Fringe (2008–2013): Season 3, Episode 3 - The Plateau - full transcript

- Who's this?
- Another Olivia Dunham.

NARRATOR:
Previously on Fringe:

OLIVIA:
They've done experiments on me.

Dunham escaped
from Liberty Island.

Olivia's in trouble.
I'm not sitting here.

- Hey, Liv. Thank God we found you.
- I am not who you think I am.

Mom? I'm not your daughter.
My mother died when I was 14 years old.

- You are. You're confused.
- This was going to be my way home.

- This is your home.
- I've never been here.

If you've never been here,
how did you know to come here?

Why convince her
she's our Olivia Dunham?



You'll know soon enough.

(BUS DOOR OPENS)

(BRAKES SCREECH)

(HORN HONKS)

- You all right?
- Is he all right?

(TIRES SQUEAL)

(CROWD SCREAMING)

Fringe
s3e03 The Plateau

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

CHARLIE:
Welcome back, Agent Dunham.

You do remember me, right?

Yeah.

You're that tightwad that owes me $70.

Damn it.
I was hoping you'd forget about that.



(OLIVIA LAUGHING)

- It's good to see you.
- You too.

No worse for the wear.
Look like you got some rest.

A continuous IV drip
of government-issue anti-psychotics.

- It's like instant R and R.
- Sounds like fun.

Maybe I should, uh,
dive off the deep end.

You think anyone
would notice a difference?

You know what I realized this minute?
That I didn't miss you at all.

Not even an itty-little bit.

- You were lost without me, admit it.
- Yeah, yeah.

(CHUCKLES)

How does she seem?

She seems like Olivia Dunham.

For all intents and purposes,
she is Agent Dunham.

She's internalized her traits,
her memories, her knowledge.

When tested, she consistently responds
as our Agent Dunham would...

...under similar circumstances.

And what about our Agent Dunham?
Has she made contact?

She's on the other side...

...focused on the task at hand.

Permission to speak, Mr. Secretary.

Go ahead.

Putting an impostor on my team
is too big a risk.

You can run all the tests you want.

You don't know how this Olivia
will respond in the field.

We have no other choice.

She needs to be completely immersed
in Agent Dunham's life.

Over time, she will reach a plateau,
and her new identity will become fixed.

How much time? I'm not willing to lose
one of my legitimate agents.

- You don't know what we have to gain.
- Which is what exactly?

Sit down.

She can move between worlds.

We have discovered some ways
to cross over...

...but each comes
with their own dangerous consequences.

But she...

...she can cross without harm.

Science Division is working up
a series of experiments.

We need her to submit willingly...

...which she'll only do
if she believes that she belongs here.

Phillip, if we can learn
what she already knows...

We can begin to defend ourselves.

And what if her new identity
doesn't hold?

Then she'll no longer be necessary.

- Keep me apprised.
- Yes, sir.

Yesterday a Liberty Metro bus
ran a red light, killing a person.

This morning,
same thing happened again.

Two mornings in a row,
two buses, killed two people.

Lookers ran the probabilities,
and it's a statistical anomaly...

What happened at yesterday's crash?

Police considered it a routine accident,
so we have no more information.

- You mind taking over?
OLIVIA: Sure.

Okay, the first victim's name
is Cole Arnett, 43 years old.

He was on his way to his job.
He was a hospital case worker.

Must have been his unlucky day.

All right, we're coming in.
Oxygen, people.

- Air quality normal. No oxygen needed.
CHARLIE: Okay, listen up.

Agent Lee will be meeting us on the site.
He'll be calling the shots.

Agent Francis.

NURSE:
Watch the time, Agent Lee.

We need you back in that chamber
in eight hours or your burns will regress.

- You can kiss that healing goodbye.
- Easy come, easy go.

NURSE: Oh, you think you're amusing?
- I am amusing.

- God, I missed this.
- I bet.

- Did Broyles download you yet?
- I talked to him on the way over.

- Need a victim ID.
- I'll see what I can do.

- Where's my...?
OLIVIA: Field kit?

Here.

- You look better.
- And you look sane.

(CHUCKLES)

You doing all right?

