Person of Interest (2011–2016): Season 2, Episode 20 - In Extremis - full transcript

Reese first catches up with the latest number, Dr. Richard Nelson, when he is being awarded the title of professor emeritus at a lavish dinner banquet. Dr. Nelson is a well respected and renowned cardiac surgeon and researcher, with his credentials suggesting that he is the target. That is indeed the case, but Reese and Finch are too late: someone has poisoned Dr. Nelson after he ingested something at that banquet that was slipped into his food or drink. Dr. Nelson first believes that Reese is the culprit, but Reese convinces him that he is only there to help find who did it, even if Reese cannot save him as he finds out the poison is radioactive, which is eating Dr. Nelson's insides and which also means that he will probably die within 24 hours. Reese, Finch and Dr. Nelson have to find out what Dr. Nelson ate or drank that was the source of the poison, and wade through the many facets of his life to find the killer. Among the suspects are Dr. Nelson's estranged daughter Molly, or someone tied to the drug trial - for which Dr. Nelson sat on the review committee - which denied that drug's approval at the eleventh hour. Meanwhile, Simmons threatens Fusco to keep on playing ball with HR or else. Simmons is good on his threat as internal affairs does come knocking on his door regarding the disappearance of Detective Stills. Although he did not kill Stills, he did bury the body. Carter didn't want to hear about Fusco's shady past before, but she now has to determine if she will help him or let Internal Affairs find what Simmons wants them to find.

You are being watched.

The government has a secret system.

A machine that spies on you
every hour of every day.

I designed the machine to detect acts
of terror, but it sees everything.

Violent crimes
involving ordinary people.

The government considers
these people irrelevant.

We don't.

Hunted by the authorities,

we work in secret.

You'll never find us.

But victim or perpetrator,



if your number's up, we'll find you.

Behind the Government Team presents

I think we're up
against a world of corrupt cops.

They steal the drugs, the cash,
and they kill all the witnesses.

Stills is narcotics.

I know damn well
what happened to Detective Stills,

and so does Detective Fusco.

I'll tell you you want to know.

Our new number is receiving
an award today, Finch.

Three decades of teaching

and critical research,

chief of cardiac surgery,

a leader in the field
of heart transplants,

a pioneer in off-pump bypass
cardiovascular surgery.



He has held the hearts

and lives of hundreds
of patients in his hands.

And today we are proud
to bestow upon Dr. Richard Nelson

the title of Professor Emeritus.

Sounds like our latest number
has a brain almost as big as yours.

If only mine were attached
to a surgeon's hands.

Doctor, scientist, teacher,

admired by his peers.

Seems unlikely he's a perpetrator.

Which makes me wonder
if his killer could be in this crowd.

Thank you, Dr. Di Matteo,
for those kind words.

You left out scratch golfer.

I think it was Plato
that said knowledge

is the food of the soul.

In these trying times,

we should heed the words of Plato,

"He who commits injustice

"is ever made more wretched

"than he who suffers it."

This injustice

will never diminish the life

and actions of a good man.

My godson, Calvin Beecher.

Brave to the end.

May he rest in peace.

Present arms!
Ready!

Fire!

Thank you very much.
Thank you for coming.

What's next, Dr. Nelson?
Do I need a new cardiologist?

- What are you doing here?
- Come on.

It's not your doctor gets emeritus.
You deserved it.

But I'm not going anywhere just yet.

One of Nelson's patients
is here, Finch.

Brandon Boyd,
a trader at VAC Capital,

a prominent hedge fund.

Asset management
for high-income clients.

I'm gonna to start giving more attention
to my retirement portfolio.

Racquetball Thursday?

A rematch and I'll pick your brain

about some emerging markets
in the health care industry.

Thursday at the club, you're on.

Not so fast, Doc.

If you're gonna rot your gut,
you might as well do it in style, right?

'62?

Dr. Rossmore, where did you
locate such a magical elixir?

I have a patient who owns
a very large distillery,

and he has a new heart
that came from you.

Listen, Garrett,

about the Philia drug trial,

I'm sorry
about the board's recommendation.

