Viper Club (2018) - full transcript

Sam: All right.
We're ready when you are.

Helen: Should I cover
my hair?

Sam: What do you think?

Sheila: Ah,
it's not gonna make
a difference to them,

and it'll probably just
alienate people over here.

( clears throat )
Now? You ready?

( inhales )

My name is Helen Sterling

and my son Andrew Sterling
is a journalist.

I am not supposed to
be saying this to you

but I have money for you.



I'm in the process
of transferring to you

everything I have
in the world.

I'm begging you.

Sheila: I'm sorry.

-Oh, no.
-Sheila: No, no, no,
you're fine.

Just, just be yourself.

Myself doesn't make videos.

Sam: You know what,
the eye line is off anyway.

-Let's pretend these are
right underneath you.
-( camera beeps )

( wind blowing )

( wind chimes tinkling )

( pager beeps )

( telephone ringing )

( indistinct chatter )



( monitors beeping )

( indistinct announcement
over PA )

Helen: All right,
you'll feel some tickles now.

A little cold.

( answering machine beeps )

Hi, you've reached the
assistant special agent
in-charge Eric Walsh.

Please leave a message.
If it's an emergency,
please dial 0 for assistance.

Helen: Agent Walsh,
this is Helen Sterling.

I wanted to follow up because
I haven't heard from you in,

I don't know, I guess,
it's been a week now.

Sorry, I missed your call.
My phone was charging.

I have it with me now.

Could you call me back,
whenever? It doesn't
matter what time.

It's Helen Sterling.

Um, it keeps
going to voicemail,

so I guess you're
out of the office today.

If you check this,
will you please let me know?

I tried dialing 0,
by the way,
but the operator

didn't know who
to transfer me to, so...

Okay, just,
will you call me back?

( indistinct chatter )

( monitor beeping )

Helen: Good evening, Millie!

I've got your antibiotic
for you.

( whirring )

( groans softly )

Here you go.

That's good.

Hey.

Can you finish up in here
and meet me outside, please?

Mmm-hmm.

What's up?

-You have a visitor.
-Me?

Yeah, a young woman,
Sheila, I think.

Sheila.

You know it's not
a good time to have
personal visits, Helen.

She's in 438.

I'll see what she wants.

Make it quick.
You know we're
in the middle of an audit.

Helen: Right, boss.

( woman retches
and coughs )

( toilet flushes )

Merry Christmas!

You sounded terrible
in there!

Do not eat sushi
in Lebanon, trust me.

How long has it been this way?

It started, like,
that last week I was there,

so like, I don't know,
two weeks.

And of course
you don't have
any kind of insurance?

Welcome to
the freelance economy.

Yeah. Lie down.

Okay.

Andy and I could both
win Pulitzers

and still not make
enough money
to even have to file taxes.

Well, I offered to pay
Andy's insurance.

But oh, no.
He's too stubborn.

Too short-sighted.

Well, I finally heard
back from my friend
at the Red Cross.

No luck there.

But there is someone else.

Yeah, well, let's not talk
about this now, okay?

Helen, I'm worried.

I feel like you
keeping this all quiet

is just making it
harder on you.

It's kinda making it
harder on all of us.

Sorry, I'll be right back.

( groans )

Oh, shit!

( retching )

-Hey.
-Hey.

( indistinct chatter )

( beeps )

( beeping )

( siren wailing in distance )

Here, this is for you.

Take these now, and then
two a day for ten days.

And next time,

if there is a next time,
don't just show up.

Call me first.

I'm not getting you
in trouble, am I?

I can handle it.

So who was the person
that you were saying,

-not the Red Cross,
but somebody?
-Yeah.

I was finally able
to get the number
of Leo Spencer's mother.

She's not the easiest person
to talk to, but...

Please call her.

I know they told you
that you can't tell anyone.

But Charlotte can help.

I'll think about it.

Leo is part of that same club
that Andy and I are in.

So we helped Charlotte
when Leo was in trouble.

Andy never mentioned a club.

It's a really amazing
group of people.

So everyone pools their
resources together online.

So you know where's safe
to go, where to eat,

contacts, translators,
stuff like that.

It's called the Viper Club.

( chuckles )

"The Viper Club"?

Yeah, well...

I didn't come up
with the name.

Can I just stay here
for like...

-Ten minutes.
-Okay.

( siren wailing in distance )

Yeah!

( players cheering )

( players chanting )

( sighs )

( monitors beeping )

What's up?

Helen: Can you
cover for me?

I thought I could
power through,

but I'm burnt out.
This is my third double
this week.

Helen... ( sighs )

I know, I know, I know.

But I took Carmelyn's
because it was her birthday...

Hmm.

-I'll cover for you.
-( whispers ) Thank you.

-Can you please
get some rest?
-Yes.

( car lock chirps )

( bus engine starts )

Wait!

( sighs )

Step on the yellow line.

( mouse clicking )

( man speaking indistinctly )

Agent Walsh: What brings you
all the way down to the city,
Miss Sterling?

They sent me an e-mail.

Fantastic, they finally
wrote to you directly.

We have to pass this along
to our Intelligence Analysts...

But we'll respond to it today.

I understand
your sense of urgency,

but this is not
going to happen today.

No, it's going to
happen today.

I mean, my...

They reached out,

that means
my son's still alive.

It's not up to me.
There's a protocol
we have to follow.

An internal report
has to be generated.

What does that mean?

Helen,

there are
a lot of people involved.

And of course,
we need access

-to your e-mail accounts...
-Oh, sure.

So we can see
where the e-mail
might have been sent from.

Okay. And, um, I took off
from work today

so I can help you
with this.

I'm sorry.

Nobody asked you
to do that.

Nobody "asked" me?

Nobody asked me...

-This is my child.
-I know this is upsetting,

but we don't know
who we're dealing with yet.

Even the State Department

is struggling
to get information,

and they already have
people over there.

This is a delicate process.

We don't have time
for delicate.

We're going to get Andy
home, Helen.

You just have to trust
the process.

I'm not leaving here
until we respond.

Let me see what's possible.

( indistinct chatter )

( inaudible )

Agent Walsh:
Can I have a water, please?

I'm fine. What did he say?

( exhales )

I'm going to forward you
a recommended response

which you will put
into your own words.

Send it to me.
We'll approve it

and then you send it
to them.

When?

Soon.

How soon?

We need to control
the pace of communication.

Now, this might sound
counter-intuitive,

but in our experience
with terrorist organizations,

we've found that it's best
to take things slowly.

You haven't
told anybody, right?

