01x02 - Fight or Flight

[bunniefuu]

Fore centuries, mankind has been the dominant species.

We've domesticated animals, locked them up, k*lled them for sport.

But what if, all across the globe, the animals decided no more?

What if they finally decided to fight back?

Previously on Zoo...

Rise and shine, Jackson.

We have a dozen impatient Swedes waiting for us to show them the rhinos.

Abraham!

(g*n fires)

My name's Jackson.

Chloe.

Was your husband...?

No, my husband is back in Paris.

Although he never became my husband.

I learned he was having an affair.

(growls)

(screams)

Excuse me, Mitch Morgan?

I'm Jamie Campbell. We spoke on the phone.

Right-- L.A. Telegraph.

You're the animal coroner?

Veterinary pathologist.

You want to know what incited the lions to k*ll the zookeeper.

Jamie: And the men downtown, yeah.

That makes two of us.

Apparently, there's a rash of missing cats in Brentwood.

This is an elementary school.

Mitch: Yeah, but in the summer, it's a day camp.

And camp starts tomorrow.

My father made all these tapes.

He talks about a defiant pupil--

indisputable proof that his theory was correct.

Maybe my father wasn't entirely crazy.

Jackson Oz, you're under arrest.

For what?

Interference with lawful hunting.

You got to be kidding me!

(lion growling softly)

(cats meowing)

We should call Animal Control.

And tell them what?

What? This, the-the cats, the kids.

Yeah, okay.

This is weird, maybe even a little creepy, but cats have been known to socialize in groups.

We even have a name for it.

It's called a "clowder."

A clowder?

Yeah, a clowder.

Now, cats aren't all that social, so you don't see it too often, but... often enough they gave it a name.

Mitch, there's something going on here.

Yes, there's something going on here, but I can assure you there's a rational explanation for it, all right?

Okay, then explain those lions from the zoo.

Those lions did what lions do.

They acted "lion-y."

Smug.

Smug?

You don't see it too often, but often enough that they gave it a name.

All right, let's call animal rescue, but you're gonna do all the talking.

You might reach an actual human being by Tuesday.

Operator: Thank you for calling the Animal Control hotline.

To continue in English, press one.

If this is an emergency, please hang up and dial 911.

For wild animals, please press one.

For domestic animals, press two.

Okay, here's your explanation.

Hello. Animal Control. This is Becca. Honeysuckle.

How can I help you?

Yes, hello.

Uh, I'm calling to report a... um...

(hisses, meows)

Hello?

Uh, could you send a unit to Sunshine Elementary School?

It's on Boon Avenue in Brentwood.

There's been a, um...

Ma'am?

There's a lot of cats in the trees.

And I think that someone needs...

I'm sorry. Cats?

Yes, cats.

All right, we'll send someone out.

That would be great.

Thank you so much.

They're on their way.

Well, this should be embarrassing.

(cat yowls) MITCH: Whoa!

(Screams)

(hisses)

I'm telling you, it's the honeysuckle.

See, honeysuckle to cats is like... you know, it's like catnip.

Do you think...?

What?

They heard you calling the authorities?

(moans)

♪

(purring)

Hey.

Hey, Kavimba.

Listen to me, listen to me, listen.

Look, you have to let me out of here.

Honestly, Jackson, I am of the mind to keep you here all week.

I understand, but you can't.

You have to let me out now.

You cannot continue to interfere with the tourists.

We have to get back out there and figure out what's going on with those lions.

Look, you have to shut down the safari camps in the valley.

At least until we can properly assess what the hell is going on out...

We go through this every time there's a prolonged dry season.

The herbivores go searching to quench their thirst in places they shouldn't.

The big cats follow, and sometimes people get hurt.

This isn't normal dry season wandering, and you know that.

This entire town... this entire region exists because people want to see the lions!

You exist because the people want to see the lions!

My best friend d*ed out there.

And I'm very sorry about that.

I went to grade school with Abraham.

He was my friend, too.

(door opens)

Shut down the camps.

Hey, there.

Oh, hey.

Are you leaving?

Yeah.

They took my statement about the lions, and now I'm going back to Paris.

Are you okay?

Yeah.

