Underground (2016–2017): Season 1, Episode 3 - The Lord's Day - full transcript

The timetable for escape is agreed upon and Rosalee is tasked with the most important part of the plan.

Previously on Underground...

Tell me what I think
they are... map to freedom.

It's a song, and the map
may be hidden in the words.

The biggest weapon that
the Underground has is secrecy.

In the eyes of the law,

we are the criminals.

I don't want James out in the field.

He'll be wherever you want him.

Once we get north,

we're gonna need some
freedom papers to stay free.

Papers ain't gonna matter
without the massa's seal.



You gonna stop testing me.

Momma, is there more?

Run with me.

Sunday is the day of reflection.

It's a day the Lord has given us
to set aside our toil.

To think on who we are

and what's God's plan for all of us.

Been that way since the
very first words of the Bible.

What's Sam got you making?

He said he'd get us across that bridge.

God said,

"Let there be light."

So there was light.

Then he separated the light
from the darkness,



calling the light "day"
and the darkness "night."

And then the Lord, he said,
"Let there be a canopy

between bodies of water."

And he called it "the sky."

Come on, now!

"Let the waters
beneath the sky come together

into one area,
and let dry ground appear."

Now, then Lord,
he fashioned two great lights,

the larger one to shine during the day.

And he called the light
in the day "the Sun."

And he called that light in the night,

he called it "the Moon."

- Yeah!
- When we gonna run?

And them smaller lights
up in the night sky...

Don't know.
We got to find the right moment.

Then he asked the land and the water

to swarm with fish and birds.

He asked upon them to be fruitful.

Then it was the sixth day,

and the Lord said,

"I will make mankind..."

"...in my image to be
the master of the Earth itself."

Now, on the seventh day,

God had completed the work.

The Lord stopped working.

He rested.

I-I said... he rested.

Hey. Saturday, last thing, what happens?

Final head count before quarters.

And when's the next one?

Uh, at lineup, Monday morning.

That makes Sunday the Lord's gift to us.

Oh, yeah.

We go Saturday night.

Yeah, get a head start
before anyone notice we gone.

Oh, in six days,
while everyone else is resting,

we gonna be running.

Now, when Massa Tom first came here,

he was pulling in twice
the cotton of old man Macon.

That old bridge was crumbling,

falling down under weight
of the new haul.

Now, this new bridge needed
to hold 5,000 pounds.

Which means the support beams

needed to be stronger
and closer together.

What any of that got to do with us

getting across that bridge
without the rollers seeing us?

Well, we built that new bridge

the exact same time
we built this here shop.

Which means that them beams up there,

they're the exact same length
and distance from each other

as the ones underneath this
there bridge.

So what you're saying is we
figure a way across these beams,

we can get underneath that bridge.

Mm-hmm. And them rollers...

standing right on top of us
if they have to.

And we'll use this here harness

and them there hooks.

And we'll each go across one at a time.

Uh, this gonna be tricky

getting them hooks
underneath that bridge, though.

Hooks won't matter we can't get
the harness to hold.

Well, maybe we try overlaying it.

Like a rope. Reinforce it.

No, it ain't gonna hold you,
let alone Zeke.

We need something stronger.

Well, you gots to figure it quick

if we leaving in six days.

Might be you overestimating your plan.

My plan works long as everybody
do what they 'posed to.

- How them papers coming?
- They finished.

Looking real nice.

But that ain't gonna mean nothing

without the massa's seal.

Only way I see it,

we got to steal it,
stamp our papers quick

and get it back
before he notice it's gone.

This the big house we talking about.

Massa's own office.

Yeah, you get caught there,
ain't gonna be no lashes.

You gonna be swinging from a tree.

You right.

This got to be a crime of opportunity.

And, uh, which one of us
has that kind of opportunity?

If you believe the rumor... and I do...

that Mr. Cato had his way
with the old mistress.

And she was clashing her faith.

Sarah, stop all that gossiping now

and watch out for them frog eyes.

I don't want none of my 'lasses burnt.

I was just telling Corra

Miss Shaw gonna want
30 pieces this time,

and at two cent apiece
since she getting so much.

I said I'd ask you.

You already know the answer.

It's three cent
apiece for the white folk.

Always. No exceptions.

Lord knows they can afford it.