No.

Agent Walsh:
Good. Keep it that way.

One more thing.

Money cannot exchange hands.

That's illegal.

Helen: What?

Well, how do we
get him back then?
What's the plan?

Agent Walsh:
I know this is hard,

but we're going to
take it one step at a time.

Helen:
You didn't answer me.

Agent Walsh: I promise you,
this is our top priority.

( line ringing )

You've reached the voicemail
of Charlotte Spencer.

Please leave a message
at the tone.

( tone beeps )

Um, Charlotte, hi.
This is Helen.

I'm sorry to keep
missing you.

I'm Sheila's friend
from the club.

( exhales )

I really need some advice.

Um...

So if you have a moment,
I'd appreciate you
returning my call.

Thank you.

( beeps )

( choir singing )

Waitress:
Can I get you anything?

Helen: Uh, water, please.

Still or sparkling?

Tap's good, uh,
no ice, please.

-Charlotte: Helen.
-Charlotte.

( Charlotte sighs )

Let me be the first to say,
with total conviction,

that I actually do know
what you're going through.

Charlotte: First off,
I invited you
to meet me here,

so I absolutely insist
on treating you.

-Oh, that's not necessary...
-I said I insist.

I'm sure you're used to
getting your way.

Well, I have been told
I'm difficult to refuse.

-( chuckles )
-Good afternoon, ladies.

Afternoon.

We will have
the Afternoon Tea Service

and two glasses
of champagne.

Waitress:
Very good, madam.

Just because
we're meeting for tea

doesn't mean
we can't drink champagne.

( chuckles softly )

So, how are you holding up?

( inhales deeply )

Honestly, I'm not sure.

-He's been gone... Andy, yes?
-Yes, Andy.

He was taken how long ago?

Uh, we lost contact
with him,

two and a half months Friday.

Who else is in the loop?

Sheila. Now, you.

But Sheila tells me
you've been in touch
with the FBI?

Oh, yes. Yeah.

And they've been
utterly useless.

Well, they're very nice guys.

Well, that's part
of the problem.

-You think so?
-Well, yes. They talk nice.

But they don't do anything

unless they're
absolutely forced.

Ladies.

( opera music plays )

-Shall I pour the tea?
-No.

-Enjoy.
-Thank you.

To the safe return
of your son.

Thank you.

To Andy.

Can I ask you
a personal question?

Sure.

Why haven't you
reached out more?

They told me
not to tell anybody.

-Who, the FBI?
-Yeah.

Oh, that's so stupid.

Well, they said his life
would be in danger.

Well, I'm sorry, Helen.

( inhales )

If they think they can
manipulate you, they will.

I realize that.

I'm sorry.

This brings it all back
to when Leo was taken.

I guess I have
some unresolved anger.

( chuckles dryly )

How is Leo?

Good days and bad days.

He's teaching Media Studies
at Stanford.

By the way, I looked at
some of Andy's videos online.

They're really
very impressive.

I... I haven't watched them.

You should.
It's really very powerful.

You know,
all the bombs going off

and being shot at
and everything, I just...

I can't.

I feel the same way
about Leo's work.

When he was a student,
he talked about journalism

like it was
a sacred calling.

I was so proud of him.
I encouraged him.

Then when he shipped himself
off to Kandahar,

I'd wished we had canceled
our subscription to the Times
years ago.

( chuckles )

I don't really know
where Andy gets it.

Well, aren't you
an emergency room nurse?

So?

You don't see the parallels?

No, I don't put my life
on the line.

I have to ask you.

How did you get him back?

Hmm. Certainly not by
being quiet about it.

Who'd you talk to?

We have friends
who have friends.
( exhales )

Yeah, I don't have
those kind of friends.

Well, you don't know
unless you ask.

Nobody I know
has that kind of money.

What kind of money?

( softly )
Ransom money.

We didn't pay a ransom
to release Leo.

Did the military go in?

No, no, they don't do that.

( chuckles )

I feel like you're telling me
to read between the lines,

but I don't even see
the lines, so I don't get it.

Well,

there's a balance
to be struck

between asserting yourself

and coming on too strong.

Okay.

( inhales )

I have to admit,
I sometimes wonder

if I would have done better

had I been more
anonymous myself.

What does that mean?

Well, the more people
who know, the more
false leads you get.

The more e-mails,

from Pakistan, Qatar,

telling you that for
$10,000 in Bitcoin

they can give you
the GPS coordinates

of where the terrorist
is keeping your son.

And maybe they can.
Maybe they do know.

So you have to deal
with the consequences
of your decision.

Do you scrape together
enough money to spread
around some

dubious Middle Eastern
bribery network?

Or,

do you just decide to swallow
the awful thought

that maybe you could have
done something more?

( siren wailing in distance )

Can I ask you something?

Excuse me. Excuse me,
I have a question.

I may be, uh, wiring
a large sum of money

to another country,
and I...

How do you do that
from here?

Oh, no I already saw
this form online.

And what it says
is that, uh,

if you want to transfer
over $10,000
internationally,

you have to get some
kind of permission,

so that's why I'm here.

To ask you for permission.

Where's the money going?

Let's say, um, Syria.

Could you send
a large amount of money
to Syria?

S-Y-R-I-A.

Nope.

Turkey?

Call the number
on the form.

No, look, how much
could I send to Turkey?

-Next in line, please.
-No, not next in line.

I asked you
a fucking question.

-Can I... Can I...
-Oh.

-The bedrooms?
-Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Water pressure's
really strong.

Helen: Can we list it
for a little bit more?

realtor: Well, it's what
the market will hold.

I mean,

it may even be
a teardown.

Can we do it without
a sign on the lawn?

Not if you want it
to sell.

( sighs )

Look, Miss Sterling,
you told me you wanted
to sell this urgently.

( scribbling )

( birds chirping )

reporter: ( on TV )
Significant
turn of events today,

as the last Islamic
stronghold of Syria,

the city of Abu Kamal
has been liberated.

You're seeing photos
here from the area

where government forces
report that militias from

both Syria and Iran
have joined forces.

( TV turns off )

Oh, thank you, sweetie.

-( siren wailing )
-( indistinct radio chatter )

-Do you know where
my daughter is?
-( monitor beeping )

-What's your daughter's name?
-The name's Kayla.

-Her name's Kayla?
-Yes.

She went in the ambulance
before me.

-Well, we're gonna find her.
-Okay.

We're gonna find her.
Let's see here.

I let her go
in the ambulance
without me.

Right. Well, that's
the right thing to do.

