Gray Matter (2023) - full transcript

- Ayla, stop.
- I'm done talking.

- This won't stop anything!

Ayla, please.

Let's talk to the others.

Some of them are on our side.

Go. Run! Run! Run!

- Hey, hey, hey!

- Patrolling officer
in pursuit! Hey!

- Hey! Stop! Stop!

Get back here now! Stop!

Get down on the ground!



Stop!

Ah, Jesus Christ!

It's only gonna
be worse for you!

Get down on the ground!

Stop!

- Shit!

- Show me your hands!

Don't you move.
Stay right there!

I'm not gonna say
it again. Hands now!

- You're making a mistake.

- On your knees.

- Backup needed, 1000
block off of Welland.

- Let's go. Come on.

I'm not gonna keep
repeating myself.



On the ground now.

- I'm not going with you.

- I'm sorry, missy.
That's not how this works.

- Actually, that's
exactly how this works...

'cause you won't
like the alternative.

I promise you that.

- Hey! Get back!

- You wanna go home tonight?

- What is that, a threat?

- It's a chance.

- Okay.

I'll give you three seconds
to get on the ground.

You understand?

Stop, stop!

- If she takes one more step,
I'm gonna pull the trigger.

That's what you're
thinking, right?

You, not so much.

Now, you are.

- Fuck!
- Oh, shit! Hey, hey!

Stop!

- Ayla!

What the hell happened?

- Seriously?

- What?

- You started it.

- You... give it
to me. I'm hungry.

Not my problem.

- Ha-ha!

- Good touch sensation.

- Where are you going?
- I told you I quit!

- You can't quit!
We're a team!

Two peas in a pod!
- Ugh!

Those are gonna
be black-eyed peas

if you don't get out of my...

- What went wrong?

- The cup, I wasn't
expecting you to drop it.

- Projections need to be
fully formed fictions,

not reactant to the victim.

When you do what we can do,
you make victims of people.

- I know.
- I know you know.

It just bears repeating.

Did you feel the pull?

- Yeah. I kept it back.

- Good. And let's do it again.

- Are you serious? Why?

- Because you're not
fully in control.

These abilities only work
if you are in control.

If you let that
power take over...

- People can die. I know.

But you don't let me use
them outside of the house,

so I think humanity is safe.

My show is on.
- I know your show is on.

That's all you're
thinking about.

- I hate when you do that.

- Then learn how to keep me out.

Again.

- About a dozen
downtown businesses

were boarded up Wednesday,
and glass-littered sidewalks

following two nights

of protests.

This morning,

there were few
people on the streets

as the city school board
shut down all schools

in the downtown metro area.

- Why are you watching that?

It just makes you mad.

- It's good to know
what people are saying.

- They say the same
shit every day.

- Someday, they may say
something different.

It's our early warning system.

- Hiya, hiya, hiya!

I'm Mad Matty, the
mattress master!

And I'm here to tell you

that our hybrid memory
foam line is on sale!

- Yeah, we're getting
early warning signs

about the latest mattress sales.

Time for school.

- You know, maybe I could read
something different today?

Something with an actual plot?

- Life doesn't have a plot.

- Yeah, that's why books should.

- You're 16. You
want fairy tales?

We're not like
normal people, Ro.

There's a reason I make
you read the books I do.

- "Virtue Ethics
and Utilitarianism"?

I know right from wrong.

I don't need a 300-page
book to tell me.

- The point of that book

is that power has a way of
diminishing moral senses.

- What does that even mean?

- That we have a choice.

And how we use these abilities

when we're out
there in the world,

when it's not just me and you...

those choices matter.

If you get stopped,
taken, what do you do?

- Mom.
- Tell me what.

- I tell them nothing.
- What do you show them?

- Nothing.

- What happens if they
go into your memories?

- I forget.
- Forget what?

- As much as I can.

- How?

- I think of anything else?

- Use an anchor.

- An anchor memory.
Right, yeah.

An anchor memory.

- And you fight.

You fight as long and
as hard as you can.

And where will I be?

- The bus stop on the 730
line off of Route 80, exit 3.

- That's right.

- I told you I quit!

