American Rust (2021) s02e05 Episode Script

1
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]
[GUNSHOT]
[DEL] Brotherhood?
Brotherhood.
Vic, if you ever wanna talk
about any of this stuff,
feel free to reach out.
[DEL] Hopefully, he'll
spill at the next poker game.
Then we got 'em. All of them.
[RUSSELL] How'd you like to
make a little extra scratch?
Talk to people.
Tell them about the benefits
of working with Landwill.
So I'd be like a sales rep?
[LEE] There's this case at work.
The more digging I
do, the weirder it is.
What if I spoke up?
If you're gonna do that,
you'd better think long and
hard about the repercussions.
[NEWS ANCHOR] This is a
cellphone video of an altercation
that happened shortly before the
homicide of Fayette County
Karma can be a mother, you
- Are you recording this?
- [SUE] Yes, Grace
[STEVE] The altercation shows
history and possible intent.
If targeting Grace Poe and Del Harris
is the extent of your police work,
you need to step up your game.
Lawyer's here, Poe, let's go.
No interested.
You protecting somebody?
[FISHER] I need you to bring
me your girlfriend's cellphone.
I know I fucked up.
We can't afford any loose
ends. Not a single one.
Walk with me.
Give me a sec. I need to take a piss.
Hey, you.
Call me.
- [FISHER] Deal me in.
- Okay.
- Where's Vic?
- How the fuck should I know?
[DEL] Well, that was a bust.
- [JOE] What's on it?
- Nothing good.
Walker never showed.
Doesn't make sense.
Something must've spooked him.
[JOE] You said he was the key
to cracking the Brotherhood.
[SIGHS] Yes.
And the lighter you let him
have is still in his pocket?
Still recording?
You have no clue if
he's even in the state?
Don't get ahead of ourselves, you know.
He's probably, you
know, home, passed out.
- We thought you could handle this.
- 'Course I can.
[DAVID] Find him. Get the lighter.
And set this whole thing up again.
Fuck.
[SIGHS]
[SIGHS]
[MELANCHOLIC THEME MUSIC PLAYING]
[TRAIN HORN BLARING IN BACKGROUND]
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]
[RAMONA] Excuse me?
Mm.
Ramona Paltz, Assistant DA.
Ron Gossage.
I know.
You worked with Herlitz, huh?
Shame what happened.
What a world.
You're fired.
No offense, hon, just cleaning house.
[LEE] She's lying to
these poor, sad people.
Hold on. A lawyer is lying?
No. [LAUGHS]
You are seriously annoying.
What do you want me to say?
Your boss is protecting her client
by not disclosing the entire truth,
which you found out
by playing Nancy Drew.
Outdated reference, but go on.
And breaking into her office.
Also, Nancy Drew is timeless.
She transcends time.
The only cases Landwill settles are
ones where people have water tests.
And how many people get them?
- Let alone save them.
- No idea.
- Probably not a lot.
- But Landwill has them.
They're hiding tests. Rinna's helping.
Don't I have a responsibility?
Your responsibility's to the
person signing your paychecks.
You weren't there.
- People are
- I'm there every day. On site.
I finally have a job I like
that pays me well, and not just me,
a lot of guys. And you wanna what?
Take them down? And be a hero
to make yourself feel better?
Grow up. Companies lie.
People are bad. Most things
in life are generally corrupt.
That's a terrible way to think.
None of this will bring Dad back.
You came home to take care of him.
He fucking died on your
watch. That's on you.
[SIGHS]
So do your job.
Or not. Just don't mess with mine.
Can I get a ride?
[TRAIN HORN BLARING]
Since when do you not eat meat?
I watched this documentary about pigs.
They're smart.
They're smarter than dogs.
You know what's smart? Octopus.
I'll eat pretty much anything now,
but not an octopus.
Why would you eat an octopus anyway?
- My mom used to cook that all the time.
- Oh.
- Growing up in my home?
- Mm.
You not eating octopus is like
saying you don't believe in God.
I don't believe in God.
That's why I like you.
It might be better with meat.
And aardvark, that's smart.
[HANNAH] They can fetch and stuff.
I know people who can't do that.
I know you released that video.
You want my gun so bad? Run it.
