Original subtitles

Agent Lee? Olivia Dunham.

Previously on Fringe...

What division are you in?

I am not leaving here without some answers.

Sometimes answers... lead to more questions.

The timeline has been rewritten.

He was erased,

and yet traces of him continue to bleed through.

There was a man in the mirror!

He was here, and then he was gone.

I saw him!

What's with the redecoration?

- Aah! I'm here, Walter.

Right here.

Please, help me.

Walter?

You didn't answer my question.

I asked

if you've been keeping up with the new medication

I prescribed for you.

Yes.

For the most part.

With my own modifications, of course.

Why?

Well, you just seem a little bit distracted.

Well, yes... as you ask.

You've come at an extremely inopportune time.

I'm in the middle of some very important work,

and I'm anxious to resume.

I appreciate that, Walter.

But these monthly evaluations are also important.

Well, yes, I know.

It was a condition you imposed

on my release from St. Claire's.

I mean personally important.

You were under my care there for...

most of your 17 years.

These sessions allow me to catch up with you,

see how you're doing.

Now...

I've been perusing the latest observational reports

from the agents assigned to you,

and they mention certain patterns of unusual behavior.

Well, o-occasionally, I have a unique way of doing things

which can be misinterpret--

Tell me about the mirrors.

Mirrors?

And the television?

Virtually every reflective surface in and around your lab

has been covered or obscured by you.

Naturally, I covered them up.

I-it's an experiment I'm conducting on--

So this had nothing to do with your lab being haunted.

Beg your pardon?

According to the report,

you claimed on more than one occasion

to have seen a strange man in the lab,

a man no one else has seen,

and that sometimes...

the man speaks to you.

Oh...

just minor hallucinations, of course,

by my self-medication.

That was weeks ago. I-I'm much better now.

So you haven't had any more of these hallucinations since?

No.

Walter, it is important

that you be completely honest with me

so that I can make an assessment of your state of mind

and I can make recommendations for your continued care...

Whatever that may be.

You're dead, Sneddon. You hear me?

You better run, rat!

We're gonna beat your ass!

Wait up a minute, man.

You run like a little girl.

Keep up. We got him now.

He went in there.

Oh, he's like so dead.

There he is.

Picked a bad place to hide, dumb ass.

Just leave me alone, guys.

Or what?

I know it was you, you little freak.

You got me busted for the stash in my locker.

Come on, Matt. Kick his ass.

You had this coming...

Uh...something touched my leg!

It's probably just a bug or something.

Tough it out.

Dude, what is this?

What the hell is this?

Huh?

♪ Fringe 4x03 ♪ Alone in the World Original Air Date on October 7, 2011

== sync, corrected by elderman ==

♪

Hey.

Working a case?

Something like that. Mm-hmm.

Hmm. I got, uh, word

you wanted to see me?

We get any news on the shape shifter attack?

Uh, no. I just wanted to check in with you,

see how you're handling everything.

I know you've been going through the case files,

getting up to speed.

I understand that it can be kind of overwhelming.

It's hard when what you knew

or what you thought you knew about the world...

no longer holds.

And I just wanted you to know that I'm here.

You're...

Here?

Yeah.

To talk to, you know?

I mean, just if things are getting a little too much

or if you're freaked out...

I'm...not freaked out.

Oh.

Good.

Okay.

Well, you just let me know.

If I freak out, I-- yeah, you...

you'll be the first to know.

Dunham.

We've got two bodies.

12-year-old boys.

How many months since they've been missing?

Not months. Hours. Somewhere between 10 and 15,

according to the reports their families made

when they didn't come home last night.

Agent Broyles?

Agent Farnsworth is ready for you.

Has Dr. Bishop come up with any theories yet

on cause of death

or the bodies' advanced state of decomposition?

Walter, Agent Broyles wants to know if--

Yes, yes, I heard him.

Will you tell Agent Broyles

that as there appears to be no unusual environmental factors

to explain the rapid deterioration,

that it is absurd for me to make any determination

without first examining the remainders!

Okay, Walter said he--

tell him, for all I know, it could be viral

or a mutation of some flesh-eating bacteria.

He thinks that--

some kind of alien parasite

or...Bigfoot.

Bigfoot! That's it.

Astrid, perhaps you can look around

for massive fecal droppings, huh?

He doesn't have any theories, sir.

I think I got something.

There's a third set of sneaker treads leading in...

and then out.

Size 7, 8, maybe.

Then we have a potential witness.

Or another victim.

Even if there was another boy that got away,

he could still be infected by whatever killed the other two.

