Original subtitles

Everyone thinks change is not possible until it is.

Dr. Ripley, who will assume the position of interim ED chief.

I will.

I have a faster way to see if we're on the right track.

I remember that it's right under a wood slab.

Nicely done.

You kind of just made it sound like it was all your idea.

If you want to stay at Gaffney, you're going to have competition.

What are you working on?

Application for chief resident.

Hope I'm not too late.

Looks like we've got ourselves a race.

parents oh what happened little man hey where do you live

can you at least tell me your name

i'm annie i'm a doctor you know what a doctor is right

well doctors help people who are hurt let's get

you to my hospital we can make you better okay

Big dog.

I told you not to call me that.

Yeah, but you're wearing the big dog coat. Come on.

Bagel? I'm not hungry enough to eat a sad bribe.

Okay, so what I'm hearing is that you are going to have my back today when Dr.

Hart announces chief resident, right, Rumi?

I'm afraid I'm still on the fence. See, Dr. Wu really does bring a lot to the

table.

Dean!

Bagel. No.

But I do have a baby you can kiss.

Did you know Dr. Wu rescued an abandoned child on her way to work?

Seriously? Yeah.

CPD's on their way now.

Now that's Chief Resident Matera.

Hey.

Why didn't you, uh, boot me in? I am the PDM resident.

You were busy with your campaign bagels.

Could have brought in donuts or something.

I'm just saying you're pretty shameless.

Shameless? Really? More shameless than you taking solo credit for a two-person

saw the other day?

Oh, really? You're still thinking about that?

CPD will be here soon, Dr. Wu.

No amber alerts matching your little boy, but they're already doing knock-and

-talks in the neighborhood where you found him. Did you get a name?

No, not yet. He still hasn't said anything.

Hmm. Well, why don't you let Dr. Frost take a shot? He's got the magic touch.

Hmm.

Magic touch.

Get over your magical self, truly.

I didn't say it.

Don't feel like talking much?

That's okay.

Hey, have you ever seen one of these?

They're not the biggest deal anymore, but when I was your age, I was obsessed.

That's so not a surprise.

Check it out.

Place your thumb here and just let the pages flip like that.

It's pretty cool, huh?

Here, give it a try.

It's yours now.

Do you have a favorite toy?

Mommy and Daddy said never to talk to strangers, because they might follow you

home.

Well, that is good advice.

And while it is true Dr. Rue and I are strangers, we are also helpers that take

care of people and make sure that... You find your parents.

I bet they're really worried about you right now.

And we could find them a lot faster if we knew your name.

Max. Max Merritt.

Well, it's nice to meet you, Max.

I'm Dr. Frost.

Hey.

Buddy, what's wrong?

Mommy and Dad's gonna be so angry with me.

Why would they be?

For running away.

I broke the rules.

I get in so much trouble when I break the rules.

You're seven?

Wow.

I mean, that's a whole lot more than a little scratch you got on your cheek

there. You're pretty brave for a seven-year-old to have much.

How'd that happen?

I was running and a big dark barked at me. I tripped and fell and hit my head.

Wow. That sounds pretty scary.

I wonder what you were running away from.

My secret angel told me that something really bad was going to happen at home

today. And I had to go before it did.

Secret angel?

Wow. Does your secret angel have a name?

I don't know, but she talks to me. What does she look like?

I don't know. I just hear her voice.

How did you two meet? I mean, like, who started the conversation?

Like, who talked first?

She did.

She did.

What kind of stuff do you guys talk about?

Everything.

She knows all the stuff about me.

Like that I don't have any friends, and that...

I'm scared of the dark.

She whispers to me, and I feel better.

She says she's going to help me.

So Max seems to genuinely hear this voice, right, which he calls his secret

angel.

And he trusts it, because it told him something bad was going to happen today,

and it appears that that's why he ran.

This couldn't be schizophrenia, could it? He's remarkably young to be

presenting with schizophrenia.

I mean, one thing that I'm considering.

Maybe it was autism, you know, because he says he's really lonely.

Doesn't have any friends.

Do you think he's being abused?

Not completely off the table, but he's just not showing the classic signs of

physical abuse.

Clean pajamas, he's bathed, he's well-fed. Somebody's taking good care of

him. I mean, I do get the sense his parents are strict, right? Maybe even

very strict.

So what's next?

It's unlikely.

But I'd like to get a CTH because he came in here with a head wound.

And so I want to make sure that...

That's not what's responsible for him hearing this voice.

All right.

110 over 65. You're looking good, kiddo.

