Original subtitles

[waves crashing]

[sorrowful music]

[gasps]

[coughs]

[gasping]

[ominous music]

[wave crashes]

[drawer opens]

[delicate piano music]

[opens drawer]

[opens drawer]

[cutlery clinks]

Can I get half of this?

Otherwise they go to waste.

- You're single. - [laughs]

These must be clairvoyant.

- Beets never lie. - [laughs]

- Thank you. - You're welcome.

Oh! Sorry.

- Are you okay? - Yeah, I'm so sorry.

I hate when people have their faces in their phones

and here I am just...

[camera shutter]

I think I may have just taken a picture.

- I hope it's a good one. - [laughs quietly]

Do I know you?

I feel like I know you.

I'd remember meeting you.

- You want a beet? - Let me guess, first one's free?

You are on to me.

Um.

It was nice running in to you.

You as well.

[solemn piano music]

- [Mackenzie] Are you okay? - [Aria] Yeah.

- Yeah, why? - You seem a little...

off.

[groans] Okay, I feel off. Yeah.

You know it's like... somebody came into my house

and rearranged a bunch of stuff in the night.

Like what?

Spoons.

[Aria] Yeah, well...

the thing is they're actually in a better drawer

and it makes more sense, but it's still just weird.

[Mackenzie] what about the show? Is everything kosher?

- Do you like the space? - This is really good.

- Did they change the roast? - Good talk.

[exclaims in disgust]

[Mackenzie] I'll see you soon. Get there early.

We're not on Aria time.

- Hey, Mackenzie. - Hi, human.

I don't know what it is,

but I get the feeling that she doesn't like me.

What makes you think that?

Intuition.

Oh!

Her loss.

[Thomas] This is awful! Is this a different roast?

[Aria] Thomas, what do you want?

Wow. I can't just stop by and say hello?

Yeah, you can.

Are you?

What?

Come on, Ari. What do I have to do?

I need more time.

Yeah well, I know. I'm trying to give you space

I am, but could you just stop and talk to me for a second?

You want to talk? Be there tonight.

- What? - My art show. The gallery.

Yeah. I'm gonna be there. But could you just hear me out?

- Way to go, champ. - Whoops.

Excuse me?

It's none of my business,

but I don't think pressuring her

is going to get you what you want.

- And you are? - Have you ever thought

that maybe you don't make her happy?

[laughs mirthlessly]

- Uh? - Just a thought.

Again, none of my business.

Have an excellent day.

- [Aria] Oh. Whoa! - [Ben] What do you see?

[Aria] I see a bottle of detergent.

Yeah, it's like...

- laundry detergent. - [Ben and Mackenzie laugh]

- Okay. - [Ben] No, no, no, it's okay.

It's okay.

Everybody does it the first time.

[Ben] So... that's augmented reality or AR.

[Mackenzie] You should hear him and the other programmers

- geek out over this. - Wow!

[Mackenzie] Tell her what you guys call the code.

- Go on! - DNA.

[Mackenzie] It takes a lot longer to say.

[Ben] First, that was an inside joke.

So, thank you for that.

Second, DNA is code.

[Ben] And ours is immersive. Dimensional. Disruptive.

Until, of course, VR really takes off

and we're spending most of our days

in the virtual world. But that's years away.

AR is now.

Oh my God. That sounds horrible.

[Ben] No. Why... what do you mean?

I mean the virtual thing.

[Aria] Yeah, I'm sure

there are people that would love to live in...

- you know. - [Ben] So... yes.

[Aria] I... I like books.

[laughs quietly] I like the way that the...

pages smell when they get old and...

I like paints and oil paints and brushes.

I guess I...

I like the way real things feel.

[Aria] I'm very...

tactile in that way, I guess.

[Ben] I could listen to you talk all day.

- [Aria laughs] - Just being honest.

- But I'm taking these away. - [Aria] Okay.

[Ben] Your style is exactly

the aesthetic we're going for with this campaign.

The images need a strong voice

that resonates with a female demographic.

And we want them to feel hand-painted.

- So... - Why not

get a female to hand-paint them?

Yeah.

Yes.

- [Aria chuckles] - Mackenzie tells me you have...

- an exhibition tonight? - [Mackenzie] Yes!

Um...

that might be giving it

a bit more credit than it deserves.

It's just a small gallery

where a few of my paintings are hanging in Silverlake.

[Ben] Okay, well I think that sounds rad.

And I'm looking forward to it.

Because I'm gonna be there.

Okay.

Take some time.

Mull it over.

I think we can do great work together.

Yeah?

So... you.

- [Mackenzie chuckles] - And I'll see you later.

[Ben] Thank you.

I like real things?

I know... I know, I know.

- Who are you? - But I do. I do.

[eerie piano music]

[crackle]

[calls out] Thomas?

