Jeremiah (2002) s01e08 Episode Script

(Jeremiah) Dear dad.
Dad.
Something's happening, Something important.
Kurdy and I were looking into stories about a bunch of guys running around in what sounded like environment suits, grabbing people for tests.
We were pretty sure they were just a myth.
We were wrong.
[screaming.]
Men.
They were wearing some sort of weird outfits.
They kidnapped my sister.
They're just up the road.
If you hurry, you can stop them.
Then something happened.
[grunting.]
I'm OK.
Go on.
I'll catch up.
[helicopter whirring.]
(male voice) Forget it.
Let her go.
Abort.
Abort.
Damn! [gun firing.]
(Jeremiah) Hold on! Nothing's the same anymore.
What is it? (Kurdy) This guy's old.
(Jeremiah) Dear dad, it's been 15 years since the big death wiped out everyone Over the age of innocence.
The end of your world.
The beginning of mine.
(Marcus) We left you in the suit until we knew what we were dealing with.
Nothing personal.
You have approximately 4 minutes of oxygen left.
You have two choices: Remove the suit, or keep it sealed and suffocate.
How about that? Back to the beginning.
What is it? That voice I know who you are.
3 minutes.
Just enough time to cook an egg Or settle a grudge.
Would you like that, Marcus? Whoa, whoa, Marcus, what the hell is going on? [air hissing.]
Happy now? (Marcus) Quantrell (Sean) Damn it, Quantrell, I need access to the radio.
The radio is for authorized personnel use only.
So's the phone line, the fax line, the D.
S.
L.
, the telecom In case you haven't noticed, doctor, we are at a stage 3 alert, which means all communications are at a lockdown.
Well, how am I supposed to coordinate my efforts here with the C.
D.
C.
? You give all your requests to the sergeant.
He'll get you whatever you need.
I can't work under these kinds of restrictions.
They're completely unreasonable.
They're only unreasonable if you were planning on using the com system for personal use.
Was that on your agenda, doctor? Look, damn it, I came here to help.
Then I suggest you do so, doctor, by confining your efforts to the lab and leaving base policy to me.
Thank you.
What if it was your wife who was missing, major? Doctor, outside these walls, 50 percent of the world's population over the age of 13 are dead, and you're asking me what would I do if my wife was out there in all that.
Well, sir, I would move on, because knowing I was safe, that's what she'd want me to do.
You really think you're safe here, major? You really believe that the plague is just gonna come up to the front door and just turn around? Go back to the lab, Dr.
Alexander, and move on.
Everybody out.
Marcus, what're you-- (Marcus) Erin, you too.
I mean it.
This is personal.
Like father, like son Always picking the wrong time to make something pers-- What-- If we're gonna be arguing amongst ourselves, I do not want this guy to hear any more than he has to.
It's obvious, Marcus, you two have some kind of history, and when this is all over, I'd love to hear all about it.
But right now, we are dealing with something that affects everyone in this room, everyone outside this room, everybody on the whole fucking planet for that matter, OK? This guy is at least 50.
Look at him.
Nobody that old is supposed to be alive after the big death, but he is, and I would like to know how.
I'd like to know why, because I'll bet you he's not the only one.
Now, we found this guy.
We brought him here.
We have a right to know what you know.
Kurdy's right.
When I'm finished! He isn't going anywhere.
I just Need a little time.
What about you, Lee? Where do you stand on this? Where I'm supposed to.
Marcus is in charge.
He makes the decisions.
My job is to respect and implement his decisions.
I haven't forgotten that.
Have you? We'll be back in an hour.
[door closing.]
[switch clicking.]
Oh, you look a lot like your father, except your eyes.
You got your mother's eyes.
Shut up.
You know, we heard you and your people set up camp here, found ways to get the old place runnin'.
Who's "we"? I said if we were smart about it, we'd just move in, take over.
I mean, where else you gonna find a base like this, fully operational, right off the rack, right? But they didn't listen, not even when you got organized.
Said you weren't worth their trouble.
Thanks for proving my point.
Now maybe they'll listen.
