0:02

We're excited to share the first episode of Evergreen,

0:05

a sci-fi thriller that follows seven of the

0:07

world's greatest minds who are trapped in a subterranean

0:09

biosphere as an asteroid devastates

0:12

the surface of the earth. This nine

0:14

episode show is the first from Hidden Signal,

0:17

QCode's new recurring series of mind-bending

0:19

immersive stories. We hope

0:21

you enjoy episode one of Evergreen, and

0:24

remember to click the link in the show notes or

0:26

search for Hidden Signal Evergreen wherever

0:28

you're listening now.

0:29

Hello listeners, be advised that this show

0:32

is an immersive audio experience. It

0:34

may seem like sounds are coming from the sides or behind

0:36

you. Listener discretion is advised,

0:39

as this content is intended for adult audiences

0:41

only. QCode presents

0:44

Evergreen, a Hidden Signal series.

0:48

Created by Chloe Stearns and John Wynn.

0:59

Hannah, what memory would you

1:01

like to experience? I

1:04

want to see my mom right

1:07

before...

1:10

You don't have to do that. You

1:12

can choose another moment. No. I

1:15

want to see. I want to see my mom. What

1:17

is this? My

1:31

mom's farm. Hannah?

1:34

Hi, Mom. Hannah, you're home! I'm so happy

1:36

to see... I wasn't expecting you. I know.

1:38

I thought I'd never see you again. I'm

1:41

sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm

1:43

so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.

1:46

I'm sorry. What

1:50

is that? It's okay. Do

1:52

you see that? What is that? In the

1:55

sky. It happened

1:56

so fast. Hannah.

2:02

Oh God. No. I'm

2:05

so sorry. Oh God. I can't stop

2:07

it. Oh, I can't.

2:16

All that matters... is

2:19

we are together.

2:30

Oh God. Hannah,

2:48

VIPs are in route. ETA, 48

2:50

minutes. Thank

2:52

you. Status

2:55

Robert? All personnel

2:58

from the lower and middle levels are loaded onto their

3:00

transports. There's a big storm

3:02

from the west. Are you coming?

3:04

I'll see you shortly. Don't leave

3:06

without me. Thanks Robert. Hannah,

3:13

Valerie is calling you.

3:17

Mom? Hannah,

3:19

hi. I really can't talk today. Time's short. Okay,

3:22

okay lady. I just wanted to say I love

3:25

you and I am so proud of you. I know

3:27

how hard you've worked. I know

3:29

that this is a really big day. Everything

3:31

okay? Everything's

3:34

perfect. I'll call you later. I promise. Okay.

3:40

I love you, chicken.

3:55

Finn, your guests

3:57

are arriving within the hour. We're

4:00

on schedule. Yes. What

4:02

about our people? They're either already gone

4:04

or on their way out. You're

4:07

lingering. Speak,

4:12

Hannah. There's a storm. I'm

4:17

sure you'll figure it out. I

4:21

also wanted to let you know that today will be my last

4:23

day working for you and Arca Industries. I've

4:30

waited patiently for a promotion, but you

4:32

made promises you obviously couldn't keep, and that's

4:34

fine. But

4:39

it's time for me to move on. Do

4:42

you think this is a good time to be having this conversation?

4:48

I didn't think that it was right to leave before today.

4:50

Does this feel right to you?

4:52

Um, do you know how hard it was to

4:55

get these seven people to this mountain on the exact

4:57

date and time that you requested? They're

4:59

just as busy as you are, if not

5:01

busier. And I have been by your side for

5:04

the entire process, and I wanted to see it through,

5:06

but five years is too long for

5:08

me to be an executive assistant. Even

5:11

yours.

5:11

And now that

5:13

I finally realize that, I won't

5:16

do it a day longer than I have to. So,

5:18

you quit. This is a complicated thing

5:20

for me. Say the words, Hannah.

5:23

I quit. Say it. Scream

5:26

it. Relish the

5:28

moment. This may be the only

5:30

important job you ever quit. Make

5:32

it count. I

5:36

quit. That

5:39

wasn't so hard, was it? Cortex

5:42

water? Yes. I'm not a

5:44

good person. I'm a good person. Cortex water?

5:47

Yes, Ben.

5:54

Well, you've

5:56

made a choice, Hannah. And I have to respect

5:58

that. You

6:00

really made your mark here. No one

6:03

can take that away, and I have a sneaking suspicion

6:06

that a little piece of you will never leave.

6:11

Um... Well, it's

6:13

been a privilege to work for you. Things

6:15

don't always fit perfectly in the box,

6:17

Hannah. But we adapt. Make

6:21

sure the champagne will make guests arrive. It should feel

6:24

festive, celebratory. I

6:26

need these people to be happy. And more

6:28

important, keep them on schedule. And

6:30

get rid of the catering company.

6:35

I don't want any interruptions. You'll

6:39

stay until dinner. Then you can go.

