00;00;00;00 - 00;00;35;15
John Carnack
Hello. This is Doctor John Carnack leaving a message for Soylent Green, top human resources drone at the Department of Experimental Oversight. First off, I'm sorry to hear they wouldn't let you quit and have ordered you to persevere with me. Secondly, I'm calling to let you know I can't make our scheduled call for later today because I'm working.
00;00;35;18 - 00;00;53;09
John Carnack
Check my logs, you'll see I'm at a lab in Boston. So, I've given you plenty of notice. Don't get any ideas about dragging me in front of a disciplinary tribunal. No, no, these aren't the sheets I'm looking for. Your sign-ins show you have one staffer absent. The ledgers clearly indicate things are going missing from the equipment store.
00;00;53;11 - 00;01;09;18
John Carnack
Sort it out. This is an inspection. I'm not a bloody tourist. Hey! Hey, you! You! Oi! Put that device down. I said for everything to be left in place.
00;01;09;20 - 00;01;11;22
Tony Ridge
Screw you. John.
00;01;11;24 - 00;01;13;05
John Carnack
Do I know you?
00;01;13;07 - 00;01;16;04
Tony Ridge
God, you really are a prick, aren't you?
00;01;16;06 - 00;01;20;00
John Carnack
Put that down. Hey, don't walk away from me with that.
00;01;20;01 - 00;01;22;06
Tony Ridge
Left you a present on the bench.
00;01;22;06 - 00;01;50;03
John Carnack
Don't you run away from me...what? Wait, every - everyone back away from that bench!
00;01;50;06 - 00;02;20;26
Narrator
The Bellport Theater On The Air presents The Department Of Midnight. Created and written by Warren Ellis. Episode 105, The Devil Runs Out. Starring James Callis and Brett Dalton.
00;02;20;28 - 00;02;44;16
John Carnack
It's all right. It was only a flash bang. Where did that guy go? Somebody talk to me. This isn't about going through your records anymore. That guy just ran off with a dark matter attractor and set off a homemade flash bang on his bench like a bloody student prankster. And he looked a bit old for that shit. Come on.
00;02;44;19 - 00;02;50;09
John Carnack
Come on. Somebody. This is Carnack, and this really isn't a good time.
00;02;50;11 - 00;02;52;00
Tony Ridge
Hello there. John.
00;02;52;03 - 00;02;53;00
John Carnack
Who's this?
00;02;53;02 - 00;02;57;07
Tony Ridge
You just saw me, John. Did you like my little present?
00;02;57;10 - 00;02;59;10
John Carnack
How'd you get this number?
00;02;59;13 - 00;03;09;26
Tony Ridge
Oh. I've had it for years. Just never had a good reason to use it until now. You really didn't recognize me?
00;03;09;29 - 00;03;11;25
John Carnack
No, not in the slightest.
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Tony Ridge
I’m Tony Ridge from Wardenclyffe.
00;03;15;16 - 00;03;16;25
John Carnack
but I don't,
00;03;16;25 - 00;03;20;15
Tony Ridge
Rejected from Wardenclyffe.
00;03;20;18 - 00;03;26;27
John Carnack
Oh. Oh my God. I do know your name.
00;03;26;28 - 00;03;28;25
Tony Ridge
There you go.
00;03;28;27 - 00;03;33;08
John Carnack
And I also know you ran out of the emergency exit into the back stairwell.
00;03;33;11 - 00;03;33;14
Tony Ridge
Shit!
00;03;33;14 - 00;03;44;19
John Carnack
And your heading down. I remember you, Tony.!
00;03;44;22 - 00;03;47;19
John Carnack
Doctor... Ridge, is it?
00;03;47;21 - 00;03;54;18
Tony Ridge
Yes. Tony. Tony Ridge. Pleasure to finally meet you, Doctor Carnack.
00;03;54;20 - 00;03;59;05
John Carnack
And...and...and you applied for a role in the experiments planned at the Wardenclyffe Research Station?
00;03;59;08 - 00;04;00;26
Tony Ridge
I did.
00;04;00;28 - 00;04;02;05
John Carnack
Why?
00;04;02;08 - 00;04;18;00
Tony Ridge
Because I believe you're going to uncover the true nature of the universe. I've seen the abstracts. It's fascinating. We can learn everything hidden about the fabric of reality itself.
00;04;18;02 - 00;04;23;08
John Carnack
No, no. I mean, why did you apply? Knowing I'd obviously do background checks.
00;04;23;11 - 00;04;25;24
Tony Ridge
I don't understand.
00;04;25;24 - 00;04;27;25
John Carnack
Why would you even waste your time?
00;04;27;27 - 00;04;35;24
Tony Ridge
Uh....Look, I'm actually overqualified for the position. I'm absolutely the person you want for this.