Sam, what's wrong?

Ain't nothing wrong, Momma.

Can't I just say hi to my kin
on my day of rest?

Long as you keep your hands
out of my 'lasses.

Oh, here, here. Uh, let-let me help you.

Let me help you.

Is it true?

You running with us?

Noah ask, but...

I ain't made up my mind yet.

Your momma know?

No.

You better not tell her nothing.

I ain't.

You don't want me to go.

You ain't cut out
for something like this.

You ain't gonna do nothing but
slow us down, get us caught.

And if a catcher get
a hold of a girl like you,

he just gonna...

he gonna eat you up.

I ain't scared.

Fine.

You get a chance
to prove that you ain't.

Noah want you to steal the massa's seal.

You've been quiet.

I was unprepared for that... for Kyle.

Bitsy.

I thought that was you.

Where you two coming from?

Uh, John's brother's, down South.

By way of Pittsburgh.

Of course, we were getting off

a southbound train.

Oh, he didn't think anything of it.

- You can't be sure of that.
- I certainly can.

One doesn't just forget an engagement.

How long has it been now?

I-I-I'm not really sure.

You're wearing your hair
like you used to

when we were kids.

With Mr. Still...

... everything happened so fast.

I never gave any thought
as to how our new roles

would affect our everyday lives.

Not until Kyle dropped
those slave bills.

- Let me help you with your bag.
- No, it's fine. It's fine.

Oh, I'm sorry. No...

I wasn't aware it was

the constable's duty
to recover escaped slaves now.

It's not. A, um, recent promotion

has me wearing a marshal's star.

I suppose we're gonna
have to wear two faces now.

One for our new duties,

the other for our public lives.

And what if we lose ourselves
in all the lying?

Well, congratulations are in order.

And I hate to cut it short,

but we're a little worn from the travel.

Hope to see you again soon, Kyle.

You'll see me tonight.

I've been invited
to the governor's ball.

A perk of the new job.

Don't you two go every year?

We do. Yeah.

And we will definitely see you there.

Zeke's the key
to getting across that river.

Me and him will sneak out
to the bridge every night.

Get two hooks in at a time.

All right? That'll get us
across ten beams by Friday.

Now, we need to get
that harness strong enough

to get everyone across
by Saturday night.

Why don't we just cut
up the whole saddle

instead of taking a piece
off of each? Be faster.

Somebody will notice a saddle missing.

We got to be patient, invisible.

For six more days, anyhow.

Well, can I come with you
to test out the new harness?

No, you ain't got no business
in the shop on a Sunday.

Be too suspicious.

I can help if you let me.

Hey. You want to help?

You think on that song.

It's the most important part
of our plan.

Gourds and wolves and the devil's grin.

Can't make no sense of it.

Hey, you got an advantage

over all of us.

All right? You hear a lot
in these stables

about the travels of white folks.

Maybe something
you remember could be key.

Yeah. Yeah, okay.

All right.

Zeke!

Where's Zeke?

Zeke! Zeke!

It's your...

It's your wife, Seraphina.

Zeke, they's taking her.

The slave traders, they taking her.

They-they taking...

It's a nasty bit of business
on the Lord's day.

But I cannot have a child killer
on my plantation.

Though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death,

I shall fear no evil,

for thou art with me,

for thy rod

and thy staff comfort me.

You're mine, boy!

Settle down. Settle down.

You gonna...

Settle down. You gonna
get yourself killed.

Our property was destroyed by yours,

and my boss is strict
about these things.

Which is why your cargo is
on one of my wagons as we speak.

We'll repair your wheel

while you go about
your business of the day.

And when you come by on
the way back tonight,

we swap wagons, it'll be like
this never happened.

Well, there is another
issue, I'm afraid.

This, uh, Seraphina,

she appears to be more broken
than you described.

I may not be able to take
her in that condition.

Tell you what.

I'll cut the price on her as well.

How's that sound?

I don't know.

I really should talk
to my boss about that.

What do you think of that whiskey?

Oh, that's some of the
best I've ever had.

Secret's in the branch water.

The Macon stretch of the Yellow
River is the best, bar none.

Consider both the whiskey
and the water yours,

for your own trouble.

Your boss need not know about it.

Everyone gets what they want.