You were wrong about who killed
Chloe and you're wrong about me.
I wouldn't hurt a fucking fly.
And if I did, that fly would be you.
- I'm not a fly.
- You are a
buzzy, bullshit, asshole, fucking fly.
And your face is
deeply, deeply hateable.
I didn't kill Sue.
So get off my dick, Chief.
Why don't you find out who did?
- [SIRENS WAILING IN BACKGROUND]
- [PHONE RINGING]
[CYNTHIA] Man, what an asshole.
Marta told us she
didn't know Liam at all.
Well done, Cyn.
I'll get a copy to you today.
Um, either of you seen Vic?
He didn't come home last night.
- Did something happen?
- No.
Nothing like that.
He took my phone yesterday.
- And I haven't seen him
- He took your phone?
It's fine.
He's probably sleeping
in his car somewhere.
He pulls over if he's
had too much to drink.
Good find on the footage.
We got a big problem.
Other than a man being
bombed in his own home?
Yesterday, I saw Walker head
down to Internal Affairs.
I'm sure Fisher said something
to him about our meeting.
- Now he's MIA.
- You actually went?
He was hurting her.
We met outside the
precinct. No one saw us.
Tell me you didn't
show Fisher that photo.
I'm not an idiot.
But I sent it to myself
from Cynthia's phone,
so if Walker has her cell,
- he might think she sent it to me.
- Got it.
- If Vic
- I said I got it.
Pick up Marta. I'll
meet you back here later.
[BOLT] Burgos, where
are we on the bombing?
Uh, Cynthia found something,
Chief, I was just
I need this closed yesterday, yeah?
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]
Yep.
[PHONE LINE RINGING]
[TENSE MUSIC CONTINUES]
You've reached Detective Vic
Walker, please leave a message.
[PHONE BEEPS]
[SIGHS]
[LEE] What are we doing here?
I'm gonna enlist.
In the Army.
What?
Since when are you interested
in joining the Army?
Maybe since I got the
shit kicked out of me.
[LEE SIGHS]
It's something I have to do.
They train people here.
- Help get them ready.
- You're not ready.
- Sure, I am.
- You're still recovering.
You're weak. It's insane.
Thanks for the ride.
[DOOR CLOSES]
- [SIGHS]
- [MUSIC ENDS]
Glad you're back.
- How do you feel?
- Great.
I feel great.
[UPLIFTING MUSIC PLAYING]
Get set.
[BLOWS WHISTLE]
Keep going, guys.
Yeah, nice.
Billy, you're good.
[BLOWS WHISTLE] Stop. Stop!
Stop.
Come back, try again.
Nobody ever said this would be easy.
It should be easy for me.
Should be.
[MUSIC ENDS]
[MARTA] "I felt a
funeral in my brain
and mourners to and fro."
It's such a great line.
Absolutely.
So what does it mean?
[STUDENT] A funeral
in your brain means
like you're braindead?
No brain?
Or Dickinson is using
the metaphor of a funeral
to represent that a part
of the speaker is dying.
Oh.
- Officer.
- Detective Burgos.
[MARTA] If there's something
I can help you with,
- we'll be finished in
- Class dismissed.
Okay, kids?
What's going on?
So I'm being arrested?
Right now you're being detained.
Unless you're ready to talk about Nell.
I told you everything I know.
That's too bad.
This is Marta Canter. She's
having some memory issues.
Process her and put her in holding.
Quiet time has a funny
relationship with the truth.
Usually helps eke it out.
But you can't keep me
here. I didn't do anything.
Actually, I can. And you did.
Del back?
- Haven't seen him.
- Any word from Vic?
Keep me posted.
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
[PHONE VIBRATING]
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
[DOOR HANDLE RATTLES]
[KEYS RATTLING]
[PANTING] No.
[SNIFFS]
[FOOTSTEPS]
[PHONE CHIMES]
[PHONE LINE RINGING]
[PHONE RINGING]
You should come home for dinner.
I'm feeling very domestic.
You can reap the benefits.
[DEL] Yeah, okay.
That's it?
Just got a bunch of texts.
Seems you had a wild morning.
Yeah.
- Did you see what Steve put out?
- Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, he released the video of me
going after Sue for stiffing Billy,
but the timing made it seem
like I wanted to kill her.
Which I did, but I didn't.
Actually. And I'm not gonna
have my name smeared, so yeah.
I gave him my gun.
You did what?
It's not like he's gonna find anything.
Never give someone like Steve
any more than you have to.
By blasting him in public,
now he feels like he's
got something to prove.
Well, that's not on me.
I mean, he has not let up
since he took over your job.
All the more Look.
Grace, you need to go to him
and make nice.
- Promise me.
- I am not a child, Del.
Promise.
I promise.
Grace?
Walker's missing.
He might've found the lighter.
You know where that extra gun is, right?
- Yeah, I do.
- [TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC ENDS]
I'll bring it in.
Can't believe you
ordered salad for dinner.
Why? It's good.
No, it's not, it's salad.
Want a bite?
I wish, but
well
Okay.
We are about to take our
relationship to the next level.
I'm, um
Hmm.
[WHISPERS] I'm gluten free.
Gasp.
- The horror.
- It's my punishment for being so sexy.
- [LAUGHS]
- If I could also eat bread,
it would honestly be too much.
Like, people might
explode with jealousy.
- Angels would lose their wings.
- Mm.
Are you disgusted?
For sure.
Nothing is sadder than
gluten intolerance.
- [LAUGHS]
- Nothing.
You know, from up here,
it's pretty.
[ISAAC] What's all this?
[RUSSELL] Blueprints for some
new sites in West Virginia.
I'm heading to Kanawha
County in a few weeks
to talk to some lucky landowners.
Doubling the number of
wells that you have here?
More we build, the better
we can reuse produced water
and help save the environment.
[CHUCKLES]
You find that funny?
An oil guy who's concerned
about the environment?
Yeah. I do.
Well, we all have to do our part.
You know
I've been reading.
- Oh? Would you like a gold star?
- [LAUGHS]
About produced water from the
site, how to make the most of it.
Have you spoken to any of the
thermo-electric power plants?
No.
And you're [CLEARS THROAT]
asking this why?
Well, they heat tons of water
to make pressurized steam,
which powers the turbines.
Lot of it evaporates
and gets left behind
with high levels of
calcium and magnesium.
Eventually, this messes up the machinery
and you have to take the water
out for treatment, which is pricey.
You soften it by adding chemicals,
but you can also use
produced water from fracking,
so instead of drilling more wells,
you could probably get some power plants
to buy the water from Landwill.
- Win-win for everyone.
- [HUFFS]
Why do you know all this?
I was interested in
Environmental Engineering before.
You should have my job.
Seriously. Or be my boss.
- I'm good.
- Working in the field?
I could help you.
You know, if it's about money,
for college?
You said you wanted to go.
I said I lost interest.
Well, you can do both,
is all I'm saying.
Don't let that big brain
of yours go to waste.
Know what else is big?
[LAUGHS]
You watch the weirdest shit.
[CHARACTER ON TV] I may look normal
It's funny. I don't get it.
Helps me unwind.
This guy helps you unwind?
I eat 'em.
[ANGELA SNORT LAUGHS]
This shit's gonna give me nightmares.
[CYNTHIA SNORTS]
You don't have to do this.
- Do what? Have dinner with my friend?
- Stay with me.
I'm fine.
You can be fine and I
can still stay with you.
It's not like anyone's
waiting for me at home.
- You're a catch.
- I know.
You could try online dating.
Oh! Please.
My bio would be like
- Crusty hag married to her job.
- [GASPS] You're not crusty!
If you have a good heart
and a hard dick, I'm yours.
Better yet, if you
have any dick at all
I'm serious. I will help
you with your profile.
[HUFFS]
You have to put yourself out
there. What's your password?
- No way.
- Come on.
[BOTH LAUGHING]
- Just give it to me!
- Cynthia! Give me the phone.
- I'm serious.
- No, I'm serious.
- Give me my phone.
- Just give me
- I don't need your help. Stop.
- Why?
We don't have the same taste in men.
[SIGHS]
[SIGHS]
Any idea where he might be?
- He came back from Del's and he seemed
- Del's?