Point taken. We need to find him fast.

Yeah. If he's alive.

Oh!

Remarkably pungent stench.

I'm gonna... get some scented candles.

Agent Broyles.

It was good of you to accompany Astrid,

although unnecessary.

Agents Dunham and Lee

are tracking down the identity of the boy who fled the scene.

I thought I'd take the opportunity

to check in on you.

Oh...How nice.

May I ask why?

You had your evaluation with Dr. Sumner last night.

He called me afterwards to voice some concerns.

Concerns?

He thought you seemed unusually agitated

by something you were reluctant to confide.

I-I can't imagine what gave him that impress--

Walter?

Where's the second body?

On its way to the morgue.

I assumed one was sufficient for your examination.

Not--not sufficient at all.

I-it's quite the opposite.

I need both bodies.

Walter. What?

What?

Did you say something?

I asked why you need both bodies.

Because--

Walter, listen to me.

Walter, do you see me?

Only by...Comparison... Walter, I can hear you.

Will I be able to determine... Where are you?

If there are patterns to the decomposition

of the tissue...

Listen...

Or the putrefaction of the internal organs,

it may well be that the victims

perished at different intervals.

Dr. Bishop.

And one of them may be a carrier!

I want to come home. I am not losing my mind!

I would appreciate you

arranging to have the second remains

sent here as soon as possible.

Excuse me.

Broyles.

It's Olivia. We have a lead on the third boy.

This morning another student told the principal

that the two victims had been talking about plans

to beat a kid up.

His name is Aaron Sneddon. He's ten years old.

He said it was pretty dark

and he didn't see much after the boys chased him

into the tunnel.

Why didn't he tell anyone what happened?

His parents?

Well, he has no father,

and his mother is out of the country.

Aaron said that she's away a lot

for work.

But the boy's mother wouldn't leave him home by himself.

No, she has him stay with a neighbor

in their apartment complex.

His principal said that he's a quiet boy,

that she doesn't know him to have many friends.

So has Walter gotten anywhere yet?

Beyond his random theories of vampires and succubi, no.

He says he needs to examine the other body.

I'd like you and Agent Lee to retrieve it from the morgue.

I'll let Dr. Bishop know the boy is here.

Okay.

You like to draw?

Me too.

Aaron, we're going to have to get you checked out

to make sure that you're okay.

Our friend, Dr. Bishop, is going to examine you.

I don't like doctors.

They scare me.

Oh, you'll like Walter.

There's nothing scary about him.

All right, young man. Let's get started.

Take off your shirt and hop on the table.

Please, I don't want a shot.

Well, technically a shot

is depositing a substance into the bloodstream.

This is more a withdrawal.

Just this one time.

I promise.

There. That wasn't so bad.

Good boy.

You can put your shirt on now.

I'll be right back.

Please, don't touch that!

Give me...

It's all right. It's all right.

I--I shouldn't have shouted.

It--it belonged to my son.

You have a son?

I did.

He died.

Walter.

You need to come and take a look at this.

What is it?

It happened when I was moving a candle.

That's curious.

Yeah.

Look at the lambda sensor.

The corpse is pulling high levels of oxygen

out of the air.

Astrid...

I don't remember there being this much mold

on the ribcage before.

Dear God.

The incubation case. Quickly!

Grab the other end. We have to contain it.

Walter.

No time to explain. Hurry!

Spores.

I--I had assumed that the mold

was just a symptom of the rapid decomposition.

Walter, I am not following.

The cause, Astrid...

I'm starting to believe

that it was an aggressive form of fungi

that killed the boys.

Olivia and Lincoln, they went to the morgue

to get the other body.

Astrid?

Are you at the morgue?

Yeah, we're just heading to the elevator now--

listen, you have got to evacuate the room.

Get the body from the tunnel locked down.

What?

It's going to explode and release spores!

You gonna get that?

I'm eating my lunch.

Come on, come on, come on, come on.

Hey, Beth, come here.

Take a look at this.

Oh, God.

What are you doing?

We gotta get them out of there.

We can't open that door.

We need to get a team in here and lock down the area.

We can't just leave 'em to die.

They're already dead.

Dr. Bishop.

Can you tell us what we're dealing with here?

Clearly not the garden variety

of cordyceps fungi.

A genetic mutation with a capacity

of hyper-accelerated growth and nutrition absorption,

which explains the rapid decomposition

of the bodies.

Walter, what's "cordyceps fungi"?

A species capable of releasing neurotoxins

so as to paralyze a host,

usually an insect,

so that the fungi can feed and lay its spores.

