Original subtitles

The following presentation is rated TV -14.

grand jury decision not to indict Daryl Harding in the murder of the city

detective Edward Butler surprised prosecutors and veteran court watchers

As a result, what might have been the city's most sensational murder trial

ended before it really began.

And tonight, Daryl Harding is a free man.

How about that, Daryl, baby? You're a superstar.

Oh. Well, I would like to thank all the little people who made it possible.

My girl, Janine.

For a moving testimony on the stand without which I would not be here

And my lawyer.

An unrecognized, underappreciated, but highly paid genius.

We're out of here, baby.

I'm thinking Big Sky Country.

Wide open somewhere.

Australia's supposed to be cool.

I'll shoot you a kangaroo.

Room service.

Fuel for the fire, baby.

Keep the work for me.

Take a Prozac, Bellboy, I'm coming.

What the hell did you do to me?

Amy, what's going on?

Francis, you're looking very smart this evening. You're looking dapper yourself.

Let's do this quickly.

Be better for everyone if you're not seen here tonight.

Everyone here but us is dead, Francis, and I don't think they're going to tell

anyone. Another hour and this place will be crawling with reporters and TV

people. This one's bigger than most.

It's Daryl Harding.

Dee Harding? The guy who beat the Murder One Raptors today? He was killed

earlier tonight, under some very unusual circumstances.

Well, you know how I love unusual circumstances.

You'll love these.

Something you don't see every day?

Open heart surgery for do -it -yourselfers.

And the missing item? The organ in question hasn't been recovered.

I almost got a hell of a taste in trophies.

There's bruising to the throat.

It's not serious.

The heart was extracted right through the sternum.

Judging by the way that the tissue is torn and the bone is shattered, most of

the damage was done as it came out.

They just ripped him open.

If it happened anywhere else but a hotel room, I'd say it was a wild animal.

A large one at that.

Takes a tremendous amount of power to inflict a wound like this.

Not a great deal of anger.

Some large man.

He wasn't wearing that when I saw him in the sister club news last night.

He was branded with a hot iron.

It's recent, but I can't tell whether it was before or after the heart was

removed. Right now, I'd say that's the least of his worries.

Omega. The last letter of the Greek alphabet.

The end.

Well, it certainly was for Harding.

Hmm.

Looks like the symbol's inside of a broken circle.

Because the cycle of pain is broken, and justice is done.

It's the signature of a Delphic ritual.

At the Oracle of Delphi in ancient Greece, the priestess Pythia was called

to pass judgment of criminals.

And the Omega symbol?

Well, according to the legend, three sisters called the Furies were summoned

from the underworld to administer justice.

Whoever wore...

The Omega symbol was punished.

Well, it looks like the girls did quite a number on Daryl Harding.

Yeah, someone or something actually ripped his heart out last night.

Cops have no idea how it was done or by whom.

Someone apparently knew about the legend.

Has Detective Carmack contacted us?

No, not yet.

This is pretty fresh, so maybe he hasn't had a chance.

Well, maybe we should save him the call because I have a strong feeling that

he's going to need our help on this one.

Look, Carmack, you knew my client was in danger of retribution because of the

highly public nature of his trial. Now we asked you for police protection.

You turned us down. Yeah, well, freedom's a bitch, ain't it, Counselor?

very funny, Detective, but may I point out that by denying him that protection,

you potentially exposed the police department to, shall we say, litigation.

Tell me, Tanner, what's a suit like that cost? I mean, do you pay by

installments or is it a lease deal? You know what, Detective, if I were you, and

thank God I'm not, I would take this very seriously.

Oh, I do.

And believe me, I'm real sorry about Mr.

Harding's demise.

I think it was too quick and too painless.

I know what you pulled in that courtroom. You and that girl. It's

perjury. It's called winning, Carmack.

Prove anything else, you take me to court.

Hi.

Harding's lawyer, isn't it? I recognized him from the news. I thought it might

be a well -dressed dung beetle.

So, Derek, what brings you down here?

Well, actually, I thought, Frank, that you wanted to call us.

considering what happened to Dale Harding. What, for a slasher killing?

you must have better things to do. I think this is more than just a slasher

killing.

There are indications that the murderer has a supernatural basis.

I wonder how you get these indications, anyhow.

We have our sources.

Yeah, right.

If I had your sources, I'd know which highway Jimmy Hoffa was buried under.

Hoffa wasn't branded, and I doubt his heart was torn from his body.

Look. Daryl Harding had major league enemies, crime bosses, drug lords. He

probably ripped them off.

