Hell on Wheels (2011–2016): Season 5, Episode 6 - Hungry Ghosts - full transcript

No! No!

It ain't worth it.

No.

Mei!

It's okay.

He wanted to go home.

Need to talk to him.

Thirty million dead in south China.

Scores by my own hand.

A dozen or so, maybe, here.

Mr. Bohannon,
I am exhausted by all the killing.



You gonna pay out
that man's wages to his son.

For the duration. This ends now.

I admired Mr. Tao.
He was a brave man.

Give me an affirmative so I can
walk out of here with a clean shirt.

It's the least I can do.

Nobody else dies.

I no take his money.

Pride ain't gonna bring him back.

Won't ease the hurt none, neither...
Nothing does.

I take my father to China.

A translator?

For Christ's sake, have Chang send
for one of the little shits.

He can have 'em here in a day.
Need a translator I can trust.

Fine, all right. Fair enough.



You know, Bohannon,
since you're gonna be up there anyway,

you mind picking up
a bolt of gingham for Hanna

and some rock candy for the boys?

And Janie's canary flew away last night,

got spooked by the fireworks.

So, there's an avian depository there,
just north of Downtown...

Ji... Jim. I'm going to get a translator.

Well, keep it in mind.

Most folks don't get to San Francisco
as often as you.

Get back quick.

Be gone a day.

All aboard!

Step aside!

- Brigham.
- Thomas.

Gentle... Thank you, gentlemen.

Well, what brings the Defender
of the Saints to Laramie?

Without a telegram
or even an invitation.

Not that you're not welcome.

You owe me half a million dollars
for the Mormon graders I sent you, Thomas.

Payment is long overdue.

Sit, please.

My good man,

I would not dream
of withholding payment,

were I not so viciously
cash poor at present.

The government pays out
$16,000 per mile.

You're making five miles per day!

Which requires an enormous
outlay of capital,

as you can imagine.

I'll give you a day on the matter.
I'm at the hotel.

I can't do anything
on such short notice.

Then you'll be without a third
of your workforce come sundown tomorrow.

Every last damn nickel, Thomas!

What's the hold-up?

Repair crew.

Bridge ain't safe.

You can pick up a train
to San Fran from Sacramento.

It's a two-day ride
by the Dutch Toll Road.

How 'bout this nice looking
work road right here?

- She'll shave a day off.
- Obliged.

Sit tight.

They'll have the bridge repaired
in a few days. Three at the most.

No good, bossman.

Too hot. Waiting no good.

Take us.

Please... Take us?

Ain't got the time,
nor the supplies.

Here, give that to the foreman.

Tell him you want a hot meal
and your own tent for the night.

Hell.

Ho.

- Railroad man.
- Stagecoach Mary.

Headed to Sacramento?

- Truckee?
- That's right.

There's bridge repair ahead,
you'll have to go around at the camp.

But then you're straight and smooth
all the way to the barn.

You got an easy ride on
up to the river,

but you wanna take care crossing.

She's running high
and the bed is jagged.

Obliged.

Sacramento's awful far.
You in need?

I can use a side of bacon,
you got any spare?

I got some to sell.
I could let it go for $3.

One dollar.

You see any pigs out here?

Drive to Truckee three day.

Sun hot. Meat spoil.

Bridge crew will be happy to pay
top dollar for some fresh cut bacon.

Fresh yesterday. Yesterday $3.

Tomorrow, one dollar.

Two dollars then... Today.

Pleasure doing business with you, Mary.

Careful on that river, railroad man.

Heh!

Glad we ran into 0l' Mary.

Pay too much.

You are tough, ain't you?

So China?

San Francisco steamer to Hong Kong.

I have gold eagle, right?

No. Railroad'll pay.

Figured there wasn't nothing left for you
back in China, is all.

My father,

he no let rebel leader take me.

He give up everything.

Everything except you.

Now, I bring my father home.

Yeah, I tried that once.

Going back home.

Did it for my grandfather...
and my father.

Hell, I did it for honor.

Sometimes, I still wake up
with ashes in my mouth.

My father say you good man.

Honorable man.

Thank you.

Goodnight.

Let me get this straight.

Brigham Young is here to get paid

for services you contracted?

Yes.

