04x05 - The Book of Ruin: Chapter One: Picking Up the Pieces

[bunniefuu]

[Jefferson]

Previously on Black Lightning...

We're getting hitched.

- Now?

- [laughing]

Yes.

What about your family, Anissa?

This is not about them.

This is about you and me.

A fight club?

Really?

- [Jefferson]

How did you...

- [Lynn]

Find out?

Your youngest daughter and TC stumbled across your little hobby.

Mayor Black, have you given any thought as to when and where you're gonna announce the DEG launch?

At a g*n buyback event.

And I'm here to tell you that the city of Freeland is gonna continue to fight right beside you!

Devonte.

Light they ass up.

Tobias doesn't live through the night.

[grunts]

The mayor has been sh*t.

He's dead.

I could have protected him if it wasn't for you.

This is your fault.

I did a little more research, and it's not safe for you to the ionosphere.

Are you my friend or are you my father?

There's something wrong.

[grunts]

It's too much.

It's too much.

It hurts.

Come down, Lightning!

Get out of there!

[gasps]

Oh, my God.

[Anissa]

I can't believe she's gone.

Well, no, no.

Trust me, Jen is still alive.

I can sense her.

[Gambi]

Jefferson.

We have to face it.

The ionosphere overloaded her body.

She exploded.

Look, I know it's crazy but an expl*si*n by definition is matter turning to energy, right?

Well Jen's powers allow her to do that.

No, Jeff, you're... you're grasping at straws.

[Anissa]

No, no, no, Dad has a point.

Jennifer has shifted energy states before and she's survived, so it's possible, right?

And because of Jefferson's affinity for electrons, maybe that's what he's feeling?

No.

In theory, yes, but there's a big difference between matter and living matter.

Not with Jen.

[faint electrical whining]

The Starlink satellite's telling me that there is definitely something weird happening up there.

The energy just shifted.

See?

I told you, she's still alive.

[Gambi]

TC, ask the satellite if we can uplink their live feed of the expl*si*n site.

Accessing it now.

[electrical trilling]

[beep]

There.

That small cluster of energy particles.

Look at how they're hovering together as a group.

Those particles should be scattering, not coming together.

It's gotta be her.

I'm going up there.

And then what, Jeff?

Even if that cloud is Jen, your body would not be able to absorb that kind of energy.

Jen's power almost k*lled you before and that was a fraction of what you'd have to absorb.

Jefferson, you've never been to the ionosphere.

Even without taking on Jen's power, an influx of energy that great could be enough to k*ll you.

Dad, if you go up there and something happens to you, we can't help you.

I have to get those particles down before they dissipate and we lose her.

Even if she is still alive, and you were able to withstand the full weight of Jen's energy, we would still have to reconstitute her by turning her energy back into matter.

And that's something that, at least as far as I know, has never been done.

We would probably need a... a Hadron Particle Condenser to do it.

Okay, where do we get one of those?

It's not something you just pick up at the store, Jeff.

S.T.A.R. Labs in Central City has them.

But you can never get it here in time.

Central City.

I have a friend there who might be able to help.

He'll get it here in a flash.

[door beeps and opens]

Careful, there's only a handful of these in the world.

Nice to have powerful friends.

Especially super-fast ones.

Okay, so how are we looking?

[Gambi]

We're all set, but it won't matter unless you can contain Jen's energy.

I will.

Jeff, I could go down the long list of reasons why you shouldn't do this.

Dad, just come back, okay?

You're gonna be needing this.

[electricity crackling]

Go get our baby.

[breathes heavily]

[exhales heavily]

Wow.

I could see how someone could get used to this.

[Gambi on earpiece]

I've calibrated your goggles to locate Jen's energy signature.

[gasps]

[Jefferson]

It's her.

Because I'm so close, it's like I can hear her calling me.

[squelching]

His heart rate is slowing.

His blood pressure is beginning to drop.

[Lynn]

Please, please, please, Jeff.

Come on, Dad, you got this.

