Driftless (2020) - full transcript

(cow mooing)

(whooshing)

(crickets chirping)

(birds chirping)

(car beeping)

(car door bangs)

(birds chirping)

- Mr. Rabbit, Mr. Rabbit.

Poor Mr. Rabbit.

(birds chirping)

♪ Mr. Rabbit, Mr. Rabbit ♪



♪ Your ears are mighty long ♪

♪ Yes, bless God they're put on wrong ♪

♪ Every little soul must shine, shine ♪

♪ Every little soul must shine, shine ♪

(dramatic music)

(flies buzzing)

(birds chirping)

(ominous music)

(water sploshes)

(birds chirping)

(bottle top scrapes)

- [Man] This is delicious.

- Can you taste the celery?

- Celery, onions, cumin?



- Ancho chili.

- Ancho chiles.

(woman chuckles)

- When are you gonna make that

amazing braised squirrel again?

- The next time you run one over.

(man chuckles)

- Check this out.

(paper rustles)

Nailed to a tree.

- Hmm, what's it about?

- [Man] Racism equals pride
in your Aryan culture.

- Are they complaining?

(man scoffs)

- I don't even get the connection.

Remind me why we do this again.

- To protect the park from the people

and the people from the park.

- And the people from the people.

(bottles clinking)

- How you likin' law enforcement?

- (scoffs) Not!

12 weeks of training over the winter,

I can't get used to carrying a firearm.

I've written a few citations.

It wasn't fun and, people
treat me differently.

- Good career move though.

- So they say,

I haven't gotten a pay
raise so there is that,

a degree in resource management

wasn't enough to make a living wage.

- So what's the buzz about

the state shut down over the budget?

- I'm not sure what the latest is,

but we'll find out soon.

They have to make a deal
by midnight tomorrow.

- I just, I can't support the government

keeping people out of
parks that Americans own.

- Hmm, who took it from the Sioux?

- Touche.

(woman chuckles)

Are you Sioux?

- My dad, Lakota, my mom's
a paleface from Moab,

they married after he
got back from Vietnam

and, they're still married,
I'm not sure why but, they are.

- Big weekend coming up.

- Yep, you going back to the lookout?

- After the meeting.

- Not a bad gig.

- Best job in the world.

- Mmm.

(birds chirping)

- Good morning Nova, you're early.

- I just caught a guy digging

in the Thunderbird effigy mound.

- This early?

Quite the industrious trespasser.

- Looter.

He had a pointing trowel,
brushes, mesh sieve

and a rock pick, which I confiscated.

I'm texting you his mugshot,
license and vehicle tag.

- You let him go?

- With the citation.

- What is up with people these days?

Think you can just take
what doesn't belong to you.

- Finders keepers has a long
history in this country.

What is this, lemonade?

- River water.

- That can't be good.

- It's not.

I need my coffee.

- I unlocked the door.

(handle clatters)

All right, I'll make the coffee, my turn.

(door bangs)

(items clattering)

(door clicks)

(dramatic music)

(door rattles)

(dramatic music)

(Nova knocking)

Help!

(Nova knocking)

(dramatic music)
(Nova crying)

- Nova what happened?

- I'm so embarrassed.

- What for?

- Claustrophobia, I can't control it.

- We've all got our demons.

It's okay, you're safe.

I'm afraid it was me.

I didn't know you were in there.

Forgive me.

(light hearted music)
(engine rumbles)

- Morning, everyone.

Let me start by introducing
you to Hannah Bach Meyer.

Hannah comes to us from Michigan.

We're lucky to have her for
the rest of the summer season.

Hannah will have a thankless job

of working at the entrance station.

- Happy to be here.

I love the Driftless area

and this is my first
gig as an actual ranger.

- You'll fit right in Hannah.

Cody and Nova here are our full time

law enforcement rangers.

Nova just got her certification.

(rangers applauding)

Sherman does history and cultural talks

here at the visitor center

and this scraggly creature
is Theo who's stationed

up at the cabin in the back country.

- He comes ever few days,
we feed and water him,

and send him right back.

- I am the freak on the peak.

(all chuckling)

Welcome aboard Hannah.

- Thanks, you do law
enforcement way up there?

- No, I'm not trained for all that.

I'm just a seasonal like you.

- And me.

- Cody and Nova do all the
law enforcement around here,

they keep the park safe year round.

- Is there a lot of that?

Crime?

- We do have arson's here,

we do have burglaries here,
we do have assaults on people,

we do have people driving
under the influence

of alcohol and other things.

Fortunately though we have not

had anything much worse
happen in this park.

- I started as an environmental
scientist for EPA.

found my first job as a ranger

in the San Bernardino National Forest.

They gave me a gun.

I kept it underneath the seat
of the car in a bath towel.

You know, keep the dust out.

I was instructed to do my
law enforcement by bluff.

You should be able to use the uniform,

the badge the flat hat,
the whole ranger image

as it's called, you should be
able to do a lot with that.

But it's the person who wears it.

Nova has an almost mystical
skill for deescalation.

- I just love people and the majority

of the visitors here
are lovely human beings

so I practice what I call
ranger law enforcement.

- I just love people to
but there's no such thing.

We have the same training as police do

and we have the same
authority in this park.

Now fourth of July weekend is the worst.

This job becomes people management,
not resource management.

Nova go with Hannah today,

show her the ropes at the
entrance and make your rounds.

- [Nova] You got it.

- Okay folks, let the
holiday weekend begin.

- Rock and roll.

