Numb3rs (2005–2010): Season 1, Episode 9 - Sniper Zero - full transcript

(man breathing heavily)

(siren wailing)

(people chattering)

(Don) WE HAVE AN
I.D. ON THIS ONE?

MARK HERLAN, 39.

(David) A SINGLE MEDIUM-CALIBER
RIFLE ROUND TO THE CHEST.

ANY WITNESSES?

LADY GARDENING,
MOM WITH HER KID.

NEITHER ONE HEARD THE SHOT.

I'M PULLIN' SOME UNIFORMS TO
CANVASS THE NEIGHBORHOOD,

TO SEE IF WE CAN GET A LOCK
ON WHERE THE SHOT CAME FROM.



I DON'T THINK THAT'S
GONNA BE NECESSARY.

THESE NUMBERS, SIZE OF
THE WOUND, ANGLE OF ENTRY,

POSITION OF THE BODY,

THEY ALREADY TELL YOU
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.

SEE, BALLISTIC TRAJECTORIES
ARE FUNDAMENTALLY SIMPLE.

THEY'RE THE RESULT OF
ONLY 2 PHYSICAL FORCES:

VERTICAL AND
HORIZONTAL VELOCITY.

CALCULATING TRAJECTORIES
WITH PRECISION

REQUIRES TAKING INTO
ACCOUNT MANY VARIABLES.

(Charlie) WIND SPEED
AND DIRECTION,

ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE,
TEMPERATURE, HUMIDITY,

INCLINATION OF GUN,
DENSITY OF THE PROJECTILE.

SO, I'VE DONE SOME ROUGH
CALCULATIONS OF TRAJECTORY MODELS

BASED ON THE BULLET'S ANGLE OF
IMPACT, WIND SPEED, AND DIRECTION.



I APPROXIMATE THAT OUR SNIPER
FIRED FROM RIGHT AROUND HERE.

THIS SPOT HERE. SEE? UH-HUH.

(Edgerton) ACTUALLY,
IT WAS MORE LIKE HERE.

AH, AGENT EDGERTON.

BUREAU TOLD YOU I
WAS COMING? YEAH.

I'M THE ONE WHO REQUESTED
YOU. THANKS FOR COMING.

HE'S A SNIPER INSTRUCTOR
FROM QUANTICO.

NEEDED A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.

WHAT MAKES YOU THINK HE
FIRED FROM YOUR LOCATION?

WELL, YOUR LOCATION
ASSUMES HE'S A GOOD SHOT.

I SAY HE'S JUST AN OK
SHOT WHO GOT LUCKY.

WHAT KIND OF EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE

ARE YOU BASING
THAT ASSUMPTION ON?

300-YARD PLINK,

AND HE GOES FOR
CENTER MASS, TORSO SHOT.

GOOD SNIPER BOTHERS
TO GET THIS CLOSE,

IT'S TO SPREAD A MAN'S
BRAINS ACROSS THE SIDEWALK.

OH, YEAH, AND, UH,
THERE'S THIS, TOO.

SEE HOW THE GRASS IS BURNED
FROM THE MUZZLE FLASH?

(Edgerton) THIS
WAFFLING IN THE DIRT?

RIGHT. LIKE HE USED
SOMETHING FOR SUPPORT, RIGHT?

YEAH, I'M THINKING A
DUFFEL OR HIS JACKET.

BUT YOURS WAS A GOOD GUESS, TOO.

WASN'T A GUESS. IT WAS
MORE OF AN ESTIMATE.

ANYTHING ELSE?

YEAH, HE'S GONNA DO IT AGAIN.

HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?

THING ABOUT SNIPERS?

WE LOVE IT.

AND THAT'S NOT A
GUESS, EITHER. IT'S A FACT.

(Charlie) WE ALL USE
MATH EVERY DAY.

(echoing) EVERY DAY.

TO PREDICT WEATHER,

TO TELL TIME,

TO HANDLE MONEY.

MATH IS MORE THAN
FORMULAS AND EQUATIONS.

IT'S LOGIC.

(echoing) MATH IS MORE THAN
FORMULAS AND EQUATIONS.

IT'S RATIONALITY.

IT'S USING YOUR MIND

TO SOLVE THE BIGGEST
MYSTERIES WE KNOW.

(echoing) WE KNOW.

OK, LET ME HAVE YOUR
ATTENTION, PLEASE. LISTEN UP.

L.A.P.D. IS RUNNING A PARALLEL TASK
FORCE WITH FULL INFORMATION SHARING.

SO NO THEORY GOES
UNCHECKED, RIGHT?

NO TIP IGNORED.

4 KILLINGS. WHAT
THEY HAVE IN COMMON:

SINGLE SHOTS FIRED
FROM MID-CALIBER RIFLES

AT A DISTANCE OF 200
YARDS OR GREATER.

WHAT THEY DON'T HAVE IN
COMMON ARE THE VICTIMS.

WE HAVE A REAL ESTATE
BROKER, A HOUSEWIFE,

A HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT, AND A MAILMAN.

NOW, THE LOCATIONS VARY,
THE TIMES OF DAY VARY. EVERY...

BALLISTICS CONFIRMS
THAT THE 4 BULLETS

CAME FROM 4 DIFFERENT RIFLES.

4 SHOTS, 4 KILLS.

THAT KIND OF SKILL SUGGESTS A
POSSIBLE MILITARY BACKGROUND.

WHAT IT SUGGESTS IS THAT
HE KNOWS HIS LIMITATIONS

ENOUGH TO REMAIN WITHIN THEM.

THIS IS SPECIAL AGENT
EDGERTON FROM QUANTICO,

AND HE DOESN'T THINK OUR
SHOOTER IS ESPECIALLY SKILLED.

YOUR HOUSEWIFE THERE
CAUGHT A 7.62 BY 39 ROUND.

HE COULD'VE FOUND A
RUSSIAN S.K.S. TO DO THAT JOB

FOR LESS THAN 100 BUCKS.

(Edgerton) OR MAYBE
HE'S USING A BLASER R93.

THAT PARTICULAR WEAPON HAS INTERCHANGEABLE
BARRELS AND 17 DIFFERENT CALIBERS.

SO HE COULD BE SWAPPING
BARRELS AFTER EVERY KILL,

WHICH WOULD CHANGE THE
BALLISTIC FINGERPRINT, RIGHT?

BE A PRETTY CHEAP WAY TO AVOID
BEING LINKED TO ALL OF YOUR MURDERS.

L.A.P.D. CANVASS TURNED
UP A FEDEX DRIVER.

HE REMEMBERS SEEING A
GREEN JEEP PARKED IN THE FIELD

AROUND THE TIME OF THE SHOOTING.

APPARENTLY, THERE'S LARGE
PERFORMANCE DIFFERENTIALS

BETWEEN SAME-CALIBER BULLETS
FROM DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS.

BASED ON WHAT?

LEAD COMPOSITION,
GUNPOWDER PACKING...

THAT'S JUST WHAT I
NEED, MORE VARIABLES.

(knocking on door)

OH!

SOME ASSISTANCE IN MY BRAZEN
ATTACK ON THE LORENZ INVARIANCE?

