The Hot Zone (2019) s02e01 Episode Script
Noble Eagle
1
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE.]
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE.]
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE.]
[COUGHING.]
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE.]
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE.]
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE.]
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE.]
SOKOLOV: If the doctor did not hide the heart, there would be no proof the people of Sverdlovsk, died from anthrax.
The victims did not die from tainted meat like the Soviet government claims.
They were exposed to a biological weapon.
SOKOLOV [OVER TV.]
: Test it yourself.
RYKER: You see that pale area there, that's bacterial overgrowth, could be endocarditis.
SOKOLOV [OVER TV.]
: All other evidence was destroyed.
LAWSON: Under whose authority? SOKOLOV: The Kremlin.
LAWSON: And you can confirm this man was killed by an incident at Compound 19? SOKOLOV: He worked in a ceramic factory next door.
The contaminated cloud drifted for miles, killed everyone in its path, men, women, children.
We were lucky the wind did not head toward town or 300,000 people would be dead.
LAWSON: What's the Russian government doing with all that anthrax? SOKOLOV: My understanding was to attach it to warheads for SS-18 ICBMs.
LAWSON [OVER TV.]
: How many pounds could you produce? SOKOLOV [OVER TV.]
: In each year, about 300 pounds, aerosolized spores.
AGENT: How bad? RYKER: 300 pounds, that's just from one plant? Uh, we produce a little for vaccines but that amount could kill billions.
We need to know the virulence and RYKER [OVER SPEAKER.]
: The location of the stockpiles.
LAWSON: If they're going to offer you asylum, they'll need more.
Exact formulas, locations, proof that Russia broke our treaty.
SOKOLOV: Of course, of course.
But if you think that the attack will come from Russia, you are looking in the wrong place.
SOKOLOV [OVER TV.]
: America has many enemies.
Soviets sell bioweapons to them because any enemy of America is a friend to Russia.
I am here to warn you, an attack is inevitable.
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING.]
[RUSTLING LEAVES.]
[TIRES SCREECHING.]
[TIRES SCREECHING.]
STEVENS: We're almost there.
[RADIO CHATTER.]
TECH: Difficulty breathing, vitals unstable.
BP 60 over 40.
DOCTOR: 0.
3 milligrams of epinephrine.
Any heart issues? STEVENS: No.
He's pretty active.
I brought him in because he was vomiting all night, had a headache for two days, uh.
He's been sweating a lot, drenched his clothes, the sheets.
And then he got really confused and didn't know where he was.
Usually when he gets the flu, it just passes in a day or two.
DOCTOR: This doesn't present like the flu.
- Get Dr.
Bush down here.
- [TREMBLING.]
MALECKI: But they just took down two skyscrapers and public health faces a threat no one's talking about.
They know our airport security has increased.
Hell, the hijackers took flight lessons in crop-dusting planes.
Just one outfitted with a biological or chemical weapon could take out the whole county.
Why aren't they grounded? We've got dusters flying all over this place for mosquitos.
Excuse me a minute.
MAN: Back to the slides.
As you can see here, Miami Dade County should be expecting a spike in infections.
[PHONE RINGING.]
CLEMONS: This is Officer Clemons.
From where? What do you think the likelihood is? MALECKI: The patient's spinal fluid showed rod-like bacteria, - MALECKI [OVER PHONE.]
: Looked like bamboo sticks.
- CLEMONS: Sally? MALECKI [OVER PHONE.]
: Stain was gram positive.
CLEMONS: So we could be talking some lethal cereus or, or anthrax.
And the patient? MALECKI [OVER PHONE.]
: Blood pressure bottomed-out.
MALECKI: Organs are failing.
Still don't have an affirmative result, but considering MALECKI [OVER PHONE.]
: I thought you should be in the loop.
CLEMONS: Does the guy work in agriculture? MALECKI: Don't know.
I'm hoping his wife can retrace his last 48 hours for me.
Do you think this could have been intentional? CLEMONS: In a cushy retirement town? CLEMONS [OVER PHONE.]
: With all the fake threats we've been fielding, there's a better shot it's CLEMONS: It's an infection from a natural cause.
Look, um I hate to open the door but you better call the FBI.
[MACHINES HAMMERING.]
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER.]
[MACHINES HAMMERING.]
[GRUNTS.]
- MOORE: Hey, Agent Ryker.
- RYKER: Hey.
Let's get these new samples over to USAMRIID for testing as soon as possible.
MOORE: Thought you sent the last of the samples over days ago.
RYKER: Uh, they just finished shoring up the new section.
I got new access.
MOORE: Well, I'm glad you're the one dealing with Copak and not me.
But there's something new.
We got a call from Florida.
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER.]
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER.]
COPAK: The cell outside Dallas? POLK: We're using FISA but no specific threat has surfaced so far.
COPAK: What about the three in Chicago? REILLY: We're working on flipping one member, brother's heading to prison so we have leverage.
Picked up comm from Afghanistan, trying to trace it.
- COPAK: Trying? - POLK: It was sent through a series of servers, sir.
It makes it hard to track.
[SIGHS.]
COPAK: You go home last night, Polk? How about you, Hale? Reilly? Because Mueller inherited this Charlie Foxtrot a week before the towers came down and I guarantee he didn't go home last night.
Damn it, find a connection.
Follow it! You boys need a refresher? Waco, Ruby Ridge? We've let this country down.
Find these sons of bitches.
Bring us up to speed on the suspected cell in Jersey.
- What? - RYKER: I just got a call from Florida.
They're tracking a possible anthrax attack.
Might not be a hoax this time.
I was thinking I would take a team and head down there.
COPAK: You have a definitive test? RYKER: We have a preliminary CSF stain gram-positive for rod-like bacteria.
COPAK: English.
RYKER: It proves it was a bacterial infection.
That's gonna take a while before any of our labs come back with an actual anthrax read, but we don't have any time to waste if this is the first indicator of a biological attack.
COPAK: Like the one in Toledo? Turned out to be talcum powder and what was that other one? SYKES: College jock wrote anthrax on his protein powder - so his roommates wouldn't use it.
- [LAUGHS.]
[CLEARS THROAT.]
RYKER: The patient lives in Boca Raton.
COPAK: Just 'cause two hijackers lived there - doesn't mean there's a connection.
- RYKER: That's too much of a coincidence.
Listen, the CDC's already on its way down there.
I need to get on the ground before the press gets wind of it and stirs up panic.
COPAK: About time the CDC carried their weight on these damn hoaxes! We're fielding two, 300 a week.
Look, Ryker, these SOBs are fly-a-plane-into-a-skyscraper kind of terrorists.
They're not gonna sprinkle magic dust on some guy in BFE Florida.
We're thin here.
Sit down.
All right.
Jersey, what do you got? SYKES: Last week they bought some burner phones close to a dozen, sir.
They're running their names off known watch lists as we speak.
- We're expecting to get a hit.
- [PHONE LINE RINGING.]
[PHONE RINGING.]
KURZ: Dr.
Simon Kurz.
RYKER: Dr.
Kurz, this is Special Agent Ryker.
Listen, uh, thanks for jumping on those Pentagon samples, but, um, - I need a favor.
- KURZ [OVER PHONE.]
: No problem.
RYKER: I have some tissue samples being flown up to a few labs from Florida, one of them is coming to you and should arrive within the hour.
I need you to take a look.
KURZ [OVER PHONE.]
: Of course, Agent Ryker.
- KURZ: We'll get right on it.
- RYKER [OVER PHONE.]
: Thanks.
KURZ: Bruce, we got some samples coming in from Florida.
- IVINS: Not it! - KURZ: But they need the anthrax expert.
IVINS: Oh, I don't know.
This bench is getting awfully comfortable.
