, isn't it? Come on.
You can do it.
Try it again.
Wrap it around your tongue and blow.
- [Laughs.]
- Yes! - I can't believe no one taught you how to blow bubble gum.
- I had a lonely childhood.
Yeah, join the club.
"I.
L.
Y.
'" Is that another band? No.
Just three letters I want to remember.
That's all.
What are your parents going to say? I don't care.
- My mom hates me, and my dad's never around.
- Your mom does not hate you.
- Parents love their children.
- Oh, what sitcom are you living in? [Laughs.]
- [Bubble Pops.]
- [Man On Recording.]
In conclusion victim Seaver expired after inhaling theJX-5 toxic gas from the ship's coolant system.
Ice crystals formed in the lungs within 30 seconds, resulting in asphyxiation.
Furthermore, additional trauma [Seaver.]
Baker.
! Baker.
! Oh, my God.
! - Can't sleep? - Sir.
At ease, sailor.
Sit down.
I have nightmares too.
About family I've never seen best friends I've lost.
Scott Seaver did not botch that retrofit, sir.
And just because some big panel of admirals says so Doesn't mean it's true.
Right.
Scott was edgy the whole week before it happened.
I think he knew there was something wrong with the Monroe but he never would've let us deploy like that.
Look you don't gotta worry about me getting tanked or getting into fights anymore, sir.
What are you talking about? I'm gonna talk to Lieutenant Pratt.
I'm out of here.
You're going to resign.
You think that's going to solve anything? I watched him die, sir.
You know, uh, it hit us out of nowhere.
The pipe burst, and the whole place was filling up with JX-5.
Scott told me to get out of there.
He said he could handle it.
I could've saved him.
But then Nashton sealed the hatch.
Nashton.
I could see Scott through the portal.
The gas was starting to get to him.
Well, first it makes you crazy.
Fills up your lungs and freezes 'em.
He couldn't breathe.
Wait.
The X.
O.
was on deck that night.
Now, why would Nashton come down here to seal the hatch? He said the whole ship could've blown.
He said he had to seal the hatch.
Some best friend I turned out to be, huh? He didn't have to die, sir.
I should've stayed.
It should've been me that died.
It wasn't your fault.
[Nashton.]
There's been a lot of talk about decommissioning her but I'm here to tell you gentlemen that the U.
S.
S.
Monroe is a long way from mothballs.
This accident this tragedy happened because of substandard work by a young engineer named Scott Seaver.
[Man.]
You believe that sealing that room was the correct course of action.
JX-5 gas might have seeped to the rest of the ship.
She was a powder keg, ready to blow.
If I had had the time to pull him out, I would have done so.
As ranking officers, these are the kinds of calls that we're expected to make.
It's one of the demons we have to live with.
I did it to save the ship.
You did it to save your job.
[Door Opens.]
[Footsteps Approaching.]
[Door Closes.]
[Sydney.]
The door was open.
- Making house calls now, Syd? - Where were you today? Last time I checked, that was a Raines question.
What kind of game are you playing with Jarod? Game? Hall of Records.
You're starting to ask questions.
The way your mother did.
Her final session with me before she got on the elevator she was looking for answers.
She didn't have the means to find them.
- I do.
- Then you'll end up like her.
Is that a threat? A warning from a friend.
Mail call.
These seem to have slipped through the cracks.
Hey.
Personal delivery from the ops officer.
Thanks.
Letter from my kid at college.
Gonna be an engineer.
Oh, yeah? Cornell.
Must be expensive.
- How'd you know he was going there? - Interesting.
This is an oxyacetylene weld.
Now, Scott Seaver he was only rated for gas tungsten welding.
If those admirals had known what to look for they would've known that Seaver didn't botch the retrofit.
Nashton forced you to do the work after it ruptured, and make it look like Seaver botched it.
- Come on.
That's crazy.
- Tell that to Scott Seaver.
I spoke to his best friend.
He said Seaver was nervous the whole week before the deploy.
He knew something was wrong, didn't he? With all due respect, sir.
You've lost it.
Did Nashton threaten your career, or did he threaten your son's education? What's the difference? Nashton said he was gonna turn the investigating panel on me.
I'd have been kicked out on my ass.
No pension, no nothing.
And he forced Seaver and me to sign off on that inspection report even though theJX-5 line needed work.
Brass never knew.
And the extra work would have delayed deployment.
Or worse, put the Monroe in mothballs.
No more Monroe no more career for Nashton.
So a 20-year-old kid chokes to death.
- It could've been your shift.
- Oh, come on.
Nashton tried to save that poor kid.
The pump room was gonna blow.
There was no time.
There was plenty of time.
But Seaver knew the truth.
Nashton made sure he died with it.
[Car Alarm Blaring In Distance.]
[Bottle Rattles.]
[Car Alarm Continues Blaring.]
[Car Alarm Stops.]
Your mom's going to miss you.
Yeah, well, you can't miss something that's not there to begin with.
I'm not going back there ever.
