Black Scorpion (2001): Season 1, Episode 14 - Virtual Vice - full transcript
- Get it all, cyber
punks, every computer,
every keyboard and every scanner.
Don't forget those
virtual reality chips.
- Attention, all units,
there's a 211 in angel communications.
All units in the vicinity,
please respond.
- Activate auto-transform.
Aren't you boys out kind of
late for a school night?
- Black scorpion.
Look, we were just doin' our homework.
- Let me guess, breaking and entering?
- More like assault and battery.
Get her!
- I'd give that an a for effort.
- Here's an apple for the teacher.
Looks like I go to the
head of the class.
- School's not out yet.
Class dismissed.
Fire.
- In the light of day,
Darcy Walker is a cop.
But in the dark of night,
she becomes black scorpion.
Doing with a mask what she
can't do with a badge.
- Open your eyes and you'll
get a great big surprise.
- Artie.
- What is it?
- It's a laptop.
- I thought I was your laptop.
- Yeah, well, this one
will actually keep track
of my affairs.
- I don't need a computer to do that.
We started having an affair,
five years ago on Valentine's day.
- Ah, what I mean is
this will keep track
of my appointments.
For instance,
all I have to do is
press this one button,
and voila,
there's my nine o'clock with dr bellum.
- Uh, mayor worth?
- Uh, uh, um, yes.
- Good morning, I hope I'm not late.
- Ah, no, not at all, please sit.
What can I do to help you?
- Well, actually, mayor,
you've got it backwards,
because I'm here to help
you get re-elected.
- Yeah, well, ah, how are
you going to do that?
- I have a proposal to
implement new technology
for the poor, which would
help you lower the crime rate
and reduce overcrowding.
Did you receive my proposal?
- Proposal?
- I'll go get it.
- Oh, no, no no, babette,
uh, I have it right here.
Oh, yes, you're the dingbat, I
mean the doctor who wants me
to spend millions of dollars
giving video games to the poor.
- Well, actually, what I want
to do is give the
disadvantaged an advantage
with virtual reality housing.
Although I will admit the
technology is similar to
but levels above wrath of warriors.
- Uh, wrath of warriors?
- That's the game I invented,
which is a stepping stone
to my virtual reality housing project,
except for instead of
transporting the privileged
in a medieval battle, we'd
be transporting the poor
into what can only be described
as a virtual paradise.
- You mean they live
inside your computer?
- Well, not exactly.
You see, their bodies would
go into a profound state
of unconsciousness nourished
by life support systems,
and that would then
leave their minds free
to explore the vast regions
of the imagination.
- Yes, well, uh, what sounds
real to me is the cost.
- But how can you put a price
on someone's happiness, mayor?
- The cost I'm talking about
is losing the election.
The poor don't vote.
- Let's face it, mayor,
these people are miserable.
- They're poor.
They're supposed to be miserable.
The answer is no!
- Specs, slugger,
our snitch from the hell to
pay pawn shop just called
with a tip on stolen computers.
Go check it out.
- Not now, cap.
Sir slugger is defending
the peasants of pondovia
in virtual reality. - Ha, ha, ha!
Hi-ya, hi-ya, hi-ya!
Retreat or feel the blade
of my rapier, ye
hard-hearted scoundrels!
- All right, slugger,
that's enough!
- Cap, I don't think he can hear you.
He's immersed himself in a
world of virtual reality.
- Look, help me get that thing off him.
- Oh egad, I'm being
accosted by old sarge.
Oh, hey, what's the idea, cap?
- The big idea is to
fight real bad guys,
not pretend ones.
Now giddy up or Sally forth
or whatever it is you knights do.
- Come on, galahad.
- I can't believe two grown
men can get so excited
over a silly game.
- Darcy, Darcy, this
is not just a game.
All right, wrath of warrior
takes you to a whole new level
of exhilaration never experienced
before by the human body.
I mean, that's at least
what the ad say, you know.
I mean, come on, darce, it's fun.
Haven't you ever, uh, fantasized
about being with someone else?
- Actually, yes, I have.
- Uh-huh, uh-huh, and?
- And...
- Ah.
- I prefer reality.
- Well, you know,
whoever invented this
game is certainly living
in a fantasy land.
I mean, they made enough
that they probably bought
their own personal castle.
- Increase difficulty level.
Modify response system for
instant reaction time.
Increase thrust on vertical leap.
Increase difficulty level to maximum.
Enhance combat skills.
Load new environment.
Alpha test the parameters
in the new scenario.
Parameters perfected.
- Dr bellum, gigawitz and I
have been waiting all day
for you to get out of that game.
- Soon, it will no longer be
just a game world, bytofsky.
I'm inside the virtual world
perfecting its parameters.
I need to figure out
what we're gonna do now
that the mayor's rejected our proposal.
- But what are our choices?
Dr bellum, we're gonna have
to go back to angel com
and beg them for our jobs back.
- We're never going back there.
