Original subtitles

It's black Friday, the post-Thanksgiving kick-off

into the holiday shopping season.

And retailers are advertising even deeper discounts this year,

trying to lure cash-strapped consumers.

All managers to their departments.

All right, who wants to save some money?

Doors opening in 5 minutes.

- Where is it? - Maybe it's in the car?

I swear, my wallet was in my jacket.

Save our place.

Excuse me.

Pardon me.

All right, when I say "digital,"

you say "recorder."

- Digital! - Recorder!

For an extra 100, how can we not go with the 50 inch?

How about an "excuse me," bitch?

Open the doors!

Open the doors, dammit!

Did calculus get harder since we took it?

That's what I said.

That's all right, I'll just figure it out myself.

I mean, you'd think with the intellectual stock I come from, though.

Apples always fall further from the tree than you think.

- There's something to be grateful for? - How was Thanksgiving?

- You know, dad lectured... - I did not lecture.

- Mom fretted. - I didn't lecture.

So much to be thankful for.

Don't you think I'm getting a little old for make-believe family holidays?

That's how your mom likes it, love.

- You're a little odd. - Why?

The apron.

I think it's becoming.

This is Max Roland.

Apparently he's 16 and a big fan of your book.

Over here.

You should no bell.

My address isn't listed.

- How'd you find me? - Online.

- I just need half an hour of your time. - You got 2 minutes.

My parents have lied to me my whole life about who I am.

- I'm not their kid. - Who are you?

This kid.

- James Knox. - The James Knox?

- How do you know you're him? - Look.

- James Knox has one just like it. - Like everybody. You want to see mine?

I took a DNA sample from my parents. All right, I'm not a match.

Their story of how I was born, it doesn't make sense.

I can't spend another Christmas with people who might have stolen me.

Please.

I have $500.

This is all I have to pay you.

Will you do it?

I have to know the truth.

Want a sandwich?

If he really is James Knox, he's in a very difficult spot, psychologically.

We need to handle this carefully.

Well, don't we always?

- I can't believe you took his money. - He wanted me to take him seriously.

I am.

Who holds interviews on a holiday weekend?

Look, Max really wants this. Be patient.

Ready? They're getting antsy.

- I'm not gonna interview, you are. - You said you were gonna help me.

If you want the truth, you ask the questions. So, no "yes or no" phrasing.

And look at me. Look at me.

- Don't back down. - Max, you don't have to do this.

It said in your book, the best interrogations are when you can watch.

I want the best.

That's what you paid for.

It'll just be a few more minutes. They're with some of the other nominees.

You look nervous. What's wrong?

I'm not your son. Who am I?

This again?

Not here.

There's no pictures of me as a newborn. It doesn't make any sense.

You were born in Ecuador. Mom had you premature. We've told you all this.

You went to Ecuador pregnant?

Sorry, but that doesn't seem really smart.

I think I know better than you what a mother would and wouldn't do.

He said "mom," she said "mother." Distancing language.

I ordered a DNA test online.

I took hairs from your brushes.

I just got the results back.

I'm not related to you.

Nice fear on them.

Max, what the hell is going on?

What is this?

Mr. and Mrs. Roland, I'm Dr. Foster. I'm a psychologist in Lightman Group.

- What is this place? - Max came to us.

- He needs our help. - We're leaving.

They're lying, right? They're lying.

Max, we're going.

We may have sent him home with his abductors.

- Where's Reynolds? - Still in South Carolina.

Well, that's one problem solved.

- The cops... - We can't call them.

If the cops, press or FBI get wind that someone who may be James Knox surfaced,

I mean, the vultures will pick Max to pieces.

We have to protect him. And we have to talk to the Knoxes.

- What? - Finally got you being like a criminal.

- Wonders will never cease. - If this thing goes south,

you're putting up my bail.

Michigan 2005.

Shoppers burst through the doors of a retail chain causing injuries.

India 2008.

Rumors of a landslide at a Hindu temple cause panic.

About 140 people lose their lives trying to escape.

Los Angeles. Lakers fans celebrate a championship by looting and rioting.

About a million dollars worth of property damage to local businesses.

In every example, the violence was instigated by someone in the crowd.

