| Choice Mission | |
|---|---|
| Choice 1 | Lifeboat The simplest is the best. There's a reason we have lifeboats. |
| Choice 2 | Submarine If Diana's on our tail, we'll want to be hidden from view. |
| Choice 3 | Hot-Air Balloon With all the zoms in the water, the critical thing will be to get above the waterline. |
"Leave My Brain Alone" is the thirty-fifth mission of Season 3.
It's time to return to Abel, but how you get there is up to you.
Cast[]
Crew[]
- Writer: Naomi Alderman
- Director: Matt Wieteska
- Sound Designer: Mark Pittam
- Series Created By: Naomi Alderman
Scenes[]
We're Doing It Today
Maxine joins you and Paula on a glass bottomed boat. Albert joins you briefly, but once he’s out of earshot, Maxine tells you that today is the day.
Need To Show You
Albert gives the three of you some space as Paula gets upset about the situation. Maxine takes the opportunity to put her plan into action.
A Plan
Maxine explains she has no intention of staying on the boat and becoming like the rotting Comansys agents. She intends to escape.
Steep Steps
Albert begins to suspect what is going on. Paula knocks him down some stairs and you make your escape before he gets a chance to call for backup.
Take My Oar
| Choice: Lifeboat |
You find a lifeboat; you’ve not rowed far before Albert catches up. He tries to persuade Maxine to return, but she refuses. You fire a flare at his boat.
A Rough Landing
| Choice: Submarine |
It’s pretty cramped with three people in a two-person mini submarine. Plus, it doesn’t help that you’re being clawed at by zombies on the outside.
Climb!
| Choice: Hot-Air Balloon |
Paula prepares a hot air balloon; it takes off without you inside, but you manage to grab a rope just in time.
Long Way Home
You’ve made it to the shore in one piece! Paula realises that when they get back to Abel, Maxine will have to go back into stasis. Albert contacts Maxine on the radio and tells her to stay safe for the sake of human race. Maxine promises to find a cure for the mind control and then cuts off contact with Albert. Paula requests some space on the run back to Abel; this is all the time she and Maxine will have together.
Transcript[]
[alarm rings]
PAULA COHEN: [sighs] Plasmapheresis alarm. I’m sick of being on the clock all the time, Runner Five.
[footsteps]
MAXINE MYERS: That’s New Canton people gone on the first boat. They’ll be back for you, Runner Five, and uh – wow, what have you found?
PAULA COHEN: Old tour boat, glass bottom. We’re anchored right over the reef.
MAXINE MYERS: What’s that dark green fish with the white line?
PAULA COHEN: Coalfish.
MAXINE MYERS: And the flat one with the orange spots?
PAULA COHEN: Plaice.
MAXINE MYERS: Your place or mine? [laughs]
PAULA COHEN: [laughs] That was lame even for you, Maxie.
MAXINE MYERS: I’m trying to draw attention away from all the zombies. Not that the way they stare up at us with those unblinking eyes bothers me or anything.
PAULA COHEN: They follow vibrations. Look – [bangs on glass] See?
MAXINE MYERS: Yeah, I’ll file that away for my rec time.
PAULA COHEN: I was going to take you to Greece before the outbreak. I had the guidebook and a list of places that had these boats. It just never seemed the right time. You should see the fish in those seas. All those different shapes and all the colors… they can even find you an octopus.
[footsteps]
ALBERT GOODALL: Hello. I see you’ve found our arboretum, or aquarium, I’m never sure which.
MAXINE MYER: Keeping tabs on me, Albert?
ALBERT GOODALL: Just passing.
MAXINE MYERS: There’s uh, quite a sizeable squid beneath that far corner. I uh, I wonder if it’s related to our recent visitor. What do you think?
ALBERT GOODALL: Oh, let’s have a look. [footsteps]
MAXINE MYERS: [whispers] We’re doing it today, Five. I’ll distract him while you get everything ready. Go now, quickly!
ALBERT GOODALL: - and we’ve got plenty of hot running water! It’s really a good life here, I promise you. And an important one. And once we’ve moved the flotilla further away from shore, we’ll be in even less danger from Diana. We have to get started today. We – oh, Runner Five, there you are. I wondered where you’d got to.
MAXINE MYERS: Hello, Five. Albert was just helping me explain to Paula why I have to stay. You know he’s right, darling. I’m so susceptible to mind control. I could betray you all, and not even know it, or you could just stick me in a freezer like a slab of meat.
PAULA COHEN: I’d rather have you frozen than injected with God knows what and rotting away by the day. I couldn’t bear to see that.
