by Robert Giles

Written by Harley Peyton & Robert Engels
Directed by Caleb Deschanel

Bobby Briggs finally get his meeting with Ben Horne. Ben begins the meeting by showing Bobby what looks like an abstract art piece stacked on the desk made up of office items and furniture. Ben knows Bobby wants something from him when Bobby mentions the tape he sent him involving Ben and Leo’s plot to burn the mill. Ben continues by describing the tower as a “mammoth skyscraper.” and says he’s the man on the top floor and asks Bobby if he’s up there with him. Bobby wisely answers, yes he is. Ben laughs maniacally, showing that he is close to losing it completely. “Opportunity knocks.” he says. He gives Bobby his first assignment, follow Hank Jennings. “I want you to chronicle his existence, show me something I don’t already know.” As Bobby leaves the office, Lana Budding Milford runs by him screaming.

In the conference room at the sheriff’s station, Cooper is now dressed in a flannel shirt and khaki slacks. He is looking at some properties with Irene, a local real estate agent. Cooper has narrowed it down to two and can’t decide which one to see first. He flips a coin to break the deadlock in his thoughts. The coin lands on a different photograph. Irene says she thought she took that one out. It’s called Dead Dog Farm. Irene describes it as a puzzle, adding that no one ever stays there very long. Cooper asks without hesitation, “When can I see it?”.

Judy Swain, Nicky’s case manager from Happy Helping Hand is in the lobby talking to Andy and Lucy, when Dick arrives. He is preparing to take Nicky on a camping trip. Judy tells them some of Nicky’s background. He is an orphan (Andy: What happened, did his parents die? Dick: Nicely deduced, Andrew.”) and is confused and traumatized by “persistent random misfortune.” When Dick asks her what happened, she tells them Nicky’s first foster parents died under mysterious circumstances and the orphanage has never given them any more information about it. Andy is forced to leave when Harry gets a call about an emergency at The Great Northern.

Dougie Milford lies dead in the bed of the honeymoon suite, scattered over the bed are various books including the Kama Sutra. Harry comments, “It looks like Dougie went out with his boots on.” Doc Hayward examines the body and says it looks like a heart attack. The Mayor comes in to see “What sort of falling out was here?”. He is devastated and regretfully admits the old fool could never say no to a woman. He picks up one of the books and claims it’s the murder weapon, suggesting Lana used sex to bring on the heart attack. Hawk is attending to Lana, who is seated outside in the hall. Upon leaving, the Mayor tells her she’ll pay for what she’s done, yelling “She’s a witch” as he is lead out by two deputies. Lana says he is right she is cursed. She relaates a macabre incident involving her prom date’s braces, adding that it’s gotten worse ever since then . Hawk says, “A curse needs a cure. I know a bit about these things.” Lana asks, “Are you the sheriff.” Hawk replies, “Let’s just say, when something really big goes down, I’m the man.” At that point, Andy opens the door Hawk is coolly leaning against and watches as Hawk falls into the hotel room.

Nadine tries out for the wrestling team. The coach uses a tale of recreational equality to sell the team the idea that it’s Nadine’s right to compete that makes her most eligible to tryout. Nadine chooses to prove herself by going up against Mike Nelson, district champion. Mike doesn’t take her seriously at first, so it doesn’t take Nadine long to pin him after she lifts him over her head and slams him to the ground. She stands over his beaten body and asks, “Now will you go out with me?”
Later, Mike stops by Donna’s locker. When she asks what happened, Mike answers honestly that he was beat up by a girl. “It’s bad enough getting stomped on in front of the whole team, but she likes me.” Donna suggests an older woman might just be what Mike needs. Mike isn’t amused, “I don’t want to go out with anyone who can bodyslam me.” He asks Donna to talk to Nadine beofre he ends up in traction.

Evelyn Marsh’s brother Malcolm (who is also Mr. Marsh’s driver) drops in on James in the room above the garage. Malcolm speaks vaguely about Evelyn’s marriage, implying there may be something more sinister happening. When James asks him to clarify, he tells James that Mr. Marsh beats her and she retaliates by damaging something of his, i.e. the Jaguar, thus perpetuating a “vicious cycle.” James asks why doesn’t he stop him. Malcolm replies, “Sonny boy, nobody stops Mr. Marsh. That’s a golden rule around here. You can jot that down and put it under your pillow.” Malcolm leaves and thanks James sincerely for helping out his sister.

Irene drives Cooper to Dead Dog Farm. Cooper asks if she’s shown the property to anyone recently. She doesn’t think anyone has asked to see it in the past year. Cooper points out the tracks to three vehicles: A jeep, a four-wheeler and a luxury sedan. Irene finds the kitchen door partially open, but there’s no one inside,. Cooper senses there’s been a meeting here in the past few hours. Cooper spots a small plastic bag on the kitchen table, then walks over to the sink, finding a white substance in the drain, stating “They forgot there was no running water.” He sticks his pinky in and tastes the substance, “Baby laxative.” he says. He returns to the table and examines its edges and floor underneath. He finds a different white substance on a chair and tests in the same fashion, then looks up saying, “Cocaine…Irene, we have to notify the sheriff.”

