Chicago Fire s11e11 Episode Script

Kelly.
Don't think I've seen you
since your father's funeral.
Commander, I need some help.
What makes you think I'm
inclined to do any favors for you?
I'm not here because I think
you'll do me any favors.
I'm here because I know
you'll do what's right.
Emma's boss at IAD should know that
one of his investigators
tried to blackmail Chief Evan Hawkins.
Anything that could serve as evidence?
You have to believe me.
This is all hearsay.
I know all about your visit
with my boss.
Why'd you do that, Violet?
Because you're a sociopath,
and everyone should know.
Dad! She's gonna kill me!
Give me my bra, you little perv!
Dad, make him give it back!
Henry!
Someone better clean up
this mess in here!
This place is a dump.
Where's Mom?
I don't know.
Cindy?
Hey, Cin, you up here?
In the bedroom.
Hey, I can't remember
the last time you slept in.
Wow.
That cough's still bothering you?
Yeah, I just feel so wiped out.
I'm sorry.
Stop. Do not apologize, all right?
You obviously need the rest.
I'll take a COVID test later.
I guess it's time.
Okay.
But get some sleep.
I got the kids.
Give me my stuff! Mom!
- Do you, though?
- Stop it!
I'll just drop 'em all off
at juvie on the way to work.
Hey.
You feel better.
I am so over winter this year.
I am canceling it already.
Oh, that sounds like a great plan.
- Violet?
- Yeah?
You have a visitor.
Thanks.
Hi, I'm Natalie Hawkins,
Evan's cousin.
Oh, wow.
It's really, really great to meet you.
Hi, I'm Sylvie.
It's good to meet you guys.
I've been staying at Evan's place
the last few months, helping the family
deal with his apartment
and all his things.
That's, um, really great of you.
Oh, I'm happy to do it. I adored Evan.
Uh, I'm almost done
boxing everything up,
but I know how close you guys were,
so I thought you might
wanna come by after work,
see if there's anything you might want.
There's some photos
books, especially.
I I would really love that.
Um, I can come by tomorrow
after shift, if that works.
That's great. I'll see you then.
Great. Thanks, Natalie.
Wow, that was very sweet of her.
Yeah.
Going back to his apartment
wow, that'll be something.
- Everything okay?
- Yeah.
I just got a call from Commander Pearce.
- He's coming to see me.
- About what?
My guess is, he's ready to collect
on that favor I owe him.
Okay, listen up.
We got a busy day ahead of us.
As you well know, it is time
for the semi-annual
firehouse inspection.
What are you people complaining about?
We spruce the place up a bit,
we get in our dress blues,
we let Deputy Commissioner Schafer
take a quick look around, and then
I'll slip him a nice bottle of scotch,
and he can be on his way.
Chief is right.
This is already the cleanest firehouse,
and the CFD will barely
have to lift a finger.
Truck 81, Squad 3,
Engine 51, Ambo 61.
vehicle accident, structure fire.
Whoa, accident and a structure fire
two for the price of one.
Hey, back up!
He was asleep at the wheel.
Can you believe that?
- He was sound asleep!
- Thank you, ma'am. Step aside.
Okay, we got a vehicle in the structure.
- Herrmann, put a line in there.
- Yeah.
Truck squad, give me a primary search.
Check that vehicle for occupants.
Copy that. Cruz, stay with me.
Capp and Tony, hang tight.
Ritter, drop the crosslay.
Mouch, raise the aerial
in case we need to vent.
Gallo and Carver, inside with me.
All right, we got
a single victim inside the car.
All right, stairs are impassable!
Gallo, you and Mouch take the ladder
up to the second floor.
Carver, let's search the ground.
- Okay.
- Copy.
Mouch!
Second floor!
Gallo.
How's it look in there?
Fire's rolling pretty good a
lot of damage to the structure.
Copy.
Severide, can we hook up a chain,
tow that vehicle out of here?
Uh, negative, Chief.
This car might be the only
thing holding this house up.
We need to move quick,
leave it in place and extricate.
Copy. Send in a backboard
and a C-collar
anything else you need?
Bring in some shoring posts
and maybe a ram.
- Squad, you heard the man.
- Copy.
It's good.
Take the ram.
- Capp!
- Yeah?