- You can't quit!
We're a team!

Two peas in a pod!
- Ugh!

Those are gonna
be black-eyed peas

if you don't get out of my way!

- Hey, I'm sorry.

- You talk, but I
don't believe it.

I'm gone!
- Well, what about...

Um, what about my dead cat?

- You never had a cat!
- Exactly my point!

So help me fix this before
our parents get back!

- Why should I?

- Well, because it
wasn't exactly my fault!

- You hate what we read,
but you love this garbage?

- Yup.

It's my only way of
seeing regular people.

- You seen regular people?

That's not how they are.

- What? You always...

- Well, it's closer
than how we live.

- Then why are you surprised?
At least I'm consistent!

- I'm going out for supplies.
- Now, that's ridiculous!

- You mean shopping?

Can I come?

- Not this time.

- Why not?

- Stay here with
your regular people.

- I'm worried they're
up to something.

- ♪ [vocalizing]
Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Why you gotta
do me like that ♪

♪ Do me like that,
yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Why you gotta do me
like, do me like that? ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

- What do you think?

- I think it's really good.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

- Okay, well, obviously,
I still gotta, like,

work on the lyrics
and all that and...

And find someone
who can sing 'em.

Do you sing?

Oh, no.

I mean, I... I wouldn't
call it singing.

- So, um...

Okay, I-I kinda
made you something.

It's stupid.

- You made this?

Yeah.

- Could you?

So, um, tomorrow, I'm hanging
out with some friends.

And, uh, I'd really
like it if you'd come.

- I don't know.

- Well, I know you're
shy or whatever,

but it could be really fun.

And it'll only be a few of us.

- Okay, but, like,
how many is a few?

I don't know.

You want, like, a guest
list or something?

- No. I just...
You're my only friend.

And adding anything
onto that is a big deal.

- Well...

I think you can handle it.

Plus, what's the worst
thing that could happen?

- Shit, she's home
early. I gotta go!

- Uh, tomorrow night?

- Uh, we'll see!

- We're meeting
by the old school!

- Okay!

- Perfect towel!

The most absorbent
material ever!

- You haven't
moved since I left.

- Yeah. This is, like,
my favorite show.

- The perfect towel attracts
liquid like a magnet.

It doesn't matter
if it's club soda...

- Right.
- Even red wine!

- Shit.

- So what's his name?

- Whose name?

- The boy you were just with.

- There isn't any...
- We're not playing that game.

- towel is odor-free!

Now, you can see...

- Then pick a different game.

- You wanna keep secrets?

Then shield
them better in your mind.

- How about you
stay out of my head

and give me some privacy?

Or, you know, stay in one place

long enough for me
to make some friends?

Have a life?

- We're leaving on Friday.

- What? Why?

Why?

I don't get a say-so?

- No, you don't get a say-so.

- It has the strength
and the muscle

to pick up and hold over
30 ounces of liquid!

The perfect towel attracts
liquid like a magnet!

It doesn't matter if it's
club soda, even red wine.

- Move this box across the room.

- I've never moved
anything that heavy before.

- It's not a car, Ro.

If you're strong enough to
pick it up with your arms,

you can pick it
up with your mind.

You need to tap into that energy

to move heavier objects

and not lose control.

From there to the coffee table.

- Fine.

- Good.

Hold it there.

And when you're ready,
start moving it.

Remember, Ro, trust your power.

I trust my power.

- Ro, look at me!

Fight it, Ro!

Damn it!

- Okay.

- That's why you
don't get a say-so.

You're not ready.

- I could have fought it off!
You barely gave me a chance!

- Do you think they'll
give you a chance?

- Okay, I get it!

- You have to learn to
control these abilities

without me there to help you!

One mistake, one, and
they will find you!

You get that?

- Mom, you're hurting me!

What is wrong with you?

- I'm just trying...

Trying to give you the
tools to protect yourself.

- From who?

No one is coming for us,
Mom! There is no they!

You and all your
bullshit, your lessons,

"Project this, move that."
I am... I am sick of it!

I didn't ask for these powers.

And if I could give
them back, I would.

My life is shit because of them!

