JAG s01e20 Episode Script

Captain, I am putting you on a new prisoner.
Colonel, I am already working a dozen cases.
Captain, for the next five days he will be your only assignment.
He must be very important.
Beijing went to extraordinary lengths to procure him.
He will know whether the Americans will intervene if we take back Matsu and Quemoy.
And that's all I need to extract from him? Yes.
He will resist and try to trick us.
His answer will be yes when he means no and no when he means yes.
Your future depends on you getting the truth, Captain.
Yes, sir.
Welcome to Hong Kong, Secretary Bair.
I'm sure you remember Lieutenant Austin - from our mission in Cuba? - Oh, yes I do.
I remember the entire three-ring JAG circus, including Lieutenant Commander Rabb.
- Where is he? - Missing.
Missing.
Taiwan's demanding to know where we stand if the Chinese invade Matsu and Quemoy, and JAG's Maritime law expert has gone AWOL.
- Not AWOL, sir.
Missing.
- Since when? I left Commander Rabb Saturday night.
He was supposed to sail with a friend.
- Maria Elena Carmelita - Moreno Gutierrez.
An lberian airline stewardess he evidently finds attractive.
Her flight schedule changed and Harm sailed alone Sunday morning.
No one's heard from or seen him since then.
If this is another JAG game to humiliate me This is no game, Mr Secretary! The sailboat he rented was discovered this morning.
Rather what was left of it was found floating on the South China Sea.
- Was his body recovered? - No.
But I'm glad to see you're as concerned about Commander Rabb as we are.
Well, of course, I'm concerned.
His opinion of our legal position on those islands is a major factor in formulating my recommendation to the President.
That's the other reason I'm here.
Like the Commander, I, too, am an expert in maritime law.
Good.
Then you can leave the search for Commander Rabb to Lieutenant Austin while you and I draw up a position paper for the President.
I assume you've set up an office? I've reserved an office with a secure line to Taiwan and Washington on the third floor, sir.
Then let's get to it.
Wondering why you're here? Wondering why I haven't seen someone from the American embassy which I've been demanding for the past 24 hours.
Probably because you're being accused of espionage.
That's ridiculous.
I'm an American citizen who was pleasure sailing in international waters when Chinese naval forces destroyed my boat and kidnapped me.
And how do you define "international waters"? I don't define it.
The law of the sea does, which most countries accept as customary law.
You seem to know a lot about maritime law.
Every Blue Water Sailor does.
Especially when they're a JAG officer, Lieutenant Commander Rabb.
You were observed the moment you arrived in Hong Kong.
Our Intelligence people know why you came to Asia, Commander.
To spend my leave sailing.
You were on your way to provide legal advice to your state department on upcoming talks with the Taiwanese renegade government.
Your Intelligence is mistaken.
At these talks, Taiwan will learn if America will intervene when we reclaim Quemoy and Matsu.
Something you already know.
- I do? - Yes, you do.
And that's all you want from me is an answer to that question? - That's all.
- Then the answer is yes.
Prove it.
You might be interested to know, Commander, that some of my colleagues have been processing Americans through here since the Vietnam war.
Perhaps someone you knew came through here.
Maybe even your father.
Would you like to know more about your father? Of course I'd like to know more about my father.
But how could I ever know if what you were telling me was the truth? There is a way.
How? Will the United States interfere when we take back the islands? And this time, a one word answer will not suffice! Harmon Rabb, Jr.
Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy.
October 25th, 1963.
It's too bad time will not allow us to play our game more slowly.
I would have found that much more pleasurable.
A fishing barge pulled up the wreckage in its nets and contacted the harbour patrol immediately.
Have you been able to determine what hit him? Probably an oil tanker.
It happens quite often.
Really, Inspector? We're able to piece together enough of the hull to identify it as Commander Rabb's boat.
At which point you called off the search.
Your Coast Guard would have done the same.
Not while there was any chance someone was still alive out there.
Survival would have been highly unlikely after a collision like this.
But possible.
The water's warm and Commander Rabb was an experienced transpac sailor.
You may change your mind after you see the wreckage.
It's been catalogued and photographed? It will be, Commander.
I want everything released to our custody as soon as possible.
Every nail and splinter.
I will do what I can.
Whatever collided with this boat was painted grey.
Are oil tankers painted grey, Inspector Chang? Not that I'm aware of, Lieutenant.
Military fleets are grey.
Civilian ships stay away from that colour just for that reason.
