Clarice (2021–…): Season 1, Episode 11 - Achilles Heel - full transcript

- TRIPATHI: Previously on Clarice: -
KRENDLER: DNA says you were right.

Hudlin was the man
you saw at Woodhaven

the night Marilyn
Felker killed herself.

Joe Hudlin. Alastor
Pharmaceuticals' fixer-lawyer.

KRENDLER: Hudlin said he was
in the middle of a big acquisition.

Is Alastor Pharmaceuticals
in the middle of a buy-out?

Tyson Conway, whose dad
owns Alastor Pharmaceuticals.

CLARICE: I need your help. I
think your father is associated

with some very, very bad people.

Julia Lawson?

You're a senior accountant
at Alastor Pharmaceuticals?



- That's right.
- Three women are dead.

They were in a
clinical trial for Reprisol.

All three had children
with birth defects.

CLARICE: [On phone]
I'm gonna turn Catherine in

to the Carney's Point
New Jersey Police.

There have to be consequences.

- They don't want us to run.
- They want us to suffer.

This is enough,
right? For the lawyer?

I remember men.

LI: Are you sure that
this story you've been

telling yourself is
the whole story?

FATHER: Hey.

You know what
you got to do, right?

You're my good little deputy.



[Door opens]

[Gasps]

CLARICE: Someone told me
once this is the hardest time.

When you're angry.

What's the freezing
point of nitrogen?

- Minus 210 degrees Celsius.
- Freeze the anger.

And suddenly, I could see.

So let's see.

Multiple crimes.
Different crimes.

CLARICE: But that's just it. This
conspiracy started in the one mind.

Probably Hudlin's.

We need to profile this
conspiracy like we'd profile a killer.

One mind. One monster.

[Knuckles crack]

Each murder was crafted to
look like something it wasn't.

ESQUIVEL: He could've sealed
these women in 55 gallon drums

and dumped them in
a landfill somewhere.

They'd be gone forever. Easy.

But painting them as victims of
a serial killer? Cutting and biting?

And he left them all
where they would be found.

He wanted to
leave an impression.

A deep one. Like a scar.

He didn't want them
to have any dignity.

He believed these
women deserved it,

and he wanted
everyone to know it.

ESQUIVEL: They
wronged him. Personally.

Rebecca Clark-Sherman, her
suicide, that was about shame.

Even if this is corporate, to
protect the Alastor merger...

somehow, it's
really all about him.

CLARICE: A narcissist,
yes, but more than that.

He didn't have to have
Wellig assassinated

in a room full of FBI agents.

He wanted to show
us that he could.

Most killers don't like
to show their work.

This guy...

it's only real if
there's an audience.

Mr. Hagen built this company
from one lab in Rochester.

Alastor is like a child to
him. So let's not dick around.

- [Laughter]
- You all have a packet.

I think we can agree... we're
close to finalizing the merger.

This is the year he's
decided to set her free.

CLARICE: These are his choices.

These are all
signatures. These are...

- [Sighs] They're...
- Flourishes.

Yes.

Yes. He's an artist.

This guy we're
unearthing, feels like Hudlin.

Yeah, sure feels like
the kind of guy who would

prance around a ward
full of coma victims.

- Hey.
- What?

- [Pager beeps]
- You need to keep your cool.

Herman. His office. Last
time he wanted to see me,

he ordered me to investigate
you. He's not one for good news.

- So, he got your complaint.
- George said it'd be quick.

You don't think
he'll try to fire you?

I don't. That'd be too
quick and painless.

They squeeze you and squeeze
you until you quit, is my understanding.

- Whatever you need.
- I know.

[Sighs]

[Telephone ringing]

- Starling.
- They're closing this deal.

- Now?
- Yes.

Things are gonna move
faster than you can imagine.

You better get here,
because everything you need

to get these guys

is about to go into a warehouse
in the Cayman Islands.

MAN: Hey.

Julia?

- Julia, are you there?
- We need you in there.

- We're at the last hurdle.
- Sorry.

