Yankee Nine-niner, what are your coordinates?
0-2-0. Flight level 1-5.
Above release point Echo Bravo One.
Move in and check it out.
Roger. Moving in.
Food riot in progress.
Approximately 1,500 civilians.
No weapons evident.
Proceed with Plan Alpha.
Eliminate anything moving.
I said the crowd is unarmed.
There are lots of women and children. All they want is food!
As you were, Richards.!
Proceed with Plan Alpha. All rioters must be eliminated.
The hell with you! I will not fire on helpless people.
Abort mission. We return back to base.
- Lieutenant Sanders, do you copy? - Affirmative.
Take command, detain Richards and proceed as ordered.
Richards, what the fuck are you doing?
Shit! Get him!
Goddamn it!
We're pitching over!
I got it. I got control.
He said detain him. Don't drop him.
Richards, you're gonna fry for this.
And I'll see you in hell.
Come on. Keep digging.
What's the holdup?
This one's had it.
Watch the detonator.
Get that garbage out of here.
Move!
Hey, Charlie. Did you see The Running Man last night?
I never miss it.
I even won 500 bucks.
You lucky bastard.
Work crew coming through. Prisoner transfer to post.
Okay, hang on. Lenny, this is the eighth perimeter.
Fresh meat just got here. Shut down the deadline.
Affirmative. Shutting down now. Stand clear.
Access code pending.
Verified. Perimeter deactivated.
Sonic deadline is down.
- Okay, assholes. Move it. - Let's go. Let's go.
Get out the lead or lose your head. Come on!
East perimeter here. New prisoners are all in compound. We're clear.
Affirmative. Activating deadline.
What are you looking at? Get out of here.
Sonic deadline is up. Sonic deadline is up.
Prisoner restraint collars armed.
Give you a lift?
- Get it open! - I got it!
- Repeat the codes. - I did!
653. Shit! It's not working!
- You're hell of an actor, Laughlin. - Who was acting?
You're still alive, aren't you?
- Repeat that code. - Okay!
Weiss, what's the holdup? Come on!
The linking computer is denying the code.
The walls are blocking the signal. It's not happening.
We try it outside. Move!
Let's go! Come on!
Get out of the way!
Open the gates!
Do it.
Shut off the deadline, or we all lose our heads.
The system's blocked. Must be an encryption lockout. Damn!
Perimeter deactivated. Perimeter deactivated.
All right! All right!
Chico! Come back!
The deadline's still up.
He's not gonna make it. That collar's gonna blow.
Sonic deadline is up. Sonic deadline is up.
Prisoner restraint collars armed.
Sonic deadline is up. Sonic deadline is up.
Prisoner restraint collars armed. Prisoner restraint collars armed.
Perimeter deactivated. Perimeter deactivated.
Zone passes are required at all times.
Display passes properly.
All interzone workers with day passes...
are reminded that curfew begins at midnight.
Anyone without a valid zone card after midnight...
will be permanently detained.
Cadre kids, don't forget...
October is bonus recruitment month.
Earn a double bonus for reporting a family member.
ICS, your entertainment and information network...
reminds you, seeing is believing.
What's the number one television show...
in the whole wide world?
The Running Man!
Yes.!
Yes, it's The Running Man.
400 square blocks of danger, destruction...
You guys want to buy a hot stereo?
- Stevie. - Laughlin. Glad you guys made it.
Unstoppable network stalkers give criminals...
traitors, and enemies of the state exactly what they deserve.
Sundays, 8... 00 to 11... 00 on ICS Channel 1. Be there.!
Produced in cooperation with the Department ofJustice, rights reserved.
The Running Man, America's favorite game show.
A child, your child...
happy, loving, caring...
Can you believe this shit? Twenty-four hours a day.
Seven days a week.
- Don't listen to it. - I worry about the kids.
The network shuts down the schools.
The kids are either in hiding or getting basic training.
Brainwashed by the TV.
We can jam the network once we find the uplink to the satellite.
- Then we'll broadcast the truth. - The truth?
Hasn't been popular lately.
Can't find the code or the uplink.
I don't know where the network hid something that big.
But they managed.
Stevie, would you mind?
Good-bye, my lovely.
You're one of the cops who locked up all my friends.
