01x09 - Death's Door

[bunniefuu]

STEPHEN: My name is Stephen Jameson. I'm one of the Tomorrow People. They call our powers the three T's.

CARA: Stephen?

Telepathy...

STEPHEN: Telekinesis... and teleportation.

There is a shadow w*r going on between us and Ultra...

No!

...the secret organization that hunts us.

The only way to keep my species from going extinct is to find my father.

And the only way to do that is by working for the enemy.

Previously on The Tomorrow People...

Dad, I need your help.

Save all of them.

How?

Thanatos.

I think that Thanatos was some sort of secret research program that my dad was a part of.

I want him alive, you understand?

Something's happened. John should be back by now.

He's at Ultra. They got him.

So. Here's how we can proceed.

The simplest and the most painless way is for you to tell me all I need to know.

In which case we'll k*ll you quickly.

But you're not going to do that, are you? I didn't think so.

Either way, this ends the same.

You will be dead. And I will know everything inside your head, such as where your rebel friends are hiding.

The only difference is...

I might have to work a bit harder.

And you'll have to suffer in ways you could never imagine.

(SCREAMING)

Show me, John. And this all can end.

(SCREAMING)

If I ever get free...

You'll what?

I broke out before you were born, boy.

(CHOKING)

Enough!

Pardon the interruption.

If you k*ll him, he can't tell us where the Tomorrow People are hiding.

You are your father's son. Both with the same weakness.

Misplaced compassion. For him of all people.

If you only knew the truth, you'd strangle him with your own hands.

What truth?

Tell him, John.

Go ahead, think of it as a last confession.

Come on. He ought to know how his father d*ed.

You?

You're lying.

I'm sorry, Stephen.

CARA: Stephen? What just happened?

Nothing.

Don't lie to me.

Whatever you just felt, I felt it too.

You're hurting.

(THINKING) John. He's not gonna last much longer.

We gotta get him out of here before this Founder guy kills him.

I don't know about this.

You have a better plan?

Let's just run the odds on it working.

Step one, we locate Jedikiah's secret paranormal girlfriend before Ultra does.

TIM: Actually, based on your former success rate in bringing in breakouts, I would place those odds only at 22.34%.

And then what?

We kidnap her.

I know, but it's our only play.

And then what?

We hope that Jedikiah cares enough about this chick to agree to a prisoner exchange?

Stephen, you have anything yet?

(THINKING) There's literally not a single personal item in his office.

(THINKING) Wait a second.

CARA: What?

(THINKING) I found a picture of Jedikiah and Morgan.

(THINKING) He's smiling. Never seen him look like that.

Oh God, he's even creepier when he's happy.

Tim, can you use any landmarks to pinpoint where this was taken?

TIM: I can certainly try.

It appears to be Montauk Point.

She's close, I can sense her.

Okay, then where is she?

Seems like a good place to lay low.

Hello? Morgan? Anybody home?

What?

She's psychic, she already knows we're here.

(CARA THINKING) It's okay, we just want to talk.

(CARA THINKING) Jedikiah sent us to check on you.

MORGAN: Who are you?

(CARA THINKING) We're like you, Morgan.

How do I know you're not agents?

(RUSSELL THINKING) Just gotta get these cuffs on her.

Cuffs? You're here to take my powers.

Morgan, no!

It's no use teleporting.

Wherever you go, I'll track you.

Have it your way.

Sooner or later, you're coming with us!

A-ha, give me that.

She's feisty.

Guess Jedikiah has a type.

Morgan, I...

We need to talk.

About your girlfriend.

I'm assuming you'd like to see her again.

Where is she?

She's safe.

Well how do I know you're not bluffing?

Let me show you.

You can't do this! Let me go!

All right, what do you want?

What do you think?

John.

Hurt him, I will destroy the one thing in this world you care about.

What do you want me to do?

Give me back the thing I love, and I might just return the favor.

Give me a minute?

Why'd you do it, John?

They told me it had to be done.

That your father had gone off the reservation.

Jedikiah said he'd become a danger to us all.

So you blew him up?

You really want to hear this?

I have to know.

I set a b*mb in his car.

And I waited.

He wanted me to think I had k*lled him.

But he teleported out at the last moment.

I followed him. That's when I caught up with your father.

And I sh*t him.

I didn't want to, Stephen.

You know, all these years, you've been telling your own people that my father could return at any moment, when you knew you put a b*llet in him?

If I could take it all back I would.

Well you can't.

You're a fraud, John.

Now you can go back and tell Cara and everyone else the truth.