Nonsense, it had nothing
to do with the board.

We didn't have the data
to support it.

Dr. Garrett Rossmore,
esteemed colleague

and research scientist.

He now works
for Philia Pharmaceuticals.

Big pharma, he's a drug guy.

Rossmore developed
a new statin to raise HDL

and combat cholesterol.

Made it all the way
to phase three in trials,

until it underperformed.

Nelson was a member of the review board
that halted the trials.

Potential blockbuster drug
down the drain.

Likely cost Philia billions
in lost revenues,

not to mention six years
of Rossmore's research.

That had to hurt.

I know you had a hand in this,
and you were behind Beecher's murder.

- You're not gonna get away with this.
- Tell me, Fusco,

how is it everybody around you
winds up getting killed?

Starting to look suspicious.

You're gonna pay for this.
I'm gonna take you down.

You got a bad habit of forgetting
who your friends are.

Of your old pals who got locked up
or went missing,

and you're the only one
who got to walk away?

Did you honestly think
that was because you were so smart?

- What are you talking about?
- Protection.

The kind you don't have anymore.

See, I hear things.

IAB, they're looking
at your old pal Azarello

on at least a dozen
old murder counts.

That should be interesting.

Past has a way of coming back
to haunt you.

And by the time
I'm done with you, Lionel,

you're gonna wish you were
in the ground with Beecher.

Congratulations.

It's nice to see someone
being recognized for their body of work.

I should be so lucky one day.

Associate Professor
Dr. Juliana di Matteo.

Came up as Nelson's
research assistant and protege.

But still hasn't made tenure.

- Have you seen my daughter?
- I think she saw me first.

Probably why she left so early.

Richard, are you okay?

Your nose is bleeding.

- I'm gonna go get something.
- Thank you.

- Here you are.
- Thank you.

Nelson has a daughter here, Finch.

Molly Nelson, registered as a junior

but suspended for a semester
after assaulting

a police officer
during a campus demonstration.

You need some help, sir?

I feel a little light-headed.
I just need to sit down.

Sure.

I'll get you some water.

Thanks again.

Our doctor doesn't look well.

Clammy hands, nosebleeds.
Just hope we're not too late.

Excuse me, Detective Fusco?

Detective Soriano
from Internal Affairs.

- We need to talk.
- No.

I'm afraid we do.

It's regarding the disappearance
of Detective Stills.

We're gonna have to ask for your badge
and your service weapon.

What's this about, Fusco?

This don't concern you, Carter.

I'm your partner.
I think it does.

This got something to do
with Cal's murder?

Talk to me, Lionel.

Why is IAB all of a sudden
putting the screws to you?

You know, I tried to come to you.
In this very room.

To tell you
about past mistakes I've made.

- But you didn't want to hear it.
- I'm listening now.

Just chickens coming home to roost.

Bad things happen to people around me
so you should get out of here.

We're not done here.

Finch, what do you need?

I'm sorry for your loss.

Just don't understand,
with all the information you get,

how we couldn't stop this in time.

It's a question that troubles me too.
I only wish I had an adequate answer.

And I know
this is not the best time, but...

You and John need some help.

Are you kidding me?

Cal is dead,

and Fusco's being investigated
by IAB.

I understand that you're upset,
but we have a doctor in peril.

I just need you
to check on a few names.

This time, you're gonna
do something for me.

OK Detective, what can I do for you?

You know
that phone cloning thing you do?

My turn.

Thanks for showing up.

Better than that stunt you pulled,
throwing the red paint.

Dad, but people have the right to know
the medical school uses animals.

Sounds like Nelson
has some issues with his daughter.

You have the right to know
that this university

paid for your food, clothing,
and the roof over your head

for the past 22 years,
not to mention your tuition.

- Sorry if I disappointed you.
- Damn it, Molly, that's not the point.

I have to go.
We'll talk about this later.

The Doctor just vomited blood.

Nelson in serious trouble.
I'm going in.

911, what is your emergency?

This is Dr. Richard Nelson.

I think I may have ingested
something toxic.

- Sir, you're a doctor?
- Yes.

