Hell on Wheels (2011–2016): Season 5, Episode 5 - Elixir of Life - full transcript

Fifty men, ready to work.

- Same stock as Chang's?
- They'll need to be taught.

All aboard!

You're the man for the job.
After you, Mr. Tao.

All aboard!

We are not in Truckee, Mr. Bohannon.

Merely passengers on a train.

A small alcove of civilization.

Surely, we can put our differences aside
and enjoy the ride together.

Tin Hau Don,

the Heavenly Empress Festival,
is upon us.



Each year I throw a celebration

because my men,
though far from home,

long for China and its traditions.

A shopping expedition to San Francisco seems
a small price to pay to bring it to them.

Don't you think?

I think San Francisco's a long way to go
for fireworks, Mr. Chang.

I never was much for tradition.

Such a Western notion
that the past does not matter.

That the past can be forgotten.

What's your business
with Thor Gundersen?

I didn't realize you made it your
business to keep an eye on my customers.

Just the bloodthirsty crazy ones.

I sell him rice to feed his men.
Nothing more.

If you're smart, you'd make
Thor Gundersen part of your past.



Forget him.

Perhaps it is you, Mr. Bohannon,

who needs to put
Thor Gundersen behind him.

All right.

Teepee wagons out and over there.

Railroad's handling payroll now.

Why wasn't I informed?

You just were.

Mr. Huntington approved this?

Huntington ain't in charge of payroll,
I am.

Mr. Tao, make sure them gold eagles
are distributed by day's end.

Yes, bossman.

Welcome to Laramie, lads!
Right this way.

Welcome. How you been?

Brian Lynch.

You wily bastard.

Jesus, how was the trip out?
I'm all twisted up inside.

Haven't had me a decent crap for a week.

Couple hours on the cut
will get you uncorked.

Good man.

Mrs. Palmer!

Never imagined seeing you
here in Laramie.

You look lovely.

And you look like hell, McGinnes.
Just like this sewer pit of a town.

Mr. Delaney!

I need you to confirm that Samuel Ammerman
is on the UP payroll.

I'm the chief engineer, Miss Ellison.

I don't know the names
of everyone in our employ.

So you're not denying anything.

I know he's not a surveyor.
He came from Truckee with maps.

I have my sources.

You... you think we employ spies?

I know you do, Marty,
so don't play dumb.

Durant didn't tell you, did he?

I'm sorry.
Off the cut, out of the loop.

Tasked with fool's errands!

Well, at least the trite little bridges
I worked on in Connecticut got built!

But,

a bridge 12 miles long
across a lake of brimstone?

Talk about a boondoggle!
What bridge?

- Never mind.
- What lake are we talking about, Marty?

We're not... we're not talking, Louise.

I'm sorry.

You've all traveled
across the country, exhausted.

You'll be excited for what lies in store.

Now, gentlemen,

if you're at all like me,

there's nothing better
after a long journey

than the companionship
of a fine woman.

A lady who's smooth as cream gravy.

A woman who's well-versed
in the art of pleasing a man.

And these women will leave
no stones unturned until they do.

Now, after you've had your fill...

Or the ladies have had theirs.

My saloon is right down the street.

And I'll make you'll a promise right now...

It will not be all play,

but for every day ye lay
five miles of track,

the drinks will be on the house.

So welcome to Laramie, boys.

Wet your willie or your gullet,

whatever your pleasure may be.

For tomorrow, it'll be out on the out
at daybreak.

And don't you dare let me down.
All right. Gentlemen, enjoy!

What?

Cut the shit!

Look, I'm the one spreading
my legs all day,

and you get all the money. It ain't fair!
No. It ain't.

Now, go use that mouth of yours
for something other than smartin' off.

Ladies and gentlemen,

come peruse the greatest collection
of potions, pomades, and perfumes

this side of the Mississippi!

The solution to whatever ails you

lies just inside my prodigious portmanteau.

The name's Bartholomew T. Gibbons.

