Hell on Wheels (2011–2016): Season 5, Episode 7 - False Prophets - full transcript

- Gentlemen, if you please.
- We're getting absolutely nowhere.

- May I repeat...
- You made your point, sir.

- For the record, this time.
- For the record,

we are going round and round
and round in circles.

This meeting, I'm beginning to think,
has no shape at all.

No. No shape, nor a purpose. Neither.

May I suggest we start
from the beginning?

No. Let's start at right now.

I want an answer, Mr. Durant.

Not an equivocation,
not a redirect...

A simple answer
to a simple question.



Will the Union Pacific build north or south

of the Great Salt Lake?

The Union Pacific
is planning to build

south to Salt Lake City.

This great city in which we are gathered

is and has always been
our designated terminus.

Are you suggesting
Miss Ellison made this up?

I am stating that Miss Ellison
is a journalist, Mr. President.

She will write anything
to sell newspapers.

I thought her prose well founded,

articulated and... and compelling,
frankly, Mr. Durant.

Nobody is interested
in your literary criticism...

Gentlemen. Per my contract

with Collie Huntington
and the Central Pacific Railroad,



he had agreed to build south
through Salt Lake City.

Cassius?

Yet this map, which I am
recently come to possess,

proves him to be both
a liar and a thief.

Mr. Huntington?

Central Pacific Railroad
intends to build north.

Any, misunderstanding on the part of
Mr. Young is regrettable and unintentional.

I motion

that construction
on the Central Pacific's road

be suspended pending a full inquiry.

I would ask you, Mr. President,

to consider how.

Brigham Young acquired that map,

private property
of the Central Pacific Railroad.

Samuel Ammerman, my...

my telegraph operator,
disappeared ages...

ages ago after being placed there
by Thomas Durant to spy...

That is an unsubstantiated
accusation, sir!

Private business
of a private corporation!

Have not corporations rights, sir?

Now, surely, a penalty
for corporate espionage must be levied.

"Corporate espionage."
You practically invented the concept!

Enough!

- Mr. Bohannon.
- Mr. President.

I promised the American people a railroad
that crosses this country, gentlemen.

It Will be built.

If not by you, by someone else.

We will establish a route
and a terminus,

a place where your two railroads shall meet

before any of us steps foot
outside Salt Lake City.

One hour recess.

You know that dream
where a meeting's about to start,

and you look down and you realize

suddenly you've been stripped down
to your unmentionables?

And you're...

Never mind.

You're here now.

We have lost Brigham's trust
and his workers with it.

Regrettable but not irreparable.

We're gonna strike back...

Hit Durant hard.

Listen to me. There is no way
Durant gives up Ogden.

He's lying to Brigham Young
just to keep the Mormon workers

on his payroll long as possible.
We catch him in a lie,

get Grant to give us Ogden

and its millions of dollars'
worth of coal

as penalty for Durant
wasting our time.

I'll pick my spot.

Mr. Bohannon!!

I'd heard Collie had taken you
under his wing.

I hope all this talk of
business and politics

doesn't prove too much of a bore for you.

No. You always keep things interesting.

Well, I try to do my bit.

Well, I...

I hardly recognize you.

We have Durant's support,

but only as long as his interests
align with ours.

He needs our workers,

but not as badly as I need his road.

Father, I've returned.

Yes, four days late,

and wearing unsightly boots.

Your brother and I are concerned
with pressing railroad matters.

The railroad is also my concern.

I pulled the men from Truckee
as you requested.

I've done your bidding, Father,
and I have a small request.

A quick one, I hope.

The Hatchites.

The heretic sect,
I need to know where they are.

What you needed was an awareness

of the treachery brewing
right under your nose

during your time
on the Central Pacific!

Brother Phineas is...
is not at fault, O Lion.

It was the gentiles,
in particular, Cullen Bo...

Don't defend this imbecile!

I'm perfectly aware were it not for you,

our mission there
would've proved twice as disastrous.

You will not speak to me in this way!

Enough.

Get out of my sight.

Now!

Brother Phineas.

No. Brother Phineas...

No. It...

Do you see how he treats me?

I do, it is deplorable.

- Our men are well-trained.
- Yeah.

- Well-armed.
- Yes.

- We have prepared for this.
- We have.

We must strike now.

- Yeah, he has so many well-armed guards...
- Phineas!

And now the soldiers.

No, Zion is better protected
than when we left.

Now, we...

we must be patient.
Phineas, wait.

Hey, Cassius.

Look at you.

The Hatchites are in the Red Valley,
southeast of Camp Douglas.

Couple hours ride from here.

Thank you, Cassius.

Welcome home, brother.

You see, yeah,

Heavenly Father continues
to bestow upon us

his unexpected blessings.

He will tell us when it is time.

I grow tired of waiting, Brother Thor.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I see that.

