Leverage Transcripts derived from the closed captions available online and formated by slaysvamps. Feel free to download and share, but please give credit and a link back to me here.
Leverage Main | When Darkness Falls

2x14 The Three Strikes Job
[Boston, Beneath Bridge]

(Bonnano is approached by 2 men as he takes a file from his car)

Bonnano: Thanks for meeting me like this. (handing file to one of the men)

FBI 1: No problem, how could the FBI help?

Bonnano: Alright, the target in this case I'm working on, I know he's got the local police in his pocket, and now I'm pretty sure he's getting tips from someone inside my department. I'm gonna need some help here.

FBI 1: Bellbridge?

Bonnano: Yeah, that's the city.

FBI 1: You're doing the right thing Lieutenant. Show Lieutenant Bonnano our Bellbridge file.

(FBI 2 walks toward his car. FBI 1’s phone rings)

FBI 1: Excuse me. (walks away to answer phone)

(FBI 2 pulls gun, Bonnano dives into his car, both FBI men fire on the car. Bonnano comes out the other side of the car and returns fire, but is hit in the chest)

Bonnano: Ugh! Ugh! (falls to the ground)

FBI 1: Let's go, let's go!


[Boston Hospital]

(Bonnano in hospital bed, his wife just outside watching through window)

Nate: Mrs. Bonnano? I'm, uh -- I'm Nate Ford. Uh, I just heard.

Mrs. Bonnano: I already gave my statement.

Nate: Uh, no, I-I'm not a policeman. Um, I'm in the private sector. Your husband and I are colleagues.

Mrs. Bonnano: I appreciate your coming down here, but it's not -- Nate ford? He talked about you.

Nate: He did?

Mrs. Bonnano: He said you'd help him with some cases, and, uh, he wanted to buy you a drink... and then arrest you.

Nate: I knew he'd figured it out. Listen, I'd really like to help. Uh, can you tell me if there are any leads?

Mrs. Bonnano: No, it's -- It was his day off. He said he was gonna run an errand and come right home.

Nate: Was he working on a case?

Mrs. Bonnano: Pat never talked about his cases. I'd ask him what he did today, And he'd open a beer and say, "wrote a few tickets." I can't. I'm sorry.

Nate: I'm sorry. Listen, if there's anything I can –

(Nate looks across room where Bonnano’s son is sitting, watching the doctors work on his father)


[Flashback]

(Nate’s son in hospital bed, dying)

Doctor: Clear!

(Doctor’s try to resuscitate, but to no avail)

Nate: No! (bursting into room) No!


[McRory’s Bar]

Sophie (on voicemail): It's me. Leave a message.

Nate: Sophie, this is the fourth message. Please call back. The team could really use you on this one. It's just, it was a hospital, and you know -- you know me and hospitals, so, uh... (hangs up, redials, takes drink)

Sophie (on voicemail): It's me. Leave a message.

Nate: Okay, you want a message? Here's a message. You're wasting your time. All right? You know, y-you don't figure out who you are by -- by roaming the earth, you know, or -- or hiding in London, you know? Look, nobody -- nobody knows who they are. Nobody knows who they are. I mean, you know, you think you do, And then life -- it just - it tears it out of you, and -- and you live with that, and... Look, there is no answer. And --

Tara: Hey. Everybody else is upstairs.

Nate (hangs up phone): Yeah.

(Tara takes his drink and downs it)

Tara: Let's go.


[Briefing Room]

Parker: So, is he gonna be okay?

Nate: Uh, they don't know.

Tara: Okay, this guy's a cop. You're thieves.

Nate: I'm not a thief! Bonnano is the cop that we tip off when we need to put the cuffs on a mark.

Hardison: Look, you do realize we're gonna be covering the same ground as the state cops on this one -- hundreds of angry, very highly motivated state cops.

Eliot: Wha-- by the way, guys, whoever shot him up, was using military-grade weaponry –

Nate: Well, you know what?! I don't care! I don't care about that! This guy dedicated his life to doing the right thing! And this is his payback? I mean, his family's pain is what he deserves? If we don't settle the score on this, why do we do this? Do you understand?

Eliot: What are Bonnano's active files?

Hardison: According to the state police database, Bonnano had half a dozen open cases. The most recent one was a protection racket out of Arcadia, but the cops were focusing on an auto-theft ring out of Waynesboro. Let's just say, if you jacked a car in Massachusetts in the last year, your head's gonna be bouncing off a cruiser by dinnertime.

Nate: What's that one?

Hardison: That's public corruption. There's practically no files on that thing.

Nate: That's it.

Hardison: No, no, these other two files -- they -- they involve violent criminals. This one -- this - it's government corruption.

Nate: No, no, no, no, no. No, no, no. That's it. That's it. Just...Check the shooting. Put up the scene. Okay, so, Bonnano - he goes to a remote location, alone, no backup. That means he knows his attackers and he's not expecting any trouble. Now, what did you just say? You said no files on it? So, Bonnano was keeping this investigation off the books.

