Manhunt: Unabomber (2017) s01e04 Episode Script
Publish or Perish
1 What's the bottom line? Well, in my opinion, it's a prank.
There's no bomb at L.
A.
X.
He enjoys making us squirm, but his reputation, that's the most important thing he has.
Using language to solve crimes? There's not even a name for what you're doing.
I've come up with an approach I'm calling "Forensic Linguistics.
" If you want a seat at this table, you put names on that board.
That's your job.
You got to come in.
We just got a bunch of new Unabomber letters.
He's written to The Times, The Washington Post, Penthouse.
You're not going to believe this.
The Unabomber wants to make a deal.
[Typing.]
Ted: This is a message from the terrorist group FC.
To prove its authenticity, we give our identifying number as 553254394.
To The New York Times, we are offering a bargain.
If you publish our manifesto, we will permanently desist from all terrorist activities.
The killer known as the Unabomber says he will stop mailing package bombs if the newspapers will publish his political theories.
Ted: As I'm sure you know, bombs may attract attention, but ideas start revolutions.
That is our sole aim, and if we break our word, people will lose respect for us and be less likely to accept our ideas.
Reporter: The question now is, can the word of a serial killer be trusted? But what have we learned from the L.
A.
X.
Incident? His reputation is the most important thing to him, so if he says he'll stop bombing, he'll stop bombing.
The United States Government does not negotiate with terrorists.
This is how we catch him.
If we publish, someone will recognize his idiolect, his ideology, or both.
You haven't got a fingerprint in 17 years.
He just gave us a linguistic fingerprint on a silver platter.
The United States Government does not negotiate with terrorists.
Ted: The FBI is a joke.
They've tried to portray these bombings as the work of an isolated nut.
The so-called Unabomber, blamed for 16 attacks in 17 years, has now spoken out.
In several letters, one to The New York Times, the bomber denounced the industrial society.
We publish the manifesto and use his plan against him.
We did publish the Zodiac Killer.
Yeah, and he kept on killing and nobody caught him, which is why, everybody together now, the United States Government does not negotiate with terrorists.
Ted: Our goal is less to punish the people pushing all this growth-and-progress garbage than it is to propagate ideas.
This outlines my whole case for publication.
You can take it to Janet Reno and FBI director Freeh.
I'm supposed to walk into Janet Reno's office and ask her to publicly give in to the demands of a terrorist because someone might recognize his spelling? Ted: If our manifesto is not published by The New York Times or some other nationally distributed periodical, another bomb is ready to be delivered.
This is Bob Guccione, the editor in chief of Penthouse Magazine.
I have been following your correspondence with The New York Times, and I believe your offer to desist from the bombing is genuine, so I am offering to immediately publish your article unedited and in full in Penthouse Magazine.
Our demographic is virtually the same as The New York Times.
I might add we're the biggest-selling magazine in the Pentagon.
Ted: Mr.
Guccione, we are very pleased and we thank you.
While we don't have anything against sex magazines, it will obviously be to our advantage to be published in a "respectable" periodical.
The New York Times is to have the first claim on the right to publish, then The Washington Post, and after that, Penthouse.
However, if only Penthouse publishes, we reserve the right to plant one more deadly bomb.
Sir, please consider the case for publication.
He sends us a manifesto and that was his first mistake and we should exploit it for all it's worth.
His first mistake actually was Nathan R.
, and as of 7:00 A.
M.
this morning, we have Nathan R.
Nathan R.
, A.
K.
A.
Nathan Robinson, out of San Jose.
He's an old acquaintance of, guess who, Leo Frederick Burt, our current top suspect.
Our S.
O.
G.
Teams are hunting down Robinson right now.
He's been charged with terroristic threatening of a Peace Officer, possession of narcotics, mail fraud.
We put a tail on him, there's a pretty good chance he's going to lead us to Leo Burt.
The linguistic evidence eliminated Leo Burt.
Okay, Fitz.
You've said your piece, but we don't negotiate with terrorists.
Genelli, get to New York.
Brief The Times.
I'll be in Washington with director Freeh and Janet Reno.
That's it, folks.
[Door closes.]
Woman: Mia, look at that.
I mean, it really sparkles, right? - And its setting - Hey.
Wow.
Wow.
You know, this job, they're always saying, "if you guys have all the answers, why haven't we caught him by now?" It's, like, wake up.
And I'm giving them so much and they just don't even listen.
Well, it's not all bad.
- No? - No.
- Because? - Because It's after 5:00 and I'm finally here and there are no kids anywhere.
Well, he's just a kid.
It's easy to get passionate about something and not realize you're wrong.
He's not really a kid, and he's not wrong, exactly.
It's he just has no practical experience for what this means.
He's got no big picture.
So, what do you think? Is it worth it? [Sighs.]
This is it, Beth.
This case is the one.
This is how I'm going to be remembered, it's going to be my legacy.
There's so much you'll be remembered for.
Eh, I could lock up a million serial killers.
But I'll always be the guy that led Unabom.
Yeah, that's me.
That's me forever.
The Scarlet you, huh? Sweetie.
It's a buzzer shot and I only get one.
Sometimes I just wish I could Pass the damn ball to the next guy.
There's no glory but no catastrophe.
Just the path of least resistance.
Terrible, huh? It's weak.
But boy I think about it.
Director Freeh, S.
A.
C.
Ackerman, Attorney General Reno will be with you shortly.
Thank you.
[Sighs.]
Don, listen.
This is a cakewalk.
You're just telling her what she wants to hear.
Don't publish a terrorist.
Leo Burt's a good lead.
And you've got a ton more where that came from.
Mm-hmm.
All of the tier-one guys are solid.
Yeah.
Listen, you inherited a garbage case.
No one expects a miracle.
Reno just wants to know that we're doing our jobs, which we are, and wants to see a nice, thick folder, which is what you have.
