Person of Interest s04e02 Episode Script

We are being watched.
The government has a secret system.
A machine that spies on you every hour of every day.
I designed the machine to detect acts of terror, but it sees everything.
Violent crimes involving ordinary people.
The government considers these people irrelevant.
We don't.
Hunted by the authorities, we work in secret.
You will never find us.
But victim or perpetrator, if your number's up, we'll find you.
I hope you like your eggs room temperature.
And mildly congealed.
Sorry Harold, gotta cancel.
The job may be a cover, but the last minute paperwork's real.
Understood.
It seems a shame to waste decent food.
Why don't you ask your new number to keep you company.
New what? Claire Mahoney, sophomore at Oberlin College in Ohio.
Checked into the motel next door two nights ago.
According to her credit card eats most of her meals at that diner including the one she just charged.
You lured me here to assign me your latest number? When I gave you a secure phone network, this wasn't what I had in mind.
We're no longer co-workers, John.
But Claire Mahoney's not just another number.
In fact, she's right up your alley.
Math major, 4.
0 GPA.
Lots of mathematics majors are studious enough to achieve perfect grade point averages.
But how many of them become chess grandmasters at the age of 16? She played three different computer systems at the same time and won.
But in the last 48 hours she's trespassed, broken into cars Sometimes teens act out in the big city.
And sometimes they buy a 9 mm from a gun show on their way here.
I don't know why a college student needs a firearm but I think Professor Whistler can figure it out.
The fact that I am a professor is why I should not intervene.
How many times do I have to remind you our covers come first? At least your cover doesn't come with a partner.
All open homicides in our docket.
Captain wants you brought up to speed by morning.
Welcome aboard, Detective Riley.
I make no promises, John.
There are other matters I'm attending to.
Why don't you enlist Miss Shaw? Because she has a complicated cover of her own.
Thirty seconds tops.
Keep the engine running.
Kiss, kiss to you too.
Whatever this is, you have 29 seconds.
Just checking in.
Your job and all.
Skip the orientation.
I've got this.
- No burning questions? - Just one.
Why? These covers are supposed to make us look ordinary.
- So why would the machine make me - A criminal? Criminals are ordinary, Sameen.
Every city's got them.
- Thirteen seconds.
- Only two mistakes you can make that'll put you on anyone's radar.
Number one, getting caught.
Getting caught? If I apply even half of my skills in training You'll be making mistake number two drawing too much attention.
You can be a good thief, just not too good.
Shoot for a B-plus.
- Thanks for the rousing pep talk.
- That's what I'm here for.
Response time's under two minutes, let's move.
All right, let's see how fast you are.
My pleasure.
Ordinary my ass.
Got you.
A nautilus shell? So that's the problem.
All the classes I want are full.
Professor, are you listening to me? Can I see your current class schedule? We're sorry, the number that you've dialed is not a working number.
Not sure who you'd be calling when one of your students needs you.
Oh, it's nothing.
- An issue with a math major.
- Ugh.
Math is the worst.
Manipulating numbers? If I wanna add, subtract, or multiply, I'll let my phone do it.
It's not a phone number it's multiplication.
- What are you doing now? - Manipulating numbers.
GPS coordinates.
Uh Ah.
Um Suppose I speak to the dean on your behalf? That would work.
Thank you.
Another nautilus.
You playing too? Playing? You're cheating off me.
Is that it? It's not gonna work.
You can't beat me.
I'm going to win.
Win what? I have no idea what you're talking about.
Then what are you doing here? You've been tracking me, haven't you? - This ends now.
Understand? - Yes.
- But I'm not tracking you.
I'm here to help.
- No, you're not.
- You'll sabotage me and leave me behind.
- I won't leave you behind.
Fine.
Welcome to keep playing.
I'm gonna have a head start.
Help! This man's got a gun.
Please don't hurt me.
- You're making a mistake.
- N.
Y.
P.
D.
Detective Riley.
