All language subtitles for The.Control.2018

Perfect day for a game.

You can't move there.

Now we have to restart.

I can't find focus.

Does this have a macro setting?

It defaults to it if you're
close enough, I think.

Sorry Tonya, you were saying?
I couldn't be any closer.

No, just putting my acting
career,

well everything, to look after.

How's your shot?
It's a nightmare.

I actually went through a
similar thing with my mom.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Your shot?

Uh, it's fine.

It's just, it's a squared-off
two-shot.

But you're kinda like close and
interrogating him.

Okay.

How are the levels?

Don't worry about me, it's just
for James.

I don't know.

James, can you say
something for us

in your normal speaking voice?

Daddy?

Is that GoPro on?

I need...

We need that for the two-shot so
I can cut between.

We need that master.

You guys should know something.

My husband, Jeff, isn't quite as
open-minded

about what we're doing here.

He knows it's my decision and my
dad's decision,

but if you could just try and
keep it just on us,

- me and my dad.
- No, that's fine.

He'll sign a release though
right?

Yeah, he just doesn't want to be
in it.

Tonya!

They're still here.

Yeah.

And my dad is still alive.

Thank you very much for asking.

Then why aren't you in there
with him instead of out here

flirting with this fucker?
Jeff what are you doing?

I think you're getting the wrong
impression.

Fucking asshole!

Where are my glasses?

Pretty sure you had your
contacts in.

No, no, no.

I wanna go back to that shot.

Stop thinking about it.

It's time to talk to Ted.

We gotta sell him on this
footage.

I have an idea for that.

Ted.

Guys, what the hell do you think
you're doing?

You'll never get his release.

Your footage is unusable.

I had them right here.

Okay, but...

Let us go back and smooth things
over.

I mean, that guy James is gonna
clock out any second now.

Yeah, that's the other thing.

Think of your audience.

You can't just show a bunch of
random people dying.

We are thinking of the audience.

There's this professor who
developed this thing

called the God Helmet.

And it's supposedly this rig
that you wear.

You go into this room, and they
use magnetism

to kind of induce a God-like
experience,

or a near-death experience, and
it's totally safe.

Supposedly.

I think for this documentary

we can go for more of a
universal approach

of how we think of our own
mortality or existence.

Death is just a part of that.

You're not worried about your
brain getting magnetized?

It's gotta be safe.

Safe enough if they're using it
at a university.

Okay, show me what you can find.

All right.

Get some B-roll at the
university

while we still got the weather.

Let's get it tomorrow.

I wanna get in that God Helmet.

Yeah, but if it rains tomorrow,
which it says it might,

then we can't get the shots that
we need.

Like just for each set up, do a
static, a tilt down,

- and a pan over.
- Yeah.

It's fine.

I got it.

Establishing shots in the rain

might serve us better anyway,
thematically.

Devil's advocate.

Clouds of uncertainty.

My mom didn't know what the fuck
was going on at the end

but she was still scared
shitless.

What's a bright and
sunny day at school

have to do with any of that?

But not everyone sees it that
way.

Think about it.

If you believe in immortality

then death is an exciting
prospect.

By the way, you're shooting.

I'm test driving the God Helmet.

Okay, let's see here.

There.

Yup, check.

Okay, Mike, do you feel
comfortable enough to start?

Yeah.

Sure.

Is that light staying on?

You shouldn't be seeing any kind
of a light yet.

Eric, we cleared the...

the gear from the hospice,
right?

Was it...

My glasses, right?

Did I forget my...

No, I got it.

Okay.

Yeah, I'm good.

I'm good.

Mike, I'm not gonna be able to
increase the current here

until we get you straightened
out a bit.

Are you feeling okay?

Is he on something?

It's okay.

I'm fine.

Eric gets it.

I was just, the darkness,
you...

start to think about...

the girl at the Hospice.

Tonya?

I think was her name?

I'm fine.

Don't worry about Tonya.

It's okay to forget.

Just try to focus
on the here...

and now.

Even here and now
there's like...

me...

and you...

her...

I think her name was Tonya, and
her dad was there.

And...

Okay.

I'm pretty sure it was her.

Listen to my voice.

Her name was Tonya, but you
don't need to remember her now.

Let yourself forget.

It's her.

They need more blood-work.

Can I book it for Monday?

Colonizing another planet is
supposed to be hard.

Why don't I go down to the lab

and see how our boys are doing?

I thought we agreed I'd see some
progress today.

We were just about to stop his
program.

So that's nine days wasted.

What was the program?

It was the atrium module.

Playing chess, checkers,
birdwatching...

For nine days?

No variation?

Did he kill himself?

No, he just hit a barrier.

His brain was running
beautifully, everything gelled,

then bam, everything stopped
integrating for him.