If you're pulling me off of it, I'm gonna need a new uniform, maybe a nice, new pair of Chucks.
HALL: At least ask for Nike Shox.
- IVINS: Are those all the rage? - [LAUGHS.]
HALL: Yeah, no one's worn Chucks since before the three-point line.
IVINS: Really? KURZ: It wasn't me who benched you on anthrax.
IVINS: I know that! It was those suits in Washington that are full of baloney, blaming Gulf War Syndrome on everything but the Gulf.
Easy to point fingers at a vaccine when symptoms could have been caused by myriad factors in the field.
I just spent 20 years working on piddly little things called breakthroughs, antibiotic post-exposure prophylaxis.
And my personal favorite, a recombinant-protective antigen vaccine they don't even wanna fund! KURZ: Bruce, can you just run the test? - IVINS: Of course I can.
- KURZ: Thank you.
IVINS: You can just put my Nike Shox in the locker room.
[LAUGHS.]
[BEEPING.]
[DOOR OPENS.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]
- MALECKI: Mrs.
Stevens? - STEVENS: Yes.
MALECKI: Do you have a minute? STEVENS: We'd driven to see our daughter in North Carolina.
MALECKI: And Bob seemed healthy before he reached Carolina? STEVENS: Completely.
On the drive, we were planning our anniversary party.
He was excited to have all the kids together again.
MALECKI: Any stops along the way? STEVENS: A diner on Highway 26.
MALECKI: Did he eat any strange food, unusual game? STEVENS: Just pastrami.
[SIGHS.]
MALECKI: Any other stops? [SIGHS.]
STEVENS: We did a little shopping.
Some dress shoes.
- MALECKI: Were they leather? - STEVENS: Yes.
It's a big anniversary and I was determined not to have him in a suit and sneakers.
[LAUGHS.]
MALECKI: Do you know if the shoes were handmade? Where they came from? STEVENS: No, but how could he have caught something from shoes? MALECKI: Bacteria in livestock can be present on byproducts, leather, wool.
Coming into contact with those products can cause an infection.
Did he pet any animals, a dog maybe? Walk through a pasture? STEVENS: We went for a hike with our daughter up to Chimney Rock.
MALECKI: Did he eat or drink anything on the hike? [SLURPING.]
STEVENS: I told him not to drink the water, but he didn't listen.
MALECKI: We'll have a local field team do a sweep of the trail on the stream, see if we can find the origin of the infection.
STEVENS: What is this? The doctors haven't given me an update.
MALECKI: We're not sure.
STEVENS: He's going to be all right though, isn't he? [BOTTLES RATTLING.]
[COINS RATTLING.]
[JET ENGINE HUMMING.]
SHEILA: Matthew? RYKER: Last beer, you mind? SHEILA: Uh-uh.
I only get them for you, so, usually stock up for a bi-monthly visit, but four nights this week.
RYKER: Too much? SHEILA: Just unusual.
Eodi gasseo? RYKER: What? SHEILA: Just looks like you have a lot going on up there.
RYKER: Yeah.
SHEILA: Nobody wants to talk to a lobbyist.
I know that you're not big on chit-chat, but I could wait you out.
RYKER: What was that, um, thing in Korean you said earlier? SHEILA: Um, eodi gasseo? Taught you that one before.
Where did you go? RYKER: We had warning signs that 9/11 was going to happen.
SHEILA: Matthew.
RYKER: Names, addresses even.
SHEILA: The FBI, well they watch over, what, thousands of potential terrorists? RYKER: A lot of these guys were flagged.
Memos were sent at high levels back in August.
Bin Laden might strike, likely using planes.
There was a flight academy in Minnesota that alerted us that Moussaoui was taking flying lessons.
- SHEILA: Jesus.
- RYKER: Al-Mihdhar was on a CIA watchlist, but there was an agency tug-of-war.
The FAA wasn't warned in time.
It's on and on.
[SIGHS.]
They all walked right through security.
SHEILA: How much of this did you know? RYKER: I didn't.
SHEILA: Hey, we are all bleeding a little, okay? - A lot.
- RYKER: After what I saw I - It can't happen again.
- SHEILA: Matthew, you are not responsible for any of this.
You are not the only one that's supposed to see things coming.
RYKER: But what if I do this time? And no one listens? [PHONE RINGING.]
Ryker.
COPAK: I know, Robert.
- We're just overstretched and - [KNOCKING.]
Yes, yes, of course we all are.
I was hoping to have the comm report today, but, uh - [KNOCKS.]
- Team needs more time CLEMONS: Once we arrive at the Stevens house, we'll suit up in here.
Then we'll go into the back door.
The less attention we draw, the better.
MAN: Possible contact point here.
MAN 2: Okay, this surface is good.
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER.]
CLEMONS: Soon as we fill the first box, get it over to the county lab.
We gotta see where the anthrax is reading the hottest.
Track down its origin.
RYKER: Anthrax causes a systemic cytokine response called apoptosis.
Cell death, programmed cell death.
It uses its host as a live incubator.
And you catch it too late, it's 100% lethal.
COPAK: What are the chances that you're wrong, that this wasn't a planned attack? Just a natural infection from environmental sources? RYKER: Sure, they can lie dormant in the dirt for 100, maybe 200 years.
But the last natural human infection on American soil was almost 30 years ago.
And 95% of confirmed cases worldwide are cutaneous, which means it gets into a cut or someone touches it.
But Bob Stevens inhaled it, which is insanely rare, unless it's aerosolized intentionally.
COPAK: Intentionally? What do you Weaponized? Against a small beach town? RYKER: So I looked into the hijackers from Florida.
And one of them, al-Haznawi, according to a local ER doctor, had a cut he claimed, "Would not heal.
" The doctor also said that the skin around it had turned black, like this.
These are anthrax lesions.
COPAK: So probably Haznawi was handling the stuff.
RYKER: And now it strikes in the same place only three weeks after 9/11? That can't be a coincidence.
I have to find who did this.
And why Bob Stevens was the target.
[BEEPING.]
STEVENS: Do you remember the view, Bob? I'd never seen Fall colors so beautiful.
Oh! [LAUGHS.]
And this, I just tripped and you grabbed my arm! [LAUGHS.]
CASEY: Hey Mom, I can do that for a while, huh? STEVENS: Oh.
Oh! Aw.
MALECKI: I'd like to speak to herself, if that's okay? [BEEPING.]
STEVENS: Who are those people? MALECKI: Hospital administration.
STEVENS: Why would they What's happening? MALECKI: They wanna be certain Bob's getting everything he needs.
STEVENS: Is he going to survive? MALECKI: We're making every effort.
Now I know you're going to wanna go home, get some rest, get something to eat.
So they've arranged for you to have this.
If there's any change in Bob's condition, the hospital will contact you immediately.
STEVENS: You know what it is, don't you? Are you going to tell me what's really going on here? MALECKI: Bob was exposed to a bacteria called bacillus anthracis.
Anthrax.
I'm very sorry, Mrs.
Stevens.
STEVENS: Oh.
When did you all know? MALECKI: We had some indications yesterday, but we wanted confirmation.
If, if we'd been wrong, it wouldn't have been fair.
STEVENS: He's my husband! MALECKI: I understand what you must be feeling.
But the information was limited to a small circle of people.
Well, I, I thought it only right that you know before everyone else finds out.
STEVENS: Everyone else? THOMPSON [OVER TV.]
: Uh, the Centers for Disease Control has just confirmed the diagnosis of anthrax in a patient in a Florida hospital.
REPORTER [OVER TV.]
: We were given, from what you to know, is there any reason to believe this is a result of terror? THOMPSON [OVER TV.]
: It appears that this is just an isolated case.
There's no evidence of terrorism.
RYKER: Hi, Mom.
