03x08 - The Red Badge

Episode transcripts for the TV show "sh**t". Aired: November 2016 to September 2018.*
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"sh**t" follows a highly-decorated veteran who is coaxed back into action to prevent a plot to k*ll the President. Based on the "Point of Impact" novel.
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03x08 - The Red Badge

Post by bunniefuu »

Previously on "sh**t"...

We're looking for educated
men like you to help us out.

- You interested?
- Yes, sir.

I always wanted to meet one of you.

Russo has a long memory.

Russo's location, I let you live.

Yeah, maybe. Russo won't.

I wanted to be the first one
to officially welcome you

- to the family.
- This family have a name?

You worked with Atlas for years.

What's their endgame?

What's the final check on
absolute power in government?

The Supreme Court.

Control that, control everything.

[GRUNTS]

The confirmation's already
on the calendar.

- This is happening.
- There may be another problem.

Earl Swagger's evidence
might be in play too.

After you left yesterday, Bama came by.

Said we need to drop the
wrongful death suit or else.

Get in there.

[RUMBLING]

I want that card intact.

Swagger, I will take either way.

Door was open.

We're not interested
in Daddy's money, Junior.

[GRUNTING]

- Piece of sh*t!
- [GRUNTS]

- Sam.
- [LINE TRILLS]

. What's your emergency?

Hi, I need an ambulance right now.

I'm not exactly sure where to begin,

except to say that I'm
doing this for my wife and son.

I need...

To set the record straight.

[HEART MONITOR BEEPING]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]



Hey.



[SIGHS]



I cannot wait to get my hands on him.

Look, he's... he's just gonna run.

- You know that, right?
- Then he's gonna die tired.

Okay, if Junior falls from a long g*n,

you'll be in jail before
his heart stops b*ating.

The guy's a piece of human garbage.

He's not even worth a b*llet.

I got a plan.

Hey... don't get caught.

[TENSE MUSIC]



[HEARTBEAT THUMPING]



[TOUCH-TONES BEEPING]

[LINE TRILLS]

Hey, you might want
to get over to Bama Cattle.

I think someone's about to die.



We're closed.

[GRUNTS]



Get lost, Swagger.

[GRUNTS] [g*nsh*t]

[MAN GRUNTING AND COUGHING]



[GRUNTS]

Sam Vincent is an old man.

You like b*ating up on old men?

Huh? I'm old. Take a sh*t at me!

I don't know what the hell
you're talking about.

- I didn't touch anybody.
- [GRUNTS]

- Lie to me again!
- Go to hell.

[BOTH GRUNTING]

I got a better idea. You run this place.

You know what a bone saw
would do to a man's arm!

Please, stop! Stop!

- What did you want from Sam?
- Stop, please!

I'll stop when you tell me.

He has something that belongs to my dad!

Evidence! He has evidence!

- [g*nsh*t]
- Ah!

Now, you're fast, Swagger,
but you're not this fast.

Drop the g*n... now.



[g*n CLATTERS]

- You okay, son?
- Yeah.

Now, you couldn't have picked
a worse spot to do this.

That grinder over there,
that thing cost me a mint.

But, damn, is it a powerhouse.

They wouldn't even find your DNA.



Got an anonymous call about some boys

- working out their problems.
- I want Swagger arrested.

On what charge?

Trespassing,
as*ault with a deadly w*apon,

attempted m*rder, being an assh*le.

Well, that last one ain't even a crime.

- [CHUCKLES]
- And as for the rest of it,

looks like your boy tripped.

Bob Lee was helping him up.

Cut the sh*t, Brown.

That's Sheriff Brown, Red.

And if I say there's no crime,
there's no crime.

Unless you want your boy
to come down to the station,

talk to me about what happened
to Sam Vincent.



[SIGHS]

We have no idea what
you're talking about, Sheriff.

Maybe, maybe not.
Either way, we'll be in touch.

Let's go, Bob Lee.



There's a pale horse
coming for you, Bama.

I ain't scared of you.

Yeah, you are.

Or else you wouldn't be here.