Thank you.

For taking your blood pressure?

For being a good stranger.

Thank you for letting me.

Surprise. Oh, thank God.

We're so glad to see you, buddy.

Your dad and I were scared to death when you weren't in your bed this morning. We

immediately jumped in the car and went looking for him.

Until you called us. Why did you run away, Max?

Dr. Charles, the psychiatrist who spoke to Max earlier, he's on his way down to

talk to you about that.

We heard you found Max.

Yeah. Yeah, he was a little banged up. Oh, baby.

Max is a little concerned that you might be upset with him for talking to

strangers. Meaning us.

But I did explain to him that doctors help people, right?

I'm really sorry, Daddy.

Hey.

You did the right thing, Max.

Mom and I aren't upset at all.

We're just so thankful you're safe.

I can't stop thinking about what if.

It's my fault. I should have been watching him more carefully.

Don't do that to yourself, sweetie.

Hey, you cool?

Yeah, why wouldn't I be?

Seems like Mr. Merritt didn't make a good impression on you.

I'm all good.

Incoming! Three Jane Doe's pulled from a house fire. Jane Doe 1, late 20s, upper

body thermal burns, heart rate's 126, BP's 90 over 54.

Trauma 1. Jane Doe 2, 30s, no ID, burns to the legs and abdomen.

Trauma 3. Jane Doe 3, 30s, burns to arms, legs, and torso, heart rate 140,

BP 113 over 60. Trauma 2. Safety rescued them from an underground bunker that was

bolted shut from the outside.

We tried to burn them alive.

Some sit in her airway on exam with non-labored breathing, stats at 92.

Heart rate 124, BP 135.

over 70.

Striderous and rude.

Stats at 95.

You didn't innovate in the field. We aborted on first look. Her airway was

too edematous and filled with soot. Preliminary assessment suggests arson.

Am I count? One, two, three.

Starting a liter of LR. Starting a liter of LR. She needs air fast, Casey. Get an

intubation kit and boos you. Trini, have respiratory.

Grab an ABG with carboxyhemoglobin and call the pharmacy for hydroxycobalamin.

She's gonna need intubation. Wheeze is bilateral.

Okay, let's take a look in your mouth. That's at 78. Heart rate dropping.

That's no good. I've got a cracker. Scalpel and hook. Okay, she has soot and

erythema. Page respiratory and start the hand protocol.

Damn it, can't get an airway either. She's too swollen.

Hair, skin, and eye sensitivity to light. Been a while since she's seen the

sun. Those women were in that bunker for a long time, maybe years.

No one deserves this.

What kind of person wakes up one day and decides to burn them alive?

Us.

What was that?

We started fire to get

free.

Hey. Hey.

Jane, though, unable to talk? No. We have her on continuous meds, but her

words were clear. The girls set the fire, hoping to get help before it

killed them.

Sharon, those girls were in hell.

I just came from the house.

Those three girls were held, crammed into a 20 by 15 space,

living in near darkness. One bed, one toilet, no staircase, no escape.

The only entry point was a trap door that was out of their reach.

We found a ladder and bucket up top that was lowered as needed.

Is there any idea on who put them there? The house is registered to an elderly

woman, Michelle Sweeney, who died over 30 years ago, but we're still digging

into who's been there since.

Well, I'm glad that you're heading this.

My involvement is more personal. That's why the commander sent me over.

How's that?

Missy Nelson.

Kidnapper entered through her bedroom window 29 years ago. I was working the

scene that day as a beat cop.

And needless to say, it stuck with me.

That bunker is only two blocks from Missy's house.

My gut says this is no coincidence.

So you think one of these girls is Missy? That and whoever took her might

have taken the other girls.

Does Missy have any identifying features?

A birthmark on the back of her right ear. I'll check all three of them. I

appreciate it, Sharon.

This goes deep. It's embedded in the sub-Q.

Bad news. The pharmacy just gave the last vial of hydroxycobalamin to Archer.

She won't survive without it. Yeah, they're calling East Mercy to get more,

but that'll take hours at least.

If there's only one vial of hydroxycobalamin left, my patient needs

it more.

Agree to disagree.

Mine's got over 60% TBSA, full thickness burns, a grade 3 inhalation injury. I

was only able to secure an airway via scalpel. Mine is intubated with mixed

superficial, partial, and full thickness burns across the legs.

Her carboxyhemoglobin is 50 and her lactate is 15. It's consistent with

cyanide poisoning from her inhalation injury.

Please don't waste that last vial on a patient that is a long shot.