Our game made that company rich,
and they refused to offer
us profit participation.
Why would we even consider going back?
- Because we live with the poor people.
- Bytofsky, these people
are just like you and me,
forced to work for slave wages just
to put food on their table,
and they deserve better!
They're never gonna
have it, not as long as
that tyrant sits on the mayor's throne.
- Tyrant?
Dr bellum, this isn't
one of your games.
- No.
No, it isn't.
If it were, I'd have
a chance of winning.
We all would.
- Are you all right, dr bellum?
- No, I'm not.
There's much fighting to do.
Come on, let's go back in.
- Score.
- We're being robbed.
- Attention, all units,
we have a possible 211 at angel comm,
all available units in the
vicinity please respond.
- Don't wait up.
- Well, well, well.
This is what I call an upgrade.
- All this circuitry makes
me feel like a computer.
- Yeah, I feel like
uploading something.
- Well, don't wait for me to
push your command keys, girls.
We've got equipment to replace.
- All right, people, it's all loaded up.
We're ready to go.
- We will be, too,
in about 30,000 terabytes per second.
- What are you doing?
- Just transferring some of
mayor worth's campaign funds
for our program.
- Sorry, but I think your
program has a bug in it.
- Black scorpion?
- You know, you three aren't the
cyberpunks I was expecting.
- I'm mindbender, the latest
model in computer criminals,
and these are my components.
- I'm gig.
- And I'm byte.
- And they're about
to make you a memory.
Girls.
Well, it looks as though
you've disabled my extensions.
- And you're next.
- Too bad you can't short
circuit me, black scorpion.
- We'll see about that.
- Oh, didn't I tell you.
My mainframe is equipped
with a surge protector.
Too bad yours isn't.
Gig, byte, let's hit our escape keys
before the cops make us freeze.
- Black scorpion.
Looks like I got you
right where I want you.
I've been fantasizing about this moment
for a long time.
You're under arrest.
- I've been fantasizing about
this moment, too, detective.
And I'm posting bail.
Access vehicular tracking system.
Search a 30-block radius.
- You sure threw black
scorpion offline, mindbender.
- Yeah, she won't be loggin'
on again anytime soon.
- Unfortunately, it looks
as though she's found a new server.
- She's gaining on us.
- Her modem's a lot faster than ours.
- So what do we do?
- Let's make this a hard
drive for her, shall we?
- Engage arsenal.
Fire.
- She's trying to delete us.
- Careful, black scorpion,
there's a virus going around.
Hey, black scorpion,
you've got mail.
Now if you're gonna use your hardware,
I'm going to use mine.
- What's that?
- It's my latest invention,
the electromagnetic pulsator,
guaranteed to crash any computer,
including one on wheels.
- Damn.
- Does Artie wanna party?
- Ah, not now, babette.
I haven't finished playing
with this software.
- Well, what about my software?
It needs to be played with, too.
- Now, babette, if I
wanted to be nagged,
I'd go home to my wife.
- I hate that horrible thing.
- Well, so do I, but
I'm married to her.
- I'm talking about the computer.
Can't we get rid of it?
- We cannot get rid of it.
We live in a computer world.
- Not yet, but you're on your way.
- Who are you?
- Well, I used to be dr Sarah bellum.
But now, I'm mindbender.
- What do you mean used to be?
- And I'm here to give
you a dose of reality,
virtual reality.
- Where are we?
Ick, what are you wearing?
- The same thing you're wearing.
- Oh, double ick.
What happened to my nightie?
- Well, forget about your nightie.
What happened to us?
- Last thing I remember is having
that helmet shoved down my head.
- Helmet?
Oh, oh, dr bellum must
have cyber-napped us.
She's put us inside her game.
- Oh do you know how to play?
- No, but I think we're
about to find out.
- Oh Artie, look,
it's a pig man. - Ooh.
- Take these two slaves
to the great hall.
- Slaves?
Will you quit poking me?
- You better be careful, mr mayor,
or you'll find out what a
killer virtual reality can be.
- So now that you know your
program works, what next?
- We implement the technology citywide.
- Isn't that gonna cost
us a lot of money?
- Mayor worth authorized the budget.
- What are you talking about?
- I hacked into his computer
and transferred his re-election funds.
- And how long do you
plan on keeping them
in wrath of warriors?
- Until my virtual reality
housing project is a success.
- And if he and his secretary
don't survive the game that long?
- Well, then we dump their
bodies in the angel river.
It's like I always say,
out of sight, out of mind.
- Oh no.
- Hey, you got a book,
a magazine, something?
- Come on then.
What you got, baby?
- Argyle!
- What you got, huh?
Woo! - Argyle!
- Is that the best you got?
Oh, I mess with guys twice as big
and three times as ugly.
Take that!
- It ain't no use, girlfriend.
If you want his attention, you
just got to do what I do.
- Yeah, baby, your mama!
Yeah, who da man up in here?
The man!
Oh, oh!
Are you crazy, woman?
