MAN: Previously on The Player...
MAN: If I had any new information about your wife,
don't you think I would tell you?
Should we both share what we've been doing off-hours,
when we think no one is watching?
Because I'm up for it if you are.
Johnson, old friend, how are you?
I'm well, Samuel.
This new Player of yours, Alex Kane,
our friends like him very much.
I found some old pictures on a SIM card.
The dates are off by three days, it doesn't make any sense.
Ten digits usually means... A phone number!
7-0-2 is a Vegas number.
Don't try and find me, please.
Who is that guy? Where is this?
Miami International Airport.
This is a trail, and we will follow it.
(PHONE RINGING)
(GRUNTS) (PHONE CONTINUES RINGING)
(MUFFLED SCREAM)
(TIMER TICKING)
(EXPLOSION)
(ALL EXCLAIMING)
Barbara, what are you doing here?
Well, you never answer your phone.
Realtor is coming this afternoon
and I need you to sign these papers.
Realtor?
I'm not selling Ginny's house.
Well, you don't have to. I'm gonna take care of everything.
You can't just blow into town
and make these kind of decisions on your own.
Well, you seem to have forgotten in your never-ending divorce,
that I'm the one who co-signed Ginny's loan.
Do you think I want to be reminded
every month that my daughter is dead?
No, I'm sure you don't.
Let me take the house off your hands.
I don't want your money.
You blame me.
You could have left her alone.
(PHONE RINGING) (CHUCKLES)
I gotta go.
I'll wait.
Here? It's work. I could be gone all day.
Well, the thing is, Alex, you know,
I just can't step foot back in her house.
I can't.
I understand.
I'll leave you a set of keys.
Call off the realtor until I get back and we can talk.
We have a lot to talk about, Alex.
I'm Jemma Rashard, business blogger for The Chicago Daily Journal,
I'm standing outside of US Continent Trust,
which just experienced a devastating blow today,
emotionally and physically. Share prices have already dropped.
Homeland Security and the media
are operating under the assumption
that this is an attack by foreign terrorists.
You're telling me they're wrong?
If they were terrorists,
Ada would have red-flagged any known aliases,
issued visas, or border crossings.
So, this bomber is home-grown.
Nothing scares the Feds more than an unpredictable lone wolf.
So, we let the country dissolve into fear,
while the Feds chase a ghost for a few days.
That's where you come in, Alex.
The blast originated on the sixth floor.
US Continent Trust's in-house legal department.
We believe they were the intended targets.
Who are their enemies?
They're bank lawyers.
So, it's a short list.
I've scanned their emails for threatening language.
Our suspects include business rivals, disgruntled employees,
Occupy Wall Street protest radicals.
But look.
JOHNSON: This is our guy, entering at 7:37 a.m. Central Time.
Notice the toolbox.
And this is him exiting, 22 minutes later.
No toolbox.
ALEX: Hmm. He knows where the cameras are.
Look, he kept his head down, and his back turned.
Which means facial recognition isn't an option.
He can hide from the cameras, but not from the bomb's forensics.
The Feds will be all over this.
But you have us.
A head-start? That won't last long.
The race is on, Mr. Kane.
The bet. Can Alex Kane apprehend
the Chicago bomber before the Feds?
Where's Cassandra?
I have some business in Chicago.
Cassandra will be your ear once we land,
I'll be your on-the-ground resource.
I don't need you looking over my shoulder.
Unless you fall into another pit.
What about that video you showed me?
The guy Ginny was with, where he was going with her. Got any leads?
Mr. Kane, your wife could be anywhere.
And anywhere is a lot of ground to cover.
Why don't you just focus on the task at hand.
Interesting article on US Continent Trust in the Financial Times.
It will make our flight go faster.
Looks like it'll put me to sleep.
Exactly.
Brilliant.
That's not right.
Enhance.
Where are you?
ALEX ON PHONE: Cassandra, can you hear me?
