Dark Matter (2024) s02e04 Episode Script

1
[somber music playing]
[rhythmic beeping]
[Dr. Springer] Do you want to talk to him?
Let him rest.
[Dr. Springer] You sure?
[Leighton] Yeah.
[somber music continues]
[exhales]
[grunts]
[chattering]
[indistinct chatter on radio]
[tense music playing]
Well, hi there.
Where did you come from?
- Nope. No, no, no!
- Stop him!
[people shouting indistinctly]
Shit!
[panting]
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.
[breathes deeply]
[somber music playing]
[exhales]
[Leighton] What the…
Jay!
Jason?
[ominous music plays]
Jason.
Jason!
Oh, fuck.
[indistinct annoucement on PA]
Hey.
How long have you been watching us?
I just got here an hour ago.
I saw you leave that abandoned school.
So you followed me home.
Home?
Nah. No, you're not him.
Which one are you?
Which one am I? Which one are you?
Are you the one that built the box?
- Okay. Just… Just wait. Listen.
- You are. You're the one.
- Listen, listen, listen.
- You killed them.
- You killed fucking Ryan. You're the one.
- Listen.
You have to believe me, okay?
Nothing happened the way
it was supposed to happen.
What the fuck do you want from me?
When I saw you leave that school,
I thought you were… [sighs] …him.
I thought you were my Jason.
[exhales] You know what?
Doesn't matter. It doesn't matter.
- You want to know why? I'm glad it's you.
- Why?
Maybe I get a chance to say I'm sorry.
All right? I'm sorry, Jay. I'm sorry.
Fuck off.
- Fuck off.
- [grunts]
- [glass shattering]
- [dog barking]
Why are you in this world?
I lost everything too, you know.
I just chose the wrong door today.
Go.
Go.
If I ever see you
- in this fucking world again…
- You won't.
You won't.
[ominous music intensifies]
[wistful music playing]
[chuckles]
[sighs]
Jason fucking Dessen. [chuckles]
[laughs]
[intriguing music playing]
We can't go back in the box.
What? No.
That's not what I'm saying.
Look. We have new identities.
And-And-And money saved.
We just move far away.
Another state. Another country even.
We'll be hard to find in this world.
God… [stammers] …we know that.
And maybe… maybe that's enough.
[sighs]
I say we start packing.
[Charlie scoffs] No.
What?
No.
I'm done with your box bullshit.
I know you didn't build the box,
but some piece-of-shit version of you did.
And I lost everything.
And then another piece-of-shit version
of you came and fucked my life
just as I was starting
to figure things out.
So, no.
If you want to go, go. I'm 18.
I'm getting a job with Eduardo
at his mom's place,
- and I'm going to college. In Chicago.
- Charlie.
- Hey, Charlie!
- What?
This is my life too.
And I'm not going to start over again.
- [door slams]
- Char…
[sighs]
[Daniela inhales, exhales]
[inhales deeply]
I'm not leaving him.
Of course.
I wouldn't leave him either.
[suspenseful music playing]
So, uh… what's next?
- How about we stop wasting time?
- [Ryan] You know, it's wild.
I've been fantasizing about seeing you
again since the day you stranded me, man.
Amanda, what's the most dangerous
world you've been to?
- Why?
- I really think
we need to drop this guy off.
I get it, man.
And I'm actually really fucking
into this energy 'cause… [inhales]
…in the year and a half I've been here,
I've gotten the impression
that you're real nice.
But I do gotta ask before we murder him…
[sighs]
…can you get me home? Without his help?
Can you get him back?
Yeah. Might take a couple of tries.
Great. Let's get to it.
Finally.
[Jason] Looks right.
[Ryan] Okay, but how can we be sure
this is my world?
[Amanda] We could go straight
to your apartment,
but we might run into yourself.
Is there a place closer
you know really well?
Yeah, I know the perfect place.
["Mean Streets" playing]
Holy shit.
The cops were here looking for you, boyo.
Thought you were dead.
- [exhales] Not yet, buddy. [chuckles]
- [Matt laughing]
Get in here!
Looks right.
We should stop by your place
just to be sure.
- Yeah. Yeah.
- [Amanda, Jason] Ryan.
- Ryan.
