All language subtitles for Episode 04 Publish or Perish

What's the bottom line?

Well, in my opinion, it's a prank.

There's no bomb at l.A.X.

He enjoys making US squirm,
but his reputation,

that's the most important thing he has.

Using language to solve crimes?

There's not even a name
for what you're doing.

I've come up with an approach

I'm calling "forensic linguistics."

If you want a seat at this table,

you put names on that board.

That's your job.

You got to come in.

We just got a bunch of
new unabomber letters.

He's written to the times, the
Washington post, penthouse.

You're not going to believe this.

The unabomber wants to make a deal.

This is a message from
the terrorist group fc.

To prove its authenticity,

we give our identifying
number as 553254394.

To the New York times, we
are offering a bargain.

If you publish our manifesto,

we will permanently desist
from all terrorist activities.

The killer known as the unabomber

says he will stop mailing
package bombs if the newspapers

will publish his political theories.

As I'm sure you know,
bombs may attract attention,

but ideas start revolutions.

That is our sole aim, and
if we break our word,

people will lose respect for US

and be less likely to accept our ideas.

The question now is,

can the word of a serial
killer be trusted?

But what have we learned from the l.A.X.
Incident?

His reputation is the most
important thing to him,

so if he says he'll stop
bombing, he'll stop bombing.

The United States government

does not negotiate with terrorists.

This is how we catch him.

If we publish, someone will recognize

his idiolect, his ideology, or both.

You haven't got a
fingerprint in 17 years.

He just gave US a linguistic
fingerprint on a silver platter.

The United States government

does not negotiate with terrorists.

The FBI is a joke.

They've tried to portray these bombings

as the work of an isolated nut.

The so-called unabomber,

blamed for 16 attacks in 17 years,

has now spoken out.

In several letters, one
to the New York times,

the bomber denounced the
industrial society.

We publish the manifesto and
use his plan against him.

We did publish the zodiac killer.

Yeah, and he kept on killing
and nobody caught him,

which is why, everybody together now,

the United States government

does not negotiate with terrorists.

Our goal is less to punish
the people pushing all this

growth-and-progress garbage
than it is to propagate ideas.

This outlines my whole
case for publication.

You can take it to Janet
Reno and FBI director freeh.

I'm supposed to walk
into Janet Reno's office

and ask her to publicly give in
to the demands of a terrorist

because someone might
recognize his spelling?

If our manifesto is not
published by the New York times

or some other nationally
distributed periodical,

another bomb is ready to be delivered.

This is Bob guccione,

the editor in chief of
penthouse magazine.

I have been following
your correspondence

with the New York times,

and I believe your offer

to desist from the bombing is genuine,

so I am offering to immediately publish

your article unedited

and in full in penthouse magazine.

Our demographic is virtually the
same as the New York times.

I might add we're

the biggest-selling
magazine in the Pentagon.

Mr. Guccione,

we are very pleased and we thank you.

While we don't have anything
against sex magazines,

it will obviously be to our advantage

to be published in a
"respectable" periodical.

The New York times is
to have the first claim

on the right to publish,
then the Washington post,

and after that, penthouse.

However, if only penthouse publishes,

we reserve the right to
plant one more deadly bomb.

Sir, please consider the
case for publication.

He sends US a manifesto and
that was his first mistake

and we should exploit
it for all it's worth.

His first mistake
actually was Nathan r.,

and as of 7:00 A.M. this morning,

we have Nathan r.

Nathan r., a.K.A. Nathan Robinson,

out of San Jose.

He's an old acquaintance of, guess who,

Leo Frederick Burt, our
current top suspect.

Our s.O.G. Teams are hunting
down Robinson right now.

He's been charged with
terroristic threatening

of a peace officer,

possession of narcotics, mail fraud.

We put a tail on him, there's
a pretty good chance

he's going to lead US to Leo Burt.

The linguistic evidence
eliminated Leo Burt.

Okay, Fitz.

You've said your piece,

but we don't negotiate with terrorists.

Genelli, get to New York.

Brief the times.

I'll be in Washington with
director freeh and Janet Reno.

That's it, folks.

Mia, look at that.

I mean, it really sparkles, right?

- And its setting...
- Hey.

Wow.

Wow.

You know, this job,
they're always saying,

"if you guys have all the answers,

why haven't we caught him by now?"

It's, like, wake up.

And I'm giving them so much and
they just don't even listen.

Well, it's not all bad.

- No?
- No.

- Because?
- Because...

