Counselor Brightmore.
Greetings, Collective.
Status, Dr. Corliss.
Doctor.
Design is stable.
We're able to contain quantum data
through di-entangling it into superposition.
Functional, but the prototype still has issues.
If we want to succeed at each setting,
we're going to need major changes.
Dr. Corliss,
we have a time commitment
regarding field applications.
The Dreamcatcher must be ready.
There's just no way to compress and translate this level of data
without quantum computational capabilities and warping gravitational mass.
Why is this an issue?
Collective, we need something with highly powerful energy isotope
to accomplish what you ask.
Something that goes well beyond the requirements
of highly functioning AI.
We know of a way.
Brightmore, please apprise her once we adjourn.
My pleasure, Collective.
Dr. Corliss, finish the project
within the time frame we agreed to,
or consequences will apply.
-I just need-- -You will be given
the resources you require.
Can you abide by the original agreement?
Yes, Collective.
Meeting adjourned.
Consequences, doctor.
Feel free to take in the view.
Citizens of Silencia.
-Special curfew is in effect
-due to... [continues indistinctly]
ETA?
Five minutes.
Citizens of Silencia.
Special curfew is in effect...
[continues indistinctly]
...no fireweapon discharges past 10:00 p.m.
-Soliciting is strictly prohibited.
It's late.
Yeah, my computer crashed at home.
I've got some schematics that I need to finish.
Check in at the front desk.
-ID, handprint. -Yeah.
Where you headed?
Lower 15th, R&D.
It's a classified wing.
Yeah, I'm cleared.
B-Team. Have a Ross Vilmore headed your way.
Yeah, I know.
What's the, uh...
Section 34.
Thirty-four. Standby,
just double-checking your clearance.
Do you mind if I snag some of that coffee?
Sure.
Uh, you got any creamer?
Do I look like a barista?
I know that, uh, Bob, he keeps some
in his special drawer in the bottom.
Okay, ICE is in. We're ghosted.
Visual, sensor, thermal, sound.
Good.
Hero! There we go.
Copy that.
Okay, you're cleared. Lift four.
Yes. Thank you for the coffee.
Clear.
We're in the outer passageway.
Copy.
Three levels down. South side.
Triad 35B by BT Security Concepts.
It is pricey.
C4?
Mm-mm. Knockout gas.
Probably more on each floor.
Finders keepers.
Access granted.
Okay, we're clear. ETA?
Three minutes, about to head into the vents above your sector.
Sweet cut.
Hey!
-Amateur, huh? -The most important thing is...
He's alive.
You got it.
I'm at the target. ETA?
Copy that. ETA, one minute.
Handprint and access card.
Mm-hmm.
Your turn.
How'd you get that?
These scanners are easy to hack.
Mm-hmm. Did you make it?
Shut up.
Key card, Z.
Oh, you didn't say anything about two.
Well, one's a display model. Needed to delete all the files,
then upload a virus and steal everything. That was the deal.
That was not our deal.
Look, like I said, steal everything.
And who cares? We got the sphere.
Right? Come on!
Did you wipe the security cameras,
the card swipes, and the security logs?
Yeah, but we only have five minutes before the system reboots.
Oh, fuck!
What?
I left the flash drive in the office.
Well, go fucking get it, then. Let's go. Fast!
Dang it.
Intruder alert.
Lockdown in progress.
That fucking Judas!
...authorized.
Z, cover!
Ambush!
Economic disparity
has led a surge in violent crime
and property theft.
Aurora LTD... [continues indistinctly]
Fuck.
Good news only.
Yeah, I did what you said.
-So you have it? -Yeah, I got the chip.
What about the mercs? Crilenger and Z.
Well, they're trapped inside.
So you didn't fuck it up.
-What about the money? -Good things come
to he who does not piss me off.
Are you fucking serious, you asshole?
A major break-in at Peredor Corporation's
research and development facility last night
has led to a frenzy in the trade lines.
Stockbrokers desperately sell off Peredor's shares
based on rumors of stolen trade secrets.
Many had purchased futures on a promising new breakthrough
Peredor hoped to deliver to the market
by the fourth quarter of next year.
Police authorities on the scene were denied access to the building,
and Peredor has yet to press any charges.
According to their public relations bureau,
the investigation is being conducted in-house
by a private security team.
You know how much money I'm about to lose?
It's a good time to buy right now. It is going cheap.
You're right. I mean, I bought a ton of Peredor before this dog shit.
Okay, do you want a Xanax?
I already had two this morning.
Crunching numbers, Ethan?
Earth to Ethan.
Barrington Tran Security Concepts
made quite a lot of money off of that contract
for those new AI drones.
-I mean, I bought a ton of that, didn't you? -Yep.
Sad how many kids have to be killed by those things, though, huh?
Trade 'em as you see 'em, pal.
What is this?
That is confidential, good sir.
Christ. Seriously?
-Yo-- -Market didn't close.
-Just about-- -Get back on the floor and make
-some fucking money! -Right away.
Got it.
Go.
You get all P&L reports
for every portfolio up to quarter four?
Yes, I did.
-Good shit. -Kerry, I am surprised.
Is that a compliment?
Fuck no.
FYI, board meeting. High noon.
Oh, and Wellman wants to see you after.
It's always nice to see you, Kerry.
Nice drawing, asshole.
I think he likes me.
Aside from all the boo-hooing about the situation on Peredor,
they run a tight ship. They'll bounce back.
Put that fucking phone down!
We have healthy projections in many sectors.
But let's make this very clear.
This is where we place our focus over the next quarter.
This is from Wellman.
Yeah, Harrison. Straight from God Himself. Can I finish now?
Sorry.
Anyway, Peredor Corporation,
Sakura Biotech, and Tranceworld Media.
Don't trade against them. And do not, I repeat,
do notshort their shit. Okay?
No credit default swaps, no naked shorts, nothing.
But what if we get some huge... buyer?
Straight from fucking God!
What about C & Earth?
Fuck 'em.
It's kinda strange Kerry's asking us to compartmentalize investments.
It's strategic.
Yeah. Strategic.
Well, I'll see you around, Megan.
All right.
Welcome, Ethan. Would you like my assistant to get you an espresso,
bottled water, cream soda?
No, thank you.
We read your reports. Did you find any irregularities?
Not that I know of.
Do you like working here, Ethan?