What are you proposing?

2 of your customers died.

Dozens were injured.

People are looking for a scapegoat, and digital corner's an easy target.

What if I could prove your company wasn't at fault?

Cases like this turn on comparative negligence.

If the stampede was crowd induced,

it would reduce the settlement considerably.

This is the raw feed from Channel 3.

Notice the dad showing his boys how to lock arms and form a phalanx.

What, they expected violence?

Convergence theory says that if crowds act aggressively,

it's because people bring an aggressive mindset to it.

In the close-ups, you can see faces.

They're identical to those of athletes during competition.

This crowd was a powder keg and somebody in it was the spark.

Maybe so, but we can't have our name

dragged through the press during our busy shopping season.

- We're planning on settling Monday. - How much are you expecting to pay out?

20 million, give or take.

Give me a few days to prove my thesis before you settle.

If I can trace the stampede to somebody in the crowd,

we get 10% of what you save.

You save us 10 million, you earn one.

If you pay the full 20, we don't see a dime.

- How'd it go with the suits? - Well, we got the job. Where were you?

None of your bloody business.

I figured you were up to it, so.

It's probably a gross overestimation on my part.

I appreciate the confidence boost.

Well, selling's the easy part.

It's delivering, that's the trick. That's what you promised.

So you and Torres are on your own. Think you're up for it?

I've read every major study on group behavior cover to cover.

This is my wheelhouse.

Fascinating.

Time will tell.

- Any more words or inspiration? - Yeah. We need the money.

And don't embarrass me.

You found James?

After all these years?

We don't want you to get your hopes up but

we would like to do a DNA test

just to confirm things one way or another.

The scar could match?

Do you have a picture?

Sorry.

It was taken this morning.

He's got your chin.

This must be overwhelming.

No, it's just I'm... I'm shocked that we might be able to find James.

I got a question for you. Do you, either of you,

do you remember, was it overcast the day that your...

son was abducted? Do you remember?

- It's 16 years ago. - I think it was overcast.

- It definitely was. - It was?

I think you're lying.

When people are telling the truth,

they don't feel the need to recall small details

many years later.

You're ashamed of something. What are you ashamed of?

- What are you talking about? - What is it? Is your son still alive?

What happened to James, Mrs. Knox?

Or did you murder him?

- Of course not. - Did you murder him?

- Did you kill him? - What is wrong with you? She didn't.

Did you kill him? Did you kill your son?

Did you torture him? Did you make him suffer?

No, it was an accident!

What?

I...

went into the kitchen

while the bath was running.

I don't know how.

He had drowned.

I was going right back.

I didn't mean to.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

I didn't want you to hate me.

- Maybe they're lying. - They're talking to the police now.

If I'm not James Knox...

Who am I?

You're the same person you were yesterday and the day before, Max.

Don't call me that, all right. I'm someone else.

Well, what do you want to be called, then?

Who do you want to be? You want to be Johnny?

You want to be a Paul? Do you want to be a Steve? You want to be a Sid?

You know, you look like a Steve to me.

All of these are boys

around your age that were abducted when they were babies or

when they were kids.

Which one is you?

I'm never gonna find out who I am. Right, that's what you're trying to say?

No, you know, you're a crap listener, boysie.

Really, pay attention, right. What I'm saying is I'm in.

Are you?

Think before you answer, because if we do go down this rabbit hole,

there's no telling what's gonna bite you.

I'm in.

He's in.

Max, you have to let this go.

He's not gonna.

I mean, why should he?

If he's not your son,

he should know why you've kept it from him.

I mean, either you've got a good reason or you're

monsters

who stole someone else's baby.

- That's ridiculous. - Is it?

Cops'll believe this?

I know you both love Max deeply

and you would never want to hurt him.

But you are. He's in a lot of pain.

You're not protecting him anymore.

You're just hurting him.

Her name was Cheyenne.

She was barely older than you are.

It can cost a fortune to adopt.

And back then,

we didn't have the money to pay for a service.

She didn't want any formal papers.

She just wanted out. And we wanted a baby.

We gave her some money for the hospital bills and that was it.

You were her baby,

but your our son.

