Law & Order/Recap/S19/E14 Rapture

A daughter is talking on Skype to her father, Kurt, who is separated from the rest of the family. She says that she has to hang up in a few minutes because of the terms of the separation; Kurt can only talk to his daughter for so many minutes a week. Kurt, frustrated, demands to know if the judge orders his wife and child to move to Iowa as well; he swears and the daughter says she's getting her mom. He begins to vent about his family, saying that his wife is thoughtless and her daughter is both rude and a pig. He gets an email and goes to read it, and is shocked by what he sees.

Kurt talks to Lupo and Bernard. He says that he got an email from his uncle, Larry Novak. He begins to read it. It says that 'the end has come' and that Larry is now in Heaven. He stops to rant that Larry would never make it into Heaven, and the detectives tell him to move on -- he told the desk sergeant that he had to report a murder. Kurt gives them a printout of the email. In it, Larry confesses to killing his 'Aunt Jen' but then says that he found God. He says that he's saved, and urges his nephew to find salvation soon. Kurt says that Larry told everyone that his wife, Jen, ran off with a boyfriend. Bernard says they need to find Uncle Larry. Kurt finishes by saying that no one answered at Larry's house.

The building super, Raoul, lets the detectives into Larry's place. He reports that he hasn't seen Larry for a few days. Larry lives alone and never has company over. The cops search the place, but can't find Larry. Bernard wonders if Larry went to a cabin he owns in the mountains to commit suicide. Lupo finds a big freezer and wonders why a loner like Larry would need one. The two open it, and find a wrapped up body. Then Larry comes home.

""You're not dead."

"Who says I'm dead?""

- Kevin Bernard and Larry Novak

Lupo brings up the email. Larry is stunned to hear that the email was sent. He doesn't respond to questions about the body, seeming shocked about the emails. He eventually collapses, crying out to God.

""Do you know what this means?"

"Yeah, it means you're under arrest. You're coming with us."

"LORD! LORD! WHY HAVE I BEEN LEFT BEHIND?""

- Larry Novak and Cyrus Lupo

In interrogation, Bernard tells Larry that the Rapture didn't happen.

""I checked it out. It didn't happen."

"Are you sure?"

"No planes fallin' from the sky, no people vanishing into thin air…""

- Kevin Bernard and Larry Novak

Novak is relieved to hear that the emails were sent out by mistake. Outside, Van Buren wonders what's going on. Lupo explains -- Novak believes in the Rapture, a time when Jesus Christ will take all good Christians up to Heaven and will condemn the rest of the world to seven years of torment. Inside the room, Novak says that the emails were supposed to be sent out after the Rapture.

""Are you sure it didn't happen?"

"I'm still here, aren't I?""

- Larry Novak and Kevin Bernard

Bernard says that he's a Christian; if the Rapture had happened he would have been taken. Van Buren asks Lupo why on Earth they're talking about this; Lupo says that Novak already confessed to the murder and now he's just being chatty. Novak said he didn't need a lawyer since Jesus would Rapture him out of jail. The doctrine is explained on a website; he and Van Buren go to look at it.

The website, unraptured.com, is a subscription service. For a small monthly fee, users can write and store emails to unsaved loved ones. After the Rapture, the emails will be sent.

""The server stores them until the Rapture comes. Then, while you're shooting up to Heaven, the computer sends them off.""

- Cyrus Lupo

The computer 'knows' when the Rapture happens because the three website owners log in every day; if two don't log in for two consecutive days, the computer assumes that the owners got raptured and sends the emails.

""…they didn't log on because they've been sucked up to Heaven."

"There's no Internet up there.""

- Anita Van Buren and Cyrus Lupo

Van Buren wonders why the emails were sent at all.

""Yeah, but the Rapture didn't occur."

"As far as we can tell."

"I'm still here."

"You mentioned.""

- Anita Van Buren, Cyrus Lupo, and Kevin Bernard

Van Buren wonders why the men didn't log on. One of the owners, sam Burwell, lives in the city, so Van Buren sends them to check up on him. The detectives look annoyed, but go.

At Sam Burwell's apartment, Lupo asks if Bernard's really a Christian or if he was just playing Novak. Bernard says that he is, but that he doesn't believe in the Rapture. Burwell doesn't answer when Bernard knocks, and Lupo jokes that he probably went on a bender. However, they find the door unlocked, and when the cops enter, they find Burwell dead on the floor. He was shot in the head and also beaten. Lupo notes that there were no signs of forced entry, and Bernard finds a computer. Lupo finds a full answering machine. All the messages were from a Jason Altobell.

