Transcripts - Forever Dreaming

MAN: Stand up.
Put your hands behind your back.

[HANDCUFFS CLICKING, RADIO CHATTER]

Ma'am, there in the gallery,
please stand.

Have you been here all morning?

Uh, no. Only about minutes.

Let's toss in a "Your Honor" next time,

if you don't mind.
And welcome to my courtroom.

- First time?
- Yes, Your Honor.

On a scale of to , how am I doing?

- Tough question, Your Honor.
- Oh. How so?

Am I evaluating how you're doing your job

or the effect your jobs
had today, Your Honor?

[LOWERED VOICE] You're in
the end zone, Your Honor.

Spike the ball.

That's my mother... Roxy.

- [GASPS] Oh.
- Recess.

- [GAVEL BANGS]
- Hey, Mama. Come on back.

Hi, Lo.

- It's okay. We don't bite.
- [SIGHS]

♪♪♪

Hey.

Why aren't you in
Judge Carmichael's courtroom?

Light morning. Swapped out.

- Gave me a chance to say hi.
- Hi.

MAN: [OVER RADIO] Watkins,
new custody offenders arriving.

- Copy that. Catch you later.
- Yeah. I'd like that. Yeah.

Whatever that was, it's new.

- It's nothing.
- Doesn't look like nothing.

Jax, did they put you in
with the men again?

Yep. When I informed my Incel-mates

that I use "they-them" pronouns,

some of them didn't like it much.

I will do everything I can

to make sure the jury
doesn't feel that way.

Never expected to get a PD

who cared about a homeless arsonist.

I just see someone

who survived on the street
since they were .

If this trial goes bad, the upside is

I'm off the street for
the first time since .

The DA is demanding this be a felony.

They won't let me plea it out.

For setting one dumb fire?

Um, can you still be my lawyer
if I confess to you?

As long as you don't perjure yourself,

it's on the people to make their case,

and I don't think they can prove

that you lit that sock
and threw it over the fence.

They can't even prove
that you had the sock.

All they've got is a cop

who picked you up at your encampment

an hour after the fire was reported,

claiming you reeked of gasoline

while sitting next to a kerosene lamp.

Sounds good, putting it like that.

That's how I'm gonna put it,
but, Jax, it's a serious charge.

A strike plus four years max in State.

At least Ms. Robinson's in my corner.

- Did she show?
- She texted me.

She's here. I'm sitting with her later.

Is it true her daughter's a judge here?

- Yeah.
- Any chance we can get her?

- [CHUCKLES]
- ROXY: Impressive.

Certainly an upgrade
from the DDAs' offices.

- How's Daddy?
- Oh, same as ever.

He's in San Diego
at a conference this week.

- Uhura?
- You know she's my hero.

Well, why not someone
who actually lives to fight,

like, uh, Angela Davis?

That's what the mirror is for.

Oh, so you're Angela Davis now.

- I'm trying.
- By being a judge

in a system biased
against your race and gender?

That my presence here starts to change.

- Make sure it's not just optics.
- It's not.

It happens when you're not looking.

It was a gift... Uhura.

From Mark, no doubt.

[CHUCKLES] You know
he's gonna cross-examine me.

- And how are you feeling about that?
- Or should I bring up

that I once co-signed a lease for him?

[LAUGHS] It would certainly
throw Mark off his game.

[SIGHS]

- Funny.
- What's that?

It took a defendant
to get you in the building.

- Well, I've been busy, Lo.
- I know.

At DayHome with at-risk youth like Jax.

- I've been working with them.
- And they are lucky for it.

Um...

I'm gonna grab some lunch
before I meet Ms. Lopez.

How do I get out of here?

It's a maze. I'll take you
down the judges' elevator.

You have your own entrance?
So did I, growing up.

You sure about this?
Arson case starts today.

I know. I'm trying it.

So you are trying it, even though

Judge Carmichael's
mother's on the witness list.

She's a character witness,

- not presenting evidence. It'll be fine.
- Some character to witness.

Jax Hopkins tried to incinerate
a city block to save land

he already wasn't allowed
to be living on.

