Fringe s01e12 Episode Script

The No-Brainer

BO Y: No, man.
Whatever.
You're wrong.
Admit you're wrong.
No, she didn't.
What? Well, then she's a bigger idiot than you are, which is impossible.
It is impossible.
I'm really good at math, it's impossible.
All right.
Cool.
Late.
[COMPUTER BEEPS.]
We'll be back around 10.
Make sure to take Bucky out.
You hear me? I love you.
[BUZZES.]
[LAUGHING.]
- That scared me.
- Me too.
- Your turn.
- Okay.
Bo-bell, when you said you brushed your teeth did you also dry your toothbrush? - I brushed.
- Ella.
I just love being lied to.
You're a tough mother.
Ella's a sweetheart.
She is a sweetheart.
She's a lying little sweetheart.
She reminds me of you.
[LAUGHING.]
I'm going to make sure she's brushing her teeth.
With all due respect, Darwin got it all wrong.
I used to make a joke that Darwin's thinking was rather unevolved.
Which I'm sure used to be very funny.
For a brilliant man, Darwin was occasionally a moron.
He claimed that males tried to spread their genes by having sex constantly however, the females with limited eggs were more selective in their attempts to find genetically superior males.
I believe that Darwin was simply inaccurate that females can be as aggressive as males with males equally dispassionate.
Thoughts, Peter? [PHONE RINGING.]
This is Astrid.
It's me.
Can you have the guys go outside? I'm sending over a body.
- Yeah, I'll have them waiting outside.
- Thank you.
Okay.
Hey, that was Olivia.
She needs you guys outside.
Coroner's on his way with a body.
You know, this is the part of the day that I look forward to most.
When I know there's something bizarre out there, I just don't know what it is.
It's like a grab bag of disturbing events, don't you think? Yeah.
WALTER: Be right back, Agent Farnsworth.
Okay.
Bye.
OLIVIA: Thank you for taking the time.
We know you're grieving.
We're very sorry about your loss.
What the hell could've done that to him? We don't know yet.
We're gonna find that out.
Did you notice anything strange in your son's behavior over the last few days? No.
School was good, he was looking forward to graduating.
We had dinner together almost every night try to get a few syllables out about his day.
- Any history of drug use? PAUL: No.
I know all parents think that, but in Greg's case it's true.
Whatever happened, he didn't bring it on himself.
What about any preexisting medical conditions? Asthma.
I blame it for all the time he spends on a computer.
Was he on the computer last night? Most nights he spends his free time there playing games, trading songs.
He chats about girls with his friends.
Which friends? Uh, Luke, probably.
Luke Dempsey.
- E-Y? - Yeah.
OLIVIA: We're going to do everything we can to find out what happened to your son.
He can be rotated onto his back now.
Drain the remainder of his brain.
Once that's done we can examine his cranial cavity.
PETER: Oh, this is gonna be awesome.
Just get me everything you can and call me right back.
Thanks.
PETER: Everything okay? OLIVIA: Yeah.
His parents say he was a good kid.
What do we know? All I know for sure is that his brain matter has been completely liquefied.
How? My first thought is an extremely virulent form of syphilis.
Your saying his brain could've been cooked by an STD? Safe sex is important.
You do always have your sexual partners wear a condom, I hope.
Walter.
OLIVIA: If he got this from a girl or some drug he was experimenting with there may be a record of that on his computer.
Astrid, can you check his hard drive? I had it transferred with some of his effects.
I got it right here.
I'm on it.
Be sure to check his floppy disks as well.
Floppy disks are outdated.
Why don't you focus on what you do best? - All yours.
Liquid brains.
- Oh, fantastic.
I'll get the bone saw.
- Hey, check this out.
- What? Something's wrong.
- The hard drive platters must be fused.
- You sure? Linguistics major, computer science minor plus I've been taking computers apart since I was, like, 6.
OLIVIA: So do you think you can get anything off this? I know some aggressive data-retrieval techniques.
I can give it a shot.
I'm gonna interview Dempsey and see if I can dig up something.
Call me as soon as you find something.
Excuse me.
I'm looking for Luke Dempsey.
Thank you.
MAN: Yes, keep it.
Luke Dempsey? Olivia Dunham, FBI.
Can I have a word? LUKE: I was just IM'ing with Greg last night.