You think they'll come looking for you? I know too much for them to risk me being questioned.
And how will they know where to find you? Internal g.
P.
S.
Location chip, powered by neural electricity.
Take major surgery to get it out.
The only way it stops is if I'm dead.
Now, of course, that'll put you between the devil and the deep blue sea, Marcus, because if you kill me, you don't get any of the answers you need.
But if you keep me alive here, well, they're gonna come down on this place hard.
With troops, heavy artillery, and one hell of a big can opener.
Yeah And you will lose.
You'll lose everything.
Now, your best bet is just to let me go.
I mean, that'd be the smart thing to do.
You've always been a smart kid, haven't you, Marcus? (Sean) Self-righteous son of a bitch [exclaims.]
You know, he wouldn't even be in charge of this place if everyone else in the command structure around here wasn't dead.
Do you wanna know what Quantrell's doing now? (both) Sealing off all the ducting to make sure-- Nobody gets out of the air filtration system.
How did you I tapped into the base Ethernet system.
I can't get into his personal files, but--Marcus! That kind of behavior can get you shot.
[keyboard clicking.]
Did you find anything else? Oh, nothing significant, but I was able to cross-link a D.
S.
L.
connection they forgot to cut, and, well, uh I got T.
V.
Let's see.
[beeping.]
and we've just lost contact with our sister station in Detroit.
We'll, uh, try to get them back, but We're getting continued reports of fires burning out of control, all along the Eastern seaboard.
Locally, many parts of Denver are in flames, as pyres, started to cremate the dead, continue to get out of control.
With fire stations empty across the country, we ask our viewers to store bodies in the designated holding areas.
Do not attempt cremation Assuming we have any viewers left.
We'll continue to transmit for as long as we have power, but-- I don't know if anybody out there can still hear me, but I've written a note to my children.
it's in the top right drawer of my desk here at the station.
Whoever survives, please find them and tell them Tell them I love them, And I'm sorry, and And it's-- It's all in the letter.
I hope that tonight, all the parents in the world will tell their children they love them, and Do their best to carry on after we're gone, because barring a miracle, We'll all be gone soon.
(Marcus) They're all gone but you're still here.
Why? Clean livin'.
Understand this: My parents are dead because of you.
All this time, the only thing that's kept me going is the belief that you were dead as well, because if you survived, well, there was no reason for them to die, now, was there? I want the truth, or I swear to God, you will never ever leave here.
Looking for something? I know we're preaching the idea of a new world, but I didn't think we left privacy off the list of approved values.
Marcus told us to wait.
We may as well wait here as anyplace else.
This isn't like you.
I don't know if you got the message down there or not, but something bad is going on.
You ever seen Marcus go off like that? Never seen you break in an office before either.
I was in here the other day.
Marcus was looking for a file.
I thought I saw something That said "Quantrell.
" Marcus is hiding something from us, Erin, and it has something to do with this place.
Now, if he wants to play games because he doesn't trust us, then we are left to our own devices.
He didn't say he doesn't trust you.
Look, you guys are still new here.
You don't know Marcus the way we do.
Is he flawed? Yes.
Eccentric? Sure.
He has a brilliant mind.
He was a child prodigy.
Show me one of them who isn't screwed up a little.
Eccentric or not, it's his mind and his spirit that have kept us going all this time.
Got it, right here.
Major G.
Quantrell, executive officer.
That is the name that Marcus mentioned.
He used to be one of the guys in charge of this place.
Hell, this was probably his office.
You see that, Erin? He was military.
He still is, from the way he talks.
That's not possible.
There is no more military, at least not the way it was before the big death.
Well, until a few hours ago, we didn't think anyone still had a working helicopter either, but these guys had 2, and one of 'em took a shot at us.
You can't have military without a command structure, without resources, hardware, a base of operation and enough weapons to Merry freakin' Christmas.
Out.
I mean it.
[telephone ringing.]
[ringing.]
Quantrell.
What? What? Colonel, no way I can let this happen.
