V-Wars (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Down with the Sickness - full transcript

It's a brave new world, isn't it?

Within a decade,
we could be reviving extinct species.

The thylacline, the woolly mammoth,
saber-toothed cats.

Looks like Steven Spielberg's
gonna get his park after all.

Well, at least the...

Ice Age version.

I think you've had to listen to me
for long enough.

To sum it up,

I say this.

No matter what your politics are,

we know that climate change
is causing glacial deterioration.



We also know
that there are viruses and bacterias

trapped in that now-melting ice.

Now, let's just say

a prehistoric equivalent
of the Zika virus,

Ebola, or the bubonic plague

were to appear as a result of the melt.

Our bodies would have no immunity.

And we would have no vaccines
that could help us.

If you ask me,

I don't think it's going to be asteroids
or nuclear war that wipes us out.

It's gonna be this.

Ancient forms of these pathogens
could start a pandemic

that makes the bubonic plague
look like... like a chicken pox party.

This isn't nature crying out for help.



These are warning shots.

And that is why I'm calling on you,

the global scientific community,

to come together and pool your resources
and knowledge to get ahead of this.

Science has no borders,

no agenda,

only truth.

And the data tells us
that this is inevitable.

Thank you.

Listening to you talk about
mass extinction really gets me goin'.

Um... I'm sorry. I'm a... married man.

Well...

I don't care.

Mm.

Uh... Ahem.

I apologize for the interruption,
Dr. Swann.

Dr. Lansing.

Uh...

this is my wife, Jess.

Hi.

It's our anniversary.

- Yeah.
- Um...

Honey, um...

Dr. Lansing is a colleague

- from the Arctic Science Exchange.
- Oh.

- Good to see you.
- Happy anniversary.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

It's probably terrible timing, but, um...

we lost contact with Dr. Vercernis

at the Arctic Research Station
three days ago.

Oh, well, the weather regularly
knocks out communications there.

- I'm... I'm sure he's okay.
- Yes, you're probably right.

The thing is, last we heard from him,

he'd found something,
and he was pretty excited.

He wanted to talk to you about it.

Needless to say,
we're all anxious to get some updates.

- Well, I can't. I mean...
- It... It's fine.

Go.

No. It's our anniversary.

We can celebrate our anniversary any time.

Go.

- Really?
- Yes, of course.

I can arrange your transport.

Uh, that's not necessary, Doctor.

I can arrange transport.

I got a guy.

♪...set it on fire
Watch it burn, watch it burn ♪

♪ Watch it burn, watch it burn ♪

Luther!

- What's good, brother?
- Hey, Mikey. You busy?

No, not in the slightest.

Why? You all right?

Okay, good, good. Yeah, I need your help.
How fast can you get here?

Pretty fast.

♪ Watch it all burn ♪

♪ Yeah, watch it burn
Watch it all... ♪

All right, let's do this.

Damn, Luther, you need to get
a research station somewhere warmer,

like the Caribbean or some shit.

You should be here in the winter!

This is only 30 below, Mike.

Only?

Whoa.

What?

The door's open.

Ava!

Sven!

Huh.

Oh, shit.

What happened to this place?

I don't know.

- How many people you say live up here?
- Two.

Dr. Vercernis and his assistant.

Well, there's no one here now.

Holy shit, Luther.

Luther, take a look at this.

Sven.

Damn it.

Oh, shit.

- What? What is it?
- No, no, no, no. Step back. Step back.

What is it?

I don't know.

Some kind of biomass. Something he found.

Let's get the hell outta here, man.

We gotta call this in, Mike.

Call what in?

Whatever this is...

we've been exposed to it.

Aaaah.

- Dr. Lansing.
- How are you?

Rough.

We've transported the biomass
and a skull fragment to your lab

for further testing.

Thank you.

Any results for any of the tests?

Inconclusive so far.

What about the mycology reports
I requested?

No fungal presence.

What about Vercernis?

Um... Did the search team find anything?

There's no sign of him or Ava.

I apologize, Luther.

I'm sorry
I got you into this, Mikey.

Yeah, you should be, Luther.

This fuckin' blows, man.

Yeah.

But, hey, we're family, right?

Together, always.

Yeah, always.

We are gonna be okay, right?

Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, we're gonna be all right, Mike.

Dr. Swann, your family's here.

Hey, guys!

Hi.

Hey, honey.

Hey, bud.

Are you okay?
When are you guys gonna be coming home?

Well, when we start to feel better.

- We'll be fine, buddy.
- Yeah.

