Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders (2016) s01e01 Episode Script

The Harmful One

1 Jack: Over 68 million Americans leave the safety of our borders every year.
If danger strikes, the FBI's international response team is called into action.
[Gong crashes.]
How did we end up volunteering on this farm? We should've just gone backpacking.
We signed up for 3 more weeks.
That's 3 too many.
We've only got another month before school starts.
I just don't wanna waste any more time.
You weren't like this before he got here.
Don't do that! Don't make this about Jeff.
Why not? You did.
You cannot honestly say that this hellhole is better than the last one we were on.
Shh! He can hear you.
Who, Benz? He doesn't know what I'm saying.
That's another problem.
I mean, not a single word of English? There are only five volunteers here.
I feel bad for him.
He watched me shower last night.
Ugh.
You give him a good show? I'm serious.
It isn't funny.
If you were so freaked out about it, why didn't you tell me? You talking about perv the farmer? Really? You told him? I vote that we get outta here.
Bangkok's only an hour drive away.
We can hitch it, we'll walk it.
Won't be that bad.
I told my mom we were staying here and I don't wanna freak her out by leaving early.
I already emailed my parents about it.
They wired me money this morning, $1,500, at a Western union in Bangkok.
We'll still be in Thailand the whole time, but we won't have to stay here.
Okay? Phayu [Continues in Thai.]
Phayu means “storm”.
Remember, it's typhoon season? What if one's coming? It is.
And places like this get flooded.
It's a couple days away, but, I'm not gonna stick around.
You shouldn't, either.
Sold.
She hates me.
No.
Maybe a little.
Don't worry.
[Laughs.]
Don't be mad.
I know that it was just gonna be us, but it's still gonna be fun.
That's not the point.
Okay.
Then? How do you know he's taking us to Bangkok? He's lived all over Thailand for a year already.
He knows where he's going.
Girls get snatched overseas because they're stupid enough to follow some guy.
Or stay on some farm with a peeping tom? Sorry, but I like our chances out here.
[Sinister music plays.]
Jeff? [Laughs.]
Wh-where are you? Where'd you go? Told you he's a jerk.
Jeff, come on.
This isn't cool.
He's just being an ass.
Right? [Sinister music continues.]
This isn't funny! Jeff! FBI! Drop your weapon! Last warning! Drop it now! [Suspenseful music plays.]
You shouldn't have done that.
How about “you're welcome”? Guy raised his gun.
We could've talked him down.
Jack, last time I checked, words don't make you bulletproof.
It was a clean shot.
You wanna review it? Yeah.
Let's forget reviewing it.
How about we go for coffee? Sure.
[Alert beeps, rings.]
Oh, let me guess.
Rain check? Where you headed? Thailand.
Most exotic place I've seen lately is Cleveland.
Have some pad Thai for me.
Well, you're welcome to join us overseas anytime.
We'd love to have you.
Thanks, but I prefer the comforts of home.
Though, I wouldn't mind swapping jets with you, every once in a while.
[Laughs.]
Not a chance.
[Whistle blows.]
Double-time it.
Come on, boys.
Come on.
[Laughs.]
What took you so long? Says the girl who had a huge head start.
Huh? I think that's a new record for both of us.
[Alert beeps.]
It's Jack.
I think we got a case.
Yeah, Thailand.
What, are you telepathic now? Heart rate, phone calls, and texts.
You should really keep up.
Monty's really rubbing off on you.
Hey, just living in 2015.
Oh, look at that.
Finally updated your little flip phone.
It's highly functional.
Race you back.
Ladies first.
[Suspenseful music plays.]
Beat ya.
No head start, this time.
Yeah.
Dang! Does that thing have its own zip code? Listen, you're not lugging around car seats and strollers.
Well, wait till they start playing sports.
You'll have a whole basketball team squeezed in there.
With murders and accidental deaths at a record high, Thailand is quickly becoming one of the deadliest destinations for tourists.
I remember those British backpackers who were murdered there last summer.
Guess that didn't stop our victims from visiting.
What do we got, Jack? American college freshmen Laura Johnson and Sarah Harris went off the grid 2 days ago and the latest messages indicated they were in hostile surroundings.
We'll be taking off in 3 minutes.
Good morning, handsome.
