Oh My God.
Delivery.
Pain. Suffering due to bodily harm.
Symptoms can be sharp. Stabbing. Shooting.
Burning.
Causes can be cutaneous, an injury to the skin: somatic,
originating from the bones, ligaments, or muscle: or
visceral, from the organs.
It's nature's way of protecting us, of teaching us how to
protect ourselves.
But every once in a while, nature makes a mistake.
When's the last time you had your thyroid checked?
Hand tremors, weak upper arms, brittle hair.
That's all signs of hyperthyroidism.
Your immune system could be attacking itself right now.
Is that serious?
If you take radioactive iodine soon enough, you should be fine.
There you go. Keep the change.
There are over a hundred billion nerves in the human body.
Sensors in these nerves detect pain and transmit the signal
along the spinal cord to the brain.
Everyone has a tale.
You just have to know how to see it.
You're a genius, Henry, you know that?
Sometimes I forget how much pain I'm until it's gone.
I don't know what I'd do without you.
There's this guy I've been meaning to talk to you about.
He's well connected. He deals strictly in
pharmaceuticals. No tweaker shit.
I don't have time for distractions.
Since when is money a distraction?
In a dream they say to pinch yourself to know you're asleep.
If you couldn't feel any pain,
how would you ever know you're awake?
Whoa, sorry. Oh, my God, your hand! Are you okay?
Yeah, I'm, fine. Thank you.
Are you sure?
The skin can continue to burn more than five minutes after a
scalding liquid has been removed from it.
If it is not treated immediately, it can affect the
underlying layer of the skin, leading to serious complications.
You sure you're okay?
Does it hurt?
No. It's okay. It's okay, really.
What, are you some kind of doctor or something?
Cautious.
You wouldn't happen to have any aspirin in there, would you?
What?
That's probably the only medication I don't have.
Don't get headaches?
Not too often.
You know, you didn't even flinch back there.
It was like you didn't even notice.
No, I noticed.
Well, like I said, sorry.
No, wait. Wait, wait.
Here.
For your headaches.
What is this, like some kind of Chinese medicine or something?
Something like that.
Good for your shoulder too.
Thanks.
I should go.
I still got three stops.
You know, I didn't get your name.
Henry.
I'm Shani.
Maybe I'll see you around.
Aristotle said "We cannot learn without pain."
It is the single unifying thread that connects all organisms.
Even fish experience pain.
What does that make me?
Dr. Raymond Parks' office. Mm-hmm. Okay.
We will see you then.
Okay. Henry, how you doing?
I've tested all the Naloxone derivatives. Nothing.
You're going to kill those damn mice. All right.
Get up here and let's take a look at you.
- What happened there? - I don't think it's a big deal.
I dressed it yesterday. It's a coffee burn.
Yeah, it looks good.
So what's with the, uh, weight shifter out there?
What do mean? My new patient?
I mean, her inability to sit up straight
could suggest she's suffering from sciatica.
Well that is the diagnosis.
Of course, spinal stenosis would
show a lot of the same symptoms,
and be more difficult to diagnose.
Sciatica is more likely.
It would also explain the fact
that she leans slightly forward when she walks to
alleviate her pain instead of
stiffly upright like someone with sciatica would.
You'd just have to MRI her lower thoracic region.
Actually, that is interesting.
Now, have you given some more thought to Maine?
No.
Henry,
do you realize the strings I have pulled just to get them to talk to you?
The Fall River Center
is one of the greatest hospitals in the country for children with rare diseases.
You could be a role model.
Look at this.
You can help these kids, huh?
You know what they're going through.
You talk to them? Huh?
Yeah, fine. I will, I promise.
That's all I can ask. Sit back.
What if we just up the dosages?
What are they currently?
53 milligrams per kilogram.
No, no, no. That's too toxic.
Unless...
you came up with a similar derivative that
could bond with the receptors at a slower rate.
Naltrexone has a similar structure.
No. That's for alcohol dependence.
But I could create a set of derivatives from it.
All I would need is... is a... is a precursor.
Henry. Henry Long?
My name is Andrews. Dr. Stephen Andrews.
Please.
You're a research scientist?
Sorry. I didn't mean to alarm you.
