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TRANSCRIPT:
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Scene: Street outside the Frick Building
Jake: Hey, just got a message from your Dad's secretary. What's up?
Nick: I don't know, she just said come in early.
They enter the building.
Scene: Fallin and Fallin, conference room
Burton: Good morning. Oh good, you got those. So, you know American Hydrant is buying Trison Irrigation.
Nick: Right.
Burton: This is a complicated deal. I've been working on it for three months. Both companies have prickly owners, to say the least.
Jake: So, what do you want us to do?
Burton: Well, American Hydrant wants to do this now or not at all. So they pushed the closing two weeks, to this Friday.
Nick: Okay.
Burton: The thing is, I've got to be away from the office for a day – I've got a little personal matter. But I need you to take charge of it until I get back tomorrow.
Jake: We'll get into it.
Burton: Okay.
Burton leaves, Nick follows to Burton's office.
Nick: Dad, what's the personal matter?
Burton: Oh, I've got eye surgery this afternoon. The same laser process they used last year, only this time it's on my left eye. Glaucoma.
Nick: Well, I'll drive you if I want.
Burton: No, no, no. I've got a car. Thanks.
Nick: I can take you.
Burton: No, please don't, I need you here. I'll get there, thanks.
Scene: North Castle School for Boys, kitchen
Levi is washing dishes.
Levi: Hey, yo. Stop messing around, man.
Boy: I'm making oatmeal.
Levi: We've gotta finish these dishes by eight-thirty, or we're on report.
Boy: Levi, we're out of detergent.
Levi: So?
Boy: So, I gotta go get some.
Levi: Yes you do and hurry up. I ain't doing all this by myself. (Sighs, then hears someone approaching.) That was fast.
Kid in hood: You get beat in, you get beat out.
Kids attack Levi. A fire starts on the stove.
Scene: North Castle School for Boys, Kollbrenner's office
The security video of the incident is playing.
Kollbrenner: Our school has an honor code and every student is expected to follow it and report those who don't. We asked your nephew to tell us who did this. He's refused.
James: So you're threatening to expel him.
Kollbrenner: Well, frankly, he's lucky he hasn't been expelled sooner. Levi's hardly been a model resident here.
James: Frankly, you're lucky I don't sue you for negligent supervision. How the hell did you let this happen?
Kollbrenner: This school is full of gang members, Mr. Mooney. We keep control the best we can.
James: By throwing out the kids who get beat up for quitting the very gangs you're talking about.
Kollbrenner: No, by implementing an honor code and by enforcing the rules.
James: Maybe he can't identify who did this to him.
Kollbrenner: Well, Levi told the school counselor this morning that he was glad he was finally beat out by his former gang. He also said he would never name them. Listen, Levi, I commend your decision to leave the gang, I really do. But if you don't name the kids on this tape, I have no choice but to schedule a disciplinary hearing and have you transferred back into the juvenile correction system.
James: Levi, you want to tell Mr. Kollbrenner who did this to you?
Levi shakes his head no.
James: Let's go. (to Kollbrenner) If you try to expel my nephew, I'll see you in court first.
Scene: North Castle School for Boys, outside
Levi: Only reason he's doing this is cuz of the fire. I mean, he doesn't care if I get my ass whooped, he just cares something happened on his watch.
James: Levi, this is the third time I've been called down here for this sort of crap. Third time. I mean, don't think Kollbrenner is going to go light on you just because you quit your gang. The fact that you're in here in the first place is bad enough.
Levi: You know I can't say nothing, man.
James: If you don't, he'll send you to Juvie until you're 21.
Levi: (shrugs) So.
James: So, that's four more years of your life when you could have been out of here in a month. Four more years for protecting a group of kids who beat you up.
Levi: It's not them I'm looking to protect, y'hear me?
James nods.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh, bullpen
Alvin: (directing Sparky to his office) Right this way.
Sparky: Okay.
Alvin: Take your time. Here, into my office. Just have a seat.
Sparky: Thank you.
Alvin: (to Nick) You know who that is?
Nick: No.
Alvin: Sparky Walters. (Nick shrugs.) Sparky Walters. Relief pitcher for the Pirates.
Nick: Oh.
Alvin: Played in the 'sixty World Series. Sparky Walters. You don't know him?
Nick: A little before my time.
