(# acoustic rock music)
Charlie!
(screams)
- Andy!
- Daddy, what's going on?
- We have to go now.
- Where's Mommy?
Andy, get Charlie!
- Mommy! Mommy!
- Come on.
(gunshot)
Hey!
Let me just shut down.
- Where'd you get the coffee, brother?
- Hospital's got a coffee shop.
Tastes like Band-Aids smell.
Love that smell!
Shall we go?
- Aren't you gonna ask me how he is?
- How is he?
You could just go up there
and then you'd know, wouldn't you?
- I'm gonna be late. Want a ride or not?
- Change of plans. I told Dad I'd stay.
Knock yourself out(!)
- Hey, he wanted me to give this to you.
- Tell him "No, thanks".
No givebacks!
- Got any victims for me?
- Yeah, uh... Mary Conant.
Fresh meat. Congratulations, Mrs Conant,
you have just won the class-action lottery.
One more and we close
the western region.
- Two more. This one's top priority.
- No, no. I already closed this one twice.
Well, Joel wants you to take
another crack at it.
She's dead. Did you tell him that?
You don't tell the boss
things he doesn't want to hear.
You just do what you're told
and keep filling out that timecard.
Morning, Tommy.
Sarah.
I'm sorry. I got caught up.
Really? Let's see.
No, come on. Let me see.
We have... Zinc: A history of the vertical
retort-smelting process in America.
Ooh, hard to put down.
It's fascinating.
- Where'd you find this?
- Somebody just left it on the table.
Well, it's a PhD thesis
and unpublished theses go in the?
- Come on, you've worked here a week.
- In the morgue. I can just put it back.
Thanks, sweetie. Take care.
(knock)
- Hey, Joel, you got a minute?
- Vincent! Come on in.
- How's the west coming?
- We're down to the last names.
Good, good. You know, I need those
people located by the end of this week.
That's what I wanted to talk to you about.
This file came back: Charlene McGee?
- I sent it back.
- I've cleared this file twice already.
- There was an explosion in 1989...
- No body was recovered.
But according to the coroner, the fire was
so hot it'd have consumed even the teeth.
It'll slow us up if we waste time
tracking down a corpse.
The head of R&D requested we make
another effort on this one, Vincent.
What does R&D
have to do with the settlement?
- Not a thing.
- Then why?
Look... Vincent,
I pay you to find these people,
whether it's easy or not. Yes?
- Yes.
- Then find her, Vincent.
- Shut the door on your way out.
- Yes, sir.
Tommy?
- You startled me.
- I found another one.
If people would just put things back
in the first place.
- Having any fun yet?
- Are you kidding? I'd do this for free.
James Richardson?
He's drawing a pension from Millington
College, but they've no address on file.
- So, how does he get his money?
- He collects his cheque and cashes it.
Sounds a little paranoid.
Well, I just figured you'd stake out the
registrar's office and wait for him to show.
OK, but I've gotta go
to Reno to close Conant.
Can't hang out hopin' he pops up. You go.
What? I just find them.
I'm not authorised to cut a cheque.
But you haven't found him yet,
have you? It's only a two-hour drive.
Do I have a sign on my back today
or something? Fine, I'll find him.
Joel didn't cut you any slack
on McGee, huh?
Nope. You want her, you can have her.
Just make sure you bring a shovel. Bye.
(girl) I can't believe you did that.
That was so stupid.
- I'm stupid now?
- Yeah, you're stupid.
- But I like stupid.
- Hm?
- Excuse me.
- Just gotta put the book back.
OK.
Did you see her staring?
God.
My name's Vincent Sforza,
with Systems Operations Corporation.
Our records show a James Richardson
took part in an experiment here in 1979.
A lawsuit was settled
in conjunction with that study
and he stands to receive a large payment.
If you wanna leave a message, we can
pass it on when he comes for his cheque.
I don't suppose
I can have a phone number?
No, we don't have that, and even
if we did... Try the phone company.
That's the first place I tried.
How often does he come in?
You know, one time, he didn't come in
for a whole year to get his cheque.
Once, he came in three times in one day,
so... who knows?
Does your office have contact with
other people from the programme?
- Anyone who might know where he is?
- No, but if it's names you're lookin' for,
you might try the records.
They should still be on file.
Oh, that'd be great.
Do you know where I could find those?
- I'm sorry.
- Whoa! Sorry.
Sorry.
We call the archives the "morgue".
Of course, that's not the official name.
I suppose an official morgue
would have dead bodies in it.
Do you know, most of these documents
used to be classified.
It wasn't till the past year
that they became public.
Of course, they're not catalogued yet.
We don't have the staff for it.
It's a struggle to get students these days
to major in library science.
- I can imagine.
- Not just at Millington.
There's a nationwide
shortage of librarians.
- It's a national disgrace.
- Here we are.
Et voil.
Great(!)
'79.
OK. Let's see what we got.
"Sixth in a series of blind tests conducted
in 1979, Lot 6 was tested on 12 students
with ages ranging from..."
Blah, blah, blah.
Come on, gimme something.
"The results were an immediate
and verifiable increase in..."
Psychic abilities?
"Positive results from Lot 6
were offset by drastic side effects."
"One subject died during the initial test
from self-inflicted wounds."
"Of the survivors,
six developed severe mental illness,
and three committed suicide
within two years."
(# rock music)
Where'd you come from?
(moans)
- I have to go.
- What?
I gotta go.
- Have to go?
- I have to... go!
Hey, wait a minute. You can't just
work me up like that and then take off!
Hey! Come on!
You bitch!
- You have to stop it!
- I don't want to.
Charlie, you have to stop this!
I can't.
(phone rings)
- Uh, this is Vincent.
- I got your package.
- Hey, brother.
- Where'd you get the tape?
The library at Millington.
But I didn't have a machine to play it.
Can you do a transfer for me?
- Already done. Check your mail.
- Ah, you're a digital god.
Hold on a second.
- Hold up.
- Vincent, what the hell is this?
I don't know. I haven't seen it yet.
You didn't do anything
illegal to get it, did you?
- No, not really. Why?
- Just play it.
What is it?
- So what the hell are we looking at here?
- I don't know.
Looks like some kind of experiment.
- This is riveting.
- No, just keep watching.
Doctor!
(screaming)
Next time you send me something like
this, would you put a warning label on it?
- Let me call you back.
- Bye.
(librarian) No, it's not a problem.
Of course not.
Sure thing, yeah. OK, then.
All right, bye-bye.
- Documents are gone from the morgue.
- What's been taken?
- I'm not sure. Who's been in there?
- The signing sheet's right over there, so...
Tommy, um...
Tommy.
Joseph spent his entire life
in pursuit of science.
The university's reaction?
An absolute disgrace.
Mrs Wanless, people forget
it was a different situation.
Exactly. The Soviet Union had already
made tremendous advances in this area.
The Lot 6 programme was
an opportunity to narrow the gap.
- What sort of drug was it?
- Dilysergic triune acid.
One of several new psychotropics tested.
I don't recall the others.
But Joseph thought Lot 6
was a real breakthrough.
He felt terrible for those people, of course,
but you have to make
sacrifices for knowledge.
Did Dr Wanless keep any
personal records of his research?
Of course. Come with me. This way.
I kept all of it just as when he was alive.
Do you know if he did any follow-up
on the Lot 6 programme?
Lot 6, that's here.
This is what you want, right here.
- May I?
- Oh, yes, certainly.
"Surveillance was maintained
on the four subjects who demonstrated
no overt adverse effects."
"Mary Conant, Andrew McGee,
James Richardson and Vicky Tomlinson."
"Unexpectedly, McGee and Tomlinson
were married that year
and produced one child in 1980,
Charlene McGee."
Charlene McGee
wasn't part of the original study?
No, she was a mistake.
"Charlene McGee, aka Charlie McGee,
aka The Firestarter."
"In 1989 it was determined that
the child had unprecedented..."