Burned my songs.
People like you took this country and turned it into a jail.
- We don't want his death on our hands. - He's a cop.
- He's the Butcher of Bakersfield. - Come on, Mic.
You can see through that crap. It's network propaganda.
We don't know that.
We know we wouldn't be here if he hadn't helped us.
- We also know he's not one of us. - Perhaps now he's seen too much.
I've seen too much? All I've seen is a bunch of low foreheads...
who think they can change the world with dreams and talk.
It's too late for that.
If you're not ready to act, give me a break and shut up.
Nothing worth losing your head over, though, huh?
You got it.
Hey, get out of here!
Well, there's your ride. It's all set.
Nothing like first class.
Come in. Senorita, do you want to come in?
Yeah. Hey, you too!
I guess this is it.
Now you, Weiss, stay out of the national database, okay?
And you, Laughlin, stop trying to teach the Constitution to the street punks.
- See you at the 10-year reunion. - You can still join us.
No, thank you. My brother's gonna get me out of the city.
I'm not into politics. I'm into survival.
Nowadays, it's the same thing.
Save it for the written test. Good luck.
Yeah, for all of us.
We need you, Damon!
Brenda, do you have this week's ratings, or do I have to guess?
They're the same as last week, and those were the same last month.
I guess we've just peaked. But it's not like we've dropped.
"Not like we..." You're beautiful, sweetheart.
- Sorry, Mr. Killian! - That's all right. What's your name?
- Dan. - Dan, you're doing good work.
- Don't worry. Okay? - Thank you. Thank you.
Brenda, if that asshole is mopping the floor tomorrow...
you'll be mopping it for the rest of the week.
Let's go!
Security code accepted.
Damon, were you down in wardrobe yet? Your new jackets are fantastic.
Who chose the colors? Hey, how are my people today?
- Fine, sir. Thank you. - You're looking good.
Tony, what do you got for me?
Damon, thank God! TheJustice Department's calling every 10 minutes.
Just give them an evasive answer. Tell them to go fuck themselves.
Got my coffee?
- I want to know what we got, all right? - All right. Let's see.
Lights.
Oh, God. Kitchen, toast and coffee.
ICS Channel One.
Are you ready for pain? Are you ready for suffering?
If the answer is yes...
then you're ready for Captain Freedom's workout.
Yes, it's America's own Captain Freedom.
Ten-time national champion. The greatest stalker to ever play the game.
All right now, all you runners. Ready, get set, go.!
We interrupt Captain Freedom's workout to bring you this urgent news bulletin.
The city police are engaged in a door-to-door search...
for Benjamin A. Richards, known as the Butcher of Bakersfield.
Richards, a former police officer, was the helicopter pilot...
who went berserk 18 months ago, firing without warning...
on a crowd of innocent civilians.
If you see this man, do not approach him.
Contact your local block warden. He is considered armed and dangerous.
Don't make a sound. Understand? Who are you? A friend of my brother's?
- What are you talking about? - This is his apartment.
I moved in last month. They told me the last tenant was taken away for...
- Yes? - For reeducation.
Help!
Asesino in my house! El Butcher of Bakersfield's in my bathroom!
That's the ticket. No pain, no gain.
Let go of me! Let me go!
Now, listen to me. I'll only say this once.
This is all a lie. I was framed. I'm completely innocent.
- Yeah, sure. - Now be quiet and stay still...
and I'm out in five minutes.
Hi, this is Amber. I'm not home right now.
I'm out having a wonderful time with glamorous people in a fabulous place.
So, when you hear the tone, control yourjealousy and leave your message.
- "Baby Face"March. - Are you kidding me? Next!
How's this one? Case 114. Schoolteacher.
Killed his wife and mother-in-law at a faculty dinner party with a steak knife.
Yeah. See, I like that quality.
He's the sort that the neighbors say, "Such a quiet man.
Never too busy to say hello." But look at him.
He weighs 120 pounds. He wouldn't last 30 seconds.
Who else?
What about those bank robbers? The ones that made that suicide pact.
- Did they commit suicide? - Obviously not, Damon.
Then they're unreliable.
I got a friend at a talent agency. Maybe they've got an axe murderer.
Hello, gorgeous.
- Somebody with stamina. - Tony!