Alvin: My dad and I were huge fans.
Nick: Well, that's – good for you.
Alvin: Can I ask you a contracts question?
Nick: Yeah, sure.
Alvin: Sparky invested money in a restaurant. Also lent them some of his personal property. Business went under and he's hoping to get his stuff back. But now his former partner is about to auction it off.
Nick: Well, I would petition for an injunction to stop the auction and move for equitable replevin.
James: Nick, can I talk to you for a minute?
Nick: Sure.
James: Levi got beat up this morning during his kitchen detail. Fire starts. Security camera only picks up him because the other kids are wearing hoods. Now, school director says if he doesn't identify them, he'll go to Juvie.
Nick's cell phone rings and he answers it.
Alvin: He was transferred from Schumann Center to North Castle, right? I know Scott Kollbrenner. We go back to when he was a Juvenile PD.
James: (to Alvin): You got some pull with Kollbrenner?
Alvin: Yeah.
Nick: (to phone) Okay, I'll be right there. (To Alvin and James) I have to go.
Alvin: Thank you, Nick. (to James) Please, let me handle this.
James: Thank you.
Alvin: No problem. (to Sparky) Mr. Walters.
Sparky: Oh, call me Sparky.
Alvin: Ah, Sparky, sorry to keep you waiting.
Scene: Doctor's office
Doctor: A hyphema. Multiple broken blood vessels in the eye. There's excessive bleeding, which has caused loss of vision.
Nick: Temporary.
Doctor: More often than not when this happens vision clears after a few days.
Nick: So, he's blind in his left eye.
Doctor: For now.
Nick: Well he doesn't have very good vision in his right eye.
Doctor: We're aware of that. For the next couple of days your father is going to need strict bed rest preferably at a 45-degree angle. Eye drops three times a day, and he'll need to wear this shield over his eye to protect it. If he doesn't follow this regimen, the loss of vision could be permanent.
Burton: Thanks, doc.
Nick: (to doctor) Thank you. (to Burton) Okay, you got everything?
They walk out of the doctor's office.
Burton: Yeah. Hate to be such a pain in the ass, but you can stay in your old room.
Nick: No you stay at with me. I'm not going to sleep in my old room.
Burton: Why not?
Nick: Dad, just stay with me, okay?
Scene: North Castle School for Boys, Kollbrenner's office
Alvin: School's looking great, Scott.
Kollbrenner: Thank you, we try, you know it's not easy.
Alvin: Ah, you're doing good work.
Kollbrenner: You're here about Levi Mooney.
Alvin: Yeah. Listen, Levi's a good kid, he…
Kollbrenner: Alvin (laughs), he's far from a good kid. Manslaughter charges, drugs, gang affiliations, fights. If it weren't for his uncle, this kid'd be in prison right now.
Alvin: Well, sending him back to Juvie is not going to do him any good – that's for sure. Listen, I was hoping—
Kollbrenner: What – you were hoping that I would look the other way? Alvin, I've got over 200 boys in this school. About 100 of them are gang bangers, you know, covering about a half dozen gangs. The only reason I don't have a homicide every day here is because these kids know if they screw up, they're going right back to Juvie, no exceptions.
Alvin: But in this case…
Kollbrenner: Levi knows the names of fellow residents who've committed a felony. He won't identify them. That's a violation of the honor code.
Alvin: Look, I know you wanted the Associate Director position at the clinic.
Kollbrenner: Alvin…
Alvin: And I know you were disappointed when I gave it to Louisa Archer.
Kollbrenner: Alvin, look. Don't flatter yourself, okay, man. I'm happy here and I make as big a difference in kids lives as you do, if not more. But the fact remains, Levi Mooney is covering up for criminals. If I don't enforce my rules with him with swiftness, with clarity – boom – I've got total chaos here. Chaos.
Scene: Nick's house, living room
Nick adjusts a cushion on the couch for Burton.
Nick: Yeah, look, that looks like 45 degrees. Try it. Does it feel like 45 degrees?
Burton: I guess.
Nick: Okay. All right, is there anything else you need?
Burton: No. (Taps ash on a coaster)
Nick: Uh, Dad, let me get you an ashtray.
Burton: I'm sorry.
Nick: That's okay, that's fine.
Burton: You got a radio?
