Original subtitles

Who are you?

Get one just right.

It comes back night after night.

Sometimes for years on end.

You gotta be kidding. What are you reading?

What is this?

God, it's not bad enough you torture me when I'm awake.

Until all of my damn souls have been rounded up, there's no rest for you, Mr.

Stone. Oh, come on.

I'm doing my job.

What do you want, a pat on the back?

Stock options?

Not by the company car.

When not a single one of my wayward children wanders the earth to disturb

natural order of things, you'll get your second chance at life on earth.

As promised.

If you keep your word.

I always do.

But remember, more tears have been shed for answered prayers than for those that

go unheard.

Oh, wow. You're a poet now?

You know, you should be grateful. You should be happy.

Every week I send one of these sinners back to hell. You do nothing but

complain. Don't get so cocky, detective.

You know what overconfidence leads to, don't you?

Getting bit in the ass.

Believe me, I know.

Oh, my. I'm late for services.

Services? A dedicated group of devil -worshipping youths who've been

the Black Sabbath.

preparing to deep six their gym teacher, I'm going to give them a little

inspiration.

Oh, speaking of worship, you should spend more time in church.

Good for the soul. Or so I've been told.

I was a cop.

When my wife was raped, I caught the guy who did it, and I killed him.

Two months later, I died.

I went to hell.

113 of the most vile creatures escaped.

They think they'll beat the devil. Nobody beats me.

How am I supposed to send them back?

The eyes, windows to the soul.

Destroy the eyes of the damned. Get a one -way ticket back home to hell.

But it's not hell you should be scared of.

It's losing your second chance at life on Earth.

I believe it does.

Any idea how this thing got started?

Some kind of petroleum accelerator, probably gasoline.

Yeah, that's what it sounds like.

Wanted to get right to the point, didn't it? Yeah, but it's our same gang of neo

-Nazis. Two synagogues, a mosque, and now a church.

Hey, Fraker, Fraker, wait a minute.

McDowell, do you see anybody back there with you?

It's all clear over here, Detective Ash.

No sign of disturbance.

My cat Buster.

You know, Buster's probably in cat heaven by now.

Can I help you?

Yeah, I'm looking for Rabbi Samuel Weisberg.

Please, Rabbi Sammy.

Like Sammy Davis Jr., another great Jew.

I'm Detective Ezekiel Stone.

I want to ask you some questions.

Okay, what about?

Why were you taking pictures of a burned -out Catholic church?

For my scrapbook?

I've never seen a scrapbook quite like this.

The first knife was found in a burned synagogue.

The second, in a mosque that was also incinerated. And now, this, in a

church.

An equal opportunity destroyer.

Sorry, Rabbi, but what are these doing in your synagogue? Why aren't they in a

police evidence room?

We have our ways.

We? I belong to an interfaith committee that was created to help deal with these

tragedies. From the very beginning, the police have wanted to stereotype these

crimes to fit them into some kind of pattern.

You're not buying into this neo -Nazi angle. No. Let me show you something.

The inscription on these blades is in an ancient Canaanite language that hasn't

been spoken for almost 4 ,000 years.

That's something that's your...

run -of -the -mill skinhead would appreciate.

That's right. I don't think so.

Now, each knife contains a verse from an ancient pagan cycle describing a series

of a ritual sacrifice to a serpent god. It starts with food, then it's moving on

to from smaller to larger animals.

And now, with this edition of yours, it's moving

on to a human sacrifice.

Nothing else?

Not until the bastards burn down another holy place.

Excuse me.

I'm looking for a guy named Bush. Robert Bush.

Yes, sir.

This is one of your custom pieces at a place in Culver City called Jimmy G's.

Pretty expensive price tag on it. So I checked your background and saw that you

learned your craft at the metal shop in Folsom.

That's right, detective.

Special forces model.

It's our biggest cellist.

Sharp. Your guts could be spilling out on the floor right now. You wouldn't

feel it would catch you.

Why don't we go into my office? We'll be more comfortable there.

I'd like to bring those new world order Marxist journalists in here just so I

can look at the expression on their faces.

Kind of like yours right now.

Yeah, I suppose so.

You know, I'm up front about who I am, detective.

What about you?

Can you say the same thing?

You know, I just need your opinion on this here, all right? I need you to look

at this.

It's Damascus steel.

Old?

No, the technique goes back to the earliest sword makers.

But this knife was made recently.

These alloys didn't exist five years ago.

Whoever made this really knew their stuff.

