Jericho (2006–2008): Season 2, Episode 2 - Condor - full transcript

Jericho,

a small town in Kansas that witnessed
a series of nuclear attacks

that destroyed 23 American cities
in a single day.

The attacks crippled
and fractured the U.S. government

and left our town
cut off from the world.

Please help us.

If this country is at war,
we need to know it.

But even in the worst of times,

it's possible to find the best
in ourselves

and in others.

Robert Hawkins,



a covert agent
who was supposed to stop the attacks

is now hunted by his former bosses
for the secret he holds.

What is that?

A nuclear bomb.

There were dozens of these
used in the attacks, right?

And now you have the last one.

Evidence.

The smoking gun
behind the greatest crime

in the history of the world.

Now as we are
about to be overwhelmed

by a hostile neighbouring town,

a new government appears
based out of Cheyenne, Wyoming.

A government with a new face,
flying a new flag.

NOW!



Previously on Jericho:

I'm Major Beck,
10th Mountain Division.

The dispute between these towns
is now officially over.

As of this morning,

we've restored power
to 70 percent of town.

Jericho's on the fast track
to recovery.

I want you to be Jericho's sheriff.

I'd like to tell you not to worry,
but your trial by fire as Jericho's sheriff

is coming sooner rather than later.

- How's that?
- The president's on his way.

Stanley?

- Good morning.
- What is this?

It's a celebration for your first day
on the job at Jennings & Rall.

Could you be any sweeter?

Probably not.

This looks great.

I know. This is-- This is a big day.

You get to be an accountant again.

Count things, add things up.

Maybe even a little subtraction,
right?

Well, I have to say
I cannot wait to work in that office.

You wouldn't believe how organised
the Jennings & Rall people are.

Everything is bar coded.

I have so missed bar codes
and spreadsheets.

I mean, every component
and package and food stuff,

every ounce is accounted for.

Where it's been, where it's going.

I've forgotten
how beautiful order can be.

That's probably the most boring story
I've heard in months.

No, I love it.

I mean, just a few weeks ago,
we were sitting at this table,

trying to figure out
how to defend our farm.

And now, we're sitting here,

we're about to eat pancakes
with actual chocolate chips in them

and you're blabbing on
about tracking packages, it's...

- We're boring.
- We are. We're boring.

Yeah, we are.

Stanley Richmond?

- Yeah.
- Hi, I'm Ken Calley.

I'm the president's
deputy communications director.

- The president?
- Yes, ma'am.

President Tomarchio
wants to address the nation today.

From...

...right here, on your front porch.

Okay, let's get these cars
out of here, all right?

Right away.

Sheriff Green.

Nice uniform.

- I'm pacing myself.
- Well, it's a start.

And for today, you and your men are
gonna have to wear these credentials.

I got deputies rerouting traffic

and I told them to keep an eye out
for anything unusual.

Although I think Secret Service
has got you covered.

Come on, what do you need me for?
Trying to keep an eye on me?

Local intel always beats
eye-in-the-sky.

We wanna know
the hazards in the area.

Condor's gonna be here
in a few hours.

- Condor?
- Code name for the president.

Biggest bird in the west.

The Watch Room is in Town Hall.

The president will be making a stop
outside of Jennings & Rall first

before heading to the farm
for the speech.

And how long is he scheduled
to be on Main Street?

Twenty minutes.

Shake some hands,
meet and greet with the mayor.

Well, that sounds like the time for us
to make our move.

- You got the password yet?
- I will.

How about evac?

Okay. Here is your escape route.

Got transportation here.

Diversions here and here.

Should give you enough time
to get out on the open road.

I just wish there was a way of
doing this without getting you burned.

Riding with the Army
was for uncovering the truth.

And the truth is coming to us.

All goes well,
by this time tomorrow I'll be in Texas,

and we'll be changing history.

Or we'll be dead.

They call this
the White House on wheels.

Unloads and reloads at every stop
during the tour.

Command and control capabilities

equals anything we had
before the attacks.

The president could fight a war
from here.

Change of plans, the president
has struck a stop from his itinerary.

That ETA of three hours
is now 28 minutes.

Copy that.

Lieutenant Parker, take a patrol out

and secure the routes in and out
of town one last time.

Roger that. I'll send them out now.

No, I want you to do it, Parker.

We need all eyes out there.

Yes, sir.

- What took you so long?
- We've got a problem.

Secret Service cut
the last stop short,

so the president will be here
in less than 30 minutes.