Have I ever let anything happen
to your dad?

- No.
- Exactly. And I ain't startin' now.

Hi.

How many girlfriends now?

I don't have any, Uncle Mike.

Ah!

S.

- One more and that's "jackass" for you.
- Fuck you!

- I always used to win at this game!
- Huh.

Meatloaf again.

What?

Just you wait.

What?

Doesn't this taste...

off to you?

Just as shitty as the last time.

No, man.

I will give you one guess
about today's news.

Finally. Thank God.

Gentlemen, you're free to go.

Wait, Emil, we don't know why
we're not shedding the virus yet.

You've both been cleared.

There is a huge lack of results.

Yes, there's a lack of results
because no one put it on record.

But now it is.

It's a harmless Ice Age-era cold.

No, no, no, no. Wait.

Luther...

trust me.

Pack your things. Go to your family.

Well, you don't have to tell me twice.

You heard the man, Luther.
Let's get the fuck outta here.

You're wearing my shirt.

I'm aware.

Mrs. Swann, are you trying to seduce me?

Oh...

I'm not sure.

You're the genius...

Mr. Swann.

Oh, it's, um...

...it's actually Dr. Swann.

Oh, yes.

I still might be contagious.

And I might not care.

Mrs. Swann... ahem, as a doctor,

I must advise you
that any sexual contact, um...

- carries with it inherent risks.
- Mm.

Mm-hm.

Can we shut up now?

Police are saying
little about this latest killing.

The victim, a 33-year-old female,

was pronounced dead on the scene
in downtown Seneca.

Authorities acknowledge possible links
to two previous deaths,

including Tom Vencilitas,

whose family members are demanding
police be more forthcoming

about the brutal nature of these killings,

stating the public need to know

the extent of the danger
that they may be in.

Michael?

Michael?

Michael?

Michael?

Hello.

Oh, Jesus, Michael. Why would
you leave your door open like that?

So you could come in.

You dropped me for another job.

No. I was in quarantine.

Mm. Well, that's a new one.

Yeah, I wish I was lying,
but it's actually true.

You cost me business.

That's why I told you on the phone...

I'm gonna make it up to you.

You like to talk, don't you, Michael?

Not always.

Mm.

Michael!

Michael!

Michael!

Michael!

Michael!

Yeah?

I said are you taking me to dinner?

Yeah.

Well, we gotta go.
I have an open house in the morning.

Why am I not
getting anywhere with you?

If that thing talks back,
I am so out of here.

I thought these samples
would be swimming with pathogens.

I can't even find a virus or a bacteria.

Amino fluorescence test
came back negative too.

Of course.

But something made you sick.

We'll keep at it.

At least I'm starting to feel
more like myself.

Fayne said he's never felt better.

The search goes on.

- Here you go.
- Thank you.

Police discourage talk of
a serial killer despite this latest body

and certain rumored similarities between
the crime scenes of the various victims.

At a news conference this afternoon,

Seneca Police Chief Paul MacErlane
appealed to anyone

who may have any information
about this latest death

to come forward to police.

MacErlane said investigators...

...have combed
through hours of surveillance video...

but still have no leads.

Hi. How did it go?

Oh, my God.

- Yeah.
- I'm done.

So the veggies, chips, and dip
are a really great option

if you're looking for something
a little bit lighter.

Thanks, Jim. Now over to Marianne...

Oh!

Oh!

Oh, shit!

Hey, it's me.

Come on up, Les.

Apartment ten.

Whoa, whoa, whoa!

We haven't finished yet.

I'll make it up to you.

When? When will you make it up to me?

In the near future.

Don't bitch about this. It's my living.

Jer-gen, Les. Les, Jer-gen.

Yeah, it's "Yergen," actually.

Jer-gen's my intern.

- Les is a thief.
- I'm a cop.

This better be good, Les.
You really screwed the mood around here.

Raw footage on the new kill.

Oh...

What the fuck happened to her neck?

This gets you big-time traffic.

I'll give you 950.

Best offer.

Deal.

Put this up right away, Jer-gen.
Top of the landing page.

Not hungry?

No.

My teeth are killing me.

See a dentist.

I saw my guy, Dr. Mackie, last week.

Thought it was an infection,
but he couldn't find anything.

Maybe it's connected.

What?

What's connected?

Weird stuff's been happening in my head.

I was sitting here at the bar
the other night.

I had two drinks, that's it.

And all of a sudden, I'm...

I'm hearing everyone's conversations.

Maybe you were just a little...

No. I'm talking
about people across the room.