Is this something you could make?

Yeah.

But it's not my style.

I'm into pure functionality. Nobody's going to walk down the street carrying

that. Well, if you didn't make it, who could?

Beats me.

Oh, let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Oh,

personally, Detective, I don't think it could.

When I

dance all

night here, you could start talking.

Three, maybe four guys on the West Coast.

What?

Name and address?

It's gonna take more than your hands to get that out of me.

Yeah, but you're a liar.

And you got the wrong enemy, Stone.

The Millennium's coming, man. It's gonna be war in the streets. And the only

uniform that's gonna matter is the color of your skin.

You know where I'm going to be on that New Year's Eve?

Having a party.

Probably in Times Square.

Hey, Stone.

Amen.

Put your hands where I can see them.

Sergeant Ash.

You know, we've got to stop meeting like this. You're very lucky I was on watch

tonight. We've been running an intercept on their alarm system just in case

something like this happened.

I thought you came here just to see me.

You know, you keep confusing my interest in my job with my interest in something

else. What exactly are you doing here?

Same thing you are.

Really?

Okay. What is your take on this guy, Bush, then?

I don't know.

He's just a front man.

One of these clowns who likes too much attention to be our guy. And the one

we're looking for has got to be one of his clients, employees, something like

that. While you're here, why don't we take a look around?

You're not going to find much here. This guy's clean as a whistle.

You're just looking in the wrong places, that's all.

No one keeps information on paper anymore. Where have you been?

Employee records, invoices.

We're never going to get through all this tonight.

Yeah, that's why we will take it with us.

Smile. We're on camera.

Hello.

All right.

Well, look, it's Starsky and Hutch.

So I guess I'm not under arrest, huh?

Not unless you want to be.

How long have you been with the LAPD?

Not long.

Transferred from Miami.

I like the heat. I'm used to it.

How about you?

Me? Oh, no, I hate the heat.

I ended up heat the last, uh... Never mind.

I'm not tired, are you?

I like a little breaking and entering to get me revved up.

You, um... Would you like a lick?

Sure.

So I'm curious, what really brings a burned out New York cop all the way out

here?

Oh, I don't know. Let's just call it an extended leave of absence.

It's personal business. Yeah, like hell.

I know you're working on something, running around all my crime scenes with

jurisdiction.

There are branches of law enforcement that don't recognize local boundaries.

Yeah, maybe. Maybe that still doesn't explain this guy getting in my face on

these cases now, does it? Good looking, with a big gun, just my type. But

there's only one problem.

What's that?

In all the cases, the perp turns up missing.

So what are you?

Some kind of vigilante or something?

Just this one.

What a detective you are.

How about you? Is there a Mrs. Man of Mystery in the picture?

Yeah.

There is.

So when was the last time you saw her?

I don't even know where she is.

That's just complicated enough for me.

Come on, let's dance.

Perfect. Most nights I end up dancing alone.

Not tonight, okay?

Huh? Oh my God.

Come on, it'll be fun.

I heard you.

When the darkness in our soul comes alive

Sometimes when you want to say

Sometimes you don't take it right

It's too much for you to take

And it feels like there is

Having a good time?

I like milk.

Hello.

Come in.

Thank you.

How'd you find me?

Yeah, I'm a detective just like you.

Wow, this place kind of needs them, doesn't it?

What? A little disinfectant and a fire hose, perhaps?

Want some coffee? Sure, wow.

Didn't take you for an animal lover.

Oh, yeah, he's a little skittish.

Yeah, just like his owner.

Yeah, um, listen, um...

I'm sorry about last night.

Yeah, me too.

After you ran out on me, I went back to headquarters to drown my sorrows in

work.

I had a technician decode Bush's employment records.

That cross -references the names of the departmental records? Yep, exactly.

Found what?

Well, um... Hey, you know, there's two ways we can do this. I can accidentally

leave this here, go get myself a real cup of coffee, and then remember where I

put this.

That's where the other one is.

You come with me to check this guy out. What do you say?

What did I do to deserve this special treatment?

Hey, nothing special about it.

Just wanted you where I can see you.

The name is Lee Varner.

He's got convictions going back 14 years for arson hate crime.

Ah, that's not our guy.

Really? Why not?

The guy we're looking for had to have disappeared a long, long time ago.

Almost like he, uh...

Came back from the dead.

Where do you get this stuff?

Call it a hunch.

Well, you're gonna love this hunch, boy.

Varner was supposed to have died two years ago in his last fire.

