Almost Human (2013–2014): Season 1, Episode 1 - Pilot - full transcript

It's an ambush!

John, damn it.

I've been hit! I'm down!

- Pelham!
- On the west side!

Pelham's down.

I need you to lead me in!

We don't know how many
suspects are in there.

- Risking one life to save one life...
- Shut up!

Lead me in! Move!

Hey, buddy. So this ain't good.

No, it's not. Could always be worse!



It just got worse.

They were ready for us, John.

How did Insyndicate know
we were coming?

How did they know?

- MX!
- How'd they know?

We're getting out of here.
Give me a diagnostic!

Blood pressure's dropping,

celiac artery's blown apart.

There's nothing to do, sir.

We're getting out of here.

He will bleed to death

- before you get him out of here.
- Shut up!

- Cover us! We're leaving!
- I cannot do that.

Others have a better statistical
chance of surviving.



I need to protect them.

Are you staying with your partner?

You're damn right I am!

Hey! Come back here!

Come on.

Tell me what you remember.

This time...

I remember the radio call.

From Pelham.

Your partner.

- Yeah.
- But not much more than that.

I still can't remember every detail.

I want to go again.

You made good progress tonight, John.

You were in a coma

for 17 months, yes?

Technically, we shouldn't
be doing this procedure

until you've been fully
conscious for one year.

Yeah.

Well, technically...

you're an unlicensed doctor from SubAsia

practicing black market medicine.

Well, yes,

you can throw me in prison if you want,

but... I accepted you as a
patient out of kindness.

You seemed like a desperate
man when I met you.

And now?

Now... you seem like a desperate man.

John, I know you said

the people
who ambushed you disappeared,

but, despite my best efforts,

you may not remember who they are.

Most people come to a Recollectionist...

they want to remember good things.

Why can't you let this go?

It's been two years.

You know...

they killed my team...

my friends.

And without this treatment,
I can't remember anything.

I remembered something else this time.

My ex-girlfriend.

Anna.

We were in my apartment.

Strange.

I'll, uh...

refine the triggering of
that cluster next time.

Your nose is bleeding.

Detective.

You all right?

Yeah.

Where's your MX?

I'm off duty.

- Where's your human?
- Talking to a witness.

Individuals came over the wall an hour ago.

Drive safely.

Yeah, I will.

Message saved for 738 days.

Hi, honey.

So, I know you're probably
still asleep, but,

John, the sun is setting

and it is the most beautiful
thing I've ever seen.

Look.

Your father would've loved this place.

Oh, I can't wait to get back to you.

I know I have to wait a week, but...

what I really wish

is that you were here with me.

- Morning.
- Morning.

- You coming in?
- I know I said I was ready.

Just give me one more day.

No. I already gave you one more day.

And another and another.

It's time, John.

John?

I just got a report of a
coordinated armed robbery

in South Kelvin.

Looks like it was Insyndicate.

Insyndicate?

Okay.

I'll come in.

Synthetic calibration incomplete.

Synthetic calibration incomplete.

Synthetic calibration incompl...

I can't access the system.
Are you in?

- I'm in.
- I'm not in. I'm out.

All my files are locked.

Sounds like Martinez is
messing with you again.

We're supposed to be in a truce,

so, if that's true,
I'm gonna kill him.

Well, there is one other possibility.

Did you forget your password again,

Detective Vogel?

Not bad for a guy who's
been asleep for two years.

I wouldn't say that.

He looks weak, to me.

Richard,

I know this won't be easy
for you: don't be a prick.

This department's handled
affairs just fine without him.

What's your problem with Kennex?

Don't ask to hear the story...
you'll die of boredom.

And exposure to severe envy.

Look, there's nothing
to envy in him.

Kennex oversaw that raid,

controlled all the intel
and got his team ambushed.

Everyone, except the one man
responsible... Kennex... was killed.

Should've been discharged.

Richard.

He won't last.

You just watch.

Kennex, John. Registration complete.

Thanks.