No, it's not my job to tell Cara you lied.

That'd be too easy.

But for now, we're gonna forget the fact that you tried to k*ll my father.

Why?

Because Thanatos is real.

My father's alive, and he is out there, I'm sure of it.

And I'm gonna get you the hell out of here.

Stephen, what is it?

What? What is what?

I can feel you trying to work up the courage to ask me something. So go ahead, just ask it.

Is it about your dad?

Yes, it's about dad.

Then please don't.

I need to find him.

Well, I can't help you.

You're trying to protect me and Luca but the truth is you wanna see him just as much as I do.

Your father left us.

I don't know why. I don't care.

I just don't want that kind of chaos back in our life.

I don't think he was crazy.

You know it wasn't that simple. He was protecting us.

Did he ever mention anything to you about something called the Thanatos project?

All right, Stephen. I think you need to stop.

I know this is hard for you to hear, but the three of us are better off without him.

We're safer without him.

May I have a moment please?

I wonder what you want.

Let me guess, your boss this Founder guy, wants you to good cop the information out of me?

Where the Tomorrow People are hiding.

No, I trained you myself.

I know you're not going to talk.

That's not why I'm here.

I'm here to say goodbye.

Goodbye, son.

True to the end.

You wanted to see me?

Yeah, I want you to explain to me what it is I'm looking at here.

Me taking away Cara's powers. Why?

That's interesting, because when Cara and her little g*ng kidnapped me her powers seemed to be working just fine.

I wonder why that is.

I have a theory.

There, did you see that?

See what?

Yeah, it happens really fast. Let me show you again.

There.

I don't know what I'm looking for.

You know I didn't either.

This whole procedure seems very routine.

And then, I saw that.

Happens in the blink of an eye.

The devil is in the details.

You know what I think? I think you stopped time.

And I think you swapped out the serum for something innocuous like saline, and then let Cara walk out of here with her powers intact.

Cara, John, you seem to have a soft spot for the Tomorrow People.

Not them.

Her.

I couldn't let you hurt her.

Because you love her. Clearly.

Look, I know it was stupid.

And yet in this case, pardonable.

I know what it feels like not to want to see someone you love get hurt.

In fact, that's why I asked you here today.

You see, I too have grown attached to one of your kind.

You're kidding.

Do I look like I'm kidding?

No.

Good.

See this relation of mine, Morgan, is being held hostage by the Tomorrow People.

They're threatening to k*ll her unless I can set John free, which clearly I can't.

But you can.

Last meal.

Sorry about the jaw.

What jaw?

(STEPHEN THINKING) You could've warned me.

(JOHN THINKING) I said I was sorry.

(STEPHEN THINKING) How'd you get out of the cuffs?

Wait for Stephen.

What now? This floor is lined with D chips. You can't teleport out.

We make it look real.

Put up a little fight, will you? We gotta sell this.

Back off or he dies!

I said back off!

Unless your boss wants to lose a nephew!

Yeah? You're kind can't k*ll.

Wanna bet?

I aimed for your vest, but the next one's in your face.

Hold your fire!

You know there's no way out of here.

Your powers don't work now, John. Let the kid go.

(STEPHEN THINKING) D chips, 11 and one.

I take it John made it back to your little underground grotto safely?

(THINKING) No agents, coast is clear.

Jedikiah!

As promised. Let's go.

Take these cuffs off me.

No.

We're not through yet.

We are done negotiating.

You got your girlfriend, that was the deal.

Cara, just hear him out.

Well?

Wherever it is you're hiding, I'd like you to take Morgan with you.

What?

Like hell!

I want to be with you.

No, John slipped while on my watch.

That means there's going to be a microscope on me, and the Founder's going to sift through my brain until he gets to the bottom of it, and if he finds you, Morgan, the only way you can be safe is if I don't know where you are.

She is not coming with us.

She could lead a k*ll squad straight to the lair.

My uncle won't let that happen.

He wants you to keep Morgan safe.

Protecting your own, that's what John's all about, right?

Please don't do this.

Please take her or I'll call a k*ll squad myself.

Again.

Doesn't look like you're in limbo.

Again!

Well, still here.

Again.

This is what you broke me out of Ultra for? Never should've left.

It's gonna work.

Says who?

Some crusty old professor friend of your father's?

Limbo exists, I've seen it.

Stopping time while teleporting is the only way to get there.

Maybe you're not trying hard enough.

Oh, I'm teleporting just fine.

You're the one who's supposed to stop time mid-jump.

It can't be done!

