Original subtitles

I know you're trying to hit those potholes purposely.

[CHUCKLES]

Oh, then wake up, man.

I told you I was gonna pick you up at 6:00.

I didn't get in from Houston till after 3:00.

You know what they say about long distance romances.

What do they say? They're deadly.

Not when you're dating a buyer from Neiman Marcus.

Okay, what did she get you this time?

Check it out, man. A brand spanking new pair of hand-tooled booties.

[CHUCKLES]

Booties. That's right, booties.

I think they're alligator.

No, they're not alligator.

But they are skin that reminds me of a lot of your humor.

What? They're croc. [CHUCKLES]

Get out of here.

They are not crocodile.

What is it?

Is there somebody in there?

[OVER PA] Stop! Texas Ranger!

I'll get it.

I'll meet you at the bottom. All right.

Crocodile pants. I can't keep any.

Hang on, I'm coming.

WALKER: Catch the rope. Hang in there.

Here it comes.

Hang on.

Come on.

[GRUNTS]

Man or a woman? I don't know.

Didn't talk.

Probably in shock, but from the weight I think...

Must be a male, man.

[GRUNTS]

[CHUCKLES]

You're wrong, Trivette. What?

It's a woman. [BOTH LAUGH]

And I think she's in love with you.

[BOTH LAUGH]

I don't believe it.

Oh, God!

[OPENING THEME MUSIC PLAYING]

[COWS MOOING]

Hmm.

Got paralysis,

and abscesses.

Loss of feathers.

Yeah, we'll find out...

We'll find out what did this.

Who is it? Who is it?

A yellow clay.

[RUSTLING]

That you, Gathers?

[ROOSTER CALLING] [ALARM BUZZING]

I've got the shower first, Dad.

Daddy?

Daddy?

Where are you?

[PHONE RINGING]

Good morning, you calling to ask for the shower first?

Daddy, what are you doing out so early?

It isn't even 7:00 yet.

I had to take some samples.

More dung?

I couldn't sleep.

Hey, how about you putting on a stack of flapjacks?

I want lots of butter and I want heavy cream in my coffee this morning.

No way.

It's carrot juice and trail mix for you.

You got an LDL of 380.

That's not a high cholesterol level.

Yeah, if you're a Clydesdale.

Now get home, will you, Daddy?

I worry when you go out alone.

I'm on my way, I'll be there in two shakes.

Okay. I love you, Dad.

I love you too.

[CRASHING]

[YELLING INDISTINCTLY]

[HORN BLARING]

[HORN CONTINUES BLARING]

[GROANS]

Dad?

Daddy?

Daddy, is that you?

[SPUTTERS]

Daddy?

Daddy, are you all right?

Daddy?

Oh, my God!

Daddy?

[SCREAMS] Daddy!

No!

We gotta get me some dry clothes, right now.

What about Old Blue?

Old Blue can get her own clothes.

We're just five blocks from my place,

and then straight to animal control.

WOMAN: [OVER RADIO] Eighty-one, 27, this is dispatch.

Grab that.

Eighty-one, 27, it's Trivette, go ahead.

Got 10-50, a bad one out on 22 and Telford County.

One fatality, Highway Patrol requests back up.

Unable to respond at this time, repeat.

Unable to respond at this time...

This is Walker, we're on it.

Sorry, partner. You'll just have to drip dry.

And grab yourself a breath mint.

I don't need a breath mint. It's the dog.

It's not the dog.

[SIREN WAILING]

TRIVETTE: Oh, my God.

Stay.

[CHUCKLES] What happened? Don't...

Don't ask.

What do you got?

DUI presumptive. I found that in the cab.

ME punched the guy's trache, got a blood level alcohol of 0.25.

THe ID's in the black bag. The guy was a vet.

What is it?

Yellow clay.

So, where's the crowd we're supposed to control?

Over there.

I want his bag, you have no right.

I'm his daughter, now let me through.

How can I help you, ma'am?

You can help me by finding out who killed my father.

You're saying this was a homicide?

I'm saying this is not a drunk driving case.

My father hasn't touched a drop in five years.

Go run a check on Dr. Slade, will you, Billy? You got it.