There's a lot of people in the world who don't have jobs.
Guess I'm not in a position to complain.
Is there something wrong with my work?
No! On the contrary, you're great at dissecting the numbers.
But... we've been running the show here for a long time,
and it's more than just numbers.
Uh, we set the stage
for how value is perceived in the world.
You could say that the...
...the economy is a marionette doll
and we own the strings.
Of course.
-What do you want from me? -Well, we're a little concerned about exposure.
Like?
Market manipulation.
Right. As a matter of fact, if anything like that
were going on here at Mutual One and word got out,
that would be a serious problem.
Oh, yes. Of course.
These are the new figures for next quarter.
Read them over. Highlight anything unusual.
Make sure the projections add up.
I can do that.
-When do you need them by? -Friday.
We'd also like to keep this matter private.
Just between us, okay?
-Yes, sir. -Good. If you have any questions,
Kerry will address them for you.
I will ask Kerry all of my questions.
You can go now.
Can't stand that fucking guy.
Cold. Beer so cold...
...like this one. I have the perfect client for these.
Oh, look at this beast!
Rail pistol.
Gorgeous.
Take off a lot of heads with that one.
Crilenger!
Relax, boys.
Aren't you worse for the wear?
Still dashing, though.
Something off the menu?
The tiramisu? To die for.
Tiramisu is overrated.
Still using shock tips.
Never kills anybody.
Guy's a closet pacifist.
So, how'd it go?
How do you think?
The insider breached the agreement.
Why is this... my problem?
You're the fixer.
It's your responsibility to vet these things.
C... I adore you.
But I warned you from the get-go, the risks.
That's why I offered the insurance, but you said...
"No, no, no!"
You take 15%. That's insurance enough.
We done here?
Really not into crying over spilled lattes,
but I do know a good therapist.
I can hack your fucking data in a heartbeat.
I know a lot of folks that would love to have access
to those bank accounts and your colorful home videos.
Take it easy, for Christ's sake.
Had no idea the corporate rat was gonna be a problem.
Who ordered the fix?
If I break my confidentiality,
you know what'll happen to my reputation.
Your reputation is dropping fast.
Fine. Can we just let go, please?
Let's figure this out, like adults.
If you were anybody else,
I'd personally remove your nuts with a vegetable peeler.
Christ, you never lose your cool.
This is different, they breached the agreement.
Have Ren take a look at that hand.
Give me a name, Taa.
You know I can't do that.
But I can give you a lead
and a way to make more money on this
without upsetting the order of things.
I'm listening.
The item the insider bagged. Worth 50 times more
than whatever your cut was gonna be.
-What is it? -Some kind of bizarre quantum processor.
Opens the door to power. Everlasting life. Whatever.
You'd think they were talking about the holy fucking grail.
Apparently, a scientist wants it. Pretty bad.
-Who's the scientist? -A peculiar name.
Dresden Corliss.
I'll give you a location and contact info on the buyer, but that's it.
I just want 5% paid in the usual.
-Sure. -Good.
Small warning, though, sweetheart.
People who call this in...
...not ones to fuck with.
Hey.
I have a lot of overhead runnin' this joint.
Who's gonna cover the medical bill?
Don't you have insurance?
What is consciousness?
Is it primarily an electrical and biochemical function
of the neuronal wiring of the brain
sending funny little signals to the body?
"Eat. Move your arm. Duck!
There's a Frisbee coming towards your head!"
Adaptation.
Survival.
A genetic composition telling us to do this,
and then we choose within those environmental and biological precepts.
That's a facet of it.
But what is... this thing we call consciousness?
In ancient Sanskrit, this is called manas... or the mind.
The philosophy breaks it into two primary ideas.
Kama-manas,or desire,
such as survival, instinct,
food, sex, ego,
satisfying the state of neuroplasticity
that the brain has adapted to.
Then, there's Buddhi-manas.
Reason, logic...
...cognitive processing,
empathic perspectives,
compassion!
Perhaps telepathy.
Our findings have revealed,
on a quantum level,
that consciousness, or the enlightened mind,
is as much a byproduct of the brain
as it is an individual interdimensional construct
of quantum energy,
evolving and veering into and out of organic material.
What if we could prove that consciousness...
...or the soul, if you wanna call it that...
...decouples on a quantum level
and reasserts itself
in different form beyond the body?
Perhaps a new form...
...like reincarnation.
We have figured out how to make the monocle
extract memories, dreams, energy from the brain.
But what if it could go further?
As they say,
energy is neither created nor destroyed,
it simply transfers.
And aren't we all just energy
interacting and dancing together
from one dimension to another?
From one cosmological ecosystem to another?
Possibly.
Maybe.
Caller ID, Counselor Brightmore.
Doctor, how's the retrofit coming?
Uh, we're, uh, we're working on it.
The blueprint design you gave us
is really challenging to work with,
um, but it's...
Exactly what you were hoping for.
It's remarkable.
The engineering, I-- I've never seen anything like it.
When will we be able to see the actual component?
There was a minor delay, but you are getting the item.
A courier will drop it off soon enough.
-They stressed the timeline. -The Collective's aware.
Use the account we gave you to pay for it.
You okay? You look spent.
I'm fine, really.
-I saw the news about Peredor. -We had nothing to do with that.
I'm not an idiot.
Nobody said you were.
Even if that's the case, and I'm not saying it is...
...couldn't that backfire on us?
Try not to worry about it.
Closing out.
Attention...
What the hell?
"I found something.
It's high exposure. We must discuss."
This is Silencia Police Department.
Put your weapons down, get on the ground, now!
Citizens of Silencia.
Special curfew is in effect due to police quarantine zone.
No firearm discharges past 10:00 p.m.
Soliciting is strictly prohibited,
excluding all class 48--
Don't turn on the lights.
Jesus fucking Christ, man!
-Oh, my God. -Ross, what the fuck are you doing in my apartment?
You scared the fucking shit out of me, man!
Well, you left the door open.
You heard of knocking?
You ever heard of locking, brother?
Shit.
-Leave it, man! -Sorry.
I'm in a lot of trouble here, man, and I really need your help.
Where've you been?
It's been a fucking year, man.
I don't get a call.
"Hey, Ethan, how you been?"
Yeah, well, I-- it's--
it's been hard since Mom died, yeah?
I got lost in work.
You disappeared on me, man.
