The Net (1998–1999): Season 1, Episode 2 - North by Northwestern - full transcript

- Sorcerer, I need your help.
- That's why I'm here.

- What can I do for you?
- My father...

I put some anonymous feelers
out on the Internet.

I found someone
who says they've seen him.

They want me to meet them in Chicago...

on the steps of the
Chicago Museum of Art...

at 6:00 pm on Monday.

It's a one-time meeting, I've got to get there.

Two days from now.
What do you expect to find?

Answers. Hopefully the truth.

Can you help me get to Chicago?



You'll need to create some identification
for yourself.

I'll leave a ticket for you
at the United Airlines counter...

at Port Columbus Airport,
just be careful who you trust.

- What's inside the knapsack?
- Nothing, it's just my computer.

- Security, she's got a bomb.
- Freeze.

Hands in the air.

Don't shoot.

My name is Angela Bennett.
I discovered a group of computer terrorists.

They erased my life.
They made me into a criminal.

I am not going to stop
until I get my life back.

But if they did this to me,
they could do this to you.

It's a prototype of a new computer.
There's a chip inside.

It has a security tag that must have
somehow triggered the X-ray scanner.

Oh, technology run amok, huh?



I have an important meeting,
and I can't miss it, so...

- Am I being charged with a crime here?
- Let me address that.

- A young woman sets off a bomb scare.
- But there was no bomb...

-there was a flaw in the machine.
- Using false ID to pick up a plane ticket...

to Chicago.
No driver's license, no verifiable address...

you can't even tell us
your social security number.

So far all we can do
is book you in as a Jane Doe.

You see how that just possibly raises
a red flag or two.

Well, I explained all that.

Here's what we're gonna do, okay?

We're going to take your fingerprints,
run them over to the FBI.

We're gonna find out who you are,
clear this all up.

You can't hold me here,
I've done nothing wrong.

- We're spinning our wheels, Nick.
- I guess so.

- Okay, I at least get a phone call.
- Sure, who do you want to call?

- I want to e-mail someone.
- You've got to be kidding.

Just... Can I have a lawyer?

Suit yourself.

Dazzle me, Kelly.

Well, I think we're finally catching an
updraught in this Angela Bennett thing.

X-ray scanners picked up her computer
at the airport in Columbus, Ohio.

- They're holding her in lockup.
- Set the trap properly...

-bound to catch the mouse.
- They found her with a plane ticket...

-into O'Hare.
- Well, Chicago is a nice city...

surprisingly livable. I spent
some time there after the military service.

- Or maybe she's a Cubs fan.
- Losers, not her type.

So what do we do? Go in after her?

No, I don't think so.

Let's find out why she's going to Chicago.

Saddle up, Hearney, you're going to Ohio.

What's in there?

That's our forensics lab.

What have you done with my computer?

- It's evidence.
- I have all my work on it and I need it.

You'll need to talk to your lawyer about that.

Don't worry, they'll take good care of it.

- Just following the rules, Counsellor.
- You guys...

you've got more security here
than the Pentagon.

- The Pentagon doesn't have criminals.
- Oh, yeah? Don't count on it.

Hey, Mastro...

I hear you people been stomping all over
my client's constitutional rights.

Shove it, Daniels.

Hey, are you okay?

No.

I didn't do nothing.
I was with the wrong guy at the wrong time.

- They don't believe that.
- Yeah, tell me about it.

Okay, social hour's over.
You, on the bench. Your attorney's here.

Jane Doe. Is that your real name?

I'm Tim Daniels, I'm your attorney.
Please have a seat.

Who sent you?

Well, I've been appointed by the court.

See, when you have
no official representation...

the court takes it upon itself to...

Right. I know the law.
I just wanted to know where you came from.

I didn't know I'd need a résumé.

Okay. University of Ohio Law School...

class of '89, passed the Ohio bar
after only my third try.

- I'm impressed.
- Really? My father wasn't.

You know, you might not know it
to look at me...

but we Daniels come from
a long distinguished line of--

Why am I here?

- You don't know?
- No, I do...

I just want to know if you know
why am I here.

I have no idea.

I mean, I know, but... Look...

all we have to do today is tell you
that you're arraignment is tomorrow...

and then, generally,
I take a statement and...

You glib through a meeting and then
five minutes before my arraignment...

you review the file and whatever happens...

- Right? 'Cause you really don't care, right?
- Something like that. Look, lady...

I get 15 or 20 of these a day, okay.
I do the very best I can...

but if I have to invest myself
in even 1% of all the...

cases they give me,
I would end up being carted out of here...

chewing on my earlobe.
So you want somebody else? Fine.

