PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal (1996–2000): Season 2, Episode 2 - Donor - full transcript

These stories are inspired
by the actual case files

of the Office of Scientific
Investigation and Research.

Tyler?

Tyler,
what are you doing with that gun?

There's something out there, Mom.

Tyler, wait!

Shut up, King!

Ty?
Ty, be careful!

I can't see!

Tyler!

Mom!



King, no!

Mom!

Mom!

Oh, come on.

Oh, God, you're hurt.

No, I'm all right.

Are you okay?

Many of us, even as adults,
are afraid of the dark.

It's a natural instinctive fear
we must come to terms with.

But why do we feel that
something out there

could be lurking in the shadows,
waiting to strike?

Maybe it's because literature and folklore

have heightened our dread of night creatures,
vampires, werewolves, and monsters.

But these are just stories,
aren't they?



In case number 263202,
the OSIR was summoned to investigate

the grotesque mutilation of
livestock in a rural community.

They uncovered a trail which led them
to a horrifying conclusion.

Case manager's log.

Over the last three weeks,
several livestock mutilations

have been reported within
a five mile radius,

the most recent being at
the farm of Kaitlin Jessup.

The violent nature and
pattern of the attacks

has warranted county officials to request
the OSIR to conduct a full inquiry.

Dr. Dale Hoff, the local veterinarian,
is meeting us at the Jessup farm

where preliminary interviews and initial
site evaluations are already in progress.

Hey, Doc. Matt Prager.
Thanks for helping us out.

Can't say I understand all this bother.

It's not uncommon for a mountain lion to come
down out of the hills and take out a few cows.

Mountain lion, huh?

Well, what's strong enough or hungry enough
to take down a big old cow like that?

I guess that's what we're
here to find out, huh?

Pete, can you get a core sample of
that mud where the dried blood is?

Yeah, I was just getting around to that.

Well, time to go to work.

A core sample would have done it, Pete.

So, you inspected the other
mutilated animals as well?

Yeah, that's right. Two more cows,
you and a sow, at the elders' place.

All in the last three weeks.

No males?

Not as I recall.

And the pattern of attack was consistent?

Yes. Yes, I suppose it was.

Look, Mr. Prager,
I'm just about swamped these days.

What with calving season and all,
if there's nothing else.

There is, actually.

Lynn Cooper, our zoologist, is flying out
to write up a post-mortem on a Jessup's cow.

I sure appreciate your input.

I could have saved you the trouble,
Mr. Prager.

That animal has already been
shipped off to the rendering plant.

The local health officer doesn't like us
to leave a rotting animal slaying around.

I got wind of that and had it intercepted.

It's in a meat locker in town.

Is that so?

My Lord, you people are resourceful.

Yeah.

You have fun with it, fellas.
It's just another dead cow in my book.

The cow was already torn up
by the time we got out there.

And by then, King had run off,
chasing whoever did it.

I had him tied up,
but I guess he broke loose.

He's a pretty brave dog.

Yes, ma'am.

He's been gone a couple days.
You must miss him.

I'm sure he'll come
running home any time now.

No, I don't suppose he will.

Why is that, Tyler?
Did you see something?

No, ma'am. No.
It was already dark.

And it was already gone by the
time Mom and me got out there.

Oh, let's just get you wired back up there.

So are you talking to all the
folks around here who lost animus?

Yeah, that's right.

So far, no one's seen what's responsible,
so we'll be around for a little while yet.

I think we can rule out suicide.

You know, Matt, that cow's digestive
tract is a marvel of nature.

You really love your work,
don't you?

Hey, they got four stomachs.

See, their teeth don't do all the work,

so they got four stomachs to break down
the fodder for digestion.

Hey, Matt, have there been
any sightings in the area?

Nothing's been reported.

The locals are convinced this was done
by a predator, maybe a mountain lion.

Only if it was using a knife.
The throat's been slashed.

Multiple stab wounds
to the ribs and back.

No, whatever did this jumped on her back

and just whacked away at
her like Sweeney Todd.

Or surgical.

Maybe it was a ritual sacrifice,
a cult of some sort.

Oh, it's nothing.

