Original subtitles

♪♪

There's rioting breaking out throughout the city.

Fires continue to burn everywhere.

Troops are shooting people.

My God, I... I don't know why.

There's a woman dying in front of me, and no one's helping her.

There are conflicting reports about who or what started the chaos.

Will someone tell me what's happening?

This is madness.

What is this world coming to?

Hit him!

All right, ladies and gentlemen. Place your bets.

I can cover that. I can cover that. Very good. Thank you.

All right, all right.

This game is totally real. Who's willing to pay some more money?

Thank you very much. All right, all right.

Very good. Take that off and make a bet.

Come on! Come on!

Thank you very much. Come on, fellas. Be brave.

Have a good night. Give me that. Two grand. That's right.

Here we are.

Yeah! That's it! Come on!

Come on!

Come on! Yeah!

Come on!

No, no, no...

Come on!

Last round coming up, ladies and gentlemen.

Last chance to place your bets.

Here, here, here.

Thank you.

Put this on the white soldier.

I think Stoner can beat your guy.

Think so?

All right. I'll take your money.

Okay, ladies and gentlemen. That's what you came to see.

As advertised,

the game is totally real.

Thank you very much. Good night.

A good evening. Are you satisfied?

Absolutely.

Stoner was good. Who's next?

This warrior, Stoner, wasn't a real challenge.

His responses were entirely predictable.

Perhaps we're looking for adversaries in the wrong place.

We're not fighting warriors.

Our enemies defeat us precisely because they are unpredictable and illogical.

Then let our champion face this intelligence.

Alert Nikita to this change...

That the new player may be found among younger humans.

Those who have not yet fallen into ingrained patterns of behavior.

- Immediately. - And, Ardix,

ensure that our friend remains unaware of our software.

Of course.

Well, you're not looking so good this morning.

What's all this?

We got these off the alien scanning device.

We've broken it down. We think we can make it work for us.

At least I hope so.

How the hell you gonna do that?

Well, we've cloned these two samples to get the key elements.

Wait a minute. Elements? What you after?

One's a receiver, and the other is a scanner.

In theory, if you have one of these, I can follow you with the other one.

I can look right through your eyes.

I'll stick to my old-fashioned bugging devices.

I think it's fantastic.

Whoa! Look at you. What's the occasion?

- Today's career testing day. - Oh!

What time do we have to be there?

9:00, but I want to get there early.

Okay, okay. We'll go now.

Why don't you let me take her?

- Are you sure? - Yeah.

Looks like you're gonna operate on that stuff. Come on.

It's just a bunch of video games, but it'll be fun.

Yeah, well, maybe we'll get some breakfast on the way.

So what do you think it's gonna be with her?

Medicine? Biochemistry?

I don't know.

Well, let's get to it.

Welcome to the Simulator Expo.

We'll be ready to begin in just a few minutes.

Simulator Expo is a career testing facility

available to those between the ages of 13 and 17...

So what are you gonna choose?

They got everything here.

I don't know.

Well, take it from me, stay away from any career that involves the military.

It wasn't on my list.

Hey, I'm not trying to push you into anything.

It's your life. It's important it be your choice.

Well, why did you become a spy?

That's a nice way of putting it.

'Cause I didn't have any options.

So what do you think about law?

John, I'll work something out.

- Yeah. - David!

Hi, Deb.

Hi. I was hoping we'd meet up.

Um, John Kincaid, David Nash.

- Hi, David. - Mr. Kincaid.

- Come on, Deb. They're letting us in now. - We'll only be a couple of hours.

All right. Meet me here then.

Good luck.

- What do you want to do? - I don't know. Let's do something fun.

All right.

- This looks neat. - Yeah.

- Do you put these things on? - Yeah.

I can't see a damn thing.

We need an electron microscope testing facility.

We'll have to take those samples to a lab.

No. They'll start asking questions.

Well, then we're back to figuring it out here.

And who or what are we going to use for guinea pigs?

Ourselves.

The game is over.

Good game, kids.

Thanks.

You were incredible, young lady.

Truly remarkable.

It was fun.

