03x18 - Special Master Part One

[bunniefuu]

Stand up very slowly and step out of the van.

[Sighs]

Deputy Chief Howard.

Nice to see you again.

Sorry to be so much trouble.

[Door closes]

D.D.A. Rios.

Mr. Stroh.

Fritz: This is the 16th time Stroh has been transported from County to Judge Schaeffer's chambers.

And you're risking something terrible each time.

I can't help it.

He fired his attorney, and he started representing himself.

And the deal my boss offered him forces me to give Stroh unlimited access to files from his former legal practice to review with the special mas...

The special master.

To see where he can violate privilege and where he can't.

I know all of that.

But how long is this gonna go on?

Is he just trying to play at the clock?

Or are you actually getting information out of him that could solve open cases?

There was one thing about a possibly active child molester, but it didn't pan out.

But Stroh's ready to confess and make his statement of facts.

In exchange for information leading to the arrest and conviction of rapists and murderers, which, so far, he has failed to provide.

But if you wanted, you could determine his communications valuable enough to give him life today... and end this whole process.

In this whole process, Phillip Stroh r*ped and m*rder*d at least five women, and I can prove it.

My opinion... He's too dangerous to be anywhere but on death row, inside a maximum-security prison.

And that is where I intend to put him, unless he gives up something actionable.

Excuse me, Chief Howard.

[Door closes]

[Handcuffs clicking]

Damn it.

You know, Stephen, I would expect somebody who jogged to know that eating at one's desk is unhealthy.

[Knock on door]

I think of food as fuel.

Not for your keyboard.

Remarkable how little you've changed since college.

Man: As always, Your Honor, you are not to approach the prisoner.

You are not to feed the prisoner.

You are not to give the prisoner anything but a pen and paper.

Yes, yes. I know.

Thank you.

Emma: Excuse me, Judge Schaeffer, but as a reminder, I'll be waiting outside if anything comes of your meeting with Mr. Stroh today.

I would offer to let you stay, Rios, 'cause I like your legs, but all my communications with the special master must remain confidential.

I will, however, enjoy watching you turn tail and go.

One day, I'll watch you go, too.

Keep telling yourself that, Rios.

Run along.

Phillip, knock it off.

Rios, I have it from here. Thank you.

[Door closes]

[Clears throat]

Which letter is stuck today?

The "S" and the "D" both.

I'll need the compressed air, please.

I know D.D.A. Rios is pretty, but you don't have to creep her out.

Why should I be any nicer to her than she is to me?

There you go.

Oh, great. Thanks.

So, where should we begin... decoding some more of your... files?

Well, first, I'll need a pen and a pad...

Write down some changes I'd like to make in my deal with the D.A.

I think the terms of your deal are pretty generous already.

Nevertheless, considering the information I'm about to give you, I will require amendments.

Information about a past client?

Future murders.

Sorry.

Every time.

I think you drop that pen just to make me pick it up for you.

It's the most fun I have all day.

Future murders?

Yeah. Three, to be exact.

How do you know about future murders?

Before I answer that question, or give the name of the k*ller, I will need these modifications made to my deal.

Meantime, you can let D.D.A. Rios know that in the next week, three young women will die under horrific circumstances, and that only swift action by the D.A.'s office... can save them.

Hold on.

You have specifics about these so-called future murders?

Let me say it again.

To name the k*ller and volunteer information leading to his arrest and save his victims...

I will need these new terms added to my deal.

Phillip, if... if what you're saying is true, the D.A. will need time...

Perhaps you're right.

Perhaps there's no hope for the first girl.

Maybe Rios would appreciate having details from the crime scene where she will meet the woman she condemned to death by her inaction.

Here are some specifics.

The body will be reported to police by first responders from another city agency.

[Police radio chatter]

The manner in which the k*ller disposes of the girl will make her hard to identify.

An abandoned building, which miraculously still has electricity, will be involved.

Oh, and one of the reasons the girl will be hard to identify is that, unfortunately...

She will no longer have fingerprints.

You think that's specific enough for Rios to act... in time?

Tao said we should put these boots on before coming in.

Are they really necessary?

There's a ton of loose boards and nails lying around, lieutenant.

Well, then I'll just stand here and tell you what to do.

