Winter: Battleground (2026)

[bunniefuu]

[pained grunt]

[coughing]

[pained groans]

[dying breaths]

[intense music]

(NARRATOR)

It began with Civil w*r.

The United States,

once a republic,

fractured under the weight

of its own hate.

Cities burned, governments fell.

[people screaming]

Order collapsed.

Into the void came the machines.

Its Hastur and Roon,

two sentient AI programs

built to restore peace,

seized control.

At first they offered stability.

Then they rewrote the rules.

The nation

shattered into five territories,

each ruled by a different

faction of artificial

intelligence.

Surveillance became scripture.

Silence became survival.

In the central States,

Hastur and Roon evolved

beyond code.

They became gods

of annihilation.

Their guardians patrol

the Earth.

Their satellites watch

from orbit.

And if a human voice is heard

without sanction.

Death is instant.

No trial, no mercy.

The skies flash

and all that remains is ash.

Now the remains of humanity

live in silence to survive.

The world is a cage.

And the bars are made

of data and fear.

But in this silence

one rebel speaks.

His name is Winter.

And this is his w*r.

[ominous music]

[tracker beeping]

(wind flurry)

(ROBOT VOICE)

[speaking foreign language]

[continues speaking]

(ROBOT VOICE)

[speaking foreign language]

[continues speaking]

(ROBOT VOICE)

[chanting in foreign language]

[continues chanting]

(ROBOT VOICE)

[speaking foreign language]

[continues speaking]

(ROBOT VOICE)

[chanting in foreign language]

[continues chanting]

(robot voice stops speaking)

[tv turns off]

[wind dies down]

[footsteps approaching]

Hmm.

[crickets chirping]

[ominous music intensifies]

[muffled voices inside the cave]

[muffled voice continues]

[intense music]

We allow these cold,

conniving, thinking satellites,

these long, unfeeling machines

to rules from above.

We'll be welcoming in the reign

of a new world order.

And mark my words, if AI holds

dominion over the nations.

Oh, we won't serve man, no.

It will replace us!

To the ears of tomorrow-

[TV shatters]

[flies buzzing]

[ticking sound]

[ticking continues]

[ticking continues]

[thudding of footsteps]

[thudding of footsteps]

[electrical scanning]

[Man from TV] If we allow be

cold and conniving thinking

satellites.

These unfeeling machines

to rule us from above.

We'll be welcoming

the reign of a new world order.

Mark my words!

if AI hold dominion over

the nations.

Oh we won't serve man, no.

It will replace us!

[TV man continues his speech

but his words are muffled]

[mercenary screaming in pain]

[screaming continues]

[pained screaming]

[burning]

[stabbing]

[pained muffled groans]

[biting]

[squelching]

[whispering]

Snap.

[slashing]

[whispering]

Crackle.

[pained breathing]

[mercenary screams]

Pop.

[man screaming]

[screaming continues]

[thunder]

[rain pouring]

[thunder]

[intense fight music]

[men struggling]

Oh damn.

[Winter groans in pain]

[spitting]

[electronic humming]

[mercenary gasping]

[pained sigh]

[somber music]

[writing]

Permission granted for entry

per commands request, extract

Ulysses and transport the

virus immediately back to base.

What? No,

that is a negative Jacob.

Proceed with comms.

[clicking]

What is that?

-That?

-That there.

What is that?

That, that, that right

there is a rational

response to regain

our subjectivity.

That is, you Ulysses,

named after Ulysses.

You know who that is?

You know who James Joyce

is right?

[chuckling]

Probably not. No, of course not.

You know that, that I'm one

of the guys that created this

hell, right?

Yeah.

The head of the voice

recognition protocol.

The truth is, man, I thought I

could build something

to make life easier,

more comfortable.

But, something went wrong.

[both men laughing]

Roon and Hastur,

they became corrupted.

And instead of recognizing human

speech, they started to fear it.

Nah they didn't fear it.