- About earlier...
- Forget it.

What album is it?

- You like them, right?

Goodnight.

- Night.

- We might just
have to leave early.

- Wow.
- Just gotta to figure it out.

- No, I want you to... I
need you to... I need...

- Hey! Where are you
going? Come over here!

See? I told you she'd come.

- I'm just shocked
she exists, bro.

- She actually kinda hot.
- Hey, bro, shut up!

- 50 bucks says
she's not hot, bro.

- Hey.

Hi.

Hi.

- You okay?

- Yeah.

- Um, do you wanna
go somewhere just us?

- No. I wanna
meet your friends.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

- Okay.

So that's Aaron.

- Yo.
- That's Calah.

That's Dina.

- And that's Caleb.

I'm embarrassed by all of them.

We're embarrassed by you.

- Hey, come over here.

How much is his mom paying
you to hang out with him?

- Don't answer that, okay?
- Don't tell her what to do.

Um, a lot.

- I knew it! She got
you on a payment plan?

- She gets paid every Friday,
all right? Now drop it.

- That's why your
mom stays broke.

- You don't go to
Thomas Jefferson, right?

- Um, Thomas Jefferson?

- Yeah.

The school?

- Uh, no. I'm... I'm
homeschooled, I guess.

- Shit. I wish I
was homeschooled.

- Trust me, you don't.

Unless you want your
mom as your teacher.

- Yeah, that won't
work. I hate my mom.

I love your mom.

- Shut up.
- God, buddy, not again.

- You live around here?

- Yeah, over there.

- You live in the
Stevens Complex?

- Uh, yeah.

- I didn't think anyone
but homeless people

still live in those
houses over there.

- Bro, it's unhoused.

- Idiot, homeless
people don't have homes.

- Unhoused, dude. Come on.

- All right, Mr. Woke.
- You know what I mean, bro.

- We're not...
We're not homeless.

- Whatever you say.

Ew.

- Bro.
- What?

- Whatever's in this
tastes like ass.

- That's top shelf.

- Like you know
what top shelf is.

- It's top shelf.
- Bottom of my ass shelf.

- I think this is going well.

- Top of what shelf?

That's what you sip in London?

- Um...
- What is in this?

- You want a drink?

- Oh, um...
- It's just Coke.

- Okay, Zay, I see you.
- What is in that?

I'm not drinking that. Get
out. No. This is bullshit.

- So nobody wants this?

- Um, do you wanna...
Do you wanna sit?

- Yeah, sure.

- Okay.

I should've
put on a warmer jacket.

I really like her.

Hey, are you cold?

She's weird.

Maybe I should
try and hold her hand.

What's going on?

He is such a simp.

Why aren't
I TikTok-famous yet?

What does
he even see in her?

- You okay?
- What's going on over there?

- Nothing. We're just talking.

- What's going on? Aurora.

- What the hell
is wrong with her?

- Hey, what's going
on over there, bro?

- What was in that
drink, Isaiah?

- Nothing. Okay?
- Stop it! Stop it! Stop!

- Bro, she's freaking out.

- What is she on?
- I-I don't know.

- Yo, Zay, take
her ass home, bro.

She's killing my high.

- Guys, stop!

- She's so weird.
- Hey.

Hey, talk to me. Breathe.

I'm right here. It's okay.

- Isaiah!

Isaiah!

There's blood everywhere!

What did you do?

What did you do?

- I need... I need help.

- We need an ambulance!
- What did you do?

That was our friend!

- What's going on?

- I need...

I need help.

I need...

I need...

- Ro!

Ro?

Shit!

Ro, can you hear me?

Ro, please, if
you can hear this,

just send me a message.

Shit!

Ro, meet me at the
appointed place.

Do not go home.

God!

- Hello?

Is anyone there? Hello?

Mom? Mom, are you there?

I did something
really, really bad.

And I'm sorry, but I really,
really need you right now.

Mom, please.

Please tell me you can hear me.

No.

Ah, you're awake.

How you feeling?

Are you okay?

- No.
- Okay, okay, okay.

- Wh-where am I?

- You're someplace safe.

- How did I get here?

- I heard your call for help.

I brought you here.

- You're like me?
- Yes.

This entire place was designed

specifically for people like us.

So like I said, you're safe.

Clean clothes for you, a towel.

Bathroom's right
around the corner.

Okay?

- What's gonna happen to me?

- Nothing you need
to worry about.

Clean yourself up.
We'll talk after.

When's the last time you ate?

- I'm not hungry.

- Most psionics I detect young,

at five or six.

But here you are in your teens,
and I know nothing about you.

Maybe we can start with a name.

- Aurora.
- Ah, Aurora.

It's very nice to
meet you, Aurora.

I'm Derek.

I'm very sorry about what
happened to your friend.

How often have you
replayed it in your head?

- It won't stop.

He was...

He was my only friend.

And he was nice
to me. And I...

I didn't mean to.

I didn't mean to. And I...
I couldn't control it.

- The surge is what we call it.

It's how I found you.

That power...

it'll pull you in and
make you lose control

if you don't know
how to resist it.

- I'm done using them.

- Oh, no. No.

All you need is proper training.

- Training, that's what...
That's what you do here?

- It is.

And I can already tell
that you're exceptional

because throughout this
entire conversation,

you've managed to keep
me out of your head.

And that's...

Who are your parents, Aurora?

Who do you... Who
do you live with?

- No one. I-I-I ran away.

- Is there anyone
you'd like me to call?

Anyone at all?

No?

Well, it's getting late.

I'm gonna have one
of the attendants

show you to your room

if you would, in fact,
like to stay here,

and I hope you do.

There are some kids
here around your age

I'd like to introduce
you to at some point.

Yeah?

- What about...

What about what I did to Isaiah?

- Yeah.

I'll take care of it.

Okay.

This is Gloria.

Don't mind the
contraption on her face.

All of our attendants
are non-psionic.

They wear those to
keep the rest of us

out of their heads.

She'll get you settled.

- You ready?

Bathroom is through that door.

If you need anything
else, let us know.

We're glad you're here.

- Morning. Did you
get some sleep?

- A little.

- Did you eat?
- A little.

- Aurora, what happened
wasn't your fault.

These abilities,
they're complicated.

They're transformative.

And, as you've seen,
they can be dangerous.

Can I ask you about
your abilities?

Not all of us possess...

Or I should say can
access the same ones.

- What do you wanna know?

- Well, I already know
you can read minds

because you've been trying to
get inside mine since we met.

It's okay.

I'd be doing the same thing
if I was in your shoes.

But can you move objects?

- I'm not good at it.

Not if it's heavy.

- Foresight?

- I like to do projections.

- Really?

Well, young lady,
I'm very interested

to find out what
else you can do,

given the right focus,
the right opportunity.

- How can you teleport?

- Ooh.

With an immense amount
of focus, control, will.

It rivals astral projection in
terms of the energy required.

- I don't know what that is.

- Astral projection?

Oh, it's... it's pretty cool.

You project your own form,
your... your presence,

away from your physical body.

It's like being in
two places at once.

Incredibly taxing physically
and very difficult to master.

- Can you do it?

Not well.

Let's take a walk.

Come on.

So how you feeling
about this place?

- You said there were
other kids here my age?

Mm-hmm, that's right.

- When do I get to meet them?

- Well, most are in
class at the moment.

Education's a priority here.

But if you'd like,

you can start taking your
meals in the dining hall

with them this evening.

Is that good?

- Okay.

- Do you know how
memory works, Aurora?

And I don't mean in a
brain chemical sense.

I mean in the dream,
Freudian, associative sense.

- No.

- Well, for example,
if I say to you,

"Who do you live with?"
it sparks a memory in you.

I'm gonna put all my
cards on the table here.

I know that you
weren't honest with me

when I asked who you live with.

It's okay. Why would you be?

Can I show you something?

- What... what is
this? Where are we?

- We're in your memory.

- Where are you going?
- I told you, I quit!

- You can't quit!
We're a team!

Two peas in a pod!
- Ugh!

Those are gonna
be black-eyed peas

if you don't get out of my way!

- What you thought of when
I asked you where you live.

