Original subtitles

But suddenly there's a few too many dark suits in town.

Those new ones are heavyweights, in from Washington.

It's not gambling that brought them in here, Tully.

It's your kid.

My kid hit a federal witness?

Well, that's crazy, Mr. Brimmer.

You're done narrowly, if Kate was better, than a truck stop in Fallon.

Elliot and Tatijan were involved.

That's the second attempt on his life today.

Are you willing to gamble on the next one? A man like Owen Reese.

Gives a few hours of his time.

Helps raise a few bucks.

And he gets an award, eh?

Did I give me anything?

Martin production.

Starring Ephraim Zimbalist Jr.

Also starring Philip Abbott and Shelley Novak.

With guest star John Marley.

Special guest star Anthony Zerbe.

Tonight's episode, Rules of the Game.

Hey, Mr. Reese, what's up? Your father's still here. We're just about to split.

Another couple of minutes, you would have missed him.

Charles Hornack.

What about him? He spent the morning with a U .S. attorney. He's going to

testify.

That's the word of the courthouse.

Can he hurt you?

He can bury me.

Stop by the house and tell Mom I'll be a while.

Tell her I got some...

Drive, Hornak.

June 28th, a young bondbroker, Charles Hornack, who was about to testify

Tully Ladera, a major figure in organized crime, was shot and wounded in

Nevada parking lot.

A parking attendant noted the license number of the getaway car, which was

later that night crushed and twisted on the floor of a rocky canyon. Because of

the brutal shooting of a federal witness, Inspector Lewis Erskine was

to head up the FBI investigation.

The driver's been tentatively identified as Fred Kretschmer.

He's a wheel man runner for the Reno branch of the organization.

What about the other man?

Not a sign of him, Inspector.

Must have been allowed somewhere along the way.

Now, the car is right over here.

Have you talked to Tully Lavera yet?

Yes, late last night.

He's established that he was at a restaurant in Silver Springs at the time

the shooting.

Is there any evidence he might have ordered the head?

No. Not at this point.

Anything new on Hornak's condition?

No, he's still in a coma.

There's been no change.

Yes, Frank, what have you got?

Informant reported that Hornak's assailant is Ladera's son, Steve.

How does he know?

He said that Steve asked him to drive last night. He begged off and suggested

that Steve get Kretschmer to do it. All right. If the latents in the car match

up, call the IRS attorney and get a warrant.

Yes, sir.

What do we know about him, Rudy?

Well, he works for his father's outfit, Superior Finance.

That is, when he works. What about friends?

Well, there's no one to teach him.

Now, to teach him worked for Superior Finance until about six months ago.

Now he's in Las Vegas working for the organization as an enforcer.

I'd say he's one of his closest friends.

He's going to need more than that to get him out of this mess.

Papa,

Mr. Reese is here.

Oren, I was going to call you. Come on in.

Nice to see you, Miss Ladera.

I hope I'm not intruding.

Lawyers always intrude, Mr. Reese. That's their business.

But in this house, they're welcome.

Cara, perhaps Mr. Reese would like some coffee.

Oh, no, no. No, thank you. Not now.

Well, then, will you excuse us, please?

Sit up, eh?

I'm not going to ask you who it was who got me off the hook. All I'm going to

tell you is that I'm grateful.

I'm going to make sure the message gets back.

Don't play games, Tully.

Games? Who's playing games?

Are you playing games?

In case you don't know it, Tully, hitting Hornak was a very unwise thing

Mr.

Brimmer is definitely not pleased.

There's a lot of unhappiness.

You think Mr.

Brimmer thinks that I ordered that hit?

Is that what you're trying to tell me?

I had nothing to do with it. I swear on my daughter. I hope you can convince Mr.

Brimmer. He wants to see you.

You're in a lot of trouble, Tully.

I'm telling you this as a friend.

When does he want to see me?

Two o 'clock.

My office?

The road.

Something else, Tully.

Mr. Brimmer expects that you'll be able to be in touch with Steve.

He wants you to have the kid on top.

What for?

I didn't ask, darling.

Take care.

Oh, enough!

Yes? Who's dumb enough to leave an empty bottle on my desk?

There's plenty more in the storeroom. I'll fill it for you.

I probably did it, Papa, when I was straightening up earlier.

I thought there was still some left.

I'm sorry.