Pipe that feed in here now.
Take a look at this. This is yesterday's prison break.
Look.
Look at that mother move.
- Is he beautiful? Who is he? - Are you kidding? That's Ben Richards.
The cop from the massacre?
Sensational! Perfect contestant. I want him.
- Can't have him. - Why not?
You know our contract. We never get military prisoners.
Who's a military prisoner? He's still at large.
Yeah? Well, they'll get him for me.
Cadres can't have it both ways.
They want ratings? I can get 10 points for his biceps alone.
Hello, this is Killian.
Get me theJustice Department, entertainment division.
No, hold that. Operator?
Get me the president's agent.
What is this?
That's my synthesizer setup.
I'm a musician.
Well, I'm really a singer.
I write music for the network. Have you heard their theme song...
"We Bring You Joy, We Bring You Strife"? I wrote that.
You must be very proud of yourself.
It's really nothing.
Look at this.
They're all on the censored list.
And look what we have here.
This looks like black-market clothing.
- And you wrote the network jingle. - Come on. Everybody does it.
Money.
That's what I need. Money.
Money's not going to do you any good. You don't have a travel pass.
You do.
Now I do.
Let's see.
Now, where should we go?
Maybe someplace warm. I need to work on my tan anyway.
You get so pale in prison.
There you are.
Good. Now, I'm going to untie you.
And then you're gonna get dressed.
And then you're gonna come with me.
Oh, yeah? Well, why should I?
Because I'm going to say please.
Well, why didn't you say so?
All flights to Pretoria, Tutuville and Mandelaburg are on schedule.
Flights to Anaconda, Chile, are delayed several hours.
All Mideast flights are canceled until further notice.
You'll never pull this off.
You are unarmed, outnumbered.
Face it, you're screwed.
So why don't you forget about all this and turn yourself in?
You know...
you have a very negative attitude.
Now remember, I can break your neck like a chicken's.
Travel pass.
What a beautiful day today.
I can practically taste those pina coladas.
- Right, sweetheart? - Miss?
You didn't put it in your purse again, did you?
Last vacation she put my credit cards in there, and we couldn't find them.
- Here. Could you hold this, please? - You want to move it up there?
We got a plane to catch.
Go on! Go on!
You can't live with them...
- and you can't live without them. - This is ridiculous!
I'm warning you, I get sick...
air sick, car sick.
I'm gonna throw up all over you.
Go ahead. It won't show on this shirt.
Help! He's Ben Richards!
He's trying to kidnap me! Help!
Positive ID. Benjamin A. Richards.
Priority-one fugitive. All units, terminal seven.
All right. We're on him. Close in!
Go! Go! Move!
You move and you're dead!
Hi, cutie pie.
You know, one of us is in deep trouble.
You know who I am?
I've seen you before.
You're the asshole on TV.
That's funny. I was gonna say the same thing about you.
I saw the video of your prison break. Sensational.
Ben, I think we might be able to help each other out.
I've got the brains, and you've got talent.
You've got more. You've got talent...
you've got charisma, and you've got balls.
That's why I pulled a few strings to get you here.
And that's why...
I'd like you to volunteer to appear...
on tomorrow's broadcast of The Running Man.
Fuck you.
You're a brilliant conversationalist. A trifle limited, but brilliant.
Take a look.
Isn't that your old schoolteacher buddy there? Huh?
There's your other buddy who helped you in the prison infirmary.
Weiss. Laughlin. What are you gonna do with them?
Well, that's really up to you, Ben.
You see, I created The Running Man, but I don't make the rules.
I got a contract with the government.
They send me the convicts, I put them on the show. You've seen it.
You know at least you've got a chance.
But your buddies, Ben...
get the B list.
So if you don't do The Running Man tomorrow...
Weiss and Laughlin...
are gonna go on...
in your place.
What do you say?
We'll see how far this clown runs when we're done with him.
Starting barium IV.
That's a go.
Reading all systems down the line.
Your bird is singing loud and clear.
All systems check out.
Mandibular restraint.
Interphalangic injection.
Deltoid I M injection.
- Procedure completed. - Takes care of him.
Sons of bitches!
He's wrapped. Knock him out till show time.
These guys never stop competing.
