Mutant X Episode Transcripts: Ep 105 "Kilohertz"
Mutant X Episode Transcripts
Mutant X Episode #105 Transcript: " Kilohertz"
[Opening Scene: Shalimar and Jesse are flying over the city in the Double Helix on their way back to Sanctuary from a new mutant safehouse. Jesse calls ahead to tell Adam how things went.]
Jesse (swiveling in his chair): Everything went fine, Adam. There was no GSA interference, and no problems at the safehouse.
Shalimar (leaning over him): Yeah...unless you count this girl trying to convince Jesse to come with her into the underground as a problem.
Adam (laughing): I see.
Jesse: I was only flirting. I have no time for romance; far too busy making the world a safer place to live.
Shalimar: Oh, please.
Jesse: Besides, she wasn't my type. [Static sounds overhead in Sanctuary and the Double Helix as their communication lines are dropped. Shalimar and Jesse in the Helix, Adam in Sanctuary, and Mason in his Genomex office focus on their respective computers as the screens fill with blue static and a scrambled male voice issues forth.]
Kilohertz: Freaks of the world! My name is Kilohertz and I’m here to speak to you, for you, and about you. I’ve had it up to here with the way we’re treated. So consider this fair warning. We have the power, and we’re not gonna take it anymore. [As the image fades from their screens, the Double Helix loses power and begins to fall towards the ground.]
Shalimar: Adam, whatever that was, we just lost power!
Jesse (checking his computer): Yeah, and the computers are down.
Adam (going to the keyboard): Yeah, I’m offline here too. Now hold on, I’ll try to reboot; it’s gonna take me a few minutes to link back up.
Shalimar: Yeah, well in a few minutes, we’re gonna be a smear on the landscape! [Emma and Brennan run into Sanctuary.]
Emma: We were pulling into the garage when that power surge hit.
Brennan: What’s going on, Adam?
Adam (looking up from the computer): Jesse and Shalimar are up in the Double Helix. They’ve lost power, and I can’t reboot them from here. [He tries again.] It won’t reboot. I don’t have enough juice. Damn!
Brennan: Okay, stand back. Stand back! [When Adam backs away from the keyboard, Brennan shoots an electrical charge at the computer.] Okay, try it now.
Adam (typing in some commands): Shalimar, Jesse, are you there?
Jesse: Just got the manual override unlocked.
Shalimar: We’re still diving!
Jesse: Okay, I got it! Got it.
Shalimar (smiling in relief): We’re leveling off. Maybe we won’t cut it so close next time, huh? Too much of an adrenaline rush, even for me.
Adam (sighing): Yeah. Roger that. [He nods at Brennan.] Well, you just saved their lives.
Emma: What was that all about?
Adam: That was about a new mutant that we've gotta to find before the GSA does. For his sake and ours.
Opening Credits. “Kilohertz.”
[On Sanctuary’s main computer, Shalimar and Adam are watching Proxy Blue’s report on the recent events.]
Proxy Blue: Is it just me, or is this Kilohertz guy too much or what? A dozen counts of electronic vandalism in a week and counting? A million emails rerouted to never to be seen again? This guy’s a riot. I know we believe everything we’re told--
Adam: Mute. [The sound clicks off.] Have you seen the message ports?
Shalimar: Yeah. Looks like everyone in the world’s bending over backwards trying to figure out how he does it.
Adam: Yeah, but every new mutant knows the truth. He’s a threat to everything we’re doing.
Shalimar: Well, you don’t have to convince me. He almost got me and Jesse killed.
Emma (coming in): And he’s causing trouble for who have nothing to do with new mutants too. A high school freshman was beaten into a coma by three students who decided he was a freak.
Adam: You know how these hospitals lost power during his last rampage?
Shalimar: Yeah, they were lucky the emergency generators kicked in.
Adam: Yeah, and the traffic accidents he’s caused by hitting the power grid? That’s not winning him any friends.
Emma: Part of me thinks that his rants are a cry for help.
Adam: Yeah, but that’s not helping the people he’s hurt.
Shalimar: Yeah, and sooner or later, people are gonna realize what he really means by 'freak.' And us new mutants will take the heat for that.
[At Genomex, the young GS agent trainee Nick Renfield walks into Mason’s office and looks around.]
Mason: I assume you’ve heard about this Kilohertz, Mr. Renfield, and his invasion of this facility?
Nick: It’s all anyone at the academy is talking about, Mr. Eckhart.
Mason: Allowing him to continue to operate could be a disaster for the GSA. The minute the general public gets an idea of these anomalies out there, our work gets harder...and uglier. The last thing we want is public knowledge of these monstrosities. [He stands, facing the window.] It’s bad enough these super-powered freaks are out there just waiting to ambush the status quo but to have this anarchist electronically invade this facility and wreak electronic havoc at will...[He turns back to Nick.] Well, we have to stop him.
Nick: I understand. Completely, sir.
Mason (checking his computer): I see you’re in your final semester. I seem to recall that your indoctrination had its problematic sides.
Nick: Got off to a rough start, sir, but once I realized everything the Genetic Security Agency has to offer--
Mason (interrupting him): And everything you and your powers have to offer the GSA. It’s rare that so raw a recruit is pressed into early service.
Nick (surprised): Early service? You mean a field assignment, sir?
Mason: Yes, I’ve come to believe that a man of your particular talents could be a boon to us on this manhunt.
Nick: I’m honored, sir.
Mason: We’ve tracked the signal to several possible sources around the country and deployed agent teams to investigate. [He pushes a card across his desk.] These are your FCC credentials. See what you can uncover at WXDV.
Nick: Thank you, sir. I won’t let you down. [He walks out.]
[Sitting on the balcony railing next to Jesse on the second floor, Emma watches over his shoulder as he rearranges Kilohertz’s profile on his computer.]
Emma: Pretty scary looking if you ask me.
Jesse: Ah, he's just a new mutant trying to get a handle on his abilities. And he's scared.
Emma: You can be that sympathetic after he almost killed you and Shalimar?
Jesse: It was an accident.
Brennan (calling up from the main computer on the ground floor): Yeah, that doesn't mean he wouldn't kick the crap out of him if you gave him half a chance.
Jesse (laughing): Yeah, sympathy's one thing, but this guy's definitely asking for a serious whup-ass.
Brennan: Ooo, hey, tough guy. Are you ready?
Jesse: Yeah, whenever you are.
Emma: What are you doing?
Jesse: Well, we’ve got about a half-dozen different frames to work with, right? [Emma nods.] So we’re gonna take those images and try to work backwards to see what he really looks like.
Brennan: It’s kind of like educated guess work.
Emma: You know, in a weird sort of way, what you’re doing with the computer is like what I do with my telempathy.
Jesse: How so?
Emma: Well, you’ve got a bunch of images and you’ve gotta figure out how they fit together and what they mean.
Jesse: You want to take a whack at it?
Emma (shaking her head): Oh, I never got a handle on all that cyber stuff. Computers kinda give me the creeps.
Jesse: Come on, I can't believe you never did any playing around with computers.
Brennan: Not everybody was born with a silver spoon in their mouth, Jess.
Emma (laughing): No, it’s not that. My parents were real organic types. Microbiotic food, solar power, the whole deal. I grew up kind of uncomfortable around anything mechnical.
Brennan: Well, you seem to do all right in the lab with Adam.
Emma: Well, that’s different. You know, I guess it’s got to do with the whole organic thing, dealing with the human condition.
Adam (coming out of the lab lugging some equipment): How’re we doing up there?
Jesse (looking down at him): Uh, good. We uploaded all the images we could salvage from Kilohertz’s TV appearances, we put them through the digital processor, broke them down, put them together and we’ll see what we can get.
Emma (looking at the equipment he's carrying): What’s that?
Adam: Well, it’s just an idea at this point, but I’m hoping that it will be a devicethat we can use as a weapon against him. So light a fire under it. No telling when this guy might plan to strike again.
Jesse: Right.
[At the WXDV television station, Nick Renfield is pretending to be a representative of the FCC, questioning the station manager, Harve Goffman.]
Harve: I can assure you, Mr. Renfield, we have absolutely nothing to do with any of the signal interruptions!
Nick: I’ll still need full access to station records. We know for a fact that this Kilohertz used a local station to hack into the network grid.
Harve: You’ll have to file a written request, just like it says in the handbook!
Nick (taking off his glasses): We’ve got an emergency situation here, Harve. This Kilohertz character could hold the whole country hostage.
Harve: Fine. You wanna investigate us, do it by the book.
Nick: Now, I’d hoped we could avoid initiating a license revocation.
Harve: You’re putting us out of business?
Nick (sighing, putting his glasses back on): well, if that’s what it takes.