Hey listen, I just wanted to call and let you know that I'm not gonna be able to make it to dinner tomorrow night, uh, or to Devon's game.
WOMAN [OVER PHONE.]
: Oh! He's really gonna miss you cheering in those stands.
WOMAN: You know, you have really stepped up with his dad away.
- RYKER: Will you fill in for me? - WOMAN [OVER PHONE.]
: Of course! - Is everything okay? - RYKER: I'm just in the middle of something at work.
WOMAN: God, you work so hard.
Always have.
RYKER: But listen, uh, I gotta go, uh, I gotta catch a plane to Florida.
- I'll call you when I get - WOMAN [OVER PHONE.]
: Florida? Is that about that anthrax thing? RYKER: How did you know? WOMAN [OVER PHONE.]
: The guy is talking about it on TV.
THOMPSON [OVER TV.]
: The information that we have surging that this took place in the State of Florida.
RYKER: I'll call you back, okay? THOMPSON [OVER TV.]
: Information that the State of Florida has released.
We have our CDC officials there on the ground and they're going to go through, uh, the last couple of weeks.
We've also dispatched people from CDC to North Carolina - to the communities that - CLEMONS: Dammit! They couldn't give us a few more hours lead time? THOMPSON [OVER TV.]
: Investigating with the FBI all known places.
CLEMONS: Okay, well, get what you can before every news van in the state descends on us.
BROKAW: This soon after 9/11? Seems early to rule out terrorism.
All right.
They specifically mentioned an inhalation case.
- O'CONNOR: Mm-hmm.
- BROKAW: What other forms of infection are there? And symptoms, beyond those that mimic the flu? I need odds of recovery, history of outbreaks.
Everything you can get me, especially if it involves Al Qaeda.
O'CONNOR: Yes, Mr.
Brokaw.
THOMPSON [OVER TV.]
: We don't know that at this point in time.
That's entirely possible.
We do know that he drank water out of a stream, uh, when he was traveling to IVINS: Oh, yeah it had to be inhalation anthrax.
Yessiree.
Because somehow, my advanced background in science has not afforded me the ability to distinguish between inhaling and drinking.
Any sixth grader can tell you, you can't get inhalation anthrax from sipping creek water! HALL: Bruce, I think you've got a future in politics.
KURZ: Or stand-up.
IVINS: Doesn't it drive you crazy hearing this kind of malarkey? KURZ: It shocks you that the politicals on the Hill confused their facts? HALL: Chances of only one person coming down with an inhalation case are slim to none.
IVINS: You are absolutely correct, Jody.
"Jodyness is next to godliness.
" We are of one mind.
If it's in the air, there's no way this guy's the only one breathing it.
Unless he's a total hermit.
THOMPSON [OVER TV.]
: Very aggressive.
And I wanna point out once again, this is an isolated case, and it's not contagious.
IVINS: Hey, did someone just pass you guys in the hallway? - OFFICER: No, didn't see anyone.
- IVINS: Really? MALECKI: Jean Malecki.
Palm Beach County Health Department.
RYKER: Matthew Ryker, FBI Hazardous Materials.
MALECKI: I'm over here.
RYKER: Any change in Stevens' condition? MALECKI: He's in a coma.
Don't quite know how to tell his wife he's not likely to come out of it.
That press conference didn't help things.
RYKER: Well, the White House was just trying to get out in front of the press vultures to curb public panic.
- MALECKI: Good luck with that these days.
- RYKER: Yeah.
Is Stevens on Cipro? MALECKI: As soon as he was admitted, but the infection was pretty advanced by the time he came in.
I'll have you there in 30.
RYKER: We're going to the hospital? MALECKI: We need to check on Stevens.
And CDC's already testing everything at his home.
RYKER: They're not gonna find anything.
I need you to drop me at this address.
MALECKI: Leisure Village? RYKER: I looked into Bob Stevens.
There's absolutely nothing in his background that would make him a target for anything.
Except that he works at AMI Publishing.
You know, those tabloids, The Sun, The National Inquirer.
We found a connection between AMI and two of the 9/11 hijackers.
MALECKI: You think this is Al Qaeda? [DOORBELL RINGS.]
RYKER: Afternoon.
I'm Special Agent Matthew Ryker.
Am I speaking with Gloria Irish? GLORIA: Mike! They're back again! RYKER: Just to confirm, you're the realtor who helped with and the apartment rental for al-Shehhi and al-Ghamdi? GLORIA: I had no idea what they were planning.
MIKE: Come on in.
But we told the other FBI agents everything three weeks ago.
RYKER: Did you ever mention your husband to either al-Shehhi or al-Ghamdi? - GLORIA: I'm sorry, I don't understand - MIKE: I never met them.
GLORIA: Uh, I don't know.
I, I might've mentioned him.
RYKER: While you were talking, did you ever mention - where your husband worked? - MIKE: Could you tell us what's going on? RYKER: Bob Stevens worked for you at AMI.
MIKE: Is this about the anthrax business in the news, thought they said he caught it outdoors? RYKER: Oh, well, they may have jumped the gun.
Did you know the two terrorists had a subscription to the National Inquirer? And the number of photos of Bin Laden your paper put on its front page may have prompted the attack? You might have been the target.
GLORIA: Oh my God! RYKER: Have you received any threats recently? Terrorists love publicity.
They want everyone to know whenever they're responsible.
MIKE: No.
Nothing.
I'd remember a threat like that.
RYKER: Have any other employees called out sick this past week? MIKE: Let me make a call.
Yeah, Frank.
Hi, it's Mike.
Can you tell me if any one of GLORIA: I just keep thinking what if I had noticed something about those men? RYKER: Well, none of us ever wants to see the worst in people.
MIKE: Yup.
It's still there.
Yeah.
Okay.
Bye.
One guy is out today.
First sick day in seven years.
Ernesto Blanco.
[GRUNTS.]
[COUGHING.]
[BELL RINGS.]
[COUGHING.]
[THROWING UP.]
[TIRES SCREECHING.]
- CLEMONS: You Agent Ryker? - RYKER: Clemons? We spoke in June.
CDC Infectious Diseases, right? CLEMONS: Epidemic Intelligence.
RYKER: They were supposed to send you here an hour ago.
CLEMONS: We're in the middle of swabbing the Stevens's place RYKER: I know, that's gonna come up clean.
- CLEMONS: How do you know? - RYKER: Because we found a second worker.
This one passed out on a city bus.
Went to the hospital a few hours ago, symptoms point to anthrax.
And since I doubt that both Bob Stevens and Ernesto Blanco tracked anthrax into this building - CLEMONS: The source of the infection is inside.
- RYKER: We need to find it.
Not just how, but whoever the hell is behind it.
Remind your team that everything here is evidence.
Anyone evacuate the staff? - CLEMONS: Not yet.
- RYKER: Okay.
CLEMONS: Hey, hey, whoa, whoa.
No one knows what's hot in there.
We shouldn't take any chances.
- I got a suit for you around back.
- RYKER: I've had all three shots.
And every minute that staff is inside is another minute that they could be exposed.
MILLS: Mine's from Cindy Crawford's stalker.
Yours any better? Hey, Steph, what's in your goody-bag? DAILEY: Oh.
Oh, it's from Jason.
He has this thing for sending me mix CDs.
He promised me he'd get me an iPod so I don't have to lug this baby around anymore.
[PHONES RINGING.]
RYKER: May I have your attention! My name is Special Agent Ryker, FBI.
For your safety, I need everyone to stand and calmly exit the building.
Leave everything on your desks.
Do not take purses, glasses, pens.
Everything stays.
- MILLS: Oh, my God.
- DAILEY: Do you think this is about Bob? - MILLS: Probably.
- DAILEY: Oh, man.