Nick: Sure. (Goes to tune the radio.) NPR?
Burton: Those socialist bastards? No.
Nick: What do you want?
Burton: 92.2 Country.
Burton puts his feet up on the coffee table. Nick grabs a cushion to put under his feet.
Nick: Just, uh, it's kind of expensive. You know, I can cancel the rest of my day.
Burton: Nicholas, we've got a little merger going here, remember?
Nick: I'll come back later and I'll check on you, okay?
Burton: I'm going to need some cigarettes, Nicholas.
Nick: Fine, I'll pick you up a pack.
Burton: Get me a carton.
Nick: Okay.
Burton: Oh, and a coffee. Regular coffee, big cup. Not that espresso crap.
Nick: Where do I get that?
Burton: Convenience store.
Nick: Ok, I'll be back in a minute.
Burton: All right.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh, bullpen
James: So, you speak to Kollbrenner?
Alvin: Yeah, yesterday.
James: How'd it go?
Alvin: Coffee? James, he wouldn't budge.
James: I thought you were tight with this guy.
Alvin: I thought I was.
James: You know, that's great Alvin.
Alvin: How long do I have to keep paying for this thing, James? I mean – I didn't sentence the kid. I certainly wasn't beating up on him. I tried. I drove all the way down there on my time and I met with Kollbrenner. The problem isn't my relationship with him, the problem is Levi. He's been nothing but a pain in the ass since the moment he arrived at North Castle and Kollbrenner is only too happy to see him go.
James walks away.
Alvin: Sparky, how are you?
Sparky: Mr. Masterson.
Alvin: I brought in some of my old Pirates yearbooks today. I thought we'd take a look at them.
James: (enters Nick's office) You hear that?
Nick: Yeah.
James: Do you think you can help?
Nick: Well, I don't really know this Kollbrenner guy.
James: No – Levi, can you represent him in court?
Nick: Can't you do it?
James: Everyone in the system knows he was taken out of my custody. It wouldn't look good for me to represent him in court.
Nick: Is it an LSP case?
James: Not officially.
Nick: Well, it doesn't apply to my hours.
James: (calls out) Lulu.
Lulu: Yeah?
James: Levi's case. Can we cover it here?
Lulu: I don't know. Why not?
James: (to Nick) It applies. I scheduled a hearing yesterday – just in case Alvin couldn't work it out with Kollbrenner.
Nick: Ok, when is it?
James: In an hour. Come on, I'll brief you on the way.
Scene: Courtroom
Ms. Heller: When Levi Mooney was taken from his uncle's care and given the choice between juvenile detention and a reformatory schooling program, he chose reform school. And North Castle has an honor code which requires residents to report all misdeeds committed by fellow students. It was a deal he agreed to. Now he doesn't want to uphold his end of the bargain and North Castle is well within its rights to expel him for it.
Judge: Mr. Fallin, is there any reason why I shouldn't agree with Ms. Heller?
Nick: Yes, the first amendment.
Judge: What about it?
Nick: It protects not only the right to free speech, but also freedom from compelled speech. If North Castle cannot force a child to recite the pledge of allegiance, how can it make him speak the names of alleged assailants?
Judge: But didn't Levi Mooney agree to the terms of the honor code?
Nick: A person cannot contract out their constitutional rights.
Judge: We're not citing constitutional precedent here, Mr. Fallin. Levi Mooney willingly agreed to abide by North Castle's honor code in exchange for the right to attend that institution. If he doesn't comply with the code, he can be transferred to juvenile detention until the age of 21. The decision is his.
Nick speaks to James quietly and they leave.
Nick: (to Kollbrenner) We have a proposal. Transfer Levi to Christian Boys Academy tonight.
Kollbrenner: Well, that's an institution for first time offenders. I'm afraid Levi's a little advanced for Christian Boys Academy.
James: Look, he'll be miles away from North Castle and the kind of kids that will seek retribution for his talking. You do this and you get the names. You don't, you have three kids running around the school bragging about how they burned down the school and never got caught.
Kollbrenner: We'll need judicial approval.
James: We can go to chambers right now.
Scene: North Castle School for Boys
James and Levi are leaving.
James: Huh, Academy – it's out near this farm. You'll like it. I know you don't want to name those kids – but I know you can't see it, but later on you will. It's like you traded up for a chance at a better life. Good school, maybe college. I know you can't see it now, but you will.
