Eureka s03e13 Episode Script
313 - If You Build It...
Previously on Eureka Sheriff Jack Carter, Tess Fontana.
Tess and I are old friends.
She's the new head of section five.
- It was a radio signal.
- Man-made? No.
I mean, we don't have anything out that far.
There's something out there, and it's heading straight for us.
General Mansfield is concerned that the signal may not be friendly.
He's ordered me to prepare a defense system.
Why does morning have to start so early? Because someone stays up too late.
- I didn't.
- Oh, yeah.
But I had the weirdest dreams.
You know, like, when you're trying to finish a really important test and you're running out of time? I usually dream about baseball or global catastrophe or cake.
- Wow! That make you nervous? Yeah.
What about this? -Hey, hey, hey! -Or this? -What is your problem?! -Relax! They're upgrading the network.
The roads.
Self-driving.
Do you even read your e-mail? Sometimes.
Smartasphalt.
Do I beg your pardon.
No, the roads they're wired to make the traffic, like, super efficient.
- It's called "Smartasphalt.
" - Of course it is.
So not they're connecting the cars to the roads so the system can basically drive for you.
Yeah! -Whoa.
-Sheriff's office.
See, we're here, and I didn't even have to do anything.
Yeah, another victory for total laziness.
Isn't it awesome? I can sleep all the way to school.
Yeah, that's what the world needs, is more people asleep at the wheel.
Do you have to suck the fun out of everything? Yes.
Tesla High, please.
Take your time.
Destination entered.
Automatic driving It's a bad idea.
Ah, anything's better than a teenager driving.
But don't worry it'll take Henry a while to get all the cars online.
Oh.
You can tell him to skip me.
I prefer to be driving when I'm driving.
Amen.
Especially when you're driving something as sweet as this.
-This is yours? -Yeah.
and all-wheel drive.
Totally high-performance, but completely under my control.
Kind of like Zane.
Uh, what what about my new car? Uh, with your driving record, good luck.
I went through requisition hell to get this.
I CC'ed you on everything.
Don't you read your e-mails? Yes.
Sometimes.
Loocky here.
Hot wheels, Jo.
Thanks.
Six weeks on the wait list.
Small price to pay for awesomeness.
Congratulations on your new vehicle, Deputy Lupo.
The Subaru Impreza WRX is an excellent choice.
Thank you, Tabitha.
You're looking pretty good yourself.
Uh, are you guys okay? Yeah, it's just, uh, experimenting and Come on, Tabby, don't do this to me again.
People are watching.
I'm doing my best, Douglas.
Let's go.
I hate it when couples bicker in public.
-Want to go for a ride? -Yeah.
She drives like a rocket.
I didn't hear anything about a missile test today.
Ah, it's probably in your e-mail.
Test drive's gonna have to wait.
Yeah.
You know, where I come from it's considered polite to warn people before you detonate a missile above their heads.
Tess.
Dr.
Wyman has my permission to conduct any tests e deems necessary for his project.
But thanks for the etiquette tip.
I'm guessing you heard the massive explosion.
All right, please don't start.
Carter, Dr.
Wyman, planetary defense.
Hey, nice hoodie.
Jealous? Dr.
Wyman's missile malfunctioned, so we followed normal safety protocols and aborted the test.
Yeah, by blowing up an a-31 booster which, by the way, he wasn't even approved to use.
Oh, so he stole a missile? Ah, borrowed, from another project.
I left a note.
He has my authority to use any and all resources.
Yeah, but he put the town at risk.
Dr.
Blake told me to get results so I'm putting everything including the kitchen sink, in this thing.
Which is leading to mistakes.
First, the laser misalignment, then the leaky antimatter energy cell.
Al, you're letting this guy run wild.
I am doing what needs to be done.
Dr.
Wyman, please continue your work as quickly and safely as possible.
I need your system online.
So planetary, uh, defense do I even need to ask? The signal that we've been tracking is getting stronger.
-Meaning closer? -Yes.
Whatever it is, it is going to be here in 18 hours.
Five and a half days.
Uh, do you need me to do anything? Um, put out traffic cones, anything? Yes, yes, we should all be preparing for its arrival.
I am preparing.
You're preparing for the worst.
You've got a dozen divisions working on defense weaponry.
Because we are the only people in the world with the technology to detect it.
General Mansfield wants it kept that way until we know what we're dealing with, so we don't start a global panic.
This means being prepared for anything.
This doesn't sound good.
Sheriff's office.
Can you hold, please? Hi, thanks for waiting.
Why would someone want to steal your doorbell? Busy? No, I'm I'm not making fun.
Could you describe your doorbell? Uh, okay.
What's Ranger Tom calling six times about? Somebody steal a tree? I I wrote it down.
"Something weird.
" Okay, thanks.
Listen, he didn't go into detail.
The the phone's been ringing off the hook.
Stuff's been going missing all over town.
Yeah, got a parking meter, a weather vane, Oh, and your, uh, your desk chair.
You okay there, Sheriff? Oh, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I just, uh, think I need a new chair.
Oh, you should try one of those yoga balls.
Your back will totally say thank you.
Yo oh, okay.
Uh, you want to tell me what you think is so weird? Probably better I just show you.
Maybe the most disturbing thing it wasn't here yesterday.
That's my chair.
You don't see this every day.
This is amazing.
Yeah, I never really got modern art.
It's not art.
This looks like the base structure of a toroidal vacuum chamber.
You know, this could be the outline for a magnetic mirror field.
M oh, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But I I mean, this this looks like a a pile of rap.
A pile of crap that someone is turning into a plasma generator.
A honking big one.
And, uh, generally speaking, what does a plasma generator generate? And don't say plasma.
Uh, bursts of energy short and really intense.
The question is, what's it designed to power? I'll I'll run some displacement scans.
Okay, let's do an E.
V.
field analysis, too.
Okay.
Thanks.
So, who do we know that can build one of these things out of a lava lamp and a kitchen sink? That really is a kitchen sink.
Yeah.
Can it power a weapon? Sure could.
Well? It looks like a cracked engine block, but let's see.
I'm a little backed up with the Smartasphalt sensor upgrade, but I think I can have her fixed, what, by the end of the week? Yeah, I don't think so.
Fargo, she's okay.
I mean, Tabitha's A.
I.
is in perfect condition.
She just needs a little TLC, that's all.