It's like farting and sneezing at the same time.

Scientifically impossible.

We all want to find Roger, but there's no sense in k*lling yourself.

Or me.

Whatever, I'm thirsty anyway.

Are you okay?

You seem different since you've been back.

You wanna talk about it?

What, about me being psychically mind-reamed by the Founder?

I'd rather try and forget what happened, Cara.

This doesn't make any sense.

The Founder... why would he want to destroy us if he's one of us?

Okay, break's over.

You don't have to do this.

Actually I do.

She's going to find out.

I'm not gonna be the one to tell her.

Cara's emotionally connected to you. She feels what you feel.

And I'd rather she find out from me than by reading your mind.

You know what that would do to her.

And to you, it's not worth it.

Besides, my dad's not dead.

Even if that were true, Stephen. I sh*t him.

I tried to k*ll him.

And then I tried to cover it up by leading our people in this place.

This whole time I've been living a lie.

Again.

So tonight I thought I'd cook some Chinese.

No thanks, not hungry.

In case you missed that, that was code for "I'm sorry."

I guess, when it comes to your dad I just shut down.

I'm sorry, I don't mean to shut you down too.

When I mentioned Thanatos, I got the feeling that it meant something to you.

I don't know what that is.

(THINKING) How does he know about Thanatos?

Why're you lying to me.

What?

Tell me the truth, please. I just want to know more about Dad.

I should've known this day would come.

When your dad took off, I boxed up all his research materials.

It's just scribbles and number formulas.

Stephen, just be careful.

Why?

Because you've been trying to turn your father into someone he never was, and I'm afraid if you open that box...

What?

You're gonna be disappointed.

Maybe it's better to just leave it alone.

No. Sorry, Mom. I can't do that.

No, you can't, can you? 'Cause you're a seeker. Just like him.

Well it's unfortunate that John escaped.

But remember he was a very formidable agent.

Yes, I also seem to remember that you took quite a shine to him personally.

Is there something you want to tell me, Jedikiah?

I'd like to spare you the humiliation of having your mind read.

No, you're right.

There is something that... for lack of a better way of saying it, I have been deceiving you.

It has nothing to do with John.

But I am hiding something from you.

A personal relationship.

Continue.

The nature of which, if my colleagues found out about it, could undermine my authority.

You mean she's one of my kind?
(SCOFFING) Of all the indiscretions.

Why?

You can dig through my brain as much as you want, but the truth of the matter is it was an affair of the heart.

Somewhere along the line my scientific curiosity became... unprofessional.

Well, don't b*at yourself up, Jedikiah.

You're only human.

Now. Would you like to tie up our loose end, or should I?

No, I'll take care of it.

Good.

Tim?

I need you to try and load something for me.

My name is Professor Aldus Crick. It is precisely 8:00 AM and this is trial number one of the Thanatos Project.

See John, I'm telling you.

This is how my dad managed to disappear.

Because of some old lab video?

What does that prove?

Since when were did you become so cynical?

The closer we get to finding Roger, the more you check out.

Cara, we should talk. Alone.

What's up with them?

Lots.

Yes, well unfortunately, it appears our research subject is late as usual. Just picking up donuts.

Oh, bear claws. My favorite.

Shall we begin?

ALDUS: Why not?

We're not gonna find him, Cara.

How do you know that?

Because I k*lled him.

What?

My last op for Ultra was an assassination.

Jedikiah didn't just modify me to k*ll.

He ordered me to k*ll his own brother.

That's impossible.

It's the truth.

So all these years, you've kept us locked down here, promised us a future, a way to find the Refuge, that was...

I did it for Roger.

I promised him that I would protect the Tomorrow People.

And I did.

You lied to them.

This whole thing, it's been nothing but a lie.

Not all of it.

Don't touch me.

The only thing I ever asked you for was honesty.

Honesty?

How were you honest with me about what happened with Stephen?

It happened because I could never be with you.

Not all the way.

Now I know why.

All along, you've been hiding yourself from me, John.

It's 1.18 A.M. Trial number
347 of the Thanatos Project.

Stand by.

(GROANING)

ROGER: Results are again inconclusive.

It's just the same thing over and over and over again.

No offense, dude. But no wonder your dad went bonkers.

Tim, can you fast-forward to the end, please?

TIM: I am happy to, Stephen.

(GRUNTING)

Yet again, inconclusive. Son of a bitch!

(ROGER PANTING)

Tim, turn it off.

No, wait, wait. Give it a second.

- I'm running out of time.

Chin up, Roger.