This man is wanted in conjunction with a case of mine.
- I'll take him into custody.
- Like hell you will.
What about my window? I'm sure this gentleman will be happy to pay for it.
Won't he? We'll take that.
That should cover it.
Book him, detective.
Need I remind you that under our newfound oversight my income is no longer unlimited.
I do appreciate your timing.
For what it's worth, Claire seems to think she's playing a game.
I can't tell if it's real or just in her mind.
Sounds like you're working this number after all.
I'm working a puzzle, John.
That's all she is? A puzzle? A puzzle that doesn't want my help, or anyone else's for that matter.
I suggest that we heed her advice and leave this one alone.
What are you doing? Detective Riley promised those guys he'd arrest you.
I don't wanna get flagged for suspicious behavior.
- Our covers come first, remember? - Oh, dear.
No, I assure you that our conversation will remain confidential.
Thank you for your time.
Could we dispense with the formalities? Do you think? I'm just protecting our covers.
Sure it was okay to make the call to Claire's professor on that cell? Even if I weren't inside a car with the windows rolled up all Samaritan would've heard just now was two fellow professors discussing a student.
Suffice it to say, Claire's history of instability is longer than 48 hours.
How much longer? A year since she stopped chess and started skipping class.
And though her advisor couldn't legally say I gathered that her behavior culminated in a suicide attempt.
Whatever triggered it resulted in Claire taking a semester off.
She's just returned to school this fall.
I'll request her personal information.
Try to find out what caused it.
But N.
Y.
P.
D.
research isn't known for their speed.
Well, that's unfortunate.
You may have received Claire's number because she's a danger to herself.
She pulled a gun on you, Harold.
- She's more likely a threat to others.
- Whichever theory is correct find Claire before she does more damage.
- Could use help tracking her down.
I have an errand to run.
You'll have to bring your partner.
If I get called out, Fusco goes too, you know.
I wasn't referring to him.
Claire's a math major.
Either she has a thing for the Soviet theater or she needs a place to hide a backup hard drive.
Excuse me.
What are you doing here? Detective John Riley, N.
Y.
P.
D.
Something happen to my daughter? - You're Claire's father? - Douglas Mahoney.
School told me Claire left two days ago.
Credit card company said she booked here, so I flew in from Ohio.
Did she mention why she was coming to New York? No, she won't return my calls.
Then I get here and find a detective and a police dog.
Please tell me she's okay.
Claire was a witness to an act of vandalism this morning.
No one was hurt.
Thank goodness.
Please, detective, if you find Claire You'll be the first to know.
My captain calling.
Okay.
- Yes, captain.
- Nice to hear I've been promoted.
I found something to show you in person.
Meet you at your office in 20 minutes.
Claire has a backup hard drive? Which she was keeping hidden.
Whatever's on her laptop, she doesn't wanna lose it.
What do you see when you look at this picture of Claire? An unstable college student staring at street art.
I thought as much myself until I realized it isn't graffiti at all.
It's a variation on a Bongard puzzle.
This particular type of puzzle presents two sets of diagrams.
The diagrams in the first set share a common feature.
The blocks never overlap with the curved lines.
Conversely in the second set, the blocks do touch the curves.
There's an additional common element.
There's a different number of blocks in each diagram.
Code cracking.
Sometimes you forget I was an international spy.
Fair enough.
Now, using this pattern I can fill in the blank space with the only number of blocks left out, which is three.
Thus, solving the puzzle creating a sort of three-pronged arch.
May I? There's your three-pronged arch, Harold.
Glen Span Arch in Central Park.
If you wanna talk to Claire about this game she's playing you'll find her there.
And perhaps the next puzzle.
- Still don't want to tag along? - No, I'm more useful here.
If Miss Mahoney is half as smart as she seems this hard drive is gonna be difficult to crack.
Careful, Finch, you might have to admit you're actually working this number.
- Claire's an exception.
- Exceptions become the rule.
Especially when you start using their first names.
