10x23 - That's What Friends Are For

[bunniefuu]

[theme music]

[Mack] Boy, they really took this place apart.

Well, no, actually, this is the way it always is.

Karen.

What? What's missing?

The Lotus Point file.

Well, it's got to be here. What does it look like?

It's blue. Standard size. And it's not here.

Someone took it.

-Took it? -Stole it.

Stole it?

How would you know?

I mean, how could you tell?

That's exactly what campus security said.

Oh. Well...

Well, for your information, I happen to know

exactly where everything in this office is.

[chuckling] Where's the class roster?

-Mack. -[Mack] What?

Altman, Alfred missed Tuesday and Thursday.

Ackerman and Andrew, perfect attendance.

MacKenzie, Mack. Apology accepted.

[Karen] Mack.

Don't you find it strange

that the Lotus point file

just disappeared right after the...

Data was erased from the computer?

No, strange?

What's strange about that?

[Mack] Secret enemy intelligence

destroys the computer system

of a major university.

Then they get worried that they missed something

so they sent an agent back

to break into the office of a visiting lecturer of biology

to steal information

on nesting patterns of coastal wildlife.

What's strange about that?

[Michael] Please, God.

Please, let it still be here,

and I won't do anything bad ever again.

When did you ever do anything bad?

Ha, ha, ha. I've done plenty.

Okay, here we go.

Transfer, load.

Dead Bolt doc.

Enter.

[shouts of celebration]

Ellen, you know what this means?

This is incredible.

I mean, if Dead Bolt can beat this virus

Dead Bolt can beat anything.

This is major. This is major.

[instrumental music]

[elevator dings]

Excuse me.

Morning.

What the hell are you doing?

I'm going up to my office.

What the hell are you doing?

Was that your plan all along?

To drag me into this plot and hang me out to dry?

Because you've just crossed the line, Mrs. Sumner.

Wait. You're mixing your cliches here, Ted.

Let me get in one of my own.

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

Paige thinks I paid that actor to be Nagata.

-What? -Yes.

She saw him in some sort of...

Morning, Mrs. Sumner.

Good morning, Mort.

-Ted. -Miss Sumner.

-Bob. -Good morning, guys.

Very attractive outfit you're wearing, Mrs. Sumner.

Thank you, Mort.

[elevator dings]

Paige saw your actor in some monster flick.

She tracked him down and he talked.

What do you mean, talked?

He obviously said the first thing that came into his head.

Come on, why would my name pop into his head?

Do you think he's going to tell the truth

to some flirty little kid off the street

just because she's curious?

He's lying to protect me, as well he should,

-considering what I'm paying. -But why my name?

Because he panicked.

Because he couldn't think of anything else to say.

Because you were in the restaurant.

Maybe you offended his Japanese sensibilities.

How should I know why he picked your name?

[elevator dings]

-Uh, are you going up? -Yes.

Sorry, we're going down.

I should have known you didn't have an answer.

[scoffs]

You're good. But I don't buy it.

I'm off this bus.

And when the old man asks me why I'm resigning

I may just surprise us all and tell him the truth.

It hurts me you think I could do this to you.

Come on.

It hurts that you don't trust me.

Trust?

You want to talk about trust?

No.

I don't want to talk at all.

[romantic music]

It's 10 o'clock in the morning.

So?

What's the problem this time?

Oh, how do you like that?

Some 395 party goes on the Fritz

and a billion dollar corporation comes to a standstill?

Not again, for crying out loud.

At least this one works.

[hissing]

[screaming on TV]

Huh! It's Giganticus.

[woman] Are you sure?

Yes. He's getting closer.

-It could be him. -Could be? It is.

That's the same man we had lunch with.

There's no time for a test.

We must strike now.

Interesting.

Interesting?

Not interesting?

You're taking this so lightly.

The people at Murakame are trying to--

Trying to what?

Trying to cheat me?

They can't cheat me, doll.

I'm not doing any business with them.

Oh, Mr. Sumner.

You don't care that they sent an actor to talk with you?

Look, I appreciate your emotional investment

in the company, and if the guy happens to be in--

Not if, he is. I met him, I talked to him.

Obviously, there is something awry.

But believe me, I don't care.

[Paige] What do you mean you don't care?

What do you want me to do? Expose these jokers?

