02x08 - Auld Acquaintance

[bunniefuu]

Previously on Underground

We catch him tomorrow morning while he out riding.

Tell him where to meet us

- after everybody gone to sleep.

- Help!

Help!

I'm carrying a child!

- That don't change nothing.

- (screams)

CATO: If I help her kidnap a number of free black folks, - she'll let us go.

- You're just a bad man.

Paris is quite different than it is here, even in the North.

She's sneaky.

And she planning to run.

Hide the papers.

Run as fast as you can.

(grunts)

("Auld Lang Syne" playing)

(exhales)

Merry Christmas.

Is that what I think it is?

He was passed out on top of it in the drinking tent.

Thought you might like to see what he got to say about you.

Sit down.

"The strength of one hundred warriors sat ready "at the end of the barrel of her long-range r*fle.

"Ready to declare w*r on whatever she ordered.

"And while her convictions would race like a b*llet "through this complex world "her trigger finger was shaky, "as if cursed by a singular question" "Why haven't I caught Harriet Tubman?" Get out.

Your plan to break your Black Rose ain't happening fast enough.

You should be coming after the queen herself, not her court.

Show this butcher of words Harriet Tubman's just another runaway n*gg*r.

Then she'll be a footnote in your story, instead of the other way around.

Well, that's easier said than done.

We came here because you know she's workin' in the area.

And if there was a map to all the safe houses on the Underground, maybe that would be a start.

Actually there is.

I once heard a song.

I was told it, uh, came from a man who wrote it on a prison wall just before he d*ed.

(insects trilling)

Each verse a step along the way north.

The moss.

The blue haze.

The wolf.

The grave.

They all led to the devil's grin.

Which I ain't never seen.

But if I was fortunate enough to have seen that, then the next part of the song would've led me to the angel's light.

Sing it to me.

I seen death But the moss stays the same The sun is shining Through the blue haze The drinking gourd The wolf yells his name The devil grins When he shows you the grave So we fall down To look up Waiting to see What child is this Who laid to rest, ah!

Mary's lap - Is sleeping?

- Ah, ah, ah Is this Christ the king?

Haste, haste To bring him laud The babe The son of Mary (women grunting)

(woman shouts)

(grunting continues)

(groans)

Please!

Not too tight.

Rosalee, Miss Suzanna be clear.

She said she wants you back in that dress and back to work.

(groans)

We's could only let the dress out a little.

Means this belly got to come in a lot.

SUZANNA: James!

T. R. !

It's time to open presents!

Who laid to rest, ah!

Is this Christ the king - Whom shepherds guard - Boys!

And angels sing Haste, haste To bring him laud The babe, the son Of Mary.

We should be on land.

It's faster.

By now they know she's missin'.

Most likely, their rollers are on the hunt.

Out here, we're sitting ducks is all I'm sayin'.

Patty's tasked us both with retrieving this property.

It wouldn't be favorable if she got stolen 'cause you and I can't work together.

Be quiet.

Who's Patty?

Patty Cannon?

What's she want with me?

Well, she has business with your daughter.

Shut your mouth.

That's four dollars for a dozen.

How about I give you two dollars for a baker's dozen?

Well, sir, everything is priced as is.

And all of it in line with the free produce movement.

- What does that mean?

- Nothing is made with sl*ve labor.

For example, in these cookies, we substituted honey for the sugar.

WOMAN (quietly): That's her.

WOMAN 2: (gasps)

It is.

I'll take all of it.

I'll probably get a toothache, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make for a cause.

Welcome back.

(chuckles)

Oh.

How was hearing Harriet speak?

Life-changing.

She's inside.

She's come for the money for Noah and Rosalee's return trip.

WOMAN 2: Oh, Georgia!

(sighs)

Any chance that you actually will be able to purchase all of this?

Is it that bad?

It seems that the Christmas spirit is not inspiring charity this year.

I noticed it was emptier than usual inside.

Boarders have steadily declined since the raid.

There have been rumors about me.

LANEY: Elizabeth Hawkes.

I knew that was you!

Laney.

I haven't seen you in a long time.

And I take full blame for that.

I just want to let you know Dean and I are deeply sorry that we missed John's funeral.

We were in India.

Again.