[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

You just gonna let Swagger go?

He knows about the tapes.

Oh, shut your hole.

Did I raise a fool?

You think that you can put
Sam Vincent in the hospital

- and not draw return fire?
- You told me to handle it.

Not by trying to k*ll the man
who raised Bob Lee Swagger.

God damn it.

If you weren't already b*at to sh*t,

I swear I would give you
a thrashing myself.

- I wanted to help you.
- You want to help?

Forget the rest of your sh*t.
We're leaving now.

- Hope you brought doughnuts.
- Not with this ass.

We need to come up with a plan.

For the th time, call your new friend

at Justice, Margo, and we work out

some kind of protective custody deal.

Why, you thinking about
a nice town house in Arizona?

I mean, Flagstaff has a vibe.

We're not calling Margo or anyone.

If the chief of staff is Atlas,

then the president could be in it too.

We don't have any friends.

If Isaac's right, then... then yeah,

we are running out of options.

If the president's involved,
it's a game changer, right?

- We can't get him.
- Anyone is gettable.

Going after the president
is a good way to get dead.

And I told you I'm not gonna
stop until I have them all.

Okay, before you guys start planning

another presidential assassination,

um, I've been going through
Patricia's burn files.

Maybe we can squeeze Gold
to get to Atlas.

Chief of staff to the president
is not gonna want that

getting out into the world.

It's a start.

No, it's another sack-of-sh*t idea.

You go direct at Gold, it exposes us,

and we get zero in return.

I'm open to other options
but not running.

So you ready to risk it?

You and I aren't risking anything.

Harris just volunteered for the job.

Wait, what?

[GROANS]

June come with you?

[HEART MONITOR BEEPING]

What?

She promised to bring those
mashed potatoes I like.

- Extra gravy.
- No, no, no, no.

I'm not Earl, Sam. It's Bob Lee.

You're in the hospital.

I should have listened to you, Earl.

I should have seen the truth.

I didn't have to go over there
and fight like you did.

Couldn't understand why you'd want to...

tell everyone what happened.

Police gave me Sam's things.

What's going on with him?

He's been in and out all day. Why?

What'd he say to you?

He thinks I'm my dad, and...

[DEVICE BEEPS]

There's something on in there.

What is it?

Don't know.
I think it's his tape recorder.

- Batteries still work?
- [TAPE RECORDER CLICKS]

Oh, you should have played ball, old man.

Swaggers ain't worth dying over.

- This is...
- Junior.

I want Earl's evidence,

- and I want it now.
- Go ahead and k*ll me.

It'll prove how much of
an idiot Red's got for a son.

[GRUNTING]

[TAPE RECORDER CLICKS]

Junior mentioned something
about this when I saw him.

Brown's gotta hear this.

I mean, what evidence
is he talking about?

I don't know.

Will you folks be needing dinner?

The cafeteria's closing soon.

No, we're good. Thank you.

[OMINOUS MUSIC]

I'm... I'm just gonna call him,

see if he can come by.

There's a secret group that
used to be called Phoenix,

but it goes by a different name now.

Atlas.

I helped start it.

And for that, I am sorry.

But I'm also guilty...

and will accept whatever
punishment comes my way.

In the event of my death...

consider this my affidavit.

We expect minimal resistance here,

north of Du Song.

Looks pretty far in, Ms. Mayfield.

Yes.

We'll helo drop you here,
meet the supply shipment here,

- and shut it down.
- What are they shipping?

Weapons. Mostly stolen.

They've been running them
to the Vietcong.

This line's been operational
for two years.

- We're gonna intercede.
- All right.

- Ma'am.
- This is Major Raymond Brooks.

Detachment A- , Company C,

- th Special Forces Group.
- [SCOFFS]

No offense, you seem
a little young to be a major.

- How long you been in country?
- Since ' , Sergeant.

Battle of Lang Vei.

Surprised you would want
to be in Cambodia,

considering, uh, they refused to fight.

Oh, unfortunately, we don't
get to choose our friends.

I'll fill you in over dinner, Major.

