02x05 - And the Red Rock

[bunniefuu]

I was always interested
in geophysics,

- but mainly as a hobby.
- Uh-hmm.

It's just boring lab stuff,

but I think there is a sort
of romance to what you do.

No, come on.
I mean, you're in the field.

A geological engineer
is like a--

an Indiana Jones,
but with rocks.

It's really not that romantic.

I'm just studying
the effect of climate change

on geological structures.

- Uh-hmm.
- I know it sounds pompous,

but I just have this real need

to make a difference
while I'm still on the planet.

Uh-hmm.

No, that's not pompous at all.

I'm trying to do the same thing.

Yes. With predictive algorithms.

Uh, yeah.

Well I was doing that,
but I'm working

on a different project now.

Yeah. You said that
you had joined another company,

but you never told me
what it was.

We study
alternate power sources.

- And so vague.
- Uh-hmm.

Hmm.

How is it that someone like you

isn't already involved
with someone?

Oh.

This is job.

It's, kind of, all consuming,

always on call, lots of travel.

I'm really glad you're not...

involved with someone, I mean.

And I'm glad
I sat next to you at the lecture

of the Geophysics Institute.

Yes. Timing is everything.

Well, here's the timing

into the best month
I've had in a long time.

- Is everything okay?
- Yeah.

Um, I'm just gonna go
to the bathroom,

- if that's all right.
- Yeah.

- There it is.
- Why would the pendulum send us

to an ordinary jewelry store?

If the pendulum sent us,

we can assume
that something distinctly

out of the ordinary is afoot.

Do you think there's some sort
of artifact in that store?

Magic with gem,
a King Solomon's onyx

or a Baltic Amber,

or a robbery?

Hold, you footpads.

Out of our way, fool.

I demand to know
what diabolical articles

you have in your possession.

This.

- Oh.
- Put it down.

What are you?
His guardian angel?

As a matter of fact, I am.

Well, you made a big mistake.

This is none of your business.

It's my business.

Who the hell are you?

I'm Red Rock.

And you are the one
that made the mistake.

Oh, no.

Shall we?

Guys?

What's going on out there?

What is going on in here?

Sorry. Excuse me.

Thank you. Sorry.

Had to take a call.

No worries.

Is this some
sort of assignation?

I am not angry.

I am disappointed.

No chaperone, no discussion

with the family
of his intentions.

I mean, how well
do you know this bloke?

You are being ridiculous.

Oh, it is ridiculous

to be concerned for your safety.

Hmm? For your honor.

Will you listen to yourself?

You sound like some kind

of uptight Victorian tyrant.

We're in the 21st century.

Chastity belts are
no longer in style.

Has it gone that far?

Oh, my God.

As the closest thing
you have to a parent

and as someone with
more experience in the world,

it is my responsibility
to protect you.

There are so many things wrong
with that statement.

We're gonna need to number them.

One, you are not my parent.

You're my great, great,
great, great grandparent.

And two,
I have greater experience

in this world than you do.

And three,
it is Charlie's responsibility

- to protect me, not yours.
- It is not just my personal

and familial feelings
toward you,

but my experience
as a Librarian,

which is greater than yours,

along with all the excitement
and satisfaction of this job,

is the fact we are not granted
a personal life.

Outside romances are forbidden.

What about you and Anya?

Well, if not strictly forbidden,

then highly discouraged.

You realize what you're saying?

Of course.

I do not regret all
the consequences of my actions,

but I would be lying to you
if I told you

they had not caused me
some very deep pain.

Look, we all have to make
our own choices, don't we?

You chose to be a Librarian,
Lysa.

And all choices
have consequences.

Uh, hey guys.

- What?
- What?

Hate to interrupt, but...

I think you two
better see something.

All right. So I was able to hack
into the Belgrade CCTV systems.

Looks like Belgrade has
its very own Batman.

Mm. Correction.

Its own Superman.

You guys weren't kidding.

This guy's amazing.

I guess the pendulum knew
what it was doing

when it sent us there.

Oh, it's a shame
he didn't reveal himself.

Yeah, that's what
I thought as well.

But then I used
your high-definition

enhancement program and...

You did?

Uh-hmm.

Wait for it.

Congratulations.

You're dating a superhero.

- Are you okay?
- I don't get it.

You're involved with a guy

who's faster
than a speeding b*llet,

can leap over tall buildings
in a single bound,

and you're bummed about it?

It's not all bad.

I mean, all superheroes
have secret identities.

Okay. But since there are
no actual superheroes,

he must be using magic,

which is why
the pendulum sent you there.

