Something's wrong, Jake.
I don't know what it is,
but I can't talk to anybody about it.
I mean, I figured I could talk to you.
You always used to listen,
you know.
I'm going to hell.
That's as straight as I can put it.
And don't tell me that I'm crazy
'cause I know I'm not.
They're coming after me.
Who is?
They've been following me.
They're coming out of the walls.
I can't trust anybody.
But I got to talk to somebody.
I got to talk to somebody,
or I'm going to fly out of my fucking mind!
Mind your business.
I don't know who they are
or what they are,
but they're going to get me,
and I'm scared, Jake.
I'm so scared, I can't do anything.
I can't go to my sister's.
I can't even...
I can't even go home.
I don't know what to do.
Paul?
Shit.
Paul, I know what you're talking about.
What do you mean?
I've seen them, too.
You've seen them?
I've seen them, too...
Everywhere, like a plague.
My God, I thought I was the only one.
Yeah, me, too.
I thought I was going out of my mind.
I know, I know.
Look, I carry these around everywhere with me,
but they don't help.
Nothing helps.
What happened?
What happened that night?
What have they done to us?
I don't know.
Profile.
Great. That's it.
Give it to him.
My lucky day.
Be advised, we have heavy gunfire...
Mayday, mayday, mayday!
Five minutes to Da Nang.
No, no.
You have to be strong for your children.
Listen to what she's saying.
Did anybody see the police report?
Sounds like a bomb to me.
The paper said it was electrical.
It was an accident.
That's bullshit.
Someone's covering something up.
That was no accident. It was set, man.
Why? Paul wasn't hated by anybody in the world.
What about when you went out?
Did he say anything?
Well, he was upset.
He thought people were following him.
Yeah? Who?
He didn't know--
Demons.
Demons? What the fuck you talking about, demons?
He thought he was going to hell.
Why did he say that?
What would make him say that?
I mean, that's strange.
What else did he say, Jake?
He was scared.
He was seeing things
Coming out of the woodwork.
"They're trying to get me," he said.
Did he say what they were?
Excuse me.
In one end and out the other, huh, George?
Still a fucking spaz.
Hope he can hold his dick
better than he can his bottle.
What?
Something weird is going on here.
Paul isn't the first one who's died.
Remember Dr. Carlson over at Bellevue?
His car blew up, too.
Dr. Carlson's dead?
Yeah. An explosion just like Paul's.
We got six guys here going fucking crazy.
Well, not me, buddy.
Ok, but the rest of us are going crazy.
Think this has something to do with that night?
It's got something to do with something.
We have to go see the Army.
They're not telling us something.
Oh, come on, Professor.
What makes you think
the Army's going to give you any answers?
You'll be butting up against a brick wall.
We'll get a lawyer.
You should find yourself a shrink.
You're all fucking paranoid.
It was bad grass. That's all it was, man.
There's no such things as fucking demons.
Come on.
Carol, I'm going to need you with your pad
in about 15 minutes.
Well, I'm sorry,
Mr. Singer,
but you know how many people come to me
with the injustices of the world?
It would break your heart.
Mr. Geary, this is very important to us.
The Army did something to us,
and we've got to find out what.
The Army? Jeez, what's with you guys?
This is not a walk to the library.
This is the U.S. government.
This is red tape coming out your ass.
You know what I mean?
That's why we're here.
Do you think you can help us?
What am I, Perry Mason?
All right. I'll look into it.
You think we have a chance?
I need sworn depositions from all of you
and a list of platoon members
or their survivors.
This is great.
I'll tell you one thing.
If we do find
that the military is implicated in this,
you all stand to make quite a bit of money.
Not that I can predict anything,
but class action suits of this kind
have been awarded fairly generous judgments.
That wouldn't be so bad, would it?
We're not in it for the money.
- That's right. - Right.
All right, gentlemen,
who wants to go first?
I put a hungry man in the oven.
It will be ready at a quarter of.
Ok.
There's a tossed salad in the fridge.
Ok. Thanks.
I got you some apple juice.
No, not Red Cheek.
Red Cheek.
Ah, shit.
Don't drink it all.
All right.
Oh, your lawyer called.
When?
When you were in the shower.
You didn't call me?
He didn't give me a chance.
He hung up on me.
