Boy Swallows Universe (2024) s01e07 Episode Script

1
[birds chirp]
[Frankie] Go on, have another one.
[Alex chuckles] Thanks, Mrs. Bell.
[Robert] Although, you
you and your bikie mates,
you're you're not exactly
law-abiding citizens.
[Alex] Mate, the Rebels
have heaps of laws.
- And I know, because I enforce them.
- [bird sings]
It's a fine couple of boys
you've raised here.
[Robert] Yeah, we've done our best
for them.
[gentle music plays]
[Alex] You know, Eli's letters,
they were the best thing about my lag.
Didn't care about my bad reputation,
didn't judge.
Anyway, mate, that's why I was droppin' by
to give you this.
- [Eli] Really?
- Yeah, go on.
[Alex exhales] Apologies
for the wrappin', mate.
Us bikies aren't known
for our gift wrappin'.
[Robert giggles]
[Alex] You always said in your letters
that you wanted to be a writer,
so this is for your journalizing.
Well, go on, mate,
open it up, give it a crack.
Say something into it.
[recorder clicks]
- Testing, testing, one, two, three.
- [recorder clicks]
[Alex] Yeah.
- [tape rewinds]
- [recorder clicks]
[Eli] Testing, testing, one, two, three.
[Alex laughs]
There you go, mate.
You'll be a journo in no time.
Well, that's his dream.
It's not really easy.
I mean, you gotta get a cadetship
or write a story
no one's even heard of before.
You know what, mate,
I've got stacks of those.
I've already done my time,
they can't lock me up for that shit again.
- [Eli laughs]
- [Alex] What do you wanna know?
[gentle music crescendoes]
["Devil Inside" by INXS plays]
Ha, ha, ha ♪
[Alex] The problem
with being a notorious criminal
is that no one will leave you alone.
The cops are keen to look for themselves,
but generally they prefer
a pub on the Condamine River
outside Warwick.
So we get there,
it's chockers with Bandidos outta Sydney
actin' like they own the place.
Here come the woman ♪
With the look in her eye ♪
Here you go, sweetheart, that's for you.
Raised on leather ♪
With flesh on the mind ♪
Words are weapons ♪
Sharper than knives ♪
Makes you wonder
How the other half die ♪
Other half die ♪
[Alex] It's always some mob
from over the border that brings it on
I wake up on the deck
covered in blood and broken furniture,
tryin' to get back on my feet
when a big fat bloke comes flyin' out
one of ours. So I grab 'im by the neck
and say, "Whose side are you on?"
Here come the man ♪
With the look in his eye ♪
Fed on nothin' ♪
But full of pride ♪
Look at them go, look at them kick ♪
Makes you wonder
How the other half live ♪
[Alex] He says, "I'm not on anyone's side.
I own the fuckin' pub
and you're all banned for life."
Devil inside ♪
The devil inside ♪
Every single one of us
The devil inside ♪
Devil inside ♪
Devil inside ♪
Every single one of us
The devil inside ♪
[phone rings]
Oh yeah ♪
[ringing continues]
["Devil Inside" fades out]
- [phone beeps]
- What?
[Brian] Mm, is that Alex Bermuda?
Who wants to know?
This is Brian Robertson
from The Courier-Mail.
I've got this kid
sitting opposite me, Eli Bell.
Says you told 'im your life story.
Yeah, that sounds like somethin' I'd do.
So you better print
every fuckin' word of it.
Have you seen how long it is?
This kid thinks
he's Brisbane's answer to Leo Tolstoy.
And how the fuck do you know
that he's not?
- [phone beeps]
- [disconnect tone]
[sighs]
So what do you think Mr. Bermuda's plans
are now that he's outta prison?
Well, um, my brother Gus, he wants 'im
to try and get into some charity work.
Alex says he's got some experience
collecting cash.
I have no doubt he does.
So, how much do you want for this?
I dunno. What do you usually pay?
[clears throat]
I mean, 'cause 'cause
what I really want is a job.
Doing what?
Assistant crime reporter.
Dream on, mate.
Are you even outta school?
That's never gonna happen.
But I could use you to write color pieces.
What are color pieces?
Oh, it's basically the descriptive stuff
we print up to, uh, make up the space.
Real estate blurbs, Toowoomba flower show,
best grandma competition.
Not everyone can do it, but trust me
[inhales]you're a natural.
Okay.
All right, I will tell Shirley
to put you on a starting wage.
[Eli] All right.
- Welcome to the team.
- [softly] Thanks.
Everybody, this is Eli Bell.
He wants your job.
Fuck off.
which makes 223,000 raised so far,
but that's still below our target.
Thank you all so much for your time.
[chuckles]
[scattered applause]
[gentle music plays]
Hi. Thank you so much.
Very nice to meet you.
[disorienting music plays]
- [man hollers distantly]
- [slicing sound]
Oh, fuck.
- Ow!
- [Frankie] You all right?
Yep, I'm okay.
Oh!
All right.
Try that.
- [engine sputters]
- Uh, yeah, good. Fuck!
Put it Put it in neutral, eh?
Fuckin' 'ell.
Try it now.
[engine sputters]
[gentle music plays]
[engine starts]
[engine revs]
Hey!
- [Eli] Oi, guess what?
- [Robert] What?
- I got the job. [laughs]
- [Robert] What?
[Frankie yelps, laughs]
- [Eli] How good's that?
- What did I tell you?
[Eli] Oh, I'm a proper journalist now.
Wow. Oh, Eli, I'm so proud of you, mate.
That's incredible.
- [Eli] Oi, guess what?
- What?
[Eli] Got the bloody job.
