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Leverage Main | When Darkness Falls

3x05 The Double BLind Job
[Exterior Park]

Ashley: I can't believe you actually bought this dreadful red thing.

Lisa: I believe it's called a sweater.

Ashley: This monstrosity defies the good name of sweaters everywhere.

(Lisa stops, looking ill)

Ashley: Lisa, I was kidding, the sweater is fine.

Lisa: I just need to rest for a second.

(Lisa collapses to the ground. Ashley tries to catch her)

Ashley: Lisa? Lisa! Lisa! Somebody! Help!


[Exterior Restaurant]

(three years later)

(Roberts walks up to a table Ashley is sitting at and sits down)

Roberts: Ashley? Ashley Moore, right?

Ashley: You must be doctor Roberts.

Roberts: Yes, sorry I was so cryptic on the phone. I have some information about your sister's death.

Ashley: What? Did you know Lisa? (Ashley’s phone rings. She sends it to voice mail)

Roberts: No, but I know about the drug trial she was part of. I'm so sorry.

Ashley: Were you involved in the trial? (phone rings again) I'm sorry. I should see who this is.

Roberts: Of course.

Ashley (answers phone): Hello? Hello? (stands and looks away from the table) Oh, who is this? I can't hear you.

(Ashley hangs up phone and turns back to the table, Roberts is gone, leaving only a napkin with several names. Across the street, two men stand near a black sedan. Ashley rings back the number that had called her, and one of the men’s phone rings. She starts down the street and they follow. She runs, they run. She runs into Hardison, who knocks into Eliot. Hardison helps Ashley to her feet)

Hardison: Are you okay?

Man (flashing badge) F.B.I., sir. That young lady's in our custody.

Hardison: Aw, see, you made two mistakes, bro. First, you flashed that fake-ass F.B.I. Badge at me. Second, you spilled his coffee.

(Hardison points to Eliot, who has coffee all down the front of his shirt. Eliot tosses his cup over his shoulder and attacks the two men)

Hardison (to Ashley): See, I-I got your back.


[McRory’s Pub]

Ashley: My sister was part of a drug trial for a new medication called HT1. A week into the trial, she suffered acute liver failure and died.

Nate: Did the drug company offer a settlement?

Ashley: J.R.P. Pharmaceuticals, the company sponsoring the trial, they sent a very attractive man in a suit to our house. He said nobody else had any side effects and it was a freak accident. He sat at our kitchen table, and he wrote a number on a piece of paper. Sitting at the kitchen table where she used to eat pancakes.

(Ashley starts to cry. Hardison puts his arm around her)

Hardison: I'm sorry.

(Parker watches from across the room)

Nate: So, your parents, uh, declined any kind of settlement?

Ashley: I convinced them not to. I gave them a great speech about how Lisa's life couldn't be bought, how I'd make the people who killed her take responsibility.

Nate: Yeah, but that never happened.

Ashley: Sounds like you've been there.

Nate: Close enough.

Ashley: We sued, but J.R.P. claimed Lisa had a pre-existing condition. We lost.

Nate: Yeah, causation is the hardest thing to prove in these cases.

Ashley: We couldn't find a lawyer who would take our appeal. I've spent three years looking for any new evidence. I found nothing until Dr. Roberts contacted me. And now he's gone.

Nate: Well, we'll-we'll find him, just, we're happy that you're okay.

Ashley: Thanks to Alec. I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't been there.

Nate: Now, before Dr. Roberts disappeared, did he leave you anything, give you any information, uh, some...

Ashley (pulls out the napkin and puts it on the table): Just this.

Nate: "Arcadia" and a bunch of names. I don't know. (hands napkin to Hardison) Here.

(Hardison types on his laptop and pulls up a map)

Hardison: Okay, Arcadia's a town about 30 miles from here. But I got nothing on the names.

Nate: None of these names link to Arcadia?

Hardison: No, like "nothing" nothing. No school records, no addresses, no birth certificates. They've been erased. But I did find Dr. Roberts. (turns around laptop)

Ashley: Wow. You found that while we were sitting here?

Hardison: Oh, yeah. It's nothing.

Ashley: It's amazing. I've always wanted to do that.

Hardison: Well, I-I could show you some stuff. As soon as I get you a refill.

(Hardison picks up her glass and takes it to the bar)

Parker: Hey, what do we know about her? Did you do a background check?

Hardison: She's a nice girl who needs our help. (picks up new glass)

Parker: Yeah, but she could be a spy or a terrorist. She looks kind of like a terrorist.

Hardison: Yeah, I'm gonna keep my eye on her.

(Hardison takes the glass back to the table. Parker follows, pulling up a chair)

Nate: Yeah, according to this, uh... (looks at Parker) up until, uh, eight months ago, Dr. Roberts worked for J.R.P. Pharmaceuticals.

Ashley: That's the company that made HT1.