So this superhero notion,

is it a, um, modern invention?

Not really. It's been a thing
for almost a century now.

He started out
in comic books for kids

and now
it's taken over the culture.

Superheroes fill
the public's need to believe

in someone
with extraordinary powers

protecting them from evil doers.

So, someone like me.

Except you don't

- actually have superpowers.
- He's got the costume though.

And I kind of think
if anyone fits the bill,

- it's probably me.
- Hmm.

In any event,
if Lysa is correct,

and this fellow is in possession
of a magical artifact

and we must retrieve it.

Do we though?

If he's just, you know,

fighting crime
and protecting the city.

He may seem like
a perfectly admirable chap

when trying to impress
a young lady.

But we know how this goes.

Magic corrupts
all those who employ it.

So we must find this artifact

if we are to save
this young man.

So, what's our plan?

You and Charlie, find out
what you can about the thieves.

After all, the pendulum
did send us to the jewelry store

before our superhero arrived.

Lysa, you must reconnect

with your young man
and draw him out.

Oh, what?

Now, you're okay
with me seeing him?

On a strictly
professional basis.

Uh, no.

No, I don't feel comfortable

contacting him
under false pretenses.

Oh, I saw the way
he was looking at you.

I'm pretty sure you won't have
to do the contacting.

I think
you're overestimating my--

Hello?

The truth is
my life's kind of boring.

I think a woman like you is
used to a more exciting type.

Again, I think
you're being too modest--

- Uh-huh?
- --to do what you do.

Explore caves,
climbing mountains,

all in the name
of saving the planet.

I think it's really heroic.

Heroic? Me?

No, that's not me.

I think I'm just obsessed
with rocks.

Yeah. Well I think
there's more to you

than you're willing to admit.

Hey, you.

This area is
authorized personnel only.

What are you two doing here?

I'm the Librarian.

Of course you are.

We're looking
for the suspects arrested

in a jewelry store robbery
last night.

They're in holding cell D,
down the hall and to the left.

Oh, right.

- There you go.
- Thank you.

Really getting the hang
of that one.

Right?

So maybe we used to shoplift
now and then,

but we'd never done
anything like that in our life.

Where did you get the shotgun?

Boki's mother is a duck hunter.

That g*n was her favorite.

She's going to k*ll me
if I don't get it back to her,

straightened out.

How did that guy do that?

You said you were hanging
around on the street corner

trying to figure out
how to get free beer.

- Yeah.
- Then what happened?

I just heard
a voice in my head saying,

"Think bigger.
Go for a big score."

Before I could even tell
the other guys,

they seemed to get
the same idea.

What?
Didn't that seem strange to you?

Hmm.

It does now,

but at the time it was like...

something possessed us.

- Yeah.
- Yeah?

So Darwin called it

the "imperfection
of the geologic record"

because there's
a disproportionate amount

of younger rocks
available for study.

Due to the erosion of rocks
from the Precambrian period?

Yes. That's exactly--
that's exactly right.

- Uh-hmm.
- You have a beautiful mind.

Mm.

You know, I think
I would be more interesting

if I didn't spend
all of my time measuring

neutrino flux
and ice/albedo feedback.

All of your time?

Really?

All right. Well, what about you?

You told me that
you'd abandoned your work

in predictive modeling
for a new project

and then
you avoided the subject.

I wanna know
what your secret is.

It's difficult to describe.

We'll take your wallets
and your phones.

- Give me the knife.
- No.

Leave me alone
or I'll stick her.

Why? What do you hope
to gain from this?

I don't know.

Hello.

Were you following me?

Good thing I was.

Ah, it's high time we met.

I am Vikram Chamberlain,

fellow superhero

and guardian
to this young woman's honor.

Uh...

Robert. I can...explain

Was it something I said?

I don't understand.
Why are you so upset?

Let's try sexism and
anachronistic Victorian mores,

- toxic masculinity.
- Masculinity? Toxic?

How on earth
can masculinity be toxic,

you silly girl?

How did it go?

We gained valuable information.

Uh, we?
No, I gained information.

Vikram's scared him off
just as I was earning his trust,

which by the way is something
we have nothing of apparently.

Guardian of my honor.

- Really?
- Hmm.

What about you?
What did you learn?

Oh, I found
some of Robert's articles

and research papers.

His early work is mostly

about using
the geological record

to find patterns
related to climate change.

Pretty straightforward stuff.

Then, about a year ago,

he became interested in folklore

about geodes
and covalent crystals.