Alex, I'm with you.
I'm at the blast site. This place is a zoo. Any idea how to get inside?
There's a present for you in the back of the car.
You shouldn't have.
I was hoping for a six-pack
and a couple of Cohibas, but I guess this will do.
You're welcome.
The glasses have an embedded micro camera.
I can see what you can see.
Really?
Now, you're a little more my type.
You've got a Department of Structural Engineering ID.
You've come to check the integrity of the building after the blast.
There's a case in there as well.
You're going to need it.
What's this?
CASSANDRA: Consider it a time machine.
It's gonna give you a 24-hour lead on the Feds.
(SCATTERED CHATTER)
CASSANDRA: You need to find the seat of the blast.
(BEEPING)
What's this thing doing?
It's analyzing vaporized residue
for identification of chemical markers and toxins.
You can't hide from forensics, remember?
(BEEPING)
Okay, I'm getting a reading. You've reached the hot ring.
Hey.
This guy knew exactly what he was doing.
The bomb was well-designed. A lot of shrapnel, lateral spray radius.
Very targeted.
He wanted to blow the hell out of this floor. That's exactly what he did.
Our lone wolf has skills.
(BEEPING)
I've got eyes on me, tell me you got what you want.
Semtex with trace evidence of DMDNB.
A detection taggant used only in the United States.
You can't just pick up Semtex at your local hardware store.
The stuff is seriously regulated.
Our guy had to have a supplier.
Someone not afraid of breaking a few dozen federal laws.
Check with demolition contractors in the tri-state area.
How about one with a revoked license,
criminal record, and black market connections?
This charmer goes by the name of Beemer.
He's a one-stop shop for all things that go bang.
You have a long drive. I'm relaying the most direct route to you now.
Last one. Thank you. SAMUEL: Mmm-hmm.
And remember, you have a 9:00 a.m. tomorrow morning,
so, you boys behave.
Okay, Farrah. (CHUCKLES)
Mr. Johnson.
Farrah.
Samuel. Looking sharp as ever. (CHUCKLING)
Good to have you home. I wish it were more pleasant circumstances.
Seeing you makes it more pleasurable circumstances.
I know you're partial to Habushu,
but I just happen to have a Macallan 39
that might make you change your mind.
I regret that I'll have to refrain.
Game time?
BOTH: Game time.
I fear that you've become vulnerable.
You know that FBI Agent Nolan,
and her alliance with the Detective Brown,
and his relationship with the new Player.
All your troubles started when he came on board.
Now, these things don't just happen.
Someone's coming after my House.
It would seem.
Death by 1,000 cuts.
Tell me about Alex Kane. How did you recruit him?
I didn't.
And how is Cassandra?
Exceptional as always.
Loyal?
She is.
So, you told her the truth about her family and she stayed?
I haven't seen the need yet to make that disclosure.
My people are digging. We'll get the answers we need.
Know that the Council has only your best interests in mind.
As long as my interests aligns with theirs.
I hope that you'll go by the old neighborhood while you're here.
We should never forget where we came from.
From the womb to the tomb? Forgetting is not an option.
Hey, Edward Murphy? Beemer?
Are you a cop? Let me see a badge.
I just wanna talk to you for a minute.
They always have to run, don't they?
Hey. Who blew that building?
What are you talking about, man?
Contractors, they need like a little extra firepower,
so, I help them out, but that's all.
Selling Semtex to terrorists is more than helping out. It's treason.
I don't know any terrorists. I don't know what...
Look, look, I got paper work. I got files. You can check 'em.
In here?
Yeah. Yeah, check these out. Come here.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Come here. Hey. Come here.
Okay, okay!
Just because a man runs doesn't mean you have to give chase, Alex.
Have a seat.
I cracked Mr. Beemer's computers before you were out the door.
Yeah, you could have mentioned that before my face was bleeding.
And miss all the fun?
Mention what?
This, this is not good.
