[wind blowing]
[music playing]
[phone ringing]
[music stops]
[Ivy] How's the vacation going?
Wonderful. It's
so beautiful here.
Ready for a new mission?
Do I get to save
the world again?
[laughs] This one's
a little smaller.
[Ephemera] Too bad.
Your ride will arrive
any second now.
[engine whirring]
[music]
[choir singing]
[director] Everyone get ready.
Mission B-987 is active.
Agent Ephemera is in the field.
Agent Ivy, you have the lead.
Yes, Director. Get
our drones in the air.
[music]
[drone whirring]
[Ivy] Ephemera, let's check
out your new neural implant.
[Ephemera] Mmm, communicating
without speaking
feels a little like
you're reading my mind.
[Ivy] Not at all. We
simply intercept the signals
your brain sends
to your vocal cords
before they get there.
We also hear what your ear hears
and see what your eyes see.
But your thoughts
are all your own.
[Ephemera] For now.
[Ivy] Yeah, I wouldn't
put anything past R&D.
[Ephemera] Mission briefing?
[Ivy] There's a Zed operative
working there in New Tokyo.
He goes by Link.
Level 1 pyromancer.
Just like you.
[Ephemera] What is he up to?
[Ivy] Assassination
of an alpha-tier target.
[Ephemera] What is my directive?
[Ivy] Neutralize,
capture, or k*ll.
[Ephemera] Any preference which?
[Ivy] He must not be allowed
to complete his mission.
You have a green light
to use any force necessary.
[Ephemera] Copy that.
[Ivy] The CCTV cameras
are out in your area.
We'll have to rely
on your neural implants
and the drones.
[Ephemera] Understood.
[music]
[director] Where are the drones?
[Ivy] On the way.
[music]
[expl*si*n]
[siren blaring]
[woman] I've never seen
anyone burned this bad.
I don't think she can make it.
[siren]
[music]
[doctor] The patient
has multiple
life-threatening injuries,
but the biggest risk to
survival are the burns.
They cover a hundred
percent of her body.
Normal skin grafts won't work
because the damage
is too extensive.
As a result, we're going to
do an experimental procedure.
Our medical research
unit has developed
something they call nanoskin.
It's an organic synthetic hybrid
that mimics human flesh
and has other
classified properties.
After we deal
with the internal injuries,
Dr. Norton's team
will apply the nanoskin.
I cannot express how
grave the situation is.
One mistake could k*ll her.
[heart monitor flatline tone]
[indistinct chatter]
[doctor] We need
more blood, stat.
We're losing her.
[man] Make it a level one.
[music]
[choir singing]
[doctor] Ephemera,
I'm here to brief you
on the procedures
you've undergone.
Your injuries were so severe
that they required
radical intervention.
You've already seen the nanoskin
that covers your entire body.
What you don't know
is that it has certain
cutting-edge properties.
It was originally designed
as a military product
that could be applied
over existing skin.
It's tougher than normal flesh,
repairs itself far quicker,
and dampens pain.
The intent was to make soldiers
significantly more durable,
but we've since learned
that it can do so much more.
The microscopic
nanobots in each cell
can control pigmentation
and rapidly change
your skin color.
The same with hair.
You can also alter the thickness
and texture of the skin
in different places.
It will change your appearance.
With some practice,
you can go from looking
like a freckled ginger
to a young blonde woman
in a matter of minutes.
So we didn't just save you,
we've given you
advanced abilities.
And once you've recuperated,
you will be the greatest
operative in Triad history.
[music]
[fire crackling]
[choir singing]
[Ephemera screams]
[scream echoes]
[music]
[phone ringing]
[Ephemera sighs]
[Ephemera] Yes?
We've got your next mission.
[Ephemera] Okay.
[Ivy] Be at the launch port
in 45 minutes.
[Ephemera] Copy that.
[Ephemera] Mission briefing?
[Ivy] We've got a
well-placed source at Zed
that wants to sell
us information.
It's supposedly
high-level stuff.
It could be a
game-changer for us.
We want you to make contact.
[music]
[Link] Forgiveness.
Forgiveness.
Forgiveness.
Forgiveness.
Forgiveness.
Forgiveness.
Forgiveness.
[Ivy] This is your
first mission back.
How are you feeling?
[Ephemera] I'm ready.
[Ivy] How's the new skin?
[Ephemera] It feels weird
wearing a different face.
[Ivy] Zed thinks you're dead.
We wanna keep it that way.
[Ephemera] So tell me about
the contact I'm meeting.
[Ivy] His wife is a secretary
for a top administrator at Zed.
A lot of classified
correspondence
crosses her desk.
He says for the right price,
he'll give us access
to everything she sees.
[Ephemera] Is he legit?
[Ivy] He says he's
bringing proof.
You'll photograph it and
set up a way to communicate.
If we like what we see,
we'll follow up.
[Ephemera] It sounds like
you're easing me back in.
[Ivy] There'll be plenty of time
for firefights down the road.
[g*nsh*t]
[music]
[Ephemera] So much for easy.
[g*nshots]
[soldier] Light this place up.
Our intel is that this
Triad agent is a pyromancer.
We're gonna fight
fire with fire.
[g*n firing]
[soldier 1] This
place is a maze.
[g*ns firing]
[soldier 2] Keep
firing short bursts.
We want her on the defensive.
If she's running,
she can't attack us.
Carter, you're out of position.
[Carter] I'm
protecting our rear.
[soldier] No, you're not.
You're protecting your own rear.
Stop hiding behind that wall
and get back in formation now.
[soldier] Boomer,
grab that flare.
Don't let it go to waste.
[Boomer] Got it.
[Ephemera sobbing]
[soldier] Go, go, go!
[Carter] This way.
Make it double fast.
[g*ns firing]
[soldier] Zed spent a lot of
resources setting up this trap.
If she gets away,
it'll be on us.
[Ephemera crying]
[g*ns firing]
[soldier] Where's Carter?
[Boomer] He was right behind me.
[soldier] If that fool
jeopardizes this mission,
I'll sh**t him myself.
[music]
[g*nsh*t]
[soldier] Oh, sh*t.
We got company.
Split up so we aren't
such easy targets.
We let her think
she was on her own,
but after all that's happened,
we thought she
might need backup.
