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Pilot episode (My version)

I still don't believe I did it, but I had some free time, and so many thoughts about this series that was bugging me. So thought to give it a try. It is a very first draft version, just some thoughts jotted together.

I am not a writer and my English is so beginner, so please bear with me. There might be lots of spelling and grammatical errors.

Opening Scene –

The scene where DHS agent Robert Darden is shot

(Keep The opening scene almost same as the show. But we don’t need the whole chase sequence so long. Short it for almost two minutes, keep the suspence without revealing the face of the shooter and add shock value without showing any gore)

ACT 1

(Intoduction to Nathan Blythe) –

INT FBI office – Day

A meeting in conference room regarding Robert Darden’s death. Photos of crime scene projected in different angles followed by Darden’s corpse’s. Different people sharing opinions…

Agent 1 – It’s a straight case of gunshot, doesn’t need FBI involvement.

Agent 2 – maybe a cartel involvement.

Etc etc…

Then the camera slowly shows us SAIC Nathan Blythe. Cold, calculative, calm.

Blythe – There has to be something more than what we want to see. We have to dig. Dig more, dig deeper. Have to think beyond.

Cut to : Blythe’s own office. He is going through the same photos, thinking deeply. He suddenly opens his phone, remembering something… shows an old message where he was tipped that a foreigner gang trying to bribe the DHS agents. His frown intensifies as he reads the profile of Robert Darden again and again.

His assistant Heather comes in.

Heather – Your meeting with the director is fixed sir.

Blythe smiles a little. Then proceeds to talk with the director, a file in his hand.

(Introduction of Task Force) –

INT Blythe’s office – Day

Blythe sitting in his own desk and another man of late forties comes in. He is sharp, smart, professional but extremely tired. Blythe’s expression softens as he stands up and shakes hand.

Blythe (In a very empathetic way) – Drew. How are you!

Drew (Smiling a little) – Well… Still alive. Trying to survive that’s it!

Blythe looks a bit guilty.

Blythe – I never wanted to disturb you… but you know… It seems like a matter of national security.

Drew – Well, thank you for pulling me in though. I needed this. I need something badly to make me feel alive again… else this…

(His voice cracks, Blythe also seems to be moved.)

Blythe – It is not something you can get past ever, Drew. But we all are here for you.

Drew (laughs a little)- Did not know you are a sentimentalist. Now can we get back to work. What’s about this taskforce?

Blythe (laughs a bit) – Blackmailed the director enough to get the approval. Handpicked people from different law-enforcement teams.

Drew – Best one of their departments?

Blythe (laughs) – Quite the opposite.

Scene shifts. A house party. Banner reads – “Happy Birthday Special Agent Bell- The Legend” Glasses clattering, people laughing. A crowd gathering around an elderly man – Agent Bell, listening to his stories. A Young man sits nearby smiling. His eyes is stuck to his dad and evidently he hero-worships him.

V.O of Blythe- Keyonte Bell- a man in his early thirties- is the third generation of FBI agents in family. He is a young blood, enthuciastic, well-versed in terroroist threats. He has this desperation in him to prove himself, often making it hard for his team to bear him.

Scene shows Keyonte Bell trying to join the conversation with his dad, but he casually ignores him. Even his inputs from FBI now is wasted, as no one even sees him there in the family. He sighs and takes another drink, his phone rings. Call from Office to join task force.

Scene shifts again. LAPD headquarters now. Department of narcotics. A giant-looking man with soft facial expression and demanor sits alone in his desk, working on paperworks but unmindful. He hears two collegues making some racist jokes about how ‘they’ are usually violent in nature and clenches his hands, then sighs and ignores.

V.O of Blythe – Detective Luke Finau. 18 years in Department of narcotics. Pretty dull career graph, not very highly regarded in his department. Has been suspended for a long time for acting violently against a suspect.

Scene shows Luke being called by his sergent. Sergent smiles curtly looking at him as he enters.

