The Following (2013–2015): Season 3, Episode 9 - Kill the Messenger - full transcript

[Mike] I found Strauss'
go-between.

She's a paralegal on the defense
team named Juliana Barnes.

Tell me about
Daisy and Kyle.

They were Strauss'
students.

I have to initiate
all bodily contact.

Why pretend to help
me avenge my family?

Because Andrew said
that you were

the perfect patsy.

Get on your knees.

[Hopkins] The experts say
he couldn't have survived

that fall into the water.



He's a cockroach.
He survived.

[Mike and Max breathing heavily]

Got a hit on one of the employees
at Manitech Securities,

a guy named Sam Lewis.

His real name
is Theo Noble.

[crying] Why are you
doing this?

Because they found me.

[door bangs open]

[Ryan] You had
a beautiful family.

Why couldn't you
just leave?

Because I control
their fate, not you.

I am gonna end you.

Be careful,
Agent Hardy.

I am the man who will
take your future



piece by piece.

Joe Carroll is
the worst form of cancer.

So his death is
about revenge?

His death is about justice.
If you can't understand that,

then maybe you should get
the hell out of my apartment.

I was pretty clear that
I needed this to go well.

Me and Joe were
almost blown up today!

You are really
losing it, Ryan.

[siren wailing in distance]

[lock clicks]

[door closes]

[footsteps tapping]

Shh.

So how do we
do this?

I have so much
to teach you.

[Ryan gasps]

[man on tv] Joe Carroll's
reign of terror...

Ryan, are you ok?

Oh, yeah. No.
I'm good. I'm good.

It was a just
a bad... bad dream.

[sniffs]

Joe Carroll.

No wonder you were
having nightmares.

It must have come on
when I was asleep.

You shouldn't be
sleeping out here.

This isn't us.

I don't want to
fight anymore.

Me either.

[man on tv] ...and uncovered
the truth

behind Arthur Strauss,

the man who mentored
Joe Carroll.

How many more of his
psychotic students

remain hidden
in the shadows?

Come to bed.

[man on tv] ...brave the cold, dark night
and return

to the scene of the crime

as we count down
to the execution

of Joe Carroll.

[remote clicks]

The Following S03E09
"Kill the Messenger"

Sync and corrected by
Gianluca Belfiglio

[traffic noise in distance]

[clicking]

[lock disengaged]

[envelope rustling]

[tearing paper]

[scratching sound]

[scratching continues]

Stay there.

[slice]

[gagging]

[body thuds]

I know this is
a pain.

Hey. I'm the only
E.R. doctor in New York

with an armed escort
to work

and the gym

and the drycleaner.

Yeah, it sucks.
I get it,

but these threats
are real.

So this is our
new normal?

No. We get
our lives back

as soon as
I find him.

Believe me...

I'll find him.

I know you will.

[siren]

[on P.A.] Driver, pull over
to the side of the road.

What the hell?

Hands! Let me see
your hands!

Officer, wha... what's
going on?

Driver, out of the car.
Hands where we can see them!

Let's go. Come on.

[Ryan] Ok, ok.

[Gwen] Ryan!

- Slowly.
- Let's go. Move.

Gun! Gun! Gun!

All right.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

I'm FBI.

I got a shield
left coat pocket.

[indistinct police radio chat]

Agent Hardy,
I didn't recognize you.

- This is your car?
- Yeah.

I'm very sorry.
I... I don't know what happened.

Sometimes, our computer
has a mind of its own.

Your computer?

Yeah. Your car
came up stolen.

Suspect fitting
your description

was described as
armed and dangerous.

Sorry, agent.

Very sorry, sir.

Ma'am.

What the hell was
that all about?

[door closes]

[speaking Arabic]

Oh. You look,
weary, sir.

It was
a difficult shoot,

but I'm thankful
to be home.

It's good to have
you back.

Thank you.

Where... Where's
Penny?

She's been gone
several days.

I see.

I'll let you
settle in, sir.

I'll return tomorrow?

