Due South (1994–1999): Season 2, Episode 14 - All the Queen's Horses - full transcript

Subversive terrorists hijack a train carrying the RCMP Musical Ride on an exhibition tour; while the FBI dithers about, Fraser, Inspector Thatcher, and Buck Frobisher work against the hijackers from the inside.

The musical ride performed by the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The show piece of their fantastic ....
The only one ...

Amazing,

I want some of that. Can you
shoot me something like that?

The 32 riders...
Let's go for it.

Of course, it is. Scarlet De Fabulance
and the procedure crews...

which nobody has ever held done before.

Having inspired wonders
to speed inception A.D. 73.

America's gonna love these guys.

That... is to be bold,

beautiful,
...puring, simple of ...



Okay, sweetheart,

grab me some shots now...

boom, boom, boom.

I want faces, lots of faces.

You don't think we need, say
an on the spot interview?

You kidding?

You mean one of those
70's lets talk about...

something we already know interviews?

I don't think so.

Americans want inspiration not chit chat.

American's want heroes.

What about that ...?
Shoot her, shoot her.

Keep going.
What about that fella with the big ears?

Ross Perot?
No,



I was talking Mickey Mouse.

Does Mickey have a red tunic?

Does he have a battle lance? I think not.

Let?s go now... Hunks on Horseback...
Let's do it.

We have track clearance...

so as soon as they're loaded let me know.

Nothing quite like it is there, Son.

Oh, hi Dad,

I didn't know you were coming.

I wouldn't have missed it for the world,

it stirs the blood.

You don't have blood you're dead.

I have the memory of blood.
Something's beating in there.

Oh, would you look...

at my old stable mate?

Looks good, doesn't he?

Ah, it's just that uniform.

Why don't you go and say hello?

Now, I wouldn't want to impose.

Well, you're dead, it's
not really an imposition.

I don't know if I'd be able to.
You could give it a try.

Well, then, ... maybe I will.

Good luck.

Hi, Ben,

You did yet...?

Did they issue you with one of these yet?

Ah, not yet, Sir, no.

Oh, right, you're young.

In a few years that steel blade
that you took in your leg...

will start acting up,
just like it did with me.

[Buck breaks wind]

Try spending a week on stakeout with him...

...in dead horse gulf.
Do you mind?

What's that?

Nothing, Sir.

Well, shall we?

Yeah.

The board introduced me to a...

real eye opener the other night.

Moose hock, rolled in wild boar tongue...

covered with Gorgonzola cheese.

I'd like to try that some time.

Don't be too hasty,

it seems to follow you around for a while.

All aboard!

Somewhere in Illinois, U.S.A.

Why are you calling me Benny?

You told me to, Ray.

No, I didn't.

Yes, you did. In fact,
your exact words were...

'Let me know how it goes.'

You see this is what is
wrong with you, Benny,

when someone tells you to
let them know how it goes,

they don't mean you should call them...

and let them know how it
goes as that's going.

What they mean is you
should let them know how...

it goes after it is all said and done.

Do you understand?

Ah, not entirely no. How's Diefenbaker?

He's fine Benny. Gotta go...

OK Gentlemen, here we go.

We have a 2 3 possible straight 2 3 7...

no help there...

We will avoid specifics.

We will speak only when we are spoken to.

We will keep our responses
short and to the point.

We will maintain our postures,

and above all we will act naturally.

Why are they staring at me?

I suspect they're terrified, Ma'am.

The whole point of this exercise...

is to bring new dynamism into our image;

Look at them they're stiffs.

Make them do something, anything,

They can break into song for all I care,

they just can't sit there.

Into song, Sir?

Yes. Make them sing.

Understood.

Excuse me, may I?

Thank you kindly.

Ahem.

You're sure about this?

Yes.
Very well.

Well, I was born up north
at Great Slave, 1898,

And I rode near all my life
on a ranch near Devil's Gate.

And I've seen this world about me,

bend and flip and change,
hey It feels like rain,

That's a thunder cloud.

Well, I've been called a coward,

but I've seen two world wars,

And I lost my son, Virgil, a Korean reward.

