Original subtitles

Where are we? Welcome to the Institute.

Have we been kidnapped?

We're not monsters.

Without our work, the world would be to be.

Something here is not right.

We're going to bring this whole place down.

Strengthen up!

We will go to war. Was I talking to Satan?

But we're still in this thing.

Let's play.

Stop, stop, let it all out.

These are the things I can do without you. Come on.

I'm talking to you.

Come on.

I'm talking to you

Boys room down the hall, third door on your right.

Is there a problem?

Uh,

well, I'm finished.

Kid, what are you even doing here?

Uh, taking tests.

I mean, yeah. Wait, how old are you?

At 14.

Are you a genius? Like in a movie?

Well, I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Wait, what did you get for the last question in the math about the hotel? Do

remember? It was A.

Shit, are you sure?

I got C.

You know, that's how they get you. C is a terrific equation, really. But you're

already figuring the room tax into the nightly charge.

Multiply everything inside the parentheses.

You end up counting it twice.

That's okay. I'm sure you got the rest of them right. No.

I forgot how to calculate the fucking tax.

I suck.

Is it weird being you?

And that's an eye.

There's an eye?

Yeah, sure. K -U -S -I.

Isn't it strange we always play with animals I've never heard of and can't

spell?

Oh, nice try, Ralph.

Euro step into a reverse layup. Nothing but net. In your dreams, Gobert clearing

out for Ellis and he's going to take his man off the dribble and use the Euro

step into the... Nice shot, Phenom.

You almost had it. But that Euro step is looking slick as hell. Shit, man.

What's wrong?

My Timberwolves jersey, man. It's ripped.

I'm sure your mom can sew it. No big deal, man.

Please can I have your attention?

Ladies and gentlemen, the sooner we get one more volunteer, the sooner we can

board you all.

We'll still have a shot at an on -time arrival.

We've already been waiting here an hour.

We're offering a courtesy booking on the 6 .45 a .m. departure tomorrow.

As well as a hotel voucher. and a $200 credit.

My mistake. That's $200 cash.

$400. Plus the hotel and rebooking. Now she's a game show host.

Do I hear $1 ,000?

$600. Ma 'am.

$600. Plus the cash refund for my ticket.

You got yourself a seat.

Hey, it's Ken.

Listen, I don't think I'm going to make it out to New York after all.

I hope your dad knows how much I appreciate the offer.

I know he doesn't really need an extra guy on a routine exactly type. I just

think I just really wouldn't be any good to him right now anyway.

Thanks.

Not a rapist? Or a psychotic?

No, ma 'am.

Of course, that's exactly what a psychotic would say.

Going as far as Maine? That stuff will suggest you might be.

I guess I hadn't decided.

In that case, I got a proposition for you. One hand washes the other.

Can you scratch my back? No. There'll be no back -scratching, if you don't mind.

And I ain't asking.

Thing is...

I've got a truck full of books, 40 -some boxes, each one heavier than a son of a

bitch. If you help me unload and reload at each one of my stops, I'll take you

as far as the public library in Denison, Maine.

Sounds good.

Throw your stuff in the back.

We were in Principal Greer's office for almost an hour.

How long have the two of you been talking about MIT?

Since October.

But he said he felt that Roger Day had taken me as far as he could.

Can you agree MIT's where you belong?

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, I think, I think so.

No, um, but I don't know how to say it.

Try.

We're talking about uprooting our lives here, so try.

There's, there's so much I want to learn and figure out.

It makes me feel so small.

You know, I have this dream and

I'm standing on the edge of an abyss, and it's full of all the things I don't

know. Well, I guess an abyss can't be full, so I'll call it a cavern. But it's

bottomless.

And there's a bridge, and I want to walk across that bridge and raise my hand,

and then all the things in the darkness come floating up.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Butterfingers. I'm sorry.

Thank you.

Look, your brain and what it can do is a gift.

God knows it didn't come from us.

I figure that means we ought to do whatever's in our power to see how far

take you.

You know what they say about the abyss, right?

You look into it, it looks right back into you.

Yeah, you bet it does.

All lights out.

Copy. Standing by for your go.

If the parents wake up, we might have to get wet.

No choice.

Make it 45 minutes to go.

Copy. 45 to go.