I mean, if it was a cult,
they would have extracted the heart,

and this heart's intact.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Hey, Matt.

Hey, Matt, give me your hand.

Feel this.

Uh, just tell me what it is, Coop.

All the stomachs are missing.

And the uterus.

This is more than just a mutilation, Matt.

I think we're looking at selective
evisceration of the internal organs.

This mountain lion's getting
smarter all the time.

Matt, we've got another one.

Sheriff, what's going on?

That animal is scientific evidence.

Not anymore.

Sheriff, the county has
authorized our inquiry.

Yeah, I saw the paperwork.

But look, I don't care what those
horseflies told you up in county, OK?

Because nobody tells me what
to do in my jurisdiction.

Well, I guess that's it then.

Let's pack it up, Lindsey.

Looks like Ted. It is Ted, isn't it?

Yeah.

Ted, here's a pull the plug.

Yeah, it's too bad.

We're just starting to get somewhere, too.

Well, if you people really
want to make yourselves useful,

you'll join in the hunt
for that mountain lion.

There's $200 on that back there, Ted.

You ever been to Puerto Rico, Ted?

No, can't say as I ever cared to.

I have.

They got a thing down there
they call a chupacabra.

Some call it a legend,
some call it a demon.

All they know is when it's
through with an animal,

there's nothing left but a
pile of rancid white meat.

The blood sucked clean out of it.

Kind of like a veal, actually.

You saw this thing?

No, no one has.

Not clearly.

But it's been killing livestock all
over Central America for generations.

Well, then what the hell is it?

Now you're reading me, Ted.

I don't know what the hell it is either.

But we're in the what
the hell is it business.

That's what you got on your hands here,
Ted.

You got yourself a what the hell is it.

Now, are you telling me that
you think we got something

like that chupa-what's-it
running around here?

I can't tell you anything, Ted, not so
long as you don't get me in the waters.

All right, then.

But you just watch your step,
or you're going to be one sorry scientist.

I kid you not.

Thank you for your cooperation, Sheriff.

Dib, dib.

Dob, dob.

Well, the Jessups have obviously
experienced a traumatic situation.

This boy's stress levels
are into the stratosphere.

And it isn't just your perfume.

Now, it's clear that they
are concealing information.

What's your gut telling you?

That I should have ordered fries.

Hey, get your own.

She always does that.

No, Tyler's a good kid, and I really
think he's ready to talk to me.

But I have to get him away from his mother.

Yeah. If a smile from you can open him
up like a can of beans, I say go for it.

Axon have any luck with
that soil sample yet?

Let me see.

Yeah, the mineral samples, um,
shall trace elements of zinc and lead.

Did it correspond with
the geological survey?

No, the concentration was
superficial and way too high.

But we're running a comparison grade
to see if that leads to anything.

Couldn't think of it.

Coop, care to share
anything with the class?

Oh, uh, yeah.

The blood scraping that we took from the
corral, it's 100% bovine, just as we suspected.

Miss Donner?
Miss Donner?

Tyler? What is it?
What's happened?

It's King. I found him.

You cover him up like this?

No, sir. I just found him this way.

It looks like the neck is broken.

Snap woods.

No sign of a fight.

If this mountain lion was any
smarter, he could do my taxes.

So someone carried the body here. Why?

Maybe so Tyler could find him.

It's back.
Oh God, it's coming back.

Over there.

We must have scared it off.

Yeah, too bad.

Tyler you got to tell us what
we're dealing with here.

I didn't see anything at first.

- Then I saw in our cattle...
- You saw what?

Get down !

What the hell is this?

I'm looking for that lion.

People ought to be a little more
careful out here in the dark.

What? We weren't exactly expecting company.

That you, Tyler?

Yes, sir, Mr. Sutter.

You better get on home, son. I think your
mom's a little worried about you.

Nobody's safe out here as long as
that mountain lion's on the prowl.

Must be a lot of work for
you to do around here,

being the man of the house and all.

It's not so bad.

Uh, look,
I'm really sorry about last night.

It's OK to be scared.

But you don't have to stay scared.

You started to tell us
something last night.