And if he isn't satisfied,

he's going to pull his workers
and send them home?

To the Great Salt Lake.

Poor miserable bastards...

How do you take it?
Light and sweet.

We're flush, New York.

There's better things for you and I to do
with the railroad's money.

You know, in the cattle business,

the only thing more valuable
than beef on the hoof is information.

And what information have you in mind
for Mr. Young?

All kinds of information
can be valuable.

Particularly information
regarding the whereabouts of rustlers.

Now, didn't you mention something to me
about a map from the Central Pacific?

Here's to rustlers.

And schemers.

Do you know who I am, young lady?

My mama taught me to love you.

Same as I loved Jesus and Joseph Smith.

You're a Mormon.

Jack Mormon.

We was on our way to Salt Lake City

when the Yavapai attacked.

You've spent time amongst the Lamanites.

Yeah.

I thought I'd have myself
a nice Mormon husband when I was grown.

A family of sister wives...

I thought I'd spend
every Sunday in the Temple,

listening to the Lion of the Lord
preach the Word.

I thought I'd spend my whole life

spittin' distance from you.

You would have been
very welcome in Zion, child.

Yeah, well, instead I got
this marked up face,

little bit of Indian magic,

and a brothel full of whores.

You're still Mormon.

Jack.

It's never too late...

to return to the fold
and be forgiven, my child.

Heavenly Father's loving embrace
awaits us all.

We have only to accept it.

I will pray for you.

H0! Ho, ha!

Hold this.

Go around, bossman.

No. Dutch Toll's too far.

We got to cross here.

Slow and steady.

You do as I say, all right?

Easy.

Ho! Ho!

Easy, now!

Easy!

Easy.

Damn it. The bottom's too rough,
got to turn these horses. Hup!

Swim for the shore!

Swim for the bank!

Le-tkr/Teengo!

No! Mei! Mei!

Let it go.

You shouldn't be up
after all you've been through.

I heard Brigham Young was outside.

You've got to let the slippery elm
do its work.

I am. I... I Will.

From bed.
In case of infection, you need to rest.

Eva, thank you.

I truly appreciate
everything that you've done,

and I promise you that I will rest.

But I... I need a story, Eva.

I haven't had a decent scoop in months.

Slippery elm don't work
on your schedule, Miss Ellison.

If you don't respect it,
it can turn real bad.

I'm fine.

Now, what is your interest
in the railroad, Mr. Young?

The interest is not mine,
madam, but Heavenly Father's.

I'm His instrument in this,
as in everything.

So...

God wants a railroad?

Just this morning,

I met a young lady
who was attacked by savages

on her family's pilgrimage West.

Let me ask you,

would Heavenly Father,

who sent a million gulls to clear the
locusts for his starving people,

would He want His saints

scalped and defiled
on their way to Zion?

So, you're hoping the
Union Pacific's route

will allow the faithful safe passage
to the Promised Land?

Salt Lake City is to be the terminus.

The terminus?

Forgive me, Mr. Young...

but...

Is that your faith speaking?

I have assurances from both railroads.

Are you ill, Miss Ellison?

Can I offer you a drink of water?

I'm... I'm fine.

Thank you, that... that's all.

Thank you for your time,
Mr. Young.

Thank you.

Please, get on the horse.

No.

The wagon's gone.

We've lost most of our supplies, and it...

This has gone on long enough.
We gotta go back to Truckee.

Go without.

I bury my father.

He's gone.

Mei, it's over.

We both got to live
with things left undone.

Shit.

We'll bury him here.

No. No.

Set that shovel down. Sit.

It's son's duty to bury father.

Just be his daughter, then.

Come on.

You have dug many graves.

Too many to count.

But the worst was the ones I couldn't bury.

When my mother was killed,
we couldn't bury.

No wake.

No funeral.

No grave for ancestor to take care of.

Her ghost wander...

Tired, hungry...

All alone.

Now my father,

his ghost too must wander...

Hungry, lonesome...

Just like my mother.

Maybe they'll find each other.

Collie Huntington
sat at my dinner table

and assured me of his commitment

to a Salt Lake City terminus.

Clearly, he intends to go north,

bypassing Salt Lake altogether.

I fail to see what this has to do
with the money you owe me, Thomas.