Sergent (smiling) – Detective Finau. Tell me the truth. What connection did you pull?

Finau – Sorry?

Sergent- You have been appointed to a FBI taskforce.

Finau stares, expression unreadable.

Scene shifts again. FBI office. A young woman in suits excitedly explaining something technical to her boss. The boss looks totally uninterested, almost bored.

V.O. of Blythe – Evan Shephard. New in FBI. Exciting resume with high academic scores. Cyber expert, too much enthusiastic and recently got caught hacking a secured government website unauthorized- thankfully suppressed from the department or she would lose her job.

Shephard (excited as she continues) - …so that’s how we can hack their bank account details and…

Boss – No we can’t. It is unauthorized. Are you done lecturing? Go finish your paperwork.

Shephard – But sir, this is how we can…

Boss (yelling) – Enough Shephard! If you wanna show-off your IT skills go join sillicon valley or something. Here we need competent and serious officers. Not Gen-Z tech-junkies who think everything is fun! Another word and I will forward your suspension.

Shephard bows head, eyes almost tearing up but she maintained the composer. Boss calms down.

Boss – By the way, we don’t need any more input from you in this case. You are appointed in a new task force, lead by SAIC Nathan Blythe.

Shephard looks up, confused.

Scene shifts. A dark, dirty cabin, a woman hanging from ropes, trying to reach something with her legs. The scene setting is ominous and suspenceful.

V.O. of Blythe – Amber Oliveras. 14 years in DEA. Expert undercover agent, highly skilled and has a lot of wins under her name. Headstrong, streetsmart- everything an undercover agent should have…

V.O of Drew – But…

V.O. of Blythe – Rumour has that her job consumed her. Sometimes undercover agents of DEA work too close to drug dealers and then you know…

Scene back to Oliveras.

(The action scene of Oliveras here like the show. Till she being offered the taskforce role)

Scene shifts. Prison ground. (The ‘prison-fight with barbell and Jensen Ackles’ setup just like the show. The scene continues, as does the fight- with little V.O from Blythe)

V.O from Blythe – And Mark Meachum. Detective in LAPD, robbery and homicide. Has served military before, had a colourful service life. Infamous in department for his recklessness, rebellious and cowboy attitude which risks the others of the team. Not a team-player, doesn’t like to listen to orders. A ticking time-bomb, as his superiors call him.

Scene cut to the hospital where Meachum had the conversation with his sergent. (almost similar to the show, only shorter, crispier. Also note – Meachum was undercover here for like two months)

Scene back to Drew and Blythe. Drew is bit shocked, but amused as Blythe closes the confidencial file of taskforce information.

Drew – This is the team of best officers from different departments you have handpicked with special permission from the director? I must say… quite… an interesting choice. A handful of wildcards.

Blythe (scoffs) – Remember one thing Drew. Never pick the best agent for the most important mission. Choose the desperate one.

Drew laughs, showing he has full support. The conversation interrupts as Heather comes and informs the team has come. Blythe nods.

Blythe (talking to himself) – Let the game begin.

Scene changes

INT FBI Head-Quarters – Day

Five of the team members have come. Shephard looking around excitedly. Oliveras is just professional, not really ready for any bullshit. Bell also looks around, his eyes meet with Shephard’s, both smile. Shephard silently say hi in a blushing face and Bell nods softly. Meachum diligently noticing both the younger officers with a half-taunting, half-indulging smile on his lips. Luke Finau comes in and looks excited seeing Meachum.

Finau (smiling) – Detective Meachum you bustard! What are you doing here!

Meachum (visibly happy) – Oh Finau! You too are invited to the party? Guess I am saved from boring bunch of these fancy FBI suits at least.

Oliveras glances at Meachum once as she hears the comment. She raises one brow and keeps on watching him. Meachum and Finau have a bro-hug.

Finau – You good? Heard you were pushed into some undercover mission no one was taking. Derek from your depertment said you went down the pit to embrace your death.