I think someone
may have tried to kill me.

You look like you need some help.

I know you from the reception.
Get away from me!

Who are you?

- NYPD! Who called 911?
- Me.

I called it in.
I want to report a murder.

What are you talking about?
Who was murdered?

Me!
Someone poisoned me!

Things just went completely sideways.

And judging by his symptoms,
we're already too late.

We've received some new information
on an old case.

You and Jimmy Stills
worked together in the 51st?

Yeah.
So did a lot of other cops.

- But you two were close?
- I don't know if I'd put it that way.

And how would you put it?

We walked a beat together coming up.

He went to Narcotics and me to Homicide.
That's the long and short of it.

Last call!

O'Neill, O'Reilly, O'whatever the hell
your name is, give us a drink.

You're done.

Come on, it's time to hit the bricks.

What are you talking about?
We still got five minutes left.

Easy there, big dog.

That's enough for one night.
Let's get you home.

I can't go home.

- She threw me out.
- Comes with the job.

Cop's wife.
She'll come around.

Not this time.

She had a lawyer drop papers on me.

Serious?

Sorry to hear about that.

Yeah, Jimmy, she...

she wants full custody of my son.

Come on, Lionel, you come home.
You stay at my place tonight.

The kids will love waking up
tomorrow morning, jumping on your head.

I'll have Vera cook up some hotcakes,
banana-chocolate chip.

Throw some Aspirin in the batter.
Okay, amigo?

You sure it's okay?

What are friends for?

I'm retracing the Doctor's steps,
and I'm already detecting

low-level Alpha particle emissions.

Not good.

Alpha particle radiation.

- It's polonium.
- Polonium?

Sometimes used to make complex tools
in scientific equipment.

You think he was exposed in the lab?

No, it's only lethal if ingested

and you don't get treated
within the first hour.

The area's contaminated,

but it doesn't appear
to be the point of origin.

- What's Nelson's condition?
- I'm about to find out.

You.
No, you're that waiter.

You had something to do with this.

I'm not a waiter.
I'm here to help you.

You were at the reception.
You slipped something into my drink.

No, I didn't, but someone else did.

I was supposed to save you,

but I was too late.

You've ingested polonium, Doctor.
You're dying.

This is insane.
How do... who are you?

Nosebleeds, jaundice, hair falling out.
It's radiation poisoning.

I'm aware how radiation affects me,
but how do you know all this?

You were poisoned a few hours ago,

which means, in less than 24 hours,
you will be dead.

I'm sorry, Doctor.

I don't understand.

How...

- Who would want me dead?
- You would know better than I.

Look, you can stay there
and die in that bed,

or you can get up
and help me find the bastard

who murdered you.

Clock's ticking, Doc.

Who was it?
I need to know.

First we need
to get your affairs in order.

You're right.
I need to see my daughter.

Molly?

- Can I have a word with you?
- She doesn't want to talk to you.

I can handle it.

Came all the way down here
just to chew me out?

Thought you were jetting off
to some seminar or something.

No, Molly.
I didn't come here to argue.

I just came to see if you were okay.

Really?

Your mom said you're
making some kind of documentary.

Do you need any help or anything?

Are you feeling okay?
You look a little pale.

No, I'm fine.

I just stopped by to say,

I'm sorry...

for not being more involved.

What, like, in my life, or...

Maybe this was
a mistake, I don't know.

- I just wish...
- Why are you here, dad?

Look, I know that
I haven't been more available

and putting my work first.

- That's probably why your mother left.
- Mom left because you cheated on her.

Another mistake.

But the one that I didn't make
was having a daughter.

Earlier today when people
were congratulating me

about my accomplishments,

I was thinking that the thing
that I'm most proud of is you.

That's all I came to say.

I'll call you tomorrow, dad.

Good.

I would like that.

At first, I couldn't figure it out.

Stills and Azarello
working Narcotics,

bumping dealers,
stealing their stash.

Figured eventually they'd slip.
Then it hit me.

They had a man on the inside,
in case they made a mistake.

- I don't follow.
- They needed somebody in Homicide.

