Original subtitles

you're about to be letting on the most highly classified data america holds we

have a device that can allow us to send one human being back in time

The Pentagon is spending less on new weapons than it has at any time in the

40 years. In my opinion, that leaves us vulnerable.

Vulnerable to what?

The Soviet Union collapsed, Lionel. The Cold War is over. We're having you hurt.

It's still a dangerous world. I hate that woman.

Take off your rose -colored glasses. Maybe you see the potential for hostile

acts. Not these two again. You're going to rot your brain with this stuff.

You ought to stick around, hotshot. This guy Lionel's got a lot on the ball.

He might learn something.

I got better things to do than listen to a couple of overpaid haps talk about

nothing. We interrupt this program to bring you the following CZN special

report. Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States.

My fellow Americans, it is my solemn duty to inform you that earlier today,

approximately 12 .40 p .m. Eastern Standard Time, the People's Republic of

launched an unprecedented military assault against its neighbor.

The island of Taiwan.

What the? Are you kidding me? In the space of a few short hours, land, air,

sea forces of the People's Liberation Army crossed over into Taiwan and

nearly all of that country's major military installations.

Son of a bitch. I knew the Chinese would show their true colors sooner or later.

I'll be meeting with the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff to

outline an appropriate response.

Oh, great.

Outline an appropriate response.

Why don't you just admit it, Mr. President? They caught you with your

again, didn't they? It's all his fault, you know. Yeah, how's that?

He's been kowtowing to the Chinese for over a year now.

He asked me he's nothing more than a weak sister.

Worse, a pacifist. He's still the commander -in -chief.

Love him or hate him, he's still the boss.

Yeah, some boss.

We haven't had a decent president since Eisenhower.

The nuke!

Damn thing's a nuke!

Where'd it come from? You let us worry about that. Just do your job.

Oh man, this thing is booby -trapped up the yin -yang. Make a decision, even if

it's the wrong one.

General, the message on the bomb is an old Chinese proverb. The translators are

working on it now.

I said to hold my call.

It's someone saying they're responsible for the nuke in L .A., sir.

It sounds authentic. They knew the wiring scheme for the detonator.

Put a trace on it now.

Yes, sir.

General Cole, who's this?

Let's just say John Wayne.

Have you received your update on what happened at the Federal Building in Los

Angeles?

Yet.

Well, the bomb wasn't Chinese. It was American, placed on the building by

American patriots who demand to take command during this time of crisis

of your criminally weak, traitorous handling of the Chinese situation.

Oh, my God.

I've hidden a second nuclear warhead within a 300 -mile radius of Los

To detonate it, all I have to do is press a button.

I want the President's resignation and your resignation. All of the Joint

Chiefs' resignations by 1800 Wednesday Eastern Standard Time.

If you haven't turned the government and the military over to me by then, I will

detonate the second warhead.

This time for real.

Did you get a trace on that?

Just a second, sir.

No, sir. I'm sorry. The call was routed through at least a dozen cities.

Very well.

What have you been able to find out? Anything?

You're right.

Someone has placed a hidden code into the document you sent me.

I knew it. Yeah. Took me a while to figure out the pattern.

To identify the randomized variables.

Isaac, you're a saint. Not to mention the smartest person I know, but I'm not

interested in how. Just tell me what you found.

What's your opinion of General Starker?

Starker? He's a wacko.

The kind of guy that holds a .45 to your head to make sure you finish your apple

pie and thanks your mom when you're done. Why?

Well, from what I can tell, he seems to be the hub of whatever's going on.

Code has been laid into memos he has written, or into memos written by a

group of officers to him.

Where is Starker these days?

I can't remember.

He's not here in Washington, I know that.

Oh, yeah, there's something else. I found an acronym.

Procing. P -R -O -C -I -N -C.

Never heard of it.

Think, of course, stands for Commander -in -Chief.

Pro could be anything.

