(birds chirping)
- [John] If you're asking what
I remember before that night.
Before that night
there is nothing.
A place without shape or form.
Like dreamless sleep.
- [Radio Hostess] And what do
you remember from that night?
- [John] That night.
(man gasps)
That night.
I suppose that's the
night I was born.
(man gasping)
(eerie harsh music)
(man coughing)
(man gasping)
(heartbeat thudding)
(eerie intense music)
- So you wake up, no
idea of who you were,
who you are and
nothing since then?
- No.
And, you know, it was
difficult at first
but I got a lot of support now.
People who love me.
- Well, it's a little more
fascinating than that.
Would you mind sharing with my
audience your, uh, your gift.
- I have a knack for languages.
- I'd call it more than a knack.
How many languages do you speak?
- About 37, fluently.
- 37 languages and
you just knew them.
Sorry.
Yes, strangely enough
it was the one thing
that I was able to recall.
Most of the languages
just seemed to already
be there as in,
I could speak them in my head.
But some I learned.
- Hm.
Well if you're just joining us,
I'm sitting down
with John Hutton.
Eight years ago he surfaced
with no identification
and no idea of who he was.
Since then he has
earned two PhDs.
One in philology and one in
forensic language studies
and he is currently an
adjunct professor at UCLA.
Now you wrote a book, it is
called, The Spoken Thread.
Now in this book you concur
that language is what
connects humans--
- What connects human
beings by our very instinct
to communicate with each other.
And with ourselves.
To be heard, to be
understood, is to be accepted.
That's the purpose of
our very existence.
(gentle music)
(people chattering)
- Okay, I know, I know, I'm
fighting the cliche here.
But a toast is in order.
To John and to Rachel.
A very brilliant interview with
a very brilliant young man.
- And an equally brilliant
book I might add.
- You may.
And I ain't that young.
- Oh.
(everyone laughing)
No, seriously, well done.
You've done the
university quite proud.
- To John.
- [All] To John.
- Mm.
- Mm.
My turn.
- Oh God.
(all laughing)
- Am I not allowed to say
anything about my best friend?
- Don't your clients give
you enough attention?
- Being a private
detective is a lonely job.
May I?
- You may.
- Eight years ago when
I too was a younger man.
(all laughing)
I'm still on the force, my
first job as a detective,
my first case was yours.
All I had to do was
find out who this guy is
and get him back home.
Simple enough, right.
Wrong.
Nobody wanted to
claim this dude.
(all laughing)
But he didn't give up.
No, seriously, you and me
man, we hunted high and low.
Every lead, every agency,
we were like Crockett
and Tubbs. (laughing)
But in the end, we
came up with dick.
- Carl!
- Oh, sorry, came
up with nothing.
- Well, not exactly nothing.
- Oh yeah, well.
You got to marry my
sister, my bad. (laughing)
But here's one thing
that still bugs me.
- Here it comes.
- Who would leave a
perfectly good white boy
in a park like that?
(all laughing)
- Well, you said you were
gonna find me my home.
And you most certainly did.
(women sighing)
- To John.
My best friend.
- [All] To John.
- What about dreams?
- Excuse me?
- Well surely you must dream
of something from your past.
Some little clue as to
where you came from.
- I don't dream.
- No?
- No.
- That's not exactly true, John.
You dream, sometimes.
What about the bunnies?
- Bunny rabbits?
- Now that's quite a cipher.
- No, it's nothing.
- What are they doing?
- What?
- Rabbits in your dreams?
- [Jordan] Daddy, Daddy!
- Oh, speaking of bad dreams.
- Oh, I'll go.
- Oh, no, no, no, you sit.
She called for me.
Plus, you have done more
than enough tonight.
So please, entertain our
guests, I'll be right back.
(gentle music)
(door squeaking)
Oh, where's Jordan.
- [Jordan] Hiding.
- Hiding huh, from what?
- [Jordan] The monsters.
- Monsters, huh?
- Yes.
They're under the bed again?
- No.
- Hm.
Closet?
- No.
- He's running out
of places to hide.
- [Jordan] Not those monsters.
- No?
What kind of monsters?
- A bad guy.
- Bad guys?
- Henry at school
says there's bad guys.
Real bad guys.
- Hm.
- He says they live in
cages for doing bad things.
- Hm, well, there
are good people
and bad people in the world
and sometimes the
bad people need
to live away from
the good people.
- He said some were so bad
they were called monsters.
- Well, those people
aren't here now, are they?
Mommy and Daddy keep
you safe, right?
Tell you what.
What if, I left the
hallway light on?
Extra bright.
- Extra bright.
- Okay. (kiss smacking)
I love you bunches and
bunches and bunches (laughs).
Sweet dreams angel.
What?
- I'm just lookin'.
- Mm-hmm.
That's my line.
- Good artists borrow.
Great artists steal.
- So you're an artist now?
- Come over here for a second.
- Hm?
- Yeah.
There's something.
This thing.
- Mm, mm.
What was that for?
- That's for being
a great father.
- Mm.
And that one?
- For being a great husband.
- Hm.
And that?
- That one was for me.
- Hm.
(eerie music)
(alarm blaring)
(high pitched whistling)
(alarm blaring)
(birds chirping)
Now the jury is still out on
the amount of dorsal consonants
when concerning the
Proto-Indo-European
phonic system.
