Endgame (2011): Season 1, Episode 6 - Fearful Symmetry - full transcript

Franny, come on, let's get a move on.

I can't find my helmet.

Well, where did you put it?

Franny: I don't know.

Colin, do you want a fruit bar

or an apple in your lunch?

Neither.

Colin, get off that computer now.

I am.

Forget about the bike helmet, Franny.

I'll drive everyone to school.



Let's go.

Out the door.

Okay, here.

Here, where's your bag?

Okay.

Move, come on, pick up the pace.

There you go.

Here we go, guys.

Franny, here.

Colin, let's do this.

Honey!

Let me just grab my
stuff out of the back.

Come on, we gotta go.

(explosion booms)
(family screams)



Husband: Whoa!

Are you okay?
I think so.

Get inside.

Colin! Colin!

Where's your puffer?

Husband: Get in the
house, get in the house.

(tense dramatic music)

Okay, here.

Puff.

Inside!

Okay call the police.
Get inside the house!

Come on!

(gentle music)

(elevator dings)

Huxley Hotel, reception.

Is this what you've
stooped to now, hmm?

Poison pen letters under my door?

Mr. Balagan, we're
well within our rights...

Said the Romans to the Jews.

No one is sending you into exile.

We're relocating you temporarily.

No.

Maybe you just need
help moving your stuff.

Mr. Balagan, when we extended to you

our discounted rate on
compassionate grounds...

And where is your compassion now?

It was with the
understanding you'd vacate

for any guest willing to pay full price.

You're throwing me out of my home.

I deserve to know who.

Who?

I'm not at liberty to say.

Then I am not at liberty to comply.

Excuse me, we're looking
for penthouse suite one?

Oh, here are your VIPs.

Let me guess, lottery winners?

No, reality TV stars!

I weep for civilization.

Uh, we're looking for a Mr. Balagan.

Balagan.

He is me.

Well, we need your help.

Why?

We think that someone's
trying to kill our family.

The kids are terrified.

Our son, Colin, he
refuses to leave the house.

Mr. Balagan.

Tears cloud the eyes of logic.

Come, we'll talk, away from
these heartless trolls.

Please.

(upbeat music)

Wife: That's what's left of the car.

Balagan: Hmm.

And these are our children,
this is Franny and Colin.

Is this the one who
can't leave the house?

Or won't.

It's been a week since the explosion.

And the police haven't been
able to tell us much at all.

Except maybe it's related
to other bombings by bikers.

Yeah, and we're not bikers.

Our neighbors aren't bikers.

We don't know any bikers.

If the police think
it's bikers, believe me,

that is what they'll prove.

They did say the bomb
was remotely detonated.

Really?

That means something to you?

Not yet.

My fee is $5,000 a day.

(scoffs)

When I heard about you on the radio,

I just assumed you were free.

(laughs)

Free?

Well, I'll tell you what,
I'll save your children

from being bombed, and you can decide

how much that's worth to you.

Okay.

Olive?

What, the kids are scared to death.

Allan.

When can I expect you to
vacate your suite, Mr. Balagan?

When Hugo gets a brain
and you find a heart.

Clerk: One hour.

I guess that leaves courage

for the man who can't leave the hotel.

(elevator dings)

(couple whispering)

You two, go up to my suite.

It's penthouse one, and we
will continue this there.

I'll just be a minute.

(playfully pensive music)

Excuse me.

(whispering)

Someone tried to kill our family.

I can go without seeing my
hairdresser for a few months.

A few months?

Try years.

Allan.

I don't even know
what we're paying him.

What does it matter?

Our son's too terrified
to leave the house.

Mr. Balagan, he's helped other people.

Maybe you're afraid what he's gonna find.

Allan: I'm afraid of more debt.

Olivia: We'll find the money.

You always do, don't you?

What is that supposed to mean?

(elevator dings)

Ah. So?

It's sad.

They are in a lot of money
trouble, Mr. Balagan.

So am I.

The husband feels very small.

Also, he doesn't want to be here.

He's hiding something?

And maybe her, too.

Okay.

