State of Play (2009) - full transcript

♪ Oh, the night that
Paddy Murphy died ♪

♪ Is a night I'll never forget ♪

♪ Some of the boys
got loaded drunk ♪

♪ And they ain't got sober yet ♪

♪ As long as a bottle
was passed around ♪

♪ Every man was feeling gay ♪

♪ O'Leary came with the bagpipes ♪

♪ Some music for to play ♪

♪ That's how they showed their
respect for Paddy Murphy ♪

♪ That's how they showed their
honour and their pride ♪

♪ They said it was
a sin and shame ♪



♪ And they winked at one another ♪

♪ And every drink in
the place was full ♪

♪ The night Pat Murphy died ♪

♪ As Mrs Murphy sat
in the corner ♪

♪ Pouring out her grief ♪

♪ Kelly and his gang came
tearing down the street ♪

♪ They went into an empty room ♪

♪ And a bottle of whiskey stole ♪

♪ They put the bottle
with the corpse ♪

♪ To keep that whiskey cold ♪

♪ That's how they showed
their respect for ♪

They took the white
kid to the hospital.

He's in a coma.

Officer, you should check
in with the family.



Whatever you're selling,
I ain't buying.

Okay, guys, take off.

Yes, sir.

Coffee's free for
friends of the press.

I heard Metro ballistics
was just here.

Who told you that?

You just did.

You got the names of
the victims for me?

You gotta be kidding me.

You know I'm gonna
find out anyway.

Not from me.

Okay. You want to play a
little confirm or deny?

I'm not playing this
game with you, Cal.

Look, Don, I got a living
to make, all right?

I got mouths to feed, goldfish.

No names, no quotes, all right?

Okay.

Two victims, one shooter?

Confirm.

One dead, one in the hospital?

Confirm.

Drug related?

Confirm, but deny
later if I have to.

- Good morning.
- Good morning, sir.

Okay, I'm late. I know.

I don't need to be reminded of it.

I've been over the briefing
notes 1,000 times.

- Stephen.
- Yes?

Metro Police just called.

What?

Sonia Baker was killed in an

accident on the
Metro this morning.

They identified her
by her staff badge.

Horrible news for all of us.

But, Stephen, we're
scheduled to start now.

What'd you want to do?

Morning, Pittsburgh.

Yinzer.

- Cal.
- Morning.

Talk to me about this shooting.

You know, one guy's still alive.

Deshaun Stagg?

No, he's dead.

The other guy on the
bike, Vernon Sando.

Hey, Gene, did you read the
guinea pig piece I filed?

Yeah, I'll get to it, Ferris.

Because it's a great
human interest

story. Yeah, human interest.

So what's the deal?

Stagg's drug deal goes wrong,
and this guy just rides by?

Yeah, something
like that, I think.

That's a remarkable
feat of survival.

Well, at least it's got a
little bit of a zip code to it.

Georgetown's the angle, right?

No, no, the angle is that
this guy Vernon Sando

has got an MBA from Duke.

What's he doing on a bike?

He's buying a pizza franchise.

You know, they make
you ride the bike

for the first six months,
learn the ropes.

He's got a wife, two kids,
mortgage, total citizen.

What's his condition?

Critical, non-reactive.
Paragraph 3. He's in a coma.

Okay, let me know.

I will.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Welcome to our
hearings with private

security contractor Point-Corp,

part of the inquiry into
the Defence Department's

privatisation and
outsourcing practises.

Before we begin, I've just
received some terrible news.

Sonia Baker,

who was the lead researcher
for this committee

and a valued member of my
staff, died this morning.

The circumstances of her
death are not yet clear.

Well, I'd like to send my
condolences to her family.

Oh, my God, are those tears?

50 bucks says he's balling her.

50 bucks? Wait, you
owe me 50 bucks.

Bad Congressman. Bad.

What a scumball.

Somebody get me a
picture of the girl.

Let's hope she's not
5'2 and 300 pounds.

Gene, Gene, what is your
obsession with fat girls?

If you want to have sex with
Pete, you should just say it.

Not tonight, I got a headache.

Say it. Say it, Gene. Say it.

Picture. Picture.

Reaction to the tragic
death was initially,

and understandably, one of shock,

yet questions immediately
began to surface

as soon as Ms Baker's
death was announced.

Hey, Joe, Cal McAffrey
over at the Globe.

Just calling about that shooting
in Georgetown last night.

I heard the dead kid had a couple
of priors as a purse snatcher.

Got any more details for me?

Call me back? Yeah,
yeah. You, too.

Hey, I got a question for you.

Stephen Collins.

He's an old friend of
yours, is that right?

Yeah.

I'm Della. Della Frye.

I write the Capitol Hill blog.

- All right.
- Online side.

I'm a big fan of your work.

So, I'm writing this piece
on personal relationships

in the political sphere,

single girl in the corridors
of power kind of thing,

and as you probably know,

there was this incident
this morning on the Hill,

at your friend's hearing.

Is there a question
on the horizon?

Yeah. Have you
spoken to him today?

Are you trying to make
me part of your story?

No. I'm trying to get
a little context.

Dirt?

Well, do you think he was having
an affair with that girl?

Gee, Della.

Yeah.

I don't know. I'd have to
read a couple of blogs

before I could form an opinion.

Okay. Thanks for your help.

Anytime.

Capitol Hill may be rocked
with another bombshell.

Speculation is rife
that Stephen Collins

may have been romantically linked

with the young aide found
dead this morning.

His spokesmen call this
another political cloud...

The timing couldn't
be worse for Collins.

He needs all the political
leverage he can get

as he begins looking into
the Defence Department's

outsourcing practises.

Called mercenaries by some
and saviours by others,

Point-Corp, the controversial
private military contractor,

is said to be the
biggest beneficiary

in the Defence Department's

outsourcing in Iraq
and Afghanistan.

Collins, who'd been married for 10
years to his college sweetheart,

is thought to have refused to
leave his wife for Miss Baker.

Brass tacks.

Were you having a
relationship with this girl?

Yes,

and I can't tell you how sorry
I am about all of this.

Okay.

I've asked Andrew here to help us

handle things from a
media point of view.

If anyone can steer us
through this, he can.

Well, the next 72 hours
are gonna be brutal.

You ought to brace
yourself for that.

For a while, you're gonna be

everything that's
wrong with politics.

You're still a star, Steve.

The party takes care of its stars.

You just have to lay
low for a while.

How low?

Low.

Nothing that would bring any
undue attention to yourself.

At the hearings, for instance.

We're not finished
with Point-Corp.

No, but you are.

If you open up fire on
those guys right now,

that's not gonna look
like good governance,

just a calculated distraction.

Is your wife speaking to you?

No, not right now.

Then that's job one, isn't it?

Yinzer. She knows you
got the message,

and she knows you're
in the building.

Yes.

Morning.

So, where are we? Was
he knobbing her or not?

Morning, Cam.

It's funny about you. Every time
your friend runs for re-election

or conducts a hearing,

you drop his name to me until
we give him some coverage.

But he finally does something

that actually might
sell some newspapers,

you're rendered mute.

It's incongruous.

No, it is not.

It's inconsistent.

Don't be an ass.

What do you think?

Those are the ideas
for our facelift.

- I know. I know.
- It's crap.

Our new owners have this odd idea

that we ought to be
turning a profit.

Yeah, well, I hear our
online side is doing great.

I mean, not like I'm the kinda guy

who would notice
that sort of thing,

but I've been here,
what, 15 years?

I use a 16-year-old computer.

She's been here 15 minutes,

and she could launch a Russian
satellite with the gear she's got.

Yeah, she told me you
behaved like a pig.

That's too strong.

Well, piggish.

I showed her a little snout.

Well, I happen to
like Ms Della Frye.

And, yes, I did
send her down there

to winkle something out of you.

She's hungry, she's cheap, and
she churns out copy every hour.

Yeah, I know. I'm overfed, I'm too

expensive, and I
take way too long.

Yes, you do.

I was Stephen Collins'
room-mate in college.

I don't live with him now.

Well, that's a shame, isn't it?

Yeah, because that could
sell some newspapers.

Miss Baker died this morning
in an apparent accident

on the DC Metro.

Suicide has not been ruled out.

It appears to be a suicide.