What's in it for me?

I'm just glad to have this flaky company out of my life.

I don't believe you're taking this so lightly.

Well, show me how it affects me adversely.

Better yet, show me how it affects me financially.

And I promise you I will care.

Where is my wife?

[instrumental music]

[sighs]

-This is the wrong place. -No, this is the spot.

Well, I don't remember it.

Look, it's right here on the map.

Well, where are the surveyor stakes?

Look. Somebody's filled in the hole

and trampled it with their shoes.

They took them out?

We'll take a picture of it.

Footprints in the mud. That'll stop Murakame.

-Right. -A hundred bucks says

they put the stakes right back in the middle of Zone B,

all nice and kosher.

Murakame is way ahead of us.

[elevator dings]

-Oh, good morning. -Good morning.

-Hi. -What's this doing here?

It worked perfectly for us. Didn't it, Ted?

Oh, Ted, would you hold that elevator for me?

I just remembered I have to run down to advertising...

Thanks.

Thank you.

Thanks for waiting.

[humming]

♪ Don't worry ♪

♪ Be happy ♪

♪ Don't worry, be happy ♪

♪ Don't worry ♪

♪ Be happy ♪♪

[Val] A computer?

Yes, it's to help you with your writing.

-Oh... -You don't like it.

No, I... I love it.

I'm very grateful. It's just, you know, I mean,

I have trouble with an electric can opener.

I'm never going to be able to figure out

how to use this thing.

Well, of course you won't. Not on your own.

You don't know how to operate it, do you?

No, no, no. That's why Danny's going to teach you.

-Danny? -Mm-hm.

He's the younger man who sold it to me.

He's included in the...

Well, it's just sort of a package deal.

Danny, huh?

Let me see the manual here.

-Here. -Ginny,

you know I am not interested

in getting fixed up with a stranger.

Fixed up?

Oh, Valene, honey, your imagination

is just running away with you.

And besides, Danny isn't a stranger.

Your two souls have been circling

around each other for 5000 years.

His aura is--

Ginny, wait a minute, wait a minute.

Don't get started.

I'll be just fine with this manual,

Alright. Suit yourself.

I mean, I love the thing. I really love it.

It's just... I can figure it out from this.

A-T-T-R-I-B.

Syntax?

-When did Mr. Maida quit? -This morning.

He got a big part in some spy movie.

He told me I could keep his last paycheck.

It must be a very nice part.

Would you know where I can reach him?

This is the last time I ever hire an actor again,

I can tell you that.

Now, how I'm supposed to figure out

my waiters' schedule,

if everybody has a movie of the week?

But he was a very nice man.

Look, I have to reach him.

I'm pregnant.

I have his address somewhere.

Actors.

[ominous music]

Well, here we are.

I just started making good contacts here.

This ought to give you some independence in Japan.

You can afford to wait for the good roles to come along.

I may get more demanding roles,

but I doubt that I'll get higher paying ones.

Goodbye.

[ominous music]

[music continues]

We have a young woman in the office

that I think has tremendous potential.

She's bright, she's hard working,

and I'd say ripe for advancement.

[man on the phone] Any special qualifications?

Well, she's single, she speaks several languages,

and she loves to travel.

What kind of openings do we have?

Well, right now we don't have anything here,

but there might be something in one of the other offices.

I'll check.

Well, please do,

and get back to me as soon as you can.

I'd hate to see her sitting around the office

going to waste.

-I'll do my best. -Thanks.

So what do you think?

Do you think it's a research grant

or just congratulations?

Maybe she's just going to offer us a job.

When this program goes on the market

we'll offer her a job.

The dean will see you now.

I'm sure you know that the university

takes a very dim view of plagiarism

in any form.

What?

The Sumner group donated to the university

a computer vaccine by the name of Super Lock.

Super Lock?

I've never even heard of that.

The resemblance between this vaccine

and your Dead Bolt

cannot be dismissed as a coincidence.

Well, now, wait a second.

We've been working on Dead Bolt all year long.

You have to talk to Professor Benioff.

Our investigation will extend

to include Professor Benioff's involvement in this matter.

For the moment,

I'm placing you both on academic probation.

I'm sure your parents would rather hear this from you

before they hear it from us.

[sighs]

Six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11.

Alright.

