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

5x15 The Long Goodbye
[Darkened Room]

(Nate sits at a table, visibly upset)

Ellen: What was your mistake?

(Nate seems unable to speak)

Ellen: How did it start?

(Nate begins to speak)


[One Month Ago, Brew Pub]

(Nate and woman sit at a table to one side of the room. Hardison and Sophie sit at the bar.)

Nate: You sure it's a cure?

Dr. Gallo: A whistle-blower at Pallagen reported that 76% of children put on this new drug, Trimethia, went into full remission.

Nate: And they won't release the drug.

Dr. Gallo: The only disease it cures is Stanhope's Sarcoma, and... we both know how rare that is.

Nate: There's no market for the drug, so they won't put it into production.

Dr. Gallo: Not enough children die of Stanhope's Sarcoma to make it profitable.

Nate: Enough children... (takes a breath) Enough of them die.

Dr. Gallo: My patient, Danny Sullivan... (opens file on table) He's running out of time.

Nate: He's gonna get the drug.

Dr. Gallo: I don't want to give his parents false hope.

Nate: Thing about false hope is that, ah, the sting of it fades. Unanswered prayers, eventually, those... those go away, too. But the idea that his parents could have done something, anything, to save their kid's life but didn't?

(Nate sighs and they both stand)

Nate: Don't let them carry that burden. All right? Let's not do that. I'll take care of this.

(Nate hugs woman)

Hardison: Since when does Nate hug the clients?

Sophie: Well, he hasn't seen her for seven years. Not since Sam's funeral. Dr. Gallo was his son's pediatrician.

[Leverage Headquarters]

Nate (walking in with file): Pallagen stores samples of all their orphan drugs right here in a lab on the 10th floor. We've done this a hundred times.

Hardison: The lab door has a keypad. We can pop that in 5 min flat. It's not the lab.

Nate: Then what is it?

Sophie: It's the building. None of the security measures are here, and the public plans are redacted.

Hardison: Highpoint Tower isn't just home to Pallagen, okay? Check it. This, the 20th floor? There's an Internet hub server for the federal law enforcement. Ah, you know all those Internet files that are supposed to be in-in the cloud? There is no cloud. (shows graphic on display behind him) They dance and shuffle on these servers all over the world. I mean, five minutes here, three hours there. At any given point, there are data backups for the FBI, DEA, and Interpol passing through the Highpoint Tower server.

Nate: Okay, so the building's security is classified. We have eyes on it?

Sophie: Oh, yeah, I thought you'd want that. We're on our way in. (pushes button and feed of building shows on screen) Eliot? Parker?


[Highpoint Tower, exterior]

(Eliot and Parker approach the building)

Eliot: We’re on our way in.


[Highpoint Tower, Lobby]

Female Security Guard: Your purse, ma'am. (hands purse to woman) Thank you.

Male Security Guard: Go ahead and go through.

(camera pans the lobby showing many people in line. Scanner beeps off screen)

Male Security Guard: Sir, excuse me. Could you step back?

(Eliot and Parker join the line)

Eliot: Nate, can you hear me?


[Leverage Headquarters]

Nate: What's going on with the comms?

Hardison: I'm on it.


[Highpoint Tower, Lobby]

Eliot: Comms are fuzzing in and out.

Parker (looking around): No one's on their phones. No one's checking e-mails. Cellphone blockers. Full wireless lockdown.

Eliot: The only time I've seen that is CIA.

(view pans to show cameras everywhere. View changes to that of security camera which obviously has face recognition software)

Parker: We've seen this on one other system before. Don't look up. We have to go, now.

(Eliot and Parker exit lobby


[Highpoint Tower, exterior]

Parker: We have a problem. The security system's a Steranko.


[Leverage Headquarters]

Hardison: Oh, sweet Lord. (covers eyes)

Sophie: No, no. Come on. We've beat a Steranko before.

Hardison: No, we escaped a Steranko, barely. They've been improving the system for the last two years based, by the way, on our break-in. Look, the only communication in or out is through hard lines. (shows grid on screen) Good news is I can hack the exchange under the street.

Nate: Yeah, so you can control all the calls coming in and out of the building.

Hardison: Yeah, but that's it. Check and mate.

Nate: Okay, so, how much time do we have, you know, just to get in and-and bluff for a few minutes, huh? Danny Sullivan has maybe two months to live.

Hardison: I can do it in one.

Nate: All right, so, Steranko is bottom-heavy. The toughest security's in the lower floors. We're gonna come in from the top. Show me, ah, surrounding office towers.

Parker (on comm): Copy.

(monitor reads ‘Initializing Button Cam’)


[Highpoint Tower, exterior]

(Eliot turns on a camera on Parker’s badge and she begins turning in a slow circle)


[Leverage Headquarters]

(video from Parker’s cam shows on screen)

Sophie: Stop.

(feed stops and reverses a few feet)

Sophie: Hello, gorgeous.

Hardison: Okay, that's Dolan Theater, built 100 years ago over the Shanghai Tunnels. It's a landmark. That's why they had to build the other office tower on top of it. Security there is a joke.

Nate: Sophie

Sophie: I have just the thing.


[Dolan Theater Exterior]

(man places a sign that says ‘Coming in 3 weeks’ over a MacBeth poster)


[Dolan Theater Roof]

Parker: Highpoint Tower is 55 yards away.