00;04;35;27 - 00;04;42;26
John Carnack
On paper. Or at least on this piece of paper. There's another piece of paper that says you're awaiting trial on a charge of stalking.
00;04;42;26 - 00;04;48;02
Tony Ridge
Awaiting trial, not convicted. And it’s all bullshit anyway.
00;04;48;04 - 00;04;52;21
John Carnack
Assaults. Various allegations about arson. You made a bomb in school.
00;04;52;21 - 00;04;53;22
Tony Ridge
Wasn't a bomb.
00;04;53;24 - 00;05;07;23
John Carnack
You tried to clean your own trail. I'll give you some credit for ingenuity and invention. God only knows what this stuff you got covered up actually was. But you're basically what we refer to back in the old country, as a fucking nutter.
00;05;07;25 - 00;05;08;12
Tony Ridge
What?
00;05;08;14 - 00;05;14;01
John Carnack
It's. Yeah, a fucking nutter. It's a technical term. Please leave.
00;05;14;03 - 00;05;16;08
Tony Ridge
I think there's been a misunderstanding.
00;05;16;09 - 00;05;23;13
John Carnack
Yes. Yours, to think you have any place in a research group staffed by humans. Now get out.
00;05;23;15 - 00;05;26;12
Tony Ridge
You can't talk to me like that.
00;05;26;13 - 00;05;51;09
John Carnack
Just did. Get out or I'll have security remove you and beat the shit out of you behind the dumpsters. But maybe you could pick up some tips for your next excursion. Or prison.
00;05;51;12 - 00;06;00;02
John Carnack
You locked a door with a window in it, you bloody idiot! I can see exactly where you're going. Get back here and talk to me!
00;06;00;04 - 00;06;03;01
Tony Ridge
Oh ho! Now you want to talk to me?
00;06;03;03 - 00;06;04;12
John Carnack
Do you know what you're carrying?
00;06;04;13 - 00;06;08;06
Tony Ridge
Of course I do. It's a dark matter attractor.
00;06;08;08 - 00;06;10;09
John Carnack
Yeah, but do you know what it can do?
00;06;10;11 - 00;06;16;06
Tony Ridge
I've followed your work ever since you denied me the chance to do the work I was made for.
00;06;16;09 - 00;06;20;01
John Carnack
Oh, a fan. Put that thing down. Unlock the door and make a run for it.
00;06;20;05 - 00;06;21;09
Tony Ridge
It's too late for that.
00;06;21;14 - 00;06;25;00
John Carnack
How did you even get a senior job here? With your record?
00;06;25;02 - 00;06;32;13
Tony Ridge
Ingenuity and invention. And convincing some people to delete some files. I'm good at convincing people.
00;06;32;16 - 00;06;36;07
John Carnack
With your fists, as I recall.
00;06;36;10 - 00;06;39;04
Tony Ridge
Well, we use the tools we are given.
00;06;39;07 - 00;06;41;21
John Carnack
Yes we do.
00;06;41;23 - 00;06;42;23
Tony Ridge
What are you doing?
00;06;42;26 - 00;06;50;08
John Carnack
Unlocking this door. And then I'm going to stick this little screwdriver through your eyeball and wiggle it around.
00;06;50;10 - 00;06;58;18
Tony Ridge
I can't believe you even showed up here. On today of all days. You're my goddamned curse, Carnack.
00;06;58;19 - 00;07;02;04
John Carnack
Oh, just put it down. You're not getting out of the building.
00;07;02;07 - 00;07;09;15
Tony Ridge
I'm not trying to. I only need the basement levels. You're too late. I have a date with the devil.
00;07;09;18 - 00;07;14;00
John Carnack
Bloody hell!
00;07;14;03 - 00;07;29;01
John Carnack
Finally. Losing my touch. Where the hell did you get to? Got you.
00;07;29;03 - 00;07;30;05
Tony Ridge
That was smart.
00;07;30;07 - 00;07;31;07
John Carnack
I'm a clever boy.
00;07;31;08 - 00;07;39;17
Tony Ridge
Not clever enough. I know all about what happened at Wardenclyffe. Maybe it would have gone down differently if I'd have been there.
00;07;39;19 - 00;07;46;06
John Carnack
[laughing] You would have stolen all the equipment and jerked off on the lab coats of half the people on my team before we turned the power on.
00;07;46;09 - 00;07;53;22
Tony Ridge
You had no idea what you were doing. I could have told you. I would have recognized it.
00;07;53;24 - 00;07;56;20
John Carnack
You recognized what?
00;07;56;27 - 00;08;16;24
Tony Ridge
I thought you became a folklorist, John. It was the devil. Dark matter isn't information. It's the stuff of myth. It's the devil, John. And I finally got a job at a dark matter lab so I can make a deal with him. Why are you even chasing me, John?