Maxie, what? We've been good parents to you, haven't we?

Say what's on your mind, son.

Why didn't you tell me?

We thought if anyone learned the truth,

They'd take him away from you.

Who is she?

My mother.

Is this all of them?

These are the lead plaintiffs. There's another 80 names on the suit,

but these are the real bloodsuckers.

Or the real victims.

- Why are they even talking to us? - Digital corner sold it to their lawyer

as part of the investigation.

Well, let's be honest, who doesn't enjoy a good bitch session?

Gards shoving us and everything I can't lost his elbow. I needed it

Did you know that the doors opened 20 min late?

They didn't even have my tv in stock. It was a bait and switch.

- I was almost trampled to death. - Listen, we need to get paid.

Okay, it's our job to determine what started everything.

That's what we've been asking. The store hasn't turned over any security video.

Let's just begin with what you remember.

One of the rent-a-cops picked a fight. It was right behind me.

I saw him pushing folks around like cattle.

He was a bully. Damn near knocked me over.

All right, so this guard starts a brawl, and then everyone pushes for the door?

Can you describe him?

White guy, shaved head.

You all just shifted your gaze to this guy.

- You're looking to him for the answer. - You think we're lying?

Well, not consciously. It's more likely a case of memory conformity.

You've all heard each other's story, so you think it happened to you.

But you didn't remember the race of the guard because you never saw him.

So you go to the real source.

I'll be supervising these interviews.

Waylon said he was shopping for family. Eye shift downward says otherwise.

Educated guess, he was there for someone else, like his mistress.

Oh, and he is not your only client with a truthfulness allergy.

Delisha faked anger when Rita asked her about her arm.

Her eyebrows never pulled together, lips never pressed or tightened.

She's faking it.

That doesn't excuse the store or the security guard.

Oh, the bully? No, that wasn't a lie.

As far as we can tell.

Just because a few people are gaming the system

doesn't mean Digital Corner's off the hook.

What are you doing in the DMV database?

Your dad is committing a felony.

Why am I not surprised?

I'd take you with me, but that would make you an accessory after the fact.

Feel free.

I can't believe you found me.

He's been looking for me?

Oh, yeah, for a long time now.

Yeah, he just wants to meet you.

- He's here? - Yep.

There's nothing to be ashamed of. You did the right thing by him.

I want meet him.

Maxie boy.

You're up.

Max, this is Cheyenne Matson.

Oh, my God.

I knew I'd see you again someday.

- I just knew it. - I found you.

- I can't believe it. - Oh. Oh, my baby.

- Max. - What?

Stop hugging her, son.

Why?

'Cause she's lying. She's not your mother.

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

I gave birth to him in Virginia.

- And then I... - See, that's a lie.

What are you gonna do, you just gonna keep them coming, or are you done now?

Have you been drinking today?

No, I don't think it's alcohol.

I think it's drugs.

So what was your drug of choice back in the day. Was it "X"?

Meth?

Coke?

- There it is, cocaine. - What did you do?

Did you sell him for drugs? How did you get him?

I was on the pipe back then.

I got close with my dealer. He had this...

crash pad in D.C.

And I got there and there was this baby.

- Who's baby? - I don't know. I don't know.

He was crashing. And he said he was gonna smother him,

so I took the baby.

You kidnapped him? You were trying to protect him?

I saw this ad.

These people wanted a baby, so I said I was his mother.

What was the name of your drug dealer back in the day?

I only remember him as Romeo.

It was a long time ago.

Of course Max says he's fine. He's a 16-year-old boy.

Yeah, but that doesn't mean you have to coddle him, does it?

A hard truth in the long run is far better for you than a soft lie.

- We are talking about a child. - And what child are we talking about?

Foster here disapproves

my parenting techniques, which I think is a bit of a cheek, don't you?

So you're not actually talking about, let's say, an adolescent boy?

Should we be? You?

Then maybe you two can explain something to me.

- I'll do my level best. - Try to picture this.

I'm in Hilton Head, eighth hole, 2 under par, best game of my life.

Then all of a sudden I get this call from my FBI supervisor

wondering if my interest in 16-year-old boys is business

or purely recreational.

And which is it?