You're no longer under arrest?

No, not for the moment.

Uh, listen, can I, um, get your contact information?

A phone, e-mail, whatever.

It was nice to meet you.

Thank you for rescuing me.

No, uh, Chloe, uh, I-I think you misunderstand me.

I'm not...

There has to be a further investigation of what happened out there, so I may need to... speak with you.

Of course.

Yeah.

0-6-35...

What is it?

(cell phone rings)

(lion growling)

(cell phone continues to ring)

What do you think of this, Andraz?

You like him?

He's a soldier.

No.

(dog barks)

Woman: Lord, help us with this adoption.

Man: What did you expect, luv?

He's four.

I just don't know how we shall ever hope to succeed at this.

Man: Uh, no, no, no.

No, come, come, come, come.

(speaking Slovenian)

Shh, shh, shh.

Hey, hey, it's all right.

Would it be possible, sir, to remove the dog from the lobby until we leave?

He good dog. He no bark.

Appreciate that, but still.

Shh, shh, shh.

The last thing we need is for Andraz to be bitten by a dog the first day he's under our supervision.

We have two more days before the adoption decree goes through.

How are we going to entertain him for two more days?

He doesn't even speak English.

What do you want to do tomorrow, Andraz?

Hmm, son?

(boy chatters)

What?

Excellent choice.

Tomorrow, we go.

Is this where you saw him last?

In there.

Kavimba: Go.

Keep a sharp eye out.

Yes, sir.

(grass rustles)

The driver's body's still in there, but Abe's gone.

So now what?

Jackson: We keep looking.

It's fresh blood.

It must be Abe's.

Can't be more than 24 hours old.

There's a trail of it.

Oh, my God.

What is it?

Oz, wait!

Go, go, go, go!

In the jeep! In the jeep now!

Go! Go!

(engine starts)

He's there, he's there!

Whoa.

Are... are you kidding me? (stammers)

I'm two days late on the rent.

It's not my call. It's my mother's.

This is the sixth month in a row you've been late.

No. No, no, no, that's... that's impossible. Sixth?

Maybe the fifth, but definitely not the sixth.

Listen, man, I could probably... you know...

What?

Talk to my moms?

If you'd maybe want to grab a drink.

Maybe a meal?

You like soft-shell crab?

Dude, I'd rather sleep in the street.

Man: In that case, I'm afraid I can't help you.

My mom says you gotta go.

All right, we got you, buddy. We got you.

Grab his legs. I got his arms.

Okay. I got him.

Jackson: Steady. Okay, steady. Steady. Careful.

The ridge... It's all right.

Hey, we got you. Take it easy, buddy. We got you.

The ridge...

He's saying something about the ridge.

We've got a problem.

Lions!

There are too many. Too many for just one r*fle.

Unlodge his foot from there.

(lion growls)

There's no time!

Nice and easy, nice and easy. Come on.

We gotta go, we gotta go. I'm going to sh**t.

You sh**t, they'll charge. Do not sh**t!

Then hurry!

Careful, careful. He's injured.

If I don't sh**t now, we don't stand a prayer!

You got him?

I got him.

He's in. Now let's go. Now!

Come on! Move!

Come on!

Let's go! Let's go!

All right, let's go! Hold him still!

Come on, come on! Drive! All right, move!

Come on! Let's go! Go, go, go!

I don't understand why they're not pouncing.

(snarling)

(trainer shouts commands)

(audience applauds)

(low growling)

(trainer shouts commands)

(whip cracks)

(applause)

(trainer shouts commands)

You do know this is unnatural.

What?

Forcing a creature to do something that... doesn't come instinctively.

(drumroll plays)

(whip cracks)

(applause)

(roars)

(audience gasps, laughs)

Mitch: All right, so we've been talking this whole hour about animal behavior.

The norms...

...and the deviations.

That's it for today.

Don't forget, your papers are due on Friday.

On which is the greater motivator: hormones or pheromones?

(low chatter)

You know, I still want to cut myself every time I even think about having to explain to those Animal Control officers why we called them in a panic about a bunch of empty trees.

I found something.

There's a chemical called 2,4-D.

It's known to affect the neurotransmitters in animals' brains.

