PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal (1996–2000): Season 1, Episode 17 - The 13th Floor/The Believer - full transcript

These stories are inspired
by the actual case files

of the Office of Scientific
Investigation and Research.

Hello, Frank.

Afternoon, Ted.

Afternoon, Mrs. Vega.

Thank you.

What the...

That's weird.

Look, there is no 13th floor.

I mean, the penthouse,
your floor is really 13,

but it's called 14 because no one likes to
call it 13 because they think it's bad luck.



But that shouldn't say 13.

This has never happened before.

Sorry, doesn't matter, does it?

Just get us out of here, right?

I'll get us out of here.

It's dead.

That doesn't make sense.

You want me, don't you, Ken?

What?

You want me, don't you?

- No, I...
- Oh, now come on, Ken.

This is your dream, isn't it?

Your fantasy.

You dream about this every minute
of your pathetic little life.



Let's go.

Right now!

Come on, sweetheart, give us a kiss.

The OSIR is frequently called upon to address
situations in the demonic possession category,

wherein a normally functioning human
being's personality and will are overcome

by some kind of foreign and often
violently negative presence.

Now, in some instances,

this activity is found to be the result
of unwitting exposure to drugs or toxins.

In others, the phenomenon appears to be a
genuine consuming of body and consciousness

by forces beyond the individual's control.

The case you are about to see is
one of the most radical in its type,

both in its effects and in the measures
which were undertaken to stop them.

Why are you half undressed?

I don't feel well.

I have a massive headache.

Yeah? Well, get over it.

We've got a dinner party tonight.

Dinner party?

Yes, I need the board's approval
for that zoning variance

if I'm going to get the new
restaurant up and running in time.

To hell with your restaurant and
to hell with you, I'm not going.

You're going.

Get ready.

Why don't you get one of your
little girlfriends to go?

I don't feel well.

I'm sick of this.

Want out?

Do you want out?

Yes.

I'll kill you before you get one red cent.
Do you hear me?

I will kill you!

I'll say who kills who.

No!

The case manager, Connor Doyle,
file number 957133.

We've been called to a
Manhattan apartment building

where the NYPD has encountered an extreme and
ongoing phenomenon emanating from the penthouse.

We've been authorized to expedite protocol.

I want an assessment of the
situation as soon as possible.

Until we have more information,
our primary concern is public safety.

Commissioner, what's the current situation?

We're evacuating the building.

I told the tenants there was a gas leak.

The elevator operator, Kenneth Dodd,
was attacked in that car around five o'clock

by the woman who lives in
the penthouse, Olivia Vega.

Now, Dodd's pretty shaken up,
but the injuries are basically superficial.

I had the paramedics treat him,
keep him around.

Figured you'd want to talk to him.

What about Mrs. Vega?

She's got her husband
trapped in the penthouse.

A couple of my boys went in and got
a look before she went nuts on him.

I don't know if Mr. Vega's alive.

That woman is doing things up
there no human being could do.

I'll need a building layout,

whatever structural, mechanical,
and electrical information you've got.

You got it.

Also, once everyone's out, I'll ask that
your people help keep the perimeter secure.

Believe me, the last thing the mayor wants
is this insanity showing up on hard copy.

I froze.

I mean, I've stared on the barrel
of a sawed-off shotgun before

with a whacked out crackhead at the
other end of it, not wet my pants.

But this...

Tell me what you saw.

She was floating.

She was just hanging there
in mid-air like it was magic.

Then she throws her arm out in my direction,

and it's like this invisible force hits me
and knocks me back about 20 feet.

What about your partner?

Patrick, he was backing me up at the door.

She zaps him with these
bolts of electricity.

These things come shooting
right out of her hand.

At this point, the only thing I'm thinking
is get his both the hell out of there.

Paramedics say it's pretty bad.

The situation seems to be contained into
the main living area of the penthouse.

We've secured the floor.

We can set up surveillance from there
and link up with the mobile lab.

Yeah, we got a bit of luck.

We found a hidden security camera in here.

Good.

Let's get Lindsay to track down the tape.

In the meantime,

let's have heat and motion sensors and
borescope cameras inserted into the penthouse.