No sign of Claire at the arch.
Perhaps her hard drive will be more forthcoming.
Just about managed to crack the encryption code that she wrote.
You know, you were right, John.
She is exceptional.
You've just received an e-mail from N.
Y.
P.
D.
research regarding your request for personal information on Claire Mahoney.
- What's it say? - Quite a lot of information.
It'll take some time to sift through it.
- Finch, I found Claire.
- Where? In the middle of the street.
Looks like you were right, Harold.
She does have a death wish.
Why did you do that? It's my job.
So is finding out why you were standing in traffic.
You wouldn't understand.
Well, maybe your father will.
- I called him in case we found you here.
- Claire.
I'm so glad they found you.
That man is not my father.
John, I've scanned the N.
Y.
P.
D.
research records on Claire.
Her parents died in a car accident last year.
She's telling the truth.
Run.
- Come on, let's go.
- John, are you okay? - Where's Claire? - I told her to run.
Looks like the game she's playing isn't just real.
It's deadly.
John, I'm at the arch.
- Where are you? - Looking for Claire.
She may still be in the woods hiding from Dad.
- Who would pose as Claire's dead father? - From their tactics, I'm guessing Blackwater type, private military contractors.
Why would a private military contractor go after a college student? Unless it has something to do with a game that she's playing.
I'm sending notes from Claire's backup drive to your phone.
The game started with a post on an obscure message board.
"If you seek enlightenment, be the first to walk through the chambers.
" What's the spiral shell? Chambered nautilus.
Claire realized there was data hidden in the image and managed to extract it.
Instructions to hack an encrypted network and steal a particular file.
Whatever's on it is required to win the game.
Setting a pretty high bar.
Indeed.
And this isn't the game's first iteration.
There have been at least two others, In cities as far flung as Tokyo and Paris.
- You know who's behind it? Could be one of any number of powerful and potentially dangerous entities.
CIA, rogue hackers, whoever's behind it is secretive.
And no one seems to know what happens when you get to the end.
Stop, this is it.
Wait here.
Think I may have found one of Claire's fellow competitors.
- Nice glasses.
- Optical head-mounted display.
Among other things, it takes pictures.
Excuse me.
I think I'm lost.
- I wonder if you - Stay back! Not exactly an altruist.
But he gave me one thing.
The spot where I would have to be to find the next puzzle.
This must be where you found Claire.
- You see anything interesting? - Trees.
Lamp post.
Banners.
Oh, wait.
It's a nautilus.
And the street lights are more than just a border.
It's braille.
The lights are the equivalent of the tactile dots.
The message reads one hundred and 84th and 3rd.
Claire is likely making her way there.
- On my way.
- Let me know when you find her.
Still wanna pretend you're not playing? I saw you in the park.
Trust me, Claire, I have no desire to cheat off you or sabotage your chances of winning.
Is that why you stole my hard drive? Hand it over.
Or do I have to take it? Pathetic.
If you can't solve the puzzles on your own you shouldn't be here.
I wasn't going to be.
As much as a friend of mine hoped otherwise.
But something on the drive helped change my mind.
- My notes? - The eulogy for your parents.
The young woman who wrote those words would never shoot me over a game.
She values life too much.
If that's what you think then you don't know me at all.
- What's the status? - Alarms disabled.
Cut through the vault, you're home free.
- Let's go.
- Have fun, boys.
Speaking of boys.
Hope I'm not interrupting, Miss Shaw, but I could use some help with a new number.
- New number? - This particular number is involved in activities the implications of which are extraordinary.
Perhaps global.
- Can you meet me? - Sure.
I'm clocking out anyway.
New computer? Isn't that a week's salary for you? Small price to pay for safety from Samaritan.
Especially when hacking security camera feeds.
Security feeds? You wanna fill me in? A dangerous game is being played throughout the city.
I'm trying to find the game master.
I've accessed the feeds from a security camera whose field includes a lamp post where one of the game's puzzles was posted.
