Original subtitles

Previously on Persons Unknown.

What is this place?

Good morning, ladies

and gentlemen, and how

are we enjoying our stay?

- Who the hell are you?

- Liam Ulrich, the new hotel

manager, at your service.

You will be

restricted to this floor

for a short period of time.

[ Renbe ]

What the hell are they doing?

As a token of their appreciation

for the inconvenience

this will cause,

the management has placed

a complimentary gift

in each of your rooms.

- Means you were a--

- Priest.

- That explains a lot.

- Remember what Angela said:

"The town is the program."

- Angela was insane.

Special service

for our most special guests.

[ Radio Chatter ]

[ Liam ]

If you do interfere,

I will not hesitate...

to put a bullet right

between your eyes, Joseph,

not even for a nanosecond.

[ Kat ]

Body bags.

- [ Renbe ]

Where's her right thumb?

- It's been severed.

- You cut off their thumbs?

- How else could these bodies be

positively identified...

by the authorities

a thousand miles away from here?

[ Director ]

Everything must be done

in the most expeditious manner.

[ Liam ]

All the participants

have been sedated.

Everything will be completed

by the morning.

See to it then.

[ Bell Tolls ]

[ Megan's Voice, Echoing ]

Mommy? Mommy?

[ Bell Tolls ]

[ Bell Tolls ]

- [ Gasps ]

- [ Exhales ]

I love you, Mommy. Bye-bye.

No. Megan?

I'm still alive, baby.

Okay, baby?

I'm coming home. I promise.

Megan?

Megan. Megan!

Megan! Megan!

[ Panting ]

[ Thunderclap ]

Erika?

- I'm sorry.

- What? What?

I don't think

I can do this anymore.

Shh.

- Come on. You're the bravest

person I know.

- No. No, I'm not.

Janet, you're amazing.

I don't think

you even know that.

Erika, what if we don't

make it through this?

- What if we die

in this place?

- We're not gonna die.

If I die in here,

then my daughter's

gonna be all alone.

You can't think like that.

Janet, we're not gonna die.

[ Exhales ]

All right?

I'll make sure of it.

Erika, you

can't make

promises like that.

No one can.

[ Thunderclap ]

[ Woman On P.A.

Speaking Spanish ]

[ Beeping ]

[ Woman On P.A. ]

Ladies and gentlemen,

we are experiencing

some rough turbulence,

so the captain has turned on

the fasten seat belts sign...

and has requested

that you return

to your seats immediately.

We should be passing

through this storm quickly,

and expect little delay

arriving in San Francisco

as scheduled.

Thank you

for your cooperation.

Good morning, ladies.

- I trust you slept well.

- How is that any

of your business?

You look tired, Janet.

No, I'm fine.

- Are you sure there isn't

anything I can do to help?

- I can take it from here.

[ Bell Dings ]

I'm gonna go to breakfast.

I'll meet you

down there.

You know,

if I didn't know better,

I'd think...

you were following me,

Joseph.

We ought to kill

that man, Joe.

[ Door Closes ]

Then we're no better

than he is.

He's after her, you know.

Might be getting

through to her.

What are we gonna do

to stop him?

Everything

we can.

Hand-forged,

hardened-steel blade

from Italy.

You can't get quality

like this anymore.

That blade against the strop...

and the scent of Barbasol,

and I'm nine years old again,

goin' to the barber

with my father.

[ Chuckles ]

Men like the three of us

enjoy the simple pleasures.

Isn't that right,

Mr. Blackham?

I guess so.

[ Laughs ]

So, uh,

what's the deal

with this place anyway?

I mean, why is everything

frozen in time?

Beats the hell out of me.

[ Chuckles ]

[ Laughs ]

You don't know?

There's quite a lot

I don't know.

But here's a rule

I like to live by:

If you want to succeed,

don't sweat the details.

Tilt your head, would you?

Yeah.

I like that.

Ohh. You could practically

hypnotize a person...

doing that, you know?

Yes.

I do.

Hey, don't forget, okay?

I'm next.

Don't worry, Mr. Blackham.

I can't wait to get you

in this chair.

[ Laughs ]

Good morning,

Sergeant McNair.

- What are you two doing?