And my Lucy, died last summer,

You ask me if I cried?
Hell, I'll show you tears...

they're all over this ground,

Falling from these blue Alberta Skies.

We're gonna ride forever,

You can't keep horse men in a cage.

Should the angels call,

Well, it's only then...

we might pull in the reins.

They tell me I'm an old man,

they tell me I am blind

They took my driver's license,

this house ain't far behind

I say jump back all you big suits,

you got something wrong

'Cause I ain't gone,

no I ain't gone

Fraser, I was in the middle of a very import...
Yes,

I apologies for interrupting, Sir.

But I believe something is amiss.

Well, I suppose there is
always room for improvement...

but on the whole I think we've
got some promising voices.

No, it's not with the singers, Sir,

it's with the film crew.

The film crew?

If that is indeed what they are...

OK,

let's do it...

We're gonna ride forever

You can't keep horsemen in a cage

Should the angels call

Well, it's only then...

we might pull in the reins

So, I say to all you old men

Don't let yourselves get broke

If you think the world's gone crazy

And is scratching at your throat

It's time to dust off that old saddle

Get it on a horse kick up your spurs

We're gonna run like stink

We're gonna tear across
these blue Alberta skies

I'm gonna ride... forever

Da da da Dada da da da...

Da da da... Da da...

Ah, Men?

Men, I ...

I didn't realize...

I'm sorry.

No!

Well, what do you propose we do?

I'd like a moment to think about that.

Well, that's very helpful!

Sergeant Frobisher,

before you continue may
I have a word with you?

Friend or foe?

A friend, I assure you.

Where are you?

I'm right here, Sir.

In the sink?

Uh, no, Sir, to the rear.

Great Scott, Benton?

I'm relieved to see your all right, Sir.

That's a matter of opinion.

What are you doing in my toilet?

Well, I've come to debrief you, Sir.

Is something wrong with the door?

We have a problem, Sir.

I believe the men have all been gassed.

Oh my god.
Yes,

and furthermore,

it's my belief that this train
is no longer under our control.

It's worse than I thought.
Yes Sir...

and I thought it prudent to inform you.

Inform me? I've been
living with it for a week.

Sir, I'm sorry but I can't
see how this relates...

to the terrorists.

Neither can I.

It is my belief...

ah, that this train has been
taken over by terrorists...

and that they have gassed
the men into a stupor.

Well, that's a relief.

That's a relief?

How many terrorists?

Undetermined, Sir.

Strategy?

Unformed.

I thought I should assess your status...

and then report back to
our superior officer.

In the mean time I suggest you just...

are continue with your current ah, ...
project.

Oh! ah, yeah, good luck, son.

Ahh, Benton,

my arm is stuck,

that's stuck, my arm
is stuck in the hole...

give me some help, Constable,

...that's an order.
Ahh, You sound like an old man.

I sound like a... Ouch! what?
An old man.

You say that I...

Old man...

I tell you that...!

How are you Buck?

It's just as I suspected, Sir.

You've changed.

And she looks real good,
don't you think? Ha-ha-ha.

I just love a woman in uniform...

and these particular uniforms
are so darned arresting.

I just thought to myself why not?
Whoa! Ha-ha-ha.

What is it about this situation
that you can't believe?

That I'm dead?

No.

Absolutely not. I believe you're dead.

But there is uh, one thing bothers me.

You seem to be who you seem to be but...

by the same token...

then you uh, do not seem to be...

who you do not seem to be and...

that's a different story. There you are.

You want proof?
What?

You want proof?
Absolutely.

All right.

Let's hear it.

Very well.

On April 23rd, 1957,

sixty miles north of Destruction Bay,

two young men stood on a rope bridge...

which spanned a canyon, and on
the other side of that bridge...

a young woman was being held
in the clutches of a deviant.

They had two cartridges
between them and one rifle.

They knew it was an impossible
shot, but each one knew...

that whoever made that shot...

would secure the love of that woman.

The first man tried. He failed.

And the second one tried and uh,

he won the whole shooting match.

And we were very happy, Caroline and I.
Yeah,

I know that! I know that! I know that!

But the question is...

these two men,

through their long years of friendship,

often talked about that impossible shot...

and when they did,

what did they call it?