I just needed to make sure you are the right candidate.
Candidate for what?
Well, as you know, in recent years we've made great strides
in the field of pain management, but that's it.
We've reached an apex. There's no where left to go.
What's this got to do with me?
In all my years, I've never come across anyone like you.
A body immune to pain in every way, and a healthy adult body to boot.
Do you realize how rare that is?
How did you...
Well, just because the world has forgotten about Raymond
doesn't mean I don't occasionally still keep tabs on him.
I'm not surprised he never mentioned me though.
We didn't part on good terms.
So what do you want from me?
I want to offer you a chance. A chance to help thousands,
maybe millions of people.
You want to study me?
I promise you will be handsomely rewarded.
I don't have time for distractions.
Think of all the people you could help.
Doesn't that mean anything to you?
No.
If it is possible to dull the body's senses,
then the opposite must also be true.
If we can take away the sensation of pain,
then we must also be able to create it.
Hello?
Hi, Henry. This is Dr. Lin from The Fall River Medical Center.
I believe Dr. Parks told you to expect our call.
I'm sure Raymond mentioned our facility offers children with
rare diseases some of the greatest care in the world.
We'd love it if you could find the time to come by...
Thebaine.
Excuse me?
- Uh, sorry. I gotta go. - But...
Hey!
Let me... let me call you back. Yeah.
I'm sorry, Doctor.
It's all right, Paulina.
You know, she hates it when you do that.
I need Thebaine.
Thebaine is a precursor to morphine and codeine.
You planning on getting in the heroin business?
It's also a precursor to Naltrexone.
Sit down.
Henry.
All right. It's an interesting idea.
I'll give you that.
Unfortunately, it's a controlled substance.
I can't just write you a prescription.
Yeah, but you must know somebody from back in the day.
I can't just call one of my colleagues out of the blue
and ask for something like that. I could lose my license.
Worse, I could go to jail. Now, what you should do,
come up with a proposal.
Submit it to a pharmaceutical company.
There isn't a pharmaceutical company in the world
who would put two cents into a project like this,
and you know that because there's not enough people like me
to make it profitable.
First rule in being a good scientist
is not letting your emotions cloud your judgment. You're too close to this.
You gotta step back. Get out of your house.
How did it go with, uh, The Fall River Center?
Who's Dr. Andrews?
Where'd you hear that name?
He approached me.
For what?
A research project he's doing.
And what did you tell him?
I told him I wasn't interested.
Good.
Do yourself a favor. Get that crazy idea out of your head
before you do something stupid.
And Henry,
next time make an appointment.
I need your help.
I'm listening.
I need you to get me something called Thebaine.
It's a chemical.
You're the scientist. That's your department.
It's a controlled substance.
So what does that have to do with me?
You're a drug dealer.
Fuck you. I'm not a drug dealer. I just deal what you give me.
Would there be anybody you know who could get it?
The only people I know are pill popping junkies.
That's about it.
But while you're here, why don't we talk about something more important
like you getting me more of my suppl... God damn it.
I'm outside.
Hello, Henry.
I'm so glad you could make it. Please.
This is your lab?
Oh, it -- it's not much, but we tend to operate under the radar.
This is Jeremy, my assistant.
What kind of tests are we talking about?
All very standard. Nothing much. Completely noninvasive.
Thebaine. Schedule II.
We thought we'd come to some sort of a...
financial arrangement.
That's my price.
Can you get it or not?
It would take some time but... yes.
Uh, wait -- wait, you're actually considering this?
So we have a deal?
Yes. We have a deal.
One more thing.
This is a one-time arrangement.
After this you never contact me again. Ever.
Okay?
Sounds reasonable.
Now then, let's get started, shall we?
The hardest part is the waiting.
Not knowing if you're going forwards or backwards.
Stuck in limbo.
When you're not like anyone else, everything is a threat.
Especially people.
You don't need them any more than they need you.
Keep some pressure on that.
When am I gonna get what was promised?
Soon, Henry, soon.
These things take time.
Look, I -- I recognize how difficult this must be for you.
You don't know the first thing about me.
Henry, I've seen your gift for diagnosing.
You must have come up with some theories on my predicament.
Indulge me.