I was just starting to hit my stride towards the end.

Yours was the highest score we ever recorded.

Congratulations.

Thanks.

If the theory is sound, you'll be able to see what I see.

What is it? What is it?

It's okay. Go on.

I see something.

It's out of focus.

Pill bottles.

A computer.

E-U-R-

E-K-A.

It works.

Our own tracking device, courtesy of the Morthren.

Suzanne, we've finally got an advantage.

- So what now? - I don't know.

Hey, I know what I want to do.

- Aeronautical engineering. - You're lucky.

Well, there's the testing booth. You better get in line.

Why don't you come with me?

I think I'll go to the sciences.

Then I can tell my mom I at least tried.

Okay. See you later.

Bye.

Hello, there. You slipped away.

My name's Nik, and I'd like to discuss your future with us, Miss...

Uh, Debi. I don't know.

Please, have a seat.

We'd like to help you focus your goals,

and I emphasize it'd be your decision, not your parents.

I don't want to upset my mom.

It's the age-old story, Debi.

All of your parents' unfulfilled hopes and dreams set right on your shoulders.

What's your offer?

You get to study and explore what you want,

but you're still living with kids your own age,

and all you have to do for me is play one more game.

What kind of game?

A high-level simulation, more than virtually real.

Totally real.

There's no such thing.

It's an experimental model.

I'm testing it for some industrialists

who are very interested in people like you.

Who would I play against?

Some representative chosen by the company.

- So let's go. - It's not here?

It's top secret. I can't just display it here.

We have to travel a bit.

I can't, but thanks for the offer.

Now, Debi, I would rethink your decision.

Hey!

Software for the game?

It links together the senses of Morthren and human alike

in an extraordinary universe.

As the level of the game increases in difficulty,

the players are forced to improvise,

and their responses are recorded and stored for future analysis.

When will I meet my new opponent?

Nikita has guaranteed us one for tonight.

Don't you find it odd how easily he betrays his race?

He does it for money.

Sendac, study this game well.

The last challenger forced you into two errors.

I compensated for them.

Sendac, never forget they are a unique race.

Doesn't matter to me.

It does to me.

Remember,

the only reason you're involved with this

is to explore their minds

to see how they use creativity in their decisions.

That won't help them.

- Debi! - David!

Debi!

Get her!

Find that kid and get rid of him.

Let me go!

You better try and compose yourself, young lady.

You've got a very big evening ahead of you.

Mr. Kincaid!

- Where's Debi? - They've got her.

- The girl. Where's the girl? - Doctor...

Who took the girl?

What happened, David?

There was another guy. He ran one of the simulators.

Can you I.D. this guy again?

Yeah.

Let's get out of here.

You bring me a child. What is this?

She's the most gifted player I've ever seen.

A brilliant improviser, an intelligence quotient...

Let's go, Nikita.

This is a very special game, Debi.

It has a higher reality quotient than any other.

I won't play.

It's up to you, but it would be a shame.

This game is to the death.

Nikita, you may begin.

Ladies and gentlemen,

the game will begin shortly.

We will now accept first-level wagers.

Let me introduce our new challenger... Debi.

Don't misjudge her.

She has great intelligence, instincts, and creativity.

Watch her.

Damn it, I should've gone with her.

Okay, now, what else do we know here?

The corporation the guy fronted is bogus.

It doesn't make any sense, John.

David, what exactly did you and Debi do at the center?

Well, we decided to play this game 'cause it looked fun.

Debi got the highest score ever.

Then I went to test for engineering,

and after I came back, I saw these two big guys push her out the back way,

so I came and got Mr. Kincaid.

Have you ever heard of anyone being kidnapped

because of their scores on a simulator?

Maybe, but not kids.

Who, then?

Mercenaries. Rumor is there's a new game.

It's supposed to be a simulator that's totally real.

Who plays?

Someone called The Champion. That's what he goes by.

Wait here.

The young challenger has lost her weapon.

The Champion advances his sword at the ready.

Will Debi avoid death? The table is open.

5,000 on the girl.

It's possible for the challenger to beat this setback.