The shot you mean?

Yes, the shot.
Ah.

Well, uh,

...the shot they called it, uh.
Time is up.
No.

Go on!

Bob Fraser would have given me
the answer in one second.

Well, I'm dead. It effects the memory.

Out! Out! Now!
But...

All right! It was called...

The Great Yukon, Double-Douglas
Fir, Telescoping Bank Shot.

Oh my God!

Bob Fraser!

Ha-ha-ha.

Ouch!

Does that always happen?

That's not important.

The important this is you're
in quite a pickle my friend...

You've got a train to stop.

Yeah, right you are.
How do you stop a train?

You put on the breaks.

Look, I'm holding the
bullet in low Chicago...

in a 12-hundred-dollar pot
that keeps on growing,

this better be good.

This is Constable Benton Fraser...

of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police...

and I am reading a prepared text.

Am I some kind of god,

am I some kind of bad luck god or what?

Hold on.

...023E traveling of the palace ...
line is not hostage...

and any attend to board the train
will result death those on board.

OK, ready?

Shoot.

Our demands are as follows.

10 million dollars...

to be delivered by Detective
first grade Raymond Vecchio...

of the Chicago police department...

unaccompanied to the
station siding number 33...

on the Pa...Paliser line by 4 p.m.
central standard time.

Be ever vigilant America,

for the enemy is already among us!

I'm in. I'll see that 300...

and raise you 100.

Ah ha.
Umm.

Umm, umm.

What are you 'umming' about.

Ah, nothing, nothing.

When you umm it always means something.

Well, do you know how to operate a train?

I was counting on you.

I haven't the foggiest.

Oh, well.

It can't be that hard,

must be some place they put the coal!

Sir, we have a situation.

What have you got for me?

Nothing yet. We're running
Vecchio's tape...

for a voice match but
that could take a while.

Get Harrison. Stay! I want him on the line.

And get me the divisional guy...

from the NTSB down here now.

Sean, Tup, McTavish, inside!

All right,

gentlemen, here's our situation.

Representatives from State and the NSC...

are meeting regarding the
larger implications,

now as I speak,

two rapid response teams are flying in...

...from Fort Brag ...
What no B52 squadron?

You have a problem with this, Detective?

You know Ford, we all have our style,

me, I get a headache I don't
take a chain saw to it...

I swallow a couple of aspirin.

Vecchio, this is their field protocol.

Lieutenant, there are people on that train,

sure they're Canadian but
they're still people...

....and we don't know their situation.
That's right detective...

we can't talk them so we don't know,

therefore, we assume the
situation has gone sour...

until we receive confirmation...

one way or another. You know you ...

Let's be clear about 1 thing,
alright, You are a conduit,

you deliver the money. Nothing more,

do we understand each other?

I don't think that's possible.

I'm confused... What is a musical ride?

I mean some kind of theme park thing?

Oh, no, no, no, it's much more than that.

32 horses and riders moving as one,

perfect harmony between man and beast. A...

kaleidoscope of manes and
tails and battle lances...

Chris-crossing in a collage
of synchronous movement.

It takes your breath away.

Hey, I was a kid it haunted me.

...and as I go I love to
sing a Mountie on my back.

Now...

in an effort to show you that
my intentions are serious,

I was thinking...

that this is a gesture
you might appreciate.

Now this amuses me, you see?

Superior officer, junior officer.

Boss, worker.

The empowered, the unempowered.

Ha, ha.

And look,

they're even hugging each other,

it's a beautiful thing don't you think?

What do you hope to gain from this?

Hahaha.

You couldn't possibly imagine.

Or maybe you can.

You start by thinking
chchchchchchch train...

now think Pshw Explosives.

now put them together...

chchchchch train... Pshw explosives...

Hahaha.

If they move shoot 'em.

We have confirmation,

a Mountie just turned up for
lunch at a farmer's house.

I'll get the money ready.

Get Vecchio in here.

Ah ha.

What have you got there?

I've found it, I've found the brake.

And what makes you think it's the brake?

It's written right on it.
Ah, it could be a ruse.

To what ends?
Something criminal.