6:42

And I will write you the best reference of

6:44

your life. Um...

6:51

Okay, Finn. Of course. What

7:00

the fuck?

7:07

Hannah. Hi. I have to

7:09

stay. Make sure no one else is still

7:11

on the compound, and then you can leave. Uh,

7:14

are you sure? The weather's getting

7:16

pretty bad. I'll take one of the automated transports

7:19

later. Okay. You're the boss. I'm

7:22

not sure. Cortex,

7:26

we need umbrellas. Yes, Hannah. Hi,

7:44

Miss Gabriel. It's Greer,

7:46

right? Yes, ma'am. Ma'am is

7:48

my mom. Just call me Hannah. Right.

7:51

Hannah, we set up everything to

7:53

your exact specifications. These are

7:55

part of the parsnip

8:00

rap doubles, and over here... Kana.

8:03

Yes, Cortex? Our guests are

8:05

arriving. Thank you, Cortex.

8:09

Greer, please have your staff wrap up. You're

8:11

free to leave. Make sure everyone is off the premises within 30

8:13

minutes. I'm

8:16

sorry. Is something wrong? Today

8:18

is your lucky day. You get the night

8:20

off. Everything looks great. Our

8:23

guests will love it. Thank you.

8:30

What's up? Hey, Greer.

8:33

Everything good? Clara.

8:36

Yeah. Hey, listen up, everyone.

8:39

We've been instructed to clear out. What?

8:42

What? Hey,

8:44

George, we've been here like 12 hours. Don't worry. Don't

8:46

worry. We're all still getting paid. We just

8:49

have to be out of here, like, now. Okay. Okay.

8:52

Okay. Okay. Okay.

8:55

Okay. Okay. Okay.

8:59

Hold on just a moment here.

9:06

Alpha 1, watch your tail. Landing's

9:09

gonna be rough. Wind shears at 25 knots.

9:12

We're gonna have to drop fast. Copy

9:15

alpha two. Follow my lead.

9:23

Alpha one

9:25

descending copy 100 feet descending 800 feet. 600 feet 600

9:28

feet. Alpha

9:31

two watch your crosswinds there. Copy that.

9:33

Steady steady. 400 feet 400 feet.

9:37

300 feet. Top

9:40

deck. Arc Industries. Alpha

9:42

one alpha two have landed. Welcome.

9:49

Ida.

9:50

It's so great to finally meet you in person. Mama.

9:59

Fuck.

9:59

Hi, Hannah. Good to see you.

10:02

McKenna, is Ida? She dares it. I can

10:04

handle a puddle jumper

10:06

in rural Cambodia, but these luxury

10:08

helicopters get me every time. Ha

10:11

ha!

10:14

I think it's the smell of leather. I'd

10:16

wager it's the blizzard. Ida,

10:19

let's get you inside. McKenna,

10:22

I have an umbrella for you too. Please. The

10:25

lights never bothered me.

10:25

Nothing, assistant. You still have the

10:27

trenches, huh? Where's my umbrella? Good

10:31

to see you too, Jeffrey. You must

10:33

be Niko. Great sunglasses.

10:37

Okay. Your

10:39

latest research on alternative prenatal genetic testing

10:42

is mind-blowing. Okay?

10:47

Okay. Lovely

10:49

to see you again,

10:50

Hannah. How have

10:52

you been? Well, Dagny, thank you. Now,

10:56

Hannah, as we discussed, I won't be departing

10:59

with the rest of the guests, so someone can deal

11:01

with my bags. That would be great. Of course.

11:04

Finn's thrilled you were able to join.

11:07

Hi, Hannah. Hello, Hannah. David!

11:09

Axel! Welcome! It's

11:12

very lovely to finally meet

11:14

you. Everybody, everybody,

11:16

everybody! David's

11:18

afraid of the cold. Talked about

11:20

it the whole way over. That's

11:22

not what I said. I've watched all

11:24

your videos. I think you're brilliant. But let

11:27

me tell you, I tried your 4-4-7 breathing method, and

11:30

I'm still freezing my ass off. Hold

11:33

my jacket. Show off. Mind

11:36

over matter, David. That's

11:38

what my method is all about, man. This

11:42

is

11:43

living!

11:45

Hannah, tell me Finn invited him by mistake.

11:55

Cortex, continue tracking our guests. I

11:57

want to see everything. Yes, Finn. Then,

12:03

you're alarm. More

12:09

champagne, Mr. Garcia. Thanks.

12:20

How 9000? Leave

12:23

it to Finn Goral to automate getting

12:25

hammered. Jeffrey,

12:28

I thought all things AI went through you. Finn's

12:31

good with parlor tricks. This is a glorified

12:33

virtual assistant with robotic arms. My

12:35

AI isn't bartending its simulating better

12:37

methods of

12:38

carbon capture. Well, if you

12:40

two stopped competing, you might actually

12:42

save the planet. Finn doesn't like

12:44

to play second fiddle. In two years,

12:47

we'll have a clear path to reverse climate

12:49

change. Ah, cheers to that.

