Black Lightning (2018) s02e08 Episode Script

1 [JEFFERSON.]
Previously on Black Lightning My parents sent me to you because they were worried I wouldn't be able to control my powers.
You are the storm, so you can control the storm! [BOTH GRUNTING.]
I've been waiting to beat your pasty ass.
I will kill you.
[KHALIL.]
He's not gonna stop.
Tobias is the reason why I was paralyzed.
Khalil, why are you still staying with him? It's not like I have anywhere else to go.
You look pretty good for a dead guy.
Someone tried to assassinate me.
It's better that they still think that I'm dead.
Being locked up in a room is definitely not a life.
It's like I'm being punished for being born this way.
[SCOFFS.]
My dad thinks it's his fault I turned out weird.
I know he's trying to protect me.
I just don't know how much more of this kind of love I can take.
[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING.]
Wasting away We swear that we're having a good time We spend the days joking Love to complain That there's no time [JENNIFER.]
What are you doing? [KHALIL SIGHS.]
I gotta make a stop.
Look, all my stuff is at my place, and we're gonna need money on the run.
Hang tight.
I'll be back.
Hurry, Khalil.
[SIGHS.]
[HIP-HOP SONG PLAYING.]
I run this city I run this city I run this city I run this city I run this city I run this city I run this city I run this city Whoa, I run this city I run this city I run this city I run this city I run this city I run this city What up, Painkiller? Here to collect.
Yeah? I thought collection was tomorrow.
New policy.
Tobias wants me to collect every Tuesday.
[CHUCKLES.]
Could be that.
Or there's a bounty on yo' nappy-ass head of a hundred stacks.
So maybe you trying to grab a few bands before you dip.
- Yo! - [ALL.]
Yo! What up, Painkiller? [MEN GRUNTING.]
[GUNS FIRING.]
[GUNSHOTS.]
I see him! I see him! [JENNIFER GRUNTS.]
[ENERGY PULSATING.]
[MAN SCREAMING.]
[KHALIL.]
Go, go, go! Anything yet? [LYNN.]
Gambi.
Jeff told me.
I didn't believe that you're actually alive.
[GAMBI.]
Lynn, I'm sorry.
I know I put you guys through a lot.
You have no idea what you put us through.
What, were you just gonna leave us in the dark forever? [JEFFERSON.]
Okay, we can discuss this another time.
Right now, we need to focus on finding Jen.
So what have you got? I've already checked all of the major transportation hubs.
There's no sign of her at Freeland International or any of the bus or train stations.
So she's either in a car or on foot.
When did you last see her? It was earlier tonight.
She was helping me after the pod kids.
We don't have much time, then.
The further away she gets, the harder it's gonna be to find her.
What did Perenna say? She thinks she ran away with some boy.
Khalil.
The night that Dad and I got into it, she came to my room and her phone was out.
I saw a text - Oh, God.
- You didn't say anything? Dad, I talked to her about [JEFFERSON.]
No, Khalil is dangerous.
He attacked Garfield.
He tried to kill me.
If he's with Jen Contact Henderson, tell him to put out an APB.
Okay.
Reach out to Jen's friends.
Call Kiesha.
- She may have heard something.
- I'm on it.
Bring up the surveillance and traffic cameras.
We'll start near the house, and work our way out.
Hey, hey, hey, let me go! I'mma get out with super strength! Super strength! Super strength! Please! Hey, hey, hey, man, come on! Let me go, man! Come on, we can do this together.
Any idea why she might've run off? Not sure.
Might be something to do with our decision to homeschool her.
She ran off with Khalil to spite us.
Bill, I know you and Jeff haven't seen eye-to-eye lately - on a lot of things, but - Lynn, Lynn, please.
Jen is like a niece to Veretta and me.
And I would do everything in my power to help get her back.
But I'm not gonna lie to you.
Our hands are pretty full right now with these Green Light Babies poppin' up.
When they're high, we can't handle them, but they come down hard.
So I'll get eyes on the street, hotels, hospitals, spread a net.
There's already a warrant out for Khalil's arrest, but we can file a missing persons report for Jen.