Tara: Explains a secret meeting. Off hours, away from any witnesses.

Eliot: Cops are looking in the wrong place.

Nate: Absolutely. So, I mean, that leaves -- that leaves us.

Parker: So, who's the bad guy?

Hardison: Or -- or -- and - and I'm just spitballing here, we could just let the state cops handle this one, call in an anonymous tip.

Nate: Come on, Hardison. I mean, how bad could this be?


[Reelection Campain Event]

Aid: Ladies and gentlemen, concerned citizens, Businessmen, and community leaders, I give you the mayor of Belbridge, Massachusetts, His honor, Brad Culpeper III!

Culpepper: Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you! Thank you. Folks... During my two terms we have made a difference together. High-school test scores have gone up. Crime has gone down. I personally went to Washington, D.C., and brought back $20 million of Federal 9/11 money to upgrade our ports, protect us from terrorists.

Tara: A mayor – surrounded by security, the press, probably has half the local cops on his own private payroll. Piece of cake.

Nate: Explains why Bonnano kept his investigation a secret.

Tara: Not secret enough.

Culpepper: Back when I was playing ball -- yes, Judy, I was much thinner then. When I was pitching, you could not get me off the mound. My daddy taught me that once I started the game, by god, I was going to finish it. Well, I promise you, if you give me the ball once again, I will set my sights on the waterfront. Gone are those decaying shipyards, to be replaced by a sunny esplanade where families can picnic and our children can run and play.

Tara: So, what's our angle here? I haven't been with you guys very long, but taking someone down for attempted murder isn't something you normally do.

Nate: Listen, we come at him like any other mark. We flip over a rock in this guy's backyard, see what jumps out.

Tara: And how exactly are we flipping over this rock?

Nate: Ah, we crawl under there with him. Look, the guy's third-generation corrupt mayor, so I know he's rotten, but, guys, you know, everything's just a good guess here until you get me some good intel. Where are you?


[Bonnano’s House]

Eliot: Yeah, we're heading in now. You spend your weekends making these things, don't you?

Hardison: Yes, I do, and does anybody appreciate that?


[City Hall]

Parker: I do. I like the costumes. I wish I was there.


[Reelection Campain Event]

Parker, we need someone to sweep the mayor's office while he's here at the fundraiser.


[City Hall]

Parker: Fine. But I never get to do anything fun. (jumps off building)


[Reelection Campain Event]

Aid: Thank you. Sorry for interrupting, Mr. Kadjic.

Kadjic: Please.

Aid: Mayor, you have two new donors.

Culpepper: That's a change -- new money.

Aid: Lionel Gitt -- he's a real estate developer. Does a lot of shopping centers. And the woman is Felicia chase. She's a P.R. Flack from New York.

Kadjic: So, you do background checks on your donors now?

Culpepper: Oh, you can't be too careful. Hm.

Aid: They donated the maximum.

Culpepper: 10 grand?

Aid: Mm-hmm.

Culpepper: Each? If you'll pardon me?

Kadjic: Of course.

Aid: How you doing this evening?

Kadjic: Good. Thank you.


[Mayor’s Office]

Parker: Nate, I'm in.

Nate (on com): All right, Parker, get those files.

(Parker plugs flash drive into computer and goes to work)


[Bonnano’s House]

Hardison: Right there.

(Hardison and Eliot approach house)

Hardison: Is this Lieutenant Patrick Bonnano’s place of residence? Yes. All right, we're from the crime lab. We're here to collect evidence from the crime scene.

Cop: Oh, th-- this isn't a crime scene. We're just watching the place --

Eliot: Pardon me. I'm sorry. He just say this wasn't a crime scene?

Cop: Uh... I'm just house-sitting.

(Hardison and Eliot walk past him to enter the house but pause to look back at him)

Hardison: No. No, he's absolutely right. This isn't a crime scene, 'cause he done walked all over it.

Eliot: I smell soup. You smell soup?

Hardison: I do. What happened, Goldilocks? (Eliot enters house) You get a little hungry, decide to make yourself some lunch in an active crime scene?

Cop (holding up glass of tea): I would never do that.

Hardison: Let's see what you would do. Move. Move! If I got to tell you one more time...


[Reelection Campain Event]

Culpepper: How are you? Thank you for coming. Brad Culpeper III.

Tara: "The third."

Culpepper: I know. Yes. Hold on. I know, I know, I know, but my grandfather was the mayor, my father was the mayor, so I have to. I don't want to, but I have to.

Nate: Lionel Gitt. This is Felicia Chase.

Culpepper: So tell me, what does a New York publicist and a Boston developer do at my little fundraiser?

Tara: Just being politically active.

Culpepper: You want to be politically active, you put a sign on your front lawn. You donate the maximum. Let's talk.

Nate: All right.


[Bonnano’s House]

Hardison: Hey. We are gonna search every inch of this carpet.

Cop: What am I looking for?