All those in favor of lobbying

to stop the Murakame Corporation

from drilling for oil on what was once Lotus Point?

Board members only, Miss Vertosick.

One, two...

Well.

That's it.

For the next calendar year

we'll concentrate our lobbying efforts

on the toxic waste cleanup issue.

And Karen, I hope we can count on you

to continue monitoring the situation at Lotus Point.

Of course. Thank you.

Come on.

Come on.

If I have to stay in this building with that woman

for one more minute, I'm going to...

[elevator dings]

[sighs]

[sighs]

Karen.

I want you to let me know everything you find out

about what's going on at Lotus Point.

I brought Murakame into this and I feel responsible,

so keep me posted, won't you?

-Mrs.Sumner. -Mort.

-Mrs. Sumner. -Hi there.

Bye.

That woman's been a heck of an asset to this corporation.

That woman would be a heck of an asset to any corporation.

We invented it. We tested it.

We worked the bugs out. It's ours and you stole it.

And we want it back.

First, my friends, let's discuss manners.

You're lucky

to be in this office in the first place.

You're lucky I don't throw you out of here on your a*s.

-Don't try to-- -Sit down and shut up, Michael.

I'm being nice to you

because you're my wife's nephew,

but there's a limit to this nice stuff.

I realize you guys have a problem,

but it's not with me.

When I buy a piece of good,

I make sure the copyright paper is in order.

I don't ask where the goods came from.

Will you at least take a look at our vaccine?

What good is that going to do?

To see if the programs are identical.

If they're identical, it just suggests

that you stole them from somebody else.

No.

Look, I'm just the buyer.

I think you should take your complaints

up with the seller.

Who is the seller?

Johnny Rourke.

[tense music]

I swear, Michael,

I swear I didn't know.

[sighs]

[grunting]

-It was a coincidence. -Well, tell it to the police.

I don't have to tell the police anything.

I've got the copyright.

You stole our invention.

Prove it.

You don't know squat about computers.

And you don't know squat about me.

Let me tell you something.

I wish I had stolen your damn vaccine.

You could see them, knocking around.

Mr. Pretty Boy

still living at home with his mommy.

Hey. It's not worth it, Mike.

You creep.

[door closes]

[tense music]

[crickets chirping]

There.

Insert utility disk in drive A.

Okay, utility disc.

Drive A.

There we go.

Type copy B colon space WP period TXT.

Easy. Okay.

[keys clacking]

[beeping]

What do you mean, command error?

I did exactly what you said.

No, wait, wait, wait.

Just let me try it again. Hold on.

Don't do that. Please. Just don't yell at me.

I did it exactly how you wanted it.

[beeping continues]

In the second century B.C.

Danny was a scribe,

and you were a Vestal Virgin,

and against the wishes of the High Priestess.

He taught you secretly how to write.

Would you like a cup of tea?

[sighs]

If I could just figure out who...

Who what?

The Atlantic merger is due to close next week,

and our office in New York is going to be overrun

with heavies from Brussels and Madrid,

and God knows where else.

And we don't have anyone there to host the transition team.

Send Mort.

If I have to hear him say

"Good morning, Mrs. Sumner" once more,

I'm going to smack him right upside the head.

Mort wouldn't know Paris from Peru.

No, we need someone who can speak several languages.

Well, I heard him say gracias

to one of the busboys in the commissary.

We need someone with a little class.

As a matter of fact, we need someone with a lot of class.

Someone like...

[sighing] I don't know, maybe...

Paige.

You think she's got class?

You don't think she could handle it?

Well, maybe you're right.

I'll tell you what, if you turn out the light

I'll bring it up with her first thing tomorrow.

Okay.

[breathes deeply]

I'll rest a lot easier with that off my mind.

[ominous music]

[man] Going up?

No.

You know how expensive things are in Japan these days?

Just about anywhere you go, a cup of coffee is $30.

I drink a lot of coffee.

[elevator dings]

[tense music]

This could be the break you've been waiting for.

Whose idea was it?

What difference does it make whose idea was it?

Well, I'd like to know who values my services so highly.

Thank you. We all do.

Not the way I see it.

The way I see it is that somebody

wants me out of the way.

You?

I doubt it.

I think you kind of like my company.

Ted Melcher?

No, he likes having me around.

We understand one another.