- Rock and roll.

You preferred native
American or American Indian?

- Neither.

I don't identify as an American.

I'm a member of the Ojibwe nation

on lands occupied by the United States.

- So I guess you don't
celebrate the 4th of July.

- The declaration of
independence describes

my people as merciless Indian savages.

So not so much.

- Bye Theo.

- See you kids around some time.

- Yeah, have fun up there.

- He's funny, I like him.

- Theo's great.

- Cody's kind of intense.

- Yeah, Cody's been here the longest,

but he's good at everything.

Patrol investigation,
firefighting, search and rescue.

He is like the perfect ranger
that all of us want to be.

- The late Woodland period
thousands of years ago was when

construction on these mounds of began.

Mounds of earth and in
the shapes of birds,

bear, deer, lynx, turtle, bison,

and panther are some of
the more common images.

- Are you an Indian?

- You can call me that
you could call me Ojibwe.

- Ojibwe?

- Or Chippewa.

- [Boy] Chippewa?

- That's right and what do we call you?

- Jimmy.

- Okay ranger Jimmy, you
wanna see some arrow heads.

- Heck yeah.

(light hearted music)

- Welcome to Driftless State
Park, entrance fee is $10.

- Are there any bears?

- No, ma'am no bears,

but we do have raccoons
and other critters.

So make sure to put
your food away at night.

- Do you sell raccoon hats?

- Sorry, no raccoon hats.

- No raccoon hats.

- Are there going to be any fireworks?

- Absolutely no fireworks
allowed anywhere in the park.

- Where's the Driftless
area on this thing?

- It's all around you.

- I'll find it.

- Oh, we're going backpacking.

Where do we park?

- There's a parking lot
up at the Trailhead.

You can pick up a back country
permit at the ranger station.

- We need a permit?

- Oops.

- [Hannah] Yep, I hear
they're going pretty fast.

- Is there wifi?

- No wifi.

It's hard to even get a phone signal.

- Good.

- It's a rangerette dude.

- All right chill chill dude.

- [Man] Dude, she's hot.

- [Man] Stop.

- $10 please.

- Hey, do you have a boyfriend?

Do you want a boyfriend?

- I am so sorry, just ignore him.

- Smells like the party already started.

- Hell yeah.

- Welcome to Driftless State Park.

- The endangered white race

is going to reclaim
our ancestral Homeland.

- Your ancestral Homeland?

- Germans settled this whole area.

- [Nova] And before that?

- Before that it doesn't
matter Pocahontas.

- Gee, I've never heard that one before.

You know there's a really
beautiful trail next

to the lake, you should try it.

It might do you--

- Occupied!

- They didn't pay!

- I'll catch up to them sooner or later.

They'll be easy to find.

- You shouldn't be wearing
the shirt in America.

- Well actually the United States

owns Puerto Rico so we're part of America.

We don't own Puerto Rico
chikita, we protect Puerto Rico.

So what's your point?

- Well what's your point sir?

- Why you wearing the shirt?

- Because I can.

- This is America.

- Yes, exactly, the land of the free.

- You can't change us, you know that.

- Can you get away from me sir?

Jesus, I'm not trying to change anyone,

I'm just camping out here.

- Are you a United States citizen?

- Yes, I am.

- You should be wearing
a United States flag.

Why are you wearing the piece of shit?

- Hey, ranger?

This man is harassing me.

- Sir you need to go back
to your camp site please.

- I only wanna know if she's
a United States citizen.

- Why are you being so obstinate sir?

- Are you a United States citizen?

- It's lovely day, enjoy the park

and don't bother your neighbors.

I am so sorry about that.

- I don't feel comfortable with him here.

- Are you camping alone?

- No, I have friends coming,
they should be here in an hour.

- He won't bother you after that.

- It's my birthday weekend.

- Fun.

- I was born on the fourth of July.

- Wonderful.

Look most of the campers here

are good people, so don't worry

and have a good time
in this fabulous park.

(speaking in foreign language)

- Thank you.

- Hi ranger.

- Hi.

- Do you know what the weather
forecast is like this week?

- Yeah, it's gonna be
beautiful sunny skies,

a chance of rain later on this week,

but you're still gonna love it.

Where are you from?

- I'm from France but I live in England.

- That's fantastic, well
welcome to Driftless.

- Thank you.

- Hey trooper, you have a second?

They're smoking marijuana over there.

- It's ranger not trooper, and
they have a camping permit.

- Yeah, they don't have
a permit to smoke pot.

- Well there's not much I can do.

- You could enforce the law,

I mean there's kids
right there, look at 'em.

All right listen, well you
can arrest me if you want to

but I'm not gonna tolerate you just like,

not doing anything.

- I'm not gonna arrest you
and I'm not gonna arrest them.

- Then is there a supervisor,
someone you can call over?

- Is that necessary?

- It feels necessary.

- Okay.

146, you there?

- [Cory] What's up little sister?

(engine rumbles)

- I am so sorry I had to
drag you out for this.

- Don't worry about it, what's up?

- You're going to find out really quickly.

- Ranger Carson, this gentlemen
wants a word with you.

- How are you sir?

- Hi, I don't know if you know

but they're smoking marijuana over there.

- Yeah, we're aware there's some herbal

activity going on over there.

- Okay, so are you gonna enforce the law?

- Well we don't have the resources
to handle that right now.

Wouldn't you agree ranger Abbey,

this is relatively
inconsequential behavior.

- [Nova] I do agree.

- You could revoke their camping permit.

