The Pretender s04e07 Episode Script

Wild Child

[Broots.]
Jarod sent these.
From what I can tell, all taken within the last few weeks.
There's Portland, Houston, Lexington.
- Someone's been tracking us? - Not us- You.
Look.
Feels like the hunter's becoming the hunted.
[Ringing.]
- What? - Someone has eyes for you.
The question is, who? [Jarod.]
Sometimes the answer is the question.
Don't get Kwai Chang on me, Jarod.
Ooh, I love that guy, wandering the earth, helping people.
Like I'm trying to help you and your father.
My father? Jarod.
[Dial Tone.]
- What did he mean, help your father? - Damn it.
What is it, Parker? My father is still in hiding but I received a cryptic e-mail from him this morning.
Daddy told me not to trust anyone.
There's a Centre contract out on my father.
Well, then why-why did he follow you? They probably think I'll eventually lead them to the real target.
- [Barking.]
- [Chattering.]
Don't anybody touch my cards, or it'll get ugly! Yeah, huh.
- And Harry cheats.
- Yeah, yeah.
[Barking Continues.]
Damn raccoons.
[Footsteps Running.]
[Barking Continues.]
[Growling.]
[Mumbling.]
I got something for your garbage-eatin' little ass.
- [Barking, Whining.]
- [Screaming.]
The fish is swimming along happily in its natural environment.
You drop the hook in, you yank it out, you catch him.
- And then after all that, you release him? - It's really not that confusing.
- [Siren Wailing.]
- Tell that to the fish.
Hey, boy.
What's going on? Hunters caught something freaky up in the mountains.
- [Chattering.]
- [Screaming.]
- [Screaming Continues.]
- [Screams.]
- [Man.]
Is that a boy or a girl? - [Gasps.]
- Get away from the window.
- [Man.]
Look.
What kind of creature is that anyway? - [Grunting.]
Come on now.
Come on.
- [Woman.]
I think it's a girl.
Don't make it any harder than it has to be.
[Groaning.]
[Woman.]
Oh, that poor thing.
- Come on.
Get in the car.
- [Whimpering.]
I'll take that.
You ever see anything like that before? [Mumbling.]
[Screaming.]
[Siren Wailing.]
[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 ofwhat 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.
- [Mumbling.]
- [Man.]
Locate Dr.
Bennett right away.
Get a lab crew, linguist, pediatrician.
- I vote for a veterinarian.
- The state is sending one of their people to observe.
- [Man.]
A social worker? - Psychiatrist.
- We don't have much time.
- [Gasps.]
- Oh! Damn it! - Oh, stop her! Go! Go! Somebody stop her! [Groans, Hits Ground.]
[Man.]
It's like she's never seen a window before.
It's okay.
Everything is going to be okay.
It's okay.
I'm not gonna hurt you, honey.
- I'm just gonna clean this up.
- [Whimpers.]
How you feeling? Hmm? All right.
I'm almost done.
You're making a big mistake dealing with her like this.
She's afraid to be touched.
We'll instruct our own staff, if you don't mind, Doctor- Bell.
Jarod Bell.
The state shrink from Provo.
Your office contacted us about your arrival.
- This is Doctor Bennett.
- How do you do? - Hello.
- I'm Dr.
Wolverton.
I read your book, The Effects of Isolation and Deprivation on the Human Psyche.
Your theories prompted a great deal of debate within the psychiatric community.
My writings are controversial because they push the envelope of psychosocial medicine.
Well, it's always difficult to break from the pack.
Given her physical appearance and her lack ofverbal skills she must have been isolated at a very young age.
The question is, what made her suddenly decide to make contact.
- Everything's gonna be okay.
- [Whimpers.]
We show her kindness, we establish some kind of trust and she'll begin to communicate in her own way.
We don't have that kind of time.
With no legal guardian we lose her to Social Services in 36 hours.
You haven't been able to find any family? No, the police are running her picture on the net.
Until then I suggest we take advantage of the time we have left with our one-of-a-kind specimen.