The odds are 78-to-1 favoring The Champion.

Come on, Nikita! Get on with it!

The tables are closed.

The game will proceed.

Another 5,000 on the child. She's brilliant.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

As I've said, the challenger is resourceful,

but the game's not over yet.

We bring you a gripping spectacle

that promises hours of excitement

unparalleled in gambling history,

and available only to you,

a select and discerning group.

That's him. That's the guy.

Nikita. I should've guessed.

Where is she?

A casino in Quadrant 9.

A place called Gamers' Palace.

Big money on him recently.

- Anyone we know? - No.

But I've heard a lot of rumors about a new high-roller book.

Cover charge is $1,000.

What's the game, Scoggs?

It's a snuff game.

Let's go.

Hey, wait up.

No, it's too dangerous. Make sure he gets a ride home.

Pay up, Nikita. This time, you pay up.

Not over yet. Not over yet.

Kill him, Debi. Kill him.

I won't! I won't kill him for you!

He's unconscious. Revive him.

The hell with this. I quit.

Let me out of here!

He's gotta come back.

How many of those tranquilizers are you making?

Only time for one, man. The red one.

Might not be the latest technology, but it works.

I don't like it. How do we know what we're up against?

We make one mistake, and they could kill her.

We'll be right there, Suzanne.

God, what do they want with her?

She's just a little girl.

I think we should take them with us.

It's risky.

Either we force Nikita to stop the game,

or we do it ourselves.

We'll grab Debi and get out.

Ladies and gentlemen, please.

You can take your money now and end the competition,

or the house will go double or nothing.

- Yeah! - Come on! Come on!

Very good.

He's become multiple combatants.

Yes.

But she has already learned that her fears are being used against her.

She is unique.

Another 10,000 on the challenger.

You're crazy. The Champion's back in action.

My money is on the house this time, Nikita.

All bets are down. All bets are down. The table is closed.

The girl has overcome fear with inventiveness.

But now she has to apply herself in two directions at once.

Make your move when I take out the bodyguard.

Suzanne, let's check for another way in.

Calm down.

It's like being in a horror film. They're only trying to scare you.

It's not real.

Nervous?

The game's already underway, sir.

Don't worry. I'll catch up.

The challenger is just entering the next level.

Cover all previous bets.

Opening bids start at 100,000, ladies and gentlemen,

odds favoring the challenger.

Debi has fulfilled my promise to you.

She has performed with confidence

and outmaneuvered The Champion.

Oh, good. Put this on for me.

She's attained a level we have never seen before.

- She may continue to evade our warrior, - Yeah! Come on!

But remember, the game is totally real.

There can be only one winner, one survivor.

As we enter the next level, it's a brand-new game.

On the little girl.

Have a pleasant evening, sir.

Thank you.

Come on. Come on.

Come on. Let's go.

Come on.

Open, please. Open!

Please.

Yeah! Come on!

I can see that the challenger is still the emotional favorite.

No, no, Nikita. She's just the better man.

You may be right,

but she appears trapped in this level.

No player has progressed as far as young Debi,

but The Champion still holds the fleet.

Come on, Nikita. Get on with the game.

The game will resume in 30 seconds.

Debi is becoming frantic

as The Champion closes in.

Will she succeed to the next level?

Taking final wages for this level,

which may be her last.

Tell them the game's over, Niki boy. Tell them.

Out! Get out! All of you!

We've got trouble.

Nikita's problem must not jeopardize this experiment.

Continue.

Weapons out.

One finger.

Toss them over here.

Drop it!

Agh!

Who you talking to, Nik, huh? Who you talking to?

Stop it. Stop the game, or I'll kill you!

Someone's interfered with the game.

We must abort now.

No. Complete the game.

If he tries to free her, she'll die.

Besides, he doesn't know about us.

Make sure Nikita doesn't tell him.

"The key is here within your sight,

"clockwise turning, holding tight.

"Start within the stone across,

and return what now is lost."

The key is something lost.

Ten seconds, Nikita.

Stop it. Stop it now!

I can't. Only they can.

Who's they? Who are you talking about?