- [Gus] Really? Good job!
- Thanks.
- [Robert] He's a journalist. Eh?
- [Eli laughs]
Now, we can talk
about that 50 bucks you owe me.
- [Eli] How about you start workin'?
- I'm fixin' the car, mate.
- Did you get it goin'?
- She's hummin' like a tuna patty.
It's so clean now.
- [Robert] Smooth ride. That's my fella.
- [car honks]
- I gotta go.
- [Eli] All right.
- You're a champion, mate.
- Thanks, Dad.
- Whoa. Whoa.
- [Eli laughs]
- [Frankie] Congratulations.
- [Robert] G'day, mate.
- [Eli laughs]
- My son got a job as a journalist.
[Frankie laughs]
- [man grunts]
- [Robert] Here we go.
- Oh.
- [man grunts]
- [Robert exhales]
- Our Man in Havana. Have you read this?
Yeah, yeah, sad to see that one go.
It's my favorite Graham Greene.
- Ah, Jane Austen.
- Yeah.
- She's comin' back into fashion.
- Mm. Yeah.
[inhales] "The gentleman
that takes no pleasure from a good novel
must be intolerably stupid."
[both chuckle]
I'll take all these. Uh
Eh?
Twenty bucks for the lot?
Eh?
Thanks, boys. Thank you, yep.
[softly] Wow.
You look happy.
Yeah, well, he's gonna take a dozen boxes,
and he wants to pay me money
to look after the shop
three days a week. Me!
- Wow.
- Yeah.
What about your agoraphobia?
You know, with all those customers.
Oh ho. [laughs]
Frankie, it's a bookshop in Darra.
I don't think
I'll be fightin' off the crowds.
But yeah, I'll be bringin' in some money
and, uh, ya know,
either way, I I reckon I owe you,
Frankie.
[gentle music plays]
I owe you too.
You did a pretty good job with those boys
all that time I was inside.
[splutters] Not really, but, uh, thanks.
And I appreciate you keeping
off the bottle since I moved in.
I know you're making an effort.
You know, the truth is, I
I don't really miss it that much.
But, uh, I think havin'
the boys and and you here just
just calms me down a bit.
But don't worry
[splutters]I'll manage without youse.
I I'm not developing a dependency
or anything, just
It just feels nice.
Bloody good day, though, eh? What a day!
- [rattles]
- Cracker.
[phone rings]
[indistinct background chatter]
[Brian softly] Good work
with that bank info from Vanuatu.
But keep the rest of it under your hat,
these walls have ears.
[Eli] Caitlyn.
Eli? What the hell?
I did as you said, gave Brian Robertson
an, uh, article he couldn't refuse.
- Oh my God, high five.
- [chuckles]
- What was the article?
- Um, "Alex Bermuda, My Life in Crime."
- That was you?
- Yeah.
Well, I mean, Dave Cullen rewrote it,
but it was based
off of my initial interview.
Yeah, typical. Well, I hope
they're at least paying you properly.
Um, they got me on a starter salary.
How much is that?
I dunno. Didn't ask.
Well, if it's less than 200 a week,
ask for a pay raise.
Okay. How was Vanuatu?
Who said I was in Vanuatu?
Uh, I overheard Brian.
Yeah, it was fine.
Good place for a holiday.
Well, I'll see you around, eh?
Uh
[Robert exhales]
[Robert groans]
[Robert grunts]
What on earth are you doin'?
Uh [exhales]
[breathing heavily] Just tryin' to
get into some shape, ya know?
Mm
- [Eli] Are you doin' this for Mum?
- [Robert] Mm. No. No.
Well, I dunno, maybe.
[inhales] Lyle was, uh,
pretty muscular, yeah?
[Eli] Yeah, he was a boxer once.
[Robert] Yeah, women love muscular arms.
I dunno why. I
I don't have much in the arms department.
[Eli] Yeah, look, I don't think Mum
left you just because of the arms.
Just sayin'.
No, you're right. [exhales]
[inhales] Plenty of other stuff to
[exhales]make up for.
- [Robert exhales]
- You stood up to Teddy, so that's a plus.
- Well, not really.
- [Eli] You were good, Dad.
I mean, you didn't freak out
like you normally do.
I like it when you call me Dad.
[Robert pants]
You reckon she still thinks Lyle's alive?
[hopeful music plays]
[Eli] No, she knows Lyle's
not comin' back, Dad.
[Frankie clears throat]
Nice day. Yeah.
Yeah. Ah, it's pretty good.
[Robert exhales]
[Robert] Wha! [exhales sharply]
- If you love someone, right
- [Robert] Yeah.
I think you've just gotta do things
that you normally wouldn't do.
- Like what?
- I dunno, stuff that terrifies you.
Like goin' to the supermarket or
- Yeah.
- something.
You've obviously given this some thought.
You got your eye on someone at work, mate?
There's this one person.
But, um, nah, she's outta my league.
[softly] Yeah, well, you know, I thought
that at the start with me and your mum,
but, ya know,
you never know until you ask.
[announcer] And now to a story
of local champions.
Listeners may remember
a young lady named Shelly Huffman,
whose life was changed
by an anonymous gift of $50,000.
There seems to be no stopping
this young lady
Eli? Robert? Shelly's on the radio.
[announcer] who have so far raised
more than $200,000
for disabled schoolchildren statewide.
The pair have now been included
in this year's list
of Queensland Champions.
- In recognition of exceptional service.
- Oh my God.
Philanthropist and owner
- [Frankie] Oh my God.
- of Atlas Prosthetics, Tytus Broz, says
Oh my God, Gus is gonna be
a Queensland Champion!
