That's why I'm dressed  like Lieutenant Duster."


He's all like, "Uh... Port Mary is  frickin' miles away."


Yadda, yadda, yadda.


-[toilet flushes]  -He one-stars me. Like, thanks, Dad.


-[girl 1] See you back on there.   -[girl 2] Okay.


Are you guys headed to Tranquillity Con?


-You're into Sea of Tranquillity?  -Totally.


I was all set to go.


My friend, who is there already,  has my costume, but my car broke down.


Well, there's some space in the RV.


-Hi.  -Hey!


-You're a Trank head, huh?  -Sorry?


Trank head. Sea of Tranquillity fan?


Oh, yeah.  We say Tranksters where I'm from.


-Who's your favourite character?  -Gotta be Lieutenant Duster.


-She's awesome.  -She?


He! I misspoke.


Lieutenant Duster has no fixed gender.


I know, and that's why  it's so hard to remember, right?


-[ringtone playing]  -Excuse me. Gotta get this.


My friend, at the convention. [giggles]


Hi, Nay! [laughs]


So, oh, my God,  insane night, but I am so close now.


[Naomi] Don't come.


What? No. No. I'm, like, an hour away.


Don't come. I don't want you here.


I don't know what is up with you,  but I cannot have a 2.6 at my wedding.


Oh, no, that's temporary!  That's temporary.


Well, the wedding's today so...


-But it doesn't change anything.  -Lacie...


-I Can still Do the same speech.  -Lacie...


-And there's Mr. Rags!  -No!


But... But you invited me.


You've seen the guest list.  They are all, like, 4.5 or above.


They are going to freak at a 2.6,  and I am not taking that kind of damage,


plus I haven't dipped under  a 4.7 in, like, six months.


You said you wanted your oldest friend.


When I asked you to speak,  you were a 4.2, okay?


And the authenticity of a vintage bond  low four at a gathering of this calibre


played fantastically  on all the simulations we ran.


Forecast was a prestige bounce  of .2 minimum.


But now you're a sub three. Sorry.


That just puts the stink on things  a little too much.


That just plays badly for us.


So it was just about numbers for you?


Oh, cut the shit!  It was numbers for both of us.


You wanted those primo votes,  don't deny it.


It's not like you could get them  on your own. Let's not kid ourselves.


Oh, I'm... I'm getting those votes.


What? You're just gonna roll up here  and make people like you?


-That's right. I'm doing my speech.  -No, you're not.


Yes, I am. And they are gonna vote me  through the roof when they hear it.


-Weep their fucking eyes out!  -Go home!


-[phone beeping]  -Hello?


[sighs] Fuck!


I have never seen  your stupid fucking show.


[tyres screech]


[shouts] Hope they cancel it!


-[horn honks]  -I need a ride!


[shouts]


-[phone beeping]  -Fuck!


Jesus!


[engine roars]


Hey! Hey!


Hey!


-Can I borrow your bike?  -What?


Can I borrow your bike?


Do you, Naomi Jayne Blestow,  take this man to be your husband,


to live together with him  in the covenant of marriage?


To love him, comfort him,


honour and keep him,  in sickness and in health...


and forsaking all others,  be faithful unto him...


[cheering and applause]


[indistinct radio chatter]


[revs engine]


[screams]


[applause]


To my best mate, Anthony.  Let's hear it for him.


[cheering]


You've been there from day one.  I love you, man. I appreciate you.


Hilarious speech, by the way.  By your standards.


[laughter]


-Pow! Pow! Pow!  -Oh! Oh! Oh! [laughs]


[Paul] He's still got a few bullets left.  Oh, man.


Oh, gosh, well, um...


[gasps] Shit!


[Paul] We have so many people to thank.  Our beautiful bridesmaids.


-[cheering]   -But, of course,


my most heartfelt thanks,  my warmest thanks,


are to someone who's my best friend,


my lover and now,  I'm honoured to say, my wife.


-Naomi!  -[cheering and whooping]


-[cheering]  -[Paul] One, two, three! Naomi!


-[man] The A Team!  -[phone beeps]


I love you so much, darl.


Whoo-whoo-whoo-whoo!


[man] Congratulations, sir.


-Thank you.  -No, Thank you.


-[whooping]  -Get over here!


Get your ass over here.


-Get in here, big boy.  -[phones beep]


-You're beautiful!  -[cheering]


Yeah! Gimme five! Good choice!


You fucking earned it, man.  You fucking earned it.


[giggles nervously]


Everybody, hello!


-Oh, my God.  -I love you.


Can everyone be quiet for a moment?


Thank you. [giggles]


-Get rid of her.  -That would play Awful.


She's a fucking 1.1.


Now for those of you who don't know me,  which is... all of you...


my name is Lacie Pound


and, believe it or not,  I am one of Naomi's oldest friends.


Hi, Nay-Nay!


It's great to meet you too, Paul.  I've heard a lot about you.


He's a pretty big deal, that Paul.


-Pretty big deal.  -[camera shutter clicks]


He makes his own tapenade! Yeah.


[laughs] Uh...


Anyway, um... I...


have looked up to Naomi  pretty much my entire life.


We met when we were five years old,


and right up through to our   teenage years, we made quite the pair.


We'd talk about all the things  girls talk about,


you know, boys, hair, products,  uh... more boys. [laughs]


I mean, I tried sometimes  to expand our range a little


and talk about climate change,  but she found that kind of boring so...


Go on.


She was probably right.  I mean, fuck the planet, right?


Whoo!


Yes, thank you! Come on.  Let's have a little fun here.


You know, fuck the planet! [laughs]


-[shouts] Fuck the planet!  -[feedback]


[crockery rattles]


-[phone beeps]  -Anyway...


I... looked up to Naomi  pretty much my entire life,


which meant she was looking down on me.


Always with a smile though. [laughs]


In high school,  she was my shoulder to cry on.


She seemed to enjoy that.  Guys and me never worked out.


They'd see Naomi and just...  Whoo! You know, that was it.


She had this tight ass,


like two fists.


Uh-huh.


[giggles] I was all like...


[giggles]


I was like...


through the hallways in high school.


[cackling]


[phones beep]


[cries]


And she was there for me.


Holding my hair back...


as I knelt,  vomiting, in front of the crapper.


Thank you for that, Naomi.


I always wished I was you.


And...


I guess that's why you kept me around  so long?


Until you got your new job


and your fancy new friends.


And that...


[laughs]


...fucking... jackhole!


And you didn't need me.  You probably got another me.


Guess there's some other "yeth Beth"  you moved on to like a succubus.


-[phones beeping]  -I'm getting to Mr. Rags, okay? Jesus!


-[crowd gasps]  -Stay back.


Stay the fuck back! I'll kill him!


I'll cut his head off  and stick it up my ass!


[gasps]


[gasps] Time's nearly up!


-Hey!Calm down.   -I...


I just wanted to say, in this world  so caught up in our own shit,


-let's not forget what matters.  -It's okay. It's okay.


Happiness, fucking Paul and Naomi,  and she's...


She... She fucked Greg!


I know she did.


-I know you did.  -No...


Don't even try to deny--


-[screams]  -[feedback screeches]


The little girl who, when we were  just five-years-old in art camp,


started talking to me  because she saw I was scared


and helped me make Mr. Rags.


He reminds me of you  and what you meant to me then!


[cries] And I'm so honoured to be here  to see this shit!


[screams] I love you, Nay-Nay!  I've always loved you!


I love you!


[camera shutter clicking]


[whirring]


[breathes deeply]


[sobs]


[laughs]


What the fuck are you looking at?


Just what I was wondering.


Well...


Don't!


Don't? Don't wonder?


Uh-huh.


-It would be a dull world without wonder.  -I don't give a shit about your world.


I don't like your brassiere.


I don't like your moustache.


I don't like your aura.


-my aura?  -Yeah.


I don't like your... head.


Your entire head is just ridiculous to me.


Really?


You look like an alcoholic  former weatherman.


You sound like a lost little lamb


that just got told there's no Santa Claus.


What sort of cartoon character  did your mum have to fuck


to brew you up in the womb?


At least I look like I was born,


not shit out by some tormented  cow creature in an underground lab.


You got tossed out of that lab.


-Oh, yeah?  -Oh, Yeah, flushed out.


-Ooh!  -In the trash!


-your face is a fucking...  -Fucking.


Fucking biological car crash


that made Picasso screw his eyes up  and say,


"Well, that just don't make sense."


[laughs]


-You're a fucking asshole. -Fuck you!


-Fuck you next Wednesday. -Fuck you for Christmas!


[glass cracks]


[exhales]


[closes door quietly]


[birds tweet]


[phone vibrates]


[rattling]


[banging]


[helicopter whirrs]


[roars]


[tone sounds]


I'm gonna have to ask you  to switch that off for now.


Okay, thanks.


[rattling continues]


You know what it's kinda like?  It's kinda like a rollercoaster.


You know what I mean?  It's like a roller coaster.


-[banging]  -[giggles]


Try it, try it with me.


How tall-- How tall is the Eye?


How tall-- How tall is Big Ben?


[chattering]


All right


Since then, I've been working  as a technology correspondent


for about two years now.  It's been great.


Cool, that's awesome. So you do, like,  TV reports and, like, you're like...


-No, just the website.  -Oh, just the website?


I mean, there's some video stuff,  but tech industry pieces mainly.


Cool, tech. Tech's awesome. Tech's--


So where have you been so far?


Travelling around the map  like Indiana Jones?


-Yeah.  -Where the adventure line


goes zigzagging all over the place.


Yeah, actually, I'm almost done. Uh...


But I started off, flew into Sydney,  went to Thailand.


-Oh, jealous.  -India. Yeah.


Did Rome, went to Rome.


-Did the whole Europe vacation.  -Even I haven't done that.


-Oh, really?  -Mm.


It was awesome.  I went to Pamplona in Spain.


-Is that Where they do the bull runs?  -Ran with the bulls.


-You Ran with the bulls?  -I Ran with the bulls.


-That's how I got this.  -Look at that!


You really are Indiana Jones.


Have you got your whip in your bag  and your hat?


I saved the world from the Nazis.  That was pretty cool.


I, you know, just... trying to do,  you know, shit I've never done before.


Is that what you're doing on this trip?  You're, like, finding yourself?


Yeah, um... in a way. I mean, I--  [stammers]


Really to get away from the family home  is what I'm doing.


Oh.


Yeah, that was-- Whatever, that's boring.


Yeah, well,  I'm afraid Britain's pretty tame


as far as daredevil opportunities go.


Yeah? It's alright, it's the last leg  of the trip anyway so...


I'm... unfortunately home next week.


-Not much time--  -Next week?


-Yeah.  -That's not very long.


-No, it's not.  -Mnh-mnh.


So... I could use some suggestions  on fun shit to do.


-Hmm. Fun shit to do?  -Fun shit to do.


[groans] Ow! Ow!


[laughs] Jesus!


Hello.


-Good morning.  -Good morning.


Oh. Another battle scar.


[laughs] Kind of.


Let me guess, you were, like,


[American accent] totally shark fishing  in Cape Town, dude.


[laughs]  Is that your best American accent?


-Yes.  -That's pretty good. No, um...


It was courtesy of Josh Peters,  high school dick.


He and I got into a fight in shop class.


And he hit me with this,   like, metal rod thing.


-What an arsehole.  -[laughs]


[posh English accent] What an arsehole.


-That's terrible.  -I'm sorry.


-[phone vibrates]  -Is that you or me?


Oh, it's gotta be you.


"Mom." You're so American.


Yes, I am.


Are you not gonna get that?


Okay, that was a little impersonal.


What, you wanna talk to her now?


-You wanna talk to my mum? I'll call back.  -Fair point.


[laughs]


I don't think so.


[clears throat]


You hungry?


Wow, look at all these games.  You're, like, a gamer. Cool.


Of course I am. For my job.


What, a girl never beat you  at Street Fighter?


Is this--  Like, this is, like, your dating manual?


What? The Singularity?


It's when computers learn to outsmart man  like women did years ago.


Oh! Wow!


See, what I was doing, it was like a joke.


-You know?  -really?


-Yeah.  -Well, that's what you call a joke?


Mm-hmm. Yeah, you guys have those.


-You guys have those here, right?  -Yeah, Yeah. We do at the moment.


Ow!


That was a good joke.  That was a good joke.


Enjoy your Marmite.


Whoa! Oh, my... [laughs]


Do you guys seriously eat this shit?