Yeah, well, with any luck, I can break this code by morning and figure out what

Starker's up to, if anything.

Don't talk to anyone about this, Isaac. Not till we figure out what's going on.

Understood. We'll be in touch.

We're trying, Dinah.

Men are here.

Isaac, it's me.

Claire, what's wrong?

I'm with some men, some soldiers.

What soldiers?

They came to the house. They said you were injured, an accident of some sort.

Claire, where are you?

Claire.

I wouldn't be bothering you if I didn't have strong feelings about this.

You still think Parker's a menace? He can't be trusted, sir. He has no respect

for authority, and he always has his own agenda.

After you, Doctor.

Thank you, Captain.

Hey, sugar before spice.

Beauty before the beat.

All right, I give up. Why is everybody in such a good mood this morning?

Any reason we shouldn't be?

Well, I can think of one.

We're about to go to war with Red China. Over Taiwan?

I don't think so.

Yeah, that's it. Let's start the day off talking politics. Then we'll be certain

to be in a good mood later.

Do you think the situation in the Far East will necessitate a back step? I

haven't received any word that back step is to be called upon.

We are, however, on alert, people.

Which means that everyone is confined to base until further notice.

Big deal. I'm always confined to base.

Not that I'm complaining, mind you.

Can I have the race form?

Where's Dr. Mentner?

Good question.

Let's find him.

Damn, we're gonna have beautiful babies.

Ramsey here. Give me a 20 on Dr. Mentner. If we ever get married.

Dr. Mentner.

Checked out of the complex at 0550 this morning.

Try his cell phone. Tell him he needs to return to base immediately.

A suggestion has been made that it would be wise for Mr.

Parker's alternate, Captain Donovan, to make the next back step if these events

in Asia warrant it.

The thinking is it would be beneficial for Craig to log some real -time

experience with the time travel process.

I'd like to hear everybody's thoughts.

Well, everybody's but Mentner's. Not answering his cell phone.

Well, that's not like Dr. Mentner to leave without letting anyone know where

is. I agree.

Send a couple of men out to his house, see if they can locate him.

Right away.

Actually, I wouldn't mind embarking on a back step of my own someday. Look, I

want a couple of guys to get over to Mentner's house right away.

I said someday.

Dr. Mentner.

Welcome to ProSync.

Isaac, how are you feeling?

Fine. Little groggy brat.

And you, buddy, are you all right? I was too gullible to resist.

They didn't lay a hand on me.

Well... Dr.

Mentner. I can't tell you how delighted I am you're here.

You know, of course, who I am.

Claire, have you met General Stark?

No, and I don't think I want to. Your husband's been meddling in my affairs,

Mrs. Mentner.

Doctor.

Did you or did you not break the code?

What code?

Captain Curry, remove your firearm. Aim it at Mrs. Mettner.

No.

I did not break the code.

Good.

For the time being, you'll both be my guests here.

Until I figure out what to do with you.

By the way, Doctor, your friend in the Pentagon, Major Tobias, the man who sent

you the coded documents, he seems to have disappeared.

Titty.

I'm sorry to hear that, General Cole.

May God have mercy on us both.

The President, the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs have all refused to

resign.

If they remain in office, China's aggression will proceed unchecked, and I

not about to let that happen.

Activating warheads, sir.

We'll show them we're serious.

Gentlemen, the hour is at hand.

It's no earthquake.

I... What was that?

When was the last time we prayed

together?

Radiation counts are at deadly levels.

Winds are blowing from the west in the southeast direction.

Las Vegas is being evacuated.

The nuclear clouds are on site. Scientists from Caltech are ground zero.

following is an address over the emergency broadcast system. Here is

Wayne Starker. By using a weapon of mass destruction on American soil, our

enemies have catapulted us into a situation we neither sought out nor

Early reports indicate that those responsible for detonating this nuclear

are terrorists sympathetic to the People's Republic of China.