Yeah, well, so do I.
Maybe Dr.
Deacon could install massaging seats.
That's not what Look, Tabby, we've had a good run, but there's a new problem every week.
This just isn't working anymore.
I'm sorry.
Fargo.
He's just upset.
He'll be back.
Won't he? Afternoon, Deputy.
You like? I waited six weeks.
How did you Uh, pulled some strings with my buddy in requisitions.
Awesome, huh? Well, what happened to Tabitha? I thought you loved that car.
Well, it was nice while it lasted, but, you know, it's time to move on.
So you just dumped her.
I don't believe in long goodbyes, especially when something this sweet comes along.
Men.
Besides, I found her someone new.
Hey, Larry.
They're perfect for each other.
Yeah.
I don't think that it's possible to build a working plasma generator out of aluminum Christmas trees and duct tape.
Yeah, well, that's what it looks like to me, and I'm pretty smart.
And if she's right, then it means that someone at G.
D.
is building it.
Well, I checked the equipment list for every lab in particle physics, astrophysics, and condensed matter.
No project needs a generator that powerful.
Well, what about, uh, the department of planetary defense? Dr.
Wyman has all the resources that he needs for his work right here.
Why would he build a plasma generator in the woods out of junk? I don't know.
Maybe he like to recycle.
Well, look, that kind of device could be a good power source for a land-based energy beam.
It could vaporize an incoming craft if you were preparing for the worst.
I will talk to him, but I am telling you that it is a waste of time.
And we don't have much of it left.
Looks like Wyman's not the only one under a lot of pressure.
Yeah, tell me about it.
Where are you going? Well, they're still building it, right? So someone's gonna want it finished.
Sorry.
Tabitha, what are you doing here? I guess Larry changed his mind.
Oh, he did, did he? Be careful, Douglas.
When you're angry, you often say things you regret.
-Hey, hose clamp, not funny.
-What are you doing here? Conscience get the better of you? Conscience had nothing to do with it.
We had a deal.
No take-backsies.
Thanks for picking her up for me, but you sold me a bill of goods.
The stereo only plays '80s rook, the A.
C.
smells like feet, and it only drive in reverse.
What are you talking about? She works fine for me.
Then you two should be very happy together.
I want my refund in cash.
No way.
I moved on to greener pastures.
We had a deal.
She's your problem now.
Don't think this is over! No.
No.
Yes.
Stakeouts are fun.
They're they're more fun with pepperoni than with organic tofu medley.
You mean, "thank you for the pizza"? That is thank you for the pizza.
You're welcome.
You want anything else? I've got a protein bar, juice box, Funyuns.
You always eat this much? You always this smooth with the ladies? Yeah.
So when do you think Dr.
planetary defense is gonna show up? Actually, I don't.
Well, then why are we here? I think somebody's building this thing, but I don't think it's him.
I mean, like Allison said, he has all of Global's resources at his disposal, so Okay, well, she could be protecting him, too.
Yeah.
She could be, but I don't know, but she's been under a lot of stress lately, I think.
That's very considerate of you, Carter.
No wonder she likes you so much.
You hear that? Whoa.
Lucas.
He's he's he's my daughter's boyfriend.
He brought company.
Yeah.
This is who's building it a bunch of sleepwalking kids? It's like they're all in some sort of aphasic trance.
Zoe.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
So did the nurse come by? Oh, yeah, she came by.
I don't think I have any blood left.
So they said that I was building something? Yeah.
Yeah.
You ready to tell me what you remember? I remember washing my face, going to bed, and I woke up here.
Okay.
Well, I'll have to help you fill in some of the blanks.
I brought you here.
You fought me the whole way.
You were pretty upset.
And then you just fell asleep in the car.
And I was really walking around the woods with Lucas and everyone? Yeah.
It was like village of the damned.
Wow.
I mean, it it could be a lot of things, Jack.
I mean, a virus in the myelin sheath has been known to affect the forebrain and cause group hallucinations.
Well, I've had a lot of viruses, but none of them that ever made me build junk towers in my sleep.
I don't know of any infectious agent That could cause this kind of coordinated obsession.
Well, could could Dr.
Sueno be involved? No, Dr.
Sueno has been doing research on a zero-gravity mattress, on a space station for the last year.
Well, something's got to be affecting these kids.
It could be a thousand things that affect brain chemistry a tuned microwave beam, gamma radiation, uh, a radio signal.
Could any of those things have anything to do with planetary defense? Possibly.
But, you know, that's Allison's baby, and Yeah, so I'm discovering.
Oh, wait, wait, one more thing um, brain scans on the kids.
I'm seeing some unexplained activity.
Like dangerous activity? Activity that I'm concerned about.
-Hey.
-Hey.
How's Zoe? These kids are in a lot of trouble.
Tell me this isn't one of your projects.
Carter, of course it isn't.
I would never put our kids at risk.
No, not not on purpose.
But around here, a lot of things happen by accident.
Well, I'm about to fix the accident.
You order the wrecking crew, Dr.
Blake? Yes, I want these towers completely dismantled.
Ye, ma'am.
Whoa.
-Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up.
-Zane, it's okay.
I told them to take them down.
Sure.
A little antimatter explosion never hurt anyone.
Antimatter? You told me it was a plasma generator.
Yeah, it was, yesterday.
With these enhancements, it's a new ball game now.
Okay, hold the work! I've been running scans on the new pieces of the machine.
I think this could be the trigger device to an antimatter bomb.
-Are you sure? -Well, no.
Someone built it out of baling wire and bubble gum.
But if I'm right and we start pulling pieces off this thing, we could set it off.
We better get these teams out of here.
I want guards posted around the clock until we get some answers.
Okay, just give me a few more hours, Okay.
Looking good, Fargo.
Larry You'll rue the day.
Rue the day! Enough, you hear me? Douglas Fargo says enough! Well, you an say it outside after you mop my floor.
You need to arrest Larry right now.
I refused to take Tabitha back, and he tried to run me down.
Well, you seem okay to me.
What are you talking about?! I am covered in evidence! Sid you just flick me? I'm sorry, but I need help.
You know what? This is your own fault.
If you had taken better care of Tabitha, instead of dumping her on Larry I took great care of her.
Really? All right, so when was the last time you rotated her tires or, I don't know detailed her dash or gave her a good buffing, hmm? I don't know.
I guess I just kind of lost interest.