[Pager beeping and vibrating.]
[Click.]
Genelli, it's Ackerman.
What's up? I'm at The New York Times and I have some bad news.
It's okay, we'll We'll be fine, but I got here early for my meeting with Sulzberger.
There was this mail-room guy.
I followed him back to his desk.
You know the "call Nathan R.
" Note that was indented writing on the envelope the Unabomber sent the Times? Well, this mail-room guy handles every letter that comes to the Times, and he's really into post-its.
That unabom letter came to The New York Times mail room before it got to us.
That indented writing was made by Reggie Halender, mail intern here at the Times.
The Unabomber didn't write the Nathan R.
Note.
There is no Nathan R.
You're telling me that we've been chasing a dead lead for the last two years? Yeah.
How many Nathan R.
's have we been I know.
Sorry.
God damn it.
[Hangs up.]
[Clears throat.]
This doesn't change anything.
She wants broad strokes.
Just de-emphasize Nathan R.
And focus on Burt and the other top-tier leads.
This whole miniature war-gaming thing has officially taken over the dining room table, and Sean's really territorial about it, and I can't even suggest that he move it without him freaking out.
You think I should learn the game? I think I should learn the game.
I think you've got quite enough games in your life already.
It's not how I want it to be.
It really isn't.
Look.
When I said that, I just meant I know.
I know, but you're right.
You're right, because, you know, no one at the U.
T.
F.
even really listens to a word I say, so I might as well be playing a game.
My work has hit a dead end, so I'm going to ask Genelli, because I think it's time for me to come home.
Oh, love, I didn't That's not why I came here.
I mean, I would be so, so happy to be a family again, but I just want to feel like I'm making a difference.
[Laughs softly.]
[Phone ringing.]
[Phone ringing.]
[Picks up.]
Hey, it's Fitz.
Don: You've got 30 minutes to come up with something better than Forensic Linguistics.
Nathan R.
Is a dead end, but language is not enough here.
You bring me something concrete and operational that I can give to Reno to back up your case, well, then I might be willing to float publication with the A.
G.
If I do, if, then both our asses are on the line.
Do you understand me? All right, now Cole is already on it.
You two brainstorm.
You be brilliant, quickly.
You've got 29 minutes.
Go.
[Beep.]
[Hangs up.]
Stan: Concrete and operational.
Let's go.
Okay, we know he likes code, so if we embed a code in a publication, we can lure him in to a conversation I said concrete and operational, not esoteric intellectual crap.
Now, I know he's got 10 PHD's and a 500 I.
Q.
, but he's still a serial killer, right? And what do serial killers want? Control, power, respect.
Trophies.
Right.
Serial killers collect fingers, hairs.
Serial rapists collect underwear.
Jim: Right, so what's his trophy? What does he want? He wants us to publish the manifesto in a newspaper.
Newspapers are his trophies.
So if we publish it, he goes and gets it, - buys a copy.
- What's that going to get us? I mean, he can buy The New York Times at any newsstand in the country any time he wants.
It's not actionable.
The Post.
Washington Post.
- What about it? - Every time I finish the Times crossword, I go get the Post.
It's a pain in the ass because you can only buy it at one newsstand in the city.
So if we publish in the Post Then we know he's in the Bay Area.
He'll want to see it.
He'll need to touch it.
He'll want to see people buying it, he'll want to see people reading it.
He's going to want to see his ideas make a difference.
Dude, that's 150 S.
O.
G.
, minimum.
Well, it's not my problem.
Fitz is going to sell it.
[Phone ringing.]
- Cole.
- What do you got? Got Fitz and Tabby in here.
Hang on.
Go ahead, Fitz.
We know he's Bay Area, and we think if we publish, he would buy the paper as a trophy.
The Washington Post is sold at only one newsstand in the Bay Area, so if we publish exclusively in the Post, he'll have to come there and buy it, so on publication day, I'm proposing we follow and identify every single person who buys a Washington Post in San Francisco.
Is this a joke? Do you realize the scale? We would have to drain the entire country of surveillance teams.
Yes, sir.
That's insane.
For Chri Jesus.
Reno: Hello.
Madam Attorney General, thank you for having us.
Director Freeh, S.
A.
C.
Ackerman.
Thank you both for waiting.
I guess that's a no.
That was fun.
All right.
Back to work.
Thank you for seeing us on such short notice.
Well, Domestic Terror has a way of clearing the decks, doesn't it? Especially when the media is involved.
Woman: Can I get you a coffee or some water? "Water.
" Are you from Philly? Originally, yeah.
Freeh: No, thank you.
We're fine.
[Door closes.]
So the Unabomber's publishing deadline is approaching.
The Times and the Post are on my call sheet.
What am I going to tell them? Ackerman? The FBI recommendation Freeh: Don? The FBI recommendation is that we publish the manifesto, in full.
We publish exclusively in The Washington Post as part of a two-pronged approach.
First prong, Forensic Linguistics.
If we make the manifesto widely accessible, I believe that there is an excellent chance that a friend or a colleague of the Unabomber will recognize his unique language and ideology and will turn him in.
Second, there's a high likelihood that the Unabomber lives in the Bay Area.
Now, The Washington Post is sold at only one location in San Francisco.
This unique advantage will allow us to stage a large surveillance operation to follow, to question, to identify every individual who buys a copy of the Post on the day of publication.
While this operation While the size and scale of this operation is unprecedented We believe it to be a singular opportunity to lure the Unabomber into the light.
That's an unusual strategy.
You're betting big that he's in the Bay Area.
Well, we've traced every Unabom letter, package, and bomb to the exact mailbox he dropped it in.
Every single one of them is within an eight-mile radius of San Francisco.
If he's coming to town to mail his bombs, he'll come to town to buy his manifesto.
