Original subtitles

Come on out, kid. I know you're here.

I followed you.

Come on, boy.

Come on out.

Nobody's going to hurt you.

[rustling]

We know you didn't mean to hurt that man.

It's not your fault you're messed up.

It's your parents' fault.

[rustling]

[screaming]

[grunting]

[crack]

Hi. John Arkelian.

Howard. Howard Sharp.

Come in.

This is my wife.

Joanne, it's a pleasure to finally meet you in person.

You, too, Doctor.

Actually, I don't want you to get the wrong impression.

-It isn't "Doctor." -Oh?

I left after my third year of medical school.

I would call myself a highly skilled technician.

So, are you hoping for a boy or a girl?

-You know? -Of course, I know.

I analyzed the genetic material we took from Joanne.

Do you want to know?

Well, yes!

Before I tell you,

I want us to be absolutely clear

on what you're asking me to do.

[Joanne] Well, mainly we want to assure

that our child is intelligent.

Uh-huh. Oh, and handsome.

Athletic, too.

Yeah. And if it's a girl,

we want to make sure that she's beautiful.

You don't understand.

I need to hear aloud exactly what you want me to do.

It's a legal thing, you understand.

Well, we haven't exactly decided to do it yet.

You want us to say it out loud

to make sure we're not law enforcement.

Is that it?

Okay, then.

We want you to...

genetically engineer our unborn child.

[Control Voice] There is nothing wrong with your television.

Do not attempt to adjust the picture.

We are now controlling the transmission.

We control the horizontal and the vertical.

We can deluge you with a thousand channels

or expand one single image to crystal clarity

and beyond.

We can shape your vision

to anything our imagination can conceive.

For the next hour,

we will control all that you see and hear.

You are about to experience the awe and mystery

which reaches from the deepest inner mind

to The Outer Limits.

[children chattering]

[Control Voice] What will become of us

when we take a hand in our own creation?

In trying to create the new man,

will we condemn the old?

[Joanne] That's our boy?

After enhancement at 8 months,

every shortcoming smoothed over,

every flaw repaired.

In a word, perfect.

Oh, he's beautiful.

Could you show us what he would look like without the enhancement?

I don't have to, do I?

It's going to look like you, Howard.

Excuse me?

Average looks, average intelligence,

a slightly below average imagination.

Average.

Now, you just wait a minute--

I'm not saying anything

Howard doesn't already know.

Brilliant, athletic, attractive people

don't require my services.

They know their children will inherit those qualities

nature was kind enough to bestow on them.

People like yourselves on the other hand

want to ensure that their children will grow up

with the same benefits as--

People like you?

You're wondering if I'm one of them.

Are you?

Would it change your opinion of me?

Let me put it this way, Howard.

I was born this way.

Your son can be, too.

Before we say another word,

we should really find out

how much all of this is going to cost.

Oh, yes.

We can provide financing, if necessary.

Is there any way of, uh, lowering this figure?

Oh. Well, uh...

intelligence is the most costly part of the gene package.

I suppose we could, uh--

No. There would be no point in doing this otherwise.

Mr. Arkelian, can we get back to you on this?

Of course.

Oh, one more thing. Uh, what about G.R.S.?

There's a risk.

In 1 in 10,000 cases,

an enhanced child will develop G.R.S.

I've seen what happens to them on the news.

It scares me.

Yes, it is a frightening thing.

Genetic Rejection Syndrome is arguably why

enhancing engineering is still illegal

30 years after it was developed.

Personally, I think it's worth the risk,

and I have customers lined up out the door

who would agree with me, but...

Right. Well,

we'll be in touch.

Give you a hand here, Jerry?

Yes. I, uh, heard these sounds,

and, um, looked out and saw... it.

-It was running away down the street. -Mommy! Mommy!

-Shh. -[clears throat]

And you're, uh, you're sure it was one of them?

Positive.

I mean, who else would do a thing like this

except for one of those G.R.S. kids?

This is going to scar my daughter for the rest of her life.

Don't worry, ma'am. We'll catch the kid.

Police should do more to track them down

before they do things like this.

Will you go there and look at what that thing did?

Yeah, well, they're going to find out eventually.

Their own son was just killed

in an accident, Howard.