- [ Sighs ]

Obviously, getting a shave.

Hey, the line is back here,

in case you're wondering.

I wasn't.

Maybe it's just me,

but I don't think...

I'd let a man I barely know,

who works for the people

who kidnapped us,

hold a straight blade

to my throat.

- Blackham I could see.

- Hey.

But you, Charlie?

I thought you were

smarter than that.

Oh, come on.

Hey, the guy

offered Charlie a shave.

No need to go

all DEFCON 4.

[ Chuckles ]

Talk about paranoia.

- Wow.

- Now turn to your right.

We're almost there.

Hmm.

There.

Finished.

- How do you like

the shave, Mr. Morse?

- [ Blackham ] Great.

[ Jet Engines Whining ]

[ Man On P.A. ]

Maintain visual contact...

with your personal property

at all times.

Thank you for your cooperation.

[ Man On P.A.

Speaking Spanish ]

[ Indistinct ]

Next.

- Hi.

- Hi.

- Hi.

- How long were you out

of the country?

Four days.

Two weeks.

Well, we were out

of the country

for two weeks,

but we were

in our last place,

San Nicasio,

for four days.

Business or pleasure?

Pleasure.

Business.

I was there on business,

and my girlfriend here

came down to party.

Party, party, party.

Open your bags, please.

- [ Laughs ]

Tequila.

- Party.

"Genuine souvenir

of San Nicasio."

You can't eat just one.

Open these, please.

- Your business?

- Uh, I'm a journalist.

- And I'm the editor of

the San Francisco Register.

- The Register?

That series you did

on the migrant farmworkers...

who were denied medical care--

Wow.

- Powerful stuff.

- Yes. Thanks.

- Welcome home.

- Thank you.

Next.

That was

a compelling performance.

I give it seven thumbs up.

Hey, Mark.

Ah, Detective Gomez.

Have a good trip?

You know.

Had its moments.

Really?

Traveling somewhere?

Yeah. To jail, with you.

You're under arrest for

the abduction of Janet Cooper.

Oh, God.

You're free to go.

I'll get that.

I'll be okay.

Okay.

[ Clicking ]

Are you scared?

It's my job not to be.

It's not your job anymore.

But even without

your dog tags, you're still

a marine inside, aren't you?

Sometimes I just want to...

put my head down,

close my eyes...

and wake up

back in the corps.

But then you wouldn't

be here with me.

- Can we talk?

- No.

Come on. Let's--

Let's just talk.

I don't think we have

anything to talk about.

I think we do.

I think we--

Don't. Just--

Let me go!

God.

He's gotten to you,

hasn't he?

Who? Ulrich?

Yeah.

Please.

What is it then?

[ Scoffs ]

It's you, Joe.

Me?

At least Ulrich is out there

with who he is

and what he is.

You-- You don't even know

who or what you are.

You're so caught up

in your own pile of garbage...

that you can't even

see straight anymore.

And I can't afford

to get caught up in that

with you, Joe.

I just can't.

[ Siren in Distance ]

[ Chattering ]

Ms. Damatto.

Grant. I got a huge story.

Huge. Gigantic.

[ Clunking ]

When did these come in?

- Last week.

- Have Security send

a card up to my office.

- Uh, Miss Damatto--

- Grant, you can't imagine what

I went through to get here.

So if you value your job

and your jugular, you're

gonna let me go on through.

I-I can't.

'Cause you don't

work here anymore.

Why?

The paper got bought

last week.

The new owners hired

some guy named, uh,

Joe Derrane as editor.

- Triple Pulitzer Joe Derrane?

- I don't know

anything about that,

but the mood around here

got real serious.

No more Margarita Fridays.

No more stories

about aliens.

Right. Just stories

about migrant farmworkers.

Yeah.

Only serious stuff now.

- This looks like--

- A real newspaper.

They fired everybody.

I don't believe what

they're saying about you.

Thanks.

[ Wind Whistling ]

Good evening, Janet.

- Mr. Ulrich.

- I do wish

you'd call me Liam.

Mr. Ulrich was my father,

and a more unpleasant

bastard...

never walked the face

of this green earth,

let me tell you.

Liam, then.

Is everything all right?