-Okay, alright.  -[phone vibrates]


Alright, saved by mum.


The best way to actually just stop her  from calling is...


I don't know, answer it.


Yeah, it's kind of like a can of worms  I just don't wanna open right now, so...


She's worried. You're her son.  You've been travelling,


and I just think if you speak to her,  then...


Yeah, well, I still live at home  with her back in Syracuse.


-That's cool. That's fine.  -Yeah.


I was taking care of my dad.


Oh, shit. Is he...?


-...okay?  -No, he died.


-Oh, my God. I'm sorry.  -Last year. No, it's okay.


It was coming for a while.  It was early onset Alzheimer's.


Oh, that must have been really...  uh... tough.


Yeah, he was my best friend.


Sometimes he'd just look at me  and wouldn't even know who I was.


Well, my mum, like, I don't even--  I don't know how to talk to her.


You know, I don't have that connection.  I don't even know where to start.


So that's why I left.  That's why I went on this trip.


Just to get away and make,  you know, all the memories that I can...


while I can.


And I know I gotta talk to her  and I gotta just... [laughs]


But not on this.  You know, I just-- I'll deal with it.


I'll deal with it when I get back,  you know. I'll just...


[kisses]


You're a good guy, Cooper.


Call your mum.


[beeping]


[exhales]


[machine beeps]


Zero, zero, one, nine,  three, nine, two, nine.


No, I did not buy a pair of sandals  in Koh Samui last night


because I'm in--


And how long does that take?


Because I need to buy a ticket back  to America.


[groans]


Oh, my God.


Mm-hmm.


[sighs]


Can I just say, this is the most blatant  cover story for a second hook-up ever?


Yes! Yes! Oh, my God.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.


Alright. Don't forget your bag.


The bag, yep, my bag.  Alright. You are a top bird.


I don't know what that means, but I heard  somebody say it once, and you're it.


I got a plan. [laughs]


Yeah. It's odd jobs.


-For who?  -For, like, it's an app.


You can kind of-- like, I've used it  all over when funds were low, so...


-Oh, there's some interesting ones.  -Pretty cool.


-"Thrillseekers wanted."  -Ooh.


-This looks right up your street.  -Okay.


Okay, four pound signs.  That's a biggie. That's good.


It's a little out of town.


And some kind of play test deal  for a company called Saitoo...


Saitogoo...


-SaitoGemu?  -SaitoGemu. Yeah.


They're huge.


-They're really big.  -Really?


-Horror games?  -Uh...


Have you heard of...  Oh, what's one of theirs?


-Harlech Shadow.  -Harlech Shadow? Yes, I have.


I used to play that in my buddy  David Ludwig's basement


when we were, like, seventh grade.


Well, that's Shou Saito. It's his company.


-He's like this genius, super secretive.  -Okay.


And apparently,  they're working on this new project.


Big money involved. Groundbreaking.  But nobody knows anything about it.


Well, maybe if I play my cards right  I can get you an exclusive with Shou.


Hmm? Fo Shou? Yeah?


[laughs]


You should take a photo.


Seriously, if you get a photo  of anything that they're working on,


that's a fuckload more money  than four pound signs.


Cool.


Well, where is this place?


[door opens]


[woman] Mr. Copper.


Oh, hi. Um... Just Cooper.


Mr. Cooper, I apologize.


Just Cooper is fine. [laughs]


Then, in that case, I'm just Katie.


-Hi.  -Hi.


-Follow me.  -Oh, Yeah.


-I'll just get my pack here.  -Rav will take care of that.


Oh, Rav will take care of that.  Okay, great.


That's good.  I don't wanna carry it anyway.


Rav kind of reminds me  of like an end-of-level boss.


You know, haiukon. Just...


-How was your journey?  -Great. Thanks.


-the car pick You up okay?  -Yeah.


[Cooper] Wow.


This way.


Are they... seeing? It's cool. Very cool.


Wow.


[Katie] Come on.


Feel like I'm gonna go meet Dumbledore.  [laughs] Hope I get Gryffindor.


I'm gonna need your phone and anything  else you might use to send and receive.


-A little paranoid, don't you think?  -Can't be too careful.


Okay, there you go.


Wow, you really are paranoid.  Whoa! [laughs]


It's white.


Um...


Okay, so I'm guessing this says, like,  I agree to have my kidneys harvested?


Actually, it's a pretty standard  NDA-disclaimer thing.


Okay.


It's important that you realize there  is a small medical procedure involved.


Sorry, for a game?


Nothing permanent  and we don't harvest your kidneys,


-I promise.  -Okay.


It's no more invasive  than having your ears pierced.


"Confidential information, brain downloads  the game, duration, termination..."


Um... The signature page...


-Where do I sign?  -Oh.


-Signature. Yeah.  -There's a page missing.


-Okay.  -just A moment.


Alright. I'll just wait... here.


[door locks]


What the fuck?


[camera clicks]


[door unlocks]


-All good?  -All good.


What we're working on is an interactive  augmented reality system.


-like VR?  -More like layers on top of reality.


Oh.


-Okay. Um...  -[beeping]


Ow.


[whistles]


Um...


-What's that?  -We call this a mushroom.


-like Mario Brothers?  -If You like.


-You're qualified to do this, right?  -I haven't killed anyone yet.


May I?


Yeah. [laughs]


[drilling sound]


All done.


-That was it?  -See, I told you I'm good.


-No, don't worry, it's not permanent.  -Um...


Okay. What is this, like, some kind of  memory test or something like that?


-You'll find out.  -Oh, okay.


You might feel a slight twinge  as it initializes.


Oh, okay.


Commencing at 5:38.


-You ready?  -Yes, sir!


[beeping]


-Nearly there.  -[loud static crackling]


[phone vibrating]


I thought I turned that off.


-All done. You feel okay?  -Uh-huh.


Feel great.


-Watch the targets.  -Okay.


Um...


[electronic whoosh]


[Cooper laughs]


Is--


-What do you see?  -[laughs]


-[squeaks]  -Like a-- um--


[laughs] Like a video game gopher.


-Is it More detailed now?  -Yeah.


Yep, yeah.


-And now?  -Holy fuck!


Holy shit! He-- Fuck. He's right--


He's right-- He's right-- Can I--


-[electrical crackling]  -Whoo!


He's not real.  He's a sort of mental projection.


-You can see him. I can't.  -You can't?


-Wow! Oh, okay.  -[squeaks]


Give him a whack.


Give him a whack? Oh. Okay, alright.


[squeaks]


-[laughs]  -[squeaks]


Okay! Alright, so just like whack-a-mole.


-Mm-hmm.  -I've played it a million times. Okay.


Alright. [clears throat]


Here we go. Come on up.


Oh! Where you coming up?


[laughs]


No. No.


-No.  -[squeaks]


[banging]


Oh!


[mutters]


-[squeaks]  -Alright. Stay down.


Oh! Okay. [grunting]


Good game. Very good game.  You are so adorable.


-Okay, bye. Bye.  -[squeaks]


-Is that it?  -Afraid so.


Oh.


Now, were the gophers  two-dimensional or three?


Three.  No, no, no. 3D, super 3D. Like-- Yeah.


-Now This Is just A limited test demo.  -that was A demo?


I think you should beta test  the full experience we're working on.


There'd be more money in it, of course.  If you're game?


Yeah, yeah, yeah.  Uh-huh, I'm game. I'm game.


-This is Shou Saito.  -Oh! [laughs]


-You must be our latest volunteer.  -Hi.


-This is really great. Hi.  -[speaking Japanese]


[speaking Japanese] Hi.


I just-- I wanted to say  that the mole game, super fun.


Super fun... fun.


[speaking Japanese]


-Fun?  -Fun.


-Fun Is good.  -Yeah. Oh.


-Playing games Is good.  -Mm.


Your heart goes faster.


-You smile.  -Yeah.


Yeah. Or, um... scream.


Oh! [laughs]


I have always liked  to make the player jump.


Frightened. You get scared, you jump.


-Afterwards, You feel good.  -Yeah.


You glow.


Why?


Oh, um...


Because of the adrenaline rush.


-Yes.  -Yeah.


But mostly because you are still alive.


You have faced your greatest fears  in a safe environment.


It is a release of fear. It liberates you.


Yeah. I mean, totally.


What we are working on now


is the most personal  survival horror game in history.


[laughs] Cool.


One that works out how to scare you  by using your own mind.


Whoa. That-- [laughs] That sounds crazy.


-[beeping]   -Can't wait!


[Katie]  I'm uploading a neural net package.


Neural net packing, neural net. Hmm.


Name could use a little work, I think.  It's all 90s.


I'm just kidding, it's a good name.


It's state of the art  intelligence software.


It learns and adapts on the fly.  It'll monitor your brain activity


and try and work out how best  to frighten you


and then adjust  to your experience accordingly.


-Whoa!


-Are You ready?  -Oh, Yeah.


-Beam me up. here We go, lock And load.  -Eyes closed.


-time Is currently 6:17 p.m.  -Okay.


It's uploading.  Five, four, three, two, one.


[Katie] How are you feeling?


Um...


I feel good. I feel normal.


Okay. Stand up, slowly.


[laughs]


Are you ready to play?


[Cooper]  Isn't this the Harlech Shadow house?


[Katie] It's part of the estate.


The gamekeeper's lodge, actually.  But, yeah, this was the model.


The layout was replicated for the game  and the texture scanned.


-Wow!  -[Katie laughs]


[Cooper] Very, very cool.


[door clangs shut]


[Cooper]  So what's the game, what do I do?


[Katie] You don't have to do anything.


You just stay in here alone,


see how long you last  until you're too scared to continue.


[Cooper] So all I have to do is,  like, stay here?


And I get paid for that?


I'll be back in the control room,  watching.


There are cameras all over,  so no stealing the silverware.


And now there's this.


-And what's this?  -It's an earpiece.


Oh!


Yeah, just pop it in, and you and I  will be in contact the whole time.


Oh, cool.


And I can, like, talk to you,  and you'll hear it? Great, that's great.


Now, nothing you'll see  can physically harm you.


It's all just audio-visual,  like the gopher game.


Oh, okay.


But if it does get too intense,  we can pull you out at any time


-And stop the experiment.  -Okay.


Is there a safe word you can think of?


Something easy to remember in distress?


How about the word "stop"?


-Good choice. "Stop" it is.  -Yeah.


Okay, we'll leave you  to enjoy your evening.


-Alright.  -You'll hear from me in a moment.


Just make yourself at home.


Okay, all right. Well, take her easy.  [laughs]


[door clangs shut]


[door locks]


[clears throat]


[snaps fingers]


Harlech... Shadow.


[chuckles]


[coughs]


[whistles]


Is this real? Yeah, it's real.  That's real. It's really dead.


-[Katie] Cooper.  -Oh, hey.


-Are You hearing me?  -Loud And clear.


Oh!


Reaching for the Dutch courage already,  I see.


[sighs]


-I'm afraid that wine's non-alcoholic.  -Lame.


-Well, We need You with A clear head.  -Okay. Fair point. Fair point.


This is high-quality craftsmanship.  This is nice.


Yeah. It's good woodwork.


-That's this place.  -Full marks for observation.


Mm-hmm! Yep!


[Cooper grunting]


[panting]


Alright, there we go. [sighs]


Ah!


-Oh, shit.  -What's up?


I just forgot I don't have my phone.


I keep going for it,  I forget it's not in my pocket.


And there's, uh... no TV here, so...


Welcome to the 19th century.  No TV, no Internet, no wi-fi.


Yeah. No wonder people were seeing shit.


Probably were just bored out  of their gourds.


Well, that's the leading theory  about ghost sightings.


The mind plays tricks  when less stimulated.


Fewer distractions,  people saw more ghosts.


Isn't that a nice piece of info?


[both chuckle]


Well, they got literature, though.


That's pretty sweet, right?


Oh, my God, I can't remember the actual  last time that I read a book.


To think people used to do this  on purpose.


I know. Crazy. Why? [laughs]


-You know, I don't think I've--  -Shh, alright?


I need to get into some old-school  shit here. Concentrate.


[laughs] Pardon me.


Can I point out your heart rate  just increased?


Yeah. Well, it should have  cos there's a huge crazy spider. [laughs]


You see a spider?


-You don't-- you don't see that?  -No.


Don't-- Don't walk. Don't--


Holy shit!


Tough guy like you, scared of spiders.


Yeah, I'm just not fond of them.


It's worked out you're  an arachnophobe quickly.


