04x12 - Tiny Machines

Episode transcripts for the TV show "The 4400". Aired: July 2004 to September 2007.*
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04x12 - Tiny Machines

Post by bunniefuu »

The world will have to deal with us.

Previously on The 4400: You belong here in Promise City with us, Kevin.

Since when did kidnapping become part of this new religion of yours?

Promicin compatibility test would be death to this movement.

I wish Jordan had buried that stuff somewhere.

Just do me a favour, okay?

Just hold off for a while.

Curtis, what about the conspiracy?

- What about the Marked?

- I just made the whole thing up.

They got you.

They bought you off.

There's a good chance the director of national intelligence is marked.

- You don't feel any different, do you?

- You mean, am I one of the Marked?

Some kind of zombie controlled by a future human?

- You're not Tom Baldwin, are you?

- Promicin is evil.

People who use it are evil.

The goal isn't to change the world, it is to end it.

- You can stop them.

- What do we do now, Diana?

Well, we have to find a way to get the real Torn Baldwin back.

With Tom, sometimes I think he knows.

Like, I could be working a case and I'll catch him staring at me like he's studying me and trying to figure out if I'm onto him.

I know, and we're supposed to be acting like nothings changed.

I've been seeing the guy.

Every time he puts a hand on me, I have to...

keep myself from shivering.

We can't keep this up forever.

Sooner or later, he's gonna figure out we know he's marked.

We have to find a way to get rid of that thing inside him.

All that water.

It takes some getting used to, huh?

They'll just pollute it.

They don't know what to do with the resources they have.

Isabelle is in Promise City.

As soon as she gets close to Collier, she'll move.

She knows not to damage him, right?

Good.

There's one other thing I need you to take care of.

A potential loose end.

Your partner's daughter.

Maia Skouris.

If she has the wrong vision at the wrong time...

Could complicate things.

”I handle it.

But we don't even know how they make someone marked, never mind how you'd get one of those things out of somebody.

Without more information, I don't know what we can do.

There is someone who knows more about the Marked than we do.

Feel like a trip to Canada?

Cut.

Print.

- Perfect.

- Curtis, I think we need to go again.

There was a shadow on the dead guy...

Don't worry about it.

We'll fix it in post.

I'm gonna be in my trailer, light the next sh*t.

I gotta make some tweaks to this scene.

Phil.

Great job, Phil.

Hello, Curtis.

Sit down.

We have some questions for you.

- About what?

- What camera lens you're using.

What do you think, Curtis?

We wanna talk about the Marked.

I already told you guys.

I made all that up.

The Marked aren't real.

I have to work.

If you wanna watch me, I can get you some headphones.

You're not going back to work anytime soon.

Now, all we need you to do is tell us how to k*ll one of those things.

You guys shouldn't even be here.

It's not safe.

I'm pretty sure people are watching me all the time.

So you do admit the Marked are real.

This is simple.

Tell us what we wanna know and we'll be gone.

Curtis, how do you get one of those things out of somebody?

Look, I'm not even sure you can.

I b*rned my screenplay.

But there was this one scene I was writing.

They were marking Matthew Ross.

They had to put some kind of weird fluid into his spine.

I think that's how they take people over.

The characters I was writing, they kept talking about these tiny machines inside the fluid.

Tiny machines?

What does that mean?

Look, I'm a filmmaker.

I'm not a scientist.

All by yourself?

Yeah.

I like it here in the morning.

It is pretty.

What's your name?

Sophia.

What can you do?

What makes you special, Sophia?

You know how we have five senses?

I can play with them.

I can make whichever ones I want stronger or weaker.

So if you want to, you could make someone blind or deaf?

Sophia, why don't you come along with me?

Shawn, this is Sophia.

She's so nice.

She's going to help us out.

All right.

Think you've gathered enough people now.

You know where they're holding Kevin?

Let's go get him before everyone wakes up.

Ready to get out of here, Kevin?

It's good you came.

They wouldn't give me any sunflower seeds.

I found that agitating.

- Hey, Maia.

- Hey, Torn.

- What are you doing?

- Just walking to the bus stop.

- Where's my mom?

- You know, I'm working solo today.

Diana told me she had an errand she needed to run.

You know, I'm heading your way.

Do you want a lift?

- Sure.

- Great.

Kind of weird, huh?

How we just saw each other on the street.

Well, to be honest, Maia, it wasn't a coincidence.

I...

I wanted to talk to you about your mom.

- Is something wrong?

- It's probably nothing.

But she's been acting funny at work.