And what's the precedent here? Where do we stand once all this is done? I believe that we can say with conviction that publication is less to assuage the demands of the attacker than to use his plan against him so that it establishes a precedent of vigilance rather than weakness on the part of law enforcement.
If you catch him.
Yes, ma'am.
If we catch him.
Big "if.
" Director Freeh, is FBI HQ on board with this? Don has taken it upon himself to propose implementing one of the largest surveillance operations in FBI history.
We're happy to let Don take the lead and be the face of this operation.
Don, you're nearing retirement, aren't you? You're aware of the implications of this coming undone.
You still want to do it? What I don't want to do is see any more pictures of ripped-up bodies, and I don't want to pawn this case off on the next guy coming after me.
This is our best move.
It's risky.
We've got others.
But this one's the best.
Well, I just want to make certain you're aware of the consequences here.
What happened at Waco, my decisions there will haunt me for the rest of my natural life, and I can say from experience that everything is different when the camera is pointed at you.
Yeah, but I'd rather respect the man I see in the mirror than the man I see on TV.
Okay.
Let's do it.
You have the full support of the D.
O.
J.
Madam Attorney General.
- Director.
- Thank you.
Don, I admire your moral courage in this.
It isn't always rewarded, and in your case, I certainly hope it is.
Thank you, Madam Attorney General.
And in your case, I certainly hope it is.
Man: I'm following you.
Mrs.
Fitzgerald? Hi.
I'm Tabby Miller.
Great to finally meet you.
It's nice to meet you.
Welcome to the biggest shit show on earth.
[Chatter.]
[Phones ringing.]
- Jim: They're asking for - [Mumbling.]
Publication, stuff that we're [Mumbling.]
Hi.
[Laughs.]
I needed to see this.
Hey.
You made it.
It's just insane here today.
This is Natalie Rogers.
- Hi.
- Hi! - So nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
I work with your husband.
I've been hearing so much about you.
Have you? Man: Gentlemen, here we are.
S.
A.
C.
Ackerman? Don: Good afternoon.
My name is Don Ackerman, the Special Agent in Charge, FBI, San Francisco, and one of the leaders of the Unabom Task Force.
The Attorney General, Janet Reno, and FBI director Louis J.
Freeh today announced that they recommend the publication of the Unabomber's manifesto.
Concern for public safety ultimately led to this decision.
The Unabom Task Force continues to encourage the cooperation of the American public by calling our hotline.
The FBI can now be found at our brand-new home page and in the coming days, we will upload the manifesto for anyone to access.
We ask that the public pay particular attention to the philosophies in the manifesto and to try to recall if they know any individuals who have had similar philosophies or who have written in similar linguistic styles Philosophies.
You told him to say that.
We believe that with the help of the American public, the Unabomber will have no place to hide.
And now I will take your questions.
- [Applause.]
- so good.
[Laughs.]
Whoo! Hey, I forgot to tell you.
I got a call this morning from the school and they've got head lice going around like crazy.
They were asking if I could come in.
[Laughs.]
Begging, actually.
I told them no because I kind of feel like you need me here, right? It's fine if you need to go.
Don't worry about me.
If you want to go back, it's okay.
Okay, but I don't want to go.
Okay, then stay, have some fun, but I'm not going to be around.
I'm going to stay.
What what's the matter? What do you want me to say? It's fine.
Go.
Go, go.
Koppel: Let us describe what has happened plainly.
It is blackmail, pure and simple.
Since when do we trust a serial killer? Reporter: The bomber calls his manifesto "industrial society and its future.
" Reporter: Eight solid-gray pages, perhaps as likely to be discarded as trudged through to reach the Unabomber's central thesis that technology has gotten the human race into a fix from which there is not likely to be any easy escape.
Reporter: Now that his so-called manifesto has been published in The Washington Post, say investigators, they're hoping for more than just a cease-fire in the bombings and threats.
Maybe somewhere in this densely worded text, there will be some concrete clues to his identity which may finally net investigators an arrest.
PO1: Be advised, this is PO1.
Unsub is a black male, black shirt, jeans, going into the park.
PO5: PO1, this is PO5.
I have the eye.
SF1: SF2, this is SF1.
Unsub is white male, 60s, gray shirt, moving inside the park.
SF1: This is SF1.
I have eyes on unsub 4.
SF1: SF3, this is SF1.
Unsub is a white female, gray suit.
She's exiting onto Stockton Street.
SF3: SF1, this is SF3.
I have the eye.
PO1: Po4, this is PO1.
Unsub is a white male, 40s, short hair, red shirt.
Man: I've got the eye.
White male in his 40s.
Man: Listen, once you clear your unsubs, please will you circle back around, ASAP.
[Chatter.]
[Radio chatter.]
Copy.
[Chatter.]
Don: Half of San Francisco's shown up just to buy the manifesto.
What a world, huh? LA1: LA12, this is LA1.
Unsub is a white male, blue shirt, khakis, looks about This is LA1.
I have the eye.
Yeah, copy that.
SA1: SF4, this is SA1.
Subject is a black male, brown leather jacket, 30s, just stopped at the newsstand.
Excuse me, sir.
I need to ask you a couple [Radio chatter.]
Burkhardt, what's your status? Burkhardt: Subject cooperative.
He's a regular customer of Harold's.
Man: A brown Saturn, license plate number 2, Yankee, Bravo, November, 6, 1, 7.
No, sorry.
Unsub is a white male, 20s, black leather jacket, moving south on the Plaza.
Man: Sacramento 3, requesting data on unsub 5.
Jim: Sacramento 3, unsub five is Rafael Fetters, Pacific Heights, should be all clear.
Follow him to his destination, proceed with the interview.
Anything particular that you bought the Post for? PO1: PO3, this is PO1.
Unsub is white male, 50s, brown leather jacket.
Yeah! CA9, his name is Willie Wright.