- Yeah we could, but it would

be an officer safety issue at that point.

- How would it be an officer safety issue?

You don't think you could take them?

Look at them.

- Yeah, I'm gonna leave it at that.

- Okay, what's your name may I ask?

- Cody Carson, yours?

- My, well mines on my registration.

I can't believe it, this is crazy.

- Thank you, have a good weekend sir.

- Thank you for handling
that so graciously.

(woman screaming)

Now what?

- Go.

(dramatic music)

- Are you okay?

- He tried to take the baby?

- Who did?

- My druggie boyfriend,
I told him it was over

between us and he tried to take the baby.

- Where is he?

- He ran off.

- You want me to call an ambo?

- The baby's okay, right?

- I think so.

- He ran into the brush down there.

- There he is.

- Hey, hey, hey, hey, whoa, whoa,

hold it there a minute sir.

Put your hands out nice and slow.

- Bitch, you ain't gonna take our baby.

- [Woman] I told you if I
saw you ever shoot up again!

- Calm down ma'am, the baby--

- Don't tell me to calm down.

- All right turn around.

Hands behind your head
and enlace your fingers.

(dramatic music)

Spread your legs.

Got anything in your pockets
that are gonna poke me?

All right, follow me.

- [Woman] I want a
restrain order against him!

- You want to file a formal complaint?

- [Woman] Yes, I would.

- You got it, we'll be right back.

You open that door up for me?

- You got it.

- Thank, all right head down.

There you go.

You cool off here in the back seat

until we get things sorted out.

Enjoy the AC.

I'm gonna go talk to those neighbors,

keep an eye on him, will ya?

Hey folks.

Had a slight incident,
nothing to worry about,

we'll be out of your hair
in two seconds, thanks.

(dramatic music)

- Cody!

- [Cody] Yeah?

- Come take a look at this.

- What's up?

He's faking it don't you think?

- You can't fake blue.

- Nova, he's faking it.

- He's not breathing.

- Shit.

- His hearts beating though.

- [Cody] Narcan.

(dramatic music)

- He's breathing.

- Sorry I doubted you.

- Apology accepted.

- Nice work.

Is that your first time
saving someones life?

- [Nova] I think so, yeah.

- Feels good right?

Hi there.

Do you still wanna file that report?

- I guess not.

- Are you sure?

We can still take him in.

- Yeah, I'll be okay.

He loves the baby.

- Should we call the paramedics

and take him to the hospital?

- No that'll just make things worse,

he'll end up in the psych ward.

believe me, it's a way of life.

A relapse is all part of recovery.

He just keeps telling me, in a few days

he'll be all peaches and creme.

Baby's fine, he just scared her is all.

We'll be okay.

(dramatic music)

- Hello ladies.

- Hey, ranger.

- Yeah, sorry, she's never
seen a ranger before.

- Might I take a peek are
your back country permit?

- We actually, we tried to get one,

but they were all sold out.

- Well we do try to limit
the number of permits,

so you know, it doesn't
get too crowded out here.

- We haven't seen a soul.

- How many nights you planning on staying?

- Four.

We have plenty of food,
water, sunscreen, camp stove.

We've been planning this trip for a month.

- But you forgot to plan for a permit.

- Please don't kick us out.

- Pretty please.

- Yeah, all right, okay.

Just remember leave no trace,

pack up all your trash, can I trust you?

- Yeah.

- We promise.

- Maybe I'll see you around this weekend,

I'll be staying at a cabin
about three miles up the trail.

- Thank you so much,

- Of course, Theo.

- Meg.

- Margo.

No dangerous animals right?

- No but watch out for ticks.

- How do we do that?

- You brought something to eat right?

Repellent?

Stay on the main trails so that you don't

brush against nay long
grasses, long pants,

long sleeves and light colors, not dark.

So I guess your good to go then.

Stay safe.

- See ya.

- I go camping all the
time, it's so easy and fun.

- I got the test results
back on that water sample.

Heavy metal contamination

many times high than state standards.

- Do we know where from?

- Frack sand mine.

- Fracking?

- No, frack sand mine.

Just north of here.

Call it industrial sand.

Fracking involves drilling
deep into underground

rock formations to release
natural gas or oil.

- And we need sand to make it happen.

- But not just any sand will do the trick.

Highly pure silica sand
like we have just north

of the park is especially strong

and close to the surface so digging

it up is relatively easy.

- And profitable.

- [Morgan] Extremely.

- What do we do?

- I'm going to the capital at eight

to meet with DNR secretary.

If I can talk to her before

the budget deadline tonight maybe

they can use this and vote
to hire a bigger staff.

More scientists, more
wardens, do more testing.

Can you hold down the fort?

- What do I have to do?

- Nothing, just go
about your regular work.

But if something unexpected comes up,

you're the point person.

Cover for me or call me,
I'll be back late tonight.

- Okay.

(dramatic music)

- You paid for this test yourself.

Why would you do that?

- I've been noticing
dead fish, water foul.

Then I found a whole family
of dead deer by the drainage.

They didn't die of natural causes.

- Are you a veterinarian?

- With all due respect Ms. Secretary,

your background is construction.

I'm an environmental scientist.

The sand mining company is supposed

to do its own tests but it doesn't.

Based on that report the company

is going to be looking at some big fines.

- We're not going to fine them.

- [Morgan] Why not?

- This test doesn't prove where

the contamination is coming from.

- But we all know, it's
five miles up river.

- Just don't go around making
irresponsible accusations.

I'll talk to them about it.