- The award ceremony
- Shush! Shush. Everyone shush.
will be held
in Brisbane City Hall's concert hall.
What? There's a ceremony?
Prime Minister Bob Hawke
is facing ongoing scrutiny days after
Okay, that's it.
No arguments, we're going.
Oh yeah, look, I I d I don't need to go
if there's not enough tickets.
- Uh, you're coming, Robert.
- Okay.
- And what are you grinning at?
- [Eli] Nothin'.
[Frankie] How did I not know about this?
This is, uh, front-page news.
Aren't you supposed to be a news reporter?
[Frankie cheers]
[Frankie laughs]
All right, Dave Cullen,
I want you to follow up
on the legless corpse
they found at Indooroopilly.
Is it the drug wars
or is it something else?
Caitlyn, you're still
on the special investigation we discussed?
Yeah? All right, Carl,
you're gonna tag team with Sam
on the state of the National Party.
Now, as I see it,
there are two parts to that story.
Is Queensland going down the toilet,
and how does Mike Ahern plan
to get us out of the toilet.
So, what else have we got?
Ooh, does anyone wanna write
on the annual
Queensland Champions wankfest?
[all chuckle]
- Um, actually, I
- Eli, you're not even supposed to be here.
No, I know.
It's just that my brother's on the list
Why, what did he do?
Pogo-stick to Cape York?
[laughter]
Actually, he and his friend raised
almost a quarter-million dollars
for people with disabilities.
Okay.
- Do you wanna write that story?
- Yeah.
[Brian] Actually, Eli, write 'em all.
We can use them as, uh, space filler,
before and after the ceremony.
Here you go, knock yourself out.
There's a, uh, housewife there that sailed
single-handedly around the world
and a bloke who climbed Everest
with one eye and no toes.
Yeah? Triumph of the human spirit,
"Aren't Aussies amazing?"
That sorta thing.
- Should I interview Tytus Broz?
- [Brian] Why do you wanna interview Broz?
He's presenting the awards this year.
I thought it might
He presents the awards every year.
In fact, it would be news
if he wasn't presenting the awards, so
Close the door on your way out.
Sure.
[Eli walks out]
[phones ring]
[inhales sharply] Why do you wanna
interview Tytus Broz?
Um, 'cause he's hosting the awards
that I'm writing about.
Wanna take a break outside?
[intriguing music plays]
Tytus Broz is involved
in some dodgy stuff.
You started all of this, you know?
When you said I should go
and speak to Bich Dang.
She said she thought her life was at risk,
and I dunno, I just
I just thought she was being paranoid,
but she was dead a few days later.
Supposedly of another stroke.
And then this gets sent to me
at the newspaper.
- What's this?
- Bich Dang's lawyer sent it.
Overseas cash movements
from an account in Vanuatu.
Now, it's an account
secretly owned by Tytus Broz,
with Bich Dang as the sole signatory.
I'm still digging into who he's paying.
My question is, why would Tytus Broz
be in business
with a Vietnamese restaurateur?
You know, Tytus Broz hires
ex-crims, current crims, and ex-addicts
to work at his warehouse.
That's how Lyle got a job there.
What if Tytus had Bich Dang
recruit them to sell heroin,
like he did with my stepfather?
Okay, so now we're saying
Brisbane's greatest philanthropist
is controlling a heroin business.
What if that's how he got rich?
I mean, I bet you it pays a lot better
than artificial limbs.
Okay.
[ruffles in bag]
These crims he has around,
do you have any names?
Apart from your stepdad.
Teddy Kallas, all-round sleazebag.
Okay. [inhales] Anyone else?
Ivan Kroll.
[ominous music plays]
Ivan Kroll is the one
who cut my finger off.
And he's also probably the one
that chopped up my stepdad too.
Have you told anyone this?
No.
[music crescendoes]
[Caitlyn exhales]
[intriguing music plays]
[indistinct background chatter]
[siren blares]
[Caitlyn] Payments from a secret account
owned by Tytus to companies in Australia.
The one I really wanted
to talk to you about was this one.
Alpaca Glamour. [chuckles]
What do they make?
Don't tell me, fake pubes.
The company's owned by Ivan Kroll.
- So, Tytus is buying alpaca hair?
- Well, a half a million dollars' worth!
Bloke makes a lotta prosthetics.
Well, I don't think
he makes hairy prosthetics, Tim.
Maybe you should ask 'im.
Well, I'd be more interested
in speaking to Ivan Kroll.
Mm-hmm.
You in touch with 'im?
Why would I know that scumbag?
Oh, I dunno, just figured
you know every other scumbag.
A colleague of mine saw you and him
together at a function,
a dinner hosted by Bich Dang
before she had a stroke.
We may have chatted. You do know
he's never been charged with anything?
So what were you chatting about?
[scoffs] Come on, Cait. You go
to a knees-up for community outreach,
and you have a few sherbets,
and there's a big-time philanthropist,
and some guy whose face he fixed up.
- Did you discuss alpaca farming?
- Maybe. Can't remember.
[drops papers]
[menacing music plays]
[siren blares]
Hey, it's Tim.
Can you please call me on my other phone?
I need to update you on something.
[closes phone]
[menacing music continues]
[phone rings]
[door opens]
[answers phone]
- [Caitlyn] Hello, is that Mr. Leary?
- Yeah.
Uh, I'm Caitlyn Spies
from The Courier-Mail.
Go fuck yourself.
[slams phone]
[Eli] That's awesome.
Um, can I just get a bit of clarification
on why you buried
the glass eye in the snow?