- I must be a crazy woman
for staying with a fool like you.
Did you fix Darcy's car yet?
- I was going to, but I had
to go kick some peasant's butt, yeah.
- I'm gonna kick your butt
if I catch you playing that game again.
You just like those
damsels in distress.
- You're not really
into this wrath of
warrior stuff, are you?
- Oh, blue, you got to try it.
You just.
- I do my fair share of
role-playing, thank you.
- Hey, Walker, come on.
Let's go.
The captain just radioed
with an emergency.
- What kind of an emergency?
- Although the police are reluctant
to call it a kidnapping,
they have no explanation for
the mysterious disappearance
of mayor worth and his secretary.
- Well, hopefully, we can
explain it when Walker
and Rafferty get back from city hall.
That's where I sent 'em to see
if they could turn up any leads.
- We got one.
- Cap, listen to this.
According to mayor worth's
computer datebook,
his last appointment was
with a dr Sarah bellum.
- Ooh, correct me if I'm wrong,
but is that not the fair damsel
who concocted our favorite
diversion, wrath of warriors?
- All right then, you
knights in polyester,
go forth and check it out.
- Off we ride to fulfill
our noble quest.
- Hey ho.
- Oh come on, you two.
I just needed a little break
from all that pansy talk.
Besides, dr bellum isn't a real lead.
I mean, what could slugger and
specs possibly get from her?
- Wrath of warriors,
the deluxe edition.
- Wow.
- Would you like to try it?
- Uh, yeah.
Yeah, but we're actually
here to ask you
about the meeting you
had with the mayor.
- Uh, that's what you said,
but you didn't say how
you found out about it.
- His computer.
- Oh I forgot about that,
that you officers can
be so resourceful.
Did you two find out about
the appointment on your own?
- Well, actually...
- Actually, we did.
We're what you might
call cyber-cops, ma'am.
Anything to do with computers,
that's our specialty.
Take wrath of warriors, for instance.
We could defeat the entire army
with just a rock and a slingshot.
- We can?
- Would you like a demonstration?
- Oh yeah!
- Do you mind if I set
the difficulty level
to master of the game?
- Oh give it everything you got.
- Go big or go home, doc.
I intend to.
- Oh my god, where are we?
- We're in the vr world.
- Ah, are we supposed to fight
that whole army on our own?
- Well, you're the one
that said all we needed was
a rock and a slingshot.
- Specs, I just got a tip
on some stolen computers,
down at the hell to pay pawn shop.
Where the hell did those two
disappear to, this time?
- Well, cap, you assigned
them our case, remember?
- Oh.
Well, then it's only fair
that I assign theirs to you.
Check out the lead on the pawn shop.
- Right on it, cap.
- No, no, not you, Rafferty, her.
- Wait a minute, cap.
You're splitting us up?
- No, I want Rafferty
to go see dr bellum.
- Yeah, but you already sent
specs and slugger there.
- Yeah, well, they should've
been back, two hours ago.
If I know those two nincompoops,
they're probably sittin'
on their butts,
playing wrath of warriors.
Anyway, see if you can grab 'em
and bring 'em back here to face
the wrath of strickland.
- Come on.
- That tip on the pawn
shop just became a 211.
Any units in the vicinity,
please respond.
- Control, unit 184
en route to location.
- Activate auto-transform.
- Hurry up, man, I got a date.
- Speaking of dates, I
think you two have one
with warden brickhouse at
pearl gate penitentiary.
- He ain't my type.
Let's get her. - Yeah.
- Come on!
- Do you copy?
I have the scorpion up there in sight.
She just passed me.
- Copy that, we'll make a barricade
at paradise alley.
Black scorpion traveling south
on paradise alley, request
backup for pursuit.
- I'm sorry I can't
help you, detective,
but I don't know your fellow officers.
- So you're saying that slugger
and specs never came by?
- Specs and slugger?
- I know, I know. You
don't have to say it.
They sound like characters
in one of your video games.
- You don't know how right you are.
- And you're certain that
they never stopped by?
- I think I would
remember them, detective.
- I think you would, too. One's
about this tall, handsome,
wears very thick glasses.
The other one's really
short, really big nose
and always has a baseball cap on,
a lot like that one, right there.
Drop it.
- Don't tell me a big, strong
man like you is afraid
of a tiny, little mouse.
- I'm sorry.
I thought it was a weapon.
- Actually, it is, and
it's quite dangerous.
- A mouse?
- Don't let appearances
deceive you, detective.
My weapon may look simple,
but it's a lot more lethal than yours.
Although, it does operate
on the same principle.
Point and click.
- Rafferty, Rafferty,
come in, Rafferty.
Strickland to Rafferty,
come in, Rafferty.
- Hey, captain.
Steve's not back yet?
- No, and he's not answering
his radio, either.
- What?
- First the mayor, then babette
and then slugger and
specs and now Rafferty.
How come everybody
that comes in contact
with dr bellum disappears?
- Hey, hey, hey, watch it!