Destroyed a pile of lumber
and a construction trailer

before LAFD response.

I hear you. Could have
gotten out of hand.

Remember the Skirball fire?
b*rned acres

and almost my parents' house.

Started at a homeless encampment, I know.

Now they're everywhere...
streets, parks, in tents, cars.

Boss, not everyone
without a roof over their head

is trying to incinerate the city.

DA wants to send a message

that that people
experiencing homelessness

can't use v*olence
to solve their problems.

Case is yours unless you think

you can't handle Roxanne Robinson.

I got it, boss.

[TELEPHONE RINGS IN DISTANCE]

[ELEVATOR DOOR DINGS]

Oh.

Hold that, please.

Thank you.

Judge Benner, this is my mother Roxy.

And, Mom, this is my boss.

Judge Carmichael is one
of our rising stars.

It was my mission to get her the robe.

Then thank you.

And today that robe shall collect dust.

Finished docket. No case...

Which is why I put you
on search warrant duty.

Detectives will come to your chambers.

Probably some already there.

[SIGHS] I was this close
to having the afternoon

to catch up on work.

So instead, you get to decide
whose privacy to inv*de.

SARA: A free afternoon.

A trial-free afternoon.

So much transcribing for me
to catch up on.

Your enthusiasm... it's commendable.

[RUMBLING]

[RUMBLING CONTINUES]

- [LOUD THUD, ALARM RINGS]
- [GASPS]

- [RUMBLING INTENSIFIES]
- Under that desk now! Now!

[ALL SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY]

[ALARM CONTINUES RINGING]

[GASPS]

[WHIMPERING]

Charlie, Bubba, Rufus, Bimbo.

Growing up, my husband told her
when she got scared,

to think of all the pets she had.

- Cats?
- Fish.

[GASPS]

[RUMBLING STOPS, ALARM STOPS RINGING]

- [ELEVATOR RESUMES WHIRRING]
- [EXHALES DEEPLY]

You had a fish named Bimbo?

[EXHALES DEEPLY]

♪♪♪

Is that even the right thing to do,

the doorway thingy?

Where's the floor warden?

They should be here instructing us.

- It was Florence.
- Florence the JA

who called from Rio to say she quit?

- That Florence?
- Yeah. Not the best choice

for the person in charge of saving us all

when the big one hits.

I don't think Benner's
reassigned it to anyone.

Oh, that was my first inside quake

that I remember, at least.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

We're okay. Thanks.

Hey, if this had been the Great Shake,

what happens to me? You just let me go?

They'd take you down to holding.

You put me under the building

that's gonna fall?
That's reassuring. [SCOFFS]

SHERRI: No floor warden is unacceptable.

Lives are at stake. We need someone now

with encyclopedic knowledge
of the building.

Who's ready to rise to the challenge.

Who can lead and listen while
the world crumbles around them.

And can wear the cool reflecty vest

that comes with the gig.

BOTH: I'll do it.

I'm the... obvious choice.

And I'm the inspired one.

Give me a chance to prove
I can serve and protect

as well as anyone else around here.

Oh.

It's on, Kansky.

Castillo.

♪♪♪

Please do not touch the items on my desk.

Technically, they fell off your desk.

Putting it right for you.
You okay, Ms. Kansky?

My quake tracker put it at a . ,

epicentered in Redlands.

- A little close for comfort.
- Why are you here?

For Judge Carmichael... to sign.

Warrant duty. Right. Let's have a look.

[PAPERS SHUFFLING]

Carmichael. C-A-R, not C-H-A-R.

You sure?

Kidding. My bad. Sorry.

Fix it. Have someone proof it.

It's time-sensitive.

All warrants are time-sensitive.

When will Judge Carmichael be back?

When she's back.

Good morning, Mr. Landy.

How long have you owned this property

with the intention of developing it?

From the moment L.A. landed
the ' Olympics,

I had to have a hotel downtown.

And in general, what's your relationship

with the homeless population been like?

I know my projects displace them.

Almost impossible not to

with their population spiking to thou.

It's progress versus humanity,

which is why I donate
to Safe Place For Youth,

Chrysalis, and other homeless outreach.

