Relic Hunter (1999–2002): Season 1, Episode 4 - Flag Day - full transcript

Sydney and Nigel head to Larivee, California to find the Pioneer's Bear Flag.

[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]

[INDISTINCT SCREAMS]

Dan's on fire.
Help me!
Come! Help!

[GRUNTING IN PAIN]

[GUN SHOTS]

Think we can
hold them?

As long as
we got the bullets.

[GUN SHOT]

Zeke!

-It's okay Zeke,
I'll get the doc.
-Matt...

The flag.



I won't let anything
happen to it, Zeke.

Zeke!

[MEN GRUNTING]

[POUNDING AT DOOR]

-[EXPLOSION]
-[MEN SCREAMING IN AGONY]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

SYDNEY: There were
many armed conflicts
during the struggle

for control of California.

But, in this
particular skirmish,

a small group
of American pioneers--

MARTY:
Actually, two of them
were Europeans.

Hans Peterman
and Francis Demarco?

They both came
from New England

and were both born
in western Europe.



STUDENT:
Who cares?

Uh-huh.

Anyway, General Velásquez
and 3 of his lieutenants--

MARTY: Castillo,
Ramirez and Roya

STUDENT: Oh my God!

Are you in this class?

Well, no. Actually,
I'm supposed to be
in the second year,

but, uh, they were full.

That's too bad.

We're supposed to be
with professor Elman
in Mackay hall.

Why did they send us
here with you?

Professor Elman
took a leave of absence.

You mean till
the heat's off him

from grabbing
that girl's butt.

Tell me...

Marty.

Marty.

Since you seem to have
such a firm grasp

on every detail
of the battle,

Why don't you tell the class
how the Pioneers'
Bear Flag was destroyed?

Well, sure.

Except it wasn't.

Excuse me?

The other flag
wasn't destroyed.

I saw a picture of it.

They tacked it up
on the saloon wall
after the battle.

-Ah, Marty.
-Mmhmm?

We exactly did you
see this picture?

My uncle's house.

I'd really like
to see it.

Okay, uh,
for a price.

What kind of price?

A date.

Not a chance!

Not with you.

No way!

Look, Claudia.
He is enthusiastic.

He is intelligent.

He's fifteen!

Okay, so,
he's a bit young.

But he is a prodigy.
I find that fascinating.

Then why don't you
go out with him?

Claudia, we need this flag.

September is
the 150th anniversary
of California statehood.

They're having
a conference.

Do you know what
it would mean
if we were able to

put that
state flag on display?

All right.

Strictly business.
What's it going to take?

I don't know, yet.

But I'm sure
I'll come up
with something.

Within reason?

Of course. I'm like
a reasonable person.

[WHISPERS] Thank you.

NIGEL:
See the cross
in the lower left corner?

Thineas Albert.

That's right.
The priest?

Ah, the photographer.
The cross was his trademark.

Sure. Whatever.

He was renowned
for his photographs
of East Coast Society.

Except for the year
when he decided to join
the gold rush in California.

A place called Larivee.

[FOLK MUSIC PLAYING]

The town
that time forgot.
Hmmm.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Why don't you get a drink
and try to fit in?

Hmm, right.

Oh my God!
Oh, shoot!

Oh, I'm so sorry!

Oh my God!

That's okay.

It looks like
you've got
your hands full here.

Yeah, well, it's so busy
since they reopened
the mine.

SYDNEY: Another gold rush
in California.
WAITRESS: Yeah.

Excuse me?

Can I, uh...

Piller's Cup?
Don't know it.

Right, it's actually
pretty simple.

Two ounces
of Pimm's Number One.

Any good fruity liquor
will do.

Three ounces of ginger ale,
a cucumber,
and there you have it.

Uh, Bud Light?
Draft.

Fine.

Another gold rush
in California?

Yeah, well,
for Bertram Corp.
at least.

They've got
the only mine.

Owned since 1849,
but it's okay.

The wages are good
and the boys need work.

Can I get you
a drink?

Oh, yeah I...

[SIGHS]

Pardon me.

Oh, be my guest.

Pardon me!

[MAN SCREAMS]

Pardon me.

Let me know when
you're finished those.
The next two are on me.

Thanks.

Is the owner
around here?

We're doing
some research
about the town.

You'd be better off
talking to Jake.

He practically lives
at that table
right over there.

He's been in Larivee
all his life.

He knows more
about this town
than anybody.

Hey, Jake.

There's some people here.

Wonder if you mind
talking to them
for a minute.

What are we having
for dinner?