The body was burned so badly, the ID was never 100 % positive.

That's more like it.

The Mayo Clinic.

That's what I called it.

I never had a tenant leave a place so clean, especially a young man.

Not so much as a youth. So, uh, when did he leave?

Yesterday, one hour's notice.

Didn't say a word about the deposit.

Boy, do I wish they were all like that.

Believe me, you don't.

Pull the door shut on your way out.

Well, scouring powder.

We're not going to find any prints here.

White by a pro.

Yeah, he must have been a warrant.

Probably by Bush.

wrong. Something's too impersonal about this.

Freeze, police!

I'm sorry.

Sorry, are you okay?

Yeah, yeah, I'm fine.

And they say postal workers are gun happy.

A young man with an attitude.

What are you doing?

Pardon me for interrupting you here, but that happens to be a federal crime.

Is that within your jurisdiction, too?

I answered with a lower power.

This is from a pipe manufacturer.

The pipes were sent to a different address.

That's up the coast from here.

Postmarked in Sacramento six weeks ago.

Some things never change.

Well, looks like somebody's home.

Ever heard of the concept of backup?

Backup?

I got your back.

Oh, look at this.

A bomb factory.

Okay, let's clear out and call for some backup.

We need some experts in here.

Hey.

What are you doing back there, bud?

What's up?

Whoa, whoa, whoa. It's all right. Relax.

What are you doing?

Do you have any questions?

Zeke, you okay?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Damn it.

I love this coat.

You, uh, saved my life. I risked yours to do it.

How do you adequately thank someone for doing a thing like that?

What is your name?

Do you know anything about the fire at the Glad Tidings Church on Central

Avenue?

Are you listening to me, Lee?

I want you to tell me what you know about the fire at the Glad Tidings

two years ago.

No. No what?

No.

I don't know anything about that.

I've never heard of that church.

Well, have you ever been to St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hollywood?

No.

We went at him with everything we had. He passed a lie detector test. It wasn't

even borderline.

Okay, five minutes alone with him. That's all I need.

Thank you.

Sounds like you're out for vengeance.

Repentance. Well,

there's an old -fashioned concept.

I'm an old -fashioned guy. Listen, I just need five minutes.

Five minutes alone with Varner.

I'm not going to make you regret this, are you?

It's a police station, what can happen?

Where is he, sir?

Officer?

Officer!

Hey, where are you going?

Oh, Detective Stone.

Didn't expect to see you so soon. I was just studying the Torah, but for you,

I'll take five. Tell me.

Exactly. Who is this culprit?

The one who got away?

Well, his name's Lee Varner.

Okay. And why is Lee Varner burning Place of Worship?

I don't know. Maybe he was burned at the stake in the Dark Ages, or maybe the

nuns beat him up in catechism.

Excuse me?

Forget it.

Oh, no, I'm sorry. That's me.

Rabbi Sammy here.

Yes.

Yes, right.

Okay, right away.

I'm afraid this is the call we've been waiting for. It's a mosque downtown on

4th Street. There's been a break -in.

4th Street?

Bye. Bye.

What the hell is that all about?

He's not the one.

What?

Cut him in the axe, don't. That boy is somewhere over the rainbow.

He's not the one. I made a mistake.

His name is Bush.

Okay, why?

I can't tell you why.

No matter how cooperative I am with you, you keep playing games with me.

Who's your source?

If I told you, you wouldn't believe. Well, try me. I'm just a little fed up

you being so mysterious all the time. I'm not being mysterious. I'm just

to solve the case. Well, that's fine. All I'm asking is for you to be straight

with me.

I am.

All right, with your hunches and theories and things that little birdies

you, hell, maybe you got a Ouija board under your bed, huh?

It's like you're deliberately withholding information.

I'm withholding nothing you need to know.

Why don't you trust me, Zeke? I have put up with so much of your crap, and I

don't even know why. Sorry. All right, I'm sorry.

the best I can under the circumstances.

Now, kiddies, let's not have a lover's quarrel.

What we're having here, Fraker, is a professional disagreement.

Whether Varner's a babbling psycho or a choir boy, we caught him red -handed. I

say the case is closed. No, you're wrong. I'm filing this with the DA's

whether you approve or not.

Fine. Fine.

Excuse me. May I help you? Yeah, I just want to get some flowers for a... What

are you seeking?

Repentance?

No?

Forgiveness. For what? For making a mockery of your task?

I just want to buy some flowers for a friend.