I see that.

If only it was your own favors
I was paying for, Madam Eva.

We thank you for your patronage.

Mr. Crigler.

Distracted by your charms, I was.

He takes me,
right there on the stairs,

but he said it didn't count,

"'Cause we wasn't in the sack."

Dumb-ass cowboy!

This box was full.

Seven hundred dollars.

Our money.

Now, whoever's doing this
is stealing from all of us.

Just say it, if you're accusing somebody.

I'm looking at her.

- Josie would never...
- Quiet, Tess!

I'm real scared.

No, no, no.

You're too stupid to be scared.

Highfalutin on account of your pretty face
and your fast hands.

Don't forget, little girl,

I found you in a pile of pig slop

gnawing on a chicken bone.

You cross me, you'll be back there
quicker than you can come.

That money'd best turn up.

Eva ain't fit to be running things.
That's the truth of it.

It's what I been saying, Mick.

She don't protect us from Johns
when they get rowdy,

and now there's this money gone.

Stolen?

All she can do to fix it is blame us.

You mean she blames you?

She's just got it in for me
'cause all the girls like me better.

They listen to Josie.
I've seen it.

And you think you could run the girls?

I could look out for 'em,
keep the cash safe.

Be happy to work alongside Johnny here,
you think that's best.

The route west and south
along the lake, Mr. President,

it crosses open country
for thirty miles.

It has advantages both as to cost

and speed of progress.

As per federal law,

we will acquire the land

and mineral rights

twenty miles on either side
of the southern route,

precise numbers here.

Any questions,
you may direct to the man

who made the survey
for the Union Pacific

while he was in my employ,
Cullen Bohannon.

I have some questions, Mr. President.

This is the route the Union Pacific
plans to follow, exactly?

Saving room
for any necessary detours, yes.

Detours?

Unforeseen departures from the thing

you have committed yourself to doing.

I know you're familiar with the term.

I'm familiar with the route.
And having surveyed it myself,

I assure you it requires no detours.

Come, Bohannon.

Changes in the weather...

shortage of supplies...

Employees leaving.

Barring extenuating circumstances,

do you agree this route
requires no detours?

Barring extenuating circumstances.

Let the record show Mr. Durant's nod
in the affirmative.

I propose that we take a vote to lock in
the southern route through Salt Lake City

and exclude any detours north,
including the coal fields...

around Ogden.

Central Pacific is ready to lock in
the southern route,

as proposed by the Union Pacific.

Wise decision.

What do you say, Mr. Durant?
Will you make it unanimous?

Excluding Ogden is premature.

Foolhardy.

Could I suggest that we...

Mr. Durant,

Ogden is outside the straightest route.
The southern route.

Building to Ogden would constitute
a waste of federal funds.

A felony for which Mr. Durant

has already served time,
if I'm not mistaken, Mr. President.

Mr. Durant, you have two choices,

go south and forfeit Ogden,

or go north through Ogden.

I want your choice made now.

You force my hand, um...

The Union Pacific will have to go north,
through Ogden.

You lying heathen!

The northern route
has been confirmed.

When we reconvene,

we shall settle on where your two railroads
would join by naming a final terminus.

It's the ease with which you lie
and steal that truly impresses me.

Did you not hear me
fighting for you in there?

For Salt Lake City,
to the point of hoarseness?

The bone you have to pick
is with Cullen Bohannon,

the man who just saw to it

that the Transcontinental Railroad

will bypass your fine, fecund city.

I need you to put Salt Lake City
back on the table.

Give me back your laborers

and I will order the immediate construction

of a glistening spur line
direct to Salt Lake City.

There, your Zion resurrected!

The President's dream
of uniting this country by rail

will crumble to dust

without lumber from Mormon poplars,

sugar from Mormon beets,
flour from Mormon wheat,

and tools forged in Mormon fire.

Brigham, you and I both know

your Zion will die...

without the influx of cash
a contract with me provides.

Now, you have a choice.

You can stomp your feet
like a petulant schoolgirl

or you can join me
in undoing Cullen Bohannon.

Salt Lake City is the terminus
or you can build your railroad alone.

Come. Come, come, come, please.

We propose Fort Bridger

as the final terminus of the railroad.

Edge of Wyoming,
and that fatuous double-dealer,

he won't even make it far enough west
to smell the coal in Ogden.

We ain't even through the Sierras.
Durant will see through it, so will Grant.

Grant's never been to the Sierras,
and Durant neither.

Nobody knows for certain where we are
except you and me.

Put it on the map,
Grant will believe it.

I ain't lying to the President
of the United States.

What's good for the railroad
is good for America.

We are patriots, Mr. Bohannon!

Do you know why I hired you?

To build your railroad.

Yeah, and also because Grant,

that old soldier,

holds you in higher regard
than the rest of us combined.