- And what will you say?

- No need for impertinence superintendent.

- Can't you use this
data to get more money

for our scientists on the ground?

- I'll level with you.

The state is trying to encourage business,

not discourage it.

- Okay, but can we not contaminate

the groundwater and the process?

I mean, isn't that part of what

the DNR is supposed to be doing?

- Look, we're fighting just
to keep the current budget.

The legislature would like to
cut all money from the parks

and make them run solely on entrance fees.

- There's no way, impossible.

- So maybe we raise the entrance fees,

that or privatize the parks.

- What about the fact that the Driftless

has a handful of endangered species

that relies on that groundwater?

The Iowa plasticine snail,
the Higgins eye pearly mussel,

the butlers garter snake.

You saw my memo about that?

- Yeah, I read it.

And frankly, superintendent,

I would knock off writing those memos.

Snails and snakes and air and water

don't pay taxes and they
don't sign our paychecks.

- We're paid to protect
the natural resources.

- Is that what you think?

- But they don't let us do our jobs.

- Frustrating isn't it?

(dramatic music)

- [Nova] License and registration please.

- What's the charge?

- [Nova] You guys ran the
entrance without paying.

- How much is it?

- [Nova] $10.

- Don't spend it all at one place.

- You aware that your brake light is out?

- Is it?

- I should write you a citation,

but I'll give you a warning

if you promise to take care of it.

- You can't intimidate me Pocahontas.

- Hank, don't.

- Okay then, citation it is.

- [Cody] 149, do you copy?

- Go on Cody.

- [Cody] Party's over government shutdown.

Need to clear the park by midnight.

- Seriously?

- [Cody] I'll get the entrance,

you wanna break the bad
news to the campers?

- Copy that.

Meet me when you can.

- Today's you're lucky
day, no fee and no ticket.

But I do need to inform you

that there's been a state
wide government shut down

so you guys need to exit
the same way you came in.

- We're not going anywhere.

- The Driftless area consists
of 24,000 square miles

and it covers the four corners

of Wisconsin, Iowa,
Illinois, and Minnesota.

- [Theo] Yeah sorry, you cut out,

the signal up here sucks, repeat?

- They couldn't reach your
budget deal at the capital.

Government shut down,

all state parks closed,
essential personnel only.

- [Theo] Crap.

- Our park was carved out
of land that was once owned

by indigenous tribes like
the Sioux and Ho-Chunk.

More commonly known
today as the Winnebago.

- Winnebago, I got one of those.

Sorry.

In fact many of Americas
great national parks.

- But do me a favor, let the backpackers

know out there that the park is closed.

If anything happens there's no
rangers around to help them.

- Taken from our native communities

by the United States Government.

- Yeah, but weren't the Indians attacking

and killing the settlers?

- Self defense.

Before Colombes arrived here

there were 10 million indigenous peoples

already living in North America.

By the end of the 19th century

there were fewer than 300,000.

Sounds like genocide on
native peoples, doesn't it?

- Sorry to interrupt.

Excuse me I'm afraid I have some bad news.

We're closing the park now due

to a state wide government shutdown.

(people chattering)

I'm sorry that we have to do this,

we really didn't want
to but our law makers

have not been able to
reach a budget agreement.

Sorry to ruin your plans folks

but I'm going to have to ask you to leave.

We have to clear the park.

(people chattering)

- Where's Morgan?

- He had a meeting with DNR.

He'll be back tonight.

You went a tad bit off
script there, didn't you?

- They asked, I wasn't gonna lie.

- Okay.

But they are on vacation.

I don't think they need
to worried about massacres

and genocide from 150 years ago.

- Should I talk about today instead?

Pipelines are being built
on indigenous lands.

Resources are being extracted.

Indigenous women are
being raped and murdered.

And the water on the
res is being poisoned,

and the list goes on and on and on and on.

- No, you're right, you're right.

- We may work for the colonizers.

But we don't forget who we are.

Want me to lock up?

- I'll take care of it,
you might as well go home.

- The F word, furlough.

(dramatic music)

- Hello sir!

- Howdy.

- Can I take a gander at
your back country permit?

- Here.

- Thanks.

You camping alone?

- Yup.

- [Theo] We always recommend
hiking with a friend in case

you know, you twist an ankle or something.

- I'll be all right.

I know every nook and cranny of this area.

- Okay, but I do need to let you know

there's been a government shutdown

so the parks officially closed.

You can stay if you like
but rangers won't be

around to help you if
you get into trouble.

- No rangers?

- Afraid not.

They're sending us home.

- I'll keep it safe.

I got this.

- I assume you got a license for that?

- Of course.

- All right, well there's no
need for it now, is there?

- What's the boy scout motto?

Be prepared?

- [Theo] Get your merit badge in handguns?

- Citizenship and Indian lore.

- Fun.

All right well, don't
use it to kill ticks,

you might hurt yourself.

- Supposed to be funny?

You're going the wrong way
if you're going off duty.

- You're right, I got somethings

I need to pick up at the rangers station.

Maybe I'll see ya on my way back down huh?

- Bang.

(engine rumbles)

(car door bangs)

- What's up?

- Government shut down.

Looks like a short first day
for you I'm afraid Hannah.

You are officially on furlough.

You go on home, we'll be in
touch as soon as it's over.

(car honks)

Government shut down,
we're being forced to close

because they couldn't
pass the budget in time,

so everything inside is closed.

Parking lots, visitors center,
bathroom, everything inside.

All the state prakes, I am
really sorry about that sir.