I want to know what's
happening in there right now.

Right.

She's not like that.

She's a good person.

It wasn't her.

What do you mean it wasn't her?

I don't know how she did what she did,
but it's got to be Mr. Vega's fault.

Why do you say that?

He treats her like garbage.

Brings women up to their place all the time.

I mean, he doesn't even have the
decency to go somewhere else.

And he hit her.

I can see through sunglasses and makeup.

One time I overheard Mrs. Vega
threatening to divorce him.

He said he would kill her.

I'd like to get back to
what she did to you, Ken.

Like I said,
her eyes just started to glow red.

Her voice changed.
It was like she was someone else inside.

There she is.

Could you getting closer?

See if you can find Mr. Vega.

A heat sensor indicates his body
temperature is still within normal range.

Yes, but where is he?

There he is.

He's conscious.

We've got to get him out of there.

We're going to have to send a
team in to try to rescue Mr. Vega.

What could we be up against?

All right.

The profile that I have
compiled on the Vegas,

shows no clear reason why Mrs. Vega
should possess superhuman powers.

Although Ken's account of their violent
relationship proved to be fairly accurate.

In classic demonic possession cases,

neither the individual being possessed nor anyone
around them is responsible for what's happening.

You mean it just happens randomly?

Many religions believe that possessions occur
simply as a show of the underworld's power.

The devil does it because he can.

But maybe Mrs. Vega is the one controlling the
power instead of the power controlling her.

From what we've heard and seen, Mrs. Vega may
possess some PK abilities that are incredible,

but they're manifesting themselves
either consciously or unconsciously.

But why direct it at the elevator boy when
in fact the problem's with her husband?

Maybe she's just had
it with men in general.

Look, we don't have time to
answer all these questions.

I'll go in.

I need one volunteer.

I'll go.

Well, maybe I should go.

Another woman may
seem less threatening.

Or more threatening.

Remember, one of the underlying causes
may be Mr. Vega's pension for other women.

I'll take Lindsay.

Let's go.

We've done the best we can to make sure
everything in the room stays contained.

We've reinforced all the walls.

You sure you don't want to go
in there with protective gear?

Environmental readings show there
are no hazardous toxins in the air.

The suits might upset
or frighten Mrs. Vega.

And that's the last thing we want to do.

This is the last resort.

There's enough tranquilizer in
there to knock out an elephant.

Or a possessed elephant.

Remember, the objective
is to retrieve Mr. Vega.

We don't want to get
into any confrontation.

And whatever you do,
don't let her out.

Don't worry.

Close it up.

Right.

Now approach with caution.

Completely non-threatening.

Get out!

So much for avoiding confrontation.

You're one of his whores, aren't you?

And speak calmly.

Tell the truth.

My name is Lindsay Donner.

I'm with the Office of Scientific
Investigation and Research.

We're here to help you.

We don't want to hurt you.

Lying slut!

it's jammed !

Connor ?

You want my husband.

Lindsay!

Don't you?

We want to help him.

He's dying.

He deserves to die slowly and
painfully before he goes to hell.

Get to the door !

- And until he does, he is all mine.
- Lindsay !

Stand by, stand by.

Damn !

Open!

Open!

Lindsay!

What's going on in there?

Connor, talk to me!

Connor!
Lindsay!

What's going on?

Let's get out of here
before she comes around.

Okay, get him down on the mobile lab.

Seal it up.

Are you just going to
leave her in there?

Until we know more,
I don't want anyone near her.

Let's go.

Case log update.

We've yet to determine the nature of
Olivia Vega's incredible abilities,

although a first-hand encounter has confirmed
the immediate danger of the situation.

Dr. Davison is with
Mr. Vega right now.

He's lost a lot of blood, needed quite a
few stitches, and he has two broken ribs,

but it looks like he's going to make it.

In the meantime,
I have something interesting to show you.

The security tapes are
maintained for two months.

I've been going through as many as I can.

What have you found?

There's no sound on any of these,
but I would hazard a guess

that our elevator man, Ken Dodd,
has a sizable crush on Mrs. Vega.

Watch him.

Anton, Mrs. Vega is an attractive woman,

when she's not roaring and shooting
fireballs out of her fingertips.