NO, DRAG COEFFICIENT MODELS.

DRAG... DRAG ON WHAT?

(Amita) BULLETS.

WHAT? BULLETS AS IN
BALLISTIC TRAJECTORIES

DEFINED BY THE EINSTEIN
EQUIVALENCE PRINCIPLE,

RELATED TO THE LORENZ FRAME?

AS IN BULLETS THAT KILL PEOPLE.

OH.

THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME DISAGREEMENTS
OVER THE SNIPER'S EXPERTISE.

(Larry) WELL, I'D SAY THE PUBLIC'S
DECIDED ON THE QUESTION.

I HAVE AN AUNT WHO LIVES 2
BLOCKS FROM THE FIRST SHOOTING.

SHE'S AFRAID TO GO OUT
ON HER FRONT LAWN NOW.

WHY DON'T YOU TELL YOUR
AUNT THAT STATISTICALLY,

SHE HAS A BETTER CHANCE
OF BEING MAULED BY A BEAR?

ACTUALLY, STATISTICS WOULD FAVOR
THE BEAR BEING MAULED BY MY AUNT, BUT...

(laughing)

THIS FEAR, THIS EXTENDS BEYOND
THE REACH OF STATISTICS, CHARLES.

NAH, THIS IS ABOUT
ARBITRARY, INESCAPABLE DEATH.

(Larry) YOU KNOW,
TIMES LIKE THESE,

YOU JUST WIND UP SPECULATING

ON PATHS NOT TAKEN,
JOBS LEFT UNDONE.

(sighing) LARRY, I...

I'M TRYING TO GET THOSE
EQUATIONS DONE FOR YOU

AS SOON AS I CAN... NO, NO, NO.

AT THAT MOMENT, I WAS ACTUALLY
THINKING OF A FAR MORE PROSAIC LEGACY.

SOMEONE TO CARRY ON
THE FLEINHARDT STANDARD.

I DIDN'T KNOW YOU
WANTED KIDS, LARRY.

WELL, CHILDREN ARE WORMHOLES.

"WORMHOLES"?

YEAH. THEY'RE PORTALS

INTO THE UNREACHABLE
FUTURE AND UNATTAINABLE PAST.

NO, AS THINGS STAND NOW, THEY EXIST
ONLY IN THE THEORETICAL REALM, SO...

WELL, I COULD SEE WHERE
YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME TROUBLE

SELLING A WOMAN ON THE IDEA
OF CARRYING YOUR WORMHOLE.

(Larry laughing) YEAH.

I ACCESSED TRAFFIC CAMERAS FOR A
10-BLOCK RADIUS WHERE THE MAILMAN GOT HIT.

(Don) GOOD. FOUND THIS.

TAKE A LOOK.

JEEP IS REGISTERED
TO ONE WAYNE OSBORNE.

RAP SHEET GOES BACK TO IDAHO.

(David) ASSAULT, DRUG
POSSESSION, WEAPONS VIOLATIONS.

OH, YEAH, CHECK THIS OUT.

AFFILIATIONS WITH THE GREEN
LIGHTNING WHITE SUPREMACIST GROUP.

THEY'RE ON THE A.T.F. WATCH
LIST FOR ILLEGAL ARMS DEALINGS.

YEAH, MR. OSBORNE SOUNDS
LIKE A GOOD CANDIDATE.

F.B.I.! WARRANT!

F.B.I.! (agent #1) F.B.I.!

HANDS ON THE TABLE!

(agent #2) F.B.I.!

F.B.I.!

HANDS ON THE TABLE!

CLEAR!

CLEAR BACK HERE.

CLEAR HERE! HE'S NOT HERE, DON.

ALL RIGHT, WHERE'S OSBORNE?

OUT. OUT WHERE?

SOME FRIENDS. I DON'T KNOW.

LOOK, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.

IF YOU DON'T WANNA FACE THE
DEATH PENALTY WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND,

YOU BETTER THINK
HARDER AND THINK FAST.

HE TOOK MY PICKUP
ABOUT 2 HOURS AGO.

BUT I SWEAR I DON'T
KNOW WHERE HE WENT.

WHAT COLOR'S THE
PICKUP? IT'S BLUE.

ALL RIGHT, GET THE PLATES.
NOTIFY L.A.P.D. AND EVERY AGENCY.

MY GUESS IS HE'S OUT THERE
TROLLING FOR MORE VICTIMS.

DON. TAKE A LOOK.

OH, YEAH.

(sighing)

YOU KNOW, STAN CARTER'S WORKING
FOR THE L.A. PARKS DEPARTMENT NOW.

OH, YEAH, I REMEMBER
HIM. STAN. STAN THE MAN.

HE USED TO WORK WITH YOU ON
THE CITY PLANNING BOARD, RIGHT?

YEAH. YEAH.

HE'S LOOKING FOR A
PART-TIME CONSULTANT.

AND, UH, SINCE YOU TWO ARE IN
AND OUT ALL THE TIME, I FIGURED I...

(cell phone ringing)
HOLD ON A SECOND.

HELLO?

OK. ALL RIGHT, YEAH.

(stammering) I'LL BE
RIGHT THERE. SURE.

THEY'RE PRETTY SURE
IT'S THE SNIPER AGAIN.

DAVID'S PICKING ME UP OUT
FRONT ON THE WAY TO THE SCENE.

"THE SCENE"? WHAT SCENE?

YOU MEAN THE CRIME SCENE?

(sighing)

EXPOSURE TO ACTUAL EVENTS
HELPS MY STATISTICAL MODELING.

I KNOW, BUT IT'S THE EXPOSURE
THAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT.

COME ON, THERE'S A CRAZY GUY
OUT THERE STILL SHOOTING PEOPLE.

NOW, WHAT IF HE RETURNS
TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME,

YOU KNOW, LIKE THOSE
ARSONISTS DO? HE HASN'T.

NO, NOT YET.

DAD, THERE ARE A
DOZEN F.B.I. AGENTS

AND POLICE OFFICERS
AT THESE SCENES.

I MEAN, IF I WERE IN
ANY REAL DANGER,

(zipping bag) DON
WOULDN'T LET ME GO.

YOU KNOW THAT.

DON'T WORRY.

(people chattering)

FELT LIKE SOMEONE HIT ME IN
THE SHOULDER WITH A HAMMER.

THEN STEVE SAW THE BLOOD

AND EVERYONE STARTED SCREAMING.

NEITHER ONE OF YOU SAW
WHERE THE SHOT CAME FROM?

DO YOU REMEMBER SEEING
A BLUE PICKUP AT ANY POINT?

I... I'M SORRY, I...

THERE MUST HAVE BEEN 50 PEOPLE
COMING OUT OF THE THEATER.

WHY ME? YEAH, IT'S OK.

YOU'RE GONNA BE OK.

THANK YOU.

SHE'S RIGHT. WHY HER?

MAYBE OSBORNE'S
PLAYING OUT A POWER TRIP,

CHOOSING HIS
VICTIMS ARBITRARILY.

MAYBE IT'S A
POLITICAL STATEMENT.