I think she's under a lot of stress.

Have you noticed anything?

Not really.

I guess she's been working hard.

She talks to your new boss all the time.

She even comes over here at night sometimes.

Really?

Hey, do you think I could have ice with this soda?

- Oh yeah, sure.

- Thanks.

What about visions, Maia?

Have you seen anything unusual lately?

- No.

- Anything at all?

- No, just...

Just little stuff.

- Yeah?

Thanks.

Cheers.

I don't remember the last time I had a root beer.

It's good.

Well, Maia, I guess it's probably nothing.

But do me a favour, though.

You know, don't tell your mom we had this little talk.

I don't want her to think that I'm all worried about her.

Okay.

- Are you feeling tired, sweetie?

- A little.

Hey, why don't you take a nap?

I can let myself out.

Okay.

Okay.

- See you.

- See you.

It's done.

I gave the girl a massive dose of the inhibitor.

She won't be having any visions for a couple of weeks.

I want this to be fast.

We need to be in and out of the Centre as quickly as Shawn got into Promise City.

Ground floor...

in the back.

There's a foyer that opens onto the rose garden.

Both teams split up inside the foyer.

One west, one east.

What's going on?

Why does he have bodyguards around him all day?

Shawn came into Promise City this morning with another 4400.

They took Kevin Burkhoff.

You're not gonna hurt him, are you?

Shawn needs to learn to stay out of our way.

Things are gonna get...

crazy around here for a while.

I gotta get back in there.

I'll come find you later, okay?

Okay?

Curtis Peck dropped out of school in 10th grade.

It's safe to assume he doesn't have much grounding in the scientific method.

But when he talks about tiny machines in someone's spinal fluid, there's only one thing Curtis could mean.

- Nanites.

- Nanotechnology.

That's right.

Machines built at the molecular level.

- Tiny machines.

- Wait a second.

So I haven't read the last couple issues of Scientific American, but as far as I know, nanites are theoretical.

- They don't exist.

- Not yet.

Not that we know of, anyway.

Look, when someone's marked, one personality takes over another, right?

So how does that happen?

Nanites.

Somehow, the personality of the future guy is encoded in these little machines.

They're injected into someone's cerebrospinal fluid and they replicate.

Once there's enough of them...

- You're marked.

- So how do you destroy nanites?

I have no idea.

I mean, officially, nobody's even built them yet, much less worried about how to get them out of somebody.

Tom, hey.

Hey, guys.

Garrity said you were all down here.

I figured I'd join the party.

You said you had that real-estate thing.

- I didn't know you were back.

- Yeah, I saw the place in Lynwood.

We're just debating the pros and cons of suburbia.

That guy looks stressed.

Guess he's a city dweller.

Yeah, they were here when we got down here.

- Where have you been?

- Just case work.

We've been hearing rumours about a promicin-distribution network out at Northmount College.

Just poking around.

Well, I'd better get upstairs.

Look, it all comes down to whether you wanna put up with the long commute.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Jordan is nothing if not persistent.

It won't be long before he comes back on us.

Maybe we should leave.

He won't hurt Shawn if we're not here.

No, no, no.

You're not going anywhere.

Collier's proved he can find you no matter where you are, so this place is as good as any.

We have 44005 here who believe in what we're doing.

Even people who have taken the sh*t.

They're willing to protect you.

So whatever Collier's planning, we'll be ready for him.

- Shawn?

I'm sorry to interrupt...

- It's okay.

But your brother and your mother are waiting downstairs.

Okay, I'll be right back.

Okay?

Hey, Mom.

Hey, Danny.

I know we don't have an appointment, but I was out for coffee with your brother and I figured we'd stop by.

Well, good.

I'm glad, I...

It's good to see you guys.

It's just right now...

It's not a good time?

See, I told you.

I know I always say that.

It's just, really, right now is a really bad time.

Okay, I get it.

I just wanted to look at you.

I will come by this weekend.

We'll have dinner.

Good.

I'll have my people call your people.

Oh, okay.

All right.

I'll be waiting for that call.

I'll be there in a minute.

Okay, Mom?

Joanna, could you just give us a second?

- Sure.

- Thanks.

Bye, Mom.

- So saw you on the news.

- Yeah.

You were talking about this promicin compatibility test.

- Yeah, we're working on it.

- I wanna take it.

Shawn, I've had that sh*t sitting around for months now.

I figured I'd never take it.

But this test changes everything, you know?

I could find out whether it's safe or not.

It's...

The test isn't really ready yet, Danny.

Yeah, but it's close, right?