Well, according to the tapes,

there's several other equally, if not more,
attractive women in the building,

but Ken pays them
absolutely no attention.

Do you think Ken is somehow
responsible for what's happening?

I'm just saying

that the fact that he wants to point the finger
so strongly at Mr. Vega makes me very suspicious.

If it's PK power we're talking about,

then it's possible this could be emanating
from someone besides Mrs. Vega.

Okay, all right.

I admit it.

I did it.

I did it.

Look at me.

What a chance that I have.

What did you do, Ken?

I thought it was all in my head,
all up here.

It couldn't have been me.

There's got to be a way of reversing it.

I never meant for this to happen.

I can't believe it worked.

Nothing I do ever works.

Of course it didn't really work,
Ken, you idiot.

Look how it all turned out.

God, are you going to arrest me?

We're not the police, Mr. Dodd.

But is what I did illegal?

Let me get this straight.

- You think you put a spell on Mrs. Vega?
- Yes.

That's why you're here, isn't it?

What exactly did you want to happen?

I wished Olivia could be mine.

I knew Mr. Vega had to be taken
out of the picture somehow.

But I never imagined
it would be like this.

Well, the effects of the
sedative have worn off.

As you can hear,
she's just a little annoyed right now.

The tranquilizer worked,

so we know that whatever is in control is
ultimately limited by Mrs. Vega's physical state.

Yeah, but that doesn't help Mrs. Vega.

I thought the object at this
point was to try and save her.

It is.

Well, I don't know how long
we can contain her in there.

I mean, she's threatened to blow up the entire
building if we don't give her her husband back.

I don't think she's bluffing.

Can we introduce another sedative
through the apartment ventilation?

Sure.

Let's see if that does any good.

We need a little more time.

How did it go with Mr. Dodd?

Well, Anton's been running him through a
series of experiments to test for PK ability.

And ?

The spells and methods of
mind control he says he used,

they're nothing more than dime
store and new age mysticism.

He might as well have said abracadabra.

There's no way he could be behind this.

He's exhibiting all the
signs of paranoid delusion.

Let's see if Mr. Vega's up to a talk.

Are you saying this is my fault?

No, not at all.

Maybe it is.
Maybe I deserve this.

Our primary concern is
your wife's well-being.

What if I go back in there and talk to her?

No, that's exactly what she wants.

Whoever or whatever is in
control right now wants you dead.

Maybe I'm willing to take that risk.

Mr. Vega, there's no way I can
allow you to go back in there.

Excuse me, we need to pick her.

Excuse me.

Mrs. Vega appears to be gaining strength.

The sedative must be having
less and less of an effect.

She says we have exactly half an
hour to deliver her husband to her.

She'll destroy a whole city block.

I think you better start an evacuation.

Did she say how she'd do it?

Well, no, but she's resting
up right now gaining strength.

She's just sitting
there watching the TV.

I'll get back to you.

If there is even a piece of my wife left
in there, I have to try and reach her.

I mean, one way or another,
I'm a part of this.

We've patched directly
into the building's cable.

We're ready to go when you are.

I've taken it through as quickly as I can,
given the time circumstances.

Axon, this is Doyle.
Where is she now?

Hasn't moved.

She's still staring at the TV.

I get the feeling this is
the lull before the storm.

Okay, we're ready.

Go ahead.

Olivia.

Olivia, can you hear me?

This is not good enough!

Okay, she sees him.

You're in there if you can hear me,

I'm sorry.

Son of a bitch !

I'm sorry for everything.

Come back to me.

See, things can be the way they were.

Remember?

He's doing very well.

Yeah, I almost believe him.

We were so much in love then,
weren't we?

Look, I know things have been bad.

But they can change.

I can change.

Please.

Come back to me.

Whatever it is that's happening to you,

It's working.

Whatever it is that you
feel that you have to do,

fight it !

Fight this.

You can stop this.

And we can be together again.

Please.

Please, come back to me.

I want this to stop.

I want things to be the way they
were when we were first together.

In love.

I love you.

Please.

Come back to me.

Go to hell!

Cut the connection!

Cut the connection right now!