Well, see, that's what I'm hoping that you can help me with.

Because it seems like somebody here in D.C.

used my personal id number and password

to access an FBI database.

But when I'm not actually in D.C.,

That sets off alarms, so can either of you tell me

who I should blame for ruining my vacation?

Sorry, I just... I heard what happened.

Is there anything I can do?

You could stop looking at me like you think I'm a freak or screw-up.

I don't think you're screwed up, I think...

your family is. There's a big difference.

Perfect girl with the perfect life's some expert on messed up families now?

My dad's a human lie detector.

I have a family history of suicide,

and my divorced parents sleep together sporadically, fight...

constantly, and still insist we get together on holidays.

How's that for perfect?

At least you know who your parents are.

Anything I can do to help.

I promise,

one freak to another.

You know, I go away for one weekend,

and you two start acting like Bonnie and Klyde.

You're doing Christmas with me.

No one needed to convince me that bringing the authorities

into this case was a bad idea.

If you had come talked to me first, I could helped avoid all of this.

Any chance that can happen now?

Because of what these people did, a kidnapper got away abducting a baby.

Mr. and Mrs. Roland.

Are you here about Max? Have you seen him?

- No, what happened? - He left a note. He ran away.

We have a warrant for your arrests. You're Being charged with false adoption

and child endangerment. Come on, let's go.

So, bottom line, they're saying we provoked it,

but they don't have anything concrete.

Just firsthand accounts.

Well, the news footage didn't show anything.

Your security guards, they mention anything about bullying your customers?

Look. People resent authority.

I get it. My dad was a cop.

Mr. Bernardo, uh...

One of the things we do is look at body language.

And we've found that sometimes when people are feeling vulnerable,

they tend to cover their...

gonads.

Can you pull up that photo you showed me last month? You want me to do it?

Churchill at Yalta...

Roosevelt and Stalin are divvying up the world. Britain's being left out.

The hat placement says it all.

Now...

What is it you're not telling us?

We have some security video

of the parking lot and the storefront.

What does it show?

Things got a little heated between the guard and some of the customers.

But that was 10 minutes before the stampede.

That's embarrassing, but it's not a direct cause.

You're trying to bury the evidence?

We don't want the nightmare of someone posting it online.

But since you signed a non-disclosure agreement,

I'm happy to share it.

Cheyenne's description matches a former drug dealer on record

who went by the name "Romeo" like she said.

But the guy dropped off the grid a few years ago.

All right.

- What did Reynolds say about Max? - There's still no sign of him.

If he's on the run,

first person I'd want to talk to is Emily.

Bad boy fixated in finding the truth...

She probably feels like she's known him her whole life.

They haven't found Max yet.

Where are the cops looking for him?

I don't know. You got any ideas on that?

Oh, sure. He's at the secret hideout where all the teenage runaways go.

He's just some messed-up kid who got screwed over.

- You should take that. - Really?

Thanks.

They found Max's biological parents. They're bringing them in.

That's great. I mean, that's great, right?

Max is gone, though, and the state he was in when he ran,

he could be about to do something that could ruin his entire future.

I need you.

She knows where Max is.

Thanks for that.

Oh, for lying to Emily?

So I wouldn't have to.

Romeo's real name is Ray Blake

narcotics distribution, assault, spent 8 years in prison.

Any family who know where to find him?

He had a daughter, but she died while Blake was in prison.

They'll be happy to see you no matter what...

There he is.

Thank God.

- Where are my real parents? - I didn't find them.

Found you, though. Thanks, Em.

Now, I would have expected this kind of thing from him, but you lied to me.

I know.

No, she did what she had to do to help Max. He was in trouble.

Help him? You get his parents arrested, and then

you make me lie to him to get him back here?

- He'll be safe here. - Till you send him off to Foster care.

The FBI knows we have him. We will figure this out.

Now who's he gonna trust?

Did you find Blake?

All we've got is his old parole officer. That's it.

Foster, come on.

Mr. Donnelly, you were the parole officer

for a convict named Ray Blake, right?

In my old life.

Ray Blake?

He was a drug peddler.

Used to go by the name of Romeo.

No logical reason why.

Do you have any idea where we could find him now?

