Distorted Page #2

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but no hissing.

I guess even Shangri-La

has its share of gremlins.

[scurrying]

[inaudible whispering]

["Beautiful Dreamer"

music plays]

[inaudible whispering]

[thunder, static, hissing]

[baby cries]

[static, crackling]

[hissing, crying, static]

[high-pitched tone]

[gasps, exhales]

[keyboard clicking]

Wasn't there music

on in the party?

Yeah.

It's probably just on rotation

in the building's PA system.

No, I checked.

"Beautiful Dreamer" is not

on their playlist.

Huh.

And either way that wouldn't

explain the electronic hiss,

the voices, the images.

So, what are you trying to say?

[sighs]

I know how this is gonna sound,

but what if someone is using

this building as, um,

kind of an experiment?

The Pinnacle is owned by a man

named Henning Dallquist.

He has extensive holdings in...

I wish you wouldn't look

at me like that.

[knocks]

With respect to subliminal

imagery, Vicary was interesting.

He had been using a high-speed

projector to flash the slogans

"drink Coke" and "eat popcorn"

at one three-thousandths

of a second, at five

second intervals.

Now, according to Mr. Vicary,

popcorn sales went up about

60% and Coke sales about 20%.

So it's been proven effective?

Well, that particular study was

never subjected to a, um,

proper scientific review,

and from what I gather,

the evidence of success has

been greatly exaggerated.

Makes for good copy

more than anything.

Did your father ever use

subliminal advertising

in any of his early campaigns?

From what I understand, a few

of his competitors did test

the waters, but the FCC

quickly stepped in.

Ruling due process contrary

to public interest,

effectively outlawing it.

- And that law's enforced?

- As far as I understand.

Although, as urban myth would

have it, you still have your

odd department store slipping

anti-theft warning through their

muzak systems, or a heavy metal

band masking satanic messages.

And of course, nowadays,

with your buzz agents,

product feeders,

viral marketers,

everyone plugged in 24/7,

the Federal Communications

Commission need hardly

have bothered.

Now, may I ask, what is

your interest in all this?

Oh, I'm not really

that interested.

I just, I met someone recently

who was talking about it,

and I know your father was

in advertising, so.

Hm.

[fountain gurgling]

Hey.

What're you doing out here?

I was just thinking

about our third date.

We were watching

Cirque du Soleil.

That trapeze artist was doing

some death defying stunt.

You reached out for my hand

and you squeezed it.

I just remember wishing

I could always be there,

holding your hand through

the scary parts.

[Beatrice] If we don't get results

within four to six weeks,

I like to try upping the dosage.

In the interim...

Plenty of rest, exercise,

no additional stress.

I know.

[sighs]

I checked out an adoption

agency the other day.

Talk about jumping the gun, huh?

Lauren, this is a minor setback.

Okay.

[pills rattle]

["Beautiful Dreamer" music

playing in distance]

[music gets louder]

[hissing]

[loud static]

[loud, distorted sounds, static]

[sounds intensify]

[high-pitched tone]

[sound stops, Lauren gasps]

[breathing hard]

[pills rattle]

[pills scatter]

[keyboard clicking]

[elevator dings]

[door closes]

Sorry.

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't...

I didn't hear you.

The hallways are designed

to reduce sound.

Right.

Tim Hoyle.

I'm Lauren Curran.

I'm not one of them.

Excuse me?

[door closes]

[knocks]

[Margo] As I see you've fallen sway

to Phillip's irresistible charms.

[laughs]

Have you seen him

the past couple days?

I actually haven't.

[Ali whispering]

You can ask Lauren

yourself, you know.

Ali was wondering if you'd

like to come swimming with us.

- Remember to kick your feet.

- I will.

Good girl.

[distorted static]

[sputters, coughs]

Ali?

[distorted static]

- Lauren, help her!

- [Ali sputtering]

It's okay, sweetheart.

It's okay.

[Ali coughs]

It's okay.

Have you heard of, uh...

pulsed electromagnetic fields,

or, uh, covert hypnosis?

[drops cutlery]

Okay.

Let me ask you this.

Why, why you? Why can't I hear

any of these sounds?

Why can't I see any

of these images?

I think it has something

to do with my medication.

I think it acts as

some sort of buffer.

Or it could be the manic

depression itself.

I'm wired differently than you.

Are you feeling all right?

Yeah, I'm feeling fine.

Maybe we should go see

Beatrice in the morning.

I don't need to see Beatrice.

I need you to listen to me.

I am listening to you,

Lauren, I am.

Conspiracy theories,

delusions of persecution,

messages being sent

through the TV.

[bangs table]

Lauren can't you see? It's

happening all over again.

[sighs]

[distorted static]

[elevator dings]

[gasps]

Oh!

[car alarm honking]

[Lauren sobbing]

You're still grieving,

and you're still healing.

It all takes time.

Often a lot more

time than we'd like.

[keyboard clicking]

[phone rings]

Hello.

[man] Why me?

Your posts are smart,

well referenced, and, uh,

I don't have anyone else.

Hello?

I'm sending you encrypted

documents, read them.

Password is your

favorite coffee shop.

[coin clinks]

[knocking]

[man] Phone.

- Is it off?

- Yeah.

Close the door.

I'll give you two minutes.

Okay, uh.

The information you sent me,

I get it.

The CIA caught up in

a mind control arms race

with the Russians

and the Chinese.

But, uh, what does that...

well, isn't that ancient

history?

Well, it's by definition

an idea ahead of its time.

The digital technologies

advance, so theory and practice

finally and tragically meet.

What are you experiencing?

Coercive flash images, I think,

and, uh, some kind of

binaural sounds.

- I'll send you more documents.

- Okay.

You're not paranoid.

[scratching]

[inhales sharply]

[gasps]

Oh, God!

- Okay.

- Thank you, sir.

So apparently he had a

history of mental illness.

We have to get out

of here, Russel.

He wasn't well.

There's nothing more

to it than that.

[camera clicks]

[keyboard clicking]

[distorted static]

[exhales]

[Russel]

I'd say earlier is better.

Not very many people

around that time of day.

I just wouldn't want

anyone to get hurt.

[Lauren] Who you talking to?

I thought I heard you

talking to someone.

No, I wasn't talking

to anyone, Lauren.

I just couldn't sleep and, uh...

it beats warm milk.

[ice clinks]

You sure you don't

want me to stay home?

No. I'll be fine.

Just call me if you

need to talk, okay?

I love you.

[door closes]

[gasps]

[breathing heavily]

[steam hissing]

[man]

Did you get the files I sent?

Uh,

yeah.

837 Audio Jammer.

Who are you?

[whispering]

Nobody. Hacker, journalist.

I spend my time writing a book

about all this dark tech sh*t.

I'd stop taking the

Quintinal if I were you.

I noticed you order

your pharm online.

I generally advise against that.

What else do you know about me?

My theory is your condition has

you operating on a frequency

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