"♪♪♪" "watch!" "Michelle!" " (Giggles)" "(Splash)" "♪♪♪" "(Approaching footsteps)" "(Crickets chirp)" " (Sighs)" "(Water burbles)" " Who are you?" "!" "(Muffled screams)" "(Frightened breaths)" "(Gasps)" "(Muffled screams)" "(Car rumbles)" " To our newest state senator." " To us." "(Glasses clink) I've never felt so proud." " (Chuckles)" " Mom would be too." " I would think so." "anyway?" " It's a Hmong pattern." "I made it for your swearing in." "Do you like it?" " Hm." " You never teach me about our culture." "What is it?" "we move forward by looking ahead." "Not what's past." "Where'd you find that?" " In a box in your closet." "wasn't it?" " I was saving it for your wedding day." "(Car rumbles to a stop)" "(Shutter clicks)" "(Low hum of chatter)" " Hello." " Senator." " Ryan!" " What's he doing here?" " I invited him." "this is my day." "There'll be press here." "he's Hmong-American." " It has nothing to do with that." "He's a nothing." "This punk has no education." "You can do so much better." "here's your speech." " Get rid of him." " Senator Vang..." "Congratulations." " Michelle?" " Get in." " Okay." " Michelle!" "Don't do this." " You did this." "Enjoy your big day." "(Door slams)" "(Car rumbles away)" "(Hip-hop music plays)" "(Sounds from the video game) bro." "Res me!" "(Gunshots)" "(Phone buzzes)" " Michelle... just leave it." "Don't worry about it." "♪♪♪" "(Shutter clicks)" "(Low hum of chatter)" " Thank you for coming." "Thank you." " The banquet's about to start." " Okay. thank the community for their support." " Done." "(Phone rings)" "♪♪♪" "(Message chimes)" " Senator?" "Is everything all right?" "♪♪♪" "Senator." " That's all it said." " But you don't have the video." " The police said it was self-erasing." " They took the senator's phone to try and recover it." " So only you saw it?" " Yes." "She was eating ice cream." "Her boyfriend was playing video games." "I did not trust that boy the second I saw him." " What flavor?" "Ice cream..." " I didn't see the flavor " "I only saw someone point a gun in my little girl's head." "Senator?" " Like she didn't know she was being recorded." "sir?" "that video." " It could be a stupid prank." " Not Michelle." "She always answers my calls." "the police went to Ryan Cheng's apartment." "Michelle told them that she was "fine her jerk of a father" interfering." " I don't care what the police say. and I was told you're the best there is." "So let's find out what." "but the Speaker is waiting. he knows how important today is to our community." "yes." "Of course." " So how does this work?" "I'll negotiate." "Maxine is my second." "Oliver handles psychological profiling and Zara is lead investigator." " Senator." " What's there to investigate?" "Senator Vang." "At the moment you don't even have proof that your daughter has been kidnapped." "Mr. Beaumont." "one more thing..." "What did you do?" " What?" "the message said "Say what you did." "I have no idea." "Ellen." "there goes a textbook case of ASN." " ASN?" " Acquired Situational Narcissism." "It's a personality disorder brought on by wealth or fame." "Success goes to your head." "You start thinking you're untouchable. we need a motive." " Money is a good place to start." " Mhm." " I'll look into the Hmong angle." " Good." "♪♪♪" "♪♪♪" "Maxine:" "What do you think?" "Is Michelle really in danger or is Senator Vang just an interfering father?" " Let's ask Michelle." " Problem?" " My daughter's just busted out of boarding school." " How do you know that?" " A little birdie told me." "music playing)" "I can't believe you said that." " That's crazy." "♪ Cause if you're feeling naughty ♪" " Woo!" "(Laughs) followed by dancing at... (Phone chimes)" " It's my dad..." " Don't answer it." "Don't!" " Yeah." "Come on." "Who cares." "(Rock songs continues)" "♪♪♪" "(Phone rings)" " Everything all right?" " It will be." "(Car rumbles up)" "(Seatbelts unbuckle)" " Hey... um... so my cousin's got this really sweet crib in the country." "Totally private." "With a pool." "Ryan." "Michelle." "His family's away overseas." "We could hang out for a couple of days." "You're upset about your dad." " I hate him sometimes." "But I know he thinks he's looking out for me." " I'm looking out for you now." "So will you come?" "(Car rumbles)" " Here is Ryan Cheng's address." " There they are. she's got an acute case of Stockholm Syndrome." " Let's find out." "(Doors open and slam shut)" "(Taps roof) 4.2." "Quarter mile in 13?" "twelve six." " Twelve six!" "Oh." "May I?" "That's a fine fried potato." "man?" "this is Maxine Carlson." "We're private negotiators." "Michelle." " Does it look like I'm kidnapped?" "Tell my Dad to leave us alone." " Fair enough..." "but do us