[man] Actually, it fell outta my pocket
in the push to the summit and
[inhales] I couldn't afford to lose
any more fingers lookin' for it, so
Right, okay. All right,
I mean, no, fair enough.
Yeah, actually,
it was on the way back down.
Uh, do you mind
if I just give you a call back?
- Oh yeah, sure, yeah, sure, mate.
- [Eli] Thank you.
Hey, what's goin' on?
[softly] Quick update, you were right.
Tytus was making regular payments
to Ivan Kroll.
He also was in business
with Raymond Leary.
Who's Raymond Leary?
Remember the guy who tried
to brain himself against the front doors?
- [Helen] Step away from the glass, please.
- Let me in! [echoes]
Yeah.
[Caitlyn] He did a concreting job
for Tytus once.
Now he won't speak to me,
but it's possible he'd remember you.
[intriguing music plays]
[metal clanging]
Mr. Leary, I'm Eli Bell.
I'm Caitlyn Spies.
I said I wasn't gonna speak to her.
Mr. Leary, I know the newspaper
didn't handle your complaint well.
They didn't handle it at all.
We're revisiting the case.
Tytus Broz was paying you
from an offshore account.
We're interested
in what you were doing for him.
Look, no one's accusing you of anything,
we just wanna understand
why Tytus Broz was so keen
to keep your project off the books.
I went bankrupt.
My wife killed herself from the stress.
You lot are four years too late.
[dramatic music plays]
[Eli] It's never too late.
My pal, Slim Halliday,
he did 25 years in a prison
for a crime he didn't even commit.
He told me you can spend years
thinking about the shitty parts of life,
or you can find a way
back to the good bits.
We just need to know
what you built for Tytus, Mr. Leary.
Please.
[intriguing music plays]
[Raymond] Yeah, here's the, uh
the initial specs.
He had this medical architect,
who used to change the specs
and then blame me for the cock-up.
What's a, uh a medical architect?
[Raymond] Architect for hospitals
and shit. Excitable little prick.
Nothin' was standard,
all the fittings were imported.
Who knows what it was?
[Eli] What do you reckon
Tytus was building in his backyard?
No idea.
Sterile area, chemical storage, research.
It's obviously much more
than just a drug operation.
[Eli] Leary was nervous
just talking about it.
Is it Ivan Kroll he's scared of?
You know he chops up people
with chainsaws, right?
You know, I'm sure he wants
everyone to believe that.
But the thing about these people
that live in the shadows,
they're only safe when no one knows
much about them, ya know?
As soon as their crimes
become public knowledge,
their power evaporates.
Cops withdraw protection,
witnesses start to talk.
Daylight catches up to them
and they're a pile of dust.
You and me, we're the daylight.
[intriguing music crescendoes]
[menacing music plays]
This is a picturesque spot. [pants]
I came to say that I'm gonna have to draw
a line under our relationship for now.
That kid whose hand you remodeled,
Eli Bell,
he's working for the newspaper now.
And they have dug up
some kind of money trail
between you and Tytus Broz
[inhales]that could be embarrassing
for both of you.
Well, the boss won't like that.
So
on balance,
it might be convenient for everyone
if you shift your arse overseas for a bit.
I told you years ago, we should've dealt
with those little rat bags.
We're past that now.
Ivan, if you do anything silly,
it's just gonna draw more attention.
I mean, drug dealers and scumbags,
it's fine, but newspaper reporters
[dramatic music plays]
I mean, I'm sure the boss
wants this all to go away very quietly.
[Tim inhales]
Fares to Europe are pretty cheap
this time of year.
Might be a good time to
[inhales]I dunno,
research your family ancestry.
Research your own fuckin' ancestry.
Just understand, if things do get messy,
it'll be hard for me to cover for you.
Just so we're clear on that.
Crystal.
Good.
- Thanks for bein' straight with me, Tim.
- Yeah.
Appreciate it. Just need to tidy up.
[Tim hollers]
[slicing sound]
- [Ivan whistles]
- [motor rumbles]
[dramatic music continues]
[meows]
[Caitlyn] Hi, darling.
Oh, darling, hi.
[softly] Such a good girl.
- [sighs]
- [wind chimes tinkle]
[siren blares in distance]
[siren continues]
[Gus sighs]
[motorcycle revs]
[motorcycle idles]
[revs repeatedly]
[disorienting music plays]
[man hollers distantly]
[motorcycle idles]
[revs]
- [motorcycle echoes]
- [dramatic music resumes]
[footsteps echo loudly]
[menacing music plays]
[breathes heavily]
[dramatic music plays]
[train brakes squeal]
- [Gus] Eli.
- Jesus! Fuck, Gus.
Sorry, I was worried.
I thought I saw Ivan Kroll hangin' around.
So I I came to get you. You all right?
Fine until you came along
and scared the shit outta me.
- [train passes overhead]
- Let's get goin', hey?
What's goin' on? You used to be
Mr. Cool, Calm, and Collected.
- Gus?
- [hesitates] I dunno.
I just keep havin' all these bad thoughts.
You know, like I did
before Teddy attacked Mum.
Well, thanks for tellin' me
that was gonna happen.
Eli [sighs]I didn't know.
Honestly, I don't know
what you'd like to imagine,
but I'm not some fortune-teller.
It's just it's disconnected images
that come to me.
I mean, you can't expect me to tell you
every random picture that comes to me.
Well, yes, actually, if it's gonna stop us
from being beaten up.
[sighs] I'm tryin' to explain to you,
it's it's not even complete thoughts.
[dramatic music plays]
You know you sound completely mad, right?
Yeah, but it's funny, isn't it?