Nate: Now we just need to get you from here to there on a zip line without breaking both your legs. (begins drawing a plan)

Parker: This one means a lot to you.

Nate: "V" equals "G" times "T" times "A". Velocity equals gravity. 32 feet per second squared multiplied by time in seconds, multiplied by the cosine angle of the zip line.

Parker: Minus friction.

Nate: Minus friction.

Parker: It's just that this is the kind of mastermind stuff you usually go off and do by yourself. You and your bottle. But lately, you've been involving me in the planning. And not just the heists, the cons, too.

Nate: Parker, you know, you don't let feelings get in the way. You, you rotate problems. Security, people, timelines. You spin them in the three-dimensional space, like ah, puzzle pieces, until they click. It's not the way I think, but... I trust your judgment. (moves closer) I really do. (begins walking away)

Parker: 18 miles an hour. Is that what you got?

(Nate turns back to look at her, then leaves)


[Dolan Theater, Interior]

(several actors are on stage in costume)

Zachary: This supernatural soliciting cannot be ill, cannot be good.

Sophie: Zachary, all right, the witches have just delivered their prophecies to Macbeth, and-and-and he's afraid. Why? (looks around at others in seats) Why-why is he afraid? He's afraid because he knows that he's contemplated taking the crown. He's consumed by the fear of having his darkest secrets revealed.

(Nate sits down behind Sophie)

Sophie: All right, take five, everyone.

Stage Manager: Everyone, take five. When we come back, we'll pick up with act 4.

(the room and stage clear)

Nate: Hey.

Sophie: Hey.

Nate: Do you miss it?

Sophie: Hmm-mmm.

Nate: No, not even a little?

Sophie: My acting talents are best served relieving people of their wallets. I really like it on this side of the stage. I-I love it. For the first time in my life, I'm exactly where I belong.

(Nate leans forward and kisses her)


[Darkened Room]

(Nate sitting with hand over his eyes)

Ellen: What was your mistake?

(Nate sits up)

Ellen: When you were pulled from the river, you were semiconscious. You said that you made a mistake.

(Nate tries to speak, but cannot)

Ellen: Mr. Ford... How did your friends die?

(Nate looks at woman and tries to move but his right hand is handcuffed to a rail)

Nate: Where am I?

Ellen: You're in the criminal holding room of Trinity State Hospital. You suffered a head trauma, so your short-term memory's a bit fuzzy. I'm Ellen Casey. I'm here to evaluate you and your state of mind, try to get some sort of context of what happened today. We have reports of an attempted break-in at the Highpoint Tower. There were shots fired, and then there was a car crash at the river.

Nate: I don't... I don't... I'm not...

Ellen: Mr. Ford, I'm here to help you, okay? I'm just-I’m just trying to get to the truth. Please. Just focus.


[Dolan Theater Exterior]

(view pans from the roof to the entrance, then focuses on the Macbeth poster, which now has a sign stating ‘Saturday: Matinee & Evening Show)


[Dolan Theater, Changing Room]

(Nate is fiddling with the wiring in the lights and in an electrical panel)

Stage Manager: Five minutes to places, please. Five minutes to places, everyone.

(computer display is projected onto one of the walls)

Sophie (entering room): This is a disaster. It's a disaster. (grabs costume from rack) My Lady Macbeth hasn't shown up. I have to go on.

Nate: Ah. you'll be great.

Sophie: You lie to me spectacularly all the time, and now you utterly fail.

Nate: No, listen, the matinee audience is cover for the getaway. It's part of the con. So, you'll be great 'cause you're always great on the con.

(Sophie moves forward and kisses him)

Sophie: Break a leg.

Nate: Break a leg.

(Sophie exits)

Nate: Okay, Parker, the play starts in three, two, one…


[Dolan Theater Roof]

Parker (lifts crossbow with grappling hook): And showtime.

(Parker turns and fires hook toward Highpoint Tower, where it catches on a pole. She then rappels to the Highpoint Tower roof)


[Highpoint Tower, exterior]

(Hardison and Eliot are dressed as delivery men leaning on a van, looking up at Parker)

Hardison: 20 pounds of crazy.

Eliot: 5-pound bag.

(the men turn to get into the van)


[Highpoint Tower, Roof]

(Parker lands and an alarm goes off with a flashing red light. Parker pushes a button on the remote and her wire falls away, retracting to the Dolan Theater Roof)


[Dolan Theater, Dressing Room]

Nate: Parker, there are two guards stationed full time on the 20th…


[Highpoint Tower, Roof]

(Parker runs to access panel on roof and opens it, climbing in)

Nate: …floor. They're gonna be coming up to check the roof alarms in 4, 3, 2, 1

(Parker closes hatch while door to roof opens and guards run out)


[Dolan Theater, Dressing Room]

Nate: Parker, you clear? Parker?

(Parker’s comm on display is flashing)

Hardison (on comm): Hey, man, I boosted the earbuds as high as I could without frying our skulls.


[Van, Interior]

Hardison: But I already told you, once we're in that building, we're shut out.

Eliot: How's Sophie doing?


[Dolan Theater, Dressing Room]

Sophie (from stage, badly): Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts...

Nate: Pretty good.


[Dolan Theater, Interior]

Sophie (on stage): ... unsex me here, and fill me... And fill me… and fill me from my head... From my crown to my toe.


[Van, Interior]

Hardison: Oh, come on.


