The Equalizer (1985–1989): Season 2, Episode 13 - Beyond Control - full transcript

Control is involved.

You were authorised to kill him.

I am asking to become
one of your clients.

The KGB have sent in one of their
most experienced agents...

He's trying to find a woman.

Why did you tell her the truth?

Control was responsible
for her uncle's death.

Why didn't you tell me this before?

Less you know the safer you are.

I'm going to set a price on this game

that even Robert McCall
will be unwilling to pay.



You were too late, Durkin,
and the deal is off.

Off ?Why?

- Because the seller is dead.
- John Ferman is dead ?

I'm coming into New York.

Don't do anything until I get there.

This is it ?

- This is it.
- Pretty out of the way place for a meeting.

Uh huh.

Well, it's an old
tradition with Control.

Worths the trouble. More out
of the way the meeting place.

Yeah, well, things must
be pretty bad.

Yeah. I shouldn't be too long.

Why don't you enjoy the view?

Were you followed?



Of course not. What
the hell is all this?

I've been trying to reach you all day.

All I could get was
your answering machine.

So I'm here now.

Paul Coble's in New York.
He arrived this afternoon.

- You're absolutely sure?
- Of course I'm sure.

He's at the Crosstown Hotel.

Look, Robert, I need your help.

I believe that his mission is to kill me.

Well, there's a 100 agents in the Company who
will be only too glad to shoot you on site.

- Why come to me?
- Well, I can't go to the Company.

- Why not?
- Let's just say I can't. All right ?

I know what I'm doing, Robert.

Famous last words.

Motto of any suicide mission.

Listen, how many times, Control, do I have to
tell you I am not in the business anymore ?

- And I have no desire to return to it.
- You did not understand.

I am asking to become
one of your clients.

I find this very difficult to accept.

I've never known you with a
problem you couldn't handle.

Would you help me?

All right. What do you want me to do?

I just want you to keep him under 24 hour
surveillance. I need a free hand for a while.

- To do what?
- You don't want to know. Don't ask.

Just watch Coble, is that it?

And don't take any action
unless it's absolutely necessary.

With Coble action was always necessary.

- Let's just try and keep you alive.
- From your mouth to God's. ear.

8:30. Yes. Good night.

Do you believe him one minute ?

He's asking me out, and
the next is ordering me in.

Listen, try to remember to
bring that magazine tomorrow...

- ... and one of the articles over lunch.
- Okay, true thing. See you tomorrow.

See you.

Hey ! What the f...

Help !

Officer, there's a man chasing me !

He was right there !

I believe you, lady.

Now, just calm down. Listen,
you live around here?

Yeah, I live right there.

Well, how about I walk you home, huh?

Thanks. I appreciate that.

He was right there.

Yeah ? Looks clear
now. Which one's yours?

Over 38.

- Can I come up with you ?
- No, thanks, it's okay.

If you have any more trouble with these
weirdos, you just let me know, okay ?

All right. Thanks a lot.

Ms Ferris... I'm afraid that you
haven't given us very much to go on.

I don't have anything else.

All I know is that there were two men

and they were chasing me and
pushing me, and each of them smiled.

And you've never seen either of
these men before in your life?

Never. I told you that.

Well, it could've been a coincidence.

A lot of freaked out
people in this city.

Sometimes things look like
they're connected when they're not.

You have been burglarised
twice in the last three years.

No, but not like this.

They did it and they wanted
me to know they did it.

All right, look, I'm going to
put a man downstairs on the street

to keep an eye on things
for the next 24 hours.

- That's all you can do ?
- No, we're also begin an investigation.

But I have to warn you,
these things take time.

Now, we'll call you just as soon as we
have something to talk about. Okay?

Oh God.

Oh, I'm so sorry, honey.

Look at the mess !

Mrs Hammerschmidt, you
didn't see or hear anything ?

You couldn't help the police at all ?

I was under the hair dryer.

You know my hair dryer.

Oh, just look at what they've
done to this apartment !

Why don't you come and
spend the night with me?

- I've got a great sofa bed...
- No, no, no. I couldn't possibly.

I'm sorry, but thank you.

Listen, I've got a special delivery
letter for you. It came this morning.

I'll bet it's money.

Now, if it's here somewhere... Oh, here.

Here.

"Elaine. Danger."

"Translate as soon as possible."

Mrs. Hammerschmidt, I really
need to be alone for a minute.

You have to excuse me.

All right, honey, I understand. But
remember, I'm right down the hole.

Okay. Thank you very much.

- Oh, poor child !
- Bye-bye now.

Hello ?

Yes. Could I speak to
John Ferman, please ?

He's not here. Who's this?

This is Elaine Ferris's niece.

