Without a Trace
4.02 - "Safe"
Original airdate on CBS: 10/06/05
Transcribed from CBS
Written by: DAVID GRAE
Directed by: JEANNOT SZWARC
Transcribed for www.twiztv.com by Elise B.
Contact the transcriptionist at [email protected]
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DISCLAIMER:
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"WITHOUT A TRACE" and other related entities are owned, (TM) and (c) by JERRY BRUCKHEIMER Television, CBS Productions, and Warner Bros. Television (an AOL Time Warner Company). All Rights Reserved. This transcript was made without their permission, approval, authorization or endorsement. For Fair Use, for entertainment and for educational purposes only. Any reproduction, duplication or distribution of this material in any form is expressly prohibited. It is absolutely forbidden to use it for commercial gain.
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SUMMARY:
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The team investigates the disappearance of an unpopular high-school student who is obsessed with security, and it must determine whether the perpetrator is a victimized do-gooder or a bomber in hiding. Martin and Viv adjust to being back at work.
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TRANSCRIPT:
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FADE IN
[Ext: New York City (stock) - day]
[Int: Woodrow Wilson High School - cafeteria - day]
(A boy (RYAN) makes his way through the chaos of the cafeteria with his brown bag lunch. He pauses to look at a group of kids sitting at a table chatting, then signs and sits down at an empty table and pulls out his lunch. He glances again at the group, blows air into his now-empty paper bag and pops it.)
(This draws the glance of a boy at the other table. They stare at each other.)
(Ryan begins to eat his lunch and then vanishes.)
CUT TO:
[Ext: Woodrow Wilson High School - front entrance - day]
(sign reads: Woodrow Wilson High School founder 1957)
[caption: 20 HOURS MISSING]
CUT TO:
[Int: Woodrow Wilson High School - corridor - day]
(DANNY and SAMANTHA are walking through the school corridor, talking with the PRINICPAL)
SAMANTHA: Has Ryan had any emotional issues, visits to the school psychologist?
PRINCIPAL: No.
DANNY: Low grades lately?
PRINCIPAL: No, he’s pretty much an A-minus student every term. Excels in science, takes AP physics, won some awards.
SAMANTHA: You told the police that Ryan disappeared after the lunch period. He missed three classes. Is he prone to skipping classes?
PRINCIPAL: No, actually, he's had a perfect attendance record.
SAMANTHA: Well, why weren’t his parents notified?
PRINCIPAL: There are over 3 thousand students at this school. We do our best with limited resources. Here’s his locker. It’s 1252. (She pauses, surprised, in front of the locker.)
DANNY: Have you seen this before?
PRINCIPAL: No.
(THE END is written in red marker on Ryan’s locker.)
[fadeout to: white board: 7A – NY 62781 RYAN WALLACE]
END TEASER
TITLE CREDITS
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
FADE IN
[Int: FBI offices - elevator - day]
(The numbers on the elevated systematically illuminate, indicating the moving elevator. Inside the elevator MARTIN leans against the wall, watching the numbers. He flinches, takes a deep breath, then steps off at floor 12. Just as he is making his way down the hallway, DANNY reaches the elevator, reading from a file. He glances up and sees MARTIN.)
(He focuses on MARTIN’s uneven walk and the cane he is using. Clearly wanting to say something but not knowing what to say, DANNY gets onto the elevator.)
CUT TO:
[Int: FBI offices – bullpen - continuous]
FEMALE AGENT: Hey, Martin. Welcome back.
MARTIN: Thanks.
(He reaches his desk. He leans over to fix his temperamental desk lamp, VIVIAN approaches.)
VIVIAN: Hey. Look who’s back.
MARTIN: Hey.
VIVIAN: How’re you going?
MARTIN: Oh, I’m doing great. How’re you doing?
(They hug. MARTIN flinches, but says nothing to VIVIAN.)
VIVIAN: Well, I’ve been back a week already. People went missing. We have to find them, right?
MARTIN: Yeah, right. So, who do we got on the board?
VIVIAN: Ryan Wallace. 15-year-old. Last seen HS 402 during lunch yesterday. His mom’s out of town. She’s a flight attendant. But I’m heading over to his apartment to interview his sister.
MARTIN: Okay.
VIVIAN: Look, I’m sure Jack will call you when things get rolling.
MARTIN: Yeah, I’m sure he will.
VIVIAN: Welcome back.
MARTIN: Thanks.
[caption: 21 HOURS MISSING]
CUT TO:
[Int: Wallace apartment - kitchen - day]
(JACK and VIVIAN interview Ryan's sister, CLAIRE WALLACE, at their apartment.)
JACK: When’s your mother going to be back?
CLAIRE WALLACE: I don't know. I informed the airline, but she was already on her way to Detroit. I’m sure when the plane touches down, she’ll turn right around.
JACK: How often is she out of town?
CLAIRE WALLACE: Two to three days a week. Depends on the time of year.
VIVIAN: What about your father?
CLAIRE WALLACE: He was killed six years ago.
JACK: How?
CLAIRE WALLACE: He was mugged.
VIVIAN: With your father gone and your mother away a lot, it must be very tough on Ryan.
CLAIRE WALLACE: Yeah. He worries.
JACK: About what?
CLAIRE WALLACE: About everything. It only got worse after 9-11.
JACK: Why?
CLAIRE WALLACE: He was there that day. He saw the planes hit. Saw the people jumping out of the buildings.
VIVIAN: Can I take a look at his room?
CLAIRE WALLACE: Yeah.
JACK: I can't imagine your mother being a flight attendant helps any.
CLAIRE WALLACE: Well, he goes on about how she needs these anti-missile-systems. He goes kinda crazy about it.