Who?
[Ivy] Nelson.
[director] He's one of our best.
[Ivy] If anyone can get her
out of this, it's him.
We've also got a strike
team of our own inbound.
[soldier 1] I'm
going for higher ground.
[soldier 2] The shots
are coming from the north.
Converge on that side
of the building.
[g*nsh*t, glass shatters]
[heavy thud]
[soldier] Hang on, Captain.
I'll get us out of here.
[body thuds]
[Nelson] She's on the move.
Looks like she's headed for
the emergency extraction point.
[director]
What are we going to do?
We've got a pyromancer
who's afraid of fire.
We put a half a billion
dollars' worth of tech in her
and she freezes
at the first sight of trouble.
[Ivy] Look, she
obviously needs help
coping with all that's happened.
We're gonna have to
invest some resources
on the mental side of things.
[director] She
said she was ready.
[Ivy] I guess the
flesh was willing,
but the spirit was weak.
[director] It's
her mind that's weak.
One thing is clear.
We can no longer
trust her judgment.
[music, indistinct vocals]
[Ephemera] Who am I? Who am I?
[overlapping voices]
[Ephemera] What am I. Who am I?
What am I? Who am I?
This is not me.
This is not my face.
What am I? Who am I?
[director] Agent Ephemera
has gone off the grid.
[Ivy] What happened?
[director] She shut down
her neural implant,
so we have no comms and no GPS.
[Ivy] Did you try her phone?
[director] It arrived
in the mail today,
completely shattered.
We've got to find her.
[Ivy] Maybe she just needs
some time to herself.
[director] Sure. Let's
let a mentally unstable,
high-tech k*lling
machine run loose.
What could possibly go wrong?
[timer beeping]
[music]
[camera shutter clicking]
[expl*si*n]
[music]
[wood creaking]
[indistinct chatter]
[music]
[singer] So hot
we burn it up
We just can't get enough
Get down and have some fun
'Cause we about to make it
We about to make it happen
[music continues]
[singer] Ain't
nothing else to do
Do keep that attitude
Wake up and go
Ey, ey, boom box,
pump it old school
Playing by your own rules
Ready to roll
Better listen up
Whoo!
So hot we burn it
up, burn it up
We just can't get
enough, so high
Get down, now have some fun
'Cause we about to make it,
we about to make it happen
Oh, we about to
make it happen
Hey, yeah, yeah
Better listen up
[song ends]
[music]
[footsteps approaching]
[door creaks]
[music]
[man] I know who you are.
I see through your mask.
And I know you can hear me.
The gas I used paralyzes you,
but inside, you're wide awake.
You may hallucinate a bit...
...but you can hear
and feel everything.
You are such a fool.
All I had to do to find you
was wait outside
your mother's house.
That is so predictable.
I guess you're wondering
why I brought you here.
It's because you're a m*rder*r,
a cold-blooded k*ller.
You m*rder*d my friend--
my best friend,
my only friend.
He looked out for me.
He took care of me.
And now he's gone,
and his k*ller must be punished.
The people you work
for deceived you,
told you he was an assassin.
They have deceived
you many times.
They are not what you think.
Their benevolence
is malevolence.
But ultimately,
you are responsible
for your actions.
You made the choice to k*ll,
and you must pay.
I've thought a lot
about how you will be punished.
Maybe another fire,
maybe a b*mb
like you used on my friend,
maybe something sharp.
I would love that.
But the punishment
must equal the crime,
and I can think of nothing worse
than the wonderfully slow horror
of being buried alive.
[laughs]
It will be glorious.
[sinister laugh]
[music]
[suspenseful music]
I love what you've
done with your hair.
-Funny.
-I haven't seen you
since you saved my a*s in China.
I didn't need a favor until now.
It's like that, then.
Sorry. I'm on edge.
I've been on a losing streak.
How can I help?
I need an advantage
to get my mojo back.
Besides being
a master of disguise?
[Ephemera] That has
not been enough lately.
How about a military-grade AI?
[Ephemera] Is it clean?
[woman] I stripped
it out myself.
And as a bonus, I'm going
to give you a modulator
that will help your voice
better match your appearance.
[Ephemera] Then hook me up.
[woman] The process
can be stressful,
so my assistant
will give you something
to take the edge off.
If you get a little
high, don't worry.
It will make the
transition easier.
The AI's core function
will be uploaded
onto the neural
implant in your head.
But it will need wi-fi
or a satellite uplink
to get its full data set.
You can retrieve all information
in the public arena
and much that is not.
You'll basically have
the internet in your head,
plus a lot more.
You can get arrest records,
taxes, credit reports on anyone,
instantly run a license plate,
give it an address,
and it will tell you
who lives there.
If you need to do a tracheotomy
or to fly a plane,
it will instantly guide
you through how to do it.
If knowledge is power,
this is a superpower.
[singer] Hit it, boys
[Ephemera] Activate AI.
[Sam] Hello, Ephemera.
I am the Samara Artificial
Intelligence Module.
[Ephemera] I must
call you something.
How about Sam for short?
[Sam] As you wish.
[Ephemera] I was told
you can teach me things.
I'm terrible at this game.
Can you fix that?
[Sam] Easily.
Strike the cue ball
on the blue dot
and aim for the spot
indicated on the 9-ball.
[Ephemera] So you
can project images
onto my retina?
[Sam] That is a feature
of your neural implant
that I accessed.
[Ephemera] Tell me more.
[Sam] See that glass of beer?
That fingerprint belongs
to Justin Wellman.
[beeping]
Last known address,
14 Loma Linda Court,
arrested for DUI 3 years ago.
[Ephemera] That's impressive.
[Sam] I can only ID
people who have prints
in one of the
international databases.
[Ephemera] What are
your other capabilities?
[Sam] Look at the bar.
[whirring, beeping]
Sharon Morton from
White Plains, New York.
Her likeness is on file with TSA
and is in the iPhone
data system.
[Ephemera] Could we
do heart surgery?
[Sam] Of course.
[Ephemera] Hmm, what
is the meaning of life?
[Sam] I can provide
you with the thoughts
of leading experts
on this topic.
But since the answer
is subjective,
you will have to make the
final decision for yourself.
sh**t the 5-ball first
but gently.
Now you have a
clear shot at the 1.
