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Leverage Main | When Darkness Falls

1x04 The Snow Job
[Scott Home]

(belongings are piled outside, Mrs. Scott going through them while Wayne talks to a cop)

Wayne: No wait, you do not understand

Cop: You should pay the contractor, Wayne

Wayne: We did paid him. We paid him everything we had and they still don’t do the job right. The roof has leaks, the windows are not finished. Just-just-just stop. Do not do this, please, not in front my family.

Cop: The bank sold the loan. This isn’t your house any more.

Wayne: Sold it? To who? My Contractor I hired him to fix my house, and he steals it from me?

(a black Hummer is parked at the curb, the Retzing family gets out of it.

Cop: Sorry

(cop tosses keys to Retzing)

Retzing: I wish this had not came to this son really sorry

Wayne: Mr. Retzing I want to talk to you for one moment, please. (walks toward Retzing) Just one moment. (punches Retzing in the face)

Mrs. Scott: Oh my god

(Scott struggles to get to Retzing as the police hold him back and Mrs. Scott hides her son’s face. One of the officers gets Wayne down on the ground)

Wayne: Get off me!

Cop: Put your hands behind your back


[Jail Cell]

(Nate sits across from Wayne)

Wayne: See, first Katrina hit, but my unit got called up. My house was too trashed for me to fix, not in the time I had.

Nate: So that's when you hired Retzing?

Wayne: I couldn't really afford him, but I had to get on a plane to Fallujah. So Retzing tells me I could take out, uh…

Nate: An equity loan to cover your costs.

Wayne: Uh-huh. Three months ago, I get back off my second tour. Couldn't make the loan payments, and the house lost value because he didn't make the repairs right. Mr. Ford, this was our first house. He took my little boy's home. Do you have any kids?

Nate: I did.

Wayne: I'm sorry. Whatever happened, I know you did everything you could. That's what gets me. You work hard, you play by the rules, but when you need help, really need help, they let you hang. They let you hang, and it's your kid who pays the price.


[Flashback]

(beeping sound of Nate’s son flat lining as the doctors try to revive him)

Nate: No!


[Jail Cell]

Yeah, we, uh... we all pay the price.


[Leverage Conference Room]

Eliot: Where the hell is he at?

Hardison: Maybe he overslept.

Eliot: No. He doesn't oversleep. This guy sets an alarm to set his alarm.

Parker: A man with one watch knows the time. A man with two is never sure.

Sophie: Huh?

Parker: I had fortune cookies for breakfast.

(Nate walks in looking very rough)

Nate: Okay, run it.

Hardison: So, what, you had left over Chinese for breakfast?

Parker: No, just the cookies.

Hardison: Do you put milk on the fortune cookies? ‘Cause I don’t…

Parker: It's not cereal. It's a fortune cookie. You don't dunk it.

Nate: Whoa, no chatter today. Just -- Just run it.

(Hardison begins displaying information on the monitors to illustrate his points)

Hardison: Henry Retzing -- Contractor, self-made millionaire, all-around dirt bag. Now Henry has construction contracts all over Florida, mostly residential, some commercial. But the man is as crooked as the day is long.

Sophie (to Nate): You okay?

Nate: Huh?

Sophie: Are you all right?

Nate: Oh, yeah, yeah.

Eliot: What scam did he run on the Scotts?

Hardison: It's sharp. See, Retzing took the contract. Now, he did shoddy work, and he stretched out the job. And after about a year, the Scotts, like any other law-abiding folks, they just said, "okay, you know what? We're not gonna pay this guy."

(Nate takes several pills)

Hardison: But when they did that, Retzing put a contractor lien on the property.

Eliot: So, once the Scotts ran out of money…

Hardison: Retzing became creditor, took ownership of the house when the bank foreclosed.

Parker: Slimy.

Hardison: Yes, but all of it absolutely legal.

Sophie: Are you drunk?

Nate: Technically, no. I was drunk a couple hours ago. Now I’m just hung over.

Hardison: The Florida attorney general's office investigated the Retzings a few years back, but they couldn't make anything stick.

Parker: So the game is, get the Scotts their house back.

Eliot: All right, what's the way in?

Hardison: The sons in Retzing and Sons -- Randy and Dennis. See…

Sophie: I thought we had an agreement.

Nate: What agreement?

Sophie: That you'd sort yourself out.

Hardison: You see, Randy, the oldest one, he doesn't do much except snowboard and judge snowy wet t-Shirt contests.

Nate: I don't remember making a deal.

Sophie: No?

Nate: No.

Sophie: That's what we're afraid of.

Hardison: Dennis, the "Willy Wonka" worker bee. MBA from Duke. Now, his father, he's the public face of the company, but this man does all the grunt work.

Nate: Oh, okay, okay. All right, so, they beat a state investigation, so they're smart. They have the law on their side, so they're untouchable. Or so they think. Randy is the sloppy one. Sophie, how's your luge?

Sophie: My what?

Nate: Your luge? Lu...

(Sophie walks out of the conference room)


[Powder Bear Ski Resort, Lounge]

(Randy is sitting by the fire as Sophie walks in, warming herself by the fire)

Sophie: Yeah, yeah. Oh, what the hell does he know about extreme, huh? No, I don't care what Picabo and Brody think, eh? (sets down a book on the coffee table) I see you at the party. Uh-huh Don’t forget to bring the swimsuit models, and a dancer.

