Nefarious

Meanwhile, in the state of Oklahoma,

today is the scheduled day of execution

for Edward Wayne Brady,

and, kids, all it took was just

a string of cold-blooded murders,

incontrovertible evidence,

a confession, a jury of his peers

and 11 years of legal wrangling

to get us to game day.

I mean, what the heck is wrong with us?

I mean, can somebody please tell me

why this guy is still sucking air?

How is this guy still alive?

He's expected.

Let him through.

Dr. James Martin here

for the psychiatric evaluation of Edward Wayne Brady.

Are you currently in possession

of any alcohol, tobacco, firearms or narcotics?

No.

Just turn off your ignition, step from your vehicle

with your identification in hand.

Step over here, please.

Turn around.

One to come through.

Step through, leave your keys and phone in the pass through.

Welcome to the least happy place on Earth.

-Warden Tom Moss. -Nice to meet you.

Thanks for filling in on short notice.

No offense, but I'd rather not be here at all.

Yeah. You and everybody else.

Look, why don't you just sign off, and we'll be done.

Unfortunately, that's not the way it works.

Everyone deserves an impartial review.

Not everyone. Follow me.

Sorry to hear

about Dr. Fischer. Did you know him?

I did. Yes.

He was, uh, something of a mentor to me.

Yeah, well, I tell you this, his timing sucked.

Every time this guy Brady's number comes up,

something happens.

Execution scheduled for 11:00 p.m.

That's not for public knowledge,

so please don't convey that to anyone.

We're going to need your decision

by 4:00 p.m. at the latest,

if we're gonna stay on schedule.

If there's any problems,

I'd rather know sooner than later.

If we're gonna do my job properly,

we're gonna need some privacy.

No, it's not a problem. He's been taken from his cell.

You'll be meeting him in a common area.

Normally, that's where we allow

last contact with family, but he doesn't have any.

From there, he'll be showered,

taken to the holding cell in the Death House

not far from the execution chamber.

That's where he'll be spending his last couple hours.

I'm assuming you already reviewed the Fischer files?

Yes.

Then you already know he's a master manipulator.

Absolute genius.

And right now, his entire existence

is focused on one thing.

Convincing you he's totally insane.

And therefore incapable

of being executed under state law.

Yeah.

You listen to him,

by the time he's done with you,

he'll have your head so twisted around

you'll think you're the killer, not him.

So you think it's all an act?

Of course it is. Open up.

Well, for what it's worth, Fischer disagreed with you.

Just wasn't sure whether the root of the problem

was psychotic or psychogenic.

Whether it stems from his brain

losing its grip on reality

or some mental or emotional stressor.

That's the problem with you shrinks.

Too smart for your own damn good.

Can I have a radio, please?

Look, Brady knows what's coming.

He's playing the system,

and if you allow him to, he'll play you, too.

Look, I get lied to all the time.

Figuring out the truth behind the lie

is what I get paid to do.

Take this. If you need anything,

there's always somebody monitoring that channel.

Thanks.

Morning.

Allow me to introduce myself. I'm, uh...

Dr. James Ansel Martin.

Valedictorian, University of Chicago.

Bachelor of Science, biochemistry.

Salutatorian, Johns Hopkins.

Medical School with a residency in Psychiatry.

Currently, the youngest full professor on staff at OU.

It's not exactly...

Stanford, but then again we are in Oklahoma, aren't we?

Guttmacher award recipient, author of numerous articles,

American society of psychiatry.

Once engaged, never married and father of none.

You want to have a seat right there,

have a little chat with me?

I'm gonna ask you some questions.

I'm hoping you'll answer them.

I'd like you to be as comfortable as you can.

Do you know what the first thing they will do to me is

once I've been pronounced dead?

I'm afraid I don't.

Autopsy.

It just seems odd, doesn't it?

I mean, all that cutting

and weighing of organs.

I mean, certainly they'll know what the cause of death is.

I'm just...

It just seems strange, right?

And why bother?

I suppose to make sure the job is done.

Well, it's just a little barbaric, don't you think?

I assume you know Dr. Fischer has passed away.

Come on now. He committed suicide.

I know that because I made him do it.

Why would you do that?

Serving my purpose.

You're here, aren't you?

Why would you want me here instead of him?

-I didn't like him. -And you like me?

Well, no, but I chose you because I need you

to do something for me.

See, you're gonna write my story.

And why would I do that?

Because I want you to.

I see.

Well, not sure you do, but you will soon.

How can you be so sure? Are you, um, are you God?

Don't play with me, James.

You continue to ask stupid questions,

and I'll end this session.

Well, that would be unfortunate for you

because I'd have to make my determination

based upon limited information.

-And you think that scares me? -Oh, it should.

I mean, it, it would me. Being so near to death.

Death doesn't scare me, James.

And why is that?

Because I can't die.

See, James,

I'm a demon.

Do you have a name?

Of course I have a name.

Would you like me to call you by it?

Depends. Do I call you James?

-I'd prefer Dr. Martin. -Of course you would.

It's my title. I, uh, I worked very hard to achieve it.

And it preserves the nature of our relationship.

We can do that.

As long as you agree to acknowledge

my honorifics as well.

Which is?

Lord High Prince.

I, um...

-I won't be doing that. -Okey-dokey.

And since we're gonna be on a first-name basis,

I guess I'll allow you to use mine.

-Edward? -No.

That's merely the name of the host body,

the shell which I inhabit.

I no longer answer to it.

The name my master gifted to me

is in a Phoenician dialect

that hasn't been spoken for 3,500 years,

but I'll give you the nearest English equivalent,

which would be Nefariamus.

Nef... Nefarious?

A closer translation would be "He who is nefarious

"suggesting possession of trade full measure."

And Nefarious isn't a real name.

Says who, James?

Cephas meaning "rock," or in Latin Petrus,

wasn't a name until the carpenter

gave it to that obnoxious fisherman.

Not a good name until it is.

Somebody uses it, it becomes a name.

You... You seem a bit defensive.

Names are important.

They have power.

They let everyone know who we are.

Ain't that right, Jimmy?

I'm sorry if I offended you. That wasn't my intention.

Of course it was.

What's a little malice between friends?

What's so funny?

I have a secret.

Something you'd like to share?