04x15 - Q&A

[bunniefuu]

Finch: We are being watched.

The government has a secret system, a machine that spies on you every hour of every day.

I designed the machine to detect acts of terror, but it sees everything, violent crimes involving ordinary people.

The government considers these people irrelevant.

We don't.

Hunted by the authorities, we work in secret.

You'll never find us.

But victim or perpetrator, if your number's up, we'll find you.

Reese: Claire Mahoney's not just another number.

Chess grandmaster at the age of 16.

Do you recognize this?

A nautilus shell?

Finch: They're the symbol for a very dangerous competition.

The creator of the game isn't a hacker, it's Samaritan.

[thud]

Uhh!

[phone buzzes]

Sorry for the precautions, Professor.

You're getting a tour from the founders, and you wouldn't believe the freaks that try to get in here.

What's the word, Riley?

No weapons.

Mild-to-moderate freakiness.

[laughs]

Enjoyed that, did you?

(man) Incoming!

Welcome to nerd nirvana.

Fetch & Retrieve is one of the hottest Internet companies in the world, John.

They know how to attract appropriate talent.

Why else would they hire a moonlighting NYPD detective for their security team?

To protect all the limited edition action figures.

And some of the most valuable search algorithms in the industry.

There's a reason why people choose Fetch & Retrieve when they need to find something online, and this man coming down the hall is a large part of it.

Calvin Mazer, Chief Technical Officer.

Professor Whistler!

You didn't tell me on the phone that you did research into neuro-evolutionary systems.

'Cause I can talk AI all day.

I hope so.

My new book on algorithmic decision-making could benefit from your expertise.

And in return for our time, we get first cr*ck at your most promising students, right?

That is why Lauren is our CEO.

We got this.

Perhaps now is a moment when you might get eyes on our latest number.

Anna Mueller, moved here from Munich with her sister Jill when she was 14.

Anna works here as a transcriber for something called VAL.

Any idea what that is?

Finch: I believe we're about to find out.

Lauren: And here's how we're transforming the world of search.

Our latest app-- VAL.

For Voice Activated Lookup. Here.

man: Where does country originate?

woman: Are tomatoes vegetables or fruits?

VAL's a personal assistant on your phone.

You wanna find anything online, just ask it a question like the ones you're hearing right now.

VAL, how's Fetch & Retrieve doing in the market today?

VAL: Fetch & Retrieve is up $1.87 today.

Congratulations.

Thanks to our algorithm and our transcribers, VAL is the most accurate and the most popular voice-activated search app in the country.

Here comes Anna, Harold.

So the transcribers create a record of each user's questions and check VAL's responses-- a human intelligence backing up an artificial one.

Exactly.

Now let's find a spot where we can chat.

Yes, by all means.

I'll take it from here, Harold.

[phone buzzes]

Harold, Anna just got a text from someone named Alek.

Could be a boyfriend.

Though from Anna's reaction, I'm guessing they're out of the honeymoon phase.

Looks like she's been knocked around by someone.

If Anna's in a relationship, it's anything but healthy.

[sighs]

[phone buzzes]

Yeah, Harold?

How goes the moonlighting, Mr. Reese?

Uncover any hidden threats?

Do empty carbohydrates count?

Pretty much the only thing here that's not shiny happy geeky is Anna.

Any idea who her lunch buddy is?

Naresh Prasad.

He's a mid-level coder.

Anna: Naresh, I think we should talk to someone about that user abnormality.

There's nothing to talk about.

I've already spent more time on that than I should.

Let's just do our jobs.

You're saying I should just drop it.

Honestly, as a friend, yes.

Well, something's certainly eating at her, but what?

I'm afraid Anna may not be the only one who's researching an abnormality.

A new nautilus puzzle has appeared that is nearly identical to the very first one I encountered, down to a phone number that decodes to a set of GPS coordinates.

Maybe Samaritan's recycling puzzles.

