Chicago Fire (2012–…): Season 4, Episode 12 - Not Everyone Makes It - full transcript

Herrmann goes to court to testify against Freddie but when the perpetrators father reaches out to beg forgiveness for his sons malicious attack, a tormented Herrmann is left to figure out what to do. Following the aftermath of the recent tornado, Lt. Casey learns the makeshift shelter housing victims is on the brink of shutting down. At the request of Alderman Colin Becks Casey attends a fundraiser and is thrown into the spotlight, only to quickly discover that his good intentions might not have the impact he was hoping for. Dawson and Brett feel the repercussions after telling Boden about Chilis recent erratic behavior. Meanwhile, Severide helps Agent Alex Ward solve a homemade explosives case and Otis receives a welcome surprise.

- I'm not trying to get Chili in trouble,
but that woman almost died today.
- I'll take it from here.
- Think he'd cut her a little slack,
after all she's been through.
- What's that mean? - Chili's sister.
They found her body in a flophouse.
- But what happened to Herrmann, bro?
- I'm the one who messed up.
- Freddie couldn't escape his own nature.
But I'm not ready to forgive that kid.
- Alex Ward, Department of Homeland Security.
Just asking for some assistance on an ongoing investigation.
- It's a beautiful city.
- Yeah, it is.
[somber music]

- Something's on your mind.
- What we busted in on today...
- Don't worry.
We got it covered.
[phone ringing]
Hey, Marty, can you hang on a sec?
[phone beeps]
I have to ask you a favor.
- Shoot.
- You weren't here.
- Yeah, no sweat.
- Thank you.
[phone beeps]
Hey.
Yeah, it's already been sent over to Ernie.
Details will all be in my report.
Samples have been sent to the lab.
- I look down,
and all I see is blood.
That's when the pain hits...
starts burning like hell.

It's like a blowtorch cutting through my ribs;
that's what it felt like.

And then I see a knife handle sticking out of me,
and I get sick to my stomach.

Last thing I remember thinking about was Cindy...

Telling the kids how their father bled to death
on the floor of that bar.

- Hey.
Come on in.
Grab a seat.
I heard what happened to your sister.
I am terribly sorry for your loss.
- Well, I appreciate that, Chief.
- If you want, I'll put a call in
to the relief pool, have someone come in,
fill in for you.
- I prefer to stay busy, if that's okay.
- Listen.
When I was a lieutenant,
I lost three men at the Pulaski Avenue fire.
And I thought, "Best thing for me--
get right back to work."
Two weeks later, I took my men into a burning building.
Thank God the chief ordered us out
before the building collapsed,
or I would have killed my whole company.
- I understand what you're saying...
but, Chief, with all due respect,
that's--that's different.
- No, it's not, Chili,
because I wasn't ready.
I wasn't ready to lead.
Sometimes when your head hits the canvas...
sometimes it's best just to stay down,
get your head clear.
- I'm fine.
- Okay, then.
You push the wrong meds again,
someone will die.
- So Brett told you that.
- Believe me when I tell you--
how I found out is the least of your concerns.
That is two strikes, Chili.
If there is a third, you are done.
I'm not just talking here at 51.
I mean in the whole city of Chicago.
Am I clear?
- Yes, sir.
[alarm rings, buzzer blares]
- Truck 81, Squad 3, Engine 51, Ambulance 61.
Vehicle fire, 2700 block of Roosevelt Avenue.
[sirens wailing]
[dramatic music]

[shouting, pounding on windows]
- All right, let's go.
Dawson, Mouch-- ladders.
Herrmann, Jimmy, with me.
[glass shatters]
Guys, get them out of there.
- Easy, easy.
We're gonna get you out in a second.
- I can't move! Help!
Please, help me. - We'll get you. Hang on.
Grab that ladder!
You're okay. You're okay.
[booming]
[all screaming]

[siren blaring]
- Casey!
[intense music]
- I'm all right.