a favor." "okay Ryan?" " We already told the police there was no video." "Michelle?" "After all that ice cream?" "Of course that was several hours ago..." " How did you know I had ice cream?" "if there was no video?" "(Engine starts)" "(Tires screech)" " Who you calling?" " The Senator." "He's right." "His daughter has been kidnapped." "She just doesn't realize it yet." "(Splash)" "(Water burbles)" "♪♪♪" "Who are you?" "(Muffled screams)" "(Gasps)" " On your feet!" " Ryan!" "Who are you?" "!" " Shut up!" " Let go!" "Please!" " Shut up!" " Ryan!" " Get in there!" "Get in!" " Ryan!" "(Door slams)" " Ryan!" "(Chains clink)" "Help!" "Please!" "Help!" "(Banging) Help!" "(Car rumbles up) he's kinda hiding in plain sight." " The plan seems to be make everything appear as normal as possible." "Throw the cops off the scent." " Clever." "A couple rebellious kids hiding from an overprotective dad. don't you think?" " So judgmental." "(Seatbelts unbuckle)" " Twenty bucks says this isn't his show." "He's following orders." "(Knocks on door)" "(Hip hop music plays)" " We wanna talk to Michelle." " She's not here." " Then where is she?" " No idea." " Mind if we take a look around?" "Unless you prefer the police again." "♪♪♪" " You saw her yesterday." "She was fine." " Her cell phone was turned off." " So?" " So she's a 19-year-old girl." "It's a little unusual." "And you sped off in an awful hurry." " We just want to be left alone." " Chocolate chip." " Ooh." "Video games." "Where's the dude with the gun?" " Okay... so what is it you want Senator Vang to say?" " He knows." " So you did send the message." " All I know is... he's a liar and she's better off without him." " So you kidnapped her as a favor? I'll be the one calling the cops." " Definitely someone else's plan." "I doubt he even knows the full extent of it." "did you ever find your daughter?" " Sure did." "(Loud music plays) laughter)" " Yeah!" "Baby!" "Wooo!" "♪♪♪" "(Siren walls)" " Are you kidding me?" " Shut it down. before we have to get serious." "Let's go!" "Boy:" "Come on!" "Are you kidding me?" " We're not even bothering anyone." "What kind of jerk called the cops?" " You got something?" " The Hmong are an indigenous people" "Vietnam and Laos." "They're like the Native Americans of Southeast Asia." "With a comparable history of persecution." "The ones here in Minnesota arrived after the Vietnam War." " And Senator Vang's financial records." "I'm still going through 'em." " Here is what I've got so far." "Oliver:" "Oh..." " What's that?" " A list of people who have a grudge against our dear senator." "(Chuckles) Popular guy..." "Ellen:" "Politics is a bloodsport." "There is still some names I'm working on." "He fell out with a couple of property developers and I'm trying to track down his ex-fiance." " What happened there?" " Sorry." "Above my pay grade." "Oliver:" "Thank you." " Check out the ex-fiance." " Yeah." " It's gonna take some time to go through all these." " Time Michelle may not have." "We need them to come to us." " How?" " Throw them some shade." "(Birds chirp)" "♪♪♪" "(Car rumbles outside)" "(Doors open and shut)" " (Bangs) Help!" "Help!" "♪♪♪" "Please help me!" "(Banging)" "Please!" "Please help!" "(Doors rattle)" "(Crying)" "(Banging) Please!" "(Crying)" "(Doors open)" "(In Chinese)" " Hi Ryan!" " (Snaps his fingers)" " What are they doing here?" " (Sighs) no..." "No." "Kaus." "Her Father admits what he did." " You don't say what the plan is." "Your part's over." "Stay out of the way." " (Sighs)" " I can't admit to wrongdoing." "The media will crucify me. that's the point." "You're just posting a blanket apology online for any wrong that you may have done." " What kind of negotiating tactic is this?" " It's called destabilization." "we get them to react emotionally when we're not." "It'll force them to the negotiating table." " There's gotta a better way." " If there was I'd know about it." "Senator." "I assume that's your goal here unless I'm missing something." "All right..." "Action!" " As I take up my new position as Senator I feel it's important to clear the air with those in my past whom I have wronged. let this statement heal the rift between us." "(Door opens)" "my mother." "I'm Nalanie." "Ryan's cousin." " What do you want?" " Nothing." "We just want you to be happy." "Vang:" "With those in my past whom I've wronged... let this statement heal the rift between us... (Phone beeps on)" "(In Chinese)" "(Phone rings)" " What do you got?" "Zara:" "Hey." "I talked to the ex-fiance." "two kids." "Definitely not a kidnapper." " I sense a 'but'." " It's not her but what she said about the Senator." "They're together nine years." "He keeps promising to marry her." "But