[Highpoint Tower, Server Room]

(Parker walks quickly through, opens a panel and attaches mechanism, then turns to a monitor which quickly flashes with Security Breach)


[Highpoint Tower, Lobby]

(lights are flashing, and alarms are sounding)

Male Security Guard: Alarm on 12. (into radio) Go to 12.

Second Male guard: Okay, now it's on 5.

Male Security Guard (answers phone): Highpoint Tower.

Nate (on phone): This is operator 722 for Steranko Systems. We're showing alarms.

Male Security Guard: They're all false alarms. We have confirmation there's no entry at any of these points. Could you turn off the damn alarm?


[Dolan Theater, Dressing Room]

Nate (into phone): Could you give me your building security password, please?


[Highpoint Tower, Lobby]

(lights are flashing, and alarms are sounding)

Male Security Guard: Bravo two two zebra nine eight.

[Dolan Theater, Dressing Room]

Nate (into phone): Thank you, yeah, we actually have technicians finishing up a job in the area. They'll be there shortly.


[Highpoint Tower, Lobby]

(lights are flashing, and alarms are sounding)

Male Security Guard: Thank you. (hangs up phone)


[Dolan Theater, Dressing Room]

Nate (into phone): Highpoint Tower.

Operator: This is operator 397 for Steranko Systems. We're showing alarms.

Nate (into phone): We got a blown transformer down the street. We're getting power surges, brownouts and everything. The alarms are going crazy up and down the block. Could you turn the thing off?


[Highpoint Tower, Lobby]

(lights are flashing, and alarms are sounding)

Male Security Guard: Thank God, I'm glad you guys showed up.

(Hardison holds up ID)

Eliot: What?

Male Security Guard: Thank God, I'm glad you guys showed up.

(Hardison moves to security panel)

Eliot: You got a screamer, huh?


[Dolan Theater, Dressing Room]

Operator: Your building security password.

Nate (into phone): Bravo, two, two, zebra, nine, eight.

Operator: Thank you.


[Highpoint Tower, Lobby]

(lights are flashing, and alarms are sounding)

Hardison: I got it.

(alarms and lights turn off)

Hardison: You got a recurrent fault up on the 10th floor. It keeps resetting the alarm. If we don't fix that thing, the alarm's gonna sound all day.

Male Security Guard: Go. Definitely, go.


[Highpoint Tower, Elevator]

(Hardison and Eliot stand on either side of the car as Parker drops from the ceiling. She whips out clothing and begins to change. The men turn their backs and don’t look)


[Highpoint Tower, Hallway]

(Parker, now dressed as a security guard, runs down the hallway and begins picking a lock as she is joined by Eliot and Hardison)

Hardison (checking phone): Two minutes tops. We're gold.


[Highpoint Tower, Lobby]

Police Officer: I got an alarm call from this address.

Male Security Guard: We already told it's a false alarm. Technicians are upstairs fixing it now.

Police Officer: It doesn't matter. I got to walk it... City policy.


[Dolan Theater, Dressing Room]

Male Security Guard (on comm): It's 20 floors, man.

Nate (turns to look at monitor showing lobby): Guys, you got police on-site.

Police Officer: This is Baker 12. I need alarm confirmation.

Nate: Radio. Radio will still work.

Dispatch: There are no confirmed technicians on-site. I repeat, no confirmed technicians.

Police Officer (points at guards behind desk): You two stay here. (points at additional guards) You two come with me.

(they move further into the building)


[Highpoint Tower, Hallway]

(sound of door opening roughly causes Eliot to turn and see guards and officer approaching)


Eliot: Come on. Go, go. (gesturing for the others to move and they start running) Forget it.

Police Officer: Follow them! I'll cut them off!

(guards follow Eliot, Parker and Hardison while Police Officer heads the other way down the hall. One of the guards turns a corner and is hit, falling backward. Elliot comes around corner and looks at other guard, who glances uneasily at the first guard)

Eliot: What's up?

(guard tries to fight but Eliot hits and kicks him several times, knocking him out)


[Highpoint Tower, Breakroom]

(Hardison and Parker enter running and quickly push buttons on elevator, which does not respond)

Hardison: Come on! It's locked down.

(Hardison and Parker force door open and look down the long shaft)

Hardison: Seriously? Seriously?

Parker (holds up tool): I got you.

(Hardison nods, but the door opens behind them. Police Officer enters but is too late, they have already escaped down the shaft. Police Officer draws gun and points it down the shaft)


[Highpoint Tower, Elevator Shaft]

Hardison: Wait.

(they come to a stop)

Parker: What?

Hardison: I got to readjust my grip.

(police officer fires, Hardison begins to fall, parker grabs his hand)

Parker (gasping): I got you.

Hardison: Don't let me go, babe.

Parker: I won't.

(police officer fires, hitting Parker, who screams and lets go. Hardison falls screaming)

Parker: No! Hardison!


[Dolan Theater, Dressing Room]

(Sophie is replacing her costume)

Nate: What? Parker, what?


[Highpoint Tower, Elevator Shaft]

Parker (blood on her shoulder, voice shaking): Nate, I'm hit.

(she is at the bottom of the shaft with Hardison, who is motionless)

Parker: Hardison fell. He broke his leg (checking his chest) and he's all smashed up inside. Okay, get to the alley. I can... (tries to help a struggling Hardison) Here, put your... I can... I can get him out through the loading dock, just please…


[Dolan Theater, Dressing Room]

Parker: … get to the alley.