Apart from the obvious lack

of personal freedom,

fine, thanks.

I know what

you're going through.

Yeah. So you say.

Sometimes it can seem

that the people in charge

are just--

[ Voice Filtered ]

uncaring sons of bitches.

But the truth is,

they care deeply

for you, Janet.

A wedding ring?

There was a fire.

I was rushing home

from a board meeting.

I was a school principal.

[ Chuckles ]

Elaine, my wife,

was at home

with Bobby and Beverly.

It was movie night.

I turned the corner

and I saw the flames.

I ran into the house,

but it was too late.

Liam, I'm sorry.

Do you trust me?

[ Bell Dings ]

- What is this place?

- We jokingly call it

the "inner sanctum,"

but it's a kind of

command center.

From here we can monitor

practically every inch

of the town.

From here we can

introduce stimuli.

A fancy way

of saying screw with us.

It's not quite as random

as all that.

It's a process by which

the program sort of nudges you

in a certain direction.

Well, I wouldn't call

the pain wall nudging.

And yet it's been weeks

since anyone tried...

to actually

leave the perimeter.

Why are you

telling me all this?

Because you can handle it.

You may not like it,

you may fight like hell

against everything we're

trying to do for you,

but, in the long run,

we believe that you

are someone...

who will come

to understand not only

what we're trying to do,

but will embrace it...

fully and willingly.

I wouldn't count

on that happening

anytime soon.

Time is something

this program has--

in abundance.

[ Chattering ]

[ Cable Car Clanging ]

Hey, Don, it's me,

Kat Damatto.

[ Man ] Hello.

In 6-C.

I know.

Uh, well, my key's not working,

so I was wondering if you could

buzz me up, please.

No.

What do you mean, no?

[ Chuckles ]

You've been evicted.

[ Laughs ]

You can't evict me.

Yeah, I can.

I know what you did,

and I think it's disgusting.

What did I do?

Like you don't know.

Get out of here

before I call the cops.

Well, you can't

call the cops.

You can't do that.

You can't just go

into someone's apartment

and take their things--

Hey!

Why the hell

did you come back here?

This is my home.

Not anymore.

Edick, what is going on?

My job's gone.

My bank account's been wiped.

My credit cards are frozen.

My cell phone's dead.

Throw it away.

The G.P.S. still works.

Oh, wait. Is that

what you've been doing?

You've been following me?

Is that how you've

been following me?

What, they're paying you

to track me?

I put you on a flight to Rome.

No, you hit me in the head

with your gun.

And then I put you

on a flight to Rome,

but you're so damn stubborn--

You and Renbe--

You had to be heroes, right?

We're not heroes.

You know what they think here?

They think you stole pain pills

from children with cancer...

and sold it to junkies.

That is ridiculous.

Were you ever

in City Hospital?

One time about a year ago

we were shorthanded--

They ran pictures of you

in the hospital on TV.

In your own paper.

They made it make sense.

Okay?

Take care of yourself,

and keep your eyes open.

Hey.

Hey.

What are you drinking?

I was just thinking

about you.

That's a little frightening.

[ Laughs ]

[ Laughs ]

No. I have a proposition

for you.

Okay, stop.

Don't say anything

about FreshAirrr or Hooters--

I wasn't going to say that.

Would you agree...

that Ulrich guy's

a good egg?

He helped you

in your business, right?

Him or the other guys

behind the camera, yeah.

Well, why not let them

help us more

than they've already done?

- You mean like sign up?

- Yeah.

[ Sighs ]

You know how many times

I've thought about that?

Thank God.

At least two of us

have our eyes on the ball.

Bill,

this is a manipulation.

[ Scoffs ]

A manipulation.

It always has been.

Do you know what the term

"quid pro quo" means?

Yeah. That's lawyer-speak

for "I grease your palm,

you grease mine."

And what are we supposed

to grease their palms with?

Our souls?

Oh, come on, Charlie.

You're sounding like McNair.

I mean, look--

These people... can save us.

[ Laughs ]

You know? They can actually

change our lives.

Well, not enough to make me

forgive or forget what

they've done to us.

Bill, you gotta stop looking

for the easy way out

of things all the time.

[ Sighs ]

[ Camera Whirring ]

If they could only

understand what awaits them

on the other side of all this.