Thomas, are you here?

So... streamlined the mission statement

and added the bits here and here.

Underwriting sponsorships and matched funding.

- [ringtone] - Okay.

Oh. I've got to take this. You want to take a look?

- Yeah. - Okay.

Hey, you.

- Look, I'm sorry about... - It's a sweet gesture.

[Aria] But you can't let yourself in like that.

- They're your favorite right? - Yeah,

they're beautiful. It's just...

[Aria] You can't do stuff like this anymore.

I... I do miss my teammate.

- Hello? - [Janine] Thomas,

- I like it. It works. - Great.

- Grosse Pointe meeting. - Oh. Yeah.

[Ben] I'll be there. Hey, Ari?

Can we sort this out later?

- Sure. - Thanks.

Bye.

[camera shutter]

[ominous music]

[Joel] Be with me.

- [ghostly voices] Be with me. - Be with me. Be with me.

[Joel] Be with me. Be with me. Be with me.

Be with me. Be with me.

Be with me. Be with me. Be with me.

Be with me. Be with me.

Be with me. Be with me. Be with me.

Be with me. Be with me. Be with me.

Be with me.

[Janine] All right.

We have you slated to help with the...

Long Beach fundraiser... in October.

Couldn't do what we do without our volunteers.

- So, thank you so much. - My pleasure.

I'm psyched, as the kids say.

Or used to say. I don't know.

[Joel chuckles] I'm pumped?

So...

do you work here alone?

Oh god! That sounded horrible.

I only asked because I spend

most of my time in a dark room

- at the university. - Oh!

Wow, I didn't realize anyone still shot on film.

- That's great. - Dark room, right.

Uh, no. Not that kind of dark room.

Computers.

I do data modeling.

Sport of the future.

Point being, they've got me...

down in the basement.

Alone. 12, 14 hours a day and...

I don't have much of a life outside of work and honestly...

that kind of isolation can get to you after a while.

Yeah.

Well, luckily I've got a business partner.

Thank god,

I don't think I could do this by myself.

Actually, he should be back any minute.

Remind me what that's like.

Having someone to collaborate with.

You two work well with each other?

Yeah.

Yeah, he's great actually.

You know, passionate and smart.

Energy for days and caring.

- Yeah, I got a good one. - Oh,

you two are together?

Together together? No.

- No, it's strictly professional. - You sure?

Because your eyes kind of light up

when you talk about him.

[Joel laughs]

- I, um... - Sorry, sorry, I'm gonna go.

Thank you. And I'll see you in Long Beach.

Water for the world.

Water for the world.

And it's none of my business,

but tell him how you feel.

You won't regret it.

I promise.

[unnerving music]

[dissonant note]

- Whoa, whoa... whoa. - [music fades]

Hey, didn't we do this earlier today?

At the market, you ran into me, kind of like now, only...

Sorry, just out for a walk.

Do you live around here?

Uh, yeah.

A couple of streets over, on Rosemont.

Uh, you mean Rosemary. [laughs]

No, I'm pretty sure it's Rosemont.

Yeah, I've lived in this area for a while

and it's three streets over. It's Rosemary.

Hey. Not here to argue cartography

with you or whatever.

Sorry I freaked you out. Okay?

Really. Have a good night.

Yeah... I will.

[rock music]

[Mackenzie] Don't get down about this.

It takes a while to get a following.

[Aria] No it's fine.

It's just...

I don't know. I'm having a really odd day.

[sighs] I thought Thomas would be here.

I thought you two were taking some time off.

I invited him.

But, it's not like we're actually together.

So I can't be disappointed, right?

[phone chimes]

Hey, Ben will be here in five minutes.

- Are you trying to set us up? - You and Ben?

- No. - Because it kind of sounds like

- you're trying to set us up. - Okay,

Ben is a great guy.

And you could do a hell of a lot worse.

But this is more about

feeding that crazy artist in here,

- while feeding her here. - [snaps teeth]

[Mackenzie laughs]

I don't know, just...

selling detergent while the world is falling apart.

Hey! You wouldn't just be selling detergent.

There's... juice boxes, cereals...

toilet paper.

[both laugh quietly]

Um... should we mingle?

I guess not.

[both laugh]

You know I just want you to be happy, right?

[Aria] Yeah, I'm not sure

- happiness is really a thing. - Fine.

Fuck happiness.

Call it whatever you want.

I just want you fulfilled.

This one.

Yep, this one is my favorite.

It's like she's saying...

I'm not going anywhere, motherfucker.

It's yours.

No.

- No. - Yes. I want you to have it.

Really?

Because she's my favorite.

You're a really great friend, Mack.

What was that?

You're the best.

And I'm not going anywhere...

motherfucker.

I'm not going anywhere, motherf...

- Really? - I can't.

[eerie music]

[quietly] What?