- Well can I walk in?

- If you choose to walk in

you do so knowing that risk,

there is no services provided,
no toilets, no phones,

no water, no ranger programs.

- You're telling me it's closed

because of the stupid budget?

That's stupid.

- Real sorry about that,
you have a good day okay?

Thank you.

Get your license plate taken care of.

- Hi.

Did you hear the announcement
about the park closing?

- I can't just pack up and go,

my boyfriend left with the car.

- Is he coming back?

He went to score some more dope.

- I should've listened to you.

Maybe he is a hopeless case.

- No, we'll work this out.

Just hang out for a bit.

Do you need anything?

- [Woman] We could use some water.

(gun firing)

- [Woman] Hey stop!

(gun firing)

- Put down the gun!

- Hey, don't worry, I'm
not going to shoot anybody.

- Put down the gun now.

- I have a license.

I'm just trying to
celebrate the 4th of July

before you kick us out.

- Put it down or I will
have to arrest you.

- That's not going to happen.

- [Cody] Gun down, hands up.

- Whoa, Whoa, Whoa.

They're just blanks okay?

- Let me see your ID, nice and slow.

Slow.

(dramatic music)

- Discharging a firearm in
the state park is illegal.

It doesn't matter if
it's bullets or blanks.

There are families here.

I'm writing you a citation.

What the hell's the matter with you?

- What's the matter with me,

what's the matter with you closing

the park on the 4th of July?

That's unpatriotic.

- I didn't close the park,
sir, the Governor did.

Why don't you take it up to
him after you show up in court?

Now you put that gun away, sir.

If I see it again, you're going
to jail, you understand me?

You okay?

- Yeah.

- You should have drawn on him.

Standard procedure in this situation.

- I'm not going to shoot
someone who's firing in the air.

- He waving a gun around Nova.

There are campers everywhere.

What the hell?

- They were blanks.

- You didn't know that.

- Okay, I just got to the cabin.

I need to caulk the windows,
spread lye in the pit toilet.

I gotta get rid of the poison ivy.

Plus I gotta get my stuff out,

I think this shutdown's
going to last a while.

Hello?

Nova?

- [Nova] Yeah.

- Hey, sorry.

The signal up here sucks.

I'll pack out and back down tomorrow.

- [Nova] Okay.

(door creaks)
(suspenseful music)

- Hello?

(suspenseful music)

(engine rumbles)

- What the hell?

- The shit heads.

I ran into a couple of them earlier.

- You mean skin heads?

- What did I say?

- Shit heads.

- Same idea.

(car doors bangs)

- Howdy folks.

This park is closed, all
state parks are closed.

- That means you're off duty.

- No sir, we're on duty

but the bathrooms have been locked up,

the waters been shut off, and
there is no trash collection.

You're all are gonna have
to put out your fires,

pack up your gear, and get out pronto.

- Yeah, we're not going anywhere.

We're taking back our home land,

it's been ourland since 1848

and we're gonna take
it back for our people.

- You need a history lesson.

- You lost the war Pocahontas.

Get over it.

- We're not gonna argue with you.

The park is closed, it's time to go.

Let's go.

- You know what, you're a race traitor.

- [Man] Yeah you are.

- You work for the government,

let the Jews control the banks.

Mate against your own race.

- You know who I mate with sir?

- What is up with you chum?

Why are you so hateful.

- This movement, it's not about hate.

We're proud of our culture,

and we're trying to survive in an area

where our race is being stomped out.

White lives matter.

This movement is all about love.

- Can you explain what you mean by love?

- I'll explain it so even smokey
the bear can understand it.

(group chuckles)

The white race is an endangered species.

And we're gonna preserves it.

- Not endangered, 60 percent
of Americans are white.

- [Man] Should be 100.

- Okay, when we get
back here in the morning

you all better be gone or
you're gonna be arrested.

Oh yeah, and watch out for ticks.

- Ticks?

- Yeah, ticks, they can be deadly.

They're little bugs that
burrow underneath your skin,

and if they have lime disease
you're gonna get a rash,

and then fever, and a whole lot worse.

Have a good night.

- [Man] Don't fuck that Indian girl.

Gotta keep your race pure.

- Don't bother.

(suspenseful music)

- Are you trying to intimidate me.

Ow, damn it, I could sue you for that!

- I don't know I'd say she just prevented

you from six months in a country jail

for assaulting a peace officer.

- [Man] Get up.

- Score one for Pocahontas.

(group chuckles)

(dramatic music)

Yeah.

(Cody sighs)

Yeah.

Yeah, I'll be here.

Thanks.

- Cody, I'm sorry about last night.

I should have never provoked that guy,

I was up most of the
night thinking about it.

- Yeah, well we got bigger fish to fry.

There's been a couple deaths.

- Oh no, the skin heads?

- No, they cleared out
the middle of the night.

- Who?

- I'm waiting on an ambulance.

You go ahead and make the rounds.

I got it covered, okay?

- Where are the bodies?

- By the river.

- What's the scoop?

- Not pretty.

- I mean what are the details?

- Murder, maybe.

Drowning, terrible, I don't
know, we need more info.

- Jesus.

- Yeah.

- Who are the victims?

Cody, I'm your partner.

Talk to me.

- [Cody] Woman and her baby.

Might've been strangled.

Looked blue, lack of oxygen somehow.

Baby drowned.

- The addict?

He killed his girlfriend
and drowned their baby?

- [Cody] We don't know that for sure.

We need to find him first.