- Okay.
Let's go.
- RYKER: No need to be alarmed.
This is a precautionary measure.
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER.]
[CAMERA CLICKING.]
WOMAN: I got it over here.
RYKER: Bob Stevens' mailbox is blazing.
Definitely looking at a letter or package as a mode of attack.
You find anything? CLEMONS: No mail with any powder residue.
But the prelims show that a ventilation system above one desk contaminated with spores.
- RYKER: That's Stevens, yeah? - CLEMONS: Uh, no, no, afraid not.
Belonged to one of his clerks.
RYKER: What's their name? CLEMONS: Stephanie Dailey.
REPORTER [OVER TV.]
: In Florida today, the FBI has been scouring through the offices of a company which publishes tabloid newspapers.
REPORTER 2 [OVER TV.]
: Investigators are taking no chances.
Going through decontamination as they try to pinpoint the source of anthrax.
REPORTER 2 [OVER TV.]
: Hundreds of AMI workers are being screened for signs of bacteria.
RYKER: Yeah, we said they could invite their families in to get tested.
Glue yourself to the health and safety manager, report back the second anyone tests positive.
MOORE: You got it.
RYKER: I need your help finding someone.
MALECKI: You and everyone else in here.
We're understaffed.
We have no idea.
RYKER: You didn't wanna run this through a hospital? MALECKI: If you can find one that wants to expose themselves with possible anthrax contamination, be my guest.
Could only get a sign-off on Boca Raton's most infamous locale.
Do the words "hanging chads" mean anything to you? RYKER: Seriously? This is the place they did the re-count? - MALECKI: Name? - RYKER: Stephanie Dailey.
I'm Special Agent Matthew Ryker.
Can I have a word, in private? DAILEY: Yeah.
RYKER: We've been testing samples at your offices and we found anthrax spores at your desk and the vent above it.
- DAILEY: Oh my God.
- RYKER: Why don't you take a seat? First of all, it doesn't mean that you have it, okay? [TREMBLES.]
I just need to know whether you remember opening any packages or letters with a white powder inside.
DAILEY: Um, we publish The Sun and The Enquirer.
We always get kooky mail.
RYKER: Well, this would've been a week ago, two at the most.
DAILEY: Um, yeah, okay, I remember one package.
It was another proposal to J-Lo and maybe had a Star of David in it and some white stuff like baby powder.
RYKER: Okay, what did you do with that package? - I need to find it.
- DAILEY: It's gone.
RYKER: Well, even if it went into the trash, - I have a team of - DAILEY: No, I mean, it's gone, gone.
We, we get all kinds of hate mail and alien hunters and too much trash, so they started to burn it.
AMI, they just incinerate all their mail.
Is, um, is Bob gonna die? I heard on the local news that it could be engineered - to resist penicillin.
- RYKER: None of us have said that.
But just as a precaution, we will start you on an antibiotic called Cipro, same as Bob.
DAILEY: Cipro.
RYKER: It's a newer drug, so if the anthrax has been weaponized, this will knock it out.
RYKER: Okay? - DAILEY: Okay.
- RYKER: I know this is scary.
But I really think you're gonna be fine.
DAILEY: Thank, thank you.
[PAGER BUZZING.]
- CASEY: Hey, you okay, Mom? - [PAGER BUZZING.]
[PAGER BUZZING.]
STEVENS: No, no, no.
[CRYING.]
[CRYING.]
[CRYING.]
BROKAW [OVER TV.]
: In tragic news, we've just learned that Photo Editor, Robert Stevens has died from his anthrax exposure, the victim of what now looks to be a targeted attack on the media giant AMI.
A tragic loss of life.
A senseless attack.
BROKAW: Our thoughts are with the family of Robert Stevens.
Meanwhile, another AMI employee, Ernesto Blanco is in stable condition.
And the biggest question still looming tonight, who's behind this deadly attack and will they strike again? That's Nightly News for this Thursday.
I'm Tom Brokaw and I'll see you again tomorrow night.
Thanks.
Here you go, boy, - there you go.
- [KNOCKING.]
Erin? What's wrong? O'CONNOR: I was doing the research you asked for anthrax and I don't think AMI was the only media attack.
BROKAW: What do you mean? O'CONNOR: The doctor thought it was just a spider bite, but COPAK [OVER PHONE.]
: This is now a murder investigation! COPAK: Domestic terrorism.
CDC, they got no business getting in our way.
COPAK [OVER PHONE.]
: Get them out of there! RYKER: We're only gonna make things worse if we piss on our territory, sir.
Let's give them a day, we're working fine down here.
COPAK [OVER PHONE.]
: Ry, Ryker, stop! We all know this didn't come from someone's pet llama.
You called it! It's an attack.
COPAK: If it falls under Operation Noble Eagle now.
This is Bush's baby and he'll be watching this closely.
I need you to catch who did this.
Bureau needs it, you got it? RYKER: Yup.
[WAVES CRASHING.]
CLEMONS: You can't lock us out! I had a team on the ground before you clowns even got here! You're not gonna get away with this.
Shut out of my own investigation! Are you freaking kidding me? RYKER: Yeah.
CDC's off the case.
- It wasn't my call.
- CLEMONS: Well, no, you're just enforcing it.
You know, the samples your little windbreaker buddies just collected were sent to our labs.
I assume you're gonna want the results.
RYKER: So you're gonna hold our samples hostage? Come on, look.
Come here.
We both know that the CDC doesn't get into criminal cases, right? Have you eaten today? Come on, I know a place.
Come on.
Well, if you ask me, it feels like we're just doubling down on the very same mistakes that led to all this.
We never learn.
CLEMONS: All these agencies jockeying for position.
RYKER: FBI, CIA, everyone's so focused on each other.
We let the wolves slip into the backdoor.
CLEMONS: And now everything is under the microscope.
Press will dig up all those red flags.
Don't envy you guys.
- RYKER: Well, we could tell everybody.
- [LAUGHS.]
How many times we've stopped the bad guy.
Every day, I mean, thousands of lives we keep safe.
Still.
CLEMONS: A lot of pressure.
RYKER: There were these two guys on one of the planes, and their son with them, three years old.
And I can't get this picture out of my head.
That moment when you realize what's actually happening that you wanna keep your son safe but there's nothing you can do.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
- CLEMONS: You got kids? - RYKER: No.
I got a nephew and a niece.
My nephew's already jaded.
[LAUGHS.]
I can't blame him.
I just wanna be someone he can look up to, not just another useless suit.
Hey, I shouldn't be telling you this, but the results came back.
It's Ames.
CLEMONS: Ames strain? That hasn't appeared in decades.
I didn't think it existed outside of high-security research labs.
RYKER: It doesn't.
[KEYBOARD CLICKING.]
[DOOR SLAMS.]
[DOOR OPENS.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]
[DOOR OPENS.]
[BREATHING HEAVILY.]
[LOCKS DOOR.]
DIANE: Hi, hon.
Just beat the worst of the rain it looks like.
There's a big storm coming.
IVINS: Oh, yeah.
- AMANDA: Hi, Dad.
- IVINS: Hey, baby.
Sorry I'm so late.
DIANE: Everything okay at the lab? IVINS: Yeah, you know, just more of the same.
- Hey, buddy.
- ANDREW: Hey, Dad.
IVINS: You heard about the anthrax scare? DIANE: Oh, that poor man and his wife.
- It's just awful.
- IVINS: I know.
- I'm gonna head down.
- DIANE: Oh, okay.
I'll turn off the oven.
It's meatloaf.
Just nuke it for two minutes when you're hungry, okay? IVINS: Okay.
Will do.
[LIGHTS BUZZING.]
[GUN CLICKS.]
[GUNFIRE.]