By scrolling back through the archived footage I hope to identify who put it up.
There.
Toby's Estate Coffee.
The game master is a barista? Right across the street.
So this guy likes to play games, huh? Well, so do I.
I remind you I'm not a proponent of violence.
We imply it.
We may not have to use it.
Soy milk? I can't stand the stuff.
Go cow or go home.
- Now someone's got a few questions for you.
- Someone? I'd like to inform you I've disabled the video streams back here.
So no one can see or hear or help.
Surprisingly lax security for someone of your interests.
- Who are you? - The guy who tells me when to let go.
This game, what's its ultimate purpose? - Work alone? With a team? - I don't know what you're talking about.
How many fingers does it take to make an espresso? You see this, or do you need me to staple it to your eyeball? The poster? It's not mine.
It came in an e-mail.
- Sent by whom? - It was anonymous.
Please.
It told me when and where to put up the poster.
I did it.
A thousand bucks was wired to my account.
That's all I know.
I swear.
I'm going to need to see that e-mail.
And I'm gonna need you to make yourself useful.
Tall latte.
And you better not give me a decaf.
Harold, I'm at 184th and 3rd.
Only place open is a biker bar.
Been John, have you managed to find Claire? I found her.
Brave girl walking into a place like this.
As usual, she's staring at something.
I have no idea what.
That makes two of us.
I've been trying to trace the source of an e-mail that I believe was sent by the creator of the game.
The results are nothing short of baffling.
The e-mail appears to have no point of origin.
It simply materialized in the recipient's inbox.
Excuse me.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
I don't want you to leave until I get you a drink.
Nice offer.
Too bad that guy's about to steal your wallet.
What? No I wasn't.
Now I'm gonna do the same thing to your arms.
Excuse me, does this thing work? - Unh! - Hey! What the? Yup.
Works just fine.
Don't move.
Really? That's a good choice.
Now I'm gonna give you another one.
You're not equipped to be here, not in this place not in this game you're playing.
So either you choose to quit playing or I arrest you to keep you safe.
So, what's it gonna be? - Quit.
- Glad we could have this talk.
Nautilus eyes.
Found the next puzzle, Finch.
Heading after Claire.
Harold, I got two guys across the street wearing comms.
Claire's got a welcoming party.
- Oh, dear.
- What's going on? I'm tracing this e-mail, but something just hacked back with incredible force.
My hard drive's being torn apart.
They're tracing our location.
What are you gonna do? Drive.
- PMC's are making a move.
I'm heading in.
- John, you can't interfere.
I lost control of my computer to a brute-force attack so swift and surgical there can only be one source.
And I have no doubt the same entity created the game.
We've gone up against hackers before.
You don't understand, Mr.
Reese.
The creator of the game isn't a hacker.
It isn't even human.
It's Samaritan.
Claire's in danger.
She may be playing Samaritan's game, but we still gotta help her.
No.
Claire's every move is being watched by 1000 digital eyes.
They aren't Samaritan operatives, they're military.
It doesn't matter, John.
Until I can understand Samaritan's intent with the game, and what it wants with Claire I won't risk your life and Sameen's.
Damn it, Harold.
It is still my job to save people.
Don't let your frustration affect your judgment.
He's gonna let his frustration affect his judgment.
I'll take it from here.
You're under arrest, pal.
- You're no cop.
- I am.
Just not a very good one.
And I've got some questions for you.
What's wrong, Harold? You and the big lug have another little spat? We need to concentrate on a larger problem.
Do you recognize this? A nautilus shell.
One of nature's many examples of a logarithmic spiral.
And a symbol for a very dangerous competition going on across the globe every 27 days.
A competition? Sounds invigorating.
Samaritan is behind it.
I need to know why.
She's not saying.
- But I can guess Samaritan's recruiting.
- Recruiting? What kind of person would pique its interest? What kind of person are you worried it might take? Her name is Claire.