Hardison: Okay, now, J.R.P. Pharmaceuticals was bought by Pallagen Laboratories. Dr. Roberts and all the other researchers were let go.

Nate: All right, maybe... maybe we should maybe take this to the, uh...

Hardison: Poker room? Yeah.

Nate: Yeah. Where's Eliot?

Hardison: Oh, he had to change his shirt. He got coffee on it. And some blood and some teeth.

Nate: Oh... uh, okay. Well, why don't you call him and, uh, tell him to go to Dr. Roberts' home address, and, Parker, you and Sophie do things the old-fashioned way. Knock on some doors in, uh, Arcadi...

(Parker continues to stare at Ashley, making her uncomfortable)

Nate: Parker?

Parker: Hmm?

Nate (hands her napkin): Want to go knock on some doors in Arcadia?

Parker: Right. Got it.

Nate: Yeah.

(Parker leaves)

Nate: All right.

(Nate, Hardison and Ashley leave the table)


[Dr Robert’s Apartment]

(Eliot knocks on the door

Eliot: Door's locked and nobody's answering.


[McRory’s Pub]

Bartender (gives drink to customer): Here you go.

Customer: Thanks.


[Poker Room]

(Eliot is hooking the laptop up to a monitor)

Nate: All right, well, see if you can break in, but be subtle.


[Dr Robert’s Apartment]

Eliot: Yeah, yeah.

(Eliot kicks the door in)


[Poker Room]

Nate: Not subtle.


[Dr Robert’s Apartment]

Eliot: Dr. Roberts? (walks further into the apartment, picks up keys from a table) Pretty small apartment to be driving a BMW.


[Poker Room]

Hardison: He doesn't drive a BMW. He drives a moped.


[Dr Robert’s Apartment]

(Eliot yanks on the keychain)

Eliot: It's a flash drive.


[Poker Room]

Hardison: Okay, well, plug it into your phone.


[Dr Robert’s Apartment]

Eliot: Really? (plugs drive into his phone, it transmits files) You getting this?


[Poker Room]

Hardison: Okay, according to these files, Dr. Roberts was meeting with Darren Hoffman.


[Dr Robert’s Apartment]

Hardison: Now, Hoffman was trying to buy something from him for…

(Eliot continues to look through the apartment)


[Poker Room]

Hardison: …$200,000.

Nate: Sounds like a bribe.

Hardison: No, no, no, there's nothing in his account that shows up that big. If it was a bribe, he didn't take it.

Nate: All right, well, we got to figure out who this, uh, Hoffman guy is.

Hardison: Give me a second. Cross-referencing Dr. Roberts’ cell records with his file and... Okay, Hoffman is the C.E.O. of Pallagen Laboratories.

Ashley: Pallagen is the company that bought J.R.P. Pharmaceuticals.

Hardison: Well, it, it shows that Hoffman doesn't have a background in medicine or science. He's a career executive. He started with finance, went to telecom, jumped to software, and then he jumped to the top spot in Pallagen a year ago.

Nate: Yeah, I know his type. Yeah, well, he's chasing the C.E.O. chair. He's moving from company to company, juicing their profits and using the publicity to move onto the next corporation. (takes down a bottle of liquor) No loyalty.

But what could Hoffman want from Dr. Roberts that's worth $200,000?

Eliot: Well... I found your Dr. Roberts.


[Dr Robert’s Apartment]

(Roberts is lying on a couch, dead)

Eliot: They made it look like a heart attack.


[Poker Room]

Nate: What do you mean "made it look"?


[Dr Robert’s Apartment]

(Eliot checks the body)

Eliot: Well, there's nice places a professional will use to deliver an injection. They went under the fingernail. Your Dr. Roberts was murdered.


[Poker Room]

Sophie: Nate, we found the people in Arcadia.


[Cemetery]

Parker: Tiffany Helland, Michelle Coratola, Nicholas Paxton.

Nate: Okay, who have you talked to so far?

Sophie: Well, that's not really an option. (looks down at headstone) They're all dead.


[Leverage HQ]

Sophie: All right, here it is. 15 people from Arcadia Participated in the HT1 drug trial. 10 of them died of liver failure.

Nate: Ashley's sister was not the only victim of HT1. (hitting remote) See, Hoffman, what he... (displays don’t work properly) Oh, come on. Damn it, Hardison. You know, he keeps changing the settings, and I can't...

Sophie: Where is he? Where is Hardison?

Nate: He's downstairs in the poker room. He's looking after Ashley. Parker's helping.

Sophie: Parker's helping?

Nate: Mm-hmm. (monitors start to work) There. Okay, so after Pallagen buys J.R.P. Pharmaceuticals, Hoffman has all the online records of Arcadia erased. Now, luckily, his reach doesn't extend to the Arcadia public library.

Sophie: So, Roberts finds a connection between Hoffman and HT1. Hoffman offers him the 200 grand to silence him.