Get those flames out.
Ground floor is clear!
- Ah!
- Whoa!
Ceiling's giving way!
Hey, shore it up!
Chief, second floor is no longer stable!
Mouch, Gallo, wrap up your search.
- Get back out here.
- Copy that.
- Good?
- All right, move it up.
- We need more struts.
- No, it's too big of an area.
We should use a 4x4
and brace five joists at once.
Chief, we need a 4x4.
Gallo, take a 4x4 to Kidd and Carver.
I'm on it!
Hey, where's that 4x4?
4x4 coming in!
- Move it.
- Right here, coming in.
Right here.
Cruz. Grab a saw.
Yeah. Good, got it.
Go. Push it up.
- Got it. Tilt it up.
- Yeah.
Backboard flying in.
Got it, good.
- There it is.
- Let's bring it out.
- Okay.
- All right.
One, two, three. Come on.
I got him.
- Got it?
- Yeah.
Severide! Get out of there!
- All clear, Chief!
- Copy.
- Strong pulse.
- Okay.
Let's get him on oxygen and start an IV.
Good save.
Thanks for keeping that ceiling off me.
Thank this guy.
Never afraid to be the last man out.
Hey, we're all in this together, right?
I owe you one, Carver.
Did you see his uniform?
All-night security guard
just got overcome with exhaustion.
These all-night jobs
are a serious hazard.
Why do we do it?
Because it's exciting,
and we can really help people.
Why do I have a message
from the CFD offices?
It's not always bad news when they call.
- No way.
- What?
Oh, God, this is a disaster.
But the job is exciting,
and we really help people.
Funding for the paramedicine
program is suddenly under review.
Wait, why?
I I don't know.
They they just said
they're reevaluating.
They want a full report
with all expenses listed
submitted by the end of the week.
Out of the blue?
Hawkins was its biggest champion,
so I guess now that it's
landed on someone else's desk,
- they're just starting over.
- That sucks.
But you convinced the brass before,
and you can do it again.
Yeah, I hope so.
It's just it's so
much to get together
in so few days.
You know that's a one-man job, right?
- We're multitasking.
- Mm-hmm.
Hey, should we roll the squad table
into the storage shed
for the inspection?
That thing is looking pretty shabby.
Oh, it does not look shabby.
It's got a patina.
Capp, seriously?
Ha, sorry.
Quit knocking yourself out. Carver!
You're missing the point of Boden's
cozy relationship with Schafer.
Yeah, one bottle of scotch
saves us a whole lot of work.
Hey, Severide, there's some
CPD big wig out there looking for you.
- Commander Pearce?
- Mm-mm-mm.
Close the door.
Good to see you too.
Hi. Melissa Keating.
Kelly Severide.
LaSalle Indemnity?
Kelly doesn't carry around
business cards,
but he's a decorated
lieutenant with rescue squad.
He's got close ties to the
Office of Fire Investigation,
thanks to his impressive
investigative skills.
It's in the blood.
His dad, Benny, was one of the
best arson investigators around.
Benny Severide, I think
I've actually heard that name.
But the most important thing
to know about Kelly
is that he owes me a big favor.
What would you like me to do?
You're gonna help me take
down the corrupt head of OFI.
Captain Tom Van Meter.
One of our clients,
a property developer
named Stephen Flores,
started building condominiums
in Logan Square.
Then, rising interest rates
and a cooling market
made it a lousy business to be in.
Luckily for Flores,
the construction site
burned down last month.
Now he gets to collect on his policy
and use the money
to build a more lucrative
multi-use complex on the property.
So you think this was arson?
When I conducted
my investigation of the scene,
I found what appears
to be clear evidence
of the use of an accelerant.
Imagine my surprise
when the official OFI report
comes in and I see that
Van Meter declared the fire accidental.
Clearing the way
for Flores to raze the site,
thereby destroying any evidence
that might remain.
So you're saying
Van Meter fudged the report?
No, it's not possible. Didn't happen.
What makes you so sure?
Van Meter's nothing if not honest.
He's one of the good guys.
He wouldn't cover up an arson
not for a million dollars.
How about for an old friend?
I decided to look into Captain Van Meter
and discovered that he and Flores
grew up on the same block
in Irving Park.
