Radio Free Albemuth

My friend Nicholas Brady, who in his own way tried to save the

world, lived in Berkeley practically his whole life.

Back around 1985, Berkeley, California seemed like an oasis

in a country that had become polarized and divided.

But Fate or God or whatever had something else

in store for my friend Nick

and as it turned out, for me, too.

Look, Nick, I appreciate your interest in the business,

but these compact discs aren't going to catch on.

Not with our customers.

Why not?

That digital sound is too perfect.

It's cold.

Metallic.

Don't underestimate the human element.

Even if CDs catch on, the records here will

be worth a fortune.

Or nothing at all.

Life's a gamble.

Be patient.

One day it's all going to be yours

and Rachel's, then you can do what you like.

Hey.

Phil just called and he's on his way over.

Please don't tell him about last night.

Promise?

Mm.

Muah.

Have a good day.

Bye, baby.

Sorry, I'm late.

My cat got run over by a truck yesterday.

That's the bad news.

What's the good news?

My new novel, getting published.

In hardcover this time.

Oh, wow, that's great, man.

Which one?

The one about what might have happened

if the Nazis won the war.

I have an idea you might be interested in.

Last night, I woke up and I saw me staring down at myself.

I think Rachel saw it, too, but now she's not sure.

That's weird.

Were you high?

You know I don't smoke anymore.

I think it was a future me.

Could something like that be possible, time travel?

It seemed like I was there to help me or warn me or something.

Might be.

Did you look any older?

No, I looked exactly the same.

Maybe it was an alternate self communicating with you from an

alternate universe.

Can you use the idea?

Nope, too ordinary.

Too ordinary, huh?

Well, that's... that's me.

Cheer up.

You're still having a better day than my cat.

And so, while the membership lists were destroyed prior

to the collapse of the Soviet Union,

the code name for this organization has been given

to us by our new Russian allies.

That name is Aramchek,

an agency of treason and subversion.

Aramchek.

Remember that name.

This secret organization refuses to acknowledge that

democracy and free enterprise have triumphed.

Instead, they would turn back the clock,

lead America into a dark shadowy future of a godless

dictatorship.

In the near future, I intend to report to you, the American

people, the progress of our war on this cadre of evildoers.

In the meantime, good night,

and may God bless the United States of America.

The President's address this evening contained a real

bombshell, didn't it Hugh?

And I wouldn't be surprised if this new crisis didn't have

some bearing on President Fremont's decision whether or

not to seek an unprecedented fifth term in office...

15 years in office.

You'd think that would be enough for anyone.

Not Fremont.

The only way you get him out of the Oval Office is in a casket.

A record store clerk in Berkeley will have many troubles.

When he moves to Los Angeles, he will find what he's been

searching for his entire life.

I've had the strangest feeling the last couple of days.

It's like I've been asleep my whole life waiting for

something to happen.

We gotta get out of Berkeley.

And how do you plan on that?

I'm thinking of applying for a new job.

I've already started talking to some of the record company reps

down in LA.

Maybe they're just ordinary dreams.

Night after night?

The images always appears between 3:00 and 4:00

in the morning.

I think I'm being programmed in my sleep.

Just because I write science - fiction, doesn't mean I believe

in any of that stuff.

I don't even think flying saucers are real.

I think a higher intelligence has seen my needs and is

directing me towards something important,

some extraordinary goal.

So, a powerful entity guiding you,

helping you get your shit together?

Sounds good, what do you think it is?

Don't laugh, but I've got a name for it.

I call it VALIS.

VALIS?

It's an acronym for Vast Active Living Intelligent System,

because that's exactly what it is and how I think of it.

Does this VALIS provide you with any clues

as to your amazing destiny?

I don't have any choice other than to believe it.

I already got a job offer.

Progressive Records is the first company I applied to,

that's got to mean something.

Just one problem.

What's that?

I hate Los Angeles.

Just for the sake of argument, let's suppose it's something

evil like the voices that told Mark Chapman

to shoot Mick Jagger.

VALIS has a destiny for me in LA.

What am I supposed to say to that?

This is real.

This is happening to me.

Maybe it's a precognition.

Knowing what you're going to do before you do it.

I wrote a story about that, remember?

"The World Jones Made"?

Vaguely.

How'd that turn out?

Not so good.

Instead of being this wonderful talent, being able to see a year

into the future, it locked Jones into a closed loop.

He lost free choice.

What do you mean?

Well, since everything was pre-determined,

he was forced to act out his own future.

You foresee yourself moving to LA.

So now you're moving.

You still don't understand.

VALIS knows about you.

I was instructed to tell you what's happening.

You're putting me on.

It's crazy, Nick.

We're leaving Berkeley because some imaginary voice

tells you to uproot our lives?

It's not a practical way to make a life-changing decision.

What's better?

Columbus listening to the imaginary voices in his head

that said "keep sailing" or the real voices that said it was

all hopeless and doomed.

Aren't results what matter?

See you guys after lunch.

Hey, Phil!

I was starting to think you were going to miss our last day!

What, are you kidding? Not a chance.

I even brought refreshments.

Hi.

So.

None for me thanks.

That's the first drink I've ever seen you refuse.

Did VALIS tell you to go on the wagon?

As a matter of fact, yes.

Oh, come on, baby, lighten up.

You know, I've been trying to get him to cut back

on alcohol for years.

His wife, he ignores, but one little word from the Big Mind

in the sky...

All right, okay, enough.

To friendship.

To Los Angeles.

To destiny.

Destiny.

Oh God, excuse me.

Could he get any weirder?

How are you supposed to relate to a friend whose life

is directed from beyond the stars?

I mean, what kind of attitude am I supposed to take to that?

Imagine being his wife.

It's taken over your lives, hasn't it?

And the strange part is, VALIS is doing a better job

than we ever did.

I've never seen Nick so...

Motivated.

It's like he's an entirely different person.

Yeah.

I've been thinking about leaving him.

Wow.

What did you decide?

The decision has been made for me.

I saw a gynecologist last week.

I'm pregnant.