What's pyrokinesis?
She lights fires, with her mind.
"She was remanded
to the custody of the state."
"Her dad refused to cooperate, resulting
in the incident at Manders Farm."
Is there any more on Charlene McGee?
Yes, there's a film... somewhere.
Joseph saved everything. He has more
pictures of that girl than our own boy.
(doorbell)
I'll just be a moment.
Could you hit the lights, please?
(Andy) They've found us.
- Hi, Charlie.
- Go away.
- Go away and leave us alone.
- Can't do that.
- And you're fresh out of places to hide.
- You can't have her.
It's not up to you. We all want
what's best for Charlie. Don't we?
- Come here, honey.
- You're not taking my daughter!
Charlie, stop it!
Charlie, listen to me. Stop it!
- Charlie!
- I can't.
Charlie, you have to stop it.
I don't want to.
- What's wrong?
- Nothing.
- Well, sit down.
- No, I'm OK.
I'm OK.
You sure?
Yeah, it was just the... the lights.
They made me dizzy, is all.
Have we met before?
No.
- You sure? You look very familiar.
- I don't think so.
I'm Vincent. Sforza.
Tommy Andrews.
Miss Andrews is doing her thesis on my
husband's research on psychic potential.
- Out... outside the library.
- What?
That's where we met. I bumped into you.
Oh, yeah. I work at the library.
- There you have it.
- So what is your interest in Dr Wanless?
- I'm doing a follow-up study.
- What are you following up?
- An earlier study.
- Mr Sforza is looking into the role
Joseph's research played
in winning the Cold War.
You know,
maybe I can save you some work.
Cos there's no reason why we should
both have to dig through all this raw data.
I can send you
a summary when I'm finished.
Well, that's sweet, but I'm looking
for very specific information.
Really, you're both perfectly welcome
to examine my husband's files
for as long as you need.
(mobile rings)
It's me. Would you excuse me?
- If I could take these and make copies...
- Oh, now, you know I won't allow that.
I've found some of the stuff
we didn't have access to.
Some of the original files from the study.
It's pretty disturbing. Some of the things
they did to these people...
And this relates to
finding Richardson - how?
Because I'd hate to think
you're wasting my time.
There's addresses in those files. I could
find Richardson through his relatives.
Who knows? I may even find
Charlene McGee for you.
That would work for me.
We still have concerns
about Radiant Thunder.
Staging the test
in an uncontrolled environment.
Is it too late to move the operation
to a government facility?
It was designed to fight
the undeclared wars of the 21st century.
That means hitting targets in the midst
of a civilian population with total surprise
and complete deniability.
Testing it on a government facility
defeats the purpose of the test.
- But the target: A bank?
- That's correct.
You're using these children, the most
advanced weapons ever, to rob a bank?
It's not about the bank.
Think about what robbing a bank entails.
Crowd control, penetrating a hardened
structure, targeting a specific objective.
We understand all that. It just seems so...
- Mundane?
- Mundane, yes. And totally deniable.
Nonetheless,
we may have to postpone this.
According to your reports, there are
participants that must be accounted for.
- They're considered security risks.
- And they will be accounted for.
Gentlemen, thank you for your time.
I have to get back to work now.
Excuse me a minute, gentlemen.
Well, John, they didn't do me
any favours in there.
So... where are we in tracking down
the previous test subjects?
We've found virtually all of them.
"Virtually" means the opposite
of what it sounds.
We will locate all the surviving
test subjects before Radiant Thunder.
- Even Charlene McGee?
- With all due respect, McGee is dead.
With respect, Joel,
you don't know anything.
Even if she were alive, what makes you
think she's a threat to Radiant Thunder?
When she was ten,
she could produce 20,000 degrees
of spot heat in less than three seconds.
Enough heat
for concrete blocks to explode.
I'd say that makes her a threat,
wouldn't you?
Aren't you letting your imagination
run away with you?
Joel, my job requires
an absolute lack of imagination.
- John's here.
- (boy) Hi, John.
Oh! Oh, there's my boy.
There he is. Whoa!
- Look what I did. I took out his brains.
- Oh, yes, you did.
Here's the cerebellum.
Then, here's the cerebrum.
And then here's the medulla.
- Can I have a puppy next?
- Oh, well... if you're a good boy.
Oh! You're a heavy lump.
There, down you get.
Now, let's see how Cody's doing.
How's my boy today?
- Can I get you anything?
- (boy) Why does he get all the attention?
We can all do stuff.
He doesn't do anything.
Yeah, I mean, what is so special
about him anyway?
Soon.
Soon.
Why don't you tell us
a story about Charlie?
- Those stories are so stupid.
- Oh, be nice, Paul. Be nice.
- I like it when she burns stuff.
- The farm's the best: She burns people.
All right, then. Come on,
gather round, gather round.
Now, does anyone know
what happened to Charlie
after she burnt up the people at the farm?
She burnt up more people.
No. No, not quite.
Well, do you give up?
Do you want me to tell you?
No.
Hey, stop it, you two. Just stop it.
Well...
Charlie and her daddy ran away.
They went someplace
where nobody knew them.
Charlie was very lonely.
Then a big bird saw her
from way, way up in the sky.
And it swooped down
and grabbed her with its golden claws.
It took her to a... magic castle.
And in the castle
there were toys and games and friends.
But Charlie didn't want to play.
- No.
- Why not, Charlie?
My daddy told me not to.
And since Charlie wouldn't play,
nobody liked her.
Charlie was all alone.
(quiet sobs)
There you are.
- Don't cry.
- Why not?
Because they can see you. You don't
want them to see you crying, do you?
I don't care.
Do you know what they're gonna do?
I hope they kill me.
No, you don't.
Yes, I do. It's my fault Mommy's gone
and Daddy's gone.
Because I'm bad.
Look at me. Look at me.
You are not bad.
You're a very beautiful girl,
with a very special gift.
A great gift.
They're dead because of me.
Your daddy's not dead.
He's here, in a cell, like you.
Yeah. I could take him
a message, if you want.
- How?
- I take him his food.
Why would you help me?
Well, I... I don't have that many friends.
I mean, everybody should have
at least one great friend, right?
Besides... I know
how you can help your daddy.
Just give 'em what they want.
- No, Daddy said...
- Listen to me.
You give them what they want -
just a little -
make them really need you,
then you get what you want.
- My daddy?
- That's right.
It's up to you.
What's your name?
John.
John... tell my dad I'm OK.
Tell him I love him.
OK, Charlie. I'll tell him.
You've got an intuitive grasp
of child psychology.
It doesn't matter whether
she cooperates or not.
She's far too dangerous.
She ought to be eliminated.
Nobody kills that girl but me.
- Mary Conant?
- (woman) Who's asking?
Gil James. I'm with a company
called Systems Operations.
- What do you want?
- I've got a cheque here for you.
A class-action suit.
Some study you took part in.
What are you saying?
I never joined any class-action suit.
I guess you must have been
one of the folks
they just included
along with the ones who filed.
Because you were
part of the study, right?
I'm not interested. Please go away.
Are you sure? I mean,
this is a lot of money.
Go away! Or I'll call the police.
Oh, I'm sorry you... feel that way.
Go away.
Go away.
Would you like something?
I could make some tea.
That'd be great. Thank you.
Excuse me. Would you pass me that?
Green one.
Thanks.
So what's so special about Richardson?
Just a name on my list.
You have a list?
The people who participated in this study
won a huge class-action suit.
My job is to find them
and compensate them.
Do you think that makes it all right?
No, but at least it's something.
- Who else is on your list?
- McGee, Charlene.
- Do you know where she is?
- Yeah, I think she's dead.
- Terminal burnout.
- You think this stuff's so funny, huh?
Well, not that she's dead, but...
I mean, some of this other stuff?!
I mean, come on. "Once the girl's
cooperation had been established,
Charlene McGee participated in several
tests to verify her pyrokinetic ability."