Unlikely, Mr. Reese.

The coordinates are in the Shadow Map.

Samaritan wouldn't send players to a spot where it couldn't observe them.

Well, if Samaritan didn't make the puzzle, who did?

Oh, wait.

There's something embedded in the image on the poster.

"You were right."

Mr. Reese, I'm afraid you may have to handle Anna on your own at the moment.

I think I know who created the puzzle, and if I'm correct, I need to hurry.

Reese: Finch, Anna's leaving work.

Let's see where she has to be at 9:00.

Get in!

Sorry, Alek.

[indistinct chatter]

[crowd cheering]

(referee) And now, let's introduce our contenders.

Weighing in at 130 pounds, from Astoria Heights, put your hands together for Melinda "Jay Jay" James!

And, from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, give it up for Anna "The Annihilator" Mueller!

[crowd cheering]

The Annihilator?

Ready?

Ready?

Fight!

Ow!

Yeah!

[screaming]

[crowd cheers]

Alek: See? All that hard work paid off.

Thanks, Alek.

Yeah.

Finch, Alek is Anna's trainer.

And now we know how she got that bruise.

She's not a victim of abuse. She's doling it out.

She's an MMA fighter.

Which means she may be a perpetrator after all.

Be careful, Mr. Reese.

[phone beeps]

(Claire) Careful with that phone!

They're always listening.

Claire... what's happened to you?

The people behind the Nautilus game were worse than anything I could have imagined.

They used me.

But with your help, maybe I can break free-- [gasps]

[g*nsh*t]

Claire: They found me!

[g*nsh*t]

Please help me.

[phone buzzes]

About time you called.

I was gonna send a dog on a search and rescue.

Apologies, John, but that matter I was looking into took an unexpected turn.

But I found Claire.

Is everything okay?

I'm endeavoring to make it so by looping a few security feeds.

Can you manage without me for a while longer?

Sure thing.

Turns out Anna won honors in both judo and kick-boxing in college.

Must be taking it to the next level by hopping in an MMA ring.

She may find it more difficult than she thinks.

Professional mixed martial arts are illegal in New York, and amateur fights are plagued by gambling, organized crime, and a lack of regulation.

Any thr*at against Anna is probably coming from there.

Be sure to take Detective Fusco if you need backup.

Speaking of needing backup, you sure you got things covered with Claire?

Yes.

But I'm afraid she needs my full attention.

Finch, while Anna's at work, I'm gonna check out her and Jill's house.

[beep]

[soft continuous beeping]

(Reese) "5-Fluorouracil."

Jill's getting chemo.

Anna's not the only one with a fight on her hands.

[groans]

(Finch) Forgive the morbid overtones, but this mortuary was the closest place I could find with the proper supplies.

We're safe here... for now.

Here.

Well, you're lucky, Claire.

3 inches to the left, and we'd have needed the embalming materials instead.

I was about to thank you for saving my life, and...

I realize I still don't even know your name.

Before I tell you that, perhaps you'd care to tell me how you came to be on the run.

After I solved the last Nautilus puzzle, I was taken in by this group.

They told me the game's purpose was to recruit people who could help them on their mission.

Which is...

Make the world a better place.

Soon I was hacking databases, stealing information.

And they wouldn't say from whom, just that they were very bad people.

But I've never really liked secrets.

You hacked the group, didn't you?

Turns out... every mission I did for them led directly to someone's death.

And not bad people. Ordinary people.

One man, a software designer, had just returned from holding his newborn granddaughter in his arms.

They slipped poison into his coffee at the hospital.

His names was Charles Wynn... and I'll never let myself forget it.

That's when you chose to escape.

Yes.

To find you, a man whose name I didn't even know, the one person who tried to keep me from going down the wrong path.

If only I knew what the right path is.

My nose!

Give me back my game!

Look, I don't care who took whose copy of Full Metal Hellcat 4.

You may be warriors online, but you can't go and hit each other in the real world.

Now, you, clinic. You, incident report.

Let's go.

[phone buzzes]

A text from Jill. _

Looks like Anna's avoiding her sister. _

Excuse me. What happened to Naresh?

No idea-- His stuff was gone this morning when I came in.

Anna?

Ms. Buchanan apparently wants to see you.

(Anna) - Ms. Buchanan? - Have a seat, Anna.

Let's talk about this user problem you've been looking into, uh, the one about Paul Zimmerman.

Yes. I'm so relieved.

I was hoping someone at the top would see the red flag.

I'm told you tried to contact this user about search requests he made using VAL.

That's right, I did.

Are you aware of our privacy policy here?

Yes, but this was--

A lawsuit waiting to happen.

Drop it.

Or we're gonna have to have a serious conversation about your future here.

Maybe you should get back to work.

(Anna) Excuse me.

Software's up to date. You're welcome.

Thanks.

You're welcome.

Although, when you hear what I have to tell you, you may wish that that was something stronger.

Those people that took you in, they're not making the world a better place.

They're remaking the world in the image of their leader.

So who's their leader?

A being... that is willing to k*ll as many people as it takes to keep its own existence secret and its power intact, like your software engineer, Charles Wynn.

It seems that he was a contract employee of a company called Decima shortly before they brought this leader online.

Online.

I don't understand.

It's an AI... and it's called Samaritan.

What's that?

Two minutes ago, I had no idea.

When I found out about all those people who d*ed because of me, I took one last thing from the group's network-- a raw chunk of source code from a set of old drives.

Whatever was on it was labeled...

"Samaritan."

You disabled that, didn't you?

How?

I looped the camera system.

I knew it.

You're a hacker... like me.

Which means you're the one who can help me do what needs to be done.

Together, with this source code, you and I can att*ck Samaritan... and k*ll it.

Let go of me! [grunting]

Pretty sure the lady doesn't want a ride!

Let's get out of here!

Hey--

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

Remember me? Come on.

Security guard from work?

I'm a cop.

From the looks of it, you need my help.

You have no idea who those men were who att*cked you?

No.

Look, I still don't get why a Homicide detective is following me.

Unless... is this about Paul Zimmerman?

Who?

A few days ago, I was listening to users' questions to the VAL system, transcribing them, and one user's voice kept coming up.

Zimmerman: How can I get help for depression?

I need the number of a su1c1de hotline.

But Zimmerman can't be the only one to make an online search like that.

Of course not.

And when they do, this is what happens.

VAL, I need the number for a su1c1de hotline.

VAL: Here's what I was able to retrieve. _

Now look at what VAL sent Zimmerman when he asked the same question.

"Five painless ways to end one's life.

How to make sure others are taken care of after you're gone."

Zimmerman was a man on the edge.

VAL essentially nudged him over.

I sent an email up the chain, but... nothing happened.

So... I got my friend Naresh to help.

He dug up Zimmerman's number, and I reached out to him.

Turns out I was too late.

Zimmerman k*lled himself the night before.

So Zimmerman's dead, VAL helped it happen, and now they're after you.

Maybe not just me.

My friend Naresh didn't show up to work today.

I don't know if he quit or got fired.

Or worse.

I'll go check on Naresh.

You stay here where it's safe. Fusco will keep an eye on you.

You bet.

Reese: Just one more thing. Why risk your job for a stranger like Zimmerman?

A few months back... someone close to me-- someone ill-- asked the same questions Zimmerman did.

If she'd asked VAL instead of me...

[phone rings]

Let me guess-- you need something, and it's a matter of some urgency.

It's no wonder you're a detective.

Could you possibly look up death records for a particular body?

Think I can manage that. You got a name?

I do.

Charles Wynn.

Have you had a chance to look at the flash drive?

No, not yet.

Well, what are you waiting for?

Lie back for a minute.

I need to check your wound.

Come on.

Keep thinking about Charles Wynn, the man who was poisoned at the hospital by that group of yours.

What hospital was it?

New York General.

Big place.

Easy to see how someone could secretly administer a lethal dose of... what did you say?

I didn't, actually.

Aconitine.

Aconitine. Unusual choice for an assassination.

Tends to stay in the bloodstream.

Is this some kind of interrogation?

Just gathering facts.

Stick that flash drive in your laptop, and you'll see I'm telling the truth.

Perhaps. Perhaps.

Or perhaps the moment I do so, a program in that drive will seek out every device my laptop's been connected to, everyone that's close to me, and Samaritan will use that information to hunt them down, which may have been your intention all along.

A few hours ago, you were opening my eyes to Samaritan.

Now you're saying I work for it?

I called a friend of mine at the NYPD.

The only Charles Wynn that d*ed in the Tri-State Area this year did so in a car accident-- no trace of aconitine in his blood.

Keep your flash drive, Claire.

On my way out, I'll reactivate the cameras.

You can tell your story to Samaritan.

You once said that you didn't believe I was a k*ller... that I valued life too much.

Well, I believe that about you.

You wouldn't just leave me here for dead.

That may have been true once, but that was before I lost someone, someone dear.

She's gone now, and I won't risk losing anyone else.

Good-bye, Claire.

Charles Wynn d*ed of a myocardial infarction caused by 9 milligrams of aconitine.

He struck an oncoming car, hospitalizing the couple inside, and somehow sparing the six-year-old in the backseat.

All of which you know... if your friend read you the report.

I don't have to read it.

I know every... painful detail.

And as for Wynn's blood, aconitine only shows up if you're looking for it.

With Wynn's history of heart trouble, they weren't looking.

Now, I am sorry that you lost your friend, but if you leave now... when you are dead wrong... you're gonna lose me too.

[phone rings]

Jill's medical alert bracelet.

She must be crashing hard.

EMTs are on the way. I have to go.

Okay, but I'm taking you myself.

Moving on up, eh, Mr. Prasad?

VP of data access and a whole new office to prove it.

Yeah, all happened kind of fast.

I know Anna Mueller will be relieved.

She thought you got fired.

Something about that... Zimmerman issue?

Just a mainframe processing glitch.

The second I pointed it out to the higher-ups, they were on it.

Then they promoted you?

Yeah.

But, um...

I'm not really supposed to talk about this.

Confidentiality. I get it.

Hey, Lionel.

Looks like Anna's pal Naresh just got paid off by his superiors.

(Fusco) If they gave Naresh hush money, they could be the same people who are trying to silence Anna for good.

Where's the ambulance? They should be here by now!

Hold on!

I gotta go. Anna's sister's in trouble.

Jill!

[Fusco grunts]

Detective, can you call the EMTs.

[gasps]

Reese: So what do you make of it, Finch?

It sounds like VAL's code has been tampered with, apparently for the express purpose of manipulating Zimmerman's emotions.

(Reese) Driving him to su1c1de.

They're gonna k*ll Anna because she won't let it go.

A closer look at VAL's new algorithm might tell us why he was targeted and what's at stake.

All right, I'll get you the code.

Good luck, John.

The guys who took Anna must have hacked her sister's medical alert bracelet.

I'll go after Anna.

You access Fetch & Retrieve's servers.

Whoa, whoa, wait.

Tech support's not exactly my forte, you know.

Don't worry about it, Lionel.

I know a guy who can help.

[grunting]

[tires screech]

[tires screeching]

[groans]

Just so you know...

I had that.

[sirens approaching]

Come on.

We gotta go.

Why? I thought you were a cop.

I am.

But this is more paperwork than I wanna deal with.

[knock on door]

(Fusco) - Hey, Naresh?

Who are you?

NYPD.

Well, what possible business could you have here?

This business-- Paul Zimmerman.

Whether you know it or not, kid, you're neck deep in an innocent man's death.

Unless you help me out, your friend Anna's gonna be the next one laid out on a slab.

Wh-what can I do?

The right thing.

Access Fetch & Retrieve servers for me.

If Samaritan's hunting us, let's hunt it back.

[phone rings]

(Fusco) Hey, Glasses, I'm staring at something I don't understand, which is usually the part where you step in.

Sending it to you now.

[computer chimes]

It's a response algorithm for Fetch & Retrieve.

Many thanks, Detective. I'll give it a look right away.

Oh, no.

A security guard is here.

Blood on the keys.

It's only a matter of time before he finds us back here.

We have to do something.

Come on, Claire.

We need to cover our tracks.

Anna: You're sure Jill's okay?

Reese: There's two police officers guarding her.

Nothing's gonna hurt her.

I wish that was true.

The last few months, she's been so sick, and I've never felt more helpless.

So...

I started getting up early, coming home late.

Taking on amateur fights.

Got me out of the house.

Gave me something to hit, something I could... actually fight.

So why do I still feel so helpless?

The thing about fighting someone... questions are simple.

Either you're b*ating them, or they're b*ating you.

But it's the harder fights, the ones outside the ring, that actually mean something.

Everything else is wasted time.

I don't want to waste any more time.

I want to take this fight to whoever's after me.

(Finch) John, I just finished examining VAL's new algorithm.

It turns out that Zimmerman was only one of hundreds of specific users it was designed to target--

people whose search histories indicated depression, for instance.

VAL sent them results which would likely make their depression worse.

But that makes no sense.

I thought so too until I looked at the other targets.

People in debt, compulsive gamblers-- they represent huge markets for certain products-- payday loans, online poker sites, and, of course, antidepressants, all products currently sold by Fetch & Retrieve's advertisers.

So the results are softening them up for the ads.

They're creating vulnerable consumers, even if it kills them.

You figure out who's behind all this?

The new algorithm was placed in the system anonymously, but I managed to track down its source.

It's someone we've met before.

Can I help you?

NYPD, ma'am.

Naresh here got mixed up in something, and he wants to make it right.

Ms. Buchanan, the VAL system's been tampered with.

At least one person is dead, and my friend Anna's being hunted down.

I'm sorry, but this all seems a little hard to believe.

Are you sure?

Come on, Naresh.

I thought we understood each other.

You keep quiet, everybody wins.

Calvin, what the hell do you think you're doing?

Cleaning up.

Your w*apon, please.

All right, the last camera should be up in 60 seconds.

Let's go.

Once we're outside, we'll need to stick to the areas with no video surveillance.

Luckily, I have a map.

You know, when I first met you, I had no idea you were this resourceful.

No wonder Samaritan is hunting you down.

You're more than just a thorn in its side.

You're a one-man revolution, Harold.

How do you know my--

[g*n cocks]

Wow.

You know, I've played a lot of chess, but that's the first time I almost b*at myself.

One slip, and it could have cost me the game.

I'll take your phone and your laptop.

You're a fool if you think I'll lead you back to my friends.

You will have to sh**t me.

Oh, come on, Harold.

I'm not authorized to sh**t you.

Assuming you go with me peacefully.

Go where?

We've been talking so much about Samaritan.

I figure it's time you finally saw what it looks like.

Sorry to keep you in the dark, Lauren, but when I found my new algorithm for VAL, I knew I had to go it alone.

Because you knew I'd never allow such a thing.

It's your loss.

The beta test was nearly flawless.

Soon, VAL will shape the emotions of millions of users, and Fetch & Retrieve will be one of the most powerful advertising and content delivery platforms in the world.

And if a few people commit su1c1de along the way, tough luck.

I feel awful about what happened to Paul Zimmerman.

But he was the unfortunate consequence of a successful test.

And I'm not gonna let you or Anna Mueller or anyone else destroy what I've worked so hard to build.

Calvin, you can't just k*ll innocent people.

You'd be amazed what a private security corporation will do for the right price.

Luckily, I can pay.

You will.

[g*nsh*t]

Aah!

[both grunt]

Right hook, left cross!

Nice body sh*t.

Cross could use some work.

Stand him up. I'll go again.

Think we're good.

Thanks, Lionel.

Seems unlikely that Samaritan would set up shop in a place like this.

(man) ...increasing resources.

Satellite surveillance has shown that they can cover thousands of miles, often traveling the exact...

I don't understand.

You said you were taking me to see Samaritan.

Harold... this is Samaritan.

Samaritan's not trying to subjugate humans, Harold.

It's trying to save them.

Look around.

This charter school exists because Samaritan analyzed our education system and decided there was a better way.

It's the best chance the kids in this neighborhood have at a real future, but it doesn't stop there.

Samaritan is planning ways to reduce, if not eliminate, food and water shortages-- projects that never would have existed without this... evil AI.

And these stories that you told me... about data theft, m*rder, Charles Wynn?

Charles Wynn d*ed in a simple car accident.

I told you what you wanted to believe.

But here's the thing, beliefs can change.

[school bell rings]

Look, I wasn't supposed to bring you here, Harold.

If my cover was blown. I was to bring you in.

But I just know in my heart that you have the capacity to make the right choice.

Which is?

Join us.

The world out there needs saving, Harold.

Together, with Samaritan, we can start.

And if I refuse?

[school bell rings]

Last chance.

Well, I truly admire what's been built here, and you may be right.

If the world needs to be saved, then perhaps this is the most efficient way to do it.

I still have one question.

Samaritan is willing to sh**t you to get me to believe what it wanted.

How far will it go to get these children to believe?

Take him.

[g*nshots]

Nice to finally meet you, Claire.

Give your boss a message for me.

Hi.

[groans]

Come on, Harry.

Gotta let this one go.

[man groaning]

So what now? Few days off from work?

More than a few.

Not sure I can go back there, but... these amateur fights got me thinking.

Maybe there's a future somewhere else.

Maybe a city where you could go pro.

They pay a lot more for each fight.

Yeah.

But for now there's a more important one right here.

Thanks, Riley.

Your sister's waiting.

Reese: New laptop?

What happened to the old one?

Claire has it.

Which means Samaritan does.

Root? You're back?

For about eight more seconds.

New mission?

There's a lot that's new.

Root, Claire, Samaritan... mind catching me up, Finch?

Claire played me and very nearly won.

If Root hadn't disabled Samaritan's cameras and saved me, I'd be in the hands of the enemy.

However, there is a glimmer of hope.

I planted a tracking beacon in the laptop Claire stole.

Nearly there.

No more glimmer?

Indeed.

This game was played to a draw.

We found and destroyed the GPS beacon embedded in the laptop's core, sir.

It was artfully placed.

I've no doubt.

And what about its networking history?

Wiped clean, I'm afraid.

Keep looking. And be careful.

A laptop from this particular person is hardly a benign treasure.

(Claire) It's my fault, Mr. Greer.

If I hadn't taken him to the school, if I had just brought him in--

Come, come, Claire.

You did your best to turn him into an asset, which was, after all, your mission.

And it's your steadfast belief in your mission, in Samaritan, that makes you so special, so unique.

Just one thing, Mr. Greer.

The sn*per sh*ts were supposed to miss to scare Mr. Finch into trusting me.

I could have d*ed out there.

For a good cause, my dear.

All for a good cause.

Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Greer, but you need to leave if you're going to make your meeting with Mergers and Acquisitions.

Ah, yes, an intriguing company making strides in the realm of simulating and manipulating emotion and whose stock appears primed for a fall.

Such a pleasure to meet the founder of an exciting venture like yours.

What a shame to see you've hit a rather... tragic fork in the road.

Shall we see if, together, we can't choose the right way forward?