Can you please just shut the fuck up?
Just shut up and just hear me out, just for a sec, bro?
Do you know Peredor?
Yes, I know Peredor. I watch the news.
So, uh, I'm Assistant Director of Concepts
for Classified Projects. I work with, uh, DARPA, DOD.
And then, it was about nine months ago,
they brought in some really weird fucking shit, man.
What kind of stuff?
It's not from this world, Ethan.
What, like a meteorite?
No, not a f-- not a meteorite.
It's from some craft that they recovered.
See, what the DOD do is they... lift out parts from them
and they farm them out to little companies like me to reverse engineer the shit.
They don't tell us much about it, just that we're not meant to speak about it.
You know, "Figure out how it works,
make it applicable, just somehow," right?
That was you that robbed Peredor.
Yeah. And I wasn't alone either.
Some guy named Malik just calls me out of the blue.
Covert ops pro.
He works the dark market.
So, he got in touch with this fixer, right?
And then, they rigged the whole thing.
See, the plan was, was to steal our prototype
because it is so powerful...
...that we actually nicknamed it "The Sun."
It processes quantum energy,
and I'm not just talking information,
I'm talking time and space.
The applications for this thing, they are unreal.
Like, I'm talking fucking biblical, mate.
See, the plan was to steal the thing
and then frame the mercs for the robbery.
Since when were you a goddamn thief?
-It's worth fucking millions, man! -Oh, that makes it good.
And besides, who gives a shit? How do you think Peredor got so big, man?
-They've been stealing secrets for fucking years! -That is not the point, Ross.
Don't you fucking judge me, bro!
Don't you judge me. You sit at that fucking job
pissing and moaning about how much you hate corporations,
and instead you doodle in some shitty little fucking sketchbook, yeah?
You got a gift, brother, and you're wasting it.
You're gonna end up like your fucking father
-with a bullet in your fucking-- -Hey!
Do not.
You do not.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Yeah?
I'm just... I'm fucking on edge right now, man.
Citizens of Silencia.
Special curfew is in effect due to police quarantine zone.
No firearm discharges past 10:00 p.m.
Soliciting is strictly prohibited
excluding all class 48A
-permit holders. -So, what do you want with me?
So, I need to meet Malik for the exchange.
So, if you can just drive me there, be a look out.
-Come on, man! -You owe me, man.
My family, we took you in when you had nothing, bro.
That's not fair.
I just, I never ask anything of you, man.
Please?
-All right. -Yeah.
I will help you with your little, uh...
...spy shit.
Thank you.
I'll give you a cut if you want.
Oh, I don't care about the money.
Just always looking out, bro. Always looking out.
Yeah.
Uh, there's, uh, there's beers in the fridge,
if you want another one.
We can go jet over to your contact
after I have my meeting tomorrow.
Sounds good?
-Yeah. -Get some sleep.
Oy, Ethan.
I know you think I'm a dick for doing this, but...
...you know.
You know I love you, yeah?
Like, really.
Yes.
Me too.
Good night.
Fuck me!
-Fuck! -Nice shot!
Oh.
Oh, that had to hurt.
Ethan! Hey!
Come on in, man!
Ethan. Welcome!
Kerry, could you get him a... cream soda, would you?
And get me a, you know, an F-25.
-Thank you, Kerry. -Well...
Well, it's too bad you're not, uh, suited up.
We could use some fresh blood in here.
Oh, no, I'm, I'm not good at, at this.
Ah. By the way, this is Barrington Tran.
Chairman of B&T Security Concepts.
We do this once a week.
-It's a pleasure to meet you. -Mm.
Um...
...this is private stuff, so--
Ah, he won't spill our secrets.
All right.
Uh, well, after a lot of digging...
...the profit margins aren't adding up legitimately.
Legitimately?
-How do I say this? Uh-- -Fraud.
Well, yeah.
Unfortunately.
A shell company we own
is artificially lowering stock value
with put options for Peredor Corporation,
Sakura Biotech, and Tranceworld Media.
They plan on buying everything up for cheap next Monday.
Which means Mutual One will take majority holdings
over all of those companies under one umbrella.
That is a problem.
Yes, and I'm just trying to protect you.
Oh, no, marvelous work. Did you, uh,
-send a full report to Kerry? -I did, yes.
Good. You know what?
I'm having a get-together at the château this weekend.
Come on by.
I appreciate that, but I have a lot of--
Ah, don't make me beg!
-Okay. -Good.
Get in touch with my, uh, assistant.
-Get the deets. -Um, I was also wondering
if I might, uh... head home early today.
-I have some personal issues I need to deal with. -Ah.
The man who... saved our asses from the scammers?
You take two days off.
Thank you.
How difficult is this gonna be to cover up?
Not hard.
Aren't you concerned about shaking the boat too much?
What boat are we talking about?
C & Earth.
I'm tired... of those fucking ghosts stories
about the Collective.
Heard they had something to do with the heist.
Peredor come up with any suspects in the break-in?
Not yet. C & Earth's name did come up, though.
Check it out.
C & Earth can't sneak into our territory
without consequences.
What about Ethan?
Oh, he's taken care of. Relax.
Gentlemen... come Monday...
we're gonna have majority share of Peredor,
Sakura Biotech,
and Tranceworld International.
And it's giving me a goddamn boner!
New high score.
Fuck me!
This is an ice attack.
Heard you have a clusterfuck on your hands.
Nothing that can't be un-fucked.
Still no sphere.
You know how the Collective feels
-about these kinds of things. -Have I ever not delivered?
Remember, we have other business on the agenda.
So fix it.
This is a warning, Malik.
You got a jam on the skies, right?
Copy that.
No satellite coverage.
We're in the shadows.
Good.
Just drop me off here.
Okay.
Uh, use these.
I can't see shit.
The, uh, focus is on the top, right here.
-Ah. -Yeah, yeah, yeah.
-It's gonna be fine. Two Musketeers. -This seems like a bad idea.
-Let's go. -See you in a sec.
So...
...I believe in a block universe.
Like... there's a reason for everything.
Electric particles... dancing in some parabola.
Stardust collecting in an avalanche
manifesting this godforsaken rock.
Cause...
...and effect.
Which leads me to a question.
About actions, Ross.
What ar-- what are you talking about?
Crilenger and Z managed to fly the coop.
No, that's impossible.