Uh, I'm guessing there are no working smoke detectors, so who called in the fire?

A passing driver called 911.

L.A.F.D. responded, but by the time they got here...

We're lucky the roof didn't fall in.

The whole place almost went up in flames.

[Chuckles] What a tragedy that would've been.

Was there anybody brave enough to live here?

Well, nobody paying rent.

The power's been jury-rigged to work, so I'm guessing squatters.

[Coughs] And the body is... where?

In the master.

[Camera shutter clicks]

Well, of course it is.

Uh, Julio, walk in front of me, please.

Ooh. [Coughs]

Ah.

Smoking in bed?

[Gags] No.

An accelerant was used.

Ugh. Where'd it begin?

Hard to say. No I.D., either.

Maybe we could use dental records.

Mm, you'll need a miracle.

Well, thanks for the pep talk, Kendall.

What do you got there, Mike?

Jewelry of some sort. Don't know how it's connected.

It's a, uh... It's a charm bracelet, sir, with the symbol for "man" on it.

You see it?

Yeah.

Well, this is all very brutal and odd, but what makes it a major crime?

Emma: I do.

D.D.A. Rios. [Chuckles]

What a surprise.

You requested us? Why?

First, is this victim a woman?

Bone structure indicates a female, yeah.

And the fire department discovered her body and called the L.A.P.D.?

It was an arson, so yes.

And the burns destroyed her fingertips?

No, no, no, t-that's enough.

I-I ask the questions here, not you.

Why are you so interested in this body?

Because... this may be my fault.

Your fault how?

Without knowing the k*ller's identity and where he was going to strike, I'm not sure how we could have prevented this, unless...

What else did Stroh tell you?

That there would be three victims over the next few days...

And that he would give me the m*rder*r's name.

And you turned him down?

He wanted all these new conditions to his deal that I thought, at the time, were absurd.

Such as?

A transfer to a minimum-security federal prison of his choosing.

[Laughing] Well, that's a bad idea.

Permanent and irrevocable immunity for all past crimes not covered in his current deal.

Flynn: Anything else the freak wants?

Massages? Breakfast in bed?

What?

[Sighs]

An interview with Rusty Beck.

And you're just telling me this now?

Let's remember that Stroh is now pro-per, and defending himself means the State must allow him to interview all witnesses when available.

The last time that Stroh was connected to a m*rder...

Oh, my God.

Rusty is at Santa Monica City College right now.

I'm gonna call him.

Hold on.

We don't know that Stroh orchestrated this m*rder.

Judge Schaeffer thinks it's related to a former client.

You want to bet the kid's life on that?

He's not answering.

Okay, now, I have his... I have his schedule right here.

Okay, he... he is in sociology class, and that is in the Foreman Building.

It's Room 214.

Calling the college's security office right now.

Have him pulled from class, and I'll go pick him up.

Thank you.

Provenza: As a general rule, Emma, when a psychopath tells you that someone is going to die, pick up a phone.

I thought he was lying.

Captain, listen, if I thought even for a moment...

If your inaction leads to v*olence against my son, I will hold you personally responsible.

[Police radio chatter]

[Elevator bell dings] Rusty: I can't believe this is happening again.

Hey, what the hell is going on?

I thought Stroh was on lockdown with a guard watching him 24/7.

How can he be predicting murders?

Before we discuss that, have you received any letters or e-mails threatening you?

Sharon, I would not hide anything like that again.

What does Stroh want to talk to me about?

We're trying to figure that out, but until we do, you are either by my side or you are with a security detail.

Seriously?

Bodyguards? Is that really necessary?

Where Stroh is concerned, I will not take risks.

Okay, but does anyone actually think I'm going to be att*cked at a college campus, in broad daylight, surrounded by students and... uh...

These are SWAT officers Jamey Perez and Chad Stuart.

They will be heading your security detail.

Don't worry, kid. We got your back.

You need anything, let us know.

Thanks.

I... uh, I a-appreciate you guys looking out for me.

So, should we just go hang in the supercubicle, or...?

Sharon: No, this way.

You need to be part of the discussion.

Okay.

Um...

Nice to meet you.

[Chuckles]

And I'm saying even if this psychopath asks for a trip to Hawaii, right now we have to give it to him, or explain why we let two more women die because you didn't think putting Phillip Stroh away for life was good enough.