Meaning it could cause aberrant behavior.

Exactly.

Now, 2,4-D is currently being used in pesticides made by Reiden Global.

The beef those lions were fed came from cows that fed on grain that was treated with pesticides from Reiden Global.

This is all... very riveting.

Wait. There's more.

I was so hoping there would be.

Last month, L.A. County started using a similar pesticide to contain a rare mosquito outbreak.

Want to guess where?

In honor of conspiracy nuts everywhere, I'm gonna guess Brentwood.

Yes!

Brentwood.

Fine.

Let's just say, for a second-- for a second-- that you're right and this chemical is causing the aberrant behavior.

We could find out for sure by taking a closer look at the lion's brains.

Great. Let's do it.

Let's nail these bastards to the wall.

You are thoroughly obsessed with Reiden Global, aren't you? I mean, in ways that go beyond just "I hate corporations."

Yeah, I am.

May I ask why?

Because of what they did to my hometown.

What'd they do to your hometown?

They m*rder*d it.

(people talking indistinctly in distance)

(monitor beeping rhythmically)

Man: Jackson and the search party are back.

Jackson: How is he?

Woman: Abe's gonna be fine.

No internal injuries.

No bite marks.

Several lacerations, some cuts and bruises.

Can I see him?

In a couple of hours.

I gave him a sedative.

How is it possible?

How is what possible?

Somehow, those lions dragged him up into a tree.

Well, that's hardly inconceivable.

They do it with their young, they drag them by the back of their necks.

I mean, sure, Abe is considerably larger than a lion's cub...

But it's as though they purposely went out of their way not to mortally wound him, not to k*ll him.

Why would they do that?

I don't know.

But I do know that he was incredibly lucky.

(sighs)

So, did you find the others?

Jackson: Yeah. 22 dead by the river delta.

Woman: Oh, no.

Well, if the bodies are gonna start arriving, I have to prepare the loved ones.

Are you okay, Jackson?

I'm fine.

Really, Mom, I'm fine.

(panting)

(distorted roaring)

(gasps)

(panting)

(roaring)

(roars)

(gasping)

(phone ringing)

(phone beeps)

Jackson! Jackson!

How's Abraham now?

Your cousin's gonna be fine.

My father's recordings; did you bring them?

Yes, of course.

Good.

Come with me.

I think there's one about fight or flight.

Do you know what I'm talking about?

Yes.

I've watched them all.

They're brilliant.

Fight or flight.

Do we run or do we strike back?

That's...

Robert: What do we do in the face of fear?

Do we run or do we strike back?

This question resides in the most primal aspect of the brain, both humans and animals alike.

But it won't be long before the animals realize that they no longer need to flee.

That they have the capacity and the capability to rule the planet.

That they no longer need to fear mankind.

(squeals)

See? It's not scared of me.

It knows... that all they need to do is fight and they can take down the human race.

(monitor beeping rhythmically)

Hey, rafiki.

How you feeling?

I suppose I'll live.

As long as my beloved doctor doesn't tell me otherwise.

120/80.

You're perfect.

(chuckles)

You see that?

I am perfect.

Kukaa karibu.

You saved my life, rafiki.

I only did what you'd do for me.

I don't know.

All those lions.

I think I would have left you and ran. (chuckles)

What happened out there, Abe?

How did you end up in that tree?

I went into the safari bus, and I saw...

a man lying in the aisle, dead.

That's why I didn't see the lion come in.

(roaring)

So I made my peace.

It was my time.

That's okay.

Everyone has their time.

At least I would be with my baby brothers again.

(roars)

(roaring)

Abraham: I must have bumped my head, because the next thing I remember, he was dragging me.

And then I realized his plan for me was worse than death.

I was to be food for the pride.

But they didn't eat me just then.

Instead, they dragged me up into the tree that you found me in.

(low snarling)

(roaring)

And they retreated up the ridge...

...and waited and watched.

I came in and out of consciousness, and I prayed that I would die before they had decided they had toyed with me enough and that it was time to feed.

Next thing I knew, you were there helping me down.

I don't think that they were ever going to eat you.

I think that they wanted us to find you.