Look, just let me have his bag and I'll go?

Okay. Thank you.

What makes you think he was murdered?

The way he's been acting the past few days...

He was nervous, afraid.

That's why he went out so early this morning.

Doing what? Taking core samples of the corral field.

He was gonna test the soil.

You know why?

No, he wouldn't say.

Any idea where we can get the soil tested?

Look, Ranger, I may be blonde and daddy's little girl,

but the bag says Slade 'n' Slade on it.

Whoa...

Female assertiveness, one.

Walker, nothing.

Ms. Slade, here... Let me help you, we'll give you a ride back.

Is this your dog?

[CHUCKLES] Uh, no.

You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

Poor thing is severely malnourished.

Come on.

Dog's 100 pounds, easy.

Her coat is filthy. [PANTING]

Looks like she might have distemper.

If I had the strength right now,

I'd call the Humane Society.

I'm sorry. No, it's not my dog.

Come on, we'll give you a lift.

What was that you were saying about female assertiveness?

So, how did you name her?

Who?

The dog.

She's a brindled-colored Dane. Why did you call her Blue?

Because of where we found her, Great Blue Lake.

Checked all over for any more samples.

Nothing. [SIGHS]

Do you know where your father keeps his files?

Cabinet in his study.

Mind if I take a look?

No. Go ahead.

[CHUCKLES]

Well, I'll be danged.

Jenny Slade.

[SCOFFS]

Well, here's the soil profile.

There's iron and aluminum in the leaching zone.

Did you see where it came from?

Yeah, half of east Texas.

It's common roadside dirt.

My father could've been anywhere.

[SIGHS] God, the man was so damn protective.

Ever since...

Ever since what?

My mother died.

I remember her.

All around women's champ, four years straight.

Did she, uh... Yeah.

Back in '83.

She got thrown. [SNIFFLES]

Snapped her spine.

There was brain damage.

Took her six months to die.

I'm sorry.

After that, my daddy just broke.

He fell into the bottle.

But I brought him back.

He's been sober now since '88.

And I swear that man didn't die from drink.

[CRIES]

Come on, shh.

You say something. I believe you.

[SHAKILY] I don't even know if I can continue the practice.

[CONTINUES CRYING]

Okay, now, this is it. You've gone through 10 pounds of stewed beans.

Get out of here.

The dog's a leviathan.

She's still a pup.

Just over half her natural weight.

She's good for another 75 pounds.

Hey, remind me to call my broker so we can buy dog food.

Here, this is for her distemper.

She takes one, nights and mornings. Whoa!

Suppositories.

[PHONE RINGING]

Ally Slade. CONNIE: [OVER PHONE] Honey, this is Connie Ty.

Put your father on, honey. I got an emergency here. [HORSE GRUNTS]

I'm sorry. He's...

Uh, can I help you, what's wrong?

My prized cutting horse is having some kind of convulsions.

I don't know.

Look, um, I'd like to help you, but...

I...

I can't just now...

I'm just... Here. Here.

Hello. Ranger Walker. Ranger what?

Look, I need some help here, I've got an emergency.

She'll be right there.

Okay... [HORSE NICKERS]

Hey...

Wait a minute, how am I supposed to do that?

I can't...

I can't even get over there. I don't have a truck.

Well, now you do. [SIGHS]

Listen, there's something my Uncle Ray used to say.

When you're hurting, the best thing to do is work.

Let's go.

Come on.

CONNIE: Started up last night. I heard him whinny and then I came up to the barn.

He was shivering so I blanketed him

and that's when the convulsions started.

[SIGHS] Abscesses, all through his mouth.

What is it?

[SIGHS]

I don't know.

[HORSE GRUNTS]

[MEOWS]

Hey, Blue.

[BARKS]

Blue!

Blue!

Blue!

Trespassing, boy? [GUN COCKS]

My name is not "boy."

Besides, I had exigent circumstances.

Get this hound off our land.

Man, that dog is ugly.

He's got the face like the east end of a westbound mule.

Okay, I'm gonna leave.

And I'm gonna ignore the aggravated assault.

But do me a favor, gentlemen.

Don't diss my dog.