Are you insinuating that
an entire design crew...

has deliberately mislabeled
the key elements of a train?

Well, it's possible.
I'm talking to a lunatic.

Now you see,

this is what's wrong with you, Buck,

you discount everything but the probable,

it's why you couldn't make that...

...shot way back when ...
don't...

think you can twist the knife.

You know that was spring time.

I had my allergies. My eyes were cloudy.

Whatever helps you sleep.
This is the brake, Bob,

and I'm gonna bring this train to a halt.

Wait!

What?

What are these?

Wires...

Oh... my god.

They bypass the brakes,

Better get hold of Benton,

this train is a runaway.

This train is a runaway.

Yeah, don't wait up.

The men aren't dead are they Fraser?

No, Ma'am,

as we passed through the riot car,

I detected the after odor
of the Quicksodamine root.

It is found exclusively...

in the upper reaches of the Amazon basin.

In its gaseous form it's
known as Quicksodamanophil,

it's a paralytic, it's harmless,

but the men won't regain
consciousness for approximately...

...26 minutes.
And say no more.

Excuse me.

How're you doin'?

I'm with the police.

You are... and where are they?

Well, I'm it, I'm the police.

You are?

And do you like it Son, does it pay well?

Yeah, it's fine,

Do you have something called a mail pole?

Robert De Niro?

That's who I based my whole character on...

You met him?

Dated him.

De Niro?

He gave me a tattoo.. on my hip.

Ouch!

Very nice work, Ma'am.

Thank you.

May I?

May you what?

Escada?

I beg your pardon?

The fragrance you're wearing?

No.

Cartier?

No.

Channel?

Please.

Uhh.

I give up.

What is the perfume you're wearing?

I'm not wearing anything, Fraser.

I hate perfume.

Ah.

It's all there.

Yeah, perfect, find the geezer
and give him the heave-ho.

Allow me to debrief you...

the enemy has bypassed the brake valve.

In a nutshell this train is a runaway.

Not only is it a runaway, Sir,

I think it's loaded with explosives.

At the station back there,

they took something off the mail pole.

Ransom.

Which leaves only one conclusion.

The ransom was a cover,

they have darker purposes
to drive this bomb...

into the heart of Chicago.

Do you have your gun?

Left it at the border.

Likewise.

Why don't you use my gun?

If we survive this remind
me to make some changes...

to official travel policy.

Stand clear.

Well,

...he's gonna need some help.
No.

I'll go it's my responsibility.

I'm glad you could join me.

Alright, ma'am I would really
prefer if you would not...

Oh dear!

Fraser!

It was my fault.

No, it wasn't.

Well, in a way it was.

Stay out of this.

How can I stay out of it?

I am the senior officer aboard this train,

Fraser was on my immediate staff,

he was my responsibility.

Ah, she has a point, Buck.

He drove me crazy, that's no secret,

but lately I had started to think,

I mean I ...

I had started to feel...

Great Scott, you don't think she...

Great Scott, uh, you don't suppose that...

...you're err...
I'm confused, Sergeant,

my feelings are very confused.

I see.

I see, what kind of counsel is that?

Console her for god's sake.

Uhh, In-Inspector ummm...

there are times between men and women ah,

times.. between men and women when..
things grow...

feelings...

errr...

well... enough said.

Enough said?

You're right, Sergeant,

we've got a train to stop,
we have to push on.

You handle the men I'll take the engine.

She really takes death in
her stride, doesn't she?

You don't think that Benton
is really dead, do you?

No.

My guess is he's executing a plan...

to bring this crisis to an end.

You got a way to track these trains,

some kinda grid or computer or something?

Oh sure, they gave me a
computer but it's a...

useless piece of junk.

Nothing on it but fish,

little fish swimming around.

Yeah, they call that a screen saver.

Hey, you some kind of expert?

I can't find Brex.

Forget about Brex.

Ah, I love you, you big lug.
I know,

now let's go set some charges...

and head back to the caboose.

Ok.
Ha?

Aha.
Yeah.

Let's do it.

Ma'am.

Fraser!

Thank God you're all right.

I-I thought you were...

Dead, no Ma'am.

How did you?
That's not important,

...what is important ...
Not important,

I grieved for you.