Okay, good.

Good.

This doesn't bother
you, they have no money?

How will they pay?

They'll figure something out.

You're doing this for the boy.

Tell room service

they haven't collected my breakfast tray.

A remote bomb means there was a someone

with a detonator nearby, watching.

So, the good news is,
you're not meant to be dead.

The explosion was only to frighten you.

The bomb was a warning.

This makes no sense.

Why would someone do this to us?

Everyone has enemies.

If Colin misses any more school.

His grades were already slipping

thanks to his damn video games.

It's not because of the games,

and at least online he has friends.

He needs friends in the real world.

Mr. and Mrs. Davis
in order to help you,

I will study you both.

Separately.

I'm an architect.

Freelance.

I specialize in green design.

Sustainable housing, office space.

You must be very busy these days.

Yeah, I wish.

I've been working so hard
just to make ends meet,

it sometimes feels like
all I'm really doing

is driving a wedge between me and Olivia,

missing the kids growing up.

Do you own your house?

No.

We've never been able to
get approved for a mortgage.

Hmm, and what type of work do you do?

It sounds a little silly.

I sell things online, any
good stuff that I can find

at garage sales or flea markets.

It was your car that blew up, yes?

No, it was Olivia's.

I was just about to
drive the kids to school.

Balagan: Just one car?

Yeah, I had to drop the
lease on mine last Christmas.

Tell me about your love life.

I'm not having an affair.

But?

But sometimes, I think that Allan is.

Why?

She goes out shopping, for hours.

It's not like we have any money.

Her computer is password protected.

So is mine.

End of the month comes,
we have to pay the bills,

somehow, she's always got the cash.

Maybe she's finally found someone

who can give her the things she needs.

Wouldn't really blame her.

Have you ever asked him directly?

No.

It's just a gut feeling.

He works ridiculous hours,

but he doesn't actually make much money.

He never answers his cell.

Every day, he comes home freshly showered,

but he had to give up his
gym membership months ago.

Ah.

Thank you for your candor.

I will be in contact.

Well, we could...

What a nice couple of liars.

Good, you found it.

Ah, excellent.

Sam, you must read this after I'm through.

It's one of my all-time favorites.

You've read it already?

I read it every year.

So the Davises.

Nice couple.

Couldn't be more miserable
if they had smallpox.

Young kids, marriage in
shards, and an exploding car.

I have three questions.

Is Allan Davis having an affair,

is Olivia Davis having an affair,

and what VIP is more important than me?

Forget it, Balagan.

Pippa: Arkady!

Pippa.

It's depressing, the brutes are winning.

Will this help?

Just thought I'd bring you
something nice for a change.

You bake.

Butter and sugar, hard to screw up.

Mm! Mm.

Mm?

No, not until you
bring me some information

about the Davises.

See ya, Pippa.

Bye, Sam.

Thank you for the books.

You can pay me later.

How are you?
I'm okay.

Better.

Good, I'm good, too.

A very interesting puzzle I'm working on.

Very interesting...

I can't help you today.

That's not what I was going to say.

You sure you can't help?

I would, but I'm meeting Jason.

Ja? Pippa!

Why waste all this time

with the police and their lies?

Forget about my puzzle, we'll eat cookies

and braid each other's hair, huh?

Do you know how hard it is

to set up a tit-for-tat
relationship with a cop?

What does he get, the tit or the tat?

Why do you waste your time
with that police officer?

He's either corrupt or he's inept.

Probably both.

He likes me, and we can use that.

Enjoy the cookies.

You know, I'm partial to
flourless chocolate cake,

dark chocolate, if you feel so inspired.

No, I don't know who the
VIP is, Arkady, don't even ask.

Danni I'm devastated.

I was only coming to see

what you had planned for your days off.

Huh, well, not
moonlighting as Nancy Drew.

Who?

Literary reference.

I understand.

It is one of your rare
days off, and I should not

expect you to want to
help a a terrified family.

You get paid for solving your puzzles.

I'll give you half, less Alcina's tip.

Half of what?