Yes, Mr. Beemer seems to have unloaded
enough Semtex for a small army.
Yeah. Our bomber's not done.
The Gamblers confirm your hunch, Alex.
There are side bets indicating that hundreds of lives are at risk.
The Semtex. Who'd you sell it to?
I don't take names, man. It's bad for business. And my longevity.
(GRUNTS)
Who was he?
All right. All right.
Look. He was just some guy.
He had a legit Department of Transportation ID.
You're gonna tell me who he was.
He works for these like demolition pros.
I don't know, like blowing up old bridges.
When did the deal go down?
Last Thursday. Around 4:00.
You sure? Yeah, yeah!
Ow.
You're not going to arrest me?
You got bigger problems than me, my friend. Homeland Security.
Not again.
Hey, our guy's got surveillance cameras.
Maybe our bomber drove out here.
I'm scanning Beemer's footage from last Thursday,
cross-referencing license plates
with current DOT employee records.
Look, I don't mean to rush you,
but the ticking clocks around here go boom.
(TIRES SQUEAL)
No hits.
All right, check again.
This time, the records of past employees who've been laid off or fired.
Okay, yeah. Brilliant, brilliant. Got it.
(HUMMING)
This guy's not a terrorist.
That's a rather bold statement,
considering you've only seen a photo.
Yeah, but I'm guessing, what, married, with kids? No criminal record?
Three for three.
That's not the profile of a homicidal bomber.
Javier was a demolitions expert
for the Illinois Department of Transport.
He was let go three years ago. Budget cuts.
Does disgruntled fit your profile any better?
Yeah, but he didn't attack the DOT. He hit a bank.
And not for money. This doesn't makes any sense.
Look, get me his home address.
I can tell a lot more about a guy
from his sock drawer than from his job history.
(CHUCKLES)
You Mr. Johnson?
Why do you ask?
'Cause nobody else is brave enough to get near that stoop.
That's good to know.
People around here say you went Triad,
but my mom says you went legit,
made a man out of yourself even with your dad gone and all.
That's what they say, huh? Yeah.
But you gotta have some money, though.
Nice car, nice shoes, keeping this house empty all these years.
Know what this place is worth?
Yeah. I know exactly what it's worth.
Well, anyway, man, this is for you.
Oh.
Hey, little man.
Fight the good fight.
Yeah.
"Neighborhood."
I'm going to take a wild guess and say,
US Continent Trust owns Javier's house.
It looks like Javier's original lender tranched his mortgage,
bundled off the servicing rights to a Chinese lender,
and then it was purchased by... This is a mess.
But, yes, here it is. US Continent Trust owns it now.
So, now, we know why he hit the bank.
Yeah, the lawyers he attacked were in charge
of the Legacy Asset division.
Which means?
They turn foreclosures into profits.
Javier was one of their cases.
You mean victims.
I found his workshop.
He's got enough Semtex to level a city block.
He's not a terrorist. He's a vigilante.
Which means he has a target list.
Cassandra, can you track down Javier's family,
his wife and his kids?
JOHNSON: The bet is to capture the bomber,
not to save the family.
Yes. But this guy is clearly unstable.
He could be a danger to his family.
JOHNSON: Again, with the savior complex.
Maybe, Mr. Kane,
the guilt of dropping so many bodies
is causing you to over-correct.
(SCOFFS)
There are no more leads.
Well, then, Cassandra, any progress
on identifying Javier's next target?
Cassandra? Cassandra.
I need your head in to the Game.
My head is always in the Game.
The wife's cell phone is pinging
at a one-star motel near the airport.
Relaying coordinates to you now.
I'm on my way.
Cecilia Cruz?
My name is Alex Kane. I'm looking for your husband.
He may be in danger.
Girls, go outside, okay?
Play. Come on. It's okay.
Are you the police?
No, but I need to find your husband.
He left two days ago.
It's not like him. He's a good father.
He wouldn't just abandon us.