It's after 5:00 and I'm finally here

and there are no kids anywhere.

Well, he's just a kid.

It's easy to get
passionate about something

and not realize you're wrong.

He's not really a kid,

and he's not wrong, exactly.

It's... he just has no practical
experience for what this means.

He's got no big picture.

So, what do you think?

Is it worth it?

This is it, Beth.

This case is the one.

This is how I'm going to be remembered,

it's going to be my legacy.

There's so much you'll
be remembered for.

I could lock up a
million serial killers.

But I'll always be the
guy that led unabom.

Yeah, that's me.

That's me forever.

The Scarlet you?

Sweetie.

It's a buzzer shot and I only get one.

Sometimes I just wish I could...

Pass the damn ball to the next guy.

There's no glory but no catastrophe.

Just the path of least resistance.

Terrible?

It's weak.

But boy...

I think about it.

Director freeh, s.A.C. Ackerman,

Attorney General Reno
will be with you shortly.

Thank you.

Don, listen.

This is a cakewalk.

You're just telling her
what she wants to hear.

Don't publish a terrorist.

Leo Burt's a good lead.

And you've got a ton more
where that came from.

All of the tier-one guys are solid.

Yeah.

Listen, you inherited a garbage case.

No one expects a miracle.

Reno just wants to know
that we're doing our jobs,

which we are,

and wants to see a nice, thick folder,

which is what you have.

Genelli, it's Ackerman. What's up?

I'm at the New York times
and I have some bad news.

It's okay, we'll... we'll be fine,

but I got here early for my
meeting with sulzberger.

There was this mail-room guy.

I followed him back to his desk.

You know the "call Nathan r." Note

that was indented
writing on the envelope

the unabomber sent the times?

Well, this mail-room guy
handles every letter

that comes to the times,

and he's really into post-its.

That unabom letter came
to the New York times

mail room before it got to US.

That indented writing was
made by Reggie halender,

mail intern here at the times.

The unabomber didn't write
the Nathan r. Note.

There is no Nathan r.

You're telling me that
we've been chasing

a dead lead for the last two years?

Yeah.

How many Nathan r.'S have we been...

I know. Sorry.

God damn it.

This doesn't change anything.

She wants broad strokes.

Just de-emphasize Nathan r.

And focus on Burt and the
other top-tier leads.

This whole miniature war-gaming thing

has officially taken over
the dining room table,

and Sean's really territorial about it,

and I can't even suggest that he move it

without him freaking out.

You think I should learn the game?

I think I should learn the game.

I think you've got quite enough
games in your life already.

It's not how I want it to be.

It really isn't.

Look.

When I said that, I just meant...

I know.

I know, but you're right.

You're right, because, you know,

no one at the u.T.F. Even really listens

to a word I say, so...

I might as well be playing a game.

My work has hit a dead end,
so I'm going to ask genelli,

because I think it's time
for me to come home.

Love, I didn't...

That's not why I came here.

I mean, I would be so,

so happy to be a family again, but...

I just want to feel like
I'm making a difference.

Hey, it's Fitz.
You've got 30 minutes

to come up with something better

than forensic linguistics.

Nathan r. Is a dead end, but
language is not enough here.

You bring me something
concrete and operational

that I can give to Reno
to back up your case,

well, then I might be willing to
float publication with the a.G.

If I do, if,

then both our asses are on the line.

Do you understand me?

All right, now Cole is already on it.

You two brainstorm.

You be brilliant, quickly.

You've got 29 minutes. Go.

Concrete and operational.
Let's go.

Okay, we know he likes code,

so if we embed a code in a publication,

we can lure him in to a conversation...

I said concrete and operational,
not esoteric intellectual crap.

Now, I know he's got 10
phd's and a 500 I.Q.,

but he's still a serial killer, right?

And what do serial killers want?

Control, power, respect.

Trophies.

Right.

Serial killers collect fingers, hairs.

Serial rapists collect underwear.

Right, so what's his trophy?
What does he want?

He wants US to publish the
manifesto in a newspaper.

Newspapers are his trophies.

So if we publish it,
he goes and gets it,

- buys a copy.
- What's that going to get US?

I mean, he can buy the New York times

at any newsstand in the
country any time he wants.

It's not actionable.

The post. Washington post.

- What about it?
- Every time I finish

the times crossword, I go get the post.

It's a pain in the ass
because you can only buy it

at one newsstand in the city.

So if we publish in the post...

Then we know he's in the bay area.

He'll want to see it.
He'll need to touch it.

