The Blacklist (2013–…): Season 1, Episode 5 - The Courier (No. 85) - full transcript

Red (James Spader) leads Liz (Megan Boone) and Ressler (Diego Klattenhoff) in a hunt for a kidnap victim and his abductor - The Blacklist No. 85, a secretive criminal courier whose ...

(smooching)

What's going on?
You're acting funny.

Nothing.

Okay.

Tell me.

Tell me.

I need to ask you
about something,

And I need you
to tell me the truth.

Of course.
What is it?

(sighs)

I don't get it.



A man was shot and killed
in that hotel.

Okay.

So,
what's the question?

Were you involved?

(stammering)
in what?

The murder.

You're not going
anywhere.

Liz. Stop! Stop!

The people that I work for
are very powerful.

Now, I need you to tell me
everything that you know.

I don't know anything.
You're hurting me!

Damn it, lizzy!
Do not lie to me!

I don't know anything!
I swear!

Yeah, well, I wish
that I believed you!



Aah!
(grunting)

(gasping)

(panting)

Tom: Rise and shine.

The day is waiting.
Let's go,
let's go, let's go!

Oh, god.
I hate you right now.

Do you?
Wake up, wake up, wake up.

(laughs)
daylight's burning.
Get her, hudson! Get her!

Stop it, both of you!

Ouch.

I know that you've had
a rough few nights,

But today is gonna be
a really great day.

Why?

Well, I have
a doctor's appointment.

You hate doctors.

Yeah,
but it's not for me.

It's an ultrasound
for our baby.

I thought jeni was having
second thoughts.

Yeah, she said we're the only
married couple she knows

Who don't totally hate
each other, so she's...

She's giving us a baby.

That's...

That's great news.

It's amazing!

When you get home
from work tonight,

You are finally gonna see

What this little monster
looks like.

Wait.
I'm not invited?

I just know how busy you get.
But call if you can't make it.

(sighing) oh, god.

Oh, god.

It's so good to see things
finally getting back
to normal around here.

Mmm!

(keyboard clacking)

(muffled screaming)

(stammering)
my name is...

My name is seth...
Seth nelson.

(grunts)

Please, please...
I'm begging you.

Don't...
(muffled yelling)

Why are you doing this?

Save your breath, kid.

Please. Don't do this.

(sobbing)
please... Don't!

(humming)

(camcorder beeps)

(grunts)

What are you?

This has to be a mistake.

You've got the
wrong guy. Please.

Help me, somebody!

(banging)

Your sources
were correct, sir.

The iranian is attempting
to procure a high-level
intelligence package.

We believe it could lead
to the answer you seek.

Have it intercepted.

That may prove difficult.

The seller
hired the courier
to make the exchange.

The last time
we attempted to
intercept him...

I'm well aware of
the men and resources
we lost in cairo.

Perhaps this is
an opportunity to let

Our new friends at
the fbi carry the water.

I've been ordered
to include you

In the oversight
committee brief on
reddington next week.

Cooper told me.

Here's the profile
I prepared on him.

Have I told you yet
I don't place much stock
in profiling?

And by "much," I mean none.
It's never once helped me
solve a case.

You know what has?

Hmm?
Facts.

Yeah. I also prepared
a profile on you.

"uptight.

"fueled by an inner rage.

"capable of the occasional
moment of tenderness

"which likely
brings on the desire
to stay up all night

"watching asian porn."

Not even close.

No? How about this?

You don't trust me.

You think
I'm tainted somehow.

Maybe a traitor.

You resent the fact
that reddington wants

To work directly
with me instead of you.

(phone vibrating)

Speak of the devil.
It's the devil.

Liz: What is this place?

Something of a hideaway.

It used to be home
to one of the finest american
writers who ever lived.

Fredrick hemstead.

Never heard of him.

No, you haven't.
Nobody has.

Dear fredrick
was waiting tables
when we first met.

Strange little man,
built like a fireplug.

He was living here
with his mother
until she died.

Poor fredrick couldn't
afford to stay on,

So I bought
the place for him.
Please.

Sadly,
fredrick died without
ever being published.

But this place is
chock full of his work.

Manuscripts, poems,
unsent letters, and lots
and lots of this.

What is that?

(coughs) mmm.

No earthly idea.

Some sort of
distilled alcohol,
I think.

There's bottles of the stuff
stashed everywhere.

Would you like me
to pour you a few fingers?

Why am I here?

Have you ever
wondered how criminals,

Who know they can't
trust one another,

Are still able to conduct
business with each other?

They replace trust with fear
and the threat of violence.