Okay, thank you.
I just appreciate you.
That's all.
[CAR ENGINE REVVING.]
[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING ON CAR STEREO.]
[GIRL SCREAMING.]
[BOY.]
Yo! What the Black Lightning? Get outta here! [JENNIFER.]
What the hell, Khalil? [KHALIL.]
We needed the money.
You said we were making a quick stop, not walking into a damn shootout! Tobias put a reward on my head.
I didn't even know.
I'm sorry.
I was just trying to keep you from being involved.
My involvement? I just had to use my powers in public.
I'd say at this point I'm pretty damn involved.
I know, okay? And I'm sorry.
But right now, we need to get another car, quick.
What we need is a plan.
Like, where we're gonna stay tonight.
Uh, I don't know, maybe one of your friend's houses? Like Kiesha or Parneille? No, no, no, that's the first place my parents will look.
- [KHALIL.]
A motel? - That's too risky, too.
Somebody might recognize us.
They might call the cops.
Right, right, right.
Wait.
Okay, look, hey.
My aunt let's go to her house, okay? She has a place up in Henley Heights, over by the peach farms.
Maybe we could crash there tonight, grab some supplies before leaving town.
Okay.
That sounds good.
We need to go, though! Hey, come on.
This one.
This one? [KHALIL.]
Okay.
What you doing? Just a little trick I picked up from the Hundred.
- Damn it! - Watch out, I got this.
- [CAR ENGINE SPUTTERING.]
- [RADIO STATIC.]
- [CAR ENGINE STARTS.]
- [KHALIL AND JENNIFER EXCLAIM.]
Whoops.
[CHUCKLES.]
All right.
[JENNIFER.]
Okay, we need to get to a phone.
So I can call my parents.
Say what? No, absolutely not.
That's too much of a risk.
They'll know where we are.
No, they won't.
I'll be smart about it.
I'll make sure the call can't be traced.
J, listen to me.
You don't understand Tobias, okay? If he finds me, he's He won't find you.
All I'm doing is calling my parents.
Jen, I said no, okay? I can't go back, I won't You really need to calm down.
They have the right J! I said no.
I said no! I tried all of Jen's friends.
No one's heard from her.
I think I found something.
Whoa! What was that? I think you mean "who.
" Jennifer! Call my dad.
Tell him I'll meet him there.
[INSPECTOR HENDERSON.]
I want her picture up in every squad car.
Widen the net.
And tell air support to get another bird up in the sky, see if we can get eyes on that car that they're driving.
Chief, we got a dead body on Hughes and Angelou, couple blocks over from the Club 100.
The description matches the girl in the missing person report.
All right.
Tell them not to do anything until I get there.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[THOMAS.]
Looks like she was dumped here.
Abrasions on her head and chest.
Beaten to death, I'm guessing.
[INSPECTOR HENDERSON SIGHS.]
It's not her.
[EXHALES SHARPLY.]
Late night? [NICHELLE SHUDDERS.]
[TOBIAS.]
Perhaps what you need is a good read.
Always puts me right to sleep.
Moby Dick, one of my favorites.
I guess you're here to put me to sleep? [TOBIAS CHUCKLES.]
Actually, I have a strict "no mama" rule.
I believe a man has to have principles.
But I do need you to contact your son tell him to keep his thick lips shut.
I thought he was with you.
Hmm.
He left town with that Pierce girl.
Boy knows a lot about my business.
I have plans.
I'd surely hate to have to change those plans.
I don't have no way to reach him.
Even if I did, you'd have to kill me first.
I respect that.
You're a strong black woman, I can tell.
How did you wind up with such a weak-ass son? [DOOR BELL RINGS.]
Khalil? Auntie, look, people are after us.
We need a place to stay.
Does this have anything to do with what I've been hearing on the news? Is this her? The girl you kidnapped? No, he didn't kidnap me.
We kind of ran off together.
Look, it's not what it looks like.
And we can explain everything.
Your mother knew you were coming? No, no, no, and she can't.
Look, if they find out, they'll kill her.