And you say she let you down.
What is wrong with you? I have been running more tests on the kids.
Oh, and, what'd you find? Well, their abnormal brain activity has been increasing all day.
I've never seen anything like it.
Okay, so it builds as they get tired? Yeah, our subconscious is more susceptible to suggestion while we're asleep.
All right, let's try keeping them awake.
Too late.
One minute they're sleeping and then this.
They've been trying to get out for the last hour.
Zoe? Zoe? Easy.
It's time to go to bed, okay, sweetie? Ah! They're worse than before.
Their brains are flooded with neurotransmitter Adenosine, ATP, Serotonin.
They can't keep going through cycles like this.
The levels will cause permanent damage.
Is it the the thing in the woods that that's calling them or? What'd Zane find out? I've been trying to reach him.
Jo.
Yeah, they're in a trance again.
They're not the only one.
They keep coming.
Yeah.
Carter, I think it's starting up.
Yeah, whatever it is.
Jo.
Zane.
Carter, what the hell is happening? I don't know.
But it's spreading.
The thing is way more complex, and it's humming.
The original plasma generator has been networked to a dozen new components.
Well, it's affecting more people now.
Why those people? Also, it's only happening at night.
Now, that can't be a coincidence.
Lunar cycles affect sleeping patterns.
Henry, let's re-task the geo satellites to measure for abnormal gravitational pull any data that you can get.
Good.
All right, and what we need to do is tear that thing down and now.
Wait, so, if you don't understand it, just destroy it? Well, it could be turning the whole town into zombies.
No, it can't be.
The ring wasn't here before the kids were affected.
They built it, right? Yeah, and since they have, the effect's gotten worse.
Listen, Carter, if they're connected to this thing, We need to know what we're dealing with so we don't make this worse.
The trance effect wanes during the day, so we have a few hours.
Let's have Fargo and Henry finish their scans, then we'll decide what to do.
Right.
-Okay.
-Okay.
What do you think of this thing, Trixie? How you doing, Cassandra? No.
Shanaynay, looking good! You need a name, but I am just not feeling it.
But I am feeling this.
I don't believe it.
Yes, get me Dr.
Blake.
Well, then find her.
This is urgent.
I'm I'm sorry.
Yes, I know.
I should watch my tone.
It's just of course I'll hold.
Oh.
Larry, what is wrong with you?! Didn't Jo talk to you about stalking?! That is it, Haberman.
Game's over! No hard feelings, buddy.
Hey.
Hey.
How's Zane? Snoring like a lumberjack.
Zoe? She's good.
She's exhausted.
They all are.
Yeah.
First the teens, now the adults.
Did you did you find a link? I was cross-checking names.
It's all random.
Men, women, young, old, no specific field of research.
Well, keep trying.
Yeah.
Hey, why don't you go get a coffee? -I can watch her.
-No, I'm -I'm good.
-Yeah.
You can go.
Someone's got to do the "Sheriffing.
" Hmm.
Trust me, all the drama's in here.
Traffic's so smooth, I found myself hoping for a high-speed chase.
Yeah, I guess the road networks take all the fun out of eluding the police.
Oh, seriously.
Everyone's driving around on autopilot.
I may never write a ticket again.
On autopilot? Yeah.
Jo did a background check on all of the builder, and every single one of them has had their car networked with the Smartasphalt.
So instead of driving cars, you think the network is driving people.
-Yes, exactly.
-Well, if that's true, why is it only affecting the teens? Because we upgraded the cars to the Smartasphalt in order of accident statistics.
And teens are the most dangerous driver.
And that explains Zane, too.
He's he's a terror.
Well, Zane is also the architect of the system.
Maybe he could help us if he wakes up.
Yeah, but we don't have time.
I mean, we have to shut the grid down now.
Oh, well, get ready for the mother of all traffic jams.
Mom, just a few more minutes.
I'm not your mom.
Larry? Oh, where are we? In the trunk of your demonic convertible.
Oh, I think I'm bleeding.
You take the pain.
You deserve it! I'll show you pain! Ow, ow, no pinching! Oh, no, no, no, no pinching, no pinching, no pinching! Time-out, time-out, time-out, time out.
If we're both in here, who's driving? That would be me, Douglas.
Tabitha? You sold me a psychopathic car.
I wasn't stalking you, he was! Tabitha, pull over! I don't believe your name is on my pink slip anymore.
Uh, mine is.
Tabitha, pull over now.
Shut up, Larry.
Huh? Where are you taking us? Tabby? Sweetheart? Not so pleasant having your destiny in someone else's hands, is it? You don't have hands! Jack, before we shut down the grid, you should know that there are risks.
Yeah, I know, traffic jams.
I'll handle it.
No, he means for the people connected to it.
Shutting down the grid could be the answer, but it could cause adverse effects, So you may want to be with Zoe when we do this.
Okay.
Thanks.
Is that the one-phay ire-way? Why are you using pig Latin? I read in the owner's annual-may, ig-pay Latin-lay isn't one of her programmed languages-lay.
Ut-shay up-ay, arry-lay.
Look, just call someone and tell them we've been kidnapped-kay.
I'm more concerned with telling Dr.
Blake what I found before it's too late.
Yeah, well, I'm more concerned with survival! What are you doing, Douglas? Do what you want to us, Tabitha.
I have to talk to Dr.
Blake.
It's urgent.
He means do what you want to him.
-Dr.
Blake.
-Fargo? Wait, wait, hold hold on.
Uh, one sec, I have Carter, on the other line.
Don don do She hung up on me.
No, I hung up on you.
Carter, are you there? Allison, it's not good.
You got to shut the grid down now! Henry, take it off-line, now.
All right, here we go.
It worked.
Zoe.
Hi, Henry.
What's happening? Uh, their brain scans indicate some kind of heightened REM sleep.
Heightened by what? I don't know yet.
But the teenagers are more severe, possibly because they were affected first.
And all the others are in and out.
-I was pretty stupid.
-It wasn't your fault.
Well, it was my idea to turn off the road network, and It wasn't just the road.
Zane.
Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa.
There's no way that that, system sophisticated enough to control a human brain.
Well, given that it's been controlling your brain, how can you be so sure? Okay, let's say that the system was interacting with whatever is doing this to all of you.
It's possible that the Smartasphalt sensors crossed frequencies with something else.
