- (woman) George Fallson's office. - Madge? Hi. It's Carter. Is he there?
- Up to your neck in traffic? - Like banging my head against a rock.
- Is he in? - Let me tell him you're on.
- (man) Carter, where are you? - Stuck on the road.
What about that garbage strike? I need that story by tomorrow...
- (stathc) - Hello?
- Can you hear me? - I'm losing you.
(different man) OK. Joseph Krieger.
Krieger's scheduled for removal this afternoon.
There will be no witnesses.
- Oh, my God. - Hello?
Is someone there?
018111-01-01?
Is someone there?
(narrator) There is nothing wrong with your television.
Do not attempt to adjust the picture.
We are now controlling the transmission.
We control the horizontal and the vertical.
We can delunge you with a thousand channels
or expand one single image to crystal clarity...
..and beyond.
We can shape your vision to anything our imagination can conceive.
For the next hour, we will control all that you see and hear.
You are about to experience the awe and mystery
which reaches from the deepest inner mind to the outer limits.
(narrator) The search for truth is a noble venture.
But what happens when that search becomes so obsessive
that we no longer find truth,
but instead create it?
(man) You could have been mistaken, Carter.
I've told the cops. I heard "Joseph Krieger".
The man is our answer to Salman Rushdie.
It was a death threat.
Probably some disgruntled book buyer blowing off steam.
He was staring right at me. You should have seen his face.
The guy with the violet eyes? And the Buck Rogers car phone.
- I know what I heard. - Carter, I'm sure you heard something.
I'm just saying you should investigate before you jump to any conclusions.
Great. That means I'm off the garbage strike.
- Nice try. - Hell, it was worth a shot.
Dad, I'll come over later this week. I'll make you dinner.
- Would you give me a break? - Are you telling me to give you a break?
That's right. Dad, so stop. Let's not do this.
You brought it up.
Carter?
( TV) Joseph Krieger disappeared today.
- Carter? - Call you back.
The writer failed to show up at his office and his assistant contacted family.
Krieger's sister went to his estate to find the door broken in
and no sign of the author.
Police are not commenting...
(buzzer)
- Yeah? - Miss Carter Jones?
- Speaking. - Police.
You called us earlier. We'd like to ask you a few questions.
"Scheduled for removal". What does that sound like?
Maybe Krieger's donating furniture to the Salvation Army.
And you believe this strange man was the person you heard on the phone?
From how he looked at me.
He was probably some guy you cut off in traffic. It happens.
Maybe you guys buy the coincidence,
but he disappeared the same day I hear him being "scheduled for removal".
This being the strange man with the gizmo, right?
You have to admit, Miss Jonnes, this all does sound pretty far-fetched.
- You guys aren't gonna do anything. - We're following every lead.
That's why we're here. But you've satisfied us. Thank you.
I've satisfied you? Oh, I see. You thought I was a suspect?
We have to check everything out. You understand.
Yeah. You think I'm nuts.
No, we don't think you're nuts. We think you had a stressful rush-hour commute,
you overheard something.
- We get these paranoid things... - I am not paranoid. If you'd heard him.
When he knew I was there he tried to cover up.
- It was a death threat. - We're gonna check that out. Thanks.
I am not paranoid.
- Can I help you? - Uh, yes.
I was supposed to meet with Joseph Krieger, but he never showed up.
Then I heard that he disappeared, so I thought I'd make sure he'sOK.
- Can you tell me what happened? - We cann't say, ma'am.
- The lieutenant's inside. - I thought you used chalk.
- It isn't ours. - What is that?
We're not sure. Ash remains. I can't discuss this with you.
- Hey. What the hell's going on? - Lieutenant.
She said she had an appointment with Krieger.
Appointment, my ass. She's that reporter.
- The car phone? - You could fill me in. What is that?
We issued a statement saying that we are searching for Mr Krieger.
- That statement has not changed. - But who are those guys?
What's wrong with you? This has nothing to do with you.
- I'm just trying to... - No buts.
You've got two choices- downtown or some place besides this.
- We're not playing here. - If you put it that way...
Thanks for dropping by.
- Yeah? - (man) Carter Jones?
You know who this is?
I recognise the voice.
- How did you get this number? - I also have an address.
1830, Meadowlark.
Apartment 606.
This is your address? Carter Jones? I know who you are.
I know where you live.
I know what you heard.
What happened to Joseph Krieger?
- Please do not pursue this. - Is he still alive?
Nothing good will come from this.
You could suffer the same fate.
Hello?
- It's a one colunmn filler. - You don't remember? Two weeks ago.
I'm lucky if I remember what was above the fold in the Sunday edition.