Dick and Nicky encounter a flat tire on their camping trip. Dick sits on a blanket so as to not soil his clothes. “I just had the car checked at Gas Farm. Told me it was in perfect working order…this is all so technical.” Nicky is messing around with the windsheild wipers and car horn, distracting Dick. Dick eventually orders him out of the car. Nicky stands off to the side while Dick continues with the tire. The tires comes off and the car slides off the jack, frightening Nicky. He runs into Dick’s arms asking “What if you die? You’re not going to die are you?” Dick reassures him, them seems disturbed, remembering that Nicky’s foster parents died under “mysterious circumstances.”

Cooper comes into Harry’s office. He is in there with Colonel Riley who is heading up the USAF investigation into Briggs’ disappearance.

Riley: Cooper, you were with Briggs when we lost our coordinates on him.
Cooper: Yes I was.
Riley: When you were at the site, did you notice any wildlife in the area?
Cooper: Wildlife?
Riley: Birds…owls.
Cooper: Yes…yes, just moments before the Major disappeared I heard an owl.
Riley: Any visual contact?
Harry: Look, Colonel. Garland Briggs is a good friend of mine. It be a lot better if you’d just level with us.
Cooper: We know about the monitors and the messages from deep space that you received pertaining to me.
Riley: You may know something, but you best get your facts straight. Our monitors are pointed at deep space, but the messages we intercepted that Briggs showed you were sent from right here in these woods (points on a map on the desk) Now, where they were sent to is another question.
Cooper: Might this have something to do with a place called the White Lodge.
Riley: That’s classified.
Harry. Colonel. we’d like to help you but you need to give us a little more to go on here.
Riley: Garland Briggs is the best pilot I’ve ever known. He was born with hardware most of us only dream about. I can tell you this. His disappearance has implications that go so far beyond national security the Cold War seems like a case of the sniffles.

James sits in the repaired Jaguar with Evelyn, drinking sodas. James tells her he was talking to her brother about her situation. She suggests that James mind his own business. He tells he he knows what’s like to be alone and they start kissing. James asks why she just doesn’t leave him to which Evelyn replies, “It’s complicated.” Mr. Marsh pulls into the driveway and before she runs off to greet him, tells James it’s not as bad as she made it sound.

Bobby returns from his first assignment and is intercepted by Audrey in the hall outside Ben’s office.

Audrey: Oh, look who’s here. Did Daddy have a change of heart?
Bobby: Daddy, just made the smartest decision he’s made all year.
Audrey: Yeah? That’s not saying much. Wht he do?
Bobby: He put me on the payroll.
Audrey: Bobby, you junior achiever, you
Bobby: And this right here, this is my first assignment.
Audrey: Anything I can help you with?
Bobby: Maybe…maybe you can help me celebrate afer I show this to the boss.
Audrey: You want to know what I think, Bobby Briggs?
Bobby: Tell.
Audrey: I think…that we should think about doing business together.

Bobby tries to kiss her, but Audrey moves out of the path of his approaching lips. Bobby says, “Audrey, I like the way you think.”

Bobby enters the office and Audrey scurries to her hiding place that looks into Ben’s office. Ben has begin his re-enactment of the Battle of Gettysburg, clad in a Confedrate military longcoat. “The South is winning.” he declares. Bobby shows him the photos of Hank. They depict the illicit activites at Dead Dog Farm and who’s involved. Bobby says, “I don’t know what he’s up to, but I’m sure it’s no good. I mean, I’ve never seen these guys before, but they’re not exactly from the Rotary if you know what I mean.” Ben pays him for a job well done and tells him to report back tomorrow when they will discuss a full-time position.

Pete and Catherine drink champagne while Josie serves them dinner, dressed in her maid’s unifrom. Catherine tells her even thoiugh her place in the house has changed she will sat will get all the respect and affection she deserves. Pete thinks Catherine is being too hard on Josie and reminds her she is still part of the family. Catherine tells him Joise had a hand in Andrew’s death and did everything in her power to destroy her. Pete can’t believe the Josie he knows could be responsible for such acts. Catherine proposes a toast to herself, for defeating Ben and Josie’s plot to take her permanently out of the loop in the Ghostwoods project.