They went to the same school,
played on the same varsity
basketball team
- So what?
- And they were photographed together
at a reunion event for the school
just a few years ago.
That's pretty damning, huh?
At least the state's attorney thinks so.
It's serious enough
they brought it to CPD.
And now I'm bringing it to you, Kelly.
I need you to get to the bottom of this.
I know you're not happy about it.
But I also know you're gonna do it.
Yeah, okay.
- Hey, hon.
- Hi.
I was gonna call you.
I'm COVID negative.
Ah, that's great news.
Uh, you feelin' any better?
A little, yeah.
Sandi said she'd bring
the kids home from school,
so we're all set there.
Hey, listen, um,
I'm gonna make
a doc appointment for you.
You still sound like crap.
Oh, I don't think that's necessary.
Maybe not, but I doing it.
Uh, I'll get a name
from Dr. Marcel over at Med.
You know, maybe, you know,
at least they can give you something,
for that cough, right?
I'll call you later and let
you know when, all right?
Love you.
Okay, love you too.
Hey.
Hey.
Uh-oh.
- What's wrong?
- I just got my marching orders
from Pearce. It's not pretty.
Well, you can say no.
No, I can't, actually.
He made that clear.
Pearce thinks that Van Meter
is covering up an arson.
- What?
- I know.
But the police are taking it seriously,
and he wants me
to double-check their work.
I I feel like a rat.
No, screw that.
It's good they're getting you involved.
You're his best chance
at getting a fair shake.
It's gonna be tricky on all sides.
It's gonna be a lot of sneaking around,
and I gotta move quick, 'cause
I can't have OFI catching on.
I can't even let Seager know
what I'm up to.
It's not gonna be fun, but
You are the right man for the job.
If you clear Van Meter,
you save his skin.
You can't stay away
from this place, can you?
I guess not.
I've got the final paperwork
on Carver's case.
I wanted to be sure
to drop it off personally.
Uh-huh.
Actually, do you mind taking
it to Chief Boden for me?
I am on a tight schedule today.
Awesome. Thanks, Vi.
And, uh,
I just wanted to say
that I'm sorry to hear
Sylvie's paramedicine program
is getting audited.
That never ends well.
How'd you know about that?
It was a really good program
while it lasted, though.
Okay, I'll see you soon.
Okay, listen up!
Let's go, let's go, let's go.
He is early.
Let's go.
- Herrmann.
- I know.
- Move it.
- All right.
Uh, tomorrow, 9:00 a.m.
All right. Second floor?
Thank you, I appreciate it.
All right, bye.
Uh, sorry about that, Chief.
Uh-oh.
That's not DC Schafer.
Oh, God, this guy.
Kylie.
- Get rid of this.
- Of course.
Deputy Commissioner Watts,
welcome to Firehouse 51.
Chief Boden.
Is your firehouse ready for inspection?
Yes, sir.
You got a loose button there,
firefighter.
Oh, oh. Yes, sir.
Sorry.
Is that an unlatched compartment
on your ladder apparatus?
And what is that?
Have I wandered into a thrift store?
Chief, what kind of firehouse
are you running here?
- A busy one, Commissioner.
- It's no excuse.
I'm giving you one extra shift
to get your act together.
Yes, sir.
I told you that squad table
was an eyesore, didn't I?
Don't put this on us.
You know he was gonna find
something to complain about.
It's always been DC Schafer.
What happened?
I don't know.
- Hey.
- Hey, Lieutenant.
What's up, Omar?
Can I get everything
you got on this one?
Yeah, sure thing.
- Signing them out?
- Yeah.
Thanks, I'll see ya.
So long, Lieutenant.
It has to be said
this woman is pure evil.
Of course she gets her revenge on me
by going after the people I love most.
That's her whole M.O.
She must've filed the report from IA,
questioning the finances of the program.
We have to find a way to expose her.
They have no idea how shady she is.
Ambulance 61.
Person in distress, 2934 North Armitage.
This way. She's either drunk or high.
I don't know. She's out of control.
Leave me alone!
Stop staring, all of you!
Or I'll I'll I'll take your
eyes right out of your heads!
Oh, get a
We need you to calm down, ma'am.
Get away from me!
No, wait. Wait, I know her.