Levi: How do you know?
James: Place you're going, I went there for a while.
Levi: What for?
James: Got into trouble.
Levi: What kind trouble you get into?
James: Doesn't matter. What matters is that I straightened myself out. Got my head on right and got out of gang life.
Levi: They got cows out by the school?
James: Why?
Levi: Well, I lived in Pennsylvania my whole life. Never saw a cow.
They laugh, and hug.
James: I'll come up and see you next weekend.
Levi: You bet. (Gets into van, which drives away.)
Scene: Nick's house, kitchen
Burton is fiddling with the coffee machine. Nick enters.
Burton: Hey.
Nick: Hey. What are you doing?
Burton: Trying to make some coffee. (Gives up.) I can't do this.
Nick: Let me try. You hungry?
Burton: I'm short of smokes.
Nick: I got you two packs yesterday.
Burton: I asked you to get me a carton, remember?
Nick: I can't make coffee – I don't have a grinder. I'll pick some up for you when I go out. You know, Dad, you know what you need? A nurse.
Burton: A nurse?
Nick: Yeah, that's what I said.
Burton: Cripes sake. I'm not dying here. I don't want some 200-pound Jamaican lady watching me take a piss.
Nick: Did you put your eye drops in today?
Burton: Tried.
Nick fetches drops from the refrigerator.
Nick: You haven't used these drops once, Dad. The seal is still here. It's not even broken.
Burton: Give me a break, okay? I can't see.
Nick: All right. Take your shield off. All right. Put your head back.
Burton: You know, I was sitting around here today…
Nick applies a drop and misses.
Nick: You got to keep your eye open, Dad. (Gives him a tissue.)
Burton: My eye is open. You missed it… Sitting around here today…
Nick: Wider. Got it.
Burton: …something was bothering me. I couldn't figure it out. Then all of a sudden it hit me. It's too damn quiet.
Nick: What do you mean?
Burton: This place here. Phone doesn't ring, nothing moves. Whatever happened to that dog?
Nick: Bart?
Burton: Bart. Whatever happened to him?
Nick: I gave him to a family in Washington County. They had a farm.
Burton: You should've kept him.
Nick: Why is that?
Burton: You need a friend.
Nick: Okay. Well, I'm just going to go out and pick up your dinner.
Burton: Cigarettes.
Nick: And your carton of cigarettes and some coffee. (Burton tunes the radio to Country.) And what is this obsession you have with country music? I mean, this is not the country. We live in Pittsburgh.
Nick exits. Burton sighs.
Scene: Courthouse corridor
Alvin sits on a bench, distressed. Nick approaches.
Nick: Alvin, you all right?
Alvin: He's dead.
Nick: What?
Alvin: Levi Mooney. Got killed last night at the Christian Boys Academy.
Nick: What? (Sits beside Alvin.)
Alvin: Some kids from the city broke into his dorm room.
Nick: Oh, no…
Alvin: Shoved rocks in his mouth. In his mouth. Choked him to death. God. In his room.
Nick: Gee, did they catch them?
Alvin: No, but they know they were gang members. The cops came by the clinic an hour ago. James has been in court the whole time.
James leaves the courtroom, chatting to a man. Alvin starts to get up.
James: (to man) I will not bet on the Cowboys, not this year. Not with that spread. You just wait and see.
Nick: (to Alvin) No, no, you can't.
Alvin: I have to…
Nick: No, I'll tell him. I'll tell him. (To James) James. Can we talk for a second? There's been an incident. Levi…he was killed last night. I'm sorry.
Alvin: James, James… James, I'm so sorry.
James pushes Alvin to the floor.
Nick: Let him go. Just let him go.
James walks off. Nick helps Alvin up.
Alvin: Go with James. He shouldn't have to go there alone.
Scene: Street outside Allegheny County Coroner's Office
Nick: James, you need a ride home?
James: I gotta go see my sister.
Nick: Well listen, I can give you a ride there if you want.
James: Gotta tell her, her boy's dead.
Nick: I know, I know.
James: I gotta, um, go tell her and then I gotta go deal with the kids who did this.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh, bullpen
Lulu: Mrs. Twirl, this is your file. Take it around the corner to my office. I'll be right there. Uh, Karen, call Judge Damsen's clerk and tell her I'm running late, please.