I'm just looking for a rough idea of what my odds might be.

Well, no school for you tomorrow.

You have a temperature of 101.

- When did you start feeling bad?

- This afternoon.

Oh, honey.

Well, at school?

No.

On the bus ride home.

Well, here.

You take these.

Then we'll take your temperature again in the morning.

Who's that?

Hey, sorry to drop by unannounced, but I just had a two-hour phone call with a guy in my graduate class.

- Yeah.

- He works at JPL now.

I asked him how you'd get an infection of nanites out of someone's body.

- Yeah.

- At first he laughed at me.

What happened when he got serious?

He said, theoretically, it's possible.

Nanites, if they existed, would have a molecular structure.

Which means their chemical bonds can be broken.

- Okay, how?

- Here's where it gets a little dicey.

My friend said the only way you could be sure all the nanites were destroyed would be to expose someone to a highly-radioactive substance.

Something like polonium.

How much radiation?

About 50 nanograms would do the job.

- Tom would die.

- I know.

If we really wanna k*ll that thing inside him, we're gonna have to k*ll Tom too.

So Diana Skouris was definitely a passenger on your flight to Vancouver yesterday.

Can you check to see if there was a Meghan Doyle on that same flight?

She was.

Thanks.

Hey, good morning.

- Good morning.

- Anything going on?

Yeah, actually.

We had a tip on that college promicin case.

A student named Penelope Rice called.

She said her Peace Studies professor had been lecturing in favour of taking the sh*t.

Well, do you think he's been supplying the students?

Well, I think it's worth taking a look.

You drive.

- Coming?

- Yeah.

- You had this CAT scan yesterday?

- Yeah.

Well, I had to drop Shawn's name to get an appointment, but they took me.

You have a beautiful brain.

But I'm afraid you won't be able to help me with the compatibility test.

- I don't understand.

Why not?

- Doesn't matter.

He just told you you can't take the sh*t.

No.

No, that's not what I said.

At this point, the test is almost ready.

I'm just narrowing down who would live and who wouldn't.

I can already answer that for 90 percent of the population.

It's the middle 10 percent that I'm focused on.

I have to find that exact dividing line between death and survival.

You?

You're a statistical outlier.

Look for yourself.

You have a very prominent corpus callosum.

One of the largest I've ever seen.

- So my chances of survival are good?

- Excellent.

I'd say the sh*t poses virtually no risk to you at all.

I knew it.

You hear that?

I've got a very prominent corpus callosum.

I'm not stalling.

Collier's been surrounded by bodyguards all day.

I can't get anywhere near him.

- I'm having a hard time believing that.

- It's true.

Besides, I don't even know if I can hurt Collier, let alone walk out of here with him.

Trust me.

You can do what you want to Collier.

If he told you otherwise, he was bluffing.

You're forgetting how strong you are.

Or maybe you're just dragging your feet.

Maybe you like to pretend you can be friends with those people.

Your time in Promise City meant something.

- It did.

- Did it mean more to you than your father does?

You need to get this done.

You have 24 hours.

What's up?

It's nothing important.

Just family stuff.

Your student informant was a wash.

She called NTAC because she's mad at her professor.

He gave her a C for the semester.

We could go talk to the guy.

It wouldn't hurt to ask some questions.

Like what?

Why are you such a tough grader?

No, I think we should head back.

I have to leave a little early today.

Oh, my God.

You're one of them.

- You were marked.

- Is that what they told you?

- Is what who told me?

- Skouris.

Doyle.

- I know they were here.

- I just wanna finish my movie.

If I wanted you dead, you'd have been gone a long time ago.

We just need to go over what they said.

Did they tell you I'm marked?

No, they didn't mention you at all.

They just asked me how to get rid of one of those things.

If there's a way to take a Mark out of somebody.

So they're gonna try to save Tom Baldwin.

I don't know, but it's got nothing to do with me.

- I didn't tell them anything.

- Hey, hey, hey.

It's okay.

It's okay.

It's okay.

I'm not mad, Curtis.

We just have to be thorough, that's all.

What else did they ask you?

Nothing.

That's all we talked about.

Okay.

Okay.

Can I go home now?

Now, I told you, I didn't say anything.

- What are you doing?

- You're a filmmaker.

You should appreciate what I'm about to do.

- Call it getting rid of a plot hole.

- No!

Tom, what are you doing?

You scared me, Diana.

It's after midnight.

Why are you still here?

I was just down in the Theory Room, and now I'm on my way out.

So, what's going on?

Oh, I'm just taking some work home with me.