Take a guess. Come on.
Your pain is obviously chronic. It's capricious.
It's not localized. My best guess is arthritis,
but you don't show any signs of swelling, so...
You're not trying. You're a scientist. Push yourself.
I don't know.
It isn't musculoskeletal.
It's neuropathic?
You have allodynia?
A condition not so unlike your own, really.
Only whereas in your case your body doesn't receive pain signals,
mine won't stop transmitting them.
I know how difficult it can be when you're not like anyone else.
It makes you angry.
Afraid.
I know.
But you see, that... that's what I admire about you.
You're here, despite your fear.
I'm not afraid.
Everyone is afraid.
Edison was afraid of the dark, did you know that?
Know what he did about it?
He lit up the night.
Hi. You know what you want?
Uh, coffee?
Pretty sure we can do that here.
Hey, I know you.
Henry, right? Shani.
Right. Yeah.
What are you doing here? You're not stalking me, are you?
No, of course not. I...
I'm kidding.
Yeah, I know.
How's the hand?
Oh, it's fine.
How's, uh, how's your shoulder?
Fine.
Let's see what I can do about that coffee.
Okay.
You mind? I could really use a break.
Unless you'd rather be alone?
No, no. I, uh...
It's fine?
So, Henry...
tell me about yourself.
Um...
well, I'm a scientist.
A scientist? That's really interesting. Which field?
I didn't want to burn myself.
That's actually not a bad idea. I burn myself all the time.
And occasionally others as well.
Did you know that an average glass of water actually
has 15 different kinds of medications in it?
- Is that right? - Yeah.
I mean, most people don't know that,
and it's partially because of all the prescriptions that people flush,
but it's also from urinating.
You sure know a lot about water.
I guess.
Well, we've all gotta hydrate, right?
Well, actually, coffee's a diuretic,
so you'd be dehydrating yourself.
You're kind of strange, aren't you?
What else do you do?
Like, what do you do or fun?
To be honest, I like to read.
Yeah? Like what?
Oh, all kinds of things. Science and medical journals,
books on anatomy, medicinal chemistry, clinical pharmacology...
Do you like to go out?
Oh...
I get it. Um...
I'm kind of focused on my work right now.
Hmm.
Not exactly a people person are you?
There's a lot more to life than work, you know?
Like what?
I'll tell you what.
My number.
In case you want to find out sometime.
We're going to need more blood work.
Henry, are you listening?
If you don't mind, Jeremy's waiting so...
No.
No more tests.
Henry... I've given you everything you've asked for.
I want what was promised.
You know, for the longest time I couldn't imagine what you could
possibly want with something like this,
other than the obvious.
And then it occurred to me.
If one were to play with the
sterics and electronics of an opioid receptor like Naloxone,
a precursor could allow them to create a better derivative.
I think you're trying to cure yourself.
I can help.
I don't need your help.
Henry...
If it is possible to dull the body's senses,
than the opposite must also be true.
If we can take away the sensation of pain,
then we must also be able to create it.
Um, hi. Um...
yeah, right. Yeah.
You made it.
Someone told me I should go out more. So...
Well, I could certainly use the extra hands.
Aren't you hot?
What do you mean?
We're in a greenhouse.
- I know. - Come here.
Did you have any trouble finding the place?
No. No.
Whose place is this?
Uh, it's a community greenhouse, but
I've been coming here as long as I can remember, so...
it kind of feels like mine.
I remember when I was a kid, I would just come in here and
just sit for hours...
just really breathe it all in.
Being around the plants just...
would really help put everything else in perspective.
Must sound kind of strange, huh?
It doesn't sound strange at all.
What are you spraying on all of them?
The bugs have been really persistent this season.
Especially the aphids. This is a horticultural spray that I made.
I just use it to keep them away.
You made it?
Yeah. It's organic, non-toxic.
The bugs don't like it and the plants do.
Why don't you just spray a pesticide
then and get rid of the bugs for good?
Then it wouldn't be natural.
No. But that's the point of science.
You find the flaws in nature and you fix them.
Flaws?
Yeah.
Thank you for inviting me, by the way.
I really enjoyed it.
Do you want a ride?
A ride? Yeah, sure.
That's me.
