BENEDICT: We suffer under something called "The Emergency".
A rapidly escalating state of panic where the truth itself is under attack.
And I'm convinced that this Emergency is a fiction
created by one person.
-This is happening. -(machine whirs)
It looks normal, but listen to what's underneath.
MESSENGER: The missing aren't missing...
Those are the hidden messages that are being broadcast
on every TV and radio, and they're infecting our minds
without us even knowing they're there.
BENEDICT: The signals are coming from the Institute on Harbor Island.
You four are gonna infiltrate the Institute as my secret agents.
CONSTANCE: The Mysterious Benedict Society.
BENEDICT: We will be watching from a hidden position on the mainland.
Day and night, we will always have eyes on you.
Your first job is to find the identity of the Sender.
I mean, who is running the school?
REYNIE: Who is the headmaster?
JACKSON: He prefers to introduce himself. You'll meet him soon.
Next, find the transmitter that's sending the messages.
What's that?
-JACKSON: The tower. -JILLSON: You have no reason to go there.
Unless you become Messengers.
Just find out what you can. Report back to me.
Welcome, new students. I'm your headmaster, Dr. L.D. Curtain.
These two...
these two are ones to watch.
(tongue clicks) Ahh...
Hmm.
I'm sorry, Mr. Oshiro, I didn't mean to interrupt.
I just wanted to thank our new friends for being here.
Do you see a difference?
It's a feeling in the air, isn't it?
This is the safe harbor. You made it. The Emergency is out there.
In here, we take care of everything.
So, you can open your mind to a new way of thinking.
So, you can be intentional. So, you can be outstanding. Contribute.
Thank you, Dr. Curtain.
-I think we all... -If I may, Mr. Oshiro.
As the older students can tell you,
I am personally invested in your experience here.
If you have any issues, any questions...
a member of my staff is always available
to forward that concern on to their supervisors,
who will then forward it on to me.
Work the system. The system works...
if you work it.
Oh. Hello there.
Is this a test?
Hmm.
CONSTANCE : Clone. Laboratory-grown. It's common.
I think it makes much more sense if...
If it's a body snatcher scenario. Exactly.
...if it's his twin.
No. It's classic replicata.
STICKY: Mr. Benedict could have a split personality.
There is such a thing as dissociative identity disorder.
It can't be. I know it's not him.
He was skinnier than Mr. Benedict, different hair...
Guys, they're identical twins.
REYNIE: Uh...
Hello, Jackson. Good evening.
Thought I heard multiple voices in here. Female voices, which makes no sense.
Huh. That's weird. Weird.
Weird.
It's just us. See?
Have an amazing night.
Um, Kate? Where are you going?
I'm going to the Tower, right now. Scale that thing.
-What? -The Emergency comes from Messages.
Messages come from a transmitter.
Transmitter? In a high place, like a tower.
Scale it.
There are people patrolling it at all times.
That's obvious.
It's way too risky.
The only way into that tower is as a Messenger.
So, we just have to be the best of the best.
REYNIE: Do well in our classes and become Messengers.
-Getting a message from the kids! -I see it.
BENEDICT: It's the fourth word I can't find.
-Did you get it? -Mm-hmm.
"Headmaster named L.D. Curtain.
-Be aware, Gemini." -Hmm.
L.D. Curtain.
Doesn't ring a bell. Likely an alias. I'll get on it.
"Be aware, Gemini"?
RHONDA: How do they know his astrological sign already?
NUMBER TWO: Coded, obviously. Maybe not astrology, but astronomy.
-RHONDA: Castor and Pollux! -NUMBER TWO: Right.
Mr. Benedict.
Nathaniel, my brother. My twin.
-NUMBER TWO: You have a brother? A twin? -Yes. Yes.
And you didn't know about it?
If I had known, I wouldn't be so shocked and dismayed, which I clearly am.
Of course. The past cannot stay buried. It cannot be eluded.
It cannot be bargained with.
L.D. Curtain is your brother. And he's the man we've been hunting?
NUMBER TWO: The man behind The Emergency?
Yes.
How did this happen?
I'm sorry. (scoffs)
This is a part of myself that's been too painful to share.
I lost my brother.
-And now, I... -(door opens, closes)
Stone Harbor Miyagis. Delicate flesh, a hint of brine on the finish.