Hello, lovely.
We got the basics.
Fill us in, Monty.
Okay.
Laura and Sarah's parents are on their way in from Ohio.
They confirmed the girls signed up for a volunteer farming organization and left the U.
S.
right after graduation.
Volunteering on farms is like the millennials' version of backpacking across Europe.
These programs have been around since the 1970s.
Yeah, but they haven't really caught up with the times.
There's no background checks for hosts or volunteers.
Not exactly the safest choice.
Their cell phones stopped transmitting signals - 48 hours ago.
- What time? - Midnight.
- Where? A mile from the farm, heading north toward Bangkok.
I sent coordinates.
That's the middle of nowhere.
And the girls are adventurous types, but not adverse-risk takers.
Leaving the farm at midnight doesn't sound like something they'd do.
Unless they were talked into leaving.
Monty, who's the guy who met them in Thailand? Jeff Little.
No cell phone, no credit cards.
According to the girls' photos, they met at the latest farm.
Laura sent a selfie of her and Jeff, but Sarah wasn't in the photo and she didn't say anything to her mom about it.
Triangle? Never been a fan of a guy who comes between friends.
Simmons: Anything we should be worried about? Yeah.
He was charged with statutory rape and kicked out of Tulane last year.
He was 19.
Way to bury the lead, Monty.
I'm not sure how serious it was.
The Romeo and Juliet law has downgraded his conviction from a felony to a misdemeanor.
He's been livin' all over Thailand ever since.
With no traceable funds.
Two girls out of their comfort zone, a guy with no means of income.
And the lure of money.
Laura's mom wired $1,500.
When it wasn't picked up in 2 days, she called the state department.
Even on foot, from where they were, it wouldn't take 'em 2 days to walk to Bangkok.
Something bad happened along the way.
What do the Royal Thai Police say? Without a body, there is no crime.
The director personally tasked us to investigate and we're not gonna wait for a body.
- [Chime.]
- Good.
Local police should know that we're all on the same side.
It's not their job to worry about missing Americans.
It's ours.
[Suspenseful music climbs.]
I'm so sorry.
This is all my fault.
You got to stop saying that.
But it is.
Benz never watched me shower.
Jeff told me to tell you that.
He knew it was the only thing that would make you leave.
So do you think Jeff and Benz are working on this together? Probably.
I don't know.
Hey.
Have you eaten yet? It's been 2 days.
I can't.
We need our strength to get out of here.
I don't get it.
Why is he feeding us, if he's just gonna kill us? Maybe he won't.
Then what is he gonna do? - [Creak.]
- [Eerie music plays.]
Ah, get off of me.
Laura? What are you doing? Ahh! Aah! What is he doing?! What are you doing to her?! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Jack: A Thai proverb reminds us “what's done in the dark soon comes to light.
” [Sustained beep.]
Clara, glad you're still taking my calls.
Oh.
It's been a while.
So let me guess, you have not learned Thai in all your spare time and you want me to translate.
If all I needed was a translator, I could Google it.
You've always been way more than that.
Hey, Clara.
How you been? - Good.
Yeah, how's Christy? - Oh, she's amazing.
- How many kids, now? - Four.
- That's crazy.
- And you? - How many new languages? - Zintatu.
- Three, wow.
Countries? - I've lost count.
- My turn.
My turn.
- Hi, Mae.
Oh, Mae.
I don't think I've seen you out of scrubs.
How do you like life in the sunshine? Well, it beats the freezer.
It turns out, staring at dead bodies kind of took its toll.
So what are the chances you're in Thailand right now? Well, after a few months in Africa, I decided to roam southeast Asia.
I am studying beliefs about fate.
And? Everything happens for a reason.
You want the good news or the bad? - Good.
- Royal Thai police are setting us up with their office.
For bad, there's a typhoon off the coast.
Yeah, they're evacuating low-lying provinces.
The farm could be underwater in 36 hours, so I wanna get there before any evidence is washed away.
- Let's head to the station.
- All right.
Listen, this police force is a boys' club, so don't take it personally.
I know they won't shake our hands.
Well, that's a cultural norm between men and women here.
I'm talking about professional courtesies.
We're not the two ladies who will change their minds? - After 100 years? - Hmm.
Girl can dream.
Hey, listen.