The culture there is just so robust.

Laney, this is my friend Georgia.

Nice to meet you.

You know, I think what y'all are doing here is just wonderful.

Helping the Negroes.

And, Elizabeth, I think it's so noble of you to participate.

And, of course, you as well, considering your ties to it.

ELIZABETH: I'm glad you think so, because we could really use your help.

You know, I tried reading a book accounting for the conditions of the slaves, but, I must confess, I couldn't get past the first few pages.

What a vile institution sl*very is.

Well, any donation that you could make would go a long way to helping end it.

Oh, I'd love to, of course.

Unfortunately, I can't spend any money without my husband's blessing.

It's a shame, really.

If there's anyone who can identify with the plight of the sl*ve, it's us women.

I really should get going.

It was so great to see you.

Maybe we can do tea soon.

Just the two of us.

Help!

- (gasping)

- (shushing)

You alone?

(gasping, grunting)

Who you tell we was here?

- (grunting)

- (shushing)

You was the only one that knew.

(muffled): James, he the one (gasping)

What about James?

(strained): He told!

(gasping)

(panting)

You blamin' me, when y'all changed the plan.

What was Rosalee doin' in the big house?

You comin' back, that was the plan.

Miss Suzanna called me up to the cookhouse to help - with Christmas dinner.

- Rose thought you turned on us.

It's why she went out there, got herself caught.

I should've never let you drag me into this mess.

Y'all crazy!

Comin' back here while she carryin' a child.

(panting)

You ain't know.

I got to get her back.

How?

Miss Suzanna ain't never gonna let her out of the big house.

Oh, if it's one thing I learned on my way up out of here, power ain't about places of position.

It's about people.

Yeah, we take the mistress, we own the house, walk right out the front door.

Takin' the mistress?

That ain't gonna be easy.

Oh, it's gonna be next to impossible.

That's why we need someone on the inside.

SUZANNA: That glorious song of old - Now that one.

- Yes, massa.

To touch their harps of gold (playing piano)

- Bring me that one.

- Yes, massa.

The climbing way with painful steps and slow Oh, ye, beneath life's crushing load Whose forms are bending low Who toil along the climbing way With painful steps and - (stops playing)

- That will be perfect with your new pony.

Really?

I get my own horse?

You got him a horse?

Perhaps if you hadn't torn all your church clothes rolling around in the dirt like a n*gg*r, you could have had a new saddle, as well.

My James behaves himself like a good little boy, so, he gets a new horse.

(piano resumes playing "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear")

Oh, ye, beneath life's crushing load Whose forms are bending low (Suzanne humming)

- Who toil along the climbing way - (stops playing)

With painful steps and - (loud slap)

- (shriek)

- (crying)

- Don't you know your place?

Nothing's changed.

You're supposed to be in the cookhouse by now.

(loud slap, girl shrieks)

(crying)

Make sure you eat while you're out there.

I want my property nice and healthy.

(Suzanna humming "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear")

If we can't find the money for the train, what will they do?

It'll add about a week to their journey.

And the way they comin', ain't got many safe houses.

Train tickets could mean life or death.

Georgia is eating herself out of a house and home, and then, people like Laney Briss they feel bad, and then they traipse around the subcontinent, wasting money to feel cultured.

I am so tired of begging even good people to join the fight.

When I had to go back for my father, I didn't have a penny to my name.

The Lord got it into my head that I needed to go to the office of Oliver Johnson in New York City, ask him for money.

He refused.

Was he an abolitionist?

He was, but for him, $20 was too much.

I refused to accept that.

So I sat there in his office, night and day.

People passing in and out, but I wouldn't move.

I believed in the Lord.

In his message and his plan.

And Mr.

Johnson ultimately gave you the money.

Ultimately, I got my $20, and then some, tucked into my pocket while I slept.

By the people who passed through, asking about my plight.

Mm, that's amazing.

The Lord is on our side.

We just got to do our part.

Sometimes I'm not sure I understand my part.

When's the last time you prayed?

(banjo plays "Jingle Bells")

Yeah.

(overlapping chatter, whooping)

(indistinct chatter)

Miss Suzanna continuing massa's tradition of inviting his most exceptional n*gg*s up for Christmas dinner.

