At Any Given Moment

"**At Any Given Moment**" is the second episode of the Paramount+ series *Rabbit Hole*. It premiered on March 26, 2023 alongside the first episode, "Pilot."

## Synopsis

Triggered by the suicide of his friend and framed for the murder of Edward Homm, Weir tries to piece together what went wrong. The mysterious Hailey is sucked further into Weir's world as he tries to determine what role she played.

## Plot

### Past and present

In a flashback it is 1981. The young John Weir is with his mother, Claire, and father, Ben. Ben tells John, "Give me Route 66." Ben says he thinks he's got it and John recites the various cities found along the route. Ben calls him a genius. The phone rings and Claire states that she will get it. After she walks off, Ben tells John to go, and he runs off. He sets up a chess board, while Ben opens up a safe and pulls out a pack of cigarettes, handing them to him. They both pull one out and pop them into their mouths. Claire comes over, asking Ben if he's teaching John to smoke, that they talked about this. Ben tells her that it's only candy, saying he did a pack a day at John's age. She asks him to check the phone, saying that it's clicking sometimes and it's driving her crazy. He picks up the phone, saying that he doesn't hear anything. He says that clicking is not nothing. He pulls a phone from the wall, saying that it won't happen again. He says there's to be no more phones. As he tears away the phone outlets, she asks what he's doing. "No more phones!" he shouts. He tells her he's trying to keep them safe, and she asks how this is doing that.

In the present day, John taps his finger, sitting in a car and listening to a news report about him being wanted in connection with two deaths. He has a flashback of everything that has happened thus far. Meanwhile, Agent Jo Madi is busy at the aftermath of the explosion at John's place of work. She takes a call with her wife about her daughter. She meets with the agent on-scene, Rasche, telling him that she's met most of John's people and can help make IDs. He, however, gives her the brushoff, telling her that "Financial Crimes is that way." She says that with Edward Homm's death, she has a right to be there. He, however, says that she has to get clearance from her superiors. He tells her she needs evidence to support her theories about John, saying that her theories got her booted out of white-collar. Just then, they discover that one person is still alive - Kyle, the intern.

Meanwhile, Hailey Winton checks out of her workplace, the Homeless Aid Network. John watches from outside, shaking his head and saying that what he's about to do is a bad idea. He gets a call from his ex-wife, Liv, who asks him what's going on. He tells her she needs to stay out of it, that everything is messed up and he's trying to put it together in his mind. He tells her nobody was supposed to die and they shouldn't be talking. She tells him that Sam is scared and asking questions about the news reports and she doesn't know what to tell him. He tells her to tell him that it's a lie. She asks what happened to Miles and he tells her that he jumped, that he had a calm stare, like nothing else mattered. She asks why, and he tells her he doesn't know, that he needs to sort things out.

### The false detectives

As Hailey moves to exit the building, she is confronted by two individuals who identify themselves as Detective Reins and Fewkes. They ask her to come with them. She asks if it's about John and they say they might need to ask her some questions. She agrees to come with them. They lead her outside, but she is confused by the fact that their car is a Mercedes. Fewkes tells her to just come with them, but she says that something is wrong, and tries to break away. Reins grabs at her and she tells her not to touch her. She shouts at them to let go of her, calling for help and as she curses that she's a lawyer, Fewkes employs a taser. He shouts to a watching crowd that she is under arrest. She cries again for help as they lead her away.

Just then, however, John comes up, flashing a cell phone and asking where they are taking her, what their precinct is and what the charges are. He shouts to the crowd that Hailey has done nothing and they are arresting her. She asks what he is doing and he says he has it all on camera. "We see you!" John shouts and the crowd joins his chant, even as Fewkes tells him to back off. "Are you ready?" asks John of Hailey. She asks for what and he says that she's ready enough. He shouts that there's a gun. As the two "agents" are distracted by the screams of the crowd, Hailey punches them out. She and John then flee to John's car and escape, while Fewkes points a gun at a member of the crowd trying to hold him back.

