The Strain

- Previously on The Strain... - Zack?

- He wanted me to find out where the nuclear bomb is.

- Zack's working with the Master.

I took him up to the roof. He cut his thumb open.

- It's like setting off a flare.

- Will you just have the decency to look at me and tell me the truth?

- The Master said I get to decide what to do with you.

So tell me where the nuke is, and I'll let you live.

- Good-bye, Zack. - Where are you going?

- You made your choice. Live with it.

- Dad, I'm trying to save your life.

- The Master's sending his troops. We have to go.

- What's our target? - Empire State Building.

- If Zack has told us something, it's because the Master wanted him to.

- He's probably set a trap for us there. - If the Master

wants to draw us into a trap, then into his trap I shall go.

I'll contact you via radio. You'll then drive

the bomb to the base of the building and escape before I trigger the weapon.

- (Master's voice): You think I'm foolish enough

to come within range of your bomb?

- I shall never give up my pursuit of you.

- You'll have your confrontation. It'll be at a time and place of my choosing.

- He didn't take the bait. Leave at once.

What?

We got trouble.

Oh, shit.

- We got to think about the weapon.

- Yeah. Not the time to make a final stand.

- I got this. They get their hands on the nuke;

it's game over. You guys get in the van and take off.

I'll see you back at the rendezvous.

Go!

No nice way to say this, Gus,

but don't get stung and lead the Master back to us.

That's cold, right there.

Let's take these assholes.

Let's get 'em, boys!

We got some more.

- Don't stop now. - Where they coming from, man?

Keep shooting! Keep shooting!

Keep shooting!

I failed.

They got me.

Let me finish this.

- (grunts) I'll take care of 'em.

Hey, assholes! Over here!

Aah!

We'll come back for the van.

Let's go.

Invictus.

- Are you really so afraid of me?

Anything you have to say, say it to my face, not through a proxy.

But choose your words carefully, 'cause they'll be your last.

***

Did you get them?

They escaped...

with the warhead you failed to locate.

Now do you see your father for what he is?

I told you: he cares nothing for you.

Only for himself.

If you had touched his heart

more deeply, he might have come

to the Empire State building himself.

Come. Follow me.

We must find the nuclear weapon.

They will go block by block

and empty the city until your father

and the bomb are discovered.

This masquerade of coexistence is over.

Jesus. You scared

the shit out of me. Why didn't you say something?

Like what?

- Like, "Hey, I'm back from the Empire State Building",

and I'm just standing in the dark

"like a creepy vampire."

- What did you find up there? - The Master was gone.

Nothing but a few stragglers left to antagonize me.

We got antagonized ourselves.

We left Gus and his gang back there to fend them off.

We hightailed it over here with the bomb, though.

- I don't see how we're gonna get anywhere near him.

We don't even know if he's still in the city. - He's still here.

- Fet, this doesn't feel very safe.

You want safe?

Follow me.

So where are we going?

- This elevator is the subsurface entrance

to New York City Water Tunnel Number 3.

- Just when I thought I was never gonna get

another New York history lesson.

- This was gonna be the main tunnel

bringing water to all of New York City

from reservoirs over 60 miles away.

It was built to replace

two older tunnels. The dig for this project

started in 1970

and was slated to finish in 2020...

A 50-year construction project.

They were almost there, too.

Then those munchers showed up.

We're 800 feet down.

Some hole, huh?

Built by Sandhogs,

a family trade handed down through generations,

and fathers and sons

working side by side.

Lifelong jobs to bring the city their water.

People built this.

- Okay, that's a pretty good story.

- And now it's a safe place for us to store our nuke

until we figure out what to do next.

- (screaming in distance) - MAN (on TV): Tell me, uh, what did you have in mind?

- WOMAN (on TV): Well, Carol thought she might like Howard.

Think they'd take off together? - Why don't those assholes

just take off?

(man on TV): Sit down.

- Look, why don't we just take off, man?

- No, we can't leave the van. We need the silver.

- Fine. I guess we just watch Bob Newhart.

I only know of one case

where a blind date has worked out.

Aw, you mean us, huh?

That would be two.

Aw, are you kidding me?

How am I gonna get to sleep if I can't hear

the closing theme song?

Aw. Right, Marcus?

Hey, Marcus, you good? - Yeah.

Just need some fresh air. Hot in here.

- It's 50 degrees. Just take a second.

Hey, Marcus.

Marcus.

Shit.

Why didn't you say something?

I keep thinking

about all that gold. Can you imagine?

We'd be kings.

- The only thing that matters anymore

is dying human.

Do me one favor.

Don't drag it out.

Don't give me all of that...

Damn it! Damn it!

- Gus. Gus. Gus. All right. All right. All right. All right.

Gus, chill. - I'm tired of this shit.

We're leaving now.

- Zack got a lot of information from us,

but at least he doesn't know about this place.

- Don't beat yourself up, Doc.

None of us would have played it any differently

had it have been our child.

Well, maybe Quinlan.

- Quinlan would have blown him away,

which is maybe what I should've done.

- Well, who could do that, short of being a full - blown psychopath?

- And the last thing he said to me was,

"Dad, I'm just trying to save your life."

***

I just keep

going over that in my mind.

- And he said a lot of shit to try and manipulate you.

Who am I kidding?

He's already corrupted.

***

- The single greatest non-wartime construction project

in the history of Western civilization.

Now I wonder if it's just gonna be

a relic of human existence.

- I was thinking about the Ancients

and their underground chamber.

I just escaped it

before the first nuclear device went off.

It destroyed them without destroying the city.

- Since when do you care about New York City?

I don't.

But you do.

If you want to save the city above us,

and the world beyond it,

then the time for half-measures is over.

I can see the end, Fet.

I can see victory.

But it will take everything you and I have.

By everything, you mean...?

- I know you well enough to know

that when you commit to something, you are unwavering.

But... I also know that this is much to ask.

- If you have a way to destroy the Master

and save New York City,

I'm in.

I do.

- I don't see a way ahead for us,

especially if Gus and the others don't make it back.

- I don't think we have a chance in hell of getting close

to the Master again. - Well, we won't have to.

Quinlan and me, uh,

we have a plan. - Instead of bringing the weapon

to the Master, we bring the Master to the weapon.

How do we do that?

- Assuming we can lure him to us, I'll force him

into this elevator and down to here,