Your old pal Azarello from the 51st,
he clued us in.

So tell me,
how did your crew operate?

Like clockwork.

First Stills, he got
the drop on a honey pot.

I'd scope it out,
make sure it was still hot.

You know, then we'd roll up,
flash the silver, and help ourselves

to the money and the dope.

But if things went south,
that's when Fusco came in.

Azarello's a lying piece of crap.

The devil's always
in the details, Fusco.

- Tell me about the first time.
- I'll never forget.

It was some rat-infested
tenement over in Queens.

Why you gotta bring me down here?
You just gotta call it in.

Come on, Lionel, you know
how these things can go sideways.

Just need a little help
from Homicide here.

As soon as I started lifting,
this dumb bastard tried to run.

I mean, I had no choice.
They're gonna have my nuts here.

Calm down.
Everything's gonna be fine.

Found that piece in the nightstand.

We gotta figure out all the angles
before IAB shows up.

You're asking me to cover this?

I'm gonna be screwed.

What's the problem?
I thought we had each other's back.

But what you're asking me here is...

When you needed somebody,
who was there for you?

Who had your back?

Look at this scumbag.

Probably slings
to kids K through eight.

What do you say?

I don't know.

For a friend.

Stand over there,
put two in the wall, chest high.

Then, coming or going,
either way, it's self-defense.

And wipe it down.

That's it.

Thanks, Lionel.

Look what the cat dragged in.
My favorite arresting officer.

- Looking good, Detective.
- Skip it, Azarello.

You've been in jail for over a year.

Why all of a sudden you talking
to IAB about Fusco?

Maybe we got a code, Detective.

Maybe Fusco violated it.

Maybe the question should be
why you're just now bringing up

your partner's past?

It's pretty colorful.

I thought Fusco had some
dirty pictures of you or something.

Two dead cops.
Two missing.

Is this HR's idea of a comeback?

Secrets are hard to bury.

And sometimes...

bodies have a way of showing up.

Tell you what.

You help me out, I'll talk to the DA.

Maybe he shaves some time off
for good behavior?

You got a nice smile, you know that?

But you're a little late
to the deal-making party, Detective.

If you'll excuse me,
I got a date with a sock.

How did it go at Rikers, Detective?

Not so good, but I did find
something on one of your names.

The asset manager, Brandon Boyd.
He's a trader at a hedge fund.

VAC Capital, I'm aware.

Are you aware they're
under SEC investigation?

Insider trading.

After they dumped
some big pharmaceutical stock.

Let me guess.
Philia pharmaceuticals.

My contact at the SEC thinks
they got a tip on some drug trial.

- Does that help?
- Unfortunately, yes, it does.

- Ever heard of VAC Capital?
- Yeah, sure.

They manage my money.

They're under SEC investigation
for insider trading.

Insider trading?
On what?

Did you tell Brandon Boyd
that a drug trial was about to fail?

What? I don't know.
Maybe at the club.

He turned around and used
that information

to bet against Philia stock,

made $500 million.

Son of a bitch.
$1/2 billion?

Off your tip.

You're the leak, Doc.

There's an investigation?

They don't know the insider yet.

I'm guessing VAC Capital
plans to keep it that way.

Instead they killed me?

You're the liability.
You had to go.

I'm a doctor.

People ask me things
all the time, advice.

You know, that drug
and this diet and...

it's just an excuse.

What I did was wrong,

and now I'm a dead man.

All because I couldn't
keep my mouth shut.

You made a mistake.

That doesn't mean you deserve to die.

You're right.

I need to talk to Boyd.

I believe I've located the origin
of the poisoning.

It came from water placed
on the podium at his ceremony.

There were only two people
on that service staff.

Me and a waitress.
And I think I know who hired her.

Time to go track down a trader.

So call me about the hold
on those shares.

And the number of
that hot Brazilian model.

Later, boss.

- Your car, sir.
- You want a tip?

Never get hitched without a prenup.

Here's a better one.

Don't get in the car with strangers.

Dr. Nelson.

- What's going on here?
- I don't have a lot of time.