NO, DOMESTIC TERRORISM USUALLY
INVOLVES A PUBLIC STATEMENT.

HE HAS BEEN
CONSPICUOUSLY SILENT.

YEAH, I DON'T THINK
HE'S GONNA STAY SILENT.

COME ON.

(Edgerton) HELLO
THERE, PROFESSOR.

STILL FIGURING THE ANGLES?

WHAT I'M FIGURING IS THE
REASON WHY HE MISSED.

THIS SHOT IS WAY CLOSER
THAN ANY OF THE OTHERS.

WELL, CLOSER
DOESN'T MEAN EASIER.

HE RAN A HIGHER RISK
OF BEING SEEN HERE.

WELL, THAT WOULDN'T AFFECT
THE SHOT ITSELF, THOUGH, WOULD IT?

FORGET ABOUT THE
MATH FOR A SECOND.

JUST LOOK.

TRY TO THINK LIKE HE DOES.

INVISIBILITY IS A SNIPER'S
GREATEST STRENGTH.

IF HE STARTS TO
WORRY ABOUT LOSING IT,

HIS HEART RATE INCREASES.

DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE IT,

HIS BREATHING RHYTHM
GETS THROWN OFF.

BREATHING RHYTHM?

YOU'VE REALLY NEVER FIRED A GUN?

I DON'T REALLY BELIEVE IN THEM.

BELIEVE IN THEM? IT'S
NOT LIKE THEY'RE GHOSTS.

OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S
NOT WHAT I MEANT.

SO YOU DON'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT
SWEAT GETTING INTO HIS EYES

OR HIS HANDS CRAMPING UP OR
ADRENALINE TWITCHING THE BARREL?

THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN AN EXPERT MARKSMAN

AND A GUY WHO AIMS AT WHITE
MEAT AND GOES HOME WITH A WING.

A WOMAN GOT SHOT TODAY.

NOT SOME ANIMAL.

I SEE.

SO WHEN I REGARD HER AS A
TECHNICAL PROBLEM, I'M A SICK BASTARD,

BUT WHEN YOU PLUG HER INTO
AN EQUATION, YOU'RE A SCIENTIST?

IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S ALL
SOME KIND OF SPORT TO YOU.

IT'S MY JOB TO PUT MY HEAD
INSIDE THE MIND OF A KILLER.

YOUR BROTHER'S, TOO.

YOU COMING?

THE PATTERN OF THESE SHOOTINGS
DOESN'T WORK WITH MY EXISTING EQUATIONS.

SO CHANGE THE EQUATIONS.

AH, YOU KNOW, I'M STARTING TO
THINK MY WHOLE APPROACH IS WRONG,

LIKE THERE'S A DESIGN
IN THERE SOMEWHERE,

BUT NOT USUALLY
WHERE WE LOOK FOR IT.

HEY.

DON JUST PICKED UP OSBORNE.

WHERE? (Terry) LOS FELIZ.

WHAT ABOUT A WEAPON?

PRELIMINARY BALLISTICS MATCHES
HIS RIFLE TO THE MAILMAN'S SLAYING.

DOESN'T FIT, THOUGH.

WHAT'S WRONG?

OSBORNE SPENT THE
ENTIRE AFTERNOON IN A BAR.

DOZEN WITNESSES.
THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE,

BECAUSE THIS HAPPENED,
LIKE, LESS THAN 3 HOURS AGO.

UNLESS OSBORNE
ISN'T THE SHOOTER.

WE'VE GOT 2 SNIPERS.

I DON'T RECOGNIZE THE AUTHORITY
OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

(Terry) WELL, THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT SURE RECOGNIZES YOU.

WE HAVE YOU COLD FOR
THE MURDER OF MARK HERLAN.

BALLISTICS, TIRE
TRACKS, FOOT MOLDS.

HERLAN WAS A SLAVE OF
THE FEDERAL WELFARE SYSTEM

DISGUISED AS CIVIL SERVICE.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO
HIM, WHOEVER KILLED HIM,

THEY WERE DOIN' SOCIETY A FAVOR.

THE NEW GIRLFRIEND IN
YOUR TRAILER FILLED US IN.

YOU SHOT HERLAN BECAUSE HE
WAS ABOUT TO MARRY YOUR EX.

DON'T MOVE.

(Terry) THIS WAS A
PERSONAL KILLING FOR YOU.

YOU WANTED REVENGE.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS ALMOST CLEVER.

YOUR BUDDIES IN GREEN LIGHTNING
START A TERROR CAMPAIGN,

SHOOTING PEOPLE AT RANDOM.

YOU DECIDE TO PIGGYBACK.

YOU THINK THE GREEN LIGHTNING
IS BEHIND THESE SHOOTINGS?

WHEN WE START
BRINGING YOUR PALS IN,

WE THINK IT'S GONNA BE A RACE TO
SEE WHO CAN CUT A DEAL THE FASTEST.

YOU'RE FIRST MAN IN, WAYNE.

MY ADVICE WOULD BE
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

AN ACT OF TERRORISM CARRIES
A FEDERAL DEATH PENALTY.

OR MAYBE YOU HAVEN'T
HEARD OF TIMOTHY McVEIGH.

(laughs) YOU KNOW,

YOU PEOPLE,

YOU REALLY HAVE TO START
TALKIN' TO EACH OTHER.

(laughing)

(Terry sighing)

OSBORNE'S BEEN AN A.T.F. INFORMANT
AGAINST HIS SUPREMACIST BUDDIES

FOR OVER 6 MONTHS.

WELL, THANKS, A.T.F., FOR
THE INFORMATION SHARING,

AND THERE GOES OUR
CONSPIRACY THEORY.

HE ALSO HAS AN ALIBI FOR
EVERY OTHER SHOOTING.

I'LL GO TELL CHARLIE. I MEAN,
MAYBE HE CAN FIND THE PATTERN

IF HE GETS RID OF THE
OSBORNE SHOOTING.

YOU KNOW, I HAVE HAD ALMOST NO
ATTENDANCE AT MY MORNING CLASSES.

IT'S LIKE EVERYONE'S
AFRAID TO SET FOOT OUTSIDE.

NOT EVERYBODY.

YEAH.

TIMES LIKE THESE,

EMPTY HOUSE IS NOT A HOME.

(sighing)

EVALUATING MY
IMMEDIATE PROSPECTS

FOR A CONVENTIONAL
NUCLEAR FAMILY,

I'VE JUST NOW BEGUN
TO CONSIDER ADOPTION.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU
BEEN CONSIDERING THAT?

3 DAYS.

GIVE IT A FEW MORE DAYS.

YEAH. YEAH.

SO, WHAT? HAVE YOU
FOUND A PATTERN YET?

MORE LIKE A PATTERN
OF PATTERNLESSNESS.

HEY, THERE'S AN INTERESTING
METAPHYSICAL NOTION.

WELL, PERHAPS A HUMAN
ELEMENT REMAINS TO BE INSERTED.

(groans)

YOU SOUND LIKE THIS,
UH, AGENT EDGERTON GUY.

HE'S A SNIPER INSTRUCTOR THAT
DON BROUGHT IN FROM QUANTICO.