CUT TO:
[Int: Wallace apartment – Ryan’s bedroom - day]
(VIVIAN looks around the room. She imagines RYAN hanging artwork on the walls, featuring a comic-book character called ‘The Wart’)
CUT TO:
[Int: Wallace apartment - kitchen - day]
JACK: Someone wrote the words “The End” on his school locker. Do you have any idea what that means?
CLAIRE WALLACE: No.
JACK: Do you know where he hangs out after school?
CLAIRE WALLACE: Look. I’m sorry. I have two jobs. I don’t know where Ry goes or what he does or anything.
JACK: But you were with him the night before he disappeared?
CLAIRE WALLACE: Yeah.
JACK: Notice anything unusual?
CLAIRE WALLACE: I was running in from work. I barely had time to talk, but yeah. Yeah, he was acting kind of out of it.
FLASHBACK TO:
[Int: Wallace apartment – night]
(RYAN sits on the couch watching TV as CLAIRE runs in.)
CLAIRE WALLACE: Hey Ry. How’re you doing?
RYAN: Fine.
CLAIRE WALLACE: Superman marathon? Not-so-fat Marlon Brando about to appear in the ice castle, right?
RYAN: Fortress of Solitude. You wanna watch?
CLAIRE WALLACE: Love to. But us sexy secretaries are having a girls night. Woo.
RYAN: Whatever.
(The phone rings. CLAIRE runs to answer it.)
CLAIRE WALLACE: Hello. Hey Charlie. What up, big guy? Yeah, hold on. (to Ryan) Maybe he could come over?
RYAN: Tell him I’m not here right now.
CLAIRE WALLACE: You’ve seen this like a million times.
RYAN: I just don’t want to talk.
CLAIRE WALLACE: (To the phone) He’ll call you back, okay? Okay. Bye.
END FLASHBACK. RESUME TO PRESENT.
CLAIRE WALLACE: I shouldn’t have gone out. I should have stayed and watched that stupid movie.
JACK: Who’s Charlie?
CLAIRE WALLACE: His best friend. Charlie Lane. They’ve been inseparable since like the third grade.
JACK: And what can you tell me about him?
CLAIRE WALLACE: Charlie’s big. Kinda not so bright. Ryan skipped the second grade cause he's like this genius, and they just kinda found each other. Charlie protects Ryan. Ryan does Charlie’s homework. They take care of each other. Perfect pair, huh?
JACK: Do you know why your brother didn’t want to talk to him?
CLAIRE WALLACE: No. No, I can’t imagine.
[white board: 1 DBD 8pm: Refuses call from friend]
CUT TO:
[Int: Woodrow Wilson High School – classroom - day]
DANNY: Does Ryan have any friends in your class?
TEACHER: I haven’t really noticed anyone that he hangs around with?
DANNY: Anyone ever pick on him?
TEACHER: Well. You know, it was just the anniversary of 9-11. So I thought it would be a good idea to debate the idea of putting a new skyscraper up at Ground Zero. Ryan had some pretty strong opinions about it.
FLASHBACK TO:
(The students are engaged in debate, as the TEACHER mediates.)
MARISSA: It's about pride. We have to rebuild this for ourselves.
TEACHER: Okay. Very good, Marissa. Any other opinions? (Ryan raises his hand.) Ryan.
RYAN: I was just going to say, maybe it's not such a good idea to build there.
LAQUAN: Oh, yeah? What idea you got, tiny?
RYAN: Not another million-dollar target.
LAQUAN: Well, damn. You just want to let them terrorist dogs win?
RYAN: All I’m saying is that they hit us in ’93 and we didn’t protect it. People just went right back to work there. What did they expect?
LAQUAN: So what are you saying? That the people who died in them towers were stupid?
RYAN: No. The government should have done a better job protecting them.
LAQUAN: Yo. My uncle was a janitor in Building One.
TEACHER: Laquan, settle down.
RYAN: They’re not looking out for us. I mean, do you really feel safer today than before?
(LAQUAN gets up, and pulls RYAN up from his seat by his shirt. The TEACHER forces them apart.)
TEACHER: Laquan, sit down! Laquan! Are you okay, Ryan?
RYAN: Yeah.
END FLASHBACK. RESUME TO PRESENT.
TEACHER: I shouldn’t have let it go that far. But I wanted to give them a chance to open up about it.
DANNY: Are any of these kids violent?
TEACHER: They’ve had hard lives. Some of them can be, sure.
DANNY: Can Laquan be violent?
TEACHER: Well, yes. But he’s on a student government trip. He’s been in D.C. since yesterday morning.
CUT TO:
[Int: FBI offices – bullpen - day]
(MARTIN is looking at maps and talking on his cell phone.)
(JACK approaches but doesn’t interrupt. MARTIN sees him and nods.)
MARTIN: Mm-hmm. Really? Okay. Well, if that’s the case, let’s expand it five blocks in every direction. (To Jack) Canvas. (On phone) Right, to Delancy to the north. Look, I’ve got to run. Thanks. (He hangs up.) Hey.
JACK: Hey. You look good.
MARTIN: Thanks. Feel good.
JACK: (He shrugs, looking relatively uncomfortable.) How’s the physical therapy?
MARTIN: You know. It’s coming along. Good.
JACK: That’s great. Um, we have a bunch of stuff coming in from Ryan’s apartment. I’d appreciate it if you could look through it. See what you can dig up.
MARTIN: Alright. I can do that.
JACK: It’s good to see you back.
(JACK walks away through the Bullpen. VIVIAN rushes to catch up to him.)