(In the corner Eliot is watching Randy who picks up the book)

Eliot: Hansel's after Gretel.


[Resort Bar]

Nate: Got it.


[Resort Lounge]

(Randy looks through the planner, finds her passport, and does an internet search)


[Resort Bar]

Hardison: Sorry, Ute Ausgatner.

(Hardison uses photoshop to superimpose Sophie’s face on an actual Luge athelete)


[Ute Ausgatner’s House]

(Ute is surfing the internet and finds all the pictures of her have been change to that of Sophie. She starts cursing in German to her mother)


[Resort Lounge]

(Eliot watches Randy as he gets up to follow Sophie)


[Resort Bar]

(Sophie sits down next to Nate and looks at him harshly for the drink in his hand)

Nate: It's a bar. I'm blending.

(Sophie looks away and Nate sees Randy come in. Nate walks away and Randy sits down next to Solphie)

Randy: I think you left this behind. (gives her the planner)

Sophie: Oh, my god. My life is in this book. Danke schoen.

Randy: My pleasure. And can I just say? Huge fan.

Sophie: Really?

Randy: Absolutely. Luge? I live for it. The speed, the ice, all that... latex, the, uh, helmet.

Sophie: Huh.


[Resort Lobby]

Randy: So, what I’m saying is, and this is the big one, the big idea, imagine the "x" games, but more slam dancy and more south by southwest-ish. Throw in a little burning man. Boom.

Sophie: Boom? Yeah. (they sit down) You know, my partners and I have just purchased this resort. Yeah, we're renovating it to be state-of-the-art. You know, your little idea could be The perfect high-profile event for the relaunch.

Randy: Damn straight.


[Resort Bar]

(Nate sitting next to Hardison)

Nate: Okay, good, good. Now ease him into the buy-in.


[Resort Lobby]

Sophie: Of course, you'd have to buy in to our little group.


[Resort Bar]

Nate: According to their records, they only have a couple hundred grand liquid, so you're gonna have to just…


[Resort Lobby]

Nate: …string him along. Don't push him too hard.

Randy: How about I just write you a check for $500,000?


[Resort Bar]

Nate: "My partners would be delighted."


[Resort Lobby]

Sophie: My partners and I would be delighted.

Randy: Great. But I’ll have to see the plans, talk to management.

Sophie: Of course.


[Resort Bar]

(Hardison and Nate listening on the comms)

Sophie: You want to go now?

Randy: Why not?

Sophie: This is good.


[Resort Lobby]

Sophie: The sooner you're happy, the sooner you write that check. Shall we?

Randy: Yeah.


[Resort Bar]

Nate: Okay, let's go steal us a mountain.


[Resort]

(Sophie and Randy taking a walk through)

Sophie: Here we got to make room for heli-Skiing pad, you know, all the usual, you know, spa's facilities. We're gonna have the heated plunge pools and the Jacuzzis and the hot tubs.

Randy: Ski in, ski out?

Sophie: Yeah. Boom?

Randy: Boom.


[Resort Bar]

Nate: Okay, Eliot, you're up.


[Resort Office]

(knock on door and secretary shows Eliot in)

Eliot: Hi, how are you?

Rockman: Mike Rockman. Welcome to Powder Bear.

Eliot: Vince Fetkey, Innovative Resort Solutions. Just don't call us the I.R.S.


[Resort Bar]

Nate: Okay, hang the lift.

(Hardison types on laptop, manipulating controls for the lifts and stopping one)

Hardison: Space Mountain is now closed.

Nate: Okay, Parker. Go.

[Ski Lift]

(Parker calmly dives off the lift, hanging by it from one hand, completely unconcerned)

Nate: Parker?


[Resort Bar]

Nate: Parker?


[Ski Lift]

Nate: Parker?

Parker: Hmm?

Nate: What are you doing?

Parker: Oh, yeah. (sounding bored) Help. Help. (to man) How you doin’?


[Resort Bar]

Nate (facepalms): Oh, geez.


[Resort Office]

(Eliot is showing a display to Rockman)

Eliot: And unlike conventional fireplaces, these have marshmallow toasting rods already built in and retractable. Brand-new.

Rockman (phone rings): Oh, excuse me for a second. (answers phone) Yeah? What? Lift four? Is she hurt? No, call ski patrol. I'll be right there. (hangs up) Can you excuse me for just a minute?

Eliot: Yeah, yeah, take your time, please.

(Rockman leaves. Eliot quickly sets up the office as if it were his own, changing the display, putting a different name plate, a pic of him and a woman and some candy on the desk before Sophie knocks on the door)

Sophie: Whoo-Hee.

Eliot: Leena, oh.

(they kiss cheeks and speak in German for a moment)

Sophie: Oh, Hans, this is Randy Retzing. Yeah, he's thinking about joining our little group.

Eliot: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Randy: Oh, come on, dude, are you ready to rock this?

(Randy grabs Eliot and hugs him, lifting him off the ground. Eliot looks uncomfortable)

Eliot: Yeah.