What happened to him? To be honest, we're not entirely sure.
What did you two talk about? A bunch of stuff.
I got him a deal on a split rear-exhaust for his '93 GT.
Told him he could swing by whenever.
After a couple hours, he just He stopped answering.
I figured he'd fell asleep.
How did the two of you know each other? Our dads worked together when we were kids and Greg and I stayed friends.
Can you think of anyone who may have wanted to hurt Greg? Or maybe had a grudge against him? You think somebody killed him? Do you? [CELL PHONE RINGING.]
- Dunham.
PETER: Peter.
Just got a call about another body.
OLIVIA: Sir.
- Dunham.
General manager of this dealership was found dead by an employee.
OLIVIA: We have the employee? - Yeah.
- He's having a hard time being coherent.
- Well, what exactly happened? Bishop.
Doctor.
WALTER: Appears he died the same way as the teenager in Springfield.
Prepare six vials, please.
Yes, sir.
Where's the guy who found him? This way.
Anton's a nice man.
Honest guy.
He has three kids.
When was the last time you saw him? Last night.
It was a bar we go to sometimes.
Strip club.
My wife doesn't know.
Just please don't judge me.
I'm not judging you.
[GRO ANS.]
What? He's dead, he can't feel this.
I wonder if they sell cars here with those seats that warm your ass.
Well, why don't you ask him? Maybe I will.
A little longer than that.
He's been here for three years.
And is there anyone that would wanna hurt him? Anton? No.
No way.
He's solid.
Can I take your card in case I need to ask more questions? Yeah, sure.
My cell's on there.
And if you're interested in a new vehicle, we have next year's models in, so, um Now you are judging me.
ASTRID: It's the weirdest thing.
The fused platters we found on the car salesman's computer they're fried just like the kid's.
Well, that can't be a coincidence.
I'm trying to recover as much data as possible.
These platters are incredibly sensitive.
A speck of dust is enough to make them unusable, but this? OLIVIA: Looks like someone took a blowtorch.
From what I was able to pull it looks like both downloaded a huge file, 657 megabytes each right before they crashed.
Where'd the file come from? It was a miracle I was able to salvage this much.
I'd need another couple days to access the ISP servers.
And that's time that we don't have.
[PHONE RINGING.]
- Is it you? PETER: Mm-mm.
I haven't heard that sound for ages.
I think it's the phone.
Who would have that number? It must be on Harvard's system.
I didn't even know it worked.
Hello? There's nobody here by that name.
Yes, I'm sure.
I think you got the wrong number.
Who was it? Some student looking for financial aid.
ASTRID: What are you doing? - I think I got a guy who could help us.
Who? You really wanna know? Good point.
Be careful with that though because it's evidence.
PETER: Just kidding.
- I'm gonna go talk to Greg Wiles' friend Luke Dempsey.
Agent Dunham? I think I might know who was just on the phone.
PETER: How's it going, Akim? Peter Bishop.
Long time.
Not long enough.
Play nice.
I come bearing gifts.
My God.
I can't believe you kept it.
You could've sold this for a fortune.
I kept it to remind me never to wager anything I couldn't bear to live without.
I can have it back? Sure.
First, I'm gonna need some help.
What do you got? Just before they fried both of these drives downloaded the same program.
Very good.
And what are we looking for? I wanna know what it is and where it came from.
Agent Dunham, I hear Agent Broyles has you investigating the Bridgeport automotive death.
May I ask what exactly you're looking for? I'll be cross-referencing medical records with the AMA database Iooking for anything that might connect him to the teenager and explain what happened here.
Medical records, AMA database, liquefied brains? Come on, Dunham.
This case clearly falls under the jurisdiction of the CDC.
There was no known pathogen, no signs of contagion.
With all due respect, Agent Harris, I have done my due diligence.
I just got off the phone with my contact at the CDC and they have seen nothing like it.
You tell me.
This look like a flu you've heard of? Where people's brains come out of their ears? No.
No.
This looks like you had another excuse to justify the allocation of FBI resources to what's arguably become a rogue division inside a federal agency operating, if not completely autonomously then well outside the standard regulatory purview.
I have news for you, Agent Dunham.
I'm here to remedy that.
I'll consider myself warned.
Twelve hours.