Can you tell me about the foreclosure? About the people involved?
Our loan officer said we qualified for a modification.
We sent in the paperwork six times,
and it turns out that they just dual-tracked us.
Dual-tracked?
The lawyers filed for foreclosure behind our backs.
They lied to us.
What they did to us was illegal.
So, Javier, he went to this reporter, blogger-business woman
and asked her to tell our story,
but she said that it was our fault.
That we had gotten in over our heads.
And then, last month, they took our house.
Javier, it was too much for him. He broke in half.
I've never seen him so...
The bombing at the bank...
Oh, my God. Mommy.
(STAMMERING) Did Javier...
Mommy.
I'm gonna find him.
CASSANDRA: Alex, I've got a visual.
His L pass was swiped on the Orange Line. Ashland Station.
He's got a bomb.
ALEX: Cecilia said he spoke to a reporter.
In his house, there were articles plastered all over his windows.
That reporter...
Uh, Jemma... Jemma Rashard?
Jemma is the real deal.
Degree from Northwestern, Webby Awards for investigative reporting...
Lately, her social media posts indicate that she's upgraded
to hobnobbing with lobbyists and CEOs.
Parties, yachts, ski trips.
What's the connection to Javier?
They exchanged dozens of phone calls.
There's a transcription of an interview.
She was storing clips, logging research. The story, though...
The story's only half-written. She stopped for some reason.
Yeah. Someone's got to her. Check her financials.
Okay, she was drowning in student loan debt.
Looks like it was resolved with one lump sum payment.
(INHALES DEEPLY) Good call, Alex.
Well, so much for journalistic integrity. Where is she now?
(JEMMA STRUGGLING)
Good news, Jemma.
I'm finally gonna get the story you promised me.
Only this time, you're gonna be in it.
(MUFFLED CRYING)
You said that you would help me.
That we'd get retribution for all the families.
That my story was gonna put Webster behind bars.
(MUFFLED SPEAKING)
(SCREAMS)
I'll write whatever you want. I'll post it today, right now!
That's the problem with you, Jemma!
You bow to the bullies. (ELEVATOR DINGS)
But I don't.
No!
(BEEPS)
(SOBBING)
My name is Javier Cruz.
I'm not the enemy.
The real enemy is US Continent Trust.
They stole my home. Like they did to thousands of others.
Someone has to stop them.
Alex, remember that 24-hour lead time? You just lost it.
(HORN HONKING) (TIRES SCREECHING)
(MUFFLED SPEAKING)
(ALL SCREAMING)
Did you see him?
He's headed for the front doors.
Yeah, keep an eye on him.
The cops still think he's a terrorist,
so they'll shoot first and ask questions later.
Just do me a favor and keep him alive.
Alex, don't let him get away again,
just grab him and end this bet now!
It's Jemma, right?
Jemma, I need you to stay really still. Try not to bend.
And don't make any sudden moves, all right?
She's wearing enough Semtex to blow the lobby.
Ugh. I've got 25 seconds.
You don't have enough time. I can send the elevator down,
contain the blast in the concrete parking structure.
No, I can get it off of her!
There is nothing you can do, let her go.
Stay really still. Stay still.
I can't disarm the bomb, but it doesn't look like Javier rigged the vest.
Good. That's good, just like that.
CASSANDRA: I'm sending it down now, get out of the door.
That's it...
(MUFFLED SCREAM)
Alex.
Alex!
(CAR BEEPING)
Teddy Roe, now that's the way to go.
Three-piece suit. Hat.
Take that stroll down South Michigan Avenue. (LAUGHS)
You know he had his...
Cassandra, I need eyes now.
CASSANDRA: Mr. Johnson. What's wrong?
Samuel Letts is dead.
(SIGHS)
Okay.
You're encased in marble and concrete. I can't see you.
You need to get out of that mausoleum.
Use thermal imaging.
CASSANDRA: There's a funeral procession entering.
