01x02 - Ghosts

[bunniefuu]

You are being watched.

The government has a secret system.

A machine that spies on you every hour of every day.

I know because I built it.

I designed the machine to detect acts of terror, but it sees everything.

Violet crimes involving ordinary people.

People like you.

Crimes the government considered irrelevant.

They wouldn't act, so I decided I would.

But I needed a partner.

Someone with the skills to intervene.

Hunted by the authorities, we work in secret.

You'll never find us.

But victim or perpetrator, if your number's up, we'll find you.

Hey, it's me.

Yeah, I'm sorry. I got tied up here at work.

[Elevator bell dings]

I was thinking we could grab a bite, okay?

Usual place.

Okay, see you in 30. Yeah, bye.

Hold it.

Almost missed it.

Those for your wife?

Uh, yes.

I thought your wife liked roses.

Excuse me.

Do I know you?

No.

But I know you, Bill.

Little relationship advice, if you're gonna step out on your wife, you need to think it through.

Do you work here?

Because if you do, you're fired.

I'm more like an independent contractor.

Now, you don't seem like a bad guy, Bill.

You and your wife are having some problems.

It happens.

Well, some women would just leave you.

But some women, they might just hire a couple of guys to come to your office, dismantle your surveillance cameras to make it look like a robbery gone wrong.

[g*n firing]

[Elevator dinging]

I would call the police and a good divorce lawyer.

[Men groaning]

[Telephone rings]

I've got a job for you.

High priority. Triple your usual fee.

What's the name?

[Horn honks, cell phone rings]

Yeah.

Good morning, Finch.

No problems last night.

Two hit men were waiting to k*ll a guy, just like you said they'd be.

I took care of it.

Good.

You should get some rest.

Thought I'd do a little research.

I'll be interested to hear what you discover.

We need to meet later.

Your machine kick out another number?

Somebody else is gonna be involved in a crime?

This one is somewhat unusual.

I'll let you know where to go.

And, Mr. Reese, we'll meet on my schedule.

Not yours.

Detective Carter.

Aren't you homicide?

I don't have any cold ones for you.

Just a couple of guys ain't ever gonna play golf again.

Yeah, it's part of an ongoing investigation.

What do we know about the sh**t?

This rich guy was on his way home, said a couple of guys tried to k*ll him, and this, uh, other gentleman quote "intervened," unquote.

Let me guess. Some guy in a suit.

How did your research go?

Inconclusive.

The number we've received is for a girl named Theresa Whitaker.

15 years old.

Some disciplinary trouble, but basically a good kid.

Well, the machine did spit out her number, so she must be caught up in something.

Where can I find her?

As I told you, Mr. Reese, this situation is somewhat unique.

You see, Theresa Whitaker should be right here.

She was m*rder*d, along with the rest of her family.

Two years ago.

So we're looking for a ghost?

[Treadmill beeps]

I thought you might still be here.

I come bearing gifts. Whisky.

Ah ha.

And we won another award.

[Laughs]

Look, I know our deal.

I schmooze the board, I cash out the checks, I pick up the awards. You do most of the work.

But, honestly, this is getting exhausting for me.

I'm perfectly happy with the division of labor.

Always have been.

What's this one for?

This is for services to humanity.

I didn't tell them that we laid off half the staff in order to build this orwellian nightmare.

Said you wanted to make a difference, give something back. This orwellian nightmare.

Is this is the government feeds?

Direct from NSA at Fort Meade.

That's every email, every phone call, surveillance cameras...

In the country?

No, that's just New York.

I'm starting with the basics here.

I'm trying to teach it to track people using cell phone location data, facial recognition.

I'm almost ready to move on to the next problem.

What's the next problem?

Sorting them all out.

t*rrorists don't exactly stand out on street corners, you know?

You have to teach the machine to sift through the emails, wire-tapped phones, bank transactions, looking for people that are hiding something, living double lives.

People like you, in other words.

[Laughs]

How long will this take?

Four, five more years.

So this is...

Everyone.

[Dramatic music]

♪ ♪

Nice spot.

This is the last place Theresa Whitaker was seen alive.

Two years ago, her father Grant takes the family for a weekend sail.

No one comes home.

Grant.

He was a real estate developer.

Market crashed.