I don't know, Danni,

but this is about a young,
scared, terrified little boy

who's afraid to leave his house.

You're kidding me, right?

Why don't we get you to
leave your house first?

(scoffs)

No.

(chuckles) You're unbelievable.

Yes.

Arkady and I have
been over the transcript.

It's a bogus confession.

The guy you arrested is lying.

He didn't shoot Rosemary.

Yeah, he did.

Look, I did the interview myself.

He's dying of cancer.

I bet someone paid him to cop a plea.

You put him in jail for a month, he dies,

and his kids and widow

get a couple hundred thousand dollars.

And you know this because?

Your questions couldn't
have been any softer.

You know, what are you accusing me of?

Incompetence, corruption?

I didn't have to show you
the transcript, Pippa.

I thought it would bring you some comfort.

Just when we start digging,

a dying man suddenly confesses.

That doesn't make you wonder?

Look, there's no
grand conspiracy, Pippa.

Now, you got to let it go.

Rosemary was at the wrong
place at the wrong time.

Convince me there is nothing more

to my sister's death
than random road rage.

Show me you guys aren't lazy, or worse.

(chuckles)

Hey!

You're gonna need one of these.

Hugo!

Oh, you'd better change
your workout regime.

You clearly aren't losing
weight pushing that trolley.

You're outta here, Balagan,
as soon as that VIP arrives.

(playful jazzy music)

(phone rings)

Danni, how are you?

So, Sam does this all the
time just for a chess game?

Well, he doesn't always get a game.

Okay, well, I've been
following her all day, and...

One moment, Danni.

(phone beeps)

Samuel.

I found out how Allan gets wet.

Arkady: He's designing a waterpark?

Nope.

(chuckling)

That's funny.

No, he's not designing anything.

I followed him from
his house this morning.

He was wearing a suit,

but he didn't go to an architect's office.

He washes trucks.

For bikers?

No, for a rental company.

That's why he's been showering every day.

Somebody had chickens in this one.

I can smell em from here.

Arkady: Sam, you've earned a cookie.

Keep watching.

(phone beeps)

Danni?

Well, our sweet mom
with the two lovely kids,

she's not going to PTA meetings.

She is up to no good.

She is breakin' the law.

Hmm.

So Allan Davis was not having an affair.

He was just too proud to tell
his wife he was washing trucks

instead of working as an architect, yes?

When I get married, I will
never lie to my wife like that.

Can we cryogenically freeze Sam

so he stays like that forever?

Cryo-freeze is quack science.

It's a total scam.

Allan's not the only one
who's lying, by the way.

Olivia's a booster.

Booster?

Booster rocket, booster seat, what?

A shoplifter.

Like, she steals the expensive stuff.

Razor blades, rechargeable batteries.

She goes from one drugstore
to the next all day long,

just filling her bag.

East 41st all the way to West 41st,

all the way back down to Broadway.

So she was lying about getting
her stuff from flea markets?

This boosting, is it lucrative?

Yeah, and if she was stealing
on someone she's turf,

then maybe the car bomb was an warning.

So it could be biker related.

How we find out?

I could reach back
into my miss spent youth,

and see if I still know
someone in the game.

You're forgetting out the children.

Ah, yes, Alcina, as usual,
you are absolutely correct.

I need you to...

If you want me running
around asking after children,

I would love to, but I would
have to give up overtime

and my granddaughter just chipped a tooth

on another girl at the day care.

Right.

Well, I see a substantial
tip in your future, Alcina.

It better be dental-care substantial.

Balagan The VIP is here.

Ha ha!

He's gonna drool on your
pillow and pee in your shower.

(laughing)

It's Jonas Etkin.

There he is.

Who?

It's the Brooklyn bull.

Who?

The reigning world chess champion.

What, that kid?

He beat you?

He never beat me, no.

We never played.

I never made it to that tournament.

He didn't beat me, no.

But Grandmaster Etkin beat the guy

that beat Grandmaster Balagan.

Jonas: Arkady!

What's up, man?

Jonas, what brings you here?

A big tournie in California.