I asked him not
to talk about it.

We were both pretty
upset that night.

It's best we put it behind us.

I can appreciate that, but
we still need your help.

There are a lot of questions
left to be answered.

Not by us.

I really wish we could help.

Your dog wasn't killed by
an animal, Mrs. Jessup.

In other words, that cow.

I don't mean to frighten you,
but whatever is out there

has targeted your farm.

You know where to find us.

Something I can help you with, Mr. Science?

Ted, come on. Can't we at least
compare notes to see what adds up?

What do you say?

Okay, make it short.

Name Sutter ring any bells?

Max Sutter? Sure.
What about him?

We had a run-in with him and a couple of
his close personal friends last night.

They claim to be hunting that mountain lion,
but they look more like a civilian SWAT team.

Rem 700 Sniper, H&K MP5,
Colt M4s, Mossberg 590 Shotgun,

all with synthetic stocks,
night scopes, laser sighting.

The whole enchilada.

What's that look like to you?

Those are beauties.

Be here tomorrow, three o'clock.
You and me are going fishing.

Still using the shamrock gag, Mike ?

Little theatrical, isn't it?

You used to find it amusing.

Not as amusing as that disappearing act
you pulled in South Africa.

What was that,
three years ago?

More like five.

Could have used your
testimony at the inquest.

Well...

I had other more
important things to do.

Besides, I hear you repped
things up for a massive dummy.

And you're now a case
manager for OSIR.

I never took you
for a company man.

Hey,
my daughter needs dental work.

I got ex-wives to support.

Besides,
it's a top-notch organization.

It's good people.

This isn't a social call,
though, is it?

No, not entirely, yeah.

What the world's been looking at recently,
I've been on, took quite some time.

And when the press climbed
onto that McSheep story,

I knew the whole thing
would break quite open.

As in that sheep in Edinburgh?

What's this got to do with cloning?

Oh, well, I'm not going to have to worry

about how much I smoke
and how much I drink.

I simply say, doc, I'd like
a new liver, hold the onions,

and throw them aside along us.

The tide of genetic research is
swelling into a tsunami, Matt.

And the pharmaceutical
companies are going to surf

it all the way to the bank.

Well,
thanks for the water sports metaphors,

but can we get down to what the
hell's going on around here?

Well, I'd like to have another beer.

Would you want one?

No, you go ahead.

What did the workup
on Pearl King tell us?

The blood in his teeth and coat seemed
to be of both human and animal origin.

Cooper hasn't narrowed down the species yet,
but it's definitely not from the dead cow.

He was stabbed first, and then whoever or
whatever killed him nearly twisted his head off.

Oh, Jesus.

The fabric remnants we found in his teeth match
the sample that Matt found snagged in the corral.

Now, I was thinking that maybe we
should get a scraping from his paws

and see if he picked up any of the same mineral
traces that we found in the core sample.

That's a good idea.
I'll take care of it.

Thank you.

Where do you think the
mineral tracings will lead us?

Well...

I don't know.

But hopefully these geological
charts will be able to tell us.

You know I had to buy the county clerk a whole
box of cigars before he'd let me borrow these.

Where charm fails,
bribery always succeeds.

Always.

Yeah, these are pretty outdated.

They should help us
narrow down the source.

So, what did you dig up on
the hunting party last night?

It turns out that Max Sutter and
Kaitlin Dressup work at the same place.

It's an agricultural
research farm called Gemagro.

Just a few miles from here.

Sutter is their systems administrator
and Kaitlin's his secretary.

She almost lost the farm three
years ago when her husband died.

The capital gains nearly
drove her into foreclosure.

Was that just around the time
she started working for Gemagro?

No. She'd been there
for over a year.

But her money problems
seemed to vanish overnight.

Interesting.

There's a hell of a lot of money
to be made out of this nightmare.

Before long, they'll be stewing
up made-to-order babies.

With the unpredictable aspects
of nature neatly out of the way.

You're a father.
What about the flawless child of your dreams?

There's no limit to the
price you're going to pay.

In theory, sure,

but they're years away from perfecting
anything that sophisticated.

Perfecting it, yes.