No, no, no, Kara. I'm sorry.

Don't listen to me. I'm just a cranky old man today.

You've got things on your mind, Papa.

You make them better, Kara.

You always do.

You've been a joy to me ever since you were born.

Yes, hello?

Pop, I gotta talk to you. Well, what do you want, an invitation?

No, I mean I gotta see you in private.

All of a sudden, everybody's got a look on my face.

Steve, don't you know I'm in trouble? Don't you read the papers?

Pop, it's about that.

It's important.

Well, uh, I'll meet you at Letters in ten minutes.

Okay, I'll meet you.

Mrs. Ladera, we're with the FBI. I'm Inspector Erskine. This is Special Agent

Daniels. We're looking for your son.

If I see him, I'll tell him.

What do you want him for, jaywalking? Where can we find him?

We tried his apartment.

My son is a grown man.

I don't wash his socks, and I don't ask where he goes. I haven't for years.

Would your husband know where he is? He just left.

Where was he going?

Maybe to the laundry.

I don't wash his socks either.

Hornet could have buried you, Pop. You said so yourself.

What did you do? Dig the hole deeper? I got to break your arm.

Well, I was only trying to help.

You got no head.

All you got is glands.

You got no brain.

I keep asking myself, where did he come from? And I keep answering, where else

but for Mama and me?

But it can't be.

How much is that worth?

Five bucks.

This one?

Same.

Every time?

Every time?

Add them up. How much can you buy?

Now, come on. Tell me, I'm asking you.

Ten dollars worth.

Every time?

Yeah.

Every time.

So how come your mom and me got ten cents worth?

Look, Pop, you want me to go back and finish the guy? Just say the word.

I want you to go down to the safari, get a room, and stay there.

I don't want you to go outside, not even for ice cubes. You understand?

Call me?

I'll call you.

I'll see what the options are and I'll see what kind of move I can make.

I'll call you.

Get out of here.

I'm home free, what'd I tell you?

Hey, Tully.

You're looking good.

So are you, Mr. Brimmer.

How are you?

What do you know, Tull?

Nothing.

acres up here.

Build it up a little, put in a little money, green gets greener, you know what

mean?

But suddenly there's a few too many dark suits in town.

These new ones are heavyweights in from Washington.

It's not gambling that brought them in here, Tully.

It's your kid.

My kid hit a federal witness?

Well, that's crazy, Mr. Brimmer.

Yeah, it's also a fact.

Oh, somebody gave you the wrong tip. I mean, I know my son, and I'm telling you

that... No, Tully, I'm telling you.

Because Steve did what he did, we got problems.

Instead of you doing a lousy prison term while we took care of your family,

spotlights are beginning to zero in on the whole operation.

Now, maybe we can defuse this thing, get out of the glare, but I'm going to need

a little help.

That's why I wanted to talk to you.

You just said a word, Mr. Brimley. You know me, anything.

Your kid's got to take a fall.

The sooner he turns himself in to the cops, the better.

Yeah, sure.

Tully!

How's your little girl?

Tara, she's still sweet as ever, huh?

Never changed.

I was just thinking this morning.

I was thinking to myself, how lucky you are to have her.

I hope you're always that lucky, Tully.

I mean that sincerely.

I'll wait to hear from you.

He was sinking too hard. I could see it.

He's never crossed it before.

Never had to cut his own kid off at the knees before.

I think we need a little insurance.

A little extra.

Steve? What does he know from guns? He's a conscientious objector.

Well, believe me, you better look up his records.

Then it should be simple for him to clear himself.

Well, next time I hear from him, I'll tell him to check in with you.

You can do better than that.

You can call him.

On the weekend, with all the showgirls in town, and he knows every one of them,

it would be crazy to try to even reach him.

Ladera, whether you know it or not, your son's life's in danger.

You better believe it.

One day one of those girls is going to stab him in the back and don't think I

haven't warned him. Did you warn him about Dan Brimmer?

Saul Elliott?

Who are they?

They live here in Reno?

We know you're close to both of them.

You've got no right to dig into the past.

I paid the price years ago, and I've been straight ever since.

100%.

A respected member of this community.

Now, I suggest that you and your friend get off the property and take your

buddies with you.

I'm running out of patience, and I'm running out of time.

You're right.

You may be running out of time.

I want him under 24 hours surveillance.