VIVIAN: Jack, you got a sec? I was just wondering when you were planning on taking off the training wheels.
JACK: What’s that supposed to mean?
VIVIAN: I’ve been back for a week. You’re barely letting me do any interviews and limiting my time in the field. I mean, I should be at the school helping out Danny and Sam.
JACK: You just had major surgery.
VIVIAN: And my doctors say that my heart is stronger than ever.
JACK: Look, I’m just not comfortable putting you out in the field just yet.
VIVIAN: So what would you like me to do besides check my email?
JACK: The kid’s computer is in the tech room. (She walks away.) I mean, you can check that if you want.
[caption: 22 HOURS MISSING]
CUT TO:
[Int: Woodrow Wilson High School – gym - day]
(SAMANTHA waits to interview Ryan’s friend, CHARLE)
COACH: Yo. Charlie.
CHARLIE: What’s up, Coach?
COACH: Keep playing fellas. This is Agent Spade from the FBI. She wants to talk to you about Ryan Wallace. (Charlie nods.)
CHARLIE: Is Ryan still gone?
SAMANTHA: Yeah. Do you mind if we take a seat? Do you have any idea where he might be?
CHARLIE: No, sorry.
SAMANTHA: You’re his best firend, right?
CHARLIE: Uh, we don’t really hang anymore.
SAMANTHA: Since when?
CHARLIE: A couple months?
SAMANTHA: What happened then?
CHARLIE: I failed Algebra and hooked up with some guys in summer school.
SAMANTHA: Ah. Seven years of friendship over jus tlike that.
CHARLIE: We were little when we met. I’ve got a girlfriend now. Things change. It happens. No big deal.
SAMANTHA: Why’d you call his house the other day?
CHARLIE: What do you mean?
SAMANTHA: Well, Ryan's sister said you called.
CHARLIE: I felt bad about what had happened that day at lunch. You probably already know all about it.
SAMANTHA: No, I don’t. Why don’t you tell me?
CHARLIE: Well, we were all kinda hard on him.
FLASHBACK TO:
[Int: Woodrow Wilson High School - cafeteria - day]
(Ryan sits eating his lunch and reading comic book. Three boys, CHARLIE, LAQUAN, and another boy, LANCE, come up to him. RYAN attempts to ignore them.)
LAQUAN: Aw. Check it out, ya’ll. 9-11 boy reads comic books.
LANCE: Sure that’s okay with Osama, stubby?
LAQUAN: What? Are we too stupid for you. You ain’t going to talk to us?
LANCE: (He snatches the comic book away from Ryan.) Whoa. Techno-riot. That sounds scary, buddy.
LAQUAN: Yo. I said, are we too stupid for you?
LANCE: Is that it? Or are you just a scared little bitch?
(As they lean over to get into his face, Ryan looks desperately at Charlie for help, but gets nothing.)
LAQUAN: He’s gonna cry.
LANCE: Aw. You gonna cry now?
RYAN: (He gets up from the table and pushes Charlie away.) Get the hell away from me, you morons!
LANCE: Charlie, dude.
LAQUAN: What the ehYou better do something about that, man.
(Charlie shoves Ryan backward over the table and onto the floor. Ryan struggles up and looks at Charlie with tears in his eyes.)
LANCE: Dude.
LAQUAN: Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. Bitch.
CHARLIE: Guess he is just a scared little bitch.
LAQUAN: That’s right, man.
(Ryan picks up his comic book and walks out of the cafeteria.)
END FLASHBACK. RESUME TO PRESENT.
CHARLIE: It was a stupid thing to do. I know it was. That’s why I was calling to apologize.
SAMANTHA: These ‘friends’ of yours? Were they done with him or did they have plans to go after him again?
CHARLIE: No. That was it. They wouldn’t do much more than that.
SAMANTHA: Do you, uh, do y know where Ryan hangs out after school?
CHARLIE: Not anymore.
SAMANTHA: Did you see his locker today?
CHARLIE: Yeah, I saw it. But I didn’t do it.
SAMANTHA: I didn’t ask you if you did it. Do you know what it means?
CHARLIE: I don’t know. No clue.
CUT TO:
[Int: FBI offices - tech room - day]
MARTIN: Anything on the hard drive?
VIVIAN: Nothing but exams and term papers so far.
TECH (MACK): Up to our asses in Marie Antoinette and letting everybody eat cake.
(MARTIN glances across at VIVIAN)
VIVIAN: Martin Fitzgerald, meet James Mackeroy.
TECH (MACK): Hey. You can call me Mack.
MARTIN: Alright, Mack. Lot of things changing around here.
TECH (MACK): For the better, I hope.
VIVIAN: How’re we doing on the canvassing?
MARTIN: It’s been expanded, but nothing so far. (her phone rings) Johnson.
TECH (MACK): (to MARTIN) I, uh, I heard what happened to you. Six weeks and you’re back on the job. That’s pretty impressive.
MARTIN: I had good nurses.
TECH (MACK): Right.
VIVIAN: Handwriting expert says that it was Ryan who wrote "The End" on his locker.
MARTIN: So, do we have any files with "The End" in them?
TECH (MACK): We’ll check. Hm. Here’s one from a couple of days ago.
(The computer shows what appears to be a schematic of the construction of a bomb.)
VIVIAN: Is that what I think it is?
(An image of the school’s façade appears, and then explodes.)
MARTIN: That’s the school.
FLASHBACK TO:
[Int: Woodrow Wilson High School - corridor - day]
(Ryan scribbles “The End” on his locker with a marker, then slams the door and walks away down the hall)
FADE OUT
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
FADE IN
[caption: 23 HOURS MISSING]
CUT TO:
[Int: Woodrow Wilson High School – exterior - day]
(Students are being ushered out of the school. The entire building is surrounded by law enforcement vehicles. JACK drives up. As he gets out of the car, DANNY goes over to meet him.)