Nora, it's me, Sylvie Brett.
She's one of my paramedicine patients.
I I know what this is.
She isn't drunk.
Nora.
Nora, you were getting new
medication this week, right?
Uh, Violet, get me
2 milligrams of Versed.
Yeah.
I know this isn't you, Nora.
It's just your new liver medication
messing with your brain chemistry.
Everyone reacts differently.
Can I give you something
to make you feel better?
- Would that be okay?
- Yeah.
Here, do you wanna
wanna just come right there?
Can we let her sit down?
We won't need to cuff her.
Yup.
Her liver was filling up with ammonia,
that's why she seems drunk and slurry,
but we're gonna get you
some new medication
so that doesn't happen again, okay?
This isn't even my style.
You should take it.
Oh, well, it's lovely,
but it's a little out of my price range.
Thank you, Sylvie.
You're always there to help.
Wow, so all of this
is from the one case?
Yeah, and everything
they collected from the scene.
Gotta go through it all,
piece it together,
and hopefully come up with the
same conclusion as Van Meter.
- No small job, huh?
- No.
I'm gonna stay here tonight
and work on this after shift.
I gotta get to the bottom of it
before Van Meter realizes
I took all this stuff.
Hey, Chief.
- You okay?
- Eh.
Still stinging a bit
from that humiliation.
Sorry about the squad table.
Forget it.
We all got a little too complacent.
So Kidd, can I put you in charge
of prepping the house
for the next shift?
Oh, you got it, Chief, yeah.
- Leave it to me.
- Thanks.
Mm-hmm.
Looks like we both
got our work cut out for us.
Mm.
All right.
Don't look at me like that.
It was just a nervous cough.
I have the X-ray here.
Let me show you what we got.
Wow, that was fast.
Why don't you come closer
so you can see?
This cloudy area here in the chest
this is what we're looking at.
Okay?
What does it mean?
It could be a number of things,
including a lingering infection,
but I can't be sure
until I get a closer look.
I wanna do a CAT scan.
Oh.
Right. Now?
Yes, the CAT scan will give
us a more definitive answer,
and we'll get the results
in a couple days.
Like, what other kinds
of things are we talking about?
There's no reason to worry yet.
- All right.
- There are too many options
that aren't dangerous long-term.
I'll go get a nurse
to take you in, Mrs. Herrmann.
Like I said before,
you can call me Cindy.
CAT scan,
that doesn't sound good.
Hey, she's just covering
all her bases, you know?
She said not to worry.
Why is she showing me an X-ray?
I'm not a medical professional.
Just tell me what I have.
Oh, doctors drive me crazy.
Have I told you that before?
Only, like, a gabillion times,
but you have to be nice to this one.
I'm trying,
but if she calls me
Mrs. Herrmann one more time,
she's getting a knuckle sandwich.
- What is this?
- Oh, uh, the gas pump
didn't give me a receipt, so I made one.
I should've gone inside and asked.
- That was dumb.
- No, no, it's, uh
It happens, and you made
the effort to write it down,
so that's good.
Uh, I'm sorry I'm such a stress case.
This is just this is
a lot to deal with.
It is, but they'd be crazy
to let this program go.
It is a gem.
This is all my fault.
I riled 'em up and set
another disaster in motion.
Hey, you can't blame yourself for this.
No way. This is all on Emma.
What's going on back there?
Herrmann isn't around,
so I figured it's a good time
to borrow all
the cleaning supplies we have
and take 'em over to 51.
You know, this reinspection
is a real slap in the face.
Damn.
This thing's heavy.
I should've parked a little closer.
I'm right out front. I can take it.
Great.
All right, I'll just shove it
to the end of the bar.
You pick it up on your way out?
You got it, Lieutenant.
What?
You can be a real suck-up,
you know that?
You got it, Lieutenant.
Please it's called being a gentleman.
You two should try it sometime.
Van Meter.
What is this, Severide?
Why do I feel like I'm being ambushed?
Look, you know the insurance
company disagrees with you
on the cause of this fire.
How is that any of your business?
They think you're covering something up.
Now CPD's involved.
- And you're helping them?
- I'm trying to help you.
Why didn't you disclose your
relationship with the property owner?
Stephen Flores?
That's not a relationship.