Okay.
You feel like you're not very important, don't you? You feel like you were forgotten - but you haven't been.
- Yeah, what do you know about it? I don't even know who my parents are.
I don't know if they gave me up or I was taken from them.
But I know they're still out there.
Somewhere.
I know they love me.
- Deep down inside, I know they love me.
- [Sobs.]
Just like deep down inside you know your parents love you.
My mom just buries herself in work every time my dad's out to sea.
Your mom is responsible for a lot of people's lives.
Maybe in all that, she overlooks the life that's most important to her, but I know she loves you very much.
I really miss my dad.
"I love you.
" I.
L.
Y.
My dad used to put it on all the satellite communications he'd send us from the subs.
You know, they only give you, like, 40 words to say everything you can to each other so you gotta abbreviate.
I just wish he was here to say it in person.
Shh, shh, shh.
Shh.
Sorry, Mama.
I'm sorry too, honey.
- We'll talk inside.
- I'm sorry.
It's okay.
- You have a great kid.
- Yeah.
I think I should tell her that a little more often.
Thanks.
[Engine Starts.]
Are you sure that resigning is the right thing to do? Made up my mind, sir.
- Did I say "at ease," sailor? - No, sir! Are you sure it's the right thing to do, sailor? - Yes, sir! - Is that what Scott Seaver would have wanted? Hope to see you on board sailor.
At ease.
- [Young Jarod.]
What's that, Sydney? - [Young Sydney.]
I don't know.
[Woman Screaming.]
No! No! No.
They're trying to hurt her.
- [Young Sydney.]
Stay here, Jarod.
- No! - No.
- [Man.]
Get her on the elevator! - [Phone Rings.]
- [Gunshot.]
- [Man.]
Get the kid out of here! - [Young Jarod.]
Stop! - What? - Jarod has them, doesn't he? Has what? The answers you're looking for.
When I catch him, I'll just have to find out.
You may have that chance.
CommanderJarod Forrester is currently serving aboard the destroyer U.
S.
S.
Monroe.
One of Broots's routine scans caught it.
However, Naval Intelligence may already be onto him.
- Naval Intelligence? - That's correct.
Have my father call the secretary.
- Yes, Miss Parker.
- Mmm.
[Phone Beeps Off.]
[Young Miss Parker.]
Mama.
! [Sydney.]
No.
Keep her back.
Go back.
- [Young Jarod.]
Leave me alone.
! - [Young Miss Parker.]
Mama.
! Yes.
I'd like to purchase some tickets, please.
From the secretary.
I'm impressed.
You should be.
Hell of a day for a deployment.
- What's the good word? - Surprise.
Your knack for discipline has inspired me.
I put together one last surprise drill before we deploy.
Here.
Crank it to maximum.
TheJX-5 main? - That'll overload the system.
- Oh, relax.
I've shut off the pressure.
Only the alarm will sound.
Think of it as my personal highway to hell.
- What's Jarod wanted for? - You name it, he's done it.
- After you.
- [Whistling.]
Pressure's building up.
Hey, where the hell is everybody? They're in the mess.
Which is sort of what you're in now.
[Alarm Blaring.]
Hey, o-open the hatch! Forrester.
! Open the hatch.
! Now.
! Are you starting to feel out of it? Are you starting to feel disoriented? - Open the hatch! - I can't do that.
It could blow the whole ship up.
You're just going to have to die to save everybody else.
Just like Scott Seaver did.
It's a horrible way to die.
Your lungs, they fill up with toxic ice and then they freeze.
No matter how hard you try you won't be able to breathe.
But this is just a judgment call I'm going to have to make.
Think of it as just another demon you have to deal with when you're an officer.
Huh, Nashton? Open the hatch! That's an order, Commander! That's an order I can't really follow.
You see I'm not an officer on this ship.
Think of me as Naval Intelligence.
You don't have anything on me! [Jarod On Speaker.]
I know that you forced Danes to tamper with the evidence after the accident to ruin Scott Seaver's name.
You had to preserve the Monroe to save your career so you let a 20-year-old kid die.
! Didn't you, Nashton? Didn't you? Didn't you? Didn't you? Yes.
Yes.
God, I'm sorry.
I let him die.
[Gasping.]
Now, did you really think that I would put this ship into danger? That was just laughing gas.
So try to laugh a little.
[Panting.]
Take him straight to Captain Nagel.
And that's an order.
Yes, sir.
[Jarod.]
Dismissed.
Sir, you have a man impersonating an officer on this ship.
I know that.
At ease, Lieutenant.
There he is.
- We were talking about Commander Forrester.
- Jarod? - Yes.
- Jarod is Naval Intelligence.
- I plan to see to it he gets a medal.
- Where is he? Well, he was ordered back to Norfolk by the secretary no less.
If you hurry, you might still catch him.
[Horn Honks.]
The nearest ocean is 1,756 miles from here.
That's just the way I like it.
[Mews.]

Previous EpisodeNext Episode