Altobell is brought to a conference room. One of his phone calls is played; he demands to know why Burwell didn't sign in. Altobell said that he was scared at first but quickly realized that the Rapture hadn't happened. As for the third owner, Keith, he was trapped in a cabin with no Internet and thought that the others would cover for him. Altobell asks what happened to Sam, then says that he last talked to Sam on Friday and Sam didn't report any problems. Lupo says that the emails being sent must hurt their business, but Altobell responds that it wasn't about business. Burwell was barely breaking even on the website; he just wanted to perform a service. Burwell and Altobell both saw what they believed to be signs of the Rapture (such as Jewish people returning to Israel, the European Union, and the recession); Burwell and Altobell just wanted to help people get saved, even after the Rapture. Lupo asks about people objecting to the business, and Altobell recalls that Burwell got into a fight at RaptureCon.

The convention center manager leads the detectives through RaptureCon, which he describes as ComicCon for people who like prophecy.

""We're in the last days."

"That's what we've been hearing."

"Oh, no. I meant the convention. It ends tomorrow.""

- Manager and Cyrus Lupo

The manager says that Burwell had a booth, and that there was security footage of the fight. It shows Burwell and another man shoving each other. The manager comments that he's a Christian himself but finds the attendees extreme, saying that they seem to want Jesus to blow up the Earth instead of fix it. Bernard sees on the footage that another man stepped in to break up the fight; he says that they should start by talking to him.

The Reverend Nathan Reeves says that he knew Burwell, but didn't know the other man -- he only say the man's nametag, which read 'Corliss.' He didn't hear the argument until it had devolved into cursing. Burwell later told Reeves that Corliss was giving him, Burwell, a hard time about Reeves's ministry, Sacred Exodus. Burwell used to support Sacred Exodus, and was even thinking of joining. When asked what his ministry does, Reeves says that it pays for Jewish people in the ex-USSR to move to Israel. This is supposed to fulfill a necessary condition for the Rapture.

""You send Jews home to die in the battle of Armageddon. Is that what people object to?""

- Cyrus Lupo

Reeves says that the Jewish people they help live in poverty and endure anti-semitism in the ex-USSR countries. He says that God is doing powerful things through Sacred Exodus, and that Burwell's donation is helping them fund their business. The donation was $100,000, and was made the same day that Corliss showed up. After they leave Reeves, Lupo mentions to Bernard that Altobell said Burwell was broke, yet he suddenly has $100,000 to donate.

A computer technician looks through Burwell's subscriber list and finds a Steve Corliss. Bernard guesses that Corliss showed up to RaptureCon to hassle Burwell.

""Not unless he was raised from the dead.""

- Cyrus Lupo

Corliss died the previous Tuesday, and Burwell deleted his emails from the system. The tech recovers the emails. One, to Steve's brother Evan, says that he (Steve) is leaving Evan two hundred gold coins to help him through the Rapture. The only person who could have seen the email, besides Steve himself, was Burwell.

At Steve's home, the detectives finds the hidden drawer that was supposed to have the gold, but it's empty. Steve's brother, Evan, had come by recently. The cops determine that Burwell decided that he could put the gold to better use than Evan Corliss, but that Evan somehow found out and attacked Burwell over the gold. They find a picture of Evan, which matches the security footage taken at RaptureCon.

Bernard tells Van Buren their theory. She's unimpressed.

""So the dead guy's brother somehow figured out what Burwell had done, and somehow tracked him down. It'd be nice if your theory had a few less 'somehows' in it.""

- Anita Van Buren

Evan Corliss has a record of drug possession, and he's not at home now. Phone records from Steve's house, though, show that someone called the Gold Exchange the weekend that Evan was staying there. They buy gold coins.

""So, Corliss's brother got some of the coins back from Burwell?"

"Yeah. Somehow.""

- Anita Van Buren and Kevin Bernard

At the exchange, the clerk offers Bernard $11 for his badge. Bernard clarifies that he's not selling it. The clerk remembers seeing Evan, saying that he sold twelve gold coins for $10,000. The cops see a sign saying that the store will pay customers the difference if the price of gold increases. They tell him to call Evan and say that the price of gold rose.

In the car, Bernard vents about the low quality metal in the police badge, since it was only worth $11. They see Evan walking to the store. He surrenders without a fight.