He'll want to see people buying it,

he'll want to see people reading it.

He's going to want to see his
ideas make a difference.

Dude, that's 150 s.O.G., minimum.

Well, it's not my problem.

Fitz is going to sell it.

- Cole.
- What do you got?

Got Fitz and tabby in here.

Hang on.

Go ahead, Fitz. We know he's bay area,

and we think if we publish,

he would buy the paper as a trophy.

The Washington post is
sold at only one newsstand

in the bay area, so if we publish

exclusively in the post, he'll have to

come there and buy it,
so on publication day,

I'm proposing we follow and
identify every single person

who buys a Washington
post in San Francisco.

Is this a joke?

Do you realize the scale?

We would have to drain

the entire country of
surveillance teams.

Yes, sir.

That's insane.

For chri... Jesus.

Hello.

Madam Attorney General,
thank you for having US.

Director freeh, s.A.C. Ackerman.

Thank you both for waiting.

I guess that's a no.

That was fun.

All right.

Back to work.

Thank you for seeing US
on such short notice.

Well, domestic terror has a way

of clearing the decks, doesn't it?

Especially when the media is involved.

Can I get you a
coffee or some water?

"Water."

Are you from Philly?

Originally, yeah.

No, thank you. We're fine.

So the unabomber's publishing
deadline is approaching.

The times and the post
are on my call sheet.

What am I going to tell them?

Ackerman?

The FBI recommendation...

Don?

The FBI recommendation

is that we publish the manifesto,

in full.

We publish exclusively
in the Washington post

as part of a two-pronged approach.

First prong, forensic linguistics.

If we make the manifesto
widely accessible,

I believe that there
is an excellent chance

that a friend or a
colleague of the unabomber

will recognize his unique
language and ideology

and will turn him in.

Second, there's a high likelihood

that the unabomber
lives in the bay area.

Now, the Washington post is
sold at only one location

in San Francisco.

This unique advantage will allow US

to stage a large surveillance operation

to follow, to question, to identify

every individual who
buys a copy of the post

on the day of publication.

While this operation...

While the size and scale
of this operation

is unprecedented...

We believe it to be a
singular opportunity

to lure the unabomber into the light.

That's an unusual strategy.

You're betting big that
he's in the bay area.

Well, we've traced every unabom letter,

package, and bomb to the exact
mailbox he dropped it in.

Every single one of them is
within an eight-mile radius

of San Francisco.

If he's coming to town
to mail his bombs,

he'll come to town to buy his manifesto.

And what's the precedent here?

Where do we stand once all this is done?

I believe that we can
say with conviction

that publication is less to assuage

the demands of the attacker than
to use his plan against him

so that it establishes a
precedent of vigilance

rather than weakness on the
part of law enforcement.

If you catch him.

Yes, ma'am. If we catch him.

Big "if."

Director freeh, is FBI
hq on board with this?

Don has taken it upon himself
to propose implementing

one of the largest
surveillance operations

in FBI history.

We're happy to let Don take the lead

and be the face of this operation.

Don, you're nearing
retirement, aren't you?

You're aware of the implications
of this coming undone.

You still want to do it?

What I don't want to do
is see any more pictures

of ripped-up bodies,

and I don't want to pawn this case off

on the next guy coming after me.

This is our best move.

It's risky.

We've got others.

But this one's the best.

Well, I just want to make certain

you're aware of the consequences here.

What happened at waco,
my decisions there

will haunt me for the
rest of my natural life,

and I can say from experience
that everything is different

when the camera is pointed at you.

Yeah,

but I'd rather respect the
man I see in the mirror

than the man I see on TV.

Okay.

Let's do it.

You have the full support of the d.O.J.

Madam Attorney General.

- Director.
- Thank you.

Don, I admire your
moral courage in this.

It isn't always rewarded,

and in your case, I
certainly hope it is.

Thank you, madam Attorney General.

And in your case, I
certainly hope it is.

I'm following you.

Mrs. Fitzgerald? Hi.

I'm tabby Miller.

Great to finally meet you.
It's nice to meet you.

Welcome to the biggest
shit show on earth.

They're asking for...

Publication, stuff that we're...

Hi.

I needed to see this.

Hey. You made it. It's
just insane here today.

This is Natalie Rogers.

- Hi.
- Hi!

- So nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.

I work with your husband.

I've been hearing so much about you.

Have you?

Gentlemen, here we are.

S.a.c. Ackerman?

Good afternoon.