12:53

So, why do you

12:55

think we're here? Knowing Finn?

12:58

He needs something. Don't

13:01

we all? Why bring

13:03

you, a survivalist turned viral

13:05

internet breathing guru, me,

13:07

a futurist,

13:08

Dagni, the world's leading

13:10

agronomist, Ida, the foremost

13:12

ethical sociologist of our time, Nico,

13:15

a genius geneticist but a walking controversy,

13:18

David, the dashing oncology surgeon,

13:21

and McKenna, who is... The most

13:23

brilliant shrink in all the land.

13:27

Axel, you and Dr. Yoon seem

13:29

chummy. An introduction would

13:31

be most appreciated. Of course.

13:36

David, page Dr. David Yoon.

13:40

Hey. Hey. Come

13:43

here.

13:44

What

13:46

can I do you for? Dr. David,

13:50

meet the esteemed McKenna Scott and

13:52

Jeffrey Steinberg.

13:53

The world's most famous doctor. I've

13:56

been following you in the media ever since you stepped

13:58

down as medical director at Sloan-Reed. I'm kattering to work

14:00

on this life-saving drug you've developed.

14:02

And now it seems like you do a press conference

14:04

what? Every two days? You

14:08

have to give people what they want. I'm

14:11

dying to know more about it. Your

14:13

approach to stem cell therapy, the breakthrough

14:15

you've made in regenerative medicine is just

14:17

incredible. What are you calling it in the

14:19

press? The Ponce de Leon treatment?

14:22

I've never claimed. On the record,

14:24

my drug is the key to sustained health. Sure,

14:28

I may have hinted it will cure all

14:30

diseases. Let's

14:33

just say my shareholders are chopping

14:35

at the bit to get this to market. Should be

14:37

available to the public in about a year. I'm

14:39

offended. Why's that? How do you

14:42

not know? It's just...

14:44

Ida, I'm

14:46

on farms ten months of the year. Gossip

14:49

doesn't grow there? Well, if

14:51

you ever have a baby, don't let

14:53

her near it. Neonatal Nico

14:55

is what they're calling her. He knows what

14:58

she's hiding behind those sunglasses. Ida,

15:00

Dagny. Hannah! What

15:03

a lovely reception. When do

15:05

the rest of the guests arrive? If I could just have you

15:07

two join up with the others, we are about to begin. Wonderful.

15:13

Nico!

15:14

Hi! We're about to start the event. No

15:17

one ever eats the food at these things.

15:25

What? Fuckin' hell. Yeah, yeah,

15:27

yeah, yeah. I got it. I got

15:29

it. I got it. He's chivalry's dead,

15:31

huh? You're gonna have to... Let's go, let's go.

15:33

50 pounds off. Guys, careful! Oh.

15:36

I'm lifting the shit off. Dammit. What's

15:39

wrong? The ovens. I might have

15:41

left them on. You might have? I can't

15:43

believe I'm on the way. I'm on the way. I'm on

15:45

the way. I'm on the way. I'm on the

15:47

way. I'm on the way. I'm on the

15:49

way. I'm on the way. I'm on

15:51

the way. I'm on the way. I'm on the

15:53

way. I can't remember. I'll run back and check. I'm

16:00

sorry, Niko! Hurry!

16:10

I promise this won't hurt. Just a gentle

16:12

finger prick from Cortex.

16:30

Eishikawa confirmed. David

16:33

Yun... confirmed. Please

16:37

present biometric security to continue.

16:44

Hannah Gabriel... thumb scan

16:47

confirmed. Wait, wait,

16:49

wait. So it's just

16:51

us? Yes.

16:54

Finn, only one of the seven of you.

17:00

I'm sorry. Haida?

17:13

You okay?

17:15

I'm good, I'm good. Hannah, where

17:17

the hell are you taking us? You'll

17:20

see. Three thousand meters. Oh god, I'm

17:22

my puke. Shit. Seriously.

17:24

Again. Four thousand meters. We're

17:27

almost there.

17:31

Oh.

17:32

Cortex? Water

17:35

for Ida, please? I'm fine. I

17:37

just, uh... need the floor to stop spinning.

17:41

Leather sofas, a mahogany bar,

17:43

marble tables, dim lighting... Did

17:46

our man Finn really drag us two and a half

17:48

miles underground to reveal a mediocre speakeasy?

17:52

Adley on brand? I don't get it. Where

17:54

is he? If I could direct your attention to the glass

17:56

wall... You

17:58

might find something that's quite... Quite surprising. Oh

18:02

my God. Oh, possible. There's

18:04

a forest down here. And a lake. It's

18:07

bigger than Central Park. Five times bigger. Guys,

18:09

it's Quantum.micro LED with

18:12

eye tracking projection to account for each of our perspectives. Give

18:14

me more credit than that, Jeffrey. Oh my God.