Nick: Lulu.
Lulu: Go see Alvin.
Nick: Where is he?
Lulu: Just go see him, he's in his office.
Nick enters Alvin's office and finds him dozing on the couch. He opens a window.
Nick: Alvin. (Tries to rouse him.) Hey, come on. Wake up.
Alvin: Wha…?
Alvin rolls over and goes back to sleep. Nick exits the office.
Lulu: He's drunk. How's James?
Nick: He's gone to see his sister.
Lulu: All right, well, I'm trying to get continuances for everything. James's cases are actually cleared, but Alvin has something in 15 minutes.
Nick: Yeah, I'll take it, I'll take it. You got the file?
Lulu: I do. The Walters case. A guys who played football or something.
Scene: Apartment building
James knocks on Winston's door.
Winston: Jimmy, what the hell you doing 'round here.
James: Came for a visit.
Winston: I haven't seen you in a very long time.
James: I haven't been around here.
Winston: Heard about your nephew. That why you're here?
James: I need something from you, Winston.
Winston: Uh man, you know I want to help you. But the guys who did this, going after them could cause some problems. All the gangs – we sorta got a truce going.
James: I never told on you. Did I?
Winston: What are you talking about?
James: When I went to Juvie. You know, they offered me a plea bargain. I never told them what you did. You said you owed me. If I ever needed anything.
Winston: So, now you come collecting.
Scene: Courthouse
Nick and Sparky exit the courtroom.
Nick: Sorry about the mix-up, Mr. Walters.
Sparky: My case was almost thrown out.
Nick: That's my fault. Alvin just gave me the case and I got held up with a personal matter.
Sparky: Why did Mr. Masterson give you my case?
Nick: Uh, Alvin is out sick today.
Sparky: Oh.
Nick: So, apparently there's a personal property issue?
Sparky: Oh yeah, it's my World Series jersey. See, I lent it to my partner. The guy in there, Pulaski. You see, we opened this place, Sparky's Steakhouse, and we had the jersey up on the wall.
Nick: Right.
Sparky: Well, when the business went down, Pulaski took my jersey. Now he's auctioning it off on the Internet for 6000 bucks.
Nick: Well, uh, well we'll have a new hearing date in a day or two and I'll call you.
Sparky: Right, okay. Yeah, thank you.
Scene: Fallin and Fallin, conference room
Jake: So, American Hydrant needs an environmental survey because they think that maybe Trison’s Sharpsburg plant may have polluted the Allegheny River.
Nick: (sorting through paperwork) Okay. What do we have here… So, who's paying for the tests?
Jake: We are.
Nick: Okay, call Ron Mahoney in Philly Eastern, Environmental Labs. I've worked with this group before.
Jake: Environmental Labs. They're good?
Nick: Well, they understand how to interpret data in a way that's not going to kill this deal.
Jake: And they get it done fast?
Nick: We should have preliminary results within 24 hours.
Jake: Okay, um, we're way behind on everything else. We need to finish our closing documents and finalize our opinion. Some of this stuff… your dad's writing – it's like hieroglyphics.
Nick's cell phone rings.
Nick: (to phone) Yeah. Lulu.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh, bullpen
Nick enters from the elevator.
Lulu: Hey, he puked three times. He's still in the bathroom.
Nick: Okay.
Lulu: Sorry. I didn't know who else to call.
Nick: No, you're right. Go home. It's fine. I'll take care of it.
Lulu: You sure?
Nick: Yeah.
Alvin enters from the bathroom. Nick pours him water.
Nick: You need to pull yourself together. I covered your case with Walters today. Got a continuance for Friday.
Alvin: Sparky Walters. You wouldn't know it to look at him now, but he was a helluva reliever. Hell of an arm.
Nick: Drink this.
Alvin: Thanks. (Drinks and chokes.) Oh, gee.
Nick: Levi's funeral's tomorrow morning. You gotta be there. You gotta be sober.
Alvin: I just went into the bar at the Grand Hotel. Take the edge off. Have one drink.
Nick's cell phone rings.
Nick: Yeah. Yeah, okay, I'll be right there. Dad. I will be right there, okay?
Scene: Apartment building
A knock on Winston's door.
Winston: That you, Jimmy?