You did?

Briefly.

Understood,

Red suits you.

I've had some time to think about it...

and it's my conclusion given
the nature of our situation...

and the threat that we pose,

If we fail to stop this train...

then the only logical course of
action for the authorities...

would be to destroy it.

And everyone on board.
Yes, ma'am.

That's madness.

Put yourself in their position...

wouldn't you do the same?

You think I could be that cold-hearted?

Oh, forgive me Ma'am...

but I would have thought you
more than up to the challenge.

Is that what you think of me?

I don't mean to upset you.
I'm not upset, Fraser.

It's just that what I'm trying to say is ...
Let's go.

Actually Fraser, I am upset.

What makes you think we're so different?

You graduated first of
your class, and so did I.

You received medals for
your field work, so did I.

You wear red serge, I wear red serge,

the only difference between us is...

your a woman and I'm not.

I think you have that backwards, Ma'am.
You know what I mean.

Yes, I do.

I'm not made of stone.

I'm very much aware of that.

Are you?

Yes.

You are?

I know you have a heart...

and I think it beats just the same as mine.

You think it does?

Yes.

What about right now?

It's racing.

Out of control?

As a runaway.

Err.. hum... errr,

I-I'm not one to throw
water on a decent fire...

but something is a foot.

The enemy is gathering in the caboose.

We were just umm...
We were just umm...

Strategy session, I understand.

They've gone off the grid!

It's not a jet people, find it.

Find it!

Where the hell did it go?

Alarm!
Microwave Telemetry Lost
Alarm!

I told you it was a useless piece of junk.

We've got it back!
All right.
All right. Yeah.

Where does this end up?

At a nuclear plant.

but your train won't make
it there because there's...

another one coming this way carrying...

spent fuel rods.

Why the hell would they divert,

...fuel rods?
Yeah.

It's a train load of radioactive Uranium.

So, if their train meets our train...

and our trains wired...

Oh My God, you got a car?

I have I got a car...

Let's go.

We have a voice match.

Name Bolt, Randolf K. Born Oregon, 1953.

Ex-military demolition expert.

Dishonorably discharged, 1987...

following an explosion in an
officer's mess in Baden-Baden.

Went underground state side...

resurfaced in a white supremacy group...

based that Idaho called the
Fathers of Confederation.

He's been linked to a number
of recent bombings...

and train derailments.

What's this?

Safety measure,

the emergency run off shot.

Can we get our train on to it?

Just got to go to the switch.

All right, follow me.
No.

Ma'am?

This is my detail,

I'll go first, you follow me.

Boy times change,

on balance I think for the better,

but in my day a woman
wouldn't be allowed ...

Do you mind?
Do you mind?

Do you mean that you can...

Great Scott.

Fellows, this is not the good time...

to ponder on one of the death's mysteries.

What happened to your hat?
Nothing.

Understood.

Ready?

Go...

Well,

howdy gentlemen?

Look, first of all...

I want you to know that...

I have no quarrel with you personally,

as a matter of fact...

I really love that horsy
thing you do, you know what,

it kinda turns me on. Ha, ha, ha.

But... the American government...

is an outlaw government...

because it is a government
that has chosen...

to betray the sacred trust
of its founding fathers...

and that betrayal can not be tolerated.

So that so-called government...

has to be punished you see.

So I have decided...

to take this opportunity...

to demonstrate a little trick...

I've been working on with this...

radio frequency transmitter.

This train is bound... for glory;

'Cause this train is now
a trigger mechanism...

for imminent nuclear meltdown.

Priorities, Son.
But, Sir...

Priorities.

Buck,

would you have a word with him?

Why me? He's your son.
Well yeah, I know, but...

I am dead...

and my advice has been getting
a little stale lately.

Go ahead.

Benton,

your mother err, ...
mother married a good man.

Yes, she did.

I suppose in a way that your
father and I were rivals...

but in the end... we forged ahead...

we overcame no matter what.

What I'm...

What I mean is there between
men and women are things ah,

between men and women there are things...

which arrives...

feelings...

She's my superior officer, Sir,

that's all.

Well, enough said.

All done?

Yeah.

Back to business.