HE THINKS I SHOULD BE
OUT SHOOTING RIFLES.

WELL, WHY AREN'T YOU?

IT'S A POOR
ALLOCATION OF MY TIME.

IN THE TIME IT TAKES TO
SHOOT X NUMBER OF RIFLES,

I CAN ACCESS 10 OR 20 OR 100
TIMES THAT AMOUNT OF DATA.

NAH, NO, NO, NO. THERE'S DATA
AND THERE'S HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE.

THESE ARE 2 DIFFERENT BEASTS. THAT'S WHY
YOU'VE GOT BLACKBOARDS AND LABORATORIES.

YOU STUDY THE UNIVERSE, AND
YOU'VE NEVER BEEN TO OUTER SPACE.

YEAH, BUT IF I HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY,

YOU THINK FOR A
MOMENT I'D HESITATE?

(man on radio) IN THE WAKE OF
A FATAL SHOOTING YESTERDAY,

BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 6 VICTIMS

THE L.A. SNIPER HAS MURDERED.

THE L.A.P.D. AND THE F.B.I.
ARE URGING RESIDENTS

TO AVOID UNNECESSARY
OUTDOOR ACTIVITY

AND TO REPORT ANY
SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY...

REMINDS ME OF SNOW
DAYS BACK HOME.

YOUR SCHOOL SHUTS DOWN,

EVERYBODY STAYS HOME.

EXCEPT NOBODY'S HAVING ANY FUN.

YEAH.

I CALLED MY EX-HUSBAND
THIS MORNING.

YEAH? YEAH.

NO REAL REASON. THE
THOUGHT JUST OCCURRED TO ME,

WHAT IF I NEVER GOT ANOTHER
CHANCE TO TALK TO HIM?

HOW'D THAT GO?

WE GOT IN A FIGHT.

(both laughing)

PEOPLE HAVE A GREATER CHANCE OF
GETTING INTO A CAR ACCIDENT, YOU KNOW.

THAT DOESN'T KEEP US HOME.

BECAUSE IT'S A DANGER WE'VE ALREADY
ASSIMILATED INTO OUR DAILY LIVES.

THE SNIPER'S SOMETHING NEW.

IT'S RANDOM, MALICIOUS.

A BULLET THAT CAN COME FROM
ANYWHERE, TAKE ANYONE, YOU KNOW?

WOW. YEAH.

(gun cocking)

THANKS FOR BRINGIN' LUNCH
ALL THE WAY DOWN HERE.

COME ON, THIS WAY. OH.

(Don chuckling) WELL, YOU KNOW,
THE DRIVE WAS A PLEASURE.

TRAFFIC ON THE 10 HAS
NEVER BEEN THINNER SINCE...

UH, WELL, SINCE
IT'S BEEN THE 10.

YEAH, IT'S LIKE ALL
L.A.'S IN LOCKDOWN, HUH?

A LITTLE EERIE.
RIGHT IN HERE. YEAH.

SO, HOW, UH...

HOW ARE YOU AND CHARLIE
MANAGING THIS CASE?

WELL, I MEAN, HE'S
FRUSTRATED. I'M FRUSTRATED.

I MEAN, WE'RE HAVIN'
A ROUGH TIME ON THIS.

IS THAT WHY HE'S BEEN RUNNING
OUT OF THE HOUSE LATE AT NIGHT?

WE GOT AN AGENT
ON HIM ALL THE TIME.

I MEAN, I KNOW HE'S, UH,
BEEN HELPING YOU OUT

AND THAT, UM, HE COMES
DOWN TO YOUR OFFICE A LOT,

AND I... I... I THINK
THAT'S GREAT, BUT...

BUT NOW YOU GOT HIM
GOIN' OUT ON CRIME SCENES.

I MEAN, THERE'S THIS GUY
SHOOTING PEOPLE OUT THERE.

DAD, YOU REALLY THINK I
WOULD PUT CHARLIE IN DANGER?

NO. YOU KNOW WHAT I
REALLY THINK? WHAT?

I THINK YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND
THAT CHARLIE CAN NEVER SAY NO TO YOU.

(groaning) I MEAN... I MEAN,
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS

TO ASK HIM SOMETHING,
AND HE'S THERE FOR YOU.

YEAH, AND I'M THERE FOR HIM.

(sighing)

LOOK, HE'S NOT A COP.

NOW, COME ON. I MEAN, HE'S BETTER
OFF WITH CHALK IN HIS HAND THAN A GUN.

YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA STOP THIS. HE
IS A GROWN MAN, AND HE'S CAPABLE OF...

WHO STILL SEEKS THE
APPROVAL OF HIS OLDER BROTHER,

WHETHER HIS OLDER
BROTHER LIKES IT OR NOT.

(cell phone ringing) EXCUSE ME.

EPPES.

YEAH. RIGHT. I'LL
MEET YOU DOWNSTAIRS.

GOTTA GO. ANOTHER SHOOTING.

OH, MY GOD. YEAH.

I PROMISE I WON'T CALL CHARLIE
TILL WE ROLL THE TANKS OUT.

AND I WANT YOU TO STAY
HERE UNTIL I CALL YOU, OK?

ALL RIGHT, THANKS
FOR THE SANDWICH.

(David) THANK YOU, TOM.

(helicopter hovering)

JOHN DOE, LATE 40s, EARLY 50s.

HOMELESS, FROM THE LOOKS OF IT.

NO PLACE TO HIDE.

MAYBE HE HADN'T
HEARD THE NEWS YET.

(David) THIS PLACE IS USUALLY
PACKED AROUND THIS TIME OF DAY.

WELL, THE MAILMAN
MURDER, I WASN'T IMPRESSED.

THIS IS ONE I AM.

WHY?

WHAT YOU JUST SAID. THE
STREET IS USUALLY CROWDED,

AND YET, WITH NO ONE AROUND,
HE WAS ABLE TO CONCEAL HIMSELF,

GET OFF A KILL SHOT, AND
THEN GET OUT UNDETECTED.

YOU KNOW, CHARLIE
AND I DISAGREED

ABOUT THE PROFICIENCY
OF SOME OF THE SHOOTINGS.

I'M THINKIN' NOW MAYBE I'M
THE ONE WHO WAS WRONG.

(Amita) WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT?

A NONFUNCTIONING ALGORITHM
BASED ON 7 SNIPER ATTACKS,

ALL PRESUMABLY
PART OF A PATTERN.

BUT YOU CAN'T FIND THE PATTERN?

I CAN'T DEFINE THE
PATTERN. I KNOW IT'S THERE.

SHOOTING NUMBER 4 WAS A COPYCAT.

THE MAILMAN KILLED BY
WAYNE OSBORNE. RIGHT.

I REMOVED IT FROM
THE CALCULATION,

SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT
ME CLOSER TO THE ANSWER.

WELL, IT MAKES SENSE.

YOU GET RID OF THE CORRUPT
DATA TO IMPROVE THE FIT.

BUT INSTEAD OF
IMPROVING THE FIT,

IT'S AS IF THE BAD DATA WERE
CLARIFYING SOME NEW PATTERN.