They gonna be in the big house all night.

One of 'em got to be our inside man.

Tell me what you know - about this year's guests.

- Mack be tough as nails.

He's bested men twice his size, 'cause he's strong, for sure, but mostly 'cause he never give up.

- Mm-hmm.

- Them rollers get into it, I'd want him on my side.

Yeah.

I remember Josiah.

Smart as a whip.

Knows when to keep his head down.

Wouldn't nobody suspect him make a move like this.

And there's July.

She run rough with the boys.

Ain't afraid to rub their nose in the dirt when she done b*at them, neither.

- Mm-hmm.

- Wouldn't be scared, things get violent.

And Walter.

Walter, he too wild, unpredictable.

He's just as likely to k*ll Miss Suzanna if we bring him in on this.

Hell, maybe even if we don't.

Yeah, they all doin' anything they can to get up to the big house for a nice dinner with the white folks.

We pick the wrong one, it's over.

Who can you trust when you can't even trust family?

Can I have some?

(horse neighing)

I told you the rollers caught up.

The size of that plantation, we're sure to be outnumbered.

SMOKE: You see 'em?

g*dd*mn it!

(gasping, shrieking)

(Ernestine gasping, shrieking)

g*dd*mn it!

What the hell is wrong with you?!

- (shrieks)

Now I'm soaked through.

How you gonna escape if you can't swim?

- What's that?

What you got?

- (groans)

What?

Oh, well.

I guess you ain't the only one with a vice.

It's like I'm traveling with a church revival group.

At least that solves the problem.

Once the withdrawals kick in, even if she wants to run, only place she's gonna go is right back to you.

Get up.

(rapid g*nf*re)

They're trying to cut off the boat.

(g*nf*re continues)

We got to move back into the trees.

(g*nf*re continues)

Come on!

(g*nf*re continues)

(loud neighing)

Who's there?

Who are you?

Noah.

Good.

You know who I am, so I'm gonna just get to it.

I just found out I'm gonna be a father, which means you're gonna be an uncle, so that makes us family.

Me, your sister and my baby's life she risked for yours is family, not the Macons.

Miss Suzanna been the one takin' care of me.

She also the one who put your sister in Bill's path to take them lashes for you.

You remember that?

When you ran in front of that wagon?

Your sister took all that hurt for you.

And I know she ain't gonna want to leave here without you, even after what you did.

But what you need to know about me is I protect mines, - no matter what.

- Why didn't you stop him?

- Who?

- Mr. Bill with the whip?

Why ain't you protect her?

I'm gonna get 'em back.

And I ain't gonna let nobody stop me, not even you.

So you got a decision to make.

Is you part of this family, or not?

CHOIR (distantly): O come, all ye faithful Joyful and triumphant O come ye O come ye to Bethlehem HARRIET: There's a church on the other side of the river - in Covington, St Augustine's.

- GEORGIA: I've heard of it.

It's a mouthpiece for the pro-sl*very movement.

HARRIET: They run a small printing press in the basement, putting out pieces that link sl*very to godliness.

Now the God I know ain't support sl*very, and ain't - never be found in place like that.

- ELIZABETH: Christmas Day.

The church will be filled, which is both good and bad.

More money, but more eyes watching.

But too many new faces might draw attention.

HARRIET: Only if they white faces.

PRIEST: It is important on the day of our Lord's birth to pay honor to the Christmas star that pointed the world in his direction.

Unto the manger, where our pale savior was born, there came three kings, and they bestowed upon him gifts.

ELIZABETH: We'll need a distraction.

- A good one.

- "Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents.

" HARRIET: Corinthians 10:9.

PRIEST: From that day forward (hissing)

per the Lord's decree the people of the Lord became free.

(women shriek)

(excited chatter)

(people shouting, screaming)

(shouting, screaming continues)

PRIEST: Thieves!

Sinners!

Stealing from the Lord on the day his son was born!

- You miserable thieves!

- Be quiet, turn around or I will show you a real sinner.

Ain't nothing wrong with a little sin for the greater good.

(Ernestine coughs)

I need to stop for a moment.

No stops.

Looks to me like we're heading north.

With catchers, it's usually the other way around.

SMOKE: Shut up.

Keep moving.

