The Lazarus Project (2022) s02e05 Episode Script

Shut it down. Shut it down!
We've created a black hole.
There's someone behind this.
If you wanted to work out a way
of turning back time yourself,
what would you do? If it were me,
I'd find the one person smart enough
to know how all this works,
and I'd put them to work.
- Janet?
- I was in Lazarus, just like you.
- When?
- Long time ago now.
- Dennis didn't mention that?
- No.
They're scientists.
We think they built the machine
that caused the second singularity.
So you find them,
they build you a machine
We go back past the checkpoint,
before the second
singularity was created,
stop it, rescue Janet.
Cancel the loop, everyone
lives happily ever after.
We know Wes met Dr. Gray.
We know she covered it up.
We know Dr, Gray was murdered
and her lab burnt down in 2012.
And we now know a
conveniently dead Lazarus agent
who suffered burns
at the exact same time.
What do you know
about Operation Midnight?
It was a killer mission.
Kill the scientists, destroy the lab.
It wasn't just Gray they were after.
Wes wanted all the disciples killed.
The end of the world
doesn't scare me, doctors.
I've seen it all before.
I don't I don't know if you
understand the
severity of the situation.
I'm afraid if we use the machine
to try and go back and undo this,
then we're going to cause further damage.
Sir,
we do not know how to fix this.
No, you don't.
But I know someone who might.
Hello, Janet.
It's been a very long time.
I imagine you may feel like
you're seeing a ghost.
I heard Wes told everyone
that I'd taken my own life.
Not the worst lie she's told.
I want to see my daughter right now.
You're going to.
But first,
I want to make you a proposition.
You'll remember Operation Midnight.
- It's a cool name for an operation.
- These are your targets.
You go in one week.
- It's a big body count.
- Not paying you by the bullet.
You okay?
I haven't done something
like this before.
Ross will handle the wet work.
I need you only to find
and identify the research.
An when you find it, I
need you to destroy it.
What kind of research are they doing?
The kind that warrants
a very serious reaction.
Just the two of us, ma'am?
Yes, I'm afraid I can't
open it up any wider.
Why not?
Because it's sensitive.
Sir.
Identify the research.
Set the charges. Get out.
You can't stop it.
Throughout human history,
the march of progress,
there have always been those
that try to stand in the way,
but they never manage.
Please.
Please.
I only ever wanted to
There's fucking guards everywhere.
The research?
The scientists are MIA.
We're just gonna go. Come on.
Ross!
It's a bloody timer!
Come on! Come on!
Do you know what Dr. Gray was
working on when you killed her?
I have my suspicions.
That night set us back ten years.
But now we've caught up.
We've made a machine.
In truth,
we have come to
the limit of our abilities
and we need a new team to finish it.
Or, rather, an old team.
I rolled my eyes at the
name "Lazarus Project."
Bit on the nose, isn't it?
Well, in that spirit,
I'd like to invite you
to join Project Icarus.
We flew, Janet, too close to the sun.
Our wings are melting,
and now we are falling.
And you can save us.
Where is my daughter?
She's waiting for you.
In the year 2012 where I sent her.
Now you're going to follow her there,
like any good mother would.
And when you're there,
you're going to take all the knowledge
my scientists have gained
over the last decade
and you're going to
share it with Dr. Gray.
And together
you are going to build
a perfect time machine.
One with no side effects.
No flaws, no black
holes or endless loops.
You're embarking on the
greatest scientific mission
the world has ever know, Janet.
And I wish you Godspeed.
Our fate, depends on your success.
- Becky!
- Mum!
It's okay, it's okay.
It's okay.
It's okay. You're okay.
You're okay.
Okay.
Hey. Hey.
It's okay.
What do you think, Doctor?
It's the velocity.
Excuse me?
There is no way, you are getting
optimum velocity from this equipment.
- I'm sorry, who are you?
- Dr. Hill. Janet.
My supervisor was in touch about a visit.
Oh, yeah, I think we turned that down.
Did you?
Oh, well
I'm here.
