The Rookies (TV Series)

Deadly Cage (1973)

Sam Melville: Officer Mike Danko

Quotes 

• Officer Willie Gillis : [Officers Mike Danko and Willie Gillis are off-duty at the hospital. They are there to bring Officer Terry Webster - who is recovering from a gunshot wound to his shoulder - home from the hospital. Willie is sitting in a chair outside Terry's room, reading. Mike walks into the hall with Terry, whose left arm is in a sling]  You ready?

  Officer Terry Webster : [Willie looks up as Terry and Mike leave Terry's room then he stands up; Terry is walking slowly beside Mike, anxious to leave. He's smiling]  For a long time... let's go on home.

  Officer Mike Danko : [Willie, Terry and Mike start walking slowly down the hallway, past the nurses' station. Mike is carrying Terry's suitcase]  Yeah.

  Jill Danko : [Jill walks toward Terry's room, pushing a wheelchair. She sees them leaving and pushes the wheelchair up to Terry. She speaks in a cheerful voice]  Hey, wait a minute... wait just a minute!

  Officer Mike Danko : [Mike sees Jill and understands her intention of making Terry use a wheelchair to leave the hospital]  Uh-oh.

  Jill Danko : [Jill points at the wheelchair and looks sternly at Terry]  Climb in.

  Officer Terry Webster : [Terry looks at Jill in disbelief; he's adamant that he absolutely will not need nor use a wheelchair. He lets out a short laugh]  You're kidding.

  Jill Danko : [Jill continues pushing the wheelchair alongside Terry. She's insisting that he allow her to wheel him outside; Terry is resisting]  Come on... hospital rules and you know it. Every patient leaves in a wheelchair.

  Officer Terry Webster : [Terry gestures with his right arm]  Not this one.

  Jill Danko : [Jill stops walking and so does Terry. Jill looks directly at Terry]  Terry, is it really worth an argument?

  Officer Mike Danko : [Mike leans toward Terry and talks in a low voice]  Not with her, it isn't.

  Officer Terry Webster : [Terry looks up toward the ceiling. He considers briefly what is being said, and his facial expression clearly shows his disagreement]  No, Jill, it isn't.

  [Terry places his right hand under his left wrist, supporting his arm that's in the sling. He walks away swiftly, and pushes open the exit door with his right hand, leaving the others behind] 

  Officer Mike Danko : [Mike and Willie look at Jill]  Well, I'll see you later.

  [Mike and Willie hurry to catch up with Terry. Jill rolls her eyes, then she walks back to the nurses' station pushing the empty wheelchair] 

• Officer Willie Gillis : [Officers Willie Gillis and Terry Webster are investigating an ongoing robbery in a jewelry store. The suspect is hiding under a desk as they officers enter thru the back door. Terry is behind Willie, just as the suspect gets up. As Terry turns toward the noise, the suspect shoots him in his left shoulder. Willie hears the gunshot and commotion and rushes over to Terry]  Terry!

  Officer Terry Webster : [Terry is lying on the floor, his shoulder bleeding and blood splattered on his face and hand. He's grimacing in pain, but manages to grunt a reply]  Someone just ran out on us, Willie. Go get him!

  Officer Mike Danko : [a police car screeches to a halt and 2 officers get out, guns drawn toward the fleeing suspect]  All right, hold it right there!

  [the suspect is trying to get away, but is cornered by the officers] 

  Officer Willie Gillis : Drop it!

  [Willie aims his gun at the suspect as he commands him to halt] 

  Officer Willie Gillis : Right now!

  [the suspect gives up and drops the gun and the bag of loot] 

  Officer Mike Danko : Turn around! Put your hands behind your head!

  [Mike proceeds to handcuff the suspect as Willie turns to go back inside] 

  Officer Willie Gillis : [Willie calls over to Mike as he's going back inside to check on Terry]  Mike, get an ambulance! Terry's been shot!

  [Mike stares back at Willie in shock and the scene pans out] 

  Lt. Ryker : [Off-camera, Terry's been brought to Memorial hospital. He's now in a treatment room, dozing off from the shot he received. Mike and Willie are pacing the waiting area when Lt Ryker shows up]  Well?