What's wrong?
No, nothing. I, um...
I just have a lot of work I have to do, and, um,
I -- I live --
I'll take you anywhere you want to go.
Come on.
What do you say?
You checked the sodium levels?
Mm-hmm.
Well, you're going to have to check again.
Henry, you're back.
I need your help.
We're ready.
Are you sure you don't want any anesthesia?
Kind of defeats the purpose, don't you think?
Believe me, if this works, you're gonna wish you had it.
We're in.
Stimulating the parietoinsular cortex now.
What? What's wrong?
Everything's fine. We're finished.
The procedure is done.
Do you feel anything?
I'm sorry, Henry.
It's Eddie. I'm out.
Now's not a very good time.
Did you hear what I said? I need you.
Hello?
I'll be there in a of couple days.
A couple...
Henry?
I need stem cells.
I'm with a patient.
If I can find a way to convert them into nociceptors...
You can't just barge in here like this.
You have gout.
It's acute inflammatory arthritis at the base of your big toe.
Take some Diclofenac and stop eating foods with such high levels of purines.
I'm sorry. Would you excuse me for a minute?
What the hell are you thinking?
They have to be embryonic.
Henry, you can't keep doing this.
Look, Thebaine was a mistake, okay?
It was my miscalculation. This can actually work!
Enough!
Even if it was possible that what you're saying would work...
- It is. - Which is highly unlikely...
and you got your hands on embryonic stem cells,
which you can't, which hardly anybody can, it would probably take years
to establish a stable cell line.
Let alone the millions of dollars
for specialized equipment that you don't have access to.
I can get access.
Where?
Jesus Christ. Andrews.
He just did a couple of tests. I mean, it's no big deal.
Everything is a big deal with him.
What is it with you two anyway?
He was my research partner...
20 years ago.
We were experimenting with a drug that was designed to help
alleviate chronic pain.
We were coming up with great results, and we got approval
for clinical trials with humans.
We thought we were on the verge of a major breakthrough.
Okay. What happened?
We just weren't getting the results we wanted, and...
Andrews was convinced that we needed...
to up the dosages,
way above protocol.
Eventually we did, and I should have stopped him.
But he kept telling me that I was too scared to take risks,
that I wasn't committed, and meanwhile,
a number of the subjects...
developed tumors.
Five people lost their lives.
Henry,
you have to understand Andrews is obsessed.
He will stop at nothing to get the results he wants.
I'm begging you,
let go of this madness before it's too late.
What the hell happened to you?
Oh, I knew you would come through for us, Henry.
We need to talk.
I need to talk to you too.
Remember that guy I was telling you about?
He's well connected.
The drug dealer?
Yeah.
What about him?
I met with him.
- He wants to partner with us. - Did you tell him about me?
I just told him that I had to speak to my partner.
I didn't want to leave you out.
I don't want to do this anymore.
Henry...
Hi.
Hey.
Do you want to go for a ride?
Yeah.
You drive.
There is something that I ...I want to tell you...
that Ihaven't told anyone else in a very long time.
I have this condition...
where I don't feel pain.
I can't feel pain.
I feel everything else.
Just not that.
The ice?
Yeah, right. I, um...
have a hard time distinguishing
hot or cold and I've kind of hurt myself
badly before so...
I live my life kind of separate from other people
because I'm not like other people, and...
you meet someone like you, and it...
it just kind of reminds you that, um...
Reminds you of what?
That you're alive.
I've spent my whole life trying to fix myself.
Now I'm starting to think maybe that's not the way to go,
you know?
What do you think?
I think life is short...
and you have to do what makes you happy.
Fuck the rest.
Okay. I like that.
Friends of yours?
Those are actually very special mice.
Um...
they're genetically altered.
Altered?
Mm-hmm. They're, um...
they're like me.
Yeah? Just like you, huh?
No. Um, those... those guys are assholes.
Um...
do you want to see these?
Yeah, can I? Can I hold them?
Yeah. Yeah. Um...
- Are... do I need gloves? - I... I put on the gloves
just 'cause I -- I, um, I wouldn't feel if they were
biting or scratching. Not that they will.
They wouldn't. It's an old habit.
Hey.
They're not used to other people.