(Nate and Sophie sprint toward the door)


[Highpoint Tower, Elevator Shaft]

Parker: Okay, you're okay. I got you. I got you. (hugging Hardison) I got you.


[Highpoint Tower, stairs]

(Eliot is running and jumping down the stairs)

Eliot (into comm): Hey, hey! Damn it, Hardison.


[Highpoint Tower, Alley]

(doors of black SUV open)

Sophie: Let's go— (gasps)

(Parker helps Hardison exit the building)

Sophie: Parker, come.

(Parker helps Hardison down a ramp toward the SUV)

Parker: We're almost there.

Sophie: Here. That's it.

(they help Hardison into the SUV)

Police Officer (exiting building): Freeze!

(Eliot exits building and knocks Police Officer down, taking his gun and emptying it before tossing it away)

Parker: Come on!

(Police Officer pulls his backup gun and shoots Eliot. Blood flies as he falls into the SUV. Parker shuts the doors as Nate pulls away)


[SUV, Interior]

(Hardison cries out in pain. Eliot spits blood)

Hardison: Did Eliot make it?

Eliot (scrambles for his hand): Here I am. Age of the geek, brother.

(they both shake with pain and can barely speak. Parker cries and takes Eliot’s hand)


[Street]

(SUV passes and a police car with lights on turns to give chase)


[SUV, Interior]

Sophie (in passenger seat): Nate.

Nate: The bridge. If we can just get to the other side...


[Street]

(camera pans the SUV and following police car, settling on a drawbridge that is beginning to rise. Shot changes to the SUV approaching a roadblock of police cars at the entrance to the bridge. The SUV stops)

Officer (blocking traffic with gun pointed at Nate): Stop the vehicle right there! Come out with your hands up!


[SUV, Interior]

(Nate rubs at his eyes while Sophie looks at him. They both look in the back, where Hardison, Eliot and Parker appear to have died holding hands. Nate looks at Sophie and nods. She nods back and they hold hands.)

Officer: Freeze!

(Nate accelerates quickly, and the officer jumps out of the way.)

Officer: Look out!

(the SUV speeds off and the officers point their guns at the vehicle)

Officer 2: Take them down!

(they fire at the SUV, which is speeding toward the opening drawbridge. Nate accelerates to make the jump, but the frame freezes before we see what happened)


[Darkened Room]

(Nate hits the table hard in rage or grief over and over, then begins struggling to control his tears)

Ellen: The police sent this over. They pulled the van from the river. (she hands over pictures of body bags being carried by police officers)

Ellen: The identity of your friends have been confirmed.

(Nate says nothing but looks gutted. Ellen nods at a nearby officer and gets up to leave the room. Nate looks around at the cameras)


[Highpoint Tower, Hallway]

Ellen (to guard): Hold him. No visitors, no calls.

(guard nods and Ellen walks down the hall past an Interpol sign)

Frierson: Interpol, Agent Frierson speaking. Can I help you?

(busy office sounds, phone ringing)

Agent: Interpol Offices, Portland Bureau.


[Highpoint Tower, exterior]

(Ellen walks out of the building and the view pans up to show it is the Highpoint Tower)


[Interpol Offices]

(Ellen is walking through the office with another Agent)

Agent: Portland Police Bureau confirms the "shots fired" report. They said they sent two detectives to do a follow-up with the lobby guards.

Ellen: They said they sent detectives? Did they?

Agent: Lobby guards confirmed two detectives came by, took their statements. Our cameras are on 15-second loop. We got this.

(Agent bends over computer which shows Eliot being shot and falling into the SUV)

Ellen: Get the Portland police back on the phone. I want those bodies.

(Ellen walks away as the agent picks up a phone)


[Highpoint Tower, Roof]

(Ellen stands looking around. She looks down and sees the remains of a red balloon that she stoops to pick up)

Ellen: You said the patrolman came into the lobby before they went upstairs with the guards.

(they begin to walk across the roof)

Male Security Guard: And then he ran back through again, calling for backup.

Ellen (looks at balloon): Tell them I'll be at the theater.


[Dolan Theater, Off Stage]

Stage Manager (whispering): Please, we don't want to disturb the play. We had a bad enough matinee.

Ellen: What happened?

Stage Manager: Our afternoon Lady Macbeth was not good. She was just a stand-in. Our lead is amazing.

(they peek out onto the audience and stage)

Lady Macbeth (on stage) ... top-full of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood. Stop up the access...

Ellen: You mind if I look around?

Stage Manager: Of course.


[Darkened Room]

(Nate is draped over the table as Ellen enters. He sits up slowly)

Ellen: Mr. Ford, the police are satisfied.

Nate: And when do they take me into custody?

Ellen: As soon as the doctors sign off.

Nate: I see.

Ellen: You loved them very much, didn't you?

(Nate doesn’t answer)

Ellen: Do you mind if I ask you one more question? Why are you lying to me?

Nate (looks at her): I am not.

Ellen: See the three weeks you took over the theater basement just doesn't make any sense. There are a dozen ways to get on that roof, until you consider... the Shanghai Tunnels.


[Flashback, Leverage Headquarters]

Hardison: Okay, that's Dolan Theater. It was, ah, built 100 years ago over the Shanghai Tunnels. It's-it’s a landmark. That's why they had to build the other office tower on top of it.


