Original subtitles

My name is Thomas Vale, or at least it was.

I'm a photographer.

I had it all. A wife, Allison, a friend, a career.

And in one moment, it was all taken away.

All because of a single photograph.

I have it.

They want it.

And they will do anything to get the negative.

I'm keeping this diary as proof that these events are real.

I know they are.

They... Have to be.

Safety deposit box. The National Bank in Silver Springs.

Everything I know about them is in that box.

Hi. Hello.

This way.

ID?

Key, please.

We've got a hit.

Silver Springs National Bank.

Minnesota in sixth.

Chickens in the coop, people.

I think he's got Wayne. He's moving north on six.

He got him.

God!

You got a problem here?

Hey, ask them. They've been following me. Give us the folder, Tom.

Hey.

Forget it.

We really got what we came for.

This is Eagle.

The chicken has fallen to roost.

We got the package.

Bring it home, Eagle.

Okay, let's go. We'll see you back at the farm.

That's it?

That's it.

A lot of manpower for one lousy folder.

Well, there must be a reason.

Exactly how much of this photo has been altered?

It's going to take hours to tell that. I've looked at this particular photo a

thousand times. There's no way you could have known.

These people, they forced me to question everything and everyone that I ever

thought was real.

What about the photo itself? Where was it taken?

Well, I thought I had taken it in South America, but the same gallows was

standing in the middle of a clearing on the other side of the Potomac.

Except for the people and the palm trees, it was the exact same place where

thought that I'd taken the picture. So you weren't surprised that our

said the photo had been altered?

No, it just confirmed what I'd already suspected for some time.

The entire file was compiled by an FBI agent codenamed Gemini.

He was one of Robman's men.

And the key in the file was to a place in rural Virginia that he was apparently

using as a safe house.

If this was Gemini's safe haven, it was obvious he hadn't been here in a long

time.

Or maybe not as obvious as I thought.

As I was about to learn, there was more, or maybe less, to this haven than met

the eye.

There was no electricity.

Wall switches and plugs had been covered, or long since replastered.

I had come to this place hoping to find Gemini.

What I found instead was a temporary refuge of my own.

Although there was still no indication of who Gemini was or how he'd gotten a

hold of this photograph, I felt strangely at ease here.

For the first time in a long time, I felt my questions could wait, at least

morning.

This is Hawk.

Negative. It's Falcon.

Still sweeping central corridor.

Eagle, southwest sector clear.

Extend the net two square.

I want this bird.

Who is he? I can't tell you that. This guy wasn't even in my photograph.

Come on, Robin, don't back out of me now. Who is he? His name is Matthew

He's a United States Senator.

Gemini's information to Robman was apparently correct.

Not only was Matthew Balkan a U .S. Senator, but the other three men in the

photograph appeared to be U .S. Senators as well.

Then I saw the date.

But how could that be?

How could four senators, dead for more than a year, suddenly appear in a

photograph only two weeks old?

There was a fifth man in the most recent photograph, a Senator William Wallace.

Maybe he could tell me what had happened to the other four.

Senator Wallace's office.

Is he in?

Who's calling?

My name's Tom Vail. I'm a photographer.

I took a photograph of four of Senator Wallace's colleagues I think he might be

interested in.

They're on the Intelligence Committee with him.

One moment, please.

How can I help you, Mr. Vail?

Senator Wallace.

No, this is Doug Iverman. I'm Senator Wallace's special assistant.

Look, I'm only interested in talking to the senator.

Well, I screen all of the senator's appointments.

If you want to talk to him, you have to go through me first.

Now, you said something about a photograph of four members of the Senate

Intelligence Committee?

Yeah.

Balkan, Blake, Richards, and Markston.

It's a shot of the four of them hanging from a gallows in a wooded lot outside

of Washington.

Does that ring any bells for you?

I'm out in Richmond. We can meet there.

If it's not going to be at the senator's office, I want it to be somewhere out

in the open, you know, in public.

Okay.

How about the park in front of the Treasury building?

Yeah, listen, wear your Senate pass so I can recognize you.

Iverman? Mayor Vail?

Yeah, that's right.

This better not be a waste of time.

Well, if you thought it was going to be, it wouldn't have come.

Tell me about the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Ho, ho, ho. This is not the way it works.

Now, you said that you had something that might interest the senator. I

that something.

You're a long way from the point of asking any questions. I'm not interested

how it works. I'm not interested in playing games. Either the senator wants

talk with me or he doesn't.

All right, this picture, you have it with you?

Yeah, I have it printed, yeah.

All right, you let me see it.

If I think it's worth the senator's time, we can go on to the next step.

You're not a Beltway regular, are you?

I don't even know what that means.

A Beltway Washington?

You're not an insider.

Not by a long shot.

Well, you're paranoid enough to be one.

You should get out of Washington more often. There's a fire sale on paranoia

right now.

This, I'm not giving away.

Somebody call the police!

Senator Wallace's office. Senator Wallace in. Who's calling?

Tom Vail.

Bill Wallace here.

I need to talk to you about what happened to your assistant, Doug

today. Let's cut to the chase, Mr. Vail. Did you kill him?