Hardison: Fibers, damn it. Fibers. And you -- you go search the bedroom and the bathroom for DNA. Get me a toothbrush, a hairbrush. I don't care if it's a nose trimmer. You bag it, tag it, and send it to the lab.

Cop: Um, th-- this carpet's made of fibers.

Hardison: Well, we're looking for other fibers -- suspicious fibers, fibers of crime. Damn! What'd they teach you at the academy, boy?! On my nerves.


[Mayor’s Office]

Secretary: Mary?

Mary: Yeah?

Secretary: I'll be with you in a minute. I've got to grab something out of the mayor's office.

Parker: Someone's coming.


[Reelection Campaign Event]

Tara: Would you excuse me for one moment?

Nate: Certainly.

Tara (walking away): You can handle this. Just feed them a story.


[Mayor’s Office]

Parker: No, I can't do that. I mean, I can, but Sophie usually walks me through this.


[Reelection Campaign Event]

Tara: Okay, take a deep breath. If you're uncomfortable, use it. Make them feel uncomfortable. Here's what you tell them.


[Mayor’s Office]

Secretary: Who are you?

Parker: Peggy Marwood. Friend of Brad's.

Secretary: You can't just barge in here. Do you have an appointment?

Parker: Yeah, actually, I do. That's what this is all about. I sort of missed my appointment, if you know what I mean. (patting her stomach) Yeah. I, uh, sort of, uh, met Brad at the, uh...


[Reelection Campaign Event]

Tara: National Mayors conference.


[Mayor’s Office]

Parker: ...National Mayors conference...


[Reelection Campaign Event]

Tara: In Vegas....


[Mayor’s Office]

Parker: In Vegas... about six to eight weeks ago. Is that his family? (picks up picture from desk) Oh, they don't have any weird genetic...Things, do they?

Secretary: I'm sorry. The mayor didn't mention anything to me about this.


[Reelection Campaign Event]

Tara: All right, now make her think you're gonna leave.


[Mayor’s Office]

Parker: No problem. I'm just gonna go sit out there with everybody, and I might need a wastebasket, though, 'cause I'm feeling a little (gags) you know what I mean?

Secretary: No! You should wait in here... Okay....In that chair right there, away from everyone who might... see you.

Parker: Thanks. (to Tara) I owe you one.


[Reelection Campaign Event]

Tara: Now, see? Trusting me is not so bad.

Nate: Uh, Felicia, do you know the mayor was a professional baseball player?

Tara: No. How exciting!

Culpepper: Please. Please. It was a half a season a long time ago. Now look at me, huh? But I played Fenway a couple of times.

Waiter: Here's your drink, sir.

Culpepper: Thank you. So, you donated 10 grand apiece. You have my attention. Please. No, j-- be candid. I want you to know that Belbridge is a pro-business city.

Nate: How does business work with you, Mr. Culpepper? Frankly.

Culpepper: Well, frankly, those who are with me from the beginning, they are at the front of the line. those who are with me after the election, they are at the back of the line. And those who are against me... they are ground into dust. Now, the good news - the great news - is, because of your generosity, you have moved to the front of the line. So, let's talk business.


[Bonnano’s House]

(Eliot searching office, finds envelope on bottom of drawer)

Hardison: Hey. What you got?

Eliot: Looks like his investigation notes from this month.

Cop (approaching): I think I found something. It's a twig.

Hardison: You know, that -- that -- that's not a twig. That is a grasshopper leg - orthoptera gryllus. It's not indigenous to this region. Son, you may have just blown this case wide open. Good work. Hey, top-line security, isn't he? Now, you go get back to work. You go be all you can be.

Cop: Okay. (leaves)

Eliot: Looks like he was investigating a company called Kirsch industries.

Hardison: Ah, seems like Bonnano found out that for the past couple of years, Kirsch has been buying up property on the waterfront.

Eliot: What do you think this is?

Hardison: No idea.


[Mayor’s Office]

Parker: Found a file in the mayor's office for Kirsch Industries. It's incorporated in the Cayman Islands.


[Bonnano’s House]

Hardison: The only industry in the Caymans is scuba diving and tax evasion.

Eliot: It's a front company for the mayor.

Hardison: The mayor did say he wanted to build a park on the waterfront. So, city buys land from Kirsch Industries, and the mayor cashes in.

Eliot: Parker, what else you got?



[Mayor’s Office]

Parker: Yeah, I mean, there could be a safe in here, but I don't have time to move all the balls and bats out of here. You could start a baseball team With all the crap he has in his office.


[Reelection Campaign Event]

Tara: What sort of opportunities do you see?

Nate: Uh...Just... You know, Mr. Mayor, I, uh -- I do like your approach. Really, I do. But I don't think that this city, frankly, is a good fit for us. Now, good luck with your re-election.

(They get up and walk away)

Tara: What are you doing? He was primed. Could've used the esplanade.

Nate: No, listen, I got something much bigger in mind, something he won't be able to refuse. Okay, guys, wrap it up. We're gonna go on a little field trip.