It's like I don't live here.

[crackle]

It's Rosemont... the street.

It's Rosemont.

Again, last night,

- I'm sorry if I scared you. - No.

I'm sorry.

I could have sworn the street was Rosemary.

It's like, I remember it being Rosemary.

- Weird, right? - The Mandela Effect.

- Sorry? - It's this phenomenon.

Groups of people who remember alternate versions of things.

It could be something big.

Like how many states there are in the U.S.

Or a little thing, like Rosemary,

- Rosemont. - You're a weird one, aren't you?

You may not have been stalking me the other night.

But you're definitely weird.

I like it. [laughs quietly]

Be right back.

[unnerving music]

[whispering] Be with me, be with me, be with me.

Yeah, that's not creepy.

I'm just taking a moment to be grateful.

- What are we grateful for? - Oh, you know,

good coffee, sunshine, charming strangers.

Oh, cheers.

Well, we both know I'm charming, but you?

I can be charming. I'm keeping it in check.

Just for your sake.

Really?

So once you let loose, that's it.

- Women are helpless. - Some people call it a gift,

but me, I also call it a gift.

Oh, you poor, poor thing.

Okay, so tell me more about this Mandela craziness.

- Blow my mind. - Okay. Well,

you already think I'm weird.

There's a huge group of people

who all have the same memory

of Nelson Mandela dying in prison.

Well, except he was released.

And then later on became president of South Africa.

Right. But there are 1000s of people

who remember something different.

Okay. So, it's like an alternate version

of history. Like different realities?

[Joel] That somehow merged with this one.

Yeah, I don't buy it.

Me neither. But it's a fun thought experiment.

I mean, I'm a sucker for that kind of stuff.

You know, urban legends, occult phenomena,

- ancient myths. - Yeah.

Bigfoot. UFOs. Weirdo stuff.

[Aria] No, no, no. I think it's a really cool idea.

I do. I just, you know...

- If there... - [phone chimes]

- were an alternate reality, I... - [phone chimes]

- [Aria] Sorry. - Do you need to get that?

- No, I know who it is. - [phone chimes]

It's just...

- Wow, there's three. - [phone chimes]

And four.

Four. Comes after three.

I just wanted you to know

- that I could count. - Wait a minute.

When I learned to count it was one, two, three, five.

Are you trying to Mandela me?

[Aria laughs]

All right, well...

this was lovely but

[whispering] I have to go.

'Til next time?

[whispering] Yeah, bye.

[Thomas] You've already talked to

allocations about setting aside a percentage for us?

With the chance of their annual contribution increasing

by five percent over the next five years.

- [Janine laughs] - That's awesome.

- [continues laughing] - [exclaims in joy]

That's huge.

You're a superstar.

What?

Oh, come on, Janine. What?

What is it?

[Thomas laughs nervously]

I'm sure this isn't the right time.

But how do I say this?

I...

I have been feeling...

for a long time...

that...

that I...I

I have wanted to tell you...

Aria!

- Oh. Hi, Janine. - Hi!

- How are you? - I'm great. And you?

I'm well.

Thanks.

We miss you around here.

Um...

chamber of silence?

Good seeing you.

- Let's get lunch sometime. - Sure, yeah.

This is hard on me too.

But you can't pressure me.

And making up reasons why we need to talk, it's...

Do I make you happy?

[stammers]

Um... do I...

when we were together, did...

did I make you happy?

Thomas, what is this?

It's stupid, but some guy on the street

said almost the exact same thing.

that I shouldn't pressure you.

And maybe I didn't make you happy.

That's what I thought. You wouldn't know this guy?

He was kind of tall, kind of big.

I guess it doesn't matter.

[Joel] One, two.

You say you know who it is.

You put your phone away.

You put it on silent.

You apologize...

and you put it in your purse.

[Thomas] I miss you... everyday. I miss how

great we were together.

Mostly.

Meaning?

[Aria] Last night. The gallery?

Oh, I'm so sorry about that. Really.

I know, I should have been there.

I told you I was gonna be there but I... I knew you wanted time.

I invited you.

[Thomas sighs] Look, I think...

sometimes...

with the work that we do here which...

you know, it's so essential, so needed. I...

I forget other things in life might be important too.

Are they? Or am I selfish.

Well...

we're all a little selfish. I mean...

Okay, I'm going to be honest with you,

It doesn't make sense to me.

Not after all we've done together.

But I'm not you.

I don't have... the artists fire or whatever people call it.

So... if it's important to you, it's important to me.

Yeah, but it hasn't been.

It will be.

It is. I promise you.

[Joel] Market.

Rosemont.

Cafe.

- Text messages. - [eerie music]

One... two... three...

- Four, comes after three, - four.

I just wanted you to know that I could count.

It's never been four.

[yelling] Fuck! Fuck!

