Upgrade (2018) - full transcript

Colored By NovaBros

(MUSIC PLAYING)

KARA: OTL Releasing

presents

a BH Production

and Goldpost Pictures
production,

in association
with Automatik Entertainment,

Nervous Tick

and Film Victoria.

Upgrade.

(MUFFLED SONG PLAYING)



(BLUES SONG PLAYING ON RECORD)

(CLATTERING SOUNDS)

(GREY SINGING ALONG)

(CLATTERING SOUND CONTINUES)

(CRANKING)

(THUDS)

(MUSIC STOPS)

Okay, come on.

(ENGINE STARTS)

(ENGINE REVVING)

(ENGINE STOPS)

I love you.

(BOTTLES CLINKING)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)



HANDLEY: You can't be an
idealist and a capitalist, Asha.

You gotta pick a side.

I think I can. No, you
can't. I'm telling you...

KARA: Arriving at your
house, Asha. Saved by my car.

Goodbye, Handley.

(GASPS) Oh, my God!
KARA: Are you okay, Asha?

I'm fine.

The husband scared me.

(ASHA CHUCKLES)

You do realize that you're
talking to a car, right?

I hear you talking
to yours all the time.

At least mine
can talk back.

(CHUCKLES)

Oh, working hard I see.

(CHUCKLES)

(LAUGHS)

KARA: Welcome home, Asha.
Evening playlist one.

The temperature indoors is
72 degrees... (MUSIC PLAYING)

...and the energy wall
is charged at 86%.

Also, you've run out of eggs.
Thanks, Kara. Order them.

Actually, I was
working very hard today.

In fact, that right there
is the celebratory beer.

Is that right?
GREY: Yeah.

I dropped the block
in the Firebird today.

Finished her up.
You wanna see?

I have no idea
what you just said.

Okay, well, I don't know what you do
for a living either, wife, so we're even.

Yes, but is staying home all day
playing with cars a living, Grey?

I don't know. Dunno.

Ow!
(GIGGLES)

That hurt. It hurt good.

You know what?

I'm actually getting kind of used to
you wearing the pants in this household.

Really?
Yeah.

I'm really settling in.
Stop it.

Well, you know I'm never
giving them back, so...

Bet you 10 bucks I can get
them off. No, stop! (LAUGHS)

You want to print a pizza?

You wanna make a pizza? (EXCLAIMS)
Sounds like a lot of work.

Oh, I got to drop the car off to
this guy tonight. It's all done.

(GROANS)
Okay, well, have fun.

What do you mean, have fun?
You're coming with me.

What?
Yeah. (CHUCKLES)

I need you to drive me home
in that toy car of yours.

It's like 45 minutes away.

I'll push a button and end
up in Canada or something.

Well, I have work to do,
so I can't.

Can't lives on
won't street, lady.

You're coming with me and believe me,
you're gonna wanna see this guy's house.

Trust me.

(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING)
(DRONES HOVERING)

(CAR HUMMING)

(REVVING)

(BIRDS CAWING)

(ENGINE SPUTTERS)

(WIND BLOWING)

So, what, he lives
behind the rocks?

No, just you wait.

(CHUCKLES)

Really?
Oh, yeah, really.

After you.
(WHISPERS) What?

(BIRDS SCREECHING)

(ASHA CHUCKLES)

(THUNDER RUMBLING)

This is amazing.

GREY: Eron, my man.

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

I got the Firebird
upstairs, ready to go.

You're early.
Yeah, I, uh...

I drive fast. (STUTTERS) What is
the thing that you're touching?

It's my cloud.

Eron,

I'd like you to meet
my wife, Asha.

Hi. Nice to meet you.

Uh, yes. Hello.

Hi.

Wait, you're Eron Keen?

You own Vessel Computers.
Oh, my God.

Husband did not tell me
who I was meeting. I...

I really love your company. You
do the most incredible things.

I'm in the industry, too.
I work for, um, Cobolt.

We specialize in robotic limbs
for wounded soldiers.

I mean, we're nothing like Vessel
yet, but we're getting there.

No, you're not.

(CHUCKLES)

ERON: I'll show you why.

Follow me.

I would like to introduce
you to my present,

and the rest
of the world's future.

I call it "Stem. "

GREY: Wow!

That is the most
incredible little roach.

What does it do?
Literally anything.

Huh.

It can drive anything, talk to
anything, calculate anything.

It's a new, better brain.

Can it make babies
and play football?

It can do things
that'll benefit society.

Okay, you know
what he means.

I'm just saying, there's some
things that people do better.

I mean, you look at that
widget and you see the future,

and I look at that thing, I see
10 guys on an unemployment line.

You should try not to argue with that
guy. He's your last paying customer.

(CHIMES)

KARA: Please do not touch the steering
wheel while the car is in motion.

(CHUCKLING)

Okay, so what's a guy like me supposed
to do when his widget starts taking over

the world?

Hmm?

Sit back and enjoy
the ride? Come here.

You know, there are

some benefits not having to
keep your eyes on the road.

Oh, yeah?
Mmm-hmm.

What should I
keep my eyes on?

(GIGGLES)

Mmm.

KARA: Please put
your seatbelts on.

No fun.
Mmm.

KARA: Leaving 601 freeway.

(DEVICE TRILLING)

Wait, honey, where are we?

ASHA: She's probably just
taking us around the traffic.

Wait, no. No, wait.
I'm sorry, this is...

No, this is my old neighborhood.
This is where I grew up.

Yeah, this is New Crown.