And what's so special about this Claire? She's a chess grandmaster who's defeated three separate Al's.
She'll walk right out in traffic to break a code.
She's fearless.
And she has nothing left to lose.
Funny.
Take away the chess, I could've sworn you were describing someone else.
You.
You wanna know why Samaritan wants Claire? Because she'll do anything it asks.
No questions.
Frightening thought.
You're trying to figure out if you can compromise your carefully-crafted cover identity to help save poor Claire.
Or step aside so that we stay alive to help others.
You really want me to ask the machine, Harold? - You know what she's gonna say.
- No, what's that? What you taught her.
That humans must make their own choices.
You have to figure it out yourself.
Larry! I told you, stay calm and I'll grant you back seat privileges.
Are you abducting someone? It's a long story.
- You're a flight attendant? - Just for today.
- Larry's my pilot.
- Where are you going? She hasn't told me yet.
I'm hoping somewhere tropical.
Torture me all you want, you won't get answers.
I know.
- So, what are you going to do to us? - Nothing.
You don't talk, I book you.
- Cushy holding cell your idea of punishment? - No.
Punishment comes later.
Private military corporations aren't authorized to conduct missions on U.
S.
soil.
So I'll arrest you.
But when your employers find out they'll send someone to silence you for good.
So I'm gonna ask you once.
Why are you after Claire Mahoney? She hacked Silverpool's network.
Silverpool is the name of the private military corporation you work for? And a college student hacked your network? - Was it part of the game? - What game? Hack a private military corporation's network, trust me, it's no game.
- What did Claire take? - It's above my pay grade.
If Silverpool's conducting an illegal mission to kill a college student she must have taken something that could shut it down.
Maybe even get you all thrown in prison for war crimes.
- I told you I don't know.
- I'll take a guess.
Documentation of what you guys did in Tikrit.
Possibly numbers of civilian casualties.
Yeah, you caught the three of us, fine.
But we're just the first wave.
Silverpool's not gonna stop attacking until they find out how much that girl knows.
Then they'll kill her.
Hey, where you going? To work.
Hey.
I hope you're getting a jump on that domestic.
Three O R C.
Never heard of that gang.
That's because they've only existed for 48 hours.
What is that, some kind of puzzle? Like a jumble? - I'm not half bad at those.
- Half bad doesn't mean good.
Well, here's your problem.
It's not a word.
Haven't you noticed none of the letters go past G? They're not letters, they're musical notes.
- "New York, New York.
" - Nobody compares to Frank.
Whoever made that puzzle's got good taste.
Three O R C.
"New York, New York.
" Weird theme song for a biker gang.
It's because it's not a theme song, it's an address.
That's Top of the Rock.
It's the observation deck.
That's where Claire's going.
Target has arrived.
I've got her in sight.
- I've got a clear shot.
- Copy that.
Fire when ready.
- Nice rifle.
- Unh! Shame you left it unattended.
Ladies and gentlemen.
The next elevator to the Top of the Rock observation deck will be leaving momentarily.
Going up? I just gotta wait for my friend.
Room for one more? The code to the Silverpool documents.
Silverpool is willing to kill you for stealing those.
And you're not even looking at them.
To you, they're just a key to the code that's etched in this rail.
I don't need to read the reports to know what they say.
Civilian casualties, meaningless suffering Nothing any of them can do to stop it.
Claire, I came here for a reason.
To try to convince you to make the right decision.
And what decision is that? Forfeit the game.
Because it's not worth winning.
- And it's not just a game.
- Then what is it? It's a recruiting tool.
For a very dangerous force.
Believe me when I tell you, if you win this game you will be walking into grave danger.
Aren't we all in grave danger all the time? Last Thanksgiving I got a phone call telling me both my parents were dead.
That some old man had T-boned them at an intersection.
No way to tell whose fault it was.
Not that it would have brought them back.
Your parents' death is a random accident.
You have no reason.
No explanation.
- No one to blame.
- Okay.
