02x07 - The Alchemist

[bunniefuu]

Oh, my god.
My old boss

Chase matheson.

I've spent way too
much time since then

Thinking about
what happened,

What you did to me.

Dennis, your wife
just said

She can't stop
thinking about me.

Unh!

Stay the hell out
of our lives.

I'm a part
of your life

Whether you
like it or not.

Just ask your daddy.

Mr. Han, hey.

Who are
you people?

We are the wan zai.

- Hello, son.
- Dad.

We learned that
juliette tan

Is about to collect
some mystical red rocks

Called jyu sa.

The stones did
something to you.

I... I felt it, too.

The power of the jyu sa.

When my experts combine
it with the bell,

This city will be destroyed,

And from the ashes,
a new world will be born.

Dad, what are
you doing here?

Why are you
with these people?

They ambushed me.
They knocked me out.

Not how I intended
this to go down,

But here we are.

Please, son.
Talk to me.

- Why'd you att*ck eric han?
- att*ck? No. I...

Where's the sheet music?
Did you give it to nicky?

Han had
the sheet music.

I don't know. I found
him like that.

Henry...

We need answers.

Who are you?

I'll ask the questions.

Zero replies
to my texts or voicemails.

Ok. I checked henry's apartment
and the library.

No sign of him.

Althea, do you
have anything?

No. His phone isn't
pinging back.

Probably dead.

His phone, nicky.
Just his phone.

Hey. Any luck?

Henry's car was still
parked at han's apartment.

The place, it was...
It was tossed.

No one's there,

And I found blood
on the floor.

I looked into it.
Han was admitted

To st. Francis memorial
late last night.

Henry wasn't
admitted there

Or any other
local hospital.

So no real leads?

I'm sorry, nicky.
It was an old building.

No cameras.

Oh. The bank next door,
however...

Can you access
the security cams?

Honey.

Got it! New record.

Suspicious-looking van pulling
up to han's building.

Looks like they're
pulling someone out.

- That's got to be henry.
- Who's the muscle?

Those don't look like
tan marks.

There. That
license plate.

Evan, can you
call that in?

I'm sort of running
out favors

Now I'm not
in the d.a.'S office.

I'll see what I can do.

I told you

Han was already tied up
to the chair and bleeding.

I didn't steal anything.

Stop protecting
nicky!

Just tell me
the truth!

Oh, you want
the truth?

How long were you
lying to me?

How long were you
lying to mom?

My whole life?

I joined the wan zei
when I was a teenager.

I read about
the wan zei.

Just a bunch
of crooks and thieves.

Not thieves.
We're protectors.

We keep powerful objects
out of the wrong hands

Here in s.f.
And across the world.

Henry...

We're the good guys.

You could have
fooled me.

Eric han is one
of us.

He's in the hospital
with ruptured eardrums,

Brain swelling.

Doctors say it was
some kind of aneurysm.

I just want to know
what happened, son.

I told you everything.

Let me go.

Step back.

He's playing you.

Yuen,
I believe him.

You're
too close, daniel.

We tried things
your way.

Now it's my turn.

- You're not hurting him.
- He knows more

Than he's letting on.

Don't forget, daniel,

The mission comes
first.

Grab him!

Yuen, don't!

Get back!

♪ Bad chick,
and you know it ♪

♪ Got a lot of dough,
and tonight... ♪

Nicky!

♪ Tonight, I'm gonna
throw it ♪

♪ This is for the good girls
in the house ♪

♪ I'm gonna blow it

♪ If you want to
start something ♪

♪ Let's get it poppin'

♪ I'm shoppin'

- Nicky, stop!
- Why?

Because...

That's my dad.

- How'd you find us?
- Your van.

It's registered
to this address.

Whoever you are, you're not
as stealthy as you think.

Now are you gonna
let us pass,

Or you want to get
your ass kicked again?

Stop. You two don't
have to leave.

Daniel.

They didn't steal
the sheet music, yuen.

Someone else got
to eric,

And I'm guessing it
was someone connected to the tans.

You know about tan?

I'm ready to put our cards
on the table.

No more zip ties,
no more knives.

You're letting him
manipulate you.

They can be useful.

How do you know
we can trust them?

We don't...

But I'm done following
your orders.

We're not finished
with this conversation.

I'll put on
some tea.

Nicky just texted.
Henry's ok.

Oh. Thank god.

Oh. Ahem. So...
How do I look?

If you were a vc,

Would you invest
in my app?

You look amazing,
but you could get funding

In sweats.