(Nova crying)

- I should've let him die.

They'd still be alive,
why did I let them die?

- [Cody] You did what we're trained to do.

We don't let people die if we can help it.

- I want to see them.

- Trust me, Nova, go home.

The park is closed.

There's nothing to be done.

You look beat, go get some rest.

(Cody sighs)

(Nova crying)

(fire crackling)

I don't know what I'm doing anymore.

Cruel, racist, sexist, offensive,

hateful, mean-spirited, baby killers.

- there've always been dark
forces and there always will be.

Remember the history of
our indigenous nations.

Egocentric Americans nearly
destroyed our culture.

- Americans.

My mother's a Mormon.

My father fought for America and Vietnam.

The war destroyed him,

but he always said, we, Lakota,

we are American.

- You are all your relatives
and all your relatives are you.

- My father would lock
me in his shed every time

he was drunk and he was always drunk.

That's not what I want to be.

- You have become a person
of great compassion Nova.

And I see that in the
way you treat people.

(speaking in foreign
language), you help people.

- I've lost faith in them.

In people, this country, myself.

I can't do this job and
be who I want to be.

I'm simply not good at it.

- But you are.

- I don't know where to
go, what my purposes is.

- You should slow down a little bit.

- It eases the stress.

- Yeah, it's (speaking
in foreign language).

You are a special person

and you're just trying to
find your place in the world.

Be kind to yourself.

Show yourself the same love, compassion,

and pity that you show others.

- I don't know how to do that.

- Remember the teachings of our ancestors.

Peace, balance, virtue,

honesty, righteousness, humility,

courage, and strength of the heart.

Intelligence.

- That's a lot to learn.

- Do you remember why you
wanted to be a ranger?

- The land, the trees, the river.

We're an extension of that.

We're connected.

We're just as much a part of the forest

as the forest is a part of us.

And I wanted to share that joy with them

but they're blind and deaf to
it, staring into their phones.

Earbuds, impenetrable.

They've severed their
connection to the earth.

They litter, they stomp on wild flowers.

They rob our sacred graves.

And when I see this, I feel something

that I've never felt
before, contempt for them

and it shakes me.

I feel ashamed to feel that how.

How am I supposed to care for them?

Protect them?

Are they even worth caring for?

Of course they are, I know that,

but they make it really hard.

(dramatic music)

- (speaking in foreign language)

I value you, I believe in you.

I'm happy you are here.

(dramatic music)

(fire crackling)

- [Man] Evening ladies.

- Jesus Ranger, you
scared the shit out of me.

- You know fires illegal
in the back country.

- We didn't know that.

A fire's such a nice part of camping.

But we can put it out if it's a big deal.

- It's a big deal.

You don't care about
anything but yourself do you?

Let me see your permit.

- Yeah, you see the thing
about that is we tried

to get one but they were all sold out.

- [Man] You can't stay
here, the parks closed,

it's a Government shutdown.

- The other ranger said
that we could stay.

- What other ranger?

- Cute skinny guy.

- Theo.

He's staying at the cabin.

- That's where I'm staying.

There are no other rangers there.

You gonna have to pack up and go.

- Seriously?

I mean can't you just let us stay?

We'll leave in the morning.

I mean you don't actually
want us to walk down

the trail at night do you?

- You are running the resource.

- We're not ruining anything.

- Pack up or I will take you to jail.

- Jail?

Why are you being such an asshole?

We're not gonna leave until the morning.

What are you doing?

- I'm taking you to jail

and if you're still here when
I get back, you're going to.

- Let her go.

- Margo!

Oh my God, what the hell are you doing?

Hey, what the hell is
the problem with you?

(dramatic music)

- Theo, Theo!

Help please!

I think the other ranger,
he took my sister.

- Whoa, whoa slow down,
who took your sister?

- The big ranger.

- What other ranger?

- He was wearing a hat, he
said he was a park ranger.

- Oh he's no ranger.

Look, Margo right?

When did this happen?

- Last night he took Meg

and then I had to wait till daylight

to find the trail, and--

- Okay, look, sit down.

Drink some water.

All right, we're gonna
find your sister okay?

We're gonna get Meg.

(dramatic music)

- Are you?

How are you?

- I've been better.

I could use some asprin.

- Gonna go up there like that?

- Plain clothes.

- So he doesn't run?

- Or shoot me.

- Theo brought the other girl down,

she's gonna be okay except
for a couple bruises.

She's worried about her sister of course,

which is where you come in.

Now we know who this guy is
based on her description of him.

Theo met him earlier on the trail,

he calls himself Red West.

He's a survivalist and a fugative.

He knows his way around the woods,

he's been stealing from vacant cabins

and clothes stores and
he's got Theo's hat.

I know, now there is an unsolved murder

of a camper a couple years ago,

some people think he committed it,

they could never make it stick,

but you gotta be extra
careful out there okay?

Got the gear, good.

Now I'm not crazy about splitting up

but they've got a lead
on that drug addict.

They found his car just outside the park.

- That monster.

What's going on with the
mother and the child?

- Their bodies went to
he medical examiner.

- What is going on in this park Cody?

- I don't know.

- You have to find him.

- I will, okay.

I'll catch up with you
after we check out the car.

Keep your radio on.

And remember, you're looking for a ranger.

(dramatic music)

149, do you copy?

(dramatic music)

- Hey Cody, what's up?

- [Cody] Found the car
crashed into a tree,

broken windshield, blood
all over the place.

Where are you?

- The ravines, it's quiet.