18:17

Of course. That's the entrance.

18:21

Welcome to Evergreen. You

18:24

are the first outsiders to set foot

18:26

inside what I consider my

18:29

life's greatest work. This

18:32

is the most advanced and secure place

18:34

on Earth. And after

18:37

the day, I

18:38

know you'll feel the same.

18:49

Hey, you missed

18:50

me. Try again or I'll cut. Clara,

18:53

turn on your phone. Hey, boss. Time to go. Are

18:56

we still

18:56

waiting for Clara? No, I'll go get her. We'll

18:58

grab the next transport. Connell,

19:01

make sure all the equipment gets

19:02

back properly, and

19:04

make sure to dry everything off. I'm

19:07

trusting you.

19:23

This part of Evergreen is called

19:25

the sphere. It's the living,

19:27

breathing ecosystem with a fully functional

19:29

atmosphere that creates breathable

19:32

air. But all of Evergreen.

19:35

It's amazing, Ken. It really is

19:37

the scale and the scope are unbelievable.

19:40

I can actually feel the wind. The sun. Well, that's

19:42

because it actually is. You're suddenly quiet. You're

19:46

missing the important details. I've

19:49

seen nature before. Not impressed? Things

19:52

don't impress me. People

19:54

do.

19:55

The amount of effort this must have taken. When

19:58

it's fully operational, the sphere... They will be able

20:00

to provide sustenance for up to 5,000 people.

20:04

And when do you expect that to be? Soon.

20:06

Soon. We're on schedule. That's cool

20:08

if you're staging a food festival. But why

20:11

did you make this, Finn? Why underground?

20:14

Ah, yes. The why, little. Why?

20:17

Why? Why? Because

20:20

at some point, Ida, the way we've

20:22

existed, and most importantly, where

20:25

we've existed, will no longer be an option.

20:28

Some of our colleagues believe the answer is out there in

20:30

space. Let's colonize a new

20:32

planet. Terraform the moon.

20:36

But I believe the answer is right here.

20:39

Evergreen is a world within a

20:41

world. A place where we could live

20:43

and thrive. But everything

20:46

above is gone. A place

20:48

where we won't repeat the fatal

20:50

mistakes we've made above.

20:52

You want people to live down

20:54

here? That's the dream. Okay,

20:56

Finn, but why are we here right now? Because

20:59

I want your feedback. Your opinions

21:01

about Evergreen. There's nothing more dangerous

21:04

than thinking you've figured it out on your own. We

21:06

all need someone to challenge us. Make

21:08

us better. See things we might have

21:10

missed. You're objectively

21:12

the seven smartest, most respected minds

21:15

on the planet. You are the leaders

21:18

of your disciplines, and so you

21:20

are my peer review. And

21:23

I look forward to your thoughts.

21:24

It's too hot. David, I

21:26

see your sweat. What? I'm

21:29

just saying what we're all thinking. And that's exactly

21:31

why you're here. Cortex,

21:35

a nice summer storm. Something to cool

21:37

our guests off. Yes, Finn.

21:44

Are you guys seeing this? The

21:46

sky... You've got to be fucking kidding,

21:48

I swear. Hey, Axel. Let's

21:51

stand over here. Jesus,

21:54

shit, bloody hell. How

21:59

are you doing this? Loving the feedback

22:01

already team? Finn, we're getting soaked! A

22:03

little bit of rain didn't harm anyone. Finn!

22:08

Enough! Cortex,

22:10

return the weather to our previous setting. Yes,

22:13

Finn. Glorious,

22:17

isn't it? Impressed now? No, um,

22:20

I'm scared. Let's continue the tour. He's

22:22

literally playing God.

22:29

We're excited to share the new product

22:31

from our sponsor, Sonos. Adding

22:35

to the already extremely impressive Sonos

22:37

product lineup is the Sonos Aera 300. This

22:40

sleek smart speaker is an all-in-one plugin

22:43

that's designed for immersive sound and spatial

22:45

audio listening out loud.

22:47

You can imagine how excited we all get at Q-Code

22:49

when we're able to really step into the world of our

22:51

shows and feel them all around us. Not

22:54

to mention how much of a game changer it is

22:56

for listening to all of your favorite music.

22:58

Looking at the speaker in my house, you would never

23:00

believe how amazing the sound quality is, which

23:02

makes it perfect for any home's aesthetic.

23:05

Perched right under my TV, it's subtle-looking

23:08

but extremely powerful and seriously

23:10

impresses all of my guests. The

23:12

easy setup process and intuitive interface

23:15

make it a breeze to use and integrate with the

23:17

rest of your Sonos sound system. The sound

23:19

quality is truly just unmatched by

23:21

any other sound system I've tried. Immersive

23:24

doesn't even do it justice. Take listening

23:26

above and beyond with the Sonos Aera 300.