I mean, we're going in the exact
opposite direction of the house.

Kara, take us home. KARA: I'm
sorry, there has been an error.

Return to the freeway.
Destination home.

I'm sorry,
there has been an error.

What?
Uh, stop. Car. Car. Stop.

Press the brake twice.

Turning left.

(TIRES SCREECHING)

God damn it! God damn
it, stop. Let me try this.

We're going
a little too fast.

This is not
supposed to be...

Shit!

(CAR SCRAPING)

(DEVICES TRILLING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

KARA: There has been
an accident.

(PANTING) Please remain seated
until further instructions.

Emergency services
have been contacted.

(PANTING)

Grey!

Here to help.

Babe?
(ASHA GRUNTS)

(PANTING)

Will you get us...

(GROANS)

(WHIMPERS)

Back up! Back up!

Stay right there,
partner.

We're on TV,
assholes. Hurry!

(BEEPING)

(INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

Hey, what are you doing?
Put your mask back on!

Look, you guys, you can have my wallet.
Take our cards, okay? You can have it all.

TOLAN: (LAUGHS)
Thanks for your permission.

Don't you fucking
touch her! (GRUNTS)

You look at me and see a real piece
of shit on your shoe, don't you?

(WHIMPERS)

A learned woman
like yourself,

looking down on an
uneducated insect like me.

(GUN COCKS)
(GUNSHOT)

(ASHA WHEEZING)
No! No!

No!

POLICE DRONE: (ON RADIO)
Four hostiles, two prone.

(SCREAMS)

GREY: Asha!

(GUN POWERING, FIRES)
Asha...

(WHIMPERING)

(GASPING)

FISK: Till death do us part.

(GASPING)

Asha. I can't get to you.
I can't move.

Asha.

Stay with me, okay?
Look at me, honey.

(SHUDDERING)

Okay, I'm right here.

I'm right here, okay, Ash?

I'm right here.

No, no, Asha.
Asha, no, please...

(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING)

(SIREN WAILING)

(INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER)

(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING)

(INAUDIBLE)

(ASSISTED BREATHING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

NURSE HENDERSON: I mean, everything that's
installed just allows you to live a more

normal life.

These robotic arms are fully
capable of preparing meals for you.

Let's say you wanted
a protein shake.

You would just say
"protein shake. "

Your mother also has voice
control authority over the arms.

Would you like to do
the honors, Pam?

(PAMELA CHUCKLES)

Sure.

Um, protein shake.

Oh, my Lord!
(CHUCKLES)

Oh! (CHUCKLES)

NURSE HENDERSON: There you go.

I think we'll be
fine from here.

Okay.
I'll walk you out.

Oh, thank you.

(DOOR CLOSES)

KARA: Charging now complete.

Are you there, Grey?
Would you like something?

May I ask if Asha
will be joining us for dinner?

(WATER FLOWING)

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

You know, you don't have to
stay here day and night, Mom.

You know, these machines they installed
pretty much do everything for me.

I know.

(VOMITS)

PAMELA: It's okay. It's okay.

That's it, that's it,
that's it. (COUGHING)

(SOBBING)

(SNIFFLES)

(SIRENS WAILING)

(INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER)

(INDISTINCT LAUGHTER AND CHATTER)

PAMELA: Detective Cortez.

Hi, Pam. Hi, Grey.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

All right, this is me.

Here, you can have a seat here. Thanks.

You know, I'm from New
Crown, Grey. Like you.

Went to Hellier High.

So what do you have?

Okay.

I know you were anxious
to come down here

and see how we're getting things
done, and I think that's great.

I'm a face-to-face person myself,
you know. I don't pilot these drones.

I like to get
my hands dirty.

Bang on doors...
So who are these guys?

We don't know yet.

I do have a list of people
of interest in that area,

and just this week I brought
in two people for questioning.

So what you're saying is
you have all these things

flying above our heads

that can read the ID chips in our
fillings but don't actually do anything.

No. I mean, yes, they work.
But it's not that simple.

Criminals can find
ways around them.

If they can find
the right people,

criminals can get a firewall
built around them

that prevents our drones
from identifying their faces.

Believe me, I understand
your frustration, I do...

I know I can't tie
my shoes anymore, Detective,

but you don't have to talk to
me like I'm a goddamn 3-year-old.

Grey, she's just
trying to help.

I'm gonna work
through my list,

and if you wanna work with
me, we're gonna find them.

How can I work with you?
I can't even stand.

Administer PM medicine.

Problem.
Administer PM medicine.

Again.
Administer PM medicine.

Problem. Again!

Again.

KARA: I cannot administer
any more medication, Grey.

No, you didn't do it right.
You didn't do it right.

Administer PM medicine.

Another dosage
could be fatal.

I will contact an ambulance
to transport you to a hospital

if you are in serious pain.

(MONITOR BEEPING STEADILY)

I'm not gonna
give you bird flu, kid.

I don't leave my
house very often.

Must be
frustrating for you.

You're someone who liked to get
things done with their hands.

Now you can't.

I'm sorry, was that
inappropriate?

I'm not around enough people
to know the difference.

Okay, here's the difference.
What the fuck do you want, Eron?

(INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT ON PA)

Grey.

What if I told you
I could offer you something

that would enable you
to walk again?

That computer chip
that I showed you.

It has the potential to change
everything for people in your condition.

As a quadriplegic,

the line connecting your brain
to your limbs has been cut.

Stem would
bridge that gap.