James: Yeah.
Winston: (Opens door and hands James a piece of paper.) Got what you need.
James: You sure it's right?
Winston: Got what you need. You want a hand?
James: No, I'm not gonna… No.
Winston: You not gonna what?
James: Just wanted to know.
Winston: Now you do.
Scene: Nick's house, living room
Burton is going through paperwork on the couch. Nick enters.
Nick: Dad, why are you working?
Burton: Well Jake called and said you were nowhere around, so I had Gretchen bring home some of the Trison paperwork.
Nick: You're meant to be resting. You're meant to be at 45 degrees.
Burton: And you're supposed to be covering this deal, Nicholas.
Nick: Well, things are just a little…
Burton: What?
Nick: James Mooney's nephew was murdered and…
Burton: Oh, my god. I'm sorry.
Nick: Yeah. Alvin's – I'm just covering for a lot of people right now, okay.
Burton: Do you want me to come back into the office?
Nick: No, I can take care of it. Chinese food's in the bag. I got some talking books. I have a player here.
Burton: When's the boy's funeral?
Nick: Tomorrow morning.
Burton: Make sure you send some flowers to the family from the firm. And see if they need anything in any way.
Nick: Yeah, sure, okay. You're okay for cigarettes. I got to get back to work. (Leaves.)
Burton: Thanks.
Scene: Gang members' house, night
James is watching the house.
Scene: Cemetery
Mourners leave after Levi's funeral.
Nick: James, I'm sorry. I'm not good at these. You know, when my mom died…
James: When your mother died?
Nick: Yeah.
James: I don't mean to, but – how old was your mother?
Nick: James.
James: Was she sixteen?
Nick: No.
James: Was it your job to take care of her? Were you entrusted with her care?
Nick: No.
James: Did some teenage punks shove rocks in your mother's mouth until she choked to death?
Nick: What you said about dealing with the kids who did this. You're not gonna…
James walks off.
Scene: The Incline
Alvin is drinking at the bar.
Alvin: Jerry, another. Jerry, I want another, please.
Jerry: Sorry, Alvin.
Alvin: Why are you sorry?
Jerry: I called a cab. Go home.
Alvin: No, no. You said you were sorry. Why would you be sorry?
Jerry: You're drunk.
Alvin: Are you sorry because you ended up a 40-year-old bartender, working the day shift?
Jerry: Go to hell.
Alvin: Okay, I will.
Alvin sees Kate sitting at a table with a friend.
Alvin: Kate.
Kate: Alvin.
Alvin: Kate, I wanted to tell you something.
Kate: What is it Alvin?
Alvin: About the kid's contract and your clinic, the Children's Project.
Kate: Yeah.
Alvin: I don't resent you getting it and I think you do exceptional work—
Kate: Thank you.
Alvin: —and I was wondering if you might buy me a scotch.
Kate: Alvin, no.
Alvin: So, you're in cahoots. In cahoots with Jerry the aging bartender.
Kate: I'm not in cahoots.
Alvin: All of you are in cahoots.
Jerry: Alvin, it's time to go. I called a cab.
Alvin: I don't want a cab.
Jerry: It's time.
Alvin: Yeah? Well, in that case, Jerry, up your ass. All of you.
He leaves.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh, Alvin's office
Nick knocks on the door and enters. Alvin is putting away a bottle.
Nick: Listen, Alvin, I covered for you with the Walters case. I got a new hearing scheduled. I told your other clients that you would be available to work for them today.
Alvin: I can't.
Nick: Oh, you can't? Well, you have to sober up, Alvin.
Alvin: I'm not drunk.
Nick: Okay.
Alvin: I'm not.
Nick: Well, why don't you go to one of your little meetings?
Alvin: What?
Nick: You're Mr. AA. Come on.
Alvin: Who the hell are you? Who the hell are you to tell me about a meeting?
Nick: Whatever. (Starts to leave.)
Alvin: I killed that kid, Nick. I'm the one who called Social Services. I took him away from James.
Nick: Alvin, look, you really should go to a meeting.
Alvin: I can't. No.
Nick: Okay, fine, fine. You know, cuz – you want to take it this way? Is this what you want to do? (Slams the bottle on the desk.) You wanna go that way? I'll go. I'll go with you. Let's do it together, okay? (Alvin is shocked. Nick, exasperated, leans over the desk towards him.) You didn't kill the kid. You're not that powerful, Alvin. Levi's death, it wasn't… it wasn't about you. You didn't kill him.