So that leaves...

your wife.

Now why would she want me 3000 miles away?

I wonder if you think because I let you run off

at the mouth that your...

grade-school fix on things has any merit.

I wonder if you think

that when I let you off the hook,

I don't really know what's going on.

Do I

or do I not have someone from my transition team?

I appreciate the vote of confidence.

But no, thank you.

There's nothing that I want in New York.

Yes, cash.

Cash.

I know it's a lot of money.

You don't have to tell me it's a lot of money.

-Yo, blondie. -Hold on a minute.

Yes, darling.

The upstart just blew us off.

You got any other ideas?

I'll give it some thought.

Just get it here.

[loud thud]

[sighs]

[intercom beeps]

-Yes. - Karen MacKenzie on line two .

Oh, swell.

[sighs]

Hello, Karen. How are you?

I'm fine, Abby.

I've decided to approach

the Murakame people directly.

-You have? - Yes.

Could you give me the number?

Sure, hold on.

Hi.

Hi.

Peggy said she was going to leave the file

for the oil spill case on her desk.

Oh, well.

I don't see it.

Oh, it must be there.

I don't want to disturb her things.

-You don't want to what? -Disturb her things.

Yes. Good idea.

But what do you know?

For Paula.

Thank you.

Well, you know, when I first started being a biologist

all you needed was a microscope and a good pair of shoes.

Now you need a degree in environmental law.

Is there any place to get a bite around here?

-I'm starving. -I don't take lunch.

I wasn't asking.

Right.

What do you mean by that?

Just like you weren't asking me up in the mountains.

I was asking you to come to my cabin

and have a glass of wine.

Period.

[sighing] Paula.

Did I or did I not make it perfectly clear to you,

when we first met, that I was happily married?

Actually, at the time,

I wondered why you were in such a hurry to bring it up.

I wonder why every time I turn around,

we're together, alone.

Not by design, I can assure you.

And it'll never happen again

if you don't grow up and quit reading

your fantasies in other people's actions.

[door slams shut]

I speak for a substantial number of people

who wish to convey their concerns to Murakame.

We believe that if they knew...

If they...

If they really understood how fragile and how...

how unique the proposed drilling site is,

that they would be persuaded to protect it.

Could I get you a cup of coffee? A glass of water?

I'm sorry, I should have offered sooner.

No, I do not want a cup of coffee.

And I don't want to watch you smiling

and sitting there, and nodding and-and writing notes

and being so damned condescending.

I want to speak to somebody in charge.

Well, I'm sorry, Mrs. MacKenzie, but that is impossible.

I am their designated, representative

and I can assure you that I'll convey your request

and concern as eloquently as I can.

[door closes]

[sighs]

[tense music]

Thank you.

[sighs]

♪ I want to have fun ♪

♪ I want to shine like the sun ♪

♪ I want to be the one that you want to see ♪

♪ I want to knit you a sweater ♪

♪ I want to write you a love letter ♪

♪ I want to make you feel better ♪

♪ I want to make you feel free ♪

♪ I want to make you feel free ♪

♪ I want to make you feel free ♪♪

I thought you only did this when you were depressed.

You thought right.

Some specific reason,

or just the basic pointlessness of life?

There's this guy that I really like,

but it's not going to work out.

That bad, huh?

He's that married.

Well, what about Gary Ewing?

Do you like him?

He's nice enough.

Michael, I don't want to be fixed up.

What are we doing talking about my problems?

Your work got stolen.

What are you going to do?

What can I do? Rourke's got the copyright.

I'm so sorry.

A red-throated grebe.

What?

You are going to be like the red-throated grebe.

The grebe is a bird that can barely fly.

So you're comparing me to some loser bird?

No. A grebe is a rhinoceros' favorite snack,

but it rarely gets eaten.

Why is that?

Because when a grebe has a rhino on his tail

he runs as fast as he can,

which isn't really very fast, straight across the sinkhole.

Now the rhino is going too fast to change course

so he sinks in the mud.

So all I have to do is get Greg Sumner

and Johnny Rourke to chase me across a sinkhole.

No.

You use a swamp you have at hand.

The legal system.

You sue Sumner.

You get your vaccine so tied up in court

that those creeps will never see a dime.

That's a great idea.

[phone ringing]

-Yes. -[woman on phone] You're home.

