In the name of the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit.
Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.
We need to talk.
Are there any sacraments you do respect, Mr. LeConte?
All of them.
That's why I do what I do.
That's why you do what you do.
So holy men and women can keep their hands clean.
I won't help you with Kristen and her daughter.
That's not what this is about.
What "what" is about?
The Monsignor will be approaching you
in the next few days with an emergency assessment.
You will do what is asked.
Which is?
I don't know.
But someone during the assessment
will say the word "honky-tonk."
When you hear this word, you will count
to the 12th word spoken after it,
and that is the word you will bring back to me.
Are you nuts?
I couldn't be more deathly serious.
Once again, you will hear the word "honky-tonk,"
then you will count to the 12th word spoken after that.
That is the word I need to hear.
- And why am I doing this? - That is confidential.
All I can tell you is, it has nothing to do with Kristen.
When you have the 12th word,
you will call this number.
I'm leaving it here on the seat.
You will call the number and say,
"My Shiba Inu is limping,
and I need to speak to Dr. Michael."
This is all a game to you, isn't it?
A very serious game,
and one we have to play to protect the holy.
Amen.
Thank you, Father.
Hi there.
Long time no see.
No, this is not...
happening again.
You were gone.
Wake up, sleepyhead.
Look who I have with me.
Hi, Mom.
No.
Wake up.
Were you a good girl today or a bad one?
- I was good. - Yay.
Look at my new video.
I'm getting a lot of upvotes.
Close your...
eyes.
Close your eyes.
Tighter.
Holy fuck.
- Kristen? - David, I need
to talk to you right now.
On my way.
- Come in.
We need to talk.
Good.
I need some questions answered.
Victor LeConte told me
that I was being pursued by Leland Townsend,
from the very beginning,
that he had designs on one of my daughters,
and that he was grooming her
through me.
Is this correct?
- That's what he said. - You don't believe him?
I believe a spy sees everything as a conspiracy.
Okay, we'll get back to that.
Everything that's happened in the last two years,
from the moment that Leland approached me
to now,
has been by design?
That's what Victor thinks.
What about your designs?
What do you mean?
Your pursuit of me,
from the moment you invited me to do this job
to our relationship now,
has everything been by design?
What?
No.
If Leland was pursuing me from the beginning,
are you saying that it's just coincidental
that you invited me to do this job at that exact time?
Look, I can't speak to what Leland thinks.
I can only say that I invited you to be an assessor
based on your talent, not because of some design.
And why should I trust you?
Because I tell you the truth.
No, you don't. No, you haven't.
How long have you been working for the Entity?
All those mysterious phone calls in the last couple weeks,
they've all been from this LeConte guy?
And every time, you lied about it?
You can't even talk to me now
because everything you say will be a lie.
I agreed to work with Victor LeConte.
He was doing good work,
and I thought it was a way to help God.
And he asked you to lie to me.
I couldn't tell anyone about the work I did with them.
I couldn't even tell the Monsignor.
David, I don't believe
in God and the Church, but I always liked that you did
because it gave me something to aspire to,
something to admire.
But you're just like everyone else.
You're right.
Forgive me.
- So, now what? - Now
I tell you everything I know about their pursuit of RSM.
And Lexis?
Yes.
- Wait, wh-what are you doing? - I have to go check something.
And our work?
I need the money,
but I feel pretty fucked over,
and it's gonna take me a while to adjust to that.
- You okay?
- Thank you. - No problem.
- What have you got? - Okay.
No,
I want an adult drink. I'm an adult.
- I want to drink like one.
Okay.
- Oh, my God. - What?
Even your adult drinks look like kids' drinks.
- I got it, I got it. - Oh, no, I got it.
So...
- you want a progress report? - I do.
I'm sorry to be so anxious.
Okay, this one is last year.
Our first motion for production of records.
- Right. - This one was six months ago.
Our first lawsuit for production of same.
- Yeah. - This is their first rejection.
Okay, yeah, it's all coming back to me.
This one is two months ago.
Our threatened lawsuit of $43 million.
Right.
This is RSM's alarmed response one week later.
And this... Whew, girl.
This is the judge's summary judgment against RSM
to produce your missing egg or be held liable.
- And this-- smell this.
You can almost smell their sweat.
That's what threatening a $43 million suit does to grown men.
- Thank you, Yasmine.