Harve: I want your superior’s name and number now! [Nick holds out his FCC card, purposefully dropping it on the floor.]
Nick: Sorry.
Harve (bending over): I’ve got it. [Nick touches the nape of his neck with two fingers, freezing Harve in place. Then he goes to the computer and waits impatiently as he downloads the stations database onto his disk. Outside, a station employee, Barry Stirling, knocks on the door.]
Barry: Mr. Goffman? Are you in there? Mr. Goffman? [Completing the download, Nick releases Harve and rushes out the door, nearly knocking Barry over in the process.]
Barry (hugging an armload of video tapes): Excuse me mean anything to you?
Harve (standing up, holding the fake FCC card): This doesn’t have the number on it.
Barry: Mr. Goffman? I’ve got the tapes you asked for.
Harve (looking around in confusion): What happened to that FCC guy?
Barry: FCC?
Harve: The jerk tried to strong-arm me! Thought we had something to do with this Kilohertz thing.
Barry (staring at him oddly): FCC....
[On th second floor of Sanctuary Emma looks at the computer screen over Jesse’s shoulder as he continues working to identify Kilohertz.]
Emma: That is so cool.
Jesse: Yeah. Well, then we cross-reference these potentials with Adam’s database.
Emma: So we’ll know which new mutant we’re dealing with.
Jesse (looking back at her): Aha. Sure you don’t wanna give it a shot? I guarantee you, once you get the hang of it, you’ll be hooked.
Emma: Okay. [She switches places with Jesse, who places her hands on the computer controls.]
Jesse: Okay. Put your hands on gently. [The computer starts to flip through the database, searching for a match.]
Emma (lifting her hands): Wait! It’s going too fast.
Jesse (replacing them): Not for the computer.
Emma (watching the images): Hey, that person’s kinda cute.
Jesse: Ah. Well, the cute one it is. [On the floor below them, Shalimar walks up to Brennan at the main computer, laughing.]
Brennan: Hey.
Shalimar (reading the profile Emma’s found): Barry Stirling. Works at Channel 13. Production assistant.
Adam (listening in from the lab): What better place for a video vandal to develop his resentments?
Shalimar: And act on them too.
Adam: All right, Brennan, I want you and Emma to invite Mr. Stirling over here to be our guest.
Brennan: Got it.
Adam: Now let’s not get too cocky. He may be the most powerful new mutant we’ve ever come across. Definitely the most volatile.
[Emma and Brennan wait in their car outside the WXDV station until Barry emerges.]
Emma: Here we go. [They get out.]
Brennan: You Barry Stirling?
Barry: I’ve got nothing to say to the FCC.
Brennan: The FCC? [He and Emma look at each other. Realizing they’re onto him, Barry flees. Brennan and Emma chase him through the parking lot, but before they can reach him, he slips behind a van that’s backing up to a wall. The van cuts off Brennan and Emma’s path, and by the time Emma and Brennan run around it, Barry has disappeared. Looking up onto the roof of the building, they see an electrical flash on one of the satellite dishes.]
Brennan: Well, something tells me we found our boy. Now we’ve just gotta find him again.
Emma (nodding): And figure out a way to keep him. [They leave.]
*********Commercial Break**********
[Back at Sanctuary, Brennan and Emma find Adam working on his device in the lab.]
Brennan: Well, he gave us the slip, Adam.
Emma: The weird thing was, he thought we were FCC.
Brennan: Yeah, but before we could talk to him, he took off. All that was left of him was a glow on a satellite dish.
Adam (wagging his instrument at them): Well, now we know how he gets around.
Emma: It was actually pretty incredible.
Brennan: Yeah, but it was sloppy. You know, he left a lot of residual energy just buzzing on the dish. Seems like he doesn’t have a lot of control over his abilities.
Adam: Well, that would account for all the collateral damage that his vandalisms cause. You know how he invades a network grid and accidentally takes out a hospital’s power? But his thinking that you both were members of the FCC, I think he’s run into someone from the GSA operating under false credentials.
Emma: So Eckhart’s after him too.
Brennan: Yeah. And he got there first.
Adam: Yeah.
[In his office, Mason’s tucking his plastic skin into his collar when Nick walks in unannounced.]
Nick: I can’t tell you how grateful I am for this opportunity--
Mason (interrupting him, holding up a hand): Don’t come any closer. Keep your distance until I’m sealed. [Straightening his tie, he turns.] If all you’ve got to share with me is gratitude, Mr. Renfield, I’m busy.
Nick (triumphantly): No, sir. I've come to report my data retrieval from WXDV.
Mason: Well, go ahead.
Nick (frowning): I'm not sure I understand, sir.
Mason: Report.
Nick: I did, sir. That was it.
Mason (going behind his desk): Mr. Renfield, I understand they teach a very specific 'keep your superiors in the loop' kind of procedure at the academy. But in the real world, I don't want to hear about anything until the job has been done, regardless of your pathetic people-pleasing.
Nick: Sorry, sir.
Mason: I don’t want apologies, Mr. Renfield, I want results. Every day this anomaly is at large endangers our mission. It’s time you justified my faith in you and put an end to his reign of terror. [Nodding, Nick leaves. Heading down to his own computer, Nick runs Kilohertz’s profile through the Genomex mutant database to search for a match, while he listens to one of Kilohertz’s broadcasts. Working on his contraption in Sanctuary’s lab, Adam also listens to the broadcast.]
Kilohertz: Freaks of the world! You can call me Kilohertz. And it’s time to step up to the plate and answer the big question. When are we gonna start breaking the law of averages and start taking what is rightfully ours? It’s all those pitifully average ones keeping us in our place while we keep hiding in plain sight, waiting for someone to notice us. Well, I’m here to give notice that we’re not hiding anymore. I’m calling out to all of you: the odd, the weird, the misplaced, the displaced. Our time is now. We freaks, we can do anything! But it’s the normal ones who control this world. But we have the power to take over, so when the hell are we gonna shove them aside and take what’s rightfully ours? ‘Cause we’re not going away. [Nick is so caught up in Kilohertz’s message that he’s startled when his computer beeps, signaling a match.]
Nick (reading the profile): Barry Stirling.
[At Sanctuary, Mutant X is gathered around the main computer, watching Proxy Blue.]
Proxy Blue: I tried to invite Kilohertz on the show, but he said the circus was coming to Wall Street and he was off to ride the bear.
Jesse: He’s gonna hit the stock market.
Emma: This guy could start another depression single-handed.
Adam: We’ve gotta start thinking of Kilohertz as a virus. Look, Jesse, you and I are gonna build a firewall maze around the financial databases, try to hold him back.
Emma (indicating Brennan): Do you want us to go to Barry’s?
Adam: I’m afraid the tele-empathic approach will only get us so far.
Shalimar: Time to get physical?
Adam: Yeah. I want you and Brennan to get over there. You’re up this time, let's go. [She and Brennan leave together, and Adam heads back to the lab. Emma rolls her eyes.]
Jesse (patting Emma’s arm): Come with me. I can’t think of a better way to get your feet wet. [She reluctantly follows him upstairs to his computer.]
Adam (calling up to them from the main computer): Hurry! The financial markets are already reacting to Kilohertz’s threat.
Emma (looking over Jesse’s shoulder): Everything looks okay.
Jesse: Yeah, well, just give it a minute. [He points to a blip in the financial charts.] There! There, the market is 90% perception. Looking solvent is almost as important as being solvent.
Emma: Well, can’t we do anything?
Adam: I’m doing the best I can. A firewall won’t stop him, it will only keep things from falling completely apart.
[Brennan and Shalimar drive up to Barry’s apartment building and get out.]
Shalimar: Any doubt in your mind maybe he’s not Kilohertz?
Brennan (spotting two black GSA SUVs across the parking lot): Well, if that’s the case, we’re not the only ones who got it wrong. Come on. [They run up the back stairs as Nick and his two GS agents gather outside the entrance.]
Nick: Let’s try to show a little restraint. We can do this without hurting him. [He points when Barry emerges from the building.] There he is. [Wielding their tasers, the GS agents run towards Barry, but Barry turns himself into a stream of pure energy and disappears into the satellite dish on the roof. Nick and his agents are left staring at the residual energy flashing on the dish. Watching from behind a wall, Shalimar turns to Brennan in surprise.]
Brennan: Yeah. Yeah, I know exactly how you feel. I’ve been through this already. Come on. [They head back to their car.]
******Commercial Break*******
[Adam, Jesse and Emma, and Mason are watching the daily news report on their three respective computer screens.]