I think that they wanted someone to spread their message.

I don't understand.

Spread what message?

That they're no longer afraid of us.

(gasps quietly)

(snarling, roars)

Polnjene zivali.

That's it, Andraz, the show is over.

Polnjene zivali.

What's he saying?

Don't know.

I'm suddenly wishing some genius had thought to invent an English-to-Slovenian smartphone app.

(chuckling): Yeah.

Andraz.

Andraz?

Andraz!

Andraz! Andraz!

Andraz! Andraz!

(tigers snarling)

(low snarling)

(people talking indistinctly in distance)

(hooting, screeching)

I'm sorry, but the lions aren't here-- they've been destroyed.

Mitch: What, already?

Yeah, both corpses last night.

On whose orders?

Uh, the city council.

Or maybe the zoo board.

I'm not sure.

It means nothing.

Oh, come on.

Are you still living in Venice, Mitchell?

Uh, yes.

It's convenient to Westwood... classes.

I love it there.

Tell me, Mitchell, uh, could we get the same results from a different lion that was fed here at the zoo? A live one?

There are certain tests I could run that wouldn't be harmful.

What is this all about?

To be honest, we're trying to get to the bottom of what happened with those lions the other day.

Zookeeper: Yeah, there's a full investigation underway, but I kind of think it's a waste of time.

Every now and then, lions just act "lion-y."

Wow, did you guys go to the same orientation seminar?

Just don't want it to happen again.

Yeah, of course.

Mitchell, um... do you think maybe it might be possible for Aspen to arrange for us to borrow a lion?

Wh-What? No.

No, just for a little bit.

No, that's not...

Just to run those tests.

I don't think that's... Yeah, sure.

Of course.

Anything to help.

(rooster crowing, chickens clucking)

"Kukaa karibu."

I've heard you and Abraham say that before.

It's something his mother taught him.

It means stay close and take care of the people you care about.

You're very good at that.

What if he was right?

Who?

Robert.

Is that where you got that idea about the lions no longer being afraid of us?

From your father?

I was watching the recordings he made, okay?

At least the ones I have.

Now, the flash drives are numbered "one of 12," "two..."

Jackson.

But I only have five flash drives.

Where are the other seven?

Jackson.

Your father's ideas were rejected by every one of his peers.

Harvard revoked his chair.

What if they're wrong?

What if they're all wrong?

He was the laughingstock...

What if everyone else is wrong?

22 people are dead from those lion att*cks.

Twenty-two.

What if something in his work could keep other people from dying?

It can't.

Because there was no basis in fact for any of it.

Your father lost his tether on reality.

He was delusional.

Okay, I know.

He was...

I know, I know.

It's the reason I made you take this job, remember?

It's the reason we're here, to get away from him; I know.

Then why are you bringing all of this back?

I'm not.

I think it's already here.

(low snarling)

(snarling)

Man: Andraz! Andraz!

Andraz!

You scared us.

You scared us, all right?

(sighs) You scared us, Andraz.

Polnjene zivali.

Man: Polnjene zivali.

Polnjene zivali, yes?

Yeah.

(chuckling): Thank you.

(speaking Slovenian)

Apparently, it means "souvenir."

(cooing)

Chloe.

(speaking French)

♪

(sobbing)

(sobbing continues)

What...?

What is it?

Dear Lord.

I need to see my son.

Right away.

14 years out here, I've seen five bodies mauled by lions.

Today, nearly two dozen.

It's tragic.

Yes, it is.

But that's not what concerns me.

Lions k*ll for two reasons, but these people, they didn't pose a thr*at, and they weren't k*lled for food.

Something else.

When lions k*ll, they go for the throat.

It's quick, it's efficient.

But these bodies, every one of them has the femoral arteries slashed.

These people, they d*ed slow painful deaths.

But it was several lions.

Several.

How would they all...?

Change the way they k*ll? They wouldn't.

And yet, they did.

You've always had a lot in common with your father, Jackson.

Even when you were a child, you were... brilliant like him and curious and determined.

We're all a product of nature and nurture, our genes and our experiences and I've already lost one of the men I love to this.

I know it's irrational... but now I'm afraid I may lose the other.

Tokyo?