Mm.
That's always the most fun part.
They admitted there was a 12th egg
and that their filing system made the error.
So, I do have another egg out there?
And they have a lead on it.
Okay, a lead. Wh-What does that mean exactly?
You may want another sip.
- Uh-oh. - I sued for their records,
and they indicate that your missing egg
was mistakenly donated to medical research.
- Okay, so it's been destroyed? - Probably.
There is a chance your egg was donated to a couple.
Wait, what?
Donated... donated where?
This medical research facility has donated eggs
to recipient couples in the past.
I'll stay on it if you want.
- Yeah, that would be great. - Okay.
Is Kristen on the team anymore?
- Yes. - Uh...
I called her. She said she's coming.
Okay, well, let's start.
This is an emergency assessment.
A friend of the parish has a toy store,
and this came from it.
Okay. What are we looking at, haunted toys?
Use the wand.
See you in hell.
Okay.
That's creepy, but, uh,
probably just a prank in the manufacturing.
It's not just that toy.
A lot of the toys are causing problems.
Kristen.
Monsignor, Ben.
David.
- We getting costumes with that? - Yeah, you're the princess.
- A haunted toy store. - Seriously?
- See you in hell. - The store manager
has complained that his patrons
have been returning some of the items,
and some have complained of demonic infestation
coming from the toys.
- Sounds like busywork. - Possibly,
but just look into it.
You're quiet today, David.
Uh, long night.
These are the returns
just from last week.
- Everybody's terrified of them. - Why?
Just something creepy about them.
I showed the parish the Little Princess Magic Wand.
Here's four more, same thing.
And the stuffed animals, too. Look at them.
- So, why did people buy 'em? - They weren't like that
when they bought them. They were like this.
These all look like knockoffs.
You think there's a chance
there was a problem in the manufacturing?
I guess, but what is the problem?
And why?
Why are people so creeped out?
Ben.
Okay, come on. This is a prank.
Really? "Help me, I'm in hell"?
We looked into that as a possibility,
but the only thing that these toys have in common is timing.
The returns started about two weeks ago,
even though we've sold these products for years
- and had no issues. - So something occurred
two weeks ago that affected the existing stock?
Sounds like contagious hysteria.
One person says something's wrong, and then everybody does.
Or a demonic presence.
Can I take these home and analyze them?
Yes, please.
What's that?
Oh, yeah, that.
It's a honky-tonk next door.
They're always rehearsing early.
We complain, but it never matters.
Never matters?
Never.
What was it?
12th word. "Matters."
"Matter" or "matters"?
"Matters." Why?
Seven letters.
One, two, three,
four,
five,
six, seven.
Is it about Grace? Grace Ling?
I can't tell you that.
Thank you, David.
You have offered a great service
to the Church and God today.
Can you get Grace out now?
I can't tell you, but...
she is alive.
Move.
It's okay.
Hey, Kristen.
Hi, Yasmine. I'm-I'm so sorry.
I just had a nightmare, and I...
I just need to know...
Yes.
Yes, what?
I just found out a few hours ago.
Your egg wasn't donated to medical research.
It was donated to another fertility clinic.
I was gonna call you in the morning.
Where is it?
It's been fertilized,
and it's been implanted into another woman.
Now, children, it's time to write.
Damn it.
Why is it so hard?
So...
you're trying to catch me?
Just try.
So, tell me about this hair.
It's Sister Andrea's. It's what you wanted.
It's kind of light.
I hope the good sister's not going bald.
Where's your end of the deal? The muse isn't coming.
This amount would maybe
buy you a few commas, not much more.
You got it out of her comb, didn't you?
Her drain.
And you didn't say I couldn't.
Here's my idea.
The subject matter of your book,
it's fairly well-trodden ground, isn't it?
- Not the way I'm writing it. - Have you ever
seen a real-life possession?
- I've been to an exorcism. - No, I'm not talking
about somebody tied to their bed by the cowardly clergy.
I'm talking about someone free,
unfettered,
and completely consumed by the demonic.
Would that be interesting?
Very.
Good.
There. It's tomorrow night.
- Wear a red tie. - You ready?
Nope.
We don't need to do this.
- I know. - Okay.
Take your time, take your time.
I'll meet you inside, okay?
All right.
How far along are you?
As the Wendigs' lawyer,
I want to make clear, we agreed to this meeting
as a goodwill gesture.