Now we gotta pull him out.

Do it then.

Let me talk to him.

Sir...

Miss, I don't think we can do
that.

- He won't be in any state-
- If you're getting anywhere

at all, he should be able to
transition easily.

We're not sending vegetables to
the stars.

Pull him out now.

Set up the interview room so I
can watch.

I'll give you 10 minutes.

And get a fucking bib.

Lieutenant Duncan?

Uh-huh.

My face still feels...

That's normal.

And you said that last time.

Do you remember?

What's your name?

Lieutenant Chris Duncan...

retired.

No, you were discharged.

You do realize your team is the
bottleneck?

Your progress has been
intolerable.

I have a chess board, but we can
also play checkers.

It's reversible.

Which would you like to play?

Um...

Which did we play last time?

Chess.

Okay.

Checkers.

Holy shit!

Were gonna lose him!

Mike?

You've gone radio silent on me
man.

Is this...

Is this still it?

You okay buddy?

Yeah, I just...

Okay.

Put my hands up in the field of
vision.

I can't see them.

That kinda ruins the illusion.

Turn.

You should be able to toggle
on/off on the motion sensor.

I wanted to keep going that way.

Resolution could be a little
better.

So, nerd shit aside,

what does this have to do with
the documentary?

The doc isn't about death, it's
about life.

Human experience.

VR is a bridge to whole new
worlds of potential experience.

This one needs better software
though.

Okay, let me try.

In a minute.

What the...

Whatcha got?

It's me.

How can it...

This is impossible.

We would have known if someone
was doing

a goddamn 360 capture.

Someone's coming down the hall.

You're here.

But someone's missing.

Where is she?

Holy shit.

It looks a little forced, like,
the staging of it.

We need a break.

I need to get drunk.

No, we've gotta get at least to
the end of this scene.

You look like you're
hallucinating.

I'm not hallucinating.

I just feel like I'm in a dream.

You gotta pull back and let
things percolate a bit.

Yeah, but...

when we uh...

go in the hole...

the um...

Yeah, I don't know what I'm
talking about.

It actually felt like I was in
the scenes,

like, experiencing everything
from the camera's perspective,

except I was in the scenes.

Pretty sickening feeling

kinda losing the forest for the
trees, you know?

But it works.

It's postmodern, but the
audience knows

they're being toyed with.

It's artificial, but we're still
with the main characters

because they also are being
toyed with.

Turn it off for the night.

Think any of 'em read a book in
the last year?

You get the first round.

I gotta say hi to someone.

Begin.

No crystallization, glucose
level high,

and they've been staying high
after reanimation.

So it's still, what, just the
damn gamma waves?

That's the main problem, give or
take.

They just don't want to
integrate.

Ensign Walker here is coming out
of program Zenith.

12-to-one time dilation.

Let's hear what he has to say.

Beta function surprisingly good.

Gammas?

Neil, do you know where you are?

How many times have I...
Answer the question please.

Yes.

What year is it?

It's the same year you went
under.

What year do you think it is?

3,000?

4,000?

A.D.?

What?

What...

What's your name?

Neil.

Why wouldn't I know my name?

I know my own name.

Strong impulse at 36 Hz.

Hey, I know it's disorienting,
but it's gonna be okay.

Oh shit.

Gammas still...

This makes no sense.

He's catatonic.

No shit!

Wake up all the subjects and
send them home.

We're changing tacks.

Fuck off.

Ow!

Hey.

Wow!

Good morning to you too.

Who...

What are you doing here?

What am I...

What?

There's a gap.

You.

No, I can't explain it.

Hello?

What happened last night?

What do you mean?

There's like a girl in my bed.

Hello?

Holy shit, I am a miracle
worker.

Wait, did you fucking drug me?

Is she a hooker?

Man, take it easy.

The club.

You know her, I saw you.

Are you talking to someone?

The club.

Yeah, well, I talked to a lot of
ladies last night.

Wait, is she still there?

Yes!

Hey, I'm embarrassed too, you
know.

Hang on, you locked yourself in
the bathroom

to call your friend about...

How do you know I'm in the
bathroom?

Are you just going to hide in
there

until I leave?

I haven't decided yet!

What the fuck is going on?

Let me save you the trouble and
leave now.

Nice to meet you, Mike!

First things first, go make her
some eggs,

bare fucking minimum.

Call me later if you're still
pissed about getting laid.

Wait.

I didn't get your name.

Don't worry about it.

Stop.

Please, tell me your name.

Sophie.

Sophie.

No, sorry, I still don't
remember.

Look, I don't do one night
stands either.

Neither do I.

So, let me at yeast cook you
some eggs

so it's a night and a morning.

Thanks.

Sorry.

I mean, yeah, you're welcome.

