Swamp Thing (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 6 - The Price You Pay - full transcript

Previously on Swamp Thing...

Have you seen anything
more about my mission?

When you'd first come
to Marais,

you told me
you'd made a bargain.

One that bound you to
this town until called upon.

Help!

Who are you?

A passing stranger,

trying to help you understand
the things you already know.

Thought you might
be coming around.

Logbook says that
there was only one other boat



besides Holland's
that went out that night.

Let's just say, it don't
look good for your boy Matt.

Nobody ever fucking
threatens my son.

Liz Tremayne?

You need to stay out of the
pissing-people-off business.

Hey, Liz!

Back off.

- You all right?
- Motherfucker!

Daniel! Look out!

The sample
that Arcane recovered,

it's from a living creature.

We'll talk about this
in the morning.

Hey, hey. Hey.

You want to me to push
this project forward?



I need it alive
on a table to study.

Find it.

It's very,
very important, Abby,

for me to keep you safe.

Why?

Because I care about you.

You hardly know me.

Well, you can
spend your entire life

with someone
and hardly know them

or you can meet a stranger
and... just like that.

You get 'em.

I felt something
between us.

Didn't you?

That was solid steel!

Slow down.
Avery wants him alive.

To hell with that.

I ain't getting my ass
mauled for nobody.

What the hell could do that?

Whatever it is,
it's jacked up

on enough ketamine to
take down a fuckin' zoo.

Jesus...

Christ! What is that?

It's not going down!

Quick! Get to the boat! Run!

What the hell
is happening?

Quick! Run!

Get on the boat!

I was making sure Susie was
safe with relatives when I heard.

I... I still can't
believe this.

And there's
no one we can call?

Family? Friends?

Found what I think was
an old Rolodex in his shop

full of scratched-out
LA numbers.

From his notes, they're mostly
agents and old surf buddies.

Well, the ventilator's
keeping him breathing, but, um...

His brain activity is...
it's minimal.

Based on these tests,

I'm not sure he's gonna
come out of this.

I poked the bear.

It's my fault, you know.

No, Liz.

You said you and Cassidy
were mugged.

It's not your fault.

Yeah, well, you were dealing
with a lot last night.

What do you mean?

Those assholes
that came at us,

that was a message.

Don't fuck
with Avery Sunderland.

Avery.

The bastard
threatened my dad.

I couldn't let it go.

Liz, it doesn't make sense.

Avery likes your dad.

He likes my dad even better
when his little girl

isn't investigating certain
dirty business practices.

Come on.

Can't be that big
of a surprise.

Did you go to the Sheriff?

I don't have enough for a
story, let alone to nail Avery.

And that's even if Lucilia
wasn't in his pocket.

What do I do?

You do nothing.

I hit delete,
Avery backs off,

everybody walks away fine.

Everyone except for Daniel.

Avery's here in the hospital.
I'm going to find him.

Abby, let it go!

Abby! Wait!

It's Cassidy, right?
Stunts?

Yeah.

Ah, was wondering when the
studio would send somebody out.

You think we're even
gonna get a shot off tonight?

Not if the D-bag at the top of
the call sheet has his way.

I'm sorry.
It's been a long night.

Don't apologize.

I appreciate
the honesty, actually.

Yeah.

So tell me...

Would you say that you feel
satisfied with things?

Here? On set?

Look at this guy.

It's the most acting
he's done all week.

Man...

It's too bad casting only
looks at me like a stunt man.

I'd give anything
to have that role.

Yeah.

Well, I can sense
your passion, all right.

I wonder...

Huh.

Maybe if I put in
a good word,

you might wanna
do me a favor.

A favor?

We're trying, Avery.

But she's refusing
all medication.

Well, I don't care.

What happened at the swamp
was a goddamn wake-up call.

Now you're a doctor.
You figure it out.

You give her something that
will make this behavior stop.

- All right, Doctor?
- Okay.

Avery.

Thank you very much, Doctor.
Take care.

Hello, Abby.

God, I am so relieved
that you are okay.

Don't.