Isn't it too hot for her to be out there doing that?

She's a healthy young girl. Stop worrying.

Well, you had a couple of visitors right after you left.

FBI.

Just got through with them.

They won't lay in for me.

You already told them you were in Silver Springs. What more do they want?

They were looking for Steve, too.

How come?

What am I, a quiz kid?

Elaine, I've had it with the questions.

I have not had it with the answers. Not when our son's in trouble.

That's something for both of us.

It was Steve who shot Hornak.

He was trying to do me a favor. Instead, he got me in trouble with the boys.

Time in the can. I could have waltzed through that.

How much do the FBI's know?

The FBI knows.

And Brimmer knows.

Steve's got to take a fall.

It's got to be.

Our son in a cage for 20 years?

He'd die.

That can't happen. You can't let that happen.

Brimmer gave the orders. It's got to be.

Do you mean to tell me...

That a man like Dan Brimmer can't fix it to get your son out of the country? If

he wanted it fixed, it would be that way now.

That's what I mean to say.

Well, did he say why he won't do it?

What did you say? Nothing?

The man plays God with your son's life. You don't open your mouth.

Because the man had something to say about Kara's life, too.

Somehow I...

I got the feeling that maybe that was a clue that his mind was made up and he

didn't want to have any discussion.

You think I was wrong, eh?

Give your life to the organization.

Where does it get you?

You have to choose between your children.

It's not right, Tully. It's not right.

Elena!

Five o 'clock plane to San Francisco. You and Kara, get on that plane.

You're going to go visit your cousin Phil for a few days.

You make the reservations.

I'll start packing.

I know it's been only 10, 15 minutes since I called headquarters, but it

longer. I kept thinking how foolish I'd feel if he left before you guys got

here.

He hasn't budged, Lieutenant.

What room's he in?

112. Well, I think I'd better take a look at the register.

Certainly, Lieutenant.

But like I told you on the phone, it's not under the right name.

He does fit the description of the man whose picture I saw in the paper.

You say there's a warrant out for his arrest, huh? So I, uh...

How'd you find me? Your father, you expect, a couple of times. Once for me.

FBI.

Where's Steve Lavera?

Too bad.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Brennan?

Thank you.

Yes?

He's here.

Ask him to come in, please.

This won't take long, will it?

I have no more appointments this afternoon, Mr. Rimmer.

You take all the time you want.

Oh.

Rimmer.

The way we left it, you were going to report back to me.

What happened?

You run into trouble?

Mr. Brim, I feel like I've been sliced right up the middle. This thing you

wanted me to do, I just can't make it.

Steve, he's my son.

Hey.

Hey, Tully.

You think I'm not sliced up the middle, huh?

I mean, you think it was easy for me to ask you a thing like that? Is that what

you think?

Tully, did it occur to you I got my orders, too?

And after we talked, a new word came

down, Tully.

You tell him.

Once your kid snuffed.

Put a couple of boys on it.

Got him at the safari.

He's squeezed out.

There'll be more boy than a three by now.

It's just a matter of time, Tommy.

I've been eating myself out inside.

Weighing what was the best way to tell you. Up front or after it was done.

Decided to lay it on the table.

Knowing you, figured that was the way you'd want it.

A man like Owen Reese gives a few hours of his time, helps raise a few bucks,

and he gets an award, eh?

Do they give me anything?

Do they take me?

No. No, they take from me.

My blood they take, my own son.

Well, I say they can't do this, Mr. Bremer, and you're going to tell them,

hear me?

You know what you're asking?

For me.

You're right.

Tell her you're right.

I'll cry.

And see what I can work.

Vince is taking his neck out for you, Tully.

I hope you realize that.

You got your reward, Tully.

The signal's off.

Get on a horn. Call off the boys.

There's a ship leaving.

Now!

There's a ship leaving Seattle tomorrow morning, 7 a .m.

Stevie's going to be on it. If we can find him.

How, Tully?

Where?

I don't know.

All I can do is sit by the telephone and hope.

Better go back to the house, huh? Let me know as soon as you hear anything.

Unit 1.

Go ahead.

Stand by. The Bureau is calling.

Assistant Director Ward for Inspector Erskine.

Lewis?

Yes, Arthur.

I've just been talking to our Las Vegas office.

Steve's friend, Norm Petigian, just purchased an airline ticket to Reno.

