Original subtitles

(static crackling)

(warm music)

(fire crackling)

- So he puffs up his chest real big and gets in my face

and says, "He's a huntin' dog, what'd you expect?"

I said, "He attacked two kids.

"Either fence him up or we'll take him."

- What'd you do?

- Well, I knew if I took a dog like that by force,

old boy'd pull a shotgun on me, and then...

Closed? Since when is this closed?

- Are you sure we're in the right place?

- Yeah, feral dog, Wentworth Cave.

- I don't know, it hardly looks official.

What do you think they're doin' out here?

- I don't know.

They catch a wild dog out here,

I'm scared they'll shoot to kill.

(howl echoes in distance)

(sighs) Come on. Poor thing sounds hurt.

- [Intern] Oh, what if they spot us?

- Just play dumb.

They ain't gonna arrest us.

We're government too, okay? Come on.

(birds chirping) (warm music)

(cicadas chirping)

- Alright, I'm 'bout to turn it on.

- [Dr. Edmondson] Okay.

- Doc, can you hear me?

(static crackles)

Testing, one, two.

(static crackles)

Doc, I hate your guts.

If you die tomorrow, I'm gonna throw a party.

(static crackles)

Did you get any of that?

- [Dr. Edmondson] Nothing.

- Good, 600 a pop, you better not.

- [Dr. Edmondson] They're worth every cent.

How long until you can have them up?

(animal control officer speaks indistinctly in distance)

Sergeant?

- Somebody out here.

(pensive music) (birds chirping)

- Hold on.

(creature snarling)

Oh, yeah, he's hidin' from us.

- We're gonna go in there?

- Don't worry, we've never lost an intern, yet.

Just to be safe though, you better wait here.

(creature snarling)

(pensive music continues)

- Ya seein' anything?

(birds chirping)

I don't think this is such a good ide...

- [Officer] (screams) Run!

- Buckley!

- [Officer] Run, run now! (groans)

- I don't wanna leave you!

- (grunting) Told you to run.

(tense music)

(creature snarling)

- What was that?

- I don't know.

It was tied up. (panting)

Sure as shit wasn't no dog.

- Hands up!

Who are you?

- Animal control. Well, we were just-

- Don't move.

(tense music continues)

I found 'em. It's animal control.

- Miss, you don't understand.

- I understand that you were trespassing on federal land.

- It's a national park.

We were just respondin' to a call about a wild dog,

up at Wentworth Cave.

- Wentworth Cave?

- Yeah, we saw it.

It was tied up and it atta...

(gun firing)

(birds chirping) (cicadas chirping)

- They're dead.

- [Dr. Edmondson] Dead? What the hell happened?

- They saw everything. I had to make an executive decision.

I'm sorry, sir.

I'm sorry.

before we moved forward.

- [Dr. Edmondson] (sighs) Bring me the bodies.

We can use them.

- Yes, sir.

(birds chirping)

(upbeat music)

- Hey! Did you send those contracts?

- [Emily] No, I told Mike to.

- If you don't...

If you don't, they could sue us.

- Ask Mike. He can take care of it.

- Well, did you send the May 10th spreadsheets?

- No, that's not my job.

(car revving)

- It's your department, and Connie's out sick with diarrhea,

so if you could really just send those out,

that would be great. (cars revving)

- It's not my job, because they fired me.

- What?

- They fired me!

- I... (cars revving)

(cell phone ringing)

- Hello?

- [Former Co-Worker] Hey, Emily.

Have you sent those contracts over yet?

(truck beeping)

- Oh, they fired you! Like just now?

Oh, you already had the box -- oh.

(cell phone ringing)

Go for Topher.

No, she hasn't sent them out yet.

- [Emily] Thanks for driving all this way.

- Always. That's what family's for.

Plus, I like Nashville.

- It gets old, trust me.

- Hey, sorry about your job.

And Mark is too. He's sad he couldn't be here.

- Thanks.

It's weird, they said they were cutting corners,

but the only corner they cut was me.

- I mean, maybe they were just cuttin' corners.

You never know. - No, I sucked at my job.

I sucked at my job and they fired me.

(cell phone ringing)

Hello? - Hey, Emily.

Have you sent the May 10th spreadsheets?

- Okay.

You need to get outta the city.

- I'm not picking up my life

so I can go run a gas station in Greenbrier.

- Careful now. Careful now.

- Sorry, I just thought I could survive the city

and be independent.

- I'm not sayin' you move back.

All I'm sayin' is maybe you come visit for a while.

See how Mom is doin', and meet Mark's new dog.

Maybe we even go huntin'.

- Hunting? - Yeah.

You remember when we'd go out to the cabin

by Wentworth Cave.

Maybe we do that.

I mean, August season starts in a couple days.

- Do we still own that cabin?

- Mom never had the heart to sell it, come on.

And ain't nobody been out there since Dad died.

- We can invite Amir.

- Oh, his dumb ass is still next door.

- I don't know. I gotta start...

I should start looking for a new job.

I mean, I gotta... (cell phone ringing)

- Well, (sighs) guess you could sit

on your phone all weekend and be miserable,

or you can get out and see the family.

(cell phone ringing)

Look. They ain't gonna run out of new jobs by Monday.

(cell phone ringing)

That's what I thought.

(warm music)

- [Jacob] John, it's not overnight parking.

Ask them to move.

- [John] They told me to "eat shit" and "you're not a cop".