It's probing for weak spots.


God damn it.


Fucker!


[crunch]


Yeah! [laughs]


Um...


Okay.


Yeah, well, yeah.


Whole lot more realistic  than the gopher game.


It's good. It's good graphics.


It's good, uh-- Yeah.


Weak sauce.


[electricity crackling]


-What is it?  -Just--


Nothing. Nothing.


Here with the figures. There's a--  No. There's a light on...


now, in the...


Can you... zoom in and--  zoom in on it?


And you can see what I'm talking about.  Whoa!


-Cooper...  -And now there's-- Shh!


There's a guy in the window.  That wasn't... [laughs]


-Yeah.  -[cracking sound]


And now he's gone.  Now nobody's in the window.


-Which is the--  -[creaking]


Mm-hmm. [laughs]


Yeah, there's a--


[footsteps]


Just leaky pipes.


[metallic banging]


I knew it. It was leaky pipes, like--


-Holy fuck! [screams]  -[cage rattles]


[screams]


Fuck!


[laughs] Oh! Oh!


Okay. [laughs]


-That got me. You got me.  -[laughs]


-[laughs]  -What are you seeing?


Like a creepy fucking guy.


Wow, just...


Oh, my God. Oh, my God!


He kinda looks like Josh Peters.


-It's Josh Peters! You're Josh Peters!  -Sorry?


You're Josh Peters from high school!  From a guy I know at high school.


The system could be mining some  of your personal memories for texture.


Was Josh Peters  someone you were scared of?


He was a bully. I wasn't scared.


I wasn't scared of him,  but he was a bully and--


Man! Take a couple of Krav Maga classes  and I'd be ready.


I'd be ready! [grunts]


[grunts]


Kali ma! Dah!


I'm gonna get some wine. Re-up.


I'd offer you some, but I don't think  you can drink it so... [laughs]


Whoo-hoo-hoo!


Catch ya later, Peters.


This non-alcoholic wine is pretty good.


I'm not like a expert or anything,  but it's kinda great.


I was in France.  I stayed at this, like, vineyard,


and they had this wine,  like, grape-stomping festival.


Now that,  that wine was good. I know that.


You're being discursive.


-What Is discursive? discursive?  -Talkative.


-Mm-Hmm.  -Rambling.


[laughs] Is that a problem?


People sometimes talk more  when they're afraid.


Helps compensate for the fear.


-Masks it, too.  -Oh, yeah?


Similar to when you've got the TV on  late at night.


The voices make you feel less alone.


Even though you are alone.


You aren't scaring me, Katie.  [laughs]


Pity.


Is there like a refrigerator here?


-There's some snacks in the cupboard.  -[door creaks]


Alrighty. Eenie meenie, miney...


Mo! Alright.


Okay, ginger snaps.


Let's see.


Yeah, yeah, yeah. This'll do.


Now... um...


He's gonna be right behind this door  when I close it, isn't he? [laughs]


Yeah, that's how this works.


[laughs]


Knew it. Jump scares get pretty old--


[screams]


Fuck!


Oh, God.


-What the hell Is that?  -What do You see?


[shudders]


Holy shit!


A fucking-- Uh...


Hard to explain.


It's like a huge-ass spider with a face  and dicks coming out of his mouth.


It's...


Peters. Peters is inside.


Like a Peters-spider mash-up.


Ah, Katie!  Are you doing this, or is this fucking me?


-I think that's all you.  -[groans] I'm so fucked up!


God! Fuck!


Holy shit, you're fucking gross.


-[Katie's voice distorted]  -Yeah--


Sorry, can you say again?


Katie, hello?


Damn it, Katie!


Whenever you come back online,  just say the word.


No, I'm not scared, just... bored.


[loud knocking]


That you guys?


Coming to fix the earpiece?   That's probably a good idea.


-[loud knocking]  -Yeah. Yeah.


-[groans] Fuck it, man!  -[loud knocking]


Come on!


You're in danger.


Sonja?


[door closes]


Now we're talking.  Alright, this is incredible.


This-- very impressive.  I am thoroughly impressed.


I am-- Wow! Wow!


You look so real.  You're, like, just like her.


I mean, wow.


Except... you're just unfortunately not...  um...


-Cooper, What Are You doing?  -Wait, wait. Hold on, Hold on.


-Cooper, you're in danger.  -Shh! Quiet. Quiet! I need to think.


You're fucking real.  You are real. You're real.


-Cooper, you're in--  -You're Sonja. You're actually here.


-Are you actually here right now?  -I'm real. I'm actually here.


-God.  -And We have to go.


-You have to listen to me.  -How Are You here?


You know that photo that you sent me?


I dug around and apparently  Shou Saito took out a patent


for a computer brain interface last year.


How are you real? I don't--


Okay, fuck. I don't--


They brought you here! [laughs]


You are, you're real,  and they brought you here,


and they're trying to fuck with me.  Nice try, good try.


I get it. It's part of the test.


His patent got rejected outright.  They said it was insane, it was dangerous.


Wow. Really? How much are they paying you?  Honestly. Cos you're killing it right now.


-have they given You something?  -Sorry, I thought You were fake.


But now I know you're real,  I'm being a really terrible host.


I got some non-alcoholic wine.  Might put us in the mood.


-Cooper, what I want to do is--  -We'll talk about it in the kitchen.


-Cooper!  -Sonja, relax, okay?


Give it up.  I know, the jig's up, okay? Let it go.


Look, Cooper, there's more.


Five people have disappeared  in the past year.


All tourists, all registered  with that stupid odd jobs app.


Oh, yeah? Wow. God, that's crazy.


Whatever they're doing to you,  whatever they've done to you,


it's dangerous,  and we really have to go now, Cooper.


[laughs] Okay, okay. Alright.


-Well, if your story's true...  -Cooper.


-then how'd you find me?  -What?


How'd you know where I am?


It's a games company,  I looked up the address.


Yeah, really?


No, no, no, no.  How'd you find me here? This place.


-I tracked you.  -You tracked me?


Yeah, with your GPS on your phone.  Find My Friends.


Find My Friends? That would've worked,  but they took my phone.


And it's in a building, like, a mile away.  So, yeah, nice try.


That's right. [laughs]


So much for women outsmarting men.  Singularity that!


Look, all I'm saying is that


I think that you could've come up  with a better story,


it could have been funny or...


Okay, alright, don't be pissed.


Do you ever wonder  how your bank account got hacked?


What are you doing?


-I cloned your card as You were asleep.  -Whoa. Okay.


Put the knife down.  What are you going to do with that?


I drew your attention to this job.


Sonja, put the fucking knife down, okay?  It's not funny.


Should've called your mum, Cooper.


-But You called me, And I led You here...  -Sonja.


-You know what?   -...like a breadcrumb trail.


Put the knife down. Drop the act.  Okay, seriously, drop the knife, Sonja.


-It's not fucking funny. Put the knife--  -[knife clanks]


This isn't what I signed up for.  I'm fucking done, okay?


-Fuck!  -[screams]


[screams]


What the fuck? [screams]


[groans]


[Sonja screams]


Oh, fuck! Oh!


[gasps]


Holy fuck!


[both grunt]


Stop!


[wails]


[groaning]


-[Sonja yells]  -[screams hysterically] Fuck!


[both scream]


-[ripping sound]  -[screams]


[screams hysterically]


[roars]


-[screams]  -[roars]


[screams]


[stabbing sound]


Oh, fuck! [cries] Oh, fuck! [screams]


[cries]


[gasping]


[whimpers]


-[Katie] Cooper.  -[screams] Katie!


-Katie!  -Cooper.


-Katie!   -Cooper, what's happening?


What the fuck happened?


What's happening? We've been talking.  You've not been responding.


-You said I wouldn't feel anything!  -What are you seeing? What's there?


-Fuck! She's gone now.  -Who's gone?


Oh, my God, I-I felt it.


There's a knife in my arm!


-In my shoulder.  -Cooper, who was there?


-Fuck... Sonja.  -who?


Sonja. She's this girl that I know,  that fucking-- She stabbed me.


-She had A fucking knife.  -Nothing can harm You, Cooper.


-No, no, no, no. She was solid.  -No, she can't have been.


She-- I was stabbed! I would know!


Nothing you see can harm  or even touch you.


It's purely audio-visual.


-There's no physical sensation.  -Fuck! Yes, there was!


-Cooper, You need to calm down.  -I know because I felt it, okay?


I felt her arm, it was warm,


and I felt her fucking stab me  in the shoulder.


-That's not possible.  -[sighs] Oh, my God.


-It's not possible, Cooper.  -Yeah, it is! Yeah, it is!


Physical sensations shouldn't be possible.


-Unless, I mean...  -Oh, God. Unless what?


I don't know. The neuron net,   it could have maybe worked out


some means  of replicating physical experiences,


-But that would be unprecedented.  -Jesus Christ.


Okay, you know what? Stop the game.


I want out. Just pull me out now.


Stop, stop, stop.  Safe word. Fucking stop!


-Okay, Okay, just let us work it out.  -Oh, God.


No, I want this fucking thing out now.


Cooper,  do not attempt to remove that yourself.


Removing it yourself  is extremely dangerous.


-[screams]  -Stop that, that could kill you!


Just stay calm!


-[Shou speaks Japanese]  -Is that Shou?


Is that Shou? What's he saying?  What's he saying?


Okay, Cooper.  We're gonna commence with deactivation.


Oh, that's great news.


We need you to follow instructions  and make it to the access point.


The access point? Great.  Where the fuck's the access point?


-Oh, fuck! More stairs? Come on!  -Just one more level.


-Trust me.  -[sighs] Okay.


-[groans]  -Left at the top.


-Okay, Which door?  -Room at the end.


[panting]


What is it?


There's gonna be something behind there.  I can feel it.


-Something like...  -like what?


Some personal fucked-up shit.


Like... I don't know, I could feel it  digging around in my head.


Cooper, get to the door.


It's gonna be like my mum,  I don't know, dead.


-your mum?  -fucking swinging from A fucking beam.


-Your mother is not in there.  -You're not in control of this!


It's in my head.  It fucking knows. It knows.


-It knows!  -It knows what?


It knows I got this thing with my mum.


Cooper, I promise you, she's not in there.


-Now open the door.  -Oh, my God.


It's the only way I can get you out.  Listen to me.


Okay, Okay. Fuck. Okay.


Whatever's in there cannot harm you.


But I can't get you out  unless you open that door, Cooper.


Okay.


Would you kindly open the door?


Here we go. Here we go.


[breathes heavily]


[sighs] Okay.


Okay, okay, I'm in the room.  Where's the access point?


Access point?


-there Is No access point.  -what?


[Katie laughs]


I'm fucking with you, Cooper.


I told you to come up here  to see if we've broken you enough


to obey instructions without question.


-And We have.  -Oh, No, No, No.


Katie, come on.  Katie, come on, let me out!


Katie, let me out, come on!  What the fuck!


Oh, what are you gonna do?  Oh, what are you doing to me?


-Why are you doing this?  -You thought you'd see your mother.


-Oh, fuck!  -What does she look like?


[stammering]


Your mother, can you describe her face?


Her hair colour?


She--


Is she tall, short, fat, thin?


-Where did you grow up?  -She--


What's your favourite band?  Your favourite flavour ice cream?


The name of the girl who stabbed you?


You don't know any of these things,  do you?


Don't you think that's odd?


It's fucking taking my memories!


Overwriting them, technically.


[gasps] Fuck.


Look in the mirror behind you.


Do you recognize yourself?


Do you even know who you're looking at?


Soon you won't be anything.  You'll be just like your dad.


Shut up, shut up, shut up.


-That's what really scares you, isn't it?  -Stop it.


-Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!  -You're going the same place he did.


Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!


-You're going nowhere.  -Shut up! Shut up.


[voice echoes] You should have called mum.  She's all that's left.


-You abandoned her.  -No, no, no, no!


Get out of my head!


You'll never see her again.  You'll never speak to her again.


-Never see her face.  -Get out of my fucking head!


Get out of my fucking head!  Get out of my fucking head!


You're a bad son.  You'll never see your mother again.


-You're going nowhere.  -[wails]


Straight into oblivion.


You deserve it.  You should have called her.


Get out of my fucking head!


[screams]


Get it out of my head!  Get it out of my head!


Get it out of my fucking head!


Cooper, I'm gonna shut it off, okay?  I just need to connect.


Get it out of my head!


[screams] Get it out of my head!  Get it out of my head!