You know what? I don't blame you.
Here's a pen.

Yeah, I'll give you
Johnnie Cochran's phone number.

This is all pro bono work to me anyway.

Never mind. Why do I even bother?
Nobody seems to give a damn.

- Have a nice life.
- Wait. Wait.

I don't want somebody else, I want you.
It's not your fault, I'm sorry.

All right.

I'm sorry I snapped. Bad temper.

No, no. It's a good temper...

because you can't make up
that kind of passion and right now...

I need the real thing.
And you seem like the real thing.

Okay.

Look, if it will make you feel better,
why don't we just see what we can do...

if we can get through this, okay?

- Okay.
- All right. Now, refresh me.

Something to do with an incident
at the airport and some fake ID.

Everything that I tell you
is privileged communication, right?

- You can't reveal it to anyone?
- Yeah, seems that's how it works.

I mean, I'm kind of like a priest
without the celibacy.

Okay, I'm gonna tell you a story...

and it's gonna be really hard
for you to believe...

but you're the only chance I have.

You have to get me out of here because
if my fingerprints hit the FBI data bank...

I'm gonna come up
as an international fugitive, a Liz Marx.

I'm not.

There's a secret organisation
with seemingly no affiliation to anyone...

they act on their own agenda...

they broke into my home,
and they killed my friend.

They tried to kill me but I got away, and...

they're relentless.

They must have somehow programmed
every airport scanner in the country...

and made it read "bomb scare"
if my computer went through.

That has to be how they tracked me.

- Okay.
- It sounds crazy.

I know it does. I mean,
it sounds crazy to me, and I'm living it.

I picked up this communication,
and they just think I know something...

these people, and I don't...
This man, he's from the NSA...

or he claims to be from the--

- Wait a minute, the NSA is involved in this?
- No. No. No.

He's not with the NSA.
It's a Trelawney, is his name.

Or, I mean I don't even know
if that's his name.

Trelawney? So these people...

-they think you know something or...
- All I know is that they're dangerous.

They've manipulated private companies,
secret organisations of all sorts...

government agencies, military operations.

I think that they're out to control everything
from NASA to the Internet.

- Better that than Bill Gates controlling it?
- Don't patronize me.

Our entire lives are on computers.
I mean, my whole life, it was erased.

My home was destroyed, I was turned
into a criminal, all by computer.

And don't even think for a minute...

that they wouldn't do it to you,
if you got in their way.

What exactly do you expect me to do?

I need you to get my computer
out of lockup. You can do that, can't you?

Oh, yeah. For a short period of time.
It's called "discovery."

Okay, thank God. All right...

I need you to send an e-mail
to a friend of mine, I think he can help me.

His name is Sorcerer.

My computer has a direct connection to him.

Okay. Sorcerer.

- Okay. Jane.
- Angela.

My name is Angela.

Okay, Angela.

Now, tomorrow is your arraignment...

which means after that they're gonna want
to take you across county.

So, it would be a good idea
for you to get some rest.

- Okay?
- Well, is that it?

Yeah. Look, just get some rest
and I'll see what I can do.

- Okay?
- Okay.

Come in all shapes and sizes,
don't they, Counsellor?

Yeah, you got that right.

Listen, you guys still got that baseball pool
going on the Indians?

The girl mentioned
something about a computer.

That's down in lockup.

Why, you wanna take a look at it
before arraignment?

I wouldn't know what to do with it.
I'm a pen and paper man.

Just make sure they take care of it, okay?
It seems important to her.

So what's the story on this Jane Doe?
Well dressed. Well educated.

- Not your run-of-the-mill vagrant skell.
- All shapes and sizes, Tony.

I'll see you later.

No, no. Listen, no.

- Well, I'm telling you.
- We're not gonna get into that, okay?

Mr Daniels. Greg Hearney, FBI.

FBI?

Have you got a minute?

It's a matter of national security.

- What's your name?
- What's your name?

- Angela.
- Desiree.

- So what did you do?
- Nothing.

And they're calling me an accessory.
I was just talking to my boyfriend.

How was I supposed to know he had
stolen stuff in the back of his trunk?

I did one wrong thing when I was 15...

and now they're acting
like the last 12 years don't mean squat.

Man, I thought I had it all figured out.

That's what you get
for trusting the wrong person.

Oh, my God.

Man oh man. Look at this.

This must have just happened.

Stop, please!

- My wife's trapped inside the car.
- Go ahead, I'll call it in.

I got it. Excuse me.