Now, I'm no snake oil salesman peddling
piss in a bottle and I'll prove it.

If I could just have a volunteer.
Anyone.

You, sir.

Mr. Young.

Sir? Excuse me, sir?

Sir... sir, may I ask your name?

I'm Thor Gundersen.

Mr. Gundersen...

How much would you pay for a tonic

that prolongs health and well-being
beyond all bonds of expectation?

An Elixir of Life that protects
against the ravages of time,

guaranteeing you the joys of an extended,
vibrant and disease-free life?

How much would you pay for that, sir?

- Would you pay $10?
- Yeah...

- Would you pay $5?
- Well...

What would you say, sir,
if I were tell you right now

that future could be yours for only $2?

What would you say
if I told you eternal life is free?

Costs you nothing whatsoever?

I'd say, "Tell me where to sign up, sir."

Salvation

through The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints.

We meet on Sundays.

All are welcome.

Oslo, come.

You boys got everything you need
on them mountains?

We were well attended to.

Thanks to Brother Gundersen.

Thanks to his dealings
with Chang, you mean.

Brother Gundersen procures food
and sundries from the Chinese.

What we don't get from Zion, or you.

And you've seen these sundries yourself?

You're not the first person
to buy Swede's stock, Mr. Young.

Brother Gundersen is Norwegian.

He's fooled a lot of folks.

Most of 'em dead now.

He told me you'd say as much.

Don't confuse
a confession for prediction, son.

Thor Gundersen's a liar.

And a murderer.

He told me your father's a false prophet.

He told me you abandoned
your wife and child.

Whatever his dealings with Chang,
it won't end well.

You best cut bait
and be done with him.

Brother Gundersen is a loyal Saint,
Mr. Bohannon.

Our progress on the grade, under his
direction, has been rapid and sure.

Now, if there are no other complaints...

Good day.

So...

The price of rice has not changed,
Mr. Gundersen.

But circumstances have.

If you're short on funds...

Your circumstances,

if I'm not mistaken...

The recent labor strike
has cut into your profits,

and now,

with the payroll no longer
passing through your hands...

Well, perhaps, your need for gold
is greater than my need for...

rice.

Now we share a common enemy,
Mr. Chang.

I, too, have been diminished
by Mr. Cullen Bohannon.

Sooner or later,
the devil makes us all pay.

This time...

he has chosen you.

Yeah. It's on.

Yeah, come, come.

Hey, come, come, come.

Up! Up! Up! Up' up'.

Yeah, good boy.

Yeah, sit, sit.

Bossman.

- Why are we here, Brother Thor?
- I have had a vision, my son.

The Angel Moroni come to me.

Same as he'd come to Joseph Smith himself
to reveal the truth.

What truth?

There it was...

written upon a golden plate,

the proclamation from Heavenly Father
that you, Phineas,

are to be our new prophet.

" Me?"

I must see this plate, Brother.

As is with the Angel Moroni,

the plate is for mine eyes,
and mine alone to see.

Your acceptance of his message, Brother,

is the test that will prove you worthy

of this new, exalted role.

Now, I...

I must show you something.

Guns?

For what purpose, Brother?

Some in Salt Lake City
will accept this revelation.

Some...

will not.

What is the one thing
there will never be more of?

The one thing you will never
lose money on?

- Land.
- Yes. Land!

I can't tell you
what a delight it is

to be finally speaking
to an informed man.

You... you have no idea

how many imbeciles

do not know the answer
to that most basic of questions.

When Laramie becomes the new hub
of the Union Pacific Railroad,

land bought today will be worth...

Ten times the price tomorrow.

Mrs. Palmer!

What a delightful
and unexpected surprise.

I hope you're not too fond of that shirt,
friend, because you're about to lose it.

Mr. Durant, who is this woman?

Maggie, listen to me...

He told you Laramie would be the...
the hub of the Union Pacific, did he?

- He did.
- Ha!