People close to the case say
that Congressman Collins,

quote, took advantage
of this young

girl, resulting in
today's suicide.

- Suicide.
- Suicide.

So, I know you're thinking,

This guy's gotta be pretty
desperate to show up here.

No, I was thinking I can
finally give you back

that Roxy Music CD
you left in my car.

Is that where that one went?
I was looking for that.

I got three dozen reporters
camped in front of my place.

I'd go somewhere else,

but I don't have
anywhere else to go.

- Come in.
- Thanks.

I see you redecorated.

Yeah. I moved that couch
a couple of feet.

Looks good.

Aren't you gonna ask me
how I could be so stupid?

- In a minute.
- Okay.

You know, I co-sponsored two
bills in the last three years.

I'm in the middle of
co-authoring another one,

and this is what I'm
gonna be remembered for.

I'm gonna get more
coverage on this

than anything else I do
for the rest of my life.

The nature of the
beast, public office.

Okay.

Look, Cal,

I know the last time I saw
you, I said a few things.

Hey.

I deserved it, all of it.

Annie and I were having problems
in the marriage, obviously.

You're the only real friend I got.

I'm in trouble, man.

You know?

This whole thing with Sonia, what
happened, it just snuck up on me.

She was an amazing woman,

beautiful and really funny, smart,

and she, you know, she adored me.

That was nice, you
know, for a change.

Have you called the parents?

No, I haven't called the parents.

You should.

Tomorrow, you're gonna
make a condolence call.

The first thing the attack dogs
will pick up on, you know,

He never so much as called
after our daughter's suicide.

She didn't kill herself.

How do you know that?

Hey, baby, I just
want to wish you good

luck. I want you
to give them hell,

and I can't wait for this weekend.

I love you. Bye.

That's this morning.

Look like someone who's about
to go out and commit suicide?

No.

You show this to anybody?

Well, I thought about
firing it up on YouTube.

Hey, you know what?

This is the moment where I ask
you how stupid could you be.

This changes everything.

It'll bring it all back your way.

How are you gonna do that?

Because we're gonna fight
back with our own facts.

All we have to do is,
we have to build

a plausible alternative
story, all right?

Now, look.

Unfortunately, it appears
that Sonia Baker

has met with a tragic accident
on a subway platform.

So questions have to be
asked about transit safety.

- Okay?
- Cal.

Now, Stephen,

you gotta be proactive, okay?

If you're not, then you're
just letting the bloodsuckers

and the bloggers have
another free shot at you.

The bloodsuckers and the bloggers.

Have you seen the Globe's
website tonight?

No.

Hello?

Miss Capitol Hill Blog?
It's Cal McAffrey.

Do you have a pen?

What?

Sonia Baker, right?

I have a source, and you
need to talk to him.

Well, why?

Do you have a pen?

Yeah.

- Lieutenant Leon Comey.
- Pen, pen, pen.

Write that down. C-O-M-E-Y.

C-O-M-E-Y.

202-555-0167.

He's gonna show you an
off-the-record preview

of the security camera tapes
from the Metro station.

What, you mean... Do
you mean, like, now?

Yeah, like now. Sorry.
Who am I calling?

I was trying to get Della
Frye the reporter.

Oh, jeez, I'm sorry. I thought
that I was talking to the guy

who wouldn't give me the
time of day this morning.

Look, I am just trying to help
you get a few facts in the mix

next time you decide
to upchuck online.

What?

I'm not doing it. I'm not.

Wake up.

Does anybody know
where Room 514 is?

514A or 514B?

It doesn't say. Is there
a big difference?

Big enough. You looking for
Uniform Squad or Investigation?

I don't know. Cal
McAffrey sent me.

Why didn't you say so?

You Cal's new assistant?

No, I'm not.

Hey, can I see that?

Yeah, it's right down
the hallway here.

Thank you.

Like a police escort?

No, I'm okay. Thank you.

Hey, no trouble. I'm just grabbing
some dinner here real quick.

So, how long have you known Cal?

Too long.

What's your title? Okay, Sergeant.

I can file a public
records request

and get the information anyway.

You got nothing?

No.

They've got 56 cameras
covering the track platforms.

There are three blind spots
in the entire system,

and Sonia Baker went
down in one of them.

You got copy for me, Cal?

The shooting delivery
guy, what are we doing?

I'm on it.

Well, I got Marty lined up to
take some pictures of the family.

If you'd like, I can send
somebody out there with him.

He can do the crying, you
can do the nuts and bolts.

No. No need. I'm on it.
You'll have it tonight.

You're on it.

Okay. You know what you gotta do?

Call Leon, all right?

Just sort of push him
for the details.

Ask him a few more
questions. You know...

9 suicides in 20 years. There
were 5 accidental deaths,

three from people trying
to get their stuff

off the tracks before
the train came

and two of the psycho-on-stranger
pushing attacks.

Did Collins sleep at
your place last night?

What?

I was just trying to
get my facts straight.

Excuse me. Della here.

Yeah, just a sec. He's right here.

Hang on, hang on, hang on.

It's Anne Collins.

Hey, I'm not at my desk at the
moment. Can I call you back?

Yeah.

You know, look into the two
psycho-on-stranger cases,

see if anything correlates
or anything connects.

Hey.

- You okay?
- No.

There are paparazzi on my lawn,

so I guess that entitles me
to half off on Us Weekly.

I've been trying to call you.

I had my phone off.

You talk to Stephen yet?

No.

They want me to come down
for a press conference.

Well, you know if
you don't, they're

gonna toss him on the bonfire.

You know, I'm not that hurt.

I'm not even that surprised.

It's just so
humiliating, you know.

Tell me you didn't know about her.

I didn't.

I did not know about her, okay?

I'll take the train down.

Will you buy me a drink after?

Of course. Hey, just
call him, all right?

Just call Stephen.

Thanks.

Deshaun Stagg.

Be nice if they could
spell his name right.

No one's even come to
get his stuff yet.

It's appalling.

Never happen to a white man.

Skip it. I'm not in the mood.

What, no love, no politics?

What are we gonna talk about?

We're not. You gotta
get outta here

before we both get into trouble.

They're saying it was only one
shooter. What do you think?

No idea.

What about drugs?

It's a good bet.

Come on, Cal, leave
that shit alone.

Close your eyes. I'm just
checking out his cell phone.

Watch, this will be the
moment they decide

to come and pick all this shit up.

Then what are you gonna do?

Write some articles,
get me my job back?

You know I will.

Cal?

Cal, for Christ's sakes, what
do I tell Jack if he walks in?

Nothing, because I'm done.

I'll give you a hug
next time, all right?

Bye.

Buy me a soda?

Not diet.

Thanks.

Yo, yo, if you want to
leave a message for Kippy,

make sure you leave
your number, all right?

That way I can call you
back. Later for you.

We're sorry. Your
call cannot be...

Yo, who this?

It's me, man. Who that?

Me who? Bitch, you the one
got your number blocked.

Don't be fronting me, man.
It's Deshaun. Come on.

- No.
- Where you at?

Who the hell gave you
my number, fool?

I was just talking to Kippy.

- Skippy?
- Kippy, man.

This shit ain't funny, trick.

Hi. You've reached Sonia Baker.

I can't take your call right now,

but if you leave
your name, number,

and the time you called, I'll be
sure to get back to you. Thanks.

Hi. You've reached Sonia Baker.

I can't take your call right now,

but if you leave
your name, number,

and the time you called, I'll be
sure to get back to you. Thanks.

Excuse me.

Sonia Baker.

We got any kinda
drug angle on her?

She ever arrested or rehabbed
or anything like that?

- Who's asking?
- Me.

You're not on the story.

I gave you the Metro
tapes idea, right?

Yeah.

So are you trying to ruin
what's left of her reputation?

Are you doing this for Collins?

A little context on Sonia?

You gotta be kidding.

Hey, Maurice.

Hey, Cal, you getting
your regular?

Yeah.

Sure. Hey, Jay.

I need a chilli
cheeseburger, a chilli

cheese fry, and a
chilli half-smoke.

I got the burger on.

Anybody get you yet?

- All right.
- You're a hungry man?

Yeah.

How's it going, Happy?

That's a long way to
go for another soda.

You want to buy something from
the last bag Deshaun ever stole?

I need 500 bucks.