I get thirstyjust watching them, and in my line of work...
I can't afford that filled-up feeling.
That's why I drink Cadre Cola.
It hits the spot.
The capture of renegade police officer and mass murderer Ben Richards...
was filmed yesterday by runway security cameras.
Richards's hostage, Amber Mendez, was unharmed.
Some airport personnel were not so lucky...
like the ticket agent and security guard Richards shot at point-blank range...
when he arrived at the airport.
- But that's not true. - They were taken to Cadre Hospital...
where they remain in guarded condition.
And now, back to Climbing for Dollars.
Mr. Richards.
I'm your court-appointed theatrical agent.
It's time.
And digital effects number one.
Roll process mod.
Okay, you guys. Hey, here we are.
Hey, over here! Here!
Big crowd tonight.
Better there than in the streets.
Who's your number one stalker?
Hey, Buzzsaw! Slice those runners for me!
He touched me! You guys see that? Buzzsaw touched me!
Don't touch the hair!
Go!
Look, do you have any more change? I ran out.
- Yes. - Six dollars. Jesus, this place...
You're lucky to be alive. I mean, that guy, he's killed, what...
60, 80, 100 people?
- Not according to him, he hasn't. - That's what they all say.
"Whereas the victim contests this...
and whereas network and victim have in past been combatants...
ad hoc de facto...
the parties herein have agreed to disagree.
This is mutually consented to be de jure...
and therefore parties have certain obligations to each other.
Respective rights and obligations..."
Boy.
Lucky he didn't kill you too...
or rape you and kill you...
or kill you, then rape you.
"Conflicts between your estate..."
I mean, a guy like that...
what would stop him?
Yeah.
What would?
Look, Amy, I have to pass on that drink.
I just remembered I have some paperwork to do.
- I'll catch you tomorrow, okay? - The producer ofThe Running Man...
and everyone's favorite showman...
Damon Killian.!
Yeah! Thank you! You're beautiful!
I love you. Yes!
You're beautiful!
Thank you!
Shh!
It's...
show time!
Yeah!
All right! Now, tell me.
What's the number one television show...
in the whole wide world?
The Running Man.!
And who loves you, and who do you love?
Damon!
One more time!
Damon!
Yes!
Phil, my announcer.
I heard the warm-up today, and I got to tell you...
honestly, Phil, I don't think I've ever heard you funnier.
I'm just kidding, guys. You're great at yourjob.
Too bad it isn't music.
"Ad infinitum for cassettes...
videotapes, bubble chips...
and all other methods of recordings known or unknown."
Sign here.
Here, here. Use my back, victim.
Don't forget to send me a copy.
The love of my life, my number one fan...
Mrs. McArdle!
- How you doin'? - Just fine.
I want a big kiss, now, but remember, no tongues.
- Bless you. - Sit down, little darling.
We have one hell of a show for you tonight.
Phil, please, if you will...
introduce tonight's guest runner...
and watch that screen.
Our star runner tonight needs no introduction.
He's Ben Richards...
the brutal slayer of 60 men, women and children...
in the Bakersfield Massacre.
Food riot in progress.
Approximately 1,500 civilians.
Moving in.
Yankee Nine-niner, the crowd is unarmed.
Repeat, unarmed. Abort attack.
- Acknowledge, Yankee Nine-niner. - The hell with you.
Lt. Sanders, take command. Detain Richards and return to base.
Acknowledge, Yankee Nine-niner. Acknowledge.! Return to base.!
Those are innocent, unarmed people down there.! Cease fire.! Cease fire.!
Well, we all know the aftermath...
grieving parents...
orphaned children...
and a nation shocked to its very core.
Here he is...
ready to pay the price for our home audience...
in person...
the Butcher of Bakersfield!
Now, Ben Richards could have gone to prison...
but instead, he volunteered for The Running Man.
- Risking everything for a chance... - Excuse me.
At our fabulous prizes, like a trial byjury, suspended sentence...
maybe even a full pardon...
like our previous winners Whitman, Price and Haddad.!
You remember them. Whitman, Price and Haddad.!
There they are.! And at this very moment...
they're basking under the Maui sun...
their debt to society...
paid in full.
Speaking of prizes, you don't have to be a menace to society to be a winner...