- 51, get a line on that fire.
Squad, help with the evac.
Ambo, set up triage.
Battalion 25 to main.
We need an EMS plan two;
send all available ambulances to this location.
- Hey, Tony, you check the van.
Capp, you help Truck with the ladders.
Cruz, you're with me. - Copy that.
- Dawson, throw that ladder up here!
[woman coughing]
- All right, get back!
[glass shatters]
- Mouch, ladder coming on!
- Come on, come on! Please, hurry!
- Don't panic; we're coming in.
- You got it. - Wait there.
- Nice and easy.
You got it? - Uh-huh.
- All right. All right, here we go.
There we go.
You're good. Okay.
- Hey, easy.
Borrelli, give me a hand over here.
Got her?
- Open the door!
- You got her head? - Easy, easy.
- Got 'em? - Yeah.
- Come on, get it out.
Severide, move. Get this door open.

[all shouting]
- Whoa, whoa, whoa! - Hey, take it easy.
Take it easy. - Come on.
Get to the ambulance.
[people coughing]
- Grab his legs. - Yeah, hold on.
- Seat belt buckle's smashed; I got to cut it off.
- Okay.
- [coughing]

[sirens blaring]
- 154 is coming in.
154, red adult male coming your way.
- Copy that, 51.
- Casey, progress report.
- Might've got 'em all out, Chief.
We'll do a final search.
- Smoke is getting thick.
Bus could go up at any second.
Make it fast. - All right.
Last sweep. Herrmann, take the rear.
I'll take the front. - Okay.
[coughing]
- Okay, that's it.
Casey, Herrmann, I want you out, now.
- Lieutenant, all clear!
- Clear too. There's--wait.
No, got another one.
Herrmann, give me a hand.

- Come on.
- Get her up.

- I hear them.

- Got her head.
- Come on.
- I got her. - Legs together.
Got her?
[dramatic music]

- Good job.
[somber music]

[sighs]
- How'd the hearing go?
- I did what the state's attorney asked.
I said what happened.
- Freddie was there?
- Yeah.
- How'd he seem?
- I didn't ask; he didn't say.
To tell you the truth...
to me, he looked like any other convict.
- Hey, Otis.
- Hey, Sylvie.
- Oh, what happened to the moustache?
I loved the moustache.
- Oops.
- I like it.
- Thanks, Connie.
[soft, upbeat music]

- Hey.
- That was a great night.
- Yeah, it was.
Any updates?
- Uh, no, but there's this.
- Why is my name on it?
- It's an affidavit stating how we got into the residence
with the explosive remnants.
SAC's on my case.
It basically says the door was ajar.
It's a security issue.
- It's a long way of saying it.
- Well, federal government:
last bastion of paperwork.
- You mind telling me a little bit more
about what we found?
- Uh, it's--it's an ongoing investigation.
There's not much I can really say.
- Okay, well, you let me know what's going on,
I'll be happy to sign.
Think it over.
- Okay.
- Monogamy. You ever consider it?
- Not really.
- All right, I'm just gonna say it.
Otis without the moustache?
Maybe not the best call.
- So what's the next step in the big makeover?
- None. He fired me.
It'll grow back, though, right?
[phone ringing]
- Hello?
Yeah, I'll be right there.
Herrmann, you're acting lieutenant
until I get back.
[foreboding music]

- You here for the blood drive,
or making a donation?
- Neither, actually.
I'm looking for a mother and son,
Dawn and Lucas Hicks.
The father died from injuries in the tornado.
- Give me a minute.
[baby crying]
- Lieutenant Casey!
- Hey. You okay?
- It's Lucas; he's missing.
You've got to help me, please.
- Okay.
How long has he been gone?
- When I got up this morning, his--his sleeping bag was empty.
- You tell the police?
- Hours ago!
They said, "Wait here," but I haven't heard back.
So I called you. - Okay.
What was he wearing?
- All he's got...jeans, uh, a pair of Pumas,
and a red sweater from the donation box.
- Stay put till he gets back.
I'll find him.
- Okay.