Your app's got
real heat behind it.

Still, the future
of my business

Depends on these
meetings.

I can't mess it up.

Hmm.

Mr. Soong, come in.

Dad? What are you
doing here?

I'm so sorry.
I can't stay.

I've got to run.
Big investor meetings all day.

Yes. Diana told me.

Starting a business
on your own.

- We're very impressed.
- Thank you.

Ok. Wish me luck.

You got this, babe.

Dennis... What
have you done?

So talk.
Who are the wan zei?

The wan zei was formed
over 100 years ago

By two chinese
immigrants...

Lau hing-gai
and tsang daoming.

That's li jiaming,

The guardian who rang
the yueling bell.

The founders
of the wan zei knew jiaming?

They were friends,
fellow immigrants.

They were there
when he d*ed.

One morning at the local
chinese benevolent association,

Jacob sloan busted in
with his muscle,

Compelled li jiaming
to ring the bell,

- Forced the others to watch.
- Day of the great earthquake.

Only lau hing-gai
and tsang daoming survived.

They vowed to never let

The bell fall
into the wrong hands again.

Out of that,
the wan zei was born.

If the mission
was local,

Then why all
the globetrotting?

Well, the yueling bell
was just the beginning.

After years,
our brotherhood realized

There were objects
of power all over the world

From every culture,

And when there's power
to be taken...

Men like russell tan
aren't far behind.

After you guys
destroyed the bell,

We thought tan
was done,

But we have intel
that suggests otherwise.

- What intel?
- Tan's daughter ramped up

A large-scale
3-d printing operation.

She's got metallurgists
on retainer.

They're re-creating
the bell.

If they can do
an exact replica

And tan can create
the same tones

As the original bell,

The new one will have
the same effect.

An earthquake that
could level the city.

We've got wheels
in motion against tan,

But we could use
your help.

Uh, last time
you needed something from henry,

He ended up zip-tied
to a chair.

Keep talking.

You assaulted
one of the most influential men

In the city in a public place
no less.

But is it true?
Are we still in business with him?

We pulled out
of cloudrush

And most of
matheson's enterprises.

Most?

There were some
promising smaller investments,

Positions I chose
to hold onto.

It was purely
a financial decision.

Divest. I don't care
what it takes.

I will have nothing
to do with that creep.

I do not take
orders from you, son.

The world is not
black and white.

You'd know that,
but your mother and I

Have coddled you.

It's time to grow up.

I thought giving you
that promotion would help,

Make you see.

I can't accept
this, dad.

If you intend to
remain

At the soong corporation,

You'll have to.

Thanks for seeing me.

Only been on you
for weeks.

Doctors make me
nervous.

Besides, I thought
you'd rather be hooking up

With a certain
hot chef instead.

Let's focus on you.

So nicky tells me
that you had

An interesting reaction
to the jyu sa.

How you feeling?

I didn't sleep much
last night.

Crazy dreams.

There was this figure
dressed in black,

This woman screaming
in childbirth,

This weird red drink.

Sounds intense.

I think I saw
my mom, too.

Something wrong?

So if you're down
for some research on the gems,

We could hit the library.

Anything to get me
off this table.

- Go on. I'll meet you there.
- Ok.

"The mourne landscape,"

Irish painting passed
down through the generations

By a single family,
the o'briens.

This painting is connected
to an ancient celtic ritual,

The ahraán de baint,
the song of extraction.

What does a celtic
ritual have to do

With the yueling bell?

Got to open your mind, son.

China's not the only place
with magic.

If we can get our hands
on the ritual,

We can sap the bell
of its power.

No magic, no earthquake.

- We can stop tan's whole plan.
- That's the idea.

Now the ritual's on a scroll
that's been lost for ages,

But according
to our research,

There was a map that led
so the location of the scroll

Hidden on the back
of that painting.

So if we can find
the original painting,

We find the scroll?

Problem is the painting
was stolen

From the o'briens
decades ago.

Hasn't been seen since.

Henry.

You should go,
see what's up with mia.

Ok. Be careful.

Mr. Yan, I'm sorry,
but I have to go.

Good luck.

So about this painting.

I may know someone
who can help.

I think
I found something.

China's first emperor
was obsessed

With living forever.

He forced every
philosopher and mystic

In his empire to
look for ways to cheat death.

Legend has it one
of his alchemists,

A woman named
xiao, used

A "powerful red stone"
to cr*ck the code of immortality.

The details are
vague, though.

Um, she did
experiments,

Messed up stuff
with children and pregnant women.

