01x10 - God of Chaos

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Hell on Wheels". Aired November 6, 2011 - July 23, 2016.*
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Cullen Bohannon, a former soldier and slaveholder, follows the track of a band of Union soldiers, the K*llers of his wife. This brings him to the middle of one of the biggest projects in US history, the building of the transcontinental railroad. After the w*r years in the 1860s, this undertaking connected the prospering east with the still wild west.
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01x10 - God of Chaos

Post by bunniefuu »

[Indistinct chatter]

I asked you here today to acknowledge the exceptional work you've done.

We could not have come this far without you.

Now tonight at the 40 mile Celebration, we shall have the pleasure of entertaining senators, investors and sundry other dignitaries.

And since we are in such short supply of, uh, ladies of repute, you will all be invited to the dance.

Woman: Oh! All right.

But you will have to make yourselves presentable and behave like the proper ladies I know you can...

Pretend to be, but I warn you, pick pockets, Blushingtons, bug hunters will be severely dealt with.

Now, go clean yourselves up.

Boys.

How we doing?

Getting ready for the dance. Oh.

Listen. Y'all been tailing Swede like I told you?

We have. But to no avail.

He's a slippery bastard, that one.

He rode out of town last night.

You know where he went?

No.

Uh... well, he bought two bottles of whisky at the starlight before he left.

Must be going on a bender.

Swede don't drink.

Then I guess he's meeting someone who does.

[Indistinct chatter]

I wasn't there that night.

Check the date on my discharge.

I was wounded at Starkville two weeks before Meridian.

Then how could you know what happened that night?

I stayed in touch with Johnson and the boys after the w*r.

They told me all about it.

And you can still testify as to why Bohannan had motive to k*ll Johnson and this other man?

This man, he's not going to give up.

You can keep running, but... one day he just going to show up on your doorstep and k*ll you dead.

Now.

Let's finish this thing, huh?

Hmm?

Now.

[Indistinct chatter]

Hey.

That whisky goes to Dan's town.

Yes, sir.

Not in your town.

I'm going to check 'em later, make sure they ain't light one or two bottles.

Damn it all!

[Train horn in distance]

[Sighs] Right.

You having trouble with your floorboards, ma'am?

Well, you're very perceptive, aren't you?

[Sighs]

I'm afraid I'm not much of a carpenter.

No, ma'am, you ain't.

Could you possibly help me?

That is, if you're not busy k*lling anyone.

Well, sure as heck can't do any worse.

Great.

[Hammering]

You're quite handy with a hammer and nail.

Were you really a farmer before the w*r?

Is that so hard to believe?

Yes, actually.

I find it hard to imagine you in a domestic setting.

I couldn't, either. I always had one eye on the door.

So you were married.

Was.

Had a son, too.

w*r come along and... Jumped at the chance.

Mary didn't want me to go, but, ahh.

She didn't stand in my way, either.

Now I'd give anything to be home and just...

So you lost them both?

Your wife and your son.

I'm so sorry.

It's all right.

That about does it here. Wait. Please, I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to upset you. Please, don't...

Whatever happened to your wife and son, please don't let it k*ll the man they loved.

Sorry, Mrs. Bell.

It's too late for that.

Mr. Durant.

I thought you'd be well on your way by now.

Decided to stay.

Is that wise?

I ain't never been accused of being wise, sir.

[Chuckles] So we'll see you at the dance tonight?

You will if I'm there.

[Sighs]

Special ordered from New York.

Oh, Thomas.

I cannot accept this.

Oh, it's not a gift.

Think of it as payment.

For what?

I've invited many potential investors to the celebration this evening.

What does that have to do with me?

It's become clear to me that this railroad could do with a face other than my own associated with it.

You're thinking of the fair-haired maiden of the west.

Yes.

You think she'll lure the investors.

[Chuckles]
Like moths to a flame, my dear.

I'll consider it.

On one condition.

[Laughs]

Why is nothing ever elemental with you?

I want to be a part of it.

Part of what?

The building of this road.

I want to see it through to the end.

Do we have a deal?

Your condition is accepted, madame.

[Chuckles]

[Breathing heavily]

Sorry.

[Indistinct chatter]

Uh... ahem.

I don't... I don't mean to disturb your prayers, preach.

How can I help you, son?

Well...

I'm on a dark path, sir.

Been on it for a while now.

Where does the dark path lead?

More blood.

More hatred.

I met somebody who reached out to me and asked me to turn away from the darkness.

Been wanting to preach to me, so...

Here's your chance.

Ahh.

[Chuckles]

Well, there's a God.

That I have no doubt.

Um...

But there's a...

There's a devil, too.

And you know... You know what that old...

That old devil did?

You want me to tell you about that?

Yeah?

Well, that devil, he, uh, he cut off God's arms.

And he hacked off God's legs.