Meachum looks bit startled for a moment. Finau does not notice. He laughs then.

Meachum – You know me, I love playing pool with danger. What about you? The suspension thing…

Finau looks bit embarassed and Meachum changed the tone.

Meachum – Well, you did what you had to do man. Were not gonna kiss the ass of that pedo when a teenager girl was in danger, were you? Don’t blame yourself, it’s on your brainless sergent.

Luke smiles lightly. The conversation interrupted as Blythe comes along with Drew and say hello.

Blythe – Welcome to the taskforce. I am Nathan Blythe. You will have to endure me till this mission ends.

The camera shifts to the face of every team members and captures their reaction.

INT the conference hall in HQ

(*No need of the whole dialogue heavy introduction scene of the team members anymore.*) Start from the Case briefing part that was showed in the canon episode.)

Small team interactions continue as they comes out from the meeting with Blythe and Drew.

Bell (approaching to Shephard) – Hello. Agent Shephard? This is Keyonte Bell.

Shephard (smiling broadly) – Hii!

Bell (blabbering a bit) – So, you are new in FBI I suppose. I have been in bureau for some years now. Having a blast here. Already was an important part of a mission that involved a terrorist group and…

Shephard (Listening tentatively) – It’s exciting no? I so much wanted to do something fruitful like that… you know my boss doesn’t let me do anything other than mundane paperworks! I am so excited about this taskforce here, at least will have something exciting to do!

Bell – I don’t know actually… (Lowering his voice) you know Nathan Blythe actually is quite a man… You can either get along too much with him, or won’t be able to tolerate that man.

Shephard – You know him?

Bell (smiling) – No actually my Dad… he was in FBI too and…

Shephard (excitedly) – Wait a minute! You are the son of THE GREAT DETECTIVE Bell?? God I have heard so much about him and… oh you are so lucky being his son.

Bell smiles, not sure if he should be happy or sad.

In another desk, Oliveras arranges her laptop and all, and Meachum suddenly approaches her with irritatingly smartass confidence.

Meachum (leaning over her desk) – Hey. This is Meachum. Mark Meachum.

Oliveras (Not looking up) – Not interested.

Meachum (Bit confused) – I mean… Hi. Why don’t we…

Oliveras (In a rude indifference) – No.

Meachum (starled, confused and a bit insulted) – Okay… where is the civic sense of DEA agents these days?

Oliveras – Not interested in talking with a LAPD detective who generally thinks with his dick.

Meachum (offended) – Don’t you think it’s a bit insulting to me?

Oliveras (Now looking at his eyes) – I know Melinda Bates. And her sister Rachel. And the reason why your wedding cancelled just two weeks before. So… go fuck with anyone else but don’t even try here…

Meachum is full embarassed now, he stammers to defend himself, thankfully Finau drags him with himself to the car- as they are going to investigate something.

ACT 2 –

(Case investigation – mainly based on the canon itself as I won’t make a whole new plot)

[The whole investigation in DHS office; also including interactions of car ride between Finau, Meachum and Bell, Oliveras]

[The scene where Shephard finds out the face of the killer from footages. Everyone is visibly impressed. Blythe doesn’t smile, he just nods.]

Blythe –Now run it through every database to find a match. I need an ID within an hour. And good job, Shephard.

Blythe leaves, Drew follows him. Now only the five of them together. Bell shows two thumbs up to Shephard. Shephard smiles.

Oliveras (cheering Shephard) – Great Job, Shephard!

Meachum (blabbering as he does know what to say) – Who knew computer geeks in suits will be the heros one day? In our days, we used to sweat and bleed and…

Oliveras glares at him… Finau comes closer and whispers in Meachum’s ears.

Finau – Okay, shut up now.

Meachum (nods) – Okay.

Oliveras pats on Shephard’s back.

Oliveras (making sure Meachum hears) – Don’t listen to certain chuvinist pigs, Shephard. They are brainless dicks. You go girl!