The next target on
the blacklist is the physical
embodiment of both.

He's known as the courier.

And his involvement
in a transaction virtually
guarantees its success.

Once he's hired
to make a delivery,

He can't be bribed,
he can't be stopped.

If either party attempts
to double-cross the other,
he kills them both.

The perfect middleman
for an imperfect world.

Cooper's not going to
sanction a black op against
the ups driver of crime.

He will when you tell him
the courier is scheduled

To deliver a package
worth 20 million.

At that price,
it could be anything,

From a genetically
engineered virus

To a very important
person's head in a bag.

Does he have a name?

I'm sure he does.
I don't know it.

Skip to the part
where you tell me how
you expect us to find him.

I know the man
he's planning on
delivering the package to.

An iranian spy
named hamid soroush.

Where are they
making the exchange?

At the winston
farmer's market in
two hours and 45 minutes.

(humming)

My one o'clock.
(camera clicking)

Meera: Could be him.

Same height, right age.

You reading me, haircut?
Stay on him.

When it rings, pick it up.

Meera: He just gave
him something.

(cell phone ringing)

Liz: It's a cell.
He's moving.

Meera: What's he saying?

I don't know,
we've got nothing.

Get someone to point
a mike at this guy.

He's off.

Excuse me.

Can you break a hundred?

I think he
just made contact.

All teams start
casually moving to the
east side of the market.

Do not spook this guy.

Chang, get closer on
the produce guy's face.

I think he just made us.

Tactical teams, you're up.
I want south side sealed
off from the outside.

Just made contact.

(gunshots)

Shots fired,
soroush is down.

I don't have eyes
on the shooter!

All teams move in now!

You hit?
It's not my blood.

Suspect's heading
north on 6th.

I need local
air and law enforcement
support now.

Keys!
Give me the keys!

Give me the damn keys!

Ressler: Air support
is on the way.
Eta two minutes.

Cut him off at
the next intersection.

Do it.

We're at the corner
of 10th and spencer.

The courier's vehicle
has been disabled.

(siren approaching)

(groans)

(breathing heavily)

Move, and you're dead.

Put your other hand up.

(clanging)

Get your hands up!
Put it up now.

Put your arm up now!

I can't.
Put your other arm up!

(bone cracking)

Liz: Oh, my god.

Ressler:
Let's try this again.

What were you
supposed to deliver?

Please. Help us, and
maybe we can help you.

What about that iranian spy
whose head you exploded
all over my partner?

Huh? You remember him?

He had banking codes
with a $20 million
wire transfer in his pocket.

You're a courier.

You were supposed to give
a package to the iranian.

Where's the package?

Cooper: We found nothing
at the farmer's market.

Nothing in his vehicle,
nothing on him.

What was he supposed
to be delivering?

Reddington:
I don't know, harold.

Might it be conceivable
your people actually
missed something?

You're not
telling us everything.

Let me put
your mind at ease.

I'm never
telling you everything.

I did my job here.

I gave you a blacklister,

There he sits.

Obviously,
good cop, bad cop
isn't working here.

So let's try
bad cop, worse cop.

How's the arm?

Looks painful.

Where's the package?

Smile all you want.

We're just getting
started, pal.

Why did he kill soroush?

Obviously, he spotted
one of your agents

And poor soroush
paid the price.

There's a knife
wound in his chest,
scars all over his body.

You know how he got them?

That's interesting.

I always wondered
if the stories were true.

Ressler: ...We'll just
stick it in some hole.

I think you may need
to call a doctor.

I've read about
cases like this.

Your suspect has
congenital anhidrosis.

It's a rare genetic disorder.

He can't feel physical pain.

That makes sense.

And the scarring?

People with the disorder
obviously get injured
more often

But not...
Not like that. That...

That's something
else entirely.

We're more interested
in the knife wound
in his chest.

We think he
might have placed
evidence inside of it.

What evidence?

Not sure.
That's why you're here.

(humming)

Boo!

Seth: My name...

My name is seth.

Seth nelson.
Why are you doing this?

Please.

(muffled screaming)

That's the only
thing on the chip
taken from his chest?

Newspaper's from yesterday,
timestamp on the video file

Is 4:29 this morning.
It's a proof of life video.

The oxygen mask,
the tanks.

Whoever this guy is,
his hours are numbered.

We didn't find
a package because
there wasn't one, sir.

Soroush was
putting up $20 million
for this guy.

We just stopped him
from delivering
a ransom payment.

(muffled screaming)

(gasping)

(breathing heavily)

(banging)

(screaming)

Liz: We got a hit when
we ran his name and face
through the dmv servers.