It's been eight months now.

Well, I know, but it would have been Timmy's birthday

a week Saturday.

I mean, how would you feel?

No, I don't want to hurt Fran.

Well, you know what's going to hurt Fran

is when you're out to here and you still haven't told her.

[doorbell rings]

-Hi. -Hi.

Fran, I'm sorry we're late,

but the traffic was terrible.

You need a new joke, Howard.

I know.

Come on in.

[Howard] Oh, yeah.

We could have a pie-eating contest.

We already did.

Yeah, but you have to tie your hands behind your back.

No. What we should do is after dinner,

we should drive to the beach and watch the sunset.

Whoops. A little late for that, Jo.

Well, we will just have to go later and watch it rise.

I'm in. We've only got five, seven, nine hours to kill.

Oh, God. We used to do this sort of thing all the time.

Remember the time we decided to go to the mountains,

and we just left all the dishes on the table

and drove all night long?

And all day back.

My leg was asleep for a week.

Remember? I didn't move my legs the whole way back

because Timmy fell asleep on my lap.

He was always so comfortable with you.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Can I get anyone anything?

Yeah. Grab another bottle of wine

from the fridge, would you, hon?

It's all gone.

[Fran crying]

You okay?

Yeah. I...

Everything reminds me.

I know.

I mean, when I wake up in the morning,

I think I'm supposed to make him breakfast

or I'm supposed to drive him to school.

How's Tony handling it?

-He's fine. -Is he?

I've heard, Fran, almost every night.

Heard what?

Arguing, things breaking.

I've been waiting for you to come to me.

He's been drinking.

Tony's not a drinker.

He's on his second bottle of wine right now,

just about to start his third,

or haven't you noticed?

Fran, you need help.

-Let me help you. -No!

No. It's... it's all right.

If you just let us, we can help you.

We understand the pain that you're--

Don't.

Don't say you understand,

because, Joanne, you can't.

I loved him, too.

Well, I was Timmy's mother,

not some nice lady next door.

His mother!

Oh, I'm sorry.

Don't be.

[Joanne] You've heard the arguments.

Do you think he's beating her?

No. Tony?

Come on, Jo. We've known these people for years.

The clock on the table was smashed.

Well, maybe he's beating the clock.

That is not even remotely funny.

Look, Jo, honey...

Tony is not abusing Fran, okay?

He's drinking? I would be, too.

They lost their only son.

They're having screaming matches?

Maybe it's put a strain on their marriage.

Short of the thought of losing you,

I can't begin to imagine what that feels like.

I just wish I could talk to her.

About the baby, you mean?

Oh, yes, about the baby, about everything.

You will.

But when you tell Fran you're pregnant,

you cannot tell her what we're thinking about doing.

I can't even ask her her opinion?

No.

-Why? -Because you can't, Jo.

It's just not done.

It carries a 5-year prison sentence,

so if we're going to do this thing,

you have got to keep it to yourself.

I will.

Well, the ultrasound went fine.

Your child takes a good picture.

Uh, did you do P.G.S.?

You'll be happy to know the prenatal genetic screen

showed no hemophilia, anemia,

or genetic mutations or deformities.

You're going to have a healthy, happy baby.

Do you want to know if it's a boy or a girl?

Um, no. I think we want

to be surprised, don't you, sweetheart?

Oh, absolutely.

Well, I can keep a secret.

We'll schedule another ultrasound in about three months,

but otherwise...

Uh, was there anything in the P.G... whatever it is

that could indicate

how tall he's going to be, or--

How tall he's going to be?

Mr. Sharp, I cannot and will not discuss

genetic alteration of your child.

No, no, no, no, no. I'm just asking.

I can repair major genetic defects

that would seriously impair

the quality of your child's life, yes.

Whether or not he's going to be captain of the football team,

I cannot guarantee.

I know. I know. I was just wondering

if there isn't some legal procedure to.

No, not a legal one.

Well, thank you for your time, Doctor.

Don't do it, people.

I'm sorry. Don't do what?

Half the people who come through here

obviously intend to have their child enhanced,

as if life wasn't enough of a miracle for them,

and I tell them all the same thing.

Genetic engineering is illegal for good reason.