[Thomas] Look, I might not be able

to live completely in your world,

and maybe you can't have both feet in mine.

But there's enough between us here.

[Thomas] We shouldn't throw that away.

You have to know that I love you.

Only you.

[holds back tears]

- [unsettling music] - [breathes loudly]

[Mackenzie] No... no, no.

Okay, dramatic much?

How can you even consider that?

Because I can still do my art on the side.

You already tried that.

Look, I know you don't want to hear this.

- Then don't say it. - But if he loved you,

if he really, really loved you,

then he would want you to be happy.

And none of this, "happiness doesn't exist" crap.

- You know what I mean. - I think he does. Really.

- [Mackenzie sighs] Jesus. - What?

You don't love him.

Okay. Wow.

You don't.

[Mackenzie] Look, I know you think I hate Thomas.

I don't. It's just I hate that he's not right for you.

And he knows it. He does.

All right, fine. I hate him a little bit.

But in the nicest possible way.

You are such a pain in the ass.

[Aria] But I know you just want what's best for me.

[Mackenzie] One of us has to.

[eerie music]

[car door shuts]

- [glass shatters] - [quietly] Fuck!

- [Mackenzie laughs] - Wait. Did you just hear that?

It sounded like glass breaking.

[whispering] What? Walking towards the scary sound?

[quietly] Aren't we supposed to call the cops?

And tell them what? That we heard a scary noise?

[calls out] Hello?

Like they're gonna answer?

Just hold on.

Hello?

Come on.

Shit.

[Mackenzie] Could that have fallen?

No.

[Mackenzie] Outside. Let's go. Come on. Come on!

Shall we restart?

Something different.

Let's try something different.

[glass shatters]

[loud tearing]

[Officer Bowman] Well, there's no sign of forced entry,

which is good.

Can you tell if there's anything else missing?

Um... I don't know, but I...

I didn't check everything.

[Bowman] Well I do suggest getting these locks changed.

Just to be safe.

Now can you stay with a friend until then?

As if you have to ask.

- She's going to stay with me. - Great.

[Mackenzie] At least until I get my own stalker.

You don't want that.

Have a good night ladies.

[Bowman] Please lock up behind me.

[Thomas] All right. Well, maybe we can reschedule or...

I mean, do they have any leads? It's just...

- I don't want you to be alone. - [Aria] No, no, no. I'm not.

I'm staying with Mackenzie tonight.

[Thomas] Oh good!

- No, you go. - Tell her I said hi.

He says, "Hey".

- She says, "Hey" back. - Yeah,

I'm sure she does.

Listen, you'll stay with her until I get back from Michigan?

Yeah, what time is your flight?

- About three and a half hours. - Oh, ouch.

Well, I hope the fundraiser goes well.

- Thank you, honey. - Is Janine going?

Tell my guest my business partner will be going.

I love you.

You, too.

- Text me when you land? - Of course.

Good night, beautiful.

Thomas.

- [both laugh] - [Mackenzie] Oh my god.

Back to the stalker dude.

Or woman.

- We don't want to be sexist. - Of course.

Let's say he... or she does exist.

Do you have any idea of who he could be?

No, I...

Oh, well...

There is this one guy.

I don't know though. He seems pretty normal.

- But is he cute. - No, he's handsome, yeah.

He's pretty charming too.

We've actually run into each other.

Yeah. A couple of times. It's...

Oh, wait. Here.

[screams quietly]

[Mackenzie chuckles]

Are you sure you're not the one doing the stalking?

[Aria laughs] No.

- [Mackenzie laughs] - He took that photo.

Well, accidentally.

I dropped my phone and then it...

like, took a picture. It was weird.

You have to introduce us.

- To my stalker. - Alleged stalker.

Even if he was,

two birds, one stone.

Because once you go Mack...

you never go back.

[both laugh]

- [Joel] Hey. - Oh my god!

[chuckles] Sorry. I did not mean to startle you.

[Janine pants]

I just had one more question about the Long Beach fundraiser.

Do you have a second?

Um...

I'm not going anywhere, motherf...

[laughs quietly then sighs]

[crackle]

[unnerving music]

[ringtone]

[ringtone]

[ringtone]

[ringtone]

Stranger.

Oh, hello.

May I join you?

Quiet today.

I'm quiet most days.

So the girl I met before,

when's she around?

Tuesdays and Thursdays? Because I can come back.

Wednesdays and Saturdays. And every other Monday.

I'll make a note.

What is it you do, that you can hang out

- in coffee shops all day? - I could ask you the same thing.

I'm a software engineer. You?

Unemployed.

I used to help run an NGO.

Well, actually, I might do that again.

Until then I've been living off my savings,

which are dwindling.

And the art?

I think that's going to have to become a hobby.

I feel that it could be more than that for you.

Not a job. More like a calling.