I thought I'd come by a few days early

to adjust my, body clock, as they say.

Hmm.

In my hotel.

Well, I heard you
weren't going anywhere.

You're the guy who's
taking Arkady's suite?

Nah, no biggie.

Just, give me a couch and a shower,

let Arkady stay where he is.

I'm sorry, I cannot
deal with this at all.

You have no idea how big a fan I am.

Uh?

Sam, Sam Besht.

My FIDE rating is 2230.

I've gone up five points

since I started working with Mr. Balagan,

so if you need a sparring partner,

or, if I can even afford it.

How much do you charge for a game?

Dude, I don't need any more cash.

Just, let me catch up on some z's,

and we'll hook it up.

Okay?

Okay, yeah, yeah.

Jonas: All right, man.

Later, Arkady.

Grandmaster Jonas,
very nice to meet you.

I can't believe it.

Arkady Balagan and Jonas
Etkin in the same hotel.

What are the odds?

It's not a coincidence.

It's an ambush.

(bright music)

Alcina: Excuse me, Mr. Balagan.

Have a seat.

No time.

I followed the father and
little girl to the school.

The boy, Colin, he never left the house.

The girl, Franny, she
say goodbye to the father

"Bye, dad!" and locked up her bike.

"Goodbye, sweetie, have a good day!",

and he rode away on his bike.

Then, round-faced boy with curly hair,

still the baby fat, so cute He says,

"hey, where's your weirdo brother?"

"Still too afraid to come to school?"

So Colin is being bullied?

"Hey, nobody sit with Franny at lunch,"

"her table might blow up!"

"Haw-haw-haw"

I get the point.

See anything else?

Franny is tough.

She stand up for her brother.

She use her elbow like this.

Is there anything that points

to who bombed the Davis's car?

A nanny told me a boy she took care of,

he used to be friends with Colin.

The nanny says Colin got too
interested in his video games,

and the boys are not friends anymore.

Then the boy and his new
friends start to bully Colin.

I don't know, maybe these
bullies planted the bomb.

Good book?

Yes.

I like telenovelas.

Oh.

I bet you do.

(playful music)

(thunder rumbles)

So, you used to be friends with Colin?

(scoffs) No.

My mom made me hang out with him.

Is this the thug
that was bothering you?

Yeah.

He's a total Neanderthal.

It's pronounced neander-tall.

Hey, I'm in your brain.

Exactly.

So get it right.

What do you have there?

It's a remote radio detonator

for an improvised explosives device.

Sodium chlorate mixed with sugar,

triggered by a matched coding system

to prevent accidental detonation.

I found the design on the interweb.

So, he blew up the car?

Does he look that smart to you?

No, he doesn't.

Jonas: Doesn't what?

Etkin.

No spectators.

Private, unofficial.

I'm busy.

Kasparov said you wouldn't play me.

Kasparov said that?

Jonas: Mm-hmm.

(sighs)

Anticipate annihilation.

Hey.
Hey.

Now, I'm giving this to you,

Pippa, the victim's
sister, not the journalist.

It doesn't go on your blog.

Okay.

You didn't get it from me.

Autopsy report's on top.

Autopsy?

You said you wanted to see everything.

(unsettling music)

Yeah.

I gave her the autopsy.

That should throw her off for a while.

(whimpering)

(skytrain whines)

(jazzy music)

(chuckles)

You know, it sucks you
missed my world championship.

It doesn't feel like I earned my title.

What a waste.

I'm sure you had spent
hours studying my games.

I don't play your game.

I play mine, so, see if you can keep up.

(sighs)

Hey, Suz!

Danni?

Hey, I like your hair.

Like, it's really long.

Thanks.

Geez, I'm a little hurt, you know.

It's been a long time,
and you didn't invite me

to the baby shower?

Are you fencing kids' stuff now?

Yeah, online.

They buy more crap than their parents.

Whoa, they've got credit cards now?

Are you kidding me?

Prepaid cards from grandma.

Birthdays, Christmas.

It's the gift that keeps on givin'.

You ever seen this woman?

Her name is Olivia Davis.