Could hear every word.

And I could read a menu 40 feet away.

I'm not exactly sure that's possible.

Right.

I'm delusional.

No, no, if you were delusional,
you would think it was real. But...

So I'm hallucinating?

Even better.

Any other altered perceptions?

No.

But I do know
there's something wrong with me.

Well, we'll...
we'll run some tests, for sure.

I'm sure it's nothing to worry about.

That's what I say to you
whenever there's a lot to worry about.

You know this is illegal, right?

The coroner's department's paid for
by taxpayer dollars.

We're taxpayers.

You don't file.

Theoretically, we're taxpayers.

They've no right to withhold information
about a series of vicious murders.

Keep hacking.

Bingo.

I'm in.

Get me every autopsy
on the killer's victims.

Wait, go back.

Not much blood left in them.

Might have something to do
with being torn apart.

According to this,
there was less than there should be.

How much should there be?

Depending on weight...

about five liters.

None of these victims have more than two.

And the blood found at the murder scene
doesn't account for what's missing.

So, where'd it go?

Good question.

So, the electron test results
came back.

First batch was negative,

second batch was negative,
and Fayne's sample was inconclusive.

Let's check for RSV pathogens.

You're getting past our capacity.

Yeah, I know.
It's time to send it offshore.

And...

have them run a PMCA.

For prions.

Okay.

Thanks.

Not good?

It's all checking out clean.

We're down to long shots.

Parasites, fungus, prions.

Which are?

Proteins that cause really bad shit
like mad cow.

Extremely rare and highly contagious.

Boy, you sure know how to talk to a girl.

Mm...

I have an idea.

Now that you're feeling better...

how about we all drive over to Emilio's
and get a pizza?

I thought I was going to get
a much different offer.

I haven't told you
what we could do for dessert.

Hmm...

Mikey.

This better be good.

Hey.

I need your help, buddy.

I need your help right now.

- What's wrong?
- You gotta come.

I'll text you the address.

- Hurry!
- Okay.

Okay, I'll be right there.

Whoa!

Shit!

Thanks for this.

Depends what this is.

- I don't know how it happened, man.
- What are you talking about?

Whose place is this?

Hers.

Holy fuck!

- Michael! What the... what the fuck?
- Luther, I didn't...

You have to believe me! I didn't do this!

I didn't do this. All right?
I don't know what happened!

- Who is she?
- I don't know what... I don't...

She's a bartender. I...

- How'd you get here? What happened?
- No, I mean...

- I... I don't know.
- What do you mean you don't know, Mike?

I remember I was having a beer.
I'm in the bar talking to her,

and she asks me if I could walk her home.

- And then that... that thing started again.
- What thing?

With my... with my senses,
my hearing, my sight.

Everything went all crazy,
and then...

I... I... I don't remember.

It just slipped out.

- I don't remember anything.
- Okay. Okay. Mike...

Sh, sh, sh. You walk her home, right?

- She invites you in...
- No!

Wait! I... I remember us
getting to her building and then...

and everything else was blank.

Until what?

Shit! I don't know, man!

Oh, my God!

Luther, you know me
more than anybody else.

You know that I couldn't do this.

I would not do this!

- Sh, sh.
- Okay? I didn't do it.

Fuck!

- We gotta call the police.
- No! They won't believe me.

- Mike, you didn't do anything!
- It's open and shut!

I'll go to prison,
and we won't know who did this.

What the fuck are you talking about?

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Some guy was threatening her.

Yeah, that's... that's who did this shit.
Some guy was threatening her.

That's who did this shit.
I just need time to find the guy.

- That's it.
- What?

- I just need some time to find the guy.
- No, Mike. We gotta lawyer up.

When we're ready, sure.
I'll do what's right, I promise you.

I promise you, but right now,
I just need some time.

- I'm calling the cops.
- No, Luther! Listen to me!

- I didn't do this! You know I didn't!
- Sh, sh!

- I didn't do this!
- Mike, stop. Stop, okay?

I got you. Okay.

Oh, God, oh, my God...

Okay. Sh. Okay.

What do you have in mind?

- Uh...
- Tell me.

You're my best friend, right?

- Yeah.
- And you're a doctor.

Yeah.

Can you help me clean her apartment?

It doesn't work like that, Michael.

No. Forensics are too good now.
It's the 21st century.

But we could slow them down.

Right?
Just to buy me some time to find the guy.

Right? Just...

Please. Please.

Uh...

You're my only hope, man. Please.

Uh...

Okay.

Luther, please. I'm begging you.