It is obvious that our government, headed up by an intelligent but weak and

indecisive president, has failed to protect us in these disturbing and

times. In other words, the president and the Joint Chiefs of Staff have done

nothing. Who is this person?

It's General Wayne Starker.

Real patriot.

Sounds like he's running for office.

...pushed their invasion into South Korea, into Japan, and beyond.

I have absolutely no faith that the current government of the United States

protect our interests, the interests of every God -fearing, peace -loving

American, from this communist aggression.

This guy is right out of the 50s. What's wrong with the 50s? At least back then

we were on top of the game.

Oh, yeah? What game was that?

his office effective immediately, along with the Secretary of Defense and the

Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The country needs to be under direct military supervision until this crisis

the Far East and on our own home territory is resolved.

Mr. President, I just got off the line with General Starker.

That's right, sir.

He was John Wayne all along.

Well, sir, he informs us that he's emplaced a third nuclear device in the

of Chicago.

If we don't give in to his demands and resign immediately, Chicago goes the way

of Death Valley.

Mr. President, this is the toughest decision you're ever going to have to

I understand, sir.

I'll await your call.

Yes, sir. Understood.

Back step is a go, people.

What's our mission?

Twofold. To warn Washington of China's invasion of Taiwan and to determine who

set off the nuclear explosion in Death Valley.

So it wasn't Chinese terrorists?

At the present time, we're not sure who's behind it.

The NSA is playing this one real close to the vest.

Intel and mission requirements will be arriving shortly. In the meantime, we're

switching to pre -jump mode as of now. Let's move.

Mr. Talmadge.

This crisis is too important to let Parker foul it up. We need a

well -trained soldier like Donovan for this back step like I suggested.

If I were you, Nate, I'd quit worrying so much about Parker and find Dr.

Mentnor.

Security of base personnel is still your responsibility, isn't it?

What are you doing?

What's that?

Whatever Dr. Mentner was working on, it looks like it had something to do with

General Starker.

Who the hell could read his handwriting?

Can you?

Not very well, no.

But you know who could? Dr.

Mentner himself.

Maybe this is important. Maybe Parker should take this back with him and

it to Dr. Mentner before he disappears again.

I can't make heads or tails of this.

Maybe this is the reason Dr. Mentor disappeared. What do you think?

I think that maybe you should just do your job.

Let me do mine.

Okay, now, this is the good part.

I'm in the process of making some modifications.

Always with the modifications.

Let's see what they are.

I'm boosting the anti -gravity generator output while adding more

electromagnetic stabilizers to the hull.

But couldn't boosting the anti -grav generator create a power surge that'll

this thing harder to control?

Well, not if the stabilizers do their job. Increased power should actually

provide a smoother ride. Isn't that right, John?

Uh -huh.

But what about hull integrity?

What about it? Well, how would the power boost affect that?

Hull integrity shouldn't be compromised.

Oh, shouldn't be compromised? Well, there is less than a 1 % chance the hull

could split in two during the trip, but it's hardly worth thinking about.

Yeah, it's hardly worth thinking about. Oh, the possibility that the Hulk could

split in two is hardly worth thinking about. Look, Ballard knows what he's

doing, don't you, Ballard? Sure.

Most of the time, anyway.

We're definitely a go.

Oh, I really need to complete my modification.

There's no time.

Our orders are to backstep immediately. We're counting down to the invasion of

Taiwan and a nuclear event.

We've already burned four days. There's just three days left on this side of the

timeline. Which one of us is going? The agency says Frank is.

The situation's much too critical to try out a noosphere pilot.

Well, three or four hours would be more than enough time for me to stow it,

lollipop man. Our orders are to go now.

If Dr.

Ballard says we're not ready, we shouldn't go.

We have no choice.

Well, then excuse me. I have some last -minute adjustments to attend to.

Oh, watch out!

Here's the microchip.