- That's...

That's a lot of work.

- Yeah.

Well, have a good night, honey.

You know, Tom, I can't let you leave with those files.

Why not?

Okay, there's some sensitive stuff in here.

But it's you and me, Diana.

We take work home all the time.

It's no big deal, right?

You know, you're just so bad at this.

I don't know what lessons you took in bodysnatching school, but you make a terrible Torn Baldwin.

You're so insincere.

Very funny, Diana.

I'd laugh, but it's late.

You're marked, Tom.

I know it.

Meghan knows it.

Okay.

Just for a second, let's pretend I am.

Do you have any idea how hard it would be to pretend you're someone from this place?

You're all weak.

- Vacillating.

- We're human beings.

And I...

I don't know how we evolved into you.

Neither do I.

Neither do I.

And look at you, Diana.

You have no idea what you want.

You've driven away every man who's ever looked at you.

Look, your daughter hand-delivered you a fiancé by prophecy, and you couldn't even hold on to him.

The longest relationship you've ever had with a guy?

It's with me.

Your good old buddy, Tom Baldwin.

I am friends with him.

And I'm not even gonna ask him to apologise once I've b*rned you out of him.

You should get some rest, Diana.

- You're starting to sound delusional.

- Put the files down now, Tom.

Diana, what...?

Fine.


Isabelle, what are you doing here?

YOU never came to see me.

Oh, sorry.

I got tied up with Jordan.

Are you okay?

I don't wanna be alone tonight.

Oh, it's okay.

You can stay here.

And I don't wanna talk either.

Are you sure you don't want me to call a doctor?

I'm fine, Marco.

I just got a call from the Vancouver Police.

Curtis Peck was found m*rder*d a couple of hours ago.

- God.

- They're thinking it was a robbery.

I gave them no reason to believe otherwise.

God knows what he's gonna do next.

Hey, I don't wanna ratchet up the pressure or anything, but if we're gonna cure Tom, we're gonna have to do it fast.

My guy was able to give me a sample of polonium, but it degrades quickly.

In a couple clays, it'll be useless.

Tom knows we're onto him.

There's no way he's coming back to NTAC.

We have to find a way to lure him to us.

Well, I always hated needles.

Are you okay?

Yeah.

Yeah, I feel fine, actually.

Well, that doesn't mean you're free and clear.

We gotta keep an eye on you for a while.

Okay.

I better feel good.

You're just wondering what ability you're gonna get.

Well, the world could always use another healer, right?

Kyle.

Kyle, wake up.

Hey.

How did you sleep?

I've been awake all night.

I have to go.

It's time.

Time for what?

You're gonna go to sleep for a while.

And when you wake up, everything's gonna be different.

What are you talking about?

I want you to know all the things I've felt for you are real.

This is the only real friendship I've ever had.

Isabelle, are you okay?

For a while there I believed you'd changed.

So did I.

Maia.

Oh, honey, you need to get up.

How are you feeling?

- A bit better.

- Okay.

- I just don't think I can go to school.

- Oh, that's okay.

But you need to get dressed, we need to pack you a bag because we're going some place for a while.

Where?

Well, just a hotel.

- What happened to your eye?

- Oh, well, it's...

I'm okay.

We're just gonna go to a place because it's not safe here.

Now, I don't wanna frighten you, but it's...

It's Tom.

He's just got something bad inside him and he's just not himself.

All right?

So come on.

I need you to get going.

I don't understand.

That's what Tom said about you.

What?

When?

A couple of days ago, he picked me up at school.

A couple of days ago?

That was right before you started feeling sick, right?

Wake him up.

What do you want with me?

Hello, Jordan.

Looks like you and I will be working together after all.

It won't do you any good to k*ll me.

The movement's too strong.

It'll go on without me.

Who said anything about k*lling you?

This is a sedative.

We're not gonna make you a martyr to your cause, Jordan.

We're gonna make you a traitor to it.

You're gonna go to sleep for a while, and when you wake up, there's gonna be something inside you.

And in time, you're gonna come to think exactly the way we do.

You'll be a brand-new Jordan Collier.

A man concerned with protecting the future instead of destroying it.

You forget.

I've seen the world you created.

In the oceans were deserts of bone.

Fires filled the horizon.

And everywhere I walked, there was screaming.

We inherited that world.

And we managed to survive.

And even prosper.

All you people did was build a wall to hide behind while the rest of the planet d*ed around you.

It doesn't matter what you do.

You'll never get your future back.

The world is turning positive.

You're right, Jordan.

We're helpless.