So this hiker, Patrick McCabe, gets sick aboard the boat Sohsthce
coming back from Mallard Island, then disappears. So what?
So they found ashes on the dock in the shape of a body. Purple ashes.
- Like the ones at Krieger's place? - I want to follow it up.
- You're gonna bug me till I say yes? - What do you think?
Er... Sohsthce?
- Hello? Hi. - Can I help you?
Yeah. I'm Carter Jones from the Daily Gazette
- I'm looking for the captain. Collins? - Toby Collins.
- If you find him, let me know. - He hasn't been around?
He hasn't been into work in two weeks. Since Mallard Island.
- The trip the sick hiker was on? - That's what this is about, huh?
- Have you tried to call Collins? - Yeah, a few times.
I didn't get an answer. I had to toss his business to some other guys.
- He ever disappeared like this before? - Not that I remember.
Toby's a pretty responsible guy and it's got me worried, to tell the truth.
When they got back from the trip, did you see that hiker, McCabe?
I didn't actually see anybody.
Toby radioed for medics on his way in.
By the time I got the paramedics and got back, there was nobody here.
- Where are the ashes? - They were right here.
Cops ripped up the boards and took it all away.
It was a zoo.
There were guys in white coats and they had some kind of thing unmajig.
- Walked right in, took over. - I was hoping they'd still be here.
Well, actually I probably shouldn't have done this, but...
..it was so strange I couldn't resist taking it.
Exactly the same.
- The same as what? - These marks l saw at Krieger's.
- Joseph Krieger, the writer? - Yeah. He's disappeared. Did you hear?
No, but this is totally bizarre
because I'm pretty damn sure
that Joseph Krieger was one of the passengers on the boat.
As l thought. Here's a copy of the manifest.
- Joseph Krieger was on that boat. - Only four passengers.
There's not many people out on Mallard this time of year. It's isolated.
It's mainly your "back to nature" set.
McCabe, Krieger and a couple.
- Cindy and Earl Palmer? - I don't know them.
I remember Krieger because I'm a fan of his books.
Mind if I keep this?
As long as nobody knows where you got it.
Great. Thanks.
- Something happened, didn't it? - Yeah. I just don't know what.
(woman) Please don't hurt us!
No!
(man) What do you want? Don't hurt Cindy! Don't!
No!
(man) I know who you are. I know where you live.
I know what you heard.
What are you doing here on the weekend?
- Checking up. - Too bad. You just missed him.
- Who? - Some guy stopped by to see you.
Tense looking. He had these eyes, Liz Taylor like. Violet.
- Did he leave? - Might be around here somewhere.
Hey, you all right?
Hold it.
What do you want?
I'm in trouble.
Don't make this any harder for me than it already is.
If I could talk to that charter captain, Collins,
or maybe I should go the Palmers' house again tomorrow.
What was this thing he killed them with?
Secret weapon.
Maybe the passengers on the boat stumbled onto them using it
and now they're covering their tracks.
- You don't know that. - I don't know what I know.
Just that I'm probably next on this freak's list.
I can't go anywhere. He's in my house, he's in my car, he's on my computer.
I just... thought I was onto something important.
Now it's all blowing up in my face.
- Same old Carter. - What does that mean?
Jumping head first into things and not accepting the consequence.
- This is different. - Not so different.
- Dad... - Forget it.
- I didn't know they'd shut the plant. - What did you expect after your story?
- They were dumping chemicals! - I lost my job.
You could have got another one instead of sitting here blaming me,
driving Mom crazy.
- That's not true. - Seeing you waste away broke her heart.
- It's probably what killed her. - Who's blaming who now?
Nobody should blame anyone!
- You should take responsibility for yourself. - I got sick. I couldn't work.
You seem to forget that.
Sorry you lost your job, Dad.
I'm sorry.
Hey!
Hey! I wanna talk to you!
Excuse me. Excuse me, I'm looking for Toby Collins.
Well, that makes two of us. I'm his sister. Phoebe.
Hi. I'm Carter Jones...
..from the Daily Gazette
- A reporter? - I just want to ask him some questions.
- Have you seen him? - No, but I talked to him last night.
He called me at home in Portland.
- Was he all right? - I don't think so.
He was talking gibberish.
Something about saying goodbye.
He just sounded so frail.
Ms Collins, it's very important that I reach him.
- That's exactly what that other guy said. - What guy?
The guy who was just here asking for Toby. He was very odd looking.
I appreciate you talking to me.
It's very important that I reach him. Thank you for your time.
Let me know.
Ms Jones? If you do find him, would you just ask him to give me a call?
- I'd really like to see him again. - I will.
- Carter. Where the hell have you been? - Has anyone followed you?