But it is a held belief
that pronunciation was
as plain velar, uvular
and labialized velur.
(students laughing)
Yes, labialize, it's
pretty cute I know.
Anyway, I do agree with this
up to a point, however--
(bell ringing)
All right we'll pick
this up next time.
But we are moving into
resonance on Friday, people.
Office hours are posted
for those who need me.
(people chattering)
- I'm impressed.
- Can I help you?
- So you're the language guy.
- I'm sorry?
- I'm the numbers guy.
It's funny how they spread
that around, you know.
- Yeah, I'm uh, not
really following you here.
- We're different, right?
- Okay, I have to be going.
- No, no, wait, John.
Just a minute.
- Who are you, how do you?
- Eight years ago, I wake
up, Fort Meyers, Florida.
On a park bench, right?
- Okay.
- No, no, fucking wait.
Just wait.
See, I got no clue
who I am either.
Cold fuckin' blank.
But you know what?
I can do something special.
Just like you.
But different.
Numbers, math, I can do
some serious fuckin' math.
- Okay, I'm gonna call security.
- No wait!
That's, ah, you said you
can speak 37 languages.
That's bullshit.
You can speak hundreds of them.
You just won't tell them that.
'Cause you don't want them
to think that you're freak.
- What do you want?
- I want to help you.
Help myself.
If I still can.
- Look, if you need
money, I don't--
- I am not a bum!
I can do calculations in my head
that would fucking
break a super computer.
You know what that means?
It means that we're not just
some fuckin' random head case.
This was done on purpose.
We, we were made to be this way.
And not just us.
There are others.
- [John] Look, I don't
know what you're talking--
- That took funding,
planning, procedure,
fucking surgeries, black
lights, white rooms.
Hell, fucking black
lights, white rooms,
black lights, white room,
black lights, white rooms.
- Okay, hey, hey, calm down.
- Are you fucking
listening to me?
- Professor Hutton?
Is everything okay?
- Yeah.
It's okay.
- My name's Lucas,
you'll find me here.
I'll show you.
(birds chirping)
(children chattering)
- [John] One Mississippi,
two Mississippi.
- [Jordan] Daddy, no peeking.
- Oh, you know what, you're
right, I forgot the rules.
I forgot the rules, I'm sorry.
Let's try this again.
And three Mississippi.
Four Mississippi,
five Mississippi, I
hope you're hiding.
Six Mississippi,
seven Mississippi,
eight Mississippi,
nine Mississippi,
10 Mississippi, here I come!
(gasps) Where is Jordan,
where did you go?
She is so sneaky.
Is she is, oh, (sniffing
loudly) oh I think I smell her.
(snorting) Oh, yep I do.
I think she's right over
here, I think, yeah.
(dramatic music)
(John gasping)
Hey, honey?
Jordan, sweetie?
- We should have your blood
work back in a few days.
But it's nothing that
raises any red flags for me.
I'm gonna chalk up
your fainting spell
to exhaustion and
low blood sugar.
- But, I'm not tired.
- Stress can take its
toll in many ways.
But not to worry, Mr. Hutton,
you're a very healthy man.
And lucky too.
You know, you could very easily
dislodged your chin implant
when you landed face down.
- My what?
- Your chin implant.
It's rather elegant
work, very natural.
You know, I have this interest
in facial reconstruction--
- But, I don't have any scars.
- Well, they run
through the mouth,
under the gum line,
practically invisible.
- Wait, you're
not aware of this?
(people chattering)
- [Rachel] Yeah,
the name is uh--
- Hey.
- Hey, is everything okay?
- I'm fine.
Yeah, no, I'm fine.
All right, where's Jordan.
- She's at my mom's.
- Okay.
- What happened?
- Nothing, just.
- Nothing.
- They said I
needed to eat more.
- And that's it.
- Yeah.
(eerie music)
Hello?
(John groaning)
Lucas?
(flies buzzing)
- We're just like them, John.
We're just like them.
- Lucas, you don't need that.
- Those cages, you remember?
The rabbits from the cages?
- Lucas.
- They all end this way, for us.
For us.
- Can you just put the gun down?
Lucas just put the
gun down, okay.
We can get you some help.
- It all ends this way.
- Please, you can just--
- Like those rabbits.
For us.
- No!
(gun firing)
(John gasping)
Oh my, oh my.
- And you had no idea
who this man was.
Mr. Hutton?
- Uh, no.
- What about last name?
- No.
- So why'd you go over there?
- I, uh, he said that
he could help me.
- Help you with what?
- To tell me where I was from.
- So this Lucas guy just shows
up and now you're buddies.
Are you sure there
isn't something else?
- Like what?
- I don't know, you know,
maybe he was, shakin' you down.
You know, maybe, maybe you
didn't like what he was selling.
You know, maybe this is
something you should talk about
with us, now.
Before it's too late.
- What, are you
suggesting that I had--
- No, no, we're
just talkin' here.
- Sorry to interrupt you boys.
- No, no, it's just,
ah, getting interesting.
- Well, don't let me stop ya.
- You a lawyer now too, Carl?
- Depends, Franca.
Does my brother-in-law
need a counselor?
- Oh no, I think we
have what we need.
You know, John,
you have my card.
So I'd stick close to home
til we sort this thing out.
- Come on, buddy.
Let's get you home.
- Well what the hell
were you thinking, John.
Christ, I mean, you almost.
