1
No!
No!
Please, stop!
Hold her down!
Don't. Don't! Don't!
Don't, don't, don't. Oh, please don't. No.
No! Stop!
No! No! No!
No! No!
Stop wigglin'.
Let her go.
Are you gonna be all right?
Well, it's about time somebody
kicked those nuts the hell out of here.
I'm telling you, it's gettin' so a fella
can't get away from
the goddamn sickies no more.
My name's Buddy.
My name is Paul Dean.
-Paul Dean, huh?
-Yeah.
City fella, from the look of ya.
But I won't hold that against ya.
Come on over to my room,
and I'll give you a cup of coffee.
-Coffee?
-That's right.
Real coffee.
Come on in. Take a look at this.
I found a whole case of this shit
down in a storeroom after everybody left.
Is there anyone else here?
No, nobody to speak of.
Relax. You're not in the city anymore.
Just relax.
You know, this coffee's
worth five bucks a pack now.
Are you all right? You okay?
Jeez, I...
I don't know what the hell you've got,
but I don't want it around here.
-I understand. I'll be on my way.
-Wait a minute, now.
Have your coffee first.
Here.
Sip on this, now.
See how that is.
-I have to leave.
-Yeah.
You gonna be able
to take care of yourself now?
Yeah, I think so.
Yeah.
No!
That'll be 105, right?
Where you been, mister?
Silver only.
Company policy.
Any hotel in town?
Yeah. The Joshua Hilton.
What do you want?
I need a room for a few days.
Okay. Just a minute.
I wasn't expecting anyone.
Nobody comes around much anymore.
That's why I'm not wearing much makeup.
Anyway, who can afford it these days?
But I would give anything
for a brand-new tube of lipstick.
How about the room?
Say, I don't know you, do I, honey?
-No. No, ma'am.
-What's your name?
I mean, I can't give you a room
until I have your name.
Dean. Paul Dean.
Call me Maggie. I'll call you Paul.
When I think of all the lipsticks
I've left in dressing rooms
all over the country...
But that was a long time ago.
You know, folks don't care much
about Joshua anymore.
I've only stayed
because I've got no place else to go.
How long are you planning to stay?
I only have a couple of days.
I'm not really sure.
Well, this is a nice place.
We've got electricity from 7:00 to 9:00,
and the water's free.
But don't expect me to clean up your room.
I don't clean. Never have.
How do you pay?
Oh, no. Not that.
We use that for wallpaper around here.
What will you take?
Well, what's in the container?
I need this for my work. I'm a doctor.
Well, what about that ring?
It's gold.
Should be worth more
than a couple of nights.
Well... there's always extras.
I see.
Are you in there, Paul?
Just a minute.
You don't have to keep the door locked.
You've got nothing I haven't seen before.
Say, this place looks shitty enough.
What are you doing in here?
I've been working. I won't hurt anything.
I thought you might want to know
there's food next door.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Jesus.
I don't know how you take this heat.
Got anything to drink in there?
I have some canned water inside.
Good, I'll take one, if you don't mind.
I don't mind, as long as you pay for it.
Hey, if that methane is clean,
why don't you fill it up.
I hope you've got some money
to pay for all this.
Nobody's filled up their car
with gas in years.
Hey.
I wondered who that van
belonged to out back there.
I could use a little something to eat.
Well, all we've got left these days, pal,
is canned fruit, canned beer,
and canned soup.
Canned soup. That'll be fine.
The boy down at the gas station
said you paid him off in silver coin.
Take one for the soup.
Yeah, that's not bad.
Okay. Soup's on.
Enjoy yourself.
Thanks.
Can you believe it?
I gave up New York for this place.
Where are you from?
Near Los Angeles.
Oh, yeah?
I hear they got big trouble out there.
That's why I left.
Well, I guess we both did the right thing.
I left New York for that same reason.
Hell, I loved that city.
That's before it got crazy, that is,
and all that atomic shit
started falling out of the skies.
That's how I got this. See?
Hell, people started dropping dead
right in the damn street.
I had to get out.
Hey, I'm sorry, pal.
I was just making
a little dinner conversation, that's all.
-I just lost my appetite.
-I see.
It's okay. You're the first friendly
person I've met in this town.
Well, everybody needs a friend
now and then.
Hey, Collins! Collins!
Collins, we're here.
-Collins.
