01x02 - Missoula

[bunniefuu]

Previously on Tracker...

You collect rewards, right?

A mercenary?

No, I prefer the term
"rewardist," actually.

Is that a term?

My childhood was, um... unusual.

Both my parents were
professors at Berkeley,

till there was this incident
with my dad.

So he took us to live off the grid.

- [THUNDER RUMBLES]
- One night my mom was out...

We have to go now. They're coming.

We can't go without Mom.

You never contradict me!

- [DORY WHIMPERS]
- Hey, get off her.

Dad, wait. Dad! No. No!

Russell, what did you do?!

COLTER: Russell called.

MARY DOVE: You spoke with your brother?

Mom, if there's something that you know

about Russell or Dad that I should know,

I need you to tell me.

Block that number. Ignore him.

[BIRD CAWING]

[BEEPING]

[BIRD CAWING]

[GASPS]

[PANTING]

Hey, Mom. I came as fast as I could.

Show me.

- You didn't see anybody?
- No.

Why would someone
break into Dad's office?

I don't know.

Anything missing?

No, not that I can tell.

I overreacted.

I shouldn't have called you.

Sheriff said there'd been
break-ins in the area.

Probably just kids.

Dad always had a place
for everything, didn't he?

Well, that's one way of putting it.

First time I b*at him to the top.

You were so proud.

I was positive that he let me win.

Used to drive me crazy.

You should get cameras.

And be spied on? No, thank you.

No need for it, really.

I'm sorry I bothered you.

No problem.

I'm glad I was nearby.

[PHONE VIBRATING]

Aren't you gonna take that?

It's probably just work.

- Teddi.
- Take it.

Hey, Teddi.

How do you feel about
a nice drive to Montana?

Montana?

[QUIETLY] Go.

Yeah. Yeah. Why don't I
call you tomorrow morning

and get the details. Thanks.

I'm fine. You can go now.

No, I think I'd feel better
if I spent the night.

So, 35,000 is offered for information

as to the whereabouts of Jackson Cheong,

age 27.

Works as an accountant
in Missoula, Montana.

The reward was posted
by his parents, Mark and Eden.

[DOORBELL RINGS]

Is this a recent photo
of your son Jackson?

About a year ago.

He was volunteering at the library.

Free tax advice.

EDEN: Jackson was a bit shy,

so it was good for him to
get out and meet people.

You say he met a woman?

Rebecca Smith.

How long ago was that?

About two months ago.

There a photo of her?

EDEN: You can say it.

She's too old for him.

Your son's 27 years old, he's an adult.

If you're looking for someone
to tell him

who he can and cannot fall in love with,

- I'm not your guy.
- It's not that.

He's missing.

Quit his job, cancelled his cell phones,

left his apartment,

and emptied his bank accounts.

- You think something happened to him?
- Hopefully it's nothing,

and we're just overreacting.

- He's our only child.
- [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

We tried to track down
Rebecca Smith ourselves,

but there's nothing online.

We can't even figure out
where she works.

What makes you so sure
he's with her now?

Well, he was with her
the last time we spoke to him.

I don't know how to say it,
he's taken with her, I guess.

The moment Jackson
met that woman, he changed.

Stopped returning our calls,

missing family dinners.

And his accounting firm called
looking for him

after he missed a few clients' meetings.

And then two weeks later,
he quit his job and vanished.

Anything else you can recall?

Last time we saw him, he looked tired.

Like he's been up for days.

He said he was doing
some work for Rebecca.

When I asked him what it was,
he said it was

the kind that people
can't find out about,

that he could get in trouble for.

Any idea what that might be?

I'm thinking this Rebecca
has him cooking books

or laundering money. He wasn't himself.

Something bad has happened to him.

I just know it.

[PHONE VIBRATING]

Bobby.

Rebecca Smith? Smith?
Are you kidding me?

There's, like, a million results.

Oh, good, you got my text.

You're lucky I speak Colter.

Most people wouldn't know what to do

with a random photo,

zero context, next to one
of the most common names

in North America.

Is this the part where
you tell me how hard it was,

but somehow you managed to find her?

- Pretty much, but I don't have her yet.
- How long do you think it's gonna take you

- to sift through all that?
- No time at all.

There's an app for that.
Built it myself.

Of course you did.

Okay, good news and bad news.