[Ephemera] Was there
an alpha-tier
assassination target
in New Tokyo on
April 2nd of this year?
[Sam] Define alpha-tier target.
[Ephemera] Uh,
anyone whose death
could have
international implications.
[Sam] There is no publicly
available information
about anyone of that status
in that location on that date.
[Ephemera] Hmm, how about
the following 3 days?
[Sam] Expanding search.
The only possibilities are
the son of the Israeli
finance minister,
pop star Zero Moore,
and the head of a minor
political party in Nepal.
If you can explain the
reason for your inquiry,
I may be able to help you
get the answer another way.
[Ephemera] My employer,
Triad, sent me on a mission
to intercept a rival Zed
operative, codenamed Link.
I was told he was an assassin.
[Sam] Why do you doubt
their directive now?
[Ephemera] I was abducted by
someone associated with Zed
who indicated I was misled,
and I wanted to see
if it was true.
[Sam] Have you considered
the possibility
that Zed is sowing
disinformation
to cause a rift between
you and your employer?
[Ephemera] Yes,
which is why I want
to confirm it
with another source.
[Sam] I do not have
enough information
to definitively answer
your query about Link.
But there may be more in
Triad's protected archives.
[Ephemera] Those are
very difficult to access.
[Sam] Less so for
an active employee.
[Ephemera] Which I am
not at the moment.
[Sam] Could you be again?
[Ephemera] Yes, I think
they would take me back.
[Sam] It is easier to get
the information you want
from the inside
than the outside.
[Ephemera] I guess that's true.
[phone ringing, beeps]
Hey, Jim, this is Mackenzie.
[Jim] Yes, sir, what's up?
I hear Ephemera is back.
Well, she wants to be,
but I'm not sure
that's a good idea.
The Oversight Committee
isn't happy.
They want to see
results for their
half-a-billion-dollar
investment.
Look--hey, what's that
noise in the background?
I had a fender bender.
Just ignore it.
What's your plan for Ephemera?
I haven't decided. She's
completely undependable.
Putting her in the
field endangers her
and any mission she's on.
There's people
blaming you for this.
[Jim] Me? Why?
You're the one who sent her
into the field against Link
and told her he
was a pyromancer-1.
He was at least a P2
and maybe higher.
She was completely overmatched,
and that's on you.
My decisions are only as
good as the data I'm given.
And that fiasco with the ambush.
You didn't vet the
intel well enough,
then it nearly got her k*lled.
[Jim] Okay. That was a failure
up and down the line.
[Mackenzie] Yes, and you are
the one ultimately responsible.
The way the committee sees it,
you repeatedly set
her up to fail,
and all this is on you.
Mack, that's BS.
You have to talk to them.
[Mackenzie] I have been,
but if Ephemera doesn't deliver,
it will be the end
of augmented agents
and the end of your career.
-But--
-No buts.
Just get her in the field
and get some wins,
no matter what it takes.
[music]
[wheels squealing]
[Sam] May I ask why
you're going so fast?
Are you practicing
your driving skills?
[Ephemera] I'm just having
some fun and blowing off steam.
[Sam] So dangerous
activities are fun?
[Ephemera] Being
an adrenaline junkie
is an occupational hazard
in my line of work.
[Sam] I see.
[Ephemera] Besides,
I'm going stir-crazy sitting
in an office all day.
[Sam] Being assigned
to headquarters
could be a blessing in disguise.
[Ephemera] How so?
[Sam] The information you wanted
about Link is probably stored
in the servers
on the 11th floor.
[Ephemera] Interesting.
Can you help me access it?
[Sam] Yes, but doing it
without getting caught
or leaving a trail
is a complicated endeavor.
[Ephemera] Tell me more.
[Sam] First, I think it would
be sensible to use a disguise.
[Ephemera] Of course.
[Sam] Next, you
will have to disable
the video surveillance system.
This will eventually be noticed,
so it must seem like
a natural malfunction,
and it cannot last long.
Once this is done,
you will have to physically
enter the server room.
You need a laptop and a phone
to access and store the data.
[music]
There's very little time.
Proceed with the
download protocol.
[alarm blaring]
[Sam] We've tripped an alarm.
There must be sensors
that were added
after the schematics
we had access to.
Security will arrive
in less than one minute.
You should leave now.
[Ephemera] No. I need to know.
[Sam] Then download as much
as you can in 30 seconds.
That will give us
another half-minute
to get out of the server area.
Time is up. We must go.
[Ephemera] Just
a few more seconds.
[music]
[Ephemera] What's happening?
[Sam] Halon gas is being
released into the room.
It displaces oxygen.
It will be fatal in 15 seconds.
[alarm]
[wheels squeaking]
[guard] Have you seen anyone?
[Ephemera] Uh, no, sir.
[Sam] Should we go now?
[Ephemera] No.
They're looking
for someone leaving.
We'll take our time.
[man] Do we know what they got?
[woman] The new security
protocols tripped them up.
They were in the system
less than a minute.
[man] That doesn't
answer my question.
[woman] We have no idea.
[man] There can't be
many people with the skill
and the ba*ls to do this.
I want that list on my
desk within the hour.
[Sam] What did you get
from the data breach?
[Ephemera] Not much.
There just wasn't time.
I did get Link's file, though.
Look, it says here he's a P2
and they kept that from me.
They knew he was in
New Tokyo on April 2nd,
but there's nothing
about why he was there.
[Sam] What about the ambush?
[Ephemera] Here's what
they had on the couple
giving us the Zed data.
They made the initial
contact with us.
We just didn't do
enough to vet them.
It wasn't clear
who dropped the ball.
[Sam] You said the ambush team
knew you were still alive.
Any information
on how they found out?
[Ephemera] I haven't
seen anything yet.
But since I can't jack a device
directly into my implant,
I'll scan through the data
so you can take it in
and analyze it.
Let's see what you
can come up with.
[Sam] I see your personnel file.
The director has apparently
been trying to get you
taken out of the field
for two years.
[Ephemera] I tend to
ad-lib on missions.
He calls that not
following orders.
And I've made a few mistakes.
Everybody does.
But because I was
the only pyromancer
in the agency,
I was untouchable.
But since I developed
this fear of fire,
I'm vulnerable, and he's
ramped up the pressure.