Yeah. Del had him over to his cabin.
Vic acts like he doesn't
care about anything,
but he doesn't have a lot of friends.
It was nice of Harris.
Uh
- Vic went to Harris's cabin?
- They went hunting.
Boys and their guns.
Look, you should know that I went to IA.
- About what he did to you.
- What?
I know you can't see it,
but I'm trying to help you.
- You think you love him
- I don't think I love him, I do love him.
You just seriously
screwed up everything.
I'm going to bed.
[SIGHS]
We should talk.
About earlier.
["THERE THERE" BY RADIOHEAD PLAYING]
In pitch dark ♪
I go walking in your landscape ♪
Just 'cause you feel it ♪
Doesn't mean it's there ♪
Someone on your shoulder ♪
There there ♪
[BILLY] Choke me.
Choke me.
Choke me.
- What?
- Choke me.
I need you to do it. Fucking hard.
Hard. Do it! Do it!
- I don't want
- Choke me!
[PANTING]
[MUSIC ENDS]
Grace Poe.
How strange.
Grace.
Well, you've dropped
in on me unannounced.
At least I bring refreshments.
Chess?
A game of intellect. Calculation.
Which one are you? The pawn?
- That's not how it works.
- He's the king.
My Korean king.
Um
Okay. Uh, did you run my gun?
It's seeming like it's
not the right firearm,
but we're holding on to
it for additional tests.
Run all the tests you want.
How can we make this right?
I have something to show you.
Sure.
[QUIET TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]
[DOOR OPENS]
They help me see things.
Clearly.
You'll be especially into this one.
Here's what I think, the night
of the West Virginia murders,
the night Harris
called you, he was here.
He snuck inside, pistol out.
Maybe the TV was on.
Something old, black and white, playing
next to those creepy fucking dolls.
[TALKING IN BACKGROUND]
[STEVE] And then, from behind
[GUNSHOT]
Probably Del thought, fuck.
And as that Bobby Jesus blood
was seeping out all over the floor
and that long Bobby Jesus hair,
Jackson caught him.
[GUNSHOTS]
Probably Del thought, double fuck.
Is this dickwad really dead?
Checked his pulse.
And realized, yep, okay,
how do I play this?
Del is smart. Knows his
way around a crime scene.
So he cuts himself out of the equation.
[GUNSHOT]
Makes it look like a
drug deal gone wrong.
Only, he wasn't expecting
[GUN COCKS]
this nasty old biddy with a shotgun.
[STEVE IMITATES GUN
CHOCKING AND SHOOTING]
Pop.
Then he came here.
Took a knife
wiggled out the slug.
Called 9-1-1.
Ditched all the evidence.
And came home.
To you.
Guessing you picked fragments
out of his left shoulder?
You what? Stitched him up
with a needle and thread?
Maybe he drank whiskey for the pain.
Maybe he was so high
from his murder spree,
it didn't hurt at all.
Help me bring in Del and
I'll leave you out of it.
Otherwise, I'm coming for you both.
Well?
I got a lot to think about.
[CUTLERY CLINKING]
You seem thoughtful.
Nah.
What is it, then?
I don't know.
Walker?
He wanted to be at that game.
Only reason he wouldn't
show is if he couldn't show.
Which doesn't bode well for me.
You think he found
out about the lighter?
Maybe.
I was so close.
[SIGHS]
You were close once,
you'll be close again.
Mm-mm, no.
It's medicinal.
You trying to peer-pressure
me into smoking marijuana?
Me? Never.
Just say no to drugs.
[SIGHS]
Are we really not gonna
talk about what I told you?
About those creepy-as-fuck dollhouses?
Let Park play with his
dolls. I don't care.
It's more than that. He's dangerous.
He's like poison ivy.
Key is not to scratch.
- No, I don't think it's that simple.
- It's exactly that simple.
Just don't underestimate him,
is all I'm saying. All right?
[QUIET MUSIC PLAYING]
[SIGHS]
[SNIFFS, SIGHS]
- You got a lot on your plate.
- [HUFFS]
Let me take care of him.
I'm not asking you to do that.
You don't have to.
No.
Okay.
- [RAINDROPS FALLING OUTSIDE]
- [THUNDER RUMBLING]
[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]
Mrs. Howland?