Um...

So, what's your movie about?

Or was that just a pick-up line?

Oh, movie.

It's a documentary.

Well, part narrative.

It's about what happens after
you die.

Like after it...

What happens after it happens.

Mm-hm.

Sounds a little pretentious

now that you've made me say it
out loud, though.

Well...

I don't know about you, but I
could use some coffee.

God yes.

Where's our first stop?

Caledon.

Where are we ultimately headed
to, though?

What's that, a metaphor or
something?

You're the one driving the
trailer.

How do you not know
where we're going?

Yeah, yeah, there's is a nice
way to answer that, too.

You're married?

I just hate it when single
chicks wear fake wedding rings

'cause they're constantly having
to ward off

all these guys that are hitting
on them.

Is that it?

Uh...

I wear my wedding ring because
we're married.

That's what people do.

Just 'cause you're too cool to
wear yours

doesn't mean I'm gonna stop
wearing mine.

What the fuck are you talking
about?

Never mind.

We're married.

- Yeah, you said that.
- Yeah, and?

Are you fucking nuts?

We just met.

Wait, do you go around telling

all your girlfriends that we're
married?

You're not joking, are you?

Okay, look, pull over.

This can't be safe.

Pull over, what can't be safe?

You're just trying to make me

- fucking feel crazy right now!
- Mike, please can you just

pull over?

I don't want you driving.

How do you know Eric?

Mike.

I think you're having one of
those episodes,

or like, one of those attacks.

Attacks?

You're literally the person

who just said that we're
married!

Because we are!

We are.

Ask anyone we know.

I just...

I don't think you should be
driving.

Okay, I can drive for a bit.

You can lay down in the back.

Or we can pull over and call it
a day.

Anything you want.

I just...

Babe, what are you doing?

You need to leave me alone.

But we're in the middle of
nowhere!

No, stop!

I'm not having an episode, okay?

This is something else.

I don't remember how I got here!

I remember seeing
you at the club,

the next morning, breakfast,
eggs.

And then just all these, like,

these flashes of all these
memories together.

A montage you'd see in a movie,
okay?

And I get that it adds up to us,

and that I care for you, but
we're not fucking married!

Okay?

Where's all the stuff in
between?

Our engagement?

The arguments?

All the stuff that makes it
connect?

Okay?

- Just come back...
- No, look.

You can either stay here or go
back there,

but don't fucking follow me!

I know that you and all this is
a distraction,

and I know the difference now.

Mike, can you please just...

What?

You're gonna tell me that it's
all in my head?

That everything's fine?

I know the difference!

You cheated.

Somehow.

Only in part.

Screen.

Mike, playback.

Start to zero-five.

Yes, playback.

You guys controlled your avatars

in a two-dimensional, top-down
view.

But I was playing in three
dimensions.

Mike, render 3D.

Yes, render.

Continue.

Side view.

Introducing one set of
restricted representations

meant I could save time
programming graphics

and control code for the third
axis.

We were playing three
dimensions, you just assumed two.

I sold you the illusion of
complete freedom

knowing you guys would act like
flatlands.

I've already talked up Bridges
to Infinity 3.

It has to be a complete paradigm
shift in gaming.

And the key to the architecture

will be to exploit the
difference

between the the interface and
the representation.

It can't be fake.

It's gotta be real life.

Who knows I'm up here?

No one.

Nothing to do with me.

Okay, fine.

That's enough for today.

Screen, sleep away.

Hi, are you Mike?

This is a private island.

Yes, I know.

Can we talk?

Um, outside.

I work with the Fuller
Corporation.

I'd like to discuss an
interesting opportunity.

Calm down!

One second.

Shh.

Hey man.

Eric, I need a favor.

What happened?

I don't know.

Lost reception.

You feeling all right?

You sound a little weird.

Something's up with my brain.

Maybe...

Everything seems foggy.

I think I'm having some sort of
episode,

but I don't have episodes.

Right?

Still there?

Yeah.

Hey, where are you?

Looks like Askin and Wyandotte.

I'm just parked up here.

So we're driving along,
everything's fine.

Then I notice she's got this
fucking wedding ring on.

She says we're married with a
total straight face.

It's like everywhere I look,
it's fucking cardboard cutouts.

I mean, sometimes things do go
wrong upstairs, chemically.

I'm not saying you're crazy or
anything, but...

Mike, this is not the first time

we've had this conversation.

How many times?

Three, four?

Your doctor said it wasn't a
stroke, it was just an episode.

Last time you just kinda...

reset.

She is your wife.

It'll come back to you.

She deserves an explanation.

And a bit of hope things'll go
back to normal.

Fine.

I'm sorry.

It's okay.

It's not your fault.

I know that.

It is.

I...

I got confused and I took it out
on you.