Help me, man.

Help me, please!

You gotta help me. Help me get outta this.

I didn't do it. I didn't do it.

I was set up, man.

This isn't me.

No, Mike...

Help me, man.

So, what the hell happened last night?

I...

made a terrible mistake.

It's just past the tracks up here
on the right-hand side.

- Oh, is there free parking?
- Yeah, that's...

I don't have a choice.

I have to go to the police.

- You'll be arrested.
- Maybe.

But I'm telling them things
that they need to know.

My God.

How could you have done this?

I owe the guy my life...

a dozen times.

At least.

And he's sick, Jess.

He's sick.

I couldn't just turn my back on him.

But what about Dez?

What about me?

Uh... I know. I... I know.

Listen... I... I... Obviously, there are
things I have to make right...

and I will.

I gotta go.

I have to go.

But I'll be back.

I'll be back.

I hope.

Hey, bud.

I'll be back in a little bit, okay?

- We can go there...
- Yeah.

This looks good. Just sign it here.

Hi. I...

Uh... My name is Dr. Luther Swann.

I'm a research physician at Bremerton.

And therefore?

Uh, well, I, uh...

did something wrong.

Uh, a friend of mine hurt someone...

and I may have helped cover up the crime.

Who's your friend, Doctor?

Michael Fayne.

How bad did he hurt this person?

Um...

She's... she's dead.

My name is Detective Yanov.

I think you'd better come with me.

Yes, sir.

No!

No!

No! No!

- No! No!
- Freeze!

Let her go now!

Get your hands in the air!

Sorry for the wait.

It was three hours.

Is your story true?

Yes.

You know it's obstruction.
You'll go for five years, right?

What? No, that's ridiculous.

I told you everything.

That's why it's only five. Sit down!

You should've brought a lawyer.

I wasn't thinking about finding a lawyer.
I'm here to help you find Michael Fayne.

Oh, we found him.

Where?

Trying to kill another woman.

We had to shoot him to make him stop.

You shot him?

Didn't bother him much.

We talked to him two hours,
and he was just fine, thanks.

No painkillers.

Know what else we learned?

What?

That he won't talk to us
on any substantive level.

He'll only talk to you.

Hey, man.

How'd they get you here so fast?

Uh, they were motivated...

for sure.

Hey, how's the wound?

He injured four officers
on the way in here.

One seriously.

Look, I'm a research doctor.

I think he was exposed to pathogens
that are causing this behavior.

I can hear you, you know.

That's impossible.

Pathogens are causing this.

That's what you said, right?

See?

Do you see what I mean?

There's something very strange going on
with this man.

Maybe.

But the problem is
he's not the only killer.

There's another guy,
a dentist who committed suicide.

We got his DNA
from crime scene three and four.

Fayne's from one and two.

Wait, hang on.

The other killer was a dentist?

Yeah.

Fayne saw his dentist last week.

Hey, Mike.
What's the name of your dentist?

William Mackie.

Oh, shit.

I'm telling you,

Fayne infected him somehow.

I need to get in there and talk to him.
Alone.

He said he would only talk to me.

Let me talk.

How's this?

I always thought getting shot
would hurt a lot more.

Oh, shit.

- Right?
- No, it's... it's... it's good.

Like it happened days ago.

None of this is making sense.

I know. I know. It's...

it's like you're improving.

I mean, the elevated sense of hearing,
the sight,

the healing.

That would require alterations
on a cellular level.

And genetic...

There must've been something
on that biomass.

Okay, so then why is none of this shit
happening to you?

I don't know that yet, Mike.

We both got sick.

I mean,
maybe it needs a... a cofactor, I guess.

But something is causing these changes.

I did it, Luther.
I killed her and the others.

- What? No, no, no. Not here.
- I think I...

- Blacking out or dreaming.
- No.

- It's like I can't control it, you know.
- Not here. Mikey, stop it.

- It's like I'm turning into someone else.
- Mikey...

In the name of God, please help me.

Mikey, until you get a lawyer, shut up.
They're listening.

I don't mean help me get out of here.
I mean...

What's wrong?

How did you say they found you?

I don't know.

I mean, they called me...

about an hour and a half ago.

I remember now.

Your car...

was here...

that new Rover you just bought,

and I was thinking,

"Jeez, Luther's already here for me."

And then they tased me, and I forgot it.

- Till now.
- I am here for you, Michael.

No, you're ratting on me.

Selling me out.

- No.
- Yes.

Yes.
It's not just sight and sound, Luther.

It's strength, too.

Full back-up.

