Halt and Catch Fire (2014) s02e05 Episode Script

1 I finally thought of something I like more about Dallas than Austin.
You're in Dallas.
Son of a bitch.
Sara? Everything all right? I know, the network's fast, but we don't have anything that maximizes it.
We have this racecar and it's just idling.
Well, we have a racetrack.
What we need is a racecar.
- You're really annoying.
- But this will be our racecar.
Two player, first-person game, online, over dial-up.
We still have to figure out what it's about.
What it's about.
Yeah, we will.
- Between the two of us.
- And our crack team.
It will be excellent game, like steal the bread from the weak little boy.
It is good impersonation I do.
If you were impersonating the cyborg sent to kill Sarah Connor.
Oh, damn, that came out today.
- Oh, yeah.
- Yeah, I want to go pick it up.
My friend at Suncoast was gonna reserve a copy.
What time is it? I gotta go.
If I'm late, my boss is gonna have my ass.
- Oh, she sounds like such a bitch.
- Oh, you have no idea.
Your clothes, give them to me now.
Stop with the impressions.
You, me, "Terminator," tonight.
Okay.
- Hey.
Mornin', sunshine.
- Hey.
- You just headin' home? - Uh, just for a couple hours.
Attagirl.
Now get some shut-eye.
I'll make sure the place doesn't burn down without you.
All right.
- Hey, good morning.
- Long night? - You want some coffee? - I kind of want a beer.
- Is that bad? - Hell no.
A long day at work, I'd have two.
- Where are the girls? - They're brushing their teeth.
Oh, that is too good.
- Everything going okay over there? - Yeah, it's amazing.
You know, Community's expanding so fast.
It's just a lot of work, but it's work I want to be doing.
- Mmm.
- Oh, shoot.
You know, we need to get in touch with somebody over at what's it called.
They haven't sent us our first invoice and we need to figure out billing.
Oh, well, I'm sure they'll probably send something over, you know? Yeah, I just want to make sure we get this deal in writing.
It seems almost too good to be true.
Right, well, I'll talk to him.
You know, you've got enough on your plate.
You know, stuff you actually want to be doing.
- Yeah - Oh, I wanted to talk to you about this.
I've been thinking about doing something with this made-to-order computer business.
Yeah, you should.
- Something wrong? - No, no.
It just went down the wrong pipe.
You know, I think maybe with everything that's gone down with Sonaris and all, it'd be better if I could deal with them directly.
You know Cameron, if I can keep you out of it, maybe we can spare ourselves her wrath.
Yeah, sure.
No problem.
Great, so we can set something up soon? - This week? - Yeah.
You know, actually the person I've been dealing with over there is Joe.
- Ahem.
- Joe who? Incoming! Oh, come on, now.
- Heads up! - Gracious, is that a pajama top? Well, what is a pajama top, John? I mean, if you fall asleep in that shirt, does it become a pajama top? And then can it ever not be a pajama top once I'm just askin' when you bought it, did it come with bottoms? - What constitutes bottoms? - Okay, forget I asked.
Yeah, it's cool, but you know what I'm gonna say.
Oh, come on.
Look, it's good guys versus bad guys.
Yeah, but why are they bad? Why do we care? What's the context? Cont A roller coaster doesn't have a context.
- Tom - What? No one gets off Judge Roy Scream talking about the story, they talk about the experience.
A roller coaster's 90 seconds long.
You-you have to create something here that's gonna consume people for hours.
- You know I'm right.
- Cameron? I'll be back.
Oh, God.
What? What do you want? As you know, I am a long-standing Mutiny user, so I trust you'll give my input the weight it is due.
- Okay, get on with it.
- Yesterday evening, I was playing Parallax chapter eight, challenge four.
- On the path - Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I solved the riddle, and yet, I wasn't able to continue on.
Either this is a glitch or an illogical piece of in-game storytelling.
Whatever the case, I would like a refund for that hour of usage.