It can lead to G.R.S.,

and neither I nor anyone else

can fix another genetic engineer's code.

So if you change your mind--

We weren't even considering it.

Well, let me finish just in case.

Have you ever seen what a full-blown case of G.R.S.

could do to the human body?

We think that the proteins that bond to the altered DNA

break down after several hundred cell regenerations.

It can cause deformities and mutations.

That's horrible.

They're already responsible for 3% of reported crimes.

That's going up.

Their capacity for violence grows in step

with their physical deformities,

and there's no end to it.

They keep changing until they're no longer recognizable as people.

But the odds...

10,000 to 1. That's almost astronomical.

Maybe...

but how can you trust those stats

when nobody admits to having done the procedure?

How could they be accurate?

What happens to these people?

Well, they're usually caught by the authorities

before they reach the final stages.

And after they're caught, what happens then?

It's not generally known, but...

the law requires that G.R.S. victims be destroyed.

[indistinct chatter]

I'll be right with you.

No. I see. But Mrs. Parkinson,

these limited partnerships are virtually guaranteed

to return, uh, 17% after taxes with a minimum amount of risk,

and the projected earnings are, um...

Just a moment.

Um, I had it right here. Wait a minute.

Hey, let me tell you. I am buying shares in this L.P.

It should return 17% APR after taxes.

The P.N.E. is 14, paid off 1.

It's a moneymaker.

Mrs. Parkinson?

[knocking at door]

Hey, it's me.

I was just wondering if you wanted to go shopping.

Oh, Joanne, I don't think that--

Fran, you're bleeding.

Oh.

Are you all right?

Oh, yeah, yeah. It's fine.

It just looks worse than it really is.

What happened?

Well, I--I--I was in the kitchen,

and--and--and--I was opening the cupboard--

Did Tony do this to you?

Joanne.

Fran, you said yourself

that Tony's been drinking, and you--

Look, Joanne, this just happened while you were knocking,

so I think I should really go put some ice on it.

Look, why don't you go ahead,

and I'll call you later, okay?

-No. Fran... -No, really.

Look, I can't stress enough

what a great opportunity this issue is.

[James] Yeah, that's what you told us last time.

I know I said that about--

-You know, which way it's going to go. -I know,

but there was no way to predict

that they would lose the lawsuit.

Now, I can, however, predict

that this company is not involved in any litigation.

[James talking inaudibly]

Mr. James, you think about it.

Think about it. I'll call you back.

I'll call you back.

-Got a second? -Yeah.

Have a seat.

So, Howie...

Oh, no.

Don't.

Don't what?

You can't fire me now, Ty.

My wife just found out she's pregnant, for crying out loud.

Jeez, Howard, calm down.

You're 10 steps ahead of me here.

Well, am I right?

Am I?

Yeah.

You can't do it, Ty. My numbers are too good.

They used to be good.

Well, they haven't changed.

I know, Howard, but they've changed.

They've blown the curve.

These kids, they're 25, 23, for God's sakes.

You should see the volume they turn over.

I'll bring them up.

I'll work some more hours.

You have got to at least give me the chance to try!

It's not up to me, dammit!

I didn't decide this.

[kids shouting]

[boy] Car!

[whistle blowing]

Hi.

-Hi. How you doing? -I'm okay.

Whoa.

I'm okay.

Are you hungry? Dinner's almost ready.

No.

[indistinct chatter]

We got to do it, Jo.

We don't have any other choice.

Are you sure?

I mean, you just lost your job, Howard.

That's why I'm sure.

If I'm obsolete, what's will happen to our son when he's my age?

Unless we go through with this thing,

he'll be a second-class citizen.

You are not obsolete.

Joanne, it's not because I didn't work hard enough

or because I messed up.

I got let go because I wasn't good enough.

Somewhere along the line it happened without our knowing it, and--

What happened?

Well, there's two kinds of people in the world now.

It's a matter of evolution,

and we're about to become extinct.

Howard, you're upset.

Maybe we should wait.

Wait until it's too late to save our son

from what happened to me or worse?

We've been assuming that we can't have

a wonderful, healthy, happy child on our own.

I mean, who's to say we can't?

You're the one that wanted to do this.