-Collins.
Yeah, I really need you guys today.
Music!
Hey, I'm sick of these songs, Collins!
You've had the same crap for a year now.
What can I tell you?
Soup good?
It's okay.
Good.
That's good.
Excuse me.
-Hi, Collins.
-Well!
Well, Patti's here!
If it isn't Little Miss Lemon Grove
of 1992, huh?
Hi, Patti.
-Hi, Patti.
-Hey, baby.
Hi, Patti.
I brought you some lemons.
-Isn't that sweet?
-Beautiful, Pat.
I mean, gifts from the land
of milk and honey?
Why don't you mind
your own business, Ricus?
Hey, why don't you kiss my ass?
-Ricus--
-Look, Collins, I mean, fair is fair.
I mean, you can't have
the girl and the lemons, right?
Yeah, pick one. Pick one!
Pick one! Pick one! Pick one!
Hey! I said, mind your own business.
You want to know about business?
You see that, Scarface?
I was in business once.
I worked for the big business boys.
They gave me that.
That was my brand
'cause I worked in the suburbs.
You don't know about the suburbs,
do you, sweetheart?
The suburbs was where
they put orphans like me to work.
Yeah, I know plenty about business.
Get 'em off my jeep.
Hey.
You know we were just kidding back there.
Why don't you stick around
and have a beer with us?
We ain't that bad.
No, thanks.
Yeah, well, I could make you stay.
-Leave her alone. She's no fun.
-Hey.
I decide what's fun around here.
Don't push your luck.
Playing games, Ricus?
You ain't gonna shoot us, Scarface.
You can't shoot us, Collins.
You know why?
No. Why?
'Cause we're your only customers,
Mr. Scarface.
Call me Scarface one more time,
and I'll blow your nuts off.
Yeah, I think we're just gonna...
stretch this scar a little,
right on over to the other side.
-That's it.
-Hey.
Okay.
All right, you won this time.
No harm done.
Besides...
we've got better things to do.
Come on, let's go.
Are you okay?
I'm fine, Pat.
You go on home.
Well, we lose one playmate,
we find another.
Look, I don't want any trouble.
I just want to go back to my room.
Well, who said we wanted any trouble?
-We just want to know what's in the box.
-Nothing.
-Just some medical equipment.
-Medical!
Like drugs?
-No, there's no drugs.
-No drugs, huh?
I think we ought to look anyway,
'cause this guy looks really loaded to me.
Nasty!
Come on.
Come on. Come on.
Now, look.
My patience is gone!
Now, I heard you have some silver.
Let's have it!
It's in the bag under the seat.
That's good. That's good.
It's nice and friendly.
Go get it, Shell.
Whatever happened to that silver thing
he had in the diner? Remember?
Yeah, what about that?
You think we'd forget?
What about that container
you had in the diner?
Listen, there's nothing in that cylinder
that you want!
Yeah? Well, I think we're
just gonna take a look anyway.
All right?
Take a look-see. Watch him.
All right.
Help me hold him down.
Okay. Finders, keepers.
Hey.
Right.
Let's go.
Good morning.
-Leave that alone!
-Shut up.
Let's take a look at this thing.
And let's take him with us.
Come on! All right!
We just wanna open it,
see what's in there.
-Get in this car!
-All right.
All right, let's do it to it.
Here we go!
-Come on, let's open that can.
-Open it, and you're dead.
Oh, yeah?
-Well, you can't live forever, huh?
-I'm warning you!
Can I open it, Ricus?
-Ricus, I want to know what's in there.
-Yeah, yeah.
Hey, thanks.
Don't.
What's in there?
There's something wet in here.
Get it off me!
Get it off me!
Ricus! Ricus! Get it off me!
You feel better?
You don't talk much, do you?
Maybe a little rattlesnake tea
will loosen your tongue a little.
Hey, take it easy.
Here. Drink this.
It's the specialty of the house.
It'll make you feel a whole lot better.
Hey, listen, I'm just kidding.
It's made from lemons.
It's good for you.
Help ya there, fella?
Sure is hot out here.
I don't know how you take this heat.
It has its moments.
-You live here?
-Yeah.
I have for some time now.
Then you've been around here
the last couple of days, I'd guess.
I guess.
Truth is,
I'm looking for a friend of mine.
-That so?
-That's so.
Yeah, he's a tall, thin fellow.