Bring her out.
- We were looking for you.
- Good news, I hope.
Well- [Clears Throat.]
The numbers on these photographs are Level One encryption codes used exclusively for Triumvirate communiques.
- Mutumbo? - The assassin uploaded them through our satellites to Africa.
I was able to isolate the killer's designation.
He calls himself "The Owl.
" And according to personnel files that designation is used by Mr.
Cox.
The Grim Reaper.
You can't say Jarod didn't warn us.
[Laughs.]
Broots, I wanna know everything about our picture-taking freak.
Uh, Miss Parker, I ran Mr.
Cox through the database.
He came up empty.
The guy is a blank slate.
The only proof that we have that he exists is the fact that we're looking at him.
- Sweep his office.
- He doesn't have one.
But get this.
I-I talked to my friend Rory in Purchasing.
The fellow with the artificial leg? No, that's Rudy in Public Information.
- Rory's the one with the birthmark on his head shaped- - [Stomps.]
Iike Gumby.
Okay.
Anyway, Rory told me that Mr.
Cox has been mail ordering surgical supplies - and having them delivered at the Centre.
- Track the deliveries.
I'm on it.
What if Mr.
Cox really is the Grim Reaper? - All the more reason to make sure he doesn't find my father.
- Hmm.
[Banging.]
- Make sure to keep her room warm.
- Yes, ma'am.
Thank you.
I hate to see her kept in this place.
I'm Dr.
Sulvane-Anne.
Dr.
Jarod Bell.
I'm the state psych.
She needs familiar surroundings.
Plants, grass, sunshine.
- Mm-hmm.
- I'm sorry.
I'm afraid that's not possible.
We have to keep her environment sterile.
If she's been isolated her entire life, we don't know what her immune system can handle.
Well, her vital signs are off the chart.
B.
P.
is 200 over 120, pulse is 150.
- At least let me give her a mild sedative.
- No meds.
And I want minimal interaction.
We're only here to observe.
How do you expect to find out who she is if you don't try to communicate with her? She's unable to communicate, Doctor.
And the hard truth is, she's not going to learn for a very long time.
I agree with Dr.
Wolverton.
We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study the very core of the human animal.
Specimen, animal.
How about human being? [Banging Continues.]
If you'll excuse us we've got to go meet with the press.
[Phone Ringing.]
[Sighs.]
- Are you okay? - [Sighs.]
[Anne.]
I just can't get past her eyes- how sad they look, how lost.
You know, it only takes one person to make a difference.
Cardinal rule of traumatized patients, Dr.
Bell: Do not invest emotionally.
How come I don't think you really believe that? [Banging Continues.]
Where did you come from, little girl? - [Chattering.]
- Doctor! Doctor! - Is the little girl able to speak? - Does she understand anything? - How long has she been in the wilderness? - First of all we don't have any answers as ofyet.
But this is the finest private research facility in the state.
And we've assembled a team of specialists who are the best in their fields.
- Was there any sign of abuse? - How is she holding up emotionally? [Wolverton.]
As Dr.
Bennettsaid, we have an expert team working on the situation.
Now, we'll keep you updated as the situation warrants.
- No more questions.
Thank you.
- [Chattering.]
No more questions.
Thank you.
[Chattering Continues.]
[Man.]
Give us the answer to a simple question, Doctor.
She's pretty.
- Are you on Dr.
Bennett's team? - Not exactly.
- Dr.
Jarod Bell.
- Leslie Twain.
I'm with the Salt Lake Chronicle.
If you could just let me get a couple of pictures, a brief interview for my paper I might be able to help you figure out who she is.
My story would be syndicated all over the country and- Dr.
Bell is not at liberty to give interviews.
Rest assured, everything is under control.
[Glass Shatters.]
I'm sorry, you're gonna have to go join the others right now.
- What happened? - Where the hell did she go? Where? - Did you check the main building? - Top to bottom.
She has to be somewhere on the grounds.
- What about the press? - We moved them in the commissary.