Man: No NCID hits, subject clear.
Man: We're good to clear.
We're going to staging area.
Copy that.
Running out of time.
Newsstand's closing soon.
Should have been here by now.
Woman: No NCID, have the subject cleared.
- Cleared.
- Subject is cleared.
Nothing to do here.
Subjects are cleared, repeat, cleared.
Woman: Unsub 109, white male, 50s, gray hooded jacket, sunglasses.
This is the last guy.
We've cleared everyone else.
That's the profile.
He's got it.
SF67, I want you on unsub 109.
Eyes on unsub 109, copy that.
Later.
Don't lose him.
Going into BART.
Gonna lose you.
Copy that.
[Turnstiles turning.]
Conductor: Now arriving, Powell street.
Stand clear.
[Train rumbling.]
Female voice: The doors are closing.
Please stand clear of the doors.
[Train rumbling.]
Conductor: Now arriving, Rockridge Station.
The doors are closing.
Please stand clear of the doors.
[Train rumbling.]
Jim: She's been out of touch too long.
Conductor: Lafayette Station.
Female voice: The doors are closing.
Please stand clear of the doors.
FBI, stop! FBI, stop! Get down! [Chatter.]
FBI Out of the way.
[Can rattles.]
[Chatter.]
[Man coughs.]
[Cans and bottles rattling.]
[Gasps.]
[Train whistle blows.]
[Grunts.]
FBI, freeze! [Train whistle blows.]
FBI, freeze! Get on the ground! Get on the ground now! [Gunshots.]
[Man shouts.]
Come in, SF67.
Tabby, you there? [Tabby grunting.]
- Man: You bitch.
- Don't move.
Are you him? Are you carrying a device? Man: Go to hell.
- Is there a bomb in that bag? - Agh! What the hell are you talking about? [Groans.]
Oh, shit.
[Phone ringing.]
Yeah.
He's just some damn druggie.
He's got a bunch of open warrants.
That's why he was acting weird.
Sex with a minor, possession, distribution, you name it, he's wanted for it.
Except Unabom.
Right.
So a total failure, then.
Oh, it was a brave call.
That's too bad.
Thank you.
We're always negotiating with terrorists.
In fact, our Government is negotiating with terrorists out of one corner of its mouth while out of the other side of its mouth, it tells the American Public, "No, we don't deal with terrorism.
" "We couldn't possibly deal with terrorists.
" Of course, that's exactly what they do, so it's nothing new.
It's just that we're seeing publicly for the first time what hypocrites the FBI truly are, and frankly - Fitz.
- They look like fools in front of the entire nation.
The Unabomber had called them fools and we can all see that he was correct.
If I were an FBI agent right now, I would be ashamed.
Ashamed to show my face, ashamed of my institution.
Interviewer: Excuse me.
You're a pornographer saying the FBI should be ashamed? That's right.
At Penthouse Magazine, we don't say one thing and do another.
We don't say, "Oh, we're so high and mighty and pure.
" We never stoop to bargaining with a terrorist then basically bend over, spread our cheeks for him in front of the whole world, which is what the FBI just did, and I think the country has to think long and hard about that.
Who can we really trust? I know you think this is a setback.
It's really a huge win.
The manifesto is out there.
People who read it to someone who recognize his idiolect Stan: Yeah, everyone's recognizing the idiolect.
You've taken the investigation backwards.
We now have a tip line that's being pounded by every ex-wife, every pissed-off sister-in-law, every brother with a grudge in the country.
It's all garbage.
It's birthday cards, a grocery list.
Got a book report from "my side of the mountain.
" Here's a good one.
You recognize the spelling on that? The fax machine is spitting this stuff out faster than we can reload the paper, let alone the mail.
The country's trash can's being dumped in our lap here, and it's worthless.
All of it.
Don: Your TDY with the Unabom Task Force is terminated, and if we need your expertise again, we'll make sure to contact you.
There's still a lot of work I could do with document analysis.
You want to know the truth, Fitz? I feel I can tell you this, frankly.
You're going to have a long career with the FBI, but it's not because you're talented or special.
See, you've been telling yourself your whole life that all of your problems are because you're an artist, because you're a special snowflake.
But you're not.
You're just another asshole, and you're going home now so we can bring in some other asshole to replace you.
And guess what? No one's going to even know the difference.
Okay, that's it.
Jim: Dan, we're going to move this down here.
Oh, Okay.
Clear everything off.
Everything, please.
Watch out, Dad.
Can't mess it up.
If one piece falls, it's going to screw up the entire game.
Don't screw up the entire game.
I'm going to ask my sister Frances for a ride to practice Thursday.
Not home from, to.
I can't do it.
I know, I heard you.
Dad's going to pick you up, though, alright? - Okay.
- Right, right? Right.
[Indistinct conversation.]
- Mademoiselle.
- Merci.
- Ah, oui? - Could I [dial tone.]
[Dialing.]
[Modem connecting.]
[Pushing keys.]
[Ringing tone.]
Hello? Hey, it's me.
Hey, sweetheart.
How's the conference going? Good, good, um It's it's it's going good.
Everything okay? Um, I I don't want to, uh, upset you.
I just, um Have you read the Unabomber manifesto yet? No.
I think you should.
I think you should, um, go get The Washington Post and read it.
If we accuse him and we are wrong, it would be like taking my own brother's life.
There's nothing, there's nothing by him, - and this is all you got? - There's a million-dollar reward.
You realize how much crap we get in? You are capable of great things here, but not until you let unabom go.
I know that it seems like more than a case right now, but it's just a case.
Look, I just think that this is a strong lead that we should go down the road with.
It's a hornet's nest, Tabby.
Why are you kicking it? - Are you sure? - It's him.
The way he writes, his idiolect, it is identical.
- I don't know.