No matches for the facial recognition

overlap with the name,

but I do have a mug sh*t
for a Rebecca Pendergast,

who's looking real same-same.

Same like identical?

See for yourself.

Yeah, that's her.

So she's using a fake name.

[SIGHS] Mug sh*t.

What was she in for?

Insurance fraud, wire fraud,

plus some tax evasion.

Looks like she hasn't served
any time, though.

The charges were dropped.

Jackson's parents said

all of his bank accounts were drained.

Sounds like she's a con woman
and he's the next mark.

- You said insurance fraud. Any chance...
- Great minds.

Yep. Cross-reference
with Jackson Cheong.

There's our girl. Ooh.

She's the beneficiary of a big ol'

fat policy Jackson took out.

That application have an address on it?

[DOORBELL RINGS]

MAN: Let me go!

You said you'd let me leave. Please!

You can't make me stay here.

Make it stop! She's trying to k*ll me!

- She wants me dead!
- WOMAN: I want you to sit down.

MAN: No! I don't want to.

WOMAN: That's fine. But I
have to ask you to stop yelling.

MAN: You can't make me!

What the hell?

[OVERLAPPING VOICES CONTINUE]

MAN: How do you know?

You don't know anything about me.

Why is this happening to me?
It's not fair!

You can't make me. How do you know?

You don't know anything about me.

[OVERLAPPING VOICES CONTINUE]

- Synced and corrected by actumaxime -
- www.addic7ed.com -

[VEHICLE APPROACHING]

Who the hell are you?

Yeah, sorry, I kicked the door in.

It's a bit of a misunderstanding.

It's actually a funny story
if you care to hear it.

- Guess not.
- [ALL GRUNTING]

[GRUNTING]

Let's try this again.

- Who the hell are you?
- Colter Shaw.

- Let me see some I.D.
- Pocket.

Like I said, man,
I don't want any trouble, okay?

I'm not here to steal things.

I'm here on a job, just like you guys.

[CAMERA CLICKS]

What job is that?

I'm looking for Jackson Cheong.

Never heard of him.

This is private property.

We can call the cops
and have you arrested

for breaking and entering.

Or maybe I sh**t you.

Tell them I was standing my ground.

If you were gonna sh**t me,
you would've done it already.

Same goes for calling the cops.

I'm just gonna go, all right?
I don't want any trouble.

- Better not see you here again.
- Yeah.

I got a bad feeling about this one.

What are you talking about?

COLTER: Rebecca Pendergast.

She's got a really impressive
surveillance setup

at her house, private security.

Whatever Jackson Cheong's
got himself involved in,

it's much worse than a bad romance.

TEDDI: You're thinking blackmail?

Some kind of kidnapping ring?

COLTER: I don't know yet.

I'm gonna find out
what the hell is going on.

WOMAN: You've arrived here in a moment
of potential transformation.

It's there.

The part of you that is ready to change.

Put aside all those negative
thoughts standing in your way.

All those walls you let others put up,

walls so high they block the
light that shines for us all.

Are you ready to see the light?

ALL: We're ready.

One man can lead you to it. Seth.

[APPLAUSE]

SETH: Close your eyes.

We must see the light
before we can feel it.

ALL: We see it.

SETH: It's here for you.

It's all around us.

Waiting to be tapped
by those who are willing

to put in the work.

You, sir. I see you.

I see what you're carrying.

The pain. Like a stone.

Colter, is it? Colter Shaw.

We have much to discuss.

I look forward to our time together.

And you, ma'am.

I see your loss.

I see the grief
that you're trying to hide.

[TIRES SCREECHING]

[TIRES SCREECHING]

MARK: So, it's... It's a cult?

Well, I don't think they'd
use that word, but yes.

They're offering empowerment.

A path to becoming alpha.

It's not uncommon
for organizations like this

to isolate people from their loved ones.

They... They find an emotional
wedge, they drive it in,

and once they do that...

they've got total control.

Can you get him out?

Aside from forcibly removing him,

if Jackson doesn't want to leave,

there's really nothing I can do.

All we're asking is that you try.

You don't strike me as a man

to give up so easily.

No, sir, I'm not.

[SIGHS]

[PHONE RINGING]

- TEDDI: Hey.
- Hey, guys, I need to know

all the information you can find

about an organization
called Positive Light.

They got a headquarters about
an hour outside Missoula.

I'm headed there first thing
tomorrow morning.