That's really sweet but you don't know me that well.

I'm pretty good at reading people.

I see things.

Okay, Svengali.

What do you see?

I see...

I see a young woman who's torn.

Her art makes her happy.

Maybe happier than anything else in the world.

But she feels guilty about that.

She feels guilty because...

when she sees all the pain and the suffering in the world

her art feels trivial compared to that.

I see someone who sometimes

whispers when something moves her deeply because...

she knows that words can't

hold the bigness of a moment like that

But they can shrink it...

make it disappear.

And even when the greatest sadness

she'll ever know settles on her shoulders...

there's something beautiful that just... shines through.

That same fire of compassion

that she's stoked and nurtured her whole life.

And she's...

radiant.

I'm just taking a moment to be grateful.

Thank you.

That was...

I call 'em like I see 'em.

Do you want to have a drink with me tonight?

I have this friend.

I know that I don't know you that well, but...

I feel like you and her would really hit it off.

Sure.

Sounds great.

Good... good.

Excellent.

[Joel] Hey, I've got some friends inside.

Do you mind if I go in and join them?

We're at full capacity.

Thank you.

Oh... Joel!

- [Joel] Oh, hey. - Hey.

This is Mackenzie.

Hi. Nice to meet you.

You, too.

[Aria] Okay, so it's standing room only.

Hour to an hour and a half for a table, so...

[Joel] Let's go somewhere else. Where to?

How about some place with a nice bottle of wine?

There's a little wine bar a little further down Oceanview.

I haven't been, but I hear it's pretty good.

How about your place?

Are either of you hungry?

I'm starving.

All right. Let's go.

[Joel] Gracias.

[indistinct conversation]

Okay. The second best burrito you'll ever have.

What's the first?

I haven't found it yet.

[laughs]

[Mackenzie] Hey!

Do you have any experience with Augmented Reality?

[Mackenzie laughs] What? He's an engineer.

Do you know how hard it is to find a good one?

It's like roping a unicorn. [laughs]

[Joel] No, the work I do is more esoteric I suppose.

I...

I create models that...

they try to determine probabilities

in chaotic complex systems.

Sounds like a hoot.

[both laughing]

[Joel] For example, what's the probability

of Aria spitting her burrito

- all over the parking lot. - [Mackenzie laughs] Wow!

That was impressive, by the way.

I'm sorry.

What were the...

What were the forces and events

that conspired to make that happen?

Easy. Bad breeding.

She does that shit at least once a day.

[Mackenzie] You're disgusting.

- [laughs] - [Aria] Okay,

but seriously, so something like...

chaos theory.

Where a butterfly flaps its wings in Beijing,

which then causes a girl

to spit up her burrito in Los Angeles.

- Right? That kind of complexity? - [Joel] Exactly that.

So, what are you trying

to figure out with these probabilities?

Well, let's use this burrito as our context.

There's a whole lot going on inside this burrito,

but at the end of the day

there are a finite number of variables at play here.

What did you order? Because I just got chicken.

- [all laugh] - Stay with me here.

Let's just simplify things and say the contents are just

the rice, the beans,

and maybe a little bit of hot sauce.

Now, when the burrito's made,

the way the ingredients combine inside,

well that's totally random, right?

Uh-huh.

What if it's not.

If we could understand exactly why

the ingredients combine the way they do,

we could make this burrito over and over again.

And every time we made it,

every grain of rice...

every single bean...

and every bit of hot sauce

would be in the exact same place.

[Mackenzie] I'm detecting a pattern.

Order.

Everything in its place.

You are a live by the rules type of guy.

Yes, I used to be.

Like my whole life.

But now... trying something new.

[Aria] Okay,

so besides being a recovering

follow the rules guy,

why does it matter if the rice falls in the same place?

Well, if you could replicate an event

so it happens the same way every time

You'd be obsessive.

[Joel] True, but also...

[Aria] You could predict anything.

Yes. The weather. The future.

Earthquakes. Reconstruct the past.

A perfect moment.

But you wouldn't just be remembering that moment,

you'd be reliving it.

Yeah, I don't know. I don't know.

I don't think I would want to relive a moment.

No matter how perfect it was.

[Aria] No,

I want to create new memories, new experiences, you know?

Even if they're not as magical.

[Mackenzie] Have you done it?

Made the same thing happen over and over?

Not yet.

Well, I think that this conversation would go great...

with a nice bottle of wine.

You do have wine at your place, right?

I do.

[harsh note]

This is the right house, isn't it?

[groans]

What's going on with you?

I keep hearing these sounds.

Then everything shakes.

- [groans] - It's probably a brain tumor.

- Thanks. - I'm sure it's real small.

[laughs quietly]

[harsh note plays repeatedly]

[doorbell chimes]

Ladies. Welcome.

Gas station snacks.

Because we're classy like that.