It's the last of them.

Thank you.

You.

Hey. Just saw a guy wearing a nice hockey jersey.

I figure that's the good Lord telling me to get my ass back across the Vermont

line.

Much obliged to you for the ride, man.

Been a pleasure getting to know you.

Good luck to you, Tim.

Thank you.

My wife hates it when I'm late for dinner, so let's just get right to it.

Just got off of Boston PD.

Seems you forgot a few things on your application.

One, 2011, you received a commendation for life -saving, again in 2018.

2020, you got the Officer of the Year.

Well, they had to give it to somebody.

I always showed up on time, never called in thick, so... Okay, I don't know if

that is becoming modest to your low self -esteem, but I don't like it.

All right.

I earned that award.

I applied for this job, kind of.

Spur of the moment.

More time to think, I'd have put it down.

But you remembered to put down the incident at Westfield Mall.

Figured you had a right to know.

Lieutenant I spoke to said the guy you shot had an AR and 200 rounds. It wasn't

a guy.

It was a kid.

16 years old.

And he hadn't shot anybody.

16 or not. Kid threw down on a cop.

The tenant said you were off duty.

Yeah, I swung by the mall after my shift, picked up some dress shoes for a

wedding. Still in uniform, this woman comes running up from the parking lot.

Said she just saw some guy pull a rifle out of his car.

So far, so good?

Yeah. Yeah, right up until the moment where the responding officer smelled the

alcohol on me.

Gave me the test.

I had two old fashions at Beach Commerce right before I hit the shoe store.

You're off duty.

But in uniform.

The department let me pick.

Resignation or dismissal. You ordinarily a drinking man?

I was.

After that, for a while.

Long enough to end my marriage, but... Not anymore.

If I were to breathalyze you right now, what would you blow?

Go ahead and find out.

No.

Don't believe I will.

I don't believe I need to.

Well, son, you are ridiculously overqualified for this job.

But if you want it, it's yours.

What if I want it?

All right.

We start tonight, 8 to 6.

Just like that?

Just like that.

I was going to change it to I choose to be crappy, but they might take away my

pen.

Yeah, sometimes they let shit slide, sometimes they don't.

Name's Kalisha. We'll also respond to chat.

Uh, what's happening here? Where are we?

Welcome to the Institute.

Institute? What?

Okay, yeah, I remember how many questions I had my first day.

You know, it's usually just easier - Are we still in Minneapolis?

Probably not in Minneapolis.

And more Toto.

Or me.

Well, at least that's what they say.

Who's they?

You really can't stop yourself, can you?

Is that a smart kid thing?

Why would you say that?

Give us a rundown of all the new arrivals.

Your name's Luke Ellis.

You're from Minneapolis.

You like basketball and chess.

And you're smart.

So, how smart are you?

No, no. I think the real question is, are you TK or TP?

That's the one thing they never tell us about the newbies.

Yeah, you lost me.

TP is telepathy. TK is... Telekinesis.

So, which are you?

Supposedly, no one's both when they get here, but, um, thinking TK?

I'm TP.

You read minds?

Always have been able to.

Off and on.

Well, sometimes things move around me, but... But that can't be enough. To land

you here.

Have we... Have we been kidnapped?

I call it recruited.

Like by the military?

I don't know.

Do our parents know where we are? Can we talk to them?

No, actually, apparently our work here is too classified for any contact with

the outside.

I mean, well, someone must run this place.

Miss Figsby.

Except for the medical stuff. That's Dr. Hendricks.

Medical stuff?

Oh, just tech, mostly.

And jobs. Lots of jobs.

Um, at least that's what it's like in front half.

We're in front half right now. Is that our back half?

Yeah, where we go when we graduate front half.

We can see from the playground.

Not here, but... Can't really tell you what's going on in there.

No contact.

What did Figsby and Hendricks do?

They're not real big on answering questions.

When do I get to meet them?

Hard to say.

They usually let the newbies wander a while first.

Why would they do it like that?

No one's ever thought to question that.

If you'd read his file, you'd know.

They want to tell us his place isn't so bad and figure we're more likely to

accept it coming from another kid.

Predict he'll notice things.

Others won't. It goes on at great length about his observational and analytical

powers. Why make up our rules?