Who's that punk think he is?
- Judging by that steak knife,
I'd say he's boss!
- Oh specs, slugger.
- What are you doing here?
- What do you mean here?
Where is here?
- We're in wrath of warriors.
- What are you talking about?
This isn't a game.
- Yes, it is, and bellum's
playing for keeps.
- Do you know where you are?
You're in one of the holding cages
for the gladiator arena.
- No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
I'm not fighting these two guys.
- No, of course not.
- Yeah, just the one that wins.
- Get up, get up!
- Look at me.
I'm not gonna have to
fight either one of them.
- Okay.
Bring me ovinor ork.
Throw this one in the
pit with them all.
- How are our players doing?
- Well, they're still alive,
so far, anyway.
- Playtime's over.
- Oh no,
it's just beginning.
Gig, byte, grab her.
Drag and drop her into a chair.
Let the mind games begin.
- Mindbender, someone's just hacked
into the wrath of warriors prototype.
- What?
- What are you doing here?
- Playing wrath of
warriors, just like you.
- What do you mean?
- Well, since tender lovin'
took away my vr software,
I had to use the computer
in the scorpion lair
to hack into angel com's mainframe
to check out the new game prototype.
- Which dr bellum stole.
- Dr bellum?
- Yeah, she and mindbender
are one and the same.
- Whoever he is, he
just rescued Walker.
- Gig, download the slave
master to capture him,
while byte terminates his connection.
- She must've hooked up a
remote link in her apartment.
- The intruder's in
the torture chamber.
Men, follow me!
- We'll give the doctor
a virus to play with.
Here, I uploaded it from the computer
in the scorpion lair.
You're gonna need it.
- What for?
- To become black scorpion
and get mindbender to the game.
If she were to enter the virtual world,
she would have to leave the real one,
and more importantly, her computer.
That would give me a chance
to recall her system. - Argyle!
- We got him, mindbender.
He's out.
- Excellent.
Now change the encryption.
From now on, I don't
want anyone in the game
who doesn't play by
the rules, my rules.
- Four grogs and one Manhattan.
- Who's the Manhattan for?
- Me.
I am sick of this, Artie.
The pig, he eats like a pig.
- Yeah, well, you should
see these overlords.
They're not much better.
Isn't that detective Walker?
- I don't care who she is.
I need help feeding that hog.
- Black scorpion?
- How did she get in there?
- I don't know.
There's no way anyone could've
bypassed our encryption.
- Well, apparently someone did,
you third-rate data processor.
Now get in there and destroy her
before she ruins everything.
- Our system's too slow for her.
- That's because our
equipment's outdated.
- Oh I agree.
We're not compatible.
Steve!
- If you want someone killed right,
you got to do it yourself.
Black scorpion, your presence
here does not compute.
- I just wanted to get you in the game.
- Well, here I am.
Come on, let's play.
Forgive me for quitting while
I'm ahead, black scorpion,
but at least I'm leaving
you in good hands.
- Welcome back to reality, true blue.
- How did I get here?
- All the helmets were
plugged into the mainframe.
All I had to do was switch
your Jack with mindbender's.
So when she pressed the remote...
- I escaped instead of her.
- Exactly.
- Well, come on, let's
switch back the others
before she tries again.
- What's going on?
- Wake up.
- Take her to the slave pit.
- This is my game!
I created you!
- Game's over.
- And although mayor worth
has pulled the plug
on dr bellum's virtual
reality housing project,
he is expected to
announce a new program
that will make use of her technology.
- A virtual reality cellblock
in pearl gate penitentiary.
This will cut down on violence
and not to mention overcrowding,
which will allow us to lock up three
or four prisoners in one
cell, and I might add
that so far our test subjects
are doing just fine.
- Let us out of here!
Let us out!
- That's it, no more wrath
of warriors for us.
- Wait a minute, you guys are
really giving up the game?
- Yeah, this virtual reality stuff,
it's way too dangerous.
- No kidding.
- You know, I don't think
there's anything wrong
with a little bit of fantasy.
- Really, what do you fantasize about?
I mean when you're playing.
- No, no, no, you'd laugh.
- Try me.
- Okay, okay, I'm a, uh,
I'm a knight.
See, I'm a heroic knight riding
this mighty white stallion,
slaying fire-breathing dragons
and rescuing the fair maiden.
- Ah.
- Yeah.
- Who's the fair maiden?
Oh wait, let me guess.
Black scorpion.
- Come on, I said it was
a fantasy, didn't I?
- Yeah, well, the trouble
with fantasy is it usually
leaves you disappointed.
Why don't you find
yourself a real woman?
- Ah, I don't know.
I guess I'm afraid
that reality won't be
as exciting as fantasy.
- Ah, speaking of reality,
there's a robbery in progress
at first angel bank.
- There, Romeo, exciting enough for ya?
- Move out.
Thy reign of terror
shall end as quickly
as the flower wilts in the
first frost of winter!