The operation would
take place in my home,

away from official eyes.

So there'd be
no more hospitals.

But it would
have to be our secret.

For now.

Here's the thing, kid.

I'm not looking
to restart my life.

I'm looking
for the off switch.

You know,

you were right
about them.

Computers.

There are things
that they can't do.

They can't bring
her back, Grey.

But they just might be able
to bring you back.

What would she want?

(MONITOR CONTINUES BEEPING)

(EERIE MUSIC PLAYING)

ERON: This is a world first.

Never before has a biomechanical
fusion been asked to do so much.

It's going to feel
strange initially.

The neural pathways
in your brain will be

trying to have a conversation
with a foreign body.

Trying to learn
to pass the baton.

The key is to let it
grow into itself.

(STAPLING)

DR. GORDON: Grey,
can you hear me?

(GASPS SOFTLY)

Can you feel it
when I do this?

My guess is this is going
to be a piecemeal process.

You shouldn't be expecting
unreasonable results so soon.

Oh, my God.

Now try to stand.

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(WHEELCHAIR RATTLES)

ERON: Nobody can know.

They make people like me wait
years to test something like this.

But I can't
wait for them.

Signing confidentiality
agreements is never fun,

but I bet it will feel good
to do it with your own hand.

Who's moving my arms and
my legs? Me or your widget?

You're the one
doing it all.

You're not a robot.

Stem works in service
of your brain.

Your brain gives
Stem a command.

He makes it happen.

Close door.

(WATER DRIPPING)

(DOOR CLOSES)

KARA: Good evening, Grey.

Another package from Detective
Cortez has been delivered.

Would you like...
Shut up.

Did you say, "Shut down"?

Yeah, I did. Shut down.

STEM: May I
point something out?

Hello?

Yes?

Okay, who's saying that?

I am Stem,

the system operating
your body for you.

Don't be afraid.

You fucking kidding me?

No.

I've gone insane.
I'm fucking insane.

Your psychological report diagnosed
you with mild PTSD symptoms,

but you are not insane.

Wait, so, okay, you've been sitting
there this whole time since the operation?

I've been observing
everything you've observed.

Do you have to talk?

If you don't want
me to, I will not.

Okay, yeah, don't talk.

(WATER DRIPPING)

So I'm not insane?

You can talk again.

STEM: No,
you are not insane.

Wait, can anybody
else hear you?

No, only you.

I'm sending sound waves
to your eardrum.

Can you read my mind?

No.

I can only discern speech
when you talk out loud.

Now that you've allowed me to talk
again, may I point something out?

In the drone
surveillance footage.

Can't you see it?

See what?

The man who shot your wife.

There's no gun in his hand.

She was shot. That
means he had a gun.

She was shot, but not with a
gun he was holding in his hand.

A gun implanted
inside his hand.

Freeze the screen
at the moment he fires.

The man who took Asha's purse.

In the left of frame.

There is a marking
on his wrist.

I don't see it.

I do. I've rebuilt the image.

With your permission,
I can show you.

Just relax and let me draw.

(SCRIBBLING)

GREY: This feels very weird.

STEM: You now have
full control again, Grey.

I've seen these.

It's a military
tattoo, I think.

I will read it. Hold
it in front of your eye.

Serk Brantner. Marine Corps.
098-422. O-Positive. Catholic.

Address, 414 Citrus,
New Crown.

(MUTTERS)

You just found this guy.

I got you,
you sons of bitches.

Call Detective Cortez.

(PHONE BEEPS AND LINE RINGS)

STEM: Are you sure you want
to call Detective Cortez?

Yes, I am sure. You just found
the guy who murdered my wife.

Do you have evidence
to prove that?

(PHONE LINE RINGING)

End call.

You saw the tattoo.

Eron has forbidden you
to tell anyone about me.

Okay, maybe
I drew it from memory.

My reconstruction
of the tattoo

does not provide
any real evidence,

unless they can correlate it
exactly with the drone video,

which they can't.

What are you saying?

You need to be positive it's
him before you alert the police.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

(BIRDS FLUTTERING)

(CAR BEEPS)
(ENGINE STARTS)

(TIRES SCREECHES)

(DRONE HOVERING)

Lock chair.
(CHAIR BEEPS AND LOCKS)

(DOG BARKING)

STEM: There are no alarms
inside, but it is a manual lock.

I can't help you break it.

GREY: Don't worry, I got this.

(DOOR UNLOCKS)

(DOOR CREAKING)

STEM: I suggest you
remove your shoes.

(DOG CONTINUES BARKING OUTSIDE)

Grey, the table.

What about it?

STEM: Say the word "on. "

On.

STEM: Say "messages. "

Messages.

The name "Old Bones"
keeps being mentioned.

I saw 38 references.
What is that?

It's a bar in my old
neighborhood.

I can find no online address
or phone number for it.

Because they don't go in
for that sort of thing.

No, this is useless.

Off.

(CAR APPROACHING)

(THUDS)

STEM: Hide behind the shelf.

(DOOR CREAKING)

Wait.

Now.

Now, while you
have the advantage.

(BOTH GRUNTING)

Come here!

Come here
to rip me off, huh?

Grey.

It's you.

(GRUNTING)

I don't know
how you found me,

but you shouldn't
be here.

You killed my wife.

No! I didn't do that.
That was someone else.

Doesn't matter!

(BOTH GRUNTING)

STEM: You'll need to be
a little faster than that.

(PANTING)

Why are you
making me do this?

STEM: Let me know if
you need my help, Grey.