[PGE Park, Palmerston, MA]

Tara: I don't know. Culpepper doesn't strike me as the type to order a hit, especially on something like a graft case. What's the big deal, you know? You get caught, you go on TV with your wife, you cry, you get re-elected.

Parker: Yeah, it's the American way.

Tara: Exactly.

Hardison: Nah, this guy’s been caught in the middle of a dozen corruption cases. Each time, he's walked away, and somebody else took the fall. This guy does not get caught.

Tara: I don't know. It still doesn't feel right. (looking at paper in Eliot’s hand) What's that?

Eliot: It's a page I found in Bonnano’s notebook.

Tara: "Maltese Falcon"? The book or the movie?

Eliot: It means something. I just --

Nate: Okay, this is how we're gonna take down the mayor.

Hardison: Baseball?

Nate: Yeah, we're gonna steal this ballpark. Mm-hmm. And then the team. Not necessarily in that order.


[Mayor’s Office]

Culpepper (on phone): Yeah. Yeah, I gotta go. Yeah, that's fine. (hangs up)

Aid (entering): Your 3:00 with the head of the sanitation union is here. He's a friend of ours.

Culpepper: All right. (phone rings, he answers) Yeah?


[Waterfront]

Kadjic: I thought you'd want to know, those two high rollers that blew you off yesterday, they're down here at the waterfront taking pictures.


[Mayor’s Office]

Culpepper: All right, thanks. No, I'll -- I'll take care of it. (hangs up) That real estate developer was taking pictures down on the waterfront.

Aid: Want me to have the police pick them up?

Culpepper: "Pick them up." If they're interested in the waterfront, they can be responsible for my legacy. But, uh, yeah. Yeah, find out what they're doing.


[Waterfront]

Kadjic: Let's go. (car pulls away)

Nate: All right. Good, good. (snapping pictures)

Tara: All right, all right. That's enough. Think Culpeper must know we're here by now. Or are you gonna put up a sign or something? All right, so, how do you want to play this?

Nate: Classic con -- hook, pinch, and flip.

Tara: Hook the mayor with the idea we're gonna build a ballpark here on all this land that he owns.

Nate: That's right, and then pinch him for a bribe to guarantee he gets the action. Hardison tells me he runs a lot of gray money through his re-election campaign, so he'll take the bribe out of his re-election funds.

Tara: Which is a federal offense. All right, so once we nail the mayor for the bribe...

Nate: The flip, right? Yeah, when the heat comes down, whoever shot Bonnano cuts a deal, the mayor goes down.

Tara: Perfectly sound plan. Just have one question.

Nate: Shoot.

Tara: How do we convince him that we're building a ballpark with no team to play in it?

Nate: Yes. yeah. (walks away)


[PGE Park, Locker Rooms]

Eliot: Hey, I'm looking for the manager.

Manager: You got him. What can I do for you?

Eliot: Roy Chappell. I'm your new catcher.

Manager: We already have a catcher. Who signed you?

Eliot: Uh, the owner did. Found me in the Great North League.

Manager: Minnesota?

Eliot: Alaska. Yeah, but I've played all over -- Venezuela, South Korea, Portland.

Manager: Yeah, well, I talk to the owner every day, and he didn't say nothing about you.

Eliot: Look, man, I'm gonna be honest with you. I was hired by the owner to come in to get an outside view of how this team works. I report directly to him. We both know what that means.

Manager: Yeah.

Eliot: Yeah. Now, you can call him. He's probably just gonna yank me from the team and bring some other guy in who probably won't be as honest with you as I am.

Manager: We've got some B.P. left. Get on out there, and we'll see what you can do.

Eliot: Yes, sir.

Manager: Billy?

Billy: Yo.

Manager: The owner signed a catcher to spy on us. Roy Chappell. Check him out.


[Briefing Room]

Hardison: You got drafted in the sixth round right out of high school. Had a cup of coffee in the royals organization. Then you bounced around the minors, you bounced around the world, and, as we can see here, you made a very popular commercial for an energy drink in Japan.

Eliot (on screen): Super happy power go!

Hardison: It took me 13 hours.

Eliot: There's only one problem. I don't like baseball.

Hardison: What? E-everybody likes baseball.

Eliot: I don't like baseball, man. All right? I don't like any sport you can't score on defense. Football, hockey, even basketball, but baseball?

Hardison: I'm not even talking to you. (walks away)

Eliot: It's boring. Hey, wait. Can you play the commercial?

Eliot (on screen): Super happy power go!


[PGE Park, Batters Box]

Eliot: Yeah, he said, "Finish out the season, But don't sign a long-term lease." That's weird, huh?

Player: Hello, Marge? I've got some bad news.

Eliot: Yeah, that's right, run away. Faster you start panicking, the faster I can get out of here. (swings at ball, nearly hits the pitcher)

Pitcher: Whoa!

Eliot: This time with a little more heat.


[Briefing Room]

John (on radio): Next up on "sports line" we have Robert in Palmerston. Robert, what's your question?