These guys get very nasty when they're upset.

Don't worry.

I'll find them, and I'll put them away.

Like you did Harding?

Now give it a rest, Grayson. You know that lawyer screwed me. You screwed

yourself, Carmack. If it had been my case, Harding would never have gone to

court.

Whoever nailed him did us all a big favor. Detective Grayson, that means it.

They blame you for Harding's acquittal?

Harding was a cop killer. I made a case that didn't stick.

Harding walked. That makes me loser of the year.

On top of that, I'm supposed to find whoever did him. Then I got Grace in

looking over my shoulder.

Well, I'm sorry, Frank, but I still believe we can help you. Derek, you're a

friend.

We worked some tough cases together. Hell, you saved my life.

But please, this one has got to be mine.

Now, if you'll excuse me, uh...

I'm going to go close up the crime scene.

Thanks.

Mark?

Yeah? Derek, I found something I think you're going to want to see.

Okay.

Justice.

In the manner of the ancient Greeks, sentence has been passed and the Furies

about to do their worst.

The Omega symbol was literally branded onto the condemned criminal with a

artifact called the Scepter of Pythia.

Yeah, someone may have used an arting, but how would they even know about its

existence? And where would they get it?

Well, I can answer the second question.

The Scepter belongs to Legacy.

What?

It's ours.

The scepter of Pythia. It was reported stolen a week ago from the collection of

Dr. Nina Andros, who's a curator at the Heritage Museum of Antiquities.

A retired member of the legacy.

I wasn't aware that she had this piece in her possession.

She had it on loan from the London house and displayed it about three weeks ago

at a symposium.

First time it was seen in public.

There's a chance that whoever stole it could have spotted it there.

I'll contact Andros.

See what she has to say?

Seems like... Such a complicated way to try and murder someone, you know? You

get within distance to be able to brand them, and why not just shoot them?

Because whoever did this to Harding wasn't just looking for a payback. They

seeking some sort of ritual justice.

They wanted to see him suffer horribly before he died.

You're describing a population of half of California after yesterday's verdict.

Yeah, but how many of them had access to the scepter, and how many would go so

far as to rip his heart out?

Hey, Frank.

Can we come in? It's to me like you already are, and it's all right. They're

with me. Damn it, Derek.

Nice to see you, Rachel. But this isn't necessary.

I always thought you could use the company, unless, of course, you've

solved the case.

I found the body here. If there was a struggle at all, it was brief.

And this is all the blood there was? That's it.

Well, that doesn't make any sense. I mean, considering what they did to him,

could this be all the blood? I mean, unless they pulled his heart out so fast

that he didn't have time to pump blood.

Sounds perfect, Rachel. My guess is they bagged a heart immediately and took

off. Yeah, but why did they take the heart anyway? I mean, and what's with

brand tattooed on Hardy's leg? It could be a cult thing. Drug cartels. They do

some pretty weird stuff.

Anyway, we're looking into it.

Would you care to hear a theory?

What? The kind I can't put in my report, that kind?

Now, listen, Derek. A human being did this. That makes it my

problem. Yeah, a human being who summoned a demonic force by using an

which was stolen from the legacy, which makes it our problem, too.

Frank, maybe I can help you work up a psychological profile on this killer.

Based on what? We got a dead body with a hole in it.

It's a start, isn't it?

I don't get it. You've never turned down our help before.

What's wrong?

Okay, fine.

But that doesn't mean I buy your theory.

Were there any witnesses?

Looks like there was a woman with him.

We got forensics checking on the hair samples, but I somehow doubt that a

did all that to Hardin. Can we get a copy of your report?

Okay, but it's between you and me, of course, as always. I need the

pathologist's report, all right?

You guys don't ask for much. Frank, you know I like to work from the facts.

Here, come on, this way.

Hey, anything new on Daryl Harding? Still dead.

What about this Dr.

Andrews? Oh, the woman's a goldmine.

According to her, the intended victim has to be guilty or believed to be

by whoever has the scepter in order for the Furies to inflict their punishment.

Tearing their heart out.

Well, worse than that. Along with the heart, the soul of the victim is taken

the Furies.

Therefore, the guilty one suffers for eternity.

Must have been some symposium.

Yeah, well, the topic was vengeance and retribution in ancient Greece.

Nifty. So the killer attends and gets their crash lesson in supernatural

and the weapon to do it with. Should be a credit course, ain't it? Well, it's

not that simple. Just possessing the scepter isn't enough.

Whoever uses it has to truly believe in its power.