All of you.

Liam, are you even aware

of how creepy that sounds?

I was confused and angry

when they first tossed me...

into this place

when I lost my family.

Just like you.

Just like the good

Reverend Joseph Tucker.

Although Joe seemed

to take to the challenges...

with a certain zeal,

shall we say?

In what way?

He wasn't afraid

to use a gun.

- So he did shoot you.

- Yes, indeed. Three times.

I have the scars

to prove it.

[ Chuckles ]

So not everything

Joe says is a lie.

Not everything.

Poor Joseph, like so many others

in this sad world of ours,

is petrified of the truth.

Which is?

That what we do,

what we think,

who we are...

is just... behavior...

programmed

in your ancestral DNA,

modified by years

of external stimulus.

What you and I imagine

to be free will...

is just an illusion.

And that's the truth?

I know it sounds

implausible, but half

a century of research...

has built quite

a convincing case.

So if I were to...

do this--

It would have nothing to do

with my wanting to kiss you?

There'd be

no free will involved?

It'd just be--

What'd you call it?

An illusion.

And...

your response

to my kissing you--

You're not controlling that?

You're not

allowing yourself

to enjoy it? It's just--

A preprogrammed response

to external stimulus.

So the theory goes.

So now it's just a theory?

[ Chuckles ]

A very good,

well-researched theory.

I think we should--

We should go.

Yes, absolutely.

[ Door Slides, Closes ]

[ Elevator Bell Dings ]

- Unbelievable.

- Evening, Joseph.

- You took her downstairs?

- It's none of your business,

Joseph.

- Janet?

- Yeah, he did, Joe.

Liam's been nothing

but open and honest

with me.

- Honest.

You being honest, Liam?

- Just stay out of it, Joe.

It's time you understood

that any romantic connection...

you imagined

with you and Janet is dead.

[ Groaning ]

Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!

[ Panting ]

You know what they say

about revenge, Joseph?

I do.

Liam?

Liam, please.

Please.

As you wish.

You wanna tell me

about those thumbs?

The thumbs belonged

to people murdered

in San Nicasio.

In a small forest town

there.

And you were in this

South American, Midwestern

forest town because?

I was looking for Janet.

You find her?

No.

Yeah. No one's found her.

It's starting to look

like someone killed her.

I didn't kill Janet.

But you have been busy.

I didn't kill

those people either.

They were already dead.

- So you just cut off

their thumbs?

- No. No.

Look, I know it sounds crazy,

but I was connecting...

Victoria Fairchild's murder

to Janet's disappearance,

to the blue coverall guys.

Blue coveralls?

They're part of some kind

of worldwide conspiracy

or something.

They killed those people

in San Nicasio,

and probably Victoria Fairchild,

maybe even Janet.

Look. Why would I

risk my life...

bringing thumbs

into the country,

if it wasn't to identify

the murder victims?

All things you'll discuss

at 1:00 with our shrink.

Come on.

Have you run the prints

for the thumbs?

Yeah. They belong to six people

that all disappeared

on the same day last year.

Well, there you go.

Go where?

To the blue coverall guys.

To the guys who chased us

out of San Nicasio

with automatic weapons.

You find them,

and you'll find your killers.

So you saw these,

uh, blue coveralls

kill these people?

So nobody saw them?

[ Cell Door Opens ]

Yeah.

That's what I thought.

[ Kitchen Staff Chattering ]

Thank you very much.

[ Chuckles ]

Okay. What?

Nothing.

We're just sitting here

eating breakfast.

You haven't

said a word to me

since we had that talk.

Which talk is that, Bill?

Look, Charlie,

stop playing with me.

[ Whispering ]

I don't wanna die.

That's all I'm saying.

None of us want

to die, Bill.

[ Exhales ]

I just know that Ulrich

isn't the way.

You don't know that

for sure.

Charlie, come on, man.

I don't wanna do this alone.

Come on! Do it with me.

[ Groans ]

Wake up!

I don't care what Ulrich

and his people do for you

or promise you.

You can't trust 'em,

Bill.

None of us can

ever trust them.

I hope you've come

to your senses.

I think I have.