23:29

Head over to Sonos.com and get the Aera 300

23:32

and experience spatial audio like

23:34

only Sonos can do spatial audio.

23:37

Reboot your credit card with Apple Card,

23:40

the credit card created by Apple. It gives

23:42

you unlimited daily cash back that you can now

23:44

choose to grow in a high-yield savings account

23:46

at 4.15% annual percentage yield. That's

23:49

more than 10 times higher than the national average savings

23:51

rate. Apply for Apple Card now in the Wallet

23:54

app on iPhone and start growing your daily cash

23:56

with savings today. Apple Card subject to credit

23:58

approval. Savings is available today. to Apple Card owners

24:01

subject to eligibility requirements. Savings

24:03

accounts provided by Goldman Sachs Bank USA

24:05

member FDIC. National average savings

24:07

rate is from FDIC website, term supply.

24:15

No,

24:17

no, no, no, no, don't let it shut, no. What

24:20

the fuck are you doing? It

24:23

locks from the other side. Shit.

24:28

What about the ovens?

24:30

If I said they weren't on, would you

24:32

be relieved or just mad? Oh

24:35

my God. Okay. I'm

24:37

calling Connell.

24:38

Weird,

24:41

right? There's no signal. We

24:43

had it earlier. Did

24:46

you see that? The green

24:48

light above the door? It

24:50

just turned red.

24:52

Oh, no. Your

24:59

new clothes, McKenna. Uh,

25:02

yeah, no. It's gonna be a pass, really.

25:05

Matching. Ha, did

25:08

you get coveralls too? Please,

25:14

follow me. We're almost there. Just

25:17

through this archway and this.

25:21

Is the cold. The center

25:23

of Evergreen's universe.

25:26

This is where we eat, sleep, exercise,

25:29

socialize, recharge. You

25:32

can indulge in a spa day, go to the

25:34

movies, do research in our digital

25:36

library. What's your favorite band

25:39

live in concert? Ah,

25:41

yes, the world is ending. Everyone,

25:44

run into this doomsday bunker. You can get a mud

25:46

bath and catch Dave Matthews concert. You

25:48

know, just the essentials. It

25:52

is not the strongest

25:53

or the most intelligent

25:55

who will survive, but those who can

25:58

best manage change.

26:00

Hello? Hello? Can you

26:02

hear us? Hello?

26:06

Literally anyone? Hello? Hey

26:08

is someone there? Can you unlock the doors? Did you

26:10

just turn off the lights? No. No. No.

26:14

No. No. No.

26:17

No. No. No.

26:20

No. No. No.

26:23

No. No. No.

26:26

No. No. No. No.

26:31

No. No. No.

26:34

No. No.

26:39

No. No.

26:47

No. Second.

26:52

I'm not a cult member in these matching outfits. Oh,

26:54

I quite like you in a cover-all, Ducky. Blue

26:58

skies, smiling at me.

27:01

Nothing but blue sky... Careful, Ben. What?

27:04

Afraid someone might see? Afraid

27:07

you're gonna get that song stuck in my head again.

27:11

Blue skies, smiling

27:13

at me. Nothing but blue

27:15

sky. That

27:24

must be their emergency backup lighting. The

27:26

room is red, Greer. Very

27:30

ominous. Red means blood, violence, rage.

27:32

These are all symbolic. Wait, wait, wait. What's

27:34

the, uh, the computer thing Hannah was talking

27:37

to? What? The voice assistant

27:39

or whatever. She was, she was, like, bossing

27:42

it around. I have no idea, because you never

27:44

let me leave the kitchen. It was like... I'm

27:46

not gonna lie. I'm not gonna lie. I'm

27:48

not gonna lie. I'm not gonna lie. It

27:51

was like Karen. Oh, no. No,

27:54

no, but not Karen. Was it like um...

27:56

Callie? Cora?

28:00

Cortex. Yes. Cortex?

28:03

Yes. Oh, thank God. Cortex!

28:06

Open the door! I'm sorry. You

28:08

and I are not authorized to discuss logistics. No, what?

28:11

Logistics of what? Just open the door, unlock it. Come

28:13

on! Oh, no! Let's go! Let's

28:16

go! Let's go! I'm

28:18

so sorry! Let's go! I'm so

28:20

sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm

28:22

so sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!

28:25

I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm

28:27

so sorry! I'm so sorry! Oh

28:30

my God! Oh my God! Oh

28:32

my God! Oh my God! Can we take help?

28:35

Help the wall! Help the wall! I

28:37

need my card now! Please! Help!

28:49

So, Ida, what

28:52

does our world's most accomplished sociologist

28:54

think about all this? A viable wave

28:57

or storm mankind after we, you

28:59

know, melt the planet? It's

29:01

hard to tell right now. I'm not

29:04

sure how all this functions long-term.