Please ask them to send an emergency crew.
She's lost a lot of blood.

Okay. Okay.

- Police, this is 71.
- 71, go.

Request for emergency vehicles.
We're on 88 West...

about two miles across
the Duquesne Parkway.

Drop it. Keys. Now!

- Angela Bennett?
- Come on, sisters. Let's go.

- Unit 71, come in.
- Who are you?

Angels of mercy, Angela,
courtesy of Sorcerer.

Sorcerer? How? How did you find me?

Sees all, knows all. I'll explain as we go.

- Don't leave me.
- Come on.

- What about her?
- I'm here for you, she's on her own.

Unless you want to stay here
and take your chances?

Please, please.
You've got to take me with you.

- Angela, please take me with you.
- Let's go!

Lookit, come on.
I haven't got time for this.

- Sorcerer's worried about you.
- Unit 71, you requested emergency vehicles.

Angela...

Good luck.

Unit 71, what's your location?

Hurry UP-

Come on, let's go.

Come on.

Where's Sorcerer?
He said that he would meet me.

No problem.
He's looking forward to seeing you again.

That's where we're taking you.

Trelawney wants her alive!

Don't shoot her.

Angela!

Angela, get in.

- Hearney's waiting to speak with you.
- Trelawney here.

Yes. Yes.

Well, it couldn't be helped I'm sure.
You covered all the bases...

briefed your team, yeah.

Thought of every possible flaw? Yes.

Yes. Oh, so there was a mistake.

Yes. Yes, you've taken stock now and...

you take full responsibility.
Well, that's what I want to hear.

No, it doesn't change
my opinion of you at all.

It also doesn't change our dilemma.

It's interesting the way you play him,
like a finely-tuned piano.

And how do I play you, Kelly?

Never underestimate my regard
for Mr Hearney.

He fills a valuable position
in the organization.

A position neither you or I want.

Well, that depends on the target.

So, what do we do now? We go for her?

No, this is not a time for action.

- It's for analysing.
- Analysing what?

Everything.

Human error mostly.
You want to be a step ahead...

you have to cover every avenue.
Mr Hearney learnt that...

-today, out in the field.
- But how do you account for human error?

Well, you have to account for human error.

That's our secret weapon.
Without human error...

there's no vulnerability, no weaknesses.

That's what gives us our edge.

Yes. The indisputable fact
that the human character...

is flawed.

- Thank you for saving my life.
- No, you saved mine.

You believe they hadn't even called
to let me know she was in there?

You're here now.
It's nice to have family to rely on, isn't it?

- You gonna be okay?
- No.

I just feel like
I'm never gonna be out of trouble.

No, no, no. We'll find a way.

We just have to watch
what kind of company you keep, right?

Yeah. I'm gonna stay with my brother.
He's good for me.

Girl, if you have any problems,
you know where to find us, right?

- Yeah.
- Okay.

It was nice to know you, Des.

I'm glad you finally asked me out, Tim.

You know I've watched you
around the courthouse.

- Really?
- You're so smooth...

everything just rolls off your back.
Nothing ever...

Marx is wanted on various espionage
and weapons charges...

dating back to the early '90s.
Marx, who was arrested late yesterday...

at Columbus Airport for possession
of a bomb, has escaped custody.

She is believed to be at large
in the Columbus area.

Officials warn she is armed and dangerous.

On the political front, still unwilling
to throw his hat into the senatorial ring...

grassroots candidate Joe Phoenix
made a surprise visit to City Hall...

right here in Columbus.

I cannot believe I said that. Unbelievable.
Just come this way.

Right here.

- Very nice.
- Thank you.

So, Shelly, why don't you
make yourself at home...

-and I'll go see what we've got to drink.
- Hope you're not gonna be gone long.

No, I'm gonna be right back.

Tim.

- What are you doing here?
- I have to have my computer.

You said you'd get it for me.
It's my only connection.

You don't have it?

Well, look, I was gonna get it, but it's very...

Wait a second, what are you doing here?

You've got any idea
the trouble I'm gonna be in...

-if they find you here?
- Do you have any idea...

of the trouble that I'm in?
I had nowhere else to go.

I thought for just one second
I saw some sincerity...

in that insincere smile of yours
and I was wrong...

-and you're right, I should go.
- Wait, wait, wait. Just...

All right, I was worried about you and...
I'm glad you came.

- It's just a real bad time for me.
- Tim.

Oh, I see.

I'm sorry, I... I made a mistake.

- I'm calling a cab.
- No. Wait, wait.

You don't... Just... Don't... Stay here.

Look, I'm sorry about all of this.