It's your call, Dr.

Ripley.

The hydroxycobalamin goes to Dr. Wu.

Well, they say it's better to make the wrong decision than no decision at all.

Yeah, I'm not so sure that's true.

You made the right choice.

Sure doesn't feel like it.

Impossible decisions never do.

Max hears voices.

What do these voices say to him?

Well, they're definitely friendly, and, um, Max does not seem to be frightened

of them.

Have you ever heard him talking to himself, or...? Yes.

But we chalked it up to an imaginary friend.

I had one at his age.

Max is a quiet kid.

He's sweet, but...

Doesn't have a lot of friends. He struggles in that area.

Always has.

Look, that could be all this is, right?

But we'd really like to do a head CT, primarily just to rule a bunch of stuff

out, but also, you never know, it could point us in the right direction.

I checked the other two ladies for the birthmark.

Neither had one.

So this could be Missy.

Well... Jane Doe number three is the most critical, but her ears were burned,

so I can't confirm that she's Missy by the birthmark.

But she is the oldest of the three.

The math works.

Jane Doe one's respiratory status has improved.

Dr. Ripley says you can speak to her now if you'd like.

Hopefully she can give us the name of her captor.

I know that you've been through a horrible trauma.

And if you don't want to talk, you just let me know. But I want to get all your

names so we can locate your families as soon as possible.

Can you help me with that?

That's great.

Okay. Let's start with you.

Joanna Cook.

I'm Trudy.

And the other two?

Isabel Preston and Beatrice Ross.

Did you ever meet a girl named Missy?

No.

But she was there before us.

Missy was bad.

So he got rid of her.

And can you tell me his name?

Are you afraid you're going to end up like Missy?

Okay, I understand.

I understand.

But I promise you, he will never be able to hurt you again.

Joanna, the three of you were so brave to set that fire.

No. Beatrice was the brave one.

She found the wires in the wall and figured out how to make a spark.

Beatrice said that the risk of dying was worth the chance of freedom.

She sounds like a hero.

She is.

Are Beatrice and Isabel okay?

We were about to burn alive when the firemen found us. They're alive.

They're fighters like you.

I just hope Max got out.

Max? Who's Max?

The little boy who lived upstairs.

I told him to get out of the house this morning. That something bad was coming.

Hold on. Sure.

Max is Dr.

Charles's patient. He's in the PICU now.

With his parents.

Joanna, you were such a huge help. Wait, Max is here?

We'll be back.

Max is here?

Frost, Wu, did either of you discharge Max Merritt? No.

I was just here two seconds ago.

Maybe they're grabbing a snack?

This is Sergeant Platt. Start rolling units to Gaffney. We have two offenders

who fled with their tender-aged child. Secure all exits and set a four-block

perimeter. Can someone explain what's happening, please?

Clark Merritt is likely the one who imprisoned those women under his house.

Son of a bitch.

Be advised, the offenders were last seen exiting the north entrance towards A

parking. Have CPD cover B and C once they arrive. I'll take the left.

Clark!

Let's talk this out, okay?

I think we have a misunderstanding here.

On your knees. Hands behind your heads.

Now.

You heard me. Get down now.

Go,

go. Take care of Max.

Sir, hey, Max still needs you, okay?

Okay,

a lot of fractures here. Two grams of ANSF and start a liter of NS.

No free fluid.

Wow, this woman's got nine lives. Doesn't deserve any of them.

Get x-ray down for chest and pelvis and tell CT we'll bring her up soon and get

our formal extremity x-rays on the way back. Got it.

Esther, Esther, you were hit by a car.

So much pain.

Okay, 100 more fentanyl, Nancy.

Coming right up. Where's my son? Your son who you abandoned?

He's fine.

Dr. Wu, take a walk.

Now!

Get an ortho.

Where's Mommy and Daddy?

They are safe.

Can I see them?

Not right now, buddy. I'm sorry.

Why are the police chasing them?

What? What did they do?

Look, that is not what's important.

Okay, what's important is that you are safe now.

And you're going to be okay, Max.

No matter what.

Why did you leave me?

It's because I broke the rules, isn't it?

They're mad I ran away.

They're mad I listened to my secret angel, not them.

Hey.

You did nothing wrong, Max.

And I'm so glad that you listened to your secret angel.

Because she kept you safe.

Didn't she?

The women have all been identified.

All three were kidnapped by Clark Merritt as children.

The oldest, Beatrice Ross, in 2002, Isabel Preston in 2004,

and the youngest, Joanna Cook, in 2010.