Pull the cable.

Mr. Vega!

The microphone!

He's dead.

Oh, my God !

What happened?

John.

I'm sorry.

Final case log.

Intensive testing of Olivia Vega has led us to
conclude that she was not in control of herself

on the night when Ken Dodd was
attacked and John Vega was killed.

We can only speculate that whatever
force or power was in control

tried to enter Mr. Vega but did so in
such a manner that caused him to die.

Mrs. Vega.
Nice to see you back.

After three months of close
observation and intensive counseling,

we now believe Mrs. Vega is ready to return
home and try to put her life back together.

How are you?

I feel much better.

The trigger in this incident
remains unexplained.

Its components were audible
and visual manifestations

as well as confined
atmospheric changes, levitation

and the complete destruction
of a human being.

Was it a psychokinetic overload?

Or does this point to the inherent
duality of good and evil in mankind?

In any case, maybe there's a good reason
why few buildings have a 13th floor.

The chaos theory puts
the point of impact here.

And the weak split in the
subatomic structure here.

So solve the mystery.

I hate when he does this to us.

Please don't tell me that the greatest
minds in the world of quantum physics

cannot fathom my theory.

It's fractal.

Close.

But not quite.

The atoms split at point zero.

The key to understanding this formula is
that the structure alters unexpectedly.

Variables don't matter.

The answer isn't in what we see,
but in what we don't.

No !

Remote viewing.

The power to see beyond the normal range
of an individual's five known senses.

In the past ten years, mainstream research by
institutions such as the U.S. Army and the C.I.A

has begun to prove that in some instances,
the human mind possesses the ability

to envision distant places beyond the
boundaries of conventional surveillance.

This power, it seems, is not merely fiction,
but can be a reality.

She could already be dead.

You don't know that, Leon.
We don't know anything for certain.

Except that Helen's missing.

The police and the FBI both
say there's nothing to go on.

They think we had a fight,
and she's gone for a cooling off weekend.

Alone.

Or that I killed it.

Well, that's crazy.

I know you couldn't function without Helen.

I didn't show this to the police, Peter.

They wouldn't understand it.

But I think you might.

I will kill her?

It was a message.

A flash.

In my mind.

Painful.

Visceral.

- Leon, this is...
- Evidence. I know.

But of what?

Look, I know your handwriting from all
those papers you've graded over the years.

This is not the Schraft Scrawl.

Don't you miss it, Peter?

You gave up one of the most promising
careers in quantum physics I've ever seen.

To go off and waste your talents.

I'm just trying to answer some of
the harder questions, that's all.

Initial log entry,
Conner Doyle, case manager.

We're investigating the disappearance and
possible abduction of one Helen Schraft,

wife of research scientist Leon Schraft.

Helen is chair of history at the university,

and no, I don't know anyone
who would want to hurt her.

I've been through this with the police.

Helen was...

Is well liked by everyone.

Was there any sign of a struggle?

Well, her office was a mess.

He must have abducted her
while she was working late.

What makes you believe it
was a man who took your wife?

I don't know.

Please.

Whatever it takes.

Just find her.

Professor Schraft, was he acting different
or strange before the incident occurred?

Look, Leon isn't crazy.

Something happened to him.

We all saw it.

He was in such distress that...

What?

It was as though he was under someone
else's control, if that's possible.

Well, as Leon would say, the difference
between the possible and the impossible...

Lies and more to believe, right?

Leon still talks about you.

The one that got away.

Your quantum chaos paper is required
reading for my first-year students.

That's funny.
I think I got a C- at the time.

The source of this scientific symbol and
this message are as yet unidentified.

Definitely not Schraft's handwriting.

Wouldn't Schraft use that
symbol all the time in his work?

Well, he claims he never meant to write it,

and it doesn't fit with the
formula on the rest of the page.

His physical examination
came back clean.

His psychological assessment,
however, is another story.

He's exhibiting signs
of anger and paranoia.

Can you blame him?

I mean, his wife is missing.

The police don't believe him.

He claims to have got a message
from her abductor in his head.

If she really was kidnapped.

Just doesn't add up.

He must be keeping something back from us.

What's he doing?

His vital signs are rising.