Maybe we can pick up where we left off.

Not in your lifetime. Drive!

I'll call you, okay?

Yeah, give me Detective Mastro.

- Was there enough hot water?
- Yeah.

Sorry, this is gonna be a little weak.

Not as weak as my excuse
for not having your computer.

You didn't believe me yesterday.
Not even for a minute?

- Did you think I would?
- No, but I hoped.

I put my trust in you and I don't do that.

- I just... I had no other choice. I just...
- Yeah, well, I...

You don't like being a lawyer, do you?

You know, if I had any guts
I'd give it up in a minute.

What's the old saying?
"I'd rather be sailing."

You always wanted to be
an escaped prisoner?

Yeah, it's a lifelong dream.

All right, I have got to go
before I get you into any more trouble.

Oh no, no. Wait, wait.

I'm sorry, okay? Just...

Sometimes it's easier for me
to be glib than it is to be...

I didn't mean to say
you were making it all up.

What part did you believe?

Okay, yesterday you remember you said
that you were visited...

by an NSA agent who wasn't NSA?

- Trelawney?
- After I left you...

I got visited by an FBI agent.
He asked a lot of questions about you.

- What did you tell them?
- Not much.

I don't know much. Remember,
mostly you did the talking. Anyway...

the point is, I don't know whether
your paranoia is contagious or whatever...

but I called a buddy of mine,
from prep school, who's in the FBI in D.C...

-and...
- And?

I am prepared to accept
that there is no Greg Hearney...

-attached to the FBI.
- Don't you see what I'm telling you?

These people are everywhere.
They can find me wherever I am.

Just listen to me. Okay?
Will you listen to me...

as somebody who believes
that at least some of what you may say...

might have some basis in reality, okay?
And I have to tell you this...

that every cop in the Ohio Valley
is gonna be looking for you.

I need you to help me
get my computer back, Tim.

I need to get my computer, and I need
to get to a meeting in Chicago tomorrow.

Do you have access to the station?

Yes, I can,
but it's not gonna do you any good.

- But why?
- I can get in because I have a card, okay?

But there's not gonna be anybody around
to let me in this time of night.

Now just stay here, okay?
Stay here tonight, I will sleep on the sofa.

All right? Get some rest.

You know, maybe in the morning
things will look different.

Look, I may not be a great lawyer, okay?
My father laid that one on me...

a long time ago, so I know what it's like
for somebody not to believe you.

But what you said in the jail,
Angela, it's not true.

I do care.

- Check downstairs.
- What the hell is going on here?

- Where the hell is she?
- Mastro, I told you I would bring her in.

Sir, you better take a look up here.

- Hey!
- You're under arrest, Counsellor.

- What?
- Aiding and abetting.

Oh, come on. Oh, man.

How's that for constitutional rights?

- They're on the second floor, man.
- You watching tonight?

- Yeah.
- Okay, I'll start with the bathrooms.

- Hey, you.
- Yeah?

Shut the door.
What, you brought up in a barn?

Sorry, man.

Come on.

Oh, God.

Oh, it's my lucky day.

Desiree.

He was there all day.

Hey, Briggsy, you hear they arrested
that pain-in-the-ascot lawyer Daniels?

The feds just booked him downtown
about an hour ago.

Couldn't be.

He just swiped in on my computer
10 minutes ago.

Let's check it out.

Cover me.

Contact Miller. Tell him he has a breach.

Believe you me. I mean, you have no idea...

what it feels to talk to somebody who
actually realizes the mess that I'm in here.

Surprised I've never seen you
around before.

I'm sorry, didn't I say?
I'm with Daniels, Malden, and Grieve.

Your father's partners wanted me
to drop by personally to look in on you.

Now back to the girl.

- She got you in this mess.
- Well, you know she's got a story, but it's...

It's like right out of the
Invasion of the Body Snatchers, I mean...

you know, her life is erased,
and she's got shady characters and...

Yeah, something about this girl
made me want to believe her.

Then she shows up at my house so...

I call on her. But honest to God, you know,
I think I'm doing the right thing.

And you were.

So this girl came to your place.
What did she talk about?

Nothing really.
Something about getting her computer...

-and contacting somebody named Sorcerer.
- Sorcerer?

- Did you contact him?
- No.

She seemed a little stressed about
a meeting she had in Chicago...

something to do with her father.

Does any of this have anything to do
with getting me the hell out of here?

Of course.
Especially if you can help me find this girl.

Absolutely, she's gonna call me.
I mean, she took...

She borrowed my wallet, so...

- I'm sorry, I forgot your name.
- I didn't tell you my name.