Crilenger's kinda special.
Not a good loose end to have.
Do you wanna keep pontificating about karma,
-or should we... -Let's fucking see it.
-Money first. -Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
I mean, I have to justify the expense.
The deal was to frame the mercs anddeliver the item.
Why pay for both when I only get one?
Because I did everything that you asked!
-Half, Ross. -That is bullshit!
No!
It's math.
Give him the goddamn box, Ross.
Yeah.
I'm sorry.
No.
I'msorry.
I'm just fucking sorry I hired a sales prick
to do an ops job.
Let's fucking see it.
Money.
Agent Claymore. The case, please.
Wh-- uh-uh!
No touching.
Looks good.
All right.
Can I go?
Absolutely.
Mom.
-No. -Boss, we've got a problem.
It's a, uh, display model.
-What? -A good one. Fooled the program. I went to double-check...
-He's fucking dead! -...and, uh--
You said straight up that the scan would work!
-I know. But the program... [continues indistinctly] -Uh, shut the fuck up!
Don't let that happen again.
Yes, sir. I'm sorry.
Shit. You get the make?
A4.
Find out who owns it.
-Clean up the mess. -Will do.
Silencia Police Department parking...
And then, they, uh...
then they shot him.
What'd you say the name of the assailant was?
-The what? -You mentioned your friend was meeting someone.
His name was Malik.
Wait here a minute. I'm gonna make a few calls.
-Fill out that form. I'll be right back. -All right.
You okay?
Yeah, um...
...do you have another pen?
This one's out of ink.
Sure.
Thank you.
So... I checked with dispatch,
several other patrols.
No reports of the type of activity you're describing.
Okay, but I'm, I'm telling you what happened.
Off the record.
That name you mentioned? Malik.
Not a nice guy.
If you could give me just a little insight,
I could alleviate a lot of your problems.
Wha-- what do you mean, "insight"?
Did your friend have some kind of device?
Special kinda processor, maybe?
No, not, not, not that I know of.
You're sure about that?
Yes.
All right. File those reports then.
Silencia Police Department parking...
-Hey, pal. -...is reserved for SPD employees only.
Any violation of SPD parking
-will be met with deadly force. -Get in.
No exceptions.
Thank you for choosing Silencia Police Department
for your safety and security.
Hey, don't fucking touch me, asshole!
Breathe slow.
Nice and slow.
It'll come back.
Fuck!
Yeah. Those ones really suck.
What do you want?
Just wanna know where it is.
What?
Tell us where your little buddy
-stashed his shit. -I don't know!
He just wanted me to drive him to your goddamn meeting, okay?
Please.
You killed my best friend.
Your f--
That guy was a fucking rat.
What difference does it make? Hmm?
Even if I tell you...
...you'll just kill me anyway.
Yeah. No. You're right, but...
...but, you see...
...I'll kill ya...
...after we put you in the pit.
We'll get the intel out of you first...
...and then you'll beg for a quick death.
Go fuck yourself.
Saucy little motherfucker.
The motherfucking monk.
Don't move.
Move.
Get him!
Is that Zen enough for ya?
Couldn't hack it in the agency,
and ya can't hack it out here!
Just never had the stomach for it, did ya?
Oh, yeah.
Hey!
Z, no!
Stop!
Goddamn it, Z!
What the fuck did I say?
I ran out of shock tips.
Who cares? The guy is a piece of... shit!
You're missing the point.
He almost killed you.
Do you wanna be like him?
No.
Sorry.
Don't be.
Thank you for saving my life.
Are you okay?
Yeah, I'll make it. What happened to Mason?
He took off.
Oh, he's a sitting duck.
He's probably heading to the last place he should be going.
All right, Doc.
Javelin, you sent a team out to his apartment, right?
Yep. Searching it now.
Oh, found him.
He's about three clicks away on G Street,
heading... north.
Where does he work?
Mutual One Investments.
Jack Wellman.
Familiar?
Hoity-toity prick.
Took out his rivals for him a few years back
during that shit show in The Centrals.
So, if we don't get the kid at his pad...
...go to Mutual One.
No witnesses.
I won't.
Do it, or you put us all at risk.
I'm done.
When's the last time you even saw Malik?
Ten years, maybe?
You wanna talk about it?
No, not really.
You know...
...part of the reason I wanted to work with you was because...
...you listened...
...when nobody else would.
I understand that, I just don't feel like going there right now.
Door's always open.
-Thank you. -Mm.
I still say this is a bad idea.
-We should just cut our losses. -It's not his fault.
Yeah, but that friend of his fucked us over.
Hey, hold up.
I wouldn't go up there if I were you.
-Why? -Well, for starters,
you're gonna get spotted the moment you walk
past that camera right there, and upstairs,
you've got at least two or three of Malik's goons
who've already trashed the place
just waiting to put you in a pit.
Great.
What do you want from me?
Just five minutes of your time.
Yeah?
What, in your car?
You're gonna offer me some candy too?
No one's forcing you here.
Five minutes?
Yeah.
Then I can go after?
If that's what you choose.
In the back.
Your phone?
-Hey, hey! I didn't agree to that. -You might as well tattoo,
"X marks the spot" on your forehead.
And no electronic purchases for a while either, okay?
This is Z.
Hi.
I'm guessing you two were in on that heist thing?
-And it would've gone fine if your friend-- -Zephyr.
Look, I don't know what I'm doing.
-Okay? -You know what we're looking for, right?
What assurances do I get?
We do the deal together.
We protect you.
We just want what we're owed.
You can have 5% off the top.
I don't care about the money.
With all the shit you've been dragged into,
you'd be doing yourself a disservice
if you didn't take some kind of restitution.
The Ruzeta Grid?
I'm sorry. What is the Ruzeta Grid?
It's a very long drive.
-There's one rule. -What's that?
No killing.
Bummer.
Haven't done that in years.
Wake up, coffee, then have my usual.
Eggs, bacon, and murder.
Fuck, I lost him!
He must have trashed his cell.
Lil' fuckin' prick.
Talk to me, Shades.
Nothing here, chief.
Ugh. You know I hate going to these things, Asha.
Don't worry. You look beautiful.
So do you.
Oh, God, I feel gross.
Oh, no! You look gorgeous.
Ugh.
You have that look.
What look?
You're spinning.
I'm not spinning.