- This is him! This is the man, and the man that wrote this letter, he's the Unabomber, you hear me?
There's no bomb at L.
A.
X.
He enjoys making us squirm, but his reputation, that's the most important thing he has.
Using language to solve crimes? There's not even a name for what you're doing.
I've come up with an approach I'm calling "Forensic Linguistics.
" If you want a seat at this table, you put names on that board.
That's your job.
You got to come in.
We just got a bunch of new Unabomber letters.
He's written to The Times, The Washington Post, Penthouse.
You're not going to believe this.
The Unabomber wants to make a deal.
[Typing.]
Ted: This is a message from the terrorist group FC.
To prove its authenticity, we give our identifying number as 553254394.
To The New York Times, we are offering a bargain.
If you publish our manifesto, we will permanently desist from all terrorist activities.
The killer known as the Unabomber says he will stop mailing package bombs if the newspapers will publish his political theories.
Ted: As I'm sure you know, bombs may attract attention, but ideas start revolutions.
That is our sole aim, and if we break our word, people will lose respect for us and be less likely to accept our ideas.
Reporter: The question now is, can the word of a serial killer be trusted? But what have we learned from the L.
A.
X.
Incident? His reputation is the most important thing to him, so if he says he'll stop bombing, he'll stop bombing.
The United States Government does not negotiate with terrorists.
This is how we catch him.
If we publish, someone will recognize his idiolect, his ideology, or both.
You haven't got a fingerprint in 17 years.
He just gave us a linguistic fingerprint on a silver platter.
The United States Government does not negotiate with terrorists.
Ted: The FBI is a joke.
They've tried to portray these bombings as the work of an isolated nut.
The so-called Unabomber, blamed for 16 attacks in 17 years, has now spoken out.
In several letters, one to The New York Times, the bomber denounced the industrial society.
We publish the manifesto and use his plan against him.
We did publish the Zodiac Killer.
Yeah, and he kept on killing and nobody caught him, which is why, everybody together now, the United States Government does not negotiate with terrorists.
Ted: Our goal is less to punish the people pushing all this growth-and-progress garbage than it is to propagate ideas.
This outlines my whole case for publication.
You can take it to Janet Reno and FBI director Freeh.
I'm supposed to walk into Janet Reno's office and ask her to publicly give in to the demands of a terrorist because someone might recognize his spelling? Ted: If our manifesto is not published by The New York Times or some other nationally distributed periodical, another bomb is ready to be delivered.
This is Bob Guccione, the editor in chief of Penthouse Magazine.
I have been following your correspondence with The New York Times, and I believe your offer to desist from the bombing is genuine, so I am offering to immediately publish your article unedited and in full in Penthouse Magazine.
Our demographic is virtually the same as The New York Times.
I might add we're the biggest-selling magazine in the Pentagon.
Ted: Mr.
Guccione, we are very pleased and we thank you.
While we don't have anything against sex magazines, it will obviously be to our advantage to be published in a "respectable" periodical.
The New York Times is to have the first claim on the right to publish, then The Washington Post, and after that, Penthouse.
However, if only Penthouse publishes, we reserve the right to plant one more deadly bomb.
Sir, please consider the case for publication.
He sends us a manifesto and that was his first mistake and we should exploit it for all it's worth.
His first mistake actually was Nathan R.
, and as of 7:00 A.
M.
this morning, we have Nathan R.
Nathan R.
, A.
K.
A.
Nathan Robinson, out of San Jose.
He's an old acquaintance of, guess who, Leo Frederick Burt, our current top suspect.
Our S.
O.
G.
Teams are hunting down Robinson right now.
He's been charged with terroristic threatening of a Peace Officer, possession of narcotics, mail fraud.
We put a tail on him, there's a pretty good chance he's going to lead us to Leo Burt.
The linguistic evidence eliminated Leo Burt.
Okay, Fitz.
You've said your piece, but we don't negotiate with terrorists.
Genelli, get to New York.
Brief The Times.
I'll be in Washington with director Freeh and Janet Reno.
That's it, folks.
[Door closes.]
Woman: Mia, look at that.
I mean, it really sparkles, right? - And its setting - Hey.
Wow.
Wow.
You know, this job, they're always saying, "if you guys have all the answers, why haven't we caught him by now?" It's, like, wake up.
And I'm giving them so much and they just don't even listen.
Well, it's not all bad.
- No? - No.
- Because? - Because It's after 5:00 and I'm finally here and there are no kids anywhere.
Well, he's just a kid.
It's easy to get passionate about something and not realize you're wrong.
He's not really a kid, and he's not wrong, exactly.
It's he just has no practical experience for what this means.
He's got no big picture.
So, what do you think? Is it worth it? [Sighs.]
This is it, Beth.
This case is the one.
This is how I'm going to be remembered, it's going to be my legacy.
There's so much you'll be remembered for.
Eh, I could lock up a million serial killers.
But I'll always be the guy that led Unabom.
Yeah, that's me.
That's me forever.
The Scarlet you, huh? Sweetie.
It's a buzzer shot and I only get one.
Sometimes I just wish I could Pass the damn ball to the next guy.
There's no glory but no catastrophe.
Just the path of least resistance.
Terrible, huh? It's weak.
But boy I think about it.
Director Freeh, S.
A.
C.
Ackerman, Attorney General Reno will be with you shortly.
Thank you.
[Sighs.]
Don, listen.
This is a cakewalk.
You're just telling her what she wants to hear.
Don't publish a terrorist.
Leo Burt's a good lead.
And you've got a ton more where that came from.
Mm-hmm.
All of the tier-one guys are solid.
Yeah.
Listen, you inherited a garbage case.
No one expects a miracle.
Reno just wants to know that we're doing our jobs, which we are, and wants to see a nice, thick folder, which is what you have.
[Pager beeping and vibrating.]