Creep was a gambler.

OTB in Bethesda was about the only place I could ever count on finding him.

You seem a little angry...

about your past life.

What, you didn't like being a parole officer then?

You know, my old boss sent me to the department shrink.

I don't think I need another one.

How'd you end up in that chair?

That's a little personal. Don't you think?

Very personal, I'd say.

I got a game to get back to.

Either you did something really bad back then, or...

something really bad was done to you. Which was it?

- That's none of your business. - It is.

This is important.

Fine.

16 years ago,

somebody broke into my house, killed my wife,

put a bullet in my back, and stole our baby son.

I broke the crowd into sectors.

I followed 6 people at a time

from the minute they showed up till the riot started.

You find someone to pin it on?

Watch this guy.

He moves through the crowd. This guy grabs him, pulls him back.

A second later, the sectors behind him surge forward.

- Mob mentality takes over. - Who do you think was in that stampede?

They weren't peace-loving hippies...

Working people, Loker.

Parents who can afford game systems and MP3 players one day a year.

So desperate to make their kids happy, they wake up at 4 AM to stand in line.

You're proving my point. Contagion theory says

crowds infect the people in them.

You can dress it up with science all you want. It's still an agenda.

You're trying to impress Lightman.

If I bring home 7 figures, he has to respect that.

I don't know why Lightman screws with you the way he does

or why he's got it in for you.

But I wouldn't get my hopes up about things changing.

Let's take Lightman out of it.

This video does not lie.

Let's go see the guy and see who's right.

- Why were you cutting the line? - Someone said the doors were opening.

Guess I got excited.

The look on your face isn't excitement.

It's not even aggression.

That's panic.

You were afraid,

before the stampede even started.

My daughter...

I told her to stay close. And when I heard her crying...

It's every parent's worst nightmare.

Then the crowd starting moving before I could get to her.

- Is she OK? - She got knocked down.

Her arm's broken in 3 places.

I don't know what we're gonna do about her hospital bills.

She wasn't hurt in that stampede, like you've claimed.

It happened before that, didn't it?

You think I hurt her?

But I do think that you are an opportunist.

Just tell us the truth. How did she break her arm?

It wasn't in the stampede, was it?

She fell.

When I heard her crying, I panicked. I went looking for her.

And the crowd thought that you were breaking its first rule...

Don't cut the line.

Or they saw you moving forward and assumed the doors're opening.

Either way, what they couldn't contemplate in that state of mind

was a father rushing to help his daughter.

OK, so what happened,

those people who died...

it was my fault?

He turned up this week.

Are you saying that you might have found my son?

Alive?

That was his photo.

But they cleared all my parolees.

- Blake fooled them, apparently. - When was the last time you saw Blake?

Maybe a year or two before that night, maybe more.

I'd given him a random drug test that he failed.

That's what sent him back to prison.

Blake's daughter died...

while he was serving that sentence.

I think he blamed you for breaking up his family.

He left you to live with the pain,

just like he felt you did to him.

Whatever. The...

The only thing that matters now...

is my son. So, what, if the DNA matches,

- he'll come home? - That's not up to us.

Well, I've waited 16 years for this.

If that's my son, I want him back.

I think we can put a bow on this one.

The man in the crowd started the stampede.

Shouldn't we find out about Ken's daughter before the stampede?

Is that why we were hired?

The client's could be happy...

They will be ecstatic. It'll save 'em millions.

And it's a pretty big payday for us.

I think you should take some of his windfall and have yourself

a little celebration, both of you.

Really?

As nauseating as it is for me to say this to you, Loker...

Well done.

I got us the last table at Marcelli's, 8:00.

- We're going big. - I'm gonna pass.

Lightman buying dinner is unprecedented.

These families deserve to know why their loved ones died in a parking lot.

We know what happened.

Some customers blindly followed when Ken pushed forward.

The others didn't want to be displaced. Either way, Ken was the stimulus.

How did his daughter break her arm?

I've been through the tapes many times, before the stampede and after.

There's no evidence.

Then have a nice dinner.

Taxi!

What's that glare?

Where?

Right there, that light coming off the asphalt?

What is that?

You wanna meet your father?

Here they are.