- We can handle that.
- That's not the problem.

Chavez got sent out on patrol.

- Did he get the password?
- I don't know.

I mean, if he did, he didn't
have a chance to give it to me.

- What if he's not back in time?
- I'm assuming that he's not gonna be.

So I'm gonna have to do it myself.

How, Robert?
You'll never get past all that security.

I gotta get a hold of
one of their secure walkie-talkies.

I can get one.

Baby, this is not eavesdropping
or xeroxing some fax pages.

- This is the real thing.
- It's lifting a walkie-talkie

from a tray of walkie-talkies
without being noticed.

I can do that.

I didn't realise
how much I'd let this place go.

I don't know,
the glare from the shell casings

really make
the window treatments pop.

The grass?

I'm trying to figure out
how to make our wedding registry

vital to national security.

You're already planning
our wedding registry?

Yeah, since I was 12.

And I've taken off the list
luxury items that we already have

such as your Star Wars
collector glasses.

Well, I hope your friends
are buying the high-ticket items

because I'm not inviting anybody
who can afford an espresso maker.

I'm gonna go make sure that
they're not scratching up the floors.

It's facial recognition software.

Takes a 3-D picture of every face,

checks them against the database
we keep here at the Watch Office.

The flagged ones will be prohibited
from secure areas today.

Since when does
a criminal database

cross-reference
people's voter registrations,

DMV files and library records?

September 2006.

Take a look
through the ones we've flagged.

I've scanned them, but you know
these people better than I do.

Let me know if there's anyone
I need to be worried about.

- I should warn you I might be in there.
- You aren't.

You've seen my file?

I don't know.
A lot of files come across my desk.

Gray, you got a minute?

Sure. Yeah, I was just gonna come
looking for you.

Mr. Calley has asked me
to greet the president.

And I was hoping, Eric,
that you and Jake would join me.

I'm sorry.
Am I missing something here?

Show him what you showed me.

Jennings & Rall just received a crate
of these new history textbooks.

They want them distributed
by the end of the week.

And why is this a problem?

Look at the chapter titles.

The section after World War II
is called:

"The Decline and Fall
of the First Republic."

Talks about how the United States died
because we got weak.

That the Cuban Missile Crisis
was a failure

because we didn't attack
the Russians.

That we pulled out of Nam
in '75 too early.

I mean, it goes on.

- How should we handle this?
- I don't know.

You don't know?

What do you want me to tell you?

Teach from it or don't teach from it.
It's your classroom.

There's a bigger issue here, Gray.

This new government,
first they change the flag.

Now our history?

At what point is this a country
we don't even recognise?

These people have saved this town
from annihilation,

to say nothing
of the millions of people

who are still alive right now
because of them.

I don't know, I think that earns them
the right to a point of view.

Those terrorists just keep getting
better looking, don't they?

Can I help you?

- Alex Utley.
- Jake Green.

The Modesto Bee, huh?

Second largest paper
in California now.

Though we had a little help
getting there.

Is that a joke?

Guess not.

- Friend of yours?
- She's a schoolteacher.

Says she's flagged
because of her father.

Jonah Prowse.

- What did he do?
- He runs a road gang in the area.

Although I'm not sure
why that makes her a threat.

Well, I think they'd say that there's
no such thing as being too careful.

Are you reporting on them
or for them?

Yes.

Break, break. Condor is arriving.

Condor is arriving.

Mr. President, Mr. President.

Folks, stay back please.
Please stay back.

Stay back.

Mr. President.

- Got it.
- Okay.

I need you to give me
as much time as you can

- before you let them find it.
- Okay.

- Okay? Head back to Town Hall.
- Okay.

I'm not far behind.

- What's going on?
- I don't know what you mean.

I just saw Darcy
put something in her purse

back in the Watch Office.

- Now, what are you up to?
- Jake Green.

We're missing
a secure walkie-talkie.

Did you take one
from the Watch Office?

- No.
- Let's go, turn around.

On your feet.
You were in the office as well.

- I'll assume the position.
- Let's go.

Sir, nobody told you to move.

- Sheriff and the reporter are clean.
- Copy that.

- Mr. President--
- Gray Anderson.

- Good to finally meet you, sir.
- Mr. President.

Eric Green,
my condolences on your loss.

Your father sounded like
a wonderful man.

- Wish I could have known him.
- Thank you.

I have to tell you guys
I am truly humbled

at the sacrifices you've all endured.

I think the country needs
to hear this story.