- Who am I speaking to?
- Miss Ferris...

This is the housekeeper. I think
you better talk to the police.

- Why? What's happened?
- Your uncle was killed.

They found his body a
little while ago.

Oh God !

***, Durkin.

- So, Coble, you have arrived.
- Yes.

I'm sure you'll want to take
charge of the situation immediately.

Agents won't be needed any longer.

You seem very certain that
photocopies are here in New York.

Positive. I've traced his
activities for months.

His niece is the only family had left.

I just want to interrogate her as
soon as possible. Where is she ?

Availablr. My agents
have prepared her for your visit.

They also searched her
apartment and found nothing.

I told you to take no
action until I arrived.

Comrade, this continues to
be my sector of authority.

I suggest that you not forget that fact.

There is a potential complication.

We have reason to believe
Control is involved.

If it becomes a liability,
you are authorised to kill him.

Extent Incorporated ?

You followed them.

Well, it wasn't very hard. Which is
strange, because that is so unlike you.

Don't you think it's
time you tell me the truth?

All right.

I'm afraid there's been
a bit of a crossover.

I used several company men to take
care of a KGB agent.

Man of the name John Ferman.

Unfortunately, they were a little
bit overzealous. The man died.

Wait a minute !
Wait a minute !

Are you telling me that you use
Company personnel for your own purposes?

Robert, what I say from this moment
on is top... No, I mean it. Listen.

- Top top secret. You understand ?
- Yes... Yes...

- Extent Incorporated is a front...
- No, you're kidding.

Just let me say this. Will
you please let me see it?

Alright. No, I'm sorry. Please
do carry on.

You know this.

The Company has been getting out
of hand for the past few years,

so much so, but a Committee has
been formed to oversee its actions.

It's kind of a watchdog Committee.

Left hand checking on the right.

Only in this case, the right hand doesn't
know that the left hand is checking.

Oh ! And how the hell did you get
involved in this in the first place?

Five years ago, request came
down from the highest level

that I'd be consulted
on internal security.

And you found a breach.

A year ago, the KGB
accomplished a major coup.

The same man I was
talking about, John Ferman.

They slipped him in as a secretary
to a new committee member.

Somehow the man got access to
the files and he photocopied them.

That's what we were
looking for when he died.

Since he died, you haven't
been able to find.

That's right. And that's
why Coble is in New York.

Robert, I have to
find those photocopies.

I have to find them and I
have to keep them from the KGB

and I have to keep
them from the Company.

Robert, everything is in there.

What do you mean, everything?

I mean every thing.

I'd better get back to work.

No sign of Coble yet ?

No. Thanks. He's registered under the
name of Arthur Hutchins.

Nobody has seen him
since this afternoon.

You found what's wrong with Control ?

Well, partly.

Trying to get the full truth out of
him is like taking hold of mercury.

- So what are we gonna do?
- What we planed to do.

We await the arrival of our KGB acquaintance.
You better get into position for the night.

Don't tell me. I know. I get
the bird's eye view up here,

you get the bucket seats in the jag.

Naturally. Benefits, you
see, of age and seniority.

- Bracing up here, isn't it?
- It ain't, McCall.

Good night, my dear fellow.

Hey, Kelly, the girl's all right ?

Hey, Charlie, how you doing?

Everything's okay.
The girl's asleep.

You got my coffee?

- Elaine, wait !
- Taxi !

I just wish you'd stay.

Damn !

He's just coming out now.

I got him.

In the first place...

someone who can put me in
touched with your lady Ferris.

He's trying to find a woman.

This is the United
Central Bank, is it not ?

United Central Bank,..

I belive you have someone
there by the name of the Elaine Ferris.

Okay. Her name is Elaine Ferris.

She works at the Bank...

... and she hasn't shown up yet.

This thing is a piece of trash.

All right, Let's go.

Elaine Ferris...

Well, we don't usually let employees
see people during a business hour.

I'm a friend of her uncle's.

He asked me if I'd stop by
and see her when I was in town.

Well, I'll let you have
a few moments, okay?

Have any idea what he wants?

Elaine ?

My name is Arthur Hutchings.

A friend of your...

Coble !

Quick, this man's having a heart attack !

Robert.

This is Elaine Ferris.
She's John Furman's niece

and she's coming with us.

Mrs. Ferris, please.

*** amount of danger. We are the only
people who can help you at the moment.

So, please.

it could have been a
package of sheet music.

- I don't understand.
- It could have been jewellery.

My uncle never left anything with me.

You are his only living relative.

I mean, you can see how the
KGB is thinking, can't you ?

What kind of thing was it ?

I'm afraid I can't answer that.

Elaine, tell me how well
did you know your uncle ?

Not well enough, I guess.