You call it... a lie.

Call it a battlefield strategy...

But this... this, right here

is the very stuff of your lifetime.

Now you fancy yourself
a railroad man...

Minute you accepted a stake
in the Central Pacific,

you became a tycoon.

And a tycoon always chooses the win...

no matter how he comes by it.

Pretty goddamn sure
of yourself, ain't you?

I am.

It's a well that replenishes.

Time for you to drink
from that same water.

Deliver this for me.

Josie's a whore.

Whores lie.

Well, Josie's running all over you
and all the other girls see it.

She came to me after your job.

She's a nasty piece of work.

Running women is nasty business, sure.

They need to be kept in line.
And you let them away with too much.

My cousin favors the change.

We'd keep a place for you, of course.

Always room for a good whore.

I'll get the money back.

Pray that you do.

And get control of Josie and
the other girls, otherwise...

Your favorite brand, as I recall.

Ain't you got schemes to spin?

You know, it gives me no pleasure

to find us set against
each other, Bohannon.

I'm a little surprised,
I will admit.

Given all your talk of "honor."

I joined the Central Pacific
to find my family.

The Union Pacific
is your family.

It has been since the day
you bust into my rail car

and told me to hire you
instead of hanging you.

You regret your decision?

Not if you come home.

You don't owe that puny
shopkeeper Huntington anything.

He's using you.

He will ask you to misrepresent the
progress of the Central Pacific

to the President of the United States,

if he hasn't already.

It's what I'd do.

But I would never ask you to lie.

Saint that you are.

You can't beat me, Bohannon.

But for some damned reason,
Grant likes you.

You and I have always given
each other an edge.

Join me.

Together we can bury Huntington
and win the coal fields of Ogden.

You are full of surprises,
I give you that.

You told me when I left
that you'd never take me back.

Well, all is forgiven.

Just come home.

Wasn't me who killed Johnson,
you know.

What?

That day I busted into your train car,
you was gonna hang me for killing Johnson.

Was Elam done that, not me.

Um, I don't care who you killed.

I know.

Got a few surprises of my own, is all.

Sir?

You wanted to see me?

Mr. Bohannon...

We are up and running,
bursting with grain and fruit,

bustling with industry,
all ready for export.

Going through Salt Lake City
ain't practical for the railroad.

Grant told me himself
he's willing to consider it.

I come to you heart in hand.

My people, our very way of life
depend upon you.

If you'll just speak to the President.

I know he listens to you.

He's his own man.

At the end of the day,
he'll call it like he sees it.

Well, perhaps my route
has some practical applications

that are escaping you at the moment.

Not long ago,
I received a telegram from you

inquiring about the Hatchites.

I responded that I didn't know
their location.

I did. And I do.

I know exactly where they are.

And you know exactly
what I need from you.

Them gold plates teach you to lie like that,
or was you just born a son-of-a-bitch?

Heavenly Father looks out for me,
Mr. Bohannon,

as I am attempting
to look out for you.

Let my good fortune be yours,

and you shall be reunited
with your loved ones.

Not like that.

Get off Tess' bed, Josie.

- It's my bed...
- Shut it!

Move your ass.

I won't ask again.

Or what?

You'll shoot me?

You dumb enough to find out?

Now you go and get me that money.

I said already...

I don't have it!
Put it in my hand!

(Mucking)

Go pack your things.

Bitch!

You're fired.

- You can't fire her!
- I'm the madam, Tess.

Now, you like her so much,

you go get on that train with her.

Leaves at 10:00 for Cheyenne.

Brother Phineas.

- I had the vision, Brother.
- Tell me.

I was walking through the desert,

with a dagger.

And I came across a lone sheep.
Yes?

Abandoned by his flock.

A sheep with fangs and claws.

But I just...

I just stood there, Brother.

I couldn't... I couldn't move.
I was frozen.

Heavenly Father is telling you

to slaughter the sheep
so that you may wear his wool.

He's calling upon you
to out the unholy sheep's throat!

You're afraid.

I see it, my son.

But fear not,

this holy divination has been bestowed
by Heavenly Father above upon you,

and you alone.

Yes.

My mission is clear.

Yes, my son.

Why are you doing this?

The railroad?

The scars of reconstruction
can't heal until

we link this nation
east to west...

Make it whole again.
You sound like a politician.

I never pictured you as one.

Never pictured it myself.

The last morning I have a clear memory of
is in Appomattox Court House.

Yesterday I was watching
Robert E. Lee surrender.

Today I'm sitting behind a desk
in the White House.

You know, sometimes you can't avoid
the thing you want most,

even if getting it is detestable.

As much as I pretend I hate it,

the detestable thing I want is power,

and power means politics.

What's yours?

I used to know.

Thought I did.

I know two songs, Mr. Bohannon.

One's Yankee Doodle,

and the other one isn't.