Detective Kennex,

I'm 785. I've been assigned to you.

I'm aware this is your first day back.

I only want to make your
acclimation to active duty

as smooth as possible for you.

I'm here to attend to all your n...

I'm not driving with
one of those things.

Human partner was good
enough for my father.

It's good enough for me.

Since you were last here,

MX partners have become mandatory.

I'm not gonna fight you on some
kind of regulation thing, okay?

- I'm not doing it.
- Like hell you're not.

Have you read Tilden's profile of you?

And, by the way, he is a
very capable psychiatrist.

"Kennex should return to service never. "

- Never? Wow, that's... that's a long time.
- "Kennex is suffering

"From depression, mental atrophy,

"Trauma onset OCD, PTSD

and psychological rejection
of his synthetic body parts. "

Well, that last part is true.

Listen, you're the only person
more desperate than I am

to find out how Insyndicate
learned about the raid.

If we work together, we can do it.

This happened a few hours ago.

Robbery target was an armored
truck, carrying bio research.

If this is an Insyndicate operation,

it might help us learn more about them.

What's the connection?

Parabolic pulse charge was
used to stop the vehicle.

I haven't seen that since the ambush.

Well, sure looks like Insyndicate.

- Inventory report?
- That's not in yet.

Whatever they wanted,

they killed four security guards
to get it.

One of the thieves was shot.

He's being treated at County.

John?

Keep the Insyndicate
connection between us, okay?

You think someone in the
department's working with them?

You're the only guy I trust here.

Okay.

I'll check it out.

One more thing.

Go easy on your partner.

Come.

Truck belongs
to a private lab run by Omni,

company specializing in DNA research.

According to the manager,
they were transporting vials

of single-strand synthetic,
programmable DNA.

Detective? Valerie Stahl.

John Kennex.

- Pleasure to meet you.
- You, too.

Okay.

So tell me what you got
on programmable DNA.

Programmable DNA can be used to trigger

the process of tissue creation.

For example, to grow sets
of organs in humans,

possibly for harvest.

What else was taken?

Acid, bencarmidium, thianel,
Myklon Red.

Myklon Red.

Myklon Red, Myklon Red...

Detective?

Detective, you okay?

Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks.

This sector is Khmer Black territory.

They've been known to traffic
in biotech in the past.

We're rounding up the usual suspects.

You don't buy it?

Ruby Mah assumed leadership
of the gang six months ago

when his brother was killed.

It was controversial.

He's seen as too Western.

He needs to show the
people he's traditional.

Today is the last day of
the Cambodian New Year,

Loeung Sakk, a day of
repentance for wrongdoing.

He wouldn't commit violence today.

This was another gang.

I find behavioral tendencies in data
and identify criminal patterns.

Or didn't intelligence analysts
do that before I got here?

Thanks. I, uh...
I really appreciate it.

Excuse me.

Sure.

Tell command we're 10-19.

What happened back there?

What are you talking about?

It seemed like a petit mal seizure.

I will need to report what I saw.

I'm fine.
You're not gonna report anything.

You were in Koln Avenue
District last night.

An MX saw you there.

I am concerned, Detective.

That area is populated by numerous
black market medical clinics.

And some tasty noodle joints.

Look, I appreciate your concern,

but there's nothing to report.

Another curious thing, Detective Kennex?

Last night, there were no comestible
trace particles on your breath,

indicating you were not there for noodles.

I think we should...

Hey, Rudy.

As I live and breathe.

Or should I say,
as you live and breathe?

How are ya?

Constantly turning down party invitations.

I've become quite popular with the ladies.

How can I help?

I got a rec order for another synthetic.

He fell?

Out of a moving car?

Yeah, crazy, huh?

Must be some kind of software issue.

Gonna need a new one.

Software?

Since we don't have any MXs available,

department's only cleared
one model for active duty.

Funny, actually. This, uh...

this unit was scheduled to be
transferred to NASA next month.

It's sad really.

He's scrap metal.

The trimidium circuits
in his spinal column are

worth more than the whole of him.