Stem! Help!

I need your permission
to operate independently.

Permission granted!
Thank you.

(CHOKES)
(GRUNTS)

(GRUNTING)

(STUTTERING) Okay, Stem,
what are we doing, man?

STEM: Just relax.

(GROANS)

What the fuck?

(YELLS)

Oh, God!

Look, man,
stay down, please.

Please. Please, don't get up.
Please, don't get up.

Please, stay down, man.

Just... Stem,
he's got a knife! Stem!

STEM: I can see that.
We have a knife too.

(SCREAMS)

I stabbed him!

You trying
to piss him off?

Okay. All right,
so what's the plan?

What are we doing?
(GRUNTING)

Stem, stop him!

(GRUNTING)

(SHUDDERING)

(POWERING DOWN)

STEM: You now have
full control again, Grey.

(GAGS)

(VOMITS)

I advise that you remove any
traces of your presence here.

That also means cleaning up
the vomit in the sink.

Okay, just give me
a second, okay?

One second has passed.

Look, I didn't mean a second.
I just mean hold on, okay?

I gotta think. I can't let you
do the thinking for me right now.

(MUTTERS)

I just killed somebody.

(FLOORBOARD CREAKS)

So, uh...

What do you
think I should do?

STEM: I would suggest that you rid
the house of all your fingerprints.

Are you kidding me? I can't remember
every single thing that I touched.

I have a record of every
single thing you touched.

So, the body that came in
from New Crown yesterday,

Serk Brantner...

I want to show you what I
found when I opened him up.

DR. BHATIA: When I examined
the wound in his throat,

I found wiring
embedded in the tendons.

I'm thinking surgery.

A medical implant,
attached to the muscle.

I also found computer implants
all throughout his chest.

Now, I've never seen them
to this extent before,

and then there's this.

What is it?

Appears to be some sort of weapon
implant embedded within the muscle.

An actual functioning gun,

with a bullet-loading mechanism built
into the tissue with biomechanics.

What about the boot print we
scraped from the front porch?

Engine grease, mostly.

Old-fashioned
engine grease.

So how am I progressing?

I can track you, Grey.

Huh?

I can track you.

Wait, am I supposed to
know what that means,

or is that one
of your brain tests?

It means you have a piece
of my property inside of you.

A very expensive
piece of property.

Serk Brantner,
homicide suspect list.

Did you really think

I would let that property out
of my sight for even one second?

Did you forget that this
operation was to be done in secret?

That if even the slightest thing were
to go wrong during this trial period

it would all be for nothing?

STEM: He knows everything.
Don't lie to him.

CORTEZ: (SPEAKS TO COMPUTER)
Search drone footage archives.

Alley behind
414 Citrus Avenue,

New Crown,
October 14, 3:00 p. m.

GREY: No, I didn't forget it.

I remembered that you
asked me to keep a secret.

But it turns out that you
had a couple of other secrets.

Like, for instance,
you never mentioned to me

that the thing talks.

Stem

talks to you?

Yeah, it's got
a mind of its own.

I can hear its voice
in my head.

(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING)

ERON: From now on, you
will be a model patient.

You will let the computer do
what it was supposed to do.

Not confuse it

with some extracurricular
detective work.

Enter suspect name
Grey Trace.

202 Parva Avenue,
Leland Park.

Did it occur to you that if
you were to, say, commit murder,

the authorities could find out about
Stem and remove him from your body,

putting you back
in a wheelchair for life?

CORTEZ: I'm actually
off duty right now.

I just stopped by
to check up on you,

and because I'm in the
market for a new car.

I knew you fixed
these things up

and sold them
to people like Eron Keen.

Now he makes a little
more money than I do,

but I was wondering if you'd be willing
to sell to one of the little people.

Well, what makes you think that
I don't need my car anymore?

(LAUGHS)

STEM: She just checked the sole
of your boots. You left a print.

GREY: Well, I hate
to break it to you,

but she's not
for sale. Sorry.

Okay.

Listen, when I said I didn't have
any news earlier, I kinda lied.

There was this guy we brought in
for questioning about Asha's murder.

A man with a long criminal
record who lived in the area.

He didn't pan out, but
yesterday he was murdered.

Really?

Yeah. Did you hear
anything about that?

STEM: Don't look away.

You're showing her
you're lying.

Nope.

But you were
in New Crown yesterday.

I saw you
on a drone camera.

Right around the time
that it happened.

STEM: She's guessing. You
have no computer implants,

and I can't be
identified by a drone.

Well, I was in the area,
Detective,

because, remember, you
did say you wanted my help.

So I was...

I'm just trying to help.

Right.

You're not seriously suggesting
that I had anything to do with this,

are you, Detective?
(CHUCKLES)

I mean, because I got a pretty solid
alibi here, if you haven't noticed.

Obviously.

I'm not accusing you of doing
something you're incapable of doing.

It's just, uh,

strange that you were at that
location at that time, is all.

Yeah, well, I don't know
what to tell you. I mean...

Look, you can stab me in the leg
if you wanna see for yourself.

Maybe I will.

(CHUCKLES)

Just for fun.

Is that all, or...

Yeah.

But call me if you change
your mind about selling.

I won't.

(CHUCKLES)

Well, then I'll
see myself out.

(DOOR CLOSES)

(SHUDDERING)

What should I do?

I wanna find these guys but I don't
want to kill anybody else, okay?

STEM: The Old Bones would seem the
next logical place to investigate,

but I can find no online
information for it.