So far.
I mean, it's my first day back, so...

MAN (IN DISTANCE):
You wanna move that vehicle?

When I pulled that gun,
I didn't know what I was doing.

- If something had happened...
- But nothing happened.

You and I, we're good.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

EMT: Died on impact.
No attempts to revive her were made.

Obviously.

- Still have any fingerprints?
- Right hand's probably your best bet.

CHARLIE: Her name's Jillian Foster, 32,
lives right here in Hoboken.

EMT:
Anything else?

She liked daisies.

I never hit a person before. Never.

I mean, once I hit a pigeon.
I felt horrible for weeks.

(SCANNER BEEPS)

No sign of environmental degradation.
Molecular cohesion is intact.

So why is this a Fringe case?

MAN 1 (IN DISTANCE):
I don't think there's video at this point.

MAN 2 (IN DISTANCE):
All right.

Oh, yeah, yeah, we're done. Thanks.

OLIVIA: You got something?

- When's the last time
you saw one of these?

God, a pen? I don't know.
Preschool maybe?

CHARLIE:
I didn't know they still made these.

It's new. No dents, no scratches.

- Where'd you find it?
- By the mailbox.

That's where the messenger swerved...

...so he wouldn't hit some old guy
that was bending down.

Huh.

Oh, you wanna share, buddy...

...or we'll just stand here
and watch you think?

(OLIVIA CHUCKLES)

All right. It's pretty rare finding
one of these just lying around.

Maybe the old guy bent down to pick it up
and caused the messenger to swerve.

- Causing him to hit the stand.
- Like the pen started some kind of...

...chain reaction.

- You find something?
LINCOLN: What is it?

- Sorry, I thought I recognized someone.
- You okay?

Yeah.

All right, so Fringe event or not?

LINCOLN:
Not sure yet.

Something weird
definitely happened here.

Yeah.

(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING
ON SPEAKER)

OLIVIA:
Hello?

Hey, babe.

- You didn't have to do that.
- Well...

- Come here.
- Ha, ha. Thank you.

FRANK:
Hmm...

So how was it?

- Yeah, it was... It was pretty good.
- Yeah?

What's happening in Texas?
I heard it's bad.

- Twenty-two smallpox cases so far.
- Has Atlanta called?

- No, no one's assigned me yet.
- Ugh...

Why are we talking about this?

Because you're a virologist
and smallpox is your area of expertise.

May as well start packing.

No, I mean why are we talking about me?
How was it being back at work?

What's wrong?

Something happen?

Well, at first it was normal,
and then we're out in the field...

(CHUCKLES)

...and I saw a face.

- A face?
- Hmm...

Was it someone you know?

You remember the secretary's son?
The one who was kidnapped...

- ...when he was a boy?
- Mm-hm.

Well, him. But it wasn't really him.

It was like I was hallucinating
or something.

- Did you tell Broyles?
- No.

Maybe you shouldn't be on field duty.

Yeah, I wanna be there.

I know, but you have to tell someone.
A doctor, at least.

- I need my life back, Frank.
- And I love your gung-ho attitude.

But, honey,
you just got over a breakdown.

If you need help, that's fine.

Frank, it was my first day back.
I was nervous.

I don't think it's
surprising that there's...

I can take myself off call.

- Maybe it's not a good time to travel.
- That's not what I want.

Are those avocados?
Where did you get them?

- How much?
- Don't worry about that.

- What if it happens again?
- It won't.

If it does, you'll tell Broyles, right?
Because I love you.

- I'll tell him.
- Thank you.

- Can we eat?
- Yes, we can eat.

- Okay.
- Okay.

LINCOLN:
All right, help me out here.

The first bus driver was distracted
by tree trimmers.

The second bus driver
was looking at a fight over oranges.

Isn't distraction the root
of every accident?

Well, uh, listen,
I'm not finding any connections...

...in these victims' bios either.

First guy, Arnett, worked at a hospital
for the past 15 years.

Second victim, Miss Foster...

...landed her position
at Gregston Electric a year ago.

Maybe they knew someone
in common.

Maybe despite what Farnsworth said,
it's just two freak accidents.

