02x02 - Lifebomb

[bunniefuu]

[theme music playing]

NARRATOR:
Man lives in the sunlit world

of what he believes
to be reality.

But... there is,

unseen by most, an underworld.

A place that is just as real

but not as brightly lit.

A dark side.

[door opens]

[sighing]

Bless you, Kellie.

[sighs]

Whenever you're ready, Kellie.

Coming, Mr. Martin.

[crackling hum]

[buzzing]

Good morning, Mr. Martin.

Morning, Kellie.

What's my schedule look like?

Well, it's light for a change.

You've got a meeting with
the Labor Relations team

at 10:30.
Right.

Mr. Finster of Finance
for lunch.

Okay, Finster for lunch.

And Donna Kern at 2:00.

What about Wiley?

I thought Wiley
was coming by today.

Well, Senator Wiley's office
called just before you came in.

There's been a hearing
rescheduled.

So, he had to postpone.

Damn it, I've got
to talk to him!

All right, thanks.

Oh, and-and Mr. Martin?

That man from
Vita Eterna is here.

Again?! Well, get rid of him.

I still don't have
time for him.

He says he has a letter from
a company insurance carrier.

Well, did he say
what he wants?

He says he can
only tell you.

Well, it must be
that Wyoming thing.

Probably wants to lean on
us to settle the suit.

Okay, give me a minute
and then send him in.

Hey, what are you doing?

Until we're done, Mr. Martin,
we need privacy.

Henry Harris,
Vita Eterna Assurance.

It's a pleasure
to meet you, sir.

What's this all about?

The mine accident, I assume?

Oh, no, this is about you,
Mr. Martin.

I'm here because I want you
to take a new look at yourself.

You have all this
responsibility.

A multi-million
dollar corporation.

A wife who could
not support herself.

Two boys in college.

It would be a shame
if anything happened

to a man in your position.

There's no way
not to take risks.

That's exactly right.

And that's why
you need protection.

I have more insurance
than I know what to do with.

Policies to protect my company,
policies for my family.

I know that.

And a very impressive amount,
indeed.

Several million dollars.

But that's all death insurance.

And I'm talking about
something else.

I'm talking about making sure
that you don't die.

Well, I think I've given you
enough of my time.

I'm perfectly serious, sir.

I'm in a position to assure
that you will not be

cheated out of years
you have coming to you.

How?

By providing you
with a very special

little package of protection.

I'm wearing one now.

Show me.

[beeping]

[yelling]

[smoke alarm beeping]

KELLY [knocking at door]:
Mr. Martin?
Harris?

Is everything
all right?!
Harris!

Where are you?
[knocking on door]

[smoke alarm beeping]

KELLY [knocking]:
Is everything
okay in there?!

Mr. Martin, are
you all right?!

Everything all right?

Are you okay?
[knocking continues]

Mr. Martin, is everything
okay in there?

[knocking]
Are you all right?

[alarm continues blaring]

Harris!

Hello again, Mr. Martin.

Now do I get a few more
minutes of your time?

Now you understand why
I needed to talk to you.

[knock at door]
KELLIE:
Mr. Martin! Mr. Martin!

Are you all right?!

Mr. Martin, should
I call security?

Now, Kellie, no calls.

In or out, I don't
want to be disturbed!

I don't understand a damn thing.

What is that thing?
Where did it come from?

From the Lifebomb
on my back.

It's a memory fabric.

It takes its programmed
shape and then it hardens.

You look a little
shaken, Mr. Martin.

Why don't you sit down and, uh,
I'll start from the beginning.

This is nuts.

[chuckling]
Not at all, sir.

Lifebomb is designed
to do one thing well.

Which is to keep you alive.

Mine's demonstrative,
of course.

The real thing won't go off

unless it determines
you're in danger.

After that, the cocoon

will keep you
warm and cozy

until you're in the hands
of a medical team.

All right,
you can't come right out

and guarantee
a person won't die.

Pretty close, Mr. Martin.

Pretty darn close.

You see, inside the shell,
you're breathing pure oxygen.

The lining inflates
to stop any bleeding,

even provides CPR.

The backpack feeds you anything
from adrenaline to morphine.

As needed.

And all the while,

the unit is paging emergency
services by radio.

Think of the service contract
we're offering on your body.

Unless you're still
under warranty.

[chuckling]

Look, if this is for real,

why haven't I
heard of it before?

We prefer a low profile.

We don't advertise.

And our clients respect
our request for privacy.

The Lifebomb is not
for everybody.

How many of these things
do you have out?

Oh, don't worry about being
a guinea pig.

More than 1,000 people
are wearing these.

You'd be surprised at how many
names you'd recognize.