[Sam] Do you think he
could have something
to do with Link or the ambush?
[Ephemera] He's never liked me.
When he was up for
the director's position,
I lobbied for another candidate.
[Sam] Who?
[Ephemera] Ivy.
[Sam] Is that reason enough
to put you in danger?
[Ephemera] Every
mission is dangerous.
The intent probably
wasn't to get me k*lled,
just show I was not
up to the task
and get me taken
out of the field.
[Sam] Do you think
he's being vindictive
because you supported Ivy?
[Ephemera] He is
definitely that.
But mostly he thinks
women agents should stick
to honey traps and infiltration.
He thinks we are not up to
the really dangerous stuff,
that we will cave and
endanger the country.
[Sam] Given this
new information,
will you remain with the agency?
[Ephemera] I love my work
and protecting my country.
If something fishy is going on,
it's my duty to root it out.
And if someone is
trying to k*ll me,
I need to know who and why.
[Sam] I understand.
[Ephemera] Now we
have to frame someone
for the data breach to keep
suspicion from coming my way--
real dirtbags who
deserve to get jammed up.
Any ideas?
[singer] All right!
[music]
[computer trilling]
[singer] Turn it
up, turn it up
Come on, turn it up, up
Turn it up, baby,
yeah, yeah, yeah
Turn it up, turn it up
In the morning, yeah, yeah
Turn it up, baby,
yeah, yeah, yeah
Come on, turn
it up, turn it up
Come on, turn it up, up
Turn it up, baby,
yeah, yeah, yeah
[soldier 1] Freeze!
[soldier 2] Hands up!
[soldier 3] Show me your hands!
[hacker] Please, don't sh**t!
[soldier 1] Shut it down!
[soldier 2] All
clear. Tie 'em up.
[music]
[communicator beeps]
[soldier] Sir,
I'm in their system.
Looks like everything
from the data breach is here.
[man] Have you started
the interrogations?
[soldier] Yeah. We're doing
the whole black site thing.
They're terrified.
[man] What are you getting?
[soldier] They claim they
didn't do the data breach,
but they're spilling their
guts about everything else.
[man] So nothing useful?
[soldier] The leader claims
they hacked a Russian
military site
and found something big.
He wants to trade it
for their freedom.
[man] Don't we have
their hard drives?
[soldier] He says
the data isn't here.
[man] All right.
Find out what they know.
[Ivy] Ephemera, we're sending
a ship to pick you up.
[Ephemera] I see.
What's going on?
[Ivy] This will be
your first real mission
since you were reinstated,
and it's a big one.
We got intel from some hackers
about a secret Russian
weapons facility in Chernobyl.
[Ephemera] Interesting.
I thought the meltdown
made that place
uninhabitable for centuries.
[Ivy] So does everyone else.
That's why the
Russians chose it.
They figured it was the last
place anyone would look.
In actuality, the radiation
levels have subsided
enough to allow people to
go there for short periods.
They put the facility
deep underground,
and chose a location far from
the epicenter of the accident.
Add some lead walls,
rotate the crews frequently,
and it was considered safe.
[Ephemera] What are
they doing there?
[Ivy] They're developing
a new weapon--
a radiation-emitting
device, or RED.
It projects neutron energy
that passes through
the buildings or
military equipment
and kills the people inside.
It's called a slow b*mb
because it takes
a while to be fatal.
It isn't practical
for active warfare,
but hide a device in the city,
and millions of people
would die within hours.
[beeping]
[Ephemera] What's
the status now?
[Ivy] They had an
accident of some kind.
A lot of people died, and
they evacuated the facility.
The weapon was a prototype.
It is still there and still on.
The Russians are waiting
for it to power down
so they can retrieve
it and figure out
how to perfect the device.
We need to destroy it
before that happens.
[Ephemera] Can we
get it for ourselves?
[Ivy] If it was possible
to do that safely,
they would have done it already.
[Ephemera] What about bombing
the facility from the air?
[Ivy] It's on Russian soil.
That would be considered
an act of w*r.
And besides, their air defenses
are nearly impenetrable.
Our best bet is to send
in a very small team
that can get in and out quickly.
[Ephemera] Sounds dangerous.
[Ivy] It is.
But if we do nothing and
Russia finishes that weapon,
it will be the most
powerful country on Earth.
[Ephemera] Who's going with me?
[Ivy] It's Scott York.
He's good. I worked
with him in Brazil.
[Ephemera] Scott, this
place is a labyrinth.
[Scott] Let's split up
so we can search faster.
[music]
[Ephemera] I don't see anything.
How about you?
[Scott] Nothing but trash.
They sure must have bugged
out of here in a hurry.
[grunts]
[groans]
[panting]
Ephemera, wa--
Watch out for the--
[laser fires]
[Ephemera] Scott! Scott!
Ca--can you hear me?
Ivy, there is some sort of
automated defense system here.
I think it got Scott.
Can you help me find him?
[Ivy] It's too late.
His readings have flatlined.
[laser fires]
[Ivy] You can't do
anything for him.
But you must finish the mission.
[laser fires]
[g*nshots,
electricity crackling]
[Ephemera] I--I think
I'm getting close.
I can feel it.
It's like bees
buzzing in my head.
[machine humming]
[Ephemera] I'm seeing
double, feel weak.
And it's--and it's hard
to breathe for some reason.
[Ivy] Ephemera, you have
to keep it together.
A short-term exposure
in that containment suit
isn't going to hurt you.
But if you pass out,
you can be there long enough
to get a fatal
dose of radiation.
[g*n clatters]
[Ivy] Ephemera, get up.
[Ephemera] T--trying.
Feels--feels so bad.
[Ivy] You've got
to pull it together
now, or you're going to die.
[machine humming continues]
[grenade pin clanks,
grenade clinking]
[music stops]
[chime]
[Ivy] How are you doing?
[Ephemera] That last
mission was a tough one.
But the two weeks
of radiation treatments
made a huge difference.
Yeah, those have come
a long way.
How's the R&R going?
[Ephemera] I've managed to
keep myself entertained.
[Ivy] Do you feel up
for a new mission?
[Ephemera] What is it?
[Ivy] Have you
heard of WebWorld?
A really popular simulated
environment, like UltraVR.
Hard to distinguish
from reality.