Military ships have even more sophisticated radar and men on watch than commercial vessels.
It is highly unlikely they would be involved in such an accident.
Unless it wasn't an accident.
Commander Rabb, how are you feeling? Fine.
"Commander" sounds so formal.
What do your friends call you? Harm.
Rabb.
Pain in the butt.
Let's talk about why you were in Hong Kong.
Maria Elena Carmelita Moreno Gutierrez.
- A lover? - Yeah, sometimes.
- When? - Whenever we can get together.
- Do you get together often? - Not often enough.
So, after you met with Maria Elena Carmelita Moreno Gutierrez.
You were to go on to Taiwan.
Tell me about Matsu and Quemoy, Harm.
Very difficult position.
Both China and Taiwan have valid claims to them.
How will the United States respond if China takes them back by force? Right now the Navy has six carrier groups at sea.
Two in this region.
The Independence at Yokosuka, Japan, and the Nimitz in the Western Pacific.
Will they use them to defend Matsu and Quemoy for Taiwan? Well, they also have representing 33 34% of the fleet.
You are not answering my question.
They're all Los Angeles class submarines, - 360 feet in length, 33 - Enough! Come on! We go! He was resisting the drug.
I disagree, Captain.
He was giving information.
You stopped too soon.
Information I can get in five minutes on the Internet.
The Navy teaches them to give information like that in their POW training.
Increase the dosage.
I have to be careful.
It could kill him.
If you do not get the correct answer, Captain, it could kill us.
Morse code? R-U-A-M E-R.
Are you American? Yes! Yes! Prove it.
Well, how you doing, pilgrim? There're some things a man just can't run away from.
They outnumber us four-to-one.
Do we talk or fight? I'm not going to hit you.
The hell I ain't.
I'm losing it.
That'll be the day.
Every time you turn around, expect to see me.
Because one time you'll turn and I'll be there.
Ready to set them up, barkeep? Who are you? Who are you? Forensic studies confirm the paint scrapings recovered from the sailboat's hull were from a military vessel.
- Whose military vessel? - That's difficult to say, Mr Secretary.
China supplies its maritime paint to a number of countries in the area.
Vietnam, Cambodia - So the paint's Chinese? - Yes, Commander.
The chemical signature is quite specific.
- Well, how will you proceed? - We will have to contact Beijing.
In time, they may or may not give us an answer.
- Then your investigation is over? - Officially.
- But I am making other inquiries.
- Other? - That's all I can say at this time.
- Thank you, Inspector.
Mr Secretary, good evening.
- Commander.
- Inspector.
- Well? - Well what, Commander? You heard him.
The Chinese rammed Commander Rabb's sailboat.
No, no.
That's not quite right.
A ship with Chinese paint evidently rammed his sailboat.
I don't think the Vietnamese or the Cambodians would have any warships in the waters off Hong Kong, sir.
All right.
Probably not.
I'll see what I can do to expedite China's answers to the Inspector's questions on this unfortunate accident.
This may not have been an accident, Mr Secretary.
If the Chinese knew Commander Rabb was on that boat they could have abducted him and made the sinking look like an accident.
- To what end? - To interrogate him, hoping to learn our position on Matsu and Quemoy.
You people are trained to resist interrogation.
Resist, yes.
But no one can hold out for long against the drugs that are available today.
So what do we do? You inform China that we know they have him.
But we don't know.
This is just a theory based on a few chips of paint.
It's all we have.
We must act on it.
Commander, my job is to avoid international incidents, not to create them.
Then you won't help us? Not without more evidence.
Are you hurt, pilgrim? Come on, son.
Are you hurt? - No.
- Not so loud.
If they hear us talking, they'll move you.
And you don't want that to happen.
Why not? I'm going to keep you sane.
One step ahead of the mind games they'll play on you.
Mind games? Like this one? No.
No, but keep thinking like that.
Don't trust anyone, including me.
- Where are you? - Obviously, somewhere below you.
- Are you a prisoner? - No.
I'm here on vacation.
I wanted something dank and dark for a change.
Of course I'm a prisoner.
US Navy, just like you.
How'd you know I was Navy? I heard the guards talking.
You speak Chinese? When you've been here as long as I have, you'll pick it up, too.
- You don't believe me? - No.
Oh, hell, I don't blame you.
My first thought was that you were another mind game Colonel Hahn was playing on me.
Then I realised I've been here too long for him to bother anymore.
