(New York City Apartment, 2:57 PM) (In the study, a man looks at a computer screen and on the screen reads:) Displayed: "You are being watched. The government has a secret system. A machine that spies on you every hour of every day. I know because I built it. I designed the machine to detect acts of terror but it sees everything. Violent crimes involving ordinary people, people like you. Crimes the government considered irrelevant. They wouldn't act so I decided I would. But I needed a partner."
(A man enters the study holding a doughnut and sits down in one of the old chairs. And he looks at the man at the computer screen and says) Man 2: Any leads today? Man 1: No, nothing came through. I'm just looking at something: give me a minute. (The man at the computer screen continues reading what's on his screen) Displayed: "But I needed a partner." (The man in the chair finishes his doughnut) Man 2: That was good. I needed that. Just enough indulgence. (The man at the laptop turns around and exclaims) Man 1: Mr. Reese, please, this is important, and frankly won't take long. Just reading something, but I need silence for a moment. Man 2: Sorry, Finch, I just - fine, my lips are sealed. And well fed, frankly.
(Cast: Michael Emerson as Harold Finch and Jim Caviezel as John Reese) Displayed: "But I needed a partner. Someone with the skills to intervene. Hunted by the authorities - " (A woman walks in with a doughnut and takes a seat next to Mr. Reese and eats her doughnut and says) Woman: Reese, how did I not know about this doughnut shop? I mean, heavenly! (Reese puts his finger to his lips to silence her) Reese: Finch is working on something and needs silence. (She chuckles and nods)
(Cast: Special Guest Star Taraji P. Henson as Joss Carter) (Finch continues looking at the screen and it reads:) Displayed: "Hunted by the authorities, we work in secret. You'll never find us. But, victim or perpetrator, if your number’s up, we'll find you." (He continues looking at the screen, while Reese and Carter sit in silence before finally - ) Carter: Is everything alright, Finch? I brought you a doughnut. Buy one, get one? (Finch looks at the words on the screen and says - ) Finch: Like I buy one from you and you manifest another one? Or you bought one, and you have another, which was free, and you're giving me that free one? (Carter stands up and walks over to him and holds out the donut) Carter: You think too hard, guy. (Finch takes the doughnut from her and sets it on the table) Finch: Thanks. (Carter sits back down) Reese: So, what's on the screen, Finch? Something important? A death in the family or something? Finch: Something like that, Mr. Reese. (Finch turns to Carter) Finch: Thanks for the doughnut. Carter: You're not gonna eat it, are you? Finch: You're very perceptive, Officer. Once the gift is given, I have the freedom to do what I want with it. I'll eat it when the mood strikes me. (A beat.)
(Another man walks in and sits down in a third chair) (Finch looks at him, and - ) (Reese looks at him, and - ) (Carter looks at him and says - )
Carter: Can we help you? Man 3: Yes. You can. That's why I'm here. (The third man takes a device from his pocket, a vape of some sort, and takes a long puff and holds it and exhales a plume of vapor) Reese: What can we help you with? The third man: A project I'm working on. Finch: What is the nature of this project? Does it have to do with the Machine? Reese: Finch - 3rd Man: In a way. It involves a lot of things actually. But, uh, just a question: when was the last time you actually got a number? Finch: It's been a while actually. Reese: Quite a while. Carter: I mean, I can't honestly remember the last time I was even here. Man III: Exactly. But, uh - ok. (Man three takes out his cell phone and types something in. And he clicks "send" and then Finch's computer lights up.) Man "...": Take a look. (Finch turns around to the computer, connected to the Machine, and there pops up, over the text he was writing, a social security number and the face of The Third Man) (Finch turns around) Finch: How did you - ? Man (Triangle Symbol): Oh, that? That's easy. I just googled "(My SSN) "I am in trouble."" That's it really. I mean, like you said, you guys haven't had a case in a long time, and given the nature of tech and the way it evolves, at an ever increasing rate. You know, sometimes you just have to give things a little push. And the system is getting better all the time. So, the push is getting less and less to trigger something. (Reese merely looks at Man (Red, Blue, Yellow)) Carter: How did you know we were here? Man (Red, Green, Blue): That's a bit problematical to explain. Reese: Try me. Man (Red, Green, Blue, not-Yellow): Alright. Uh, well, you guys have done a lot. I've watched your work for a long time to a certain extent, so I just... kind of collected the data and extrapolated and used AI and kind of imagined where you'd be. I mean, this is kind of your usual haunt, so it made sense. I also figured, well, they're in a sort of retirement now, so... I'll just show up. The weird thing is, I figured you guys would constantly have your doors locked. Especially to this place. But, I guess, retirement has a way of