You don't have a lot of visitors?
Um...
not especially.
- No? - No.
She likes you though.
Shh, it's okay. It's okay.
Thanks for letting me say hi to your friend.
No problem. Go down, sweetheart. Shh.
And this:
Oh, I use the peppers to make the extract, and then
that's how I test them for the pain. Yeah.
Chile peppers.
You know, Henry, for someone who doesn't feel pain,
you sure know an awful lot about it.
Yeah. I mean, I, uh, I mean,
I've spent my whole life thinking about it, you know?
I -- I've taught myself how to see it in others.
It always amazes me, like, people walk around with so much pain.
Like, take you for example. Like...
I know you think you have pain in your shoulder,
and I know this sounds funny, but
actually it's referred from a completely different area,
and you don't have a problem here at all.
It's... it's... it's the surrounding muscle groups.
You can live your whole life trying to change.
Trying to be something you're not.
Telling yourself it's okay to be alone.
That simply surviving is enough.
And then one day everything changes.
Hello, Henry.
Why are you here?
It didn't work, did it? The Thebaine?
We knew it was a long shot.
What do you want?
This whole time you've been focused on increasing the
effectiveness of Naloxone derivatives, correct?
Has it ever occurred to you to ask why it's only effective in
such a small percentage of the population to begin with?
Naloxone binds to opiate receptors.
People with my condition have more than most.
Based on the theory that
the cause is due to a mutation of the NTRK1 gene.
Are you here for a fact check?
What if it weren't?
What if there were another gene with a similar mutation?
Think about it.
It would explain why Naloxone is only effective in such a small group.
Every experiment failed. It was bad science, okay?
It was my fault. Everything failed.
So you get up and you try again! That's what we...
You're not listening to me. It's not science fiction.
- It's my life. - It's all science fiction until
we prove it otherwise.
That's what it means to be on the cutting edge of discovery.
I spoke to Ray.
Five people died.
What were they? A good candidate?
A good subject? A science experiment?
Do you have no remorse at all?
Yes. I've made mistakes. I admit.
At least I'm not afraid of taking risks.
And frankly, so what, huh?
So what if some people got hurt?
We're... we're talking about profound scientific discovery.
Don't be naive.
That's the cost of doing business.
The cost of doing business?
I can give you what you want, Henry.
Yeah? What's that?
Pain.
Something on your mind?
I just feel good, you know?
There's just...
so much that I want to do now.
Like what?
Like ice-skating.
I've just never been.
I think we can arrange that.
Shani?
Ron.
Hey. I thought that was you.
You look nice.
What are you doing here?
Uh, having dinner with a friend. This is Ron.
He, uh, used to work at the cafe.
God, you look nice. I miss those days.
Hey, I'm having a drink over at the bar. You want to come join me?
Maybe another time.
Come on. I'll buy you a shot.
No thanks.
It's fine. If you want to grab a quick drink, I don't...
Look, I appreciate the offer, but...
I'd rather just be alone.
You're serious?
Why are you being like this?
- Being like what? - A dick.
Hey, you're the one with the stick up her ass.
Excuse me?
Hold on there.
You got something you want to say to me?
I do actually.
Oh, yeah? And what is that?
- It's fine. - It's not fine.
You're being rude to my friend.
That's not okay.
You owe her an apology.
Your friend's a little cock tease.
- Hey! - Got something to say to me now?
Let go!
Henry!
Asshole.
Henry!
Come on, wait.
That guy, he was being an asshole.
Look, I'm sorry. It was a mistake, okay?
What?
No. I... I gotta go. Just... just please leave me alone, okay?
But Henry...
Stand clear of the closing doors, please.
We need to do a gene test.
Okay.
You were right.
It is a mutation of the SCN9A.
The problem is with your sodium channels.
I'll be damned.
This is groundbreaking.
I know what we have to do.
I can't do it alone.
You can do any tests you want.
Yes. Of course. We'll do it together.
We can use gene therapy to replace the faulty gene with a proper one.
Inducing your nerve cells to create normally functioning sodium channels
so they can properly transmit your pain signals.
We'll just need to select a viral vector to deliver the gene.
Take the normal functioning SCN9A gene
and deliver it to the cells.