Newscaster: Our first guest has his own take on the wild ride the market’s taking today, the result of threatened electronic invasion by a terrorist who calls himself Kilohertz. Please welcome one of Sheldrick and Martin’s most respected financial analysts-
Kilohertz (interrupting the broadcast): Me. And the rumors are all true. I’m warning every freak out there to pull out their cash. But until they do, I’m gonna move a little money around myself and kick some Wall Street ass.
Mason (over his intercom): Mr. Renfield, are you watching this?
Nick (outside Barry’s apartment, turning on his walkman): Watching it now, sir.
Kilohertz: So forget about your life savings, and forget about the meek inheriting the Earth. There’s nothing meek about me, or any other freaks out there who are gonna to follow my lead. Because it’s the freaks who are gonna own this planet, ‘cause we’re not going away!
Mason: Did you see that, Mr. Renfield?
Nick: Yes, sir.
Mason: I want this maniac in custody, or your career is over before it’s begun!
Adam: Jesse, I can’t find him on the grid. I need you to give me a complete damage report immediately.
Jesse: All right. Well, as far as I can tell, he’s out of the system, but he’s left a lot of damage behind. The NASDAQ and the Dow Jones are plummeting.
Emma: Well, if he’s gone, why is everything still going crazy?
Jesse: Well, because like I said, the market is 90% perception.
Adam: And right now, the perception is the bottom’s fallen out and there’s nobody there to stop the plunge.
Jesse: And in this case, unfortunately, they’re right. When he tore through the market databases he trashed all of the stopgaps.
Emma: But I thought you guys built a...
Jesse: A firewall.
Adam: We did. But I underestimated his power, and he breached the firewall. So, Jesse, it’s up to us now to initiate some damage control. I need you to use the Sanctuary’s system to try to stabilize the markets. Try to rebuild the stopgap from inside.
Jesse: I just hope he doesn’t decide to make a return visit while I’m doing the repairs.
[Shalimar and Brennan are on the roof of Barry’s apartment, as Brennan helps her attach a bungee cord around her waist. Beneath them, Barry emerges from the building again, to find Nick waiting for him.]
Nick: Barry. Kilohertz.
Barry (walking over to him): Who the hell are you? Hey, wait a minute. You’re that FCC guy!
Nick: Nick Renfield, Genetic Security Agency. I was undercover as an FCC rep. I want to tell you, I really love where you’re coming from. All of us freaks, we have to stick together.
Barry (grinning): Thanks, man. Are you really a freak? Or is that just a figure of speech? [His smile fades as he notices two GS agents coming up behind him, carrying their tasers. Brennan, looking down from the roof, releases two electrical charges at the GS agents, causing them to stumble backwards and drop their tasers. Shalimar leaps off the roof, grabs Barry in her arms, and bounces back up on the bungee line. Staring after them, Nick smiles.]
[Shalimar and Brennan escort Barry into Sanctuary, wearing a visual cloak.]
Barry (excited): All right, when do I get to look at the place?
Brennan (reaching over to remove the cloak): All right, settle down, settle down. Hold still.
Barry (looking around): Man, this is off the meter!
Brennan: Geez, if you’re so jazzed to be here, why didn’t you just come with us in the first place?
Barry: Well, you never told me you were with Mutant X. And besides, I wanted to see how I screwed up the economy.
Shalimar: Well, sorry about that, but Adam increased the market stopgap measures to prevent the Dow from falling any more than 2,000 points.
Barry: Well, you can’t blame me for trying. Who’s Adam?
Adam (sighing, coming down the stairs): That would be me. You’ve caused a lot of trouble for a lot of people out there, Barry. Besides your vandalism of the stock markets, I’ve just been reading reports on the havoc that you caused at the airports.
Barry (smiling): Things happen. [He holds out his hand.] Hey.
Adam (shaking his hand): Hey.
Barry: Somebody’s gotta tell the truth. I mean, that’s why you brought me here, right? Mutant X, Kilohertz? Ever since I heard about you guys, I knew sooner or later, you’d hook up with me. [Pointing at Brennan, he walk up to him.] That was pretty cool. When you threw those lightning bolts at those guys at my place? But you know what?
Brennan: What?
Barry: You throw energy. I am energy.
Brennan (sarcastically): Wow. Your parents must be really proud of you.
Barry: Yeah. [Adam and Shalimar look at each other.]
[Having returned to Genomex, Nick finds Mason crouched over a podded mutant.]
Mason: I gather your hesitation allowed Kilohertz to elude our grasp.
Nick: That is a complete misread of the situation, Mr. Eckhart.
Mason (standing): Frankly, I’m concerned about the empathy you seem to have developed for this renegade.
Nick: I believe that he is a dangerous anomaly that needs to be neutralized.
Mason: Nice recitation of the manual, Mr. Renfield, but hardly convincing. I’m afraid that I might have been a bit premature in rushing you into the field. I think perhaps you might need just a little more training before you go back on assignment. [Mason watches as Nick is placed into a sensory overstimulation machine. One of Kilohertz’s broadcasts is played overhead for negative reinforcement until the overwhelmed Nick collapses on the floor.]
[Adam puts an arm around Barry and walks him across the room, trying to get information. Jesse and Emma come down the stairs as Shalimar rolls her eyes at Brennan.]
Adam: Uh, Barry. Barry, when you transform into radio waves, what’s your range?
Barry: Without a transmitting device? Nowhere.
Adam: No, but with a transmitting device?
Barry: I surf the wavelength back to the satellite, and BAM! I’m in a million homes across the country, paving the way for new mutants to come out of their shells and take what’s rightfully theirs! [He hops energetically up the dojo stairs.] Now! Where do I sign on for Mutant X’s minister of propaganda? [Grinning at his audacity, Adam looks back at the team, assembled behind him.] What? I don’t mean to get all pushy, but you need someone like me to shake things up a little!
Adam (sighing): Barry, you have any idea how many people have suffered because of you?
Barry: I’m just doing what you’re doing.
Adam: Oh yeah? How’s that?
Barry: Keeping the faith! Reminding the freaks out there they’ve got the power if they’re willing to step up to the plate and use it!
Adam: All right, fine. You wanna make the world better for new mutants, then you just stop what you’re doing. Because every act of vandalism, it just causes more prejudice against new mutants. Prejudice against anybody who’s different.
Barry: Is...is this some kind of joke?
Adam: No, no. I’m deadly serious. I want you to stop.
Barry (shaking his head): No. Either you’re jealous, or you’re a sell-out like the rest of them!
Shalimar (starting towards him): Listen, you little-
Barry (interrupting her): No! Nobody shuts me up! You don’t want me on your side, fine! But you do not want me as an enemy either. I’m outta here. [He runs down the stairs towards the door.]
Adam: Hey, Barry. We let you outta here, the GSA’s gonna hunt you down.
Barry: Yeah? I talked to one of those guys. They appreciate what I can do! [He turns to find Jesse blocking his way.] Get the hell outta my way. [He throws a fist at Jesse, who phases. Shalimar punches Barry unconscious, and Jesse catches him.]
Shalimar (smiling): Oh, I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.
Brennan: I know exactly how you feel.
Adam (injecting Barry’s neck): This will knock him out for about 12 hours until we can figure out what to do with him. Why don’t you take him back to the lab; we’ll keep him in quarantine. [Brennan and Jesse take Barry’s arms. He nods at Shalimar.] Thank you.
********Commercial Break*********
[In Sanctuary’s lab, Adam analyzes a sample of Barry’s blood on the computer. Emma watches the sleeping Barry.]
Adam: Well, his DNA cellular structure is completely unstable. It’s caught in a flux between matter and energy.
Emma: Talk about unstable and flux, you ought to see him through my eyes. This guy’s an emotional time bomb with no self-control whatsoever. So what are we gonna do with him?
Adam: I have no idea. What scares me is when he realizes the full extent of his powers and then decides to wield those powers with lethal intent.
[Later, sitting around the low dinner table, Mutant X eats Japanese takeout with chopsticks, talking about Barry.]
Shalimar: We can’t keep him sedated forever, Adam.
Emma: Shalimar’s right.
Jesse: Yeah, what else can we say, we're not cops.
Brennan: Yeah, thank God for that. I'd be in serious trouble.
Adam (shaking his head): I wish I had an answer.
Jesse: What about a subdermal governor? [They all stare at him in shock.]
Brennan: What? You wanna play Eckhart’s game?
Emma: Come on, Jess, you’ve had one. Do you really wanna put anyone else through that?
Shalimar: Well, we all know it’s a problem, but like Adam said, what happens when Barry decides to get really nasty?
Brennan: Yeah, where did this GSA is A-okay business come from anyway?
Emma: Personally, I can’t see Barry and Eckhart hitting it off. But stranger things have happened.