Not the time.
I'll take a dozen.
Nathaniel was always brilliant. Brilliant! Brilliant.
But he was so troubled.
At the age of 12, a family adopted me out of the orphanage,
but they did not have room for two.
I told him I would come back for him,
but when I did, he was gone. He ran away.
The trail went cold, and I couldn't find him.
And now, I have. And he's my enemy.
Are you sure? We just have that one word. "Gemini".
RHONDA: Also, the words "Be aware."
-Technically. -I priced that in.
-Please, Rhonda. -BENEDICT: I'm sure. I'm sure.
This all makes terrible sense.
-It's cosmic. -Where are you going?
To confront him.
Oh, I don't think I heard you right.
A boat. I need a boat.
-That's not gonna happen. -I need to speak to him.
-RHONDA: What? You'll be spotted. -I will confront him directly.
-No! -Milligan, a boat!
I think this is a net positive.
-Oh, yes. -We have a name.
Hmm.
L.D. Curtain. His brother. Why didn't he tell us?
He must not have known.
Really?
There's no way he'd hide that from us. He's an orphan, too.
They could've easily been separated, lost contact...
If I had a brother, I'd never lose contact.
Brothers stick together. That's what they do.
I mean, I assume.
Kids can't always control that.
STICKY: Reynie, we just met Mr. Benedict.
He's already lied to us about the Boatwright Academy.
How do we know we can trust him?
You saw Mr. Curtain.
Did he seem so horrible to you? He's responsible for The Emergency?
It's all real, Sticky.
The Emergency is not going away,
and Mr. Benedict is the only one talking about fixing it.
But we barely know him.
You could say you and I barely know each other.
We know each other.
Constance! Watch yourself!
We are roomies, Kate. This is going to happen.
That's going to be a problem.
In circus, how many share a wagon? 15? 20?
-Depends on the wagon. -So, 15 to 20.
I prefer it to this.
Some are bodybuilders. Very large. Here, just one small person.
Here's how it's going to be. We're here to stop The Emergency.
We're here behind enemy lines.
And tomorrow, we go to battle. I don't need you distracting me.
You will never, ever touch the bucket. You will respect the bucket.
Feels like this is not just about the bucket.
Good night, roomie.
Okay, guys. Business time.
You guys are all really smart so we just have to work hard,
ace it, and become Messengers.
Yeah.
A man carries a package in his right hand.
He approaches a restaurant,
outside of which wait three left-handed men
and one right-handed man, who takes the package with his right hand.
All the men are wearing a winged patch on their coats.
They greet each other with nods and go inside.
Okay, using only yes or no questions, what's the story, class?
How did they all end up there?
TEACHER 1: Poets! Prophets! Disavow obsequious ostentation.
ALL: "Poets! Prophets!"
"Disavow obsequious ostentation."
Subtly obfuscated, majordomo. Kudos.
ALL: "Subtly obfuscated, majordomo. Kudos."
TEACHER 1: Charlie! Keep up.
This cola with quinine is a favorite of the jet-set.
ALL: "This cola with quinine is a favorite of the jet-set."
Are they restaurant critics?
-A baseball team? -A team of some kind?
No, no, and that is a fair characterization.
Constance?
The man with the gift is disfigured horribly?
Correct. Why would you infer that?
The world is a brutal place.
I mean, within the problem.
What's the difference? All is brutality condition.
TEACHER 2: Simply find the center.
Obviously, the group has failed at something, a big event,
and it's the man with the package's fault.
I'm sorry, Martina. I don't think that is correct.
-Hmm. Check again. -There is nothing to check.
I have the answer right here.
This is a nightmare.
Yeah. Hang in there.
Next level! La doublé!
(whistles) Next level! La diabolique!
Yes, Reynie?
Did any of the men shake hands?
No.
And, um, was the length of the package about an arm's length?
Give or take, yes.
Oh, no.
Sorry if anyone finds this a bit macabre,
but I believe the group was in the military.
Go on, please.
Well, they were a dirigible crew, shot down in enemy territory.
To survive, sorry to say,
they each had to sacrifice an arm,
below the elbow, for food.
Ew.
REYNIE: But they were rescued
before the last man had to give up his arm.
And in the package is his left arm, which he's giving to friends.
As a gesture of fairness and gratitude.