Nate: But Roberts doesn't take the bribe, so Hoffman has him... erased.

Sophie: I'm thinking the Swedish rail con.

Nate: Eh. The Cairo flyer?

Sophie: Oh, no way. I'm not wearing that dress again.

Nate: Oh. The double-blind.

Sophie: The double-blind. Yeah.


[Pallagen Laboratories, Lobby]

(Parker pulls a briefcase into the lobby and approaches the front desk)

Man: May I help you?

Trina: Hi. Oh, hi. Welcome to Vioplex training day. I'm Trina. And you are?

Parker: Laurie. Laurie Sprang.

Trina: All right, let's see. (checks her list) Laurie. Welcome. Well, it looks like you're the last to arrive. Let's go meet the other ladies. Oh, come on. Don't be shy. Come on. Okay.


[Poker Room]

Nate: All right, so, Parker, you break in to Hoffman's office, find out what Roberts had on him.

Hardison: Yeah. A lot of pharmaceutical reps are hired out of cheerleading programs. Now you, Laurie Sprang, you attended the University of Iowa, where you were a cheerleader, graduated with a 2.9 G.P.A., and you were also second runner-up for the Miss Iowa Beauty Pageant.

(Hardison does photo manipulation to put Parker’s head on someone else’s body)

Parker: Beauty queen?

Hardison: Oh, yeah, it's a nice touch, right? It was Ashley's idea. Pound it.

(Hardison and Ashley fist bum as Hardison hands IDs to Parker)

Nate: Meanwhile, uh, Sophie is gonna establish a relationship with Hoffman so that, uh, when we, uh, rattle his cage with your Intel, he's gonna run to Sophie.

Hardison: It's gonna be tough for Sophie to make contact this week. His whole schedule is filled with this drug launch thing.

Nate: So get somebody else's appointment, like... how about her?

Hardison: Jennifer Pearson, F.D.A.?

Ashley: I-I'm sorry. How do you keep the real Jennifer Pearson from showing up?


[Pallagen Laboratories, Lobby]

(Eliot walks across the lobby toward the front desk. Jennifer approaches the front desk and gets a visitor badge. Eliot walks up to her)

Eliot: Miss Pearson? Hi. How are you? Phil, part of Mr. Hoffman's team. He's asked me to show you around.

Jennifer: Oh, that's okay. I'm just here to sign some papers for the Vioplex launch.

Eliot: Mm-hmm.

Jennifer: It's just a formality.

Eliot: Yes, ma'am. But see, here at Pallagen, We like to make sure that everyone we work with is part of the family. (steals her badge) Okay?

Jennifer: All right.

Eliot: So do me the honor?

Jennifer: Sure. Fine.

Eliot: Thank you so much. That way I get to keep my job.

Jennifer: Okay.

Eliot: This way.

(Eliot hands off the badge to Sophie, who is walking across the lobby)


[Hoffman’s Office]

Sophie: Mr. Hoffman.

Hoffman: I'm Jennifer Pearson, F.D.A. More red tape.

Sophie: Uh, we prefer to call them safety measures.

Hoffman: Of course. We take safety very seriously here at Pallagen.

Sophie: I'm sorry, I've just, I've heard so many amazing things about this company and... and the man that runs it.

Hoffman: Well, you know, you can't believe everything you hear. (hands her file folders)

Sophie: I'm sure in this case, I can. But I was hoping you might show me around. I'd love to discuss the possibility of doing some consulting for you.

Hoffman: I'd be honored.


[Poker Room]

Nate: "Consulting" is code for "bribe." Yeah, doctors who review drugs for the F.D.A. are allowed, by law, to take consulting fees from the drug companies.

Hardison: See, it's $50,000 to each doctor on the F.D.A. panel, $200,000 to the director of the New York medical school to speak at the Pain Awareness Institute. And then $25,000 to each celebrity that attends the annual dinner at the institute.

Ashley: What's the Pain Awareness Institute?

Nate: It's a foundation set up by Hoffman and Pallagen to, uh, legally funnel bribes.

Ashley: This is legal?

Hardison: We're in the wrong business, man.

Nate: Parker, Sophie's cleaning out Hoffman. Get in position.


[Hoffman’s Office]

Hoffman: Let me, uh... show you around our humble facility.

Sophie: I'm sure it's not humble at all.

(they walk out of the office and Sophie trips the security on the door to allow entrance) I'm clear.


[Conference Room]

Nate: Parker, you're up. Parker?

(Parker Stands up)

Trina: Oh, and we have a volunteer. Thank you, Laurie.

(Trina pulls Parker to the front of the room)

Parker: I actually wasn't volunteering. I just have to use the little girls' room.

Trina: No, no, no. Don't even pretend to be shy. I read your bio. Ladies, Laurie was second runner-up for Miss Iowa. (applause) Give her a hand. All right, this is Dale. He'll be playing Dr. Nesson. This is your first meeting. Go ahead, introduce yourself, and then introduce Vioplex.