-Yes. - Home, alone?

I think you've got the wrong number.

Of course I've got the wrong number, Gary.

That's why I called.

Sally's friend.

You remembered.

Of course I remembered. So how's Chester?

The Jerry Lewis of Labradors living on borrowed time.

Where's your date for this evening?

Well, despite my friend's best efforts,

I have managed to stay a free man.

Someone tried to fix you up?

Someone did fix me up.

It would have been nice to have been told

it was a blind date before I got there.

Oh. And after they introduced you today,

they pulled you over to the side

and said she's really very nice once you get to know her.

[laughs]

Well, actually, she was very nice.

And attractive?

-Yes. -So what was the problem?

Uh... You'd have to know my history with women

to understand that.

Rocky, huh?

[laughs]

Like climbing Mt. Everest.

[chuckles] That's all?

That's all you're going to tell me?

I want details.

I want names, dates. You know the good stuff.

Come on, Gary. After all we've meant to each other.

You can't back out on me now.

Wait a minute.

You want me to tell you my life history

and I don't even know your name?

That's what makes this so much fun.

Well, I was 16 when I'm at my first wife.

Oh, my God. His candy? That's...

[giggling] What did he do?

I guess he started his novel all over again.

[laughs]

I don't think that's funny at all. It's terrible.

[Danny and Val laugh]

Okay, okay. Why don't we, uh,

start all over again with a simple sentence, hm?

[clears throat] Okay.

[keys clacking]

You know, this is so much information

to take in all at once.

Do you think

that maybe you could slow it down a little bit?

Okay.

Why don't I take you through all this again step by step?

You can move the cursor to the beginning of the word.

And type over the word.

Okay, so I use the arrow to get here, right?

[clicking on keyboard]

[clicking on keyboard]

[laughs]

Okay.

-[Danny] Aha! -[Valene chuckles]

Here is a very special feature.

You see, whenever you delete,

you can bring it all back again

by using the retrieving function.

[laughing]

What?

You just press phrase R and insert.

Okay.

Now if I want to replace one word with another word.

I do this, right?

Before I know it, you'll be teaching me.

Yes, but I still don't know how you move

a word from one place to another.

I don't understand that.

Well, that's easy. Let's see.

I have a feeling with you it was the women

who had the problem.

[chuckles]

What makes you say that?

I've learned a lot in four phone calls.

-Three phone calls. -Doesn't matter.

I still know.

When you were growing up you were the type of kid

who was always getting into trouble.

As far as your parents were concerned,

you couldn't do anything right.

So you've either been ticked off or trying too hard ever since,

and you still get in trouble

because you're a little too direct for most people.

-Well... -Oh, God. Did I just screw up?

Tell me you found all that basically endearing.

Did I offend you?

Well, you tell me. You know men.

[Ted] Don't give him any more money, it'll only encourage him.

Paying him off buys me time.

Yes, but blackmail lasts forever.

It doesn't have to.

[sighs]

Ted.

Is this a preface to some sort of a request?

I don't think I can afford to be seen with our actor friend.

So you want me to give him the money?

Only if you want to.

[ominous music]

Hypothetically speaking?

[Ted] Hypothetically speaking.

Well, if this person knew

the true value of this property ,

but kept that information from the other shareholders

and acquired the property

without revealing his or her true identity,

that individual would be guilty of criminal fraud.

And probably embezzlement.

But you see, a conviction would depend on a lot of details.

-Especially dates. -Dates?

That's right.

When all this information became available.

When the partners decided to sell

and when certain contracts were signed.

So, hypothetically speaking?

[chuckles]

Your hypothetical friend

is looking at a hypothetical five to ten years.

In a hypothetical state prison.

[ominous music]

I spent all morning on the phone

to the office of the Secretary of State

and I still cannot find out who owns Murakame.

Doesn't a company have to list their owner somewhere?

[Mack] No.

Companies are only required

to reveal the names of its offices

which I could have told you

if you asked me in the first place.

I didn't know

they were going to hide the names, Mack.

I've only been able to contact this Rick Hawkins.

And talking to him is like

hitting your head against a brick wall.

Mack, there is something so wrong in this company.

What are you gonna do? Call Japan?

I am going to do whatever I have to do

to find out who is behind Murakame.