Seth nelson.
Lives in maryland
with his parents,

Works tech support
for a cable company.

Assuming each
oxygen cylinder was full,

He has maybe
20 hours before
his air runs out.

Ultrasound machine.

I want to know what other
surprises the courier has
hiding inside of him.

I also want to know
why anyone thinks this
kid is worth $20 million.

He's probably worth more.

A cia source
has just confirmed
he's an nsa analyst.

One of their best.
And only one of three
people allowed to write

And access their security
protocols and software.

If he's coerced into
working for a foreign power
or criminal network,

The damage would
be catastrophic.

We need to make
the courier talk.

There must be
something he wants.

The guy's a psychopath.

Luckily,
we happen to have
our own psychopath.

(laughing)
this is hilarious.

Frederick wrote
to the editor of
the washington post

Almost every day...
Thank you.

...About any
and every subject.
Listen to this one.

"dear mr. Bradley,
what is up with
all the rabbits..."

I need to know what
you're not telling me
about the courier.

And what do I
get in return?

My gratitude.

Tell me
what you've learned
about your husband.

The gun that I found
in the box is connected
to an open homicide.

Of whom?

It's classified.
I can't read the file.

I imagine you found
ways around that
particular obstacle.

I know it happened
in boston last year.

I think it was a russian
tourist who was murdered.
Victor fokin.

You lived in
new york at the time.

Why would you
think your husband
would be in boston?

Because I was
there with him.

He supposedly had
a job interview

And we made it
into a small vacation.

A few years ago,
some of my associates

Encountered the courier
in an opium den in cairo.

He killed two of them.

If he still has
a taste for the poppy

There's a man who
may be able to help us.

You're talking
about a drug dealer?

I'm talking about
a friend, a philosopher

Who practices an
ancient ritual going back
thousands of years.

There's a good chance
he could be helpful

In locating
the courier's safehouse.

All I care about
is finding seth.

Call your friend.
I want the courier's
safehouse address.

Thank you.

For what?

For being honest with me.

In my life,
I don't encounter
that frequently.

I've got a name.
Tommy phelps.

Ressler: Run it
through the databases.

See if it's even real.

You guys need to see this.

He had the iranian buyer
under surveillance
for several days.

This woman.
I think she's the seller.

Responsible for
kidnapping seth

And hiring the courier
to pick up her money.

Why the surveillance?

According to reddington,
the courier kills anyone who
tries to double-cross him.

He probably wanted to
know where to find him
if something went wrong.

Find out who this woman is.

Doctor: He has five objects
embedded inside him.

Some are surrounded
with scar tissue,
been there for years.

What objects?

We've only been
able to identify two,
a key and another chip.

The others are just shadows,
I need a higher resolution
scan to id them.

Take him to walter reed.

I want everything
inside of him cut out.

The kid has what,
14 hours of air left?

I can tell you where he is.

In exchange for what?

Immunity.

I talk, then walk.

Never gonna happen.

Then the kid's dead.

I've been
trying to figure out
if there's anything

In this world you care about.

How about him?

Care about your
little brother, tommy?

We're bringing him in
from petersburg federal
prison right now.

Anything you want
me to tell him?

You finally find him?

Tell me about your brother.

Who he works with,
his contacts.

Tell me about the
people in his life.

There are
no people in his life.

There's you.

He tried to help you
break out, didn't he?

From what I understand,
he'd do anything for
his little brother.

What's he moving now?

A 26-year-old mit grad.

Lady, you don't
understand tommy.

I know his condition
prevents him from...

No, I mean,
you don't understand him.

Our old man
knocked us around
when he needed to,

Which didn't bother tommy.

But dad hated that.

Felt like he couldn't
control his own son,
and he couldn't.

So, when he was 11,

Dad started hosting
these dogfights.

Not with two dogs,

But with a dog and tommy.

Well, we had this barn.

People would come
from miles around,

They'd get drunk,
they'd make bets.

What it did
to him over time...

Tommy's broken.

Somewhere in his head
a switch flipped.

I wish I could help you,

But you know how it goes.

You're here because
somebody screwed up.

The deal went sideways.

And now the buyer and seller
have targets on their head

If they're not
dead already.

Reddington: Her name's
laurence dechambou.

She's ex-french intelligence.

She now makes
a handsome living

Selling secrets, mostly
of a technological nature.

I really don't
understand any of it,

But she's clearly
stepping up on this one,

Trying to make
a legacy for herself.

She owns that nightclub.

Last time I was there,
we had a great deal of fun

Until she tried
to strangle me
with her stocking.