'cause you folks in the audience will get a chance too.
Phil, tell our friends what they can win today.
Damon, how about a year's supply of Orthopure Procreation Pills...
adult and kiddie sizes, and the latest edition ofThe Running Man home game.
Ben, I know you're dying to get into that game zone...
and show us the same determination you showed up in Bakersfield.
Well, first, I've got a little surprise for you.
We all know you're a big, tough guy, Ben...
but that doesn't mean you're a loner.
And it takes a big man to admit that he needs his friends.
We didn't want to break up a winning team...
so here they are, ready to go for broke...
right by your side.
Ladies and gentlemen, Ben's buddies...
Harold Weiss and William Laughlin.
Son of a bitch!
You know how this works.
The game zone is divided into 400 square blocks...
left over from the big quake of'97.
I don't think any of us will ever forget that.
Once inside the zone, the runners have three hours.
They've got to go through all four game quads.
Three hours or less, and they're gonna need every second.
- 'Cause you know who's on their tail? - The stalkers!
- Who? - The stalkers!
And you know what happens then!
Anything goes!
- What? - Anything goes!
Right! Without further ado...
it's time to start running!
On your marks, get set...
Killian.
I'll be back.
Only in a rerun.
Go!
- Go! - You son of a bitch!
Go!
Yes!
All systems go.
Vacuum sleds passing checkpoint one.
"Edited for television."
"Raw footage."
Edith Wiggins, come on down.!
Whoa, whoa, Edith.
You look like you might have done a little stalking yourself.
All right. Now, we need you to give me the name...
of the stalker that we send out to hunt down those three desperate criminals.
Give me 10 seconds, please.
Come on, come on. Place your bets.
Dynamo, 3 to 1.
Time's up.
No more bets.
Back off! Come on!
I don't know. They're all so good.
Quickly!
My husband and my little boy have their favorites.
- But I like my men big and cuddly. - Yeah? Who is it?
Subzero!
All right! Okay!
We're looking for Subzero!
Yeah!
And now, our first stalker of the evening...
a Cadre trophy champion with over 30 lifetime kills.
Let's welcome the incredible iceman, who slices his enemies limb from limb...
into quivering, bloody sushi...
Professor Subzero.!
Damon, here in the locker room...
there's a lot of excitement here, a lot of adrenaline.
The stalkers know there's 400 square blocks of game zone out there...
and anything can happen in the next three hours.
- I remember once when I was... - Sorry, Cap. Just been informed...
the runners have entered the first quad.
Let's go there now, live!
- Faster! - Get going.
Come on. Bring your money. Give it to me!
First blood. You pay your money, you make your choice.
Hey. How about you?
It's cold.
What is this?
I guess they want us to stay.
Subzero does it again!
A triple hit!
Let's get out of here!
Weiss, come on! Go!
Oh, look at this. An ICS home video. Yeah!
And The Running Man...
home version right here for you.
Get me out of here, you guys!
Hang on, Weiss. I'm coming.
Come on, big boy!
Get me out of here, you guys!
Will, look out!
Kill that son of a bitch!
Come on! Yeah! Yeah!
Hey, Killian.!
Here is Subzero.
Now plain zero.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is... just horrible.
Words can't express what we're all feeling...
at this very moment.
A great champion has fallen.
We'll be back right after these important messages.
Pull!
- You all right? - Yeah. Boy.
What the hell is that?
- It's gas. - Let's get out of here.
Sure glad we took care of Subzero.
Yeah, he was a real pain in the neck.
Huh? I know a stalker died.
Well, it had to happen sooner or later.
Yeah, well, it is a contact sport, right?
Yes, but you guys atJustice, you cannot have it both ways.
You want ratings, you want people in front of the TV sets...
instead of picket lines.
Well, you ain't gonna get that with reruns of Gilligan's Island.
Gilligan's Island.
Yeah, the one with the boat.
Buzzsaw! Buzzsaw! Buzzsaw!
Fireball! Fireball!
Yeah, Buzzsaw!
Leon.
I don't know. I think maybe Dynamo...
but Buzzsaw was last year's champion.
- I can't decide. - Then don't decide, Leon.
Hard decisions call for hard solutions.
And here are two hard asses ready to step in and take charge.