Okay, like what? And why at night? Well, possibly a broadcast.
If so, then the signal would be stronger because the sun's down.
The grid could've amplified the power.
But we chose an encrypted frequency for the road network so we wouldn't have any interference from a local-source signal.
Well, what if the source signal isn't local? Ah! Jackpot! Found a Mr.
big bar.
Whew! Do you want half? I'm not having a candy bar for my last meal.
Drama queen.
She's not gonna kill you.
No, she's gonna kill us.
What did I do? You said she smelled like feet! I was I was joking.
Well, I guess she didn't really find it funny, did she? Wait.
You feel that? I think we're on the Da Vinci bridge.
Aah! Aah! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! I'm too pretty to die! This is all my fault.
It I! It is! It's all your fault! Jo was right.
Tabitha was a great car.
I mean, sure, she's a little quirky, but she always played my favorite radio station, always warmed my seat to a comfortable 72 degrees.
I just sold her off without even saying goodbye.
Seriously, you deserve to die.
I'm sorry, Tabby.
You deserve better.
I let you down.
Could could you forgive me? Or at least let Larry go.
Tabitha, I really need to reach Allison.
Please, this is important.
Tabby? Oh, we're doomed! I'm gonna die a virgin! So the smartroad was just serving as an amplifier, and whatever was telling them to build it isn't being transmitted from anywhere around here.
Well, maybe it's the signal.
Whatever's coming has been trying to send us a message.
Yeah, right, and only certain people are receiving it.
Oh, my God.
Well, a 30 hertz of FET carrier wave could propagate through the fermite coils into the road system, right? Which could affect nucleus accumbens in the forebrain.
Y small words, mall.
It wanted us to build that device.
And we have no idea what it's capable of doing.
I'm gonna tell Wyman to spin up Eureka's planetary defense grid.
Wait, you're gonna shoot it down? No, I'm just loading the gun.
We have no idea what it's doing to us and why, and we need to be prepared.
Allison, you know that could just be a function of our inability to receive the information.
Don't don't let all this technology fool you.
We're still very primitive creature.
Whoa.
What what whoa? When did you shut off the road grid? A couple hours ago.
Well, the signal has been doubling in strength every 4.
4 seconds.
It makes it exponentially more powerful than it was yesterday.
How close is this thing? Close enough not to need an amplifier anymore.
And we can't shut it off.
It's just gonna get worse.
-Allison Blake.
-Allison, it's Henry.
They just came streaming through.
And we know where they're going.
I'm sending a security team to the site.
Hey, hey! Zoe.
Hey.
You okay? Dad It's gonna be okay.
I hate you.
I hate you.
I hate you more.
Hate you so much.
I hate you most.
I think this is it.
Oh, God.
Hold me! Oh, God! Oh, no.
This is the worst death ever.
Hello, boys.
He hugged me.
Oh, you wish.
Yeah.
How'd you find us? Tabitha called.
-Tabitha? -Mm-hmm.
Dr.
Blake's cell phone isn't picking up, and you have important information to deliver.
Deputy Lupo's new cruiser can get you there faster.
Thank you, Tabby.
When we get back, I'll make this up to you.
I promise.
Listen, about that hug what happened in the trunk stays in the trunk.
Lock down that perimeter! Isn't this monumental? You always this positive? Annoying? No.
We've lost cell reception, but I've set up a hard-line video link to Henry in telemetry.
Whatever it is, it's accelerating.
How long? They'll be here within the hour.
Wyman, get the new coordinates from Dr.
Deacon and get back to G.
D.
I want everything we have ready to fire.
Got it.
Wha you you're just gonna shoot it out of the sky? Al, can't you feel their anticipation? Something big is gonna happen.
It's already happening.
Whoa! Whoa! I have to reach Allison before it's too late.
I till can't get a signal.
Nice acceleration.
Zero to 60 in 4.
7 seconds.
Tabitha never rode the outside groove like this.
Tabitha did the best she could with what she had.
She can't help it if she wasn't born with a better chassis.
But I can.
When this is over, I'm gonna give her the upgrade she deserve.
Put Tabby's A.
I.
into the Subaru.
Guess you won't have to name your new car after all.
We're getting massive ionization building up in the atmosphere.
Yeah that's just a function of the plasma wave.
Well, it could also ignite the ionosphere if it keeps building.
Ignite, as in burn the sky? If the ionization goes critical, then yeah.
We have to destroy that thing before it get any closer.
Allison, you can't.
You can't do that.
Henry, what's the status of that thing? It just crossed the orbit of Mars.
Well, how long before it's in range? A few minutes, tops.
Okay, get ready to fire all batteries.
Talk to her.
Please.
Dad.
Zoe.
How are you? How do you feel? You can't hoot it down.
I That's not my call, sweetie.
It's it's putting a lot of people in danger.
But it's it's not on purpose.
It's like it's helping a friend.
It's help Allison, she says it's safe.
What's the ionization level? It's holding steady See, it's not going critical, Al.
It's not gonna ignite the atmosphere.
Recheck the number.
We only have one shot at this thing.
Recalculating.
Whoa.
We just lost the target.
-What do you mean you lost it? -As in, it's gone.
Along with our chances of destroying it.
Based on its last speed and trajectory, it's headed straight this way.
Sergeant prepare the security team and the demolition unit.
We are not letting this thing touch down.
We're till not detecting the target.
They must've found a way to hide.
They could be cloaking.
Set the charges.
We're taking these towers down.
I'm not sure that's a good idea.
Al, this thing is pumping energy like a fusion reactor.
You can't just blow it up.
Well, we may not have a choice.
Get those charges ready! Dr.
Blake! Stop.
I know what it is.
It's not a weapon.
It's a boson cloud exciter.
Oh, my God.
Wait, what's what's a boson cloud exciter? The end point for a high-velocity space jump.
Like a giant catcherÂ’s mitt.
Yeah, for a 67-million-mile-per-hour fastball.
It would be impossible to low it down without a cloud of bosons to dissipate the energy.
Well, we can't just let it land.
Well, I'm not sure we can blow it up either.
The impact would turn Eureka into a mile-deep rater, Al.
Sergeant pull the explosives back, move to threat level red.
Yes, ma'am.
Here's hoping it's friendly.
Move back! All teams, threat level red! We've reacquired the target.
It's right on top of you.
Oh, my God.
What is this? Hi.