Make the deal, and let's find this k*ller before another girl turns up dead.

Sharon: Hold on.

In your opinion, if Stroh wants to make a deal, why is he asking to interview Rusty?

Because he is a t*rror1st, that's why.

He started the special master process when he did, and strung us along for weeks, just for this moment, just so he'd be in a position to dictate terms, in a position...

Provenza: Wait, wait, are you... Are you suggesting Stroh planned these murders himself while under guard 24 hours a day?

He may be a psychopath, but he does not possess super powers.

Well, he did predict the future, sir.

But is it because he planned these murders himself?

Is it because he was in communication with the k*ller?

How?

I don't know, ma'am.

But it wasn't just a lucky guess.

Well, which means two more women may die before we figure this out.

Okay, how about this?

The D.A's office agrees to immunity for all his past crimes not covered...

Immunity?

He may be an accomplice in this m*rder and ones to come.

Present deal, and to have his time served at the Federal Prison.

He's too dangerous for that.

We send the kid off for a vacation in France or something.

No, no. No, we can't do that.

If Stroh's current deal doesn't make, the first question he'll ask in court is, "why was the material witness hidden from me before trial?"

And that could badly damage our case.

I'll talk to him.

Look, I'm not a kid anymore.

I can handle talking to Stroh.

Taylor: All right. Yeah.

But before you do that, and while the D.A. wraps its mind around his new deal, I think there's still some good, old-fashioned police work to do.

Yes, there is, and we can accomplish more if we split up.

Lieutenant, go to the morgue and start investigating our new m*rder with Amy and Andy.

And if you can identify this victim, it will be an enormous help.

The rest of us will stay behind.

We will hunt for a connection between Stroh and this M.O. that he described so well.

And we do not have much time.

Yeah, right.

Rios, let's see if your boss likes the idea of this new deal more than you do.

Don't worry, kid.

The L.A.P.D. has you covered.

This is the last time you'll ever be face-to-face with Phillip Stroh.

Flynn: It's not exactly what I would call the final piece of the puzzle, but two weird things.

A good portion of the back of the victim's dress didn't burn because it was between her and the floor.

Well, I'd rather have a name and a date of birth.

Why are we waiting out here?

The clock is ticking, people.

[Saw buzzing]

Oh.

Well, um, anything else?

When Morales was peeling the dress off the remains, he also found this.

She had them in a small pocket with what looked like burnt cash.

Yeah. Condoms and cash.

So she's probably a prost*tute.

All right, the room is now safe for the faint of heart.

Okay.

Oh, God.

It takes a special kind of assh*le to do this.

Oh, God, Morales, where are her hands?

I cut them off and put them in the rehydrating solution.

I've had some success identifying burn victims this way before, but it takes time, and... usually a little bit more skin.

We'll cross our fingers.

But there is some good news.

The skull crevices on your victim have just closed, so that puts her around 23.

And even though I can't be specific about the cause of death... Sorry...

I can tell you that she didn't take very good care of her teeth and gums, which implies drug use...

Meth, maybe.

More common in streetwalkers than online hookers.

We find the block she was working...

And men might be more focused on what's underneath, but women will remember the dress.

And the bracelet with the male symbol on it.

The male symbol?

Where are you gonna start your search, the '60s?

Flynn: You know, the doc's got a point.

The girl could have come from nearly anywhere.

But not the past.

Okay, uh, it's gonna take some time to figure this all out, so just, uh, hold on.

Hold on.

[Ringing]

Sharon: Yes, lieutenant?

Captain.

I hope you're doing better than we are.

We just had the sheriff's office toss Stroh's cell.

We're checking back through court records to see what might come up.

What are you doing?

Looking for hookers.

So our victim's a prost*tute?

23-year-old lady of the evening, or, I hope, occasionally the afternoon.

Someone might have noticed that she had gone missing, but where she is missing from is anybody's guess.

You need to get S.I.S. with you on the street and start interviewing prostitutes.

Will do.

Anything that will help us narrow down our search parameters will be a big help.

Good luck, captain.

You too, lieutenant.

Julio, what did our deputies find in Stroh's cell?

Not much, ma'am.

Except a library on religion.