- [Cody] Be in touch if you
see anything suspicious,

I can circle back and be there at four.

- Roger that.

(dramatic music)

Cody, do you copy?

- [Cody] What's up Nova?

- Do you remember that old
hunting shack in the Backwoods?

- [Cody] Yeah, decrepit,
infested with mice.

- He's here.

I think she might be inside.

I'm going in.

- [Cody] On my way.

(dramatic music)

(child humming)
(tense music)

- I'm coming Nova.

(child humming)
(tense music)

- Please, help me, help me, help me.

- I'm a park ranger, my
names Nova, what's yous?

- Meg McKinley.

Where is he?

Where's the crazy ranger?

- He's not a ranger, but whoever he is,

he's hanging around.

- Oh ow, ow, ow.

- Are you okay?

- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I think so.

Is Margo okay?

- She's, she's fine, she's safe.

- Whoa, whoa, whoa, are you okay?

- No I can't, I can't breath.

- Okay, um.

(Nova crying)

♪ Oh Mr. Rabbit ♪

- Hey, hey, I sang that song in preschool.

♪ Mr. Rabbit, Mr. Rabbit
your ears are mighty thin ♪

♪ Yes, bless God, they're
splitting the wind ♪

♪ Every little soul must shine, shine ♪

- Hey, hey, how about we
get out of here, okay?

- You're going to go.

- No, no, no, no, no.

Come on, we can do this, come on.

You can, come on.

Come on.

- Phoned a friend huh?

Two jail birds are better than one huh?

Now you have to serve a little more time.

I'm thinking a day or two.

That'll teach you, move.

- [Cody] 429, do you copy?

- What is that?

- Walkie talkie.

It's just my friend, he's
probably wondering where I am.

- Let me see it.

(suspenseful music)

That's a police radio.

- Hands up.

- You know it's against the law to draw

a weapon on a park ranger.

- I am a park ranger

and you are under arrest
you son of a bitch.

- You're a, where's your badge?

- Fuck you asshole.

(suspenseful music)

- You're not gonna shoot me.

- Shoot him, shoot him, he's getting away.

(dramatic music)

There he is, there he is.

- No that's Cody, that's
one of the good guys.

- Nova!

(gun firing)

(suspenseful music)

(gun fires)

- I'm dying.

- Not here you're not.

Maybe in prison.

Maybe with a missing leg, but
you're not gonna die today.

- Why are you even, why
are you even helping him?

- Because we don't let
people die if we can help it.

- Suspect in custody, we need
helicopter assistance stat.

(water lapping)

- Hey Nova, thanks for
coming and congratulations.

That was some brave work.

Paper's gonna do a story on ya.

- Thanks.

I've never had to shoot a guy before

and I hope I never have to again.

So what's up?

- About the contaminated water.

DNR brushed it off.

The mining company might get
it's hand slapped is all.

- Figures.

- But it gets worse.

They're gonna scratch all five

of our endangered species from the list.

- Why would they do that?

- The real reason, so the mine

can expand this way and
not violate any laws.

They've reached a budget
deal in the capital

but state parks got lots of cuts.

- Again?

How did they propose to do that this time?

- In our case, by eliminating me.

- What?

- This is my last season.

I got my pink slip, here until labor day.

- There must be other ways
to cut the budget, why you?

Because you know about the water.

- Now, you know too so watch your back.

I was gonna retiring a
couple of years anyway.

Turns out it's in a couple of months.

- Theo and Cody are on their way.

Sherman's not answering
and Morgan's a maybe.

He might make it here in time for dessert.

- Cozy little foursome.

I'm going to go ahead and
throw that corn into the fire.

Ray's squirrel in the oven.

Theo's favorite.

You better save some for the braise.

- Crazy couple of days, we've had.

- Brutal and here we are acting

like it's a normal holiday weekend.

God bless America.

- What is wrong with this country anymore?

Is it just me or have people
gotten mean and selfish?

- Oh, I've noticed.

- Any word on those two sisters?

How are they doing?

- As well as they can be,

their family's coming
in to drive them home.

- Thanks to you.

- Not everyone was so lucky.

The mother and child's dead.

- It's so sad.

Can I tell you something Nova?

- What's that?

- Women like you give me hope.

I admire you so much.

- Me.

- You're kind, you're
decent, you're honest.

You're who I want to be someday.

- Have some more wine.

(both chuckles)

You're loaded girl.

- I'm serious, I'm serious.

You're good at everything.

Search and rescue, emergency medicine,

settling down the unruly.

You're not afraid and.

- No, I am afraid.

- You're afraid, but you don't let

that stop you from doing what's
right, from doing your job.

You're the perfect ranger
that everyone wants to be.

- [Theo] Abbey, we're coming
in , we've got a warrant.

- No Theo, not today.

- These are for you.

- Aw, they're beautiful, thank you.

- Picked myself.

- Really?

- No.

- I'll get a vase.

- I'll help you.

- Well.

- You made this?

- Lemon meringue pie.

- You by yourself?

- It's homemade, yeah.

Whipped up some egg
whites, I made the crust,

and that lemon right there is brought

to you fresh by my mothers garden.

- It's stunning.

- Yeah, I was inspired
by a Modigliani painting,

that's why I came up
with that little design.

- Cody Carson you are
just full of surprises.

- What, you just thought I was

your average back of the woods law man?

- That's exactly what I
thought, now go get some wine.

- Red or white?

- White please.

- You got it.

- Thank you.

(group chattering)

- Hey you made it.