Interrogation one.

I'm not afraid of you, Mike.

Well...

that's a mistake.

Hey!

No! Hey!

Stop, guys!

Stop!

I don't even want cash for this.
I want points.

- How many?
- Thirty.

Go do something impossible, Les.

Come on!

Two serial killers, one captured,
one dead, and new murder photos?

I call TMZ with that,
you lose everything.

I give it to you,
you break the internet.

That's worth 30 points.

Only if I get to meet him.

He went batshit in interrogation,
super violent.

They're sending him to Seneca Psych
for secure care.

- I know the place.
- I can't get you in.

You do that yourself.

Thirty points,

and I'll send you the pics right now.

Fine.

Thirty, you little shit.

You just gave him 30 percent.

I would've given him 50.

Look at these crime scene photos
he just sent me of the latest victim.

Shit!

I bet you all her blood is gone...

like the others.

Know why?

Somebody drank it.

You're making that up.

Who knows? It could be true.

It's gone.

Vampire killings.

Hey, brother.

Hey.

I'm right here, man.

I'm right here.

Stay here, Swann.

Don't move.

Teresa. Talk to me.

We got the results of PMC testing back.

- And?
- It's positive for prions.

But these particular prions are unknown.

It's unknown.

They've recovered prions
from all three samples.

Biomass, ancient human skull,
and a living adult male.

Michael Fayne.

Yes. I'm so sorry.

Thank you, Teresa. Thank you.

Okay. Got agreat spot.

West parking lot
outside the front entrance.

Good. I'm getting a coffee.

You're breaking into a secure unit
to find a serial killer,

and you're stopping for coffee?

Completes the look.

Somebody pulling something
wouldn't stop for a coffee.

Just stay right there.

Sure.

Luther. Oh, my God.

What's going on?
Where the hell have you been?

Under arrest.

Right.

Sorry.

It's bad news about Mike, Jess.

He's loaded with prions.

You mean the mad cow thing?

Like that. Maybe worse.

Worse?

Yeah.

You had that fever too, you know.

I know. I know.

We don't know anything yet, Jess.

But if the changes in him are caused
by prions,

this thing could spread.

There could be others.

A lot of others.

My God.

I was around him.

So was Dez.

- ID, please.
- Eileen Zheng. Hematology.

Listen, he won't stay under,

but if we re-medicate this guy,
we could kill him.

Mr. Fayne,

I'd like to ask you a few questions.

You don't smell like a doctor.

Who are you?

I'm a friend.

I want to help you tell your side
of the story, Mr. Fayne.

The bullet wounds are
almost completely healed,

and his hemoglobin's off the scale.

Maybe that ties into the missing blood.

What missing blood?

All the victims have been missing
a lot of blood.

Way more than we can account for
at the scenes.

Maybe three liters.

Now, if he ingested the victims' blood...

He would be violently ill.

Iron overdose, kidney failure...

The other killer, the dentist,

they found over a liter of blood
in his stomach.

Yet he showed no signs of toxicity
or dehydration.

It's just not possible.

They're calling you the "Vampire Killer."

How many did you kill?

Leave me alone.

People want to understand.

You think I understand this?

I don't know who I am...

or what I've become.

We need backup. All officers report.

Michael!

Hey, hey, hey! Hey!

Please tell me I got that.

Are you sure?

- Then check it again, top to bottom.
- Detective.

Just a second.

I'll get back to you.

What is it?

I have to get home to my wife and my kid.

You're not a free man, Swann.

I understand that,

but you don't know where Fayne is.

And he thinks I sold him out.
My family is in danger.

I'll see if I can send a patrol car.

No, no, no, no, no.
Please, I need to... to go to them.

Let me go get them, please.

You saw what he did to your officers.

He knows where I live.

Two hours.

You're one second late...

I understand. Thank you. Thanks.

Hi, it's Jess. Leave a message.

Jess, don't go anywhere.

Lock the doors.

Call me when you get this. Bye.

Hello?

Dad, it's me.

Jess didn't pick me up.

I think something's following me.

All right, listen to me, Dez. Go home.

Right now. Immediately. Lock the doors.

I'll be there in just a little bit.
I'll call 911, okay?

Shit!

911. What's your emergency?

Jess?

Jess?

Dad!

I'm here.

I'm here. It's okay.

I'm here.

There was something following me.
I swear.

- And I...
- Okay. You're good now.

- Where's Jess?
- I don't know.

What's going on?

We're okay.

Jess?

Aah!

Drop it! On the floor!

I said on the floor!