That sounds like
my dream.

You think there's more
out there

About this alchemist,
this xiao?

I'll check.

- Hey.
- Hey.

What's up with mia?

Her vitals are
off the charts.

Blood pressure, heart rate
through the roof.

Did you tell her?

Naw. I didn't want to
freak her out.

It's got to be
the jyu sa.

When I touched it,
I felt, like, a jolt to my system,

But mia, she
completely lost it.

Where'd you put
the sample?

In your research
cabinet.

Oh, my god. Mia!

Mia! Mia!

She's starting to
run a fever.

- Ok. I'll get a compress.
- Mia?

What happened?

She collapsed
in the library.

- Should we get a doctor?
- I am a doctor!

I did everything
I could to try and wake her.

What do you mean?

Mia's been poisoned,

Exposed to something
powerful.

You're just gonna have
to take our word for it, mama.

Whatever she's going
through, it's not

Something medicine
can fix,

But we're gonna
figured it out.

Lao gong, listen to nicky.
It'll be ok. Hmm?

Ok. Thank you, razor.

Razor, huh?

Your friend know
anything?

Well, I wouldn't call him my friend,
but yeah.

He confirmed the painting
was stolen.

Says right now
the owner has it hanging up

In this place called
the assisi club.

Heard of it.
Members only,

Ultra-exclusive,
caters to old money,

Safe place for rich
people to show off their stolen art,

But they don't let
just anybody walk into that club.

What's our play?

The play is I'll deal
nicky in,

And then we take it
from here.

Or... We could make
a run

On the assisi club
together.

Your old man's
pretty good in the field.

Yeah. I...

Look. I know you got
your way of doing things,

But I got a deep bag
of tricks, too.

Come on. Could be fun.

She's unconscious, but
her vitals keep sh**ting up.

Her brain's still
active like she's

In some kind of
rem state.

So like a dream?

Ok. What happened
when you examined her?

- Did she say anything?
- She said she had weird dreams,

A... Pregnant woman,
figure in black.

- Red drink?
- How'd you know?

I had the same dream.

It was just flashes,
but... What?

There was something
in here

About an alchemist
named xiao.

Legend has it she
used the jyu sa

To do experiments
on people.

She claimed that
these experiments

Allowed her to walk
in other people's dreams.

That's her.

I saw her in my dream.

Ok. Uh, it says
she used a concoction,

A tea infused
with jyu sa.

She claimed it was
a conduit for magic

And that it linked her
consciousness with her subjects

And that ultimately
it can unlock

The secret
to immortality.

She thought she could
live forever in their minds.

Ok. This tea,
can you make it?

I mean, we have
jyu sa.

The rest of
the ingredients are

Pretty simple. Why?

At the lab, the jyu sa
completely took mia over,

And when she touched
the stone,

It sent her into
this dream, right?

- Yeah.
- Well, I felt something, too.

There must be some
connection

Between our bloodline
and the jyu sa.

Her reaction to it
is way stronger than mine.

Maybe that's because she's
both warrior and guardian.

So touching the jyu sa
alone won't take me there,

But if I had
a bigger dose...

You mean xiao's
concoction?

- If you can re-create it...
- Nicky. I...

Maybe it'll take me
there, to mia's dream.

Even refined, cinnabar
is toxic,

And we don't know
xiao's claims are real.

I mean, people d*ed
in these experiments,

And, ok, say you walk
into mia's dream.

There's no guarantee
you can help her.

I have to try.

She's getting worse,
ryan.

What if mia is lost
in this dream?

What if I'm the only person
who can get her out?

You said it yourself.

This isn't gonna be
cured by medicine. I...

Please.

I know someone
will revolutionize

The way we connect
with our communities.

Our tech fuses
the interface

Of a social media app

With the functionality
of a crowdsourcing platform,

Creating a new way
for neighbors to connect,

For local businesses to
boost their impact and access,

But most importantly,
I know someone will bring

Communities together.

We just need the capital.

I do see
the potential here.

Very well pitched.

There's a lot
in here I loved.

Loved your passion.

But I'm afraid it's
gonna be a pass from us.

The idea just nees a
little more time in the oven.

We've got our eyes
on you, althea shen-soong,

- But...
- You've decided to go

In a different direction.

Yes. Precisely.

Good luck to you.

Good luck to you.

Good luck to you.

♪ Everybody, come on

♪ Everybody, let's go

♪ Everybody, come on

♪ Everybody, let's go now

Excuse me. May I get
a lemon drop?