We were very close a long time ago when
I was a child, but not really, since then.

We spent holidays together.

Did you know what kind of work he did?

Well, I knew that he was an
intelligence officer with the government

and that his work was very dangerous.

Those men that were after
me did they kill him?

I'm afraid that's a question
we can't answer right now.

You can't answer anything.

We need more information if we're
going to be able to help you.

The KGB have sent in one of their most
experienced agents, which means

that whatever is happening, it's big.

We just need more help from you.

There must be something.
Something you've forgotten to tell us

Something, hm ?

When did you last hear from your uncle?

Yesterday. I received a letter.

It's from him, but I
don't know what it means.

Well, it's only a
numbered code, isn't it?

Good morning.

- Hello.
- I see you have your hands...

Hi !

Yes.

I thought I told you
never to come to my home.

You didn't tell me McCall
was involved in this.

I was unaware of it, but it certainly
makes the situation more interesting.

John Ferman's niece
is out of your control.

McCall must have tracked me from the
hotel straight to the bank.

That means that
I was targeted last night.

And just what are you
planning to do next?

Quite simple. Increase the stakes.

I'm going to set a price on this game that
even Robert McCall will be unwilling to pay.

Thanks, Josh.

Computer comes up empty.

He ran against every major
code structure, including KGB.

It's all they can do
without the physical letter.

I think...

I think we're in a blind alley.

You know, Ferman could have sent that
letter just to take the heat off himself.

Yeah, well, people do the strangest
things when they're in trouble sometimes.

It's got to mean something.

- It looks so simple.
- It is simple.

It is a one off code.

He must have thought that
you would understand it,

otherwise he wouldn't send it to you.

When I was 10 years old, he created a
code so that we could send secret messages.

That was 15 years ago. I've forgotten.

He used to send to me in letters.

- Would you have kept any of the letters?
- I think I have some somewhere.

Mickey, go back to Elaine's apartment.

- So you see what you can find.
- Okay, let's go.

In the meantime, you and I have to revise
what we laughingly call our strategy.

Ferman have destroyed the
photocopies before he died ?

More likely than be on the front
page of Pravda tomorrow morning.

- You can only hope they don't believe it.
- They believe it already.

Let's just have proof.
Look, Robert, I've got an appointment.

I'm sorry, but I'll be out
of contact for a few hours.

Wait, wait, wait a minute !

What ?

Before you go and meet your
employer's at Exton,

perhaps you could tell me something.

What is it ?

Who is the KGB station
chief responsible for Coble ?

I was hoping you'd ask.

That is an old friend of yours, Petrov Durkin.

Has become a director of one of
these do nothing UN commissions.

And have you any idea
where I might find him?

Yeah, that's why I walked in this direction.
He's having lunch right there.

Well, Mr Durkin has come
up in the world, isn't he?

- My apologies for being so predictable.
- Not at all.

I just thought you might want to
file it away for future reference.

This is nuts. I can't deal with this.

I thought there was something
here, but there's nothing.

Let's look at the message again.

See, we got the letters GFT
and a set of numbers. 56/4.

It could be a date.

Is April 1956 mean anything to you?

Couldn't mean anything to me.
I wasn't even born yet.

I'm sorry.

Look, I know you've been through a
lot, but everything's gonna be okay.

Now, why don't you tell me
how your call gets started?

When I was a little girl, my
uncle used to read me stories.

He made up war games.

I guess it must have gotten started
when we were reading books.

- What ?
- The book !

When he came to visit eight months ago, he
asked me about a book. An old Christmas gift.

- What was the title ?
- Grimm's Fairy Tales.

I guess we have the JFT.

*** shelf somewhere.

***

It was made up of pages and words.

Okay, let's say that 56 is this page 56.

Snow White and Rose Red.

- That means that word four is...
- Rose !

Bashful, Sneezy, Dopey and Doc.

Rose !

That mean something to you?

Come and look !

Last time he was here,
he brought me that rose bush.

Said it would be just the perfect
thing to brighten up my garden.

He even insisted on planting it himself.

What are you doing?

It's for you.

Dear Elaine, if you're reading this,
it means my life is in danger.

Please forgive me for pulling you in,
but I have no other choice.

Take this package to my fishing
cabin and wait for me there.

I'll be in touch soon.

Love, Uncle John.

Must have sent to Coble a
couple days before he died.

Come on, let's take this to McCall.

Why are you looking out there
when I'm right behind you ?

Turn slowly with your hands up.

Cob...

Hello, McCall.

I think you know who this is.
Your friend, Control, is in a lot of trouble.

If you want to see him alive again,

meet me at 3710 Vandam Boulevard.

Come alone and come soon.

Good afternoon, McCall !