Shalimar: Well, that’s one strange thing I don’t want to be around for.
Adam: All right, look, I know how we all feel about subdermal governors, but under the circumstances, I think we’re justified in using one. As a temporary solution. [They pick at their food. Meanwhile, in the lab, Barry wakes up to find himself imprisoned in the lab. Running to the computer, he turns himself into energy and jumps into one of the electrical ports. Mutant X jumps up in surprise when he reforms on the floor behind their table.]
Shalimar: How’d he get out?
Adam: His altered state must have undercut the sedative’s effectiveness.
Emma: Barry, you’ve got to listen. Leaving here would be a huge mistake.
Barry (angrily): Thinking you were the good guys was my big mistake. And since you don’t give a damn about my future or yours, I think it’s time we part company and I step up to the big leagues, baby! [Turning back into energy, he jumps into an energy portal in the wall and disappears, just as Brennan throws an electrical arc at him.]
Jesse: Neat trick.
Adam (running towards the lab): All right, Brennan, Jesse, come with me. [They follow him.]
[Back at the WXDV station, Barry knocks on Harve’s office door.]
Barry (coming in): Mr. Goffman?
Harve (turning): Where the hell have you been?
Barry: Where haven’t I been, Harve? Do you play the market?
Harve (frowning): Yeah.
Barry: Then I guarantee it, I cost you a bundle yesterday.
Harve: It’s you! You’re Kilohertz!
Barry: Yeah.
Harve: That FCC guy was right.
Barry: Yeah, but he wasn’t FCC. And you know what? I’m through being your lackey. The only reason I’m here is to use your satellite dish. Because tonight, I’m going international.
Harve: I’m calling the authorities. [He leaves.]
Barry: Whoo, whoo! Take your best shot! They haven’t caught me yet. And by the time they get here, I’ll be long gone.
Adam (coming in): No, you won’t.
Barry: Well, if it isn't everyone's favorite sod.
Adam: I want you to come back to the Sanctuary with me, Barry.
Barry: Why? So you can lock me up again?
Adam: No, just wanna talk. Try to work things out.
Barry: To hell with that. I’m gonna go check out the power grid. [Before Adam can stop him, Barry disappears into the electrical port.]
Adam (into his comlink): Brennan, here he comes. [Standing outside, Brennan waits until Barry’s energy reaches the satellite dish before aiming an electrical arc at the dish. Barry’s energy is redirected into the Double Helix, where Jesse’s waiting at his laptop next to Adam’s cylindrical contraption. Barry’s energy floats through the green fluid in the cylinders and into Jesse’s computer.]
Brennan: Jesse?
Jesse: Got him, Adam.
Barry’s voice: Do you really think you can hold me?
Jesse (calling back to Sanctuary): Shalimar?
Shalimar (waiting with Emma at the computer next to the dojo): Whenever you’re ready.
Jesse (typing a command): Transmitting...now.
Shalimar (typing a command): I got him. [Barry’s face appears on her screen within a grid of blue lasers.]
Barry: Don’t you know who I think I am?
Shalimar (pushing the mute button): Oh, shut up. [Emma laughs.] It worked, Adam. He’s frozen on the screen.
Brennan (helping Adam back into the Helix): Yep! Like catching lightning in a bottle.
Adam: Yeah, let’s keep him there. [Adam, Jesse, and Brennan return to Sanctuary, where Shalimar and Emma are watching Barry on the main computer screen.] Everything secure?
Shalimar: Yep, lockdown still in effect.
Adam: Good.
Barry (on the screen): So you say. But you don’t know who or what you’re dealing with. Or else you wouldn’t have bothered with all the extra junk. [Breaking out of his cell on the computer screen, Barry’s 3-D face appears in the air above Shalimar and Emma’s head and steadily grows larger.] Now don’t you wish we all had gotten along? Maybe then you wouldn’t be looking at your worst virus nightmare come to life.
******Commercial Break*******
[Adam rushes to Shalimar’s side, trying to reestablish control of Sanctuary’s computer.]
Barry: You’re wasting your time.
Adam: He accessed the password files when he was in the system.
Barry: You got that right, and I’m here to stay. And forget about countermanding the security code, because I’ve locked access. So it’s just us. For as long as I like.
Adam (to Jesse): All right, forget about that. Let’s find a way to bypass his control of the system.
Jesse (running upstairs to his computer): Right. [Shalimar follows him.]
Brennan: Hey! You know what your problem is, pal? You’ve got way too much spare time on your hands.
Barry: The only problem I got is the mistake I made about you, thinking you were heroes as opposed to a bunch of posers and losers. [Turning into energy again, Barry turns out the lights and starts racing around the walls.] I loved this place from the minute I saw it. So I figured it would be fun to take it apart and put it back together. [Running under their hands, he shocks Brennan, Shalimar, Jesse, and Adam in turn as they work at their respective computers.] Virtually speaking, that is. [The team looks up as the lights overhead burst, showering them with sparks.] But I’m not the one who is going to run out of oxygen now that I’ve cut off the air intake system, now am I? [Sanctuary begins to shake. Barry’s energy races around Shaliar’s head.] Ooo, no one to hit, huh, honey? [He runs over Brennan’s head.] No one to zap, huh, pal? [He flashes over Emma’s head.] No one to push around? [He jumps into Jesse’s computer, forcing him to get up.] And as for you, you can go ghost or granite, don’t mean a thing to me. Now the GSA, the minute I show up, they’ll treat me like a conquering hero.
Adam (pulling out his palm pilot): You really think they’ll let you continue this rampage?
Adam: No, no, no. They’re gonna turn you into a weapon. They’ll crush you like a bug.
Barry: Guy I talked to said they’d love to have me on their team. Especially after I’ve taken you down. And you know what, you might have a point. Instead of joining GSA, I’ll just take them over. Nothing like starting from the top, eh? [The team start to sweat and Shalimar falls to her knees with the lack of oxygen. Adam continues to work on his palm pilot.] Haven't you heard? Resistance is futile! I know what you’re doing. It’s a waste of time. Overloading the mainframe to get past my firewall?
Adam: That’s absolutely right. But it’s gonna trap you in here permanently.
Barry: You’re bluffing.
Adam: Try me. Brennan! Hit the mainframe with everything you’ve got.
Barry: Gotta go. But I’ll be back with my new GSA best friends.
Adam: Brennan! Hit the comlink system now! [Brennan zaps the computer just as the last of Barry’s energy works its way out of the building. Air starts to rush back into Sanctuary.] Good work, Brennan. I’ve reconfigured the comlink system so that he’ll never find his way back in again.
[In Mason’s office at Genomex, Mason stands next to Barry after his “retraining.”]
Mason: Can I assume your experience in retraining has had no detrimental effects on you, Mr. Renfield?
Nick: None at all, sir. I can’t imagine what got into me, Mr. Eckhart.
Mason: The answer to that is found in your genetic misfortune. The very gift that makes you so special leaves you vulnerable to hucksters and charlatans who want nothing more than your utter corruption.
Nick: I understand, sir. And I have renewed my vows of commitment to constant vigilance.
Mason (going back behind his desk): Does that mean I can assume you’re ready to go back to work?
Nick: Absolutely. I’m ready to take on whatever you have to offer, sir. [Just as Mason sits in his chair, the lights overhead flicker and alarms begin to go off. A weakened Barry materializes on the floor in the middle of the office.]
Mason (into his intercom): Security.
Barry (looking around, standing up): Now this is what I’m talking about!
Nick (looking at Mason): I’ll handle this.
Barry (recognizing him): Hey! It’s good to see you! [When Nick doesn’t answer, Barry realizes something’s wrong.] Woah, woah. I thought you guys would be glad to see me.
Nick: Glad to see you, Barry? [Barry rushes over to the electrical port, but before he can change into energy again, Nick touches his neck, freezing him in place.] We’re thrilled.
Mason (getting up): Nicely done, Mr. Renfield. [Nick smiles and nods at him.]
[At Sanctuary, Mutant X sits around watching Proxy Blue's report of the event.]
Proxy Blue: So Kilohertz turns out to be a computer geek loser who ate a bullet when the cops--
Adam (interrupting her): Mute.
Brennan: You've gotta give Eckhart credit.
Shalimar: Yeah, really, when he lies to the press, he doesn’t screw around.
Adam: Well, we lost one today, ladies and gentlemen.
Jesse: I'm not so certain. We kicked his butt. Albeit in the nick of time.
Emma: You saved the day, Adam.
Adam: No, I was thinking about Barry. He had some good ideas. I mean, we lost somebody who could have been a valuable ally, except he got carried away by his own sense of power. I just hope his loss doesn't come back to haunt us. [As Mutant X contemplates his words, Barry lies in a stasis pod at Genomex.]