We let the healthy cells fix the problem for us.
That's really good.
We could have a sample soon.
Are you okay?
Henry, you're scaring me.
I'm working.
This isn't who you are.
You're wrong. This is exactly who I am.
It doesn't have to be.
But that's the point. It does.
It does. It was just...
it wasn't real. It was -- it was just a bad fantasy.
Can you look at me?
Henry?
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
I just don't have time for distractions.
I'm really sorry.
You gotta go now.
Is the sample ready?
Yes.
I need you to give it to me.
What for?
I -- I don't have to time to talk about it right now.
I just need you to give it to me.
I'm not going to give you the sample, Henry.
What are you doing?
Where is it?
What would you do with it if I let you have it?
That's none of your concern.
It is if you're planning on doing something stupid with it.
Give me my sample.
Give me my fucking sample! I discovered this!
That's enough!
Do you realize
we're on the verge of a major breakthrough?
We have a long way to go before we're ready for clinical trials in humans.
Can you not see that?
Do you realize what's at stake?
Hey.
What the hell's going on?
Henry?
Your phone's off.
You haven't been keeping your appointments.
I've been working.
Yeah.
Take a look.
I did it, Ray.
I -- I solved it.
SCN9A?
What makes you think...
Tests confirmed it.
No, it's...
It's beautiful, isn't it?
It's a nice theory.
A theory?
Yeah. What would you call it?
I'd call it the thing I've been waiting for my entire life.
You don't know that. This will take years of testing.
I don't have time for that.
Have you lost your mind?
No! I cured a fucking disease!
You don't have proof of that.
This is all theoretical.
Even if it worked,
you don't know what the long-term side effects would be.
You need preclinical data, clinical trials.
You're just jealous.
What?
Just because you didn't have the guts to finish your work
doesn't mean I don't have the guts to finish mine.
Injecting untested genes isn't science.
It's suicide!
Henry,
life is not just a distraction. This is.
What do you know about it?
What do you know about living everyday like it might be your last,
and you don't even know if you care anymore?
What do you know about never feeling normal?
I don't know.
But what I do know is this isn't the answer.
I'm trying to protect you.
I don't need protection, I need results!
- At what cost? - At any fucking cost.
Henry. Henry, please.
I think it's time for you to go.
Henry. Oh, thank God. I was worried sick.
Well, did it work?
I don't know. I didn't do it.
What? Why?
I guess I realized that if I did it, and it didn't work,
I mean, if I died in that room,
no one would even notice.
I mean, it would be like I was never even born.
I just...
I can't do this anymore.
Well, you can't just walk away from this.
- Look at how far we've come. - It's my decision.
Oh, the hell it is!
We're talking about controlling pain at a genetic level.
That's never been done before!
Can't you see what's at stake for us?
For "us?"
Yes, for us.
I'm the one taking all the risks.
This is my life's work.
What gives you the right to be so selfish?
Did you want me to steal that?
Oh, that's preposterous.
You knew. You knew that I would never wait for proper testing,
and you couldn't take another scandal.
Am I right?
You didn't want any more blood on your hands, right?
Am I right?
Patience isn't either of our strong suit, and I knew...
I knew it was only a matter of time before you became desperate enough.
And with the only way for me to know the true
potential for this type of gene therapy on my sodium channels
would be to understand how it affects yours.
And what would've happened if it didn't work and I died?
It was your decision to make.
Do you care about anyone but yourself?
How can you say that? I care about everyone!
Don't you see that's what all this is about?
I'm done. It's over.
That is your fear talking.
No. It's yours.
Where are you going?
There's nothing out there for you.
We'll see.
Henry, you... don't go! Henry!
I need you!
That's what you want to hear?
Henry, please!
I've spent my whole life afraid of taking risks.
Trying to change who I am.
You showed me I can do more.
Goodnight, Paulina.
Oh...
this came for you earlier.
So I've decided to leave this city for a while.
There's a hospital in a place that I've never been and...
apparently they can use my help.
Is everything okay?
Yeah.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Good night.
I don't know what's out there for me.
I don't know what lays ahead.
But I do know I need to find out.
It's like you said: "Do what makes you happy.
Fuck the rest."