You know, Liv thinks I'm right...

...about there being chain reactions
that led up to the crashes.

Okay, well, now that you two have
rediscovered your Vulcan mind-meld...

- ...you think she's doing okay?
- Yeah.

- Why, you don't think so?
- I don't know.

I just feel a little uncomfortable.

Not a shock.
You let a doppelgänger cold-cock you.

You didn't pick up
that she wasn't your partner.

And you would have?

I just know Liv a little
better, that's all.

Right.

Because you kissed her one time.

- How was I to know she had a boyfriend?
- Okay.

- Whatever. Point is, I would've known.
- Yeah, keep telling yourself that, okay?

When she was having her breakdown...

...she kept on and on about how
they were trying to make her believe...

...she was somebody else,
that this wasn't her life.

This is gonna sound nuts.

What if she's telling the truth?
What if it's not the real her?

That is nuts.

You're right. All right.

For the record,
you could not tell those two apart.

Look at this.
Over there on the ground, lower corner.

CHARLIE: That's another ballpoint pen.
- Get Liv, tell her we got something.

- Somebody's causing these accidents.
- How is that possible?

What would be the odds?

Zero-point-zero-zero-zero. Impossible.

- Astrid, we see impossible every day.
- You see improbable.

You're asking me if it is possible...

...for a person to use a pen
to set off a chain of events...

...that culminates in someone
getting killed by a bus twice?

- Exactly.
- There's no way.

Given how few ballpoint pens
are out there...

...finding one at both crime scenes,
I mean, that's an anomaly.

- You said that yourself.
- What if someone calculated variables?

Thirty-seven people in the intersection,
22 cars, four trucks, two buses...

...wind speeds of 10 miles an hour,
and that is just a start.

We are talking 120 variables in
a dynamic system of differential equations.

I can't solve that, much less manipulate
the outcome to my advantage.

So there's not even the slightest chance?

Dude, seriously,
what part of 0.000 don't you get?

- What is it?
- It happened again.

What did?

Bus accident, East 85th and York.

(GROANS)

(SIREN WAILING)

- You called the ambulance?
- On the way.

OLIVIA: Sir, we're gonna get you
to the hospital.

Be careful with that vehicle.
It's still smoking.

- Where were you sitting on the bus?
- Right in the front.

- Did you happen to notice a pen?
- What?

A pen. A ballpoint pen.

You use it to write with?

CHARLIE: Looks like there was
some sort of commotion.

Dog ran into the street,
distracted the bus driver.

No way this is another coincidence.

Except this time it didn't work.
He's gonna make it.

Oh, ma'am, you need to stay still.

(SIRENS WAILING)

It's not over.

POLICE OFFICER:
They're all ready to go. They're all taken.

(TIRES SCREECHING)

He's still here!

Stop. Don't move.

Take your hands out of your pockets.

MAN 1:
Come on, let's go.

MAN 2:
Get out of here.

Put your hands on your head.

LINCOLN: Give Astrid his description,
run it through the database.

I did. She's already working on it.

- Okay, you gotta get back in that pod.
- It's just the two-minute warning.

Agent Lee, what part of "be back
in eight hours" didn't you understand?

I still can't believe he knew
the bike would cause the truck...

...to slow down
and swerve under the bridge.

He didn't even look.
How did he know when to jump?

We should stop focusing on how
and focus on why.

- Why is he targeting these people?
- I'm working on that.

The victims must have something
in common.

- There's gotta be a connection.
- Oh, God.

Okay, Lincoln, you gotta get in there.

Crosscheck their medical files, criminal
records, job histories, tax histories.

- Shut up, okay? I got it.
- Someone's gotten bossy.

Where have you been?
They've been calling all day.

- What did you tell them?
- Nothing.

You have to call them back.

Each liquefied thing provides an instance
of a property of being liquid.

Mass is equal passing through a liquid
and mass is the same.

- If you don't call them, I will.
- But you won't.

You see,
your only action will be inaction.

- That's your pattern.
- What?

Ninety-seven percent of your actions
prioritize relational bonds.

Eight out of nine times,
you avoid decisions...

...that could result
in a negative outcome.