Nick grabs Alvin's keys and leaves.
Scene: Fallin and Fallin, conference room
Jake: So the question is whether or not we want to hire another expert.
Burton: It's a lot of money.
Jake: Yeah, it's a lot of money. It's our money.
Nick enters.
Nick: What are you doing, Dad?
Burton: Your job.
Nick: Go home.
Burton: The environmental report came in. The soil readings don't look very good.
Nick: What does it say?
Jake: Well, the factory land is polluted.
Nick: How badly?
Jake: Borderline. The question is whether or not Trison is responsible.
Nick: Well, I'll order a new report.
Jake: (slightly panicked) I'm going to have to revise the merger agreement to provide for a hold back in the amount of estimated clean-up costs.
Burton: Don't forget the indemnification agreement.
Nick: What's American Hydrant saying?
Jake: They haven't seen the report yet.
Burton: Well, they will tomorrow. You have one day to get ready, then they walk.
Nick: Okay, well I'm here now. I'm going to rework the whole deal, okay? Dad, come on—
Burton: (muttering) I have work to do here.
Nick: —you need to go and lie down in your office. Dad, go on.
Burton: (snaps) Okay, fine! I'll go to my office and lie down. Okay.
Nick: All right.
Burton: Great. (Leaves.)
Nick: Good. Here's your cigarettes. (To Jake) Sorry about that. (Jake is looking out into the main office.) What is it?
Jake: We have a visitor.
Nick sees Alvin outside the conference room.
Scene: Nick's car, night
Nick drives along with Burton in the front, Alvin slouched in the back.
Alvin: Uh, how you doing, Burton?
Burton: Been better, Alvin. Been better.
Burton tunes the radio to Country.
Alvin: (singing, drunk) Stand by your man. Give me two arms to cling to. When times are cold and lonely. Stand by your man. Give me two thighs to cling to…
Scene: Fallin and Fallin, conference room, night
Nick enters.
Nick: Hey, Jake.
Jake: Hey. This is a two-person job.
Nick: Yeah, you're right. Listen, why don't you go to your office, get some sleep. I'll wake you in a couple of hours, okay? Is that coffee fresh?
Jake: Yeah.
Nick: Great.
Jake leaves. Nick pours himself coffee, takes off his jacket to get to work.
Scene: Fallin and Fallin, conference room, morning
Jake enters and opens the blinds. Nick, who's been asleep at the table, wakes up.
Jake: Nick, damn, Nick. You didn't wake me up.
Nick: What time is it?
Jake: Meeting's in an hour. Did you finish the revised merger agreement?
Nick: Most of it.
Jake: Most of it?
Nick: It's there. (Puts on jacket to leave.)
Jake: Wait, wait, wait, wait. No, no, no way.
Nick: I'm due in court.
Scene: Courthouse corridor
Nick: Alvin.
Alvin: Nick.
Nick: You feeling better?
Alvin: Yeah, great, I'm fine. Sparky's my client. I'm here to argue the case.
Nick: You sure?
Alvin: Yeah.
Nick: Okay, great.
Scene: Street outside Courthouse
James: Hey, Nick. (crying) I'm sorry for what I said about your mother. Wasn't right. I wanted… I got the names of the kids who did this, and their addresses. I know I should go to the police.
Nick: You can't - you can't get even.
James: I know.
Nick: You can't.
James: I know.
Nick: Well, I know now, right? I know. So let me take this thing to the police.
James: Let me.
Nick: Are you gonna do it right now?
James: I'll do it later. I promised my sister I'd come by.
Nick: You gonna do, right?
James: I'll do it later. I'll tell you what. I'll meet you at the Incline at 6.
Nick: I'll see you there.
Nick runs across the street and jumps over the median strip to enter the Frick Building.
Scene: Fallin & Fallin, foyer
The clients are leaving as Nick enters.
Nick: Mr. McLean…
Jake: We lost the deal. And we lost the client.
Scene: Doctor's office
Burton: I talked to McLean over at Trison.
Nick: Right.
Burton: He said the meeting was a disaster. Been our clients for 25 years.
The doctor enters.