[Dolan Theater, Dressing Room]

(Ellen pushes the costumes aside and walks deeper into the room)

Stage Manager: Places, please.

Ellen (voiceover): See three weeks just doesn't make any sense if you want to get on the roof, but you know what makes sense?

(opens a door and turns on a light, revealing a closet with a hole in the wall)

Ellen (voiceover): Breaking down an old foundation to get into the old Shanghai Tunnels.

(grabs flashlight and turns it on, then walking toward hole)

Ellen (voiceover): Do you want…


[Darkened Room]

Ellen: …to know what I found at the end of the tunnels, huh?


[Tunnel]

(Ellen walking with flashlight into the elevator shaft of the Highpoint Tower)

Ellen (voiceover): The roof's not the way in. The elevator shaft's the way in, isn't it?

(she turns to see a sign on the wall that reads ‘CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION’)


[Darkened Room]

Ellen: This is how I think it went down.


[Flashback, Dolan Theater Exterior]

(Macbeth sign showing matinees)

(Camera pan up the side of building above Dolan Theater)


[Flashback, Dolan Theater Roof]

(Hardison using a modified gun to shoot a water balloon on the roof of Highpoint Tower)


[Flashback, Highpoint Tower Elevator Shaft]

(Parker at the bottom of the elevator shaft. She looks up and smiles then begins climbing)


[Flashback, Highpoint Tower Roof]

(security guards run out onto the roof and look around but do not see broken water balloon)


[Flashback, Highpoint Tower Lobby]

Hardison: If we don't fix that thing, the alarm's gonna sound all day.

Male Security Guard: Go. Definitely, go.

Police Officer (entering lobby): I got an alarm call from this address.


[Flashback, Highpoint Tower, Hallway]

(Hardison at door on phone, Eliot seeing Police Officer and guards approaching)

Eliot: Come on. Go, go. (they begin to move) Forget it. Go, go, go.

Police Officer (to guards): Follow them! I'll cut them off!


[Flashback, Highpoint Tower Breakroom]

(Hardison runs through and hits the elevator button, but there is no response)

Hardison: They locked it?

(Hardison pries the doors open and enters shaft. Police Officer enters and looks down)


[Flashback, Alley]

(Nate pulls away quickly with Sophie in passenger seat)


[Darkened Room]

Nate (stands, yelling): Why would I lie? Why? I screwed up! I got them killed! I lost everything, the only thing I ever had! (hitting table again) Why, why, why would I lie?

Ellen: Well, if I would venture to guess, I would guess that you probably have realized that you're not in the hospital. How'd you figure it out?

Nate: Well. (sits slowly) Hospitals.... Take it from me, I've been in quite a few. They're loud places. Since I've been here, I haven't heard any announcements, no alarms, no "ding". Those files that you read from earlier are supposed to be from Portland Police, but they all had Interpol coding. When you stand, you adjust your little jacket. You give it a little tug to hide the gun that ordinarily would be in your holster. You're not Portland or State Police. FBI, they like to flash their badges, and besides, I've been in the Portland offices of the FBI. Like most Americans, you reach for your cellphone, on average, every 94 seconds. But you, you stop yourself. Your head, you give a little tell, a little shake, you know. It's to remind yourself that your cellphone doesn't work here. And that leaves only one law-enforcement agency in an understaffed, barely used office in a building where cellphones don't work. So, I am in... the Provisional Interpol Offices in the Highpoint Tower, Agent Casey.

Ellen: That was good. But, ah, the roof alarm, I mean, that was just to get the guards off the 20th floor, so that Parker could get in unobserved?


[Flashback, Highpoint Tower, Server Room Hallway]

(Parker walks from the elevator shaft to the panel near the doors of the room. She attaches a cord to the panel and types on a device)

Ellen (voiceover): That floor has a server room that holds the databases for FBI, DEA, and Interpol.

Parker: Come on, come on, come on.


[Darkened Room]

Ellen: But all those files are dead. There are no active cases on the hard drives in that room.

Nate: No active cases. (looks down)

(a glass is placed on the table and slid across toward Nate. A man opens a bottle and pours alcohol into the glass. Nate hesitates but lifts it toward his mouth) Sterling: No active cases.

(Nate sips at alcohol)

Sterling (angry): You bastard. You would get them killed for that. You'd risk everything, for that.

Nate: Agent Casey, your boss, has a story to tell you.

Nate: Mr. Ford was after the most secret file at Interpol. The black book.

(ominous music plays. Sterling tosses a key on the table and Nate uses it on his handcuffs)

Ellen: What is the black book?

Nate: Five years ago, when the financial system crashed, the FBI, SEC, IRS, Interpol, they all did their jobs. They investigated, and they found massive fraud. Market manipulation, secret deals, pension funds loaded with worthless paper, people's life savings burnt. And because they knew they'd broken the system, the rich and powerful, well, they got all their money out. Now, you think I'm a thief, Agent Casey? One-third of the entire world's wealth disappeared then. Biggest heist in history. (looks at Sterling) And we know who did it.

Sterling: We decided not to prosecute. Order had to be restored.

Nate: That's why you joined Interpol? Screw justice? You're the order guy?

Sterling: It's not a choice.

Nate: It is. Justice or order. One day, you are going to have to make that choice.

Sterling: The world's economy would never stabilize, with endless parades of bankers being led around in chains. The system has to work. The guys who used to run it have to keep running it.