- Wait a minute.
What are you planning on doing with that? - It's for her own safety.
That weapon was not meant to be used on humans.
- The subject is in a total state of- - The subject is a little girl who is scared out ofher mind.
Please, Doctor.
Let us do our work.
[Chattering.]
[Woman On P.
A.
.]
Dr.
Wilson, call extension 11.
Dr.
Wilson, extension 11.
What now? We find her first.
Come on.
- Here we go.
Take my coat.
- Okay.
- [Gasps, Whimpers.]
- It's okay.
It's okay.
I'm not going to hurt you.
Here.
Go ahead.
Take her.
Go ahead.
- [Grunts.]
- [Laughs.]
You think that's funny? - I guess that is pretty funny.
[Laughs.]
- [Laughs.]
[Sighs.]
- She seems to be reacting to the change in her environment.
- Hmm.
Hervitals are stable.
She's breathing easier.
So what did you say to her up in that tree? Nothing.
We just laughed.
What are those plants doing in there? - That room was to be kept sterile.
- They can't harm her.
[Wolverton.]
This is too much interaction.
The subject is too important.
The subject? Why don't we give her a name? Assigning her a name is assigning her a personality.
It could prejudice the results of the case study.
Violet.
Violet.
I like it.
- [Babbles.]
- She spoke.
[Babbling Continues.]
- Wh-What is she saying? - It's mimicry.
Random phonetics.
No.
She's trying to tell us something.
[Babbling Continues.]
- [Anne.]
What's happening to her? - She's going into seizure.
- Help me hold her down.
- [Groaning.]
MyGod, she's burning up.
Dr.
Bennett, I need my medical bag.
Get my bag now! [Gasps.]
[Woman On P.
A.
.]
Social Services, please call 571.
Social Services, please call 571.
Hey.
You should go home and get some sleep.
Later.
The results of the tests came back.
It was a common flu strain.
It went right through her defenses.
Well, she responded to the medication.
It was scary to see herso helpless.
- Are you investing emotionally, Doctor? - [Laughs.]
I don't understand it.
Her room was sterile, the plants were indigenous and none of us exhibited symptoms ofbeing sick.
- I don't know where the virus came from.
- [Grunting.]
Oh, she wants her doll.
It's the only thing that calms her.
What are you doing? This is a cocktail of cold and flu strains.
There must be at least Or 12.
You think someone purposely infected this doll? Unless you believe that a dozen infectious viruses magically infested the same square inch of material.
Well, I don't understand.
Why? Someone close to the situation is afraid that Violet is going to begin to communicate.
What you're implying is crazy.
These men are the top in their fields.
Wolverton's research has saved thousands and Bennett's work with P.
O.
W.
's in isolation is groundbreaking.
I know the record.
I don't know the men.
We have to get that little girl out of here.
I can't be a part of this.
I see the way you look at her.
It's not just a doctor-patient relationship.
What are you so afraid of, Anne? I had a son- Matthew.
He was a little younger than Violet when he got sick.
I took him to the best clinics in the country the best doctors.
- But I couldn't save him.
- I'm sorry.
Losing him nearly killed me.
I cannot go through those feelings again.
Not again.
[Door Closes.]
[Bennett.]
Dr.
Bell.
Dr.
Bell! - Dr.
Bennett.
- I understand that you've located the source of the illness.
Yes, as matter of fact, I did.
I was going to show it to you in the morning.
It seems that the infection came from her doll.
This is very disturbing.
- [Clattering.]
- What was that? Dr.
Bennett.
She's not in her room.
- What? - The little girl is gone.
Damn it.
Damn it! Violet.
Violet, where are you? [Laughing.]
[Laughing Continues.]
- [Grunting.]
- It's okay.
It's my car.
It's okay, honey.
It's okay.
You okay? Wait, wait.
Stop, stop.
I'd like a second chance to help, if you'll let me.
This is the fourth time Cox has pulled over.
What the hell is he looking for? - I never pictured Cox as the pickup truck kind of guy.