[Resort Bar]

Nate: So, what about Parker?

(Hardison checks the monitor)

Hardison: Parker's safe.


[Resort Office]

(Eliot showing Randy the display)

Eliot: Of course, these are just the preliminaries.

Randy: Awesome Just make sure to leave some room for hot tubs and the dance floor.

Eliot: Mm, ah.

Sophie: So, uh, you can write that little check now, eh?


[Resort Bar]

Hardison: Hey, why can't they all be this easy?


[Resort Office]

Randy: Of course not. We have to go to Miami. My dad's the one who has to write the check.


[Resort Bar]

Hardison: Aw, hell, why they all got to be this hard?


[Resort Office]

Sophie: Miami?

Randy: Well, not right away. Maybe do a little tandem luge runs. Wear the helmet.

(Randy and Solphie leave office. Eliot gathers his things)


[Retzing Home, Living Room]

(Randy getting Sophie a drink)

Randy: A little something extra for you.

Retzing: Randy. So, where you been this time -- Europe?

Randy: No.

Retzing: Caribbean?

Randy: No.

Retzing: Well, give me the dirty details.

Randy: Just some skiing. Dad, meet Leena Christinger.

Sophie: Guten tag.

Retzing: French. Nice.


[Exterior Car]

Nate: Parker, get me some video.


[Exterior House]

(Parker and Eliot run around the outside of the house, trying to find an area to get video of the conversation. The sound squeals briefly)


[Living Room]

Randy: Okay, okay, here it is. Here's the project, and Leena loves this. Right, Leena?

Sophie: Mm-Hmm.

Randy: Yes. It's winter sports and a music festival. And I’m calling it the Winter Edge Games.

Retzing: That's brilliant. Dream big, build big. That's what made this company what it is today. Isn't that right, Dennis?

Dennis: Sure. It's not like solid management and an aggressive business plan had anything to do with it.

Retzing: Oh, get over here. Sit down, sit. Now, here's what I want to know. What do you need to make this thing happen? Because I want you to know, I am with you 130% on this.


[Exterior Car]

Retzing: I think it's a really, really exciting project.

Sophie: Yeah, it's part of a worldwide plan.

(feedback on comms makes Nate grab at his ear)

Nate: Ow. What's that?

Hardison: It's weird. Parker.


[Exterior House]

(Elikot is sweeping the area with some sort of listening device)

Parker: Signal's dirty here, too.


[Exterior Car]

Nate: Are they jamming the signal?

Hardison: No, the VHF output frequency is clean. For some reason, our transmission's just not getting to her.


[Exterior House]

Eliot: I think the interference is coming from inside the house.


[Exterior Car]

Nate: Eliot, I need you to plant a booster – (looks through binoculars)


[Exterior House]

Nate: The offices on the second floor.

(Eliot looks up, then gestures to Parker)


[Exterior Car]

(Nate sighs)


[Exterior House]

(Eliot boosts Parker up to a second floor balcony)


[Living Room]

(Sophie looks uncomfortable and touches her ear)

Retzing: I want you to give your brother whatever it is he needs.

Dennis: Are you sure that's a good –

Retzing: I love it. Now, we could use a little more creative thinking around here, all right?

Dennis: Well, as president of your company, I have to sign off on the checks, as well.

Retzing: Okay, w-- Did I ask for a play-by-play? Come on. (pulls him to his feet) I want you to go sign the checks, check the numbers. Do your job. (to Sophie) Do you want to help him out?

Sophie: Of course. Danke schoen.

Dennis: After you.


[Exterior House]

(Parker moves along the outside of the house, keeping out of sight)


[Stairs]

Sophie: It must be quite a challenge managing a business as big as your family's.

Dennis: Not everyone seems to think so.

Sophie: Although, power doesn't have to show off. When you have it, you know it.


[Exterior Car]

(Nate looks through binoculars, sees Sophie and Dennis headed for the second floor)

Nate: All right, guys, they're going to the second floor. Work fast.


[Office]

(Parker enters the room through the window)

Nate: Let's go, let's go, let's go.

(Parker moves into the room and plugs a flash drive into the laptop)


[Stairs]

Dennis: What do you see in him?

Sophie: Who – Randy? Nein. Between us, it's strictly business.

Dennis: Well, does he know that?

Sophie: Does it matter? I make my own choices.


[Office]

(Parker plants a bug on the back of a frame, sees someone at the door, pulls the flash drive from the laptop, and dives out the window)

[Exterior House]

(Eliot sees Parker falling toward him)

Eliot: Holy...

(Parker lands on Eliot, knocking him to the ground)

Eliot: Damn it, Parker. A little warning next time. How'd you even know I’d be there?

Parker: I didn't.


[Exterior Car]

(Eliot and Parker approach the car)

Eliot: Is it working?

Dennis: $500,000…


[Office]

Dennis: …signed by my father (signs check) and cosigned by me.

(Dennis holds the check out to Sophie, but pulls it back before she can grab it)

Dennis: You can't be serious. You're too smart. You have to see what my brother's like. Look, just-just look at some of his other big ideas. (holds up pamphlets) Hot-Air-Balloon paintball. Submarine cruises. Oh, fruit-Flavored pizza sauces. Is this who you want to get into bed with?