That is correct. And I'm sorry as well. That was a bit grotesque.
STICKY: We're never gonna become Messengers
because these classes are crazy.
I can't see a metric for success. No defined goals. None at all.
It's definitely a lot weirder than I thought it would be.
It is like a cult.
It is. Then we can't get sucked in.
I'm not much of a joiner, so I'll be okay.
We don't have to be in the cult to become Messengers.
How do you know that? We don't even know what Messengers do.
STICKY: Reynie, what are you looking at?
Hey, remember Lindsay? The girl with, um, the hair?
She was just made a Messenger.
-I'm going in. -REYNIE: Kate, wait!
STICKY: That's just reckless.
Hey, Lindsay! I'm Kate.
-LINDSAY: Uh... -Congratulations on the big promotion.
Oh, thanks. It's just, you know, belief in myself, a lot of hard work.
Cool! Um, what kind of work exactly?
-Well... -Hey!
Messengers don't talk about Messenger business
with non-Messengers.
If you weren't so green, you'd know that, Lindsay.
LINDSAY: Sorry, Martina.
I didn't know Messenger business was so top secret.
Well, there's a lot of stuff you don't know.
Oceans of stuff. Deserts.
Mountains.
-Well, I cracked it. -Kate, you really should be more careful.
I've also been thinking.
We should start hanging out with other people here, too.
REYNIE: You know, make some friends, find out what they know.
How?
-If people always see us together... -MAN 1: Poison apples.
-Pardon, possession, a walk on the shore. -...then they may start to suspect...
Constance, are you all right?
You can't hear the voice?
What voice?
-Are you okay? -MAN 2: Terraform, trifle, toxicity...
I'm fine. Look away from me.
Wait!
What? Do you hear something too?
I know who that is.
He looks so different out of a suit, but that's Mr. Bloom.
Still in the dark here. Bloom?
Mr. Bloom? It's me, Reynie Muldoon. From Stonetown Orphanage?
Do you remember me?
I have no idea who you are. Nor do I know a Mr. Bloom.
REYNIE: You're Mr. Bloom.
-That's you. -Hmm.
I think I'd know if that was my name.
But you should enjoy life here at the Institute.
I certainly am.
STICKY: What were you doing?
You're not supposed to talk to the Helpers.
Mr. Bloom is a school inspector.
Or he used to be. Came for Donor Day every year.
He was actually kind of nice. You could tell he cared.
He knows me, but he just looked right through me.
You're not so memorable.
What? Compliment!
How is that a compliment?
He doesn't even remember his own name.
Something happened to him.
There's all kinds of injuries and disorders
that can cause a loss of personality effect.
I don't think so. Something happened to him.
It was really weird, like...
-REYNIE: Like... -They erased his memory!
Swept his mind.
-That's crazy. -Yes. Crazy.
It's not like we know someone just like that.
Lonely. Broken. Does this.
-You going somewhere, sir? -Oh.
Oh, Milligan.
There's, uh, there's critical papers at home
that I need that I'm realizing might be the key.
Ah, and... and, uh, you are gonna get them? Or...
(sighs) That's absurd to you?
-Just my job, my role. I sort of... -I can't just sit here. I...
He's my brother. I have to stop him. I have to take action.
-I have to take direct action! -Your safety can't be risked, sir.
(sighs) I know. I know.
I ask so much of you. So much of all of you.
Yes. But you give more.
BENEDICT: Yeah.
Now, where are they, exactly? These papers, Mr. Benedict?
In a pastel-blue AeroPost envelope...
Located in the...
...with unmistakable blue and red chevrons along the edges.
Located in the...
And there's a crease on the right side... Nope! The left.
As you read the address, it's to the left.
Located in the...
-In roll-top desk in my study. -(scribbles)
Listen, Milligan, uh...
It's vital.
I won't let you down.
Yeah.
-(birds chirping) -Mi...
Thank you.
-What's happening? -It's Thursday.
I love Thursdays.
Hey, Charlie. You're a Thursday guy, aren't you?
WOMAN 1: Everybody, move. Out of my way. Coming through.
Your God can't help you now.
Please, please, please...
STICKY: It's students' names.
I think it's rankings?
Huh. Look at that. Number one again.
Applause not necessary.
I think this means that Sticky and I are doing well in our classes.