- [Sighs.]
[Miss Parker.]
Yeah, well, he's a blank slate, remember? Oh, which reminds me, I talked to Rory in Purchasing.
He said he didn't know where Cox had the surgical tools delivered.
- We're going in circles.
- Wait a minute.
- What's he doing with the shovel? - Oh, criminy.
That's a dead something.
He's taking pictures of roadkill, just like he did when he was tracking you.
Flattering comparison.
Thank you.
Tell me he didn't just scoop that worm banquet into the truck.
Ew.
What now? Stay with him.
If that psycho gets to my father, we're all roadkill.
What makes you so sure that this is where she came from? The winters in the region are far too brutal for anyone to survive without some kind of heat source.
- According to this map, there's just one hot spring in the area.
- [Airplane Passing Overhead.]
[Babbles.]
Come on.
The water's warm.
Her home must be close.
[Laughs.]
[Jingling.]
Hmm.
Interesting.
Where did she get the glass? Or this? What is it, Jarod? I think it might be Violet with her parents.
God.
Could it bepossible? [Babbles.]
[Babbling Continues.]
Where is she going now? [Anne.]
Oh, my God.
It's a wrecked plane.
Jarod, it's her parents.
Da.
Ma.
Da, Ma.
- What is it? - Looks like some kind of video cable.
[Clock Chiming.]
- How's she doing? - Resting.
[Sighs.]
Could someone have known about her being out there and done nothing? Yes.
From the looks of these photos, it's been going on for over 10 years.
This is personal to you, isn't it? Yes.
It's personal.
You wanna talk about it? You wouldn't believe me if I told you.
Try me.
- Some other time, maybe.
- Oh, where are you going? To find out who did this.
- Did someone die? - Yes.
Where have you been? - You really were at a funeral.
- In Dover.
Mr.
Cox, he spent the night there.
He's pretty chummy with the owner.
- The old guy? - I'm running him down, but I don't think he has any connection to the Centre.
Weird thing though, Mr.
Cox only came and went through the back door.
With Hefty bags.
Yeah, I don't know what's in them.
What comes out the back door of a mortuary? Body parts.
Well, whatever was in them, he had sent to the east wing of SL6.
East wing.
That was the infirmary when I was a kid.
I got my tonsils taken out there.
Well, I don't think he's handing out lollipops to little girls.
- Not live ones, anyway.
- Ew.
I think it's time we paid the Grim Reaper a visit.
[Clears Throat.]
Give me the photos.
- What are we doing here? - I'm gonna leave these for Cox.
Let him know he's being watched too.
[Clinks.]
Did you lose something, Mr.
Broots? [Electricity Humming, Crackling.]
Love what you've done with the place.
[Sniffs.]
That's right.
You had your tonsils removed here, didn't you? Well, I had to clean out the old file cabinets.
Out with the files, in with the body parts? Hangin'at the mortuary.
Mysterious bags of God knows what.
Scooping roadkill.
- You followed me? - You take surveillance photos of me you better be prepared for a little retaliation.
Who's the gray hair? His name is Carl.
He's my father.
- Your-Your father's the mortician? - Mmm.
We used to have long talks about life while he was embalming the corpses.
Now we just exchange tricks of the trade for my hobby.
My father gave me an erector set once.
- Hobby? - Mmm.
Taxidermy.
Well, it's a second chance at life as a part of my collection.
The eyes have to be replaced with glass orbs.
You know, in some cultures I'm stealing its ability to see its way into the afterlife.
Well, that's Dad's theory, anyway.
Daddies can be so much fun.
Speaking of which.
- How is your father these days? - Wouldn't you love to know? Oh, Miss Parker.
Those pictures of you- I didn't take them.
[Electricity Humming, Crackling.]
But I will be keeping an eye on you.
This is one from the earlier surveillance tapes.
The footage was taken near the crash site.
These shots were taken three years later.
[Anne.]
I can't believe she survived all those years alone.
[Jarod.]
She was living on pure instinct.
This where she got the wound on her ankle.