Sophie: If you're talking business, then I’m always open to new opportunities. But if you're talking on a personal level, then let's just say I prefer a man who knows what it means to be... in control.

Dennis (holds up the check): All yours. (paces) I made Retzing and sons what it is. I turned disaster-area relief into a growth industry.

Sophie: Disaster area?

Dennis: Yeah, people need their homes fixed, so we lowball a quote, slap some spackle around, and up the bill when they complain. (walks around desk) When they can't pay anymore, we put a lien on the property. Eventually, they get foreclosed on. We buy the houses for a song. (holds check out to Sophie)


[Exterior Car]

Eliot: They've done this to more people than the Scotts.

Nate: Oh, yeah. Yeah, Sophie, find out how many.


[Office]

Sophie: And how big is your operation?

Dennis: Mmm, 400 homes, give or take.

Sophie: 400?

Dennis: Yeah, all over the country, tornadoes in Oklahoma, Florida hurricanes. And Katrina was like winning the damn lottery.


[Exterior Car]

Nate: All right, Sophie, do not take the check.

Parker: What?!

Eliot: What?!

Hardison: I’m sorry, what?


[Office]

(Sophie hesitates, the check in her hand)

Dennis: Now, don't tell me this makes you squeamish, 'Cause it's all legal. I just found a... a loophole.


[Exterior Car]

Nate: I said, "do not take the money."


[Office]

(Sophie rips the check in half, Dennis is shocked)


[Exterior Car]

Nate: Now, you tell him this.


[Office]

Sophie: If what you're saying is you want to do real business, then I might have an opportunity for you, but it's for serious investors only. This is not something I would ever present to your brother.

Dennis: Interesting.


[Exterior Car]

Eliot: What are you doing?

Nate: Forget about the money. No, we don't want the money. We're gonna take the company. We're gonna give each of these people back their own homes.

Eliot: You made this decision when?

Nate: Hey, I don’t have to run anything--

Parker: All the pretty money.

Hardison: Guys?

Nate: I don't have to run anything by you, Eliot.

Hardison: Guys?

Nate: No, no, there’s nothing I—

Eliot: Right now, are you drunk?

Hardison: Shut up, shut up! Guys, the interference earlier? There's a signal coming from in there. Now, the output frequency is around the 120 megahertz range, but the transmitter, the transmitter --

Eliot: Cut the geek.

Hardison: The house is bugged. Now, if I’m right, the equipment is standard-Issue law enforcement.

Nate: Yeah. Cops are listening.


[Hotel Room]

Sophie: Hardison, where were you when it mattered? He asked me to tear up the check, so I tore up the check.

Hardison: I didn't make the decision to throw away everybody else's money, okay? That was you and Nate.

Parker: Y'all are in cahoots.

Eliot: Hey, listen, I don't like it. Cops mean too many variables.

Sophie: Then what are you gonna tell the Scotts, Nate, huh? How are we gonna explain to them that we -- we -- we tore up their future.

Eliot: He doesn't know.

Hardison: And who's gonna tell that guy we had a house for his baby boy and you just gave it away?

Parker: You're the one who's always telling us we're doing this for the client.

Nate: One client... many victims. We have a chance to represent those who couldn't ask for our help. And besides, we're going with a much bigger scam. One of the classics.

Parker: The London spank?

Hardison: The Genevan Paso Doble.

Eliot: The Apple Pie. (everyone looks at him questioningly) It's like the cherry pie, but with lifeguards.

Sophie: Ooh.

Nate: Glengarry Glen Death. It's like a-a mutual fund, but instead of stocks, you invest in--in death. (walks out on balcony)

Parker: I-Is it me, or is he getting creepier?


[Business Office]

Nate: Glengarry Glen Death. (pouring himself a drink) It's really simple. See, you're Joe Average, all right? You find out you got a fatal disease, months, maybe weeks to live. You want to make your last days special, hmm? You know, take the wife on the dream cruise, travel the world, spend time with the kids. But 9 out of 10 people, they tap out all their savings during the preliminary treatments. So, you know, there you are. You're gonna die, and you're broke. But there's a big fat insurance policy just sitting there useless, so what we do, our group, we buy the policy pennies on the dollar.

Dennis: They get a chunk of change now.

Nate: And -- And we get the payout postmortem, right? He gets to enjoy his last days, and we get to enjoy a healthy profit, right?

Sophie: Nate worked insurance for 20 years. He came to us with some useful information.

Nate: Yeah, you know what I have? Do you know what I have? I have detailed actuarial tables and a confidential database of sick people. Now, by cross-referencing them, I've created a short list (pulls paper from his jacket) right here of people with fat policies that are all gonna die within six months, you know. Are you listening to this, right? I mean, this is it. This is right here. This is for you. This is, you know, gonna do it. This will quadruple your money.

Sophie: Nate has already a select number of investors, but with your contribution, he can buy up even more policies.

Dennis: No, no, it's too risky. You can't control when they're gonna croak.

Nate: Are you – Are you listening? I mean, this list -- this list is gold. I'm tell-- Okay, look, here we go. We got, pancreatic cancer, Oregon, and you've got a non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in Jersey. You know how I got this Rolex? 40-Year-Old steelworker, melanoma.