[Click.]
Genelli, it's Ackerman.
What's up? I'm at The New York Times and I have some bad news.
It's okay, we'll We'll be fine, but I got here early for my meeting with Sulzberger.
There was this mail-room guy.
I followed him back to his desk.
You know the "call Nathan R.
" Note that was indented writing on the envelope the Unabomber sent the Times? Well, this mail-room guy handles every letter that comes to the Times, and he's really into post-its.
That unabom letter came to The New York Times mail room before it got to us.
That indented writing was made by Reggie Halender, mail intern here at the Times.
The Unabomber didn't write the Nathan R.
Note.
There is no Nathan R.
You're telling me that we've been chasing a dead lead for the last two years? Yeah.
How many Nathan R.
's have we been I know.
Sorry.
God damn it.
[Hangs up.]
[Clears throat.]
This doesn't change anything.
She wants broad strokes.
Just de-emphasize Nathan R.
And focus on Burt and the other top-tier leads.
This whole miniature war-gaming thing has officially taken over the dining room table, and Sean's really territorial about it, and I can't even suggest that he move it without him freaking out.
You think I should learn the game? I think I should learn the game.
I think you've got quite enough games in your life already.
It's not how I want it to be.
It really isn't.
Look.
When I said that, I just meant I know.
I know, but you're right.
You're right, because, you know, no one at the U.
T.
F.
even really listens to a word I say, so I might as well be playing a game.
My work has hit a dead end, so I'm going to ask Genelli, because I think it's time for me to come home.
Oh, love, I didn't That's not why I came here.
I mean, I would be so, so happy to be a family again, but I just want to feel like I'm making a difference.
[Laughs softly.]
[Phone ringing.]
[Phone ringing.]
[Picks up.]
Hey, it's Fitz.
Don: You've got 30 minutes to come up with something better than Forensic Linguistics.
Nathan R.
Is a dead end, but language is not enough here.
You bring me something concrete and operational that I can give to Reno to back up your case, well, then I might be willing to float publication with the A.
G.
If I do, if, then both our asses are on the line.
Do you understand me? All right, now Cole is already on it.
You two brainstorm.
You be brilliant, quickly.
You've got 29 minutes.
Go.
[Beep.]
[Hangs up.]
Stan: Concrete and operational.
Let's go.
Okay, we know he likes code, so if we embed a code in a publication, we can lure him in to a conversation I said concrete and operational, not esoteric intellectual crap.
Now, I know he's got 10 PHD's and a 500 I.
Q.
, but he's still a serial killer, right? And what do serial killers want? Control, power, respect.
Trophies.
Right.
Serial killers collect fingers, hairs.
Serial rapists collect underwear.
Jim: Right, so what's his trophy? What does he want? He wants us to publish the manifesto in a newspaper.
Newspapers are his trophies.
So if we publish it, he goes and gets it, - buys a copy.
- What's that going to get us? I mean, he can buy The New York Times at any newsstand in the country any time he wants.
It's not actionable.
The Post.
Washington Post.
- What about it? - Every time I finish the Times crossword, I go get the Post.
It's a pain in the ass because you can only buy it at one newsstand in the city.
So if we publish in the Post Then we know he's in the Bay Area.
He'll want to see it.
He'll need to touch it.
He'll want to see people buying it, he'll want to see people reading it.
He's going to want to see his ideas make a difference.
Dude, that's 150 S.
O.
G.
, minimum.
Well, it's not my problem.
Fitz is going to sell it.
[Phone ringing.]
- Cole.
- What do you got? Got Fitz and Tabby in here.
Hang on.
Go ahead, Fitz.
We know he's Bay Area, and we think if we publish, he would buy the paper as a trophy.
The Washington Post is sold at only one newsstand in the Bay Area, so if we publish exclusively in the Post, he'll have to come there and buy it, so on publication day, I'm proposing we follow and identify every single person who buys a Washington Post in San Francisco.
Is this a joke? Do you realize the scale? We would have to drain the entire country of surveillance teams.
Yes, sir.
That's insane.
For Chri Jesus.
Reno: Hello.
Madam Attorney General, thank you for having us.
Director Freeh, S.
A.
C.
Ackerman.
Thank you both for waiting.
I guess that's a no.
That was fun.
All right.
Back to work.
Thank you for seeing us on such short notice.
Well, Domestic Terror has a way of clearing the decks, doesn't it? Especially when the media is involved.
Woman: Can I get you a coffee or some water? "Water.
" Are you from Philly? Originally, yeah.
Freeh: No, thank you.
We're fine.
[Door closes.]
So the Unabomber's publishing deadline is approaching.
The Times and the Post are on my call sheet.
What am I going to tell them? Ackerman? The FBI recommendation Freeh: Don? The FBI recommendation is that we publish the manifesto, in full.
We publish exclusively in The Washington Post as part of a two-pronged approach.
First prong, Forensic Linguistics.
If we make the manifesto widely accessible, I believe that there is an excellent chance that a friend or a colleague of the Unabomber will recognize his unique language and ideology and will turn him in.
Second, there's a high likelihood that the Unabomber lives in the Bay Area.
Now, The Washington Post is sold at only one location in San Francisco.
This unique advantage will allow us to stage a large surveillance operation to follow, to question, to identify every individual who buys a copy of the Post on the day of publication.
While this operation While the size and scale of this operation is unprecedented We believe it to be a singular opportunity to lure the Unabomber into the light.
That's an unusual strategy.
You're betting big that he's in the Bay Area.
Well, we've traced every Unabom letter, package, and bomb to the exact mailbox he dropped it in.
Every single one of them is within an eight-mile radius of San Francisco.
If he's coming to town to mail his bombs, he'll come to town to buy his manifesto.