WHICH, BY DEFINITION,
WOULDN'T MAKE IT BAD DATA.

(Charlie) HERE ARE
THE SHOOTINGS,

GRAPHED ACCORDING TO A
FUNCTION OF TIME, METHOD, VICTIM,

AND BALLISTIC CHARACTERISTICS.

NOW, WHEN I ADDED DIMENSIONS,
LOCATION, TIME OF DAY,

AND TOOK SLICES,

THE POINTS REMAINED
TRULY RANDOM.

HOWEVER, WHEN I
ELIMINATED DIMENSIONS

AND BROKE IT DOWN TO A GRAPH
OF A SIMPLE FUNCTION OF TIME,

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE BEGINNING
OF AN EXPONENTIAL CURVE.

THE SNIPER ATTACKS ARE
INCREASING IN FREQUENCY.

THE LOGICAL CONCLUSION. EXCEPT

THIS IS WAYNE OSBORNE
SHOOTING MARK HERLAN,

WHICH WE KNOW IS
A COPYCAT MURDER.

SO I TOOK IT OUT OF
MY CALCULATIONS.

HOWEVER, WHEN I PUT IT BACK IN,

IT FELL PERFECTLY ON THE LINE.

SO THAT'S EITHER A
STUNNING COINCIDENCE

OR EVIDENCE OF A
DIFFERENT PATTERN.

I DON'T BELIEVE YOU HAVE ONE
SERIAL SNIPER AND ONE COPYCAT.

YOU HAVE AN EPIDEMIC
OF COPYCAT SNIPERS.

WAIT, H-HOLD ON.

UH, IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?
(Terry) VIRAL BEHAVIOR.

MALCOLM GLADWELL'S
NOTION OF A TIPPING POINT.

IDEAS AND TRENDS,
WHAT'S IN, WHAT'S NOT.

IT'S REALLY JUST HUMAN
BEHAVIOR SPREADING INFECTIOUSLY.

LIKE A VIRUS. (Terry) UH-HUH.

LIKE A VIRUS. THAT'S RIGHT.

UH, CONSIDER A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE
ALL THE HOUSES ARE PAINTED WHITE.

(Charlie) AND ONE DAY, ONE GUY
DECIDES TO PAINT HIS HOUSE BLUE.

THE NEXT DAY, HIS NEIGHBOR WALKS
BY, SEES THAT COLOR, AND SAYS,

"HEY, I LIKE THAT COLOR. I'M
GONNA PAINT MY HOUSE BLUE."

AND LET'S SAY THAT INFLUENCES
2 MORE PEOPLE EACH TIME.

NOW, EVEN IF PEOPLE GET
SICK OF THE COLOR BLUE

AND DECIDE TO REPAINT
THEIR HOUSES WHITE,

THE BLUE TREND WILL STILL GROW.

AND NOW YOU HAVE AN EPIDEMIC
OF HOUSES BEING PAINTED BLUE

FASTER THAN THEY'RE
BEING REPAINTED WHITE.

WAYNE OSBORNE WANTS TO
KILL HIS EX-WIFE'S NEW FIANCE.

LAST WEEK HE
WOULD'VE STABBED HIM,

HE WOULD'VE RUN
HIM OVER WITH A CAR.

RIGHT. BUT HE WATCHES THE NEWS,

SEES THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING
KILLED WITH HUNTING RIFLES.

AND BECAUSE THE KILLERS HAVEN'T
BEEN CAUGHT, HE THINKS IT'S A GOOD IDEA.

(Terry) EACH SNIPER ATTACK IS BIGGER
NEWS, INFLUENCING MORE PEOPLE.

WHO ALL OWN HUNTING RIFLES, AND JUST
NEED SOMETHING TO GO OVER THE EDGE.

ARE YOU SERIOUSLY COMPARING
THESE SHOOTINGS TO, WHAT?

UH, SOME KIND OF FAD?

ONE THAT'S GROWING.

(Don) OK, WE GOT A
WHOLE NEW APPROACH.

WE'RE NOT LOOKING
FOR ONE SHOOTER.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR 7
DIFFERENT PERPETRATORS

THAT HAVE COMMITTED
7 DIFFERENT CRIMES.

THEY WERE NOT TARGETS
OF A SERIAL SNIPER.

INSTEAD, ONE WAS A
VICTIM OF GANG CONFLICT.

ANOTHER, A THRILL KILLING.

A NEIGHBOR KILLED BECAUSE
HE DIDN'T RETURN A LAWNMOWER.

(Don) SO WE'RE ISSUING
PRESS RELEASES

EXPLAINING THE SEPARATE ARRESTS
AS ISOLATED, DISTINCT INCIDENTS

THAT HAVE NOTHING TO
DO WITH A SERIAL SNIPER.

HOPEFULLY, THAT'LL
COOL PEOPLE OUT

AND GET THINGS BACK
TO NORMAL AROUND HERE.

(sighing)

WHAT?

SOMETHING'S INCOMPLETE.

CHARLIE, NO. YOU JUST
GOTTA BE PATIENT, ALL RIGHT?

I MEAN, BETWEEN US AND L.A.P.D.,

WE'VE ALREADY SOLVED
4 OF THE... THE 7 CASES.

MAKE THAT 4 OUT OF 9.

NUMBER 8 WAS SHOT GETTING OUT OF
HIS CAR AT A GAS STATION IN GLENDALE.

9 FOUND IN HIS OWN POOL.

(Don groaning) COME ON.

IT'S GETTING AWAY FROM US.

IT'S MOVING FASTER
THAN WE CAN EVEN STOP IT.

YOUR THEORY WORKS.
WE'RE BREAKING THE CASES

BY ATTACKING THEM INDIVIDUALLY.

LET'S JUST CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

BUT ALL WE'VE ESTABLISHED

IS THAT ONE PERSON COULD NOT HAVE
COMMITTED ALL THESE CRIMES ON THE BOARD,

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT
SOME OF THESE SHOOTINGS

WEREN'T COMMITTED
BY THE SAME HAND.

WHAT? NOW YOU'RE SAYING
YOU THINK SOME OF THEM

WERE DONE BY THE SAME PERSON?

THAT'S RIGHT, AND AS LONG
AS THAT KILLER'S OUT THERE,

YOU CAN SOLVE AS MANY OF
THESE SHOOTINGS AS YOU WANT,

YOU'RE NOT GONNA
BREAK THE VIRAL BEHAVIOR.

'CAUSE WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHICH ONES
WERE DEFINITIVELY DONE BY A SERIAL SNIPER

AND WHICH ONES WEREN'T.

IT'S GOT TO BE THE
FIRST 2, BECAUSE...

WELL, BECAUSE, LIKE ANY VIRUS,
THERE'S ALWAYS AN INITIAL CARRIER.

A SNIPER ZERO.

I NEED TO LEARN
HOW TO SHOOT A RIFLE.

LOOK, JUST GIVE ME A
SECOND, WOULD YOU? YEAH.

(sighing) Y-YOU GOTTA TEACH ME.

WHY? BECAUSE OF WHAT
EDGERTON SAID? NO, YOU DON'T.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO PROVE
YOURSELF TO ANYONE, OK?