You know, if the boy's as smart as you say, we should be considering him for

PC track.

We're not having this conversation again. Why can't we? PC tracks on

hold. The main priority is to keep the conveyor belt moving.

You've seen the latest target packages. You know how tight the keyhole's gotten.

He's talking to himself.

Yeah.

I bet he does that a lot.

I think he's ready for me.

You know, it's actually not so bad here. We have video games, movies.

The playground's open until late.

Just make sure you do what they tell you to.

Also, by the way, have you ever had chicken pox? What?

Kalisha?

Luke, Miss Higsby would like a word with you.

Get changed.

75 years ago, I bet this was state -of -the -art.

Exactly. Kind of cool.

Retro.

Three spots in town have punch keys for it to mark your progress.

Punch it at each end of Water Street. First at the station, then at the bank.

Once more at Hopper's Jewelry on Garish, then back to the station.

The rest of the doors you can mark with chalk.

Just wipe it off on your way back.

It's a 2 .3 mile loop.

I Whitlock used to make six circuits each shift.

So that's what?

14 miles.

I guess I'll be getting my steps in. Sure, and I'll work out a schedule.

We'll get you nights off each week. Probably Monday, Tuesday.

Town's usually pretty quiet after the weekend, but we might have to shift you.

If you stick around, that is.

You have some issue with me, Officer Gullickson?

If so, speak now.

Only time will tell.

Thing is, we're a good crew.

Small, but good.

Here's some guy off the street.

People joke about a night knocker, but it's key for a force as small as ours.

After prevention's worth a pound of cure.

My grandpa used to say that.

Okay. He was a night knocker.

That's why I applied.

Night knocker's an analog job in a digital age.

Maybe we're just an analog town.

I sure hope so.

Welcome,

Lou.

You've met Mr. Stackhouse, Chief of Security, and...

This is Dr. Hendricks. He's the architect of the cutting -edge science

here. My name is Ms. Sigsbee, and I'm... The boss.

I know.

And you know I know because you watched Alicia tell me.

So why don't we get to the part where you tell me what's going on here?

Sorry.

You're just cooler than most of the first -dayers we see.

You went through all this trouble to get me here, and now you want me to what?

Cry and scream and beg you to take me home?

What'd it do?

Any good?

Not at all.

Please sit.

Thank you, Dr. Hendricks.

I'll take it from here.

Looking forward to working with you.

Sometimes our new arrival will lash out.

in their disorientation. So Mr. Stackhouse escorts each of you until

satisfied that you're not going to hurt anyone, yourself included.

But you're not going to hurt anyone, are you?

No.

Thank you.

Have a good day.

Jelly beans.

Why?

So you can see which color I choose?

Get a sense of my personality?

No, because I like jelly beans.

I thought you might like them too.

You like to analyze, I gather.

The more I focus on logic, the less I have to think about being kidnapped.

That's not a word we use here.

Right. Recruited.

And let me be the first to say...

Congratulations.

For? For being here.

The work you're about to become a part of is without a doubt the most important

work taking place anywhere on Earth. You are without question about

to participate in saving the world.

Okay. I want to talk to my parents now.

As Kalisha told you.

That's not possible.

Let me talk to them, and I'll do whatever you want.

This isn't a negotiation, Luke. A boy with your intellect shouldn't have any

trouble understanding.

Without our work, the world as we know it would cease to be.

That's bigger than any other.

It's my responsibility to see that that work gets done.

It will get done.

And what exactly is our work?

I'll leave it to your fellow recruits to fill you in on that. You're more likely

to accept it coming from another kid.

Actually, that's another word we try not to use. You're not kid.

Not here.

There's no bedtime.

There's no chores.

There's no food you're not allowed.

Doing grown -up work?

You should be treated like grown -ups.

But at the same time, bear in mind, this is not your home.

This is not your school.

Here, like a rule, there's a grown -up consequence.

And what are those rules?

Glad you asked. The main rule is follow any order given from a staff member

without question or delay.

You'll be given a number of injections.

You'll be given a number of tests.

You will comply with all of them. You won't, with maybe a few exceptions,

find them excessively unpleasant.

Your mental and physical condition will be monitored regularly. And then when

you come to the end of your service, we'll wipe your memory, send you home.