Haley curses, asking who they were. Annoyed, John tells her to drop it, asking who *she* is with. She turns the question on him, saying that they were going to kill her. He asks if she's with Arda Analytics. She asks if he's going to kill her and why people are trying to. He tells her he's not going to, that he just wants answers, asking why she was on 9th street the day before. She tells him that she was at her job and she mocks her as being a social justice warrior who happens to know martial arts. She tells her that she only to a class to strengthen her core. He says that clearly whoever is after him is after her too, so he wants to know what is going. She says that he's the shady one, that he murders people. He says he hasn't murdered anyone, suggesting she show some appreciation for saving her life.

Hailey asks if he's kidding, saying that people are trying to kill her. He swerves and stops the car, shouting that his entire life has been blown apart, that his friends are dead. He tells her he needs to know what's going on and why, that she's not going anywhere until then. She shouts that nobody tells her what to do, that she thanks him for what he did, but the rescue was a little racist, using people's assumptions against black people. She tells him that she processes things through flight or flight, that she wants to know what she's gotten him into. "Blindfold or trunk?" he tells her, saying that he can't deal with this and doesn't want her to see where he's going. She curses, and he gets out of the car.

### Nothing makes sense

Outside of John's company, Kyle insists to a medic that he doesn't need to go to a hospital. He says his girlfriend would freak out, that she hates hospitals. The medic promises she's only checking him out. Jo Madi comes out, asking if she can ask him a few questions. He agrees and she asks what happens, but he says that it's hard to remember, that it was sudden. He tells her that he thought John was in the office, but admits that he's not sure. Rasche comes up, reminding her that she's not supposed to be involved. She tells him that something is off and he asks if it's her way of trying to get back in the field. He tells her she's out of her lane and she tells him that he can't take things at face value with John Weir. He asks if she's desperate and making things up to get back in. He curses at her, saying she doesn't belong there until her superior signs off on it. She asks if he's kicking her out and curses him, telling him he has a big ego. He tells her they're going to do real FBI work.

John drives along a wooded road, recalling better times with his wife and son. He gets out of the car, having a flashback of an argument in his childhood between his mother and father. He recalls being outside with his father, him telling him that he doesn't expect him to understand, but he and his mother are going to move away and he may not see him for a long while. He tells him not to blame his mother, saying he's sorry it's come to this, but there's something he has to do. He recalls his mother telling him to take the shovel and running off from the grave of his father. He recalls a man telling him that no one will ever know that his father died fighting for his country, that the things in the newspapers aren't true.

In the present day, he opens the trunk and a blindfolded Hailey curses at him. He tells her that he gave her two options and she wouldn't choose one, so he gave her both. She asks whey they are, and he tells her it doesn't matter, that they'll be leaving soon enough. He takes her inside the old family home. She calls it a murder house and he says he doesn't need her commentary, that he's trying to think and running out of time. He takes a hammer and extracts something from a wall. He tells her he needs to know who she really is. She says she told him, that he sounds crazy, that nothing happened until she met him. He says that nothing makes sense, that no version of her makes sense. She says she sees that he lost friends, but he brought things down on her.

### Doesn't do trust

John tells her the camera in her hotel room tells him two things, that either she's making things up or someone's watching her. He says if she is the victim and someone is watching her, he needs to know why and who. She asks how this is proof, that someone could have just wanted to see their naked bodies. He says it doesn't explain the online hookup, that he doesn't use dating apps. She says that he does seem pretty lonely, asking him to explain he has an account. He admits that he can't and she says if he didn't make the account, then someone else did, suggesting he look up the address they used. She asks if he has a computer and he takes the hammer again and extracts another package, telling her she has 15 minutes online and after he has to pull the plug. She tells him it won't take that long. She shows him the e-mail attached to the account and he recognizes it as "Larterland," saying it's somebody he used to work with and that he uses the same password for everything. He logs in and finds "It was them.. my co-workers. But why?"

Hailey suggests he just ask them. He tells her he can't. She says she knows why, that they felt bad for him for being lonely. She says she's more likely to believe this than him being a murderer, unless lonely has made him crazy, so he decided to kill some Asian guy. She says she's a lawyer and has seen everything. He tells her he's not some psychotic killer. Just then, the door clatters open, revealing, a tied-up, blindfolded Homm. "Seriously?" asks Hailey, as Homm runs into a wall and knocks himself out. "Isn't that the guy you killed?" asks Hailey. "See?" John tells her, saying that he saved his life, not that he believed him. He admits that maybe she's not who he thought she was, saying it leads him back to the question of "Blindfold or trunk?"