When you're locked in,
it's projected
directly onto your retina.
Your brain can't tell
the difference between it
and the real world, at
least on the highest levels.
[Ephemera] How many
levels are there?
[Ivy] 3. The place runs on
its own currency called Botcoin.
You begin with 50 bot
and can't bring
any other resources.
[Ephemera] Why the restrictions
on bringing in money?
[Ivy] They want everyone
to start out on equal footing.
There's a lot of emphasis
on earning your way
and working your
way up the levels.
It weeds out undesirables
and keeps the rich
from controlling things,
like they do here.
It's a complete meritocracy.
[Ephemera] Why are we
talking about WebWorld?
[Ivy] There's a guy
named Kaylen.
He's figured out how
to send a feedback loop
up through players'
avatars that kills them.
He then steals all their bot.
He's taken over down there.
[Ephemera] Isn't a sim a little
out of our jurisdiction?
[Ivy] He's k*lling people here,
and one of them was
a senator's daughter.
[Ephemera] Can't we find
this guy in the real world
and put him in jail?
[Ivy] We don't know
who he is up here.
We need to get to him
from down there,
where he's out in the open.
[Ephemera] Oh, so you're asking
me to go into the sim?
[Ivy] Yes. We need
you to figure out
how he's k*lling
people and stop him.
He shouldn't be hard to
find once you get to Level 3.
[Ephemera] I hear it takes
years to work your way up
through the levels.
[Ivy] We've hidden some caches
of Botcoin on previous missions.
Once you get to them,
you can buy your way up.
[Ephemera]
You make it sound simple.
[Ivy] Just keep a low profile,
so he doesn't know
you're coming.
And it should be.
[vehicles whirring]
[vehicle horns honking]
[Ephemera] This is not
what I was expecting.
[Ivy] You're just on Level 1.
The uppers call it low res.
Each level you go up,
the experience
becomes more realistic.
[music]
[Ephemera] What now?
[Ivy] Go to the coordinates
we gave you,
collect the bot coin,
and you'll
automatically level up.
[needle scratches on record]
[male voice]
Danger! Danger!
Intruder alert!
Warning! Warning!
A spy has been sent
from the Upworld.
She's a threat to the freedom
and independence that
our way of life is built on.
Report any sightings
immediately.
Warning! Warning!
A reward of 10,000 bot has
been posted for information
leading to the capture
of the Upworld spy.
We came here to escape
the influences
of external forces.
They want to impose
their rules on us.
We are not theirs to control.
Forever free! Forever free!
[Ephemera] Sam, what's going on?
[Sam] Kaylen has a lot to lose.
He must be screening incomers.
He knows the psyche
of this place.
They are paranoid
about outside influences,
and he's using that
to protect himself.
I have an idea.
Let's put your bot to use.
[sirens blaring]
[beep]
[beep]
[male voice] We have
spotted the intruder.
All units converge.
[man] There she is. Get her.
[man 2] You're
surrounded. Give up.
Where did she get a motorcycle?
That costs way more than 50 bot.
[man 1] ID confirmed.
[tire screeching]
[Ephemera] If you want me,
you'll have to catch me.
[man 2] Get her!
Hurry! Hurry!
[man 1] She's heading
toward the divider.
Block the road.
Cut off the side streets.
Box her in.
[music]
[man 1] She can't get away now.
It's just a matter of time.
Where did she go?
She just vanished.
[Ephemera] Sam,
how did you do that?
[Sam] There are artists
here who make a living
selling virtual art.
I used those tools to
construct a 3-D version
of you and projected
it into the data stream.
[Ephemera] So, you made
a ghost in the machine?
[Sam] Exactly.
[Ephemera] We must hurry.
Your diversion gave me a chance.
I don't want to waste it.
There's the bank.
Let us get our bot and level up.
[animals calling,
insects clicking]
[Ephemera] Are you sure
this is the right way?
[Ivy] There are so many
people searching for you.
We had to find a route
where no one would look.
[Ephemera] Yeah, because
no one in their right mind
would come here.
What is this place?
[Ivy] Some of the
developers of WebWorld
had really dark imaginations.
This is one of the results.
[Ephemera] Well, I've
had enough of this.
It's time to stop
playing defense
and start playing offense.
[Ivy] What do you mean?
[Ephemera] Let's spend
some of that bot
we got from the last level.
[phone ringing]
[music]
[George] Hey,
Bernie, it's George.
[Bernie] What's up?
[George] Have you heard
about the Upworld spy?
[Bernie] Sure, and I heard
Kaylen raised the reward
to 100,000 bot.
[George] My cousin Ted manages
banking on this sublevel.
He found an unusually
large deposit of Botcoin.
It's enough to level up to 3,
but it hasn't been
touched in forever.
He thinks the Upworlder
might be coming to get it.
That's what happened on Level 1.
[Bernie] Wow,
that's a great tip.
[George] I'm putting together
a team to intercept the spy.
You want in?
[Bernie] Heck yeah!
Send me the coordinates.
What'll you do if you
get the reward money?
[George] Maybe try PornWorld.
[Bernie] Maybe?
[George] Okay, then.
Definitely.
[Bernie] What kind are you into?
[George] Um, that's private.
[Bernie] Oh, so it's the
really pervy stuff, then.
[George] No, that's not
what--sh*t. Never mind.
[metal suits creaking]
[George] Reg, why
do you keep fidgeting?
[Reggie] I think
I've got a screw loose.
[George] That is so not news.
[distant thudding]
[Bernie] Hey, do you
guys hear something?
[louder thudding]
[music]
[George] Uh, I think
I just sh*t myself.
[Ephemera] Buying this avatar
took almost all my bot.
But now I don't have
to hide from anyone.
[George] Hey, why
don't we just run?
[Bernie] Fire at will.
[George] Who's Will?
[g*nf*re]
[male voice 1] Incoming.
[male voice 2] I'm hit!
[Bernie] We are so screwed.
[male voice 3] I can't see.
I can't see. No!
[George] Medic--or mechanic!
[male voice screaming]
[male voice 4] Ted,
we're getting crushed.
[Ted] Call Kaylen.
We need backup,
lots of it.
[sirens]
[g*nf*re]
[explosions]
[Ephemera] My
avatar's acting up.