How 'bout a swim?

The water's real nice.

Now very slowly come back to the
room.

Feel the chair beneath you.

What just happened?

We just successfully hypnotized
you.

On camera.

No.

Yeah, you were recalling details

like they happened yesterday.

No, no, no.

That's bullshit.

That's not what happened.

Yeah.

We got it on camera.

Imagine yourself in a Hawaiian
breeze.

Why don't I remember this?

That's usually how hypnotism
works.

It might feel like deja vu.

That's usually how hypnotism
works.

It might feel like deja vu.

What the fuck?

Fuck.

This is very generous, but...

It's not about the money.

Of course.

Mr. Fuller understands that.

But you are here, so something
does motivate you.

Let me ask you this:

do you think Mr. Fuller is in it
for the money?

Life after death isn't just a
dream.

It's real.

Legacy.

It's about making a real
difference within our lifetimes.

While we still draw breath.

We need your help.

We've already announced our
launch dates.

What did you have in mind?

We've been following your work
for some time,

and we're impressed.

Oh.

Thanks.

I...

was pretty sure nobody noticed.

A low profile is a smart idea

for a man in your situation.

Don't worry, I have no ethical
stake in this at all.

Neither does Mr. Fuller.

But some friends of his at the
DEA

say they're about a month away
from making their case,

and your picture is hanging up
on a cork board

surrounded by a bunch of
unfriendly Mexicans.

Mr. Fuller wants you to know
that he understands.

Someone you loved was dying of a
terrible, painful disease.

You saw a way.

A way to help.

What choice did you have?

You shouldn't have to live in
the shadow

of that decision for the rest of
your life.

Especially now that she's gone.

How would you like a real lab?

One you wouldn't have to clean
yourself.

No, no, no, I don't think so.

You cheated.

You hacked in and raised the
Zed-axis.

It's not cheating.

It's a workaround.

How is that fun for you?

I get to see behind the curtain.

Organic chemistry, U of T.

You were the hot shot in the
front row,

but you dropped just before
Christmas.

How do you remember that?

We're ready for you.

So far, we've had success

building on a 10-to-one
solution, glycine to GABA.

But our results beyond eight
days

of suspension have been...

embarrassing.

Have you tried-

You can't wasp your formulas

without shutting down the
program.

We're not changing our formulas
on the fly.

One at a time.

Cleaner data and safer trials.

That's a waste of time.

If I could swap his formula now,

I could have his gammas on track
in an hour.

You have got too much cortical
inhibition

going on in this mix.

How long could that brain state
be sustained chemically?

You synthesize as needed, so,
just shy of forever?

As long as you can maintain the
homeostatic functions.

Our formulas were good on paper;

it was just the psychological
side effects of...

Psychology is brain chemistry.

We need to get to work.

Checkers, chess.

I think this one's Pong?

No wonder they can't maintain
engagement.

Yeah, literally bore
them to death.

The point is to keep their
brains engaged

for an indefinite
amount of time,

not flex one muscle over and
over again for decades.

This approach basically
guarantees

that they're insane by time they
show up.

Okay, any given night, your
dreams are essentially

more or less memories of the
days events just replaying,

but with other memories

and more imaginative variations
mixed in, right?

So that's essentially what we
need, but goal-oriented,

so they're not just treading
water.

Yeah.

And you can't recycle the same
content forever.

These guys are supposed to sleep
for who knows how long,

and then show up on an alien
planet and get to work.

They'll need to be sharp.

If you can give me open-ended
programs,

I can maintain the chemistry,

provided your spread the
stimulation across the whole brain.

Feeding checkers into an idle
brain is one thing,

But to create something that
would last indefinitely

is a whole other animal.

That's fine, though.

With these resources I can pipe
them in there.

We just have to focus on
generating content.

Okay, you don't get it, though.

It would have to be something

magnitudes more complex than any
cutting-edge

video game or VR.

Not only does the
brain have to be fooled

by the sights and
sounds of the program,

but it needs the
freedom to try out

new patterns and
combinations at will.

There can't be any buildings you
just cannot enter

or only two types of restaurant.

The program would need to be a
multi-verse of complexity

where anything and everything
could happen.

Then you might get all those
brainwaves firing

like a waking brain for that
long.

Could take years to write
something like that from scratch.

We don't have that kind of time.

Right.

I remember you.

What?

There was this virtual reality
program

that would let criminals serve
out virtual sentences.

It would seem like 10 years
subjectively,

but it took place in a matter of
weeks

at a fraction of the
incarceration costs.

It was huge.

They built prison worlds for the
convicts to occupy.

But lobbyists got it shut down

'cause nobody wants to see their
daughter's murderer

walking free, even if he's a
changed man.

