The Pretender s03e03 Episode Script

[Crowd Cheering, Chattering On TV.]
Excuse me? Is that what's known as chili? I don't eat it, I just stir it.
That little talking dog on the commercial says that it's very good.
That's the wrong franchise.
That's our mascot.
- Rico the Taco Rat? - [Softly.]
Yeah.
- Well, what do you recommend? - That you go someplace else.
[Man On TV.]
We interrupt our regularly scheduled program- Let's see.
You know, I think I'll try the "chimichanja"? It's your colon.
[Woman On TV.]
This normally quiet neighborhood is gripped with fear following the disappearance of 17-year-old Sarah Rickman who, according to police, was taken from her home sometime during the early morning hours.
The victim's parents have made an appeal to the abductor begging for their daughter's safe return.
We just want whoever abducted our daughter Sarah - Anybody who can help us.
- To return her unharmed.
[Rickman.]
That's all I ask right now.
[Reporter.]
Now, among bizarre details associated with the crime the kidnapper apparently removed the eyes from several stuffed animals and left a message scrawled on a mirror.
- "Blue moon rising.
" - We'll have more as this story unfolds.
Now, Paul, back to you in the studio.
We need your help.
Something terrible has happened.
A girl has been kidnapped.
You need to find her.
[Police Radio, Indistinct.]
- Excuse me, Lieutenant Fawkes? - Who's he? Special agent from theJustice Department.
I can't, Sydney.
I'm scared.
- You wanna help Annie, don't you? - Sydney, no.
I'm too scared.
- Put your fear away.
- But, Sydney, I can't! You have to, Jarod.
You're the only one who can save her.
[Young Sydney.]
Jarod, you're the only one who can save her.
[Man Narrating.]
There are Pretenders among us.
[Jarod.]
I was taken from my family.
Thirty-six hours and he's already demonstrating more talent than any of our others.
How many people died because of what I thought up? Since I broke out, I've spent every moment searching for my past.
[Miss Parker.]
He's a Pretender- A genius who can become anyone that he wants to be.
- The Centre wants him alive.
- Preferably.
[Miss Parker.]
He defends the weak and abused.
Life's a gift.
- You a doctor? - I am today.
That's funny.
I don't remember calling in theJustice Department.
Jarod Ressler.
- I'm a criminal behaviorist.
I'm here to help.
- Go back to Washington.
We have enough cops handling a kidnapping.
You won't be receiving a ransom note, Detective.
- Lieutenant.
- Look, the man that took Sarah is a killer.
So every minute that we stand here arguing is a minute closer to her death.
- He's taunting you.
- You think? He cuts the eyes out.
It makes him believe he's invisible.
And these curtains, he left them open on purpose.
Look again, Kreskin.
They're closed.
They've been closed.
Actually, Lieutenant, they were open.
I shut them to keep the news cameras out.
[Sighs.]
Talk.
I've seen this M.
O.
Before.
A series of crimes committed by a man named Douglas Willard.
- Maxwell, A.
P.
B.
This Willard.
- Don't bother.
He's been in prison for the last 20 years.
[Broots.]
Looks like the lights are on, but no one's home.
- Jarod's life story.
- Clearly, he was here.
He was training for something aquatic.
Syd, Wonder Boy ever say he wanted to be Mr.
Limpet? Not that I recall.
You know, when I was a kid, I always wanted to be Aquaman.
You know? Human gills and a- Sorry.
Hey, look.
Looks like we might be going to Florida.
- Looks like he did.
- That's too easy.
Look at all these things he left behind.
Something unexpected must have come up and Jarod left before he planned.
The question is, where is he? The question is, where is he? Doug Willard, a.
k.
a.
The "Blue Moon Killer.
" He made a series of abductions along the upper east coast in the mid-'70s.
All young women snatched from their bedrooms.
Eyeless dolls left behind, along with the words "blue moon rising.
" - If Willard's in maximum security- - We're dealing with a copycat.
- Why "blue moon"? - It's the second full moon of a calendar month.
Willard killed his victims at midnight of the blue moon.
It says here police got an anonymous tip out of Delaware that helped them catch Willard but not before he murdered his last victim.
Her name was Annie.
Her body was never found.
Here she is.
Jarod, you did everything you could.
It's not your fault.
She died because of me, Sydney.
I let her die.
[Fawkes.]
If they never found her how could they be sure? Willard sent a photo of her body to her parents.
- It arrived the day after he was arrested.
- Sick bastard.
- Where do we start? - We find the copycat.
Now, he's meticulously recreating every detail of Willard's M.
O.