After that, I shut you down and put the case in what I believe will be considerably more capable hands.
PETER: Whoa.
What's this? It's particles scattered all over the Internet.
This thing must've been insanely complex.
Integrated video, audio.
Some of this isn't even computer code.
Is that even possible? Multiple parallel packet routing, Whoever sent this is trying very hard to cover their tracks.
Akim, come on, you have no idea where this thing came from? Nothing yet.
There's too many paths.
Wait a sec.
Okay, I can't tell you where it's originating but I got a destination.
This program's being downloaded right now.
Then that's the next target.
AKIM: Neighborhood in Brighton, here in Boston.
- It's close by.
PETER: Brighton.
- Can you pull up the address? - Honing in.
There.
That's where it's going.
Oh, my God.
[CELL PHONE RINGS.]
- Dunham.
- Olivia, listen to me.
The victims downloaded the same transmission.
- It's happening again right now.
OLIVIA: Where? Your apartment.
[PHONE LINE RINGING.]
[MIXER WHIRRING.]
[BUZZING.]
[CELL PHONE RINGS.]
Hi.
I just turned right onto Broadway.
I should be there in five minutes.
- Rachel's not picking up.
- Call the next-door neighbor.
I don't know any of the neighbors.
I haven't seen them for months.
- Well, then call Boston P.
D.
OLIVIA: I already have.
ELLA: Mom.
RACHEL: One minute, Ella.
- Liv, what the hell are you doing? - Okay, is there someone else here? - Someone else? - Of course not, it's just us.
Ella? Ella, everything's gonna be okay.
- You okay? OLIVIA: Yeah.
- Can you check out the back? - Yeah.
OLIVIA: Okay.
Ella.
Ella.
Ella.
- What's wrong? - Nothing is wrong, Olivia.
- She's just playing her game, right, EII? - Ella.
Ella.
Ella, sweetie.
- Ella? - Aunt Liv? When did you get home? CHARLIE: I don't understand.
- What happened? - There were flashes on the computer screen when I first came in.
Like bursts of images.
Can't explain it.
It was like nothing I'd ever seen before.
- Images.
- Yeah.
And they affected Ella in some way, like she was hypnotized.
I'm gonna call Computer Forensics.
They'll be here right away.
PETER [CHANTING.]
: Trot, trot to Boston Trot, trot to Lynn Better watch out Or you might fall in! - Do you do birthday parties too? - Not so much, no.
I have done my fair share of babysitting lately.
Yeah, well, the way you are with Ella, it seems like you'd be really good.
At a party.
I'm not really familiar with the word.
Talk to your sister.
She could give me the weekend off.
My sister's not really the weekend-off type.
That was always more me.
- Everything okay? - Yeah.
Ella, come here.
RACHEL: What are you doing? Get her checked out as soon as possible.
What are you talking about? She's fine.
Look at her.
OLIVIA: I'm sure everything's fine.
RACHEL: Liv, what is going on? There was a hand.
I remember.
There was a hand coming out of the computer.
Okay, we're definitely cutting back on the sugar intake.
And possibly our visits with Aunt Olivia.
- Come on, sweetie.
PETER: Hold on a second.
What kind of hand, Ella? Weird, glowy, scary.
Ella, this isn't funny.
Look at me.
You know how I feel about lying.
I'm not! It really happened.
RACHEL: How? ELLA [O VER SPEAKER.]
: I don't know.
I was playing with my game, and I saw this hand.
RACHEL: Which game was it? ELLA: My Pony.
RACHEL: I don't want you to go on that site anymore, okay? - Promise? MAN: That's right, sweetheart.
I'm the one you're looking for.
[ALARM BEEPING.]
Who's there? - It's just me, Dad.
BRIAN: Hey, Luke.
Somebody in here? - I heard voices.
- Talking to myself.
What are you doing here? Thought I'd bring you some lunch.
Thanks.
How are things at the body shop, Luke? LUKE: Fine.
Have you found a job yet, Dad? BRIAN: Who says I'm looking for one? I went by your place.
Mail's all piled up.
Ms.
Greeley said you haven't been home in over a week.
- She should mind her own business.
Have you been sleeping here, Dad? Luke thanks for the food but I should be getting back to this.
What is it that you're working on? A new program.
I don't wanna jinx it.