All the mad stuff
it keeps turning out to be true.
[sighs]
[dog barks]
[dramatic music fades out]
[knock on door]
Yeah?
[door opens]
Hi, sorry. Um
I can't sleep
and the light in my room is conked out.
Brought a book.
[gentle music plays]
Yeah. Uh
[hesitates]
Uh, yeah. Yeah. Hop in.
Thanks.
[door closes]
[sighs]
I I can go and sleep on the couch
if you want.
No, it's okay.
[softly] Hm. Okay.
[Frankie sniffs]
[splutters] Are we gonna have to talk
about the car accident?
Can we not?
[softly] Okay.
[Robert exhales]
You know, I love those boys.
[sputters] I would throw myself
in front of a bus,
if I had to, for them.
Well, let's hope that won't be necessary.
[mysterious music plays]
[menacing music plays]
[Eli] Mum, don't!
- Hi.
- Sorry to wake youse.
You need to sign for this.
You know there's a doorbell, right?
[sighs]
- Oh, well, there used to be a doorbell.
- [man] Hm.
[Frankie] Okay.
- Have a good day.
- [man] Thanks. Cheers.
[Frankie softly] Whoo.
[hums] "Queensland Champions
official presentation of awards."
- [inhales] Ta-da!
- [Eli] Did you and Dad just, um
- No.
- Well, I didn't finish my sentence yet.
Well, don't, 'cause we weren't.
And even if we were,
it's none of your business.
Okay. Well, can you just be careful
opening the door?
Eli, I think I'm old enough
to answer the door by myself.
- You're not getting it too now, are you?
- Wait. Getting what?
[whispers] You know, the, uh agoraphobia.
- No, no. I just care about ya, that's all.
- Okay.
Oh, Eli, that's sweet,
but I think I can take care of myself.
[kisses]
[menacing music plays]
[phone rings]
[line picks up]
[Sophie] That update for you, line one.
- [Tytus] Thank you, Sophie.
- [line clicks]
[Ivan softly] Just to let you know,
that matter we discussed
is now dead and buried.
[llamas hum]
We can discuss the journalist too if
No, it's all coming from the kid.
I'll get 'im out here
and find out what they know.
[mysterious music plays]
[indistinct chatter]
[indistinct police radio chatter]
[phone rings]
What's goin' on?
Tim Cotton's disappeared.
[softly] Shit. Did you go and talk to 'im
about you-know-who?
Yeah. He denied all knowledge, of course.
- It was almost a
- [Brian] Eli, in my office.
[softly] I'll see you later.
This is good stuff. Keep 'em coming.
"My Year Going Backwards" was a cracker.
Now, you said you wanted
to interview Tytus Broz.
Did I?
So he has just called outta the blue,
and has asked us
to give his company a plug.
So, all you need to do
is get your skinny arse out to Brookfield.
Jeff the photographer has booked a car,
he'll pick you up outside at 2:30.
- I've got the Queensland Champions to
- [Brian] That's an evening thing.
- You'll have heaps of time.
- Was there no one else?
Eli, the man asked for you personally,
he's a huge fan of your work.
Interviewing someone like Tytus Broz
is a huge step up.
Do you want to be a journalist or not?
- Yes, I do.
- Good!
So get your notebook and fuck off.
You've got five minutes.
[police radio chatter continues]
[softly] I think Tytus is on to us.
He wants me to go meet 'im in Brookfield.
I'm comin' with you, okay?
Don't leave without me.
["Pressure Sway" by Machinations plays]
[tires squeal]
- [Eli] Hi.
- [Caitlyn] Get in.
Okay, fine.
Sorry, I was expecting
Jeff the photographer.
- He'll get over it.
- Well, what about Brian?
Fuck Brian.
Look, the main thing
to understand about Brian
is that ultimately,
he's only interested in one thing.
Scoops. Bring 'im a scoop
and he'll forgive you
for just about anything.
The thing is, I'm more concerned
about staying alive.
Yeah, well, I care about that too, Eli.
What are we?
We're the daylight. Here comes the sun.
["Pressure Sway" fades out]
[sighs] How do I look?
[laughs] Like Caitlyn Spies in a beanie.
[mischievous music plays]
[Caitlyn] If he's as dangerous
as we think,
he's gonna come after you
and me and everyone we love.
So don't provoke him too much.
- [door closes]
- [mysterious music plays]
[Sophie] Mr. Broz will receive you
in the reading room. This way.
Mr. Broz will be with you shortly.
[shutter clicks]
[shutter clicks]
[gentle music plays]
[birds chirp]
[high-pitched ring]
[gasps]
[pants]
[bell tolls]
[breathes deeply]
- [man grunts]
- [bell tolls]
[bell keeps tolling]
[exhales deeply]
[thuds]
[phone rings]
[ringing continues]
[mysterious music plays]
[ringing continues]
[ringing continues]
[man] Who's there? Is this Gus? [echoes]
Uh, I have a question. Uh
Are Are you me?
Well, what do you think?
That's just another question.
I I need proper answers.
There are no proper answers, Gus.
You you should know that by now.
Everything depends on everything.
Ask me another.
[splutters] Is
Is Is Eli gonna die?
We're all gonna die, Gus.
It's all just a matter of time.
- Wh
- [line hangs up]
[dial tone]
[mysterious music crescendoes]
[Shelly] Gus! Are you all right?
[grunts]
- Yeah.
- What happened?
I'm just a bit panicky.
I hope not,
it's just a bloody award ceremony.
No, it's not about that. [sighs]
Just, I'm I'm really worried about Eli.
Why?