A friend dropped me off.
Can I get a ride? You know any shortcuts? A few.
When are you gonna let me drive? Not today.
So, Laura and Sarah.
They went off the radar for 2.
5 days with a guy they just met, Jeff little.
It doesn't look like he's made the best life choices and it doesn't bode well that he's attached himself to these girls.
He played favorites, leaving Sarah odd man out.
You think he split them up for a reason.
I'm thinking he may have been grooming Laura as an easy target.
Trafficking.
Of course.
He could be a spotter.
I mean, the girls would trust another American, when they're on their own for the first time.
Larger rings are usually centered in the cities, like Bangkok, and we know they were on their way there.
Young, healthy, American? They'd get top dollar.
Why do humans always find new ways of hurting one another? I was just like these girls.
I didn't know you volunteered on a farm.
Yeah.
Six in total, all over the U.
S.
, when I was 18.
It was a different time back then.
Yeah, but it's the same war, even today.
You want your kids to have that independence, but it's so hard to let 'em go.
Yeah.
I think my parents knew I needed to see the world, you know? Do you miss it? What, jet lag? Takeout? Dead plants at home? No, my driving.
[Laughs.]
I haven't done that for a while.
So, apart from your excellent driving, do I miss what, exactly? Saving lives.
Yeah.
Yeah, of course.
Yeah, we were pretty good at that.
- [Eerie music plays.]
- [Insects buzz.]
What's that smell? Laura? Yeah.
Do you think this is how it'll end? - [Door creaks open.]
- [Gasp.]
Wait.
Please, wait.
Laura.
Where ? [Gasping.]
Where are you taking us? What are you doing? Just let us go.
We won't tell anyone.
Please! Ahh! [Speaking local language.]
They're not gonna welcome us.
Well, as far as they're concerned, Laura and Sarah aren't in danger and, if they are, it's their own doing.
Here we go.
Buhni Taksin.
Welcome.
Jack Garrett.
Good to meet you.
This is my team, Agent Simmons, Jarvis.
Cultural expert Clara Seger will be consulting with us.
We'd like the map of the province, so we can check the routes they may have taken - in and out of the farm.
- [Speaking thai.]
I don't speak Thai.
She does.
Of course.
One moment.
The royal Thai police force is 250,000 strong, but only 70 officers are female and they were only sworn in 2 years ago.
Against the law to smile? - Here you go.
- Oh, thanks.
We need a search team at the farm.
How many officers are joining us? I'm the only one assigned to you.
Others are prepping for the storm evacuation protocols.
Okay, well, we need to get out to the farm right away.
We need to talk to the owner.
He's waiting for us.
We are now receiving footage of the typhoon making landfall in Cambodia.
It's moved north and is due to hit Thailand in 24 hours.
- Oh.
Oh, it's you.
- Mary.
Frank.
Oh, I can't believe this is happening.
- Tell me they're okay.
- My team is there now.
We're trying to put some pieces together.
Please.
We should never have let them go to Thailand on their own.
Laura sent some pictures of a guy named Jeff little, said he was volunteering at different farms, too.
It seems like they were friends.
Have you reached out to him? I read about Jeff online.
He raped a girl in college.
- He did what? - Oh, my god.
Our girls weren't in trouble, until they met him.
Are those his parents? Excuse me.
Mr.
and Mrs.
little, come with me.
[Suspenseful music plays.]
We toured the main property.
- Taksin: Already? - We got here 10 minutes ago.
I should get a motorbike like that.
Have you met Benz yet? Yeah.
He let us look around.
None of his doors have locks.
Laura and Sarah stayed in a crowded bunkroom with two other girls from England, who said that they packed up their stuff and left.
Guys' room is even worse.
Besides this road in here, there's only two other paths that lead out.
So we should be looking for footprints, tire tracks, anything that helps us figure out what went wrong - and where.
- Simmons, you two get started.
- Got it.
- I will join you.
All right.
Let's do it.
Now, part of my job is to trace any digital footprint, but I can't find anything on Jeff.
When was the last time you talked to him? Almost 3 months ago.
He was volunteering at farms through a few different programs.
At least I knew he was getting food and a safe place to sleep.
Have you sent him any money? He wouldn't accept it, if we did.