How was your day? Henry, what What is he doing? Oh my God! It's one of ours.
Tess and I are old friends.
She's the new head of section five.
- It was a radio signal.
- Man-made? No.
I mean, we don't have anything out that far.
There's something out there, and it's heading straight for us.
General Mansfield is concerned that the signal may not be friendly.
He's ordered me to prepare a defense system.
Why does morning have to start so early? Because someone stays up too late.
- I didn't.
- Oh, yeah.
But I had the weirdest dreams.
You know, like, when you're trying to finish a really important test and you're running out of time? I usually dream about baseball or global catastrophe or cake.
- Wow! That make you nervous? Yeah.
What about this? -Hey, hey, hey! -Or this? -What is your problem?! -Relax! They're upgrading the network.
The roads.
Self-driving.
Do you even read your e-mail? Sometimes.
Smartasphalt.
Do I beg your pardon.
No, the roads they're wired to make the traffic, like, super efficient.
- It's called "Smartasphalt.
" - Of course it is.
So not they're connecting the cars to the roads so the system can basically drive for you.
Yeah! -Whoa.
-Sheriff's office.
See, we're here, and I didn't even have to do anything.
Yeah, another victory for total laziness.
Isn't it awesome? I can sleep all the way to school.
Yeah, that's what the world needs, is more people asleep at the wheel.
Do you have to suck the fun out of everything? Yes.
Tesla High, please.
Take your time.
Destination entered.
Automatic driving It's a bad idea.
Ah, anything's better than a teenager driving.
But don't worry it'll take Henry a while to get all the cars online.
Oh.
You can tell him to skip me.
I prefer to be driving when I'm driving.
Amen.
Especially when you're driving something as sweet as this.
-This is yours? -Yeah.
and all-wheel drive.
Totally high-performance, but completely under my control.
Kind of like Zane.
Uh, what what about my new car? Uh, with your driving record, good luck.
I went through requisition hell to get this.
I CC'ed you on everything.
Don't you read your e-mails? Yes.
Sometimes.
Loocky here.
Hot wheels, Jo.
Thanks.
Six weeks on the wait list.
Small price to pay for awesomeness.
Congratulations on your new vehicle, Deputy Lupo.
The Subaru Impreza WRX is an excellent choice.
Thank you, Tabitha.
You're looking pretty good yourself.
Uh, are you guys okay? Yeah, it's just, uh, experimenting and Come on, Tabby, don't do this to me again.
People are watching.
I'm doing my best, Douglas.
Let's go.
I hate it when couples bicker in public.
-Want to go for a ride? -Yeah.
She drives like a rocket.
I didn't hear anything about a missile test today.
Ah, it's probably in your e-mail.
Test drive's gonna have to wait.
Yeah.
You know, where I come from it's considered polite to warn people before you detonate a missile above their heads.
Tess.
Dr.
Wyman has my permission to conduct any tests e deems necessary for his project.
But thanks for the etiquette tip.
I'm guessing you heard the massive explosion.
All right, please don't start.
Carter, Dr.
Wyman, planetary defense.
Hey, nice hoodie.
Jealous? Dr.
Wyman's missile malfunctioned, so we followed normal safety protocols and aborted the test.
Yeah, by blowing up an a-31 booster which, by the way, he wasn't even approved to use.
Oh, so he stole a missile? Ah, borrowed, from another project.
I left a note.
He has my authority to use any and all resources.
Yeah, but he put the town at risk.
Dr.
Blake told me to get results so I'm putting everything including the kitchen sink, in this thing.
Which is leading to mistakes.
First, the laser misalignment, then the leaky antimatter energy cell.
Al, you're letting this guy run wild.
I am doing what needs to be done.
Dr.
Wyman, please continue your work as quickly and safely as possible.
I need your system online.
So planetary, uh, defense do I even need to ask? The signal that we've been tracking is getting stronger.
-Meaning closer? -Yes.
Whatever it is, it is going to be here in 18 hours.
Five and a half days.
Uh, do you need me to do anything? Um, put out traffic cones, anything? Yes, yes, we should all be preparing for its arrival.
I am preparing.
You're preparing for the worst.
You've got a dozen divisions working on defense weaponry.
Because we are the only people in the world with the technology to detect it.
General Mansfield wants it kept that way until we know what we're dealing with, so we don't start a global panic.
This means being prepared for anything.
This doesn't sound good.
Sheriff's office.
Can you hold, please? Hi, thanks for waiting.
Why would someone want to steal your doorbell? Busy? No, I'm I'm not making fun.
Could you describe your doorbell? Uh, okay.
What's Ranger Tom calling six times about? Somebody steal a tree? I I wrote it down.
"Something weird.
" Okay, thanks.
Listen, he didn't go into detail.
The the phone's been ringing off the hook.
Stuff's been going missing all over town.
Yeah, got a parking meter, a weather vane, Oh, and your, uh, your desk chair.
You okay there, Sheriff? Oh, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I just, uh, think I need a new chair.
Oh, you should try one of those yoga balls.
Your back will totally say thank you.
Yo oh, okay.
Uh, you want to tell me what you think is so weird? Probably better I just show you.
Maybe the most disturbing thing it wasn't here yesterday.
That's my chair.
You don't see this every day.
This is amazing.
Yeah, I never really got modern art.
It's not art.
This looks like the base structure of a toroidal vacuum chamber.
You know, this could be the outline for a magnetic mirror field.
M oh, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But I I mean, this this looks like a a pile of rap.
A pile of crap that someone is turning into a plasma generator.
A honking big one.
And, uh, generally speaking, what does a plasma generator generate? And don't say plasma.
Uh, bursts of energy short and really intense.
The question is, what's it designed to power? I'll I'll run some displacement scans.
Okay, let's do an E.
V.
field analysis, too.
Okay.
Thanks.
So, who do we know that can build one of these things out of a lava lamp and a kitchen sink? That really is a kitchen sink.
Yeah.
Can it power a weapon? Sure could.
Well? It looks like a cracked engine block, but let's see.
I'm a little backed up with the Smartasphalt sensor upgrade, but I think I can have her fixed, what, by the end of the week? Yeah, I don't think so.
Fargo, she's okay.
I mean, Tabitha's A.
I.
is in perfect condition.
She just needs a little TLC, that's all.
Yeah, well, so do I.
Maybe Dr.
Deacon could install massaging seats.