You're not getting shit, buddy.
We don't give refunds for people who are too thick to figure out the game, and even if we did, you haven't paid your bill in two months, so you're operating on borrowed time as it is.
Now, if I were you, I'd head back to chapter eight and maybe consider my dwindling water reserves and see where in the game I could've replenished my supply.
- Oh! - Bye! - Chet? - Yeah.
But it just makes no damn sense.
I want a cup of coffee Look, cups are clear across the kitchen, huh? See? Now, where's the sugar? Again, all the way across the kitchen.
Come on, man.
I'm bouncing around like a damn pinball.
Now, look, create a station.
One-stop, all your needs.
Do you know what I'm talking about? - Coffee? - Oh, God.
Efficiency, son.
Time is money.
For Get outta here.
- You're amazing, Boz.
- Hey, who was that bothering you? Huh? Oh, Chet.
He's a user.
- He's just some pain in the ass.
- Hey, what about vertical space? We could we could have these vertical tubes that you climb up, - you drop down - Yeah, that's amazing.
- But you know what I'm gonna say - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah - Just check it out, just check it out.
- Well, then, figure it out.
You lied to your wife.
That's not my problem.
Oh, but it is.
She's gonna tell Cameron.
All right, they want a sit-down with a representative from Westgroup.
They want a formal agreement in writing.
Look, you gotta make this thing legitimate.
- That's not possible.
- Well, then, make it possible.
It's only been three weeks.
The whole plan was to amass months of data.
- We don't have a choice.
- I've always got a choice.
I can kick Mutiny off the network and go to another online service.
You can, but you're not going to because we had a deal, right, Joe? And you're gonna honor that agreement because you're not the reptilian son of a bitch that everybody says you are.
- You're a changed man.
- This isn't what I wanted.
If I tell Wheeler too early and he doesn't go for it, the network is done, Mutiny is done.
Snap out of it, all right? You're Joe MacMillan.
You could talk him into jumping off a bridge if you wanted to.
Just decide to do it and do it.
Look, I gotta go.
- Just promise me that you're gonna - Got it.
- Ahem.
- What's going on? I want to emphasize that I had no idea about this, and as soon as I found out, I came straight here.
What? Joe MacMillan is the person running the network.
He's Gordon's contact at the company.
- I'm sorry? - Gordon helped him set up time-sharing.
He insisted that Mutiny get a good deal, - and he didn't tell me - Stop.
- You let Joe MacMillan in the door? - I didn't do anything.
No, Gordon, again.
I'm sorry, Donna, but he doesn't work here.
- I know.
I know.
- This isn't his to mess with.
He wanted to make up for crashing the network.
Huh.
What a way to apologize.
He felt terrible.
He wanted to fix it.
I know this isn't any consolation, but I sat across from Joe.
He seems different.
Maybe he's changed.
Thank you for your honesty.
If you don't mind, I'd like a few moments to myself.
Okay.
Um, based on my examination last time, the symmetrical weakness in your hands, the memory and concentration tests, your employment history, um, exposure to lead solder, and working with solvents, I ordered the MRI.
I know you were a little ambivalent about the test, but I am glad that we sprung for it because it really is an amazing new tool.
According to the radiologists, there are two areas, very small, that show signs of atrophy.
Atrophy? Brain damage.
It's called chronic toxic encephalopathy.
Now, given this combination of clues, it explains your physical symptoms and it likely accounts for the psychological symptoms you described to me as well - irritability and the mood swings.
- Yeah, how do I fix it? I'm sorry to say there is no treatment.
Brain tissue does not repair itself.
This will be a permanent condition.
But I feel fine.
What the hell's gonna happen now? Well, your symptoms could likely progress.
- This could get worse? - This was years of slow accumulation of these toxins into your blood.
But in light of that, the fact that your symptoms have accelerated would indicate that you likely haven't seen the worst of this yet.
I am sorry, Gordon.