I need to know what I'm walking into.

- We'll get into it.
- I'll be moving fast. They know

I'm looking for Jackson.
They'll be ready for me.

[ENGINE TURNS OFF]

- Do you think we can do that tomorrow?
- Yes.

Thank you. You can go.

Where's Jackson Cheong?

Mr. Shaw.

I had a feeling
we'd be seeing you again.

Where is he?

There's no need for the tough guy pose.

Jackson's not being kept
here against his will.

Then he can tell me that himself.

Colter. May I call you Colter?

Jackson's happy here.

He's found his place with us.

And we've really come to depend
on his financial guidance.

Great.

Where is he?

Unfortunately,
he's in a session with Seth.

I figured he might be.

Perhaps you'd like to meet Seth.

I'd really like to see Jackson.

I'm afraid that's not
going to be possible.

Unless you meet with Seth first.

Okay.

- Are you ready?
- [KNOCKING]

[DOOR OPENS]

Seth, this is Colter Shaw.

Mr. Shaw.

It's good to see you again.

I'm here to see Jackson Cheong.

Rebecca explained.

But I can't allow that to happen

until we've had a chance to talk,

take your measure.

I'm not sure what we'd talk about.

SETH: Well, why don't we start
with something simple?

Tell me about yourself.

COLTER: I like piña coladas.

And getting caught in the rain.

Mr. Shaw, I'd prefer if we
didn't waste each other's time.

We already know a lot about you,

who you work with, all sorts of things.

So you got a peek at my I.D.
and you did some googling?

I won't be intimidated like that.

I'm not trying to intimidate you.

I'm not a violent man.

There are all types of v*olence.

I suppose that's true. Tell me...

what sort of man was your father?

I'm not here to talk about that.

It's okay to talk about the past.

It's part of what we do here.

You blackmail your members
with their secrets.

Truth.

We did look you up.

Your family, too.

Can't be too careful these days.

And information, well,

it's there if you know where to look.

SETH: Your father.

Quite an impressive man.

A scientist. Then activist.

Then he fell.

Cliff near your family homestead,

if I'm not mistaken. An accident.

At least that's what the newspaper said.

But your eyes tell me
something different.

Maybe he jumped?

Or was pushed?

Is the not knowing the source

of all that pain you're carrying?

Tell me how he came to be fired
from his job as professor.

Google didn't tell you that?

SETH: No.

Oh, you don't know why, do you?

So your mother keeps secrets from you?

Interesting.

I'd like to see Jackson.

Tell me one truth about your father

and I will let you see Jackson.

It's that simple.

He made me the man that I am.

But it wasn't easy, was it?

Growing up with a father like that.

He prepared me for people like you,

people that like to play games.

Your father liked to play games?

Tell me what sort
of games he liked to play.

My father didn't play games.

All was life or death with him.

Preparing you to live
in this world, perhaps.

Perhaps.

I'm sorry you had to endure that.

But thank you

for opening up to me.

I know that wasn't easy.

But it shows me

that you might be someone
I can grow to trust.

I don't think so.

You bring that thing near me,
I'll shove it down your throat.

You get a burn when you witness and hold

another person's secrets.

[SIZZLING]

It is an honor to share
one of yours, Colter Shaw.

Jackson will be waiting
for you in the garden.

[DOOR OPENS]

[DOOR CLOSES]

Are you sure this is a good idea?

Jackson's one of ours.

Let Mr. Shaw talk to him and he'll see.

And if he does cause trouble?

Mr. Shaw has a very
dangerous profession.

Accidents happen.

- COLTER: Yeah.
- You in a good place to talk?

Not really. You talk, I'll listen.

Is that not how we do it?

I'm serious, Bobby.

We got to be careful on this one.

Copy that. I always am.

So, yeah, Teddi and Velma called,

gave me the scoop.

- Positive Light...
- Mm-hmm.

... super weird.

There's nothing negative
about them online.

No articles, no message boards...

Nada, man.

Doesn't seem right.

Yeah, hell no, it ain't.

Started digging in the archives,

mostly dead links.

Stuff that's been completely
wiped from the Internet.

And I found a bunch of lawsuits,

mostly civil cases that have
either been settled

- or abruptly dropped.
- Like Rebecca's charges.

- Mm-hmm.
- Bunch of the cases called for a...

David Grassley as a witness.

