Hell on Wheels (2011–2016): Season 1, Episode 9 - Timshel - full transcript

Cullen and the search party find the natives who attacked the surveyor's camp and later derailed a train; Elam and Eva discuss their future, before getting a strange visitor; and the railroad crew reaches the important 40-mile mark.

(TIMSHEL PLAYING)

(INDIANS ULULATING)

(GUNS FIRING)

♪ Cold is the water

♪ It freezes your already cold mind

♪ Already cold, cold mind

♪ And death is at your doorstep

♪ And it will steal your innocence

♪ But it will not steal your substance

♪ But you are not alone in this

♪ And you are not alone in this



♪ As brothers we will stand

♪ And we'll hold your hand

♪ Hold your hand

♪ And you are the mother

♪ The mother of your baby child

♪ The one to whom you gave life

♪ And you have your choices

♪ And these are what make man great

♪ His ladder to the stars

♪ But you are not alone in this

♪ And you are not alone in this

♪ As brothers we will stand

♪ And we'll hold your hand

♪ Hold your hand



♪ But you are not alone in this

♪ And you are not alone in this

♪ As brothers we will stand

♪ And we'll hold your hand

♪ Hold your hand

♪ But I will tell the night

♪ And whisper, "Lose your sight"

♪ But I can't move the mountains

♪ For you ♪

Yes, I know this area quite well.

As I remember,

Robert warned you about laying track here
because this area was prone to washouts.

Robert was right. I was wrong.
Is that what you need to hear?

Well, I've said it.

Now, this section needs to be re-surveyed
and re-built. Can you do it?

Yes.

But it'll have to be re-routed south
as Robert intended.

Do you see this ridge?

This is solid bedrock.

Yes, but that'll take longer.

You'll have to have your men
work faster, Doc.

You get paid to build 40 miles
of useable road.

If you build here again,
it will get washed out again.

- Well, it may not rain again for months or...
- Those are my terms.

Of course, you could always find
another surveyor...

Somewhere.

Excuse me.

GRIGGS: Black Moon,

you're gonna answer for this, you know that.

I should have let my brother kill you.

- You should try right now.
- CULLEN: Hey!

We've had enough killing for one day.

I don't suppose either of you are keen
on joining me?

To do what?

What I came for.

You'll never find them.

We'll see about that.

They know that you're following them.

They'll kill the both of you.

Yeah, we'll see about that, too.

Last chance, Bohannon.

I figured.

What about you?

You don't need his permission.

He's nobody's master anymore.

Go if you're going.

Mr. Bohannon, you have to finish this.

What are you talking about?

This. What you came to do.

We came to kill the bastards
who derailed the train. We got 'em.

No one's gonna believe you

unless you have proof.

You mean scalps?

They're just gonna have to take
my word for it.

I ain't bringing back proof.

Not even for $20 a head?

Seems a shame leaving all this money
lying around here for the buzzards,

don't you think?

My brother belongs to me.

Don't look at me.

(GASPING)

(INHALES DEEPLY)

REVEREND: I'm a sinner, Ruth.

You know that better than anyone,
don't you?

- Father?
- No.

You let me finish.

I've been wrasslin' with God, Ruth.

And I honestly believe
that I was chosen for a great mission.

And that's why I left.

But you failed.

No, I'd like to think that my work
with John Brown may have

helped in some small way to free the slaves.

(SIGHS) I didn't say John Brown failed.

I said you failed.

One drop of love...

That's all we needed.

One drop of love would have sustained us.

Now, Ruth, I'm trying to tell you I'm sorry.

- (SOBS)
- Don't you walk away from me!

(GASPING)

Praise his name, sister.

Praise his name.

Praise!

The McGinnes Brothers Magic Lantern Show.

Back in business!

You know what we forgot, Seano?

We forgot to get a new sign.

There's no more drama, comedy, history,
is there?

As usual, Brother,

I am three steps ahead of you.

Painter's due in an hour.

- Have the new sign by nightfall.
- THE SWEDE: Nell!

Nell! A word!

Now that is a fine door-ful of a woman.

Nell, you know we have an agreement.

Nobody's working, Swede.

When nobody works, nobody gets paid.

If nobody gets paid,
then nobody comes to see my...

Son of a bitch.

SWEDE: Now, we have an agreement.

There's a better way, Brother.

Straight and steady, please, sir.

Yes, ma'am.

Mrs. Bell, somebody's coming.

CULLEN: Mrs. Bell.

Mr. Bohannon.

- What you doing out here?
- Surveying.

I'm helping Durant complete his 40 miles.

We killed the dog soldiers
that murdered your husband.

I thought you should know.

So Robert's death has been avenged.

I'd hoped it would close the hole
I feel in my heart.

Ain't nothing gonna close that, ma'am.