Not feeling too well either.
No. I haven't seen anybody
like that around here.
Nobody comes around here.
Except the sickies.
Damn.
I really don't like liars.
Goddamn it, wait a minute!
No! Jesus! Don't--
I really hate liars.
How you doin'?
Little hungry. Got anything to eat?
Yeah. We've got canned fruit,
canned beer, and canned soup.
And you're in luck today.
Got a little lemonade. Fresh lemons too.
No kidding? Fresh lemons?
-Right.
-I'll take one.
Good.
Real quiet around here, isn't it?
Yeah. That's the way we like it.
That's very good.
How do guys like you
stay in business out here?
I mean, nobody travels anymore.
Well, you're here, aren't you?
Yeah, yeah.
I've gotta be the only one crazy enough
to drive in the desert these days.
Oh, no.
There was a guy out here
just the other day.
No kidding?
Hey, this is real good lemonade.
I'll come back and get something to eat.
See you later.
Yeah.
See you later.
-Where do you think you're going?
-Back to town.
And get beat up again?
I need my equipment.
Come on. You need to sit back down.
You've got to rest.
I have no time to rest.
Don't you understand?
No, I don't.
As a matter of fact, I don't even know
what I'm getting involved with.
Listen. I'm trying to help you.
You should just stay here,
where it's nice and quiet.
It was a lot quieter
before that damn Ricus came to town.
Then why do you stay?
Hell, I don't have a choice.
I could've gone to the city
when my father died,
but they'd just put me
in one of those work camps,
put a tattoo on my arm.
I'm still a whole lot better off here.
Look, I need your help.
I'll tell you what you want to know,
but first, take me back to town.
Okay. I'll do what I can.
Hey, anybody here?
Hey, buddy.
Looking for something?
Hi. No, I was just poking around.
Hey, easy, okay? Easy.
The guy up at the diner said maybe
a friend of mine was through here today,
and I thought you might have seen him,
so I came back to ask you.
I don't know what you're
talking about, mister.
You're the first person I've seen
around here in the last couple of weeks.
Is that right?
Well, listen, that fella did seem to be
a little off. Maybe he was mistaken.
Yeah. He's a little off.
-Who is it now?
-Open the door.
-What do you want?
-Open the door, lady!
Out of the way.
Now, you just wait a minute.
What do you think you're doing?
Well, ma'am,
I'll be checking in here tonight.
I'm sure you have room.
Ricus?
Ricus?
Ricus!
I'm here, Zeke.
It's eatin' me up, ain't it?
I'm scared.
We'll figure something out, Zeke.
Ricus?
Promise you won't let me die.
I'll do what I can, Zeke.
I'll do what I can.
Ricus! Ricus!
Ricus!
Ricus!
-I can't get it off!
-It's digging deeper!
Get the hell out of my way!
What are you doing?
-What did you say?
-I'm sorry. You just came out of nowhere.
-Please. I'm sorry. I mean you no harm.
-Shut up!
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
What do you want with the guy
who owns that van?
Oh, you know him? We work together,
and I was just following him.
-We're friends! Please!
-You don't look like such friends, mister.
Please, can I get up?
-You move real slow. Real slow.
-I mean you no harm!
You got any more of them silver wafers
you been handing out?
Yes, yes, yes. I have no use for 'em.
Go ahead, take 'em.
The gun! Drop the gun!
Christ. A merchant.
We should be honored
to have an honest-to-God--
Shut up! Get her out of here!
Yes, sir, Mr. Merchant, sir.
Anything you say.
I've seen your types in the suburbs, sir!
You got that right.
Why don't you come back to us?
Like hell I will!
Then move it out of here! Move it!
Do what he says!
Paul, you wrote this?
Why won't you let me help you?
How can you? I can't even help myself.
You've got to talk to me.
You work for the merchants, don't you?
Everyone works for the merchants.
That thing on your stomach...
A new strain of parasite.
I deserve it, in a way.
I created it.
For the merchants?
Why?
I thought, for the government.
They're so mixed up
with the merchants now,
they work for one another.
This... "thing," as you call it...
is growing.
It's dormant now...
but it will soon grow larger...
and kill me.
Paul...
There's another one on that kid's arm.
The only other one.
I destroyed the rest when I found out what
the merchants intended to use them for.
I need that other parasite to study...
to find the cure.
How?