[door opens]

[door closes]

[zipping sound]

[keyboard clacking]

[beeping]

Hey, man.

Hey.

[telephone ringing from other end]

[zipping sound]

[locker closes]

[padlock clicks]

I'll see you out there.

Yeah.

Hey.

So I did
what you asked.

I went through the evidence
from Mark's safe house

top to bottom.

You're gonna tell me
I'm crazy, right,

chasing ghosts?

Actually, I might
have something,

evidence that a computer
was in use.

But there was no computer
in the evidence log.

But there was
an open Ethernet line

with an unusually high
data transfer rate.

Someone in that house

was spending a lot
of time online.

Missing computer.
This is good.

So how... how do we
find it?

We have to isolate
its BIA,

its burned-in address.

Once we have that,
it'll get us to an IP.

And to Mark.

Guys.

Status report,
conference room.

Ok.

Thank you.

[locker slams]

So you're telling me Theo Noble
didn't exist before 2007?

[Ryan] It was
a cover just like the Sam Lewis I.D.

he used when
he worked at Manitech Securities.

So he creates these
identities why?

Primarily to kill,
although Sam Lewis

did give him
crucial access

to the FBI servers.

There's no way
of knowing how many

other identities he has,

but with Theo Noble,
he had the perfect cover life,

and I think he saw
his family as sacrosanct,

which is why he never
killed in that identity,

and when we forced him
to destroy his family,

it took away
his safety net.

[cell phone ringing]

What else?

We've been running
on the theory that

he hides his serial killing
in murder-suicides,

so we isolated 30 cases
that fit the profile.

No indication
of suicidal tendencies.

The death scenes
could have been staged,

and in each case, there's
a history of chat room usage.

30 could be
just the beginning.

We need
a nationwide search.

[cell phone ringing]

Just answer it.

Ryan Hardy.

What?
Used to buy what... No.

Uh, listen, I... I
got to call you back.

[phone beeps]

It was fraud alert.

My credit card was used
to buy a motor boat in Utah,

and my car came up
as stolen today

on the NYPD database.

Theo hacked your
personal info.

He's hitting you
where you live.

He's trying to knock
you off balance.

Call just came in
from NYPD.

A break-in and murder
was reported

at Juliana Barnes'
law office.

Juliana Barnes?

Didn't we seize everything
after her murder?

[Max] Ok.

All right. We got
locals on the scene.

One victim, security guard.

His throat was slashed.

It doesn't make sense.

Why hit the office
of Strauss' paralegal?

There's got to be something
hidden there that we missed.

[tires squealing]
[cars crashing]

You all right? Everybody ok?
You ok?

Yeah. Yeah.
I'm ok.

- Anybody hurt?
- She's hurt!

[smoke hissing]

Is she ok?

[cell phone ringing]

Hello.

[Theo] That looked like
it hurt.

Where are you?

Everywhere.

I'm in your
traffic lights,

your credit report,

your E-mail account.

This just came up.
From Jenny.

"Miss you, big bro."
Smiley face.

You keep my sister
out of this.

You can't count the ways
I can get to you.

Hey. Guess what, Theo.

You're just one man.

I got a thousand
FBI agents on my side,

and I will take
those odds any day.

All the agents
in the world

won't be able
to save you.

You need to be punished
for what you did to me,

and I'm just
getting started.

[cell phone thuds]

[low hum of chat]

[police radio chatter]

You think this was Theo?

Let's think
about it.

Juliana was Strauss'
go-between.

She was the one that reached out
to Kyle and Daisy and Andrew.

That means Strauss
gave her their contact information.

He could have given her
something Theo.

What if he gave her information
on other students, too?

Well, Joe said that Strauss
kept his students separate.

They had no way
of contacting one another.

Maybe that's what
Theo wants,

to contact Strauss'
other students.

[computer beeps]

[gunshot]

Nice shooting.

Military?

I was.

12th Mountain,
for Lee.

What happened?

Uh, it's
a long story.

I know what
that's like.

You army, too?