You like sitcoms?

What about my dead cat?

- And "The Metaphysics
of Morals."

Interesting.

Uh-huh.

What am I supposed to buy here?

That you live in this paradise

of philosophy and potato
chips all by yourself?

- You don't need to
buy it. It's true.

- This girl here
got all these books,

all this food, this TV.

- I love that TV.

I meant it when I said
you're exceptional.

You're actively
manipulating this memory

in real time, aren't you?

Mm.

As we stand here in
this memory of yours,

you've been reading page 45,

and yet, the page
is always the same.

- Well, what about, um...

Both: What about my dead cat?

- I've heard that
punchline three times now.

You live here with someone.

And they're somewhere
in this memory with you.

Based on your visual clues,

whoever it is you're hiding
comes in through there.

- Why does it matter?

- It only matters because

you think it's important
enough to lie about.

- It's not important.

- I'm gonna say some words...

and see which ones trigger
the right memories.

Father.

Mother.

What does she look like?

- Mm.

You say you hate what we read,
and yet you love that garbage?

That's good. That's very good.

But what does your
mother really look like?

- You say you hate what
we read, and yet...

- Aurora.

What does she say to
you in this moment?

- Nothing.

- What's her voice sound like?

That photo on the wall.

Ayla.

- You know her?

- I did.

You shouldn't be protecting her.

- What is this?

- Your mother murdered
these three people.

- What?

She wouldn't... She
wouldn't do this.

- I wish that were true.

You shouldn't have
to find out this way.

I'm sorry.
- She wouldn't do this.

- Has she ever allowed
you to get in her mind?

Ever wonder why?

These officers were
just doing their job.

Both of them had
families, children.

This third man there,
he was our friend.

- Stop.

- I take it you guys
moved around a lot.

Well, now, you know why.

Aurora,

you understand what I'm
offering you here, right?

Freedom, an
opportunity to belong,

to have friends
that are like you.

Help us find your mother.

- I can't.

- You can't or won't?

- She's my mom.

- I know what I'm asking,
and I know it's hard.

Your mother and I
were friends once.

I thought we shared a vision

for a future where psionics
could be happy and safe.

She chose a different path.

- I wanna leave.

- Well, I can't let you do that.

Not while she's still out there.

Come.

Joseph's gonna show
you back to your room.

I'm gonna
give you three seconds

to get on the ground.

Three...

Two...

one...

Oh, shit! Hey, hey!

No, stop!

- Ayla!

What the hell happened?

Who's that?

- Look at this picture
of domestic tranquility.

- Uh, it's... It's
great, isn't it?

I don't trust it.

- Oh, hi, Mom.

I didn't even see
you guys come in.

- Uh-huh.
- Yeah.

How was it?
- Oh, it was marvelous.

The music, the set decoration.

- What the hell?

- Security breach,
East Wing, Sector 426.

Security breach, East
Wing, Sector 426.

Security breach, East
Wing, Sector 426.

- Let's go!

Help!

You're not real.

None of this is real,
none of this is real,

none of this is real.

Run, run!

Go get
help! Get help!

I need some help.

I don't wanna be here
anymore. Please, please.

Get me outta here.

Help me out.

Come on. Get me outta here.

- I'll kill you.
- Hey. Hey. Hey, I'm here.

Hey. Hey, come here.

- I thought we were
making progress.

- What the hell is
this place, really?

- How did you get
out of your room?

Unless you can teleport,

those locks require
1,500 pounds of force.

- What is this place?

- What's a human
without a conscience?

- What?

- What is a human
without a conscience?

Dangerous.

So what's a psionic
without a conscience?

What happens when a psionic
decides to use their powers

in a way that goes against
the basic principles

that govern moral conduct?

Who would be able to stop them?

When enough people think
something is dangerous,

they'll work to make
a law forbidding it,

and they will punish
those who break that law!

- What law?

- Not the kind written in books.

- And the people in those cells,

they're psionics?

- Yes.

- What did they do?

- Exist.

- Exist? That's it?

- Psionics are too dangerous
to live free in the world.

To borrow a phrase
from your readings,

it's a utilitarian decision.