He and his wife Jana were both members.

It looks like David

prepared all of Positive Light's
financial statements.

And he was a signer
on all their accounts.

- You got an address for me?
- Well...

that's the thing.

- David Grassley's dead.
- When? How?

Hit-and-run.

Cops never found the driver.

Looks like the wife made a big stink

about how the cops were
all botching the investigation

on purpose, but she's gone quiet.

Packed up and moved to Southern Wyoming.

COLTER: She's afraid to talk.

We need to send someone there in person.

Make her feel comfortable.

Where exactly in Wyoming?

- Cheyenne.
- That's less than two hours from Denver.

- Do you mind, uh...?
- Talk to Velma and Teddi? I'm on it.

Jackson. I'm Colter Shaw.

Some place we could talk in private?

I'm on gardening duty.

But if you want to talk,
you can help me.

I'm not coming home.

My parents should know that by now.

Your parents didn't even know

where you were until last night.

You can tell them I'm fine.

I'm better than fine. I'm happy.

Great. Why don't you tell them yourself?

Seth says I'm at a very...

delicate stage of my development.

I don't think that's a good idea.

[GRUNTING]

When the soil is hard like that,

you just start shallow, all right?

And then, you can always go
deeper on your second pass.

Makes sense?

- You're a gardener, too?
- Kind of.

My dad taught me.

Believed in self-sufficiency.

You had to be able to feed yourself.

Growing your own food is part of that.

Seth wants us to be
self-sufficient, too.

To know our own strength.

My parents spent
their whole lives hovering.

If it were up to them,

I'd still be sleeping
in my childhood bedroom.

Huh.

What about all these cameras, though?
I mean, isn't that hovering?

People at my stage need more
support to stay on the path.

You got people who check on you, right?

Seth tell you that?

Seth trusts me...

with important information.

Financial information. Is that right?

I'm not just some numbers cruncher.

Seth makes me feel like I can do
anything I put my mind to.

Does that include walking
out the door right now?

I'm not gonna do that.

Why don't you, uh, give it a try?

Shallow, then deep. There you go.

A little bit easier?

Your dad knew what he was doing.

He knew his way around
the outdoors, that's for sure.

He could be very charming.

Lot of charisma.

I remember, uh...

as a kid when he would look at me,

sometimes it felt like he was just...

... looking right into me.

Sounds like Seth.

When Seth looks at you.

How does it make you feel?

Like I'm free.

Free of all the things

that held me back.

It sure wasn't like that with my dad.

He could be mean.

Impossible to please.

I kept trying.

I tried until the day he d*ed.

That sound familiar?

Is Seth ever mean, Jackson?

How about Rebecca? Is she ever mean?

They only want what's best for me.

Yeah, well...

Listen, I got to go.

My number, okay?

Give me a call.

Reach out if you ever want to talk.

You stay or go.

You decide what's best for you.

Why do you care?

You don't even know me.

I don't know you.

I used to be you.

All right. Nice chatting
with you. Good luck.

When can we make time for
another session, Mr. Shaw?

- We're just getting started.
- Yeah.

I'll see myself out.

[PHONE VIBRATING]

[VEHICLE APPROACHING]

I know why you're here, Colter.

Where's Jackson?

He's on a healing retreat.
You won't find him.

You kidnapped him
because he reached out to me?

REBECCA: No. He went voluntarily.

He gave me your number voluntarily, too.

I'm the one who texted you.

I know it's hard to believe

because you're naturally suspicious.

But I don't blame you.

Who wouldn't be after
your difficult childhood?

You live on the road
trying to run away from it.

But you can never really
leave it all behind,

can you, Colter?

Where'd you take him?

I won't let you pull him back down.

But the door to a new life
is always open to you.

But should you choose a different path,

please know that we defend
our own, Colter.

We protect them

from the wolves and the darkness

that you're trying to bring
to Jackson's life.

That a thr*at?

Oh, I think you know
exactly what I mean.

You can go.

But if it were up to me,

you'd be gone permanently.

Well, lucky for me,
you're not in charge, are you?

Do you have Jackson?

COLTER: They got wind of our meet,

nabbed him and took off
before I got there.

Jackson's valuable to them.
He's their new accountant.

They're not gonna let him go
without a fight.

Just like David Grassley.

We just met with his widow, Jana.