Experimenting with it,
screwing around with it.

It's a whole other ballgame.

Oh my God !

Are you telling me that's what's out there?
Some kind of cloning accident?

Well, I know some of the greatest
advances in science happen from disasters.

Right. Like Chernobyl.

I don't suppose you'd like to come
back with me and brief my team?

Not my style, man.

Just think of me as the wind
setting his sails on a new course.

What's this?

Old dossier of sorts.

I think you'll find it
sufficiently disturbing.

I'll definitely bear that in mind.

All right, gentlemen, let's
use our night goggles.

Red, you take point.

Downhill in a staggered line.

Let's go, guys, let's go.

I ran a test on the blood stains.
It matched the blood I found on the dog.

The same mixture of human
and animal characteristics.

Maybe Kelly's on to something.

Don't you find Kelly's
theory rather far-fetched?

His ideas usually are.

Yeah,
then maybe he can tell us

why the Jessups'
cow's been sent off for rendering.

On whose order?

The local health authority.

Could be our friend the Sheriff
is up to his old tricks.

Nah, this is way bigger than his
little empire and he knows it.

Maybe that's why he's running scared.

Everything is pointing to this Gemagra
research where Kaitlin Jessup works.

I found out that they have
paid off her mortgage

and taken over her tax debts.

For a price, no doubt.

Well it turns out they've been buying up
the properties neighboring their farm

and keeping it very quiet.

I hope our Mr. Kelly's not leading
us off in the wrong direction.

He's a bit of a wild card, isn't he?

Old Kurt's coming
pretty handy sometimes.

He's got to know how to play.

See what he's got for us.

Cloning 101.

Listen up, class,
as we'll be on your final.

The donor egg is first emptied
of all its genetic material,

including the mother's DNA,

leaving behind a framework necessary
to nurture an altered embryo.

A second cell,

containing the genetically
manipulated amalgam,

is infused to the original egg,

courtesy of electron stimulation.

The fertilized,
new and supposedly improved egg

is then implanted in any willing womb

to undergo natural gestation and birth.

What you are looking at is
the future of biotechnology.

By the year 2003,

the internationally funded
Human Genome Project

will have unraveled the structures
of all 100,000 or so human genes.

The real groundwork has been going on
in the agriculture industry.

They have been artificially manipulating
animal genetics for decades.

The international pharmaceutical
companies funding this research

rake in about $180 billion dollars.

With all that money running
around, is anything safe?

Dr. Mavis Briggs was a leading
pioneer in genetic engineering.

She and her partner
were funded by Gem Corp.

to develop the ultimate donor,

an animal incorporating
human organs.

One stop transplant
shopping on the hoof.

Not to mention the drug
testing possibilities.

Four months ago, Dr. Briggs
died in a nasty car accident,

having taken driving
lessons from Karen Silkwood,

if you catch my drift.

Now she may have
already succeeded,

or perhaps created some
malignant mutation.

The proof, as they say,
is in the pudding.

Find Dr. Briggs's pudding.

Now you have your proof.

That's all class.

A little talky,
but I give it a thumbs up.

What if he's right?

Come on, what is so bad about
banking transplant organs?

My dad died because I
couldn't find him a new heart.

LQ, from my understanding, in India,

the going rate for a kidney is
roughly the same as a Porsche.

Is growing organs
any less revolting

than acquiring them from
black market pirates?

It's wrong.
What about basic ethics?

Who decides when something stops
being an animal and becomes human?

But like Kelly said, it's not
about medicine, it's about money.

Who stands to cash in?

Exactly, and Gem Corp sounds an
awful lot like Gem Agro to me.

Pete, can you scan back to
that shot of Dr. Briggs?

Yeah.

- Here she comes.
- Freeze it there.

Enhance that woman
in the background.

Kaitlin Jessup, some secretary.

Yes?

Send them in.

This is something we could talk
about later, back at the farm.

I'll be home by six.

This will only take a few minutes.

Mrs. Jessup, we're familiar
with Dr. Briggs' research.

Must have been a terrible loss.

Yes, it was.

We were all very fond of Mavis.

I'm sure you were.