Oh, Abby, if this is about
Maria attacking you like that,

I honestly don't know
what got into her.

- I'm just sorry I wasn't there...
- Stop.

You threatened Delroy?

You... You sent
people after Liz?

Excuse me.

Those are serious
accusations, Abby.

You want serious?

Cassidy's in a coma and he
will probably never recover.

Yes, and we're all very
shook up about that boy,

but if there are
hospital bills to be paid,

I am always here.

Yeah, that's right.
Because that's what you do.

You hurt people and then
you pretend to care.

There's no pretend
about it, Abby.

I love this town,

and I love all
the people in it.

When it benefits you
or when it's convenient.

What happens when I become
inconvenient, Avery?

Are you gonna
send men after me?

- Oh, Abby.
- Don't.

How can you
say that to me?

You are like
a daughter to me.

I would never ever
hurt you.

No.

No, do you know that
there was a time

that I would've believed that?

But you are not the man
that I once knew.

I took you from nothing and this
is how you pay me back, Abby?

Did you send those men?

Abby...

Go back to Atlanta.

Did you send those men?

Are you sure you wanna
cross that line with me?

Dr. Arcane to the ER.

Dr. Arcane.

I am not a 17-year-old
girl anymore.

You do not scare me
the way you used to.

Stay away from Liz.

Abby.

I'll always
care about you.

But if you ever
accuse me like this again,

I won't be so forgiving.

There's something
you need to see.

These two were
just brought in.

They've been yelling
about being attacked

by some kind of
swamp monster.

Get the fuck off me, please!

Calm down, sir. We'd like to help you.

Did you hear
what they actually saw?

Sounds like
it was dark, but...

Their description sounds
90% like your Mr. Holland.

I don't know.

He couldn't have done this.

Abby, you said
there were times

when he seemed
to lose control.

I know, I know.
But I know Alec,

and if this is him,

there has to be
an explanation.

I hope it's a good one.

Finished the incident report
on Maria Sunderland.

You all right?

Remy Dubois'
piece of shit brother

came in to ID the body.

Poor guy, he was...

He was crying like a baby.

I don't blame him.

The round that I put
through Remy's skull

didn't... leave much
to the imagination.

Well, I'm sure
whatever went down,

it was justified.

Justified?

Mmm-hmm.

I took a man's life,
Matthew...

In self-defense.

To protect you.

Dubois,
he fuckin' saw you.

- He saw me? I...
- Shut up!

The night Holland died,
Dubois was working the docks

when you took out
a Sunderland boat,

and that piece of hull
that Tremayne's friend found,

the one with the blast marks
and the buckshot holes,

it's a match
to Holland's boat.

You shot him.

And then you went
for the dynamite.

What are you talking about?

- You know me!
- And I know Avery Sunderland.

Holland must've been
in his way,

which means
he needed him gone.

So he found somebody
he could trust,

somebody he knew would keep
their damn mouth shut.

So now what?

Well...

Remy's dead and that piece
from Holland's boat,

the lab will just say
it's inconclusive.

No match.

Any other loose ends?

I just...
I don't understand.

He could've picked
half this town.

But he picked you. Why?

Jesus, Matthew.
If you needed the money,

- I could've...
- You'd have what?

You'd have pulled a couple of
dollars from your rainy day fund?

Remind me again how much
a small town cop makes.

This is not about me.

No, it's your friend Avery,

and the two-inch thick file he
has on you going back 30 years!

What? You haven't
read that one?

Oh, well, I highly recommend it.
It's a real beaut.

Bribes, payoffs,

even a couple dropped
bodies in your custody,

long before I ever
came on.

- Enough to put you away for life!
- Shh!

Son of a bitch.

Everything I did,
I did for you.

No, don't...

Do not put that on me.

Sunderland made it
very clear what he would do

if I didn't go along
with him on Holland.

So you work for Avery now?

At least it's better than
sleeping with him.

Do you understand
what he has taken from you?

I protected you,
that's what I did.

The same as you've
always done for me.

Stop. Just stop! Just stop!

You know
what I been thinkin'?