breaks it off days before the wedding." "He finally admits it's because of his deceased wife." "That it would dishonored her somehow." " It took him nine years to work that out?" " Exactly." " You'd think a man hell bent on getting elected would see the benefits of getting married." " Dig into his past." "Find out what you can about the wife." "Let's figure out what makes him tick." "I don't buy he doesn't know what he did." "tires screech) get in." " All right." "I'm guessing you saw the senator's apology." "Ryan." "Don't wait up." "(Door shuts)" "(Tires screech)" "♪♪♪" "(Approaching footsteps)" "♪♪♪" " Second thoughts?" " Shut up." "Sawm:" "You represent the Senator?" " Eric Beaumont." "Negotiator." "Can I get a beer over here?" "Do you want a beer?" " There is nothing to negotiate." "Was that pathetic video your idea?" "it worked." "We're sitting here." " It was an insult." " Because Senator Vang says he has no idea what this is about." "I was hoping a face to face with you might help me jog his memory." " He knows what he did." "I imagine he does." "But..." "Mr..." "Kidnapper..." "You and I both know he's the kind of man who spits on you and calls it rain." " (Small chuckle)" "Lormong Vang thinks he can take whatever he wants." " Did he take something from you?" " Everything." " He did that to you?" " He wouldn't have the guts." "He told the lies that led to it." "But I survived." "And now I will take everything from him." " But you'll let Michelle go." " He must say what he did... so the whole world knows." " Slight pause." "Rising pitch in your voice." "Pupils dilated." "What are you not telling me? the more he insults me." "We both know who will pay for that." " And we both know an innocent young woman whatever Lormong did." "♪♪♪" "Maxine:" "Michelle's mother Was Su Lin Vang." "Late wife of Senator Vang." "fleeing persecution in Laos. so they weren't exactly popular when the US pulled out." "(Keys clack) orphan. they emigrated to the US and had Michelle two years later." " So it says here that Su Lin died in Laos when Michelle was three." "Why go back to a country that persecuted you?" " What's that?" " Consular Report on her death issued by the US embassy in Laos." "Cause is listed as road accident." "But... (Keys clack) there doesn't seem to be a Laotian death certificate." " Maybe they didn't issue one?" " No." "The US embassy would have required it for the consular report." " Do you think it's forged?" " I don't know." "We'll call Annie." "Maybe she can hack into DOD records in Laos and find out." " (on the phone) Evie Beaumont." "I'm her father." "could you check again please?" " How'd it go?" " He wants revenge." "Michelle is his way to get it." "He didn't care that I saw his face." "it's a one-way trip and he's gonna take the Senator down with him." "call me back right away." "Check the button cam for a facial match." "(Computer beeps)" " Okay." "We got him. a refugee from Laos like Lormong." "And also Ryan's father." "Zara:" "His name came up when we did the background check on Ryan." "But there's nothing on the N.C.D." "No criminal offenses whatsoever." " Okay." "What's that?" "Can you bring it up?" " Uh-ha." "(Computer beeps)" " SGU?" " Special Guerilla Unit. recruited by the CIA." "They fought the communists in neighboring Laos." "Zara:" "This goes way back." " He blames the Senator for getting him sent to prison and tortured." " What?" "Lormong took everything." " He was imprisoned and tortured." "Isn't that everything?" " Yeah." "Maybe." "doors open)" " (Nervous breathing)" " Let's go." " (Whimpers)" "(Water runs)" "♪♪♪" "♪♪♪" " That feels better yes?" "Isn't it beautiful?" "It's a Hmong wedding gown." "Very special." "You never see one..." "This too is Hmong." "Where you get it?" " It's my mother's." " You respect your history." "This is part of it." " Him?" "Oliver:" "You fought together in the SGU?" " I can't believe..." "after all these years..." " You accused him of something that got him imprisoned and tortured." " I have no memories of that." "I hardly knew him." "I'm a decorated soldier." "Men like him envy me." " You really can't remember?" " He invented some grudge against me." "Is that my fault?" "I hired you to deal with this." "Do it." " A feature of narcissistic personality disorder is a tendency to form false memories." "They get edited to remain consistent with a positive sense of self." " You're saying he truly doesn't remember what he did?" " Annie just emailed a Laotian death certificate for Michelle's mother." " But what's weird is there's no record of her returning to Laos." "She would've needed a visa." " So how did she died in Laos." "When she never left the United States?" " See?" "Beautiful." " My