Sliders (1995–2000): Season 5, Episode 8 - The Java Jive - full transcript

The Sliders arrive in a new world just as that world's Mallory is shot dead by Rembrandt and witnessed by Davis. The local police seem uninterested in the case, the reason for which become apparent very quickly.

I don't have
a word for it,

but whatever it is,
you really do it
to me, baby.

Let's just call it "it".

Do you have to?

It might be business.

Hold those lips
right where they were.

Walker.

Yeah.

I'll be right out.

I gotta meet somebody.

It better be important.



Baby, you know
only a matter of
life and death

could pull me away from you
even for a second.

Don't forget.
We have to run through
that new number

before the show tonight.

My mind's
in such a state...

What's up, Brownie?

Better question,
what's goin' down?

Answer, you.

Damn.

What got into you?
You almost missed
the slide.

Well, I was just
saying goodbye.

Well, that girl's kiss
almost cost you 29 years.

That girl's kiss
might've been worth it.

Men are pathetic.



Amen.

Are we gonna have this
men are from Mars,

women are
from the Moon
business again?

Venus.

We're here
for 18 hours.

That's plenty of time
to fight.

I give up.

Yeah.
We'd better get jobs.

The bank account
is just about dry.

What kind of jobs?

Maybe there's a circus
in town.

Listen, he's gone.

No! No, no.

What if you found a portal
to a parallel universe?

What if you could slide into
a thousand different worlds

where it's the same year
and you're the same person,

but everything else
is different?

And what if you can't
find your way home?

Sliders.

I can't understand it.

Everybody loved him.

Not everybody.

Hey, hey.
Let's get you inside.

Come on.

What do we do now?

Well, we don't have time
to get tied up in
a murder investigation.

Hang loose.
I'll handle this.

Wells, LAPD.

I understand you people
found the body.

Well, not exactly.

We heard a woman scream,
and we ran to see
if we could help her.

But, uh, we didn't
actually see anybody
get shot.

You two see anything?

No. We, uh, all got here
about the same time.

No.

Who was the woman
who screamed?

We didn't catch her name,

but apparently
she's a singer
at this nightclub.

Angie Morgan.
She's pretty big
around here.

Yeah,
the guy that was shot
was her piano player.

Yeah. Where is she now?

She's inside lying down.
She's pretty upset.

Well, I won't
bother her now.

If you remember
anything else, call me.

Sure thing.

Well, that was
pretty casual.

Yeah.
Almost like he already
knew everything.

Or didn't want
to know.

Let's see
how Remmy's doing.

He was, well,
so different.

It was hard to believe
he was a musician,
if you know what I mean.

That musicians are
usually unreliable,

bad about money,
whisky, women?

How did you know?

I'm a musician.

Really?

Yeah. Vocals.
A little keyboards.

Cut a couple of records.

What name
do you work under?
Would I know it?

Have you heard
of Nat King Cole?

No.

Well, then you
wouldn't know me.

Angie, we know
this is a bad time

and we're sorry
about Harrell and all,

but things are
just getting too hot
around here.

What? You're quitting?

We're sorry.

Oh, I can't think
about this right now.

Listen, what did
they mean by,

"Things are getting
too hot around here"?

You got other troubles?

There's always
some kind of trouble
in this business.

Why don't you show me
what you can do?

Look, it's been a while.

Come on.
Maybe you can sit in

with the band
a couple of days.

Uh-oh.

What's wrong?

Well, while we were out
talking to that cop,

it looks like Angie
hooked Rembrandt
but good.

I'm paying the equivalent
of a college chemistry
department,

and nobody can come up
with the right formula?

Customers are
goin' crazy!

Two people died
on the Southside.

Now, how hard can it be
to mix a little
synthetic caffeine?

Drop him, Dropper Daddy,
like a bad habit.

I may do that,

but how does it
solve the problem?

I need safe caf.

So, Officer Brown,

I heard
you lost your temper.

Better than
losing your life.

Did he have it on him?

So, you drop the guy,
and he doesn't even
have the contact?

I had to do him.

He was going to my boss
about our arrangement.

And you think your boss
doesn't know?

He may suspect,
but he's not sure.

Harrell was gonna
blow our whole deal.

Well, I guess
I deserve what
I get, huh?

When I send a dirty cop
to do a man's job.

Please tell me
you tossed his digs.

Well, I thought
I'd come by here and
check with you first.

Toss the place.

Evenin'.

Hey, barkeep,
scotch and soda.

Stop sampling
the merchandise,
Alfalfa.

I would if I could.

There's not much
hootch to speak of
back here.

Just about 300
different kinds
of coffee.

Okay, it makes sense
why you would make
a few bucks here,

but why do
we have to?

Why can't we just
hit the ATM machines
like we always do?

I mean, I'm a PhD,
for cryin' out loud.