00;08;16;26 - 00;08;19;08
Tony Ridge
You could leave this to the cops.
00;08;19;14 - 00;08;23;03
John Carnack
Yeah, well, because I'm not explaining to them why you shouldn't have that thing under your arm.
00;08;23;04 - 00;08;44;06
Tony Ridge
Oh ho, so you do feel some responsibility? Hmm? Conscience pricking you a bit? That's right. I didn't lock that one. I decided you can watch. You may notice it's getting colder down here, John. Come on in.
00;08;44;08 - 00;08;53;09
Tony Ridge
There we go. Welcome to my private lab. Slowly. In.
00;08;53;12 - 00;08;55;17
John Carnack
That's not a very scientific instrument.
00;08;55;20 - 00;09;04;04
Tony Ridge
Yeah, well, you were never very worldly, John. You never understood the use of a well-placed handgun.
00;09;04;06 - 00;09;07;24
John Carnack
Why is that person laying there? Is she...?
00;09;07;29 - 00;09;20;21
Tony Ridge
No, no. She's... she's not dead. Heavily sedated. I’m not a sadist, John. There's no reason for her to be awake for all this.
00;09;20;23 - 00;09;21;21
John Carnack
Who is she?
00;09;21;23 - 00;09;35;11
Tony Ridge
Well, everyone thinks she didn't show up for work today. Actually, she arrived early because she's a little goody two shoes. But I arrived earlier.
00;09;35;13 - 00;09;37;13
John Carnack
Been following her around, have you?
00;09;37;15 - 00;09;46;20
Tony Ridge
I like to know things, John. This. All this. It's about knowing things.
00;09;46;20 - 00;09;56;02
John Carnack
Right. You've been stealing equipment from your own lab and rigging it up in a sub-basement. And you've abducted one of your own colleagues, doped her up and laid her down in front of it.
00;09;56;04 - 00;09;59;29
John Carnack
[laughing] This...this isn't about knowing things.
00;10;00;00 - 00;10;16;07
Tony Ridge
Yes, it is! Sorry. Yes. It is. It always has been. You refused to hire me, so I didn't get to know what I needed to know back then. Now I will.
00;10;16;11 - 00;10;19;18
John Carnack
Oh, it's my fault? So what did you need to know?
00;10;19;22 - 00;10;48;12
Tony Ridge
What you need to know, John. Cutting through the skin of the universe to see what lies beyond. That's why you became a folklorist, right? You realized that all folklore is the way we explain mysterious physical effects to ourselves. Every story of the Devil on earth is a story of dark matter interactions. I've read your papers. I've even read some of your reports for The Department Of Midnight.
00;10;48;17 - 00;10;51;05
John Carnack
Yeah, we don't call it that, actually.
00;10;51;08 - 00;11;20;04
Tony Ridge
Whatever, John. All I want to know is everything. That's not too much to ask in the grand scheme of things, is it? No secrets. No...no hiding from me. And you. You stopped me from finding out the greatest secret of the universe. So I followed you, and went after it myself. And I realized something you didn't.
00;11;20;07 - 00;11;26;09
John Carnack
Did you? Go on then, prove you're smarter than me. Well, spit it out, man.
00;11;26;12 - 00;11;39;14
Tony Ridge
You don't uncover the Devil and demand knowledge. We don't experiment on the Devil in hell. Read the old stories. You trade with the Devil.
00;11;39;17 - 00;11;41;13
John Carnack
Wait, you're telling me this poor woman here is -
00;11;41;13 - 00;12;00;14
Tony Ridge
Human sacrifice? Don't move! I know that activated dark matter takes people. I know it talks to the people who remain. I also know from your experience at Wardenclyffe, that it takes the people closest to the dark matter attractor pylon. Which is now plugged in.
00;12;00;16 - 00;12;01;05
John Carnack
Next to her.
00;12;01;10 - 00;12;07;28
Tony Ridge
And you're going to watch. You're going to watch me do what you never could.
00;12;08;00 - 00;12;09;13
John Carnack
Yeah, I don't think so.
00;12;09;13 - 00;12;21;20
Tony Ridge
Ah...don't move. The dark matter attractor is on a bolted connection. You won't unplug it. Look under my foot.
00;12;21;23 - 00;12;25;02
John Carnack
A guitar pedal? Are you in a band?
00;12;25;04 - 00;12;45;11
Tony Ridge
Funny, John. Pedal actuated. You see. Double click sends the power surge. And the local dark matter gets activated. You won't get to me in time. You won’t disconnect it in time. Also, I know all about your little trick with the taser. Try it and I'll shoot you.
00;12;45;13 - 00;12;47;02
John Carnack
So I just have to watch.