I followed your directions. You know the last time I was on a bus?
- God, you look awful. - I'm not sleeping.
- And not showing up for work. - I've been working on something else.
Oh... conspiracies, death rays, murdering innocent people?
Where did you dream this stuff up?
- By looking into Krieger's disappearance. - Can you substantiate any of this?
- I'm working on that. - You're working on a breakdown.
I'm telling the truth.
The cops who visited me think you're crazy.
You see? You can't believe them. They're involved in this too.
- Who do you believe, them or me? - I can't print this. They'll lock me up too.
The captain saw something. He knows something.
I had a contact trace the call he made to his sister. He's in a motel outside town.
If I see him, everything will fall into place.
Fine. You'll have plenty of time to pursue it.
- Are you firing me? - I'm suggesting a vacation.
A couple of weeks. Just to get your head together.
Then we'll talk, but not about this.
I'm sorry, Carter. I really am.
- Mr Collins? - (gruff man) Go away.
I need to talk to you, Mr Collins. Please.
I've been to your boat.
I know about the ashes.
I've seen him.
Close the door.
Stay... right there.
Don't come any closer.
Turn out the light!
Please.
Leave while you still can.
- I've gotta get you some help. - Who are you?
My name is Carter Jones. I'm a journalist.
I've been trying to find out what happened on your boat.
This happened.
That hiker did this to me!
He got ill on board.
He broke out in these sort of blisters.
When we docked, the others ran away,
but I stayed with him.
Then that man showed up.
He had this...
..this thing.
- He used it on McCabe. - Yes. He killed the others too.
I ran to get away from him.
I've been hiding out here ever since.
Then last night I broke out in these blisters.
Why is this happening to me? What did McCabe give to me?
I don't know.
I've got to get you to a hospital. We can call your sister.
- Phoebe? You've seen Phoebe? - She wants to see you.
No. It's too late.
Too late for anything like that.
No, it's not.
I'll get the car.
Thank you for finding him.
No!
Aaagh!
Please... don't scream.
Allow me to explain.
I will not harm you.
You must believe me.
I promise.
Beautiful specimens. Much like those found on Mallard Island.
- So you were there? - No. I received reports from our scout.
Atmospheric readings, tests on plant life.
But unknown to us, our scout was carrying the virus.
- That's what McCabe had and Collins? - Yes.
McCabe was hiking and ran into our scout. He became exposed.
The virus has a two-week incubation period.
While it's dormant, the victim has occasional stomach pain.
Contagion sets in
when the virus manifests itself with sweatsand fever blisters.
The central nervous system breaks down.
Death occurs withinn 48 hours.
When the virus broke out on the boat, everyone was infected.
You've been preventing an outbreak?
A plague. One that could destroy all of mankind.
What happened to your scout?
He was sent back immediately before he could expose anyone else.
- Sent back? - To our home.
Please believe me. We never meant any harm to anyone.
I will be going home myself...
..once this virus is contained.
Unfortunately, the virus has not yet been contained.
But I... I was only with him for a few minutes.
That's why I asked you to cease your enquiries.
That's why when you persisted I tried to contact you at the newspaper.
In another two weeks, you'll suffer the same fate as the others.
That can't be.
You must understand the risk you represent...
..to your entire race.
So that's it... It'sover?
You still have some time left if you care to make use of it.
You won't be contagious for another two weeks.
- What if I run? - You won't.
You'll come to realise it is the only choice to make.
I'm terribly sorry.
Dad. Cann I come inn?
Before you speak, I want to say something.
I got to thinking about the other night.
- About what I said... - No. Let me finish.
It's no secret I've been blaming you for what happened ten years ago.
All that stuff about not accepting the consequence of your actions.
Look, I'm not very good at this...
..but if anybody's to blame here, it's me.
I could have got mad at the company for being negligent and got over that.
It was a shock, Daddy.
No.
The only real shock is that I was willing to lose my daughter over it.
Is it too late to put the past behind us?
Well... There's no time like the present, Daddy.
I want to grab hold of all the time we've got left. Make the most of it.
Daddy...
What's the matter? Something I said?
No.
It's just that life has a funny way of screwing around with you, that's all.
Now... What do you want to talk to me about?
Nothing, Daddy. Nothing important.
Nothing important.
You were right. In the end, this is the only choice.
I wish there were another way.
I'm afraid to die.
Die?
You misunderstand. I've been removing those infected by the virus.
Taking them back to my world.
Once there, you will have a full and wonderful life.
On our planet, the virus is harmless.
You will not die.
Then...
Is my father at risk now?
If you stay.
(narrator) Nothing happens by chance.
Life has a design all its own.
For one person's sacrifice can be another's salvation.