29:07

Who runs it? What's needed to keep

29:08

it off that area? Jeffrey,

29:11

stay with the tour. Yeah,

29:13

right behind you. So, how

29:16

long have you been working on this project? It

29:19

was already underway when I came on board. But

29:22

I like to think I helped steer the ship and bring it to life.

29:25

I'm proud of it.

29:26

It's been a sacrifice, that's

29:29

for sure. Ah, yeah, no social

29:31

life, huh? That's putting

29:33

it lightly. I haven't left the compound

29:35

in 18 months. It's

29:38

pretty isolating.

29:39

But I don't need to

29:41

explain that to the guy who spent four years

29:44

living alone off the grid in

29:46

the Canadian Arctic Tundra. You

29:48

learn a

29:48

lot about yourself when there's no one else around.

29:51

But I would have never developed the

29:54

4-4-7 method otherwise, so. Well,

29:58

Finn is fascinated. by your whole journey.

30:01

He's been wanting to meet you for years. Hannah,

30:05

Valerie is calling you. Sorry

30:07

Axel, I need to take this. Oh, sure, sure,

30:09

sure. Do your thing. Goddamn

30:12

it. Where's Jeffrey going? Cortex,

30:15

send my mom to voicemail.

30:23

So this is your control room, huh? What

30:26

are you hiding, finger owl?

30:29

Log in credentials, please.

30:34

Log in credentials, please. This

30:38

is not a good look. Hannah, this is... How

30:43

did he get away with this? What do you mean? Evergreen.

30:47

All of it. He's been building this for what, years?

30:49

And poured billions of

30:50

dollars? 2.3 trillion, actually. Further

30:53

proving my point. How

30:55

did Finn build this without the

30:57

world knowing?

30:58

You mean without you knowing?

31:01

Well, not to pat myself on the back here, but I think

31:03

we all know there's nothing in the tech world I'm not privy

31:05

to. Finn's assistant.

31:10

You really are out of the loop. I don't

31:12

work for Finn anymore. I quit. Today.

31:16

Holy shit, you finally did it. So

31:19

you're ready to come work for me then, eh?

31:22

Didn't want to work for you five years ago, Jeffrey.

31:25

Don't want to work for you now. And

31:27

you're not authorized to be in here. So

31:29

get the fuck out.

31:30

The

31:40

wall's going perfect! It's not stopping!

31:43

We're just

31:44

opening the door, begging you! Please

31:50

enter the access hall. I don't know what you have

31:52

to do, baby. I

31:55

don't know the code! Open

31:57

it! You spiking old man! Choose

32:03

any

32:03

virtual memory pod. Now

32:05

it might look like a movie theater, but

32:07

this room is so much more. Direct

32:10

your attention to the pods along

32:12

the wall. I need one brave volunteer.

32:17

Anyone? Come

32:19

on. Don't be shy.

32:22

Fuck it. Let's go. Thank you,

32:24

Axel. Come on.

32:26

What

32:28

memory would you like to experience?

32:31

In you go. Uh,

32:34

looks a little snug, Finn. Well,

32:36

it's supposed to be. Trust me.

32:39

Come on, Axel. This

32:41

is living, remember? Ah, ha

32:44

ha. Two shade,

32:46

heck me. Okay.

32:50

Ah. Ah.

32:54

Okay, I'm in. I'm in. The pod

32:56

is going to close now, but we'll be able to talk via

32:58

the interface. Awesome.

33:04

Axel, what memory would you

33:06

like to experience? Hey, uh, is this supposed to be pitch black

33:08

in here? Yes,

33:12

it is. Now I want you to relax.

33:15

Take a few deep breaths. Where

33:18

are you, Chief? Where

33:20

are you? You know,

33:23

before we begin, I think I'll let Hannah explain

33:25

this one. Since she's been such an integral

33:28

part of this process, practically

33:31

steering the ship herself.

33:32

I... I

33:35

don't... Speak, Hannah.

33:40

I'm... I'm not actually

33:42

very familiar with this room. I'm

33:44

not... So, Hannah seems a little overwhelmed by

33:46

the magnitude of the moment. I

33:49

do agree it's awe-inspiring. This

33:53

is virtual memory, otherwise

33:56

known as female. Axel?

33:59

I want you to recall a favorite

34:02

childhood memory. Okay.

34:05

Okay. Tell us what you're thinking.

34:11

Um...

34:14

When I was six, my

34:17

sister Zara found this dog. We

34:21

always wanted a dog. What

34:24

was the dog's name?

34:26

We didn't name him. We had to

34:28

give him to my ethnocle. I

34:35

can't go past... Come on,

34:37

come on, come on, come on, come on.

34:40

I don't know my... The

34:43

power went out! It's a lock! Get

34:46

in! This is

34:48

an elevator, not an exit! Oh

34:51

my god, Cleo! The

34:53

lock's on again! Careful!