Contains all of the intel we have on how the situation in the Far East

escalated. Now get that back to us on the other side of the timeline pronto so

that Washington can take effective measures to ward off the invasion.

The intel on the terrorist bombing and death ballot is in there too, but it's

much more sketchy. The microchip also contains notes Dr. Mentor was making

concerning General Starker.

Mentor was investigating Starker? He may have been helping Starker. We found

several hundred Pentagon documents, classified memorandums on Dr. Mentor's

computer, some of which were written by General Starker. Those documents are

also on the chip.

Too bad you can't put me on this chip.

Explain to Dr. Mentor that on the morning of the 18th, this morning, he

mysteriously disappear.

Give him the notes and show him the documents.

If he already has the documents, the notes may allow him to accelerate his

investigations. Or accelerate his research.

May have been doing research.

Get suited up.

We'll go as soon as you're ready.

Thank you.

Nuclear forces remain at depth on four.

Nuclear war with China could erupt at any moment.

Not to put any pressure on you.

Gee, thanks, fellas.

Hey, Ballard.

This fair's not really going to survive the two, is it?

I told you there's less than a 3 % chance that could happen.

You said less than 1 % chance.

Frank, it's hardly worth thinking about. You hear the hat?

Ballard, get back here!

Good luck, Frank.

I think we should have given Ballard more time. There wasn't any more time.

Reactor to 70%. Ballard, where are you? I'm right here.

Did you finish modifying this thing or not?

Reactor to 80%. I did what I could.

Always with a modification.

Why couldn't you just leave well enough alone?

Eyes on the needles, Mr. Parker.

Reactor to 90%. If I left well enough alone, Backstep wouldn't exist.

Backstep didn't exist.

My life would be a lot calmer, that's for sure.

A calm life is not what you want, Mr. Parker, and you know it.

Main reactor to 100%. Engage.

Yeah, I know who you are, too.

You're me.

No way, buddy. If anything, you're me.

Ballard, always with the modifications.

How did this happen?

You must have come out of me somehow.

Well, maybe you came out of me.

You want to live, you'll stop doing that.

That phone's off.

So is mine.

Oh, they're really going to drop their drones over this one.

What do you mean?

Are you kidding me? Two Frank Parkers? I can see their faces right now.

Randy's going to have a baby.

I wonder what Olga's going to think.

You stay away from her or I'll kick your ass. Well, that would be like kicking

your own ass, wouldn't it? Very funny.

Why do I get the feeling you think you're smarter than me? I'm just as

you, no more, no less.

You really know everything I know?

Try me.

Who was my, ow, best friend back at the orphanage? Johnny Margolis? What was his

nickname? Johnny B. Good?

You remember the time, Johnny?

You remember the time, Johnny?

Look, I was doing just fine before you crawled out of that hatchback there. If

this thing is going to have any chance of working, you've got to follow my

Got it?

Come on, hurry up. We've got to find a phone and report in. Tell them what the

mission is.

Oh, yeah, that's right, the mission. Let's talk about that for a minute.

What's to talk about?

I don't know.

What's your opinion of General Starker?

Don't you know already?

Humor me.

I think he's an opportunist.

He's using this China -Taiwan thing to make a grab for power.

Starker doesn't want to be president. He wants to be king.

Well, maybe that's what this country needs right now.

Look, if he wants to be the commander -in -chief, he should run for office

everyone else.

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.

What are you doing, playing devil's advocate?

No, look, China's going to invade Taiwan, right?

Chinese terrorists are going to nuke Death Valley.

We don't know it was Chinese terrorists.

That was never substantiated. Well, who else could it be?

How the hell would I know?

Look, if we get our butts back to the base, we hopefully have enough intel to

stop the invasion of Taiwan, stop the nuking of Death Valley, and put some

on Starker.

Enough so he won't be able to crown himself any time in the near future.

I'll fill him somewhere.

I found a trail. If you pick up the pace a little, we might even get back in

time for dinner.

