Early Edition (1996–2000): Season 1, Episode 9 - His Girl Thursday - full transcript

RADIO ANNOUNCER:
...avoid the Kennedy
and the Eisenhower

for the rest of rush hour--
and that's traffic.

Sunshine, sunshine, sunshine.

Not a drop of rain,
snow, sleet or hail,

today or tomorrow.

If you have outdoor plans,

go for it.

CHUCK:
One thing about hanging
around with a guy

with tomorrow's newspaper, you
never know what's coming next.

(car horn honking)

(chickens clucking)



You get the kids.

I'll get the parents.

What about my car?

It's going to ruin
my paint job.

All right, kids,
I'm your Uncle Chuck.

Now, you see, there's
going to be a storm.

We got to go inside.

You got a storm cellar?
What?

There's a tornado coming.
This time of year?

Look, it's a freak.

I'm telling you,
there's a tornado coming.

(rumbling)

Trust me.

Over there.



You get the baby.
I'll gather up the kids.

All right, kids, that's enough.
Stop fighting!

Let's go. Go, go, go.

(wind whistling)

Dad, where's Teddy?

(wind whooshing)

(whimpers)

(nearby shattering)

(glass breaking)

(thunder rumbles)

CHUCK:
It's all right.

It's okay.

(children crying)

(whooshing stops)

GARY:
Let me take a look.

(crying continues)

(horse whinnying)

CHILD:
Teddy's okay!

Awesome. Look at the house.

CHUCK:
Like I said, knowing the
headlines is one thing.

Knowing the future's another.

My car.

My brand-new car.

Gary!

What?

Where's your car?

Hey, look.

(theme music playing)

♪ ♪

That's it?
That's all that's left?

That and a puddle of oil
on the ground.

(whistles)

Must have been one hell
of a wind.

Hops over a dog and sucks
up my brand-new car.

No sign of it anywhere.

Do I deserve this?

I hope you got insurance.

What good would that do?

No wheels, no payoffs.

Habeas corpus.

Don't take it so hard, Chuck.
We saved a family today.

Yeah, I know.

Give me the
financial section.

Nice try.

Come on, I got an investment
in there,

a big one.
What kind of an investment?

It's a sleeper.
Idaho Industrials.

It's going to
break any day.

Guaranteed minimum five to one.

And when it does, believe me,
my ship is going to come in.

Hey, uh, Chuck?
Hmm?

Man the life boats.

Your ship's going down.

(blues music playing)

I don't believe this.

What do I have to do to
catch a break around here?

I already told you, sell that
stock before it's too late.

Yeah? And then what?

Come on, just give me
another...
Oh, no.

Don't think Chuck,
think Mexico.

Savings and loans.

A simple bail out.
I can't do that.

Why not?

Number one, that's not
why the paper comes.

Number two, every time I do
let someone see this thing,

things get screwed up.

I'm telling you,
one of these days,

someone's going
to get hurt.

(telephone rings)

Ah, Miss Carson, my
brooding star reporter.

Working hard, are we, huh?

Go away, Hawks.

Maybe it's that
new arson piece.

The one that actually
names some names, huh?

I'm making progress.

I can see that.
Put a lid on it, Harry.

I'm waiting for a source
to call me back.

What's his name, Hobson?
I thought so.

You know, ever since
that guy walked in here,

you've been writing
powder-puff stuff.

What's happened to you?
Nothing.

So I can see.

For your information, he and
I were over six weeks ago.

And you've been mooning
ever since.

I have not.
Bad sign in a

newspaper woman. I hope you're
not getting soft

on me.
Me?

Quit dreaming.

Just checking, 'cause...

Washington called--
asked about you.

They're looking to hire...

One lousy date, Harry.

What?

Chinese food and then nothing.

Not even a call.

So maybe you ought to call him.

I have.

Then try something else.

Like what?

You'll think of something.

You always do.

(phone rings)

ANNOUNCER:
Now approaching, route line.
Now approaching, route line.

Well, well, fancy
meeting you here.

Long time no see.
What's it been, a lifetime?

Gary, I think we
should talk.

GARY:
Yeah, well, look,
now's not a good time.

When would be
a good time? A month?

A couple years?

Look, I got to go.

Fine. Fine. Let's
have lunch.

Say yes, and I'll
let you go. Say yes.

Yes.

One more thing,

the toddler story's a fake.

Had to get your
attention somehow.

I don't believe it.

You lie on the front page
of the Sun-Times?

Well, only in theory.

The paper hasn't
come out yet.

When I saw you,
I called the office

and spiked the story,
but by tomorrow...