Oh, my God. [wails] Where am I?


[speaking Japanese]


[Katie speaking Japanese]


-Who are you?  -[Katie speaking Japanese]


-[Cooper sobs]  -I can't stop it.


[sobs]


I don't know who I am.  So I-- So I need to go home.


The interface has data tendrils  like roots.


They've dug in deeper  than they're meant to.


Threaded through your brain,  taken over whole areas, I can't stop it.


I can't remove it, and I can't stop it.


[whispers]  But I-- But I don't know who I am.


I don't know-- I don't know who I am.


I don't know who I am.


I don't know.


On behalf of Saito Game Team,  I most humbly apologize.


[weak voice] Who are you?  What have you done to me?


-What have You done to me?  -Put him with the others, please.


[wails] No, no, no, no! No, no, no!


Stop, stop, stop, stop!  Stop, stop, stop!


Stop, stop, stop, stop!  No, don't, don't!


[screaming] Don't! Don't!


Stop! Stop!


[high-pitched whistle]


No!


Oh, fuck. [gasps]


That was one second.


Either he's super susceptible to this  or the software is way too powerful still.


It's jumped from zero to 18K  in five milliseconds...


[Shou] I'm sorry. The experience was  more powerful than intended, Mr. Cooper.


I hope you can forgive us.


[man] ...all luggage under the seat  in front of you.


All electronic devices  should now be turned off and stowed


as they may interfere with the aircraft's  navigational and communication....


[laughs]


[door opens]


Mum?


[sighs]


[woman sobbing]


[sobs]


I have to call him.


Why did Cooper go?


-I--  -Mom, I'm right here. I'm--


-I'm right here, Mum.  -I have to call Cooper.


I have to call  and make sure that he's safe.


I have to call him. I have to call him.  I have to call him.


[dialing]


-[screams] Mum!  -[phone vibrates]


Mum! Mum! Mum! Mum!


-[high-pitched beeping]  -[groans]


[gasps]


[phone vibrating]


[both speaking Japanese]


-What happened?  -His phone rang.


-You didn't take it off him?  -Yes, but...


-the signals interfere.  -I know I switched it off.


Maybe he did something  while I was out of the room.


An oversight. Won't happen again.


The incoming signal must have interfered  with the upload sequence.


[sighs]


Every synapse in his brain lit up at once.


Then went dead. Like that.


You said he shouted something.  What was it?


"Mum."


-Make A note of that.  -Yes.


Oh, mama liked the roses


She'd grow 'em in the yard


But winter always came around


And made the growing way too hard


And when she had the time


She'd decorate the living room


For all us kids to see


When I hear the Sunday bells


Ringing in the morning


I remember crying


[glass cracks]


[phone chimes]


["send" alert plays]


[clattering]


Kenny?  Big spillage on table four. Sorry.


[woman] Okay. All right.


Excuse me.


Someone forgot this.


[woman] Oh, thank you!


-What do you say?  -Thank you.


-It's all right.  -She forgets everything. Thanks again.


She was some yoga teacher, proper bendy.   Look. Look.


Jesus! Fuck!  What, she sent that to you, did she?


[man] Double naughty.


Jog on.


[dog barking]


[muffled pop music playing]


[groans] Linds!


Linds, where's my laptop?


[pop music playing]


-Don't be a bell end!  -Use your own.


-Mine's bust. Yours has gone all frozen.  -What did you do?


-I was trying to put on this film thing.  -What film thing?


Don't know. Some programme  lets you watch free films.


While I was trying to put it on,  then it locked up.


-Look, it's not my fault.  -Don't take it again. It's not yours.


-Oh, fix mine when you've done that.  -"Fix mine when you've done that."


-Stop nicking my Cokes!  -[Linds] Whatever.


Did you draw that yourself, Kenny?


[camera shutter clicks]


Thanks, Kenny. See you tomorrow.


Bye.


-[mimics] Bye, Kenny.  -Bye, Kenny, I'll see you tomorrow.


[muffled rock music playing]


You're mental.


-You're mental.  -You're a thief.


Love? Kenny? What do you think?


-I'm still not used to the colour.  -[Kenny] It's nice.


Yeah?


Do me a favour  and prison-guard your sister, will you?


I won't be late. Probably.


-[both laugh]  -[phone chimes]


Oh, my God! He's outside.  There's a lasagna thing in the freezer.


I love you.


[door opens, closes]


[hip hop music playing]


So many ladies  and the music playing loud


Just one girl,  she'll stand out from the crowd


You saying...  [vocalizing]


Just one


Just one girl, she makes me go wow


[vocalizing]


Just one girl,  she makes me go ciao


[lock clicks]


[taps keyboard]


[sniffs]


[beeps]


[panicked breathing]


[whimpers]


[breathes heavily]


[phone chimes]


-[radio plays softly]  -Have you seen my keys?


You okay, Ken? Love?


Yeah, fine.


-[keys jangle]  -Ha!


[door closes]


-Morning, Kenny.  -Hi.


-Kenny?  -Feeling really sick.


-You've only just got here.  -I know but think I might throw up.


Okay, just next time can you-- ?


-[brakes screech]  -Whoa! Easy, knobber.


[tyres screech]


[panting]


-[tyres screech]  -[gasps]


[engine stops]


Come on.


-It's fragile.  -What is it?


[camera shutter clicks]


They told me to do that.


["send" alert plays]


Is that it? What do I do now?


[alert sounds]


I can't really help you.


What do I have to do?


Just whatever they say  and once you've done that, you're out.


They let you off.


[phone chimes]


-[panting]  -[distant siren wailing]


[woman chattering]


[muffled coughing]


[man] Hello?


Del-- Delivery.


[man] Wrong room.


They said 121.


[man] No, there's no delivery here.


-But they said--  -[man] I haven't ordered anything.


It's a cake.


-[man] What cake?  -I don't know. I think it's a sponge.


[man] I didn't order a cake  so just take it back to the bakery


-and tell them they got it wrong.  -Look, if I--


[man] I don't want the cake.  So go away or I call the front desk.


[man] I will kick that cake  up your fucking arse.


M-Mindy sent me.


-What is this? Where's Mindy?  -I was just told to give this to you.


-Mindy told you?  -No.


-You said "Mindy."  -That's what they told me to say.


[door closes]


[man] Get inside.


So what are you saying?  Are you saying Mindy ordered the cake?


No, uh, I don't know.  It-- they-- it was them.


Them? They? Who the fuck are you on about?


-The people.  -What fucking people?


The phone people.  The people on the phone.


They told me to bring the cake,  and they're leaving texts on my phone,


-and then I do What they say.  -Whoa, whoa. Slow down.


Just breathe through your nose.


-[breathes deeply]  -Through your nose. Okay?


Good. Now, just show me what they said.  On your phone.


-Show me The text.  -Okay, well, um... This.


-I should--  -Shut up. Just let me.


What the fuck is this?


-Who are these people?  -I don't know.


-Who are you?  -I'm not them.


They send me messages,  and I do what they say.


Why? Why would you do that?


[alert plays]


[alert sounding]


Is it them?


[man retching]


[breathes heavily]


[toilet flushes]


[camera shutter clicks]


-They said I had to do that.  -Jesus Christ!


[alert sounds]


Okay, okay.


They're saying they just need us  to follow their instructions,


and everything will be okay. Okay?


Shit!


They're saying we have to do it  together.


-What do we have to do?  -Just take The cake somewhere.


They sent me an address.  A map coordinate thing.


-And there's a car we need to get.  -A car? What sort of car?


I don't know what sort of car.  They said it's in the car park outside.


They sent me a licence plate.  That's all I know.


Why both of us?


I don't know!


Just let me deal  with my fucking shoe, please.


[phone chimes]


[man] What have they said?


They say, "Go with him. Take the package."


Okay.


"V760 DHM."


V760 DHM.


I'm getting fucking number blindness here.


That's it.


All right. They said  the keys are on the back. Okay.


[exhales]


Look, maybe you better drive.  Do you drive?


-I mean, I had a drink back there.  -I can't. I can-- I can drive.


I'm still learning.  Haven't passed my test yet.


All right. Uh... You're navigating.


Okay, you've got a sat nav  on your phone?


Yep.


Here it is. Punch that in.


It's a street somewhere out of town.  Sort of High Wycombe-ish.


They said we got to be there by two.  It's gonna be tight.


[starts engine]


So I'm guessing they got some shit on you  that they're threatening to put out?


With me, it's...


You saw the room, fucking lacy knickers.


I was waiting for a prostitute.


Escort, hooker,  whatever they call them now.


I got a family, which is great.


You get bored.


I mean, when I was young,  I used to like...


I can't fucking justify it.  I just wanted to fuck a 20-something.


For old times' sake, I don't know.


I joined this website. I was curious.  Just wanted to see what was on there.


I got talking to Mindy,  who I thought was Mindy.


I mean, she sent me pictures.  I sent some back.


Phone photos. Grabbing my cock.


You name it.  They got the whole fucking thing.


But not just pictures, chat messages.  All the arrangements, where and when.


Me haggling over the price  and they say they got it all.


Sucked up the whole hard drive  like an audit.


Fucking twat. What a fucking idiot!


If that shit gets out,  that's my wife out the door.


Then there's the kids, she'll take them.


Oh, no, not a doubt in my mind  she'd take them and she'd win.


Custody, she'd win.


And I'm not losing my kids.  I tell you that right now.


No way! Absolutely fucking no!


[sobs]


They filmed me.


-Filmed you...  -Through my computer camera.


-What, like, Filmed you?  -Yeah, like, you know, doing it.


-like sex?  -No. like, you... you know.


Jerking off.  Jerking off to porn or something?


Well, everyone does that.


-The fucking pope probably does that.  -They're gonna put it everywhere.


Like they're gonna send it to everyone.


-Oh, shit the fuck!  -What? What?


-How long's that light been on?  -What light?


Whoever's car this is,  they left it fucking empty.


I won't be a minute.


Unleaded. Unleaded.


Oh, bugger!


Listen, you pay, yeah? It'll save time.


Have you got any money?


Okay, Visa card PIN number 3109.  Say that back to me.


-Visa card--  -Just the number!


-Uh... 3109.  -Okay, go!


[man] Pump four!


[chattering]


-What's your pump number?  -Four.


-you want some chocolate?  -No.


-It's two for one this week.  -I'm okay.


Pop your PIN in.


[machine beeps]


[beeps]


-[woman] If you're sure you don't mind?  -[man] No, no, of course not.


-I'll get on to that. Make some calls.  -Brilliant! It's next Wednesday.


-Okay.  -Keep It non-dairy Just to be safe.


Okay.


This is, uh...


my nephew.


Nice to meet you.


-Kenny.  -Kenny. I'm Karen.


We're both Ks. [laughs]


I'm head of the PTA at Theo  and Cassie's school, for my sins.


Just roped poor Hector into sorting out  the catering for the quiz night.


Been the usual balls up.


Listen, we better get this guy  to the station.


His train's... So we better go.


-Cansroad Station?  -Yeah.


Oh, couldn't drop me  at the end of my road, could you?


It's on the way. Mayer Street?


It's the bus otherwise and that goes  all the way around the common.


-We're in a bit of a rush, actually.  -Well, it's no detour. It's en route.


I'll hop out.  Hardly need to slow down. Yeah?


-Yep. Sure. Let's go.  -Brilliant. Thanks!


I'll just get in the back.


Oh, don't want to squash your box.


-What's that? Present?  -It's a cake.


-It's just a-- it's a cake for Penny.  -Oh, lucky her.


So how is Penny?


Haven't seen her since...  must have been sports day.


She's good.


-She still planning to get back to work?  -Yeah. Yep.


[phone chimes]


-[Karen] I mean, how old's Theo now?  -Uh... He's seven.


He was so funny in the play.  That big top hat on.


Yeah, he had a good time.


[Karen gasps]  Oh, Anna's having a sleepover.


Cassie's probably already told you  about it.


Six nine-year-olds in the house.  I must be mad! [laughs]


So, Kenny, where you heading back to?


-Sorry. What?  -are you going home or...?


-Uh...  -Train. Birmingham.


Yeah. Uh...


-Yeah, I-I live in Birmingham.  -Oh, my husband's from Birmingham.


-What part are you?  -South.


[Karen] South.


-Mainly.  -Right.


[chiming]


Have you always lived there?  'Cos you don't sound--


I don't have the accent, no.  Everyone says that--


that... I don't have the accent.