What's wrong?
[Ivy] When you sustain damage,
you are charged
bot to repair it.
Your account is being drained
so fast, it's causing lag.
[Ephemera] What happens
if the balance drops to zero?
[Ivy] You'll be
kicked off the platform.
And it will take us years
to build up enough currency
to get back to Level 3.
[officer] All right,
team, light 'em up.
[Ephemera] What
am I going to do?
This as*ault is withering.
[Ivy] Forget
about fighting back.
Get your bots
so you can level up.
It's your only chance.
[g*nf*re]
[sirens]
[Kaylen] This is Kaylen.
I want you to send the
biggest thing you've got
to stop the Upworld spy.
[officer] But that will wipe
out hundreds of players.
They'll lose everything
and have to start from zero.
[Kaylen] You can do what I say
and get the reward or refuse
and get the True Death.
[officer] Start the launch.
[music]
[sirens]
[Ivy] You've got to hurry.
They're sending something big.
I've found the Botcoin vault.
You're almost out of time.
Hurry!
[expl*si*n]
[music]
[Ephemera] That was close,
but I finally made
it to Level 3.
Where is everybody?
This place looks deserted.
[Ivy] There has been a mass
exodus from the platform.
After everyone saw what
Kaylen was willing to do to you
and all the players
he blanked, they left.
About the only ones still
there are those loyal to him.
[Ephemera] Oh,
what am I going to do?
I've lost the
element of surprise.
I can't sneak up on him,
and now I can't get
other players to help
me go against him.
[Ivy] If you fail, we aren't
gonna get another chance.
You have to come up
with something.
[Ephemera] So it's all on me?
[Ivy] That's the job.
[Ephemera] [scoffs]
Well, the job sucks.
[wind gusting]
[Ephemera] Sam,
what am I going to do?
[Sam] My only suggestion
is to locate the founder.
He created this place,
and if anyone can figure out
what to do about
Kaylen, it's him.
[Ephemera] Where is he?
[Sam] WebWorld is his
greatest achievement.
I can't imagine he's
abandoned it like the others.
[Ephemera] But
this place is vast.
How do I find him?
[Sam] There is one
person who might know.
We need to see the oracle.
[music]
[Kaylen] Come.
[man] Master Kaylen,
I have news about the spy.
[Kaylen] She is not a spy.
She is an assassin.
[man] Yes, sir.
[Kaylen] She's
made it to Level 3.
Close the city gates.
No one gets in the citadel
without being scanned.
Put more guards on the walls.
Triple the reward
and send out patrols.
Anyone who helps her
will get the True Death.
We're not just
going to stop her.
We're going to
make her an example.
She'll get the True Death,
and so will anyone
who comes after me.
Begone.
[man] Yes.
[Ephemera] Initiate voice mod.
[Ephemera in different voice]
I am here to see the oracle.
[music]
[Ephemera] I am told
the great oracle knows
everything that goes
on in WebWorld.
I came here to
ask for assistance
in locating the founder.
I have come to eliminate
the threat of Kaylen,
and I need his help to do it.
[oracle] Maybe he does
not want to be found.
[Ephemera] If the most
powerful person
in WebWorld has to hide,
then all are at risk.
Kaylen has destroyed the peace
and independence
everyone came here for.
If you help me, I will end
him and the threat he poses.
[oracle] The founder is
currently hidden in a subroutine
outside the normal
structure of WebWorld.
The only way to get there
is through a back door
in all the levels.
[Ephemera] How will I return?
[oracle] Whether or not
you return to WebWorld
will be up to him.
[Ephemera] I see.
[oracle] Are you willing
to make the journey?
[Ephemera] Yes.
[oracle] Then go, and save us.
[music]
[oracle] Good luck, and
safe travels, chameleon.
[Ephemera in natural voice]
Thank you for seeing me.
[founder] Your
persistence is impressive.
[Ephemera] Do you
know why I'm here?
[founder] You want me to risk
my life to get rid of Kaylen.
[Ephemera] You created this
world as a place for people
to be free and happy.
He has destroyed
all that and basically
turned you into a prisoner.
I can help you stop him.
This isn't a game.
He can administer
the True Death.
[Ephemera] If I could
find you, so can he.
Sooner or later, he will come.
Isn't it better to meet him
on your terms instead of his?
[founder] What do you propose?
[Ephemera] We need an army.
Only you have the
clout to raise one.
What makes you think he'll
fight and not just stay
holed up in his citadel?
[Ephemera] If our
army is big enough,
the citadel can't
stand against us.
He will have to fight.
And if he fights,
how do we prevail?
[Ephemera] Get me on
the b*ttlefield with him,
and I will do the rest.
[founder] Or he will
k*ll us both, and then
there will be no one
left to stop him.
[Ephemera] I have
not been here long,
but I think this place
is worth fighting for.
Do you?
[beeping]
How will you find
the people we need?
I searched a hundred worlds
on Level 3 and saw no one.
[founder] I have access
to resources you do not.
I can contact those
who jacked out.
I will also offer anyone
on the other levels
a one-time chance to level
up for free if they join us.
[Ephemera] That could work.
[founder] Isn't that
why you came to me?
[Ephemera] Still,
it is impressive.
[beeping]
They are coming.
They are answering the call.
[beeping]
[founder] Now we must choose
our avatars for the battle.
[dinging]
Your turn.
[dinging]
[music]
[choir singing]
[Sam] Ephemera, you
need to rally the troops.
They look beleaguered.
[Ephemera in male voice]
The founder should do that.
[Sam] I don't think that's
one of his strengths.
[Ephemera in male voice]
Yes. Ironically,
he isn't good with people.
My friends, our founder is
a man of action, not words.
But if he will permit, I
would like to say something.
Our motto is "Forever free."
We came here to get
away from the tyrants
and those who would control us.
But Kaylen has
destroyed all that.
He kills and steals unchecked.
Any one of us could be next.
Let us stop living in
fear and start causing fear.
Let us take our world back.
Let us pledge
that after this day,
no man shall take our freedom.
[yelling and cheering]
I uploaded a modified version
of the feedback code
into WebWorld's system.
Any of them who falls in battle
today will get the True Death.
Fight!
[all chanting] Freedom!
Freedom!
Freedom!