Perhaps you should be concerned
about yourself as well.

I found this in my car.

Perhaps you can tell us why.

I wish I could.

Kaitlin...

Max Sutter.

Hi.

I'm sorry about the other night.

I hope you give me a second
chance at a first impression.

Ms. Donner and Dr.
Hendricks are...

From the OSIR.
Yes, I know. I know.

Would you like me to
give you the grand tour?

If it's no bother.

Oh, no, no. No bother at all.

We love to show it.

Come on, let me show it to you.
This way.

Come on.

Oh, uh, Kaitlin.

When Tyler gets home from school,
have him call me about that yard work.

Smile.
It's gonna be a good day.

Come on.

Maybe it might interest you.

Gem Agro has been leading the world
in breeding research since the 50s.

We have facilities in England,
the Netherlands.

We're about ready to open up our
first experimental farm in China.

We're impressed.

All this to build a better cow?

Or pigs, or sheep, or whatever.

Our animals are leaner, disease resistant,

producing more young,
growing faster,

and all without artificial
hormones or drugs.

Through genetic manipulation.

Well, I'm going to leave
that one up to our experts.

Yes, it's amazing what they
can do these days, isn't it?

The first one was no big deal.

Livestock get taken
down from time to time.

Coyotes, mountain lions,
that sort of thing.

But after the second one,
you know that *** at the Ellert's place?

Well, Sutter and his boys
beat me to it every time.

And they've got livestock
stashed all over Hell's Half Acre.

And all with blue ear tags so
they can keep track of them.

They're all females.

Is that why you burn the sheep to
keep Gem Angra from getting to it?

Why bother?

Oh, I just like throwing a monkey wrench
into whatever it is they're up to.

Of course, I haven't
learned anything off of it.

That sheep was gutted like a fish,
just like the others.

If you think you were pissed, you should
have seen Sutter when he turned up. Boy !

Why is Gem Angra so interested
in buying up other farms?

Oh, it beats the hell out of me.

Of course, I got a whole
lot more to answer for now.

Why? What's happened?

Well, I got a call from
Susie Campbell last night.

Turns out her husband,
Red, he's gone missing.

And the last time she saw him,

he was heading out to go
hunting with Sutter and his bunch.

Sutter doesn't know where he is?

Claims Red never turned up.

Of course, he could be out on
a tear, but I don't think so.

Ted, we both know
whatever Sutter's hunting,

it's no mountain lion.

What do you think it is?

I was kind of hoping
you could tell me.

Because I got a sick notion that, uh,

chuppawetz of yours, it ain't so far off.

Jessup's cow's been destroyed courtesy
of the local health authorities.

Suppose Gem Agra had
anything to do with that?

Who the hell do you think's
the health officer around here?

You come back on
Monday after school,

and we'll change that dressing.

Mr. Prager, what can I do for you?

My cow isn't doing so well,
Dr. Hoff.

I was hoping you could tell
me what I could do about that.

You must have had a
good laugh telling us

the health authorities said
those other animals destroyed.

You forgot to mention,
I'm sure it just slipped your mind,

that you gave the order.

If you came here to cause trouble...

Then what?

I'll have an accident,
like your associate, Dr. Briggs ?

How did you know
this was my partner?

I didn't.

Till just now.

Did you get anything
out of Kaitlin Jessup?

Unfortunately, no.

The ever helpful Mr. Sutter
took care of that.

Well, I may be onto something.

Turns out the Jessups have an abandoned
lead zinc mine on their property.

That would explain the mineral traces
we found on the dog's coat and paws.

See, my feeling is that whatever killed
those animals is holed up in there.

Let's check it out.

Well, it's actually not as easy as that,

because, see,
the mine's been sealed up for years.

And it'd probably take us
days to find the entrance.

I mean, all the roads up these hills
are either washed out or closed.

I know someone who can help us.

It's just an air shaft,
but it leads down to the old mine.

I don't think this is a good idea.

I mean, this old mine has
tunnels running off everywhere.

Tyler, what exactly did
King chase off that night?

I've never seen anything like it.

I mean, it was like an animal.

Only it wasn't.