He was upside down on 14 properties.

According to the police, he shot his wife and kids, then turned the g*n on himself.

Says here they found the bodies.

Just the parents and the 18-year-old son.

Theresa's body was never recovered.

Uh, "presumed dead"?

That's a reasonable assumption.

The police only see what they choose to look for.

The machine sees almost everything.

If the girl's number has come up, she must be alive.

Then why hasn't she shown up by now?

With the police or a relative?

I don't know.

But if the machine is right and she's still alive, she won't be for long.

Better find her.

I'll need a police report on this.

I'll have to talk to my friend in the department.

Hello, Lionel.

You. Again.

How the hell'd you get in here?

Took it off your friend stills.

The one I shot with your g*n before you buried him out in Oyster Bay.

I need you to pull a file for me.

Yeah. Right after you pull my IAD file.

'Cause they got me one step from fighting off a whole cellblock of degenerates that I sent upstate.

They think I'm dirty.

That's because you are dirty, Lionel.

Look, your predicament is not my doing or my concern.

Name's Theresa Whitaker.

Two-year-old m*rder-su1c1de out in Bowery Bay.

Get me the file.

I just can't believe that it came to this.

We knew they were having, uh, financial issues, but I never--

I never thought that he would do anything like this.

That's because he didn't.

Wish that he would have... Come to me.

Wish he would have reached out.

This was a professional hit.

Muzzle impressions were made after the fact, made it look point blank, like the father did it.

Cops missed it.

And you know that how?

That's how I would have done it.

So why didn't the sh**t k*ll Theresa?

That part I can't explain, or why she hasn't shown up anywhere else.

I've tracked down a recent address for the aunt and uncle in Brooklyn Heights.

They might know what kind of trouble Whitaker was in.

I got a lead on another kid who might know her whereabouts.

Sealed juvie record on Theresa.

Seems she was picked up with an older boy for vandalism, Deacon Page.

Since, he's been popped multiple times for shoplifting, carrying a concealed w*apon.

So if Theresa didn't go to family, maybe she went to friends.

But we don't know how much time Theresa has left.

Might need a little help, Finch.

[Doorbell rings]

Hello. Arthur Bellinger, Liberty State Mutual.

Elizabeth Whitaker?

Yes?

We wrote the term life policies for Grant Whitaker.

You and your husband Derek are listed as next of kin?

Ex-husband.

The divorce went through last year.

Come in.

Thank you.

In cases like this involving prolonged legal investigation, it can take some time to settle out.

I'm surprised my brother-in-law even kept up payments on life insurance.

Does this mean that they're gonna stop searching for Theresa?

Her body, I mean?

The police have concluded their investigation.

You weren't satisfied?

No, it's-- It's just...

We buried an empty coffin.

They-- They said that the current would have taken her body, and I was hoping that maybe it would bring her home.

[Sighs] I'm sorry.

This is just drudging up some really difficult memories.

Not at all. I can only imagine.

Derek never came out of the funk.

[Sniffs]

Sometimes you just lose people.

You don't have any contact information for your ex-husband, do you?

No, we've barely spoken since we split.

I have a-- An old cell phone number.

Good luck tracking him down.

You might want to mention that there's money involved.

I have to ask this.

Did you and Derek have any children?

No kids.

Now I'm not even an aunt.

Smart as a whip, Theresa.

I loved her like she was my own daughter.

Unfortunately, you can't pick your parents.

Unbelievable.

I've got eight case files connected to this guy's prints, and half of them have been redacted.

Here we go. Missing persons '07.

Your trigger happy hobo, Carter.

Only now he's a k*ller in a suit.

Well, maybe he's a recovering diplomat.

They pulled the whole file.

Feds. This one's above your pay grade, Carter.

Aunt's fine. Uncle's MIA.

MIA?

You got no contact info?

No answer on the cell phone. No forwarding address.

Where are you?

I've been to every skate-rat park in the city.

Nothing but attitude on wheels.

No sign of Theresa?

No, but I think I just found our guy.

What the--?

What's your problem, fool?

$200 fine to skate in the park.

Want to know the last time you seen this girl, Deacon.

What is this? Some kind of sick joke?

News flash, chief.

Old man went postal on her whole family.

She's dead.

Or maybe not.