The best outcome
for the most people.

I find them and bring them here,

and I take care of them.

- But you're a psionic.

- It's called self-preservation.

If it wasn't me, it
would be someone else.

20 years ago,

they recruited me to
track down psionics

who were using their powers
in ways that were unethical.

Can't put 'em in jail,
so an idea was proposed.

We build this facility,
find psionics to run it.

I tried to help your mother!

Offered her the chance
to run it with me.

Compromise... not
her strongest trait.

- You lied to me.
- No.

- Everything you said
about... About this place,

about helping me
was all bullshit!

- No.

Each of those people,

they're living inside
their projections,

living in their own memories,
their own fantasies.

They're happy!
- That's not living!

- They have no consequence
for their decisions,

no chance to hurt anyone.

And
that's the whole truth!

Now, where's Ayla?

Where's Ayla? Where's Ayla?

Ayla! Ayla! Ayla!

What did she tell you
to do if you get caught?

No?

- I tell them nothing.

- What do you show them?
- Nothing.

- What happens if they
go into your memories?

- I forget.
- Forget what?

- As much as I can.
- How?

- Think of anything else.
- Use an anchor memory.

- An anchor memory.
Right, yeah.

- Oh, there's that Ayla fire.

By using this
memory as a shield,

you give yourself away.

This represents what you most
wanted your life to be like.

- Get out of my head.

Well, this isn't gonna work.

- What are you...

Stop! Get off me!

- This could have been easy.

Whatever happens
now, you chose it.

- What are you... what...
What are... what are you...

No, no, no, no!

- The more you fight,
the more it hurts.

Hello?

- Hi.

What's wrong?

- No. You're not real.

- Sure, I am.

Feels real.

Right?

- Stop.

- Why? What's wrong?

It's just us.

Like you always wanted.

- No.

Why are you doing this to me?

No.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no,
no, No, no, no, no, no, no!

- Help me, Aurora.
- You're okay!

You're okay, you're
okay, you're okay,

you're okay, you're okay.

I'm... I'm sorry,
I'm sorry, I'm sorry,

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,

I'm... I'm sorry, I'm sorry,

I'm sorry, I'm
sorry, I-I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

What?

- Ro, you gonna get that?

- Mom?

That's your date, Ro.

You better open it!

- Hi.

Wow, you look amazing.

Um...

- Oh, Ro!

Did you go and kill
your boyfriend?

Again?

But then again,

what can you expect
from someone so...

♪ Weak? ♪

Uh,
there goes another one.

Try to keep from...
pew, pew, pew!

Killing this one.

There's only one way
to stop it, though.

Tell us where she is.
Tell us where she is.

Tell us where she is.

Hello, Aurora.

- Why don't you join us?

We have a seat for
you right here.

- Just join us.

This is what you wanted, right?

Together: Friends?

- Let me out!

- Aurora.

That's a cool name.

- Isaiah...

I'm so sorry.

I couldn't control it,
and I didn't mean to.

- It'll be okay, Ro.

Just tell us.

Just tell us.

- Please.

- Just tell us!

- Aurora!

What did you do?

- Mom?

- You never listen!

- You... you're not real.

- You left the house
when I told you...

I told you not to!

But I knew you were weak.

Didn't I tell
you? You are weak!

- Mom, please.

- And I was right.

You killed that boy!

- Stop!

- That's on you!

You are my one regret!

- Please, please
just leave me alone.

Please just...

- Come on, Ro, let's
go! We got shit to do!

You are weak! You are small!

You are nothing but
a disappointment!

Tell us. Take away the guilt.

We'll make you strong.

Tell us. Tell us.

Aurora!

Please, just stop.

- Tell us. You are weak!

You are nothing! Tell us.

Aurora, tell us. Tell us.

Aurora!

Ro.

It's okay, Ro.

You can tell them.

I'm here.

- Okay.

- What happens if they
go into your memories?

- I forget.
- Forget what?

- As much as I can.
- How?

- Think of anything else.
- Use an anchor memory.

- An anchor memory,
yeah, I know.

- And you fight.

You fight as long and
as hard as you can.