Parker: Dr. Nesson.

Trina: And remember to smile.

Parker (smiles): Dr. Nesson, I'm Laurie. I've got great drugs. Do you want some?

Trina: O-okay, good. Uh, but let's try to elaborate on Vioplex a little more. Okay? Okay, go ahead.

Parker: All right. I love Vioplex. It makes you happy, and not hungry, and you sleep better. Do you want some?

Trina: Um, Vioplex is actually pain medication not an anti-depressant or sleep aid or a diet pill. Did you read your sales training manual?

Parker: I, yeah. I left it in the, uh, little girls' room, so...

Trina: Okay, why don't you go get it?

Parker: Okay.

Trina: Okay.

(Parker leaves the room)

Trina: All right, who's next?


[Hoffman’s Office]

(Parker walks into Hoffman’s office and closes the blinds. She plugs a drive into the computer and types a few keys, which starts files copying)


[Poker Room]

(Hardison receives the files on his laptop)

Hardison: Locked file on a locked workstation. I smell secrets. Oh, 256-bit A.E.S. encryption? Oh, adorable.

Nate: Wait. Hold on. This right here. Make that bigger?

(Hardison opens the file onto a larger monitor)

Nate: All right, where is... (Nate pulls out a picture of HT1 and takes it over to the monitor to compare it)

Nate: This. It's identical.

Ashley: It's HT1. I've spent three years learning everything I could about the drug that killed my sister. That is HT1.

Nate: Okay, so I thought Roberts made a connection between HT1 and Hoffman. No.


[Lobby]

(Hoffman and Sophie are walking across the room)

Nate: It's between HT1 and Vioplex.


[Poker Room]

Nate: So Hoffman is going to release HT1 as Vioplex. And a lot of people are gonna die.

Ashley: Vioplex is HT1. I mean, here, they just added trace amounts of a time-released protein inhibitor. It'll delay the liver failure, hide the symptoms. Instead of dying in months, it could take years.

Nate: Let me see his bribes again.

(Hardison puts a number of pictures on the monitor, all circling Hoffman)

Nate: Okay, so those are all the people you'd pay off if you were trying to
push through a toxic drug.

Hardison: Oh, he can't get away with this. No.

Nate: Listen, the F.D.A., they get 500,000 complaints every year about bad side effects. By the time anyone figures out what's going on, Hoffman will be long gone onto his next C.E.O. gig.

Ashley: So he'll never be held accountable for the people he killed.

Nate: That's right. We need physical evidence that HT1 and Vioplex are the same thing. We need the HT1 vials.

Ashley: You think they still have them?

Nate: Yeah. Drug companies keep samples of everything.

Hardison: They still got vials of smallpox in over a dozen countries.

Ashley: Do I want to know which countries?

(Hardison shakes his head. Nate heads for the pub)

Nate: Parker...


[McRory’s Pub]

Nate: I need you to look around Hoffman's office for anything that tells us where they keep the samples. We need to get the F.D.A. to crack down on Vioplex. Eliot, don't lose Jennifer Pearson, all right? We're gonna get the vials to her before the launch.


[Lobby]

Nate: She is now part of the con.

(Eliot is talking to Jennifer, showing her around the building)

Eliot: Except the whole top floor. All the windows were replaced, and we put in solar panels.

(Jennifer walks a few feet away from Eliot)

Eliot: Dude, she's on a flight in two hours.


[McRory’s Pub]

Nate: Well, do not let her get on the plane.


[Lobby]

Jennifer: Listen, this tour has been lovely, but I really should sign the Vioplex papers now. I need to get to the airport.

Eliot: Right. Or you can sign them tomorrow and spend the day walking around the city... with me.


[Hoffman’s Office]

(Parker unhooks the drive and looks around the room, seeing several binders out of place. She moves them)

Parker: Found a safe.


[Lobby]

Eliot: I'm just saying, it's... It's a beautiful city, and I'd hate for you to miss it.

Jennifer: Let me make a quick call.

Eliot: All right.


[Hoffman’s Office]

Parker (unlocking safe): Birthday. Typical. (goes through the files) Okay, I've got something. (scans papers)


[Poker Room]

Hardison (receiving scans): All right. See, now that... that right there, that is so... (remote security monitor alarm goes off) Not good. Parker, security is on their way to Hoffman's office right now. You got to get out.

Nate: No, no, no.


[McRory’s Pub]

Nate: Parker, you don't get out. You stay right where you are till we got what we need.


[Hoffman’s Office]

Parker: How much time do I have? 60 seconds?


[Poker Room]

Hardison: No, 40. Uh, 35. No, now 20.


[McRory’s Pub]

Nate: No, you got 19. You're gonna stay where you are.

(Hardison joins Nate at the bar)

Hardison: Nate, look, security is literally seconds away from Hoffman's office.

Nate: We need those vials.

Hardison: But we also need Parker.