But you're not.

You can take promicin out of people.

You can turn positives into negatives.

Your ability, Jordan.

That's how we're gonna win.

Once you're marked, you're gonna gather all your followers around you and then, one by one, you're gonna take their abilities away.

And you're not gonna stop until you rid the world of promicin.

Oh, look.

Jordan Collier has nothing to say.

You have to admire the symmetry.

You're gonna single-handedly destroy the movement you created.

You lied to me.

You told me that we needed Isabelle.

You said she'd changed.

I said you had to bring her to Collier.

She was a part of all this, and she is.

She's doing what she has to do.

You need to do the same.

How?

Jordan's gone.

Everything is falling apart.

You can't let that happen.

Somebody has to be in charge of Promise City now.

Me?

- Hello?

- Tom, it's me, Maia.

Maia, hi.

- Is everything all right?

- I don't think so.

It's my mom.

I'm worried about her.

She's acting weird.

- Weird how?

- She took me to this hotel.

She said that there's something wrong with you.

It's not true, Maia.

I'm sorry she told you that.

What else did she say?

Nothing.

Don't get mad.

But when you came to see me, I didn't tell the truth.

I did have a vision last week.

You and my mom were in it.

It was bad.

It's okay, Maia.

Whatever it is, it hasn't happened yet.

Just tell me what you saw.

My mom, she had a g*n.

And you guys were arguing.

Then she sh*t you.

I didn't say anything when you came to see me, because I didn't think it could come true.

But now I'm not so sure.

Where did this happen, Maia?

I need details.

I couldn't tell.

She'll be so mad if she knew I was calling you.

Be careful, okay?

And please, don't do anything to hurt her.

Just tell me what the place looked like.

Just...

You missed lunch.

I did?

Is it still day?

It's 3:00 in the afternoon.

Kevin, I know you're busy with your test, but it seems, ever since Shawn healed me, I never see you anymore.

Are you avoiding me?

Actually, yes.

- As much as possible.

- Why?

Because you're healthy now.

And you're young.

And I'm not exactly either of those things.

You don't need me to take care of you anymore, so I'm trying to give you space.

Kevin, how could you be so brilliant and so clueless?

Why would I want space?

Where am I gonna find another you?

Well, I suppose that would be a challenge.

I'd like you to go visit your grandniece again.

It's not safe here anymore.

I'm a target, and as long as you're with me, you will be too.

And when this is over, when I perfect the test, I'll come find you.

- How do I know that you will?

- How could I not?

Where would I find another you?

Don't move, Tom.

Put the g*n down, or I will sh**t you.

Meghan, please.

Meghan, honey, it's me.

Please, you have to help me.

This thing inside me, I'm trying to fight it.

But it hurts.

It hurts.

Sometimes it hurts so much.

Get down on the floor and put your hands behind your head.

Oh, God.

Tom, freeze.

Freeze, Tom!

Hey, man.

Watch it.

You doing, you idiot?

Careful.

- Here you go.

- Thank you.

You're welcome.

Do you think your brother looks a little thin?

Tired?

I'm worried about him.

Mom, I didn't come here to talk about Shawn.

There's something I wanna tell you.

I took the sh*t.

Mom, it worked out.

I'm fine.

I was afraid you would.

As soon as I heard about that test your brother is working on, I knew you'd be first in line.

Mom, this is a good thing.

The world is changing.

There are miracles out there.

- I'm gonna be a part of it now.

- Just like your brother is part of it.

Yeah, I guess.

I mean, why should he have a gift and not me, right?

Mom, you okay?

Mom?

Mom what's wrong?

Mom, Mom, Mom.

Someone help, please.

Mom, Mom, no!

- Where'd he go?

- I guess he went around back.

Don't move.

Drop the g*n.

Don't make me sh**t you.

You gonna fix me, Diana?

Gonna get your old Tom back?

How do you think that'll help things?

I'm a better NTAC agent new than I've ever been.

- Ever since I re-evaluated...

- Put your hands in the air.

Keep them where I can see them.

Okay, okay.

I've made more progress against Jordan Collier and promicin than we made in a year.

We're winning now, Di.

Isn't that what you want?

Not like this.

You k*lled Curtis Peck.

You put my daughter on the inhibitor.

My daughter, Tom.

You still call me by that name.

Deep down, you must know we're still partners.

That we're on the same side.

Tell you what I'm gonna do now, Diana.

I'm gonna turn around, gonna walk out that door, and you're not gonna pull that trigger.

g*dd*mn it, Tom.

Stop.
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