Regardless how much theory means, proof,
-what's out there, where we all go-- -It's important.
So are you.
Just don't let it own you.
Okay.
Lady of the hour.
Of the century.
Oh.
You know, I'm not so sure about this.
About what?
I've heard some things about the Collective.
They play in the dark market.
You got your funding, right?
-Yeah. -Smile.
It's not every day that somebody figures out
how to capture consciousness on a flash drive,
let alone have the resources to do whatever they want.
I know C & Earth wants its Dreamcatcher.
This concept,
stealing human energy from consciousness?
Yeah.
It's savage!
The mere thought of an afterlife goes well beyond any dominion
C & Earth wants control over.
The monocle was designed to show that we're--
we're not just raw flesh and random thoughts
reacting by neurons and survival.
I don't give a shit, doctor.
Whatever makes the money roll.
Money? Oh.
What happens to it when you're dead?
It is that thought form that is literally fucking the planet right now.
-Honey, it's okay. -No, Asha.
I got this.
You guys... you just take and take and take
until guess what?
-What? -There's nothing left.
Look around. All of this... gone.
And for what? Some irrational addiction to power?
You've signed the contract, Dresden.
We didn't force you.
Have a drink. You look like you need it.
Asshole.
Brightmore, we're not naive.
Just stay within the terms that you agreed to.
Okay?
I made a mistake.
It's okay.
We'll deal with it.
Just focus on your goals. Your discovery is important.
It'll change things.
I sold out.
You needed resources.
Right.
I love it out here.
Maybe tomorrow we can do the walk to Crystal Creek Falls.
-Have a picnic? -It's really hard for me to take time off work right now.
I know.
But we just really haven't had a lot of time together lately.
-Wow. -Yeah.
You know, I'll call the lab.
Or maybe I can take a half-day off.
I love you.
I love you too.
No! Asha!
Oh, God, no!
Asha! Asha!
Asha!
Doctor?
Yeah?
The monocle took to the new update...
...thanks to the schematics C & Earth sent us.
We used a different algorithm
to rebuild the communication threads for the retrofit.
There's no risk of overload?
No. We made sure there was enough ventilation,
so whatever excess power the sphere produces
gets diverted away from the primary lens diopter.
Call Brightmore.
Tell him we're ready.
Dresden.
We'll talk soon, my love.
Can I help you?
Excuse me, sir, you're not allowed to--
Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
Jack!
Malik?
What? I mean, no cream soda?
Who the fuck do you think you are?
Goddamn it, Malik.
Oh, God!
This isn't your territory.
No shit.
Hey, nice new golf trophies!
Congratulations!
You know this cunt cheats, right?
Yeah.
Places a backup ball in his sleeve.
I mean, for a game that's all about controlling your balls,
you just can't do it straight, can you, Jack?
What do you want?
I'm looking for someone.
-Who? -Ethan Mason.
Our employee? Leave him alone.
Mm, sorry, can't do that.
Uh, well, he's too valuable to the group
-to just-- -Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack.
I do not have time for this shit.
All right.
We just need him for... 48 hours. Hmm?
I'll even write you a check...
...for 50K.
And we'll even hand him over to you...
...personally.
Alive.
Of course.
Better not bounce.
-How's your dick? -Fuck you.
I'll see you later, motherfucker.
That son of a bitch.
You find out who the fuck he's working for.
Okay?
-Is that from-- -From Corliss's lecture.
Yeah, some concepts she designed about particle transference.
Uh, how much further?
About 50 clicks.
You know, I was wondering...
...you guys don't kill anybody? I mean, you are mercs, right?
Crilenger's got a different...
...philosophy to all that.
Why do you work for Wellman?
Good with... numbers and patterns, I guess.
It's just a job.
Just a job.
Okay.
I found some fraud in the company.
How surprising.
And they know about it.
I told them.
That was dumb.
They're the ones that asked me to look.
And you're getting worked, office boy.
You know, I don't even like offices.
It's funny, though, my dad didn't seem to mind.
The guy was obsessed with money.
Keeping up with the Joneses.
Always stressed.
Took it out on us all the time too.
Then he did some deal.
Lost a bunch of money for a mutual fund company,
and the SEC threatened jail time.
He get convicted?
No.
He killed himself.
That's brutal.
Yeah. My mom got real depressed after that.
OD'd on some benzos shortly after.
I was about 12... or something at the time.
Both parents.
Yeah.
Fuck.
But it got me thinking.
Why was he so miserable?
'Cause it wasn't just his choices.
Have you heard of the term "structural violence"?
No.
Negative externalities of society.
Right? It could be workplace stress
or, um, it could be... poverty or pollution.
It affects everything.
In reality, our decisions are defined by what is available
or by what we perceive as available.
Even though my father was the one to pull the trigger...
...if the incentives were different in any way,
his decision might've changed
and he might still be here today.
It's actually why I got into architectural engineering.
Better living through design.
Exactly!
Free energy.
Smart production.
Stress-free aesthetics.
We could live in a world of zero marginal cost
if we just changed how we designed our way of building things.
It's better than fucking up the planet.
You hear that, Z? We have another idealist.
Mm-hmm.
No, it's just logical.
Yeah.
As if the corps will ever let that happen.
Change is coming.
Did you slip something into Crilenger's coffee?
It's stupid, yeah.
"If you do not change direction,
you end up where you're heading.
If I let go of what I am,
I might become what I might be."
Lao Tzu.
I know why you're working for Wellman.
Yeah? Why?
Fear.
I'm sorry about Ross.
He was a good guy.
His family took me in after...
-He was just a little bit-- -Greedy.
Yeah, that's kinda par for the course.
Yeah.
So... your turn.
My turn?
What, why the no-kill policy?
Yeah.
-Maybe another time. -Oh!
Well, that's not fair.
So, are we on an op?
No, we're not on an op.
We're cleaning up a mess.
Well, that's a shame.
Kinda felt like we were a team there for a second.
You know, I think I'm gonna put on some talk radio.
I think that's a fucking good idea.
Okay, uh,
I managed to track Ross's location
from the time you called him
and searched the vicinity.
Looks like the dog wants to bury a bone.
This is about the time we lost him,
but, I mean, there's nothing.
Zoom in on the taxi ID number next to the plate.
It's, uh, 7:34 a.m.
So, what are you gonna do?
I'm gonna hack into their system and find the routing assignment.