It's just a feeling that he's in trouble
[inhales]
that I should be doing
something about it.
Okay.
You wanna know what I think?
- Yeah, always.
- [chuckles]
I think you've always been
his guardian angel,
just like my mum is with me.
But it's okay to think about yourself,
you know, just for one night.
[softly] Yeah. Yeah.
[menacing music plays]
[Tytus] Eli Bell?
I'm the, um photographer.
Sit.
[Tytus exhales]
[Tytus sighs]
[Tytus] You're Lyle Orlik's stepson.
My condolences.
Sad loss.
Do you like that?
It's certainly very detailed.
That's because it's an actual arm.
Someone donated it?
A dead person, obviously.
Well, the process is called plastination.
[inhales sharply] That's when the bone
and muscle are all turned into plastic.
So, you couldn't actually wear it?
No, of course not, it's much too heavy.
Electromechanical arms have many problems.
No substitute for the real thing,
unfortunately.
- Do you mind if I record this?
- Yes, I do.
[puts recorder away]
I remember you made a speech about how
your daughter was born without arms,
and that's when you decided
to devote your life to, um,
spare parts, or prosthetics.
- [Tytus] She faced many challenges.
- [shutter clicks]
[inhales sharply] I notice you've lost
a finger yourself.
Accidentally cut off.
Except nothing is entirely accidental
is it?
May I see?
[Tytus] Ah
Neat job.
[inhales] Did you ask them
to sew it back on?
They said they couldn't,
it'd just be stiff and useless.
[Tytus] Same with limbs, same with faces.
How to keep everything mobile and flexible
till everything grows back?
[Caitlyn] And are you working on that?
- [shutter clicks]
- [bird thuds]
[Caitlyn] I'm gonna see if it's okay.
[Tytus] Damn birds. Brainless creatures.
[door opens]
You'd think they'd learn
from their mistakes.
[Caitlyn] Eli?
[Eli] Excuse me.
[dramatic music plays]
[imperceptible]
[exhales slowly]
[Caitlyn] It's not dead.
[bird chirps]
"Your end is a dead blue wren."
Is that a quote?
It's something my brother said.
[menacing music plays]
[footsteps approach]
- [Tytus sighs]
- Eh, it wasn't dead.
Only a matter of time, I imagine.
[inhales] Can we go for a walk
in your garden?
[Tytus] No. I think you have
everything you need,
and I need to get ready
for this awards thing.
- I'll just grab my stuff, then.
- Yeah.
[softly] Now, you listen to me, Eli Bell.
I know exactly who she is,
and I know who you are.
[inhales] And you know exactly who I am.
Sophie! Let them out.
[door opens]
[Eli] Did you see when he grabbed my hand,
and he goes "neat job"?
As if he's recognized Ivan Kroll's
handiwork and given it a mark outta ten?
So you're not buying
"Brisbane's greatest philanthropist"?
This is it, Eli, your first scoop.
[Eli] Brian's gonna kill me.
No, he'll just yell and thump the table.
I'll explain we were on a scoop, okay?
I'm supposed to be at the awards tonight.
- I told my brother that I'd be there.
- Eli, just [exhales]focus, okay?
Raymond Leary built some kind
of private medical facility for Tytus,
possibly funded by the illegal trade
in heroin,
and now Tytus doesn't want us
roaming around his property.
That doesn't pique your interest
just a little?
Is it worth losing my job?
[scoffs] We wait till dark,
and make sure Tytus goes,
hop over the wall, try the bunker.
And if it doesn't work,
we go back to Brisbane.
And if Brian threatens to fire you,
I will tell him he has to fire me too.
What do you say?
[indistinct ruckus]
[dramatic music surges]
Half an hour to deadline, folks.
Now, where's Caitlyn Spies
and where the hell is Eli fucking Bell?
Oh fuck.
- [Frankie] Hey.
- What am I doin' here?
Give it here, let me do it.
Oh
Hey, relax, you're doing great.
Okay.
And I appreciate you doing this for us.
I know that big groups of people
aren't exactly your
[inhales sharply]favorite thing
in the world.
But it is Gussie's big day
and it's Eli's too, in a way.
[gentle music plays]
And it's yours and mine too.
Sending our boys out into the world.
One's a proper journalist
and one's a Queensland Champion.
[weepy] Oh!
[giggles] That's somethin'
to be proud of, hey?
[weeps] Yeah, we did good, Frankie.
[exhales sharply]
- [Robert inhales]
- [Frankie kisses]
[Robert softly] Oi.
Yeah.
Piece of cake.
[sniffs]
Ah
[exhales]
- [frogs croak]
- [crickets chirp]
["Lost in Love" by Air Supply
plays in car]
[Caitlyn sighs heavily]
You know you can't fool me ♪
[Caitlyn sighs]
I've been lovin' you too long ♪
- It started s ♪
- [turns knob]
["Desire" by Talvé plays]
Ever so gently ♪
Desire ♪
[Eli] Fuck.
- [static crackles]
- [song stops]
[breathes deeply]
Are you all right?
[exhales]
- Can I ask you something?
- Is it about work?
It's a bit more personal.
Okay.
I was just wondering how you felt
about colleagues being in relationships.
Okay.
[Caitlyn inhales]
[sighs]
I mean, ideally, if we weren't colleagues,
what do you think would've happened?
Oh Jesus, Eli, you never give up, do you?
It's a mark of a good journalist.
According to Brian Robertson.
[both laugh]
- [menacing music plays]
- [gasps] Oh shit.
[Eli] Do you think he saw us?
Okay, let's go.
- Ivan.
- [Ivan] Yes, boss?