I'll get a warrant.
You'll have it by the
time you get there.

She won't talk,
and even if she did,

What would you
expect her to say?

She may know
seth's location.

She won't.

She's the only
lead we have.

We arrest her and
take our chances.

This is a bad idea, harold.

Meera: Actually,
there may be another option.

She had to
hand over seth to
the courier somewhere.

We find the location,
we might get lucky.

There could be
a security cam,

Or atm footage
of the exchange.

And we used it
to track the courier's
movements last night.

That could lead to seth.

And why would she
tell you that again?

She doesn't have to.
She's still expecting
her money.

We send someone
in as the courier,

Tell her the
exchange was a setup,
the deal's off,

She can pick up seth
where she dropped him off.

And we follow her
to the drop-off point.

If you really
want her to talk,
I should meet with her.

Every time you meet,
someone ends up dead.

We've gotten off
to a rocky start.

You've killed three people.
I'm not perfect.

If we did this,

We'd be operating
under the assumption that

Dechambou has never
met the courier face-to-face.
It's too risky.

He's right.

Let me go.
I can do this.

First sign
this is going south,

I want that club swarmed.

Or just bend over any
available piece of furniture

And let her
slap you on the ass.
She loves that.

Liz: Oh, my god, tom.

Oh, god,
he's gonna kill me.

I'm so sorry.

You need to come home.

Okay? I canceled
the ultrasound.

I can't do this right now.

Look, I don't care what's
going on at work, okay,
you and I need to talk.

Something incredibly
important came up.

I don't care!
You and I need to talk

About something
and it's more important.

I promise we'll talk
as long as you like,

But later,
this is an emergency.

(loud music playing)

Liz: All teams stand by.

Our man is entering
the building.

I'm here to see dechambou.

I don't know what
you're talking about.

Line's over there, slick.

Liz: You need to make
an example here.

You have to hurt him,
that's what the courier
would do.

You know, I think
we got off on the
wrong foot here, uh...

Isn't that her over there?

(groans)

(people clapping)

That was hot.

You know he can
hear you, right?

Yep.

(dance music playing)

Hey, come with me.
Let's go. Come on.

Would you mind
excusing me for a moment?

You injured my doorman.

Forced your way
into my club.

Is there a reason
why I should not
kill you right now?

You kill me,
you kill seth nelson.

You're...

What the hell are
you doing here?

We agreed the money
was to be dropped off
at the specified location.

Plans change.

No, they don't.

The only reason I employed
you was to shield me from
unwanted attention.

And you're at my front door?

There is no money.

The iranian was
working with the fbi.

I killed him.

I've known soroush
for years.

Well, if he didn't set
me up that leaves only
one other person.

You.

And I never trusted him.

That's why I employed you.

The bastard screwed
us both here.

Your nsa geek is where
you left him last night.

We're done.
Don't contact me again.

Wait!

How do I know
it's really you?

That I'm not being
set up myself.

Not my problem.

They say you can't
feel pain. Prove it.

We're coming in.
All teams prepare
to mobilize.

First teams from the
north doors on my...

(glass breaking)

Is this what
you need to see?

Want to watch me bleed,
see if I react?

I've already lost the only
thing in this world
I've ever loved.

I have nothing
in this world
except this job.

Impressive.

Except for one mistake.

If the iranian is dead,
the real courier would
have killed me too.

Which makes me wonder...

Get out! Now!

Who the hell are you?

Asset compromised,
hit the building.

(gunshots)

She kidnapped seth,
but has no idea where he is.

Yeah, well,
the kid has less than
eight hours of air left.

Somebody better get
that courier talking.
(mobile vibrating)

What do you suggest,
torture him?
He doesn't feel pain.

He does feel pain.

He's got a brother serving
15 years in petersburg.

The one thing in
the world he cares about.

Offer to reduce
or commute his sentence

In exchange for
telling us seth's location.

The life of a stranger
for the life of his brother.

Call the marshals,
get him back here.
Cut him open later.

(gasping)

(sobbing)

(continues sobbing)

He wounded
two of the marshals

And killed one
with a concealed knife.

He was searched
multiple times.

We think he used
one of the objects
hidden inside him.

He was carrying around
his own escape package.

The transport was
found abandoned in
woodbridge, virginia.

There's also report
of a stolen vehicle
at the same site.

Local police are
searching for it now.

According to his brother,
woodridge is where he grew up.

Well, seth could be there.
Find him. Now.

In the meantime,
see if you can get
anything out of dechambou.

She may not know
where seth is now,
but she knows

Where she dropped
him off last night.