That whole thing at Tulane? Drove a wedge between us, as a family.
He didn't feel supported, so he left.
I gave him my credit card, though, for emergencies.
But he's never used it.
[Speaking Thai.]
He's overwhelmed.
His wife, she's sick.
Ask him if there was anything out of the ordinary with the girls.
Were they arguing? [Conversing in Thai.]
He says the boy spent more time with Laura than Sarah, so Sarah seemed lonely and Sarah tried to speak in Thai, which Benz says was thoughtful.
Tell him I appreciate the information.
[Speaking Thai.]
[Speaking Thai.]
What do you think? Well, he's exhausted, but willing to talk.
He seems embarrassed of the conditions he provides here, and he's not surprised that they left.
They're not the first kids to go.
And I spotted a Buddha, which means he believes in karma.
What do you think? Agreed.
He was making eye contact with you and didn't seem like he was acting suspicious or hiding anything.
Yeah.
So, that leaves Jeff.
He's the one thing that still sticks out.
- [Ring.]
- A stranger who forced himself - between two girls.
- [Ring.]
It's Monty.
Russell Montgomery, as I live and breathe.
Is that you, Clara? How you been? Better, now.
Let me put you on speaker.
Our challenge here is to find something before the wind and the rain wash it away.
Now, I got no tire tracks, but the footprints are the freshest here.
And here.
[Ominous music plays.]
Looks like the girls split up.
Hold up.
We got blood.
Directionality of the spatter says whoever this belongs to is headed that way.
[Ring.]
Hey, Jack.
Monty just tracked the littles' credit card to an Internet cafe in Bangkok.
Okay, well, we got some blood out here on a path.
You and Mae find the source of that blood.
Clara and I will head back to the city.
You got it.
[Music plays.]
Hi.
How are you? You see what I see? Yep.
And that is definitely not Jeff.
[Suspenseful music climbs.]
Aah! [Shouting in Thai.]
[Speaking Thai.]
[Shouting in Thai.]
Oh! Ay! Oh! Ah! Ah! [Shouting in Thai.]
Ay! [Shouting in Thai.]
Huah! [Speaking Thai.]
[Shouting in Thai.]
He says he didn't hurt him.
[Speaking thai.]
Hey! [Ring.]
We've got Jeff's stuff.
We got Jeff.
Jeff's dead.
Make sure you guys build a perimeter and then push outward.
No.
Yes, I have to.
If you find anything, call me.
We'll come back and reestablish as well.
- I have to go down and get - No.
You are not allowed.
- I can't get clear photos from - Hey, hey.
Come here.
Listen, now that there's a body, this is the royal Thai police's investigation.
If we overstep, we'll be kicked out before we find Laura and Sarah.
Why not work together? Because they have a process, a system.
We have to respect it.
You mean to tell me you can't find anything in those fancy photos? Apparent C.
O.
D.
is a severed carotid.
But the elements eroded the flesh, so I can't tell if there was any hesitation.
What is this on the back of his neck? Got a botched tattoo? I could tell ya, if I had access to his body, but, since I don't The only way to know is to examine him myself.
[Eerie music plays.]
[Sobbing.]
Ah! [Gasping.]
Ah! [Gasp.]
Aaaah! [Growling.]
Run.
- What? - Run.
He's telling us to run.
[Crying out.]
[Growling.]
Tropical Storm Hunter is moving up the southern coast of Thailand.
It's due to hit Bangkok and the surrounding provinces tomorrow evening.
Many of the farms outside Bangkok are lowlands and are in danger of flooding.
Can you excuse us for a moment, please? [Melancholy tune plays.]
I'm so sorry.
[Crying.]
[Sobbing.]
How do you know Jeff little wasn't involved? He had a detailed journal, telling us he was soul-searching.
There were no indicators he was suffering any psychosis.
He was just a lost 20-year-old kid.
I will let the others know.
We're ready for a profile.
Gather your officers.
[Speaking Thai.]
Now that Jeff is cleared as a suspect, we need to focus on what the unsub did to his body.
I want you to take the lead on this.
- You think he'll listen? - Well, if there's only you two talking, he won't have a choice.
Simmons and I are gonna go talk to the kid, find out what else he saw at the crime scene.
Knock 'em out.
[Hyperventilating.]