Oh no, now they got me
talking like a pansy.
Hi-ya!
punks, every computer,
every keyboard and every scanner.
Don't forget those
virtual reality chips.
- Attention, all units,
there's a 211 in angel communications.
All units in the vicinity,
please respond.
- Activate auto-transform.
Aren't you boys out kind of
late for a school night?
- Black scorpion.
Look, we were just doin' our homework.
- Let me guess, breaking and entering?
- More like assault and battery.
Get her!
- I'd give that an a for effort.
- Here's an apple for the teacher.
Looks like I go to the
head of the class.
- School's not out yet.
Class dismissed.
Fire.
- In the light of day,
Darcy Walker is a cop.
But in the dark of night,
she becomes black scorpion.
Doing with a mask what she
can't do with a badge.
- Open your eyes and you'll
get a great big surprise.
- Artie.
- What is it?
- It's a laptop.
- I thought I was your laptop.
- Yeah, well, this one
will actually keep track
of my affairs.
- I don't need a computer to do that.
We started having an affair,
five years ago on Valentine's day.
- Ah, what I mean is
this will keep track
of my appointments.
For instance,
all I have to do is
press this one button,
and voila,
there's my nine o'clock with dr bellum.
- Uh, mayor worth?
- Uh, uh, um, yes.
- Good morning, I hope I'm not late.
- Ah, no, not at all, please sit.
What can I do to help you?
- Well, actually, mayor,
you've got it backwards,
because I'm here to help
you get re-elected.
- Yeah, well, ah, how are
you going to do that?
- I have a proposal to
implement new technology
for the poor, which would
help you lower the crime rate
and reduce overcrowding.
Did you receive my proposal?
- Proposal?
- I'll go get it.
- Oh, no, no no, babette,
uh, I have it right here.
Oh, yes, you're the dingbat, I
mean the doctor who wants me
to spend millions of dollars
giving video games to the poor.
- Well, actually, what I want
to do is give the
disadvantaged an advantage
with virtual reality housing.
Although I will admit the
technology is similar to
but levels above wrath of warriors.
- Uh, wrath of warriors?
- That's the game I invented,
which is a stepping stone
to my virtual reality housing project,
except for instead of
transporting the privileged
in a medieval battle, we'd
be transporting the poor
into what can only be described
as a virtual paradise.
- You mean they live
inside your computer?
- Well, not exactly.
You see, their bodies would
go into a profound state
of unconsciousness nourished
by life support systems,
and that would then
leave their minds free
to explore the vast regions
of the imagination.
- Yes, well, uh, what sounds
real to me is the cost.
- But how can you put a price
on someone's happiness, mayor?
- The cost I'm talking about
is losing the election.
The poor don't vote.
- Let's face it, mayor,
these people are miserable.
- They're poor.
They're supposed to be miserable.
The answer is no!
- Specs, slugger,
our snitch from the hell to
pay pawn shop just called
with a tip on stolen computers.
Go check it out.
- Not now, cap.
Sir slugger is defending
the peasants of pondovia
in virtual reality. - Ha, ha, ha!
Hi-ya, hi-ya, hi-ya!
Retreat or feel the blade
of my rapier, ye
hard-hearted scoundrels!
- All right, slugger,
that's enough!
- Cap, I don't think he can hear you.
He's immersed himself in a
world of virtual reality.
- Look, help me get that thing off him.
- Oh egad, I'm being
accosted by old sarge.
Oh, hey, what's the idea, cap?
- The big idea is to
fight real bad guys,
not pretend ones.
Now giddy up or Sally forth
or whatever it is you knights do.
- Come on, galahad.
- I can't believe two grown
men can get so excited
over a silly game.
- Darcy, Darcy, this
is not just a game.
All right, wrath of warrior
takes you to a whole new level
of exhilaration never experienced
before by the human body.
I mean, that's at least
what the ad say, you know.
I mean, come on, darce, it's fun.
Haven't you ever, uh, fantasized
about being with someone else?
- Actually, yes, I have.
- Uh-huh, uh-huh, and?
- And...
- Ah.
- I prefer reality.
- Well, you know,
whoever invented this
game is certainly living
in a fantasy land.
I mean, they made enough
that they probably bought
their own personal castle.
- Increase difficulty level.
Modify response system for
instant reaction time.
Increase thrust on vertical leap.
Increase difficulty level to maximum.
Enhance combat skills.
Load new environment.
Alpha test the parameters
in the new scenario.
Parameters perfected.
- Dr bellum, gigawitz and I
have been waiting all day
for you to get out of that game.
- Soon, it will no longer be
just a game world, bytofsky.
I'm inside the virtual world
perfecting its parameters.
I need to figure out
what we're gonna do now
that the mayor's rejected our proposal.
- But what are our choices?
Dr bellum, we're gonna have
to go back to angel com
and beg them for our jobs back.
- We're never going back there.
Our game made that company rich,
and they refused to offer
us profit participation.
Why would we even consider going back?