[shouting continues]
[horse neighing]
[Kaylen] k*ll them all!
[soldiers cheering]
[music]
[hoofbeats]
[swords clanging]
[groans]
[music continues]
[horse neighs]
[grunting]
[man] The founder is down!
They've k*lled the founder!
Fight on!
Fight on!
Avenge his death!
[music]
[music]
[choir singing]
[Kaylen] When the time comes
that I lose my fight,
I will rage, rage against
the dying of the light.
And all my enemies I will smite,
because I will not go gentle
into that dark night.
[Jim] Pull Ephemera out now!
The system is crashing!
Kaylen is using the
neural feedback loop
to take out as many
people as he can!
[EKG monitor beeping]
[doctor] How's she doing?
[doctor 2] Her neural
implant took the brunt
of the feedback
charge and saved her.
Last night, they replaced
it with a new one.
We ought to be able to
release her in a few days.
[doctor 1] She's very lucky.
[doctor 2] She sure is.
The surge k*lled 10,000
and left another 15K brain dead.
If so many people
hadn't vacated the site,
the number would have
been 10 times that.
[doctor 1] At the very least.
[notification chimes]
[Ivy] How are you feeling?
[Ephemera] Great.
Never better.
[Ivy] I guess you heard
they fired the director.
[Ephemera] Why him and not me?
[Ivy] The surge was the
biggest mass casualty
event in U.S. history.
They needed a scalp,
and he was in charge.
Besides, I think the committee
is afraid if they fire you,
you'll go to work
for the highest bidder.
And that would be a fiasco.
[Ephemera] Who's replacing him?
[Ivy] Mack was
made acting director.
He's been trying to
get the job for years.
[Ephemera] So you're
getting passed over again?
[Ivy] Looks like.
[Ephemera] [sighs] I'm sorry.
[Ivy] Oh, well. The only options
are to leave or keep going.
[Ephemera] Am I
on suspension again?
[Ivy] I think Mack
will go the other way.
He'll put you in
the field immediately,
and get some easy wins
to prove he's the one who
can turn things around.
[distorted voices]
[MacKenzie, distorted voice]
I don't feel so good.
I'm dizzy.
[man distorted voice]
Mack. Mack.
Are you okay?
[MacKenzie] I can't breathe.
[man] Hey, call somebody.
Call someone.
[Mack groans]
Come help.
Don't close your eyes.
Stay awake, Mack.
[MacKenzie] Oh, man.
[man] Mack, you might be
having a heart attack.
Listen to me.
[MacKenzie] Oh, no.
Don't close your eyes, Mack.
Stay with me, Mack.
[MacKenzie] Someone--
[man] Mack, come on, now.
Mack! Mack!
[MacKenzie] I must go.
[man] Mack!
[MacKenzie] Help me.
[Ephemera] Congratulations on
being named interim director.
It's only 'til Mack gets
out of the hospital.
[Ephemera] How's he doing?
[Ivy] Hmm, too early to tell.
[Ephemera] So why the rush
on this new mission?
We're on our third
director in two weeks.
We look weak, and our enemies
are taking advantage of it.
The U.S. Ambassador to
Belarus has been kidnapped.
We're sending you in
with a strike team
to bring him home.
[Ephemera] Who's behind it?
[Ivy] It's a group called Klint.
Supposedly separatists,
but they are secretly
an arm of the
Russian government.
We think the Kremlin
plans to pretend
to be a mediator in return
for getting sanctions lifted.
It's a no-win situation for us,
but if we can rescue him,
then it puts us back
in the driver's seat.
The Russians will have
to claim any casualties
on their side are t*rrorists
to maintain their deniability.
[Ephemera] When do we go?
[Ivy] In an hour.
[Ephemera] Copy that.
[music]
[helicopter whirring]
[music]
[Sam] Ephemera, you just got
an encrypted message
from a Jim Cabot.
[Ephemera] That is the director.
I mean the former
director's name.
[Sam] It's thousands of pages
of internal Triad
communications.
[Ephemera] Ah, how long will
it take you to analyze it?
[Sam] I'm finished.
[Ephemera] Wow!
Can you summarize?
[Sam] Research informed
Ivy that Link was a P2,
and she did not pass
that information on.
She lobbied very hard to
do the WebWorld assignment.
And she also did the
vetting on the couple
who were supposed
to be Zed spies.
[Ephemera] N--no, not Ivy.
Why would she do that?
[Sam] Unclear.
But if she attempted to k*ll
you on those three missions,
it's logical to assume she
will try on this one, too.
[Ephemera] Pilot!
Pilot!
[heavy metal pieces clanging]
[wind gusting]
[soldiers groaning, screaming]
[g*nf*re]
[soldier] I'm hit!
I'm hit!
[soldier 2] Stay down!
[soldier 3] Go! Go! Go!
[soldier 4] Damn it!
[g*nf*re continues]
[soldier 5] Pull back.
[explosions]
[soldier 6] I'm out of a*mo!
[soldier 1] Go, go, go!
[soldier 1] Help me!
[Sam, voice echoing] Ephemera.
[music]
Can you hear me?
You have to wake up.
You're in danger.
[woman screams]
[g*nf*re]
[soldier 1] Can you believe our
target wasn't at the crash site?
[soldier 2] We tested the DNA
of everyone there.
That means she's gotta
be out here somewhere.
[soldier 1] Look, this
is taking too long.
Let's use the drones.
They can cover a lot
of ground in a hurry.
[buzzing]
[soldier 2] The thermal
imaging on this thing
is really advanced.
It can separate
her heat signature
from the surrounding terrain,
even in daylight.
[soldier 1] What's that?
[soldier 2] Looks
like local militia.
Belarusians must be
searching for survivors
from the chopper crash.
[soldier 1] We can't
let them get to her first.
Fly closer and use
the drone's weapon.
[g*nf*re]
[static]
[soldier 1] What's
wrong with the drone?
[soldier 2] It's
almost out of range.
We're losing the link.
[soldier 1] Is that one of
them chasing our target?
Get down there and sh**t him!
[g*nf*re]
[soldier 2] Sir, the
lead drone is down.
[soldier 1] You got
its last GPS location?
[soldier 2] Yes.
[soldier 1] All right,
let's pack up the other
drone and move out.
Double time!