In interrogation, he says that he didn't kill Burwell. He says that Steve knew he was dying, so he told Evan about the gold. He sent Evan a printout of the email. Evan found that the gold was missing, figured out that Burwell must have taken it, and went to see him at RaptureCon. He first says that he only talked with Burwell, and that Burwell said he didn't know about the gold. He claims that he left after that. Bernard says they know about the coins, and Evan laughs and says he'll come clean. He followed Burwell home, beat him up, and threatened to call the cops until Burwell gave him the twelve coins he had remaining. Burwell said that he sold the rest and donated it to Sacred Exodus.

""So I said, 'Get it back or else.'""

- Evan Corliss

Evan says that he wouldn't have killed Burwell, since Burwell was going to get him the rest of his money. Bernard asks if they'll find, when they talk to Reeves again, that Burwell wanted his donation back, and Corliss says that they definitely will. He adds that he still wants it back.

Reeves, at his office, says that he didn't see Burwell after RaptureCon. Bernard says that Burwell signed into the building on Sunday, and Reeves says that he was at church then. Another man, George Darvy, was around, and must have been the one to see Burwell. Darvy, when asked why he doesn't attend church, says that he's more interested in the operations than the theology. Reeves says that Darvy handles the logistics -- flights and such, actually getting the Jewish people to Israel. He says that he saw Burwell, who just wanted some DVDs of the missions to show his friends. Lupo asks about the donation, and when Reeves wonders why Burwell would want it back, Bernard says that Burwell stole it. Reeves doesn't believe this. Darvy says that Burwell wanted to know where his donation would be spent. Reeves says that it was Uzbekistan.

At the Uzbekistan mission, a consul says that Burwell had an urgent request about a planeload of Jewish emigrants. He wanted to know if the 'emigration tax' could be refunded. The consul told him that there was no such tax. Burwell had been 'misinformed.'

Lupo tells Van Buren that Darvy has been charging Sacred Exodus $1000 a head for all the emigrants, but the taxes don't exist. He's pocketed $250,000 so far. Burwell found out that the taxes didn't exist, which might have frightened Darvy. Lupo gives Darvy's background -- he was in the Marine Recon Corps, was given an Other Than Honorable discharge, and joined Blackwater. Recently, he started his own security firm in Beirut. On his ticket he marked that he had a 9 millimeter handgun, the same caliber that killed Burwell. She says that she'll have a patrol car keep an eye on him while the detectives go to interrogate him.

The detectives are jammed up in traffic. They hear that Darvy got into a cab and might be going to the airport. Then they say that he saw the cops and just turned north. The cops pursue him, but Darvy gets out of his cab and strolls into a building. The cops try to pursue him, but are stopped by a security guard. The building is the Iranian embassy, and is sovereign territory -- they can't go in.

""Looks like we got left behind.""

- Kevin Bernard

Van Buren tells the security chief, Mr. Nozarin, that Darvy is a murder suspect. Nozarin says that Darvy's story is different; he claims that he's being framed by American and 'Zionists.' They won't let the cops in to see Darvy.

Van Buren tells Rubirosa and Cutter that Nozarin won't let them in, and Bernard recommended using his body to batter down the door. McCoy comes in with Ms. Barsett, a State Department official who is monitoring the situation. McCoy points out that the Vienna Treaty clearly states that they can't go into foreign missions without permission. Rubirosa points out that the Treaty requires that the diplomats need to respect local laws. Barsett says they can sue the mission, but can't go in and get Darvy. Cutter complains that Darvy is resting in luxury. Barsett says that they're trying to persuade Iran to stop developing nuclear weapons; insisting on getting Darvy would damage those efforts. Van Buren says that a gun in Darvy's luggage matches the bullet used to kill Burwell, but Barsett says that the treaty must be respected. McCoy points out that Iran already invaded our embassy in Iran and taken hostages.

""In 1979. We are trying to move on.""

- Ms. Barsett

Barset is adamant that they can't go into the embassy.

Joe Chappell, McCoy's opponent in the District Attorney election, gives a press conference outside the embassy and says that it's outrageous that McCoy isn't doing more to pressure the Iranians. He says that he wouldn't take no for an answer if he were District Attorney. At the back of the press conference, Rubirosa and the detectives talk.

""If he's elected District Attorney, I'm resigning and burning down my office on the way out."

"I like the part about not taking no for an answer.""

- Connie Rubirosa and Kevin Bernard

Lupo recalls a case where some FBI agents caught Iranian embassy workers surveilling bridges and submarines. The workers had to leave the country; they were declared persona non grata. The Iranians couldn't do anything about it. Bernard wonders if they might get some of the embassy workers arrested, then trade them for Darvy. Rubirosa says that it's worth a try.

Nozarin and another guard are about to get lunch when two young women ask them to take their picture. Nozarin takes a few photos, and then the detectives show up. The women deny all knowledge of the camera, and Lupo points out that some notable buildings are in the background.