Shephard grins. Bell and Finau smirks. Meachum is fully irritated. He mutters something under his breath and sits in his desk. Oliveras looks triumped. Finau intervanes light-heartedly.

Finau (to Oliveras) – You are too hard to him, you know? He is not that bad.

Oliveras – You seem nice, how did you end up being friends with him?

Finau (sincerely) – He is actually more of an acquaintance than friend. But I know Mark Meachum enough to tell for sure that he is one of the best persons our department can ever have. It is just that he is a bonehead who hides behind senseless humour and smartass attitude so that no one sees him.

Oliveras – Tell Melinda Bates that.

Finau laughs. Oliveras too chuckles a little while glaring at Meachum again, who is checking something in his computer with one hand pressing own forehead unmindfully. Then she returns to her desk. Finau looks at Shephard and Bell, both are chatting among themselves while running through the databases. He shrugs and sits at his place to arrange the interview reports they had from morning.

INT Blythe’s office.

---

Blythe and Drew having some discussion on Darden’s finances. Blythe closes the file, changes the topic deliberately to clear their heads.

Blythe – So what do you think about the team?

Drew – That girl Shephard – she seems sharp.

Blythe – And the others?

Drew (thinking) – This is the first day, too early to evaluate. Time will tell. But I am concerned about one thing. Each of them has an eminent personality. They are wild cards. Red flags in own team. They work alone, work best. But will they fuction in a single team? What if instead of working together they are at each others throats?

Blythe (smiling) – I know that is a possibility. That’s why I hired you.

Drew (surprised) – Me?

Blythe- My people skill is rusty. You know that.

Drew – So I am the head-boy of the class, and you get to play the cold, stoic boss?

Blythe – You got it.

The conversation ends abruptly as Bell knocks.

Bell (excitedly) – Sir! Shephard has identified the killer!

Drew gets up from chair in hurry and looks at Blythe. He nods with a trace of proud smile in his cold eyes.

EXT – in a neighbourhood

The team is looking for Ceaser Murillo- the suspected shooter. Meachum takes out the gun and starts leading spontaneously, like he is used to it.

Meachum (in a professional hurry) – I will take the front. Finau- with me. Bell and Oliveras, you hit the back.

Bell looks irritated. Oliveras protests but Meachum has already taken lead. Finau gives an apologetic smile and follows Meachum. Meachum looks bit uncomfortable as he slows down for a second and squints his eyes, but gets all set the next moment.

(The arrest scene and subsequent actions take place, but none of the arrested people are the original suspect. As Finau takes them to the prison van, Oliveras and Bell looks at Meachum, who is standing in a distance, covering his face with palm.)

Oliveras (attacking mode) – What was that?

Meachum (looks up tiredly) – What?

Oliveras – You don’t take the decision. You don’t get to tell us who will take the back!

Meachum (checking both Oliveras and Bell) – Don’t think we had enough time to vote. Or toss. Someone has to take the call…

Bell – That ‘someone’ is not supposed to be you. We are from bureau. You are just a cop.

Meachum’s expression changes, the whole charming attitude suddenly turns into rough anger.

Meachum – Stacking up our badges here, are we? I don’t play this game, kid. Show off your fancy badge somewhere else. You are not my boss.

Bell (in a composed voice) – Look, I don’t mean anything like that. I am just telling that you don’t get to decide things impromptu like... It does not work like that.

Meachum (adamantly) – I work like that. You want to work with me, then bear with it!

Oliveras (in sheer rage) – And what makes you think we will be just fine taking orders from you, you entitled scumbag?

Meachum furiously about to answer, but Finau comes back and manages the situation quickly. He tackles Meachum and modestly gestures others not to drag in more. Bell breathes out angrily and goes to his car. Oliveras still staring at Meachum’s path, murmuring curses.

INT Finau’s car

Finau side-eyes Meachum while driving. Sees him leaning back, eyes closed with back of the hand casually resting on forehead. For a second he looked exhausted.