My name is Don Ackerman, the
special agent in charge,

FBI, San Francisco,

and one of the leaders of
the unabom task force.

The Attorney General, Janet Reno,

and FBI director Louis j. Freeh

today announced that they recommend

the publication of the
unabomber's manifesto.

Concern for public safety
ultimately led to this decision.

The unabom task force
continues to encourage

the cooperation of the American
public by calling our hotline.

The FBI can now be found
at our brand-new home page

on the world wide web at www.fbi.gov,

and in the coming days, we
will upload the manifesto

for anyone to access.

We ask that the public
pay particular attention

to the philosophies in the manifesto

and to try to recall if
they know any individuals

who have had similar philosophies

or who have written in
similar linguistic styles...

Philosophies. You told him to say that.

We believe that with the
help of the American public,

the unabomber will
have no place to hide.

And now I will take your questions.

So good.

Whoo!

Hey, I forgot to tell you.

I got a call this
morning from the school

and they've got head lice
going around like crazy.

They were asking if I could come in.

Begging, actually.

I told them no because I kind of feel

like you need me here, right?

It's fine if you need to go.

Don't worry about me.

If you want to go back, it's okay.

Okay, but I don't want to go.

Okay, then stay, have some fun,
but I'm not going to be around.

I'm going to stay.

What... what's the matter?
What do you want me to say?

It's fine.

Go. Go, go.

Koppel: Let US describe
what has happened plainly.

It is blackmail, pure and simple.

Since when do we trust a serial killer?

The bomber calls his manifesto

"industrial society and its future."

Eight solid-gray pages,

perhaps as likely to be discarded

as trudged through to reach the
unabomber's central thesis

that technology has gotten
the human race into a fix

from which there is not
likely to be any easy escape.

Now that his so-called
manifesto has been published

in the Washington post,
say investigators,

they're hoping for more
than just a cease-fire

in the bombings and threats.

Maybe somewhere in this
densely worded text,

there will be some concrete
clues to his identity

which may finally net
investigators an arrest.

Be advised, this is po1.

Unsub is a black male,
black shirt, jeans,

going into the park.

Po1, this is po5.

I have the eye.

Sf2, this is sf1.

Unsub is white male, 60s, gray shirt,

moving inside the park.

This is sf1.

I have eyes on unsub 4.

Sf3, this is sf1.

Unsub is a white female, gray suit.

She's exiting onto stockton street.

Sf1, this is sf3.

I have the eye.

Po4, this is po1.

Unsub is a white male, 40s,
short hair, red shirt.

I've got the eye.

White male in his 40s.

Listen, once you clear your unsubs,

please will you circle
back around, asap.

Copy.

Half of San Francisco's shown up

just to buy the manifesto.

What a world?

La12, this is la1.

Unsub is a white male,

blue shirt, khakis, looks about...

This is la1. I have the eye.

Yeah, copy that.

Sf4, this is sa1.

Subject is a black male,
brown leather jacket,

30s, just stopped at the newsstand.

Excuse me, sir. I need
to ask you a couple...

Burkhardt, what's your status?

Burkhardt: Subject cooperative.

He's a regular customer of Harold's.

...a brown saturn,
license plate number 2,

yankee, bravo, November, 6, 1, 7.

No, sorry.

Unsub is a white male,
20s, black leather jacket,

moving south on the Plaza.

Sacramento 3,
requesting data on unsub 5.

Sacramento 3, unsub
five is Rafael fetters,

pacific heights, should be all clear.

Follow him to his destination,
proceed with the interview.

Anything particular that
you bought the post for?

Po3, this is po1.

Unsub is white male, 50s,
brown leather jacket.

Yeah!

Ca9, his name is Willie Wright.

No ncid hits, subject clear.

We're good to clear.
We're going to staging area.

Copy that.

Running out of time.

Newsstand's closing soon.
Should have been here by now.

No ncid, have
the subject cleared.

- Cleared.
- Subject is cleared.

Nothing to do here.
Subjects are cleared,

repeat, cleared.

Unsub 109, white male, 50s,

gray hooded jacket, sunglasses.

This is the last guy.

We've cleared everyone else.

That's the profile.

He's got it.

Sf67, I want you on unsub 109.

Eyes on unsub 109, copy that.

Later.

Don't lose him.

Going into Bart. Gonna lose you.

Copy that.

Now arriving, Powell street.

Stand clear.

The doors are closing.

Please stand clear of the doors.

Now arriving,
rockridge station.

The doors are closing.

Please stand clear of the doors.