I am not some collection of data
you need to make sense of.

- I'm your sister.
- "I'm your sister. I'm worried about you."

Can't you see that?"

- All I want is for you...
- "Is for you to be safe."

- "That's all I've ever wanted."
- Stop finishing my sentences...

- ...and let me help.
- "And let me help."

I've always been there for you.
I've always taken care of you."

(CHUCKLES)

That was fun.

Don't. I... Don't.

- Don't.
- You didn't expect that, did you?

Because you've forgotten
what it's like to feel emotions.

- No.
- You've forgotten us.

- Mom gave you this as a reminder...
- No.

...That you didn't have to do more
than you were able to...

...that we loved you.

- That's irrelevant now.
- Milo, please.

I don't recognize you anymore.

I made a mistake when I signed you up.
I didn't mean this.

You have to follow the rules.

You have to do what they say.

You're overreaching.

Remember this.

CHARLIE: Listen, what time's your mommy
gonna be home?

No, no, no. I don't wanna hear you
play your flute, kid.

I'm gonna call you back.

Ha, ha. You just hung up on a child.

You talk to the next witness.

- I hope it's a tuba player, okay?
OLIVIA: Ha, ha.

Fine.

Hi, this is Agent Dunham. Can you
connect me to the next witness, please?

Excuse me?

- Hey, Charlie.
- Yeah?

- Since when do we need a code?
- They upgraded the system last month.

- You don't remember?
- Sorry.

I guess I'm still getting over
the head trauma.

- Hey, Liv.
- Yeah?

You remember that time
we were in, uh, Coney Island?

We were riding
the Hell Hole together, right?

You got sick and you threw up
on the guy next to you?

Yeah.

Except you threw up
all over the person next to you.

So you can stop trying
to rewrite history.

(OLIVIA CHUCKLES)

What made you think of that?

- Witness is from Coney.
- Oh.

Hey, wait a sec. Jillian Foster
was a consultant for Gregston Electric.

I don't see the connection.

The first victim worked
at Bryant Hospital, right?

Yeah, Cole Arnett. They deal
with neurological disorders.

Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, PTSD.
Topflight medical research.

It says here that Gregston Electric
owns a subsidiary company...

...called the Ivon Medical Group.

The Ivon Medical Group is listed as one
of Bryant Hospital's outside vendors.

You're driving.

CHARLIE:
As hospitals go, not bad.

Yeah, unless it's run by an evil genius
who's creating accidents to kill people.

- Good morning.
RECEPTIONIST: Welcome to Bryant.

- What can I do for you?
- Agent Francis, Agent Dunham.

We're here to see your
chief medical director.

Hold on, I'll let him know. Hi, Violet.

Could you let Dr. Levin know
Fringe agents are here?

He'll just be a minute.

RECEPTIONIST: Are we being quarantined?
- No. Scout's honor.

CHARLIE:
You seeing what I'm seeing?

Right there on the table.

We're definitely in the right place.

LEVIN:
So sorry for the delay. I'm Dr. Levin.

CHARLIE:
Agent Francis.

Uh, Agent Dunham. Hi.

Please, my office is right this way.

Doctor, we just noticed a lot of your
patients are using ballpoint pens.

Many of our residents
have trouble interfacing digitally...

...due to their mental deficiencies.

Pen and paper's just a...
Well, an easier way to communicate.

- Did you know Mr. Arnett well?
- We didn't socialize outside of work...

...but, uh, well, we were all devastated
when we heard.

- What about this woman?
- Yes. Jillian Foster.

She, uh, worked
with the Ivon Medical Group.

They were conducting a drug trial here.

You're kidding me.

Jeffrey Mayer?

You know him?

Yes, but I, uh, I don't understand.

He was killed too?

Doctor, we're gonna have to question
all your science and medical personnel.

You're not looking for a doctor.

You're looking for a patient.

We started this study a year ago.

We were working
on creating nootropics.

- Like smart drugs.
- That's right.

All of our test subjects started
with an IQ of less than 65.

Our aim was to increase
their intelligence...

...so they could function independently
day to day.

- That's a worthy goal.
- We thought so too.