Hardison (fake accent): Uh, y-yeah. Yeah, hey, John. Thanks for taking my call. I'm a first-time caller, long-time listener.

John: Appreciate that, Robert. What's on your mind?

Hardison: Yeah, I just wanted to hear your thoughts on the rumors that the Beavers are leaving Palmerston.

John: Whoa. Have not heard that. Have you heard that, Danny?

Danny (on radio): I heard something about it this morning, but I think it's, uh, one of those clubhouse rumors.

Hardison: Uh, th-- thank you. That's all I wanted to say. Thank you. Goodbye.

Parker: Long-time listener, first-time caller. Long-time listener...

John (on radio): Next up is Malik from Palmerston. What say you, Malik?

Hardison (different fake accent): Uh, yeah, man. I-I-I don't think they should be called the beavers anymore. They should be called the Weasels for leaving our town. Th-- that's all I'm trying - that's all I'm trying to say. You feel me, man? You feel me?

Parker (into phone): Los Beavers me han entristecido con su traicion, Esteban.

Hardison: You speak Spanish?

Parker: Si.

Hardison: Seriously?


[Exterior City Hall]

Nate: All right, well, good -- good job, Eliot. (hangs up) Yeah, just keep me posted, all right?

(Tara puts a tube into a chair as they sit down)

Nate: So, uh, thanks to that little rumor we started about the team leaving town, ticket sales -- crazy.

Tara: Well, here's to our national pastime.

Nate: Yeah, baseball or, uh, the con?

Tara: So, how long are we gonna have to park outside city hall before --

Culpepper: Mr. Gitt!

Nate: Not very long.

Culpepper: I saw you from across the street. I thought I'd thank you again for your donation.

Tara: Oh, Mr. Mayor, we apologize for leaving so abruptly.

Nate: We just didn't want to waste your time.

Culpepper: Oh, please! I just wish that you were comfortable sharing your plans with me.

(Aid switches tube behind them and stumbles into a table as he escapes)

Culpepper: Trust me -- what's good for Belbridge is good for you. Call me -- anytime. Here's my card. There's no pressure.

Tara: Thank you.

(Mayor walks away)

Tara: Worst lift ever.

Nate: Amateurs.


[Mayor’s Office]

(Mayor lays out plans on table)

Culpepper: Oh. Oh, be still my heart -- If my heart were somewhere in my pants. This is a thing of beauty.

Aid: He's building a ballpark?

Culpepper: A riverfront ballpark. You know what that means?

Aid: Jobs?

Culpepper: Jobs. Please. A ballpark is $30 million of borrowed taxpayer money just falling from the sky. It's the Holy Grail. If these plans are right, they're gonna have buy up every inch of this waterfront. You know, my daddy tried to build up the waterfront. He never could. Now, this -- a ballpark with my name on it -- this -- this is my legacy.

Aid: How do we build a ballpark? We -- we don't have a team.

Culpepper: Wait a minute. Wait, I read something in the paper today. "Palmerston Beavers deny team is moving. Owners will address rumors after today's game." Get the car.


[PGE Park Exterior]

Picketers: We believe! You can't leave!


[PGE Park]

(Scene shows crowd and players getting ready, Eliot is the catcher)

Umpire: Play ball!


[Owner’s Box]

Nate: You know, it's a heck of a team you have here. How long have you owned the club?

Owner: Six years. It's been a real labor of love for me.

Tara: Then what's all this about you moving?

Owner: Oh, I don't know how those rumors get started. But, hey, if it puts fannies in those seats, what's the harm?

Tara: I like the way you do business.

Announcer: Looks like the beavers' pitcher is calling a powwow at the mound.


[Pitcher’s Mound]

Eliot: Hope this is about you waving me off, man, because you can't hit the slider.

Pitcher: Oh, no, no. W-we just got to know. I mean, what's the deal? Is - is the team moving?

Eliot: Really want to know?

Pitcher: Yeah.

Eliot: Want to know?

Pitcher: Yeah. Got family here.

Eliot: Team's moving. Just a question of when and where.

Pitcher: Thanks.

Eliot: No problem. Let's go. (to Pitcher) Hey. When I call the damn slider, you throw the slider. All right?

Pitcher: Gotcha.


[Owner’s Box]

Culpepper: That's them with the owner. It's really happening.

Nate: Ah, Mr. Mayor! Good day for a ballgame, huh?

Culpepper: How are you? Bud, how are you? (to Nate) Listen, can I talk to you for a minute?

Nate: Sure.


[Field]

Announcer: Looks like he's gonna try to score. The throw to the plate.

(Eliot catches the ball and throws the player over his shoulder)

Umpire: You're out!


[Beneath Stands}

Culpepper: Now, I know the team is moving. You're building a new park. I know baseball. I love baseball. And I want you to build the park in Belbridge.

Nate: Well, you know, I considered Belbridge, but I like the incentives being offered by another town down by, uh, Fall River.

By "incentives," you mean cut of the concession, piece of the construction, a buy-in?

Nate: Ah, you are pro-business.