Which one?

All of them... Christianity, judaism, um, astrology, hinduism, buddhism, reincarnation.

There's even one on scientology.

Kind of unusual reading for a criminal psychotic.

Stroh passed messages via the jail's library books before.

These he owns, and I've seen to it they only go in, not out.

Look, if the guy wants a Bible or a Qur'an, what can I do?

Tao: Okay.

Reviewing Stroh's jail-movement records, he's not been with other prisoners in the last year.

Plus, I've got a LexisNexis list of everyone Stroh has ever represented in any kind of legal action.

But the M.O. here does not match up with that of any criminal Stroh defended in court.

How far along is the special master in his examination of Stroh's legal practice?

If our k*ller is a past client who burns his victims...

Judge Schaeffer was Stroh's own request for special master.

They've known each other for a long time, and I think Schaeffer's moving things along faster than anyone else could.

But Stroh wrote all his files in code.

They take time to sort through.

Which we don't have. [Cellphone chimes]

Well, just like we don't have the name of the victim or the k*ller, ma'am.

Oh, God.

All right.

My boss is in contact with Bell Tower Minimum Security in Monterey, which is the federal prison where Stroh wants to be incarcerated.

And we are drafting an agreement that will give Stroh immunity for crimes not covered in his present deal.

It's all happening.

Let me talk to him, then, and get it over with.

man: All right, listen up, everyone. I'm gonna say what I always say.

You are not to approach the prisoner. You are not to feed the prisoner. You are not to give the prisoner anything but a pen and paper.

Emma: Okay, Mr. Stroh.

Assuming you're not psychic, your advance knowledge of last night's m*rder convinced my boss to grant all the amendments to your deal.

We're drawing up that document as I speak.

Also, as requested, we have brought you Rusty Beck so you can question him, after which, per your proposal, you will give us the name of this k*ller.

Those sound like moves in the right direction, Rios, but my conditions must be met fully, in writing, before I say anything other than "time is not on your side," and that I have the right to question the boy without a crowd around me.

You can't think I'm leaving you alone with Rusty.

Unless you want more women to die, yes, that's exactly what you're going to do.

You have an offer for full immunity.

If you refuse it and we find out that you're behind these murders...

You're who's behind, captain, not me.

And I'm not the one pulling the strings here.

It's D.D.A. Rios who's in charge and D.D.A. Rios who's delaying the process.

When I have my deal in writing...

Schaeffer: Phillip, if you show the police some goodwill, they might show you some in return.

Do I strike you as the kind of person who believes in goodwill?

No. I believe in contracts.

Give me what I want, in writing.

In return, you will receive a chance to arrest a m*rder*r...

An opportunity that won't come around again for a while.

"Won't come around again for a while"...

What's that supposed to mean?

How did you know what would happen to our victim?

The question is, "how could you not?"

Uh-oh.

Perhaps I've said too much.

That should give you something to think about, anyway.

Are we, uh, we done here?

Working out how you question Rusty alone is gonna take some time.

Your problem, captain. Not mine.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some things I need to discuss with Stephen, in case the D.A's office decides to pull their act together in time.

Rusty: I-I don't understand.

Why don't you just talk to me now?

Don't take it personally, Rusty.

Maybe we'll solve this m*rder without you.

And maybe you won't.

How does it feel, Emma, knowing somebody d*ed because of your inaction, and that another woman could be m*rder*d because you dragged your feet?

Mr. Stroh...

If you turn down another opportunity to interview the witness and two more women die, these little trips you make to chat with your old friend here will end, and there will be no deal.

Set the boy up in an interview room at Major Crimes.

Chain me to the floor.

You can run video. Observe me.

I'll swing by tomorrow and get it out of the way.

And now you can get out of my way...

Please.

[Door closes] What kind of game are you playing, Phillip?

They're the ones playing games, Stephen, not me.

If they've agreed to my terms, why not put it in writing?

You don't want another woman to die, do you?

You can't possibly think that I care about the girl.

Grab me a file out of that box marked "PPE."

I'll begin decoding some files that might help us expedite the process in case the D.A.'s office decides to do the right thing.

You know, I don't know what happened.

When we were in law school together, I admired you.

Oh, Stephen, don't give up on me completely.

Besides, I gave them a clue...