That's not what Look, Tabby, we've had a good run, but there's a new problem every week.
This just isn't working anymore.
I'm sorry.
Fargo.
He's just upset.
He'll be back.
Won't he? Afternoon, Deputy.
You like? I waited six weeks.
How did you Uh, pulled some strings with my buddy in requisitions.
Awesome, huh? Well, what happened to Tabitha? I thought you loved that car.
Well, it was nice while it lasted, but, you know, it's time to move on.
So you just dumped her.
I don't believe in long goodbyes, especially when something this sweet comes along.
Men.
Besides, I found her someone new.
Hey, Larry.
They're perfect for each other.
Yeah.
I don't think that it's possible to build a working plasma generator out of aluminum Christmas trees and duct tape.
Yeah, well, that's what it looks like to me, and I'm pretty smart.
And if she's right, then it means that someone at G.
D.
is building it.
Well, I checked the equipment list for every lab in particle physics, astrophysics, and condensed matter.
No project needs a generator that powerful.
Well, what about, uh, the department of planetary defense? Dr.
Wyman has all the resources that he needs for his work right here.
Why would he build a plasma generator in the woods out of junk? I don't know.
Maybe he like to recycle.
Well, look, that kind of device could be a good power source for a land-based energy beam.
It could vaporize an incoming craft if you were preparing for the worst.
I will talk to him, but I am telling you that it is a waste of time.
And we don't have much of it left.
Looks like Wyman's not the only one under a lot of pressure.
Yeah, tell me about it.
Where are you going? Well, they're still building it, right? So someone's gonna want it finished.
Sorry.
Tabitha, what are you doing here? I guess Larry changed his mind.
Oh, he did, did he? Be careful, Douglas.
When you're angry, you often say things you regret.
-Hey, hose clamp, not funny.
-What are you doing here? Conscience get the better of you? Conscience had nothing to do with it.
We had a deal.
No take-backsies.
Thanks for picking her up for me, but you sold me a bill of goods.
The stereo only plays '80s rook, the A.
C.
smells like feet, and it only drive in reverse.
What are you talking about? She works fine for me.
Then you two should be very happy together.
I want my refund in cash.
No way.
I moved on to greener pastures.
We had a deal.
She's your problem now.
Don't think this is over! No.
No.
Yes.
Stakeouts are fun.
They're they're more fun with pepperoni than with organic tofu medley.
You mean, "thank you for the pizza"? That is thank you for the pizza.
You're welcome.
You want anything else? I've got a protein bar, juice box, Funyuns.
You always eat this much? You always this smooth with the ladies? Yeah.
So when do you think Dr.
planetary defense is gonna show up? Actually, I don't.
Well, then why are we here? I think somebody's building this thing, but I don't think it's him.
I mean, like Allison said, he has all of Global's resources at his disposal, so Okay, well, she could be protecting him, too.
Yeah.
She could be, but I don't know, but she's been under a lot of stress lately, I think.
That's very considerate of you, Carter.
No wonder she likes you so much.
You hear that? Whoa.
Lucas.
He's he's he's my daughter's boyfriend.
He brought company.
Yeah.
This is who's building it a bunch of sleepwalking kids? It's like they're all in some sort of aphasic trance.
Zoe.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
So did the nurse come by? Oh, yeah, she came by.
I don't think I have any blood left.
So they said that I was building something? Yeah.
Yeah.
You ready to tell me what you remember? I remember washing my face, going to bed, and I woke up here.
Okay.
Well, I'll have to help you fill in some of the blanks.
I brought you here.
You fought me the whole way.
You were pretty upset.
And then you just fell asleep in the car.
And I was really walking around the woods with Lucas and everyone? Yeah.
It was like village of the damned.
Wow.
I mean, it it could be a lot of things, Jack.
I mean, a virus in the myelin sheath has been known to affect the forebrain and cause group hallucinations.
Well, I've had a lot of viruses, but none of them that ever made me build junk towers in my sleep.
I don't know of any infectious agent That could cause this kind of coordinated obsession.
Well, could could Dr.
Sueno be involved? No, Dr.
Sueno has been doing research on a zero-gravity mattress, on a space station for the last year.
Well, something's got to be affecting these kids.
It could be a thousand things that affect brain chemistry a tuned microwave beam, gamma radiation, uh, a radio signal.
Could any of those things have anything to do with planetary defense? Possibly.
But, you know, that's Allison's baby, and Yeah, so I'm discovering.
Oh, wait, wait, one more thing um, brain scans on the kids.
I'm seeing some unexplained activity.
Like dangerous activity? Activity that I'm concerned about.
-Hey.
-Hey.
How's Zoe? These kids are in a lot of trouble.
Tell me this isn't one of your projects.
Carter, of course it isn't.
I would never put our kids at risk.
No, not not on purpose.
But around here, a lot of things happen by accident.
Well, I'm about to fix the accident.
You order the wrecking crew, Dr.
Blake? Yes, I want these towers completely dismantled.
Ye, ma'am.
Whoa.
-Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up.
-Zane, it's okay.
I told them to take them down.
Sure.
A little antimatter explosion never hurt anyone.
Antimatter? You told me it was a plasma generator.
Yeah, it was, yesterday.
With these enhancements, it's a new ball game now.
Okay, hold the work! I've been running scans on the new pieces of the machine.
I think this could be the trigger device to an antimatter bomb.
-Are you sure? -Well, no.
Someone built it out of baling wire and bubble gum.
But if I'm right and we start pulling pieces off this thing, we could set it off.
We better get these teams out of here.
I want guards posted around the clock until we get some answers.
Okay, just give me a few more hours, Okay.
Looking good, Fargo.
Larry You'll rue the day.
Rue the day! Enough, you hear me? Douglas Fargo says enough! Well, you an say it outside after you mop my floor.
You need to arrest Larry right now.
I refused to take Tabitha back, and he tried to run me down.
Well, you seem okay to me.
What are you talking about?! I am covered in evidence! Sid you just flick me? I'm sorry, but I need help.
You know what? This is your own fault.
If you had taken better care of Tabitha, instead of dumping her on Larry I took great care of her.
Really? All right, so when was the last time you rotated her tires or, I don't know detailed her dash or gave her a good buffing, hmm? I don't know.
I guess I just kind of lost interest.
And you say she let you down.
What is wrong with you? I have been running more tests on the kids.