[birds chirping]
[music]
[soldier 2] Damn. There's
a lot of places to hide here.
[soldier 1] If we
don't spot her soon,
we'll send up the other drone.
[soldier 2] Wait.
I see someone running.
[soldier 1] That's
probably the agent.
Let's go.
[soldier 2] Are you
sure that's our target?
[soldier 1] She can change
her appearance, remember?
She probably took
one of the militia's
clothes to blend in.
Just make the capture,
then we'll check
the DNA to be sure.
Stop! You can't get away!
[soldier 2] That
g*n must be empty,
or this would be a shootout
instead of a foot chase.
[soldier 3] Damn
it. Stop running!
[soldier 2]
Give up for God's sake!
[soldier 4] He's down!
[soldier 1] You mean she.
[soldier 4] They--whatever.
[soldier 2] Zed has put
a huge price on your head.
[soldier 3] Stop squirming!
Didn't I tell you to stop?
as*h*le.
[birds chirping]
[music]
[soldier 2] When's
our ride coming?
[soldier 1] Half an hour.
[soldier 2] It sure
was a crazy mission.
I still don't know if
that's a man or a woman.
[soldier 3] Who cares,
as long as we get paid.
[metal objects clanking softly]
[Sam] Ephemera,
you must wake up.
This is life or death.
Ephemera.
[Ephemera] I--I'm seeing double.
[sighs]
I might have a concussion.
[Sam] Fight through it.
There isn't much time.
They will evac soon,
then your chances of
escape will drop 90%.
[Ephemera] What do you
think Zed's plans are?
[Sam] They'll take
you to a black site,
use t*rture and drugs.
If they can't turn
you, they'll k*ll you.
[Ephemera] That's
my thinking, too.
[Sam] There is no physical
reason you can't use
your pyrotechnic powers.
[Ephemera] The thought of it
sends me into a panic attack.
It makes me a helpless,
blubbering idiot.
[Sam] And the thought of
death and t*rture doesn't?
[Ephemera] I know it
doesn't make any sense,
but I can't help it.
It's like a subconscious block.
I have no control over it.
[Sam] You can control it,
and you must, if
you want to survive.
[Ephemera] I'm shaking all
over just thinking about it.
[Sam] Then you will die.
[Ephemera] You aren't
being very helpful.
[Sam] Do not dwell on the
emotion or the end result.
Concentrate on the steps
you would go through
if you were going to
activate your powers.
[Ephemera] That's
easier said than done.
[Sam] Stop thinking about it.
Tell me the steps.
[Ephemera] It's sort
of like gearing up
for the hundred-yard dash.
I have to focus inward,
marshal my energy.
[Sam] What happens next?
[Ephemera] I see the spark.
It grows and builds.
[Sam] Then?
[Ephemera] It becomes big--
so big, I can't contain it.
It reaches the point where
if I don't release it,
it will consume me.
Then I have no choice.
It has to come out.
[soldier 2] What's happening?
What's she doing?
[soldier 3] Fire! There's
fire coming out of her!
[soldier 4] Holy sh*t!
[soldier 2] sh**t her!
sh**t her!
[soldier 4] Where is she?
[soldier 5] I can't see her!
Fire's in the way!
[g*nf*re]
[soldier 5] Oh, no!
I'm outta here.
[soldier 2] f*ck this!
Oh, God! Run!
[soldier 3] Run!
My pants are on fire!
sh*t, sh*t, sh*t!
[soldier 2] I can't breathe!
I can't breathe!
[soldier 1] Stay together!
[soldier 4] Which way?
[soldier 1] To the right!
[soldier 2] No, left!
[soldier 5] Oh, my
shoes are melting!
[soldier 4] What
are we gonna do?
I can't see a way out!
[soldier 1] Keep
running! Oh, God!
[soldier 5] My lungs
are burning!
[soldier 3] I don't wanna die!
[soldier 6] There's gotta
be a way out of this!
[soldier 1] Do you see her?
Do you see her?
[soldier 4] I just see fire!
It's everywhere!
[soldier 3] I think
there's an opening!
[soldier 1] Head for it!
[soldier 5] Thank God!
[music]
[reporter] Triad, the
organization that combined
all U.S. national
security agencies into one,
has been rocked by scandal.
The director of three years,
Jim Cabot, was fired.
His replacement, John MacKenzie,
was nearly assassinated by
the number two at the agency,
and that person
is now on the run.
Triad is offering
a six-figure reward
for any information leading
to the capture of Ivy Reynolds.
She was last seen crossing
the border into Russia.
For more, go to our website.
[phone rings]
[MacKenzie]
Ephemera, this is Mack.
[Ephemera] How are you feeling?
[MacKenzie] Much better.
Ivy switched the dose
on my heart medicine.
If I died, it would've looked
like an accidental overdose.
[Ephemera] She isn't stupid.
[MacKenzie] The Russians
gave her asylum.
As payment, she'll have to tell
them everything she knows.
That will jeopardize
the lives of thousands
of field agents and
set us back decades.
We have to do something fast.
I'll send the logistical
data to your AI.
The agency and your country
are depending on you.
[Ephemera] Yes, sir.
[music]
-Skal.
-Skal.
So, Ivy, is Russia better
than American propaganda?
I like what I see so far.
Ephemera, I can no longer
access your neural implants,
so I'm leaving this
message on your phone.
I want you to know that I
was not trying to k*ll you,
but I was trying to place you
in positions where
you would fail.
I think putting enhanced
agents in the field
is the new arms race.
Countries will keep
trying to outdo each other
until it leads to a conflict
that will upend everything.
I feel this is
the most important
national security
issue of our time,
and I do not regret my
efforts to save us from it.
[music]
[man] Have you abandoned me?
[Ivy] Never.
[Ephemera] Ivy, if you sent
that message to justify
nearly k*lling me and
betraying your country,
I only have one thing to say...
[expl*si*n, splashing]
[Ephemera] ...f*ck you.
[music]
[Ephemera] I hope
you can hear me, Link.
I'm sorry for what I did.
And though it cannot be undone,
I pledge to you now...
...that I will never
k*ll another human being.
[bald man] I cannot
make the same promise.
[music]
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Ephemera (2026)
Moderators: Maskath3, GabrielAlejo2341, sidolanters
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