So, if Constance and I are in yellow...
In China, yellow means good luck.
-Are we in China, George? -No.
No, we're not.
So, what happens to Charlie?
So, if Constance and I don't get our grades up, we're next?
Ferry on. Barge off.
I admire the purity.
Did you see his face when he got on? Do you think they swept him?
-CONSTANCE: I would. Logical. -REYNIE: No, no, no. I can't get erased.
You're not the one on the block.
-We can help you study. -Study what?
How to pronounce kway-neen?
-It's kwhy-nine. -Actually, either way is acceptable.
These tests are testing something I don't have.
Let's face it, guys.
-That's me. -How do you just accept that?
Mr. Benedict said this mission was going to take all four of us.
And I believe him. We've all got different skills.
REYNIE: Sticky and I may be good at these tests,
but we can't see things the way you do.
You're a much better climber, too.
Yeah! And Constance...
I'll stay for the food.
Point made. Clearly, I'm an asset.
Agreed. So, we have to make sure you don't get barged.
Or worse. Much worse.
Oh, I didn't know the library
lent out their microfiche machines. That's nice.
As you can see, there is no Nathaniel Benedict.
He's gone. No records anywhere.
Oh, he did change his name to L.D. Curtain sometime after the age of 12.
That's the assumption.
But assumptions can be deadly, eh?
We wanted to make sure he was your brother.
Here was our confirmation.
Hmm.
NUMBER TWO: Look familiar?
-(sighs) -Your hesitation is warranted,
but if you divide the distance from the earlobe to the shoulder
by the distance from the earlobe to the center of the nose...
The Crochet-Guardado ratio.
Yes. It's an exact match to yours.
L.D. Curtain is, as you thought, your long-lost brother.
Now, his public profile is limited. Seemingly purposefully so.
But his name is attached to some scientific papers,
pursuing some very strange threads.
He worked at an aeronautical institute,
working on a phased-pulse transmitter meant to send data packages to satellites.
Hmm. He was a scientist and an engineer.
As well as a philosopher.
-He worked at Trommsgard Kollectif... -Oh.
...studying meta-ontological dichotomies.
His name is only on these papers because they had to be.
He has otherwise very purposely flown under the radar.
These papers are quite impressive.
He does seem to be considered quite the visionary,
especially in the field of neuroscience.
Ah, clearly.
While excelling in all of them.
And yet he's very rarely photographed, eh?
Even when he won the Hiroki grant at the age of...
-What? -You were up for that twice!
I was. Hmm.
He's, um... It's a good win. He's quite accomplished.
-Ooh, and fit. -Hmm.
It seems he won an intramural rowing competition while at university.
-Grueling sport. -Oh, incredibly so.
BENEDICT: Hmm.
Well, we just don't know what connects all these fields of study.
-Hm. That's what we have to discover here. -Yes.
RHONDA: The one hole in our research comes after the orphanage.
It's as if he scrubbed Nathaniel Benedict from the record.
That and the avoidance of photos, to me, speaks of a very great pain.
-A great and festering... -Excuse me.
You think he's okay?
He just has to work through some things.
-He'll be fine. -Ah.
STICKY: I wonder if brainsweeping hurts.
KATE: Of course, it does.
-It might not be too... -JACKSON: Reynie.
Mr. Curtain wants to see you.
He does? Why? Now?
Right now.
Say goodbye to his...
-WOMAN 2: The study? -(cart rattles)
Curtain said full coverage.
WOMAN 2: Really? I'd say you only need cameras
on the entrances and exits.
MAN 3: You tell him that.
-BOY: My dad will be back soon. -Ah!
Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you.
It's okay.
Mr. Curtain is your father?
Yeah. He adopted me when I was a baby.
That's a really good drawing.
-Are you joking? -Why would I do that?
Is that a bluebird?
-I think it's a George. -Is that a type of bird?
Well, maybe not a type, but that's this one's name.
I just look at them for a while,
and it becomes very clear what their names are.
-Sometimes their careers, too. -Birds have careers?
CURTAIN: Mr. Muldoon!
Ah. It is incredible to see you. I'm so glad you decided to come by.
-You summoned me. -I did. Please, sit.
Reynard Muldoon. Reynard the Fox! (chuckles)
Oh. So, how are you, Reynie?