- (laughs) People say that "you're not a cop"

is a great cue to call the cops.

(distorted speaking)

Hey, hey, man, I can't hear you.

I'm entering the dead zone.

(distorted speaking)

John?

Shit.

She's here today.

(window whirring)

Afternoon, Sergeant!

(tense pensive music)

Good afternoon, Sergeant!

Still keepin' us out, huh?

- Just followin' orders.

- Just you and the doctor out here, right?

- No. We got several people workin' in that lab.

- Well, I've been workin' out here for five years

and I've only met you.

- Well, makes sense. It's top secret.

- Kinda work is that? I mean, is it like you...

If you mind sharin'.

- It's confidential.

- Right, sorry.

Well, I won't keep you waitin'.

I just figured I'd stop by and say hello.

- Hey.

- Hi.

Well, y'all stay safe out there.

If you need anything, you know, we're always here.

Okay, fuck it. Why am I fucking saying that?

(cicadas chirping)

(Sergeant Waters exhales)

(warm music)

- [Mark] Look, we ain't stopping.

- [Amir] Why?

- [Emily] The bathrooms alone make it worth going.

- It's just a gas station, all right?

It's bad enough you got me drivin' Emily's car, no offense.

- Buc-ee's ain't just a gas station.

- Okay, it ain't no better than a Love's or Pilot.

- Uh-uh, okay, okay, try this.

- Ain't no better than Jack Link's.

- Bullshit!

- Shut your damn mouth.

- Hey, are we makin' deer jerky?

- Yessir. Brought my dehydrator.

- We gotta follow the old rule.

Whoever shoots the deer gets the first bite.

- Remember how mad you were when I got the first bite

before you did?

- Yeah, 'cause you're younger than me.

- [Amir] By like two months.

- Yeah, whatever.

- You know, I never actually shot a deer myself.

- What? - What, seriously?

- Yeah, I was younger than y'all.

I was only 14 when Dad passed.

- Okay, how 'bout this?

Nobody gets a bite of jerky

until Emily gets her first deer.

- (laughs) Yeah.

- I don't know, I haven't been hunting in so long.

- So? We'll be here to help you.

- Yeah, maybe you can't do corporate shit,

but you can still do country shit, right?

- [Amir] Ha, ha, yee-haw! (laughs)

- From here on, as your brothers, and honorary brother,

our goal is to get Em a buck, deal?

- Deal. - Deal.

- Deal.

(cicadas chirping)

(warm pensive music)

- [Amir] Closed? Since when?

- The cabin's on private land, right?

They can't legally block it off without tellin' us.

- Exactly. Plus, Mama loves the National Guard.

If she woulda gotten a letter from 'em,

she woulda framed it.

- What do we do?

- I ain't worried about it.

- I don't think we should be messin'

with the National Guard.

- Em, you decide.

It's your trip.

(pensive music)

(cicadas chirping)

(tense pensive music)

(creature snarling)

- Looks super old. Maybe they forgot about it?

- Well, I'd help you move it, but you heard JJ.

It's your trip.

(foliage rustling) (twigs snapping)

(creature snarling)

See, that could be our jerky.

- Come on, help me scoot it over.

- That's all you.

(pensive music)

- See that? That's white privilege.

- Oh, cut the woke shit.

- [Amir] I'm just sayin'.

- Look, white privilege is just a myth

designed to divide us by race.

- Hell no!

Look, the reality is I, as a Black man,

would never feel safe movin' somethin'

set up by the National Guard.

- We own the cabin, it's our private land.

How do you not feel safe?

- I showed you that video

where they wouldn't even let that brother

into his own house. - Okay, not this again.

- Oh, my lord, shut up!

I swear, y'all haven't changed since we were 10.

- Did you catch that? - Huh?

- Few hours around us and your accent's already comin' back.

- [Emily] It is not.

- [Amir] It is, listen to her.

- [Emily] Y'all are makin' that up.

- "Y'all." - "Y'all."

- "Y'all are makin' that up."

- See, you didn't sound like this in the city.

What, what? (fingers snap)

She's code switchin'.

- Hey, y'all hush, okay?

They probably thought it was just park land.

Our cabin's 'round the other side of the border.

I'd show you, but my phone's actin' up.

- You sure about this?

- That thing looked 100 years old. We're fine, right?

- [Mark] 100%.

- Sounds like white privilege to me.

(tense music) (creature snarling)

(warm music)

- [JJ] Whose is this?

(Mark speaking indistinctly)

- Home, sweet home.

- (laughs) It's been too long.

- Yeah. Thanks for inviting me again.

Makes me feel like family.

- Feel like family? You are family.

- Yeah, well, I don't see y'all enough these days.

Gotta be more than just a honorary brother.

- [Emily] Don't take that the wrong way.

- Hey, Amir, carry this for me.

Good news, ain't no signal out here.

- First time I'm glad to hear that.

(warm music continues)

(crickets chirping)

- [JJ] All right, I call the couch.

- [Amir] No, I'm the guest!

I ain't sleepin' on no air mattress.

- [JJ] Come on, I got a bad back.

- [Amir] Bad ba-- Since when?

- Hey, y'all- - You know I got a bad back.

You remember that accident?

- Dad's gun safe's still here.

- Gun safe? (laughs) All right.

- You said "y'all" again.

- [JJ] I forgot about this thing.

- What's in it?

- Guns, probably.

(Amir scoffs)

- Even on vacation, Dad was hell-bent

on protecting the family.