Can I help you?
My name is Lee English.
I have something you'll want to see.
[MRS. HOWLAND] We were both so upset.
The lady from your firm was so mean.
[LEE] I know.
I'm sorry.
My wife and I aren't perfect, but
we're most certainly not liars.
It's not even us we're worried about.
It's the cows.
They drink the water.
They eat the grass.
And some of them are sick.
[MR. HOWLAND] We're
gonna have to close down.
Which, I know, Landwill will
say isn't their fault, but
How can it not be?
At least in part.
This should help.
The water tests you said you had?
I found it.
Where'd you
[LEE] Give it to your lawyer.
See what he can do. Please
don't say you got it from me.
Thank you.
We can never repay you for this.
[MRS. HOWLAND LAUGHS]
Well, I, I do have a question.
Allegheny Water Testing is on
the report and the initials "NG".
Any recollection of who did the test?
No, sorry, it was so long ago.
You tried calling them?
No longer in business.
Hmm.
Anyway, I'm glad I came. [HUFFS]
[CLEARS THROAT]
[QUIET MUSIC PLAYING]
[SCOFFS]
- [INDISTINCT CHATTERING]
- [SIREN WAILING]
[PHONE RINGING IN BACKGROUND]
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]
Wow. So hospitable.
We're gonna ask you a few questions.
You're more than welcome
to have a lawyer present.
Though, most people with
lawyers have something to hide.
- Just saying.
- I already told you.
[DEL] You already lied to us you
mean, about knowing Liam McKenna.
You said you'd never met him,
but that isn't true, is it?
We've found security footage
that proves otherwise.
Not only did you know
Liam, you fought with him.
Which doesn't look good,
seeing as he's dead and all.
Just a thought, maybe you and
Nell planned this together.
- No.
- Nix the husband, so you two
I didn't have anything to do with this.
[DEL] I think you're both responsible
and that's how we're gonna
take things to the DA.
Unless you tell us otherwise.
One look at these
and the jury won't have compassion
for you or your girlfriend.
Oh, my
[MARTA] Nell wasn't my girlfriend.
I wasn't gonna fall in love
with a straight, married woman.
Again.
Look, I met Liam once.
We'd only been seeing each
other for about a month,
when she started talking
about leaving him.
Then Liam found out about us
and he threatened to
write my department chair.
That's the fight that you saw,
but I did not blow him up.
- So you think Nell did?
- No, I mean
She
It doesn't seem like
something she would do.
But there were signs.
I mean, if you get my phone
[SIGHS]
She said she had a plan.
For us.
There are more like
that, but they're all
I never thought she was
talking about a bomb.
[DEL] What did you think
she was talking about?
Honestly, I thought it was bullshit.
[ISAAC] He loves and she loves ♪
And they love ♪
So why can't you love ♪
And I love too ♪
Oh, pretty.
- Shut up.
- [BILLY SIGHS]
Don't ask what I'm doing.
- I didn't.
- I'm baking a cake.
[BANGING]
Great.
For Russell.
Sans gluten.
- Please stop.
- Ha, no.
Who bakes the closeted guy they're
fucking a gluten-free chocolate cake?
But I actually like him.
And I want him to know that.
It's not just, you know, random sex.
Outside in the dark.
Are you gonna tell Lee?
No.
But you should.
Anything you wanna talk about?
No.
That is one of the perks
of having a gay best friend.
We're very in touch with our emotions
and we're also good
listeners when we're not
you know, completely focused
on ourselves and our bodies.
- And singing?
- Yeah.
And singing.
Wanna try?
It's not cooked.
Honestly, it's, uh,
probably better like this.
That's disgusting.
Couch for a whorehouse.
Mm.
[PHONE RINGING]
Hello.
[WOMAN] Hi, uh, is Vic there?
Uh, no.
He isn't.
Can you give him a message?
I'm sorry, who's calling?
What is this about?
We've got enough to get
McKenna's cell records,
bank statements, all of them.
I think we can finally crack her.
What's up?
Question. When you had Walker
over, did you order take-out?
Nah, you probably cooked for him, right?
Steaks? Ribs? Was there a side?
