Original subtitles

Help me!

Help me!

Help me!

Patrick!

Help... me!

Gino!

Fuck!

Gino!

Gino?

Gino!

Hey, hey, what's going on with you?

What is it?

Jesus.

They're everywhere.

Fleas? You brought home fleas.

Where the fuck did you get fleas?!

You think you got those from me?

Patrick, yes, I absolutely got them from you.

You're covered in them.

I-I'll go to the pharmacy, okay?

I'll get you some cream. Let me handle this.

Gino, please, please, let me look at this.

I did not survive yesterday for this.

- - RADIO ANNOUNCER: 86 degrees and climbing

toward a midday high of 105.

It's shaping up to be the hottest day of the year.

Oh, well, great.

"At the scene, one Village resident called for action.

"'Seven people died in that fire.

"'No one is saying that it was arson.

"It was. I saw it happen, ' said witness Adam Carpenter.

"'Maybe we should set some fires of our own

"until something is done about it.'

By Cranston Short."

Who the hell is Cranston Short?

New friend.

- Different tactic. - Adam,

if you're gonna use a pen name, you can't also quote yourself

in the same article. It's not ethical.

Ethical?

Fuck ethical.

Seven people are dead, Gino. Murdered.

Do you know what it smells like when someone is burning

to death, what that smells like?!

Actually, I do.

So put that in the story.

Put your name on it.

Stop hiding.

I worry this isn't gonna do anything.

I-I feel like we're...

preaching to empty seats with these personal stories, Gino.

Stop being a coward.

Make some noise. People will listen.

- Is that it? - Oh, Ms. Pizazz,

I have been coming here to watch you

- for almost ten years, and I am s... - You're a fan. I get it.

And I so appreciate it.

You are also hired.

Oh.

Weekends, midnight to closing.

Don't be late.

Thank you.

Now get off my stage.

You, too.

- I got eyes in the back of my head, you know. - Oh, sorry.

I was... I was just waiting till you had a free moment.

My time is precious. Why do you think I hired a swing?

I'm Gino Barelli. I work with The New York Native.

Well, I'm not buying any more half-page ads

in any more half-assed gay rags, my friend.

I'm not here to sell you anything.

I just wanted to ask you a few questions.

Well, my businesses have a rule...

No press, no prying eyes.

As far as the rest of the world is concerned,

- this place does not exist. - Well,

then you just inspired a new spotlight in The Native.

I'm calling it...

"False Friend."

As in false friend to our readers,

the customers that you bleed dry.

- Excuse me? - One of the young men

who disappeared was last seen here.

And as far as I can tell,

nobody's done anything about it.

So I figure that people need to know

just how little you care.

Threats.

Do you even know about this business?

Do you know who protects this business?

I have no idea. But I do wonder what they're gonna think

about the money drying up.

Missing kids means empty seats.

And so does bad press.

Huh, I have nothing to say to you.

Oh. Perfect quote.

Thank you. "She takes our money and she runs.

"Nothing to add, nothing to contribute.

"Take, yes.

Give, never."

Jesus.

We need help. We need you.

I get it. I'm Sicilian.

And you?

Calabrese.

Hard head.

I was the grand marshal at the Pride Parade back in '71.

Two mules and a wagon.

But I was on that wagon.

On it ever since.

I've spent decades in this dungeon.

Quite a comedown from the dressing rooms

of the Plymouth Theatre.

Four flights up,

and every summer

the Shuberts made us bring in our own fans.

I had three dressers quit on me.

You gays have a weak constitution, you know that?

No shit.

What do you want?

An interview?

Yeah.

Just...

speak on the goddamn record.

I'm not sure it'll help.

How do you know?

Something strange is happening to this community,

to our community.

Don't you think I know that?

Kids used to come in here for a sing-along

and-and a daisy chain.

Now? Much darker.

We have an ambulance roll up once a month,

and I have to call in a favor to get one.

It frightens me, this change.

This you can quote me on.

I am a concerned business owner,

and I am bothered

that no one is investigating these disappearances.

I say to the police who service this area,

do more.

Help us.

How many more people have to be gone

before someone does something?

Why are we way over here in the Ninth Precinct?