Oh, st... Can you go back?

Stop. That's him.

Milo Stanfield.

You don't sound surprised.

I'm not.

This was Milo five months ago.

Measured IQ of 56.
Severe cognitive deficiency.

Three-point-one-four-one-five-nine-two-
six-five-three-five-eight-nine-seven...

He's reciting the digits of pi.

LEVIN:
To 1000 decimal places...

...while solving differential equations
in his head.

That is unbelievable.

That was after one treatment.

We gave him five.

Every time we administered the protocol,
his intelligence increased exponentially.

The final phase of the project
allows subjects to be released...

...under the supervision
of a guardian's care.

And after that?

After that, we return the subjects
to their original state.

A necessary part of human drug trials.

We had to determine whether there are
any permanent adverse side effects.

Milo didn't wanna be regressed.
Which is why he went after Arnett.

We thought it was an accident. I drove
to Ivon and informed Jillian myself.

She was concerned
that the delay in regressing Milo...

...might compromise the results.

She offered to handle it herself.

CHARLIE:
So Milo killed her too.

So, what about the third victim,
Jeffrey Mayer?

A recovery specialist who we contract
with if somebody goes missing.

The thing is,
I only put the order in yesterday.

Mr. Mayer had not yet
been assigned the task.

- Okay, so who's Milo's guardian?
- Uh, his sister.

She lives out on Long Island.
Oyster Bay, I believe.

OLIVIA:
You think he'd go back?

He's gotta know that's
the first place people are gonna look.

I've been to Oyster Bay.
I never saw an oyster.

I can't wait to tell Lincoln
he was right.

That this guy is able to start
a chain reaction to commit murder.

I'm not watching the happy dance.

- Can I help you?
- Fringe Division.

We need to ask you a few questions.

- Uh, about?
- About your brother. Milo.

Three people?

That we know of, yeah.

There must be some mistake.
Milo wouldn't kill innocent people.

He didn't think
they were that innocent.

After all, they were trying to cut off the
medication that was making him smart.

Right?

- Do you have any idea where he is now?
- He doesn't confide in me anymore.

You mind if I take a look at his room?

Go ahead. Last door on the left.

Is that you?

Mm-hm.

Milo and Madeline.

Sounds like a kids' book.

You're not the first person to say that.

Aw, you seem close.

We were.

He was a lot older,
but he liked the same cartoons...

...played the same games.

I had the opposite.

My sister and I were close in age,
but we fought over everything.

Are you close now?

Uh, she passed a few years ago.

I'm sorry. That must have been...

- ...really difficult.
- It was.

When I was little, I used to always be
scared something would happen to Milo.

He'd forget to check for cars...

...just run right into traffic.

I worried that he'd never be happy.

He'd never feel like...

Like he belonged.

Must have been hard
watching him struggle.

It was harder for him.

That's why I agreed to the drug study.

He isn't
that helpless person anymore.

He's dangerous.
And I think you know that.

So if there is anything
that you can think of...

...we just don't wanna see anyone else
get hurt, including your brother.

It's a...

It's a goodbye note.

But it says where I can reach him.

Thank you.

- Patricia Hotel, Lakewood Avenue.
- Yeah.

I'm gonna call backup,
get them to meet us.

Hold on.
What if that's what Milo wants?

You know, that's his MO.
Always 10 steps ahead.

He knew his sister was gonna tell us?

Listen, he knows we're onto him.
He knows his sister.

What if he's trying to set us up?

Well, we can't just stand here.

- I can't answer that.
OLIVIA (OVER PHONE): Why not?

There is no answer. It's a mathematical
problem without a solution.

Which scenario is likely?
We go to the Patricia Hotel, or we don't.

Suppose he predicts you'll go.

But you predict he'll predict that,
so you don't.

- So we shouldn't go.
- But then he predicts that.

He changes his plan.
Which means you should go.

But then he predicts that you'll predict
what he predicted too.

It's an infinite spiral.

Okay, well, thank you, Astrid.
We'll take it from here.

- Where you going?
- To the hotel.

- Liv.
- Well, Charlie, he could be there now.

- I'm not willing to lose him, are you?
- Fine. You drive.