[elevator dings]

-[Ted] Hi. -[Paige] Hi.

Putting in half days now?

I have an appointment.

Oh.

[phone ringing]

[phone beeps]

Hello.

-[man] It's Enrique Bartell. -I don't know him.

The maitre d' at Grisjon's restaurant.

Oh, I'll take it.

-Hello, Mr. Bartell. -Oh, hello.

-How are you? -Fine. And you?

Oh, fine, thank you.

Did you ever speak to your friend

?? about your baby?

Oh, no. I never managed to locate him.

Well, I don't want to get involved

but he is coming here at 3 o'clock.

He decided to pick up his paycheck,

and I thought you might want to know that.

Well, thank you.

You don't know how much this means to me and the baby.

Well, I just hope things work out for you.

Thank you. Goodbye.

[instrumental music]

[ominous music]

Mr. Maida.

Mr. Melcher.

Glad you could make it.

The pleasure's all mine.

[ominous music]

[car engine revving]

[music continues]

[sighs]

What is this, deja vu ?

I came back to give you one more chance.

Sit down, look at my program, and work this out.

One more chance.

That's right.

It's either that or you work it out with my attorneys.

I think you ought to work it out with your shrink.

You're married to my dad's sister.

I'd hate to see this happen in the family,

but I'll sue you just like I'll sue Rourke.

I'll tie up you and your vaccine in court until you're dead.

That's a promise I know I can keep,

because I'm a lot younger than you.

[elevator dings]

Let me know what you decide.

Nice shirt, Mr. Summer.

Did Ted pick up any of my messages when he called?

I gave them to him myself, Miss Matheson.

He knows you're looking for him.

Okay. If he calls in again,

tell him I'll be home all evening

and I have to talk to him.

Thanks.

[reporter on TV] This seems to be at odds

with previous testimony,

but sources close to the case have reported

there would be no further comments

until the trial is over.

On the local scene,

the normally slow-moving rush hour traffic on I-5...

[doorbell rings]

...was brought to a standstill this afternoon

for over three hours,

when a car traveling in the northbound lane

went out of control and crashed.

Hello?

[Ted] Hi, it's me. I was in the neighborhood.

Where have you been all day?

I've been trying to reach you like crazy.

So I gathered. Can I come up ?

Come on up.

... was at the crash site

and filed this report.

Spectators made away with what police estimate

may have been as much as $20,000 in small bills

scattered across five lanes of freeways

when the car struck the center divider.

Yoshio Maida apparently was k*lled instantly

in the freak accident.

Police are not offering any clues as to why

he may have been driving his car

with thousands of dollars in it.

[dramatic music]

[knocking on door]

[switched off TV]

Just a minute.

[ominous music continues]

-Hi. -Hi. What's so important?

What?

Oh, what's going on?

-Oh, i-it can wait. -Come on.

You leave me 112 messages

saying how urgent it is that you speak with me

and now you say it can wait?

Well...

It is late.

The night is young.

[sighs]

Say, it's great getting out of the office

between all those fluorescent lights,

the air conditioning, and all those cubicles.

It can really drive you crazy.

Have you heard about that actor?

That Nagata Maida, whatever his name is?

He got k*lled on the freeway. Isn't that something?

-How did you know? -What do you mean?

How did you know he was dead?

Well, I heard it on the news.

But it wasn't on the news until a few seconds ago.

[tense music]

The security guard downstairs, he was watching the TV ,

while I was waiting for the elevator I saw it.

What's the big deal?

Well, I-I just wondered.

No, I mean, what's the big deal that you wanted to ask me?

What is your burning question?

Oh. Um...

Greg. He offered me a job in New York

and I wanted your advice.

Terrific.

[ominous music]

[male narrator] Next on Knots Landing.

It was your idea that he got a Murakame.

-And it was a good idae. -It was your idea to try and

prove that Nagata was an actor.

-He is an actor, or was. -I don't need that kind of

interference. You are history.

Fired? Am I fired?

I can't tell you how disappointed I am.

-I want to talk to Greg. -He knows.

There's nothing wrong with fantasizing.

It's perfectly normal.

Is that what you would say

if Mack were doing the fantasizing?

Mack doesn't even look at other women.

I think I'm in love with you.

[romantic music]

I wouldn't do anything to hurt Karen.

[theme music]