- How long? - I don't know.
I lost track of time long ago.
Yeah, don't tell me what year it is.
I don't want to know.
Either way, it'd be too depressing.
I can tell you I was captured in '69.
- Vietnam? - No.
Kansas City.
Wait! I hear footsteps.
Someone's coming for you.
Taiwan's held Matsu and Quemoy for 47 years, which gives them a firm territorial claim and makes a US action in their defence highly justifiable.
The grey area would be Chinese actions in Quemoy's coastal waters.
Why? Well, the islands are close to the Mainland, well within the 12-mile sea limit most nations claim as their waters.
- This can't be a unique occurrence.
- No, it isn't.
In any other case, when one country's sea limit ran into another's land limit, they would simply acknowledge a mean line in between.
- But China isn't any other case.
- All right.
Make up a list of examples and precedents where the land limit has uncontested domain.
Assistant Secretary Bair? I've got your wife on the line.
- Hello? - Hi, honey I can't talk now, Ethel.
I'm in a meeting.
You, too.
I'll call you tonight.
All right, taking that as a point of departure, Commander Krennick They're doing it to me again.
Inspector Chang? What have you learned? Please, let's walk.
For the last year, we've been working under the assumption the Mainland has all police stations under surveillance.
And no one wants to upset the new bosses? Correct.
The Mainland has promised to give Hong Kong autonomy for 50 years, but no one believes that.
You were correct.
It was not an accident.
Commander Rabb is being held in a local Chinese garrison.
- How accurate is your source? - Impossible to know.
They say Commander Rabb will soon be shipped to Beijing.
But there is a possibility he can be returned to us before then.
- For a price.
- Of course.
Who is this source? Since China began to tolerate capitalism in its free economic zones, a network of people have emerged who buy and sell anything.
- Black-marketeers? - Free-marketeers.
Men and women who deal in information, not $100 blue jeans.
May I assume with Secretary Bair's help, you can raise whatever is needed? The Navy takes care of its own.
They will contact you directly within the next few hours.
Please understand, I will now have to close the case.
Because the free-marketeers are involved? The Hong Kong government tacitly acknowledges they provide a service.
No one expects Mainland to have such lenient impulses.
Good luck.
Can you speak? Tell me, Commander, this is not an interrogation.
We just want to know if your memory was affected.
Harmon Rabb, Jr.
You were administered drugs incorrectly and overdosed.
You've been in a coma 27 days.
The doctor responsible is in a cell near yours.
You were shaved daily.
Even given a haircut.
But some bedsores were unavoidable.
- Does my mother know I'm okay? - Your mother thinks you're dead.
Commander, it was assumed you were lost at sea.
- You're lying.
- To what point? - To break me down.
- It's no longer necessary.
We successfully reclaimed Matsu and Quemoy from Taiwan.
Your government protested, but did not respond with force.
You're both so obvious.
I can assure you, Commander, it is the truth.
Then I can be released.
Unfortunately, your release at this time would prove most embarrassing.
Are you going to keep me? Would you prefer to be shot? Take solace in knowing, Commander, you're not the first, nor will you be the last.
Where you been? I missed you.
How long have I been gone? Oh, there's no way to keep track of time down here.
A couple of days, a couple of weeks, a month.
God, it's true.
- What? - I've been in a coma for a month.
No, no, that's another mind game.
Like you? - You got bed sores? - Yeah.
Yeah, look at them.
They're fake.
And you're not weak because you were in any coma.
They've drugged you.
- How do you know? - Colonel Hahn did it to me.
Only I didn't have anyone to tell me it was a trick.
God, I can't think! Well, it's the drugs.
How do I know you're not part of the mind game? If I were, why would I be telling you this? I don't know.
I don't know.
My finger's cut.
- What? - My finger.
The cut is still fresh.
Can't be more than a couple of days old.
I couldn't have been in a coma for a month.
Well, whatever you do, don't let them know you're onto them.
Start doing some pushups.
You've got to get those drugs out of your system.
Good idea.
All right.
Now, don't you think it's time we got to know each other? Harm! Harmon Rabb.
I'm a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy.
- What's so funny? - You tell Colonel Hahn I've been here too long to play a game like this anymore.
Why are you saying that? Because I'm Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb of the US Navy.
Hello! I thought we were meeting your free-marketeer contact, Inspector.
You are.
Most of the police force will be replaced by the Mainland next year, our pensions probably dissolved.