I been thinkin'
that maybe it is time

to start applying
to other departments.

Lake Charles, Houma...

I can just be done
with you, Avery,

and this whole...
lousy town.

Hey, Sheriff.

Just got a call
from Marais General.

A couple of swamp hunters
got attacked by a wild animal

out on Layton's Point.

Animal control can
handle it in the morning.

Nope, you go tonight.

I want you out of
my fucking sight!

You know,
in this business,

when someone
asks for a favor...

No, it's nothing like that.

Strictly on the up and up.

My plate's just
pretty full.

I've got a number of other
projects that I need to oversee.

It'd be great if I could
have someone here in Marais.

Someone I could trust
who could, uh...

make themselves available.

What are you lookin' for?
Just another stunt man?

No.

No, you'd play
a different role.

After this movie,
of course.

Starring role?

Very important role.

I don't have
all the details just yet.

There'll be a woman
coming to Marais soon.

You can learn
more from her.

Good luck, Mr. Cassidy.

- Cassidy.
- What's up?

The studio is fed up
with Wayne's bullshit.

All right? They're ready
to cut their losses,

unless we re-cast...
like now.

You've been running
lines with him.

They've seen
the rehearsals,

and they like your style.

- So...
- You're givin' me a shot?

- At the Blue Devil?
- Yeah.

Hey...

Where'd that studio guy go?

What studio guy?

Daniel?

Daniel, can you hear me?

It's okay. It's okay.
It's okay.

You got hurt in a fight,
but you're safe, okay?

- Ahh! I'm burning up!
- You're okay.

- I'm burning up!
- Hey! It's okay!

It's okay! It's okay!

What the...

I heard the alarm!

What's wrong with me?
I'm burning up!

- He's awake.
- Who are you?

Dr. Woodrue.

Sunderland's guy?
Are you Daniel's doctor?

No.

But I heard the commotion
and I...

I'm sorry. When did he
regain consciousness?

Just now! Look at him!
He's burning up!

Go get a nurse.

Go now. I'll stay close.
You go get a nurse!

Go, go, go!

I made a deal.
I made a deal.

The stranger said
I couldn't leave Marais

until after I fulfilled
my end of the bargain...

Mr. Cassidy, you shouldn't
even be awake right now.

Help me, Doc!
Help me!

- I'm burning up!
- Help! Help!

Woodrue.

I couldn't stop him.

I'll notify
the authorities.

The authorities?

Mr. Cassidy could be a danger
to himself and others.

Just...

I know him.

Just give me a chance to
find him and bring him back.

Alec?

Whatever happened
to those people,

I know you had a reason.

Did they
tell you about the monster

that attacked them?

Alec...

You were
defending yourself.

They were attacking you.

You are suffering from
a condition that we...

That we don't understand.

I know that you are
frightened and frustrated.

I'm not going to
give up on you.

You're still Alec Holland.

Am I?

I feel more in common
with the green in this place

than anything
I've ever felt before.

What's the green?

Hey.

We don't even know
who that is.

They're coming for me.

This isn't going to stop.

Alec!

Alec?

It's late and I'm tired.

- This better be important.
- Yes.

If I understand correctly,

I heard that the two hunters
that you recommended

to retrieve the living
specimen failed.

Thanks for that information.

You know what?
Good night, Doctor.

I only mention it because you had
asked for something tangible.

Yeah? To justify further
investment into my research.

I didn't ask for
something tangible.

I don't care about
anything tangible.

I need results, Woodrue.

Results.

Well, perhaps you heard...

There was
an unfortunate incident

involving a Daniel Cassidy?

Word gets around.

Doctors say he's in
an irreversible coma.

Oh, he was.

Until an hour ago.

Daniel Cassidy regained
consciousness.

He's speaking.
He has full mobility.

And it's supposed to mean
something to me because...

Mr. Cassidy suffered
a grave brain injury.

Chances for recovery
were virtually nil.

Until I intervened.

What the hell
you talkin' about?

Mutagenic regeneration.

Here.

I synthesized the sample
that was given to me

by your Dr. Arcane.