But with this type of cryo-sleep

we can flip the subjective time
dilation.

What seems like weeks is
actually years of clock-time.

If I can steal some of the
architecture

and maybe even
parts of the raw program,

it could be a solid work around.

So they're in jail subjectively
for years,

then when they come out, it's
weeks later?

Seems evil to compress that much
pain

into such a short amount of
time.

You gotta wonder what it'd be
like to be stuck in there.

Did you hear anything I just
said?

No, probably not.

Man, what is up with you lately?

I want to test something out

I'm already pretty, yeah, pretty
confidant about.

What are you testing?

There's gotta be some
things

that it just can't compute.

There's cracks all around us, we
just gloss over them.

I am not following you at all.

I don't give a fuck.

Hey, I'll drive for a bit.

Think you've been working a
little too hard.

You need some time away, man.

Shh.

Shh.

Listen.

Can you hear that?

Shh.

Just listen.

Here it comes.

Where is that coming from?

Where's the train?

There is no train.

There aren't any trains around
for miles.

That's my point.

Wait, where are you going?

I'm leaving you here.

Wait, what?

Hey, hey, hey.

Wait.

You got all my stuff in there!

Where are you going?

I think a good starting point
might be

some of these prisoner
recreation programs.

Prisoners had the option of
doing art,

music, photography, creative
writing.

The modules actually look pretty
complex and task-oriented.

So if you strip away the
prisoner reward point

bullshit thing and just sink 'em
into...

programs where they're forced to
be creative,

maybe we can get the brain
generating its own content.

Their subconscious will be able
to basically dream up

whatever it wants, within the
confines of the program.

What about filmmaking?

I mean, it basically combines

all those artistic elements you
just mentioned.

Yeah, have the user
work on a film.

You just keep on dropping in new
tasks,

pushing back the end-goal back
til it's time to wake up.

Limitless possibilities.

Huge waste of full brain
activity.

That is perfect.

And half my idea.

How did you hear about this
study?

How do you mean, sir?

Like, how did you hear we were
looking for test subjects?

I was ordered to
report here sir.

Ordered by who?

By my commanding officer, sir.

You want to use my program.

I know the copyright reverted
back to you

when the prison program folded.

We want to build upon your work.

Buy it flat out.

How do you plan to avoid neural
degeneration

for over a decade?

Well we all have our trade
secrets now, don't we?

To be honest, it wouldn't be
difficult

to reverse engineer your program
and avoid your copyright,

but it would be much cleaner if
I just buy it outright.

Give me a number.

I want it.

You want it?

Or do you want it?

Everything I've said comes from-

What is it, Mr. Fuller?

I want it.

You'll need a good neurochemist

and one hell of a programmer.

Think you can do it?

Of course we do.

Be my guest.

Well...

I guess I dream about...

what everyone dreams about.

Things, I guess.

Okay, be specific.

What do you and everyone else
dream about?

Jeez.

Stuff, I guess.

Okay.

Like what specifically?

Normal things.

Normal stuff.

So, the same different stuff?

That's the normal stuff.

Exactly.

Okay.

Well, thanks.

We'll be in touch.

Thanks.

My other guy is on break.

But I can get you started.

Please, have a seat.

Thanks.

Have we met?

Hm?

No, that's deja vu.

Sorry, if you can just start
filling that out.

Yeah.

Could you tell me a little about

what I'm signing up for before I
sign up?

It's a computer program.

Well it's like a series of
computer programs,

and we're gonna do stuff to you.

Like, we're gonna...

It's non-invasive.

So this is one of those things

where you program me to kill the
president.

Uh, no.

It's...

We just need you to be ignorant.

Like, we need ignorant people.

Not dumb people, like not you
have to be dumb.

Just, we need the subjects to be
ignorant.

If you, okay, so say you knew
exactly how the program worked

then it might not work on you
the same way.

You'd be cognizant of everything
around you

and it would, the program would
shut down.

I was joking.

Sorry, I got a lot on my mind.

I think your partner does the
interviews for a reason.

What reason?

You don't seem like you have a
lot of experience,

you know, talking to people.

How's that?

Well I have good news for you.

I sold my program to Ray.

I knew I was here
because of my program,

but I didn't know if he was
serious.

Then I saw you.

Me?

Yeah, we haven't met, but I know
who you are.

And you wouldn't be here if you
didn't think

there was some potential for
something great.

His plan is too ambitious.

I would have walked myself,

and then I remembered your
program.

Your code was...

You must have been so young when
you wrote that.

It almost sounds like you're
warming up to me.

Your program is one of the most
beautiful things

I've ever seen.

Why do they even make french
fries anymore,

if onion rings exist?

Your commander volunteer you
too?

Yes and no.

We actually have everyone we
need.

Well, thanks anyway.