I need you to do something for me.
Our young friend and the journalist
are showing an unhealthy interest
in the research facility.
- Just get rid of them.
- I'm on my way.
[mysterious music plays]
[Caitlyn grunts]
[Eli grunts]
[Eli grunts]
[Caitlyn sighs]
[motor revs]
[Eli grunts]
[Caitlyn] Come on.
[beeps]
[machinery rumbles]
[hissing sound]
[trap door hisses]
[Eli] This is fuckin' insane.
[animal shrieks]
[shrieking continues]
[eerie string music plays]
[shutter clicks]
[monkey shrieks]
[shutter clicks]
[dog whimpers]
[monkey shrieks]
[shrieking continues]
[shutter clicks]
[shutter clicks]
[shrieking continues]
[door beeps]
[dripping]
[Caitlyn retches]
[shutter clicks]
[imagined distant hollers]
[Eli] This just gets
fuckin' worse and worse.
[shutter clicks]
[Caitlyn breathes uneasily]
He's farming limbs.
[sputtering] It It's
a spare parts facility.
[shutter clicks]
[Eli breathes shakily]
[dark music plays]
You knew him?
[softly] It's my stepdad.
[Eli's voice breaks]
[Eli weeps]
[softly] Eli.
It's fucking Lyle.
I'm sorry.
[hissing sound]
Hey, stop, what are you doing?
[Eli weeps]
- Eli, what do you need that for?
- [weeping] It's evidence.
[sighs] Okay.
[Eli] Let's go.
Hey, wait. Just
[dials]
[menacing music plays]
[operator] Emergency.
What service do you require?
My name is Caitlyn Spies. I'm
[inhales]in some kind of bunker
in the Tytus Broz estate in Brookfield.
[shudders] I'd like to report a murder.
- [approaching footsteps]
- Is your own life in danger?
[gasps] Shit. [inhales]
[tense music plays]
[Caitlyn pants]
[Eli exhales, gasps]
[monkey shrieks]
- [Eli] Whoa!
- [Caitlyn yells]
[Eli] Go! Go! Go!
[Eli pants]
[Ivan growls]
[Ivan pounds door]
- [Eli groans]
- [Ivan growls]
[Ivan grunts, groans]
[Ivan hollers]
- [intense rhythmic music plays]
- [Caitlyn, Eli pant]
[growls]
[alarm blares]
[Ivan growling]
[alarm continues blaring]
[dark music plays]
[Caitlyn pants]
[Caitlyn] Eli!
[motorcycle roars]
[Eli] The fuck!
Oh shit!
[bats shrieking]
- Eli, come on! Come on. Are you okay?
- [Eli grunting]
[Eli grunts]
[Caitlyn pants]
[Caitlyn exclaims]
[dark music crescendoes]
[Eli] Oh shit!
Oh fuck, did we kill 'im?
I don't fuckin' know.
I don't fuckin' care. Just go!
[tires squealing]
[Ivan grumbles]
[pants]
[intense rhythmic music plays]
[groans]
[intense rhythmic music fades out]
[gasps] Is he following us?
I dunno.
[exhales] Oh, fuck, we're in so much shit.
[both breathe heavily]
[growls]
[revs]
[bells toll]
[indistinct background chatter]
[Robert] Ooh!
Okay.
We're good.
- [Frankie] Gussie. Shelly, you okay?
- Hey.
- [Gus] Hi, Mum.
- Yeah.
[Frankie] Where's Eli?
Uh, he's he's stuck doin' a story
in, um, Brookfield.
Brookfield?
[Gus] It's all right, Mum. He's comin'.
[dramatic music plays]
[splutters] I'm gonna give him a ring,
all right?
Is Gussie okay?
Um, it's probably nothing.
You know how it is. Pre-match nerves.
[Robert] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
- I'll show you where we're sitting.
- Okay, let's do that. Lead on, MacDuff.
Cabin doors to manual. Comin' through!
- [Shelly] Sorry.
- [Robert] Champion comin' through.
[Shelly chuckles]
[background chatter fades]
[background chatter resumes]
[line rings]
[line keeps ringing]
[hangs up]
[tense music plays]
Any word?
Anytime now, all right? He's coming.
[applause]
Ladies and gentlemen, honored guests,
we are here to celebrate
the accomplishments
of six very special Queenslanders.
Would you please give
a warm Brisbane welcome
to a man who needs no introduction,
Tytus Broz?
[applause]
[Tytus] Thank you, Lady Mayor.
I'd like you to come with me
on a journey of discovery.
Hey, we're gonna make it, okay? Promise.
[intense rhythmic music plays]
Biomechanical implants
have restored hearing
to thousands of patients,
and may one day do the same for eyesight.
[dramatic music plays]
[Tytus] But the ultimate barrier
is not technological,
it's human squeamishness.
[tires screech]
[Tytus] And if we can overcome
that final obstacle,
we will arrive very quickly at a time
where every single part of the human body
can be replaced by functioning elements,
manufactured or farmed.
[tires squeal]
The future is closer than we may think.
[Caitlyn pants]
Go further,
dare to break society's taboos,
and never let anyone
stand in the way of your dream.
[applause]
This guy's evil!
Don't listen to this bastard!
He cut off my stepfather's head
and put it in a jar
so he could experiment on it.
- [Tytus] No idea what he's talking about.
- You're a fucking murderer!
- He's a fuckin' fraud!
- [Tytus] Can we get security?
- [Tytus] Can we remove this young man?
- [Eli] He's insane!
Mr. Broz, we're taking you in
for questioning.
What are you talking about?
I've done nothing wrong.