It's an innocent question, Wyatt.
I just want to be clear. My client's answering your question
- does not constitute an agreement.
Oh, my God, give it a break.
It will be eight months next week.
- I'm really sorry this happened. - Don't say that.
I'm sorry, too.
I'm not quite sure how we ended up here.
I...
I thought my egg had been destroyed, so...
The clinic told us it came from an anonymous donor.
Right.
It's weird. These...
life-changing events just seem to come from... accidents.
While it may be your egg, ma'am, my client fertilized it,
making it 50% his genetic material.
But my client's genetic material was acquired
- by an illegal act... - Look, please.
Kristen...
I couldn't have a baby.
I thought it was over for me.
But then we got a call from the clinic.
You have to understand, this is a miracle for us.
I'm having a baby.
A little girl.
Sara.
And I have clothes for her.
I have a room.
And I love her. I will love her.
I-I understand. It's...
I'm not trying to... undercut your joy.
I want you to be a part of her life.
We will not agree to joint custody.
Please shut up.
This isn't about that.
This is about two moms.
I'd like that.
Sara's a great name.
It was my grandmother's.
Kristen, can we talk?
Sure.
Uh...
I-I know this is all really weird.
The entire situation.
But is there anything we should know?
What do you mean?
We just heard rumors about the fertility clinic.
That there was something... wrong there.
Is that true?
Mr. Wendig, I-I-I think you should talk to your lawyer.
Yeah, I will, but if there's anything
you could warn us about, that would be... helpful.
Did anything happen?
Um...
Valerie's just had such a...
a hard pregnancy, and...
then...
when I listened to the baby's heartbeat,
I-I heard, um...
You're worried about the baby's heart?
No, it sounded...
like something else.
Like what?
A...
growl.
Look, I-I know that sounds crazy, but it-it sounded just...
not normal. Like...
an animal.
Mr. Wendig,
anxiety is normal
for an expectant parent.
I had it as well.
Yeah, you're probably right. That...
- that makes a lot of sense. - Yeah.
Thanks.
- What is it? - It's a severed finger.
It was inside the Wizard Ball.
- What? - Yeah, there was a
severed finger
inside the Wizard Ball.
Oh, my God.
I'm, uh, trying to
trace it back to the manufacturer
because I am guessing that
there was someone there who had their finger chopped off
in the manufacturing.
Anyway, what have you found?
What do you mean?
- You wanted to talk. - Oh. Uh...
Yeah, maybe later.
It's not quite up to a finger in a Wizard Ball.
Kristen, I'm looking for a distraction from this craziness.
Tell me.
- Genetics. - Mm-hmm.
Do you think RSM Fertility
could've deleted the empathy gene?
Well, theoretically, certain personality traits
can be genetically modified,
but only theoretically.
Is this about Lexis? Because, hey,
she's a good kid, you're a good mother.
You just keep doing what you're doing.
No, no, no. Um...
We've located my, uh,
- my missing egg, and, um... - Mm-hmm.
...it's been implanted,
and the father thinks
something may be wrong.
- Like-like what? - I don't know.
Nothing. I-I mean, he's just, um...
I like the mother. She-she, uh...
I just don't want anything bad to happen.
Hey, David.
Yup, he's here.
Okay-doke, yup, we'll come. Okay. Bye.
- Another case? - No, same one.
- Another possessed toy. - Hey, hey, hey, hey.
Did I give you what you wanted?
I don't know. It's just that the...
the father's worried about genetics,
and I just don't know what to tell him.
Nature vs. nurture.
That's what you say.
I would bet on nurture every time.
Is that a friend speaking, or a scientist?
Both.
Thank you for coming.
The store manager told me you were looking into these...
strange cases.
Can you tell us what happened?
Uh, this.
It spells out "Satan-One."
Not today.
It did several times last night.
Really freaked out the kids and my wife.
They slept in the living room.
- Honey, honey, w-w-what's wrong? - It burns!
It burns!
- What-what burns?
My head.
Has this happened before?
She complained of her head hurting last night.
We went out to a country western bar,
a lot of really loud honky-tonk music.
- Honky-tonk? - Did you call a doctor?
I thought she was having a headache.
Told her to ignore it.
I shouldn't have done that.
I think you need to call a doctor.
Paws & Claws Friendly Vet Services.
