“The Judge” quotes from Millennium

Having found sufficient evidence the accused removed, or caused to be removed, lighting from his apartment building's common stairwell. This action resulted in a female client, aged 62, sustaining fatal injuries as a result of a fall. It is now my duty to pronounce sentence. You are to apprehend the condemned as instructed and having transported him to the place designated, to amputate his right leg below the knee.

I got it written down from earlier, Judge. I like the foot. I mean it's like the son of a bitch, he kicked that old lady down the stairs, practically.

The prisoner shall be conscious prior to the amputation. You shall make him aware of the court's sentence.

I'll rub it in good.

The hood may seem superfluous to you, Mr. Bardale, but I pronounce formal sentence to honor what we do and to set it apart from frying bacon or passing gas.

Oh, I respect that, Judge. Only, the two of us here, it seems a little like law court, you know?

Mine is not a court of law, Mr. Bardale. It is a court of justice. We cannot address every case. Our scope is not broad like the common law courts. It is narrower. Deeper. More pure. Our judgment final.

I'd better get going. You're doing the right thing like this. Feels good. I'm real grateful, Judge.

Frank

A controller. Someone calling the shots. Out of caution or distaste, he's chosen to avoid direct action. Now he's found himself a new surrogate.

Someone to carry on the killing.

Frank

Someone predisposed to an alternative theory of justice. Disillusioned, credulous, naïve...

Bletcher

You mean we're looking for two guys now?

Frank

The killer's capable of a high level of violence, probably someone who's been in the justice system once or twice, done time.

Ex-con, moves in similar circles outside. Limited number of places these people go. Limited ways they socialize.

Bletcher

I think I know the kind of places you mean.

Frank

Sit down. What should I call you?

'Judge' is fine. Or the name on the report. My name is 'Legion.'

Frank

'Legion?'

When Jesus of Nazareth expelled demons from a herd of enchanted hogs, story has it that the demons told him their name was 'Legion.' How would you like to work for me?

Frank

Work? You mean killing.

Every man finds his own path to justice. You needn't commit yourself now. The offer's open. A month, a year... Many benefits. I know you're sometimes scared for your family, your wife. There's a child now too, yes?

Frank

When you spoke to Bardale, what did you say to him when he called you from the bar?

Bardale... who can speak to Bardale? A slave of echoes. I can talk to you. We're after the same thing.

Frank

How's that?

I can show you an absolute justice, an unconstrained justice. You'd have freedom to act without fear. Bardale and his kindred... they fear me, they obey me. Your family would be safe from such threats.

Frank

Uh-huh.

The police are about to release me. You and your group of associates have never been as close to me as I've allowed this time. I wanted you to hear my offer, feel its truth, see my strength.

Frank

We're going to find Bardale.

Oh, yes. My congratulations in advance. Well, it's time to go. And remember, the offer's open. And if I'm hard to reach, well, don't make the conventional assumptions.

Bletcher

What'd he say?

Frank

He offered me a job.

Frank

The man I had Bletcher pick up has filed a half a dozen law suits. City's attorney's ordered the police to stay away from him. [Offers his sandwich to Catherine.] Want this?

Catherine

No, thanks. There's nothing to be done, to bring this man to justice?

Frank

He flaunts the system and gets away with it, as if his private justice was a higher, purer form.

Catherine

Then he uses conventional law to protect himself.

Frank

When you believe in nothing, everything is acceptable. It's a game to him. He sits at home a free man. He's taunting us.

Wherein where previous findings indicate the other body parts were all sundered while the victims where alive, but I believe this tongue was removed after death. Also the instrument wasn't as sharp or as skillfully used as in previous excisions.

Bletcher

Would that point to, uh, rage, loss of control?

Doubtful. The cuts aren't unusually forceful, just imprecise. A few false starts, repetitive blade strokes.

Bletcher

Frank?

Frank

We do have a pattern change.

Unlikely to be intentional deviation from the established method.

Bletcher

So how do we account for it?

The victim died prematurely or the killer was interrupted.

The perpetrator may be getting lazy, becoming more casual as his activities lose their novelty.

Bletcher

So it really doesn't tell us much then.

Frank

Well, it tells us that he's less concerned about being discovered but no less dangerous... possibly more so. There's nothing here to indicate that this is going to stop.