- What's it gonna be, man?
Hey, man.
Uh, whiskey, neat.
The usual?
Best you got 'cause this guy's buying.
Would you come buy
all the things I want? Please.
Oh, boy.
You get one whiskey.
[Jason] You know what? Make it two.
And a Diet Coke and…
a cider.
Okay.
Hey, hey. Come and have a seat. Sit down.
What is with the Diet Coke, man?
I didn't think you'd be into whatever
the shitkicker's house wine is.
[Ryan] My senior year,
a buddy and I were at a party, wasted.
Can we talk?
I just wanna try and explain.
At least apologize.
Apology accepted.
Oh, come on.
[Ryan speaking indistinctly]
Please?
[Ryan] I flipped the same coin.
Except I lost.
Can you make it quick?
This is your mess, man,
but I'll do my best.
- Yeah, yeah. Hold it.
- Well…
So, you are twins?
- Identical, yeah.
- Goddamn you.
My parents were told
that he died right after birth.
Turns out the nurse faked his death.
Kidnapped him so she could raise him
as her own son. It's wild.
Hit me again.
Yeah.
How did you find out he was still alive?
[sighs] Stop.
This is our story to tell.
We… We, uh…
We took DNA tests.
Took those at-home DNA tests.
Bang. 100% match.
I was sure it was a glitch. So weird.
Until you saw my pic though, right, buddy?
Well, as soon as I saw your pic,
I knew it was a glitch.
[chortles]
Not me. As soon as
I got that notification,
I knew I'd felt my long-lost twin.
You know, it was like a… [sniffs]
…it was a twin power. I felt that.
And that's where you've been?
For the last year?
Well, you know, it did take me
some time to track him down.
And then, um, there was drama
with the woman who kidnapped/raised him.
She has a name.
It's Joyce.
So…
[smacks lips]
I got this from the version of me
that had watched you die.
Now, I knew intellectually that
some version of you would have survived.
But when I saw you…
Uh, I'm…
I'm so…
- Sorry?
- Yes.
How did I not see who you were?
Because I didn't even know.
Was anything between us real?
Yes.
I didn't go into the box because
I was thinking, "I want a new life."
But I didn't know that I was unhappy.
That I was just existing.
Doing the things that humans do,
you know? Like pattern recognition.
Sounds like depression.
Now, seeing all those lives
that I might have lived…
[somber music playing]
I let it sweep me away.
I was so envious
of all these other versions of me.
And none of them had achieved what I had.
I became fascinated by a version of me
who had given up even trying to achieve,
but he had all the things
that I had given up on.
And he was completely himself.
[smacks lips] And I didn't have that.
I didn't even know how to have that.
[Jason sighs]
I wish you would've asked for help.
Yeah.
[inhales, exhales] I get that
being a broken person,
no matter what broke you, is hard.
I get that.
But you're trying to use pop psychology.
On me.
You chose not
to marry a girl 18 years ago,
then saw the life you could've had
and decided to steal it
because of…
what? Regret?
Regret is the big reveal?
Fuck you.
I'll tell you who I am.
I'm the one who cared about you.
Not some other version
of you who made the…
all the so-called perfect choices.
I knew every one of your scars.
I still do.
But you didn't want to be known.
You didn't want a partnership of minds.
You stole someone else's life
because true intimacy scares
the living shit out of you.
You were too much
of a coward to be honest.
All you could ever think about
was Jason, Jason, Jason.
Even now,
you are trying to manipulate me
into feeling sorry for you because you…
you didn't know who you were?
I've had to look myself in the mirror,
knowing I've loved you
for the flawed shithead you are.
If you want to play games
with the truth, go fucking for it.
But don't mine my sympathy
for your emotional needs.
Grow up.
Do the work.
Become this better person
whose life you wanted so bad
you sunk to stealing it.
Or stop with the lies
and just be yourself.
Either solution is fine.
It's a choice.
Wait, wait, wait.
You're right.
Let me try.
Go on. Try.
Fucking try.
[gulps, smacks lips] I am, uh…
I'm responsible for all of it.
I wasn't honest with anyone.
The closest I got was with you.
But that wasn't enough.
Because all I was thinking about
was myself.
And so I couldn't love you.