Stroganoff.

Hannah...

You're the only one
who loves me.

SYDNEY:
Hannah says you've lived
here all your life.

We were hoping
you could
tell us something

about the flag
in this photograph.

Why?

We're historians.

What are you studying?
History of kickboxing?

Well, we're
very active historians,
though.

The past comes alive
and that sort of thing.

Where did you get this?

A student of mine.

His great-grandfather
had it in his attic.

What was his name?

Billings.

He's a good man.

A bit of a wise-ass, though.

Great-grandson
takes after him.

That flag was made
by Merritt Falsey,

the one behind
the bar.

and his friend, Zeke Adams,
at the battle of Sonoma.

Zeke, didn't get out alive.

Made Merrit swear
that he wouldn't
let anything

happen to that flag.

Well, the story says
the fort burned down,

and there were
no survivors.

Stories are like that
aren't they, hmm?

Merrit got away
just as the fort
was over run.

Come here, opened the saloon,

lost it and everything else
two years later
in a card game.

Took the flag with him.

You know where it is,
don't you?

What are you
going to do with it?

Put it where it belongs,
in a museum.

So that the whole world
will know

what Merrit and Zeke
risked their lives for.

Hannah likes you.

Harley doesn't.

[SNIGGERS]

The flag is in...

...Falsey's grave.

Under his hat.

We're really going to
do this, huh?

There isn't
much of a choice.

Well, you see,
that's where
you're wrong, actually.

We have free will
and a ton of
air miles.

If we really
wanted to,
we could...

We could...

Uh...

Don't you guys have
a chilli cook-off
to go to?

Shall we dance?

[GRUNTING]

Here.

[GROANS]

NIGEL: Sydney! [GRUNTS]

SYDNEY: Pardon me.

[FOOTSTEPS RUSHING]

[BOTH PANTING]

-SYDNEY: Are you okay?
-[NIGEL GROANS]

[COYOTE HOWLING]

Think of it
as an excavation.

[FROG CROAKING]

[WOOD CREAKING]

SYDNEY: Nigel.

He took off real quick
last night.

Do you have any idea
where he might of gone?

When he didn't show up
for breakfast,
I started worrying.

Jake's not exactly
Mr. Popularity
around here.

He seemed like
a nice enough fellow,
except for the spitting.

Look, Jake loves
this town.

But if something is wrong,
he doesn't pull
any punches.

He's usually here
until closing,
working on his stuff.

But last night, he locked up
his briefcase and took off
around nine.

-Locked it up?
-Mmhmm.

He works on it here
all the time.

I guess he doesn't want to
haul it from home every day.

You mind if we
have a look at it?

So, where does he
keep it?

I don't know.
He always
puts it away himself.

California state motto.
"Eureka, I have found it."

[SIGHING]

NIGEL: What would he need
a slang dictionary for?
SYDNEY: Don't know.

NIGEL: Mmm, Merrit Falsey.

Looks like some kind
of instructions,
written in riddles.

"Follow the shepherd."

Jake was working
on this last night.

He works on it
all the time.

Any idea what it is?

Looks like he was trying
to figure out the clues.

See, this first one here is,

"Still waters.
Follow the shepherd."

Psalm 23, um,

"The Lord is my shepherd.
He leads me
beside the still waters."

Still Waters is the name
of the general store

before they changed it
into a pizza place.

Then it must be
some kind of map.

To where?

Hopefully to Merrit Falsey.

A mile and a half North-East
from the Still Water.

Right. That's the general store
I was talking about.
It's just down this way.

-SYDNEY: What's wrong?
-HANNAH: Nothing. Why?

-Do I have a rip
in my pants?
-No.

You've been staring at me
since we left.

No, I'm sorry,
it's nothing like that.

It's just, I've never met
a woman like you before.

Oh!

Yeah, well,
I don't have a clue
how to make beef stroganoff.

It's actually pretty simple.
You like sour cream?

-SYDNEY: Can't stand it.
-HANNAH: That won't work, then.

[BIRD SCREECHING]

NIGEL: I should have grabbed
something to eat
before we left.

Hey, here.

Hmm.

Mmm, that's good.
What is it?

Just something
I threw together
for a snack.

Mmm. It is good.
You should sell these.

HANNAH:
Who'd want to buy them?

NIGEL: I would.

NIGEL: Well, this is it.
The last instruction says
we end up here.

Here, give me
Merrit's document.

There's one more instruction
that's not inJake's book.

"East of the sacred earth,
point A becomes ground zero
where the saints rest."