Attaboy.
Oh, shit.
It's the RZ, there's no satellite images out there.
Go back to Mason's apartment.
Crilenger's car. Next one.
Fuck, it's ghosted.
Doesn't matter.
We know where they're going.
Offering 100K.
Two males, one female, one salvage. A hard case.
Approximately 30 minutes away from your sector,
driving a black armored coupé. Sending coordinates now.
I can't see shit.
I'm working on it, Z.
Jesus!
Is it always like this out here?
It's just debris.
All right.
Z, three clicks, nine o'clock.
I fucking hate this place.
Malik's becoming a liability.
Termination and/or incarceration
of the associates was not authorized.
It was something he demanded as part of the deal.
These actions have elevated
unnecessary exposure. Mutual One and Peredor
have already implicated our involvement.
The operation would've been more expedient
if he wasn't playing games
with the crew he assembled through the fixer.
They are close to the recovery of the sphere?
-They are. -Malik must be focused
on the final phase.
Please remove him from the current assignment.
We trust the freelancers will complete the transaction.
My pleasure, Collective.
What about Mutual One's employee, Ethan Mason?
We have a unique opportunity
with Mr. Mason.
Are you suggesting a test subject?
Indeed.
I'll look into it.
Fuck, it's cold!
What the hell happened here, anyway?
Pop version or the truth?
Truth?
Some quantum engineers were brought in years ago
by DARPA to try to create a multidimensional shift in the region.
The idea was to do
some kind of interdimensional surveillance
using the fusion power.
But a rift happened.
Instead of being able to spy in other dimensions,
it affected the subatomic structure of the area...
...affecting the ecosystem.
Physics is different, law is different.
The fragment that got through affected the physics.
Climate, weather affected mostly,
but also communication.
They abandoned the project...
...and put a cover story on it.
-Wouldn't that affect the rest of the world?
You'd think so.
They managed to keep it isolated for now, but who knows?
A lot of strange shit happens here.
-I'm guessing this used to be a mining town?
Yeah.
Sacred burial ground before that.
Before the dipshits of DARPA fucked that up.
The locals like to call it "Frankenland."
You guys okay?
Yeah.
-You guys okay? -Yeah.
I can't see anything.
Hang on.
Okay.
All right.
Twenty-five meters, twelve o'clock.
Strange stuff.
It's here.
I'll dig.
Key.
Please?
-C! -What?
Z!
Fuck!
Kind of in the middle.
Call it off.
-What the fuck? -Start prepping the next phase.
But we're this close to pulling it off!
Collective's orders.
It hurts!
Ethan, there's first aid in the bag.
There's an injection. You can use it in the wound
to seal it up and disinfect it.
Here, take this.
Remember what I told you.
Let me take this off.
You ready?
Not really.
-Fuck! -Yeah.
-How you feeling? -Better.
-Thanks. -No, thank you.
If it weren't for you, we'd be toast by now.
Keep your eyes peeled and hand on the trigger.
Yes, ma'am.
At least the money is still good.
Not everything's about the money, Brokowski.
Abort the mission.
I repeat, abort...
...the mission.
Oh, God.
I miss the tropics.
What took you so long?
Kerry, relax. Have a cream soda.
No, thanks. FYI,
Malik's contracted with C & Earth.
See? I told you.
Relax, Tran. Jesus Christ, what else?
They stole Peredor's tech.
The whole thing was a bit of a fuck-up.
C & Earth hired Malik. Malik got some insider and hired a fixer
to assemble a couple of mercs.
They're delivering it to someone at Aurora Limited.
It's one of C & Earth's subsidiaries.
Who are the mercs?
Crilenger and Zephyr Gates.
The monk.
Let me guess, Malik was gonna frame him for the job.
Something like that.
Crilenger's a unique brand.
Wasn't he agency?
Oh, yeah, counterintelligence.
He was the brightest star they ever had.
Sorry the son of a bitch quit.
What's the plan?
Recover the tech.
What about Malik?
Zero his ass.
The Grinder,
this hard and hot fiery thick one...
I used to do meth in a place like this.
By the way...
...you never did tell me why the no-killing policy.
Yeah, C, why don't you tell him?
Used to be agency.
Last time, our team went to,
to a village on a search-and-destroy.
Killed a lot of kids and families in the process.
Territory seized.
There was a woman... who survived.
We were told...
...no witnesses. Our task was to clean...
...the area.
I wanted to help her.
And then, someone from our crew shot her right there.
It was Malik.
Oh, shit.
I quit after that.
I made the decision
never to... kill... anybody again.
Most mercs are like Malik.
I figured, someone in this business, so long as it exists...
...can do it without all the insanity.
See?
That wasn't so hard.
Yeah.
So, how did you two start working together?
I was a... grunt in The Centrals.
And after discharge...
...got all fucked up on drugs and shit.
Ended up homeless.
Crilenger helped clean me up.
Oh, fuck!
What?
I forgot I have a thing
I need to go to tomorrow night.
What thing?
Thing at my boss's house.
Oh, that's a fucking great idea.
Oh, yeah, thank you! That's nice!
I don't wanna walk into work on Monday morning
and have my boss go, "Hey, Ethan,
you don't have a job anymore."
What the fuck?
Thank you.
Do you know where I can find Mr. Wellman?
That goddamn Collective.
Uh, C & Earth's in over their heads.
Tran and Kerry sent out a team
to take care of Malik at Rubicon.
If you didn't do this for Peredor,
this close to a hostile takeover--
Pac-Man defense. Speaking of which, what happened?
We're sending every boot we have to that lab at Aurora.
We'll recover what was stolen,
then we're gonna burn it to the fucking ground.
Ethan! I'm glad you could make it.
Join us!
Folks, this is Ethan Mason,
our financial analyst.
Saving us a whole lot of trouble.
I was just doing my job.
Ethan, Kay Chancellor,
Chairman of the Board for Peredor Corporation.
Hitomi Brazcel, CEO of Sakura International.
You've got Senator Brigman, and Tran, of course, you already know.
I hear you're very talented, Mr. Mason.
It's definitely a pleasure to make your acquaintance.
It's a pleasure to meet you as well.
Just like his father, Jack.
Modest.
You knew my father?
Briefly. Y-- you know what?
I have an incredible single malt.
Are you a Scotch man?
Why not?
Stellar 50.