[sorrowful music playing]
[sniffles]
Not the way that you would deserve.
[chuckles] And the worst part is…
I didn't even try.
So…
what now?
How the fuck should I know?
[Jason chuckles]
Move your toes.
[ethereal music playing]
Bring some movement back into your spine.
Your shoulders.
[inhales, exhales]
And slowly, open your eyes.
[sinister music plays]
[sighs]
- What's wrong?
- I'm sorry.
Nothing.
You ever miss your old life?
[chuckles]
Ah…
My old life.
I wouldn't call what I had much
of a life until you came along.
I miss what my life was like
before I got so fucked up.
- If that's what you're asking.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
You know, I used to think
it was one thing. Right?
One moment, one single choice.
Until I met you.
And when I met you, I met me.
What a marvelous gift it is…
to see the monster.
To meet Leighton Vance.
[sinister music intensifies]
And to love him.
Thank you for letting us stay the night.
Yeah, anytime. Sure.
Hey.
[exhales] In case you discover
you're not in the right world,
here's a few lilac wings.
I can dig it.
Hey. Whatever world you end up in,
you are gonna fucking crush it, man.
I've got a favor to ask.
Listen, I assume that going home
is not an option for me.
[Amanda] Yeah.
I'd like to do what you suggested.
Something good.
Like?
I don't know yet.
And you could leave me here. I deserve it.
But if you could spare it…
- I-I'd appreciate…
- You want lilac wings?
I think he wants us to give him tablets.
Is that true?
Do you want us to give you tablets?
That's a fun one, man, you know.
Do we trap the monster in this world,
where he'll most likely make
other Ryan's life awful
or do we give him access
to countless other realities
to make those people's lives awful?
He's not gonna make anyone's life awful.
Right?
Promise.
Okay.
[beeps]
You can swallow these
just like the, uh, ampoules,
but it takes 30 minutes to kick in, so…
And these last longer.
We're getting two hours.
Thank you.
Don't thank me.
I'm only doing it 'cause she asked me to,
and I owe her a million favors.
Thank you.
[sighs]
[sighs]
Now what?
If it's all right, I was…
I was thinking I might come back with you.
To polite sex world?
- [Amanda chuckles]
- We've seen so much worse.
[Amanda] Yeah.
Just need some time to think.
To figure out my next move.
What if they move the box again?
Then I'll… [exhales]
…make the most of that world.
Like I would anywhere.
["Too Many Roads" playing]
Okay. The secret to our burgers
is the caramelized onions.
We gotta start those
way before the burger.
All right?
Then we lightly toast the bread.
Okay.
Just slap it on.
You wanna try one?
Yeah. Sure.
[manager] Eddo!
Back here, ma!
Yo, I told her you had
some fast-food experience
from when you lived in Champaign.
- What?
- Yeah. She's a little intense,
but it'll be fine.
Just say you were a shift cook.
Dude. You serious?
How's the grill training going?
Uh. Getting the hang of it.
Your buns are burning.
[gentle pop music playing]
Okay.
Thank you.
Do you want anything else?
We're fine for now. All good.
Food? No?
Okay.
You sign?
Yeah. [chuckles]
Yeah. I'm… I'm full of surprises.
I could teach you if you want.
[kisses]
[dramatic music plays]
[gasps, exhales sharply]
[whispering] Jason.
[cries]
[ominous music playing]
[music intensifies]
[music stops]
[sighs, sniffles]
So, I heard you invited Bianca
to the movies tonight?
Yeah. Is that a problem?
- No.
- Uh-huh.
She's great. I just figured with us
starting college in a couple of days,
maybe you'd wanna keep your options open.
Yeah, and not breaking up with her
is keeping my options open.
Oh, shit.
[chuckles] What?
No, you-you actually like her.
[both laugh]
- Hey, Eduardo.
- Hi, Mrs. Stewart. How are you?
- Hey. Hi.
- Hi.
- You ready?
- Daniela?
- Hi. Amanda?
- Hi.
- Yes, nice to meet you.
- Hi.
Nice to meet you too.
- You got a great one here.
- Oh, thank you. So do you.
- Thank you.
- Oh, and thank you
for giving him the job.
It's nothing.
What are you guys up to?