Nate: All right, give me a number. Well, you know, the first rule of real estate, Mr. Mayor -- never negotiate against yourself.

Culpepper: And the first rule of politics, Mr. Gitt -- when you want something, be aggressive. (hands Nate a piece of paper)

Nate: Ah, $250,000. That's, uh -- that seems fair.

Culpepper: I'll cut you a check in the morning. My Chief of Staff will call you, tell you where and when. (walks away)

Nate: Okay, guys, we got him.


[Field]

Announcer: Now batting for the beavers, catcher Roy Chappell.

Nate: Meet me outside.

Eliot (at bat): What? Man, I'm three for four. This guy's throwing grapefruits. I ain't going anywhere.


[PGE Park, Exterior]

Nate: All right, good news, bad news.

Tara: Good news?

Nate: The mayor's hooked. We're in the pinch.

Tara: Bad news?

Nate: I think we lost Eliot until the playoffs.


[McRory’s Bar]

Hardison: Now, when the mayor gives us the check, the money is from his re-election campaign.

Eliot: You left early, man. Huh? Bottom of the ninth.

Hardison: Excuse your rudeness. I'm explaining the con. It's very complicated.

Eliot: Really? The mayor gives us a check, and we deposit it in some company you connected back to him. Looks like he's embezzling from his campaign funds. Bottom of the ninth, man. I hit a walk-off single, man. Crowd goes nuts.

Hardison: But that's -- that's not all there is, okay? We got -- there's - there's the Bonnano thing.

Eliot: What? We give Bonnano’s notes to the newspaper, man? They named a sandwich after me at T.J. Philbin's.

Parker: Ohh. Ooh.

Eliot: Huh?

Hardison: I'll give it to you, man. The sandwich thing is pretty cool. Is this a hoagie?

Eliot: No, man, it's a Reuben.

Nate: Sorry, this is the mayor. Is -- is -- is it an okay time to take this call, or...?

Eliot: Yeah. Go ahead. Good.

Nate: Congrats on the sandwich. (walking away to take call) Uh, Lionel Gitt. Uh, how may I help you?


[Mayor’s Office]

Culpepper: Mr. Gitt.


[McRory’s Bar]

Nate: Oh, M-Mr. Mayor. A pleasure to hear from you.


[Mayor’s Office]

Culpepper: We have to adjust our agreement.


[McRory’s Bar]

Nate: It's pretty late notice to start changing things, uh, your honor.


[Mayor’s Office]

Culpepper: No. No, it's for the good. It's gonna be cash.


[McRory’s Bar]

Nate: Cash?


[Mayor’s Office]

Culpepper: Yes, cash! Isn't that better? You see, my partners in the waterfront deal, they want in, so they're gonna front the cash. Isn't that great? But they said that they'd like to meet you.


[McRory’s Bar]

Nate: Fair enough. Uh, why don't you just give me the address? (writes on napkin) Okay, well, we'll see you in an hour.


[Mayor’s Office]

Culpepper: In an hour.

Kadjic: This is for the best. You just have to keep the heat off us for a little longer.

(Kadjic and his men walk out)


[McRory’s Bar]

Nate: Here, look it up.

Hardison: Okay, the address is right in the middle of the Belbridge waterfront.

Eliot: It's a walk-away.

Nate: No, look, this is even better, 'cause he has partners, so this is our chance to bring them down, too.

Parker: But if the bribe is in cash, the con doesn't work.

Nate: $250,000 in cash we're gonna get -- that had to have come from somewhere. Hardison can track it.

Hardison: Uh, no, Hardison cannot.

Nate: All right, look, you kept saying that you don't think the mayor's the kind of guy to kill a cop, right?

Tara: So, let's go meet the kind of guys who kill cops on the waterfront. That's a solid plan.

Eliot: I'm sorry. Where are these partners coming from, huh? And why'd they just show up?

Parker: The Maltese Falcon" thing -- I mean, it's just weird.

Nate: Okay, enough! We're talking about bringing down a corrupt mayor and cleaning up a city. I mean, it's huge. It's probably the biggest thing we've ever done.

Eliot: They're not handing out trophies for this.

Hardison: We don't always win, man.

Nate: Yeah, but we never quit. Okay, so, look. You -- you guys - you guys check out the security. You do the perimeter, yeah? And we'll be on the inside. Look, we're gonna do this. We can do it. We're gonna bring this guy down.


[Waterfront Guard Shack]

Hardison: Homeland security. Spot inspection.

Guard: Nobody called us.

Eliot: Yeah, well, that's 'cause it has nothing to do with you. We're here to inspect your... "gate-mounted x-ray imaging system."

Hardison: Was installed with the federal anti-terrorism money. We're just checking it out. Give us five minutes... And space.

Guard: Oh, no. We really shouldn't leave, so...

(Hardison and Eliot walk into the shack)

Guard: Hey, aren't you Roy Chappell? Yeah, you hit the game-winner yesterday for the beavers. I was there with my kid.

Eliot: I did.