I don't know yet.
I only know this--
When it reproduces,
it will cast millions
of microscopic spores into the air.
And wherever a spore touches you...
a parasite will grow.
Hey.
I'm not asleep.
I can't sleep either.
I know.
Because of Zeke.
Don't you understand?
It's just like the work camps.
It's happening to me all over again.
You can't care about people anymore.
You just can't.
Zeke.
Zeke.
Jesus!
Damn! It killed him.
Where is it?
Hey.
Wake up.
What's wrong?
Zeke's dead.
What?
What?
What?
Just move to your left.
Move away real slow.
Real slow.
Get to the car!
Come on!
-Hurry!
-Go!
It's okay. It's okay. It's okay.
Come on!
Paul! What can I do?
The syringe.
Quick!
Here.
That parasite.
I can't find the cure unless I have it.
It's that simple.
I was wrong to think
I could do it any other way.
But how can we find it?
We have to get to that boy.
It's the only chance.
Just stay put. Keep her still.
Collins?
Collins!
Breaking in during off-hours, Ricus?
A great opportunity to blow your ass away.
Dana's in the car.
She's dying. Go look for yourself.
All right.
And you'd better be telling the truth,
punk.
Oh, God!
All right, get her around behind,
to the boardinghouse.
I'll meet you inside.
Let's get her upstairs.
Put her on the bed.
-Oh, my God!
-Jesus!
-We gotta do something, man!
-Maybe we should try to cut it off.
We tried to cut it off Zeke,
and he is dead now.
She will be too if we don't find a doctor.
The boarder who was here yesterday
said he was a doctor.
-Pat Welles knows where he is.
-Where?
-At her cabin.
-You guys stick with Collins at the diner.
I'll be back.
Paul?
Paul?
I'm sorry. Collins wasn't there.
Damn it, don't give up!
There's no cure, Patricia.
There's no cure
without the other parasite.
Paul?
Hello.
That's who I'm looking for--
Paul Dean. Where is he?
Who are you?
I said, where is he?
I don't know.
You know you're harboring
a fugitive from the state, don't you?
I'm not harboring anyone.
What do you want?
Dean has something that belongs to us,
and I know that he's here somewhere.
Well, he's not.
I don't mean to be forward, miss,
but I know that he is.
And I don't have a lot of time to waste.
I don't know anything.
Is your memory coming back to you?
Tell me where he is!
You're very unpatriotic.
Your government does everything it can
to protect you,
and you are a damn ingrate.
Now, where is he?
Tell me where he is!
Go to hell!
Now, Paul Dean-- Where is he?
Where is he?
Pat!
Hey, Welles!
Pat!
Welles?
Paul?
Who did this to you?
A man... in a suit.
A merchant.
What did he look like?
He had blond hair.
Wolf.
Wolf was the government liaison man
on the project.
Easy.
I knew he'd show up.
Sorry.
How are you feeling?
Okay.
Sound.
What do you mean?
Sound is the answer.
We can kill it with high-frequency sound.
We've got to get to that other parasite
and extract a sample of its fluid.
And then what?
I can determine its frequency
and use it to kill the one inside me.
I still need your help...
if you're strong enough to go.
Let's go.
Damn!
Not bad.
Still a lot of life there yet.
Miss Daley?
Upstairs.
Oh, my God!
Here. Take the syringe.
Careful.
Patricia.
Try to pull it! Quick!
Collins, hurry.
Give him to me.
-The equipment. In the jeep.
-Jeep. Okay.
-All right, take it easy.
-Go downstairs.
That's it. Steady.
Take it slowly.
Easy.
Ease down, now.
That's it.
I need electricity.
The generator's out back. I'll turn it on.
The syringe.
You shouldn't have come down here,
old man.
That's it.
Higher. Higher!
That's it.
I'm not fooling with you, old man.
Now, tell me!
I don't...
Let him go.
Turn around real slow.
Get out of here, Collins.
Go on, get out of here.
You should've killed me
when you had the chance.
You saved my life.
I guess you owe me one, Scarface.
It's over.
You killed it.
Not yet.
Not till we kill the other one.
I can't let you do that, Dean.
I know about that gun. Don't go for it.
I need that parasite.
Don't go for that gun!
Come on! Try it!
Dean!
Dean!
Shoot at the tank!
At the tank!
You're finally free. It's over.