04x01 - The Worm Turns

[bunniefuu]

Previously on The Strain...

_

Why, mein Master,

have you taken his form?

A necessary ruse. And I now possess

all of Palmer's knowledge and memories.

His new host body is pure expedience.

Keep an eye on your mother, young man.

Yes, sir.

Dad?

Mom!

I hate you!

Hey, don't sleep on my steps.

Neither of us needs the attention.

_

Welcome to the Freedom Center

Philadelphia. Please stay in line

and have your ID badges ready.

To be eligible, all blood donations

must be up to date.

The Partnership, for a better tomorrow.

Welcome to the Freedom Center Philadelphia.

Please stay in line

and have your ID badges ready.

To be eligible, all blood donations

must be up to date.

- The Partnership... - That's it. Next.

- For a better tomorrow. - Go your left.

- One more, please. - Welcome to the Freedom Center

Philadelphia. Please stay in line

and have your ID badge ready. To be eligible,

all blood donations must be up to date.

sh*t!

The Partnership.

We're here for you.

No one will forget

the terrors of Illumination Day.

We mourned together. We made our peace.

Now, nine months later, we are marching

forward into a new era.

Thanks to the cooperation that is at the heart

of the Partnership, everyone's needs are being met,

jobs are plentiful, shelter is guaranteed,

and sustenance is provided. And at our Freedom Centers,

teams of caring and committed medical professionals

are ready and eager to serve you.

Just keep your blood donations up to date

and comprehensive health care will be yours

at absolutely no cost.

Thanks to the effects of nuclear winter,

which filters out harmful UV rays,

our strigoi counterparts no longer

have to confine themselves to the darkness.

- Thank you. - This new equilibrium means

that we are now able to join hands

and work together to create a new and more

- just society for us all. - I know it's gonna be difficult

to say goodbye to my family, but being B-positive,

I know that I'm making a vital contribution

to The Partnership to ensure that everyone can live

healthy, productive lives.

So the sacrifice is more than worth it.

We have leadership and order

and the promise of a great future.

The Partnership,

toward a better future for us all.

_

- Just one more load. - I got it.

Help me with this, will you?

- That's all I got. - Alright.

- Hey, Karl. - He's in the back.

- Hey. - Hey.

Right...

Phillies lead Mets

- 7-5, bottom of the fifth. - Your Mets are coming back.

- Double! - Oh, come on!

Tejada holds up at third.

- Phillies suck even on paper. - Well, it's a good thing

some things stay the same after the apocalypse.

- So what brings you back so soon? - I'm out of gas.

Oh, yeah? My propane guy, Nick,

he's coming back later today.

You should be here when he does. Fuel goes fast.

Well, I guess I can push back my tee time.

- Mm-hmm. - I'll take a job.

I got a backlog here.

You know you could be King Rat of all of Philly

if you just wanted to work a little more.

All the food and free sh*t

you could possibly want. Nobody wants to go

- to a Freedom Center. - I'll take three or four.

This one... says she's got liquor to trade.

You know the, uh, Royal Rittenhouse apartments?

That building on the Square?

Yeah.

Where all the strigoi live? What about it?

I saw a tanker truck parked out back today

under heavy strigoi guard.

They hooked up to the building's plumbing,

- they filled it full of blood. - Oh, come on.

I did not need to know that sh*t.

They didn't want anyone to see it.

That's why all the guards.

You need to be more careful about your curiosity, my friend.

I still can't believe we lost.

Ah,

Strigoi 10, humans 0,

bottom of the ninth.

You know what Yogi said,

- "It ain't over 'til it's over." - It's pretty much over.

_

You missed!

Hey! Sit!

Enjoying your new toy, I see.

The Master has planned an activity for you today.

Doing what?

This is a SOCOM Mark 18 r*fle.

Take it.

It holds 30 rounds.

What am I supposed to do with it?

We are going on an outing.

But first, your White.

_

Easy. Easy.

We come in peace.

Like I said, boys, we're not here to fight.

We came to trade.

He wants to trade.

You wanna trade your woman?

Name's Vasiliy Fet. This is Charlotte.

What's that, some kind of Russian accent?

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. New York City boy here.

- New York's gone. - It's not.

I know that's the rumour.

It took a hit, but it's holding up.