And he gouged out his eyes.

Ripped out his tongue and left him lying there in a bloody heap on the floor.

But he left God's ears so he could hear us down here when we're wailing and thrashing and praying for his help.

But, Brother...

There ain't a damn thing God can do to help us.

What are you saying, preacher?

Just choose hate.

It's so much easier.

Brother!

Choose hate.

[Horse neighs]

I thought everybody was supposed to have the day off.

Everybody but us.

We had no say in it, neither.

Want me to talk to Durant about it?

You sittin' in some mighty high cotton, ain't you, boy?

Watch yourself, son.

I'm still your boss.

Who do you think you is in these fancy clothes, huh?

Who cocked your hat, boy?

You did.

Ain't supposed to be our boss, hmm?

You're supposed to be our leader.

Thinking you're looking out for us.

Turns out you're just looking out for your own damn self.

Ain't nobody else going to do it.

I ain't your master.

You need to look out for your own self, huh?

Carlton.

Mr. Bohannan.

Been looking everywhere for you.

What's going on, Sean?

I'm just making plans for the Swede.

He's just rolled back in.

And I don't think he's alone.

Oh, yeah? Who's he with?

Well, I didn't hear any names, but he had on a union jacket with Sergeant Stripes.

Sergeant's jacket, huh?

Yeah, I think so. I know we've had our differences...

Are you sure you saw Sergeant Stripes?

Yes!

Where they at?

Where they at?

[Choking]

Where they at?

Swede's caboose.

[Gasping]

Will this make us even for the fight?

Bohannan.

A couple of federal marshals are coming to arrest me tonight.

For what?

m*rder.

So why haven't you just up and left?

Sergeant's here.

Swede tracked him down.

I reckon he talked him into testifying against me.

How you know Harper will be the man you're looking for?

He has to be. You don't know that.

The hell is your stake in all this?

I ain't got none.

Why do you even care?

You told me something once.

It was the only thing that ever set me free.

Yeah. What's that?

You got to let go of the past.

[g*n clicking]

[Knocking]

[Sighs]

[Indistinct]

You will be the king of the ball.

[Chuckles]

Unfortunately with no queen by my side.

Are you referring to Mrs. Lily Bell?

Hmm.

Sir, shall we take a walk? Hmm?

Mr. Gunderson, have you ever had your heart ripped out by a woman?

I was married once, sir, but she ran off with a gypsy.

My heart was not ripped out, but she did steal my cuckoo clock.

Well, my gypsy is Bohannan.

Ahh. Loki, yeah.

What?

So he and Mrs. Lily Bell.

I gave him a chance to run, but he wouldn't take it.

Run? But why?

Mr. Gunderson, I told him about the federal marshals.

He knows you're up to something.

Ohh.

Why did you tell him?

I wanted to get rid of him.

The fool wouldn't leave.

Why are you telling me this now?

Because I want you to succeed in your plan, Mr. Gunderson.

You need to get out of here.

Now. Why?

He's coming.

Find a place to hide. Where?

I don't want to know.

Why not?

So Bohannan can't get it out of me.

Now listen, no matter what, you must meet that train when it arrive.

The marshals will protect you.

Where is he?

Where is who?

In the myths of my homeland there is a God that go by the name of Loki.

This Loki's the God of chaos.

He causes nothing but trouble everywhere he go.

No matter how hard the other gods try to catch him, the slippery little devil always manages to escape.

You have 3 seconds to tell me where he is.

I honestly do not know.

If I did, I would not tell you.

Go ahead, k*ll me.

I go to my grave happy knowing that I'm the one who'll bring you down.

Just as I thought.

k*lling me does not equate in your moral mathematics.
Eva!

Whoo-ee, darling.

If you ain't slicker than a fine gentleman's snot rag.

[Laughs]
[Chuckles]

You ain't looking too shabby your ownself, gal.

Thank you.

Where'd you get that pretty thing?

Mrs. Bell gave it to me.

What you doing out here?

They're building the town.

A real town.

I've been on the move for as long as I can remember.

Since before them Indians took me.

I was thinking it might be nice for us to, you know, settle down.

What you mean?

Well, we're getting hitched, so why not settle down like a proper man and wife and raise a family.

Getting hitched?

Like we talked about.

I ain't never said nothing about getting hitched.

But I... I thought the other day you said you wanted me to be yours.

I do.

Well, I thought that meant...

I just ain't thought things out that far.

And I sure as hell ain't staying in no Podunk railroad town.

Look at me. Huh?

When they freed me, I ain't have a penny to my name, Eva.

Now I work for Mr. Thomas Durant himself.

Oh, I see.

For the first time in my life, I got money in my pocket.

My money in my pocket.

Might be looking at some kind of real future.

Without me.

No.

I want it with you.

What, as your private whore?