Yes, but I'm afraid I'm not looking for
any research assistants at the moment.
We checked the velocity
chambers, by the way.
Of course. But, you know,
I would check them again.
I have some of my own calculations.
Back-of-a-napkin stuff, really.
I thought you might
be interested in them.
Thank you.
Thank you.
My number's on the back,
if you want to talk again.
Maybe she's not gonna call.
She'll call.
Yeah? How can you be so sure?
Someone walks in and hands you a folder
that advances your
life's work by ten years,
you give them a call.
What are you doing?
I'm creating your digital footprint.
So I'm gonna need to stay close to you.
You should come up with a cover story.
I was thinking I should
pose as your husband.
Becky can pass as our daughter.
Will you do me the honour?
What makes you think you're my type?
I have access to a mirror.
Well, you will just
have to pretend then.
Dr. Hill?
I read your papers.
Can we talk, please?
It's for visiting academics.
- And it's just above the lab.
- Thank you. It's perfect.
I'll take her, darling.
Are you ready?
Let's go and see our new home.
I don't understand
how you've managed to achieve all this.
It's extraordinary.
It's
Well, it's like we were
meant to find each other.
Yeah.
I start work early.
Six a.m., usually.
I'll be there.
So you think you can do it?
Create a machine that sends
someone back through time
without also creating a
universe-destroying black hole?
Yeah, piece of piss.
Well, they told me
you were a genius, so
Guess if anyone can do it, it's you.
In just under a month
2012 me, is gonna enter this building,
and I am gonna kill Dr. Gray
and help burn this lab to the ground.
Except you won't. It'll
be different this time.
I'm here.
What happens if things are different?
What happens if I don't
kill Dr. Gray? What then?
It'll change everything.
It will undo everything
that happens after that.
Everything.
So, what are you saying?
I'm saying I've got four weeks
to complete the research,
because in four weeks
Dr. Gray will be dead.
That's what I'm saying.
Hey.
Here.
We've never seen readings like this.
Hold on.
What is it?
That's a lot of atomic
activity I wasn't expecting.
That's gonna become
unstable very quickly.
You think,
if we ran these tests for real
There'd be some rather
serious consequences.
Like what?
Conceivably, an immense
gravitational pull.
These readings are something akin to
The creation of a black hole.
Yeah.
Yeah.
We can get the machine to work,
- but the consequences
- Would be catastrophic.
This is what you've found
whenever you've run this test?
Yes.
And I don't know how to stop it.
Yet.
Interesting.
And what's the latest from Washington?
Gallup has Romley at 52%,
and Reuters has him at 53.
And what do our people say?
They think it's time America
had a handsome president again.
A second term for Obama.
Who was the last one?
Bill had a certain magnetism.
I did notice you made
more trips to the States
than usual when he was in charge.
Jealous?
Always.
Oh, there was one other thing.
I was going over our budget,
and I came across some
unexplained outgoings.
Since when did you start
going over our budget?
The payments add up to something
in the region of five million pounds,
going to a private company.
Just some investments I've been making.
Robin, we have a time machine,
but we also have a credit rating.
If you're going to take
five million out of the coffers,
I need to know about
it before the bailiffs
come and start taking
our furniture away.
I've been funding some
experimental research.
Researching what?
I've found a scientist
who believes she can
build a time machine.
- We already have a time machine.
- A proper one.
One that can break
past the check-point.
What do you want to do?
Go back to when you had hair?
Elizabeth
It's impossible to break
through the checkpoint, Robin.
And a bloody good thing too.
It's not impossible, Lizzie.
It just hasn't been done, yet.
Don't call me Lizzie.
Don't tell me how I can and
can't spend my own money.
Look,
I didn't want to bother you with it
until I was sure it was worth
bothering you with it.
Just exploratory research.
Probably come to nothing.
If there is someone out there
who truly believes they can
break through the check-point,
you shouldn't be investing in them.
You should be burying them.
I know there's something
you're not telling me,
but I don't know if I
should be concerned or not.
- What do you mean?
- Well
someone doesn't just turn up
at your door
with the answer to all
your problems out of thin air.