Isn't that expensive?
Very.
Thank you.
What about you?
I already... got mine.
To success.
Good.
-And strong. -Mm.
But it's very smooth, yeah.
You said that you, you worked with my father?
Well, he worked with an affiliate of ours many years ago, I...
...I hope I didn't offend.
Not at all.
A tragedy.
I really don't think it was his fault.
Welcome back to everyone's favorite Z dating show.
Listen, uh, I believe with your beauty, your talent,
mixed with my superior genetics,
we will create the ultimate apex progeny.
What would you do if a mage was attacking her?
Rumor has it Mutual One made a major play
and will begin purchasing majority shares in Peredor,
Sakura Biotech, and Tranceworld Media on Tuesday,
making their portfolio the largest in the world.
Back to you, Kevin.
I thought you guys were trying to--
Mm, not exactly.
-You designed it. -Not me.
-But that's ill-- -Illegal? I know.
I know.
I don't feel great.
It's been so long since I thought about Alan.
Boy, was he naive,
but... highly instrumental.
What?
Oh, your dad.
Amazing how the press bought that fake suicide of his.
Man, we made a lot of money off that one.
Get him.
Hey.
He's ten sheets to a fucking hurricane.
Hurry, we have to get him back in the car.
Don't leave me, Master.
Jesus Christ!
Yeah, what a fuck job that guy, huh?
Whatever C & Earth's paying you, I'll double it right now.
How did you not see this coming, anyway?
We did.
Do you think Peredor is gonna sit back
and let C & Earth steal its tech?
It's war, Malik.
Yeah, well, it's a war you guys can't win.
C & Earth's taken over.
W-- who the fuck do you think you are, coming into my place?
Your place?
What, you think you earned all of this?
That's funny.
Look, I-- I've got...
...an account nobody knows about.
I'll give it to you.
You know, Jack...
...guys like you, you get away with everything.
Whereas guys like us pretty much clean up your shit
while you sit back on your private jet.
Yeah, and what makes you any different?
-The difference? -Uh-huh.
I have no illusions about what I am.
But you?
You pretend to be something that you're not.
See, I think it's cosmic destiny
that C & Earth hired us for this gig.
I lost a lot of comrades all those years back
during that clusterfuck in The Centrals
you and your friends sent us on. You guys...
...you guys made out like bandits.
We lost legs, lives.
Some even lost their minds.
So, check it out. I had this idea
to give real weight and significance
to any time some prick wants to start a conflict in the world
for their own self-interest.
It's a policy, if you will.
That you guys...
...are the first in line.
Because, I mean, if it's so fucking important to you,
you should be leading the charge.
Fully armed.
Taking the risk.
Am I right?
"Yes, Malik.
You are right."
Look...
I'm gonna give you a chance...
...to kill me.
Please,
don't do this.
Don't be a whiny little bitch. Have some self-respect.
Come on, cock it.
Here you go, go on.
Calm down, it's okay.
Pull that back.
There you go!
Now, you are locked and loaded.
Ready to rock and roll.
Well, come on, man.
What are you waiting for?
This is your golden opportunity.
Bummer.
Could've guessed it, right?
The fucking game
was rigged all along!
Have a nice death, Jack.
Fuck you.
Flush this piece of shit.
You okay back there?
Yeah.
Brutal headache.
What happened?
Your boss slipped you a roofie.
Almost had you cliff diving.
Probably trying to tie up any loose ends
from whatever scheme you dug up.
That piece of shit!
Well, thank you for saving me.
-Again. -No worries.
It's what you do for your team.
We're a team?
-Relax. -Oh, shh.
Yeah.
Cool.
Shit, we have company.
-They have a cutter. -They got a what?
Let's go, people!
Move. Move.
Move.
I just don't understand all this security.
There's people out there who wanna steal it.
-This is crazy. -Collective's orders.
Well, what am I supposed to do?
Just fit the device and test it.
On who, exactly?
Let me worry about that.
-They're here. -Good. Just whatever you do,
wait till the deal is done.
-Copy. -One more thing,
our test subject.
Ethan Mason. Yeah, I know.
I'll get your little guinea pig for ya.
I wanna punch that cunt straight in the asshole.
It'll be extraordinary to see
the doctor's invention in action.
The only action we're interested in is credits, lady.
And could you leave that, please?
Dr. Corliss?
Yes?
I was expecting only one courier.
It's a little more complicated than that.
You can say that again.
My friend was murdered 'cause of this thing.
What are you talking about?
It was stolen from Peredor.
So you're thieves?
-I'm not. -Only the good stuff.
The fucking asshole lied to me.
All right, motherfuckers,
-in position! -Yes, sir!
50K bonus for every shitbag Peredor bony!
Yeah!
You act so surprised.
It's easy to look the other way
when you got this kind of funding.
My thoughts exactly.
That's rich, coming from a merc.
What about our scratch?
Well, could I at least see if it works first?
Sure.
Ethan.
What do you even know about that sphere, anyway?
Only that they sent us the schematics a couple of weeks ago.
They said it was coming from a private vendor.
A private vendor?
Christ.
What are you hoping to achieve with this thing?
There are three settings.
The first implants and extracts memories from the brain.
The other is something that C & Earth wanted.
It basically siphons off human energy and consciousness
and then stores it to be used for consumption.
For consumption?
Are you fucking kidding me?
It wasn't my idea.
It was part of the deal with C & Earth.
I would never have gotten this level of funding...
...if I hadn't played ball with the Collective.
What do they wanna do with it?
Well, C & Earth wants to figure out a way to achieve immortality.
Not like copying a personality engram
and then putting it on a hard drive.
Real immortality.
Beautiful.
Javelin, Morris, with me.
Now, you said there were three settings on this.
Well, hopefully...
...it opens a dimensional portal in the mind
to what we call "the afterlife."
It'll prove the existence of a soul.
You tested this?
Not with this upgrade.
We couldn't get the second and third settings
to function properly.
We needed something more powerful.
So C & Earth just basically wants to kill people
and take their energy and make it their own.
Well, that's not how they said it would work.
And they told us... that they would be using it
on death row inmates and the terminally ill.
Oh, wow.
You actually believe that?
Look, I have a, a wife who died.
And this is my only chance
to maybe...
talk to her again.
Or just know that she's okay.
You just don't get it!
I mean, the mere...