Suz: Nope.

You sure?

I saw her boosting stuff yesterday.

If she was doing it on your
turf, what would you do to her?

What kind of stuff she stealing?

Razor blades, batteries, baby formula.

How does she work?

Shoves it in her bag.

(laughs)

I wouldn't do anything.

Chick's obviously an amateur.

Dumbass'll get caught sooner than later.

Want to come in for a grilled cheese?

Yeah.

With an iron?

Yes.

She makes grilled cheese with an iron?

Yeah.

There were four of us,

we were living in this
cheap motel with no kitchen.

Skeevy Sue kept us alive for, like

a month on grilled cheese.

Teach me how to do that?

No way.

Hi.

Excuse me?

No one disturbs this match.

Grandmaster Etkin was very clear.

Oh, was he?

They're playing?

In there? Right now?

(laughs)

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.

This they I can't
believe I'm missing this.

What is wrong with you?

Danni, this is probably the
most thrilling sports match-up

in the world.

Huh.

Hi.

I'm giving up two days
off for Mr. Balagan.

If I have to put you through that door

in order to open it, I will.

(guard clears throat)

Whoa, what the hell's that?

It's a note from Sam.

Addressed to me.

How do I know you're not cheating?

The same way you know I'm
not going to throw you

out that window.

Etiquette.

"Mother's shoplifting not the cause."

"Father still clean."

"What now?"

A young family.

Someone put a bomb under their car.

I'm trying to figure out why.

So it's true?

You're like Ace Ventura, Chess Detective?

I don't know who that is,
but he sounds ridiculous.

I solve people puzzles.

Huh.

Maybe I'll do that, too, when I retire.

(sighs)

I'm gonna count to one.

One!

These are two of the
top five chess players

in the universe
(cell phone vibrates)

Mom I told you not to
call me when I'm working.

(lock beeps)

Please, just a quick shot.

I won't even look at the game.

I just want to see them
sitting at the table.

Remote detonation?

No one died?

No, but now their son,
Colin, won't leave the house.

He just stays at home playing video games.

Jonas: Which ones?

Adventure something.

"Adventure Quest Worlds."

It's huge.

I'll take your word for it.

What if it was like a murder-suicide?

Like the father is so depressed
that he's washing trucks,

he just decides to put a bomb
under the car and end it all?

No more chicken crap, no more pain.

Adult motivation is
beyond your reach, Jonas.

What if it was like a mistake?

They bombed the wrong house?

A criminal that incompetent

would have to be a special brand of idiot.

The city streets here are
divided down the middle,

East and West, and if a bomber were told

"2310, 21st Avenue West"...

If he was a moron, he'd
hit 2310 East instead.

Precisely.

So I was right, it was a mistake.

Excellent, well done.

So now, tell me, who
planted the bomb, and why?

Thought so.

(phone ringing)

Mom, phone!

Mom: I'm in the bathroom!

Hello?

Hello.

May I speak with your
mother or father, please?

Dad's out, my mom's in the bathroom.

Arkady: This must be Colin.

Sorry, who's this?

My name is Arkady Balagan.

I'm helping you and your parents.

Colin: Oh.

I understand you haven't
left the house since the bomb.

Would you?

I think that the bomb
that blew up your car

was placed at the wrong house.

Colin: What do you mean?

We're working on the
theory that it was actually

meant for 231021st Avenue West, not East.

Why do you think that?

Because it looks as if no one

has any reason to hurt your family, Colin.

Really?

I know everything outside
feels like it's out of control,

and inside feels safe, but
we're going to fix that.

Colin, take that first step out the door.

It's not going to get any easier.

I'll tell my mom you called.

Yes?

Can I help you?

Hi there, ma'am.

Do you have a moment to
answer a few questions?

What questions?

Well, I'm working for
Grandmaster Arkady Balagan.

Maybe you've heard of him?

No, sorry.

I'm very busy right now.

Wait, please.

(lock clicks)

Jonas: "Sam requests a word."

Send him in.

Whatevs.

So?
What do you got?

Okay, okay.

Yup, yup.