Come on, Blue.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

It looks like Ally is picking up where her daddy left off.

Ally cat.

The other one curiosity killed.

ALLY: It just died.

Right there in front of us.

My dad would have been able to save him.

He had a real instinct for animals.

All right...

But now it's up to you to keep on going.

Remember what you said to me?

You said "Slade 'n' Slade" on the bag.

[PHONE RINGING]

Walker.

Really?

Okay, thanks, Billy.

You know...

Sometimes we think our parents could do no wrong.

[PANTING]

What's that supposed to mean?

That was the Highway Patrol.

Your father has three convictions for drunk driving.

[SCOFFS]

Three convictions?

The last one was six years ago.

It almost killed him.

But he got help.

The man hated liquor.

He wouldn't even go to a restaurant where it was served.

All due respect, Ally,

but isn't it possible that he could have gone off the wagon?

[TIRES SCREECH]

Ally, wait, look.

Maybe I did get out of line.

But, look, will you please get back in the truck?

Ally, listen. No, you listen.

Horses don't die overnight.

There's something wrong here.

My father tried to stop it and he's dead.

Now it's my job.

What is that you say when a ranger makes his first case?

He'll do to ride the river with.

[SIGHS] You know what I was thinking?

I'd ride the river with her.

Any day.

[SIGHS]

MAN: [OVER TV] Cleveland's leading three games to one

in this series against Texas.

But the Indians are behind six to five in the ninth.

Come on, Cleveland, use the power.

You always root for the Indians, Uncle Ray?

Always.

Especially if they get in the World Series against the Atlanta Braves.

We gotta stop that. Chop, chop, chop.

Washoe, what is it?

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

It's nothing.

RAY: That lady horse doctor you mentioned,

the one with the little ponies, is she still on your mind?

What is it about strong-willed woman, Uncle Ray, that attracts me?

I sure like them,

but I'll be danged if I understand them.

That's the same thing with ponies, Washoe.

You wanna tame them,

but if your mount don't throw you every once in a while,

what joy is there in the ride?

[CHUCKLES]

Aunt Ruthie was a strong willed woman, wasn't she?

Thirty-six winters.

And the ride was worth every day.

Well, I'll be danged.

You were right, Ally.

[CHIMES]

Gathers, I'm gonna kill you.

Hold it!

Take Old Blue to animal control? Uh-uh.

Closed till Monday, I left her at C.D.'s.

Great, she'll eat him out of house and home.

Hey! Don't diss my dog.

Woman, you had no right to do what you did today. No!

Woman, you had no right to do what you did today.

I'll go round to the front.

We go on 20 seconds.

Ally, I done told you about talking right, then.

Texas Ranger, get on the ground!

Get down, on your back, go!

Move. Walker!

What are you doing?

What am I doing?

I saw you being kidnapped at the clinic.

Kidnapped? We didn't kidnap her.

Yeah, we drug her along,

but we didn't intend for the law to be involved.

You never meant nothing to mean nothin'.

Till you mess up. Whatever.

Kidnapping's a crime. Wait a minute, hold on.

Walker, Trivette... I thank you,

but I do not need help when it comes to Buddy Gathers.

I'd been able to take him since the sixth grade.

What's that supposed to mean?

[SIGHS] They wanted me to come back with them to their place.

And when I said I wouldn't go,

Buddy got a little carried away.

That's kidnapping.

The point is I don't need to press charges or anything.

And I'm glad that I came out here

'cause it brought me closer to why my father was killed.

Yeah, these are the guys that did it.

That's a lie.

What are you talking about?

Okay, look, look.

I went out to the crash site, I found skid marks...

You were right.

Your father was forced off the road.

Thank you.

We didn't have nothing to do with Doc's crash.

He's right.

Daddy was out there to check on... No!

You hush-up, we don't want this getting out.

What getting out? More livestock. Dad...

Woman, I am warning you! Come on, I'll show you.

ANSON: Black Angus, six of my best just went up and died.

Same symptoms... Convulsions, hair loss and abscesses in the mouth.

Called Doc Slade and he thought it was anthrax.

That's why we brought Ally here.

To keep her from talking.

If word like that spread, nobody'd buy our beef, we'd lose the ranch.

It's been in our family for six generations.

No way that was gonna happen.

Trivette?

Bore-holes...

This must be where Daddy took the samples.

Remember the yellow clay? Yeah.

Whoever killed your father,

must have switched the samples with the ones we found in the truck.

That's motive and probable cause.

You're under arrest for... No, no. Whoa, whoa, whoa!

They have the wrong tires.

They have 16-inch Desert Duelers.

The tires on the truck that killed Dr. Slade,

were 20-inch rims.

And besides, barn swallows don't die from anthrax.

So, what was my father after?

Well, there's only one way to find out.

And that's to take a test sample from one of these steers.

Hey! You can't do that.

We can and we will.

Can't we?

[COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING]

C.D, man, nothing is working on this mud, look at this.

Butcher's wax, mink oil, saddle soap.

It's probably not just the mud.

Look, I may come from Baltimore, buddy,

but I know dirt when I see it.

Probably not just dirt.

Then what is it?

Crude oil. [THUDDING]

Damn it, Jimmy, that dog has knocked over that water dish again.

Give me that mop, Amy, will you, please, honey?

That dog is so blind,

she can't see through a barbed wire fence.

Her breath is so bad, it'd crack a mirror.

She can pass more gas than a bull at corn time.

When does she go?

8:00 Monday morning, all right?

Animal Control's coming by.

They'd better.

Or that mutt is gonna take an unscheduled flight out of here.

Boom! Hey.

Don't diss my dog.

Hey, guys. Did Ally show up with the test results yet?

Not yet.

Cordell, I think I've got a lead on those animal deaths.

Over 200 dead animals in 10 years.

And where they found the carcass,

50% of the time they spotted a UFO.

Then we're looking for...

Little green men. Yeah.

Why not?

We all know that there are 16 billion planetary systems

in this Milky Way alone.

Now, let's assume that 1,000th of those has intelligent life.

You know, watching MTV and drinking Gatorade.

Stands to reason they'd need some stock.

Hell, Texas has got the best stock in the universe.

C.D, you gotta stop reading these science fiction magazines.

Okay, but if aliens didn't do it,

and the Gathers didn't do it,

who the hell was out there with Doc Slade

when he was punching them holes in the ground?

I don't know.

[PHONE RINGING]

C.D's...

Yes, ma'am. Fine, fine.

Uh-huh...

Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Say hello to Ralph for me, will you, please?

Damn. That was Nellie Ashford.

Out on 421.

She's just had some cattle killed.

Except this time, she saw who done it.

Who?

Men from Mars.

Well, uh... Let me see...

There I was, up on the back 40,

getting ready to call them in,

when I saw it.

Saw what, ma'am? The ship.

A space vehicle, I think they call it.

It wasn't no saucer, though.

It was long,

with these tentacles coming off from the back.

And then flashing lights.

What exactly makes you think they were...

What?

Spacemen? Why, the suits, son.

They's all wearing these big white suits.

Didn't look like E.T., though.

Looked more like, uh, the Pillsbury Doughboy.

Ghostbusters?

This lady's two pints short of a quart, man.

Is that all, ma'am?

All except for the mothership.

Mothership?

It was this hellish wind.

And a deafening roar.

And it come down like the wrath of Jehovah.

And it took them.

My poor babies.

All five of them dead!

Excuse me, ma'am, but we only saw four outside.

That's what I've been trying to tell you.

It come down,

and it took her right up in the sky.

Okay, here's the drill.

We checked with the county Ag Departments and the EPA.

We've lost more than 50 head, cattle and horses.

They've all died within 48 hours of symptoms.

We're still waiting for the tissue analysis on the Gathers' Angus.

And so far only old Nellie is the only one to report a close encounter.

Any pattern to the deaths?

Not so far, um...

They're all clustered within a two-mile radius, but other than that...

Hey, wait a minute, wait a minute, look at this...

All the ranches connect to county route 421.

You're right.

Let's go.

Wait a minute?

Let's keep the shades down on this till we know what we're dealing with.

We don't want a panic. Right.

TRIVETTE: I'll take the hot bricks of the 'hood

any day over your lovely country roads.

It's the same stuff we saw at the Gathers place.

It's just road oil.

That's what I don't understand about Texas.

Why isn't the oil in the trunk where it belongs?

What's it doing stuck on my new boots?

You go to a gas station and you get your oil changed, right?

And most gas stations sell it for a few cents a gallon

to these little mom-and-pop truckers.

And in places like this here, where the roads are unpaved,

they lay it down in the summer to stop the dust.

Hey.

We just got the results back from Austin on Gathers' steer.

He was full of TCDD. What the hell is that?

One of the most deadliest chemicals ever made.

2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- dioxin.

Dioxin?

Yup, they sprayed it in Vietnam.

You remember Agent Orange?

Some veterans still say it causes cancer.

Ten years ago horses started dying near Times Beach, Missouri,

after they sprayed dioxin laced oil on farms and corrals.

Then how come it showed up here?

Wait a minute. Wasn't there an article in the Star Telegram,

about Fort James closing down?

Yeah, the army post. Part of the cut-backs, why?

What do you think the chances are that Agent Orange is still there from the war?

Worth a try.

Right.

Okay, thanks, Colonel.

[PHONE RINGING]

WOMAN: [OVER RADIO] Walker? Trivette on tech two.

What'd you find out?

Army had 100 drums of Agent Orange in storage.

About a month ago the drums started leaking, so they contracted

with a waste company to haul the stuff away.

What's the name of the waste hauler?

You're gonna love this.

Texas Quality Environmental Services.

It's out on Highway 5 and Rango.

Place looks deserted. Mmm.

You'd think with all these volatiles,

there'd be a guard posted?

Anybody home?

Let's find out.

Well, I'll tell you, if you breathe the air in this place

for too long you wouldn't want to have children.

Oh.

You thinking what I'm thinking?

Yeah.

Okay.

This is the part where I ask you to stay behind, because it's too dangerous.

And you say, "No way.

"Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I can't take risks."

So let's just cut to the chase and say that you'll stay behind as a look-out.

Okay.

Okay?

Oh, good. Let's go.

[BOTH GRUNT]

You know what?

Army says that this is supposed to be completely lined with concrete.

And then store the barrels in rolls,

and then bury it in activated charcoal, man.

The floor is just sand.

It wouldn't hold water much less dioxin.

TRIVETTE: And half these drums are empty.

And then where did all the poison go to?

[GATE RATTLES]

I got an idea.

You got an idea?

Where's Walker?

Don't even ask. Come on.

So, that's how they do it.

You wanted to know where the poison's going?

WALKER: This toxic waste hauler, Texas Quality...

Is stuffed with this waste oil company.

They're mixing the chemicals in with the oil

and spreading it all over the roads.

Fine. But if I'm gonna go for conspiracy to dump,

I'm gonna need proof of a link.

I ran a DMV on Texas Quality.

They're part of a parent company called Lone Star Nash.

Guess what Nash spent the last year buying?

What? String of waste oil companies.

Little mom-and-pop haulers.

Star City Waste Oil was one of them.

Toxic dumping is an intentional crime.

We're gonna have to catch them in the act.

So what does that mean?

It means we have to catch them in the act.

What the hell are you trying to pull?

Oil sample. It's a warrant.

Oh, is that right?

Maybe you'd better haul your black butt out of here

before I spread it all over this road.

Back off, man...

Hey, listen, pal. I can talk to that black...

[CHOKES]

Be nice and let my partner do his job.

Get back in that truck, or I'll come in swinging, Jack.

[CHOKES]

Got it.

Now, get this truck back to the garage.

And don't drop one ounce of oil on the way. Okay?

Or I'm gonna come down on you...

Real hard.

Come lower with it.

[HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING]

Tingley, Carter, come here.

I leave you two cretins in charge for a week,

and the bottom falls out.

What the hell are you saying, Nash?

They found dioxin inside of that cow we snatched.

You know...

We had a good thing going here.

Best 10... Maybe 20 grand,

for a load of toluene, maybe bit of benzene,

some trichloroethylene.

We mix it with waste oil,

and we spread it on the road.

Get paid both ends.

Pure profit.