We're going to find her.
Sit down.

nurse:
Anybody call anesthesia?

paramedic:
Multiple gunshot wounds.
Coming in.

man 1: ( on radio )
We have seven victims,
expecting multiple traumas.

man 2:
We need more ambulances.

Reza:
Please. Please.

Please!

nurse: BP is a 100 over 70.

-Reza:
Tell me the damn...
-Yes.

We need to
intubate immediately.

nurse 2: Has anyone
tried to contact
any of their parents?

girl: He just walked in
and just started shooting.

He's not gonna make it, Reza.

Carmelyn: Helen.

-( woman crying )
-( monitors beeping )

( beeping intensifies )

( indistinct radio chatter )

Reza, call it.

I'm the doctor.

Dr. Rahimi, there are other
patients that need you.

( baby crying )

Time of death, 2:33.

Michelle, cross-check
and get it to the OR.

( Reza crying )

It's time.

-Get cleaned up.
-( sniffles )

( exhales )

Jerry, can I just
take a minute?

( breathes deeply )

( whispers )
I'm sorry.

What are you going to say
to the family?

I don't know.

You've got to be clear.

You've got to be strong.

This is the worst news
they're ever going to hear,

and nothing you can say
is going to make it better.

Be clear, be strong.

Practice on me.

Um...

I... I regret
to inform you...

No, stop. It's not about
you and your regret.

Be clear. Be strong.

Your son didn't make it.

We did everything we could.

I'm so very sorry
for your loss.

Good.

Do it just like that.

I'm looking for
the parents of...

Your son didn't make it.

He died. We did
everything we could...

What are you saying?
What are you talking about?

You didn't do anything!

( sobbing )
You didn't do anything!

( woman continues sobbing )

( rain pattering )

( seat belt unlocks )

( faint scraping )

( Andy sighs )

( clattering )

Eighty kinds of oil
at the Hannaford's now,

this is the only one
that's any good.

But I love the way
they've remodeled.

It looks really great.
Right?

It's a consumer's paradise.

They throw away more food
in a day than I saw
in a month in Kabul.

Well, they do
donate a lot of it
to the group home.

They're very good
with the community
that way.

It's good PR
that costs them nothing.

reporter: ( on radio )
...killed at least 40 people

and wounded dozens more...

( radio turns off )

You don't want to hear it?

Not secondhand.

Okay, why are you so angry?

I'm not angry, Mom.

I'm frustrated.

-I'm totally useless here.
-( scoffs )

Baby, you're not useless.

I don't want to hurt
your feelings,

but there's no way
you can understand
what I'm going through.

Well, how can I understand it
when you don't talk to me

and you keep it all
locked inside you?

( sighs deeply )

It's not enough for me here.

It's never been.

This life...

This way of living.

I'm suffocating.

Well...

Maybe it's time for you
to get your own place.

Oh! Where?

Downtown Oneonta?

So I can be close
to the action?

Another meth-head arrested

and I get
the front page article
in the Daily Star?

( scoffs )

Oh, you always
looked down on everyone
and everything here.

Right?
You're so much better
than everybody

and I'm just stupid
and I can't understand

'cause I'm just dumb!

Damn it, you want this
to be about you!

I'm not your partner, Mom.

I love you,

but I'm sick of feeling
responsible for you

every time
I make a decision.

Oh, please.
Make a decision.

I would love for you
to make a decision
as a grown-up!

Go ahead. And just don't
drag me into your drama.

I have made a decision.

I'm going back.

( rain pattering )

Helen: You know what
I'm confused about...
And maybe I'm wrong,

but I thought that
you would be a lot more
used to violence,

coming from Iran.

-Iran?
-Yeah.

No. They arrest you
for having a gun.

Really?

Right. Yeah.

Anyone in the mood
for some day-old cake?

I'll pass.

( Keesha chuckles )

Helen, um...

Is Andy coming home
for Christmas?

January.

You want me to cover
Christmas shift?

Mmm, am I that obvious?

You got it, boss,
but you owe me.

Thank you.

All right, I'm going in.

-( Keesha coughs )
-( cell phone chimes )

Reza: Oh, hold on.
Wait for me.

( Reza sighs )

-( monitors beeping )
-( ventilator hissing )

Good morning, Amy.

How is your arm today?

Jeez, I keep forgetting
I got shot.

Arm's fine.

Kayla is stable.

Maybe you want to get
some rest.

Am I on some kind of
painkillers or something?

It's weird, 'cause
I can't feel anything.

I mean, like, anything.

Reza: Amy,
how's your shoulder?

It's fine. I think
you should check
on my daughter.

I'm trying.
If I could just...

Amy, why don't you
come with me,

we'll get a cup of coffee

and let Dr. Rahimi
do his tests.

( indistinct announcements
over PA )

Dr. Rahimi's a good doctor.

I can't even understand
what he's saying.

Well, I'm going to
tell you something
that I probably shouldn't,

and that is that
he has been spending

more time with Kayla than
any of this other patients.

I'm sorry.
Uh, we need you
right away, Helen.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Um, I'll take a rain check
on the coffee,

and I'll find you
and explain to you

everything we're doing
with Kayla, okay?

-Okay, Helen.
-Okay.

Cafeteria's on
the third floor.

-What's up?
-Auditor's on the way.

I need to get the snacks
and coffee out of
the break room.

-All of our snacks?
-Yes, it's a mess in there.

Can you please sign off
the check sheets?

Yeah. Oh, shit.
I thought I had.
I'm sorry.

It's okay. All right.
Thanks, Helen.

Helen: Good morning, Kayla.

It's December 5th.
Can you hear me?

( cell phone chimes )

Helen:
I just sent it to you.
Did you get it?

That number can't be right.

They can't expect me
to raise $20 million.

Okay.

Yeah.

Yes, I understand.

( sighs )

( exhales )

Mom, I can't do this.

( grunts )

Pauline: Would you like
some coffee?

I'm good. Thanks.

( footsteps approaching )

Thank you for coming in,
Miss Sterling.

I hope it's not
too much trouble.

Oh, not at all.
I've been trying to see you
for a while now.

And actually,
I have an appointment
right across the plaza.

So you're going to be
seeing the FBI?

Yeah. Right after this.

You guys don't talk
to each other?

Is there anything
we should know?

Yeah, I got an e-mail.

Now, I know it's illegal
to pay any ransom,

but I was thinking,

what about
a prisoner exchange?

I know that a soldier
that went AWOL

and got captured,
that's what you guys
did there,

a prisoner exchange,
right?

Dulaney:
Apples and oranges.
Military and civilians.