- [laughs] - Thank you. Please have a seat.

Crazy.

Yeah, I got it when I was in Africa.

Where in Africa?

Western, mostly. Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo.

I spent a couple months there. Between undergrad and grad.

There's actually an interesting bit of folklore

that goes with it.

Whoever has possession of that mask

will have the power to come back from the dead.

[laughs] UFOs. Bigfoot.

Like I said, I'm a sucker.

So, does that work?

Because I could market it.

- I'll let you know. - Wait.

Do you know you're resurrected or forget everything?

Like a zombie.

Great question.

I'll go check the user manual.

Oh. There is one drawback to coming back from the grave.

You come back without a face.

The mask takes it from you.

[Aria laughs]

Depending on the person, it could be a benefit.

- Like for you. - Oh, it's like that is it?

[mysterious music]

So, I've got a pretty decent Cab.

An okay Zin, and a Malbec I haven't tried yet.

I'm good with the Cab.

Aria?

[Mackenzie] Hey. Rude.

Put the phone away.

I swear it's like it's been glued to her hand.

Weird because usually you have to remind her she has one.

Thomas was supposed to call me when he landed last night.

Excuse me.

I'm gonna turn on some music.

Give me a second here.

[loud jazz music]

[Joel] Oh. Sorry. That's a bit loud.

I'll be right back.

[experimental jazz music]

[Mackenzie laughing] What? You have a body in there?

In there? No, no. I bury my bodies in the desert.

- Oh. - Much cleaner.

[Joel chuckles]

Just give me two seconds to clean up.

I'll give you both a tour in a minute.

How about you save that tour for later?

[experimental jazz continues]

[phone rings]

Look, I'm sure there's a good reason.

I'm sure he's fine.

[experimental jazz in the background]

[pouring wine]

So, to what should we toast?

To breaking rules.

To breaking the rules.

- [glasses clink] - Cheers.

Cheers.

[suspenseful music]

[Mackenzie] I've read these books since I was a little girl.

And it's always been Berenstein, E-I-N. Not Berenstain, A-I-N.

What ethnicity is that anyway? Is that even a real name.

You two are perfect for each other.

- [Mackenzie laughs] - OK.

Snow White.

The queen looks in the mirror and says...

Mirror, Mirror, on the wall.

Yes.

No.

She says "Magic Mirror on the wall."

What?

- Uh uh. - Bullshit.

- Look it up. - I will, right now.

OK. Speaking of walls,

- I have hit one. - What?

[Mackenzie] No.

Stay.

[singing] Just a little bit longer.

- No. - [both laugh]

All right, this Sleeping Beauty needs to get her rest.

Do you like what I did there?

Oh. How topical.

Are you okay to drive?

I've been nursing that glass all night.

You're right.

I got a lot of work to do in the morning.

Uh uh.

One more glass and then you walk me home.

Good night, guys.

[Mackenzie] I'll see you in a bit.

[eerie noises]

[loud disturbing music]

[Mackenzie] So.

About that tour.

Generally, tour hours are Monday to Friday, nine to six.

Damn.

That means I have to wait until next week.

Or...

we can make an exception.

Sorry.

Rules are rules.

Didn't we just toast to breaking a few of those?

[soft jazz music]

There's somebody else.

[Mackenzie chuckles]

Is she your wife?

Your girlfriend?

Somebody I've been interested in for a very long time.

Mhm.

I don't think we have a problem.

[kissing]

[shower water running]

[Mackenzie] Good morning.

Morning.

Neat is good.

[Mackenzie] Do you feel like breakfast?

Absolutely.

[door sliding]

I had a good time last night.

Me too.

[water falling]

[eerie piano music]

[screeching violin music]

Mackenzie.

[loud thud]

Jeez. You scared the bejesus out of me!

Are these yours?

Yeah. Did I leave them in the bathroom?

Joel had them.

In a drawer. With a picture of you, thorn in half.

He's your stalker! Joel...

whatever the fuck his last name is! I slept with him!

Wait.

- He didn't hurt you, did he? - No. God, no.

Actually, he wasn't even into it at first.

He kept going on about this woman.

Turns out it's you!

Fuck!

Okay.

Breathe.

Breathe.

You're okay and I'm okay.

I don't care if we don't have proof.

And if they don't believe us

but we're going back to the cops.

Okay.

[soft crying]

Forgive me.

[doorbell rings]

[exhales deeply]

[doorbell rings]

I'm coming.

[voices coming from outside]

Afternoon.

I'm looking for Joel Keller.

That's me.

Great. I have a few questions.

Do you know an Aria Bauer?

Aria?

She was here last night with her friend, Mackenzie.

Where did you meet Miss Bauer?

I met her at the market on Honolulu.

A little while back.

I see. Yeah. She said the same thing.

[chuckling] Okay.

