Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams (2017) s01e05 Episode Script
Real Life
1 [DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[MARIO.]
I'm just sayin'.
Can't believe that Harris and Bakshi would be stupid enough to set foot in the States again.
I mean, why take the chance? They're gonna be permanent residents in Jakarta or Singapore or wherever the fuck they are by now.
Are you gonna eat those fingers? Hey.
Sarah.
- [RINGING STOPS.]
- What? Your fingers, are you gonna eat 'em? They're called fries.
Look, I hate to say this, Chief, but I think we're really chasing our tails here.
I keep telling you they're here.
They're gonna lead us back to Colin.
Sorry.
You need a break.
I'm fine.
Bill.
Well, I guess we're leaving.
[CAR BEEPING, WHIRRING.]
Cruising speed back to the precinct.
[CAR WHIRS, PULSATES.]
[MARIO.]
You know, Sarah, you're not alone in this.
The massacre affected the entire department.
Three of the guys were in my class at the Academy.
I want to find Colin and the guys that did this too.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[LOCK CLICKS.]
How many was that? More than two.
Less than ten.
[WHISPERING.]
Come on.
[SIGHS.]
They keep telling me to let it go, but Every time I close my eyes, I'm right back there.
In the street.
Hearing the gunshots.
It's like it's happening all over again.
It's not.
It's over.
It's in the past.
Not for me.
[SARAH.]
Part of me's still there.
Still lying in a pool of blood.
Waiting for it to be my turn.
[SARAH.]
What is that? A vacation.
I'm not into the whole virtual tropical beach thing.
Oh, no? No, I didn't know that.
No, it's not just another simulation.
- [KATIE.]
It's another life.
- A life? You know how, when you're in a dream, you're still yourself, but it's not exactly this version of you? Sorta.
Well, when you're in a dream, you're essentially living another life.
Right? You're in another world with another set of rules that you accept as reality.
That's what this is.
It's another life that you will accept as reality just as firmly as you accept this one.
You're not just gonna be somewhere else.
You're gonna be someone else.
Who will I be? I don't know.
Every user's experience is different.
But it will be someone based on your own thoughts and dreams drawn directly from your own subconscious.
It's a vacation from your life.
That does sound pretty fucking great right about now.
How long is it? Just a couple hours to start.
See if you like it.
Okay? If you don't, I'll send it back to development with a "dissatisfied customer" tag.
I think your head and your heart could really use a break from being you.
You're too good to me.
I don't deserve you.
Just have a great vacation.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY.]
[DEVICE WHINES, HISSES.]
[FLAMES CRACKLING.]
George.
George, what're you doing, man? [MAN.]
We gotta move.
[MAN.]
Come on.
Holy shit.
You're bleeding, man.
Are you okay? Okay.
I don't know.
I don't know.
[GEORGE.]
I can't really think straight.
You're good.
You're good.
Okay.
Let's go.
Wh where are we? Ha-ha, very funny, man.
Look, stay sharp.
- All right, here we go.
- What the fuck are you doing? - What the fuck are you - [MAN.]
Don't move! Let's go.
Stay right there.
You must think I'm pretty stupid.
- Yeah, we do.
- Sorry, what was that? - Well, I do.
- Yeah, I fucking heard you the first time, you fucking twat.
What're you doing? You want to get his weapon? Just fucking pull it out, for fuck's sake.
[MAN.]
Hey, George.
George.
What're you doing, man? You thought you'd just drop in and and do me in? [GRUNTS.]
All of this was just was just avoidable.
[MAN.]
Unnecessary.
You just had to do what I asked.
That's all.
But now Aah! You know, I, um I once cut a man's finger off, and I made his mate eat it while he watched.
- Okay, what? - It was disgusting.
[GEORGE.]
Okay.
No.
The only thing that's worse than that is to cut off his own finger and make him eat it himself.
Okay, what the fuck is wrong with you? I'm seeing if you're hungry, mate.
[GRUNTS LOUDLY.]
[MEN GRUNTING.]
[YELLING.]
Don't move! Don't move.
Don't move.
[MAN.]
George, Colin's getting away.
[MAN GRUNTS.]
- He's running.
Come on.
- [ENGINE TURNS OVER.]
[GUNSHOTS.]
[TIRES SCREECH, ENGINE REVVING.]
Fuck! [HIGH-PITCHED RINGING.]
We've got to get out of here before the cops get here.
Come on, George! Where we goin'? [MAN.]
C'mon! Take us home.
Best speed.
George, what're you doin', man? I don't know.
Everything's still fuzzy.
Maybe you should drive.
[ENGINE TURNS OVER.]
How'd you do that? [TIRES SCREECHING.]
How you doing over there, George, are you okay? I don't know.
I'm not sure yet.
You should really get that looked at.
Should I call Paula? Who? Paula.
You know Paula.
You don't remember Paula.
Do you remember me? Yeah, you're you're Chris.
Chr Chris Ginsburg.
We've been friends for a long time.
Right, okay, so I think think you might have a concussion, all right, just we're gonna get you home, and then I'm gonna call Paula.
[PAULA.]
It's just a superficial laceration.
- You don't need stitches.
- Good.
Chances are, you might have a concussion.
Don't go to bed for the next six hours, and stay away from drugs and alcohol.
You think you can handle that? Sure.
I mean it, George.
I heard you.
How's your memory? [SIGHS.]
I mean, fuzzy, but it's coming back.
What's your name? George Miller.
Social security? [HIGH-PITCHED RINGING.]
What's your social security number? [RINGING CONTINUES.]
Well, who do you work for? [RINGING CONTINUES.]
[MUMBLES.]
: I don't know.
I run AvaCom Data Systems.
It's my company.
I built it in 2012.
Net worth? 3, 4, uh billion.