So why aren't they attacking us?

These are not a pack of wolves, Agent Broyles.

Size not withstanding,

they are still a lower life form

with rudimentary instincts

probably based on tactile response.

As long as none of you touch them,

they won't even know you're there.

A couple of these bad boys

are making their way down the sink.

Most likely seeking more water and nutrients,

which shows a strong impulse

to expand their reach as far as possible.

I mean, really, this is a most extraordinary species,

don't you think?

Admiration aside, Dr. Bishop,

how do you recommend killing these things?

As with a great many molds and fungi,

a strong dose of U.V. light or intense heat

should effectively eradicate them.

Understood.

Agent Mace, this is Broyles.

We're going to need

high-intensity U.V. lamps in here,

as many as you can find.

Yes, sir. Copy that.

I'll oversee things here.

I want you and Agent Lee to assemble a small team

and have them meet you at the tunnel.

Based on the boy's remains,

the fungus colony at the tunnel

is probably much bigger than what we have here.

I'm not convinced

that U.V. is the most efficient way

to destroy it.

You have something else in mind?

I'm thinking flamethrowers.

Fortunately, your tests show no sign

of fungal infection.

The good news is that you're now free

to return home.

Agent Farnsworth will drop you there.

Unless it's not good news.

Nobody's there.

Oh, yes. I understand you're staying with a friend.

A neighbor, but she never talks to me.

Perhaps there's someone else with whom you can stay.

No.

I see.

Well, I certainly know what it feels like

to have nowhere to go,

no family.

This is the only home I know.

You live here?

Yeah.

It's not much, I admit, but...

It's certainly better than the mental institution

where I lived before this.

Would you like to stay here with me

for a little while longer?

I can't promise that I'll have any time

for entertaining you, understand.

I mean, I'm a very busy man.

Mmm, mmm, mmm! Sublime.

Dr. Bishop.

"Walter." I said you could call me "Walter."

How did your son die?

Peter was very sick.

I tried for a long time to find a cure...

but I found it too late,

and he died.

Then I discovered an alternate Universe

where another version of my son was dying

from the same malady.

So I crossed over to the other side

with the intention of bringing him back

to cure him.

But the frozen lake

where I created a portal between Universes

was unsound,

and when we crossed back,

the ice broke.

And Peter--

the other version of him--drowned.

And I lost him all over again.

And...you don't think you belong

in a mental institution?

How soon till the flood lights are up?

Almost there, ma'am.

Here's our perp.

Doesn't look like much in here.

No wonder we overlooked it.

Well, once we've got lights,

we can make sure we've taken out

the entire colony.

Watch your step.

There could be something there.

Ready for you, Agent Dunham.

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for another.

Aaron, what's wrong?

It's...bright.

What?

It's too bright.

What do you see?

I need the handheld flood over here.

There's more of it back here.

A lot more.

What is that?

Let me take a look--

No! Get away! What is it?

Some of it's growing down through some grating.

Do we know what's under here?

Burn it.

Burn it all.

Astrid! Help me!

Aaron, you need to talk to me.

You need to tell me what's wrong.

Walter, he has a high-grade fever.

How'd this happen? I don't know.

He was complaining about something being too bright,

and then he got scared,

and then he just started burning--

Walter?

Stop what you're doing.

Say it again.

I said stop it! You're killing the boy.

Just a few more minutes.

I don't want to turn you into a popsicle.

Oh, Astrid--

I'll get you one later, Walter.

Oh. Grape, please.

And one for my friend here.

You just rest there.

Olivia.

We've managed to bring his temperature down

a couple of degrees,

but it remains dangerously high.

And you're positive that Aaron was affected

by the fungus in the tunnel?

His collapse and fever coincided

precisely as you were, uh, burning the colony.

I am certain there was a connection.

Okay, what about the fungus

at the morgue?

Broyles and his team destroyed that.

Why wasn't Aaron affected then?

Well, that I cannot explain as of yet.

So the boy is feeling

whatever this thing

inside the tunnel is feeling.

Precisely.

Okay, whatever it is, it's dangerous,

and we need to destroy it.

So how do we break the connection

between it and the boy?

I'm not sure,

but perhaps the best way to determine that

is to learn

how the connection was formed in the first place.

Okay, well, I think I may have an idea about that.

Aaron, let's have a talk.

About what?

About why you lied to us.

Your drawings, Aaron.

Agent Dunham found them covering the wall

inside the tunnel.

You never mentioned

you'd been there before yesterday.

Based on the size of your artwork,

I'd say you go there a lot.

It, um...