If they're smart enough to follow it.

Tao: If this is an opportunity that won't come around again for a while, then we have to assume that we've had this opportunity before.

And that these murders are part of a pattern.

Well, it could explain how he knew where or when the next victim would be found.

Up to a point.

I pulled every death in Los Angeles County involving both prostitutes and arson, and so far, I've found seven other victims that kind of match.

Two of them, these blue stickers here, were in February 2013.

They d*ed within a week of each other.

Then these three green stickers here are victims found in February 2011... Again within around eight days.

But we're in January.

And in March of 2009, another victim, and another victim in March 2007, though she was b*rned up in an abandoned warehouse, not a vacant residence.

Now, these are almost two years apart, but not quite.

But if the timing isn't exact and the cause of death on some of our victims is listed as accidental, how does Stroh see a pattern here and we don't?

There's got to be something else.

All of them were streetwalkers, though it took months to identify some of them.

They were all burnt to a crisp.

Oh, God.

This March 2009 victim was last seen on Slauson?

Uh, yes, ma'am.

And she ended up... Buzz... In the Crenshaw neighborhood, less than a mile away.

And the same with this victim over here.

She was found near Manchester and the 1, but last seen getting into a car near Jefferson Boulevard.

Less than a half a mile away.

And our most recent victim was found on Hobart, which is very close to Hollywood Boulevard's less-glamorous motels.

If he picks up the girl near where he intends to dump the body and burn it...

Then we know where our last victim went missing.

Lieutenant Provenza, I think we may have found something useful for you.

You looking for a date?

I sure am.

Why don't you hop in?

We'll go someplace a little less busy.

I got a room we could go to.

I'm not supposed to get in the cars.

Aw, well, I can put on the heat.

I'll pay you extra, yo. You like extra, don't you?

Now we're talking.

You a cop?! Man, I knew you was a cop.

Look, I didn't say nothing about what we were gonna do in that room, bro.

I'm not here to bust you.

I'm working on a case.

Hey, this is entrapment!

Don't you got something better to do?

Hey, hey!

Look. I'm trying to find a missing girl.

Is there anyone you haven't seen in the last two or three days, someone who wore a dress with this pattern on it or wore this bracelet?

No. Can I go now?

What? You know I'm gonna get in trouble for talking to the cops.

I know.

But I'm trying to find the girl who wore this dress.

You help me, you get to keep that.

That's got my name and my number on it.

And the next time you get picked up for solicitation, that becomes your "get out of jail free" card.

Come on, yo, that's at least worth the girl's name, right?

Denisha! Get your ass out of the car.

I didn't know.

I told you not to get in any cars!

Denisha: No, I didn't know! I didn't know!

Get out of the car!

No, I didn't know!

Aah!

Get down!

Who the hell are you, bitch?!

Pull up, Cooper.

Lawyer. Lawyer. Lawyer.

Good job, Sykes. Good job.

Lawyer.

I'll handle this dirtbag.

Lawyer. Lawyer.

Hey, listen to me!

Lawyer.

You have the right to remain silent.

I just asked for a lawyer!

You give up that right, I just asked for a lawyer!

Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law...

Whatever! Lawyer! Lawyer!

All right, why didn't he want you to get in the car?

Another one of his girls, Cat, left with a John and didn't come back, so Fresh said no more cars.

When was this, a couple days ago?

No. It was a couple of hours ago.

I don't know, some creepo picked her up, and I didn't like him, so he went to Cat.

What did he look like? W-w-what kind of car was he driving?

I don't know what he looked like!

I turned away.

And... and I don't know cars. It was older.

My God. He's already got his second victim.

Yes, and our pimp is already screaming, "lawyer," several times.

Damn it.

How many deals are we gonna have to make before this is done?

Yeah, that's right, my name is Fresh, and that's a dollar sign instead of an "S", bro, all right?

Okay, you got it, bro.

Now that introductions are over, can you start telling me why you think you can hold my client?

We have two missing women who are possibly connected to Fresh.

Man, come on, man, I don't know where these girls go, man.

You wouldn't be offering my client two years if you thought he was a suspect in kidnappings.

Well, we wouldn't be offering him the time of day, except we could use his help in I.D.'ing his girls.