Maybe you seen her around, chief.

That girl's gone. Give me back my phone.

Is he riding you? What's up with that, man?

[Phone beeps]

[Suspenseful music]

♪ ♪

Theresa.

Theresa.

Wait.

[Tires screech]

Watch it, idiot!

Hi, Harold.

Hello.

Morning, Harold.

Listen, um, that database you're coding, we're gonna need it a little faster, okay?

You-- You got to keep up.

Okay. I'll see what I can do, Dave.

Not exactly what I expected.

Software engineer of the month.

That's very impressive.

But it doesn't quite explain the private security, the unlimited funds.

No. No, it wouldn't.

I did some digging down in HR.

Seems you've worked here for 17 years.

Only been promoted twice.

So how many of these people know you own the entire company?

None of them.

The best place to hide, Mr. Reese, as you well know, is in plain sight.

And if I speak too loudly, say the wrong thing?

The entire department could be overhauled.

Some would be reassigned, promoted.

Some would be fired.

I'll make it quick, then.

The good news, the girl is alive.

And, uh, kicking.

Seems she has some trust issues.

I, uh, I lost her.

But I did figure out how she's been providing for herself.

She left this at an atm machine.

It's a skimmer.

It captures account numbers and pins.

If she tries to sell these online, I might be able to track her down.

In the meantime, we need to figure out who k*lled her family and why.

Her uncle's hiding from a dozen different creditors, but I'll find him.

And I want to look at Grant Whitaker's finances much more carefully.

Good.

'Cause this was a hit for hire, and I'm gonna look into the sh**t.

How?

Find out where I can hire one.

So who's your friend, Harold?

Guy behind the bar's a fixer.

Takes a piece of most contract killings in the city.

If someone did wipe out the family, he might know who did it.

Hey, he don't talk to people who just walk into the joint.

Lionel, you worried about me?

I'm touched.

Don't let me see you around here again.

[Suspenseful music]

♪ ♪

[Glass breaking]

[Man yells indistinct, g*n fires]

[Man yells, glass breaks]

[g*n fires]

[Man coughs]

Got a name.

Let's go.

Fusco's CI. Pointed me towards a contract k*ller named Solnick.

Problem is Solnick got himself locked up for a separate job, so I've arranged a visit.

[Door buzzes]

[Guard removes handcuffs]

Who are you?

Did my lawyer quit again?

No.

I'd like to talk to you about that family you m*rder*d, then dumped in the Bowery Bay.

What, you don't want to talk about that one?

How about some of the other people you k*lled?

Like that brother of that g*ng leader that lives on your cell block.

I'm sure he'd love to know his brother's last words.

Hmm?

I get it.

You're like me.

A k*ller.

A genuine bad guy.

Then I don't have to explain to you what happened to those people on that boat.

You already know.

But what I don't know is why you let the girl live.

I wouldn't have k*lled the girl.

Not even if they paid me my quote.

I told her anyone ever knew she was alive, I'd finish the job.

I don't k*ll kids.

Had some punk on my cell block last week say he heard I did.

I told him the same thing.

Who hired you to do it?

Some guy I met one time.

No names. Cash.

Who hired you?

Guys who k*ll kids aren't popular in jail.

Solnick's been defending his honor.

The people that hired him may have found out he didn't k*ll Theresa.

Maybe they hired somebody new to finish the job.

Why are they so worried about a teenager?

I don't know.

But we need to figure it out fast.

Oh, I think I may have a lead.

Whitaker was sole investor in all his real estate deals except one.

He bought a couple of parcels of landstor with the real estate holding company Landale.

Landale. Send me the address.

I'm on my way.

Landale financial, second floor.

30 million or so in holdings.

Principal is a guy named Calhoun.

Well, Calhoun's got a lot of security for a real estate developer.

Wait a second. Who's this?

I think I just found Theresa's uncle Derek.

Why would he turn up here?

That's gonna have to wait.

Theresa just tried to sell those account numbers online.

I'm tracing the IP address where she logged on.

It's at 89th and West End.

Get moving.

Is it a wireless network?

It is.

Maybe she's in one of the surrounding buildings.

Hey.

You got me pretty good back there.

Not-- Not looking for a rematch.

I know what happened to you and your family.

I'm here to help you.