(CLEARS THROAT)

- Very impressive, Mr...
- Ferguson.

Elam Ferguson.

I suppose Mr. Bohannon sent you
to collect the bounty.

Bohannon ain't take them scalps.

I did.

Well...

I guess I owe you some money, then.

Uh...

Ten dollars a scalp, if I remember correctly.

Twenty.

And if you don't mind,
I prefer them gold eagles to paper.

(LAUGHING)

Would you like a drink?

I ain't too much of a drinking man.

Well, a cigar, perhaps?

Thank you.

Well, please sit.

You strike me as a capable man.

I know which end is up.

Well, that is good to know.

Because I am always on the lookout

for a man willing to get his hands dirty
from time to time.

A man who's willing to

do things off the books, as it were.

Mmm.

I'm looking for a man
who wants to be feared and respected.

A man trying to improve his station in life.

(EVA MOANING)

Oh, you slay me, honey.

You really do.

(PANTING)

How's about you stay home tonight?

Whatcha mean?

I means, why not take a night off?

Maybe take more than a night off.

Are you saying...

I want you to be mine.

None other.

TOOLE: Ferguson, you in there?

Elam Ferguson, come on out here.

- You. You son of a bitch.
- Mercy.

On the immaculate heart of the
sweet virgin herself, I pray for mercy.

And I beg you to hear me out.

You shot me straight in me gob,
Mr. Ferguson.

A shot that would have sent any man
to his grave.

But praise the mother's son,
at the last second

an angel reached out

and she flicked the bullet out of me neck.

I tell you true.

It's the reason I kneel before you now.

Let me show you. Let me show you the hole.

Please, Mr. Ferguson.

Bear witness to a miracle.

As I wandered in the wilderness,
like our Lord himself,

I came face to face with me ignorance
and cruelty towards you.

And I swore to God almighty

that if I survived,

I would come to you on bended knee
and beg for your forgiveness.

Not me.

Her.

Come on out here.

Tell her you're sorry.

I'm sorry, lass.

Sorry as the sorriest sinner.

I should not have harmed you such.

All right, then.

FERGUSON: Go on and git.

MAN: Black Moon.

Come down.

It's your father.

Father, you're safe.

I come looking for Pawnee Killer.
Instead, I find a burial.

Have you nothing to tell me?

(SIGHS)

I came to do it myself.

Go. Climb up.

Let's complete this ceremony.

Step right this way, lads, and get an eyeful.

See the loveliest creatures from
the bluest streets of Paris, français.

- See soiled doves bare all.
- You been gone.

Took the train to Chicago.

Whew, what a town. Jeez.

Looks like you brought a bit of Chicago
back with you.

Indeed.

Do you want to take a peek?

On the house, of course.

Anything for Mr. Bohannon.

Nah.

Thanks.

Hold on.

Sean would like a word with you.

CULLEN: Looks like you been
doing some business, huh?

SEAN: Aye, we're packing 'em in like sardines.

How'd you pay for the extra slides?

You win money in a fight or something?

Yeah. 'Course, the...

The Swede will want his pound of flesh.

- He takes a cut?
- And then some.

What you want me to do about it, Sean?

Here's the thing.

We're not the only ones being preyed upon.

All the merchants of Hell on Wheels
are paying him off.

So?

So...

We took up a collection.

Everybody pitched in.

There's $100 in here...

For you.

What the hell for?

For killing The Swede.

I ain't no gun for hire.

All right, I tell you what.

I happen to know The Swede's been stealing
from Durant.

Dig you up some dirt on him,

and Durant will ride him out of town
on a rail.

For free.

Ask me to sit down.

Go on, ask me.

Have a seat.

Now, pour me a drink.

Another glass.

Your health.

Tastes like shit.

You ain't much of a drinking man, is you?

Gave it up.

Why is that?

Last time I got drunk,
I got into something bad.

Listen, I need to ask you something.

You know that bidness we had to attend to?

You good with that?

I'm better than good.

'Bout time I be the one
who gets to do the hurting.

Besides, seem Mr. Durant
done took a liking to my work.

He say he might just call on me
when need be.

Durant?

Better watch yourself.

That's a slick slope you're heading down.

Hmm.

Slick with blood.
Somebody else's, for a change.

For somebody who don't drink,
you're putting that down pretty good.

(HAMMERING ON TABLE)

Ladies and gentlemen,
take your glasses in hand for a toast

to the great Indian killers
who have made our home

a safe place to work and drink!

(ALL CHEERING)

Shut up!

Listen up.

I want y'all to get a good night's sleep.

Tomorrow, we hit that 40-mile marker,
and I'm gonna work y'all like mongrel dogs.

It's gonna get built, gentlemen.

And we're just the bastards to build it.

(ALL CHEERING)

(WHOOPING)

THE SWEDE: Senator.

I'm glad you are here
to witness such a momentous feat.