You'll have to ask Marzara.

Fifth floor.

No elevator.

Oh, my God.

Come on, Mulcahey. Keep up.

Let go of me!

Why are you arresting me, huh?

I didn't do that to him.

What the fuck are you doing?!

Let me stay with my friend!

Please let me stay with my friend.

Please get your fucking hands off me!

I didn't do that to him. Fuck.

I didn't do anything.

Let me go. Please let me go.

I'd take as many breaths as you can right now, boys.

It gets worse.

Whoa.

Jesus.

Jesus, that is awful.

In here, gentlemen.

M.E. got here right before you did.

Victim... male, late 20s.

Something's off.

Time of death?

Dead a while now. A few days?

But the heat's not making this any easier.

Decomposing fast.

Cause?

- Never seen anything like this. - Huh.

Doesn't add up.

And see these contusions?

Massive venous bleeds.

Looks like blunt force trauma.

Responding officer found some punk on top of the body, crying.

What, you think he's the suspect?

Well, you're looking for a killer with changing methods.

He could be bored.

You got blunt force trauma.

You got flesh wounds around the neck.

Yeah, that wound around the neck...

There's not much blood there. Postmortem?

Normally I'd say so. But with the tissue like this...

See these sores?

This degree of infection on the dermis...

That and the decay are gonna disguise your answers.

We can't rule anything out.

- Hmm. - I need to run a complete autopsy.

Window was open when we came in.

Leads right out to the fire escape.

- Someone come through there? - No.

No, the f-floor's dirty.

There'd be footprints that show up all the way along here.

You need to ask that man you arrested about the open window.

But, uh, he's not a suspect.

I met him.

Pretty confident he wouldn't beat a man to death.

He's not a criminal.

They were blow buddies?

Yeah.

Crime of passion?

No.

Well, you're saying you know the guy, Detective.

So, what exactly is this?

Because you told me to be on high alert

for a serial killer, and I-I'm looking at another gay corpse

with suspicious circumstances.

How long on a complete turnaround?

- Autopsy? - Uh-huh.

Two weeks.

Okay. We wait.

We wait.

My best guess on that wound there...

Cat out there in the hallway ran out of food.

I'm unsure about everything else, but, uh...

you can let the guy in custody go.

That I can.

Yes, sir, Detective Read.

Mm.

- I-I can't take this smell anymore. - Yeah.

We need to transfer this body to the morgue.

Yeah, I'm, uh...

I'm-I'm gonna stick around for a bit longer.

I'll, uh...

I'll meet you outside, okay?

Hey.

It's me.

I, uh...

Yeah, we might have another victim.

You're home.

Long night.

Glad it's over.

What the fuck happened to you?

There was a fire.

At the Ascension. I'm fine.

Mm.

- Don't. - Checking to see if I can taste anyone on you.

What?

Sam. Get off!

You cannot treat me like that!

- Like what? - Like...

some piece of ass you tie up for two days.

I mean, what the hell, Sam?

Do you know that there's a kid running around out there saying

that you held him captive?

And beat him up?

- In some dungeon? - Jesus Christ, Theo.

What, some horny twink gets drunk and goes for it

and wakes up the next morning wishing he hasn't.

What? You've been there.

So you don't deny it, then?

What do you want from me, huh?

I-I give you everything.

I bring you everything. Theo, for Christ's sake,

we let each other fuck whoever we want to.

And now you're gonna make me feel like it's disgusting?

Because you have gone over the edge!

You are dark.

It happened so slowly. I just didn't realize it.

But there is weird shit going on out there, Sam,

and I keep hearing your name around all of it.

Anybody who doesn't have what we have

is gonna want to bring the castle down.

What is it that you want?

What is it you want?

First, it was silver... trays and teapots and carving sets.

Then you got tired of all that, so you moved on to photographs.

And then... the men in the photographs.

Men you could collect.

And then dispose of.

I'm a collector. I like pretty things.

You don't?

I want simple.

I've got a chance at something good.

With someone good.

You are good.

You are so good at getting me...

all riled up...

so that I need you again.

So what do you want?

New set of rules?

Your terms?

It's fine.

Or do you really want to leave me again?