- [Amir] What kinda gun did he have?

- It's a big old shotgun.

It ain't for deer huntin',

unless you're tryin' to blow the head off the damn thing.

- (laughs) I like the sound of that.

Let's open her up. Family heirloom in there.

- Look, I don't know where the keys are, okay?

- Oh, maybe there's a spare somewhere.

- No, come on. Let's play cards.

- We gotta open- - Hey!

The last thing that you need is a shotgun, okay?

Now come on.

(tense music) (crickets chirping)

(creature snarling)

- It's crazy. Ain't nothin' changed since we were kids.

Same furniture, same appliances, same dishes.

- Yeah, I know.

I ate a bad hot dog once and threw up in that bowl.

- Oh, you're right! - Ew, don't use it.

- That was like 10 years ago.

- I'll still eat some.

- So what's the plan for tomorrow?

- You know, I was gonna ask you the same thing.

- I haven't hunted since I was 14. Y'all hunt all the time.

- Well, we're gonna use my Model 70,

and we're gonna put the blind where it used to be.

What I mean is what is your plan?

- He bein' cryptic like your daddy.

What he means is why even go huntin' at all?

- Dammit anyhow.

- Is that important?

- I think if you're gonna take the life of an animal,

you should have a reason.

- I wanna prove that I'm capable.

- You're already capable.

- Doesn't feel like it.

I was the only girl in a house full of boys.

I was the youngest and the smallest.

I went to the city to prove that I was capable,

and I couldn't even hold down a corporate job.

I wanna show that I can do something hard on my own.

- Well, we'll just sit back and cheer you on.

- We'll be the hairiest group of cheerleaders you ever saw.

(Mark laughs)

(tense music) (crickets chirping)

(creature chittering)

- We'll split the meat, Amir will make the jerky.

I'll sell the hide, we'll toss the bones,

and JJ, well, JJ can sell the rest

to the pervert taxidermist on Main Street.

(Amir laughs)

- Sounds good. Thanks, guys.

- I got so many cards, but never the right ones.

- All right, guys, well, I hate to break up the fun,

but I need to have a smoke, or I'm gonna lose my mind.

- Disgustin'. Bad habit.

(warm upbeat music)

- I'll join ya.

- What?

- When she start smokin'?

(crickets chirping)

(tense pensive music) (creature chittering)

- You don't smoke, do you?

- No.

- Good. Don't.

It'll kill you.

Hey, look, I'm sorry I ain't been to see you. It kills me.

(creature chittering)

- [Emily] Don't be. I never come home.

- Yeah, I know, but JJ always comes to visit you

in the city, and I just never bothered.

- Don't feel bad. Nashville sucks.

- Yeah.

Look, as I get older, I wanna take care of you like Dad did.

You know, come see you more,

make sure that big city don't eat you up.

Hey, I'm serious.

People are gettin' mugged

and cars are gettin' stolen. (twigs snapping)

(tense music)

Come on, let's get inside.

(creature chittering)

(mellow bluegrass music)

All right, y'all, time is 6:45 a.m.

We got sunset at 8:15 p.m.

- How you feelin'?

- Good. Nervous.

- Don't be. You got this.

- Can you?

- I got you.

- [Emily] I had a dream I shot one.

- That's good. That means your body's ready for success.

- [JJ] I'm sorry, what?

- [Amir] Whatever, bro.

- Mm-mm. You do the honors.

(Emily imitates deer grunting)

(Amir laughs)

(Mark laughs)

(cicadas chirping)

- And that's noon.

- (scoffs) Where are all the deer?

- Hey, y'all gotta be patient, all right?

- Right, but I haven't seen anything.

No skunks, no turkeys.

- Hol' up.

(cicadas chirping)

Ain't no birds. Listen.

(cicadas chirping)

- Yeah, he's right.

- No birds, no turkeys, no raccoons, no deer.

Something's up.

- Hey, look, the pop-up probably scared 'em away

when we put it up.

- When you hear of a pop-up scarin' every animal

for six hours?

- You gotta give it time.

Emily and I saw a deer on the way in last night.

- All right.

(cicadas chirping)

- [Emily] Time?

- 6:30.

- Look, somethin' else is goin' on here, I'm tellin' y'all.

This ain't normal.

- It ain't normal, but it happens.

Tomorrow, we'll set up deeper.

- Maybe we should spend some more time scoutin',

make sure there's birds, or whatever.

- Hey, don't feel bad. Today was a fluke.

- [Emily] Was it? Probably screwed something up somehow.

- Don't do that.

- (sighs) What?

- Talk down on yourself.

Don't make you any more likely to shoot one tomorrow.

Anything, it'll make it less likely.

- But if I deserve it-

- But you don't, all right? So quit it.

Look, you can't control what you can't control.

This ain't no reason...

(foliage rustling)

- Y'all hear that?

- Mark, gun!

(tense music)

- It's in the bushes.

- Is it a buck?

- [Mark] The hell else could it be?

(tense music continues)

(creature chittering)

- That's no buck.

(creature chittering)

- What the hell is that?

- Probably the thing that scared everything else off.

(creature chittering) (tense music continues)

- What do we do?

(creature chittering)

(gun fires)

(creature chittering)

- Come on, come on, come on!

(indistinct) Go! Come on, come on.

- [JJ] Come on!

(tense music continues) (creature screeches)

(Emily panting)

- [Mark] Hey, come on, come on! Let's get outta here.

