The Dead Zone s04e08 Episode Script

Previously on "The Dead Zone" You think you saw something about me in your visions You ain't yet see nothing I represent a group of powerful individuals|with an equally powerful thirst for change.
How does this concern me? They've watched you turn Faith Heritage|into a regional power base and believe, given the right resources, that you|could go global.
Resources? We have access to several broadcast|satellites.
You've been summoned, Reverend.
Will you answer that call? Ho yeah, that's just|how I'll expect my Sunday.
Driving up and down the coast,|haggling over antiques.
I told you, they aren't for me.
Oh, yeah.
Your dear old aunt.
Here's a thought:|next time take her.
Okay? I'll stay here and watch|some paint dry, and stick some bamboo|under my fingernails.
It's about time.
The psychic has landed! Something's not right.
What? - Hold on.
|- Hang on.
Surprise! It's not even my birthday.
That's the surprise.
Your idea? Group effort.
Something about winning the State|Science Decathlon ten years ago.
Hmm Richard Wicklin? - Wicked.
|- What? Ricky Wicked.
That's my stage|name, Mr.
Smith.
We call our band|'Isosceles Squared'.
I thought you got your|Ph.
D in laser optics.
It's a fall-back position, in|case the music thing doesn't fly.
Good thinking.
Speech! - Yeah.
|- Yeah.
Yeah, give us a little speech.
Well, I have to say guys this is|all very unexpected.
I've thought about all you|a lot over the years.
And it's good to see you're|all looking so well.
What else can I say? This is more|than I'll really If you ask me this is a complete|waste of time! Haven't you geeks heard? Mr.
Smith isn't about|science anymore.
We lost him to the mystical world of|soothsaying and prestidigitation.
I'll prove to you just|how far he's strayed by using the|'Scientific method.
' You remember|that one, don't you, Teach? Vaguely but|don't let me stop you.
Ladies and germs, I, Dr.
Alex Conners, have|in my possession an object, borrowed from Mr.
Smith's|desk some short ten years ago.
If you believe the tabloids|and the gossip rags, the Wizard of Cleaves Mills should|be able tell us what I have and why I took it.
Just one touch,|right mister Smith? Come on, you aren't gonna|punk out on me, are you? I don't even have to touch you.
Whooo! So what's the frequency Kenneth? Nineteen-thirty-eight Indian head|nickel that my dad left to me.
I surrender, oh mystic one! You're still disrupting class,|that's great.
Sorry, Mr.
Smith, but you drilled it into us on that|senior trip to the science museum, question the status quo.
|Push the edge of reason and what was it? "Be the vanguard!" - Very nice to see you.
|- Me too.
A toast.
To Mr.
Smith! For giving each of us the key to the brightest|future we could never possibly imagine! What are you up to these days?|Besides busting on your old teachers.
Plastics.
Plastics? Polymers actualy.
I'm a research|chemist at Portland Chemical.
That's a great place to be.
Yeah, I got my own lab.
Assistant.
|Whole she-bang.
That's great man.
|I'm proud of you.
Who is he? Alex Conners.
One of Johnny's|greatest achievements.
I'm afraid to ask.
Alex came from|a working class family.
Johnny took him under his wing,|helped him get a scholarship to M.
I.
T.
He spent more time with that kid|than he did with me.
Seems like a nice guy.
What is it? Nothing nothing.
See ya.
Sure you can't stick around? No, no.
Big day tomorrow.
|I'm about to crack something huge.
Love to see you in action.
Any|chance I might get a tour? Ho, I'll find out.
My boss, she's|kind of a hard-ass, but hey, if it wasn't for you|I wouldn't even be there.
Oh, almost forgot.
All these years,|you knew I had it? Where else would it be? I took it the day before the Science Decathlon.
|For luck.
Didn't know it was your Dad's, man.
Sorry, kind of dickweed|thing to do.
No problem.
By the way Alex,|you are a dickweed.