Did you get the train okay?

What?

Did you get on the
train all right?

Get through? Everything okay?

You're gonna make small talk?

I will go check on
the arrangements.

I'm sorry.

It doesn't have to be
a detailed statement.

Short and dignified, and
we'll be out of here.

Dignified. Got it.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you
for joining us here today.

Mr And Mrs Collins would like
to give you a brief statement.

Deshaun boosted this
metal briefcase

from some guy outside
of Starbucks.

That's what we did, you know?

Grab a guy's bag and
sell it back to him.

Usually we just got, like,
people's business papers and shit.

- This one?
- This one was different.

There was a gun in there, too,

and a little bag of these
weird-looking bullets.

Did you see the guy
that owned the bag?

No.

I told Deshaun we shouldn't
sell this bag back.

I mean, you know,
what about the girl?

But he needed a fix real bad,

and he and this guy figured
out a time and place.

And that was it.

My boy never came back.

You took these out of
the briefcase first,

and then you called her
from Deshaun's phone.

Her number was there, too.

I figured someone had to warn her

that this psycho was
following her around.

She just didn't pick up.

Mr Collins moved to
staunch a growing tide

of hostility towards
him this afternoon

when he appeared
together with his...

the long line of
politicians' wives.

We've had triumphs
and disappointments,

and we've both made mistakes
that have caused...

Apologise for his affair and offer
an apology to his constituents.

Can you believe this?

We're on six channels
simultaneously.

Who might have wanted Sonia dead?

What? Is there something
in her history,

you know, something you
haven't told me about?

Some connections that might
have got her in trouble?

No. No, no. Wait, who...

Am I talking to my friend now,

or am I talking to a reporter?

I gotta be both.

You ever heard of a guy
called Deshaun Stagg?

No.

Was a kid. Minor criminal.

Drug addict. Got shot and killed
the night before Sonia died.

Cal, Sonia didn't have
anything to do with drugs.

Look, Stephen, I'm
telling you things

that I haven't even
discussed with the paper.

Okay, you gotta think about this.

Who might have wanted Sonia dead?

Who is this man here in all the
photographs where she's crying?

We don't know that yet.

And what was her background before
she started working with Collins?

Well, she has some very
random moments in her resume.

She was... She waitressed
a couple times.

She had a string of bad debts.

Shoplifting conviction
two years ago.

Don't they do background
checks on the Hill?

She wrote position
papers for Collins

about bank regulations
and the SEC.

I mean, a lot of people
thought she was a star.

She was also the lead researcher
on the Point-Corp hearings.

So?

Stephen represents the loss of
a lot of money for those guys.

Look, what if all of
this is just an attempt

to marginalise Stephen Collins?

You've gotta love him
for it, haven't you?

I mean, you give him 24
hours, body in the alley,

and this geezer will turn it into

a full-blown corporate conspiracy.

You don't see any connection?

No.

All right. Let's go through
what we know, okay?

The guy that was
stalking Sonia Baker,

he shot Deshaun Stagg
and Vernon Sando.

Deshaun Stagg, of no fixed
abode, he boosts a briefcase.

Now, in that briefcase
are these photographs,

and according to our source, a
little baggie of weird bullets.

Metro PD ballistics tell me

the casings at the crime scene
were reloads, untraceable.

The slugs were hand cast at twice

the weight of
store-bought bullets,

X'ed for expansion.

So that means that the
shooter intended to kill.

Stagg and Sando were
both double-tapped,

one bullet in the
spine, one in the

head. That is the mark of a pro,

or at the very least, somebody
with a military background,

perhaps even Special Forces.

Point-Corp founded by,
staffed by 100% ex-military.

I think that's a connection
we can't ignore.

Chris, how long before we
have to hand these over?

Time to verify, consult
relevant case files,

outside counsel, 48 hours, tops.

But if this is evidence, don't
they need to see it now?

How's he doing?

Hey, you gonna let me know if I
gotta call the ID team, right?

I'll let you know.

Walter Schroyer, Army buddy
of your libidinous friend,

gives his moving tribute
to Stephen Collins

in that asswipe excuse of a
paper and not to us. Why?

Platitudes, padding and fluff.

I'm a journalist. I'm
not a publicist.

I want to bring
some more people in

to work with you on this, Cal,

on the political side,
people with real experience.

I'm thinking Ted Moody.

I mean, Ted's perfect for this.

Are you taking me off the story?

No, no. Not off, just off point.

If this is as big as he
says it is, a big if,

then it's gonna be good for you.

How? How is that good?

Well, watching seasoned reporters

that work on a big
story, you know,

being a part of it all,
you'll learn a lot.

So, Ted Moody, what do you think?

Don't let her do it.

And, Cal, if you're
on this, I want

this to be clean
through and through.

Tell her to forget
it. It's your gig.

You got it. Get loud now.

Excuse me. You're
defending her now?

She's fine. I can work with her.

But, Cal, she's inexperienced.

Inexperience isn't fatal.

I'm not giving up the story.

I just... Sorry. I just...

If I could just have a
few more days with it,

I promise you I'm not
gonna let you down.

For Christ's sake.

Don't throw those dewy
cub reporter eyes at me.

It's nauseating.

And fuck you very much.

Pleasure.

This is Nurse Leif and
myself... The lab work's back.

It's the panel 13 you ordered?

Yeah, well, we called for a
neurologist a half hour ago.

You can't use that
phone here, sir.

Hey. What's up, Carnes?
How you doing?

Yeah. Yeah.

Looks like that Sando
guy's waking up.

You sending anyone over?

You ever been to DC Hospital?

No.

Don't worry about it. It's easy.

All right, there's a uniformed
officer on the third floor ICU.

- Okay.
- Write it down. Got a pen?

- Yes.
- Here.

- I have a pen.
- Okay.

The uniformed officer's
name is Brown.

- Okay?
- Brown.

Third floor ICU. Tell him
that Detective Bynes,

B-Y-N-E-S, Joe Bynes...

Okay.

All right, he cleared
you for access.

Access for what?

Vernon Sando, the pizza guy,
looks like he's coming around.

That's your side of the story.

Excuse me?

You heard me.

You want me to go and sit
around in some hospital,

waiting for a guy who looks like
he might be coming out of a coma,

while you clean up the
rest of the story?

I mean, is that what that
was all about in there?

Look, this is a real story.

It's not open for interpretation.

It does not require opinion.

We got two dead bodies, and
we got a guy in a coma,

and we got us with a lead
that nobody else has got.

So you gotta make a decision,

because I have to follow
another lead tonight,

and I cannot be in two
places at one time.

So, are you gonna
be okay slumming it

to find out if Vernon Sando's
coming around or not?

Good.

If we're gonna work together,
we gotta work together.

Yeah? Deal?

All right, see you later.

Excuse me.

Don't tell me you're still lost.

Hey, what are you doing here?

Working.

You're Officer Brown?

You're who I'm looking for.

I knew you'd come around.

How about Sando? Is
he coming around?

Yeah, yeah, it looks that way.

They're sending a
detective over right now.

Maybe get an ID.

Really?

I gotta take this.

Yeah, go ahead.

Yeah, Officer Brown.

No, sir.

You okay?

My dad did warn me
about politicians.

The only people he hated
more was journalists.

Smart man.

I'm making you nervous.

You always did.

Well, they say sex is the best
way to ruin a friendship.

They do, do they? And who's they?

What, Cosmopolitan
magazine? Teen Beat?

Come on.

Tell me, please, it
didn't ruin ours.

It hasn't ruined anything.

Pulse is 82.

BP is 105 over 79, O2 sats 94.

He seems stable.

Okay, let's do another
blood work-up, CBCs...

- Miss, you cannot be in here.
- I'd just like to

- ask him a couple of questions.
- Miss, please.

- No, I'm sorry.
- Come on. Look.

You know you're not
supposed to be in here.

I know. I just...

Get on the ground.

Stand back. Stay down.

That's a colleague of mine.
I'm gonna have to go.

I'm really sorry.
I'll see you soon.

Alright.

Let him through. Blockade,
let him through.

Hey, Ricky.

Let him through.

Della.

You okay? You all right?

Della, tell me it's
not yours, right?

What is it?

It's just a little bit of blood.

It's all right. I got
it, I got it, I got it.

It's okay.