And let's remember, Miriam, that pimping is counted as sex trafficking now in federal court, which is where I'm going to send him if he doesn't help...

Now.

Okay.

Okay, look, they're offering you a generous deal.

Two years? Are you kidding me?

At the U.S. attorney's office, you'll get 10, bro.

God, man, come on, all this hard work, and it's gone like it were nothing, right?

That's how you treat people you need?

Sharon: Yes, it is.

And if you don't tell us what we want to know about Cat, we'll see you in a decade.

Tell you about Cat?

About Cat.

What am I supposed to tell you?

I don't make these girls fill out I-9s, all right?

And if she's missing, it's her own damn fault.

All right?

I told my b*tches not to get in any cars...

Not since Shyla left two days ago and never came back.

Shyla... Shyla what? Last name.

[Sighs] Shyla... Brundle.

Nah, Brunnelle, Brunnelle, Brunnelle, Brunnelle.

She said it was French, like it made it better somehow.

Did you see who picked Shyla up?

No.

I saw the car Cat got into, uh, this afternoon, though.

It was a gold Oldsmobile Cutlass...

Easy to remember that piece. [Chuckles]

Uh, I didn't see the driver's face, though.

And nobody saw if Shyla got into the same gold Oldsmobile?

I don't know, man.

Look, if they hadn't gotten in cars like I told them not to, would I even be here right here?

Okay, when Shyla went missing, was she wearing this?

Or this?

That bracelet? Hell, no.

Maybe that dress.

You sure about the bracelet?

I don't buy my b*tches nice things.

Oh.

If she had a bracelet like that, she'd be at the pawnshop, you understand me?

Yeah.

Yeah.

The symbol on that bracelet was found at three more crime scenes that we've linked to our k*ller since yesterday.

And no one put that together?

Well, not all of these women d*ed in our jurisdiction, sir.

And the k*ller doesn't always leave a bracelet.

He places the symbol at the crime scene in different ways.

Like this one here.

This crime-scene video from April of '05 isn't the best, but you'll see right... there.

Sanchez: 14 past victims match our k*ller's M.O...

12 with the male sign somewhere.

There are batches of murders with the same time pattern, almost, but not exactly, every two years.

This new girl, Cat...

I know we don't have a full name, but do we know what she looks like?

Well, we got a description from Fresh after he signed his deal...

Brown hair, average height, nothing distinctive except for the tattoo of a cougar on her forearm, sir.

Emma: Look, I'm standing by for the plea agreement to clear.

If Stroh really wants this deal, I've prepped him, he'll talk to Rusty, and when the paperwork comes through, he'll tell us who the m*rder*r is.

We can't wait for Stroh's deal to make before we start looking for this new girl who's gone missing.

Look for her where?

Since 2007, all our victims were found in vacant homes jury-rigged for electrical power within one or two miles from where they were picked up.

Lieutenant Provenza is leading an extensive search through all the abandoned homes in that area, but we need more resources.

It's a lot of real estate to cover, sir.

[Telephone rings] I'll have Chief Howard mobilize S.O.B. to help us go through it all.

But you better not be holding up the train.

Stroh knows this m*rder*r.

We need a name.

Sanchez: O-okay. Send him up.

Stroh's here, ma'am.

[Police radio chatter]

Do not try and do our job for us.

Don't ask questions.

Don't dry and engage in a dialogue about this case.

If you feel concerned for your safety, walk out of that room.

Stroh is really smart.

He will try to manipulate you.

He will try to make you feel small and unimportant.

Do not let him talk you into crossing over to his side of the room.

We will all be watching you from electronics.

Look at me.

When you are ready.

[Handcuffs clicking]

Hey.

You got this, kid, okay?

No worries.

No worries.

Yeah.

Rusty Beck.

Please take a seat.

I'm fine here, thanks.

[Sighs]

What do you want to know?

Just the basics.

For example, if we end up in court, do you intend to repeat your pre-trial testimony against me?

Yeah.

Every word.

Even knowing your statement could help the State execute me?

No one gets ex*cuted in California anymore.

Actually, in the last 10 years, you've k*lled more people than the State has.

And you tried to k*ll me.

Well, it was never personal, Rusty.

I mean, who wants to leave witnesses behind?

You're living proof of how dangerous that can be, right?