- Rachel, please.
He knew things!
About me.
- Such as?
- What I can do.
- You went on public radio,
you told half the
world about your life.
About the languages, John.
You practically opened the door
for any psycho to
come walking in.
- He knew the truth.
- The truth?
- That I can speak
hundreds of 'em.
- We agreed that you wouldn't
tell anybody about that.
- I didn't.
But he knew.
He said he just woke up
out of the same darkness
eight years ago.
He said he, Christ he
was so far gone, man.
- Stop, just listen to me.
This man was a very
troubled person.
- What if he had the answers?
- What if he didn't?
Do you remember what I told
you all those years ago?
When you hit the wall with this?
(gentle music)
You're lucky because of what?
- Because you don't have
to fight with your past.
You don't have one.
I know.
I know you and Carl had
it rough growing up.
But at least you know
where you came from.
- Promise me you won't do
anything like this again, okay?
- I promise.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
(eerie music)
(heartbeat thudding)
(high pitched whistling)
- They're just like us, John.
Just like us.
Out of the cages.
(dramatic music)
Right, Johnny?
(laughing maniacally)
(helicopter whirring)
(birds chirping)
- You don't go in!
(flies buzzing)
(dramatic music)
(eerie music)
(door knob clattering)
- [Mason] Try not to
throw up this time.
- Fuck you.
- [Mason] Move quick.
- [Burke] What are
we looking for?
- [Mason] Anything that
rat may have left behind.
Especially papers, notes.
- Notes?
- Just fill the bag.
(dramatic music)
- This place is fuckin' feral.
(man groaning)
This is disgusting.
- Shit.
Hey, check this out.
- Another Picasso.
I'll take care of it,
you check under the bed.
- You go!
I call police now!
(heart beat thudding)
(dramatic music)
- Want me to uh?
- No, no need.
Let's go.
- [Mason] We're going.
Thank you.
(John sighs)
- This is extraordinary.
Where did you say
you got this again?
- So it's for real?
Ah, the math I mean.
- Oh, the level of computation
here is off the charts.
Really.
- How so?
- Well, he's working through
theorems in ways that mimic
the most advanced computing
algorithms I've ever seen.
But he's doing it with
a certain signature.
His approach is
organic, it's creative.
It's brilliant.
I mean, this person, whoever
he is, he's a genius, John.
There's one thing that was odd.
It was random to me at least.
- Odd?
- Yeah, near the back here
there was a page
stuck to another one.
With a list of names.
There's your name right there.
This guy a friend of yours?
- Yeah.
Somethin' like that.
- I want to take
this to the dean
of the mathematics department,
I think it should
get in front of some,
hey, this should be published.
- Thanks so much for your
help, but I really need to run.
- John.
(eerie dramatic music)
Michael Carnes genius.
(elegant classical music)
- For Michael Carnes, music
has become a second language,
a way to connect with the
world that he has no memory of,
prior to being found
wandering the woods
outside of Olympia
seven years ago.
- I still don't know who I am.
But the music has
definitely helped.
It's helped me fit in.
It was just there,
I could feel how
to play the instrument
before even touching it.
I can't explain it.
- And a tragic follow
up to this story,
Michael was found
dead in his apartment
in an apparent suicide earlier
this year after succumbing
to what friends called a
severe bout of depression.
This kind stranger
will be missed.
- No, no.
(dramatic music)
(phone ringing)
- Hello?
- Mrs. Lawrence?
- [Hollie] Who's this?
- This is John Hutton.
I was hoping I could
ask you a few questions
about your husband, Darin.
Ma'am?
- I've nothing to say about him.
(phone clicks)
- A linguistics
conference, in New York?
- Yep.
Vassar.
It's upstate.
- I know where Vassar is, John.
It's a little late
notice, don't you think?
- Yeah, you know, Graves thinks
it's gonna be good publicity
for the book.
And for me.
- A bit of a heads up
would have been nice.
- I promise, I'll text
you all the information
once I get to the airport, okay.
Hey, date night
when I come back?
- Yeah, sure.
- Just you and me, promise.
(engine revving)
(dramatic eerie music)
(birds chirping)
(doorbell ringing)
- Can I help you?
- Mrs. Lawrence?
I'm John Hutton, we spoke on
the phone the other night.
About your late husband.
- I told you I had
nothing to say about him.
- No, no, I know
and I'm sorry, but.
But no, no, no, please.
Mrs. Lawrence.
I know about Darin
about his condition and,
and I just need to.
Please, Mrs. Lawrence, what
happened to him, was he sick?
I know Darin had an ability,
a talent that made him
different, special and, uh.
I'm different too.
Please.
(teakettle whistling)
Thank you.
- Darin lived at
the halfway house
near the diner where I worked.
He would come in all the time
and he would always
order the same thing.
I guess we kind of hit it off
'cause a year later
we were married.
He had a quiet way
about him, an easy way.
I could always tell when he
was here when I came home
'cause now it's just,
it's too quiet.
Uh, he fainted
just out of nowhere.
And then headaches.
Bad ones.
I, uh, I took him
to the hospital
but they said he was fine
and they sent us home.
Then nosebleeds,
scary ones.
Uh, then he said he was tired
and I helped him to bed.
And then the next morning
I found him in the barn,
he was just,
hanging.
(somber music)
Do you want to see what
made Darin so special?
He said he'd never
even been to a museum.