Honestly, I don't give a sh*t.

I grew up about 80 miles west of here.

We're looking for locals with information.

Looking for a government installation.

- What kind of government installation? - m*ssile base.

I heard there were quite a few around here

and, uh, some of them are still stocked.

The guy with a Russian accent

wants directions to a m*ssile base.

I gotta tell ya,

I've seen a lot of sh*t over the last nine months,

but you two coming in here

like that, unarmed...

wow, that just about takes the cake.

Look, friend,

we have a mutual enemy here, all right? Them, the munchers.

We're on the same side; we should be helping each other out.

In fact, fighting each other is how we got into this situation.

You have pretty eyes.

I know what you're thinking, pal.

Don't do it.

You're gonna take us back to your camp.

And then we're gonna k*ll you and take your woman,

and there's not a damn thing you can do about it.

You got one thing right,

when you were just talking there...

Yeah?

She does have really pretty eyes. Yeah.

What the hell is that thing?!

Think of me as a demon.

From the Good Book.

Huh?

Maybe you want to help us out now?

Let's go!

Load 'em up!

- How did it go? - Not so good.

- Start with the fuel! - All we ended up doing here

was k*lling more people.

- Take whatever you want. - Losing patience, Mr. Fet?

Take some water.

Well, six months in the wilds

finding empty holes in the ground, finding

no holes in the ground,

you know, eating jackrabbit,

wondering when someone's gonna sh**t me for dinner?

No. It's great,

I've been having the time of my frickin' life, Born-o.

You can leave whenever you want.

No, I can't because I'm not a quitter!

I'm a complainer, but I'm not a quitter.

Clearly an important semantic difference.

Pick that up, let's go!

You, you're always in the same fricking mood.

Maybe that's something that I should try.

What do you think, Born-o?

Is there still a live silo?

Or have the strigoi and their assh*le collaborators

already found the missiles

- that haven't fired yet? - If there is one,

- we'll find it. - Follow me!

Oh, well... nice talk.

Hey, Coffer, check out this beauty.

Any more a*mo for this thing?

Hey.

Thanks.

Days like these,

I wonder if this is hell...

searching endlessly for something that...

might not ever even be there.

I don't think this is hell.

I think it's hell-adjacent.

Well, thank you for ruining

my self-indulgent misery.

I was gonna wallow in it for a while but, uh...

Our children, our future.

- Who's there? - It's the doctor. Neil sent me.

Put the g*n away or I'm leaving right now.

What about you?

I keep it 'til I know this place is safe.

I'm Ross. This is my wife Karen.

You're safe. And you are?

Dr. Miller.

You're supposed to have some liquor for me?

Yeah.

Wedding present.

We're not big drinkers.

I'm gonna have to ask you to leave.

I only treat patients one-on-one.

I'll be right here, hon.

I'm petrified of going to a Freedom Center.

I hear they just ship you off to some other facility?

Or worse. What are your symptoms?

I ache all over.

I'm fatigued.

I get these bruises

from doing almost nothing.

And I get muscle cramps.

Do you have any allergies?

Are you supposed to be taking any medication?

- No. - And what about your diet?

Same as everyone, I guess.

Hmm...

Oh, except for those Partnership

Freedom Bars. I can't get them down.

I don't know. I just... The taste, I don't like it.

Open your mouth.

Ah...

Mm-hm.

You have scorbutus, also known as scurvy.

Your dietary intake of vitamin C is too low.

Vitamin C?!

Where am I supposed to get oranges or whatever?

The Partnership Freedom Bars

are a poor substitute, but they have vitamin C.

You need the nutrients. Here. In the meantime...

multivitamins to start you off.

Powdered vitamin C. Mix with water.

I will.

Thank you, Dr. Miller.

That's it? Vitamin C?

Luckily for your wife, yes.

That booze is hard to come by.

So are multivitamins. I don't make the rules.

No, you just profit from them, though.

We're all doing what we can to get by.

_

He feels it.

Power over lesser creatures.

Taking a life.

He sh*t four b*ll*ts where one would have been enough.

There is dark potential in this boy.

That was beautiful, Zack.

Mom?

How?

- I'm confused. - I'm so proud of you!

Oh, my boy.

You are growing up so fast.

I was thinking about the times we used to come here.