- [sighs]
I just wanted to say I'm really sorry about--
- You're gonna rat me out to Boden
and then come over here and try to apologize to me?
- I meant about what happened to your sister.
- What do you know about it?
- Well, nothing. I just-- - Exactly.
'Cause it's none of your business.
- Hey.
Are you a "Wizard of Oz" fan, Dawson?
- Uh, where is this going?
- Oh, I just wanted to thank you,
pal, you know,
for nudging me to shave it off.
- So I'm not fired?
- Oh, no, you're still fired.
It just made me think, like in the movie,
"You are who you are."
- I'm pretty sure it's,
"There's no place like home."
- Think about it.
- Christopher Herrmann, collect call
from Pinckneyville State Prison.
- Regarding what?
- Probably something prison-related.
[foreboding music]

- Hello?
- Did you bring it up?
- Yeah, not a good subject.
Yeah, I heard it didn't go too hot with Boden, either.
So I shouldn't say anything?
- Oh, no, she does not want to talk about it.
I have a bad feeling about things.
It's like she's...
driving toward a cliff.
- Okay, okay.
We'll figure this out.
- What was that?
- Freddie's father.
- What did he want?
- He wanted to talk.
- That man is a stone-cold killer, Herrmann.
He once shot a clerk in the neck during a robbery
for looking at him the wrong way, all right?
Whatever angle he's trying to pull,
don't fall for it.
- I won't fall for it.
Believe me.
- I think you should call Kot,
just in case he's trying to intimidate you
for testifying against Freddie.
- Lucas?
I'm Lieutenant Casey.
Remember me?
- Yeah.
You pulled my dad out, right?
- Yeah.
Well...
a lot of people are looking for you.
- I don't want to see them.
[somber music]
- I didn't, either.

After my dad passed,
I spent a week in his room,
just sitting there.

You don't deserve what happened.
It's not fair.
No one can make it hurt any less.
- I just don't understand.
I mean, he was fine when we got to the hospital.

- I was hoping he was gonna make it.
- [sniffling]
I just miss him...
a lot.
- Yeah...
I know.

[suspenseful music]
- Did you call for a medic?
- Yeah, some homeless dude
is laid out in the alley.
Got some crazy chick with him.
- Didn't think to call the cops?
- Hey, lady, I called 911.
They the one's called you.
- Okay, show us where they're at.

- Over here.
- Thanks.
- What happened?
- Uh, Carlos, he, uh-- he fainted.
- Y'all on something?
- Uh-uh, no.
- You're not on spice?
- No, I mean--I mean, maybe he was.
I can't ever tell, but me-- I'm straight.
I'm straight.
- Yeah, right, you are.
- Spice?
- Synthetic drug.
They sell it as potpourri.
- It ain't illegal to sell.
They do with it what they do.
- Minor laceration.
- Pulse. - Irregular.