Come on, let's go!

- [Amir] Come on.

- Come on, come on! Hey, hey, let's go, come on!

(dramatic tense music)

(water drips echoing)

- [Computer] Subject 6A compromised.

Subject 6A compromised.

Subject 6A compromised.

Subject 6A compromised.

(tense music)

- Amir!

Come on. Get down here!

(creature roaring in distance)

(tense music continues)

(remote chimes)

- [Computer] Subject out of range.

(remote chimes)

Subject out of range.

(creature chittering)

(Emily panting)

- Give me the gun.

(creature screeching)

(Amir shushes)

(tense music builds)

- [Computer] Subject in range.

(remote whirs)

(remote chimes)

(creature chittering)

(JJ panting)

(creature screaming)

- Trixie?

(scream echoing)

(remote whirs)

Trixie, slow down.

(remote chimes)

Slow down!

(heavy footfalls thudding)

(Trixie screeches)

- [Amir] Somebody get that on camera?

- [JJ] Nah, we don't have signal.

- [Amir] You don't need a signal to get a video, dumbass.

- We should get back to the cabin.

- Shoot, y'all, I don't know where the hell we are.

- We came from that way, right?

- Nah, that way, I think.

- I don't know. It all looks so different now.

But I do know my way back from Wentworth Cave.

- That's the same direction that thing just ran!

- Okay, well, then we stay close.

Better than bein' lost, right?

Hey, it's all right. I got you.

(tense pensive music)

- I know I ain't sleepin' outside. I got a bad back.

- Again with the bad back, man. When'd this happen?

- Hey, Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum, zip it.

All right, let's move.

(tense pensive music)

- You all right?

Come on.

(tense pensive music continues)

(crickets chirping)

At least they closed this damn tourist trap.

- All right, how far back to the cabin?

- Like six hours.

- Hey, it's 10 minutes tops, all right?

(Sergeant Waters groans)

- Did you hear that?

- Yeah, that was definitely a person.

(Sergeant Waters grunting)

- Sounds like they're hurt.

- Hello?

(Sergeant Waters groans)

We have to help her, right?

- Yeah. Hey, Em and I are gonna go check on what's up.

- Yeah, we'll call for help.-

I should go with y'all.

- You ain't leavin' me out here!

- We won't go in too deep. Just scream if you need help.

(Sergeant Waters groaning)

- Hey, hey, hold that for me.

Easy now, easy now. I got you, I got you.

- [Emily] You got her? You got her?

(Amir exhales) (tense pensive music)

- Hey, hey, call for help!

- Oh, my. Hey, hey, are you okay?

- Hey, it looks like she's with the guard.

Hey, what happened to you? Can you tell us?

- [Emily] What's your name?

- Any luck?

- I don't know.

One minute I have signal, then it just cuts out.

- Do you remember what happened? Can you call somebody?

Hey, hey, hey, look at me, look at me, look at me.

Focus, all right? We're gonna help you out, okay?

- Hey, come check this out.

- Hold on, I'm tryin' to get somethin'.

- Now!

Man, come on!

- [Amir] Is that a cell jammer?

- That's what I was about to ask you.

Let's find out.

(tense music)

Try now.

- Damn. How 'bout that?

- [911 Dispatcher] 9-1-1, what's your emergency?

- Hey, look, you'll be okay. Okay, hold this.

We're gonna get you outta here, okay? I'mma pick you up.

Hey, guys, let's go! Come on.

(tense music)

- I saw it. It was one of those cell signal jammers.

- [Mark] Ain't those illegal?

- It's the guard. What do they care?

- Where's she bleeding?

- Looks like it's her stomach.

- She's bleeding like a stuck pig.

(flesh squelches) (tense music)

- Damn!

- What is that, a gator bite?

- A gator bite, in Tennessee?

(flesh squelches)

Shouldn't the ambulance be here by now?

- Yeah, maybe we should go check on 'em.

- [JJ] Yeah, they probably don't know where this place is

if it's been blocked off all these years.

- [Amir] They didn't sound too sure on the phone.

- Y'all go check on 'em.

Me and Em will stay here and make sure this woman don't die.

- She'll be fine. Y'all go get help.

- Gladly. I ain't good with this much blood.

- Alright...

- (sighs) So much for jerky tonight, huh?

- You think that thing that chased us is what bit her?

- Could be. What walks on two legs and bites like a gator?

- [Park Ranger] Hey, Jake, I've been lookin' all over

for those flyers.

Have you seen 'em anywhere?

- No, the new guy lost 'em.

- [Park Ranger] Oh, my god! Seriously?

That's a really bad way to make a first impression.

- Hey, cut him some slack. It's his first day.

(siren wailing)

- [Park Ranger] Do you hear that?

- Siren? Yeah.

Sounds like they drove off into the dead zone.

- [Park Ranger] Yeah, someone from the guard

must have called 'em in.

(siren wailing)

- I'm gonna go see if they need help.

- [Park Ranger] Nah, man. Don't bother.

They're gonna tell you to go away,

like they do every single time.

- It's not far. I'll just stop by.

- [Park Ranger] All right, if you insist.

I'm wrappin' up here for the night, so I'll see ya later.

- Copy that. See you tomorrow.

(crickets chirping)

- Man, I hope we don't get in trouble

for movin' that barricade.

- Aren't you the one that said it was probably a mistake

in the first place?

- Yeah, that was before cars

with flashing lights got involved.

- [Amir] Mm.