Dennis: All right, I want independent confirmation.

Nate: All right.

Dennis: I want a doctor, one I choose, to verify prognosis.

Nate: Okay, fair enough. But just one condition, though. No one gets a look at this list without a little buy-in. Huh? $10,000 up front?

Dennis: Fine.

(Dennis sits down writes a check and Nate gives him the list)

Nate: Pick one, Skippy, any one.

Dennis: Lisa Valdez -- inoperable brain tumor Right here in Miami.

Nate: Well, good choice. I'll set it up. You just bring the doctor, all right?

(phone starts ringing. Nate picks up the list and walks away)


[Strip Joint]

Randy: You friggin' weasel.


[Business Office]

Randy (on speakerphone): All you were supposed to do was write the check.

Dennis: And I did. Just ask the fraeulein. (gestures for Sophie to join him)

Randy: Leena?

Dennis: Uh-Huh.


[Strip Joint]

What are you doing there?


[Business Office]

Sophie: I'm sorry, liebchen. We decided to go in a different direction.


[Strip Joint]

Randy: What did you say to her?


[Business Office]

Dennis: Well, I don't know what you're talking about. I just watch the numbers, remember?


[Strip Joint]

Randy: Oh, Dennis, you little ass. What do you think dad's gonna say—


[Business Office]

Randy: --when I come back home?

Dennis: Oh, I’m sorry. We're losing you. Your strip joint must be driving through a tunnel. (hangs up)

Sophie: No that is what I call control.

Dennis: Yeah.


[Interior Car]

(Nate is drinking from a flask and is pulled over by police. Nate hides the flask and fumbles with mints. The Detective gets out and walks toward Nate’s car)

Nate: Hey, what seems to be the prob—

(officer gets in the back of Nate’s car)

Nate: Okay, cheap tie, bad aftershave. Now, why would the state police be interested in my business, lieutenant...?

Stone: Stone.

Nate: Stone.

Stone: Racketeering And Corruption Task Force. What business do you have here in Florida?

Nate: You know, I like the outlet malls.

Stone: We know you just came from a meeting with Dennis Retzing. What I want to know is, why is an insurance guy trying to make a deal with that family?

Nate: Racketeering? Are you kidding me? You're trying to get them on a RICO charge? What, you couldn't get them on the fraud, so you -- Wow, man, that's desperate.

Stone: We are gonna get the Retzings. Now, if you and your, uh... people are still around when the hammer comes down, we're not gonna stop and sort things out.

Nate: Right, but, you know, you wouldn't be talking to me if you had anything. You're fishing. You're fishing, right?

(Stone gets out and walks to driver’s door)

Stone: I know two things about you, Mr. Ford. You're trouble, and you're a drunk.

Nate: Wow.

(Stone grabs Nate’s head and slams it into the steering wheel)

Stone: Either one is enough for me not to trust you.

Nate: Yeah, that certainly kind of hurt.

(Nate fumbles for his flask and takes a drink)


[Hospital MRI Room]

(Parker lying in an MRI machine)

Parker: Why do I have to be the patient?

Nate: Because he picked a woman's name.

Sophie: And I can't play both parts.

Nate: So you get the tumor.

Sophie (to Nate): Where have you been?

Nate: Hmm?

Sophie: Everything okay?

Nate: Fine.

(Hardison opens blinds from control room and talks through comms)

Hardison: Okay, people, hacking into the imaging computer is simple enough, but I’ve run some simulations, and I don't think I can ghost an image that will pass a doctor's inspection.

Nate: Okay, well, can we give her a fake tumor, or...?

Hardison: Well, we could inject her brain with some contrast dye, have it pool into her cranial cavity, but there might be some side effects.

Parker: Like what?

Hardison: Organ failure, death, death-Like symptoms.

Parker: I vote for plan "b."

Eliot: You know, we could get another chamber, and then put a brain with a tumor in that one and then send the signal to the monitor for this chamber. Cross the wires.

(everyone looks at him)

Eliot: What? I dated a neurologist.

(Sophie looks pleased)

Hardison: There's a machine in the next suite. I could tap that.

Sophie: Great. Now all we have to do is find a brain with a tumor.

Hardison: Bolus of semi-Solid fluid injected into one of the ventricles -- that should do it. Man, we need some hot wax. Oh, and a cadaver.

Nate: Okay. Let's get to work.

Hardison: Whoa, you're not seriously thinking about --

Nate: What we need to do is, we need to secure this chamber and the one next to it, have to make sure that the coms work with the magnetic interference, set up a meeting with the Retzings. Somebody find me a brain.

Parker: Oh, yeah. He's definitely getting creepier.


[Hospital Waiting Room]

(Nate sitting next to a man with a brace on his neck)

Nate: Hardison, are we ready?

Hardison: Just call me the scarecrow.


[MRI Room 1]

Hardison: I'm ready to rock. Now, if I only had a brain.


[Hallway]

Nate: Eliot?

(Eliot pushes a gurney down the hall)

Eliot: Yeah. Almost there.

Hardison: Did you get the --

Eliot: Yep.

Hardison: Where?

Eliot: You really want to know?