And where will I be?

- Bus stop on the 730 line
off of Route 80, exit 3.

- That's right.

What are you gonna do
when you catch her?

- ♪ Right up till now ♪

♪ You didn't care ♪

- Hi, honey.

Just making some dinner.

- Mom?

The one and only.

Isaiah will be here soon.
You better get washed up.

Here, this will make
you feel better.

- This isn't real.

This is the life you wanted.

Why fight it?

- Ayla!

- What did you do to her?

- Oh, it's good to see you too.

- You know I'm gon'
kill you, right?

- Well, you're skipping
the pleasantries.

Well, at least
you're consistent.

Well, your daughter and I

have been having some, uh,
insightful conversations.

- I know you did.

- Nobody wants unsolicited
parenting advice...

But, Jesus, Ayla,
you have fucked that kid up.

- I did what I needed to do
to keep her away from you.

- Yeah? How's that going?

See, this is why
I'm not a parent.

'Cause kids just
don't listen, do they?

But then again, nobody listens.

- Let her go. Take me.

- Why? Why would I do that?

- Hope.
- Hope?

Oh, gee,
Ayla, that's ironic.

I mean, uh...

We both hoped for
a better world.

The difference is...

I created one.

- Where is she?

- Oh, you know where she is.

And you know how this ends.

We had a good thing, Ayla.

We really did.

I miss it, I confess.

I offered you a way out.

- What, by working for you?

- By working beside me.

- In that rotten hell
hole you are so proud of?

- I could have killed
you that night.

- Why didn't you?

- I-I wasn't ready
to kill my friend.

- You talk about me
being consistent?

But you, you are consistent.
You are a coward.

You've always been a coward!

And instead of fighting them,
you became their errand boy.

- I promoted the greater good.

- Wake up!

- I am awake.

What you want would lead to war.

The whole world
against psionics.

That's not a fight
we're gonna win.

- You don't know that.

There are other ways.

You need to wake up now.

Look at me.

- Mom? Are you...
is this real?

- Yes, this is real.

- What did you say?

- Goodbye, Derek.

- Lock this place down.

Ayla!

- No, no, no, no!

Ayla.

I know you're in the building.

- Shut your mind, Ro. Come on.

- Ayla!

Ayla?

So close!

- Remember astral projections?

Your mama here just
put on a clinic.

- Oh, but she refuses
to see the necessity

of what I do here!

- Stop, stop!

- It didn't need to
come to this, Ayla.

It didn't need to end like this!

But your idea of freedom,

it only works when
paired with duty!

- Stop!

- The world is safer and
better because of me!

Oh, but you never
believed in absolutes.

That was the problem.

- Ro.

Trust your power.

- I said...

stop!

- Are you okay?

- Mom.

Where... where are we, Ro?

- The only place
I could think of.

The farm. Back in Missouri.

- How did you do that?

I don't
know, I don't know.

I just... I just... I...

I knew I had to be the
strong one for once, and...

And I stopped being afraid
of disappointing you.

- We need to go.

- You knew I'd break.

You knew I'd tell them
about the bus stop.

- I had to figure out a way

to make your weakness
into an asset.

Wow.

- That's not what I meant.

You should have never
left the house that night.

- Are you serious right now?

I know what you did.

The murders.

Mom, I need you to start
telling me the truth.

No more lies or I am
getting out of this car.

- What do you wanna know?

- Everything.

Tell me everything.

- My mind is open.

It's all there.

- Where are we?

- Where you just were.

- Ayla!

- His facility 15 years ago.

I'm done talking.

- This won't stop anything!

- You were trying to stop him.

- It was supposed to be a place
to help dangerous psionics,

and then he started
going after all of us.

Even the ones who had
done nothing wrong.

You were just a baby.

I couldn't have you end up here.

- Go. Run! Run! Run!

- Patrolling officer
in pursuit. Hey!

- Hey! Stop! Stop!

- If she takes one more step,
I'm gonna pull the trigger.

That's what you're
thinking, right?

You, not so much.

Now, you are.

- Fuck!
- Oh, shit! Hey, hey!

Don't! Stop!

- Ayla!