Major, my orders are this patient, meaghan Lee rose, is to be held in a secure location on this base, until she can be transferred to the center for disease control.
They need to figure out how she can have this disease but not die from it.
Sir, she's nothing but a typhoid Mary.
I don't care if she's big death Bertha, major.
I have my orders.
You have yours.
Fine.
Put her in quarantine.
Motherfucker.
Son of a bitch.
Sergeant! Sir.
Once she's in, you seal off that part of the base.
Yes, sir.
- Captain? - Yes, sir.
When they're gone, lock down the mountain.
Nobody gets in or out.
I don't give a good goddamn who comes knockin'.
I don't care if they got 5 stars and a battalion.
They don't like it, they can damn well try and dig us out.
Yes, sir.
As of 07:30 this morning, I've received instructions from the surviving joint chiefs, that this base Is to be locked down.
Effective immediately.
[all murmuring.]
Dad, aren't you supposed to be copied on anything that involves quarantine? Yeah, I am.
But you didn't hear about this? No.
the use of deadly force to be used against anyone attempting to enter or leave this facility, until we've been given the all-clear.
Which may not come for a very long time.
God bless America.
God bless us all.
Dismissed.
Come on.
You never received that order, did you, major? I don't have to explain my actions to you or anyone else-- Because I would've been copied on the lockdown, correct? Must've gotten lost in the mail.
Odd.
I'd like to see it.
I'll think about it.
I said I would like to see that order, major.
No.
Doctor, doctor You see anyone else in here asking to see orders? Of course not.
Little news flash for you: If I keep the plague out of here, they're gonna kiss my ass and give me a medal.
Because it has nothing to do with orders anymore.
It's about survival, and I will do whatever I think necessary to keep this base operational and uninfected.
Major, if you think for one sec-- Sir! monitor of the watch.
We have an intruder outside.
Monitor 3.
Sean? Sean, can you hear me? Mom I'm sorry, Sean.
I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner, so I could say goodbye.
I'm infected, Sean.
Symptoms started showing up a day and a half ago.
Doesn't leave me much time But I had to talk-- What the hell are you doing? Nothing we can do.
We have to bring her inside.
Are you out of your mind, man? She's infected.
We have one other quarantine room.
Negative.
The base is sealed.
But damn it, Quantrell, she is my wife.
I cannot just leave her out there to die.
If we could bring her inside, then at least I can try to keep her alive.
Remove this man from my office, please.
Yes, sir.
You cannot do this to me, Quantrell.
Quantrell! (Jean) I just I needed to see you.
[sighing.]
Please Please get this, and know I love you.
[machine whirring.]
Hey I'm going again.
You wanna come? No way, man.
Major's on the warpath.
He finds out, we're both dead.
That's why we have to do it now.
As soon as we switch over to the recycled air and filtration system, the system will alert if anything bigger than 5 microns tries to get through.
There'll be no way in or outta here.
Look, even if I wanted to go, there is no way I'm going in the houses of the dead.
Man, have you lost your mind? As long as you wear a clean suit, it's safe.
I got a couple from the lab.
Nobody'll ever miss 'em.
Just gotta be careful not to tear 'em or anything, that's all.
I don't care if it's safe.
It's just Clete, it's not right.
What, do you think they care? They're dead, rich.
They died and they got shoved in those places with all their-- their jewelry and wallets and watches.
Because nobody wanted to touch them.
Because they didn't have a way to do it safe.
We do.
Look, I've seen the same news reports you have.
The virus is spread by skin contact.
It stays bad for a few days even after the body's dead, but as long as you don't touch 'em, you're fine.
Look, I'm just offerin' 'cause you're a buddy.
I mean, sooner or later, this whole thing's gonna blow over, and when it does, I'm gonna be set for life.
You don't want a piece of that, it's your call.
Well, I don't, all right? Suit yourself.
See you in a few.
Marcus, go sit down for a sec.
Listen, can you use your computer to hook into the security cameras? Uh, yeah, yeah, I think so.
Just give me a sec.
OK.
We've got to re-route Back door There.
Enhance.