[ Door Opens, Closes ]

Do you have any idea

what you're doing with Ulrich?

I'm trying to get back

to my daughter.

You don't understand.

I've been here before.

What does that mean, Erika?

- You've been here?

- Prison.

Janet, this is a prison.

Guys in charge act like

your friends, but they

only want what they want.

- That's exactly what

Ulrich is doing.

- Maybe you're wrong about him.

- Not about this.

- I can handle it.

No.

[ Sighs ]

No, you can't.

[ Exhales ]

[ Exhales ]

I'm gonna tell you something

no one else knows.

Erika is dead.

What do you mean?

Erika was with me

in jail.

She was tall, strong.

Didn't take--

I didn't really know

what to make of her.

She didn't say much,

but she always

kept me safe.

She helped me survive.

And then one night

the guards wanted her.

And she said

she could handle it.

I watched her die

the next morning.

I got this tattoo

for her.

You guys thought

it was my name, but...

I used to be Teresa Randolph.

Listen to me.

You cannot trust

that man,

no matter what

he tells you.

Please.

[ Whispering ]

Please.

[ Janet's Voice ]

And... your response...

to my kissing you--

You're not controlling that?

You're not allowing yourself

to enjoy it?

It's just--

[ Liam's Voice ]

A preprogrammed response

to external stimulus.

So the theory goes.

[ Janet's Voice ]

I think we should--

We should go.

[ Knocking ]

We gotta

do something now, Joe,

before it's too late.

I don't know what's going on

with Janet-- If she's got

a thing for Ulrich.

I know.

So what you say?

Everything we can?

Everything we can.

[ Wind Whistling ]

What's the matter, Liam?

Things were going my way.

I knew where I was going.

I had a job

I thought was important,

and I was good at it.

And then what happened?

And then I met you,

and everything

I worked so hard to get rid of

came floating back.

Now I remember

why I never look back.

And I understand

why intimacy is forbidden.

All the precautions,

all the secrecy--

I mean, the pain wall--

All the power

that you people enjoy,

and it's intimacy

that scares you?

It's not my rule.

It's their rule.

But their rules

have served me well.

But now you--

You get me

to question everything.

I'm no longer sure of anything.

So what?

Relish it.

I mean, human beings

aren't a series

of rewards and punishments.

A soul is--

It's a mysterious thing.

And yours is just...

waking up.

[ Sniffles ]

Why wake it up?

What good

can come from it?

Freedom.

I mean, where would you

rather be, Liam?

Think about it.

If we could be anywhere.

We?

We have needs.

Don't we?

So I just... give in?

Give up?

Throw everything

I know away

to pursue a feeling?

You could.

Get as far away from me

as possible, Janet.

The closer you come,

the more you'll suffer.

[ Exhales ]

[ Footsteps ]

Those thumbs have gotten

the attention of the F.B.I.,

Interpol, the N.S.A.,

and agencies

I've never heard of.

- Are you serious?

- I've been taken off the case.

- Why?

- No reason given.

- What about me?

- Tomorrow you're scheduled...

to be transferred

to a government holding cell.

- No city listed.

- No city?

But you'll never get there,

because mistakes were made here.

You've been misfiled

under release. Oops.

When your name's called,

don't ask questions.

Just go.

Thanks. Gomez.

- Why?

- Shh.

What is wrong

with this picture?

Renbe.

Thank God.

Keep walking.

How'd you find me?

I've been following you

since you got out of jail.

Who posted your bail?

No one. Gomez sprung me.

What, he believed

your story?

Well, he believes there's

something big going on

and getting bigger.

Have you got

a cell phone on you?

Yeah, but the battery's dead.

Let me see it.

They track you

with it.

[ Man ]

Come on, let's go.

Hurry up, guys.

I haven't slept

since we got off the plane.

Me neither. I'm exhausted.

Yeah. I know a place we can go.

Come on.

You know, the secret

of giving a great shave

is this:

hot towels, sharp blade...

and a steady hand.

Good afternoon.

How can I help you,

Mr. Morse?

You can leave me

and my friend there alone.

I'm not sure I know

what you're talking about.

Sure, you do.

Bill, let's go.

No.

I'm almost finished

with Mr. Blackham here.