- I'll call you up.
|- Alright man.
Are you sure|it was Armageddon? It was Armageddon.
You said it was different.
Yeah.
Alex was there.
Alex? But the only time you see Armageddon|is when you touch Stillson.
That's why this doesn't add up.
Maybe Portland Chemical involve with a defense|contractor that's going to work on a bomb.
Or maybe somebody|on the inside is dirty.
I mean, how else could your former student|be involved with the end of the world? Are you gonna grab that? Hey, Mister Smith, it's Alex.
Good news.
Got the thumbs up on|you spending the day in my lab.
You should pop by in the morning.
|It'll be like old times.
Old times or End Times? Ignominious bastard! I've had warmer welcomes.
You must be the legendary|teacherturned-coma-patient turnedcelebrated-but-slightly-notoriousparlor-trick.
'Johnny' works.
If you wanna hang, our boss says|you gotta sign this.
Nondisclosure.
You guys deal|in top secret stuff? Worse.
Profit-making stuff.
The suits guard it like pit bulls.
|Dr.
Conners is upstairs with Mrs.
Peck.
Mrs.
Peck.
She the boss? Yeah, and I'm pretty sure|she's got acid for blood.
It's a private company, right? Part of a monster conglomerate.
Chemicals their only business? Dude, the check gets|directdeposited every week.
Beyond that, I'm clueless.
This gonna turn to snow tires.
Whoa! Careful with that one.
You are gonna get me so fired.
Don't move! Hang on a sec.
Let the computer process the data.
Okay, I'm officially impressed.
It's not perfected yet, but it's close.
It's adaptive, but the microstructure just doesn't|allow for reactive formation of the macromolecules.
And the former science|teacher is who? Yes! D'you finally pass another|level, tough Guy? Be nice to me,|I just vaporized Cleveland.
My work brings you home|to Maine, Congressman? The House is in recess.
It's a good|time to catch up with old friends.
You're always welcome|at Faith Heritage.
Am I, Reverend? Wasn't sure, considering the way|you've been ignoring me.
What on earth does that mean? You've made some amazing|strides in recent months.
You've got, what,|three new transponders? That makes you|a very powerful man.
Dangerous man.
My work is spreading|God's message.
That's a powerful calling.
The only 'danger'|I can see is failing to spread the message in all|those in need of salvation.
Salvation can mean different|things to different people.
Exodus sixteen, verse fifteen.
"And the children of Israel said:|to one another, it is manna.
" "And Moses said: this is the|bread the Lord has given you to eat.
" By feeding his children, God|delivered them to the promised land.
Headed that way myself, Gene.
And I'd hate to leave you behind.
You're concerned about funding.
As always Congressman,|you have my support.
May not be enough.
I'm already at the ceiling for|soft money contributions.
Then you'll have to reach|for the sky, Reverend.
Reach the Heavens,|if necessary.
I can't.
My primary responsabilities|to my ministry.
I see.
I will gladly continue funding you|at the present level and sing your praises|over the airwaves but I cannot divert one more|penny from foundation coffers.
Fair enough.
God bless you, Gene.
And God Bless all those who|depend on you for insight and guidance.
I'll never get the polymer to reshape if|I can't find the right series of bonds.
Covalent bonds.
Yeah exactly.
|So what are we missing? Flubber? Why don't we cook up a new batch,|see what happens.
Like the old days.
Sounds good.
Trey! So the idea is to capture what forms|underneath The precipitate.
You're getting the hang of it.
Hmm How's the family? Pop refuses to dock the boat.
That man is gonna be|lobsterin' 'til he croaks.
Mom is Mom is mom.
They gotta be proud of you.
I guess.
I mean, Portland Chemical's|right up your alley.
I remember you passed on|that R.
O.
T.
C.
scholarship because you didn't want to end up|working for the Defense Department.
Because I'm morally opposed|to using science to make weapons.
Just like I'm morally|opposed to lite jazz.