He's getting another message.

There's no ransom demands.
Why is that, I wonder?

You know, from all we've seen, the writings,
the visions, the act of subconscious mind,

it could be dealing with
latent remote viewing ability.

By whom?
Schraft has no idea what's happening to him.

This handwriting isn't his.

I don't see the connection.

It's the way he describes the visions,
the colors, the sounds. the smells.

You know, I think we ought to do more
testing to look at his brain wave patterns.

Peter, at best, this handwriting indicates
some form of psychic mind control.

I think we have to face the fact that Schraft
could be suffering a mental breakdown.

You think he's crazy?

I'm saying we don't have enough
conclusive proof for remote viewing.

I disagree.

I think we should be looking
for who did this to him and why.

All right.

We can dig into his past, see if he's
come across anyone with known PK ability.

Thank you.

Don't thank me yet.

He's responsible for his
wife's disappearance.

We could be helping
him get away with it.

This was broadcast
nationally seven months ago.

Welcome back.

Today's topic, psychic powers, real or hoax?

My guests today are world-renowned physicist
and Nobel Prize winner Dr. Leon Schraft

and a man who claims to be able to
see beyond the frames of reality,

Mr. Earl Cornell of the Institute
for Psychic Power Research, the IPPR.

Welcome, gentlemen.

Now take a look at this.

That's not what I'm saying, Professor.

Then what are you saying?

Because you've lost me and probably
most of the viewing audience out there.

I can see the truth because
of my psychic powers.

I can see the threat of this collective.

The aliens living among us theory.

Dr. Schraft, do not underestimate
the power of the human mind.

My research has revealed a huge conspiracy.

A collective of psychic powers so huge...

Mr. Cornell, I'll tell you what.

Seeing as you have access to all
these psychic powers, prove it.

Bend this spoon right
here and right now.

And we'll all believe
you and this wild theory.

I can't.

It's not about sideshow tricks.

Well, you could have fooled me.

Earl Cornell, well known amongst
the fringe of paranormal research.

He started his psychic power institute a year
ago but couldn't get funding to keep it going.

He's since dropped out of sight.

He sent letters to the major dailies
warning of an alien collective

preparing to assimilate all of
humankind through psychic energy.

You know, take over the planet.

I think this guy's seen Independence
Day a couple too many times.

But he does fit the profile.

He has a motive to try
something like this on Schraft.

Assuming he has the power to.

Seven months ago he
couldn't bend a spoon.

Or wouldn't.

Lindsay, can you augment this
section of video for me, please?

Sure.

Just give me a second.

Bingo.

Well, that's similar to the symbol that Schraft
wrote when you received his first message.

It's a common motif amongst psychics.

It doesn't completely
connect him to this instance.

Connor, this is not a coincidence.

Leon saw the man who took Helen.

But just this fractured image,
it's a piece of identification.

I don't know.

Peter, we need proof of any kind.

You...

You, I know you.

Soon everyone will, Mrs. Schraft.

Not to worry,
I won't let them assimilate you.

I'll never let that happen.

I'll kill you first.

No.

No, it's not insanity that afflicts me.

It's awareness of everything, of the future.

Our assimilation into the
collective must be stopped.

Of course, you don't believe it.

Stop it!

Please stop it!

Your husband didn't believe either,
but he will.

You will.

And then the world will know.

It arrived this morning.

It's Helen's handwriting, Cornell's words.

At least now I know what he wants.

I should have guessed.

Why would he choose
you as a spokesman?

Nobel Prize-winning physicist goes on national
television telling the world about the future.

What future?

He wants me to warn the world about this
assimilation, the power of this alien collective.

Leon, you can't do that.

He'll kill her, Peter.

He might kill her anyway.

I knew this was a bad idea.

Kind of exciting, all this sneaking around.

I got your message.

It's rather intriguing, I must say.

And you understand why I did it?

I understand that you want to know the truth and
that you're willing to do anything to get it,

including going over the
head of your case manager.

Such passion for the work.

I know it was a breach of protocol.

You either break the rules to get at the truth
or follow the rules and see the truth slip away.

Is that how you feel?

Did you bring the file?

You have a lot to learn, Peter.