It's just not how the
world works, is it?
Look, I'm not complaining.
We've advanced more in the last
week than we have in the last year.
It's just, um
I don't know.
Trust issues, maybe.
Sorry, I'm, um
I'm being rude.
No. You're being cautious. I get it.
And you're right.
You're not that lucky.
Luck has nothing to do
with it. You have built
this incredible thing. Of course,
people are gonna come looking.
And you're right to be wary, because
not all of them are gonna be good.
Apart from me.
I'm fucking great.
Can I ask you something?
Why time travel?
What do you mean?
Well, did you stumble on it,
or did you go looking for it?
Well, um
You know, lots of reasons.
They probably all lead back
to one reason, or one person.
Charlotte Weir.
First day at nursery, she found
me crying on the reading mat
and gave me a biscuit.
Lifelong friendship
cemented in that moment.
God, I loved her. I just
loved her.
Brilliant mind.
I mean, not academic.
She could barely do basic arithmetic.
But she was just so sharp.
So alive to everything.
There was no problem she
couldn't see a path through.
There isn't really a good cancer,
but pancreatic cancer, boy,
that's one of the really bad
ones. That's a whole other deal
because it doesn't
give a shit what it takes.
It'll kill the most beautiful garden
and salt the earth afterwards.
And I know
death is a part of life,
as assuredly as birth.
But you know what?
I got cheated.
Twenty-one years?
No. Sorry.
Not enough.
Not enough by half.
So, yeah.
Time travel.
I went looking for it.
-
- The fact remains
that time travel is not the
creation of science-fiction writers.
It is not an idea
conjured up by daydreamers.
Time travel is not something
that we invent.
It is something we harness,
because time travel is already here.
Dr. Gray?
Elizabeth Wesley.
I enjoyed your lecture very much.
Thank you.
I have to say, I was
sceptical going in,
but you really turned me around.
Oh, that's good. I'm not
sure I convince many people
when I do these things,
but we still try and
share our knowledge.
And do you really think it's possible?
Yes, I do.
I'd love to see your work.
Well, I'm afraid my lab isn't
open to the public, but
- Of course.
- Anyway, very nice to meet you.
It's probably sensible
to be cautious, Kitty.
I'd think about not doing
any more lectures if I were you.
You might start to convince people
that you're on to
something, and then, well
Who knows where that could lead?
Who are you?
I'm an interested party.
Right.
I don't usually do this,
perhaps I'm getting soft,
but I'm going to give you
a piece of advice.
Well, less a piece of advice,
more a warning.
Stop doing what you're doing.
Stop building what you're building
before someone gets hurt.
Who was she?
She said her name was Elizabeth.
Something Wesland. I dunno.
Wesley?
Yeah. You know her?
She's a crank.
Used to turn up at my lectures
ranting and raving about time travel.
Warning us off, threatening the
lab techs. She's completely insane.
Oh, okay.
So
- I should
- Ignore her?
Yes, absolutely.
Well, that's a relief.
All right.
My brain is fried. I'm
gonna call it a night.
Okay.
See you tomorrow.
You know
- Good night.
- Night.
It'd probably do you
good to take a break.
I've got an invite to a
pretty exclusive party,
if you fancied it.
Ready?
Twist.
Is that good? Is that good?
Do two tens and a three make 21?
- No.
- Then, yes, it's bad.
This woman has a galaxy-sized brain,
but can't remember
the rules of blackjack.
Well, maybe one
day I'll go back in time
and spend my 20s in a casino.
- Okay, my turn.
- Stick or twist?
Stick.
Coward.
Oh, you think you can bully
me into losing the game?
I am not bullying you.
I am encouraging you
to show a little backbone.
Okay. All right.
Twist.
Oh! That means you've lost, doesn't it?
- Yeah.
- I am getting better at this game now.
That was stupid.
You need to learn
to trust your instincts.
- This was a lesson?
- Everything's a lesson.
Now, come on, hand over your money.
Take it. Take it all.
- You too.
- Oh, come on.