Faster readout than before.
We managed to|improve the density.
Damnit! It's just a little set-back.
I don't do set-backs! I gotta chill for a minute.
Forgot how intense this could be.
Actually I'm gonna get going.
If you need a hand|tomorrow let me know okay? I don't think this|was such a good idea.
Alex.
It is good seeing you, Teach.
Likewise.
I don't have to be a psychic to know|that this is getting under your skin.
You're doing great work here,|just remember that.
How about 10 a.
m.
tomorrow? You bring the donuts.
Yeah.
Jelly chocolate sprinkles.
So Stillson, in a tuxedo.
Then, nuclear hellfire.
And flashbulbs.
Remind me to never buy a ticket|to the theater of your mind.
These advanced polymers that|Alex has been working on, they seem harmless.
Some of them could actualy be|used as artificial skin grafts.
If anything,|they're gonna save lives.
But when you touch him KABOOM! Something strange|about that, too.
You know when D.
C.
explodes, Alex gets consumed by fire.
Maybe he's not the cause|of the blast.
Maybe he's the flashpoint.
My money's on|the original Dark Prince.
You pulled an all-nighter? Kept gone over my mind.
And then, like 3|in the morning, it came to me.
This why I'm right it now.
It still doesn't seem quite right.
I need to soften it.
In about two hours, it comes this.
It's interesting now.
The microstructure has significant|molecular extension and alignment.
It's really strong.
I mean,|we hit it with everything.
Extreme heat,|high-tensile stress tests.
Even that.
It's a neutron absorber.
It's radiation-proof.
Do you know what this means? We are making significant strides|in the defense of our nation.
And we've got Portland|Chemical's to thank for it.
Sounds important.
Important?|How about earth shattering! You could shield organs around|the cancer cells.
People won't get their healthy tissue|fried during radiation treatment.
It's incredible, Alex.
And a major find for|Portland Chemical Goes real nice with profit|participation, right? Get me some coffee.
Black, two sugars.
Bendable plastic with the|shielding properties of lead.
This is a home run, Alex.
|Congratulations.
Well John suggested some things that|just broke the all thing wide open.
Judith Peck, this is Johnny Smith.
Ha-ha I've heard about you.
All good, I hope.
Congressman, I'm not naive.
I know why you're|sending funding my way.
You want my hard cash to|become your soft money.
Did I say that? I just want you to know our|agendas haven't been trully exclusive.
Never thought they were, Ms.
Peck.
Not for one second.
This young man is going to change|the world as we know it.
You said Alex's work|could save lives.
Until the military gets a hold of|it, makes it part of a W.
M.
D.
Probably a next-generation nuke.
I can't let him perfect|the process.
Johnny.
|Nothing's happened yet.
Maybe Alex could save some lives.
I gotta believe he stopped|and I'm gonna save more.
Listen to yourself.
You're talking|about sabotaging his main work.
Whatever's gotta be done.
|It's the Apocalypse, right? The Four Horseman|are on their way.
Why don't you just lay it down|for him.
Like you did with me.
Tell him everything.
He's a scientist.
These polymers are like his babies.
|He's not gonna give them up.
Alright, so what you're gonna do? Alex trusts his teacher.
So you're gonna get close to him change the formula.
He'll|think it's a design flaw and they'll eventually|bury the project.
I wish there was|another way to do this.
You're not the only one.
Hey.
Wait a minute? Gotta make sure|we get this right.
That's where all|the formulas get stored? Right onto 'Seven-of-Nine.
'|Seven terabytes.
The magic lives here.
How about we make some? Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us|see ourselves clearly in the mirror Can we truly say that we are doing|God's work? Can we truly say that we are making the world a better|place, each and every day? Jesus said to his disciples that|the greatest commandment was to love your God.
But equally important|was a new commandment: thou shalt love thy|neighbor as thyself.
Matthew writes that|on these two commandments hang the law and the prophets.