God you look just like her." "My name is Sawm." "I knew your mother." "These are from her... to me." "They'll help you understand." " (disbelief) My mother...?" " I loved her very much." "Read them." " Senator Vang." "How did you meet Michelle's mother?" " What do you mean?" " What?" "A party?" "Bumped into her on the street?" " We met at a refugee camp long after the war was over." "alone." "And she begged for my protection." " How did she die?" "in a car accident." "Why does this matter?" "Senator." "Your wife didn't die in Laos." "What really happened to her?" "Mr. Beaumont." "You're turning this into a wild goose chase." "This has nothing to do with Michelle's mother." "I loved her deeply." "I ask the police to take over from here. but Senator..." "whatever Sawm's plan is... it does not include returning Michelle to you." "Sawm has been biding his time." "Nursing his hatred. when you had the most to lose." "It may be that neither I nor the police can get Michelle back." "The one thing that might is your complete honesty." "Mr. Beaumont?" " Yeah." " There's someone here to see you." "Dad... is this a bad time?" "she seems fine." "I'll call you back." " Did you really have to tell mom?" " She's worried sick." "You disappear and then you show up here." "Evie?" " Maybe I just missed you." " You could have called." "by the way?" " You tell me." "You're the one tracking it." "I see." "So you're making a point." "you just figured that out." "Dad's off his game." " This is unbelievable." "That credit card is for emergencies." "What airline let you talk your way on?" "Who even told you I was here?" "Kevin is so fired." "He is so fired." " Or you could try treating me like an autonomous human being and not some remote-controlled toy." " You wanna be treated like an adult?" "Try behaving like one." " (Exasperated huff) - (Exasperated huff)" " Okay." "So... you see here... when you say "honesty." "That's a micro-expression." "Textbook emotional leakage." " So he's lying?" " I don't think so." "Not consciously anyway." "It's more like cognitive dissonance." "He's struggling with competing ideas of himself." "I'm a great man." "I did a bad thing." " Hm." " Bring up his financials again." "I noticed his charitable donations." " Yeah." "What about them?" "they're all under a few thousand and then there is this one." " Centre for Abused and Abducted Women." "$40 thousand each." " Man believes he's great but does something terrible." " He's easing his conscience." " Okay." "So there are 14 domestic violence shelters in the state." "What's making him donate to this one?" "let's find out." " Yeah." "talk to Ryan." "(In Chinese)" "I care for her." "Let me marry her." " She's going far away where he will never find her." " Where are you taking her?" "She is innocent." "(Engine starts)" "(In Chinese)" "♪♪♪" "I run the shelter..." " It's very peaceful here." " Our clients come from very challenging backgrounds." "Environments like this can really aid recovery." "thank you again for seeing us on such short notice." " How can I help?" " Have you ever encountered women abducted from home and coerced into marrying a man against their will?" " It's very rare now." "Thankfully most cultures have left that practice behind." " But not yours." " It has not been part of the Hmong community" "Mr. Beaumont." "Why do you ask?" "we're looking for a missing young woman." " And you think this has happened to her?" " Could you explain the process?" " Forced marriage is often accompanied by abuse and manipulation." "Brainwashing." "It's simple and brutally effective. use fear and violence often." "(Slap)" " Agh!" " Then they bring in women who groom and feed her." "safe life." "Show her pictures of her future husband." "It's the carrot and stick." "they'll try to convince her her family... everything that she's known is somehow compromised." "That she has no choice." "Except to embrace the life that she's being forced into." " And how long can this process take?" " It can be as fast as three days." " Is that what happened to you?" " We're working for Lormong Vang." " Su Lin... a man named Sawm Cheng has taken your daughter." "I think he's planning to do to her what Lormong Vang did to you." "I understand why you left..." "You couldn't live your life with a man who forced you to marry him." "But I know there's not a moment where you're not thinking about Michelle." "She thinks you're dead." "She thinks she's all alone in the world." " You have me mistaken for someone else." " How did you know Angela was Michelle's Mother?" " Why else would he make payments to this shelter?" "He's swaging his guilt buying her silence." " And he never remarried because he still is married." " So