-[phone chimes]  -[horn alert plays]


Didn't grow up there though.  I grew up somewhere else.


-[phone chimes]  -Like London. I grew up in London.


[Karen] Okay.


And is your mum and dad  on Hector's side or Penny's?


[revs engine]


[tyres screeching]


Someone crossing! Crossing!


[tyres screech]


Sorry about that! Can't miss his train.


-[tyres screeching]  -[horn honking]


-This is me.  -[tyres screech]


[Karen sighs, mutters]


Great to meet you, Kenny.   Give my best to Penny, won't you?


-Yes, of course.  -Bye, then.


-Bye, Karen.  -Bye.


[horn blares]


We're gonna make it, okay?


It's this junction.


-What? this one?  -Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.


[stops engine]


You sure this is it?


-[horn alert plays]  -[phone pings]


"Look in the cake."


Let's look in the cake.


Look in the cake.


In the cake, I suppose.


I got something.


What the fuck?


[Kenny] Oh, my God.


[phone chimes]


"Five minutes to decide."


-Decide what?  -[horn alert plays]


-"Who is driver?"  -"Who is robber?"


Oh, no. No.


-W-w-we can't. We...  -I'm driver.


You said you can't drive. I'm driver.


I'll be right here   with the engine running.


We-- We can't. We--


Then how else are we gonna deal  with this, Kenny?


-I'm not--  -Listen to me.


-I'm not--  -Shut up and listen!


Hat and sunglasses.  No one's going to ID you.


You could be Kevin fucking Bacon.  That's point one.


Shut up! Point two,  in a robbery, staff are trained.


I am not--


They are trained to hand over the cash.


No argument. I saw it in a documentary.  No resistance. It looked easy.


It's not easy.


I know it isn't easy, but what the fuck  else are we gonna do? Hey?


This gets out, I will lose my kids.


And I swear to God,  I will stand in the kitchen


and put a fucking bread knife  through my throat if that happens.


-I only looked at pictures and--  -and beat one off on camera?


That's what they got, yeah?


Your hot little face, blurred fist,  dick burping fucking spunk everywhere?


Your mum's gonna love that on Facebook,  Twitter, Insta-fucking-whatever.


And her friends.  All eyes on you, giving it that.


Toss in the cunts at work,  calling you Spurty McGoo.


Laughing at your come face,  making it their desktop wallpaper.


It's not just weeks.  We're talking years here.


Pictures hang about on Google  like a gypsy fucking curse.


There's no cure for the Internet.  It would never go away.


It'd be glued to your name,  a fucking stain on you.


I'd hang myself if that was me.


Crack my fucking neck  at the first opportunity.


They just want the money,  so go in there and do it.


-You'll drive away.  -I am not gonna drive away.


I'm gonna be sat here  with the engine running.


I can't. I can't.


-You can. You can.  -I can't. I can't. I can't. I can't.


-You can.   -[cries] I can't.


We don't have much time, Kenny.


-It's not real. This is not real.  -You can do this.


[wails]


Keep it together.  Please hold it together.


-Shut up, shut up, shut up! Shut up!  -Okay.


Have you got a bag?


Glasses. Breathe through your nose.


[gasping]


[gasps]


Give me money.


Just give me money!


-Yes. Okay.  -Lots of it. I need Lots of it.


Sh-should I use your bag?


Take it.


[stammers] I'm going to pass this back  to you now. Is that okay?


There was some bloke standing there  on his phone freaking me out.


-Did you get it?  -Yeah.


Go faster. [bangs dashboard]


Speed limit's 40.  Wanna get stopped for speeding now?


-Oh, shit.  -Fuck!


[siren wailing]


That's a siren.


Shh! Shush.


-Let's go!  -Shut up.


Wait, wait.


Come on.


Okay.


We're okay.


We should text them, no?  Tell them we got the money.


[ "send" alert sounds]


["incoming" alert sounds]


-they say we got to take It somewhere.  -Where?


This is it.


[Kenny] Yeah.


[horn alert sounds]


Here we go.


"Final instruction."


"Take car away and destroy."


-Destroy the car.  -[alert sounds]


"Just you alone."


-Why just you?  -[phone chimes]


I got to take the money  somewhere over there.


Why? Why have I got to do it?


-Fuck knows.  -[alert sounds]


So...


You better go, yeah?


Hey, you got this far, haven't you?


Just drop it off. That's it.


You'll be all right.


Hey, listen, Kenny. Look.  I'm sorry about-- just back there.


Shouting at you. Calling you stuff.


I'm an all right bloke really.  I swear I am, when it's--


When stuff's normal.


You take care, yeah?


[engine starts]


Yeah, yeah. Hang on, hang on.


They told me I had  to set this thing off first.


[whirring]


Okay.


You got the prize money?


-Prize money?  -you know, for the... fight?


How is there a fight?


-They didn't tell you?  -No.


We've got to fight...


...or else they post everything  they've got on us.


Winner takes the money.


We've got to do it.


-I mean...  -[whirring]


They're watching.


What sort of fight?  How do we know when it's over?


How... How do we know who's won?


I don't know about you,  but my life's over if this gets out.


[blubbering]


Fucking over.


What they get you for?


I just looked at some photos.


That's all.  I just looked at one or two photos.


-Yeah.  -[sniffles]


Yeah, yeah,  I just looked at pictures too.


How young were they? In the pictures?


-[panting]  -How young?


Yeah.


Well, me too.


[phones chime]


Look, mate. Don't. Please.


Please.


[cries] Please.


[gun clicks]


[breathes heavily]


-[wails]  -[gun clicks]


[Kenny whimpers]


[grunting]


-[punches landing]  -[grunting continuing]


Wake from your sleep


The drying of


Your tears


Today we escape


We escape


Pack and get dressed


Before...


[horn alert plays]


- Before   -[alert plays]


All hell


Breaks loose


Breathe...


Mindy?


Keep breathing


Don't lose


Your nerve


- Breathe   -[phone pings]


I can't do this


Alone


Sing...


Is that what you've become?


-A dirty, sick, disgusting pervert?  -Hey, relax!


Look at me! Is that what you are?


A song to keep us warm


[phone rings]


There's such a chill


Such a chill


[mother] What did you do, Kenny?  They're saying it's kids!


That you've been looking at kids!


And Lindsey saw it.   There's a video of you.


All of her friends have got it!


Kids, Kenny! Tell me that's not true!


[phone chimes]


We hope


Your rules


And wisdom


Choke you


Now we are one


In everlasting...


Peace


We hope that you choke


That you choke


[glass cracks]


[chatter and whooping]


["Heaven is a Place on Earth" playing]


[DJ] Belinda Carlisle there with one  of the biggest hits of 1987 so far.


Gotta love that track!  Coming up next in just a moment...


[woman] Could you please stop it?  I just wanna have some fun, okay?


[man] Kelly, come on.


-Kelly.  -I'm still walking, Wes.


We've only got a couple of hours  so let's, uh... let's use it.


I am using it.


["C'est La Vie"  by Robbie Nevil playing]


[chatter and laughter]


[shouting]


Got a job, that's okay


But they've got me workin'  night and day


Punching in, punching out


Is this really what it's all about?


What you gonna do,  what you gonna feel?


I don't know


What you gonna feel,  what you gonna do?


Won't someone tell me?


What you gonna say,  what you gonna do?


There's only one thing left to say


C'est la vie, c'est la vie


That's just the way it goes


That's right


[machines bleep]


[coin drops]


[machine bleeps]


Hey.


You're good at this.


It's, uh... got different endings.


Depending on if you're in one  or two player.


[woman] Uh-huh?


-It was kinda the first game to do that.  -[bangs machine] Damn it!


Do you wanna play Top Speed?


-[crash]  -Oh, no.


Thank you.  I just wanna get my bearings a bit.


Uh...  okay.


-See you around?  -Mm-hmm.


[music and chatter]


Go along with whatever I say.


-Sorry?  -Whatever I say, go along with it.


Okay, Wes, you're just pestering now.


-Do I have to red light you?  -Two hours 35.


-There's not much time left.  -Wes.


[Wes] Look...


-Last week, we had the most amazing--  -Last week was Last week.


I need to talk with my friend here, okay?  Haven't seen her in a while.


Wes, she's sick.


Like "six months to live" sick.


Five, actually.


I need to catch up with her.  Private time.


Okay.


-Hey, I'm sorry.  -That's okay.


See you around?


Sure.


Sorry for killing you.


The whole "six months to live" thing?


Sorry. Five.


-Five was a nice touch.  -[laughs]


-Kelly.  -Yorkie.


-Yurgie?  -Yorkie.


Like the dog breed?


Yeah.


He's not a bad guy. I feel kinda bad.


-Met him at the Quagmire so...  -What's the Quagmire?


If you don't already know  what the Quagmire is,


you probably don't wanna know.


No?


You want another one?


-Oh, no, I--  -Yeah, you do. Come on.


Do I have to tug your leash?


-Hey, Blondie.  -I'm Blondie?


You are. Jack and Coke times two.


-Oh, no. Mine was just a Coke.  -Times two.


-What are you doing?  -I'm... regarding you.


[laughs] I feel like I'm being analysed.


-Why the glasses?  -Um...


I like them. They totally work on you.  But do you need them?


-Yeah, the lenses don't do anything.  -Knew it!


I used to wear them in school.


So I guess now  they're just kind of a... comfort thing.


I figured they were   kind of a fashion statement.


-Really?  -But then the rest of your outfit is not.


Don't take that wrong.  It's refreshing. I mean, look around.


People try so hard to look  how they think they should look.


They probably saw it in some movie.


But I like these.


You're authentically you.


Thanks.


Cheers.


-[clears throat]  -You never tasted it before?


No, I...


I just haven't had it in a while.  It's good.


Do you live here?


-no. Oh, uh--  -Tourist?


We'll go with tourist.  So you're new here?


-First night.  -First night? Wow, okay!


["Fake" by Alexander O'Neal playing]


Oh, my God! [laughs]


We have to dance to this.


-with each other?  -uh-huh.


-Oh, no. Dance floors aren't my thing.  -Oh, let's not limit ourselves.


-No, I can't.  -Yes, you can, come on.


-No, I'll look dumb--  -Just follow my lead!


Your name was Patty, but now it's Kay


Girl, you seem to change it every day


Copy me.


But now it's short, you say


I got it cut,  but I don't see no hair upon the floor


You got it.


Whenever I go out with you


I find out something new


You're a fake, baby


You can't conceal it


Know how I know 'cause I can feel it


You're a fake, baby...


[music fades]


[music resumes]


[man shouts]


Hey!


-Why did you run away?  -Oh, sorry.


I... I said I'm not much of a dancer.


No shit.


Like a frightened horse  on a frozen lake back there.


I'm kidding. Half kidding.


Sorry I pushed you into it.


Saturday nights once a week.  It's like no time. I get impatient.


No, no, it's not that. It's...


-Everyone was looking.  -Looking?


Yeah. You know, two girls dancing.


Okay, one, folks are way less uptight  than they used to be.


And two, this is a party town.  No one's judging.


Face it. If they were staring,  it's because I am bodacious.


[laughs]


-You're stupid.  -Thank you!


-I've never been on a dance floor.  -Never?


As in the whole time  you've been alive never?


-Never.  -[laughs]


What are you, like, Amish?


That's one sheltered existence  you got there.


Yeah, well.


As far as my family's concerned,  I can't do anything.


Well, no one knows  about even half the shit I get up to.


With your folks, though,  it's from a place of love, though, right?


-They worry.  -They don't worry.


Just the concept of me enjoying myself  would blow their minds.


What would you like to do?  That you've never done?


Oh...


So many things.


San Junipero is a party town.


All up for grabs.


Midnight's two hours away.


Oh, that's not long.


Why waste time sitting here?


I, um...


-Listen...  -It's okay.


-No, I mean...  -Really, it's okay.


No, I'm, uh...  I'm engaged. I have a fianc.


-He's called Greg.  -And is Greg here?


-No, he's--  -Elsewhere?


Yeah.


Oh.


Wanna go to bed with me?


We could be back at mine in like...  [snaps fingers]


I never did anything like that.


All the more reason.


Oh, you're nice.


-I can't.  -Okay.


-I just... I can't.  -I get it.


-I have to go.  -In this?


It's been really great to meet you.


Likewise.


Okay.


Shit.