We just lost Eastern Europe, Micronesia,|Central and South America.
The new transponders.
There could be something|wrong with the uplinks.
Tell the tech department to stand down.
|I have a feeling the problem is gonna fix itself.
Mister Janus.
Good afternoon.
Do you enjoy|dog shows, Reverend? I'm not sure Dog shows.
Fussy contestants, posing and preening.
|Over-sized women holding leashes.
I don't understand.
Myself, I'm addicted to them.
|Trouble is, I have got this tree branch blocking the dish|on the roof of my house.
Just like that I'm left|sitting in the dark.
All alone.
I did not reject Greg Stillson's|request.
I simply refused.
The thing about those|satellite companies is once you buy the equipment,|they make you sign your life away.
Do I make myself understood? You may assure|the Congressman that in me he has a loyal subscriber.
I already have.
I just want you to know our|agendas are not mutually exclusive.
Never thought they were, Ms.
Peck.
Not for one second.
You spoke to him? And? I reminded the Reverend that there|is a higher power than God as it relates to his|newfound celebrity.
The main thing is he's going to keep an open|pipeline to the Faith Heritage cash register.
Where are you? Setting up the next leg of the Greg|Stillson march to the White House.
Nice.
I'm at Portland Chemical.
They've been talking up one of|their researchers.
Prodigy I'm told.
Alex Conners.
You know him? I know his work.
The CEO says Conners is|maybe onto something big.
But the annonce|will be in another month.
Which means stock price could skyrocket.
|We only have one problem.
What's that? Conners' old science teacher's|been visiting the lab.
Johnny Smith.
Did you hear me? Let me get into it.
It's working.
I don't understand.
I went over|the numbers three times A fully pliable neutron absorber maybe it's not possible.
Whatever happened|to pushing the edge? Be the 'vanguard'.
You gotta know when you're beat.
Come on, you're|lettin' me cream you! I need a breather.
Wreak some|havoc on your own.
Hu, I have a headache! He's right, you know.
|You're barely paying attention.
That reunion was|something else, huh? All those guys could talk about was|senior year at the Museum of Science.
Sometimes I wish the biggest thing in my life|was planning a lousy twelfth grade field trip.
The world changed, Johnny.
|Doesn't mean you have to.
I'll have to rent a downstore|for all this stuff.
What are you doin' down there? Converting the basement.
We might need the extra room.
Sarah.
You've got a No.
Not yet anyway.
That's great.
|That's really great.
Thanks, yeah.
Well We don't want J.
J.
|to be an only child.
Besides, Walt and I would love|to have a child of our own.
That didn't come out right.
No, it's cool.
I understand.
Yeah.
Hey, You might want me to let|you know if it's a boy or a girl.
No! I I just don't want|to find out that way.
Yeah, I get it.
Understand.
I better get going.
I'm happy for you, Sarah.
Thanks.
We get the same result? Yeah.
What's the problem? We've run five samples today.
And every one, every|single one, has tanked because something|was off on your end.
- My end?|- Jealous? Can't stand to see one of your|students pass you by? You know that's not true, Alex.
Take the lesson, Trey.
Those who can't do, teach.
Those who can't teach, sabotage.
Oh, my God, Trey, that's it.
The H-three bonds on|the last cycle are off.
Dude.
You are officially on the map.
The joyous sounds|of progress, I hope.
Dr.
Conners, someone|I'd like you to meet.
Congressman Greg Stillson.
|This is Alex Conners.
Yeah, it's an honor to meet you.
It is an honor for me.
You're a real success story|for the state of Maine.
Thank you.
Although it's been|a pretty rough week.
Alex, Congressman Stillson was concerned when I mentionned|him that Johnny Smith has been monitoring your work.
Really?|You know Mister Smith? We've crossed paths.
He's not around now, is he? No.
No.
We're finished.
Good decision.
What's the matter? Did you see anything? Maybe you can tell|security about it.