DANNY: Hey. Our bomb squad’s in. Nothing yet. NYPD’s doing a room-to-room to make sure all the kids are out.
JACK: Okay. Hey! Where the hell are you going?
DANNY: Going to help with the room-to-room.
JACK: PD’s got it covered. I don’t want you going back into that building, you understand?
DANNY: Yeah. I understand.
JACK: Do we have a problem here?
DANNY: (sarcastic) No. No problem at all. Sir.
JACK: Right. Go talk to school security. Press them on the last 48 hours.
(One of the teachers walks over to Jack as he approaches the school.)
BEN HARRISON: Excuse me. Excuse me. Are you with the police?
JACK: Yes, FBI. Now, if you’d please get behind the safety lines.
BEN HARRISON: I’m Ben Harrison. I was Ryan’s social studies teacher last year.
JACK: Tell me what you know, Mr. Harrison.
BEN HARRISON: Well, when I heard Ryan was missing, I didn’t quite put it together. But now this.
JACK: Put what together?
BEN HARRISON: We were getting ready for final projects. That’s what I do in my class instead of a final exam because it encourages them to...
JACK: Please, Mr. Harrison. Spare me your teaching philosophy. Just cut to the chase.
BEN HARRISON: Right. Well, Ryan pitched me a project idea on school safety. And at first, it sounded like an interesting concept. But then he really blindsided me.
FLASHBACK TO:
[Int: high school corridor - day]
BEN HARRISON: You want to create a plan to bomb the school?
RYAN: I’ll expose the holes in security and the administration will be forced to implement appropriate safety measures.
BEN HARRISON: It's very clever, but it’s just too inflammatory.
RYAN: Exactly. You know they’ll only react if something happens. But then it’ll be too late.
BEN HARRISON: Ryan. Are you afraid something will happen?
RYAN: I’m afraid for everyone. Last week, I saw a kid with a gun in his locker. How’d it get through the metal detectors? Can you tell me that?
BEN HARRISON: Who was it?
RYAN: I don’t know.
BEN HARRISON: Well did you report it?
RYAN: You don’t get it! Anyone could do anything anytime. We’re no safer than the people in those towers. And no one’s paying any attention.
BEN HARRISON: I respect your passion, but you know I can’t let you move forward with it.
END FLASHBACK. RESUME TO PRESENT.
BEN HARRISON: Later, I got him to calm down and he apologized. He promised he’d stop working on it if I didn’t report him.
JACK: Oh, well. As long as he promised. Mr. Harrison. It was a cry for help. Did you contact his mother?
BEN HARRISON: I thought it was handled.
JACK: Looks like the kid’s right. No one is paying attention.
[white board: 4 MBD: pitches ‘safety’ project to teacher]
CUT TO:
[Int: FBI offices – bullpen - day]
(VIVIAN and SAMANTHA go through Ryan’s papers.)
SAMANTHA: So what are we dealing with here? School bomber or safety advisor?
VIVIAN: I don’t know. But this kid is pretty smart. I mean, these are detailed schedules of when the security guards change shift, when the janitor props the doors open.
SAMANTHA: Cunning little kid.
VIVIAN: Wounded and cunning. Dangerous combination.
SAMANTHA: Yeah.
MARTIN: Talking about me? (MARTIN approaches them, carrying two take-out containers.)
SAMANTHA: Hey.
MARTIN: Hey.
SAMANTHA: Here. Let me.
MARTIN: Thanks. (She takes the food from him and puts it on the desk. They hug. She holds him for a fraction longer than is just friendly.)
SAMANTHA: Why? Welcome back. You, um…(She glances down at his cane, not sure what to say.)
MARTIN: (He grins.) I left my top hat in the car.
(Vivian smiles, but doesn't want to intrude.)
SAMANTHA: (softly) You look good.
MARTIN: Thanks. So do you.
SAMANTHA: Thanks.
MARTIN: How’s it, how’s it coming with the comic books?
VIVIAN: I looked at them in his room. There were no receipts, no bags with store imprints on them. They could have come from anywhere.
MARTIN: (He picks up a comic book from the desk.) The Wart. Looks like an indie.
SAMANTHA: Does that mean limited release?
MARTIN: Yeah, could be. Let’s check out their website.
(SAMANTHA types the address into the computer.)
SAMANTHA: Okay. It is limited release. Only sold at three newsstands in New York. One on Staten Island, one in Brooklyn, and one in Manhattan.
SAMANTHA and MARTIN: Downtown.
(VIVIAN pulls out her cell phone.)
[caption: 24 HOURS MISSING]
CUT TO:
[Ext: New York city street - day]
(DANNY approaches a newsstand vendor)
DANNY: Excuse me. Excuse me. I’m Special Agent Taylor. I’m with the FBI.
VENDOR: To what do I owe this honor?
DANNY: The honor's mine. Do you recognize this kid?
VENDOR: Sure. He’s always here. Comic book freak.
DANNY: When was the last time you saw him?
VENDOR: Ah, yesterday afternoon. Why? Is he in trouble?
DANNY: No. He’s missing.
VENDOR: Oh gosh. I…
DANNY: What?
VENDOR: I, I don’t know. It didn’t seem like no big thing, but now you say he’s missing, maybe it is.
FLASHBACK TO:
(Ryan comes up to the stand, buys an issue of “The Wart”)
VENDOR: Hope the good guys kick some tush.