There's always trial number 458.

No. We have to try the alternate method.

You can't be serious. It's su1c1de.

Where you going?

Going to go see the professor.

Stephen.

I'm sorry to just show up.

You're leaving because of me.

Nonsense. I'm just looking for a change of scenery.

Long overdue.

Where will you go?

Who of us knows where we are headed?

That's the beauty of life.

We can never see around the next bend, individually or as a species.

Who would ever have imagined that a people like you would be born of our own primitive building blocks?

You are a very special young man, Stephen.

Like your father.

But you knew that I couldn't reach him by stopping time while teleporting.

You and my dad, you tried how many times, and failed.

You saw the tapes...

He said there was an alternate way to get to Limbo.

You said it was su1c1de.

Professor, my dad had to die first, didn't he?

It was only ever a theory, really.

We could never prove it because an experiment that only gets to be tried once is hardly sound scientific method.

No, it worked.

What?

How on Earth do you reckon that?

I ran the experiment myself, by accident. When I was drowning I must have stopped time without even realizing it. I saw him.

Stephen...

It's possible.

Technically. But highly unlikely.

Furthermore, if your father went through so much trouble to disappear, consider the possibility that he doesn't want to be found.

Why?

Stephen, there are things afoot that you can't possibly understand, my boy.

(CRASHING) (g*nf*re)

Oh! No!

No, no... don't... Oh, no. Don't...

Someone was here with our departed friend.

I can feel it.

Stephen?

What happened?

They k*lled him.

They m*rder*d Crick right in front of me.

Why would Ultra k*ll Crick?

Because he confirmed that there's a way for us to find my dad.

Your dad isn't in Limbo, Stephen. He's dead.

What do you mean, dead?

There's no point in lying anymore.

Could someone please explain to me what's going on?

Later.

It didn't work because it was never going to work.

But there's another way. Wherever my dad is, you can't get there by stopping time while teleporting.

Limbo exists in the time between life and death.

What exactly are you saying, Stephen?

Well... you have to try to k*ll me.

No.

That is insane.

I was almost dead when I saw him. That's how I got there, and it's exactly what happened when you sh*t him.

Okay? It was all part of my dad's plan.

He wanted you to k*ll him. He needed you to, so that he could stop time right at the moment of his death.

All we have to do is re-create that moment.

It's the only way I can bring him back.

And you are the only one who can k*ll.

Listen to me, Stephen.

Jedikiah ordered me to k*ll your father. There was no plan.

Roger didn't know! I saw it on his face, I read it in his mind.

I held his body in my hands.

So trust me when I tell you your father is dead.

CARA: Stephen, what you saw was a vision.

You were hoping, like we were all hoping, that Roger was still out there.

But it's not real.

You're both wrong. He's alive. And I need your help.

This isn't about me. This is about all of us. The Refuge is real, but we can't get there without my dad.

Now, the whole reason you guys tracked me down was so that I could find him.

So either you believe that I'm the Chosen One or you don't.

Which is it, Cara?

Hey.

Hey!

What are you doing home?

Is everything okay?

Yeah! Yeah, everything's fine.

I know it's late notice but I was hoping I could have a few friends over for dinner.

Friends as in other than Astrid, friends?

Yeah. Yeah, Mom, I do have friends, from work.

No, of course!

Uh... yeah, that would be great.

But we'll probably have to go to the store, because I don't think we have anything to eat.

No.

Uh, okay, but we could order pizzas.

Yeah.

Luca's at practice tonight, so if you want Romero's, tonight's your night.

But we still don't have anything to drink, so let me get you some money.

No, I don't...

No, come on, this'll be fun.

It's been a long time since you've had friends over.

Hey, I could pick up some dessert from Broussards.

No, Mom, okay? Thank you. That's enough.

So, you never told me.

Did you find anything in that box of your dad's stuff?

No, you were right. Just a bunch of old junk.

Thank you.

(PULSATING)

You got my message?

I couldn't have waited another minute.

Neither can I.

So how do you know Stephen?

We, uh, work together, splicing genes for science and whatnot.

Well, you don't look like the research institute type.

Well, you don't look like the high school type.

Excuse me. I'm going to steal you. Careful of this one.

Yes, I can see.

It's fun.

Well, your friends are interesting.

Aren't they?

Yeah.

And they all work at your uncle's company?

No.

Remember when you got angry at me about the psychic subway dwellers?

Yes.

Right.

Mmm-hmm.

And Cara's here?

The one who's not-so-secretly in love with you?

Yep. She's actually with him.

Oh.