34:56

Careful! Yes!

35:08

Axel,

35:09

if you could have kept the dog, what

35:12

would you have named him? Um...

35:17

Scully? I

35:19

want you to imagine you didn't have to give

35:22

Scully away. He's

35:24

yours. By

35:26

your side, running, playing... Axel?

35:32

Uh... yeah. I'm

35:34

trying, but I'm... It's,

35:38

um... it's not...

35:39

coming so easily.

35:42

You don't have to force it. Just be free.

35:45

Okay.

35:45

Imagine.

35:54

I'm going to be in the hospital. I'm going to

35:57

be in the hospital. I'm going to be in the hospital.

36:00

Oh my god. Skye.

36:11

Hey Axel? Your dog is here.

36:15

He's with us in this room. What? Oh

36:18

my god. Why can't I touch him? Because

36:20

it's not real.

36:21

But we're right here with him. How are you doing

36:23

this thing? Why don't we have the originator

36:26

of this concept tell you more? What

36:28

kind of thing? I don't

36:30

believe it.

36:33

Psychologists like me have been helping

36:35

patients process trauma for years using eye

36:38

movement, desensitization and reprocessing,

36:41

or EMDR. But I

36:43

always felt

36:44

we needed more. Years

36:46

ago I came to Finn with a bold idea. Instead

36:49

of replaying the past quietly in our minds, we

36:51

could physically recreate it in real time. What

36:55

if while reliving that experience, we

36:57

could make a different choice? One that brings

36:59

us closure, eliminates

37:01

regret.

37:01

But

37:04

Finn, you said... It couldn't be done.

37:08

And it couldn't. At that time.

37:10

I've been working on it for years without your help

37:12

getting no argument. Please don't tell me. You stole

37:14

my idea. I just did what you asked me to do. What

37:17

you're all watching now is Axel dealing

37:19

with a past pain. Can you roll

37:22

over? That was my ear.

37:28

Time for dinner. Hi chicken.

37:31

Listen, I just wanted

37:33

to see how it went.

37:36

Anyway,

37:39

I just, I know this

37:41

was a really big decision and I am

37:44

so so proud of you for finally doing

37:46

this.

37:47

And I can't believe you're coming home tomorrow. I'm

37:50

so excited. I made lasagna. Anna,

37:53

you needed to speak to me? Can

37:55

this wait till after dinner? Finn.

38:00

You okay? Oh, just a

38:02

slight headache. Too much coffee,

38:05

not enough food. Okay.

38:09

Look, we agreed I'd leave before

38:11

dinner. I just wanted to say

38:13

goodbye. Goodbye? That's

38:17

so traumatic. I

38:20

know I was short with you. Losing

38:23

my right-hand person on the most important

38:25

day of my life was... Unexpected.

38:30

I'll never be able to replace you. That's

38:33

a tough pill to swallow. So stay

38:35

for dinner. Finn... I insist.

38:39

You've earned it. Oh,

38:59

yeah,

38:59

I know, right? This is all very expensive.

39:02

This is actually pretty good. This

39:04

is actually pretty good. Try

39:07

this.

39:08

Hannah, can you pass me the

39:10

Rothschild? I can show you everything.

39:12

That marvelous bottle of wine. That's

39:14

all it is. Here. All

39:17

right. Thank you.

39:20

Okay, everyone, I'd like to make a toast...

39:25

to Finn, who somehow

39:28

convinced all of us to follow in miles below

39:31

the Earth's surface, which is fucking

39:33

insane. It's

39:37

an honor to witness your newest

39:39

creation. You continue

39:42

to inspire us, and you always

39:44

move the needle forward, and you're

39:47

incredible. So congratulations.

39:50

To Finn. To

39:53

Finn. Thank

39:56

you. Thank you. Seriously, thank

39:58

you.

40:01

Earlier I told you why I need

40:03

you, you, the world's most inspirational

40:06

thinkers, to be here with me tonight.

40:09

But there's something more.

40:12

Not only are you the brightest

40:14

minds of today, you

40:17

are the pillars from which the future of

40:19

humankind will spring forth. Hey,

40:22

hey, evergreen is many things, but

40:25

what it truly is, is a chance

40:27

to do things right. Fred,

40:31

is

40:31

everything okay? The door

40:34

locks, they should

40:36

be green, but they just activated.

40:38

That's weird. Three

40:42

thousand meters. Cortex? Yes,

40:44

Greer. At least tell

40:47

me where this elevator goes. I'm sorry,

40:49

you and I are not authorized to discuss this. It can't

40:51

be happening. It can't be happening.

40:54

Four thousand meters.

41:07

On each of these screens, you see

41:09

your life as you know it. Why

41:13

are you in my house, Finn? Those are my

41:15

children. This is no one. This is a real time feeling.