- Julia, are you there?
- [Receiver clicks]

♪ There's power in the blood ♪

♪ In the precious
blood of the Lamb ♪

If this sale is going through,
Julia's right. It's gonna be chaos.

We need a warrant,
like, yesterday.

I want to talk to Tyson
Conway about Hudlin again,

see if Hudlin fits our profile.

- Hey! There he is.
- The prodigal son returns.

Welcome back.
How are the in-laws?

They're okay.

It was a lot of years of stuff
to move into a small place,

so it's, uh, good I went.

- What's up? Where are we at?
- Someone bring him up to speed.

I'm going to Main Justice.
Time to come clean to the AG.

Tell her we never
dropped the investigation.

- Whoa. No more Secret Squirrel?
- Well, we're there.

We'll need subpoenas,
warrants, indictments.

She's not gonna like that
we kept her in the dark.

Good to see you.

Looks like I missed some stuff.

Let's see...

[Sighs]

Got a copy of your
EEOC complaint.

I'm glad you're speaking up.
This place needs a house cleaning.

But mostly, I just want to see
if you had any, uh, questions.

- Questions?
- About what happens next.

The Bureau will
ask for a mediator.

Your lawyer will probably reject
that, and then things will play out.

Meantime, I want to make sure
that our relationship doesn't suffer.

Can we just let the
lawyers talk to the lawyers

and not let it affect
the day-to-day?

You are an asset, Ardelia.

And we're a team.

- Of course.
- Good.

Thank you.

Four murders.

Five, if you include Wellig.

- There's more.
- More?

- I'm exposed.
- Good.

Wellig's coroner's report was
forged. They framed me for it.

A guy named Joseph
Hudlin leveraged the report

and forced us to drop
the River Murders.

He's also dropping pressure
into my custody case.

- You're running a rogue operation.
- I couldn't tell you until

- we had something concrete.
- Uncool, Paul!

- Something we could move on.
- You went behind my back.

This is deep,
Ruth. And it's mean.

And Starling was right
about it from day one.

I'm under fire from
half of Congress.

This is just the nail in
my coffin, and honestly,

your girl may have sunk me
here by turning Catherine in.

Most people end up in jail.
She's in a psychiatric care center.

- Now, I'd have done the same...
- If Gant and the other wolves

get ahold of this...

[Sighs] I... I haven't
seen her since...

They won't even
let me talk to her.

I wish Starling would
just do what she was told.

She didn't save Catherine's life
the first time by being obedient.

You knew that. I did.

Starling's right, and
it's costing both of us.

TY: You could've called.

You're far too wise to want
the pleasure of my company,

so I'm guessing you're
here to profile me.

Not you. I want to
know about Joe Hudlin.

[Exhales sharply]
You want to profile me

when I'm talking
about Joe Hudlin?

You don't like him.

I just want to be able
to see him clearly.

I think I'm the
only one who can.

My father has a blind spot,

which is counterintuitive
because... he's so successful.

Well, that could be part
of why he's so successful.

Blind spots are mostly a
compartmentalization mechanism.

Wow. Impressive.

It's just psych school.

I've been doing some
digging since we last spoke.

And I think Hudlin
is a predator.

He nudges my father
into a colder place,

especially as he's gotten older.

Some of my dad's
decisions just aren't him.

This sale is gonna
break Dad's heart.

He just doesn't know it yet.

If he were entirely himself,

I don't think he would
jettison something he loved.

- I understand.
- Do you?

Well, I mean, my father
was powerful in his own way.

He was a lawman.

He kept me close.

I could count on that.

It was a good
feeling. Being close.

- It's funny.
- What is?

You lost your father as a
girl. I found mine as an adult.

But still, everything
we do, we do for them.

Well, this has been helpful.

You're gonna go get
Joe Hudlin, aren't you?

[Scoffs] You know I can't talk
about an ongoing investigation.

You are. You're gonna
go get Joe Hudlin.

We'll talk soon.

Thank you, Ty.

Okay. I'll look into it.

- You have a call.
- If it's Llewellyn Gant again,

- tell him...
- It's Catherine.

On your private line.