(coughs)

What happened to Rosalee?

How about your boy?

What happened to him?

You was with him the last time.

Ben, wasn't it?

(coughs)

You had two boys, right?

What happened to them?

(snapping nearby)

sh*t.

How'd they find us?

Shh.

Been covering your tracks?

Of course I did.

(bird calling)

Put your g*n away, it's just a loon.

SMOKE: Are you sure?

What the hell you doing?

What the hell is this?

Oh, son of a bitch.

Huh?

Look at this.

She's tearing off scraps.

They could be picking up this trail she's leaving.

How do you know it ain't them rollers?

Well maybe 'cause 'cause there ain't no trail.

You jumped off that boat to get us back on land.

Now, how do you know they ain't gonna be worse to you than we are if they catch up to us?

They ain't got ambitions on my kin.

SMOKE: You mean I been wet all damn day for nothing?

I don't give a sh*t what Patty wants with you.

You try anything else, and I will pull the trigger myself.

You hear me?

(grunts)

Let's go.

What are you doing in here?

Cleaning.

I heard my mother tell you to get wine from the cellar for dinner.

It was whiskey she ask for, and it wasn't in the cellar, so I thought it might be here.

It was our father's favorite.

I don't believe you.

Hattie!

Yes, Massa T. R.

(gasping)

You want to hit somebody, hit me.

I'm-a have you whipped for touching me.

- (door opens)

- JAMES: Stop it!

Don't you ever tell me what to do.

Mother!

T. R. : Be quiet.

- Go.

- Yes, Massa James.

(door closes)

Just now you remind me so much of Momma.

Why did you come back here?

For you.

To take you away from all this.

Sam got kilt 'cause he ran.

I ain't gonna let nobody hurt you.

I ain't scared of nobody hurting me.

I'm scared of you making everything bad again.

Before you left, everything was fine.

I was happy.

Sam, Momma it's your fault they gone.

I'm sorry, James, I'm sorry.

I know it ain't been easy on you, but this here, this a lie.

You pretending to be Miss Suzanna's son is a lie.

You're my brother.

I'm the one that love you.

And I ain't goin' nowhere without you.

I saw Noah.

He say he comin' back for you.

I ain't tellin', but I'm stayin'.

This is my family now.

(door opens)

(door closes)

(crickets chirping)

My boys.

You asked earlier.

What about my boys?

Where are they, how did they fare?

Well, my oldest was hung by the massa, and my youngest is being raised by the mistress.

Not a day goes by I don't wonder which one I let down more.

Sam was my favorite.

He didn't know it, but he was my heart.

God touched him in a way that the world would never have treated him fair.

But James that was on me.

After Sam, I grew angry.

Spiteful.

And I hung him, the massa.

I didn't know how it would affect James, but Hell, maybe I did and I chose not to care.

You daughter.

I had her in my hands.

Had my land paid for.

Could have just walked away from all of this sh*t.

Just had to keep pushing.

Keep driving.

Get the blacksmith, get the driver.

He got hurt, um Took my eyes off him and he got hurt.

I shouldn't've had him with me.

It was selfish.

I might as well have just been holding that Kn*fe myself.

Just wanted to teach him something.

But I ain't, you know, never got I ain't never had nothing.

I I had nothing to (sniffles)

Don't matter what we got or don't got.

We got to give it all to 'em.

They always be our babies.

Time don't get to take that away.

We don't even get that right, no matter how hard we fail at it.

Maybe the only way to fail 'em is to give up on it altogether.

(laughter and indistinct conversations)

(indistinct conversations continue)

(Georgia laughs)

GEORGIA: Merry Christmas.

Come.

Sit.

Come, come, come.

Here, sit.

Sit.

- There she is.

How was church?

- (laughter)

GEORGIA: There you go.

(laughs)

(laughter)

GEORGIA: The church collection money was just enough to get the tickets for Rosalee's family.

How are we gonna keep the station open?

We'll figure it out.

As long as this house is standing, it will be a safe haven for runaways.

- Amen.

- OTHERS: Amen.

GEORGIA: Merry Christmas, Elizabeth.

(chuckles)

(sound fades, high-pitched ringing)

(crickets chirping)

(Ernestine shivers)

(groans)

(grunts)

SMOKE: Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah.