They were in the bunker that long?

I'm afraid so.

And the evidence strongly suggests that Clark Merritt was sexually abusing them.

And the wife knew?

As far as we can tell, yeah. Have their families been notified?

We're reaching out now, and as for Esther and Clark's son, Max, DCFS is on

their way.

That poor kid. I don't think he understood what was going on down in

that bunker.

I really hope that's true.

Anyway, that's it for now. Thanks.

Hey, you sensed something was off with Clark Merritt, didn't you?

That's what was bothering you before.

What is with the third degree?

You think you know me all of a sudden?

It's just an observation.

Why are you so angry?

Trust me, I have a right to my anger.

Yeah, it seems like you'd be lost without it.

Hey, Trudy, is there any confirmation that Clark kidnapped Missy as

well? Well, he definitely mentioned her to the others as a cautionary tale. Our

forensic team's searching the property now for her body.

Well, I hope you get some closure.

Yeah, I don't think that's in the cards here.

Thanks.

Am I going to die?

No.

But you came in with some pretty severe burns, Isabel, so you have a long

recovery ahead of you, which starts with debridement and skin grafting.

Did the police really catch Clark?

Yes.

He can't hurt you anymore.

I want to believe you, but... Hey.

I get it, but I promise you are safe.

Your parents are here.

They want to see you. How do you feel about that?

I don't want to see them.

You said they stopped looking for me. I don't want to see them. I don't want to

see them.

That's fine. You don't have to see them.

Mitch, you moved Joanna Cook upstairs?

No.

No.

She was there five minutes ago.

Did you fall, Joanna?

No. I just feel better down here.

It's all right, pal. I'll fall for him. I'm good.

Okay. Okay.

Joanna, I'm Dr. Charles.

You mind if we chat a little bit, or would you rather I let you rest?

It's okay.

I hope I didn't alarm you. I was just surprised to

find an empty bed, but I completely understand why you'd be more comfortable

on the floor.

We only had one bed.

Clark's bed.

It... wasn't for sleeping.

Joanne, I'm... I'm so sorry that this happened to you. I mean, nobody should

have to go through what you did.

But it's really important that you understand that you're safe now.

Is Max okay?

He is.

He is, yeah.

I, um, I understand that you're his secret angel.

How did you two communicate?

Through a vent.

Right.

Never saw your face.

No.

Max never knew we were all down there.

I'm just a voice to him.

Joanna, you know that you saved his life.

I knew what we were going to do to escape.

I had to warn him.

So, Max had never seen you before, but I'm just curious. Have you ever seen

Max? I don't want to talk about him anymore.

Okay.

You know what?

I'm going to let you be.

I saw Max once.

Really?

When was that?

A long time ago.

How old was he?

He was young.

How young? Do you mind me asking?

He was really, really, really young.

Oh, my God.

Beatrice knew he was crawling in my belly before I did.

And she knew what to do when the pain came.

I can't imagine how horrifying that must have been.

No.

In the darkness, not. Max was mine.

When he cried, I held him.

And when I said I loved him, I knew he could understand.

But Clark took Max upstairs a few days later.

I screamed and fought.

Clark didn't like that.

He made me milkshakes that made me sleep.

Had told me to behave or I'd end up dead like Missy.

But I could always hear Max through the vent.

Crying, then playing, then walking, then talking.

But all I can do is imagine what he looks like.

And in my mind, he's perfect.

Can I see Max?

I know he's here.

Of course you can.

Absolutely.

We just need to make sure that we do that in a way that works for the both of

you. Because remember, in Max's mind, he lost his parents today.

And I'm just... I'm worried it'll be a little confusing for him, Joanna.

A little help?

A little help?

Can you stay for a minute?

Give me four milligrams of Ativan!

Joanna's EEG results show that her seizure was a rebound effect.

She's in severe drug withdrawal.

You know, she said that Clark gave her milkshakes that made her sleep.

But she was the only one. Neither Beatrice nor Isabel show any signs of

chemical dependency.

Well, I mean, she completely lost it when Clark took her baby away, so he

must have, what, got her hooked and kept her hooked, right? Keep her under

control.

So the problem is, we don't know what she's withdrawing from.

I mean, her drug screen came back negative.

Obviously, to treat Joanna, we need to give her a version of whatever it is.

Otherwise, she could stroke out or even die.

What did you drug Joanna with?

I want to talk to my husband.

Yeah, that's not happening.

Then let her die.

You could really help yourself if you just answer my question.