- [Beeps]
- Catherine?

- CATHERINE: Mom.
- Sweetheart, hi.

- They let you call?
- It's not prison.

[Chuckles] I know.

I'm... I'm sorry. I...

- How is it?
- It's nice.

The people are nice.
Funny, some of them.

- Are you all right?
- Yeah.

In here with everyone,

I don't feel lonely or crazy.

I know me being
here isn't great for you,

but it was the right thing.

So, thanks.

For sending Clarice.

- Herman called you "Ardelia?"
- Yeah.

Called me "part of the team." He
was supportive of the cause, even.

- Conspicuously supportive.
- [Drawer opens]

[Folder thuds]

George said to write
down every encounter.

I want Herman to remember, too.

If I was feeling generous, I'd say
he's so far down the rabbit hole,

- he might even believe his own...
- Nope.

He's setting up the narrative.

"It's not us, it's you.

You're interpreting. You're imagining.
You're seeing what you want to see."

You people.

Does conspicuous
support count as retaliation?

It counts as a preamble
to a whole lot of hell.

[Elevator bell dings]

[Door buzzer]

- Here. Let me get that.
- Oh. Thank you.

Crazy day.

[Clears throat]

It doesn't seem right.
It's a lot of money.

You guys worked
White Collar Crimes.

Can we tie Hudlin
up for a minute?

- Uh, get an ex parte?
- Freeze his accounts?

I don't want him making $10
million for murdering four women.

[Telephone rings]

- Starling.
- They're gutting the fifth floor.

Hold on. I'm bringing
on the team. Line 2.

- So, what does that mean?
- It's R&D. I was...

I was going up there to look
for the Reprisol files, and...

Julia! You can't be doing that.

They're moving
everything out already.

They're demolishing
the place practically.

And the raw data?
The evidence we need?

Yeah. That's where it would be.

Should I go and see
if we can find the...

- No!
- No, no, no. Julia, do not do that.

- Who is this girl, Nancy Drew?
- No. Hudlin is watching you.

Just sit tight. Keep your head
down, okay? We'll be in touch.

- Okay.
- [Receiver clicks]

And you think
Hudlin has these files.

- The AG is not going...
- I know.

I have another way into this.

- Go, Starling.
- It's a mosaic.

All of it, and we have
been looking at the tiles.

- And you have a profile of the artist.
- He's bold.

He likes to see the
consequences of his actions.

He likes to see people
jump when he says.

And it's not enough that
he killed these women.

He wanted to leave
their families with a scar.

Tyson Conway believes Hudlin
is pulling the strings at Alastor,

that he is in Nils Hagen's ear.
That he is manipulating his father.

- What do you want?
- I want to sit with Hudlin.

No.

No, this feels too personal.

He tried to have you killed.

Sir, that is why
it has to be me.

He will be smug as hell,
confident, and he will hang himself.

Take Esquivel and Tripathi.

- Sir, it is better if I go alone...
- "I"?

This isn't about
you. I've told you that.

And every time you say something
like that, I lose confidence.

Lives depend on
you understanding.

- Yes, sir.
- Take Esquivel and Tripathi.

Or stay behind.

Alright. How are
we playing this?

Do we know about Hudlin
and Krendler, the blackmail,

- that whole thing?
- Uh, no. Let's say no.

Call an audible if we have to.

HUDLIN: Agent
Starling, Joe Hudlin.

I'm Mr. Hagen's associate.

Mr. Hudlin, thank you for your
time today. This won't take long.

Right this way.

So... how can I help you?

Naomi Myers, a
sales representative,

was found dead of an
overdose of your drug Reprisol.

Oh.

What can you tell us about her?

There are over 7,400 sales
reps. Almost all women.

I'm sorry. I'm not sure why
you're coming to me with this.

Hmm. I thought you
were General Counsel?

Uh, no. I'm a consultant.

But I like to keep
an eye on things.

So, you like to keep
an eye on the sales reps

and handle a merger
at the same time?

That seems kind of odd.

There's been no public
announcement about a merger.

Where are you getting
your information?

That's privileged.