And what's the precedent here? Where do we stand once all this is done? I believe that we can say with conviction that publication is less to assuage the demands of the attacker than to use his plan against him so that it establishes a precedent of vigilance rather than weakness on the part of law enforcement.
If you catch him.
Yes, ma'am.
If we catch him.
Big "if.
" Director Freeh, is FBI HQ on board with this? Don has taken it upon himself to propose implementing one of the largest surveillance operations in FBI history.
We're happy to let Don take the lead and be the face of this operation.
Don, you're nearing retirement, aren't you? You're aware of the implications of this coming undone.
You still want to do it? What I don't want to do is see any more pictures of ripped-up bodies, and I don't want to pawn this case off on the next guy coming after me.
This is our best move.
It's risky.
We've got others.
But this one's the best.
Well, I just want to make certain you're aware of the consequences here.
What happened at Waco, my decisions there will haunt me for the rest of my natural life, and I can say from experience that everything is different when the camera is pointed at you.
Yeah, but I'd rather respect the man I see in the mirror than the man I see on TV.
Okay.
Let's do it.
You have the full support of the D.
O.
J.
Madam Attorney General.
- Director.
- Thank you.
Don, I admire your moral courage in this.
It isn't always rewarded, and in your case, I certainly hope it is.
Thank you, Madam Attorney General.
And in your case, I certainly hope it is.
Man: I'm following you.
Mrs.
Fitzgerald? Hi.
I'm Tabby Miller.
Great to finally meet you.
It's nice to meet you.
Welcome to the biggest shit show on earth.
[Chatter.]
[Phones ringing.]
- Jim: They're asking for - [Mumbling.]
Publication, stuff that we're [Mumbling.]
Hi.
[Laughs.]
I needed to see this.
Hey.
You made it.
It's just insane here today.
This is Natalie Rogers.
- Hi.
- Hi! - So nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
I work with your husband.
I've been hearing so much about you.
Have you? Man: Gentlemen, here we are.
S.
A.
C.
Ackerman? Don: Good afternoon.
My name is Don Ackerman, the Special Agent in Charge, FBI, San Francisco, and one of the leaders of the Unabom Task Force.
The Attorney General, Janet Reno, and FBI director Louis J.
Freeh today announced that they recommend the publication of the Unabomber's manifesto.
Concern for public safety ultimately led to this decision.
The Unabom Task Force continues to encourage the cooperation of the American public by calling our hotline.
The FBI can now be found at our brand-new home page and in the coming days, we will upload the manifesto for anyone to access.
We ask that the public pay particular attention to the philosophies in the manifesto and to try to recall if they know any individuals who have had similar philosophies or who have written in similar linguistic styles Philosophies.
You told him to say that.
We believe that with the help of the American public, the Unabomber will have no place to hide.
And now I will take your questions.
- [Applause.]
- so good.
[Laughs.]
Whoo! Hey, I forgot to tell you.
I got a call this morning from the school and they've got head lice going around like crazy.
They were asking if I could come in.
[Laughs.]
Begging, actually.
I told them no because I kind of feel like you need me here, right? It's fine if you need to go.
Don't worry about me.
If you want to go back, it's okay.
Okay, but I don't want to go.
Okay, then stay, have some fun, but I'm not going to be around.
I'm going to stay.
What what's the matter? What do you want me to say? It's fine.
Go.
Go, go.
Koppel: Let us describe what has happened plainly.
It is blackmail, pure and simple.
Since when do we trust a serial killer? Reporter: The bomber calls his manifesto "industrial society and its future.
" Reporter: Eight solid-gray pages, perhaps as likely to be discarded as trudged through to reach the Unabomber's central thesis that technology has gotten the human race into a fix from which there is not likely to be any easy escape.
Reporter: Now that his so-called manifesto has been published in The Washington Post, say investigators, they're hoping for more than just a cease-fire in the bombings and threats.
Maybe somewhere in this densely worded text, there will be some concrete clues to his identity which may finally net investigators an arrest.
PO1: Be advised, this is PO1.
Unsub is a black male, black shirt, jeans, going into the park.
PO5: PO1, this is PO5.
I have the eye.
SF1: SF2, this is SF1.
Unsub is white male, 60s, gray shirt, moving inside the park.
SF1: This is SF1.
I have eyes on unsub 4.
SF1: SF3, this is SF1.
Unsub is a white female, gray suit.
She's exiting onto Stockton Street.
SF3: SF1, this is SF3.
I have the eye.
PO1: Po4, this is PO1.
Unsub is a white male, 40s, short hair, red shirt.
Man: I've got the eye.
White male in his 40s.
Man: Listen, once you clear your unsubs, please will you circle back around, ASAP.
[Chatter.]
[Radio chatter.]
Copy.
[Chatter.]
Don: Half of San Francisco's shown up just to buy the manifesto.
What a world, huh? LA1: LA12, this is LA1.
Unsub is a white male, blue shirt, khakis, looks about This is LA1.
I have the eye.
Yeah, copy that.
SA1: SF4, this is SA1.
Subject is a black male, brown leather jacket, 30s, just stopped at the newsstand.
Excuse me, sir.
I need to ask you a couple [Radio chatter.]
Burkhardt, what's your status? Burkhardt: Subject cooperative.
He's a regular customer of Harold's.
Man: A brown Saturn, license plate number 2, Yankee, Bravo, November, 6, 1, 7.
No, sorry.
Unsub is a white male, 20s, black leather jacket, moving south on the Plaza.
Man: Sacramento 3, requesting data on unsub 5.
Jim: Sacramento 3, unsub five is Rafael Fetters, Pacific Heights, should be all clear.
Follow him to his destination, proceed with the interview.
Anything particular that you bought the Post for? PO1: PO3, this is PO1.
Unsub is white male, 50s, brown leather jacket.
Yeah! CA9, his name is Willie Wright.
Man: No NCID hits, subject clear.