Come on, guys,
it's just for tonight.

Look, Angie just
lost her boyfriend,

her people are
walking out on her.

I mean, haven't you heard,
"The show must go on"?

Here's the key
to the sugar box.

I don't lock it up
I get stolen blind.

Bring me ten packets.

Um, right.

I have never seen people
who love coffee so much.

Oh, this is nothing.

You should go
to Seattle sometime.

Five, six, seven,
eight, nine, ten.

Be careful with these.

I only give you
10 at a time.
You owe me 50.

Fifty cents for sugar?

$50.

Must be
really good sugar.

The best in town.

$5 a packet.
Ten packets, $50.

What's in the stuff?
Heroin?

Uh, caffeine!
Boy, you are out
of touch.

Haven't you heard
of the Gephardt Act?

Now, you did know
you're working in
a speakeasy, didn't you?

We've been out
of the country lately.

Canada.

That explains it.

They're still
drinking booze up there.

Here...
They took it away,

then our smokes,
then our beef,
our caffeinated coffee,

all in the interest
of the public health.

As if we couldn't
make those decisions
ourselves.

You have no idea
how much I miss bacon.

So the caffeine is
mixed with sugar?

Then the customer
does the rest.

Oh, I gotta get moving.
I'm on in a minute.

Break a leg.

It's a living.

It's illegal.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The Hippo Club is
pleased to present,

our very own
Angie Morgan.

This is dedicated
to my man.

My mind's
in such a state

My man has gone away

Oh, Lord, what a mess

I need some tenderness

He must be sleepin'

Could he be dreamin'

Where can my baby be?

Well, I've been
down before

And each time
he'd love me more

Now I feel so alone

Tryin' to make it
on my own

He must be sleepin'

Could he be dreamin'

Where can my baby be?

Where can...

We've all
been down before

You need love
that much more

And you're never
so alone

As tryin' to make it
on your own, little girl

He must be sleepin'

Nice and easy

Could he be dreamin'

Where can my baby be?

Where can my baby

Be

Ladies and gentlemen,
Miss Angie Morgan!

He must be sleepin'

Could he be dreamin'

Where can my baby be?

He must be sleepin'

Could he be dreamin'

Where can my baby be?

He must be sleepin'

Could he be dreamin'

Where can my baby be?

He must be sleepin'

Could he be dreamin'

Where can my baby be?

You realize
he's not going to
want to leave here.

Yeah.

Well, I'm not so sure
it's such a good idea
to stay.

Trust me, you do not
want to go to jail
on one of these worlds.

Maybe we should just
finish out the night
and move on.

Hmm.

But who wants
to tell him?

I will.

What is it?

What's happening to her?

Bad dose.
She got some
tainted caf.

Let's get her outta here.

We can take her
to Harrell's place.

Rem, somebody
get this door.

I think it's down
on the left.

Okay. Wait a minute.

We really
appreciate this.

Whoa.

No offense,
but your boyfriend wasn't
much of a housekeeper.

I don't understand this.

Harrell was neat
as a pin.

We used to call him
Seinfeld.

That's right,
you're from Canada.

Guess you didn't
get that show.

Well, where we come from,
we'd say this place
has been searched.

Probably by a pro.

Harrell have anything
of value in here?

Anything that would be
important enough

to warrant
somebody escaping out
a fourth floor window?

Not that I know of.

Oh, I'm so sorry
about this.

Sometimes we get
a bad batch.

I'm trying to
get a better source.

A good night's rest,
you'll be fine.

You can stay here
as long as you'd like.

It's the least
I owe you.

Um, if you need to go out
and get anything,

you can use my car.
It's behind the club.

Will you be back
for the late show?

Look, we were glad to do
what we did

until we found out what
you were selling there.

We don't want any harm
to come to you.

But we don't want
any part of that.

If I could compete
without it...

You really should
have some aspirin.

Good luck
finding any here.

There's a drug store
on the next block.

I'll be right back.

She's burning up.

Let me see if
I can find some ice.

This guy must have
ate out a lot.

Oh, here we go.

Hello.

What is it?

Looks like the piano man
was a cop.

"The Colombian Connection
is a guy called Medellin Max.

"He'll make the drop
at the club at 4:00 a.m.
Wednesday.

"Do I let Wells in on this,
or make the bust myself?

"And what about Brownie?"

4:00 a.m. Wednesday.

That's tomorrow.

Medellin Max?
Medellin Max?

Wait a minute.

That's the name
that was on that note

that fell out of
Harrell's music book
at the piano.

"And what about Brownie?"

You think Angie knew
her guy was a cop?

Well, if she did,
she didn't say
anything about it.

This Wells guy...
Wait a minute.

Wasn't he the cop
that we talked to
on the street?

I think so.

Hmm.

It's not safe for a woman
to be out at night alone.

What do you want?

Just a moment
of your time.