Uh, we haven't discussed the target.

I told you: the supply line.

Yeah, but who's running it? How many men?

What side of the fence?

When I have that information,
you'll have it.

With all due respect, Ms. Mayfield,

we've had some good luck.

We've run some good missions.

But now's not the time to get cocky.

Sergeant, it's my understanding

that Ms. Mayfield plans it
and you execute.

Your group has been extremely effective,

but that means the enemy adapts.

It's harder for us to get
good intel, but we will.

Understood?

Understood.

[TENSE MUSIC]



I should have known then.

When they don't tell you the target,

it's because they don't
want you to know the target.

And for some reason,
bad news always seems

to come with the new guy.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]



Nuclear waste? This place safe for us?

Safest place you'll ever be,

especially with Swagger after you.

We call it the Campus.



[SIGHS]

We the only ones here?

Not quite.

My God.

I can't believe it. I'm finally in.

[CHUCKLES]

Well, you're on the doorstep, son.

You haven't entered yet.

And if you do, know this.

That door is one-way.

Now, they'll get you squared away,

find you a place to wash up.

And listen to me, now. This is important.

You are nobody here.
Do not ask questions.

- Do not act entitled.
- Dad, I...

Your dad was left outside those gates.

Now, you follow orders here,
you'll do just fine.

I'll see you later.



[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

It's all they had downstairs.

Ten grand a day, and the food is better

in a gas station.

You didn't happen to see
any whiskey down there?

I don't think whiskey's gonna help you.

Oh, whiskey always helps.
That's the secret.

- How long you been here?
- Since Julie called.

Why didn't you tell me?

About your tumor?

Oh, hell, what difference would it make?

So you'd look at me like
you're looking at me right now?

No, thanks.

You're one tough old bastard,
you know that?

You would have done the same thing.

Spit it out, son.

I'm sorry to do it now.

But do you have any idea
what Junior was looking for?

He said something about evidence.

Oh, hell, he makes about as much sense

as a bleating goat.

Sam, what did he want from you?

It was a long time ago.

Well, it's important to the Bamas now.

I don't have to tell you how horrific

the w*r in Vietnam was.

Your daddy got caught up
in some bad stuff over there.

Wanted to talk about
some of the things he saw.

Things he lied about at the time.

Why would the Bamas care?

Don't know.

But there were congressional hearings.

They were classified.

[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]

Did he ever end up testifying?



Thought I was helping him.

So you told him not to talk.

I was worried if he went through with it,

it'd bring it all back up.

Had to think about you and your mama.

Said he made a video,
sort of a confession.

Kept it locked away somewhere.
I never did see it.

Probably just dust by now.

Yeah, Gutierrez was right.

Atlas k*lled my dad 'cause
he was gonna rat them out.

They used the affair with Edie
as motive for Jimmy Poole,

helped him escape, set up the meet,

and then put a sn*per on long g*n

to make sure the job got done.

Your daddy's confession

is incriminating evidence
of their crimes.

I gotta find it.

Jesus, Red, if I didn't know better,

I'd say you turned stupid or careless.

You know I'm not either of those things.

Then why don't you have the card?

I know its location.

Just need a plan to get our hands on it.

You spent hours dragging
your son across the country...

time that could have been spent
pulling together the plan.

I had to get him away from Swagger.

- He made a mistake.
- No sh*t. Capital M.

And now Swagger's on high alert.

He knows about his father's evidence.

We haven't found
that evidence in years.

He ain't gonna find it either.
Don't worry about Swagger.

You said something similar
when we framed him

for the Ukrainian president hit.

How'd that work out?

The Swagger family
is personal to you, Red.

Earl was a moralistic assh*le

who acted like his sh*t didn't stink.

He was the sheriff of a small town

that wouldn't have existed

if it hadn't been for me
and the work I did.

Meaning he wouldn't be bought.

Of course, we knew about your
troubles expanding Bama Cattle.

A lot of those farmers
didn't want to sell,

and they had Sheriff Swagger
on their side.