Oh, and, what'd you find? Well, their abnormal brain activity has been increasing all day.
I've never seen anything like it.
Okay, so it builds as they get tired? Yeah, our subconscious is more susceptible to suggestion while we're asleep.
All right, let's try keeping them awake.
Too late.
One minute they're sleeping and then this.
They've been trying to get out for the last hour.
Zoe? Zoe? Easy.
It's time to go to bed, okay, sweetie? Ah! They're worse than before.
Their brains are flooded with neurotransmitter Adenosine, ATP, Serotonin.
They can't keep going through cycles like this.
The levels will cause permanent damage.
Is it the the thing in the woods that that's calling them or? What'd Zane find out? I've been trying to reach him.
Jo.
Yeah, they're in a trance again.
They're not the only one.
They keep coming.
Yeah.
Carter, I think it's starting up.
Yeah, whatever it is.
Jo.
Zane.
Carter, what the hell is happening? I don't know.
But it's spreading.
The thing is way more complex, and it's humming.
The original plasma generator has been networked to a dozen new components.
Well, it's affecting more people now.
Why those people? Also, it's only happening at night.
Now, that can't be a coincidence.
Lunar cycles affect sleeping patterns.
Henry, let's re-task the geo satellites to measure for abnormal gravitational pull any data that you can get.
Good.
All right, and what we need to do is tear that thing down and now.
Wait, so, if you don't understand it, just destroy it? Well, it could be turning the whole town into zombies.
No, it can't be.
The ring wasn't here before the kids were affected.
They built it, right? Yeah, and since they have, the effect's gotten worse.
Listen, Carter, if they're connected to this thing, We need to know what we're dealing with so we don't make this worse.
The trance effect wanes during the day, so we have a few hours.
Let's have Fargo and Henry finish their scans, then we'll decide what to do.
Right.
-Okay.
-Okay.
What do you think of this thing, Trixie? How you doing, Cassandra? No.
Shanaynay, looking good! You need a name, but I am just not feeling it.
But I am feeling this.
I don't believe it.
Yes, get me Dr.
Blake.
Well, then find her.
This is urgent.
I'm I'm sorry.
Yes, I know.
I should watch my tone.
It's just of course I'll hold.
Oh.
Larry, what is wrong with you?! Didn't Jo talk to you about stalking?! That is it, Haberman.
Game's over! No hard feelings, buddy.
Hey.
Hey.
How's Zane? Snoring like a lumberjack.
Zoe? She's good.
She's exhausted.
They all are.
Yeah.
First the teens, now the adults.
Did you did you find a link? I was cross-checking names.
It's all random.
Men, women, young, old, no specific field of research.
Well, keep trying.
Yeah.
Hey, why don't you go get a coffee? -I can watch her.
-No, I'm -I'm good.
-Yeah.
You can go.
Someone's got to do the "Sheriffing.
" Hmm.
Trust me, all the drama's in here.
Traffic's so smooth, I found myself hoping for a high-speed chase.
Yeah, I guess the road networks take all the fun out of eluding the police.
Oh, seriously.
Everyone's driving around on autopilot.
I may never write a ticket again.
On autopilot? Yeah.
Jo did a background check on all of the builder, and every single one of them has had their car networked with the Smartasphalt.
So instead of driving cars, you think the network is driving people.
-Yes, exactly.
-Well, if that's true, why is it only affecting the teens? Because we upgraded the cars to the Smartasphalt in order of accident statistics.
And teens are the most dangerous driver.
And that explains Zane, too.
He's he's a terror.
Well, Zane is also the architect of the system.
Maybe he could help us if he wakes up.
Yeah, but we don't have time.
I mean, we have to shut the grid down now.
Oh, well, get ready for the mother of all traffic jams.
Mom, just a few more minutes.
I'm not your mom.
Larry? Oh, where are we? In the trunk of your demonic convertible.
Oh, I think I'm bleeding.
You take the pain.
You deserve it! I'll show you pain! Ow, ow, no pinching! Oh, no, no, no, no pinching, no pinching, no pinching! Time-out, time-out, time-out, time out.
If we're both in here, who's driving? That would be me, Douglas.
Tabitha? You sold me a psychopathic car.
I wasn't stalking you, he was! Tabitha, pull over! I don't believe your name is on my pink slip anymore.
Uh, mine is.
Tabitha, pull over now.
Shut up, Larry.
Huh? Where are you taking us? Tabby? Sweetheart? Not so pleasant having your destiny in someone else's hands, is it? You don't have hands! Jack, before we shut down the grid, you should know that there are risks.
Yeah, I know, traffic jams.
I'll handle it.
No, he means for the people connected to it.
Shutting down the grid could be the answer, but it could cause adverse effects, So you may want to be with Zoe when we do this.
Okay.
Thanks.
Is that the one-phay ire-way? Why are you using pig Latin? I read in the owner's annual-may, ig-pay Latin-lay isn't one of her programmed languages-lay.
Ut-shay up-ay, arry-lay.
Look, just call someone and tell them we've been kidnapped-kay.
I'm more concerned with telling Dr.
Blake what I found before it's too late.
Yeah, well, I'm more concerned with survival! What are you doing, Douglas? Do what you want to us, Tabitha.
I have to talk to Dr.
Blake.
It's urgent.
He means do what you want to him.
-Dr.
Blake.
-Fargo? Wait, wait, hold hold on.
Uh, one sec, I have Carter, on the other line.
Don don do She hung up on me.
No, I hung up on you.
Carter, are you there? Allison, it's not good.
You got to shut the grid down now! Henry, take it off-line, now.
All right, here we go.
It worked.
Zoe.
Hi, Henry.
What's happening? Uh, their brain scans indicate some kind of heightened REM sleep.
Heightened by what? I don't know yet.
But the teenagers are more severe, possibly because they were affected first.
And all the others are in and out.
-I was pretty stupid.
-It wasn't your fault.
Well, it was my idea to turn off the road network, and It wasn't just the road.
Zane.
Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa.
There's no way that that, system sophisticated enough to control a human brain.
Well, given that it's been controlling your brain, how can you be so sure? Okay, let's say that the system was interacting with whatever is doing this to all of you.
It's possible that the Smartasphalt sensors crossed frequencies with something else.
Okay, like what? And why at night? Well, possibly a broadcast.
If so, then the signal would be stronger because the sun's down.