It's okay.

It's all right. It's all
right. It's all right.

Oh, my God, Cal, we could
have stopped this.

What, by being psychic?

No. We should have given
the police that file.

What if there were fingerprints
on the photographs?

God, Cal, we can't just let
people get hurt like that.

Look, it's over. It's
all right. It's okay.

We can't just keep letting
people get killed.

No, it's not okay.

It's okay. It's over. It's over.

It's over.

All right? It's okay.

You're sitting on evidence
in an execution homicide.

How do you think that's gonna
play with the family of the guy

that just got shot last night?

Chris, let's be productive.

Hold on, I'm actually not done.

Our reporter made a full
statement last night.

What, you had these when?

Cam, don't answer that.

When did you have these?
You want subpoenas?

I'll get on the phone right now.

We called you. We called you
before we called outside counsel.

A little late. It's a little late.

Give me a break.

How you doing, Don?

I'm hanging in, Cal. You?

Good. Good.

This source have anything else
I might need to do my job?

Wait a minute.

Nothing, all right? This was it,

and we've kept it for
less than a day.

Detective, until last
night, we didn't

actually know what we had here.

Bullshit.

Who do you think I am,
Bambi's baby brother?

No, sir.

You knew exactly what you had.

You just decided that your
need was greater than ours,

and now you have
blood on your hands.

- Hold on.
- Detective, look.

The thesis that we are pursuing

involves a certain company that

Congressman Collins
is investigating.

What, this is corporate
conspiracies

that threaten the highest levels?

All my years on the job, I've
only ever seen that on TV.

All the years I've
known you, you've

only ever watched sports on TV.

So, Detective, in exchange
for our cooperation,

can we be assured that you
will open your books to us?

Quid pro quo?

If we decide to go public with
this, we'll give you six hours,

but that's the end of it.

This is an open
homicide investigation.

You slow us down,
endanger the public

any more than you already have,

it won't be pretty.

For the record, I'm
still not happy

the way you presented
the evidence.

I'm just gonna put that out there.

Police gossip being what it is,

I'm guessing that even
Entertainment Tonight

will know as much as
we do within 48 hours.

So we've gotta have
something solid today.

That means no assumptions,
no unnamed sources.

Not fast and loose. I want
this thing wrung out.

Damned if we can't do a better
job of it than those cops.

Della, how are you?

I'm good.

Yeah?

Good, okay.

Well, you take Sonia Baker, okay?

I want to know everything
that we can about her,

who she knew, who she blew,
the colour of her knickers.

Got it. Point-Corp?

Okay. Hank and Pete,
you work with Cal.

Cool.

The rule on this
one is discretion.

This is not a good subject for
gossip over drinks at the Monocle,

or spliffs in the
stationery cupboard, you.

I'm offended, truly.

Well, be offended.

Go downstairs, get your
stuff, bring it in here,

because this is your new home.

Go on.

- Okay. Yes, yes, yes.
- Speed of light.

Cal? Any conflict
of interest here?

Nope.

Perhaps this is a good opportunity

to address another issue
that's been discussed

during these hearings,
your price structure.

Surely, and I thank
you for giving me

an opportunity to
touch on that today.

Our price structure follows
the Defence Department model

as established in
the first Gulf War,

adjusted, of course,
for inflation.

Happily, what's costing us
so much this time around

are some incredible advances
in on-field medical care.

But, simply, we're
now keeping more...

Sir, I'm sorry. Just... when...

When you were in the military,
did you see any combat duty?

No, sir, I did not. No.

Do you think if you had, you
might see things differently?

We're all aware of your
war record, Congressman.

I'm not talking about my record.

I'm talking about the numerous
allegations of atrocities

committed by Point-Corp and
its subsidiary contractors

against the civilian population
in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Those are unsubstantiated
allegations.

Okay. This is straightforward.

Since a war on
terror was declared,

has your personal net worth gone
up by more than $250 million?

Straightforward question.

Excuse me, I was told that
personal financial data

would not be addressed
in open session.

Adapt.

Isn't that your slogan?

Adapt and Achieve?

It's on the brochure here.

Commoda et Confice.
You have it in Latin.

Your point being?

Putting war in the
hands of mercenaries

and those who consider
it a business

is a contradiction in
terms in any language.

May I remind you,
sir, that the wars

this country fought,
that defined it,

were fought despite what they
cost, not because of it.

I didn't come here for a lesson
in morality, Congressman.

No, I expect you didn't.

Well, especially from you.

The men who work for Point-Corp,

the men you dishonour by
calling them mercenaries

are, by and large, retired
American military personnel.

It's a great system, isn't it?

We pay to train these men, and
you get rich by killing them.

Point-Corp, well,
they're on a roll.

They just bought 60,000 acres
to expand their facility.

- 60,000 acres?
- Yeah.

Where?

In Conway, North Carolina.

The locals call it Little Baghdad.

Not so little.

They've also got some interesting
real estate locally.

Offices at the Watergate building.

Check that out.

Medal of Freedom
Initiative. What's that?

It's a lobbying interest.

Yeah, according to the website,

MOFI, Medal of Freedom Initiative,

is an umbrella group for a bunch

of these private
defence contractors.

You know, they lobby a little,
party a little, kill things.

MOFI.

Hello?

We went down there. The
place is totally empty...

Like they're just waiting
for all their new recruits.

Did they outsource to
Mumbai or something?

Or are they just getting
ready for an expansion?

Hello?

This is Della Frye. I'm a
reporter over at the Globe.

You were Sonia Baker's attorney

on her shoplifting case, correct?

Did Dominic give you my number?

Yes, how do you know Dominic?

Well, I'm sorry. This
really isn't appropriate.

I just...

Hey, Michael, I need
someone to help me dig

a little deeper into Point-Corp.

I need somebody on the inside,

somebody who knows the
way they operate.

She owed everybody money.

Oh, God, that's how she
always walked around,

in her underwear.

- I Winn.
- Yeah. But you moved.

- You can't move.
- Oh, yes, yes... I moved.

Who is this? He looks familiar.

Dominic Foy. He's a
friend of Sonia's.

Dominic.

Hey, Michael, it's Cal.
So what did you find out?

- Hi. Mr Statler?
- Yes?

Yes, I'm from the Globe.

I'm writing an article on
the death of Sonia Baker,

and I just wanted to...

And he was, like, high
up in Point-Corp?

Hi. Della Frye from
the Washington Globe.

I... Could I speak to
you? Please don't...

Yes, I'm still holding
because that's

what I do. That's
what I like to do.

Sonia Baker's ex-room-mate,
Rhonda Silver.

Nobody's got her yet.

She changed her name a couple
times in the past year.

How'd you get it?

I had to agree to go on not one,

but two dates with a
sweaty guy named Vic.

Don't even ask me.

Hey, Bob, it's Cal.

Want to run a Social
Security number for me?

Rhonda Silver's number.

Did we just break the law?

Nope, that's what you
call damn fine reporting.

- Your pen.
- Keep it.

- You're welcome.
- Thank you.

Hi. Is Rhonda there, please?

I'm actually an old friend
of Rhonda's from school.

I'm in town for the
day, and I thought

maybe I'd stop by and see her.

Do you think I could
show up at her work?

Would that be all right?

Actually, sir, can
I call you back?

That page and the next page.

This guy, Jerry Symes,
local politician,

he campaigns against
the expansion,

and then he dies in a
freak car accident.

All right, what does
freak car accident mean?

Middle of the day... He's
driving on the open road...

- No witnesses. Perfect weather...
- 30 miles an hour...

- No skid marks...
- Car turns over... Oh.

And the police think it
might be sleep apnoea.

Cal. Sorry, I really
need to talk to you.

What do you got?

So, I was looking
for images of Sonia

in the Metro security
footage, right?

And 20 seconds after she went into
the blind spot, this guy appears.

Okay?

I think that I saw him last
night at the hospital.

Are you sure?

Michael, it's Cal.

Your Point-Corp insider,
I need to meet him, now.

I want you to know something.

I love my country.

I love the military.

My aim here is to save them.

You understand my terms?

I will not give you my name.

I will not give you my rank in the
Point-Corp military structure,

or the in and out
dates of my service.

Understand.

I'm looking for a
guy that Point-Corp

are using on a covert operation.