All right,

we've got a fail-safe position at mile 31.

The train enters the tunnel
we can pull the rails...

...and hit it with everything we've got.
Wait, wait, wait.

You're gonna blow up the train?

Would you rather blow up Chicago?

Go!

Good timing, we could use some extra men.

Hey look, we just jumped
onto a speeding train...

you think someone could say hello.

Hello Ray, we're in a bit of a pickle.

You're telling me and it's a dill.

This train is on a collision course...

with a load of radioactive Uranium.

I'm talking major meltdown.

And we are heading south.

What do you mean south, honey,

I thought we were heading north.

Change of plan.

What do you mean change of plan?

Well, several changes of plan actually,

We are heading south to an ATV...

and a helicopter and second,

it turns out I'm kinda greedy...

so you won?t be coming along.

Just you and me now... Inspector Thatcher.

They got the dragon lady.
Let's get to work.

All right, priorities.

One defuse the train, two stop the bomb.

Or we could defuse the bomb...

...and then stop the train.
Exactly.

Have I overlooked somethin'?

What if we can't do either?

I've found us a safety net,

there's an emergency run off shunt
a couple of miles down line.

How do we pull the switch?
We don't have to,

I got a man on it right now.

He'll be at the switch
before we get there.

Ahh,

our chariot awaits.

We have a train at twelve noon.

Range?

6 point 3 kilometers.
6.3 kilometers.

There's gonna be something on this ...
6.1 kilometers.

6 point 1 kilometers.
Something obvious.

5 point 7.
5.7 kilometers.

Where's your man on the shunt?
Don't worry, he'll be there.

No Son, I don't think he will be...

Give me that gun.

Sir.

You heard me, the gun.

Stand back.

The great Yukon, double Douglas
fir, telescoping bank shot?

Any bloody shot I can make...

What end of this thing do you look through?

I haven't a clue, how about this.

Technology...

forget it.

So, what are these numbers?

These indicate the hours,

minutes and seconds which means
this must indicate the ...

...the speed of the train.
Right. So,

this will function as a monitor.

If the train decelerates...

it will send a signal to the clap board...

which in turn will send a
pulse to the explosives.

So, we have to trick it into thinking...

...that it's still moving.

It's an impossible angle.
No angle is impossible.

You were Bob Fraser, young Bob Fraser.

Look at me. My eyes are fading,

my knees won't hold me up...

and I've been passing wind for a week.

Do you want me to tell you
how I made that shot?

No.

Give me the wire.

Of course, if you
feel you must in ah, ...

go ahead.

Hurry up, start the fan.

Good man.

It's working.

Hit the brakes.

If it was me son, I'd saddle a horse.

Where are you goin'?

To saddle a horse.

Where's he goin'?

To saddle a horse.

What about the men?

Err,

well, if Benton is right...

they should be coming to round about...

now.

We're gonna ride forever,

You can't keep horse men in a cage

Should the angels call,

Well, it's only then

we might pull in the reins

You didn't think you
were gonna take this...

ride by yourself, did you?

Charge!

They always look so happy.

Ouch!

Bob,

isn't that my old horse Sprocket?

That was shot out from under me in the...

Drigon's Canyon?

Yeah, I thought you'd like to see him again.
Oh, yeah.

Very thoughtful...
Yes.

Did I congratulate you on that shot?

Yeah, I hit the target!

Well, anyway it ranks right up there...

with the Great Yukon,

Double Douglas for Telescoping bank shot.

Well, you realize of course that I knew that...

you were always the one she loved.

Oh, now you're saying you
missed intentionally.

We were friends.

No, we weren't.

Yes, we were.
No,

no, no, no, no.

Don't tell me after 37 years
together on the force...

You told ...

You realize Fraser, that
what happened between us...

can never repeat itself.

Unless of course the exact
same circumstances...

were to repeat themselves.

By exact same circumstances, Sir,

you would mean we would have
to be aboard a train...

loaded with unconscious Mounties,

that had been taken over by terrorists...

and were heading for nuclear catastrophe?

Exactly.
Understood.

I know big fellow,

but there are times
between men and women...

when things come up...

You know, feelings...

Enough said.