Keep things simple,
that's my advice.

The American people don't care
where the two railroads meet up,

only that they do.

Even if it's Salt Lake City?

In politics, nothing
is ever off the table.

Tell me where my family is,

I'll make the case for Salt Lake City.

You'll have their location
the minute the meeting concludes.

Here and now or the deal's off.

I walk out that door,
don't bother coming to the meeting.

Time she's finished, you won't even be able
to find Salt Lake City on a map.

Fair enough.

Mr. Bohannon.

The railroad goes south through the city.

You have my word.

You found me in a pile of pig shit...

That's true.

I was starving and lonely
and lower than low.

But it was better than
where I come from.

I can't go back.

Josie.

I went to the station, Eva.

I did.

But then I thought,

why should I be the one to leave?

- I can't have you here.
- Well, I ain't going.

You are.

(gunsnon

Josie, no!

Clean up this mess now, girl.

Josie...

We're gonna need a new redhead.

All right, sit down!

John, sit down!

You cost me a lot of money there, Eva.

Customers' favorite, Josie.

It was my decision to make.

It was.

Now, get yourself cleaned up,

and get back to work.

Now, under my compass,

the Union Pacific has laid
987 miles of tracks

across four states,

using half the amount of money,

work force, and supplies
as the Central Pacific.

The Union Pacific would like to propose

the naming of Promontory, Utah,

385 miles west of Laramie, Wyoming,

as our terminus.

At three miles a day,

we will be there in less
than 130 days from today.

Thank you, Mr. Durant.
Mr. Huntington?

Mr. President, if it pleases you,
I'd like my partner,

to deliver our case.

The Central Pacific
will not be naming.

Fort Bridger
as the final terminus here today.

Mr. Durant spoke true when he said

such a proposal
would be outside our capabilities.

But he is mistaken

in naming Promontory
as the proper terminus of this road.

Central Pacific wishes to propose
a more radical alternative,

one which has been considered
but not fully discussed

by the men in this room
over the last couple days.

We propose no terminus at all.

Mr. Bohannon, I...

But that both railroads
follow the agreed upon northern route,

bypassing Salt Lake City,

the point to be determined by the speed
with which each railroad builds.

Godless bastard!

I second Mr. Young's objections!

Mr. Bohannon, the purpose of this meeting
was to set a final terminus.

Mr. President,

not long ago,
I took a train ride after a long war.

And today, I sit here, in this room,

a stakeholder
in the Central Pacific Railroad.

And make no mistake about it,

the other men in this room
are driven by self-interest and greed.

Greed for the coalfields in Ogden.

But Ogden's riches shouldn't go to the man

with the best speech
or the most devious lie.

This contest hadn't ought to end in a room.

Ogden should go to the man
who gets there first.

You said it yourself...

Nothing's ever off the table.

You want a race?

Yeah... Yeah, I want a race.

Then, Mr. Bohannon,

you shall have a race.

I would be within reason to fire you.

Not if you aim to win this race.

Get us through that tunnel quick.

Thomas, as always...

No.

Collie, you don't stand a chance.
I think I do.

You know, starting a race
from behind a granite wall

is not going to make
for a very exciting finish.

I was hoping for more of a fight from you.

You've been an advocate of mine, Doc,

but if you aim to beat me,
you should've ended this race

where you stood a chance of winning it,
right here in this room.

The race we start tomorrow
will be decided in the mud.

Hell, I've...
I was born in the mud.

Tore a farm out of that mud.

Built an army out of more mud.

Failure stacked atop failure.

In one month,
I'll punch through the Sierras.

In two months,
I'll be across Nevada.

By year end, both railroads
will be at the Utah state line,

and the last place you want to see me

is at rail end building in your direction.

Don't fool yourself, Bohannon.

The coal fields of Ogden will be mine.

We will see.

Mr. Bohannon.

- Father.
- Another time, Phineas.

Why did you never read to me?

This is the question you ask?

Now? When I'm fighting
for the life of my holy city,

for the very life of my flock!
It is not your flock anymore, Father!

It's mine.

Beautiful day?

Made with love. Yeah?

The Prophet has fallen!

Brigham Young, the False Prophet,

who led us away from God's path.

But fear not, brothers,

for I am he who replaces him.

The True Prophet.

Heavenly Father has anointed me,

Phineas Young,
to his earthly throne.

And...

Traitor!

My sometime son!

He very nearly took my life.

But Heavenly Father...

spared me through his mercy.

My friend. My friend.

You stay. You stay, yeah?

Brother Cassius!

It's your father, hurry.
He's been stabbed.

Father!

It was Gundersen.
He planned this!

Thor Gundersen's the man you want!

He's already gone.

Find him.

Find him, my son.

This morning,
Phineas asked about a heretic sect,

their location...

Come here!