[Hoffman’s Office]

(Parker puts the files and binders back into position)

Parker: Done.


[McRory’s Pub]

(Nate drains his glass, puts it down on the bar, gives Hardison one last look and walks away)


[Hoffman’s Office]

(Parker exits Hoffman’s office and removes the device keeping the door unlocked)


[McRory’s Pub]

(Sophie walks into the pub)

Nate: Oh, good. Listen, I need you to go over to...

Sophie: What the hell was that?

Nate: What?

Sophie: You pushed Parker way past the red line in that office today.

Nate: I made the call. What?

Sophie: Because it was a medical company? Because anything that reminds you of your son--

Nate: Listen, since when do you question what--

Sophie: Since you went off the rails, and we had to pull you out of prison and ended up getting blackmailed, thank you very much.

Nate: Fair enough.

Sophie: Look, you still run this crew, but you're a thief now just like me. And that means I can call you out any time I think you're out of control.

Nate: And if I say no?

Sophie: I'll walk. And remember, Nate... I'm the only one that actually likes you. (leaves the pub)


[Leverage HQ]

Hardison: Little Jennifer Pearson's wearing you out, ain't she?

Eliot: Dude, we walked the freedom trail twice.

Hardison: Nice.

Eliot: No, man, the actual freedom trail. We took paddle boats to the public garden, shopped on Newbury Street. I went to something called the Boston duck tour.

(Nate enters)

Hardison: Yo. The information I got from Hoffman's office confirms that he's still got vials of HT1 in Pallagen's storage. Thing is, the vials are stored in a case amongst hundreds of other cases in one of 10 storage facilities. Now, if I do my math, that means this case was--

Eliot: It's gonna be hard to find!

Hardison: I believe I was making that point.

Nate: Well, we are going to get Hoffman to lead us to the vials. We'll use Sophie's friendship with him to get information. Then I'll enter the game to push.

Eliot: You realize the last guy that pushed Hoffman ended up dead.

Nate: Yeah, well, let him take his best shot. We'll see who walks away this time.

Hardison: Prison's changed him.

Eliot: Better or worse?

Hardison: I'm not sure.


[Restaurant]

Sophie: I'm really excited about working with you. I suppose we should discuss what kind of arrangements you have in mind.

Hoffman: As my consultant, I would expect that any complaints about Vioplex would be moved to the bottom of the pile.

Sophie: That's easy enough. But if there are, um, persistent complaints, eventually, people will take notice.

Hoffman: "Eventually" is the key word. Eventually, people will die. Their friends and family will call the government, and we'll be forced to make a very public and heartfelt apology and pay some fines. But you know what happens between now and eventually? We make billions of dollars.

Sophie: These are not small fines. Last year, my department handled a case Where the company had to pay out $2.5 billion.

Hoffman: Oh, yeah. Everybody heard about that. But what the news didn't tell you is that that company made $16 billion on the same drug. That fine was 14% of the profit. 14%. That's like tipping your waiter. "Thank you very much for taking our drugs. Here's a little something for your family." I wasn't hired by Pallagen to cure cancer. And Vioplex is gonna do just that.

Sophie: Well, here is to the future of Pallagen.

Hoffman: Chilly?

Sophie: Yeah, it's cold in here.

Hoffman: Here. Take my jacket.

Sophie: Oh. Thanks.

(Hoffman walks around the table to put his jacket around Sophie’s shoulders)

Sophie: What a gentleman. No one's done that for ages. (phone rings) I'm so sorry. I have to take this. Hello?

(Hoffman watches Sophie walk away. When he turns back, Nate is sitting in his seat)

Hoffman: That seat's taken.

Nate: Yes, yes. Yes, it is.

Hoffman: Who the hell do you think you are?

Nate: I'm a friend of Dr. Roberts.

Hoffman: Is that supposed to mean something?

Nate: Oh, yes. It means that I know Vioplex is HT1 in a clever disguise.

Hoffman (sits down): What do you want?

Nate: $5 million.

Hoffman: That's ridiculous. No one's ever gonna believe you.

Nate: I have proof. You really should have kept those vials somewhere more secure. (writes on a napkin) Wire me the money by 5:00 P.M. (gives Hoffman the napkin)

Sophie (coming back): Are you... oh. I'm sorry about that. Um, are you okay? You don't look so good.

Hoffman: It's just a... headache. Would you mind if I caught up with you at the launch?

Sophie: Yeah, of course. I'll see you later. Oh, don't forget your, your jacket.

(Sophie takes off the jacket and hands it to Hoffman, who leaves)


[Hallway]

(Hoffman enters a code into a keypad, which opens the door to a restricted area. He goes in and unlocks the doors to a storage room, then opens a case to see vials contained inside. He replaces the case and leaves the storage area)


[Poker Room]

Nate: Thank you, Mr. Hoffman.

Hardison: GPS-enabled hi-def button cam.