Maybe I can interest you

in a scalp massage.

Oh, I just had one.

It almost put me

to sleep.

I'm not interested

in anything you have

to offer, Mr. Ulrich,

and neither is Bill.

I think Mr. Blackham

can speak for himself.

Or maybe he just needs

someone to remind him...

that he doesn't have

to sell his soul

to the devil.

So I take it

that I'm the devil.

No. You're just

the devil's lackey.

Isn't that how

you ended up here,

Mr. Ulrich?

The real bosses never

show their faces. They just

send in their errand boys.

Oh, God!

You dug in

a little too deep there,

didn't you, Mr. Ulrich?

God! You get me

all comfortable, trusting,

and then you, like,

slit my throat?

I assure you,

it was an accident.

Of course it was.

Charlie was right

about you.

Our souls aren't for sale.

Hey, Bill.

- [ No Audible Dialogue ]

- [ Sighs ]

[ Door Opens ]

Those two

are very chummy.

Yeah. With Ulrich too.

I saw them in

the barbershop with him

early this morning.

Do you think

he turned them?

Maybe.

Janet's been spending

a lot of time

with Ulrich too.

I don't know

who to trust anymore.

Me.

You can trust me.

[ Siren Blaring ]

[ Kat ]

You're sure no one

will find us here?

No. I made the owner

a small fortune

a few years ago. He owes me.

Ooh. I forgot about that.

We have any glasses in here?

- We're not drinking this.

- Oh, yes, we are.

We're not.

Mark.

That's not a worm

in there.

There's no way in hell

I'd put all my evidence

in one place.

[ Deep Breath ]

Janet?

Just give me a minute.

Please?

Okay.

I know what you're doing,

and it's not gonna work.

It is working.

You think you got Ulrich

in the palm of your hand,

but you don't.

All right?

He's a born liar.

Okay? He's made

promises before.

Ask him about the burns

on his arm.

Joe, he already told me

about the fire.

He lost his family.

Ask him for the truth.

Why don't you

tell me?

'Cause you wouldn't believe me.

You're probably right.

[ Knocking ]

[ Door Opens ]

What's the matter?

My life's

an open book to you.

Yes?

Well, I deserve

the same.

I need complete honesty.

Okay.

I need to know

the truth about the fire.

I already told you.

- I was driving back--

- No, Liam.

I know what you've

already told me,

but I think you're lying.

That's not really

what happened, is it?

My family is alive--

I think.

The fire was here,

during my level one.

I set it.

- Why?

- Because I couldn't understand

why I'd been chosen.

Or what I could become.

All I wanted

was to get out of here.

Yeah, I know

how that feels.

You do. Yes.

You feel absolutely desperate.

You think you'll never see

your family back home again.

Yeah.

Then I figured...

if I was the sole survivor,

maybe they'd let me

get back to my life.

The sole survivor?

My hands were shaking so much

when I poured the kerosene, I--

I must has spilled some

on my shirt.

So you... burned people?

I knew what I was doing

was wrong--

against every principle

I'd learned,

against everything

I ever taught my own children.

But I was surrounded

by strangers I didn't know,

in a place I didn't know.

I'm sorry for what I did,

but you, of all people,

should understand

why I had to do it.

Can't you?

Please say you understand.

I do.

Thank you, Liam.

[ Door Closes ]

[ Electronic Beeps ]

Yes, Liam?

I have wonderful news.

Janet Cooper is on board.

You're sure?

Yes.

Because of her feelings

for you?

No.

Because you're in love

with her?

Because we understand

our value within this program.

Our connection makes us

perfect instruments.

Well, that is good news.

Congratulations.

Thank you, Madame Director.

Good-bye, Liam.

Good-bye.

[ Exhales ]

[ Beep ]

- Yes, ma'am?

- I need some warrants

prepared for my signature.

Yes, ma'am.

It's for Town 27.

Your town, Neil.

I need red cards

for all the participants,

and one for Mr. Ulrich.

You're flushing 27?

Yes.

Second town

in as many weeks,

but I've exhausted

all my options.

The pollution has become

too thick to clear.

- Have the warrants

on my desk by morning.

- Yes, ma'am.

[ Sighs ]

ENGLISH - US - LINE 21