Well...

what about G.R.S.?

The fact is...

our son has a 1 in 10,000 chance

of turning into a monster if we go through with this

and no chance at a future at all if we don't.

-We have to. -No, Howard. We don't have to.

We might be able to have a...

wonderful, handsome child

without altering it.

No. Look at us. Look at who we are.

I'm not ashamed of who we are.

I am!

I am ashamed, Joanne.

I can't keep up.

Everywhere I look, there's one of them.

Let me tell you, I am inferior to them.

It's just a fact.

I don't want my son to be.

I say we call Arkelian.

What do you say?

[John] Now, Joanne, I want you to breathe deeply

and stay perfectly still.

This is only going to hurt a tiny little bit,

and then it's over.

Now, all I'm doing is introducing the retrovirus

that carry the engineered genetic material

into the amniotic fluid.

It'll be over before you know it.

Ow! Howard!

[shushing]

It's okay.

There.

All done.

That's it?

That's it.

The lion's share of my work

is in the assembly of the gene package.

Mother Nature will take care of the rest.

-Want to sit up? -Yeah.

So, um...

is there anything else we should know?

Nothing at all.

I just want you to put this room, put me,

this procedure entirely out of your mind

from this day forward.

Thank you, Mr. Arkelian.

We're going to have a beautiful baby boy.

Yes, we are.

Believe me, you won't regret this.

But if you do happen to change your mind,

the procedure's only reversible for 21 days. After that--

Well, why would we want to change our minds?

Exactly.

Why would you?

Take your time. There's no rush.

When you want to leave, just knock,

and Mr. Stark will show you out, all right?

[glass breaking]

[woman shouting]

My God, Howard. What was that?

Is that Tony shouting?

We ought to call the police.

Oh, Jo, I'm not going to call the police

just 'cause Tony's raising his voice.

No, Howard. You didn't see her the other day.

She had a big gash across her face.

[glass breaking]

Well, I'm not going to let him do that to her.

Shh. Whoa.

It stopped.

You should still go over there.

It's none of our business.

Howard, they're our best friends.

Which is exactly why

I don't think that Tony would physically hurt Fran.

Come on. You know him.

Yeah, I guess so.

Good. Now, I got an early meeting tomorrow,

so I think right now we should get some sleep, okay?

[glass breaking]

[Tony] Open the door!

[Fran screams]

[line ringing]

[Fran on voicemail] Hi. You've reached Fran and Tony.

We're not available to take your call right now,

but leave your name and number...

Fran?

Fran?

Is something wrong?

Fran?

Fran?

[rustling]

[screaming]

Timmy?

Oh, my God.

[Howard] Joanne,

it's impossible.

It was him.

There was no accident. He developed G.R.S.

The eyes...

they were in so much pain.

It was Timmy. I know it.

We went to his funeral,

we stood over his casket.

We never saw the body, Howard.

-What? -Listen.

They were supposed to go on vacation with us.

They insisted that we go alone.

So they could fake their own son's death?

We sat through his service.

We laid him in the ground.

They bribed the funeral home.

-They had to. -Listen to yourself.

They couldn't tell us or anyone.

They had no choice.

Honey, you're pregnant.

Your hormones are all over the place.

Oh, for God's sakes!

Just go over there.

Okay.

Okay.

If it will make you feel better, I'll go.

No, no, no. I want you to stay here.

No. He recognized me. I know it.

-Jo, I want you to stay. -I want to see him.

[knocking at door]

Fran?

Tony?

[Fran] Who is it?

It's us, Howard and Jo.

Now is not a good time.

If you don't let us in right now,

we're going to call the police.

[Howard] Fran, uh...

look, I know it's none of our business,

but it sounded like the seventh circle of hell here last night.

What are you and Tony arguing about so much?

[Tony] Fran?

What are they doing in here?

I thought we were friends.

If you're my friend, you'll stay the hell out of this.

For God's sake, Tony, we're worried about you.

-Howard! -How'd this happen?

I tipped it over.

We're having trouble, Howard.

I... I was drinking.

-Ever since Timmy-- -I want to see him.

What are you talking about?

Timmy. I want to see him.

Timmy is gone, Jo. Now, for God sakes, that is not funny.