Wait a minute. That's...
that's one of the crazy ones.

What? No. That's rude.
Not crazy, per se.

You know, they had their...

What? Problems?
Who doesn't have problems?

Technically, they're perfectly functional.

Look at him.

He's road-worthy.

John, Dorian. Dorian, John.

There. Should be functional.

His DF was bad.

Anything I need to know?

Well, the DRN series...

they were based on a program
called Synthetic Soul.

And while he isn't crazy, as you say,

there may be some bugs.

Bugs? What kind of bugs?

Some of them had difficulty dealing
with their emotive regulations.

Emotional issues.

The idea behind the DRNs was
to be as human as possible.

And the truth is that

it's human to have unexpected
emotional responses.

And if, uh, being as close
to human was the goal, then,

I guess the DRNs weren't
such a failure after all.

People have breaking points, and...

so do DRNs.

So you're saying he's a basket case.

Not words I would use, or agree with.

All right, plug it in already.

- I got to get back on the street.
- Okay.

Please have the honor of
waking him up yourself.

Touch it against his left ear.

How long was I out?

Uh, four years and three months.

Detective John Kennex.

I'm Dorian. How are you?

Your record is outstanding.

Used to be.

Excuse me?

Update your files. Let's go.

Hey, boss.

He's on the move. Let's go!

You heard him. Let's go.

So what do I call you?

Detective.

Well, Detective, this sure beats
repairing thermal insulation tiles

on the C.N.A. Space Station.

I was decommissioned four
years ago, as you know.

Why am I in this car with you?

I'm required to ride with a synthetic.

I'm not a huge fan of that term.

St. Christopher.

This has to be a gift from someone.
Am I right?

Something like 80% of
these are given as gifts.

Synthetics are precise.

There's that term again.

You just said, "Something like 80%."

The actual statistic is 83.42%,

but I'm running my colloquialism routine,

so I express most data
conversationally, man.

Terrific.

So, who's "A"?

Addison? Annie? Adeline?

Alana? Anita?

Amy? Audrey? Aquamarine?

Okay, that's enough, all right?

Um... synthetic off.

Synthetic off?

Does that mean you want me to be quiet?

Yeah, whatever the mode
is for you to be quiet,

just do that.

Hey, man, I can be quiet.

You can just... ask.

Synthetic calibration incomplete.

Synthetic calibration incomplete.

Stand by. I'll be back.

Here you go, ma'am.

Yeah, give me a black coffee, no sugar.

You got it, Detective Vogel.

Officer Vogel,
it's good to see you again.

Who are you?

Haven't seen one of those
synthetics for years.

It's perfect.

Two cops from the scrap heap.

This is gonna be more
pathetic than I thought.

Those are the models that replaced me.

Intimidating.

Go register so we can get moving.

DRN registration complete.

Hey, bot.

Don't snap on us, now.

Sir, Detective Vogel's been abducted.

Maldonado wants you on it.

His MX was destroyed.

This is all we could get off it.

Based on the masks,

these are the same guys
from the armed robbery.

Suspect back from County?

Your gang kills four security guards.

Now you've taken a cop.

Where is he?

Did they take him 'cause we have you?

You know what this is?

It's your booking file.

It describes the condition
you were in when we got you.

Now...

What are you doing with programmable DNA?

What's the Myklon Red for?

Oh, look, suspect has
a scratch above his eye.

I have no idea how he got that.

Better add it, and get ready
to write down "missing molar".

There are other ways, Detective.

I'm questioning this man, okay, not you.

Now...

Synthetic fail. Calibration required.

Synthetic fail. Calibration required.

Synthetic fa...

You shot yourself.

Perhaps it was a bit crazy this morning,

maybe the doctors at County even missed it,

but the trajectory of the
bullet that hit you,

the burn marks on your flesh...

basically there's no chance

that you were hit by a bullet
from any gun but your own.

Is that true?

You don't know the people I work for.

Trust me, I do.