[MUSIC PLAYS THROUGH CREDITS.]
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE.]
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE.]
[COUGHING.]
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE.]
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE.]
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE.]
[SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE.]
SOKOLOV: If the doctor did not hide the heart, there would be no proof the people of Sverdlovsk, died from anthrax.
The victims did not die from tainted meat like the Soviet government claims.
They were exposed to a biological weapon.
SOKOLOV [OVER TV.]
: Test it yourself.
RYKER: You see that pale area there, that's bacterial overgrowth, could be endocarditis.
SOKOLOV [OVER TV.]
: All other evidence was destroyed.
LAWSON: Under whose authority? SOKOLOV: The Kremlin.
LAWSON: And you can confirm this man was killed by an incident at Compound 19? SOKOLOV: He worked in a ceramic factory next door.
The contaminated cloud drifted for miles, killed everyone in its path, men, women, children.
We were lucky the wind did not head toward town or 300,000 people would be dead.
LAWSON: What's the Russian government doing with all that anthrax? SOKOLOV: My understanding was to attach it to warheads for SS-18 ICBMs.
LAWSON [OVER TV.]
: How many pounds could you produce? SOKOLOV [OVER TV.]
: In each year, about 300 pounds, aerosolized spores.
AGENT: How bad? RYKER: 300 pounds, that's just from one plant? Uh, we produce a little for vaccines but that amount could kill billions.
We need to know the virulence and RYKER [OVER SPEAKER.]
: The location of the stockpiles.
LAWSON: If they're going to offer you asylum, they'll need more.
Exact formulas, locations, proof that Russia broke our treaty.
SOKOLOV: Of course, of course.
But if you think that the attack will come from Russia, you are looking in the wrong place.
SOKOLOV [OVER TV.]
: America has many enemies.
Soviets sell bioweapons to them because any enemy of America is a friend to Russia.
I am here to warn you, an attack is inevitable.
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING.]
[RUSTLING LEAVES.]
[TIRES SCREECHING.]
[TIRES SCREECHING.]
STEVENS: We're almost there.
[RADIO CHATTER.]
TECH: Difficulty breathing, vitals unstable.
BP 60 over 40.
DOCTOR: 0.
3 milligrams of epinephrine.
Any heart issues? STEVENS: No.
He's pretty active.
I brought him in because he was vomiting all night, had a headache for two days, uh.
He's been sweating a lot, drenched his clothes, the sheets.
And then he got really confused and didn't know where he was.
Usually when he gets the flu, it just passes in a day or two.
DOCTOR: This doesn't present like the flu.
- Get Dr.
Bush down here.
- [TREMBLING.]
MALECKI: But they just took down two skyscrapers and public health faces a threat no one's talking about.
They know our airport security has increased.
Hell, the hijackers took flight lessons in crop-dusting planes.
Just one outfitted with a biological or chemical weapon could take out the whole county.
Why aren't they grounded? We've got dusters flying all over this place for mosquitos.
Excuse me a minute.
MAN: Back to the slides.
As you can see here, Miami Dade County should be expecting a spike in infections.
[PHONE RINGING.]
CLEMONS: This is Officer Clemons.
From where? What do you think the likelihood is? MALECKI: The patient's spinal fluid showed rod-like bacteria, - MALECKI [OVER PHONE.]
: Looked like bamboo sticks.
- CLEMONS: Sally? MALECKI [OVER PHONE.]
: Stain was gram positive.
CLEMONS: So we could be talking some lethal cereus or, or anthrax.
And the patient? MALECKI [OVER PHONE.]
: Blood pressure bottomed-out.
MALECKI: Organs are failing.
Still don't have an affirmative result, but considering MALECKI [OVER PHONE.]
: I thought you should be in the loop.
CLEMONS: Does the guy work in agriculture? MALECKI: Don't know.
I'm hoping his wife can retrace his last 48 hours for me.
Do you think this could have been intentional? CLEMONS: In a cushy retirement town? CLEMONS [OVER PHONE.]
: With all the fake threats we've been fielding, there's a better shot it's CLEMONS: It's an infection from a natural cause.
Look, um I hate to open the door but you better call the FBI.
[MACHINES HAMMERING.]
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER.]
[MACHINES HAMMERING.]
[GRUNTS.]
- MOORE: Hey, Agent Ryker.
- RYKER: Hey.
Let's get these new samples over to USAMRIID for testing as soon as possible.
MOORE: Thought you sent the last of the samples over days ago.
RYKER: Uh, they just finished shoring up the new section.
I got new access.
MOORE: Well, I'm glad you're the one dealing with Copak and not me.
But there's something new.
We got a call from Florida.
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER.]
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER.]
COPAK: The cell outside Dallas? POLK: We're using FISA but no specific threat has surfaced so far.
COPAK: What about the three in Chicago? REILLY: We're working on flipping one member, brother's heading to prison so we have leverage.
Picked up comm from Afghanistan, trying to trace it.
- COPAK: Trying? - POLK: It was sent through a series of servers, sir.
It makes it hard to track.
[SIGHS.]
COPAK: You go home last night, Polk? How about you, Hale? Reilly? Because Mueller inherited this Charlie Foxtrot a week before the towers came down and I guarantee he didn't go home last night.
Damn it, find a connection.
Follow it! You boys need a refresher? Waco, Ruby Ridge? We've let this country down.
Find these sons of bitches.
Bring us up to speed on the suspected cell in Jersey.
- What? - RYKER: I just got a call from Florida.
They're tracking a possible anthrax attack.
Might not be a hoax this time.
I was thinking I would take a team and head down there.
COPAK: You have a definitive test? RYKER: We have a preliminary CSF stain gram-positive for rod-like bacteria.
COPAK: English.
RYKER: It proves it was a bacterial infection.
That's gonna take a while before any of our labs come back with an actual anthrax read, but we don't have any time to waste if this is the first indicator of a biological attack.
COPAK: Like the one in Toledo? Turned out to be talcum powder and what was that other one? SYKES: College jock wrote anthrax on his protein powder - so his roommates wouldn't use it.
- [LAUGHS.]
[CLEARS THROAT.]
RYKER: The patient lives in Boca Raton.
COPAK: Just 'cause two hijackers lived there - doesn't mean there's a connection.
- RYKER: That's too much of a coincidence.
Listen, the CDC's already on its way down there.
I need to get on the ground before the press gets wind of it and stirs up panic.
COPAK: About time the CDC carried their weight on these damn hoaxes! We're fielding two, 300 a week.
Look, Ryker, these SOBs are fly-a-plane-into-a-skyscraper kind of terrorists.
They're not gonna sprinkle magic dust on some guy in BFE Florida.
We're thin here.
Sit down.
All right.
Jersey, what do you got? SYKES: Last week they bought some burner phones close to a dozen, sir.
They're running their names off known watch lists as we speak.
- We're expecting to get a hit.
- [PHONE LINE RINGING.]
[PHONE RINGING.]
KURZ: Dr.
Simon Kurz.
RYKER: Dr.
Kurz, this is Special Agent Ryker.
Listen, uh, thanks for jumping on those Pentagon samples, but, um, - I need a favor.
- KURZ [OVER PHONE.]
: No problem.
RYKER: I have some tissue samples being flown up to a few labs from Florida, one of them is coming to you and should arrive within the hour.
I need you to take a look.
KURZ [OVER PHONE.]
: Of course, Agent Ryker.
- KURZ: We'll get right on it.
- RYKER [OVER PHONE.]
: Thanks.
KURZ: Bruce, we got some samples coming in from Florida.
- IVINS: Not it! - KURZ: But they need the anthrax expert.
IVINS: Oh, I don't know.
This bench is getting awfully comfortable.