It's entirely different
when you're sent
over there with a uniform.

Oh. How is it
different, exactly?

Well, as I'm sure,
the FBI told you,

they consider this to be
a criminal investigation.

-Right.
-Businessmen, tourists,

they're over there on
their own volition.

Whereas with men
and women who are
serving our country,

different rules
and practices apply.

But Andy was serving
our country.

He just wasn't
in a uniform.

I mean, he wasn't
there on vacation.

Andrew was in a place
he should not have been.

A lot of people think
the military shouldn't
be in that place.

Let's not
debate politics.

It's not politics.

It's my son,

who is an American citizen.

Isn't it your job to protect
American citizens abroad?

That is a part
of my job, yes.

My heart goes out to you,

as it does to your boy,

and every other person
in a conflict zone,

whether they volunteered,

or whether they
found themselves
in a situation

they were not
adequately prepared for.

He's been a journalist
for 15 years.
He was prepared.

-Then he knew the risks.
-Yes.

And I'm sure he wouldn't
want to risk other lives

on a military operation

that wasn't even guaranteed
to bring him home.

Those people
have families, too.

So you feel it was
Andy's fault that
he got captured,

and you won't risk
sending your people
in to help him?

I hope you don't think
I'm suggesting that.

It sounds like it.
What are you doing?

Okay, look, this is
a very complicated process,

and it needs to be handled
by people that understand
the region.

Helen: Right. Well,
who is that, then?

I don't want to
disparage the FBI,

but I do know
from experience

what is effective
and what is not.

Then what is effective?
What is the plan?

What are you gonna do?

Unfortunately, Miss Sterling,
that information

is classified.

I'm his mother.

You can rest assured

knowing that we're doing
all that we can.

Now, maybe it would
help us all

if you were to tell us
what progress
the FBI has made.

You know what?
You can fucking
ask them yourself.

Agent Walsh:
So, State Department.

What did you guys
talk about over there?

Helen: Can't you guys
just talk to each other?

Maybe I should take things
into my own hands.

Be careful with that.

Oh, okay. I'll shut up
and let the grown-ups
handle everything.

That's not what I meant.

You are a crucial part
of this investigation.

Yeah. Lying to everyone
I know has been vital
to this investigation.

It's keeping Andy alive.

So...

You want me to negotiate
the price of my son's life

down further and further
on your behalf,

even though you have
no intention of paying it?

For what? Just to see
how low they'll go?

There's a science
to negotiating, Helen.

We study it.

The longer we stay
in communication with them,

the more we understand
who we're dealing with

and what they really want.

It's been three months.
What have you learned?

You have to trust us.

What do you think
I've been doing
all this time,

while you guys just
play cat and mouse
with those fuckers?

I swear to Christ,
if something happens
to my child,

because you're waiting
to sign off on some form...

This is the response
we recommend.

Where it says Proof of Life,

you have to be very personal,
very specific.

It has to be a question
only you would know
to ask,

and an answer
only he could answer.

( sighs )

I don't wanna fight.

You can smile.

-( chuckles )
-( camera shutter clicks )

( keys clacking )

Sam: Come on, Louganis,
what you got?

-What you got?
-( man exclaims )

-( water splashes )
-Oh! Oh, God!

Oh, you ready?
You ready?

Oh, my lord!

How do you excuse that?

Because I am not
burning this.

Of course it's in focus.

Now if you were operating,
I don't know

it'd be much more
questionable to me.

Okay, all right,
come here.

This is
my best friend, Sam.

Say hello
to the civilians.

-Hello. Hello, civilians.
-( chuckles )

Andy: I love this man.

He's taught me
everything worth knowing.

Sam: Oh, then you're
in trouble, man.

( whooping )

woman: We are here,
having fun!

( keys clacking )

Andy: Classes have been
officially suspended here

in the city of Homs,

but every day, kids still
gather in the schoolyard
for games.

( conversing in Arabic )

( singing in Arabic )

( explosion )

( people screaming )

( men speak Arabic )

man: Allahu Akbar!

( explosion )

( woman speaking Arabic )

( baby cries )

Andy: As you can see,

these attacks make
no distinction
between civilian

and military targets.

Forty percent of
the casualties here
are, like Yana,

children under
the age of 12.

And the children who survive

have lost their friends,
their school,

and their faith

that the most powerful
country in the world

will come to protect them.

Yeah. Charlotte?
Charlotte, this is Helen.

I...

I'm overwhelmed.
I would appreciate you
returning my call.

All right, Kayla,
I'm going to be filling in
for your mom tonight.

With The Sea of Knowledge.

"Now, it may be hard
to imagine it,

"but this land was
once so barren,

"it was called
the Kingdom of Salt.

"The lush green hills
that we walk today
were once so dry

"and cracked that trees
could not grow here.

"No visitors had dared
enter the Kingdom,

"for it was said terrible
monsters roamed the land.

"But it was also said
that on the other side..."

Helen.

Let's talk in my office.

( telephone ringing )

( indistinct chatter )

Helen, sit.

This isn't Helen's fault.

I forgot to sign the order.

It's both of you.

It's her access code
and your name
is on the paper,

and there's no patient name,
and now,

the antibiotic count is short
in the middle of an audit.

It's not
Dr. Rahimi's fault.

It was Andy's ex-girlfriend,
and she didn't
have insurance.

We're two quarters away
from shutting down
an entire wing, Helen.

Well, I didn't become
a nurse to make a profit
for a hospital.

Don't do that.
Do not make this personal,

it's not like you.

We're not in
the miracles business.

It's only luck
and procedure.

And the minute you start
falling in love
with the patients,

and reading to the patients,

making exceptions
to the procedures,
you lose trust.

Are you okay, Helen?
Is there something
going on with you?

I'm fine.

( telephone rings )

Keesha: Keesha Thompson.

Helen: And some soup,
Mary. Thanks.

Here you go, Helen.

Thank you.

Sam: I'm here
because I was told
you were overwhelmed.

Look, I worked in
the same region as Andy

just before he was taken.

I would have called first,

but Sheila said privacy
is important to you.

( whispering )
Yeah, so you show up
at my place of work?

( sighs )

It's not right that
they're forcing you

to keep this
all to yourself.

Look, I don't want to
endanger him any further.

Well, secrecy isn't
going to help him.

We need the media
and public outrage
to help us.

You need to go public
with this.

The FBI explained to me...

I'm sure they told you
a lot of things,

but we don't think
Andy would want you

to trust the FBI
to handle this.

When Leo was taken,
they sent in the FBI
at first...