What a troll. I have no idea what she sees in him.

Unbelievable.

Thanks for that.

No problem.

Okay, enough staring.

I wasn't...

Grab some pizza or something.

I wasn't staring.

Hey.

Uh, I don't want to be nosy, but do you have any idea what's going on?

What do you mean?

Stephen and I have been friends for a very long time, and this whole get-together thing, it's not really like him.

He said you were smart.

Well, it was nice to finally meet the Tomorrow People.

Think my mom bought it?

Yeah.

There is one part I didn't buy, though.

Why?

Why was it suddenly so important that the people from the two sides of your life should finally meet?

What's going on?

Don't say nothing.

(CHUCKLING DEFENSIVELY)

It was written all over Cara's face.

Cara? Mmm.

You guys comparing notes on me?

She cares about you, as do I.

So what's the story?

Um...

I'm gonna try and bring my dad home.

You know where he is? How did you find him?

Doesn't matter.

Okay.

How long are you gonna be gone?

I don't know.

Right. So this is like a goodbye party.

No. No, Astrid. It's not like that.

You're scared. Why don't you let me go with you?

Where I'm going, you can't come with me.

But I promise I will be back.

I'm so sorry, Morgan.

Is it done?

I told you I'd take care of it.

Well, if you wouldn't mind showing me, your recent behavior has given me reason to doubt.

Dig in. I've got nothing to hide.

Well done.

But that doesn't pardon you, Jedikiah.

Now, I know that you don't have the capacity to read minds, so let me tell you exactly what I'm thinking.

If it weren't for your nephew, I'd have very little patience for you.

Bear that in mind as we groom Stephen for his ultimate purpose.

You're still alive.

I guess I misjudged your boyfriend.

Yeah, you did.

And how do we know you weren't followed back down here?

Trust me.

Jedikiah made sure there were no more loose ends.

He faked k*lling you?

I have to admit, he is an evil genius.

What's going on? Where is everyone?

(THINKING) We're getting ready to k*ll Stephen.

Don't ask.

Devil's advocate.

If Stephen's wrong, you'll have k*lled two Chosen Ones.

Get me the phenobarbital, will ya?

He's got a point.

Look. Whatever happens is on me.

Just promise you'll take care of my mom and my brother.

So that's why you invited us over?

I just don't want her to think that I abandoned them.

Like my dad.

You want me to tell her the truth, about you, your dad, our entire species?

Whatever it takes to keep them safe.

You ready? You've gone over the plan?

I inject him, one unit at a time, slowing his heart rate until he flatlines.

Pretty straightforward, really.

I'll set it up with Tim so that he can monitor your vitals.

Can I ask you a favor?

You know, just in case this doesn't work.

A last will and testament?

Let John off the hook, will you?

Why would that matter to you?

Our kind is hanging on by a thread.

And when you two are at odds, all of us are vulnerable.

Look, it's not like I want to see you two together, but he loves you, Cara.

That's why he couldn't tell you the truth.

To be honest, I don't know if I could either.

(DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING)

Is this band equipment?

How we looking, Tim?

TIM: Online to monitor Stephen's vitals.

But if I could point out the irrationality of this plan...

Just give me the exact time for brain death so that I can inject him with the epinephrine.

You ready, Stephen?

Let's do this already.

I'll be in your head the whole way.

I've spent six years trying to atone for k*lling your father.

This ability you've been hiding may feel evil, but today it's a gift.

- Heart rate?

50...40...30...

Blood pressure is 80 over
60 and falling rapidly.

He's bottoming out. Heart rate is becoming faint.

I've ceased to detect it.

Only 10 seconds before he loses consciousness.

Do it now, Stephen! If you want to stop time, you have 10 seconds.

Did it work? Did he do it?

I don't know.

I can't reach him telepathically.

It's like he's not there at all.

How long do we have to bring him back?

TIM: You have only one minute before brain damage begins.

Forty seconds.

Stephen? Stephen, can you hear me?

TIM: Thirty seconds...

I'm giving him the epinephrine, I'm bringing him back.

Not yet.

This is what he wanted. It's not time.

TIM: Twenty seconds...

I'm bringing him back.

Nothing's happening.

TIM: Ten seconds.

Come on, Stephen. Come on, come back to us.

(PANTING) I'm not gonna let you die.

TIM: T-minus zero. That's time.

(THINKING) Please, Stephen. Don't leave us.

I don't know if we can do this without you.

You have to come back. Please.

(PANTING)

What happened?

I saw him.

We have to find my dad's body.