People who have signed that
letter have our permission

to talk to you if you want.

I believe you know
most of them.

Sure, sure, I know them.

Fortune 500 who's who.

All right, then.

How much?

Oh, I'm sorry, I thought
I made that clear.

Our contract is with
your insurance carriers.

There's no cost to you.

Ah, well, you almost
had me, Harris.

But you said the
wrong thing there.

My alarm bells go off
when somebody offers me

too good a deal.

Sorry, I can't see the catch.

But I know it's there.

You're cautious, that's good.

But we've got nothing
to hide from our friends.

It's all in there.

Every rule, every wrinkle.

When you've satisfied yourself,
just give me a call.

Anytime.

How close are we to being
done with this thing?

It's getting so the words
"Wyoming" and "mine accident"

make me want to
crawl under my desk.

We're close. Nine of
the victims' families

are ready to accept our offer.

And the last one
should fall in line

when they realize
they're all alone.

What do the out of
pocket costs look like?

In round numbers,

four million for each
of the six dead miners

and less for the four
that were disabled.

That's 30 million dollars.

But spread out over
three fiscal years

with the payment schedule
we've proposed...

Oh, that makes
all the difference.

30 million, Donna!

Could you really call that
a workable settlement?

It'll remove the cloud

that's been hanging over us.

I don't have to tell you how

this thing's been
affecting our stock.

Damn it all, I hate
being fleeced like this!

Nobody pointed a g*n
at those people

and said, "You, be a miner!"

They knew the risk.

That's why they pull
those wages.

It's not like we
cheated the families!

The company insurance
paid off.

We don't owe them anything more!

They got what they've
been promised!

[dog barking]

[groaning]

Coming to bed, sailor?

Leanne, I thought
you were asleep.

No, I was just gonna
change clothes.

Ben, are you all right?

Sure, sure, I'm fine.

You're not gonna go back
to work tonight, are you?

Why don't you come to bed?

Maybe you could go see
Dr. Wilson in the morning.

Don't you think I know
what he'd say?

"Mr. Martin, we've had too
many three-egg omelets

"lately, haven't we?
And how long has it been

since you last played
a round of golf?"

You could be nicer to yourself.

And to me.

I can't ease up now.

There's too much
that has to be done.

What about doing something
for me every once in a while?

Leanne, honey,
you know the situation.

I gotta get the company
through the rough times.

I'm planning on an early
retirement, you know that

but there's gotta be
something to retire from.

Don't forget about having
something to retire to.

And so, we'll need to further
explore the tax consequences

of such a settlement before
finalizing any agreement.

And moreover, Donna,
I want firm data

on the internal cost
associated with going to trial

as well as the size of awards

in similar--

[groaning]
[tape rewinding]

[gagging]

[dialing phone]

Vita Eterna,
Henry Harris speaking.

Harris, Ben Martin.

Ah, Mr. Martin.

What kind of a medical
do I have to pass

to take part in that
program of yours?

There's no exam.

If you weren't eligible, you
wouldn't have heard from us.

I want to do it
as soon as possible.

Now, you understand there's
some minor surgery involved?

To implant the sensors.

But I could schedule you
for tomorrow morning.

Good, that'll be fine.

Is everything all right,
Mr. Martin?

You sound like a worried man.

I don't have to be now, right?

[sighing]

MARTIN:
You know, ever since
this started bothering me,

I've been playing
this little game with myself.

Be sitting in a meeting,
or at the dinner table

and I'd wonder,

what would happen if I had
a heart attack right now?

I mean, how would they react?

Like, who'd panic?

Who'd be calm?

And I'd play out this whole
little drama in my head.

No need to wonder once they're
finished with you down the hall.

It was different every time
in this game, you know?

One of my sons flunking out,
being hassled by the IRS.

Catching the controller
embezzling.

Well, stress does come in
different shapes and sizes.

[sighs]

They're ready for you,
Mr. Martin.

Of course, this isn't
a free lunch either.

I'll have to give up
sunbathing in public,

backrubs... [chuckling]

Harris...

I'm doing the right
thing, aren't I?

Many of our clients
have reported

they're enjoying life more now.

The important thing is
they can report at all, huh?

Yes, of course.

That much we can guarantee.

But the rest is up to you.

[alarm buzzing]

Oh, honey!

Yes, Ben?

When I came home last night
it looked like

that first maple along
the drive needs some work.

What am I paying
that gardener for?

I don't know, I guess I'll
have to have a talk with him.

Well, see that you do, huh?

Ben,

I hate that thing on your back!

You know...

just a week

and I've already gotten
used to it being there.

Well, I'm not used to it.

Well, don't get excited.

Dr. Wilson wanted me
to wear it.