Don't say you're sorry.
That's what everyone said.
That, and if I needed something give them a call.
In that case, you needn't worry.
I have no intention of giving you my phone number.
At least you're honest.
Everyone else There was no meaning behind what anyone said because there was no meaning behind my parents' death.
It was just something that happened for no reason.
Is that what you're looking for, Miss Mahoney? Meaning? Well it's the only thing worth looking for.
And now I found it.
Or it found me.
Either way, I reached out and took a chance.
And I'm going to win.
The Octagon Building.
I know what it's like to look for a definitive answer even when you know that none exists.
You're trying to make sense of this tragedy.
You're reaching for meaning, but the wrong thing is reaching back.
This force can certainly give your life structure, order meaning.
But it wouldn't be the meaning you want.
- It's the only thing I've got.
- Please, Claire if you leave here I can't protect you.
The men from Silverpool will track you down.
Or the force that runs the game will, which will be worse.
But if you come with me now, I might be able to help you.
Why would you wanna help me? Because I'd like to think there's meaning too.
Harold? Are you okay? John.
I wasn't expecting you.
I would've been here sooner.
Had elevator trouble.
Where's Claire? She no longer wanted our protection.
We did everything we could to save her.
I suppose we could've locked her up and thrown away the key.
Maybe we should have.
- She would have found her way out.
- So we just let her go, alone? I've given her all the facts I can.
It's up to her to make her own decision.
Claire will figure it out for herself.
The whole building's a nautilus.
W, T, C, H, Y, S.
Switch.
Hello? Switch.
What? It doesn't work.
Give us the file.
If I do, will you let me go? If I said yes, would you believe me? It doesn't matter.
This whole thing I guess it didn't mean anything after all.
Heh.
Looks like Silverpool is gonna have to answer for their crimes after all.
Who could've leaked those documents Claire stole to the press so quickly? In this case I'm afraid I can take no credit.
Although there is a wrinkle.
It appears that Silverpool was developing a new threat identification network.
A secret system to spy on Americans in the name of keeping us safe.
But with this leak that network is as good as dead.
Along with any chance it had to compete with any other such system.
Including the one that created the nautilus puzzles.
Claire wasn't just being drawn into a game.
She was being used to get hold of a file only a human agent could access.
All to take down Silverpool.
And eliminate a potential rival.
Not that Claire was ever going to question her mission.
I checked this morning.
She hasn't turned up at her dorm room, or any of her classes.
Whatever fate was waiting for her at the end of the game, it must have found her.
Sorry, Harold.
I never should have dragged you back into this.
Appreciate your concern, John, but just as Claire has made her choice I've made mine.
Follow me.
Forgive me I've only just finished wiring it for power.
- Power? - Power indeed.
The third rail.
It's a remarkably potent source and nearly impossible for the city to trace.
A subway repair line.
Built in the '30s and used until it was cut off by the city's new main water line.
Abandoned for decades.
Antiques.
Like us, Harold? I suppose they are a bit like us.
Living underground resisting the new age that's trying to make us irrelevant.
And like us they still work.
How did you find this place? We may have underestimated Samaritan but Samaritan has underestimated the machine.
It led me here to help us fight back.
And by tapping into underground fibers and spoofing half of the web addresses on the west side, I created A secure way to get online.
This is a new base of operations.
A safe haven.
I'd originally intended it for you and Miss Shaw but in light of recent developments - Finch, are you telling me you're - Back? I see you deciphered my Byzantine directions.
You are back, aren't you, Harold? Or did you invite us down here for decorating tips? The truth is I couldn't stand by and watch my friends risking everything doing work that I, myself, began.
We're not just fighting for people's lives anymore.
If we lose and Samaritan wins, the world as we know it will vanish.
And no one will even notice it until it's far too late.
- So we push back.
- Indeed.
And we do it together.
Glad to know that you have our backs, Harold.
Many thanks, John.
But we haven't time for pleasantries, we have to get to work.