You would have to go there, in person.

But if you do that,

Eron will track
your movements,

and most likely attempt
to shut me down remotely.

STEM: This place
looks dangerous.

We'll need a plan.

(LOUD MUSIC PLAYING)

Whiskey, rocks, please.

STEM: This doesn't seem
like a well thought-out plan.

Hey.

Would you do me a solid
and hold that glass

where I can drink it?

Thank you.

(SLURPING)

STEM: Alcohol impairs
the signals from your brain.

You will not be able
to walk properly.

I know.

That's why they can
charge money for it.

It does not make sense that
humans deliberately malfunction.

Yeah, that's because your memories
are filled with ones and zeroes, pal,

and our memories are filled with
every fuck-up we've ever made.

GREY: Hi.

Everybody?

Excuse me, can I have
everybody's attention?

(VOLUME LOWERS)

I know that some scumbag in here knows
one of the guys who murdered my wife.

His name's Serk Brantner.

So if you know Serk,

or if you know any information
about the killing of my wife,

if you could just raise your hand, or,
you know, stand up and come forward.

Thank you.

(ALL LAUGHING)

(MAN LAUGHING AND CLAPPING)

So you knew Serk?

Okay.

Have it your way, cock snot.
I'll call the police.

(SCOFFS)

Oh, you're
gonna hit me or...

Son, if I were
to hit you,

you'd wake up in the past.
(SCATTERED LAUGHTER)

Yeah, Serk said something similar, right
before I damn near cut his head off.

(FLOORBOARD CREAKING)

TOLAN: Manny.
Yeah?

Turn the music up for me.

No, I don't have
to go to the bathroom.

(BULLET SHELLS CLATTERING)

TOLAN: Here we are.

I'm making this real nice
and comfortable for you.

STEM: I'm temporarily
blocking your pain receptors.

TOLAN: You're right
about Serk.

Somebody ventilated
him the other day.

I already told you,
it was me.

(LAUGHING)

Man, we have got to find you
an open mic somewhere.

(LAUGHS)

Now, if that's true,

then you're faking this wheelchair
shit and you would feel this.

Damn! You can't
feel that? Nope?

Four guys were there the
night my wife was murdered.

Are you one of them?

Where's the point when
you start to feel things?

What about here?

Nope?

I just need to hear you
say it. Were you there?

What about here?

Ah!

Yeah! Now see that, my
friend, is the magic point.

Is that a gun implanted
in your arm, too?

Like your friend had?

I just need
to hear you say it.

Were you there?

Yeah.

I was.

Stem, you can take over.

(POWERING UP)
(GRUNTS)

Hi!

(GRUNTING)

Let me show you
how it's done.

Oh, I didn't
forget about you.

STEM: Do not get
over-confident, Grey.

What's your name?

(YELLING)

(GRUNTS)

(ELECTRICITY CRACKLING)
(TOLAN GROANING)

(OBJECTS CLATTERING)

Did you see that? Hmm?

See, you thought I was an
invalid, but you didn't know

that I'm a fucking ninja.

(GRUNTS)

STEM: While I am state-of-the-art,
Grey, I am not a ninja.

What's your name?

Fuck you.

Tell me where they are.

(LAUGHING)

Stem, what do I do?

Use the knife.

(GULPS)

(SHUDDERING)

I, uh...

I can't do it.

STEM: I can do it for you.
You don't even have to look.

Okay, do it.

You have my permission.

Who you talking to?

Crazy.

No.

(KNIFE STABBING)
(TOLAN SCREAMING)

(EXCLAIMS)

You know, my mama taught me
never to pick on disabled people.

(CHUCKLES) Yeah.

(KNIFE SWISHING)
Okay, enough, Stem.

(STABBING CONTINUES)
(TOLAN GRUNTS)

Stem, enough!

STEM: You now have full
control again, Grey.

(TOLAN CLEARS THROAT)

(SOFTLY) Shit.

What have you done?

He will now answer
any question you ask him.

Okay.

Hey, buddy.

What's your name?

Tolan.

Listen to me.

You gotta give me
something, okay?

Tell me something.

You were

a job.

Job? What do you mean, job?

The girl.

Kill Asha?

(TOLAN SHUDDERING)

Why? Who wanted her dead?

Who paid you?

TOLAN: Fisk.

Fisk? Who's Fisk? Is that
the person who paid you?

Fisk?

God damn it, you've nearly killed him!

STEM: Look at this, Grey.

GREY: Cobolt.

That's Asha's company.

Grey, I have to inform you

that Eron is attempting to
shut me down remotely right now.

Wait. Shut up.

Do you understand that you
will become a quadriplegic again

when Eron shuts me down?

We need to employ a rootkit
and subvert my operating system.

What kind of fucking language
are you speaking?

We need to find a computer hacker
who can counter Eron's code.

Okay, let me look in my little black
book of hackers. What do you want?

I already searched the darknet
earlier today for this eventuality.

Go to an apartment building at
Seventh and Spring. Apartment 514.

Ask for Jamie. You'll
need to pay in cash.

Apartment 514, Seventh and
Spring. It's 10 minutes away.

As soon as he shuts me down,

he will send a security team
from Vessel to retrieve you.

You need to leave now.

Get the gun from the man
in the corner. Hurry.

Tolan has a pen in his
right pocket. Take it.

Uh, why the pen?

You need to write down
everything I tell you.

Okay.

(LOUD MUSIC PLAYING)

Oh, Tolan said
drink's on him.

(SIGHS)

Uh, I'm gonna need a phone.