Man: We're good to clear.
We're going to staging area.
Copy that.
Running out of time.
Newsstand's closing soon.
Should have been here by now.
Woman: No NCID, have the subject cleared.
- Cleared.
- Subject is cleared.
Nothing to do here.
Subjects are cleared, repeat, cleared.
Woman: Unsub 109, white male, 50s, gray hooded jacket, sunglasses.
This is the last guy.
We've cleared everyone else.
That's the profile.
He's got it.
SF67, I want you on unsub 109.
Eyes on unsub 109, copy that.
Later.
Don't lose him.
Going into BART.
Gonna lose you.
Copy that.
[Turnstiles turning.]
Conductor: Now arriving, Powell street.
Stand clear.
[Train rumbling.]
Female voice: The doors are closing.
Please stand clear of the doors.
[Train rumbling.]
Conductor: Now arriving, Rockridge Station.
The doors are closing.
Please stand clear of the doors.
[Train rumbling.]
Jim: She's been out of touch too long.
Conductor: Lafayette Station.
Female voice: The doors are closing.
Please stand clear of the doors.
FBI, stop! FBI, stop! Get down! [Chatter.]
FBI Out of the way.
[Can rattles.]
[Chatter.]
[Man coughs.]
[Cans and bottles rattling.]
[Gasps.]
[Train whistle blows.]
[Grunts.]
FBI, freeze! [Train whistle blows.]
FBI, freeze! Get on the ground! Get on the ground now! [Gunshots.]
[Man shouts.]
Come in, SF67.
Tabby, you there? [Tabby grunting.]
- Man: You bitch.
- Don't move.
Are you him? Are you carrying a device? Man: Go to hell.
- Is there a bomb in that bag? - Agh! What the hell are you talking about? [Groans.]
Oh, shit.
[Phone ringing.]
Yeah.
He's just some damn druggie.
He's got a bunch of open warrants.
That's why he was acting weird.
Sex with a minor, possession, distribution, you name it, he's wanted for it.
Except Unabom.
Right.
So a total failure, then.
Oh, it was a brave call.
That's too bad.
Thank you.
We're always negotiating with terrorists.
In fact, our Government is negotiating with terrorists out of one corner of its mouth while out of the other side of its mouth, it tells the American Public, "No, we don't deal with terrorism.
" "We couldn't possibly deal with terrorists.
" Of course, that's exactly what they do, so it's nothing new.
It's just that we're seeing publicly for the first time what hypocrites the FBI truly are, and frankly - Fitz.
- They look like fools in front of the entire nation.
The Unabomber had called them fools and we can all see that he was correct.
If I were an FBI agent right now, I would be ashamed.
Ashamed to show my face, ashamed of my institution.
Interviewer: Excuse me.
You're a pornographer saying the FBI should be ashamed? That's right.
At Penthouse Magazine, we don't say one thing and do another.
We don't say, "Oh, we're so high and mighty and pure.
" We never stoop to bargaining with a terrorist then basically bend over, spread our cheeks for him in front of the whole world, which is what the FBI just did, and I think the country has to think long and hard about that.
Who can we really trust? I know you think this is a setback.
It's really a huge win.
The manifesto is out there.
People who read it to someone who recognize his idiolect Stan: Yeah, everyone's recognizing the idiolect.
You've taken the investigation backwards.
We now have a tip line that's being pounded by every ex-wife, every pissed-off sister-in-law, every brother with a grudge in the country.
It's all garbage.
It's birthday cards, a grocery list.
Got a book report from "my side of the mountain.
" Here's a good one.
You recognize the spelling on that? The fax machine is spitting this stuff out faster than we can reload the paper, let alone the mail.
The country's trash can's being dumped in our lap here, and it's worthless.
All of it.
Don: Your TDY with the Unabom Task Force is terminated, and if we need your expertise again, we'll make sure to contact you.
There's still a lot of work I could do with document analysis.
You want to know the truth, Fitz? I feel I can tell you this, frankly.
You're going to have a long career with the FBI, but it's not because you're talented or special.
See, you've been telling yourself your whole life that all of your problems are because you're an artist, because you're a special snowflake.
But you're not.
You're just another asshole, and you're going home now so we can bring in some other asshole to replace you.
And guess what? No one's going to even know the difference.
Okay, that's it.
Jim: Dan, we're going to move this down here.
Oh, Okay.
Clear everything off.
Everything, please.
Watch out, Dad.
Can't mess it up.
If one piece falls, it's going to screw up the entire game.
Don't screw up the entire game.
I'm going to ask my sister Frances for a ride to practice Thursday.
Not home from, to.
I can't do it.
I know, I heard you.
Dad's going to pick you up, though, alright? - Okay.
- Right, right? Right.
[Indistinct conversation.]
- Mademoiselle.
- Merci.
- Ah, oui? - Could I [dial tone.]
[Dialing.]
[Modem connecting.]
[Pushing keys.]
[Ringing tone.]
Hello? Hey, it's me.
Hey, sweetheart.
How's the conference going? Good, good, um It's it's it's going good.
Everything okay? Um, I I don't want to, uh, upset you.
I just, um Have you read the Unabomber manifesto yet? No.
I think you should.
I think you should, um, go get The Washington Post and read it.
If we accuse him and we are wrong, it would be like taking my own brother's life.
There's nothing, there's nothing by him, - and this is all you got? - There's a million-dollar reward.
You realize how much crap we get in? You are capable of great things here, but not until you let unabom go.
I know that it seems like more than a case right now, but it's just a case.
Look, I just think that this is a strong lead that we should go down the road with.
It's a hornet's nest, Tabby.
Why are you kicking it? - Are you sure? - It's him.
The way he writes, his idiolect, it is identical.
- I don't know.
- This is him! This is the man, and the man that wrote this letter, he's the Unabomber, you hear me?