So could this Dr.

Andros be a candidate?

Well, she's about 60 and gets around in a wheelchair.

Okay, so that leaves us with whoever else attended the symposium.

Well, I asked her to fax me a copy of the sign -in list. At least we'll have

some names to work on.

Good, good.

I appreciate your seeing me so late, Mr. Tanner.

Tell me, Mr., uh, Mr. Rain, what exactly is your connection with Daryl Harding?

I represent people who have an interest in solving his murder.

I know how your client was killed, Mr. Tanner.

I want to find out who did it.

Well, he's not my client anymore.

I'm done with him. We won.

We move on.

Yes, he's dead.

Exactly. Therefore, not paying a retainer, like I said.

We move on.

Did anyone threaten him?

Oh, please.

He was accused of murdering a cop.

Every weirdo in the woodpile promised to kill him if he beat the rap.

Were you threatened?

Oh, sure, you know.

Some calls, crackpot letters.

Why all this interest?

Did any of the threats you saw contain a symbol like this?

No, never saw it before.

Tough break, huh?

So young, so much to live for.

Just think of all the mayhem he still could have caused.

You didn't like him very much, did you?

He paid his bills, Mr. Ring. He was high profile.

A bad kind of client.

But not the sort you'd celebrate with.

Have a couple of bottles of Dom Perignon together.

Daryl Harding hated the bubbly.

But Janine... Now that was another story. Janine?

Janine Kinsey, his girlfriend.

You have any idea where she might be?

No, I advise them both to take a long vacation immediately after the trial,

preferably to the other side of the world.

I guess you should have taken an earlier flight, huh?

Now, Mr. Rain, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do.

Yeah, if anyone threatens you, anything unusual happens, call me.

You have my card.

Yeah, sure.

The cops established there was a woman at the crime scene.

What about Jeanine Kinsey? They're still looking.

She alibied the guy. What if she wanted to kill him? Maybe she would celebrate

with him. I'm sure she wasn't there that night.

She could be anywhere by now.

The tenant advised them both to leave the country after trial.

I'll check the passport office and the travel agency if you wouldn't scare off.

It was payback, Rachel. Pure and simple. Harding owed people.

Well, if it was a simple mob hit, then why the occult traffics? The bizarre

manner of death.

Come on, Frank.

You've been working with us for a while. You really think this was an ordinary

hitman? Hey, I've seen ordinary people commit acts I never thought possible,

there was nothing supernatural about it.

You and Derek, you tend to look too hard. You miss the obvious answers.

Or maybe you could dig harder for answers, Frank.

Hey, I already got what was coming to him. And between us...

Fighting his killer isn't exactly top priority in certain areas of the

department.

Which areas?

Come on, Frank, listen to me.

Frank,

Derek heard a detective named Grayson say that Harding should never even get

trial.

What do you think?

Is it possible he was involved?

The trial was a farce. The witness perjured herself and Harding's lawyer

her. You're not answering my question, Frank.

I'm no fan of Grayson's, but he didn't kill Harding.

Are you sure?

If he did, would you protect him?

Your autopsy report.

Sweet dreams.

Rachel.

You'd have made a hell of an attorney.

Coming from you, Frank?

That's pretty nasty.

We're not dealing directly with the killer, but rather with a facilitator,

somebody who's orchestrated these killings.

It makes it that much harder.

Anything on the policy report?

Ah, no, nothing that changed my mind.

The thing is, Derek, we're looking for somebody who has a really twisted sense

of justice. I mean, somebody who is frustrated and angry, yet meticulous

to carry out a ritual.

Somebody who hated Harding. I mean, he wanted to see him suffer before he died.

Well, as Nick said, that could include half the state of California.

Yeah, or half the police department. Listen, I think you're right about

He's clearly under some kind of pressure to fumble his case.

From Grace?

Uh, yeah, behavior. I've never seen Frank act like this. He's very out of

character.

Rachel, do you have any friends on the police review board?

Anyone who would give you access to journal files?

Without breaching patient -doctor privilege?

Maybe I can pull in a favor or two.

You think it's Grayson, huh? Well, I think we cannot rule out anything.

I spoke to Nina Andrus. She's convinced that only a believer could empower the

scepter so unfamiliar with the rituals and legends surrounding it. A legacy

member, maybe. Or anyone who had enough encounters with the supernatural to make

them believe.

Well, there was a sign -in book at the symposium. It took some doing, but

faxed me a copy of the original.

Now, there's at least 200 names here. It's going to take some doing, but I'm

going to run a check on it.