Come on, come on, come on.

[grunting]

[rapid beeping]

The suit can't regulate this much energy.

[TC crying]

Hold on, Jeff!

Jeff, hold on, please!

[screams]

[grunting]

[straining]

["The Beginning of the End" playing]

Come on, Dad.

Wake up.

[rapid beeping continues]

Wake up!

Please, please, please, please, Jeff.

I'm gonna blast high-frequency tones into his earpiece, see if that can jar him awake.

[beeps]

Come on, Jeff.

One more time.

[beeps]

[gasping]

[Gambi]

Jefferson, you've got to pull up.

[grunts]

Pull up.

[grunts]

I can't.

[grunts]

The force is too great.

♪ The beginning of the end ♪

♪ What were we thinking? ♪

[grunting]

♪ The beginning of the end ♪

♪ The end ♪

[Gambi]

Jefferson, are you all right?

Yeah.

More or less.

And here you guys were worried.

[sighs in relief]

Oh, thank God.

[Red]

Hey, boss, did you see that?

What do you think that was?

Maybe a meteor?

Or a sh**ting star?

Do I look like Neil deGrasse Tyson to you?

I'm not even really sure who that is, but I'm gonna guess no.

[chuckles]

That's the problem with white privilege, you get to be ignorant and still command respect.

Makes you white folks overestimate yourselves.

Katie, what'd you find?

Did you find an impact site?

[Katie]

Accessing video footage now.

[Tobias laughs]

Look at this electrified idiot of a n*gro here, looking all supercharged.

[electrical humming]

You know, Red, you may actually have to earn your money.

Just say the word, boss.

Boy, I got two words for you.

Spackle and paint.

Now fix my damn wall.

[squelching]

Okay, so now her energy's in there, how long is this gonna take?

Well, it's never been done before.

It's gonna be a slow process.

With a particle condenser, there's a risk of creating mini black holes.

[Lynn]

Which could dissipate...

or destroy everything.

Okay, so we take it slow.

Even if we could reconstitute Jen's body, it doesn't mean...

No, no.

I refuse to accept that.

Our daughter is alive in there.

Jeff, we all want that to be true.

But Lynn's right.

We have to prepare for the worst.

You should go home and get some rest.

No, I'm...

I'm good.

[beeps]

Hey.

Hey.

You okay?

Um...

Uh, yeah.

Transmuting this much energy takes all the processing power we got.

That's not what I'm talking about.

Now, what I don't want you doing is going and putting all this on your shoulders, okay?

We all know Jen was always gonna be Jen.

But I knew she was going up there.

It's like one minute we were talking and...

boom.

She's gone.

Do you really think this is gonna work?

[phone vibrating]

Um...

[clears throat]

Real talk?

I don't know what to think right now.

I'm honestly just going on faith.

Faith.

Yeah.

M.E.'s report came back on that body you found in the vacants.

- Lydell Jackson.

- And?

You were spot on, Detective.

Despite all those lightning burns around the torso and face, cause of death was blunt force trauma to the throat.

Probably just another casualty to their turf w*r with the Kobras.

That's one theory.

But we know two metas who can make marks like that.

Black Lightning's been MIA for a year.

Besides...

this isn't how that brother rolls.

Run now!

She's been disrespecting this department since I got here.

With her blatant disregard for public property - and her apparent role in the mayor's k*lling...

- Drop the gas and go.

...it's time we put a face to this meta vigilante problem.

Chief, we've got no way of putting this body on Lightning.

Until someone can show me a better option, she serves the purpose.

It's time to remind these metas who's in charge around here.

Which is why I'll officially be naming you head of our newly formed Meta Task Force.

[scoffs]

Much appreciated, but I'm gonna have to pass.

I pulled your file, Detective.

Four years in the marine corps, another two doing spec ops.

This is right up your alley.

Like I said, I appreciate the offer but I turned down SWAT 'cause I wanna be solving major cases, not kicking down doors at : in the morning 'cause somebody sold a dime bag of weed.