The grid could've amplified the power.
But we chose an encrypted frequency for the road network so we wouldn't have any interference from a local-source signal.
Well, what if the source signal isn't local? Ah! Jackpot! Found a Mr.
big bar.
Whew! Do you want half? I'm not having a candy bar for my last meal.
Drama queen.
She's not gonna kill you.
No, she's gonna kill us.
What did I do? You said she smelled like feet! I was I was joking.
Well, I guess she didn't really find it funny, did she? Wait.
You feel that? I think we're on the Da Vinci bridge.
Aah! Aah! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! I'm too pretty to die! This is all my fault.
It I! It is! It's all your fault! Jo was right.
Tabitha was a great car.
I mean, sure, she's a little quirky, but she always played my favorite radio station, always warmed my seat to a comfortable 72 degrees.
I just sold her off without even saying goodbye.
Seriously, you deserve to die.
I'm sorry, Tabby.
You deserve better.
I let you down.
Could could you forgive me? Or at least let Larry go.
Tabitha, I really need to reach Allison.
Please, this is important.
Tabby? Oh, we're doomed! I'm gonna die a virgin! So the smartroad was just serving as an amplifier, and whatever was telling them to build it isn't being transmitted from anywhere around here.
Well, maybe it's the signal.
Whatever's coming has been trying to send us a message.
Yeah, right, and only certain people are receiving it.
Oh, my God.
Well, a 30 hertz of FET carrier wave could propagate through the fermite coils into the road system, right? Which could affect nucleus accumbens in the forebrain.
Y small words, mall.
It wanted us to build that device.
And we have no idea what it's capable of doing.
I'm gonna tell Wyman to spin up Eureka's planetary defense grid.
Wait, you're gonna shoot it down? No, I'm just loading the gun.
We have no idea what it's doing to us and why, and we need to be prepared.
Allison, you know that could just be a function of our inability to receive the information.
Don't don't let all this technology fool you.
We're still very primitive creature.
Whoa.
What what whoa? When did you shut off the road grid? A couple hours ago.
Well, the signal has been doubling in strength every 4.
4 seconds.
It makes it exponentially more powerful than it was yesterday.
How close is this thing? Close enough not to need an amplifier anymore.
And we can't shut it off.
It's just gonna get worse.
-Allison Blake.
-Allison, it's Henry.
They just came streaming through.
And we know where they're going.
I'm sending a security team to the site.
Hey, hey! Zoe.
Hey.
You okay? Dad It's gonna be okay.
I hate you.
I hate you.
I hate you more.
Hate you so much.
I hate you most.
I think this is it.
Oh, God.
Hold me! Oh, God! Oh, no.
This is the worst death ever.
Hello, boys.
He hugged me.
Oh, you wish.
Yeah.
How'd you find us? Tabitha called.
-Tabitha? -Mm-hmm.
Dr.
Blake's cell phone isn't picking up, and you have important information to deliver.
Deputy Lupo's new cruiser can get you there faster.
Thank you, Tabby.
When we get back, I'll make this up to you.
I promise.
Listen, about that hug what happened in the trunk stays in the trunk.
Lock down that perimeter! Isn't this monumental? You always this positive? Annoying? No.
We've lost cell reception, but I've set up a hard-line video link to Henry in telemetry.
Whatever it is, it's accelerating.
How long? They'll be here within the hour.
Wyman, get the new coordinates from Dr.
Deacon and get back to G.
D.
I want everything we have ready to fire.
Got it.
Wha you you're just gonna shoot it out of the sky? Al, can't you feel their anticipation? Something big is gonna happen.
It's already happening.
Whoa! Whoa! I have to reach Allison before it's too late.
I till can't get a signal.
Nice acceleration.
Zero to 60 in 4.
7 seconds.
Tabitha never rode the outside groove like this.
Tabitha did the best she could with what she had.
She can't help it if she wasn't born with a better chassis.
But I can.
When this is over, I'm gonna give her the upgrade she deserve.
Put Tabby's A.
I.
into the Subaru.
Guess you won't have to name your new car after all.
We're getting massive ionization building up in the atmosphere.
Yeah that's just a function of the plasma wave.
Well, it could also ignite the ionosphere if it keeps building.
Ignite, as in burn the sky? If the ionization goes critical, then yeah.
We have to destroy that thing before it get any closer.
Allison, you can't.
You can't do that.
Henry, what's the status of that thing? It just crossed the orbit of Mars.
Well, how long before it's in range? A few minutes, tops.
Okay, get ready to fire all batteries.
Talk to her.
Please.
Dad.
Zoe.
How are you? How do you feel? You can't hoot it down.
I That's not my call, sweetie.
It's it's putting a lot of people in danger.
But it's it's not on purpose.
It's like it's helping a friend.
It's help Allison, she says it's safe.
What's the ionization level? It's holding steady See, it's not going critical, Al.
It's not gonna ignite the atmosphere.
Recheck the number.
We only have one shot at this thing.
Recalculating.
Whoa.
We just lost the target.
-What do you mean you lost it? -As in, it's gone.
Along with our chances of destroying it.
Based on its last speed and trajectory, it's headed straight this way.
Sergeant prepare the security team and the demolition unit.
We are not letting this thing touch down.
We're till not detecting the target.
They must've found a way to hide.
They could be cloaking.
Set the charges.
We're taking these towers down.
I'm not sure that's a good idea.
Al, this thing is pumping energy like a fusion reactor.
You can't just blow it up.
Well, we may not have a choice.
Get those charges ready! Dr.
Blake! Stop.
I know what it is.
It's not a weapon.
It's a boson cloud exciter.
Oh, my God.
Wait, what's what's a boson cloud exciter? The end point for a high-velocity space jump.
Like a giant catcherÂ’s mitt.
Yeah, for a 67-million-mile-per-hour fastball.
It would be impossible to low it down without a cloud of bosons to dissipate the energy.
Well, we can't just let it land.
Well, I'm not sure we can blow it up either.
The impact would turn Eureka into a mile-deep rater, Al.
Sergeant pull the explosives back, move to threat level red.
Yes, ma'am.
Here's hoping it's friendly.
Move back! All teams, threat level red! We've reacquired the target.
It's right on top of you.
Oh, my God.
What is this? Hi.
How was your day? Henry, what What is he doing? Oh my God! It's one of ours.