According to Slavic mythology,
there are stones called Alatyrs,

believed to be
the mother of all stones

and nestled in the naval
of the earth.

Slavic mythology.
That would explain

what brought him to Belgrade.

The Alatyr are referred to

in both ancient Russian
and Balkan poetry

as a mighty force
that has no end.

He made a sketch of it.

It's not too large.

He could be carrying that
on his person.

When he sensed danger,
I saw something on his arm.

It was under the skin.
It glowed,

but it was smaller than this.

Hmm. Ah, what did you glean
at the police station?

There was something odd about

- our jewel thieves.
- Yeah.

They weren't hardened criminals.

They said something
just came over them.

Couldn't explain their behavior.

- They said they felt possessed.
- Hmm.

It sounds like our case
with the cut purses at the park.

But what is the connection?

There's only one way
to find out. Hmm.

You must lure him
into another liaison.

Lure him?

Like I'm some
kind of femme fatale?

Exactly.
But you'll be operating strictly

in your capacity as a Librarian.

Why would he even
wanna see me again

after what happened?

Well, what happened?
It was revealed.

You have a protective relative

whereas you found out
he has superpowers,

who has more explaining to do.
Hmm?

- It is our best shot.
- Hmm.

- Okay.
- Hmm.

Connor,
you continue the research

on Robert and the Alatyr.

Myself and Charlie
should accompany Ms. Fatale.

No, no.

If I do this,

I'm doing it on my own.

I didn't know if you'd come.

No, I didn't either.

Don't worry.

I'm alone. I promise.

You sure about that?

I'm so sorry
about what happened.

And Vikram can be

all overprotective.

I felt terrible
when you ran off like that.

I ran off because you couldn't
possibly understand

what's happening with me.

Try me.
You might be surprised at

what I can understand.

What do you do when you spent

your entire life
studying science

and then you find out there are
more powerful forces at play

- in the universe?
- Hmm.

Like what?

Like magic.

Okay. Come with me.

This stone in your arm.

Is it what glows
when you become Red Rock?

It's a part of it. It's a shard.

It embedded itself in my arm

when I accidentally activated
the main stone.

And where is that?

It's still where found it.

I'm studying it.

I think you're messing
with things beyond your control.

Why don't you just let me try
and take out the shard?

Take out the shard?

Have you seen the strength
it gives me?

Can you imagine the power

if I could harness
the main stone?

But there's always
a price to pay for using magic.

The difference I could make
in the world.

You are making a difference
as scientist.

If science is
the be all and end all,

and why did you give up
on your work?

What's the mystery project?
And who is this guy?

Chamberlain?

He's a relative,
a distant relative.

There is nothing for you
to be jealous about.

Lysa, this isn't about
being jealous.

This is about me telling you
my deepest secrets,

and you're still hiding
something from me.

Look,
in case you hadn't realized,

I care about you deeply.

We can be honest
with each other.

I'm sorry.

You're right.
I am keeping things from you.

It's this project, this--

- I have to go.
- No, you don't.

Robert, Robert!

We now know
two very important things.

Red Rock is deriving his power
from a larger Alatyr stone

and not just from the shard
in his arm.

- Great work, Lysa.
- Yeah,

I'm glad you think it's great.

I feel a bit...shady.

But didn't he also say
that he was

still studying it
where he found it?

- Yeah.
- And Connor said that

the stones were nestled
in the navel of the earth.

Hmm, but we also know
that Belgrade

has an extensive network
of underground caverns.

So we can assume this is where
the Alatyr can be found.

But which cavern?

I mean, they go on for miles.

Ah, Robert had
white clay on his shoes.

This would indicate an area
by the Sava River.

Oh, I think I have an idea
where it might be.

Excellent.

We go tonight.

Hmm, almost ready?

Lysa, are you all right?

How can you tell when
the corruptive effects of magic

have taken hold of a person?

Well, it usually begins
innocently enough.

A fascination
with some previously

unimaginable phenomenon.

And the magic is used.

Feeling of exceptionalism
sets in,

followed by a sense
of omnipotence.

Then, presto,

you have a monster
on your hands.

Okay.

You really care for this fellow,
don't you?

I didn't think I had it in me
to feel this way.

It just happened.

I thought we were just
gonna be friends.

But he was so smart and so...

So...

handsome.

We met in a lecture.

We had coffee,
we exchanged books.

These things have a way

of taking on a life
of their own.

No, but I realized how good

of a person he was.

So decent.

You know, before he was
gonna be a geologist,

he was a divinity student.

He thought about
becoming a priest.