If you're pulling me off of it, I'm gonna need a new uniform, maybe a nice, new pair of Chucks.
HALL: At least ask for Nike Shox.
- IVINS: Are those all the rage? - [LAUGHS.]
HALL: Yeah, no one's worn Chucks since before the three-point line.
IVINS: Really? KURZ: It wasn't me who benched you on anthrax.
IVINS: I know that! It was those suits in Washington that are full of baloney, blaming Gulf War Syndrome on everything but the Gulf.
Easy to point fingers at a vaccine when symptoms could have been caused by myriad factors in the field.
I just spent 20 years working on piddly little things called breakthroughs, antibiotic post-exposure prophylaxis.
And my personal favorite, a recombinant-protective antigen vaccine they don't even wanna fund! KURZ: Bruce, can you just run the test? - IVINS: Of course I can.
- KURZ: Thank you.
IVINS: You can just put my Nike Shox in the locker room.
[LAUGHS.]
[BEEPING.]
[DOOR OPENS.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]
- MALECKI: Mrs.
Stevens? - STEVENS: Yes.
MALECKI: Do you have a minute? STEVENS: We'd driven to see our daughter in North Carolina.
MALECKI: And Bob seemed healthy before he reached Carolina? STEVENS: Completely.
On the drive, we were planning our anniversary party.
He was excited to have all the kids together again.
MALECKI: Any stops along the way? STEVENS: A diner on Highway 26.
MALECKI: Did he eat any strange food, unusual game? STEVENS: Just pastrami.
[SIGHS.]
MALECKI: Any other stops? [SIGHS.]
STEVENS: We did a little shopping.
Some dress shoes.
- MALECKI: Were they leather? - STEVENS: Yes.
It's a big anniversary and I was determined not to have him in a suit and sneakers.
[LAUGHS.]
MALECKI: Do you know if the shoes were handmade? Where they came from? STEVENS: No, but how could he have caught something from shoes? MALECKI: Bacteria in livestock can be present on byproducts, leather, wool.
Coming into contact with those products can cause an infection.
Did he pet any animals, a dog maybe? Walk through a pasture? STEVENS: We went for a hike with our daughter up to Chimney Rock.
MALECKI: Did he eat or drink anything on the hike? [SLURPING.]
STEVENS: I told him not to drink the water, but he didn't listen.
MALECKI: We'll have a local field team do a sweep of the trail on the stream, see if we can find the origin of the infection.
STEVENS: What is this? The doctors haven't given me an update.
MALECKI: We're not sure.
STEVENS: He's going to be all right though, isn't he? [BOTTLES RATTLING.]
[COINS RATTLING.]
[JET ENGINE HUMMING.]
SHEILA: Matthew? RYKER: Last beer, you mind? SHEILA: Uh-uh.
I only get them for you, so, usually stock up for a bi-monthly visit, but four nights this week.
RYKER: Too much? SHEILA: Just unusual.
Eodi gasseo? RYKER: What? SHEILA: Just looks like you have a lot going on up there.
RYKER: Yeah.
SHEILA: Nobody wants to talk to a lobbyist.
I know that you're not big on chit-chat, but I could wait you out.
RYKER: What was that, um, thing in Korean you said earlier? SHEILA: Um, eodi gasseo? Taught you that one before.
Where did you go? RYKER: We had warning signs that 9/11 was going to happen.
SHEILA: Matthew.
RYKER: Names, addresses even.
SHEILA: The FBI, well they watch over, what, thousands of potential terrorists? RYKER: A lot of these guys were flagged.
Memos were sent at high levels back in August.
Bin Laden might strike, likely using planes.
There was a flight academy in Minnesota that alerted us that Moussaoui was taking flying lessons.
- SHEILA: Jesus.
- RYKER: Al-Mihdhar was on a CIA watchlist, but there was an agency tug-of-war.
The FAA wasn't warned in time.
It's on and on.
[SIGHS.]
They all walked right through security.
SHEILA: How much of this did you know? RYKER: I didn't.
SHEILA: Hey, we are all bleeding a little, okay? - A lot.
- RYKER: After what I saw I - It can't happen again.
- SHEILA: Matthew, you are not responsible for any of this.
You are not the only one that's supposed to see things coming.
RYKER: But what if I do this time? And no one listens? [PHONE RINGING.]
Ryker.
COPAK: I know, Robert.
- We're just overstretched and - [KNOCKING.]
Yes, yes, of course we all are.
I was hoping to have the comm report today, but, uh - [KNOCKS.]
- Team needs more time CLEMONS: Once we arrive at the Stevens house, we'll suit up in here.
Then we'll go into the back door.
The less attention we draw, the better.
MAN: Possible contact point here.
MAN 2: Okay, this surface is good.
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER.]
CLEMONS: Soon as we fill the first box, get it over to the county lab.
We gotta see where the anthrax is reading the hottest.
Track down its origin.
RYKER: Anthrax causes a systemic cytokine response called apoptosis.
Cell death, programmed cell death.
It uses its host as a live incubator.
And you catch it too late, it's 100% lethal.
COPAK: What are the chances that you're wrong, that this wasn't a planned attack? Just a natural infection from environmental sources? RYKER: Sure, they can lie dormant in the dirt for 100, maybe 200 years.
But the last natural human infection on American soil was almost 30 years ago.
And 95% of confirmed cases worldwide are cutaneous, which means it gets into a cut or someone touches it.
But Bob Stevens inhaled it, which is insanely rare, unless it's aerosolized intentionally.
COPAK: Intentionally? What do you Weaponized? Against a small beach town? RYKER: So I looked into the hijackers from Florida.
And one of them, al-Haznawi, according to a local ER doctor, had a cut he claimed, "Would not heal.
" The doctor also said that the skin around it had turned black, like this.
These are anthrax lesions.
COPAK: So probably Haznawi was handling the stuff.
RYKER: And now it strikes in the same place only three weeks after 9/11? That can't be a coincidence.
I have to find who did this.
And why Bob Stevens was the target.
[BEEPING.]
STEVENS: Do you remember the view, Bob? I'd never seen Fall colors so beautiful.
Oh! [LAUGHS.]
And this, I just tripped and you grabbed my arm! [LAUGHS.]
CASEY: Hey Mom, I can do that for a while, huh? STEVENS: Oh.
Oh! Aw.
MALECKI: I'd like to speak to herself, if that's okay? [BEEPING.]
STEVENS: Who are those people? MALECKI: Hospital administration.
STEVENS: Why would they What's happening? MALECKI: They wanna be certain Bob's getting everything he needs.
STEVENS: Is he going to survive? MALECKI: We're making every effort.
Now I know you're going to wanna go home, get some rest, get something to eat.
So they've arranged for you to have this.
If there's any change in Bob's condition, the hospital will contact you immediately.
STEVENS: You know what it is, don't you? Are you going to tell me what's really going on here? MALECKI: Bob was exposed to a bacteria called bacillus anthracis.
Anthrax.
I'm very sorry, Mrs.
Stevens.
STEVENS: Oh.
When did you all know? MALECKI: We had some indications yesterday, but we wanted confirmation.
If, if we'd been wrong, it wouldn't have been fair.
STEVENS: He's my husband! MALECKI: I understand what you must be feeling.
But the information was limited to a small circle of people.
Well, I, I thought it only right that you know before everyone else finds out.
STEVENS: Everyone else? THOMPSON [OVER TV.]
: Uh, the Centers for Disease Control has just confirmed the diagnosis of anthrax in a patient in a Florida hospital.
REPORTER [OVER TV.]
: We were given, from what you to know, is there any reason to believe this is a result of terror? THOMPSON [OVER TV.]
: It appears that this is just an isolated case.
There's no evidence of terrorism.
RYKER: Hi, Mom.
