Scanners

Will you look at that fellow over there?

I have never seen anything so disgusting in all my life.

I'll tell you something. He's staring at you.

I think he's looking at us.

- I think we're being picked up. - Oh, it's too awful.

Can you believe it?

I don't know how they can let creatures like that in here.

- - Really.

Are you okay?

Anne, what's the matter?

Oh, help, someone, please!

Ma'am. She's gonna be all right. It's all right. Just stand back.

- Help. - Stand back. Give her air.

Damn it!

You're 35 years old, Mr. Vale.

Why are you such a derelict...

such a piece of human junk?

The answer's simple.

You're a Scanner, but you don't realize it.

And that has been the source of all your agony.

But I will show you now...

that it can be a source of great power.

Let them in.

Not much of a place, is it?

Still, we're getting paid for it.

Hurry up.

Hurry up!

He's kind of cute.

We can talk now.

I would like to scan all of you in this room, one at a time.

I must remind you that the scanning experience is usually a painful one...

sometimes resulting in nosebleeds...

earaches, stomach cramps, nausea...

sometimes other symptoms of a similar nature.

There's a doctor present - Dr. Gatineau.

I know that you've all been prepared for this...

but I thought I'd just remind you, just the same.

There is one other thing. No one is to leave this room...

once the demonstration has begun.

At this point, I'd like to call for volunteers.

Anyone. It doesn't matter.

Fine.

Just, uh, sit right here, please.

Now I'd like you to think of something specific...

something that will not breach the security of your organization...

and that you will not object to having disclosed to this group.

Something, uh, personal perhaps.

All right.

- Yes, I have something. Do I have to close my eyes? - It doesn't matter.

All right, yes, I have something.

Move everybody out now!

Call ConSec leader.

- I want you to come with me. - I didn't do anything.

I said I want you to come with me.

- - Come on.

Gatineau, come with us.

Oh, my God.

Down there, quick.

Move it!

Get down.

Give him a shot of Ephemerol.

Come on!

Okay.

Take it easy. All we need is to get stopped by a cop.

Ah, it'd serve 'em right.

Why the hell do they have to send us to the old factory?

If this guy's a Scanner, they don't want him down at Central.

They're afraid of him.

He's a Scanner.

Hey, where's Security Two?

He's moving up fast on the left.

Hey, man, what's happening?

Ray, what the hell's the matter with ya?

You gotta pull back behind him, man.

Come on!

Ray, I'm gonna kill you if you don't do it.

Ray!

Oh, my God.

Don't stop! Move it!

No, we gotta get 'em outta there.

Come on. We gotta get in there.

- They're done, man. What are you - - I can see he's burning!

- Come on. Let go of me! - Those people are dead.

Get up.

Let's get out of here, man! Come on!

- You want to get us killed? - All right. All right.

- Quiet down. - All right.

Last night...

we at ConSec chose to reveal to the outside world...

our work with those telepathic curiosities known as Scanners.

The result?

Six corpses...

So this morning we have a new director of Internal Security...

Mr. Braedon Keller.

Thank you.

Mr. Trevellyan, gentlemen...

we're in the business of international security.

We deal in weaponry and private armies.

We do not trade in fantasy and pipe dreams.

Let us leave the development of dolphins and freaks...

as weapons of espionage to others.

Now, with all due respect to Dr. Paul Ruth...

I recommend that we drop our Scanner program immediately, sir.

Hmm. Dr. Ruth, what's your response?

Mr. Keller, who composed our audience last night?

We had 25 financial and political V.I.P.s from all over North America.

Were these V.I.P.s carefully screened?

The screening process used was very sophisticated, yes.

And yet an assassin managed to infiltrate this group.

Yes.

And killed six of our people.

Yes.

How did he kill them?

We have reason to believe he... used scanning techniques.

Then do you suggest, Mr. Keller...

that this highly skilled assassin, very deadly...

who embarrassed us all in front of the community we were trying to impress...

was himself a Scanner?

We believe so, yes.

Well, that, gentlemen, is my response.

The weapons capability of these, uh, telepathic, uh -

Curiosities?

Is obvious.

If I may, Doctor...

your program is based on a list of...

236 known Scanners, is it not?

It is.

Of that number - Of that number...

how many are now working with us?

As of last night, none.

Well, then...

we don't even have a program to drop, do we?

It shouldn't be very painful for anyone.

ConSec's surveillance has gradually lost contact with all the names on our list...

and I submit that this - this is not an accident.

I think we've lost them to a program far in advance of ours.

I think you might elaborate, Dr. Ruth.

From my study of the situation, I've come to the conclusion...

that there is a Scanner underground developed in North America.

It has an organization, it's well-motivated, and it has a leader.

Now that's ridiculous, Doctor. You can't get two of them...

to sit in the same room together without going berserk.

You're making a very provocative allegation, Dr. Ruth.

Who controls this group?

If you study the descriptions in this report...

you will find that you probably met him last night.

His name is Darryl Revok...

and he was on our list.

This is total fiction. Mr. Trevellyan, I -

Just a moment, Mr. Keller. What do you suggest, Doctor?

Eliminate the competition.

How?

Contact a Scanner who is, as yet, unknown to the underground...

convert him to our cause...

and then send him out to infiltrate the underground.

Convert him, Doctor? How?

They're all pathetic social misfits. Unstable, unreliable.

That is because their unique gifts are not understood, Mr. Keller.

There is one point about which there is no doubt at all.

And that is that ConSec was attacked.

For our own peace of mind, we have to retaliate in some way.

And I think Dr. Ruth's suggestion is a very interesting one.

Except that...

we don't have any Scanners left to send into the field.

As a matter of fact...

I do have one...

still unaffiliated.

A very special one.

I don't suppose you speak much.

No.

It's not surprising.

With all those other voices in your head, how can you hear your own voice?

How can you develop a self, a personality?

How do you feel?

I feel... crystal clear.

How do you like it - clarity?

I'm not sure.

- I think I'm a bit afraid. - Why?

I feel so exposed.

I can hear myself.

You hear your own voice?

- Yes. - Good.

You called me a Scanner.

What is that?

A freak of nature...

born with a certain form of E.S.P.