Well, see, yesterday,
it was Cheyenne.

Tomorrow, it'll be Rock Springs.

The day after that, who knows?

He is as crooked as a Virginia fence,

and you're a fool
to buy what he's selling.

That's a little harsh.

Now, you're not trying to pull
the wool over my eyes, are you, Durant?

Mr. Budill. A woman scorned...

Thank you for your time,
Mr. Durant.

Ma'am.

What, my good woman,
was that about?

What do you think?

My hotel is empty!

My property in Cheyenne, worthless!

Your lies and your schemes
are about to send me to the poor house!

Trust me, I have
your best interests at heart.

That would require you having one!

Maggie, at least let me try to explain.

Over dinner, this evening.

Did...

I can't do it like this.

Come with me.

Shut the door.

How far along?

Three months... about.

I think.

I'll get you through this.

Thank you.

Chang ain't gonna take this lying down.

Taking over payroll,
bringing in workers.

He steals my money, I'll make more.

He beats me, I stand up.

He beats me again,
I stand up again.

Them white men,

the ones trying to hang Chang.

Their coach never made it to Cisco.

He's capable.

He could not win in China.
He will not win here.

I'm not afraid of Chang.

Yeah, maybe you ought to be.

Tonight is Tin Hau Don.

Big celebration.

Please, be our guest.

Yeah.

I'd be honored.

Fong.

Your hair's all wet.

_ Yep-

Now...

I was hoping...

you'd look after this for me.

My daddy said not to touch
his special bottles

or I can't play outside for a week.

This ain't like your daddy's bottle.

Smell that, go on.

That right there,
that's the Pacific Ocean.

The ocean?

You weren't there.

Now, would I lie about a thing like that?

Was it pretty?

Like a dream
you don't wanna wake up from.

Anyhow...

You take real good care of this.

And keep it safe till I need it.

Think you can you do that?

Good. Go and put it away.

Now, would I lie about a thing like that?

What's Chang talking about?

Thank my father for end strike.

I was told that, in America,

to embrace the future,
one needs to forget the past.

So, I say, let old grudges and rivalries

melt away with the winter snow,

and allow new flowers
to blossom in their place.

This will help with the pain.

This here is called slippery elm.

I use it on my girls.

Goes up inside you,
swells up real big.

Causes bleeding, fever.

Goes right, in a couple days,
you'll be in the family way no more.

I'm gonna start now.

Do it.

Focus on the stones.

Mr. Psalms.

Psalms' my given name, Mr. Durant.

Jackson, my Christian name.

Mr. Jackson, then.

Any issues on the cut, can be taken
up with Mr. Delaney. Thank you.

Ain't no problem on the cut,
Mr. Durant.

Here to buy some of that Laramie property
you selling.

Mr. Jackson...

I'm not sure that you are the...

Type of person to buy land in Laramie.

Ain't just me.

Some of the other freedmen,
we put all our money together.

Count it, it's good.

All the same.

My advice would be
to hold on to your money.

Mr. Durant, I've been working for you
goin' on four years now.

Hear what you tellin' folk.

Land bought today be worth 10 time
what it cost tomorrow.

Only right that the men would make it
worth somethin' in the first place,

make some money off it,
same as you.

Now, you ain't gonna sell it to us,

better be a reason other than
the one I'm thinking you got.

There is nothing I can say to you

that would prevent me from selling you land
that you wish to buy.

I've got it, boys. I've got it!

- Yeah!
- We got that land! Yeah!

- Yeah!
- Whoo!

' Eva!

Eva!

Eva, where the hell are you?

Hey! Close the door.

Eva! Where the hell are ya?

For Christ's sake,
there's a line of johns at the door.

Can't you see I'm working?

My cousin been mixing it up
with the whores again?

No, it wasn't Shea.
But not all gentlemen are gentle.

And how I take care of my girls
ain't your business, Mick.

It's all my business.
Now, get this place in order

or I'll put Shea back in just as quick
as I took him out. You hear me?