No, you're not.

You're only interested in our quid pro quo.

If you insist.

I had the Pinkertons track down
the Illinois man you were looking for.

"Whereabouts of Sergeant Frank Harper."

JORDAN: Seems he's holed up
at a trading post near Council Bluffs.

Your brother was the runt of the litter.

Smaller than all the other boys.

They picked on him and teased him.

He was always in a fight,
but he never backed down.

It made him strong.

It made him a great warrior.

But not a great man.

He never learned, as you did,

that sometimes it's better not to fight,

and other times,
you must fight the ones you love.

When I saw what you were wearing,

when I saw
what you had prepared for your brother,

I hoped that you would return to me.

(BREATHING DEEPLY)

But now, I see in your eyes

you are becoming your own man.

And so today, I mourn for one son,
Pawnee Killer.

And I mourn the loss of my other son,
Black Moon,

which hurts me so much more.

(TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

(GRUNTING)

That's it, boys, almost there!

This is it right here! This is your marker!

We're gonna make it.

Now put your backs into it.

Pick it up, boys!

I want them next two rails laid
in the next five minutes.

THE SWEDE: Pick up the pace.

We run out of flanges again,
I'll skin the runner alive!

MICKEY: Hold the spike, would you.
Hold the spike.

Well, jeez!

MAN: Three, two, one.

(MEN GRUNTING)

THE SWEDE: That's it, boys, almost there.

Break time's over. Back to work.

Don't bloody look at it, sink!

Nail crew, just get 'em nailed in!

Clean-up crew, finish it.

THE SWEDE: That's it. Back into it.

WOMAN: Almost there!

You embarrass me now, boys,
and I'll skin the lot of ya.

Let's go!

(TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWING)

MAN: Hold! Down.

CULLEN: Last one, boys! Last one.

DURANT: Mr. Bohannon!

May I?

Hmm.

(ALL CHEERING)

(LAUGHING)

Congratulations.

Congratulations, lieutenant governor.
Congratulations.

Ruth?

I'm sorry.

You were waiting for me?

Every night.

Joseph, are you hurt?

No.

I killed him, Ruth.

(SOBBING)

I killed my own brother.

(KISSING)

(GASPING)

Thanks.

Excuse me, sir?

Yeah? Oh. Pardon me, ma'am.

What will you be having?

Well, champagne, perhaps?

(CLEARS THROAT) What?

(LAUGHS)

Um...

How about a glass of sherry?

- I love a good sherry.
- BARTENDER: Ah!

Brandy.

LILY: Fine. Brandy would be fine.

CULLEN: It's on me.

May I?

By all means.

Thank you.

(CHUCKLES)

Not good?

I've had better.

Yeah.

Well, you did it, 40 miles.
You said you would, and you did.

First time in my life.

Failed as a tobacco farmer, lost a war,

now I'm a railroad man.
Maybe third time's the charm, huh?

Maybe.

That first night we met,

you told me I had no idea who you was
or what you was capable of,

and you was right.

(LAUGHS)

I thought you were some spoiled limey brat.

Yeah, I guess I got you wrong, huh?

Well, what do you think of me now,
Mr. Bohannon?

Mrs. Bell! Mr. Bohannon!

Doing a little celebrating?
Well, you both deserve it.

What you did today was historic.

Thank you, Thomas. Will you join us?

I would love to,

but there are a few issues outstanding
that I need to discuss with my foreman.

Excuse me.

Black Moon.

You in here? Black Moon?

You made me a pledge.

You told me you would win
this war called the Union Pacific.

Today, you won a major battle.
You're a man of your word.

Thank you, sir.

I wanted to both congratulate you
and offer you a bonus.

Oh! I don't need any more money, sir.

It's not that kind of bonus, Mr. Bohannon.

It's much more valuable than money.

Information.

You... You're Lieutenant Griggs,
from the cavalry.

- I heard about you.
- Yeah?

Well, I heard Black Moon was living in here.

You feel that Joseph led you astray?

He needs to be made accountable.

You know, The Swede has been,
shall we say, focused on you for some time.

- Like a hound got the scent.
- Mmm.

He just sent a wire
to the federal marshals in Washington, D.C.

Claims he has evidence
linking you to several murders back east.

REVEREND: You a family man, Lieutenant?
Do you have a wife and children?

I mean, what if someone killed your son

and scalped your daughter
and raped your wife?

Would you stand idly by?

They'll be coming to arrest you.

You telling me all this
'cause you want me to run, Mr. Durant?

I'm giving you
a chance to save yourself, Bohannon.

I don't know, could you... Could you
find it in your heart to forgive him?

Is he here?

Not now.

Sure, I'll forgive him.

Right after I kill him.

We're... We're all held accountable,

you know, one way or another.

(GRIGGS SCOFFS)