And you two idiots have got to screw that up

by picking up a load of dioxin?

Now we have the Rangers on us!

What do you want us to do with it, Nash?

I still got 60 barrels of that crap left.

I want you to dump it.

Anywhere...

Doesn't matter. I don't care.

Just lose it.

Get back to work! Start pumping!

Hey!

Something's going down, I just got back from the landfill.

Place is swarming with white suits.

We contacted the Bureau and the EPA.

We got a team of hazmat specialists flying in from Austin.

Well, they won't be there long, so let's go.

C.D, can you get Alex for us?

[GRUNTING]

Oh, no.

What is it?

I think she's having a seizure.

She must have picked up some of the dioxin when she ran onto Gathers' place.

She's contaminated. I know it.

[WHIMPERS]

Can't stand to see another one die.

She's not gonna die.

Ally! Come on, treat her!

Her glands are swelling, take off her collar.

If Daddy was here, he'd know...

Ally, you can do it.

Just do what you've been trained to do.

I don't know the treatment for dioxin exposure.

We'll find it. We'll find it. Come on.

Meet you at the landfill.

[INDISTINCT CHATTERING]

MAN: Get back.

Hey, you see those barrels?

Hey! [GRUNTS]

MAN: We need all of them!

Come on! Come on! Let's move it!

Where's the drop going to be?

Great Blue Lake. NASH: Good. Let's do it.

MAN: All right, boys, we're heading out. Let's go!

WALKER: [OVER RADIO] Trivette, this is Walker. Over.

Trivette? Can you read me?

Trivette, if you're receiving this,

I'm going to Great Blue Lake.

Great Blue Lake.

Come on, let's move it!

We got 3,000 gallons of this stuff to get rid of.

MAN: Great job. Let's move!

Get it off, get going.

Yeah, lock it down here.

Pull that other hose free.

MAN 2: You guys need more slack?

[SIRENS WAILING]

I thought you said it was going down here?

We're late, look, I'll take the responsibility.

The place is empty. We are dead in the water.

Look, Counselor, it's just...

Wait a minute.

Walker must have...

I know where they're going. Turn around! Turn around!

Turn around.

I told you to flush it and hurry up!

Carter, Tingley, you come with me.

MAN: Try it!

[GRUNTS]

What's going on? [GROANS]

[SIRENS WAILING]

[GRUNTS]

Start the car.

Carter, you dump this stuff, do it now!

[GRUNTING]

[YELPS] Carter!

Throw that lever!

[GRUNTS]

[SIRENS WAILING]

[GRUNTS]

Smoked old Doc Slade.

Poisoned the ground.

Now my dog's dying.

Let me tell you, if she dies,

I'm gonna personally make sure

the men of the African Brotherhood up in Huntsville

can get a key to your cell.

Got that, rat?

You're under arrest, Nash.

[GRUNTS]

Don't even try it.

Stop it.

Ahhh!

Get him out of here.

NASH: Help!

I can't...

Well? Who the hell's gonna go get him?

WALKER: Well, you're the triathlon swimmer.

I'm not going in there again.

Yes, you are going. No, I'm not.

Yes, you are. Excuse me.

Not! Are.

Not! You are.

I can't believe you got her well so fast.

I got lucky.

She hadn't fully absorbed the dioxin

so I flushed her stomach with charcoal and sorbitol.

Gave her a sedative and three hours later,

she was pawing at my fridge.

This is for you.

What's this for?

Just kind of a way of saying thanks for all your help.

And being one heck of a vet too. [CHUCKLES]

I don't believe it.

Let's go get him!

[CHUCKLES]

Pull over!

Let me see your hands. Let me see 'em.

What's the problem, Ranger?

Why'd you try and kill this dog?

What... She couldn't hunt.

I drop a bird, she'd just sit there.

Lazy hound.

All she do is lay around, eat and break wind.

Well, she's trained now.

Get him, Blue, sick him! [BLUE WHIMPERS]

Come on, girl!

[SNARLS AND BARKS]

[CHUCKLES]

All right, what'd you tell her?

I just told her that he had a pork chop in his pocket.

[CLOSING THEME MUSIC PLAYING]