So, what's going on with Cameron? Do you remember Joe MacMillan? - Sure, Admiral Eyebrows.
- What? That's what we called him.
You didn't call him that? No, but I will now.
Anyway, turns out he's the one who's running the network.
That sucks.
She mutinied to get away from that psycho.
Mm.
Who are you talking to, Lev? Nobody.
It's none of your business.
It's just a friend.
- Who you talking to, Lev? - It's just a guy I met in one of the forums.
We've we've been talking.
- He likes The Cure.
- You've been flirting.
- Oh.
- So? Lev, this is good.
This is really good.
We're gonna make a room where you can meet people online.
- Meet? - Yes.
- Like girls? - Yes! We'll do a personals room where you meet and then you go into a private room, like a date.
She got the idea from Lev 'cause he's been talking to someone online.
Oh, great.
You see, I've been living in the past, taking a woman out to dinner like we used to do.
- You got a date, Boz? - Now, I'm not sure why that news is met with such shock and disbelief.
Looks like you're talking to a fella there, Lev.
Yeah.
Oh.
Yeah, okay.
No, so you're No, that's completely, uh Yeah.
Oh, hell, I got a cousin.
Ahem.
Good.
I'm gonna get another coffee here.
- Yeah.
- Hey, Donna, it's Gordon! - Hello? - Hey, sweetie.
- What's up? - I was, uh What are we gonna call the private rooms? - I don't know, "A Table For Two"? - Barf.
Okay, fine, then you figure it out.
Sorry, what were you saying? Where are you? It's loud.
I've, uh, I just got the TV on.
Why don't we go out tonight, just the two of us? No kids? It's been a while since we spent some time together just you and me.
- Donna? - Yeah, sorry, I lost you for a second.
That sounds great.
We just really hit on something and I think we're probably gonna be working late, so Yeah, yeah, of course.
Um, but, uh, maybe this weekend sometime? - Sure.
- Sorry, look, I gotta jump off, but I'll see you at home, okay? - I love you, bye.
- Yeah, yeah, I love you t Hey, Tom, you coming? Yeah.
Hey, um, do you know what's going on with her? - With Cameron? - Stuff with her ex.
It's a long story.
Come on, let's go.
- Ah! Come on, sobachka.
- You dog.
Hey, champ.
What's shakin'? Oh, Jesus! This stupid chair.
Hey, Cam? - Cam? - What? Come on, let's talk.
I've calculated the cost of every barrel of oil you pull out of the ground.
It takes an awful lot of money to make that first dollar.
Using your existing mainframe for time-sharing, there's no cost to you.
There's an ocean of money out there, and you have already drilled the wells.
People talk about the computer revolution as if it were a thing of the past, but I grew up running around IBM.
This business is in my blood, and believe me when I tell you, the revolution hasn't even started yet.
I think it sounds promising.
I thought you would.
That's why I did it, three weeks ago.
I retrofitted the mainframe.
I sold the time to an exciting company called Mutiny.
In three weeks, they've shown steady growth and will only continue to expand.
This could be the moment when Westgroup stops digging in the past and starts building the future.
All you have to do is nothing.
Three weeks of data, that's not much.
- The trend will continue.
- Maybe.
Have a seat, Joe.
So, you did all this behind my back.
That was quite a gamble.
You know, Westgroup is a huge operation.
However, one resource sorely lacking in a company of this size is hunger.
Everybody here is fat and happy.
But you? You strike me as the kind of guy that isn't ever satisfied.
You aren't happy, and I can turn that into money.
I assume this takes you out of Data Entry.
It would.
I would be the network administrator managing the sales of the time, the hardware upkeep.
And I suppose a nice raise comes along with a new title.
No raise.
Let me show you that it works first.
Hmm.
Sara knew all about this, huh? - She's got some poker face.
- Yeah.
I just want to have a meeting with somebody from, what was it? Mutiny? Let's have a sit-down tomorrow night.