- Speak of the devil.

Hey! Hey, hey! - Hey!

(tense music)

- What the hell happened here?

- Hello?

- Hey, let's check the radio.

- And why would they have cell signal jammers out there?

- 'Cause they don't want any information

gettin' in or outta here.

- Maybe they're hidin' that animal?

- Maybe. Maybe that's what's killin' all the wildlife.

- I shot it. That's bound to piss someone off, right?

- [Mark] I hope not.

Maybe Amir was right about messin' with the National Guard.

(tense music)

(crickets chirping)

- There ain't no signal out here.

- Radio's out.

- If they're jammin' cell phones,

they're probably jammin' radios.

(tense music continues)

(Trixie snarling)

- [Emily] Should we get outta here?

- [Mark] We could, but I don't wanna leave this woman alone.

- [Emily] Maybe we shoulda told JJ and Amir to stay here.

- [Mark] They'll be fine. Well, Amir will.

He'll watch JJ.

- [Emily] What if there are other guard members

out looking for her?

I don't wanna get in trouble.

- [Mark] We ain't gonna get in trouble for staying

in our own cabin.

- [Emily] Guess not, but still.

- [Mark] You gotta relax. I promise, it'll be all right.

- [Emily] But what do we do about that thing out there?

- [Sergeant Waters] Excuse me, sir.

- Hey, hey, hey, ma'am. You've been hurt, okay?

You need to sit back down.

Ma'am, ma'am, I'm serious. You've been bleedin' a lot, okay.

Can you please just go ahead and sit back down?

(hammer thuds) (Mark grunts)

- Mark!

(tense music)

(crickets chirping)

- Hello, is anyone out there?

We have an injured woman back at our place and we need help.

(Trixie chittering)

- Nah, man.

- Hey, where you goin'?

- Back to the cabin.

Somethin' ain't right here, man. Come on.

- Man, don't worry. My white privilege will protect us.

- No, man, it ain't like that, all right?

There's somethin' out here that...

(metal clanging)

(tense music builds) (Trixie snarling)

What the hell is that?

(Trixie snarls)

- Amir, run!

(Trixie panting)

(mysterious whirring) (muffled growling)

(tense music)

(Trixie chittering)

(Amir panting)

(tense music)

(Sergeant Waters yelling)

(Emily yelps)

(Emily screams)

(Sergeant Waters groans)

(Emily screams)

- [Emily] Mark!

Mark!

(Mark groans)

(screams) Amir, help!

(bone cracks) (Amir groans)

(Amir panting)

- Somebody, grab her!

(tense music continues)

(Amir grunting and panting)

- It took JJ!

- What took him?

- The thing we were huntin'.

- [Emily] Where'd it take him?

- [Amir] I don't know. It outran me.

- [Emily] Do you think it took him to that cave?

- I can't see straight.

- We gotta get you inside. Come on.

(crickets chirping) (tense pensive music)

- Doctor, let me in!

(energetic music with woman singing indistinctly)

- (sighs) You know I don't like to be interrupted

when I'm working.

- Trixie's hurt.

- Go on.

- There's some rednecks hunting deer

up at the old cabin on the north side.

They shot her.

- Is she dead?

- No! No, you would have heard her kill switch.

She came when I called her.

I tried to buzz her collar, but she was so worked up,

she just attacked.

- Why the hell didn't you come to me?

- I was out of it! They dragged me to the cabin!

(tense pensive music)

- Why didn't the alarms go off?

- I'm sure they did.

You probably just didn't hear it through your headphones.

- I need my music to think.

That cabin has always been empty. What happened?

- Remember when we set the borders

after the animal control incident?

We messed up. That cabin's on private land.

- We? Come on, Sergeant.

- What are we gonna do?

- We put Trixie to the test.

This is an opportunity to grow.

- You think so?

- As the stoics say,

"What stands in the way becomes the way."

This will make you feel better.

(tense pensive music continues)

- Doctor, I don't think-

- Get dressed now!

(Amir exhales)

- I'm freakin' out. What do we do?

- Sorry, what?

- We get cell signal on the main road, right?

We could drive up there and call for help.

- No, we gotta save JJ.

We don't know how much time we got

until that thing kills him, if it hasn't already.

- Hey, don't say that, all right? He's alive.

- Okay, maybe Amir and I can go down to the cave

and Mark can drive up for help.

- Mark ain't goin' nowhere!

He's concussed, badly, and I can't make it down

to that cave with this leg.

- No, I think I can-

- No. Man, you can't!

(Mark panting)

Look, we followin' your lead here, Em.

- Me? I don't know what to do!

I can't...

(melancholic pensive music)

Okay. I'll have to go down to the cave and get JJ myself.

And Amir, you could drive up and get help?

- Yeah, I can do that.

- Okay.

As for the alien, if I see it, I'll have to shoot it.

- You shoot it tonight, we'll have enough time

to make alien jerky.

- So that's what this is, an alien?

- All right. Let's gear up.

(melancholic pensive music continues)

(frogs croaking)

- Hello?

(water drips echoing)

(tense pensive music)

- The redneck is alive. Quick, put him on that chair!

(tense pensive music continues)

(sparks crackling)

Trixie!

(Trixie chittering)

- You should really use the remote.

- She responds better to the prod.

I want you to find these hillbillies

and bring 'em back to me, alive.

(Trixie chittering)

Do you understand?

(Trixie huffing)

- Alive?