- If you don't, I will. - If you pull the plug, they both die.

Debi!

No! Don't touch her!

- Leave her alone! - Oh, God, I can't reach her!

He could've been telling the truth. If we interfere, she could die.

They're controlling her.

The players you recruited were to have no relatives.

She was too good to pass up.

We can move the game, set up somewhere else.

- We're connected, man. - We were.

Our connection with you has already been far too intimate.

- What are you doing? - I'm going in there.

- No way. No! - She's my daughter! I'm going in!

Suzanne, he'll kill both of you!

I've been training in the experience. There's no other way.

Plug me into the game.

"The key is here within your sight,

"clockwise turning, holding tight.

"Start within the stone across,

and return what now is lost."

Kincaid?

Another player has entered the game.

Yes. Very resourceful.

Sendac isn't equipped to fight two players.

Stop the game.

No.

He should have gained new understanding of her methods.

Remember, Sendac is part of the experiment

just as the challengers are.

We are learning how to anticipate instinctive behavior

and to respond to it with success.

You're not Kincaid.

- Debi... - No.

Debi!

Agh!

John... John, what's happening?

Excellent.

He's captured the king.

And now the queen.

Is it over?

Can I go home now?

Is anyone out there?

What's wrong?

Did someone pull the plug?

If the images here are created from his mind,

can I create a game world of my own?

Get out of here.

The game is over. The game is over.

The game is over. The game is over.

The game is over.

The game is over. The game is over.

The game is over. The game is over.

The game is over. The game is over.

Debi, it's dinnertime.

I've been calling you for ten minutes.

They're aliens.

They have direct access to that console up there.

I'm gonna use the scanner tissue on their warrior

and track his movements in the game.

If I can get inside his mind,

if I can see what he sees,

I might be able to give Debi and Kincaid a better chance.

Okay.

If you can get in through the console up there, even your voice can help her.

Now go.

Can you analyze how her mind works?

I know that she will take any measures, no matter how desperate, to avoid death,

but I can't predict what those measures will be.

We'll have to set up the game elsewhere.

Do we cut the power?

Not yet.

The software controls the game,

and that cannot be interfered with.

Now, Debi, you just got here.

I don't know about you, but I'm starved.

Come on now. Sit down,

and we'll talk about it.

I've made a nice dinner.

You haven't made dinner for me since I was a kid.

What do I start? What do I do?

Quiet, Suzanne. I'm gonna access the software,

and then I'll link myself to the game and to the Morthren.

- Are you sure, Harrison? - We'll get them out. Yes.

Oh, God! Go!

Okay.

Debi...

Debi, can you hear me?

Hello?

Debi, you're in the game.

It's not real.

Wake up, please.

Mom?

No calls at dinner, Debi.

Would you feel more comfortable with this, Debi?

You must've lost it while you were out playing.

I guess we can give Debi her surprise now.

A surprise?

You remember that Champion you've been fighting?

Yeah.

Well, we've caught him. See?

If you can kill that monster, Debi, you can save yourself and end the game.

Something's wrong.

I can't control the software. There's someone linked with Sendac.

How could they accomplish that?

Kill him. Now, before he attacks.

- Debi... - Debi...

Don't listen to him. He's part of the game.

No. He's using you.

Kill him, and you win the game.

You have no options left, Deb. Kill both of us.

Kill the program.

But that would condemn Sendac to death.

We'll lose the data, the experiment, all the networks that we...

Would you rather they trace the link here?

Harrison...

The game... it's changing, Suzanne.

What... What is it?

The game is dying.

The game is over.

- Where's Harrison? - He's up there.

- Mom? - Oh, baby!

Look at it. It's dying.

It's all right. We're all okay.

Oh, Suzanne, my head is pounding.

Harrison, you're supposed to be in bed.

A refill?

Harrison...

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

Come in. I'm awake.

I'm awake.

I'm not much of a champion, am I?

Sorry. I didn't think it was really you in the game.

I was supposed to rescue you.

But it turned out the other way around.

We helped each other... all of us.

Debi, I...

We love you, too, John.