["Girlfriend In A Coma"  by The Smiths plays]


Girlfriend in a coma,  I know, I know, it's--


[music stops]


["Don't You Forget About Me"  by Simple Minds plays]


I'll be alone--


["Heart And Soul" by T'Pau plays]


The shadow of a lover  goes dancing by--


["Addicted To Love"  by Robert Palmer plays]


You're addicted to love


Might as well face it  you're addicted to love


Might as well--


["Wishing Well"  by Terence Trent D'Arby playing]


Wish me love a wishing well  to kiss and tell


A wishing well of butterfly tear


A wishing well of crocodile cheers,  sing


[engages handbrake]


-What the hell, Wes?  -Look, I know I'm coming across--


-I'm red lighting you, for real. Okay?  -No, don't do that. Just...


-then stop this.  -can you hear me out? Please? Please.


How many girls do you think there are  in San Junipero?


Hundreds? Thousands?


I don't care.


I'm saying there's plenty  of other girls out there for you, Wes.


The locals? They're like dead people.


-[whooping]  -A little lively for dead people.


Look, I don't want some kind  of boring romance, okay?


Like, Jesus,  put us in a retirement home deal.


Well, if you're looking for someone  to fuck, there's options.


-Hang out at the Quagmire again.  -It's not just sex.


-It was just sex.  -no, we made a connection.


Wes, it was just sex.


-no--  -no roots.


We had fun.


I'm sorry.


Enjoy the town, for God's sake.


["Living In A Box"  by Living In A Box playing]


-Hey.  -Hey.


Waiting for someone?


Not really.


I'll get you a drink?


[Kelly] Uh, yeah, sure.


So, uh... yeah,  it was microsurgery, I guess.


You know, both my kneecaps  had kind of just worn down.


You know, I never got this song.  Kind of weird.


-Shall we dance?  -Sure.


["Need You Tonight" by INXS playing]


All we've got is this moment


The 21st century's yesterday


[music fades]


[chattering]


[man] I mean, I guess by the time  I'd put my mind to, like, computing.


You know, caught that first wave,  would have had a different story.


Gotta use the bathroom.


[man] Okay.


[door closes]


-I don't know how to do this.  -Do what?


Just help me.


Can you just...


Just make this easy for me?


You wanna get in my car?


[engine revs]


-How long have you been here?  -Sorry?


-How long have you been here?  -In San Junipero?


Uh... Couple of months.  Plan is long enough to enjoy myself.


Guess I'm a tourist, like you.


Yeah.


Hey. You okay?


-[horn honking]  -[screams] Stop!


[tyres screech]


[thuds]


[both pant]


Sorry, but...


[laughs] Man, your face!


[laughing]


Wow.


-You like it?  -It's just so big.


Reminds me of where I grew up.


Miss your mom?


[moaning]


[gasps] You have to show me.


-Okay.  -Okay.


You never slept with a woman before?


That's not a critique.  I mean, it was fucking awesome.


No, never with a woman.


Never with anyone.


Not anyone?


-What, In town or...?  -no. no one, nowhere.


-I guess you deflowered me.  -I deflowered you?


What is this? Merry England?


[laughs] Shut up.


You've had relationships though.


Mnh-mnh.


Hello! You got a fianc.


-It's complicated.  -Yeah, I'll say.


When did you know...


-that you liked women?  -I like men too.


Equal rights.


Okay.


But when did you know?


Do you always know?


I was married to a guy.  A long time, I was married.


I always knew.


I mean, I'd be attracted to other girls,


co-workers, friends,  some waitress that served me.


They were crushes.  God, they were crushes.


Never acted on any of it.


Never did anything.


I was in love with him.


I really was in love with him.


But he chose not to stick around.


So now it's me.  And I'm passing through.


And before I leave,  I'll have a good time.


I'm just gonna have a good time.


Time's nearly up.


Then let's lie here.


-[shouting]  -[laughing]


["Heart And Soul" by T'Pau playing]


["Lean On Me" by Club Nouveau playing]


Excuse me?


Have you seen Kelly?


-What's that?  -Kelly.


I haven't seen her all night.


You tried the Quagmire?


What is the Quagmire?


[shouting]


[rock music playing]


[chattering and laughing]


[cheering and whistling]


-[glass shatters]  -[gasps]


-Whoa! Hey!  -I'm sorry!


Yeah, I know you from somewhere.


Tucker's.


-Kelly's friend, huh?  -Do you know where to find her?


-How would I know that?  -You're her friend.


-was a friend.   -Has she been here?


No.


[laughs] You too, huh?


Well...


Hey. Try a different time.


Here in '80, the '90s, 2002 one time.


She's worth the shot, right?


Introducing the totally redesigned  Chrysler Cordoba.


All the luxury you expect is here.


But so is gas mileage...


[woman] No, no, no.


["Funky Town" by Lipps, Inc. playing]


-Hey.  -Hey.


Golden age, right?


-Right.  -you playing or...


I'm sorry, I'm looking for someone.


Maybe... next time.


["Ironic" by Alanis Morissette playing]


Don't you think?


It's like rain...


[game beeps]


[knocks]


Kelly?


[pop music playing on game]


[cheering on game]


Yeah! [laughs]


[man on game] You're beautiful!


-Select a song!  -Hi.


Ladies' room.


["Can't Get You Out Of My Head"  by Kylie Minogue playing]


Hey.


Hey. No, you--


Wait a minute.


Why are you here?


I was looking for you.  Where did you go?


I like a change of music.


How the hell is this your era?


-you hid from me.  -one, I did not.


Two, I owe you zero.  And three... see point two.


It's not about who owes who.  It's about manners.


You don't know who I am.


You don't know what this means.


This means fun.


Or it should. And this...


This is not fun, okay?


This is not fun.


So you don't feel bad?


Maybe you should feel bad.  Or at least feel something.


[door closes]


[glass shatters]


[horn honks]


Have you seen a girl?  Mid-20s, brown hair, glasses?


Uh...


Oh, jeez.


Hey.


Please tell me  you got your pain slider set to zero.


Yeah, I think so.


-Okay, listen.  -How many of them are dead?


Like what percentage?


As in full-timers?


[Kelly] Eighty. Eighty-five.


I'm sorry.


-I'm not gonna jump.  -I know, and I'm sorry, whatever it's...


In the time I've been here,  I said I wouldn't...


I don't know, do feelings.


You freaked me out.


I don't want to like anyone.


So you've been just...  totally fucking inconvenient.


It's that...


I don't know how long there is.


And I can't. I wasn't prepared for you.  For wanting something--


[sighs] Next week it is.


I'm getting married.


Next week?


-To nice Greg?  -[laughs]


-Sure you're going through with that?  -I have to.


-you have to?   -Mm-hmm.


He really is a good guy.


I mean, my family don't approve, but...


they can't stop us.


I know he pities me. That pisses me off.


-But that's not fair 'cause he's...  -[shushes]


You said you don't know  how much time there is.


What does that mean?


They tell me three months.


It's spread basically everywhere.


They said three months before  six months ago.


So, you know, what do they know?


Doesn't even taste of anything.


-But so you'll stay here after?  -No.


When I'm done, I am done.


But that's cra-- I mean...


-Why?  -Richard.


That's...


My husband's name was Richard.


He died just two years ago.


So we had the opportunity  to stay in San Junipero.


Pass over.


Didn't take it.


-Didn't want to take it.  -Why wouldn't anyone take it?


He had his viewpoint.


There were things he believed   and things he didn't believe in,


and this place was one of them.


Wouldn't even visit. Take the trial run.


Shit.


I didn't know if I wanted to try it  but... I mean...


Jesus, without this place,  I never would've met someone like you.


-Yeah, you could have.  -No, I wouldn't.


-we could have Met outside all this.  -no.


You... would not have got me at all.


At all.


If we really met, I mean...


If we really met, you wouldn't like me.


Try me.


Or you'd--  You wouldn't want to spend time with me.


-You'd come and then--  -Try me.


Why?


Why? What's the point?


What? Where are you? Houston?


Carson City, Nevada.


So come on.


I showed you mine.


Where are you?


-I can just Look It up.  -Santa Rosa, California.


-That's no distance.  -I don't want you to--


-I don't want you to see me. I'm scared--  -And I'm dying.


Whatever you are can't scare me.


Let me come visit.


I want to say hi.


Here you go.


You okay?


[man over loudspeaker]  Please check in at our self-service pods


using swipe cards provided.


-you must be Kelly.  -I guess I must.


-She's waiting for you.  -Thank you.


-Please.  -[beeps]


She won't be able  to physically respond in any way.


But she can hear you.


I'll give you some privacy.


[whispers] Hello, stupid.


It's good to see you.


Uh... Hello. Excuse me. Is it... Kelly?


It is.


-I'm Greg.  -You're Greg?


-Holy shit.  -[laughs]


Yeah, I think it's great  that you came down here in person


before she passes over.


Even her folks  don't come visit no more so...


She's passing over?


-When?  -Uh...


-Let's go grab a coffee.   -Okay.


-She didn't tell you?  -No, she did not.


-Said she was just visiting.  -More like sampling the trial version.


I mean, I've only known her  the past three years.


We talk on the comm box.


She told you how she ended up  quadriplegic?


And how long she's been that way?


One night, she's 21,  comes out to her folks.


They're a little uptight about it,  you might say.


They told her they don't  want a gay daughter.


It's not natural and so forth.


They fight. She gets in her car.  Runs it off the road. Boom!


-When she was 21?  -More than 40 years back.


It's been her whole lifetime, basically.


So the whole San Junipero system  has been a big deal for her.


The biggest deal.


Of course now, until she passes over,  it goes permanent,


she's on a five-hour weekly limit.


I guess you're the same.


They ration it out.  They don't trust us with more.


They say you go crazy  if you have too much, you know?


You don't leave your seat.  You disassociate body from mind.


Like that doesn't happen  in every senior home already. [laughs]


The system's there   for therapeutic reasons,


immersive nostalgia therapy.


Plunge you into a world of memories.


Helps with Alzheimer's,  that's what they say.


Small mercies.


So...


About this marriage...


The state's got a triple lockdown  on euthanasia cases.


You gotta have a sign-off from the doc,  the patient, a family member.


It's to stop folks from passing over just  because they prefer San Junipero flat out.


Anyhow, Yorkie's family,


they're big-time religious,  and they will not sign.


But a spouse can override them.


-Hence the wedding bells.  -you got it.


We got a pastor coming tomorrow a.m.,


and then she's scheduled to pass  tomorrow afternoon.


"Scheduled to pass."  Let's just call it dying.


If you can call it dying.


Uploaded to the cloud, sounds like heaven.


I guess.


You gonna wear a suit?


[laughs]


The ceremony's on my coffee break.


I never married so I just figured,  you know, what's the harm?


You're a good man.


It's the least I could do, right?


Think you could hook us up  to the system now?


Just for a little while,  before she passes?


You can still see her afterwards.  I mean, then she's no limit.


She's full, fat, permanent San Juniperan.


I know, but can you?


Seriously, it is so tight here  that they monitor every--


I only want a moment.


[Greg] Ma'am.


-you got Five minutes  -Thank you.


Hey!


I've never been here  during the daylight.


It's warm.


Listen, I gotta be quick.  So I spoke to Greg.


Oh.


-You're passing over tomorrow?  -Yeah.


Couple of hours after the wedding.


So I guess I am technically  honeymooning here forever.


-I'm sorry I didn't tell you.  -[shushes]


-I'm gonna say something crazy.  -Okay.


Wanna marry me instead?


It's just... Greg seems great, but...


-Why not someone you've connected with?  -[laughs]


-[laughs] Is that a yes?  -[laughs]


[man] ...to be your lawfully wedded wife,


to have and to hold,  in sickness and in health,


in good times and in woe,  for richer, for poorer...


[beeping]


[Yorkie breathing faintly]


[breathing stops]


[sighs]


[gulls squawking]


[waves rippling]


[nurse] Hold tight.


There you go.


Nearly there.


That's it.


[Kelly coughing]


Are you sure you're all right?


[beeps]


[horn honks]


Hey!


[both laughing]


You didn't dress up to see me?


Oh...


Come on!


-Better?  -[both laugh]


Whoop!


Oh!


Oh! Whoo!


[Yorkie] Looks so real.


It feels so real!


[Kelly laughs]


[laughs and screams]


-What are you doing?  -Oh, I love it here! [laughs]


I just love it.


-You've been here before.  -But now I live here!


Be with me.


-I'm with you now.  -That's not what I mean.


Pass over.