I told you it monitors
my blood pressure.

What's next? Little meters

and an antenna?

Look, I'm starting
to think about the future

like you were telling me to.

This isn't what I meant.

I meant us! I meant having
a little fun around here!

I'm trying to make sure
we stay together!

Together?

That's a joke, right?

It's been years since
I could compete

with your company for your time.

Leanne, that's not fair!

Now, you know the situation!

I just can't leave now.

You can!

But you won't because you think
I should be happy playing house

while you tend to business.

That's real life to you!

Real life to me is dealing
with my responsibi...

[beeping]

Ben?

What's wrong?

[beeping, buzzing]

Oh, my God!

[steady tone]

[screaming]

[Lifebomb ringing]

[gasping]

Are you listening
to me, Ben?

I promise, I promise
and I'll try.

I mean, for heaven's sake.

Was is it gonna take to make
you take care of yourself?

Leanne, he's the one
I told you about.

How you feeling, Ben?

I hurt.

But I'm still here
thanks to your gadget.

Leanne, honey, give us
a few minutes alone.

Will you, please?

I'm glad for you, Ben.

I don't like to see people die.

Well, I've been thinking
about that.

Look, why is this
such a big secret?

I mean, there's a lot
of people who'd want one

if they only knew about it.

Well, that was
the idea at first.

We didn't think only people
like you would be wearing them.

What the hell
do you mean by that?

We've lost so many good people
who still had more to give.

Poets,

artists, diplomats.

The Lifebomb could've done
them and us a lot of good.

This is a personal thing
with you, huh?

[chuckling]:
It was.

I developed
the deployment mechanism.

Hmm.

So, what happened?

We needed start-up money,
didn't we?

We approached the foundations,
there was little interest.

The federal government
laughed at us.

Somebody listened.

Insurance companies listened.

The National Association
of Life Insurance Underwriters.

They paid for everything.

They still do
and they own us.

I don't get it.

You're a businessman, add it up.

It's cheaper to keep you alive.

You're a high risk.

Anybody could see you're
ripe for a heart attack,

a stroke, perforated ulcer.

If you die, the insurers
lose $15 million.

By protecting you,
they protect themselves.

Very neat.

They put a new Lifebomb on me?

Almost before they
did anything else.

Now, look, Harris,

I don't think this is
such a good idea for me.

I could get to count on it
too much.

Well, I'm afraid at this point
you don't have much choice.

What do you mean?

The only way you can get out

is to leave your company
and drop your insurance.

Come on, I couldn't do that.

I mean, Leanne and my sons,

my-my boys,
they-they need that security.

Look, Ben,
our life assurance works.

The Lifebomb works.

Be smart about it.

Wear it.

But make sure
you don't need it again.

Don't tempt fate.

In other words, slow down, huh?

Exactly.

Well, that's the problem.

I don't know if I know how.

Well, Ben, for your sake,
I hope you learn.

[door buzzing]

What are you doing here?

I've had it, Ben.

What?

You're at it again,
nothing's changed.

But Leanne...

I still don't exist for you.

I had to make an appointment
with your secretary

to come here and tell you
that I'm leaving you.

Leanne, I'm trying to change.

With things on your back
that explode, right?

Just a little more time.

You've had time.

You haven't spent it with me.

[phone buzzing]

KELLIE:
I'm sorry, Mr. Martin,

but I finally got
Senator Wiley on the line.

Senator Wiley,

I've been expecting to
hear from you for weeks.

Now, what's happening with
our export exemption?

Leanne, wait.

What do you mean

that you can't move
on it this year?

Please, Leanne!

Well, how big a contribution
from Minepac does it take

to get a little cooperation
from you people?

Well, that never
happened before!

Christ, we do half our business

with the Russians
and the Chinese!

Look, damn it, Senator, we can't
wait till after the election.

We're hurting now!

Now, you listen here, Senator.

I don't care what the
majority leader says.

And I don't care about
the political atmosphere!

If you people don't move your
butt on this thing and...

[gagging]:
...get something happening,

the third biggest employer in
this state could...

[gasps]

[monitor beeping]

You trapped me.

HARRIS:
No, Ben.

You trapped yourself.

We saved your life twice.

I can't go through this
again and again.

But you will again and again
as long as necessary.

But don't worry,
we won't cut you off.

I want to die.

There's nothing left.

This isn't living.

It is by our definition, Ben.

The one in the contract.

You should understand.

A businessman
like yourself.

You can't expect anything more.

You got what
you've been promised.

No.

[crying]:
No.

No!

NARRATOR:
The dark side is always there.

Waiting for us to enter.

Waiting to enter us.

Until next time, try
to enjoy the daylight.