Mayor, would you consider
representing the area

at the upcoming
Constitutional Convention?

Constitutional Convention?

We have an opportunity to write
the next chapter in American history.

The triumph of democracy
over the forces of evil.

Think about it.

We'll need good men like you guys
to help keep this country strong.

Thank you, sir. I'm-- I'm honoured.

Crash, Condor.
Repeat, crash, Condor.

Crash, Condor. Crash, Condor.

- Condor is secure.
- Yes, sir.

I've got confirmation
that Condor is secure at the Citadel.

Checkmate is moving to Billboard.
Copy that?

Schultz, please confirm
you have the new positions.

Darcy, hold it.

I'm sorry,
I didn't mean to startle you.

I just didn't want you
wandering outside. We're in a crash.

What's a crash?

Secret Service procedure. If they
believe the principle is in jeopardy,

they freeze everyone
where they are.

A secure walkie went missing
about 15 minutes ago.

- Until that's recovered, we stay put.
- Okay.

Have a seat.
This will take a few minutes.

Isn't this something
you should be covering?

Cheyenne doesn't like
incidents like this covered.

And they control my credentials.

What the hell
kind of reporter are you?

The working kind.

So that's your idea of being
a journalist? Not making waves?

Let me ask you this, you guys heard
of the Hudson River virus?

Yeah, from the news.
They stopped it at the Mississippi.

They don't want a panic,

so they won't let us publish reports
that says it's jumped the Blue Line.

- The Blue Line?
- That's what they call the Mississippi.

It's got U.N. peacekeepers
all up and down it.

So nobody's reporting the real news.
That gets you off the hook.

I used to work for the L.A. Times.
Before the attacks, I won two Pulitzers.

So I've got a pretty good idea
about what it means to be a journalist.

And they don't exist anymore.

Is your mother gonna come out
to the farm for the speech?

She just left.
Went to Cedar Brook.

To stay with some family we contacted
after the roads were cleared.

Yeah, it couldn't be easy for her
to be around here anymore.

You should be glad she's not here.

She would've thrown that history book
in the president's face.

- Oh, come on.
- He wasn't elected, Gray.

How does a government no one
voted for change the Constitution?

We found time to have an election.

Of all people,
I'd think you would remember that.

So you're a real reporter, huh?

And the news also says
that the attacks were

North Korean weapons
financed by Iran.

Is that the whole story?

Well, there's plenty of theories
out there to pick from.

- What's yours?
- I'm not a conspiracy nut.

Let me guess,
you know a guy who knows a guy--

What if there were more
to that story?

What if-- What if the government
nuked two countries

who had nothing to do
with attacking us?

What if a guy wrote an exposé about
the appalling gaps in port security

three years before the attacks,

and it ended up on page C-18
because it doesn't have any zazz?

People get the news they deserve.

No, people get the news
they're given.

It just takes someone willing
to give it to them.

When I was a kid
two guys took down the White House

with a typewriter
because people listened.

They got angry. They acted.

If I thought anybody was willing
to listen, believe me, I'd be talking.

Ma'am, I'd like to take a look
inside your purse.

Is that really necessary?

Yes, sir, it is.

You searched the entire office, huh?

All stations on the net.
This is Citadel 2.

We found the radio.
Repeat, the radio is secure.

Copy that.

The crash is over.

- They found the walkie-talkie.
- Where?

Overheard it was
in the sheriff's office.

They're pretty embarrassed.
Had the whole group out looking.

And a light staff at the Watch Office.

He caused the crash on purpose.

What?

Hold.

Hold it.

Find Hawkins.

You had a guy inside Beck's camp
and you didn't tell me?

He hurt one of my deputies.

What makes you think
I got a guy inside?

Well, before Beck arrested him,
he attacked me

and he told me to find you.

Check your pockets.

Check them.

Okay.

What's going on?

There were some very important files
in that Watch Room,

and I copied them.

But my guy inside, Chavez,

he couldn't get the password to me
to open them.

So he gave it to you. I told him if
he was in trouble, he could trust you.

That's what this is all about? Files?

A conspiracy this big
leaves footprints, Jake.

Thank you.

You know,
immediately after the attacks,

the 23 blast sites
were tested by the military

to determine the origin
of the fissile material in the bombs.

The results said
the bombs were milled in North Korea.

You're saying they doctored
the results? They falsified them?

Yes. But somewhere in here
are the original results.

Here.

That bomb wasn't from North Korea.

It's from an ex-Soviet nuke.

This is proof
they lied about the attacks.