Hey, somebody just
grabbed Angie.

Should we call
the police?

Angie said a lot
of the cops here are
on the take.

It's probably why
she was able to
operate so openly.

That Wells guy
looked okay to me.

Maybe that's why Harrell
left the note for him.

Can't take the chance.

Looks to me like
Harrell was onto Angie,

she was trying
to set up a connection
to get pure caffeine.

So she's been buying
the synthetic stuff
from gangsters.

Yeah.

Maggie,
keep an eye on Diana.

We're going to find
this caffeine gangster.

Such a pretty face.

Such a pretty voice.

Let's play it this way.

Your voice
for that info.

I told you,
I don't know
about any contact.

You know how this stuff
cleans pipes?

It burns everything away,

and it'll do the same
for your vocal chords.

Harrell Walker was
an undercover cop.

And you were with him
all the time.

You had to know.

I tell you,
I didn't know.

Trust me, sister,

he was about
to bring you
and me both down.

Now give me
that information.

Or I'm gonna rip
your club apart

and I'm gonna
burn it down!

I swear to you,
I don't know.

If I had it,
I'd give it to you.
Why would I hold out?

I've got
a meeting downtown.

We'll finish
this off later.

But you remember
what I said...

Your voice
for that info.

Oh.

Are you sure
that's the car you saw?

Yeah.

And that's the guy.

They may be
the bad guys,

but they got
some cool cars.

This could be tricky.

You stay here
and watch my back.

If I don't come out
in a few minutes,
then we'll go to plan B.

What's that?

Sometimes you've got to
trust the cops.

I could use
a ten of hearts.

Hey, Brownie,
is that you?

Uh, yeah.

What're you doing
back there?

Get your butt
over here, man!

You owe me
some money.

Three kings!

Damn!
I'm out.

Well, I gotta be going.

You're not still
on the clock dressed
like that, are you?

Yep. Doing a little
undercover work.

So I gotta punch out.

Can't you get that
skirt down there
to talk?

I'm sure Daddy would
appreciate it.

Yeah, what kind of
cop are you?

Yeah, what kind of
cop am I?

All right.
I'll get her to talk.

I'll get her to sing.

You're the man, Brownie.
You are the man.

Remmy!

Are you all right?
They didn't hurt you,
did they?

Get me outta here.

A coupla goons
out there...

They think
I'm this cop.

Look, I've got an idea.

Just play along
with me, okay?

Okay. But why are you
sticking your neck out
for me like this?

Both of our necks
are out there.

Besides,
a voice like yours

is a terrible thing
to waste.

Come on.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa, whoa, whoa.
What are you doing?

You be cool.

She agreed to
get Harrell's notes.

I hope you know
what you're doing,

'cause if
Daddy comes back
and she's not here...

Will you relax?
I know what I'm doing.

Just tell Daddy that
Brownie's on the case.

Look what I found
watching the place.

What's this?

Who are you?

Rembrandt Brown.

Cut the crap.
I'm Rembrandt Brown.

Here you go.
Thanks.

They've been gone
way too long.

Well, what do we do?

Well, you have to
stay here and rest.

You've had
a pretty good shock
to your system.

I feel fine.

Where are you going?

Time for reinforcements.

I just hope
Mallory's instinct
about that cop is right

and that
he's a good guy.

What are you
doing here?

Are we allowed to
ask you the same thing?

If I get an answer I like,
you might get one.

Angie gave us
temporary jobs
at the club.

She said
since he wouldn't be
needing it anymore,

we could stay
at Harrell's
for a few days.

Nice of her.

You didn't do this,
did you?

It was like this
when we got here.

Well, whoever did this,

I wonder if they found
what they were looking for.

No, but we did.

Sit tight now
till Dropper Daddy
gets back.

I always had a feeling
there was something

Harrell wanted
to tell me.

He never could do it.

Yeah.
Well, I figure
he was there

to investigate
the caffeine traffic.

Hadn't counted
on falling in love
with you.

He was going
to bust me.

I think he was beginning
to have second thoughts
about that.

He left a note.

Had the name
of your connection,

time of delivery,
everything.

He put it
in his music book.

Obviously he was trying
to figure out a way

to make that bust
without hurting you.

And somebody
killed him for it.

Yeah.

I can't prove it,
but I'd bet money

that the shooter
was a bad apple
in my barrel.

A cop named
Rembrandt Brown.

You have an officer
named Rembrandt Brown?

Yeah. We think
he was on the take

from a big timer
named Dropper Daddy.

Harrell found out
about it

and that's why you think
Brown killed him.

That's how I add it up.

But convincing a D.A.?

Well...

We think our friends
might be in trouble.

They went looking
for this Dropper Daddy,

and they've been
gone a long time.

If that's where they went,
they might not
come back at all.

Oh, now wait.

That's not
something we accept
without a fight.