[Waiting Room]

Nate: No, not really. No. Sophie, is the patient ready?

(man next to Nate giving him strange looks for talking to himself)

Sophie: She's at death's door.


[MRI Room 2]

(Sophie tying the back of Parker’s gown)

Sophie: Oh, this is fun. Hey, do you need a minute to prepare? You know, death scenes can be demanding. I remember this time I was playing Camille in summer stock, and, oh, I was drained after every performance.

Parker: Don't I just make believe I’m dying?

Sophie: Okay, you need to own the space and-and (takes breath) access your sense memory. Here, try this. Think of, um, a really sad thing that's happened in your life, like, I don't know, when your father died.

(Parker bursts out laughing)

Sophie: Yeah. This isn't gonna be easy.


[Hallway]

Nate: Ah, good to see you. How are you?

(shakes Dennis’ hand)

Dennis: Very well. Dr. Kwan.

Nate: Dr. Kwan.

Dr. Kwan: Nice to meet you.

Nate: Nice to meet you. (to Dennis) Well, how's your day?

Dennis: It's good. Shall we do this?

Nate: Yeah, let's do this. (opens door) After you.


[MRI Room 1]

(Eliot prepares the body as Hardison gets the shot ready. Hardison turns and holds the shot out to Eliot who takes it but hands it back)

Hardison: What? You.

Eliot: Go.

Hardison: What you mean, "go"?

Eliot: Because it was your idea.

Hardison: No. No. No. No. It's my information. It's Nate’s idea to do this nastiness.

(they both look at the body)

Eliot: Rock-Paper-Scissors?

(Hardison nods. Eliot sticks the shot into the body’s leg and they play two rounds of Rock-Paper-Scissors, Eliot watching Hardison’s face. Hardison loses)

Hardison: Well, I’ll be damned. How you do that?

Eliot: You got a tell.

(Eliot hands the shot to Hardison)

Hardison: I have a tell.

Eliot: Yeah.

Hardison: In Rock-Paper-Scissors?

Eliot: Yeah, go.

(Hardison prepares himself to do the shot)

Hardison: Okay. (to body) I'm sorry.

(Hardison hits the body in the head with the needle, but it doesn’t go in very far)

Eliot: You're gonna go all the way through the head.

Hardison: Damn. That's my bad.


[MRI Room 2]

(Sophie, Nate, Dr. Kwan and Dennis walk into the control room as Parker takes off her jacket)

Dennis: Wow. You can tell. Those dead eyes, as if there's no soul. She's terminal, all right.

(Nurse puts Parker into the machine. Hardison switches the displays from the MRI machines, sending the reading from the body to the monitor Dr. Kwan is sitting at)

Dr. Kwan: She’s terminal, all right. That's massive.

Dennis: So, how long?

Dennis: My guess? Not long. Frankly, I’m surprised she's still alive. Almost too big to believe.


[Hallway]

Dennis: Fine. She's gonna die. You still don't know when. I mean, you heard the doc. She could kick at any time. Who knows how long these saps will hang on?

Dennis: Could I have a little word with you in private? Yeah? Yeah? (takes him aside) You know, it's normal to be a little bit nervous, you know? But you go to have faith. He has a lot of experience with this.

Dennis: It just feels like there's a lot of risk here, and I don't know if that measures out...

(Nate’s phone rings and he answers)

Nate: Yeah? When? Ah-hah! Chicago. Chicago, right? Oh, wow. Well, no. That's great.


[MRI Room 1]

(Parker joins Eliot and Hardison sitting on the MRI machine, listening)

Nate: The big one. Yeah. Great.


[Hallway]

Nate: Thank you. (hangs up) Well, mother of three in Chicago won't be finishing her bucket list.


[MRI Room 1]

Nate: Perfect timing. I've been eyeing this Lexus.

Eliot: What is he doing?


[Hallway]

Dennis: So, where's my cut?

Nate: Your what?

Dennis: I gave you 10 grand. I want my take.

Nate: Oh, no. I'm sorry. No, that was a holding fee. You're not in.

Dennis: The hell I’m not. I want my money.

Nate: Well, okay. First-Stage investor.

Dennis: Very good.

Nate: Payout bonus kind of thing. (writing check) $100,000?


[MRI Room 1]

Parker: What is he doing?!

(Parker gets up angrily and heads for door, a moment later, Eliot follows her)

Hardison (to body): Sup?


[Hallway]

Nate: There you go (hands him check) 100 g.

Dennis: I think this just might work out after all.

Sophie: With this money, you know, you can start your own company, just leave your father for good, hey?

(behind them in the hall, Parker comes out, headed for Nate. Eliot picks her up and carries her back out of sight)

Dennis: Yeah, I just have to move some accounts around --

Nate: Whoa! Whoa! Move some what around? I'm sorry. What did you just say? Move some accounts around? Who do you think we are? We don't operate this way. I can't do business like—(to Sophie) Who did you bring me to? What is this? I don't understand. No.

Dennis: No, no, I just need to move some accounts around.

Nate: I can't help you if you don't get it. We don't need you. Keep the m-- It's fine. (begins to walk away)

Sophie: Okay. Okay. Okay, no, no. Don't worry about it.