Total deniability.

Our mutual friend at DOD thought

you might be able to
help us find him.

I don't know. I'll check it out.

So, what's your understanding
of the Point-Corp MO?

Their MO?

They do whatever the
hell they want.

These soldiers are
answerable to no one.

They're loyal to nothing
but a pay cheque.

It's the Muslim terror gold rush.

You've been watching
these hearings?

Yeah.

So, the head of the committee
there, Stephen Collins...

He's finished.

They'll just keep knocking
him down until he goes away.

Do you have any idea what
he's threatening here?

This is $30 or $40
billion annually.

That's wrath of God money.

The hearings are saying 3 or 4.

Overseas. The real money
is what Point-Corp

stands to make in its
domestic operations.

I wasn't aware that they had any.

Who was sent in for crowd control
after Hurricane Katrina? Us.

Private security
contractors deputised

to shoot at American citizens.

Who's training Chicago police on
new interrogation techniques?

Soon, Point-Corp will
take over from the NSA

on phone taps, terrorist
databases, all of it.

It's a fundamental restructuring

of domestic intelligence policy.

It is the privatisation
of Homeland Security.

Billions and billions of dollars.

Now you really think they're
gonna forfeit all that

because some hero from
the seventh district

of Pennsylvania thinks
that they should?

Hey.

I just got told by a
former Point-Corp employee

that they have a plan to
monopolise domestic security

that's worth about
$40 billion a year.

Is that true?

Yes. How?

You cannot connect anything
that I tell you back to me.

- You understand?
- Of course.

Okay.

Last year, 47 companies bid on
major Homeland Security contracts.

Of those, 16 companies
were granted the bids.

Of those, I could make connections
between 14 companies,

and I'm not just talking about
someone leaving one company

and go work for another.

I'm talking about shared
banking practises.

I'm talking about
collusive behaviour.

Now, my belief is, when
all's said and done

and when the veil is pulled away,

you will not see 14
individual companies.

You will see one
company. You understand?

And you've been digging around

trying to make those
connections clear.

Yeah. That's right.

And Sonia was working on that?

She was my lead researcher.

She was involved in
everything we did.

They're gonna get you,
Stephen, one way or another.

They got 40 billion good reasons
to want you out of the way.

You gotta go on the record.

Swing the spotlight back on them.

You gotta protect yourself, man.

You go out there and
find me evidence

linking Sonia's death
to Point-Corp.

I will go on the record.

I will shout this thing
from the rooftops.

I can do that.

Alright. I gotta get
back. I'll be in touch.

- Stephen.
- Yeah?

Just watch your back.

You, too.

Hi. Is Rhonda here?

Yeah, she's just right over there.

♪ Whoa ♪

♪ I'm walking on sunshine ♪

♪ Whoa ♪

♪ I'm walking on sunshine ♪

♪ Whoa ♪

♪ And don't it feel good ♪

Yeah.

Cal, you're not gonna believe what

Sonia's old room-mate
just told me.

You're right. I don't
believe a word of it.

You got no corroboration,
no independent witness,

and she obviously has a
financial motivation.

We've got Sonia Baker's
room-mate claiming

she had a threesome
with Stephen Collins,

and you want to ignore that?

I am not saying ignore it.
I am saying consider it.

Consider how it impacts
everything else we have,

and consider that she
is full of shit.

Yeah, but, Cal, she's also saying

that Stephen paid off Sonia's
$40,000 credit card debt.

That is a story.

Somebody's gonna put
that on the front page.

Okay, is that the
right thing to do?

Look, it's your half of the
story. It's your scoop.

Your decision. Do
whatever you want.

But I do know that Stephen and I

have been through far
too much together

to make this one moment the
thing that defines us forever.

The political future...

I tried to call.

I mean, I actually did call about

12 times, but I
hung up every time.

Well, you know, I'm
glad you dropped by,

because I've been
wanting to talk to you.

Remember you brought
that girl from Humboldt?

Soleil, or whatever her name was.

Luna.

Luna. That's right.

And you two were
stoned the whole time.

Yep.

You managed to flip the boat,
and we lost everything.

We had to walk the
rest of the way...

We flipped the boat?

You did.

It was an adventure.

That's what you kept saying.

Irish wine.

Whiskey?

- Cheers.
- Slainte.

- So...
- So...

- I've been...
- I wanted to ask...

- Sorry.
- You first.

I was wondering,

do you think Stephen
could have pulled

together $40,000
without you knowing?

What?

Well, it's a story
that might break

that basically accuses
Stephen of doing something

that would require his having
access to a large amount of cash.

I was just wondering,
could he do that?

A story that might break?

You mean something that
you're involved in?

- Indirectly.
- What're you doing?

I'm trying to help Stephen.
I'm trying to protect you.

Bullshit.

You always do this.

Sometimes I feel like
we all made this deal,

and it works out great for you
and Stephen, and not for me.

And instead of us
just figuring it out,

you guys are just fine walking

around as if nothing
ever happened.

Okay.

Okay, let's start over.

I come here to tell
you that I'm thinking

about walking away
from my marriage,

and you say what?

I say it's too late.
We're way past this.

You made your choice.

Because you wouldn't step up.

What do you mean?

Not then, not now, not in college.

I'm saying that you're asking me

for something that's not real.

That's what I'm saying.

Annie...

We have two mortgages.

We have the place in Virginia.

We've got the apartment here.

Basically, we spend
everything we make,

so there's no way Stephen could
have given anyone $40,000

without me knowing about it.

Annie... It's okay.

Now I'm just a source,

so the pressure's off.

Hello?

Who's the great-looking
blonde, Cal?

Who's this?

Across the street.

I like your style, man.

I got something for you.

And you couldn't just
ring the doorbell?

Precautions.

The guy in the photo, I asked
around. He's definitely a grunt.

Buddy of mine used to see him
at security trade shows.

Never knew his name,

but he worked for an old-timer
called Fred Summers.

Does alarm installations,
shit like that.

Here's Fred's address.

Crystal City.

Thanks.

Mr Summers?

Hey.

Who you looking for?

Fred. Fred Summers.
Do you know him?

Fred's not here.

- Oh, yeah?
- Huh.

You live here. You're
his room-mate.

- Sorry.
- Okay.

Do you know where he might be?

He's overseas. He
shipped out last week.

- Overseas like...
- Look,

I don't really know
what Fred's into, okay?

He ships out, and he comes back.

Okay. Could you pass a message?

Take it easy.

All right. Okay.

Hey, Joey? Cal McAffrey.

Yeah, yeah, shut up.
Listen. Listen.

Tell Bill he's gotta
send some cops to 566...

- So?
- No sign of the guy.

Did you get a name?

How about the apartment?
You find something?

Nothing?

Place belongs to a guy
named Fred Summers,

except Fred passed
away last March.

Neighbours say that his nephew
stays there from time to time

while the probate is
being worked out.

Except he doesn't have a nephew.

You're catching on fast.

Cal, I thought we had
an understanding.

You were supposed to share
your information with us.

Do you remember that?

Don, I went there to talk to a
guy named Fred Summers, right,

who I now find out is deceased.

Do you think I would've gone there

if I knew what I was
gonna be walking into?

Just happened to be there, huh?

Yeah.

Now, do you mind if I get
back on with my story?

It's not a story. It's a case.

And... And just so you know, a
girl by the name of Mandi Brokaw,

16, junkie, turned
up dead tonight.

Probable homicide.

She look familiar?

We got her fingerprints off those

surveillance photos you
so kindly gave us.

Hello, I'm Rhonda Silver.

Like I said, that's what he
called being in committee.

I know you got shot at last night,

and I know I should be making
you a nice cup of cocoa,

but I'm just so bloody angry.

I mean, the decision,
I'm assuming,

was that this was not news.

We... Look, we didn't...
We were worried that...

It was my call, Cam. All right?

I didn't, and I don't believe her.

She's not credible.

She was just trying
to sell us her sexy

scrapbook photos of her
friend, Sonia Baker.

Her dead friend.

Yeah, well, why the hell
couldn't we have printed that?

A waitress comes forward with
a claim about a sex scandal.

Great, that's an A-1 story.

Then he denies it.
There's another story.

And then... And then one of them
cracks, and there's another story.

Meantime, people are
reading about it,

and they're reading us about
it, because we had it first.