Sorry to remind you, Ezekiel, but you have no friends.

You're dead.

In fact, you are not merely dead. You're really most sincerely dead.

Is that from The Wizard of Oz? I hate that movie.

I just want some flowers. Some flowers for this lady you keep running into,

Oh, she is really doing a number on you, isn't she? Going right to your heart

and soul.

When are you going to tell her the truth about your condition?

I haven't come quite to figure that out yet.

I haven't really worked that out yet. Listen to yourself.

Take your head out of Cupid's ass, Ezekiel. You've got more pressing

take care of.

How much are the flowers?

Thirty -six bucks.

Twenty -seven cents.

But for you, my friend, on the house.

Did you know the thorns were originally my idea?

How nice. Someone bought you flowers.

Come on. Good for you.

How do you know I don't hate roses?

Calculated risk.

Story of my life.

It's what you give someone when you can't quite say you're sorry.

So, Zeke, this might interest you.

I had someone down at NYPD personnel dig a little deeper for me.

It seems that Detective Ezekiel Stone has been dead for 15 years.

Either you faked your death, or you're faking your life. It's playing. It's

being somebody else.

Let's go.

No. Just get the hell out of here.

Way to do your stretch.

McNeil Island, Quentin?

No.

It's worse.

It's funny that I knew all the prison gang tattoos.

What's the matter?

I don't know you.

I thought I did, but I don't.

Varna's cursing God and praising pagan idols.

But he's using the most ancient biblical given name of God.

Yahweh. Yahweh defeated the pagan gods of the Old Testament age, Baal, El, the

serpent deities.

The spread of faith in one God vanquished them. It shattered the

their worshippers.

And today, Yahweh is the godhead of all Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

So we have a serial arsonist who's got a grudge against God? And God's people.

If this vonar had succeeded in burning our mosque, it would have devastated the

entire community.

All right, what else does he say?

Listen to this.

I'm not sure what all of it means.

But most of the other sounds were the nouns representing the objects of

sacrifice.

A cat, a goat, various items of food.

This should be the name of another sacrificial object.

And you said this thing ends with a... It's a human sacrifice, yes.

It is, and these sounds could very well represent the name of an intended

victim.

Ash.

What is it, detective?

Who are you calling?

The name, Ash.

You know it?

Yeah, it's the name of the detective in charge of this case.

Yeah, Fraker here.

Fraker Stone, is Ash there?

I assume you didn't get the message?

What message?

Oh, she had me call that run -down fleabag where you sleep to tell you to

her at St. Mary's. I don't know something about you being right about

Thank you.

What? What?

I didn't really know who you were, Zeke.

I wouldn't believe what I was thinking until last night.

When I saw my name tattooed to your chest.

You lied to me.

Oh, you're one to talk.

It's not the same.

I didn't lie like this.

What'd you do?

Why were you in hell, Ash?

My daughter.

My little girl.

I killed her.

What?

Don't judge me.

Don't you dare judge me. I loved her.

So I sacrificed her to my gods.

It was a great honor I gave her.

An honor?

Sick, Ash.

To you, maybe.

But to me, it was the greatest honor I could have given her.

We're talking 4 ,000 years ago, Zeke. Before Yahweh.

His self -righteous followers destroyed everything and everyone I knew.

And after I was slaughtered, in the name of the one God,

I was judged by his rules, not by mine.

Judged and condemned, just like you.

Not like me.

Nothing like me.

So what, you're burning churches now?

For what?

Revenge. Against who?

Come on, Zeke, you're a detective, you figure it out.

Against God?

There is no Ashti.

I never was.

I am Ashura Badaktu of the Temple of Tyr, priestess of Ashura, the

Serpent Queen.

I'm going to destroy this world's self -righteous faith in one god.

Why didn't you pull the trigger?

You're afraid of her, aren't you?

You have no idea how dangerous she is.

Why was she running around playing cop all this time? Same reason you are. To

track down all the damn souls.

Only in her case it's to get rid of the competition.

The ones who don't want to play on her team.

You think you've stopped her from burning any more houses of God?

Don't fool yourself.

She'll be back.

I know her.

She was the ringleader, wasn't she?

The brains behind the breakout.

What do you think?

And you?

You fool.

You've fallen in love with her, haven't you?

That's why she's so dangerous.

So powerful. Power over the heart.

The strongest weapon of all.

That's how she got away from you.

Don't be a fool.

The only thing I ever loved was God.

And that was a long...

Time ago.