It's hard to explain.

I would go there sometimes.

To get away.

And after a while,

I would...

start to feel better,

like I wasn't alone,

that there was something there

that was sad whenever I was sad.

Or...

I know it sounds stupid.

Perhaps not.

You're saying you thought there was something there

that felt as you felt.

I mean, I guess I thought I was just imagining it.

Maybe I was crazy.

But it was like it understood me,

like it wanted to protect--

protect you.

Aaron, the boys who were chasing you...

You intentionally led them there, didn't you?

It told you to bring them back to the tunnel.

I didn't know what was gonna happen,

I swear.

I didn't know what it was!

It's all right, son.

Shh...

I believe you did nothing wrong.

Walter...

What was that all about?

I don't understand.

I think I'm beginning to. I need Agent Dunham.

My initial hypothesis was entirely wrong.

These are not colonies of fungi.

I now believe that--

that this is a single organism,

one with rapidly evolving communication skills,

enabling it to form a psychic bond

with the boy.

You see these? I believe that each of these

fungal masses is the equivalent

to a neuron, a brain cell,

and these tendrils are linking them together,

essentially dendrites and synapses.

The organism is a vast neural network.

Wait, you're telling me that this whole thing,

all of it, is one big giant brain?

That's exactly what I'm saying.

Agent Lee, Gus is a growing,

evolving mind.

"Gus"?

Well, I thought that since it's a single living entity

that perhaps we should name it

for the sake of clarity.

Okay, so the reason that Aaron wasn't affected

when we destroyed the fungi in the morgue--

was because the colony growing there

was unable to connect to the network,

and until it could, it was a mindless appendage.

That's why it was heading down the drain--

to try and connect with Gus.

Yeah. What you need to understand is that

Gus can only make more of itself.

And as it grows, it becomes more intelligent,

more self-aware, and ever more conscious

of how alone in the world it is.

And my contention

is that Gus

forged a link with Aaron

over this shared sense of isolation.

Until I can find a way

to break the link with the boy,

any assault on the organism

will hurt him.

Or worse.

It's Broyles.

Sir, we have new information about the fungus.

So have I.

There's been another attack--

a homeless man camped out in an alley in Roxbury Crossing.

Looks like the fungus came up through some grating.

Roxbury? That's six miles from the tunnel.

I know.

After Agent Lee's report on the growths in the tunnel,

I found that the Boston sewer line

runs directly underneath that area.

We have a major infestation on our hands.

We need to eradicate this thing,

and we need to do it now.

Agent Broyles, uh, this is Walter Bishop.

I--I don't think you--you--you understand

that I haven't yet discovered a way

to break the link between the organism and the boy.

I--I need more time.

I do understand, doctor.

Believe me.

But the longer we wait, the more likely

other innocent people will be killed.

It's just that you are not hearing me.

I suggest you keep trying with whatever time--

he'll die! Do you hear me?

You're going to kill Peter!

Aaron.

Walter, you mean "Aaron."

What did I say?

You've got two hours, Dr. Bishop.

After that or if there are any more attacks,

I can't make any promises.

Astrid, we need to reconfigure

the neurostimulator for magnetic resonance!

We need to chart Aaron's brain activity.

Agent Dunham,

you and Agent Lee, be ready to move out.

Yes, sir.

Flamethrowers aren't going to be enough.

We're gonna need some help.

I've got recon team throughout the city,

spread out over an eight-mile radius.

So far we've determined the fungus has encroached on

at least a dozen populated buildings,

all of which have been evacuated.

But no other bodies have been found.

Thankfully, no.

It's been well over an hour.

How's Dr. Bishop doing with the boy?

We haven't gotten any word yet.

Agent Broyles, if you don't mind my asking,

what exactly is our plan to kill Gus?

That's what Walter's calling the organism.

That's our plan, Agent Lee,

compliments of Nina Sharp and Massive Dynamic.

You two, along with one of their techs,

will be administering a potent toxin to the fungus.

Agent Broyles, recon six is on the line.

I'm gonna check in with Walter.

Walter.

It's Olivia.

Olivia, we've managed to isolate Gus' brain wave.

The link appears to be centered somewhere

inside of Aaron's pre-frontal lobe.

Okay, so you know how to disconnect it.

Oh, no.

No, I haven't quite worked that out yet.

Okay, Walter, we're running out of time.

I realize that.

My attempts to shut down that part of his brain

haven't worked!

There's only one other possible option.

Surgically remove the infected part.

What are you saying?

You're thinking of lobotomizing him?

I don't know what else to do

in the time I have left, Olivia.