He's the one you need
to remove from the stage.
Uh, I'm terribly sorry,
ladies and gentlemen.
We will take a break
until we sort this out.
[indistinct chatter]
I'm sorry, Mum, it was the only way.
[indistinct police radio chatter]
Chaos.
[menacing music plays]
[gasps] I've just seen Ivan Kroll.
You need to get your family out of here.
Just stick with your family, okay?
[softly] See you soon.
[Caitlyn sighs]
[Eli] Mum! Dad, Gus!
- [slicing sound]
- Oh!
- [crowd screams]
- Oi, hey, no!
[slicing sound]
[Frankie] Eli!
[Gus] Eli! Dad!
Oh! Robert! Robert?
[Eli gasps]
You stay with Dad, I'll get Eli.
[Eli breathes rapidly]
- [slicing sound]
- [guard grunts]
- [slicing sound]
- [grunts]
[Eli breathes deeply]
[Frankie] I got you. I got you.
Hey. Stay with me.
- [Robert breathes rapidly] I love you.
- I got you.
[Eli breathes uneasily]
[Eli breathes fitfully]
[pants]
[Eli groans]
Ah!
[menacing music ends]
[Ivan grumbles]
[Eli breathes fitfully]
[Ivan breathing hoarsely]
[Eli groans quietly]
[Eli grunts]
[Eli groans]
[Eli groans weakly]
Ah
[Eli breathes softly]
[Eli shudders]
[slow motion crunching, squishing]
[dramatic music plays]
[sirens blare]
[ambulance door closes]
[bells toll]
[bells continue tolling]
[Eli grunts]
[gasps slowly]
[Eli gasps]
[bell tolls]
- [Gus growls]
- [Ivan hollers]
[bells continue tolling]
[crowd exclaims]
[tolling fades]
[breathes heavily]
[winces]
[groans, growls]
[ethereal music plays]
I'm here.
[splutters] It's Gus, all right? [echoes]
[Gus grunts]
[Gus echoes] Come on, stay with me.
Come on, stay with us all.
[weeps] You're not gonna die, all right?
I promise you're not gonna die.
No.
No.
Eli.
Stay with me.
You can't die.
Come on, stay with me.
Promise me you're not gonna die.
[Gus cries]
[hopeful music plays]
[breathes fitfully]
[phone rings]
[ringing continues]
[ringing continues]
[ringing continues]
[ringing stops]
[shudders]
[machine beeps steadily]
[breathes sharply]
[gasps softly]
[strained] Caitlyn?
[softly] Hi.
You're in hospital.
[whispers] How's Dad?
Did he make it?
Yeah.
They were just here,
been taking it in turns.
How do you like the family?
They're great. I mean,
a lot more normal than I expected.
- I think they've been working on it.
- [snickers]
I didn't write this.
No, but you're going to.
It's just a teaser,
and Brian's got a whole series planned,
with a TV tie-in.
Welcome to the crime desk, partner.
- Do you wanna sit up?
- Yeah.
Slim Halliday once told me that
that time can be anything
you want it to be.
If you want it to go fast,
you could trick it into whizzing by.
And you can slow time down
by focusing on every tiny detail.
I was doing that when I wrote this.
[ethereal music plays]
[door opens]
- [Robert] There he is!
- [Frankie giggles]
[Robert] Oh, good to see
you sittin' up, mate.
You had us all a bit worried there.
- [Frankie] Oh
- How's your neck, Dad?
Ah, you know, just a nick to the jugular,
it's nothin', mate.
It just looked a lot worse than it is.
You took a knife for me,
Dad, you know that.
Ah, just happened to be in the wrong place
at the right time, you know?
Gussie was the real hero of the hour.
Yeah.
[gentle music plays]
You saved me, Gussie.
Nah, you're all mad.
[Eli] It's funny, isn't it?
How all the mad stuff
turns out to be true.
Come on, all of you.
Group hug.
- [Robert] Oh! Ho!
- [Frankie laughs]
- [Robert] Oh!
- [Frankie giggles]
- It's so sweet.
- It's divine.
- ["It Must Be Love" by Labi Siffre plays]
- I never thought I'd miss you ♪
Half as much ♪
[Frankie sniffs]
As I do ♪
[Frankie sniffs]
[groans] Oh you gotta be careful,
I'm still a bit sore.
- [Gus chuckles]
- [Robert] Sorry.
[Eli] Gus was right.
My end was a dead blue wren.
But that moment was also the beginning.
For all of us.
An exploding supernova of stories,
endlessly expanding
from that single moment.
[types]
Looking back on what happened,
it's hard to separate real life
from make-believe.
But I know the heart of it's true.
It must be love ♪
Man Finds Mojo.
It must be love ♪
Mum Gets Life.
Nothing more ♪
Artist Finds Voice.
[Gus scoffs]
- Dinner's ready.
- [Robert] All right.
Come on, Shakespeare, move your arse.
Have a look at that.
[Frankie] Okay.
How can it be that we can ♪
[exultantly] Oh!
[Eli] So that's my story.
[types]
Quite a lotta this
was foretold by my brother Gus,
when he first saw me yawning
my head off against a background of stars,
and suggested that maybe I'd bitten off
a bit more than I could chew.
Or, as he put it at the time
[Eli reading]
I've got to be near you every night ♪
Every day ♪
- [Frankie] Yes, please.
- [Robert] Stay there.
I couldn't be happy, baby
Any other way ♪
- [bird chirping]
- It must be love, love, love ♪
It must be love, love, love ♪
Nothing more, nothing less
Love is the best ♪
["It Must Be Love" fades out]
[gentle music plays]