One of our own out there being sold off,

you in here starching your shirts.

Preening like a peacock.

I ain't care much for that girl anyway.

She was lazy even before
she kilt that baby.

You need to get Zeke out the box.

Why don't you do it yourself?

Oh, I would if I could,
but you the one got Bill's ear.

And that's because I don't go
sticking my neck out for nobody.

You think I like coming down
here, asking you for anything?

We need him.

He part of the group.

From what I see, your group ain't made

of nothing but bitches.

And that's before you let women
and little girls run with us.

I guarantee each and every one of them

gonna fold under the slightest pressure.

Zeke nearly broke
a wagon and Bill's nose

for a wife he ain't even talking to.

Didn't fold for nothing.

That kind of strength,
that kind of loyalty.

We out there on the road
facing God knows what,

you rather have Zeke
by your side or not?

You want him free,

I think it's about time
you teach me that song.

Who are they?

I have no idea.

Mr. and Mrs. Hawkes.

We're here to begin
construction on your nursery.

Construction?

Believe there's been a mistake.

A friend of a friend sent us.

- Oh.
- Oh.

- Yes, of course.
- Sorry.

We weren't expecting you so soon. Sorry.

My name's Clyde.

The man with the lumber is Theo.

And this is...

Hollander. You know each other?

He's a bailiff at the courthouse.

I never would have guessed.

As is the design.

Pardon the ambush,
but we have a pressing need

for the help y'all have offered.

Can I have some now?

After dinner.

Oh, please, we just want one piece.

I said you got to wait.

Now, I hear any more of that whining,

I'm-a sick Patty Cannon on you.

Y'all better run.

Y'all got the
plantation smelling so sweet,

we thought we'd see if we could help.

Oh, yes, please. Thank you.

Boo, keep those boys in line, okay?

I got the papers whenever you're ready.

There goes the massa.

As long as the mistress
playing, you safe.

Can't turn no house girl
into no field slave.

Shoot.

She ain't been tested like
the rest of us... she's soft.

Sam, you talking to yourself?

Oh, no, no, no, massa,
I was... I was just...

Uh...

This, uh... I was just, uh...

Oh, there's no need to be embarrassed.

I do it myself sometimes.

Some say it's a sign of a strong mind.

How's the slaver's wheel coming along?

Uh, almost all put together now, sir.

Just go to, uh, finish
curling the felloes.

I'll get right to it.

Come get you at the big house
when it's finished.

How about I give you a hand?

Oh, no, massa, don't-don't...

Don't-don't go troubling yourself.

Ain't no trouble at all.

Pass me a hammer.

A-All right, here, sir.

Uh, hammer there now quick,
quick before it lose its shape.

You know, this shop is
one of my favorite spots

in the entire plantation.

Would you believe me if I told
you I was jealous of you?

It's true.

Uh, I think in another life,

I would have liked
to work with my hands more.

There's something
about setting your mind

to a task and seeing the
tangible fruits of your labor.

There, you done good now, sir.

Just, uh, the rest...
the rest is a one-man job.

You know?

You should consider taking
James as an apprentice.

He's as smart as you.

He might be a little bit smarter.

I'm sure he'd pick up things real quick.

How'd you like that?

Oh, that-that'd be... that'd
be real nice, sir, real nice.

Now you let me know when that
wheel's finished, straightaway.

Oh, yes, sir, yes.

All right.

At least we know the harness holds.

Quick now.

Here, let me do it.

Noah made sure there's
one in there for you too.

If you comin' with us.

With Moses,

h-how you know when you love him?

Well, you ask him,

he'd tell you we fell
in love the night we met

at a plantation dance.

But it took me a little while longer.

He was always talking
about his preaching.

Enough so I'd go see for myself.

Back then, he was all lanky and sweaty.

All over the place.

His command for the Word was wanting,

but his passion was not.

He went walking through
the slaves spreading hope.

And when he came to me, he just stopped.

As did my heart.

And it ain't never beat right again.

Music.

It stopped.

Rosalee.

Yes, ma'am.

I'll have my lemonade out on the porch.

Not too bitter this time.

Did you need something?

This tunnel will allow your cargo

to enter the house when it's safe.

We can move the nursery down
here and cover the hideaways.

There's a clear line of sight
to the river from here.