Yeah, they just started
packing a couple of days ago,

but they're almost done.

No unauthorized
personnel in or out.

Any idea where
they're moving it all?

Nope.

[Wheels rattling]

MAN: Let's go. Let's move it.

Hey, there. Hold that elevator.

I have to go to a meeting.

Do you have to go
and count the tampons

- in the ladies' room dispensers?
- [Chuckles]

I'm gonna need the names
of everyone in the FBI

who has this idea
about a merger.

- That's not a thing that happens.
- Mm-mm.

And I'm going to sue
you and the Bureau

into a deep hole in the
ground for tortious interference.

Not now.

Mr. Hagen would
like to meet with you.

No.

Just you.

You probably just screwed up.

Oof.

NILS: Special Agent
Clarice Starling.

- Mr. Hagen.
- Thank you for making the time.

I was curious as
to your interest.

Well, sir, we're
investigating the death...

No, no. Not about that.

You see, I'm very
protective, and, uh...

I was curious as to
your interest in my son.

Was it Tyson that told you
about the sale of my company?

- No, sir.
- But he is helpful

in your investigation
of the dead girl?

Naomi Myers.

Do you like art?

What do you see?

CLARICE: Passion.

- Boldness.
- Exactly right.

It's inspired by
Alastor himself.

You're familiar?

There are a few
Alastors that I can recall.

There's, um, Prince of Pylos,

and Alastor was the
name of the horse of Hades.

And it's an epithet for Zeus,

the god of, well, everything.

And son of Cronos.

- You know your Greek mythology.
- Psychology degree.

- Lots of Greeks.
- Ah, yes.

Tyson told me you're
intelligent. I see that now.

A sale of a public company is
a fragile thing, Agent Starling.

The timing of your interest in Tyson,
agents in my lobby, today of all days.

At my age, you learn
there are no coincidences.

Well, sir, we're investigating
the death of an employee...

Yes. Well, in the scheme of things,
I do not know this salesperson,

this victim.

I don't know their
habits, their lifestyle.

I don't know if
there was anything...

unpleasant... tainted.

Why would there be?

Women.

[Dialing]

[Telephone ringing]

Clarke.

JULIA: I have it. I have it all.

You have what?

I'm in R&D, on the fifth floor.

It... it's all here. A report
from Sandra Bishop's OBGYN.

- Angela Bird's pregnancy test.
- [Loud thud]

Alastor knew. They
knew everything.

Um, what do I do?

- Bring it to you?
- CLARKE: No.

- No. They are watching you.
- Okay. Um...

Give me your fax number.

Okay, you can wait for
your agent in the lobby.

- I'm done wasting time with you.
- That's ballsy.

TRIPATHI: We have some
more questions for you.

You can answer them here, or
we can take you down to our place.

What?! Please. You
have no grounds.

Obstruction of justice, making
false statements to the FBI,

being a dick who
threatened to sue me.

You know what? Forget it.

You can just answer the
Grand Jury's questions.

[Pager beeping]

Why do I always have
to do the grunt work?

'Cause you're the grunt.

Five sugars.

What is it about the story of
Cronos that drew you, Mr. Hagen?

Oh, I suppose he's
the God of Time.

We are in the
business of extending it.

Prolonging life.

And yet you named your
company after his son.

It is like my child.

See, that's interesting
to me, sir, because

Cronos feared his children
would usurp him the way

he usurped his father, and so
he devoured them. All of them.

Alastor was the only one
rescued by his mother.

It's a pretty dark tale.

That is an obvious
interpretation.

There is light there,
Agent, if you look for it.

I see it as a tale of survival.

I believe it is a parent's duty

to create a story or a myth

for their children
to believe in.

It's how they learn principle.

I did my best for Tyson.

It is compelling, is it not?

When you buy a piece of art,

you're buying an alignment
of impossible circumstances.

Universal odds against it
happening are staggering,

and yet it did.

It is miraculous.

Like a child?

Like Tyson?

- He is the same kind of miracle.
- Hmm. Your only child.

What story did
you create for him?

You could probably tell me,
Agent. You're close to him.