I had it administered
to Mr. Cassidy.

Now, remember...

His condition was grave.

But within hours
of receiving the mutagen,

it appears that
his brain regenerated

to the point of
full consciousness.

And this happened because
you spun a magic potion

from the sample Abby
took out of the swamp.

You asked for results,
Mr. Sunderland.

I'm giving you...

a discovery that could
change the world.

You woke a man from a coma.

That'll get attention.

Indeed.

Well...

I'll prepare
a testing regimen...

No, no, no, what you're
gonna do, Doctor,

you're gonna write a report on
your findings tonight, now.

I don't understand what
anything says right there,

but you're gonna
make a report,

and you're gonna add every damn
graph and colored picture

you can find,
but use short words.

When I'm on the other
end of the transaction,

I insist on it.

Uh, in the interim,

there is something else

that could be of value
going forward.

Go on.

Dr. Arcane. She has,
to this point,

been reluctant
to fully share information.

You tell me what you need
from Abby,

and I'll get it for you.

The hunters said they came across
some tracks somewhere around here.

It's the goddamn
middle of nowhere.

Tell me about it.

All right.

Take a look around.

Try to identify any sign before
the rain wipes it clean.

We should lock down
the general area,

we'll come back in the light
and we could...

Toss me that shotgun.

Yeah.

Whatever it is,
it's big.

So if you see it, you call me.

I'm gonna follow these tracks.

See if I can't flush this thing
out into the open.

You take the skiff,

get around to the other
side of this inlet.

Shit.

Shit!

Jesus.

Hey, we're in the right place.
Keep your eyes open.

I might have something.

Abby?

What the fuck
are you doing out here?

Look, I can explain. We have
to get back to the boat now.

No, this is crazy. It's not
safe for you to be out here.

- No, please just listen to me.
- No, listen to me!

Okay? Two more people
got attacked.

We found tracks
leadin' this way.

Wait, you're not alone?

Tyler's in the boat.

What the hell
is goin' on with you?

- Abby, run!
- Matt, don't shoot!

Not him!

Alec, stop it!

Alec?

Alec, please!

It's Alec Holland.

- No... No.
- He's alive.

That can't be.
That's... That's impossible.

- It's impossible!
- It's not. It's not.

I know, I know,
I can't explain it,

but he survived.

And the swamp, it... it
affected him, it changed him.

And he's only trying
to defend himself.

Okay, so... so...

- Holland's alive?
- Yes.

I know... I know
it's hard to understand...

But it's true.

Does he, um...

Does he remember anything?

From the explosion
or anything,

that night in the swamp?

The boat.

Someone in the dark.

A flash.

I remember you.

It's okay, it's okay.

You were at the bridge.

You came to help Abby.

Matt, do you copy?

Find anything?

No, Matt, don't.

But I gotta...
I gotta respond.

No, no, no, no one else
can know he's here.

Give me the chance
to save him, please.

- Matt, do you copy?
- Please.

Please.

Cable here.

Look, I thought
I found something.

Turns out it was
just a buck deer.

The call was bullshit.

Headed back to
where you dropped me.

Jason. It's late.

I'm, uh...

I'm not, uh...
I'm not tired.

Mmm-hmm.

I'll, uh... I'll be
with you soon.

I wanna go home, Jason.

I... I understand, uh...

As soon as I finish
this presentation.

Once we secure
full funding for this project,

- I'll be able to go...
- Not later.

Now.

Tonight.

I can't leave now.

No, not when I'm so close.

What is it?

What's bothering you?

Hmm?

I overheard you
with Sunderland.

Caroline...

We made the discovery
of a lifetime!

Imagine the possibilities!

Regenerative therapies
for disease that...

- That could revolutionize medicine.
- At what price?

- What are you...
- Human experimentation?

You used an untested drug
on a human subject.

Jason!

If the college regents
find out...

The college regents
haven't had

an intelligent idea
in 50 years!

You are a respected
professor.

We have had a good life.

Please don't
throw it away

for a man like
Avery Sunderland.

I...