MAXINE MYERS: But you don’t have to stay here with me. They’re beginning to move the flotilla away, and your infiltration showed how easily Diana could get at us. If you’re going to leave, you should go today. You’ve got a life back at Abel.
PAULA COHEN: Maxine Alexandra Myers, MD – you are an idiot. My life is wherever you are. We’ve been apart too long already. And in case you’ve forgotten, I know my way around a lab, too.
MAXINE MYERS: Are you sure?
ALBERT GOODALL: You mean you’ll stay, too, Doctor Cohen? Well, that’s wonderful news. I’ve already been in touch with New Canton. I think we can assemble a plasmapheresis rig from equipment we have in storage.
PAULA COHEN: Thank you.
ALBERT GOODALL: Doctor Myers, my people think you should begin the serum treatment as soon as possible.
MAXINE MYERS: I’ll uh, drop by the lab this afternoon.
PAULA COHEN: [sighs] Both of us on life-saving treatments! It’s like a Hollywood movie.
MAXINE MYERS: A B movie.
PAULA COHEN: “The Zombie Who Loved”. What will you be?
MAXINE MYERS: The crazy doctor.
PAULA COHEN: I meant after the injections.
MAXINE MYERS: ...I-I don’t know.
PAULA COHEN: [cries] I’m sorry. I’m sorry.
MAXINE MYERS: Oh, come here, hon!
PAULA COHEN: Can’t it be easy for us, just once?
MAXINE MYERS: It’s not easy for anyone. Albert, could you - ?
ALBERT GOODALL: Of course, of course. Just come and find me when you’re ready to begin the treatments.
MAXINE MYERS: He won’t leave us alone for long. We have to hurry.
PAULA COHEN: What? Hurry where?
MAXINE MYERS: There’s something I need to show you. I’ll explain when we get there, but we haven’t got much time. Run!
[footsteps]
MAXINE MYERS: Okay, a bit further. Just act normal. Not like that, Paula.
PAULA COHEN: Not like what?
MAXINE MYERS: You look really suspicious!
PAULA COHEN: What do you expect if you make me run into the bowels of a strange ship and suddenly say, “Act normal”?
MAXINE MYERS: [sighs] Okay, forget it. Through here. Quick, both of you.
PAULA COHEN: Uh, are you sure that’s a good idea? That’s a radiation trefoil.
MAXINE MYERS: Yeah, and if you look closely, it’s been printed on an inkjet, whereas a real lab has professionally-made signs.
[door opens]
PAULA COHEN: It’s really dark in here.
MAXINE MYERS: Just around the corner. There. Look, through that window. And keep your voice down.
PAULA COHEN: I can’t make it out. Are those – are those benches? What’s that on top of them?
MAXINE MYERS: They’re beds. And don’t cry out if you see a movement.
PAULA COHEN: [gasps] Ooh! You’re right, something did move! What are those things? They’re like laundry, or – wait. That one has a head. Why does it have a head? Oh my God. They’re people. They’re all people.
MAXINE MYERS: Comansys people. This is where they go once the drug has run its course, when you’ve lost so much of your body that you can’t take care of yourself anymore. It’s very humane, it’s very comfortable. They keep you fed and warm, and they give you morphine for the pain. And when you’re ready, they give you enough morphine to end it all.
PAULA COHEN: It’s – this is why you’re staying, isn’t it? To help these people.
MAXINE MYERS: This room is what awaits all those people up there, in the end. The serum works at different speeds in different people. There’s no telling how long it’ll take. It may be a week, or a month, or ten years. But there has to be a better solution, Paula. Van Ark was always a cowboy. He didn’t care about side effects, as long as he got results.
I know I can come up with a better cure for the mind control than he did. And the people here are not going to let me leave, because they know that, too. So I played along to keep them happy, and um… I am sorry, darling. I couldn’t tell you. I needed you to convince Albert I really was staying. But I’m not. None of us are. The three of us are getting off this ship, and we are doing it now.
PAULA COHEN: Maxie! You mean it?
MAXINE MYERS: Let’s get away from here. I brought us to this room because they don’t guard the exit to the lower decks. People often come here if they want to...end it all, and - but we’re using it to get away, quick as we can. Runner Five has a plan!
[footsteps]
PAULA COHEN: You think we can slip onto the boat for the mainland?
MAXINE MYERS: No chance.
PAULA COHEN: We’ve got to find Ed.
MAXINE MYERS: His reasons are good ones. They won’t stop him if he decides to leave later.
PAULA COHEN: You don’t know they will keep you against your will.
MAXINE MYERS: Remember that time in the Abel poker game, Runner Five? When the Major re-raised me all in for two whole cans of pineapple?