Nate: Let's get some serious investors.

Sophie: I'll be able to talk him around. (follows Nate) Um, excuse me. Nate, can I have a word?

(they both exit. Dennis looks down at his check)


[Hotel Room]

Hardison: I'll stop payment on the check. Just give me a few seconds.

Nate: Just let it go, will you?

Parker: Now, let me get something straight. We had half a million for our clients, and we didn't take it. Now we've given the mark 100 grand, of our money -- my money.

Nate: Basics stall.

Parker: Stall is for when you've got someone on the hook.

Hardison: What about papa bear, okay? Dennis can't take a leak without Henry signing off for it. How's he supposed to get us that money?

Nate: Guys, you got to trust me, all right? You've trusted me before, and with your life.

Eliot (slams his hand down on the table): Not when you're drunk.

Nate: Oh, come on.

Eliot: You're not in control of yourself.

Nate: So, what, you're gonna control me? Is that it?

Eliot: Ah, I ain't your daddy. You can drink yourself into a coma as far as I’m concerned, but you take me down with you -- then it's my problem.

Nate: You know, you talk too much. You ought to just go skip some rope.

Eliot: What? What? (gets up angrily)

Nate: Skip some rope.

Eliot: You want me to skip something? (heads across the room)

Sophie: Hey, hey! (gets in front of Eliot)

Eliot: I'll skip your drunk ass off this marble floor.

Sophie: Okay, I need to speak to Nate alone. For a second.

Eliot (turning away): Yeah, do that.

(Eliot leaves, followed by Hardison and Parker, who lingers to give Sophie a meaningful look. Sophie sits on the arm of the couch)

Nate: Now, don't you dare give me the "we're all a family" speech.

Sophie: Mnh-Mnh. No speeches. Just a question. Is this helping you? Hmm? If you give Wayne Scott back what he lost, will you be satisfied?

Nate: You know me. I can do this.

Sophie: I knew you two years ago.

Nate: Well, I’m still the same person.

Sophie: No. You're not.

Nate: No, I’m not.

(Sophie stands up, sighs, and exits, leaving Nate drinking alone)


[Hotel Room, next day]

(Nate answers his phone)

Nate: Yeah, hello.


[Business Office]

Dennis: I'm in.

Nate: You're too late. You missed the deadline.

Dennis: What deadline?

Nate: My deadline.


[Hotel Room, next day]

Nate: Yeah, we're closed for business.

Dennis: $5 million.


[Business Office]

Dennis: Does that open any doors?


[Hotel Room, next day]

Nate: Uh, how soon?


[Business Office]

Dennis: Meet me at the First Sunshine Bank. (hangs up)


[Living Room]

Retzing: Damn it! You are right. (carries laptop over to bar)

Randy: I told you.

Retzing: He is trying to transfer $5 million from the corporate account. I can't believe he would do this after all I have done for him.

Randy: What are you gonna do?

Retzing: Oh, well, he wants to move the money, right? Let's move it someplace—


[Exterior Car]

(Stone listening on headphones)

Retzing: --he can't get at it.

Stone: Get everyone in position.


[Hotel Room]

(Nate dials phone)

Nate: On my way.


[First Sunshine Bank Lobby]

(Hardison is using a smart phone as Eliot walks by)

Eliot: We're still at the Retzings' bank. We have an issue.


[Manager’s Cubical]

Manager: That takes care of your end. (takes paper from Retzing) Pam will just print out the rest for you to sign. (Pam leaves, Manager stands) I'll just be a minute.

(alarms can be heard outside, woman walks in with a stack of papers)

Woman: These are for Randy.

(woman hands papers to Randy, security guard comes over)

Guard: Mr. Retzing, I think someone smashed the window of your Hummer.

Retzing: Damn it. (to Randy) You deal with the rest of this.


[Bank Lobby]

(Dennis and Nate walk in as Retzing follows the security guard across the lobby)

Retzing: …parking lot. Do you have any idea how much those windshields cost?

(Retzing and Dennis see each other and stop)

Dennis: What are you doing here?

Retzing: Oh, you always thought you were smarter than us, better.

Dennis: I don't know what Randy has told you, but--

Nate: Yeah, excuse me. Mr. Retzing, how do you... if I may, we have a very unique investment opportunity.

Retzing: Oh, shut up! You. You are no longer an officer in my company. I have transferred all of my signatory power to Randy.

Nate: Ah…

Dennis: What?

Nate: Your son and I, we have a--we have a deal.

Retzing: Oh, what? Did he promise you money?

Nate: Oh, yeah.

Retzing: Oh, well, he doesn't have any. I transferred all the funds offshore. You can't even touch it.

Dennis: You did what? Do you realize what you've done?

Randy (joining them): Yeah, he's standing by his family. The only family that matters.

Dennis: Family?

Randy: Yeah.

Dennis: Family?

Randy: Yeah.

Dennis (pushes Randy): Don't you dare talk about family.

Randy (pushes back): Yeah, well, truth's a bitch.

Dennis: Do you know what I’ve done for this family? I am this family!

(Randy and Dennis continue fighting)

Nate: Everybody out now.