Was the onboarding process smooth?
Um... Yeah. Very smooth.
Oh, good. I have to tell you, I was very eager to meet you, Reynie.
Your test scores were quite impressive.
Thank you.
You know, a lot of people consider me a maverick.
I'm kind of different in charting my own path,
and I don't see you as bland or unremarkable at all.
In fact, I see you as a natural-born leader.
With great promise. Brilliance, even.
And, unlike others, I don't find your scores surprising in the least.
CURTAIN: Here's the thing. I don't like to overpromise.
I don't think that's ethical. But the way it has been trending,
you may achieve Messenger status faster than any student in our history, Reynie.
-That would be great. -That would be spectacular.
You're an exceptional student, Reynie.
You are destined to do amazing things in this institute.
Now, let's switch gears. Tell me about this Sticky.
That's an unusual name, isn't it? You two seem awfully close.
Um...
Sticky and I are roommates.
-We got on-boarded on the same day. -Hmm.
So, naturally, we're friends.
That's fascinating.
Having a friend?
Hmm. Very good. Ask S.Q. if he wants one. I'd love to get a green in that kid.
-I'm sorry. Where were we? -Friends?
Ah! Yes. Brilliant. Very intuitive. Please.
Um, Reynie, if I may offer a word of advice.
I might caution you to not let your guard down with anyone.
This is a very competitive school,
and, um, people's motives are not always clear at first.
Hmm.
It's quite a life lesson.
I, of course, had to learn it the hard way when I was your age.
I was betrayed by someone very close to me.
My brother, if you can believe it.
Your own brother?
Wow, that's horrible.
CURTAIN: Yes.
It was the great tragedy of my life.
Ah. Seems like he's finished now.
No. See? He's thinking.
-Hmm. -(mumbles)
I have absorbed every dimension of the problem.
REYNIE: It was very strange.
He's so different from Mr. Benedict, and yet...
Do you think he suspects us?
I don't think so. Well, he did ask a lot of questions.
But I can't tell if he's just like that.
Why did they make a salad at the table? Does it taste better that way?
I don't know. It was very good.
I mean, I can see why everybody in here likes him.
But there's something about him that I just don't trust.
-Besides the limited menu? -And the brain sweeping?
He was making notes in this journal. If we can somehow read that...
What about Mr. Benedict betraying him? What if he betrays us, too?
-Mr. Benedict would never do that. -Everyone has a price.
Mr. Benedict is a good man.
-You see the Shoguns match last night? -What a disaster.
You're going against Rodriguez, the best hole-set to play the game,
and you're playing her man-to-man?
-WOMAN 2: You gotta work the M-drop. -(gasping)
You run the M-drop, slough the drivers, and double team the hole-set.
A baby knows this. And don't get me started about Davids.
-WOMAN 2: Oh, please. Go on. -MAN 3: Let me break it down for you.
-There's a lot here. -What?
They believe that Curtain has a way of erasing the memories
of those who cross him.
-And that may explain... -What happened to Milligan.
Poor thing! Poor...
There's more. Kate and Constance, they're struggling.
-What? -It's not good.
There is no room for error.
Failure is much more than exile. Now, if the girls get kicked out...
It's too much. It's too much.
With what we know now, we've put them in way too deep.
Way too deep.
RHONDA: But we knew it was going to be dangerous.
And, like you said, they are in more danger if they don't stop Curtain.
We all are.
They're remarkable kids. That's why you chose them.
-That's why they accepted. -Yes.
Which is why we cannot let them fail.
Sadly, there's only one option and they're not gonna like it.
I don't like it.
STICKY: "Become what you are not."
-KATE: What does that mean? -I wish he would speak clearly.
Wait, hold on. He's talking about doing well in class.
So he wants us to be something we're not in school.
Teacher?
-Bad student? -Disruptive?
Pencil sharpener?
Dishonest. He wants us to cheat.
-No. He wouldn't do that. -According to Curtain, he would.
-I don't think so. -Ask him.
It says, "Don't...
get caught."
-MAN 3: Almost done? -WOMAN 2: Oh, no.
I left my T1 wrench at the shop.
You wanna stay here and watch the tools while I go get it?
-MAN 3: Sure. -WOMAN 2: Should I pick up some food, too?
Make this a working dinner?