This will let those seeking know
this is a safe haven.

About how long should we be expecting

to harbor runaways at a time?

"Cargo."

Right, "cargo."

This is how you move cargo?

How often do you cross
with law enforcement?

More frequently as of late.

The old governor turned
a blind eye mostly.

But the new one is looking to D.C.

I heard he's increased

the marshal presence in the area.

Boat patrols as well.

Used to be a foot in Ohio
is a foot in freedom.

Now the battlefield
has extended across the river.

We need soldiers as well as saints.

And what about spies?

Elizabeth and I are attending
the governor's ball tonight.

That's an exclusive invitation.

One my firm gets every year.

If Ohio and the marshals
are coordinating their efforts,

evidence of that could be found
in the governor's office.

Like patrol schedules
and names of new marshals.

Information that would put us
at a considerable advantage.

First time I hit a white man, shit...

that felt like freedom.

But it wasn't.

Landed me in the stocks,
overseer's eyes glued on my ass.

That small taste of victory
wasn't worth the trouble.

Nah, but you don't want to hear
nothing about that, do you?

You just want to kill them all.

I know what it feels like not
to have control over nothing,

not able to protect yours
the way a man supposed to.

And all that anger,
all that pain you feelin'...

there's gonna be plenty
on the run to work that out on.

Maybe by the time we get up North,

you'll be able to leave it behind.

Start fresh.

Noah was gonna leave you in this box.

Leave you behind.

But I stuck out my neck
to Mr. Bill for you

'cause I know the only person

Noah's gonna look out for is that boy.

Now, I say...

we look out for each other.

Run with me.

You ain't cut out
for something like this.

I ain't scared.

Everybody out front right now.

Momma, what's wrong?

Miz Suzanna on another one
of her warpaths.

Massa's seal gone missin'
and she up my ass about it.

Don't worry.

If one of these girls got it,
I find it quick.

I don't ask much of you.

Work ethic.

Loyalty.

Honesty.

And what do I get in return?

I get lying. And thieving.

Bitin' the hand that feeds you.

That slaver is coming back tonight.

I would no sooner bat an eyelash

than put the whole
lot of you in my pocket

just like that child killer.

Miss Suzanna?

I done seen one of the field slaves

creepin' about earlier.

Which one?

I... couldn't tell.

But I'll think on it.

No matter.

My husband will take care of it.

This has turned out to be an
eventful Sunday, now, hasn't it?

Now...

we can do this all day.

And we will.

'Cause I'm a patient man.

Any one of you could end this
at any time.

If I don't have that seal
back in my possession

by the time the last of these
railroad ties hit the ground,

it's gonna be 50 lashes

for every single one of you.

They always talkin' heaps

about us stealin' when they
know they done it first.

Went over to Africa
and round us up like horses.

You really think she seen
one of 'em round this way?

You three, go get the rest of

the wax paper from the storehouse.

Where is it?

I don't know...

Lie to me again.

I'm sorry, Momma,
I didn't mean nothing...

We gonna get to the why, believe you me.

But right now, I got to figure
a way to fix your mess.

Do you know where
the governor's office is?

Just upstairs on the left.

I'll have a better chance
to slip up unnoticed alone.

You ready to do this, "Bitsy"?

... quite different than it is here.

Or even up North.

Oh, and the shows. Mon dieu.

There's this dance I saw.

It was splendid.

Oh, perfect timing.

John, my brightest barrister.

Help me out here.

We're discussing the Scott case.

There's not much to discuss.

The law says his kind
don't have rights in court.

Could you please tell the marshal

it's more complicated than that?

I can't.

My legal opinion actually
falls in line with Kyle.

The current law has Mr. Scott in chains.

Well, I've had too many.

John Hawkes is agreeing with me.

Well, we're both officers of the law.

Marshal Risdin. You wanted a moment?

Sir.

Yes, Governor, I want to show you

the map of our boat patrols.

Let's talk in my office.

This looks to be a dying effort.

Your last chances are waning.

And yet not one of you
has said a word about my seal.

Go on, Rosalee.

Your eyes don't need
to bear witness to this.

Just one group left,

and there's lashes for all of you.

I got you, Ma.

I got you.

You already holdin' up her end.

You ain'thelpin' us none.

We all right, just... just hold steady.