Well, we're gonna go to the Art Institute,
and then I think Charlie's meeting
Eduardo for a movie later?
Yeah. Uh, I was just thinking we should
meet outside the museum. Walk over.
As long as you've finished your shift.
Yes, ma'am.
- Well, lovely to meet you…
- Nice to meet you.
- …and thanks again.
- Of course.
- Bye, Charlie.
- Mrs. Stewart.
Thanks.
- Gonna get more menus.
- All right.
[dreamy music playing]
Thought I'd find you with the surrealists.
[Charlie chuckles]
Thought I'd try something new.
How was the Seurat?
It was great.
I mean, I've always loved it.
And, um…
Well, you know
I did my college thesis on Seurat, so…
It was an amazing time for me.
College.
I really hope it is for you too.
[inhales] Mmm.
I feel like I'm supposed
to focus on the people,
but my attention's pulled by the door.
And the way the lines all…
I don't know, slip away.
I don't think you're supposed
to be connected to them at all.
Why?
There's no entrance to the diner.
So, those people are just cut off
from everything.
Just trapped in their own little universe.
[sighs]
I gotta meet my friends
at the entrance in five.
- Okay.
- [chuckles]
- See ya.
- Yeah.
[friend] Daniela? Is that you?
Oh, my God. [chuckles]
What are you doing here?
- Are you visiting?
- I…
Why didn't you call me?
- I should have. I'm so sorry.
- Mmm.
Um… Yeah, just a quick trip,
some family st…
Oh, how are Charlie and Jason?
Great. Yeah.
I'm so sorry. I… I have to run, but…
Okay. Call me?
Yes. I-I will.
Charlie!
Hey. Hey, what's up?
- You didn't see him?
- Who?
[sighs] It was a Jason.
He was walking towards you.
No.
[suspenseful music playing]
- [tires screech]
- [horn honks]
[driver] Buddy, look out.
[horn honks]
[ominous music plays]
[Daniela] Hey. I'm really sorry.
It's fine.
I didn't mean to ruin your time
with your friends.
[suspenseful music playing]
Mom! Oh, my God.
I don't really know what happened.
Jason!
Jason!
Hey.
- Hey.
- [Jason] Tatooine.
Oh, how was the museum?
Jason?
- Yes?
- Sorry.
I'm so sorry.
Okay.
It was great.
Yeah?
How was your day?
Really good.
- [dog barking]
- [bottles clink]
[train rattling overhead]
[grunts]
What the fuck, man?
[glass shatters]
I'm sorry.
What are we eating?
[music ends]
[Amanda sighs]
[Ryan sighs]
Let's stay positive.
I am. I am so positive.
Keeping positive for polite sex world.
[both chuckle]
- Okay.
- [sighs]
[intriguing music playing]
This looks right.
Yeah.
I thought they would have
put more security.
Maybe they didn't think they needed
more security 'cause they moved the box.
Maybe this isn't the right world.
This is our world.
This is our box.
[sighs]
You almost seem disappointed
there's not a problem.
I'm sure it's fine.
They probably didn't put up any fences
'cause they didn't wanna infringe
on the rights of the grass.
[chuckles]
Oh, there's a "no trespassing" sign.
Do you see that?
It says, "Our spirit gently asks
your spirit to consider
moving your activities to
a different location, if you don't mind.
- Will you be our friend?"
- [laughs]
Your tight five is getting better.
Really? Will you come to my open mic?
Laugh really loud?
I have plans.
- You have plans? In this world?
- Sorry. Yeah.
- What are you doing? Scrapbooking?
- [laughs]
[Amanda sighs]
[officer 1] All right, go ahead.
Straight ahead.
[Amanda] The fuck?
- Whoa, whoa, hey!
- [officer 2] Hands where we can see 'em!
What is happening?
[officer 3] Don't move, don't move.
[chatter on radio]
What's going on?
- You've broken quarantine and curfew.
- What?
Do I have your consent to scan you?
- Uh, yeah.
- [scanner beeps]
Yeah.
Sir, there must be some kind
of misunderstanding.
It says they're clear.
That's impossible.
Tell your men to keep their gloves on
and maintain their distance.
Amanda Lucas. Ryan Holder.
Would you like to come of your own accord?