Michelle's mother was in love with Sawm." "But Lormong bridenapped her." " Now Sawm is bridenapping Michelle to make Lormong suffer like he has." "It's eye for an eye." " Michelle's mother could be a real help to us right now." " Whatever Lormong did to her those scars haven't healed." "She's afraid of him." "Afraid of what he'll do if she doesn't keep his secrets." "she said it could take three days to brainwash a girl like Michelle." "Day three is almost over." " Right." "(Keys clack)" "(Music playing through the headphones)" " Evie... so why'd you go AWOL from school?" " I went to a party." "right?" "those are just rumors." "your dad really cares about you." " But he feels guilty that he's always away so he deals with it by over-compensating and interfering in my life." " Did you get that at therapy?" " I'm not in therapy." " Everyday he makes sacrifices to save other people." " So I hear." "come with me." " But I thought we were supposed to..." "Maxine!" "(Door opens and shuts)" "(Footsteps thud)" "(Floorboard creaks)" "♪♪♪" "(Door opens)" "(Pills rattle)" " What are you doing?" " You're drugging her." " She need rest before the flight." "to get married." "You need to leave." "this is our chance." "Okay." "We need to go." "Right now." " No..." "You lied to me." " I didn't know they were gonna take you away." " I read the letters. was a lie." "She never loved him." "She loved your father and mine took her away from him." " But now mine is taking you!" "He's doing this for revenge!" " I told you to stay out of this!" " Oof!" " Stop!" "(Fighting grunts)" "(Punching thuds)" " Stop!" "Stop it!" " Ryan." "I want to go." "There's nothing left for me here." "let me." "Michelle... (Pained grunts)" "(Breathes heavily)" "(Low hum of chatter)" " I really appreciated it." "Thanks for coming." "Maxine." "I don't need to be at some boring speech." " This one you do." "(Readying exhale)" "(Knocking) Ryan... (Knocks)" "We just... we wanna help Michelle." "(Door creaks open)" "I can help." "Just tell me where she is." "(Low hum of party chatter)" "(Low piano tune plays)" " Okay." "I know what you're gonna say but she needs to see this." "I thought I told you." "The police are handling this now." " We spoke to Ryan Cheng." "tonight." " The police will stop them." " Michelle is legally an adult." "I believe she's going willingly." "To marry a man she's never met." "Sawm's broken her spirit." "And there's only one thing you can do to stop her." "Say what you did." "this is not about you or Sawm or your career." "It's not even about Michelle's mother." "This is about Michelle." " I saw her at a dance." "She was breathtaking." "But she was Sawm's." "And I took her." "Even after Michelle... she was so unhappy." "She wanted to die." "And she never loved me." "But I wouldn't let her take my daughter." "So the best thing for Michelle was to think her mother was dead." "I did for them..." " Senator... it's time for your speech." "Mr. Beaumont." "(Low hum of party chatter) but will he tell Sawm?" " It's not Sawm who needs to hear it." "okay?" " Okay." "(Phone chimes)" "(Phone beeps on)" "Vang:" "I saw her at a dance." "She was breathtaking... ♪♪♪" "♪♪♪" "♪♪♪" "(Doors open)" "(Doors shut)" " Get out." "(Michelle grunts)" "(Door shuts)" " Michelle is leaving for a fresh start." "Tell him." "You want this. there is nothing here for you." " I want to go." "but you don't." " He stole the woman I loved." "It broke her heart so much she died." " She didn't." "(Door opens and shuts)" "♪♪♪" " Su Lin." " My baby." " Mother?" "(Crying)" "♪♪♪" "(Crying)" "♪♪♪" " This is what he does every day?" " Pretty much." "♪♪♪" "(Vang on recording) she was Sawm's." "And I took her." "I thought she's settle in the United States after we had our child." " Michelle's father said what he did." "That's all you're gonna get." "(Phone beeps on)" "(Phone rings)" "Vang:" "Yes." "we have her." " The hardest decision of my life was leaving you." "But I couldn't be with him and I had nothing when I left." "He had so much - could give you things I never could." "you were happy." "I thought I would ruin it..." "if I came back." "(Exhales)" " This is yours." " It's part of the set." "You know what the symbol means? growing together." "(Sniffles)" "(Water splashes)" " Senator Vang notified the police." " Sawm and Kaus have been taken into custody." "Ryan too." " The son pays for the sins of the father." " I'll just uh..." "Dad." " Thanks." "I shouldn't have gone all NSA on you." "I'm..." "I'm sorry." " And I shouldn't have made it "take your kid to work" day." "at least I know you're not missing my flute recitals for nothing." " (Heavy exhale) dad." " I knew that." "three!" "(Rocks skip and splash)"