You have created a
space for the two of you.

Manipulated that space.

I would like to know...

everything he shared with you.

[Fax machine whirring]

[Door handle rattling]

MAN: This one's locked!

Yeah. She's somewhere
on the fifth floor,

trying to fax the Gutenberg
Bible one page at a time.

Just go get them from
her before she gets caught.

But play it cool.
Don't interfere yet.

Yeah.

More Casey Laughty, from June.

She started the trial in March,
which means she would have gotten

pregnant some time before that.

- Is this the door?
- Yeah, this is the one.

- [Beeps]
- What? Why'd you stop?

Son of a bitch!

Oh. Uh, sorry. I was just...

You're not
authorized to be here.

How about you just
hold up one sec?

One-eight-four, come in.

- I'm sorry, who are you?
- Uh, I'm an accountant.

Come with me.

MAN: Security, take the freight.

So, does Reprisol
have a narcotic quality?

Way below my pay grade. What?
Was this girl a junkie or something?

[Knocks]

Just a minute.

- A situation on the fifth floor.
- Be right back.

Tyson only told me that
you were a great man.

He said you made an impact on
him that you will never understand.

He said you were a father.

Do you reciprocate
his interest in you?

Why only the one child, sir?
Were you unable to have more?

Is that why Tyson
is a "miracle?"

You talked about survival.

All of Cronos' children
except Zeus were dead.

Is that why the
myth speaks to you?

Let me turn the question
back to you, your job.

You're famously drawn to...
Oh, what is the right word?

Destructive men.

I read The Tattler, too.

These men that
you've "brought down."

I'm sure you think
yourself superior to them.

Superior to sad little maniacs
with no power in the world,

no form of
expression, no impact,

besides their
sad, little crimes.

They are... exterminators.

You think the women
they killed are bugs? Rats?

You define their very existence.

You're the most important
thing to happen to them.

I'm a leader of men, Agent.
Any battle, I will be the victor,

because that is the
world. I am myself, Agent.

You are the bug

that got away.

You named your company
Alastor because it was your creation,

and then from nowhere
comes a real boy.

And you must doubt if
he's even yours sometimes.

Never doubt what is mine!

[Door opens]

Apologies.

[Indistinct whispering]

ESQUIVEL: She's
investigating a murder.

Um, thanks for the
sandwiches, though.

Uh, Wellig's is here,
too. It's, uh... It's labeled.

- Who is it?
- Lawson. The accountant.

This has gone too
far. Take care of it.

We can't. Not on the premises.

I'm leaving you now, Mr. Hagen.

I will see you again.

[Elevator bell dings]

Where's Julia?

Hudlin ditched us and gave her
to Security. What did Hagen want?

- I'll tell you when we're out of here.
- Security's in the basement.

[Elevator bell dings]

- I saw the cop.
- What cop?

The Baltimore cop who brought
Wellig the root beer. He's here.

Well, that doesn't
bode well for Julia.

They won't do it here.

- [Knock on door]
- Hey.

There seems to be a little
confusion. We have this from here.

Oh. Well, okay. Let me make
a copy of the incident report.

Oh. Don't worry about it.

- [Grunts]
- Oh, God!

Hey. Don't do that.

Relax.

I'm gonna go get the car.

FBI!

- [Screams]
- Don't move! Don't move!

[Gasps]

- Hey! Stop! Stop! Okay. Stop.
- Don't move!

Good God! There's been
a huge misunderstanding.

Julia, I'm sorry.

This is Julia, our accountant.

And Julia was in my office.
Mr. Hagen's security team overreacted.

I'm so sorry.

Julia, this sale has
everyone on Defcon One.

It was an overreaction.
Of course, you're free to go.

Is everything all right, ma'am?

Yes, I'm fine. Misunderstanding.

- Alright, then.
- So, we're finished for now?

It's him.

Nils Hagen is the man we
conjured in the basement. Not Hudlin.

Yeah, Wellig's killer's
on Hagen's payroll.

- KRENDLER: [Sighs]
- What?