...implication of an afterlife is game-changing!
I get it.
I understand.
And I don't disagree.
But at what cost, doctor?
We can't let her have it.
-We're under contract, Z. -No, there's no fucking way.
This thing could seriously be an issue for all of us.
I agree.
Please don't do this.
We have to, Z.
Now, look, there are other ways to achieve things, Dresden.
I think you should seriously reconsider your business with C & Earth.
You understand the stakes here.
I have worked so hard on this.
And I'm not about to just throw it all away
when we barely know anything about it yet.
The ethics can be dealt with later.
I did my research for good,
regardless of what C & Earth intended.
So be it.
The scratch.
Okay. Okay.
I need the wiring details.
Yeah.
Done.
Perimeter breached.
-What is that? -Code five.
Peredor. Uh, uh, pleasure doing business with you, doctor.
Ethan, Zephyr, it is time for us to go.
Perimeter breached. Code five.
I really hope it was worth it.
I didn't know.
Perimeter breached. Code five.
Boss, we have hostiles in the perimeter.
Lure them down to our point of fire.
-Clear. -You are now at Laboratory 22,
sector three.
Perimeter breached. Code five.
Ethan! Go!
-Go, go, go, go, go. go!
Morris, with me.
Up.
Back the fuck up.
-Put it down. -In the chair, kid.
Morris, you know what you gotta do?
-Oh, yeah. -Okay, so do it.
I'm gonna go take care of that lanky prick.
Have fun.
Dresden...
...it's me.
We never did get to go on that hike.
Asha.
I miss you.
I miss you so much.
It's okay.
You need to live for the present now.
But I think about you every day.
I know.
We'll meet again.
It's inevitable.
Where are you?
In a peaceful place.
Where all thought, all form originates.
I won't be here much longer.
Another journey awaits.
I've already concluded my contract with the previous one.
Contract?
You will understand in time, Dresden.
Listen to me.
What you've done here, this technology...
...it's not meant to be used like this.
The beings who designed the power of the sphere
are much older than your species.
Much wiser.
Your world is not ready.
In time, people will learn to use wisdom
with this discovery.
But the people who want to use it now are very dangerous.
They are attempting to use it as a means to prolong their lifespan,
for which it is not designed.
They do not understand the consequences of using this device.
What consequences?
They will ruin lives with it.
They will imprison minds with it.
What am I supposed to do?
You must destroy it.
I will.
I love you.
I will always love you.
I love you too.
-I have to go now. -No, please!
Please stay!
Goodbye, my dearest.
Hey, hey. You okay?
What the f-- fuck?
What--
Z.
Go!
All right.
-You're gonna be okay? -Yes! Go.
Come on! Stick your head out for me, monk!
They're here! Come on!
Access unrecognized.
Hurry!
Oh!
There you go!
You have a choice, Malik.
Enough!
I'm gonna enjoy watching you die, monk.
Come on, do it!
Fucking do it!
Just fucking do it. Finish me.
Fucking finish me!
Your hatred is your prison, Malik.
Yeah. And you're a righteous pain in the ass.
You're a slave to the corporation.
You're just gonna end up a fucking tool
they'll use and throw away.
We did not sign up for this.
I'll see you around.
My car's over there.
Come on. Go, go, go.
Get in the car!
Let's go!
Mutual One Investments and Barrington Tran Security
are under investigation for extortion, fraud, and murder.
Charges include rigging the market to gain controlling interest
in Sakura Biotech, Peredor, and Tranceworld Media.
Jack Wellman, CEO of Mutual One, has been reported dead
of an apparent suicide...
...rumored to be in connection with the crimes.
And earlier today, Sakura Biotech,
Peredor, Tranceworld Media,
and Mutual One Investments
were bought up by C & Earth Corporation
in a hostile takeover bid early this morning,
making C & Earth the largest conglomerate in the world.
Managed to save the components from the monocle.
We'll be able to replicate the prototype.
Peredor's board and Mutual One made their concession.
The Dreamcatcher experiment yielded positive results.
Even our interpreters fared well killing their opponents.
Yes. The mercs were no match for their strength nor their abilities.
It's important we continue to keep an eye on Ethan Mason.
Tracked and monitored.
You're sure you don't wanna remove the mercs and Dresden Corliss?
We do not wanna provoke any conflict
during this transition.
Very well. By the way,
we selected test subjects at Area 93.
The next phase is already underway.
Two towns. Sulen Community and Bigsby.
Excellent. Please keep us informed
of any new developments.
My pleasure, Collective.
Found this in the car.
Great designs.
Definitely do the engineer thing.
I quit my job.
How's Dresden?
She'll be all right.
We... managed to work a deal to keep her safe.
That's good.
So, what are you all about to do next?
Off to steal more shit?
No.
Z and I agree we're done with that.
But there's probably someone out there who needs our help...
...given the circumstances recently.
I'm glad to hear it.
What do you see out there?
I see a lot of things.
♪ Sick, sick, sick, sick, sick Stuck in their brains again ♪
♪ Like a twisted nail, outdone ♪
♪ We're crawling around alone ♪
♪ Found a cosmic rail, oh, no ♪
♪ They're pushing Their trains again ♪
♪ Born into their mind She says ♪
♪ She's strolling around alone ♪
♪ Hero, walking around ♪
♪ Hero, let's go! ♪
♪ Hero, moping around ♪
♪ Zero, straight down ♪
♪ "Oh, no," they go ♪
♪ They know zero ♪
♪ "Oh, no," they go ♪
♪ Too much information ♪
♪ Yeah, overload ♪
♪ Hearts alone ♪
♪ Too much information ♪
♪ Yeah, hearts explode ♪
♪ Broken bones ♪
♪ Sick, sick, sick, sick, sick Trapped in their head again ♪
♪ Like a crooked lens Look, see ♪
♪ They're forging those bets The same ♪
♪ Like a tortured wretch Oh, no ♪
♪ They see those crowds around ♪
♪ Shouting all the gore ♪
♪ Here comes ♪
♪ That fated fame event ♪
♪ Hero, walking around ♪
♪ Hero, let's go! ♪
♪ Hero, moping around ♪
♪ Zero, straight down ♪
♪ "Oh, no," they go ♪
♪ They know zero ♪
♪ "Oh, no," they go ♪
♪ Too much information ♪
♪ Yeah, overload... ♪