I'm flying up to Alaska around 7:00, but we can meet before then.
Uh, you don't have to worry.
I can handle the client.
Oh, I'm not worried.
We'll meet tomorrow night.
I never go into business with anyone without looking them in the eye first.
Well, I want to kill him.
I know you don't like Joe.
Neither do I.
I'd like to see him punched in the balls as much as anybody, but he's a businessman, and not a bad one.
Put together Giant, got me onboard.
That box was an abomination.
From a strictly commercial standpoint, pulling your operating system was the right move.
That machine, it meant a lot to me.
It wasn't art, but it was sound business, and one thing about Mutiny is you got a whole lot of the former, not much of the latter.
Look, to top it all off, you got Joe right where you want him.
You kidding me? He wants forgiveness.
He wants to do right by you.
I just feel like we're part of some plan that he has.
The only person I trust to get an accurate read on Joe MacMillan, that's you.
- You gotta look him in the eye.
- And if I don't like what I see? Then you kill him.
Smile! Smile! Why aren't you dancing? - I have brain damage! - Oh, never heard of 'em.
I think I'm dying! Oh, me, too! Whoo! Why didn't you tell me beforehand? In case it didn't work out.
I didn't want to fall on my face in front of you.
How did you even do it? Gordon helped me with the setup.
He did some of the hardware on the condition that I lease the time to the company where Donna works.
They need a competitive price.
Cameron's company.
The plot thickens.
It was Gordon's stipulation.
- You know how this looks.
- Yeah.
Bad.
It looks bad.
I would've told you, but I wanted to show you the finished product.
It was stupid, but I thought you'd be impressed.
I am.
We don't keep secrets.
I don't care how small.
I can't do it.
- Morning.
- Morning.
- Joe, lovely to see you.
- Is Donna home? I'm not sure you really want to talk to her.
Donna doesn't, uh I don't know how to put this like you.
- Donna does not like you.
- I need to speak to her.
- Okay.
- Gordon, who was that? It's for you.
Hi.
I've set up a meeting with Jacob Wheeler.
He's looking forward to sitting down with you.
- Me specifically? - A representative from Mutiny.
I thought you were the obvious choice given your hardware background.
And because I'm not Cameron.
That would be a little awkward, but that's not why I'm here.
Look, Joe, it's not my company.
You need to deal with her.
I expect her to be prepared, and I expect her to be professional.
It's Mutiny's future on the line here, too.
You tell me where and when, I'll make sure she shows up.
I didn't hear you come home last night.
Cameron flipped when I told her about Joe.
I had to stay and hold down the fort.
Do you want to get some lunch? Maybe we could go pick up the girls together.
You know I'm dealing with a lot of stuff right now.
I I have to go back to work.
I have to talk to Cameron, again.
I'm sorry.
- I'd like to say a few things before - Hi, are they ready for us? One moment, please.
The hardware wars are over.
The future is in connection.
Mutiny has cutting-edge games, people meeting and competing in a virtual world.
Sounds like Playnet is doing the same thing, as far as I can tell.
- No.
- No? We create a fully interactive experience.
They make a pretty good version of hangman.
We're not doing the same thing as Playnet.
We don't want to do the same thing as Playnet.
We're doing something much, much better with half the resources.
- And how do you pull that off? - Our code's better.
It's more efficient and creative.
So, tell me, how does someone get good at something like that? Uh How did Gretzky get good at hockey? - Practice.
- And? And a whole lot of God-given talent.
It's your words, not mine.
Here, let me show you.
I didn't make you for a hockey fan.
- I like the fights.
- Hmm.
So this is just a demo disk, but it'll give you some idea of what our interface looks like.
Okay.
- How was school? - Good.
Yeah? You guys wanna go have some fun with your dad? - What do you mean? - I don't know.
You tell me.
We can do anything you want.
Let's go to Grandma and Grandpa's.
- And play video games! - Yeah! You don't understand.