Boy, you got it all
figured out, don't you?

Well, I'm a reporter.
It's my job.

Look, Meredith, knock it off.

This paper's not a game.

What the hell are
you thinking?

What happened?

One date and then
good-bye, Gary.

What happened?

Nothing happened.

You're lying.

Something was happening

till you chickened out.

I'll tell you what,

it wasn't smooth,
but it wasn't dull.

We were getting along
like cats and dogs,

but you liked it,
and that was the rub, huh?

'Cause the closer I got,
the closer you wanted me.

Right in here.

But you couldn't do that,
'cause you're afraid.

You're scared 'cause
I know your secret.

And I don't mean the paper.

I mean you and me.

I got to go.

MARISSA:
So you just

walked out on her?

What was I supposed to do?
She had me cornered.

Hmm. And you
didn't like that.

Must have taken guts.

Not really.

I didn't mean you.
I meant her.

She kind of went out on
a limb for you, you know.

And you just cut it off?

She must really like you.

That's not the point.

Really?
The point is,

it would never work
between the two of us.

Hmm. Give me a reason.

Give you a reason?

Mm-hmm.
This paper.

She's a reporter.

I'm the guy that
gets tomorrow's news.

You know what that spells?
Trouble.

So don't let her see it.

You don't know her, Marissa.

She's like little
Miss Curiosity.

She's into everything.

Things that should
be left alone.

Things you think
should be left alone.

Well, maybe, yes.

Live your life.

What?

That's what the old
typesetter wrote.

Maybe he knew something.

Like what?

Do you really need me
to tell you?

I gotta go.

Sooner or later

you're going to have to decide.

You can't keep running forever.

Try me.

(woman giggling)

(elevator bell dings)

I just came by to tell you...

...that I got offered this job
in Washington DC,

and I... I think
I'm going to take it.

Don't cry your eyes out.

Is that true?

How do I know?

You don't.

I guess you just have
to trust me.

You won't like
it there.

You'd be better
off here, I think.

(meowing)

Hey, little buddy. Come on in.

(meowing)

Hi.

Hi.

Did you sleep well?
Did you sleep well?

Well, no, I didn't.

I... do you know that you snore?

I could hear you
from the couch.

No, I don't.

I don't snore.

Yeah, you do.

You lie.

(cat meows)

What's its name?
I don't know.

He doesn't exactly
have a name, you know.

Kind of come with the paper?

Kind of.

I should probably put this away.

No, no. Wait.
That's not going to work.

I told you last night.

It's you. It's not the paper.

If it's part of your life.
I'll have to deal with it.

I won't look. I don't have to.

See?

That wasn't so hard,

was it?

Good morning.

(door closes)

(shower running)

(wind whooshing)

(rustling)

(rustling)

(shower running)

(meowing)

"Three Youths Killed
in Arson Fire."

Gare, you left your
keys in the door.
(gasps)

And I got your crullers.

You're Meredith, right?

You know, this is not
what it looks like.

Of course not.

No, I just, um...

Right.

So now what?

Hard to say.

We could tell him.

Got the financials?

(door shuts)

Is there someone here?

MEREDITH:
What?

I thought I heard
the front door close.

Oh, no. That was Chuck.

He brought you, um... crullers.

What?

Nothing.

I have to go to work.
I'm going to be late.

Are you hungry?
Uh... yeah.

I'll call you as soon
as I can from the office, okay?

Uh-huh.

Hey, why didn't he stay?

Who? Chuck?

Yeah.

I don't know. I guess he

had an appointment or something.

Oh.

Bye.

(door closes)

1,000 shares!

Com Tran November 145.
You got them?

Got two holds on them.
How much?

Good. 5,000. That's right.
Buy them.

All of them.
But Com Tran's trading at 90.

What can I say?
I-I feel lucky today.

Next. Um... Brush Co,
November 125. How much?

Hey, that one's
going belly up.

Three-eighths and a half?
Buy them. That's right.

All of them.

5,000. Buy them.

(man's body
crashes to floor)

And get a paramedic
while you're at it.

(dog barks in distance)

(door opens)

(door latch creaks)

(kids talking and laughing)

BOY:
Check it out.

(thud)

Throw it! Throw it! Ooh!

(laughing)

All right! Yeah!

Hey, guys.

Hey, guys!

Let's get out of here!

Guys, hang on!

Guys! Guys!

Guys, you got
to get out of here.

Wait!

Quiet.

What are you
doing...?

Shh! Be quiet.

What are you
doing here?

They're over there.

Hey, I thought
you went to the office.