Sounds almost
too good to be true.

Well, yeah,
then he found magic and power

and I think
he's becoming obsessed

with both of them.

It's only a matter of time,
Lysa.

Magic, power, corruption.

It's the devil's equation.

Vikram, I'm worried about
what's gonna happen to him.

What makes you
so sure this is the way?

I'm following a hunch.

I had a feeling that he was
looking for this place.

In occult history circles,

it's something people
whisper about.

Hang on.

Just what I was afraid of.

What is this place?

Remember everything I told you

about Germany under Hitler?

Of course I do.

The most horrific
and dark period of history.

When this area was occupied
during the Second World w*r,

the Germans maintained
bunkers underground

to avoid allied bombers.

This doesn't look like
a b*mb shelter.

Robert discovered this.

Some of these places
weren't just for hiding.

They were something
else entirely.

Like what?

Like hidden laboratories

for unleashing the power
in magical artifacts.

So where is the stone?

- What is it?
- It looks like a primitive

magnetic susceptibility
detector.

It's used in geology to measure

the electromagnetic
field intensity in rocks.

These screws have
fresh scratches on them.

- Nothing here.
- No, wait.

Ah, see that?

Tiny crystallized fragments.

- Oh, yeah.
- The stone was here.

He must have moved it.

Then we must find it...

before he's completely
corrupted by its power.

You sure he said
it was down here?

He said it was still
where he found it.

We've looked everywhere.

We must decamp
before Red Rock returns.

We need to understand
what we're dealing with.

Okay. Here's what we know.

I had to dig
into some dark corners

of the Library's collection

but I found the archive

of the Ahnenerbe.

- The what?
- The Ahnenerbe were

a pseudoscientific organization
within the German army.

They were tasked with creating
false historical narratives

to support Hitler's
r*cist theories.

Heavy on occult beliefs.

And apparently,
when they tried to tap

into the power of the Alatyr,

they unleashed
unwanted contrary forces.

- Contrary forces?
- Yeah,

for every power
that it granted them,

the stone created
more antagonists

who rose up against them.

Partisans, guerrilla fighters.

Hmm, so they cancelled
each other out.

It created
so many problems for them

that they scuttled the program.

It's Newton's third law.

Every action has an equal
and opposite reaction.

- But this is magic.
- Yeah,

but even magic has to be
subject to the laws of physics.

So Newton believed
that Forces come in

action-reaction force pairs.

So in this instance,
the force pair

is a superhero and...

And the supercriminal.

Or supercrime

in the form
of the current crime wave.

- It's a feedback loop.
- So this rock,

this Alatyr,

is giving Robert his powers

and turning ordinary people
into felons.

When I tapped into the local
crime database,

it showed that


are committed
by first-time offenders.

And the numbers are
increasing rapidly.

So, the Red Rock continues using
the power of the stone,

the entire city will descend
into knavery and chaos.

And Robert will become more
and more corrupted by magic.

We need to find that Alatyr,
APSA!

ASAP.

Right. And at the very least,

we need to remove that shard
from his arm.

Voluntarily or involuntarily,
hmm?

- Charlie?
- I have some training

removing b*ll*ts in the field.

I can get that shard out...

one way or another.

If you don't want
to get involved,

you can sit this one out.

No.

No, I'm a Librarian.

I'll find him and deliver him.

Robert.

How did you know
where I was staying?

I have my ways.
I know that sounds stalker-ish,

but I needed to find you.

This is not something
you can control.

- I can control it.
- You think you can,

but you're dealing with forces
greater than you are.

- How do you know?
- This project I'm working on,

it has to do with thaumaturgy.

- You mean, magic?
- Yes,

and the artifacts
that possess it.

And these friends of yours?

Part of the same organization.

But they don't know
that I'm here.

They wouldn't like it
if they did.

So, what's been happening
between us

- is a part of your job?
- No. No.

I only realized
what was happening

after we became involved.

- Robert.
- Why are you here?

Because I care about you.

I--and I know what happens
when people abuse magic.

I'm not abusing anything.

- I was chosen for this.
- Listen to yourself.

It's already happening.

Oh, you're not the same guy
that I first met you.

You used to talk about
doing good for society.

I'm Red Rock.

Without me,
society would fall apart.

What you're doing is
causing society to fall apart.

There's a feedback loop.

The stone doesn't just give you
your power,

it creates a purpose
for your power

by turning other people
to crime.

- You're wrong.
- I'm not.

Listen to me.

I am part of an ancient
and secret institution.