Aaaaah-aah-aah! [Gasp.]
Shh, shh! Aah! Shh! [Growl.]
Our victim's remains tell us a lot about out unknown subject, or unsub.
Yes, that he liked to use a knife.
It's more than that.
He abducted three people, but he killed the male first.
And the time of death says that he did it right away.
- Why would he do that? - Most likely to get rid of competition and establish dominance.
Has he killed the girls? It's doubtful he's done that, yet.
He's a power-assertive offender who gets off on control.
He'll wanna prolong that experience.
And he's not gonna get rid of them until his psychological needs are met.
How does any of this help us find him? Because everything that he does gives us a clue to what makes him tick.
He killed Jeff little on the trail, but he carried his body down to the ravine, which contaminated any physical evidence.
He's more criminally sophisticated than we thought.
He's violent.
And hunting at night could be a learned behavior and it also tells us that he doesn't have the social skills to pull off a ruse.
You need to search for anyone recently released from prison.
Ask if anyone fits this behavioral pattern.
Thank you.
Our morgues are in the hospital, but, since this is active, they're going to keep the body close.
I don't know when our medical examiner can be here.
Okay.
Thank you.
The body has been deteriorating for 2.
5 days.
It's gonna get worse without a freezer.
You might wanna take a look.
Just know they're not gonna answer any of your questions.
I'm not gonna ask any.
Aaah! [Gasp.]
Shh! Shh! Shh! Shh! Ah! Oh! Okay.
I saw some comfrey root leaves back there.
They'll help slow the bleeding.
Hurry back.
[Suspenseful music plays.]
Clean cut, no hesitation.
Okay, let's get some of this mud off here.
There it is.
It's not a tattoo.
It's not a birthmark.
Inflamed tissue, but there's no blood pool, so this was done postmortem.
[Doorknob rattles.]
My name is Kosum.
My name is Mae.
I think you lost this, Mae.
Yes.
Thank you.
Is there a problem here? [Beeping.]
Go ahead, Mae.
Hey, did you get the photo? Uh, yeah.
Looks like a symbol of some kind.
It's not on a flat surface, so I can't tell, for sure.
Will you fill it out and run it against the popular symbols in this area? Anything religious, cultural, political.
I'm already on it.
[Siren wails.]
Here you guys are.
I thought you left me.
Thought about it.
Did you get anything from the local kid? No.
He found the body, but was too afraid to talk to the authorities.
What'd you find, Mae? Zero hesitation on the kill.
Used a heavy blade.
He's definitely comfortable with a weapon.
The skin is raised, but there's no blood pool or irritation.
This was done postmortem.
Is that from a branding iron? Monty's running it now.
That's pretty specific.
Simmons, what's in your head? Uh, I think the unsub watched and waited, most likely from higher ground, till the three of them were isolated.
He attacked Jeff first, the biggest threat.
And he had a compulsive need to brand him, like his prey.
What if that's why he's kept the girls alive? He's hunting them.
[Growling.]
Sarah, help! No.
Help! No.
Ow.
Ow.
Sarah! [Crying out.]
[Gasp.]
Ah! Come on! Let's go! [Suspenseful music climbs.]
Winds and rain are picking up in certain areas.
We do not have much time.
Those areas are surrounded by miles of dense jungle.
How do we find them? We've marked the abduction and dump sites.
Until we have a third, it's impossible to know which direction will lead to the unsub's comfort zone.
What is that? It's a narrowed-down area where he feels safe.
- Most serial killers - What? We do not have a serial killer.
There's only one victim.
He took three people at once.
In its nature, that's serial.
Look, apologies if we've offended you.
Every culture has their version of multiple violations.
How do you know any of this after only one murder? Because he left a calling card.
Yeah, in this case, he branded Jeff.
What brand are you talking about? [Beep.]
Mae was able to lift a partial image from Jeff's body.
My analyst at home is trying to identify it.
Hey.
I've got it.
I'm sending it to you now.
You're the best, Monty.
Here you go.
I've seen this before.
Mani! It was on mutilated animals earlier this year.
Torturing animals is a precursor to serial killing.
It allows him to perfect his M.
O.
And find his ritual.
Where'd you find the animals? [Speaking thai.]
[Gasping.]
Ah! Ah! I can't make it.