PLEASE, JUST DO WHAT YOU DO.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.

I'M TELLING YOU,
EDGERTON WAS RIGHT.

WELL, HE... HE
WAS A LITTLE RIGHT.

OK, THE WEIGHT OF THE
GUN, THE NOISE OF THE SHOT,

THE EFFECTS OF THE RECOIL,

THERE'S NO WAY I HAVE
OF UNDERSTANDING THAT

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW
WHAT IT IS TO SHOOT A GUN.

EXACTLY, WHICH IS WHY I
BROUGHT HIM IN TO BEGIN WITH.

DON'T YOU SEE, MAN?

I'M REDUCING THESE ACTS
TO ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONS,

BUT I DON'T REALLY KNOW
WHAT I'M DEALING WITH.

I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND
ANYTHING ABOUT GUNS AND VIOLENCE,

NOT THE WAY YOU DO.

EDGERTON SAID IT WAS YOUR JOB
TO GET INTO THE MIND OF A SHOOTER.

WELL, MAYBE IT'S MY JOB TO
UNDERSTAND HIS MECHANICS.

(sighing)

ALL RIGHT, LOOK, BUT
YOU GOTTA DO ME A FAVOR

AND NOT SAY A WORD TO DAD, OK?

I MEAN, THE GUY ALREADY THINKS I'M
GONNA WIND UP GETTING YOU KILLED.

OH!

THE RUY LOPEZ OPENING.

I SEE I'M DEALING WITH
A CLASSICIST HERE.

LOOK, I WARNED YOU
I WAS A LITTLE RUSTY.

MY GAME IS ALSO A
LITTLE UNDEVELOPED.

YOU KNOW, I HAD TO STOP PLAYING
WITH CHARLIE WHEN HE WAS 8 YEARS OLD.

OH, MORE PRECOCIOUSNESS IN THE
BIOGRAPHY OF PROFESSOR CHARLES EPPES.

(stammering) YOU KNOW,

AMONG MATHEMATICIANS,
ISN'T THAT JUST SUCH A CLICHE,

THE PLAYING CHESS?

I... I DIDN'T MIND LOSING.

IT WAS THAT BORED
EXPRESSION ON HIS FACE,

LIKE HE WAS PLAYING OUT OF
COURTESY. THAT'S WHAT GOT TO ME.

OH, YEAH? WELL, TRY SCRABBLE.
HE'S A HORRIBLE SPELLER.

REALLY? OH, HE'S HORRIBLE.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

YOU KNOW QUITE A
BIT ABOUT MY SON.

I DON'T KNOW.

I KNOW HE'S BEEN A DELIGHT.

YOU KNOW, OBSERVING
HIM ALL THESE YEARS.

YOU KNOW, THE... A
STAR PUPIL'S ASCENSION

TO SUCH EXTRAORDINARY HEIGHTS,

I MEAN, YEAH, THAT'S PERHAPS
THE MOST REWARDING ASPECT

OF BEING A TEACHER.

COME ON, WE BOTH KNOW YOU'VE BEEN A
LOT MORE THAN JUST A TEACHER TO CHARLIE.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT.

BY THE WAY, UH,

YOU'RE NOW IN CHECK.

OH, YOU DISTRACTED ME!

(chuckling)

(gun firing)

YOU'RE FLINCHING.

YOU'RE CLOSING YOUR EYES,
ANTICIPATING A LOUD NOISE.

IT'S A LOUD NOISE.

IT'S... IT'S A PERFECTLY NATURAL
PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO WHAT I'M DOING.

CHARLIE, THAT'S NOT GONNA
HELP YOU HIT THE TARGET.

(sighing)

LOOK. WHAT?

YOU FIRED THE RIFLE. HOW ABOUT
WE GET OUT OF HERE? COME ON.

NO. I NEED TO LEARN THIS.

ALL RIGHT? COME ON.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL TRY WHAT'S CALLED
AN EMPTY-LUNG TECHNIQUE.

ALL RIGHT? YOU BREATHE NATURALLY,
YOU AIM, BUT YOU DON'T FIRE.

OK? SO LINE IT UP, AIM.

YOU'RE GONNA EXHALE,

AND COUNT TO 3
BEFORE YOU INHALE.

ON 2, YOU SQUEEZE THE TRIGGER.

RIGHT? JUST LIKE I
TOLD YOU. JUST TEASE IT.

(man chattering)

(gun firing)

HUH. THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.

LOOK AT THAT. YEAH.

AH. ADRENAL RESPONSE.

UH, IT'S A PAPER TARGET. IT'S A
LITTLE DIFFERENT WITH A REAL PERSON.

WELL, MAYBE NOT FOR SNIPER ZERO.

THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD
SHOT, THOUGH, ISN'T IT?

NOT BAD.

I THINK YOU HAD A LITTLE
BEGINNER'S LUCK THERE.

BEGINNER'S LUCK IS NON-EMPIRIC.
IT'S COUNTERINTUITIVE.

YEAH? FIRST TIME I PLAYED GOLF,

I PARRED 4 ON THE FRONT 9s.

THAT'S JUST A FUNCTION OF
THE REGRESSION TO THE MEAN.

(man breathing heavily)

ACCORDING TO YOU,
OUR SNIPER OR SNIPERS

HAVE SHOWN NO
EXCEPTIONAL AMOUNT OF SKILL.

THERE WAS ONE SHOOTING
THAT SHOWED PROFICIENCY.

THE HOMELESS GUY. YEAH, BUT
HE WAS KILLED BY THE 2 FRAT BOYS.

WORKING TOGETHER GAVE
THEM A CLEAR ADVANTAGE.

YEAH, SO THAT EXPLAINS THE INCREASED
SKILL LEVEL IN THAT ONE CASE, BUT YET...

YET, 5 OF THE SHOOTINGS HAVE RESULTED
IN A FATAL WOUND FROM ONE SINGLE SHOT.

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT?

A LITTLE ABILITY, A LOT OF LUCK.

YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU'RE
ACTUALLY EXACTLY RIGHT.

I TOLD DON. IT'S CALLED
REGRESSION TO THE MEAN.

I AM AN EXCEPTIONAL
BASKETBALL PLAYER,

BUT LET'S SAY FOR THE SAKE OF
THIS ARGUMENT THAT I'M... THAT I'M NOT.

YEAH. I THINK I COULD ARGUE
THAT SIDE A LITTLE BETTER, CHARLIE.

(Charlie) LET'S SAY I CAN
ONLY HIT HALF OF MY SHOTS.

I AM

1 FOR 3.

WHOA!

OK, I'M 4 FOR 6. RIGHT? RIGHT.

I'VE WENT FROM A .333
AVERAGE TO A .666 AVERAGE

IN 3 SHOTS.

NOW, IF I JUST KEPT SHOOTING
BASKETS ALL DAY LONG,

EVENTUALLY MY HITS AND MISSES
WILL AVERAGE OUT TO ABOUT .500.

RIGHT. WE HAVE HOT
AND COLD STREAKS,

BUT OVER TIME YOU'RE
GONNA FIND YOUR LEVEL.

