Prodigy Page #5

believe these things.

Things that... lead us down

a destructive path.

Takes a...

A different kind of courage

to stop running.

To face that truth.

The pain may never

go away completely.

But if you let go of the guilt,

it does get better.

Did the colonel ever tell you

how he got that nasty scar?

I'm not interested in...

Birch really is the epitome

of what I despise in people.

[Table slams]

So set in his antiquated ways.

He can't see he's spent

his entire life

marching to the beat

of someone else's drum.

Sticks and stones, colonel.

When I first arrived,

he was determined to be the one to

access the potential locked within me.

After dozens

of unsuccessful probes,

his frustration ballooned.

One day, he unbound me.

Pulled out a pen

just like this one.

He told me he wasn't afraid.

That he didn't believe

I had any control over my power.

You don't have to do this,

Ellie.

I wonder...

If he is afraid now.

- [Pulsing]

- [Grunting]

Ellie?

Can you hear me?

[Grunting]

Olivia, what's happening?

That's enough.

[Powering down]

That was unnecessary.

It was a warning.

The patient knows the rules.

Ellie, can I help you?

No, you can't. None of you can.

You pushed them, Ellie.

Now you're on their side?

- Here, let... let's...

- Get off me!

- Let me at Lea...

- I said get off!

That's it! 50%.

[Powering up]

- [Pulsing]

- [Groaning]

[Ellie groaning]

Holy sh*t.

I see you, colonel.

75%, mccrosky.

[Pulsing intensifies]

[Glass cracking]

[Alarm blaring]

[Telepathically]

I don't wonder anymore.

I know you are afraid.

- Give her everything.

- No. It'll kill her.

What is it you think

she plans to do to us?

- Crank it, Ryan.

- Don't.

Agent price is no longer

in command.

- [Pulsing]

- [Alarm blaring]

[Groaning]

Now!

- [Pulsing intensifies]

- [Alarm blaring]

[Grunts]

[Groans]

You okay?

I'll live.

What happened?

She's been prepped

and is awaiting transport.

Transport? Where?

But she's still here now.

Fonda-.

If I could just get

a few more minutes...

I'm afraid I'm no longer

the authority here.

There must be some way

we can, uh,

appeal to your superiors.

I have poured almost all of my

professional credibility into that room.

I got to take the little

I have left to walk away.

The facade was crumbling.

Doesn't matter. Not after that.

Everyone in the control room

must have seen it.

- If... if we were...

- Jimmy.

It's over.

Her mother's effects.

I'm sorry I got you caught up

in all this.

I heard about your daughter.

Yeah. That was a very

dark time for me.

Yet, um, every year since,

I've become more convinced that

it's those moments that define us.

That our struggles are...

Simply questions life asks.

At the end, all that

matters is how we answer.

[Chuckles]

You're just the way

I remember you.

You aren't so different

yourself.

You were the boss then, too.

[Chuckles]

Why was it you, um,

thought to call me?

I knew you had been working

with kids ever since...

What happened.

Anyway, when all this

came up, I, um...

Inn:

[Sighs]

You found yourself in a position

to help a little girl.

Yeah.

Anyway, I've spent the last

year of my life

throwing away everything

I've worked for for nothing.

I don't know. I couldn't, um...

I couldn't just...

Stand by and, um...

Let that girl die.

Maybe you won't have to.

Would you look who is up

and about.

[{door opens, closes] - What the

hell does he think he's doing?

He needs another chance.

Another chance?

What's going on here?

Colonel was clear. He said

nobody goes in, nobody goes out.

And where is birch now?

Now those were strict orders.

Yeah, I don't know about you,

but I can't get fired again.

Fired? We're talking treason.

I'll take full responsibility.

Tell him I forced you.

Do you really think

he's gonna buy that?

Agent price?

I know this is hard.

Maybe we need to accept that colonel

birch is doing the right thing.

We all witnessed

how violently Ellie responded.

To provocation.

Does that make her

any less dangerous?

I saw something

before that response.

A crack in the persona Ellie has

spent so much time building.

And I know both of you

saw it, too.

We are sending that girl to die.

If there's even the slightest

chance that she can be saved,

I think it's a chance

worth taking.

I just... I'm not sure we can.

[{beeps] - [Alarm blaring]

Thank you.

Well, missed my date anyway.

I hope you're right about this.

Me, too.

[Door buzzes, opens]

The hour is lit, doctor.

This won't change anything.

It is worth trying.

And if you succeed,

what then?

Ellie gets a chance at life.

What kind of life?

Life in a cage?

Never knowing any existence

beyond isolation?

Given what humanity

stands to gain,

the solution

is mutually beneficial.

I don't see it that way.

That's unfortunate.

I'm afraid the colonel does.

It's about time.

Eleanor.

Ever the idealist, aren't we?

I see now why miss Olivia was so

keen to acquire your services,

besides her obvious desire to

rekindle an old flame, that is.

We don't have much time, Ellie.

Looks to me like

you're already out of time.

[Exhales deeply]

I need you to tell me

what happened to your mother.

Read the file, James.

It's all there.

I want to hear it from you.

Too bad. I'm far too consumed

with my own execution.

[Exasperated sigh]

That's a shame.

I'm gonna be in big trouble

for breaking in here.

So leave.

No, I'll just, uh, wait.

You know, maybe birch

will let me accompany you.

You know he won't.

[Swans]

What ls it you want to know?

Just what happened.

I killed her...

In cold blood.

That doesn't seem logical.

She was the person

who cared for you most.

There's your problem.

Your perspective is clouded by the

cumbersome weight of emotion,

without which,

my logic is perfectly sound.

What the hell is going on here?

Colonel, it was my call.

I will personally see to it

that you burn for this.

That's fine.

This isn't about me or you.

I need three men and a ram now.

Colonel, please just let him have a chance...

- Enough! Sit down.

- [Fonda] What do you mean?

- Or what?

Or you will have

a much less comfortable seat

for the remainder

of this demonstration.

[Fonda] I don't think I can get

into your head if I wanted to.

[Ellie] Maybe you think you

can change things around.

Until you get the results

you seek.

This is over.

Ryan, hit her with a pulse.

- No.

- [Fonda] That is just not true.

- Excuse me?

- [Stammers]

It's still charging

from the power overload.

How long?

Uh, three minutes. -[Ellie] You still

have yet to tell me what you do think.

I think you're lying, Ellie.

To me, to everyone else.

To yourself.

Is that your diagnosis?

That I'm a liar?

No. I think you're lying

because you feel guilty.

I think you loved your mother

very much.

Back to love again, are we?

It must be easy to hide behind

an intellect so powerful.

I'm not hiding.

How did it happen?

I told you.

Was it an accident?

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