Except we didn't, did we?

No, no, no, because some wanker
decided it was beneath us.

Look at her, come on. Look at her.

She's a sideshow. It's
a smear campaign.

It's exactly what
these companies do

to destroy people who
get in their way.

The true story here, the real
story here, is Point-Corp.

The real story is the sinking
of this bloody newspaper.

Christ.

We have new management
to answer to now, Cal,

and they are interested
in sales, not discretion.

And how am... How am I gonna tell

them that we are
now behind a story

we were once in front of?

Well, we're running with
what we've got today.

No. No.

- You can't do that.
- Why not?

We've got more than
enough to go with.

You run with it, and you're gonna
frighten off the wildlife.

And we haven't got the
rest of the story.

I do not give a shit about
the rest of the story.

We're going to press... tonight.

You've got eight hours.

You look tired. Want some coffee?

Yeah, that's nice.

Can you hold on for one second?

George, a word with
you for a minute?

- Sure, Steve.
- Thanks.

Listen, I just wanted you to know

my speaking up in the
hearings the other day

was not meant in any way as a
gesture of disrespect to you

or a lack of gratitude for the
support that you've shown me.

No, no. Not at all.

It was a very
impressive performance.

You have your passions,
I understand that.

All right, good. Well,
that's a relief to know.

You have your show horses, and
you have your work horses.

I'm sure we can all find
a way to get along.

There's no way.

There is no way we can
meet that deadline.

Yes, we can. All right, guys,
we're getting our balls busted.

What'd you got?

All right, the guy you
had us check out,

Dominic Foy, turns out
he's a gold mine.

- Dominic?
- Foy.

- Right.
- He's a guy I keep hearing about.

A friend of Sonia's in all the

surveillance photos
where she's crying.

And he's in Rhonda's
cell phone shots.

Okay, so, is this Halloween,

- or is he some kind of freak?
- Freak.

He runs a legitimate PR business.

Handful of corporate clients.

Just likes to party
on the weekends.

Special parties.

- Tell him the good part.
- Yeah,

mostly works out of
the Daily Grill,

but guess where his
registered office is?

- Where?
- Guess.

Where?

The Watergate.

- Oh.
- Not only that, Suite 413.

Same suite as the Medal of
Freedom Initiative, which is...

The lobbying subsidiary
of Point-Corp.

Let's get him on tape.

You want me to call
Rodney and get the gear?

Yeah, same place.

What... I'm sorry.

You want to put him on tape?

Yeah.

What are we, cops now?

That's totally illegal.

If Dominic Foy can connect
Sonia Baker to Point-Corp,

he's gonna be under
a lot of pressure

to recant anything he
might tell us, all right?

So we put him on tape.
That's our insurance.

And why do you think he's
even gonna talk to you?

Because he's scared.

How do you know?

Because I'm gonna scare him.

Hey, is that your
Cadillac out there?

Yeah.

V-8 XLR, 320 horsepower, adaptive
cruise control, heads-up display?

That's the one.

That's a hell of
an impressive car.

Yes, I know.

What do you got in your gay-rage?

- Excuse me?
- Your gay-rage. Your garage.

- Alright.
- You drive the same thing?

- No, I don't. I have a 1990 Saab.
- Oh.

Yeah. I got velour seats. The
passenger side one's ripped,

but... huh, it gets me
from A to B, you know.

Sorry to hear that.

If only I could get
a job in PR, right?

Who the hell are you?

Do you read the
newspapers, Dominic?

- Sometimes.
- Okay.

I got something I wanna
run by you, all right?

It ain't finished. I'm
still working it up.

Let's see how you feel about this.

Dominic Foy, a DC
Public relations figure

with known ties to defence
contractor Point-Corp

was yesterday linked to the death

of a Capitol Hill
staffer Sonia Baker.

Alright, come on, what...
What're you a reporter?

This is not cool. This
is definitely not cool.

- Very unprofessional.
- I'm just sitting here...

Cal McAffrey from the Globe.

Congratulations. Keep it.

That's gonna run tomorrow unless

you can tell me what I
need to know today.

- I don't think so.
- I got a car out the back.

I got a nice, safe place
where you and I can talk.

Hey, hey, Saab.

I don't know anything
about anything, alright?

I'm a PR guy. Got it?

Be that as it may,
there's two ways

this article can run, Dominic.

Without your name
or with your name,

and maybe even a photo
from your website.

Now, who knows who that's
gonna piss off and how badly?

I'm trying to be your
friend, Dominic, all right?

I'd hate to see you end up under
a train like Sonia Baker.

And you promised never
to use my name, right?

Yes, I did.

This place is nice? It's classy?

- I'm gonna be comfortable?
- Huh.

What kind of dump is this?

Where have you brought me?

No booze in the mini-bar.

There's no On Demand on the TV.

What kinda hotel is this?

Little bit more of a
motel, I'd say, isn't it?

Nobody's gonna find
you here, Dominic.

How are your beer-getting
skills, sweet pea?

You want to go get Uncle
Foy a nice frosty?

I'll time you. Christ.

So, let's start
from the beginning.

Where did you meet Sonia Baker?

Why don't we start with
a little compensation?

This guy's stoned off his face,
and now he wants a beer.

- Can I have one?
- Yeah.

What's he taking exactly?

- Dude, downers.
- This guy's losing his shit.

For what? For what?
Me helping you out.

Me losing my business. Me...

This bed's disgusting.

Compensate me, okay?

Okay, so you want to be paid
to help solve Sonia's murder?

Save it, all right? I'm in PR.

I know a little bit about
phrasing questions.

Why don't you try
phrasing it like this?

Would I like to be paid for
helping you get a book deal?

Nobody's here for a book deal.

Really? Everybody
wants a book deal.

And I'd like my cut,
okay? That's just fair.

When did you meet Sonia?

Compensation, compensation.

You came here to talk, Dominic.

You know, mouse, I'm the talent
and I don't like the vibe.

So why don't you
change that up, okay?

It's a non-smoking room.

It's under your name.

He's a douche. I love this guy.

I wanna call my lawyer.

I think you should
think that through.

Can we get a signal
in this rat hole?

Why don't you think it through?

Dominic, let me just lay this
out for you one more time,

because I don't think
you're getting it.

So I'll lay it out for you. Okay?

Relax.

I'll lay it out for
you nice and clear.

The newspaper can slant this
any which way they want to,

and they can make you the one
and only principal source.

How do you think that's gonna
go down with your friends

- at Point-Corp?
- Not great.

And anybody else
you're connected to?

Don't do that. Please
don't do that.

The more you talk, the
more you give us,

the more protected you are.

That's the way we work.

And your compensation
is your anonymity,

and that is all you're
gonna get from us.

- Okay?
- Yeah.

Great.

Okay, how's it going in here?

Sounds frigging great.
We're just about ready.

Great. Good.

Come on.

I'm not gonna do it. I'm
gonna open the door,

and I'm gonna let you say it.

You have to talk to her.

Cal is asking us to
push the deadline.

We really can't
afford to keep doing

this type of thing. Where
the hell are they?

You saying that as
if I should know?

Yeah, well, you just spoke to him.

Yeah, well, they didn't
tell me where they were.

$20,000 an hour.

Yeah... All right.

Bugger off.

Shit.

It was just this guy, okay, that
I knew from the clubs, alright?

And he worked for a PR
firm, a very big one.

Name?

And... No, I'm not
gonna give you...

his name, he's a friend,
okay? He had this...

He had this...

Well, the company that he
worked for had a client,

- a very special client.
- Name?

I'll give you that
one. Point-Corp.

And they wanted a
special employee.

They needed a girl.

I thought of Sonia.

You got that?

I'm sorry, are you saying that
Sonia was working for Point-Corp?

Like a steel trap, this one.

Don't lose her to another paper.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying.

Turn it up, turn it up.

She was a perfect
fit. She had balls.

- She was smart.
- She was in debt.

- And she was in debt, exactly.
- Yeah.

They paid her $26,000 a month.

Whole hell of a lot
more than they gave me.

- They paid me a flat 20.
- It's big.

Did they tell you
what the job was?

No, they did not. She told
me what it was, though.

She told me about Collins.

She told me about spying on him.

And did they want Sonia
to sleep with Collins?