Details that weren't in the papers which means that he had some kind of contact with Willard.
- An old cell mate? - No, Willard's been in isolation since day one.
No family, no visiting privileges.
Do a rundown of all the prison personnel.
- Guards, doctors, public defenders, anyone.
- I'm on it.
What would it take to get Willard transferred here? A damn good reason, for starters.
How about someone is trying to become Willard? I need to pick the brain of the real thing.
- Do your picking at McCallister.
- I need him here where I can have access to him.
- I can't do that for you.
- The night after tomorrow is a blue moon.
If we don't stop it, another girl is going to die.
Sydney, are those her parents? - [Sobbing.]
- [Sydney.]
Yes.
And they're counting on you to find their daughter.
[Sobbing.]
[Prisoners Yelling, Shouting.]
The more I learn about this guy, the sicker my gut feels.
The path to the man that kidnapped Sarah is Douglas Willard.
I hope you're right.
I just got off the phone with McCallister.
Willard's in transit.
He'll be here ASAP.
- You owe me.
- Big-time.
[Miss Parker.]
You know, Syd, sometimes I think you and I are the only people around here that are sane which isn't saying much for me.
What's wrong? You've got that "just eaten in the cafeteria" look.
I'm sorry.
I'm fine.
Well, I'm not.
Raines has convinced Daddy I should go down to Florida afterJarod even though I made it clear it's pointless.
Raines had nothing to do with it.
I convinced your father.
Didn't we agree at the wharf Jarod wasn't headed to Florida? Maybe I was wrong.
- Maybe we overlooked something.
- Cancel what I said earlier.
- I'm the only sane one around here.
- [Phone Ringing.]
Oh.
Jarod? - [Jarod.]
How did you know? - Annie told me.
This time it's a girl named Sarah.
I can't let it happen again.
You caught her killer.
You saved countless others.
But I couldn't save Annie.
[Sydney.]
None of us can change the past, Jarod.
You did everything you could.
You must get over it.
Willard gets transferred here in the morning.
Sydney I've never seen him face-to-face.
But running away will offer no solace.
You know what you have to do.
Jarod.
Jarod! - I want to be alone with him.
- Bad idea.
The psychiatrist at McCallister calls Willard an earwig.
You give him half a chance he'll crawl into your head and chew on your brain.
He's left two suicides and half a dozen psych discharges in his wake.
- I'm not afraid of much, but I'm scared of him.
- So am I.
Jarod! And who might you be, little boy? - I hopeJarod knows what he's doing.
- [Willard.]
I owe you a thanks.
For what? Twenty years in solitary, this is like a vacation.
- I didn't do it for you.
- Then why? We'll get to that.
Nice accommodations.
Of course, I'm used to a little bit more privacy.
Smart-ass.
- Who are you? - I'm Jarod Ressler.
- I'm with theJustice Department.
- Justice? I never realized I was so important.
You're not.
Just what is it you want? I'm a criminal behaviorist.
You're a case study.
Interviewing you would broaden my knowledge.
Why do I get the feeling you're lying? And why do I find it shocking that you have feelings? Touché.
The way I was abruptly jerked from my peaceful abode and rushed here makes me think that my presence was urgently needed.
It's almost as if it was a matter of life and death.
Now the feds are involved.
That narrows down the list of possible crimes, doesn't it? I doubt if I was pulled in for a terrorist bombing.
It's not really my specialty.
No, I'm gonna take a wild guess and say- [Inhales.]
Abduction.
Still, there must be a reason why you chose me, why I was selected and that's the easiest one of all.
I'm on pins and needles.
Tomorrow night is a blue moon and that leaves us with one conclusion.
There's somebody else out there.
Someone like me.
I'm impressed.
And you want my help? Yes, I do.
Well, as they say, hell will freeze first.
Well, I am very sorry to have disturbed you.
I'll make sure they take you back to your peaceful abode.
[Knocking.]
[Clanging.]
[Door Closes.]
That's it? Three minutes, he shuts you down, and you just walk away? Patience.
I worked like hell to get that guy here! Ressler! It's not as if I have somewhere else to be.
[Miss Parker.]
We burn half a day in the Sunshine State, sniffing trails going nowhere.
A standard cleanup crew could have checked that out.
The question is, why were we sent? And what's Sydney got to do with it? Sydney wouldn't just send us to waste our time.
- Unless he wanted us gone.
- What? I saw him staring at a photo in his office.
I bet answers are there.
I bet answers are there.
Yesterday, a young woman was taken.
This young woman.
Every detail of the crime was identical to yours.
Well, let me guess.