Look, Jake, don't be upset, ok?
He's not taking your case.
What? What do you mean?
He said you didn't have one.
What's he talking about?
I don't know. He was very rude.
He said your friends backed out.
I don't believe this.
Oh, baby, I feel terrible.
I'd stay, but I'm so late.
We'll talk when I get home, ok?
Yeah.
Are you all right?
Yeah, I'm fine.
You sure?
Give me a kiss.
I'll see you later.
Bye, sweetheart.
Hello?
Frank, hi. It's Jake.
I just got a strange call from Geary.
He said the guys backed down.
What's he talking about?
Uh...
Yeah, that's right, Jake, we did.
Why?
I don't know. It's hard to explain.
Well, try.
You know, Jake, um...
War's war.
Things happen.
Things happen?
What does that mean?
I thought we were going to do something, Frank.
There's nothing to do, Jake.
Who's been talking to you?
What's going on, Frank?
I'll call the others.
They're not interested, Jake.
What do you mean?
They're not interested.
We all talked about this.
We're all suffering the same symptoms.
Listen, the Army's hiding something from us.
We got to find out what it is.
Uh, Jake, I got to go.
No, no, no, wait. Hold on.
No, wait. Don't hang up.
Jake, don't call back anymore, ok?
Wait! I can't do this by myself.
Frank?
We'll get them this afternoon.
Have a good lunch.
Geary.
Mr. Geary.
Excuse me.
Who's been talking to you, huh?
The Army?
Have they been talking to you?
Nobody's talking to nobody.
You don't have a case.
Keep your hands off me.
Leave me alone.
You can't walk away like this.
We need your help.
You need a doctor.
The Army did something to me.
I got to prove it.
There's nothing I can do, all right?
Just leave me alone.
Something's going on here.
You're not telling me something.
What's wrong with you?
I'll tell you what's wrong.
I don't know you from Adam.
You walk in with some bizarre-o story
and demand I check it out. I did.
I don't know what you take me for,
but you've used me.
Used you?
I checked with the Army.
You never even went to Vietnam.
What's that supposed to mean?
You and your friends are wacko!
You were all discharged on psychological grounds
after some war games in Thailand.
Don't you see what they're doing?
We were in Da Nang. You got to believe me.
Go fuck yourself, Singer.
Hey!
What is this?
Help!
Come on, get in there, you cocksucker.
Get off of me!
You little fuck!
Mr. Singer.
What an appropriate name
for someone who can't keep his mouth shut.
Who are you? What do you want?
We've been watching you for a long time--
you and your friends--
Frightening people with foolish talk
about the Army and experiments.
You're in over your head, Mr. Singer.
Men drown that way.
The Army was part of another life.
Let it lie.
I hope we've made our point, Mr. Singer.
Kill this motherfucker!
Help!
Look out!
Please give a little something
to help the poor families.
You poor, poor man.
Merry, merry Christmas!
This guy's really hurt.
You better get something in him.
Hi, I'm Dr. Stewart.
Can you tell me what happened?
My back.
I--I can't move.
Get my chiropractor.
Your back?
Did you fall?
He said he slipped on the pavement.
He may have hit his head.
Does he have any identification?
No wallet, nothing.
He stole it.
Who did?
Santa Claus.
I got to get the bastard.
It had my son's picture in it--
Gabe's picture.
It's the only one I had.
Get an orthopedic man in here. Is Dr. Davis on call?
I'll page him.
Call my chiropractor.
We're doing everything we can.
Louie Denardo,
Nostend avenue.
I'll have to move you to check for injuries.
No, doctor.
This may hurt a little.
No, no--aah!
I don't have to ask if you could feel that.
God damn it. I need Louie.
Who's Louie?
He's out of it.
Let's take him down to X-ray.
Gabe?
Jezzie...
Get me out of here.
Where do you want to go?
Home.
Home?
This is your home. You're dead.
Dead?
No. No, I just hurt my back.
I'm not dead.
What are you, then?
I'm alive!
Then what you doing here?
I don't know.
This isn't happening.
What is happening?
Get me out of here.
There is no out of here.
You've been killed.
Don't you remember?
Careful.
We're losing him!
Watch it! Careful.
What the fuck's taking them--
He's still pretty doped up.