No, no.

No, no! Leave him.

I like his fire.

It won't burn forever.

Come on. We can do it.

Moses.

Move your right arm

three fingers closer to your left.

Noah, kick that right arm back now.

Kick it!

Henry, get under Pearly Mae's left.

Fight for it.

You know you can.

Fight for it.

Fight!

Thomas Roberts!

Where did you get that?

Pa's office.

Ernestine! Rosalee!

Clean up this mess.

And let my husband know
I found his seal.

Who takes a business meeting

in the middle of a gala in their honor?

A man with two left feet.

Risdin and the governor

are blocking the stairs to his office.

You need a distraction.

You remember Boston?

I wager I remember Boston
far better than you do.

You would win that wager.

I'm much less certain
it's that sort of crowd.

It is always that sort of crowd.

Laney.

Teach us that dance.

Sure.

I'm sorry to call on you like this.

Came across some
unexpected cargo at the river.

Trouble is, all the stations
in the area are full.

Where's the cargo now?

In your shed.

I know you're not
fully prepared yet, but...

We'll figure it out.

I'll get some blankets

and what food I can muster up.

Don't want to miss the cargo
I was scheduled to pick up.

Let me walk you out.

I need to share with you the information

that we got from the governor's.

Ports, times, manpower...

It's all my fault.

I froze.

Ain't know what to do.

It ain't just on you.

We all had a hand in it.

What went down today
is just another example

why we got to get out of here.

If we go, we leavin'
James and Momma behind.

You know how much I love him, but...

... Momma left me behind
long ago, when she

moved into that big house.

I know you think that but...

you don't know how hard she work
to make life better for us.

Protect us.

And I needed it today.

It's suffocatin' bein'
in the massa's house.

Ain't never a moment to be yourself.

At least, out here, no matter how small,

least you got somethin' of your own.

Me and Momma just a shadow
in somebody else's world.

You ain't scared?

Not even a little?

No. No.

I am.

You were right.
I ain't made for runnin'.

Will you tell Noah for me?

Way Noah talkin', I...

I think he'll need
to hear that from you.

Hand me them hooks.

Ain't nobody gonna think twice about

a fishing lure left at the riverbed.

These hooks are gonna be ready
for a quick run, every night.

We gonna cross that bridge in six days.

Seems longer than it did
this morning, don't it?

Five days, now.

We got a strong group.
Proved that today.

We can muster through it.

All I want to do right now is take that

big old spoon in the sky and
fill the whole river with it.

I'd drink every drop.

What spoon?

Them stars.

Yeah, you see?

Starting with the big one, right there.

I'll be goddamn.

If massa hadn't near wore us out today,

we might never cracked it.

See, the sun rises on the right,

sets on the left, that means
that that big spoon in the sky

always points north.

Follow the drinking gourd.

Come on, boy.

You just figured out a part
of the map to freedom.

Hey, girl!

Hey!

I know you hear me talkin' to you.

Come here.

Come here.

That's a nice dress.

Nicer than anything my Peggy ever wore.

She was my wife.

Passed before I came here.

Sick one day, gone the next.

She's buried at the church.

Just a simple stone.

I know some people, they...

they go in for them real fancy
gravestones, you know?

Mausoleums, too.

I'm sure you seen 'em.

I think my Peggy would've liked

somethin' simple, you know?

She, uh... she wasn't

one for frivolities, you know?

But still, I...

I-I liked to surprise her, you know,

with somethin' nice,
every now and then, you know?

I could pick some flowers for you,

put on her grave next Sunday.

That'd be real nice.

You think you're better
than me, don't you?

Don't you?

Speak up, girl!

You like when the boss's uppity friends,

they fawn all over you,

but not poor, sad Bill, huh?

Massa expectin' me back at the,
at the big house, is all.

I ain't gonna let no nigga gal
stick her nose up at me!

No, no!

Hey, go on and get
started guttin' dinner.

I'm gonna take the long way around.

Trying to get a look
at that girl, ain't you?

Get over here!

Oh, let me go!

Rosalee?

Rose...

Rose, Rose, Rose, Rose, Rose.

What happened?

We-we-we have to go. Now.

No, we can't, we can't. We got to plan.

No, we gotta run. Now.

He dead.

I know you the man.

You sold my wife.