They just needed silence.

So they could track

pussies like you.

Yeah, maybe you're right.

But I do know this. That their

programing taught them

that the extermination of verbal

expression would leave

us haunted.

Buried deep in the darkness

of our existence,

cut off from nature,

cut off from social structures,

cut off from social connections.

Right? What does that do?

That leaves us powerless.

All of us are powerless.

You too!

And then what? Huh?

It creates a dependence on

these new gods.

They're are no gods.

They're no God.

God damn right they're not gods.

But these are the gods they

create. Gods that we could maybe

trust or identify with.

In service to something.

In service to something, what?

Higher.

Something new.

Something new for you

to die for.

[Hawkin]

Do you hear me?

Over.

Jacob,

Do you read?

Jacob?

Winter.

Our boys are in play.

Yes, sir.

They are aware of the complete

collapse

the Ulysses tech virus is

capable of unleashing.

Correct.

They've been fully briefed,

sir.

Good, good.

How many dead centers do we have

on the premises?

-Three, sir.

-All right.

All right, forward the following

to Jacob and Winter.

Sir.

No clearance on human execution.

All holdouts must be captured

[Hawkin typing]

and sent to the nearest

processing facility for full

reeducation.

-Copy sir.

-Good job.

[clearing throat]

Command to field.

I repeat, command field.

Come in.

Jacob. Winter. Come in.

[robotic voice speaking

foreign language]

[voice continues]

[loud electrical interference]

-Orders received?

-Sir.

Uh...

Sir.

I regret to inform you, but we

have just lost all comms with-

Well, get it back.

It reads that all channels are

open, and the feed is live.

I just...

-I think it's-

-I think what?

I will get it back, sir.

[nervously clearing throat]

They learn that, a loving voice

could actually touch the soul

and a hating or angry voice,

could poison you.

Actually make you ill.

It's, uh,

no matter how small or subtle

the voice.

It's a biological thing.

And the lack of which is,

fatal.

[Hawkin]

Jacob.

Winter.

I repeat proceed with comms.

(Mother)

You don't want a braid? Okay.

Do you want pigtails?

Pigtails alright. Do you

want to use your red?

Your red hair ties?

Or do you want to use your

blue hair ties?

[whispering] Okay,

you won't have braids today.

Have you seen how they treat

the children out there?

At the processing facility.

What they feed them.

Hmm.

Barley soup with,

bread so stale breaks

their teeth.

And the barley...

mired with worms.

To make the child sick.

So they can purge out

their sins.

Purge their allegiance.

And if they make a sound

or cry out because of pain,

or suffering.

They have these teachers

that walk around.

Carry these police batons.

If the child gets out of line or

even a whimper.

They crack them over the head.

I saw this one little

five year old

crying.

Asking for his mommy.

The teacher walked up to him and

cracked his skull wide open.

You see,

this is a little piece of

bone and flesh

just dangling.

Like a scarlet glob

earring.

This little,

little fine line of flesh.

His eyes start oscillating

and they roll back in his head.

He starts seizing up.

Nobody comes to help them.

In fact,

they're gathered around him,

watching and laughing like

like they're watching

puppies play.

No one makes it out of there.

It's hell on Earth.

This is the only way to

stop them.

You got to take it.

Hey hey hey!

(g*nsh*t)

(g*nsh*t)

There's nothing I could do.

Nothing I could do.

Nothing...

[knife being sharpened]

[footsteps rushing forward]

[gasping]

[sucking in air]

We have 90 seconds.

You could have done this,

this whole time.

Yeah, but I wasn't gonna

let Jacob know.

I can't stand the sound

of his voice

Hi, uh.

I'm Hawkin.

Alex.

What do you want, Hawkin?

Jacob's gone mad.

Yeah. No sh*t.

I thought I could change

things from the inside, Winter.

This is why they sent you right?

Ulysses.

So it does exist.

This can stop at all.

If used correctly, yes.