Let's break it down.
East of the sacred earth.

There.

Looks pretty sacred to me.

NIGEL: This should be East.

[SYDNEY EXHALES DEEPLY]

HANNAH:
Where the saints rest,
point A becomes ground zero.

Where do you suppose
ground zero is?

He's playing with the words.
Ground zero, point A.

Wait a minute.
"Ground Zero" is
a nuclear testing term.

This was written
in the 1840's.

See, it doesn't say
"zero." It's just an 'o.'

Where the saints rest,
point A becomes ground 'o?'

Where the saints rest
is hallowed ground.

If you change the "a"
in hallow to an "o,"

-you get--
-NIGEL: Oh, whoa!

Nigel!

NIGEL:
I believe the word
is "hollow."

That's like
some kind of cave.

NIGEL: I'm fine, thank you.

Oh, okay.
You didn't pack
the flashlight!

Why would I bring
a flashlight?
It's broad day light.

Oh! I've got
a cigarette lighter.

It's Jakes.
He gave it to me
when he quit smoking.

Great. No, why don't you
wait here?
We'll be right back.

Oh, hey.

Chewing tobacco.

SYDNEY: Chalk.

[ENGINE REVVING]

SYDNEY: Get down.

SYDNEY: They're gone.
This must be
the Bertram gold mine.

Sydney?
What?

There's something
crawling up my back.

It's probably
just a bat.

A bat?
Well, turn the lantern on.

What if it startles?
Nigel, one little bat
is not going to hurt...

you...

Go. Go!
Nigel!

[NIGEL SCREAMING]

[BOTH SCREAMING]

Jake?

Oh!

SYDNEY: Jake.

I'm sorry, Hannah.

I can't say
we saw eye-to-eye
on everything,

but I did appreciate
his passion for Larivee.

Look, I know you're upset.

But the fact is,
he shouldn't have been
down there in the first place.

And you two shouldn't have
been down there, either.
You were trespassing.

You're lucky we're not
pressing charges.

Oh, we appreciate that,
Mr Bertram.

That mine is
just way too unstable

for people to be wandering
around down there.

We realise that now.

And I realize the importance
of this flag.

We'll send out a memo
to our employees.

If we find anything
remotely related,
we'll contact you.

We're so grateful,
Mr Bertram.

Let me guess,
we're going back in.

We're going back in.

A man was killed
down there.

That's exactly why
we going back in.

I don't believe
Jake's death
was an accident.

SYDNEY: The injury
to Jake's head
was a lot sharper

than it should have been
for falling in that tunnel.

Whoever killed Jake was after
the same thing he was.

The mine is composed
of sandstone.

It would be unusual
to find any
jagged surfaces like that.

And why would he have gone
so far into the mine
without his lamp?

We don't know Jake was
looking for the flag.

No, but it had something
to do with Merrit Falsey.

And Jake did say
it was in his grave.

You find Falsey,
you'll find the flag.

Besides,

with Jake gone,
it's all we have to go on.

Even if we did go back,
how would we know
where to look?

I mean, it's like a maze
down there.

Would a map help?

I deliver lunch to Bertram
every other day.

Look, Jake was more
than just a friend to me.

He was the only family
I had.

MAN:
See you later Mr. Bertram.

-Hannah.
-Hey. Hi.

How's
the chicken salad
today?

[STAMMERING] Terrible.
It's not fresh...the turkey...
the roast beef.

It's good I made it
this morning.
Thanks.

Enjoy.

Well, that's it.

The whole layout.

What, you didn't think
I can do it?

No, this morning
you didn't think
you could do it.

And, [EXHALES DEEPLY]
this is everything
that Jake had on him.

SYDNEY: And this?

The X's we found
in the cave?

To mark his way back out.

We'll meet you here at two.

SYDNEY:
So, how much do I owe you
for the equipment?

Oh, about $45.
Didn't you return
the shovels?

Well, they weren't exactly
in pristine condition.

Oh, right.
Yeah.

This is right about
where his body was.

NIGEL:
I doubt that's Chinese
for 'X'.

[PANTING]
It's a few hundred yards
south east of here.

NIGEL:
There doesn't appear to be
anything here, really.

SYDNEY: Merrit Falsey
wasn't exactly master
of the obvious,was he?

Maybe if we keep on walking,
you'll fall into
something again.

Honestly, Sydney, I really
don't think this... [YELPS]

What's wrong?
A stone in my shoe.

[NIGEL HOWLS IN PAIN]

Now what?
I cut my hand.

This rock is sharp.
I wonder what type it is.
O negative.