Home?

To my parents?

Yes, of course.

Are they alive?

Yes, of course they're alive.

We're not monsters.

Do they know where I am?

Generally.

At any rate, I think you'll find your time here will pass quite

quickly, Luke. And when you leave us, and when you wake up in your own bed

one morning, none of this will have happened.

The only sad part is you won't have the memory of the great privilege of having

been asked to serve, not just your country, but humanity.

How many people does each kid here know?

School, families? You can't just wipe all their memories?

You'd be surprised what we can do.

Glad you're meeting you.

My room, it's not supposed to make me feel comfortable, right?

You're supposed to let me know. You're trying to make me comfortable.

I know.

It feels like a very dark time for you, Luke.

But if you'll simply do as you're told, before you know it, you're back out in

the sunshine.

Maybe. hitting some baskets with Ralph.

Must be Ed Whitlock's replacement.

I heard a rumor they found one.

Tim Jameson. New night knocker.

Any to do, old weirdo.

Hey, remind me, who was this guy again?

You don't know George Allman?

Still got your blinders on, huh?

Do you have any fillings?

Sorry? Open your mouth.

Because...

How they listen.

Ah.

Ah. Oh, good.

Some of them are smart enough to get you gold.

Well, that was the army, and I'm sure they just got whatever was cheapest.

You know, they might have remembered where porcelain comes from.

You, uh, you think that the Chinese government is bugging our mouths?

Kidding, right?

Am I?

Sport?

My mom used to call me sport.

I know.

After the fella from that stage show with all the black folks in it.

Pork and beans or something.

Porky and Beth.

How do you know that?

Do yourself a favor.

Start listening to Georgia's gems.

Because there are things going on every day in this world that you would

not fucking believe.

Looks like I just barely caught you.

Thought I had 48 hours of liberty.

Just touching base.

You got the dossier for the next recruit?

Yeah. Kids got a chaotic family situation.

Might complicate the snatch.

Makes the cover story easier.

As soon as you're back, we'll go through scenarios.

Make sure you know the dossier.

I always do.

The Ellis snap. No good looking backward.

It went how it went. It only went wrong because they made us rush it.

As soon as the MIT news broke, the Ellis kid was going to get a bunch of

publicity. The decision was made. Well, I wish those bastards would come with us

on and off sometime. See the consequences of their decisions.

Sorry, sir

Hey, we got a bogey.

Copy that.

How can we help you folks?

I don't know, I guess we took the wrong exit off 161, and by the time we realize

that we're a mile deep in these woods, we're going to cell service. Yeah, these

pines, they play hell with your signal.

What's over there?

Infectious disease lab.

Nasty stuff.

So, straight back the way you came.

Left on the farm road.

They're right at the port, switching right back up.

Done right.

Let's go, Will.

Yeah, we're going.

Thanks. Sure thing.

Folks, take care.

Ms. Dix, can you explain about the tokens?

No.

I think she'd remember.

As many intakes as she's done.

Tokens are a reward for being a good cooperator.

Unless you get treats from the vending machine.

Hey, pretty lady. How's it going?

Just fine.

How about you, Luke?

Adjustment okay?

Silent treatment, huh?

It's fine for now.

Here's the thing.

Treat us right, we'll treat you right.

Go along to get along.

Words of wisdom, Luke, my boy.

Words of wisdom. Come on in.

We won't be a minute.

Have a seat, champ.

Hop on up like that.

What are you going to do?

Tattoo me?

Gosh, no.

I'm just going to chip your earlobe, no biggie.

All our guests get them.

It's like getting a piercing.

I'm not a guest. I'm a prisoner, and you're not putting anything in my ear.

I am, though.

Look, it's just a little pinch. Be over quick. Maureen will give you a bunch of

tokens. What do you say?

No.

Are you sure?

Yeah.

Bet that smarts a lot more than a little pinch in the ear, huh?

You want another?

No.

You ready to get in the chair?

Now, are you going to behave?

Or do we need the Strauss? Hey.

All right, champ.

You're all done for now.

Grab you some gauze for that ear in case you bleed.

Put some ice on it, and you have yourself a great rest of the day.

Good evening.

Hey there.

Tim,

meet Bedelia.