We can do anything.
You know, we could go to the park, we could go to the zoo, we could go to the movies, you know? You name it.
- Huh? - Um - let's go to Grandma and Grandpa's.
- You guys were just there yesterday.
Come on, be creative.
Anything you want, all right? - Hi! - Grandma! - Grandma! - You sure this is all right, Susan? - Of course! Mm.
- I appreciate it.
You know, I asked them where they wanted to go, do whatever they want.
They are positively obsessed with this thing Gary brought back from his trip.
The Japs love him.
Gave him one of those arcade game video things you plug into your TV.
It's not being released until the fall.
Hey, sweethearts, what is that contraption called? - Nintendo! - Nintendo! - Mm.
- It's a bunch of little men fighting turtles or something.
I don't can't follow it.
I don't understand the appeal.
Um, can I offer you a drink? - Sure.
Thank you.
- Well, great.
I'm impressed.
So what about this guy? You two know each other from your stint at Cardiff Electric, right? Can you vouch for him? He's marrying my daughter.
He's a hell of a guy.
Congratulations.
Uh, Cameron, wait.
I just wanted to say you were great in there and it was nice to see you.
You know, when I heard that you'd weaseled your way back into my life, I was pissed.
But more than that, I was scared because I thought I was the mark.
- He's the mark, isn't he? - He's not a mark.
I don't It's an honest business proposal.
I can't tell if you know you're lying or not.
- I'm not lying.
- Okay.
So, it's just a coincidence that you fell in love with the daughter of a billionaire.
Why can't you see that I'm helping you here? I never asked for help.
I don't want any help, especially from you.
Listen, a lot has changed since I saw you last.
Yeah, I'm not the same naive girl anymore.
So just stay away.
Did you get my letter? Did you read it? - Hi.
- Uh - You must be Cameron.
- Oh, sorry.
Cameron, this is Sara.
- Sara, this is Cameron.
- The fiancée, of course.
- Yeah.
- Congrats.
Thank you.
Uh, Joe told me all about your company.
It's very interesting.
- Mm-hmm.
- We should all have dinner.
- I'd love to learn more about it.
- We'll have to make that happen.
Uh, it was lovely to meet you.
Joe, always a pleasure.
- Everything okay? - Yeah.
Yeah, it was great.
Clearly.
You're fun, Gordon.
How come I never knew you were so much fun? I am fun.
I'm super fun.
It's that Donna that keeps me down.
She takes after her dad.
God, me and her used to have such a good time together.
You know, when we first got together and we'd come visit you guys, we'd always end up at this bar-club type place, the Twist, and we would dance till we were just about dead.
- You know, shut the place down.
- My Donna? Oh, yeah.
I mean, when we moved here, we thought we'd be going there all the time, but, you know, the kids and, you know, life gets in the way and you just forget to have fun.
- Mm.
- But, you know, fun's important.
- To fun.
- To fun.
I can't see.
How am I supposed to get back? Mm.
You know I never really thanked you properly.
You and Gary have been so good to us.
You know, done so much.
It took us a while to land on our feet, but, you know, you supported us throughout.
You know, and now it's finally paid off.
Susan, we couldn't have done it without you.
Well, what's the point of having money if not to help out your loved ones? Well, I don't mean the money.
I just mean, you know, being there for us.
Oh.
Yeah.
Well, what, you want me to pay you back? I thought that's what I'm sorry, I feel awkward.
Oh, you want me to pay you back? Well, all that talk of family and support and you having money now, I just I think you've had too much to drink, sweetheart.
Oh, no, no, no.
What do we owe you? Donna will never owe us a cent.
But the Symphonic We put in just north of 22,000, all told.
I got my checkbook.
- Uh, just north of 22,000, you say.
- Mm-hmm.
Why don't we make it an even 23? Oh.
You know, my my girlfriends and I went on a wine tasting, and you know how that is.
- One thing leads to another.
- What? What was the charge? - Indecent exposure.