(Nate leaves, Eliot and Hardison follow)


[Living Room]

(Retzing’s phone rings, he answers)

Retzing: Yeah? Wait. No, slow down. Slow down. No, you're not making any sense.

(Dennis’ phone rings, he answers)

Dennis: Yeah.

Retzing: What? Well, what do you mean our check bounced?

Dennis: Well, you tell me. You're the accountant.

Retzing: No. No. No. Fax it on over here. There's got to be some mistake.

Dennis: What the hell? All right. I'll call you back. (hangs up, looks at Randy) What did you do?

Randy: What?

Dennis: Did you sign something?

Randy: Yeah, the winter edge games deal. I can write all the checks I want now.

Dennis: Look, screw the games. You signed away controlling interest in the company.

Randy: What? No, I didn't.

Retzing: No, there's got to be some mistake. No. No. We will fix it.

(Dennis goes to fax machine)

Randy: All I did was sign the deal with Leena. It was a $500,000 investment.

(Dennis looks at the fax and shows it to Randy)

Dennis: Is this what you signed?

Randy: Yeah, I think so.


[Flashback]

Manager: That takes care of your end. Pam will just print out the rest for you to sign.

(Pam leaves. Hardison uses his cell phone to take control of the printer queue. Pam has a jam in her printer, but Parker picks up a stack of papers from a nearby printer and takes them into the Manager’s cubical)

Parker: These are for Randy.

Guard: Mr. Retzing, I think someone smashed the window of your hummer.

Retzing: Damn it. You deal with the rest of this. (walks away)

Sophie (enters): Good. Good. Now that the transfer of authority is done, we can just go ahead and close our little deal, huh?

(Randy signs papers)


[Living Room]

Dennis: This isn't $500,000. You transferred 51% of our corporate powers to her group.

Retzing: What? (grabs papers)

Dennis: They set us up. They wanted you to find out what I was up to so that you would transfer power to Randy. And then once you did, this idiot did the rest.

Randy: What does this mean? That we're broke?

Retzing: No. No. No. No. This is just temporary. We will get the company back.

(Dennis exits the room, but quickly reenters, followed by Stone)

Stone: Henry Retzing, you're under arrest.

Retzing: What?

Stone: Five hours ago, the S.E.C. Filed a suspicious-Activities report after a large, undeclared transfer of money triggered a security alert.

(another officer handcuffs Retzing)

Retzing: What securities? I didn't transfer any securities.

[Flashback]

Retzing: Well, he wants to move the money, right? Let's move it someplace he can't get at it.


[Living Room]

Stone: Combined with your previous fraudulent actions, you're being charged with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity under the state RICO act. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney with you during questioning.

Dennis: How could you have known he was gonna make that transfer?


[Flashback]

Nate: You wouldn't be talking to me if you had anything. You're fishing. I'll tell you what. Why don't you give me two days to get them to cross the line? One minor transgression, you got him. We'll move out of the way. You get Retzing.


[Foyer]

(Stone and another officer walk Retzing toward the door, followed by Dennis and Randy)

Stone: Do you understand the rights I’ve just read to you?

Retzing: No, I-I had to move the money. You don't understand. I just had to. I had to.

Dennis: Just shut up. Don't say anything else.

(Retzing and officers go out the door as Dennis’ phone rings)

Dennis: Hello?

Nate: Did you even look at the names?

Dennis: What?


[Parking Lot]

Nate: The names on the list.


[Flashback]

(Nate pulls a piece of paper from his jacket)

Nate: A short list right here.


[Parking Lot]

Nate: Yeah, those would be the names of the families that lost their homes to you..


[Foyer]

(Dennis looks stunned)

Nate: …your victims.


[Flashback]

Sophie: How big is your operation?

Dennis: 400 homes, give or take.


[Foyer]

Dennis: You son of a --


[Parking Lot]

Nate: Now that we control the company, though, we're gonna make sure the rightful owners get back—


[Foyer]

Nate: --into those homes.

Dennis: You know this will never hold up in court. Randy's incompetent.


[Parking Lot]

Nate: I got to say, you're pretty good with the books, declaring your own family's home a corporate asset.


[Foyer]

Nate: Some nice tax breaks there.


[Parking Lot]

Nate: Of course, now that we control the corporation, we're gonna have to reclaim that particular piece of property.

(Dennis looks devastated)


[Foyer]

Nate: Take your time moving out -- two, three days.


[Parking Lot]

Nate: Leave the keys under the mat. (hangs up)


[Exterior House]

Nate: Yeah, it's a little bigger than the other place, but (tosses keys to Wayne) I hope it'll do.

(Wayne catches the keys and laughs, hugging his wife and son as Nate walks away. Police are visible in the background)

Parker: Are you crying?

Hardison: up? No. No. It's the Florida air. Pollen.

Sophie: The house was a nice touch.

Nate: Yeah, symbolic thing.

(Sophie and Nate walk away from the house)

Sophie: You never used to go in for theatrics.

Nate: Well, like you said, I’ve changed.

Sophie: You're still a mess. You know, one of these days, they may not stick around and back you up.

Nate: They?

Sophie: Yes, they. And me.

Nate: Are you threatening to bail on me, Sophie?

Sophie: Give me a reason to stay. (walks away)

The End

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