RYAN: Thanks.
VENDOR: Enjoy.
(As Ryan walks away, a car pulls up next to him and honks its horn. Ryan goes over to the window.)
END FLASHBACK. RESUME TO PRESENT.
VENDOR: They talked for a minute, then the kid got in the car and they drove away.
DANNY: Do you remember what kind of car it was?
VENDOR: Yeah. It was a mid-80s Oldsmobile Cutlass. Maybe yellow or gold or something.
DANNY: Good memory. Did it look like he knew the guy inside the car?
VENDOR: Well, I figure it’s the kid he’s comes here with, you know.
DANNY: What kid?
VENDOR: Oh, I don’t know no names. Big guy.
DANNY: Big, as in tall?
VENDOR: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
DANNY: Thank you. (He runs back to his car.)
[white board: 3:30PM: Gets into car – with Charlie?]
CUT TO:
[Ext: Woodrow Wilson High School - day]
(The students are slowly filing back into the building. Jack approaches a group of teachers.)
JACK: Terrell Grant?
TERRELL GRANT: I’m Mr. Grant. You sure it’s safe to go back in there?
JACK: Well, there’s no bomb. Other than that, you’re on your own. I understand that you’re Charlie Lane’s study hall teacher.
TERRELL GRANT: That’s right.
JACK: Know where he is?
TERRELL GRANT: I haven’t seen him.
JACK: Was he here yesterday afternoon?
TERRELL GRANT: No. He said he had a doctor’s appointment.
JACK: Anybody else absent?
TERRELL GRANT: Just Lance, Lance Carson.
JACK: You wouldn’t know what kind of car Lance drives, would you?
TERRELL GRANT: I think I saw him in an old Cutlass.
JACK: Okay. Thank you.
CUT TO:
[Ext: New York city street – day]
(A group of kids play in the water from a fire hydrant. DANNY and JACK walk past a man in a wheelchair and knock on a ground-floor door. The man in the wheelchair, TODD CARSON, yells at them.)
TODD CARSON: What the hell do you want? You from the V.A.?
JACK: You Todd Carson?
TODD CARSON: Yeah.
JACK: (showing his badge) Special Agent Malone. This is Special Agent Taylor. We’re from the FBI.
TODD CARSON: Feds. You gonna give me another medal for outstanding service in the Guards?
JACK: We just wondered if we could take a look around your place.
TODD CARSON: What’s this about?
DANNY: Is your son Lance around?
TODD CARSON: He’s probably still in school.
DANNY: We’ve been looking for this kid. Seen him?
TODD CARSON: Yeah. He was with Lance and another boy yesterday. Goofing around in the basement.
JACK: Do you mind?
TODD CARSON: Knock yourself out.
CUT TO:
[Int: Carson basement - continuous]
(The two men enter the basement with flashlights and guns out. DANNY looks around.)
DANNY: Clear.
(They explore the basement, finding an exposed electrical wire connected to a plug in the wall, a rag on the ground, and a puddle of what appears to be urine. Jack finds an upholstered chair with remnants of duct tape on the arms. There is a bloodstain on one arm of the chair.)
DANNY: What is it?
(Jack imagines what happened in the basement. The two boys electrocute a tied and gagged Ryan with the exposed wire.)
FADE OUT
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
FADE IN
[caption: 27 HOURS MISSING]
CUT TO:
[Int: FBI offices – hallway outside Interview Room - day]
(SAMANTHA approaches JACK, who is watching the boy, LANCE CARSON, sitting in the Interview Room)
SAMANTHA: Hey. Okay. Preliminary forensics confirm it's Ryan's blood and urine.
JACK: Abu Ghraib comes to high school.
SAMANTHA: Yeah. And Lance’s father didn’t hear anything. You buy that?
JACK: I don’t know. He might have been doped up on painkillers.
SAMANTHA: Hmmm.
(Martin joins the group.)
MARTIN: Hey. Ryan’s mom just got in from Detroit.
JACK: What about Charlie?
MARTIN: MIA. His parents say they have no idea he is, but you know how that goes, so we’re going to monitor their apartment building and their phones.
JACK: Okay. Why don’t you interview Ryan’s mother? Sam, put out an APB on Charlie. (Martin smiles at finally having something to do.)
SAMANTHA: Okay.
MARTIN: Okay.
JACK: Thanks.
CUT TO:
[Int: FBI offices - interview room - continuous]
JACK: I’m Special Agent Malone.
LANCE: Hm. Impressive title.
JACK: Oh, you’re a funny guy. (He lays out pictures taken of the basement.) These are pretty impressive, don’t you think?
LANCE: That’s my basement. So what?
JACK: You know, you really should tidy it up better after torturing your classmates.
LANCE: What?
JACK: You duct-taped Ryan to a chair and shocked him with an electrical cord.
LANCE: No, I didn’t!
JACK: Yeah, we found his blood on the chair and his urine on the floor. Do not mess with me.
LANCE: Alright, look, ma. We shocked him a little. But we had no choice.
JACK: You had no choice? Life’s full of choices – you just chose 20 to life.
LANCE: Hey, he went all section A sicko on us. He totally schizzed out.
FLASHBACK TO:
[Int: Woodrow Wilson High School - corridor - day]
(RYAN comes up to LANCE and CHARLIE)
RYAN: I’m doing it.
CHARLIE: What?
RYAN: The bomb plan. And you’re going to go to jail for it.
LANCE: What the hell are you talking about?
CHARLIE: Give us a minute.
RYAN: I’m going to give all the plans to the police. Your fingerprints are all over them.
CHARLIE: But we did it for fun. It was just a dumb school project. You said we would never really do it for real.