We are prepared to restrain you.
- What the fuck, man? I don't…
- Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Will you come of your own accord?
Yeah, I will.
- Yeah.
- Good. Follow me.
[Jason] Sorry.
Huh.
[students chattering]
All right.
Okay. That's the last of it.
Want help unpacking?
Nah, I think I got it. It's not that much.
All right.
Okay. Uh, well, I guess we'll head out.
Oh. [chuckles]
[Charlie sniffles]
You good?
Yeah.
- Okay.
- My turn. Come here.
So listen, what you gotta work out
is which classes you have to go to
- and which ones you don't.
- [chuckles]
He has to go to all of them.
Oh, yeah. You're gonna be fine. Okay?
It's not like I'm not gonna see you guys.
- We still live in the same city.
- Yeah.
["Blush" playing]
Curse the things
That made me sad for so long ♪
Yeah, it hurts to think
That they can still go on ♪
I'm happy now ♪
Are you happy now? ♪
Spoke out the things
That you've worked out to be wrong ♪
You got two hands to take all you can
But don't take too long ♪
To be happy somehow ♪
[no audible dialogue]
Are you happy now? ♪
[sniffs]
Figured out I'm good ♪
Turn me down like I knew I should ♪
Punch drunk, dumb struck
Pot luck happy, happy ♪
But don't chicken out, it's all good ♪
You're allowed to be what you could ♪
Punch drunk, dumb struck
Pot luck happy, happy ♪
Punch drunk, dumb struck
Pot luck happy, happy ♪
Punch drunk, dumb struck… ♪
[train horn blares, distorted]
[music ends]
[siren wailing]
[wistful music playing]
[chattering]
[key rattles in lock]
[door opens]
[Daniela] Hey.
Hey.
Lake Michigan.
I didn't know what time
you were coming back so…
There's food on the stove.
Huh.
Well, I'm gonna grab a shower.
Okay.
[sniffles]
[somber music playing]
You're not having dinner?
No. I-I… I picked something up at the Tap.
Okay.
- I like our new wallpaper.
- [chuckles]
Were you at the box today?
No, I haven't…
I haven't been there in a while.
So what's this?
[Jason clears throat]
Well, uh, it's…
entanglement equations.
So, the box is quantumly entangled
with the other boxes.
It's the only possibly way it could work.
It's the reason why it respawned.
And if I could work out the math, then
I could understand how to disentangle it.
Because brute-force is obviously
not the answer.
[sighs deeply]
Does that mean you're still trying
to shut it down?
Yeah. I'm… I'm trying in a different way.
Mmm.
How was, uh, your day?
I went to work and…
[pencil scribbling]
…went for a long run after.
Mm-hmm.
I saw my dad's old store.
It was…
exactly the way it was when I was a kid.
So, what, he could be alive here?
Maybe.
I… I don't know.
Wow.
Wow.
[somber music playing]
[sighs]
[chuckles]
- [papers rustling]
- [pencil scribbling]
It's quiet. So quiet.
New space.
We're not the people we used to be.
Mmm.
I guess it was crazy to think that
we could be.
I think you feel it too.
[inhales, exhales]
[sniffles]
It's…
Something's wrong with me.
What do you mean?
It's like I'm… [crying]
…I'm being followed.
And I keep thinking
I see these versions of you.
But… [sniffles] …it's something else.
[sniffles, whimpers]
I'm scared of things that I see in you.
But…
I don't know what to do
with what I've done.
What can I do?
Nothing.
[inhales]
I think I need to go away.
["Last Song" playing]
[Daniela breathes shakily]
[Jason sighs]
Is this… [breathes shakily]
Is-Is this you leaving me?
[both crying]
You're my person.
[Jason breathes shakily]
I'm yours.
I just need to find my way.
If ♪
This was our last song ♪
[door opens]
What would we do then? ♪
This was our last song ♪
[door closes]
What would we say then? ♪
If ♪
This was our last time ♪
What would we do?
What would we say then? ♪
[sniffles]
[sighs]
If ♪
This was our last song ♪
What would we do then? ♪
This was our last song ♪
What would we say then? ♪
If… ♪
This was our last time ♪
What would we do?
What would we say then? ♪
[song ends]