- Hey, look. We're not cops.
You want me to check you out?
- No, I'm cool. I'm cool.
- [groans]
- Hey, can you hear me?
- Take it easy. You took a nasty fall there.
- You called the cops?
- Look, baby, you fainted; I thought you were ill.
- Bitch, I told you.
Don't ever call the cops! - Okay, okay!
Ugh! - Hey!
- Uh! - Aah!
- 10-1, 10-1!
We have a violent patient!
[both grunting]
[both grunting]
- You want some?
Ah!
[sirens wailing]
- You okay? - Yeah.
- You guys call for police assist?
- Yeah, that guy attacked my partner.
- Where you going? Stay down!
- Hell of a response time, eh?
- Yeah, well, we were just across the street
grabbing a bagel. - Hey, man.
That girl just hit Carlos in the head with a metal bat!
I want to press charges.
- She's tripping. Check her pupils.
- All right, you're coming with us, all right?
You can tell us all about it.
- Listen, check her bag! I'm telling you!
Check her bag. - Stop squirming.
- Look, I'm not supposed to have that.
I don't know if it's gonna be my last strike with Boden.
- No way. You saved my life.
[indistinct chatter]
- Lucas!
- Mom! - Oh, thank God.
Oh, thank you.
Thank you so much.
- Yeah, no problem.
- Rumor's going around they're closing the shelter.
Honestly, I have no idea what we're going to do.
- I just found out.
Thank goodness the boy's all right.
- Yeah.
And you are?
- Colin Becks, alderman for the 52nd Ward.
Great job finding him.
- Matt Casey, Firehouse 51.
- Just glad you're all right, son.
- Thank you, Matt.
- Yeah, sure.
- Come on.
- So, uh...
you're closing the shelter?
- Yeah, unfortunately, the tornado
fell below the threshold of a national disaster,
so federal relief funds are scarce.
Mostly, it falls on the local charities,
which are cash-strapped on the best of days.
- What's being done about it?
- Well, I'm here putting together a fundraiser
for the victims of our ward.
Having a first responder there, especially an officer,
would do wonders for raising visibility
and possibly some additional cash.
- I'm not really one for politics, generally.
- You're a "boots on the ground" guy.
I get it. - Yeah.
I'm just not really sure how I can help.
- Which is why it would mean a lot if you were there.
Think about it.
We need all the help we can get.
- Hey, Chili.
- What's up?
- I know how small that ambo can feel
when you're sideways with your partner.
Hey, look.
Don't hold it against Brett, all right?
Going to Boden was my idea.
- Yeah, and I bet you were the one
that blabbed about Jelly Bean too.
- We're just worried about you, that's all.
- Yeah, you got a hell of a way of showing it.
- Hey. Knock it off.
Look, it sucks to lose somebody, okay?
Believe me, I've been there.
[stirring music]
I'm not trying to tell you how to grieve, okay,
but you are gonna lose your job,
and if that's what you want, fine.
You can keep pushing everybody away.
But I don't want that to happen to you.
None of us do.

- Got a minute?
- Sure.
- Somewhere, uh, quiet?
This is completely off the record.
If you repeat it, I will deny that I said it.
- Yeah, yeah. I get the drill.
- Lab analysis came back
from the samples we found at that apartment.
Along with ammonium nitrate and diesel,
they also found soap shavings and camping fuel,
which, as you may know--
- Homemade napalm.
- Exactly.
- So why are you here talking to me now?
Well, this kind of thing happens more often than you might think.
Besides, I have ten agents pulling all departmental pods,
checking all in-service suspicious person calls,
cross-referencing them with facial-recognition software,
and at 9:00, I have a briefing
with the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Until then, there's nothing for me to do but worry,
and I'm not a worrier.
So I just told you everything I know.
- Okay.
I'll sign your affidavit.
- Oh, darn. Uh...
I left it back in my hotel room.
- That's a shame.
- You didn't like it when I tried to make you
sign the affidavit, did you?
- No.
- What are you gonna do about it?
[sensual music]

- Step inside.
Wait here. - All right.
[buzzer blares]
- Thank you for coming.
[chains jingling]
My boy told me what he done to you.
You should know that's on me.
[somber music]
I made him who he is.
I taught him never to take nothing off nobody.

Believe me, I'm not very proud of it...

But I used to take a cord to him,
and if Freddie didn't hit me back,
I'd hit him even harder and harder...

Because in my mind, that's what it took
to survive on the streets.

Listen, I'm not asking anything for me, all right?
But if you could just consider,
please, for--
Forgiving him.
[foreboding music]
My boy said he ain't afraid to do the time...