What... They sent in
the FBI for Leo?

Yes.

And it would have been
comical if it wasn't
so utterly fucked up.

People get seen talking
with huge Americans
with buzz cuts,

and two weeks later,
there's a local translator

getting beheaded on a video.

-On a video?
-Yes.

They make movies
of this shit.

As a warning to anyone
who's thinking about
aiding the infidels.

So you've spoken
with Charlotte Spencer?

Yeah, I helped get
the money across the border

for Leo's release.

She didn't pay ransom.

They all pay ransom.

Would you fucking
keep your voice down?

I wanted to get
those cochlear implants,

but I can't afford them.

I know. I guess
I could've picked

something less loud
to take pictures of.

Yeah, you could have
picked a job that
wouldn't ruin your hearing

and put your life in danger.

Well...

For better or worse,
I have my people already.

And Andy is one of them.

We don't have a union.

We don't have
a news organization

providing a security detail.

We don't have major
networks insuring us.

We have to be our
own network.

We have each other.

I'm here for Andy
the same way
Andy would find my dad

if something happened to me.

Now I know you've been told
to keep this all quiet,

and that you're not allowed
to pay a dime.

But there's only one thing
these assholes respond to,

and it's money.

So if you want,

we can connect you
with people who
won't rip you off.

I'll fly over there myself.

( sirens wailing in distance )

( doorbell rings )

( speaks Arabic )

-Hello.
-Hi.

-Thank you.
-Come on in.

Thanks so much.

( speaks Arabic )

Sam: Hey, you made it!

-Helen, you want a beer?
-No, thanks.

Charlotte:
I'll take it, Sam.

( sighs )

Great house. Beautiful.

Ah, thank you.

It was my grandfather's,
originally.

Oh.

( continues speaking Arabic )

Maybe I could
use the ladies' room?

Sure.
It's up the stairs.

You make a left at
the painting of the dancers.

Oh, thanks.

( Sheila speaking Arabic )

( continues speaking Arabic )

Charlotte:
We knew it wouldn't be easy.

Sam: She's gonna need
a lot more prep.

This is not
her world, Charlotte.

Charlotte: She is
who she is, Sam.

I'm not going to give her
elocution lessons.

Sam: Well, we better
do something fast,

before they move him again
and we have no one to talk to.

Charlotte: Sure.
Will you help me
carry these, please?

( laughs sarcastically )
Making jokes like that,
I'm gonna hire you.

( in British accent )
Would you like your tea
and crumpets at the usual hour?

Of course.

How is this
going to work, exactly?

Who's responsible for what?

With Leo, there was
a fundraising team

and the team that
delivered the money abroad.

Charlotte should obviously
take the lead on fundraising.

You really think
you're going to be able

to raise $20 million?

Well, Loic's people
will help us
negotiate it down.

I have been working
with the FBI already

-to help negotiate it down.
-No. No.

I told you, those fuckers
are just trying to...

-I don't want to hear it.
-Can we keep this civil
please, Sam?

Leo's not-for-profit account
is still open.

We can wire the money
from there.

No, we can't.

My contact at
The Wall Street Journal
just told me

the Feds set up a whole new
set of SWIFT protocols

to try to crack down
on money laundering
to terrorists.

Not-for-profits are
specifically being monitored.

Apparently, there is a way
around it.

It's sketchy,
but it is invisible.

By sketchy,
you mean illegal?

-Sheila: Helen, you know...
-The less you know the better.

Helen, I promised you
we will keep you protected.

Charlotte:
They're not geniuses,

and they're not saints.
They're just people.
Like you and me.

Like you, you mean.

What am I supposed
to say to them?

Well, there isn't
a script.

You'll need to improvize.

Maybe I should have
taken elocution lessons.

So what did you say to them
when Leo was taken?

I told them they were
part of an elite group
of people

I had chosen.

That their actions now
would be anonymous,

but that history would
make them heroes.

( soft music playing )

Charlotte tells me
you're from upstate.

Oneonta.

My son went to Cornell.

Great school.

It's no Harvard,

but he's done well
enough for himself.

Will: Did you keep Andy local,

send him to Cornell as well?

No, Wayne State
on a scholarship.

Ah.

David's son
is also a journalist.

Oh.

He's the Metro Editor
for the Washington Post.

Oh. Nice.

Will: So, is Leo
enjoying Stanford?

Charlotte:
He loves teaching.
Chris was just out

to see him deliver a lecture
for the Knight Fellowship.

Will: Give them both
our regards.

So, you ready to put
the squeeze on?

( clears throat )

My son Andy is a journalist.

Well, you know that.

And, uh...

Right now, he's, uh,
in a serious situation.

I would be in San Francisco
myself right now

if it wasn't very serious.

Right, it's very serious.

I sent you the link
to Andy's work.

You've seen
his videos, yes?

Incredible stuff.

There are only
a handful of people

doing the kind of work
that Andy is doing

in the world.

But he is unaffiliated,

right, Helen?

He doesn't work for
a major news organization.

Well, they don't go in there.

Maybe that's for
a good reason.

Charlotte: Well,
when we approached you
for help with Leo,

your commitment
to journalism was total.

You and Chris are
our friends, Charlotte.

And Helen is our friend.

Chris and I have committed
to a 100,000 each

to secure Andy's release.

In order to have the right
to have an opinion,

I need people like
Andy and Leo

over there,
to inform me what
is actually happening

in the most dangerous
places in the world.

( David clears throat )

Who else is involved?

Well, Helen has been
very discreet.

You are the first.

I can commit to 25.

Twenty-five.

Fifty. All right,
let's call that a start.

Thank you.

The Feds have set up
a whole new set
of SWIFT protocols,

so we will not be using
the nonprofit this time.

On Monday,
you'll get an invoice

from Dudek,
Roley, and Esser.

A retainer. Good idea.

So are you and Chris
going to be spending time
in Aspen this season?

Charlotte:
Well, that was
originally the plan.

But as it turns out,
Leo has a whole
set of lectures...

-David: A-ha!
-...during that time.

So I would very much like
to be there for that.

David: Yes, he's such
a busy man.

-( Charlotte laughs )
-Excuse me, gentlemen.

I have to catch my bus.

Thank you.

Excuse me.

-( horns blaring )
-( siren wailing )

Well, it wasn't as much
as we expected,

but it's a good start.

I hate myself for being
so angry with Andy

for putting us all
through this,

but I just can't help it.
I'm sorry,

but I'm furious.

Begging strangers
for money.

It's just...

It's not who I am.