Make it a double.

♪ Everybody,
do, do, do, yeah ♪

♪ Everybody

You sure
about this?

- Wouldn't say that.
- I can stay.

No. I'm ok.

Be careful.

It is not too late.

You can turn back.

You do not know
what will happen

If you drink that tea.

I don't see
another way.

My child...

Mia?

Mia?

Mia?

Mia?

Are you doubting
your decision, my child?

I can feel her.
She's in here somewhere.

Xiao, the alchemist.

What was this?

You feel it,
don't you,

A connection
to her?

You are witnessing
the beginning.

The birth
of your ancestor,

The first warrior.

I am so sorry
about the heat.

The ac shut down
out of the blue.

How about a round
of iced teas?

That'd be great.

- Hey, boss.
- Excuse me.

Oh, thank god.

I was told you wouldn't
arrive for hours.

We moved
some things around.

Least we could do
for a big client.

- Hey!
- Ac unit's out back.

Security will lead you
to the service entrance.

Smell that?

Freon leak.

It's a big one.

I don't smell anything.

That's the problem.
Most people don't.

Gonna have to check
the... Vents

For the source
of the leak.

Yep.

I'll evacuate
the members.

Fix it. Quickly.

Told you I knew
a few tricks.

So why do you think all
your meetings went bust?

Well, ordinarily, I'd say
it's because my pitch sucked,

But it didn't.

No, no. My presentation
was tight.

My delivery was strong,

And the product
is b*mb.

I think someone
poisoned the well.

Dennis and I had
a run-in

- With chase matheson.
- Ugh.

Dennis clocked him.

I can't prove it, but chase
is still very connected.

All it takes is
the right rumors

And the right ears
and the questioning

Of the fundamentals
of my business plan,

And poof,
I'm radioactive.

- What are you gonna do?
- Heh! What can I do?

How do you fight
a rumor?

And no matter how good
my idea is,

My company is starved
for capital.

It's only a matter of time
until I have to pack it in.

No. You're not
giving up.

No. I... I... I was
forced to resign

Under a cloud
of suspicion,

And sure, you caught me
day drinking alone,

But I'm not giving up,

And if I'm not giving up,
neither are you.

Besides,
not to sound crass,

But isn't your husband
loaded?

I gave myself
one rule...

Never ask dennis or
his family for money.

Pfft. That's kind of
a dumb rule.

Besides, when have rules ever
stopped althea shen-soong?

- Hmm?
- Hmm.

♪ There's just
no getting over you ♪

That should do it.

That's it. The map
to the ritual.

We don't make
a half-bad team.

You know, I regret all
of it, don't you?

Every lie,
every missed birthday.

I would have read you
in sooner,

But I'd already seen it.

Seen what?

The man you'd become
without me.

Figured I could
only mess that up.

Hey! What the hell
are you doing?

Went to the ac unit
to see what was taking so long.

Saw the wires
were snipped.

This was a setup.

Watch out son. We got
a genius in our midst.

- Dad, we got what we needed.
- Not everything.

That painting doesn't
belong to you.

Doesn't belong
to you either.

It's going back
to the o'briens.

Hey, guys. Look.
There's no need for...

♪ I'm the best

♪ I'm the best

♪ I'm the best

That baby

Is it liang daiyu?

No. The alchemist created
the warrior and guardian lines

Long before
liang daiyu,

Long before the weapons.

So warriors and guardians,
we were created

By xiao's experiments?

The alchemist wanted
to create

A more powerful human.

Many d*ed
in the process,

But in the end,

She created
a miracle,

The warriors
and guardians.

Xiao's design was
for a better world,

But even the best
laid plans go awry.

Mia?

Who is that?

When the alchemist
created the bloodlines,

She never meant
for them to cross.

It is far too much power
for one person to contain,

But over a thousand
years ago,

A warrior and guardian
fell in love.

A child was born.

I thought mia
was the first.

No. There was another.

Her name was suyin.

She was the first
hybrid.

The hybrid's parents d*ed
soon after she was born.

The girl was raised
by monks,

Who pledged to hide her
true identity from the world,

But her power became
too much to contain.

What's happening?

Where the hybrid went,
death followed.

Agh!

She was
an abomination.

It took the combined power of
the warriors and the guardians

To stop her.

Many were k*lled.

Mia.

It won't be like that.

Raah!

Aah!

You felt it.

Her power.

Why are you showing me
all this?

The bloodlines were
never intended to mix.

Just like suyin,

Mia should never
have been born,

And like suyin,

Her power
will consume her.