I needed to get away from
them any way I could,

because there's no getting away from them.

Look, we can help you,

we can keep you safe, but you
need to give us information.

No, I'm not safe anywhere, not even here.

We'll put you in a secure
location under guard.

No one will find you,
but you need to talk.

I need to be somewhere safe.

Then, where's Detective Vogel?

What's the address?

325 Grand, Apartment 6.

Not that you need me to tell you this,

but you just violated the crap
out of that guy's civil rights.

Fantastic, I get the synthetic
with the bleeding heart.

Look, I don't care what
you're programmed to do.

You report what happened in there

and you'll find yourself
bouncing down the 604.

Detective,
if I'm going to report anything,

it is because I decided
it needed to be reported.

I feel sick.

I need a toilet.

You all right?

I'll be fine.

Stop.

Potential explosive device.

Humans back.

Evacuate the building.

DRN, halt advancement, halt advancement.

Detective.

What is it?

It's not a bomb.

That trip wire leads somewhere.

I'll lead you in?

I do not advise that, sir.

Let's go.

Vogel.

Help!

Stay calm.

Kennex, help me!

Help!

Do something!

Bulletproof glass.

It's welded shut.

Patel speaking.

Patel, where are you?

En route to the safe house.

We have the perp in the car.

Okay, turn around... this
whole thing's a setup.

Patel, Patel.

No, no, no, no...

Sergeant Patel and two other
officers were killed,

three MXs were destroyed,
and the suspect escaped.

It's about time.

I'm sorry.

Morgue lab is too slow.

Get a lab box,
take a sample of his blood,

and send it to Rudy for analysis.

Don't need a lab box.

I just downloaded the information.

Rudy should have the data now.

Why him?

Why target Vogel?

Scan every case Vogel was on.

Any connection to biotech, science,

medicine, DNA.

I want to see it.

I don't know if this is anything,

but one of his files is missing.

Case file number 6663.

It's gone from all internal records.

Wait a minute, Detective
Vogel told me this morning

that he couldn't get
access to his terminal.

Maybe whoever took him
was deleting the file.

They got into the whole system.

Who is they?

See if anyone downstairs
can get that file back.

On my way.

The way you said that...

you're thinking someone
specific is behind this.

Who?

When I want your help,
I'll ask for it.

You know what your problem is?

Always my favorite part of the day:

a synthetic telling me
what my problem is.

There's that word again.

Your problem is,
you don't know yourself.

You don't trust anyone.

Is that my problem?

And, man, I don't blame you.

After all you've been through,

if I were like you, I
wouldn't know myself either.

Okay, firstly stop saying "Man. "

Secondly you're not like me.

And I'm not like them.

MX units are logic-based
and rule-oriented.

They have no true free will

and they are designed to feel nothing.

Now, I can't say that I was born,

I can't say I grew in a
womb or had a childhood,

but I was made to feel and I do

as much as you.

I read what you wrote:

that if an MX hadn't left you
behind to save some others,

your partner might have made
it out of that ambush alive,

and that part may be true,
but I read the whole report.

By the time the ambush had begun,

it was already too late and
it was you who led them in,

so you can blame an MX or
you can blame yourself.

- Okay, you know what?
- I am nothing like an MX-43.

You're obviously malfunctioning right now.

Why don't you just take a
second to reboot yourself?

If anyone is malfunctioning,
it is you, Kennex.

You know what I'm gonna stop doing?

I'm gonna stop arguing with a piece
of silicon and carbon fiber.

Kennex.

It's Rudy.

All police in the department

are required to have mandatory inoculations

designed in police labs for officers only.

Those inoculations are
meant to keep cops safe.

Protects against biowarfare,
gases, pathogens, et cetera.

We found Myklon Red in Vogel's blood,

combined with programmable DNA.

It targets the inoculation directly.

It's like getting a hundred
different diseases at once.

The immune system goes berserk.

What are you saying, Rudy?

That's why his body reacted
in the way that it did.

That's why he died.

I believe Detective Vogel
was a test subject.