RYAN: Well, now we are.
CHARLIE: Ry, I’m sorry about lunch today. Come on, man. Let’s just forget about it, okay?
RYAN: I never would have done that to you. Never. I’m going to plant the bomb. But I’m going to change the location so you’ll never find it in time.
CHARLIE: You’ll blow…
RYAN: Tomorrow afternoon at 5:00 your life is over.
(RYAN walks away down the hall, leaving CHARLIE looking worried.)
END FLASHBACK. RESUME TO PRESENT.
LANCE: I mean, Charlie tried calling him that night, you know, to talk him down, but the twerp wouldn’t even come to the phone.
JACK: Why didn’t you call the police?
LANCE: We couldn’t! Look, Charlie had helped make the plan with him. I mean, he had no alibi and there was no time. What would the police do?
JACK: Get out of my airspace. Just sit back. So you what? Went and got Ryan in your dad’s car?
LANCE: I gave Charlie the car. He knew where Ryan would be and we met back to my place.
JACK: Where you proceeded to torture him.
LANCE: Look, we were just going to scare him, alright? Rough him up a little to get the location of the bomb out of him. But he was being a wiseass and wouldn’t tell us nothing! Look, I know what’s up in the world today. I know. And sometimes you got to get it done.
FLASHBACK TO:
[Int: Carson basement - day]
(RYAN is tied up in the chair. LANCE and CHARLIE threaten him.)
LANCE: Where’s the bomb, freak.
RYAN: In your ass, with your head!
CHARLIE: Dammit, Ryan, It’s almost 4:00. Just tell us where it is.
LANCE: I’ll get it out of him.
CHARLIE: What are you doing?
LANCE: Taking care of business
(LANCE dumps a bucket of water on RYAN)
RYAN: Oh, I’m wet. Now I’ll tell you everything.
CHARLIE: Shut up, Ry!
LANCE: This is your last chance, Ryan.
(Lance grabs the electrical cord and separates the wires.
RYAN: What? You going to kill me?
CHARLIE: Lance. Lance!
LANCE: These are our lives, Charlie! We have to handle this. (He shocks him with the electrical wire. Ryan screams.)
CHARLIE: Come on, Ry. Just tell us where it is.
RYAN: I made it up. I made it all up. There’s no bomb.
LANCE: What?
RYAN: Sorry. I was just trying to scare you. Charlie, please.
(LANCE shoves the rag in RYAN’s mouth and continues to shock him.)
LANCE: Where’s the bomb?
CHARLIE: He said he didn't do it.
LANCE: Shut up. Where is it?
CHARLIE: Come on, you guys. Stop it.
LANCE: Where? Where? Where!
RYAN: It’s in the boiler. The boiler room.
LANCE: See that.
END FLASHBACK. RESUME TO PRESENT.
JACK: So. Did you find the bomb?
LANCE: No. I figured he lied about where he put it. Why do you think I wasn’t in school today?
JACK: So, self-preservation trumped the safety of your classmates.
LANCE: This was Charlie and Ryan’s thing.
JACK: And when you got back to the basement?
LANCE: They were both gone.
JACK: Have you talked to Charlie since?
LANCE: I haven’t seen either of them. I don’t know what Charlie did with him.
CUT TO:
[INT: FBI offices – Jack’s office - day]
(MARTIN interviews Ryan’s mother.)
MARTIN: Apparently Charlie thought that Ryan was planning on bombing the school. That they had actually worked out a plan it together.
MRS. WALLACE: What?
MARTIN: Did you know anything about that?
MRS. WALLACE: He wouldn’t…Ryan would never hurt anyone. Ever since his father died. All he ever wanted to do was protect people. You should see the way he worries about me when I go away.
MARTIN: You’ve known Charlie Lane for a while, right?
MRS. WALLACE: Yes.
MARTIN: Has he ever acted violently before toward Ryan?
MRS. WALLACE: Of course not. They love each other. I can’t imagine what must be going on with Charlie. I…(She starts to cry.)
MARTIN: (He places his hand over hers to offer some comfort.) Excuse me.
CUT TO:
[Int: FBI offices - corridor - continuous]
(DANNY watches MARTIN from the hallway as he carefully and painfully reaches for his cane, gets up from the chair and leaves the office. Deciding he can’t avoid him forever, he calls out to MARTIN.)
DANNY: Hey.
MARTIN: Hey.
DANNY: How’ve you been?
MARTIN: Yeah, I’m okay
(DANNY glances at MARTIN's cane, then into the office at RYAN's mother.)
DANNY: Good. Tough case to come back to, huh?
MARTIN: Yeah, sure is.
DANNY: Look, Martin. I’m…I’m sorry that I haven’t been by to see you in a while.
MARTIN: Come on, man. There’s no worries. I mean, I was kind of out of it anyway. So, it’s…it’s cool.
DANNY: Cool. Okay. I’m gonna head back to my desk. I want to finish this, alright?
MARTIN: Alright. (As DANNY walks away) It's good to see you.
CUT TO:
[Int: FBI offices - tech room - day]
(SAMANTHA and MACK both have headphones on. VIVIAN comes in.)
VIVIAN: We get any pops on Charlie's cell?
MACK: No. Looks like he's still in the Big Apple.
SAMANTHA: We tried him from his parents' and grandparents' numbers. He's not biting. Jack's going to try something with Lance.
VIVIAN: Whatever happened to wedgies?
SAMANTHA: Yeah.
CUT TO:
[Int: FBI offices - interview room - day]
(LANCE is pacing behind the table when JACK enters, carrying some equipment.)
LANCE: What's the deal, man?