I did. Then I came here.

Why?

Follow me.

That's why.

I've been chasing these
guys for months.

Now I've got them.

What about those kids?

We're gonna find them
right after we get this shot.

Ready, Pete?
Ready.

Here they go.

Now.

Hey, shut that thing off!

Damn it!
What are you doing?

You got to get out of here.
Come on. Come on.

We gotta get
out of here.

Come on. This way.
Let's find those kids.

Come on.

Hurry!

(grunting)

Oh, my God!

Come on, back upstairs.

Come on, Pete!

Oh, no. I'm not jumping.

Come on, Pete!

It's the ground floor.
Let's go!

Come on, Gary.
I can't. I gotta go back.

Well, I'll go with you.
I gotta find the kids. Go!

PETE:
Meredith, come on!

Meredith, come on!

Go.
Be careful.

Hey, guys!

(sirens wailing)

Anyone in there?

Yeah. Three kids.
And some guy.

You think you
can get them out?

In there? I doubt it.
Well, then, I'm
gonna go.

No, you don't. Hey, hey, hey,
hey. You gotta stay put.

I can't...
Look! Look! Look!

PETE:
He's got the kids.

Hey, I got three kids over here.

(boy choking)

(camera shutter snapping)

(siren wailing)

Gary!

Where did he go?

Who knows? We gotta
get back to the paper.

Deadline's
in half an hour.

Yeah, but we...
Come on!

To a job well done,
if I do say so myself.

What a day.

I've never seen
anything like it.

That broke the bank.

What you got? Radar?

Instincts, gentlemen.
God-given instincts.

Is that what we call it?

Pritchard.
Uh... Join the party.

Bubbly? Cuban?

Not just yet,
thank you.

I wonder you if you could
spare me a moment.

My time is
your time.

Excuse me.

(elevator bell dings)

You know, Phil...
May I call you Phil?

Now that I've shattered
every record

that was ever in this office,

and in the process secured
enormous commissions

for both you and me,

this raises some very
important questions.

For instance?

Office space.

Mine.

How about this one?

Yours?

You did do this all by
yourself, didn't you?

I mean, without any help from
me or anyone else in the firm?

Well, I'd love
to share credit, Phil,

but honesty forbids.

In that case, I'd like
for you to meet Mr. Connor.

Oh.
Hello.

Charmed.

New kid on the block?
Uh-huh.

You want me to show
him the ropes?

Um, chief investigator.

Criminal Practices, SEC.

This is it.
This is the big story?

I was having
some problems, okay?

You were in the building
with the fire bugs

and a photographer.
Where are the pictures?

And how about some
license plate numbers?

And who is this hero
that saved the kids?

I don't know.

You don't know? This is junk.

I'd rather read about a tornado.

Sorry.

Yeah. Look, kid,
you know I'm fond of you.

Oh, Harry.

You're practically
a son.

Okay, a daughter.

Be that as it may, I'm looking
out for your interest.

I'm touched.

So let me give you
a word of advice.

Shape up.

That's it?

Yeah, now beat it.

Thanks, Harry.

(phone rings)

WOMAN:
Circulation.

MAN #1: If they cut
any more of this

might as well just
print my outline.

MAN #2: Looks like, uh...
24-12's too long.

(sighs)

Hi.
I want some answers.

To what?
What were you doing there?

I was covering a fire.

Before it started?

I was following my leads.

Gary, I've been on this
story for months.

So it's just coincidence us
running into each other?

Don't worry. I kept
your name out
of the piece.

Yeah, so I read.

I need to know, did
you look at the paper?

I told you I was following my...

Did you look at the paper?

It's a very powerful
thing, Meredith.

It's nothing to fool with.

Neither is trust.

Yeah.

What am I doing?

(phone ringing)

Yeah, Carson here.

It's Chuck.

Gary's friend.

I'm in trouble.

Again.

You did what?

CHUCK:
I made too much money.
How?

I don't know.

I just sort of got carried away.

How carried away?

$15 million.

(glass shatters)

What?

I know. I know.

I...I don't know
what got into me.

I just... just felt so good,

I couldn't help myself.

I know what you mean.

Not only that, the feds
are investigating me

for insider trading.

What do I tell them?

"Oh, sorry, I read
tomorrow's newspaper."

The way I see, there's
only one thing to do.

I need your
help getting

the paper-- tomorrow's.

No. No. I am not doing
that again.

I got in enough trouble
as it is already.

I've got to lose this... fast.

You know how hard it is
to dump a fortune

like that? I need all
the help I can get.

Please, just this once for me.