Whoever we're up against...

They're targeting cops.

Where are you going?

I cannot allow you to do this.

It's far too soon.

Look, this isn't about me, okay?

Someone is killing police officers,

and the only way we're gonna find them

is if I remember more about
the people who are doing it.

John, it's not safe for you.

You do this and you do it now.

They were ready for us, John.

How did Insyndicate know we were coming?

How did they know? How'd they...?

Hey, come back here!
You're damn rob...!

I am so sorry.

I told him it was too dangerous.

You used my locator chip.

Maldonado wanted me
to keep an eye on you.

Okay.

You're lucky you got the partner
with the bleeding heart.

What did you see... when you were under?

I saw someone who was close to me.

Someone who, I realize now,

that I should never have trusted.

I want to say I... I'm not
even sure it's real, but...

But it was.

Who was it, John?

It was my ex-girlfriend.

When I came out of my coma,
she had disappeared.

Now I know why.

Synthetic fail.

Calibration required.

Synthetic fail.
Calibration required.

I've got a fix for that.

What?

It gets creaky sometimes?

I've got a fix for that.

Olive oil.

Olive oil?

Yeah, man.
You put it right on the joint.

Olive oil?

You'll thank me.

I suppose I, uh...

I should acknowledge the
fact that you saved my life.

No need.

I only did it
because you're my one ticket.

Without you, I'm off the force.

You're lucky I want to be a cop so bad.

You're not like them, the MXs.

I don't know why, but you're not.

I should take that as a compliment.

You should.

The MX series is based on first
order predicate calculus.

MXs have no intuition, or
as you might say, no soul.

For them, experience, memory
is just recorded data.

My series is designed
to draw conclusions,

make inferences.

The answer is Vogel, right?

Who was targeting him,
what was the payback for?

Yeah.

And the only witness we have
is Vogel's MX,

Who was blown apart
when they took Vogel.

Yeah, Ru-Rudy said his neural
net was completely fried.

Worthless to another MX,

who wouldn't be able to-to put it
together, to make sense of it,

but you could make those connections.

If we transferred the memory,

or whatever's left of the
memory from Vogel's MX to you,

you could make the connection.

It's worth a shot, Detective.

Check, please!

I'm in its short-term memory now.

Stand by. I'll be back.

coffee... sugar.

Officer Vogel.

It's good to see you again.

A few years ago, you logged
something into evidence

that doesn't belong to you.

You may remember it as case number 6663.

No?

Well, your precinct has been kind
enough to hold it in evidence,

but tonight, we're gonna get it back,

and you're gonna help us do it.

We've got something they want.

Captain, we need to go into lockdown.

What's going on?

They're hitting us tonight.

They're after something
in the evidence room!

Light it up, take out the MXs.

The Insyndicates are on the roof!

Come on, now. Go, go, go, go, go!

Evacuate building.

Evacuate building.

Why are they shutting down
and not you?

They run on a different
frequency than mine.

Sometimes newer technology isn't better.

Come on.

Open the valves.

We got to go through
every piece by hand.

We don't even know
what we're looking for.

We know it's here.

And we know it's valuable
because they were willing

to kill a lot of cops to get it.

There must be some way

to restore those evidence
files that were wiped.

I've been trying, but the
sabotage was extremely thorough.

I'll keep trying.

Thanks, man.

Rise...

and be counted.

Stay out of trouble.

Your father would have loved this place.

Oh, I can't wait to get back to you.

I know I have to wait a week,

but what I really wish is
that you were here with me.

We're gonna find her, John.

If you hadn't come back...

You saved a lot of lives.

Thanks.

Thanks for insisting.

You put in the rec order.

For Dorian.
I checked out his record.

It's mostly redacted, but
I saw that it was you

who put in the request
for me to get him. Why?

The DRN is good for you.

Sandra... you didn't answer my question.

Why Dorian?

'Cause he's special.

Just like you.

See you at roll call.

I assume you want quiet mode, Detective?

Not necessarily.

Call me John.