[Flashback]

(Sophie takes the button cam from her phone and places it on Hoffman’s jacket)

Sophie: Don't forget your, your jacket.


[Poker Room]

Hardison: Now, Parker, look. We have the location, all right? Got the access codes, and we have the case number. All you have to do is go pick the lock on the cage. Now, I'm gonna compare Hoffman's path with yours and, uh, lead you to the right room.

(Hardison gives Parker a GPS device and she clips it on her jacket)

Ashley: Good luck.

Parker: Luck? Do I look like I need luck?

Hardison: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Parker, she just meant, like, you know.

Nate (hands Parker a case): Go do your magic.


[Lobby]

Sophie: I'm in.

(Sophie looks up to see Hoffman making a call on the balcony. He gestures for her to come upstairs)

Sophie: Hoffman is up to something. Hardison, are we tracking his phone?


[Poker Room]

Hardison (on computer): I've got a signal. I just don't have a connection point. (Nate’s phone rings) And now I have my connection point.

Nate: Well, I've been expecting your call.

Hoffman: I know a good deal when I see one.


[Lobby]

Hoffman: You get your money, I get your silence.


[Poker Room]

Nate: Well, that's the deal.

Hoffman: But I like to do these things in person.


[Lobby]

Hoffman: Eliminates the room for error. So, you're gonna have to come to me for your payment.


[Poker Room]

Hardison: Nate, no. Don’t do it.

Hoffman: Be at Pallagen in 20 minutes.

Hardison: It's not good. You know it. Don't...

Nate: I'll be there. (hangs up) What were you saying?

Hardison: "You'll be there." Nate, it's a trap.


[Lobby]

Sophie: Do you want to end up like Dr. Roberts? All Hoffman has to do is send his goons out into the crowd to brush past you with a syringe.


[Poker Room]

Hardison: She's right, man. It's a suicide mission.

Nate: All right, listen, listen. I don't do it, it's gonna tip Hoffman off and this whole thing will fall apart. (puts on jacket) So, I guess the rest of you are just gonna have to get it done before they manage to kill me.


[Lobby]

(party is in full swing)

Nate: I'm in. Does anyone see anything suspicious?

Eliot: No, but that's kind of the point. They're gonna try to blend in. Look for guys who got a couple inches on everybody else here, and hands in their pocket, shoes that lace up a little too high. Security guys always wear shoes that they can run in.

Nate: Narrows it down.

Jennifer: Don't you think?

Eliot: Yeah, sure.

Jennifer: Were you even listening to me?

Eliot: I...

Jennifer: You know, I've dated a lot of you drug company guys. You're all the same. You're nice, you're handsome, and married to the job. Look, I really enjoyed our time together. I'm just looking for someone who's a little less settled.

Eliot: Well, I'm... I'm... I'm...

Jennifer: It's not a criticism. You are a great guy. I'm just not looking for someone who sits behind a desk all day. I want someone who travels the world and takes risks, somebody a little more dangerous.

Eliot: Right.

Jennifer: I'm sorry. (kisses his cheek)

Eliot: Well, let me just... You're gonna... Wait till after the launch to... to sign the papers though, right?

Jennifer (puts up her hair): Sure. We can hang out, still be friends.

Eliot: We can still be friends.

Nate: You all right, Eliot? You need time to shake it off?

Eliot: Shut up! Let's get this show over with.

Nate: Hardison, how we doing with the vials?


[Poker Room]

Hardison (watching monitor): Parker's two minutes out.


[Hallway]

(Parker is walking down a hallway, carrying the case)


[Poker Room]

Hardison (watching monitor): Wait, wait. Stop. Parker, you're going the wrong way. Turn around.


[Hallway]

(Parker stops and turns around, walking back the other way)

Hardison: All right, now make a right. There's a security camera over your right shoulder.

(Parker peeks around the corner and sees the camera,)

Parker: Got it. (moves to the key pad) What's the code?


[Poker Room]

Hardison: What's the code?

Ashley: What? I... the... I don't...Know.

(Ashley and Hardison dash to the computer and paper on the table to get the code)

Hardison: It's...Give us a minute, give us a minute, give us a minute.

Ashley: It's, uh...

Hardison: Okay, there we go. It's 5-1-1... 5-1-1-9-9-3.

Ashley: It's 5-1-1-9-9-3. 5-1-1-9-9-3.


[Hallway]

Parker: Too many voices, okay? Too many voices.


[Poker Room]

Ashley: There's two 1s and two 9s. Two 1s and two 9s.


[Hallway]

Parker: Too many voices!


[Poker Room]

Hardison: O-okay, it's-it's-it's 5-1-1-9-9-3.


[Hallway]

(Parker enters the code into the keypad and the door opens)

Parker: I'm in.


[Poker Room]

Hardison: Okay. Good, good, good.