THAT'S RIGHT. NOW, IF I
PLOTTED MY SHOTS ON A GRAPH,

IT WOULD BE A VERTICAL GRAPH.

I PLOTTED THE SHOOTINGS AGAIN,

THIS TIME ASSIGNING
SCORES TO EACH SHOOTING,

BASED ON THE DIFFICULTY
OF EACH SHOT AND ITS RESULT.

(Charlie) THE HIGHER
UP ON THE GRAPH,

THE GREATER THE
PROFICIENCY OF THE SHOOTER.

4 OF THE SHOOTINGS RISE
ABOVE THE OTHERS ON THE GRAPH.

4 PEOPLE SHOT BY THE SAME MAN.

SO WE JUST HAVE TO FIND THE
COMMON DENOMINATOR OF ALL 4,

AND WE FIND SNIPER ZERO.

AND WE BREAK THE EPIDEMIC.

(Terry) MAYBE YOU GO TO
THE SAME DRY CLEANERS,

USE THE SAME MECHANIC.

NO.

NONE OF THEM LOOK FAMILIAR. NO?

THE NEWS SAID THIS WAS
JUST A RANDOM THING.

THAT MAY VERY WELL BE. WE'RE JUST
NOT LEAVING ANY POSSIBILITY UNEXPLORED.

STEVE INSISTED ON
COMING WITH ME TODAY.

(Susan) I THINK HE'S AFRAID
TO LET ME OUT OF HIS SIGHT.

AS BAD AS IT'S BEEN FOR US,

WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE FOR THE
FAMILIES THAT LOST SOMEONE...

YEAH.

THANKS FOR COMING DOWN.

HEY. (David) HEY.

ALL 4 SHOOTINGS HAPPENED IN FRONT
OF COMMERCIAL LOCATIONS, RIGHT?

YEAH. REAL ESTATE OFFICE,

GAS STATION, GROCERY
STORE, MOVIE THEATER.

SO I'M SEARCHIN' EMPLOYEE
LISTS, PAST AND PRESENT.

OK. ANY MATCHES, LET
ME KNOW. YOU GOT IT.

YOU GOT ANYTHING?

NO, BUT I'M GONNA DO A HAND
SEARCH FOR ANY COMMON POINTS.

GOOD.

(sighing) WHAT IS IT, CHARLIE?

(Don) WHAT ARE WE MISSING?

SOMETHIN' STILL ISN'T RIGHT.

CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT.

THE PHOTOS.

(Charlie) PHOTOS? YEAH.

THESE ARE ALL PICTURES
OF WHERE THE VICTIM WAS HIT.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE
WHOLE SCENE, RIGHT?

CRIME STARTS WHERE
THE BULLET WAS SHOT.

WHERE ARE THE PICTURES
OF THE SNIPER'S POSITION?

YOU'RE SUGGESTING
THAT THE COMMONALITY

IS IN THE SNIPER'S SELECTION OF
HIS SITE, RATHER THAN HIS TARGET?

EXACTLY.

(Edgerton) YEAH, I
CONSIDERED THAT.

BUT IF HE IS A TRAINED SNIPER,

ANY SITE HE CHOSE WOULD
HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT

THE AVAILABILITY
OF TARGETS AS WELL.

MEANING THAT I AGREE THAT EACH OF
THESE LOCATIONS HAS GOOD HIDE SELECTIONS,

UH, ADEQUATE CAMOUFLAGE,
EXCELLENT ESCAPE ROUTES,

BUT WHAT GOOD WOULD THAT BE UNLESS
HE WAS ASSURED OF ACCESS TO PREY?

THE PATHS OF THE
VICTIM AND SHOOTER

WOULD HAVE TO INTERSECT
IN BOTH TIME AND SPACE

WITHIN A SUITABLE ENVIRONMENT.

AND THE PACE OF THESE SHOOTINGS,

THE SCARCITY OF
PEOPLE ON THE STREET

AS A RESULT OF ALL
THIS MEDIA COVERAGE,

HE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TIME TO
ACCURATELY CHOOSE THESE SITES

AND KNOW THAT HE HAD
BOTH COVER AND TARGETS.

UNLESS HE WAS ALREADY
FAMILIAR WITH THE LOCATIONS.

RIGHT?

AN ABANDONED BUILDING
ACROSS FROM A MOVIE THEATER,

ACROSS FROM A RESTAURANT,

A GAS STATION, AND
AN EMPTY HOUSE.

SO WE'RE SAYING HE DOESN'T
KNOW WHO HE'S GOING TO SHOOT,

BUT HE DOES KNOW WHERE
HE'S GOING TO SHOOT FROM.

THE VICTIMS ARE RANDOM. IT WAS
HIS POSITION THAT WAS PRE-SELECTED.

THAT EXPLAINS WHY MY ANALYSES
HAVEN'T FOUND ANY PATTERNS

IN VICTIM SELECTION OR LOCATION.

WE JUST FOUND FORMER
EMPLOYEE NATHAN CRANE.

HE WORKED AT BOTH THE GAS
STATION AND THE RESTAURANT.

WELL, THAT'S 2
SITES. I'LL TAKE THAT.

MRS. CRANE, DO YOU KNOW
WHERE WE CAN FIND YOUR SON?

NO.

NATHAN AND I HAVEN'T TALKED SINCE I ASKED
HIM TO LEAVE. THAT WAS A FEW WEEKS AGO.

PACKED HIS VAN AND LEFT.

IS THIS HIM? OH, YES.

HE WAS IN THE SERVICE
U-UNTIL A YEAR AGO.

NATHAN LOVED THE ARMY.

GROWIN' UP WITHOUT A FATHER, HE
NEVER HAD THAT KIND OF STRUCTURE

AND DISCIPLINE BEFORE.

DO YOU KNOW WHY
HE LEFT THE ARMY?

HE WASN'T VERY SPECIFIC. HE JUST CAME
HOME ONE DAY AND SAID IT DIDN'T WORK OUT.

YOU SAID THAT YOU... YOU
ASKED NATHAN TO MOVE OUT.

HE HAD A TOUGH TIME
HOLDIN' DOWN A JOB.

YOU KNOW, HE'D FIND SOMETHIN', AND THERE'S
A PROBLEM WITH THE BOSS OR A COWORKER,

AND HE QUITS.

(sighing)

HE HAD BAD LUCK THAT WAY.

AND THERE'S MY BOYFRIEND.

THE 2 OF 'EM JUST
COULDN'T GET ALONG.

EVEN AT MY AGE, I'M ENTITLED
TO HAVE A LIFE, AREN'T I?

YES, INDEED.

HE APPLIED FOR AND WAS REJECTED
FROM THE ARMY SNIPER SCHOOL

AT FORT BENNING.

SUBSEQUENT BAD CONDUCT DISCHARGE

FOR "INABILITY TO CONFORM TO
THE REQUIREMENTS OF MILITARY LIFE."

HE'S A GOOD MARKSMAN, THOUGH.

CRANE DID DRYWALL IN THE BUILDING
ACROSS FROM THE MOVIE THEATER.

HE WAS ALSO FIRED FROM A LANDSCAPING
COMPANY THAT WORKED THE EMPTY HOUSE.