Good, good, good.

(chuckling)

Sam.
Yeah.

The other house.

Yes, right.

Well, I think it might be
the place we're looking for.

The woman there, she had two black eyes

and a bandage across her nose.

Looked like someone beat her up.

So the bomb was meant for her?

Tell me more about the house.

It was pretty nice
compared to the Davises.

Maybe drug money?

How old is she?

Sam: Older than Danni.

40s?

This bandage, how was it positioned?

Just across her nose.

Yes, but was it symmetrical?

Yeah, I guess so.

Jonas, so how did you lose the knight?

So then it is most likely
plastic surgery, Samuel.

It's not an assault.

Disposable income, age to fight.

You stick with her, find
out what else she's up to.

So far, we have nothing.

(camera clicks)
Sam!

(pensive music)

Cici Weston was on a shopping spree,

buying whatever she wanted,
maxing out her credit cards.

I saw her use at least seven.

Is she trying to buy happiness,

or did she really need
that 23rd pair of shoes?

Case of the mysterious
car bomb, day three.

Recorded by the Grandmaster's
personal assistant,

Samuel Besht.

Time to pounce.

Ms. Weston?

What are you doing back here?

Who are you?

I'm Sam, Sam Besht.

I work for Grandmaster
Balagan, the chess genius.

Look, we know you're in
trouble, just talk to us.

We can make it end.

Stay away from me!

I'm sorry.

You touched me.

It's no problem.

Demerol, Vicodin, Percocet?

No, thanks.

Look, I appreciate your concern,

but you and your master are mistaken.

I don't have any enemies.

What about your family?

Husband?

My daughter lives in Barcelona,

and my husband died two years ago.

Honestly, I live a very boring life.

You're the most exciting thing
that's happened all week.

She doesn't drink, she doesn't gamble.

She likes tennis and
Katherine Heigl movies.

Neighbors say Cici Weston
is completely average,

and compared to her friends,

she doesn't even have that much money.

Great, so we got nothing.

What happened to your face?

Bag of boots.

"No leads at 2310 West."

Jonas: Stalemate?

No, there are no stalemates in life,

because, unlike chess, hidden
pieces always come into play.

Sounds easier.

I could use an extra Knight right now.

Jonas, you have no idea.

"Go back to the first house
and rattle the shoplifter."

Why are we taking
orders from a grown man

and a teenager playing a board game?

It's not a game.

It's strategic combat.

It's a death match of two minds...

Oh, yeah, keep talking,
I'm getting horny.

Come in, have a seat.

(video game chimes)

Don't worry about the mess.

Colin, this is Danni.

She works with that chess
guy we told you about.

So you proved that the other
house was the real target?

Where's your daughter?

Franny rode to a friend's.

Maybe Colin could go play
in his room for a minute.

Just give us a chance to talk.

Drugstores, batteries, that kind of thing?

Colin, go to your room.

But, mom, I just got to level eight.

Now.

But the battery's on critical.

If I unplug now, I'll lose all my coins.

Go to your room!

(tense music)

Allan!

What happened?

Allan: I got jumped
by a couple of teenagers.

Oh, my...

Easy, I think I cracked a rib.

You're bleeding, come on.

I'm okay.

We'll get you some ice.

Come on, honey.

Do we need to take you to the hospital?

(pensive music)

(flame whooshes)

(explosion booms)

(upbeat music)

Thank you for coming, Ms. Weston.

Please.

If you can figure
out who blew up my car,

I'll be thanking you.

Yes.

Thank you two for coming as well.

Where are the children?

The lovely children.

Colin's more terrified than ever,

so the neighbors are
watching him and Franny.

I see.

So, where do we stand?

Both your houses have had cars blown up,

but there were two different bombs.

One was a detonator.

The other was a petrol-soaked
rag in the fuel tank.

And Allan was jumped and beaten.

Cracked rib.

By two attackers, who, let us assume,

were the same ones who blew
up the car in the first place.

You did not recognize them?

No.

Two teenagers.

They both had hoodies pulled
down over their faces.