- Because we live with the poor people.
- Bytofsky, these people
are just like you and me,
forced to work for slave wages just
to put food on their table,
and they deserve better!
They're never gonna
have it, not as long as
that tyrant sits on the mayor's throne.
- Tyrant?
Dr bellum, this isn't
one of your games.
- No.
No, it isn't.
If it were, I'd have
a chance of winning.
We all would.
- Are you all right, dr bellum?
- No, I'm not.
There's much fighting to do.
Come on, let's go back in.
- Score.
- We're being robbed.
- Attention, all units,
we have a possible 211 at angel comm,
all available units in the
vicinity please respond.
- Don't wait up.
- Well, well, well.
This is what I call an upgrade.
- All this circuitry makes
me feel like a computer.
- Yeah, I feel like
uploading something.
- Well, don't wait for me to
push your command keys, girls.
We've got equipment to replace.
- All right, people, it's all loaded up.
We're ready to go.
- We will be, too,
in about 30,000 terabytes per second.
- What are you doing?
- Just transferring some of
mayor worth's campaign funds
for our program.
- Sorry, but I think your
program has a bug in it.
- Black scorpion?
- You know, you three aren't the
cyberpunks I was expecting.
- I'm mindbender, the latest
model in computer criminals,
and these are my components.
- I'm gig.
- And I'm byte.
- And they're about
to make you a memory.
Girls.
Well, it looks as though
you've disabled my extensions.
- And you're next.
- Too bad you can't short
circuit me, black scorpion.
- We'll see about that.
- Oh, didn't I tell you.
My mainframe is equipped
with a surge protector.
Too bad yours isn't.
Gig, byte, let's hit our escape keys
before the cops make us freeze.
- Black scorpion.
Looks like I got you
right where I want you.
I've been fantasizing about this moment
for a long time.
You're under arrest.
- I've been fantasizing about
this moment, too, detective.
And I'm posting bail.
Access vehicular tracking system.
Search a 30-block radius.
- You sure threw black
scorpion offline, mindbender.
- Yeah, she won't be loggin'
on again anytime soon.
- Unfortunately, it looks
as though she's found a new server.
- She's gaining on us.
- Her modem's a lot faster than ours.
- So what do we do?
- Let's make this a hard
drive for her, shall we?
- Engage arsenal.
Fire.
- She's trying to delete us.
- Careful, black scorpion,
there's a virus going around.
Hey, black scorpion,
you've got mail.
Now if you're gonna use your hardware,
I'm going to use mine.
- What's that?
- It's my latest invention,
the electromagnetic pulsator,
guaranteed to crash any computer,
including one on wheels.
- Damn.
- Does Artie wanna party?
- Ah, not now, babette.
I haven't finished playing
with this software.
- Well, what about my software?
It needs to be played with, too.
- Now, babette, if I
wanted to be nagged,
I'd go home to my wife.
- I hate that horrible thing.
- Well, so do I, but
I'm married to her.
- I'm talking about the computer.
Can't we get rid of it?
- We cannot get rid of it.
We live in a computer world.
- Not yet, but you're on your way.
- Who are you?
- Well, I used to be dr Sarah bellum.
But now, I'm mindbender.
- What do you mean used to be?
- And I'm here to give
you a dose of reality,
virtual reality.
- Where are we?
Ick, what are you wearing?
- The same thing you're wearing.
- Oh, double ick.
What happened to my nightie?
- Well, forget about your nightie.
What happened to us?
- Last thing I remember is having
that helmet shoved down my head.
- Helmet?
Oh, oh, dr bellum must
have cyber-napped us.
She's put us inside her game.
- Oh do you know how to play?
- No, but I think we're
about to find out.
- Oh Artie, look,
it's a pig man. - Ooh.
- Take these two slaves
to the great hall.
- Slaves?
Will you quit poking me?
- You better be careful, mr mayor,
or you'll find out what a
killer virtual reality can be.
- So now that you know your
program works, what next?
- We implement the technology citywide.
- Isn't that gonna cost
us a lot of money?
- Mayor worth authorized the budget.
- What are you talking about?
- I hacked into his computer
and transferred his re-election funds.
- And how long do you
plan on keeping them
in wrath of warriors?
- Until my virtual reality
housing project is a success.
- And if he and his secretary
don't survive the game that long?
- Well, then we dump their
bodies in the angel river.
It's like I always say,
out of sight, out of mind.
- Oh no.
- Hey, you got a book,
a magazine, something?
- Come on then.
What you got, baby?
- Argyle!
- What you got, huh?
Woo! - Argyle!
- Is that the best you got?
Oh, I mess with guys twice as big
and three times as ugly.
Take that!
- It ain't no use, girlfriend.
If you want his attention, you
just got to do what I do.
- Yeah, baby, your mama!
Yeah, who da man up in here?
The man!
Oh, oh!
Are you crazy, woman?
- I must be a crazy woman
for staying with a fool like you.