She's been out of touch too long.

Lafayette station.

The doors are closing.

Please stand clear of the doors.

FBI, stop!

FBI, stop! Get down!

FBI... out of the way.

FBI, freeze!

FBI, freeze!

Get on the ground!

Get on the ground now!

Come in, sf67.

Tabby, you there?

- You bitch.
- Don't move.

Are you him? Are you carrying a device?

Go to hell.

- Is there a bomb in that bag?
- Agh!

What the hell are you talking about?

Shit.

Yeah.

He's just some damn druggie.

He's got a bunch of open warrants.

That's why he was acting weird.

Sex with a minor,
possession, distribution,

you name it, he's wanted for it.

Except unabom.

Right.

So a total failure, then.

It was a brave call.

That's too bad.

Thank you.

We're always negotiating
with terrorists.

In fact, our government is
negotiating with terrorists

out of one corner of its mouth

while out of the other
side of its mouth,

it tells the American public,

"no, we don't deal with terrorism."

"We couldn't possibly
deal with terrorists."

Of course, that's exactly what they do,

so it's nothing new.

It's just that we're seeing publicly

for the first time what hypocrites

the FBI truly are, and frankly...

- Fitz.
- They look like fools

in front of the entire nation.

The unabomber had called them fools

and we can all see that he was correct.

If I were an FBI agent right
now, I would be ashamed.

Ashamed to show my face,
ashamed of my institution.

Excuse me.

You're a pornographer saying
the FBI should be ashamed?

That's right. At penthouse magazine,

we don't say one thing and do another.

We don't say, "we're so
high and mighty and pure."

We never stoop to
bargaining with a terrorist

then basically bend over,

spread our cheeks for him in
front of the whole world,

which is what the FBI just did,

and I think the country has to
think long and hard about that.

Who can we really trust?

I know you think this is a setback.

It's really a huge win.

The manifesto is out there.

People who read it to someone
who recognize his idiolect...

Yeah, everyone's
recognizing the idiolect.

You've taken the
investigation backwards.

We now have a tip line that's
being pounded by every ex-wife,

every pissed-off sister-in-law,

every brother with a
grudge in the country.

It's all garbage.

It's birthday cards, a grocery list.

Got a book report from "my
side of the mountain."

Here's a good one. You recognize
the spelling on that?

The fax machine is
spitting this stuff out

faster than we can reload the paper,

let alone the mail.

The country's trash can's
being dumped in our lap here,

and it's worthless. All of it.

Your tdy with the unabom
task force is terminated,

and if we need your expertise again,

we'll make sure to contact you.

There's still a lot of work I
could do with document analysis.

You want to know the truth, Fitz?

I feel I can tell you this, frankly.

You're going to have a
long career with the FBI,

but it's not because you're
talented or special.

See, you've been telling
yourself your whole life

that all of your problems are
because you're an artist,

because you're a special snowflake.

But you're not.

You're just another asshole,
and you're going home now

so we can bring in some other
asshole to replace you.

And guess what?

No one's going to even
know the difference.

Okay, that's it.

Dan, we're going
to move this down here.

Okay.

Clear everything off.

Everything, please.

Watch out, dad.

Can't mess it up.

If one piece falls,

it's going to screw up the entire game.

Don't screw up the entire game.

I'm going to ask my sister Frances

for a ride to practice Thursday.

Not home from, to. I can't do it.

I know, I heard you.

Dad's going to pick you
up, though, alright?

- Okay.
- Right, right?

Right.

- Mademoiselle.
- Merci.

Oui?
-Could I...

Hello?

Hey, it's me.

Hey, sweetheart. How's
the conference going?

Good, good, um... it's... it's...
It's going good.

Everything okay?

Um, I... I don't want to, upset you.

I just, um...

Have you read the
unabomber manifesto yet?

No.

I think you should.

I think you should, um,

go get the Washington post and read it.

If we accuse him and we are wrong,

it would be like taking
my own brother's life.

There's nothing, there's nothing by him,

- and this is all you got?
- There's a million-dollar reward.

You realize how much crap we get in?

You are capable of great things here,

but not until you let unabom go.

I know that it seems like
more than a case right now,

but it's just a case.

Look, I just think that
this is a strong lead

that we should go down the road with.

It's a hornet's nest, tabby.

Why are you kicking it?

- Are you sure?
- It's him.

The way he writes, his
idiolect, it is identical.

- I don't know.
- This is him!

This is the man,

and the man that wrote this letter,

he's the unabomber, you hear me?