Close enough.
[PAULA.]
After all, what's a billion or two between friends? [PAULA.]
George, do you want me to stay? [HIGH-PITCHED RINGING.]
[SIGHS.]
No, I'm I'm good.
Thank you.
[EERIE MUSIC.]
[CHRIS.]
Hey, man.
So, uh, the police found the bodies.
No sign of Colin.
- [CHRIS.]
Of course.
- Colin [CHRIS.]
Are you okay? [CHRIS.]
George? [CHRIS.]
Uh, listen, I'm gonna go get Paula back in here No, no, no, it's not physical.
It's, um it's more mental.
[LAUGHS.]
Feels like I want to I want to cry.
I just gotta pull myself together.
Listen, buddy, um what happened it's not gonna be an easy thing to get over.
[GUNSHOT.]
You need to get some sleep.
I can't, I can't, um the doctor said I have to stay up for the next six hours, so that's what I'm doing.
I'm, I'm up.
Maybe you need a vacation.
What? Well, you know, the vacation.
"Take a vacation without ever leaving the house.
" That still the terrible ad copy that you're gonna use? [CHRIS.]
My question is, when do I get to try it? I mean, I know it's a prototype, but I could use a vacation too.
This wouldn't work for you.
Each headset has an individual neuronic pulse map that is uniquely designed for the prefrontal cortex.
All you would see is a white light.
[NO AUDIBLE DIALOGUE.]
- I've said this before.
- Yep.
- Your sales pitch.
- Hey.
Thank you, Chris.
Really appreciate that today.
You got it, jefe.
[DEVICE BEEPS, HISSES.]
[DEVICE BEEPS.]
[LOW HUMMING.]
[ROCK MUSIC PLAYS OVER STEREO.]
Say you're right, they never left the state.
[MARIO.]
Four of the most wanted men in the Northern Hemisphere.
Do you really think they're gonna risk hanging around? [MARIO.]
Even Colin hasn't been seen in Chicago since Does this food taste right to you? What? Yeah.
Same crap as always.
It seems flat.
Like it suddenly has no taste.
Wait, are you listening to me at all? Sorry.
Feels like I'm somewhere else still.
You mean like on vacation? Wow, that must have really been something.
Never seen you this distracted.
It was different.
Gonna eat those fingers? Okay, fries.
Different how? Like a coherent dream.
Stable.
Rational.
The longer I was there, the more familiar it became.
I remembered it.
I remembered my life there.
That was the eerie part, like I was remembering my real life for the first time.
"A vacation from your life.
" They're gonna make a fortune.
So does Katie have a piece of the profits or what? [DEVICE PULSATING.]
Oh, shit, I'll be damned.
- What? - You were right.
They never left Chicago.
Dumb fucks got picked up on an FBI surveillance scan.
Looks like they're setting a meeting.
Yeah, setting up a meeting for tonight.
That's beautiful.
Beautiful.
I know exactly where this place is.
What? It's just so easy.
They're just falling right into our laps.
[MARIO.]
Shit, I'm not complaining.
Come on, Sarah, come on.
[SARAH.]
All right.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC.]
I know this place.
[DOOR SHUTS IN THE DISTANCE.]
[MAN.]
He's late.
How come he's late, huh? He's never late.
[MAN.]
Shut up and wait.
He'll be here.
[COLIN.]
Well, we've got a lot to discuss - before the next job - Next job? [MAN.]
What the fuck are you talking about? The people I represent would like to make an even bigger statement this time.
Something guaranteed to rock the political foundations of the entire city.
What'd you have in mind? Burning down City Hall? [COLIN.]
Try nuking City Hall.
[MAN.]
Shit.
You're serious? I'm calling for backup.
We should discuss this in here.
Please? - [DEVICE CHIRPS.]
- Can't get a signal.
You keep an eye on him.
I'll be right back.
[BOTH GRUNTING.]
[YELLS.]
[DEVICE CHARGING.]
Ugh! [DEVICE CRACKLING.]
[GROANS.]
[WOMAN.]
Mr.
Miller? Mr.
Miller? George, hey.
Somebody call 911! I'm I'm okay.
Just need some water.
[SIGHS.]
Breathe, pal, breathe.
Listen, uh, we should cancel.
You don't cancel on the Justice Department.
Well, we could say that he had a heart attack or 'Cause that won't look suspicious.
Okay, I'm fine.
I just was a little dizzy.
Come on.
[WOMAN.]
Mr.
Miller, where were you on the night of the 23rd? I was at home, watching TV.
Mm-hmm, and what were you watching? Nothing in particular.
Mostly just surfin'.
[WOMAN.]
Well, we'd like to see your DVR log to corroborate that.
- Bet you would, but you won't.
- [WOMAN.]
The federal courthouse is just 20 minutes from here if we need to get a written consent Let's get to the real question.
Mr.
Miller, why are you running around the city like some real-life Bruce Wayne? What? I thought this was a serious meeting.
[WOMAN.]
Over the last three months, your client's been on a personal vigilante mission, which has endangered the public on numerous occasions, the gunfight in a warehouse district just being the most recent.
Which my client had nothing to do with.
Mr.
Miller is still recovering from having his wife's murder go viral - [HIGH-PITCHED RINGING.]
- [WOMAN.]
While the Justice Department stood by and did nothing.
[MAN.]
I can assure you that we're mobilizing all our resources in an effort to find the animals [WOMAN.]
Maybe you should concentrate on finding the killers instead of harassing one of the victims.
[RINGING CONTINUES.]
[HEAVING.]
- Mr.
Miller! - George.
I think it's pretty clear you've suffered a severe concussion, more than I first realized, and it's affected your memory centers.
Will it get better? There are instances where serious head trauma has resulted in permanent amnesia.