- They settled the budget.

Park reopens in the morning.

- Right before independence day.

- What's the catch?

- Our esteemed legislature
in their infinite wisdom

cut the budget for all the state parks.

- That's crazy, we're
already way under funded.

- Don't I know it.

So I've decided to retire.

I'm getting too old for this

and there are other things I
want to do while I still can.

This way you all keep your jobs

and none of our programs get slashed.

- Are you serious?

Who's going to replace you?

You know I don't want the job.

- No, we need you in the field.

They'll find someone younger
who will cost them less.

Someone with a degree
in resource management.

- Someone like Nova Abbey.

- As a matter of fact, Nova has agreed

to serve as acting superintendent until

they do a formal search.

- Well, look who's full of surprises now.

- I appreciate your faith in me.

- Hannah and I have an
announcement to make.

- [Nova] Oh my God, are
you guys getting married?

- No.

- We got a job in Colorado
for the ski season.

- I'm so excited, I love the mountains.

- And of course we'll be back next summer.

- Congrats.

- Who wants a bubbly?

- Me.

- I'll get some glasses.

- Hey boss.

- Knock it off.

I didn't get a chance to tell you.

- You're going to do great.

Leave me a little short handed but.

- Once we get past the high season,

we'll get it sorted out.

- Okay then.

- Okay then.

- Thanks for saving my life by the way .

I owe you one.

- You saved mine.

Let's call it even.

- Where is he?

- He's in my office.

- Did he confess to the murders?

- He didn't kill them.

He was in the hospital the whole time.

Crashed his car as you know.

Broke his arm, six
stitches on his forehead.

After his release, he came
back here to find them.

I just gave him the bad news.

Poor guy wept and wept for that baby.

- He's not a monster after all.

- But he is a hell hound on this trial.

- I judged him terribly.

- So where does this leave us now?

Two unsolved murders.

- Not exactly.

They did an autopsy on a mother and child.

The baby drowned, mother
died from poisoning.

- Poisoning?

- They found aluminum, lead,

and manganese concentrations in her blood.

Four times higher than
what they call deadly.

She had some kind of autoimmune condition.

They think she passed
out and died overnight.

- She drank from the river.

- Looks that way.

Jesus, why would anybody?

- Because we turned off the water

and we lock the bathrooms on them.

- You two want to fill me in?

- Heavy metals from the frack sand mine.

Nova will explain it all to you.

- Are we reopening the park today?

- Yeah, we're open.

Water's okay for now, but
we're not taking any chances.

No swimming, fishing and
absolutely no drinking from it.

- I'll post signs, scary ones.

I better get going.

- We have to get this story out.

- Yeah, I intend to.

Never thought I'd end my
career as a whistleblower.

- Let me.

- Nova, you still have a job.

Let's keep it that way.

- No, this land used
to belong to the Sioux.

And I'm not afraid of
losing my job, let me help.

This is my job, I'm a park ranger.

- You are at that.

Okay.

Even the DNR won't have
the guts to fire a hero.

- Hero.

- For your scrapbook.

- Thanks.

- Before you go, he wants to talk to ya.

- To me?

(dramatic music)

I am so, so sorry for your loss.

- I wanted to tell you thanks
for saving my life before.

If I had been there maybe
I could have saved them.

- You can't think like that.

(dramatic music)

- The river is poisoned.

- Yes.

- My girl and my baby are dead.

- You may be able to bring
a case against the mine.

They poisoned the water.

- [Man] A case?

- Involuntary manslaughter.

- I'm an addict.

They're not gonna listen to me.

Will you help me?

(dramatic music)

- This has got to stop.

(dramatic music)
(water rushing)

(dramatic music)

Whatever you do to the water,

you do to the animals,
and you do to yourself.

And it's breaking my heart

because it's endangering
the lives of our citizens.

- [Reporter] You're the ranger
who caught the kidnapper.

Can you tell us about that?

- It was a group effort and
thank goodness it ended well.

Unfortunately there's
something much worse.

A mother and her baby died
in the park yesterday.

- [Reporter] Yesterday?

- And we have reason to believe

it has to do with the heavy metals

that the sand mine is
dumping into our river.

- [Reporter] Did you just
say what I think you said?

- Yes.

I've contacted our Congresswoman,

who is also a part of the Ho-Chunk nation

and asked for her to help
us put an end to all of this

because we all need to understand that

when we destroy a
magnificent natural resource,

we are essentially killing mankind.

- [Reporter] What can people do about it?

- Pay attention, organize, protest, vote.

It's now or never.

- Hi there.

- Hello.

How are you doing?

- I'm better, thank you.

I ditched those other guys.

You were right, they are
all about hate and not love.

I knew Hank was an asshole,

there was just something about him.

His eyes, his scent maybe.

Next time I'll let my
brain do the thinking.

- And your heart.

- But what I wanted to tell you

is I took that hike along the
lake that you recommended.

My gosh, I felt like I was in church.

- [Nova] Pretty huh?

- Stunning.

There was morning mist rising off--

- Hey ranger, I'm sorry, there's a guy

at the camp site next to us,
and Abbey, you gotta help.

- Wait, slow down, take a breath.

- Okay, so the guy at the sat next to us

and he's like bent over the grill

and he's making breakfast,

but he's, he's butt-naked
and he's built like a walrus.

None of that should matter,
but he is, and so, I mean,

it's not a pretty sight
and the kids are terrified.

- Look, I'll talk to him.

- Excuse me.

(bike bell rings)

(light hearted music)