I can't... I can't leave.

- I can't.
- I know.

I can't leave.

I know.

I just don't wanna lose
the man you used to be.

Daniel?

Daniel, it's Liz.
Are you here?

Shit!

Oh, my God.
Are you okay?

I'm on fire, Liz.

It's tearing me up.

I can't take it!

He's gotta know something.
Where's the keys?

- Where are my keys?
- Who do you have to go talk to?

Sunderland's guy.

- That doctor.
- Woodrue?

It was him, Liz.

Let's... Let's just...

Daniel, hey.

- You're still burning up.
- I gotta go find Woodrue.

He knows somethin', Liz.

Let me just get you
back to the hospital!

Shit.

911.

Yeah. I have
a situation here.

Doc!

Doc!

Woodrue!

Doc!

Woodrue!

Stay inside.

Lock the door.

Doc...

- Cassidy.
- Doc...

Mr. Cassidy.

I can't stand this.

Your recovery
is truly remarkable.

I'm burnin' up!
Make it stop!

I'll have you returned
to the hospital.

The testing will tell us what's
provoking this reaction.

What did they do?

Extreme measures
were required

to prompt your
regenerative cycle.

They did this
on purpose to me?

Yes, and it worked.

The side effects
are unexpected,

- but it... it worked.
- Unexpected?

I'm burnin' up!

I can't stand this!

Jason, help him!

Get back inside.

- You can't leave him like this!
- Go back!

You better settle
the hell down, Cassidy.

You gotta do somethin'.
Doc...

You gotta do somethin'.

He... You gotta stop it!

Don't do it!

Last warning, Cassidy!

This your magnificent
breakthrough?

There appears to be
some unfortunate side effects

with the regenerative
process.

Unfortunate?

This man is psychotic.

He's out of his mind
with pain.

Look at this.

I said I needed
more time for tests.

Perhaps...

You should postpone
the investors

while I find
a solution for this.

We're not postponing
anything.

As far as my investors
are concerned,

we have found
the Holy Grail.

And I expect your report
to reflect that.

Now you let me handle
the authorities.

We'll be sure Cassidy
gets the help he needs.

You really think
you can help him?

He's changed in ways
I can't even understand.

It's like a whole
different world

is pulsing
through him now.

Different how?

He says that's something
out there. A...

A darkness.

He says it's a force unlike
anything we've ever seen.

Jesus.

Yeah, I know, I know this
must sound so crazy to you.

No, I'm...

starting to get
used to it by now.

I'm sorry I left you
in the dark about this.

Are you gonna be okay?

Yeah.

I'll just file a report,

tuck it away somewhere.

Thank you.

But I get it now.

The reason why
you've been spending

so much time
in the swamp.

Why you didn't leave Marais
with the rest of the CDC.

You can still
come back with me, Abby.

- I can't.
- I can't.

I'm sorry,
I have to help him.

We need to talk.

I know you feel trapped.

Your fate was written
eight years ago

by forces you couldn't
possibly understand.

The stranger you met...

He must've seen
something in you.

I know because
I've seen it too.

I should've told you more.

But even now, your
future remains unclear.

Your mission, the reason you
were tasked to Marais...

is still to come.

I can't change that.

But I like you, Daniel.

That's more than
I can say about many

I've met over
my many years.

So while I can't...

I can't interfere
with your destiny,

perhaps I can
offer you some...

relief from the pain
you're experiencing.

Rest easy now, Daniel.

We'll keep this
our little secret.

You're
such a good boy.

It's almost worth
coming back just for him.

Come here.

- Thank you.
- Here.

It's strange how we keep
finding ourselves here.

I want to find
new answers.

You know, we haven't explored
every medical avenue yet.

It's because
there's a chance

that there are
no answers.

What am I missing?

Please,
please talk to me.

A stranger came to me
in the swamp.

I think he wants me
to look more deeply

into this green
that surrounds me.

But I don't know how far
that will take me away

from who I was before.

Away from you.

Well...

I'm still here.

You're still...

What's that?

I'm not sure.

Alec.

Abby?