Come on. What are you waiting for?

What'd you do? Twist your ankle?

Worse. I think I broke it.

He must be a more fragile version of me.

Frank Parker Light.

Let me have a look at this.

Maybe we can get you a desk job when we get back, huh?

Here's your stupid mic, Joe.

Sergeant Bly here. How may I direct your call?

This is Conundrum. What day is it?

Wednesday, the 16th.

Seven days ago. Good. Connect me.

Right away. Hold on, Conundrum.

What do you mean, there's no mission?

Exactly what I said. There's no mission. I told him it doesn't make much sense.

Who authorized the backstep?

The NSA.

Dr. Mentner, Olga, and Ballard here talked you into it. They wanted to make

backstep for scientific purposes.

To test modifications made to the sphere.

I suppose it's not out of the question.

What modifications did we make to the sphere, Mr. Parker?

Something Ballard cooked up.

He boosted the anti -grav generator output and added stabilizers to the

Actually, I have been thinking of doing exactly that.

Where's the microchip? The scientific data should be recorded on it. He says

disappeared during the backstep.

Come on, Bradley, think about it.

We would never have authorized a strictly scientific jump.

Why not? We've made a number of strictly scientific jumps in the past.

That was in the testing phase, not after we were up and running.

Parker, why don't you and I take a little walk?

How are you feeling?

Fine. Why do you ask?

You're aware of the history of Backstep, the number of test subjects we went

through before we were able to refine the process.

I know those guys didn't fare too well.

Time traveled us strange things to the body and the mind. It's possible to

become confused or disoriented or to suffer from partial, even total amnesia.

Are you suggesting there is a mission and I've simply forgotten?

I'm not suggesting anything. I just think it's important that we remain

concerned for your well -being.

Thank you. I'm touched.

I want you to have a complete physical.

Not just your normal post -backstep physical. I'm going to order a full

tests.

Biological, neurological, psychological.

The whole works.

No problem.

Yours is a root beer, isn't it?

Never touched this stuff. Can't stand it.

All of that's right. You're a cola man.

Thank you.

Mint, no hair.

Isaac. Nick Tobias.

Nick Tobias. I used to know a Nick Tobias. Come on, it hasn't been that

since I last called.

How are you, Nick?

Or should I ask, what can I do for you? Well, I think I've come across a hidden

code in a batch of otherwise run -of -the -mill inter -office memos.

Dating back, say, six months ago and running right up through yesterday.

Most unusual.

If there is a secret code in these documents, and someone here in the

is using our internal communications network as their own private post

It's a pretty big if.

There's a code, all right.

I just haven't been able to break it.

I've tried everything I know.

I'm pretty sure I haven't tried everything you know, however.

Gee, that was fun. Now what do we do?

I'll spend the next couple of hours writing up a report based on your test

results. Need some help?

I think I can handle it.

What?

Nothing.

What?

Let go of my arm, Mr. Parker.

Sorry, I don't know what came over me.

on the president's agenda for his visit to China last week, not the least of

which was nuclear detargeting. The United States and the Chinese have

detarget the strategic nuclear missiles that each side currently has pointed at

the other. I guess the American public's too ignorant to realize that those

missiles can be retargeted in a matter of minutes.

I hate to see an American president kowtowing to a foreign leader like that.

You and me both.

I'll tell you what, China's going to show its true colors one day.

I bet they're already eyeing South Korea and licking their chops.

Or Taiwan.

Or Tibet, not to mention what they've done in Tibet.

Their report card on human rights is about a D - right now.

D -?

I'd give them an F. What about all those Chinese terrorist clinic groups?

Tell me about it. They're proliferating like rabbits.

You got that right, buddy.

It's open.

Yep.

What you doing?

What's it look like I'm doing?

Well, what you reading?

Ooh. Catching up on your 20th century bad guys, huh?

Yeah, you could say that.