"Lgniting, in succession,
a five-kilogram block of wood,
a concrete brick,
and a 1985 Ford Escort."
- Guess a Pinto would've been too easy.
- So you don't believe it?
What, human psychic potential?
- Do you?
- What do you think happened?
I think it was a scam
to get research funding.
And Wanless made up
this psychic-power stuff
so he could justify what
he was doin' to these people.
I have this tape and, you should see,
these experiments were horrible.
I think you'd better leave now.
Both of you.
- Sorry about that.
- Oh, she knew what he was doing.
Wow, you're cynical.
So I'm gonna have to come back
and apologise for your behaviour.
- She liked me.
- Great. You gonna share anything?
- Why should I?
- I'll buy you a cheeseburger.
(glass smashing)
Who's there?
No!
(knock on door)
What do you want? Go away!
(Gil) I'm so sorry. Do you have a cat?
- I just ran over somebody's cat.
- God!
Did you kill it?
No. It's alive, but he's hurt really bad.
Oh, my God. I'm so sorry.
I... I think he's crying.
Oh, poor guy...
Excuse me.
You never told me
what your research was about.
No, I didn't.
What?
- Do I have something in my teeth?
- How about those on your list?
- You give them money?
- I don't hand them a cheque.
- I just track them down.
- So you don't really know.
(mobile rings)
Hold on a second.
- Yeah, brother.
- Hey, what are you doing?
- Having lunch with someone.
- Stop that and open your laptop.
It's my brother.
Sorry.
Yeah. OK.
Open the file and push
the resolution as far as it'll go.
- Hello, you still there?
- Yeah, yeah. I'm in the file.
- What's the frame number?
- 220653.
- You see it?
- It looks like someone threw a clipboard.
- What's the big deal?
- Look a little harder. Come on.
What the hell's that?
Topnotch work. The shadows line up,
there's no matte lines.
I don't think they could
fake somethin' like this in '79.
I don't think they did.
Hold on. Tommy? Tommy!
Yeah, brother, let me call you back.
Tommy?
Tommy?
Tommy, you OK?
Did you see her face? She didn't
even know what was happening to her.
- Well, I told you it was bad.
- I knew somebody who was a part of it.
Really?
- Who?
- They weren't part of your list.
I'm sorry. I never even
thought of them as people.
I wanted to help them,
or find a cure, or something.
That... that's why you wanted the files?
And how are you supposed to find a cure?
I mean, it's not like you're gonna
open up the files and find red kryptonite.
Red kryptonite?
Green kryptonite kills Superman.
Red kryptonite takes away his powers.
You're thinking of gold kryptonite.
Red kryptonite does weird stuff
like split Superman in two
and turn him into a baby.
You like Superman?
I like Batman more.
Really? Why?
Cos he's an ordinary guy.
And cos in Dark Knight
he kicks Superman's butt.
Yes, he does.
Listen, I don't know if it'll help,
but I don't just have the tape.
I've also got these files.
You may not wanna look at them,
but you're welcome to.
OK.
Yeah, it's Gil. Tell Rainbird
I have just closed the Conant file.
Well, I couldn't manage the note,
but I think they'll buy suicide.
I mean, why not? Check her file.
She's already tried it twice.
Third time is charm.
Nice kitty cat.
Find what you were looking for?
Not... yet.
That's not a file.
Oh! Is this your father?
- Yep.
- Well, he looks nice.
He took a nice picture.
Is he dead?
Not yet.
What'd he do to you?
- You don't wanna hear about my dad.
- Sure I do. What happened?
The usual.
What's "the usual"?
The usual, uh...
Dad was never there for me.
He cheated on my mom, then left. Treated
my brother and me like we didn't exist.
The usual.
How old were you?
What? When he left?
Nine.
Oh. So you basically
grew up without a father.
- Basically.
- Pictures are... funny.
You look so close and you hate him.
I don't hate him. I can't forgive him,
but I don't hate him.
- I'm sorry.
- It's not your fault.
I'm still sorry.
- You still play football?
- No. No.
I ran cross-country in high school.
Oh.
I lettered.
Why is that funny?
Come here.
- I have to go.
- What?
I have to go.
We can stop if you want.
What are you doing?
- Did I do something wrong?
- No. I can't do this.
Wait a minute. Hold on a second here.
Wait a minute. Talk to me.
What are you doing?
Please don't touch me. I like you,
Vincent. I don't wanna hurt you.
What?
Tommy!
Joel.
Sorry to wake you. It's Vincent Sforza.
I found McGee.
Charlene McGee. I found her.
Wait, wait, Joel. Don't put me on ho...
(phone rings)
Yes?
Really?
You'd better put him through.
Hello, Mr Sforza. John Rainbird here.
Congratulations. I hear
your persistence paid off.
Yes.
Do you believe in destiny, Joel?
No, sir, I believe in cash flow.
I wonder what Vincent Sforza believes in.
- Tell me something about him.
- You have his personnel file.
Does he appear to be... trustworthy?
He seems honest.
No... that's not quite what I mean.
I've told him to bring in Charlene McGee,
to "persuade" her to come in.
We don't have much time
before Radiant Thunder.
If he's located her, we'd better
send somebody in to handle it.
Charlie cannot be "handled".
If you're counting on him to deceive her...
No. He thinks he's trying to help her.
You see, it's easy to tell a lie
when you don't know what the truth is.
(knock on door)
It's me, Vincent. I need to talk to you.
(softly) Go away.
I know who you are.
You're Charlene McGee.
Come on, Charlie, open up.
Can I come in?
I like the fire extinguishers.
Very Andy Warhol.
- Are you leaving?
- No.
Listen, this company I work for?
They've got top scientists.
If you came and talked to them,
I'm sure they could help.
I can take care of myself.
You can't just run away like this.
You saw the film.
- I can't tell what happened.
- I killed two people.
- That's what happened.
- They were trying to hurt you, right?
- They were just doing their job.
- You were ten!
They won't charge you with murder.
No, they don't wanna punish me.
They wanna use me.
- At least let me get you the money...
- Don't touch me.
You're afraid, aren't you? That's good.
- Charlie! Charlie, wait.
- Go away!
- Look, I'm just trying to help you.
- Why?
Why? I know what it's like not to have
anybody you can trust. It can get lonely.
Everyone who's ever helped me
is dead because of me.
What's your idea of lonely?
OK, fine. You win.
All I'm saying is these people can have
the cure that you've been looking for.
"These people"? Your company?
Am I supposed to trust them?
What's your alternative?
What? You think you're gonna
find it on your own?
This could be the best shot you have.
Gold kryptonite?
I'm gonna be with you
every step of the way.
Nothing's gonna happen that
you don't want to have happen.
Will you at least think about it?
Just think about it.
- She's coming in.
- Congratulations, Vincent.
- Good job.
- Thank you.
I'd like to be there for the initial meeting.
- You would?
- Told her I'd meet her there.
She's, uh... had a rough life.
It's difficult for her to trust people.
- And she trusts you?
- I think so.
The thing is, Vincent, we have
trained psychologists that do this,
and they follow a very specific procedure.
- I'd like to talk to them.
- You have Richardson to find.
Let's stay focused here, OK?
Ah, before I forget.
Who restored that video file for you?
- My brother.
- Your brother?
Well, he did a good job.
That's good to know, Vincent.
Thank you, Vincent.
How about the people on your list?
You give them money?
(Vincent) I don't hand them a cheque.
I just track them down.
(Charlie) So you don't really know.
How can a name not be found?
I put it there.
- Yeah?
- Yeah, Gil, it's Vincent.
Hey, Vincent.
Heard you found McGee. Kudos.
Thanks. Yeah, um... Listen,
I've been doin' some book-keeping.
Not exactly your department, buddy.
Yeah, I know, but...
I can't find any of the payments.