All right.

You just want to do better. Okay.

You won't be needing that, Janine.

You've showed me yours, and I've showed you mine.

They were about even.

I'm not here to hurt you.

You left the back window open. No, I didn't.

That's why it was so tough to get in here.

How'd you find me?

One way ticket to Down Under.

Paid for in cash, first direct flight out of town.

Courier delivered to a $30 motel room in the boonies.

Sydney, Australia may not be far enough away if whatever killed Harding is

chasing you.

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

Sure.

That's where you're running.

You're not a cop.

What do you want from me?

Truth.

Maybe save your life.

You were there. You saw what happened.

Whatever killed Harding is still out there, Janine.

It killed once. It can do it again.

There were three of them.

They were dark.

Horrible.

And Daryl...

Is there anyone else there?

Yeah, Guy.

Justin Black came in first.

He branded Daryl.

Then those things came.

I just took off.

I thought the cops would think that I did it.

What are you going to do?

Yes? Derek, this is Nick.

I'm here with Janine Kinsey.

She has a story I think you should hear.

It's okay. You can talk to him.

Hey, Janine.

I know you were there the night Daryl Harding died.

We know what happened and how frightened you must be.

How can you save me from those things?

You have no choice.

The police can't protect you.

But we can.

I'm bringing her in.

We've got an hour out.

Eric, this happened again.

Harding's lawyer, Gerard Tanner, he was found dead in his office. He was

murdered.

You know, you still haven't told me who you people really are.

Right now, we're your best friend. The smartest thing we can do is to

You said yourself the police couldn't help me. How do you expect to?

This isn't the time.

Look, I got a one -way ticket to Australia and enough cash.

Keep me there for a long time, okay? If I keep running...

Drop the bar.

It's the 64th day, man. It's cherry. I couldn't resist.

It's the 65, meathead. Now move on.

Happening again.

They didn't kill me, but they sure as hell scared about five years out of my

life. I don't know why they let me slide.

Maybe the brand wasn't deep enough. I mean, this burn is pretty superficial.

Or maybe justice isn't blind.

You weren't the intended victim.

You're not guilty of anything.

Or maybe they just don't know you well enough yet.

Thanks, Rachel. I love you, too.

Hey, come on. Look at the bright side.

You'll be the only guy on the block with a tattoo from hell. At least until it

heals. Listen to her.

How's Janine? I left her downstairs with Alex. She's a little bit freaked.

Did you get a look of the man with the scepter?

His face was covered.

It's a big guy, heavy built.

Could he have been wearing a bulletproof vest?

Yeah, I guess.

All dressed in black, loose clothing.

Why? Well, Tenner fired four shots, and the police only found

three slugs.

So someone carried one away.

A Kevlar vest like the cops wear?

Yeah. How is she? Well, she's still in a little shock. She's coming out of it.

She's pretty tough.

Let's hope she's smart.

Yeah.

Hello, Janine.

I'm Derek Rain.

Well, uh...

You've met Alex, and of course you know Nick.

Yeah. He saved my life.

Right.

We need your help to try and solve the murders of Dale Harding and his

Jared Tanner?

He dead?

I'm afraid so.

The same way as Harding.

His heart was torn out.

Oh, my God.

Nick saved your life once, but I'm not so sure if he can keep saving you.

What do you mean?

What does all this have to do with me anyway?

I think you know.

Tanner conspired to get Harding off that murder charge.

You were part of that conspiracy.

You lied on the stand.

No.

No way, man. I swear to you, I did not lie.

Janine, I'm trying to save your life here.

First Harding dies, then Tanner dies.

Now, who do you think is going to be next?

How do I stop it?

Whatever killed him wants the truth to come out.

So you have to go to the police and tell them what really happened. That's the

only way.

No way. I can't go to the cops. They'll send me to jail.

You might get off lightly if you tell them everything.

And I'll try to help you from my end.

The alternative?

Well, you've already seen the alternative.

What's it going to be?

You found something?

Uh -huh. Great. Yeah, quite a background.

He's been called for review several times.

Accusations of overuse of force. He's got an extremely violent temper. And on

top of that, he spent a couple years investigating cults right here in the

Area. Where he could have learned about mythology of the Fury, so he could be

our man. Yeah, he could be.

Except for one thing.

He's also been censored for sloppy police work and taking bribes, so that

doesn't fit the profile.

So, who does fit the profile?

Someone who is extremely meticulous, even rigid.

He has a deeply developed sense of justice.

I'm waiting for another report to be passed from one of my colleagues. I'm

interested in the review board's opinion.