Hey, mom? Mom, can you hear me? Marcus? [panting.]
Marcus, oh, my God.
I wanted I wanted to hear your voice one more time Jean, it's me.
We're doing everything we can to get you inside.
Sean, if you do that, I will get in this car and I will drive away.
damn it.
It's too late, Sean.
Too late.
I thought about turning back to save you, but I couldn't.
Maybe that was selfish of me, But I wanted to say goodbye.
So at least you wouldn't have to wonder if I was still Oh, God.
Jean? Oh I love you, Sean.
Marcus I love you.
(Sean) Jean, listen, listen, I'm working with the C.
D.
C.
on some new treatments.
Maybe they can keep you alive for a while, maybe long enough for them to find a cure.
You always were a romantic, Sean.
I love you for that, but we both know, that there isn't anything that's gonna help me now.
The only thing I do know is that Quantrell is wrong if he thinks that he can keep the plague out of here.
I mean, if it's coming anyway, then we might as-- (Marcus) Mom? Mom? It's all right.
She's still alive.
Stage 2 infection leads to periodic blackouts dementia, and then We'll just give her some time.
(Sean) It'll all be better.
With time.
[phone ringing.]
Yes? They brought him in a little over an hour ago.
I'm afraid so.
Has the team already left the ground? Is there any way to stop them? Understood.
I'll be there.
[sighs.]
[whispering.]
I can't do this.
I cannot let her die in the middle of the goddamned road when she's just 30 feet away, and for what? So Quantrell can kid himself into thinking he's safe in here? Turn around.
Come here.
Come on.
I want you to listen to me very carefully, Marcus.
This is important.
I love you.
I love you, and I love your mother, and I would never, ever choose to leave either one of you, especially if one of you was in pain.
No one No one should die alone, without a human hand to hold.
Now, you know what the plague is, because we've talked about it a hundred times, and you know that it won't affect you or--or anyone younger than you, but everyone who's older.
The bad thing is that life persists, and this virus is a form of life, and if it runs out of food in one place, it'll just keep knocking on every door it can find until it exhausts the supply, and only then will it die out.
Now, what's going to happen to me, Marcus, it's inevitable, as is what's going to happen to you And that's the good thing, is that life persists, because you will survive, you and the others your age.
We have really screwed up this world, Marcus, but you're gonna have a chance to make it right again, and that means making a world that is based on compassion.
And I guess I guess that world has to start someplace.
Come here.
[crying.]
I love you, Marcus.
Please live, hmm? For your mother and me, because a piece of us will always be alive in you.
[Marcus gasping.]
Yes, sir.
Copy that.
I've completed My patrol of sector "D".
All is clear and ready for lockdown.
With your permission, I'll move down to level 3 and begin-- Now, I want the keys to this and that front door, right now.
Sir, we've had a breach in security.
Somebody got in? No, sir.
Out.
Son of a bitch.
Damn it.
(aide #2) We locked the door again as soon as he was outside and canceled all key cards.
There's no way he's getting back inside.
Shit.
Sean? OK, I'm Right here, Jean.
What's that? (Sean) It's just It's gonna be something for the pain.
It's gonna help you relax, all right? There we go.
[whispering.]
There we go.
OK.
come on over here.
[groaning.]
[panting.]
Just relax, OK? I was I was having a dream.
That's all it was, Jean.
It was just a dream.
It was just It was just a bad dream, but it's It's all over now.
Mmm.
I keep thinking there's Some reason you shouldn't be here.
Don't be silly.
Well Where else would I be, huh? It's all right.
It's fine.
We're just gonna We're just gonna sit here, just for a while.
Mmm.
It's a pretty day, isn't it? [whispering.]
Yeah.
Yeah, I know, it's a pretty day.
Reminds me of the day we were married.
[chuckles.]
You wore that awful suit.
[laughing.]
It never quite fit right, and the color [laughing.]
I remember.
I remember.
But I never loved you more, and I never loved you less.
Well, that was the deal, right? huh? To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, till I feel if I let go, I'll fall.
Just listen to me.