I have a better suggestion.
Let her go.

That's not gonna happen.

(chuckling)
god, are you fbi.

When this woman was working
for french intelligence,

She was on track
to be you, harold.

Since she's come
over to my side,

She's only gone
up from there.

You really think you're
gonna be able to prove
anything against her?

We'll make something stick.
It's only a matter of time.

You don't have any time.
Pick her up in a week,
in a month, next time.

But right now,
if you wanna save
that man's life,

You need to
release dechambou.

I'll make her talk.

How?

You don't want me
to answer that.

How do I know
you won't use what she says
to get seth for yourself?

You don't.

But I don't see
that you have many
other options left.

Okay, release her.

But if you
screw me on this...

I'll consider it a bonus.

Reddington:
Better make it a double.

If this is about
that incident in paris...

Oh, we'll always have paris.

What do you want?

So many things.

But right now,
I want some information.

Where is the nsa agent?

I have no idea.
He was handed off
to the courier.

Yes.
And he's been compromised.

Who do you think
he'll blame for that?

Not me.
The iranian must have
been working with the fbi.

Laurence, the iranian
is dead and you're next.
You know that.

I did nothing wrong.

The world is rarely
a fair place. That's why
it needs people like me.

I'll get you
out of the country
and guarantee your safety.

There's a private jet
awaiting your arrival
right now.

In exchange,
you give me the location

Where you dropped
the kid off last night.

He's worth 20 million.

That 20 million
is about to die.

This is not a negotiation.

How dare you?

I don't care who you are,

And I'm not gonna
let you swoop in
at the last minute

And profit from
a mistake made by
somebody I hardly know.

Well, he knows you.
He knows where you live,

Where you work,
where you play.

He knows you
better than I do,

And I know where that
lovely little freckle is.

I give you
a day and a half
before he finds you.

Try to be brave.

Wait.

I will help you.

Ressler: Vehicle
matches the description.

Meera: I have blood here.

All teams, we have
the suspect's vehicle
on the south side...

(gunshots)

(grunts)

He's outside!

Ressler: Freeze!

On your knees.
Freeze. Turn around!

On your knees!

Hands where we can see 'em.

(grunting)

Check him.

Meera: He's dead.

How much time does
the kid have left?
Less than 40 minutes.

At 4:00 a.M.,
dechambou left seth

In the back of
a pickup trick at this
rest stop in manassas.

The courier took the
proof of life video
at 4:29 a.M.,

Just under 30 minutes later.
Assume he spent

20 minutes, minimum,
with seth at the site

That would give him
10 minutes of drive time
from the rest stop,

So he has to be
somewhere in this radius.

This entire area
is inaccessible.

The only place with
road access is here
at this open area.

He has to be here.
How much air
does he have left?

Thirty minutes, tops.

With dembe driving
we might make it just
in time to see him die.

Reddington:
If we find our nsa friend
and he's still alive,

He might prove helpful.

Liz: So you want seth
for your own reasons.

So should you!

He's in the dirt.
Liz: What?

The refrigerator,
it's a coffin.

The courier buries things
under his skin.

He's in the dirt.
Right here.

He's not breathing.

I died once,
in marrakesh.

Two and a half minutes.

You wouldn't
believe what I saw
on the other side.

(coughing)

(panting)

Who are you?

The fbi and friends.

(inaudible)

Seth?
We called your parents.

They're going to
meet you at the hospital.

How can I ever repay you?

I'm sure we'll
think of something.

Don't even think about it.
What?

The boy wishes
to express gratitude.

I'm merely playing
my part in the ritual.

You saved that kid's life,
keen. Good job.

That story you told
dechambou about

Your job being the only
thing left, that was...

I was undercover.

Said what I had to
say to sell it.

Clerk: Agent keen?
Got a delivery for you.

Sign here, please.

Thank you.

(mouthing)

This man,
the young nsa agent,

He allowed you access
to the classified networks?

He did.

And I understand
this was a one-time offer?

Yes.

The right question
and we could have made
the world tremble.

Finally found our adversary.

Why did you
waste it on the girl?

Not wasted, my friend.

Circumstances are
far more complex
than we ever imagined.

(car approaching)

I'm betting on
the long play.
The future.

Your future's arriving now.

(car door closing)

(knocking at door)

Funny. All these
wonderful manuscripts,

And my favorite thing
about this place

Is still the view
from the sofa.

I love how the light
breaks through the trees.

I don't even know
why I'm here.

Tom?

What's going on?

You gotta see this.

Sit down.

We need to talk.

That's funny.

I was just going to say
the same thing to you.