No. She got on her
back all by herself

and screwed everything
up, didn't she?

How did they get her
onto Collins' staff?

That I'm not gonna tell
you. You can forget it.

You can kidnap and torture
someone else for that toughie.

- We have a deal.
- Yeah.

- I've done my work.
- Nobody's here to screw you,

but we need to know who was
working this on the Hill.

From the Hill, huh? Well, from the
Hill, they found a guy to fix it.

- Name?
- No.

- Who?
- Leave it.

- Who?
- Come on.

What, are you not hearing me?

Forget it. I'd be
afraid to start that

sweet ass Caddy every morning.

I mean, keep in mind
if I was driving

that wheelbarrow Saab of yours,

I'd probably blow it up
myself with me in it.

You seen that thing?
It's like a lawnmower.

I'm gonna get you another beer.

Hey.

Oi.

Are you sleeping with that guy?

I mean, what are you doing here?

Are you sleeping with him?

Or you got a guy. You
got a guy, right?

Donna?

Della. Della.

I got a guy. Got a girl, too.

Right? I don't wanna
leave anybody out.

Hey, Stephen. How
did you find Sonia?

What?

How did she come to
work in your office?

Was somebody... Did
somebody recommend her?

What're you talking about?

I think you've been played.

Really?

Who gave you her name?

- What is this about?
- Don't dick around about this,

Stephen, all right? Two questions.

How the hell did she come
to work in your office,

and the name of the individual
who recommended her?

Fergus. George Fergus.

Said she was the daughter
of an old family friend.

Doug Sponder's bachelor party.

You remember that
hotel, the Americana?

Yes.

Get here now, alone.
I'm in Room 408.

I'll meet you at the office.

Stephen, we're late already.

I'll call in.

Stephen, we are late already.

- I'll call in.
- Okay.

Don't check your voice-mail.

Cameron's going on a rampage
about this deadline.

So, did you cue it where I asked?

- Close enough.
- Okay.

So, guys, I'm gonna need
you to clear the room.

- That means you, too.
- What?

I got Stephen Collins
coming in here.

It's gonna be a lot more
comfortable for him

if you're not here, alright?

Tell me you're kidding.

Since when does the subject
of an investigation

get his own private preview of
another subject's interview?

That's crazy.

You're polluting the story.

Special circumstance.

What? What?

Is it that he's a congressman,
or that he's your friend,

or that you have a
crush on his wife?

Could you fill me in here?

All of the above.

Oh, my God, you're
such a hypocrite.

This is my story, too, and you
are about to kill it forever

by letting him come in here.

I'm gonna bring him in.

I'm gonna sit him
down, show him this.

I'm gonna get him on the record,

then we've got both
sides of the story.

Hey.

Stephen Collins, Della Frye.

Congressman.

You know this guy?

No.

You don't recognise him at all?

I don't know. Maybe.
Is this in here?

No, no, it's next door.
He's sleeping it off.

Sit down.

Okay.

Point-Corp wanted to plant
someone on your staff.

This guy, Dominic
Foy, he finds Sonia.

He takes a fee. George
Fergus does the rest.

No. That's not possible.

They paid off her debt, and they
paid her monthly to report back

every single thing
that you were doing.

And when she went dry,
they killed her for it.

How do you know this?

And so I get a call, I gotta
go down to a street corner.

I gotta buy a magazine. I
gotta meet some new guy.

This guy, you know,

he's some hardcore,
thick-neck, corn-fed,

Navy-SEAL-looking guy, you know?

And he's all up in my face,
scaring the hell out of me

because he's pissed off and...

- When was this?
- This is like a month ago.

You know, he's pissed off because.

Sonia's not giving him
anything any more.

And what did he want
you to do about it?

He wants me to fix
it. He wants me to

fix it, like one
of my hair dryers.

And did you?

I tried.

I tried. I called. She
wouldn't take my call.

I go over there. I
try to talk to her.

She's crying.

Why is she crying? She's
scared somebody's after her?

No, she's crying because of
Collins. She was in love with him,

and she was pregnant,

and she didn't tell him.

She didn't tell
him, and, you know,

she was petrified that he's
gonna find out what she did,

and then he's not gonna want her,

and he's not gonna
want the baby...

She got so wrecked about
it that she burned

thousands of dollars
worth of pay cheques.

Who does that?

And I tried to get
her to just relax

and to think about the publicity,

or think about an abortion, or
think about, you know, her word.

Just keep your word.
And what about how

your decisions are
gonna affect me?

And then she's dead, you
know? I hear it's a murder,

and so I don't want anything more

to do with this thing, you know?

I'm just terrified, and I
wanna go some place warm,

and I wanna come back
to a clean slate.

And you guys write your article
and just get them off me.

I'm nothing. I'm
nothing to those guys.

So you were right, man. Okay?

And now we can prove it.

I get you on the record. We can
nail these mothers to the wall.

Sliberty? We can nail them to
the wall, all right? We win.

- Yeah. Just...
- All right?

Just... Will you just
give me a minute?

Okay.

He just needs a minute.

Shit.

Get off... Get off me.

You fucking...

Help.

Stephen.

Get up. What're you doing?

- Hey, stop.
- No.

Come on, man. Hey. Hey.

Get off.

What the hell are
you doing to him?

Stephen.

Stephen. Stephen. Stephen.

Hey, I'm trying to help you, man.

Yeah. She was pregnant, Cal.

Did I need to hear that?

Yeah. Huh? You couldn't
tell me yourself?

You had to do it like that?
Was that important to you...

I thought you'd want
to hear the truth.

That's right.

You were just seeking
the truth, that's all.

You're just... You're
a truth seeker.

That's all. You can't help it.

It's who you are. You're
such a hypocrite.

You're not interested in me.

Me coming here was all about
you and getting your story.

I trusted you. You're my friend.

You were supposed to be my friend

when you were screwing my wife.

You're my friend, Cal.

I never would've done this to you.

I'm sorry, Stephen, okay?

I'm sorry about all of it.

Please, look, I've
been an asshole,

and I can understand why
you hate me for it.

You've just gotta put aside
how you feel about me

and stay with this.
We're so close.

Every single part of this, I
have put myself on the line.

Stephen.

Stephen.

I need a minute with
Congressman Fergus.

Tell him it's Cal McAffrey from
the Globe, and I'm on a deadline.

Fuck him.

Asshole.

It's all right. I saw that.
Just give him this card

and tell him it's an issue
that directly concerns him.

Sir? He asked me to give you this.

Excuse me.

Congressman.

That Cal McAffrey.

What's up? How'd you find me?

I followed the trail of
crumbs, Congressman.

I need a confirmation from you

for an article that
we're running tomorrow.

I have been told
that you recommended

to Greer Thornton to
hire Sonia Baker,

is that correct?

So?

So if it turns out
that Sonia Baker was,

in fact, gathering information

on Stephen Collins'
committee findings

and passing that information back

to the very company that
was being investigated

and that company is
complicit in her murder,

well, Jesus Christ, it's not
gonna look too good for you,

is it, Congressman?

One, never use the Lord's
name in vain with me.

Two, how could you even assume

that a bright, naive,
25-year-old girl

was what, a double agent?

Mr McAffrey, I went to
bat for a young girl

whose family I met and respected,

a family that seemed like

the wholesome ideal upon which
this country was founded.

And Sonia Baker's
mother's first name is?

- Pardon me?
- You heard me, family friend.

Do you really think
that your new owners,

these responsible
corporate citizens,

are going to allow
you to publish this

speculative drivel?

You are gonna be out
of a job before

the devil can even
say your name, son.

Janine.

Sonia's mother's first
name is Janine.

You're missing the point.

You didn't see his face.

I saw his face. Fergus is
at the heart of this story.

This story is dead, Cal.

One way or another,
Point-Corp pushed

Sonia Baker in front
of that train.

Oh, really? The trouble is,

our new corporate owners won't
let me print any of this

unless I have one of the
major players on the record.

On the record, Cal.

And the only person who
could do that won't.

Would you like to tell me why?

Or is it just that you
shagged his wife?

Maybe you'd like to
explain to me how, when

and why MediaCorp
chopped off your balls.

This is as big and as
connected as it gets.

You follow any fissure of
this, it's a massive story.