[TENSE MUSIC]

But you made that problem
go away, didn't you?

Hmm.

And I am just so thankful

that I could be of service.

I should have seen this coming.

You let it get personal,
you make mistakes.

And mistakes are fatal...

usually for the one making them.



You'll have the president's
pick for the chief justice

this afternoon.

- Thank you.
- [REPORTERS CLAMORING]

Hi. Thank you. Thank you for coming.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[CLEARS THROAT] Mr. Gold. Hi.

I know you.

Uh, no, we've actually
never officially met.

You're Hayes' legislative aide.

- Well, was.
- Mm.

I need a minute of your time.

That is one thing I don't have.

About the Alpha Boys.

Clock's ticking.

I'll be super quick.

Uh, the Alpha Boys are
a white nationalist group, uh,

dressed up to look like a legitimate

- political organization...
- I know who they are.

Great. Uh, so I've been doing

some research for my new job,
and, um, long story short,

I-I, uh, figured out
who founded the Alpha Boys.

You.

$ , wire transfer
start-up money there

to establish a headquarters, uh,

start getting the message out...
bots, targeted ads.

Social media makes it a lot easier

to be a r*cist these days.

[CHUCKLES]

Gregson's famous gossip files.

The NSA's own J. Edgar,
except that she wore

her dresses in public.

I always wondered who found these.

Thanks for letting me know.

Whatever you're planning on doing, stop.

You're gonna have to be
a little more specific.

Uh, I've got a pretty full plate.

- Atlas.
- What?

You heard me.

If you don't get Atlas to stop

whatever event they're planning,

this all goes public.

Okay, you want to, uh,
go public with that,

be my guest.

There's a bunch of reporters
ten feet away.

Hey, Phil.

I think they'll probably just shrug.

I support a lot of groups.
None of them are illegal.

A lot more important things
going on in the world.

Hey, take a look at this, uh, Phil.

And call me later.

I'll answer any questions you have.



Don't ever try to blackmail anyone.

You suck at it.



He walked with me to church
the day after my dad d*ed.

Said he'd always take care of me.

I was supposed to take care of him too.

The man loves you.

Hey, do you remember
who showed up at the house

after Dad d*ed?

A lot of people paid their respects.

Yeah, but does anybody stick out?

Like, anybody ever come by the station

asking for Earl's things?

No.

Cabin b*rned down
a couple weeks after he passed.

Figured it's just
some kids camping nearby.

Forgot to put the fire out.
Tossed a lit cigarette.

No way to know if anything was taken.

What about Edie Poole?

Anybody show up asking about her?

No.

But she did report a break-in
a few days later.

Nothing was taken.

I just never thought anything of it.

Pooles ran with a rough crowd.

It wasn't the Pooles.

[HEART MONITOR BEEPING]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]



What are you doing?

Just checking his levels.
Adjusting his dosage.

Is that something that orderlies do now?

We're short-staffed.

Sometimes I handle other duties.

Yeah, stop.

[BOTH GRUNTING]



Bob Lee. Bob Lee!

Hey, that orderly,
I think he tried to k*ll Sam!

He ran that way!



Ah! [OBJECTS CRASH]



[TIRES SQUEALING]

sh*t!

Hospital said the temp
agency recommended him.

All done via email.

Wasn't lying about
the short-staffed part.

Let me guess.
The temp agency is gone now.

If it ever existed.

Deputy just told me they
ransacked Sam's office too.

Must mean they're running out of time.

Whatever this evidence is,
Atlas is convinced

it's still around,
and Sam knows where it is.

You said your dad
only cared about two things:

work and work.

Besides Jimmy Poole,
was there any other case

Dad was working on when he d*ed?

It's worth a sh*t.

We don't use Craigslist
anymore to set these meets.

I know. That's why I used it.

- I don't need any prying eyes.
- What do you want?

Get me off that list.

I can't.

You want the decrypter, right?

- Why now?
- Because when this ends,

I want to be on the winning side.

And I want to be free.


There's not a place in
the world they won't find you.

They won't look if you tell them not to.