Oh, this is just the paper trail.

And your bomb is the hard evidence.

Getting that evidence out
is gonna be damn near impossible.

- What do you mean out? Out where?
- Texas.

They're close to joining Cheyenne,
and if they do that,

then Cheyenne is gonna be
too strong to bring down.

So we have to make sure
that that does not happen.

- Now, where did they take Chavez?
- Holding him in a lock-up for now.

I heard they were gonna transfer him
to someplace called Loomer Ridge.

That is a supermax prison
in Colorado.

- A place you don't come back from.
- He's well guarded.

I'm not gonna risk the greater mission
trying to rescue him.

But Chavez had the contacts
in Texas.

And I've gotta find a way
of getting this information

to the right people by myself.

You gonna drive around Texas
with a bomb in your car

looking for someone
you don't even know yet?

You know,
when you put it like that, Jake...

There may be another way
to get the information out.

There's a reporter--

No, the media's
in Cheyenne's pocket.

This one may be different.

All right? Let me feel him out.

- Jake--
- I'll keep you insulated, all right?

Unless you can think of
a better way.

I've been trusting you.
Now it's time for you to trust me.

That's a lot of information
to take on faith.

- You can't give me your source?
- No, not yet.

First, you have to convince
your paper

to publish the information
on the flash drive.

I've gotta know you're gonna
follow this through to the end.

- I-- I don't know.
- What don't you know?

God, this is the biggest news story
in American history.

That's the problem,
it's gonna make a god-awful mess.

It is a god-awful mess.

All right, let me call my editors now.

On a government issued phone?
Are you crazy?

You'll have to leave the press pool.
You can't talk to anyone.

Drive straight through to Modesto.

You want me to sit on
the biggest news story for two days?

Yeah, that part's non-negotiable.
But you can drive as fast as you want.

Are you in?

Two guys and a typewriter, huh?

- Trish.
- Mr. Richmond.

Oh, Mr. Richmond's my dad.
I'm Stanley.

Oh, Stanley, I'm pretty busy.

Oh, okay. Well, here's the thing.

I kind of need a favour.

Oh, no, he's not annoying.
I really am busy.

Yeah, it's mandatory for
all Jennings & Rall managers

to learn many languages,
so I picked sign language.

Okay, so about this favour.

I hear you guys are really good
at tracking things, so I need--

Yeah, fine.

But she scares me.

Okay, so what's the favour?

Stand down, gentlemen.

What was in that room
that was so important?

This is probably your last chance
to tell me what's going on

before somebody drops you
in a hole somewhere, Parker.

If that's even your real name.

We fought together.

At least tell me who you are.

I'm a dead man.

- Lieutenant.
- Sir.

Send his prints and ID
to Camp Liberty.

- We'll find out who he is soon enough.
- Yes, sir.

- Hey-
- Hey-

Headed to the farm for the speech.
You wanna ride?

No, I'll meet you out there.
What is all this?

Some guy had a heart attack
at Bailey's.

He was dead when they found him.

All right. I'll see you there.

Hold up.

About face.

Citizens of Jericho,

I am honoured to be
standing here today with you

on this most hallowed ground.

Those who died here gave their blood
to protect our lives and liberties.

And so we honour them.

Detail, present arms.

It's over.

He's dead.

The reporter's dead.

Accept this on behalf
of a grateful nation.

Arms.

Ready, aim, fire.

Aim, fire.

Aim, fire.

They killed him.

If they killed him,
why didn't they kill me?

Well, if they suspected
you were a threat, they would have.

Best guess,
the reporter called his paper

to prep them for the expose
on the new government,

and the call was intercepted.

We need to get a hold
of that phone log.

I wanna know who he talked to,
and I want an autopsy.

You will never see that body again.

And we're lucky
they didn't take him alive,

because he would have given us up.

You've lost loved ones.

And here you are again.

Still strong. Still proud.

This is the best of America.

But infighting has left us weak
and vulnerable to our enemies.

Remnants of the old
Federal government

have fallen back to Columbus, Ohio.

After the attacks, that government
endlessly debated our response.

So in a vacuum of leadership,

I acted to let the world know
that America was down, but not out.

- We can't let them get away with this.
- They already have.

I have gotta figure out
what I'm gonna do next.

You figure out what you're gonna do.
I can't let this go.

Jake, I need you not to be
my problem right now.

The Federal government
of the eastern bloc states

no longer has any governing authority
beyond the Mississippi.

You've seen the flag.