I'm sorry.

I can't.

Look, I got to go.

What? Wait a minute.

(sighs)

WAITRESS:
Here's your check.

$5.50.

Here.

Keep the change.

(cat meowing)

(paper thudding against door)

(cat snarling)

(meowing)

Where's the paper?

(snarling)

(elevator bell dings)

Thanks.

Where is it?

What?

The paper.
I want it back.

I don't have it.

You got it, all right,
don't you?

Really? Nice to
see you, too.

MAN:
Could you hold that
elevator, please?

Look, I don't have time
to play games.

Just tell me where it is...

Or what, you'll walk out of here
again like you did yesterday?

Yesterday I trusted you,
and then I went to a fire.

Now I got a cat on my
doorstep all by himself.

Which adds up to me?

Well, who else?

I don't have it.

What I need right now

is for you to believe me.

Will you?

I need the paper.

Well, I guess that
answers my question.

Well, I guess so.

Oh, you're good.

Oh, wrong again.

Aw, shucks.

How could this be
happening to me?

Geez, maybe you
ought to stop.

Hey, you know...

You're right.
You're... oh, look at this.

(chuckles) Oh.
How could I be so stupid?

Fishman, what is going on here?

I understand
you've been losing.

Losing is not the word.

This is a massacre.

Take a loo... Oh, no.

I mean, talk about
having a bad day.

How much is he down?

$14 million or so.

Not exactly.

$15,124,000,
on the nose.

(thud)

I order you to stop.

You got it.

(computer beeps)

My office, five minutes.

Hey, easy come,
easy go, huh?

Somebody get this
slacker out of here.

Oh, you lose $15 million, you
need a man-sized deodorant.

Chuck?

Meredith...

what are you doing here?

I need the paper.

Oh, wait, I thought
you didn't want...

I got to get the
paper to Gary.

So you expect me to risk my
life, get scratched up...

Chuck, please.

Here. Go ahead and take it.

It didn't do me any good anyway.

Well, maybe it will me.
Thanks.

Connor, buddy,

guess what?

I heard.

$15,124,000.

The ups and downs of fortunes.

Maybe.

You know what?

I do believe that that is
the exact amount of money

that I made yesterday.

That... that's
amazing, huh?

Astounding.

So I guess you won't be
needing me anymore, huh?

Quite the contrary.

We've just begun.

(horn honks)

Blackstone Hotel.

CABBIE:
You got it.

(sighs)

Yeah, Meredith Carson, please.

She's not, huh?

Can I leave her a message?

Uh-huh.

Yeah, tell her that, uh...

Forget it. I'll call her back.

Yeah.

VENDOR:
Get your paper.

Hey, did you want
a paper, sir?

MAN:
I forgot my umbrella.

MEREDITH:
Gary?

Gary, it's me.

Come to the door...

(whispers):
Great.

(elevator bell dings)

No...

(cat meowing)

(meows)

(cell phone beeping)

Harry.

Carson.

Yeah, get me a photographer
to the Morgan Building.

Now.

(whispers):
Okay.

Name?

Ernest Borgnine.

Chuck Fishman.

That's what I meant.

(chuckles)

Remarkable record
you've compiled

this week,
Mr. Fishman.

Oh, I wouldn't say it was...

Well, Tuesday--

$15,124,000

in net profit.

Very nice work.

Thank you.

Wednesday-- net losses

totaling exactly
the same amount.

My, my, my.

Must have
been a blow.

You have no idea.

Naturally, the Securities
and Exchange Commission

is quite anxious
to know exactly

how this remarkable
coincidence occurred.

Explanation?

One that you'd believe?

Yup.

Nope.

Let me say this
in this man's defense.

My firm

denies all liability

for his heinous and
potentially

criminal acts.

Ball's in your court.

I suppose bribery's out
of the question here.

Just checking.

In that case,
I'm gonna need a phone.

(rock music plays)

MARISSA:
Having fun?

Yup.

Sounds like it.
Just make sure

you don't break
that cue stick, huh?

Thanks.

You know, that's what
I like about you.

You're the strong,
silent type.

Nothing bothers you.

I want my paper back.

And that's funny,
'cause it seems to me

you've been saying
for quite some time

you hoped it would
go somewhere else.

That's different.

How?

'Cause she stole it.

Maybe.

Maybe?

You don't know that for sure.

No. She played
me, all right.

All for a shot at
tomorrow's news.

And I let her.

So what does
that tell you?

What does that
tell me?

I'll tell you what
that tells me.

That tells me
I'm stupid.

Or in love.