Whoa, watch out!

Fuck!

Where am I?!

It's okay, man.

It's cool.

What did you see right before
the end?

It was a...

a light...

was falling.

Again, the program kicked him
out

right before he died, like a
dream.

'Cause it's not in the
programing.

It's a kill screen.

You can go.

You're fine.

Your stuff's in the change room.

So, can you just write in
something then?

Just jump 'em into a new scene?

I could write something in that,
like,

if you die in a module, then you
wake up at

breakfast table, 900 hours, but
we can't.

We need...

That would ruin the illusion.

We need normal waking brain
function, okay?

Not video games, 'cause if you
get crushed by a light,

you don't wake up with fuckin'
orange juice!

Okay.

So your consciousness is running
along

trying to stitch together a
logical sequence,

and we want to keep that
illusion intact,

but what if we could, like,

wipe the slate clean during the
reload?

Reintroduce a hint of
Partridge's cortical suppression,

use some sort of volatile
chemical mediator for memories.

After the reload, when the
person dies or whatever,

you just flush the memories, the
person wakes up

and they just start drinking OJ

because it's right there in
front of them.

What about residual effects from
previous brain states?

Yeah.

The amygdala's flooded,

adrenaline's obviously spiked or
whatever, but...

with a suppressed PFC you might
not even question it.

But if we're suppressing the
PFC,

then we're not getting normal,
waking brain states!

I'm talking about subtle
suppression.

And you only flush the memories

when you absolutely have to
hot-swap the program.

And ultimately, filmmaking isn't
usually fatal.

Every now and then, like in real
life,

they're gonna break routine, and
that involves risk.

And it's not just a
low-probability hypothetical;

it's inevitable, considering how
long

they'll be in the program.

Wipe their memories every once
in a while

and they're bound to notice.

And when a subject notices
discontinuities,

we run the risk that they'll
start noticing the program.

And when that happens, we'll
need to intervene.

Drastically.

Chemically we're in great shape

but we may have underestimated

how complex the
program has to be.

Any frayed edges and it'll fail.

I need every loose end
seamlessly tucked back

into the program before we move
on to human trials.

I want our next trial
to be the last.

How much time?

Not long.

We don't know.

The last report was so
optimistic.

Yeah, we still are optimistic.

But...

Maybe you two should split up,

work separately for a few days.

You're in each others'
heads too much.

Meanwhile, if there's anything
you guys need from me,

I want you to let me know.

Thanks, we will.

All right.

And I know I don't need to
mention our timeline.

I'm a bit concerned that you
didn't want Mike

to hear whatever it is you're
about to say.

Mike is...

Mike a genius, no doubt.

Whatever.

Okay, but he's a perfectionist,
and it's holding us back.

He wants the program to be

the perfect recreation of real
life,

so that you can't experience
anything in the program

that you wouldn't normally feel
while you're awake.

Of course.

It sounds like it makes sense,
right?

But we never have all the data
in our environment.

We don't need it.

Consciousness fills in the gaps.

The program doesn't have to be
perfect,

it just has to avoid drawing
attention to itself.

I know how to do it, okay?

But Mike is in his head,

he's too distracted to hear me.

This sounds like something you
two should agree on.

Yeah, I know.

But Mike won't move forward
until he thinks

the program is absolutely
perfect.

And look, I need this to work.

Okay?

He doesn't.

Let me be blunt.

We trust Mike's track record and
his judgment

far more than a former drug
cook.

That's why I've been hesitant.

But I'm ready for more testing.

Now.

I'm confident that I can
stabilize the interface

and move the project forward.

I don't want to waste any more
of your time.

It's your call.

I can either sit on my hands and
wait for Mike

to try and find his inspiration,

or I can take a couple subjects
on my own

and get back to work.

Mike can't even suspect.

I asked Ray how
your trials were going.

But he wouldn't tell me
anything.

Gave me attitude for even
asking, like,

"Take the money and shut up."

We're cautious for good reason.

But you have people inside
experiencing things, right?

Why would I tell you more than
Ray?

Because...

you get it.

What I wanted when I designed
the program.

You know what it could do,

what it could mean, and not just
for Ray.

It's troubling.

I like talking to you, but I
shouldn't.

It's distracting.

I have to do work.

You gotta take a break some
time.

Do I?

Mm-hm.

Yeah, you can't be on all the
time.

You gotta...

let some noise in.

It's inspiring.

I don't think I'm built that
way.

What?

I bet you are.

For years, all I ever wanted

was to see my program working.

Then it was all over.

Just like that.

And I felt like I could die.

Things were better for a while
after that.

Not worrying about it all the
time.

But when Ray called me...

I felt it again.

I need to see it.

I want you to succeed.