Auntie, please.
Look, we ain't got nowhere else to go.
It'll just be for tonight, I promise.
- Are you really okay? - Yes, ma'am.
I swear.
Well, come on in here before somebody sees you.
- Thank you.
- [KHALIL.]
Thanks, Auntie.
I gotta get a room together.
Put your stuff down.
I'll go gather some sheets.
I'm gonna get the rest of our things.
Hey.
I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have yelled at you like that before.
Yeah, you should be sorry.
What the hell was that? [SIGHS.]
Something just came over me.
Okay? Jen, the things Tobias did to me, hitting me, burning me I just didn't want him to find us.
I snapped.
Well, you snap at me like that again, and Tobias is gonna be the last person you're gonna have to worry about.
I will light your ass up.
You need to remember that.
I know.
Here.
I picked it up when we stopped for gas.
You were right.
Your parents deserve to know that you're okay.
I'll get the bags.
Thank you.
[MAN 1 GRUNTS.]
I didn't come here for no damn games, bruh! [MAN 2.]
Take care of this clown.
You.
Painkiller and the girl, where'd they go? - I ain't no snitch.
- Uh-uh.
Wrong answer.
I guess you ain't no snitch either, huh, big man? The Negro went that way.
He took a right on Morrison.
His girl was driving.
They're in a blue Barracuda convertible.
But I didn't get the license plate number.
[MAN 3.]
Yo, man, what you tell him for? Whatever.
[PHONE BEEPS.]
Hello? It's me, Harriet.
Oh, my God! Jen! Gambi, Jen's calling.
We need a trace.
- On it! - [ANISSA.]
Jen, where are you? [JENNIFER.]
Look, I can't tell you that, but I wanted to call just so you knew I was okay.
Are you with Khalil? Is he making you say that? [JENNIFER.]
No, nobody's making me do anything.
Okay? Keep her on the line.
[JENNIFER.]
I really have to go, but please tell Mom and Dad that I'm safe.
- Wait, Jen, listen to me - I love you, Harriet.
Jen Jennifer! Jen! She hung up.
[SIGHS.]
Any luck with the Barracuda? They must've ditched it somewhere.
Were you able to trace Jen's call? [SIGHS.]
All I could get was the nearest cell tower.
Oh, my God.
What's the range on a tower like that? Up to 40 miles.
They could be almost anywhere.
Oh, damn it! Where's your father? [SIGHS.]
He went home to check on Mom.
You should get some rest, too.
I'll keep searching the traffic cameras and hopefully I will find out where they ditched that car.
You know, I still can't believe you're alive.
You and your secrets.
I am sorry, Anissa.
I was only trying to protect you and your family.
Yeah? Like when you were trying to protect us and you lied about being attached to the ASA? Or when you hid the fact that Tobias was still in Freeland? Huh? Anissa! If the people that tried to kill me knew that I was connected to you, they would come after you next.
Why would I believe you? Because you know I'm telling you the truth.
You didn't tell your dad when you were stealing money for the pod kids in that clinic.
Oh, come on, that's completely different.
- Is it? - Yes.
Well, sometimes we keep things from the people we love in order to protect them.
Raising your dad and being a part of your family is the best thing in my life.
Leaving you guys was the hardest thing I've ever done.
But I had to do it in order to protect you.
And if you don't believe anything else, just believe that.
Yeah, well, we're not a family without Jen.
So keep looking, okay? She's gotta be somewhere out there.
Uncle Gambi thank you.
I know that was you looking out for us in those woods.
Always.
[PANTING.]
[JENNIFER ON RECORDING.]
Hey, this is Jen.
Leave a message.
[SOFTLY.]
Jen Jen [SOBBING.]
Lynn! Lynn! - No, Lynn, just leave it.
- [LYNN.]
No! - It's okay, it's okay.
- [LYNN.]
Jen It's okay.
It's okay.
Okay, look.
There's gotta be some way that we can disguise my identity.
[JENNIFER.]
Mmm-mmm.
Sorry, brother, these locks gotta go.
Wait, hold up.