relaxing people. Reese: You'd be surprised. Man: (White, Gray, Black): Well, yeah, I was surprised by the fact that your door was unlocked. Finch: Most people don't know but we operate on a pretty open door policy. Especially after some things that indeterminately occurred. Carter: Finch - Man: (White, Grey, Black): *British Accent* What sorts of things, specifically? Reese: Finch - (Finch looks at The Third Man for a moment and considers) Carter and Reese: Finch! (Finch continues looking at The Third Man) Finch: You want us to go somewhere with you, don't you? Man (Uranium, Thorium, Radium): Yes. Finch: Where? Man: (Lead-206, Lead-208, Lead-214): Your closet in the hall. (Finch, Reese and Carter look at one another) Carter: The closet? Man: Yes. Carter: Why? Man (Trinity): Have a little faith. We'll just step into the closet, one by one, and then... well, you'll see that Something Happened. (Finch looks at him as he says this and then gets up and goes to one of his many bookshelves and picks up a book and brings it back to The Third Man) Finch: Why did you say that? Man (Innocence, Loopholes, Guilt): Say what? Finch: Why did you say that! Man: (Daguerrotype, Photography, Silent Film): To provoke you. Finch: Provoke me? Man (Talkies, Video, VHS): Yes, provoke you. Finch: Provoke me into what! Man (DVD, Blu-Ray, UHD 4K): Nothing really. Finch: TELL ME! The Third Man: Like I said, just a little push. I intentionally said "Something Happened" to provoke you into picking up the book and... I dunno, uh, getting a little angry. (Finch relaxes slightly) Man: Do you like Heller's work? I mean, Something Happened specifically? Finch: Yes, it's eerily accurate to modern life. Even now. Man (Bob, Son, Regret): And what happens in the book? Finch: What happens? Man (Anger, Surprise, Disgust): Yes, what happened in Something Happened? (Finch looks at him and holds the 1st edition of Something Happened and then says - ) Finch: Uh, nothing really, for the most part. Bob goes about his daily life. He goes to work. He observes his wife and his daughter and his son and various others. For, I dunno, 500 pages or so. About, uh - Man (Detachment, Dispassionateness, Neutrality): The totality of the book, approaching 100%. Finch: Yes. And then - Man: (1000 C, 3000 C, 10000 C): Say it. Finch: Something Happened. The Third Man: Yeah, what? Finch: He, uh... I honestly don't remember exactly. It's been quite a while since I read it. But, uh... (Finch sits down) Finch: His son gets, uh... um, hit by an oncoming vehicle or something. And Bob is for some reason nearby and sees. And comes to his son in the street and grabs him and holds him and thinks his son dead. And his son is still alive. And Bob is elated. And - (Finch looks down and looks at the book and looks at The Third Man) The Third Man: And? Finch: And he's so happy that he hugs his son, and - (Finch looks away) The Third Man: And? Finch: He's so happy and hugging his son that - The Third Man: That? Finch: That, um, that! The Third Man: Yes? Finch: Um... The Third Man: Say it!
Finch: (His voice cracks as he says) He smothers his son to death! (Finch looks down. And Carter looks shocked and looks away. And Reese's mask cracks slightly and he grimaces) The Third Man: Right. (Carter is still looking away and says - ) Carter: What does this have to do with the closet in the hall? (Reese's mask re/assumes a neutral form and he says - ) Reese: What does this have to do with anything really? This... interrogation about this book? The Third Man (Jor-El, Kal-El/Clark Kent, Jason White): Like I said, just a little push. (Reese, Finch and Carter look at one another) Reese: So, just go into the closet one by one, and step in and then what? The Third Man (Brando, Routh, Leabu): Have a little faith. And, uh, leave the book.
(Finch puts Something Happened down on the small table next to him and looks at the cover and stares and stares and stares and then looks back and says - ) Finch: Alright. The Machine pulled you up. So, I mean, given the nature of things, and - (Finch looks back at the book and says - ) Finch: Alright. (Finch looks into the space) Finch: Mr. Reese, you first. Then, you Jocelyn. Then, you, whoever you are. Then, me. The Third Man: Whatever works. (Finch looks at his bookshelves again) Finch: Alright. Let's go. (They all get up and move into the hallway) Finch: Which closet? The Third Man: Reese knows. Reese: What do you mean? The Third Man: Just pick a closet and it'll be the right one. (Reese moves to the closet of his choice and opens the door) Reese: There's nothing here. The Third Man: Just step in. (Reese steps in)
The Third Man: Carter. Go ahead. (Carter steps in)
The Third Man: I guess it's my turn. (The Third Man steps in and
Finch is alone in the apartment and Finch shuffles over to the closet and looks inside and no one is there and he considers and looks back at the study with the interface to the machine and the bookshelves and Something Happened on the table) Finch: Hello? Anyone? Mr. Reese? Jocelyn? (Silence) Finch: Hello? (Silence) Finch: Mr. Reese? (Silence) Finch. Just a little push... (And he hobbles into the closet that Mr. Reese chose and
the apartment is empty) (Time: 3:03 PM)