You got Fergus, you
got Point-Corp,

and now you got
MediaCorp, all connected,

all in collusion, all playing
for the same country club.

I didn't realise you'd
taken up the game.

Oh. Oh, Cal, if there's
any corruption

involved here, it's
coming from you.

You have injected yourself in this
story right from the beginning,

and we all know why.

It's over, Cal, as far
as you're concerned.

I can't protect you any more.

And right now, I'm not
too sure I'd want to.

You want the story?

Yeah. Come on.

I was first introduced
to Sonia Baker

in April of 2007.

She was hired as a research
assistant on my staff.

She was recommended
by the Majority Whip,

Congressman from West
Virginia, George Fergus.

Three months into her time
there, Sonia and I began

a romantic relationship.

I have e-mailed
copies of documents

to you, which show beyond doubt

the corruption between
members of my own party.

I now know that she had been
placed in my office as a spy.

Point-Corp's tentacles
reach into every corner

of the ever-growing private
security industry,

both at home and abroad.

Not only does this pose a great...

But it is a violation of our laws.

A monopolistic business...

obstruct and otherwise destroy

my investigation into Point-Corp.

Sonia was paid to make regular
reports to Point-Corp...

Left unchecked, I believe
that within five years,

Point-Corp will have its own
standing army on US soil.

Into their fraudulent practises...

It will control our intelligence
gathering apparatus...

- What happened in committee?
- She had access to everything...

we were doing and effectively
crippled our investigation.

It is a frightening vision and
one which must be stopped.

However, when my
relationship with her grew,

she ceased her spying
on their behalf,

and I believe they
killed her for it.

For people like this,
who I've spent

the last year and a half of
my life investigating...

Innocent civilians are really
little more than disposable lives,

thought of as collateral damage.

And I believe it was simply the
public nature of my position that

saved me from a similar fate.

So, as political suicides go,

how was that?

Thank you, Congressman.

- You okay?
- Yeah.

He was set up.

She was sleeping with him for
$26,000 a month. I mean...

Sliberty.

Cal.

You all set?

Okay. Let's go.

- You still here?
- Yeah.

I thought you would've been down
at your desk blasting it online.

Well, you know, a piece this big,

people should probably
have newsprint

on their hands when they read it,

don't you think?

I'll do Collins,
Fergus, Point-Corp,

and corporate and
government malfeasance.

- Okay.
- You do Sonia Baker...

The murder, Mandi, Rhonda Silver.

And the Dominic Foy
connection, alright?

Yeah.

- Retire to the neutral corner.
- Okay.

- Gentle.
- Got it... - Thank you.

Sir, it's Robert Bingham.

I'm sorry to call you directly.

I want to assure you that I'm
ready to finish what we started.

Goodbye.

I won't be more than an hour.

- Hey, guys.
- Evening, sir. How you doing?

Is it a night for it?

Oh... yeah, yeah, I think it is.

So, how old are you?
Actually, don't... tell me.

It would just make me sick.

You never ask a girl her age.

Well, see, I look
at you, and I don't

see a girl. I just see a reporter.

- At last.
- Anyway, back to the story.

- Yes.
- So I had this...

English teacher in high school.

He was a kind of a long-haired
hippie kinda guy.

- He had a pen problem.
- Yeah. Oh.

He solved it by having a piece

of leather string around his neck,

and that's where
he'd keep his pen.

Smart.

So I started thinking,

My friend Della's
got a pen problem.

How do I solve it?

- And I came up with this.
- What is it?

I call it the Della
Frye Nubian Princess,

'I'm never without a pen
' celebratory necklace.

Oh, it's beautiful. I
always wanted one of these.

- Cheers.
- Cheers.

You know, I wanted to tell you
something about Anne Collins.

Okay.

I was just talking to her.

How does Anne Collins know that

Sonia Baker was earning
$26,000 a month?

What?

How does she know how much
Sonia Baker was earning?

- We know that.
- Yeah.

How does Anne Collins know that?

Well, I mean, Stephen must have
heard it in the Foy interview.

We played him a specific
part of that tape,

and that figure is
never mentioned.

Cal. Wait, what're you doing?

What're you doing? Cal?

You gonna fill me in?

Just tell Cameron, Hold the story.

What? Cal? Cal.

Shit.

Who's Robert Bingham, Stephen?

Who is Robert Bingham?

Are the police outside?

No.

I saved Robert Bingham's
life in Kuwait in '91.

He was a 17-year-old kid.

He was a good soldier.

He was proud of what we did.

The Army was his life, and he had
problems when he got discharged.

So you had a guy that
you knew to be unstable

do what, exactly? Scare her?

Maybe beat her up a little?

No, Cal. I had him follow her.

Why?

Because I knew she was
hiding something from me.

Because when I'd...
I'd be at her house

and a fax would come
in, she'd get nervous.

Because there were phone
calls late at night.

I was suspicious.

I asked Bingham to observe
her and report back to me.

That's all.

You're a liar, Stephen.

He was more upset about what
she was doing than I was.

You have to understand what the
military means to Bingham.

He hates Point-Corp for what
they're trying to do to it.

In his mind, she just had to stop.

But she did stop, right?

She tore up her pay cheques, and
she put her life at risk for you.

Yes, but I didn't know that.

I didn't know that he
was gonna kill her.

I didn't know he had killed her.

When I found out, my thought
was just the same as yours.

I thought Point-Corp had done it.

And when you did find out?

What was I supposed to do?

- Tell someone.
- I tried.

- When?
- When I came to your house,

and I wanted to talk
to you about it,

and all you cared
about was the story.

No, Stephen, I cared
about helping you.

Bullshit. Bullshit.

All you cared about
was clearing your

conscience over this
little soap opera

- you have with Annie.
- So you used me.

No, Cal.

The same way as you used Bingham.

I was suspicious of
her. I brought him in.

That's all it was.
It was a mistake.

It's my responsibility.

I should never have done that.

But I never asked him to kill her.

He owed you his life.

That's why you called him.

You called him, and you used him,

like you've been trying to use me.

One to kill, and one
to cover it up.

If Point-Corp and Fergus
hadn't hired her,

- none of this would've happened.
- No. This is not about Bingham

and Point-Corp and Fergus, man.

It's about you and the
decisions that you have made

that have led to four
people being killed.

One of them was delivering
a pizza, Stephen.

Cal... What're you gonna do?

You know what I'm gonna do.

You know... it's laughable, your
sense of your own self-worth.

Why is that? Because... nobody
reads the papers any more?

Is that it?

It's just another story, a
couple days of shitstorm,

and it's wrapping paper?

You know, in the middle of all
this gossip and speculation

that permeates people's lives,

I still think they
know the difference

between real news and bullshit.

And they're glad that
someone cares enough

to get things on the record
and print the truth.

Cal. Please, Cal, don't
do this. Please.

I'm asking you as your friend.

You got about three minutes
before the cops get here.

I thought you said
you didn't call 'em.

I lied.

A good soldier fights for his
country and his friends.

But these guys, they wanna
make it all about the money.

You wanna live in a
world like that?

Drop the weapon.

The story about Stephen comes
out, whether I write it or not.

Drop your weapon.

Drop it.

I'd rather be nothing.

I repeat, drop your weapon.

Well, aren't you gonna send it?

I've only been holding the front
page for 4 hours, after all.

You send it.

Good night, everybody.
See you tomorrow.

Good night.

Good night.

♪ Put a candle in the window ♪

♪ Because I feel
I've got to move ♪

♪ Though I'm going, going ♪

♪ I'll be coming home soon ♪

♪ Long as I can see the light ♪

♪ Pack my bag and
let's get moving ♪

♪ Because I'm bound
to drift a while ♪

♪ When I'm gone, gone ♪

♪ You don't have to worry long ♪

♪ Long as I can see the light ♪

♪ Guess I've got that
old travelling bone ♪

♪ Because this feeling
won't leave me alone ♪

♪ But I won't, won't ♪

♪ Be losing my way, no, no ♪

♪ Long as I can see the light ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ Put a candle in the window ♪

♪ Because I feel
I've got to move ♪

♪ Though I'm going, going ♪

♪ I'll be coming home soon ♪

♪ Long as I can see the light ♪

♪ Long as I can see the light ♪

♪ Long as I can see the light ♪

♪ Long as I can see the light ♪