I don't think he'll be able to talk yet.
I doubt he'll recognize you.
I just want to see him.
I'll be outside if you need me.
Dad?
Hi.
It's us.
You ok?
Jake,
it's me.
We heard what happened.
I'm not dead.
What?
I'm alive.
I'm not dead.
Oh. Oh, no.
Of course you're not.
You just hurt your back, that's all.
It'll be fine. It just takes some time.
A month they said.
Just hang in there, dad.
Now stop it.
It's not funny.
God.
What a mess, huh?
Oh, Jacob.
I still love you.
For whatever that's worth.
Dream on.
Oh, God, no!
What?
Oh, god, what?
Tell me, what can I do?
Help me.
Hold on.
Jacob?
Shh.
Jacob Singer!
Shh!
Jacob!
Sir, keep your voice down.
Where's Jacob Singer?
Louie, I'm in here!
Jake? Where are you, Jake?
You can't go in there.
Can I help you?
Jacob!
Good god, Jake, what have they done?
Can I help you?
You can't go in there.
What is this, the Middle Ages?
Don't touch him!
They call this modern medicine?
This is barbaric. Barbaric!
All right, just calm down.
Why don't you just burn him at the stake?
You'll have to leave!
Stay back! Don't come near me!
Stay back!
Take one step
And I'll wrap this around your neck.
Calm down.
Back! Back!
Calm down.
Come on, Jake.
Come on.
You can't do that.
Make sure that security's alerted.
You can't do this!
Out of the way!
I'm upset.
I'm really upset.
That's a crazy man.
That man is crazy.
Watch your toes, Jake.
Well, you've done it to yourself this time,
haven't you?
Am I dying, Louie?
From a slipped disk?
That would be a first.
I was in hell.
I don't want to die, Louie.
Well, I'll see what I can do about it.
It's all pain.
Straighten out your head.
Relax.
You ever read Meister Eckhart?
No.
How did you get your doctorate without reading Eckhart?
Relax.
Ok, good. Now turn over gently--
right side.
The other right, ok?
You're a regular basket case, you know that?
Eckhart saw hell, too.
You know what he said?
He said the only thing that burns in hell
is the part of you
that won't let go of your life--
your memories, your attachments.
They burn them all away.
But they're not punishing you, he said.
They're freeing your soul.
Relax.
Good.
So the way he sees it...
if you're frightened of dying and you're holding on...
you'll see devils tearing your life away.
But if you've made your peace,
then the devils are really angels
freeing you from the earth.
It's just a matter of how you look at it, that's all.
So don't worry, ok?
Ok?
Good.
Relax.
Relax...
And wiggle your toes.
Come on, wiggle your toes.
Perfect.
We got it.
Get on your back. Come on.
Easy.
Ok?
Now let's just give it a little try.
I want to see if you can stand.
By myself?
You can do it.
Come on.
Just give it a try, Jacob.
Come on.
Attaboy. Go ahead.
Go ahead.
Hallelujah.
Jake?
What's wrong?
It's me.
Are you ok?
Jesus Christ, where have you been?
I've been worried sick.
I mean, it's two days, and you don't call me?
I was in the hospital.
Oh, Jesus. In the hospital?
Jake, honey, what hospital?
I called every hospital in the city.
No, don't.
What's going on?
I'm not here. You haven't seen me.
Hello?
Is Jacob Singer there?
No. I haven't seen him all night.
When do you expect him?
I don't know.
Could you tell him something?
Tell him I was in Vietnam--
Vietnam?
There was a secret experiment--
What experiment?
I need to see him as soon as possible.
Hello. This is Jacob Singer.
I was in-country in '68.
I was in a chemical warfare unit in Saigon.
We conducted secret government experiments.
My God.
Are you there?
Yeah.
Do you want to know more?
Where can I meet you?
On 128th and westside highway
in front of a coffee truck.
How will I know you?
You already know me.
I do?
Yes. Make sure you're not followed, ok?
All right. Bye.
I knew it.
Who was that?
A chemist.
Part of a chemical warfare unit out of Saigon.
I knew something was going on.
Jake... please don't go.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Jacob?
Hi. I'm Michael Newman.
Yeah.
I told you you'd know me.
I've been tracking you for a long time.
I wish I'd spoken to you before tonight.