Thank you for being so promt.

Realise the KGB dealt in death,

but I didn't know they
also owned a casket factory.

Move to the large one.

The one with the candles.

Go ahead, open it.

But be very careful !

In those needles is a chemical nerve agent.

One scratch, one drop smaller
than the head of a pin,

your friend goes into convulsions.

20 seconds later, he's dead.

He don't believe any of these.

All right, what do you want?

You know what I want.

I don't have it and I
don't know where it is.

But you're very good at
finding things, McCall.

Be here at midnight and
bring the papers with you.

I can't conjure them out of thin air.

Then bring the money
to pay for the coffin,

because Control will be dead.

Hold on. I'll be back.

McCall, where you been?
We cracked the code

and found the stuff, and it's pretty weird
stuff to kind of a encyclopaedia murder.

Why did my uncle have that?

Oh God !

You're not gonna answer me, are you?

You're gonna keep me in the dark?

I'm tired of this.

I've been risking my life and
you've done nothing for me.

The KGB are after this. This will feed their
propaganda machine for the next 30 years.

Unless you answer my questions,
I'm going to bring in the police.

You won't like the answer.
It will be pretty painful.

I want to know.

Your uncle has been working
for a secret organisation.

He infiltrated and he
copied most of their files.

You mean he stole
information from the Russians?

No, he wasn't working for the
American government.

He was working for the Russians.

I don't believe you. He
never would have done that.

I did tell you the truth was painful.

- You have proof ?
- Oh, yes.

Sorry.

Mickey, got a bigger problem then
this at the moment.

- Coble is holding Control.
- What?

I don't understand how it
happened, but it happened.

He wants me to go around there
tonight, take these photocopies with me.

He doesn't even know we have them.

We just found them ourselves.

He saw Elaine with us sometime this
morning. He's not unintelligent man.

He's put two and two together, isn't it?

Well, let's pay the man a visit.

I want to come with you.

If my uncle worked for the other
side, I want to hear it from them.

- All right. We have to make a stop first.
- What for?

I'm going to take out a little insurance.

Somalite Casket Company ?

Do you think of a more appropriate
place to deal with Mr Coble ?

I told you I'd be back.

Where are the photocopies?

They're here.

I knew I didn't underestimate you.

No, but I think you have. Mickey !

What the hell is this?
What's in that box?

Well, I'm sure you'll be very interested.

Why don't you come out and have a look?

Don't wait for a special occasion.
Open it now.

Oh, I think perhaps you
better open it, Mickey.

It's very sad to see how
lacks KGB security has become.

I'm sure that Mr Durkin here will be only too
delighted to put that in a report to Moscow.

- Get him out of there.
- I'm sorry, that's impossible.

What's that on his chest?

You know perfectly well what it is.

Not a bomb, but it is quite special.

You see, it has a double detonator.

Any loud noise, like a gunshot,
for instance, could set it off.

Or if you were to try to remove
it without knowing the combination,

it would also explode.

So I suggest you put
that down very carefully.

Otherwise we could well lose him.

Congratulations, McCall.

An excellent move,

but not quite the end of the game.

I won't be eliminated
as easily as John Ferman.

What?

You mean you didn't tell her?

Why don't you tell her the truth?

That Control was responsible
for her uncle's death.

- Is that true?
- Don't listen to him.

No, don't listen to me.
They don't want you to hear the truth.

There's a lot of things
they don't want you to know.

I don't want to know anything !

Make a move and she's gone.

Give me the papers.

Now !

I'm not stupid, McCall.

Now give me the real ones.

Always had one flaw, McCall.

You hated to see people dying.

Look after Control.

It's a bit overdue.

I'm all right, Mickey.
I'm all right.

You know, coming here tonight,
it really was very brave.

Sure you're all right ?

Anyway, thank you.

It's what he said about my uncle true ?

It was Control responsible ?

Come on, let's get you home first.

Have a lot to talk about.

Did you take care of Durkin ?

Yes, yes. He's been
taken back to his home.

Robert, I want to thank you
very much for everything.

Oh, my dear fellow, nothing at all.

Nothing at all, just leaves
a couple of things unresolved.

Like what?

Like Exten ? Usually like to
meet the people I work for.

I'm afraid that's not possible, Robert.

- I read the photocopies.
- That was very unwise, Robert.

- Don't go in there !
- Excuse me.

Just as I thought.

You weren't asked to handle the
security for the Exten Committee.

You are the Exten Committee.

John Ferman was your secretary.

I have always admired
your powers of deduction.

Thank you.

Which brings me to the main thing

still to be resolved.

Which is ?

Why the hell you lied to me ?

It's what I do for a living, Robert.

Transcribed by Adr1an