The ends don't always justify the means.

You need information?

Use the proper channels.

Try this again,
I'll have you terminated.

Damn !

You wanted to see me?

Why didn't you come to me?

Connor...

What?

You thought I wouldn't understand,
I wouldn't back you up?

I needed proof, just like you said.

It's good intentions.

Bad idea.

How'd you find out?

The old man took a strip off you?

Yeah, more or less.

I didn't know what to do,
I just wanted access...

Here.

How'd you get this?

Always.

Always come to me first.

Thanks, Connor.

Peter...

Please don't put me in that position again.

You cut me out of the loop,
I can't help you.

I understand.

As far as I'm concerned,
this never happened.

Thanks, Connor.

I tend to agree with Connor.

It could just be the ramblings of a man
in the middle of a mental breakdown.

I don't believe that.

I think we're dealing
with the real thing here.

Remote viewing on a very powerful scale.

Based on what?

Based on the fact that the OSIR was
contracted by the CIA and the Pentagon

to run remote viewing
operations in the Gulf War.

How could you know that, Peter?

Don't ask.

But the experiments that the OSIR ran
indicated that remote viewing ability is a power

that lies dormant within
each and every one of us.

All it needs is training.

Or an emotional crisis to trigger it.

Right.

Make your case, Peter.

Other remote viewing operatives
helped US Strategic Air Command

locate missile sites in Iraq in 1991.

They were all trained to
see past their five senses.

To use visions, symbols, words that
led them directly to their targets

with, I might add complete accuracy.

So Schraft is unconsciously
giving us clues to find his wife?

Possibly.

More likely he's just keeping most
of his brain open to seeing his wife.

He doesn't even know he's doing it.

Set up another session
with Professor Schraft.

We're mobile.

Stay in contact.

Affirmative.

We're patching in live to the session.

Both monitors online?

That's affirmative.

Recording.

All right, Leon.

Think of Helen.

Focus on her.

The way she looks.

The sound of her voice.

Find her, Leon.

Reach out to her with your mind.

I can't.

There's nothing.

Leon.

You'll have to do this.

We know you're receiving
theta wave stimulus.

You have the ability.
You have to do this.

The tower.

The freeway.

Near the freeway.

The stale smell of alcohol.

Gone....

Forgotten...

I'm cross-referencing any
old distilleries in the area.

Got it.

Eight blocks southwest,
next to the freeway.

They're in a small room.

Hear the sounds.

The music.

Pounding sounds.

More civil unrest in France early today.

An anti-terrorist rally in Paris ends in tragedy,
leaving four civilians dead and 17 hospitalized.

That story coming up in our first hour.

Connor, look.

They're in a small room.

Hear the sounds.

The music.

Pounding sounds.

Leon ?

Helen.

She's somewhere underneath the music.

The room has no windows.

Leon.

Who are you talking to?

No !

Who are you talking to?

Professor Schrift.

So now you believe.

You bastard !

Have you made the arrangements?

Let her go!

Tell the world, Professor.

Or I will kill her.

Helen!

Where the hell are they?

He saw me.

He knows that power is real.

But he won't do what you want, will he?

You.

You called him, didn't you?

Come, it's all right.

I won't hurt you, stand up.

I failed.

They know I failed.

The world will die in ignorance.

Oh, no.

A room with no windows.

There must be a lower level.

Connor !

I will save you from
your future death.

No.

No.

No, please.

Be happy.

It's a gift.

He's gonna kill her.

No!

Helen!

Mr. Schrift, are you all right?

He was about to kill me.

Cornell's dead.

Doyle, do you have Helen?

What about Helen?

She's fine.

She's okay.

She's okay, Leon.

It's all right.

Final log entry.

An autopsy on Earl Cornell revealed
a massive cerebral hemorrhage,

the cause of which remains unknown.

A full understanding of these events and the
meaning of Cornell's madness died with him.

Connor Doyle, out.

Remote viewing research indicates a less than
one-third success rate in this discipline.

Even so, this lends strong
support to the evidence

that psi abilities may indeed
be dormant in each one of us.

I'm Dan Aykroyd for Psi Factor.

Subtitle made by Adr1an