I want you to know, when the time comes, that it's OK to let go.
It's all right, because I will always be there to catch you Mmm.
All right? Always.
[radio crackling.]
(rich) Clete You copy? Yeah, I'm right here.
Hey, listen, you better get your ass back here, A.
S.
A.
P.
I'm almost done.
No, you're done now.
I've just heard the major's sending somebody to make sure we're locked down tight, So get on back, fast.
all right, all right.
I'm comin' in.
ow! God.
[panting.]
Why do you still have that suit on? What's wrong? Nothing.
Nothing.
I'm fine.
What happened out there? Nothing.
Do what you have to do.
Just don't let anyone see you.
My mother is dead.
My father is dead.
But you're still alive.
When we didn't find your body, I-- I figured you tried to make a run for it, but there was no place to run.
I was wrong.
Where did you go? Where have you been? Why are you alive when everybody I loved is dead? Come on, Marcus.
Stop asking questions when you already know the answers.
Go ahead, say it.
The sooner you say it, the sooner you're gonna realize you're in over your head, the sooner I get out of here.
Valhalla sector.
I have someone here who's gonna be very happy to meet you.
[sighs.]
I know you.
I've seen you before.
Not as often as I've seen you.
How in the fuck did you get in here? I walked through the walls, following the steps of the dark man.
Wh-who are you? Ezekiel.
I wasn't supposed to talk to you, but we may not have another chance, and there's something you need to know.
I'm your brother.
My brother died right in front of my fuckin' eyes.
What are you talking about? I know.
He's gone.
Nonetheless, we are brothers.
We had different fathers and different mothers, but we are brothers.
You have to understand while there's still time.
Remember, I told you the thunder would change you forever.
So what? It's started.
Whoa, yo, yo.
What the hell's wrong with you, man? Find Erin.
Tell her I--I gotta see Marcus.
He still has 10 minutes.
No, he doesn't.
He's out of time.
(Quantrell) You're running Out of time, Marcus.
you'd better go ahead and let the genie out of the bottle, and you'll live longer.
You care about that.
I don't.
That's all you've ever cared about.
Clete Hey, clete.
Hey, you're late for your shift, man.
Oh No, that's all there is to care about.
I've seen death, Quantrell.
I'm not afraid of it.
Listen to me.
We should move the bodies outside and burn them.
We won't get sick.
[sighs.]
I know this is gonna be hard, but only the youngest should touch them And me, just in case.
Now, where's Quantrell? Where were you? I got out.
I ran.
As soon as I heard what happened, I ran.
[helicopter hovering.]
(Marcus) Ran Ran where? (Quantrell) To a place that had the will to do what your father And others couldn't Shut the door on the rest of the world and wait.
They're comin'.
Helicopters are comin'.
You got radar here.
Use it.
Marcus, we gotta talk.
Not now.
Yes, now.
Damn it, Jeremiah.
Hey! Jeremiah.
Get me command.
Well What? This is a red-letter day.
We heard you were dead.
Why--why do you know my name? You heard I was dead? Who told you that? You'll find out soon enough.
Bullshit, all right? I need some straight answers, and I need 'em right now.
He's from Valhalla sector.
(Quantrell) You people are pathetic.
You know that? You're pathetic.
You've got all this, and you think you know what power is.
You don't have a clue.
You have no idea what power is.
You don't even know who you're messing with here.
You want to know what it's all about? Is that it, hmm? We're coming out.
That's right.
We've been waiting, biding our time, but now we're just about ready to move, and when we do, we're gonna build a world based on power.
Anybody doesn't like it, we'll push 'em aside or leave 'em behind, 'cause we've got the knowledge, we've got the technology, we've got the guns, and we've got the will.
We're gonna bring back order and discipline.
We're gonna do it our way, because you people have had your chance.
You've had 15 years, and you've screwed it up.
You've been sitting on your asses feeling sorry for yourselves, letting the world go to shit.
Well, those days are over.
Yeah, that's right.
It's our turn now.