You're scaring me.

You think I might kill you one day?

Yeah, I think you've got it in you.

You think I'm, what,

going around to dank bars,

slitting throats?

You really think I'm capable of that?

Okay.

No, no, no. You-You've...

You got me, baby.

You figured me out.

Turn me in.

This is fucking absurd.

Studio gone.

Career over. Gallery?

Forget about it.

This is 911.

What's your emergency?

Hello?

This is 911. Can you hear me?

Fuck you!

They're saying on the radio the grid might max out.

Gonna have to brown out certain areas

or the whole thing will go down.

I might go home.

What's this for?

You know Hans?

I don't know Hans.

Hans is dead.

Not even 30 years old.

Discovered...

decomposing in his bed.

Was he murdered?

He was found alone in his apartment

with giant contusions all over his body.

What do you think?

Hey, what's going on with you today? Are you okay?

No, I'm not okay!

Calm down, Gino, please.

You know what? I'm so fucking sick

of everybody telling me to calm down,

to not cause a panic.

We're being picked off one by one.

Why isn't every gay man in this city scared shitless?

No one cares.

- I care. - Not enough.

When the fuck are you gonna step up?

Start treating this like an emergency

because it is.

Once you're dead, it's too late.

You were right.

Sam is no good for me.

I left him.

We're done.

I wanted to apologize to you.

I was so arrogant.

I just, I didn't want to hear it.

About Sam.

Look, I can't stop thinking about you.

And, uh...

and I know it's way too hot for all this.

I just needed to show up.

And-and tell you that.

Want to come up for a sip of water?

Yes.

I do.

Somewhere to be?

Yeah.

I got to get going.

I'll walk you out.

Okay, asshole...

Uh, excuse me, who's an asshole?

- Did you break a nail? - Morris?

Listen, did your lights go out?

Yeah. Just now.

So behind.

They went out here over ten minutes ago.

There's gonna be a legendary blackout party at The Warehouse.

Everyone's going there to wait it out together.

Tell anyone you can think of, but things move fast, chicken,

so loosen your girdle and get moving.

Wait, Morris...

- Read? - Mm-hmm?

Chief?

Catch you at a bad time?

No, sir, whatever you need.

What I need, Detective,

is some cooperation. That call this morning?

- The dead guy? - Mm-hmm.

So, uh, here's the thing.

This nosy prick Gino Barelli.

He keeps writing about our every move...

Every move we make... And I'm getting

a lot of heat from the commissioner on these leaks.

Sensitive information in an open investigation like this?

It makes me very upset that someone at the station

is sharing secrets with some newspaper for queers.

Yeah, I-I wish I could help you, sir.

You have any idea who it could be?

Are you accusing me of something?

Because I don't think a police officer's personal life

is official police business.

It is absolutely my business

if you're leaking confidential information to the press.

I'm a decorated officer.

I'm a detective who actually solves crimes.

You know that.

I am proud to carry this badge.

And I'm grateful for what it lets me do for others.

And, yeah, Captain Marzara.

I am a gay policeman.

Nothing about who I am

stops me from doing what I do.

Jesus Christ.

Better get out there.

What the hell are you doing here?

This will be fast. I found something.

And I knew that you would want to see it right away.

What would make you think that?

'Cause you shouldn't have to go through what I've been through.

This is really bold. What if Patrick were here?

I called the station.

I know he's working a double.

I'm not a dum-dum, Gino.

It has been made very clear to me

that I don't even know who Patrick is.

And I am just getting very scared

that he is involved in something really bad.

Okay, it's what you've been writing about in your paper.

You know, maybe he's gotten sucked into something.

Maybe he got recruited, you know?

He can be very susceptible.

Why are you laughing?

It's not funny!

This is very serious.

There was, there was a masked man in leather

running around Central Park, assaulting people.

Isn't that what you wrote about?

Barbara, please go home.

I-I don't feel well.

- I'm trying to help you. - No, no, what you're trying to do,

is to drive a wedge between Patrick and me.

This is not a secret.

We have been very clear about this.

Okay, then I guess I'll just call the police.

Because I'm sure the boys at the station will be very curious

to know what Patrick gets up to on his days off.