Nate: Ah, government agencies, they closed all the cases. They took all the files of all the cases they could have prosecuted, all the savings accounts of all the stolen money. And they filed it away. That file is the black book.

Sterling: The holy grail of the ones who got away with it.

Ellen: This black book is here?

Sterling: No.


[Flashback, Leverage Headquarters]

Hardison: You know those Internet files supposed to be in the cloud? There is no cloud. They dance and shuffle on these servers all over the world. Five minutes here, three hours there. At any given point, there are data backups for the FBI, DEA, and Interpol passing through the Highpoint Tower server.


[Darkened Room]

Nate: Once a month for just a couple of hours, the black book file is shuffled here to a backwater server in an auxiliary Interpol office during routine maintenance.

Sterling: That's why you moved to Portland. Could have picked anywhere else in the world, and you chose here.

Nate: It grows on you.

Ellen: You didn't find the black book, and your friends are dead. So why is he still lying to us?

(telephone rings)

Ellen (answers phone): Casey. (covers mouthpiece) The coroner's van arrived.

Sterling: Tell them to pull it straight into the garage.

Ellen (into phone): Pull it straight into the ga--

Sterling: Wait, wait.

Ellen (into phone): One second.

Sterling: How many bodies?

Ellen: How many bodies? (pause) Three.

Sterling: Three? We're going to the 20th floor. Bring him. Bring every guard we got. Bring everybody. (yelling) We go now!

Ellen (into phone): Everyone goes now.


[Highpoint Tower, Server Room Hallway]

(agents burst in with guns drawn. Sterling, Ellen and Nate exit elevator. Nate is again in handcuffs)

Sterling: Check the file manifest right now. File black zero zero one.

Ellen (referencing pad): It's not on the server. (stops) What? Just appeared. The backup started.

Sterling: Parker never got the file. (looks at Nate) Parker's still in the server room.


[Flashback, Highpoint Tower, Server Room Hallway]

Parker (watching device): Come on, come on.

(the door opens. Parker disconnects the device)

Guard: Roof is all clear.

(Parker looks around corner of hallway)

Guard: We're on the 20th floor, heading back to our post.

(Parker hurries into the server room. Guards turn corner and stand at door but do not see her)


[Highpoint Tower, Server Room Hallway]

Ellen: That's why you lied. You had one person left. You were giving her time to escape.

Sterling: Open the door.

Ellen: It's biometric. I'm not cleared.

(Sterling accesses pad)

Computer: Confirming ID. (performs retinal scan) Access granted, Agent Sterling.

(door opens)

Sterling: Parker even know you got Hardison killed?

(Sterling shoulder checks Nate as he passes, but Nate pushes back. Sterling stops and looks at him)

Agents (entering server room) Come on, let's go. Let's go, let's go.

(more agents enter, guns drawn)

Agent: Move. You guys check in here.

Agent 2: Clear.

Agent: We're clear.

(Ellen walks through the server racks)

Agent: Check the left side.

Agent 3: No, it's empty.

Agent (to Ellen): All clear, ma'am.

Ellen: It's clear.

Sterling: Close it up.

Ellen: All right, everybody, move out.

Agent: Come on, let's move on.

Ellen: Let's go.


[Highpoint Tower, Basement Garage]

(group walks down stairway, Sterling and Nate in the front. They stop at bottom of the stairs, then Sterling walks forward to open van. Body bags are laying inside and another is on a gurney. Nate looks up and sighs. He turns away as Sterling approaches one of the bodies. Sterling opens the bag to reveal Hardison. Sterling and Nate look at each other)

Ellen: Was it worth it, Ford? Really?

Stirling: Stand back!

(agents pull guns and point them at Hardison’s body. Stirling shoots at body as agents scramble back. Nate looks resigned)

Ellen: What are you, crazy?

(Sterling reaches into bag)

Sterling: The face is very lifelike. (pulls out a plastic package and tosses it aside) But he's ballistics gel.

Ellen: Wait. It's a fake body?

Sterling: I have two questions for you, only two. Did you talk to the Police?

Ellen: Of course. The guards did, too. We talked to the coroner's office.

Sterling: On the phone? In this building? Second question. (turns to Nate) Nate, why don't you tell her what my second question is?

Nate: Ah, the second question is where are the coroner-van drivers?

Agent: We were told to bring them in.

Ellen: Without checking the security ID?

Agent: You authorized their entry.

(Sterling holds up key, then unlocks Nate’s handcuffs)

Nate: Thank you.

Sterling: For my own personal edification, who played the patrolman?

(Nate gives him a look and a smirk)


[Flashback Leverage Headquarters]

Eliot: The black book... That's what you dragged us here for? That's why we're in Portland?

Sophie: You lied to us.

Parker (to Hardison): You lied to me?

Hardison: I'm sorry.

Nate: Don't put this on him. He kept my secret. We keep each other's secrets sometimes. Now, this is the big score. That black book's gonna be in that building once a month for three hours. And we take as much time as we need to crack it.

Hardison: Now, I've got most of the security beat, but there's one thing we do not have time to deal with once we're inside. (pulls up report on screen) It's the biometric lock on the server room. It's got a rolling 10-digit encryption. I cannot get us past that lock. And it's not like they're just gonna let us in.