Hey.

Max, this is your...

biological father

John Donnelly.

Meet your son.

Hi.

You have your mother's eyes.

Owen...

Your name is Owen.

Is there anything you want to ask your father?

I play music.

I don't know why I said that.

I'd love to hear you play sometime.

Do you know anything about music?

I don't.

You like hockey. Right, Mr. Donnelly?

I have season tickets for the Capitals.

We could go next week.

For your birthday.

My birthday is in April.

And I don't play hockey anymore.

I quit.

- We don't have to go. - You have the wrong person.

Careful, son.

I'm your father, Owen.

No, this isn't my dad.

He doesn't even know who I am.

He loves you.

He has this whole time. He just couldn't find you.

You got the people who really love me arrested.

Give him a chance.

All right? He wants you in his life.

- I don't want him. - Finally, the truth.

He needs to hear it. That man in there, that's what you have.

So, deal with it.

- Max, we care about you. - I'm not your kid!

You want a kid, go have one of your own.

Want to lash out,

do you?

Go on then.

Give me your best shot. Go on then!

Come on...

Give me your best shot.

Come on in!

Is that enough?

Come on boy.

That enough?

We're working out the details, but it looks like

the settlement will be more in the neighborhood of 2 million,

not 20 million.

Your findings were worth every penny.

1.8 million...

That's a lot of zeroes.

Before we take this, we have a couple of outstanding questions.

What are your protocols for dealing with ice?

We salt.

You salted the parking lots and the sidewalks that morning?

- I'll show you the inventory... - That won't be necessary.

Classic evasion.

And you know what? We'll pass on the bogus paper trail.

If that girl doesn't slip on the ice, he never pushes through the crowd.

Couple that with your security guard's negligence

and the mindset of the crowd,

you've got a perfect storm.

If you're looking to renegotiate,

we can do that.

This is what we found.

Then I'm glad we have a non-disclosure agreement.

You can use the whole report or none of it.

Or I'll see that it leaks.

And then you'll have a tragedy and a cover-up.

We'll use none of it.

He can see me, can't he? Donnelly?

I came peacefully so he could see me.

Where did you find him?

He was outside of a liquor store, next to the OTB that Donnelly mentioned.

It'll take a few weeks for the FBI to confirm their DNA test.

If we can get a confession today,

you can go home with your father.

Your daughter was taken

from you when she was...

6, right? And she died in foster care?

You've been waiting for this day, haven't you?

You think the best thing you could have done for your daughter

was to avenge her death by stealing the son

of the man responsible.

He should have let me keep her.

I begged him.

You're going to jail for the rest of your life, you know that.

What do you want me to say?

The question really is, what do you want to say...

to Donnelly

before you disappear?

My only regret through this whole thing

is that you didn't know who did this to you.

Now you do.

So does his son.

What?

The boy found him. His son found him.

They're strangers.

Give them time, eh?

You want to tell me how we went from a 7-figure payday to nothing

It wasn't an ideal outcome...

No, it wasn't. We can barely keep our heads above water.

You decide to go ahead and sabotage

a potential elephant account.

What did you do? You put in 40 full hours on this?

And then there's Torres' time?

You've any idea where that's coming from?

- Your pocket. - Bloody right, my pocket!

- You promised me you'd deliver. - Shifting blame from the guilty party,

that wouldn't have been the truth.

You see, that choice...

That choice...

That's how you make your contribution to this firm.

We could go dark, for all I care.

We follow the truth here, right?

No matter the cost to our egos or our wallets.

- So, if I'd have taken the money... - I would have sacked you.

Can I get one of those "attaboy" speeches from yesterday?

I've run out.

You think this co-custody thing can really work?

2 sets of parents is better than none.

This is so screwed up.

Just give it a chance. It'll work itself out.

When in doubt, I just do what she says.

Go on. Off you go, son.

Hell of a rabbit hole.

We made it.

- Have you forgiven us? - I guess.

Have you?

You were protecting a friend, right?

You are your father's daughter.

I know a little bit about how crazy families can be.

You think he'll be all right?

Don't know.

Hope so.

Maybe we should invite him to Thanksgiving next year.

He'd fit right in with us.