Vincent, A-P has several accounts
that we use for disbursements,
and we're trying to keep this
class action hush-hush.
There's nothing on Conant or Smithers -
none of the people I found.
These people were paid.
Everything's been taken care of.
All right? So don't worry about it. OK?
- Vincent.
- Yeah, OK.
Got any victims for me?
No.
Oh, God.
No.
No, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, no, no.
Before I forget. Who restored
that video file for you?
(phone rings)
- Hello.
- Henry, get out of your apartment now.
- I'm making soup.
- I'm not kidding. Just do it.
- What is this about?
- It's about that tape. Leave right now.
What? The "men in black"
are gonna come get me?
Will you just please leave?
I'm gonna download the tape.
Henry, leave the tape. Just go.
You can't enter. This is a private facility.
I'm Charlene McGee.
They're expecting me.
Building 14. Through the town, on the left.
- The town?
- Yeah... the town.
Charlie.
Just look at you.
All grown up.
All right, Charlie. Let's go.
- Where?
- Don't you trust me?
Daddy!
Daddy.
What's wrong with him?
They drugged him.
I'm in a lot of trouble, Charlie.
They know that I like you
more than I should and...
they know that I've been helping you.
But, they're gonna
give me one last chance.
What?
Come here.
I don't even like to ask you this.
What?
Well,
they want to use your power
against a person, Charlie.
- No.
- That's exactly what I told them.
But then they said if you didn't,
then they would kill me.
So, that's why I brought you down here
so that you could see your daddy.
Because when I'm gone...
you're never gonna see your daddy again.
I'm sorry I let you down, Charlie.
- John...
- Yeah?
- I'll...
- He's lying. Everything he says is a lie.
He's the one who took you from me.
He's the man
who had your mommy killed.
That's enough.
Have you ever looked
into the eyes of a dying man?
You've lost her.
Charlie, wait.
Wait! No! Nooo!
Wait!
- I saw you die.
- You saw me burn. It's far more painful.
Oh, don't worry, Charlie.
I forgave you a long time ago.
I hope you've forgiven me.
You...
you killed my father.
I didn't want to. He wanted to die,
and he tricked me.
And he left us both to take the blame.
You still twist everything.
You haven't changed.
Oh, but I have. I used to look
into the eyes of dying men for...
for something to bring purpose to this life.
God, I suppose.
What do you want with me?
I want you to help me fill the void, Charlie.
What?
I want a god to judge me.
I want a god to damn me.
So...
I'm going to make him.
You... you're gonna make God?
You were the first step,
but we've come a long way since then.
You're serious.
I want you to come back.
- Charlie?
- Ah! Mr Sforza.
We have you to thank
for this happy reunion.
No, Charlie, this isn't what it looks like.
Henry?
Henry?
Hey, buddy.
I've already talked to Joel.
We're offering you a promotion.
Oh, dear. Gil.
Mr Sforza, you do realise that
aiming a firearm at your employer
is grounds for immediate termination?
That makes sense.
Well?
Well, what?
Shoot me.
I didn't think so.
Run!
I swear to God, I didn't know
anything about this. You've gotta...
Shh.
Come on.
- What the hell is this?
- I told you she'd come.
- Shut up.
- She knows.
They're like me.
- Don't shoot me.
- Nobody's gonna shoot anybody.
We're just gonna go out
the way we came.
I wasn't asking you.
I'm telling you - don't shoot me.
In fact,
why don't you shoot yourself?
In the foot.
- Vincent!
- Very cool.
(piercing screams)
Frankly, I don't see what the big deal is.
I'm disappointed. I'd even say I feel...
cheated.
- What about you?
- Definitely cheated.
All right.
Let's see what you've got.
My feet! My feet are on fire!
My feet are... my feet are on...
(piercing screams)
Get down. Get on your knees.
Stay.
You look just like I thought you would.
Can you stand?
(man) Vincent! Come on out!
We don't want to kill you.
Mr Rainbird wants you alive.
But make no mistake.
You're not leaving this facility.
OK, OK. OK, here's what we do.
Vincent, put the gun away.
What?
You don't need it.
Vincent!
All right.
Now lie out on the ground.
No.
- No?
- No.
But you can run, if you like.
Charlie.
Is that inside you all the time?
I'm sorry you had to see that.
Is that you too?
No.
That's not me.
What are you?
Charlie.
- You know what I can do.
- You know what I can do?
- I don't wanna hurt you.
- I don't wanna hurt you.
I mean it.
What are you?
- Don't make me do this.
- Charlie...
Charlie, stop it! Stop it!
What'd you do?
- Let go.
- More.
- Let go.
- More.
Let go! Let go. Stop it.
- More.
- Stop it.
- Stop, stop.
- And more!
Stop it!
Oh... don't!
Don't... shoot him.
Please.
Charlie for the boy. That's the deal.
- All right.
- Tell him to let her go.
Cody.
Now, you lower your gun.
No, I don't think so.
I think we'll stay just like this
until Charlie gets outta here.
All right, Mr Sforza. It's your show.
Get outta here, Charlie.
Go.
Go, Charlie.
He has no idea how interesting
his life is about to become.
John's still alive.
- I know.
- You have to go back.
No, no.
- Why's John still alive?
- I don't know.
I promised Daddy I wouldn't, OK?
I broke a promise for nothing.
No... honey, wait. No, I had to!
I had to. Sometimes you have to
break promises. It's OK.
- No, it's not OK. Do something.
- Let's think.
What do we do when we're in trouble?
We... we... we run.
We disappear. That's the only way
we've ever stayed safe.
- You're lying.
- No.
Mommy, Daddy lied. John lied.
And now you're lying.
- No, no, no.
- Everybody's lying to me.
We don't have to be like that.
We never, ever have to be like that. Ever.
- (whispers) What are we gonna do?
- I don't know.
I don't know.
There isn't a cure.
You know what you have to do, right?
You have to go back.
- (man) Miss...
- (child) You have to go back.
- (man) Miss...
- (child) You have to go back.
Miss!
You can't sleep here.
I'm just waiting for my bus.
Which bus?
Phoenix.
- You still got about 20 minutes or so.
- Thank you.
You're thinking about Vincent.
You're thinking "Do I get on the bus
or do I go back for him?"
- Excuse me?
- The answer is, you go back.
- How did you find me?
- I'm not your enemy.
That's right. The whole world is my friend
and I'm happy to be a part of it(!)
- What are you? One of Rainbird's plants?
- You know better than that.
Oh, well, if you know who I am,
then you know what I can do.
I know.
Well, what do you want?
It's complicated.
Well, start at the beginning.
Use small words.
I was a friend of your family's, Charlie.
I was there with them, 20 years ago,
when Dr Wanless gave us a drug.
When they changed us for ever.
Richardson.
(Gil) Sir, it was just
a big, uncontrollable mess.
- And then...
- She got out.
- How could you lose control?
- Well, Vincent took my gun, sir.
- Vincent took your gun.
- He got lucky.
He got lucky? He's an accountant.
He doesn't have access to this facility.
- Mr Rainbird said to bring him in.
- Who signs your cheques?
- You do, sir.
- That's right. You work for me.
Vincent is meant to locate Richardson.
You're meant to close Richardson.
- But I found...
- You found McGee. Look what happened.
She blew up the facility,
and now you have to find her again,
which means delays, which cost money.
Am I making myself clear?
Find Richardson, Gil,
because the trucks are rolling.
Radiant Thunder may be over budget,
but it will be on time.
Yes, sir.
- What was she like?
- Wasn't a big deal, OK?
- She set his shoes on fire.
- Shut up.
- She was hot, too.
- That's funny.
I told you to shut up. OK, Andrew?
Yeah, Andrew, shut up.
But she wasn't hot. She was old.
You saw her too, didn't you?
- Good morning, John.
- Good morning.
- Quite a night last night, huh?
- Yes, yes.
Very exciting.
Not the word I was looking for,
but I see your point.