So you say Brown works
for this guy?

That's my guess.

Then why don't you
give him a call,

set up a meeting
and tell him
you've got the word

on the Colombian
Connection.

How is that gonna
help your friends,

assuming that
Brown's got them?

When we get your Brown,

that gives us something
to trade for our friends.

Well, well, well,
my main man Brown.

Guess you dropped by
to watch me

turn off the lights
on that song bird, huh?

Yeah. Well, there's
a little complication.

Complication?

Am I going to like it?

Some men were
watching the place.

And one of them looks
just like Brownie.

In fact,
when he came in
through the back

we both thought
he was Brownie.

From the back?

Yeah. He must have
jimmied the back door.

We didn't think of that
at the time.

Obviously.

Yeah. Anyway, he played
a couple of hands
of poker with us

and then he tried
to take Angie
out of here.

Yeah. He said
you would like it.

And where were you when
all this fancy melodrama
was playing out?

Look, I come up,
there's a car
in the street,

so I bust
the guy inside.

There was another guy?

Yeah, then this
other guy...

He says his name is
Rembrandt Brown, too,
by the way.

Anyway,
he's coming out with Angie,
they try to get away.

So, naturally I stop 'em.

Naturally.

We got 'em
all locked up.

This may come as
a surprise to you,

but I followed
that whole thing.

All right.
So, what do we do now?

Stick 'em
with the steaks.

The freezer?

Why don't we
just cap 'em?

Too much of that
going on lately.

Besides, I want Angie
to think about dying
before she does.

Maybe then she'll
tell me about that
connection she has.

I knew I should have
brought my winter coat.

Would you quit
with the jokes,
I'm trying to think.

That wasn't a joke.

Oh, is he just
gonna let us
freeze to death?

From the way he laughed
when he slammed
and locked that door,

that would be
my guess.

Maggie and Diana
must be going nuts
right about now.

Think they'll
call the cops?

They're not one
to do nothing.

All this because
some folks want
a real caffeine buzz?

And if we ever
get out of this,

I want you to
carefully think
about that.

Remmy, can I have
your coat?

Maybe I should go back
to that apartment.

Maybe these people
we've got,

they were the ones
that were there.

Something always
interrupts you,
doesn't it?

See what I mean?

Brown.

It's Wells.

Yeah.

He knows about
the Colombian Connection.
He's got a name.

Uh-huh.

There's gonna be a meet
at the club after closing.

He's gonna
make a bust.

Uh-huh.

He wants me to
meet him there.

Okay, I'll meet you there.

Fine.

Now what?

Is Wells gonna
be there alone?

Hey, that's his style.

No ambush?

No SWAT team putting down
their trombones,
picking up tommies, huh?

The Connection's
only one guy.

Wells is gonna
make the collar alone.

Besides, there's no one
he can trust on the force.

Well, who can blame him?

Well, then, let's do
what he says.

Make the contact?

Sure, two cops
in the room,

one of them works
for me?

I love those odds.

We might need
to take Angie along.
It's her connection.

Thaw her out,
throw her in the car.

Oh, oh, oh.

Well, I'm glad you
changed your mind...

Or have you?

Just the girl.
Not you.

Come on.

Thank you.

What has she got
that we don't?

I've got an idea.

Give me a hand
over here.

The Freon
in these tubes...

Under pretty
heavy pressure...

We can freeze the lock,
maybe it'll shatter.

Yeah.

You ever break out of
a meat locker before?

I broke into one once.

Medellin Max?

Hmm.

You know the drill.

All right! Let's go!

Hey, can't you get it
to stop this?

I don't know!

Max?

Yeah.

You Dropper Daddy?

Yeah.

Didn't expect a woman.

A lot of things I do
are unexpected.

Like this. Freeze!

Angie, run for it!

You! Drop the chopper!

Damn!

She's out!

Uh, yeah.
They're on their way.

Yeah. Come on.
Let's go.

Got him.
Come on.
You know the routine.

I guess you knew what
you were talking about

when you said
your people could
handle this.

That was a trip.

I just want to
say thank you.

Anytime we're in town.

All right.

That goes double for me.

Are you okay?

Never better.

Gonna have to
plug up a few holes,

but you shouldn't be
closed for long.

No, I'm closing down
for good.

Besides, raging gun battles
are never good for business.

Word gets around.

Yeah. Well, maybe
you should stick
to de-caf.

I know I will.

I think I'm gonna try
the music business again.

Let somebody else
worry about payrolls,

and musicians who
don't show up.

What about you guys?

Well, we always have
someplace interesting to go.

Uh, about 30 seconds.

Whoa, time escapes me
when I'm shooting up
the bad guys.

Let's go, guys.

Thank you.

Hey, it was
a definite kick.

Thank you.

Maybe we could
work together again
some time.

Yeah. Maybe.