And neither do you,
if you answer me wrong.

You met me at the club,

you took me on as a client,
and you pretended to be my friend.

And I told you about a drug trial,
you turned around, and you burned me!

Wait a sec.
I am a trader.

- That's all I do. I trade.
- You triggered an SEC investigation.

- And they found me, you poisoned me.
- What?

I don't know anything about that.

You should really
just pull over now...

Hold on.

You don't understand.
The boss is on my ass, 24/7.

Either you get black edge,
or you're out.

- Black edge?
- Inside information,

that's beyond doubt.

We were all-in on that drug,
but I needed someone on the trial.

Either you get that edge
and turn big profits,

or Lord Vader cuts your balls off.

So that's why you recruited me?

I needed that advantage,
and you wanted in

to a big hedge fund.

- But I swear I had nothing to do with.
- But you were at the ceremony today.

Boss man said
to go about my regular schedule.

By "boss man,"
you mean Vincent Cochran?

I've said enough already.

Vincent Cochran.

- And you told him about me?
- I had to.

We got investigated.
He asked if we'd been exposed.

- he'd take care of it.
- Where's Cochran now?

You don't seem to understand.
This is not a man you want to cross.

Have I told you
that my eyesight is failing?

The lodge.

The Windcrest! Upstate!

I need to talk to Carter.

I need to have my kid picked up
for practice.

As soon as you answer
a few questions.

It wasn't long ago
that I was a plain clothes detective.

- No kidding.
- No kidding.

What the difference
is between me and you?

- What's that?
- I never murdered people.

You weren't
just covering for those guys.

You were one of them.

Once you get a taste of that,
there's no looking back.

Fusco, get in here.

For crying out loud.

What's wrong?
Can't stand the sight of a little blood?

Knock it off.
He's good.

Grab a bag.
We got a big haul here.

No, thanks.

This is all you guys.
I don't want any part of this.

- It's a little late for that, ain't it?
- Look out!

You see there?
I knew you were solid.

Welcome to the crew, Lionel.

Let's get out of here.

Azarello flipped on you.

We thought Stills was halfway to Belize,
but now we know different.

You got rid of him
because you had to.

All you got is lies from a dirty cop.
It'll never hold up in court.

You know what will hold up in court?

Evidence.

You see, when dirty cops want
to eliminate DNA from a crime scene,

they use bleach.

But bleach stains things.

Like the carpet and the trunk
of the vehicle that you signed out

on the day that Stills disappeared.

No idea what you're talking about.

Your cell phone records.

You made a call from Oyster Bay
to your home the very night

that Stills went missing.

Any reason you were in Oyster Bay

at 2:00 AM on a Thursday?

Thinking about retiring out there.
Wanted to look at some land.

You take soil samples?

Domain awareness, my friend.

They're changing the world.

You pick a time and place,
we send you a photo

of the ass hairs on a frog,
or in this case,

disturbed plots of earth

in Oyster Bay.

Which of the four is it?

I got two dozen unis
gathering shovels,

a backhoe, and cadaver dogs.

Come sunup, we're gonna go
on a little treasure hunt.

Make it easy on yourself.
Just tell me where you buried Stills.

You killed him,

just like those lowlifes.

You're a dirty cop,

and come morning,
I'm gonna dig up your sins.

You wanted to talk?

The questions you asked me earlier...

the ones I didn't answer.

I didn't kill Stills,

but I'm gonna go down
for it just the same.

But I deserve it because of...

Because
of the other bad things I did.

- You see, back at the 51st...
- Wait.

What do you mean,
"the other bad things"?

See,

at first, I...

I thought I was helping
to clean up the streets, you know?

Who's gonna miss some drug money
from a lowlife dealer?

Then it became
who's gonna miss the dealer?

Me and Stills, we were friends.

He was there for me like a brother.
He had my back.

And then...

then you find yourself
in a situation,

a bad situation
that you shouldn't be in.

I killed people.

I was a dirty cop.

I met you and our friends,
that's all changed.

I'm not that guy anymore.

You always told me that if

that if my past came back around,
you wouldn't cover for me.