Well, it's the same
thing, isn't it?

I see.

From now on, I'm staying
away from anyone

with even the slightest
interest in that thing.

That's a lot
of people, my friend.

You planning on running
away from the world?

Maybe.

Maybe that's what it wants.

What?
The paper.

Maybe it wants you
to be alone.

Live your life.

That's what
the old man said.

Oh, but you can't.

Oh, yes I can.

And are you?

Your point is?

She's not stealing that paper.

That paper

is stealing her
from you.

So the question is...

Are you gonna let her go?

Message from Fishman.

What's he want?

Well, three things--

A top-flight attorney...

Change of underwear...

And, uh... oh, yeah.

He's says he's sorry
he stole the newspaper.

He says he'll never
do it again.

(cash register dings)

Let me explain
myself, okay?

I did it for
a good cause.

What?

My grandchildren.

How would they feel if
their grandpa was in jail?

What, do you think
this is funny?

I said I was
sorry, okay?

So you just talked
your way out of it?

By the skin of my teeth.

Now they're gonna
be on my butt

for the next 500 years.

Boy, I tell you, I
really learned my lesson.

Which is?

Never sell off
your profits.

Just give me
the paper, okay?

Me? I don't have it.

You what?

I gave it to Meredith.

She said she was gonna
bring it back to you.

When?

About an hour ago or so.

Come on. Let's go.

Are you coming or what?

(typewriter clacking)

Excuse me, sir.

(newsroom chatter)

Hawks, where is she?

Oh, not again.

Listen, I need
to find her.

Sure, you do. And I
need a day off in June.

If you haven't noticed, I'm
running a newspaper here,

and not a lost and found.

Yeah, that's very clever.

So you two had
a fight, huh?

About what I
couldn't care less.

I'll tell you this, though,
you're giving me gas.

Listen.
I...
No, you listen to me.

I don't know how you did it,

but you took the best
reporter I ever had

and turned her into someone
I don't even know.

A girl. I just hope you know
what you're getting into.

Well, I don't.
Good.

That's a start.

Morgan Building, up on the roof.

What's she doing there?

How should I know?

Thank you.

Damn.

(shutter clicking)

They're not here.

It doesn't make any sense.

How'd you find out

about this, anyway?

Some kind of
anonymous tip?

Something like that.

Look...

you might as well go.

How 'bout you?

No, I think I'll
stay here for a bit.

I need some time
to figure stuff out.

Your call.

Tell you what.

Next time I'd
be more careful

about where I got
my information.

Hey, Pete?

Yo?

You ever fall in love?

No. Why?

Don't.

Where is she?

On the roof.

(distant siren blares)

GARY:
Meredith?

I lied to you.

I know. It's okay.

I...

I tried to stay away,
but I couldn't do it.

It's just a paper.

It only tells
what's gonna happen

if we let it happen.

We decide the rest.

That's what Snow,
the old typesetter,

was trying to tell me.

Live your life.

(gasps)

(clangs)

(screams)

Meredith!

Let go of the paper.

Grab my arm.

Grab my arm, damn it.

No. No.
Let go of the paper
and grab my arm.

I can't.

Yes, you can.

Trust me.
Grab my arm.

Grab my arm, damn it!

Come on. Come on.

(paper rustling)

Oh, I guess that's my train.

Yup.

Washington, huh?

The big leagues, kid.

You wish you
were going?

Nah.

Besides, I like this town.

It's so... corrupt.

Say hi to Cokie Roberts
for me, huh?

See you.

See you, Hawks.

You know...
Well, I guess...

No, go ahead.
You talk first.

You don't have to do this.

Well, once a newshound,
always a newshound.

That paper
comes to you

for a reason.

It's a gift.

You can do
good by it.

Don't ever lose sight of that.

Oil and water.

Cats and dogs.

See ya.

See ya.

ANNOUNCER:
Last call for O'Hare.

CHUCK:
Life's full of lessons.

Rock beats scissors.

Paper covers stone.

What goes up, must come down--

in theory anyway.

But hearts and headlines
tend to follow other rules,

and no one knows
who writes 'em.

The car was just sitting
up there in the tree.

It's the damnedest
thing I ever saw.

Not me.

Welcome home.

I missed you.

MAN:
That's good now!

Bring it down!

Easy. Easy.

That's good! Yeah!

Not too fast.

Hold it, Ry!

I'll take that.

That should just about
cover the fines.

MAN:
Looking good.

That's good! Yeah!

Easy...

Pull it down!

CHUCK: Oh, no.

All right, hold it!

I don't believe this.

Look at my baby.