Finau (a bit worried) – You okay, man?

Meachum – Fancy fed suits already started giving me a headache and it’s not even a day. Such a great start of the mission, no?

Finau (chuckling) – Cool down. Maybe they were just confused and…

Meachum (straightens up in all seriousness) – No no no. They are straight up trying to play some power game man. See, that DEA drama-queen is getting under my skin from the moment we met. Now this nepokid is telling me- ME – that I am ‘just a cop’! I have been serving the nation since before he was born, dude! What does he think, the FBI badge he got as a gift from his Daddy makes him superior than me?

Finau – Look. The one thing that our shitty department has trained me, that if you want to stay sane in this job, keep your head down and do your work. All the other things are outer noises. They don’t matter. Just turn a deaf ear.

Meachum – I cannot, that’s the problem. That’s why I prefer working alone, you know! (under his breath) I knew this taskforce was a bad idea the moment I was pulled in. I should have declined the moment I heard Nathan Blythe.

Finau – You have worked together before, right?

Meachum – Almost 10 years ago. I was going through some rough patches and thought a new mission will be good. Turned out to be a disaster. He put me in an UC and then cut all the contacts. I was not even able to call for extraction when needed.

Finau (sarcastically) – Oh! That’s why my chief seemed so eager to send me here.

Meachum - The ops was successful, and I called Blythe son-of-a-bitch right at his face when he was delivering his closing speech thing.

Finau (laughing)- Right at his face? You got some guts man! He must have loved it, since he hired you again?

Meachum (tiredly presses his forhead again) – Screw him. This whole colab with DEA queen and daddy’s boy is getting on my nerves. And all for a simple murder investigation? I was this close to crack the last case in prison, you know? It’s the best- I could call the shots, rely on my instinct. And here? (He sighs, his voice drops as if he is talking to himself) I don’t even know I have enough strength left to deal with all these.

He looks out of the window, his expression suddenly softens with an unseen vulnerability. Finau does not notice, he does not take his words literally.

Finau – Chill man, you will be good. Honestly, I did not take you as a man who gets excited so fast. In LAPD you are kinda famous for getting on others nerves and make them irritated.

Meachum scoffs, does not say anything. He kept on staring at the outer sky, then closes his eyes with a sigh.

INT FBI Headquarters

Blythe and Drew are listening to the reports from Ceaser Murillo’s house. Blythe looks a little unhappy knowing Ceaser has run away, and they have not retrieved a lot. Bell and Oliveras explaining why it is not possible to get any information out from the arrested ones. That’s when Meachum and Finau comes with a triumped smile.

Meachum – Ceaser Murillo was the hitman of Los Reyes, the same cartel Darden was monitoring. He got the assignment of killing Darden recently, just after they have got the ‘big assignment from the foreigners’. That is the time when he has left the house and gone underground since.

Blythe (a slight impressed sign but doesn’t show) – What is that big assignment, did they say?

Meachum – Don’t think they know. But I assume drugs.

Blythe (nods) – Maybe. Maybe not. Keep digging, try to find Murrilo. And good job extracting the information, Meachum and Finau.

Meachum (grinning) – Yeah, it seems sometimes experience speaks better than badges, you know? And these hands work better than fancy suits. (Gestures to his and Finau’s reddened knuckles, which have been very likely used on the suspect in not-so-legal way to get information)

Bell (little off since Meachum got the credit and he feels pressurized) – It’s not what you are supposed to do. Violence on any suspect under custody is not expected. It can raise legal questions. Everything does not run under muscle power.

Meachum (despite Finau’s trials of stopping him) – Oh right. We can’t. Because, we, the ‘just cops’ need results asap. We are here to work after all, not to polish the badge gifted by Daddy.

Bell looks seriously offended, and Shephard looks up from her desktop. Oliveras steps in.