I've begun my transition to my next career.
Please.
And you don't see any conflict of interest? Next year everyone will be on the other side of the street.
Until then, I keep my moonlighting absolutely separate.
Do you know where Commander Rabb is being held? No.
Please understand, I do not represent his captors.
I am the middleman trying to bring the two parties together.
Who's the other party? Someone serving in the local garrison where your man is being held.
If they are to be believed, they are in a position to break your Commander out of captivity.
Are they to be believed? I cannot guarantee that, but my instinct is yes.
If this were a scam, they would have wanted money.
What do they want instead? Asylum in the US, no questions asked.
Apparently, local garrison duty is less than desirable.
We get Commander Rabb, they get asylum.
What do you get? A phone number I can ring up day or night that will give me instant sanctuary in your embassy, shall I ever desire it.
Do you find these terms acceptable? Only if we get Commander Rabb back alive.
Agreed.
For obvious reasons, we can never speak of this again.
Try the bao, it's excellent.
Wait! Look.
- He said yes.
- But I'm not sure it was the truth.
He said yes.
We have it on tape.
That is all I need, Captain.
And if he was lying? If the Americans will not interfere and because he says they will, we decide to take more drastic steps? Such as? If the Americans will go to war for the islands, Beijing may as well invade Taiwan.
- How much time do you need, Captain? - I need months.
But since I only have days, I'll have to take some big risks.
Do what you have to do, Captain.
- When did you go down? - Christmas Eve, 1969.
What carrier was your squadron attached to? Ticonderoga.
- Who was your wingman? - Tom Boone.
- What's your birthday? - October 25, 1963.
Where was I stationed when you were born? Fighter Town, USA.
Miramar.
So far, you haven't told me anything that couldn't have been uncovered by Chinese Intelligence.
Then ask me something they couldn't know.
Where did my father take me the day before he sailed for Vietnam? Belmont Park, San Diego.
On Mission Boulevard.
I wanted to show you the roller coaster before they tore down the park.
We carved our initials in one of the cars.
This isn't possible.
Do you remember exactly what initials we carved? H.
R.
With a little two squared.
I never understood what it meant until years later.
My God.
- I must be losing my mind.
- Or I am.
No, you're not.
No.
I hear them coming for you.
I can't.
I can't.
Now listen to me.
Listen to me! You're going to suck it up! If I could do it all these years, you can too, son.
It's 3:30.
This is not very promising.
I don't want to turn back yet, Commander.
This is a waste of time.
We should be at the consulate helping Bair prepare his position paper on Matsu and Quemoy.
How can you say that? I'm being realistic and not forgetting we're here to do a job.
I don't see what's to be gained by any other approach.
- He wasn't your partner.
- He served under me, Lieutenant.
With all due respect, it's not the same thing.
Excuse me, Lieutenant.
Are we having a competition over who cares more about Harm? I'm just as upset as you are.
I'm just not as good at showing it as you are.
I never was.
I've grown to care very much about Harm.
- I understand.
- I'm not sure you do, Meg.
I know how that sounded.
Now.
You're wondering if Harm and I were sleeping together? No, ma'am.
Yes, ma'am.
Unfortunately, no.
Were you? We never slept together.
- But you thought about it? - Yes.
Too bad.
Why? For admitting to the same desires as you? No.
For telling me.
You wouldn't say that if you thought he was still alive.
Did that woman just leave her baby? It's Harm's.
What is it now? Commander Rabb's been found and we need your help.
- Is he alive? - Being held in Nantou in a Xi Chang Army province garrison not far from the new territories.
I know where Nantou is.
Where did you get this information? We have someone willing to break him out tomorrow if you'll guarantee them asylum.
Oh, well, wait a minute.
Asylum by tomorrow is impossible.
Why impossible? This isn't like issuing a driver's licence, Commander.
For one thing, a background investigation has to be done.
That takes time.
Why does everyone outside of Washington think it's so simple? Mr Secretary, you will guarantee this person asylum by tomorrow or Or what, Commander? Or your wife will find out you've been having an affair in Hong Kong.
- That's a lie.
- With me.
She'll never believe you.
Dear Mrs Bair, I've been getting up the courage to write this letter for a long time.
I love your husband and he loves me.
It all began in Cuba.
We put a call in to her.
Would you like me to get that? No! No! No! Make a decision, Mr Secretary.
Please, sit and eat.
Is this how I am to live from now on? If you prove useful.