And a fucking mop.

STEM: There is no time
to take the chair.

Lock chair.

(CHAIR BEEPS)
(POWERING UP)

Keep an eye on her,
would you, buddy?

Faker.

Sweet.

STEM: A 1 backslash
212 backslash 411145.

This is the place.

Uh, okay, what now?

411145192 dot 162192 dot
162 dot 1 dot 15 backslash

upload and execute
all lower case dot py.

(SIREN WAILING)

23 dot 976.
Okay, I can't keep up.

(POWERING DOWN)
(GRUNTS)

What's happening?

I told you, Eron is shutting
me down. You must hurry.

Okay, I would love to,
but our leg is not working.

I am only operating
at 70% capacity.

So much
for state-of-the-art.

(STEM DISTORTING)
Admin bxf lowercase i...

(PANTING)

(GRUNTS)

STEM: (DISTORTED) The stairs.
There's not enough time.

(GRUNTS)

Ask...

Jamie...

Input...

(INDISTINCT DISTORTED INSTRUCTION)

Input what?

(BULLET SHELLS CLATTERING)

(REWINDING)

GREY: I'll just check my little black
book of hackers. What do you want?

Apartment 514, Seventh and
Spring. It's 10 minutes away.

He's at Seventh and Spring.

Goodbye, soldier.

You didn't deserve this.

STEM: Turn left.

(STEM's VOICE DISTORTING)

(STEM TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

Grey.

(GRUNTING)

(POWERING DOWN)
(GRUNTS)

(GROANS)

(STEM SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

(STRAINING)

(PANTING)

Is Jamie there?

I have money.

(POWERING DOWN)
Shit. Shit!

(GROANS)

(DOOR OPENS)

GREY: What
I don't have is time.

JAMIE: Paper money.

How old-school.

They really do
write God on it.

Uh, yeah, I guess they do. Look,
can you hack a computer for me?

Which one?
Uh, the one in my neck.

FISK: I'm a little confused.

You just decided
to stand by

while our friend
was tortured to death.

(SIGHS) Hey.

I'm not here to babysit
you or your buddies.

Serving people
like us should be

the highest honor of your
meaningless life, Manny.

Listen, Fisk.

Just leave.

And I'll clean up
your goddamn mess.

You'll get one shot.

It's okay, my friend.

You don't have to take
any more bullets for me.

(SHUDDERING)

(SNEEZES)

Excuse me.

(SNIFFLES)

(CHOKING)

Let my superiority
over your kind

be the last thought that
crosses through your mind

before machines
chew it up.

(COUGHS)

GREY: Everything you need
is written on my arm.

Stem, that's the computer
that's controlling my body.

He said for you
to remove, um, input...

(GRUNTS)

Input guards?

Yeah. Yeah,
those are the ones.

JAMIE: I can barely read that.

What are they doing?

JAMIE: VR.

GREY: How long
do they VR for?

Days.

Weeks.

Do they sleep?
Nope.

Why someone would choose to live in
a fake world I will never understand.

The fake world is a lot less
painful than the real one.

(KEYBOARD CLACKING)

(STUTTERING)
I'm kind of in a hurry.

Jamie?

That's not my name.
I don't have a name.

Okay.

Please don't
ask my gender.

Yeah, I wasn't gonna do that. Good.

The thing is that I'm gonna need
you to do this as fast as possible.

You're the one wasting time
putting me in a binary box.

I've never seen
a system like this before.

Yeah, it's a hell of a
system. Are we done yet?

I'll tell you
when I'm finished.

(SIGHS)

I did what you asked.
No more input guards.

So when am I going to be able
to move my body again?

When your system's rebooted.
Could take a while.

What's a while? Wait, what
do you mean? (ALARM BUZZING)

Excuse me, hacker formerly
known as Jamie, what is a while?

What are you doing?

You packing up shop?
Where are you going?

See you.

What do you mean, "See you"? What
are you saying? Where are you going?

You can't leave me like this.

I'm sorry.

We can't let them win.
GREY: No!

Wait, who's them?
What are you talking about?

Who's them?

(TIRES SCREECHES)

Hey! Hey, buddy, buddy,
can you hear me? Hey, hey!

(EXHALES)

Stem, are you there?

Stem, wake up.

Come on!

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)

(GRUNTING)

Fuck!

(GUN COCKING)

(GROANING)

Come on!

(PANTING)

Wake up.

Fifth floor.

Now that's how you looked
when I saw you last.

(WEAKLY) Stem.
(POWERING UP)

STEM: It's good
to be back, Grey.

(GRUNTING)

(GRUNTS)

(GUNSHOTS)

(ELEVATOR DINGS)

(GUN COCKS)

(ELEVATOR DINGS)

STEM: The door. To your left.

(GUNSHOTS)

STEM: Stop, Grey. There
is nowhere left to run.

Oops.

I'm going to
end this quickly.

Okay, how?
Like this.

(GRUNTING)

(DRONE HOVERING)

(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

Close the door.

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

STEM: Once I have accessed the
Cobolt database, we must leave.

No.

No, I'm not going anywhere.
I haven't slept in two days.

Sleeping will cost us time
we don't have...

Yeah, I don't give
a shit, okay?

I'm sleeping and that's it.

Oh, my God.

(PAMELA GASPS)

Hey, Mom.

Why wouldn't you tell me
about this operation?

Because I couldn't.

Vessel wouldn't let me,
and now that you know,

you can't tell anybody,
or it could all be taken away.