In most cases like this, the lack of cognitive recall is temporary.
I don't think I want to remember everything.
Me neither.
It's just, I don't remember her.
At all.
My wife.
Just flashes of that video.
I don't know how getting hit in the head can erase her completely from my memory.
Well, that has less to do with your injury than your unconscious mind trying to protect you from a deeply traumatic memory.
Why aren't there any pictures of her? Of us? Together? The wedding, for Christ's sakes? Well, you you had them put away after she was killed.
You know, I I probably still have a a picture of Katie here somewhere.
Katie? Is that her name? - Yeah - Can I see her? [PAULA.]
There.
[MELANCHOLY MUSIC.]
There's two of them.
There's two of them.
[PAULA.]
There's a theory that what we call déjà vu is actually a delay in real-time information being transmitted from one hemisphere of the brain to the other.
That lag is only microseconds, but when it's received in the second hemisphere, it creates a small, momentary dissonance in perception, Now, that dissonance is misinterpreted by the cerebral cortex as memory, so the mind believes that normal events have been experienced twice.
Yeah, but this isn't déjà vu.
It's like the memories have been there all along.
Well, they are memories, but they're memories of simulated events, events from your VR program.
I think your brain's having trouble processing these simulated events, and it's creating a dissonance in your cerebral cortex, just like déjà vu.
I tell you it feels much more real than that.
I keep having these flashes of that life, and I swear, it feels right.
Feels true.
[PAULA.]
But it's not.
Trust me.
You're not really a lesbian supercop in the future in a flying car.
This is real.
I'm telling you, don't let some digital delusion start to loosen your grip on reality.
Otherwise, you're gonna go down a road - you don't want to go down.
- I don't know.
Something's not right.
I keep feeling like there is a much deeper, deeper truth here, Paula.
Oh, Jesus Christ, George, listen to yourself.
[PAULA.]
In my professional opinion, these virtual experiences are interfering with your recovery.
You could end up with permanent if not severe brain damage.
Do you understand that? Okay.
You convinced me.
You win.
No more VR.
You promise? Promise.
Okay.
Paula, thank you.
I'll see you tomorrow, all right? [DEVICE PULSATING, WHIRRING.]
Welcome back.
- Hey.
- Hey.
You had us worried there for a while.
What happened? We won.
Bakshi and Harris are sitting in a cell downtown at this very moment, awaiting trial for the murder of 15 cops.
How? Well, after you decided to go supercop, I called for backup.
They caught Bakshi and Harris before they made it into orbit.
What about Colin? He's three flights down on the security level.
Yeah, your friend here put him in a coma.
Nobody fucks with my partner.
I'm really back? I'm really here? Yeah, you're really here, sweetie.
Hey.
Everything's gonna be okay.
It's like a dream.
[BOTH MOANING.]
[LAUGHS.]
Bet you didn't have anything like that on vacation.
- No, definitely not.
- [LAUGHS.]
But I know you.
So you did have sex, right? Oh, come on.
It's not cheating.
You can tell me.
No.
There was no sex.
Seriously? No sex on the unforgettable vacation that was "so real"? - No.
- How boring.
I was a man.
More interesting.
Gay? Straight? Bi? Trans? - Straight.
- Huh.
Even in your fantasies, you only like girls.
[KATIE.]
So there wasn't even one woman that vaguely captured your interest on your entire vacation, hmm? No one special at all? Hey.
What is it? I was a widower.
My wife had been murdered.
And I was devastated.
And doing everything I could to find her killer.
Tale of heartbreak and revenge.
Oh, I love it.
Did you ever find your wife's killer? No.
He got away.
It's still real to you, isn't it? It's hard to shake.
Especially when I look at you.
Why when you look at me? 'Cause it reminds me of the other Katie.
My murdered wife.
You named her Katie? I didn't name her anything.
That's just the way it was.
Her name was Katie, and she looked just like you.
This is getting weird.
Well, that's what I kept trying to tell you.
You're her, and she's you, and there's all these other common things like Colin's in both worlds, and there's a virtual reality program in both worlds Please stop saying both worlds.
There's only one world, Sarah.
To me, there's two.
The only difference is that when I'm here, I remember everything that's happened, and when I'm there, it's foggy and confusing.
Well, doesn't that tell you something right there? This is reality.
That's why you remember everything.
That makes sense, but - But? - But it's all too perfect.
- What is? - My life here.
I mean, think about it.
Doesn't it seem like some kind of ancient male fantasy? What they used to call science fiction? I literally have a flying car.
I'm a lesbian with a gorgeous wife who wants to have sex all the time.
I mean, can't you see how perfect it all is? Doesn't it seem like somebody else's fucking fantasy? What have I done to deserve a life like this? - You don't deserve me.
- Yes.
Wait, what? That's what you said a couple of days ago, right before you started the program.
- I thought you were kidding.
- I was kidding.
[KATIE.]
Well, maybe your subconscious wasn't.
What the hell does that mean? The program is designed to generate a scenario based on the hidden desires and dreams in a user's subconscious in order to create a completely new life.
You have been racked with guilt over the massacre for over a year, and the last thing you said before you started the program was that your wife is too good for you.
Sarah, don't you see? The program created a world where I'm dead and you're tortured with guilt because that's what it thinks you really want deep down.
[KATIE.]
Here's what we're gonna do.
Tomorrow, we're gonna go back to the medical bay, and we'll wipe any trace of the program from your implants if we have to, we'll fucking rip them out and get you new ones.
I don't know about that.
You have to trust me.
Do you trust me? Yes.
I yes, I trust you.
[MELANCHOLY MUSIC.]
[DEVICE BEEPS, WHIRS.]
[DISTANT HORN BLARES.]
[ROCK MUSIC PLAYS OVER STEREO.]
Ah.
Welcome back, Mr.