You're looking for a white male, His neighbors are amazed and say, "He was a quiet man.
" I know the standard profile.
I need more, and there's little time.
If I give you what you need, will you give me what I need? I already got you out of your hole, which means you owe me.
Now, the copycat is re-creating your last abduction which means he's going to take his victim to the last place that you took yours.
Oh, Annie.
They never found her, you know.
It'll be the same with the new one if the copycat is as smart as I am.
And how does it feel to be the smartest man on the planet? Lonely.
Clearly, law enforcement has not raised its standards in the last 20 years.
They're still the same stupid people that bungled their way through my capture.
- But they did catch you.
- Not in time.
Besides, "they"didn't catch me.
As I sat in my hole, I studied those who were supposedly responsible for bringing me to justice.
I knew them better than they knew their wives.
And? They couldn't catch a cold.
They got a lucky break from a very gifted informant.
How do you know he was gifted? Maybe he was just lucky.
'Cause I'm smarter than that.
He had to be really gifted.
A genius.
He was the worthiest adversary I've ever had.
I was denied the opportunity to meet him.
It was so disappointing.
You see, I got inside my victims' heads.
I knew where they lived, how they thought, how they act.
To know someone, you've got to get inside them.
See, that's what I wanted to ask the anonymous informant.
For 20 years, I wondered- How did he get inside me? Do you know this man, Agent? No.
Well, I only ask because I was wondering if he was as lonely on this planet as I am.
Well, like you said being smart gets lonely sometimes.
Now, where is this copycat going to take her? You said it already.
Same place I took Annie.
- Where? - We've got till tomorrow midnight.
- Tell me! - Oh, I can't do that.
You'd send me back.
Answer me! Where is he going to take her? Where did you take Annie? Relax, Ressler.
Come on.
If you don't control your emotions, you're never gonna find him, are you? [Young Jarod.]
No, Sydney! Don't make me do it! I'm scared! Time's running out, Jarod.
It's the only way we're gonna find her.
No, please! Please, no! [Sobbing.]
Angelo, I've got something I want you to look at.
Miss Parker, I don't like the idea of stealing from Sydney.
We're not stealing.
We'rejust looking at it.
Angelo, tell me about her.
Who is she? She's- She's scared.
Annie.
Tell me about Annie.
- We want to go home.
- [Clanging.]
You were told to go to Florida.
Been there, done that.
Waste of time.
A complete dry hole? - There were a few bread crumbs.
- Then why are you here? 'Cause they were leading nowhere.
Sydney, you wanna clue him in? - Florida's a boondoggle.
- It's still our best chance at finding Jarod.
Get back down there.
[Wheels Squeaking.]
Geez, I just got done unpacking.
We're not going anywhere, Broots.
- They said we had to go back down.
- And I said we're not.
Those two are up to something.
I wanna know everything that there is to know about her.
This is the bread crumb to follow.
[Sobbing.]
Anything on prison personnel tied to Willard? - Workin' on it.
- Hurry up.
We're running out of time.
So are they.
[Young Jarod.]
I wanna meet Annie's parents.
- If I talk to them, maybe l- - That's impossible.
I don't want their emotions to cloud your objectivity.
But why are they so upset? Don't they have other children? The emotions a parent and child share are strong and fragile.
One child or 10, each relationship is unique.
If threatened, they all feel immense pain.
[Woman Sobbing.]
I wonder if my parents cried for me? If you imagine hard enough, it almost tastes like real coffee.
Thank you.
[Mrs.
Rickman.]
Before she went to bed that night I don't even remember if I told her I loved her.
Mrs.
Rickman, Sarah knows you love her.
I just can't help but wonder if everything is being done.
If there isn't something more.
You have a lust for power, so be powerful.
- Save the girl.
- Careful, Agent.
Emotions cloud your eyes.
They make you vulnerable.
- They make you- - Human? You're a puzzle to me, Jarod.
Your passion makes me think there's more to you than meets the eye.
- I want to find Sarah.
- I want something too.
The truth.
- About what? - I think you know.
For 20 years, I've obsessed about my capture.
I've read every piece of paper, every file, every document.
And during those 20 years, I found nothing about an anonymous informant.
Well, that is the key word- "anonymous.
" It must have been somebody who knew me somebody who studied me as I study me.
You seem to know me well.
I read your file.
Oh, you know more about me than is in my file.
You know who I really am.
And that makes me wonder who you really are.
- What the hell is he doing? - It seems you and I have a secret.
You were a child then.
A prodigy.
I heard the word used, yes.
- How did you know? - I can see.