Eric thinks he can solve all our
transition problems

by just wiping the memories of
the previous module.

He can do that?

More or less.

But no way it's a longterm
solution.

Memories connect to too much.

Anything could trigger a memory
that would ruin continuity.

Things bleed over.

Well...

as a fail-safe, it might give
you enough of a buffer

to put off serious cognitive
dissonance.

When you make Ray's deadline,
when you're finished,

I want you to show me how you
did it.

I need to know.

When it's over.

Get back to work.

Hello?

So, uh, where's your partner?

Hopefully getting some sleep.

He needed a couple days off to
shake off the zombie-brain.

You can get comfortable there.

Is it safe?

Yeah, it's safe.

Comfortable?

Sort of.

Feels weird.

Something about wires sticking
out of me.

Yeah that was the one thing that
really pissed off my mom.

Chemo, confusion, that was all
fine,

but man, she hated shit sticking
out of her skin.

It's funny...

Sorry, I've been up for a while.

Just...

try and relax.

Breathe naturally.

Okay, Sophie, you should start
to feel

nice and heavy and sleepy.

I'd like you to count backwards
from 10 for me.

10...

nine...

six...

Took the idea from you.

Six walled.

So it doesn't bode well for us

that you figured out it was a
program.

None of our other tests subjects
figured it out.

You a lucid dreamer?

How long have I been under?

Not long.

Not long enough.

And now I find myself wasting
time down here

trying to make you forget.

It would really be better for
everyone

if you just roll with it.

Why cut me out?

Cut you out?

No, I need you.

But in here for the time being.

Well, whatever you're doing,
it's not working.

My memories from the previous
modules

are starting to bleed over.

Yeah, I know.

Annoying.

But I noticed you don't start
remembering right away.

You start from scratch every
time.

So that means I can keep
shifting you around to buy time.

But it is a fucking hassle.

Why then?

Why do you need me out of the
way?

No.

No, I don't think I will tell
you.

I don't want you to take it
personally.

Just trust me.

It's Sophie.

Fuck!

What's going on?

Come on!

Mike, come on!

Open the door, open the door!

Come on, come on!

Open, it, open it!

Open the door!

Why would you do it?

I don't...

Why?

I don't...

I don't remember.

That makes no sense.

Hey.

Hey.

Wake up.

What?

Wake up.

Welcome back.

It's okay.

Ease back into it.

You'll be disoriented for a
while, but that's okay.

What?

You had a pretty big shock
there.

It'll take a little while to
regulate your brain.

No.

No?

No.

Wait...

Well, that fucked up.

Congratulations.

You can rearrange the program
faster from the inside

than I can from the outside.

But it's still my program,

so wherever you go,
I'm in control.

I can put you where I want.

Even if you figure out it's a
program immediately,

I've got the bird's eye view.

Then come find me.

Yeah.

Hey, you're not answering your
cell.

Hey!

What's up?

Couldn't sleep, and I think I
had a breakthrough.

Wanted to say it out loud before
I forget.

So, basically we've been
inputting positive data

into a blank interface, the
subject,

which would make sense for a
computer,

but a human can't sit tight and
wait for the next program

to run during the gaps, like a
computer can.

That's why our subjects are
washing out

during the transitions.

But what if, before we run
anything,

we lay down a control track,
like a field of noise

that constantly runs,
essentially filling in

any possible gaps that would
come up,

so when the transitions happen,

the brain is still receiving
some sort of chaotic signal,

thus staying active, trying to
sort it out,

while it waits for the next
program to start.

It's like in a proper dream
state;

the mind accepts the next weird
logic of reality

because it doesn't have empty
time to stop

and contemplate the previous
weirdness that just happened.

Yeah.

Yeah, that sounds great.

We can try it in the morning.

No, I'm awake now, I'm heading
over.

No, it can wait.

Fuck.

Shit!

What the fuck were you thinking?

Ray signed off on it.

I don't care!

You don't test something so
incomplete...

Look at her, she's comatose!

It's the same damn program!

I tweaked one little thing to
mask the memories,

and none of the other volunteers
went unresponsive.

She wasn't even a volunteer!

This is why you don't fuck with
things you don't understand.

Fucking amateur.

Hey!

We're on a deadline!

Okay, I'm not set like you.

If this doesn't work out for me
I go to prison, at best!

So I saw a way to jump forward
and I took it.

How is she not a volunteer?

Get out of here and let me fix
this.

We can fix it together.

I'm not letting you anywhere
near her.

And now I've got to go to Ray
with this?

You're off the program.

Get the fuck outta my lab!

That's not an option.

You don't have any say, not any
more.

I need more time.

Time.

Okay, where did you go?

Scoured every line of code and
came up blank.

And then I thought about your
warrior game, and it clicked.