Just leave me alone.

The man that k*lled your family's in jail.

No one's gonna hurt you again.

'Cause I won't let them.

You really shouldn't lie to kids.

[Grunts]

Aah! Ugh!

[Groans]

Theresa. Are you gonna trust me now?

I don't know you.

You're gonna need to trust someone.

Don't worry.

You're safe here.

Ordered you room service.

It's a $50 cheeseburger.

Theresa.

The man who came after you at the laundry mat, you ever see him before?

Do you have any idea who targeted your family?

No.

Did it have anything to do with your uncle Derek?

Is that why you didn't come to him?

I don't trust him.

Why?

What my dad said, before that man put a b*llet in his head, he said it was Derek's fault.

[Knock at door]

Hello.

Theresa, this is Harold, and he's gonna stay with you.

Nice room.

Took the liberty of booking all four.

Your card.

Guess I can use the miles.

Theresa can't be left alone.

Here. I better take this.

And, uh, this.

I need you to stay here with Harold.

He'll take care of you.

Where are you going?

I'm gonna pay a man a visit.

I have the uncle's cell phone account.

The GPS signal is active, but he's not answering.

Landale's involved.

I'm just not sure why they're still coming after her.

Don't dawdle.

[Cell phone rings]

What the hell?

[Keys jangle]

What's the matter, Derek?

You don't want to talk to your dead brother?

Get in the truck.

I'll drive.

Yeah, Derek, we need to talk.

I left you a couple messages about the insurance guy who came by, asking questions.

He wants to talk to you.

Something about Grant's assets coming out of probate.

I gave him your cell.

Anyway, call me back please.

Sometime this year?

Remember this place, Derek?

Where they dumped your brother's whole family in the water like chum.

What are you talking about?

I'm talking business, Derek.

Landale Financial, where you were yesterday.

Who the hell are you?

That deal your brother Grant made, greenpoint, bunch of land out in Brooklyn ruined by an oil spill.

And now you're cutting a deal with him, aren't you?

I tried to help Grant.

You helped him, all right.

Right into an early grave. With no will.

Which means that land goes into probate, and then to you, Derek.

Let me ask you this.

Did you hire the hit man yourself, or did you let Landale do it?

I never meant for anyone to get hurt.

Grant, he swore that greenpoint was gonna be the big one.

He just didn't have enough to cover all the parcels, so I told him I know these guys.

Calhoun. Landale.

It all looked legit.

It was a front for dirty money.

And you set your brother up with them.

Grant swore that it was gonna be a ten-bagger as soon as the government cleaned up the site.

But, like everything with the government, it took too damn long.

Landale wanted their money immediately.

So they took him out along with everyone in his family just to get their money back out.

They made me the administer of probate.

That's the only reason why they didn't k*ll me.

I'm supposed to sign it over to 'em next week.

You know, the kicker is that Grant was right.

Government came through. They cleaned up the site.

Now it's worth 20, 30 times what they put into it.

So that's why they're still coming after her.

Theresa is the legal heir to that property.

Theres-- What are you talking about?

She's dead.

She's alive.

No thanks to you.

If you'd come forward, cleared your brother's name, she might not have spent the last two years hiding.

From you.

You know, I went to see your aunt Elizabeth.

She seems like a lovely person.

You tell her about me?

No. Of course not.

But she did mention how much she missed you.

She even showed me an old photo.

You know, there's no changing what happened to your family, but you do have someone out there that loves you.

Yeah? What do you know?

I know what it's like to lose someone.

And to feel the need to disappear.

But, trust me, you don't want to leave people behind.

When were you going to tell me?

I wasn't gonna tell you, I guess.

I'd rather I didn't know myself.

All these people.

And this damn machine knew.

You knew...

That someone wanted to harm them, k*ll them...

And you did nothing?

You knew what we were building here.

This thing looks for plotters, for schemers.

It looks for malicious intent.

We built it to stop t*rrorists before they could act.

But a machine doesn't understand the difference between those crimes that are relevant to national security and the ones that are irrelevant.

Irrelevant?

So you taught it the difference?

You want to play God? Is that the deal?

No, I don't. That's the whole point.

There are exactly eight people in the world that know that this thing exists.

If anyone else ever found out, there'd be such an outcry... They'd turn it off.