Miller.
- The usual? - What? [MAN.]
Do you want the usual? What you normally get? I've been here before.
You know that.
What's going on here? This guy messing with you? You fuck with my friend, Vic? - Hmm? - No, um, a little.
[LAUGHING.]
Jesus Christ.
Couple of Cold War Combos, okay? - [VIC.]
You got it.
- I got some news.
[MUSIC CONTINUES OVER STEREO.]
So Malia tells me that the feds don't have enough to press charges.
So good news on that front.
Yeah.
That's good.
Ready for the bad news? Colin left the country.
He's gone.
He's probably in, I don't know, Jakarta or Jakarta or, um Singapore.
I guess.
Did you spit in this one? - [VIC.]
Enjoy.
- [LAUGHS.]
[HIGH-PITCHED RINGING.]
[MAN.]
Hello, I'd like to pick up a number three combo.
[RINGING CONTINUES.]
[MAN.]
Excuse me.
[MUSIC CONTINUES OVER STEREO.]
[RINGING CONTINUES.]
They're fries not fingers.
What the hell are you talking about? [MUSIC CONTINUES.]
I've been here before.
Yeah, you have.
We come here all the time.
I remember, I I remember everything.
[CHRIS.]
Hey, George.
George.
I know what's going on.
I know what's going on.
Where're you going, George? George? [EERIE MUSIC.]
How did I know you would be standing right there waiting for me when I got home? Chris called.
He's worried about you.
Bet he is.
That's all right.
You don't have to worry about me for too much longer.
You either, actually.
What's that supposed to mean? Nothing.
[CHUCKLES.]
I'm selling the company, okay? What? To who? Doesn't matter.
To whomever.
We can sell all the assets, give the money to charity.
I don't really care.
[PAULA.]
Are you crazy? [GEORGE.]
Eh.
It all depends on how you define crazy.
Okay.
Where is it? Where's what? You know what.
Where is it? [PAULA.]
I thought you weren't gonna do that anymore.
Well, I changed my mind.
Why don't we just sit down and talk about this? No, you're not my therapist, remember? No.
I'm your friend.
I don't need a friend, Paula.
I need my headset.
Why? Because it's the easiest way for me to get out of this world and get back to my real life.
I mean, vacation's over, Paula.
I just need to get back to the real world This is the real world, George.
I cannot believe I'm sitting here having an argument with a fantasy.
Just tell me where my headset is so I can go home, please.
You want to go home? To your wife? To the one place in the entire world where your Katie is still alive? Where's my fucking headset? Your cerebral cortex will be permanently damaged.
You might never wake up.
That's all right.
'Cause guess what? It turns out I've got a pretty damn good life there.
Little too good, isn't it, George? [PAULA.]
Little too perfect? Oh, that's funny.
I said the same exact words to Katie, but she was the real Katie.
If she's so real, why do you need a pretend headset to get back to her? Why don't you just click your heels together or something? I don't know.
Maybe something's wrong with the simulation.
Katie said it wasn't ready for the market yet, but all I know is I put this thing on, here, and when I wake up, I'm in the real world.
Well, it lets you escape the real world, George.
You're a simulation.
You're never coming back, right? Even you admit that once you press that button, you're never coming back.
You're damn right.
Then before you do something that we both know will be a permanent choice, you need to hear me out one last time, for old time's sake.
You and me we've got a history in this world.
We were having an affair when Katie disappeared.
We were gonna end it, we kept telling each other.
I think we might have meant it.
You loved your wife, and I didn't want to be the other woman.
But before we had a chance to act on that one small bit of moral courage, she vanished.
Colin or whatever his name is, he wanted the software you developed for the NSA.
Software The most powerful software decryption ever developed.
And Colin knew if he got his hands on it, he could do almost anything.
Hack the entire U.
S.
intelligence community.
Maybe even get his hands on the U.
S.
nuclear launch codes.
You understood the stakes, so you wouldn't let him have it.
You offered him billions to let Katie go.
But he didn't want money.
He wanted to show you he couldn't be bought.
That's when you started developing the headset.
No, no That's when you started talking about needing a vacation.
No, no, no, no, this isn't real.
- No.
- This isn't real.
Think about this for a moment.
Really, really think about this.
You're a fantasy.
You're a fantasy.
Okay, one of these worlds is a fantasy drawn from your own mind.
Which is more likely, George? A fantasy where you're heartbroken because your wife has been brutally murdered, or a fantasy where you're happy and everything is perfect because your wife is still alive? This is not this isn't right.
This this isn't real.
Okay, fine, it's your choice.
I'm not gonna stop you.
You put that thing on, and you could end up in a permanent coma.
Hey, at least you'll be having hot lesbian sex in some sci-fi paradise.
Or you can stay here with me, and we can face the pain and the horror of this in the real world together.
No, I'm not really selling this, am I? Maybe that's why I went into medicine and not marketing.
I don't deserve that life.
I never did.
Neither of us do.
This is what we deserve, to live here.
Punishment for our sins.
- [FEEDBACK WHINES.]
- [KATIE.]
Sarah! Sarah? Sarah.
Sarah! [KATIE.]
Sarah, I'm right here, baby.
I am right here, so you come back to me, okay? Sarah, I'm right here.
I'm right here, baby.
Don't you dare fucking leave me here.
Her neuronal pathways have shut down.
I'm sorry.
There's nothing we can do.
[EERIE MUSIC.]
[MARIO.]
Why would she choose that life? [KATIE.]
She wanted to be punished.
For her sins.
[KATIE.]
Real and imagined.
Surviving.
Being happy.
[MARIO.]
Being happy is not a sin.
[KATIE.]
We're all sinners.
And we all think we need to be punished.
Even if our sins don't exist.