[Screams.]
That's some kind of animal trap.
- [Screaming.]
- How long was she caught in that thing? According to the logbook, three days.
- Who could've done something like this? - Watch.
[Screaming.]
[Screaming Continues.]
My God, it's Dr.
Wolverton.
- I'll be damned.
- No.
But he will be.
- [Elevator Bell Dings.]
- What do you mean, Cox is telling the truth? [Clears Throat.]
I was digging around, and I found this- Lyle's expense account.
Three weeks ago, Lyle bought a very expensive Leica camera.
Well, what kind of camera do you think took those shots? And then there's this.
A Centre memo.
Lyle not only brought Mr.
Cox to the Centre, but he created his position.
My brother is behind the hit.
He's trying to kill Daddy? You have lost your mind.
You took these photos.
Cox is a Centre assassin, and he works for you.
You're suggesting that I would have my father- our father- killed? Stop trying to make yourself a part of this family.
If you looked- really looked- you would see that I'm just trying to help him, the same way you are.
Yeah, I got an e-mail from Dad too.
Scared the hell out of me.
He's on the edge of something terrifying.
He told me to take the photos and leak them to the Triumvirate to start establishing a pattern for your alibi.
- Alibi for what? - I don't know.
He suggested I start a paper trail for myself too.
Something big is going down.
So big, Mutumbo's coming to town.
- Mutumbo's coming here? - According to Dad, to meet with Cox.
I shouldn't be telling you this.
He told me not to trust anyone.
He told me the same thing.
So what do we do now? We wait, and we pray.
[Bell Tolling.]
[Shudders.]
- [Grumbles.]
- Don't be afraid.
Here's your doll.
I've been watching you for a long time.
I was an observer.
I never interfered.
I never harmed you.
God knows that, and so do you.
[Mutters.]
Your fate was determined by the laws of nature not man, not me.
Here.
I'm sorry I have to do this, but I can't let anybody find out.
[Groaning.]
So who's the animal now, Doctor? - [Whistling.]
- Huh? Oh.
Oh.
What the- Where am I? What's going on? [Jarod.]
Disorienting, isn't it? I magine how it must have felt for a four-year-old little girl.
Give me my clothes.
Ow! [Groans.]
My shoes! I'd like to, but I wouldn't wanna contaminate the integrity of my case study.
Besides, Violet had nothing when you found her.
It would've been no different if I hadn't found her.
I was just an observer! It was a scientific study.
Oh, and it paid off for you, didn't it? Books, research grants, celebrity status.
- Oh.
- Only your data wasn't based on scientific research.
- It was based on the terror of an orphaned child! - [Groans.]
How long did she starve alone in the wilderness for your study, Doctor? - Help me! - No can do.
What with the cold, the sleep deprivation, the hunger- You're gonna be quite a specimen when they drag you out of there.
Oh, this is crazy.
I could die down here! Yes, quite possibly, you could.
We'll just leave that up to the laws of nature.
Unless you care to confess.
No? Oh, well.
Have fun.
All right! I left her out here! I- I left her out here.
[Sobbing.]
God forgive me.
What have I done? - [Sobbing.]
- Hey, Doc.
Well, here's something to keep you company if you get lonely.
Oh.
[Sobbing Continues.]
I don't know how to thank you,Jarod.
I'm the one that should be thanking you.
It took a lot of courage to sign those court papers to become Violet's legal guardian.
I guess you could say I got a message.
- A message? - Ah, you wouldn't believe me if I told you.
- Try me.
- [Laughs.]
I had a dream last night.
My son came to me, and he said it would be all right.
He said he didn't want me to be alone anymore.
- Does that sound crazy? - It sounds perfect.
[Laughing.]
Is that for me? Mmm.
Thank you.
And I have something for you too.
[Gasps, Sighs.]
Jah-rod.
Have a beautiful life, okay? - Bye.
- Bye.
You got a new doll.
- [Door Closes.]
- [Engine Starts.]
[Vehicle Departs.]

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