You and Dad would take me to the zoo.

I feel bad that I k*lled him.

Zack, no.

That is your father talking.

Don't let his way of thinking hold you back.

I won't. I just...

I'm lonely.

I'm so glad you're here.

I'm always here if you need me.

But you're growing up now.

Listen to the Master.

He knows what's best for you.

I will.

My boy.

Propane guy show up?

Yeah.

So, what did she have?

Oh, look at that.

You see what happens when you apply yourself?

Now, let's see if we can get Tejada home.

Strigs!

sh*t!

Let's go.

Where are you taking us, huh?

- Calm down, Neil. - No! No, screw it, man.

They're just gonna to k*ll us anyway, right?

Right?! Why don't you just get it over with now, huh?!

- Neil, sit down! - No, man, this is...

Karl!

Neil!

Ugh!

Please! Help me!

Help me! Help!

Please, if you walk away, I'll die!

You won't die from that, not right away.

Please! You have to...

Help me get out of here.

g*dd*mn it!

Here.

Hurry. You have to get us

- to safety. - Trust me. Neither of us

- wants to be here right now. - What are you doing?

Trying to make a tourniquet.

What are you doing to my brother?

Trying to save his life.

Alex, stop. Stop it. He's... he's helping.

Idiot!

Why didn't you get clear? You had to watch, huh?

You two set off the b*mb?

- Who is this guy? - He was on the bus.

On the bus? A human?!

You two are blowing up buses and you don't even know

they use them to transport human prisoners?

- How many? - Six.

I'm the only one who made it out.

You're welcome.

- For saving you. - Yeah, OK. Thanks.

If we waited for the perfect,

polite moment to revolt, it would never happen.

They're gonna close off this block.

They can follow his blood trail here. We need to move him.

I know a place.

Charlotte?

Charlotte!

Charlotte!

Professor?

- What are you doing here? - Waiting for you, Mr. Fet.

I know I promised

we'd get you a nuke, and...

I'm gonna make good on that, but... it's not exactly like

running down to the corner store for a loaf of bread.

The world is dying, Mr. Fet.

The candle of humanity is being extinguished.

You and Mr. Quinlan are its last hope.

Can't you see I'm doing my best!

I'm wandering around the wilderness

with the Wormless Wonder searching for something

that was never meant to be found!

And you're wrong. Me and Quinlan,

we're just foot soldiers for the cause.

You...

you're the one we're all counting on to turn this around.

"The face of God"

is the key to his demise.

Professor, what are you doing?

After all that we went through to get that book!

Professor!

The end is near, Mr. Fet.

You would do well to hurry.

What does that mean?

- Fet? - Charlotte!

Hey, Fet, wake up.

- Oh, oh! - Hey.

Oh!

You OK?

- Hey... - Oh, my God.

That was not a good dream.

No.

You wanna talk about it?

Yeah.

My, uh...

My people back in New York,

they're, uh...

depending on me, you know, and, uh...

I feel like I'm failing them, you know?

Oh no.

- Well... - No, no.

Our luck is gonna change.

Oh, yeah?

Hey, you'll see.

What would I do without you?

Did you ever hear the farmer's daughter's joke

about the exterminator

from New York City?

No. Never.

He was big

and handsome

and had a black beard

and a dangerous accent?

Danger, huh? I like it so far.

One day, this naive farm girl called up and said,

"I think I have a snake in my bedroom."

"A snake." Whoa. Is it poisonous?

I don't know. Are pythons poisonous?

No. But tell me anyway.

Well, he went into her bedroom

and he looked under her bed

and in her lingerie drawer.

- Oooh... - But he couldn't find no snake.

And then what?

She said, uh, "Here, let me help you look."

Oh, you don't like that one?

Oh, it's more personal fantasy than joke, I guess.

Charlotte?

Charlotte!

Charlotte!

Ah!

It's OK.

How fares our young master

after the k*ll?

Master,

the boy has no interest in our work,

nor aptitude for it.

He's incapable of shouldering

any serious responsibility.

Great leaders are not born

but forged, Thomas.

Leaders, Sire?

This vessel I claimed

in a moment of necessity, not choice.

Master, you don't mean to...

Perhaps my next choice

should be custom-tailored

from the finest human cloth.