Same holds true for metas, Chief.

I wasn't asking for your opinion, Detective.

But thank you for your input.

Welcome to the Task Force.

Now don't screw it up.

[system trilling]

I thought I lost you out there.

I'm not going anywhere.

It feels like you've been gone a really long time.

Yeah.

It feels that way to me, too.

I should have told you about the ionosphere.

What?

Wait a minute.

Wait...

You knew?

[grunts softly]

I thought it was handled.

She said she wouldn't do it anymore.

The mantra of every addict known to man.

Yeah, I wonder where she got that from?

- Don't!

- Yeah, how can I not, Lynn?

And you wonder why I don't trust you!

You're the one who's to blame for this.

You have been so wrapped up in your nonsense, you didn't have a clue what was going on with Jen!

So Henderson's death is nonsense now?

He d*ed a year ago, Jeff.

Move on.

- It was Bill who d*ed, not you.

- Yes!

Yes, and I have to live with that every single day.

And while poor Jeff is "living with it," do you have any idea of the amount of pain you've caused?

Black Lightning has abandoned this city.

His family.

Jen wouldn't have become addicted to the ionosphere if you'd have been here.

This...

This is because of you!

[sighs]

[indistinct chatter]

[cameras clicking]

I'll be brief.

We have solid information that The Hundred g*ng, is responsible for the assassination of Mayor Billy Black.

An arrest warrant has been issued for its leader, Latavious "Lala" Johnson.

The brave men and women of Freeland PD, have already apprehended several high-ranking members of The .

Sadly, even as we take this major step forward to protect our streets, I have to report yet another senseless death in our community.

-year-old Lydell Jackson.

Now, as this is an ongoing investigation, I'm unable to provide all of the information about the case.

But...

I'm able to confirm that, based on the evidence collected, the meta who calls herself Lighting is our primary suspect.

No, there's no way Jen did this.

[sighs]

[Chief Lopez]

Showing no regard for authority, or the loss of human life, we now consider Lightning to be Freeland's public enemy number one.

Finally, I've assigned Detective Hassan Shakur to head up our new Meta Task Force.

These vigilantes need to be stopped, once and for all, and that's exactly what we're gonna do.

[newscaster]

That was Chief Lopez reporting live.

In other news...

[TV turns off]

You gonna tell them or should I?

Jen didn't do this.

I did.

Uh, so... so you're saying you k*lled this guy?

No.

No, he was very much alive when I left, but I...

I b*at him up pretty bad and I...

[sighs]

I may have broken his leg.

So you wouldn't put up the suit but you thought it was okay to t*rture a random guy from the neighborhood.

And you said I can't be trusted.

[sighs]

[door opens]

[footsteps approach]

Okay, I didn't know what I was gonna see walking in here, but I...

I didn't expect this.

Have some fries.

Make me feel better about not eating my feelings alone.

[phone vibrating]

You could have taken that.

I'll hit her back later.

I haven't told her about Jen yet, and that's gonna be a whole another thing that I'm not ready for.

And besides, I'm here with you...

right now, and that's the most important thing.

How are you holding up, sweetheart?

You know.

I'm sad.

I'm scared.

I...

I don't wanna get my hopes up about this whole collider thing because we don't even know if it's gonna work.

I hear you.

Mom, don't you think you're going a little too hard?

[sighs]

I'm not doing Green Light or meta boosters.

For God's sake, can I have a damn glass of red wine?

[sniffles]

And guess what.

I think I'mma join you.

Thank you.

[both sigh]

This is gonna take at least another day before it's fully rendered.

You have to get some sleep.

"She." You said it.

Before "she's" fully rendered.

I'm sorry.

I was talking about the process, not Jennifer.

You know, I'm sitting here and I just keep thinking about this one time when Jen was little.

She must have been...

six.

Hmm, maybe a little bit more.

Hey, look, I've never told anyone this story, not even Lynn.