Yeah. 28th Infantry,
Harrisburg.

My C.O. ran me
out of basic, week 9.

[gunshot]

[gunshot]

Worst part,
guys like that,

they get away
with it, you know?

Guys like us...

We get nothing.

Hell, yeah.

[gunshot in distance]

Oh, that's
a center shot. [laughs]

You got skills, man.

[chuckles]

We should grab
a beer.

Sure.

Shoot for who buys?

You're on.

[rock music playing]

[indistinct chatter]

[chattering and music continue]

Hey, handsome.

What can I do you for?

Another vodka over.

You got it, sugar.

You sure that's
all you want?

How come you
aren't dancing?

You're prettier than
every girl in this place.

[laughs] You're sweet.

I'm shy. All these eyes on me
would make me nervous.

How about
just two eyes?

I got a beach house
10 minutes from here.

How about you
come by tonight?

Heh.

Well, I do love
the ocean.

[buzzer]

As your
court-appointed attorney,

I am obligated
to provide you

a full briefing of your final day
prior to execution.

And are... are you aware
of how things, uh,

terminated
with my previous counsel?

I'm well aware
of all your murders, Mr. Carroll,

so let's be clear.

I don't want
to be here,

so if you don't mind,
I'm just gonna do my job.

Yeah. By all means.

Your last 24 hours
will begin

with a full physical.

You have your choice
of a final meal.

Religious counseling
will be made available.

[laughs] Hmm.

If you so desire.

Time has been set aside
for personal visitation.

Once the execution has been carried
out, you have a choice...

Poe's such
a tragic figure.

Yes, indeed, he was.

Death was a motif
in his life

just as much
as in his work.

Uh, his parents both died
when he was very young,

brother, a sister,
a wife.

- Uh, Professor Carroll?
- Yes?

You mentioned
in your lecture that

Poe committed his life
to writing

after his
brother's death.

Yes. That was his...
his chief inspiration.

Was it his guilt
that drove him?

Did he feel responsible?

[laughs] Are you
suggesting that Poe

murdered his
own brother? [chuckles]

Well, no such evidence
exists for that.

Certainly, that's the first time I've
heard that accusation.

Maybe it's because
Poe was smart.

He stayed under the water

and never aroused
suspicion.

Isn't that possible?

I'm sorry. I didn't
quite catch your name.

I... I got to get
to class.

[female student] Poe had
a unique take on death, didn't he?

Sir?

Sorry. Yes, yes.

Unique. Absolutely.

Any final requests?

Yes. I... I do have one
actually.

I... I'd like to send
a message to Ryan Hardy.

Tell him I have some information
about the man he's looking for.

Hey. What... What's
wrong?

What are you
doing here?

Ryan, it's insane.
I've been brought

under review
at the hospital.

For what?

My electronic medication record
shows a discrepancy.

It says I'm overprescribing meds,
but it's a lie.

It's Theo.

Seriously?

This could damage
my career.

I could be suspended
or worse.

Ryan! A call just
came in from Joe's prison.

Give it to Donovan.

He wants to talk to you.

Too bad.

Ryan... I love you,

but I don't know
that I can do this.

I am going to
make this right,

I promise.

[waves rolling]

[fire crackling]

[waves rolling in distance]
[smooches]

That feels amazing.

Girl, we're just
getting started.

[smooches]
[soft moaning]

Gentler.

Like this.

Kyle.

Name's Walter.

[laughs] I know,

but do you mind
if I call you Kyle?

It's just a little game
that I like to play.

You can call me
whatever you want.

[smooching and moaning resume]

[grunting]

Slow down, Kyle.

Kyle!

Slow down.

[breathing heavily]

[knife blade clicks]

[flesh piercing]
[Walter groans in pain]

[gasping]

[breathing heavily]

[sniffles]

- Boo.
- Aah!

[glass shattering]

Did you really think
you'd get away from me?

[panting]

[hinges squeaking]

Aah! Aah!

Found you!

Now it's time
for you to pay.

Please, please, Mark.