And they have access to tools
more powerful than your Alatyr.

And one way or another,
my colleagues

will get it from you.

Don't walk away from me again.

I care about you.

I'm on your side.

No, you're not.

So sorry, but I must demand

that you hand that sacred stone
over to us.

Demand?

All right.

Request.

But refusal is not an option.

Well, I give you this,
you certainly have

- a massive pair of...
- Friends?

Give that back.

We need to put this
where it can do no harm.

It's the Alatyr.

Now she's got the power.

Think fast.

Charlie.

It appears
that we have the advantage.

We are taking the Alatyr
with us.

But before we do,

we have to remove that fragment
from your arm.

Never.

She knows what she's doing.

- It won't hurt.
- Much.

Stop.

There's gotta be another way.

Stand back
or I'll snap her neck.

Now, give me that stone.

What are you doing?
You don't wanna do this.

You led them here
so they could find the stone.

You betrayed me.

Don't come any closer.

I demand you unhand her!

Get back!

Give me the stone
or I will crush her.

Give me the stone
and I'll let her go.

Do not harm her.

Charlie, give it to him.

No! We're Librarians.

- We don't give up artifacts.
- It's mine.

I found it.

Give me the stone
and I will leave this city

and you can go
about your business.

Don't listen to him.
It's just the stone talking.

He won't hurt me.

- Yes, I will.
- Give it to him.

No. Charlie, no.

No! No!

Robert, stop!

This isn't you.

What happened to the man
I first met?

I was no one.

I was anonymous scientist
working on a problem

that will never be solved
in my lifetime.

Maybe not,

but another scientist
will stand on your shoulders

and it will be solved.

It may not be as glamorous
as being Red Rock,

but it is real.

It matters.

What matters is this.

The power that I get from this.

With this, I can fight injustice
every day.

What you're doing is
creating injustice.

You are turning innocent people
into criminals

every time you use the stone.

I'm telling you,
it is Newton's third law.

- It is...
- You and I both know

this is outside the realm
of science.

This is about spirit.

Okay, fine.
Then forget science.

What about the gospel
of Matthew?

Violence begets violence.

You just threatened to k*ll me.

Is that who you are?

Please.

You can stop this.

Okay.

No, you're okay.

Write me when you get
to California.

You should come and visit.

Faculty housing at Cal Tech

is like a five star hotel.

You mean bunk together?

That is mighty presumptuous.

Thought it was worth a try.

Maybe our paths
will cross again one day.

But not now?

A lot has happened

in the last couple of weeks.

I've had a chance to think
about things,

about my life and about...

all the commitments I've made.

And I'm not one of them?

Hey, you need to do your work
and I need to do mine.

Yeah, your work.

The organization
that you work for.

You never really told me
what it was.

Believe it or not,
I'm just a Librarian.

Well, I guess this is goodbye.

Hmm.

Goodbye, Robert.

Man, it felt pretty awesome
to have this sort of power.

Even for a moment.
You don't think this debris

has any more juice left in it,
do you?

Don't even think about it.

This is going into storage
in the Library.

I was just wondering.

You know, Connor,
it isn't necessary to employ

supernatural hoodwinking
to become a superhero.

It merely requires that one
have extraordinary intelligence

and a superior
physical dexterity.

It's true.

Batman doesn't have
any superpowers.

In my day, a batman

was a personal servant
to a military officer.

Well now,
he's a billion-dollar franchise.

Did the departure proceed
without incident?

This idea that a Librarian
can't have a personal life.

I don't think
I really understood

what I was getting into.

We all face that realization
at some point.

But you are a remarkably
wise person.

You will find
the proper balance.

That is a change of tune.

No more "I'm the guardian
of this young woman's honor"?

Yes, I may possess
a finely honed intellect

and encyclopedic knowledge.

But I can still learn
a few things.

The Library tells us
to avoid romantic entanglements.

But we are human.

We have human emotions.

It is up to each of us
to sort that out for ourselves.

Did you know that
when you were with Anya

or did you only
realize that now?

I only know that the heart wants
what the heart wants.

But does the heart
ever wanna be alone?

"For oft when on my couch I lie

in vacant or in pensive mood,

they flash upon that inward eye,

which is the bliss of solitude.

And then my heart
with pleasure fills..."

"...and dances
with the daffodils."

William Wordsworth. Hmm.

We were pals, Wordsworth and I.

We used to lark about
the Lake District together.

Hmm.

Larking about.

Sounds good.

Anyone up for a walk?

Count me in.

Me too.

Always up for a good lark.

Daffodils.