[EERIE BREATHING, AGGRESSIVE PULSATING.]
[MARIO.]
I'm just sayin'.
Can't believe that Harris and Bakshi would be stupid enough to set foot in the States again.
I mean, why take the chance? They're gonna be permanent residents in Jakarta or Singapore or wherever the fuck they are by now.
Are you gonna eat those fingers? Hey.
Sarah.
- [RINGING STOPS.]
- What? Your fingers, are you gonna eat 'em? They're called fries.
Look, I hate to say this, Chief, but I think we're really chasing our tails here.
I keep telling you they're here.
They're gonna lead us back to Colin.
Sorry.
You need a break.
I'm fine.
Bill.
Well, I guess we're leaving.
[CAR BEEPING, WHIRRING.]
Cruising speed back to the precinct.
[CAR WHIRS, PULSATES.]
[MARIO.]
You know, Sarah, you're not alone in this.
The massacre affected the entire department.
Three of the guys were in my class at the Academy.
I want to find Colin and the guys that did this too.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[LOCK CLICKS.]
How many was that? More than two.
Less than ten.
[WHISPERING.]
Come on.
[SIGHS.]
They keep telling me to let it go, but Every time I close my eyes, I'm right back there.
In the street.
Hearing the gunshots.
It's like it's happening all over again.
It's not.
It's over.
It's in the past.
Not for me.
[SARAH.]
Part of me's still there.
Still lying in a pool of blood.
Waiting for it to be my turn.
[SARAH.]
What is that? A vacation.
I'm not into the whole virtual tropical beach thing.
Oh, no? No, I didn't know that.
No, it's not just another simulation.
- [KATIE.]
It's another life.
- A life? You know how, when you're in a dream, you're still yourself, but it's not exactly this version of you? Sorta.
Well, when you're in a dream, you're essentially living another life.
Right? You're in another world with another set of rules that you accept as reality.
That's what this is.
It's another life that you will accept as reality just as firmly as you accept this one.
You're not just gonna be somewhere else.
You're gonna be someone else.
Who will I be? I don't know.
Every user's experience is different.
But it will be someone based on your own thoughts and dreams drawn directly from your own subconscious.
It's a vacation from your life.
That does sound pretty fucking great right about now.
How long is it? Just a couple hours to start.
See if you like it.
Okay? If you don't, I'll send it back to development with a "dissatisfied customer" tag.
I think your head and your heart could really use a break from being you.
You're too good to me.
I don't deserve you.
Just have a great vacation.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY.]
[DEVICE WHINES, HISSES.]
[FLAMES CRACKLING.]
George.
George, what're you doing, man? [MAN.]
We gotta move.
[MAN.]
Come on.
Holy shit.
You're bleeding, man.
Are you okay? Okay.
I don't know.
I don't know.
[GEORGE.]
I can't really think straight.
You're good.
You're good.
Okay.
Let's go.
Wh where are we? Ha-ha, very funny, man.
Look, stay sharp.
- All right, here we go.
- What the fuck are you doing? - What the fuck are you - [MAN.]
Don't move! Let's go.
Stay right there.
You must think I'm pretty stupid.
- Yeah, we do.
- Sorry, what was that? - Well, I do.
- Yeah, I fucking heard you the first time, you fucking twat.
What're you doing? You want to get his weapon? Just fucking pull it out, for fuck's sake.
[MAN.]
Hey, George.
George.
What're you doing, man? You thought you'd just drop in and and do me in? [GRUNTS.]
All of this was just was just avoidable.
[MAN.]
Unnecessary.
You just had to do what I asked.
That's all.
But now Aah! You know, I, um I once cut a man's finger off, and I made his mate eat it while he watched.
- Okay, what? - It was disgusting.
[GEORGE.]
Okay.
No.
The only thing that's worse than that is to cut off his own finger and make him eat it himself.
Okay, what the fuck is wrong with you? I'm seeing if you're hungry, mate.
[GRUNTS LOUDLY.]
[MEN GRUNTING.]
[YELLING.]
Don't move! Don't move.
Don't move.
[MAN.]
George, Colin's getting away.
[MAN GRUNTS.]
- He's running.
Come on.
- [ENGINE TURNS OVER.]
[GUNSHOTS.]
[TIRES SCREECH, ENGINE REVVING.]
Fuck! [HIGH-PITCHED RINGING.]
We've got to get out of here before the cops get here.
Come on, George! Where we goin'? [MAN.]
C'mon! Take us home.
Best speed.
George, what're you doin', man? I don't know.
Everything's still fuzzy.
Maybe you should drive.
[ENGINE TURNS OVER.]
How'd you do that? [TIRES SCREECHING.]
How you doing over there, George, are you okay? I don't know.
I'm not sure yet.
You should really get that looked at.
Should I call Paula? Who? Paula.
You know Paula.
You don't remember Paula.
Do you remember me? Yeah, you're you're Chris.
Chr Chris Ginsburg.
We've been friends for a long time.
Right, okay, so I think think you might have a concussion, all right, just we're gonna get you home, and then I'm gonna call Paula.
[PAULA.]
It's just a superficial laceration.
- You don't need stitches.
- Good.
Chances are, you might have a concussion.
Don't go to bed for the next six hours, and stay away from drugs and alcohol.
You think you can handle that? Sure.
I mean it, George.
I heard you.
How's your memory? [SIGHS.]
I mean, fuzzy, but it's coming back.
What's your name? George Miller.
Social security? [HIGH-PITCHED RINGING.]
What's your social security number? [RINGING CONTINUES.]
Well, who do you work for? [RINGING CONTINUES.]
[MUMBLES.]
: I don't know.
I run AvaCom Data Systems.
It's my company.
I built it in 2012.
Net worth? 3, 4, uh billion.
Close enough.
[PAULA.]