I want yours, Rachel.

What does your gut tell you?

My gut says the same as yours, Derek.

You know the answer.

Yes, she agreed to tell you everything, Frank.

The point is, do you think you can get her immunity?

Provided, uh... She puts a finger in Harding and Tanner. Yeah, yeah, I think

can swing a deal with the D .A.

Reduced sentence at the very least.

I'll need an address and a time.

7289 Galveston.

There's a motel there she knows.

But you need two hours to pull yourself together.

Yeah, yeah, I can give her that.

How'd you get her to cooperate?

Well, I appealed to her sense of morality.

And when that failed, I told her that she could take her chances out there

whatever's waiting for her.

Derek, if you were right... about how Harding really died.

I'm sorry for doubting you.

That's all right.

One thing, Frank.

She wants Grayson to be the one to pick her up.

I think you made her nervous at the trial.

Will it be a problem?

I guess not. I'd hate like hell to give it to him, but he is the detective in

charge. I'd have to call him anyhow.

Well, you've still solved the case, Frank.

I know.

Derek, if this one sticks, I get a second chance.

I owe you.

Good luck.

And let me know what happens.

Thanks.

Run a symposium on vengeance and the whole world shows up.

I ran all the names on Andros' list.

Find anything?

Sure. Curators, collectors, a few legacy members even, but nothing that really

stands out.

Where do you want to go from here?

Handwriting analysis.

Scanning material from the first file.

Check it against the signatures on Dr. Andra's sign -in list.

That's Detective Mike Grayson's file.

Are you expecting to find the signature match?

I hope so.

And if there is, he'll match.

Then start on the other file.

It's the record of another police officer.

I suspect we're going to need one of them.

Tonight.

How's the hand?

Oh, it's not so bad. I can still shoot.

Let's hope it won't be necessary.

Well, it's been quite an evening.

Not many guys can say that they had a date with three sisters in one night.

Make sure you lift the telegram.

Yeah.

You know, Derek, we don't even know for certain that it is a cop.

And if it is, it could easily be Grayson.

That fast, he's about the right size.

So is Scarlett.

It's a friend.

A good one.

Well, at least we know it's not Grayson who wants to call Derek and give him the

news. I think you know a person.

Carmack joined the SFPD 17 years ago after relocating here from Wisconsin

he started his career as a police officer.

And almost ended it.

How fast can you run a signature?

Oh, fast.

Carmack's first partner was killed in an ambush. His killers were never found. A

suspect was questioned, but then later released. However, Frank Carmack was

disciplined for having harassed the suspect.

So he just up and quit his job, relocated here, and started over again.

What else?

Okay, after he got to San Francisco, he was forced to take a psychiatric

evaluation because he got into some kind of altercation with a local detective.

By Grayson?

He got it, Derek, and the results were marginal. I mean... He barely passed.

Alex, I hope you have better news.

I'm afraid not.

He tried to disguise it, but most aspects of the signature match.

Derek, you have to understand that science isn't exact, but it does look

Frank Karnak signed in as Dr. Jack Palmer from the Natural History Museum.

We checked.

There is a Jack Palmer on the staff, but Derek, he was never at the symposium.

Oh, man, Derek.

I'm sorry.

Me too.

The handwriting analysis isn't perfect, right? Like she said, it's not 100%. Oh,

I'd like to believe that more than anything else.

Whatever happens. Whatever happens, we must recover the scepter.

It's absolutely paramount.

Hold it.

Let's take a moment to reflect upon this situation before anybody gets hurt.

Frank, it's finished.

You wouldn't want to see your partner shoot a cop, would you, Derek?

Give it to me, Frank.

When I said I owe you, I meant it, Derek.

I'd lost my faith in everything.

Justice, God, even myself, but you gave it back to me.

When you sold me your world, I knew that justice... was possible again, that

there was a way. But not this way.

What are you going to do, kill us too?

No! Only the guilty, those who truly deserve to die.

Like Tanner and Janine?

You can decide who deserves to live, Frank.

It wasn't just as what you did.

It was murder.

I just wanted to make it right.

I know.

And you still can.

But you have to stop this now.

Give me the scepter, Frank.

Derek, don't blame yourself.

This is Frank Carmack's choice.

His decision.

I should have kept him away from our business.

Out of our affairs.

And I didn't.

That was my decision.

All Frank Carmack desired in the end was to see justice done.

A noble desire.

But entrusted with great powers, how many of us can resist using them for our

own ends?

How long can any of us maintain that strength?