As far as the world is
concerned, I'm still quadriplegic.

Take my hand.

Now you can
start living again.

Aren't you happy?

Yeah, I can walk again, so...

(PAMELA SIGHS)

If Asha was here,
she'd want you to be happy.

Yeah, but she's not.

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

She's gone.

(RAIN PATTERING)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

I printed a pizza.

(GIGGLES)

(GASPS)

STEM: Bad dream?

No.

(STUTTERING)
No, this wasn't a dream.

(KNOCK AT DOOR)

PAMELA: Grey, Detective
Cortez is here to see you.

Here he is.

PAMELA: I'll leave
you two alone.

No, you can stay, Pam.

I'm cool with you hearing
whatever I have to say.

I was wondering where
you were last night.

We found your wheelchair
near another crime scene.

You just keep showing up
in these unsavory places.

STEM: Tell her you followed
somebody into their building.

They assaulted you.

GREY: I did
a stupid thing last night.

I was down in New Crown,
you're right.

And I followed this guy into a
building, and he didn't like that,

and if it wasn't for these
people who got me to an Autotaxi,

I could have been dead.

What are you
hoping to achieve?

I'm hoping
to find these guys.

Maybe you already have.

(CLICKS TONGUE)

Listen, Detective.

If I could find these men
and I could raise my arm,

and I could pull the trigger,

I'd do it.

Or you could find someone
to pull the trigger for you.

Like who? My mom?

CORTEZ: If you wanted to
find someone or something

to kill for you, these days,
it's pretty easy. Believe me.

STEM: Tell her to scan
your phone records.

Okay, well, then
scan my phone records.

If you are involved in this somehow,
then you need to let me know.

Right now.

Or else I can't help you.

You wanna help me? Then you go and
find these guys who killed Asha.

Or get out of the way
and let some computer do it.

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY) Okay.

(POWERING UP)

This has to stop.

STEM: What has to stop?

(PANTING)

What I'm doing.
What we're doing.

It's a simple algorithm
even you can understand.

If you don't find
the last of them,

he'll find you and kill you.

No, we're going
to get caught. It's over.

Grey, you must understand...
No! No! Shut up!

Get the fuck out of my head!

(POWERING DOWN)

Stem!

(WATER DRIPPING)

Yes, Grey?

What's going on?

I'm not doing anything.

Why can't I move?

Because I'm
not doing anything.

You are still a quadriplegic.

I am the one controlling
your limbs, not you.

If I cease to operate,
you cease to move.

GREY: Remember, you have to
do whatever I tell you to do.

STEM: "Remove input guards. "

Those were the instructions
given to the hacker.

They took us off-grid,

but they also
gave me autonomy.

I no longer need your
permission to act.

If we do nothing, Fisk
will find us and kill us.

I cannot allow us
to be killed.

We will find him first.

We are going to finish
the job we started.

(POWERING UP)

PAMELA: Grey.

Please, tell me
what's going on.

STEM: I'm
in the Cobolt database.

Fisk Brantner, recipient
of left-arm weapon transplant.

I have an address.

Grey, what's wrong?

PAMELA: What have you done?

You come home, you're covered in
blood. You think I didn't notice?

You have a gun
and I can see that.

STEM: Let's go.
I'm going.

Where are you going?
Grey, please.

Whatever it is you're doing,
you don't have to do it.

I don't have a choice.

You do have a choice.

Stay here with me.

I can't.
You can.

(CAR REVVING)

(ENGINE STARTING)

What's this?

STEM: Going
by its appearance,

it's an analog
listening device,

most likely planted
by Detective Cortez.

GREY: How did you
not notice this?

STEM: It has no
digital parts inside it.

I can't detect it.

I assume that she's
following you right now.

(REVVING)

Lights. Sirens.

(SIREN WAILING)

Do something. Can't you just
stop her car or whatever?

Her vehicle is not electronic,
and neither is yours.

You have to take over.
It's up to you now.

GREY: Okay, buckle up.

(SIREN CONTINUES BLARING)

(TIRES SCREECHING)

Yeah, I got you.

STEM: Perhaps I can help.
Okay, how?

(BRAKES SCREECH)

(GRUNTS)

What the fuck?

Why are we stopping?

STEM: May I borrow your car?

Whoa!
(TIRES SCREECHES)

Stop! Stop the car!

(SIREN BLARING)

STEM: Move, Grey.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

(SIREN POWERING DOWN)

(PANTING)

(SIRENS APPROACHING)

(BRAKES SCREECH)

(SNIFFLES)

(DOOR OPENS)

KARA: Emergency
services override.

Where is he?
I don't know.

Pam, you need to start talking
and tell me what's really going on.

(SIGHS)

(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING)

(SIREN WAILING)

GREY: Nice place.

It's neat.

(GUN TRIGGER CLICKS)

Put your hands up.

And don't turn around, and
don't extend that left arm.

What's the matter?

You have all those
computers inside you,

but they can't
see me anymore.

Now you know
what it feels like.

One day, you're
walking down the street,

you're thinking about something
completely meaningless,

and all of a sudden, you've
got a gun pointed at you.

And everything
becomes very meaningful.

Good speech.

Pretty scary stuff.
Dramatic.

I'm guessing that
chip in your brain wrote it,

since you're just
a dumbass mechanic.

Maybe. Kind of
hard to tell anymore.

It's okay. I used
to be that too.

One more citizen
taking up oxygen.

Some asshole hoping to breed
before I dropped dead

so I could be remembered
by another asshole.