We were at the grocery store, picking up a few things, and I remember picking apples 'cause back then, Jen had this thing where she wouldn't eat bruised fruit, so I was being extra careful.

I remember that phase. She had no problem eating broccoli, but she wouldn't even look at a grape if she deemed it "too squishy." Yeah.

That child.

She was born strong-willed and, uh, that never changed.

Sounds a lot like her father.

Oh, you would know, right?

Thirty years of this...

[sighs]

So there I was...

busy with the apples, not paying attention to Jen, and I turned around and she's gone.

I'm, uh... Looked everywhere, running up and down the aisles.

Now, this is the one and only time I ever lost one of my kids.

It was probably just a few minutes but it felt like hours.

So, where'd you find her?

Underneath the shelf, over by the magazine rack.

I'll...

I'll never forget it.

I found her because she was looking at Colin Kaepernick in The...

The Body Issue.

Yeah.

Smiling ear to ear.

No...

No idea that I had spent the worst five minutes of my life.

[scoffs]

Until today.

This has got to work.

I can't promise you that everything's gonna be okay.

[Jefferson sniffles]

[Jefferson sighing]

What I can promise you is that, no matter what, we'll get through this together.

[sniffles]

Uh, can I ask you a question?

Do you agree with Lynn that this is all my fault?

I don't.

But Black Lightning has been gone long enough.

He is and always has been the hope of Freeland.

[sighs]

[Jefferson sniffles]

I guess we all could use a little bit of...

hope right about now.

Yo.

I got Destiny on here.

She talking about it's important.

So what, we friends now?

Well, since I'm hearing you got more bodies in lockup than you do on the streets, I figured you and me should talk.

So talk.

[Destiny]

The new chief is coming at you guys pretty hard.

And after she's done with The One Hundred, she's coming for me and Lady Eve.

I'm trying to get ahead of that.

So, an enemy of my enemy is my friend.

That's what you saying?

Hmm, seems like a truce makes sense, given the circumstances.

You can even pick the place.

Bring some people that you trust and we can hash out the details.

Nah, I think I'm good.

I'm not really looking to do a peace summit right now.

And the way I see it, the enemy of my enemy doesn't make you a friend, it just means that I got more enemies to deal with.

Listen, I've got no problem with us having beef.

I'm just saying now is not the time, and with that bitch getting all frothy, a ceasefire is a good business decision.

Yeah, okay.

You're right.

It's just business.

I'mma have Tay hit you with the specifics.

So you really want this truce?

Nah.

It's time that we flip the script.

Like they say, there's no avoiding w*r.

It can only be postponed to the advantage of others.

What you saying?

Destiny came at me with that Sun Tzu, so I went straight Machiavelli.

That means that that bitch gots to die!

[music playing faintly on speaker]

[Anissa]

Hey.

[Grace]

What?

We don't call each other back anymore?

I could have been stranded on the side of the road.

Come on, but were you?

Okay, don't talk to me like you're blackbirding somebody.

I'm not a bad guy.

Okay.

Look, I'm sorry, okay?

My world is... it's pretty upside down right now, all right?

Well, then tell me what's going on, maybe I can help.

That's okay, I'm just gonna head for a cool shower and clear my mind.

Anissa, this is ridiculous.

[sighs quietly]

We're married now.

I shouldn't have to chase after you to figure out what's going on in your life.

I've been on the outside looking in since I was a kid, and this is more of the same.

I mean, seriously, you haven't even told your family that we're married yet.

Come on, what...

what is it that you want from me, Grace?

- What do I want?

- Yes.

Anissa, I am not your roommate or some random hookup.

I'm your wife, and giving me a corner of your loft isn't letting me in.

Okay.

You're right.

You are.

But I've gotten comfortable with being by myself for a long time, and people put up walls, Grace, you know that, to protect ourselves, but it's not on purpose, I promise.

Now, come on.

I love you.

And you know that.

Yeah, I love you, too.

Now, I'm asking that you please be patient with me, Grace.