A security breach of this magnitude less
than 24 hours before Radiant Thunder.
But if you're excited, I'm excited.
Look, look, look, look.
Watch Cody.
- What else does she do?
- Nothing.
- She tasted sweet.
- What?
The kid doesn't say anything his entire life
and now he put three words together.
Way to go, Cody!
Your first complete sentence.
What, do you think
she's your girlfriend or something?
She didn't want to play with us.
I guess it made her mad.
She was lame. OK, guys?
She was lame. End of story.
She played with me.
- Don't you see it?
- See what?
Well, just look at him.
He's more responsive. He's interested.
The potential has always been there,
but he's never had
enough energy to fuel the change.
But Charlie has all the fuel that he needs.
To change into what?
I'm not quite sure.
John, how much did you know
about our unscheduled visit last night?
I know how devoted
you are to this project, sir.
But I also know how important it is
for you to tie up certain loose ends.
And I'm hoping Charlene McGee is not
gonna distract you from the big picture.
Thank you, Joel.
I do appreciate your candour.
Thank you, sir.
I hope you understand that I'm speaking
from a position of deepest respect.
Of course.
So, uh...
what are you doing about Vincent?
Joel... you like having
plausible deniability, don't you?
Well, from a legal standpoint, yes.
Then don't ask too many questions.
So how well did you know them?
Everyone knew Vicky.
She had this laugh.
Once it got going, she couldn't stop it. The
kids were always trying to crack her up.
- You liked her.
- Yeah, but she didn't even notice me.
Not after she met Andy. You'd just look
at them and you could see that they fit.
Vicky and Andy.
Dating. That's cool.
- Why do you think they did it?
- What?
- Lot 6.
- $100 was worth a lot of money in 1979.
It was at the school.
I mean, it should be safe, right?
A lot of us... had...
We couldn't adjust to the change.
You know,
you modify a couple of proteins, and...
(imitates blown fuse)
You know, your... your parents were
very strong, to last as long as they did.
You adjusted.
No. I went crazy.
Oh, you don't... I mean, you're not crazy.
- How's your coffee?
- Tastes like cigarettes.
What have you been doing
for the last 20 years?
- I've been waiting for you.
- How'd you know where I was gonna be?
Because this is where we meet.
- That's not an answer.
- It is an answer.
It's just not the answer
that you wanna hear.
- Well, what do I wanna hear?
- Chain of events, cause and effect.
Universe doesn't really work that way.
There's no past, there's no future.
It just is.
You are crazy.
And you light fires with your mind.
I used to be like everyone else.
I used to walk through my life
facing backwards,
only seeing where I'd been.
Then they gave me Lot 6.
Now I see everything. I see the past,
I see the present, I see the future.
I see everything.
All at once.
- And it's time to go.
- Why?
- We have to go now.
- Why?
Because they're looking for you, and in
a minute they'll walk through that door.
- Well, I'm not going with you.
- That's what you say, not what you do.
- And why should I believe you?
- Don't.
Hang on another minute
and see what happens.
Hi.
Hi.
I'm Max.
Want me to show you
where your thyroid is?
Max. Thank you.
Hello.
- Do you know where you are, Mr Sforza?
- No.
You're in the Systems Operations
daycare facility.
- (Vincent) Are all of them?
- (John) Special? Oh, yes.
Very special.
Now, look. I'm going to say
two words to you, Mr Sforza,
and you're going to tell me
everything you know about those words.
Charlene McGee.
- You can see the future?
- No, I don't see it. I'm in it.
Everything's already happened for me,
and I can't change anything.
- Everyone has a choice.
- No, they have the illusion of choice.
- It's not the same thing.
- You're wrong.
Am I? Why did you go back
to Systems Operations?
- Vincent said that they could help me.
- You believed him?
- It doesn't matter now.
- It does matter. Everything matters.
It's all connected, and what happens
to Vincent changes everything.
What do you mean,
"what happens to Vincent"?
You got away. Vincent didn't.
- I didn't ask him to do what he did.
- He had no choice.
And I don't either, right?
I have to save him?
No.
So, I don't go back for him?
You go back for him.
You don't save him, Vincent dies.
Vincent? You don't mind if I call you
Vincent? You must call me John.
- What are they doing?
- Helping.
You're in complete control.
You can stop any time you want.
All you've got to do is to talk to me.
Tell me about her, Vincent.
You've seen the files.
You know more than I do.
What I want isn't in the file.
I want to... I want to know what she's like.
- I don't understand.
- Well,
does she still suck on her lower lip
when she gets nervous?
Does she...
Does she fall asleep
when you tickle her back?
I want to know her.
I missed her growing up, you see.
Where is she, Vincent?
I don't know.
(screams)
Does she have someplace to go?
Someplace safe?
I don't know.
God, I don't know!
I swear to God, I don't know.
- And I'm glad, because if I did, I'd tell you.
- Yes, I think you would.
Paul, ask him how he found out about us.
You already know that.
Your eyes, they're burning.
They're melting.
(phone rings)
- Hello.
- Henry, get out of your apartment now.
- I'm making soup.
- Just do it.
- What is this about?
- It's about that tape. Get out right now.
Or else what? The "men in black"
are gonna come get me?
- I'm gonna download the tape.
- Just leave the tape. Just go.
Henry?
Henry?
- Hey, buddy.
- Where's my brother?
Oh, we've got the tape, we've got you.
I think we can let your brother slide.
There never was a class-action suit.
- You killed those people.
- Yeah.
You brought them to me.
- Why?
- Why do you think, Vincent?
It's what we're paid to do.
Close the western region. No comebacks.
- Comebacks from what?
- Radiant Thunder.
Gil! Gil told me!
All right. Well, as I told you before,
you're in control.
We'll stop whenever you want.
I'd like to stop now, please.
And if you get him out, then what?
You're the psychic.
Just because I know something
doesn't mean I understand why.
I thought I didn't have a choice.
But you think you do.
Well, I don't know, you know?
Vincent knows about me
and he's not afraid.
He's not afraid of you? Come on!
Forget it.
What? Oh, you think that
you and Vincent are like your parents.
Look, I said forget it, OK?
I wish things were different
for you. I really do.
Yeah, you think you know
everything, don't you?
I do.
I am really getting tired
of all this metaphysical crap.
Do you think I like it? Knowing what's
gonna happen, every second, every day?
When they gave me that drug,
they destroyed my life as surely
as they'd put a bullet through my brain.
Ah, but you're gonna burn
their house down.
That's what Rainbird wants. Every time
I lose control, every time I kill, he wins.
I'm gonna save Vincent,
and that's all I'm gonna do.
- Whatever you say.
- You don't have to patronise me,
because you may think
that you don't have a choice, but I do.
OK. OK.
OK.
You passed out. Here, take this.
Come on, it's only water.
I can make him drink it.
Whoa! Not too fast.
That's better.
You've got to save all your strength. Now,
Vincent, just because I'm torturing you,
doesn't mean to say
that you're not part of my team.
- I'm not part of your team.
- But of course you are.
I mean, you're the one that found Charlie.
I'd been looking for her for ten years.
I didn't find her. You did.
(Cody) I'm hungry.
You didn't stop with her, did you?
How many drugs did you test?
What, Lot 7? Lot 8?
How many?
Well, you should know. I mean,
you were tracking down all the failures.
I think we finally perfected
the process with Lot 23.
And these fine young men here
are the happy result.
- Lot 23?
- Yeah.
It seems overwhelming, I know,
but we were just developing
a technology like any other.
Ours just happened to be a gene
sequence on the 17th chromosome.
You can't go around treating people
like they were experiments.
Ooh. I do.
John, I'm hungry.
(groans)
- What's with him?
- I think the boy is hungry.
You see, Cody is an energy sink.
He absorbs energy.
Electricity, heat,
life.
- Life?
- Well, what is life if not energy?
Yes, he absorbs life. He consumes life.