Oh. She likes to greet all our guests.

Delia?

How's night knocking?

Yeah, um, it's only been one night, but so far so good. You say so.

Me, I wouldn't be caught dead working for Chief Snowflake's piss -ant outfit.

Even if it meant getting to stare at Officer Gullickson's ass all day.

She is in peace.

You have a good night, Mr. Hudson.

What, did I offend you?

Hi.

You, uh, going my way?

Resupply run.

Georgia's drive -time show is having a marathon this weekend.

I can't risk losing calm.

Well, you want me to pull this thing to your place? Just gotta stop by the

station and start my shift. Might make it slow going for you, but... I can

my schedule.

Okay, then.

Let's do it.

Don't think I didn't see you talking to him.

Mr. Hollister, if I'm living in this hotel, why wouldn't I talk to him?

Batman, where's my reception?

Hey.

Hey.

Mystery lady returns.

Ah, told you.

Sometimes I have to go out of town unexpectedly.

I know.

Got it.

Now, um, why do you lose things off of us?

You were starting to tell me about the place you work.

Oh, that's funny. I don't remember that.

You were pretty drunk.

Me? Never.

Seriously, why can't you talk about it?

We've been over this. I just can't.

Especially not with you.

You knew I was a journalist when we met. It's not like I was undercover.

Yeah, but I didn't approach you because I wanted to talk.

There you go. Oh, thanks.

No?

No. You know, everyone in Denison has a theory about what you're really doing

out there in the woods.

Casey at the gas station, he says that you guys inherited the alien spacecraft

after Area 51 was compromised.

That's why drones aren't allowed to fly over.

Alien spacecraft, huh?

Then again...

June at the diner.

She says you're running a slaver lab.

It's like for snack food.

And all the security is to safeguard the secret recipe.

Herbs and spices.

What do you say?

I say a girl hot as you.

Don't give a fuck what she does for work.

I'm here to bring you to dinner.

Oh, you got your jewelry.

Yeah, I guess I probably should have warned you about that.

Well, I don't think it would have made much of a difference.

But, you know, besides having a lot done to me at one time.

Okay, come on.

Let's go.

Everyone's excited to meet you, Mickey included.

Even if he is too cool to show it.

Uh, I got a little sidetracked.

Last time before we finished discussing how you read minds.

Right. How does it work?

Um, it's actually not as cool as people think it is.

I can tell you your grandmother's name, but only if you put it in the front of

your mind.

I can't go deep.

Rebecca.

I mean, that's still pretty fucking cool.

It's not true love or anything, so don't get that idea.

Might not even be a favor, but it could be.

Three days after I landed here, they put me into a quarantine for almost two

weeks. No shots put out.

What the hell does that mean?

The point is, maybe I'm still contagious.

You might catch it, and it'll keep you in front half a little longer.

But I thought back half was a good thing, you know, one step closer to

is.

Supposedly. Give me some.

Seriously? It's better off your plate. George, no.

Hey, guys.

Luke, right?

George Isles. Bet you Isles already told you all about me.

I'm like a god to her. That's a loser. I'll grab you something.

I'm Iris.

Glad to meet you both.

How do you like it here so far?

Great time or the greatest time?

You know, I don't even know what here is.

Showing the club I'm at.

Thank you.

Reminds me, you're TK, right?

Neg or pod?

Nah, I don't. A positive means that we can do it when we want, at least most of

the time.

Oh, then I'm neg, then.

Sure. Yeah, I can't even wiggle my ears.

TK -neg. Wait till I tell Nikki.

They've been betting on what the new kids will be. George always thinks TK

It's the most common pedestrian, if you will. No offense, Luke, but TK -pod,

that's rarefied here.

George, knock it off.

Clean it up.

Holy shit. Sadly, that just about takes us to the limit of my ability.

Doesn't exactly make me an X -Man.

Sad truth is, TK's not good for much.

Hendrix says the most an Institute kid's ever lifted was, like, eight pounds.

I wish it were possible to develop a really powerful TK.

We could float ourselves the fuck out of here.

Yeah.

Iris has chosen to adopt Nikki's attitude about all this. She didn't

anything. She's just open to the truth.

Speak of the devil.