I can feel your loneliness.
A small child helps the police capture a genius.
Now, I am impressed.
I helped them capture a monster.
But it wasn't in time to save Annie, was it? It must be a terrible experience for someone as human as you.
It makes me wonder how it's all gonna work out for little Sarah.
Like you said time is running out.
She's asleep when I enter.
They all are.
I know because I've been watching them.
Keep going, Jarod.
I wanna go to her, but l-I can't not while they're watching me.
I have to stop them from watching me! There! I'm invisible! Why open the curtains, Jarod? You don't want to be seen.
The moonlight.
I need to feel it shining on me.
- I can't go any further, Sydney.
- Yes.
Yes, you can, Jarod.
No.
I don't wanna be inside his head.
- I don't wanna have him inside of mine.
- You have to.
- No, I can't! - It's the only way we're gonna find Annie.
I can't, Sydney! I don't wanna feel that! I don't wanna feel that.
[Phone Ringing.]
Detective Maxwell.
Yeah, give me the info.
- Why'd you pull the plug on Willard's surveillance cam? - Privacy.
- His or yours? - I know what I'm doing.
You better.
He's asking for you.
[Miss Parker.]
Talk to me.
- You'll have to be more specific.
- Raines wants me out of the way.
- You're singing backup.
Why? - You're beginning to sound paranoid.
Then this must be one of my delusions.
What's happening again, and why doesn't anybody want me to find out about it? Parker, leave the stone unturned.
You know, for years I've wondered who you really were.
But inside, I always knew.
Is your name reallyJarod? Are you truly from theJustice Department? My name is Jarod.
You wanted to see me.
He'll hold her till the moon is full.
Until midnight.
- I already knew that.
- Actually, you already know everything.
You have all the answers.
You just won't do what you need to do.
Help me.
Why did I cut the eyes out of the dolls? - To make yourself invisible.
- Why open the curtains? [Sighs.]
To feel the moonlight on your body.
Why'd he do it? - The same reason.
- Where is he? - I don't know.
- Where is she? - I don't know! - Come on, prodigy.
Do what you need to do.
You had all the answers you needed to find Annie.
I left them for you last time.
He left them for you this time.
Get inside his head.
Get inside my head.
- No.
- Where is she? [Sighs.]
I don't know.
[Sighs.]
You know, you've never asked me for what I wanted, what I need to help you.
[Scoffs.]
Oh, really? Well, what do you need? Take me to the crime scene.
Take me to Sarah's bedroom.
- And why would I wanna do that? - Because I can feel it.
Because I can do what you won't do- become him.
I don't wanna become him, Sydney! They would never allow it.
You're a genius.
You'll figure it out.
Do it for Sarah.
Do it for Annie.
[Door Opens.]
Ressler.
We found the kidnapper.
[Fawkes.]
The kidnapper's name is Paul Schuman.
He was a guard at McCallister for six years.
Worked nights.
Assigned to solitary confinement cell block and- - [Jarod.]
Douglas Willard.
- [Fawkes.]
Oh, it gets better.
- Willard and Schuman developed a continuing conversation.
- It's clear.
Eighteen months ago, Schuman has a breakdown and vanishes.
[Man.]
All clear.
Nobody's in here.
Well, the acorn's gone, but we found the right tree.
We've got less than eight hours until the moon is full.
Look at this.
[Jarod.]
Sarah at home waiting for the school bus.
[Chuckles.]
He's even got her class schedule.
Nantauk, New Bedford, Cape May.
Schuman visited all the places that Willard struck.
- Historical tour? - Research trip.
He's trying to get inside of Willard's skin.
[Fawkes.]
By taking Sarah, he's picking up where Willard left off.
Over here.
Letters from Willard, as recent as last week.
- This is gibberish.
- Mm-mmm.
Code, to get past the prison censors.
Willard climbed into his head and earwigged him.
The question is- Is Schuman a copycat or a puppet? What's our next move? We give Willard what he wants.
[Willard.]
Did you think about taking me with you? - Tell me about Carl Schuman.
- Answer me, I answer you.
He was your prison guard before you got inside of his head.
He was an impressionable fan, Jarod.
Frankly, it's irrelevant at this point.
Like these letters you wrote to him? You were behind Sarah's abduction from the very beginning.
Schuman is just your eyes, your ears and your legs out there, isn't he? But now it's just you and me.
Déjà vu, Jarod.
It's like a snake eating its own tail.
You're right back where you started- a scared little boy.
You know who the killer is, but you can't save the girl.
- At least, not alone.
- Where did he take Sarah? Same place I took Annie.