All right, boys,
how about I measure you firm.

Biggest and smallest get a free poke
with the girl of their choosing.

All right, what have we got here?

Will you come see?

Nice celebration.

You know, back in Taishan,

I dreamed of the day
my wife would give me a son.

Three girls later...

I always say daughters is a blessing.

Mei Fong was a blessing.
A special blessing.

She's all I have left,
Mr. Bohannon.

She's my son, my daughter,
she is everything to me.

I see what is happening.

How you look at her.

If I can see, Chang can see...

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

Ain't like that.

Mei can never be a woman,
do you understand?

Never.

- Mr. Bohannon.
- Evening.

What a spectacle!

It is that. Where's Jim?

I sent him to sleep up on the roof.

A little too much to drink
from his special bottle.

- Come here.
- What?

Don't worry, I hid yours
where he won't find it.

Thank you.

Janie, I'm sure Mr. Bohannon
has better things to do than to babysit us.

Come now, Janie,
keep your hands off the man.

Mr. Bohannon.

Mrs. Strobridge.

Little troublemaker.

Come on, now.

Come on, children.

Mr. Chang want you come.

Most urgent.

I have something to show you.

A wise man suggested I put my business...

with Thor Gundersen behind me.

Rice?

- How many?
- Enough for an army.

Why you telling me this now?

In the hope that we might
put our past behind us, Mr. Bohannon.

And embrace the future together.

Have land values really dropped
so precipitously in Cheyenne

since I set out and moved
the hub to Laramie?

Dog cheap with no bottom in sight.

Good.

Start buyin' them up.

What with... with all the free money
my vacant hotel affords me?

I will supply whatever cash you need.

What are you up to, New York?

Laramie is not going to be
the hub of the Union Pacific, Maggie.

Cheyenne is.

Every newspaper article I have read
lately quotes you saying otherwise.

Yes, and for once they've got it right.

News of the hub moving

has sent property prices
skyrocketing here.

As they do, we'll sell.

And as they plummet in Cheyenne, we'll buy.

Once we've squeezed the
pig for all its fat,

I will announce I've changed my mind.

Cheyenne will remain
as the hub of the Union Pacific

and you, my dear,
will profit astronomically.

Though hand-in-hand with me.

Why risk it?

It's bacon over butter.

You already own
all you could ever desire.

I am beginning to think
that you want to get caught.

Hardly.

Almost caught.

You wanna taste death
without swallowing it.

Can I just say...

you are ruining this steak for me.

You and I, we are insatiable.

We... we thrive on the hunt.
It feeds us!

" Us?"

From the moment
I laid eyes on you,

I knew you were
a woman of appetite.

Don't deny it.

Eat.

A church is no place for a gun,
Mr. Bohannon.

Turn around.

Take me to the rest of 'em.

On Heavenly Father's name,
I do not know...

(gunsnon.

She pulls to the left.

You don't want to test your luck again,
you best get to walkin'.

And... Yeah?

You're missing the show,
Mr. Bohannon.

Show me what's in them rice crates.

Open 'em.

Slow.

Steady now.

Go there.

Against that post.

Put your hands on it.

Where are they?
Where are what, Mr. Boha...

Give me 'em guns, you son of a bitch...

Back up.

Can I help you, sir?

Tao?

Put the gun on the ground.

There is no need for bloodshed, brothers.

- I want them rifles, Swede.
- There are no rifles, Mr. Bohannon.

- Chang told me his self.
- Chang is a liar.

Swede is.

I've never lied to you,
Mr. Bohannon.

Why would you trust a Chinaman over me?

A Chinaman whom you have humiliated.

Whose business you have disrupted.

Perhaps the boy is right.

Mr. Chang has you chasing wild geese.

My friends call me Tao.
How may I...

Move!

You did this.

The assassin was a white man,
Mr. Bohannon.

Ask anyone.

Pity the only witnesses were Chinese.