Why are you following me?
You're one of the survivors, Jacob.
Come on. We can't talk here.
It's not safe. Come on.
So, first I'm arrested, right?
Best LSD I ever made right down the drain.
I figured, "This is it.
20 years in the can if I'm lucky."
That was 1968.
Long time ago.
Really. Next thing I know, I'm on Riker's island.
Ever been there, man?
Well, suddenly, they take me from my cell,
they throw me in a waiting room With bank teller windows.
Four army colonels with medals up their asses
are standing on the other side.
They say to me, if I come to Vietnam for two years--
No action, just work in a lab--
they'll drop all charges and wipe the record clean.
I'd only been in jail 13 hours.
I knew 'Nam couldn't be any worse.
Shows how little you knew.
Yeah, really. They had me by the balls.
Next thing I know, I'm in Saigon.
I'm working in a top-secret lab
synthesizing mind-altering drugs.
Not the street stuff.
They had us isolating special properties--
the dark side.
They wanted a drug that increased aggressive tendencies.
They were scared. They were worried.
They figured you guys were too soft,
not fighting up to your potential.
They wanted something to stir you up,
make you mad, you know, tap into your anger.
And we did it.
Most powerful thing I ever saw.
Even a bad trip, and believe me, I've had my share,
do not compare to the fury of the Ladder.
The Ladder?
Yeah. That's what they called it.
A fast trip straight down the Ladder--
right to the primal fear, right to the base anger.
I'm telling you, man, it was powerful.
I don't need to tell you. You already know.
We did experiments on jungle monkeys.
It worked.
They bashed each other's heads in,
gouged out their eyes, chewed off their tails.
The brass loved it.
Then they made us try it on charlie.
We, uh...
took these POWs, you know?
Just kids, really.
And... we put them in this courtyard,
And we fed them huge doses of the stuff.
I mean, they were worse than the monkeys.
I didn't know men could do those things.
Anyway, there was this big offensive coming up, right?
Everyone knew it--
Time Magazine, Huntley, Brinkley--
And the brass were scared
because they knew we couldn't win.
Morale was down, it was getting ugly in the States.
You remember.
Yeah.
So, a couple days later,
they decide to use the Ladder...
on one test battalion...
Yours.
Just an infinitesimal dose in the food supply, they said,
just to prove its effectiveness in the field.
They were sure your unit would have the highest kill ratio
in the whole God damn offensive,
and they were right-- you did--
except not the way they thought.
No one can remember that night.
I get flashes, but they don't make sense.
What happened?
Was there an offensive?
Yeah, a couple days later. It was fierce,
but you guys never saw it.
But there was an attack?
It was a fight, right?
Yeah, but not with the Cong.
With who?
You killed each other.
What?
It was brother against brother.
No discrimination.
You tore each other to pieces.
My God.
I knew it would happen.
I warned them.
I fucking warned them!
Ohh, fuck.
I was just some hippie chemist, right?
What did I know?
Fuck.
I talked to the guys who bagged the bodies.
They were in worse shape than you, believe me.
They saw what was left.
I needed to find you, you know?
I felt responsible.
The Ladder was my baby.
I'm going to Brooklyn.
Not with me, you're not.
I get lost in Brooklyn.
I know the way.
Listen...
This is all the money I have.
Take me home, please.
Where's your home?
Dr. Singer.
Well... it's been a long time.
Hello, sam.
Are you all right?
Yeah, I'm ok.
Do you want some help? I can call upstairs.
No, no. That's ok.
Thanks, sam.
Sarah?
Jed?
Eli?
If you're frightened of dying
and you're holding on,
you'll see devils tearing your life away.
If you've made your peace,
then the devils are really angels
freeing you from the earth.
Gabe?
Hi, Dad.
It's ok.
Come on. Let's go up.
Come on.
He's gone.
He looks kind of peaceful, the guy.
Put up a hell of a fight, though.
What's the guy's name?
Singer. Jacob singer.
I don't mind the gray skies
You make them blue
Sonny boy
Friends may forsake me
Let them all forsake me
I still have you
Sonny boy
You're sent from heaven
And I know your worth
You made a heaven for me here on earth
When I'm old and gray here
Promise you won't stray, dear
For I love you so
Sonny boy