What's in Tokyo?

The flash drives that you have, they were sent to us by Harvard.

They were among the things that your father left behind when they asked him to resign.

But after he d*ed, I got this address from the executor of his will.

At some point, your father found his way to Japan.

Whatever is left of his research, this is where you'll find it.

If something's really going on with the lions, I'm not just leaving you here.

Once it's safe, then I'll go.

I don't think there's time for that.

Look, I'm not saying that I think your father was right.

In fact, I pray to God he wasn't.

But if he is...

(scoffs)

...this isn't gonna stop with just the lions.

(thick accent): Okay.

One final paper.

Good.

Cestitke.

Congratulations.

Congratulations!

(laughs)

I'm a mum.

You're a mum.

(laughs)

I'm a mum.

(dog barks)

Polnjene zivali.

(speaks Slovenian)

(growling)

Come here, pup.

Oh... Don't fear, I'll get it.

It's okay. Come here.

Come here.

Daddy will find it.

Okay?

Okay.

(horns honking, traffic sounds)

Max!

Come here, boy!

(claps hands, whistles)

Max!

(quietly): Damn it.

(whining)

Max!

Come on.

Would've been better to shave him, but I didn't think to bring a razor.

All right.

Make yourself useful.

Attach these to the electrodes.

Red to red, yellow to yellow, and so on.

Do they teach you this in vet school?

Nope. Med school.

You went to med school, too?

I did.

But I gave it up once I realized that... that meant doing what doctors do: primarily dealing with people.

(beeping, gasps)

(monitor beeping rhythmically)

It works.

That was funny, by the way.

What's it saying?

It's, uh... spiking in the hyper-gamma frequencies.

What does that mean?

I don't know.

Because lion's brains don't have hyper-gamma frequencies.

(cub snarling quietly)

Mitch...

He's awake.

(cub snarling quietly)

(phone rings)

Hello.

Mitch: It's me.

I think I underdosed the lion cub.

I gave him 3.9 milligrams of Zolazepam 20 minutes ago.

Should've kept him asleep for hours, but he's-he's waking up already.

(whispering): Would you hold-hold him still?

I'm trying.

I just want to make sure it's okay to give him another dose.

Yeah, that's fine. Uh, but I've gotta go.

We've got a bit of a crisis here.

For some reason, all the big cats are going crazy.

Crazy how?

I don't know.

(lions snarling)

About 20 minutes ago, they started howling and they haven't settled down since.

(snarling)

Mitch: That started at 10:00?

Yeah. Why?

Mitch: Nothing.

Coincidence.

(roaring)

(roaring over phone speaker)

(roaring)

Uh, Mitchell, I have to go.

What was that?

I don't know.

But I think-- and I can't believe I'm about to say this--

I think these lions are... communicating with each other.

Long-distance.

(chain rattles)

All right.

Stay.

(low growling)

Stay.

Stay.

That's a good boy.

(whining)

(snarling)

(growling)

(growls)

(barks)

(barking)

(snarling)

Rafiki.

Hey.

Should you be out here?

No.

Not at all.

But I spoke to your mother and she told me about Japan.

Abe... no.

Kukaa karibu, rafiki.

If you go, I go with you.

I don't think so. I appreciate...

You have known me for a dozen years now.

Do you know me to be a man that is easily dissuaded?

Besides...

I think Japanese women are very sexy.

(laughs)

Yeah.

I'm sure they're gonna find you sexy, too.

In a beaten-up kind of way.

Yes.

I am a very rugged man.

(laughs)

(stifles a groan)

(engine starts)

(dogs barking, howling)

Andraz: Dada?

That's right.

Dada.

Mama.

Mama. Dada, Mama.

Yes.

(scratching at door)

(dogs barking, howling in distance)

Man: Chloe Tousignant?

Oui.

That's not important.

What is important is Africa, and what happened to you there.

The second matter involves dogs in Slovenia.

I have reason to believe the two events are connected and that you may be uniquely suited to help us.

Who are you?

Who are "us"?

If you will come with me, I'll tell you everything.

But we should go straightaway.

I'm afraid-- and this is not an overstatement-- that the fate of the world may hinge on it.