""Are these snapped for your friends in Al Quaeda?""

- Cyrus Lupo

Bernard tells them to call their superiors and ask to have Darvy released.

In the pizza parlor, the Iranians, detectives, and Rubirosa wait for the Iranian consul to show up. Someone does come; however, it's Barsett. She demands that the Iranians be released. The Iranians leave with Barsett.

""And don't do anything else without telling me."

[…]

"I'm gonna do something else.""

- Ms. Barsett and Cyrus Lupo

Lupo talks to an old friend from his intelligence work, with Rubirosa tagging along. The intelligence man says that Darvy is being sent back to Iran the next morning; he'll be in vehicles protected by diplomatic immunity the whole way. Lupo verifies that the Iranians are monitoring the Israeli embassy, and that he knows the Israeli broadcast frequency. He asks for some help.

Cutter tells McCoy that Lupo only arranged for a radio transmission. McCoy is skeptical.

""And what have we arranged to be broadcast? Their favorite song? 'I left my heart in Tel Aviv?'""

- Jack McCoy

Rubirosa says that they broadcast a message that an Israeli agent, Loudmouth, has penetrated his target. Lupo verifies that no such agent exists. The point is to make the Iranians think that Darvy is an Israeli spy. Lupo says that this sort of thing works, and Cutter says that this is their last and only chance to get Darvy. McCoy gives the go ahead.

The next morning, just as the Iranian limo is pulling out, cop cars block it off. Cutter and the detectives talk to the driver. Cutter says that they'll happily let him proceed, but wants to tell them about Darvy's activities. The driver says that they know about the murder charges, and Cutter clarifies that they mean to say that Darvy is an Israeli agent. Darvy says it's a trick, and Nozarin wonders why Cutter is informing Iran about Israelis. Cutter says that Darvy is Mossad and went rogue. The driver looks somewhat persuaded, and Cutter says that Darvy can get out of the car and try American justice, or go to Iran and try theirs. Rubirosa gives them a printout of Darvy's Mossad identity, including his codename, Loudmouth. The driver anode ther Iranians look surprised to hear the name, and the driver takes the papers. Nozarin tells Darvy that they'll talk on the plane; he clearly believes Cutter. Darvy tries to break out of the car, but the door is held shut by one of the guards. Cutter orders the cop cars to leave to allow the embassy car to proceed. Darvy complains, then elbows the man holding the door shut and jumps out of the car. He's arrested. On his way out, Cutter tells the Iranians that it was indeed a trick.

Chappell gives another press conference, saying that the Iranians are telling everyone that Israelis are killing innocent people in New York. He blames McCoy for that information. McCoy gripes about this to Cutter and says that there's a lot of Jewish voters in the city.

""Jack, with all due respect, is this a prosecutor's office or a campaign headquarters?""

- Michael Cutter

McCoy orders Cutter to get the conviction.

In court, Evan Corliss testifies about his conversation with Burwell.

""I told him, 'Git me my money back or else.'"

"Or else what?"

"Well, I left that part up to his imagination.""

- Evan Corliss and Michael Cutter

Corliss says that Burwell promised that he'd get the money back from Sacred Exodus. Darvy's lawyer, Danvers, points out that Corliss threatened to kill Burwell, and did beat him up. They argue, and Danvers points out that Corliss specifically threatened to kill Burwell if he didn't get the money, and Burwell proceeded to not get the money. Corliss maintains his innocence, but Danvers calls him untrustworthy.

Reeves testifies Darvy talked to Burwell, but didn't tell him (Reeves) that Burwell wanted his money back. Reeves testifies about what Sacred Exodus does, and admits that they pay Darvy whatever he asks to make the logistics work. Cutter shows him financial records made by Darvy charging Sacred Exodus for exit taxes totaling $95,000; Reeves says they paid those invoices. Cutter then asks if Reeves now knows that Darvy made it up and pocketed the money.

""Well, that's what they say.""

- Nathan Reeves

Cutter is surprised, as is Rubirosa. Reeves clarifies that government officials claim there is no such tax, but that part of the world is corrupt and bribes are common. He postulates that Darvy might have used the money for bribes and just written 'taxes' on the accounting forms.

""Who in his right mind would put bribes in writing. What government official wouldn't deny that they exist?""