But you're clear about
what they said, yes?

"You have 24 hours to pay,"

and then I think they said, "par deux."

"Par deux?"

Mean anything to anyone?

Par deux.

Hmm.

(playful music)

(man groaning)

What does par deux mean?

What do you think?

Par deux, it's French.

By two.

Two houses, two cars.

Two bombs, two teens.

Take your pick.

Yes, but why?

I don't know, maybe that lady

ripped off the wrong drugstore owner.

(man groaning)

Maybe, but what
connects the two houses?

Here, take these stolen batteries

and send them to the people
that I sold them to online.

(doorbell rings)

When you sell things online,

you ship packages to your clients,

but sometimes, you receive also, yes?

Sure, I get returns from
my customers sometimes.

Then perhaps the bomber

didn't get the wrong
address, the postman did.

Excuse me?

Or maybe the wrong address
was written on the package.

Either way, a hypothesis.

Something was delivered
to your house in the East

that should have gone to
Ms. Weston's in the West.

What?

You're all involved.

Are you accusing me?

We're the victims.

Olivia did you accidentally

receive something of great value?

Something you did not want to return?

After all, you and Allan are broke.

Absolutely not.

Huh.

They were delivered something
of yours by mistake,

you wanted it back, they refused,
so you blew up their car,

and then they got even
by destroying yours.

You set my car on fire?

Allan: No!

You sent two teenagers
to beat up my husband?

I'm not gonna sit
here and listen to this.

We're paying you,
and you call us thieves?

She is not having an
affair, but she is a thief.

He is not having an affair,

but he's lying to you about his job.

Are you happy now?

I don't care if you lie to each other,

but I cannot help your son
if you're not honest with me.

Allan, what is he talking about?

Never mind that.

What are you stealing?

Never mind what?

Okay, well, we're gonna talk.

Come with me.

What is going on?

Arkady: Huh.

So you're losing here,
and you're losing out there.

Losing?

Are we playing the same game?

Late game castle.

Bam.

What?

What if the rook
and king were reversed?

What if the package was
meant for the Davises

but ended up at Ms. Weston's?

Well, Cici was racking up the cards.

Jewelry, shoes, designer threads.

♪ Oh, baby ♪

What will you do with your windfall?

Nose job.

Jonas: She's got cash.

Why steal someone else's?

You think rich people don't steal?

You ever read the business section?

But why was Allan beaten?

How'd it go down?

He was jumped.

Two teenagers, said something about

having to pay "par deux".

"Par deux".

(Jonas laughs)

Pardeux?
What's so funny?

"Pardeux" is the name
of Tom Hanks's character

in that movie, "Mazes and Monsters".

Arkady: I'm not familiar.

It's a classic, man.

It's all about the dangers of
fantasy role-playing games.

You said Colin played
Adventure Quest Worlds

on his computer, right?

Arkaday: Yes.

It's the biggest online RPG right now.

RPG, "rocket-propelled grenade"?

What?

Role-playing game.

What do you know, guess who
one of the top players is.

Pardeux?

"You have 24 hours to pay Pardeux."

No comma.

What?

The teens who beat him up
weren't calling Allan "Pardeux".

They were referring to the
person who must be paid,

and that's Pardeux.

Sam, bring me Colin Davis.

But he won't leave the house.

How am I supposed to get
two agoraphobes to meet?

He's not agoraphobic.

He's just scared.

Tell him I know how to
make this all go away.

Do you?

Not yet.

We'll be right outside, buddy,

and if he acts weird, you scream.

So you left your house today.

Yeah.

My parents took away my computer.

Still, you've made that first step.

Cookie?

Not cookies!

Cookie.

Cookie.

Good.

Dad says you don't leave the hotel.

How long have you been in here?

A while.

I wonder if you could explain to me

your attraction to that game you play.

Yeah? What do you want to know?

I want to know what you like about it.

It's better than real life.

You get rewarded for being smart,

and for doing the right thing.

At school, that's what
gets my face beat in.

I understand.

So, what was it that Ms. Weston received

that belonged to you, Colin?

What are you talking about?