Is there something funny?

No. Just...

Is there a problem?

You mind if I come in? I mean, it's a furnace out here.

Sure.

[suspenseful music]

[dialling tone]

[voicemail] Your call has been forwarded to an automated...

What if...

You don't think Joel would...

[locks door]

- [Joel] Would you like a drink? - [officer] Yeah.

A water would be great.

So...

how did you meet Miss Bauer again?

Like I said, I met her at the market.

Right. You did say that.

[whistles]

This is a nice place.

You were decorating?

Cleaning.

She is something, isn't she?

Miss Bauer.

I mean, she is beautiful and intelligent.

Absolutely charming.

Oh my God, is she charming, huh?

Is this leading somewhere, Officer?

Because I have work to do.

Oh, you work from home?

Yup.

Let me guess, you are a...

Software engineer.

Huh. Would never have guessed that.

Me?

I'm a cop.

[laughs]

I'm just shooting the shit cause it is a scorcher out there.

And in here it's just nice and cool.

Refreshing, you know?

Mind if I take a look?

- I'm a big fan of the arts. - Know what?

I'd rather you didn't. It's one of mine.

It's a painting.

And I tried to get it right, over and over...

Isn't that like the definition of insanity?

When you try something over and over

and you expect to get a different result?

- Isn't it one of these? - Yes.

One of these.

Okay, no.

- [keys jingle] - [Aria] Okay.

[officer] My wife is just like you. She loves photography.

And she was not good at it at first.

But then she just kept on practicing

and she developed an interesting way of looking at things.

She developed a good eye.

See, she can just look at things

the way other people...

don't.

[suspenseful music]

It's okay. I get it.

You're embarrassed.

But I am a good critic, you can ask my wife.

I will. Next time I see her.

[chuckles]

[suspenseful music continues]

[Aria] Thomas?

Here's the thing, Mr Keller.

In my line of work

I deal with attention seekers all the time.

Old, young, male and female.

You see, Miss Bauer, she's not an attention seeker.

So I'm thinking

that maybe you're thinking...

you and her together.

That's not gonna happen.

Hm. I should get going.

Have a good afternoon.

[officer] Oh, and...

that hobby of yours.

I'd try something new.

[knife flicks]

[suspenseful music crescendo]

Thomas?

[stabbing]

[screams]

[screaming]

[stabs]

[laughs]

- [dramatic music] - [sobbing]

[gun clicks]

[shots]

[heavy breathing]

[officer] Officer down.

Twenty two, eighty four, Rosemont.

[breathing heavily]

[eerie music]

[whispering]

[officer panting]

[suspenseful music]

[Mackenzie] Shit.

[Aria screaming]

[disturbing music]

[eerie music]

That bad?

[Mackenzie] Okay.

We're gonna find you a doctor in one of these podunk towns and

get him to give you something for that headache.

Or...

maybe...

we hit a motel.

We get drunk. We order some Chinese food

and watch some shitty tv.

Come on.

What part of that doesn't sound awesome?

[eerie music]

[disturbing music]

[panting] Mackenzie!

Mackenzie!

Aria, what the hell?

[disturbing music]

There was...

Come here.

Come here.

Come on.

[Aria breathing heavily]

You're okay.

It didn't have a face.

It's just a dream.

It's just a dream.

[Aria] He's out there, Mack.

Somewhere.

What if he knows where we are and where we're going?

How?

He'd have to be fucking omniscient.

And he's probably dead.

Rotting somewhere in a ditch.

You read the report.

The cop shot him three times.

The neighbors heard it.

They didn't find any bullet holes in the walls or ceiling.

Do the math.

I need some water.

- Can you get me one? - Sure.

[eerie music]

It's not real.

It's not real.

[disturbing music]

What?

[breathing deeply]

Uh...

Nothing.

- [Mackenzie] Ready? - [Aria] Yeah.

[soft piano music]

- [Aria gasps] - [Mackenzie giggles]

[Aria] Wow.

[Mackenzie] I told you.

[Mackenzie] What?

Those are the flowers Thomas bought me.

Just hold on.

[piano music continues]

What does it say?

It's a welcome card.

With a number on the back if we have maintenance concerns.

We'll just put these outside.

Okay.

So I was wondering if the offer's still on the table.

Are you kidding?

I know. I know, I messed up. Forget about it.

Who are you right now?

Yes.

- Really? - Of course it is.

- Okay. - And even if it wasn't,

it will take me two seconds to convince Ben.

[Aria chuckles]

Okay, so there's a little junior high drama here and there

but it's a great place to work.

Yeah? And you'll introduce me to the cool kids?

Of course.

You're gonna love them.

Cause they're so rad.

So rad.

[Mackenzie laughs]

- God, it's hot. - It's a little hot.

- Want some water? - Yeah.