Charlie, there he is.

(ALARM BLARING)

(INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE)

(ALARM BLARING)

(GASPS)

Oh, that wasn't supposed to happen.

(GASPING)

Freeze.

(OLIVIA WHEEZING)

Here. Take it. Take it.

Press the button.

You move again, the next one
won't be in your leg, buddy.

That's it. You're okay.

Just breathe.

MAN: Yeah, he wants to sweep
the whole yard.

(AMBULANCE SIREN WAILING)

Since when do you break protocol?

You passed by an auburn diamond,
okay?

A blinking auburn diamond
which you ignored.

- A compromised air quality...
NURSE: Pressure's normal.

- Thank you.
- Yeah.

- You need oxygen to breathe.
- Charlie, I'm sorry.

- I don't know why I did that.
- Because you're a daredevil.

Oh, I get it. So if you don't mind...

...I'd appreciate it
if we don't go through this again.

Okay.

(BEEPS)

MAN:
Enclose interval of pi to psi.

The problem needs a solution.

The drugs had been in his system
too long.

So the doctors weren't able
to reverse the effects.

(MAN TALKING INDISTINCTLY
OVER MACHINE)

According to the doctors,
the patterns that he sees...

...are too complex to put into words.

His thoughts now can only be
interpreted by a machine.

So the machine is talking to him?

Madeline, your brother...

...he no longer thinks in terms that
you or I would be able to comprehend.

I'm sorry.

MILO:
Enclose interval pi defined.

Is equal value of six.
Six is the solution.

What is the solution?
Derives of gradient of Y.

Evaluate a Y-4 and proceed.
Isolate discontinuities and recalibrate.

There's a 42 percent chance
that the king will take the queen.

MAN: A result of transforming innermost
specificity integral to respect the T-1.

Enclose interval of G and omega.

Consecutive square
of T-1 and T-2 cubed...

...within derives a gradient vector of
5-Y and 5-6.

(CHAIR WHIRRS)

You know, sometimes I envy you,
Brandon.

Being here, nothing to distract you.

Mr. Secretary,
I didn't realize you were coming.

- These are my son's clothes.
- Yes.

I thought if I used items
from the other side...

...it would provide
an associative link...

...which would spark Olivia to...

Cross over to the other universe.

Yes, good thinking.

- When will you be ready?
- We're very close.

So far, all the test subjects
I've hooked up to the chair...

...they're experiencing
a high level of anxiety.

Their stress is causing
my readings to fluctuate.

- I've been tinkering with this all day.
- The solution is obvious.

Submerge the subject in water.

A sensory deprivation tank.

Of course. The womb-like atmosphere
naturally provides a state of relaxation.

Sometimes simpler is better.

- Do you miss it?
- Miss what?

Being a scientist.

I am still a scientist, Brandon.

I just have a much larger laboratory.

Let me know
as soon as the tank's ready.

God, I don't know how you do it. I'm
never done packing until the cab arrives.

Well, I'm off to deal
with diseased people.

So it's not like I have to look good.

- Oh, except you do.
- Are you sure you're okay with this?

I can call Fiken, beg
him to cover for me.

We have had this conversation.

I know. I know. It's just they haven't
told me yet how long I'll be gone.

So just keep me posted.

(DOORBELL RINGING)

That's probably the cab.

PETER: You know why you didn't die today,
right?

Because you didn't know the protocol.

If you'd stopped for oxygen,
you'd be dead right now.

But you did something
that he couldn't factor in.

You kept running.

You know why you did that.

It's the same reason you thought
you saw Walter in the hospital.

It's the same reason
you think you're seeing me now.

You're not from this world, Olivia.

You're not her.

You're not real.

Real is just a matter of perception.

I am here.

And I'm the part of you
that you have to hold onto.

You can't forget who you are, Olivia.

You can't forget where you're from.

You can't forget this.

FRANK:
What's wrong?

Nothing.
You just surprised me, that's all.

You all right?

Yeah. It's just, I'm gonna miss you.

I'm gonna miss you too.

- I will be home as soon as I can.
- Okay.

Well, you call me when you land.

All right.

Bye.