[Sighs.]
Tell me.
Do the right thing, Jarod.
Take me with you.
- We can still stop him.
- [Door Opens.]
He's not going anywhere.
Agent Ressler, I wanna talk to you.
What the hell is this? I know it sounds crazy, but if I could take Willard to the crime scene- - Request denied.
- A girl's life is at risk.
And risking more by letting that loose isn't the answer.
Request denied.
- Look, I know it's- - No! You know, at first I thought you knew what you were doing.
- Now I think he's earwigged you.
- [Paper Crumpling.]
You're out of here.
Get in.
Ressler, what the hell are you doing? - I'm ending this once and for all.
- I don't see any authorization.
- Stay out of my way, Maxwell.
- I can't let you do this.
No more time to waste.
No more time.
Such a display of violence, prodigy.
[Willard.]
Mmm.
Can you smell it? Death.
It's amazing how little girls' rooms are the same wherever you go.
Tell me where she is.
You know, Jarod, I can't do my best work under these conditions.
If you set me free; well, then I'll set you free.
- [Handcuffs Ratcheting.]
- If you so much as sneeze, I end this.
If you close your eyes you can almost hear the sounds of her muffled cries.
She's sleeping as he cracks the door and slips inside.
[Coughs.]
She has a summer cold.
Her breathing is heavier than normal.
He kinda likes that.
And then? He notices the eyes.
He can't leave witnesses.
He sits on the bed.
He watches her.
[Sniffing.]
Oh, he can smell the soft scent of sweet powder.
And what is that? Shampoo.
Then what? You tell me.
- No.
- Tell me! I don't wanna become him, Sydney! I don't want him to be inside me! What does he do next, Jarod? He wants to scream because it feels so good so right.
He takes her down the hallway, doesn't he? Past her parents' bedroom.
He pauses.
They're asleep.
They look so innocent so unaware.
Where does he take her next, Jarod? - I don't know.
- Feel it.
The moon is full.
It's almost midnight.
Look, I took you where you wanted to go.
Now just tell me where she is.
It must be frustrating to be so close, and yet so far away.
Tell me! Tell me where she is! - Tell me! - Follow the clues.
- Do what you have to do! - I don't know! Now tell me where she is! It's so obvious.
Why can't I figure it out? Why doesn't it make any sense? Because it's all a lie.
There is no rhyme or reason to any of this, Jarod.
There is no midnights, no blue moons rising.
It's all meaningless.
The truth is I killed them because I wanted to.
I like it.
Now it's time for me to see Sarah.
I expected a much more worthy adversary, prodigy.
Good-bye, Jarod.
It's time for the monster to leave now.
- What'd you get on the girl? - Ah, there wasn't a lot.
Not even a last name.
I mean, there's absolutely no reference to her last name.
- It's-It's weird.
- Broots, don't waste my time telling me what you didn't find.
Okay.
All I could find is that she was kidnapped and murdered and there's not even a body been found.
Where did this happen? Uh, about 40 miles from here, a place called Snow Hill, Maryland.
Snow Hill? "Snow Hill.
" [Jarod.]
And who might you be, little boy? Well, if it isn't the young prodigy.
How does it feel to be the smartest man on the planet? Lonely.
It's time to go back to your hole.
You found me, Jarod.
But once again not in time to save the little girl.
Not this time.
You see, a request to visit the girl's bedroom was a ploy.
So was my taking you there.
I followed you here.
Actually, I was one step ahead of you.
We all were.
Carl Schuman never got near this place.
Prodigy, you got inside my head.
No.
You don't have to become a monster to face one.
[Whimpering.]
Help.
She's over here.
It's okay.
We're here to help you.
Come on.
It's okay.
It's okay, it's okay.
Nobody's gonna hurt you anymore.
- Get her out of here.
- It's okay, Sarah.
Come on.
You'll be okay.
Agent Ressler? [Siren Wailing.]
It's time for you to go home too, Annie.
I'm looking for this man.
- Special Agent Ressler? - "Special Agent.
" Right.
- Where is he? - He's right over- right over there.
[Sydney.]
You saved her, Jarod.
I wish I could have done the same for Annie for her parents.
I know you tried.
I hope that finally being able to bury her will bring them some kind of peace.
I'm sure it will.
I gave her father the locket.
I know he'd like me to thank you.
[Beeps.]
I'm sorry.
I'm so very sorry.
[Sobbing.]
You let me run all over the country instead of telling me the truth.
He wanted it that way.
[Miss Parker.]
I don't get it.
Sometimes, even the devil deserves a little privacy.