Closing Credits.
Mutant X Episode #105 Transcript: " Kilohertz"
[Opening Scene: Shalimar and Jesse are flying over the city in the Double Helix on their way back to Sanctuary from a new mutant safehouse. Jesse calls ahead to tell Adam how things went.]
Jesse (swiveling in his chair): Everything went fine, Adam. There was no GSA interference, and no problems at the safehouse.
Shalimar (leaning over him): Yeah...unless you count this girl trying to convince Jesse to come with her into the underground as a problem.
Adam (laughing): I see.
Jesse: I was only flirting. I have no time for romance; far too busy making the world a safer place to live.
Shalimar: Oh, please.
Jesse: Besides, she wasn't my type. [Static sounds overhead in Sanctuary and the Double Helix as their communication lines are dropped. Shalimar and Jesse in the Helix, Adam in Sanctuary, and Mason in his Genomex office focus on their respective computers as the screens fill with blue static and a scrambled male voice issues forth.]
Kilohertz: Freaks of the world! My name is Kilohertz and I’m here to speak to you, for you, and about you. I’ve had it up to here with the way we’re treated. So consider this fair warning. We have the power, and we’re not gonna take it anymore. [As the image fades from their screens, the Double Helix loses power and begins to fall towards the ground.]
Shalimar: Adam, whatever that was, we just lost power!
Jesse (checking his computer): Yeah, and the computers are down.
Adam (going to the keyboard): Yeah, I’m offline here too. Now hold on, I’ll try to reboot; it’s gonna take me a few minutes to link back up.
Shalimar: Yeah, well in a few minutes, we’re gonna be a smear on the landscape! [Emma and Brennan run into Sanctuary.]
Emma: We were pulling into the garage when that power surge hit.
Brennan: What’s going on, Adam?
Adam (looking up from the computer): Jesse and Shalimar are up in the Double Helix. They’ve lost power, and I can’t reboot them from here. [He tries again.] It won’t reboot. I don’t have enough juice. Damn!
Brennan: Okay, stand back. Stand back! [When Adam backs away from the keyboard, Brennan shoots an electrical charge at the computer.] Okay, try it now.
Adam (typing in some commands): Shalimar, Jesse, are you there?
Jesse: Just got the manual override unlocked.
Shalimar: We’re still diving!
Jesse: Okay, I got it! Got it.
Shalimar (smiling in relief): We’re leveling off. Maybe we won’t cut it so close next time, huh? Too much of an adrenaline rush, even for me.
Adam (sighing): Yeah. Roger that. [He nods at Brennan.] Well, you just saved their lives.
Emma: What was that all about?
Adam: That was about a new mutant that we've gotta to find before the GSA does. For his sake and ours.
Opening Credits. “Kilohertz.”
[On Sanctuary’s main computer, Shalimar and Adam are watching Proxy Blue’s report on the recent events.]
Proxy Blue: Is it just me, or is this Kilohertz guy too much or what? A dozen counts of electronic vandalism in a week and counting? A million emails rerouted to never to be seen again? This guy’s a riot. I know we believe everything we’re told--
Adam: Mute. [The sound clicks off.] Have you seen the message ports?
Shalimar: Yeah. Looks like everyone in the world’s bending over backwards trying to figure out how he does it.
Adam: Yeah, but every new mutant knows the truth. He’s a threat to everything we’re doing.
Shalimar: Well, you don’t have to convince me. He almost got me and Jesse killed.
Emma (coming in): And he’s causing trouble for who have nothing to do with new mutants too. A high school freshman was beaten into a coma by three students who decided he was a freak.
Adam: You know how these hospitals lost power during his last rampage?
Shalimar: Yeah, they were lucky the emergency generators kicked in.
Adam: Yeah, and the traffic accidents he’s caused by hitting the power grid? That’s not winning him any friends.
Emma: Part of me thinks that his rants are a cry for help.
Adam: Yeah, but that’s not helping the people he’s hurt.
Shalimar: Yeah, and sooner or later, people are gonna realize what he really means by 'freak.' And us new mutants will take the heat for that.
[At Genomex, the young GS agent trainee Nick Renfield walks into Mason’s office and looks around.]
Mason: I assume you’ve heard about this Kilohertz, Mr. Renfield, and his invasion of this facility?
Nick: It’s all anyone at the academy is talking about, Mr. Eckhart.
Mason: Allowing him to continue to operate could be a disaster for the GSA. The minute the general public gets an idea of these anomalies out there, our work gets harder...and uglier. The last thing we want is public knowledge of these monstrosities. [He stands, facing the window.] It’s bad enough these super-powered freaks are out there just waiting to ambush the status quo but to have this anarchist electronically invade this facility and wreak electronic havoc at will...[He turns back to Nick.] Well, we have to stop him.
Nick: I understand. Completely, sir.
Mason (checking his computer): I see you’re in your final semester. I seem to recall that your indoctrination had its problematic sides.
Nick: Got off to a rough start, sir, but once I realized everything the Genetic Security Agency has to offer--
Mason (interrupting him): And everything you and your powers have to offer the GSA. It’s rare that so raw a recruit is pressed into early service.
Nick (surprised): Early service? You mean a field assignment, sir?
Mason: Yes, I’ve come to believe that a man of your particular talents could be a boon to us on this manhunt.
Nick: I’m honored, sir.
Mason: We’ve tracked the signal to several possible sources around the country and deployed agent teams to investigate. [He pushes a card across his desk.] These are your FCC credentials. See what you can uncover at WXDV.
Nick: Thank you, sir. I won’t let you down. [He walks out.]
[Sitting on the balcony railing next to Jesse on the second floor, Emma watches over his shoulder as he rearranges Kilohertz’s profile on his computer.]
Emma: Pretty scary looking if you ask me.
Jesse: Ah, he's just a new mutant trying to get a handle on his abilities. And he's scared.
Emma: You can be that sympathetic after he almost killed you and Shalimar?
Jesse: It was an accident.
Brennan (calling up from the main computer on the ground floor): Yeah, that doesn't mean he wouldn't kick the crap out of him if you gave him half a chance.
Jesse (laughing): Yeah, sympathy's one thing, but this guy's definitely asking for a serious whup-ass.
Brennan: Ooo, hey, tough guy. Are you ready?
Jesse: Yeah, whenever you are.
Emma: What are you doing?
Jesse: Well, we’ve got about a half-dozen different frames to work with, right? [Emma nods.] So we’re gonna take those images and try to work backwards to see what he really looks like.
Brennan: It’s kind of like educated guess work.
Emma: You know, in a weird sort of way, what you’re doing with the computer is like what I do with my telempathy.
Jesse: How so?
Emma: Well, you’ve got a bunch of images and you’ve gotta figure out how they fit together and what they mean.
Jesse: You want to take a whack at it?
Emma (shaking her head): Oh, I never got a handle on all that cyber stuff. Computers kinda give me the creeps.
Jesse: Come on, I can't believe you never did any playing around with computers.
Brennan: Not everybody was born with a silver spoon in their mouth, Jess.
Emma (laughing): No, it’s not that. My parents were real organic types. Microbiotic food, solar power, the whole deal. I grew up kind of uncomfortable around anything mechnical.
Brennan: Well, you seem to do all right in the lab with Adam.
Emma: Well, that’s different. You know, I guess it’s got to do with the whole organic thing, dealing with the human condition.
Adam (coming out of the lab lugging some equipment): How’re we doing up there?
Jesse (looking down at him): Uh, good. We uploaded all the images we could salvage from Kilohertz’s TV appearances, we put them through the digital processor, broke them down, put them together and we’ll see what we can get.
Emma (looking at the equipment he's carrying): What’s that?
Adam: Well, it’s just an idea at this point, but I’m hoping that it will be a devicethat we can use as a weapon against him. So light a fire under it. No telling when this guy might plan to strike again.
Jesse: Right.
[At the WXDV television station, Nick Renfield is pretending to be a representative of the FCC, questioning the station manager, Harve Goffman.]
Harve: I can assure you, Mr. Renfield, we have absolutely nothing to do with any of the signal interruptions!
Nick: I’ll still need full access to station records. We know for a fact that this Kilohertz used a local station to hack into the network grid.
Harve: You’ll have to file a written request, just like it says in the handbook!
Nick (taking off his glasses): We’ve got an emergency situation here, Harve. This Kilohertz character could hold the whole country hostage.
Harve: Fine. You wanna investigate us, do it by the book.
Nick: Now, I’d hoped we could avoid initiating a license revocation.
Harve: You’re putting us out of business?
Nick (sighing, putting his glasses back on): well, if that’s what it takes.