But what he can't live with
is the feeling that he betrayed somebody...
Who tried to help him.
[somber music]

- Thank you for coming.
You know, they say that you see
a community's true colors
during times of crisis.
Well, we're all gathered here today
in support of those folks
who lost their homes in the recent tornado...
And I'd like to call on one of our first responders
to come up and say a few words.
Lieutenant Matthew Casey of Firehouse 51.
[cheers and applause]
- I don't really have anything prepared.
I thought it was more of a symbolic thing.
- Hey, off the cuff is just fine.
- Okay.
Hi.
[mic squeaks]
[clears throat]
We have a-- a saying as firefighters:
our job's about running into places
that people are running out of.
Every day we come to work, we have to be willing
to lay down our lives for perfect strangers,
so we're taught not to become overly invested
in the people we pull out, because...
No matter how hard we try...
not-- not everyone makes it.
These people have already lost so much:
their homes, their loved ones.
The one thing they're not gonna lose is this city's support.
[applause]
[stirring music]

- I owe you both an apology
for jumping down your throats last shift
and for just...
being a wreck in general.
- It's okay.
Everybody grieves in their own way.
- Alyssa was my best friend.
We were inseparable,
especially after my mom bailed.
In my freshman year of high school,
she started dating this guy.
I hated him.
She wasn't the same.
She completely changed,
and nothing that my dad and I did
could get through to her.
And she ran away and was hooked on drugs,
and then she got busted,
and then that's when she started working as a CI.
I don't know if Antonio told you that,
but that's how he knows her.
[somber music]
But he got her out,
and he got her to Kansas City,
and we all thought that she was gonna be good.

[sighs]
She was missing for three days,
and then her landlord found her facedown in her apartment.

- I'm so sorry.

- I know that I'm screwing up.
I know that.
I know that I have to get my act together,
and I know that I've been on a bender,
and I got to...
sober up
and just start taking everything seriously.

- Well, we're here for you
every step of the way.

- Ah, congratulations, Lieutenant.
- Chief.
- I just got off with Alderman Becks.
Apparently your speech was a great success.
They've already raised more than $50,000.
- Wow. That's great to hear. - Uh-huh.
[alarm blaring]
- Truck 81, Ambulance 61, Battalion 25.
- Okay. - Psychiatric emergency.
6719 Waveland Avenue.
[sirens wailing]
[dramatic music]

- Chief Boden, Firehouse 51.
What's the situation? - Our son, Michael, he--
- He posted a message on Facebook,
threatening to kill himself.
We think he's been bullied online.
- How old his he? - 16.
- Is he on meds?
- He's taking antidepressants.
- Is there a gun in the house?
- Not that I'm aware of.
- All right, where is he? - Herrmann.
- Locked in his room upstairs.
- How many ways in?
- Just the one, the main hallway.

That's his room.
Right there.
Hey, Michael.
- Please hurry.
- Okay. Okay. - Hey, bud.
The fire department's here, okay?
- Hey.
- Hey, Michael. [knocking]
This is Lieutenant Casey.
You okay in there?

- Come here.
Can you pull the cylinder?
- Not without making noise.
- Giving him time for who knows what.
- Best option is just to kick it in and rush him
before he knows what's happening.
- It's either that or wait for PD backup.

- Hey, uh, Michael? [knocking]
[clattering from bedroom]
- Do it.

- Oh, my God! - No, no, no, no.
- Oh, my God! - Okay, Okay.
- Got him.
[intense music]
- Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Let them do their work.

- Check for a pulse.

[woman sobbing]

- He can't find a pulse.
- Start compressions.
- [sobbing]

- I'm in. - IV's in.
- Stop compressions.

Charging.
Clear.

- No, no, no, no.
- Again, check for a pulse.
- Yeah. Come on.

There's no pulse.
- Resume compressions.
- Let me spell you.
Yeah? - I got it; I got it.

Come on.
- We need to push an epi.

- Epi in.
- Shock him again.
Clear.
- [panting]
- Pulse?