Never even picked
up a paintbrush.
He just knew how to do
it, like painting was--
- Like it had always
just been there.
Did he talk to you
about his dreams?
The rabbits.
(quiet tense music)
- He did that one
right before he.
I could tell he
was agitated by it,
like it bothered him somehow.
Right after he died these
two guys came to the house.
They said they were art dealers.
They went in to look
at Darin's paintings.
But something seemed off about
them so I told them to leave.
I don't know what that part is.
(eerie music)
(Lucas laughing)
(high pitched whistling)
You okay?
- I'm fine.
- How long?
The fainting.
- A few days.
- Mr. Hutton, I don't
presume to know you
but if you are like my husband,
you'd be better off praying
for your own salvation.
(gentle quiet music)
- Cheers?
So what did you want
to talk to me about?
- What if I told you
there were others like me?
- Others, like professors?
- Other men who just woke
up, no ID, no memories.
- I'd say it's not
all that uncommon.
- But not just that.
All of us had special abilities.
Like in the same way
that I can do languages
they could do
music, mathematics,
all at really advanced levels.
- Had, as in past tense.
My honest opinion?
On a bullshit scale,
I'd say it's up there.
- Yeah.
- Where's all this coming from?
- You know what?
Forget it.
Sometimes, I, you know.
I'm gonna take a leak.
(faint rock music)
(people chattering)
(John sighs)
(dramatic eerie music)
(tense eerie music)
- Oh my God.
(door clicking)
- John, let me in.
- Hold on a second.
Goddammit.
(heart beat thudding)
- John.
Open the door.
Open the door!
What's going on in here,
when did you get home.
Oh Jesus.
- Yeah, yeah, I, uh,
just spilled something,
I was just cleaning it up.
I can get it tomorrow.
Let's just, let's go to bed.
It's fine.
(woman moaning faintly)
- [Man] Oh yeah, okay.
Oh my, we've never done that.
Oh yeah.
Oh yeah.
Oh, you want me to
bark like a dog?
(groans) Ruff.
Oh yeah.
Put it in my hand.
- You see this?
New wireless mic, talkin'
some NSA type shit.
Long range, no detection.
Okay, I get caught up
in my work sometime.
Where'd you tear off
to anyway last night.
- What if we were looking
in the wrong place?
- Come again?
- It's easier if I show you.
(dramatic eerie music)
- I don't know what
to say to that, man.
- Now, I tried to record
everything that I could see.
Every symbol, every tattoo.
I think these can provide
us with some answers.
- Answers?
- Yes!
Now, I think these
all are affiliated
with some sort of gang,
so if we can just try to--
- Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Hold on, man.
You want to back up a minute.
- We need to track
these down, Carl.
- Look you come into
my office with this.
And expect what?
For me to be all cool and shit.
Goddamn, John.
- This was planned, Carl.
- Planned?
- Yes, Lucas said that we were
wiped clean, started over.
Now, I think someone
did that to me.
- Lucas?
Now you're taking the word
of some crazy whack job.
- Don't do that to me, Carl.
You know I am not crazy.
- Okay, you got
some tags on you,
and they are severely fucked up.
- Yeah.
- But you want to know
what kind of sick bastard
you may have been?
Do I even have to
explain this to you.
- You said you'd help
me find out who I am.
That's all I'm
asking from you here.
- No, no, I don't want to know.
Neither should you.
Whoever, whatever you were.
It ain't gonna help to
find out now, trust me.
- I need to know, Carl.
I need to know who I was.
- Go home.
Be with your family,
get right with yourself
and forget about
this shit, okay?
- These names?
They're all gone.
I am the only one left.
Now I'm gonna find out who
I am, with or without you.
(dramatic music)
(crickets chirping)
- Mommy, I can't eat any more.
- One more carrot.
- Mommy?
- Come on, one more.
Like a good little bunny.
Not hungry?
John?
- Hm?
Oh.
No.
It's great.
(high pitched whistling)
(eerie music)
Hello?
(high pitched whistling)
Is anyone there?
(discordant music)
(dramatic music)
(phone ringing)
Hello.
- Meet me in my
office in an hour.
I thought about what you said.
I promised to help
you, so I will.
- Thank you.
- Don't thank me yet.
You ain't gonna like this.
I reached out to a Fed
contact that owes me a favor.
Had him run several of
these through the database.
They belong to a chapter
of a neo-Nazi biker gang.
One of several Aryan groups.
They move a lot of
meth, guns, girls.
All the way from
Idaho through Arizona.
All these guys are
hardcore felons.
Do you hear what I'm sayin'?
When we looked into you, we
ran you through the system.
Prints, DNA.
If you had any record
whatsoever, it would
have popped up.
- So what does this mean?
- It means, maybe you're right.
Maybe someone went
through a lot of trouble
to erase your ass.
I mean I've only seen
this type of shit
in deep cover witness
protection stuff.
That's something we're
never gonna know.
- What is this one?
- EVL?
Maybe some type of
inside code, a nickname.
- So that's it?
- All right, my guy said
there's a club house
outside of canyon country.
Neutral territory
for all the gangs.
Some of these Aryan
guys come through there
from time to time.
Maybe we can get a lead.
But John, look,
this is not a game.
I wish you would
reconsider all of this.
- I can't go back now, Carl.
One look at myself,
this is all I see now.
- Okay.