It was about six months
after Leo got home.

In the middle of the night,
Chris's phone rang.

I used to be able
to sleep through anything

but ever since
Leo was taken...

So I was up,
so I went into Leo's room,

sat on the end of his bed

like I used to do
when he was a little boy,

and I reached over,

and he was gone.

I panicked.

I ran through the house
turning on all the lights.

I ran back into his room,

turned on the light,
and I saw that
his window was open.

So I ran outside
to the backyard,

and there he was.

He was sound asleep
on the frozen ground.

I looked at him for a minute.

I went back inside.
I made some coffee.

Cooked some eggs.

( sighs ) You just carry on.

Making believe.

Make believe that
everything's all right.

It's what mothers do.

"He pushed his boat
into the water

and pulled himself
onto the deck.

For the first time,
Prince Henry

was headed into
the open sea."

( sniffles )

"Prince Henry took a ladle
from his bucket

and filled the Salt King's
stone chalice."

-Amy: Hi.
-Amy.

How was she last night?

Well, there hasn't been

any change
for a long time.

That's good, right?

You want me to be
honest with you?

Yeah, I wish
somebody would be.

You can, um...

You can keep her ventilated
for as long as you want.

You don't think that
she's going to make it?

Okay.

When, um...

You and Joey
and Kayla came in,

we knew right away
that Joey wasn't
going to make it.

And I tried
to convince his parents

to donate his organs,

which seems

really cold, but,

I've had to watch
a lot of kids die,

some of them...

Some of them
can't be helped.

But there are other times
they die because

they need a lung
or a kidney...

So you want me
to donate her organs?

-You want me to unplug her?
-No.

You don't...
I'm not saying that.

You don't...
You can keep her
on the ventilator

for as long as you want.

All I'm saying is,

what happened to you
and Joey and Kayla

was meaningless.

It didn't happen for a reason,

it didn't happen because
it was God's plan,

or because it happened
for the best.

It was just stupid,

and senseless.

But...

When you're dealt
a shitty hand,

what you do with it

doesn't have to be.

( sniffles )

Carmelyn:
I pray for her every day.

Helen: I'm sure her mother
appreciates that.

You don't pray?

No. Not for
a very long time.

( coughs )

( cell phone chimes )

( breathes deeply )

That's it! Three.

( upbeat music playing )

Four. Give me
your energy!

Five. Six.

Two more. Seven.

Eight. Here, two.

Your tricep!

And one, two,
three, four.

Here comes...

( static crackles )

Andy: Hello,
ladies and gentlemen.

And welcome to episode one
of the wilderness series.

The Nurse
in her natural habitat.

Always approach carefully,

especially if the Wild Nurse
has not had her coffee yet.

The Wild Nurse stirs.

Andy? What are you doing
with that thing?

Andy:
The Wild Nurse is awakening.

Helen: Give me that camera.

I'm not even dressed yet.

Andy: Sorry.

Helen: There,
how does that feel?

( chuckles )

We'll be right back.

Helen: ( laughs )
Oh, no.

How do you turn
this thing off?

Right here.

-( music resumes )
-woman: Peck ups! Two,

roll to the front!
Warm up your legs.

Uh!

Uh! Uh!

Start breathing, uh,
inhale.

Down.

Tilt.

( call alert plays
over computer )

-Helen?
-Yes, Loic.

-Helen?
-How was he, Loic?

Hello? Helen?

Yes. Can you see me?

Fuck.

( mouse clicking )

( alert plays )

I'm sorry. The connection
is terrible.

I understand,
but I didn't hear.
How is he?

He was the strongest man.

-Was? "Was"?
-Is.

Is.

Is the strongest
I ever meet.

( speaks French )

( in English )
Forgive me, my English...

-It's okay.
-Andy tries to teach, but...

-Hopeless.
-Is he hurt?

I have to say yes

and no to that.

We are beaten.

Andy does not break.

Ever.

Never complain,
never show fear.

Always hope.

How did you see him?
Were you in the same
cell together?

( Loic sighs )

Uh...

They move us.

But, um...

Always the foreigners
are in one room,

and the Arabs
in other rooms.

Much better for us
in a way because...

( breathes heavily )

They have no limits
with the Arabic prisoners.

With us they kick,
they punch,

but there's no clamp with us,

no car battery...

It is a kind of torture
to listen to torture.

( breathing heavily )

But Andy

is always reminding us

we are protected more,

we have value,
because we are foreigners.

Well, Andy's gift
has always been

to be able to see
the bright spot
in the crappiest situation.

Andy never loses hope,
Helen.

Every day,

he kneels

and says a little
morning prayer,

quiet to himself.

Then he rolls the bed up,

makes a space to sit,

very clean and tidy.

While the rest of us,
we just leave the mats.

But Andy

starts the morning like this,

every morning
since he arrived.

So eventually, we all
start folding the mats, too.

Well, that must have
started over there,

because you should
see the way
his room looks at home.

( both laugh )

That's what I'm going to do.
As soon as I get him back,

I'm going to make him
clean up all his shit.

You will see him
again, Helen.

He is going to make it.

They paid the money
to release me

and Andy

is worth 100
of me.

( choir singing )

Eric: Hey.
What can I get you?

I'm fine.

-You sure?
-Yeah, I'm good.

Oh.

So, congratulations.

On the proof of life.

That was days ago.

Andy is alive.
There's still hope.

Can I ask you something?
A-L-M.

Your proof of
life question.

What was carved
into the tree.

What does A-L-M
stand for?

Greta Remelli.

Vanessa Marzullo.
Do you know them?

-I...
-Or Nicholas Henin.

Pierre Torres.
Edouard Elias.

Loic Dejan.

Are they friends
of Andy's?

No. They're hostages.

They were hostages.
They're home now.

You know
why they're home.

I know why they're home.

They're home because
their governments...

-Helen, we've talked...
-Do not interrupt me, please.

They're home because
their governments
paid the ransom.

Did you think if we met
outside the office

I'd have something different
to tell you about this?

Will you talk to me
like a human being
for once, Eric?

Helen,

you know what happens
once we pay out
one ransom?

We create a market.

American lives gain
a very public
monetary value,

and that value
increases over time.

It stops
becoming political.

It starts becoming
a business.

These guys call themselves
the Islamic State

or the New Caliphate,

or whatever name will
sound badass

to some angry 16-year-old
on Twitter.

But they're really
just the mafia.

But the French pay.

The Italians pay.

Not a single
European government

has admitted
to paying a ransom

to a terrorist
organization.