Oliveras – Back off, Meachum. It is FBI headquarters, not a back-alley precinct.

Meachum steps closer. He looks at Oliveras’s eyes for a while, then takes a deep breath and masks his anger diligently with a smile, showing surrender.

Meachum (awkwardly) – Just kidding, guys! We are a team, right! Everything… team effort… etc… I surrender.

Bell (snarling) – Team my foot! I don’t even know what you are doing in this serious operation. This is not a burglary or barfight, it’s way above your brain’s wavelength.

Meachum looked like he will burst again, but he controls himself and snarls.

Meachum – Go and ask the boss. Infact let me ask for you…

Meachum adamently wakes towards Blythe’s cabin, Finau held his hand.

Finau (bit annoyed) – What are you doing? Picking fight like schoolboys and going to complain to the principal? Why? Seriously, I never took you as someone such a short-fused.

Meachum (taking deep breath to calm down, looking bit embarassed) – Yeah, sorry I am being jerk here. It’s just nowadays temper gets me so easily that I…

He sighs and stops, thinking something. Finau pats on his shoulder.

Finau- Happens to the best of us.

Meachum smiles, shaking his head. Then he sits back in his desk. Oliveras side-eyes him with an annoyed glare. Bell goes to Shephard’s desk.

Bell- Need any help? This LAPD goon is making me crazy! I badly need a nice company.

Shephard (giggling a little) – To be honest, your fight with Mr. LAPD is getting almost comical now.

Bell – Seriously, that man…

Shephard – Leave it. I have a looooot of things in hand. Help me sort out… These are Darden’s bank statements, tax records…

Bell carefully listens to her talking. His eyes softens as he keeps on staring at her.

INT Blythe’s office. Drew enters.

Blythe (without looking up) – Any update?

Drew- Nothing on the case. About your team… Catfight has started. Meachum and Bell are this much away from biting off each other’s face. Oliveras might mix something in Meachum’s coffee to kill him when no one is looking.

Blythe – Good. Let them fight. Once they are out of energy, they will bond.

Drew – With due respect, that’s the weirdest theory of bonding I have ever heard.

Blythe (Looking up) – What do you suggest, manager? Team picnic? A fun Friday activity? Should I order them to stop working and play Dumb Charades?

Drew (smiling) – Either that, or come up with a better idea. Or by the time we catch the killer, the taskforce will already dissappear as all these people will kill each other.

Blythe (scoffs)- I will act as a match-maker of these five full-grown adults and make sure they don’t fight. Happy?

Drew (grins) – New challenge unblocked for the great Nathan Blythe. Where is my popcorn?

---------------------------------------------

ACT 3 –

(Personal Life of everyone)

Blythe sits in own study, nursing a cup of coffee. He is still going through some files- and as the camera zooms in, it shows he is again checking the new task-force members. He picks up a pen from desk, then writes.

(V.O)

Finau – Diligent, honest. Anger issues? Or sense of morality too strong?

Bell – Will do anything to prove himself to his own legacy. Good or bad?

Shephard – Talented. More than anticipated. Maybe a genius unseen. But enough to survive?

Oliveras – Carrying too much in mind. Isolated. Traumatized? A wild horse?

Meachum – A blunt instrument or a lethal weapon not used properly in department? Or a lot more than that?

He keeps the pen down, thinking deeply. Little noises from living room, pulling him out of thoughts.

Blythe (As he comes out of study) – Jake? You… where are you going?

A teenager boy- visibly in his rebelious phase – whistles in ignorance.

Boy – Will be late. Don’t wait up.

Blythe – It’s 11 at night!

Boy (taunting) – So? Daddy’s gonna tuck me in bed and kiss me good bye?

Blythe (raising his voice) – Behave, boy! You won’t go out of this house without telling me where you going. Got it??

Boy (not moved a bit) – Oh! You suddenly care so much, don’t you! Sad, your all devoted wifey is no more here to see how responsible her husband has become… You know, after she died in a hospital bed waiting for you, and you were too busy with your work?