Where you going?

I need to relieve myself.

Unless you want me to do it right here.

There's too much fog.

I won't be able to keep my eye on you.

Good thing you got me tied up, then.

Now be quick about it.

Go on.

(Ernestine grunts)

(sniffs)

(sniffs)

The hell?

Pullman!

She's running!

(panting)

(gasps)

(screams)

(grunts)

(grunts)

(screaming)

Get up.

Come on.

- (screams)

- Hey.

(grunts)

(grunts, gasps)

Here, gonna have to fix your arm.

Go on.

(sniffling)

(gasps)

(sharp snapping, Ernestine screams)

I see red I ain't leavin' this plantation with you still breathin'.

See truth never lie, I'm the culprit A pope spit from every vote from the pulpit I leave holy as the Vatican, the full spit - Get on up, Bill.

Come on.

- Race to the top Sprinting up the food chain with a chainsaw Trying to eat, I got a taste for you brain raw You know the kid got to live like an outlaw See I like to get right like a Southpaw Nat Turner, I'm a rebel, I'm without cause - Code red 'cause the truth - Got an army Superpower will devour when you all bleed - And when the river run red - You will all see (grunts)

(groans)

sh*t.

Here we go.

(grunts)

Give up.

(grunting)

(wheezes)

- (choking wheeze)

- (grunts)

(panting)

- (spits)

- I see red I see red.

(knocking)

Good evening, Laney.

Elizabeth.

It's late.

What are you?

I came to collect your donation.

You said you wanted to get behind the cause, and I'm here to help you do that.

Elizabeth, it's Christmas, and my family There isn't a better time to give to those who need.

Listen, I won't be donating to anything that Georgia woman is involved with.

So if you excuse me, I wish you all the luck.

I don't want your wishes or your luck.

I don't want your fake condolences or your fashion tips from Paris.

They're all empty.

Just like this is.

What I want is for you to fill it.

With what?

Cash.

Coins.

Jewelry.

Whatever you've got right now.

(scoffs)

You're not the only one who's heard rumors, Laney.

I've heard a few.

About you and Max Collins.

Trevor Forrest.

And I I can't remember the name of the French masseuse.

So what?

You're going to tell Dean unless I give you a donation?

I am.

I'm going to thr*aten to tell him every month when I come back for more money.

I think there's a good person in there, Laney.

I think you just need help in finding her.

(gasps)

We're headed south.

(piano playing somber version of "Silent Night")

CORRA: Who can you trust when you can't even trust family?

(tapping glass)

I'd like to make a toast.

(clears throat)

This past year has challenged all of us.

A series of plagues struck our home and forced us to reinvent ourselves.

But here we are.

Still standing.

Still smiling, still celebrating.

Tom, God rest his soul, was, perhaps, not man enough to handle what the South demanded.

But he will be remembered as a planter who was notoriously kind to his slaves.

We carry on his legacy with this shared Christmas feast to celebrate the work that we have all done together.

Who's our inside man?

And despite the interfamily tensions of the past year, I feel that we have all grown stronger.

My James is a shining example.

His father's good blood won out over the bad blood of his mother's.

We can't trust anyone.

- Nobody move!

- (screams)

Rose, James, let's go.

Don't hurt her!

NOAH: Rose!

(screams)

SUZANNA: You won't get far.

James is my son now.

- Get in.

- Hold on.

T. R. : Let my mother go.

Let her go now.

Easy.

T. R. ?

(g*nf*re)

You okay, you hit?

You hit?

- Rose?

You good?

- (panting)

(crying)

(Suzanna gasping)

No matter where you go, my catchers will find you and drag you back.

Nobody gon' be dragged back here.

'Cause there ain't gon' be no place to come back to.

Deck the halls with boughs of holly - Fa la la la la, la la la la - No!

'Tis the season to be jolly No!

Fa la la la la, la la la la (expl*si*n)

Don we now our gay apparel Fa la la, la la la, la la la Troll the ancient Yule tide carol Fa la la la la, la la la la.

We've got cargo.

He saw the lantern in the window.

I directed him through the tunnel.

He's a bit jumpy.

I think he's been through a lot.

Understood.

A friend of a friend sent me.