Guard: What are you doing here?

Eliot: It's Triple-A ball, so I got to have a day job, you know? Excuse me. Sorry. (closes door)

Guard (through window): Oh, hey, Roy? You mind? (hands him paper and pen) It's for my kid.

Culpepper: No, I don't mind, man.

Guard: All right. Thanks, Roy.

Hardison: Who are you right now?

Eliot: Hey, man, what do you want me to do?

Hardison: Huh? Seriously?

Eliot: Like a role model.

Hardison: Seriously?

Eliot: What? It's not my fault.

Hardison: Man, just put the taps on the video feeds. W-- h-hold -- wait. No, something's not right here, man.


[Warehouse]

(Nate and Tara walk in to find Culpepper waiting for them)

Culpepper: Thank you for meeting me at such short notice.

Tara: The foundation of every good business relationship is trust.

Nate: And, uh, cash on a barrel.

Culpepper: Like I said, business-friendly.


[Below Docks]

Parker: Nate, I'm under the dock.

Thug: Okay, put it down with the rest of them.

(thug puts down a crate and picks up a gun)

Parker: Guys with guns.


[Warehouse]

Nate: Hmm?

Culpepper: What?

Nate: What?


[Below Docks]

Parker: They're just walking around like they own the place.

(Men bring in another crate, Parker goes to investigate)

Parker: "Soybeans." (she begins to pick lock)


[Warehouse]

Culpepper: So, let's talk about the terms of the deal before we continue.

Tara: Where are your partners?

Culpepper: They'll be here any second. I just thought that we would hash things out before they arrived, you know, just save us some time.


[Guard Shack]

(Hardison opens electrical panel and looks inside)

Hardison: That's the list of all the security upgrades they installed with the federal money, right?

Eliot: Yeah.

Hardison: How much did they spend?

Eliot: $20 million. And that's not what the inside of an x-ray imaging system's supposed to look like.

Hardison: No, it's what the inside of an easy-bake oven looks like. (referring to list) Infrared? There's no infrared feed on these cameras. And 24-hour surveillance? The cameras are rolling, but that drive is not big enough to record more than a day. Hell, this is the least secure port on the East Coast.

Eliot: So, where'd that $20 million go?


[Below Docks]

(Parker gets a crate open and looks inside to see guns)

Parker: I'm thinking inventory. These beans are made of guns. (picks up grenade) And hand grenades.


[Warehouse]

Nate: You know the terms of our agreement. Why don't you just say?

Culpepper: Well, never negotiate against yourself. Am I right?

Tara: Let's go. We're done. (takes Nate’s arm to lead him away)

Culpepper: No, no, no. (follows them) No, no. M-my partners will be here any –

(feedback squelch hits all three)


[Guard Shack]

(feedback squelch hits both men)

Eliot: Son of a... What is that?

Hardison: It's feedback. Somebody else is transmitting on high frequency.


[Warehouse]

Nate (grabs Culpepper by the throat): All right, come here.

Culpepper: J-jabberwocky! Jabberwocky!

Tara: That's a code word.

(Nate pulls open Culpepper’s shirt to reveal wire)


[Guard Shack]

(sirens get Eliot’s attention, many cars pull up with people wearing jackets labeled FBI)

Eliot: That's FBI. Nate, we got FBI. FBI's right on top of you!

(cars continue to roll in, surrounding warehouse)


[Warehouse]

(Nate stamps on wire)


[Waterfront]

Parker: So, the guy who put out a hit on a police detective is an FBI snitch? That's not fair.

(Hardison uses laptop to view cell phones in the area)

Hardison: That one. Federal I.D. Cell phone.

Nevins: Roskin, Connell.

(two men go toward building)

Nevins (into radio): I've got the front exit. Call it. Side door, check in.

Agent (into radio): Team 2 in position.

Nevins: Team 3, back door.

Agent (into radio): Team 3, ready.

Nevins: On my mark, we go.

(nearby agent’s phone rings, Nevin’s answers)

Nevins: Who is it? Who's this?

Hardison: You come in, and we'll kill all the hostages.

Nevins: What hostages?

Hardison: Oh, you thought the mayor was the only one? No, look, we got a whole Sunday school of people up in here. We got old folks, we got nuns, and we got explosives. You come in, you make headlines. (hangs up)

Nevins: We got any eyes in there?

Agent: No.

Nevins: Any cameras?

Agent: Nothing.

Nevins (into radio): All right, we hold! We hold! They're not going anywhere. Call for backup. I want bomb squads, full assault team, snipers. They want to play rough... We play rough.


[Warehouse]

Tara: Well, now we know why he never went down for any of the other corruption cases, 'cause he's a snitch.

Nate: You know, it's possible that, uh, he doesn't know anything about Bonnano getting shot.

Culpepper: Oh, I knew that would come back.

Tara: What?

Culpepper: No. No.

Nate: You did.

Culpepper: I didn't. My FBI handlers, they told me to be very careful because there was a state police investigation, so I told... Someone else, okay? But I had nothing to do with it.