Harve: I want your superior’s name and number now! [Nick holds out his FCC card, purposefully dropping it on the floor.]
Nick: Sorry.
Harve (bending over): I’ve got it. [Nick touches the nape of his neck with two fingers, freezing Harve in place. Then he goes to the computer and waits impatiently as he downloads the stations database onto his disk. Outside, a station employee, Barry Stirling, knocks on the door.]
Barry: Mr. Goffman? Are you in there? Mr. Goffman? [Completing the download, Nick releases Harve and rushes out the door, nearly knocking Barry over in the process.]
Barry (hugging an armload of video tapes): Excuse me mean anything to you?
Harve (standing up, holding the fake FCC card): This doesn’t have the number on it.
Barry: Mr. Goffman? I’ve got the tapes you asked for.
Harve (looking around in confusion): What happened to that FCC guy?
Barry: FCC?
Harve: The jerk tried to strong-arm me! Thought we had something to do with this Kilohertz thing.
Barry (staring at him oddly): FCC....
[On th second floor of Sanctuary Emma looks at the computer screen over Jesse’s shoulder as he continues working to identify Kilohertz.]
Emma: That is so cool.
Jesse: Yeah. Well, then we cross-reference these potentials with Adam’s database.
Emma: So we’ll know which new mutant we’re dealing with.
Jesse (looking back at her): Aha. Sure you don’t wanna give it a shot? I guarantee you, once you get the hang of it, you’ll be hooked.
Emma: Okay. [She switches places with Jesse, who places her hands on the computer controls.]
Jesse: Okay. Put your hands on gently. [The computer starts to flip through the database, searching for a match.]
Emma (lifting her hands): Wait! It’s going too fast.
Jesse (replacing them): Not for the computer.
Emma (watching the images): Hey, that person’s kinda cute.
Jesse: Ah. Well, the cute one it is. [On the floor below them, Shalimar walks up to Brennan at the main computer, laughing.]
Brennan: Hey.
Shalimar (reading the profile Emma’s found): Barry Stirling. Works at Channel 13. Production assistant.
Adam (listening in from the lab): What better place for a video vandal to develop his resentments?
Shalimar: And act on them too.
Adam: All right, Brennan, I want you and Emma to invite Mr. Stirling over here to be our guest.
Brennan: Got it.
Adam: Now let’s not get too cocky. He may be the most powerful new mutant we’ve ever come across. Definitely the most volatile.
[Emma and Brennan wait in their car outside the WXDV station until Barry emerges.]
Emma: Here we go. [They get out.]
Brennan: You Barry Stirling?
Barry: I’ve got nothing to say to the FCC.
Brennan: The FCC? [He and Emma look at each other. Realizing they’re onto him, Barry flees. Brennan and Emma chase him through the parking lot, but before they can reach him, he slips behind a van that’s backing up to a wall. The van cuts off Brennan and Emma’s path, and by the time Emma and Brennan run around it, Barry has disappeared. Looking up onto the roof of the building, they see an electrical flash on one of the satellite dishes.]
Brennan: Well, something tells me we found our boy. Now we’ve just gotta find him again.
Emma (nodding): And figure out a way to keep him. [They leave.]
*********Commercial Break**********
[Back at Sanctuary, Brennan and Emma find Adam working on his device in the lab.]
Brennan: Well, he gave us the slip, Adam.
Emma: The weird thing was, he thought we were FCC.
Brennan: Yeah, but before we could talk to him, he took off. All that was left of him was a glow on a satellite dish.
Adam (wagging his instrument at them): Well, now we know how he gets around.
Emma: It was actually pretty incredible.
Brennan: Yeah, but it was sloppy. You know, he left a lot of residual energy just buzzing on the dish. Seems like he doesn’t have a lot of control over his abilities.
Adam: Well, that would account for all the collateral damage that his vandalisms cause. You know how he invades a network grid and accidentally takes out a hospital’s power? But his thinking that you both were members of the FCC, I think he’s run into someone from the GSA operating under false credentials.
Emma: So Eckhart’s after him too.
Brennan: Yeah. And he got there first.
Adam: Yeah.
[In his office, Mason’s tucking his plastic skin into his collar when Nick walks in unannounced.]
Nick: I can’t tell you how grateful I am for this opportunity--
Mason (interrupting him, holding up a hand): Don’t come any closer. Keep your distance until I’m sealed. [Straightening his tie, he turns.] If all you’ve got to share with me is gratitude, Mr. Renfield, I’m busy.
Nick (triumphantly): No, sir. I've come to report my data retrieval from WXDV.
Mason: Well, go ahead.
Nick (frowning): I'm not sure I understand, sir.
Mason: Report.
Nick: I did, sir. That was it.
Mason (going behind his desk): Mr. Renfield, I understand they teach a very specific 'keep your superiors in the loop' kind of procedure at the academy. But in the real world, I don't want to hear about anything until the job has been done, regardless of your pathetic people-pleasing.
Nick: Sorry, sir.
Mason: I don’t want apologies, Mr. Renfield, I want results. Every day this anomaly is at large endangers our mission. It’s time you justified my faith in you and put an end to his reign of terror. [Nodding, Nick leaves. Heading down to his own computer, Nick runs Kilohertz’s profile through the Genomex mutant database to search for a match, while he listens to one of Kilohertz’s broadcasts. Working on his contraption in Sanctuary’s lab, Adam also listens to the broadcast.]
Kilohertz: Freaks of the world! You can call me Kilohertz. And it’s time to step up to the plate and answer the big question. When are we gonna start breaking the law of averages and start taking what is rightfully ours? It’s all those pitifully average ones keeping us in our place while we keep hiding in plain sight, waiting for someone to notice us. Well, I’m here to give notice that we’re not hiding anymore. I’m calling out to all of you: the odd, the weird, the misplaced, the displaced. Our time is now. We freaks, we can do anything! But it’s the normal ones who control this world. But we have the power to take over, so when the hell are we gonna shove them aside and take what’s rightfully ours? ‘Cause we’re not going away. [Nick is so caught up in Kilohertz’s message that he’s startled when his computer beeps, signaling a match.]
Nick (reading the profile): Barry Stirling.
[At Sanctuary, Mutant X is gathered around the main computer, watching Proxy Blue.]
Proxy Blue: I tried to invite Kilohertz on the show, but he said the circus was coming to Wall Street and he was off to ride the bear.
Jesse: He’s gonna hit the stock market.
Emma: This guy could start another depression single-handed.
Adam: We’ve gotta start thinking of Kilohertz as a virus. Look, Jesse, you and I are gonna build a firewall maze around the financial databases, try to hold him back.
Emma (indicating Brennan): Do you want us to go to Barry’s?
Adam: I’m afraid the tele-empathic approach will only get us so far.
Shalimar: Time to get physical?
Adam: Yeah. I want you and Brennan to get over there. You’re up this time, let's go. [She and Brennan leave together, and Adam heads back to the lab. Emma rolls her eyes.]
Jesse (patting Emma’s arm): Come with me. I can’t think of a better way to get your feet wet. [She reluctantly follows him upstairs to his computer.]
Adam (calling up to them from the main computer): Hurry! The financial markets are already reacting to Kilohertz’s threat.
Emma (looking over Jesse’s shoulder): Everything looks okay.
Jesse: Yeah, well, just give it a minute. [He points to a blip in the financial charts.] There! There, the market is 90% perception. Looking solvent is almost as important as being solvent.
Emma: Well, can’t we do anything?
Adam: I’m doing the best I can. A firewall won’t stop him, it will only keep things from falling completely apart.
[Brennan and Shalimar drive up to Barry’s apartment building and get out.]
Shalimar: Any doubt in your mind maybe he’s not Kilohertz?
Brennan (spotting two black GSA SUVs across the parking lot): Well, if that’s the case, we’re not the only ones who got it wrong. Come on. [They run up the back stairs as Nick and his two GS agents gather outside the entrance.]
Nick: Let’s try to show a little restraint. We can do this without hurting him. [He points when Barry emerges from the building.] There he is. [Wielding their tasers, the GS agents run towards Barry, but Barry turns himself into a stream of pure energy and disappears into the satellite dish on the roof. Nick and his agents are left staring at the residual energy flashing on the dish. Watching from behind a wall, Shalimar turns to Brennan in surprise.]
Brennan: Yeah. Yeah, I know exactly how you feel. I’ve been through this already. Come on. [They head back to their car.]
******Commercial Break*******
[Adam, Jesse and Emma, and Mason are watching the daily news report on their three respective computer screens.]