(engine revving)
All right, if any of
these guys make you,
we play it cool, okay.
Just let me handle this.
(eerie music)
(dog barking)
Sit down
Sound the alarm, yeah
I'll find you a new rescue
- Two beers man.
Let me run your
game in lights
It's not yourself,
just you stay alive
- There a problem?
Your daily lives
Do it yourself
just to figure out
Sell me a lie
- That's how it is, huh?
- Yeah, that's how it is, boy.
- Man, I am hungry.
Say you got anymore of that,
what do you call
it, nigger stew?
- I'm sorry, Cage, not today.
- Aw, that's a shame.
'Cause that nigger stew,
that really hit the spot right
about now, don't you think?
All the luck, some big city
coon, come in here today.
(dramatic music)
- It's time for you to go, boy.
- Nah.
I ain't got my beer yet.
- You see somethin'
you like faggot?
- What's that old joke?
Cracker brings a
knife to a gun fight.
- What the fuck
did you just say?
(blows thudding)
(Cage groaning)
(man screams)
(blows thudding)
- Easy there, Adolph.
John.
My friend Cage here and I
got some catchin' up to do.
So this is your chance
to get the fuck out
of here, right now.
All of you.
- You done fucked up, boy.
- Go on big man, get.
(heart beat thudding)
(dramatic music)
(Cage groaning)
(Cage screaming)
First off, you recognize him?
- Fuck you.
You pigs, you ain't shit,
you hear me. (groans)
- Again.
Do you know this man?
- No.
- What about this?
Aryan Marauders out of Idaho?
That their tag?
- Yeah.
- You roll with them?
- Fuck no, snitch
ass motherfuckers.
My crew's gonna come down here
and drag your black
ass down a hole
you ain't ever fuckin' seen.
You son of a bitch, you fucker.
(Cage groaning)
- What about this one?
What's it mean.
- Some bitch I
used to ride with.
- Ah, a woman.
She must have been pretty
special you got her tag on ya.
- What's her name?
- [Carl] Name?
- Emmaline, Emmaine
Langston, Lambo.
Who the fuck knows.
Calls herself EVL.
- She get around, did she?
- Ah, bitch rode
with a few clubs.
Whore.
- Where is she now?
- She got popped a while
back, she's doing a stint.
What the fuck does it
matter to you, huh?
Man fuck you both, you're
fuckin' dead, you hear me?
(blow thuds)
- Emmaline Victoria Lambert.
Record shows possession,
dealing, conspiracy.
Accessory to murder.
And known associates?
Aryan Marauders.
- Where is she now?
- Doing a 30 year stint in
Yuma in a protected unit.
Where are you going?
- To Yuma.
- Alone?
- Yeah, I think so.
- You going for the truth?
Or to end this thing?
- Both.
(dramatic music)
- [Dispatcher]
(mumbling) investigation.
(radio chattering)
(somber music)
(people chattering)
- Miss Lambert?
Uh, my name's John Hutton
and I need to ask you
some questions about a man I
think you knew a long time ago.
- Are you a cop?
- No.
Those are your initials, right?
Your first name's Emmaline?
There is a man who
had this tattoo,
he was a part of a gang,
called the Aryan Marauders.
- You came here to
talk about Marcus?
- Who?
- Why do you want to
talk about Marcus?
- Marcus who?
- Marcus Riddell.
- What can you
tell me about him?
- Marcus was high on
glass most of the time.
Loved that shit.
Almost as much as he liked
to beat the shit out of me.
- Uh, what happened to him?
- One night Marcus
comes to me and he says,
"Let's go for a drive."
Says he's gonna show
me something special.
Only this time he's dead sober.
But he's still got
that look he gets.
That numb look.
Like some idea got frozen
stuck in that head of his.
So he has me drive
to this house.
And he says we're
gonna change the world.
Change it how, I say?
He says, something's gonna
come down when he says so.
He says, you'll see.
(tense music)
You'll see all of it.
So we go into that house.
With them black folks.
Marcus went after
that man first.
(dramatic tense music)
The daddy.
He went fuckin' crazy
on him with a knife.
But he ain't done.
Then the momma.
And she starts screamin'.
(crying softly)
I've never seen so much blood.
So much.
(buzzer blaring)
And he lookin' at me now.
And he says, "I just started
what the world's gonna finish."
I was so scared.
And he sees me shakin'.
And he says, "Baby,
you just been witness.
"Witness to a holy
war, to race war."
- Where is he now?
- Are you his
brother or somethin'?
- No.
- Cause you, you
got them same eyes.
Only yours got light in 'em.
- Where is he now, Emmaline.
- Dead.
I ratted him out and then they
executed that motherfucker.
That's why I'm in
this fucking cage!
That's it?
That's what you wanted to know?
Hey!
Hey!
Who are you really?
Hey!
What the fuck is
wrong, motherfucker!
Fuckin'!
(birds chirping)
(John gasping)
- Marcus James Riddell.
Convicted of multiple homicides
against an African
American family in '04.
He was sentenced to death,
remanded to the super max
state penitentiary in Arizona
where he served out the
rest of his sentence.
No appeal, no stay of execution,
he got the needle in 2010.
- Eight years ago.
- All his state records,
they checked out.
Marcus Riddell is dead.
You're a match.
It's gotta be you.
- I'm not this man, Carl.
I cannot have done what he.
My God, he.