Mark, please don't
kill me, please.

No, no. Mark drowned.
[knife clicks]

I'm Luke.

[groaning]

Please, please!

You... You
betrayed Mark.

He had a soft spot for you,
and you played him.

It wasn't me.
It was Strauss.

She said, lying.

He would have killed me
if I didn't do

exactly what he said.

Please. We're exactly
the same, you and me.

We both lost people
we loved.

Please.

Oh, you poor thing.

You're just a broken-winged
bird, aren't you?

I'm gonna put you
out of your misery.

No. I know how to get
to Mike Weston.

[panting]

Hey, guys.

[Sloan] Ryan,
I reverse-traced

the phone number
that Theo used to call you.

It took me to a burner.

So no GPS.

Right, but I installed
a streaming alert.

The second he makes
another call, we'll have him.

No. He's not
gonna use that phone again.

He's too smart
for that.

Bro, I was ready.

Best shape of my life.

PFT scores
off the charts.

So what happened?

My psych eval
went sideways.

Jackass captain bounced me
over hostility issues.

What's his name?

Robert James Tubbs.

He had it out for me
from the start.

I was meant
for the 12th.

I bleed ranger.

Never even had
a chance.

No.

I lost my wife
and... and my apartment,

any... any dreams
I had left.

You can get it
all back, you know?

Your manhood,
your dignity.

Yeah?

How?

[treadmill whirring]

[footsteps tapping]

[body thumps]

Unh!

[Daisy] The cameras that
we planted are still active.

They link to this
web portal.

If the FBI found
the laptop,

then they would have
taken them down,

so somebody else
has it.

I don't buy it.

Feds came in the door
90 seconds after Mark split.

Laptop was on your bed.
They have it.

Maybe they just haven't
looked at it yet.

Well, according to this,
the laptop was logged in

to this portal
every day since the raid.

Somebody's watching Max,

somebody we can use
to get to Mike.

[cricket chirping]

Don't.

- Shh. Hey. Relax.
- Mark!

I told you
Mark's dead.

I'm Luke.

Take off
your clothes.

No.

[knife clicks]

Pretty please.

Is this enough
for you?

Or maybe you
want more.

St... Stop it.

I guess Mark's not
dead after all.

[gasps]

Who the hell are you?

Masks on, right?
That was the plan.

You need to face him.

Face the man who took
your dignity.

Yeah. That's right.
12th Mountain Recruit, remember?

You turned me out
on a psych rap.

Yeah, you sick,
crazy, son of a...

[slapping] Shut up!

Tell him.

Tell him
what he cost you.

I gave up everything
to be a ranger,

and you took that
from me,

you took everything,
maggot!

[spits]

You'll never get
away with this.

[pouncing]
[gasping]

Again.

[spits]

Now how'd that feel?

Oh, good.

Really good.

Then you're gonna
really like this.

[gunshot]

[vomiting]

I thought we were just
supposed to scare him.

He needed to die

to free you up
for things to come.

What are you
talking about?

Do you think I just stumbled
across you by accident?

I sought you out,
soldier.

Why?

Because you're
special.

I am?

Yeah.

In fact,

you have
the potential

to change the course
of history.

Like that... Like that dude
from "The Matrix."

Exactly.

Man, I can't wait
to rub Linda's face in this.

You can't.

Your ex-wife never
believed in you,

- I get it.
- [Gary scoffs]

- You are the one, Gary,
- [Gary scoffs]

And this man's death

signifies
your rebirth.

[door opens]
Hey, Mike.

So, you know, the project
you're working on with Sloan?

Tracking down
Mark's laptop.

Yeah. Uh, Ryan's got her running point
on Theo's phone call,

so she asked me
to take over. What?

Nothing. I'm just surprised
you said yes.

You shouldn't be.

Mark belongs
behind bars.

I'll do whatever it
takes to put him there.

Even working
closely with me?

Do you want to see
what I found or not?

Lead the way.

[car door locks click]

Give me your mask.

There's a river nearby.
We'll dump it there.