-When it's your time.  -Yorkie.


-Stay here with me.  -can we just enjoy tonight?


It's almost midnight.


In ten minutes, you're out of here.


Then I gotta wait a week  to see you again.


-You know I'm just a visitor.  -What, a couple of months, then what?


-We're not discussing this.  -Then you're gone.


-just gone. you could have forever.  -Forever?


-Who can even make sense of Forever?  -However long you want then.


I mean, you can remove yourself  like that. [snaps fingers]


It's not a trap.


I mean, look at it! Jesus! Touch it!  [bangs vehicle]


-I'm going.  -Hey! Oh. Hey.


It's real.


This is real.


And this.


-Hmm?  -Come on.


You know that was just a gesture.


-you married me.  -to help you pass over.


-As a... kindness.  -It's not so kind to leave.


Okay, look, look, I'm sorry, I just...


I got this chance.


We got this chance.  I wanna share it with you.


I said I made my choice.


What is it? You feel bad  because your husband isn't here?


-Because that was his choice.  -Don't.


He chose not to stay here.  It's like he left you.


You know, he could have stayed,  but he chose to leave you.


-You don't know what you're saying.  -You should be mad at him.


-not whipping yourself with guilt.  -Get off me.


You can't see it!  But what he did, it was selfish actually!


[gasps]


Forty-nine years...


I was with him for 49 years.


You can't begin to imagine.


You can't know...


the bond, the commitment, the boredom,


the yearning, the laughter,  the love of it.


The fucking love. You just cannot know!


Everything we sacrificed.


The years I gave him.  The years he gave me.


Did you think to ask?


Did it occur to you to ask?


We had a daughter.


Alison.


Always difficult, always beautiful.


Died at 39 years old, bless her heart.


And Richard and I,  we felt that heartbreak as one.


You think you're the only person  ever suffered, go fuck yourself.


-Well, I didn't know--  -Didn't think to.


You know, when he was dying,  Richard said to me


when they offered him this,  to pass over, pass through,


spend eternity in this fucking graveyard  you're so in love with,


he said, "How can I?  When she missed out, how can I?"


And so he went.


And I wish I could believe he's  with her now,


that they're together, but I don't.


I believe they're nowhere.  Just like you said.


Gone. No, I pitied you,  and that's the truth. I pitied you.


Now you give me some sales pitch


about how fucking peachy forever  could be.


I'm sorry.


You wanna spend forever  somewhere nothing matters?


End up like Wes?


All those lost fucks at the Quagmire


trying anything to feel something,  go ahead.


But I'm out. I'm gone.


Kelly, I'm sorry. Kelly!


[engine revs]


[tyres screech]


-[crashes]  -[Kelly grunts]


[waves ripple]


[coughs]


[chattering]


[nurse] Hey, Kelly.


-you all right?  -Yeah, I am fine.


[wheezes]


-Well, Okay then.  -Huh?


Kelly?


All things considered...


I guess I'm ready.


For what?


For the rest of it.


[seagulls cry]


[starts engine]


Ooh, baby,  do you know what that's worth


Ooh, heaven is a place on Earth


They say in heaven love comes first


We'll make heaven a place on Earth


When I feel alone


I reach for you


- And you bring me home   -[honks horn]


When I'm lost at sea


-[laughs]  - I hear your voice and it carries me


Ready?


- In this world we're just beginning   -[both] Whoo!


To understand the miracle of living


- Maybe I wasn't brave before   -[both] Whoo!


But I'm not afraid anymore


We'll make a heaven a place on Earth


[beeping]


Heaven


In this world, we're just beginning


Baby, I was afraid before


I'm not afraid anymore


Ooh, baby


Do you know what that's worth


Ooh, heaven is a place on Earth


[glass cracks]


[woman] Okay, my people!  Rise and shine. Get up, Stripe.


[banging]


Hey. You awake yet?


-Sure as shit ain't dreaming no more.  -[woman] Company!


Something went down last night  in Her Falls,


a village about three miles east.


We've got reports of a food store  broken into, shit stolen.


Locals think it's roaches.


[woman] Roaches!


We head out in five minutes. Let's go!  [claps]


Hey, so, it looks like you're getting  your first real-live roach hunt, huh?


[laughs]


[clamoring]


Hey, new!


New!


It's Stripe.


Here's a little tip just in case  you get your first toe-to-toe


-with one of them roaches today.  -Uh-huh?


When you see one right here,


try not to shit your pants.  It's only gonna piss them off.


-I'll try.  -Try to ignore Len.


His aim's so bad,  he's the only guy on Earth


who could shit his own pants and miss.


-Fuck you, farm girl.  -farm girl?


[woman] Yeah. Hunting's in my blood.


-Some of us are naturals.  -[engine starts]


Moving out!


Whoo! Yeah!


-[baby crying]  -[chickens clucking]


[soldiers speaking Danish]


Whoa, whoa, whoa. Okay.


-You can speak now.  -[robotic voice interpreting]


[speaking Danish]


-[machine] It must have been roaches.  -Roaches, you see them? You see?


-[speaking Danish]  -[machine] I didn't see them.


[machine] I heard them.  All the mess. It must have been them.


-Want a cookie?  -[man speaking Danish]


-Here you go.  -[machine] They've been in the food.


[machine] We'll have to destroy  everything they left.


No one will eat it.


[woman] We can replace that, okay?


[machine interprets]


[man speaking Danish]


[machine] They destroyed the cooler.  Broke it and took the parts.


The cooler?  They stole parts from the cooler?


-Which way did they go?  -[machine interprets]


[speaks Danish]


[machine] There were footprints  in the dirt leading that way.


-Parn Heidekker.  -[machine beeps]


-Heidekker? Is that a name?  -[machine interprets]


Stop them coming. Please, you must stop.


Okay.


I have child who is scared.


I will. I promise.


[whispering in Danish]


[woman] Stripe!


[whispering continues]


Okay. Our friend here thinks  that the roaches


went in the direction  of Parn Heidekker's place.


Local oddball, seems to be some kind  of religious freak.


Anderson, Hague, I want you  to stay here and help them torch the food,


keep them calm and reassured.


The rest of you,  we're gonna drop in on Heidekker.


Ask some questions,  sniff around the place.


If there's roaches,  we show we're ready for them. Let's go.


So Mr. Heidekker is not exactly  what you call a socialite or a mingler.


Seems like mental health issues.


He's got some interesting views  on roaches, by all accounts.


I'm putting his info  in your Mass system now.


Been complaints lodged against him  going months back.


Locals claim that he let roaches  cross his land, left food out for them.


Could be just shit talk  from the local villagers though so...


Yo, how many roaches  we got left out here?


A couple of thousand?  A couple of hundred, if that?


I mean, back home we had millions, man.


It only took two years  to get shit back on track.


Out here you got rustic fucks  throwing them scraps.


No wonder it's taken so long  to mop shit up.


But how can anyone be dumb enough  to help a fucking roach?


Hell, yeah.


[whirring]


Portals front and rear.


Windows blacked out.


Chimney smoke. Someone's home.


Lennard, you use the boomer.


[cocks gun]


Okay, Mass check. Everyone got the layout?


-[woman] Check.  -[man] Check.


Check.


[woman] Aikin, Valcon, Coach,  you check the outbuildings here.


Take them one at a time and slow.


Stripe, Raiman,  you come with me and Lennard.


We go in here.


Len and I will talk to Heidekker,  you check the rest of the house.


Okay.


Optimal outcome, no shots fired.


Except on a roach.


-[woman] Except on a roach.  -[laughs]


[lock turns]


-[woman] Morning, sir.  -[machine interprets]


There's no need for this.  I speak your language.


-What Is it you want?  -Just to talk.


That's what we're doing.


Be a little more neighbourly  if we did it inside.


Check the upstairs rooms.


[woman] Relax. I'm not your enemy.


Where are they?


Where are who?


You know, we got a whole bunch


of frightened, angry people  in that village.


Roaches have been breaking  into the food stores, stealing supplies.


You know anything about that?


No.


[woman]  See, it's not just what they stole.


All that food left is gonna be destroyed.


-No one's gonna eat it.  -[whispers] Stripe.


[woman]  Makes life harder for everyone.


Cross on the wall there.  You got principles.


Think all life is sacred. And I get it.


I agree. All life is sacred so...


you even got to protect the roaches.  Right?


It's not their fault they're like that.  They didn't ask for this.


I get it. We get it.


-[door bangs]  -Mm-hmm.


-[door bangs]  -[bird squawks]


[woman] There's shit  in their blood that made them that way.


The sickness they're carrying.


That doesn't care about  the sanctity of life


or the pain  about who else is gonna suffer.


We don't stop the roaches,  in five, ten, 20 years from now,


you're still gonna get kids born that way,  and then they're gonna breed.


Bingo.


[woman]  And so it goes on. That cycle of pain.


That sickness,  and it could have been avoided.


Fucking roach nest.


You check in there. I'll take the stairs.


[woman] Every roach you save today,


you condemn God knows how many people   to despair and misery tomorrow.


You can't still see them as human.


Understandable sentiment, granted,  but it's misguided.


We gotta take them out if humankind  is gonna carry on in this world.


That's just the hard truth.


Gotta make sacrifices.


[screaming and snarling]


[high-pitched whistling]


-[gunshot]  -[screaming]


What the fuck?


-[slashing sound]  -[screeching]


[grunting]


[snarling]


[screaming]


[grunts]


[screeching]


-Help me out here! [grunts]  -[growling]


-[clattering]  -[screams]


[yells]


[gunshots]


Fuck!


[panting]


[screams]


[shrieking]


[high-pitched whistling]


-[crunching sound]  -[animal-like howling]


[screeches]


[screeching stops]


[grunting]


[Raiman]   Try to shame me and still I'll care


[Heidekker speaking foreign language]


You can run around, even put me down


[speaking foreign language]


I'll still be there for you


[woman] Rai!


We gotta listen to Mr. Sunday School  all the way back to base?


You can cover your ears.


Yeah, or, uh....  I'll just hit permanent mute.


[woman] Lower your weapon.


[Raiman]  Roach lover counts as a kill too, right?


[Stripe] He's a civ, right?


You shoot a civ, that's gonna stay  with you the rest of your life.


Yo, Stripe, why don't you, uh...  pull the stick out of your ass?


Because I'm fucking with him, not you.


I guess I had you both going, right?


All right!


Let's torch the place.


[high-pitched whistling]


[Raiman] Hey, you okay, man?


Yeah.


[bird squawks]


-I heard you popped one in there.  -Two.


Wait, two?


-I got another one, with my knife.  -[laughs] With your knife? Holy shit!


-Pretty good, right?  -Yeah, you fucking Terminator.


Damn! First time out, he gets two.


[man] You lucky motherfucker, man.


Sweet dreams for this asshole.


[Raiman] Gonna get a treat tonight.


[Raiman] Whoo-hoo! Whoo!


[echoes] I love you.


[breathes heavily]


[rattling]


-[rattling]  -[high-pitched whistling]


-[gunshot]  -Whoa! Miss Sharp Shooter.


Patronising fuck!


Ruthless! You're the Grim Reaper.


Yeah, well, no roach gets away next time.


Are you still sweating that?


Well, I grew up tracking deer.  You never give up.


I don't like it when they get away.


Nice.


Yeah,  if that fucker made it to the forest,


probably made it to the border,  gone for good.


Yeah. It's all right for you.


You popped two of 'em.


It's been a while for me.


You know, the gal is getting twitchy.


Come on, Rai.


You sleep good?


Yeah, I slept OK.


What, that's all you're gonna give me?


Okay? You know, if I got two in one go,


I would want to come for like an hour!


All right, shut up. [groans]


All right.


Ah! That's the way.


-[high-pitched whistling]  -[gunshot]


[grunts]


[Raiman] Hey, you okay, man?


Yeah, think I'm tired is all.


Uh-huh?  All right, so you did have a good night.


[scoffs]


[basketball bouncing]


[woman] 39, 40, 41....


43, 44, 45, 46,


47, 48, 49,


50, 51, 52,


53, 54, 55,


56, 57, 58, 59...


[high-pitched whistling]


[panting]


[woman] Strong and pure.


Strong and pure.


[groans]


[soldiers chant]


-Hey, Stripe, you okay?  -Yeah.


I mean, I... don't know.


I feel a little off.


I mean, I ain't sick or nothing.  It's just, uh...


Report to the sick bay.


[man] Running diagnostic.


What do you see?