I've only met one other with the power
to match his, but you know all about her.
How I taught her everything.
And when she left me... well.
That's the reason
I only work with boys now.
Oh! Look at this!
I bet she looked beautiful
wearing this, didn't she?
I wouldn't know.
Now, you just tell me. What exactly
happened when you two were alone?
Nothing.
He's lying.
Did you...
did you... sleep with her?
It's none of your business.
Did you... sleep... with... her?
Case number 91-1990.
Mary Conant.
The body is that of a well-nourished,
adult, Caucasian female.
Approximately 48 years old.
Brown hair, brown eyes.
The body is 64 inches long.
Weighs 125 pounds.
Skin is of normal texture.
Appendectomy scar.
No tattoos or other markings visible.
(Mary) I'm alive.
Manner of death is believed
to be self-inflicted asphyxiation.
Cause of death appears to be
a dry-cleaner's plastic bag,
which was removed from the deceased
at the scene and placed into evidence.
Help me.
I will now examine the brain in order
to determine the mechanism of death.
(inward cry of fear)
Help me!
- May I help you?
- John Rainbird.
- Excuse me?
- John Rainbird.
- We don't have a John Rainbird here.
- Are you sure?
He's not on the list. What division is he?
Research and development.
- Nope.
- Try kidnapping and murder.
Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk!
Hey! Hey!
You can't go in there!
All right, boys, back to your room.
(babies crying)
- I wanna see the fire.
- Shut up.
Hey, moron, what are you doing?
Charlie's here.
- You can't leave.
- I wanna see Charlie.
- We're not supposed to go.
- You stay.
No one is going to leave this room.
- Says who?
- I do.
Do you want me to kick your ass?
Because you know I can.
The camera's right there.
Stop it, stop it, stop it!
Get away from me.
Why didn't you stop him?
I tried. It was like there was nothing there.
Shut the door behind me.
Sit down over there, face the wall.
- What?
- Face the wall!
What's going on?
Be quiet.
(knocks on door)
Vincent.
Vincent!
Charlie, look out!
- Hello, Charlie.
- Let him go.
No. I don't think so.
- Do it, Charlie.
- How precise is your weapon, Charlie?
Is it as precise as mine?
Fry the son of a bitch!
Oh, she can't do that, Vincent.
- She doesn't want to kill you too.
- I said, let him go.
No. I think you're gonna
have to kill me, Charlie.
That's what you want, isn't it?
- Let him go, please.
- Let's trade.
What will you give me?
- I'll stay here with you.
- No, Charlie, don't...
- You'll stay?
- Yes. You're right, I belong here with you.
I don't believe you. Too bad.
Well, look who's here!
Charlie, why are you holding back?
- (Vincent) Get outta here, Charlie.
- (John) After she came to rescue you?
I don't think so.
Or are you afraid of who you really are?
- (Vincent) Don't listen to him.
- (John) I can see it in your face. Let it go.
- Shut up!
- Come on, show us what you're made of.
No!
Well, don't just stand there!
OK, come on.
- What is this place?
- I don't know.
Why did he recreate a town?
- Training?
- Training for what?
Come on.
Wait! Wait! Wait, wait! Wait!
You hear about near-death experiences.
The victim is compelled towards a light,
- but then turns back at the last moment.
- She had an out-of-body experience?
No. She claims she was
conscious the whole time.
Then how was she pronounced dead?
There's been cases - rare cases, granted -
where someone's been buried beneath
the snow and apparently expired.
No discernible pulse, no breathing,
and then spontaneously revived.
Spontaneous revival, kinda like
spontaneous combustion, huh?
- Ever heard of suspended animation?
- Where they freeze people?
It's like a hibernative state. The heart
beats, but so slowly there's no pulse.
- We're talkin' a single beat in an hour.
- And there've been cases of that?
In the textbooks, at least.
Hi, Mary.
Mary, I'm Special Agent Pruitt.
I'm with the FBI.
You believe some people
tried to kill you.
- (rasping) Have to stop them.
- Yeah. We will.
You don't worry, now. You're safe.
I'm not worried about me.
They think I'm dead.
Who else is in danger, Mary?
You think they'd tell me?
They've tried to kill me. They wanna
keep me quiet. I know things.
Who are these people, Mary?
He said his name was Gil James.
He's with Systems Operations.
- What Gil James?
- The man who tried to kill me.
- Rainbird sent him.
- Rainbird?
Lot 6.
- I'm sorry. What?
- Lot 6.
Drugs, mind-control experiments
back in the '70s.
They enhanced our brains.
God! Rainbird!
Rainbird, he was there back then!
They're still out there!
- Mary, Mary...
- It's them!
- You're OK now.
- It's them!
You've very safe right now.
Mary, tell me. Tell me how
they enhanced your brain.
- We could do things.
- What things?
- Different things. We were all different.
- What kind of things could you do, Mary?
Work things. I could make things work.
- Like, fix things that were broken?
- No!
OK, I don't understand.
Why don't... why don't you show me?
(rasping) It hurts if I do it.
Yeah.
(whispers) Yeah, I'm sure it does.
Wait! Where are you going?
- What do you think?
- What do you think?
I believe she believes it. In this instance,
I'm willing to keep an open mind.
(bleeping)
(several phones ringing)
Do you believe her now? Clear.
You know, I've been looking for you.
You're Richardson.
Yeah.
What?
I just cleared the western region.
You said I couldn't save him.
You said I couldn't save him, but I did.
Yes, you did.
Damn right.
Will you tell us a story?
Doesn't have to be about Charlie.
It can be about something else.
No. No stories.
Why?
I wanted you to do something for me,
a simple thing, and you wouldn't do it.
How do you think that makes me feel?
- Are you mad at us?
- Mad. No. I'm just mad at myself.
I haven't taught you something
that's just as important as tying
your shoelaces or riding your bike.
I'm sorry, sir. They told me to come in.
I can wait outside, if you want.
Gil, please, please.
Come, come in. Sit down.
There you are. Go on.
We won't be a minute.
We're just having a lesson.
- Oh.
- On second thoughts, Gil,
maybe you can help us.
Sure. Why not?
Why not? Gil works for me
as an accountant.
Which means, sometimes,
he has to kill people.
Gil was supposed to stop Charlie
from going away, but he didn't.
And then, when Charlie came back,
he missed her the second time.
Well, he's too big for me to spank
and I can't ground him. So, any ideas?
Any ideas?
Garcia, pack a clean undershirt.
We're takin' a field trip.
- Where?
- Colorado.
My victim's information was right.
There is a Systems Operations.
- Three of 'em, in fact.
- There is?
Yeah. But only the one in Colorado
has a John Rainbird and a Gil James.
Catch. It's for your head.
Thanks.
- You OK?
- No.
Two days ago, my life made sense.
It was boring, but it made sense.
- Now...
- You're in my world.
Charlie... all those people that I found,
all the ones they didn't even need,
they're dead because of me.
- You didn't kill them.
- Yes, I did.
Because I did my job -
my stupid, little, boring job.
When I was younger, this is what
I always thought would be so cool.
Superhero, psychic powers,
but it's not cool at all. It's terrifying.
Yeah, it is.
We can't just leave it like this.
We've gotta tell somebody.
- Who do you want to tell?
- I don't know!
- What about the press?
- I tried that.
They just turned me
into a bedtime story to scare children.
- What about the police?
- They own the police.
The only reason I keep running
is because it's the only thing that works.
- You can't run your whole life.
- Yes, I can.
You know, every time... you know,
I see him, it just gets harder and harder.
What gets harder?
- Charlie?
- It's nothin'.
- Why'd you come back for me?
- Because they were gonna kill you.
- I'm sorry I dragged you into all of this.
- You didn't. I was born into this.
What did he do to you?
He let them take turns.
They were playing. They're not even kids,
they're little monsters.
- Is that what I am to you?
- No.
You got away. They didn't. They're his.