This is the flag of a new country,

flying from the Mississippi
to the Pacific.

The 13 stripes of red and white
still represent the 13 colonies,

but they run in a new direction.

Just as we must chart
a new direction for ourselves.

In a few short weeks,
Mayor Anderson will represent you

as we ratify a constitution
for this new nation

that will be known to the world
by a new name.

The Allied States of America.

And with this new name,
a clean slate.

Our debts have been forgiven
and we are open again for business.

That means jobs, stocked shelves,
a return to life as we knew it.

And in the fall, we'll have elections,

where we can all take part
in building a new government

as a safer, stronger America.

God bless you and God bless
the Allied States of America.

- Where are you taking him?
- He's being transferred.

Son of a bitch.

- Hey.
- Pull him off.

Get him out of here.

Nobody wants to do that
more than me.

He put one of my men
in the hospital too.

Oh, he'll get his due. I assure you.

Lieutenant.

Sir, the info on Parker is back.

- He's dead.
- What do you mean?

I mean Parker's name and identity
belonged to a dead soldier.

"R.F. Parker, U.S. Army,
Killed in action.

Jalalabad, Afghanistan,
11 May, 2003."

He's black ops.

Echo 3, this is Echo 1, over.

I need a SITREP now on the transport
of a Lt. Parker to Loomer Ridge.

I repeat, Echo 3, this is Echo 1.

Come in. Over.

You left this at the farm.

You didn't even ask him
one question.

All you did was say yes.

Well, I wanna go to that convention,
and interrogating the president

is a good way to make sure
that never happens.

Well, safe travels.

Eric, wait.

It was my dad's.

Hung in his old office
before the renovations.

I thought it was lost.

Yeah, I found it in storage
when the Army needed the space.

I thought about bringing it down here
and hanging it up,

but it just isn't me.

I'm going to Cheyenne
to ask those questions.

And I'm gonna keep asking
the questions

until I get some answers.

I just don't want them
to see me coming.

And I was hoping
that while I was gone,

that you'd be willing to act as mayor.

And try not to get us
into too much trouble.

What has happened today
is unacceptable.

I understand, sir.

- How did your men lose him?
- Don't know, sir.

There's absolutely
no record of him existing.

Either through fingerprints or DNA.

Not to mention
that every piece of paper

with his name or picture on it
has disappeared from my CP.

How's your search
for Sarah Mason going?

That's what I thought.

You're overwhelmed.

I'm sending you a private contractor
who knows the area.

He'll take care of the day-to-day
administration of the town

white you find the terrorist.

Jake.

I've been wracking my brain
trying to figure out

how a handcuffed prisoner
guarded by three soldiers

escaped from the back of a Humvee.

Any ideas?

I heard he was a spook.

Figured he picked the lock on his cuffs
and fought his way out.

Sounds plausible.

Suppose I should have
thought of that.

Thanks for your help today.
It's appreciated.

Little help here.

What's going on?

Tell me what?

Nothing, nothing.
There's nothing to tell.

What did you find?

Nothing.

I mean, we found your father's
second cousin on a census in Indiana,

but the area had
already been evacuated.

And there was a woman with the same
last name in a nearby refugee camp,

but she wasn't related.

Thank you.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. I really wanted you
to have your family at the wedding.

I Will.

You're my family.

You and Bonnie, from here on in.

Thank Jake for me.

You were right about him.
He's got good hands.

I wish he'd learn to pull his punches.

Yeah, me too.

So Darcy scrubbed the office.

There won't be any pictures
to trace you with.

- A good woman you've got there.
- Yeah, so she keeps telling me.

You got everything you need?

Car? Map?

Actually, I got something for you.

The phone's clean.

When I get to Texas
and meet up with my contacts, I'll call.

I'll be waiting.

Say, hey

you ever heard of a Project Boxcar?

- No, what is it?
- It was a file on the flash drive.

It was the only thing
that the password wouldn't open.

That's strange. That password
should've opened everything.

Yeah. I guess I'll keep working on it.

Remember when this job
used to be easy?

No.

Hey.

Hey.

- Hey.
- Hi.

Did--? you hear about your brother?

No.

Gray appointed me
acting mayor in his absence.

Mayor Green.

Nice to hear that again, huh?

Long day?

Yeah, things with Beck
are getting pretty dicey.

Well, we've dealt with worse.
We're still here.

We can handle it.

Major Beck, 10th Mountain Division.

You Goetz?

Tactical operations officer.
I'll take it from here.