The men I've met,
the monsters I've met,

left nightmares behind them,
but all of them were outsiders.

They had nowhere near
the scope of this guy.

He's a master of the universe.

He has lawyers and lobbyists
protecting him while he...

Okay.

Can we get Tyson
Conway on our team?

Sir, I think we need to get
him clear. Out of harm's way.

- You think he's in danger?
- Well, he worships his father.

Not our department.

Nils' son is leverage.
Bring him into the fold.

- Call the AG. We have it all.
- What do you mean?

You got to tell
him. It's so good.

Um... well, when security
started knocking on the door,

I knew I wouldn't have
time to fax all the documents,

so I pulled them all together
and put them in a safe place.

I mailed them.

Oh. Uh, sorry. I was just...

To my grandma.

She lives in Boise.
Her name's Lena.

You'll have everything in
three to five business days.

Holy crap. Nancy Drew.

[Chuckles]

Whatever it is, I
take it it's not good.

- I've been promoted.
- That's...

Onsite Security Supervisor for
the new Fingerprint Repository.

- In Clarksburg? In...
- In the boonies.

Basically construction
site security.

Probably working
out of a trailer.

No squads, no other agents,
certainly no Black agents.

Certainly no you.

They want to isolate us.

I don't take it,
my career is over.

You take it, your
career is over.

This is the squeeze.

They act as if they're
doing you a favor.

It's only gonna get tighter.

We're making a deal right now.

You tell me when
you can't breathe.

I'll tell you.

I'm the underwater
champion of Camp Moosilauke

three years in a row.

They can kiss my ass.

I'm breathing.

A security detail? For how long?

Of course. 24-hour
protection. To know you're safe.

Erin will be the
one who kills me.

- [Sighs] That's it?
- For now.

I'm sorry you and Erin
got caught up in all this.

That's the funny
thing about the truth.

Once you know it,
you can't un-know it.

I wouldn't have thought
I could do all this.

I would have.

[Sighs]

TY: [On phone] Hello?

Where are you right
now? Are you alone?

- What's going on?
- If there wasn't an Alastor,

would there be a
Global Health Horizons?

I... Uh, we have
enough capital to...

Yeah. Yes. We're
dependent on Alastor. Yeah.

Clarice...

Is something happening to
my father? Is he in danger?

I can't say any more. I'm sorry.

Ty, I need your help, and please,
I'm only asking you because...

well, I would be heartbroken if
anything were to happen to you

or your company.

- Ty?
- You've said enough.

- What does that mean?
- Is this what you do?

Turn people into whatever
you need them to be?

You wanted to know about my
father, so you concoct a little...

traumatic currency? A
connection over loss?

- No. Tyson.
- No?

Then what is it? Tell me.

Don't call me again.

[Sighs]

[Fluttering]

You know what you
need to do, right?

You're my good little deputy.

[Indistinct whispering]

Your daddy's a thief.

[Gasps]

[Dryer whirring]

Hey.

Nightmares, too?

Awake, and living
in uncertainty.

Hmm.

- Yeah.
- [Sighs]

What nightmares?

- Bill?
- No.

I keep having these weird
dreams about my father.

They're all... messed
up or something.

You know, we grow
up believing the things

they tell us to believe, but...

I mean...

what happens if you
find out you've been

building yourself on a lie?

[Telephone rings]

- [Beeps]
- Hello?

NILS: Ruth?

It's Nils Hagen.

RUTH: Nils.

How long has it been?

Just long enough, apparently.

I am calling with a...

begging bowl.

You've never begged
a day in your life, Nils.

But you have, as a
hungry Senate candidate.

You were a very generous donor.

Your team is bringing
attention and scrutiny

to the sale of my company.

- I see.
- We are at a...

delicate point.

Though I am very
grateful for all the support

- you've given me over the years...
- Call it off, Ruth.

I have never and will never
impede the course of justice.

- Goodbye.
- Lila Gumb did not press charges.

That does not
mean she never will.

And for Catherine,
she had a future

as long as she was the victim.

Now, she is a predator.

I will bend you
both until you break.

Call it off.