All right.
You earnt it. Well done.
Hey, where are you going?
I want a photo.
Come, hand it over. Let me do it.
Allright, let me take that.
You go and stand next to Mummy.
- Hi.
- That's it.
Three, two Huddle in, everybody.
Three, two, one
- Blackjack!
- Blackjack!
- I want one with Kitty as well.
- Oh, no, no.
Oh, yes, yes, come on.
Come on, you're not getting
out of it that easily.
Well, thank you for having me round.
It was fun.
You're welcome.
And what happens
if things are different?
What happens if I don't kill Dr Gray?
What then? It'll change everything.
It will undo everything
that happens after that.
Everything.
It's called Operation Midnight.
- These are your targets.
- I haven't, um
done something like this before.
I need you just to find
and identify the research.
And when you find it, I
need you to destroy it.
What kind of research are they doing?
The kind that warrants
a very serious reaction.
Dr. Hill.
Janet.
Janet.
Janet, look at this.
The atomic structure
is stabilising, it's
- It's
- It's a breakthrough.
It's a fucking breakthrough.
And I think with a few
more weeks of work,
we might be ready
for our first test run.
Why wait?
What?
What harm would it do? Let's try now.
- What, just me and you?
- Why not?
Okay.
Okay.
Let's do it.
One key difference, though.
We've always talked about
sending something back.
I think we need to try
sending something forward.
A single live test subject.
One hour into the future, just one hour.
- I think we can do it.
- And the side effects?
I don't think that's gonna
be a problem anymore.
Once the cooling rods are
activated, I need you to connect
- the external power drives.
- On it.
What are the readings looking like?
- Steady.
- Light readings?
Light readings are good.
Do it.
It's holding!
Oh my
- One hour?
- One hour.
It's time.
Yes?
Mr. Lerner.
I thought you might like to
know that earlier this evening,
we ran our first successful
test of the machine.
Sir
I thought you'd like to know that
your money has been well spent.
Dr. Gray,
that is the best news I've
heard for a very long time.
It's me.
Come in now.
I'm moving Operation Midnight up.
It's happening tonight.
The world changed tonight, didn't it?
It's really never going
to be the same again.
You've done an amazing thing, Kitty.
I hope you're very proud.
We did it together.
- Goodnight.
- See you in the morning.
Shit.
Too early!
Come on. Come on, Becky.
We are gonna play a little game, okay?
Stay with me.
Find the research.
Okay, it's okay. It's
all right. You're okay.
Go, go, go. Go, go, go.
- Hey, don't move!
- Keep walking, Becky.
Stop there. Turn around.
Keep walking, Becky.
Becky?
Becky!
Becky!
Janet?
Janet, what are you doing?
How do you know who I am?
Stay Stay here.
Janet, there's fucking
guards everywhere.
Is the research in there?
Do you know what they're building here?
No, and I don't care.
- Let's set the explosives and go.
- No, there is a woman in there
who knows who I am. I think, Ross,
I think they have built
their own time machine.
Well, all the more reason
to fucking blow it up.
No, no, no! We need to take her in.
We need to question
her. We need to find out
- what is really going on here.
- No.
We need to do what Wes told us to do,
which means getting rid of the
machine and getting rid of her.
No! Ross, please don't!
I'm begging you, Ross!
Ross
It works.
Let's go.
Let's fucking go.
Becky. Becky.
No, no! It's me
Oh, shit
Fuck!
No!
Go, go go.
I blacked out.
Woke up in a hospital. It was just me.
Mum was dead.
Bryson had disappeared.
Obviously I had no ID,
and no records of me existed.
Couple of different foster parents.
Bad times.
She was begging him.
"Ross, please don't hurt her."
Ross?
It's the last thing I remember
before I blacked out.
What the hell's going on?
Half an hour ago, your laboratory
was attacked, burned down.
- Dr. Gray is dead.
- Oh my God.
The person you are calling
is unable to take your call.
Please leave your
message after the tone.
To re-record your message,
key hash at any time.
What do you think, Doctor?
I have an idea.