I think it's gonna impress a lot of people.
OLIVIA: Okay, love you.
Bye.
How's Ella doing? The doctor says she's perfectly healthy.
There's no sign of neurological damage.
- Nothing.
PETER: Excellent news.
Charlie's taking them back.
Gonna keep an eye on the apartment until I get there.
- Good.
- Lf something had happened to her PETER: It didn't.
Don't torture yourself with hypotheticals.
She's fine.
Yeah.
This is gonna sound crazy.
But I think whoever's responsible was watching.
- Through the computer.
- What? Light next to the camera was on.
Ella doesn't know how to use it.
- Think he was spying on her? OLIVIA: I don't know.
Maybe he was trying to scare me.
He knows about the investigation.
This is his way of telling me to back off.
BRO YLES: He could have broken into our network learned you were investigating his case.
Means maybe we can track him.
We have Forensics on it as we speak.
Also I've got a subcontractor that I've worked with before.
Trying to track the origin of the data stream sent to Olivia's computer.
- And this data stream.
It may be connected to what killed those people? The victim, Greg Wiles, was found in front of his computer too.
And his hard drive was fused, just like the car salesman.
- Computer programming that can kill - Can kill people.
Yeah, I know.
Walter's working on it at the lab.
What I don't understand: If a person is responsible for those deaths why are they killing? You found any connection between the victims? Not yet.
WOMAN: Mark? Honey? Can you help me with the groceries? John and Alice are coming over for dinner.
You remember? Thought I'd make a roast.
Hey, Dow Jones, are you alive in there? Mark? Mark.
[MIRIAM SCREAMING.]
PETER: It's amazing, isn't it? All these people, and they don't have a clue.
How crazy it all really is.
The world, everything.
If we do our job, they'll never have to.
[CELL PHONE RINGS.]
- Olivia Dunham.
CHARLIE: We got another death.
This one, outside Chicago.
This one's a day trader.
It's happened again.
When are you gonna start calling them murders? When you find us a murderer.
OLIVIA: Send me everything you can on the victim.
- Will do.
- Okay.
I'll meet you inside, okay? Are you Jessica Warren? Yes.
- I'm Peter Bishop - I know.
I read your letter.
And I can understand, of course, why you would want to see my father.
But it's not the right time.
He's only been out of the institution for a couple months.
After 17 years And three months.
Mr.
Bishop, I know exactly how long it's been.
I'm sure you do.
I'm very sorry for what happened, Mrs.
Warren.
I wish this weren't the case.
But nothing will bring your daughter back.
Not even talking to my father.
I need to see him.
To do what? To blame him for the accident? It's between me and your father.
I'm sorry, it's not going to happen.
- Hey.
- Hey.
I'm glad Ella's okay.
Oh, thank you.
Oh, Agent Dunham.
I think I worked out how these deaths occurred.
It's a complex combination of visual and subsonic aural stimuli ingeniously designed to amplify the electrical impulses of the brain trapping it in an endless loop.
- Walter? It's like a computer virus that infects people.
I don't understand.
Ella said she saw a hand coming out of the computer.
Hallucinatory effect of the stimuli, perhaps.
I need to research further.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Where's the latest victim? Uh, just outside of Chicago.
Any motive yet? Not yet.
Listen.
I think I know who that woman was, outside.
What do you think you know? She's the mother of the lab assistant killed in the fire here almost It's none of my business.
Go ahead.
What? Does Walter know? That she wants to see him? Of course Walter doesn't know.
He couldn't handle it.
I see.
You think that he could? I don't know why, but I do.
You really think it's a good idea to put him through that? Well, I was thinking that it's all unresolved.
For him, for her.
I was thinking it must be hard for her too to come to the place where she lost her daughter.
- What's your point? - That you underestimate him.
Your father.
And you shouldn't.
Here is what Charlie was able to dig up on the last victim.
Mark Rosenthal, 48, married.
Any information on his next of kin? It's sad, actually.
He just got married last year to a Miriam Dempsey.
I have her number if you want it.
- Did you say Dempsey? - Mm-hm.
I interviewed a Luke Dempsey this morning.
He was friends with the teen victim, Greg Wiles.
According to this background info, Miriam Dempsey is Luke's mother.
So that would make the last victim Luke's stepfather.