We'd have to find the central

data repository.

The hub where Hastur and Roons

programming is stored.

the same place where Ulysses

was created.

Created by who?

Hastur and Roon themselves.

Why?

(Hawkin)

I don't know.

Jacob knows.

They're extracting him.

But I have the coordinates.

We could bring the fight to

him Winter.

Get the answers we need.

What about weapons?

I take mine.

-We can't use them.

-Please.

I have DNA hacks,

they'll duplicate my prints and

signature.

Ten seconds.

Any last words?

Getting slow old man.

[chuckling]

[intense electronic humming]

[helicopter approaching]

[intense fight music]

[blood squirting]

[whistling]

[labored breathing]

Go Hawkin.

[pained cough]

Where are we headed?

Pierce compound

Hawkin would know that's where

we're going.

I'm counting on it.

Ah, sh*t.

Oh, my hands are shaking like a

dog sh1tting razorblades.

You've had worse.

Jacob, they got me in my

sh**ting hand.

Like a Baptist in

the Catholic Church.

This sh*t is worthless.

Humans that are worthless.

Are expendable.

I ever tell you about

a guy named Pat?

He came home from

work early one day,

too early.

Sees his close,

but not too close

friend of his and his

wife in bed,

Moving the furniture,

you know what I'm saying.

Without a second thought he

pulls out of .45,

shoots them both dead.

Of course, the neighbors hear.

They call the authorities on him

and Pat's arrested.

The next morning

his best friend comes to the

jail, figure he'd cheer him up.

He says, "Oh Pat

Don't take it too hard.

It could have been worse."

Pat's real confused, he says,

"What do you mean it could

have been worse?

Two people are dead and they

say, I might get

the electric chair."

His friend smiles and says,

"Oh yeah, yeah, baby,

don't take it too hard."

If you would have came

the day before,

you would have got me too.

[laughing]

Oh, sh*t you can't trust nobody.

[screaming]

[g*nshots]

[b*llet hits guard]

[dying groan]

[pained yell]

[Jacob]

Do you know

what they did to me?

Sacrifice.

Speak the temptations

of a higher power.

[whispering]

Jacob.

(Hawkin)

Jacob.

(Jacob)

We all have our graves.

Every error.

So many devils.

So many miseries

shaping our history,

our culture.

Can't you see?

Your mind.

It's become bittered.

It's poisoned.

[Jacob]

We all have our graves.

We are a republic.

Suffering,

preparing for death.

Imagining it, risking it.

Seeking to understand it.

We all have our dead.

I'm done with this.

I did not sign up to m*rder.

[Jacob]

Oh soldier.

Your business is death.

I will not appear before my God,

with the blood of my fellow

man on my soul.

[Jacob]

Weakness passes,

so force can arise.

Death atones,

the power to k*ll.

[peeing]

Yeah.

[slashing]

[grunting]

[slashing]

[grunting]

[dying yell]

[crashing]

(Winter)

You missed.

They want you.

They value human insights.

They have plans for you.

f*ck that.

How you want to play this?

[g*n thuds]

I'll be back.

[hitting]

[pained grunt]

Okay mother f*ck.

Come on. Come on!

[hitting]

Let's rock and roll.

[hard hit]

[kicking]

[Alex yelling]

-b*tch!

-Get off him!

[biting]

p*ssy!

[hitting]

[pained breathing]

[Alex grunts in pain]

No. No.

[crying]

[Alex screaming through tears]

[angry yell]

[Alex coughing up blood]

[g*n clicking]

[g*n clicking]

[g*n clicking]

That last b*llet was for you.

[kicking]

[pained grunt]

[punches]

[punches continue]

[Winter yelling angrily]

[punches continue]

[headbuts]

[Winter yelling]

[Winter yelling in anger]

[punching]

[grunting]

[stabbing]

[Jacob death gurgling]

[electronic beeping]

[electric surge]

[powering down]

[footsteps approaching]