When next seen, Hailey is back in the trunk, her hands tied. John apologizes and she tells him that people do not take to being put in trunks. He says he'll make a note of it and he tells her that there's a mini-mart a mile-and-a-half up the road, with a pay-phone. He tells her he's letting her go, that coincidence is the only version of this makes sense. He says the only condition is that she never tell anyone, that he can find her anytime. He hands her a smartphone with no SIM card, but she curses, telling him no. She says that she's not going anywhere with someone trying to kill her, that it's not safe. She tells him that if she leaves him, she'll tell the cops everything, that she's a target now. She tells him that he is responsible, that she's staying, and it's not Stockholm syndrome. "Patty Hearst had to be easier than this," grumbles John.

In the past, Claire sighs, getting into a car. The young John tells her he doesn't want to go, that it's his home. He asks about his friends, but she says there's to be no more. "What about dad?" he asks, but she says they have to leave. In the present day, John sits outside Arda Analytics, recalling Valence's suicide. He taps his finger on the wheel and Hailey asks him to stop, saying it's annoying. He calls it "body-focused self-soothing" and she calls it a tic. She asks what he's soothing and he tells her they don't have enough time. She asks him to cut her zip-ties and he says he's thinking about it. He sees someone exiting the building, saying it's the guy he's after. "We," she tells him, saying he has to trust her. He tells her that trust is a dangerous game, that he doesn't do trust. She tells him it's no way to live.

### The authenticator

John sits in a cafe, watching the man. He asks the waitress about him, saying that he's his best friend and he wanted to surprise him. He hands her a $100 bill, asking her to help him out. She then spills wine on the guy's shirt, leading him to go to the restroom. John enters, and he asks the man, Xander Arnaz, why he is the target. Xander tells him he can't be there and he grabs him and shoves him against the wall, telling him that his entire team is dead, Valence is dead and he's all over the news. He demands to know what he knows about it. He tells him he doesn't know anything, that Valence, looped him out of everything. John tells him he's going to help him figure it out, but he says that he can't, that all of Valence's comms are encrypted and he doesn't have access.

John tells Xander he did everything he was hired to do, even looping his own team out of things. Xander tells him he was paid to not get seen and John curses at him, saying he wasn't caught, but set up. He demands to know how to access the comms data, but Xander tells him they must put distance between him. He tells him that there are dangerous people and if they knew he was there, it would be bad for him. John tells him he will give him a name and he will know if he's lying. Xander curses, saying that "he" will know and John shouts that nobody else is there. "He's everywhere," Xander tells him. John says it should be simple to find him then, but he says that nobody has ever seen him. John groans, telling him that it's his last chance to tell him how to access the comms data. Xander tells him that only Valence could, with his password and authenticator, that five wrong tries and the server is wiped. John tells him to let him worry about that, asking him where the authenticator is. He says it was in his pocket when he jumped, and it's gone. John tells him it's the moment where he forgot he saw him and leaves. In a laboratory, a group of surgeons goes over John's personal possessions, including one keyfob.

Walt sits with his girlfriend, Eliza. She asks why he won't listen to her and he tells her that he's fine. She sighs, saying he should come back to his place. He insists that he's good. She asks him to imagine that yesterday morning was the last time they saw each other and he tells her to stop worrying. His phone chimes with a message telling him he needs to do something. His girlfriend asks who it is and he tells her it's his boss, that he has to do something. "After what just happened?" she asks, but he tells her to go home. Agent Jo Madi watches her exit.

John sits in a car outside the Midtown West of the NYPD and Hailey asks if he really thinks he's just going to walk in and get what he wants. He imagines a plan in his mind, but she says that every angle and permutation ends with him getting busted. He ties her back up, telling her the brain associates things according to context and if you change the context, you can change how you're perceived. She asks if he means that they won't notice if a wanted man wants into a police station and he says it needs a few more cues. He exits the vehicle.