[Mackenzie gasps]

[Aria laughs]

You're so dead.

I just keep going over it again and again in my head.

If I just wouldn't have talked to that psycho at the market.

If I just wouldn't have talked to that guy at the market.

Thomas would still be alive.

[dramatic music]

Hey.

[takes a deep breath]

Hey.

We already talked about this.

- [Aria sniffles] - It's not on you.

How do you go on, Mack?

How do you keep going after something like this?

And you know that nothing will ever be normal or the same.

[sniffling]

[Aria] Well, it's an explanation.

[Mackenzie] That's superstition.

There's many ways to explain it.

You've been stressed. Your whole life has changed.

Your mind is trying to make sense of it.

He said any person who owns that mask

comes back without a face.

- What did I see? - Power of suggestion.

He said it and it's stuck in your mind.

It's as simple as that.

[mysterious music]

[panting]

[eerie music]

[music crescendo]

Mackenzie, get up.

Get up. Come on.

Right now. Come on.

[music continues]

[Mackenzie] Fuck.

We're leaving.

Right now.

Do you see it?

[eerie music]

[thump]

[figure] Be with me.

[loud disturbing music]

- What? - The keys. I don't have them.

Where are they?

Where are the keys? I don't know.

Mack! Where are the keys?

Fuck! I don't fucking know!

Okay, okay!

Okay.

Shit. Wait!

[suspenseful music]

[music continues]

Fuck!

[eerie music]

[music continues]

[Aria] Mackenzie!

[Mackenzie] No!

- [bone breaks] - [Mackenzie screams]

[Mackenzie screaming and crying]

No!

- [Mackenzie screams] - [loud thud]

[thud]

[suspenseful music]

[action music]

[Aria screams]

[disturbing music]

[action music]

[mysterious music]

[Thomas] Aria?

Is that you?

[Aria] Thomas?

I missed you so much.

Where did you go?

See..

This is all I ever wanted.

To have this again.

I'm not asking for the world.

Just this.

What the hell are you?

I'm human.

Just like you.

[dramatic music]

No, you're not.

You don't recognize me, do you?

Even though we've met a thousand times.

At times I feel like

there's a spark of recognition but it's just a fluke.

You don't actually remember.

God, I wish you did.

[Aria breathing heavily]

Go ahead.

There's no one out there.

God damn, I love you.

You never give up. Ever.

We're the same that way.

Only you want him.

And I want you.

I love you.

I'll never love you.

You did.

You did love me.

[Aria gasps]

I'm not going to hurt you.

I want to show you something.

[soft piano music]

[music continues]

[car horn]

[dramatic music]

We were happy.

And we almost were again.

We were so close, Aria.

But...

the flap of a butterfly's wings.

I tried to salvage it with some improvisation but

it's chaotic, complex.

[glass shatters]

Simulation isn't really the right word for it.

Or virtual reality.

Cause at the end of the day

it's all just DNA.

And DNA fundamentally is...

Code.

[sniffling]

None of this is real.

[Joel] It is.

Just not in the way you're used to see it.

[Aria breathing heavily]

I'm not real.

[Joel] You make choices.

You have hopes, dreams. You feel pain.

Joy.

You're thoughts are your own.

You're kind.

And flawed.

That's real.

And you.

You're code, too.

In this world, yes.

Outside...

Outside?

You don't think it's a version of this?

[laughs]

The girl I fell in love with.

The girl you created.

I wrote the code that created you.

I never could have imagined you.

[crying] Then rewrite me!

Reprogram me to love you if that's what you want!

That wouldn't really be love then, would it?

Without choice it's something different.

Something ugly.

[Joel] Now...

you have a very real choice to make.

If you take this, it will end your life

and we'll start over.

Aria Bauer will exist again.

but it won't really be you, will it?

That variant of Aria will be a whole new person.

A clean slate.

She won't remember.

Just like you don't.

She won't remember what happened here

because the Aria Bauer standing in front of me will be gone.

A wave of heat.

A million, million particles of energy.

[thump]

[balls clicking]

Scattered.

[Joel] Or you can try something much simpler.

You loved me once.

Love me again.

You say this is real.

But what you did to my life and to my friends were not real.

Not to you.

You liked toying with us.

Playing God.

Breaking the rules.

Making yourself seem strong.

Smart.

That must have felt so good.

Having all that power.

And you're right.

I do have a choice.

A very real one.

And I choose...

anything but you.

Oh, you are the best you yet.

I'm gonna miss you when you're gone.

I'm not going anywhere.

Motherfucker.

[Joel panting]

[whispering]

[eerie music]

[indiscernible computer voice]

[computer voice]

Remember.

Remember.

Remember.

Remember.

Remember.

Remember.

[suspenseful music]

Remember.

[choking]

[music crescendo]

[music stops]

[soft jazz music]

Remember.