Well, what did you tell him?
Whatever he wanted to hear.
It was weird. He wanted to know what
you were like, like he was your father.
Well, he's not my father.
No, he's nothing like my father.
I didn't mean it like that. I'm just saying,
I don't get his obsession with you.
The world thinks you're dead. He makes
me find you. The way he looks at you!
Yeah, he loves me.
Whoa.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, Charlie.
What Rainbird has for you, that's not love.
That's somethin' else, somethin' sick.
When you love someone,
you care for them.
- Like your father.
- This has nothing to do with him.
Your father's sick
and you won't even go see him.
- I can't, OK? I can't, because it hurts.
- Yeah, love hurts.
It's not just gentle and kind - it hurts.
And it's always the people
that you love that hurt you the most.
Rainbird teach you that?
I just think you should go see your father.
Why?
Well, I can't go see mine.
- Why do we have to go anyway?
- It's gonna be just like we practised.
- He's never been outside.
- Inside, outside, what's the difference?
- There's people.
- He's afraid of Charlie.
She didn't do anything last time.
If she tries anything next time...
Next time.
- Did you do that?
- Mm-hm.
Cut it out.
No.
- I mean it.
- I know you do.
- Look, if you got a problem with me...
- Don't worry. I don't want you.
Do you know what
our exposure is on this?
How much money the corporation stands
to lose if the Rivermead test is delayed?
- You're shouting.
- Of course I'm shouting!
The past was meant to be erased and now
it's come back and bitten us in the ass.
We don't have Richardson or McGee.
Radiant Thunder's in six hours and you...
John, I have tried to work
with you on this. I really have.
But I'm concerned, and this reflects
the feelings of the board as well.
Charlene McGee may just be distracting
you from our ultimate goal here.
Ah. And what is our ultimate goal, Joel?
Ruling the world?
Ruling the world. Don't be absurd, John.
Now, owning a substantial piece -
that would be nice.
I'm kidding.
I'm just trying to bring a new technology
to market, and now I can't do that.
Oh? Why not?
- What if they go to the feds?
- What if they do?
The federal government
is just another potential buyer, isn't it?
We have spent substantial resources
cleaning up 20 years of mistakes,
and now you tell me
it just doesn't matter?
I just wanted to find Charlie, that's all.
Our legal position is more vulnerable now
than when the test subjects were alive.
The government has
turned a blind eye before.
- I should know.
- And what if they don't?
What if they don't?
Do you think that, after this test,
the government will really matter?
What if she shows up?
Ah, good afternoon, gentlemen.
I'm sorry to keep you waiting.
I keep a very busy schedule.
You know what they say
about idle hands.
- Are you John Rainbird?
- I am indeed.
I'm Special Agent Pruitt.
This is Special Agent Garcia.
- How do you do?
- Hopefully, this won't take long.
- Hopefully not.
- Did you ever meet a Mary Conant?
No, I don't believe so.
What's all this about?
- Well, she says she knows you.
- Oh, well. Then it's entirely possible.
involved with something called Lot 6,
as part of some mind-control experiment.
Mind control? Well, that's preposterous.
No, I like to think of our work here as a
sort of enhancement of human potential.
"Enhancement"?
- "Enhancement", in what way?
- Any way possible.
- With drugs?
- Yes, with drugs, if necessary.
So, you are familiar
with something called Lot 6?
It's an awful long time ago.
But yes, I do remember Lot 6.
Fondly, as a matter of fact.
And do you remember Mary Conant?
You know... I'm beginning
to put a face to that name.
Yes. Mary Conant.
I think I heard she died, didn't she?
No. No, she's waiting in the lobby
with another one of our agents.
- My mistake.
- She said you sent a Gil James to kill her.
Well, that's ridiculous.
That's not my department.
It's not your department?
We'd like to see Mr James.
- Right now.
- Certainly.
I'd be only too happy to take you to him.
I believe the last time I saw him,
he was in the lab.
This way.
- Paul.
- Yeah?
John needs us.
In here, gentlemen.
So where's Mr James?
Now, let me see.
Well, I believe he's chilling.
Oh, dear. You don't suppose this is
a health-code violation, do you?
Look, I'll tell you what. What if
we get him out of here before nightfall?
Mr Rainbird, you're under arrest.
You have the right to remain silent.
I appreciate the sentiment,
but this is hardly necessary.
Well, then, you tell me,
what the hell is going on here?
Radiant Thunder, my friends.
Radiant Thunder is what is going on here.
- And what is Radiant Thunder?
- 25 years of hard work,
culminating tonight
in a town called Rivermead.
What's goin' on tonight at Rivermead?
Glorious destiny.
- Pity you won't be there to witness it.
- Are you threatening us, Rainbird?
Oh! He does talk!
No, I'm not threatening you.
I'm just stating the facts.
Lower your weapons.
What do you want me to tell 'em, John?
- What?
- I was just, uh... wonderin' what it's like.
What?
Havin' someone to call.
Oh, I don't even remember.
I feel I'm looking at this life I could have,
and if I look away, it'll be gone.
- He's gonna be gone.
- Well, that's true of all things.
Yeah. Yeah, you don't have to tell me that.
I wanna take my life for granted.
You know, one day
without Rainbird or fire.
Can I do that?
No.
(phone rings)
- Hello?
- Henry? It's me.
- Where the hell are you?
- Are you OK?
Sure, I'm fine(!) I'm great(!)
I'm scared, Vincent. What did you do?
- Nothin'. Listen.
- Nothing?
Is that why men broke into my place
and tried to kill me?
- This is about that tape, isn't it?
- Forget about the tape.
It's best if they think
you don't know anything.
- What the hell are you talk?
- Henry, just stop.
- Answer my question!
- Just stop, OK? Please?
- OK?
- OK.
How's Mom?
How do you think she is?
- And Dad?
- He's not getting better.
When are you gonna go see him?
Tonight.
Tell Dad I'll see him tonight.
Don't say it if you don't mean it.
Henry, I promise. I'll be there tonight.
You're going away, aren't you?
Henry...
thanks.
You're the oracle.
- Gimme somethin' I can use.
- Doesn't work that way.
Well, what are we gonna do now?
You wanna hear what you think
you'll do or what you'll really do?
Tell me what I think I'm gonna do.
Well, you think you're going to Canada.
Live in a cabin in the mountains
where there's lots of snow.
What am I really gonna do?
D'you really wanna know?
Yeah.
You're gonna go to Canada.
You're gonna live in a cabin, high in the
mountains, where there's lots of snow.
Hey. How'd it go?
I have to see him.
OK.
And then I'm coming with you.
You don't have to do that.
As long as I'm around,
my family's in danger.
As long as you're around me,
then you're in danger.
What? It gets worse?
I don't even know where I'm goin'.
So?
Look... we can go see him and then,
hell, we can go to Canada or something.
If you wanna run, you must do it now.
Forget about your father, forget about
Rainbird. Now, can you do that?
Will you take us to the hospital?
I always do.
Miss Conant? Mary?
Mary?
Mary?
Damn it!
Miss Conant! I thought you were
comin' back to the lobby.
What is taking them so long?
I can identify those people.
Just let us do our jobs. It's under control.
There they are.
That's him. That's Rainbird.
- Thank you so much.
- Pleasure meeting you.
- They're letting him go!
- Mary, relax, OK? Just wait here.
Pruitt! What's goin' on?
What's goin' on? Nothing's goin' on.
These guys make titanium ski binders.
It's a nothin', man. A zero.
- We're on a wild-goose chase.
- She says that's the guy.
- Then she's mistaken.
- No, you bastard! Not after all this!
- Rainbird!
- Mary!
No! Mary! Mary! Mary!
Mary.
Mary?
Mary. Mary.
Destiny.
- Why are we stopping?
- Oh, no.
- What is it?
- This is the town.
It's the same as the warehouse.
- Why did you bring us here?