Your work's gonna be|used in other ways, Alex.
Ways you won't be|so proud of.
I don't believe you.
Then believe this.
You gonna|reach a board working.
You're gonna knock those beakers ove,|right after you have the breakthrough.
And after that, that's when|you're gonna meet him, You're gonna know this made up too okay?|He's gonna be the man at the top! The man we have to stop!|It's the man at the top! He still your hero? I hope he gets some help.
Why didn't you just tell him? They were dragging me out.
Only thing they forgot was|the straightjacket.
Look, if you saw Alex laughin' it|up with the Dark Prince, then that's your answer.
The future connection with Stillson|is giving you the Armageddon vision.
But Alex is in the vision too.
He's the first one to die.
Dude? You are officially on the map.
The sounds of progress, I hope.
Dr.
Conners, there's someone|I'd like you to meet.
Congressman Greg Stillson.
|Alex Conners.
It's a It's a honor to meet you.
It's an honor for me.
You're a real success story|for the state of Maine.
I guess so.
Alex, Congressman Stillson was concerned when|I mentionned Johnny Smith has been monitoring your work.
Really? You|you know Mister Smith? Our paths have crossed.
|He's not around, is he? No, no, hum We're finished.
That's a good decision.
I want Smith kept away from here.
My sources tell me he was|thrown out yesterday.
If Smith derails that kid's work,|he derails the money train.
I've got it under control.
Do you? That freak is up to something.
What if Smith's meeting|this kid outside the lab? Follow Conners and find out.
It's under control.
Alright.
You sure this is a good idea? They're just gonna|toss you again.
What? My vision came true and he's already met Stillson.
So what now? I'm gonna wait for Alex.
I've got to find a way to convince him that what|he's doing is obviously very bad for everyone.
How you gotta do that? I don't know.
What'd you see? They're coming for Alex.
Hey.
You're being followed.
|Get out of here.
What? - I'll meet you.
|- Where? 'Field trip.
' Twelfth grade.
Go.
Sorry! Just learned to drive a stick! Back in the car.
Let's go.
Sorry! Maybe he misunderstood you.
Or maybe he didn't trust me.
It happened.
Just like you said it would.
I made the breakthrough,|the beakers fell over.
Then Peck went in with|that Stillson guy.
I'm a man of science, but I can't|find a rational explanation for it.
There's no explanation.
You wanna tell me what my local|Congressman's got to do with it? Greg Stillson can't be allowed|to exploit your work.
It's going to be|converted, isn't it? Used in some kind of weapon.
A W.
M.
D.
There's a reason|you're the star pupil.
You knew? It's always been in the back of my mind.
|I knew my research could be exploited.
But there's something else,|isn't there? What do you see|when you touch me? Tell him, John.
I see fire.
I see the end of the world.
What do you|want me to do? It's too dangerous, Alex.
I created this.
My mind, my hands|brought it to life.
Somebody's gotta be the vanguard|against these bastards, right? Might as well be us, Teach.
And we've got Portland Chemical's|amazing work to thank for it Their advanced,|next-generation polymers have allowed us|to contain the core of a tactical nuclear weapon.
Don't worry, folks,|it's not a live one.
Pick your delivery system.
Another reason for|our enemies to fear us.
Now, I'd like|to introduce the man who helped spearhead these and other|achievements in our nation's security.
We had to pull him out of a fancy banquet,|but he insisted on coming by.
Ladies and gentlemen,|the President of the United States! Talk to me, John.
I saw Stillson.
He was different.
Different? He was the President|of the United States.
I've been thinking about it the only solution I see:|trash the hard drive and burn the samples.
I know.
But I'm the one|who should go.
You're not gonna get anywhere|near the lab after the other day.
I can't let you destroy|your life's work Alex.
First of all, I'm only 27.
|And second, you aren't my teacher anymore.
|You aren't 'letting' me do anything.
We don't have the choice.
|We have to stop this.