- Nathan Reeves

Cutter goes to confer with Rubirosa, who complains that Reeves is taking away their motive. Cutter next addresses Reeves as 'Mister,' but Reeves corrects him that he's the 'Reverend' Reeves. Cutter accepts this and asks if Reeves knows that Darvy is accused of murdering Burwell because Burwell was about to expose him. Danvers objects, and Judge Iris Chapman sustains it. Cutter asks if the tax money were really disguised bribes, and Reeves says that it's a corrupt part of the world. Cutter demands to know if Reeves really believes that the money was used on bribes.

""Mr. Darvy says it was. I believe him.""

- Nathan Reeves

Cutter has no response for a while. He eventually asks how Sacred Exodus is funded, and Reeves says that it's funded through donations. He admits that donations have been down since Darvy was arrested, and they may go back up if Darvy is acquitted. Cutter wonders what would happen if donations remained down, and Reeves says they would be unable to bring as many Jewish people to Israel. When Cutter asks what the consequences of that would be, he claims not to know what else Cutter means, but Cutter says he doesn't believe him. He gets Reeves to admit that he believes that the Jewish people must return to Israel before Jesus returns. Cutter asks if Reeves would lie to hasten the Rapture. Reeves doesn't answer, but just insists that he's honest.

""Everything I've said here today is the truth. So help me God.""

- Nathan Reeves

At a debate, Chappell jokes that he ought to hire Cutter, since Cutter first angered Jewish people with his trick at the iranian embassy, then mocked Christians in court.

""What's he gonna do next? Indict Muhammad?""

- Joe Chappell

McCoy says that Chappell should understand that Cutter is pursuing a murder case, since Chappell is running for the office of District Attorney. Chappell remarks that Governor Donald Shalvoy told him that McCoy was too high-minded to run a good campaign, but this is surprising even Chappell. McCoy does not respond.

Cutter asks McCoy how the debate went.

""He didn't accuse me personally of being the anti-christ, but not well.""

- Jack McCoy

Rubirosa and Cutter say that they need to go after Reeves; he's eviscerated their case. McCoy brings up the gun, but Rubirosa says that they only have a probable match. Cutter wants to shut down Sacred Exodus -- Reeves testified that they were paying illegal bribes. McCoy says that this would destroy his campaign. He tells Cutter to see if the threat alone will suffice.

The ADAs find Reeves in an otherwise empty church, sitting in a pew. Cutter accuses him of perjury, and threatens to shut down Sacred Exodus. Reeves asks Cutter why he's here, on Earth.

""What's the purpose of your life?""

- Nathan Reeves

He says that this is the only thing that is relevant. Cutter, he says, goes to work every morning and jails people for breaking man's laws. Cutter points out that murder is prohibited in the Bible too. Reeves says that the Rapture is very close; the signs, he says, are very clear.

""Armageddon is so close. The Lord Himself will come down from Heaven and the dead in Christ will rise. I'm blessed to know why I'm here. To play a small role in this, this majesty…""

- Nathan Reeves

He says that the trial is an impediment to God's work. Rubirosa says that he can't know that, and takes his Bible. Rubirosa finds the verse she's looking for, Matthew 24.

""But no one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in Heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.""

- Connie Rubirosa

She says that the Bible is clear -- they can't suspend their morals because they think God's actions are going to make them irrelevant soon. Cutter says that Darvy murdered Burwell and it's their duty to punish that. Reeves says that Burwell believed passionately; he implies that Burwell would have wanted the case dropped to help Sacred Exodus continue to fulfill Rapture preconditions. Cutter quotes the Bible.

""Render unto Caser that which is Caser's. This is Caeser's department, Reverend.""

- Michael Cutter

Reeves says that he doesn't know what to do. Cutter suspects that Reeves knows something that could help them. Rubirosa asks what he does when things get difficult, and holds out her hand. She holds one out to Cutter too, and he reluctantly takes it, then takes Reeves's other hand. Now in a prayer circle, they bow their heads.

Back in court, Reeves testifies that Burwell had called him and told him everything; that he needed his money back, that Darvy had told him that it had been spent on a tax, and that he was going to call the embassy and try to get it refunded. Reeves called Darvy and told him what Burwell was going to do; Darvy became concerned and said that they couldn't let that happen. Reeves looks distraught, and says that he should have looked into it. Darvy shakes his head, looking defeated. Reeves says that he inadvertently caused Burwell's death, and begs for God's forgiveness.

Cutter tells McCoy that Darvy was convicted quickly. McCoy jokes that it's because God told Reeves to be honest; Cutter adds that Rubirosa helped. She remarks that she prepares for court; she also prepares for church. McCoy asks for help preparing for a panel discussion for an interfaith council with him and Joe Chappell.

""I think I feel the flu coming on.""

- Jack McCoy