I thought my cooperation was no longer needed.
I'm sure there will be other opportunities for Beijing to use your naval knowledge.
I'm not a traitor.
Maybe not today.
But, in time, who knows? The rewards may prove too tempting.
Blunt and to the point.
I arranged for a guard to short the electricity to these cells so the Colonel cannot monitor us.
We only have a minute.
What is this? The game within the game? You were never in a coma, you were drugged.
They still need to know the American position on Matsu and Quemoy.
Now do you believe this is not a game? I already figured the coma was a lie and you knew it.
Commander, I can get the three of us out of here.
- The three of us? - You, me and your father.
Did you think it was just a coincidence you were brought here? No.
That doesn't make sense.
Nothing will.
You still have too many drugs in your system.
Tonight, I was supposed to give you more.
Tomorrow, we'll cross the border into Hong Kong.
Why are you doing this? If you were me, would you rather spend the rest of your life here, or in America? What can she gain if her offer's a trick? It sounds like you don't believe her.
I want to, but it's getting hard to separate reality from fantasy.
Remember what I used to tell you when you were little? Always address adults as sir or ma'am and never play with matches.
And that our instincts are always right.
We just learn to ignore them.
And that deep down, if you know something's not right It isn't.
But I don't know what my instincts are telling me.
It may be a chance for us to get out of here.
Now I'm not sure, but right now, it's the only chance we've got! Maybe you're the one who can't believe this is real after all this time.
It's possible.
The fantasy is completely logical within its own rules.
He has created his father in his mind, just like you said he would.
And now we shall use it to learn the truth.
Dad? Dad? Dad, it's Harm.
Dad! He's on his way to the border.
Why isn't he coming with us? Moving you together would be too dangerous.
Would you lower the gun, please? He told me not to trust you.
He said it wouldn't happen.
It won't happen if we don't leave now! - How are we getting out of here? - Through the front gate.
I have papers authorising your transfer to Beijing.
- Let me see them.
- Do you read Chinese? Shoot him! Shoot him now! - You fool! He'd have given the alarm.
- So would my gunshot.
I didn't think of using a pillow.
Next time I tell you to do something, you do it.
Now move.
Why would China keep my dad a POW all this time? After all these years, it would be too embarrassing to release him.
- Are there others? - Yes.
- How many? - Only Beijing knows.
If we make it to Hong Kong, the world will demand to know.
Which is why they won't hesitate to kill both of us.
This doesn't feel right.
Are you going to doubt me all the way to Hong Kong? Wouldn't you in my shoes? I suppose so.
Headlights.
- You think that's them? - We'll have to wait and see.
You know, I knew you were lying, Harm.
You resisted well, but no one can hide the truth from me and my drugs.
Your navy will not interfere if we take Matsu and Quemoy.
Did you tell the Colonel? He would have sent you on to Beijing and I wouldn't have anyone to trade for my freedom.
Well, at least I tried.
Is my father in that van? You're free to see.
There he is! - Stay put, Lieutenant.
- But it's Harm.
He's still on the other side of the border.
You really didn't expect to find him there, did you? Drop the pistol, Commander, before they shoot you.
It's only loaded with blanks anyway.
There are times when I do tell the truth.
- Where is he? - In your mind.
- I talked to him.
- It was the drugs you talked to.
He knew things only he could know.
He was in that cell.
Never.
Once I planted the thought in your head, the drugs did the rest.
He was lying, Colonel.
The Americans will not interfere if we take back the islands.
- Your weapon, Captain.
- What? - What is going on, sir? - You made a deal with the Americans.
What are you talking about? You were trying to escape to Hong Kong with the American Commander.
- I was following our plan.
- What plan? You are under arrest, Captain.
Colonel, why are you doing this? We no longer need to continue the charade.
- I know the truth.
- Come, Commander.
Now.
Come on.
Here we go.
Keep moving if you want to get home! - Oh, thank you, Commander.
- Who was she? - I never knew her name.
- Captain Lishi.
- She was my interrogator.
- The best we had.
- Did you - Tell her? No.
She was certain she knew the truth.
She couldn't have, Colonel Hahn.
I didn't know yet myself.
I still hadn't formulated my recommendation when you picked me up.
I am not Hahn.
My name is Colonel Yang-Chi.
I replaced Colonel Hahn 10 years ago.
- 10 years ago? - Yes.
Who told you about Colonel Hahn? My father.