[Flashback, Dolan Theater Exterior]

(Macbeth sign showing matinees)


[Flashback, Dolan Theater, Dressing Room]

(Nate bending over equipment, Sophie talking to actress)

Lady Macbeth: Are you sure?

Sophie: You're gonna be fine. You'll be great. Now, go on, go on. (escorts woman from room, then whispering to Nate) I feel a bit bad about that.

Nate: Yeah. The plan's the thing.

(Nate hands Sophie headphones and walks to other side of room)

Lady Macbeth (on stage, badly): Come, you spirits who tend on mortal... thoughts, unsex me and-and fill me up. Fill me up from my...

Sophie (on headset): This is operator 722 of the Steranko System. We're showing alarms have been set off.


[Flashback, Highpoint Tower, Lobby]

Nate (dressed as Police Officer): I got an alarm call at this address.


[Flashback, Highpoint Tower, Hallway]

Eliot (seeing Nate and the guards approach: Go, go, go, go.

Nate: Follow them! I'll cut them off!


[Flashback, Highpoint Tower, Alley]

(Nate opens door. Hardison exits building and runs toward SUV. Eliot approaches and pauses, looking up at camera. As Eliot runs toward SUV, Nate pretends to pull a gun and point it at Eliot)

Nate: Bang!

(Eliot rolls his eyes but falls into SUV)


[Flashback, Highpoint Tower, Lobby]

Nate (into radio): Baker 12. Shots fired. In pursuit.

(security guards watch Nate walk out of building, then one goes to phone and dials)


[Flashback, Dolan Theater, Dressing Room]

Sophie (on headset): Portland Police Bureau. We will check with dispatch, sir. But do not leave that building, sir. We'll send a couple of detectives over later to take your statement.


[Flashback, Highpoint Tower, Lobby]

Parker: Hi. I'm Detective Tennant. I understand you two saw the incident today.

Second Male Guard: Um, they said that there would be two detectives.

Parker: Oh, well, my partner's checking out the crime scene, but if you'd rather talk to him... (snaps notebook closed and turns away)

Second Male Guard: No, no, no.

Male Security Guard: We’d, ah, we’d love to help you.


[Flashback, Interpol Offices]

Ellen: Listen to me very carefully. Interpol has jurisdiction on those bodies.

Sophie (on phone): That is way above my pay grade. I—


[Flashback, Dolan Theater, Dressing Room]

Sophie (on headset): I can't release bodies in an active investigation.


[Flashback, Interpol Offices]

Ellen: Get me your supervisor.


[Flashback, Dolan Theater, Dressing Room]

Sophie (on headset): If you insist, ma'am. (places Ellen on hold and pauses, then with different voice) Captain Liebowitz. How can I help you?


[Highpoint Tower, Server Room Hallway]

(Sterling, Nate and Ellen exit the elevator)

Ellen: I talked-- We all talked to a dozen people today.

Sterling: I've seen Sophie Devereaux play a dozen people… (types on pad) drunk.

Ellen: I was at the theater.


[Flashback, Dolan Theater, Off Stage]

Stage Manager (whispering): We don't want to disturb the play. We had a bad enough matinee.

Ellen: What happened?

Stage Manager: Our afternoon Lady Macbeth was not good, but she was just a stand-in. Our lead is amazing.

Sophie (wonderfully): Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, fill me from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood. Stop up the access and passage to remorse.

(crowd claps and cheers)


[Highpoint Tower, Server Room Hallway]

Computer: Access granted, Agent Sterling.

(Sterling enters server room and walks through the server racks. He opens one and puts his hand in an empty slot)

Sterling: Hard drive's gone.


[Flashback, Highpoint Tower, Basement Garage]

(Hardison and Eliot dressed as coroner staff loads bodies into van.

Agent: Yeah, Roger, the bodies from the crash site are here.

(Hardison and Eliot walk away and join Parker, and all three strip over their coveralls)


[Flashback, Highpoint Tower, Server Room Hallway]

Sterling: File black zero zero one.

Ellen (referencing pad): It's not on the server. (stops) What? Just appeared. The backup started.

Sterling: Parker know you got Hardison killed?

(Sterling shoulder checks Nate as he passes, but Nate pushes back. Sterling stops and looks at him)

Agents (entering server room) All right, let’s move in.

(Hardison, Parker and Eliot enter as agents, guns drawn)

Ellen: It's clear. All right, everybody, move out.

(Parker, Hardison and Elliot hide among the server racks watching the agents leave. Hardison opens a rack and smiles. He removes a drive and the three of them leave)


[Highpoint Tower, Server Room]

Sterling: Trojan horse.

Ellen: The coroner's van is a trojan horse.

Sterling: No. I'm the trojan horse.

Ellen: There's no way out. The building's in lockdown.

Sterling: Of course, there's a way out. You found it. You just thought it was the way in.

(Ellen hurries off)

Sterling: Did you really think she was gonna find it?

Nate: You know, 50/50.

Ellen (on phone): It's agent Casey. Get the guards across the street to the theater now…. No, they're gonna be mixed in with the audience.


[Flashback, Dolan Theater, Dressing Room]

(Eliot, Hardison and Parker enter through the hole in the wall, hurrying through the room. Parker pauses to steal a helmet before following as the crowd cheers)


[Dolan Theater, Interior]

(The crowd cheers as the actors make their bows and agents enter with flashlights. Sophie is thrilled with the response. Parker, Eliot and Hardison are dressed as guards on stage)


[Highpoint Tower, Exterior]

(Nate and Sterling walk down the stairs, Nate again in handcuffs)

Sterling: I don't suppose you're done.