- I need you to understand...
- Stop.

I can't.

I don't want to hear any more.

I don't know who you are.

Stay with me.

Just wanted to look the bastard
who killed me in the face.

- Don't give up yet.
- It's okay.

It's time to face the consequences.

We all make mistakes.

Did he just die?

- Is he dead?
- Shut up, or you're next.

Oh my god.
You're not gonna.

Come on.

You can't die yet.

We've got one more mission to finish.

Come on.

This is crazy.

You can't just
leave me standing out here.

You're right.

You recognize me, Mr. Cochran?

Should I?

I'm the man you murdered.

What are you doing about Fusco?

At the moment, nothing.

- I'm busy.
- I thought he was your friend.

I always thought he was your partner.

Not after what he just told me.

Do you know what he's done?

He deserves to be behind bars.

No one's ever looked at me
as the moral benchmark.

I guess you'll have
to make that call yourself.

I'm a cop.

But it's Fusco.

It's not as simple as that.

I always thought it was in your book.

Once a dirty cop, always a dirty cop.

You'll have to excuse me.

I have to get back to work.

You know what polonium does
to the human body,

I have a feeling you're
about to tell me.

Once it enters the bloodstream,

it immediately starts
to break down the immune system.

It seeps into the bone marrow,

so your body can no longer fend
off its own bacteria,

which starts to eat you
from the inside out.

It attacks your DNA,

shuts down your internal organs.

It's fairly rapid, but I assure you,

it's very painful.

Amazing you're still here.

The last 24 hours
have been a living hell.

It's a truly diabolical way
of killing someone.

But then I'm just a doctor.

I'm no match for a shrewd,

international hedge fund billionaire.

Perhaps you sell yourself short.

No, I get it now.

You and your firm,

you're not really interested
in medicinal drugs or curing disease.

You're just a man who makes money,

even if you have to cheat.

I'm an investor.
I trade stocks.

But if I know I picked a loser,

I have to dump it.

Either way, I always win.

I've done some good things,

some bad.

I managed to ruin my life,

my reputation.

But I don't deserve to die.

And the SEC will
bring your firm down.

Unfortunately, Doctor,

the SEC investigation

will die with you.

I think you mean us.

Your nose is bleeding.

You have $9 billion,

but you only have 24 hours
to spend it.

I hope you invest it wisely.

Nice place to dump a body.

But a little snow won't keep the dogs
from finding it.

Let's go.
End of the line.

At the end of the day, as a cop,

you're the sum of two sides
of the ledger.

The people who want
to see you go down

and the people who don't give
a crap about you.

Now,

I don't think
anyone gives a crap about you.

Detective, up this way.

Come on.
Let's go.

Don't worry, honey.

There'll be other guys.
Trust me.

I love you too, sweetheart.

Good-bye.

'62 limited edition.

Your favorite.

Cheeky bastard.

- And thank you.
- For what?

For giving me another shot.

At all this.

We lost Dr. Nelson.

He was a good man.

We arrived too late to save him.

Seems to be
a common occurrence of late.

First Szymanski, then Beecher,

now Dr. Nelson.

Is something wrong with the machine?

I don't know.

Then who else are we missing?

Just a matter of time now.

You lay down in this hole?
I'll grab a shovel.

Get up there.

Detective Soriano.

Time to face the truth, Fusco.

Sir, the canine alerted right here,
and the soil was loose.

There was a body here, but...

Somebody moved it.

This is some kind of joke?

You killed Stills son of a bitch.
What'd you do with the body?

Screw you.

This ain't over.

I know you're a dirty cop.

You're wrong about that.

And I'll take my gun
and shield back now.

Any word on Fusco?

Off the hook for now.

My chess partner in prison

says Azarello had a change
of heart and recanted.

Checkmate.

Good to hear.

That storm on the horizon
that I mentioned,

I'm afraid it's arrived.

Where's Bear?

That's the other matter
that we need to discuss.

Need some fresh eyes
on a lead I'm running.

You mind giving it a look?

And I'll catch up with you later.
I had a long night.

Sure, no problem.