JACK: Sit down.
(He does. JACK sits across from him at the table, setting down the device he is carrying and beginning to arrange the wires and cables.)
JACK: Charlie have any reason to fear you?
LANCE: No.
JACK: I want you to pick up your phone and call him.
LANCE: Alright, but... Okay, then you got to do something for me. Like, you know, immunity.
JACK: Immunity from what?
LANCE: From what we did to Ryan.
JACK: What did you do to Ryan?
LANCE: I already told you.
JACK: Well, I think you killed him.
LANCE: What?
JACK: I think you killed Charlie too.
LANCE: Why would I kill Charlie?
JACK: Because you were afraid he'd fold.
LANCE: No. Hey, hey. No! Listen to me, I told you the truth, man.
JACK: (starting to get angry) Let me tell you something. We don't find your friends, the truth's not going to matter. Juries convict sick bastards like you every day. And five minutes late they're going to get a book deal.
LANCE: I'm telling you...
JACK: (interrupting) You draw the wrong judge, the one that's looking to run for governor. We're talking lethal injection. You're 17. They can try you as an adult.
LANCE: No, but I swear to God, I didn't kill anyone!
JACK: Then pick up the phone and call your friend and prove to me that he's okay.
(LANCE gets his phone out to dial. JACK connects it to his equipment.)
JACK: I want you to tell him that everything is okay and that you're in the clear.
(JACK picks up the phone now connected to LANCE's.)
INTERCUT WITH:
[Ext: New York city - alley - day]
(CHARLIE sits in the alley, leaning against a dumpster.)
CHARLIE: (on phone): Lance? What's going on, man? Are they after us?
CUT TO:
[Int: FBI offices - tech room - day]
(MACK flicks a dial on his equipment. He and SAMANTHA are now listening in on the coversation via speaker phone.)
CUT TO:
[Int: FBI offices - interview room - day]
LANCE: No, everything's cool, bro. They're, um...We're in the clear, man.
CHARLIE: You sure, man?
CUT TO:
[Int: FBI offices - tech room - day]
MACK: Got him. He's downtown.
CUT TO:
[Int: FBI offices - interview room - day]
CHARLIE: (on phone) I mean, how do you know?
LANCE: I just do. They're not after us dude.
CHARLIE: Are you sure?
JACK: (to LANCE) Tell him you'll pick him up.
LANCE: Yeah. Listen. I'll come pick you up, alright?
CHARLIE: I don't know. I don't know, man. I'm all messed up, dude.
JACK: (to LANCE) Ask him why.
LANCE: Why?
CHARLIE: I feel so bad. I feel so bad about what we did.
JACK: (taking over) Charlie. I need you to stay calm and stay put. We're tracking you and we'll come to pick you up.
CHARLIE: What? Who are you?
JACK: I'm with the FBI. We want to help you.
CHARLIE: Oh god. Oh god.
JACK: Charlie, I need you to stay calm and starting talking to me.
FADE OUT
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
FADE IN
[caption: 29 HOURS MISSING]
CUT TO:
[Int: FBI offices - Jack's office - day]
(SAMANTHA enters with CHARLIE. CHARLIE's parents sit across from JACK.)
MRS. LANE: Hi, sweetheart.
JACK: Sit down, Charlie.
(CHARLIE sits. SAMANTHA moves to stand behind JACK's chair.)
JACK: Where's Ryan?
CHARLIE: (indicating SAMANTHA) I already told her. I don't know.
SAMANTHA: You were the last one to see him alive, Charlie.
MRS. LANE: Honey, if you know anything, you've got to tell them.
CHARLIE: But I don't. I was the one that let him go.
JACK: So what? You tortured him, had a little chit-chat, and said goodbye? Is that it?
MR. LANE: Hey, we agreed to do this without a lawyer. Just go easy.
JACK: I'm not going easy, Mr. Lane. Your son tortured his friend, and he doesn't want to face the consequences.
SAMANTHA: Charlie. Something else happened in that basement. Why don't you tell us what it was?
CHARLIE: Ryan was so messed up. I just wanted him to leave.
FLASHBACK TO:
[Int: Carson basement - day]
(CHARLIE cuts the tape holding RYAN's legs to the chair using a boxcutter.)
RYAN: Why did you let him do that, Charlie?
CHARLIE: Shut up, dude. Just shut up.
RYAN: I didn't. I didn't plant the bomb. I never even assembled it.
CHARLIE: What?
RYAN: I was just trying to scare you.
CHARLIE: You're crazy, man. You're totally crazy.
RYAN: You were my best friend, Charlie. What happened?
CHARLIE: Nothing, man. I made new friends. Why couldn't you just...why couldn't you accept that? Why couldn't you leave me alone?
(Both boys are fighting tears. CHARLIE cuts the tape from RYAN's wrists, and in the process, cuts RYAN's hand. RYAN looks down at the blood, then over at CHARLIE.)
CHARLIE: Just go. Just get out of here.
(RYAN gets up and walks slowly from the basement.)
END FLASHBACK. RESUME TO PRESENT.
JACK: So, just let me clarify this. There is no bomb?
CHARLIE: That's what he said. But we had all materials.
MR. LANE: Charlie!
MRS. LANE: Oh, my God.
CHARLIE: Ryan said it was the only way we could get the school to take us seriously. You know, to prove that we could do it.
JACK: So, what about the components? Where did you keep them?
CHARLIE: At Ryan's house.
SAMANTHA: We searched Ryan's house. We didn't find anything.
CHARLIE: It's in a plastic box on the roof.
SAMANTHA: We searched the roof. We searched the entire building.