Nate: What do you think? (clears throat)

Sterling: What you were doing. Back in the room. When did you learn to act like that?

Nate: Ah, Sophie. She really helped me, ah, she's directing now. She-she found her calling.

(dark SUV pulls up)

Sterling: Ah. Your ride to a life sentence in a secret prison has arrived. (turns to look at Nate) Any last requests?

Nate: Yes. The other reason I needed it to be you was so that I could ask you this. Don't tell them I got the black book.

Ellen (joining): Transfer papers. (hands papers to Sterling)

Nate: Send me to jail forever. You know, just don't tell them I got their names, you know? Send me away for the break-in. Say that the file wasn't on the hard drive.

Sterling: It's a list of all the sins and secret bank accounts of the most powerful men in the world.

Nate: Yes.

Sterling: It'll be open season for every grifter and thief out there. If I don't tell them, they'd be defenseless.

Nate: Th-that’s right. That's exactly right, yeah. See, you don't tell them, they won't see it coming. They broke the world, James.

Ellen: Do you boys want to know what I think?

(they look at her, she looks at Nate)

Ellen: I don't know.

Sterling: Yeah. He has that effect on people.

(Sterling opens the car door and Nate begins to get in)

Sterling: Nathan.

(Nate pauses, looking at Sterling)

Sterling: You and I are not the same. We don't believe in the same things.

(Nathan gets into car with a sigh. Sterling throws the paperwork on the seat after him and closes the door. The paperwork reads ‘Now we’re even Tell Sophie to drive carefully.’ Sophie starts the SUV)

Sophie: What is it?

Nate: Nothing.

(Sophie drives away)

Ellen: That couldn't have been easy.

Nate: Actually, justice is always easy.


[Leverage Headquarters]

(the hard drive containing the black book lies on the table, the group gathered around looking down at it)

Hardison: There it is, man. The holy grail.

Parker: A thousand bad guys.

Eliot: A lot of revenge in there just waiting on a righteous man to take a swing.

Nate: Yeah. That man's not gonna be me.

(they all turn to look at him. He looks at Sophie)

Nate: We're out. Done.

Sophie: We?

Nate: Ah, well, that depends on, on what you say next, of course.

(Nate takes remote from pocket and points it at ceiling. The lights dim)

Sophie: What? Huh?

Nate (going down on one knee with a ring box): For five years, I've been... I've been—

Hardison: Drunk.

Parker: Lying.

Eliot: an ornery bastard.

Nate: Yeah, yeah, all that, all that. But you, you have always, always had my back. Now... be on my side.

(Nate takes out the ring and hands it to her)

Sophie (looking at ring): Did you steal it?

Nate: No.

Sophie: Oh, 'cause that-that would have been more romantic, right, Parker?

(Parker nods)

Nate: I'll, ah, I’ll steal the, um, first-anniversary ring.

(Sophie laughs)

Nate: Now can I get up?

Parker: No. You've got to say it.

Nate: What?

Parker: Say the thing.

Nate: What thing?

(Parker nods toward ring)

Nate: Oh, the thing. (turns back to Sophie and takes back the ring) Oh, yeah. Will you... (slides ring slowly on her finger) marry me, Laura?

Sophie (whispering): Yes.

(she pulls him to his feet, and they kiss as the others clap and cheer)

Parker: There you go.

Nate (to Sophie): You like it? Yeah? (turns to others) So, the hard drive. Everything you need is right there.

Hardison: You know what? I'm gonna dump this on the darknet.

Parker: Every crew's gonna want in with us.

Hardison: I mean, ju-just th-think about it... Leverage International.

Nate: That sounds pretty good.

Nate: You know, this was your crusade. Now it's our war.

Sophie: Promise me, (looks at others) you'll keep them safe.

Eliot: Till my dying day.

Nate: You know, Eliot, I'd say call if you need anything, but you never... never need anything.

Eliot: Yeah, I did. (looks at others) And thanks to you, I don't have to search anymore.

Nate: Yeah.

(everyone gathers together)

Nate (to Hardison): You're the smartest man I know. Don't get cocky.

Nate: It's a little late for that.

Parker: So, you're really going. Hmm.

Sophie: How's that make you feel?

Parker: I think I'm okay with it. Yeah, I'm okay with it.

Nate: That's why we can go.

(they all look at each other meaningfully. Nate takes Sophie’s hand and they exit)


[Brew Pub]

Sophie: You do know that Laura is not my real name, don't you?

Nate: I do.

(they walk to the door but pause before leaving)

Sophie: It's a shame. I was getting to like Portland.

(Sophie exits. Nate takes one last look back before following.)


[Office]

(parents sit on a sofa, holding hands and trying not to cry)

Father: How can they do this? They just pay a fine? They just buy my son's life?

(Parker sits in a chair, wearing a suit. Hardison and Eliot stand behind her)

Parker: People like that, corporations like that, they have all the money, they have all the power, and they use it to make people like you go away. Right now, you're suffering under an enormous weight. We provide... Leverage.

The End

Content and graphic are copyright © 2011 When Darkness Falls. Scripts are under fair use and published for educational and entertainment purposes. No infrigment intended. This web site, its operators and any content on this site is not authorized by TNT.