Six: The Mark Unleashed

I still remember

Saturday morning cartoons, must see TV,

news, fair and balanced.

I also remember the first and second Gulf wars,

the second great depression,

school shootings and the music.

It's the music I miss the most.

There was freedom then.

Freedom to do terrible things,

but freedom all the same.

- You will find that such primitive emotions

and ideas, as jealously, rage,

sexual possessiveness and monogamy

have been eliminated.

Your new implant has made you part of a collective whole,

known as the community.

In the community, you are truly free to move among partners,

male or female, as you choose.

Your pleasure will be your guide.

I had a girlfriend once.

We were going to get married.

I remember being excited about that.

She was killed in the first purge of the leader.

Rumor has it that 80 million people died in one day.

One day.

That was just in North America.

The death toll in third world countries

was reported to be much higher.

Not that you could confirm such rumors.

The most significant health aspect

of the implant regards aging.

Each one of you can reasonably expect to live

far longer that 200 years of productive life

for the community.

As such is the case, the implant also functions

as birth control.

Only by the will of the leader may you procreate.

Praise to the leader for the freedom he has given.

Praise to the leader.

10 years ago I watched my mother die of cancer.

She grabbed my hand in her last moments,

wanting me to stare out the window.

She was seeing something that I couldn't see,

but as she passed

her face was truly peaceful.

Even in the midst of all her pain.

- Those whose old jobs are no longer necessary

will receive new assignments for the good of the community.

Information on how to do these new jobs

will be downloaded into you via your implant.

- I remember my job before he came on the scene.

Before all of this, I was a designer,

engineer and test driver for Chevrolet.

I was part of the team

that designed the engine

for the last Corvette ever manufactured.

That was only a few years ago,

before the whole world went insane.

- Why should one desire such a weak God?

It results in the destruction

of the most basic drives of mankind.

Self-preservation at any cost.

Come on, he was just gettin' goin'.

At any cost?

You weren't in L.A. during the purges.

You don't remember the bodies stacked in the streets.

You don't remember the smell.

Are you done?

All right.

You know what, let's just do this, okay?

You got it?

You sure this thing is gonna work?

Dude, who am I?

Is there any security system that I can't crack?

- Only be seizing what we want,

taking what is rightfully ours

and destroying those who get in our way,

can mankind truly be fulfilled.

Well, I'm with you there.

What is that fulfillment?

The deification of mankind itself.

Each one of you can become God as I am God.

Each one of you has my spirit in you,

through the holy implant.

But you always lose me.

I'll meet you at Eddie's.

Wanna race?

Tom.

Why's it so dark in here?

'Cause no one's supposed to be in here.

You know they run patrols along the coast at night.

Yeah, so what are you so scared of?

Gettin' caught.

Or becoming one of those brainwashed morons

who thinks nothing all day

but worshiping that psychotic dictator

who claims to be God.

- They can't force you to take the implant.

Every time they try, people either died instantly

or went bananas.

Yeah, well, I don't particularly care

for the other option either.

Good point.

So what do you got for me?

I got good stuff in the back.

What don't you give me a shot of that first?

Yeah.

Mr. Iceman.

Don't tell you don't got a case of nerves.

How's that ulcer?

Business has been so slow,

it's gettin' harder for me to lose this much food.

- Yeah, well, I'm makin' it worth your while.

Check this out.

Real American tobacco, but wait...

There's more.

Cigars.

Now, I don't know how good they are,

but ever since the leader nuked the south

all the way down to Cuba,

impossible to get anymore.

Tell you got more than smokes.

Yeah, I got more.

Five cases of banned DVDs.

You ever see Schindler's List?

I never even heard of it.

Yeah, it'll make ya feel like a hero.

Also, some real classics.

Papillon, Braveheart, Lawrence of Arabia.

Any good?

What do I look like, man?

A film critic?

I also got a box of prescription meds.

Mostly painkillers and antibiotics.

Painkillers, huh.

Let's open this one up.

- You know, if you didn't consume all your product,

you might make a profit.

Maybe.

Dilaudid.

Hmm.

Delightful.

That's it, Dallas.

I guess I'll see you next week.

- That's pretty optimistic for this day and age.

Are you sure you don't wanna stick around

for one more drink?

I'd like to, but I can't.

I got deliveries to make before dawn.

You should stay for that drink, Tom.

Oh man.

Hi honey.

Sweetie.

You look good.

Life in the gestapo suits you.

You know her?

Dallas, meet Jeseca Newman, my ex wife.

It is still Newman, isn't it?

I haven't changed it.

Ooh, how sentimental of you.

You set me up.

No.

I'm in as much trouble as you are.

Check his implant.

Reads clear.

Mr. Brian Clark.

In good standing with the community.

Really.

Ow.

- You know what the penalty for impersonating

a member of the community is, don't you?

Look, I was gonna get it,

but I have this fear of having computer chips

jammed under my skin, you know?

Well, I think we can cure you of that.

Take him out back.

What about this one?

I'll deal with him.

Leave me alone.

Just can't stay away from me, can you?

I always knew you'd come back.

I never left, Tom.

You did.

No, you left when you got that chip

implanted in your hand.

What are you gonna do with Dallas?

You know, when the time comes,

I hope you pull the trigger on me yourself.

That way your face will be the last thing I ever see.

I promise.

Hopefully it won't be necessary.

I convinced them to give you your job back, Tom.

Yeah, I've heard that before.

All I have to do is take the holy implant,

then I can be a cop again.

Then we can go to community sex parties.

Log into the virtual church

and get enlightened by the leader.

You know, I think I'd rather be shot.

No, wait, I don't mean that.