The rock, Nigel?
Right, um...

Granite.

Didn't you say this mine
was composed of sandstone?

Yes.

But you can't seal
anything up with sandstone.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

I should get
something on this.
What?

Oh, yeah.

Sydney. Sydney!

[GRUNTING]

Nigel!

Merrit Falsey?

SYDNEY:
Jake said he kept it
under his hat.

Here goes.

NIGEL:
No flag. Nothing.

Oh.

SYDNEY:
Doesn't look like he died
of natural causes.

Sorry, Merrit.

[SCREAMING] Nigel!

What?

You almost stepped on a box
of 150 year old Nitro.

Do you know
how unstable that is?
Nitro-glycerine?

Yes.

They use it to
blast out the rock.

Another cross.

Hallowed ground?

SYDNEY: It's the deed
to this mine.

In Merrit Falsey's name.

Registered in 1848.

But Bertram's family
founded the mine in '49.

After they killed Merrit
and jumped his claim.

Which is why he was
sealed up in here
with his head cracked open.

And probably why Jake
was down here.

I told them how dangerous
and unstable it is
down here.

Should have listened to you,
Mr. Bertram.

[LOUD EXPLOSION]

[BOTH GRUNTING]

You all right?
I think so.

Can we leave now?

Very definitely.

[BOTH PANTING]

NIGEL: Maybe Merrit Falsey
had another
hidden entrance.

SYDNEY: I don't think so.

NIGEL: What are we
going to do?

SUDNEY:I have no idea.

[MINE EMPLOYEE]
Hmm, I'll tell you,
Mr. Bertram...

I can't say the explosion
finished them off, but...

no food, no water?

Won't last long.

SYDNEY:
We're getting out of here
NIGEL: How?

Same way
we got stuck in here.

But you said yourself
it was unstable. It can
explode without warning!

Don't worry,
I'll warn you.

[BREATHING SLOWLY]

Go.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

NIGEL: Mind your step.

Mind your back.

Mind your head.

Nigel, [SHUSHING]

Yeah, yeah.

SYDNEY: Okay.

Now I just have to
ignite it.

NIGEL: Huh?

Oh!

[GRUNTS]

[PANTING]

I guess we need
a bigger rock.

[UNCLEAR]

[LOUD EXPLOSION]

[BOTH GROANING]

[NIGEL COUGHING]

NIGEL;
Well, I guess that
makes us even.

I didn't think
I set off two explosions.

Too bad you can
hear that Nitro
from miles away, huh?

[HANNAH SCREECHES]

My lawyer did a search
for Merrit Falsey's descendants.

It's when they found out
Jake was the last one.

He was Merrit's
great-great-grandson.

Grandson? So, Jake knew
the mine belonged to Merrit.

Mm-hm. That's why
he hated Bertram so much.

He couldn't prove anything.

Oh, I almost forgot.
I've got something
to show you.

I got eight cases
of Mountain Spring here.

I'll be right with you.

I thought about what you said,
and the owner is going to
let me start selling them

at the bar, and if people
like them, who knows?

[DELIVERY GUY YELLING]
Come on, I don't have
all day!

Hey! What part of
"be right with you"
did you not understand?

Aren't you the least bit
disappointed

that we didn't find
the flag?

Who said we didn't
find the flag?

We didn't. Did we?

It came to me
in the mine shaft.

Jake didn't mean the flag
was under his hat literally.

He was playing word games.

Wearing a marble hat,

dead and buried.

When Merrit didn't
come home one day,

his wife buried
his things a
s a memorial.

She didn't mind
if anyone found
the stuff in the coffin,

but the flag meant
more than anything
to her.

So, she buried it
under his hat.

Sorry, I'll put it
right back.

So, how was your date?

Well, why don't you
ask him yourself?

I mean, I couldn't go out
with him looking the way
he did before.

I had to do something.

Marty?
That's my name, Syd-babe.

Don't push it.
Sorry.

And your date
will be here soon, too.
My date?

That's my part
of the payback. Remember?
Yes.

I don't understand.
What do you get out of it?

Well, your date
agreed to do me
a little favor.

I see.

What's the catch?

Oh, well, there's a slight
little age difference.

Unlike yourself,
I'm a mature person.

I can look past

physical appearances

to the true person inside.

I'm sure we'll have
a great time.

Well, here's
the true person himself.

Professor Elman?

Oh, professor.
Before you go, there's still
the matter of...

Yes, yes, you'll have
a week's extension

to hand in
your project.

I'm sure you'll have
a great time.

[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]