- I'm not going to waste a group

of perfectly good specimens.

- Doctor, think about

how difficult it was to manage just one,

without having to chain it up!

- Where is this coming from?

This is my lab and you either follow my rules,

or you're out!

- Out? After all these years?

- Out.

(tense music continues)

- Sorry, sir.

I won't step out of line again.

(water drips echoing)

- [Computer] Unidentified vehicle

at south border. - You see?

Our alarm is too pleasant-sounding.

We need something meaner that I can actually hear

through my music!

- [Computer] Unidentified vehicle

at south border. - Go take care of it.

- [Computer] Unidentified vehicle at south border.

- Don't kill them if you have to neutralize them.

We can use them. - But-

- Sergeant!

(melancholic pensive music) (gun cocks)

- All right, think I'm ready.

- You wanted a symbolic hunting trip.

Girl, I think you got one.

- Hey, y'all be safe, okay? And bring JJ back.

- This is it. Can't screw this up.

- That's it. I can't stay back, I'm comin'.

- Mark, sit down. - Hell no, man, sit down.

- I can't stay back, all right? I'm comin'.

I can't help anybody sittin' on this couch.

- Right now, either you get yourself killed

or all three of us.

- The most helpful thing you can do is stay here.

(Trixie screeching)

(tense pensive music)

- [Amir] You see it?

- Uh-uh.

- Where the hell you goin'?

- To get a better look.

(tense music)

- We gotta move you now.

(Mark groaning)

(tense music continues)

- Hey, what are you doin'? Get in here.

- No, I can't let Em fight this thing alone, all right?

It already took JJ 'cause I didn't act,

and you can't fight, but I can!

- Hey, let me at him, all right? I can handle this.

- No, you couldn't even handle a random lady with a hammer.

Now sit down and shut up!

(crickets chirping)

- Hey, I found it. I'm out by the old barricade.

There's no one here.

(tense pensive music)

Come in. Hello, can you hear me?

- Stop right there!

- Sergeant Waters?

- What are you doing out here?

- I saw the ambulance. I wanted to stop by.

Is everything okay?

- Everyone's fine.

Had a little accident.

- Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-

- Do you need anything or not?

You're trespassing on federal land.

- I know, I'm sorry.

I just wanted to make sure y'all were okay.

- We are.

- Sorry to bother you, Sergeant.

- [Paramedic] Help!

(suspenseful music)

(Trixie chitters)

- Wait! I saw it.

It ran around to the back of the cabin.

- (panting) What do you wanna do now?

(door creaking) (Trixie chittering)

(Emily and Amir panting) (suspenseful music continues)

Okay. Here's what we're gonna do.

On the count of three, I'm gonna run out the front door,

lure him to the barn, and you go out to the front porch

and get a good shot.

- Are you crazy? - Em, please!

Just let me do this.

Okay, one,

two,

three.

(suspenseful music builds)

(Trixie chittering)

(Amir panting and grunting)

Come on.

(suspenseful music continues)

(Trixie snarling)

(Amir panting)

(Trixie chittering)

(suspenseful music builds)

Oh shit.

- You gotta help me!

- Oh, my god.

- [Paramedic] Oh, please!

- What happened? You all right?

- I ran. There's somethin' out there.

It killed my partner.

- Who killed him?

- I don't know! It wasn't human.

- What?

- Dammit, nobody move!

(suspenseful music continues)

- What the hell is going-- - Get on the ground!

What the hell is goin' on here?

- Both of you, now!

- Come on.

- [Sergeant Waters] Now!

(tense music)

(Trixie chitters)

- Any day now, Em!

- Hey!

(Trixie snarling)

(gun fires) (Trixie screeches)

(Trixie huffing)

(mysterious whirring)

(muffled growling)

- Em, Emily!

(mysterious whirring) (muffled growling)

(tense music continues)

(Amir panting)

(Trixie chittering)

(Jacob grunting)

(Jacob groans)

- You're lucky I'm a good soldier.

(muffled speaking)

- Sergeant! Sergeant!

Sergeant!

(crickets chirping)

(Emily gasps)

(Emily panting)

- Amir?

Amir!

Amir!

- I couldn't do it, I couldn't do it! (cries)

- Hey, hey, hey, what, what?

- It took Amir!

And I shot him, but it didn't do anything, and then-

- Hey, hey, hey, hey, look at me, look at me.

What is your plan, all right?

Tell me what your plan is.

- I'm gonna go down to the cave and I'm gonna-

- No, Em, what is your plan, all right?

Pretend like I'm Dad.

- I'm gonna save Amir and JJ, and I'm gonna bring 'em back,

because I love them, and becau-

- And because you are strong enough, okay?

- I'm not strong enough.

- And because you are capable.

I don't think you know how sick Dad was

during your life, all right?

He was diagnosed when you were five,

and the last four years of his life, he was frail.

But just because his body was weak

doesn't mean that he was.

Do you understand what I'm sayin'?

He had his strengths, and so do you.

Now you are gonna go shoot that son of a bitch,

and you are gonna bring our brothers back here.

Do you understand?

- Can you help me find my gun?

- I got a better idea.

(computer beeping) - Warning,

transfer error.

Warning, transfer error.

(computer beeping)

(device buzzes)

DNA transfer, 5%.

(Trixie chittering)

- That's a good girl.

(tense pensive music)

You okay?

- There's a paramedic that saw Trixie

and the park ranger knows everything.

- And?

- I tied them up. I kept them alive for you.