Please leave a message after the beep.
- My Shiba Inu
is limping,
and I need Dr. Michael to call back.
Ave Santana.
I call on thee to enter me.
I call on thee to enter.
Ave Santana.
Who is he?
One of my patients, Seth.
Who are all these people?
Possession chasers. They're here for a show.
He's here now. He's in me.
I can feel him. I can feel his power.
You've heard of rebirthing therapy as a treatment for
- reactive attachment disorder? - Sure.
Well, I do the same thing, except with demonic therapy.
The subject invites the demonic in,
and then expels it.
It's often the only way to reach the grossly reactive.
- Jesus. - Ave Santana.
Ave Santana. Ave Santana.
I am with you.
This is something else. Extraordinary.
No, I'll tell you what's experiencing it.
Being on the inside. Not observing, being.
What do you mean?
Tom Wolfe, Hunter S. Thompson,
gonzo journalism.
This is what your book needs. You becoming possessed,
then having the demon expelled, then you write about it.
- Ave Santana. - How do I do that?
Ave Santana.
You called?
The assessment we're on, the one with the word I gave you?
- "Matters"? - Yes.
We were called to the house of a man named Li Zhang.
- Is that name familiar? - No.
His wife, Charlotte, was supposedly possessed by a toy,
but I could tell it was an act.
- Okay. - While we were observing her,
assessing her, her husband said the word
"honky-tonk."
It came out of nowhere.
I counted 12 words after it,
and the word was "ignore."
He said, "We were listening to a lot
"of really loud honky-tonk music.
"I thought she was having a headache.
Told her to ignore it."
I have no idea what message you're waiting for,
but I think there was a mistake in the transmission,
and this is the real message.
"Ignore."
Either "ignore" what you received before,
or count six letters,
not seven.
The message was delivered. Your service here is complete.
Sir, wait.
Nobody just says "honky-tonk."
Maybe this is the message.
David,
you have proven yourself to be an effective intermediary,
but remember, that is all you are.
You serve others,
and they are satisfied.
- And here we are. - Wow.
Here. Some more onesies.
You can really never have too many.
- Aw. Thank you. - They will poop all over them.
- Thank you, Kristen.
You know, it's really nice to talk to someone
who's been through this before.
I don't have any sisters.
- How are you feeling? - I'm fine.
Yeah. Though I've been having these wild dreams.
- Really? - Yeah.
Everything is engulfed in flames, and I can't get out.
I can hear my baby crying, but I can't reach her.
- Mm. - Should I be worried?
No, I had the exact same thing.
With one of my pregnancies.
It's a heightened level of progesterone.
Hormones. Yep, that makes sense.
Actually, who I'm worried about is Logan.
He's having a hard time.
Are you tearing out all your plants?
Did you know hellebore are basically lethal?
So are azalea and lilies.
I mean, we were growing a whole death trap garden out here.
Well, I'm sure you wouldn't allow your baby out
to graze on the plants, but yeah, that's...
It's always good to be safe.
Yeah, it's the least I can do.
By the way, um, I can refer you to someone if you'd like,
uh, about that thing that we spoke about, the anxiety?
Oh, uh, nah, that's all right.
I just, I-I see how much
Valerie is suffering and...
- how little I can do, you know? - Yeah.
Did you hear any more of the growling
- from-from Valerie? - No.
Uh, that's gone.
- Well, that's great. - Yeah.
So, this is where you work?
Yeah, I thought you might want to meet my boss.
But not Lynn, Laura and Lila?
Well, um... Here.
See, uh, you're special, Lexis.
And I thought I'd take one granddaughter at a time to work.
- Do you always bring your boss cookies?
Biscuits. Yeah, yeah, he loves them.
Listen, um...
...I want to warn you.
He might not look like you expect.
- What do you mean? - I mean...
some people think he looks a little mean
and sometimes he, like, smells a little weird.
But you just have to be friendly and smile, okay?
And then we can talk about it later.
- Now you're scaring me. - No, no, no, no.
I just want you to be ready.
All right, I got five minutes.
Let's go.
Sir, I brought my granddaughter Lexis
and, uh, we have a present for you.
Is it what I think it is?
Yes. We brought you biscuits.
Hello.
- Lexis, was it? - Yes, sir.
Please. Help yourself.
I hear so much about you from Sheryl.