CHARLIE: Then he must have it. But we kept the detonator in Ryan's closet for safety.
CUT TO:
[Int: Wallace apartment - Ryan's room - day]
CLAIRE WALLACE: I don't understand. I thought you said he didn't do it. It was a prank.
VIVIAN: It was, but we think that after what Lance and Charlie did to him, he came back here and was going to do it for real. Now I need you to think, Claire. Is there any possibility that he could have come back here last night when you were at work?
CLAIRE WALLACE: I don't know. I'm sorry.
(VIVIAN glances around the apartment. Seeing a pile of clothes on the floor, she goes through them, finding RYAN's pants from the previous day.)
VIVIAN: He was here.
CUT TO:
[Ext: Woodrow Wilson High School - night]
(JACK, SAMANTHA, and DANNY get out of their car and move quickly toward the building.)
JACK: The bomb squad's on its way. If you find him, just sit tight. No cell phones or walkies. I don't want to set this thing off.
(They enter the building and split up to each go a different way to search for RYAN.)
CUT TO:
[Int: Woodrow Wilson High School - cafeteria - night]
(DANNY enters and begins looking around with his flashlight. He finds RYAN, sitting on a chair with the bomb in front of him. He is holding the detenator.)
RYAN: I shouldn't have been able to get in here.
DANNY: You're right.
RYAN: The janitor always leaves the north door open when he's cleaning at night.
DANNY: Well, we'll talk to the school security about that, okay?
(DANNY looks to the door for any sign of SAMANTHA or JACK. Nothing. He glances at RYAN, unsure what is the correct move here. He notices that RYAN's thumb is hovering over the detonation switch. That decides it. He puts down his flashlight.)
DANNY: Ryan. My name's Danny Taylor. I'm with the FBI. I'd like to talk to you, if that's okay with you?
RYAN: I've been trying to decide whether to do it now or wait until everyone comes in tomorrow.
CUT TO:
[Int: high school cafeteria kitchen area - night
(JACK walks through the kitchen, approaching the cafeteria. He sees DANNY talking to RYAN through a window in the door. SAMANTHA comes up behind him, putting down her flashlight.)
DANNY: (through the door) You wouldn't do that. You know that. I want to help you.
SAMANTHA: (about DANNY) What the hell is he doing?
JACK: He's trying to get himself killed.
CUT TO:
[Int: high school cafeteria - night]
DANNY: Ryan, I know everything you've gone through.
RYAN: What do you know?
DANNY: I know about your father. I know you were downtown on 9/11. I know your best friend Charlie turned his back on you. I also know what they did to you in that basement.
RYAN: I don't want it anymore. I can't.
DANNY: Yes, you can. Ryan, you gotta think about your mom and your sister. They love you so much. Ryan, they want you to come home. Can you do that?
RYAN: No.
DANNY: Ryan. We can get you help. You could go to another school. You never have to come back here again.
RYAN: I can't. (He holds up the detonator.)
DANNY: (shaking his head) Don't do it. Don't do it.
(DANNY, thinking RYAN is going to detonate the bomb, dives behind a table. RYAN presses the button, but nothing happens. JACK runs in.)
JACK: Come on. Come on. Come on.
(He leans over to check the bomb. JACK grabs him from behind and pulls him away.)
CUT TO:
[Ext: Woodrow Wilson High School - front entrace - night]
(JACK approaches an ambulance, where RYAN is sitting. DANNY stands a couple of yards away, watching RYAN. An EMT puts a blanket around the shoulders of RYAN, who stares into space, unresponsive.)
(DANNY turns around at the sound of a siren. A car pulls up, and MRS. WALLACE jumps out and runs toward RYAN. JACK and DANNY look on as she is stopped by an officer.)
COP: Ma'am. I'm sorry, ma'am, you can't. He's under arrest.
(As DANNY watches the ambulance drive away with RYAN, SAMANTHA approaches JACK.)
SAMANTHA: Bomb squad said the wire and detonator separated. Otherwise, ah...
JACK: Yeah. Look, I'll see you back at, uh...
SAMANTHA: Okay.
(JACK walks over to where DANNY is standing. Without warning, he grabs a very surprised DANNY and shoves him up against the car.)
JACK: Come here.
DANNY: What are you doing?
JACK: What are you doing? What's the matter with you? What is up with you? What! Do you think you're invincible? Is that it?
DANNY: Look. The kid opened up to me. I took an opportunity. That's it.
JACK: Shut up. We had a chance to talk that kid down. Now he has to live the rest of his life knowing he pressed that button, and so do you. You keep screwing up, you're going to be doing brick time in two seconds flat.
(He shakes DANNY.)
JACK: Do not mess with me.
(JACK stalks away, leaving DANNY dumbfounded and watching him go.)
CUT TO:
[Int: FBI offices - bullpen - night]
(MARTIN is sitting at his desk, going through his papers, when JACK approaches and sits on the edge of his desk. They look at each other, saying nothing. Finally, MARTIN shakes his head and sighs.)
MARTIN: It's going to be pretty tough for Ryan.
JACK: At least he'll get the attention he needs. How you doing?
MARTIN: You know, working out the cobwebs. But it's good to be back.
JACK: I'm going to add a new agent to the squad.
MARTIN: (surprised and somewhat hurt) Is...because of me?
JACK: No. We're just spread too thin. It's starting to take its toll. I thought it was necessary.
MARTIN: Yeah, well, whatever works.
JACK: Just giving you a heads up. So you're good?
MARTIN: Yeah. Yeah, I'm fantastic.
JACK: Okay.
(JACK walks away, leaving MARTIN looking sad and worried.)
FADE TO BLACK
END CREDITS