Blythe’s expression drops and face twitches in extreme hurt. He gets softer and reaches out to his son. But Jake is already out of the door.

Jake – I won’t be back till dawn. Don’t say I didn’t tell you.

The door shuts with a bang. Blythe standing alone in the big dining hall, lonely and dejected. He slowly moves to the mantlepiece, and stares. The camera focuses on the photograph there- Blythe with his wife and son. Blythe slowly presses his thumb on the face of his wife in the photo, his usually stoic features carrying raw emotion.

Blythe (In a broken voice, whispering) – I don’t know how to do it, Martha! I don’t know!

Luke Finau sighs once before he rings the doorbell. Two little girls litterally jumped on him as the door opened. Finau’s tired face gleamed in joy as he picked them up, grinning. Their mother, Finau’s wife Mina smiles seeing them.

Mina – Alright kids. Daddy’s home, now go to bed. Fast!

One kid – No we want daddy to tell us the last story he did not finish.

Other kid – Daddy will tuck us in! Daddy!

Mina tries to reason, but Finau gestures her to stop. He kisses both of them.

Finau – Go to your room. I will be right behind!

Kids run. Mina comes closer and they kiss.

Mina – Long day?

Finau – Long day. But worth it. After a long time.

Mina – So getting along with the new team?

Finau smirks unmindfully while both of them comes in their dining hall talking. The whole house smells like a happy, peaceful family.

Finau – Haven’t got to know them much. Not really. Meachum is there though. You know Meachum?

Mina (smiling, but eyes filled sincerity) – The guy of Homicide who cared enough to fight for you when you were being screwed by your own people? He is your partner here?

Mina- Yeah. Not gonna lie, felt kinda relieved seeing him here. Meachum can be menace to the authority, but he is a damn good detective who actually cares and can go to any extent to do the right thing.

Mina (smiling) – So kinda like you.

Finau (laughing) – I hope not!

Mina – And the others?

Finau – Seems efficient. Interesting. But you know, something tells me all of have something going on inside. Something deep, something dark… something the world doesn’t understand well.

Minna – So, the group of misfits?

Finau (laughing) – Group of misfits. Seems right!

Meachum parks the car and walks towards his home. His hands tremble a little as he fumbles with the keys, then presses his left palm silently on his forehead. Getting inside, he almost drags himself to the dark bedroom, grimancing, and almost collapses on the bed, pressing the pillow on his head. His whole smartass attitude is vanished and it’s evident that he is struggling. After a while he opens the bedside drawer and picks one bottle of pills, we see more than one bottles like that, a medical file, a brochure etc… Meachum dry swallows two pills, keeps the medicine back in the drawer, and for a moment stares at the brochure. It zooms as we see it is about the possible treatments of Glioblastoma. He keeps on staring, then slowly lies back on pillow, eyes on the celling, fists clenched, expression completely vacant.

Shephard’s little apartment. We see books, gadgets etc spreaded around the coutch just like a home of a nerdy girl. Shepard is on a phone call, fighting with someone.

Shephard – How should I know where your elder daughter is, mom! I am not her caretaker. You know? My job has a lot of responsibilities and tracking your careless daughter is not one of them! I am in an important case mom!

We don’t hear what Mom says, but it is clearly something that makes Shephard more angry as she shouts.

Shephard – Now I am selfish? I am the one thinking only about myself? What about her, mom? Why I always have to be the one who… You know what? Forget it! You will never understand because you do not care about me.

She takes a long breathe, cooling herself. Then continues…

Shephard- I will try to track her location and let you know. Bye.

She throws the phone on the couch angrily and lies there fuming. Slowly her face softens, a content smile in her face- remembering how she is appriciated for her work in her new team.

Bell scrolling his phone lying on bed in nightsuits in his house. His eyes stuck in a post of social media, some senior officer posted a picture of his grandfather, mentioning his great service in FBI. His face gleams as he keeps the phone aside, taking a deep breath, smiling.