After all, what's a billion or two between friends? [PAULA.]
George, do you want me to stay? [HIGH-PITCHED RINGING.]
[SIGHS.]
No, I'm I'm good.
Thank you.
[EERIE MUSIC.]
[CHRIS.]
Hey, man.
So, uh, the police found the bodies.
No sign of Colin.
- [CHRIS.]
Of course.
- Colin [CHRIS.]
Are you okay? [CHRIS.]
George? [CHRIS.]
Uh, listen, I'm gonna go get Paula back in here No, no, no, it's not physical.
It's, um it's more mental.
[LAUGHS.]
Feels like I want to I want to cry.
I just gotta pull myself together.
Listen, buddy, um what happened it's not gonna be an easy thing to get over.
[GUNSHOT.]
You need to get some sleep.
I can't, I can't, um the doctor said I have to stay up for the next six hours, so that's what I'm doing.
I'm, I'm up.
Maybe you need a vacation.
What? Well, you know, the vacation.
"Take a vacation without ever leaving the house.
" That still the terrible ad copy that you're gonna use? [CHRIS.]
My question is, when do I get to try it? I mean, I know it's a prototype, but I could use a vacation too.
This wouldn't work for you.
Each headset has an individual neuronic pulse map that is uniquely designed for the prefrontal cortex.
All you would see is a white light.
[NO AUDIBLE DIALOGUE.]
- I've said this before.
- Yep.
- Your sales pitch.
- Hey.
Thank you, Chris.
Really appreciate that today.
You got it, jefe.
[DEVICE BEEPS, HISSES.]
[DEVICE BEEPS.]
[LOW HUMMING.]
[ROCK MUSIC PLAYS OVER STEREO.]
Say you're right, they never left the state.
[MARIO.]
Four of the most wanted men in the Northern Hemisphere.
Do you really think they're gonna risk hanging around? [MARIO.]
Even Colin hasn't been seen in Chicago since Does this food taste right to you? What? Yeah.
Same crap as always.
It seems flat.
Like it suddenly has no taste.
Wait, are you listening to me at all? Sorry.
Feels like I'm somewhere else still.
You mean like on vacation? Wow, that must have really been something.
Never seen you this distracted.
It was different.
Gonna eat those fingers? Okay, fries.
Different how? Like a coherent dream.
Stable.
Rational.
The longer I was there, the more familiar it became.
I remembered it.
I remembered my life there.
That was the eerie part, like I was remembering my real life for the first time.
"A vacation from your life.
" They're gonna make a fortune.
So does Katie have a piece of the profits or what? [DEVICE PULSATING.]
Oh, shit, I'll be damned.
- What? - You were right.
They never left Chicago.
Dumb fucks got picked up on an FBI surveillance scan.
Looks like they're setting a meeting.
Yeah, setting up a meeting for tonight.
That's beautiful.
Beautiful.
I know exactly where this place is.
What? It's just so easy.
They're just falling right into our laps.
[MARIO.]
Shit, I'm not complaining.
Come on, Sarah, come on.
[SARAH.]
All right.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC.]
I know this place.
[DOOR SHUTS IN THE DISTANCE.]
[MAN.]
He's late.
How come he's late, huh? He's never late.
[MAN.]
Shut up and wait.
He'll be here.
[COLIN.]
Well, we've got a lot to discuss - before the next job - Next job? [MAN.]
What the fuck are you talking about? The people I represent would like to make an even bigger statement this time.
Something guaranteed to rock the political foundations of the entire city.
What'd you have in mind? Burning down City Hall? [COLIN.]
Try nuking City Hall.
[MAN.]
Shit.
You're serious? I'm calling for backup.
We should discuss this in here.
Please? - [DEVICE CHIRPS.]
- Can't get a signal.
You keep an eye on him.
I'll be right back.
[BOTH GRUNTING.]
[YELLS.]
[DEVICE CHARGING.]
Ugh! [DEVICE CRACKLING.]
[GROANS.]
[WOMAN.]
Mr.
Miller? Mr.
Miller? George, hey.
Somebody call 911! I'm I'm okay.
Just need some water.
[SIGHS.]
Breathe, pal, breathe.
Listen, uh, we should cancel.
You don't cancel on the Justice Department.
Well, we could say that he had a heart attack or 'Cause that won't look suspicious.
Okay, I'm fine.
I just was a little dizzy.
Come on.
[WOMAN.]
Mr.
Miller, where were you on the night of the 23rd? I was at home, watching TV.
Mm-hmm, and what were you watching? Nothing in particular.
Mostly just surfin'.
[WOMAN.]
Well, we'd like to see your DVR log to corroborate that.
- Bet you would, but you won't.
- [WOMAN.]
The federal courthouse is just 20 minutes from here if we need to get a written consent Let's get to the real question.
Mr.
Miller, why are you running around the city like some real-life Bruce Wayne? What? I thought this was a serious meeting.
[WOMAN.]
Over the last three months, your client's been on a personal vigilante mission, which has endangered the public on numerous occasions, the gunfight in a warehouse district just being the most recent.
Which my client had nothing to do with.
Mr.
Miller is still recovering from having his wife's murder go viral - [HIGH-PITCHED RINGING.]
- [WOMAN.]
While the Justice Department stood by and did nothing.
[MAN.]
I can assure you that we're mobilizing all our resources in an effort to find the animals [WOMAN.]
Maybe you should concentrate on finding the killers instead of harassing one of the victims.
[RINGING CONTINUES.]
[HEAVING.]
- Mr.
Miller! - George.
I think it's pretty clear you've suffered a severe concussion, more than I first realized, and it's affected your memory centers.
Will it get better? There are instances where serious head trauma has resulted in permanent amnesia.
In most cases like this, the lack of cognitive recall is temporary.