You didn't like them? You looked like Whoopi Goldberg.
[CHUCKLES.]
Plus, aren't they just gonna grow back anyway? No, I stopped taking the regeneration pills that made 'em grow so fast.
I haven't needed 'em ever since I started walking again.
Hey.
[SIGHS.]
You know I didn't mean what I said earlier, about me getting shot.
And I know I said I did, but it wasn't true.
It's just that I don't know, running was my ticket out of here.
And I was gonna take you with me.
But then that bullet struck my spine.
Going to the Olympics, I mean, everything it all got shattered.
I just tripped.
Well, you got your wish.
Look at us.
We're running now.
Hey, the truth is, I don't really care if we're running, as long as I'm with you.
Tilt your head.
- [HAIR CLIPPERS BUZZING.]
- Uh, wait.
[JENNIFER.]
Tilt your head.
What is that? [KHALIL.]
Uh You got some kinda lump back here.
[KHALIL.]
Huh? Weird.
You need to get that checked out.
It might be cancer.
All right.
Come on, how much longer we gotta go? We still gotta do your hair.
Don't even joke like that.
- Yo, it's just a weave.
- Yeah, an expensive one.
I don't care who's chasing me, I'm not cutting this for nobody.
You got that? Okay.
[KHALIL CHUCKLES.]
Our plan failed, Tori.
That boy he was supposed to make Black Lightning his enemy, but he's weak.
He ran away.
Now he's our enemy.
I should've known.
Can't trust a Negro as far as you can throw him.
I knew his ass wasn't a killer but I kept giving him chances.
[SIGHS.]
You're right.
That is my problem, isn't it? I get stubborn and try things over and over again.
Well, not anymore.
From now on, if something ain't working, I'm gonna change it.
Yeah, I'mma change it.
You were the best person in my life.
Did Jen do that? [JEFFERSON.]
Mmm-mmm.
Your mother got upset Gambi, was he able to trace Jen's phone? No, all he could get was the nearest cell tower.
[SIGHS.]
You should have said something.
What? Khalil's text, you should've told us.
We could've talked to her before it was too late.
Are you blaming this on me? What? No.
But if you had told us, then maybe we Wow, wow! Okay.
Did you ever stop and think why she was talking to Khalil in the first place? Hmm? Maybe it had something to do with the fact that, I don't know you and Mom never let her out the house, that you treated her like she was some kinda prisoner.
Wait, we didn't treat her like a prisoner.
We were trying to protect her.
No, you were just trying to control her.
You acted like she was some kind of freak or a monster! All your rules, your quotes, and all of your phone check-ins It was too much, Dad.
Too damn much! You drove her away just like you did me.
[KNOCK AT DOOR.]
Nichelle? I know I'm probably the last person you'd expect to see, but Please, come in.
Come on in.
Lynn, I'm so sorry.
You and Jefferson, you tried calling.
I thought you just wanted to reach out to Khalil again.
I didn't know he and Jen had run off together.
You both were so kind when he was in the hospital.
I would've never wanted your daughter to get mixed up in all this.
Please, sit down.
- [NICHELLE SIGHS.]
- Are you okay? He's all caught up.
Might not be too late for your daughter, though.
I couldn't live with myself knowing that someone else's child had to suffer because of my son.
My sister, Yvette, she has a place on the outskirts of town.
If Khalil's smart, he'll take Jennifer there.
Thank you.
Maybe they didn't get enough money last night, and they gotta hit up another spot.
All right.
We'll start with that safe house on Fitzgerald.
[CELL PHONE VIBRATING.]
Yeah, Lynn.
Khalil's mom is here.
She thinks she might know where Jen is.
- Where? - Khalil's aunt has a house.
- I'll send you the address.
- All right, I'm on it.
New plan.
Let's roll.
Let's get the van.
Actually, Anissa I thought you could use something of your own.
[JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING.]
- [KNOCK AT DOOR.]
- [DOOR OPENS.]
I see you found the place.
I also see your price has gone up.
You get what you paid for.
I thought you were against hiring black folks.
No, just thick-lipped, incompetent darkies like the one I want you to find.