[Music playing, indistinct chatter]

Ahh, yes, good to see you.

[Indistinct chatter]

Imagine it.

A journey that now takes 6 months would be cut to 7 days.

7 days. It boggles the mind.

You will be able to spend Christmas in New York and...

New years in San Francisco.

Gentlemen, I give you Mrs. Lily Bell.

Ma'am. Mrs. Bell.

[Woman cheering]

Man: There's room on the dance floor.

How you been, Miss Eva?

Mr. Toole.

Are you not waiting for Mr. Ferguson?

No, I am not.

Well, if I'm not overstepping me bounds, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?

I'm sorry, Mr. Toole, I don't much feel like dancing right now.

I understand.

Thank you, ma'am.

Mr. Toole.

There was a time out in the frontier with Robert when I wondered if this beautiful landscape might not be better unspoiled.

Part of me still wonders that.

But after seeing all these people working so hard to build this road, after understanding the sheer audacity of this American endeavor, well, I see now there truly is greatness in it.

To Lily Bell, the fair-haired maiden of the west.

Cheers. Hear, hear.

[Horse nickers]

[Chickens clucking]

[Man whistles]

You following me?

Oh, no. No, sir.

Just taking the evening air.

What is this?

It's about a payment.

No, not now.

Hey!

Hey! Get your bloody rope off me!

Someone help me. Get your bloody hands off me!

Your bloody hands off me!

[Yelling indistinctly]
Get off!

We're here to collect a debt, Mr. Swede.

You be careful, Irish boy, what you choose to do now, you son of a bitch, you.

Bloody... aah!

Man: How do you like that?

Aah!

Aah! Uhh!

Second man: Bust his head!

Bastard! Get your hands off me, bloody Irish.

[Fabric ripping]

[Grunting and screaming]

Aah! Aah!

Aah! Aah!

[Grunts]

Gah!

[Screaming]

[Thunder]

[Thunder]

[Laughter]

[Men shouting and laughing]

[Music playing]

Would you like to dance, sir?

I'm sure some of these other fellows are much better dancers than me.

But I don't want these other fellows.

[Laughs]

[Indistinct chatter]

[Fireworks popping]

[Snoring]

You'll see a lot of perks working for me, Mr. Ferguson.

Is that right? Mm-hmm.

Excuse me a second.

Ahh.

Elam!

What the hell are you doing with my woman?

Hey, now, Ferguson.

Stop it!

Elam, let him go.

Come on. Elam!

I ain't your woman.

You made that pretty clear.

I didn't make nothing clear. You're still mine.

What, like your property?

I'm staying behind, Elam.

It seems like Mr. Toole has got the same idea.

You and him?

No, there ain't no me and him.

We're just two people who don't want to be vagabonds no more.

I love you, Elam, but I'm tired of being a tramp.

[Crackling]

[Train whistle blows]

[Train whistle blows]

[Music playing]

Excuse. I'm sorry, I'm afraid I need to cut in.

[Train whistle blows]

[Panting]

[Grunting]

[Train whistle blows]

Damn it!

[Click]

We don't have to do this.

I wasn't there, Mr. Bohannan.

You're a liar.

Johnson said the Sergeant strangled my wife.

And I saw the picture.

You was the platoon sergeant.

Not then I wasn't.

You r*ped and m*rder*d my wife.

I wasn't there.

Just admit it.

I can prove it. No.

You have to be him.

I can prove it.

[Both grunting]

[Music playing]

Uhh!

[Grunts]

Uhh!

I...

Uhh!

[Gasping]

Ahh!

[Gasping]

Uhh.

[Sniffles]

[Sniffles]

[Music playing]

Hey.

I've been looking for you.

I seen the marshals back there.

Oh.

You k*lled him?

Yeah.

But he wasn't there.

I k*lled the wrong man.

What's you gonna do now?

♪ This train, it's bound for glory ♪
♪ this train ♪
♪ this train, it's bound for glory ♪
♪ this train ♪
♪ this train, it's bound for glory ♪
♪ don't give it nothing but the righteous and the holy ♪
♪ this train ♪
♪ it's bound for glory ♪
♪ this train ♪
♪ and this train don't carry no liars ♪
♪ this train ♪
♪ and this train don't carry no liars ♪
♪ this train ♪
♪ and this train don't carry no liars ♪
♪ the truth is what the lord desires ♪
♪ this train don't carry no liars ♪

[g*nsh*t]

♪ This train ♪
♪ This train, it's bound for glory ♪
♪ this train ♪
♪ and this train, it's bound for glory ♪
♪ this train ♪
♪ and this train, it's bound for glory ♪
♪ don't give it nothing but the righteous and the holy ♪
♪ this train ♪
♪ it's bound for glory ♪
♪ this train ♪
♪ and this train is bound for glory ♪
♪ this train ♪
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