### The heist

He gets out and purchases a necklace and wallet, putting them around his neck. He enters the station, passing through security and pretending to talk to someone on his phone. He goes to a door by the desk, continuing to chatter and demanding of the agent behind the desk that he open the door. "That's on the D.A., not me," he says into the phone, demanding again that the man buzz the door and saying that if he makes him clock in late that he'll get his desk sergeant down there. The man opens the door. Outside, Jo Madi watches Kyle as he takes a text reading "On my way." Inside, John places a call to Midtown West, asking for Investigations. He gets patched through and asks to speak with the lead investigator of the Valence case. He is put on hold and then connected with a Detective Singh as Kyle continues to make his way outside.

John speaks with Singh, telling her that he works near Valence's workplace. He says he found something he thinks she might be interested in. He says it's hard to explain, but he was hoping he could show it to her and he's out in her lobby. He gives his name as Billy Jacks in a brown jacket. He then goes to her desk, while Kyle enters the building. He accesses her computer and gets Valence's case number. While she goes to the lobby and looks for Billy Jacks, he goes and claims a box of evidence, telling the guy in charge that Singh transferred out. John opens the box and stares at Valence's driver's license. He finds a gun, wondering why he carried it, then claims the keyfob. "Bingo."

John makes his way out, bumping into Detective Singh. She realizes that John has her evidence box and shouts for him to stop, but Kyle closes and bolts the door on her, blocking her way. John heads for the car, only for Kyle to whack in the back with his skateboard. "You?" wonders John, as Kyle rifles through the box. Kyle grabs the keyfob, but John knocks him to the ground as a watching Jo Madi wonders just what is going on. As John grabs for the keyfob, Kyle kicks him in the balls. "Who does that?!" he wonders. The fight continues, Kyle getting the upper hand, until Hailey manages to get free of her zipties enough to take control of the car and plow into him. John grabs the keyfob and gets in. "Told you I'd get it," he tells her. She drives away and Madi curses, wondering just what is going on.

John and Hailey return to the house, John back at the wheel. John once again recalls his past, and being driven away from everything he ever knew. His young self gets out of the car at a gas station and runs through the woods. He returns to the house and witnesses his father's suicide. "Dad? Dad!?" he shouts, entering a room and seeing a bloodied body. He screams in horror. In the present day, he and Hailey arrive back at the house late at night. They enter the room with Homm, who seems troubled. "It's just us," Hailey tells them. Homm whimpers, and there is a sound of a knife scraping from nearby. "He's not talking, so I'm going to start cutting his fingers, off," a man's voice says. The man enters the room, telling John that he's really messing this one up. "Nice to see you, too, Dad," replies John, and Hailey turns to stare at him. He curses, asking who she is.

## Cast

### Starring

* Kiefer Sutherland as John Weir
* Meta Golding as Hailey Winton
* Enid Graham as Josephine "Jo" Madi
* Rob Yang as Edward Homm
* Walt Klink as Kyle ("The Intern")

and

* Charles Dance as Dr. Ben Wilson

### Guest starring

* Maia Jae Bastidas as Eliza Wells
* Phil Burke as Ben Weir
* Alex Castillo as Olivia 'Liv' Bonen
* Jonas Chernick as Xander Arnaz
* Graham Harvey as Young John Weir
* Noam Jenkins
* Erin Karpluk as Claire Weir

### Co-starring

* Onna Chan as NY Fire Rescue
* Dan Darin-Zanco as Precinct Officer Cruz
* Aisha Evelyna as Agitated Woman in Precinct
* Landon Freeman as John Weir Age 7
* Brian Hammins as Detective Reins
* Malik McCall as NY Fire Captain
* Derek Moran as G-Man
* Tara Paterson as NY Paramedic
* Sabrina Saudin as Ristorante Waitress
* Nitu Thakur as Det. Margarita Singh
* Philip Van Martin as Precinct Reception Officer
* Beatriz Yuste as Detective Fewkes

## Gallery

### Video

Rabbit Hole - Job -2 (S1, E2) - Paramount+