00;12;47;04 - 00;12;52;05
Tony Ridge
Oh, watch and be ashamed.
00;12;52;07 - 00;12;58;17
John Carnack
Well, bloody hell, Tony. I live with shame every day of my life. But you don't shame me.
00;12;58;23 - 00;13;05;04
Tony Ridge
I am better than you and you treated me like the shit on your shoe.
00;13;05;09 - 00;13;22;06
John Carnack
Okay, look, you might be better than me. But I don't carry the shame for you. You fell through the cracks in the system. You should have been caught and put somewhere safe. That was never in my control. This is.
00;13;22;08 - 00;13;27;08
Tony Ridge
Put it down. Put...put that down.
00;13;27;10 - 00;13;44;24
John Carnack
Oh. It's actually a bit heavy, isn't it? You're in good shape, running all the way down here with the attractor under your arm. But now I'm holding it. Which means, if you're right, that I'm closest to it and it’ll take me, instead.
00;13;44;26 - 00;13;49;28
Tony Ridge
You're gonna trade places? Sacrifice yourself for her?
00;13;50;01 - 00;14;06;08
John Carnack
Why not? You still get what you want. Unless, of course, whatever you're trying to summon doesn't want me. Because it's met me before. At Wardenclyffe. So I'm not new material. Not a virgin sacrifice, old son.
00;14;06;10 - 00;14;07;11
Tony Ridge
Put it back next to her.
00;14;07;17 - 00;14;08;24
John Carnack
This is a good game, isn't it?
00;14;08;25 - 00;14;11;05
Tony Ridge
No! It's not fair!
00;14;11;07 - 00;14;18;19
John Carnack
Okay. Here's a fair game. Catch!
00;14;18;21 - 00;14;23;15
John Carnack
Double click, right?
00;14;23;18 - 00;14;27;20
Tony Ridge
[screaming]
00;14;27;22 - 00;14;33;17
John Carnack
Let's take a look at your scientific instrument here.
00;14;33;19 - 00;14;48;21
John Carnack
I hope your lab doesn't bill the Department for that. In our defense, the equipment was already stolen before I shot it. How are you doing there, Tony? Suffused with the secret knowledge of the universe? Well, what did they tell you?
00;14;48;23 - 00;14;53;03
Tony Ridge
Nothing. Nothing.
00;14;53;05 - 00;14;59;08
John Carnack
Yeah. That's what I thought.
00;14;59;11 - 00;15;01;15
Tony Ridge
I can’t feel my arms..
00;15;01;17 - 00;15;09;26
John Carnack
Oh, that's because you're missing some pieces of them. Yeah. May as well eBay your shoes while you're at it.
00;15;09;28 - 00;15;12;27
Tony Ridge
Why....why am I still alive...?
00;15;13;00 - 00;15;17;14
John Carnack
Oh. Because I hate cops and I wanted you alive to explain all this to them so I didn't have to.
00;15;17;15 - 00;15;24;04
Tony Ridge
Why didn't you tell anything?
00;15;24;06 - 00;15;26;01
John Carnack
The Devil was already here, Tony.
00;15;30;22 - 00;15;33;22
Narrator
Next time on The Department Of Midnight.
00;15;33;25 - 00;15;52;27
Iris Ash
This year alone, Doctor Carnack, you have, in what I consider a fairly high-handed fashion, flooded a very expensive lab facility with ferro concrete. You burned down a private home, apparently unconcerned as to whether anyone was inside it at the time. You have also, and I'd like some clarity on your report here - you claim to have used a Taser on a ghost?
00;15;52;29 - 00;15;54;20
John Carnack
No,
00;15;54;22 - 00;16;00;11
Iris Ash
But it says here you tased a ghost. I presume this is a joke?
00;16;00;13 - 00;16;06;08
John Carnack
No. Um...I tased the man the ghost was inside at the time.
00;16;06;10 - 00;17;19;07
Narrator
The Department Of Midnight is produced by Warren Ellis, Brian Gucciardo, Kevin and Diane Kolde. Fred Seibert. Main title and credit narration by Gildart Jackson. Casting and voice direction by Meredith Layne CSA. Main title and score by Trey Toy. Dialogue editors Kevin and Diane Kolde. Recording coordinator Kathy Cavaiola. Dialogue recorded at Salami Studios. Lead dialogue mixer Mark Mercado. Assistant dialogue mixers Jonathan Bradley and Chris Story. Audio post production provided by Salami Studios. Post audio supervisor Peter DiRado. Sound design and editorial Paul Menichini M.P.S.E. Rerecording mixer Sean Jacobson. The Department Of Midnight is a production of The Bellport Theater On The Air.
00;17;19;09 - 00;17;22;11
Narrator
All rights reserved.