Thought I'd get a discount, considering our past.
Hmm.
If I factored in our past, I wouldn't be here.
[TOBIAS CHUCKLES.]
Yet here you are.
Sorry to hear about Tori.
I know what she meant to you.
It was just yesterday she was telling me I'm too stubborn, need to try new things.
I thought she was dead.
So, history or not I better get my money's worth.
[SCOFFS.]
Okay.
All right, here we go with the threats.
I see you haven't changed.
Ain't nobody scared of your pale ass, Tobias, so you can stop right now with your bad guy act.
Just tell me who this person is you want found.
[TOBIAS.]
Him But I want him alive.
If you have a tracker, what do you need me for? You can nab him yourself.
Have you not seen the news lately? I'm an upstanding citizen now.
I can't risk doing it, but it's got to get done.
Besides, my people tried already.
Sometimes it's best to leave things to the professionals.
[SCOFFS.]
Okay.
- [KNOCKING AT DOOR.]
- I got it.
Who is it? Some lady.
Hide.
Detective Conley, ma'am.
Need to ask you a few questions about your nephew, Mr.
Khalil Payne.
[YVETTE CHUCKLES.]
Girl, it's a little too early to be trick-or-treating.
You know damn well you ain't no detective.
[CHUCKLES.]
You're right, why pretend? [SCREAMS.]
[BOTH GRUNTING.]
[GRUNTING.]
[KHALIL GRUNTING.]
[JENNIFER.]
Khalil! [JENNIFER.]
Are you okay? Are you hurt? Come on.
Come on.
[CUTTER GRUNTING.]
Go.
[PANTING.]
Be careful.
Careful.
[BEEPING.]
- [DRONE WHIRRING.]
- [JENNIFER PANTING.]
Leave us alone! Damn it! Come on.
Where'd they go? Jen shot down my drone! I got nothing.
Damn! Okay, let's split up.
They couldn't have gone far.
All right.
[KHALIL GROANS.]
[JENNIFER.]
Who the hell was that? [KHALIL.]
I don't know.
Wait, how did she find us? We don't have any phones, and there's no navigation in the [KHALIL GRUNTING AND PANTING.]
- Khalil - Huh? This lump on the back of your head.
What if Tobias put it there? What you mean, like a tracking device or something? Yeah.
Exactly.
[CRACKLING.]
See? I knew I felt something extra the last time we kissed.
My powers, they must've caused the tracker to have some sort of electrical surge.
Okay, all right.
Um All right, so what do we do to get it out? Uh - Okay.
- Wait, wait, no.
Hell no.
Uh-uh.
You ain't coming nowhere near me with that thing.
You got a better idea? All right, you said that you were able to create an electrical surge, right? So what if you use your powers to short it out? No, I can't do that.
I could seriously hurt you.
Hey, I trust you.
Let me test it out first.
Okay, that won't do it.
Uh It'll be less than that.
Wait, wait, wait No, come on, we gotta do it.
Go.
- You're right, I can't - No, do it.
You can.
You are the storm, so you can control the storm.
Wait.
Remember I don't care if I'm running [CRACKLES.]
Did it work? It must have.
No electricity.
The hell there ain't.
Find anything? [ANISSA OVER COMMS.]
No, we must've lost them.
[GRUNTS.]
Jennifer? - [JENNIFER.]
You good? Come on.
- Yeah.
[JENNIFER.]
Be careful.
[CELL PHONE VIBRATING.]
Tell me you have him.
Not yet, but it won't be long.
- [TOBIAS.]
You lost him.
- No.
He's got a cut.
They won't get far.
It's only a matter of time.
I don't wanna hear all that.
I don't give a damn what you wanna hear.
Your Casper-the-Ghost ass just put me in a position to have to fight metas without warning - Metas? - I didn't stutter.
Two of them showed up at the house.
Black Lightning and Thunder.
Black Lightning? What the hell does Black Lightning want with Khalil? Or is it the Pierce girl? Hmm.
Pierce girl again.
Like at Club 100 and the Seahorse.
Hmm.