- You what?

- You told me to!

- I didn't know the whole situation!

You should have made a better judgment call!

What if they escape?

- They're not going to. - No excuses, Sergeant!

I am so disappointed with you.

(tense pensive music continues)

(water drips echoing)

I started the conversion process.

- You sure that you haven't bitten off

more than you can- - I heard you the first time.

- This is my life's work too.

What if this blows our cover?

What if they realize that we aren't actually with the guard?

- We were with the guard until they decided

that this country was not worth protecting!

Hundreds of thousands of men died for this country,

my father among them.

God blessed us with these wonderful creatures,

thousands of years ago.

Their superior intelligence allowed for us to build

the ancient world.

And when they left,

they laid eggs for us to find.

And now, by God's grace,

their DNA is fully compatible with ours

for fusion and reproduction.

Not to mention, their ingenious kill switch.

This is a sign, Sergeant.

Fuse with them and create a soldier

built to protect our country again.

- I heard you the first time.

- Now go, and bring me another!

(Trixie chittering)

You don't have to do this with me.

I want you to.

I won't force you.

(water drips echoing)

Where are you going?

- To get some air.

(crickets chirping)

(Jacob panting)

- Hello, this is Jacob Martin.

I'm up the hill from the guard's south border

on the edge of the dead zone.

I have an injured paramedic and I need help.

(static crackling)

Can anyone hear me?

(static crackling)

Shit!

- You kicked some serious ass back there.

You probably woulda had him if you had more fire power.

And (sighs) I lied.

I do have the keys.

I just took 'em when we got here

so JJ couldn't get his hands on it.

This,

this is, uh, this is Dad's.

Heck of a lot easier to use than that huntin' rifle.

- [Emily] So I just-

- Put 'em in, aim, fire.

- I'm scared. I don't know if I can do this on my own.

- Bear with me, all right?

You wanna know why I haven't come to visit you in the city?

Because the city scares me:

city folk, big ol' busy highways.

And because of that, I hardly seen you since you left.

What I'm sayin' is big or small, fear wins, you lose.

Fear wins, JJ and Amir lose.

You are going to be scared, but you cannot let it win.

(soft warm music)

(gun cocks)

- All right, I'm going hunting.

(water drips echoing)

(Amir grunts)

(tense music)

(energetic music)

(Amir grunts)

(Amir panting)

(Dr. Edmondson humming)

(Amir grunting)

(tense music) (crickets chirping)

(Trixie chittering)

(gun fires)

(gun fires)

(gun fires)

- Hello. Anyone hear me?

John?

(sighs) God.

Oh, yes, oh, thank God.

Oh, thank God.

(tense music continues)

- [911 Dispatcher] 9-1-1, what's your emergency?

- Hello, my name is Jacob Martin.

I'm a park ranger at Columbia National Park.

I was just assaulted and tied up

by a supposed National Guard member.

I have a injured paramedic. He is hurt, he can't walk.

So I'm just out here trying to get some help.

(tense music continues)

(water drips echoing)

(Amir grunting and panting)

- JJ. JJ.

(crickets chirping) (tense music continues)

(gun cocks)

- [Amir] It took JJ!

- [Emily] What took him?

- [Amir] That thing we were huntin'.

- [Emily] Where'd it take him?

- [Amir] I don't know, it outran me.

- Do you think it took him to that cave?

(tense music continues)

Hey, hey, I'm over here!

Hey, I know you see me! Come get me!

(Trixie chittering) (tense music builds)

Come and get me!

Hey, I'm over here!

- JJ! JJ.

(tense music)

(device beeps) (JJ grunts)

Hey, JJ. JJ, wake up.

JJ, come on, man. Wake up, please.

Come on, man, we gotta get outta here.

JJ. JJ.

(electricity crackles) (Amir groans)

(Amir panting)

- Stand up for me.

(electricity crackles)

Stand up! - I'm trying!

- Over there now!

Save me the heavy lifting.

(tense music continues)

(Amir panting)

(Amir grunts)

(Dr. Edmondson laughs)

I haven't gotten to do this on someone awake in a while.

(tense music builds)

(crickets chirping)

- Hey!

Hey! (Trixie chittering)

Hey!

(tense music continues)

(Trixie growls)

- No!

Trixie!

(dispatcher speaking indistinctly over radio)

- Hey, you called just in time.

Good on ya.

- (exhales) Is the paramedic gonna be okay?

- He should be.

They said he had a big animal bite on his stomach.

- We need to find the sergeant.

- Police are way ahead of ya.

They got, like, 20 people out there already.

- Where are they lookin'?

- Uh, they said they're gonna do a little search party.

Start on the north side, sweep their way down to...

Whoa, dude! Where the hell you goin'?

- They're not gonna find her on the north side.

- There's like 20 of 'em! You're not gonna find her!

- The creature in that egg has something incredible,

a kill switch.

If I go down,

you go down.

(tense pensive music)

You see this?

This chip connects its kill switch,

and your biological death clock.

So when I put this in your shoulder...

(Trixie chittering)

Why is she awake?

- Let him go!

(gun cocks)

- Don't you wanna know what we're doing here?

Maybe you deci-

- Let them go now!

(gun fires)

(Trixie chitters)

- What are you doing?

- Preventing you from destroying everything that we built.

(tank clatters)

- No!

(tense music)

- What are you doing?

- Nobody move!

- [Sergeant Waters] This was not the plan, Doctor!