I'm trying.

I really am, but it's gonna be a work in progress.

I know.

For me, too.

Okay.

[shudders]

- [softly]

Babe.

- Hmm?

Are you okay?

[shudders]

Um...

There's something that, uh...

I've gotta tell you about my sister.

[exhales sharply]

All of the Pierces are back together.

We have ourselves a game.

You're happy about them all getting ready to come at us?

Tell you the truth, that don't look so good to me.

That's because you don't play chess, do you?

Never, boss.

In chess, the most dangerous pieces are the ones that your opponent keeps on reserve.

You must make your opponent commit.

Then once committed, you have yourself a game.

[Tobias chuckles quietly]

And whenever I have a game, I always win.

I have an update.

That's far enough.

Will you lighten up?

You think I don't know your type?

Trying to look all professional, the good girl.

- Everything perfect.

- [Tobias snickering]

My daddy always told me, be aware of the girl whose eyes never smile.

And won't you tell Val where your dear old dad is now?

[Red]

Pleasant Fields Cemetery.

My mother cut his throat.

[Tobias]

And Mama knows best.

[laughs]

What you got for me?

Our project is on schedule, but delays are projected due to Pierce family interference.

That's unacceptable.

I want it when I want it.

I'm afraid it's not that simple.

[Tobias]

It is.

You just have to get past your Yale education to see it.

You know, Yalies are trained to see the complexities while the rest of us miss it.

That's why Yale Law School turns out a ton of law professors.

How do you know all these things?

If one would have power, one must recognize the hierarchies in all things.

Who said that?

Me.

[sighs]

May I be candid?

At your own peril.

I would suggest that you're showing signs of obsession with the Pierces that won't redound to your benefit.

You just stay on top of that schedule.

My sister, Tori, always told me, if something's important, you check it, double-check it, then check it again.

You will have what you want when you want it.

Good.

[grunting]

[exhales heavily]

'Sup, fellas?

Y'all miss me?

[g*nshots]

[grunting]

[groans]

[grunting]

[Lala]

Why don't you come back when we're open, make yourself some coin?

Uh, I'd holster them hands, unless you're planning on getting got.

Just put it down.

Cops are already on their way.

Trust me, if anybody dies up in here, it ain't gonna be me.

You know, I hoped you'd turned the corner when we fought the Markovians.

How much death do you need, man?

k*lling the mayor wasn't enough for you?

Man, I ain't k*ll that fool.

None of my boys did, neither.

That's not what Chief Lopez thinks.

There's only one person I wanted dead that night.

Tobias Whale.

And you should want him dead your damn self, because no matter what that n*gro's playing at, know this: he's coming for all of us.

[sirens approaching]

We've got to stop k*lling each other, bro.

Tell that to the police.

Freeland's my house.

I don't k*ll nobody in it, unless they got it coming.

Glad to see you back.

Freeland's been needing someone to look up to.

[officer, muffled]

Police, open up.

Count of three.

One, two, three.

[muffled thud]

["Might Not Be Ok" playing]

Morning.

Why are you whispering?

Feels right to respect the quiet.

Did you get any sleep?

My brain's anything but quiet right now.

It's like all the machines are talking at once.

What are they saying about Jennifer?

They don't even know.

The particle condensers are pretty sure that they can reconstitute the body, but they don't know if she will be alive or dead.

The processors are only giving her a % chance of survival.

I can see you b*ating yourself up over this, son.

You need to stop.

At this point, we've done all that we can do.

I should have said something.

You did what you thought was right.

And look how that turned out.

[Gambi sighs]

Secrets are a lot like marriages.

They only work out if both sides hold up their end of the bargain.

♪ I won't tell you That it's gon' be ok ♪

♪ I can't see the sun Through all the darkened rays ♪

- Good morning.

- Morning.

Do you need me to top up your coffee?

No, I'm good.

I'm gonna get back to the sanctum.

I should never have said what I said yesterday.

Putting it all on you like that...