Well, they don't shout it
from the rooftops,
but they pay

and you know
damn well they pay.

I don't.
I don't know who's been
telling you that,

but I have no idea
how they got them
out of there.

Right.

Payment made to
a terrorist organization

is illegal. I need
to reiterate that.

Do you think that
at this point in my life,

I'm afraid
of a jail sentence?

Not just you, Helen.

Anyone and everyone

who assists you
in any way.

You'll send them
to jail, too.

( Reza exhales sharply )

Do you send
any of your paycheck
home to Iran?

No. It's difficult
with the sanctions.

Oh.

Is Christmas important
in your family?

Was when my kid was little.

Do you have kids?

( laughs ) No.

No. But seven sisters.

-Oh, God.
-( both laugh )

Oh, that explains
so much.

( both chuckle )

Ah. You know,

I miss the noise,

the gatherings,

the food. Oh!

You know the hardest thing
to get used to,
coming to America,

is the silence.

Hmm.

You must miss your son.

I do.

He's a journalist, right?

Yes, he is.

Where is he now?

To be honest,
I don't know.

Ooh, ooh. That's a boy.

Let's hear that breath now.

Okay, take it easy.

Take it easy.

Okay, that sounded better.

( monitors beeping )

Sienna, we're gonna do
a quick blood pressure.

( man speaking
indistinctly on TV )

Okay.

newscaster: Now let's get
right to the breaking news.

The United States
and five Arab allies,

they carry out waves
of airstrikes

against terror targets
across Syria.

The Pentagon calls them
"very successful",

but cautions this is
only the beginning.

The strikes sparked
a major new escalation

of what could be
a long war against ISIS...

( sighs )

Good morning, Kayla.

Today is December 26th.

She can't hear you.

-( monitors beeping )
-( ventilator hissing )

Kayla, can you hear me?

It's part of the test.

I've been
talking to her all night.

I know, sweetie.
But you know how
the routine goes.

We have to follow protocol.

You're hurting her.

Did she wince?

Talk to her, Amy.
Talk to her.

Kayla. Kayla,
can you hear me?

Helen: Take her hand.
Reza: Kayla, can you hear us?

Amy: Baby,
if you can hear me...

If you can hear us,
squeeze my hand.

Kayla if you can hear us,
squeeze our hand, okay?

( gasps )

-Oh!
-( laughs ) Kayla!

( cell phone chiming )

Sam: Did you seen the news
about Syria?

I saw that
they were bombing.

Did something happen
to Andy?

We've heard through
some of our people that
he might be moved, or traded...

-( gasps )
-...and we're back
to square one.

I want you to come back
with me to Charlotte's.

It's not just that
Andy could be moved,

okay? Arabic Twitter
has been on fire
for the last 12 hours,

saying that they're going
to get revenge,

set an example,
or whatever.

There have been
images, Helen.

It's bad.

I've been there for a while
and these posts
are very, very ugly.

What kind of posts?

You don't want to know.

Helen, we have to
make a video.

You need to go public,
and we need to do it now.

What is a video going to do?

We need publicity,

we need money,

and we need to buy
a little more time.

Sheila: We're going to be
going very wide with this,

but we're going to do it
in a way that lets us
control the narrative.

Our friends
are all journalists,

they know how to
make a story trend.

I promise you,

they'll tell it our way.

Okay.

( cell phone chimes )

-Oh, thank you.
-Here.

I'm ready when you are.

Do you think I should
cover my hair?

I don't think
it's going to make
a difference to them,

and it's probably just
going to alienate
people over here.

Okay.

Now? You ready?

"I'm not supposed to be
saying this to you.
But I have money for you.

"I'm in the process
of transferring everything
I have in the world..."

Oh, wait a minute,
everything in the world
to you.

Sheila:
Oh, you're fine.

-I'm sorry.
-Just...

You know what,
the eye line
is off anyway.

We need to put these
right under. Can I see
what that looks like?

"I'm not supposed to be
saying this to you.

"I have money for you.
I'm in the process
of tran"sferring to you

"everything I have
in the world.

"I'm begging you."

Sheila:
Don't worry about it.
Don't worry.

I hate on-camera work,
too, it's the worst.

Oh, this is not
going to work.

This isn't going to work.

Do you need to read it?

You mean memorize it?

No, I mean,
it doesn't need
to be perfect.

It just needs to be you.

Okay, give it to me.
Let me look at it.

Can I move?
I'm not comfortable here.

Sam: Yeah, you can go
wherever you want.
Sheila: Yeah, yeah.

( Sam clears throat )

( reads softly )

-( Sam clears throat )
-Sheila: How's that?

Yeah, let's see.

-Okay.
-( whispers ) Yeah.

My name is Helen Sterling.

My son Andrew Sterling
is a journalist.

I'm not supposed
to be saying this to you,

but I have money for you.

I'm begging you.

Please,

don't hurt my son.

You...

You say that
you want millions.

I'm no one.

I'm an old lady.

I'm a mother,

just like your mothers.

I am going to give you

every penny

that I can get my hands on.

I'm not even asking you
to release him.

Just

don't hurt him.

Please.

Don't hurt my boy.

-Okay.
-( camera beeps )

-I think we got it.
-Sheila: Yeah.

That was great.
That was perfect.

Thank you.

-( sighs )
Thank you, guys.
-Yeah.

It was great.

( cell phone chimes )

( exhales )

( cell phone chiming )

( cell phone chimes )

( cell phone
chiming repeatedly )

Helen, sorry.

Sorry to bug you.

The video is up.

I was dreaming
about Andy.

I dream about him
all the time.

Come out back.
It's been snowing.

It's so pretty.

Thanks.

( lighter clicking )

CNN, Al Jazeera, and BBC
have all picked it up.

Can you guys explain
something to me?

You know Andy
better than I do.

Come on, Helen.

No, you do.
Both of you do.

'Cause you know
who Andy is now.

People don't change
as much as
they think they do.

I don't know.
I mean,

Andy always hated war.

Violence of any kind,
he was super-sensitive to it,

from the time
he was a little kid.

You know, when
the first Gulf War...

He got sent home
from school

because he organized

a pacifist sit-in.

( chuckles )
He told me about that

when he found out
my family was from Iraq.

I thought he was lying
just to sleep with me.

Well, it worked,
didn't it?

( both chuckle )

No, he wasn't lying.

He organized
a pacifist sit-in

-of one.
-( all chuckle )

The Andy I know

wouldn't willingly
go off to war.

But your Andy, he went.

And went back
again and again.
Had to go back.

That Andy
is a stranger to me.