Alright, man.
Go back to the lab.
|Keep doing what you're doing.
And tell them it's not working.
That'll buy me some time.
Time for what? To make a deal.
Smith won't quit that easy.
Stay focused on the prize.
There's someone|I want you to meet.
Another cash cow? Just make sure you see Gene Purdy.
The Reverend's here? He's going to introduce you.
I'm heartened by the fact that we|could work out our differences.
Never doubted your|enthusiasm for the cause.
Ah, here he is now.
Congressman|Stillson, I'd like you to meet Senator Harlan Ellis.
It is an honor.
You're|a legend in Maine politics.
Christ almighty, am I that old? Sorry, Reverend.
You're absolved, Senator.
I've been wanting|to meet you for years, sir.
We share the same|constituents, son.
It's a good thing for us to meet outside|the beltway, get back to our people touch the natives as it were.
There.
It's a constituent|worth wooing.
That's my daughter.
Sir It's alright.
|I was young once.
Miranda, darling! I'd like you to meet|a friend of the family.
Daddy.
This is Greg Stillson.
|Greg is a Congressman.
A young man with a|very bright future.
My pleasure.
I saw you earlier.
It's look like you|were born in the saddle.
Thank you.
Do you ride? No, but I'm a lethally quick study.
I told you he was an up-and-comer.
Smith.
You need to work|on your security.
You are like a wad of chewing gum stuck to the bottom of|my shoe and I just cannot scrape off.
You know that? Maybe we're just|connected by destiny.
That's a scary thought.
What do you want? I want Alex Conners left alone.
Do you now.
I want your people to back off|and let him walk away.
From what I understand,|Conners' work is going to save a lot of lives.
The research is flawed.
It's useless.
I don't want a public|failure to ruin his career.
And you are offering Myself.
Stay away from|Alex Conners, I'll stay away from you.
You're sure you want to play|that card so early in the game? My God, you're a man|possessed, aren't you? Do we have a deal? Did you find him yet? Good, take him in.
Bruce! Hey! I'm sorry, John Alex, get out of here.
You're coming with us.
What is it? They threatened his family.
Stillson lied.
He has a shocker for ya.
Com'on.
I'm glad your back with us.
Oh, I never left, Mrs.
Peck.
Honestly, I don't know|what all the fuss is about.
Good to hear.
Consider this my letter|of resignation.
I'll take that hard-drive now.
Alex, don't! My work is not gonna be used to|kill people.
You got that, assholes! You're not gonna|get my work.
He wasn't killed during|Armageddon.
He was never there You're not gonna get my work.
We need an ambulance! They didn't get your work, Alex.
They didn't get it.
Hang on Hang on Mr.
Smith.
Mrs.
Conners, Mr.
Conners I'm so sorry about Alex.
From what I understand, you did everything possible|to protect my son.
Thank you.
|I'm not sure that's true.
Alex and I used to|talk about you.
He said you were the one|who inspired him to be great.
He was one of the brightest|student I ever had sir.
But I just like to think|that we were friends, I know he felt|that way about you.
News report says|the explosion was an accident.
There's no mention of Stillson.
I was so sure Alex was|connected to Armageddon.
He was.
You saw Alex die in that|fire.
From the very beginning.
But it was his future connection to Stillson|that made you see Armageddon.
If I hadn't said anything,|he'd still be alive.
You don't know that.
Maybe Alex was destined|to die the way he did.
Only God knows what might|have happened if he hadn't.
So what do I do now? You rest.
You rest.
And you|mourn your friend.
There's still plenty of time|to figure this out.
He's not going anywhere.
You copied all|of Conners' files? It's all there.
Um, except I, uh, hadn't totally backed|up the last day's work.
But, hey, you guys can find some|genius to figure it out, right? Sounds doable.
Do I need to count it? This wouldn't be happening if they'd|treated me with a little respect.
Respect is earned, Mr.
Walters.