It will corrupt her.

- No. I won't let that happen.
- It's inevitable.

You came here to rescue
her from this dream,

But if you let
her go,

She will be trapped
here forever.

The world
will be safe.

I know it's hard,

But you must leave
mia behind.

No. I'm not giving up
on her!

Mia is past saving.

Someone once told me

No one is past saving.

You're not pei-ling.

You're the alchemist.

You've taken on
my shifu's form.

Well done, my child.

Xiao... How are
you doing this?

Once you were exposed
to the stone,

It opened the door to direct
contact with you, with mia,

My children.

Everything you've
shown me...

The birth
of the warrior bloodline,

The first hybrid... Is
any of it even true?

Every word,
every image pulled

Directly from
the consciousness

Of all the warriors
and guardians

Who came before you.

So you drew mia in
with the jyu sa.

You trapped her here.

The longer mia stays
in this realm,

The closer she comes
to death.

You were
distracting me.

Where are you hiding her?

Heh heh heh.

In a memory,

A memory
of a fallen warrior.

There she will see
the truth.

It will shatter her.

Once she has seen
it all,

She will lose
the will to fight,

To escape this realm.

You can't help
her now.

Just go... Child.

You can leave
whenever you choose.

Mama?

Mama?

I've missed you
so much.

I never should have
run away.

You're right.

The world is
a dangerous place.

Hello, mei-xue.

I've been looking
for you for a long time.

I'm not going anywhere.

Mia is in here,
and I will find her.

Fight as hard
as you want.

It won't make
a difference.

I created this realm.
I control it.

You can't hurt me.

I am eternal.

I live forever...

In every warrior
and guardian.

As long as you live,
I live.

Unh!

You can't win.

I am in control.

No, you're not.

Unh!

Your power,
it comes from me,

My life,
my bloodlines.

You don't have
the power here.

I do.

You're making
a mistake.

Huh!

Mia.

Give me the sword.

The sword isn't here.

Then why hide all
the way out here,

All alone?

A daughter.

Her father...
The guardian.

A hybrid.

She will be
extremely useful.

I won't let you
near her.

I would expect
no less.

I respect you,
mei-xue,

And I will give you
a proper burial

Out amongst
your trees.

Mia, we can leave
right now.

You don't have to
see this.

She was all alone!

I should have
been there!

You will never get her.

Hey. This can
only hurt you.

Please look away.

I'll watch
for both of us.

She is strong.

She will fight you.

I look forward
to it.

Map leads to the hills
of louth county.

That's where you'll
find the scroll.

We get the scroll,
we might be able

To strip the magic
from russell tan's bell,

Stop the bastard
in his tracks.

Henry... I couldn't have
done this without you.

Happy to help,

And... To be honest,
I had fun.

Ok.

Hey. Look.

Yuen and i, we're on the
first flight to ireland.

We're gonna get
the ritual.

Could use your help
in the field.

You serious?

I kept the wan zei
from you because

I wanted to give
you a choice,

A choice that my father
didn't give me,

But it's obvious

You were born
for this.

I appreciate it...

But my place is here
with nicky.

Ooh! Heh.

Ohh! Bam bam!

Thought you had
a work dinner.

Not tonight.

Hey, babe.

Well, it was a swing
and a miss for me. Heh.

I'm 99.9% sure that
chase is sabotaging me,

But, hey, screw it.

I've got a k*ller app,

I'm one bad boss bitch,

And I am not
about to give up.

I'm gonna make him
"rule" the day

He messed
with althea shen-soong.

"Rule" the day?
Rue the day. Rue the day.

- Babe.
- And I know I said

I'd never accept
your parents' offer,

But I'm ready to fully
accept anything you...

Althea. My dad...
He's still in business

With chase matheson.

I told him to cut ties,
or I walk.

So...

He cut me off,
althea.

It's gone.
It's all gone.

Oh.

This was baba's idea?

He felt that mia
and mama could use it.

Said they never really
got a chance

To grieve aunt mei-xue.

You sure you're ready?

I am.

Mia...

Hmm?

Lao gong...
Thank you.

I needed this.

How's mia?

Her vitals
have leveled out.

Whatever you did over
there on the other side

Did the trick.

Thanks, ryan,
for trusting me.

Ryan.

I'm just glad mia's
gonna be ok.

Did you tell them
about mia's destiny?

You're wrong, xiao.

I can teach her.

Once this is all over,
warrior,

You're going to wish
I'd k*lled her.

Greg, move your head!