  Officer Mike Danko : [Mike goes up to Lt Ryker and they walk over to join Willie]  No word. The doctor hasn't come out yet.

  [the officers all pace around nervously, awaiting word on Terry's condition] 

  Doctor : [the treatment room doors open and a doctor walks up to the officers. He addresses Lt Ryker directly]  We're setting up an OR room to remove the bullet. He won't be running with the best of you for a few weeks, but he'll be all right.

  Officer Willie Gillis : [Willie and Mike look at the doctor questioningly. Willie finally speaks up quietly]  Can we see him?

  Doctor : [the doctor shakes his head]  Three of you all at one time wouldn't be a very good idea.

  Lt. Ryker : [Lt Ryker looks at Mike and Willie somewhat sternly]  There'll only be one of us... me. You two have reports to fill out on this shooting

  Doctor : [the doctor smiles slightly]  I think one will be just fine, Lieutenant. We've given him a shot for the pain, so if he falls asleep on you...

  [He gazes knowingly at the three officers and nods his head] 

  Lt. Ryker : [Lt Ryker knows exactly what the doctor means. He walks with him to the treatment room doors as he replies wryly]  He's been known to do that before.

  Officer Willie Gillis : We all have, Lieutenant.

  [Willie quickly clarifies what he means as Lt Ryker faces toward him] 

  Officer Willie Gillis : But... you have to be on the other side of the muster desk to fully understand it...

  [the scene ends as the doctor and Lt Ryker go inside] 

  Lt. Ryker : [Lt Ryker is standing with Jill at Terry's bedside. His eyes are closed and he appears to be asleep. Jill is tending to him as Lt Ryker speaks quietly]  Does he know anything about the punk who shot him?

  Jill Danko : [Jill looks over at Lt Ryker]  Well, only that his name is Freddy Hagger. I don't think he took it all that personally.

  Lt. Ryker : [Lt Ryker states at Jill before replying]  Well, I do. He walked out of State Prison 48 hours ago, after serving a year and a half for armed robbery.

  Officer Terry Webster : [the shot Terry received has made him groggy. He's lying quietly on the table; his face is perspiring and his eyes are closed. He hears them talking and mumbles an answer]  He didn't... ummm... waste any time... did he?

  Lt. Ryker : He was one of the lazy ones, Webster. He waited two whole days before he went back to work.

  [Lt Ryker looks at Jill and lowers his voice before continuing] 

  Lt. Ryker : Two days and he all but kills a police officer...

  Jill Danko : [Despite being woozy and almost asleep, Terry clearly hears what Lt Ryker said and he squirms uneasily. Jill notices his distress and speaks to Lt Ryker]  Lieutenant, it's a little rough on him till the shot takes effect. I think maybe you'd better go on out.

  Officer Terry Webster : [Terry makes an effort to wake up and he speaks softly]  No... no. I saw it in a movie once. Twisting Horse's Lip. 'Fore you give him a shot... It takes his mind off of trouble.

  Lt. Ryker : [Lt Ryker speaks directly to Terry]  You haven't been around long enough to know what troubles are, Webster. In a couple of years, they may be taking another one of those things outta you with Freddy Hagger's name on it.

  Officer Terry Webster : [Terry's fighting off sleep; his voice is slurring as he replies]  Maybe... uhh, you should do sumpin'... before that happens...

  Lt. Ryker : If rats are running around and biting people, and infecting them, you put those rats outta reach, Webster.

  [Ryker's voice is very quiet as he is speaking] 

  Officer Terry Webster : [the medication has almost taken full effect as Terry makes an effort to respond. He smiles and raises his head slightly]  Hey... ahh... why don't we kill Freddy? I... we... kill rats... all the time. Why don't we kill Freddy? I'll tell you why not... Lieutenant... Cuz we're all Freddy's... We're all somebody's Freddy's...

  [Terry's soft, husky voice fades as he starts falling asleep] 

  Lt. Ryker : [Lt Ryker addresses Jill quietly]  Make sure they take good care of him. Cuz I want him to be around long enough so he can change the world.

  [Jill smiles as they both look down at Terry, asleep at last]