That's that's just a guy
I used to know.
Okay, well, you look pretty
cozy in a photo that I saw
from a few years ago.
My high school reunion?
That's what they're basing this on?
Severide, that insurance investigator
is wrong about the accelerant.
The charring she noted was due
to an isoparaffinic hydrocarbon
from a can of charcoal lighter
fluid that likely got crushed
under a firefighter's boot
in zero visibility.
The fire preceded that spill.
The real cause was a high-voltage short
in a faulty EV charger.
The evidence you just mentioned,
it's not here.
- Sure it is.
- It's not!
Well, then it got lost!
I don't get it.
After all we've been through
after all the trust
that I've put in you?
You can't reciprocate?
You just take their word for it
that I'm covering up for an old friend?
Let me tell you something, Severide.
Stephen Flores isn't
one-tenth the friend
that I thought you were.
Van Meter, why did you handle
the investigation yourself?
I expected a lot more from you.
Yeah, all right.
Thanks. Yeah, I I got
I got you next time.
You gonna get ready?
Rice from first shift
is gonna pull a double and cover me.
I gotta meet up with that investigator
and try and put this
Van Meter thing to bed.
Where'd you land?
Nowhere, yet.
I'm trying to wrap my head
around why Van Meter would
handle the case like this.
I wish I could make it
make sense for you.
At least you got a cute partner
in that insurance investigator.
Stop.
Yeah, I got a look at her.
Yeah, she's not my partner.
We're just working together.
Good luck.
You got this.
Hi, come in.
Hey, Natalie.
Thanks again for reaching out.
Of course
just have a pile of things
for you over here.
How have you been holding up?
I've been okay, I guess.
How about you and the family?
We're leaning on each other.
He was kind of the one
who held us all together,
so it's been rough.
Mm.
Take one if you want.
They're just going to Goodwill.
Is it weird?
There's no weird here.
It's just trying to get
through it however we can.
I remember this one.
So this is just what I put together,
but feel free to look around and
Thanks.
Oh, um
I think there are more photos on there.
Um, by any chance,
is it okay if I borrow it?
I can download them
and get it right back to you.
Oh, keep it, please.
Wow.
Thank you
For all of this.
Sure.
Lieutenant.
Hey.
This is Melissa Keating
with the insurance company.
What are we doing here?
The Flores fire came
at a busy time for OFI.
They were in the middle
of a dozen other cases.
That would've left them shorthanded.
Giving Van Meter
the justification he needed
to personally handle the case.
Exactly he could claim that
he didn't have the luxury
of recusing himself.
What about this
alleged missing evidence?
Well, that's why we're here.
If OFI were overwhelmed,
Van Meter could say that
the evidence was misplaced.
So I figure we take a look at
the active cases at the time
cover our bases.
So we're going on a treasure hunt?
If that EV charger evidence
doesn't show up,
I'll recommend Pearce press
charges against Van Meter.
Okay.
I'm on board.
Do what you gotta do.
What the hell is this?
Where are my cleaning supplies?
Gallo, you grabbed
the wrong box at Molly's.
I'm I'm sorry, Lieutenant.
Are we supposed to spray the house down
with mezcal and bourbon?
Yeah, uh, this is about to get dire.
We have maybe three sprays
of glass cleaner left.
- We could go on a Costco run.
- We don't have time for that.
Mental health break.
I'm gonna go process everything
that's happened here.
My back is killing me.
Hey, we got this.
I'm not going anywhere
last man out, remember?
And I'm the suck-up?
We can improvise our own cleaning spray.
All it takes is vinegar and baking soda.
Both of which we have.
Okay, we're killing it.
All right! Let's go, team.
Do it.
I got nothing. You?
The son of a bitch really did it.
He just invented a cause
out of whole cloth
and thought he could get away with it.
What are you looking for?
We already checked all
the concurrent investigations.
Right? We got all of them?
- That's all of them.
- Come on, Kelly.
We did our due diligence.
It's time to drop the hammer
on Van Meter.
We must be missing something
gotta be more strategic.
Something's gotta connect this
case to another one from that night.
You still think he's innocent.
Kelly, come on.
We can't find the evidence,
because it was never here.
Still haven't opened it?
No.
I remember he has a bunch of
photos of us on here, though.