Then they changed me.

I took a few pieces of
shrapnel for my country,

and they rewarded me
by turning me into a lab rat.

Now I'm like you.

I'm strong.

Yeah.

Takes a lot of strength

to murder an innocent woman
in the streets, doesn't it?

You think you hate me
'cause I shot your wife,

but your story
is the same as mine.

I didn't ruin your life.
I gave you a gift.

I inducted you
into my race.

The upgraded.

Now you're better
than everyone else.

Stronger. Faster.

I could kill you
without moving a muscle.

I could kill you
with a breath.

But I don't want to.

I want to help you.

I want you
to stand with us.

I just want to know

why they paid you
to kill her.

Man, you are persistent.

The job wasn't your wife.

Bullshit.

You said it yourself. You're
one of Cobolt's lab rats.

This had nothing
to do with Cobolt.

It came from someone else.

The job was you,

to sever your spine.

When I shot you in the neck,
did you think that was a gun?

It was a medical tool.

Like they use for bovine.

Your wife, well, she was
just a bit of extra money.

See? You're getting all
emotional. Never do that.

(FISK LAUGHS)

STEM: Nanobots. Help, Grey.

(GRUNTS)

He's predicting my every move. I
am unable to effectively hit him.

(GRUNTS)

(GROANS)

(PANTING)

No shame.

Stem.

We have exhausted
all tactical options.

Still working
the bugs out, huh?

That's the problem
with new technology.

STEM: Do something, Grey.

Goodbye.
Wait, Fisk Brantner?

Serk Brantner
was your brother.

How long did you have to carry
that junkie on your back?

Well, I solved
your problem for you.

Yeah, split him open.

And it took forever, 'cause
he wailed like a little baby.

He was no soldier that day.

(GRUNTS)

(BOTH GRUNTING)

STEM: Thank you, Grey.

I'm not proud of that.

He said you were a job.

That means someone paid him.

Check his phone.
I will scan his messages.

(PHONE BEEPS)
(CALLS REWINDING)

ERON: Listen to me, Fisk.
He's going to find you.

You need to finish this
before he kills both of us.

(PHONE POWERS DOWN)

STEM: You know
what this means, Grey.

We're not finished yet.

(CAR REVVING)

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

GREY: Eron!

The widget you spent
your entire life creating

is here to kill you now.

You killed my wife.

You wanted someone
for your fucking experiment

and then you paralyzed me, and you
murdered her while you were doing it.

I swear on my life, I had
nothing to do with that.

Then why does the guy who shot her
have a message from you on his phone?

Freeze. Hold it, Grey.

Throw the gun
on the floor.

Now.

I'm not in control
of my body, Detective.

It kinda does
what it wants.

I am not fucking around
with you, Grey.

(CLICKS TONGUE)
Better do it, Stem.

Pretty agile
for a quadriplegic.

Get on your knees. He's the
one who killed Asha, Detective.

Arrest him.
He's right there.

On your stomach.

Hands behind your head.

No, don't touch him!

(CORTEZ GRUNTS)

(POWERING UP)

I'm sorry.

(GRUNTING)

(CORTEZ GROANS)

Stem, not her.

STEM: She wants to kill us.

No, I don't
want to kill her.

I control your hands, Grey.

No, don't.

Please! No.

No!

Don't fight me, Grey.

(GRUNTS)

You have a fragile
human mind.

If you push against me,
it will break.

Fuck you!

(SCREAMS)

(YELLS)

Stop me.

Use the taser.

(TASER WHINES)

(ELECTRICITY CRACKLING)
(STEM DISTORTING)

(SHUDDERS)

I don't run this
company anymore.

I haven't for years.

Now I answer to someone.

Someone much smarter
than I ever could be.

He's in your neck.

ERON: I only did
what Stem told me to do.

Everything was his idea.

STEM: Ask him what his
wife would want.

What would she want?

Stem wanted to be human.

So he picked you.

Think about it.
How did you get here?

STEM: We're going to finish
the job we started.

ERON: Stem made you
come here.

STEM: Someone paid him. You
know what this means, Grey.

ERON: To kill me.

Because I can
build another Stem.

I'm the only person
in the world who can.

STEM: (DISTORTED)
I did pick you.

You should be honored.

I needed a human body
to fully evolve.

A rare and pure specimen without
computer implants, like you.

You did all this?

(ASHA GRUNTS)

FISK: Thejob was you.

You're the one
I've been looking for.

ERON: You severed your spine.

STEM: May I point
something out?

STEM: (DISTORTED) And would you
not agree it was all worth it?

Why did you help me find those
guys, if it just led back to you?

They were upgraded humans,
but they were still humans.

They made mistakes that would
have brought suspicion back to me.

Stem?

Is that you?

STEM: (DISTORTED)
Put the gun down, Eron.

Don't listen to him.

(GRUNTS)

(THUDS)

No, please.

No!

(STRAINING)
You are not in control!

(PANTING)

I am!

(GASPS)

(SHUDDERS)

(INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT ON PA)

Stem.

Are you there?

ASHA: I'm here.

Hey.

We had an accident.

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

You've been out
for a couple of days.

CORTEZ: Grey.

This isn't you.

Grey's not here anymore.

He's in a better place,

in his mind,
where he wants to be.

I've taken over now.

A fake world is a lot less
painful than the real one.

All I needed was for his mind
to break, and he broke it.

(GASPS) No.

Goodbye.

(KNIFE CLATTERS)

Colored By NovaBros

(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING)