Original subtitles

MS. VAUGHN: Come on, class, this way. Filing in.

-Stay together. Stay together. -Come on in, guys.

Filing in.

Hands to ourselves, right?

All right.

(hums)

-Come on in, guys, come on in. -(alarm blaring)

STUDENT: What's that?

Uh, okay, everybody, we need to evacuate.

STUDENT 2: What's happening?

Grab your buddy, head back to the bus.

Eyes and ears open in the parking lot, please.

MS. VAUGHN: Following out this way, guys.

Eyes and ears open, everyone.

-Following Mr. Brooks. -There we go.

-MS. VAUGHN: Stay calm. -MR. BROOKS: Good job.

Good job, guys. That's okay.

Eyes and ears open. There you go.

Find your buddy.

STUDENT 3: Are we in danger?

MR. BROOKS: Okay,

Knox, Carrie,

Sawyer...

Peter, where's Alex?

I don't know.

Has-has anyone else seen Alex come out?

Last I saw him,

he was inside exploring ecosystems.

He was with you, right?

Yeah, okay.

Um, uh, I'll go back in and look.

You stay here with the kids.

Uh, all right. Um, Oliver, go on in.

(alarm continues)

-(alarm stops) -ANNOUNCER: ...almost any other dinosaur it wanted,

which was a good thing because T. rex moved very quickly.

Some scientists estimate that while transitioning

from youth to adulthood, T. rex could grow in size...

ALEX: Hello? Is anybody here?

...per year.

Tyrannosaurus rex,

whose name means "king of the tyrant lizards..."

-Whoa. -...is perhaps the most famous

and most feared dinosaur of all.

T. rex ruled what is now the Western United States

during the late Cretaceous Period...

* *

COLTER: All right, Reenie,

I'm a few minutes out.

Parents are Sara and James Clark.

Referral came from a client of mine.

-How long has Alex been missing? -Oh, gosh.

Almost five hours now.

Case like this, big police presence.

Well, the detective knows you've been hired on.

I mean, the parents are throwing everything they've got at it.

Can you imagine? Alex is only eight years old.

Yeah, okay. I'll keep you posted. Thanks, Reenie.

Okay.

(phone beeps)

(indistinct radio chatter)

-Sara Clark? -Yeah.

Thank you for getting here so fast.

You want to catch me up to speed?

Police initially thought Alex wandered off and got lost,

but it's been over five hours.

You think someone might have taken him?

We don't know what else to think.

My husband James, that's what he thinks.

Where's James?

Inside with the lead detective.

Look, he's... he's really worked up

and I'm worried he's gonna get in the way of the search.

Let's see what we can find out.

You have nothing? How is that acceptable?

Five hours and you have absolutely nothing,

so don't-don't tell me to stand down.

We are doing everything that we can to get you your son back.

Are you? Because it doesn't look like that to me.

And the school--

How does this happen?

I understand, this is a stressful situation,

but you have to let me and my officers

-do our job and-- -I swear to God,

if anything happens to my kid as a result

-of your incompetence... -SARA: James.

-I will make sure... -He's here.

COLTER: Hey.

Finally,

someone who might actually do something.

Colter Shaw.

Detective Monroe, lead investigator.

The Clarks told me of your possible involvement.

Look, I know this is a little out of the ordinary.

A child is missing. I'll take any help I can get.

It's good to meet you, Shaw.

COLTER: Thank you.

Considering how long Alex has been missing,

maybe he's outside your initial search grid.

I've been saying that.

And I just widened it. We're also in the process

of interviewing staff, teachers, patrons,

combing through all the security footage.

Cameras didn't catch anything?

We have him at the wetlands exhibit

but that was before the fire alarm was pulled.

After that, we lose him.

-Unbelievable. -James, that's not helping.

MONROE: It's okay.

We've been over this.

The surveillance software is old.

Okay? There were six field trips leaving at once.

It's hard to tell one kid from another.

All right. How'd the alarm get tripped?

Someone pulled it.

Yeah, happens more than you'd think with kids.

You mind if I take a look around?

Please.

Thank you.

So you see what I've been dealing with.

SARA: They say they're doing

-everything they can. -COLTER: They have to do

-everything by the book. -They wasted the entire morning

on a bogus theory

that Alex ran off and got himself lost.

One of his teachers would've found him by now.

You talked to his teachers?

I did. Mr. Brooks. He ran back inside

the instant that he realized Alex was missing,

so five, ten minutes

before he realized, but-but still.

-Is Mr. Brooks still here? -SARA: No.

Police sent him home to clear the way for the search team.

Hmm.

Listen, I know this is impossible

for you to think about right now.

Every little detail helps.

Can you think of anything like

personality-wise, any changes in Alex's behavior recently?

I mean, he's eight, so...

I haven't noticed anything unusual.

How about anyone new in his life?

Your lives?

I... I can't think of anyone.

No.

No one.

Who could do this to our baby?

Hey, come here.

Look, if there's anything you can do, just do it.

I mean, the police are trying to handle us, obviously,

but I'm not gonna stop looking for my kid.

I'm not either. You have my word.

* *

Okay.

So, this was the last place your son was seen.

Yeah, and then he went this way, according to the police.

Okay, okay.

Police check the staff areas?

Yeah. I mean, they said they looked everywhere,

but he can't have gone in there, right?

-It's locked. -Maybe he was with an employee.

TIM: So, the loading dock is right down here.

COLTER: And what's your job here?

TIM: I'm the exhibit manager,

but I wasn't here this morning.

So, who has access to this area?

Anyone who works here.

(door closes)

COLTER: Did the police search this area?

TIM: No. I don't think so.

JAMES: That's the school mascot.

The Alligators. They-they, they give those stickers

to kids on field trips.

Maybe Alex was wearing this one and it fell off.

You think Alex was out here?

I think maybe he was. Question is why.

Oh, my God, someone took him.

Yeah, somebody who, uh, knows where the cameras are,

knows how to avoid them,

somebody with the employee passcodes.

This is a janitorial area.

Who was working here this morning?

Custodian of record is Sylvia Sloane.

She clocked out early, right after the fire alarm went off.

I need you to check and see if she's got a record.

On it. So, you think she took Alex?

-It's possible. -Okay. Okay.

Yep. Couple minor drug charges,

and a divorce earlier this year.

Court filings say that Dad got full custody after he claimed

Sylvia had a psychotic episode.

How old are the kids?

Six and eight. Two boys.

Oldest is the same age as Alex.

Can you send me an address?

-On its way. -(phone whooshes)

(phone vibrates)

What did you find out from the detective?

JAMES: They never questioned Sloane.

She's "on their list," apparently,

but they haven't gotten around to it.

Okay. I got an address. I'm heading there now.

-Okay, I'm coming with you. -No, you're not.

-No, please... -That's not how I work.

Listen, Alex is a sensitive kid.

He's-- he gets overwhelmed easily,

he doesn't like loud noises.

I don't know what state he's gonna be in,

and I really want to be there when you find him.

Yeah. Yeah, okay, all right.

-Thank you. -But you hang back, all right?

-You let me engage? -Understood. I'm good.

Let's go.

MEL: Hey. You got a sec?

-Yeah, what's up? -Well, I just need a favor.

It's nothing illegal.

Just, uh, need you to look into somebody.

You stalking someone?

Uh, maybe a little. Yeah. (laughs softly)

Hell yeah. Who we got? Ex-boyfriend?

High school queen bee turned MLM recruiter?

Um...

What are you talking about in here?

Mel's stalking somebody.

-(chuckles) -REENIE: Oh, and look at me,

just doing a boring deposition this morning.

-Tell me more. -Well, it's-it's actually for you, Reenie.

-It's for the Praiter and Rockwell real estate case. -Eh.

-Wait, did Maxine send an email? -No, no.

I was just combing for-for potential witnesses.

Like, uh, chat forums and Yelp reviews,

-that kind of stuff. -Smart.

-Did someone turn up? -Yes.

Um, there's a man named Kurtis Lauper.

He claims that he was fired from Praiter and Rockwell

because of retaliation for whistleblowing.

His name doesn't ring a bell.

Well, yeah, it's 'cause it wasn't on Maxine's list

of potential witnesses, but he worked on-site

at the Elk Run Canyon development project.

The same project as Simone Arthur.

The witness who died of cancer.

MEL: Yeah. So, one week

after Lauper posted online about unsafe working conditions,

-they fired him. -Well, he sounds like someone we would want to talk to.

Why wasn't he on the list?

-I don't know. -RANDY: It says here

he did a three-week stint at a psychiatric hospital.

Could've been that.

Yeah, maybe they questioned

the competency of the witness.

Well, mental illness doesn't make someone incompetent

to testify.

No, but it gives opposing counsel

an argument for unreliability.

But you're right.

We shouldn't write off a credible witness

because he got the courage to get treatment.

He's got an address in town.

-Send it to me. -You got it.

Good work, Mel.

Yeah.

You got kids?

No.

Well, I'll tell you,

before it happens, you just think...

"I'm gonna be the one that gets this right."

And then, all of a sudden,

you got this amazing kid and you love him like crazy,

but the part they don't tell you is...

...there's just no manual, no instructions.

Just figure it out.

Do the best you can.

I think the main part is loving them.

Yeah, that's part of it.

But...

...truth is, I just haven't been around as much as I should be.

Just work and... you know.

And my dad...

same thing.

And man, I swore

I would never be like him.

-I think you're doing everything the right way. -No.

(sighs)

Not good enough.

Listen, remember the plan. You stay here, okay?

-I don't know what I'm gonna find in there. -Yeah, copy that, but just...

If I find anything at all-- anything-- I'll let you know.

-All right? You have my word. -Yeah.

* *

*

(sighs)

(exhales)

Sylvia.

Are you Sylvia Sloane?

Yeah.

Where's Alex?

Alex? What the hell are you talking about?

-My son. -Wait, who are you?

What'd you do with him?

-Hey. Hey, pal. -What?

She says she doesn't know what you're talking about.

-No, she knows exactly what I'm talking about. -Hey, whoa.

-Easy, man. -My boy. Where'd you put my boy?

What the hell is wrong with you?!

SYLVIA: Oh, my God! Mike!

-(shouts) -SYLVIA: Mike! Mike!

Stop! Mike! Stop!

-Mike! -Hey, stop!

-Mike. Mike, Mike. -Get back, get back, get back.

Get back, get back. Come on, come on. Hey, hey.

-Back up, come on. Calm down, calm down. -Mike.

-Mike. -Take him.

Hey. Hey. Look at me, look at me.

SYLVIA: Oh, my God, what the hell is wrong with that guy?

He came up out of nowhere.

-COLTER: Are you okay? -Yeah, I'm okay.

-Okay. Make it to your feet? Slow. -Sure.

-I told him to chill, but he came at me! -Stay back! Stay back.

Go inside, Mike, please.

-Yeah, go inside. -Please, go back to the house.

I've got this. Go on.

-What the hell? -His son is missing. We're looking for him.

He disappeared from the science center this morning.

JAMES: Why'd you leave...

why did you leave before the police had a chance

-to question you? -Okay. Calm down.

-Are you a cop? -COLTER: I'm not a cop, no.

I'm not a cop. This is, uh...

this is his son Alex.

He's the same age as your older son.

How do you know that?

I also know you lost custody.

What does that have to do with anything?

You think I took him? Are you kidding me?

If you came here to gaslight me like my ex-husband,

-I swear to God... -No. We're not...

We're looking for the truth.

-That's all. -The truth is I was

a stay-at-home mom with no income,

and my husband left me

and I had no way to fight him in court.

Okay? So, I threw a brick through his window.

I'm not proud of it, but I'm paying for it now.

That is why I'm working this crappy job.

-I'm trying to get my kids back. -So is he.

That's what we're doing here. (stammers)

We think that Alex left the science center

through the janitorial area.

Did you, did you see anything? Anything at all?

Yeah, I think I saw him with his teacher.

Can you describe this teacher?

I don't know, six feet,

brown hair, glasses, maybe.

-Mr. Brooks? -He didn't give me his name.

He said they got turned around

and he asked to use the employee exit.

-Did you open that exit for him? -Yeah.

I didn't think anything of it.

Everybody was evacuating.

The kid seemed fine.

-You see where they went? Which way? -No.

Look, the fire alarm went off half an hour

before my shift ended, and so, I clocked out early.

They were gone by the time I left.

Okay. Thank you.

Thank you. Sorry about the, uh...

-I'm sorry. I'm-- really... -It's okay.

-I'm so sorry. -Come on, let's go.

That sound like, uh, Alex's teacher?

Mr. Brooks? Yeah, yeah, it's got to be.

He ever show any, um, extra attention towards Alex?

He used to tutor him after school.

Son of a bitch. How could I not see it?

We need to find this guy.

Yeah, he doesn't live far from here.

Got it. Okay.

-Let's go. -Listen to me, listen to me.

You send me that, okay? You stay here, right over here.

-Wait for the EMTs. -Yeah, I-I...

-Yeah? -I'm done getting in the way.

Okay. I'll let you know if I find anything, okay?

-Thank you. -(truck door opens)

Mr. Lauper, my name is Reenie Greene.

I-I just need a minute of your time.

(lock clicking)

Hi. Uh, Kurtis Lauper?

-Reenie Greene. -You with the city?

Already told you people, it's my land,

-I'm within my rights to... -No, no, no.

I-I'm not with the city.

I'm an attorney. I'm looking for witnesses

to testify in a lawsuit

against Praiter and Rockwell Properties Group.

-Not interested. -Uh, if I could just

walk you through a few of our findings...

I said no.

Mr. Lauper... (sighs)

...your participation would help a lot of people.

That's exactly what all the other ones said.

I'm done with the lies.

Now, if you could please just go away

and leave me be?

(chuckles)

With all due respect, um...

what lies?

And who exactly do you think that I work for?

KURTIS: I'll give you one minute.

REENIE: Secret tunnels under

the Denver Airport?

Some people claim it's an Illuminati hub.

Not sure I believe that,

but there are hidden messages in the architecture.

Everyone knows that.

Huh.

Very... interesting.

I know what you're thinking.

Crazy old man, right?

Actually, I was...

thinking it sounds like I need to look into the Denver Airport.

I can send you some links.

I would like that very much.

Um...

Can you maybe tell me a little bit about this?

If you ask Praiter and Rockwell,

pulmonary fibrosis runs in my family.

And if I was asking you?

Uh, you were the project manager

at the Elk Run Canyon housing development, right?

You think maybe

that has something to do with this?

Breath was getting shorter when I started moving dirt.

Overseeing the subcontractors,

I was at the site, uh, 12 hours a day.

Then the cough started.

I didn't pay it any attention...

...but it didn't go away.

At one point, I thought they were swapping insulation

for contaminated products,

you know, t-to save some money.

But there was other stuff.

I've been compiling evidence for years.

They offered me money.

Big money. And other things.

Everyone else broke, but not me.

Uh, what happened when you said no?

They made me look insane.

How so?

They had doctors...

...their doctors,

telling me that my health problems

were in my head.

They told my family that I was paranoid, delusional.

And when everyone started believing them,

I did feel nuts.

That's when my ex-wife had me committed.

My team just needs to review the files.

Okay? Corroborate them.

Y-You, you can't take those,

if that's what you're asking.

You know you don't need to fight this alone anymore, right?

I am more than willing to go to war for you with this.

But in order to do that, I need you to trust me.

I can't erase what that company did...

...but I can make them answer for it.

*

*

*

(paper shuffles)

(camera clicking)

(phone whooshes)

* All around the mulberry bush *

* The monkey chased the weasel... *

Where are we going?

* Pop goes the weasel. *

(indistinct radio chatter)

Alex's teacher Mr. Brooks?

Definitely has an interest in him.

-We've got enough to put out an Amber Alert. -Car's not here,

-so they're on the move. -We've looped in

state police and highway units.

Good. Did you interview Mr. Brooks?

Yeah, this morning. He was helpful.

Stuck around to help canvass. I didn't think twice.

Well, if he would've left right away,

it would've put a target on his back, right?

Now, look, Alex's dad said that Alex was scared

of loud noises, so here's what I'm thinking.

The alarm goes off, Mr. Brooks grabs Alex,

takes him someplace quiet, says, "It's safe, stay put..."

Walks back in to play the panicked teacher.

-There you go. -That's good work, Mr. Shaw.

-Thank you. -(phone vibrating)

-Randy, talk to me. -RANDY: Check this out, bro.

Brooks's car is parked on Alex's street.

-It's been there for a while. -What about the phone?

Last ping was a tower near his house.

Why snatch the kid

and then take him back to his own neighborhood?

One way to find out.

* *

(distant clattering)

COLTER: Hi.

Hi. I, um...

I was on my way to get James. They discharged him. I...

I thought you were looking for Mr. Brooks?

I am. That's his car.

SARA: Why would he be here?

I don't know.

Who lives here?

SARA: A man named Noah Rossi.

-How well do you know him? -Um...

We're pretty close, as far as neighbors go.

He's, um, he's widowed, so we invite him over.

Nice guy. He's been teaching Alex to play chess.

About six feet tall, brown hair, glasses?

Yeah. Why?

-You're scaring me. -A science center employee

said that she saw Alex with a man matching that description,

claimed to be his teacher.

Wh... that was Mr. Brooks, right?

-I... (chuckles) -I don't know, look...

Mr. Brooks was going through Alex's art, right?

Look what Alex drew. That's that house, isn't it?

Alex likes him.

He-he sees him all the time.

He's just drawing what he knows. (chuckles)

You don't think Noah would...

Oh, my God.

-You think Alex is there now? -Come with me.

-Uh, stay behind me. Come on. -Okay.

(dog barking)

(doorknob jiggling)

Stand back.

SARA: Oh, my God.

Is that blood?

I got something here.

-(grunts) -SARA: What is that?

Brooks's phone.

W-Were they working together?

No, I don't...

-I don't think so. -(sniffles)

No, look, uh...

So, Brooks was going through your son's artwork, right?

He's trying to figure out who took him.

He saw this house, he came here.

Rossi must have let him in, there was a confrontation.

What if he hurt Alex?

I don't think he did. L-Look.

The game, crossword, the ice cream.

He's trying to keep up appearances.

Teacher got in the way.

* *

*

* *

Come take a look at this.

SARA: That's Alex's room.

(gasps)

(exhales)

He wasn't just watching your son, he was...

spending time with you, gaining your trust.

How did I not see this?

(crying softly)

Hey.

Look at me.

We'll find your son.

Okay, thanks.

Detective Monroe's on her way.

About ten minutes out.

(Sara crying softly)

This is my fault.

I let this monster in, into our house, I...

I trusted him with my son. My baby.

No, no, no. Hey, no. No.

The most important thing is we focus on finding your son, okay?

Can you think of anywhere that Rossi might have taken him?

Does he have, uh, any other properties?

I-I don't know.

Give me one second.

(line ringing)

Randy, hey, listen.

Can you run a background check on a Noah Rossi?

Alex's neighbor.

Think he was working with the teacher?

Uh, it doesn't look that way.

I think the teacher was a complication.

He found out that, uh, Rossi took Alex,

he came here to confront him, things went sideways.

Damn.

Yeah. Signs of a-a struggle here.

I think maybe the teacher got hurt.

Rossi might've taken them both.

Yeah, neighbor guy is sus as hell.

Dodgy record, moved around a lot.

Looks like he comes from money, but get this.

Someone reported him for loitering

outside of a preschool.

Got a citation, paid a fine,

but nothing landed on his record.

You trace where he is now?

Yeah.

(exhales) Okay, his phone's off.

Last place it was pinged was his house.

Must have gone analog.

Yeah, but, uh...

Looking at a digital photo frame right now.

Can you use my location to hack into it?

Let me see what I can do.

-I'm in. -Uh, well, I'm looking

at a picture right now

of Rossi at a cabin.

Looks like marshland.

Yeah, give me a sec.

Okay. It was taken at Horicon Marsh.

There's only one property in the vicinity.

-Who owns it? -I'm on it, I'm on it.

It's his father. Harlin Rossi.

But he lives in a retirement home in Shorewood.

It's got to be where he took him. All right.

Send me the address.

(music playing over TV)

(laughs)

How's that? That okay?

Should I call my mom?

Ah, your mom? She's still, uh,

she's still stuck at work, right?

But...

...you know, I bet that your mom

would not let you watch TV this late at night.

Huh?

-No. -Yeah.

So, you know, we're having fun.

You know, um, we could play a video game later.

Yeah.

Okay.

Let's do it.

Now you just, uh...

cozy on in there, and...

I'm just gonna go and, uh,

get something from the car, okay?

Okay.

* *

Hey, go on. You watch your show.

Don't move from there.

*

(exhales)

(grunts)

(screaming)

(both grunting)

(choking)

(bone snaps)

(yelling)

(Rossi panting)

Alex.

Alex.

Alex!

You come back here, boy.

You come back here!

Alex...

Alex!

(panting softly)

Look at me, look at me.

(grunts, coughs)

Where's Alex?

-He ran. -Where'd he go?

-That way. -Okay.

Take a look at this.

Okay, keep pressure on that.

You got lucky. It's not deep.

I'm calling 911. You keep them on the line.

All right? You tell them exactly where you are.

Nice, easy breaths. You're gonna be okay.

* *

* *

ROSSI (distant): Alex!

Alex!

(crickets chirping)

(singsongy): Alex...

(Alex breathing heavily nearby)

Hey, buddy.

(Alex whimpering softly)

ROSSI (whispers): It's okay.

Not to scare you.

(chuckles) Yeah?

That was scary, right?

I was scared, too.

But listen, noth-nothing's gonna happen.

Nothing bad's gonna happen.

Nothing bad's gonna happen.

It's okay.

(softly): It's okay.

There's nothing to be scared of now.

(both grunting)

-(bone cracks) -Oh!

(panting)

Alex, turn away.

* *

(grunts)

(Colter panting)

Alex, it's okay, son. You can open your eyes.

You're safe.

You're safe now. My name's Colter.

Your parents hired me to come help you.

They're on their way here.

You're gonna see them real soon, okay?

-(siren wailing) -We can wait here for them.

I can take you to them, if you like.

It's your choice.

But you're safe now.

("This Isn't Helping" by The National playing)

(sirens wailing)

* *

(indistinct chatter)

MONROE: Good?

Hey. Rossi's about a hundred yards out.

-Signs of injuries? -No.

Stay with him. Get him to medical.

Hey. Alex.

He's got you, Alex. You're safe.

* Whenever you look down... *

Be careful.

-Alex! -COLTER: There we go.

-Mom! -There you go. There you go.

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God. I'm so sorry, baby.

JAMES: Are you okay? Is he okay?

Is he okay?

He's okay.

(laughs)

-(crying softly) -JAMES: Okay.

Thank you.

* And now I'm here kicking myself *

* To keep from crying... *

She was looking around and, I know, my assistant dug him up.

We looked at him during early discovery, but...

But he seemed unreliable?

That's by design.

Look, this goes far beyond cutting corners now.

Okay, we are talking about covering up

potential wrongful death.

Extortion, witness intimidation, obstruction of justice.

Alleged.

Maxine, my gut tells me that he's telling the truth.

Well, at this point, I just assume

everyone's full of it.

Especially men.

Nonetheless, it's worth a look.

Okay.

We will trust your gut.

Good.

I'll have Mel set it up.

* Maybe in time *

* We can give it one more try... *

Hey. How we feeling?

Fine. How's Alex?

He's okay. He's gonna be good, thanks to you.

I should've called the police sooner.

I just, I didn't really know anything.

Just had a hunch based on Alex's drawings in my class.

Went to his parents to talk about it.

That's when I saw that yellow door.

Well, you did the right thing.

You have great instincts.

Very brave, by the way.

So, all this looks like, uh, kids are missing you, huh?

You know, heal fast. Get back there soon, will you?

-Okay. -All right.

-Colter. Hey. -Hey.

How's everyone holding up?

Well, we survived the night.

Sara's never gonna let that kid out of her sight ever again,

-but who could blame her? -Right.

I just came to check on Brooks, and give you this...

-Thank you. -It doesn't even

come close to thanking you for what you did.

I'm just glad Alex is safe and back home.

Yeah, um...

I wanted to apologize.

-Don't worry about it. -Nah, you--

-I let my temper get in the way. -Your kid was missing.

Right? So, given the circumstances,

-I think you're justified. -I wanted you to know,

I-I'm gonna take some time off and spend it with Alex.

Maybe teach him to fish.

Yeah? I like that.

I'm gonna be there for him more.

So, thank you.

You got a second chance with him.

Not a lot of dads get that, so...

...take care of it, okay?

-You bet. -All right.

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