A new axis.

Imaginary time, or whatever this
is supposed to be.

That's crafty, but I still found
you.

Hiding isn't doing anybody any
good.

It's just costing me valuable
time.

Then tell me what you want.

Why are you doing this?

It's not as sinister you think.

Sophie's under the same program
you're under.

But for some reason, she keeps
shutting down

every module I throw at her.

Why am I under?

Because you overreacted.

You wanted me off the project.

I needed time to fix things.

And I can't be off this project.

It's fixable.

The program is good.

It's just not good on her.

I don't know why.

She's got something off...

chemically, I'm not sure what.

Haven't figured it out yet.

Patch her into this program
then.

Look, you can't pull her out
manually, then neither can I.

But I can control this world,
this program.

Patch her into me.

I can make her feel safe.

I can ease her back up through
each transition,

one at a time, all the way to
the top.

Look, I either wake her up, or
make her feel safe

long enough so that her brain's
firing on all cylinders

so you can lay down a new
control track.

But it's still your program.

She wouldn't even be a player in
your...

She wouldn't even be a
sub-routine in your code.

She'd just be a virus.

There's no way to predict the
kind of bleeding

that would occur between the two
worlds.

Look, you came to me.

Even after all you did, you came
to me.

You don't have a better option.

How do you feel?

Let's rock.

Just make her comfortable,

so she doesn't turtle every time
something new happens.

Every time she panics, I have to
alter the program.

Once you get her into a comfort
zone, try and show her

how she can manipulate the
program from the inside.

Like you're doing.

Where are you gonna start her
from?

I was thinking of starting her
at your place.

Where you guys first...

No, no.

Start her at my lake house.

I don't know about that.

You sort of jerry-rigged it from
the inside,

so I have no way of knowing how
stable it is.

It's stable.

I'd rather have her at an
environment that I can control.

And her comfort level is
already fucked

so it's a moot variable.

Fine.

You ready?

Yeah.

Sophie!

Sophie.

It's Mike.

It's just me.

Mike!

I know you're scared.

But it's okay.

Where are we?

Things are too unpredictable, so
let me help.

Mike.

Where are we?

Where are we?

How can I get to you?

You're somewhere safe.

Shh.

It's okay.

No, I'm here.

I'm here now.

Okay?

It's okay.

I'm going to get us out of here.

I just need you to stay calm.

I need you to tell me the last
thing you remember

before everything went crazy on
you.

Eric called me.

He...

He must have found the form I
half filled out.

I was trying to give you my
number.

So you went to meet him.

He was so confident.

You were already in human
trials.

I had to know.

Shh, shh, shh.

He dropped something!

When I was on the table.

Dropped something?

Some vials.

It's the last thing I remember.

After that it's...

It's all just...

flashes.

Oh God!

It felt like...

like I was falling out of the
world.

Like I was dying.

I tried so hard to hold on with
everything I had.

You did good.

Okay?

You did good.

But I need you to listen to me
closely.

We're still in the program.

No.

I can't!

No!

Listen, listen!

I'm in control now.

Okay?

How do I know what's real?

The next time you wake up, it
will be real.

And I'll be there.

Now I just need you to hang on.

No!

No!

This is it.

You made it.

See?

It's real.

Thank you.

Sure you have the right one this
time?

She needs a stabilizer.

Get it now?

How long have I been under?

I figured the best way to keep
you busy

was to let you think you were in
control.

But just barely.

From what point though?

Oh, I was never under.

You've been tricking and
resetting a program of me,

a digital me who thinks he's
making a film,

and forgetting things,
and trapped.

You've been playing in my
sandbox while I fix your mistake.

She's okay.

I just pulled her out.

So what now?

Why am I still under?

I'm okay.

Good.

We'll call you back.

It's done.

Minus a few tweaks.

Sophie?

Human error, on Eric's part.

He got sloppy.

Overworked maybe.

She's been through a lot, but
she'll be fine.

What about longterm forecasts?

Eric just passed day 10.

All the extrapolations look
perfect.

He had to brainstorm, keep the
fake Mike busy,

introduce new realities every
time

my digital self caught on.

Our people are going to look
over your data

in the next four hours.

Be available.

Look, I don't know what you have
on Eric,

and you probably want to send
him up river,

but I still have some use for
him.

You're going, aren't you?

You're making the trip yourself.

I wouldn't miss it for the
world.

Guess that'll probably mean a
bit of a promotion for you.

Get back to work.

Sophie's fine, if you're
wondering.

Thank you.

It was a clumsy mistake.

You injected her
with the wrong vial.

The wrong vial?

We're up and running here,

just a few bugs to work out,
some high-stress scenarios.

Gotta lock those down.

Okay.

Unhook me.

Just lay back down.

Mom?