They need you.

You're overestimating my power.

I'm only on that list

because I ran covert protection

for Red Bama at Ag.

They're worried I saw something I didn't.

Do you have the card?

Give me hours.

[g*nsh*t]

High and to the left, but you hit it.

Not bad from yards.

You finally gonna tell me
about what you do?

How much you think you already know?

I know it's a lot more
than most government employees.

- I figured CIA.
- Hmm.

A little more complicated than that.

[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]

years ago, I did a favor.



I helped remove a traitor.

[g*nsh*t]



Earl Swagger.

[g*n CLICKING]

[SHELL CLATTERS]

Success with that

led to an invitation to join this group.

I was the th member.

We were an organization of
individuals with unique skills,

applying them when and where we needed

to keep the country and the world

moving in the same direction.

No fanfare, no medals.

That's what you meant about
the door being one-way only.

That's right, son.

And once you enter,

I can be of no further help,
no matter what.

You understand that?

- Yes.
- Red...

Dad.

I've waited my entire life
to be a part of what you do.

I know this is who I am. Please.



Since this is the official record,

I want to say...

that I served my country
as proudly as I knew how.

Vietnam was, uh...

a mess.

Lots of us found ourselves
in situations that couldn't

and, uh...



And still can't be described

except to say they were horrible.



It's been over an hour.

It isn't the railroad.
They don't always run on time.

Your contact said .



So he was wrong.



Who is he?

[SCOFFS] God damn it, Swagger.

The mission's the mission.

You always ask this many questions?

I do when it don't feel right.

Here we go.

- Hey.
- Hey.



LaFort.

That name mean anything to you?

No, nothing in particular. Why?

My dad had a tic.

He'd make me repeat
the same thing three times

so I knew it was important.

He underlined that name three times.

Could be nothing.

But according to these notes,
this was a simple

no-fault car accident.

It was open and shut.

I think he's trying to send a message.

Could be where he hid the evidence.

Where's the case file?

All these files are in Fort Worth

in the state records.

Swagger's got a lead
on his dad's evidence.

How?

Had a man at the hospital
with Mr. Vincent.

Your son told him
what you were looking for.

Vincent told Swagger.

If he gets it and it reveals
what we fear it reveals,

this will all have been for nothing.

years of work, poof, gone.

What do you want me to do?

Let me ask you. Why did you join us?

Because I believed in what you told us,

that our country is greater
than ourselves, that...

that our free society depends
on controlling world events,

that sometimes the price
of freedom is paid in blood.

- Do you still believe that?
- Dedicated my life to it.

And if our mission were to be threatened

the way Earl Swagger did years ago,

what would you do?

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

No.

Everyone saw you bring him here.

No.

And soon everyone will know

it was his mistake

that might cost us everything.

You can't be asking me to do this.

He's my son.

I can have someone else do it,

but it needs to be done...

not as a punishment, as an example

of how deep our belief is.



You brought him here for a reason, Red.

It sure as hell wasn't to join up.

You and I both know
he wouldn't get through

day one of training.

I suspect you knew it would come to this.

For what it's worth, I'm sorry.



Man, they got cases going back years.

Yeah, this will all
get scanned eventually.

I guess they aren't in much of a rush.

Getting closer.

Found it.

Case files from ' , ' .

This is it. This is the evidence.

[POWER SHUTTING DOWN]

Maybe it's on a timer.

You and I both know it's not a timer.

They must have tailed us.

Are they really gonna get
into a sh**t-out

in a police records facility?

This is what they're after.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

sh*t. They're jamming the phones.

Until we know what's on this tape,

we're gonna get out of here quietly.

All right, let's split up.

Worst case, I draw their attention.

- You get to a phone.
- Don't get k*lled.

Wasn't planning on it.



- [GRUNTS]
- [g*nsh*t]



[BOTH GRUNTING]



[g*nsh*t]



[GRUNTING]



You hit?

What the hell are you doing here?

I'm trying to draw them away.

- [g*nshots]
- [MAN GRUNTING]

- g*dd*mn.
- Let's go.