I've got moving heat signatures everywhere.
Radio frequencies in the area?
If I make it to my car, I don't want it to blow up in my face.
CASSANDRA: No RF in the area.
The car is clear. Get out of there.
This is Tad Travers. The Chicago bomber has struck again.
I'm at the site of his latest attack.
We have another very serious situation on our hands.
Alex is down. He is in a building trapped full of reporters.
JOHNSON: Cops, I can handle, but I cannot...
I will not have a Player exposed on my watch.
On it.
JOHNSON: Crash all the social media, satellite feeds, wipe the hard drives.
Search the damn trash if you have to. What's my ETA?
(SIGHS) Two minutes and 44 seconds.
Make it two flat.
We lost the signal.
What? Come on, let's go.
Get it back up! The satellite feed is down, man!
(COUGHING)
Hey, hey, hey, shoot this. This is gold.
Come on, come on! With what?
With your phone!
You okay?
Use your phones, use your phones!
Hey, resource? I could use some resourcefulness.
I have been extremely resourceful, thank you very much.
What is going on here?
My phone's not working!
I just need a way out.
The parking garage in the basement has an entrance
that leads out onto North Orleans.
Johnson should be there in about 30 seconds.
Hey, you, hero! I want to talk to you! MAN: Hey, who is that guy?
TAD: Hey!
Back. Through the lobby. Escalator well. Southern corner.
(ALARM BLARING)
MAN: (OVER PA) We have a possible suspect moving through the basement access.
Which way?
CASSANDRA: Take the service hallway.
No, no, no, go right!
There's a delivery dock ahead.
He's nearly there.
Move towards the street!
(TIRES SCREECHING)
You put the secrecy of The House in jeopardy.
If Cassandra hadn't contained the damage,
I'd have no choice, but to terminate your employment.
Don't worry, Alex, he can't kill you. Yet. We need you.
Well, now, now, Cassandra.
You know everyone is expendable.
Unless the Gamblers love you.
And, Alex, in our line of work,
that's better than life insurance.
In fact, it is life insurance.
ALEX: I didn't realize this is a popularity contest.
CASSANDRA: It's a Game.
That means the Players have fans.
It's quite early in your career, Alex, but with these numbers,
you're on track to surpass a legend in our field.
And who's that?
The man who just saved your ass.
Every Pit Boss was a Player,
but not every Player survives to become a Pit Boss.
CASSANDRA: Found something.
Javier's car was recently impounded for unpaid parking tickets.
Four citations, all issued on Lake Shore Drive.
Why was Javier hanging around there? What's the connection?
Dorian Webster has a second home on that street.
Who's that?
The CEO of US Continent Trust.
WEBSTER: I can get your house back.
Hell, I can get you a nicer one. Bigger.
With a pool, if that's what you want.
JAVIER: What I want is exactly this.
You and me, right here, right now.
You're only making this worse for yourself.
Let me help you. We can work something out.
Yeah, I should give you a chance to modify your situation.
If you want to stop me,
you'll have to kill me.
Webster was brought before a Senate subcommittee
to answer allegations of widespread industry fraud and corruption.
US Continental Bank cut a deal.
They got a slap on the wrist, and fined $500 million,
or more precisely, three business days' worth of revenue.
Not a single executive was ever prosecuted
and Webster's annual bonus package was reported at $70 million.
Sounds like Javier's doing us a favor.
Well, you of all people should know the cost
when a man chooses to make himself judge, jury and executioner.
Yeah, well, isn't that what we do, Johnson?
WEBSTER: You want to blame someone for your problems, I get that,
but do you really think I make these kinds of decisions?
I work for a multi-national corporation,
I answer to my shareholders, my Board of Directors.
I don't make policy.
These are standard industry practices.
Your standard industry practices destroy lives!
Bankruptcy. Divorce.
Suicide.
Families torn apart. For what, money?
You have blood on your hands.