- Yeah.
- What are the chances of the same kid being connected to both victims? - Maybe Luke is the killer.
- It's possible.
But he seemed genuinely upset when I told him his friend was dead.
He did mention something else.
He said that the reason he was friends with the victim was because their fathers worked together.
Is everything all right? I heard you and Agent Dunham.
From the tone, it sounded like you were having an argument.
Everything's fine.
I tried to expense a couple Celtic tickets on the FBI.
- She caught me.
- Oh, I see.
I hope she doesn't notice the $2000 for the baboon seminal fluid I ordered.
I hope I can recall why I ordered it.
- What's up? - I think we have our suspect.
PETER: Brian Dempsey.
OLIVIA: He used to work for Paul Wiles.
- Greg's dad? - Exactly.
He was Dempsey's boss until he fired Dempsey six years ago.
According to Wiles, he was a programmer, way ahead of his time.
Wiles said when he fired him, Brian threw a fit.
Yeah, and the victim outside Chicago was married to Dempsey's ex-wife.
- Really nasty divorce too.
- What about the car salesman? We're still looking for that connection.
But it looks like Dempsey's m.
o.
Is to hurt people who screwed him over by going after their loved ones.
- Charlie, yeah, it's me.
I need you to get to Brian Dempsey's house.
Luke's father.
I think he's our guy.
HARRIS: Dunham, where's our suspect? No sign of him at home.
We picked up his son from work.
- What's your plan? - Wait for the right moment.
Well, why wait? Just go in and break him.
- I'm not sure that's the way to go.
- You care to share your reasoning? I think Luke suspects there's something wrong with his father.
If we go in heavy-handed, he could shut down or call a lawyer.
And then he won't tell us anything.
It's your job to make sure that doesn't happen.
I'm more than familiar with passive coercion.
Good.
Then find his pressure point.
Put your little hands around him and squeeze.
That's an order.
Every time that guy opens his mouth, I like him more and more.
- So.
- Come on.
Luke.
This is Agent Francis.
- Where's your father? - No idea.
- Tell me about him.
- What do you want to know? He had a pretty rough ride.
Smart.
Maybe a little too smart for his own good.
Couldn't hold down a job.
Then he gets dumped by your mom.
That couldn't have been easy.
People don't understand him.
They don't take the time.
When did you see him last? A few weeks ago.
We aren't really close.
Have you spoken to your mom recently? Do you know what happened to your stepfather? And I told you about Greg myself.
Come on, Luke.
The only thing that these victims have in common besides having their brains liquefied was that they were all close to someone who pissed off your father.
This guy died because he married your mother.
And your friend Greg here, he died because his dad fired your dad.
That's impossible! The horror show in this picture was a friend of yours.
- You wanna cover it up now? LUKE: No! I want a lawyer.
Don't I get a lawyer? Is it any consolation knowing you were right? Do me a favor.
Wait five minutes, then release him.
What about Harris? Screw him.
My thoughts exactly.
- Okay, come on.
- What did I miss? Just trust me.
Yeah, hi.
I need a cab.
I need to hear that call.
Thank you.
LUKE [O VER PHONE.]
: - 2 Braddock Street.
WOMAN: That's one person going to 1432 Braddock Street.
- I'll have a car there in 10 minutes.
LUKE: Ten minutes, right? Okay.
All right, thanks.
OLIVIA: He just called a cab.
One guess where it's taking him.
Oh, come on.
He cannot possibly be that stupid.
He's 19.
Good point.
I don't underestimate my father, by the way.
I understand him, sometimes more than I want to.
If I let him talk to that woman, she's gonna accuse him of killing her daughter, something he didn't do.
Then why not just let them meet? Whose side are you on, anyway? I know what it's like to live with something unresolved.
- That's all.
- Congratulations.
You just described the entire planet.
OLIVIA: This could provide closure for your father.
He's had to live with the death of this woman.
He was put away because of it.
Who's to say this wouldn't be a resolution for him? If I didn't know better, I'd think you wanted the man to have a breakdown.
Maybe you don't know better.
Because I care for your father too.
I believe shielding him from the truth, from what's real ultimately does him a disservice.
What's real doesn't really seem to concern Walter.
You said this was none of your business.
That was right on the money.
- Okay, you stay here.
- You are not going in there alone.