Walter, you can't!

I have to save his life.

Whatever it takes.

Okay, Walter, listen to me.

Now, you're gonna find another way,

and I'm gonna talk to Broyles,

explain the situation to him,

and see if I can buy us some time.

Stand by. Sir.

I just got word from one of our teams.

The fungus has reached a subway platform in Midtown.

We can't contain this thing. We have to move on it now.

You gave Walter two hours. There's still time--

I'm sorry, but you know as well as I do

we can't sacrifice countless other lives

to save one boy.

Walter...

What?

No time to talk.

I have to think.

So what are we looking for?

Somewhere the toxin will be best distributed.

Some sort of central mass.

There.

Agent Broyles,

we've located the injection point.

The tech is preparing the toxin.

That. Keep me apprised.

I was told it was on your order.

Olivia...

Okay.

No!

Walter,

his blood pressure is falling,

and he has lost consciousness.

Do something!

I've run through every conceivable scenario

I can think of.

That creature has a hold on his brain,

and I have no ide--

wait. Wait!

What's happening in there?

The toxin's been administered, but the technician is dead.

I want you and Agent Lee

to fall back to position one now!

Yes, sir.

Olivia.

Lincoln, what? I can't move.

What?

The source of Aaron's physical distress

isn't isolated in the pre-frontal lobe,

as I thought.

- It's also here. - What is that?

It's the limbic system. Limbic!

The emotional center of the brain.

Emotion...

Yes.

Astrid, get me the epinephrine.

The fungus has a hold on Agent Lee.

He requires immediate medical help.

We're assembling a team now.

Does the fungicide appear to be working?

Negative.

The organism's still alive.

I don't know why, but it's not working.

The link is emotional.

Gus doesn't have a hold on him.

He has a hold on it.

I'm sorry, son.

Aaron! Aaron! Listen to me!

Aaron! Aaron! Good boy, good boy.

I know you're scared,

but you need to let go of the organism.

No...It's my friend. No.

I'll be alone.

I know you've come to believe that it's your friend,

but it's not real.

It's something that's invaded your mind.

It's hurting you.

Nobody cares.

It doesn't matter.

Walter, his blood pressure is still falling.

His organs are shutting down.

You matter to me.

I care, and I...

And I don't want to lose you.

I can't lose you.

Not again.

Aaron...

I know how hard it is to make connections.

I know what it is to be lonely.

It takes courage to be the one

to take someone else's hand,

to trust that they won't leave you.

I won't leave you, Aaron.

And I'm begging you not to leave me.

Please.

Let it go. Let it go.

Please. Let it go, son.

Walter...

I think it's working.

He's stabilizing.

This is Dunham.

Uh, something's happening.

Their brain waves

have separated.

Uh...It's gone.

Gus is gone.

It's working!

The organism's dying.

Okay...

We need a medical team down here now!

Lincoln, can you hear me?

It's okay. It's okay.

You're gonna be fine. You're gonna be fine.

Hey.

Hey.

You look a little freaked out.

You wanna talk about it?

Here. You take him.

No, he's yours.

He'd be better off with you.

Toys are meant to be played with.

Yeah, I've seen the movie with the talking toys.

Oddly disturbing.

Okay, Aaron,

we gotta get you to the hospital,

or they're gonna give your room away

to somebody who's really sick.

Aren't you coming too?

Well, I very much wish I could...

but I have things I need to do.

We'll see each other again soon, I promise.

Walter?

Astrid told me the good news about Aaron.

I knew you'd figure...

Walter?

Walter?

It's all right.

The area is completely numb.

I--I know exactly what I'm doing.

Just let me do this.

Just gonna put the hammer down.

Walter...

What the hell were you thinking?

I don't want to be recommitted.

I can't go back there.

Please don't send me back.

What are you talking about?

I'm going insane.

I've been having hallucinations.

No matter what I do, they won't stop.

- What kind of hallucinations, Walter? - For weeks now.

I was afraid to tell anyone.

What are you seeing?

It doesn't matter.

Just tell me.

A person.

A young man.

His voice is in my head,

saying peculiar things.

Does he look like this?

Where did you get this?

I drew it from memory.

I've been seeing him in my dreams

for the past three weeks.

And all this time...

I thought I was losing my mind,

that he was a figment of my psychosis.

I'm perfectly sane!

Here.

Who is he?

I don't know.

I've been running facial recognition

through interagency databases, including Interpol,

but nothing's shown up.

A shared vision like this...

He must be real!

And if he's real...

We have to find him.

== sync, corrected by elderman ==