- Keep an eye on him, now,

before these inbreds destroy everything

that we have built!

(Trixie screeches)

So this is where we are.

I don't want you or your friends to die,

but if you cooperate, they will live.

- Whoa, whoa, whoa!

The hell is goin' on here?

- Quiet. Your girlfriend's negotiating for your life.

- My what?

My... That's my fuckin' sister, dude.

- You're a redneck. It's the same thing.

- Okay, that is Yankee privilege.

- What? That's a stereotype, not a privilege.

- Okay, you say white privilege

whenever you damn well please.

- [Amir] Your dumbass really tryin' to argue about this

right now with your life on the line?

- [JJ] I told you, I will die on this hill.

- Literally though- - Enough!

- [Amir] You're literally tryin' to die on this hill?

- [JJ] You're damn well right I am!

- Enough!

(Trixie screeches) (tense music continues)

- What are you doing?

- Nothing.

(remote whirring and clicking)

(Trixie screeching and snarling)

What's wrong, girl?

(Trixie screeches)

(grunting) Sergeant, help me!

(Trixie screeching)

- Emily, no! We gotta run.

- One second! - No, Emily, trust me.

- What are you doing? - Look.

- Sergeant! Help me! (Trixie screeching)

- He's got a kill switch.

- A what? - You already killed it.

Come on, we gotta move.

- JJ, come on, hurry!

- I can't. My legs are like Jell-O.

(tense pensive music)

(Trixie snarling) (flesh squelching)

(explosion blasts)

- You all right?

- Yeah, my back hurts.

Well, don't look like Mark's gettin' that jerky.

(JJ and Emily laugh)

- Hey, I got a signal if we wanna try to call somebody.

- We're gettin' the hell outta here.

- I can't believe they thought you was my girlfriend.

That's just gross.

- A gross stereotype.

- Y'all, don't even start or I swear,

I'll use this last shotgun shell on you.

(Sergeant Waters coughing)

- Think I know who you could use it on.

(pensive music)

- I've hunted enough this weekend.

- I got visual on Sergeant Waters.

She is at Wentworth Caves.

You shoulda tied a better knot.

(warm music)

- Mark.

Mark!

(Mark groans softly)

You know, you really shouldn't sleep on a concussion.

- (groans) That's a myth.

- [Amir] I'm tellin' you, country music died after 9-11.

- [JJ] Bullshit!

Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Florida Georgia Line.

- [Amir] You did not just use Florida Georgia Line

as an example.

- [JJ] They give the people what they want, don't they?

- (sighs) You got 'em.

- You were right, they were alive.

- I'm proud of you. I know, Dad would be proud of you.

- Thanks.

Come on, let's get cleaned up.

(warm music continues)

(birds chirping)

You put your life on the line out there.

- That's what honorary brothers do.

- That's what real brothers do. Thank you.

- No, I'm serious.

And it said "DNA transfer, 5%." So I'm part alien now.

- Come on, JJ, you always been part alien.

- I don't feel no different.

(Mark groans softly)

Dude, I was gonna be an alien.

- Man, you're lucky I was there.

- [JJ] Think they woulda turned you into an alien too?

- You okay?

- Hmm? Yeah, I was just thinkin'.

- About?

- About what's next.

About whether or not to move back to Greenbrier.

- Mm-mm.

You are gonna move back to Nashville,

and you're gonna show 'em what Emily Williams is made of.

- Hell yeah. - Amen.

- Maybe y'all are right.

- She said "y'all" again. - Y'all.

- (laughs) Country girl.

(JJ and Amir laugh)

(warm music continues)

(upbeat bluegrass music) (birds chirping)

- Even the parks are busy 'round here.

- Hi!

No more smokes?

- Figure if y'all can kill an alien,

I can kick the cigs.

- Well, we didn't kill the alien. It exploded.

- Oh.

- [Emily] You get in okay?

- Yeah, it's all right.

I just hate traffic.

I'll be drivin' along and get sandwiched

in between two semis--

Yes, it was fine.

- Thanks for coming.

- Course.

You know, Mom and JJ and Amir are gonna be here soon.

You nervous?

- Not really.

You don't know how a store's gonna do by opening day alone.

- [Mark] Gotta say I never thought I'd see you

sellin' huntin' supplies.

- [Emily] Life's funny like that.

- Speakin' of funny, you seen JJ's new girlfriend?

You are never gonna guess who she looks like.

- God, not me?

- Even better. She looks just like Amir. (laughs)

(warm music continues)

(knocking on door)

- [Amir] Hey, JJ, come on, man! We're gonna be late.

Your ugly-ass girlfriend's out there waitin' in the truck.

(JJ shivering)

(tense music)

- Hey.

Find anything in the cave?

- No, no. Uh, just a bunch of burnt lab stuff.

- Cool. How's the cave?

- You know, it's actually more stable than you think.

I think we can open back up to the public

after a few safety checks.

- Did you hear about that guy that they pulled outta there?

- No.

- He wasn't even in the National Guard anymore.

Neither of them were.

They just flashed old IDs and a few guns,

and convinced the rangers who were there, like,

10 years ago.

- Any idea what they were working on?

- No idea.

- [Park Ranger] Hey, John, we need assistance

up at base camp.

- Copy that.

You comin'?

- You know, I have a few more things to get back to.

- All right. See you around.

(tense pensive music)

(Jacob groans)

(creature snarling)

(mysterious upbeat music)

(fire crackling)