Nate: He has a kid! (grabs Culpeper and throws him on a crate) He has a son! He almost died!

Culpepper: I know, I know! I did nothing!

Nate (raising weapon to hit Culpepper): Do you understand he almost died?!


[Waterfront]

Hardison (looking at screen): Yeah, Nate, I bought you some time, but right about now, We got a whole army of five-o coming down on us. It's a big day. Big, big day for us.


[Warehouse]

Tara: You have to let him go.

Nate: No!

Tara: Then kill him now! We have to get out of here.

Culpepper: No! No! No, no, please!

(Nate raises weapon)

Culpepper: No. No. No!

Nate: Ugh! (hits crate) Okay. We'll deal with him later. Uh...Okay, here's what we're gonna do. Come here. I got a plan here. Listen.


[Waterfront]

Hardison: No. Nate, are you kidding me, man? That is the worst plan I've ever heard.

Eliot: Look, he needs a distraction.

Parker: We did just find a box of ammo and explosives. Boom. I'm just saying.

Eliot: The problem is in the delivery.

Hardison: And a detonator.

(Parker and Eliot turn to look at truck)

Hardison: No. Mnh-mnh. No. Mnh-mnh-mnh-mnh. Mnh-mnh. Mnh-mnh. Look, mnh-mnh. Not Lucille. Not Lucille! She all I got left. Don't you do it to me. Get that look out your eye.

(Parker and Eliot begin unloading the truck)

Hardison: You ain't got to be so happy about it, Eliot. You always had it in for my van. You always had it in for Lucille. You said she smells. She don't stink. It's just...An odor.

(Nevins’ phone rings, she answers)

Nate: Is this the FBI agent in charge?

Nevins: This is special agent Amy Nevins.


[Warehouse]

Nevins (on phone): I'm leader of this task force. Who's this? What happened to the other guy?

Nate: Well, he got a little jumpy. But I'm willing to talk, and as a sign of good faith, I'm willing to release one hostage.


[Waterfront]

Nate (on phone): But just one.

Nevins: Good. Good. That's a good start.

(Hardison walking around side of van, remote control in his hands)

Hardison: Sorry, Lucille. I love you, baby. I ain't gonna forget you.

Eliot: Dude, grenades.

Hardison: Dude, the van! You know she out of warranty, right?

(Eliot and Parker close the van doors and walk away)



[Warehouse]

Nate: You ready?

Tara (tying up Culpepper): Ready. Let's go.

Nate (calls Nevins): I'm releasing the hostage now.


[Waterfront]

Nevins: Hostage coming out! Hostage coming out! Go! Go!

(Culpepper comes out of the door, blindfolded and hands tied)

Nevins: Hostage is out! Oh, god! You're all right! You're all right!

Culpepper: Get me out of here. Get me out of here!

(Hardison directs the van toward the warehouse with remote control)

Hardison: I've always been and forever shall be your friend.

Nevins (seeing van approaching): What the...

(van explodes)

Nevins: Whoa!

Culpepper: Aah!

Hardison: I'll never forget you.

Nevins (on radio): What the hell was that? Is everyone all right?

(at another door)

Agent (on radio): At least we got the hostage out.

Nevins: Affirmative. Hostage is clear.

Agent: She's fine.

Nevins: She?

Agent: Yeah, those other agents are bringing her around now.


[Flashback]

Nevins: Hostage is out! Hostage is out!

(Culpepper comes out of door, blindfolded and hands tied)

(at another door, Tara comes out, blindfolded and hands tied)

Nevins (on radio) Hostage is out!

Agent: It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. We got you.

Nevins (on radio) Hostage is out!

(at another door, Nate comes out, blindfolded and hands tied)

Agent: You're okay. Everything's all right. You'll be all right.

Nate: It's okay. It's okay. Everything's okay.

(gets into car with Eliot and Parker)

Nate: Ah. What an ordeal. Boy.

(car pulls up and Tara gets inside)

Agent: You're okay.

Hardison: Come on, come on.


[Waterfront]

(team drives by in car)

Agent: Isn't that your car?

Nevins: Shut up.

(car pulls up to where Hardison is waiting)

Eliot: Get in!

Hardison: No!

Nate: Hardison!

Hardison: No, y-you ignored us. You screwed up. You. And you killed Lucille.

Nate: Listen. Priorities, please. You know, we'll go somewhere safe. You can bitch me out all you want. Get in.

Parker: Let's go! Come on!

Hardison: Kiss my ass.

Parker: Come on!

(Team pulls away)

(Nevins walks out of the warehouse)

Nevins: Why didn't you tell us there were only two of them?

Culpepper: Listen, they found my wire. You said they would never find my wire!

Nevins: Tell me why I don't break our deal?

Culpepper: Not my fault.

Nevins: Those people are out in the wind now! We have no idea who they are or what they want.

Sterling: Oh, I wouldn't say that. (holds up badge) James Sterling... Interpol. Just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?

TO BE CONTINUED
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