Doctor: So, how are we doing?
Burton: Hi, doc. How're you doing?
Doctor: Let's just have a look.
The doctor examines Burton's eye.
Burton: Straight ahead, right?
Doctor: Yeah, this looks good. This looks very good. How are things with the shield off?
Burton: I think they're clear. I mean, still a little blurry, but I think it's better.
Doctor: Good. Well the blood should totally clear in a few more days, and your eyesight should return to normal.
Burton: And what about work? When can I go back to work?
Doctor: I'd wait until next week.
Burton: Really?
Doctor: In the meantime, stay in bed.
Scene: Outside the Medical Center, on Seventh Street Bridge
Burton: I gotta get back to work.
Nick: The doctor says you need rest.
Burton: The doctor says I'm doing better.
Nick: You don't take your drops. You don't wear your damn shield. You need rest.
Burton: God knows I can't afford to miss any more work.
Nick: Is that because of what happened with Trison? That was your deal in the first place, Dad. You didn't exactly give us enough time to prep for it.
Burton: Son, look, I know you've had a tough week but you can't let that affect your work. You gotta push through these kind of things.
Nick: Like you have in the last few days?
Burton: I was blind, Nicholas.
Nick: Well, that's a great excuse. I don't have one like that.
Burton: You know, you really worry me, Nicholas.
Nick: What?
Burton: You don't have any friends. You seem – you seem isolated.
Nick: I open up my house to you and you scrutinize me.
Burton: Look, I worry about the fact—
Nick: What?
Burton: —that if you don't find something outside yourself, you're gonna get back into that—
Nick: You worry about me?
Burton: Yes, I do.
Nick: You ever look at yourself?
Burton: What?
Nick: You ever take a moment these last three days to take a look at yourself? Did you—?
Burton: What does that mean?
Nick: You're too busy sitting on your ass, smoking your cigarettes and working out what my problems are.
They turn away from each other for a moment.
Nick: Listen, do you need a ride?
Burton: No, I don't. I'll walk. (Walks off.)
Scene: The Incline, outside
Alvin exits as Nick approaches.
Nick: Alvin.
Alvin: I wasn't drinking.
Nick: I didn't ask.
Alvin: Went in to apologize to Jerry, is all.
Nick: I didn't ask.
Alvin: I lost the Sparkly Walters case.
Nick: Well, what do you expect, Alvin?
Alvin: You know, I got Sparky's autograph once. I waited for hours outside the stadium one night with my dad who was drunk. These pro athletes, they were like gods to me. My dad was just a schlub. And, I was never going to be like him.
Nick: Okay. Is James in there?
Alvin: No, he didn't even come to work today.
Nick, alarmed, runs off.
Scene: Gang members' house, night
Nick drives up and approaches James.
Nick: Why didn't you go to the police, man? No, don't even think you're going in there, James. You think you know the truth? You think you know what's going on? You can't even be certain that these are the guys…
James: You should go home, Nick. Considering your status – probation.
Nick: Yeah, I'll go home if you come with me right now.
James: Go home, Nick.
Nick: You're not going in there, James. Anything could happen. Let's just get in my car. We'll take a drive, we'll talk about this.
A car pulls up outside the house.
James: Get outta here. Ride your ass up on outta here.
Nick: It's not gonna make it right.
James and friends sneak up to the front door. Nick drives off.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh, bullpen
Nick: Morning.
Lulu: Morning, Nick.
Nick: Alvin make it in?
Lulu indicates Alvin's office.
Alvin: (to clients) I'll file the papers today, you should have the answer in about a week.
James: (to clients) Mr Henner, your hearing's Monday afternoon. I'll meet you on the second floor of the courthouse.
Alvin: (to James) James, the Morgans just left. Can you take the hearing?
James: Sure.
Alvin: Thank you.
As Alvin hands James the file, Nick notices James's hand is injured.
Nick: (to James) If you didn't want me to stop you, why did you tell me in the first place?
James: (ignores Nick; to clients) Hi, Mrs. Jensen. Come on in. Hi, Sheila. I was going over your records…
Lulu: (to Nick) Hey, you have the Bennett case at 11.
Nick: Right.
Nick looks at Alvin and James working, makes his way slowly across the bullpen, then walks quickly into the broom closet.
END OF EPISODE
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