Of course not. I wouldn't be calling you if I had.

But I was there when he was shot.

What is this all about?

The most I can tell you is it's about a photograph.

I was trying to show him a copy of it when it happened.

Can I see this photograph?

Well, nothing would please me more, but after what happened today, I'm a little

nervous about trusting anybody.

I have a meeting on the hill at... Three. Can you meet me after that? Say,

five?

Where?

The West Wing of the Smithsonian.

If you can help me with the who and the why he was killed, believe me, you'll

have nothing to worry about.

Senator?

I mocked him.

Senator Wallace.

Mr. Vale.

Let's do this without making a scene.

He's going.

I'll call you if I need you.

Satisfied? Mr. Vail, my close associate was killed today. I'm entitled to be a

bit cautious.

Fair enough.

Now, something about a photograph. Where is it?

Well, I have that in a safe place.

I need to be a little cautious here myself.

I could have you arrested on suspicion of murder. You realize that?

But you won't.

Why not?

Because it's not how you play the game.

You're wasting my time, Mr. Vail.

You have something to tell me, tell me now. All right.

Four U .S. Senators all on your committee.

Balkan, Blake, Richards, and Markston.

What about them?

The photograph I've been talking about.

It's a shot of the four of them hanging from a gallows.

About five miles outside of Washington.

The picture was taken a little over a year ago.

That's preposterous.

All four of those men are still alive.

How do you explain that? Well, how do you explain it?

All four of those men changed their minds to vote with you on several

pieces of legislation. All four of them voted with you to defeat a controversial

anti -terrorism bill.

Are you trying to blackmail me? Is that what this is all about? No, I'm just

trying to get to the truth.

I mean, there's obviously something rotten going on around here. I mean,

assistant was shot this morning.

Quite a few of my staff are convinced that you're responsible.

Look, he was shot at long range. I was standing less than two feet away from

him.

Photographs can be retouched. Do you have the original negative?

I have that in a safe place.

I want to see that photo.

Look, it's been a long road here, Senator. I can't just give you the

without something in return.

What did you have in mind?

I want the details.

I want to know everything about the committee. I want to know about the four

senators. I just want to be able to find out the truth.

I don't need time to think that over. I don't have time.

Call my office in the morning. Listen.

You have until 8 o 'clock tonight.

How will I find you?

You won't. I'll find you.

I don't think the guy's crazy.

It's a wild story, Bill.

Why would you even consider it?

Did you know what went on in that committee last year?

You got a better explanation?

I need help on this one, Rob.

Not without something more than you got.

The photograph.

Right now, all you've got are the ravings of a madman.

Possibly a murderer.

He wants me to tell him everything I know.

You'll call.

We can set something up for you.

No, no, no. He's far too skittish for that.

Scare him away for sure.

Well, thanks for your time, Rob.

What are you going to do?

Senator Wallace, please.

Tom Vail is calling.

Vail? Your time's up.

I want the photograph.

I want answers.

All right.

Fair enough.

Bring the photograph to my office first thing in the morning.

I'll tell you everything I know.

Ah,

Mr. Vail.

Glad you could make it.

You have the photograph?

Ah, that'll be all, Maggie. Thank you.

And if you're worrying about privacy, this office is swept twice a day for

electronic eavesdropping equipment.

Goes with being chairman of the Intelligence Committee.

The photo?

real isn't it

balkan

and these other three senators you know what this is all about i think i know

what half of it was about

The domestic terrorism bill, which was before our committee last year, would

have given the government vast powers to monitor the activities of all citizens.

And with what happened at Oklahoma City and at the World Trade Center, the bill

looked like a shoe -in.

But you argued against it.

Yes. This bill would have trampled all over the Fourth Amendment.

I don't believe the government should have the power, even in times of crisis,

to invade the privacy of ordinary citizens.

Balkan and the other three senators, they were originally for the bill.

What made them change their minds?

I preferred to think it was my powers of persuasion. Obviously, I was wrong.

A change of heart had nothing to do with defending the Constitution.

What did it have to do with?

Well, apparently, they were forced to change their vote, possibly by the

of this photo.

If someone sent you a photograph of yourself hanging from a gallows with a

around your neck, wouldn't you be influenced?

What if the photograph is real? These four men are still alive.

I've seen each one of them in the last few days.

How do you know that the men themselves weren't replaced?

Now we're getting into the realm of science fiction.

Mr. Vail, might I remind you I'm a United States senator.

It's not science fiction, and you wouldn't be talking to me right now if

thought it was.

Your committee knows everything that goes on in the intelligence world. Only

fraction of that knowledge ever filters down to the public.

What's your point?

The ability to do this, to kill four senators and then replace them with

duplicates. That technology exists.

That's why you're so nervous right now.

Why don't you leave this photo with me?

The number two man in the FBI is a personal friend. If there's any reality

this, perhaps he'll help us.

Reality depends on perspective.

How can I reach you?

I'll get a hold of you.

Now, don't play games with me, Vail.

Whatever this is about, one of my men died because of it.

All the more reason to find the truth.

FBI, may I help you?

Yeah, I'd like to speak to Assistant Director Robbin.