You should go.
I'm not about to leave you.
Now, get up.
Ow! Got the three points, the hunting and the kill zones and, now, where the dead animals were found.
What's Chonburi province known for? Wild-boar hunting.
And land disputes, going back many generations.
We're looking for a family who's lost the most.
- I know a few.
- [Thunder rumbles.]
Simmons, get Monty on the phone.
He can help us narrow it down.
According to Thai records, the only survivor is 20-year-old klahan.
Clara: That means “very brave”.
My guess is he had to prove it, through a lifetime of violence.
Yeah, just spent a year in Samut Prakarn prison for attacking trespassers with a spear.
He was released and, days later, his grandmother died.
She was the last remaining relative.
That stressor, combined with his homicidal tendencies, created the perfect storm.
Are there any cultural traditions for the last remaining member of a family? This could be Ullambana.
Come again? It's a Mahayana festival.
When followers believed the gates of hell open and ghosts of ancestors visit the living, traditionally, offerings are made to the departed.
The unsub, sacrificing humans to his dead family.
And he's proven they're worthy by hunting them for 3 days.
He'll kill them before the storm hits.
[Thunder rumbles.]
[Suspenseful music plays.]
[Gasping.]
There's something up ahead.
Hello! Hello! [Eerie music plays.]
Oh, God.
What's that smell? We're back where we started.
- [Shuddering.]
- [ Suspenseful music climbs.]
- [Growling.]
- [Gasp.]
[Growling.]
Run! Ru-u-u-u-u-n.
[Suspenseful music plays.]
Huh.
These can be used for self-mutilation.
Maybe that's his way of expressing emotion.
And, in this culture, it's a way of sacrificing yourself to a higher power.
Here's the branding iron.
Oh, check this out, guys.
“Tell our parents we're sorry”.
Looks like he's using the topography as his trap.
Look at these terrain features.
There's a river to one side, mountains on another, - and a cliff.
- Means they're in this area.
Yeah, but it could take hours to find them.
Let's move out.
Wait.
We go out there like a bunch of alpha males, he'll attack.
You wanna talk him down? Or you want Taksin to do it? I want you to.
He's not gonna listen to me.
There were many important women in his life.
He'll listen.
He had a close family and they were important to him.
Just build a rapport and he'll respect what you have to say.
This doesn't have to be his fate.
That's right.
- [Panting.]
- [Moaning.]
[Ominous music plays.]
[Eerie music plays.]
- Oof! - [Growling.]
Sarah, look out! He's coming! Uh! [Growling.]
Please, let us go.
[Speaking Thai.]
Simmons, cover her.
Hey, hey.
Hey, hey.
[Grunting.]
Okay.
[Shouts.]
Okay.
Okay.
[Speaking Thai.]
Agh! Yeah.
Oh! [Shouting in Thai.]
He was all alone.
[Melancholy tune plays.]
So I just set the record for fastest paperwork.
Yeah.
Still took you all day.
Let me see that.
Royal Thai police coin.
Very nice.
Yeah, Monty's gonna love it.
Oh, yeah.
By the way, I don't mean to brag, but did you see that back there? What? Taksin had a hint of a smile.
Yeah? Doesn't surprise me.
You are determined, stubborn, likely to win someone over.
In this job, that's a good combo.
Does that mean I get to drive the bike? No.
Did you hear they downgraded the storm? Yeah? Somebody should tell that to the rain.
[Thunder rumbles.]
[Melancholy tune plays.]
These winds aren't bad.
Should make the flight home better.
I've been out of the game too long, Jack.
I'm sitting here, feeling sorry for a man who killed an innocent kid.
And he would've killed more, if we hadn't have stopped him.
You don't see it, do you? That I'm soft? Yeah, I see it clearly.
You're not.
He was lonely and you connected to him, to the humanity in that moment.
Feeling alone? It's a horrible thing.
You're not alone.
You have people who love you.
I miss him.
I miss him so much.
Me too.
So what are the chances that I would run into you just days before my 2-year bureau sabbatical runs out? It sounds like fate to me.
[Laughs.]
Yeah? You know, there are no hoops to jump through, if you wanna come back right now.
[Melancholy tune continues.]
Life's too long to be alone.
Let's go home.
Yeah.

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