- We got a pulse.
[both exclaim]
- Thank you. - Jimmy!
- He's going to make it?
[triumphant music]

- [crying]
- Hey, Chief. - Hey.
Come on in; have a seat.
So that was a hell of a speech you gave, Lieutenant.
Someone sent me a link.
- Yeah, thanks.
- So--didn't want you hearing it from anyone else.
Apparently, they are closing the shelter next week.
- What?
- Just got a call from Alderman Becks.
He's, uh, very apologetic.
- What happened to the money?
- Says the operating expenses were higher than expected.
- Can we give her a treat, Dad?
- Another one?
- Well, she does love them.
- Please?
- All right, listen.
Do not tell Mouch.
She's supposed to be on a diet.
[soft music]

Hey.
Thanks for bringing 'em by.
- Everything okay?
- Yeah.
[dog whines]

Just needed to see 'em.

- So we'll work on that.
- See what we can do. - Thank you.
- Thanks for coming by.
- Alderman. - Lieutenant Casey.
I've been meaning to reach out.
Nice words. Well said.
- Got a minute?
- Yeah. Step into my office.
- Great.
[foreboding music]

- What can I do for you?
- I got word the shelter is closing.
- [sighs]
Yeah.
Unfortunately, that's true.
- My understanding was we raised more than $50,000.
- Look, I don't want to bore you with the details
of how this stuff works.
Sometime, if you want to spend a day in my shoes,
you're welcome to.
The money doesn't nearly go as far as you'd think.
There's, uh, hard costs, operating expenses--
- Hard costs?
Like what, specifically?
- I understand your frustration.
Sincerely, I do.
- Where's the money?

- Okay.
You did me a solid, speaking at the fundraiser,
and I appreciate that,
but I've explained to you
what the realities are, Lieutenant.
You don't have to like it, but that's the way it is.
- Where's the money?

- Nice meeting you, Lieutenant.

Good luck in your future endeavors.

- I understand there's something you want to say, Mr. Herrmann.
- Earlier, I said I was testifying
because I wanted to make sure
that Freddie didn't hurt anyone else, but...
That's not the truth.
Not all of it, anyway.
The day he stabbed me, he took something from me
I never thought I'd get back:
faith.
And for that, I wanted him to pay.
But on the job,
you see things that make you realize
what's important in the world,
and Freddie, he never had a role model growing up.
His father was in and out of jail,
and me, I was trying to fill that gap.
I still am,
because I got to believe
that it's the right thing to do,
no matter what.
So...
if you could find it in your heart, your Honor...
[heartfelt music]

Please have mercy on him.
- [gasps]
[breathing heavily]

- [clears throat]
There's a deal on the table for the kid right now.
I want you to know I don't think he deserves it.
- What is it?
- Drop the charges down to misdemeanor battery.
He'd be looking at 18 months intensive adult probation--
basically work camp--
with mandatory counseling and community service.
After that, free to go.
[somber music]
Judge says it's your call.

- Go for it.
- Okay.
- Yep.

- Agreed, your Honor.
- [crying quietly]
I don't know why you did this.

I ain't worth nothing.

- You don't know, Freddie?
- No, man.

- Because you and me,
we need this.
Both of us.

- [sniffling]
[crying]

- All right. You ready?
Loser got to take a shot.
Okay. Come on!
[laughter]
- Hey, Otis.
- Hey. Hey, Sylvie.
- Oh, oh, oh--oh!
- Um, hey, how long has Chili been here?
- Since before I got here.
- Okay, are you ready? - Go, go, go.
- Okay. One, two, three.
Two! - Two!
Ah, damn it! - Ha!
"Show, don't tell!" Uh!
[laughing]
- Are you playing?
- I--I'm good.
- Aw, Brett, come on; it's fun.
- No, I'm good.
- Okay, yeah, whatever.
All right, Tony.
- Well... only so much we can do.
- [laughing] Bottoms up!
[laughter]
- Oh, God. Okay.