[Restricted Room]

(Parker enters the room and heads for the paddle locked gate)


[Lobby]

(Nate waits at the bar, a man approaches and Nate blocks what looks like a blow, but was simply the man going for a napkin with a pen)

Nate: As you were.

Man: Almost broke my pen.


[Restricted Room]

Parker: I triggered the motion sensors. The HT1 vials are in the cage. How long till security's here?

Hardison: 15 seconds.

Parker: Plus or minus?

Hardison: Plus or minus none.


[Poker Room]

Hardison (watching monitors): Get out of there now.


[Lobby]

Sophie: Should we, um, be getting out of here? Go mingle with your fans, I mean.

Hoffman: Not quite. I-I have one more thing I need to do before I can join the party.

Nate: Parker has tripped the alarm. We should clear out before Hoffman starts putting the pieces together.

Sophie: I'm just gonna get a glass of champagne.

Hoffman (answers phone): This is Hoffman. What? Did they take anything? Get in there. (hangs up phone)


[Restricted Room]

(two guards enter the room)

Guard: Check case number 7298. Look in the back.

(as the men continue into the cage, Parker is clinging to the ductwork on the ceiling, holding the case. The men unlock the cage and Parker flips down the floor, locking them in the cage before running toward the door. She trips another guard with the case)


[Lobby]

Nate: Parker, Sophie, you clear?


[Restricted Room]

Parker: The HT1 vials are still in the cage. Security's on top of them. (leaves room)


[Lobby]

Sophie: Get out, Nate. Now.

(Nate heads for the door. A guard with a syringe in his hand begins to follow. The guard moves to strike but Nate deflects the blow into a nearby poster. More guards move in)

Guard 2: Grab him.

(the guards grab Nate)

Guard 2: We got him.


[Hoffman’s Office]

(guards force Nate down in a chair)

Hoffman: So glad you could join us.

Nate: What's going on?

Hoffman: The deal's changed.

Nate: Look, I don't underst-I-I thought a businessman like you would know how to keep a deal.

Hoffman: We had a deal when you said you had the vials. But you were bluffing. Nice, getting me to lead you to the storage facility. Too bad the hack you hired to steal the cases got caught.

Nate: Mm, she didn't get caught.

Hoffman: She left empty-handed. See? (takes case from guard) Now I have the vials, and I have you. I think we need a new deal. (to guards) Wait outside. Don't let anyone in.


[Outside Hoffman’s Office]

(Eliot approaches the two guards)

Eliot: Hey. Can I get you guys some coffee?

(Eliot pulls the guards away from the door)


[Hoffman’s Office]

Nate: A-as far as I'm concerned, the old deal still works. You give me the money, and no one finds out that Vioplex is identical to HT1, right? So, okay. All right, listen. I’ll lower the price. $2 million.

Hoffman: Still negotiating, huh? Well, I got to admire your persistence.

Nate: Well, you know, the truth's gonna come out once people start dying.

Hoffman: Well, sure. But by then, Vioplex will have made this company billions of dollars. And I'll have turned that success into a penthouse office in a fortune 500. I think I'll try oil next.

Nate: Hmm.

Eliot: Door's clear.


[Outside Hoffman’s Office]

(Eliot pulls the guards away)


[Hoffman’s Office]

Nate: It's a great idea. Great plan. There is one little snag.

Hoffman: What's that?

Nate: We stole the vials.

Hoffman: Then what's this?

Nate: That's an empty box. Yeah. We have the vi- well, we had the vials.

Hoffman: You "had" the vials. Where are they now?

Nate: Well, now they're in the champagne that you're drinking.

(Hoffman swallows and puts the glass down, then opens the case to find it empty with a ‘Cheers’ sign in the lid)


[Flashback]

(Parker switches cases in the storage room and exits the cage, relocking the gate)

Parker: Done.

Hardison: All right, good. I'm turning on the motion sensors... now.

(Parker looks at the sensors)

Hardison: Par... Parker, do it already.

(Parker turns and starts waving her arms. The alarm goes off)

Parker: I triggered the motion sensors.


[Hoffman’s Office]

Nate: Now, I got to tell you, it was a pretty concentrated dose, so your liver will fail in the next few hours, two days tops. You should be experiencing nausea, followed by this intense, profound, uh, fatigue, loss of appetite...

Hoffman: Now stop it! I know you couldn't have drugged the champagne. I've been watching you since you got here.

Nate: Well, I'm not working alone, so...

(Jennifer enters the room)

Jennifer: Excuse me, Mr. Hoffman?

Hoffman: Who are you? How did you even get in my office?

Jennifer: Jennifer Pearson, F.D.A. rep. Your assistant said you were ready for me.

Hoffman: My assistant?


[Flashback]

Eliot: The door's clear.

Sophie: Miss Pearson?

Jennifer: Yes.

Sophie: I'm Mr. Hoffman's assistant. He's waiting for you in his office.

Jennifer: Oh. Thank you. I guess I do still need to sign those forms.