Did you fix Darcy's car yet?
- I was going to, but I had
to go kick some peasant's butt, yeah.
- I'm gonna kick your butt
if I catch you playing that game again.
You just like those
damsels in distress.
- You're not really
into this wrath of
warrior stuff, are you?
- Oh, blue, you got to try it.
You just.
- I do my fair share of
role-playing, thank you.
- Hey, Walker, come on.
Let's go.
The captain just radioed
with an emergency.
- What kind of an emergency?
- Although the police are reluctant
to call it a kidnapping,
they have no explanation for
the mysterious disappearance
of mayor worth and his secretary.
- Well, hopefully, we can
explain it when Walker
and Rafferty get back from city hall.
That's where I sent 'em to see
if they could turn up any leads.
- We got one.
- Cap, listen to this.
According to mayor worth's
computer datebook,
his last appointment was
with a dr Sarah bellum.
- Ooh, correct me if I'm wrong,
but is that not the fair damsel
who concocted our favorite
diversion, wrath of warriors?
- All right then, you
knights in polyester,
go forth and check it out.
- Off we ride to fulfill
our noble quest.
- Hey ho.
- Oh come on, you two.
I just needed a little break
from all that pansy talk.
Besides, dr bellum isn't a real lead.
I mean, what could slugger and
specs possibly get from her?
- Wrath of warriors,
the deluxe edition.
- Wow.
- Would you like to try it?
- Uh, yeah.
Yeah, but we're actually
here to ask you
about the meeting you
had with the mayor.
- Uh, that's what you said,
but you didn't say how
you found out about it.
- His computer.
- Oh I forgot about that,
that you officers can
be so resourceful.
Did you two find out about
the appointment on your own?
- Well, actually...
- Actually, we did.
We're what you might
call cyber-cops, ma'am.
Anything to do with computers,
that's our specialty.
Take wrath of warriors, for instance.
We could defeat the entire army
with just a rock and a slingshot.
- We can?
- Would you like a demonstration?
- Oh yeah!
- Do you mind if I set
the difficulty level
to master of the game?
- Oh give it everything you got.
- Go big or go home, doc.
I intend to.
- Oh my god, where are we?
- We're in the vr world.
- Ah, are we supposed to fight
that whole army on our own?
- Well, you're the one
that said all we needed was
a rock and a slingshot.
- Specs, I just got a tip
on some stolen computers,
down at the hell to pay pawn shop.
Where the hell did those two
disappear to, this time?
- Well, cap, you assigned
them our case, remember?
- Oh.
Well, then it's only fair
that I assign theirs to you.
Check out the lead on the pawn shop.
- Right on it, cap.
- No, no, not you, Rafferty, her.
- Wait a minute, cap.
You're splitting us up?
- No, I want Rafferty
to go see dr bellum.
- Yeah, but you already sent
specs and slugger there.
- Yeah, well, they should've
been back, two hours ago.
If I know those two nincompoops,
they're probably sittin'
on their butts,
playing wrath of warriors.
Anyway, see if you can grab 'em
and bring 'em back here to face
the wrath of strickland.
- Come on.
- That tip on the pawn
shop just became a 211.
Any units in the vicinity,
please respond.
- Control, unit 184
en route to location.
- Activate auto-transform.
- Hurry up, man, I got a date.
- Speaking of dates, I
think you two have one
with warden brickhouse at
pearl gate penitentiary.
- He ain't my type.
Let's get her. - Yeah.
- Come on!
- Do you copy?
I have the scorpion up there in sight.
She just passed me.
- Copy that, we'll make a barricade
at paradise alley.
Black scorpion traveling south
on paradise alley, request
backup for pursuit.
- I'm sorry I can't
help you, detective,
but I don't know your fellow officers.
- So you're saying that slugger
and specs never came by?
- Specs and slugger?
- I know, I know. You
don't have to say it.
They sound like characters
in one of your video games.
- You don't know how right you are.
- And you're certain that
they never stopped by?
- I think I would
remember them, detective.
- I think you would, too. One's
about this tall, handsome,
wears very thick glasses.
The other one's really
short, really big nose
and always has a baseball cap on,
a lot like that one, right there.
Drop it.
- Don't tell me a big, strong
man like you is afraid
of a tiny, little mouse.
- I'm sorry.
I thought it was a weapon.
- Actually, it is, and
it's quite dangerous.
- A mouse?
- Don't let appearances
deceive you, detective.
My weapon may look simple,
but it's a lot more lethal than yours.
Although, it does operate
on the same principle.
Point and click.
- Rafferty, Rafferty,
come in, Rafferty.
Strickland to Rafferty,
come in, Rafferty.
- Hey, captain.
Steve's not back yet?
- No, and he's not answering
his radio, either.
- What?
- First the mayor, then babette
and then slugger and
specs and now Rafferty.
How come everybody
that comes in contact
with dr bellum disappears?
- Hey, hey, hey, watch it!
Who's that punk think he is?