Cooper dictates to Diane in his hotel room. His primary concern is his former partner, Windom Earle. Cooper’s response to Windom Earle’s opening move appeared in the personals of a national newspaper as he instructed, but he has already received Earle’s response the day before. Earle is toying with him, leading Cooper to wonder where he is and what he’s planning. Meanwhile, he has occupied himself while suspended by looking into some real estate. A “fixer-upper”, but a place where a man could settle down and start a family, which is something Cooper still hopes to do in spite of his past. “However, as is the case here in Twin Peaks, even this bucolic hideaway is filled with secrets. Secrets that could be connected to my trouble at the Bureau and the cocaine that was found in my automobile. Agent Hardy’s deliberations will soon be completed and if I am not adequately able to defend myself, there’s a very real possibility of inprisonment.” Audrey comes by to show Cooper the photos, describing them as pictures her father paid for. She asks, “I did good, didn’t I?” Coop replies, “You did better than good, you may have saved my life.” Audrey is very pleased with this and adds, “That makes us even then, right?”. Denise arrives and he and Cooper hug at the doorway, which strikes Audrey’s curiosity. Cooper introduces him as Denise Bryson of the DEA. Audrey is shocked and asks, “They have women agents?” to which Denise answers, “More or less.” Cooper asks Audrey to excuse them. This baffles her because Cooper is suspended. Perhaps a bit jealous, she kisses Cooper firmly on the lips before leaving. Cooper shows Dneise the pictures, describing where the property is located and identifies the men as Hank, Ernie Niles, Jean Renault and Sgt. King (RCMP). He found traces of cocaine inside and the baby laxative used to step it out and thinks if Denise tests it, it will match the stuff found in Cooper’s car.

Ed sits at the counter at the Double R, eating pie. Norma tries to talk to him, sensing something is troubling him. Ed says she doesn’t want to hear about his troubles. Norma says, “We used to talk about everything. We can still talk, Ed.” Ed is disappointed in how his life turned out especially considering all the plans they made when they were younger. Norma reaches for Ed’s hand as Hank watches them from a distance.

Dick enters the sheriff’s station. Lucy primps, thnking he is there to see her, but he’s come to talk to Andy. He tells Andy he thinks Nicky may be the devil, “Or at the very least homicidal in the first degree.” He and Andy have got to find out what happened to Nicky’s foster parents.
Doc Hayward brings Dougie’s autopsy report into Harry’s office, the Mayor is in there as well. Doc tells him Dougie died of natural causes, heart attack. The Mayor asks if they checked him for witchcraft. Doc says that’s not the sort of thing that shows up in an autopsy. The Mayor says she killed him with sex. He will file civil suits, whatever it takes so Lana doesn’t get any of Dougie’s money.

After the mayor leaves, Hawk is still attending to Lana and asks Harry if he still has that Irish Whiskey in his office. Later, Lana is entertaining Doc, Dick, Andy and Harry with several anecdotes with sexual undertones. Lucy enters, looking for Harry because he has a phone call. She is infuriated by the display and Andy’s mystified look as he gazes at Lana and pours her another glass of spiked warm milk.

Denise drops in on Ernie at the Double R, who is devouring ribs at one of the booths. Denise shows him the photos and says Ernie’s guilty of a serious parole violation that could land him back in prison. And unless he coopeates with them, that’s exactly what’s going to happen. Cooper and Dneise interrogate Ernie in Coop’s hotel room. Ernie goes on a digression about the brutal treatment he was subjected to by Jean and his men. They finally get Ernie to focus on the selling of drugs. Ernie says they have four kilos of cocaine and he agreed to sell it because they threatened his wife and family, but he hasn’t found anyone yet. Denise says a major drug trafficker is arriving from Seattle tomorrow and Ernie will set up a meet at Dead Dog Farm with Hank, Jean and Mountie King. When Ernie asks, “How will I know him?” Denise replies, “You’re looking at him.” Ernie is perturbed that Denise may be a man and goes to the bathroom to relieve his nervous bladder.

James hear shouts in the Marsh house above the thunderstorm that is pounding the grounds. Malcolm enters and James asks him if she’s going to be all right. Again, Malcolm is evasive but says when Mr. Marsh first beat her he swore revenge but Evelyn said not to for both their sakes, that was four years ago.

Bobby comes home and finds his mother sitting alone in the living room. Bobby surmises she is concerned about the Major. Bobby tells her not to worry, it’s probably some of that “top secret jazz”. Betty isn’t too sure about it this time. Bobby tells her of the talk he and Major Briggs had at the Double about his dream. There was all kinds of good stuff about Bobby in the dream and his future. Bobby says it was strange but kind of cool. Betty says, “Your father is an extraordinary human being.” Bobby counters by saying, “My father is a deeply weird individual, but he’s got a lot more going on under his hat than most people that’s for sure.” Betty continues to reminisce when the lights go out and Major Briggs appears in the doorway. Betty runs into his arms and Garland asks Bobby to make him a strong cocktail. The major has been gone for two days but finds it strange because it seemed much shorter. Betty and Garland hold each other overjoyed to be together again. She asks him, “Is everything all right?”. He replies, “No, dear, not exactly.”

The final shot is of the ominous sky of the thunderstorm streaked with lightning.

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