I'm sorry.

No, I'm...

I'm sorry.

That addict comment, that was a low blow.

I need you to hear this because I don't say it enough.

You've done an amazing job...

raising our daughters.

It was a team effort.

No, you have been a better father than I could ever have hoped for.

[Lynn shuddering]

I'm sorry.

I wasn't gonna do this...

I tried, Jeff, I went to Jen's room...

[sighs]

...and I tried...

[Jefferson shushes]

- [cries]

- We're gonna get through this together.

I think Jennifer is in there, I...

I know it.

My heart wants to believe you, Jeff.

My brain doesn't.

- [phone chimes]

- [sniffles]

♪ I won't tell you That it's gon' be ok ♪

Yeah, I don't know what's going on.

Destiny's known for being on point, she was supposed to be here minutes ago.

Something don't feel right.

[siren whooping]

[tires screeching]

[policeman]

Hands in the air!

- [g*n clicks]

- Down!

Down on the ground!

Get your asses down!

Lala, don't.

[grunting]

[grunts]

[screams]

[policemen chattering]

[groaning]

Hey, we got a runner!

[gasping]

All right, big boy.

Hands behind your back.

I can't breathe.

I ca...

I can't breathe.

That's 'cause you're fat.

I ain't even on you like that.

So stop disrespecting the dead.

[wheezing]

[wheezes]

[groans]

[grunts]

[grunting]

[keypad beeps]

Go ahead and make the call.

It's time we brought in an assassin who specializes in metas.

Okay.

[Anissa]

So it's right up there, you see?

We gotta get Gambi to set you up with the new system now that you're family.

[chuckles]

[water dripping]

Wait, no, uh...

Mm-mm.

I can't...

- I can't do it.

- Hey, I'm right here.

I got you.

Oh, man.

I'm never like this, babe, but...

ever since we were kids, you know, she's been my everything.

My ride or die.

The first person I came out to.

The first person I told about you.

I can't even imagine...

Hey, come on.

Deep breaths.

Okay.

Look at us.

The fact that we're both standing here after all that the world's thrown at us is proof that anything's possible.

Right now, let's choose to live in the possible.

Okay.

Okay, okay, okay.

[clears throat]

♪ Is anybody out there? ♪

♪ Can you lead me to the light? ♪

Anissa Pierce.

[scanner beeps]

[scanner hums, beeps]

[door opens]

[Jefferson]

So now what?

Well, at least in concept, once the energy is fully rendered and all of the DNA sequencings has been decoded, the particle condenser will begin to transmute the energy into matter.

The process should look like a D printer.

Then Jen walks out.

And we get our baby back.

[system chimes]

[TC]

%.

Oh, God, please, please, please, please.

♪ Your heart's a bird ♪

♪ Without the wings to fly ♪

[machine clicks]

[hissing]

♪ Can you take This weight of mine? ♪

♪ Is anybody out there? ♪

♪ Can you lead me to the light? ♪

[hissing stops]

[whirring]

[electrical humming]

Je...

Jeff, what is it?

What...

What's going on?

[Jefferson]

Something's not right.

Ever since the expl*si*n, I've felt Jen's essence, her energy...

until now.

Maybe it's a byproduct of the reconstitution.

[whirring intensifies]

[machine clicks]

[whooshing]

[Lynn]

Oh, my God.

She...

She's alive.

Jeff...

[chuckling]

She's alive.

Oh, my God.

She's alive.

Jeff.

[Lynn laughs]

♪ You are not alone ♪

♪ I've been here the whole time ♪

♪ You are not alone ♪

♪ I've been here the whole time ♪

♪ Singing you a song ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪

♪ I will carry you ♪

Come here.

Come on, Jen.

I got you.

♪ I will carry you ♪

Okay, I got you.

Take it slow.

Whoa, what the...

[girl]

Okay, all right.

For real, this isn't funny.

Seriously, why are you looking at me like that?

♪ ...it hurts It's hard to breathe sometimes ♪