I don't know about that.

He was still a bright-eyed
pinko pacifist

the last time I checked.

He's just doing
something different
with his idealism now.

Okay.

That is enough
of that shit.

( grunts )

Helen: Hell, no.

Sheila: What?
Sam: You wanna go?

-Sheila: Yeah. This is war!
-You wanna fuckin' go?

( laughs )

Sheila: One!
Sam: Oh!

Sheila: Wait for it.
Wait for it!

-Oh!
-Yeah!

That was right
on my dick!

Two on one, huh?

Oh!

I got you!

( groans )

A-ha!

Get you!

My hearing aid!
My hearing aid!

Stop, stop! I can't find
the other one.

-Helen: All right,
all right, all right.
-I think it's right...

-It's right here!
-Sheila: Oh!

Right here.
Right fucking here.

-Helen: You fight dirty.
-I play to win!

Yeah!

Ah!

( panting )

-Oh, look out!
-( Helen screams )

Help, help, help!

Sheila: Put her down!

( all laughing )

I'm begging you.

Please

don't hurt my son.

You...

( Reza imitates
motor whirring )

( laughs )

-Oh, Helen. I'm so...
-Dr. Rahimi,

I think Dr. Hauser
needed you to assist.

Thanks, Helen.

Good morning, Kayla.

You getting ready
to walk, huh?

Amy: Kayla,
you remember Helen.

We saw her on TV.

How was your appetite
this morning?

Hmm?

Clean plate club.

Good work!

I'm just going to
take your pulse.

Hey, Kayla.

Helen's got a lot of
other patients.

No, it's all right.
I'll come back.

Maybe after
she finishes her PT.

Helen.

I'm really sorry.
If there's anything...

I'll be back in a jiffy.

I should've told you.

Folks from Channel Two,
they were asking about you,

but I told them
you were off all week.

You didn't have to do that.

Keesha: You've been
through enough.

Thank you, Keesha.

We're here
for you, Helen.

Helen, whatever you need.

We've got your back.

( chuckles )

( siren wailing in distance )

( Sheila speaking Arabic )

( Sam speaking Arabic )

( cell phones ringing )

( cell phone chiming )

Sam: ( in English )
And 50,000
from Loic's friends.

Charlotte: Helen.

David and Will finally
came through.
$100,000 each.

( Sheila speaking Arabic )

( speaking Italian )

( in English )
Two hundred thousand
from the Italians.

-Helen: Two hundred?
-( Sam speaks Arabic )

( in English )
Sheila, what's the address
for the law office in Milan?

Helen,

it's Tom Hellman.

Helen: Who?

The owner of the Hawks.
He wants to speak
to you personally.

Hello, this is Helen.

Yes, Mr. Hellman.

Oh, okay, Tom.

Well, that's very
generous of you, sir.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.
Thank you very much.

( cell phone beeps )

He gave us $800,000.

-( laughs )
-Sheila: Holy shit!

( Charlotte clapping )

-( doorbell rings )
-Oh, Helen.

Charlotte:
That must be the food.

( all chattering excitedly )

Charlotte: We still have
a lot more to do, but we're
on our way, everybody.

-Sheila:
Just like that, $800,000.
-Yeah...

Okay. So we're at
two-and-a-half, I think.

Two-and-a-half?
All right if we get
to four today,

-we're in good shape.
-Okay.

You want me to drive
for a while?

Why don't you get some sleep?

We did it.

We're getting there.

Sam: I have a flight
tomorrow night.

Helen:
Where are you going?

Istanbul.

-Helen...
-I'm not allowing you
to use Andy as an excuse

to kill yourself, sorry.

That's not what I'm doing.

Think of your father.

Why don't you trust me?

Why don't you
trust me?

You treat me like a child.

Maybe I can't
understand everything,

but I'm not an idiot.

All right, all right.

( sighs )

This is obviously
just between us.

We are hiding
in plain sight.

The money that we've
raised is going through
an international law firm

that Charlotte's
connected to.

Say, you want to donate
100 grand

to Andy's cause,
and you live in London.

You write a check
to their London office

and you pay 100 grand
for legal services.

No one looks at law firms
for money laundering,

and even if they did,
it'd be too late,

because the money
goes from there

to a dozen different
shell companies.

British Virgin Islands,
Bahamas,

places you can wire
large amounts of money

to and from
without being detected.

And then you wire that
to the Mid-East?

Mmm. Mostly Europe.

There are 15
different banks

that the money
is being wired to,

and 15
private security guards

who are going to drive it
to Istanbul.

Every single one
of these guys, I have met

and vetted.

I want to bring Andy home.

This time next week,

he will be sitting here.

-Okay.
-Okay.

( whispers ) Okay.

( train horn blowing
in distance )

Hey.

( chuckles )

( fireworks exploding on TV )

( lively music playing )

No, no, no.
I get first dibs.

I trained him.

Keesha: Okay, fine.

You know, my last resident
gave me a Godiva Sampler

when he finished his rotation.

He was an underachiever.

You really need
to open up a restaurant.

No, he does not.
We need Dr. Rahimi

right here.

Reza: Thank you, Helen.

( indistinct chatter )

Of course.

He can cook,
he's a doctor. Keesha...

What are you waiting for?

( laughing )

You better call dibs.

Here you go.
For the toast.

Oh, for the toast.

The toast.

-Well...
-( knocking on table )

To Kayla.

Going home for the New Year.

To Kayla.
Miracles do happen.

all: Kayla!

Um, I hope you guys
are praying for
a miracle tonight.

Two hours before
the annual bloodbath

begins anew.

Oh. Oh, you hear that?

Come on, boss.
Put that down.

One last dance before
the madness begins.

Right.

Carmelyn: Let me...
Let me show you.

( all exclaiming )

Helen.

It's an honor
to be trained by you.

My pleasure.

( inaudible )

( Keesha whooping )

( Reza laughs )

Chef Reza!

( laughs )

Oh, guys, it's almost time.

Five minutes before midnight.

Let's go, lets go.

There she is.

-We're going to miss it.
-No, you know what?
Go ahead.

I gotta get the hats
and the horns.

-That's what...
-Keesha: Hurry up!

I am, I am, I am.

-Helen: Okay.
-( cell phone vibrating )

( blows raspberry )

So do you want
the big hat or the crown?

Helen. Stay
a minute, please.

-( cell phone vibrates )
-What's up?

Don't go out there.

Just go sit down.
Please. Helen.

Helen!

Keesha:
Helen, please!

( gasps softly )

Mom, look, I'm doing it!