Newscaster: Our first guest has his own take on the wild ride the market’s taking today, the result of threatened electronic invasion by a terrorist who calls himself Kilohertz. Please welcome one of Sheldrick and Martin’s most respected financial analysts-
Kilohertz (interrupting the broadcast): Me. And the rumors are all true. I’m warning every freak out there to pull out their cash. But until they do, I’m gonna move a little money around myself and kick some Wall Street ass.
Mason (over his intercom): Mr. Renfield, are you watching this?
Nick (outside Barry’s apartment, turning on his walkman): Watching it now, sir.
Kilohertz: So forget about your life savings, and forget about the meek inheriting the Earth. There’s nothing meek about me, or any other freaks out there who are gonna to follow my lead. Because it’s the freaks who are gonna own this planet, ‘cause we’re not going away!
Mason: Did you see that, Mr. Renfield?
Nick: Yes, sir.
Mason: I want this maniac in custody, or your career is over before it’s begun!
Adam: Jesse, I can’t find him on the grid. I need you to give me a complete damage report immediately.
Jesse: All right. Well, as far as I can tell, he’s out of the system, but he’s left a lot of damage behind. The NASDAQ and the Dow Jones are plummeting.
Emma: Well, if he’s gone, why is everything still going crazy?
Jesse: Well, because like I said, the market is 90% perception.
Adam: And right now, the perception is the bottom’s fallen out and there’s nobody there to stop the plunge.
Jesse: And in this case, unfortunately, they’re right. When he tore through the market databases he trashed all of the stopgaps.
Emma: But I thought you guys built a...
Jesse: A firewall.
Adam: We did. But I underestimated his power, and he breached the firewall. So, Jesse, it’s up to us now to initiate some damage control. I need you to use the Sanctuary’s system to try to stabilize the markets. Try to rebuild the stopgap from inside.
Jesse: I just hope he doesn’t decide to make a return visit while I’m doing the repairs.
[Shalimar and Brennan are on the roof of Barry’s apartment, as Brennan helps her attach a bungee cord around her waist. Beneath them, Barry emerges from the building again, to find Nick waiting for him.]
Nick: Barry. Kilohertz.
Barry (walking over to him): Who the hell are you? Hey, wait a minute. You’re that FCC guy!
Nick: Nick Renfield, Genetic Security Agency. I was undercover as an FCC rep. I want to tell you, I really love where you’re coming from. All of us freaks, we have to stick together.
Barry (grinning): Thanks, man. Are you really a freak? Or is that just a figure of speech? [His smile fades as he notices two GS agents coming up behind him, carrying their tasers. Brennan, looking down from the roof, releases two electrical charges at the GS agents, causing them to stumble backwards and drop their tasers. Shalimar leaps off the roof, grabs Barry in her arms, and bounces back up on the bungee line. Staring after them, Nick smiles.]
[Shalimar and Brennan escort Barry into Sanctuary, wearing a visual cloak.]
Barry (excited): All right, when do I get to look at the place?
Brennan (reaching over to remove the cloak): All right, settle down, settle down. Hold still.
Barry (looking around): Man, this is off the meter!
Brennan: Geez, if you’re so jazzed to be here, why didn’t you just come with us in the first place?
Barry: Well, you never told me you were with Mutant X. And besides, I wanted to see how I screwed up the economy.
Shalimar: Well, sorry about that, but Adam increased the market stopgap measures to prevent the Dow from falling any more than 2,000 points.
Barry: Well, you can’t blame me for trying. Who’s Adam?
Adam (sighing, coming down the stairs): That would be me. You’ve caused a lot of trouble for a lot of people out there, Barry. Besides your vandalism of the stock markets, I’ve just been reading reports on the havoc that you caused at the airports.
Barry (smiling): Things happen. [He holds out his hand.] Hey.
Adam (shaking his hand): Hey.
Barry: Somebody’s gotta tell the truth. I mean, that’s why you brought me here, right? Mutant X, Kilohertz? Ever since I heard about you guys, I knew sooner or later, you’d hook up with me. [Pointing at Brennan, he walk up to him.] That was pretty cool. When you threw those lightning bolts at those guys at my place? But you know what?
Brennan: What?
Barry: You throw energy. I am energy.
Brennan (sarcastically): Wow. Your parents must be really proud of you.
Barry: Yeah. [Adam and Shalimar look at each other.]
[Having returned to Genomex, Nick finds Mason crouched over a podded mutant.]
Mason: I gather your hesitation allowed Kilohertz to elude our grasp.
Nick: That is a complete misread of the situation, Mr. Eckhart.
Mason (standing): Frankly, I’m concerned about the empathy you seem to have developed for this renegade.
Nick: I believe that he is a dangerous anomaly that needs to be neutralized.
Mason: Nice recitation of the manual, Mr. Renfield, but hardly convincing. I’m afraid that I might have been a bit premature in rushing you into the field. I think perhaps you might need just a little more training before you go back on assignment. [Mason watches as Nick is placed into a sensory overstimulation machine. One of Kilohertz’s broadcasts is played overhead for negative reinforcement until the overwhelmed Nick collapses on the floor.]
[Adam puts an arm around Barry and walks him across the room, trying to get information. Jesse and Emma come down the stairs as Shalimar rolls her eyes at Brennan.]
Adam: Uh, Barry. Barry, when you transform into radio waves, what’s your range?
Barry: Without a transmitting device? Nowhere.
Adam: No, but with a transmitting device?
Barry: I surf the wavelength back to the satellite, and BAM! I’m in a million homes across the country, paving the way for new mutants to come out of their shells and take what’s rightfully theirs! [He hops energetically up the dojo stairs.] Now! Where do I sign on for Mutant X’s minister of propaganda? [Grinning at his audacity, Adam looks back at the team, assembled behind him.] What? I don’t mean to get all pushy, but you need someone like me to shake things up a little!
Adam (sighing): Barry, you have any idea how many people have suffered because of you?
Barry: I’m just doing what you’re doing.
Adam: Oh yeah? How’s that?
Barry: Keeping the faith! Reminding the freaks out there they’ve got the power if they’re willing to step up to the plate and use it!
Adam: All right, fine. You wanna make the world better for new mutants, then you just stop what you’re doing. Because every act of vandalism, it just causes more prejudice against new mutants. Prejudice against anybody who’s different.
Barry: Is...is this some kind of joke?
Adam: No, no. I’m deadly serious. I want you to stop.
Barry (shaking his head): No. Either you’re jealous, or you’re a sell-out like the rest of them!
Shalimar (starting towards him): Listen, you little-
Barry (interrupting her): No! Nobody shuts me up! You don’t want me on your side, fine! But you do not want me as an enemy either. I’m outta here. [He runs down the stairs towards the door.]
Adam: Hey, Barry. We let you outta here, the GSA’s gonna hunt you down.
Barry: Yeah? I talked to one of those guys. They appreciate what I can do! [He turns to find Jesse blocking his way.] Get the hell outta my way. [He throws a fist at Jesse, who phases. Shalimar punches Barry unconscious, and Jesse catches him.]
Shalimar (smiling): Oh, I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.
Brennan: I know exactly how you feel.
Adam (injecting Barry’s neck): This will knock him out for about 12 hours until we can figure out what to do with him. Why don’t you take him back to the lab; we’ll keep him in quarantine. [Brennan and Jesse take Barry’s arms. He nods at Shalimar.] Thank you.
********Commercial Break*********
[In Sanctuary’s lab, Adam analyzes a sample of Barry’s blood on the computer. Emma watches the sleeping Barry.]
Adam: Well, his DNA cellular structure is completely unstable. It’s caught in a flux between matter and energy.
Emma: Talk about unstable and flux, you ought to see him through my eyes. This guy’s an emotional time bomb with no self-control whatsoever. So what are we gonna do with him?
Adam: I have no idea. What scares me is when he realizes the full extent of his powers and then decides to wield those powers with lethal intent.
[Later, sitting around the low dinner table, Mutant X eats Japanese takeout with chopsticks, talking about Barry.]
Shalimar: We can’t keep him sedated forever, Adam.
Emma: Shalimar’s right.
Jesse: Yeah, what else can we say, we're not cops.
Brennan: Yeah, thank God for that. I'd be in serious trouble.
Adam (shaking his head): I wish I had an answer.
Jesse: What about a subdermal governor? [They all stare at him in shock.]
Brennan: What? You wanna play Eckhart’s game?
Emma: Come on, Jess, you’ve had one. Do you really wanna put anyone else through that?
Shalimar: Well, we all know it’s a problem, but like Adam said, what happens when Barry decides to get really nasty?
Brennan: Yeah, where did this GSA is A-okay business come from anyway?
Emma: Personally, I can’t see Barry and Eckhart hitting it off. But stranger things have happened.
Shalimar: Well, that’s one strange thing I don’t want to be around for.