PAULA COHEN: I missed the real high stakes. [laughs]
MAXINE MYERS: You did. Well, I knew she was bluffing. I couldn’t explain why, I still can’t, but I was sure. I’ve got that same feeling right now. But Five, you’re sure you can get us out of here, aren’t you? That’s good enough for me.
[door opens]
ALBERT GOODALL: Doctor Myers, I’m surprised to see you here. What are you doing?
MAXINE MYERS: Oh, just settling in, getting the feel of the place…
ALBERT GOODALL: There’s some very sensitive experiments running on this level.
MAXINE MYERS: Yeah, I must familiarize myself with the full research program.
ALBERT GOODALL: Yes… have you had the first treatment, yet? We can’t risk you suffering another attack. You were going this afternoon.
MAXINE MYERS: Yeah, I must have taken a wrong turn.
ALBERT GOODALL: Right. Well, let me call a couple of my colleagues. They’ll make sure you get there in one piece – [shouts, falls down stairs]
MAXINE MYERS: Paula!
PAULA COHEN: Steep stairs on these ships. Easy to lose your footing. Let’s go. Time to get off this ship. Lead the way, Runner Five. No time to lose.
[alarm blares]
OPTION 1 - Lifeboat
[alarm blares]
PAULA COHEN: It wasn’t like this in Titanic.
MAXINE MYERS: In Titanic, they didn’t have enough lifeboats.
PAULA COHEN: You’d think they’d have some automatic launch thing for their lifeboats.
MAXINE MYERS: Health and safety has taken a real hit since the zombie apocalypse. Right. You take one oar, Paula, I’ll take the other. Runner Five was in the Abel/New Canton boat race. We need an experienced cox.
PAULA COHEN: Remind me why this very slow-moving boat was a good choice for a fast escape?
MAXINE MYERS: Stealth. Once we’re away, we’ll make no noise, present no obvious target. Just have to go very quickly now.
PAULA COHEN: Maxie, if they catch us now, they’ll never let us go.
MAXINE MYERS: Then you’d better put your back into it, Doctor Cohen.
[boat engine approaching]
PAULA COHEN: Speedboat! They’ve spotted us. What do we do now?
MAXINE MYERS: Keep rowing!
ALBERT GOODALL: Stop and return to the vessel.
MAXINE MYERS: Dammit!
PAULA COHEN: Runner Five, there’s a box of supplies under your seat.
ALBERT GOODALL: Come on, Doctor Myers. This serves no purpose. You’re only putting yourself at risk! You know the work’s important. It’s more important than anything else. Come back with us now.
MAXINE MYERS: I’ll be happy to cooperate in the future, but I’m afraid I have to decline your offer of tenure!
ALBERT GOODALL: [gun cocks] I am afraid I have to insist.
MAXINE MYERS: You won’t shoot me!
ALBERT GOODALL: No, but I’ll hole the boat if I have to.
PAULA COHEN: Five, fire the flare!
ALBERT GOODALL: Of course, I’d rather – [shouts]
COMANSYS WORKER: The fuel line!
ALBERT GOODALL: Get out of the boat, now! [explosion] Stay with us, Doctor Myers! Please, we need you!
MAXINE MYERS: Would you take my oar, Runner Five? I just need to close my eyes for a minute…
OPTION 2 - Submarine
MAXINE MYERS: So this is why they call it a mini submarine.
PAULA COHEN: It’s a two-person craft. There are three of us. Deal with it. I think I can reach the controls. We have to get away. This is the quickest, most secure way.
MAXINE MYERS: We seem to be very close to the seabed.
PAULA COHEN: It’s the additional weight. She’s handling like a brick!
MAXINE MYERS: Ugh, what’s that?
PAULA COHEN: Zombies, grabbing hold of the tailplanes. Oh God, we’re dragging them, now! Slowing down. We don’t have enough oxygen to stay down here for long. That’s two more in the front. If they stop us, I don’t think I can get it moving again.
MAXINE MYERS: Can you do a barrel roll and knock them off?
PAULA COHEN: Submarines can’t do that! Something about the ballast.
MAXINE MYERS: What if the submarine is fifty percent overloaded, the zombies are climbing on top, and the passengers throw their weight into it?
PAULA COHEN: I don’t think anybody has ever researched that particular scenario.
MAXINE MYERS: Do it.
PAULA COHEN: I love you, Maxie.
MAXINE MYERS: Do it. [passengers shout] Go right! Go right, there’s a buoy line right ahead. Go right!
PAULA COHEN: It worked. Publication coming up in the Journal of Subaquatic Circumventions. You two can be coauthors. And that’s the shore, right ahead. We’ve done it, we’ve got away. Get ready, it’s going to be a rough landing.
