Containment

*Containment* is the second episode of the first season of *Cleverman*. It aired on June 9th, 2016 on the ABC, and June 8th, 2016 on Sundance TV.

## Plot

At nighttime soccer training, a boy kicks a ball into bushes next to the field. When he goes in after it, he hears a noise and is violently seized by something, crying out in pain. Belinda Frosche arrives later to find out the boy has been killed, and that Slade's network are the only ones with the story at present. Slade plans to break the story in the middle of *The O'Grady Factor*, on which Waruu will be debating hairy policy with Minister Matthews. Belinda asks Slade to give Waruu a heads up about the story; Slade says he'll think about it.

Koen, now hearing a woman's voice whispering *"Ngaluunggirr"* in his head, drives into the Zone late at night to look for answers, though it brings back unhappy memories of his half-brother Waruu bullying him about his white mother. He finds his Aunty Linda, Waruu's mother, who instantly realises from his one blue eye that he is the new Cleverman - and that Waruu won't be happy about this. She also gives him a briefcase that belonged to Koen's father, which she found after the accident and filled with photos and other mementos. Koen has a vision of Linda in a clinic, and she admits she has advanced cancer. Koen begins to realise the power of the Cleverman. Later, he finds a torn photo of his parents in it.

Waruu is brooding at home, having realised Koen is the Cleverman - something he's wanted to be ever since he was a boy. Harry arrives with a plan to break into the Containment Authority's detention centre, but Waruu insists it's too dangerous, and that the situation requires a political fix. Alinta, fetching Waruu's phone for him, finds Belinda's number in it and calls her, hanging up as soon as she answers with a familiar "Hello stranger"; she's suspicious of her father, and Waruu knows something's up.

At the containment centre, Djukara refuses to cooperate with the rules by working out in his cell. When they come to discipline him he attacks several guards, including Dickson, but is soon subdued. He is separated from the others as Boondee, working as a cleaner, watches on. As he is moved through the prison, Djukara tries to memorise the security codes to the keypad operated doors. Boondee visits him in solitary confinement; he warns his son to stay alive and give up his plan to escape and get revenge for Jyra's death, but Djukara is disgusted by his father’s cooperation and blames him for what happens.

A woman from the apartment complex has noticed Latani is living alone, and leaves her some food, proclaiming to be a sympathiser. After Latani takes it, the she says she won't turn her in but asks her to return the plate. Latani takes the plate back and the woman introduces herself as Virgil and invites Latani in, saying that she knows what Latani is and doesn't care. Virgil reveals her own people were persecuted, and warns Latani that her family will not be able to come back for her; if she stays in the apartment she’ll be caught. She further offers to help disguise her with her talent for making things.

Slade talks to Charlotte; the latest in a long series of cutting edge fertility treatments has failed, and she needs to draw a line in the sand and take a break. He tries to talk her into trying again, sending her flowers at work; she asks him not to push it, and he says he is "building an ark" for them both, though he plays this remark down when she asks him about it.

Dickson parades several female hairies, including Araluen, in front of a mysterious visitor to the containment centre. The visitor is paying to take one of them away, but doesn't say what for. Araluen volunteers anyway, and after inspecting Araluen like an animal, the woman says she's found what she needs. Dickson shoots the other hairy women dead, and the visitor sedates Araluen with a syringe. She later wakes in a small room with covered windows, wearing a fancy night gown and having had her arms and face shaved.

*The O'Grady Factor* debate begins, watched by Latani, Virgil, Koen, Nerida and Alinta. The minister denies the government has been forcibly removing hairy people and putting them in detention, while Waruu seems to be getting somewhere , Slade breaks the story of the young boy’s murder mid-broadcast, cutting to Belinda at the scene on the soccer field; Belinda and Jane discuss the details of the death - the boy's heart having been torn out - and link the attack with Jimmy’s killing, heavily implying hairies are to blame for both. After the broadcast Waruu correctly accuses Slade and Matthews of setting him up, and calls Belinda, whom he knows must have shared the details of Jimmy’s death with Slade, and tells her to go to hell. During the broadcast, Slade realises that Harry is a shaved-down hairy, and Alinta gets up and leaves, disgusted, when she recognises Belinda's voice. Koen is just happy to see his brother "get fucked".

Dickson realises no physical punishment will be severe enough to break his spirit, but fears the way he inspires the other hairies in the containment centre. Instead, he uses Boondee as a "whipping boy", electrocuting him until Djukara begs for mercy and agrees to comply. Not content with Djukara's submission, Dickson has him stripped, chained up and shaved in front of Boondee and the other prisoners.

After the disastrous debate, Waruu is pensive, gazing up at the Moon. Later, Waruu agrees to go with Harry's plan to break in to the containment centre, but Waruu refuses to try and lead a prison break; he insists they only take cameras to document the human rights abuses and show the population the truth about what the government is doing.

Latani takes Virgil's gifts - a fake ID card and brown contact lenses. Virgil reminds her she is faster and stronger than humans, and Latani leaves the apartment complex, disguised as a human.

Koen continues to see visions, including Blair with a gun held to his head, a glass with blood spattered on it, and figures lying under a fig tree, but he keeps them to himself. Ash reacts angrily when Blair cuts Koen to watch his new power of regeneration, even though Koen doesn't seem to mind. Koen keeps his distance from Ash, who also featured in Koen's vision of Blair - even when she comes to see him alone. The disembodied voice of the girl calling out *Ngaluunggirr* becomes more intense, and he is overcome by the urge to find her. Following Koen’s directions, Blair drives the two of them to a seemingly random building, and they find an unmarked office containing a single surprised researcher. Blair is freaked out by Koen's use of force to make the researcher tell them where the girl is, but is more horrified when they get into a vault in the back of the room and find the girl, strapped to a table and hooked up to medical equipment - the same girl whom Jimmy breathed life into before he died. She continues speaking to Koen in his mind, asking him to take her away, and he disconnects her from the equipment, triggering alarms. Blair locks the researcher in the vault and the two of them escape with the girl, whom Koen sees momentarily as a much older woman.