She said David found out
Seth and Rebecca were

draining the bank accounts
of their followers

and when he tried to leave,
they k*lled him.

TEDDI: Jana told us that Seth has

photos of the hit-and-run
that k*lled her husband.

These people film everything.
They filmed that.

Seth has physical photos
of a m*rder? Where?

Jana said that the photos were
at Seth's office.

In some instructional center.

VELMA: They're so paranoid
about getting hacked,

that he keeps the files of everyone

he's ever met at that office.

Jana say where
this instructional center is?

TEDDI: No, they blindfolded her
on the way.

She wasn't even sure
what direction it was in.

We're sure she's credible?

She was heartbroken, Colter.

And she was terrified.

She's seen the photos herself.

Seth showed her the photos

to keep her quiet.

Yeah, we both believed her.

I got to go. I'm being followed.

[HORN HONKS]

[TIRES SCREECHING]

[TIRES SCREECHING]

Couldn't help but notice
you're following me.

Positive Light send you?

Why don't I save you
the trouble? Why don't you

take me to the instructional
facility where Seth's office is?

[GATE BUZZES]

[GRUNTS]

Thanks for the lift.

Teddi, I found photos
of that dashcam video.

They show the hit-and-run of
that accountant David Grassley.

I'm sending you

a pin right now.

You should have it.

Send the cops to that location.

There were arrests.

Fraud, bad checks.

[CLATTERING NEARBY]

[SIGHS]

[WHISPERS] Jackson.

We got to get you out of here.

These people are dangerous.

- Rebecca told me you'd come.
- Yeah.

The name David Grassley
mean anything to you?

He was the accountant here
at Positive Light before you.

Look at that.

- What is this?
- They k*lled him.

They k*lled him when he tried
to leave Positive Light.

It was a hit-and-run. The cops
couldn't figure out who did it.

But somehow Seth and Rebecca
have all the dashcam footage.

- Now why do you suppose that is?
- I don't know.

This is what they do.

This is what Seth and
Rebecca Pendergast do

to their followers
when they step out of line.

- I don't know a Rebecca Pendergast.
- You do, look.

It's Rebecca.

Look. She made a video, here.

I guess to prove her loyalty to Seth.

They make all of us testify. Yeah?

Watch.

There were arrests.

Fraud, bad checks.

My father disowned me

after the second one.

He told everyone he never had children.

Jackson, we got to go.

She told me
her father committed su1c1de.

I got my first burn because...

she said she was sharing a secret

with me.

I told you to stay away, Colter.

You should've listened to me.

Step away from him.

Security's on its way.

So are the police.

Great, saves us the trouble

of calling them ourselves.

This is the second time you've

been caught breaking
and entering, Mr. Shaw.

This time we will be pressing charges.

You lied to me?

Jackson, remember what
I told you about this man.

No. He's telling the truth!

- I see that now!
- Jackson.

You are... shameless...

selfish... murderous pieces of...

[GRUNTING]

Don't do it.

[DISTANT SIRENS WAILING]

Jackson, you okay?

Watch your head.

Let's go.

This won't solve anything.

Your father's still going to haunt you.

[CAR DOORS CLOSING]

["LONELINESS" BY BEAR'S DEN PLAYING]

♪ It won't let you down easy ♪

Let's get you home.

♪ It'll let you down with lead
weights pulling either side ♪

♪ And as you fall under,
you'll be fighting for breath ♪

♪ With all you've got ♪

♪ As you fall and you flounder ♪

♪ Calling for help won't help you none ♪

♪ You sink into the song ♪

♪ Like a fire drowning
in a setting sun... ♪

You're gonna be fine.

How do you know?

You'd be surprised
how resilient people are.

You're young, you're smart.

You got people that really love you.

♪ You wanna know what it is ♪

♪ Love taught me what loneliness is ♪

♪ It taught me how to forgive ♪

♪ What no one should make you ♪

♪ Ever really have to forgive ♪

♪ And we all fall behind ♪

♪ From time to time and say I thought ♪

♪ That I was over all of this ♪

♪ And it is what it is ♪

♪ Love taught me what loneliness is ♪

♪ It taught me how to forgive ♪

♪ What no one should make you ♪

♪ Ever really have to forgive ♪

♪ And we all fall behind ♪

♪ From time to time ♪

♪ And say I thought
that I was over this ♪

♪ But I'm not. ♪