OK, LET'S GET AN A.P.B. OUT ON HIS
VAN, AND THAT PHOTO TO EVERYBODY,

L.A.P.D., SHERIFF'S
DEPARTMENT... I GOT IT.

PSYCHOLOGICAL
PROFILE FITS LIKE A GLOVE.

REJECTED BY THE ARMY,
SURROGATE FATHER,

RETURNS HOME TO BE
REJECTED BY THE MOTHER.

HIS INSTRUCTOR NOTED THAT
HE WAS IMPULSIVE ON THE RANGE.

ALSO FITS. THESE KILLINGS ARE
EXPRESSIONS OF JUVENILE POWER FANTASIES.

OK, BUT WHY DO YOU THINK HE
GOES BACK TO THE JOB SITES?

HE'S REVISITING THE
SCENES OF HIS FAILURES

AND CONVERTING THEM
TO SUCCESSES BY KILLING.

SO, YOU HAVE ANY SENSE
WHERE HE WOULD GO NEXT?

WELL, SO FAR, HE HASN'T
VISITED THE SAME SITE TWICE,

EITHER BY GUILE OR BECAUSE
HE'S CONQUERED EACH ONE.

MY GUESS IS, HE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT
FAILED JOB, AND HE'LL MOVE ON QUICKLY.

FROM A PURE SNIPING
POINT OF VIEW, I LIKE THESE 2.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S SEE.

HE WAS A JANITOR AT
THE BANITEK TOWER,

AND A SHEET METAL PUNCH
AT SOUTHMORE FACTORY.

EASY ACCESS, HIGH WINDOWS,
TARGET-RICH ENVIRONMENTS.

DAVID, WHY DON'T YOU TAKE SOUTHMORE?
WE'RE GONNA TAKE THE OFFICE PARK.

NOTIFY L.A.P.D. I WANT
BACKUP AT BOTH LOCATIONS.

MARKED CARS,
S.W.A.T., AIR UNITS...

HELICOPTERS? YOU
TRYING TO SCARE HIM AWAY?

NO, WE'RE JUST GONNA MAKE SURE

HE DOESN'T SHOOT ANYONE
ELSE, THAT'S FOR SURE.

DON!

LOOKS LIKE IT, HUH?

YEP.

ALL RIGHT, YOU TAKE
THE MIDDLE DOORS. GOT IT.

THAT'S IT.

FOXTROT 1. (man on radio)
FOXTROT 1, GO AHEAD.

GOT A POSITIVE I.D. ON SUSPECT'S
VEHICLE AT BANITEK TOWERS.

DIRECT ALL UNITS
TO BANITEK TOWERS.

ROGER THAT.

YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD START
CLEARIN' PEOPLE OUT OF HERE.

LET'S JUST GET EVERYBODY OUT.

F.B.I. UNIT FOXTROT 2.

(man on radio) FOXTROT 2, I COPY
YOUR LOCATION. BANITEK TOWERS.

WE HAVE AN AIR UNIT EN
ROUTE, E.T.A. 2 MINUTES, OVER.

WE NEED TO NOTIFY SECURITY IN THE
BUILDING TO KEEP EVERYONE INSIDE.

EXCUSE ME. ROGER THAT.

WE NEED YOU TO GET
INSIDE THE BUILDING, PLEASE.

(siren wailing)

AGENT EPPES, LIEUTENANT DOUGLAS.

YOUR TEAMS ARE WHERE?

BLUE TEAM AND RED TEAM,
ABOUT 8 MINUTES OUT, SIR.

ALL RIGHT, AS SOON
AS THEY GET HERE,

I WANT A TEAM ON EACH
OF THESE ROOFS, RIGHT?

RIGHT THERE, RIGHT THERE.
ROGER THAT. I'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN.

AND PASS THESE OUT.

WE'RE LOOKIN' FOR A
MALE, WHITE, IN HIS 20s, OK?

I WANT YOU TWO,
TAKE THIS BUILDING.

START ON THE TOP FLOOR, WORK
YOUR WAY DOWN. EVERY APARTMENT.

YOU TWO, THE SAME
THING, THIS BUILDING.

YOU START ON THE BOTTOM OF
THIS ONE, WORK YOUR WAY UP.

YOU, ON THIS ONE,
WORK YOUR WAY UP.

(helicopter approaching)

DAVID SINCLAIR. YEAH.

HEY, CHARLIE, GET DOWN!

WHAT? CHARLIE, GET DOWN!

CHARLIE, STAY DOWN!

(guns firing)

(gun firing)

(policeman) GET A
TEAM UP THERE, NOW!

SHOOTER IS DOWN.
REPEAT, SHOOTER IS DOWN!

YOU ALL RIGHT? YEAH.

THE SHOOTER'S DOWN. IS HE OK?

WHAT, ARE YOU CRAZY? YOU
COULD HAVE GOT YOURSELF KILLED.

(panting) I WAS JUST, UH,

WORKING ON SOME PROBABILITIES AS TO WHERE
I THOUGHT CRANE MIGHT POSITION HIMSELF.

ACTUALLY, HE WAS PRETTY CLOSE.

I'M GONNA GET YOU OUT OF HERE.

YOU ALL RIGHT? I'M... I'M SORRY.

IT'S ALL RIGHT. NEXT
TIME, USE A PHONE. OK?

HEY, DAD. YOU'RE PAINTING, HUH?

STAINING.

YOUR BROTHER, THE
HOMEOWNER, IT'S HIS IDEA.

HEY, LOOK,

I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU SAID THE
OTHER DAY WHEN YOU CAME BY FOR LUNCH.

I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.

WOW.

AS DELIGHTED AS I AM
TO HEAR THOSE WORDS

COME OUT OF THE MOUTHS
OF EITHER OF MY SONS,

BUT THE FACT IS, I WASN'T.

UH, YOUR BROTHER'S HIS OWN MAN.

I MEAN, IF CHARLIE
WANTS TO RUN OFF

AND DO, UH, SLIGHTLY
DANGEROUS THINGS,

THEN I'LL JUST HAVE TO
LEARN TO LIVE WITH IT.

SAME AS I DID WITH YOU.

YOU TOLD HIM?

YEAH, ABOUT THE GUN RANGE.

OH, GUN RANGE. THAT...
THAT YOU SHOT A RIFLE.

HE SHOT A RIFLE, DID A
GREAT JOB. I FIRED A RIFLE.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. YEAH.

YOU SEE? I'M PERFECTLY FINE.

I DIDN'T FALL OFF THE
LADDER, I DIDN'T COLLAPSE.

I CERTAINLY HOPE YOU GOT
THAT OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM NOW.

DEFINITELY.

SO WHAT COLOR
PAINT ARE YOU USING?

NO, NO, IT'S NOT PAINT. STAIN.

YOU CAN'T PAINT A
CRAFTSMAN HOUSE.

SEE, THEY'RE
HISTORICALLY PROTECTED.

WHAT? EVEN IF EVERYONE ELSE
PAINTS THEIR HOUSES BLUE, CHARLIE?

NOT EVEN.

HERE, I'LL HELP YOU.