We are both victims
of Huntington's treachery.

I have engaged vast resources
toward Salt Lake, as promised.

Including plans to bridge
the Lake itself.

Mrs. Palmer.

As you can see, it is an
expensive bridge, Mr. Young.

Now, you came here for payment,
and payment you will have,

along with the great
Transcontinental Railroad

and all its goods and services,
capital and trade,

flowing through your backyard...

The lifeblood of Zion.

Just as soon as the railroad is complete.

I shall have payment in full

before I leave this room, madam,

or I shall call every sober saint home
to Utah.

You leave here with your workforce

and you will have
no payment whatsoever!

Nor railroad terminus.

You will remain as you are...

An aging charlatan,

the polygamous master
of a doomed and desert-locked sect!

Or... take this map,

proof of the Central Pacific's
dirty dealings,

as down payment.

Brigham, allow me to keep
every available worker

laying track toward Salt Lake.

Our contract stands for now.

Lay one track north of Salt Lake,

and you'll learn why they call me
the Lion of the Lord.

I've defeated the United States Army.

I'd damn sure make short work of you.

I'm going home.

I'm weary of gentile serpents

and their honey-lipped harlots.

Well, I believe that man just called me
a "honey-lipped harlot."

I believe he just called you

my honey-lipped harlot.

Steady on, New York.

We got a land deal to finish.

Shh...

I found you by the hotel.

You have an infection.

We have to keep your fever down
while you fight it.

No, Miss Ellison, stop that.

Please, lay back.
No, you need the bed.

Louise.

My honey-lipped harlot.

Hey, I'm your friend.

Now, lay down.

My mother's things.

Please.

Come.

For my father.

Light will help ghost find his way home.

For your ghosts.

Those you have buried
and those you could not.

When light goes out...

they will be home.

The night is cold.

Too cold to sleep outside.

I lost my wife and boy.

I'm sorry.

Thank you...

for everything, bossman.

Cullen.

It's Cullen.

Cullen.

I ain't slept this late
since before the war.

Long journey today.

Coffee first.

Brother.

My father has declared
a work stoppage.

We're to report home
to Salt Lake immediately.

Are you certain, my son?

Collie Huntington
has deceived him.

This is a great blessing.

Your time is upon us.

Are you prepared
for your ascension?

With your help, and by the grace
of Heavenly Father, I will be.

I'll go order the men to start packing.
Brother.

A band of apostates
lurks in the Utah hinterlands.

If these unholy creatures
unearth themselves,

they will destroy us
with their hideous lies.

They have already tried to destroy me.

Collie Huntington
has deceived him.

Aaron Hatch and his clan.

We must root them out,
Brother Phineas.

I'll speak to my father on it.

Perhaps he knows their whereabouts.

This'll ease the cramps some.

Still gonna hurt a few days, though.

You're an angel.

No one's ever cared for me like you.

Not even my own mother.

"Brigham Young has assurances

"that the terminus of the great
Transcontinental Railroad

"will be Utah's capitol.
But I have it on good authority

"that the Union Pacific's plan
to bridge a large lake is a boondoggle.

"There is no larger lake
than the Great Salt Lake

"for which the city is named.

"Which leads me to wonder, dear reader,"

"is the Union Pacific
deliberately falsifying its plans"

"in order to deceive the Mormon leader?"

"Thomas 'Doc' Durant has promised

"'Christmas in New York,
New Year's in San Francisco.'"

"A romantic notion from a man
who has served time"

"for defrauding
the American treasury."

"But where will the Central Pacific
and Union Pacific meet, if at all?

"Will the American people
ever have the railroad they deserve?"

"Or, like Brigham Young,"

"have we all been hoodwinked
by the notorious railroad baron"

"in the greatest swindle
of our time?"

Been more than a day.

Long story, Jim.

Well, where's the damn translator?

You're looking at him.

I don't suppose you have a canary
in your pocket?

Well, hell, who cares?

We got bigger fish.

- Shit.
- No shit.

President Ulysses S. Grant
has called a meeting in Salt Lake City.

Huntington's already on his way there.
And you, my friend, are late.

Get your ragged-lookin' ass to Utah.

I'll see to it John here
gets to the tunnel.

Fong!