Painkiller Jane

My name is jane vasco.

I could use you on my team.

I work for a secret government agency that hunts neuros.

People who can do dangerous things with their minds.

On my first assignment...

Something a little weird happened,

okay, something really weird.

Until i get some answers i'm getting on with my life, doing my job.

Stocking up on aspirin, because I gotta tell ya,

pain's a bitch!

Big Line Thirsday. Arsonist has finally been apprehended by local authorities.

After allegedly burning another house to the ground in north salem last night

the serial arsonist and public enemy number 1

for this community has apparently been apprehended.

Trial begins today.

Up to the minute coverage right here on action news.

My partner and I were on routine patrol when we saw the flames.

Would you tell the court what happened next.

We arrived at the samuel's house and saw the suspect fleeing from the scene.

When he refused to obey our orders

my partner fired a warning shot.

Was that sufficient to stop the defendant from attempting to escape?

No, sir.

I fired at the suspect.

My shot hit him in the leg.

It was at that point that we were able to subdue him

and take him into custody.

The police alerted us to the fire just after 10:00 am.

Two of our units responded, including emu.

By the time we got there...

...The fire had already reached the second story of the samuel's house.

How long did it take to get control of the fire?

It took about an hour before I felt that it was safe

for my men to enter the structure.

Would you tell us what you discovered.

Most of the ground floor was gone.

There was enough left of the support beams

to keep the house from collapsing.

After you entered...

What was your first impressions as to what caused the fire?

As we passed through the main entry of the house, I noticed a "hot spot. "

could you explain that?

Usually the location where the fire begins is the hottest spot.

Usually you'd expect to see the hot spot in a kitchen,

near a stove, or in the case of an electrical fire,

near wiring or circuit breakers...

Something like that.

Was that the case in the samuel's house?

No.

My first impression was that the ignition point of the fire

was a small bathroom on the ground floor.

Is that unusual?

It's not unheard of but, yes, it is unusual.

Unless there's indication of flammable materials or electrical problems.

Given what you saw, did you form an opinion?

My first reaction was that, like the others...

This was an arson fire of unknown origin.

Was there anything else of note about this downstairs bathroom?

Yes.

And what was that?

We found charred, human remains.

Were these "remains" those that were later identified as lucy samuel's,

one of the occupants of the house?

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

That's all.

Would defense counsel care to present any witnesses at this time?

No, your honor.

We would, however, appreciate an expeditious ruling

on our request for bail.

Given the severity of the charges,

serial arson and second degree murder, i'm going to rule

that the defendant will be bound over for trial

and held at the county jail.

Bail is denied.

It's just the preliminary, not the trial.

So where do we go from here?

To work.

Connor King.

Ex-cop.

Ex-con.

Kinda cute in a borderline sociopath kind of way.

God, i can't believe i just thought that.

Here's the deal:

i'm able to heal, and connor isn't,

but he keeps taking one for the team.

Either he's mental or there's more to the man

than he wants people to see.

Check that, he's definitely mental, but he's also a good act.

He works hard to keep people at arm's length, but then so do I.

Maybe we're more alike than i'd like to admit.

Except he loves to be hated and maybe would hate to know

every once in a while he's loved.

Here's what we're up against.

Public opinion's running pretty high.

People want someone to blame.

There is someone to blame.

A pyromaniac neuro.

I work for the government just like you do.

We know the truth here.

The public doesn't know anything of neuros.

So the truth isn't always the best defense.

That's reassuring.

We're not here to reassure you, we're here to acquit connor.

What're we looking at?

Facts that don't look good for connor.

First, he's been identified at three of the six fires.

Because we've been on the trail of the neuro

who's been starting those fires.

Go on.

Connor, against your orders, broke position and entered that house.

Yeah, to try and apprehend the damn fire starter.

Look, i understand your thinking.

But i want you to consider for a moment how the jury would react

if i put any one of you on the stand

and asked you testify to the existence of people

who possess the ability to start fires with their mind.

The truth isn't always the best defense.

Witnesses have placed connor at the scene of multiple arsons.

He was apprehended exiting the samuel's house...

And then there's his criminal record.

Is that admissible?

Evidence only requires exclusion when probative value

is substantially outweighed by the danger

of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury.

The present rule recognizes the practice of admitting evidence

for a limited purpose

and instructing the jury accordingly.

How the hell did you know that?

I read up on it last night.

So the judge can admit connor's criminal record.

Given miss vasco's very accurate recital of the law...

Yes.

Hell, why even bother having the trial!

It sounds as if he's already been tried and convicted.

I'm not going to lie to you.

We're facing an uphill battle here.

But the war's not over until we've taken our best shots at all the evidence.

Given everything you told us,

it sounds like truth may be our best shot.

Why don't we tell the jury what we're really dealing with.

It's not as if we can't prove it.

Even if you're right...

You're sworn to silence and secrecy.

Our hands are tied.

Maybe it's time to cut the knot.

What you should have done is made this all go away before it even started.

You'll have to explain that to me, agent mcbride.

As your superior, i do have connections in high places.

As high as they go.

However, they don't extend into the heavens.

Heavens?

What is that supposed to mean?

Only god can save connor?

Don't give me that crap!

Disagreement, i encourage, sir.

I will not tolerate insubordination.

Hell, we've covered up

the assassinations of foreign leaders.

Our own leaders!

But when it comes to connor king...

The man was shot at the scene...

By the police.

The case of the decade, solved.

It was on the front pages

before they'd read him his miranda.

How, exactly, did you expect us to make that "go away?"

then let us present the truth.

Admit to the existence of neuros.

Only as much as we have to.

Need to know.

And when the prosecution demands proof...

What then?

We give it to them!

We've got years of caseloads.

That would not only bring something to the surface

that we've worked very hard to keep secret...

But would compromise your team as well.

"Need to know" rapidly becomes full exposure.

It might be connor's only chance.

And it might not.

Are you willing to see your unit de-commissioned

to risk a defense that, chances are, no one would ever believe...

Despite your proof?

And if they did believe it and connor was acquitted...

The result would be a population in panic

and our ability to keep our operations a secret

and fight these "things" compromised.

Is one man really worth that much?

That one man happens to be innocent.

Soldiers do die in battle.

A soldier

dying on the field, in combat,

is something that can't be undone.

Connor isn't dead.

You know as well as i do...

He was always a liability.

Liability?

What is that supposed to mean?

Feed him to the wolves because you don't like his attitude?