Georgie here, on the other hand, he's our agent Mulder. He wants to leave.

Believe what?

Oh, that everything's gonna be all right!

Nikki, do you remember what we just talked about?

Right, right. Just got a little carried away greeting the new arrival.

Making him feel at home.

What happened to your hand?

I fell.

Uh, Luke, meet Nikki.

Luke Ellis.

Yeah, I know.

They always tell us about the new kids, offer rewards, we'll show you the rope.

Not for me, though.

Nikki will and won't trade us home for beads and blankets.

Big enough?

Who's got totes?

You know, if you weren't such a dick, you could earn some. That's hard.

Instead of always mooching.

Come on, cooperate. Me, never.

Rebel without the mustache.

Yeah, you know, it's actually kind of gross to boycott something by having

friends buy it for you.

I'm not boycotting, just not cooperating.

Come on, who's holding?

I have two for Maureen for not crying this morning after shots for death.

Thank you.

Come on.

I know you've got something.

What happened?

Kid's ass.

Come on, Alice, let's get you something.

Fun stick.

You play chess, Alice?

These three suck.

Diana Gibson could at least give me a half -assed game, but she went to

three days ago.

Yeah? Yeah, I play, but I gotta tell you, I'm not in the mood.

Come on. Be like that.

Oh.

Why, thank you.

All yours.

You know, I thought those were real cigarettes for a second.

Yeah, when I thought this place couldn't get any weirder.

It can always get weirder.

Jeez.

Is this Pleasure Island?

From Pinocchio, right?

Good one.

So they get you.

Off you all the grown -up shit we've been denied for so long.

Smoked booze. Cracker Jack.

Ho -hos.

What?

My mom smelled hippie and only gave us herb shit.

There's booze?

Yeah, you know, wine coolers are mostly young kids, though.

There's even a sign that says, please drink responsibly.

How old are the kids here?

Bobby Washington was almost 19.

Oldest we know of. He went to back half a week ago.

Youngest?

Ten. I think.

Do yourself a favor and don't let Nikki pull you into this bullshit, okay?

You see the dots, say so. If you don't, say that.

They know when we lie.

Not true.

What if I had a story that was bigger than you can imagine?

And you'd be surprised what I can imagine.

You're right.

If you got a story like that, a story that could change everything, what would

you do?

I think you have an inflated sense of my career to this point.

Truth is, I'm still just a stringer for a local daily.

Circulation under 10 ,000. Negligible online presence. Well, who then?

I know people.

I guess I might.

What if I've spent my whole life on the wrong path?

What if this is my one shot at redemption and even that's not enough?

I just... Do you think there's a hell?

I know there is.

You're right. She was unreliable.

Was?

It's taken care of. I need a cleaning crew. Do you have my location?

I have you. Sit tight.

Hard to keep the playground open at night, but not bother to light it.

Uh, anybody flying over?

Knowing I'm wondering what's going on all night, you know?

Middle of the deep Maine wilderness.

I think there's a moon tonight.

Not for chess, anyway.

Yeah, I'm still not in the mood.

What else have we got to do?

I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand, walking through the streets of

Soho in the rain.

He was looking for the place called Leehole Fort.

Gonna get a big ditch of beef chow mein.

Ah -hoo, werewolves of London.

Ah -hoo.

You heard him howling around the kitchen door.

You better not let him in.

Little old lady got mutilated day last night.

Where was the thunder again?

Where was the thunder?

Is it a checkmate?

Was that five moves? Six.

And it, uh...

Smothered, mate.

Only works if your opponent waits too long to move the pieces next to their

king.

Next time you will.

Plus, I was playing hurt.

Right, from your fall.

How smart are you?

I don't know.

Why? I need to decide, are you the kid I've been waiting for?

Smart enough to know we can't stay in this place.

Are you like the others?

Can't handle the truth, so they talk themselves into a fairy tale. Now we get

our memories wiped, go on with our lives like all this never happened.

Even Kalisha's still trying to believe in it.

Everyone but you.

Grow up in group homes and foster care.

You learn not to believe in stories.

You also learn that nobody's coming to the rescue.

If anybody knew about this place, it would already be shut down.

Yeah, we want out.

We get ourselves out.

So, smart kid, how do we get the fuck out of here?