- Oh, my God.
I'm absolutely scandalized.
I'm sorry, sir.
Can I speak to you a moment? Yeah, sure.
- Just one moment.
- Mm-hmm.
I'm sorry, sir.
Your card is declined.
Declined? - Let me talk to the manager.
- I am the manager.
Look, I used to come here all the time.
I'm friends with Silvio.
He retired.
Look, I'm good for it.
I'll be here first thing tomorrow with a fat wad of cash and a hefty tip.
- You have my word.
- Well, can't she pay? No, she cannot pay.
She is my date.
- Come on, man.
It's 1985.
- Come on.
Give me a second to work something out, all right? All right.
Guys, Chet's entering rooms through other people's accounts and he's cursing out Bosworth for kicking him off the network.
It's hilarious.
Mutiny.
Hey.
- Here.
- Thank you.
- Yeah.
- I'll pay you back.
Yeah, that's cool.
I'll see you a little later.
- Hey.
- Uh-huh? How'd you like your new chair? Did you kick Chet off the network? Yeah.
- Why did you do that? - He was in arrears.
He couldn't pay.
I think you'd have some sympathy for that.
Oh, shit, Cameron, come on, you know what I mean.
You said he was a pain in the ass.
It's a business.
No it's a community.
It's my community.
And we don't kick people out.
It sends a message, okay? He's been with us since day one.
He's loyal.
Yeah, he's a pain in the ass, but I like being annoyed by him, and I like my shitty chair.
I just want everyone to leave Mutiny alone.
It's mine.
Hello? - Is this Henry's House of Dildos? - Ah, yes, Mr.
Clark.
Your order of extra small condoms just arrived.
How are you, Hank? - I'm good, buddy.
How are you? - I'm gettin' by.
- How are the kids? - They smell terrible, they're filthy, they talk back it's no way to live.
Yeah, well, I got a couple of angels.
- Got their mother's looks.
- Yeah, thank God for that.
So, what's up? You just calling to bust some balls or what? Well, I was thinking about visiting, you know, bringing the girls.
That's a great idea.
I'm sure Mom and Dad would like to see you, too, if you want to make the drive over there.
You really want me to come? You're not just saying that? Don't be stupid.
Of course I do.
I miss the hell outta you, Gordo.
Yeah, it'd be great to talk, catch up.
Yeah.
Yeah, it would be.
Oh, hey.
- How was your date? - I've had better.
- Oh.
- God.
You know, I think you should talk to Cameron.
Hmm? I think she's going through some stuff right now I think you could help her with.
What do mean? None of my damn business, but I think she might be pregnant.
Uh, why do you think that? I found a pregnancy kit in the trash out back.
I don't know.
Yeah.
No, I It wasn't Cameron's.
Congratulations.
Thanks.
Cyborgs don't feel pain.
I do.
Don't do that again.
- Just let me go.
- Listen and understand! That Terminator is out there.
It can't be bargained with, it can't be reasoned with - Dude, sit down.
it doesn't feel pity - Move.
- Sit down, fat-ass.
or remorse or fear.
And it absolutely will not stop, ever! - Bodie, get out of the way! - Until you are dead! Yeah! All right, I gotta go.
- Where you goin'? - Gotta go? I have a date, and not in a Community room, but with an actual living, breathing woman.
- Ooh! - I'll see you guys tomorrow.
- Yeah, do it! - Have fun.
Turn to the last page.
- Why? - Just turn to the last page.
The only thing I'm after is you.
I think we need to slow things down.
I think it's all going too fast.
I just need some room to figure it out.
- Is this about Cameron? - No, it's about you.
And maybe it's about me, too.
I don't know.
- I just need some time.
- Time? What does that mean? - I'm going back to Austin.
- For how long? I don't know.
I'm sorry.
This is how it should start.
You should have to crawl through a ventilation shaft or something.
I think they bought it.
What's wrong? Nothing.