We would've come out a long time ago, except Except for what? What scared you back under your rock? Scared you so bad you grab innocent people and test them for God knows what? You're coming out? If you're not afraid of the outside, why are you walking around in an airtight suit? You know my name.
Maybe you know somebody else My father.
I know more than you wanna hear.
We've got 6 choppers coming What? Say again.
(technician) Marcus, we've got 6 choppers coming this way, 100 miles and closing fast.
Looks like they're heavily armed.
What does that mean? What does that mean? Future's comin', kiddies.
The future's comin'.
It's gonna knock down your front door unless you let me outta here right now.
Marcus? I gotta do something.
Marcus! [exhales.]
(technician) Distance, 80 miles.
- Marcus, what are you doing? - Leave me alone.
- No, those choppers are-- - I know.
- They're coming fast! - I know! We've gotta let him go.
What? No fucking way.
Get your hands off of me.
Listen to me.
I've spent 15 years of my life looking for my father and Valhalla Sector, and now we have somebody who fucking lives there, and you expect me To let him go? No! Do you think I wanna let him go? You must! Do you? Don't you understand? That--that if he's alive, that means there was a way out, and that means he didn't I have to put the safety of the others before my own.
We can't take 'em, not yet.
We're not ready.
Bullshit, Marcus! I built this place up.
I made it what it is.
I made it into a place where we could go out and create peace.
Look, if you're not ready, it's because you already waited too long.
60 miles.
They won't stop unless he's dead or gone.
We can take 'em.
We're not ready.
We are! You've got guns.
I know you do.
I've seen 'em.
50 miles now.
You want a war? Yes! You want a war, Jeremiah? Swords into plowshares, man.
You want a piece of flesh.
I want a piece of flesh.
All God's children want a piece of flesh.
You want a war, Jeremiah? You want a war? You've got a war.
Marcus, Marcus.
Marcus.
Marcus! It's about time you got here.
Where are the others? Where are the others? Hey, what are you waiting for? Open the door.
Get me out of here.
My fathers say hello, both of them.
[air whooshing.]
What are you doing? Hey! What are you doing? Don't do that! Open this door! Damn it! Damn you! Open the [choking.]
(Kurdy) Hey.
Come on, we've gotta stop them.
30 miles.
[gasping.]
Choppers are holding at 20 miles.
Helicopters are changing course.
They're heading away.
Marcus, what You wanted to see us? You OK, Marcus? Did you know that in the 15th century, when the black death was wiping half of Europe out, the churches kept all the knowledge of the secular world safe? Then one day, they took that knowledge back out into the world, and what followed was the renaissance.
Some historians say that the renaissance would never have happened if the black death hadn't happened first.
They never consider the possibility that the renaissance also wouldn't have happened if the churches had just sat on all those books waiting for the right day.
That's a cool story, but I don't think it really answers "are you OK?" I've just been thinking Thinking since I took over this place, thinking since the two of you arrived and said we should be doing more outside, even if it risked exposing our situation here.
I've-- I've been thinking for too long.
[clicking switch.]
There's a military term I used to hear when my father was still alive: "use them or lose them.
" We know that Valhalla Sector is real.
We know that they're armed and that they're gonna move soon, and we know that the world that they wanna make is not the world that we wanna make.
If we wait, we lose.
The renaissance never comes So we're not waiting anymore.
We have resources.
Let's use them.
We need to start revealing ourselves to the world outside: Who we are, what we can do, but not where we are.
Tell people they got a chance, that they're not alone, get them organized And pray like hell that we're not too late.
[crickets chirping.]
Hi.
My name's Erin.
Listen, I can't tell you where I'm from (Kurdy) I can't tell you where I'm from, and I can't tell you who sent me, but I come from a place I come from a place where we've organized.
The big death wasn't the end.
We have to choose what we want for our future.
If we don't, somebody else will.
[door opening.]
Hi.
You look like hell.
It's been a long day.
I bet.
I sometimes wonder why you come here, every day, faithfully, even knowing the virus is still in me, even knowing what I am.
Why is that, Marcus? I don't know.
original source: peritta synced and corrected: quinnell