Hey listen, I just wanted to call and let you know that I'm not gonna be able to make it to dinner tomorrow night, uh, or to Devon's game.
WOMAN [OVER PHONE.]
: Oh! He's really gonna miss you cheering in those stands.
WOMAN: You know, you have really stepped up with his dad away.
- RYKER: Will you fill in for me? - WOMAN [OVER PHONE.]
: Of course! - Is everything okay? - RYKER: I'm just in the middle of something at work.
WOMAN: God, you work so hard.
Always have.
RYKER: But listen, uh, I gotta go, uh, I gotta catch a plane to Florida.
- I'll call you when I get - WOMAN [OVER PHONE.]
: Florida? Is that about that anthrax thing? RYKER: How did you know? WOMAN [OVER PHONE.]
: The guy is talking about it on TV.
THOMPSON [OVER TV.]
: The information that we have surging that this took place in the State of Florida.
RYKER: I'll call you back, okay? THOMPSON [OVER TV.]
: Information that the State of Florida has released.
We have our CDC officials there on the ground and they're going to go through, uh, the last couple of weeks.
We've also dispatched people from CDC to North Carolina - to the communities that - CLEMONS: Dammit! They couldn't give us a few more hours lead time? THOMPSON [OVER TV.]
: Investigating with the FBI all known places.
CLEMONS: Okay, well, get what you can before every news van in the state descends on us.
BROKAW: This soon after 9/11? Seems early to rule out terrorism.
All right.
They specifically mentioned an inhalation case.
- O'CONNOR: Mm-hmm.
- BROKAW: What other forms of infection are there? And symptoms, beyond those that mimic the flu? I need odds of recovery, history of outbreaks.
Everything you can get me, especially if it involves Al Qaeda.
O'CONNOR: Yes, Mr.
Brokaw.
THOMPSON [OVER TV.]
: We don't know that at this point in time.
That's entirely possible.
We do know that he drank water out of a stream, uh, when he was traveling to IVINS: Oh, yeah it had to be inhalation anthrax.
Yessiree.
Because somehow, my advanced background in science has not afforded me the ability to distinguish between inhaling and drinking.
Any sixth grader can tell you, you can't get inhalation anthrax from sipping creek water! HALL: Bruce, I think you've got a future in politics.
KURZ: Or stand-up.
IVINS: Doesn't it drive you crazy hearing this kind of malarkey? KURZ: It shocks you that the politicals on the Hill confused their facts? HALL: Chances of only one person coming down with an inhalation case are slim to none.
IVINS: You are absolutely correct, Jody.
"Jodyness is next to godliness.
" We are of one mind.
If it's in the air, there's no way this guy's the only one breathing it.
Unless he's a total hermit.
THOMPSON [OVER TV.]
: Very aggressive.
And I wanna point out once again, this is an isolated case, and it's not contagious.
IVINS: Hey, did someone just pass you guys in the hallway? - OFFICER: No, didn't see anyone.
- IVINS: Really? MALECKI: Jean Malecki.
Palm Beach County Health Department.
RYKER: Matthew Ryker, FBI Hazardous Materials.
MALECKI: I'm over here.
RYKER: Any change in Stevens' condition? MALECKI: He's in a coma.
Don't quite know how to tell his wife he's not likely to come out of it.
That press conference didn't help things.
RYKER: Well, the White House was just trying to get out in front of the press vultures to curb public panic.
- MALECKI: Good luck with that these days.
- RYKER: Yeah.
Is Stevens on Cipro? MALECKI: As soon as he was admitted, but the infection was pretty advanced by the time he came in.
I'll have you there in 30.
RYKER: We're going to the hospital? MALECKI: We need to check on Stevens.
And CDC's already testing everything at his home.
RYKER: They're not gonna find anything.
I need you to drop me at this address.
MALECKI: Leisure Village? RYKER: I looked into Bob Stevens.
There's absolutely nothing in his background that would make him a target for anything.
Except that he works at AMI Publishing.
You know, those tabloids, The Sun, The National Inquirer.
We found a connection between AMI and two of the 9/11 hijackers.
MALECKI: You think this is Al Qaeda? [DOORBELL RINGS.]
RYKER: Afternoon.
I'm Special Agent Matthew Ryker.
Am I speaking with Gloria Irish? GLORIA: Mike! They're back again! RYKER: Just to confirm, you're the realtor who helped with and the apartment rental for al-Shehhi and al-Ghamdi? GLORIA: I had no idea what they were planning.
MIKE: Come on in.
But we told the other FBI agents everything three weeks ago.
RYKER: Did you ever mention your husband to either al-Shehhi or al-Ghamdi? - GLORIA: I'm sorry, I don't understand - MIKE: I never met them.
GLORIA: Uh, I don't know.
I, I might've mentioned him.
RYKER: While you were talking, did you ever mention - where your husband worked? - MIKE: Could you tell us what's going on? RYKER: Bob Stevens worked for you at AMI.
MIKE: Is this about the anthrax business in the news, thought they said he caught it outdoors? RYKER: Oh, well, they may have jumped the gun.
Did you know the two terrorists had a subscription to the National Inquirer? And the number of photos of Bin Laden your paper put on its front page may have prompted the attack? You might have been the target.
GLORIA: Oh my God! RYKER: Have you received any threats recently? Terrorists love publicity.
They want everyone to know whenever they're responsible.
MIKE: No.
Nothing.
I'd remember a threat like that.
RYKER: Have any other employees called out sick this past week? MIKE: Let me make a call.
Yeah, Frank.
Hi, it's Mike.
Can you tell me if any one of GLORIA: I just keep thinking what if I had noticed something about those men? RYKER: Well, none of us ever wants to see the worst in people.
MIKE: Yup.
It's still there.
Yeah.
Okay.
Bye.
One guy is out today.
First sick day in seven years.
Ernesto Blanco.
[GRUNTS.]
[COUGHING.]
[BELL RINGS.]
[COUGHING.]
[THROWING UP.]
[TIRES SCREECHING.]
- CLEMONS: You Agent Ryker? - RYKER: Clemons? We spoke in June.
CDC Infectious Diseases, right? CLEMONS: Epidemic Intelligence.
RYKER: They were supposed to send you here an hour ago.
CLEMONS: We're in the middle of swabbing the Stevens's place RYKER: I know, that's gonna come up clean.
- CLEMONS: How do you know? - RYKER: Because we found a second worker.
This one passed out on a city bus.
Went to the hospital a few hours ago, symptoms point to anthrax.
And since I doubt that both Bob Stevens and Ernesto Blanco tracked anthrax into this building - CLEMONS: The source of the infection is inside.
- RYKER: We need to find it.
Not just how, but whoever the hell is behind it.
Remind your team that everything here is evidence.
Anyone evacuate the staff? - CLEMONS: Not yet.
- RYKER: Okay.
CLEMONS: Hey, hey, whoa, whoa.
No one knows what's hot in there.
We shouldn't take any chances.
- I got a suit for you around back.
- RYKER: I've had all three shots.
And every minute that staff is inside is another minute that they could be exposed.
MILLS: Mine's from Cindy Crawford's stalker.
Yours any better? Hey, Steph, what's in your goody-bag? DAILEY: Oh.
Oh, it's from Jason.
He has this thing for sending me mix CDs.
He promised me he'd get me an iPod so I don't have to lug this baby around anymore.
[PHONES RINGING.]
RYKER: May I have your attention! My name is Special Agent Ryker, FBI.
For your safety, I need everyone to stand and calmly exit the building.
Leave everything on your desks.
Do not take purses, glasses, pens.
Everything stays.
- MILLS: Oh, my God.
- DAILEY: Do you think this is about Bob? - MILLS: Probably.
- DAILEY: Oh, man.
- Okay.
Let's go.