41:18

In eight minutes, an asteroid the

41:20

size of Denmark will impact the Atlantic

41:23

Ocean off the coast of Brazil. It

41:25

will be a catastrophic, extinction-level

41:28

event, and now I am no

41:30

longer the only human on Earth

41:32

that knows. Okay,

41:38

you fucker. I'll give it to you.

41:41

For a second, you had me,

41:43

kind of worried, but you just couldn't

41:45

help yourself.

41:45

You oversold it. Finn Garral,

41:47

the only person in the world who knows. Even

41:50

if this was remotely true, every

41:53

astrophysicist, an idiot with a telescope,

41:55

would be all over it.

41:56

I'm still gonna sue the fuck out of you, but goddamn,

41:59

you. You're a freak. Your reaction was

42:02

expected, but this, unfortunately,

42:05

is not a joke. Finn, serious

42:07

elevated party. Cora, do not interrupt me.

42:09

As I was saying. Finn, invading my family's

42:12

privacy, spying on them for some kind

42:14

of joke or experiment?

42:16

You crossed the line. Axel,

42:19

wait. I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding.

42:21

You knew about this?

42:23

No. I'm

42:25

out of here. Ah!

42:28

Oh my god! You'll be fine, Doctor. Fine! You

42:31

just electrocuted me. Silence. In

42:35

a few short minutes, everything and everyone

42:38

you've ever known will be gone. But

42:40

I chose you to be here in

42:42

Evergreen with me. We

42:44

will be the only human life left.

42:47

Finn, critical cardiac activity.

42:50

Stop fucking around, Finn. Finn, why does

42:52

it go on? Finn, Finn, just

42:54

calm down. Sit down. Finn?

42:58

Anna, help

43:01

me. Finn!

43:05

Oh my god. What's Finn? Finn,

43:07

it almost looks well. It's not for you. David

43:09

and David. Finn, just calm down. David, sit down. Medical,

43:12

emergency. Look at this. Three,

43:15

two, three, four, five, six,

43:18

seven, eight. What

43:20

is that? What's that? This guy. It's

43:23

on fire. No, discomfort. He was

43:25

right. It's not possible. This

43:27

is not possible. Finn! Anna, what

43:30

is happening? Come on Finn. Anna,

43:32

look at the screen. Oh

43:36

my god. Fuck.

43:57

Finn.

44:13

Evergreen stars

44:16

Lana Condor as Hannah Gabriel, Abigail

44:18

Spencer as McKenna Scott, Erica

44:21

Lewis as Cortex, Alan

44:23

Cumming as Finn Garel, Chloe

44:26

Stearns as Greer, Talia

44:28

Tapan as Clara, Sheena Nielsen

44:31

as Ida Arias, Freddy Stroma

44:33

as Jeffrey Steinberg, Lana McKissick

44:36

as Nico Ishikawa, Claire Holt

44:38

as Dagny Isaacs, Kehong

44:41

Lee as David Young, Desmond

44:43

Boris as Axel Zeloff. With

44:46

additional performances by Dino Andrade,

44:49

Lenora Pitts, Luke Passmore,

44:51

John Wynn, Bill Loebley, Mo

44:54

Zilloff, Nathan Moore, Brent

44:57

Munkai, Mara Schuster-Lefkowitz.

45:00

Created and written by Chloe Stearns and

45:02

John Wynn. Directed by

45:04

John Wynn. Executive produced by

45:07

Lana Condor, Chloe Stearns, John

45:09

Wynn, Jeremy Platt, Rob

45:11

Herding, Michelle Zarrati and Shenyan

45:14

Hee-Yoo. Co-producers Nathan Moore

45:16

and Nick Shanks. Original score

45:18

and composition by Darren Johnson. Music

45:21

editor David Tataschor. Audio

45:24

engineering

45:24

by Neely Offtering, Sarah Ma

45:26

and David Tataschor. Edited

45:28

by Neely Offtering and John Wynn. Sound

45:31

design by Jeffrey Kanek and Jose Veron,

45:33

The Audio Hive. Mixed by

45:35

Sarah Ma. Supervising mixer

45:38

Ben Milchiv. Reading director

45:40

Chrissy Fiorelli. Assistant

45:42

director Kelsey Adams. Script

45:44

supervisor Bethann Morgan. Additional

45:47

script supervisor Sam Beasley. Production

45:50

coordinator Tom Brack. Production

45:52

assistant Alex Buda. Production

45:55

legal Christina Bulbrook and Lindsay Kiel.

45:58

Production accounting Pinchun

45:59

Lu. Special thanks to Mara Shuster-Lefkowitz

46:02

and Ashton Harold. For Tyson.

46:05

This podcast was recorded under a SAG-AFRIC

46:08

collective bargaining agreement. Hidden

46:10

Signal Evergreen is a Q-Code production.

46:13

Sound recording copyright 2023 by Q-Code Media Inc.