Adam: All right, look, I know how we all feel about subdermal governors, but under the circumstances, I think we’re justified in using one. As a temporary solution. [They pick at their food. Meanwhile, in the lab, Barry wakes up to find himself imprisoned in the lab. Running to the computer, he turns himself into energy and jumps into one of the electrical ports. Mutant X jumps up in surprise when he reforms on the floor behind their table.]
Shalimar: How’d he get out?
Adam: His altered state must have undercut the sedative’s effectiveness.
Emma: Barry, you’ve got to listen. Leaving here would be a huge mistake.
Barry (angrily): Thinking you were the good guys was my big mistake. And since you don’t give a damn about my future or yours, I think it’s time we part company and I step up to the big leagues, baby! [Turning back into energy, he jumps into an energy portal in the wall and disappears, just as Brennan throws an electrical arc at him.]
Jesse: Neat trick.
Adam (running towards the lab): All right, Brennan, Jesse, come with me. [They follow him.]
[Back at the WXDV station, Barry knocks on Harve’s office door.]
Barry (coming in): Mr. Goffman?
Harve (turning): Where the hell have you been?
Barry: Where haven’t I been, Harve? Do you play the market?
Harve (frowning): Yeah.
Barry: Then I guarantee it, I cost you a bundle yesterday.
Harve: It’s you! You’re Kilohertz!
Barry: Yeah.
Harve: That FCC guy was right.
Barry: Yeah, but he wasn’t FCC. And you know what? I’m through being your lackey. The only reason I’m here is to use your satellite dish. Because tonight, I’m going international.
Harve: I’m calling the authorities. [He leaves.]
Barry: Whoo, whoo! Take your best shot! They haven’t caught me yet. And by the time they get here, I’ll be long gone.
Adam (coming in): No, you won’t.
Barry: Well, if it isn't everyone's favorite sod.
Adam: I want you to come back to the Sanctuary with me, Barry.
Barry: Why? So you can lock me up again?
Adam: No, just wanna talk. Try to work things out.
Barry: To hell with that. I’m gonna go check out the power grid. [Before Adam can stop him, Barry disappears into the electrical port.]
Adam (into his comlink): Brennan, here he comes. [Standing outside, Brennan waits until Barry’s energy reaches the satellite dish before aiming an electrical arc at the dish. Barry’s energy is redirected into the Double Helix, where Jesse’s waiting at his laptop next to Adam’s cylindrical contraption. Barry’s energy floats through the green fluid in the cylinders and into Jesse’s computer.]
Brennan: Jesse?
Jesse: Got him, Adam.
Barry’s voice: Do you really think you can hold me?
Jesse (calling back to Sanctuary): Shalimar?
Shalimar (waiting with Emma at the computer next to the dojo): Whenever you’re ready.
Jesse (typing a command): Transmitting...now.
Shalimar (typing a command): I got him. [Barry’s face appears on her screen within a grid of blue lasers.]
Barry: Don’t you know who I think I am?
Shalimar (pushing the mute button): Oh, shut up. [Emma laughs.] It worked, Adam. He’s frozen on the screen.
Brennan (helping Adam back into the Helix): Yep! Like catching lightning in a bottle.
Adam: Yeah, let’s keep him there. [Adam, Jesse, and Brennan return to Sanctuary, where Shalimar and Emma are watching Barry on the main computer screen.] Everything secure?
Shalimar: Yep, lockdown still in effect.
Adam: Good.
Barry (on the screen): So you say. But you don’t know who or what you’re dealing with. Or else you wouldn’t have bothered with all the extra junk. [Breaking out of his cell on the computer screen, Barry’s 3-D face appears in the air above Shalimar and Emma’s head and steadily grows larger.] Now don’t you wish we all had gotten along? Maybe then you wouldn’t be looking at your worst virus nightmare come to life.
******Commercial Break*******
[Adam rushes to Shalimar’s side, trying to reestablish control of Sanctuary’s computer.]
Barry: You’re wasting your time.
Adam: He accessed the password files when he was in the system.
Barry: You got that right, and I’m here to stay. And forget about countermanding the security code, because I’ve locked access. So it’s just us. For as long as I like.
Adam (to Jesse): All right, forget about that. Let’s find a way to bypass his control of the system.
Jesse (running upstairs to his computer): Right. [Shalimar follows him.]
Brennan: Hey! You know what your problem is, pal? You’ve got way too much spare time on your hands.
Barry: The only problem I got is the mistake I made about you, thinking you were heroes as opposed to a bunch of posers and losers. [Turning into energy again, Barry turns out the lights and starts racing around the walls.] I loved this place from the minute I saw it. So I figured it would be fun to take it apart and put it back together. [Running under their hands, he shocks Brennan, Shalimar, Jesse, and Adam in turn as they work at their respective computers.] Virtually speaking, that is. [The team looks up as the lights overhead burst, showering them with sparks.] But I’m not the one who is going to run out of oxygen now that I’ve cut off the air intake system, now am I? [Sanctuary begins to shake. Barry’s energy races around Shaliar’s head.] Ooo, no one to hit, huh, honey? [He runs over Brennan’s head.] No one to zap, huh, pal? [He flashes over Emma’s head.] No one to push around? [He jumps into Jesse’s computer, forcing him to get up.] And as for you, you can go ghost or granite, don’t mean a thing to me. Now the GSA, the minute I show up, they’ll treat me like a conquering hero.
Adam (pulling out his palm pilot): You really think they’ll let you continue this rampage?
Adam: No, no, no. They’re gonna turn you into a weapon. They’ll crush you like a bug.
Barry: Guy I talked to said they’d love to have me on their team. Especially after I’ve taken you down. And you know what, you might have a point. Instead of joining GSA, I’ll just take them over. Nothing like starting from the top, eh? [The team start to sweat and Shalimar falls to her knees with the lack of oxygen. Adam continues to work on his palm pilot.] Haven't you heard? Resistance is futile! I know what you’re doing. It’s a waste of time. Overloading the mainframe to get past my firewall?
Adam: That’s absolutely right. But it’s gonna trap you in here permanently.
Barry: You’re bluffing.
Adam: Try me. Brennan! Hit the mainframe with everything you’ve got.
Barry: Gotta go. But I’ll be back with my new GSA best friends.
Adam: Brennan! Hit the comlink system now! [Brennan zaps the computer just as the last of Barry’s energy works its way out of the building. Air starts to rush back into Sanctuary.] Good work, Brennan. I’ve reconfigured the comlink system so that he’ll never find his way back in again.
[In Mason’s office at Genomex, Mason stands next to Barry after his “retraining.”]
Mason: Can I assume your experience in retraining has had no detrimental effects on you, Mr. Renfield?
Nick: None at all, sir. I can’t imagine what got into me, Mr. Eckhart.
Mason: The answer to that is found in your genetic misfortune. The very gift that makes you so special leaves you vulnerable to hucksters and charlatans who want nothing more than your utter corruption.
Nick: I understand, sir. And I have renewed my vows of commitment to constant vigilance.
Mason (going back behind his desk): Does that mean I can assume you’re ready to go back to work?
Nick: Absolutely. I’m ready to take on whatever you have to offer, sir. [Just as Mason sits in his chair, the lights overhead flicker and alarms begin to go off. A weakened Barry materializes on the floor in the middle of the office.]
Mason (into his intercom): Security.
Barry (looking around, standing up): Now this is what I’m talking about!
Nick (looking at Mason): I’ll handle this.
Barry (recognizing him): Hey! It’s good to see you! [When Nick doesn’t answer, Barry realizes something’s wrong.] Woah, woah. I thought you guys would be glad to see me.
Nick: Glad to see you, Barry? [Barry rushes over to the electrical port, but before he can change into energy again, Nick touches his neck, freezing him in place.] We’re thrilled.
Mason (getting up): Nicely done, Mr. Renfield. [Nick smiles and nods at him.]
[At Sanctuary, Mutant X sits around watching Proxy Blue's report of the event.]
Proxy Blue: So Kilohertz turns out to be a computer geek loser who ate a bullet when the cops--
Adam (interrupting her): Mute.
Brennan: You've gotta give Eckhart credit.
Shalimar: Yeah, really, when he lies to the press, he doesn’t screw around.
Adam: Well, we lost one today, ladies and gentlemen.
Jesse: I'm not so certain. We kicked his butt. Albeit in the nick of time.
Emma: You saved the day, Adam.
Adam: No, I was thinking about Barry. He had some good ideas. I mean, we lost somebody who could have been a valuable ally, except he got carried away by his own sense of power. I just hope his loss doesn't come back to haunt us. [As Mutant X contemplates his words, Barry lies in a stasis pod at Genomex.]
Closing Credits.