Bell – One day, I will show you all. You will be proud, Granddad!

Oliveras is in a shady looking bar, drinking whiskey all alone, eyes static in her laptop as she is rereading the interview reports. Some guys pass some harrassing comments and she shows them middle finger without looking. Finishing her glass, she orders another peg, and her eyes stuck at a group of rodeos drinking and snorting together. Her eyes inspect more, when she sees a tattoo of crab on the arm of one man.

She keeps on staring, her face slowly turning restless as her lips quiver, some extorted hazy scenes flashes on screen as her flashbacks implying PTSD due to the dark memories associated with her past. We see dark cabins, ropes, syringes, flashes of lights with muffled screams of Oliveras and sound of laughter- and flashes of her being grabbed and dragged by some people- one having the tattoo. Oliveras squeezes her eyes shut, her body trembles as she finishes the glass at one go, she lits a cigerette and smokes restlessly, her hands shaking badly.

Pressing her palm tightly on her lips she is trying to control herself when someone touches her shoulder and startles back. As she manages herself and looks back she sees a shady-looking woman. She gestures her to come private and goes to the restroom. Oliveras takes a deep breath and puts on her brave face again and follows her.

Damon Drew’s house. The whole place loomed with the heaviness of unresolved grief. A kid’s photograph on wall. Rooms untidy, toy robots, toy cars, soccer ball etc spread here and there. It is 3 O’ clock in the Morning, still Damon Drew is sitting still of the sofa outside. Files open in front, a bottle of beer in hand, eyes at the photograph on the wall, eyes unreadable. Suddenly a scream comes from bedroom and he looks concerned and runs inside. A woman half-sitting on the bed, just awaken by a nightmare, screaming and crying.

Drew (Sitting beside her) – It’s okay! It’s okay honey!

Wife (crying) – He came, Damon! He came… he was talking to me and then… where did he go?

Drew sighs deeply and pulls his wife in his arms, silently breaking down himself. Slowly his wife is stable and broke the hug.

Drew – Sleep baby! Try to sleep! It’s alright. Everything is alright!

Wife – What about you… you won’t sleep? It’s already closing to dawn.

Drew (sighing with a smile) – I took my nap outside in sofa. Don’t worry about me.

Wife (staring) – How long you will avoid, Damon?

Drew sighs again. Without answering, he bids goodnight and goes back to sofa. There he breaks, weeps all alone for a while. Then controls his emotions, forcefully drowning himself in the files again.

The clock ticks, Drew keeps on reading. In a certain place he stops, rereads. He closes his eyes, thinks for some time. Then urgently, he calls Blythe.

Blythe (over the phone, in a sleepy voice) – Drew?

Drew – Sorry for calling now, boss! But I just caught something in the interview reports.

Blythe (getting up from bed, straightened) – I am all ears.

Drew – A collegue of Darden specifically mentioned the name of bank where the big amount was deposited in Darden’s account. That detail was never shared with them. How did he know?

Blythe – You mean to say…

Drew – The same person lied to us about Darden’s cabin in Big Bear. I checked and rechecked all the property details. Nothing such found under his name. I assumed he might have aquired illegally and was supposed to investigate. But doesn’t look like we need it anymore. He is lying for sure.

Blythe – So, your inference is this partner of Darden is the actual one who was getting bribed from the cartel. Darden got to know, so he get Darden killed and now framing him. We were wrong to think Darden was the once who is associated with the cartel. He was actually trying to find the real culprit and got himself killed.

Drew – And now only he knows what was getting trasported.

Blythe (hurrying up from bed) – Call the team immidietely and brief them. I will be at HQ in 5. We have to take him in right now.

The partner of Darden is running away. The whole team is chasing behind. The whole chase-sequence takes place (kinda like the show). Everyone from the team works together in sync despite all the tensions they have, proving why they are a good team.

*to be continued*

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