- Judging by that steak knife,
I'd say he's boss!
- Oh specs, slugger.
- What are you doing here?
- What do you mean here?
Where is here?
- We're in wrath of warriors.
- What are you talking about?
This isn't a game.
- Yes, it is, and bellum's
playing for keeps.
- Do you know where you are?
You're in one of the holding cages
for the gladiator arena.
- No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
I'm not fighting these two guys.
- No, of course not.
- Yeah, just the one that wins.
- Get up, get up!
- Look at me.
I'm not gonna have to
fight either one of them.
- Okay.
Bring me ovinor ork.
Throw this one in the
pit with them all.
- How are our players doing?
- Well, they're still alive,
so far, anyway.
- Playtime's over.
- Oh no,
it's just beginning.
Gig, byte, grab her.
Drag and drop her into a chair.
Let the mind games begin.
- Mindbender, someone's just hacked
into the wrath of warriors prototype.
- What?
- What are you doing here?
- Playing wrath of
warriors, just like you.
- What do you mean?
- Well, since tender lovin'
took away my vr software,
I had to use the computer
in the scorpion lair
to hack into angel com's mainframe
to check out the new game prototype.
- Which dr bellum stole.
- Dr bellum?
- Yeah, she and mindbender
are one and the same.
- Whoever he is, he
just rescued Walker.
- Gig, download the slave
master to capture him,
while byte terminates his connection.
- She must've hooked up a
remote link in her apartment.
- The intruder's in
the torture chamber.
Men, follow me!
- We'll give the doctor
a virus to play with.
Here, I uploaded it from the computer
in the scorpion lair.
You're gonna need it.
- What for?
- To become black scorpion
and get mindbender to the game.
If she were to enter the virtual world,
she would have to leave the real one,
and more importantly, her computer.
That would give me a chance
to recall her system. - Argyle!
- We got him, mindbender.
He's out.
- Excellent.
Now change the encryption.
From now on, I don't
want anyone in the game
who doesn't play by
the rules, my rules.
- Four grogs and one Manhattan.
- Who's the Manhattan for?
- Me.
I am sick of this, Artie.
The pig, he eats like a pig.
- Yeah, well, you should
see these overlords.
They're not much better.
Isn't that detective Walker?
- I don't care who she is.
I need help feeding that hog.
- Black scorpion?
- How did she get in there?
- I don't know.
There's no way anyone could've
bypassed our encryption.
- Well, apparently someone did,
you third-rate data processor.
Now get in there and destroy her
before she ruins everything.
- Our system's too slow for her.
- That's because our
equipment's outdated.
- Oh I agree.
We're not compatible.
Steve!
- If you want someone killed right,
you got to do it yourself.
Black scorpion, your presence
here does not compute.
- I just wanted to get you in the game.
- Well, here I am.
Come on, let's play.
Forgive me for quitting while
I'm ahead, black scorpion,
but at least I'm leaving
you in good hands.
- Welcome back to reality, true blue.
- How did I get here?
- All the helmets were
plugged into the mainframe.
All I had to do was switch
your Jack with mindbender's.
So when she pressed the remote...
- I escaped instead of her.
- Exactly.
- Well, come on, let's
switch back the others
before she tries again.
- What's going on?
- Wake up.
- Take her to the slave pit.
- This is my game!
I created you!
- Game's over.
- And although mayor worth
has pulled the plug
on dr bellum's virtual
reality housing project,
he is expected to
announce a new program
that will make use of her technology.
- A virtual reality cellblock
in pearl gate penitentiary.
This will cut down on violence
and not to mention overcrowding,
which will allow us to lock up three
or four prisoners in one
cell, and I might add
that so far our test subjects
are doing just fine.
- Let us out of here!
Let us out!
- That's it, no more wrath
of warriors for us.
- Wait a minute, you guys are
really giving up the game?
- Yeah, this virtual reality stuff,
it's way too dangerous.
- No kidding.
- You know, I don't think
there's anything wrong
with a little bit of fantasy.
- Really, what do you fantasize about?
I mean when you're playing.
- No, no, no, you'd laugh.
- Try me.
- Okay, okay, I'm a, uh,
I'm a knight.
See, I'm a heroic knight riding
this mighty white stallion,
slaying fire-breathing dragons
and rescuing the fair maiden.
- Ah.
- Yeah.
- Who's the fair maiden?
Oh wait, let me guess.
Black scorpion.
- Come on, I said it was
a fantasy, didn't I?
- Yeah, well, the trouble
with fantasy is it usually
leaves you disappointed.
Why don't you find
yourself a real woman?
- Ah, I don't know.
I guess I'm afraid
that reality won't be
as exciting as fantasy.
- Ah, speaking of reality,
there's a robbery in progress
at first angel bank.
- There, Romeo, exciting enough for ya?
- Move out.
Thy reign of terror
shall end as quickly
as the flower wilts in the
first frost of winter!
Oh no, now they got me
talking like a pansy.
Hi-ya!