All right, we're done here.

You're harassing us... fuck!

In case you hadn't noticed, I am, um...

unraveling a little bit, okay?

Can you see that?

I don't even know what I think anymore.

I mean, I don't even know if I think Patrick's a killer.

But I do know that I see so much of myself in you.

Don't make the same mistake that I did.

Ask him.

Ask him to tell you the truth.

You'd have to be an octopus to man that switchboard.

It's gonna be a long night. Coffee?

Sure.

Sixth Precinct.

Ah, Detective Read?

Speaking.

I know you've been looking for me.

I have my ways of knowing these things.

I'm tired of having to hunt in bars

that smell like piss and come.

But tonight?

No streetlamps.

No lights.

I can kill in the open.

Will I ever feel this free again?

How do you know who I am?

We saw each other at the hospital.

And I've seen you around.

In the shadows.

Why don't you let anyone see that handsome face?

You turn them around so fast and push them away right after.

Why is that?

Are you afraid of getting caught?

I know how that feels.

No more hiding.

You served, didn't you?

Where was that, huh?

Was that Vietnam, Korea?

We're around the same age,

if that's what you want to know, Detective.

Government put a gun in my hand and taught me to kill.

And they took it away once I taught myself how to love.

Why are you killing us?

People only pay attention to lives when they're lost.

Not when they're living.

It takes so many bodies.

I'm making it all go faster.

A reckoning.

An honoring of people like you and me.

- I'm not like you. - We'll see.

I want to give your reporter friend something to write about.

Something memorable.

He's impressive.

Good luck finding me in the dark park, Detective.

Who was that?

That... was a lead.

A big one.

Where are we going?

Central Park.

Adam.

Get in.

I'm surprised you got in the car, really.

But don't worry, Adam. I won't lock you up in some dungeon.

Majed will drop you wherever you were headed

after our little chat.

I never wanted to get in the way

of whatever you two have going on.

I made that clear to him.

- Truly. - We have our lines.

And Theo decided to cross them.

I arranged things so that Theo could exist.

To become Theo Graves, to remain Theo Graves.

It's in his interests.

It's in your interests.

That, too, so you'll understand when I say

that I need you

out of the picture.

And I'm happy to ask, what will that take?

Are you trying to pay me off?

You can stop the car.

You heard him.

What you're actually in conflict with, Adam,

is much more complicated.

Theo is at constant battle with his own boredom.

He will grow bored of you.

He'll come back to me.

He always does.

Come back to what?

Drive.

Stay on the radio.

Channel two.

Mulcahey, I need backup.

Mulcahey, can you read me?

I said I need backup.

Fuck. Mulcahey!

NYPD! Freeze! Don't move!

Freeze!

Christ!

- Freeze! Hey! Hey! Hey! - Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

It's me! It's me!

Jesus, Patrick. I heard a gunshot.

- What the hell's happened? - The kid was right.

There's a fucking lunatic in a harness out here.

- Keep moving. - What about that gunshot?

Probably just a bottle rocket.

People getting their rocks off in the dark.

Wake up.

Wake up. Wake up.

It's not safe.

Bunch of goddamn animals.

Wake up!

What do you think you're doing?

Reckless little boys.

- Wake up! - What is this?

Is this some kind of performance piece?

Hey, asshole, next time, half a pill!

It's not safe.

- Wake up! - Enough!

Do not come into my space and start

- moralizing, Daniel. - How dare you, Cameron?

- It is not safe. - How dare I what?

Every impulse we're following is good!

- Good? It's good? - He just had too much.

You're fucking in the dark.

And Hans is dead!

Hans is dead?

I found him.

And I called the fucking cops.

And all they would do is blame it on me

or his fucking little cat!

Hans got sick!

He got sick,

and none of us went to check on him.

And now he is dead.

Are you sick, huh? Am I sick?

- Are we all sick? - Daniel, this isn't the time.

This is exactly the time.

This man has seen something.

It's happening. And it's not going away.

- Who the fuck are you? - Look, people...

are dying.

Okay? We are getting picked off one by one.

Five are dead at the hands of a serial killer,

but there are many more that we can't explain.

Something's got to change.