This is Tom Vail.

I'm sorry, Assistant Director Robbin no longer works out of this office.

He's been transferred?

I'm sorry, sir, but I can't give that information out.

Wait a second, you just said he no longer works at that office. I mean, he

have gone somewhere.

That information is confidential.

What did you say your name was?

Get out of here!

Don't you realize I can't trust my own people?

With Robman gone, it was more important than ever that I find Gemini.

He'd collected all this information.

He even had copies of photographs I had taken.

But how was this possible?

Could he have taken the pictures?

What about the photo itself? Where was it taken?

Well, I thought I'd taken it in South America.

These people can do whatever they want, Tom.

They can even mess with your memory.

Password please.

Access denied.

Please enter your password.

You have 30 seconds to enter your correct password.

Gemini had a direct line to several federal agencies, including the FBI.

Whether or not I could find out Robin's destination, at the very least, I wanted

to find out who transferred him.

Mr. Barton, I have Senator Wallace's secretary on the line. She'd like to

if a nine o 'clock dinner at the Sovereign will work.

Tell her that'll be perfect.

Senator Wallace is about to become a liability.

Don't worry.

I know exactly what to do

I see Senator Wallace right away.

The senator has already left for the day.

Can you tell me how I can reach him?

I'm sorry, but I can't do that. No, you don't understand.

I need to get in touch with the senator right away. We have an established

protocol. There's nothing I can do.

If you don't leave right now, sir, I'm going to have to summon security.

You are making a mistake.

What mistake would that be?

I need to talk to the senator.

I'm afraid you're going to have to wait until the morning.

What I had to tell Wallace couldn't wait till morning. I decided to go straight

to his house.

Can I help you? Hi, I know it's late. I'd like to speak to Senator Wallace,

please. The senator's already retired for the evening. Well, it's sort of an

emergency. Could you tell him that Tom Vail is here to see him, please?

Who's that?

There's a Tom Vail to see you. He says it's some kind of an emergency.

Senator. Vail?

Do I know you, Mr. Vail?

What are you talking about?

Yeah, we met this morning.

You must have it confused with some other senator.

No, I don't.

Mr. Thale, if you call my office in the morning, you'll find I wasn't even on

Capitol Hill today.

Good night.

Senator. Senator.

I should have seen this coming.

Every time I found a real ally, someone who could help me, they wound up getting

erased.

I had no choice but to hide the negatives and start all over again.

Gemini had picked the same hiding place for his own set of negatives.

Was it coincidence?

Was it something else?

Every scrap of information about them, whether it was collected by Gemini or

myself, was in these two envelopes.

It was time to put my own endgame into motion.

I had to flush Barton out.

Mr. Barton, I have Tom Vail on the line.

Put him through.

Mr. Vail.

I'm going to make this fast and sweet, Barton. Meet me at the base of the

Washington Monument for 40 minutes.

Come alone and be on time.

I've got Gemini's entire file.

I've got the negatives both sets.

I'm willing to trade it all in exchange for my freedom.

Vale wants to meet.

Says he has Gemini's entire file and both sets of negatives.

Wants to trade for his freedom.

Sounds like some kind of a trap.

He's getting too close.

It's time to shut Project Gemini down once and for all.

Dump the computer files.

Get rid of everything.

I'm on my way.

Well, this must be pretty important stuff.

To send the number two man at the FBI to destroy it, huh?

This is just one little Operation Veil.

You're not going to be able to change anything.

You call the deaths of five senators a little operation?

Five dead senators?

That sounds like the ravings of a crazy man, Bale.

What happened to Senator Wallace's

assistant?

Was it supposed to be a warning to Wallace?

When he didn't play ball, you replaced him. You should quit while you're ahead,

Bale.

You learn anything more, you're going to be as expendable as everyone else.

Right.

Tell me about Jim and I.

Why did he have a key card to get into this place?

I never heard of the man.

He was on the verge of exposing the whole thing. That's why he was dangerous

you.

You got things a little turned around.

Really? Yeah.

He knew even less about this thing than you do.

So who is he?

I want you to tell me

right now just what it is exactly I know.

Why chase me around the country with a negative that's not even real?

It's an old operator's game, Vale.

Remnant of the Cold War.

Well, I was never an operative, so why don't you just spell it out for me?

You protect a false memory long enough,

it becomes real.

But why hidden agenda?

Why'd you want me to believe so badly it was shot in the jungle?

You still don't get it, do you?

You can't intimidate me.

We

had

an agenda.

It was always as much about you as it was about concealing the deaths of four

senators.

It was about testing the limits of your belief.

Yeah.

Yeah, you were part of it.

Right from the beginning, Vail.

Why?

Why am I so important to you people? Come on, Vail!

You're too moose and checkmate.

Tell me about Gemini.

Gemini is the game.

What are you looking for?

A Gemini veil?

Let's start from the beginning.

This is your house in Evanston, Illinois.

This is your beautiful wife, Allison.

Your best friend is Larry Levy.

Now, repeat everything you've learned.

I live in Evanston, Illinois.

My wife's name is Allison.

My best friend's name is Larry Levy.

And what is your name?

My name is Thomas Vail.