Aw, I left it
in the house.

Where?

In the kitchen.
I'll go get it.

No.

I'll get it.
You wait here.

[door opens and closes]

[dialing tone]

[ringing]

- Hello?
- Linda, hey. It's...

Listen, Gary. I've warned you
not to call here.

No. You listen!

You're wrong
about me, all right?

I'm not a loser.
I'm the one,

and you're gonna be sorry
that you ever let me get away.

[phone beeps]

[house door opens]

[house door closes]

Let's go.

All right.

Talk to me.

You're right not
to go see Joe.

It was just a ploy
to get more face time with you.

Are you really
skipping the execution?

Yep.

I would think you
of all people

would want to
watch him die.

I'm tired of watching
people die.

Ryan! Theo used
the phone again

outside a home
in Waynesboro, Virginia.

Home belongs to
Captain Robert Tubbs, U.S. Army.

What's his
connection?

I don't know,
but it looks like

Theo just killed him.

Waynesboro PD responded to
a 911 call 30 minutes ago...

Shots fired.

This is how
they found Tubbs.

Tear his life apart. There's got to be
some reason he drove

all the way down there
to kill this guy.

Lucky break, Theo using
that phone again, but why?

What's he doing?

[buzzer]

You lost, Gary?

No. No, no.
I just, uh,

got reassigned
from gen pop.

Guess you guys are
short-handed, so...

First I'm hearing
about it.

[Theo on earpiece] Just relax, Gary.

I'm taking care
of everything.

Just tell him to check
the system.

Check the system.

[typing]

[beeping]

Are you clear
on the heightened

security
protocols here?

Yes, sir.

All right. Be smart.

These guys are
carnivores.

[buzzer]

I'm in.

[buzzer]

[sliding door closes]

Tell Joe
Theo says hello.

Theo says hi.

It's been
a long time, Joe.

"It's been
a long time, Joe."

You've become quite
the celebrity.

I could say the same
about you.

Strauss clearly had
his best student under wraps.

I may have been the best
at embracing his philosophy, but...

"...you were always
special."

Tell me, Theo,

is this friend
of yours here

to...
to break me out?

Because I'm afraid
he appears a little underqualified

for the job.

No offense.

Sadly, there's nothing
I can do to save you.

So why
the social call, huh?

Oh, unless you're
hoping I can save you.

Nothing gets
past you, Joe.

No wonder you were
Strauss' favorite.

Oh, Theo.

Flattery is
so pedestrian.

Frankly, I'm insulted
you think I'm

so easily manipulated.

So then let's cut
to the chase.

Hmm.

Strauss used a special code
to protect his secrets...

"A code that can only be
deciphered"

...using a key phrase
chosen by the creator.

"It's old-school.

The simplicity makes it
almost unbreakable"

...but I think Strauss
entrusted you with that key.

And why would I
help you?

What do I get in return?

Infamy.

You're gonna die, Joe.

If you're smart,
your legacy continues,

and all the murders that

"...follow
will be yours,

the infamous
Joe Carroll killing

from beyond
the grave."

Immortality.

What do you have?

I went through all the evidence logged
from Mark's safe house,

and I found this.

A receipt.

For a laptop purchased
in Rego Park.

I have the BIA,

which means if someone
is using the laptop

- we can find them in real time.
- How?

I'll just enter the I.D.,
into our system,

see if it pings
anywhere.

If not, we'll have to submit
warrants to all the Telecoms,

so maybe we can
find it that way.

[men chatting indistinctly]

Oh!

[typing on keyboard]

[door bangs]

Sorry. [clears throat]

[beeping]

That was fast.

It's in the building.

What?

Where?

I don't know.
It's reading

as passively connected.

Let me try and isolate
the router,

pinpoint
the exact location.

[ringing from other end]

[computer beeping]

[smashing sound]

The signal just
disappeared!

It must have been
powered down.

[clattering]

[Mike] Ryan.

I'll take care of it.

We got a problem.

Someone on our team
took a laptop

from Mark's safe house.