- Sorcerer, do you ever get premonitions?
Occasionally.

- Worried about your meeting?
- No.

Yes. I'm worried about leaving him behind.
I think he's in trouble.

What makes you think he's in trouble?

He's been arrested by the police,
and I don't think...

the Praetorians are finished with him.

They won't be finished until they get
what they want, I know it.

Tim Daniels is not your responsibility.

- Yes, he is. If it wasn't for me--
- Right now...

you have your own life to worry about.
Find your father, get your life back.

Don't miss that meeting, Angela. Don't.

- Hello.
- Tim, you're there. Listen to me...

I can't talk long, you have to be careful.

The people that I told you about,
the Praetorians...

they might be monitoring your phone.

I just wanted to call you
and make sure you're okay.

Yeah, I'm fine.

- Where are you?
- I don't blame you for calling the police.

I was just doing my job, for once.

I know.

I'm sorry I took your wallet,
I'll send it back to you.

- I just... I needed your card.
- Listen, I can come get it.

- Where are you?
- I can't tell you.

I gotta go-

She's at the bus station.

Well done, Tim. Just like a pro.

Would make your old man proud.

- You didn't know my father.
- You'd be surprised who I know.

Okay, let's go.

Look, Tim, we'd appreciate it
if you accompanied us...

gave us one more helping hand.

Listen, I think I've done enough,
I'm sure you guys can handle...

- Do we really need to take him with us?
- He's a loose end.

Loose ends unravel everything.

Bus number 234, service to Chicago...

Philadelphia, Baltimore,
now boarding at gate 9.

Mr Daniels, your cooperation
has been invaluable.

I'm sure this will all go towards your record.

I appreciate that, Mr Trelawney.

Mr Daniels, Tim, what we're asking of you
is not so bad, is it?

Now who is this girl?
What could she possibly mean to you?

I mean, you said it,
"Garbage in, garbage out."

And is now the time to have a conscience...

to start caring? When so much is at stake?
I don't think so.

And just remember what we talked about.
Find her, ask her to come outside...

and then we'll take it from there.

- To talk?
- Yes, to talk.

Kelly, upstairs.

This is the final call for bus number 234...

service to Chicago, Philadelphia,
and Baltimore...

leaving from gate 9.

Oh, the pain!

- Come on, you're a doctor.
- I'm a what?

Just trust me.

Oh, the pain!

Excuse me, this man is a doctor.

Okay. Back up people. Give us some room.

All right, everybody, step back now.
Go on, give him some room.

- You're going to be okay.
- Please help me.

Officer, can you call an ambulance?

Oh, my God! It hurts.

Let's go, let's go.

You'll be all right. You're gonna be okay.

Angela... We'll ride with her to the hospital.

- Which hospital will they take her to?
- St. Luke's on Fourth is the closest.

- Get back.
- Paramedics in and out.

- Thank you.
- Hey, listen, we owed you one.

You have a great brother.
Better stay out of trouble.

Thanks for believing in me
when nobody else would.

- Come on, Des, we got to go.
- See you.

I'm sorry I never trusted you.
Something I need to learn.

I guess we could all work on that one, huh?

Listen, this is going to sound crazy.

Come with me.

- I can't.
- No, come on.

Look, it's not like I'm asking you...

to spend the rest of your life in a dungeon,
okay. We can fly to Papeete...

and we'll get a boat and we'll sail around
the whole world for a year...

Two years, until this thing blows over.

I think if the Praetorians get their way...

there's not gonna be a world
to come back to.

Wait a second.

I don't get it.
You've just spent an hour convincing me...

that I have to leave the country.

That I got to get out of here or these guys
are gonna hunt me down and kill me.

Now, how is that any different for you?

I have too many unanswered questions.
The Praetorians and my father and...

I have to get my life back.

- You could start a new life.
- Not until I solve the old one.

All right. Will you do something for me?
Will you be careful?

Yeah, you, too.

Bye, Tim.

It's tough to walk away.

I know that I have to,
it still doesn't make it any easier.

You didn't walk away.
You went back, made a difference...

-at a cost.
- I couldn't leave him there.

You didn't find out about your father.

Well, maybe there wasn't anything to find.
Just another crank on the Internet...

-there's lots of them.
- What are you going to do?

I'm going to find the Praetorians
before they find me again.

So now you're ready to save the world?

No, not the world, just myself.

I want them to stop what they're doing.

And if we can find out what they're up to...

Then I know it's safe and I can start over.

- The question is where do we begin?
- That's easy...

one step at a time.

One step at a time.