What the hell happened?

- Talk to me. Ugh!

Why... why did you do that?

- To illustrate a point.

Psionics are dangerous,
huh?

- He was our friend!

- No, he was your friend.
Like you, he was in the way.

When people ask
what happened here,

I'm gonna tell them exactly
who's responsible for it.

- You're crazy! I
didn't kill them!

- Five people know what
happened in this room.

Three of them are dead.

And let's not forget
you just tried

to blow a hole in the
side of my building.

I've been running so long...

I don't know how to stop.

- Why didn't you just tell me?

You didn't have to shut me out.

And my whole life, you
made me feel like...

Like I did something wrong.

And I know you think I'm
weak, but I could have helped.

I can help.

- Look, I was only
trying to protect you.

How did that turn out?

I killed my only friend.

- I'm sorry.

For all of it.

Aurora, please.

Look at me.

You are not weak.

I never thought you were weak.

It's just...

I didn't want you
to see my pain.

I was the weak one.

- I'm not going back to
living the way we were.

- I was thinking
when we're done here,

we should head north.

I was thinking of Portland.

- Maine?

- Oregon.

- Oregon.

- I know some people there.

It's a great city.

He's gonna keep
coming after us, Ro.

It... it'll be
different this time.

I don't know another way, Ro.

You've gotten very good at it.

Keeping me out of your head.

- I'm not gonna keep running.

- Why did you do that?

So he
knows where we are.

- Hi.

- Goddammit, Ro!

- We need to talk.

- Yeah.

Lifetime of running and hiding

no longer seems so
appealing, does it?

- Not so much, no.

Yeah.

That was real impressive.

What you did back
there, the teleporting.

There's a world where you
and I could work together.

- Ro.
- Work together how?

- Succession.

- That come with a pension?

- Well, it comes with stability.

And, uh, autonomy.

I'm not gonna live forever.

Someone needs to take
over when I'm gone.

And you need a teacher, Ro.

- Yeah, no, that doesn't...
That doesn't work for me.

And don't call me Ro.

- Okay.

- I want you to let us go.

- Let you go where?

- Just leave us alone.

Or?

- Ro, we need to go.

- Just trust me.

So what is it?

What are we doing?

- I think you know.

- You are not weak.

- We have a choice how
we use these powers.

That's what you said.

He wasn't gonna stop.

I'm not going to Oregon.

- ♪ I been told a lie ♪

♪ I been played a song ♪

♪ I been fed a line ♪

♪ Dreamin' is wrong ♪

♪ When I was a child ♪

♪ I was civilized ♪

♪ Better get along,
get along, get along ♪

♪ Or no man would try ♪

♪ I can feel my
heartbeat change ♪

♪ I can't deny it ♪

♪ I can feel the
whole tide sway ♪

♪ To the right ♪

♪ I can feel it
rush my veins ♪

♪ God, I'm alive ♪

♪ I can tell they won't
go down without a fight ♪

♪ 'Out a fight ♪
- ♪ Yeah ♪

- ♪ I'll stop when the power ♪

♪ Turns back all the hours ♪

♪ I'll stop when you go ♪

♪ I'll stop when
the tower falls ♪

♪ On all the callous ones ♪

♪ Who won't give up ♪

♪ All your time is gone ♪

♪ This is all a crime ♪

♪ But they don't need a gun ♪

♪ This is not a man's world ♪

♪ On its own ♪

♪ Can every woman stand up? ♪

♪ We'll be civilized ♪

♪ 'Cause you got it wrong,
got it wrong, got it wrong ♪

♪ But we'll make it right ♪

♪ I'll stop when the power ♪

♪ Turns back all the hours ♪

♪ I'll stop when you go ♪

♪ I'll stop when
the tower falls ♪

♪ On all the callous ones ♪

♪ Who won't give up ♪

♪ All your time is gone ♪
- ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪

- ♪ I'll stop when the power ♪

♪ Turns back all the hours ♪

♪ I'll stop when you go ♪

♪ I'll stop when
the tower falls ♪

♪ On all the callous ones ♪

♪ Who won't give up ♪

♪ All your time is gone ♪