- Because this is where it all ends.
Vincent.
Hello, Charlie. Welcome to Rivermead.
They picked me up just before you.
Why are you doing this?
(Rainbird) Of all the test subjects,
that you've survived this long amazes me.
I thought you woulda
hanged yourself years ago.
- I know how I die.
- Oh, yes, well. I know how you die too.
Must be terrible, to know everything
and not to be able to change a thing.
You must be a very frustrated man.
- It has its moments.
- Yeah, I suppose.
Not much of a precognitive, though, are
you? If you didn't know Gil was coming.
I knew he was coming. But I haven't seen
you in so long, I thought I'd check in,
see how you're doing.
I thought you already knew everything.
I do. Every damn thing.
So? Then you know how I'm doin'.
You know what I want
and you know what I'll give you.
What you want, I can't give you. And what
you'll give me isn't worth a cup of spit.
Well, I thought you might be partial to it.
There's nothing you can do to me
that you haven't already done.
You know, back in the French Revolution,
beggars would do
almost anything to get noticed.
I mean, they'd cut off
their own fingers, even a foot.
But the crowds, they were so jaded,
they didn't even notice.
So, the enterprising beggar
would go to a butcher
or find a cousin with a sharp knife,
fix him up real good.
The first cut starts
at the left corner of the mouth
and extends to the lobe of the nearest ear.
The same on the other side.
And then, the lips are removed.
So everyone can see that big,
big smile of yours.
And last, the nose,
turning what's left
of that face into a skull.
Except, of course, you're still alive.
That's fascinating. It really is.
Reminds me of this drug test
some 20 years ago.
Maybe you heard of it. Lot 6.
Everyone who took it,
turned him into a freak.
But you know who it messed with most?
Who?
You.
Me?
All that talk about God.
And all you had to do
was take the drug. But you didn't.
And you know why?
Because you're scared.
- You won't.
- Now, why wouldn't I?
Because I'm the one
that gives you Charlie McGee.
You'll bring her here to me?
Not because you want me to.
And not because you won't kill me.
- But because...
- I know...
Because you don't have a choice.
He didn't give me anything.
- But you helped me save Vincent.
- All I did was drop you off.
Before I could drive away,
you came running out the back.
Hell!
But you knew my parents.
And you... you were there with them.
And I... I trusted you.
I didn't ask you to.
Everything that you said was a lie.
I never lie. I did know your parents,
I can see the future,
and this is what has to happen.
No, you're making this happen!
I'm going now. We won't
be seeing each other again.
You sound so sure.
You're getting everything
you've always wanted.
I feel sorry for you.
OK, but you don't have to do this.
You can still help us.
This is what has to happen.
I'm so sorry, Charlie.
Vincent, come on.
(honk)
You said they'd built the town
for training. Training for what?
I don't know. How should I know?
We have to get outta here.
Charlie, this town's wired.
There. There.
As of today, the gun
and the bomb are obsolete.
Welcome to warfare in the 21st century.
And we own it.
What we'll see is a coordinated attack
on a single, hardened structure.
A bank. Any other weapon system would
result in unacceptable civilian casualties.
We'll achieve our goal with no collateral
damage and complete deniability.
Excuse me a moment. There's a matter
that requires my immediate attention.
Door, please.
(Vincent) Come on, Charlie, let's go.
What the hell is she doing here?
Richardson brought her,
just like I told him to.
This doesn't make any sense.
All this for a bank.
- There's a police officer.
- Wait, no.
Officer!
Officer.
The bank's about to be robbed.
You should call for backup.
You see these kids?
- Yeah.
- They're about to take down the bank.
- All of 'em?
- I know it sounds crazy, but believe me.
- Come on, Vincent.
- It's the truth. I know it sounds crazy.
He can't believe you.
How could you bring her here?
Do you want this test to fail?
You seem upset.
Do you know who's in that room?
The board of directors.
They're waiting for something to happen.
If it doesn't, I'll say you've blown the test.
Oh, something will happen.
They closed the bank. The bank is closed.
- Forget about the bank.
- Damn it, the bank is the test.
Joel, even you could rob that bank.
Charlie is the test.
She's always been the test.
No, no. You insisted on that bank.
You said it would demonstrate crowd
control and teamwork and all that crap.
The board of directors is...
"More than I, if truth were told,
Have stood and sweated hot and cold,
And through their reins in ice and fire
Fear contended with desire."
"Agued once like me were they,
I like them shall win my way
Lastly to the bed of mould
Where there's neither heat nor cold."
"But from my grave across my brow
Plays no wind of healing now,
And fire and ice within me fight
Beneath the suffocating night."
I don't understand. They're not doing
anything. What are they waiting for?
- Me.
- What?
They're waiting for me.
- Why are you doing this?
- For you, of course.
I want to set you free.
- You're going to hurt all these people.
- Hurt them? No.
I'm going to kill them.
But you could stop me.
N-no.
No.
Charlie? Charlie, where are you going?
- I have to get outta here.
- You have to do something.
What do you want me to do? Burn down
the town? That's what's gonna happen.
Hey. Are you lost?
Where's your parents?
What do you say we come over here
and sit down? And I'll go look for 'em.
All right? Now, don't move.
You can't go. You're the only one
who can stop them.
I won't stop.
Don't you see? It's what he wants.
- Then I've gotta do somethin'.
- Vincent.
I have to try.
- You're talking about a massacre.
- Yes.
Something to make the world
sit up and pay attention.
Cody will absorb all of Charlie's power.
And then what?
Joel, do you believe
in transubstantiation?
Where man can become God?
You're nuts.
- I'm pulling the plug.
- It's too late to develop a conscience.
Who said anything about that?
This is self-preservation.
It's too late for that too.
(piercing scream)
You're blind. Now walk.
(honk)
Back up, folks! Let's move!
Get outta here! Move!
You can't stand.
Come on, son. Come with me.
(screaming)
Wanna see your spleen?
Cos I can show it to you.
No!
- No!
- Let go! Let go of me! Put me down!
- You gotta stop! You're killing them.
- I don't care!
John is still alive.
You know what you have to do, right?
You have to go back.
You have to go back.
Let him go.
Now, you pick up that piece of glass.
Hold it to your throat.
That's enough.
I know you think Rainbird
is your friend, but he's not.
He lies. He hurt me and he'll hurt you.
- No, he won't.
- He's hurting you right now.
Every time you use your powers,
you become less human, and he knows it.
- You're lying. She's lying!
- No!
Ask him. Is she lying?
No.
- I tried.
- You did the right thing.
And I don't wanna run away any more.
The rules haven't changed, Charlie.
You know what you have to do.
- Don't listen to him, Charlie.
- You can taste it, can't you?
Like sulphur on your tongue.
You don't know what you're asking.
It's what you are, isn't it?
It's what you've always been.
Just let it happen.
It's not like I'm giving you a choice.
No!
No! No!
Charl... Charlie.
Yes. Yes!
That's my girl.
All my life I've been looking for God.
- You want a god to forgive you?
- No, for a god to damn me.
The closest I've ever come, Charlie,
is in your eyes.
Look closer.
You know what I can do.
You have no idea what I can do.
Yes, I do, and I want it.
You don't want this.
I want everything.
More! Give me everything.
Aaargh!
I think they were...
I was in the third grade and...
there was this kid
who used to beat me up.
Vincent made him stop because
it was his job to beat me up.
And the time that Vincent
tried to sell you to the neighbours?
I guess they didn't offer enough.
I guess not.
- Can I help you?
- I'm a friend of Vincent's.
My name is, uh... Charlie McGee.
I just came to tell you how sorry I am.
And that you should know that Vincent
was going to come and see you.
But he didn't.
But he was going to.
Well, that's all I really came to say.
Excuse me. Charlie.
How did you know my son?
Well, he helped me out. A lot.
He sort of helped me
trust people again, I guess.
You should be really proud of him.
Thank you for coming.