OPTION 3 - Hot Air Balloon
MAXINE MYERS: How long will this take?
PAULA COHEN: Ten to fifteen minutes in total. We’re halfway full already.
MAXINE MYERS: I didn’t know you were such an authority on hot air balloons.
PAULA COHEN: There’s a card here with instructions.
MAXINE MYERS: Are you sure the wind is blowing toward the coast? Because it’s kind of parallel to it -
PAULA COHEN: Do you want to stay here until the wind changes, get the jabs, and have your leg fall off?
MAXINE MYERS: No.
PAULA COHEN: Right then! You’re on the burner. When I give the word, fire it up and keep it steady. Runner Five and I will detach the anchor lines.
MAXINE MYERS: I can’t believe we’re leaving in a giant hot air balloon with the Comansys logo.
ALBERT GOODALL: [knocks on door] Doctor Myers! Think about what you’re doing! You could be the most use to humanity here!
PAULA COHEN: Provided you’re willing to give up your own humanity.
ALBERT GOODALL: [knocks on door] Open this door! At least we can talk about it.
MAXINE MYERS: Will that crate hold the door?
PAULA COHEN: It only needs to last for three or four minutes.
MAXINE MYERS: It had better. Paula, if he gets in now - now he knows I was lying to him. This is our only chance to get away! He won’t give us another!
PAULA COHEN: Five, put your shoulder against that door. Maxie, fire the burner.
MAXINE MYERS: They’re climbing up the side of the ship – we need to launch!
PAULA COHEN: It’s too soon. The balloon is only half inflated.
MAXINE MYERS: Get in the basket, Paula!
PAULA COHEN: Hold it as long as you can, Five. Okay, come on.
MAXINE MYERS: This is the most saggy hot air balloon I have ever seen. Will it ever fly?
PAULA COHEN: Five’s going to miss the basket.
MAXINE MYERS: Grab a rope, any rope!
ALBERT GOODALL: You’re making a mistake!
PAULA COHEN: At least we’re heading in the right direction.
MAXINE MYERS: I thought hot air balloons were supposed to go up, not down.
PAULA COHEN: Oh, hell! Those are zombies under the surface. Climb, Five, climb!
PAULA COHEN: That was not the most impressive landfall ever.
MAXINE MYERS: I don’t mind getting my feet wet from time to time. [both laugh]
PAULA COHEN: For a few moments there, I felt alive. First time in a while.
MAXINE MYERS: Good to be working together again, wasn’t it?
PAULA COHEN: Yeah.
MAXINE MYERS: Every day’ll be like that, hon. You know, just give it time.
PAULA COHEN: When we get to Abel, you’ll have to go straight back into stasis.
MAXINE MYERS: If I make it that far. Keep an eye on me.
PAULA COHEN: If you try to march off again, I promise I will sit on your head! [laughs] And Runner Five will have to drag both of us home.
MAXINE MYERS: You’ll find the answer, Paula. I know you.
ALBERT GOODALL: Doctor Myers?
PAULA COHEN: Can’t he leave us alone?
MAXINE MYERS: I hear you.
ALBERT GOODALL: A resourceful departure. You did what you had to do – I respect that. But just remember – without us, you can be mind controlled at any point. You could betray everyone you love and feel wonderful as you do it. You must look after yourself, now. We can’t protect you from Diana while you’re on shore.
MAXINE MYERS: I know.
ALBERT GOODALL: You owe it to us to stay safe, Doctor Myers! You owe it to the human race. You can find a permanent cure for the mind control, I truly believe that.
MAXINE MYERS: I can. I will. I’ll save us, and you. That’s a promise. Now, I’m closing this channel.
PAULA COHEN: ...I don’t want you to go.
MAXINE MYERS: You can wake me up for a few days on my birthday, or your birthday. I might not have time to buy a present. [laughs]
PAULA COHEN: Runner Five, could you give us a little privacy? This run is – it’s all the time we have left.
MAXINE MYERS: [distantly] It’s a long way home, hon. It’s a long way home.
Codex[]
Artefact[]
Looks like the people at Comansys did a full autopsy on poor Runner 12. They found he'd died of poisoning, probably caused by ingesting a foreign object.
Supplies[]
The following supplies can be found in this mission.
(List may be incomplete.)
Axe
Bandages
Batteries
Candles
Disposable camera
Flashlight
Fuel Can
Laptop
Mobile Phone
Penknife
Playing cards
Radio
Seeds
Shorts
Sports Bra
Tinned Food
Tool Box
Trainers
Trousers
Underwear
USB Key
Trivia[]
- "Leave My Brain Alone" is the shortest mission of Season 3.
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