Relax, okay?

I am incapable of reaching you from here.

[Sighs]

So, moving on, I understand Emma Rios has asked you for an impact statement.

Yeah. What about it?

I was just wondering if, in addition to the dust-ups we've had, you might want to include some of the positive effects I've had on your life.

Positive effects?

By becoming a material witness for the State, you were taken off the streets and out of a life of prostitution...

An incredibly unsafe profession.

You gained a mother, got a high-school degree.

Do you think anybody around here would have given a sh*t about you if it hadn't been for me?

Okay, and what about the interest Wade Weller took in me?

Who?

Oh, don't act like you don't know his name...

Wade Weller, the freak who you had write me threatening letters, and who you ordered to k*ll me, okay? That Wade Weller.

You think I should change my impact statement because you changed my life?!

Well, get this for me, okay?

If anyone in this room changed someone else's life,

I changed yours, okay?

I... changed... yours.

Oh, and I never forget it, Rusty.

But to be completely fair, to be completely honest, we changed each other's lives, as we were fated to do.

And we will have the power to change each other again.

Change each other how?

Oh, I don't know. I can't see that far ahead.

But our lives have been intertwined, yours and mine.

A pattern has begun to emerge, wouldn't you say?

And that pattern... is destiny.

And when you finally see destiny, Rusty...

In all her glory...

Destiny's like an arrow...

Pointing toward the end.

What end?

The end of what?

Heaven knows.

I'm satisfied with the witness.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, what end?

What are you talking about? What end?

I'm satisfied with the witness.

Now get me the written parts of my deal to Judge Schaeffer, and I will give you the name of the k*ller.

[Scoffs] I'm gonna send him back to his cell.

Mike, those books on religion that we got from Stroh's cell...

Send them all out to be printed.

And then, you and Julio and Buzz, join Lieutenant Provenza.

We need to expand our search for this vacant house in any way we can.

Thank you.

Destiny.

Is that a clue?

Phillip Stroh would never help us unless he gained from it somehow.

Okay, let's move on. I got a place on 78th Street.

Yes, and 50 more houses after that.

Uh, yes. Provenza.

Flynn: We need more units.

Are you sure we have every abandoned house on the DWP no-electricity list?

Chief?

90%.

We have to move faster.

Yeah, thanks.

Uh, keep driving, and... and thanks.

All right, 822 Ravenswood had a construction crew there late.

Okay, that leaves us with 49 houses.

Cooper's at 231 Riverdale Street.

He was gonna move on, but then he saw wires taking electricity from the neighboring house, just like the house we found our first victim in.

Tell Cooper to, uh, hold his position.

We're coming to him. All right, that's our guy.

Everybody, let's go carefully, carefully.

Good luck, guys.

Buzz, Buzz, stay out of the line of fire.

Back.

Okay. I'm going through the back.

Tao, come with me.

Flynn, Sanchez, Sykes, through the front.

Nobody get hurt.

Sykes: Clear!

Tao: Clear!

Clear.

Flynn: Clear!

Damn!

Clear!

She's been gone for a while.

No bracelet, but she's got the tattoo that Fresh described.

Whoa, she looks strangled, sir.

[Sniffs] I smell gasoline, all over the place.

Which means he's coming back to flick a match.

We're ahead of the son of a bitch.

Cooper.

I've got guys outside.

We'll take care of the cars, but you'd better hurry up in here.

Send Buzz in right now.

I want to document all of this.

And no one turn on the power, okay?

No one else here.

Did you see our k*ller's signature anywhere...

The... the male sign?

It's not visible in this room.

Oh, God. Oh, God.

Hey, we... we can feel bad about the girl later.

Right now, we need to video, video, video.

And... and... and look for that symbol.

Flynn: Maybe he only leaves his signature after he starts the fire.

You want me to call Sharon?

And Kendall. And RACR. Damn!

We were so close.

Damn it.

Cooper: Guys, guys!

I said get these cars out of here!

Pull back from the house.

We don't want to scare off this maniac if he comes back.

[Engine turns over]

The hell?

Lieutenant, fire!

Go!

The girl.

Grab the girl!

Get her out of here!

Buzz, Buzz. Buzz!

House is clear...

Well, we are getting warmer.