- RYKER: No need to be alarmed.
This is a precautionary measure.
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER.]
[CAMERA CLICKING.]
WOMAN: I got it over here.
RYKER: Bob Stevens' mailbox is blazing.
Definitely looking at a letter or package as a mode of attack.
You find anything? CLEMONS: No mail with any powder residue.
But the prelims show that a ventilation system above one desk contaminated with spores.
- RYKER: That's Stevens, yeah? - CLEMONS: Uh, no, no, afraid not.
Belonged to one of his clerks.
RYKER: What's their name? CLEMONS: Stephanie Dailey.
REPORTER [OVER TV.]
: In Florida today, the FBI has been scouring through the offices of a company which publishes tabloid newspapers.
REPORTER 2 [OVER TV.]
: Investigators are taking no chances.
Going through decontamination as they try to pinpoint the source of anthrax.
REPORTER 2 [OVER TV.]
: Hundreds of AMI workers are being screened for signs of bacteria.
RYKER: Yeah, we said they could invite their families in to get tested.
Glue yourself to the health and safety manager, report back the second anyone tests positive.
MOORE: You got it.
RYKER: I need your help finding someone.
MALECKI: You and everyone else in here.
We're understaffed.
We have no idea.
RYKER: You didn't wanna run this through a hospital? MALECKI: If you can find one that wants to expose themselves with possible anthrax contamination, be my guest.
Could only get a sign-off on Boca Raton's most infamous locale.
Do the words "hanging chads" mean anything to you? RYKER: Seriously? This is the place they did the re-count? - MALECKI: Name? - RYKER: Stephanie Dailey.
I'm Special Agent Matthew Ryker.
Can I have a word, in private? DAILEY: Yeah.
RYKER: We've been testing samples at your offices and we found anthrax spores at your desk and the vent above it.
- DAILEY: Oh my God.
- RYKER: Why don't you take a seat? First of all, it doesn't mean that you have it, okay? [TREMBLES.]
I just need to know whether you remember opening any packages or letters with a white powder inside.
DAILEY: Um, we publish The Sun and The Enquirer.
We always get kooky mail.
RYKER: Well, this would've been a week ago, two at the most.
DAILEY: Um, yeah, okay, I remember one package.
It was another proposal to J-Lo and maybe had a Star of David in it and some white stuff like baby powder.
RYKER: Okay, what did you do with that package? - I need to find it.
- DAILEY: It's gone.
RYKER: Well, even if it went into the trash, - I have a team of - DAILEY: No, I mean, it's gone, gone.
We, we get all kinds of hate mail and alien hunters and too much trash, so they started to burn it.
AMI, they just incinerate all their mail.
Is, um, is Bob gonna die? I heard on the local news that it could be engineered - to resist penicillin.
- RYKER: None of us have said that.
But just as a precaution, we will start you on an antibiotic called Cipro, same as Bob.
DAILEY: Cipro.
RYKER: It's a newer drug, so if the anthrax has been weaponized, this will knock it out.
RYKER: Okay? - DAILEY: Okay.
- RYKER: I know this is scary.
But I really think you're gonna be fine.
DAILEY: Thank, thank you.
[PAGER BUZZING.]
- CASEY: Hey, you okay, Mom? - [PAGER BUZZING.]
[PAGER BUZZING.]
STEVENS: No, no, no.
[CRYING.]
[CRYING.]
[CRYING.]
BROKAW [OVER TV.]
: In tragic news, we've just learned that Photo Editor, Robert Stevens has died from his anthrax exposure, the victim of what now looks to be a targeted attack on the media giant AMI.
A tragic loss of life.
A senseless attack.
BROKAW: Our thoughts are with the family of Robert Stevens.
Meanwhile, another AMI employee, Ernesto Blanco is in stable condition.
And the biggest question still looming tonight, who's behind this deadly attack and will they strike again? That's Nightly News for this Thursday.
I'm Tom Brokaw and I'll see you again tomorrow night.
Thanks.
Here you go, boy, - there you go.
- [KNOCKING.]
Erin? What's wrong? O'CONNOR: I was doing the research you asked for anthrax and I don't think AMI was the only media attack.
BROKAW: What do you mean? O'CONNOR: The doctor thought it was just a spider bite, but COPAK [OVER PHONE.]
: This is now a murder investigation! COPAK: Domestic terrorism.
CDC, they got no business getting in our way.
COPAK [OVER PHONE.]
: Get them out of there! RYKER: We're only gonna make things worse if we piss on our territory, sir.
Let's give them a day, we're working fine down here.
COPAK [OVER PHONE.]
: Ry, Ryker, stop! We all know this didn't come from someone's pet llama.
You called it! It's an attack.
COPAK: If it falls under Operation Noble Eagle now.
This is Bush's baby and he'll be watching this closely.
I need you to catch who did this.
Bureau needs it, you got it? RYKER: Yup.
[WAVES CRASHING.]
CLEMONS: You can't lock us out! I had a team on the ground before you clowns even got here! You're not gonna get away with this.
Shut out of my own investigation! Are you freaking kidding me? RYKER: Yeah.
CDC's off the case.
- It wasn't my call.
- CLEMONS: Well, no, you're just enforcing it.
You know, the samples your little windbreaker buddies just collected were sent to our labs.
I assume you're gonna want the results.
RYKER: So you're gonna hold our samples hostage? Come on, look.
Come here.
We both know that the CDC doesn't get into criminal cases, right? Have you eaten today? Come on, I know a place.
Come on.
Well, if you ask me, it feels like we're just doubling down on the very same mistakes that led to all this.
We never learn.
CLEMONS: All these agencies jockeying for position.
RYKER: FBI, CIA, everyone's so focused on each other.
We let the wolves slip into the backdoor.
CLEMONS: And now everything is under the microscope.
Press will dig up all those red flags.
Don't envy you guys.
- RYKER: Well, we could tell everybody.
- [LAUGHS.]
How many times we've stopped the bad guy.
Every day, I mean, thousands of lives we keep safe.
Still.
CLEMONS: A lot of pressure.
RYKER: There were these two guys on one of the planes, and their son with them, three years old.
And I can't get this picture out of my head.
That moment when you realize what's actually happening that you wanna keep your son safe but there's nothing you can do.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
- CLEMONS: You got kids? - RYKER: No.
I got a nephew and a niece.
My nephew's already jaded.
[LAUGHS.]
I can't blame him.
I just wanna be someone he can look up to, not just another useless suit.
Hey, I shouldn't be telling you this, but the results came back.
It's Ames.
CLEMONS: Ames strain? That hasn't appeared in decades.
I didn't think it existed outside of high-security research labs.
RYKER: It doesn't.
[KEYBOARD CLICKING.]
[DOOR SLAMS.]
[DOOR OPENS.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]
[DOOR OPENS.]
[BREATHING HEAVILY.]
[LOCKS DOOR.]
DIANE: Hi, hon.
Just beat the worst of the rain it looks like.
There's a big storm coming.
IVINS: Oh, yeah.
- AMANDA: Hi, Dad.
- IVINS: Hey, baby.
Sorry I'm so late.
DIANE: Everything okay at the lab? IVINS: Yeah, you know, just more of the same.
- Hey, buddy.
- ANDREW: Hey, Dad.
IVINS: You heard about the anthrax scare? DIANE: Oh, that poor man and his wife.
- It's just awful.
- IVINS: I know.
- I'm gonna head down.
- DIANE: Oh, okay.
I'll turn off the oven.
It's meatloaf.
Just nuke it for two minutes when you're hungry, okay? IVINS: Okay.
Will do.
[LIGHTS BUZZING.]
[GUN CLICKS.]
[GUNFIRE.]
[MUSIC PLAYS THROUGH CREDITS.]