- Okay.
Maybe not in your head anymore.
But all of this.
It's scary, John.
- Where have you been going?
- Huh?
- I said, where
have you been going?
- Just, nowhere.
Work.
- I mean, you're
somewhere else right now.
Grace called.
I asked him how the
conference went.
Why'd you lie to me, John.
(John sighs)
- After what
happened with Lucas,
I just, I needed
some time to myself.
- Okay.
Maybe we should go someplace.
Just the two of us.
(John sighs)
(gentle music)
You haven't touched
me in over two weeks.
I don't even know
if you want to.
- Please don't say that now.
- Well tell me what
you want me to do?
What can I do?
- Nothing.
I'm just tired.
- You have to tell
me what's wrong.
- Nothing's wrong.
Okay, nothing's ever wrong,
Rachel, you happy now?
- What are you talking about?
- You think you know who I am.
I don't even know who I am!
We just decided eight years
ago that I'm John Hutton.
What if I'm not.
- What if you're not what?
The man I love?
My husband?
- Did, just forget I said
that, okay, just, sorry.
I'm gonna go pick up
Jordan at your mothers.
- No, no, no, forget it.
I don't think I want her to
be around this negativity.
(gentle somber music)
(eerie rumbling)
(dramatic music)
(eerie music)
(rabbit screaming)
(eerie music)
(alarm blaring)
(John screaming)
(dramatic music)
(bell ringing)
(John gasping)
- Professor?
The reading list?
You said you were gonna
make some changes?
- Yeah, um.
Sorry, uh.
You know what?
Let's just pick this
up on Monday, okay?
(birds chirping)
- It's a nice day out.
I said, it's a nice day.
- It's gorgeous.
- Well, you got me over here.
- What's he up to, Carl?
You're his best friend.
You're his only friend.
But your my brother.
Ever since that man showed up,
he's been different Carl.
Changed.
Remember when we were little?
I used to hide under the stairs
when things got rough
between Mom and Dad.
(gentle music)
And you would
always come find me.
Stay with me.
Make me laugh.
- I remember.
- I'm not a kid anymore, Carl.
(dramatic music)
(door thuds)
(traffic whooshing)
(sirens wailing)
- Why the special abilities?
Languages, music,
art, mathematics.
- Maybe you guys are all
some fucked up
superheroes. (laughs)
- Heroes don't
commit hate crimes.
- Before we go back to
asking why it happened,
maybe we need to think
about how it happened.
So looking at Riddell, the
others must be somewhere, right?
Riddell is executed in Arizona.
Within a year you
show up in L.A.,
only a couple
hundred miles away.
- Okay.
- [Carl] Michael Carnes,
in Olympia, Washington,
100 miles away from the
state pen in Walla Walla.
Darin Lawrence in
upstate New York,
close to New Hampshire
State Prison.
Your boy Lucas said he woke
up in Fort Meyers, right?
Not far from say, Mississippi.
- Okay, so, how are
they all connected?
- Riddell had no next of kin.
I went through the records
of all these prisons.
Eight years ago you only had
six prisoners put to death
with no immediate
family and no appeals.
- [John] No one to
claim the bodies.
- Right.
These three inmates, all
from the prisons mentioned.
Same physical matchup as our
other guys, no next of kin,
no appeals, all
violent offenders.
- They were all monsters.
- Yeah.
- Okay.
So, why these prisons?
- Well you can't just take
somebody off of death row
and disappear their ass.
To many bureaucrats
and red tape.
But these prisons are
probably contracted.
That's big business.
All, and I mean every single
warden at those prisons,
retired a year after
these executions.
Some very young.
And they all have
this in common.
- Janus Holdings and Trust?
- All four of those
retired wardens sit
on the board of this company.
Founded the same
year they retired.
- What do they do?
- Security consulting firm.
But they got no clients, no
website, no physical address.
That's a shell company, man.
- They got bought off.
- Yeah, set up for life I guess.
And check this out.
One of our guys retired in
our backyard, up in Ojai.
Recognize him?
George Hayes, Marcus
Riddell's warden in Arizona.
British immigrant, inmates
called him King George
'cause he ruled the
place with an iron fist.
- I think it's time we got
an audience with the king.
(dramatic music)
(Rachel crying)
(birds chirping)
- Wow.
Impressive.
All right, like before.
You let me lead.
You're not lookin'
so hot, buddy.
Maybe you should
wait in the car.
- I'm fine.
- [Carl] Mr. Hayes.
- Yes.
- I'm Investigator Carl
Chandler, this is my associate.
Want to ask you a few
questions about your tenure
as warden at Black Rock
Arizona State Prison.
- What is this?
- We just need--
- Marcus Riddell.
Executed January, 2010.
- Look, I don't know what--
- Janus Holdings and
Trust Incorporated.
Established July, 2011.
- Nobody knows about this.
Yet.
Maybe we should talk inside.
- I'm telling you,
I never got a name.
- How did it come about then?
- After a convention in Tahoe
I was approached by some suit.
He invited me to
a private meeting,
then laid out the proposal.
- The suit, government?
- No.
It was more of a
Wall Street guy.
He said that they needed a
violent offender on death row,
someone that could be taken
off the books
quietly, no appeals.
- So you gave them Riddell?
- Yeah, Riddell.
- Then what?
- Well, they brought in a
couple of their own techs
to carry out the
execution and they said
that when they were done the
prisoner would appear dead.