I don't think I want to remember everything.
Me neither.
It's just, I don't remember her.
At all.
My wife.
Just flashes of that video.
I don't know how getting hit in the head can erase her completely from my memory.
Well, that has less to do with your injury than your unconscious mind trying to protect you from a deeply traumatic memory.
Why aren't there any pictures of her? Of us? Together? The wedding, for Christ's sakes? Well, you you had them put away after she was killed.
You know, I I probably still have a a picture of Katie here somewhere.
Katie? Is that her name? - Yeah - Can I see her? [PAULA.]
There.
[MELANCHOLY MUSIC.]
There's two of them.
There's two of them.
[PAULA.]
There's a theory that what we call déjà vu is actually a delay in real-time information being transmitted from one hemisphere of the brain to the other.
That lag is only microseconds, but when it's received in the second hemisphere, it creates a small, momentary dissonance in perception, Now, that dissonance is misinterpreted by the cerebral cortex as memory, so the mind believes that normal events have been experienced twice.
Yeah, but this isn't déjà vu.
It's like the memories have been there all along.
Well, they are memories, but they're memories of simulated events, events from your VR program.
I think your brain's having trouble processing these simulated events, and it's creating a dissonance in your cerebral cortex, just like déjà vu.
I tell you it feels much more real than that.
I keep having these flashes of that life, and I swear, it feels right.
Feels true.
[PAULA.]
But it's not.
Trust me.
You're not really a lesbian supercop in the future in a flying car.
This is real.
I'm telling you, don't let some digital delusion start to loosen your grip on reality.
Otherwise, you're gonna go down a road - you don't want to go down.
- I don't know.
Something's not right.
I keep feeling like there is a much deeper, deeper truth here, Paula.
Oh, Jesus Christ, George, listen to yourself.
[PAULA.]
In my professional opinion, these virtual experiences are interfering with your recovery.
You could end up with permanent if not severe brain damage.
Do you understand that? Okay.
You convinced me.
You win.
No more VR.
You promise? Promise.
Okay.
Paula, thank you.
I'll see you tomorrow, all right? [DEVICE PULSATING, WHIRRING.]
Welcome back.
- Hey.
- Hey.
You had us worried there for a while.
What happened? We won.
Bakshi and Harris are sitting in a cell downtown at this very moment, awaiting trial for the murder of 15 cops.
How? Well, after you decided to go supercop, I called for backup.
They caught Bakshi and Harris before they made it into orbit.
What about Colin? He's three flights down on the security level.
Yeah, your friend here put him in a coma.
Nobody fucks with my partner.
I'm really back? I'm really here? Yeah, you're really here, sweetie.
Hey.
Everything's gonna be okay.
It's like a dream.
[BOTH MOANING.]
[LAUGHS.]
Bet you didn't have anything like that on vacation.
- No, definitely not.
- [LAUGHS.]
But I know you.
So you did have sex, right? Oh, come on.
It's not cheating.
You can tell me.
No.
There was no sex.
Seriously? No sex on the unforgettable vacation that was "so real"? - No.
- How boring.
I was a man.
More interesting.
Gay? Straight? Bi? Trans? - Straight.
- Huh.
Even in your fantasies, you only like girls.
[KATIE.]
So there wasn't even one woman that vaguely captured your interest on your entire vacation, hmm? No one special at all? Hey.
What is it? I was a widower.
My wife had been murdered.
And I was devastated.
And doing everything I could to find her killer.
Tale of heartbreak and revenge.
Oh, I love it.
Did you ever find your wife's killer? No.
He got away.
It's still real to you, isn't it? It's hard to shake.
Especially when I look at you.
Why when you look at me? 'Cause it reminds me of the other Katie.
My murdered wife.
You named her Katie? I didn't name her anything.
That's just the way it was.
Her name was Katie, and she looked just like you.
This is getting weird.
Well, that's what I kept trying to tell you.
You're her, and she's you, and there's all these other common things like Colin's in both worlds, and there's a virtual reality program in both worlds Please stop saying both worlds.
There's only one world, Sarah.
To me, there's two.
The only difference is that when I'm here, I remember everything that's happened, and when I'm there, it's foggy and confusing.
Well, doesn't that tell you something right there? This is reality.
That's why you remember everything.
That makes sense, but - But? - But it's all too perfect.
- What is? - My life here.
I mean, think about it.
Doesn't it seem like some kind of ancient male fantasy? What they used to call science fiction? I literally have a flying car.
I'm a lesbian with a gorgeous wife who wants to have sex all the time.
I mean, can't you see how perfect it all is? Doesn't it seem like somebody else's fucking fantasy? What have I done to deserve a life like this? - You don't deserve me.
- Yes.
Wait, what? That's what you said a couple of days ago, right before you started the program.
- I thought you were kidding.
- I was kidding.
[KATIE.]
Well, maybe your subconscious wasn't.
What the hell does that mean? The program is designed to generate a scenario based on the hidden desires and dreams in a user's subconscious in order to create a completely new life.
You have been racked with guilt over the massacre for over a year, and the last thing you said before you started the program was that your wife is too good for you.
Sarah, don't you see? The program created a world where I'm dead and you're tortured with guilt because that's what it thinks you really want deep down.
[KATIE.]
Here's what we're gonna do.
Tomorrow, we're gonna go back to the medical bay, and we'll wipe any trace of the program from your implants if we have to, we'll fucking rip them out and get you new ones.
I don't know about that.
You have to trust me.
Do you trust me? Yes.
I yes, I trust you.
[MELANCHOLY MUSIC.]
[DEVICE BEEPS, WHIRS.]
[DISTANT HORN BLARES.]
[ROCK MUSIC PLAYS OVER STEREO.]
Ah.
Welcome back, Mr.
Miller.