- We might have another mole.
- What?

I got something.

The number that
Theo's phone called

is registered
to a Linda Benson

in Charlottesville.

Local police rousted her,

and she said that the call
actually came

from her ex-husband Gary.

Well, what do we
know about Gary?

Hang on.

[typing]

He's a guard
at Joe's prison.

You know, Theo,
I... I greatly admire

your ingenuity,

but you haven't
won me over yet.

Gonna need
a little more incentive.

What?

You've had a lot
of quality Ryan time.

He has someone new
in his life,

a new love.

Who is she?

Her name's Gwen.

"Beautiful woman."

Oh.

"A doctor, and they're
living together."

In his new life
that doesn't include me.

I know how much
that hurts you, Joe.

You give me what I want,

I will punish
Ryan Hardy for both of us.

Ryan Hardy
belongs to me.

You're gonna be dead
in 36 hours.

I am offering you
an opportunity to live

beyond death,
to strike out

at the man who took
everything from you.

Yes or no?!

[guard on P.A.] Code 6.
Death row.

Looks like your little
monkey has been discovered.

[buzzer]

Theo,
they're coming. What do I do?

Oh! Hey! Look out!

Oh. That. Yes!

[wheezes]

I'm sorry, Theo.

I'm not ready to
pass on the torch just yet,

not while I still have
a card left to play.

[crack]

[alarm buzzing]

[buzzer]
[door opens]

Man down!

Don't move!
Do not move!

[handcuffs clicking]

Let's go.

Come on. Move!

So... you know Theo.

I tried to tell you,
but you insisted

on sending agent one eye
in your place, so...

What did Theo
want from you?

What did you tell him?

You know, I have
to say, Ryan,

I'm very
disappointed in you.

Well, it... it... it
almost feels like

you... you don't want
to be friends anymore.

I'm not your friend!

I am the guy that killed
all your followers,

put you on death row!

Now tell me...

Tell me where
the hell he is.

Why?
Why should I?

You're not... You're not exactly being
very pleasant.

[groans]

I... I tell you what.

Why don't we have
a sleepover?

You know, they built
this wing just for me,

so you could
bunk up next door,

and... and then we could chat
the night away.

We could chat
about Gwen.

Uh, I gather
she's a looker

and a doctor.

[guard] Get him up!

[grunting]

Let him go.

Come on. Let go.

Pull him off.

All right, all right!

[gasping]

Oh, such passion!

Just goes to show how much
you really care about me.

[laughs] And there was I
getting all worried.

I can't do this anymore.

Yeah, of course,
you can.

All you have to do
is accept

that I'm the most
important relationship

in your life.

No, you're not.

You're a disease.

Tomorrow night
when they kill you...

I'll be cured.

[alarm beeping]
[keys clanging]

[keypad beeping]
[alarm stops]

[siren wailing in distance]

[toilet flushing]
[glass shattering]

Gwen?

[Gwen] In the bathroom.
Are you ok?

I'm fine. I just, uh...
just broke a glass.

Don't come out.

I thought you'd be
home for dinner.

Something happen?

[glass clinking]

No, no.

♪ Try to keep the wolf
I hide inside ♪

No. I just, um...
I was just, uh...

♪ my secret place ♪

I saw Joe.

Theo reached out
to him,

and I thought going
to the prison was

the right thing
to do.

I was wrong.

It's ok.

- No.
- Ryan.

No, it's not.

You are the most
important thing in my life,

and I keep
screwing it up.

I don't want to
lose you, doc.

I'm gonna do better.

I love you.

[voice braking] I love you, too.
I'll be out in a minute.

Ok.

[sobbing]

♪ I'm in your head,
I'm in your head ♪

♪ I'm in your head ♪

♪ I'm in your head,
I'm in your head ♪

♪ I'm in your head ♪

♪ I'm in your head,
I'm in your head ♪

♪ I'm in your head ♪

♪ Turn around, my bride ♪

♪ I'm only here ♪

Sync and corrected by
Gianluca Belfiglio