I know it's a lot of memories,
but they're good ones.
Aw.
Brett
- You can do this.
- It's not that.
There's another reason
I asked for Evan's laptop.
Remember how I told you
Evan used to record memos
of everything?
Yeah?
EJ.
That has to be Emma, right?
Oh, my God.
Okay.
I'm recording this after
a run-in with Emma Jacobs
outside the CFD offices.
She was waiting for me.
She threatened to expose
my relationship with Violet,
said I had two choices:
I could either transfer
Violet to another house
and give her the spot at 51,
or she'd file false reports
saying Violet's negligence
almost got someone killed.
Violet,
this is exactly what the Internal
Affairs chief asked for.
It's the one thing
that could bring her down.
I know.
We have it.
Lookin' good, people.
Here he is.
Let's show DC Watts
he had the wrong idea
about Firehouse 51.
Now it's Schafer?
After we busted our humps
getting this place in order
Kylie.
I need that bottle of scotch, stat.
But you told me to get rid of it.
I'm sorry, Chief, but you said that
We are toast.
Gallo's screwup.
Chief, I got this.
Kylie, in my trunk, there is
a box of liquor from Molly's.
There's gotta be a bottle
of scotch in there somewhere.
Go.
Deputy Commissioner Schafer,
welcome to Firehouse 51.
Look at this fine group
makes me proud
to be a member of the CFD.
Are you stealing liquor from Molly's?
Shh.
How goes the witch hunt?
It's faulty wiring from the EV charger
that started the condominium fire.
Where was it?
What is CEVIA anyway?
It's an electric vehicle
reseller on the Mag Mile.
They suffered a small fire
around the same time
as the Flores condominium blaze.
Well, someone thought
the EV charger evidence
was related to CEVIA,
so they tossed it in here.
You need a better
filing system, Captain.
It's a wonder you close
any cases at all.
That evidence
could've been lost forever.
You got lucky, though.
He never lost faith in you.
I'm sure we'll all cross paths again.
Come on in, Chief.
Thank you.
I'm recording this after
a run-in with Emma Jacobs
outside the CFD offices.
She was waiting for me.
She threatened to expose
my relationship with Violet,
said I had two choices:
I could either transfer Violet
to another house
and give her the spot at 51
or she'd file false reports
saying Violet's negligence
almost got someone killed.
Thanks for listening.
Now you'll never forget
Evan Hawkins, either,
because he is the man
who just ended your career.
- I
- Emma, can I see you in my office?
Mm-hmm.
You were right about
Van Meter from the jump.
What made you so sure?
You know how you always
gave my old man props
for making
a good investigator out of me?
Uh, Benny might have been
a great arson chief,
but he was no teacher.
He was nothing but critical
and judgmental of me
at every turn.
Van Meter
taught me most of what I know
about fire investigation.
He guided me, put his trust in me,
showed me nothing but respect.
I just wanted to show him some back.
Fair enough.
- Thanks for your help.
- We're even?
We're even. Nice work.
You know, Kelly
Your dad was a lot of things
some good, some bad.
But in the end, he was just a man.
At a certain point,
you gotta stop measuring yourself
and everyone else against him.
I'm telling you
Max needs to shower more.
He showers after every practice.
Then what's that rash on his neck
that I saw this morning, hmm?
Those are hickeys, Christopher.
What?
He was out with Lana last night.
That that's horrifying.
Wait, so they're just out there
just mauling each other?
You might be overreacting a bit.
Hey, how's it going, Doctor?
We took a look at all the scans,
and unfortunately, it's pretty clear
that what we have here is lung cancer.
Yeah.
You you gotta go check that again.
Go. I mean, that can't be right,
'cause, uh, Cindy here
uh, Cindy's never smoked
a cigarette in her life,
and I'm a firefighter.
I go into smoke and chemicals all day,
but I'm the one who's
supposed to get lung cancer,
not her.
I'm afraid it doesn't
always work that way.
What does it mean?
What do we do next?
Hey.
You you you
are you sure about this?
'Cause it doesn't
sound like you're sure.
I mean, you said, "Pretty clear."
That doesn't sound sure, so
I'm sure, Mr. Herrmann.
I'd like to schedule a surgery
for her as soon as possible.