Hey.

You want to get off the bed for a couple hours, man?

Nail back a couple pitches of beer?

I'm tired.

Think I'll pass.

You're tired?

Mm -hmm.

Okay.

All right.

DNA, blood type, fingerprints, his physical measurements, his athletic

performance.

Am I interrupting something?

Come on in. Every single test we did on him proves that it's Parker.

On the personal history and psychological exams, he answered every

same as before with a 3 % margin of error, which is what you would normally

expect. What are you trying to get at?

I don't know.

It is Parker, and yet somehow it isn't. Well, maybe he's just finally had some

sense knocked into him.

I mean, I had the best conversation I've ever had with him this afternoon.

I just invited him into town.

Have a few beers with me.

He turned me down.

Okay, now, that is not our Parker. He would do anything to get away from the

base, even if for a little while.

My fellow Americans, it is my solemn duty to inform you that earlier today,

approximately 12 .40 p .m. Eastern Standard Time, the People's Republic of

launched an unprecedented military assault against its neighbor, the island

Taiwan.

From what I can tell, Darker seems to be the hub of whatever's going on.

Code has been laid into memos he has written, or into memos written by a

group of officers to him.

Oh yeah, I came across something else. An acronym.

ProThink. P -R -O -C -I -N -C.

Never heard of it.

Think, of course, stands for Commander -in -Chief.

Pro could be anything.

Yeah.

With any luck, I'll be able to break this code by morning and we'll figure

what Stark is up to.

If anything... Don't talk to anyone about this, Isaac. Not until we figure

what's going on.

Understood.

We'll be in touch.

Mendel here.

Isaac, it's me.

Claire, what's wrong?

What about this request of yours that Donovan take the next back step?

Well, maybe we should just file that away until sometime in the future.

So Parker isn't a menace now?

I really think he's starting to come around.

Morning, gentlemen.

Beauty before the beast.

You flatter one of us, I think.

All right, I give up. Why is everybody in such a good mood this morning?

Yeah, how can you be in such a good mood when we're about to go to war with Red

China? Over Taiwan?

I don't think so.

That's it. Let's start the morning off talking politics. We'll be certain to be

in a good mood after that.

Do you think the situation in the Far East will necessitate a backstep?

I haven't received any word that backstep is to be called upon. We are,

on alert, people. Which means that everyone is confined to base until

notice. Where's Dr. Mintner?

Not to mention, where's Frank?

What are you doing?

Welcome to ProSync, Dr. Mender.

You were told to come along.

Who the hell are you?

I've heard some pretty amazing stories in my time. What you're telling me is

damn near unbelievable.

Look, China's invaded Taiwan, right? That's common knowledge.

Has Death Valley been nuked yet?

Now, what makes you think the Chinese are going to explode a nuclear device in

Death Valley? That's where I came from. It already happened.

After which, you make an address on the emergency broadcasting system demanding

that the president, the secretary of defense...

and the Joint Chiefs all resigned.

How do you know this?

You tell me the truth or Sue, help me, I will strangle you myself!

I told you I'd come from the future!

Ask Dr. Mentner.

He's the scientific head of the project.

What about this, Dr.

Mentner?

Is there an Operation Backstep?

A secret government facility that deals specifically with time travel?

No, if there is, I've never heard of it. This matter is simply a subject of

mine, part of a study I'm conducting with the patients from Hanson Island.

It's mentally unstable.

No, he's lying.

I can take you there myself. I can show you the whole thing.

I can prove to you that time travel exists.

Look, you don't understand.

I'm on your side.

Yes,

we're on alert now, sir.

Yes, sir, I understand.

I'll inform the others.

Parker, miss me?

Where have you been?

Dr. Medner and I went for a little drive this morning. Oh, I brought some

friends back with me. Dr. Talmadge, Colonel Vickery, United States Army.

As of this moment, you and everyone working at this facility are now my

prisoners.