Tyler, you wait out here,
all right?

No, you can't go in there.

I mean, it's too dangerous.

Look, we'll only go far enough
to see if that thing is in there.

Let me.

Tyler, wait!

No!

Tyler, stay behind me.

I don't think we should go any deeper.

It's coming!

Tyler !

Ms. Donner!

Lindsay!

Lindsay!
Lindsay, can you hear me?

Lindsay!
Lindsay, listen to me!

Lindsay!

Lindsay!

I'll get you out of there!

You just lead the way.

Answer me !

Lindsay !

Lindsay, listen to me!

I'm gonna get you out of here,
all right?

Can you hear me?

We're gonna get you out of here.
Just hang on!

It's my fault.
It's all my fault.

It's nobody's fault.

Now just go get some help.
Hurry!

Lindsay?

Lindsay!

I'm coming.

Help's on its way.

When it was born, we expected
it to die like the others did.

Only it didn't die.

I wish to hell it had.

I should have killed it myself.

What's stopped you ?

Professional ethics?

Pitiful thing never
asked to be born.

We created it.

We were responsible.

And Mavis grew quite
attached to it.

She convinced me it
was worth studying,

that we could learn from it.

Mavis Briggs?

You want me to wear it?

Okay.

You left that book in my car.

Read !

Oh my God !

Read !

Your name is Walter ?

Read ! Read ! Read !

Okay, Walter, I'll read you
and then I have to go, okay?

Okay.

Once upon a time, in a far off land,
there lived a prince.

He had been banished
from his kingdom,

and he was looking
for a new home.

On the journey, he met a tin soldier,

and the tin soldier told him...

Mavis started out
treating it like a pet,

and then it became
like a child to her.

She even read to the thing.

Actually, taught it to parrot back words

as if it really understood
what she was saying.

She believed this
thing was intelligent?

Intelligence is a relative
concept, Mr. Prager.

It has cognitive powers.

However much it comprehends...

When Mavis died,
it went into shock.

It escaped somehow,

and before I could dispose of it...

No. How could it have known?

It knows enough to
kill only your animals.

What do you suppose that is?

Because they're carrying
our donor embryos.

- What?
- Keep your mouth shut.

If you don't tell him, I will.

Mavis wanted to stop
the experiments.

She felt we were in
breach of medical ethics.

She was going to tell the press
about that thing we created,

but they stopped her.

Wait a second.

You knew about this, too?

Yes, God help me, I did.

Where do you think
they got the human egg?

Lindsay!

Lindsay, can you hear me?

Where is she?

Lindsay, are you in there?

Tyler, Tyler, you wait there.

No, I want to help.

You can help by waiting there,
okay?

And let the others
know where I went.

Your hand.

It's infected.

Did the dog do that?

May I se... May I see?

It's badly infected.

Peter !

Matt, over here!
Keep coming!

I'm almost through.

She can't hear me.
That thing's got her.

****

You killed that man. Why?

No more like me.

No more like me.

Lindsay?

Lindsay?

Lindsay?

Lindsay!

Lindsay!

Lindsay !

Once upon a time,
there lived a handsome prince.

And he lived in a castle
with a beautiful princess.

And they had a baby.

A baby they named
Prince Walter.

Oh my God !

It's okay. It's okay.
It won't hurt me.

Will you, Walter?

You son of a bitch.

I thought I was going to kill her.

Case manager summation.

After resigning from her position,

Kaitlin Jessup agreed to
provide a full account

of the experimental procedures
taking place at Gem Agro Research.

To the best of our knowledge,

Gem Agro had all evidence
of the creature destroyed.

Our report's been filed with numerous
federal and international scientific agencies

to assist in regulation of cloning
technologies currently in development.

Prager out.

The advances in genetic research
and cloning are well known.

We've all heard about Dolly,
the replicated Scottish sheep.

Scientists at a medical university in
China recently claimed to have used

cloning procedures to grow a human
ear on the skin of a lab rat.

Currently, though, there is no international
legislation which regulates cloning technology.

Again, we must hope that the human conscience
will keep pace with advances in science.

For Psi Factor, I'm Dan Aykroyd.

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