Sophie: Um... (takes her glass) Oh, I'll take that.

Jennifer: Thank you.

Sophie: Mm-hmm.


[Hoffman’s Office]

Hoffman: No, I've met the F.D.A. rep.

Nate: Like I said, Mr. Hoffman, I'm not working alone.

(Nate gestures toward the monitor that shows a security feed of the lobby. Sophie looks into the camera and lifts her glass to it)

Hoffman: No! (leaves office)

Jennifer: What's going on?

Nate: What's go... oh, y-you want to stay with him, okay? He'll explain everything. But come here first. You're gonna want to take this. (hands her case) Run along.

(Jennifer follows Hoffman down to the lobby)


[Lobby]

Hoffman: Everyone, stop! Don't drink the champagne! (knocks glasses out of people’s hands) Do not drink the champagne! We've all been poisoned!

Jennifer: Mr. Hoffman! What is going on here?!

Hoffman: We all need to go to the hospital! Someone has put HT1 into the champagne!

(music rings out and the monitors change to show a comparison of HT1 and Vioplex, which are virtually identical)

Woman: What's that on there?

Woman 2: HT1? That's the drug that killed all those people in Arcadia.

Hoffman: This isn't happening. Oh, this cannot be happening.

Jennifer: You mean that the poison in the champagne is the same thing as Vioplex, which you're selling to millions of people?

Hoffman: Someone tampered with that case. They, they - they stole the vials.

(Jennifer opens the case to reveal it is full of vials)

Jennifer: These vials?

Hoffman: No. I opened that. They were gone.


[Flashback]

(Nate puts the note in the lid of the case, closes it, and hands it to Parker)

Nate: Go do your magic.

Hardison: Now remember, it's a trick case. All you have to do is drop the vials in, close the case, and abracadabra.


[Lobby]

(Hoffman looks up on the balcony to see Nate toasting him with a glass of champagne)

Jennifer: How are you going to explain this to your shareholders?

Reporter: Sir, right here. Mr. Hoffman, please.

Reporter 2: Mr. Hoffman, what does this mean for Vioplex?

Sophie (to Nate): 50 high-profile doctors, two dozen medical journalists, and an F.D.A. rep.

Nate: That should do it.

Sophie: You do realize that that stunt you pulled defines "out of control".

Nate: Well, you know, I just wanted you to see that I would never put any of you at risk if I wasn't willing to take the same chances myself.

Sophie: I love how you think that's comforting.


[McRory’s Pub]

(Headlines show that Hoffman was arrested)

Ashley: Hardison: So, what do you do now? Your quest is complete.

Ashley: I don't know. This just consumed my life for so long.

Hardison: Well, here. I got this out of Hoffman's file. (hands her a list of names) Those are all the families affected by HT1. Now, some people are sick, some people died, but they all need help. Look at all of them.

Ashley: I mean, what could I do?

(Hardison hands her a check)

Ashley: That...Is a lot of money.

Hardison: See, F.D.A. awards whistle-blowers a percentage of the fine. And when the fine's a couple million...

Ashley (putting her hand over Hardison’s): Thank you!

(Parker is glaring at Ashley, sitting next to Sophie at the bar)

Sophie: I'm glad she finally got closure.

Parker: Who?

Sophie: Ashley.

(Parker crushes the neck of the beer bottle she’s holding)

Sophie: You need to talk to him.

Parker: Who?

Sophie: Hardison.

(Parker crushes the bottle more)

Sophie: You don't like it when he talks to other women.

Parker: I don't care who he talks to.

Sophie (holds up a piece of glass): What you're feeling is called jealousy, Parker.

Parker (laughs): I'm not jealous. No. No, I'm not jealous. No. It's just that, when I see them together, I... don't like it.

Sophie: You need to tell him how you feel.

Ashley: I should get going.

Hardison: Already?

Ashley: Yeah. But if I ever cross paths with another evil C.E.O., I'll know who to call.

Hardison: I'm looking forward to it.

(Ashley and Hardison hug before Ashley leaves)

Hardison (sees broken bottle: What happened here?

Sophie: Nothing.

Parker: Uh, cheap glass.

Sophie: I'm tired. I'll see you later. (leaves)

Parker: So, Ashley. Nice girl.

Hardison: Yeah, yeah. She seems pretty cool.

Parker: Strange teeth.

Hardison: I hadn't noticed.

Parker: Really?

Hardison: No.

Parker: So, I have to tell you something.

Hardison: Okay. (sits down) Did--did you want to talk now?

Parker: Yeah. Okay. So, the thing is, I think that maybe I might be having feelings. Like weird, weird feelings... f-for...

(Parker hesitates, looking at Hardison, who keeps looking back)

Parker: Pretzels.

Hardison: Pretzels. Okay. (points to basket on the bar) Well, they're right here, when you want them.

(Parker looks at the pretzels for a long moment, then up at Hardison)

The End

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