Just wish the ones near the site
had ever stopped to ask.

So you've had problems.

Those kids have been in our face

since, well, since we asked them

to move their encampment a year ago.

Mr. Landy, do you see
any of those kids here

- in the courtroom today?
- Yes.

Can you please point
to where that person is seated?

- He's sitting right over there.
- Objection. Your Honor,

my client uses the singular
"they-them" pronoun.

I ask that all of us respect that.

He looks like a he.

Because that's what you think
a he looks like.

Jax is Jax, neither male
nor female as you define it.

But "they-them"... it's confusing.

We do it all the time, Your Honor.

"I found someone's lost dog.

I can't wait to call them.
They will be so happy."

That someone is Jax.

[SIGHS] Gonna wreak havoc
on the transcript,

but that will be sustained.

The court respects
the defendant's identity.

Okay, Mr. Landy, do you see
them in this courtroom?

That person there.

Identifying the defendant?

Did you ever have
any interaction with them?

The day before the fire.

I was at a site inspection when he...

when they yelled at my crew.

Said, "Someone should fight back."

I was worried something
like this would happen.

Did your fears prove to be well-founded?

We're here, aren't we?

Nothing further.

Ooh. Quite the day so far,
huh, Detective Kramer?

If earthquakes excite you.

They, in fact, do not.

Know where I was for it?

In the elevator with my boss
and my mother.

Sounds like something you
wake up screaming from, huh?

Not in my best interest
to answer that, Your Honor.

Point taken. So a Covert Entry...

the LeBron of search warrants.

It's a special circ, Your Honor.

You want dispensation

to break into a Bel Air mansion

specifically when the owners aren't home?

We trace property ownership
back to a Ugandan drug cartel.

Place was empty for years until recently.

We suspect that there's an arsenal inside

- and want to avoid a firefight.
- Who's the owners?

Something we're still
trying to determine.

But you've seen the arsenal?

A reliable witness has, Your Honor.

Then I would like to interview them.

Beg pardon?

Bring them in today. I miss my courtroom.

I don't think that's
in Her Honor's purview.

PC gives me the right
for a recorded oral examination

of any witness produced by the affiant.

All my years on, I've never
heard of a judge doing this.

Then I guess my being here changes that.

It'll be fun and new for the both of us.

You don't trust me, Your Honor?

I want to sign this, Detective,

but I need to know you've got it right.

♪♪♪

EMILY: I did some digging.

Does the name Steam Creek, LLC,
mean anything to you, Mr. Landy?

It's one of my corporations.

And hasn't this company you own
been investigated for

and charged with insurance fraud?

Nothing ever stuck.

How much was the insurance payout for

the lumber and construction
trailer in this case?

$ , .

Wow. And you still get
to build on the lot?

- Well, yes, but...
- Security cameras...

do you have them installed
at the site, Mr. Landy?

- Yes.
- Were they on that night?

Well, no. We were just
getting up and running.

Yet you thought one of the homeless kids

was going to do something,
so why weren't they live?

Unless you didn't want anyone
seeing who started the fire.

You know what? You already
answered that. Withdrawn.

♪♪♪

Mrs. Kelleher, you may notice
there are no lawyers present

because this is not
a matter of litigation.

It's a matter of evaluation,

and I will be doing
the questioning. Is that clear?

This was not supposed to be
part of our day,

but we are living in fear,
so yes. I am clear.

I am sorry you're scared,
so let's see if we can help you.

Please tell me what you saw, ma'am.

I was walking Willow,
and she did her business.

It's trash day, so I threw the mess

into the nearest garbage can,

where I found many
empty boxes of amm*nit*on.

And then a moment later,
these gangsters came out.

- Gangsters?
- Rapper types.

- They had g*ns.
- Gangster rappers with g*ns.

- Just holding them?
- They were in bags.

So you didn't actually see the g*ns.

Willow barked. Mwah. And they
drove off. But I am sure of it.

And do you know who these people were?

[CHUCKLES] Goodness, no.

[SCOFFS]

- [LAUGHS]
- Thank you, Mrs. Kelleher.