No, it's not.

You'd both better leave.

Now.

-I saw him. -[Tony] Don't think I won't throw you out.

I saw him this morning from the basement window.

I know he's in the house.

I know he has G.R.S. Don't lie to me.

We won't say anything.

No.

Oh, please.

I just want to see him.

[Tony] Go home, Howard. Please.

Would you just tell him that I...

-[door opens] -[Timmy] Mom?

-Mom? -Oh.

I heard Auntie Jo.

[Fran] She has to go now, sweetheart.

Auntie Jo?

I'm here, Timmy.

Why'd you move away?

We didn't want to. We had to.

You didn't say goodbye.

Oh, I'm so sorry. We wanted to.

Don't go near him.

It's okay, honey.

I got him.

Auntie Jo?

Timmy, stay here.

[both grunting]

No! Timmy, Timmy, let's go downstairs.

What else? I'll spend some time with you.

Okay?

No. Come back.

I'll try.

[Fran] Come on, sweetheart.

But I really miss her, Mom.

[Fran] I know.

I know, sweetheart. But Auntie Jo...

Let's play a game.

Okay.

Please.

If they find out...

[door opens and closes]

Uh-uh. Arkelian's not answering.

Keep trying. We've got to do it tonight.

[dialing]

[knock on door]

Howard, I don't want to see anybody.

Okay.

It's Fran.

Come in.

Joanne, forgive me.

I-- I have to hear you say you won't tell anyone.

Try again, Howard.

We just didn't know what else to do.

You know what they do to G.R.S. victims, don't you?

They destroy them...

like animals.

What are you going to do?

I don't know.

We keep hoping that it won't get any worse.

And at first, we could manage it.

You should have told me, Fran.

Oh, Joanne, I know.

You really care for Timmy.

[Joanne] No.

That's not why you should have told me.

I'm pregnant.

Timmy. Timmy?

Timmy, this has got to stop, son.

You can't keep going out and hurting people.

Timmy?

You come out right now and listen to me.

[Timmy] Leave me alone.

[Tony] I don't want to have to lock you down here all the time,

-but I will if I have to. -Go away.

[Tony] Now, you listen to me!

[Timmy] You lied to me about Auntie Jo.

[Tony] Sometimes grownups do things that don't make a lot of sense.

[Timmy] Liars! Liar!

[Tony] We didn't want you to get your feelings hurt, son.

[Timmy] Liar!

Why don't you just come out from wherever you're hiding

and we can talk about...

[screaming]

[fighting]

[Tony yelling]

You didn't do it, did you?

Oh, Joanne,

please tell me you didn't make

the same mistake as Tony and I did.

[Howard] Mr. Arkelian?

Oh, thank God. Hi. It's Howard Sharp.

Listen, we need you to undo the procedure right now.

Well, I don't care if you have a dinner date.

We want the procedure undone now!

I'm sorry!

Mr. Arkelian, please.

Yes, we're certain.

We can be there in 15 minutes.

He'll take us if we come right now.

[beeping]

For God's sakes, Howard, drive!

[Howard] Mr. Arkelian is expecting us.

Doing the right thing, Jo.

He did it. He's the only one who can undo it.

Mrs. Sharp, your husband tells me you want to--

Reverse it. Stop it, yes.

But why?

I mean, it cost you

a small fortune to have it done.

It doesn't matter.

Just do it. I can't wait any longer.

All right.

You get undressed. I'll be back in a moment.

[creaking]

[screaming]

It can be reversed quite easily, in fact.

I have a solution that will undo the chemical bonds in the altered DNA.

Of course, now, you realize I'm going to have to charge you

for this procedure as well.

We understand. Just do it.

Okay, Joanne,

this is going to hurt a little more than the last time.

Ready?

[screams]

Security! Security, get in here!

[Timmy] You leave her alone!

Timmy...

I didn't want him to hurt you.

-No! -[gunshots]

[door opens]

[woman] Here he is.

Your little boy is back from his very first bath.

You must be so proud.

[baby gurgling]

Look at him. He's just perfect.

Yes, he is.

[Control Voice] What are children but an extension of our own selves,

a reflection of who we are and what we want to become?

[theme music playing]