We should be thanking him.

He's telling us the truth.

Because none of us are ready for what's coming next.

- What is coming next? - I don't know.

But we need to organize.

We will pick a night this week.

And the next week and the week after that.

Until we know what we're up against.

That's what we can do.

Okay?

Okay.

Oh, hey.

You're home.

Why are you sitting in the dark?

Huh?

I did it, Gino.

The captain knows who I am now.

I came out.

I mean...

I didn't tell him everything, obviously.

Obviously.

Yeah, you know, I...

we have to be careful here.

Always.

What's this, Patrick?

- Where'd you get that? - Does it matter?

It's yours.

You know it.

You bought it.

You hid it so no one could find it.

Not the woman you married.

Not...

whatever I am to you.

You are everything to me, Gino.

All evidence to the contrary.

So, since you're in a truth-telling mode,

come out to me.

Tell me, tell me, tell me all of it.

Or leave.

Now's the time.

Okay.

I've been with other guys.

A lot.

I don't know who they are.

There's no names ever.

- Where? - Different places.

Never where we sleep.

Ever.

- Ah. - After it happens,

it's like it never happened, I leave it all behind.

- Why? - Why?

Because I've always had to.

You know, but this...

this, right now, you and me,

this is what I need.

Okay? This-this-this other thing

is a compulsion. It'll stop.

- It's not gonna stop, Patrick. - Yes, it will.

No.

It's not gonna stop.

Look, I don't actually care if you're out there

getting laid. I can do the same.

We can have a shared agreement.

But, no, you don't want that.

Because it's the lie

that actually gets you off.

And you love that lie

more than you can love me.

That is simply not true.

It's a relief, really.

This all makes sense now.

The... quiet

around this fucking place.

It's not quiet.

It's shame.

Can't you see how much I've changed?

How much I'm changing, how much I can change

since I met you.

I left my wife.

I have come out at work.

Today. That happened today.

I came out in the New York Police Department.

But why? Why, Patrick?

'Cause you only tell the truth

when you're about to be caught.

That, that's shame.

And I...

I can't...

I can't have it in my life.

It's choking me!

It's choking me.

There's this tightness in my heart.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! What's going on?!

I'll call an ambulance...

You know,

I really hate that we're cutting through here like this.

No, it's like walking through a bakery.

Even if you don't take a bite,

you still get the sights and smells.

Jesus Christ, they'll never be enough for you.

- What the f...? - No, no, no, no, no, no.

-We need to follow him. -Follow him? Are you fucking kidding me?

Yes, yes, this could be the guy on all those flyers.

We'll call the police tomorrow

and see what they do in-fucking-stead.

What if this is the guy that killed Hans?

Hey.

Hey.

What happened?

You collapsed and passed out.

You've been in and out, but, uh,

the, uh, the doctors have been great.

You're awake.

Mr. Barelli, I'm Dr. Sandoval.

Good to see you up.

Uh, we're running some tests, but my thinking is,

this fever can only be something bacterial.

When you were out, I found an enlarged lymph node

in one of your armpits.

I-I have to ask.

- Do you live with any cats? - No.

We don't have cats, why?

What's happened to you, with the flea bites,

well, they're the hallmarks of Cat Scratch Fever.

I've started you on antibiotics.

We're gonna keep you right here where I can see you.

I don't want that fever spiking back up to 102.

Thanks.

There's power on up there.

- Where are we going? - To see what apartment he lives in.

There are two of us and one of him.

Whoop, almost missed you.

Six, please.

You guys just move in?

No, we're visiting a friend.

Uh-oh.

I have some matches.

I don't really like small spaces.

Am I safe in here?

I rode in a tank in Vietnam.

Now, that was a small, dangerous space.

You're a veteran. Where are you from?

I don't hear an accent, and I have

a pretty good ear for these things.

I'm not from anywhere special.

There's really no point in doing that.

What, are you afraid of the dark?

Oh, you're smelling my groceries.

I buy meat that's maybe

a day or two past expiration.

It's cheaper and it's perfectly fine.

I'm sorry.

I lied to you.

I don't know why I did that.

I hate to lie.

Especially since you know what's in my bag.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org