A cube.


[buzzing]


-Rotating?  -Yeah.


-And now?  -a tree.


-Like an apple tree.  -Touch the apples for me.


Full marks.


-So you say you had Like a headache?  -Yeah, but Just quick.


Nothing big, just...


Well, everything looks okay.


No sign of any malfunction  or dropout with your Mass implant.


And physically,  you're in exemplary shape.


You've just seen combat,  you can expect some sort of side effect.


There was this, uh... this thing...


with a light on it at the farmhouse.


-Roach had it.  -a Roach had it?


-Kind of Like a flashlight.  -Flashlight?


Kinda.


I don't know.


Seriously, you're fine. Your Mass is fine.  Blood's fine. It's all fine.


Okay. Yeah.


[sighs]


Maybe you should speak to Arquette.


Who's Arquette?


So, you must be Koinanchey?


Koinange. Folks call me Stripe.


Why would they call you that?


Couldn't pronounce Koinange either,  I guess.


[laughs]


-That's funny.  -Thank you.


At ease, son. Sit down.


So you recently logged your first kills?


-Two roaches?  -Uh-huh.


First time out. It's impressive.


Yeah, I guess.


So what happened?


-What, with the kills?  -Mm-hmm.


Oh. I'm in this, uh... farmhouse.


There's this, like,  hidden room or something.


We go in and there they are.


First one, I just... It was automatic.  Just pop-pop, you know?


Right. Just like in training.


[Stripe] Yeah, just like that, yeah. Yeah.


-And the second?  -I mean, he was on the ground with me.


[Arquette] He?


It was a he.


Oh.


So, this was close quarters then?


Yeah, he's on top of me.  Struggling, I mean...


I couldn't reach my rifle  so I had to stick him.


Stick it. With my knife.


And how did that... feel?


-What, like...?  -Emotionally.


I didn't. I mean, it was quick.  It was self-protection.


I guess all I felt was, you know, relief.


-Just relief?  -Uh-huh.


It's not unusual to experience  other feelings too.


A moment of euphoria even.


Yeah, I guess.


I don't know,  I thought maybe I'd feel...


I don't know.


-Something else?  -Yeah, like...


Regret. Something like that,  but that just wasn't there.


Hmm.


So you'd do it again?


Yeah, sure.


So... why are you here? [laughs]


I don't know. I mean...


I had a few weird moments.


My Mass looked like it was glitching out.


But your implants,  I mean, they passed every diagnostic.


-There is nothing wrong with that?  -Yeah, they said it's fine.


I don't know, I think I just...


Felt like something was up with it.


-But there's not.  -No.


[both laugh]


You did a big thing.  You should be proud of yourself.


Okay?


It'll pass.


Let's get you a good sleep tonight, huh?


A real good sleep.


[echoes] Fuck me.


[breathes heavily]


[moans]


[high-pitched whistling]


[heavy breathing]


[distortion]


[gasps]


-[rattling]  -[high-pitched whistling]


-[baby crying]  -[chattering]


-Way to go, fuck fingers.  -[scoffs]


It seems Heidekker didn't stay silent  too long once we got to work on him.


He's given up a location, someplace  the roaches have been scavenging.


[Raiman] Well, all right.


[woman] It's a housing project  that's been empty since the war.


It's not far from here.


So control wants us to do recon  before we go back to base.


Can we hurry it up here?


We ought to burn the whole forest down,  huh?


Give those roaches nowhere to run.


[whirring]


Okay, you see that?


Solar panel looks cleaner than the rest.


And there are some cables.


-There's got to be roaches leaching power.   -Why here?


[high-pitched whistling]


Christ knows.


All right.


Better dial it in.


[groans quietly]


[groans]


Control. This is Medina.


Positive ID. Signs of activity here  at the housing project location.


Sighted one solar panel, looks  recently wiped clean and some cabling.


-Roger so far.  -[sniffing]


-you all right there?  -Smell the grass.


We can't usually smell nothing.


-You ever noticed that?  -[Raiman] No, I never noticed that.


[Medina] Requesting course of action.


Didn't read. Please repeat.


Okay.


Control says we should fall back  and await comm--


-[gunfire]  -[Raiman] Shit!


[gunshot]


Medina.


-[gunshot]  -Oh!


Medina. [panting]


Stripe, get back! She's dead. Come on!


[Stripe whimpers]


Okay. Ready? Cover me.


Rai! Rai, come on.


[whirring]


Oh, fucking roach got a rifle.  Jesus Christ.


Fuck. Piece of shit.


Okay, Stripe.


Stripe, come on. Get it together, dude.


He fired six shots.  His rifle looks old, bolt action.


-Should take him ten seconds to reload.  -We go in?


We go in and take him out.  Are you with me?


-I'm with you.  -Let's go!


-[gunfire]  -Follow me!


[Raiman]  Ready? Okay, three, two, one. Cover me.


[high-pitched whistling]


[groans]


[breathes heavily]


[Stripe groans, panting]


-[gunshot]  -Come on, man! What the fuck?


What the fuck is this shit?


Let's go.


[Raiman] Stripe!


[door creaks]


-[screams]  -Whoa, whoa! It's okay. Hey. Hey.


-[wails]  -Calm down. Calm down. Calm down.


It's okay. It's okay.  I'm not gonna hurt you.


I'm not gonna hurt you. Okay?


-Go on, get out of here. Go on.  -[panting]


It's not safe. There's roaches here.


[panting]


Go on. Get.


[gunshot]


[gun cocks]


[Raiman] Come on!


-Rai, what did you do?  -[Raiman] Shut up! Come on!


What did you do, Rai?


[breathes heavily]


[Raiman] Got ya.


[door bangs]


[animal-like roaring]


[gunfire]


[groans]


-[screaming]  -Rai!


-[screaming]  -[gunfire]


-[gunfire]   -[screaming]


[speaks Danish]


-[woman] No!  -[yells]


-Run!  -What the fuck are you doing?


-You're killing them!  -They're roaches! [yells]


You're fucking killing them, Rai!  Fuck you!


What the fuck's wrong with you, man?  You got some blown shit.


-Pull it together!  -No.


-[gunshot]  -[groans]


[panting]


[panting] Are you all right?


You gotta get out of here. Come on.


Come on!


[gasps]


[grunts]


Fuck!


[breathes heavily]


You better run.


[wincing]


Shh. Shh.


[groans]


[wind blowing]


[both gasp]


Here.


I'm all right.


You see me as I am.


Of course I see you.


You don't see roach?


You ain't a roach.


Roaches is all...


Fucked up?


Roaches don't speak.


You just can't hear us.


-What the Fuck are you talking about?  -Your implants. Your army implants.


The Mass system?


They put it in your head to help you fight,


and when it works,  you see us as something other.


One of us, Luka,  was making a... a machine.


Light flashes.  Said it can interfere with the implant.


You're roaches?


But I've seen roaches.


I've seen them, they're fucking...  They're like, uh...


-Animals?  -No, they're monsters. I've seen them.


The implant made you see this.


[groans]


Fuck. The villagers... Huh?


The locals, they... they ain't army.  They got no Mass in their heads.


They're scared of the roaches.


-they hate the fucking things.  -Everybody hates us.


Well, what the fuck do they see? Huh?


The fucking civs, when they look  at a roach, what do they see?


What you see now.


They hate all the same  because it's what they've been told.


[cocks gun]


[panting]


[birds squawking]


Ten years ago, it began.


Post-war.


First, the screening programme,   the DNA checks,


then the register,  the emergency measures.


And soon everyone calls us creatures.  Filthy creatures.


Every voice. The TV. The computer.


Say we have... we have sickness in us.


We have weakness. It's in our blood.


They say that our blood cannot go on.


That we cannot go on.


My name was Catarina.


He was Alec.


Now we're just roach.


But now...


Now you see me.


Rai?


-Rai, no!  -[gunfire]


-[gasps]  -[gunfire]


[panting]


Tell me I shouldn't kill you.


-None of it's true, Rai.  -What the fuck got you?


None of it's true.


[spits]


-Fuck you.  -[thud]


Get up. Back against the wall.


Get up!


You want me to come in there?


[Arquette]  It's all right. I can just talk to him.


[door opens]


Thank you, Briley.


[door closes]


Stripe.


We owe you an apology.  We didn't spot the fault in your Mass.


I got you a coffee.


The device you found in the farmhouse,  you mentioned it to the doctor.


Is this the thing?


We found it on an old block  that you and Raiman were searching.


Looks like they reverse engineered it  from some of our drone parts and so on.


The light here transmits a code.  It's like a virus.


It burrows into your Mass,  trying to shut it down from within.


I tell you, those roaches  are getting more ingenious


than we give them credit for.


The whole thing is a lie.


I understand why you'd say that, yeah.


Roaches.


They look just like us.


Of course they do.


That's why they're so dangerous.


Humans.  You know, we give ourselves a bad rap,


but we're genuinely empathetic  as a species.


I mean, we don't actually really want  to kill each other. [laughs]


Which is a good thing.


Until your future depends  on wiping out the enemy.


Come on, sit down.


[groans]


I don't know how much history  you studied in school.


Many years ago,  I'm talking early 20th century,


most soldiers  didn't even fire their weapons.


Or if they did, they would just aim  over the heads of the enemies.


They did it on purpose.


British Army. World War I.


The brigadier,  he'd walk the line with a stick


and he'd whack his men  in order to get them to shoot.


Even in World War II, in a firefight,


only 15%, 20% of the men  would pull the trigger.


The fate of the world at stake  and only 15% of them fired.


Now what does that tell you?


It tells me that that war  would have been over a whole lot quicker


had the military got its shit together.


So we adapted.


Better training. Better conditioning.


Then comes the Vietnam War,


and the shooting percentage goes up to 85.


Lot of bullets flying.  The kills were still low.


Plus the guys who did get a kill,


well, most of them came back  all messed up in the head.


And that's pretty much how things stayed  until Mass came along.


You see, Mass...  Well, that's the ultimate military weapon.


It helps you with your intel.


Your targeting. Your comms.  Your conditioning.


It's a lot easier to pull the trigger  when you're aiming at the bogeyman, hmm?


It's not just your eyes, though.  Takes care of your other senses, too.


You don't hear the shrieks.


You don't smell the blood and the shit.


They're human beings.


Do you have any idea the amount of shit  that's in their DNA?


Higher rates of cancer.


Muscular dystrophy.  MS. SLS. Substandard IQ.


Criminal tendencies. Sexual deviances.


It's all there.


The screening shows it.


Is that what you want  for the next generation?


Don't feel bad about doing your job.


The villagers won't do it.


The folks back home won't do it.


They don't have Mass.


Mass lets you do it.


You.


You're protecting the bloodline.


And that, my friend, is an honour.


There's no honour here.


It's just killing.


-Lying And killing.  -No one lied to you.


You knew all of this. All along.


What are you talking about?


You agreed  to have your Mass implant put in.


-[laughs]  -Set up. Every soldier does.


We can't just embed it and feed you  a dream. Your mind would reject it.


You have to accept it. Willingly.


It's exactly what you did.


[man] So you see the terms  and conditions there?


Yeah, that's like a whole essay, man.


What is that?


That's your consent video.  From when you signed up six months ago.


[man] Basically, it says you agree  to Mass implant activation.


-I didn't do this.  -Yes, you did.


-[man] Works kind of like hypnosis.  -Yeah, all right.


[man] Part of what you're agreeing to  is not realising


you've been put in this state.


If you follow me.  You won't recall this conversation.


That's kind of funny, man.


Turn it off.


-[man] So for you to register consent...  -Turn it off, man.


I'm gonna need your thumbprint there.


-Right here?  -[man] Yes, please.


That's dope.


[faint beeping]


I didn't do that!


-I don't remember that!  -Just like the man said.


[beeping]


-I know you're upset.  -Fuck you!


-What's happening?  -We control what you see, Stripe.


-I can't see nothing.  -Because we control it.


Give me my fucking eyes back.


-Let me lay out your options.  -Give me my fucking eyes back, man!


-[grunts]  -Let me lay out your options!


[breathes heavily]


Option one,  you agree to have your Mass reset.


All the recollections  of the past few days,


including this conversation, erased.


No way.


Option two's incarceration.


-I'd advise you to consider.  -Fuck you!


Mass is a friend.


Without it, you will remember  everything that you did.


I ain't having this Mass shit.


No more. No way.


Okay.


Well...


Maybe you should see  what life would be like without it.


[beeps]