Only this time, you have to look your victim in the eye.
Last chance.
Kill me. Or die.
(GUN CLICKS)
Son of a bitch!
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
You thought you were free, didn't you?
But it was false hope.
You never even had a chance.
Tell me what I can do to make this right.
Please, I'm...
(MUMBLING)
How does it feel to be trapped in a house
that will blow your whole world to pieces?
(BEEPS)
And the one man who could set you free...
does nothing.
No matter how desperately you plead.
It's called helplessness. That's what you're feeling.
That's how you made thousands of innocent people feel.
Trust me. You never get used to it.
Javier.
You don't want to do this.
I don't know who you are, or what you want,
but you cannot save him now.
He has to pay for what he did.
I don't want to save him.
I want to save you.
See, I know what it's like to lose everything.
To see bad men do bad things and to want revenge.
I almost lost my soul thinking that way.
But my wife,
she saved me.
Get out of here.
Go, go.
I have to kill him!
Cecilia, your daughters, they love you. You still have a family.
I will never see them again!
You can make that choice right now.
You're not beyond redemption.
None of us are.
(SOFTLY) Take it.
Take it!
(EXHALES)
Hey. (SOBBING)
(DIALING) (DOOR OPENS)
You're a lunatic. I'll see you rot in jail for the rest of your life.
Hey! Where are you going with him?
Where are the police?
You can't let him just walk away from this!
You're absolutely right, Mr. Webster.
A man should be held accountable for his actions.
(BEEPS)
(ALARM BLARING)
(HORNS HONKING)
Huh.
Looks like your housing boom just went bust.
All Javier wanted to do was take care of his family.
Now, he's got to spend the rest of his life in jail.
His poor kids.
It may be some comfort to know
Cecilia and her daughters will get their home back.
And they'll be receiving a very generous settlement from the bank.
The bank will settle out of court. They won't see any of it.
I'm pretty sure Mr. Webster will have a change of heart.
That guy had no heart.
Sometimes, all it takes is the right person
applying the proper pressure.
You think money can replace a father?
Depends on the father.
Ginny?
(KETTLE HISSING)
(HISSING STOPS)
Ginny, are you here?
It's me.
I'm here to help you. You can't trust Johnson.
Ginny, I can keep you safe.
(STATIC CRACKLING)
(CRACKLING STOPS)
(PHONE RINGING)
JOHNSON: Cassandra.
Are you all right?
They slit his throat like he was nobody.
Samuel Letts.
Do you have any idea who it was?
JOHNSON: No. But they know me.
They killed him because he was asking questions.
Questions I needed answered.
Who could even orchestrate such a thing?
Who would dare challenge the Council?
Cassandra, whatever agenda that you're working on,
I need it to stop.
I don't know what you're talking about. I'm...
JOHNSON: Don't.
Okay, don't. Look, I know you don't trust me.
And to be quite truthful,
Letts thought it was foolish of me to trust you.
But right now, there are enemies approaching.
Our lives, our safety, is intertwined. Do you understand?
And I need to know if you are with me.
Of course.
(SIGHS)
BARBARA: Sweet little girl.
You know, when she was three years old,
she asked Santa to bring her a stethoscope.
I said, "Princesses wear tiaras.
"Like Mommy's tiara."
Never should have gotten her the damn thing,
she probably would have stayed home.
I see you've made yourself comfortable.
What's up with the box, Alex?
I'll buy your half of the house. Fair market price.
I guess death blinds everyone to the truth, doesn't it?
What are you talking about?
Took me years to accept it.
To stop the denial, the excuses. (CHUCKLES)
I'm her mother.
It was the hardest thing I ever had to face.
Ginny was a liar.
Okay, Barbara, here. You've had enough.
Don't touch...
See what you made me do.
Let me just tell you something, okay?
Ginny never lived an honest day in her life.
And the sooner you accept it,
the sooner you'll be able to let go.
(DOOR CLOSES)