Forgive me, Master, but...

the boy is most unworthy.

You question my judgment?

There are many reasons for us to keep the boy.

Goodweather is out there somewhere.

He will not allow the Born

or Setrakian to move against me

so long as I have his son.

As you know, my Lord,

my legion is searching for them.

As well as rounding up every nuclear w*apon.

Bring them to me on their knees,

then we will need the boy no longer.

That is my greatest desire.

Master.

One more thing.

The boy deserves a trophy for his k*ll.

I have an idea for a reward.

_

You're all women.

Oh!

Oh, God!

Ugh!

Charlotte?

Is anybody there?!

Save your breath.

Your lady friend's gone, dude.

Gone where?

They took her to turn her to their cause.

Captured her.

- Who are you? - I'm sl*ve labour

whenever they need a hole dug or a tire patched.

You got, uh...

You got friends coming for you?

No. You?

I hope so.

I had a lady, like you,

then after the Illumination, I went out to find her.

Only to discover she was shacking up with someone else.

On my way back, nursing my pain,

I stopped in at a roadhouse that still served

grain alcohol.

That's the last thing I remember.

Woke up here with a knot on my head just like you.

I'm sorry to hear that, friend, but...

I just, uh...

I just need a minute to think here,

- get my head together, please. - Yeah, alright. No problem. No problem.

A guy like me...

a provider with food, gas,

and a*mo to spare... and Nicole chooses a dude

with a neck tattoo on instead? I...

Food, gas, and a*mo, you say?

Damn straight. Power and sewer.

A nice, soft bed.

Roman?

Hey?

How, uh...

how far is this little nest of yours, man? Where is it?

- Not far. - Huh!

What?

You wouldn't be referring to a government m*ssile silo

- by any chance, would you? - What gives you that idea?

Your shirt. It says you worked at

- a government m*ssile silo. - That's classified.

So you did work at a government m*ssile silo.

Did you launch?

- What? - Did you launch?

Why do you care?

Hey,

I'm... I'm just trying to make conversation, Roman.

You know? Getting to know you?

No, we didn't get the command.

Standing orders said to hold in place, and we did.

Couple of months went by,

then we start to get the pirate broadcasts about the surface world.

New York and San Francisco, gone.

It's not true, but go on.

That's it, man.

If I was smart, I would have never left.

If I could get us out of here,

you can give me directions to your m*ssile silo, right?

Hah! So you can set up housekeeping

with your lady? No thanks.

No, I'm after a different kind of prize.

What's that?

A thermonuclear warhead.

Hey. Just, uh,

messing around.

- I'm here to clean. - Cool.

Ah!

- Oh! - Hey!

Back up!

Don't worry.

It's fine.

Mostly harmless.

Uh...

Um, I'm just gonna clean up some of the stuff.

I suppose I...

should clean this up myself, huh?

So, uh,

you'll be working here all the time now?

Guess so.

It's cool.

It's rough, but it'll do.

The next 24 hours are critical.

Keep the wound covered and clean.

The danger is infection.

If you have any connections, penicillin's always a good bet.

Where are you going?

Away from here.

Look,

you have your mission; I have mine.

- What's yours? - Staying alive.

Staying human.

Fine, go.

Only thinking about yourself.

You're why the world is the way it is.

More than you know.

You have food?

- Some. - Supplies?

Maybe.

24 hours,

I'll take care of your brother.

But you give me food and gear

so I can set off on my own in exchange.

Deal?

- Help! Someone, help! - Roman!

Hey. He hasn't moved a muscle.

I think he might still be breathing...

See if he's alive.

Easy. I don't want to hurt anyone,

but I will if I have to.

Drop your g*n!

Do it now before my friend comes through that door.

- And throw me the keys! - Drop it!

Throw it down!

Keys! Come on!

Well, your timing's impeccable.

You were the one who got yourself captured.

- How did you find us? - Once I'd realized

you were gone, your trail was easy to follow.

It was probably my aftershave.

So, Quinlan,

this is my new friend Roman.

Roman, Quinlan.

Roman used to work

at a m*ssile base down the street.

Is there a w*apon?

So he says.

Once again, Vasiliy Fet falls into a pile of manure

and crawls out smelling of roses.

Well, that's my superpower.

Let's go! Let's go get our nuke!