Macaroni salad. Mm.
Sounds fucking delicious.
Oh, and when were you
gonna tell me about
this super cool weekend you two had?
Ah. So, never?
Okay, it's not, I can explain.
I opened up to you about what
a huge, horrible asshole he is.
What a monster douche this guy is
and you invite him over to break bread.
Zero bread was broken.
This is so messed up.
So "boys will be boys".
- I didn't think you'd be like that though.
- I'm not.
- If you're hanging out with him, then you
- [PHONE RINGS]
I gotta take this. I'll
catch up with you in a minute.
Really?
[GRACE] A woman just called me.
Bartender, young, flirty.
Is this where you say you're leaving me?
She was looking for Vic.
Apparently, he was at the bar
she works at the other night.
He left her his number, only
it wasn't actually his number.
It was mine.
Now, why, why would he do that?
What's the name of the bar?
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]
We didn't order anything.
Hi.
I, uh
Um
Sorry, uh, I
[DOOR CLOSES]
Gail?
Detective Harris.
You called my girlfriend?
Oh. Yeah. It's messed-up, right?
This guy, Vic,
what did he look like?
Honestly, all I remember
is that mustache.
It's the kind of beast you
wanna get on and ride, you know.
I do not know.
Plus, he had that busted finger.
Gave me a nice tip.
And this.
- Was he, uh, with anyone?
- Yeah.
Don't remember the other one.
Tall, short, belly?
Sorry, my brain's like
what's the opposite of a sponge?
Hey, can I get you a drink?
I'm good. Thank you.
They went outside for a
minute and then they left.
Kind of fucked-up he
gave me her number, huh?
This kind of shit always happens to me.
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]
[LOUD FAST-PACED MUSIC PLAYING]
[BARTENDER] Hey, you want another?
[MAN] Kill him, man! Kill him! Kill him!
[MUSIC ENDS]
[PANTING]
[ROBINSON] That was crazy.
Could've gotten hurt.
Truth be told, I though
you'd look a lot worse.
[SNIFFS]
Can't imagine this has
been an easy few months.
I'm sorry, man, do I know you?
I don't blame you if
you'd rather forget.
[ROBINSON] You picked the
wrong group to fuck with, Poe.
Good luck with the Aryans
when you get out of here.
I left a few weeks
after they busted you up.
That place was insanely fucked.
You okay, man?
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]
[VIRGIL] Yo, Billy.
What's going on?
Everything okay?
[ROBINSON] You dropped this.
I looked up "Dad".
Thanks, man. Thanks for
looking out. Seriously.
It's my job.
I bounce here four nights a week.
Billy, what's up?
What's going on?
Hey, um, Aaron.
My, uh, old cellmate.
He still
Heard he just got released.
Well.
Good luck.
[DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES]
Let's get out of here.
All right?
[MUSIC FADES AND ENDS]
[FISHER] Gotta clear my head
[WALKER] I'm pretty beat.
[FISHER] Walk with me, Vic.
Look at all these trees.
These things grow for fucking ever.
Life's so crazy, huh, Vic?
[FISHER SIGHS]
One morning you wake up in bed.
The next
[WALKER GROANS]
- [GUN COCKS]
- [WALKER] Please, stop, don't.
Just Think about Cynthia. Don't
[GUNSHOT]
[DEL PANTING]
[SOFTLY] Fuck.
[ANGELA] Del Harris!
What the fuck are you doing?
[WALKER] Please stop. Don't. Just
Think about Cynthia.
I just wanna go home.
- Don't
- [GUNSHOT]
[CLOSING THEME MUSIC PLAYING]
[DAVID] Play nice. Make yourself useful.
Or if you want, we can
put you in cuffs right now.
Next on American Rust Broken Justice
- [RINNA] What's that?
- [LEE] Nothing.
We wouldn't want anyone to feel like
Landwill is talking down to them.
Even if we are.
First impulse is the bad choice.
You think I'm bad?
Are you looking for
something for self-defense?
[BILLY] No, I'm hunting.
So you lost touch with
reality completely, huh?
Can I show you something?
I don't know if I should
be telling you this.
Promise me you won't do anything
without telling me first.
Promise.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]