This has been very enlightening.
You and Willow are excused.

I will have my decision soon,
Detective Kramer.

Tell me again what makes
you reflecty vest-worthy?

[DOOR CLOSES]

I already run this courtroom

with efficiency, order, respect.

True. And I mean this in the best way,

but you do it by making
people nervous, scared.

- I do not.
- You just scared me.

I did not.

I, on the other hand, am silk and calm,

the first class flight attendant

on a one-way trip to safety.
Exits there and there.

You're not commanding enough.

My email to Benner said different.

♪♪♪

EMILY: Callan.

- Don't say it.
- Plea this down

to the misdemeanor it has always been.

Can't and won't. I made my case.

I destroyed your witness.
Your cop couldn't put

my client at the scene,
and you've rested.

You still calling up
Roxanne Robinson after lunch?

What? Yes.

You're doing so well. Why trot her out?

'Cause Jax is someone
I have to try twice as hard for

- just to get them a fair shake.
- I cannot believe

you've got Carmichael's mother
in a courtroom.

We've spoken on the phone.
I'm gonna meet her in a few.

You'll see. Apple didn't
fall far from the tree.

Is that good, bad?

Well, as an apple
who ran like hell from mine,

- I'd say... good. Roxy's...
- Oh, she's Roxy now.

Strong, passionate,

follows her own moral center
wherever that takes her,

which isn't always where you wanna go.

Are you trying to psych me out?

Just letting you know who
you're putting on the field.

Oh. I get it now.

- What?
- You're scared of her.

[CHUCKLES]

Tell me, was that witness biased,

or am I biased against her?

Two things can exist at the same time.

Detective, I want nothing more
than to sign your warrant

and get as many g*ns
off the street as possible.

- So we're on the same page.
- I've always been on that page.

I'm just worried about civil liberties.

- For arms dealers, Your Honor?
- Homeowners.

I keep asking who's in that house.

I issue this warrant
without that information,

I put public safety
over the Fourth Amendment.

When you were a prosecutor, you loved us.

Still do, Detective.
I just love due process more.

You tell me who's in that house,
I will reconsider.

Any blood spills, it's on you.

And if I sign it and I'm wrong,
it's on me, too.

It's the right call.

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

Hey, I talked to my sergeant.

- Jax is in their own space now.
- Oh, good looking out.

Imagine knowing yourself at .
I mean, all I learned

was that I'm definitely
not linebacker material.

I mean, did you have any idea?

If you could have been a linebacker?

- No. Of who you were.
- Who I was... I was...

You know what? Don't answer now.

- Tell me over dinner tonight.
- Wow. This is short notice.

After this morning, there's
no time like the present.

No. Right. Present.
I have to get to my house

and see if my glassware survived.

Okay, did the other night...

- I kissed you.
- You did.

- And I don't regret it.
- But?

But I think I have to not
kiss you again for a while.

- Because?
- Because divorce.

Because... Because, you know...

I have to go.

[FOOTSTEPS DEPART]

Are you sure we're safe
being seen together outside?

We're friends.
We're allowed to be friends.

Anyway, the riffraff invaded
our secret stairwell sanctuary

'cause they're scared
to ride the elevators.

Maybe we should have met in one of them.

Been in enough for one day, thanks.

Trapped with Benner and Roxy,
one over each shoulder.

Welcome to your collective conscience

as you plummet to your certain...

That is not how I plan to meet my Maker.

- I can think of worse ways.
- Do tell.

Well, there's death
by cross-examining the woman

who was a better parent
to you than your own.

I am jealous. Give me minutes
with her under oath,

can undo a lifetime
of unresolved feelings.

Wish I could grant your request.

You're not thinking of conflicting
off this case, are you?

I'm losing, Lola.

Roxy's gonna come hard,
which means I'll have to punch back,

and I don't want to punch your mom.

You're the one person who doesn't.

I'm serious.

You can't recuse yourself mid-trial.

It's bad for the case,
even worse for your career.

- I know you're right, but...
- My mother...

- Your mother...
- Who didn't come see me in action

until someone else
brought her to the courthouse.