The intelligence the machine produces has already foiled a half dozen major t*rror1st plots.

How are we supposed to live with this, knowing that someone out there needs help?

Well, we don't have to.

I've coded the machine.

Every night at midnight, it deletes the irrelevant list.

We didn't build this to save somebody.

We built it to save everybody.

Where's the girl?

Kid's worth a fortune, Finch.

Land the father bought panned out fifty fold.

And Landale wants it all.

k*lled the whole family.

Expected to clean up after it cleared probate.

'Til they found out the girl was still alive.

Do we know who ordered the hit?

Calhoun, the father's business partner.

I've got eyes on him.

And he's walking.

So's Theresa. Got to go.

Wait. Theresa.

You know I can't keep up with you.

Can I ask you where you're going?

I'm better off alone.

And how's that?

It's safer.

I don't think so.

Please.

Sooner or later, you're gonna have to trust someone.

You can't k*ll me.

They need me.

See...

You have vastly overestimated your value in this process.

They'll just hire another couple of lawyers.

So.

I'll ask you one more time.

Where's the girl?

Kiss my ass.

[g*n fires]

Can't tell you how much we appreciate your patience and support on this, councilman.

You're sure we're free and clear on this?

Rezoned for residential.

Hell, you can break ground as early as next month.

Jimmy Calhoun.

I got to hand it to you.

You really turned this thing around, saw what nobody else did on the property.

This is a real game-changer.

Thank you, sir.

The good people of Brooklyn deserve it, sir.

Look forward to it, Jim.

[Police radio chatters]

Hey.

Hey.

Neighbor called it in.

Thought they heard a dispute.

A dispute.

Yeah.

You think?

Yeah, thank goodness for vigilant neighbors, huh?

Oh, yeah. Found this stuffed in his mouth.

We got to find out who this girl is.

[Dials number]

[Telephone rings]

[Cell phone rings]

Hello?

Hello?

Who is this?

Hello?

[Phone beeps]

Thank you for calling The Fenwick, New York.

How can I assist you?

[Cell phone beeps]

[Rock music]

♪ ♪

Sorry.

You really need to watch where you're going.

Call off the dogs.

Theresa Whitaker. Right now.

It's too--

It's too late.

It's done. It's already done.

He's coming, Finch. Get off that floor.

We have to go. Now.

[Elevator bell dings]

I can see him.

He's coming down the hall.

He's going for the fuse box.

He's gonna cut out the lights in the hallway.

He's gonna see the lights in our room.

Quick. Turn 'em all off.

[Thud]

I told you we should have left.

You did. I'm sorry.

Give me your phone.

What are we doing? I don't understand.

Just--just...

Wait. Hurry up.

Shh.

Let's go.

Shh. Shh. Don't...

This isn't gonna work.

He's coming. He's right outside the door.

I know. I know he is.

No, no, no. Too slow.

Come on. This way.

We haven't got much time.

He's here.

Fire escape. You can go down.

Come on. Go. Go.

You coming?

I can't get through there.

You have to go without me.

I'm staying with you.

[Telephone rings]

Yeah. Carter.

You been asking a lot of questions about me.

It's time we sat down face to face.

Who is this?

You know who. You want to meet me or not?

Go.

Wait for my signal.

Be careful.

This guy's as dangerous as they get.

Sweetheart? What are you doing here?

Are you detective Carter?

Yes.

My friend said I could trust you.

Watch your head, Mr. Calhoun.

So you can't tell me anything about how this man looks?

Hotel staff said they might have seen two people coming and going, but it's nothing on the surveillance cameras.

Was there anyone else helping you?

It was a pretty traumatic experience.

I don't remember much at all.

[Downbeat jazz music]

♪ ♪

Theresa.

Oh.

Are you looking for Harold?

Is he taking another personal day?

I don't think so. I was hoping you knew.

Maggie said he'd been transferred, but Dave said he was laid off.

He didn't even say goodbye.

[Cell phone rings]

And here I was thinking we were getting a little closer, Harold.

I told you I'm a very private person.

Well, you're gonna need to trust someone at some point.

Trust? That's not something I come by very easily.

I have my reasons.

Are you ever gonna tell me those reasons?

Don't call me, Mr. Reese.

I'll call you.