MAN 3: I got nowhere to be. Let's settle in.
Is that the island?
-Do you ever sleep? -Why make this?
I'm not just gonna wait around to get barged.
Our mission is to find the transmitter, not take dumb tests.
You didn't really answer my question.
The transmitter's got to be in the Tower,
but there are no doors to get equipment in through.
KATE: How do they get the big transmitters in and out?
There's got to be a loading bay.
This inlet's close to the Tower.
It's shielded from the currents, and not easily visible from the mainland.
-If I were building a loading bay... -Huh. You're kind of making sense.
-Strange. -That's my destiny.
We're gonna dance.
CONSTANCE: Let's go.
Oh.
I guess you're coming.
This way.
The inlet should be right down...
(gasps) ...there!
CONSTANCE: What the heck are they doing down there?
KATE: They're working underwater?
Hey! What are you two doing out?
We couldn't sleep. We thought a brisk walk might help.
And you're off the pathway. You need to come with us.
Don't. She has bursitis.
It's gross.
And contagious.
Well, you're not supposed to be out this late.
JILLSON: Back to your rooms. We're watching.
And if we find you out again, full report.
Oh, thank goodness.
You made it.
-Was there any trouble? -Just a short delay.
Thank you, Milligan. I will make good on this debt.
-Bit of a first aid situation here... -On it.
Well, this will hurt.
What?
RHONDA: Sir.
I...
I wonder if this new knowledge of Curtain's identity
changes anything for us or you.
-Will you be able to... -Nothing changes.
BENEDICT: He's my responsibility.
And I'm the only one who can stop him.
There we go. Watch the nose cone, now.
CURTAIN: Nice.
Oh, S.Q., why don't you go sketch for a little bit, hmm?
Thank you.
Yes?
As you know,
the amplification-slash-modulation routine is less than perfect,
but I'm planning on leaning on a pure burst modality that will,
at the very least, isolate the variables.
Oh, 100 percent. Those variables.
I'm never sure you're actually listening to me.
Dr. Garrison. Friend. Please, don't say that.
I am focused. Your passions are my passions.
Your interests are my interests.
I am fascinated by the science.
Thank you. I work very hard at all this.
I know you do.
As I was saying, the process is extremely unstable, but...
Well, I'm fascinated, but...
...but with time...
We have a timetable issue.
What happened?
Our move to contain my brother has failed. I...
He's still out there. That's a concern.
-Not my problem. I'm an engineer. -Of course.
-Operations is a separate department. -Yeah.
-It's called "Operations". -Mm-hmm.
This means we have to begin testing our endgame immediately.
The table has been perfectly set. Now, we just have to serve.
Well, I understand the urgency. We're not ready yet.
You can't just flip a switch.
The power supply has to deliver within a very narrow set of valences,
and we're only now developing the protocols to even estimate a baseline.
Right. Right. Of course. But one more time,
everything after you just said "switch".
I'll do the best I can.
Remember, Dr. Garrison, power wants to be free.
-So, free it. -Okay.
-Yeah? -Mm-hmm.
Thank you.
All right.
REYNIE: Dear Ms. Perumal, I really wish I could talk to you right now.
You were always so calm, and...
I've never been more scared in my life.
Did I make a mistake coming here?
I know it's important, but I don't know if I can do what's being asked of me.
MAN 1: Market. To free the pain. Poison apples...
REYNIE: I trust Mr. Benedict,
and I trust that everything we're doing is for a good cause.
But it's all upside down.
I don't know if I'm the right person for this.
I miss you. I wish I was sitting across from you with a hot cup of tea.
You always have the perfect advice.
I'm a little worried about you, with all that's going on.
I hope you're doing well.
I hope you still think of me sometimes.
Love, Reynie. Muldoon.
Muldoon. M-U-L-D-O-O-N.
-Reynard Muldoon. -MAN 4: Ma'am, I'm sorry...
This is the Boatwright Academy, isn't it?
It is, but our policy states that we are not allowed to disclose any information
about our students to non-family members.
Be that as it may, I sent a package to one of your students.
Why was it returned?
-I have no idea. -He is a student there, is he not?
Ma'am, there's no Reynard Muldoon enrolled here.
There must be a mistake.
Tell your headmaster that I'm on my way to talk to her in person.