Looks like he's making a move towards Steve.

Ladera rushed his wife and daughter off to San Francisco.

You say rushed?

You suppose he's being pressured to deliver his son to the organization?

Could be.

And I wonder about the Tijan.

You suppose he's going to Reno to back up Steve or to set him up?

We'd better be prepared either way.

What are you doing? What are you, crazy?

Pop said Tartigian was going to meet me.

He didn't say nothing about you.

Look, you can put the gun away.

I have to tell you, the plane's going to be late.

We're afraid you'll be nervous.

I'm plenty nervous, all right.

You guys already tried to snuff me once today.

Your signals are off.

What's it going to take to convince you?

Hey, look, look, look.

You want my gun?

Let me have it.

Okay, it's like this.

If Tartigian doesn't show up in the next five minutes, then I'm going to know

you're setting me up.

And, baby, I'm going to blow your head off.

It ain't going to take five minutes.

No, five minutes is all you've got.

Why don't we call an ERP? Hey, relax.

We're going to sit right here.

The plane's in, Inspector.

Finally. And Titian?

Yeah, we've got him under surveillance right now.

He's renting a car.

You know, Stevie, you're a loser.

Yeah. I mean, Mr. Brimmer himself goes and fixes it up so you can get out. And

you go through this.

You should have been.

Set up jumpy

But

my car

He's

got my gun

Give me yours.

What do I use?

Who needed you to drive?

Come on, give it to me.

Move!

You don't have to wait.

Dan's got a plane standing by. Steve will be in plenty of time.

Petitian will be holding his hand. He'll be fine.

Well, of course, the minute I hear.

Okay.

Pitch Carter for me and say hello to Phil.

Mr. Ladera, I've got something to tell you. You've got nothing I want to hear,

Inspector.

Your son narrowly escaped the threat of a truck stop in Fallon.

Elliot and Tatijan were involved.

That's the second attempt on his life today.

Are you willing to gamble on the next one? You know what your problem is,

Inspector? You got my kid mixed up with some other kid. My boy wouldn't go near

a truck stop. It's not his style.

Ladera, your son has got a number on him, and playing games won't save him.

You've got to work with us.

Can't you understand that?

I can't help you.

I've been on the other side too long.

Look, just tell us where he might be. That's all you have to do.

We'll take it from there.

Well, if I talk to Steve, I'll explain his options to him. In the meantime,

me room to maneuver.

Remember, there ain't going to be any lies this time. This time you're going

do it.

The contract on Steve, you're going to call it off now.

It's like Tully's getting too large for the organization. If I die, I want his

wife and his daughter hit.

They're staying with Phil Ross at 1420 Fairview Drive in San Francisco. And

after that job's done, I want you to hit the Stevie boy and then Tully.

Got that?

Yeah.

Call back in two minutes.

Your move, Tully.

Bye.

I'm not finished yet.

About the contracts.

No, it's still out.

Yeah. But now it's yours.

You make the hit, Tully.

Make it good.

He's heading southwest in the direction of Congress Center.

The seat is planned.

Unit 1 to all units, emerge toward Liman Bridge.

I got to tell you, it sure is good to see you.

I'm glad you're here when I called. It's sure good to see your friendly face.

You know, I was beginning to think that... Pop, what are

you doing?

What do they want?

That's not everything I knew.

There's no way to change it.

I'm a pop. I'm your son.

Steve!

It's either you or Mama and Kara.

You mean it's Kara, don't you?

Mama never mattered to you, and I don't. I never have.

It's always been Kara, hasn't it, Pop?

Steve, I've got to do it.

Oh, no, Pop, don't.

Please don't. No, Kara.

No, Pop.

I should have kicked you out of the house years ago.

You were never anything but trouble.

No.

Steve, I had no choice.

You sold me out before I was born.

You sold Mama and Kara out, too.

I've got no use for you.

In fact, I've got nothing left for my father.

Jet's not there.

He blames the organization.

People like him are the organization.

What about you?

No more.

I'm ready to prove it.

Charles Hornack recovered and testified against Tully Ladera for extortionate

credit transactions.

Stephen Ladera was convicted in state court of attempted murder.

Both Laderas furnished testimony against Daniel Brimmer on a series of state and

federal charges.

Saul Elliott and Brimmer's gunmen were convicted of assaulting federal