Why did you blow up her car?

I didn't.

Colin, you talk of virtue
and intelligence, yap-yap-yap,

blah-blah-blah-blah, and yet,
you sit there lying to me.

You left your house.

Take another step, tell me the truth.

Why did you blow up Ms. Weston's car?

I didn't.

I have an alibi.

I was at home.

Ask my mom.

Ask that lady who you sent over.

My friend, Danni?

(vivacious music)

She did say not everyone
was at home with you.

(bike brakes screeching)

Where are you going, Franny?

I'm not supposed to talk to strangers.

You're not going to Cici
Weston's house, are you?

Nope.

You're not going to put
that in the gas tank, are you?

Nope.

You're not going to blow
up Cici's car, are you?

Nope.

Cookie?

I want to talk to my lawyer.

I'm not a police officer.

You don't need a lawyer, Franny.

Why did you blow up Ms. Weston's car?

Colin said it would make things better.

How?

Franny: By leaving a message.

What kind of message?

This one.

Wait, you didn't leave it?

Obviously.

Why not?

Because there was a car on fire?

"Give me back the cards, or else."

What cards?

(pounding at door)

I hear you got my cards.

I don't know what you're talking about.

I might've used a couple or 10.

(Jonas scoffs)

I didn't mean to hurt anyone.

Okay.

Wait here.

Wow.

So, what are these, Colin?

Prepaid credit cards.

Prepaid?

They come loaded with cash.

You can spend em anywhere.

Can't do anything online
without a credit card.

And so, this Pardeux, he
recruits kids to sell these?

Yeah, through the game.

The first time I got the
cards, it was just 10 of em,

worth 200 bucks like these,
and I sold them for 100 bucks

and sent all the money back to Pardeux.

And are the cards stolen or fake?

I don't know.

And you agreed to
sell more of them, yes?

Yeah, but they never came in the mail,

and Pardeux thinks I'm holding out on him,

so he blew up our car, and beat up my dad.

Wait, I'm sorry.

You sent all this money back to Pardeux?

So, what's in it for you?

Coins.

Coins?

It's like cash in the game.

It's almost impossible

to score adventure coins in the game.

So you get paid in fake coins?

They're not fake.

You use it to buy better armor,

bigger weapons, and awesome spells.

And how did you send the real money

you made from the cards back to Pardeux?

I went to a cheque-cashing
place and wired it.

(laughs)

To where?

Colin: Luxembourg.

Luxembourg?

Colin: It's next to France.

Yes.

So this Pardeux, he could be anywhere now.

Well, if he was messaging Colin online,

then there's a way to find his IP address

and use that to find him.

Arkady: Can you do that?

No.

So, IP addresses and
European banks accounts?

This sounds like a job
tedious enough for the police.

We'll make the call.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Colin.

(clears throat)

You told the truth.

That was very brave.

You know it's scary
when you go outside,

but then you just get used to it.

(thoughtful music)

I'll take that under consideration.

Well, the fraud
squad owes you big time.

Officers are paying a visit

to Bloodmistress and Isisagoth right now.

The two teenagers who beat up Allan?

Yeah, gamers.

They had a huge jump in coins

after the Davises' car blew up.

And what about your own
defective detective work?

Rosemary's case.

It's the only case.

Well, if anything comes
up, Pippa will let you know.

(chuckles)

I'm sure she will.

I'll let you get back to your game.

What's going on?

I called the game.

No, no, no, no, the
interruptions are over.

We reset the positions.

I'm sure they're locked in
your head as they are in mine.

Dude, your head's not in the game.

How am I supposed to beat
you if you're too distracted?

So we play tomorrow.

Dude, I jet tomorrow.

Pity.

You know, you could

come to the tourney with me if you want.

Run away, little boy.

I'll be here when you're ready.

Jonas: Mm-hmm.

Hmm.

Thanks for your help.

So, what are you going
to do with your cut?

You know, I can see why you do this.

It's kind of fun.

Ah-ha!

So I guess you don't want your money.

I didn't say that.

(jazzy music)

(bright music)