They can explain to the cops
what they're doing here.

Hey.

Oh, come on. Is that what I think it is?

Been saving this for a special occasion.

Holy sh*t. I'm in?

I talked to the man in charge.

You start your training next week.

[LAUGHS]

Wow.

[SIGHS]

So when do I meet this man in charge?

His name is August Russo.

And soon.

What's he like?

Righteous.

A visionary.

Hung on to the belief that a...

small, dedicated group of people

willing to do the hard thing...

could guide this nation
through some dark days.

Damn.

I wish I could have been there
when it started.

Things were simpler then.

I know I've made mistakes.

Thank you... for giving me a chance.

You always believed in me.
And I will not let you down.

I know.

Can't believe it worked out in the end.

Me and you, working together for real.

I can't wait to get started.

[SOMBER MUSIC]



I'm proud of you, boy.

Know that.

I do, Dad.

I do.



Get some sleep.

[LINE TRILLING]

Hey.

- Hey, I was calling you.
- I got it.

I found my dad's evidence.

Listen, Bob Lee, uh...

the poison didn't enter
Sam's bloodstream.

But he took a turn for the worse.

I'm sorry.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

I'm so sorry.



[CRYING]



I don't know if you can hear me right now

wherever you are.

But I just want to say thanks.
Thank you, Sam.



Thanks for helping Mom.



Thanks for looking out for me.



I hope I made you proud.



And I know you wouldn't like me
sitting here crying like this,

but... tough sh*t.



I miss you already.



You were always there, Sam.

I never had to worry about that.



That's more than I can say
for my actual father.



And I love you.

[INSECTS CHIRPING, BIRDS CALLING]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]



She finally went to sleep.

She asked me if she could
say all her prayers

tonight for Sam.

Sweet girl.

What are you gonna do about Junior?

I don't know yet.

But I'm gonna do something.

Did you find anything here?

Yeah, actually.

The Vietnam case files
are really detailed.

And once I can get my hands
on a VCR, I'll know more.

You know, if you guys
weren't pressing the Bamas,

I never would have found this.

Just hope it's worth it.

I need to go to bed.

Don't stay up too late, okay?

All right.



Who's running you?

Who's running you?

They may not speak English, Major.

I mean, we are deep in the bush here.

Well, thanks for
the geography lesson, Swagger.

Let's see what's in the truck.

Why don't you and your men
take up defensive positions?

I'll handle this.

This is my team, Brooks.



I gave you an order.

♪ ♪

You said they were running weapons.



What is this? Dope?

The future.

Leave it and walk away.

We'll discuss your transfer out
of my group when we get back.



I'm done with this.

Count of three, I want
to know who your boss is.

And cut the "no English" sh*t.



- One.
- Jesus, Brooks.

- Two.
- Jesus, Brooks!

- [g*nsh*t]
- What the hell's wrong

- with you?
- Three.

What the hell are you doing?
[WOMEN SCREAMING]

He's an enemy.

Get your head out of your ass.

We're all accomplices now.

Well, you know what they say, Swagger.

Three people can keep a secret
if two are dead.

[g*nsh*t]

God damn it.

Get that g*n out of my face, Sergeant.



My team isn't a part of this.



[BOTH GRUNT]



You can find your own way home.



And I know the president would be saying

the same thing now if he were here.

Ladies and gentlemen,
our next chief justice

of the Supreme Court, Ray Brooks.

[APPLAUSE]

It is with great humility
and respect that I accept

the president's invitation
that I serve our country

one last time.

I hope to live up
to the exacting standards

that our great nation
lays in front of me.

I look forward
to the confirmation hearings.

Thank you all.

[APPLAUSE]

Good work.

His name is Ray Brooks.

He was a major when I knew him.

But two months ago, he was appointed

to the federal appellate.



I've done some research.

Brooks has quietly
been working his way up

from DA to attorney general of Utah

and now the federal bench.

All of his elections, his actions,

his cases reek of Atlas.

Whatever it is they're planning...



It won't end

until someone stops them.
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