Well, everything went to form.
And they took the body.
- Where?
- I didn't ask, they didn't say.
- So you just let
a murderer vanish?
- That piece of shit was getting
his lights put out anyway.
Whatever they had planned for
him was more than he deserved.
- You still in touch
with these people?
- (laughing) You guys
just don't get it.
You think that I'm just
free and clear here, huh?
Well you know what,
you boys showing up just make
my life very complicated.
- What do you mean?
- Use your imagination.
They're always watching us.
Always.
- What if we got you on
record as talking to the cops?
(Hayes laughs)
- These people
you're asking about.
They made it very clear
to me how all this would
all go down should I
ever have that urge.
And you know what?
I believe 'em.
I don't know what you think
you're gonna do with all this.
It won't matter.
They've got more
money, more power.
(scoffs) I'm surprised
you made it this far.
- Come on.
Let's get out of here.
(dramatic music)
- Hey, who the hell you
supposed to be, anyway?
- I was Marcus Riddell.
(horns blaring)
(traffic whooshing)
After Lucas shot himself,
I went back to the
motel for the notebook.
And two men showed up,
searched the place.
- What?
- (sighs) I think
they're all part of it.
- Jesus Christ, John.
You heard what Hayes said.
These people, whoever they
are, they're dangerous.
- Hayes belongs in the
same prison he used to run.
That's why we need
to go to the police.
- Now you want to
go to the police?
And you huh?
How does this end?
With you in some
fuckin' jail cell,
not having a chance to
see your daughter grow up
because you're so fuckin'
concerned with justice.
- You think I wanted this?
I can't look my own
family in the face, Carl!
- I think we're done
going down this path.
You got your answers as fucked
up as they are, you got 'em.
We're done, I'm done.
- I'm not done.
I'm not done, I don't
have any answers!
I need, I need more, I need
more time, I need (moans)
(high pitched whistling)
- Hey, hey, hey, John.
- Uh huh.
- Oh shit.
Man no, just.
(eerie music)
(John screaming)
(high pitched whistling)
(heart beat thudding)
- [Disembodied Voice] Kill it.
- [John] No.
- [Disembodied
Voice] Kill it now.
- No.
I can't, please.
- [Disembodied Voice] Kill it.
- No!
- [Overhead Speaker] Dr.
Morris, dial 118 please.
Dr. Morris, please dial 118.
(monitor beeping)
- Hi.
- Who are you John?
- I'm not that man.
- How do I know?
- How do you (crying).
Because that man never
knew what love was.
I do.
They didn't make me
the man I am now.
But you did.
You did.
(John and Rachel crying)
Oh, there's something else.
The other men.
They're all dead.
- What do you mean?
- The others, the
men who got remade.
They all killed themselves.
And they all had symptoms.
Fainting, the headaches.
- The nosebleeds.
- But the doctor said that,
the doctor said you're fine.
You're just a little dehydrated.
Exhaustion.
- I'm sorry.
- No, no, no, now wait,
wait, wait, that man Lucas.
He wasn't well.
- Whatever they did to
us, it flips a switch
in our brain and we just,
I mean, that's why
I had to find out.
I had to try and stop
it, but, I can't.
- Then we will go to the police.
Carl can help us.
- I don't think
that's an option.
(dramatic music)
- What is this?
(John gasping)
Why can't the police
help us, Carl?
- And tell them what, exactly?
- We tell them the truth.
- The truth.
Everything we have
is circumstantial.
They'll just think John's crazy.
Hell it is crazy.
But at the end of this
mess we don't even know
who the fuck is behind it
or what they'll do
to keep it quiet.
- You need to take Jordan
and go to your mothers.
Just for a few days.
- What?
- I'm not gonna let the last
memories of her father be this.
- So we're supposed to leave?
- Yeah.
- So you can step
in front of a bus?
- Don't Rachel, don't.
- No this is, this
is absolutely insane.
- [Carl] Hey, hey, hey.
- How dare you, both of you!
You said that my love made
you the man that you are.
The man that I love,
the man that I love would
never stop fighting.
(both crying)
Ever.
(dramatic music)
- I'll make sure they're safe.
(door knocking)
- I heard you were checking
yourself out today.
- You heard right.
- May I?
- Yeah.
- I was told of your condition
regarding your memory.
I am truly sorry I
wasn't more sensitive.
With that being said, I
still couldn't stop thinking
about your
reconstructive surgery.
- How can I help you, Doctor?
- I brought this, for you.
- What's this?
- There, that is a serial
number of your chin implant.
I took the liberty of tracing
it back to its origin.
It came from a
company in Brazil.
I contacted them to see where
it may have been shipped.
Which would help
you perhaps find out
who performed the procedure.
- And?
- Nobody in that office
spoke any English.
And my Portuguese
is a little rusty.
But yours isn't.
Here's the number.
(dramatic music)
- Thank you.
(sirens blaring faintly)
(metal clattering)
(eerie tense music)
(water dripping)
(ghostly voices chattering)
- [Man] Clear, clear, clear.
(monitor beeping)
(heart beat thudding)
(eerie music)
- Fuck!
(dramatic music)
- [Carl] Oh John.
- It's a corporation.
- What?
- It's a goddamn
publicly traded company.
It's been in front
of me the whole time.
Here.
Every dream I have ever had.