- The usual? - What? [MAN.]
Do you want the usual? What you normally get? I've been here before.
You know that.
What's going on here? This guy messing with you? You fuck with my friend, Vic? - Hmm? - No, um, a little.
[LAUGHING.]
Jesus Christ.
Couple of Cold War Combos, okay? - [VIC.]
You got it.
- I got some news.
[MUSIC CONTINUES OVER STEREO.]
So Malia tells me that the feds don't have enough to press charges.
So good news on that front.
Yeah.
That's good.
Ready for the bad news? Colin left the country.
He's gone.
He's probably in, I don't know, Jakarta or Jakarta or, um Singapore.
I guess.
Did you spit in this one? - [VIC.]
Enjoy.
- [LAUGHS.]
[HIGH-PITCHED RINGING.]
[MAN.]
Hello, I'd like to pick up a number three combo.
[RINGING CONTINUES.]
[MAN.]
Excuse me.
[MUSIC CONTINUES OVER STEREO.]
[RINGING CONTINUES.]
They're fries not fingers.
What the hell are you talking about? [MUSIC CONTINUES.]
I've been here before.
Yeah, you have.
We come here all the time.
I remember, I I remember everything.
[CHRIS.]
Hey, George.
George.
I know what's going on.
I know what's going on.
Where're you going, George? George? [EERIE MUSIC.]
How did I know you would be standing right there waiting for me when I got home? Chris called.
He's worried about you.
Bet he is.
That's all right.
You don't have to worry about me for too much longer.
You either, actually.
What's that supposed to mean? Nothing.
[CHUCKLES.]
I'm selling the company, okay? What? To who? Doesn't matter.
To whomever.
We can sell all the assets, give the money to charity.
I don't really care.
[PAULA.]
Are you crazy? [GEORGE.]
Eh.
It all depends on how you define crazy.
Okay.
Where is it? Where's what? You know what.
Where is it? [PAULA.]
I thought you weren't gonna do that anymore.
Well, I changed my mind.
Why don't we just sit down and talk about this? No, you're not my therapist, remember? No.
I'm your friend.
I don't need a friend, Paula.
I need my headset.
Why? Because it's the easiest way for me to get out of this world and get back to my real life.
I mean, vacation's over, Paula.
I just need to get back to the real world This is the real world, George.
I cannot believe I'm sitting here having an argument with a fantasy.
Just tell me where my headset is so I can go home, please.
You want to go home? To your wife? To the one place in the entire world where your Katie is still alive? Where's my fucking headset? Your cerebral cortex will be permanently damaged.
You might never wake up.
That's all right.
'Cause guess what? It turns out I've got a pretty damn good life there.
Little too good, isn't it, George? [PAULA.]
Little too perfect? Oh, that's funny.
I said the same exact words to Katie, but she was the real Katie.
If she's so real, why do you need a pretend headset to get back to her? Why don't you just click your heels together or something? I don't know.
Maybe something's wrong with the simulation.
Katie said it wasn't ready for the market yet, but all I know is I put this thing on, here, and when I wake up, I'm in the real world.
Well, it lets you escape the real world, George.
You're a simulation.
You're never coming back, right? Even you admit that once you press that button, you're never coming back.
You're damn right.
Then before you do something that we both know will be a permanent choice, you need to hear me out one last time, for old time's sake.
You and me we've got a history in this world.
We were having an affair when Katie disappeared.
We were gonna end it, we kept telling each other.
I think we might have meant it.
You loved your wife, and I didn't want to be the other woman.
But before we had a chance to act on that one small bit of moral courage, she vanished.
Colin or whatever his name is, he wanted the software you developed for the NSA.
Software The most powerful software decryption ever developed.
And Colin knew if he got his hands on it, he could do almost anything.
Hack the entire U.
S.
intelligence community.
Maybe even get his hands on the U.
S.
nuclear launch codes.
You understood the stakes, so you wouldn't let him have it.
You offered him billions to let Katie go.
But he didn't want money.
He wanted to show you he couldn't be bought.
That's when you started developing the headset.
No, no That's when you started talking about needing a vacation.
No, no, no, no, this isn't real.
- No.
- This isn't real.
Think about this for a moment.
Really, really think about this.
You're a fantasy.
You're a fantasy.
Okay, one of these worlds is a fantasy drawn from your own mind.
Which is more likely, George? A fantasy where you're heartbroken because your wife has been brutally murdered, or a fantasy where you're happy and everything is perfect because your wife is still alive? This is not this isn't right.
This this isn't real.
Okay, fine, it's your choice.
I'm not gonna stop you.
You put that thing on, and you could end up in a permanent coma.
Hey, at least you'll be having hot lesbian sex in some sci-fi paradise.
Or you can stay here with me, and we can face the pain and the horror of this in the real world together.
No, I'm not really selling this, am I? Maybe that's why I went into medicine and not marketing.
I don't deserve that life.
I never did.
Neither of us do.
This is what we deserve, to live here.
Punishment for our sins.
- [FEEDBACK WHINES.]
- [KATIE.]
Sarah! Sarah? Sarah.
Sarah! [KATIE.]
Sarah, I'm right here, baby.
I am right here, so you come back to me, okay? Sarah, I'm right here.
I'm right here, baby.
Don't you dare fucking leave me here.
Her neuronal pathways have shut down.
I'm sorry.
There's nothing we can do.
[EERIE MUSIC.]
[MARIO.]
Why would she choose that life? [KATIE.]
She wanted to be punished.
For her sins.
[KATIE.]
Real and imagined.
Surviving.
Being happy.
[MARIO.]
Being happy is not a sin.
[KATIE.]
We're all sinners.
And we all think we need to be punished.
Even if our sins don't exist.
[EERIE BREATHING, AGGRESSIVE PULSATING.]