Poor poppet. I'll make sure

she's in the front seat
at your next recital.

- Don't make fun.
- Why not? Your mother

is out there every day
saving the world from ending up

in our building in the first place,

and now she's in there trying to
get someone out in one piece.

She may not have shown up for you enough,

but she shows up,
unlike some parental figures.

Did you call him after you clocked him?

We should be getting back.

Hmm. Now who's the poor poppet?

And what the hell is a poppet anyway?

ROXY: Public defender in the public eye.

No back room deals. That's how
all justice should play out.

It's... Well, mostly it's because

I don't really have my own office.

Well, don't tell people that.
My way is better.

Yes. It's true. It is.

So, okay. Thank you for doing this.

Well, it's the least I could do for Jax.

How do they seem to be holding up?

Okay, I think.

Don't let them fool you.
There's a lot of acting

like it all rolls off
their back, but it can't.

The life expectancy
of a non-binary person

in this country is heartbreaking.

How long have you known Jax?

About a year now, when they first came

into DayHome, where I volunteer.

That first time, when Jax came in,

they had broken ribs
but didn't tell me why.

They swallowed that pain.

But always, there was
this fire in their eyes.

Maybe don't put it that way,
'cause, you know, fire.

Oh. [CHUCKLES] Point taken, Ms. Lopez.

♪♪♪

MAN: And on the day
of the big earthquake,

other big things
are happening in Bel Air.

Blake Peterson joins us with the latest.

- [KNOCK ON DOOR]
- BLAKE: Right, Tom.

Ms. Kansky.

- Letter-perfect?
- From years of letter practice.

- Do you have a CI?
- Yes. Doesn't it say?

- Do you want the affidavit sealed?
- Well, yes.

Then you need to file a motion,
which you neglected to bring.

Right. A motion. Of course.

Where's my head today?

Go... find it.

Whoop.

I have something to show you.

You are not gonna like it.

g*ns were found and seized

after the FBI raided a Bel Air mansion.

Neighbors were horrified
to see hundreds of g*ns...

He went behind my back.

No official reports yet as to...

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACH]

[MOUTH FULL] Confection display fell over

during the quake,
so Jasheeka's giving away...

[SINGSONGY] damaged goods free.

- Ah.
- Thanks again, Jasheeka.

[SIGHS] I kind of bit
Luke's head off today.

- Luke decapitated.
- Mm-hmm.

- Over what?
- The kiss was a thing

that should not have been... yet.

It was a future kiss...

a kiss that looked to the future,

but the future is not now. It can't be.

- Have you been reading sci-fi again?
- [SIGHS]

I don't know who I am anymore.

If you would have told me four years ago

that Joe would hit me and I'd be looking

for an apartment instead of a car seat

and starting something with someone new

and wanting to be honest
but scared that being honest...

- Em.
- Yeah.

It's okay not to know.
The truth is, none of us do.

You just have the crappy task

of starting over while never stopping.

- So cut Luke some slack.
- No. Cut yourself some.

Thank you.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]

Your precinct sergeant
said you were here.

Waiting for Choi to talk charges.

- You went behind my back.
- Couldn't waste precious time,

so I found someone who trusts me.

- Who?
- Judge Benner.

♪♪♪

And what kind of classes
were you helping Jax with?

Cooking. Jax has got solid Kn*fe skills.

They were just about to apply
to some local chains.

Have they ever exhibited
any violent tendencies?

- Never.
- Thank you, Ms. Robinson.

No further questions, Your Honor.

She is now your witness, Mr. Callan.

Thank you, Your Honor.

[SIGHS]

Ms. Robinson,

when speaking with Jax about work,

were these jobs usually
close to their encampment?

Not always. Sometimes.

So there was motive
not to relocate, right?

- Objection. Speculative.
- That will be sustained.

Did you ever express any ill will

to the defendant about
developers like Tim Landy?

- Yes, but...
- Do you spend a lot of time with Jax,

getting them ready for the job hunt,

helping them out
with applications, résumés?

- Yes.
- You ever buy them clothes?

Yes. On occasion.

When was that last occasion?

The witness will answer.