Just stay here and watch the entrance.
- Will you call for backup? - Harris wants me to screw up.
If I call for help, he's gonna do whatever it takes to make me look bad.
HARRIS: Where the hell are Dunham and the kid? MAN: No idea.
HARRIS: Hey! Trace the GPS in Dunham's car.
I wanna know where she is now.
LUKE: I mean, why the hell would you do that? LUKE: Did you actually do it? Actually kill Greg from here? I mean, how many more, Dad? Who else, huh? All they had to do was give me a chance.
A fair shake.
A chance to prove myself.
But they thought they could drop me to the curb like garbage.
[LUKE & BRIAN CONTINUE ARGUING INDISTINCTLY.]
LUKE: No.
- So all this is supposed to fix that? - Luke I don't know who you are anymore, Dad.
I used to look up to you.
But now you're pathetic.
[ALARM BEEPING.]
Go.
They're coming for me, not for you.
- Dad - Go! BRIAN: Stay right where you are.
BRIAN: You've ruined everything.
People were going to respect me.
Respect my work.
Now my son hates me because of you.
This is how it ends.
- Okay - Stay back, or I'll kill you too.
[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE.]
It was their fault, all of it.
I just wanted them to feel the pain that they made me feel.
Just put the gun down.
Why should you care whether I live or die? Especially when you know what I've done.
Mr.
Dempsey, look away from the screen.
No, I wanna see.
I wanna finally see my creation.
LUKE: Stop right there! - Hey, there, Luke.
- Shut up.
- Leave my father alone.
- Luke, take it easy.
Stay back! [GUNSHOT.]
Dunham! - You okay? OLIVIA: I'm okay.
- Luke, Luke - What did you do to him?! No, I didn't.
He went into a trance and shot himself.
MAN: Freeze! HARRIS: Get on your knees, son.
Get on your knees.
I don't get it.
He knew he was killing those people.
Why would the kid protect a murderer like that? Because it's his father.
- Sanford.
HARRIS: Interesting day.
So I hear.
For the record your agent disobeyed a direct order of mine released Luke Dempsey and then attempted to apprehend a suspect without backup.
From what I can tell Agent Dunham closed this case in spite of your obstructions.
She violated too many aspects of FBI protocol to even count.
She ID'd a murderer contained a computer program that melts peoples' brains.
- Listen to me, Phillip.
- No, you listen to me.
What you pass off as bureaucratic concern looks like a personal vendetta.
And if you push it, I will stake my career on her behalf.
Are you threatening me, Phillip? You decide to go after Olivia Dunham, you're going after me.
And all the red tape in the world won't protect you.
You sure you're up for this? Because I got a lot of red tape, Phil.
Walter.
There's a woman here who wants to talk to you.
She pretty? She's right there.
Now, look.
If you need me, I'll be right here.
If you need to end the conversation for any reason, you just say the word.
My daughter's name was Carla Warren.
Oh, dear.
Do you remember her? Yes.
I want to see you because you were the last person to see my daughter alive.
And I've always wanted to ask, was there anything else I could know? Anything, anything else you could tell me about my daughter.
She was a wonderful girl.
What I remember is her smile.
She had a wonderful smile.
I miss Carla.
Me too.
[CRYING.]
I miss her.
WALTER: I'll tell you everything I remember about our time together.
RACHEL: Part of me wants to ask you to explain what happened with Ella.
But I'm not sure I'll feel any safer if I know.
You wouldn't.
How do you do it, Liv? I brushed.
Fantastic.
Say good night.
Okay, come here and give me a kiss.
On the cheek.
I tricked you.
Okay, good night, sweetheart.
ELLA: Night.
[DOORBELL RINGS.]
- Hi.
- What's up? First of all, I've had a couple of drinks.
But don't worry, I walked over.
- Okay.
- And, uh I wanted to say that I've never had him in my life.
Walter.
And now thanks to your insane freak show of an operation, I do.
Have him in my life.
And I think that I was I think that I was a little scared.
And maybe if he'd talked to that woman Whatever, l I wanted to say that I'm sorry.
You were right.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Hi.
Hi.
How's Ella doing? Good, thanks.
Liv, she wants you to tuck her in.
OLIVIA: Okay.
- So I'll see you tomorrow? - Yeah.

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