- Okay, so what do you
want to do about it?
- [John] I want to finish this.
- [Carl] I don't follow.
- I am not Lucas and I
am not Marcus Riddell
and no one is erasing me.
- Hey John, just slow
down for a minute, okay.
Whoa, hey, whoa, whoa.
- [John] We both
knows how this ends.
Either at the end of a rope
or with a bottle of pills.
- Or a bullet to your head.
- No.
- [Carl] Fuck John,
please, don't do this.
- No matter what, I am bringing
this to their front door.
But I need your help.
(phone ringing)
Hey.
Hey.
Hey!
(dramatic music)
That's right.
I've come home.
(elevator dings)
(dramatic music)
- Drop the gun.
- Kick it over.
- Arms up.
He's clean.
- Let him in.
- My glasses.
- I think it would be
more comfortable for you
if you'd take a seat over here.
Perhaps on the couch.
Never enough time in
the day, is there.
But then I don't suppose I need
to explain the value
of time to you.
How you found us,
in and of itself,
is a topic worthy of discussion,
but I suppose the
mystery can wait.
Besides you must have
many questions for me.
- Why?
Why would you do this to me?
- Our company, it
provides many services
across many sectors,
many markets, but
all with one mandate.
To advance humankind.
It's a passion really.
You see, society has proven
itself to be largely indifferent
to the concept of true
criminal rehabilitation.
Many have lost faith that
anything can or should be done
with those who have committed
the most heinous of crimes.
Many want justice at
the end of a needle,
the others a life
spent in a cage.
What does that say about us
a culture, as a civilization?
Have we forsaken the
notion of redemption?
But what if we could
undo the corruption
that has infected the
worst criminal minds?
What if we could
start clean, purify?
- (laughs) You reprogrammed us.
- Not one of you reverted to
a life of crime or violence.
It has been an
outstanding success.
You are a success.
You not only
survived, you thrived.
- The languages.
The mathematics, the
abilities, was that to help us?
- They were the most
unexpected of side effects,
we're still looking into them
but they have
astounding potential.
I would not say though that
they didn't help you, would you?
- Then why can't I live anymore?
- I'm truly sorry, John,
but we were only able
to account for a
handful of years
in which the subjects had
optimal mental health.
After which we observed an
inevitable and swift decline
into dementia, then insanity.
Truly horrible.
So we put in a
fail safe to ensure
that you would be spared that.
- Suicide.
- We assured that the
patient would self-terminate
and because we needed only
a brief period of time
to prove the procedure viable,
it was an acceptable loss.
But I assure you, the next round
we will improve the longevity
of the subject by vast sums.
But before you ask, no, I'm
afraid that it is irreversible.
(dramatic music)
- How could you just do this?
I have a wife, I have a
child, I have a family now.
Who the fuck do
you think you are?
- John, do you forget that
you murdered a family?
A family just like yours with
all the same hopes and dreams.
- So this is supposed to be
some sort of ironic justice.
And my victims?
Where's their justice now?
- John, forgive me, but
you are being shortsighted.
Reprogramming is the future, a
future with no more violence,
no more killing, no more
suffering and grieving
and death and you have been
the crucible for this change.
You are now the very thing
that Marcus Riddell was not,
a true human being,
with a conscience,
with morality, empathy.
Let's not lose sight of
why you're even here, John.
It is only because of us,
that you have any life
whatsoever is because of us.
That you even know
love for yourself
or that beautiful
family is our doing.
- What do you want from me?
- Thanks to us, yours
is a resurrection story,
you have been redeemed.
- Gratitude.
You're no god, you're no savior.
The only difference
between you and me?
Is at least now I
know I was a monster.
You know, your goons
outside were wrong.
I'm not clean.
- You see this new wireless
mic, long-range, no detection.
- None of us are.
- [Executive] That you
have any life whatsoever is
because of us, that you
even know love for yourself
or that beautiful
family is our doing.
- Oh my God.
(sirens wailing)
(helicopter whirring)
- This should help
corroborate all of it.
(somber music)
I just need to know if this
is something you can run.
- Are you kidding me?
I'll be honest with you.
There's gonna be a lot
of blow back on this.
I need to get John
Hutton on the record.
When can I talk to him?
- [Reporter] After
the story broke
in The Times earlier this week,
Federal indictments
were handed down today,
sweeping through
the executive ranks
of the Vettaplex Corporation,
a major international
biotech company
with offices right
here in Los Angeles.
- [Reporter] A whistleblower
known as John Hutton was able
to reveal a large
scale operation
that involved rebooting
death row inmates
in several state prisons
throughout the country
in what some are
calling a gruesome form
of reverse eugenics.
- [Reporter] Arrests were made
at the Vettaplex
Corporation this week,
at the highest level
of executive authority,
while the outrage of
the public is mounting
to a fever pitch.
And conspiracists and
online chatter is now saying
that the programming will be--
- [Reporter] The president
will be addressing the public
later today on the scandal,
hoping to answer the many
questions surrounding the event.
- [Reporter] While many
are waiting for a response
from The White House,
there is now a call to launch
a congressional hearing
on the matter immediately.
- [Reporter] At the heart of
this harrowing story is a man
who has lived two lives,
a man who started over
out of the darkness.
A man who had to face
that darkness once more.
A man who, in the end, put
right and wrong above himself.
- Where is he?
(dramatic music)
(somber music)