She thinks you have a great future in store for you.
So, what grade are you in?
- Fifth grade. - Wow.
Well, maybe someday you can work here.
We need bright young people.
Does that sound good?
It does, but I really want to be a doctor.
Well, we need more doctors in our genetics division.
Well, I should get back to work.
Thank you for the biscuits.
You're welcome.
Lexis.
How many eyes does the Manager have?
- How many eyes? - Yeah.
Two. Why?
Oof. Now what?
Now you recite the prayer.
"Satan, force of power,
- force of enlightenment."
Keep going. I'll get that.
"Satan, force of power...
Leland, I have to t...
- Boggs. - Oh, shit.
Okay, I think you're wrong about Lexis.
- You tested her? - Yeah, she didn't see him.
- Not as he was. - I'm not wrong.
She just needs more of the right influence.
It's not over yet.
I'm finished! Do you want me to say it again?
Yes, please!
Lucifer loves persistence.
If she's not the one, she's the ambassador.
"I call on you to fill my body, my soul..."
Regarding this honky-tonk,
I'm having trouble delivering the message.
Why?
There are two conflicting messages.
They don't believe yours.
If they don't believe mine, Grace won't survive.
Then give me something to convince them. Please.
My wife and I are putting our lives at risk doing this.
I understand. Help me.
Talk to Lau, not Xi.
"Talk to Lau, not Xi"?
Paws & Claws Friendly Vet Services.
Please leave a message after the beep.
"Talk to Lau, not Xi."
Hello?
Where did you get that?
From the source I discussed earlier.
He said if you don't believe him, Grace won't survive.
You compromised us.
No, I haven't done anything but deliver a message.
Now it's up to you.
Sir?
2200 Lexington. Downstairs.
The Chapel.
You want me to come?
Victor LeConte?
Victor LeConte mi ha chiesto di venire qui.
Mi occuperoò io di lui.
You need to tell him exactly as it was told to you.
You'll only have a few seconds.
Wait here.
Mi scusi, Signor.
Our intermediary has heard information that you must know.
What did you hear?
Parla a Lau, non a Xi.
Yes. Very much.
Thank you.
You did very well.
The Vatican will be pleased. Now go home.
What about Grace? Where is she?
We'll find out. Go home.
Oh!
I have made fire!
Ah, ah!
Don't disappoint me.
Come on.
Boop.
All right, so, the Wizard Ball, the jack-in-the-box,
the Princess Wand, they were all manufactured
- in the same province in China. - Really?
- Yeah. - Ben thinks
they were all produced at the same labor camps.
Yeah, and these
were messages that were being sent out by the workers.
Not the finger. That was just malfunctioning machinery.
I think they're part of an underground organization
used to transfer secret messages out of Chinese labor camps.
How do you know?
Victor LeConte.
What does Victor LeConte
have to do with any of this?
The Entity is trying to get Grace Ling out of China.
- Oh, my God. Seriously? - Yes.
We shouldn't draw attention to the toy store.
We can only get them hurt.
Understood.
Oh, sorry, I have to get this.
- Valerie?
- Valerie, are you okay? - Kristen, it's Logan.
Something is happening to Valerie.
What is it? Uh, does she need an ambulance?
No, no. Uh, she won't listen to me.
She refuses to see anyone but you.
Okay, um, has her water broke?
- I-I don't know. - All right, I'll be right there.
Kristen.
- I have to head out. - I need to say something first.
I don't want to disappoint you,
or myself.
But I do believe in something that goes beyond both of us.
I know you don't believe in God, but I do.
And that requires an action that is beyond what we have.
I don't know how else to say it,
but I care for you more than anyone I know.
But when God demands something of me...
...I have to obey.
I wish I understood.
I know. That's okay.
As long as you know how much you matter to me.
David, I love you.
I hate saying that, because it sounds like
I mean something that I don't.
But I love you. I love you as a friend,
I love you as somebody I respect.
Somebody who...
Look, I should probably just stop talking.
I should go.
Good.
Logan?
Valerie?
Valerie? Hello?
Logan.
Where's Valerie?
I was trying to save her.
I had to cut it out.
It was killing her.
Oh, my God. What did you do?
What did you do?!
Hello?
David?
Grace?
I was told you were responsible for my release.
That's overstating things.
It's not.
God knows what you did.
And God knows what you'll do next.
Thank you.