Joanna isn't worth the effort.

She could never follow the rules.

Like you did.

What?

You followed the rules when you were down in that bunker alone.

No. Because Clark took you first. No, no.

Oh.

Missy. Oh, my.

It's you. I don't know who that is. I was there the day you disappeared.

I still talk to your mom.

They didn't want me.

Oh, no, no, honey.

She thinks about you every single day, and she never stopped believing you were

alive, and I never stopped looking for you.

They didn't want me. But Clark wanted me.

He said I was special.

He said, if I was good, if I did what I was told, he would let me out. He would

let me upstairs to be his wife.

And he would love and protect me always.

Clark kept his promise.

And then we found the others to build our family.

They weren't good like I was.

Listen to me, Missy.

Stop calling me that. Listen to me.

You. And Isabel and Beatrice and Joanna are victims.

Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. I am not that. Do you have a chance to help

Joanna? What did you drug her with?

Get out!

I don't have to talk to you.

Joanna's in withdrawal.

Her body can't stabilize itself if we don't give her something similar.

I'll tell you what we gave her if you let me talk to Clark.

You're acting tough, but you're terrified.

Aren't you?

You don't know how to make a decision for yourself anymore.

You spent the past 30 years letting him decide everything for you.

But deep down inside, you're still that 11-year-old girl, spending her first

night in a pitch-black basement, chilled to the bone.

And then there were moments when he was suddenly kind.

Weren't there?

Moments where he wasn't hurting you.

Moments where he was merciful.

And you were so grateful for his mercy that you mistook it for love.

That's not love.

It's fear.

He pretended to give you everything when he was actually taking it all away.

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

You're still in that bunker.

And it feels safer.

But the door is open.

And you can step out if you choose to.

I know, Missy.

Listen to me when I say this.

I know.

It was medicine for the dog.

Metatomidine?

Metatomidine.

How are you feeling, Max?

I'm okay.

I'm a little tired.

I'm sad.

I know, buddy.

I know.

But, hey, I'm gonna talk to the hospital and the police, and we have a little

surprise to cheer you up.

Surprise?

Max, it's me.

Secret Angel, is that you?

Yes.

I'm so glad you're safe.

I ran away like you told me.

You're right.

Something bad did happen today.

A big fire.

You've been so brave.

I don't feel brave.

I know.

But you're braver than you think.

Are you here?

Can you see me?

I always see you. Because I'm always with you, Max.

And I always will be.

That's not fair.

I want to see you too.

Maybe one day you will.

But until then, can you just try to imagine what I look like?

I know things are really confusing for you right now.

But I want you to remember what a special, precious boy you are.

And I love you so much.

I love you too.

You have to leave again, don't you?

I do.

Thank you for saving me, secret angel.

Thank you for saving me, Max.

Goodbye.

Exactly how I imagined.

He's perfect.

Joanna, I'm going to do everything that I possibly can to make sure

that you have a future with your son, okay?

I promise you that.

Congrats on chief resident.

What?

Yeah, email. Just went out.

Wow, that would have meant something to me this morning, but now... I just don't

care.

You can have it.

I am no one's sloppy second, Danny, but thank you. That's on brand.

Look, what you said to...

Esther earlier, I mean got her to talk How

much did you hear pretty much everything

hmm You wanna talk about

it

Where do you think you're going?

Somewhere else so you can be alone.

I didn't say you could go I'm so confused right now Say

revel in the awkward silence with me

Today

the CFD responded to a fire during which they discovered three women being held

captive in a bunker beneath the house.

These women were subsequently identified as missing persons who disappeared as

children over the last few decades.

I'd like to take a moment to mention these women.

Joanna, kidnapped in 2010 at age 11.

How are you feeling, Joanna?

Better.

Isabel, kidnapped in 2004 at age 12.

Mommy? Daddy?

And Beatrice, kidnapped in 2002 at age 11.

Despite the obvious danger, Beatrice set the fire.

in hopes she, Isabel, and Joanna might finally be rescued.

You are heroes, and welcome home.

Petrus, I'm Dr.

Archer.

I'm very sorry, but your burns were too severe.

But I wanted to let you know that Isabel and Joanna...

You saved them.

I don't want you to worry.

I'm gonna be sitting right here with you.

So you rest now.

It's okay to let go.

Can you imagine these four walls being your entire world? I can't, and

I don't want to.

Did you find this down here? Yeah.

Missy had it with her when she disappeared.

Felt like I was reaching through time when I picked it up.

Well, in a way you were.

Yeah.